Pasadena Playhouse Announces Two Solo Shows

Amy G in ENTERSHAMEMENT and Joe Orrach in IN MY CORNER

May 15 – 31, 2014

PASADENA, CA (April 3, 2014) The Pasadena Playhouse presents two one-person unusual shows in repertory – Amy G in Entershamement and Joe Orrach in In My Corner – to reopen the newly re-designed Carrie Hamilton Theatre.   With these shows, that perform May 15 to May 31, The Playhouse is relighting the refurbished Carrie Hamilton Theatre, which has been changed from a proscenium theatre to a black box, and can be configured to accommodate many different kinds of productions.

Amy G is a masterful entertainer (singer/comedian/rollerskater) fresh off the grill from starring in NYC's hit Off-Broadway show, La Soirée.  She tours the world constantly, including wowing audiences at last years’ Playhouse “Cirque-A-Palooza” Variety Arts Festival.  Her unique style of physical, musical, stand-up and improvisational comedy is inspired by and reminiscent of Carol Burnett, Liza Minnelli, Buster Keaton, Julie Andrews and the Muppet Show; but she is very much one of a kind.

Orrach, an internationally renowned tap dancer, actor, singer, storyteller and United States Air Force welterweight boxing champ, came to fame as one of the stars of San Francisco’s long running Teatro ZinZanni from 2000 to 2006. 

Elizabeth Doran, the Executive Director of The Pasadena Playhouse said,  “We have been looking for the ideal way to re-open the Carrie Hamilton Theatre after renovating it into a new and intimate black box theatre, and we think we found the ideal way with two extraordinary and unique performers, who will both entertain and dazzle us with their shows, but allow us to show how versatile and welcoming the re-design of the theatre can be.  We are very happy to be showcasing Amy G who came to prominence in last years ‘Cirque-A-Palooza’ festival and Joe Orrach – how many tap dancing welterweights are there? – in repertory.”

Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director of The Pasadena Playhouse, said, "Like these two dynamic artists, Carrie Hamilton was a real maverick.  She was known for her cutting edge artistic style and her celebration of the human spirit.  We are now re-opening the Carrie Hamilton Theatre as a flexible space based on its original ‘Playbox’ construction. We do so in order to best produce the kind of artistic work our visionary founder, Gilmor Brown, and the theater's namesake, Carrie Hamilton, would have loved.  The new Carrie Hamilton Theatre will support new play development, thrilling artistic work, the work of our community partners, and programming for youth."

Amy G in ENTERSHAMEMENT

In her show Entershamement, Amy G, "a comic powerhouse with a spectacular voice," (The Australian), deconstructs before your eyes, and then rebuilds beauty from the inside out. She gleefully defies shame and categorization. Entershamement features the music of legendary rock band, Gag Reflex, and is directed by John-Stuart Fauquet.

In Entershamement, Amy G.’s inimitable brand of physical/musical comedy makes light of dark thoughts. Realizing how regularly shame gets in the way of enjoying ourselves, she decides to attack. To make fun of the monster in the mirror, she dissects her own face-saving masks first, and then turns the question back to the crowd. Does the face even need saving? Entershamement is slapstick Diva heaven, full of ridiculous song-and-dance numbers, roller-skates, a chicken, and genuine human frailty.

Clive Barnes in Newsday said, “A comic actress of great gifts” and The New York Times said “expert and inspired.”  The Melbourne Herald Sun said, “Amy G does the funniest thing I’ve seen on this or any other stage.”  Neue Press in Germany said “This really charming, but totally cracked woman from America does slapstick in the best manner.” 

Joe Orrach in In My Corner

With In My Corner, Orrach has put together a high-powered evening of drama, music and movement.  The show tells the autobiographical tale of a Puerto Rican/Italian kid growing up in a family dominated by a violent ex-boxer father. His coming-of-age story is one in which he makes his way out of chaos and violence through his discovery of dance. Orrach’s fast-paced narrative riffs shift seamlessly into boxing sequences and driving tap numbers, accompanied by the music of a jazz ensemble. This moving and transformative work delivers a powerful punch guaranteed to leave audiences breathless.  Most recently seen in Los Angeles at the Odyssey Theater in October 2013, The Los Angeles Post called Orrach “an electrifying bundle of pure, smoking energy."   Broadway World said, “Orrach’s ease with his body and athletic movements make his work seem effortless and so engrossing I could have watched him dance all night! The Planet said, “A great solo show, with a great performer giving his all.”

In My Corner was most recently directed by Jeremiah Chechik and written by Lizbeth Hasse.

