West Coast Premiere of Revised Version of THE TRAVELING LADY by Horton Foote Opens May 6, 2011 at Actors Co-op

Actors Co-op concludes its 19th Anniversary season with Horton Foote’s THE TRAVELING LADY. Directed by Linda Kerns, this new version of the play is a West Coast premiere revised by Horton Foote and Marion Castleberry in 2005. Opening night is set for May 6, 2011 and performances continue through June 12, 2011.

The incomparable writing of Pulitzer Prize-winning Horton Foote returns to the Actors Co-op stage in THE TRAVELING LADY. This delicately drawn portrait of an anxious spirit in search of home is one of the most enchanting chapters in Foote’s cycle of plays celebrating love, family and small-town life.

During Mr. Foote’s long and celebrated career, he won two screenwriting Oscars, one for the film version of Harper Lee’s novel TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1961) and one for TENDER MERCIES (1983). He earned a third Oscar nomination for adapting his play, THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL (1985), and did a critically-acclaimed screen adaptation of William Faulkner’s OLD MAN (a 1997 TV movie that won Mr. Foote an Emmy). His play THE YOUNG MAN FROM ATLANTA earned him a Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1995, and in 2000 he was given a National Medal of Arts by President Bill Clinton.
 
Actors Co-op has a particular affinity for Mr. Foote’s work, having produced THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL (1995), THE TRAVELING LADY (1990-original version), 1918 (1992), as well as THE HABITATION OF DRAGONS (2005) which Mr. Foote attended and was quoted in the Los Angeles Times as saying “I really was moved.â€

Dr. Marion Castleberry, who assisted Mr. Foote in revising THE TRAVELING LADY, will discuss the play in a pre-show lecture at Actors Co-op on Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 1 PM. Dr. Castleberry is a noted director and scholar. His most recent directing credits include New York’s Ensemble Studio Theatre’s production of THE TRAVELING LADY, which was nominated for a 2006 Drama Desk Award for “Best Revival of a Play.†Dr. Castleberry is a Professor of Theatre Arts at Baylor University and is a leading authority on the life and works of Horton Foote. He is the Founding President of the Horton Foote Society and Co-Founder of the Horton Foote American Playwrights Festival.

About the Director
Ms. Linda Kerns directs. Her previous directing work at Actors Co-op includes the World Premiere of Matthew Goldsby’s MAKIN’ HAY, ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN, and WICKERSHAM’S CHRISTMAS EVE, which she also wrote.  Other creative ventures at Actors Co-op include performing in INTO THE WOODS (LA Weekly Award, Best Musical Performance), THE NIBROC TRILOGY (LA Weekly Award, Ensemble Acting), DANCING WITH MY FATHER and musical directing BIG RIVER. Ms. Kern’s other directing work includes productions of THE FANTASTICKS, I DO! I DO!, THE TRIUMPH OF LOVE and TWO BY TWO. As an actress, she was part of the Los Angeles Company of WICKED at The Pantages Theater as well as the Broadway and National Tours of NINE (Original Broadway Cast), BIG RIVER, LES MISERABLES and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. She has been on the faculty of the Theater Department at UCLA for over ten years.

Creative Team
The creative team for THE TRAVELING LADY includes Set Designer Mark Svastics, Costume Designer Vicki Conrad, Lighting Designer James L. Moody and Prop Designer Lori Berg.  James Ledesma is the Sound Designer and Stage Manager. THE TRAVELING LADY is produced by Rory Patterson.
 
About the Cast
The talented ensemble of THE TRAVELING LADY includes David Atkinson, Brenda Ballard, Tara Battani, Lori Berg, Susan Carol Davis, Tim Farmer, Michaela Rose Haas, Rebecca Hayes, J. Scott Shonka and Scott Wordham.
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About Actors Co-op

Actors Co-op recently received four Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award nominations (including Best Production), and two LA Weekly Awards for Best Revival and Best Lead Actress for its 2010 production of WIT by Margaret Edson.

In its 19th season of transforming theatre, Actors Co-op operates two 99-seat Equity-approved theatres on the campus of Hollywood Presbyterian Church.  Actors Co-op began on January 8th, 1987, with a dozen actors. Currently, its membership exceeds 40 professionals.  Since the Crossley Theatre opened its doors in April of 1989 and its second theatre, the Crossley Terrace Theatre opened February of 1995, Actors Co-op has produced over 60 main stage productions, over 26 second stage productions, staged readings of original works, and has received 125 Drama-Logue Awards, 29 LA Weekly Award nominations (six wins), 25 Theatre LA Ovation Award nominations, five Garland Awards and nine Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards.  In addition, Actors Co-op was honored with the 1996 Margaret Harford Award for “Sustained Achievement” in smaller theatre from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle as well as the 1996 Charlie Award for “Excellence in the Arts†by the Hollywood Arts Council.

Actors Co-op’s 19th season opened with MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG directed by Richard Israel, followed by GOD’S FAVORITE directed by Greg Zerkle and KING LEAR directed by Marianne Savell.

Schedule
Opening Night for THE TRAVELING LADY is Friday, May 6, 2011 at 8 PM.  A reception with the actors and creative team immediately follows the opening night performance. Regular performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2:30 PM.  Saturday matinees are scheduled for May 14 and May 21 at 2:30 PM.

Pre-show Lecture – MUSE
Actors Co-op presents MUSE, a pre-performance lecture series on spirituality and the arts.  The lecture/discussion for THE TRAVELING LADY takes place on Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 1:00 PM and will be led by Dr. Marion Castleberry (see page 1). The MUSE event includes a box lunch and admittance to the 2:30 PM matinee performance of THE TRAVELING LADY.  Tickets are $30 and include lecture and performance.  Lunch is available for an additional $8. 

Location
Actors Co-op’s Crossley Terrace Theatre is located at 1760 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, CA 90028, on the campus of Hollywood Presbyterian Church, one block north of Hollywood Boulevard, just off the Gower Street exit of the 101 Hollywood Freeway.  Free, well-lit parking is available on Carlos Street (1/2 block east of Gower).  Entrance to the theatres is on Carlos.

Ticket Information
Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for seniors (60 and older) and $20 for students group rates are available for parties of six or more.  For reservations, call (323) 462-8460, ext. 300 or visit the website at www.ActorsCo-op.org.