The Odyssey Theatre & The New American Theatre present Creditors

A sexy, savage, darkly comic (and very modern) take on the battle of the sexes, David Greig's new version of August Strindberg's psychological thriller will now make its Los Angeles Premiere in a co-production between two of the city's most respected theaters, the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and The New American Theatre. In this toxic triangle, Adolph anxiously awaits the return of his wife to their seaside resort while being comforted by his worldly advisor, Gustav. But comfort soon turns to destruction as old wounds are opened, insecurities are laid bare and former debts are settled in this fierce and funny tale of obsession, honor and revenge.

"Finally a translation that does absolute justice to one of the master's masterworks, lending it an intriguing contemporary edge" - says Ron Sossi (Artistic Director, Odyssey Theatre Ensemble)

David Greig (Playwright) is an award-winning playwright, currently under commission to the Almeida Theatre (London), and the National Theatre of Scotland. His works includes the book for the stage musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Drury Lane Theatre), The Events (Young Vic); Tintin In Tibet  (Barbican, London and National Tour); Europe, The Architect, The Speculator, The Cosmonaut's Last Message to the Woman He Once Loved in the Former Soviet Union, Outlying Islands, San Diego, Pyrenees, The American Pilot, Yellow Moon: The Ballad of Leila and Lee, Damascus, Midsummer [a play with songs], Dunsinane, The Monster in the Hall and The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart. He is currently developing a screenplay for his play Midsummer.

August Strindberg (1849-1912) was a Swedish dramatist, novelist, poet and essayist who is considered to be the father of modern Swedish literature. He often drew on his personal experiences with numerous works that include The Father (1887), Miss Julie (1888), Creditors (1889), The Stronger (1890), Easter (1900), The Dance of Death (1900), A Dream Play (1902) and The Ghost Sonata (1907).

David Trainer (Director) directed Jack Stehlin in More Lies About Jerzy by Davey Holmes for New American Theatre; Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy and Keith Carradine in Foxfire on Broadway and at the Ahmanson; The Dining Room by A.R. Gurney at Playwrights Horizons, Off-Broadway and the Kennedy Center. Other directing credits include at work at The Long Wharf, Williamstown, Manhattan Theatre Club, and the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival. For television he directed Designing Women, Grace Under Fire, Cybill, and That '70s Show.

"It is rare when a play rings with the sharp authenticity and relevance as does August Strindberg's 'The Creditors.' Like a dangerous peep show, Strindberg exposes the raw nerve and vulnerability of love, lust and revenge. The bravura intelligence of the play bristles with irony and the dark humor of pure truth. One is forced to recognize oneself as the characters struggle to achieve their most intimate desires," says Jack Stehlin (Artistic Director-New American Theatre)

Creditors opens October 11th and runs 8pm on Wednesdays Oct. 30, Nov. 13, Dec. 14, Thursdays on Oct. 24, Nov. 7, 21, 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays, 2pm on Sundays (except Oct. 13 at 5 pm) through December 15, 2013. Pay what you can performances on Oct. 18, 30 and Nov. 15 only. The Odyssey Theatre is located at 2055 South Sepulveda Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90025.  Tickets are $25- 30 ($20 for students, seniors, and Guild members except on Sat., $15 on Fridays and $10 minimum on 'Pay What You Can' performances) and can be purchased in advance by calling (310) 477-2055 ext 2.  For more information please visit www.odysseytheatre.com or www.NewAmericanTheatre.com $3 parking available at the theater, or free street parking. 

Beth Hogan (Producer/Associate Artistic Director-the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble) has produced numerous shows with Ron Sossi at the Odyssey Theatre, most recently Margo Veil and Ivanov with director Bart DeLorenzo. In addition, she was a producer at the Evidence Room. As an actor, Beth has performed in many OTE productions, winning an LA Weekly Award for her role as Andromache in The Greeks and garnering a LA Drama Critics Circle nomination-Best Actor for Kafka Thing and The Arsonists (LA Weekly nomination-Best Actor in a Comedy).

Jeannine Wisnosky Stehlin (Producer/Managing Director-The New American Theatre) produced over 80 plays for The New American Theatre (Circus Theatricals), including the recent productions of Julius Caesar, Bedfellows, As Is, Five Beauties by Tennessee Williams, I Never Sang for My Father, the co-production of Titus Redux with Not Man Apart (at the Kirk Douglas Theatre and RADAR-LA), Davey Holmes' More Lies About Jerzy (dir. David Trainer), Man.gov (LA/Off-Broadway) Harm's Way (LA/Off-Broadway/2008 Pen USA Award), The Job (LA/Off-Broadway) as well as co-producing many productions with The Odyssey Theatre and New American Theatre (as Circus Theatricals). She produced the short Game 7, which is a 2013 finalist in the Naperville Independent Film Festival.

Ron Sossi (Founder and Artistic Director of the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble) recently received the LA Weekly Career Achievement Award, 2013. He has also received the Los Angeles Drama Critics Margaret Harford Award for "demonstrating a continual willingness to experiment provocatively in the process of theatre" and the Los Angeles

Drama Critics Circle Ron Link Award for "consistent quality of direction."  Recent OTE directing projects include Theatre in the Dark, Way to Heaven, Kafka Thing, Far Away, The Threepenny Opera, Sliding Into Hades (Best Production of the Year, LA Weekly) and The Arsonists. Ron has led the Odyssey throughout its 44-year history.

