THE CIVIL TWILIGHT Extends Again at the Broadwater Studio Theatre

Plays With People Productions has announced that the world premiere play, THE CIVIL TWILIGHT, written by Shem Bitterman, directed by Ann Hearn Tobolowsky and starring Taylor Gilbert and Andrew Elvis Miller is extending again due to demand. Performances will run through February 23 at the Broadwater Studio Theatre, 1076 Lillian Way in Los Angeles.

A twisty thriller that takes place over a single night during a once in a century storm, THE CIVIL TWILIGHT tells the story of what happens when a popular a.m. radio personality winds up trapped in a motel room in the Midwest with his biggest fan.

Comments writer Shem Bitterman, “I got this idea traveling across the country to see my son in at the University Missouri where he is studying journalism. I was struck by how the economic, cultural and population decline of Midwestern towns has left among those who remain an opening where hucksters and charlatans can, for a few bucks or some cheap outrage, offer a path to desperately needed change. In these areas, despite widespread disillusionment, hope lives on — in fact, hope is often all that is left.”  Director Ann Tobolowsky agrees, adding, “There is a deep longing for community and a desire to find connection. This play is a cautionary tale of what can happen when that impulse is betrayed.  In the end, THE CIVIL TWILIGHT asks — what is the cost of a lie?”

SHEM BITTERMAN (Playwright) PEN USA Award Harm's Way; LA Drama Critics Circle Award, The Job; National Play Award, Beijing Legends;, HUMANITAS nominee, Betty and Coretta;, Image Award Nominee, Whitney. His films include: Lenexa; 1 Mile, starring Paul Wesley, Jason Ritter, Chris Klein, and William Baldwin; Peephole, which he also directed; Out of the Rain, starring Bridget Fonda; Off the Lip, starring Marguerite Moreau; Tinsletown, starring Joe Pantoliano and Ron Perlman; and Open House, starring Jason Wiles. Mr. Bitterman has developed and acted in plays at The Mark Taper Forum, Sundance, the Midwest Playlabs, and Steppenwolf, and has written films for Warner Brothers, Dreamworks, Disney, and many independent film companies. He has taught screenwriting, playwriting, and acting in the Californian Prisons and in Beijing, China.

ANN HEARN TOBOLOWSKY (Director) Most recently at The Road Theatre, Ann directed Mercury by Steve Yockey and Scintilla, by Alessandro Camon.  In 2021, in the middle of the pandemic, Ann directed Reykjavík by Steve Yockey, which was filmed live, going on to win the award for Best Stage Play at the Swedish International Film Festival and Ediplay International Film Festival. Also at The Road, Jami Brandli’s Through the Eye of a Needle and roughly twenty readings for The Road’s Word series, Summer Playwrights Festivals, and Under Construction.  For Theatre 40:  The Half Light, Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Silent Sky, Good People, As Good As Gold, Bus Stop, Holy Days, Driving Miss Daisy, and Another Part of the Forest.  For Skylight Theatre, play readings of works by Shem Bitterman and Wendy Kout, and two short charming plays by Anna Mathias inspired by the Beatles song Eleanor Rigby (Streamyard).  

The Cast of THE CIVIL TWILIGHT will feature: Taylor Gilbert as “Ann Carlson” and Andrew Elvis Miller as “John Pine.”                                                                       

TAYLOR GILBERT (Ann Carlson) is the founder and co-Artistic Director of The Road Theatre, Executive Producing more than 60 productions.  She co-directed Hitler’s Head and Homefires with Ken Sawyer. Taylor has been seen on The Road stages in numerous productions over the years, including The Other Place, The Play About The Baby, Stupid Kid, Beloved and Scintilla. Taylor’s film credits include Spiderman 1 & 2, Hancock, The Island, Twister, Tucker, The Dead Pool, The McMartin Trials, and Torment.

ANDREW ELVIS MILLER (John Pine) was honored to be the first invited outside actor officially cast during the early years of Blue Man Group at the Astor Place Theatre, where he remained for 5 years. After many years acting in downtown and Off- Broadway New York theatre, Andrew moved to LA in 2007 with the West Coast premiere of Tracy Letts' Bug. He began working in Film & Television on the “CSI”'s, the “NCIS”', the “FBI”'s, the “Law & Orders'”, as well as  “Halston,” “Dexter,” “Mozart in the Jungle,” “Pretty Little Lies,” just to name a few. During the Screen Actors Guild strike in 2023, he returned to the stage as Harry the genius chef in need of an attitude adjustment & reality check in Theresa Rebeck's Seared at the Ensemble Theatre Company in Santa Barbara. Andrew previously worked with Shem Bitterman on his film The Job, and is thrilled to be collaborating again.

The Design Team for THE CIVIL TWILIGHT is as follows: Production Design by Joel Daavid; Sound Design by Chris Moscatiello; Costume Design by Jenna Bergstraesser. Original Score by Roget Bellon.  THE CIVIL TWILIGHT is produced by Danna Hyams.

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