Ovation Award-Winning Actors Co-op Theatre Company Opens Its 27th Season With Thriller ROPE

Actors Co-op Theatre Company (Ovation Award-Winner 2017 Best Play, Intimate Theatre for 33 Variations) presents the first show in its 27th Season with the thriller ROPE, written by Patrick Hamilton, directed by Ken Sawyer, produced by Kevin Shewey. ROPE will preview on Thursday, September 20 at 8pm and will open Friday, September 21 at 8pm and run through Sunday, October 29 at the Actors Co-op Crossley Theatre, 1760 N. Gower St. 90028 (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood) in Hollywood.

Chasing a dangerous thrill and "for the fun of the thing," two students commit the perfect murder. Motivated by pride and vanity, Wyndham Brandon hides the body in a wooden chest right under the noses of his unsuspecting dinner guests! The play was later adapted into the 1948 Alfred Hitchcock film.

The cast features the talents of Kyle Anderson, Burt Grinstead*, Elizabeth Herron*, David Huynh, Carl Johnson*, Deborah Marlowe, Heidi Palomino, and Donnie Smith*.

The design team includes Hellen Harwell (Scenic Design and Property Design), Matthew Richter (Lighting Design), Adam R. Macias (Sound Design), Paula Higgins (Costume Design), Lydia Soto (Stage Manager), David Scales (Production Manager), Lauren Thompson (PR Manager), and Rory Patterson (PR Director).

About the Playwright

Patrick Hamilton (Playwright) (1904-1962) Patrick Hamilton was born in Hassocks, Sussex in 1904. He and his parents moved a short while later to Hove, where he spent his early years. He published his first novel, Craven House, in 1926 and within a few years had established a wide readership for himself. Despite personal setbacks and an increasing problem with drink, he was still able to write some of his best work. His plays include the thrillers Rope (1929) on which Alfred Hitchcock's film Rope was based and Gaslight (1939), also successfully adapted for the screen in the same year. There was also an historical drama, The Duke In Darkness (1943). Among his novels are The Midnight Bell (1929), The Siege of Pleasure (1932), The Plains of Cement (1934), a trilogy entitled Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky (1935), Hangover Square (1941) and The Slaves of Solitude (1947). The Gorse Trilogy is made up of The West Pier, Mr. Stimpson and Mr. Gorse, and Unknown Assailant, which were first published during the 1950s. He died in 1962.

About the Production Team and Cast

Ken Sawyer (Director) has directed Crime & Punishment and A Walk in the Woods for The Actors Co-op. Directing highlights include collaborating with Emmy Award winner Paris Barclay on the Vietnam era musical One Red Flower, with rock icons Charlotte Caffey (the GoGos) and Anna Waronker (That Dog) on Lovelace: The Rock Opera and Hit the Wall: The Musical, with Stephen Schwartz and David Stern on the development of Snapshots, with Colin Escott on development of the Broadway hit The Million Dollar Quartet, and with legends Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner in re-imagining their The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe for a full cast. For the Los Angeles LGBT Center he directed Hit The Wall (LA OVATION AWARD for Best Director of a Play), The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later, Deathtrap, and The Goat. For The Road Theatre he directed The Woman in Black (LA OVATION AWARD for Best Director of a Play). For more info go to www.kensawyerdirector.com.

Kevin Shewey (Producer) is proud to be making his debut as a producer at the Actors Co- op. You might have caught him onstage at the Co-op last season in Violet and The 39 Steps). Actor: A Midsummer Night's Dream (New York Classical Theater), The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Theatreworks USA), Henry V (Chatauqua Theater Company). Kevin has an MFA in Acting from UC Irvine and a BA in Theatre Arts from Azusa Pacific.

About the CAST

Kyle Anderson (Kenneth Raglan) Previously seen in Loose Ends, The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail, And Then There Were None, 12 Angry Jurors (Clayes Performing Arts Center), The Laramie Project (Crafton Hills Performing Arts Center) BFA ACTING California State University, Fullerton. AGVA

Burt Grinstead* (Wyndham Brandon) Favorite theatre credits include: Dr. Jekyll/Mr.Hyde in Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, Eddie in Fool For Love, A-Gay in Hit the Wall, Peter/Craig in Dying City, Clifford in Deathtrap, Kent in reasons to be pretty, and Mark Antony in Julius Caesar. Film: "The Car: Road to Revenge," Roger Corman's "Death Race 2050," "Eat With Me, Sebastian," among others. TV: "Dropping the Soap" (Amazon Prime), "Kirby Buckets" (Disney XD), "NCIS" (CBS), "NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS), and many more. http://www.burtgrinstead.com/

