WORLD PREMIERE OF "GOD SAVE GERTRUDE," A PUNK ROCK RIFF ON "HAMLET," OPENS OCTOBER 10 AT BOSTON COURT
PASADENA, Calif., September 11, 2009 – The Theatre @ Boston Court presents "God Save Gertrude," a World Premiere play with songs, written by Deborah Stein with original music by David Hanbury and lyrics written by Stein and Hanbury. Directed by The Theatre @ Boston Court Co-Artistic Director Michael Michetti, the play opens October 10 on the Main Stage at Boston Court Performing Arts Center, 70 North Mentor Avenue in Pasadena.
"God Save Gertrude" is a punk rock riff on "Hamlet." Set in an abandoned theater, Queen Gertrude takes to the stage and sings about her many loves and many mistakes while angry crowds gather outside and her country simmers in a volatile state of transition. As bombs rain down and her coked-up son sells out to MTV, Gertrude hopes to incite one last riot before she goes.
"God Save Gertrude" features Steve Coombs, Troian Bellisario, James Horan and Jill Van Velzer as Gertrude.
Van Velzer recently originated the role of Diana Bateman in the world premiere of the London-bound musical "Lend Me a Tenor" at the Tony-Award winning Utah Shakespearean Festival. She has performed regionally and locally at Performance Riverside, the Laguna Playhouse and South Coast Repertory.
Coombs played the lead in Boston Court's "A Picture of Dorian Gray" and has since appeared in productions at the Pasadena Playhouse and A Noise Within. Bellisario recently performed in "Farragut North" at the Geffen Playhouse and will be seen in the upcoming film "Peepworld." Horan was recently seen in Ray Bradbury's "Falling Upward" at El Portal, performed in "Richard III" at the Mark Taper Forum, and has numerous guest starring roles on television.
Production staff for "God Save Gertrude" includes Rob Oriol, musical director and sound designer, Susan Gratch, set designer, Soojin Lee, costume designer, Steven Young, lighting designer, Jason H. Thompson, video designer, Nick Santiago, props master and designer, Courtney Harper, assistant director, Michael Donovan, casting director, and Susan Coulter, stage manager.
Stein's plays include "Wallflower," "Bone Portraits," "The Aerodynamics of Accident," and "Natash and the Coat." Her work has been produced and developed nationally at Actors' Theatre of Louisville, the Guthrie, Seattle Rep, Stages Rep, the Women's Project, the Wilma Theatre, Azuka Theatre Company, Live Girls!, and Theatre Artaud; in New York at the Public Theatre, Dance Theatre Workshop, and Ars Nova; and internationally in Poland, Ireland, Edinburgh and Prague. She has collaborated with the Pig Iron Theatre Company on seven new works, most recently "Welcome to Yuba City," premiering in the 2009 Live Arts Festival. She is a co-producing director of the Workhaus Collective and a member of New Dramatists.
Hanbury is an actor, writer, composer and musician whose work in New York includes "Stairway to Hell" (Project 400), "Lost Box of Utopia" (Mabou Mines), and "Cokey Gets Caught" (Art Attacks Puppetry Slam). Regional work includes: "Rock n Roll the Reunion Tour" (performer and co-creator), "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" (Hedwig), "A Christmas Carol" (Marley) at Actors Theater of Louisville, "Richard II", "Henry IV" and "Henry V" at Trinity Repertory Company, and "Personal Instrument" at The Theater Offensive (Boston).
Michetti has directed at Boston Court: Jason Grote's "1001," Carlos Murillo's "dark play or stories for boys," Eric Whitacre's "Paradise Lost: Shadows & Wings," his own adaptation of Oscar Wilde's "A Picture of Dorian Gray," Sinan †nel's "Pera Palas," Charles L. Mee's "Summertime," and "Romeo and Juliet: Antebellum New Orleans, 1836." He has also directed "Man of La Mancha" and "Li'l Abner" for Reprise Theatre Company.
Boston Court Performing Arts Center's executive director is Michael Seel and the managing director is Hilary Metcalf. Michetti and Jessica Kubzansky are the co-artistic directors of The Theatre @ Boston Court.
"God Save Gertrude" previews for six performances beginning October 1, opens October 10 and runs Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through November 8. Preview tickets are priced at $17 and regular performances at $32. Senior and student discounts are also available. Tickets can be purchased online at bostoncourt.org or by calling (626) 683-6883. Boston Court Performing Arts Center is located one block north of Colorado at the corner of Mentor Ave. and Boston Ct.
"God Save Gertrude" is supported in part by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, Founding Director Z. Clark Branson, and the generous contributions of Boston Court Performing Arts Center patrons. The Theatre @ Boston Court is a 501c3 non-profit organization.
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For reservations to Press Night, Saturday, October 10, 8 pm, contact: sandy@aldrichpr.com