Hothouse at the Playhouse series resumes

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Pasadena Playhouse (Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director and Stephen Eich, Executive Director) announced today that its new play development program, HOTHOUSE AT THE PLAYHOUSE, resumes this fall and will be produced in collaboration with Furious Theatre Company (Pasadena Playhouse”™s Artists in Residency since 2004).

Furious co-founder Dámaso Rodriguez will head the HOTHOUSE program and is set to direct the fall 2010 season”™s first reading The Confessions of Deacon Jim by Jason Aaron Goldberg on October 28-29, 2010 at Pasadena Playhouse”™s Carrie Hamilton Theatre at 39 South El Molino.  The reading will feature Eric Close (CBS”™s “Without a Trace”) and Jonathan Tucker (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre).

“I am so very pleased that we will be reigniting our new play development program here at the Playhouse, as well as continuing and expanding our strong and valuable alliance with Furious Theatre Company.  The nurturing of new work has been central to the mission of this theatre ever since I came here, and Furious has certainly displayed their skill and expertise in this area,” said Sheldon Epps, Pasadena Playhouse Artistic Director.  “In addition, I am very happy that this joint venture allows me to continue a valuable association with Dámaso whose passion for the work and skill as a director I so greatly admire.  Once again, I must also express my extreme gratitude to the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust for their incredibly generous support of our theatre’s endeavors in the area of new play development.”

Dámaso Rodriguez said, “Furious ensemble members have a history of working in the Hothouse program on both Playhouse and Furious projects.  A notable Furious/Playhouse Hothouse collaboration was the development of Matt Pelfrey”™s No Good Deed, which benefited from a Hothouse reading in 2009 and will be produced by Furious in spring 2011.  We are thrilled to be continuing and expanding our relationship with Pasadena Playhouse and are grateful to Sheldon, Stephen and the Playhouse Board for their visionary commitment to this too-rare partnership model.”

HOTHOUSE AT THE PLAYHOUSE is funded by the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, which will support the upcoming season of new play development readings at Pasadena Playhouse”™s Carrie Hamilton Theatre.

This season, the HOTHOUSE will kick off with The Confessions of Deacon Jim by Jason Aaron Goldberg on October 28 & 29 at 8:00 p.m.  Rodriguez will direct this true western tale for the stage about infamous outlaw Jim Miller featuring Eric Close (CBS”™s “Without a Trace”) and Jonathan Tucker (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre). The additional play readings for fall 2010 will be announced at a later date.

HOTHOUSE AT THE PLAYHOUSE began in 2005 and has supported the development of over 40 new plays.  Each Hothouse project is tailored to the play’s unique development needs and can include FREE public readings, private workshops or full productions on the main stage. Hothouse also focuses on expanding opportunities for minority playwrights. Recent Hothouse plays to receive full productions on the Playhouse main stage include Can-Can; Ray Charles LIVE!; The Night is a Child; Looped, starring Valerie Harper, which opened on Broadway in February 2009 and garnered a 2010 Tony nomination; and Sister Act, The Musical, which has been playing on the West End since June 2009 and will open on Broadway at the Broadway Theatre on April 20, 2011.

HOTHOUSE AT THE PLAYHOUSE readings take place at Pasadena Playhouse”™s Carrie Hamilton Theatre, 39 S. El Molino Avenue in Pasadena.

Each reading will begin at 8pm, and a complimentary wine reception will follow.

Tickets are FREE and reservations are required.

Tickets are available by email request only at hothouse@pasadenaplayhouse.org

Report by Pauline Adamek