Los Angeles Premiere of DERBY DAY to Open 2/22 at Elephant Theatre

The Los Angeles Premiere of the critically acclaimed DERBY DAY written and directed by Samuel Brett Williams opens Saturday, February 22nd at 8 PM. There will be two previews on February 20th and February 21st. at 8 PM. The show runs Thursday's, Friday's and Saturday's through March 22nd at the Elephant Theatre (6322 Santa Monica Blvd. Hollywood, 90038). Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at www.plays411.com/derbyday or by calling 323.960.7779.

Running time is 80 minutes with no intermission.

Playwright Samuel Brett Williams Derby Day explores love, family and mortality in his dark comedy set in his hometown of Hot Springs, Arkansas. In Derby Day the dysfunctional Ballard brothers are in town for their abusive, alcoholic fathers' funeral. They find themselves at the Oaklawn Racetrack where they spent much of their childhood. They drink, cuss and fight over family secrets and wager one last bet for the chance at finally becoming a family.

Camisade Theatre Company was founded by Jake Silbermann, Malcolm Madera, and Samuel Brett Williams. The company is devoted to telling visceral, honest stories that portray parts of America rarely seen on stage.

Jake Silbermann* (Johnny) is a writer, actor, and producer born and raised in Manhattan. Growing up as the son of a South African musician and a Brooklyn photographer, he was always immersed in the arts, eventually studying acting and writing at Syracuse University. He began his professional career in TV and eventually theatre; his recent work includes the co-production of A.R.T. and the Yale Repertory Theatre's award winning production of Marie Antoinette (starring Marin Ireland), David Admji's 3C(alongside Eddie Cahill and Emmy nominee Anna Chlumsky), the world premiere of Phaedra Backwards (McCarter Theatre dir. Emily Mann), and recently finishing his Broadway debut of the critically acclaimed production of the Tony Nominated The Assembled Parties by Richard Greenberg (starring two-time Tony Award winner Judith Light, Jeremy Shamos, and Jessica Hecht). He is the writer and producer of the award winning short film Stuffer and has had several articles published in the Huffington Post. He is also the producer of the acclaimed off-off Broadway production of Derby Day by Samuel Brett Williams. His TV work includes Gossip Girl, The Good Wife, and originating the controversial role of Noah Mayer on As the World Turns. Jake is currently producing his first feature film based on the play The Revival by Samuel Brett Williams along with Camisade productions.

Robert M. Foster* (Frank) Has appeared in A Parallelogram, Mark Taper Forum, Jay (lead u/s). Founding member Elephant Theater Company Los Angeles. ETC: The Idea Man (Ovation Winner Best New Play, World Premiere),Parasite Drag (Ovation nominee, West Coast Premiere), Never Tell(World Premiere), Search and Destroy, Dearboy's War (WP), Halfway There (WP), Asleep on a Bicycle (WP). nnovative Theater Charlotte, N.C.: Jeffrey, Curse of the Starving Class, The Changeling. Charlotte Repertory: Inherit the Wind. LP Repertory: Tracers. Edgemar Theater: The Trial of Jane Fonda.

Kimberly Alexander (Becky) is making her Los Angeles stage debut with David Fofi at the Elephant. Her other works include NCIS, award-winning short films and a feature length horror film. She studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London.

Malcolm Madera* (Ned). Theatre- Off-Broadway credits include: The Mnemonist of Duchess County (The Attic), Derby Day (CAMISADE),The Tenant (Woodshed Collective), Al's Business Cards (At Play),The Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side (The Amoralists), Dance Lessons*(Samuel French Festival Winner), Somewhere In The Pacific (PTP, The Atlantic Stage 2), and I.E. In Other Words (The Flea). TV: House of Cards (Netflix) Boardwalk Empire (HBO), Taxi Brooklyn (TVFR). Film: The Days God Slept, And If I Stay, Dead Men, LVJ, My Brother Jack, Circledrawers, etc. After attending the University of New Mexico where he studied theatre and film theory, Malcolm attended the Drama Studio London where he played roles such as Macbeth and Demetrius in A Midsummer Night's Dream as well as performing at the historic Old Vic in the Old Vic New Voices 24 Hour Plays. Since arriving in New York, he has worked at The Flea, The Atlantic Stage 2, PS122, The Acorn, Theatre Row, The Little Shubert, the mainstage at 45 Bleeker, and many other Off-Broadway venues. Malcolm is a company member of The Amoralists and a founding member of Camisade Theatre Company.

