FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS CONTACT: David Elzer
818/508-1754
MEDIA ALERT FOR THEATRE EDITORS AND REVIEWERS
AND CALENDAR LISTINGS
THE COLONY THEATRE PRESENTS THE SECOND
PRODUCTION OF ITS 2013-2014 SEASON…
MIRACLE ON SOUTH
DIVISION STREET
A West Coast Premiere by Tom Dudzick
Directed by Brian Shnipper
Limited Engagement opens Saturday, November 9
at The Colony Theatre in Burbank
October 23, 2013…Burbank… The Colony Theatre is thrilled to present the West Coast
Premiere of MIRACLE ON SOUTH DIVISION STREET by Tom Dudzick and directed by
Brian Schnipper. MIRACLE ON SOUTH DIVISION STREET will preview on Wednesday,
November 6; Thursday, November 7; and Friday, November 8 at 8:00pm and will open on
Saturday, November 9 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, December 16.
Meet the Nowaks of Buffalo, NY. They have always known they were special, ever since the
night Clara’s father, an immigrant from war-torn Poland, had a miraculous vision in his
barbershop. Keeping the faith nearly 65 years later in their gritty, deteriorating neighborhood
are Clara and her grown children: Jimmy, a garbage collector, Bev, a ketchup bottler, and
Ruth, who would be a struggling actress if she could only get a part. But now Ruth has stopped
going to mass, Jimmy is dating a Jewish girl, and a deathbed confession causes the family
legend to unravel with unexpectedly dramatic results. A marvelous new comedy about family,
faith, and adjusting to life’s surprises, by the celebrated author of Over the Tavern.
(more)
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ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM
TOM DUDZICK (Playwright) is one of the few playwrights who makes a living at it. His first play, a
Christmas tale called Greetings!, opened at New York’s John Houseman Theatre and starred Darren
McGavin and Greg Edelman. It is now a holiday favorite across the country and has had well over one
hundred productions. His next play, Over the Tavern, the first in a semi-autobiographical trilogy, has
over two hundred productions under its belt, with many box office records broken throughout the U.S.
The Irish adaptation, Over the Pub, also broke the box office record at Cork Arts Theatre in Ireland.
Tom has written eight plays to date, most published by Playscripts, Inc. He was recently honored with a
memorial plaque embedded in front of his boyhood home in Buffalo. And an even greater honor – he
was once a question on Jeopardy!
BRIAN SHNIPPER (Director) is making his Colony debut. He conceived and directed the world
premiere of Standing On Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays (Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award)
at the Coronet Theatre where it was hailed in the Los Angeles Times as “a burgeoning phenomenon”
and a “vital achievement.” It has since been performed in over 60 theatres across the world including
the Minetta Lane Theatre in New York, ACT in San Francisco, La Jolla Playhouse, Trinity Rep and
Syracuse Stage. Other credits include Bell, Book and Candle, Opus (Ensemble Theatre Company), A
View of the Mountains (Pasadena Playhouse), the world premiere of Wendy MacLeod’s Undescended,
Say You Love Satan, and All The Rage (Attic Theatre - Artistic Director 2008 - 2010). He served as
Artistic Director for 12 Miles West Theatre Company in New Jersey (1998 - 2001) where his credits
include the world premieres of Joyce Carol Oates’ Separated and Nagle Jackson’s Barney Downsized.
Other 12MW credits: Bluff, Private Eyes, All The Rage, Three Viewings, The Notebook Of Trigorin, A
Hotel on Marvin Gardens, The Water Children, The Misanthrope, Brutality of Fact, The Complete History
of America (Abridged), Hitting for the Cycle, and Voice Of Good Hope starring Frankie Faison (Luna
Stage – Star Ledger’s pick for the Year's 10 Best). Off-Broadway: Standing on Ceremony (New York
Theatre Workshop) the world premiere of Will Scheffer’s Alien Boy (OOBR Award), Lubna, and Family
Commitment (EST). Brian returned to his alma mater, Montclair State University, to direct Lanford
Wilson’s Balm In Gilead which was a regional finalist for the Kennedy Center’s American College
Theatre Festival. Playwright: Diary of a Lost Boy adapted from Harry Kondoleon’s novel (Playwrights
Center of Minneapolis’ PlayLabs semi-finalist).
(more)
COLONY THEATRE
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ABOUT THE CAST AND DESIGN TEAM
MEGHAN ANDREWS (Beverly) is making her Colony Theatre debut. Broadway theatre
credits include Frost/Nixon (Donmar Warehouse) and The Grapes of Wrath (Steppenwolf
Theare Company). She received a 2006 Lucille Lortel Nomination for her work in The
Signature Theatre Company’s Off-Broadway production of The Trip to Bountiful. Other
theatre credits include the US National Tour of Frost/Nixon, The Trip to Bountiful (Goodman
Theatre), The Empty Man (The Blank Theatre, LA), Educating Rita (North Coast Rep), Words
By, Ira Gershwin and the Great American Songbook (North Coast Rep), Doubt (George Street
Playhouse), the US premiere of Clocks and Whistles (Origin Theatre Company, NYC ), All’s
Well That Ends Well (Blessed Unrest, NYC), Dracula (Fulton Theatre), Honky Tonk Angels
(Alabama Shakespeare Festival), numerous productions at Ensemble Studio Theatre, and many
others. Television Credits include F/X’s Justified, NBC’s Law & Order, Law & Order: C.I., The
Guiding Light, Flesh ‘n Blood, and others. Film credits include The Adjustment Bureau, The
Interloper, and Cost of Living. Meghan is a graduate of the SUNY Purchase Acting
Conservatory, a lifetime member of the Actors’ Studio, and a proud member of Actors’ Equity
Association. In addition, Meghan is also an accomplished composer of original indie/folk
music. www.meghanandrews.com.
