Richard Hellesen Will Hold Talkback Following Performance of EISENHOWER: THIS PIECE OF GROUND

New Los Angeles Repertory Company has announced a special evening December 16, 2022, to meet the award-winning playwright of EISENHOWER: THIS PIECE OF GROUND. Immediately following the show, stay and meet award winning author Richard Hellesen and multiple award winning director Peter Ellenstein, as they discuss how the play came to fruition, choosing this play as the first in the historical 'Plays For Peace' Series by New LA Repertory, how they decided on the only actor (Tony Winner John Rubinstein), that is perfect in the role of Dwight D. Eisenhower, and answering the questions from the audience.

"Eisenhower: This Piece Of Ground" is well-crafted, offering a fascinating, unexpected conversation between past and present - vividly illustrating how the events of prior decades resonate forward to today. A play with a remarkable weaving of the highlights of Ike's life, quotations, seamlessly shifting back and forth exploring a man, a leader and the times.

Award-winning playwright, Richard Hellesen, is an expert at creating historical drama and a Ford's Theatre Associate Artist. His work has been seen at leading regional theatres across the country. Director Peter Ellenstein is best known as longtime artistic and producing director for both the William Inge Center for the Arts in Independence, KS, and the Los Angeles Repertory Company. He has won multiple awards for directing and producing across the country and aided the development of dozens of new plays

RICHARD HELLESEN (Playwright) is the author of numerous plays and musicals for adult and young audiences. His work has been seen at the Denver Center, South Coast Repertory, Geva, Florida Stage, Gretna Theatre, Sacramento Theatre Company, Los Angeles Repertory Company, Sundance Children's Theatre, Imagination Stage, People's Light & Theatre, City Theatre in Miami, and Ford's Theatre in Washington, DC, where he is an Associate Artist. A member of the Dramatists Guild, he has received playwriting awards from The National Theatre Conference, the Beverly Hills Theatre Guild, and the Philadelphia Festival Theatre for New Plays. Additionally, he has worked on the literary staffs of Berkeley Repertory Theatre, South Coast Repertory, and the B Street Theatre in Sacramento, and twice served as Playwright-in-Residence at the William Inge Center for the Arts in Kansas.

Peter Ellenstein (Director) is Producing Artistic Director of the New Los Angeles Repertory Company. He is a multi-award-winning director, producer, new play midwife, and educator, whose work has been seen all over the country. For thirteen years he was Artistic Director of the William Inge Center for the Arts in Kansas, and seven years as Producing Director of the original Los Angeles Repertory Company, for whom he directed the LA Premiere of Assassins and Rocket to the Moon, among many others. Peter served as Interim Artistic Director of both the Gretna Theatre in Pennsylvania, and the Jerry Herman Ring Theatre at the University of Miami in Florida. Peter has been a consultant, board member, panelist and site visitor for many institutions including the National Endowment for the Arts, California Arts Council, Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) and KCACTF. Peter recently directed a nationally recognized streaming version of Richard Hellesen's Necessary Sacrifices for North Coast Rep. Peter has happily directed many of Richard Hellesen's plays. He is thrilled to be working with Theatre West's excellent team. Peter's late father Robert, was a founding member of Theatre West.

NEW LOS ANGELES REPERTORY is committed to plays that matter, plays that are meaningful to the audiences of today; that offer hope rather than fatalism; that use the unique strengths of theatre, powerful language, extraordinary performances and searing empathic connection to the hearts and minds of their audience...

Join in on Friday, December 16th to see EISENHOWER: THIS PIECE OF GROUND @ 8:00pm and then the Meet & Greet Q&A, immediately following the performance. The Hudson MainStage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA. 90038. For tickets, go to: www.onstage411.com/eisenhower

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