RUNT OF THE LITTER Closes Feb. 21 at Civic Center

RUNT OF THE LITTER Closes Feb. 21 at Civic Center's Temple Theater.

RUNT OF THE LITTER is, in fact, a semiautobiographical account of Bo Eason's life and career as a defensive back for the Houston Oilers in the 1980s, where he played safety. His determination and killer instincts on the playing field remain the stuff of legend. His brother, Tony Eason was the quarterback who led the New England Patriots to the Super Bowl in 1986.

RUNT OF THE LITTER debuted in New York in 2002 and has subsequently been performed by Bo Eason at theatres around the country. The play is being produced Off-Broadway by Tom Quinn, Peter Fitzgerald, Larry Safir, Dawn Eason and Forbes Candlish.

After retiring from football, Eason pursued his lifelong interest in becoming an actor, appearing in the film "Pride and Glory" opposite Edward Norton and Colin Farrell, as well as in "A Bright Shining Lie," "ER," and "Boston Grace." In addition to writing RUNT OF THE LITTER - now being developed as a major motion picture to be directed by Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption) - Eason was hired by Leonardo DiCaprio to write a screenplay based on the 1924 Olympic rugby team.

DiCaprio - who sought Eason for the screenwriting job after seeing a performance of RUNT OF THE LITTER - is just one of many notable people who have seen Mr. Eason's play and been moved by it: actors, directors, producers such as Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tobey Maguire, Mariska Hargitay, Rosie O'Donnell, Cynthia Nixon, Sandra Oh, Amanda Peete, Maria Bello, Carla Gugino, Twyla Tharp, Ulu Grosbard, Emanuel Azenberg and football stars like Warren Moon and Bruce Matthews have praised the work and Mr. Eason's performance.

Director Larry Moss developed and directed the internationally-acclaimed, award-winning solo play The Syringa Tree, the recent RFK, Beast on the Moon and Who is Floyd Stearn? Off-Broadway. His book on acting, "The Intent to Live," was published in 2002 by Bantam/Dell. He has coached such actors as Helen Hunt in the film "As Good as it Gets," Hilary Swank in "Million Dollar Baby" and "Boys Don't Cry," Michael Clarke Duncan in "The Green Mile," Leonardo DiCaprio in "Blood Diamond," "The Aviator" and "The Departed," and Hank Azaria in "Tuesdays with Morrie."

The Civic Center of Greater Des Moines
The Civic Center of Greater Des Moines is a private not-for-profit corporation celebrating over 30 years of presenting the performing arts to Iowa and the surrounding states. It is the presenter of major Broadway and educational touring companies, performers and groups, and is the performing home of many local and regional groups, including the Des Moines Symphony and StageWest. All performances of the Broadway Series are supported by Willis Auto Campus. All performances at the Civic Center's Temple Theater are supported by Prairie Meadows. All performances of the Family Series are supported by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

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