Samuel Brett Williams (Director/Playwright). Plays have been developed/produced at the Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference, Cherry Lane Theatre, Ars Nova, New York Theatre Workshop, Naked Angels, Partial Comfort, the Lark, the Kennedy Center, Yale University, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Elephant Theatre Company, Project Y Theatre, Camisade Theatre Company, Boise Contemporary Theater, WordBRIDGE, Theatre Squared, Arkansas Rep, the Seven Devils Playwrights Conference, the Joseph Beuys Theater in Moscow, Russia, and other theatres across the United States and Canada. Brett has received residencies/commissions from P73, the National Theater Institute, the National New Play Network, and Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey. He is a past winner of the Helen Merrill Emerging Playwright Award (other winners include: Sarah Ruhl, Adam Rapp, and Annie Baker). For television, Brett has developed an original pilot (with Ryan O'Nan) for 26 Keys Productions, and he has worked on various shows for Hot Snakes Media. Brett's original screenplay for the horror series SX Tape will be produced in 2014 and directed by the acclaimed Laurent Briet. Brett's play, Revelation(premiered by Elephant Theatre Company in 2013), will be produced in Cincinnati, Ohio, at Untethered Theatre this coming January. Currently, Brett is in preproduction on the feature film The Revival, which he wrote (based on his own play) and will direct for Character Brigade Productions.

Danielle Ozymandias (Executive Producer) was the Assistant Producer of Elephant Theatre Company's The North Plan and Revelation. In her free time, she's a director. Her upcoming Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks can be seen at Little Fish Theatre in San Pedro, where she also just directed in the critically acclaimed Pick of the Vine. Other credits include Neil LaBute's Some Girl(s) with Cruthaigh Productions at Promenade Playhouse - the first LA production to include the role of Reggie, Past Curfew at Pacific Resident Theatre in Venice, and The Other F Word at the Hollywood Fringe.

Liam Joynt (Executive Producer). Liam most recently produced the world premiere of Lee Blessing's A User's Guide to Hell featuring Bernard Madoff. Past collaborations with Mr. Williams include The Revival, a show he co-produced that was nominated for seven NY IT Awards, including Outstanding Production, and the NY premiere of Derby Day. He is currently producing the feature Delusion with TreeFa Films. He teaches Voice in the Graduate Acting Program at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.

