True West at The Group Rep
Dates: (4/9/2022 - 5/8/2022 )
The Group Rep |
10900 Burbank Blvd N. Hollywood, CA 91601
N. Hollywood, 91601
Phone: (818) 763-5990
SUBMIT UPDATES
The Group Rep presents Sam Shepards Pulitzer Prize-nominated American classic TRUE WEST. Two very different brothers, one a successful family man and the other a drifter, must cooperate in writing a screenplay that will make or break both of their lives. Tension and family history leads them to self-sabotage and to question their own reality.
The play is directed by Brooklyn Sample and produced by Kathleen Delaney and William Wilson for the Group Rep. The play runs April 9 through May 8 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood.
What critics have said about this GRT Production: "The Group Reps' tense and viciously smart production shines in its simplicity; it's Shepard at his most gripping. Director Brooklyn Sample's meticulous staging teases out the unstable relationship between the two brothers the most mundane interactions turn explosively violent in an instant." - Taylor Kass, Stage Raw
- Sam Shepard
Authors
Cast and Creative team for True West at The Group Rep
Cast
William Wilson
Austin
William studied at The University of Northern Colorado with a BA in Theatre. After some stage and film work in New York, he returned home to Arizona where he worked on independent films and in repertory at The Southwest Shakespeare Company. Such roles with the company included Edgar in King Lear, Salvador Dali in Hysteria, and the title role in Hamlet for which he was recognized as Best Actor, Broadwayworld Regional.
James Lemire
Lee
James is excited to be back on stage at The Group Rep after previously appearing in Christmastime Origins this past holiday season, and Motel 66 last summer. Some of his previous stage credits include Carter in Two Rooms (Assembly Theater Company), Henry in Brilliant Traces (Ventura Court Theater), Brad in Orange Flower Water (The Lyric Theater), Jon in Tape (The Actor’s Playpen), And Tom in The Glass Menagerie (The Joanne Linville Studio).
Jason Madera
Saul
Splits his professional life between the New York stage and on camera. Off-Broadway credits: Lopakin in The Cherry Orchard (Columbia Grad), Carlos in The Cook (INTAR), and Ivan in The Brothers Karamozov (Lincoln Center Director's Lab). Off-Broadway company credits: Second Stage, Ensemble Studio Theatre, & Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre. Film/Television credits: “Law and Order’s SVU”, “Over Run” (director, Josh Tessier), Scott Payne’s ”Cut”, “MBC Network” - Saudi Arabia (director, Osamah Salih).
Clara Rodriguez
Mom
Clara Rodriguez was recently seen in The Game’s Afoot and In My Mind’s Eye at Group Rep Theatre, as well as Brushes at the Whitefire Theatre and Eclipse Theatre's production of And Then There Were None. Clara has a background in improv and has performed with Theatre Sports Los Angeles, Pulp Playhouse, Galorama, Brain Trust, and many other improv companies.
Creative Team
Brooklyn Sample
Director
Director, creative producer, actress, and writer for stage and screen. A proud graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Notable directing credits include Keep Me (Director/Writer), Murder at the Howard Johnson’s (Director), Godspell (Co-director), and MAMMA MIA! (Asst. Director). She is honored to lead an all-female production team for a play dripping with toxic masculinity. Recently she Creative Produced XZIBIT’S music video, “One Nation” and started the Podcast, momsarttoo.com with her work wife, Mel Lee.
Melanie Lee
Assistant Director
Melanie is so excited to be working on this amazing piece. This is her second show at the Group Rep and looks forward to many more. She has been directing and choreographing throughout the U.S. and abroad and is now settled in LA and is making LA theatre her home base. Along with their ongoing Podcast, Moms Art Too, Melanie and Brooklyn have many years working together through their production company, Blind Toe.
Kathleen Delaney
Producer
Producer, director, choreographer, voice-over artist, and actress who transplanted from NYC & MA and now calls LA home. She’s produced GRT’s Holiday Traditions and Trappings, Unhidden Figures, Motel 66, and currently producing GRT’s mainstage musical, LA Now And Then as well as True West. She was awarded “Best Choreographer” for Sweet Charity and On The Twentieth Century and “Best Director” for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat by MA Critics Circle.
Cathy Tomlin
Stage Manager
Returning to stage managing after a long hiatus. One of her last gigs was as Production Stage Manager on New Federal Theater’s Off-Broadway production of Christopher Columbus directed by Lloyd Richards. She worked at NYC theaters such as Playwrights Horizons, Westbeth Theatre Center, and The Theatre at St. Peter's Church. Assistant director: GRT’s Tiger by the Tail and Witness for the Prosecution. Primarily an actress, she most recently appeared in GRT’s Birthday Club and Christmastime Origins.
