NEWS RELEASE:
THE ACTORS' GANG
CONTACT: ELIZABETH DORAN (310) 838-4264 (US - California)
1984
Directed by Tim Robbins
The Actors’ Gang re-visits George Orwell’s
Masterpiece to celebrate its 30th Anniversary Season
As a highlight of its 30th anniversary season, The Actors’ Gang will remount George Orwell’s 1984, directed by Tim Robbins, with previews beginning Friday, February 16, and Opening Night Saturday, February 25th. Shows will run Thursday – Saturday at 8pm. Ticket prices range from $15 - $25.
Adapted by Michael Gene Sullivan and originally produced by The Gang in 2006, Tim Robbins’ production of 1984 has now been seen in over 40 US states and on four continents, including international tours to Australia, China, Greece, Mexico and Spain. A 2012 tour to South America will mark the 5th continent for this show, and in celebration of this event, as well as of 30 years of producing relevant, provocative theater – and in light of Congress’ National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 – the Gang is thrilled to remount 1984 at this time.
Written in 1948, Orwell envisioned a totalitarian future where love for Big Brother and the State is maintained and controlled at every level, including within the hearts and minds of the people. In this vision of our future, and perhaps our present, human love is the greatest revolutionary act.
Over the past six years, The Actors’ Gang’s production of George Orwell’s 1984 has been seen by thousands of people to rave reviews worldwide:
“The Actors’ Gang has succeeded in drawing our the parallels between Big Brother’s autocracy and today’s world of surveillance, manipulation of truth and fearmongering as a form of mass control.” The Age, Melbourne
“Multi-layered, intense and disturbing, exactly how it should be.” South China Morning Post
“Tense, searing and timely…” The Lincoln Journal Star
“Thunderous applause…fantastic players…” Barcelona Review
“GO! The action never slows!” LA Weekly
“Takes no prisoners in its scorched-earth campaign against indifference….has the concentrated but still devastating energy of a hand grenade.” LA Times
“Doubleplusgood!” The Australian
Performances of George Orwell’s 1984 take place Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, beginning Friday, February 16th at 8pm. Opening Night is Saturday, February 25th. Shows will run Thursday – Saturday at 8pm. Ticket prices range from $15 - $25.
The Actors' Gang is located in the Ivy Substation at 9070 Venice Blvd. (near the intersection of Culver and Venice Blvds.) in Culver City. Two hours free parking is available throughout downtown Culver City; the Ince Parking Lot (corner of Culver and Ince) is directly across the street from the theater. In addition, several restaurants (Italian, French, Mexican, Thai, and more) are only a few blocks' walk from The Actors' Gang and offer a variety of dining options before and after the theater. The Ivy Substation is air-conditioned and wheelchair accessible. For reservations and information, call The Actors' Gang Box Office at 310-838-GANG (310-838-4264) or go to www.theactorsgang.com
Bios
Tim Robbins (director) is the Artistic Director of the Actors’ Gang, formed in 1981. The Actors’ Gang has performed in over 40 US states and has toured internationally to London, Athens, Melbourne, Brisbane, Mexico, Spain and Hong Kong. With over 100 productions of originals as well as classic works to its credit, the company remains a vital and dedicated ensemble that offers free education programs for youth, goes into prisons to work with the incarcerated and offers affordable theatre for our community. As a playwright, he has written seven plays produced in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and at the Edinburgh Festival. He most recently wrote and directed “Embedded” which was performed at The Actors’ Gang Theatre in Los Angeles, The Public Theatre in New York, and at Riverside Studios in London as well as a US national tour to over 30 cities. In addition, his stage adaptation of “Dead Man Walking” is currently in its third year having been performed and introduced into the curriculums of 150 universities nationwide. Having won the Academy Award as well as numerous other artistic accolades over the course of his career, Tim has recently been actively engaged in several new film projects including The Green Lantern and Cinema Verite (for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe award) yet his passion for the stage has kept him deeply engaged as the Artistic Director at The Gang for 30 years.
Michael Gene Sullivan (playwright) is a resident playwright for the Tony Award winning San Francisco Mime Troupe where he has written, performed in, and or directed over 25 productions, including writing and performing in SFMT’s 2010 production Posibilidad, or Death of the Worker, inspired by factory takeovers by Latin American workers. Other theater credits include work with the American Conservatory Theater, Denver Center Theater Company, the Berkeley and San Jose Repertory theaters, Theaterworks and the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, as well as theater festivals in Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East. His most recent piece, inspired by the Occupy Wall St. movement, is a new adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
The Actors’ Gang: For 30 years The Actors’ Gang has produced here in LA, in 40 states, and on four continents. Founded in 1981 by a group of renegade theater artists, the Gang has over 100 productions and more than 100 awards to its credit, and consistently wins acclaim for its daring interpretations of Shakespeare, Buchner, Brecht, Moliere, Aeschylus, Ibsen and Chekhov, while also developing bold new plays that address the world today through a prism of satire, popular culture, and raucous stagecraft. Its mission is to present new uncompromising plays and relevant and dynamic interpretations of the classics; to restore the ancient sense of the stage as a shared sacred space; to introduce the theater to student audiences; and to bring freedom of emotional expression to the incarcerated. Fueled by the leadership of Artistic Director, Tim Robbins, its programs include mainstage plays, free education and outreach programs, live music, documentaries, teenage poetry slams, free summer in the park Shakespeare for children, rehabilitation workshops for the incarcerated and national and international touring.
DETAILS FOR CALENDAR LISTINGS
George Orwell’s
1984
WHAT:
George Orwell’s 1984 – Orwell’s classic masterpiece adapted by Michael Gene Sullivan, directed by Tim Robbins. Written in 1948, Orwell envisioned a totalitarian future where love for Big Brother and the State is maintained and controlled at every level, including within the hearts and minds of the people. In this vision of our future, and perhaps our present, human love is the greatest revolutionary act.
WHO:
- Presented by The Actors' Gang (Tim Robbins, Artistic Director)
- Directed by Tim Robbins
WHEN:
Previews beginning Friday, February 16, and Opening Night Saturday, February 25th. Shows will run Thursday – Saturday at 8pm. Ticket prices are $25. Some discounts are available.
HOW:
310-838-GANG (310-838-4264) or www.theactorsgang.com
WHERE:
THE ACTORS' GANG
9070 Venice Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
(corner of Culver & Venice Blvds; two hours free parking available across the street in Ince Parking Lot, corner of Culver & Ince)
TICKETS:
$25 general admission; $20 students/seniors
MORE INFORMATION:
www.theactorsgang.com