David Fofi (Elephant Theatre Company Artistic Director). After serving with the US Navy, David Fofi went on to study theatre at California State University Long Beach, where he met a core group of artists who would become the Elephant Theatre Company, founded in 1995 in downtown Los Angeles. In 1998, along with Don Cesario, he created Elephant Stages and the Lillian Theatre in Hollywood, where the Elephant Theatre Company now makes its home, and where he serves as Artistic Director. Dave has enjoyed working in many aspects of the theatre as a director, producer, and designer. His directing credits include: The world premiere of Collision by Lyle Kessler at the Rattlestick Theater in New York (Critic's Pick Timeout NY); The world premiere of Farm Boy by Michael Morpugo, stage adaptation by Daniel Buckroyd (Los Angeles Times' Critics Choice, Backstage Critic's pick) at The Matrix Theatre; the West Coast premiere of The Late Henry Moss by Sam Shepard (Backstage Critic's Pick, GO LA Weekly); the West Coast Premiere of The Little Flower of East Orange by Stephen Adly Guirgis (Ovation Recommended); In Arabia We'd All Be Kings by Stephen Adly Guirgis (4 LADCC Awards including Best Production, Critic's Pick, LA Times and Backstage); the World Premiere of Parasite Drag by Mark Roberts (Ovation Recommended, Critic's Pick Backstage and LA Weekly); the World Premiere of The Idea Man by Kevin King (Ovation Award for Best New Play, Ovation nominee Best direction); the World Premiere of Asleep on a Bicycle by Tony Foster (Critic's Pick, LA Times and Backstage); the World Premiere of Anything by Tim McNeil (3 LADCC Awards, Best Direction included, Critic's Pick LA Times, Backstage); Carlos Lacamara's play Exiles, produced by The Hayworth Theatre (Critic's Pick, Backstage);365 Days/Plays by Suzan Lori Parks; the world-premiere Los Muertos by Tim McNeil (Critic's Pick, LA Times; Pick of the Week, ReviewPlays.com);The Sand Storm (Critic's Pick, Backstage, featured in the LA Times Calendar and LA Weekly); the World Premiere Sensitive Skin by Shem Bitterman; (feature in LA Weekly); Hellcab by Will Kern (Critic's Pick, Backstage); the World Premiere of Robert J. Litz's One World(recommended, LA Times and LA Weekly; Critic's Pick, two NAACP award nominations); and 4-H Club by Sam Shepard (Critic's Pick, Backstage).

Edgar Landa (Fight Director). In addition to performing and directing, Edgar creates violence and mayhem for theatres large and small. Acts of violence include: The Steward of Christendom (CTG/Mark Taper Forum); Parfumerie (Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts); The Nether (CTG/Kirk Douglas Theatre); Romeo & Juliet (Shakespeare & Company); Homebody/Kabul (Mark Taper Forum); Anna in the Tropics(South Coast Repertory); The Lieutenant of Inishmore (Florida Studio Theatre); and Oedipus El Rey (Theatre@Boston Court - 2010 Ovation Award). Edgar serves on the faculty of the USC School of Dramatic Arts and is a proud member of Son of Semele Ensemble.

Joseph "Sloe" Slawinski (Sound Designer). Sloe has designed over 200 plays. He was the sound designer for the exciting production The Ugly One for Gates McFadden. His other recent designs include Gidion's Knotfor the Furious Theatre Company directed by Darin Anthony and Gabrieal Griego, Rx directed by John Pleshette, Flowers for Algernon for Deaf West, Down in Front directed by Gabrieal Griego, and The Pain and the Itch directed by Jennifer Chambers. He is the sound designer for The American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Matthew Richter (Lighting Designer) is a lighting and sound designer based in Los Angeles. He works more than he should, with companies including Sacred Fools, Theatre of Note, The Elephant, The Echo, and Theatre 68. He likes technology and Thai food. He also serves as half of the experimental ambient folk duo Lanfair Field.

Michael Mullen (Costume Designer) is an actor, costume/fashion designer, writer, and avid eater who lives in Hollywood with his dog, Wally. Michael has performed in and costume designed several productions both on stage and on film throughout Los Angeles. He has been honored with some StageSceneLA awards for his acting as well as for his costume design work including being named 2012-2013 Costume Designer of The Year. He was also recently honored with the 2012-2013 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award for Costume Design - Intimate Theatre for his work on Dreamgirls, produced by DOMA Theatre Company. He hopes to continue working on projects that challenge and fulfill him and wants to thank everyone involved with this show.

Joel Daavid (Set Designer). Texan /LA resident since 1993. Joel has become an award-winning set designer since attending AFI where he was nominated for the Kodak Scholarship in Cinematography and received the Blum-Kovler Scholarship. His career accomplishments include cinematography for film work as well as stage directing and design. Joel's most notable awards include Ovation, LA Weekly, NAACP and LADCC Theater Awards. He directed/designed the award winning production of The Miracle Worker at the Matrix and Edgemar Theatres and the new production of Tennessee Williams' Baby Doll at the Lillian Theatre. Joel directed/designed the award winning Frankenstein for Theatre Tallahassee and will begin negotiations to bring it to LA.

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