"THE SUM OF MY PARTS" A SOLO SHOW PRESS RELEASE!!!!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Leigh McLeod Fortier or Sandra Kuker (323) 960-7779
Email: [email protected]

THE SUM OF MY PARTS
Begins June 11th, 2011

Dress up can only go so far! Come along with this girly-boy on a heartbreaking and hilarious journey to embrace all of his…and her parts.

A Michael Mullen Production · 80 mins · World Premiere · One-Person Show · Ages 18+ · Part of The Hollywood Fringe Festival

Runs June 11th – June 25th, 2011 at The Elephant Studio Stage Theatre at 6322 Santa Monica Blvd. at 1078 Lillian Way, Los Angeles, CA 90038.

Press are invited to Review June 11th or 12th, 2011
(Media will also be accommodated for Press Comps at any performance on schedule)

(Los Angeles, CA) (April, 2011)… THE SUM OF MY PARTS is the heartbreaking and hilarious story of a girly-boy’s journey to ultimately embrace both sides of his … and her person. The Hollywood Fringe Festival 2011 show Opens at The Elephant Studio Stage Theatre, June 11th, 2011.

About The Show

Michael has always been girly, REALLY girly. Thanks to his Catholic mother’s closet – no pun intended – Michael’s childhood was a wonderful world where he could dress up to his heart’s content and wait for his prince – Troy Aikman – to sweep him off his feet!

Michael Mullen is a performer and costume/fashion designer. He has performed in and designed many projects over the years in Los Angeles.

THE SUM OF MY PARTS was inspired by his video “I Feel Like a Woman” which was recognized as an official honoree for Public Service and Activism at The 2010 Webby Awards. You can view the video by visiting the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azMA5O_fX8Q

Written and Performed By: Michael Mullen
Directed By: Louise Hung
Sound Design By : Efrain Schunior
Stage Managed By: Melina Franks

The show runs:

June 11, 8:00 PM, pay what you can
June 12, 7:00 PM, pay what you can
June 17, 8:00 PM, $10.00
June 18, 8:00 PM, $10.00
June 19, 7:00 PM, $10.00
June 23, 10:00 PM, $10.00
June 25, 8:00 PM, $10.00

As part of The Hollywood Fringe Festival

THE SUM OF MY PARTS runs June 11th to 25th, 2011. Performances are at The Elephant Studio Stage Theatre at 6322 Santa Monica Blvd. at 1078 Lillian Way, Los Angeles, CA 90038. Tickets by donation June 11th and 12th, $10 other dates (see above). Running time is 80 minutes. Arrive early for best street parking.

Call 323-455-5585 for tickets or get more information and discounts online at: www.plays411.com/somp

Michael Mullen (Writer/Performer) has a degree in theatre from The University of Southern California and a fashion design degree from The Fashion Institute of Design And Merchandising. Michael has performed in and costume designed several productions both on stage and on film throughout Los Angeles. Some of the plays that he has performed in recently are: ALEXANDRA (East L.A. Rep.), SEVEN AT WEST 70TH (Little Fish Theatre), DON GIOVANNI TONIGHT, DON CARLO TOMORROW (Sacred Fools Theatre), SOPHISTICATED BROADWAY (The Blank Theatre Company), TOOTH AND NAIL (Little Fish Theatre), SYLVIA (Hermosa Beach Playhouse), WAIT UNTIL DARK (Hermosa Beach Playhouse), CHICO’S ANGELS (Cavern Club Theatre), PORCELAIN (Celebration Theatre), A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Celebration Theatre), THE NEXT FAIRY TALE (Celebration Theatre), OOOOOGY GREEN AND OTHER FABLES (Celebration Theatre, Geffen Playhouse, and Magic Theatre), AMERICA’S NEXT TOP BOTTOM (Celebration Theatre and The Actor’s Playhouse), DEAR HARVEY (Celebration Theatre), THE ART OF BEING (Artworks Theatre and The Bailiwick Theatre), MANZANITA (The Frida Kahlo Theatre), TWIST (Avery Schreiber Theatre), PAGEANT (The Hudson Theatre), and THE MULLEN MIX (The Complex Theatre). You can check out his short film, I FEEL LIKE A WOMAN (writer/performer/costume designer) on YouTube.Com which was named a 2010 Webby Award Honoree for “Public Service And Activism”. He has also acted in the following web series’: FRUIT AND FLY (writer/performer/costume designer), ACTING SCHOOL ACADEMY (for which he was named a “stand out” in The New York Times), WORKING WORLD, and the soon to be released STALLIONS DE AMOR….. Some of his recent costume design credits for the stage include: CABARET (DOMA Theatre Company), HEDDA GABLER (Little Fish Theatre), PIPPIN (Doma Theatre Company), PLAYDATES (Green Beetle Productions), WHY TORTURE IS WRONG, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM (The Blank Theatre Company), THE SANTALAND DIARIES (The Blank Theatre Company), WHITE PEOPLE (The Road Theatre Company), WOMEN BEHIND BARS (Celebration Theatre), ALTAR BOYZ (Celebration Theatre), THE JAZZ AGE (The Blank Theatre Company), SETUP AND PUNCH (The Blank Theatre Company), OOOOOGY GREEN AND OTHER FABLES (Celebration Theatre), two seasons of The Blank Theatre’s National Young Playwright’s Festival- 24 plays total, 13 O’ CLOCK (Little Fish Theatre), INTO THE WOODS (Doma Theatre Company), BRIGHT IDEAS (The Falcon Theatre), KARMA BOOMERANG (Pacific Resident Theatre), DIVIDED (Pacific Resident Theatre), THE MULLEN MIX, and many more. On film, Michael has done costumes for such projects as PARADOX ALICE (Mako Pictures), FIT TO BE TIED, TWO STICKS, FRUIT AND FLY, I FEEL LIKE A WOMAN, several other web series, short films, and music videos including MONKEY and BALLERINA PLASTICA. He is currently costuming and co-starring in the feature film BEARING FRUIT (Adriana Garza Productions). You can also check out some of his fashion design escapades on Craigslist TV (Youtube.Com/Craigslist), which is produced by Brownstone Entertainment. He hopes to one day have an evening and bridal wear clothing line. Mmmmmkay!

