TALHOTBLOND Opens Tonight at Ruskin Theatre

An EMMY Award winning journalist stumbles on a plot that towers all others. Based on a true story, playwright Kathrine Bates crafts this stunning account of lust, lies, and fantasies into a World Premiere production at Ruskin Group Theatre. Sex and obsession, indulged through an erotic relationship on the Internet leads to explosive consequences, becoming a cautionary tale for the times we live in.

Barbara Schroeder (Writer) is an EMMY Award winning journalist whose first feature documentary "talhotblond" was picked up by Paramount studios for worldwide distribution. She began her career at the ABC affiliate in Flint Michigan. Once in every journalist's career there comes a story that towers above all others. This is it.

"Chills went up my arm when I first heard this "ripped from the headlines" story. Barbara Schroeder approached me about turning her documentary, into what could be a smashing theatre piece. It was edgy, contemporary, and I became immediate passionate about creating the play." - Kathrine Bates; Playwright

Kathrine Bates (Playwright) wrote The Manor (Roar of the Crowd - 1921 Fatty Arbuckle scandal), Evil Legacy (the Story of Lucrezia Borgia) and The Color of Rose (inspiring, turbulent life of Rose Kennedy). With the permission of James M. Cain's estate she stylishly adapted his tale of lust and greed, Double Indemnity, for the stage. Kathrine is a classical pianist and conducts the 30-voice vocal group "The Choraliers."

"At its essence, this is a story about blurring the line between reality and illusion. It's the dark side of human interaction: a cautionary look into an increasingly disconnected world." - Beverly Olevin; Director

TALHOTBLOND opens tonight, March 7th and runs at 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 2pm on Sundays through April 26, 2014. Ruskin Group Theatre is located at 3000 Airport Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90405. Tickets are $25 ($20 for students, seniors, and guild members) and can be purchased in advance by calling (310) 397-3244. For more information please visit www.ruskingrouptheatre.com. Free parking is available at the theater.

Beverly Olevin (Director) helmed the award-winning The Manor at Greystone Mansion, which has been running for eleven years. She directed the "Critic's Pick" Table Manners (from The Norman Conquests), Double Indemnity, Enigma Variations, the critically-acclaimed production of The Lion in Winter, The Substance of Fire and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead.At Theatre 40. Numerous credits include directing the short dramatic film Fallout, which received multiple "Finalist" award recognition at film festivals. Her own plays include Soundings (Critics Choice - LA Times), produced at the Odyssey Theatre. Her novels include "The Good Side of Bad" (selected by Kirkus Discoveries as the Best Fiction of 2010) and "The Breath of Juno."

RUSKIN GROUP THEATRE launched the WORLD PREMIERE of Rex Pickett's Sideways The Play, picked up by La Jolla Playhouse and now slated for Broadway, as well as last season's Paradise-A Bluegrass Musical Comedy. Ruskin's Healing Through The Arts program brings their actors into Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA to work with and entertain the children. 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. When celebrating their 8th 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, Anthony Franciosa, David Mamet, Ed O'Neill are just some of the noted guests to have taught at the Ruskin School master classes.

Julia Arian (Gwen Montgomery) appears in the short film, Choice, which was accepted into the Court Métrage at the 2013 Festival de Cannes, and received Official Selection at the 7th Annual GI Film Festival. She graduated from the University of Southern California's School of Theatre in 2012, and spent the majority of her younger years as an elite gymnast.

Mary Carrig (Rose Shieler) is a classically trained actress (Shakespeare and Company) with TV and film credits that include Criminal Minds, Make it or Break, Stepping High, and The Treehouse. Recent stage roles include Sue Bayliss in All My Sons, Louise in After the Fall at the Lillian Theatre and Lindy McDaniel in Stuck in Neural at the Secret Rose.

Lane Compton (Alan Garrett/Alternate) appears at The Fountain Theater, The NoHo Arts Center, and in several RGT productions including A Memory of Two Mondays, and The Tragedy of the Commons. He is a lifetime member of the Actors Studio with film and TV credits that include roles in Unsolved, After Dark, Heart Transplant with Kelsy Grammar, and Cold Case.

Ben Gavin (Tommy Marine Sniper) appeared in the films including Super 8, Lifetime's Missing At 17 (2013), Lifetime's Killer Reality (2013) and Ion Television's My Santa (2013).

John-Paul Lavoisier (Alan Garrett/Alternate) has numerous stage credits in NY where he had a steady gig on One Life To Live. His TV appearances include roles in Gossip Girl, The Mentalist, Sex and the City, and Saturday Night Live, and Web series Beacon Hill, and Flavors (pilot). Film credits include Placebo, Wolves of Wall Street, and One Day in May.

Kathleen O'Grady (Cheryl Montgomery) has performed at Steppenwolf, Alley Theater, Pittsburgh City Theater, and the Court Theater among others. Her TV credits include appearances on Law & Order, and in MTV's twisted comedy series Wonder Shozen. She has worked with the Cystic Fibrosis community in the web series Christopher Chronicles.

Erin Elizabeth Patrick (Jenny the THB) starred in the Cannes Film Festival notable 2010 entrée, A True Love. Subsequent film work includes Phin, and Season's Beating, as well as the TV series Ciao Hollywood. After completing the program at LAMDA, she settled in Los Angeles, performs on stage at RGT and around town as a violinist with her band, The Kid Compton Gang.

Mark Rimer (Thomas Montgomery) was first seen at the Ruskin as Ragueneau in Cyrano de Bergerac. Recent credits include touring productions of All's Well That End's Well and King John with Shakespeare By The Sea. He appeared in rep as Petruchio in Taming of the Shrew and as Claudius in Hamlet with The Colonials at the Miles Playhouse in Santa Monica. Selected stage credits include Macbeth (A Noise Within), Oedipus, Arms and the Man, Merchant of Venice, Marriage of Figaro and Cradle Will Rock (Jean Cocteau Rep). Film credits include several short films such as One Child, Side Bets, and The Box.

Oscar Rodriguez (Pete) makes his RGT debut in this production. He has appeared on the TV series The Following, and recently moved to Los Angeles from NY.

Jeff Faeth (Set Designer), Mike Reilly (Lighting Designer) at RGT-El Grande de Coca-Cola, Sideways, the Play, The Lonesome West, A Memory of Two Mondays. Marc Olevin (Sound Designer), Soundings (Odyssey Theatre Ensemble), The Boys in the Band (The Coast Playhouse), and We'll Never be Young Again (The Kirk Douglas Theatre) and numerous productions at Theatre 40. Sarah Figoten Wilson (Costume Design) El Grande de Coca Cola, Paradise: A Divine Bluegrass Musical, Cyrano De Bergerac, Burn This, Shakespeare Abridged, Italian American Reconciliation, and Mutiny at Port Chicago (NAACP nominee for Best Costume Design).

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