Photo Flash: In Rehearsal with Rattlestick Playwrights Theater's SLIPPING in LA

New York's Rattlestick Playwrights Theater announces the Los Angeles premiere of the critically-acclaimed play Slipping, written and directed by Daniel Talbott, which will begin previews Thursday, April 4, 2013 at Elephant Stages' Lillian Theatre in Hollywood, CA. The five-week limited engagement is scheduled to open Sunday, April 7, 2013 at 7:00pm and run through Sunday, May 5, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in rehearsal below!

Considered one of off-Broadway's most respected companies, the OBIE Award-winning Rattlestick is proud to be presenting its first Los Angeles production. A coming-of-age story, Slipping features Seth Numrich (Broadway's War Horse, Golden Boy), in the lead role of Eli, a gay high school senior. Elephant Stages' Lillian Theatre is located at 1076 Lillian Way, Los Angeles, Calif. For venue information, call 323-962-0046. For additional information, visit www.Rattlestick.org/rattlestick-LA.

Slipping will run Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00pm, and Sundays at 3:00pm and 7:00pm. Tickets are $34 (with discounts available for theater artists, students, and seniors), and are available through Brown Paper Tickets at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/335220 or by calling 800-838-3006. Slipping contains adult themes, language, and nudity.

Slipping is the coming-of-age story of Eli. Alone, numb, and friendless after the death of his father, high school senior Eli moves with his English professor mom from San Francisco for a fresh start in Iowa. A new relationship with a boy at school exposes him again to the possibility of closeness and the danger of being swallowed by it.

The cast of Slipping is MacLeod Andrews (Slipping in New York, Too Much Memory at piece by piece/Rising Phoenix Rep); Maxwell Hamilton (professional stage debut, UCLA productions of RENT and Neon Boneyard); Seth Numrich (Golden Boy, War Horse, The Merchant of Venice on Broadway, Iphigenia at Signature, the New York production of Slipping); Wendy vanden Heuvel (Resurrection Blues by Arthur Miller at the Guthrie Theater, Counting The Ways/Talk To Me Like the Rain... at the Magic Theatre, A Movie Star Has to Star in Black and White at Signature).

The Slipping set design is by John McDermott; costume design is by Rachel Myers; lighting design by Leigh Allen; sound design by Janie Bullard; video and projection design is by Kaitlyn Pietras; property design is by Timm Carney. Slipping's Los Angeles casting director is Mark Bennett; assistant director is Sarah Haught; producing for Rattlestick in LA are Addie Johnson-Talbott and Gaalan Michaelson. Jeanie Hackett is Rattlestick's Los Angeles consultant.
Slipping, which was originally workshopped and developed at London's Royal Court Theatre and Rattlestick, received its world premiere at Chicago's The Side Project, directed by Adam Webster. For its New York premiere at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater under the direction of Kirsten Kelly it featured MacLeod Andrews, Adam Driver (currently starring in HBO's Girls), Meg Gibson, and Seth Numrich. The critically acclaimed, sold-out New York production was named one of the top ten plays of 2009 by The Advocate.

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater - Based in New York's West Village, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater presents diverse, challenging, and often-controversial plays that otherwise might not be produced, in order to foster the future of American theater. The multi-award-winning company - which produces both at its home on Waverly Place and at the historic Cherry Lane Theatre just a few blocks away - is the recipient of the 2007 Ross Wetzsteon Memorial OBIE Award, which recognized the organization for its work and mission: developing and producing innovative new plays.

Well-known as one of the most-respected off-Broadway theater companies, Rattlestick is a playwrights' theater that seeks out unique voices and excellence in the craft. The organization's focus is on getting bold new works up and out to the public. Rattlestick is interested in stories that are human and honest - stories that provoke audiences to think. By guaranteeing a second production, Rattlestick gives its playwrights permission to take chances and, potentially, even to fail. In creating an atmosphere that fosters risk-taking, Rattlestick encourages playwrights to challenge themselves to realize their full creative potential.

With a core operational focus of launching mainstage off-Broadway productions, Rattlestick has produced over 60 world premieres in the past 17 seasons. Now in its 18th season, Rattlestick continues to introduce new writers. Playwright and artist mentors have included Edward Albee, Jon Robin Baitz, Zoe Caldwell, Arthur Kopit, Craig Lucas, Joe Mantello, Terrence McNally, Marsha Norman, and Adam Rapp. Highly acclaimed past productions include: Volunteer Man (OBIE Award), Saved or Destroyed (OBIE Award), Faster, The Last Sunday in June (GLAAD Award nomination), The Pavilion (Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Play of 2005) God Hates the Irish: The Ballad of Armless Johnny (Drama Desk Award nomination), Lady (Drama Desk Award nomination), That Pretty Pretty; Or, The Rape Play, The Amish Project, Slipping, Killers and Other Family, Post No Bills, and The Aliens (OBIE Award).

Rattlestick's current season features daring new works by Adam Rapp, Jon Fosse, Jesse Eisenberg, Jonathan Tolins, Mando Alvarado, Jessica Dickey, and Lyle Kessler. Currently running at New York's Cherry Lane Theatre is Rattlestick's production of Eisenberg's The Revisionist, in which he co-stars with Vanessa Redgrave.

In bringing Slipping to Los Angeles Rattlestick is exploring the potential for long-term creative collaboration with the local theater, film, and television communities.

Rattlestick and Slipping LA Links:
• http://www.rattlestick.org/rattlestick-la
• Like Rattlestick on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RattlestickPlaywrightsTheater
• Follow @RattlestickLA - https://twitter.com/RattlestickLA

Photo Credit: Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging

From left, MacLeod Andrews, cast member "Jake"; Seth Numrich, lead cast member "Eli"; Daniel Talbott, Writer and Director; Wendy vanden Heuvel, cast member "Jan"; Maxwell Hamilton, cast member "Chris" and Brett Donaldson, understudy cast member "Eli" pose during a rehearsal for Daniel Talbott's "Slipping" the first Los Angeles production from New York's Rattlestick Playwrights Theater.

The full cast and crew during a rehearsal for Daniel Talbott's "Slipping".

Daniel Talbott, Writer and Director

From left, Mark Bennett, Casting Director; Plawright Daniel Talbott and Lorely Trinidad, Assistant Stage Manager

Seth Numrich, lead cast member "Eli"

Seth Numrich, lead cast member "Eli"

Seth Numrich, lead cast member "Eli"

Wendy vanden Heuvel, cast member "Jan"

Wendy vanden Heuvel, cast member "Jan"

MacLeod Andrews, cast member "Jake"

MacLeod Andrews, cast member "Jake"

MacLeod Andrews, cast member "Jake"

Maxwell Hamilton, cast member "Chris"

Maxwell Hamilton, cast member "Chris"

From left, Daniel Talbott, Writer and Director and Sarah Haught, Assistant Director

Lorely Trinidad, Assistant Stage Manager

The cast

The cast

The cast

The cast

The cast