CRITICAL ACCLAIM / PRESS (as a performer):

“PORCELAIN” at Celebration Theatre:

“Michael Mullen is funny and heartbreaking in a number of character roles.” – BACKSTAGE

“Michael Mullen (Voice Two) does the evening’s most varied work, from his fabulously queeny commentator on gay life in London to Voice Two’s biggest role, that of John Lee’s Chinese father, and it is here that Mullen astounds, digging deep into the wounded soul of a man who’s only son has committed the ultimate betrayal.” – STAGESCENELA

STAGESCENELA Award for BEST ENSEMBLE-DRAMA 2008-2009 for “PORCELAIN”

“SYLVIA” at The Hermosa Beach Playhouse:

“In a complex performance, each of Mullen’s three characters stands on it’s own. When he’s on stage, Mullen’s characters can be counted on to be hilarious no matter what is happening with the rest of the cast.” – THE DAILY BREEZE

“Making his Hermosa Beach Playhouse debut is Michael Mullen, whose dramatic work in last Fall’s Porcelain and comic turns in December’s gay A Christmas Carol and now here in Sylvia are quickly making him L.A. theater’s “multiple role master.” – STAGESCENELA

“Mullen’s portrayal of Phyllis is totally enjoyable.” – THE EASY READER

STAGESCENELA Award for BEST FEATURED ACTOR-COMEDY 2008-2009 for “SYLVIA”

“A CHRISTMAS CAROL” at Celebration Theatre:

“Mullen is hilarious as the Charity Solicitor.” – L.A. TIMES

“The marvelous Mullen, amusing as the Charity Solicitor, also doubles as Marley, a cross between Oscar Wilde and Cruella de Vil. Mullen, playing it straight as Marley (no pun intended), is powerful indeed as he expresses Marley’s regrets, direct from Dickens’ original.”
- STAGESCENELA

“WAIT UNTIL DARK” at The Hermosa Beach Playhouse

“Casting Mullen as Mr. Roat was a stroke of genius for director Coltrin. StageSceneLA Best Of 2008-9 Featured Actor honoree Mullen is a master of multiple-character acting, a feat he demonstrated to perfection in Sylvia and Porcelain. Whether dressed up as Harry Roat, Sr. or Harry Jr., or sans disguise as the killer, Mullen creates three distinct characters, and when playing “the real Roat,” he is downright creepy … and scary as hell.” – STAGESCENELA

STAGESCENELA Award for OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR-DRAMA 2009-2010 for “WAIT UNTIL DARK”

“ACTING SCHOOL ACADEMY” The Web Series

“The young cast has plenty of standouts including Michael Mullen as the super-closeted Damien, who really gets a chance to “sparkle”." – THE NEW YORK TIMES

“THE MULLEN MIX”

“Mullen is extremely talented and demonstrates a wide range of acting and creative talents throughout the show.” – METRO LA

“Michael Mullen is a charming, hard-working, and inventive performer, whose strong abilities in costume design are duly noted.” – BACKSTAGE

LOUISE HUNG (Director) Louise is a theatre director living in Hollywood, CA. Recent productions include HOW RAVEN STOLE FIRE AND OTHER STORIES (Geffen Playhouse/UCLA), THE GOOD PRISONER (Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble- GO! in LA Weekly, Backstage Critics Pick), OOOOOGY GREEN AND OTHER FABLES (Celebration Theatre, Geffen Playhouse, 2010 Tribute to Autism- Critics Pick Backstage West), MUKASHI MUKASHI, ASIAN TALES FROM LONG AGO (Geffen Playhouse/UCLA). Louise can also be seen acting in the upcoming web series STALLIONS…DE AMOR (Efrain Schunior, Director) as The Asian Detective. Louise is the resident Teaching Artist at the Geffen Playhouse as well as a proud member of the Los Angeles Guild of Puppetry. Louise holds a BA from Saint Louis University, an MFA from UCLA, and is a certified Nia (Neuromuscular Integrative Action) teacher.