NO HOMO to Present Industry Reading as Guest Presentation at Kirk Douglas Theatre, 12/8

It was announced today that a newly revised draft of Brandon Baruch's play NO HOMO will be presenting an industry reading as a guest at the Kirk Douglas Theatre on December 8th at 8pm. The reading will be directed by Jessica Hanna and produced by Max Oken.

NO HOMO tells the tale of Luke and Ash, two 20-something Los Angeles urbanites who identify as heterosexual, even though their friendship is totally gay. Their friends and family refuse to acknowledge the platonic nature of their relationship, and eventually the men themselves start to question their own sexual identities, leading to a drunken evening that their friendship might not survive.

Michael Lutheran (recently seen in Trainspotting at The Elephant Theater and Richard III at Archway Studio/Theatre) will be joining the production in the role of Luke, a computer programmer in the throes of an identity crisis. Lauren Flans (company member of "Lost Moon Radio" and recurring cast member on MTV's "Nick Cannon Presents: Wild 'N Out") will join the cast as Luke's sister, Chrissy, a brash and brassy animal activist who loves bacon and hates closets.

Reprising their award-winning performances from the Hollywood and New York productions are Jonny Rodgers as Ash, Luke's best friend and confidant; AJ Jones as Serge, Ash's emotionally distant gay brother; Henry McMillan as Kris, Serge's spicy WeHo Royalty boyfriend; and Elizabeth Ellson as Babette, Luke's hapless new girlfriend who has a history of dating men who like men.

Playwright Brandon Baruch explains his inspiration for writing the play: "Growing up in and around West Hollywood, my sexual orientation has never been a big part of my identity. I feel like most LGBT theater, film, and literature concentrates on the characters' struggles to create an identity and find acceptance. But that's simply not my experience. NO HOMO is less about the struggle to accept one's sexual identity than it is about the quest to understand one's sexual identity. It also validates my theory that a person doesn't have to be homosexual to be really, really gay."

Theater in the Now extolled "NO HOMO is one of those plays that in the right hands is not only a wonderful piece to watch but an incredible script for actors to explore. With an exceptional cast and an accurately poignant story, NO HOMO is certainly a highlight of this year's FringeNYC."

And Colin Mitchell of Bitter Lemons wrote "NO HOMO is deft, nuanced, personal, complex, funny and moving... a true romantic comedy with heart, wit, and something to say. The crystal clear gem-like precision of director Jessica Hanna... is simply superb."

NO HOMO is Brandon Baruch's fourth play to be work shopped in the Hollywood Fringe Festival. His last play, Me Love Me, was also selected as an official participant in the 2013 New York International Fringe Festival, where it was lauded by critics as "a smart, satirical look at the moments of human crisis that erupt in the haze of LA drug culture" and "funny and disturbing, as it steers us down paths that make the viewers shift in their seats."

Director Jessica Hanna is a Los Angeles based theater artist. She is Co-Founder, Producing & Managing Director of Bootleg Theater. She has directed at various spots around town including Abundant Sugar at the Brewery and at Occidental College, where she first met playwright Brandon Baruch. She has produced over 100 productions and events at Bootleg since 2006. She was last seen on stage in Jami Brandli's SOE in March 2013. Her work is influenced by over 10 years of training and working with Anne Bogart and the SITI Co. She holds a BFA in Acting from DePaul University. She produced Michael Franco's THE INTERVIEW at last year's Hollywood Fringe Festival.

NO HOMO sold out its extended run in the 2014 Hollywood Fringe Festival and swept the Hollywood Fringe Festival Closing Night Awards, winning The Golden Elephant Award for Golden Playwright (Brandon Baruch); the Ezra Buzzington Spirit of the Fringe Award for Best Director (Jessica Hanna); the Fringe Freak Award for Best in Ensemble Theater; the Fringe Freak Award for Fringe First - Best World Premiere; and garnering nominations for The Golden Elephant Award for Golden Production; The O-Face Award for Most org*smic Playwright (Brandon Baruch); The Ezra Buzzington Spirit of the Fringe Award for Best Playwright (Brandon Baruch); and The Fringe Freak Award for Top of Fringe.

NO HOMO will be presented an industry reading December 8th, 8pm, at The Kirk Douglas Theatre as a part of its 2015 remount.

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