Press Notes - opening night

Marina Productions Presents
OPENING NIGHT
Directed by Jack Henry Robbins
Distribution Contact:
Stephanie Bruder
Bruder Consulting
646.842.0478
steph.bruder@gmail.com
Opening Night Press Notes
SYNOPSIS
Anthony Rapp (Rent, If/Then) stars with Cheyenne Jackson (American Horror
Story, 30 Rock) in a comedic send-up of a washed-up Broadway director and a
midcareer, disenchanted TV actor guiding a high school cast through
OPENING NIGHT of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
When New York's hottest new theater director Logan Joyce (Rapp) detours his
career to teach drama at a Pittsburgh high school, he invites old pal and jaded
TV star Eli Faisel (Jackson) to attend opening night of the Shakespeare’s A
Midsummer Night’s Dream. The performance becomes a loose adaptation,
however, as the young actors compete for Eli’s approval, and the Bard himself
appears for vengeance (Mitchell Jarvis, Dean Slater: Resident Advisor).
The evening takes on stakes worthy of the Bard himself as the aspiring young
actors claw past one another for a recommendation from Eli to a top acting
scholarship. Modern potions are mixed, guiles employed, and even a spell cast
to raise the very spirit of Shakespeare- leading the students to discover the roles
they truly wish to play in their lives during one disastrous performance. An
evening that began for Logan as a bid to save the drama department from
budget cuts becomes a professional and personal revelation, as both Logan and
Eli embrace the reality of their professional lives.
Opening Night Press Notes
CAST & CREW
Directed by Jack Henry Robbins
Story by Ryan Dixon
Written by Ryan Dixon, Nena Girsch and Jack Henry Robbins
Music by Gionna Ostinelli
Anthony Rapp………………… Logan Joyce
Cheyenne Jackson……………... Eli Faisel
Jessica Richards………………... Rose
Mitchell Jarvis…………………. Shakespeare / Janitor
Kelsey Carthew………………... Simonia
Chasen Tyler Bauer …………… Windsor Bisby
Nicole Tompkins……………… Arden
Philip Labes…………………… Jay
Chris Aguila…………………… Terry
Marquis Wood………………… Marcus Robertson
Camille Cregan…………………Penny
Stacie Mitchell………………… Keyla (as Stacie Hadgikosti)
Pamela Bowen………………… Ms. Wilt
Harrison White………………... Board President
Cheyenne Jackson is a multitalented stage, television and film
actor. Cheyenne recently joined the
cast of Ryan Murphy’s awardwinning FX horror anthology,
“American Horror Story” for its
fifth season. Also starring Jessica
Lange, Sarah Paulson, Angela
Bassett and Kathy Bates, “American
Horror Story: Hotel” will premiere
in October 2015.
Previously, Cheyenne appeared in DIRECTV’s “Full Circle,” a television drama
that examined the human condition and relationships through a series of
conversations between characters whose lives are intertwined. Cheyenne, who
played Peter Barlow, an aspiring signer, was joined by Kate Walsh, David
Opening Night Press Notes
Boreanaz, Minka Kelly and Julian McMahon in Neil LaBute’s series that
premiered in the fall of 2013.
Also on the small screen, Cheyenne starred in Steven Soderbergh’s criticallyacclaimed HBO biopic, Behind the Candelabra, opposite Michael Douglas and
Matt Damon. The film, which details the tempestuous 6-year relationship
between Liberace and his lover, Scott Thorson, premiered at the 2013 Cannes
Film Festival and on HBO in May 2013.
Additionally, Cheyenne can be seen in a series of recent films including Ira
Sachs’ drama Love is Strange alongside Marisa Tomei, John Lithgow, Alfred
Molina and Tracy Letts, Arthur Allan Seidelman’s film version of Six Dance
Lessons in Six Weeks, Daniela Amavia’s indie drama Beautiful Now opposite
Abigail Spencer, Christopher Ashley’s Lucky Stiff with Nikki M. James and
Jason Alexander and Matthew Watts’ Mutual Friends. Cheyenne recently
wrapped production on Jack Henry Robbins’ Opening Night, a comedy about the
offstage antics of a high school drama club. Also starring Anthony Rapp, the
film takes place during an evening performance of a high school production of
William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Previously, Cheyenne
appeared in the indie comedy, Price Check, opposite Parker Posey, which had its
world premiere at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and Fox Searchlight’s Lola
Versus. Jackson made his film debut in 2005 in the short film, Curiosity, and has
since appeared in The Green, Hysteria, Photo Op, and the Oscar-nominated United
93.
