Photo Flash: First Look at HOW TO BE A ROCK CRITIC at the Douglas

The world premiere production of "How to be a Rock Critic" opens Wednesday, June 17 at 8 p.m. and continues through June 28 in a limited engagement of 12 performances at the Center Theatre Group/Kirk Douglas Theatre. Based on the writing of Lester Bangs, the rock critic who reached iconic status in the 1970s with his passionate, intellectually honest writing, "How to be a Rock Critic" will be performed in the theatre's rehearsal space, Upstairs@KDT. Presented as part of DouglasPlus, it is a co-production with South Coast Repertory. Scroll down for a first look at the cast in action!

Written by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, performed by Jensen and directed by Blank, "How to be a Rock Critic" follows the brief and outsized life of Bangs, who wrote about the The Clash, Bob Marley, Lou Reed, Blondie, Iggy Pop, The Ramones and many more, in publications such as Rolling Stone, Creem, The Village Voice and Playboy. His writing was wild, funny, original, unpredictable and dedicated to stripping away the marketing jargon surrounding the artists.

Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen are actors, writers and directors, and together have authored "The Exonerated," a play based on interviews with over 40 wrongfully convicted death row inmates in the United States (Lortel, Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk and Ovation Awards, among others). Blank and Jensen's documentary play "Aftermath" was based on interviews conducted with Iraqi civilian refugees in Jordan and directed by Jessica (a New York Times Critics' Pick and was nominated for two Drama League Awards).

Jessica co-wrote the play "Liberty City" with April Yvette (Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards), and has written three books - "Almost Home," "Karma for Beginners" and a new one coming out this year. Jessica appeared regularly on the CBS series "Made in Jersey." Her other T.V. credits include "The Mentalist," "Rescue Me" and "Law & Order: CI." Her film acting credits include "The Namesake," "You're Nobody Till Somebody Kills You," "The Exonerated" and several indies.

Erik's T.V. acting credits include leads in the NBC pilot "The Frontier," the Fox pilot "Virtuality," the TNT pilot "The Dark" and "The Bronx Is Burning," as well as work on "NCIS: LA," "CSI," "Law & Order: CI" and many more. His film credits include "Black Knight," "The Love Letter" and several indies. Notable stage appearances include "Y2K" and "Corpus Christi" (Manhattan Theatre Club), "The Good Negro" (Public Theater) and the role of Lenny Bruce in "Schmucks" (Wilma Theater). Erik's sci-fi graphic novel "The Reconcilers" was published in 2010 to wide acclaim.

"How to be a Rock Critic" is a CTG completion commission. The production and the commission are generously funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

The Kirk Douglas Theatre is located at 9820 Washington Blvd. in Culver City, 90232. Tickets for "How to be a Rock Critic" are $30 and are available at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org, by calling 213-628-2772, in person at the Center Theatre Group box office or at the Kirk Douglas Theatre box office two hours prior to curtain.

Photo Credit: Craig Schwartz

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