Michael Levesque's JULES Opens Tonight at Teatro LATEA

Third Eye Theatre Company & Teatro LATEA present JULES, written by Michael Levesque, from today, June 18-28, 2014, at Teatro LATEA, Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center. Directed by Andrew Glant-Linden with Musical Direction by Tim Di Pasqua, JULES has music by Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin & Julian Eltinge. Set Design is by Zachary Serafin, Lighting design by Alex Moore, Costumes & Wigs by Marla Speer, Assistant Costumes & Wigs by Jamie Metzger & Stage Management by Abby Judd.

The year is 1941. We are in a dressing room at Billy Rose's Club in Manhattan, in what was the final performance of Broadway's most famous vaudeville & film star of the time: female impersonator, Julian Eltinge. JULES is a three-person drama with music from Julian's original shows written by Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin & Eltinge himself, celebrating the life, times, rise & fall of this magical, iconic performer as he tries to balance his public & professional lives. He played the Palace in London & New York, had a theatre named after him on 42nd Street in New York (the ceiling's dome still retains three frescos from his famous roles), his own beauty tips magazine for women, The Fascinating Widow, also the name of his most famous show, written specifically for his talents in 1911. There were Julian Eltinge cigars & he built & lived in the most lavish mansion in Hollywood, Villa Capistrano.

This AEA Approved Showcase Production stars David Sabella* as Julian Eltinge, with CAMERON HANSEL & Edward Prostak*.

David Sabella (Jules) was in the original Broadway cast of Chicago, the Musical. Off-Broadway, he appeared in Kiss & Make Up (NYIFF), Hexed, So Long 174th Street, FOXY & Watch Your Step & regionally in A Little Night Music, Godspell, Seesaw, The Gingerbread Lady & The Lisbon Traviata. In Opera, he performed in Giulio Cesare, L' incoronazione di Poppea, Die Fledermaus (Lincoln Center) & has been a principal soloist at both Carnegie Hall & Lincoln Center (Bach's B-Minor Mass, Handel's Messiah) & in Peter Schickele's comical Three Bargain-Counter Tenors. Mr. Sabella's caricature was unveiled at Sardi's in June, 1998. He is the owner of Sabella Voice Studios.

CAMERON HANSEL (William) holds a BFA from Wright State University. His credits include The Connector, It's A Wonderful Life, Proof, Gypsy, Sweeney Todd & The Light in the Piazza.

Edward Prostak (Freddy) has appeared on Broadway in the revival of Oliver!, Off-Broadway in Zombies from the Beyond, H.M.S. Pinafore (City Center) & The Mikado (NYGASP). He has performed in new shows for both the NY Fringe & NYMF. Other credits include The President (Storm Theatre), The Sound of Music (Ogunquit Playhouse), Someone Who'll Watch Over Me (Deer Trees Theatre), The Little Rascals (Goodspeed Opera House), Casino Paradise (American Music Theater Festival) & Moby Dick (Bristol Riverside Theatre). His film works include Happy Hour, New York Christmas Party & Good Ol' Boy.

Michael Levesque (Playwright) readings include Not in Our Town, No Man Can Serve 2 Masters & FAL$E PROFIT$, at the Genesius Guild, Restoration & Freedom Summer at the Hansberry Project, On Hold at the Houseman Theatre with seven-time Tony-nominated & two-time winner, Frances Sternhagen & Tony- nominated Douglas Sills, directed by Scott Schwartz. Who's Sorry Now? at Charles Rosin Casting & his musical Synchronicity, written with award-winning composer Tim Di Pasqua, had a reading at BMI, Seven Angels Theatre & is out on CD. Bad Connections? was produced at The Peoples Theatre in Santa Monica, San Jose City Theatre & at the Hollywood, Orlando, Toronto & Edmonton Fringe Festivals, where it played to sold-out houses & standing ovations. Bad Connections? also had two NYC engagements, one at the Cell Theatre & the other through Third Eye Theatre Company. His Christmas show, The Christmas Present, ran for three months at La Comedia Dinner Theatre in Akron, Ohio. No Man Can Serve 2 Masters was produced as an Equity Showcase through Third Eye Theatre Company, where he also serves as Artistic Director. Michael's plays also include his hysterical whodunit farce, Fire Island & Fire Island, The Next Season, Transubstantiation (also in collaboration with Teatro LATEA) & his political stinger, One Nation Under___? He has written over 25 plays.

Andrew Glant-Linden (Director/Choreographer) has received two Carbonnel Regional Theatre Awards, as Best Director for Man of La Mancha & Best Choreographer for West Side Story, as well as being nominated for his direction & choreography for Grand Hotel & The Secret Garden. He is also the recipient of the New Hampshire Theatre Award as Best Choreographer for Fiddler on the Roof. Other Regional Theatre credits include multiple productions of Sweeney Todd , Carousel, Gypsy, Jekyll & Hyde, Evita, West Side Story, Blood Brothers, A Little Night Music, The Full Monty, Into the Woods, Cabaret, Zorba, Amadeus & Company. Off-Broadway productions include Fifth of July, Buried Treasure, Side By Side By Sondheim & The Baker's Wife (with composer Stephen Schwartz).

Tim Di Pasqua (Musical Director & Arranger) Tim Di Pasqua is an award-winning actor, singer, songwriter, pianist & musical director. As a composer/lyricist, Tim has written the music & lyrics for the original musical Synchronicity, the musical revue Notes on New York -The musicalized observations of Tim Di Pasqua, the children's musical Class President & his brand new musical An Apartment on the Upper West Side. As a musical director, Tim has helped developed solo shows for many artists & has collaborated with Stephen Schwartz & Neil Sedaka.