Katselas Theatre Co Extends Hermetically Sealed Thru 12.18

The Katselas Theatre Company will extend the performance schedule of this critically acclaimed world premiere production, spawned from their INKubator series. Now running through December 18th. LA Weekly - GO!

A stirring recipe of family secrets, raspberry tarts, and video games. The May family's daily routine helps them maintain a safe, isolated world where they can almost evade their unspeakable pain. This evening, however, their carefully balanced life may be undone.

KATHRYN GRAF (Playwright) started writing seven years ago when she wrote/performed the solo show Surviving David (Outstanding Solo Show Award, NYC Fringe Festival, 2100 Square feet), now optioned as a screenplay. She's written many stage and screenplays since: Poor Pretty Birds (Produced, Philipstown Depot Theatre, NY), The Stiff (Finalist, 2010 Tennessee Williams One-Act Competition; Tri-State Actors Theater's 2011 Reading Series). Screenplays, The Good Widow and She Woke Up (Honored, 2010 Writers' Digest Writing Competition). Kathryn is author of the children's book Always My Dad.

Joel Polis (Director) most recently directed Last Fling at the Hayworth Theater. At the Odyssey Theatre he staged Jerry Lambert's raucous comedy Straight Time and at the Lex Theater he directed Chuck Rose's So Near And Yet So Noir, both for Circus Theatricals. A USC and Yale Drama School graduate, he has worked with Tony Award winners Daniel Sullivan (as Cassius in Julius Caesar at The Old Globe), Marshall Mason (in Riga at the Inside the Ford, (Garland Award), and Jack O'Brien (in A Midsummer Night's Dream at The Old Globe). A veteran of the Off Broadway, Regional, and West Coast theater scenes, Joel appeared in productions such as Bach at Leipzig, Pound of Flesh (LADCC nomination for lead actor), Richard III, and The Cherry Orchard at the Odyssey. Joel was seen in Jane Anderson's award winning The Baby Dance (original production directed by Jenny Sullivan at the Pasadena Playhouse, Long Wharf, and Lucille Lortel theaters), Family Business at the Astor Place Theater, and Names at the Matrix Theater (Dramalogue Award), as well as his over 100 guest star credits on episodic TV and in numerous feature films.

HERMETICALLY SEALED opened October 22nd and runs Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm, Sundays at 7pm extending through December 18, 2011 (no performances 11/25-11/27). The Skylight Theatre is located at 1816 N. Vermont, LA, 90027. Tickets are $10-$29.99. Reservations: 702-KTC-TKTS (702-582-8587) or online at www.ktctickets.com

THE KATSELAS THEATRE COMPANY is widely respected for its history of developing artists (actors, musicians, writers, designers, and directors) while helping to create the next generation of theatre goers - thus its passion for new original plays that speak to today's audiences. In just the last two years KTC has produced ten World Premiere productions including 2010's staging of Influence, which garnered a Los Angeles Drama Critic's Circle nomination and two LA Weekly nominations (Best Play, Best Production). KTC believes in the importance of the artist in our community. Its programs, (INKubator, SoloMojo, KTC Playwrights Lab, KTC Kids, and New Voices), its workshops - even its main stage productions are designed to help the artist find their unique voice and achieve their vision....and audiences love it! All by itself, in just two small theatres, KTC's monthly INKubator series (launched Jan 2011) has premiered new works-in-progress by eleven musicians and more than twenty Los Angeles writers ages 17 to 80 for more than 860 audience members. Adding audience "chats" and quarterly follow-ups with the artists to monitor their progress; the entire venture has been an unqualified success.

GARY GROSSMAN (Producer/Artistic Director) started his career in New York at The Public Theatre, Café La Mama, and Sheraton Square Playhouse. He has produced over 300 stage plays, including more than 50 world premieres. Among his celebrated productions are Romeo and Juliet directed by Milton Katselas (3 LADCC Awards), Dylan (3 LADCC Awards), Dream Man, Lone Star, Balm In Gilead, Four, The Tenth Man, Visions and Lovers, Rabbit Hole, La Ronde De Lunch, Influence, and Mad Women. In addition to his work for the Katselas Theatre Company, Gary has produced for the prestigious Matrix Theatre Company, where he was associated with the celebrated productions The Homecoming, Endgame, and The Seagull. For television he co-produced Sadie and Son (CBS) and the sitcom pilot Man In The Kitchen (ABC). He is the Executive Producer for award-winning director Chuck Workman's documentary, The Actor's Life.

OUR ENSEMBLE INCLUDES:

Gigi Bermingham (Tessie) is a member of Antaeus, and has worked at NYSF, The Old Globe, Mainstreet, Rubicon, and B Street Theatre among others. She garnered the Ovation Award for Solo Performance and the LADCC Natalie Schafer Award for Non-Vital Organs, as well as a Garland Award for Tartuffe. TV credits include Amanda's fake mom on The Bachelor, London Calling and Dr. Lois Banks on Days of Our Lives." Selected film credits: Rob Reiner's Alex and Emma, and the upcoming Save the Date. Gigi is multilingual and has a cabaret act performed in French.
JULIA PRUD'HOMME (Dale Jr.)?has appeared in the title role of Judith, A Parting From The Body, as Frigga Brenda Nordic Superwoman in Alceste, Rosie in Famine Plays (Theatre of NOTE), and Brigitte Bardot in Hotel Bardot (Padua Playwrights). NYC credits include Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing (Gorilla Rep), Miriam in The Marble Faun (The Culture Project) and numerous shows with Ripe Time. Regional work includes Camino Real, Taming Of The Shrew, The Maids (Williamstown Theatre Co), Macbeth (Intiman Theatre), Jodie's Body (Sacramento Theatre Company) and many projects with the Annex Theatre. Julia was seen in the films Julie & Julia, Disposable, Lossed, Scream Of The Bikini and in the TV series Without A Trace, The Office, and Scandal.

BRENDAN PATRICK CONNER (Dale Sr.) is a member of the Beverly Hills Playhouse. Brendan co-wrote and co-starred in the Off-Broadway hit Who Killed Woody Allen? In LA, he was a member of the Elephant Theater Company. He has been seen in Spider Man 2 and Evan Almighty. Television credits include: Desperate Housewives, Two and a Half Men, ER, Sex and the City, and True Blood.

NICHOLAS PODANY (Conor) is a sophomore at Brentwood School. He appeared earlier this year with Hal Linden and Christina Pickles in On Golden Pond at the Colony Theatre. Previous roles include Buddy Layman in The Diviners at Theatre Palisades and Richie in 13, The Musical at the Norris Theatre. Nicholas writes and records songs (playing guitar, bass, piano, and drums) and creates music videos under the name Across Coves. He is also a tap dancer with the advanced performance group at the Colburn School.

WOLFIE TRAUSCH (Jimmy) makes his KTC debut in this world premiere production. Recent credits include the teen comedy film Barely Legal, the Russian Miniseries, Alien Persona, and the National Geographic movie Party Like an Emperor.