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HAVOK THEATRE COMPANY'S production of "THRILL ME" - EXTENDS through MARCH 16!
HAVOK THEATRE COMPANY'S production of "THRILL ME" - EXTENDS through MARCH 16!
02/19/2008 (01:56 PM)
DEMAND PR David Elzer Marketing and Public Relations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PRESS CONTACT: David Elzer 818/508-1754
MEDIA ALERT FOR THEATRE EDITORS AND REVIEWERS AND CALENDAR LISTINGS
HAVOK THEATRE COMPANY IS THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE THAT ITS INAUGURAL PRODUTION … the West Coast Premiere of the Musical
THRILL ME THE LEOPOLD & LOEB STORY Book, Music & Lyrics by Stephen Dolginoff Directed by Nick DeGruccio Is EXTENDING through Sunday, March 16 at the Hudson Backstage in Hollywood!
February 18, 2008…Hollywood…The newly formed Havok Theatre Company is THRILLED to announce that its critically- acclaimed, inaugural production, the West Coast Premiere of the musical drama, THRILL ME: The Leopold & Loeb Story, with book, music & lyrics by Stephen Dolginoff, produced by Chad Borden and directed by Ovation Award-winner Nick DeGruccio is EXTENDING through Sunday, March 16, 2008 at the Hudson Backstage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood. Relationships can be murder. THRILL ME, a chilling new musical drama, tells the tale of the original "thrill killers", Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb. Both geniuses and born into wealthy families, Nathan and Richard became close friends as teenagers. Richard, a believer in Nietzsche’s "Superman" teachings, drew excitement from committing increasingly more dangerous crimes just to prove that he could get away with it.
Nathan, obsessed with Richard's affections, helped him commit those crimes in exchange for sex and secrecy. When petty crimes became boring, they planned the "perfect" murder of a young schoolboy. A simple mistake caused the infallible plan to unravel, throwing them into the media spotlight in 1924 Chicago's "trial of the century." But was that "simple" mistake truly innocent? THRILL ME is a spellbinding musical cat-and-mouse game between two young men addicted to getting exactly what they want from each other, no matter the consequences. ABOUT THE MUSICAL THRILL ME premiered in New York City at the Midtown International Theater Festival in 2003. The run was extended and all performances were sold out for the festival engagement. THRILL ME then had its Off-Broadway premiere on May 16, 2005 at the York Theatre Company, co-produced by Jim Kierstead. It was critically acclaimed, with the New York Times calling it "Arresting, breathtaking and brazenly satisfying." The limited run and was extended three times (with Dolginoff taking over the role of "Leopold" a few weeks into the run), finally closing on August 21, 2005. THRILL ME received an ASCAP Award for the score and was nominated for Drama Desk Awards for Best Musical (Broadway or Off) and Best Music score, and was also nominated for an Outer Critic's Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway Musical. Since the New York version, THRILL ME has had over 20 productions in cities such as Chicago, Dallas, Orlando, Orange County, Cincinnati, Melbourne Australia, Boston, Richmond, Philadelphia, Sioux City, Nashville, and a current long-running production in Seoul, South Korea translated into Korean. Dolginoff re-created his role of "Leopold" in productions in Tampa, Seattle and Buffalo. ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM Stephen Dolginoff (Book, Music & Lyrics) received Drama Desk Award nominations for Best Musical and Best Music Score, an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for Best Off-Broadway Musical and won an ASCAP Music Award for the New York production of THRILL ME: THE LEOPOLD & LOEB STORY at the York Theatre Company. Now published by Dramatists Play Service, with a cast album on OC Records, THRILL ME has been produced in cities all over the world, including a long running production in Seoul, South Korea (Musical Award Winner), Melbourne, Australia (Green Room Award nom.), Seattle, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Chicago (Jeff Award rec.), Dallas (Column Award winner), Orlando, Tampa, Boston (IRNE