FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 15, 2009
Contact: Jeannine Stehlin/ Circus Theatricals 310-836-7823
or Jerry Charlson/Odyssey Theatre 310-477-2055
ODYSSEY THEATRE and CIRCUS THEATRICALS JOIN FORCES to PRODUCE CLASSIC & WORLD-PREMIERE PLAYS
Circus Theatricals moved to the Odyssey Theatre in 2009
January 15, 2009 - Award-winning and critically-acclaimed theatre companies The Odyssey Theatre and Circus Theatricals jointly announced today that the theatre companies will once again join forces to co-produce at the Odyssey's West Los Angeles address. Circus Theatricals left its downtown area / Wilshire Blvd. address, and has taken up residency at the Odyssey Theatre in January 2009. The new arrangement includes the production of classic and new plays. The first Odyssey Theatre / Circus Theatricals co-production is William Shakespeare's comedy Taming of the Shrew, slated to open February 21, 2009. Circus Theatricals Artistic Director JACK STEHLIN directs.
"We are very pleased to move Circus Theatricals back to the Odyssey Theatre," says Circus Theatricals artistic director, Jack Stehlin. We have tremendous respect for Ron Sossi (Odyssey Theatre artistic director) and Beth Hogan (Odyssey Theatre associate artistic director), and all that they've accomplished. We are happy to be a part of their theatre family."
In the new venture, The Odyssey Theatre and Circus Theatricals will co-produce two to three main stage productions per year as part of the Odyssey Theatre subscription season. In addition, the companies plan to encourage established and emerging playwrights by co-producing a new plays festival and development/workshop productions of new works. Circus Theatricals will also bring its professional actors training studio under the Odyssey roof.
The Odyssey Theatre and Circus Theatricals previously co-produced plays from 1999-2005. Acclaimed productions included Hamlet, Richard III, Macbeth,True West, The Cherry Orchard, and more.
Celebrating its 40th Anniversary season, The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble has won many prestigious awards for excellence in innovative contemporary theatre. Founded in 1969, Artistic Director Ron Sossi decided to demonstrate that experiment-oriented theatre could have populist appeal and be fiscally solvent, while maintaining the highest artistic standards. Wildly successful and innovative productions such as THE SERPENT and Brecht's THREEPENNY OPERA immediately gained the Odyssey its reputation for producing dangerous, magical, and experimental work. Today, the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble's mission remains firm: the creation of new work, the revitalization and re-exploration of classical material, consistent experimentation with the most current developments at the forefront of the "state of the art" in the international theatre world, ongoing investigation of the "process" of creating theatre, and continuing development of new acting, directing, and writing talent via the Actor's Laboratory, Play Development Program, and Emerging Directors Plan. Ultimately, the institution moves toward the creation of a larger International Experimental Theatre Center, facilitating the crosspolination of artists from different countries, cultures and disciplines, and the exposure of this collaborative work to the Southern California audience.
Celebrating its 25th Anniversary season, Circus Theatricals is best known in Los Angeles for producing classic plays or new plays with a classic twist. Fresh out of the Juilliard School, Jack Stehlin (best known on TV for his role as DEA captain Roy Till on Showtime's "Weeds") founded Circus Theatricals in New York in 1983, where they produced Off- Broadway productions at Classic Stage Company and the Rapp Arts Center. In 1995, the company moved to Los Angeles where they have presented work at The Hudson Guild from 1995 - 1999, and at the Odyssey Theatre from 1999 - 2005. During those time periods, the company also produced in other Los Angeles venues. In 2006, Circus Theatricals built the Circus Theatricals Studio Theatre at the Hayworth, where the company presented world premiere and classic plays. This past October, Circus Theatricals produced Shem Bitterman's Iraq War companion pieces "Man.gov" and 2008 Pen USA Award winning play "Harm's Way" off-Broadway.
For more information about the Odyssey Theatre and Circus Theatricals, please visit their websites:
Odyssey Theatre: http://www.OdysseyTheatre.com
Circus Theatricals: http://www.CircusTheatricals.com
