Sharon Lawrence Will Lead PARENTS IN CHAINS at Ensemble Theatre Company
The production will open on Wednesday, March 12 and perform through Sunday, March 30 at the New Vic Theatre.
By: Stephi Wild Jan. 23, 2025
Ensemble Theatre Company in association with J. Todd Harris will present an add-on production to its season, Sharon Lawrence starring in the world premiere of a new comedy, PARENTS IN CHAINS, written by Emmy and Peabody award-winner Jay Martel and directed by Andy Fickman (Heathers The Musical, Reefer Madness). PARENTS IN CHAINS will open on Wednesday, March 12 and perform through Sunday, March 30 at the New Vic Theatre, 33 W. Victoria Street in Santa Barbara.
In PARENTS IN CHAINS, six L.A. parents exchange texts as their 17-year-old daughters drive home from a weekend in San Francisco during the approach of a hurricane. The trip and the inclement weather bring out both the best and the worst in the parents as they confront, as a group, as couples, and as individuals, what it means to let go of their kids. By turns viciously comic and poignant, PARENTS IN CHAINS is a valentine to the most difficult, most failure-prone job in the world…parenting.
“PARENTS IN CHAINS is a hilarious and inventive new play that captures the chaos and heart of modern family life in a way that’s fresh and unforgettable,” said Scott DeVine, executive artistic director of Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara. “The script is razor-sharp, and the innovative use of text messaging as a storytelling device adds a uniquely contemporary twist. This production perfectly reflects Ensemble Theatre Company’s mission to celebrate the human spirit with bold, imaginative works that push the boundaries of how stories are told on stage. I am thrilled to bring this amazingly talented team of award-winning artists to Santa Barbara and I can’t wait for our community to experience the laughter and surprises of this one-of-a-kind world premiere.”
Sharon Lawrence recently had a series regular role in the Paramount + series “Joe Pickett” based on the best seller of the same name. Previously she starred opposite Kirsten Dunst in the Showtime series “On Becoming a God In Central Florida,” and as an elusive librarian in “Home Before Dark” for Apple TV. Many recurring roles include “Rebel” with Katy Sagal and Andy Garcia, a serial killer in CBS's “Criminal Minds,” Fiona's acerbic boss on Showtime's “Shameless,” Sam Elliott's love interest in “The Ranch,”, and in the critically acclaimed series “Queen Sugar,” produced by Ava DuVernay.
Sharon continues to be recognized from her multiple Emmy nominated and SAG Award-winning portrayal of Ada Sylvia Costas Sipowitz in the groundbreaking “NYPD Blue,” and as Izzy's tender but ditzy Mom on “Grey’s Anatomy” (for which she earned her 4th EMMY nod). Her 5th EMMY nomination came in 2021 as Lead Actress in a digital series, “The Gaze.”
Film work includes The Lost Husband with Leslie Bibb and Josh Duhamel, Of Mind and Music with Anjeannue Ellis and and the indie hit Middle Of Nowhere, directed by Ava DuVernay.
An accomplished stage actress, and 2012 Lunt-Fontane Ten Chimneys Fellow, Sharon appeared in the West Coast premiere of A Kid Like Jake directed by Jennifer Chambers. LA theatre credits includes her acclaimed performance in The Mystery Of Love And Sex at the Mark Taper Forum, playing twenty different women in the Love, Noel cabaret at The Wallis, at the Pasadena Playhouse she starred in Noel Coward's final play, A Song At Twilight and as Vivian Leigh in Orson's Shadow for which she was nominated for an Ovation Award, and won the LA Drama Critics Circle Award. She was part of a rotating cast in Nora & Delia Ephron's Love, Loss & What I Wore, and starred opposite Cherry Jones in Tongue Of A Bird at the Public Theatre. Sharon created the role of Maureen in the premiere of Theresa Rebeck's Poor Behavior at the Mark Taper Forum and her last Broadway appearance was as Velma Kelly in Chicago.
Sharon is the Second Vice President of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation.
Andy Fickman (Director) is an award-winning director, writer and producer, whose work spans across film, television, theater and digital. Fickman recently helmed the pilot for “The Wizards of Waverly Place” reboot for Disney+. The pilot reunites the original stars of the series, Selena Gomez and David Henrie. The launch of the series scored a record premiere viewership on Disney+. Fickman continues to direct and executive produce multiple episodes. Fickman recently directed the developmental workshop of Parents In Chains, a play written by Emmy-award winning writer Jay Martel. The Los Angeles workshop sold out, and starred Jason Alexander, Kristen Bell, Jackie Tohn, Yvette Nicole Brown, Tom Everett Scott, and Gary Anthony Williams. In conjunction with Village Roadshow and BKL, Fickman recently directed and produced the stage capture of his award-winning show, Heathers the Musical, which became an instant hit on Roku. The show recently wrapped its 3rd time selling-out the West End at the SoHo Place Theatre in London, as well as its 3rd sell-out UK/Ireland tour. This follows a record-breaking, sell-out run at The Other Palace in London, where it won multiple awards, including a win for WhatsOnStage’s Best New Musical. Prior to that, the show had two successful West End runs at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Before its transfer to London, the show had a successful New York run at New World Stages, where it was nominated for multiple Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Lortel awards. The show first started in Los Angeles to sold-out, standing-room-only audiences.
