Celebration Theatre Closes 30th Season with REVOLVER, Now thru 7/21

Celebration Theatre is has announced the final show of its celebratory 30th Anniversary Season, and the final show in its current home on Santa Monica Blvd, the world premiere of a new play,revolver, written by Chris Phillips, choreographed by Janet Roston and directed by Ryan Bergmann. revolver will preview tonight, June 12 & Thursday, June 13 and will open on Friday, June 14 and will perform through Sunday, July 21 at Celebration Theatre, 7051B Santa Monica Blvd in Hollywood.

Like the six barrels in its titular weapon, revolver circles through six scenes displaying the aftermath of emotional and physical violence. Set in the gun-shaped city of West Hollywood and featuring a wide array of beautifully crafted characters, revolver examines the nature of forgiveness and asks what, if anything, is unforgivable.

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM AND CAST:

Ryan BergMANN (Director) has served as Associate Producer on The Next Fairy Tale and as Producer on Bash'd! as well as the Assistant Director for Justin Love, The Color Purple and Wolves under the stellar (and multiple award winning) Michael Matthews all at Celebration Theatre. He recently proudly served as Assistant Director and Producer for the World Premiere Musical, A Little Midsummer Night's Dream with Director Janet Roston.

Janet Roston (Choreographer) Theater choreography; The Color Purple, Celebration Theatre (2012 Ovation Award Winner, Best Choreography); Justin Love, Celebration Theatre (LADCC Nomination, Best Production); Once On this Island, International City Theater (NAACP Nomination, Best Choreography); Bed and Sofa (ICT), Avenue X, Odyssey Theater (Ovation Award Nomination, Best Musical Production); Tracers, Odyssey Theater; Footloose, Rubicon Theater. As Director/Choreogapher: Tonya and Nancy, The Rock Opera, American Repertory Theater, Boston; A Little Midsummer Night's Dream, Lillian Theater; CarnEvil,SacRed Fools Theater: shAme, King King Nightclub, Possession, SacRed Fools Theater. Janet has also received two American Choreography Awards.

Chris Phillips (Playwright) revolver was first presented in a workshop as part of the CT Tuesdays program in the summer of 2010 at Celebration Theatre, and with only three performances, received a GLAAD Media Award nomination for Outstanding Los Angeles Theater. In January 2011, Chris directed a short film adapted from one of the vignettes featured in revolver, "the things i cannot change," which screened at the Austin Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, the Reel Recovery Festival in both New York City and Los Angeles, and the Tuscon LGBT Film Festival. His second play, Elysian Fields, also developed at Celebration, was presented at the 2011 New York International Fringe Festival, winning a performance award for one of its ensemble. That same year, Chris was chosen as an award recipient by the Robert Chesley Foundation, which supports the work of LGBT playwrights. Chris's third play, Pieces, was presented for a workshop run in Los Angeles during the spring of 2012 before hitting the 2012 New York International Fringe Festival, staged at the historic Cherry Lane Theatre and winning the award for Overall Excellence in Playwriting.

Following the festival, Pieces returned for the Fringe Encore series at New York's SoHo Playhouse. In January of 2013, Pieces scored Chris's second GLAAD Media Award nomination for Outstanding Los Angeles Theater. His follow-up to Pieces, A Consuming Fire, received a staged reading in both New York City and Los Angeles (at Celebration) in the spring of 2013.

The cast of revolver will feature: John Colella, AJ Jones, Daniel Montgomery, Matthew Scott Montgomery, Robert Paterno, and Terrance Spencer.

revolver features an award-winning design team. The Scenic/Lighting Design is by Matthew Brian Denman. The Sound Design is by ReBecca Kessin. The Costume and Props Design is by Michael O'Hara. The Fight Choreography is by Sandra Mayer. The stage manager is Colin Grossman. The production team is being led by Celebration Theatre's Board of Directors and Executive Director, Michael C. Kricfalusi, Artistic Directors Michael Matthews and Michael A. Shepperd and Managing Director Michael O'Hara. revolver is being produced by Christopher Grant Pearson and Rebecca Eisenberg and co-produced by Brittany Wheeler and Luke Kanter. The casting is by Jami Rudofsky.

Celebration Theatre announces that with the closing show of its 30th season, it will sadly also be the end of over 20 years in its current location. After a significant increase in rent the end of last year, the economics of staying put no longer make sense for the theatre to remain in its home of the past two decades. Fixed costs are approximately 50% higher now than last year. As a result, the current space will be vacated on July 31. At this time Celebration Theatre is looking for new space and we will announce the location as soon as possible.

Details about the upcoming 31st season will be announced in the near future. Look for another exciting season delivering the quality productions that Celebration is known for.

revolver will preview on Wednesday, June 12 & Thursday, June 13 and will open on Friday, June 14 and will perform through Sunday, July 21 at Celebration Theatre, 7051B Santa Monica Blvd in Hollywood. Performances are Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm. Tickets are $30 for all performances. Previews are $20. For tickets, call (323) 957-1884 or visit www.celebrationtheatre.com to purchase tickets online or to view a complete schedule or for further details.