Carl Lumbly Stars in San Francisco Playhouse's THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT, Now thru 3/18

San Francisco Playhouse Bill English, Artistic Director and Susi Damilano, Producing Director start the new year off with a bang. Continuing the company's Tenth Season, now in their new venue at 450 Post Street, San Francisco Playhouse presents the West Coast premiere of the the raucous comedy,The Motherf**ker with the Hat, directed by Bill English. Press Opening is February 2nd.

Strap yourself in. This high-octane, verbal cage match about love, fidelity, and misplaced haberdashery comes straight from the playwright of Playhouse hits, Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train, Den of Thieves, and Our Lady of 121st Street. Jackie and Veronica have been in love since the eighth grade. Nothing can come between them. Except a hat.

Carl Lumbly* returns to San Francisco Playhouse (Sunset Limited, Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train) to star as drug and parole counselor Ralph D. Playhouse favorite, Gabe Marin* will costar along with Rudy Guerrero* and Margo Hall*.

The Motherf**cker With the Hat is the story of Jackie, a former drug dealer who has recently been released from prison. Although Jackie is clean, his girlfriend Veronica still uses drugs. When Jackie finds a strange hat in Veronica's apartment, he suspects his girlfriend is cheating and asks his drug counselor, Ralph D., for help. The Motherf**cker With the Hat originally opened on April 11, 2011, starring Bobby Cannavale as Jackie and Chris Rock as Ralph D.

Stephen Adly Guirgis (Playwright), the co-artistic director for the LAByrinth Theater Company in New York City, has a long-standing relationship with San Francisco Playhouse. His plays have been performed on five continents and throughout the United States. Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train, Our Lady of 121st Street, In Arabia We'd All Be Kings, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot and The Little Flower of East Orange were all produced by LAByrinth and directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Judas and Little Flower were co-productions with The Public Theater. Other plays include Den of Thieves, Race Religion Politics, Dominica: The Fat Ugly Ho and the upcoming Untitled/St. Paul play. Mr. Guirgus' plays have had UK and regional premieres at the Donmar Warehouse (Olivier nomination), the Almeida (directed by Rupert Goold), the Arts, the Hampstead, Edinburgh (Fringe First Award) and two Midwest premieres at Steppenwolf. Mr. Guirgis is a New Dramatists alumnus, MCC Playwrights and Ojai Playwrights member. His TV writing credits include NBC's "UC: Undercover," David Milch's CBS drama "Big Apple," "NYPD Blue" and "The Sopranos."

Carl Lumbly (Ralph D.) returns to San Francisco Playhouse and a collaboration with playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis having starred in Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train written by Guirgus and presented by The Playhouse in 2007. For this remarkable performance, he was honored with a San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award for Best Performance by an Actor. He was also featured in the 2010 San Francisco Playhouse production of Cormac McCarthy's Sunset Limited. Carl's most recent Bay Area stage appearance was in February/March 2012 for the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre production of Blue/Orange. From stage to screen, Carl Lumbly is an actor respected for his steadfast talent, versatility and class. His prolific career includes over 50 credits in television, film and the theatre and extensive critical acclaim. He recently had a recurring role on the TNT cop drama, "Southland," where he played a new police captain. Other notable television roles include his work for five seasons on "Alias," and in the hit TV series "Cagney and Lacey." Throughout his celebrated career, Mr. Lumbly has earned a variety of awards and nominations for his work. His extensive film feature credits include Men of Honor Everybody's All-American, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, South Central, Pacific Heights, To Sleep With Anger, The Bedroom Window, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai and Caveman. For television, he starred in "Color of Friendship," "Little Richard," "On Promised Land," "The Ditchdigger's Daughters," "Nightjohn," and "Sounder," ABC's telefilm remake of the 1972 classic. Mr. Lumbly also starred as the voice of action hero 'J'onn J'onzz/Martian Manhunter,' in the Cartoon Network's animated series "Justice League."

Gabriel Marin (Jackie) is delighted to return to The San Francisco Playhouse and to share the stage with Carl Lumbly as they did in Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train. Mr. Marin's other appearances with San Francisco Playhouse include Wirehead (Destry), Landscape of the Body (Raulito, Durwood), Bug (Peter), and Our Lady of 121st Street (Balthazar). His recent stage credits include Its a Wonderful Life (George) at Marin Theatre Company, The Understudy (Harry) at San Jose Rep, Rumors (Glenn) and Arms And The Man (Sergius) at Center REPertory Company. Locally Marin has appeared in over 40 Equity productions with various resident theater companies.

Bill English (Director, Artistic Director) has spent his life producing works of art. Bill is an accomplished singer, pianist and composer. He has acted in films, television and professional theater and is a member of all the performing unions. Bill's work in the theater has been recognized with numerous awards for acting, directing, sound and set design. Under Bill's leadership The San Francisco Playhouse, has earned multiple nominations and awards

The production runs tonight, January 29 to March 18, with the opening gala set for February 2nd at 8pm. All performances play the San Francisco Playhouse, 450 Post Street, 2nd Floor at Kensington Park Hotel, running Tues/Wed/Thur. 7 p.m., Friday & Sat 8 p.m., and Saturdays 3 p.m.

Box Office: For tickets ($30-$100) or more information, the public may contact The San Francisco Playhouse box office at 415-677-9596, or www.sfplayhouse.org.

Founded by Bill English and Susi Damilano in 2003, The San Francisco Playhouse has been described in the New York Times as "a company that stages some of the most consistently high-quality work around." Located right in the heart of the Union Square Theater District, The San Francisco Playhouse is the city's Off-Broadway company, an intimate alternative to the larger more traditional Union Square theater fare. The San Francisco Playhouse provides audiences the opportunity to experience professional theater with top-notch actors and world-class design in a setting where they are close to the action. The company has received multiple awards for overall productions, acting, and design including the SF Weekly Best Theatre Award and the Bay Guardian's Best Off-Broadway Theatre Award. Presenting a diverse range of plays and musicals, The San Francisco Playhouse produces new works as well as re-imagining classics, "making the edgy accessible and the traditional edgy." As the company marks its 10th anniversary with the launch of its 2012-2013 season in a new venue, The San Francisco Chronicle recently raved: "On the verge of opening its 10th season, the company that lived a hand-to-mouth existence for its first few years has become the little playhouse that could. It quickly established a reputation for attracting some of the Bay Area's best acting and directing talent, as well as for its exciting play choices. And with its bold Sandbox Series, it's become a player in developing new works as well." The San Francisco Playhouse is committed to providing a creative home and inspiring environment where actors, directors, writers, designers, and theater lovers converge to create works that celebrate the human spirit.

Pictured: Gabe Marin and Carl Lumbly. Photo by Lauren English.