Joan Crawford's Adoptive Daughter Christina to Bring SURVIVING MOMMIE DEAREST Off-Broadway, May 2013

Mommie Dearest Inc. in association with Producer Jerry Rosenberg have announced dates for the New York premiere of SURVIVING MOMMIE DEAREST an empowering and inspirational new production starring Christina Crawford - actress, activist and author of the 1978 best-selling autobiographical book "Mommie Dearest." The show features an award-winning bio-pic documentary covering 100 years of show-biz history and details the turbulent relationship between Christina and her movie legend adoptive mother, Joan Crawford. Complete with film clips and footage from forgotten 1940's home movies, SURVIVING MOMMIE DEAREST is slated for a limited run of 5 performances, during the week of Mother's Day and will run off-Broadway at the Snapple Theater Center in Manhattan.

In addition to the Hollywood glitz and glamour of SURVIVING MOMMIE DEAREST, Ms. Crawford who wrote and narrates the documentary, recounts the abuse that she endured in her life, discusses her road to recovery, takes questions from the audience and closes the 90 minute show with a book signing. Also featured in the documentary is George Riddle, the star of Blood Country, which was recently awarded Best Film at the Toronto Film Festival. Music featured in the Documentary is by former American Idol David Hernandez.

Christina Crawford's memoir, "Mommie Dearest" created a worldwide sensation and was published in seven foreign languages. Since then, she has written: Black Widow (a novel), Survivor, No Safe Place and Daughters of the Inquisition, in addition to publishing first the 20th Anniversary and then the 30th Anniversary Editions of "Mommie Dearest", with updates and some revisions. The film of the same name was released in 1981 but without her participation in production or final approval. She has not received any royalty payments in the 30 years since the film was released.

Born in Hollywood, California and adopted by film star Joan Crawford, Christina Crawford was the focus of movie magazine photo shoots, press conference interviews and studio publicity. At ten years old she was sent to Chadwick School in Palos Verdes where she lived until she was fifteen and was transferred to Flintridge Sacred Heart in Pasadena from which she graduated at seventeen with honors. First to Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh as a Drama major and then to Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City, Ms. Crawford pursued her own acting career in theater. After an independent film in Miami, a small part with Elvis Presley in the film "Wild In The Country," summer and winter stock performances, she did a co-starring role in the Chicago company of Barefoot In The Park for which she won the Sarah Siddons award for Best Young Actress. Ms. Crawford starred in the daytime soap opera "Secret Storm" in New York, in many nighttime TV shows in Los Angeles. After fourteen years as an actress, Christina returned to complete college, graduating Magna cum Laude from UCLA, and then a Masters Degree in Communication Management from the Annenberg School at University of California, after which she worked for the Getty Oil Company at their corporate headquarters. Since 1993, she has lived on over 100 acres in Northern Idaho where she initially owned a successful country inn, worked seven years as entertainment manager for the Coeur D'Alene Casino and produced her own regional weekly TV show that won three Telly Awards. She also served one term as County Commissioner. Christina is co-owner of the production "Surviving Mommie Dearest" which she wrote, co-directed and in which she currently stars.

She has served as appointed Commissioner on the first Lost Angeles County Commission for Childrens Services and has been given awards from the Illinois Governor, the California Attorney General and the United States Dept. of Children and Family Services for her work on behalf of public awareness regarding child abuse & family violence prevention.

Jerry Rosenberg (Executive Producer) was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. He was a business major in college and began acting in Las Vegas. He has had parts in several movies, television dramas, and sitcoms, including "Rain Man", "Midnight Run", "Lucky Chances", and "Crime Story". Jerry has acted in and produced several other works, including "Murder Mysteries" for Disney World and Country Clubs, and "Role of a Lifetime", starring Scott Bakula and Kathryn Morris. Jerry's other production credits include "10 Attitudes", starring Jason Stuart, "Making it to the Middle", and several CD's, "Christmas Songs and Moore" by Keith Moore, Israel Super.star, Yehonathan, as well as "I Am Who I Am" by American Idol's, David Hernandez. Jerry is a Feature Entertainment Writer for City Xtra Magazine. In 1999, after creating "Stoney" The Rainbow Beanie for the 30th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, Jerry was given the honor to be the Logo Vendor for the Millennium March on Washington. He founded the Unity Dinner fundraiser, as well as the Black Tie Annual Dinner. Jerry sits on the boards for his P-FLAG chapter, N-FAN, The Harold Arlen Foundation, Elder Source Task Force, JFBP, Rainbow House Community Center, and is Board member and Past President of River City Pride. Currently, he is a proud Executive Producer of "Surviving Mommie Dearest" and associate producer along with his brother A. J. Michaels, for "The Wonderful Wizard Of Song", starring George Bugatti. Also Jerry is an Associate Producer of "One Night With Janis Joplin", and is proud to be working with his friends, Todd Gershwin and Dan Chilewich. Jerry and A. J. own The Metro Entertainment Complex in Jacksonville, Florida. Jerry thanks his Parents, A J, Sharon, and his family and close inner circle.

AJ Michaels (Producer) A J Michaels, a native of Atlanta, Ga., has called Jacksonville, Florida and Las Vegas, Nevada his home for many years. Along with his brother Jerry, he has produced 3 movies, 2 CD's, runs the very successful, Metro Night Club, and is the recipient of the 2012 RCN Magazine Humanitarian Award.

Performances of SURVIVING MOMMIE DEAREST are on May 8-9th at 8PM, May 10-11th at 5PM and Sunday, May 12th at 12PM. Tickets for SURVIVNG MOMMIE DEAREST are $40 for premium seats; and $25 and are available at the Snapple Theater Center box office at 212-921-7862.

The Snapple Theater Center is located at 1627 Broadway / 210 W. 50th St. near the corner of 50th Street and Broadway with two entrances, one on Broadway (stairs only) and one around the corner with an elevator.

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