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Thursday–Saturday @ 8pm
Sunday @ 7pm
June 8, July 6 & 27
Sunday Matinees @ 2pm
June 15, 22, 29; July 13, 20
Wed/Thurs/Fri: $25.00
Sat/Sun : $30.00
Thursday Evenings $10
June 12 & 13;
July 10, 24 & 27
June 19 & 25 & July 10
Thurs/Fri: $25.00
Sat/Sun: $30.00
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SHEL SILVERSTEIN
UNCENSORED!
Directed by Dan Bonnell
Produced by Ron Sossi
Set Design Charles Erven
Costume Design Gelareh Khalioun
Lighting Designer Jeremy Pivnick
Production Stage Manager Julianne Figueroa
Graphic Designer Fred Baxter
Starring:
Sarah Brooke, Martha Gehman, Colleen Kane,
James Macdonald, Tony Pasqualini, Daniel Zacapa
  
 
Cartoonist, musician, poet, Grammy-winning songwriter, screenwriter and author of children’s books, Silverstein was truly a renaissance sort of chap. Take a ride into this eclectic evening of comedy, song and risqué’, often wacky, satire that so uncannily pinpoints the poignancy, absurdity and delightful comedy that is American life. Director Dan Bonnell puts it all together in an original and highly theatrical new mix of that which was Silverstein. Tell me I'm clever, Tell me I'm kind, Tell me I'm talented, Tell me I'm cute, Tell me I'm sensitive, Graceful and wise, Tell me I'm perfect - But tell me the truth. –Shel Silverstein
LA WEEKLY
 Shel Silverstein
Born in Chicago in 1932 (or 1930---the sources seem evenly split), Shel Silverstein was a multi-talented artist who was a successful as a composer, singer, cartoonist, illustrator, author and playwright. As a teenager, he did poorly both at sports and with girls, so he turned to drawing and writing. He was drafted into military service in the early 1950’s and was stationed in both Japan and Korea, where he drew cartoons for the Pacific edition of the service publication, “Stars and Stripes.” After his discharge, he began drawing cartoons for several national magazines, but it was his cartoons for Playboy magazine that brought him national attention. With their satirical and provocative content, his cartoons appeared in every issue of Playboy from l957 through the mid-70’s.
Silverstein also established himself as a songwriter and musician. His second album “Inside Folk Songs” included “The Unicorn Song,” which became an international hit for The Irish Rovers. The Brothers Four also found success recording Silverstein’s song “25 Minutes to Go,” as did Johnny Cash with the song “A Boy Named Sue.” The band Dr. Hook had hits with “Sylvia’s Mother” and “The Cover of the Rolling Stone.” Silverstein earned an Oscar nomination as a songwriter for “I’m Checking Out of the Heartbreak Hotel,” which he wrote for the film “Postcards From the Edge.” He also completed several film scores and, with David Mamet, co-wrote the screenplay “Things Change” for Columbia Pictures.
However, Shel Silverstein is most well-known as the best-selling author of children’s classics, “Falling Up” (l996), “A Light in the Attic,” (1981), “Where the Sidewalk Ends” (1974) and “The Giving Tree” (1964), which has remained in print almost continuously for forty years.
His plays include “Shel’s Shorts” and An “Adult Evening with Shel Silverstein,” from which tonight’s plays were taken, “Wild Life,” which opened Off-Broadway to rave reviews, and “The Devil and Billy.”
Shel Silverstein died of a heart attack at his home in Key West, Florida in May, 1999.
SARAH BROOKE - Ensemble
Odyssey Theatre, Fiona in How The Other Half Loves; Pacific Resident Theatre, Happy End, Woman in Mind, A Delicate Balance; Old Globe in San Diego, Misalliance; South Coast Repertory, All My Sons; Seattle Repertory Theatre, The Heidi Chronicles, The Understanding, The Cider House Rules, A Doll’s House, An Ideal Husband; McCarter Theatre, Design For Living; Intiman Theatre, Private Lives. Television and Film: Frasier, The Gilmore Girls, Path To War (HBO), Born To Be Wild, Carolina.
 DAN BONNELL - Director
Recent work: Headless (Ensemble Studio Theatre, LA), where he was the artistic director (2005-2007). Anatol (LA Drama Critic’s Circle Award/Best Director 2007) and Happy End- (Best Revival Award - Drama Critic’s Circle 2006) at Pacific Resident Theatre. His critically acclaimed production of Bash at the Odyssey (2007 LA Weekly Directing Nomination) moved to Theatre Les Descharguers in Paris, France for a successful five week run. Mr . Bonnell has been honored with the LA Weekly Directing Award, the NAACP Directing Award and the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Theater, Prior to LA Dan was a resident company director at Circle Rep in NYC, and staged plays for notable companies across the country.
MARTHA GEHMAN - Ensemble
Martha appeared at the Odyssey Theatre in The Threepenny Opera and Screwballs. She has acted in New York, Chicago, Seattle and Los Angeles, as well as written and performed two one-woman plays. Ms. Gehman is a member of the Actors Studio, and was featured in the films The Flamingo Kid, F/X, Father of the Bride, Practical Magic, (to name a few) and numerous television shows.
COLLEEN KANE - Ensemble
Colleen is making her first Odyssey appearance. She is a member of The Evidence Room Theatre Company. Roles there have included Dulle Griet (Berlin Circle), Sissy Jupe (Hard Times), Gladys (Skin of Our Teeth), Marianne (Flow My Tears...), her solo show Aeayalla and many 99-cent holiday extravaganzas. She has also performed in LA with Zoo District, LA Women’s Shakespeare, Falcon and Ziggurat Theatres. She plays trombone in the recently formed band Velvet Monkey.
JAMES MACDONALD - Ensemble
Best Actor Award, 2008 First Glance Film Fest for the indie thriller Fissure. Broadway: The Heidi Chronicles. Off Broadway: Big Frame Shakin’ (written & performed by Jim) at Ensemble Studio Theatre, Playwrights Horizons, etc. LA: Zoo District’s Garland Award winning Nosferatu, Ensemble Studio Theatre West, Arcade. Regional: Actors Theatre of Louisville, and others Favorite movie roles in Home of the Brave, Broken Arrow, Tigerland, Phone Booth, and the upcoming Montana Amazon with Olympia Dukakis.
TONY PASQUALINI - Ensemble
Tony has performed in over a hundred plays on many stages around the country. Locally: South Coast Rep, Jim Bayless in All My Sons and Leonato in Much Ado About Nothing; Odyssey Theatre, Ross in Macbeth; Fountain Theatre, Donald Rumsfeld and George Bush in What I Heard About Iraq; and Hollywood Bowl,Van Swieten in Amadeus. Television appearances: Cold Case, CSI NY, Boston Legal, Without A Trace and Navy NCIS.
 DANIEL ZACAPA - Ensemble
Honduran-born Daniel has established himself as one of the most effective character actors working. His various film roles include Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Seven, The Mexican, Phenomenon, The Odd Couple II,, The Sand Lot. His many guest appearances include: Weeds, Criminal Minds, The West Wing, Without a Trace, Six Feet Under and Nip/Tuck. He was one of the stars in Showtime’s highly-acclaimed series Resurrection Blvd. This is Daniel’s eighth appearance in an Odyssey production. With five indies in post-production, you can watch for him in Bobby Moresco’s The Kings of Appletown, The Gene Generation, Ball Don’t Lie, and The Things We Carry, coming this year.
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