THE DARRELL HAMMOND PROJECT, Written by SNL Alum, Makes World Premiere Tonight at La Jolla Playhouse

La Jolla Playhouse presents The Darrell Hammond Project, written by Saturday Night Live star Darrell Hammond and Elizabeth Stein, and directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley. Performed by Hammond, this world-premiere, one-man show will runs now through March 8, 2015 in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre. The production opens tonight, February 8, 2015.

The Darrell Hammond Project, based on Hammond's acclaimed memoir, God, If You're Not Up There, I'm F*cked: Tales of Stand-Up, Saturday Night Live and Other Mind-Altering Mayhem, invites the audience on a heartbreaking and hilarious journey inside the life and mind of an American comic genius, trying to unravel the mystery of how a man repeatedly climbed out from the depths of despair to become a world-class comedian.

"Darrell Hammond's new piece sheds a fascinating light on how he overcame intense personal trauma to become one of the funniest men in show business. It's a privilege to direct and help develop this project that is by turns surprising, incredibly funny and deeply moving," said Ashley.

Tickets for The Darrell Hammond Project are currently available only with a subscription purchase by calling the Playhouse's Patron Services Department at (858) 550-1010 or visiting LaJollaPlayhouse.org

Darrell Hammond is one of the most prolific comedians of his time. For years, Hammond has brought to life a cavalcade of politicians, media figures, celebrities and newsmakers on television, most notably as a cast member on Saturday Night Live. He holds the title for being the longest running cast member on the show, as well as for the most impressions by a single Saturday Night Live cast member and for the most times saying the show's catch phrase "Live From New York, It's Saturday Night!" Every one of his impressions is applauded by television critics and viewers alike for their accuracy and range. They include: Bill Clinton, Regis Philbin, Dan Rather, John Travolta, Jesse Jackson, Richard Dreyfus, Jay Leno, Donald Trump and Sean Connery in the ever-popular "Celebrity Jeopardy" skits.

Although it was a dream come true for Hammond to be a regular on Saturday Night Live, one of his biggest honors came at the nation's capital at the White House Correspondent's Dinner. During a surprise appearance with President Bill Clinton, Hammond received a standing ovation and was widely praised by the media for his dead-on impression of the President before a great number of government officials and members of the Washington Press Corps. He also gave Comedy Central huge ratings performing in his own half-hour special, Comedy Central Presents: Darrell Hammond.

In addition to his Saturday Night Live appearances, Hammond has been seen in a number of feature films, television shows and on Broadway. A truly versatile actor, Hammond has displayed his talents in both dramatic and comedic roles. Some of his feature films include: Buzzkill, Netherbeast, Weiners, Scary Movie 3 and 5, New York Minute, Nature Calls and Epic Movie. He also starred with Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin in The Devil and Daniel Webster. On television, he received tremendous reviews for his portrayal of a deranged but intense criminal defense lawyer in Law & Order: SVU and has guest starred in the FX drama Damages and Law & Order: CI. He also had a recurring role on the popular TV series Are We There Yet? and is one of the celebrity judges in the new ABC talent show Sing Your Face Off. Hammond has been a frequent guest on The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show, Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Howard Stern Show and appears in several of the popular Funny or Die episodes on the internet.

Hammond made his Broadway debut playing the role of Vice Principal Douglas Panch in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and in the summer of 2011, he starred in Bay Street Theatre's Tru as Truman Capote. Hammond is also a New York Times bestselling author. His book, God, If You're Not Up There, I'm F**cked: Tales of Stand-Up, Saturday Night Live and Other Mind-Altering Mayhem, bravely chronicles his personal journey through trauma and addiction into recovery. Still a favorite on the comedy circuit, Hammond performs in New York and throughout the country, boasting a number of brilliant impressions in his act that keep people laughing nationwide.

The nationally-acclaimed, Tony Award-winning La Jolla Playhouse is known for its tradition of creating some of the most exciting and adventurous new work in regional theatre. The Playhouse was founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire and Mel Ferrer, and is considered one of the most well-respected not-for-profit theatres in the country. Twenty-five Playhouse productions have moved to Broadway, earning 35 Tony Awards, including the currently-running hit Jersey Boys, as well as Big River, The Who's Tommy, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, A Walk in the Woods, Billy Crystal's 700 Sundays, the Pulitzer Prize-winning I Am My Own Wife, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Farnsworth Invention, 33 Variations, Memphis, Bonnie & Clyde, Chaplin, Peter and the Starcatcher and Hands on a Hardbody. Located on the UC San Diego campus, La Jolla Playhouse is made up of three primary performance spaces: the Mandell Weiss Theatre, the Mandell Weiss Forum Theatre and the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Center for La Jolla Playhouse, a state-of-the-art theatre complex which features the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre. La Jolla Playhouse is led by Artistic Director Christopher Ashley and Managing Director Michael S. Rosenberg.

Photo Credit: Jim Carmody

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