Award nom.), Richmond, San Francisco and Sioux City. THRILL ME was also featured on the PBS national broadcast of the Drama Desk Awards. Stephen wrote and composed One Foot Out The Door (Backstage Bistro Award-Outstanding Book, Music & Lyrics), Journey To The Center Of The Earth (MAC Award nomination) and Most Men Are, which have all been produced in New York, Toronto, Boston, Kansas City and St. Louis, and released as cast albums. He contributed music to the lyrics of Kenward Elmslie for the Off-Broadway revue Lingoland, and wrote music & lyrics for the Canadian television series Fanatical. His first musical, Beauty Sleep was produced by New York University where he received a BFA in Dramatic Writing. He was commissioned to write and compose producer Pierre Cossette’s planned Broadway musical The Body Ventura, and is currently writing the musical Panic, the story behind Orson Welles’ infamous “War of the Worlds” radio broadcast, which will open in the Fall of 2008. Stephen is represented by Ron Gwiazda of Abrams Artists Agency in NYC. Visit www.thrillmethemusical.com. Nick DeGrucciO (Director) is the recipient of the LA Ovation Award for Direction of both a Play and a Musical. Nick most recently directed the LA Premieres of Zanna, Don’t! at West Coast Ensemble (2007 LA Ovation Nomination for Direction, Production), Bad Apples, a World Premiere Play for the Rubicon Theatre Company and Beehive at the El Portal Theatre, which was nominated for five 2006 Los Angeles Drama Critic’s Circle Awards including Direction and two 2007 LA Ovation Award Nominations. Also recently he directed The Last Five Years and I DO! I DO! in rep at The Pasadena Playhouse, The Full Monty for San Diego Music Theatre’s inaugural production and I Left My Heart…a tribute to Tony Bennett for the Welk Resort, San Diego. He directed the LA Premiere of A Man Of No Importance for MTG, which was nominated for three 2006 Los Angeles Drama Critic’s Circle Awards as well as a GLAAD award for production. He also directed The Laramie Project for the Laguna Playhouse having directed the LA premiere at The Colony Theatre, which received three LA Ovation Awards for Best Play, Best Direction, Best Ensemble and has raised over $36,000.00 for the Matthew Shepard Foundation. He directed the LA premiere of Side Show, which received eight Ovation Nominations including Direction and was voted One of the Top 10 Plays of 2002 by The Los Angeles Times. He directed the production of 1776 at Performance Riverside receiving the 2004 LA Ovation Award for Direction and the production garnered five LA Ovation Awards including Best Musical. He directed Side By Side By Sondheim at the Rubicon Theatre which was moved to The Pasadena Playhouse (2004 LA Ovation Nominations for Production and Ensemble). He directed the acclaimed west coast premiere of The Spitfire Grill at The Laguna Playhouse receiving the OC Award for Best Musical as well as My Way for McCoy-Rigby Entertainment at the La Mirada Performing Arts Center and for the Welk Resort in San Diego. He directed Guys and Dolls for Musical Theatre West which was nominated for four 2005 LA Ovation Awards including Direction of a Musical and the The Fantasticks at Performance Riverside. He also directed a staged concert of Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party at the Alex Theatre (MTG), Basic Training at 2nd Stage receiving an NAACP nomination for direction and La Cage Aux Folles for Musical Theatre West (which received two 2004 LA Ovation Nominations). He directed the Colony Theatre Company productions of Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband, City of Angels (LA Ovation Award for Best Musical Smaller Theatre), the West Coast Premiere of Sondeim’s Putting It Together, (Garland Award and LA Ovation Award nomination for Direction) and Tennessee Williams’ Suddenly Last Summer. Other directing credits include: Pippin for the BCLO, Two By Two and How Now Dow Jones for the Musical Theatre Guild at the Pasadena Playhouse, Happily Ever After...After All (voiceovers by Angela Lansbury) for the 9 O’clock Players, The Foreigner and The History of The Musical Theatre in 44 Minutes and 28 Seconds for MTG which is touring LA Schools. Nick is an alumnus of the Lincoln Center