'Earth Sucks' to Premiere at Art/Works Theatre Starting 10/4

When a renegade Earth girl falls for a fugitive alien lead singer, their love - and their music - are all that stand between an evil pop diva and the destruction of the universe. Get ready for the Intergalactic Premiere of the hilarious, touching rock musical 'Earth Sucks,' with book, music and lyrics by Jonas Oppenheim. The "stellar" cast features Emily Stern, Nakia Syvonne, Lucas Revolution, Christopher Fairbanks, Alicyn Packard, Jennifer Fenten and Scott Palmason. The spaced-out aliens are luminaries from the L.A. music scene: Rawn Erickson II, John Hanson, Duncan Mackay and PJ Wyderka. Cosmically off-beat, Earth Sucks opens Saturday, October 4 and continues through November 2 at Art/Works Theatre on Santa Monica Boulevard's Theater Row.

Everything sucks for Earth teen Echo Bell: school, the mall, her rocker boyfriend, her missing mom, her distant dad. Echo dreams of touring the galaxy with an alien rock and roll band. It so happens that one such band is heading for Earth in their psychedelic space bus. They are fleeing Grace Jones-esque pop queen Ulinia Swords. Ulinia has enslaved their home planet with a song so catchy that once you hear it, you can never get it out of your head.

'Earth Sucks' is the brain-spawn of Santa Monica native Jonas Oppenheim, an award-winning playwright and artistic director of an anonymous guerrilla theater company that produces site-specific political comedies and workshops.

"I love astronomy and I love rock and roll," laughed Oppenheim, who wrote the play's irreverent score while playing in his former New York-based band, 'The What.'  "It was time to try something different."

"I went to a reading of 'Earth Sucks' last November and fell in love with it as soon as I heard the first song," said Rick Ross, co-owner of L.A.-based record label Delicious Vinyl, who immediately signed on to produce alongside activist-attorney Joel Farkas (Combatants for Peace). "Jonas is a unique storyteller with a sweet sensibility and great musical taste. His work reminds me of the funniest scenes in a Mel Brooks film."

Agrees Farkas, "I enjoy that 'Earth Sucks' has important ideas that are conveyed in humor and song. This play takes you so many places, and they're all places you want to go."

Oppenheim has written and directed over 20 productions that have played in New York, Los Angeles and around the country. He was the recipient of the John Golden Playwriting Award for his play 'The Foul Stench of Death' and was the winner of the Peterson Emerging Playwright Competition for 'The Clown Family Murders.' His work received special recognition from the LA Weekly and has been discussed in Theatre Journal and in the annual Theater Special of Time Out New York. A graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts Department of Dramatic Writing, he is also a guest artist and teacher with the Virginia Avenue Project, which uses the arts to help at-risk youth realize their potential.

The creative team for 'Earth Sucks' includes Vocal Direction by Normandie Wilson; Choreography by Reed Farley and Gustine Fudickar; Set Design by Mel Horan; Lighting Design and Technical Direction by Cris Capp; Sound Design by Tim Boyce; and Costume Design by Arianna Pistilli. The Production Stage Manager is Rachel Wohlander, assisted by Jessica Wohlander. Joel Farkas and Rick Ross produce for Citizens of Earth Productions.

Performances of Earth Sucks take place Fridays & Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 7 pm, October 4 though November 2. Tickets are $25 general admission and $15 for students and seniors. Four previews are scheduled September 26 through October 3. Tickets to previews are $15.

Art/Works Theatre is located at 6569 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood (at Seward Ave., between Highland and Cahuenga). Art/Works is air-conditioned and wheelchair accessible. For reservations and information, call (323) 960-7744 or www.earthsucksmusical.com.

 

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