Elizabeth Herron* (Mrs. Debenham) Face Divided (FRINGE/2018), Through the Eye of a Needle, The Lyons (The Road.) Her 9th collaboration with Ken: LA LGBT: Search for Signs-Revisited, The Laramie Project-Ten Years Later, Deathtrap: The Road: Ovation winner -The Woman in Black - (Executive Producer/Asst. Dir.), Backwards in High Heels, A Mislaid Heaven, Angels of Lemnos: Paris Barclay's: One Red Flower(Rubicon/Brentwood.) Member of The Road, Interact, Rogue Machine & Circle X Reading Group. Interact: State of the Union, Urinetown, Our Town. Film: Wilson (Woody & Laura) & True Adolescents (Dir. Craig Johnson.) DDS-U of Wa, MFA-FSU/Asolo Conservatory. SAG-AFTRA

David Huynh (Charles Granillo) Making his Actors Co-op debut. Theater credits include: Circus Ugly (Playwrights Arena), Mysterious Skin(East West Players), Year Zero (The Colony Theatre), 99 Histories (Artist at Play), Gambled Eggs (USC New Works), The Brothers Paranormal (staged readings CTG, La Jolla Playhouse), Tiger Style! (staged reading Center Theatre Group) Dubya 2004 (Sacred Fools Theatre), Cambodian Rock Play (stage reading South Coast Rep). BFA Acting, University of Manitoba. SAG-AFTRA

Carl Johnson (Sir Johnstone Kentley) Previously at Actors Co-op: Leading Ladies. Other Theaters: John is a Father, Woman in Black, Dirk, Importance of Being Earnest, Merlin (The Road), Laramie Project-10 Years Later, Deathtrap (LAGLC),The Gary Plays (Open Fist), Whiskey Maiden, Film, Wreck of the Unfathomable, Wonderlust, Holy Ghost (NOTE), Angels Fall (Prod Co),Villon, Bremen Freedom (Odyssey), What the Butler Saw (Sacred Fools), TV and Film: "ZNation, Monk," "Scrubs," "Men In Black I, II, and III."

Deborah Marlowe (Sabot) 2011 Actors Co-op member. Shakespeare's 12th Night, A Man for All Seasons (Scenie Award, Outstanding Featured Actress, Drama, Intimate Theatre, shared), Man Who Came to Dinner, Summer & Smoke (Scenie Award, Outstanding Featured Actress, Comedy-Drama, Intimate Theatre), Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, Lend Me a Tenor, Pride & Prejudice, Our Town, Matchmaker, Diviners, Learned Ladies, Barefoot in the Park, To Be Young, Gifted & Black. deborahmarlowe.net AVO Talent, rep. SAG-AFTRA.

Heidi Palomino (Leila Arden) Previously seen on stage in SMASH, Hearts Like Fists, And Then There Were None, and 12 Angry Jurors (Clayes Performing Arts Center.) BFA in Acting from Cal State University Fullerton. AGVA

Donnie Smith* (Rupert Cadell) was most recently seen in the award-winning West Coast premiere of Hit the Wall (LA LGBT Center). Other Los Angeles credits include House and Small Engine Repair (Rogue Machine Theatre), Sunshine (Gangbusters Theatre Company @ Hollywood Fringe), and Sunny Afternoon (Gangbusters Theatre Company @ Hollywood Fringe & Theatre Asylum). Originally from Chicago, Don has worked at Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare and the Illinois Shakespeare Festival (among others). He can be seen in the recently released films "A.X.L." and "Peppermint," as well as the upcoming movie "The Wedding Year." For more info: www.donniesmith.org

Recent Awards and Nominations for Actors Co-op Theatre Company

Actors Co-op recently received Four 2017 Ovation Awards for their Critics Pick production

of 33 Variations: Best Production of a Play, Intimate Theatre, Best Lighting, Intimate Theatre - Andrew Schmedake, Best Scenic Design, Intimate Theatre - Nicholas Acciani, and Best Direction of a Play - Thomas James O'Leary; Two Robby Awards for 33 Variations, the Nan Martin Award Best Production and the Sally Kemp Award Best Actress Drama - Nan McNamara. In addition, the Actors Co-op Theatre Company has garnered Five 2017 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle nominations, for 33 Variations.

About Show Times and Tickets: ROPE will preview Thursday, September 20 at 8:00 pm and will open on Friday, September 21 at 8 pm and run through October 28, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm, Sundays at 2:30 pm. Special Saturday Matinees are September 29 and October 6 at 2:30 pm. Adults: $35.00. Seniors (60+): $30.00. Students with ID: $25.00. Group rates available for parties of six or more. Adult themes, recommended for Ages 13 years and older. To buy tickets or make reservations please visit www.ActorsCo-op.org or call (323) 462-8460. Actors Co-op Crossley Theatre. 1760 N. Gower St. 90028 (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood) in Hollywood.

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