The Katselas Theatre Company presents; The World Premiere of Mutant Olive, Written and performed by Mitch Hara, Directed by Terri Hanauer. Now playing Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. through May 28th. Tickets are $20 and Students/seniors are $15. For tickets call 702-KTC-TKTS (702-582-8587)
Mutant Olive is a hysterical, heart-wrenching, triumphant journey as one actor's past seeps into his present. He explores childhood, speed, alcohol, sex, crashed cars, jails, DUIs, death, rehab, an out of body experience and a black cape.
Mitch Hara (actor/writer) is a Syrian, Turkish, Lithuanian, Gypsy, Jew, born in Skokie, Illinois and raised by wolverines. His colorful childhood shaped his unique voice and eccentric view of the world. He escaped to New York at age 19, when he was invited to join the Actors Studio and studied with Lee Strasberg, Shelley Winters and Al Pacino, among others. He did various plays off Broadway, hit the comedy clubs and performed with improv companies.
He was called to L.A. to do a burp-and-it-was-gone pilot, "Eddie Dodd," with Treat Williams. He subsequently did numerous guest spots including a recurring role on "ER", followed by two more pilots and wound up as staff writer on the Fox/Warner Brothers sitcom "Lush Life."
Then, in a life-affirming introduction to the independent film world, he starred in "The Art of Dying" with Wings Hauser. His standout performance landed him starring roles in 11 more indies, including, "Flexing with Monty" with Sally Kirkland, "The Wacky Adventures of Dr. Boris and Nurse Shirley" with Paul Bartel and Karen Black (Mitch played Nurse Shirley), "A Killing Obsession" with John Savage, and "Cahoots" with David Keith and Keith Carradine.
Mitch has written, directed and performed in three critically acclaimed plays, Cracks In The Mask, Polo Lounge and Shopping For Shoes In A Skirt & No Panties. He co-wrote and directed the one-woman musical, Tsk, Tsk, Tsk; directed Poppy Champlin's one woman show "Chocolate Sandwich." He won the Dramalogue Award as Best Actor for his portrayal of Sister Coco Call-Me-Ishmael, a mental-patient-drag-queen-nun in, "The Horrible and Tragic Life Of The Singing Nun."
His irreverent, gay romantic comedy, No Fingerprints On My Heart won best screenplay competitions at the IFP/WEST, TELLURIDE, KEY WEST and OUTFEST film festivals. He will be starring with Doris Roberts and Howie Deutch is directing.
Mitch's short, "Horrible Accident" opened the LA International Film Festival and then played all over the world. Telluride Times, "Hara caresses your heart and then rips it out."
MUTANT OLIVE is the culmination of everything brilliant and horrifying that brought Mitch to himself.
Terri Hanauer (Director) is a native of Toronto, Canada, Terri Hanauer graduated with an honors degree in Theater Arts from York University. She has worked in Canada and the United States as an actress in film ("Havoc," "The Rapture," "Communion"), television (roles in shows ranging from "Without a Trace" to "Seinfeld," "NYPD Blue" and Showtime's comedy cult hit "Beggars and Choosers," where she recurred for two seasons as Dr. Lillian Wackenhut, the sperm-appropriating endocrinologist) and theater (appearing at the Mark Taper Forum and the Arena Stage).
Her background as an actress and photographer lead her to directing and writing. She directed a short film entitled "A Day in the Life," which screened at various film festivals. She was accepted into the prestigious and highly competitive AFI's Directing Workshop for Women, where she wrote the screenplay and directed "Recycling Flo." It was chosen by AFI to represent it at the Cannes Film Festival - International Short Film Corner. Along with being 'official selection' in over 25 film festivals, "Recycling Flo" has won two Best Short Film/Jury Prizes at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival and the Farmington Comedy Film Festival. Terri has written the feature version of "Recycling Flo."
She co-directed 13 half hour episodes of "Zane's Chronicles" for HBO/Afterdark television. At KTC, she directed Peter Lefcourt's play, "La Ronde de Lunch," which was ‘Ovation Recommended' and received 6 LA Stage Scene Awards including Best Direction.
KATSELAS THEATRE COMPANY is a home for artists to develop, take risks and create theatrical works of excellence with the intent to entertain, provoke and illuminate audiences reiterating the value of the arts to this city we call home. Through our programs and our main stage productions our aim is to bring together the artist and the audience in order to participate in the artist's development process. KTC's focus is the development of the artist. Believing that artists and their communities are influenced by each other and that the audience should be an acknowledged within the artist's development process. KTC's newest programs, INK-ubator and New Voices have been created to engage the artist and the audience in that process.
The World Premiere of Mutant Olive, Written and performed by Mitch Hara, Directed by Terri Hanauer at The Beverly Hills Playhouse Research Space (254 S. Robertson Blvd. Beverly Hills, CA 90211). Now playing Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. through May 28th. Tickets are $20 and Students/seniors are $15. For tickets call 702-KTC-TKTS (702-582-8587)
