EXTINCTION Starring James Roday and Michael Weston Begins Previews Feb. 13

James Roday, star of the hit television series "Psych," and Michael Weston of TV's "House" will play two friends on a reckless weekend in Gabe McKinley's new play EXTINCTION, previewing Off-Broadway on Feb 13, 2010 prior to its official press opening February 17 at the Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce St.) in Manhattan. Wayne Kasserman directs.

Mr. Roday and Mr. Weston reprise their roles Off-Broadway in EXTINCTION following its acclaimed, sold-out run this past fall in Los Angeles at the Elephant Space theatre in Hollywood in a production praised by Variety as "the creative meat of a truly talented writer...a very dark view of the sexes." The L.A. Times wrote that the play "enters unexplored, murky corners and is uniquely unsettling."

With a cast featuring James Roday, Michael Weston, Amanda Detmer and Stefanie E. Frame, EXTINCTION is Mr. McKinley's play about what transpires between two college buddies whose annual outing of male-bonding and debauchery veers precipitously off course when unmet expectations spiral into a volatile showdown.

EXTINCTION will be presented Off-Broadway by Red Dog Squadron in association with the Cherry Lane Theatre. The actor Dule Hill, Mr. Roday's co-star on "Psych," is also a producer of the play.

Gabe McKinley's plays include "Welcome Home Rock Rogers," "The Kitchen Sink Play," "Funny" and "Floodplains." His play "The Grave" was the winner of the Samuel French Short Play Festival, while another short play, "Hero's Grave" was recently performed at London's Old Vic. Playwright McKinley comes from a family of scribes, including brothers James and Jesse, writers for The New York Times.

James Roday stars as 'Shawn Spencer' in the upcoming fifth season of the USA Network original series "Psych." His New York stage credits include "The Three Sisters (Off-Broadway)," "Twelfth Night," "A Respectable Wedding," and "Severity's Mistress". Mr. Roday studied theater at New York University's Experimental Theatre Wing and graduated with a degree in Fine Arts. He has also starred in several feature film roles including, "Beerfest," "Don't Come Knocking," "Rolling Kansas," and "The Dukes of Hazzard."

Michael Weston has appeared Off-Broadway in "Snakebit" and in Kenneith Lonnergan's "The Waverly Gallery" (Pasadena Playhouse) and several plays at Williamstown Theatre Festival. Film credits include: "The Last Kiss," "State of Play," "Pathology," "Garden State," "Dukes of Hazzard," "Hart's War," "Lucky Numbers," "Looking For Sunday," "Wedding Daze," and "Coyote Ugly." He's had recurring roles on "Six Feet Under," "Scrubs," "Law and Order: SVU," and currently "House" on Fox-TV.

Amanda Detmer's earned her MFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Stage credits include Cecily in "The Importance of Being Earnest" and Constanza in "Amadeus" at the Guthrie Theatre. Film and television credits: Saving Silverman, The Majestic, "Drop Dead Gorgeous," "Law &Order," and others. She currently has a recurring role as Morgan Gellman on "Private Practice".

Stefanie E. Frame's credits include "Love Sick," (FringeNYC) and "Twelfth Night," (Lake George Theatre Lab). She has appeared in several independent films, including "You Don't Know Me" (Audience Choice Award, NYC Downtown Short Film Festival). Stefanie also narrated "Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives" (PBS NOVA) and played Renee in "The Kill Point" (Spike TV).

Wayne Kasserman directed the L.A. premiere of EXTINCTION. He is a founding partner and creative director at NYCOLLECTIVE in NYC, where he produces film and theater projects (most recently IOWA 08). As an actor, his credits include major roles in theatrical productions, as well as work on television series such as "Knight Rider", "The Kill Point", "Crash", "Law &Order" and "The Jury." BFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts, MFA from the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco.

EXTINCTION has scenic design by Steven C. Kemp, lighting design by Mike Durst and costume design by Gali Noy.

Celebrating its tenth anniversary, Red Dog Squadron is a non-profit theatre company founded in 1999 by Brad Raider and James Roday, who met while studying at The Experimental Theatre Wing at NYU and have been frequent collaborators since. Red Dog has produced, Henry V (NY-Mazer Theater), David Mamet's "Sexual Perversity in Chicago," two original one-acts, "sustenance" and "Chickens and A**holes," and the critically-acclaimed "Grand Delusion" by David Rock in 2007.

Scheduled through March 14, EXTINCTION will perform Tuesdays at 7 pm, Wednesdays thru Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 7 pm. Tickets are $45 and can be reserved by calling Tele-charge at 212 239 6200 or online at www.telecharge.com

Photo credit: Wayne Kasserman

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