SHOCK THERAPY to Open at the Lillian Theatre 11/8

Hollywood…Baum/Lebenzon Productions presents a world premiere comedy, SHOCK THERAPY, written by Tom Baum (“The Manhattan Project,” “Carny”), produced by Diantha Lebenzon and directed by Jenny O’Hara. SHOCK THERAPY will preview on Saturday, November 1 at 8pm; Sunday, November 2 at 7pm; Thursday, November 6 at 8:00 p.m. and Friday, November 7 at 8p.m. and will open on Saturday, November 8 at 8:00 pm and is scheduled to run for six weeks through Saturday, December 14th, 2008 at The Lillian Theatre, 1076 Lillian Way in Hollywood.

In a Cape Cod summer house, a celebrity psychiatrist, his painter wife, their runaway daughter, a pill-pushing TV shrink, and a world-renowned psychoanalyst, gather for a Labor Day party—little suspecting they’re about to be taken hostage by a hustling ex-con with a serious score to settle. SHOCK THERAPY blends delirious comedy and laser-sharp suspense to create a vivid picture of the therapized world we all live in.

Playwright TOM BAUM is a novelist, screenwriter, short-story writer, and TV writer. His film credits include: The Manhattan Project and Simon (co-written with Marshall Brickman); Carny; The Sender; and the animated feature Hugo the Hippo. TV movies: Witness to the Execution (winner of the WGA’s Best Original Long Form); the miniseries Journey to the Center of theEarth; Dark Prince: The True Story of Dracula; Shattered Mind; In the Line of Duty: Kidnapped; Night Visions (cowritten with Wes Craven); The Haunting of Sarah Hardy; Secret Weapons; and Drop Dead Gorgeous. He wrote six episodes of HBO’s The Hitchhiker, including Made for Each Other, for which he received cable nominations for writing and directing; three ABC After School Specials, one of which was Emmy-nominated; and co-created (with Wes Craven) the NBC series Nightmare Café. Novels: Out of Body (a People Magazine Beach Book of the Week); Counterparts; the young-adult novel It Looks Alive to Me!; the novelizations of Carny and Hugo the Hippo; and the forthcoming The Memory Gene. His short stories have appeared in Playboy, Playgirl, and the transatlantic review. His one-act play, Wonk Love, was produced in NY earlier this year as part of Love Creek’s Brief Acts Festival.

JENNY O’HARA (Director) As an actor: Broadway: The Odd Couple (Female Version); The Iceman Cometh; Promises, Promises; The Kid; The Fig Leaves are Falling. Off-Broadway: John Guare’s New York Actor; Steve Martin’s WASP; Peter Hedges’ Good as New; EST’S MARATHON ‘93; Allan Miller’s The Fox. Regional and LA: Little Egypt, the Musical; The Bold Girls (Matrix); The Body of Bourne (Taper); Lanford Wilson’s Sympathetic Magic (Valley Theatre Award) and Book of Days (LA Drama Critics Nomination); The Fox (Dramalogue Award); Hello and Goodbye (Yale Rep); Little Egypt (Dramalogue Award); Bitter Women; Chess; Tight Pants. TV: recurring on Big Love and King of Queens; series regular on Costello; Life’s Work; My Sister Sam. Recent guest: The Closer; House; Cold Case; CSI; Nip/Tuck; Grey’s Anatomy; Ghost Whisperer; Six Feet Under; The Practice; If These Walls Could Talk 2. Film: Angie; Career Opportunities; Hearbeat; Matchstick Men; Mystic River; Forty Shades of Blue; Two Weeks; How to Make Love to a Woman. As a director: Olympic Arts Festival; two years on As the World Turns, among others.

ABOUT THE CAST AND DESIGN TEAM The Cast of SHOCK THERAPY features: Gregg Henry, Scott Paulin, Lisa Robins, Mattthew Glave, Sophie Ullett, Theo Breaux and Cece Antoinette. SHOCK THERAPY has assembled an award-winning design team. The Set Design is by Matt Maenpaa and Adam Hunter. The lighting and sound design is by Matt Richter (Eagle Hills, Eagle Ridge). The costume design is by Rudy Dillon. The Production Stage Manager is Kristen Dawkins.

SHOCK THERAPY will preview on Saturday, November 1 at 8pm; Sunday, November 2 at 7pm; Thursday, November 6 at 8:00 p.m. and Friday, November 7 at 8p.m. and will open on Saturday, November 8 at 8:00 pm and is scheduled to run for six weeks through Sunday, December 7 at The Lillian Theatre, 1076 Lillian Way in Hollywood. SHOCK THERAPY will run Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 7:00pm, tickets are $20 for all performances; $15 for previews. For ticket reservations, please call (323) 960-4420 or RESERVE ONLINE at www.plays411.com/shocktherapy

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