The Road Theatre Company Announces Return to Live Performances With Three Plays in Repertory

THE ROAD THEATRE COMPANY has announced its return to live performances with three plays performing in repertory. The world premiere of THE PLAY YOU WANT, written by Bernardo Cubria and directed by Michael John Garcés, will begin previews on Tuesday, February 8; will open on Friday, February 11 at 8pm and run through Sunday, March 27; the Los Angeles premiere of BRIGHT HALF LIFE, written by Pulitzer Prize-nominee Tanya Barfield and directed by Amy K. Harmon, will begin previews on Monday, March 14; will open on Friday, March 18 at 8pm and run through Sunday, May 1 & the world premiere of BELOVED, written by Arthur Holden and directed by Cameron Watson will begin previews on Monday, April 18; will open on Friday, April 22, 2022 at 8pm and run through Sunday May 29 at the Road Theatre, located in The NoHo Senior Arts Colony, 10747 Magnolia Blvd. in North Hollywood.

ABOUT THE PLAYS

THE PLAY YOU WANT by Bernardo Cubria - Fed-up by the theatre world's desires to box him in, Mexican playwright Bernardo Cubría sarcastically pitches "Nar-Cocos" a play about drug dealers on Dia de los Muertos. Much to his surprise, The Public Theatre picks it up. With financial pressures mounting and a newborn at home, this is his chance at a commercial success. But when Scott Rudin offers him a Broadway run on the condition he further exploit his identity and the headlines, he must decide just how much he's willing to compromise in order to finally be accepted. WORLD PREMIERE!

Bernardo Cubria (Playwright) recently sold his screenplay "Like It Used To Be" to star Gina Rodriguez and Karla Souza. He is writing the "Untitled Ryan Garcia Project," directed by Gina Rodriguez and starring boxer Ryan Garcia. He was the winner of the NNPN Playwright Award for Political Theatre in 2021. He co-wrote the short film "Spanish Class," which won Best Comedy at The NBC Universal Shorts Awards in 2018. The Play You Want was awarded the Generation Award by Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company in 2020 and the Ingenio 2020 Award for new play by a Latinx Playwright by The Milagro Theatre in Portland, Oregon. He was nominated for best playwright at The Ovation Awards, Stage Raw Awards, and The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards for his play The Giant Void In My Soul, which received a reading at Circle in the Square on Broadway in 2019 and will be produced at Luna Stage in 2022, and the Foro Shakespeare in Mexico City in 2022. His play Neighbors: A Fair Trade Agreement was produced Off-Broadway at INTAR in fall of 2017. It has since received a regional premiere at The Studio Theatre in Florida. He was a proud member of The Road Theatre Company's Inaugural Under Construction Playwright's Lab where The Play You Want was developed.

Michael John Garcés (Director) is the artistic director of Cornerstone Theater Company, a community-engaged ensemble based in Los Angeles. Recent projects include The Rivers Don't Know by James Mcmanus (City Theatre), Seize the King by Will Power (The Alliance Theatre); The Thanksgiving Play by Larissa Fasthorse (The Geffen Playhouse); The Royale by Marco Ramirez (Arizona Theatre Company); the just and the blind by Marc Bamuthi Joseph and composer Daniel Bernard Roumain (Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center); and, for Cornerstone, Highland Park is Here by Mark Valdez, Native Nation and Urban Rez by Larissa Fasthorse and What Happens Next by Naomi Iizuka. Plays he has written for Cornerstone include Magic Fruit, The Forked Path and Los Illegals. Michael is the recipient of the 2020 Doris Duke Artist Award, the Princess Grace Statue and the Alan Schneider Director Award. He serves as first vice president of the executive board of SDC, the theatrical union for stage directors and choreographers.

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BRIGHT HALF LIFE by Tanya Barfield - The much-anticipated Los Angeles premiere by Pulitzer Prize nominee, Tanya Barfield, is a moving love story that spans decades in an instant - from marriage, children, skydiving, and the infinite moments that make a life together. BRIGHT HALF LIFE was developed during residency at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center's National Playwrights Conference (Preston Whiteway, Executive Director; Wendy C. Goldberg, Artistic Director) in 2014.

Tanya Barfield (Playwright) Her plays have been seen Off-Broadway and around the country. She is a recipient of a PEN/Laura Pels Theater Award, a LAMDA Literary Award, a Lilly Award recognizing extraordinary women in theatre, the inaugural Lilly Award Commission and a Helen Merrill Award. In 2016, The Profile Theatre devoted their entire season to her work. In 2020, in addition to TV writing, Barfield will succeed Marsha Norman as co-director of The Juilliard School's Playwrights Program.

