49TH PARELLEL THEATRE & OPEN AT THE TOP Productions
at the NOHO ARTS CENTER
presents
ZASTROZZI
Written by George F. Walker

           Directed by Sara Botsford & Chris (CB) Brown
                                
OPENS SATURDAY, JULY 18
AT THE NOHO ARTS CENTER IN NORTH HOLLYWOOD!

June 23, 2008…North Hollywood…49TH Parallel Theatre and Open at the Top productions presents ZASTROZZI, written by George F. Walker and directed by Sara Botsford & Chris (CB) Brown. ZASTROZZI will preview on Thursday, July 10; Friday, July 11; Saturday, July 12 at 8pm; Sunday, July 13 at 3pm; Thursday, July 17 at 8pm and will open on Friday, July 18 at 8pm, and will run through Sunday, August 24 at the NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd. (at Lankershim) in North Hollywood.

Gypsies, Tyrants and Thieves! All are brought to dazzling life in this swashbuckling, philosophical romp
 through the dark side.  Zastrozzi is a thrilling black comedy with a mission. The ageless debate of good versus evil, sex versus love, power versus piety, all covered at a galloping pace in this gothic spectacle of one man's search for truth.

Zastrozzi is all about heroes and villains, grand gestures and great loves. Above all it's about our common love - and need - for drama that's larger than life; for outsized personalities treading boldly across life's glorious stage.

This exciting production is being brought to you by the multi-award-winning Open At the Top theatre, company, who’s most recent productions include Pest Control, Departures, Feed, Bush is Bad, Elizabeth Rex, and by 49th Parallel (winner of 3 LA Weekly awards for their production of Palace of the End). The play, originally set in 1893, is being updated to Vienna in 1948 (with permission of the author) and done in a film noir style.

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM

GEORGE F. WALKER (Playwright) is a prolific and popular Canadian playwright and screenwriter whose works have been performed all over he world. Best known for his black comedies, he has been honored with many awards including two governor General Awards for drama, four Dora awards for playwriting, and six Chalmers awards for artistic excellence. He has also written for television, including the series “Due South,” “The Newsroom,” and “This is Wonderland.”  In 2006 he was named a member of the Order of Canada Theatre company whose mandate is to bring new and internationally recognized Canadian playwrights to Los Angeles, and who produced and directed the critically acclaimed Palace of the End, by Judith Thompson, as well as The Drawer Boy by Michael Healy.

SARA BOTSFORD & CHRIS (CB) BROWN (Directors) are the artistic directors of 49th Parallel Theatre.

SARA BOTSFORD, (Co-Director) Originally from Northern Canada, Sara has been a professional actress for 35 years, in both Canada, and the U.S. In the last few years she has turned to directing, and writing, both in film and on stage. Theatre highlights: The Real Thing, (Broadway and National Tour, dir. Mike Nichols), Romeo and Juliet, (Ahmandson Theatre, LA, dir. Sir Peter Hall) Blithe Spirit, Pasadena Playhouse, Top Girls, (Obie award Public Theatre, NY), Private Lives and Present Laughter opposite Brian Bedford, three seasons at the Stratford Festival, The Royal Family, dir. Susan Stroman. Television highlights include “SOPHIE,” currently shooting it’s second season, and soon to appear on ABC Family; the long running multiple award winning Canadian series “E.N.G,” (Gemini Award best actress), “The Lot,” (AMC), the highly-acclaimed Canadian mini series, “The Arrow,” with Dan Akyroyd, (best supporting actress nomination,) as well as a myriad of guest stars on U.S. prime time, including: “Medium,” “NCIS,” “E.R.,” “West Wing,” “The L Word,” “NYPD Blue,” “Law and Order,” “Crossing Jordan,” and “Ally McBeal.” Film highlights: “Still of the Night” with Meryl Streep, “Legal Eagles” with Robert Redford, “The Fixer,” “Tremors 4” (best actress nomination DVD Exclusive Awards), and “The Fog.”

