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Falcon Theatre is proud to present Paul Miller's production of Wrap Your Heart Around It, written, composed and performed by Five-time Grammy nominaTed Nashville musician LynnMarie Rink. Produced by Emmy award winning producer/director Paul Miller and directed by the acclaimed Michael Kearns, with musical direction by Nashville recording artist Paul Carrol Binkley, Wrap Your Heart Around It won Best Production of the 2012 United Solo Theatre Festival in New York City and has been catching the attention of industry professionals and fans alike.
This powerful one-woman show chronicles the true story of LynnMarie Rink's life-long struggles with her father's alcoholism, her own religious beliefs, and eventually as the forty-year-old mother of a special needs child. "My hope," says LynnMarie, "is that my story, told with an entertaining approach, will provide encouragement to people facing issues like depression, being an adult child of an alcoholic, parenting a special-needs child and dealing with unexpected life challenges." Filled with inspiring humor and exciting musical performances, LynnMarie's story is one of triumph and acceptance.
The show will preview on Friday, July 19 at 8pm, opening on Friday, July 20 at 8pm and running through Sunday, August 11 at 7:30pm. Performances play Friday & Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 4pm & 7:30pM. Prices: Preview $27.00; Opening Night $43.00 - $48.00; Regular Performances $35.00 - $38.00; Student Rate(valid student ID) $27.00. All shows play at the Falcon Theatre, 4252 Riverside Dr., Burbank, Calif. For tickets, call (818) 955-8101 or visit FalconTheatre.com. Tickets go on sale June 21st.
LynnMarie Rink (Author/Composer/Performer) A Nashville based five-time Grammy nominated musician, LynnMarie started playing the accordion at the age of seven when she watched her father play and realized the power of music to lift people's spirits and bring joy in the midst of pain. "I learned to play the button accordion and began to work hard to change the impression that polka music was only played by portly old men in lederhosen." She has certainly done that. When Jay Leno brought her on the Tonight Show he introduced her as, "The Dixie Chick of Polka." LynnMarie has released thirteen recordings and has written, recorded and performed with legendary artists including Vince Gil, Chet Atkins, Ricky Skaggs and Willie Nelson. She and her husband Jim are proud parents of one son named James. This production of Wrap Your Heart Around It is LynnMarie's Los Angeles theatre debut.
Paul Miller (Producer) is a two time Emmy Award winning television producer/director whose credits include Saturday Night Live, In Living Color, The Tony Awards and The Country Music Awards. He has also produced and directed series and specials for stars including Carol Burnett, Kathy Griffin, and Lewis Black. Through his Production Company, RickMill Productions, Paul has executive produced and directed fifteen years of standup comedy series as well as specials for Comedy Central. "I have always been interested in theatre and in fact had visions of becoming an actor when I started my career. Producing this play has given me an opportunity to reconnect with an original passion. It has been a wonderful creative experience, and given me an opportunity to collaborate with some very talented people. I was very proud when Wrap Your Heart Around It won Best Production at the United Solo Theatre Festival in November 2012 so I couldn't wait to bring it to Los Angeles." Paul and his wife Shelley have two children, Trevor and Tess.
Michael Kearns (Director) Beginning in the early seventies with his appearance in the Los Angeles production of Tom Eyen's The Dirtiest Show In Town, Kearns has been a significant figure in the international world of art and politics. He has achieved international acclaim as a solo performer, and has directed the world premieres of Eric Bentley'sRound Two, Robert Chesley's Jerker, James Carroll Pickett's Bathhouse Benediction and the Off Broadway solo pieces, The Porcelain Penelope Freak Show and Elevator Sex. In addition to having more than a dozen plays produced he also co-wrote the screenplay of Nine Lives, based on his play, Complications. The author of six theatre books published by Heinemann, his most recent-The Drama of AIDS, My Lasting Connections with Two Plays that Survived the Plague-was released in the fall of '09 in conjunction with the 20th anniversary tour of Intimacies. Kearns is presently the Co-Artistic Director of the Skylight Theatre Company, and lives in Los Angeles with his daughter, filmmaker Katherine Kearns.
Paul Carrol Binkley (Musical Director) is a highly respected guitar specialist who has performed with a diverse group of artists including five years touring with country music superstars Alabama. Today he is an active member of the Nashville music community and performs regularly with the Nashville Symphony, the Nashville Jazz Orchestra and the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. Paul's theatre credits include the world premiere of Marvin Hamlisch's last musical, The Nutty Professor which was directed by Jerry Lewis. Mr. Binkley received his musical training at the Berklee College of Music where he received a Jim Hall Jazz Music Award. He resides in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Falcon Theatre is a 130-seat professional theatre that operates year-round in Burbank, California, built by Director/Writer/Producer Garry Marshall and his daughter Kathleen Marshall LaGambina. The Falcon opened in November of 1997 and launched its annual 5-play Subscription Series in 2002, currently produced by Kathleen and Sherry Greczmiel. Mr. Marshall founded the Falcon as a place where established artists and emerging talent can come together to create live, exciting work on stage.
