Ruskin Group Theatre In Santa Monica Presents A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, August 18

Ruskin Group Theatre presents Arthur Miller's  “A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE” starring Ray Abruzzo, opening Friday, August 18, 2023.

Unveiling the gripping complexities of Arthur Miller's Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Olivier Award-Winning story, the action is set in 1950s Brooklyn, near the docks. This timeless masterpiece serves as a powerful exploration of human nature, examining the fragility of relationships, the complications of love, and the devastating impact of unresolved conflicts. The play revolves around Eddie Carbone, a longshoreman whose life unravels when his niece falls for an immigrant. Through its compelling characters and thought-provoking themes, the story exposes the dark underbelly of a tightly-knit community struggling with its own demons, ultimately leading to a haunting climax.

Arthur Miller (Playwright / October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was born in New York and studied at the University of Michigan. He received his first Pulitzer Prize for All My Sons when it opened on Broadway in 1947. Other career accolades include a Tony Award for Death of a Salesman, The Jerusalem Prize, and the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize. Throughout his long career he wrote 37 plays, as well as numerous screenplays, such as “The Misfits,” (starring his wife Marilyn Monroe), radio plays, fiction, and non-fiction. Known for his political views and his stand before the House of Un-American Activities Committee, Miller is widely considered to be one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century.

Miller's interest in writing about the world of the New York docks originated with an unproduced screenplay that he developed with Elia Kazan in the early 1950s (titled The Hook) that addressed corruption on the Brooklyn docks. Kazan later directed “On the Waterfront,” which dealt with the same subject. First staged as a one-act verse drama with A Memory of Two Mondays at the Coronet Theatre on Broadway, Arthur Miller subsequently revised the play to contain two acts, which premiered in the New Watergate theatre club in London's West End under the direction of Peter Brook on October 11, 1956. Over the past 70 years A View from the Bridge has received numerous accolades, including Tony Awards, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle, and Olivier Award for Best revival.

Mike Reilly (Director) has helmed several productions at the Ruskin Group Theatre over the last eighteen years. Credits include Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman starring Rob Morrow, Martin McDonagh's The Lonesome West, Steve Mazur's Bad Habits, starring Orson Bean and Ally Mills, Sam Shepard's Cowboy Mouth, Lee Blessing's Down the Road, and Kenneth Lonergan's Lobby Hero. Mike is involved in the development of new works at the Ruskin, overseeing the Playwright's Lab.  

Cast: Ray Abruzzo* (Eddie), Kim Chase* (Beatrice), Aurora Leonard* (Catherine), Brandon Lill* (Rudulpho), Jesse Janzen (Marco), Sal Viscuso* (Alfieri), Kevin Alain (Louis), Jamie Daniels (Mike), Aaron Marshall (Tony/Second Immigration Officer), Nicole Millar (Mrs. Lipar), Jeff Prater (First Immigration Officer).

Creative Team: Stephanie Kerley Schwartz (Scenic Design), Edward Salas (Lighting and Sound Design), Michael Mullen (Costume Design), Mary Unruh (Dialect & Speech Coach), Paul Ruddy (Casting). John Ruskin (Artistic Director/Producer), Michael Myers (Managing Director/Producer).

Ruskin Group Theatre launched the Los Angeles premiere of Todd Kreidler's adaptation on the screenplay of William Rose's Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (extended for three months), and the world premieres of Rex Pickett's Sideways the Play, picked up by La Jolla Playhouse (directed by Des McAnuff), and subsequently moved to London's West End; Paradise: A Divine Bluegrass Musical Comedy which was later produced by the Austin Playhouse in 2019 with the Ruskin cast, and The Alamo, now scheduled for regional productions. Ruskin's Healing Through the Arts program brings their actors into Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, where they are working with the Chase Child Life Program, to work with and entertain the patients. The CAFE PLAYS, created by RGT, are produced and now celebrating their 12th anniversary. RGT supporters Dylan McDermott, Ed Asner, and other industry celebrities joined to produce the Best of Café Plays (both shows sold out within hours) for their 10th season. Anthony Hopkins, David Mamet, Ed Asner, Ed O'Neill, and Jim Belushi are just some of the noted guests to have taught Master classes at the Ruskin.

“A View from the Bridge” opens at 8pm Friday, August 18 and runs 8pm Fridays and Saturdays, 2pm on Sundays through October 8, 2023. Ruskin Group Theatre is located at 3000 Airport Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90405. Tickets: $25 - $35 (Seniors/Students/Guild $5 off ticket price) and can be purchased in advance at www.ruskingrouptheatre.com or by calling (310) 397-3244. Free parking available on site.

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