WATER BY THE SPOONFUL Opening Soon At The Long Beach Playhouse

In this Pulitzer Prize winning drama Quiara Alegrîa Hudes introduces us to Elliot, a veteran of the Iraq war. As he struggles to find his place in the world, we meet the members of an addiction chat room just trying to get through the day. When Elliot's mother dies, cyber meets reality, anger gives way to understanding, and the resistance to their pasts and each other becomes a chance at forgiveness.

"This play illustrates the impartiality of addiction," said Madison Mooney, the Playhouse's Executive Director, "The characters come from different backgrounds, from different economic and social classes. There is a professor, an IRS paper-pusher and a sandwich maker at Subway. There are mothers who gave up children and daughters who want to find the mothers who gave them up. It's funny and poignant. The characters stay with you after the play ends."

Water by the Spoonful is a heartfelt meditation on lives on the brink of redemption, the boundaries of family and community that stretch across continents and cyberspace. The play, which was commissioned by Hartford Stage as part of Quiara's 2008-2009 Aetna New Voices Fellowship, debuted at Hartford Stage in October 2011. In awarding it the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 2012, the organization described it as an imaginative play about the search for meaning by a returning Iraq War veteran working in a sandwich shop in his hometown of Philadelphia. Ms. Quiara, the author, described it as a drama that looks at addiction through a wide lens and relationships across the planet.

"It's a story about people who are recovering from all kinds of things besides just addiction," said Sean Gray, Producing Artistic Director for the Playhouse. "Some of them are recovering from choices they made in relationships or in their careers. Water by the Spoonful is a showcase for actors who can dig deep in themselves to show the ways all of us are more than the choices we've made."

Ryan Holihan is directing the show. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Theater from CSU Fullerton and an MFA from the professional directors program at Ohio University. He's previously directed Playhouse shows including Spider's Web, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, and A Christmas Carol. He's also an accomplished actor who has appeared in films, television shows and commercials.

The cast includes both returning actors and those making their Playhouse debut. Returning are Marco Estrada and Maria V. Oliveira. Making their first appearances for the Playhouse are: Synida Fontes, Jeff Jacobs, Robin Harrison, Rose Kim and Jonathan Garcia.

SPECIAL EVENTS FOR THIS PLAY:

• Pay what you can Thursday July 18 - community can see this production for whatever they can afford July
• Two for One Preview Friday July 19 - Tickets are $12.00
• Opening Night Champagne Reception with cast on July 20- Tickets are $27.00

Ticket Pricing:

Friday: Adults are $20.00, Seniors $18.00, and Students $14.00

Saturday and Sunday: Adults are $24.00, Seniors $21.00, and Students $14.00.

Tickets are available at www.lbplayhouse.org, or by calling 562-494-1014, option 1.

To request an interview with the director, cast members or reserve your media tickets to this performance, please send an email to: pr@lbplayhouse.org.

Long Beach Playhouse is located at 5021 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach, CA, 90804, right across from the Long Beach Recreation golf course. The Playhouse is community-supported theatre with programs and events that cut across age, gender, ethnic, and cultural boundaries.

Performances are 8 p.m. Friday, and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. The box office is open Wednesday-Saturday from 3:00-8:00 pm and Sundays from 1:00-2:00 pm on scheduled matinees.

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