 

OUR CAST:

Burt Grinstead (Adolf) appeared as Peter/Craig in Rogue Machine's Dying City (LA Times-CRITIC'S CHOICE, LA Weekly-PICK OF THE WEEK, Ovation Recommended). Previously, he was nominated for the LA Weekly Leading Male Performance Award, acknowledging his work as Clifford Anderson in Deathtrap (LA Gay and Lesbian Theatre). Selected stage credits include the roles of Gerd in Esther's Moustache, Will in The Girl in the Park, Mitch in Physical, Albert Feather in Ladies in Retirement (Off-Broadway), Paul Hornung in Lombardi, Kent in reasons to be pretty, and Mark Antony in Julius Ceasar (Regional). Film and TV credits include: The Fence, Abigail, Malibu Country (ABC), Criminal Minds (CBS), and "Don't Trust the B----- in Apartment 23" (ABC).

Heather Prete (Tekla) has performed lead roles at Steppenwolf, The Goodman, and Chicago Shakespeare among others. Regionally she has performed in such theaters as Clarence Brown, Ensemble Theatre of Santa Barbara and Milwaukee Rep. Heather was cast by, and worked with Arthur Miller and Robert Falls to originate the character of Kitty in Finishing The Picture, the last play written by Arthur Miller. Television credits include Hot in Cleveland, Free Agents, NCIS, CSI, The Whole Truth Jamie Kennedy Experiment, Peep Show, and Eli Stone among others. Selected film credits include Baby on Board, Bokshu, Expecting Mercy and The Room Next Door.

Jack Stehlin (Gustav/Artistic Director -The New American Theatre) is an award-winning actor/director best known on television as DEA captain Roy Till on the Showtime series Weeds (SAG award nomination). New York/Regional stage credits include Salome (with Al Pacino), numerous productions at New York's Public Theatre including Richard II (with Steven Berkoff), Henry V (with Kevin Kline), Casanova (with Ethan Hawke), Henry IV, (with Mandy Patinkin), and Julius Caesar (with Al Pacino and Martin Sheen). Los Angeles stage roles include New American Theatre productions of More Lies About Jerzy, Julius Caesar, Harm's Way (LA/Off Broadway), Titus Redux (Not Man Apart co-production at Kirk Douglas Theatre and RadarLA,) and Odyssey/New American Theatre co-productions of Taming of the Shrew, The Misanthrope, Macbeth, Richard III, Tartuffe, True West. Selected guest starring credits on TV include NCIS Los Angeles, The Event, Dark Blue, Without a Trace, Monk, The Practice, Crossing Jordan, ER, NYPD Blue and more. Jack will soon be seen on the big screen in Wilde Salome with Al Pacino.

DESIGNERS:

Thomas Walsh (Scenic Design) has numerous design credits which include work for feature films, Imax, television documentaries, Broadway dramas and musicals. He designed the world premieres of the multi-award winning Zoot Suit, and Children of a Lesser God for Broadway, as well as the Outer Circle Critics-nominated production of Marty Casella's musical, Play It Cool. He designed Annapurna and The Irish Curse at the Odyssey. Feature credits include The Hand Maid's Tale, John Carpenter's Vampires, The Majestic and A Gathering of Old Men. He is the designer of Desperate Housewives, and other credits include In Plain Sight, Buddy Faro and My So Called Life. He is a winner of the Art Directors Guild Award as well as multiple Emmy nominations. Thomas is also a winner of the Emmy for Buddy Faro.

Nicholas Davidson (Lighting Design) works in theatre, opera, dance, and architecture. He is a themed entertainment lighting designer and consultant for Thinkwell Group, as well as working with LA-based theatres and dance companies including Diavolo Dance Theatre and The Underground Street Dance Company. Recent design highlights include Diavolo's world premiere of Fluid Infinities, Let There Be Light for Temple Israel of Hollywood, and Bukowski.Sondheim for the California Repertory Company. Previous assistant design highlights include two seasons at the Central City Opera Festival and A Midsummer Night's Dream at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma.

Ron Klier (Sound Design) recently wrote, directed, and did the sound design for Cops and Friends of Cops, the inaugural production of the VS. Theatre Company in their new home.  Additional sound design credits include Julius Caesar, Bedfellows, As Is (co-designed with director John Farmanesh-Bocca) and Five Beauties for The New American Theatre, State of the Union for Interact Theatre, Sugar Daddy at the Lounge Theatre, The Sweetest Swing in Baseball for West Coast Ensemble Theatre, Hard as Nails for Moving Arts Theatre, and selected credits for the VS Theatre include The Mercy Seat, and Blackbird (2009 LADCC Award Winner and LA Weekly Award nominee).

Merrily Murray-Walsh (Costume Design) Film/TV credits include Kingfish: A Story of Huey P. Long, (Ace nomination), In Search of Dr. Suess (Emmy nomination), The Murder of Mary Phagan (Emmy, best mini-series), The Glass Menagerie, MGM: When the Lion Roared, War Story:  Vietnam, and Miss Lonelyhearts.  Opera designs: Vanqui (Opera Columbus), The Pearl Fishers, Carmen (Virginia Opera), and Dialogues of the Carmelites, Patience, and Margaret Garner at Glimmerglass Opera and New York City Opera.  Theater credits: The Speed of Darkness and Brothers on Broadway, and The Iceman Cometh at The Abbey Theatre.  Regional theatre work includes The Old Globe Theatre, South Coast Repertory, Laguna Playhouse, Berkeley Repertory, Oregon Shakespearean Festival, Denver Center, Indiana Repertory, Children's Theatre of Louisville, Actor's Theatre of Louisville, Hartford Stage, Goodman Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and Arena Stage.