Celebration Theatre presents Annual Chuck Rowland Pioneer Award to Playwright Patricia Loughrey

Celebration Theatre presents a special evening dedicated to honoring playwright Patricia Loughrey's dedication to bringing light and awareness to the LGBTQ community through her works. Featuring performances from her various plays, Celebration Theatre is pleased to honor Patricia Loughrey with The Chuck Rowland Pioneer Award on Tuesday, June 20 at the West Hollywood City Chambers, 625 N. San Vicente in West Hollywood. Curtain is at 7:30 pm.

Celebration Theatre WILL ALSO PRESENT READINGS FROM MS. LOUGHREY'S FOLLOWING WORKS: DADDY MACHINE When two moms leave their kids home alone, mayhem ensues. Stonewall, the family dog, tries to stave off chaos as 52 dads emerge from a magical daddy machine.

INNER CIRCLE When AIDS devastates a community of friends, will they draw together for comfort? Or fracture apart to avoid feeling the loss? DEAR HARVEY Directed by Gina Torrecilla This verbatim theatre piece weaves the words of Harvey Milk with interviews with his family, friends and colleagues into a portrait of hope and a vision of equality. "I am all of us."

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM AND CAST

PATRICIA LOUGHREY (Playwright) Patricia Loughrey's Dear Harvey, commissioned by Diversionary Theatre and based on interviews with family and friends of Harvey Milk, has received more than 25 productions nationwide, including a concert reading at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, performances at the New York Fringe Festival, and a production at The New Conservatory Theatre, San Francisco. The script for Dear Harvey was entered into the Harvey Milk collection of the California Museum Hall of Fame. Ms. Loughrey wrote the libretto for The Daddy Machine, an LGBT family-friendly musical with music by Rayme Sciaroni and based on the children's book by Johnny Valentine, commissioned and produced by Diversionary Theatre, produced by Celebration Theatre, and featured on R Family Vacation's cruise to the Mexican Riviera. Her HIV education play, The Inner Circle, has received over 500 productions in the U.S. and countries worldwide including: Australia, Canada, Holland, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K. The Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre Program production of her HIV education play, Secrets, toured nationwide for over twenty years and received the Ryan White Youth Service Award. Ms. Loughrey is the recipient of a Special Commendation from the City of San Diego Human Relations Commission, and Special Recognition for Cultural and Artistic Excellence from San Diego LGBT Pride. With funding from the Scandinavian Human Rights Defenders, she is currently developing a new play with the Harvey Milk Foundation about global LGBT rights and the legacy of Harvey Milk.

Gina Torrecilla (Director) Gina is an actor, writer, and director based in Los Angeles. She has a B.A. in Theatre and an M.F.A. in Drama. She is also a graduate of the Second City Conservatory in Chicago. Acting credits include roles on SCANDAL, BROOKLYN 99, MAD MEN, BONES and on stage in Failure: A Love Story, Die Mommie Die, The Next Fairy Tale, I Love Lucy-Live and many more. She has written plays, comedy sketches and a screenplay or two. Her newest play is Attack Of The Second Bananas. Directing credits include: Paradise Hotel, 110 In The Shade, I Do, I Do, The Dining Room and others. She is thrilled to be working on this dynamic ensemble piece from Dear Harvey. Congratulations, Patricia!! www.ginatorrecilla.com Actors performing throughout the evening are: Nathan Mohebbi, Cristina Gerla, Kassie Thornton, Chris Anthony.

PRICING Admission is free... with donations gratefully accepted. Celebrating New Works is produced by Celebration Theatre's Literary Director Nathan Frizzell and is headed by its Co-Artistic Directors Michael Matthews and Michael A. Shepperd, along with its Executive Director Michael C. Kricfalusi.

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