Amy K. Harmon (Director) is a Director, Actor and Producer. She is a member of Rogue Machine Theatre Company and a founding member of Brimmer Street Theatre Company. She is a graduate of The Ensemble Conservatory School at Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago and continues to study with Steppenwolf West, focused on ensemble and viewpoints. Past credits include: How I Learned To Swim by Somebody Jones (Boston Court New Play Festival), And Here You Are, Living, Despite it All by Harrison David Rivers (Road Theatre Company SPF11), Cal In Camo (LA Premiere, Red Dog Squadron), And Then They Fell (Atwater Village Theatre, BSTC), Pack Up The Moon (The Lounge Theatre, BSTC), A Poster Of The Cosmos (Cabaret Theatre, Boston, MA), Scenes From A Marriage

(Equity Fights Aids @ Ivy Sub Station). She holds a BA in Theatre and Performance from Emerson College, where she frequently directs the outgoing senior class's Industry Showcase in Los Angeles.

BELOVED by Arthur Holden - In this world premiere, Dorothy and Stephen are married co-owners of a failing real estate company. They're shocked when they learn that their teenage son has committed a disturbing crime - and they're devastated when they find out why. In three successive waiting rooms, accompanied by three young professionals, Dorothy and Stephen must overcome confusion, acrimony and bitter regret as they struggle to find a way forward.

Arthur Holden (Playwright) is an actor and writer. Among his better-known performing credits is the voice of Mr. Ratburn in the long-running PBS cartoon series, "Arthur." His plays have been presented in Montreal, New York, London and Vancouver. Beloved is his first work to be staged in Los Angeles. He's honored to be joining The Road's roster of world premiere playwrights.

Cameron Watson (Director) His extensive and varied body of work garnered him the Distinguished Achievement in Directing Award from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle.

Cameron created, wrote and directed the hit comedy series "Break A Hip." Christina Pickles won a Primetime Emmy Award for her work in the series. Cameron wrote and directed the Miramax feature film "Our Very Own," starring Allison Janney, Jason Ritter, Cheryl Hines and Keith Carradine. Ms. Janney received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her work in the film. A prolific and much sought-after theatre director, Cameron has achieved widespread critical praise, with the Wall Street Journal citing his work as "the best in the country." He is known for his much lauded and box office hits at Antaeus Theatre Company (The Little Foxes, Cat on A Hot Tin Roof, Picnic and Top Girls) as well as work at Rogue Machine Theatre (Cock), The Fountain Theatre, The Pasadena Playhouse, Ensemble Theatre Company, The Colony Theatre (the now legendary production of Tryingstarring Alan Mandell and Rebecca Mozo), The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, The Road Theatre and The New American Theatre. Current work includes Love Letters with Martin Sheen and Melissa Fitzgerald and a nationwide/virtual production of Caryl Churchill's Love and Information with the Theatre Workshop of Nantucket. Opening in January is the American premiere of Other Than That, We're Happy at Rogue Machine Theatre at the Matrix.

SCHEDULE AND PRICING

THE PLAY YOU WANT, written by Bernardo Cubria and directed by Michael John Garcés, will preview on Tuesday, February 8; Wednesday, February 9 & Thursday February 10 at 8pm, with a press opening on Friday, February 11 at 8pm and will run through Sunday, March 27.

Performances are Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm; Sundays at 2pm through March 13. Performances continue in repertory beginning Thursday, March 17 at 8pm; Saturdays at 2pm & Sundays at 7:30pm through Sunday, March 27. There will be no performances March 4, 5 or 6.

BRIGHT HALF LIFE, written by Tanya Barfield and directed by Amy K. Harmon will preview on Monday, March 14; Tuesday, March 15 and Wednesday, March 16 at 8pm will open on Friday, March 18 at 8pm and run through Sunday, May 1.

Performances are Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm; Sundays at 2pm through Sunday, April 17. Performances continue in repertory beginning Thursday, April 21 at 8pm; Saturdays at 2pm & Sundays at 7:30pm through Sunday, May 1. There will be no performances April 8, 9 or 10.

BELOVED, written by Arthur Holden and directed by Cameron Watson will preview on Monday, April 18, Tuesday, April 19 and Wednesday, April 20 at 8pm, and will open on Friday, April 22, 2022 at 8pm and run through Sunday, May 29.

Performances are Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm; Sundays at 2pm.

All three plays will perform at the Road Theatre, located in The NoHo Senior Arts Colony, 10747 Magnolia Blvd. in North Hollywood.

Ticket prices are $39.00; Season Pass for all Three Shows $75.00; Students and Seniors are $15.00; Previews are $15.00. Sunday Performances are Pay-What-You-Can. Special group rates available for parties of 8 or more. For tickets, please call 818-761-8838 or visit www.RoadTheatre.org to purchase tickets online or to view complete schedule.

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