City Theatre Celebrates 15 Seasons With World-Premiere, Full-Length Lisa Loeb Musical & Stellar Line-Up Of “Shorts” Stars

It’s Summer, and it’s the season for shorts,
Summer Shorts, that is.
Coming June 2010, is the 15th season of the Summer Shorts Theatre Festival, and what a summer it will be!
Featuring…
* A world-premiere commissioned work by award-winning singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb, penned by Miami native/”Sons of Anarchy” staff writer/Summer Shorts playwright Marco Ramirez
* New work by Christopher Durang, Adam Sandler, Rolin Jones and a reprise of everyone’s favorite play, “Matterhorn” by Rich Orloff.
* Performed by a cast of leading S. Fla. actors, including “Mr. Summer Shorts” himself Stephen Trovillion and the wacky Elena Maria Garcia.

Mark your calendar, June 3-27, at the Arsht Center.
In partnership with Actors Theatre of Louisville, the nation’s pre-eminent theatre festival, Summer Shorts Theatre Festival offers the best in new short plays, a little of this, a little of that: dramas, comedies, musicals, farces, mysteries-an experience that covers the emotional landscape.

SODOM & GOMORRAH: PRICED TO SELL by Ken Brisbois offered audiences a bawdy and irreverent glimpse of Gomorrah with (from L to R) Stephen Trovillion, Laura Turnbull, John Manzelli and Stephen G. Anthony.

15th Anniversary Summer Season Features New, Full-Length Musical Penned by Grammy Award-Nominated Singer/Songwriter Lisa Loeb & Rising Star Marco Ramirez along with “Shorts” stars Christopher Durang, Rolin Jones, Rich Orloff … and “Mr. Summer Shorts”, Stephen Trovillion

WHAT: City Theatre celebrates the 15th Anniversary Season of the company’s acclaimed annual Summer Shorts Festival featuring two series of 5-20-minute one-act plays: Signature Short, the original series that put “shorts” on the map; and Undershorts, a late-night series of shorts for adults that is edgy, irreverent, and completely hilarious
City Theatre’s 15th Anniversary Season features the company’s first full-length World Premiere Musical with CAMP KAPPAWANNA, with music by Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb, book by rising star Marco Ramirez and conceived by City Theatre Producing Artistic Director Stephanie Norman

Stephen Trovillion, John Manzelli and David Hemphill were lost at sea in Brendan Andolsek Bradley’s JETTISON.

WHEN & WHERE: June 3 – 27: at and in association with the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Carnival Studio Theater in Miami; and July 1 – 3 at the Epstein Center for the Arts at Nova Southeastern University in Davie.

TICKETS: Miami: Tickets for performances in Miami available through the Adrienne Arsht Center’s Box Office at www.arshtcenter.org or (305) 949-6722

Festival favorite KITTY THE WAITRESS by Christopher Durang featured “shorts” veterans Stephen Trovillion and Elena Maria Garcia in a side-splitting comedy.

Broward: Tickets for performances in Broward available through the Epstein Center’s Box Office at www.citytheatre.com or (305) 365.5400

INFORMATION- (305) 755-9401 or online at www.citytheatre.com.

