La MaMa and Sheryl Lee Ralph to Stage Richard E. Waits' MAMA ROSE, 1/30-2/8

LA MaMa Experimental Theatre Club and Sheryl Lee Ralph and The D.I.V.A. Foundation present MAMA ROSE (A Solo Musical). This show gives a glimpse of Mr. Waits' life growing up in Buffalo, New York with his own MAMA ROSE, Rose Waits. In this dark comedy you'll find out that this "southern belle" could have ruled the world...if they had only let her.

How did the relationship with Producer Sheryl Lee Ralph and MAMA ROSE begin? It started like this says Mr. Waits, "Sheryl Lee and I were working at the Old Globe in San Diego in the then pre-Broadway run of The First Wives Club. I was telling her stories about my mother Rose, discussing her strengths and her weaknesses as well as the effect she had on the entire family as a whole as well as on me personally. Sheryl Lee had never witnessed this type of bond between a mother and son, and was enamored with the guts, the psychology, and the outrageous nature of this women she had never met. My stories had brought my mother to life for Sheryl Lee! MAMA ROSE is part magic, part southern belle, part ghetto fabulous Zena warrior and part of all of our shared human experiences. We laughed, we cried, we bonded as two artists do." Sheryl Lee then said, "Go to your room and start writing this stuff down, just write do not attempt to put it into any type of form! Richard you've 'gotta get real,' write from your heart DO NOT edit yourself. You are holding the magic. Now, FINISH THE DAMN SHOW! Love you, good night."

Mr. Waits says, "We all know the amazing legacy that Ellen Stewart with Paul Foster and others started in 1961 with La MaMa E.TC. so it's a natural fit to continue my journey with MAMA ROSE here. It's no coincidence to be surrounded by such strong, independent women with this project. Ms. Penny Arcade made my introduction and opened the doors of La MaMa to MAMA ROSE. For this I am truly thankful."

The audience of MAMA ROSE will witness the work in progress; unapologetic, raw, darkly comedic, and very real, a show in its infant stage preparing to blossom into an independent film and a Broadway show. MAMA ROSE is part magic, part southern belle, part ghetto fabulous Zena warrior and part of all of our shared human experiences.
Mr. Waits has surrounded himself with a creative team that is talented and unafraid to push the theatrical boundaries.

MAMA ROSE is directed by Paul Stancato, Costumes by Clint Ramos, Technical design by Carlos Valentin, Consultation and coaching by Penny Arcade, with musical backing by New York University's Indie Rock Band The Grasping Straws (Mallory Feuer, Oliver Budiardjo and Thaddeus Strauss).

At MAMA ROSE, you'll learn, you'll examine, you'll inquire, and you'll walk away knowing just what she taught her children: We are ALL a product of our people.

Directed by Paul Stancato, with costume design by Clint Ramos, choreography by John Paolillo and featuring The Grasping Straws (Mallory Feuer, Oliver Budiardjo, Thaddeus Strauss) and technical design by Carlos A Valentin.

Written and performed by Richard E. Waits with creative consultant, couching by Penny Arcade, MAMA ROSE will run January 30, 2015 - February 8, 2015, playing Fridays/ Saturdays at 10PM and Sundays at 6PM. Tickets: 2 for $36 - visit http://lamama.org/mama-rose.

ABOUT RICHARD E. WAITS - Richard E. Waits is member of Actors Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA. Born in Buffalo NY, Waits started his career in a television commercial with the legendary Ginger Rogers after which her appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway and toured internationally and throughout the United States and Canada. Richard has garnered rave notices for his acclaimed character portrayals of MAMA ROSE written and performed by Mr. Waits directed by Paul Stancato,˜The Master Gardner in ORCHID THE SHOW starring Richard E. Waits directed by William Baker, UNCLE TOM'S CABIN, THE DIFFICULTY OF CROSSING A FIELD directed by Bob McGrath, THE FULL MONTY directed by Bob Durkin, and BEST OF BOTH WORLDS directed by Diane Paulus.
He appeared in the pre-Broadway production of FIRST WIVES CLUB directed by Francesca Zambelllo, and workshops of THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS directed by Susan Stroman, BORN BLUE directed by Anthony Rapp. In Concert on Broadway Mr. Waits appeared in the now famous I AM HARVEY MILK Concert at Avery Fisher Hall starring Kristin Chenoweth and Andrew Lippa, was featured in The BLACK STARS OF BROADWAY Concert at Carnegie Hall. In concert on Broadway; the Dreamgirls Concert starring Lillias White, Audra McDonald, Heather Headley and Norm Lewis; Chess starring Josh Groban, Adam Pascal and Sutton Foster; and with Opera Diva Deborah Voigt and more. Other credits include RAGTIME, DREAMGIRLS, the Parisian company of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, AIN'T MISBEHAVIN, SHOWBOAT and San Francisco's BEACH BLANKET BABYLON. His solo concert work has sold out in Paris, Frankfurt, Rome and Zurich. On Television he was featured on NASH BRIDGES starring Don Johnson and RuPaul. Mr. Waits has also performed for former First lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the US Embassy in Holland, President Jimmy Carter at the NAACP convention and for Kofi Annan at the United Nations 50th Year Anniversary celebration. Twitter @richardewaits

