'Now That She's Gone' To Be Presented At Fringe

EMP Theatricals presents NOW THAT SHE'S GONE, written & performed by Ellen Snortland, as part of the 2008 New York International Fringe Festival – FringeNYC. The production, presented at the SoHo Playhouse, is directed by John Mitchell, with choreography by Leanne Fonteyn. Lighting Design is by Jason Mullen, Sound Design by Ken Gruberman, with Ruth Silveira as Costume Consultant. Production Stage Manager is Becky Harrison.

NOW THAT SHE'S GONE is a tremendously personal, yet universal journey of self-discovery & parental relationships as seen through the filter of a feminist activist. Politics aside, the relationship of mother to daughter is explored in a real & grounded way that speaks to audiences of all backgrounds, political philosophies & cultures. The writing transcends the personal, making the show a feminist love letter to her mother, which also translates to anyone's relationship with their parents.

Ellen Snortland has her J.D. from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles & her B.A. in theatre & film from University of California, Irvine. She is a regular columnist for the Pasadena Weekly & a frequent contributor to Ms. Magazine. Ellen has been an NGO delegate to two major United Nations World Conferences: the Women's Conference in Beijing in 1995 & Conference against Racism in South Africa in 2001. The author of Beauty Bites Beast: Awakening the Warrior Within Women & Girls, Ms. Snortland is also directing a documentary by the same name.

John Mitchell has literally produced & directed hundreds of shows in Northern & Southern California, for over twenty years. His first professional experience in theatre was as Assistant to California Music Theater's Producing Director in Sacramento, followed by a stint as the youngest box office treasurer in the history of Sacramento Theatre Company. He served as Artistic Director for the Lambda Players, Artistic Director & Founder of Miracle Productions, Ltd. & as Production Stage Manager for Shakespeare in the Park, Sacramento. Most recently, John worked for three seasons as Producing Director of Sacred Fools Theater in Hollywood, where he produced the World Premiere of the Penn Jillette & Stephen Banks comedy Love Tapes & produced Bukowsical! in LA & at the New York International Fringe Festival.

 LA based choreographer Leanne Fonteyn has been dancing since the age of four, studying jazz, tap, ballet & modern with Fran Atlas-Lara, David Popalisky, Keith Banks, Joe Goode, Charlie McGowan, Bill Prudich, Terry Best, Eddie Garcia, Frank Williams & Irene Rubinsky, to name a few. She trained in Suzuki/Viewpoints with Burning Wheel/SITI in LA & was a featured performer in Bradford Mays' critically acclaimed production of The Bacchae & has been a proud member of Theatre of NOTE for over nine years, where she was on the Artistic/Management board for over three years, producing & performing. Leanne choreographed & performed  in 2001 with Opiate of the Masses Productions, thus beginning a long-running relationship with writer/composer Bill Robens & director Kiff Scholl. Leanne choreographed last year's Bukowsical! in LA & at the New York International Fringe Festival. Lighting Designer Jason Mullen has designed for both theatre & the special event market for nearly 20 years. Last year he was nominated for the Los Angeles Style Award's "Lighting Design of the Year" for his work on the Miami Vice premiere party. 

Last summer, Jason was the lighting designer for Bukowsical! in LA & at New York International Fringe Festival. Sound Designer Ken Gruberman has worked with some of the most respected film composers in Hollywood, including John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, George Fenton, Hans Zimmer, Alan Silvestri & Randy Newman. Ken has worked with composer Joseph Vitarelli on 18 different HBO projects, including the hit mini-series "John Adams." Collaborations include the Academy-award nominated documentary My Architect & "A Prince Among Slaves," for PBS; six Grammy awards: one for 1979's disco anthem I Will Survive, three for the last album from the great Ray Charles, Genius Loves Company in 2004 & two in 2006 for Stevie Wonder's Time 2 Love. Ken has worked with Barbra Streisand, Mason Williams, Henry Mancini, Dave Koz & David Benoit. He also worked with the Jackson 5 at the height of their career & collaborated with Michael Jackson on the music for his legendary performance on the NBC television special "Motown: Yesterday, Today & Forever."

 
EMP Theatricals is the creative collaboration of Producer/Director John Mitchell & Producer/Writer & PR Maven Penny Landau. Joined inexorably at the hip by their love of theatre & all things outside the box, their goal is to produce intelligent, articulate, thought provoking, meaningful & ever so humorous, original works on stage

DATES: Tues 8/12 @ @ 10pm, Wed 8/13 @ 5:15pm, Fri 8/15 @ 3pm,
Mon 8/18 @ 7pm & Fri 8/22 @ 5:30pm
THEATRE: SoHo Playhouse ~ 15 Vandam Street
TICKETS: $15
RESERVATIONS: (866)468-7619 www.FringeNYC.org