Ruskin Group Theatre Presents The World Premiere Of JESSE BOY, Opens 4/30

Ruskin Group Theatre is proud to present their second world premiere production during the 2010 season. Robert Mollohan's new play is a Southern Gothic tale of one family, trapped by its own tradition. An obsession with one of America's famous icons helps to lift their spirits, and to invest in the dream that American pop culture promises.

Karen Landry (Director) directed the West Coast premiere of Daisy Foote's When They Speak Of Rita at Pacific Resident Theatre, where she also directs Orson Bean every season in his adaptation of A Christmas Carol. Karen has often worked at South Coast Rep and San Jose Rep. At the Odyssey Theater she starred in Flags with Chris Mulkey, and performed in the play again Off Broadway at the 59E59 Theaters, where she also appeared in Pure Confidence. Karen became a member of the Guthrie Theater when she began her career and has performed in many of their productions including A Streetcar Named Desire, Arsenic and Old Lace, A Winter's Tale, and most recently in Frozen (as Nancy Shirley), and The Clean House (as Virginia). Film credits include roles in Sweetland, Peaceful Warrior, Shattered, Dragon Wars, Jimmy Zip, The Personals, as well as writing the film Patti Rocks. Television credits include Six Feet Under, The Division, The Practice, JAG, Beverly Hills 90291(as Hillary Swank's Mom), and as Myra White for three years on St Elsewhere. When not directing, Karen teaches acting for UCLA's Entertainment Studies.

RUSKIN GROUP THEATRE has been making an impact on the Los Angeles theatre scene with an eclectic mix of thought provoking plays and events. Their ‘Fostering Imagination' program sponsors foster kids in theatre & film classes that produce several original shows each year. The CAFÉ PLAYS, created by RGT are produced monthly and are the culmination of writers, actors, and directors who meet at 9am, where they are given a theme. They then write, produce, and perform a show by 7pm the same day. Recently celebrating their 6th anniversary, RGT supporters Ed Asner, Dylan McDermott, Chris Mulkey, Olivia d'Abo, and other industry celebrities joined to produce the Best of Café Plays (both shows sold out within hours). Anthony Hopkins and Anthony Franciosa were some of the Ruskin School of Theatre's first teachers.

Jesse Boy opens Friday, April 30th and runs through June 12, 2010 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm at Ruskin Group Theatre, 3000 Airport Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90405. Tickets are $20 ($15 for students, seniors, and guild members) and can be purchased in advance by calling (310) 397-3244. For more information please visit www.ruskingrouptheatre.com. Free parking is available at the theater.

Mike Myers (Producer) has produced more than 50 projects since 2002. He recently directed the world premiere of Digging Up Dad and the critically acclaimed production of Faithful at RGT. Mike is a co-creator of the Ruskin Group Theatre's well attended CAFÉ PLAYS, the monthly offering of one-acts that are done in 10 ½ hours from conception to staging.

JOHN RUSKIN (Artistic Director) helmed the critically acclaimed production of Strange Snow at RGT. His years of experience include studies at the Yale School of Drama, British American Drama Academy in Oxford, England, and the University of Colorado in Boulder. In New York, Ruskin joined the acting faculty of The Neighborhood Playhouse at the request of Sanford Meisner (who he then apprenticed with) before moving to Los Angeles where he founded his own school of acting and a professional theatre company. The company provides outreach programs to people in need with their "Healing Through the Arts" program.

Chris Mulkey (Red) is making his Ruskin Group Theatre acting debut, though he is well known for his contribution as a writer for many of the Cafe Plays. His latest credits include the Off Broadway production of Pure Confidence and Jane Martin's Iraq war drama Flags at the 59E59 Theaters. He has performed at South Coast Rep, and at the Mayfair Theater. Chris co-wrote and starred in Rodesia is Ready When You Are, winning two local Drama Awards. Chris performed at New York's Cafe LaMama in Megan Terry's, Comings and Goings. He was a company member and teacher at the Minneapolis Children's Theatre, where he performed in over forty plays. Chris has a recurring role in HBO's new series Boardwalk Empire, which premieres in August.

Robert Mollohan (Richy) appeared Off Broadway in the New York premieres of Hiding Behind Comets, Montezuma's Revenge, Games People Play, and Mudbird. Other stage credits include Woyzeck, Savage In Limbo, Boys' Life, A Trip Back Down, and Sharks. His Los Angeles stage credits include roles in Cowboy Mouth, The Last Days Of Judas Iscariot, and This Is Our Youth. Robert recently co-starred in the film Bowman, due for release this year. Other film appearances include roles in Southern Gentlemen, and What Men Talk About.

Jaimi Paige (Abigayle) starred as Miranda in the critically acclaimed production of The Collector (which extended three times, to play to a sold out theater) at RGT. She appeared in Ghosts at A Noise Within, Green Eyes and Adam and Eve on a Ferry at the Tennessee Williams Theatre Festival (Provincetown), Proposals at Old Log Theatre, a Midsummer Night's Dream, Tale of Two Cities, Romeo and Juliet, Enchanted April and The Violet Hour at Park Square Theatre, A Devil Inside, The Crucible, and Independence at Gremlin Theatre, and Hamlet and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead at Theatre Pro Rata. Film/TV credits include Peacock starring Cillian Murphey and Ellen Page, 2084 (coming 2010), Medium, Gigi 12x5, Diagnosis X, and Ghost Whisperer: The Other Side III.

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