GREY ENSEMBLE THEATRE LAUNCHES WITH WORLD PREMIERE OF FUCK MY LIFE BY DANNY BERNARDO, DIRECTED BY CARMEN AIELLO

FUCK MY LIFE

Media contact:
Danny Bernardo, Artistic Director, Grey Ensemble Theatre
[email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Grey Ensemble Theatre launches with world premiere of
FUCK MY LIFE
By Danny Bernardo
Directed by Carmen Aiello
Only five performances! June 4, 11, 12, 18, 26 as part of Hollywood Fringe Festival 2016

LOS ANGELES (May 13, 2016) – A group of former Chicago theatre artists have formed a new theatre company in Los Angeles dedicated to diversity and incusion. The Grey Ensemble Theatre is comitted to presenting new, contemporary, and classic stories that represent the multicultural world we live in. Grey Ensemble Theatre launches its first production with the world premiere of FUCK MY LIFE by Broadway World Award nominated playwright and GET Artistic Director Danny Bernardo (Mahal, Bailiwick Chicago). Directed by Carmen Aiello, FUCK MY LIFE will play five performances at The Actors Company, 916 N. Formosa Ave, Los Angeles, as part of this year’s Hollywood Fringe Festival. The performances will be June 11 at 10:30pm, June 12 at 3pm, June 18 at 9pm, June 26 at 2pm. Press/Preview night will be June 4 at 9:30pm.

“The need for diversity and inclusion in the entertainment industry has never been greater then this very moment,” said GET Artistic Director Danny Bernardo on the inspiration for founding the company. “While the rest of the industry at large begins to implement initiatives and change to improve this, we are taking our first step by focusing on providing as many opportunities for women and people of color in our work, on-and-offstage. We’re excited to contribute to the LA theatre community with the world premiere of my play FUCK MY LIFE.”

FUCK MY LIFE follows a diverse group of post-college 20-somethings as they navigate their lives and relationships on-and-offline. The play centers on Melissa, as she lives the Millennial dream of conquering the world while balancing a life of validated adventure and underwritten by an unpaid marketing internship. Though usually careful with her personal online presence, her off-and-online life comes crashing down around her as she gets entangled in her best friend’s messy Facebook break up. Without weighing the repercussions between shots of Jameson and messy hookups, Melissa’s actions begin to adversely affect those closest to her. One thoughtless post threatens to completely change the course of Melissa’s life. Fast-paced, funny, and heartfelt, FUCK MY LIFE is equal parts commentary/love letter for the millennial generation coming of age in the digital era.

“The approach to directing and staging this particular production came across, to me, as very classical; using references to Shakespeare and Greek tragedy,” said director Carmen Aiello of his process. “Relationships haven’t changed all that much in hundreds of years. We still have love, hope, betrayal and forgiveness. Only recently has technology and social media been able to undermine our natural instincts.”

FUCK MY LIFE features GET founding members Taylor Bibat and Sara Gorsky with George Infantado, Jason Markoff, Adrian Snow, and Coy Wentworth. The production team and one more cast member will be announced at a further date.

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Title: FUCK MY LIFE
Written by: Danny Bernardo
Directed by: Carmen Aiello
Cast: Taylor Bibat (Melissa), Sara Gorsky (Lori), George Infantado (Frank), Jason Markoff (Colin), Adrian Snow (Julie), and Coy Wentworth (Neil).

Location: Actors Company, 916 N. Formosa Ave, Los Angeles
Preview/Press Performance: Saturday, June 4 at 9:30pm
Performances: Saturday, June 11 at 10:30pm
Sunday, June 12 at 3pm
Saturday, June 18 at 9pm
Sunday, June 26 at 2pm

Tickets:
Tickets are currently available at http://bit.ly/HFFtix16
Preview/Press: “Pay What It’s Worth!” – Reservations available online; walk-ups seated per availability
Regular run: $12 general admission

Short description:
FUCK MY LIFE follows a diverse group of millennials as they navigate their lives on-and-offline. Between shots of Jameson and messy hookups their online antics explode into IRL problems. Could one post completely change the course of their lives forever? A commentary/love letter for the millennial generation coming of age in the digital era.

Biographies:
Danny Bernardo (Playwright/Artistic Director) is a writer, actor, and director who has returned to his native Southern California after sixteen wonderful years in Chicago. As a resident playwright with Bailiwick Chicago, the world premiere of his play Mahal received a BroadwayWorld Award nomination for “Best New Work”. Bernardo has worked with such Chicago companies as the Goodman Theatre, About Face, Victory Gardens Theater, Lifeline Theatre, Silk Road Rising, American Theater Company, Oak Park Festival Theatre, COLLABORACTION, Emerald City Theatre, Rasaka Theatre Company, InFusion Theatre Company, The Plagiarists, and Porchlight Music Theatre (Artistic Associate emeritus). He maintains his Chicago roots as an artistic associate of The Chicago Inclusion Project, where he began development for his play Tomas. Bernardo has studied at Columbia College Chicago, American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, and Second City Chicago. Find out more at www.dannybernardo.com

Carmen Aiello (Director) grew up in Denver, Colorado, performing in musical theatre and dance at Shwayder Theatre, Arvada Center, Upstart Performing Ensemble and Denver Center of the Performing Arts. He moved to Chicago where he pursued acting in theatre and performed in dozens of critically acclaimed and Jeff award winning productions. Upon understudying a show at Next Theatre he felt the “calling” to casting and moved to be the casting director of productions at Next Theatre, Theatre Wit, Raven Theatre and A Red Orchid Theatre. After casting over forty productions in Chicago, he switched his focus to Los Angeles for TV/FILM. He immediately worked at The Gersh Agency, educating himself on the ins and outs of the industry. He moved to focus solely on casting and co producing; attaching stars to feature films and series including The Employer, Armed Response, The Fourth Door (New Form Digital), Gutshot Straight and Excision (official selection of Sundance 2012). In 2015, he associate produced and cast Disney’s Mere Et Fille (2015) and Adi Shankar’s Gods and Secrets (premiering in 2016). In 2016, Carmen co-produced, cast and attached stars to the feature films: For All Eyes Always (Sean Astin, Lynn Whitfield, Saïd Taghmaoui, Joseph Gatt) and Corbin Nash (Rutger Hauer, Malcolm McDowell, Bruce Davison, Dean Jagger, Patrick Brennan, Fernanda Romero and Corey Feldman).

Grey Ensemble Theatre presents new, contemporary, and classic stories that represent the multicultural world we live in. Founded by former Chicago-based artists, we strive for the highest quality work with a focus on ensemble and collaboration. Emphasizing diversity and inclusion both on stage and in production, Grey Ensemble Theatre is committed to unifying audience and artist through the power of storytelling.

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