Ruskin Group Theatre Presents THE TRAGEDY OF THE COMMONS, Opens 9/30

Stephen Metcalfe has chosen the critically acclaimed Ruskin Group Theatre to launch the Los Angeles premiere of his play The Tragedy of The Commons.

In the established routines of daily life, change is never welcome. Yet most people bend to accommodate it. Some cannot. Dakin and Macy Adams live seemingly serene lives with shared memories of family and friends, and they share years of waking up to the extraordinary view that is part of their home. But the day has come when all of this is about to change, and the fragile relationship of two people is now in ever increasing jeopardy.

Stephen Metcalfe: (Playwright) is recognized internationally for his work which includes Loves & Hours, Vikings, Strange Snow, Sorrows and Sons, Pilgrims, Half A Lifetime, Emily, White Linen, The Incredibly Famous Willie Rivers, White Man Dancing, A World Of Their Own and The Gift Teller. His work has been produced in New York and at regional theaters throughout the United States as well as in Europe and Japan. Screen credits include Half A Lifetime, Cousins, Jacknife, Roommates and Beautiful Joe. Stephen wrote the production drafts of Pretty Woman, Arachnophobia, It Could Happen To You and Mr. Holland's Opus. Other original (and optioned) screenplays include Time Flies, The Old Boy, Jonah, The Infield, Significant Others, The Harrower, Scylla, The Tragic Age, Passing Fancy, Rock, Paper, Bone, and An Innocent Abroad. He is an Associate Artist at The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego.

Dave Florek (Director) has numerous directing credits including: Rabbit Hole, Down Along the Brazos, I Never Sang for My Father, Vikings, Early One Evening at the Rainbow Bar and Grille, Desert Wolf, Marvin's Room, The Laramie Project, All Work and No Play, one acts by Harold Pinter and Elaine May, Mark Twain: A River Journey, and Diana Douglas' Valldemosa featuring world famous Chopinist, Alan Kogosowski. At the Austin Playhouse in Texas, he directed Athol Fugard's Exits and Entrances and in Albuquerque, Madagascar at The Cell Theater. As an actor, Dave was a series regular on Grace Under Fire and Nickelodeon's Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, and had a recurring role on The Fresh Prince of Bel Aire. His numerous guest appearances include: Harry's Law, Bones, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Without a Trace, The Eleventh Hour, NYPD Blue, Law and Order, Seinfeld, Crossing Jordan, and NUMB3RS. Films include: Hidalgo, Ghostbusters II, The Marrying Man, The Bare Truth, Fashion Murders, Fallen Arches, Hallmark's Love's Unending Legacy, and Fuzz Track City.

RUSKIN GROUP THEATRE has been making an impact on the Los Angeles theatre scene with an eclectic mix of thought provoking plays, garnering numerous "recommendations" and awards from local critics. Their Fostering Imagination program sponsors foster kids in theatre & film classes that produce several original shows each year. The CAFÉ PLAYS, created by RGT are produced monthly and are the culmination of writers, actors, and directors who meet at 9am, where they are given a theme. They then write, produce, and perform a show by 7pm the same day. Recently celebrating their 7th anniversary, RGT supporters Ed Asner, Dylan McDermott, Chris Mulkey, Olivia d'Abo, and other industry celebrities joined to produce the Best of Café Plays (both shows sold out within hours). Anthony Hopkins and Anthony Franciosa were some of the first teachers at Ruskin School of Theatre.

JOHN RUSKIN (Artistic Director) helmed the critically acclaimed production of Stephen Metcalfe's Strange Snow at RGT. His years of experience include studies at the Yale School of Drama, British American Drama Academy in Oxford, England, and the University of Colorado in Boulder. In New York, Ruskin joined the acting faculty of The Neighborhood Playhouse at the request of Sanford Meisner (who he then apprenticed with) before moving to Los Angeles where he founded his own school of acting and a professional theatre company. The company provides outreach programs to people in need with their "Healing Through the Arts" project.

Michael Myers (Producer/Managing Director) has produced more than 65 projects since 2002. He recently directed the world premiere of Digging Up Dad and the critically acclaimed production of Faithful at RGT. Mike is a co-creator of the Ruskin Group Theatre's well attended CAFÉ PLAYS, the monthly offering of one-acts that are done in 10 ½ hours from conception to staging. He serves as vice-chair of the Santa Monica Arts Commission.

MIKE REILLY (Producer/Production Manager) serves as Production Manager for the Ruskin Group Theatre. Recently, he co-produced the Ruskin hit shows Faithful, and the world premiere of Jesse Boy. Mike has over 20 years of experience teaching and directing acting and theatre classes for high school and college students in the Los Angeles area New York, and at the Duke University Summer Program.

BRANDON BARUCH (Lighting Design) has recently designed numerous productions including Lost Moon Radio, Stanley Ann: the Unlikely Story of
Barack Obama's Mother, Ken Roht's 99 Cent Only Same-O, Project: Wonderland, Doomsday Kiss, Mercury Fur, and The Good Boy at LATC.

CLIFF WAGNER (Set Designer) is a carpenter and set designer with 20 + years of experience. He has worked on numerous Off-Broadway shows as well as building sets for TV's MSNBC and Saturday Night Live. After moving to Los Angeles and working for large commercial shops in the valley including Lexington and Disney, he started his own company called Wagner fabrication, and now builds everything from furniture and sound proof recording rooms to theater sets and yard art. This is Cliff's third set design for the Ruskin.

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