Skylight Theatre Stages World Premiere of EL GRANDE CIRCUS DE COCA-COLA, Now thru 8/23

Skylight Theatre Company in association with Flying Cucumber Productions presents the World Premiere of El Grande CIRCUS de Coca-Cola, written by Ron House and directed by Alan Shearman. Based on El Grande de Coca-Cola by Ron House, Diz White, Alan Shearman and John Neville-Andrews, Opening at 8:30pm today, July 18, 2015 Runs at 8:30pm Fridays and Saturdays, 3pm Sundays through August 23, 2015. The Skylight Theatre complex is located at 1816 1/2 N. Vermont, LA, 90027.

Legendary Off-Broadway extravaganza EL GRANDE DE COCA-COLA finally spawns a sequel, EL GRANDE CIRCUS DE COCA-COLA, making its World Premiere in Los Angeles at the Skylight Theatre (2014 Ovation Awards - most of any intimate theatre in LA). Noted for developing new works and nurturing contemporary playwrights, Skylight Theatre's long association with writer Ron House (Second City member; founder/Low Moan Spectacular - Bullshot Crummond, Footlight Frenzy) a film by George Harrison) sparked development on this new production.

Flush with the imagined success of his nightclub floorshow, El Grande Maestro de Show Business, Pepe Hernandez, ups the ante and sets his sights on international fame with his "Star-Studded Traveling CIRCUS." First stop - Hollywood. Pepe corrals his family into posing as multinational stars, but his Hollywood gala opening, side-tracked by a flat tire, hassles at the border and a hungry tiger called Chupacabra, is already facing calamity. Pepe's circus has come to Hollywood - and the town will never be the same again.

"Making people laugh and decades of creating new works with Ron House has given us plenty of inspiration for expanding our El Grande show into a larger environment for Ron's beloved character, Pepe Hernandez. The timing is perfect for this brand new show, following the successful revival of the original at Ruskin Group Theatre last season. Now, more of the dreadful acts we've seen on stage over the years, and hair-raising stories we've heard about elsewhere, can come to life in Los Angeles! The madness continues with the most multi-talented cast I have ever worked with in my career." Alan Shearman - Director/Playwright

Alan Sherman (Director/) has won five Best Director awards, and three more for Best Production. He directed Fred Willard in A Holly Jolly Christmas Carol at the Grove Theatre in Upland, and the critically acclaimed productions of Yasmina Reza's 'ART' as well as David Foley's Deadly Murder at Lakewood Theatre in Portland, Oregon. He came to the U.S with Low Moan Spectacular, the British comedy group founded by Ron House, with whom he created El Grande de Coca-Cola, Footlight Frenzy, Bullshot Crummond and The Scandalous Adventures of Sir Toby Trollope. Bullshot Crummond became the movie Bullshot, produced by George Harrison's Handmade Films.

EL GRANDE CIRCUS DE COCA-COLA opens at 8:30pm today, July 18th and runs Fridays and Saturdays at 8:30pm, Sundays at 3pm through August 23, 2015. The Skylight Theatre is located at 1816 1/2 N. Vermont Ave, LA, 90027. Tickets are ($34). Reservations: 213-761-7061 or online at skylighttix.com.

Ron House (Playwright) created the role of Pepe Hernandez in El Grande de Coca-Cola. He left home at 15 and travelled the world, becoming fluent in five languages. Starting his theatrical career as a member of the Second City Company, he later moved to New York with El Grande de Coca Cola. Ron founded Low Moan Spectacular, a London underground Theatre Company and spawned the hit Bullshot Crummond, which ran in London, New York, Los Angeles & San Francisco, eventually produced as a film by Beatle George Harrison. Ron's latest work, Decorum Maintained, was inspired by personal experiences while working as an under butler in the London townhouse of Klaus and Sonny VonBulow.

GARY GROSSMAN (Producer/Artistic Director) started his career in New York owning two theaters and a theatrical lighting company by the age of 23. Gary worked at the Public Theatre, Café La Mama, and Sheraton Square Playhouse before traveling West in the 70's to join up with the emerging theatre moment in Los Angeles. He has produced over 300 stage plays, including more than 50 world premieres. Among his celebrated productions are Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea (Steinberg/National Theatre Critics Award), Years to the Day, Wrong Man (3 Ovation Awards), Pray To Ball (1 Ovation Award), Hermetically Sealed, Bullrusher, Sexsting, Mad Women (LA Weekly Award for Best Solo Performance), Romeo and Juliet directed by Milton Katselas (3 LADCC Awards), Dylan (3 LADCC Awards), Influence, Open House, Dream Man, Lone Star, Balm in Gilead, Visions and Lovers, Rabbit Hole, Beautified and La Ronde de Lunch.