Melissa Bontempt
Assistant Stage Manager
Artist, Actress, and Comedian. During her time at Antelope Valley College, Melissa took on roles such as Officer Klein in Arsenic and Old Lace as well as Lead Carpenter and stage manager on many other productions. Production Design Credits: “Rituals Festival 2021”, “Cloud City” Album Release, “Give Them Hell” New Year’s Eve 2022 Concert. Performance Credits: “Bucket Brigade” Music video by artist TR Sun The Terminator, and “Give Them Hell” music video by artist Polartropica.
Luke Moyer
Lighting Design
Credits include Dracula (Ovation Award), Yo Ho Ho! A Pirates Christmas, East of Berlin, Departures, Pirates of Penzance, Elizabeth Rex (Ovation Award), and the full staging of Angels In America. He is the resident lighting designer for the Colony Theatre, American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and Theater Tribe. He has designed productions for The Company of Angels, Write Act, The Court Theater, The Howard Fine Acting Studio, and the West Los Angeles Theatre Center.
Matt Sample
Set Design
Founder of the Los Angeles-based creative agency, hi5.agency he leads a team of diverse storytellers who continue to challenge the status quo with their brand client roster including Spotify, Cisco, Blizzard, Fender, Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and FX. In 2020, 2019, and 2017 hi5.agency was named mid-sized agency of the year by the Shorty Awards and has been recognized by The Hermes, CLIO, Webby, Muse, and ProMax Awards for class-leading campaigns in A/V, Social, Strategy, and Original Content.
Steve Shaw
Sound Design
Steve is a long-time member of GRT who has been the sound designer on many productions, both main stage and upstairs. He has acted in The Man Who Came to Dinner, The Chinese Wall, and others. His short plays, Caller ID and Cleveland and Dallas were produced in GRT’s play festivals, Putting On Your Shorts and Motel 66.
Clara Rodriguez
Set Painter
Clara Rodriguez has artistically collaborated with set designers on many GRT productions. As a main cast member in the show, she was happy to contribute to the overall aesthetic of the set that she will play on.
Michael Mullen
Costume Design
Costume designer, actor, and writer in the L.A. theatre scene for many years now winning several awards and nominations for his work both on stage and off from such organizations as Ovation, L.A. Drama Critics Circle, L.A. Weekly, N.A.A.C.P., Scenie, Stage Raw, Robby, Broadway World, Ticket Holder, Eddon, and Desert Theatre League. He is very happy to be a part of L.A.'s wonderful theatre community.
Tyler Townsend
Technical Advisor
Acting for the camera professor and director at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts; Film/TV experience includes work with CBS, ABC, Discovery, SPIKE, VH1, Comedy Central, Lionsgate, Mark Burnett, Al Roker Entertainment, Gurin Co, and others.
Marc Antonio Pritchett
Stage Combat
Classically trained actor, singer, and stunt combatant. Screen credits: “JAG”, “Arrested Development”, “The West Wing”, “The Onion Movie”, “The Bacchae”, “Soldier of God”, and “Frost Portrait of a Vampire”. Music credits: Justin Timberlake, 30 Seconds to Mars, Josh Groban, and “Lion King” (2019) soundtrack. Stunt fighting: Over 20 years of theatrical combat experience and over 30 years of martial arts experience. His company: Artistry In Action. His combat school: The Art of The Swashbuckler.
Doug Heverty
Artistic Director
Doug Haverty is a playwright, librettist, actor, and graphic artist. He has been a member of Group Rep since 1982 and is currently the Artistic Director. His play, In My Mind’s Eye, had its world premiere at Group Rep in October 1984 and is published by Samuel French. Other works presented at The Group Rep include Next Window, Please, The Ghost of Gershwin (Book and Additional Lyrics), and Love Again (Book and Co-Lyrics).
Kristen Stancato
Marketing/Social Media
Kristin has over 20 years of experience as a marketing executive with a focus on strategy, design, eCommerce, email marketing, and lead generation. She gets tremendous fulfillment in donating her time to The Group Rep to help increase awareness of this theatrical gem in North Hollywood. Follow GRT on Instagram (@thegroupreptheatre) and Facebook (@TheGroupRep).
Nora Feldman
Publicist
On staff at the Group Rep, Actors Co-op, and the Whitefire Theatre. Nora has publicized numerous theatre productions and events such as World Championships of the Performing Arts and Experience NoHo. Nora has also served as producer of the theatre component for the NoHo Theatre & Arts Festival, and two New York Pro-Celebrity tennis tournaments. Nora is married to actor Steve Peterson.
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