Theatre Director’s Lab West. Chad Borden (Producer) has been working in Los Angeles and California theatre for twelve years. As an actor, he has performed at Pasadena Playhouse, Laguna Playhouse, La Mirada Theatre, South Bay CLO, Reprise!, Hollywood Bowl, Musical Theatre West, Cabrillo Music Theatre, Santa Barbara CLO, Sacramento Music Circus, and AMT of San Jose. As a six-year member of the Colony Theatre Company, Chad was a part of the Ovation Award-winning ensemble of the LA Premiere of The Laramie Project and was also Ovation nominated for his performance in How to Succeed in Business... For the Colony Second Stage, he produced Eastern Standard and directed and choreographed A...My Name Is Alice. After graduating from Northwestern University with honors, Chad did two national tours and performed regionally at theatres such as Cincinnati Playhouse, Chicago's Marriott Lincolnshire, and Boston's Merrimack Repertory. Chad is thrilled to be starting this partnership with Artistic Director Nick DeGruccio as the new Havok Theatre Company. Michael Paternostro (Musical Director) is a native of New Orleans who lived most of the last 20 years in New York City. It is the role of Gregory Gardner in A Chorus Line that took Michael to NYC in a National Touring Company. After finishing his undergraduate degree at NYU, Michael began working as a musical actor as well as musician. On Broadway: Guys and Dolls (Rusty Charlie/crapshoot dancer), Beauty and The Beast, Saturday Night fever (DJ Monty), as well as the original Broadway companies of Fosse, Sweet Smell Of Success, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and the 2006 Revival of A Chorus Line (Gregory Gardner). Touring: West Side Story (Action/Arab), and The Producers (Carmen Ghia). As a musician, Michael has musical directed and played the piano for BC/EFA Benefits Guys and Dolls, Fosse, A Chorus Line and The Producers. From the keyboard, he has also musical directed Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, and Guare’s Landscape of the Body. As an onstage musician, Michael has performed the roles of Sidney Cohn in On Your Toes and Oscar in 42nd Street both twice. For the record, Michael also played the accordion live onstage in Guys and Dolls, please ask. Most recently, he assistant directed How The Grinch Stole Christmas at the Old Globe Theater in San Diego. Oh yeah, there was also a “Whoopi!” episode and a Carnegie Hall Sondheim Concert and before its all over, Michael aspires to write for the musical theater.
The cast of THRILL ME features Stewart W. Calhoun as Nathan Leopold and Alex Schemmer as Richard Loeb. THRILL ME features an award-winning design team. The set design is by Tom Buderwitz. The lighting design is by Steven Young. The sound design is by Drew Dalzell. The costume designer is Rachel Myers. The production stage manager is Art Brickman. ABOUT THE SCHEDULE AND PRICING THRILL ME is EXTENDING through SUNDAY, MARCH 16 at the Hudson Backstage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd in Hollywood. Performances are Friday at 8:00 pm, Saturday at 8:00 pm, Sunday at 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Ticket prices are $34 for Fridays; $38 for Saturdays and $38 for Sundays at 3:00 pm and $34 for Sunday at 7:00 pm. For ticket reservations, please call 323/960-4429 or visit _www.plays411.com/thrillme_ (http://www.plays411/thrillme) or _www.havoktheatre.com_ (http://www.havoktheatre.com/) For press information, photos or press comps, please contact David Elzer at DEMAND PR at 818/508-1754 or at
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_ (mailto:
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) . Havok Theatre Company's mission is to produce outstanding Los Angeles Premieres of Broadway, Off-Broadway and Regional plays and musicals as well as World Premieres of new works. Our top priority is creating the highest quality artistic experience possible. We will strive to contract LA's best union actors and designers and give voice to new playwrights, composers and lyricists. With a passionate, fresh and edgy approach to both art and business, we will bring our audiences highly entertaining and thought-provoking theatre.
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