Skylight Theatre Company develops and produces new, exhilarating works while nurturing and educating the writers who create them. A vibrant and expanding family of artists giving voice to original perspectives of today's world, Skylight won 4 Ovation Awards in 2014 for The Wrong Man and Pray To Ball (the most of any intimate theatre in LA) while in 2013 LA Weekly named 3 of their productions (Years To The Day, Open House and Sexsting) to their Top Ten Plays list. In 2011, Skylight's first year as a company dedicated to developing new plays, their production of Hermetically Sealed made the LA Times annual list of Top Ten Plays, and Mad Woman moved from Los Angeles to La MaMa in New York. Since then plays developed by Skylight have played Chicago, New York, Edinburgh, Paris and local venues. Skylight's resident writers program, PlayLab, includes a 2014 USA Ford Fellow. Skylight is a member of the National New Play Network. For more, go to skylighttheatrecompany.com, or follow on Twitter: @SkylightThtr, Facebook: Skylight Theatre Company and Instagram: @SkylightTheatres.

Flying Cucumber Productions was created by Lila Dupree and Alan Shearman with the goal of developing and producing new theatrical works with broad international appeal. After working together on the recent hit revival of El Grande de Coca-Cola, Lila and Alan immediately saw El Grande CIRCUS de Coca-Cola, the sequel to the legendary international hit, as the natural next step. They are currently pursuing taking the show to London's West End. Lila has produced theatre and film in New York, Los Angeles and South Africa; Alan has decades of experience producing theatre and film from London to LA. Other projects in development include a one-woman show set in South Africa and a musical comedy about the California surfing scene of the 60's.

CAST:

Paul Baird (Miguel Vasquez) spent much of his life performing while living abroad. His most noted performances are in the productions of Cabaret (Emcee), Becoming Julia Morgan (BACC Best ensemble) Odysseus (Greek Tour), his award-winning co-written play Ni Una Más (Voice 6), and his two autobiographical solo shows My Brother's Keeper and The White Knuckle Driver. Award-Winning films include EBX 3000, Jesus Blues and Undocumented.

Olivia Christina Delgado (Maria Hernandez) has performed several new plays with the Latino Theater Company, most recently La Olla at the Getty Villa, and the LTA Playwright's Nest as part of the development and performance of the dark-comedy thriller Karina Plays Pachanga. A classically trained actress, Olivia toured Hamlet and A Midsummer Night's Dream with Shakespeare By The Sea, which played to over 20K people.

Lila Dupree (Consuelo Hernandez) is reprising the role of Consuelo Hernandez after most recently performing at Ruskin Group Theatre in the critically acclaimed hit El Grande de Coca-Cola (LA Weekly Theatre Awards Best Comedy Ensemble Nomination). Other stage credits include the World Premieres of Young and Named (Off-Broadway), Our Town (Sierra Madre Playhouse) and numerous roles during six seasons at Acadia Repertory Theatre. On-screen credits include Extant (CBS), LA Apocalypse (Syfy) and The Golden Boys (with David Carradine, Bruce Dern), and more recently Walk The Light, a short film she wrote and produced, starring Michael Richards (Seinfeld), playing over 40 festivals around the world and The Collective, an original series she co-wrote and co-produced

Aaron Miller (Juan Rodriguez) has been featured in various Indie ?lms and most recently in a pilot written and produced by veteran actor Larry Hankin. Film work includes a starring role in the children's comedy Jimmy's Jungle. His versatile physicality has earned him critical acclaim and has been compared to the likes of Jim Carrey and a young Charlie Chaplin. Last year, Aaron played Juan Rodriguez in a six-month run of El Grande de Coca Cola at the Ruskin Group Theatre in Santa Monica. He was nominated for the LA Weekly Theatre Award (Best Male Comedy Performance), as well as Best Comedy Ensemble. His unique physical skills have been used for motion capture and he played the digital body of Pinnochio in ABC's hit series Once Upon a Time, as well as various video games.

Marcelo Tubert (Pepe Hernandez) is one of the founding members of the Antaeus Theater Co., performing in Henry IV, Part l, The Wood Demon, The Man Who Had All the Luck, You Can't Take it With You, Trial by Jury, Patience, Of Mice and Men and many more. He has performed at the Mark Taper Forum, Yale Rep, Milwaukee Rep, The Old Globe, New Mexico Rep, and the Colony Theatre. Marcelo received an Ovation Award for San Fran Scapin, adapted from Molier's Scapin. He has numerous film, TV, and voice over credits.

On the production team are: John Iacovelli (Set Designer), Jeff McLaughlin (Light Designer), Tor Campbell (Choreographer), Sarah Figoten (Costume Designer), and Jeff Faeth (Props Designer).

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