The Living Room Series

The LIVING ROOM SERIES is The Blank’s New Play Development Program. Since its inception in 1991, LRS has been giving artists of all levels an opportunity to grow and stretch their talents in a safe and nurturing environment.

Presented nearly every Monday night from Labor Day to Memorial Day, the Living Room Series presents new plays free to the public. These are “workshop” presentations and have a small rehearsal process.

They are not “readings” with actors getting one 2 hour rehearsal. These are “Workshops” which allow a rehearsal process and an opportunity for the playwright, director and actors to explore the material while putting it on its feet. They are simply staged, presented with “book in hand” (meaning actors carry scripts), and are a wonderful opportunity for audiences and the playwright to get a sense of the plays full presence and how it might be staged in a full production.

We have developed plays by well-established playwrights like Steven Sater (Tony Award winner for SPRING AWAKENING), Jonathan Tolins, Mark Saltzman, Michael John LaChiusa as well as hundreds of emerging playwrights.

The plays we have developed have gone onto Laguna Playhouse, Colony Theatre, Transport Group (NYC), Black Dahlia Theatre, Brideswell Theatre (London) among others.

The LIVING ROOM SERIES is also a Mainstage development tool for The Blank. Our Mainstage Productions of DICKIE & BABE, HEADS, A HOLE IN THE DARK, LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES, AS IS, FIRST LADY SUITE, PRECIOUS SONS, STARR STRUCK, BREAKING THE CODE, CHESS, THE CRADLE WILL ROCK, GERTRUDE STEIN & A COMPANION, and ISN’T IT ROMANTIC have all come out of LRS.

The Living Room Series takes place Monday nights 8pm at:

2nd Stage Theatre
6500 Santa Monica Blvd. (at Wilcox)
Hollywood CA 90038

For reservations please e-mail info@theblank.com

Suggested Donations Start at $10

How to submit plays for consideration for the LIVING ROOM SERIES

Upcoming in The Living Room Series:

Monday May 20th

At Stella Adler Theatre

6773 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA

JULIAN PO

Book & Lyrics by Andrew Barrett

Music by Ira Antelis

Directed by Kirsten Sanderson

Musical Director: Keith Harrison

Julian Po is a dark musical comedy about a mysterious man who is determined to end his life at the sea, until he finds himself stuck in the smallest, strangest town in middle America. While waiting for a connecting train, he makes friendships that start to sway him from his mission, with repercussions no one anticipated. This darkly humorous modern day myth is set to the quintessentially American sounds of pop, rock and bluegrass.

Starring

Robin Delano, Eddie Driscoll, Michael Stone Forrest, Sue Goodman, Laura Harrison, Ian Littleworth, Katherine McNamara, Joanna Pitt, German Santiago, A.J. Teich

Writer Bio

Andrew Barrett (Book & Lyrics) is a native New Yorker who completed his MFA at the Iowa Playwrights Workshop. Subsequently, he was selected by The Royal Court Theatre in London as the American playwright for their International Residency for Emerging Playwrights. His play “and/or” was presented in the New Works Now Festival at The Public Theater in NYC. That play was selected as the winner of Frank Basille Emerging New Playwright Competition at The Phoenix Theater in Indianapolis, IN. As a librettist, he wrote with his longtime composer/collaborator, Ira Antelis, “Julian Po" and they are currently developing a new musical based on the works of Kurt Vonnegut called "Between Time and Timbuktu." Andrew was on the writing staff for the Emmy and Golden Globe nominated Showtime series, “Sleeper Cell.” He developed and sold several original one-hour drama TV series with Mandalay Entertainment, Scarlett Fire and The Tommy Mottola Company. Andrew holds a BFA in musical theatre from The Boston Conservatory.

Ira Antelis (Music) has enjoyed 25 years of success as a composer and a music producer. He has written and produced songs for and worked with a wide array of artists such as Marc Anthony, Patti Labelle, B.B. King, Lifehouse, Etta James, Shawn Colvin, Cheap Trick, and many tribute records for the "House of Blues" label. He composed the music for many major ad campaigns for brands such as McDonald's, Allstate, and Gatorade, and also wrote the music for Disney's 50th anniversary "Remember the Magic," and their millennium celebration "Celebrate the Future." That song was sung by Enrique Iglesias and Christina Aguilera at the Super Bowl. Presently, his company Artists and Brands has partnered with McDonald's to find emerging new artists in a national talent competition. In addition, Ira co-founded "Music Dealers" which has become one of the top music licensing companies in the US and has deals with MTV and Coca Cola. Ira has written three stage musicals with his longtime collaborator Andrew Barrett including “Julian Po” and “In Sarajevo.” These works have been seen and lauded in New York, Chicago and Edinburgh, Scotland.