A veteran of the theatre, Jackson recently starred on Broadway opposite Henry
Winkler and Alicia Silverstone in David West Read’s newest play The Performers
at the Longacre Theatre. Among his Broadway credits include roles in the
recent revival of Finian’s Rainbow (Drama Desk Award nomination), Xanadu
(Drama Desk & Drama League Award nominations), All Shook Up (Theatre
World Award, Drama League & Outer Critics Circle Award nominations),
Aida, and Thoroughly Modern Millie. Additionally, Jackson starred in the Encores!
production of Damn Yankees, the Off-Broadway productions of The Agony &
The Agony and Altar Boyz, and the benefit productions of The 24 Hour Plays and
On the Twentieth Century. Cheyenne also joined an all-star cast for the benefit
staged reading of Dustin Lance Black’s “8.”
On television, Cheyenne joined Cameron Grey in Amazon Studio’s latest
comedy series “Onion News Empire,” a series set behind the scenes of The
Onion News Network that illustrates just how far journalists will go to stay at
the top of their game. Additionally, Jackson guest-starred as Scout Master
Opening Night Press Notes
Steve in NBC’s Mockingbird Lane, a re-imagining of the 1960’s CBS sitcom The
Munsters. He has also been seen in the guest-starring role of Danny Baker in
NBC’s critically-acclaimed comedy series, “30 Rock.” Jackson has appeared as
Dustin Goolsby in Fox’s “Glee,” as well as a Larry David’s trainer Terry in the
final season of HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” His additional television
credits include roles in “Family Practice,” “Life on Mars,” “Lipstick Jungle,”
“Ugly Betty,” "Law and Order," “It Takes a Village," and “Royal Pains.”
In addition to his acting credits, Jackson is also an accomplished singer. He
made his solo debut at Carnegie Hall with his show, “Cheyenne Jackson’s
Cocktail Hour: Music of the ‘Mad Men’ Era” and more recently joined Michael
Feinstein on the Carnegie Hall stage for a duet concert, featuring music from
their CD collaboration, “The Power of Two.” Jackson signed on with
SONY/ATV as a songwriter and recording artist and released his first, fulllength album of original music titled, “I'm Blue, Skies.”
Jackson is an international ambassador for amfAR (The Foundation for AIDS
Research), and he also serves as the national ambassador for HMI (The
Hetrick-Martin Institute).
Jackson currently resides in Los Angeles.
Anthony Rapp started his career at the age of
six, and received his first professional job at the
age of nine. His breakout came when he
originated the role of "Mark Cohen" in
Jonathan Larson's production of the Broadway
musical "Rent." He can be heard on the
original cast recording. Rapp went on to film
roles in A Beuatiful Mind, Rent, and Richard
Linklater’s Dazed and Confused.
Rapp has been nominated for his performance
in A Beautiful Mind, with Paul Bettany and
Russel Crowe, including the Screen Actors
Guild for Outstanding Performance by the
Cast. Rapp has also been nominated for his
performance in the film adaptation of Rent.
In 2016, Rapp will appear in the feature films Modern Love and Dreamland.
Opening Night Press Notes
Giona Ostinelli is a versatile and expressive
composer whose diverse musical style ranges
from orchestral to contemporary. Films Giona
has scored have received critical acclaim
appearing in film festivals all over the world,
including the Cannes International Film
Festival, the Tribeca Film Festival, and the
SXSW Film Festival, among others. Giona
had the privilege to be mentored by film
music legend Alan Silvestri, who has said,
"[Giona's] music is truly inspired, and he
brings just the right musical sensibility to the
picture..."
Eclectic, a scoring chameleon, Giona has
scored more than 20 feature films with a wide
variety of musical styles ranging from orchestral to pop, rock to electronic,
EDM to intimate chamber music ensemble; multiple commercials for top
brands such as AT&T, East West Bank, among others; as well as a theater
production for the leading Russian theater company.
Giona's credits include Two-bit Waltz (starring Academy Award Nominees
William H. Macy and David Paymer, written and directed by Clara Mamet,
daughter of David Mamet), Junior Eye (nickelodeon), Indigenous (an official
selection of the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival), Ritual (Lionsgate), and Ghost Squad
(starring Kevin Nealon).
Some of Giona's upcoming projects include The Boat Builder (starring
Christopher Lloyd and Jane Kaczmarek), Loopers (starring Rob Morrow, Mark
Moses and Natalie Imbruglia), Recovery (starring Samuel Larsen), and Little Miss
Perfect (starring Lilla Crawford).
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Opening Night Press Notes
Opening Night Press Notes
KEY SET
Opening Night Press Notes
Opening Night Press Notes
Opening Night Press Notes