Michael Matthews to Helm TWELVE ANGRY MEN at Laguna Playhouse This Fall

Laguna Playhouse has announced the third show in the Laguna Playhouse 2017-2018 and 97th season, TWELVE ANGRY MEN, written by Reginald Rose and directed by Ovation Award-winning director Michael Matthews.

"We are so excited to be presenting this classic of the American theatre on our stage. Our subscribers and audiences are going to experience this timeless play at a time that will feel more relevant than ever," comments Laguna Playhouse Executive Director Ellen Richard.

Adds Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham "We are so honored to be presenting thirteen of Southern California's finest actors in this production. We are particularly thrilled to have the inspired direction of Michael Matthews leading this courtroom."

TWELVE ANGRY MEN will begin previews on Wednesday, October 4; will open on Sunday, October 8 at 5:30pm and will run through Sunday, October 22, 2017 at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.

Be part of the courtroom action in this classic drama in which 12 jurors decide the fate of a young man accused of murder. What will the verdict be? Find out in this suspenseful thriller that pits passionate jurors against one another in a timely, timeless and bold examination of the American justice system.

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM:

Michael Matthews (Director) is thrilled to be returning to Laguna Playhouse after directing last season's Billy and Ray. Other credits include: Failure, a Love Story (Ovation Award, Director; LA Premiere and it's remount at The Kirk Douglas Theatre), Bootycandy (LA Premiere), Sons of the Prophet (L.A. Premiere) Psyche (World Premiere), Peter Pan; the Boy Who Hated Mothers (LA Weekly Nom, Director), Rabbit Hole (La Mirada), Funny Girl (Ovation Nom, Director), Very Still and Hard To See (LA Weekly Nom, Director; World Premiere), The Color Purple, The Musical (Ovation and LA Weekly Awards, Director), What's Wrong With Angry? (Ovation Nom, Director), Take Me Out! (Ovation Nom, Director; NAACP Award, Director) The Women of Brewster Place, the Musical (Ovation Nom, Director; NAACP Award, Director), The Bacchae (Ovation Nom, Director), Beautiful Thing (Ovation Nom, Director). Michael is the recipient of the 2015 LA Drama Critics Circle Award for Career Achievement in Direction.

Reginald Rose (Playwright) is best known for writing Twelve Angry Men. The play was inspired by Rose's own stint on jury duty in the Foley Square courthouse in New York in 1954. Rose stood out among writers in television's golden age for his willingness to tackle social and political issues. He won an Emmy Award in 1954 for best written dramatic material for the original television version of "Twelve Angry Men" and received a nomination for an Academy Award in 1957 for the screenplay of the film version, which he produced with Henry Fonda, who was also the star. The movie was also nominated for best picture. Rose also won two Emmy Awards for ''The Defenders,'' a series about a father-and-son lawyer team who took on morally complex cases, sometimes involving the issues of abortion, euthanasia and blacklisting. In total, Rose won three Emmys and was nominated for a total of six. Other plays Rose wrote include The Bus to Nowhere, 12:32 A.M., An Almanac of Liberty and Crime in the Streets. Rose died in 2002 at the age of 82.

The cast of TWELVE ANGRY MEN will feature (in alphabetical order): Andy Barnicle (Fallen Angels, Laguna Playhouse), Daniel Berlin (Hairspray, Laguna Playhouse), Richard Burgi ("The Sentinel," "Desperate Housewives"), John Colella (Revolver at Celebration Theatre, Niagara Falls at Theatre of NOTE), Rick Cosnett ("The Flash," Take Me Out at Celebration), Seamus Dever ("Castle"), Matthew Henerson (Ah, Wilderness at A Noise Within), Mueen Jahan (Bombay Dreams on Broadway, Homedody/Kabul at Mark Taper Forum), John Massey (The Odd Couple at Laguna Playhouse), David Nevell (Peter and the Starcatcher, Arms and the Man at South Coast Rep), Erik Odom ("Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2, " The Nibroc Trilogy at the Rubicon Theatre), Dennis Renard (Othello and Proof at UCLA) and Tony Sancho (Hephaistos at the Getty Villa).

The Scenic Design is by Stephen Gifford. The Lighting Design is by Tim Swiss. The Costume Design is by Kate Bergh. The Production Stage Manager is Vernon Willett.

This season is generously underwritten by The Hale Family. TWELVE ANGRY MEN is produced by Laura and Louis Rohl. Additional Season Sponsors are South Coast Plaza, Haskell White, Surterre Properties, Bodhi Leaf Coffee Traders, Gelson's, and Nolet's Silver Dry Gin.

TWELVE ANGRY MEN will begin previews on Wednesday, October 4; will open on Sunday, October 8 at 5:30pm and will run through Sunday, October 22, 2017 at the LagunaPlayhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.

Performances will be Tuesdays through Saturdays at 7:30pm; Thursdays and Saturdays at 2pm & 7:30pm; Sundays at 1pm. There will no Thursday performances on Thursday, October 12 at 2pm. There will be additional Sunday performance on Sunday, October 15 at 5:30pm.

Tickets range from $45 - $80 and can be purchased online at www.lagunaplayhouse.com or by calling (949) 497-ARTS (2787). Group discounts are available by calling 949-497-2787 ext. 229. Prices subject to change. The box office is open Mondays - Saturdays: 11a.m. to 5 p.m. (open until showtime on performance days); Sundays: 11a.m. - 4p.m.

For more information on all shows and programming visit www.lagunaplayhouse.com. Laguna Playhouse is located at 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.

Founded in 1920, the historic Laguna Playhouse is one of the oldest continuously-operating not-for-profit theatres on the West Coast and is proud to be an active participant in the celebrated Laguna Beach arts community. From classic plays and musical comedies to the current off-Broadway smash, cutting edge and traditional music exhibitions, dance festivals and stand-up comedy performances, Laguna Playhouse brings the magical experience of the performing arts direct to over 80,000 patrons each season.

Laguna Playhouse educational programming includes year-round classes, productions by and for children and teens (Youth Theatre) and is one of the few companies in the region that offer a curriculum-based professional theatre-touring program, TheatreReach, which aligns with the California State Standards for literature, history and performing arts curriculum.

Laguna Playhouse has been recognized in 2016 and 2015 as one of Orange County Register's "Best of OC" in the category of Live Theatre, and has been recognized by OC Hotlist in their "Best Theatre Group" winning first place in 2017 and 2016. The Laguna Playhouse has featured many talented performers on stage, including Ed Asner, Leslie Caron, Hershey Felder, Harrison Ford, Val Kilmer, Gregory Harrison, Dan Lauria, Hal Linden, Wendie Malick, Rita Rudner, Charles Shaughnessy, French Stewart, Loretta Swit, and Bette Davis.

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