ELLEN CRAWFORD (Clara) played Off Broadway opposite Daniel J. Travanti in A Touch of
the Poet and the Mother in The Misunderstanding at the Flea Theatre. She originated the role
of Sister Lee on Broadway in Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? Originating the
role of Miss Havisham in the world premiere musical adaptation of Great Expectations, Ellen
has played Miss H. at the Hudson and Odyssey Theatres and at the Utah Shakespeare Festival,
where she was also Mrs. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. She has played opposite husband Mike
Genovese on ER, in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at both the Blank and San Diego Repertory
and in On Golden Pond at the Public Theater in Maine. Ellen portrayed Margaret in the West
Coast premiere of Walter Cronkite Is Dead at San Diego Repertory. Favorite roles include
Emily Dickinson in The Belle Of Amherst at the Public Theatre in Maine, Meg in Jack
O’Brien’s production of The Hostage at the Old Globe, and Countess Geschvitz in Lulu at
(more)
COLONY THEATRE
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La Jolla Playhouse. She has appeared at many other regional theatres across the country. On
television, Ellen is probably best known as Nurse Lydia Wright on the NBC series ER. More
recently, she has been seen on Grey’s Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, and Mental. Ellen stars
in Angel’s Perch, soon to be released on VOD by Gravitas Ventures. Other features include
Model Minority and Petunia, as well as The Man from Earth, Soldier, Cries of Silence, and The
War of the Roses.
KARIANNE FLAATHEN (Ruth Nowak) is making her Colony Theatre debut. Los Angeles
theatre credits include: Peace In Our Time (The Antaeus Company), Celebration, The Typists,
The Thin Man etc. all with the A2 Ensemble. UK Theatre: The Woman In Black (No. 1 UK and
Asia Tour), The Gift (London Tour), The Two Noble Kinsmen (Latchmere Theatre, Battersea).
Film: I Am I, The Selling. Webisodes: The Sanctum, Mary Olson, Take That Joy. Karianne
received her training from Drama Studio London and SUNY Purchase. Proud member of the
A2 Ensemble and Actors’ Equity Association. Website: karianneflaathen.com
BRIAN IBSEN (Jimmy) has appeared on Broadway with Laurence Fishburne, Stockard
Channing, and Woody Harrelson. He has worked with such directors as Scott Ellis, Mark
Lamos, and Tony Award winners Jack O'Brien, John Rando and Michael Mayer. Brian has
performed in regional theater around the country in shows such as Twelfth Night, Taming of the
Shrew, Macbeth, The Glass Menagerie, The Lion in Winter, The Drawer Boy, and originated the
role of Dan Jr. in Stephen Metcalfe's World Premiere play Loves and Hours. Last year he
appeared in the Colony production of Blame It On Beckett, a West Coast Premiere by John
Morogiello. He holds a BFA in acting from Purchase College, SUNY and an MFA in acting
from The Old Globe Theatres/USD.
MIRACLE ON SOUTH DIVISION STREET features an award-winning design team. Scenic
Design is by Jeff McLaughlin (Ovation awards, A Skull in Connemara and Grace and Glorie).
The Costume Design is by Dianne K. Graebner (Ovation nominations, The Brothers Karamazov
and Battle Hymn). The Lighting Design is by Jared A. Sayeg (Ovation nominations, Trying and
Kiss Me, Kate). The Sound Design is by Drew Dalzell (Ovation Award, Songs for a New World).
Props Design and Set Dressing is by Colony Theatre resident designers MacAndMe.
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COLONY THEATRE
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ABOUT THE SCHEDULE AND PRICING
MIRACLE ON SOUTH DIVISION STREET will open on Saturday, November 9, at 8:00pm and
continue through Sunday, December 16. Performances for MIRACLE ON SOUTH DIVISION
STREET are Thursdays & Fridays at 8:00pm; Saturdays at 3:00pm & 8:00pm; and Sundays at
2:00pm. (There are no performances Thanksgiving week, November 28-December 1.) Ticket
prices range from $25.00 - $45.00 (group discounts are available). MIRACLE ON SOUTH
DIVISION STREET will preview on Wednesday, November 6; Thursday, November 7; and
Friday, November 8 at 8:00pm at The Colony Theatre, 555 North Third Street (at Cypress)
adjacent to the Burbank Town Center Mall.
Opening night performance with reception - all tickets $55.00. There are question-and-answer
talkbacks after the performances on Friday, November 15 and Thursday, December 5. For
tickets, call the Colony Theatre Box Office at 818/558-7000 ext. 15 or online at
www.ColonyTheatre.Org.
For more information, press interviews, photos, or for press comps, please contact David
Elzer/DEMAND PR at 818/508-1754 or at DavidElzer@me.com or visit www.demandpr.com.
The Colony Theatre is located at 555 North Third Street, at the corner of Cypress, in the heart of
Downtown Burbank. For further information, call (818) 558-7000. Fax number: (818) 558-7110. Email: colonytheatre@colonytheatre.org. Or visit our website at www.colonytheatre.ORG.