ABOUT SHERYL LEE RALPH - Sheryl Lee Ralph is a multifaceted jewel of a woman who sparkles in every area of her life. An acclaimed show business "pro" , her award winning body of work in film, television and the Broadway stage includes originating and creating the role of Deena Jones on Broadway in the landmark musical Dreamgirls, which earned her a Tony Award Nomination and a Drama Desk Award Nomination for Best Actress., as well as the role of Muzzy van Hossmere in Thoroughly Modern Millie. Currently, Sheryl Lee stars in the hit Nickelodeon series Instant Mom and can also be seen on the SHOWTIME series, Ray Donovan, as Claudette. A passionate health advocate and honored AIDS activist, Ms. Ralph is the founding director of the DIVA (Divinely Inspired Victoriously Aware) Foundation 501(C)3 which she created in memory of the many friends she had lost to HIV/AIDS. She also created the critically acclaimed Divas Simply Singing!, an evening of song and entertainment that after 24 years is the longest consecutive running musical AIDS benefit in the country.

ABOUT PAUL STANCATO - Paul Stancato is an award winning director/ choreographer who just returned from directing the current National Tour of Jekyll and Hyde. Internationally, he has worked in China as the Artistic Director for The House of Dancing Water, as well as Belgium and London. He was the Resident Director for Disney's The Lion King. He directed the First National Tour of The Wedding Singer and was also Assistant to Choreographer, Rob Ashford, for the Broadway production. Other directing/ choreographing credits include: Plaid Tidings, Hairspray and Sound of Music, Travlin the Musical, Crazy For You, Godspell, Guys and Dolls, Zombies from the Beyond, Rockshow, Heart Rising, Einstein's Dreams and Dystopia Gardens. Performance credits include, Blue Man Group (Blue Man) and De La Guarda (original New York cast member). Upcoming: a new Broadway musical based on the life and times of Jean Michel Basquiat. Love to my wife and best friend, Felicia Finley. www.paulstancato.com

ABOUT CLINT RAMOS - Clint Ramos (Costume Design) Violet, The Elephant Man (Broadway); Booty Candy (Playwrights Horizon); The Common Pursuit ( Roundabout); Appropriate (Signature); Here Lies Love, Venice, Much to do about nothing, Wild With Happy (Public Theater); Romeo and Juliet (CSC); Cradle Will Rock, Violet, I'm Getting My Act Together...(City Center Encores! Off-Center); Row After Row (Women's Project). More than 100 regional and international credits. Awards: 2013 Obie Award for Sustained Excellence, two Lucille Lortel Awards, the TDF Irene Sharaff Young Master Award, two American Theatre Wing Henry Hewes Awards. MFA from NYU

ABOUT PENNY ARCADE - Penny Arcade is considered the Queen of Underground Performance she has had a mainstream presence outside of America since 1993 and her work has been produced everywhere from Calgary to Sydney, London to Vienna, Rio to Zagreb,Zurich to Belfast, Oslo to Lisbon, Mexico City to Glasgow , Dublin to Vancouver but her larger full length work has been produced in few places in the USA outside of NY, LA and SF. Penny Arcade Aka Susana Ventura is an internationally respected performance artist, writer , poet and experimental theatre maker known for her magnetic stage presence, her take no prisoners wit and her content rich plays and one liners. She is the author of ten scripted performance plays and hundreds of performance art pieces. Her work has always focused on the other and the outsider, giving voice to those marginalized by society. Her willingness to speak truth to power at the expense of career concerns has made her an international icon of artistic resistance. Her decades long focus on the creation of community and inclusion as the goals of performance and her efforts to use performance as a trans-formative act mark her as a true original in American theatre and performance.

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