Rogue Artists Ensemble Brings D IS FOR DOG Back to Hollywood Fringe, 6/8

Rogue Artists Ensemble brings back last year's darkly comic sci-fi hit, D is for Dog, for the Hollywood Fringe Festival and beyond-featuring new twists, special effects and an even more startling conclusion. A uniquely theatrical event that melds puppetry, live actors, original music and video, D is for Dog will open as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival on June 8 and continue to run at the Hudson Mainstage through August 4. (Please note: PG-13 for thematic material - not suitable for young children.)

Written and developed by Katie Polebaum, Sean T. Cawelti and Rogue Artists Ensemble, D is for Dog mashes iconic imagery from early 1950s television with startling elements from horror and sci-fi. Using Rogue Artists' signature Hyper-theatrical style, it tells the story of Mr. and Mrs. Rogers and their two darling children, Dick and Jane. In the seemingly innocent home of the Rogers family, life is like a 1950s sitcom-or is it? All is not as perfect as it seems…

Bitter Lemons, a website that aggregates reviews for Los Angeles theater, named D is for Dog one of the top-rated shows of 2011 with over 15 positive reviews. "Like the best science fiction, 'D Is for Dog' gains its power from the vulnerability of its characters, human or not," wrote the Los Angeles Times. The LA Weekly said, "GO!... a panoply of talent [relays] what metamorphoses into a riveting sci-fi tale." Back Stage called D is for Dog "intriguing and provocative," while BroadwayWorld found it to be "theatrically engrossing and enjoyable fare from start to finish." Naming D is for Dog to its Best of 2011 list, Compositions on Theater affirmed, "astounding – from the story to the music, from the set to the puppetry. I was enthralled by every twist and turn in Rogue Artists Ensemble's smart sci-fi thriller." The production was nominated for a Best Comedy Ensemble award by the LA Weekly and was the recipient of an Ovation Honors Award for Puppet Design.

D is for Dog, returns to the Hudson Mainstage with the original cast and design team intact. Sean T. Cawelti directs Michael Scott Allen, Guy Birtwhistle, Taylor Coffman and Nina J. Silver. Original music is composed by Ben Phelps and John Nobori; scenic design is by Katie Polebaum; lighting design is by Haylee Freeman; video design is by Matt Hill and Sean T. Cawelti; sound design is by John Nobori; costume design is by Kerry Hennessy; properties design is by Keith Mitchell; technical direction is by Adam Hunter; choreography is by Nate Hodges; and puppet design is by Rogue Artists Ensemble.

Rogue Artists Ensemble differs from other theater companies in that it's run by a collective of multi-disciplinary artists and designers rather than by actors, writers or directors. By combining ancient storytelling techniques (music, dance, masks, puppetry) with modern technology (digital media, special effects and theatrical illusions), the Rogues cultivate a unique style of live performance unlike any other. They define The Combined use of these and other underrepresented art forms as Hyper-theater.

D is for Dog opens at the Hudson Mainstage on June 8 and continues through August 4 on Thursdays and Fridays @ 8 pm, with two shows on Saturdays @ 3 pm and 8 pm. There will be one preview on Thursday, June 7 @ 8 pm. Tickets during the Hollywood Fringe Festival (June 8-23) are $20 general admission and $18 for students and seniors; after June 29, tickets will be $25 general admission and $20 for students and seniors; the preview performance on June 7 is pay-what-you-can. The Hudson Mainstage is located at 6539 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90038. For information and to purchase tickets, call 213.596.9468 or go to www.rogueartists.org.

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