New Musical JUSTIN LOVE to Complete Diversionary Theatre's 2013 Season, 8/29-10/6

Diversionary Theatre announces the addition of Justin Love, a new musical fantasy, to complete its 2013 roster of mainstage productions. Joining the currently running West Coast premiere of Birds of a Feather (through March 3, 2013) and the San Diego premiere of the literary romp, The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabbler (March 28 - April 28, 2013), will be the West Coast premiere of Charles Busch's hilarious spoof The Divine Sister (May 23 - June 30, 2013), directed by Glenn Paris, and the world premiere farce She-Rantulas From Outer Space (October 24 - November 17, 2013), by Phil Johnson and Ruff Yeager. By popular demand, Diversionary will also bring back its twisted take on holiday tradition Scrooge in Rouge (December 5 - 29, 2013).

The new musical, Justin Love is a new-fashioned Hollywood fantasy musical about an idealistic Hollywood assistant and the A-Lister he coaxes out of the closet. When the two try to love "like real people," the age-old story of fame, secrets and love is upended in sometimes biting and often touching ways. After a critically acclaimed and extended run at the Celebration Theatre in LA, Justin Love comes to Diversionary for its continued journey towards stardom.

"We are thrilled to bring David Elzer and the Justin Love creative team to Diversionary to continue development of this funny, witty, charming love-letter to Hollywood musicals," says Diversionary Executive Director John Alexander. "It's the perfect blend of our company's joint focus of developing new takes and telling new stories of the LGBT experience. Audiences of all kinds are going to relate to the love story...and laugh hilariously as Justin Love pokes fun at our culture of celebrity."

Complete details on the 2013 Season are available below and on the Diversionary website at www.diversionary.org.

Tickets to Birds of a Feather are available now. Tickets to the remaining shows are available to Diversionary Members and subscribers online at diversionary.org or by calling the box office at 619.220.0097.

Diversionary Theatre develops new works and produces plays and musicals that explore the issues, characters and stories of the LGBT community in all its complexity and diversity. Now in its 27th year, Diversionary is a professional theatre company that produces a season of mainstage plays and musicals, presents a series of exciting live entertainment (Diversionary Cabaret), and nurtures artists in the development of new works of theatre through new play commissions, readings and workshops.

Season 2013 @ Diversionary Theatre
Mainstage Productions

BIRDS OF A FEATHER
Now through March 3, 2013
The West Coast Premiere of a New LGPT Comedy
By Marc Acito
Directed By James Vásquez

Featuring Steve Gunderson, Mike Sears, Rachel VanWormer and Kevin Koppman-Gue.

Love is a rare bird. Birds of a Feather is a heart-warming, comedy about two bird families: Roy and Silo, two penguins at the Central Park Zoo that adopt and raise a chick, and Pale Male and Lola, two hawks living and raising their own on a trendy Manhattan building. The play is based on true events. And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson is a controversial children's book based on the penguins, and the entirety of New York City was in awe of the hawks that nestled onto an expensive residential building. The show emphasizes a great message: any type of family that works should be celebrated, conventional or not, gay or straight.

THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF HEDDA GABLER
March 28 - April 28, 2013
The San Diego Premiere of a Literary Romp
By Jeff Whitty
Directed by Matt McGrath

Featuring: Lynae DePriest, Yolanda Franklin, Tony Houck, Luke Jacobs, Dangerfield G. Moore, Andrew Oswald and Jacque Wilke

After the curtain falls, is it really The End? What happens to our favorite literary figures after the show is over and the last page turns on their story? Moments after her nightly death, Hedda Gabler and Mammy (yes, that Mammy) head out in search of a more fulfilling ending, encountering a host of the greatest characters of stage, page and screen along the way. Jeff Whitty, one of the twisted minds that brought you Avenue Q, takes the heroines and audience on a comedic journey in search of life beyond the original authors' wildest dreams.

THE DIVINE SISTER
May 23 - June 30, 2013
The West Coast Premiere of the Off-Broadway Hit
By Charles Busch
Directed By Glenn Paris

Featuring: Maggie Carney, Yolanda Franklin, Lauren King, Dangerfield G. Moore, Darren Scott and Jacque Wilke

Do nuns really have more fun? The Divine Sister is an inspired homage to every Hollywood film ever centered on the convent. Written by Charles Busch (the comic genius behind such classics as The Tale of the Allergists Wife; Die, Mommie, Die!; Psycho Beach Party; and Vampire Lesbians of Sodom), this is the gleefully twisted tale of an indomitable Mother Superior trying to cope with a young postulant experiencing "visions," a sensitive schoolboy in need of mentoring, a mysterious nun visiting from Berlin, and a former suitor intent on luring her away from her vows. No nun, whether singing or flying, is spared and no Mary left un-hailed in this loving parody that dares to take a look beneath the habit.

JUSTIN LOVE
August 29 - October 6, 2013
The New Musical Fantasy
By Patricia Cotter and David Elzer (book), Lori Scarlett (music and lyrics) and David Manning (music).
Directed by James Vásquez

A New-Fashioned Hollywood Fantasy! When an idealistic Hollywood assistant and the A-Lister he coaxes out of the closet try to love "like real people," the age-old story of fame, secrets and romance is upended in sometimes biting and often touching ways. After a critically acclaimed and extended run at the Celebration Theatre in LA, Justin Love comes to Diversionary for its continued journey towards stardom. It's both a love letter to Hollywood musicals and a witty exploration of our celebrity-obsessed culture.

SHE-RANTULAS FROM OUTER SPACE
October 24 - November 17, 2013
A World Premiere Comedy
Conceived and Written by Phil Johnson and Ruff Yeager
Directed by Ruff Yeager

To avoid fainting, keep telling yourself it's only a play... Just in time for Halloween, Phil Johnson and Ruff Yeager bring us a hilarious send-up of the femme fatales and B-movie horror stories of the 1950s. When a horror-horde of monster-mutants invades Small Town U.S.A., one All-American Mother must face the truth about her little Suzie and destroy her evil Web of Terror. There will be carnage! There will be destruction! There will be men in women's clothing! The Management requests that you PLEASE not reveal the SHOCKING final scene to friends or family members, and guarantee to BURY YOU without charge if you die of FRIGHT during She-Rantulas from Outer Space!

SCROOGE IN ROUGE
December 5 - December 29, 2013
The (Other) San Diego Holiday Tradition
By Ricky Graham (book and lyrics), Jeffrey Roberson (additional material), Yvette Hargis (other interesting bits) and Jefferson Turner (original music)
Directed by Tony Houck

Scrooge served with a grown-up twist. Scrooge in Rouge is a quick-change, cross-dressing version of the Dickens holiday classic, set in a Victorian music hall where three actors play twenty-three roles. The show, full of entertainment, rousing songs, comedy and specialty acts, returns to Diversionary for a limited engagement by popular demand. Ditch your boring office party and celebrate with four of the campiest performers you'll ever meet as they serve up Scrooge with a twist. Drinks are encouraged (wee ones aren't) at this offbeat San Diego Christmas Tradition.

For tickets or season passes, visit: www.diversionary.org/join.

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