The Colony Theatre Co Presents VISITING MR. GREEN, Previews 8/26

The Colony Theatre Company presents the second production of its 35th anniversary season, VISITING Mr. Green, written by Jeff Baron and directed by David Rose. VISITING Mr. Green will preview on Wednesday, August 26; Thursday, August 27 and Friday, August 28 at 8:00pm and will open on Saturday, August 29 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, September 27 at The Colony Theatre, 555 North Third Street (at Cypress) adjacent to the Burbank Town Center.

One is in his 80s, the other is in his 20s -- two men who are forced together against their will. Visiting Mr. Green is the internationally acclaimed story about parents and children, lifelong secrets, and finding friendship in unlikely places. This bittersweet comedy shows that wisdom and folly come at any age, and that sometimes, the unexpected visitors are the ones we need the most.

VISITING Mr. Green has been translated into 22 languages and has won praise all over the world.

JEFF BARON (Playwright) is one of the world's most-produced playwrights in the past decade, with well over 300 productions in 22 languages in 37 countries. Best known for his award-winning play Visiting Mr. Green, his newer work has originated in Australia, France, Argentina, Croatia and Austria. He has worked with many of the world's great actors and directors, and has personally directed several of his own world premieres.

In addition to his theatre work, Jeff is an accomplished screenwriter and filmmaker. He sold four original screenplays to Hollywood, and has written for prime time series on all of the major American television networks. His award-winning short films have been seen around the world.

Jeff was commissioned by the Los Angeles Opera to write an original libretto, and his song lyrics have been performed in Carnegie Hall and other major venues. His journalism and fiction have been published in France, Canada and the U.S. Jeff has degrees from Northwestern University and Harvard.

David Rose (Director) has staged over 25 productions since he became a company member in 1990, including last season's Mary's Wedding and The Voice of the Prairie. Other Colony productions include Almost, Maine, Master Harold ... and the boys (NAACP Theatre Award nomination), ...Young Lady From Rwanda, Billy Bishop Goes to War, Sherlock's Last Case, the L.A. Premiere of The Drawer Boy, Fuddy Meers, The Nerd, The Man Who Came to Dinner, the World Premiere of Bea[u]tiful in the Extreme, Our Country's Good (six L.A. Ovation Award nominations, Drama-Logue Award), the L.A. Premiere of The Living, The Front Page (L.A. Weekly Award - Revival Production of the Year), You Can't Take it With You (Drama-Logue Award), August Moon, and the West Coast Premiere of Peccadillo. He also directed Second Stage productions of True West, Baby With the Bathwater, and I Can Fit My Fist in My Mouth. As an actor, David has appeared at The Colony in Bedroom Farce (Drama-Logue Award), Mornings at Seven, The Clearing, Incident at Vichy, Einstein and the Polar Bear, and Pastoral. Elsewhere in Los Angeles, he has directed productions of Geniuses (Drama-Logue Award), Justin Tanner's Big Bear, and the nine-month run of the smash hit Road to Nirvana (Drama-Logue Award) - all at Burbank's Third Stage - as well as The Dining Room at Theatre 40, Inspecting Carol at the Ivy Substation (Drama-Logue Award), and Chased From Paradise and The Blues Are Running at the Lost Studio. He is the former Artistic Director of The New York Comedy Repertory Ensemble and a founding member of Washington, D.C.'s acclaimed Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company.

Jack Axelrod (Mr. Green) has appeared in regional theatres from Maine to San Diego. His most recent notable stage appearances were in the title role of Tuesdays with Morrie in Laguna Beach, San Jose, and Walnut Creek. Among other significant roles are Freud in Hysteria, Weller in The Gin Game, Nat Moyer in I'm Not Rappaport, Polonius in Hamlet, Al Lewis in The Sunshine Boys, and Solomon in The Price. For five years, he toured the country with Kenny Rogers in his "Christmas From the Heart" concerts. He is a four-time recipient of Drama-Logue and Robby Awards, and his numerous television credits include the recent ABC TV movie "Labor Pains" as well as "Grey's Anatomy," "My Name Is Earl," "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," "Frasier," "Alias," and more. Older soap audiences may also remember him as mob boss Victor Jerome on "General Hospital." He has served as teacher and director on the faculties of several schools, notably Penn Stage, Temple, Boston, as well as Cal State Universities and the Universities of Wisconsin and Michigan.

ANTONIE KNOPPERS (Ross Gardiner) is happy to make his Colony debut and thrilled to revisit this beautiful play. He just finished a very successful run of the Taming of the Shrew at A Noise Within. Other projects include: The Rover at Antaeus/ClassicsFest, Compleat Female Stage Beauty, Taming of the Shrew, Winter's Tale and Pericles at The Old Globe, Serious Money at Playwrights Horizons, Enchanted April at the Fulton Opera House, Visiting Mr. Green at Syracuse Stage, Old Wicked Songs at Indiana Rep, Bus Stop at the Bristol VAlley Theatre, And Then They Came for Me at the George Street Playhouse, Last Night of Ballyhoo at the New Stage Theatre. Film and TV includes "The Hoax" (with Richard Gere), "All My Children," "Guiding Light," "The David Letterman Show," and "Down" (with Naomi Watts and Ron Perlman). Antonie also co-starred and co-created the new web series "Sauce on the Side." Education/Training: MFA at The Old Globe/USD, Circle in the Square, NYU/Playwrights Horizons.

VISITING Mr. Green has assembled an award-winning design team. The Scenic Design is by David Potts (HBO's "Deadwood," Mary's Wedding, Voice of the Prairie, Almost, Maine). The Lighting Design is by Jeremy Pivnick (2 Pianos 4 Hands, Mary's Wedding, The Voice of the Prairie). The Costume Design is by A. Jeffrey Schoenberg (City of Angels, Side Show, The Laramie Project, The Grand Tour). The Sound Design is by Cricket Myers (Mary's Wedding, Educating Rita, The Voice of the Prairie). Prop Design is by Colony Theatre resident designers MacAndME.

VISITING Mr. Green will open on Saturday, August 29 and perform through Sunday, September 27, 2009. Performances for VISITING Mr. Green are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm, and Sundays at 2:00pm and 7:00pm. There will be additional performances on Saturdays, September 5 & 12 at 3pm, and Thursdays, September 17 & 24 at 8pm. Ticket prices range from $37.00 - $42.00 (student, senior and group discounts are available). Preview performances are Wednesday, August 26; Thursday, August 27; and Friday, August 28 at 8:00pm. Preview Tickets are $20.00 - $25.00.

Opening night performance with reception - all tickets $50.00. There are question-and-answer talkbacks after the performances on Friday, September 4, and Thursday, September 17. For tickets, call the Colony Theatre Box Office at 818/558-7000 ext. 15 or online at www.colonytheatre.org.

The award-winning Colony Theatre Company is Burbank's premiere professional theatre. It was voted "Best Live Theatre in L.A." in The Daily News 2006 Readers' Choice poll, and has been named one of "25 Notable U.S. Theatre Companies" by Encyclopedia Britannica Almanac for 6 years in a row.

The Colony Theatre Company is a 35-year-old organization dedicated to bringing the finest quality theatrical productions to Los Angeles. The theatre is located at 555 North Third Street, at the corner of Cypress, in the heart of Downtown Burbank. For further information, call (818) 558-7000. Fax: (818) 558-7110. E-mail: colonytheatre@colonytheatre.org. Or visit our website at www.colonytheatre.ORG.