Sara directed the feature film “Dead Innocent,” starring Genevieve Bujold and Graeme Greene. In 2005, she started 49th Parallel theatre with her partner CB Brown, in order to bring new and internationally recognized Canadian playwrights to an LA audience she has directed the award winning Palace of the End, and The Good Life, with her partner CB Brown; History of Bowling, The Cover of Life, all at the NOHO Arts Center, Summer and Smoke, On The Way Up, Zen and the Art of Mourning A Mother, Dorothy Parker.

Most recently she has written the pilot for a new comedy series, “CANOOKS,” which she  directed and produced with CB Brown, for their company “THOSE DAMN CANADIANS.” She teaches and coaches privately in Vancouver, New York, Toronto, and L.A.  Sara is very happy to be launching 49TH PARALLEL THEATRE’s, third season with the revival of George F. Walker’s fabulously dark comedy, Zastrozzi.

CHRIS “CB” BROWN was born in Canada to theatrical parents, who helped start the Shaw Festival of Canada. He started working at the Shaw Festival in 1972, first as part of the stage crew, and then as a stage manager, and assistant director to acclaimed director Derek Goldby. In 1981 he went as Mr. Goldby’s assistant director to the Stratford Festival of Canada, where he remained for two seasons. From 1982-1986 CB worked in Toronto, at the Theater Passe Muraille, as a stage manager and assistant director, working on new Canadian plays. In 1985, he made a large career shift, to work on a feature film, “The Believers,” as assistant to John Schlesinger. In 1988 creators Mark Frost and David Lynch recruited him to run the second unit on the critically acclaimed television show “Twin Peaks.”  Having immersed himself in all aspects of the motion picture medium, CB went on to the pioneering visual effects company Boss Film Studios as a Visual Effects Producer for the features “Outbreak,” “Waterworld,” “Turbulence,” and “Airforce One.” He then served as the Visual Effects Supervisor and Second Unit Director for “Wing Commander.”  Next he joined Sassoon Film Design, where he supervised “Life is A House,” “Dark Blue,” David Mamet’s film “Spartan,” Irwin Winkler’s “De Lovely” and more recently “The Big White.”

CB has directed three short films and is in development on a feature co-written with Sara Botsford.
Throughout his film career, CB has remained connected to the theater, directing plays in LA for Nexus, Circle West and Theatre Tribe.  He acted as interim artistic director for Circle West in 2002-2003. Most recently he co-directed the critically acclaimed, award winning Palace of the End, with Sara Botsford, and The Drawer Boy, both at the NOHO Arts Center.

Currently, CB and Sara’s comedy series “CANOOKS,” which CB co-created and is co-directing and producing, is in production in Los Angeles.

ABOUT THE CAST AND DESIGN TEAM

The cast of ZASTROZZI features; Phillippe Brenninkmeyer, Anna Khaja (winner of the LA WEEKLY 2007 “Best Solo Performance” award, for Palace at the End, and Ovation nominee for the same play, also directed by Sara Botsford and Chris Brown), Drake Simpson (Ovation nominated for best supporting performer in Recent Tragic Events at Theatre Tribe); Bob Morrisey and Holly Persell, (both long term members of Open At The Top theatre company), and Hans Longo.

The production has assembled an award-winning design team. The Set Design is by Lacey Anzelc. The Lighting Design is by Ovation Award-winner Luke Moyer (Elizabeth Rex). The Sound Design is by Jonathan Zenz. The Costume Design is by Curtis C.

ZASTROZZI will preview on Thursday, July 10; Friday, July 11;  Saturday, July 12 at 8pm; Sunday, July 13 at 2pm; Thursday, July 17 at 8pm and will open on Friday, July 18 at 8pm, and will run through Sunday, August 24 at the NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd. (at Lankershim) in North Hollywood.

Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm.   Ticket prices are $12.50 - $25.00 for all performances; $20 for previews.  Student & Senior Tickets are $20.  For tickets, please call 818-508-7101 or visit www.thenohoartscenter.com. For more information about 49th Parallel Theatre, please go to www.49thparalleltheatre.com.