Fickman is soon to launch the much-anticipated World Premiere of 13 Going On 30 The Musical in the UK. This will be followed by the UK Premiere of Freaky Friday The Musical. Fickman’s latest feature film is the indie horror film Don’t Turn Out the Lights. The film, which was inspired by true events and recently debuted at ScreamFest UK. It then found a home on Hulu where it became a Top Ten hit. Additionally, Fickman directed Buzzfeed’s romantic dramedy “One True Loves,” based on the best-selling novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid. The film stars Phillipa Soo, Simu Liu and Luke Bracey. Fickman’s previous credits include the hit family comedy Christmas Again for Disney+ and Disney Channel. Prior to that, he directed and executive produced all episodes of “The Crew” for Netflix, starring Kevin James, Freddie Stroma and Sarah Stiles. Previously, he directed and executive produced Kevin James’ Netflix stand-up comedy special “Never Don’t Give Up” and directed Netflix’s No Good Nick, starring Melissa Joan Hart and Sean Astin. Prior to that, he directed the hit family film Playing with Fire, starring John Cena, Keegan-Michael Key, John Leguizamo and Judy Greer, for Paramount. Additionally, Fickman directed and executive produced two seasons of “Kevin Can Wait” for Sony TV and CBS, which was nominated for two People’s Choice Awards. Fickman also helmed Sony’s box office hit movie, Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2. The film was nominated for multiple Teen Choice Awards, including Best Comedy.
Fickman also directed the smash-hit family comedy Parental Guidance starring Billy Crystal, Bette Midler and Marisa Tomei for Fox/Walden Media, Paramount’s She’s The Man, which won a Teen Choice Award for Best Comedy, and Disney’s hit films The Game Plan and Race to Witch Mountain—both starring The Rock – along with Touchstone’s comedy You Again, starring Kristen Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, Kristin Chenoweth, Victor Garber and Betty White.
Fickman was a producer on Sony’s hit film Anaconda as well as Paramount’s Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse. Fickman’s other television directing/producing credits include episodes of Recovery Road, The Odd Couple, Hellcats, Austin and Ally, and Aliens in America, alongside four seasons of the Emmy Award-winning “Liv and Maddie” for Disney Channel. Fickman also directed and produced Reefer Madness: The Musical for Showtime, which premiered at Sundance and went on to win an Emmy Award (with three Emmy nominations), as well as the Premiere Award at the Deauville Film Festival. Prior to that, Fickman also directed the stage versions of Reefer Madness in both Los Angeles and New York, which won him Best Director awards at the Ovation Awards and Drama Critics Awards. Fickman also produced the 25th Anniversary production of Reefer Madness: The Musical, which sold out crowds at the Whitley Theater in Los Angeles. Fickman’s other stage works include the smash hits Jewtopia and Sneaux! which won him Best Director awards from LA Weekly. Early in his career, Fickman co-founded the critically acclaimed Fountainhead Theatre Company.
JAY MARTEL (Playwright) has won Emmy, Peabody, Writers Guild of America, and American Comedy awards for his writing. He was a showrunner and head writer on “Key & Peele” in addition to many other comedy series, including “Alternatino,” “Teachers,” “Halfway Home,” and “Strangers With Candy.” His plays have been staged in New York and Los Angeles. His third novel, “The Present,” was published in 2024, and the movie version, starring Greg Kinnear and Isla Fisher, was recently released worldwide. He's written numerous movies, including Get Hard, starring Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart, and is a contributor to The New Yorker, where his humor appears regularly. www.jaymartel.com
J. Todd Harris (Co-Producer) is the founder and president of Branded Pictures Entertainment based in Los Angeles. He has produced or executive produced over 50 films, including Oscar-nominated Trial of the Chicago 7 and The Kids Are All Right, along with five Sundance entries, including Bottle Shock. For stage, he produced Heathers The Musical and the musical adaptations of Doctor Zhivago and American Psycho for Broadway. He's currently co-producing Soul Train and Buena Vista Social Club. He is a lead producer on soon-to-be unveiled Phenomenal Woman Maya Angelou and Death at a Funeral. He's a 25-year member of the Motion Picture Academy and a Broadway League member 2015-2018. He has taught at Chapman University and Syracuse University's LA campus. He earned his BA and MBA from Stanford University.
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