South Florida’s Signature Summer Event is having a birthday bash! More festive than ever, City Theatre’s 15th Anniversary Season features the company’s first full-length World Premiere Musical, CAMP KAPPAWANNA, with music by Grammy Award-nominated singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb, book by rising star Marco Ramirez and conceived by City Theatre Producing Artistic Director Stephanie Norman, along with the 15th season of the company’s acclaimed annual SUMMER SHORTS FESTIVAL featuring two series that bring the nation’s best “short” plays to South Florida audiences: SIGNATURE SHORTS, the original series that put “shorts” on the map; and UNDERSHORTS, a late-night series of shorts for adults that is edgy, irreverent, and completely hilarious. SUMMER SHORTS will feature “Mr. Summer Shorts” Stephen Trovillion, veteran of 71 roles in 13 previous festivals, and the zany Elena Maria Garcia, a comedic star of 32 roles in 6 previous festivals along with a company of South Florida brightest talents.
Taken together, City Theatre’s 15th Anniversary Season will perform at and in association with the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Miami from June 3 – 27, 2010 followed by a new summer residency at the Epstein Center for the Arts at Nova Southeastern University in Davie to celebrate the holiday weekend, performing July 1 – 3, 2010.
The Carbonell Award-winning festival has become a nationally recognized event and something of a must-see/must-be-seen-there social outing for South Florida audiences. Says Stephanie Norman, Co-Founder and Producing Artistic Director, “In 15 years City Theatre has produced over 300 original “short” plays by the nation’s top playwrights. This year we have truly kicked things up a notch with the nation’s best new “short” plays – a celebration of 15 seasons of “shorts” – – the perfect way to bring something completely unique to our artists and audiences alike.”
CAMP KAPPAWANNA is the story of Jennifer Jenkins, awkward and adorable and 12, a kid who hasn’t really found herself just yet. She’s going away for the summer – her very first time leaving home. From the start, CAMP KAPPAWANNA makes audiences of all generations feel as if they, too, are joining in the fun of summer camp. Grammy Award-nominated multi-platinum selling singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb created CAMP KAPPAWANNA’S music and lyrics along with collaborators Dan Petty and Michelle Lewis in celebration of her days at camp, where she first learned to play the guitar. Lisa Loeb’s inspiration, “Summer camp is one of those life-changing experiences that every child should have. It teaches you to try new things, explore and make new friends. It won’t always be easy, but you can forge true friendships and make lifelong memories that will stay with you forever.”
The CAMP KAPPAWANNA musical was conceived by City Theatre Co-Founder Stephanie Norman, who tapped multi-Heideman Award winning playwright Marco Ramirez to write the book. Says Norman, “we’ve produced 7 of Marco’s plays on our stages, starting with his first professional production and leading to many accolades as one of the nation’s rising talents. His writing is smart, funny and strikes the right chord with kids –and adults.” Ramirez comes to CAMP KAPPAWANNA from training at the prestigious Tisch School of the Arts and The Juilliard School, and is currently a staff writer on FX’s “Sons of Anarchy.”
This season marks Marco Ramirez’s 8th City Theatre production, similar to City Theatre Co-Founder and Literary Director Susi Westfall, whose play LOOK AT ME will make its World Premiere in the company’s UNDERSHORTS series. Other “shorts” veterans include Obie Award-winning talent Christopher Durang, whose play NOT A CREATURE WAS STIRRING marks his 6th City Theatre production; Rolin Jones, a writer for the hit Showtime series “Weeds”, whose City Theatre entry EXTREMELY was a previous standout at the prestigious Humana Festival of New American Plays; and City Theatre’s most-produced playwright, Rich Orloff, who marks his 11th City Theatre production with a reprise of his classic comedy THE MATTERHORN, featuring “shorts” veterans Stephen Trovillion and Elena Maria Garcia.
City Theatre’s acting ensemble for Signature Shorts and undershorts includes Carbonell Award winners Chaz Mena and Laura Turnball, festival favorites Elena Maria Garcia and Stephen Trovillion along with South Florida talents Erin Joy Schmidt, David Hemphill, Scott Genn and Breeza Zeller. “Shorts” directors include City Theatre Founding Artistic Director Gail Garrisan along with noted directors Avi Hoffman, Marjorie O’Neill-Butler, John Manzelli, Barry Steinman, James Samuel Randolph and Hugh Murphy.
City Theatre’s production team for all three series of “shorts” includes scenic designer Sean McClelland, lighting designer Sevim Abaza, sound designer Steve Shapiro, and properties designer Jodi Dellaventura under the direction of Festival Consultant Gail Garrisan and Associate Festival Coordinator John Manzelli.

City Theatre’s launches its 15th season, presenting its Miami performances to the Adrienne Arsht Center for the fourth year and establishing a new performance home in Broward, the 750-seat Epstein Center for the Arts on the campus of Nova University School. The University School Art Institute is a new 70,800 square-foot arts complex on Nova Southeastern University’s beautiful 300-acre campus. The Art Institute offers in-school programming for University School students as well as a wealth of classes in dance, music, theatre and art for the community. Says Jenny Cook, Director of Arts at the Epstein Center, We are excited to complement our programming with a professional residency from one of South Florida’s premier theaters. We believe City Theatre’s summer season will offer audiences throughout the region an opportunity to see the acclaimed Summer Shorts Festival.”
Returning to the Festival this year is City Theatre’s 2nd Annual Art Contest, THE CAMP KAPPAWANNA ART CONTEST. Children in grades K – 8 may visit www.citytheatre.com/campkappawanna to download a template and registration form to enter. The contest runs April 1 – May 15 and winning entries will be enlarged and displayed at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and Epstein Center for the Arts as an exhibit of Florida’s finest young artists.

Says Co-Founder Stephanie Norman, “this year we have truly kicked things up a notch with the nation’s best new “short” plays – a celebration of 15 seasons of “shorts” – along with a fresh, original full-length musical – the perfect way to bring something completely unique to our artists and audiences alike. Taken together, our 15th Anniversary Season offers something for everyone, a summer chock full of performances, parties, family fun days and, always, City Theatre’s signature summer brand of ‘fun’”.
Production supported by: title sponsor Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A., the Florida Department of State Division of Cultural Affairs, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the Mayor and the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners, the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Affairs Council, The Children’s Trust, America’s Capital Partners, Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, the Shepard Broad Foundation, Citizens Interested in the Arts, Carnival Cruise Lines, Dramatists Guild Fund, Dunspaugh-Dalton Foundation, Lynn Wille Fichman Family Foundation, Funding Arts Broward, Gibraltar Private Bank & Trust, IBM, Islander News, Miami Salon Group, Northern Trust, The University School Art Institute at the Epstein Center for the Arts at Nova Southeastern University, Wachovia, WLR