ENTERSHAMEMENT

Amy G (Performer, Writer). Amy G(ordon) is the international slapstick diva. From vaudeville stock, classical training, and an endless world tour, Amy G is the stage wonder that you'll be surprised you've never heard of. She’s graced stages in 36 countries across 5 continents.  Recently she's been starring in the Off-Broadway, Olivier-Awarded circus cabaret, La Soirée, garnering true fans in the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, Bill Irwin and Todd Robbins.  Over the past 8 years together, she's done long, critically acclaimed and sold-out runs in 15 cities worldwide, including NYC, London's West End, Sydney, Paris, Hamburg, Chicago, Stockholm, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Adelaide, among others.  For 7 years previous, she was the Artistic Director and lead clown of Daredevil Opera Company, a pyrotechnic clown theatre company that performed twice on Broadway at the New Victory Theater and the Sydney Opera House, The Kennedy Center, Adelaide International Festival, Festival International de Teatro de Bogota, Montreal's Just For Laughs, Taipei Arts Festival, Dance Theatre Workshop, and Symphony Space in NY.  For the past 4 years she has lead the world-class Palazzo circus variety show, “Fools for Love” in Amsterdam, Berlin, Vienna, and Stuttgart, as well as playing the lead character in Ohlala (Zurich),  and GOP Variete (Hannover).  She has made numerous appearances on British, French, German and Austrian TV, as the subject of documentaries, comedy specials and general intrigue.

In My Corner

Joe Orrach – (Performer, Writer). Pugilistic hoofer, Joe, hung up his gloves as US Air Force Welterweight Champ and started dancing first on the street corner of Broadway and 72nd St. in NYC, where Gregory Hines found him and brought him inside. He has appeared in theatres in four continents, on TV and on stage with Joan Baez, Bob Hope, the Smothers Brothers, Michael Davis, Liliane Montevecchi, Bill Irwin, David Shiner, Melissa Manchester, and the Cookie Monster, and tap danced throughout the world with Gregory Hines, Jimmy Slyde and Savion Glover and with some of the old masters: the Nicholas Brothers, Honi Coles, Charles "Cookie" Cook, Chuck Green and Lon Cheney.  On screen, Joe has been directed by Woody Allen (Everyone Says I Love You), James Mangold (Copland), Patrick Dempsey (White Elephant), Tim Boxell (Valley of the Heart's Delight) and David Shiner (Nacht Mund).  Joe performed as a lead “power act” as “Tino” and other characters at San Francisco’s popular Teatro ZinZanni for six years. CNN International profiled Joe on "People in the Arts."

Jeremiah Chechik  (Director) is best known for the critically acclaimed Benny and Joon, starring Johnny Depp, Mary Stuart Masterson and Aidan Quinn, as well as his work as a director of award-winning commercials and music videos.  In the late 1970s, Chechik traveled to Europe and established himself in Milan as a cutting edge fashion photographer for Italian Vogue. He began directing television commercials in the United States in the early 1980s, winning Clio Awards and Directors Guild of America Award nominations for his breakthrough advertising work, which included spots for AT&T, Hallmark Hall of Fame, Diet Coke, Nike, American Express and Michelob, and featured such performers as Paul Newman, Whitney Houston and Phil Collins. As MTV grew in popularity, Chechik began directing music videos for artists including Van Halen and Hall & Oates.  Chechik made his feature film debut with the 1989 comedy hit National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Other directorial film credits include Diabolique, starring Sharon Stone, Isabelle Adjani and Chazz Palminteri and Tall Tale: The Unbelievable Adventures of Pecos Bill, starring Patrick Swayze, Scott Glenn and Catherine O'Hara. Most recently, Chechik directed The Right Kind of Wrong, debuting at the Toronto Film Festival in August.

Matthew Clark (Music Director, Composer and Pianist)  Matt gives shape and color to In My Corner.  He has performed and recorded with jazz luminaries Bobby Hutcherson, Benny Golson, Eddie Marshall, John Faddis, David "Fathead" Newman, Gene Bertoncini, Joshua Redman, and the late tenor saxophonist Teddy Edwards. Clark has toured throughout Asia, Europe and the United States, including appearances at the Monterey, San Francisco, Vienne, Big Sur, Stanford, and Rochester jazz festivals, as well as televised performances for CNN Showbiz Today and multiple PBS specials.

In My Corner is made possible in part by funding from Dance Creation to Performance funded by The James Irvine Foundation and administered by Dance/USA.

REPERTORY SCHEDULE

Amy G in Entershamement and Joe Orrach in In My Corner are performed in repertory and will play from Thursday, May 15 to Saturday, May 31. Entershamment is performed Thursdays and Saturdays at 9:30pm and Fridays and Sundays at 7:30pm. In My Corner is performed Thursdays and Saturdays at 7:30pm and Fridays and Sundays at 9:30pm;

The Carrie Hamilton Theatre at The Pasadena Playhouse is located at 39 South El Molino Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101.  Tickets, priced at $25-$30, are available by calling The Pasadena Playhouse at 626-356-7529 or by visiting The Pasadena Playhouse Box Office, Tuesday – Sunday from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. during non-performance dates.  On performance dates the Box Office is open Tuesday – Saturday from 1:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. on Sunday.  For more information, visit www.PasadenaPlayhouse.org.