Los Angeles' Moving Arts will present the world premiere of Lee Wochner's Monster Stories, July 16 - Aug. 22.
Wochner's Stories tells of Jack -- described as everybody's worst best friend; Ed, who spends his time tormenting Mother; and "Social Realist," who shares all his ugly truths.
The cast for Monster Stories, directed by Julie Briggs and Mark Kinsey Stephenson, includes: Rachel Brindamour, Tony DeCarlo, Richard Hamner, Sharon Kahn, Gary Nichols Marschall, James Smith, Mark Kinsey Stephenson and Lisa Temple.
Along with being the playwright of over two dozen plays, Wochner is also co-founder and co artistic director of Moving Arts. His play, Anapest, was recently produced in London and New York.
According to Wochner, Moving Arts (founded in 1992), was created out of a necessity. "As a playwright, I needed a place to work out of; my co founder Julie Briggs and I had been treated poorly elsewhere. We wanted a place where we weren't treated that way." Seven years ago they created that place -- out of an old police substation -- and called it "Moving Arts." Since that time they have presented more than 60 plays, most of them world premieres, including the critically- acclaimed Beguiled by Choice (which ran for nine months in 1994), the Drama-Logue Award-winning Fast Friends, and two one-act festivals.
"When I was 15," Wochner once told PBOL, "'Rolling Stone' did an article about Lanford Wilson. I read it and thought, 'This is dumb, why would anyone want to write plays?'. Then, in college...I took a Theatre of the Absurd class and it changed my life."
The teacher took an instant liking to Wochner and allowed him to write a play, in lieu of doing another report. The teacher was so impressed with the play, she had Wochner write another -- this time with a school grant for $500.
Wochner's plays now number over 24 and include Happy Fun Family, Uncle Hem, Anapest, The Size of Pike and Remember Frank Zappa.
For tickets or more information, call (323) 665-8961.
-- By Sean McGrath
