Beyond the Usual presents the world premiere of THE INTERVIEW, a new play by Los Angeles-based playwright Susan Josephs, directed by Diana Wyenn and featuring Jacqueline King, Marshall McCabe and Melissa Sullivan. The production runs tonight, October 4 - 27, 2013 in Los Angeles at Studio/Stage, 520 North Western Avenue.
Parenthood exists under the firm control of the federal government and it is now easier to get accepted into Harvard than become a mom or dad. Still, first-time applicants Jenna and Steven have beaten the odds and landed a coveted final interview with the U.S. Department of Parenting and Child Welfare. However, when they sit down with their state-licensed interviewer and the questioning begins, all three quickly realize that nothing could have prepared them for what they will learn about themselves-and each other.
Both social satire and psychological drama, Susan Josephs' THE INTERVIEW exposes the conflicts that arise between an individual's conscience, government regulation and societal expectations. Without any particular political agenda, this dystopian play asks questions about personal freedom, the dimensions of oppression, the nature of romantic love and the struggle to remain emotionally and ethically honest in a world where critical thinking and non-conformity can have devastating consequences.
In addition to being a world premiere, THE INTERVIEW marks Josephs' Los Angeles debut. The Los Angeles-based playwright, journalist and interdisciplinary performer began writing for the theater in New York after performing in numerous Off-Off Broadway productions as an actress and dancer. Her plays The Manhattan Bible and Un-Lonely Planet were produced at the
92nd Street Y and Theater for the New City. She has also written dramatic texts for the choreographer Maria Gillespie and Israeli vocal/performance artist Victoria Hanna.
At the helm of THE INTERVIEW is Beyond the Usual's Diana Wyenn. A Los Angeles native who also cut her teeth in New York at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Wyenn last directed Michael Kass' award-winning solo show Ceremony, which received an LA Weekly's Pick of the Week and 2013 Best of the Fringe extension. Other directing and choreography credits include Lunch Meat (Theater of NOTE), The Devil with Boobs (Open Fist Theater Company), Attempts on Her Life (Unknown Theater), and Accidental Death of An Anarchist (Unknown Theater).
The cast of THE INTERVIEW features Jacqueline King, Marshall McCabe and Melissa Sullivan. The designers of THE INTERVIEW are Vincent Richards (sets), Iain Court (lights) and
John Zalewski (sound). The stage manager is Aaron Saldaña. Click here to read biographies for the creative team.
Performances of THE INTERVIEW will be held at Studio/Stage in Los Angeles Friday, October 4 through Sunday, October 27, 2013 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm and Sundays at 5:00 pm. Tickets are $20 online and $25 at the door, with discounts available for students, seniors, members of the unions, and groups. Studio/Stage is located at 520 North Western Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90004. For tickets and information, visit
www.theinterviewplay.com.
