John Leguizamo Hits The Road With His New Show, Begins 7/10 In Connecticut

Award-winning writer and actor John Leguizamo hits the road this summer with his brand new show, John Leguizamo LIVE! Launching Friday, July 10 at the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, CT, this tour will land in a new city each week, continuing through Fall 2009 (initial dates and venues listed below).

John Leguizamo gets up close and personal with audiences in intimate venues across the country as he brings his newest one-man tour de force John Leguizamo LIVE! on the road. About the evolution of his newest solo show, Leguizamo says, "Yo, wat up my peoples? Wat's crackin? Me that's what. I'm coming to town with the latest installment of leguizamomania! This one is for the ages don't miss it -- the first time civilian eyes will be viewing my new and latest and greatest show. Help me help you get some anti-recession and anti-depression hilarity."

In Leguizamo's trademark live performance style, this piece explodes with energy taking audiences on a non-stop fever pitch adventure, as he heats up the stage with vivid accounts of where he's been and the colorful characters who've shaped different facets of his life. From his adolescent memories in Queens, New York, to the early days of his acting career and far beyond -- with stories of the outrageous 80's avant-garde downtown theater scene and anecdotes from major movie sets and roles opposite some of Hollywood's biggest film stars, John Leguizamo LIVE! is in turns uproarious and heartfelt, laying it bare for anyone willing to come along for the ride.

Multi-faceted performer and Emmy Award winner John Leguizamo's notable career defies categorization. Possessing boundless energy and creativity, Leguizamo's work spans the genres of film, theatre, television, literature and beyond. As writer and performer, Leguizamo created the Off-Broadway sensation Mambo Mouth, in which he portrayed seven different characters (Obie, Outer Critics Circle, Vanguardia Awards).

His second one-man show Spic-O-Rama enjoyed extended sold-out runs in Chicago and New York (Dramatists' Guild Hull-Warriner Award for Best American Play, Lucille Lortel Outstanding Achievement Award for Best Broadway Performance, Drama Desk Award for Best Solo Performance). His third solo show Freak completed a successful run on Broadway in 1998. A special presentation of Freak, directed by Spike Lee, aired on HBO (Emmy Award for Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Music Program and nomination for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special). In Fall 2001 Leguizamo returned to Broadway with Sexaholix...a Love Story, directed by Peter Askin (Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for "Outstanding Solo Performance" and Tony Award nomination for Best Special Theatrical Performance). Sexaholix aired as an HBO Special in Spring 2002 and toured widely. Other stage credits: A Midsummer Night's Dream and La Puta Vida at the New York Shakespeare Festival and Parting Gestures at INTAR. Presently, Leguizamo delights younger fans as the voice of Syd in Ice Age 1, 2 and 3. He has been seen in countless films including Love in the Time of Cholera opposite Javier Bardem and Benjamin Bratt, The Happening opposite Mark Wahlberg, Righteous Kill opposite Robert Deniro and Al Pacino, The Babysitters opposite Cynthia Nixon and The Take opposite Rosie Perez as well as Miracle at St. Anna, Land of the Dead, The Groomsmen, Lies & Alibis, Assault on Precinct 13, Sueno, Spin, Moulin Rouge, Summer of Sam, King of the Jungle, Spawn, William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet, Dr. Doolittle, Carlito's Way and Casualties of War.

WestBeth Entertainment, Arnold Engelman-President, is a producing organization that for 30 years has successfully produced critically-acclaimed work in live entertainment. Ongoing productions include An Evening Without Monty Python, starring Hank Azaria, Jane Leeves, Alan Tudyk, Rick Holmes, and Jim Piddock, Cinematic Titanic, a live version of Mystery Science Theatre 3000 by the original creators of the TV series, and Lewis Black's 9 city Dual Citizenship Tour in Canada! WestBeth wrapped Eddie Izzard's very successful 2008 American Tour STRIPPED that spanned 34 cities, with sold out performances from New York's Radio City Music Hall to LA's Kodak Center. Past productions have included the sold-out national tours of Eddie Izzard's Dress to Kill, Circle, and Sexie; Billy Connolly's Too Old To Die Young (North American Tour); Lewis Black's Nothing's Sacred (Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall) and Red, White and Screwed (NY City Center); The Family Guy Live (NY, Los Angeles, Chicago) and Wigfield featuring Stephen Colbert, Amy Sedaris, and Paul Dinello (Off-Broadway, National Tour); Write Aid benefiting the members of the Writers Guild of America, featuring Eddie Izzard, Patton Oswalt, Sarah Silverman, and Tenacious D: featuring Jack Black and Kyle Gass (Los Angeles); and Good Medicine benefiting the Solidarity Fund with the cast of Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice (Los Angeles). Not to mention, winding up 2007 with Margaret Cho's critically-acclaimed show The Sensuous Woman in New York and the Los Angeles presentation of Eric Idle's play What About Dick?

Dates/venues for John Leguizamo LIVE!
July 10 & 11: Long Wharf Theatre, 22 Sargent Drive, New Haven, CT
Performances 8:00 PM. Box Office (203) 787-4282.
http://www.longwharf.org/tickets/
July 14-8: Berkeley Theatre, 26 Berkeley Street, Toronto
Just For Laughs Comedy Festival (Toronto)
Performances 8:00 PM. Box Office (Ticketmaster Toronto) (416) 872-1111
http://www.ticketmaster.ca/search?tm_link=tm_homeA_header_search&q=john+leguizamo&search.x=0&search.y=0

July 23 & 24: The Lensic Performing Arts Center, 211 W. San Francisco St, Santa Fe, NM
Performances 8:00 PM. Box Office (505) 988-1234.
www.ticketssantafe.com
July 31 & August 1: Indiana Repertory Theatre, 140 W. Washington St, Indianapolis, IN
Performances 8:00 PM. Box Office (317) 635-5252.
www.irtlive.com

TICKETS ON SALE MONDAY, JUNE 15 AT 10:00 AM EST.
More dates and venues to be announced soon! For updates and more information, please visit www.JohnLeguizamo.com.