Den Of Thieves Opens at The American Theater of Actors Chernuchin Theater, 8/19-8/29

Glen Hagen Theatrical, a newly created theatrical Production Company presents Stephen Adly Guirgis' Den of Thieves, directed by David Triacca. Den Of Thieves opens August 19, 2010 and runs through August 29, at The American Theater of Actors, The Chernuchin Theater, 2nd floor, 314 West 54 Street, New York, New York 10019.

Glen Hagen, President of Glen Hagen Theatrical has been an avid theatergoer for the past 40 years and always wanted to get involved in the theater community. Hagen said, "I knew I did not have the acting skills, but I was interested in the possibility of producing."

Hagen said, he and his associates chose Den of Thieves as their first production after reading over 300 scripts, because "they wanted it to be easily manageable" - they didn't want to produce a show with a large ensemble. "Our group of investors come from a very diverse group of backgrounds, so we looked for a script that offers cast diversity and a story that anyone can relate to." They chose Den Of Thieves, as not only did it meet their criteria, "but without a doubt it's the best," said Hagen. "I very much like the script, it has a lot of contemporary meanings, and it's extremely humorous. Even as someone who knows next to nothing about the 12-step program, I was drawn into it and I imagine my audience would feel the same."

Stephen Adly Guirgis (Jesus Hopped the ‘A' Train and Our Lady of 121st Street), outrageous black comedy takes us into the world of Maggie, a shoplifter looking to change her life. Paul is her sponsor in a twelve-step program. Flaco is her charismatic but jealous drug dealing-boyfriend. Boochie, Flaco's girlfriend, is a topless dancer. When this unlikely squad gets together to steal $750,000 in unprotected drug money, they become prisoners in a mob boss' basement. Told that they have until sunrise to choose one person to die and three to donate their thumbs, the four engage in verbal gymnastics as they struggle for self-awareness and self-acceptance in a high-octane battle for survival.

Guirgis told Catherine Foster of the Boston Globe in her 2005 interview with him that "he has always identified with the underdog." When he wrote "Den of Thieves" in 1996, he was working with a violence-prevention program in New York prisons, hospitals, and shelters. At night, he lived in a government-owned building housing people who were HIV positive, mentally ill, or just poor.
In the same interview Guirgis says "he used to go to the West Bank Cafe and steal rolls of toilet paper from supplies stacked in the bathroom. What I realized was, what am I saying about myself here? That I'd rather feel bad about myself and get some free toilet paper than actually go to the store and buy some?" "Once he quit stealing", he says, "I felt a lot better." I felt like a loser, like someone on the lower end of the spectrum. But a loser who's fighting for something."

Triacca says, "Den Of Thieves is a play about a group that were "born to lose." The struggle for self- awareness, self-acceptance, and self-love, deception, redemption, forgiveness, and tolerance, are concurrent themes in Den Of Thieves. The play is driven by a bunch of dysfunctional characters trying to survive, change and take control of their lives. It reveals the characters' vulnerability, and the truth about who and what they really are."

Triacca says he is very excited about directing Den of Thieves because "Guirgis writes plays about the kind of theatre I like to make and the kind of theatre I like to see - pushing limits and banging heads together. His plays are about my fears, my ideas, my uncertainty, and my isolation. So, I could either go to therapy or direct his play. I chose the latter. So once it opens, I'll see if I stop stealing toilet paper. "

Den Of Thieves cast: Peter Carlaftes, Michelle Cox, Wesley Curtis, Ralph John (RJ) Lucci, Giovanni Rho, Julia Sun, and Chris Triana. Director: David Triacca. Producer: Glen Hagen Theatrical. Lighting and Sound Designer: Shelly Rodriguez. Set Designer: Jason Simms.

Tickets are: $24.00, $27.00 in advance, or $30.00 at the box office, night of the performance. Tickets can be purchased online from www.smarttix.com, or by phone at 212-868-4444.
Further information can be found at: www.denofthievesnyc.com.

About Glen Hagen Theatrical: Glen Hagen Theatrical was founded in 2010 to produce to Den Of Thieves. Hagen is currently an international business consultant. He served as the Assistant Commissioner of the State of California, as well as the CEO of two companies in the healthcare industry. This is their first production and they hope it is one of many to come in the future.

About David Triacca: David Triacca (Director) is also a professional actor and acclaimed acting coach. Currently he is a resident instructor and director for both the Living Theatre Conservatory and Bilingual Acting Workshop (New York/Paris). David is also a produced writer and the artistic director of Groundworks Acting Ensemble which performs original showcases that have been highly acclaimed by industry professionals both in New York and Los Angeles. Comprised of an ensemble of actors, David's focus is to bring an understanding of commitment and expertise to the actor's own style and individual process making sure each actor's work is passionate, personal and principled. Both current and former award-winning members are now working in film, television and theatre, including Broadway and Off Broadway.

About Stephen Adly Guirgis: Stephen Adly Guirgis is an American playwright, screenwriter, and actor. He has been a member of New York City's LAByrinth Company since 1994. His plays have been produced on five continents and throughout the United States. His most recent play, The Little Flower of East Orange, starring Ellen Burstyn and directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman, just completed an extended run at The Public Theater. Other plays include Our Lady of 121st Street (10 best plays of 2003; Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Best Play Nominations), Jesus Hopped the ‘A' Train (Edinburgh Festival Fringe First Award, Laurence Olivier Nomination for London's Best New Play), In Arabia,We'd All Be Kings (2007 LA Drama Critics Best Play, Best Writing Award), and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (10 best Time Magazine & Entertainment Weekly), produced by LAByrinth in collaboration with The Public Theater in 2005. On May 10,2008 Judas Iscariot completed a one-month run in London at the Almeida Theater[1]. All five plays were originally produced by LAByrinth and directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Television writing credits include NYPD Blue, The Sopranos, David Milch's CBS drama Big Apple, and Shane Salerno's NBC series UC: Undercover. Stephen was awarded a 2006 PEN/Laura Pels Award, a 2006 Whiting Award, and a 2004 TCG fellowship. He attended the 2004 Sundance Screenwriter's Lab, and was named one of 2004's 25 New Faces of Independent Film by Filmmaker Magazine. He is the recipient of new play commissions from Manhattan Theatre Club, Center Theater Group, and South Coast Repertory, and is a member of New Dramatists, MCC's Playwright's Coalition, New River Dramatists, Primary Stages, and The Actor's Studio Playwright/Directors Unit. He developed and directed Liza Colón-Zayas' Sistah Supreme for Danny Hoch's Hip Hop Theater Festival, and Marco Greco's award-winning Behind the Counter with Mussolini in New York and Los Angeles. As an actor, he appeared in Guinea Pig Solo, produced by LAByrinth at The Public Theatre, and has leading roles in Todd Solondz's Palindromes, Brett C. Leonard's Jailbait opposite Michael Pitt, and in Kenneth Lonergan's Margaret. Other film credits include Charlie Kaufman's Synecdoche, New York, Adam Rapp's Blackbird, Noah Buschel's Neal Cassady, as well as Meet Joe Black, Noise, and Trainwreck: My Life as an Idiot. A former Violence Prevention Specialist/H.I.V. Educator, he has facilitated numerous workshops in New York City area prisons, schools, shelters, and hospitals. He is currently writing a screenplay based on the life of six-time world champion boxer Emile Griffith for Scott Rudin Productions.

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