Actors Co-op Announces Directors for 20th Anniversary Season

Actors Co-op is pleased to be collaborating with four directors for its upcoming 20th Anniversary season. The team includes former Artistic Director Gary Lee Reed, former Producing Directors Nan McNamara and Marianne Savell and current Artistic Chairperson, Heather Chesley.

Nan McNamara directs the season opener, THE 1940'S RADIO HOUR by Walton Jones, opening September 23, 2011. Ms. McNamara is the recipient of the 2011 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award and LA Weekly Award for her portrayal of Vivian Bearing in Actors Co-op's production of WIT. Her directorial credits include two of the three plays comprising THE NIBROC TRILOGY at Actors Co-op, receiving a Garland Award Honorable Mention for her direction (shared with Marianne Savell) and amassing "Critic's Choice" from the Los Angeles Times, "Critic's Pick" from Backstage West and was "Recommended" by the LA Weekly adding in their review that "McNamara's excellent staging visually accentuates layer after layer of subtext, taking us far beneath the skin of stereotypes to a complexly woven emotional world, spun by the twin engines of character and history." She also directed the critically-acclaimed production of THE BOYS NEXT DOOR by Tom Griffin for Actors Co-op. The Los Angeles Times named the production "Critic's Choice" calling it a "beautifully handled revival," adding "McNamara knowingly avoids schmaltz . . . making us howl with laughter as we fight back tears of recognition." Backstage West said the production "illuminates with ferocious humor" and gave the show "Critic's Pick." Ms. McNamara was Producing Director of Actors Co-op from 1999 to 2002.

Gary Lee Reed helms TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD adapated by Christopher Sergel from the novel by Harper Lee, opening October 14, 2011. Mr. Reed most recently directed BONNIE AND CLYDE: THE TWO-FISTED, SIX-GUN MUSICAL for ITW in Bend, Oregon. He currently has a comedy improv duo, Theatre Off The Cuff, on a National tour. His critically-acclaimed Actors Co-op production of GODSPELL garnered 22 different nominations and awards including Critic's Choice in the Los Angeles Times, Pick-of-the-Week in the LA Weekly and Critic's Pick in Daily Variety. As Artistic Director of Actors Co-op for four years, he directed THE MOST HAPPY FELLA, 1776, JERRY'S GIRLS, THE WOMAN IN BLACK, SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY and the world premiere, LIGHTS. Other directing credits include MY WAY: A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO FRANK SINATRA and the world premieres of DANCING WITH THE BAD MAN and SOLDIERS SONG. Mr. Reed's production of FALLING LIGHTLY by D. Bennett Nelson won first place at the Annual Jerome Lawrence One-Act Play Festival in Los Angeles. He is also an Emmy Award-winning Art Director for a television show called PIONEER WOMEN.

Marianne Savell is set to direct two productions in the 2011-12 season: the American Premiere of YOURS, ISABEL by Christy Hall, opening February 3, 2012 and Eugene O'Neill's LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT, opening March 16, 2012. Ms. Savell was invited to the prestigious New Harmony Project to direct Margaret Hunt's new play AND THE RAVENS FEED US. Professional directing credits include the critically-acclaimed Jeff-nominated SOMEONE WHO'LL WATCH OVER ME (Victory Gardens, Chicago), the multi-award nominated and Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle and LA Weekly award-winning WIT (Best Revival), the world premiere and LA Weekly award-winner GULF VIEW DRIVE, KING LEAR, ANGEL STREET, TRANSLATIONS, the critically-acclaimed and multi-award nominated AS IT IS IN HEAVEN, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A Live Radio Play, THE CRUCIBLE, HAMLET, GOD & SHAKESPEARE, MOLLY SWEENEY, and PSYCHOPATHIA SEXUALIS. Ms. Savell is an adjunct professor at Vanguard University where she directed the American College Theatre Festival finalists THE LION IN WINTER and AS IT IS IN HEAVEN as well as SAINT JOAN, AMERICA'S BROADWAY and THREE SISTERS. At Regent University, Marianne directed DANCING AT LUGHNASA and OUR TOWN. She received her MFA in Acting from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where she graduated with highest honors and was a Guest Artist at the Central School of Speech and Drama, London. She is an alumnus and participant of Directors Lab West, an associate artist with Taproot Theatre Company in Seattle, served on the Advisory Board of Provision Theater Company in Chicago and was the Producing Director of Actors Co-op.

Heather Chesley directs the final production of Actors Co-op's 20th season, THE LEARNED LADIES by Moliere, translated by Richard Wilbur. At Actors Co-op, Ms. Chesley directed a workshop presentation of the new musical, TRAILS as part of the Los Angeles New American Musicals Festival. Other directorial credits include COMPANY WE KEEP for the Minneapolis Fringe Festival, the West Coast Premiere of INSIDE LOIS by Aline Brosh McKenna, and productions of THE WOMEN and ALICE IN WONDERLAND. Ms. Chesley served for two years as the Assistant Artistic Director of The Hampstead Players. She also served as producer on MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG and the new musical, MAKIN' HAY, both at Actors Co-op and is the Artistic Chairperson of Actors Co-op for the third year.

About Actors Co-op. Actors Co-op operates two 99-seat Equity-approved theatres on the campus of Hollywood Presbyterian Church. Actors Co-op began on January 8th, 1987, with a dozen actors. Currently, its membership exceeds 40 professionals. Since the Crossley Theatre opened its doors in April of 1989 and its second theatre, the Crossley Terrace Theatre opened February of 1995, Actors Co-op has produced over 80 main stage productions, over 30 Second Stage productions, staged readings of original works, and has received 19 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards (six wins) 30 LA Weekly Award nominations (six wins), 29 Ovation Award nominations (two wins), five Garland Awards and 125 Drama-Logue Awards. In addition, Actors Co-op was honored with the Margaret Harford Award for "Sustained Achievement" in smaller theatre from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle, as well as the Charlie Award for "Excellence in the Arts" by the Hollywood Arts Council.

Location. Actors Co-op's Crossley Theatres are located at 1760 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, CA 90028, on the campus of Hollywood Presbyterian Church, one block north of Hollywood Boulevard, just off the Gower Street exit of the 101 Hollywood Freeway. Free, well-lit parking is available on Carlos Street (1/2 block east of Gower).

Season Ticket Information. PREFERRED Season Subscriptions are available for $110 - a savings of 30% off individual ticket prices and are eligible to attend any performance. EARLY BIRD subscriptions are available for $85 - a savings of 45% off individual ticket prices. Early Bird subscribers must attend the first three weeks of a scheduled run. All subscribers have preferred access to tickets before they go on sale to the general public and receive priority reserved seating in the Crossley Terrace Theatre, complimentary tickets to all Co-op Too! (second stage) productions, invitations to opening night galas and easy ticket exchanges. For additional information or to purchase a subscription, contact Actors Co-op at (323) 462-8460, ext. 300 or email boxoffice@actorsco-op.org.