The Blank Theatre Presents Audience Talkback 9/28 Following Matinee Performance of THE WHY

The Blank Theatre (Daniel Henning, Founding Artistic Director; Noah Wyle, Artistic Producer) has announced an audience talkback session following the matinee performance of The Why on Sunday, September 28. The conversation begins at 3:30pm at the 2nd Stage Theatre in Hollywood. The event is scheduled to last one hour.

The Why is a fast-paced tragicomedy - one part modern satire, one part honest investigation of school shootings. Of the production, Paul Birchall of StageAndCinema.com said, "Crackles with genuine anger and frustration at the horrors of gun violence ... sincere and powerful ... there's a lot of passion here, depicted with commendable skill and ferocity." And from Shari Barrett at BroadwayWorld.com, " ... sickening, mind-bending, and totally necessary to point a finger right where it belongs - at all of us."

Blank Theatre board member Paolo Andres will serve as moderator, and members of organizations with opposing viewpoints will be present to participate in the conversation. Shoot Safe Learning is a training school at which quality training is administered to law abiding citizens by using the best teaching techniques in a safe environment that instill proper attitude and discipline. Women Against Gun Violence (WAGV) seeks to educate the public, policymakers, and the media about the human, financial, and public health consequences of gun violence. Taking on gun violence as a women's issue and focusing on violence prevention on a community level forms the basis of this organization's work.

Playwright Victor Kaufold was just 19 years old when he wrote The Why in response to the Columbine tragedy. The play was a Blank Theatre Young Playwrights Festival winner and was later produced on The Blank's mainstage. Kaufold received an LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Award nomination for World Premiere Play, the youngest person ever to do so.

The cast of The Why features (in alphabetical order) Ben Crowley, Nicholas Cutro, Jen Landon, and Jeff Witzke. The regular performance schedule is Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm throughOctober 19. Admission is $30 (student price is $20; must show valid ID), and tickets may be purchased online at www.TheBlank.com or via phone at (323) 661-9827.

The Blank's 2nd Stage Theatre is located at 6500 Santa Monica Boulevard (at Wilcox), in Hollywood.