Rogue Machine Stages FALLING, Now thru 12/1

Winner of the Kevin Kline Award for Outstanding New Play, Deanna Jent's FALLING makes its West Coast debut with one of the most awarded young theatre companies in Los Angeles, Rogue Machine. Winning upwards of 50 awards (including Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle, LA Weekly, Ovation, Garland, and BEST PRODUCTION two years in a row), the company was lauded as "Best Theatre Company of 2012" by the LA Weekly. Falling will open tonight, October 12, 2013, with a reception to follow, and is set to play 8pm Fridays and Saturdays, 3pm Sundays through December 1, 2013 at 5041 Pico Blvd., LA, Calif. Tickets are $30. Reservations: 855-585-5185 or at www.roguemachinetheatre.com.

Boldly exploring the dynamic and complicated reality of a family with an autistic 18 year old, this play poses difficult questions abouT Loving someone who is hard to love. The Martins try desperately to lead a normal life. But, when a relative comes to visit, the entire family is thrown out of equilibrium.

Originally developed at the Mustard Seed Theatre Falling was an immediate critical and audience favorite, awarded the highest honor given in St. Louis theatre. Discovered by Tony Award-winning producer Terry Schnuck, the play was then produced in New York at the Minetta Lane Theatre where it was nominated by Drama Desk for Best Play of 2012. Falling resonates with audiences everywhere. The play is semi-autobiographical and is inspired by Jent's life with her autistic son and the family dynamic it created. This is a topic that few playwrights have even attempted to tackle.

Playwright Deanna Jent is the Artistic Director of Mustard Seed Theatre in St. Louis, Missouri, where she has beennominated five times for the Kevin Kline "Best Director" Award and won the Best Director of a Musical for her 2011 production of Godspell. Deanna has directed at professional theaters throughout St. Louis, including the New Jewish Theatre, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis Touring Company, The Orange Girls, ACT Inc., Stray Dog Theatre, and St. Louis Shakespeare. A Professor of Theatre at Fontbonne University, Deanna has written numerous adaptations for the stage from novels such as Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis, and Imaginary Jesus by Matt Mikalatos. She holds a Ph.D. in Theatre from Northwestern University. Falling was developed at Mustard Seed Theatre in the fall of 2011 and produced Off-Broadway in 2012.

"It's so complicated and messy; if there was an easy answer, people would have figured it out a long time ago. But whatever the challenge of going through that emotional journey is, it is completely countered by the joy of sharing this story and of telling this truth...writing is how I process the world," says Deanna Jent - Playwright

Multi-award-winning director ELINA de SANTOS helms this West Coast premiere of FALLING. She received the Los Angeles Drama Critic Circle's Katselas Career Achievement Award in Directing this year.

Producer John PerriN FLYNN is Rogue Machine's founding Artistic Director. He directed this season's World Premiere of John Pollono's Lost Girls and last year's productions of The New Electric Ballroom by Enda Walsh (LADCC Awards-Best Ensemble, Best Supporting Male Performance) Three Views Of The Same Object by Henry Murray, and A Bright New Boise by Samuel D. Hunter (all CRITIC'S CHOICE-LA Times, and "Pick of the Week" - LA Weekly).John received the LA Weekly Career Achievement Award in 2012.

Producer DIANE ALAYNE BAKER has previously produced for Rogue Machine Theatre (Daisy Foote's Bhutan), Pacific Resident Theatre, West Coast Jewish Theatre, L.A. Women's Shakespeare Company and Santa Monica's Morgan-Wixson Theatre.

ROGUE MACHINE THEATRE (BEST PRODUCTION two years in a row-Ovation, LADCC Awards, "Best Theatre Company of 2012" - LA Weekly) launches yet another World Premiere production, opening in the fourth slot for SEASON 6. A collective of award-winning and prominent Los Angeles based directors, writers, designers, and actors, Rogue Machine believes theatre to be an integral part of community life, a sacred space where audiences gather to be challenged, inspired, entertained, and provoked. By nurturing and introducing new works, Rogue Machine engages this community with arts that create dialogue and resonate long after the curtain closes.

The cast includes Anna Khaja (as Tami) who won the Ovation Award for Lead Actress in 2010 for her work in Shaheed: The Dream and Death of Benazir Bhutto (Ovation nominated for Production of the Year). MATT LITTLE (as Joshua/Lawrence) received awards for outstanding performance four consecutive years including the Ava Greewald Award, James and Nony Doolittle Award, Staley Musgrove Award, and the Jack Nicholson Award.TARA WINDLEY (as Lisa) was selected to participate in the Aaron Sorkin Los Angeles Symposium. As Tracy in Love Struck, starring Barbara Bain at Beverly Hills Playhouse, she garnered the Best Featured Actress Award from Stage Scene LA. KAREN LANDRY (as Grammy Sue) appeared at the Guthrie Theatre last season in the World Premiere of Christopher Hampton's Appomattox. She is a familiar to local audiences as an actress and director, having often performed at South Coast Repertory Theatre. Numerous TV credits include recent appearances on Justified and Criminal Minds. Karen starred in the film Patti Rocks, which won a Spirit Award, and she garnered a Best Actress Award for her work in After The Denim from the Atlantic City Film Fest. She starred in The Never Has Beenz, which won Best Comedy short there as well. Matthew Elkins(as Bill) starred in the West Coast Premiere of Samuel D. Hunter's A Bright New Boise (LA Times CRITIC'S CHOICE, "Pick of the Week - LA Weekly, Ovation Recommended), at Rogue Machine. He has appeared on the stages of theKennedy Center, Hollywood Bowl, Asolo Rep and the Utah Shakespearean Festival.

Muli-Award winning designers include STEPHANIE KERLEY SCHWARTZ (Set Design), Leigh Allen (LightingDesign),CHRISTOPHER MOSCATIELLO (Sound Design), andElizabeth A. Cox (Costume Design).

FALLING opens Oct 12th and runs through Dec 1, 2013. Performances are 8pm on Fri & Sat, and 3pm Sun. Special "Speaker Series" Oct 13th - Nov 10th after Sunday performances, with autistic musicians providing pre-show music. Playwright Deanna Jent (speaks 10/13), and Elanie Hall, founder of The Miracle Project (speaks (10/20). Rogue Machine is located at 5041 Pico Blvd., LA, CA 90019. Tickets are $30.Reservations: 855-585-5185 or at www.roguemachinetheatre.com.

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