Carrie Fisher's Solo Bio Play, Wishful Drinking, Opens in L.A. Nov. 15

By Ernio Hernandez
November 15, 2006

Wishful Drinking, Hollywood actress Carrie Fisher's new biographical journey, opens Nov. 15 at Los Angeles' Geffen Playhouse.

Joshua Ravetch directs Fisher in "her first-ever, world-premiere, one-woman show." The new work, penned by Fisher, began previews Nov. 7 at the California company's mainstage for a run currently slated to play through Dec. 24.

"Like her own life, with no intermission," reads show materials, "Ms. Fisher finally comes clean about Star Relations, 'Star Wars' and other Celestial Bodies" in Wishful Drinking.

The show offers Fisher's insights and experiences that she has accumulated in her life and career. Along the way, she'll touch on her "unusual childhood [as] the daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, the rise to movie icon as Princess Leia, her marriage to Paul Simon, the release of her hit movie 'Postcards From the Edge' starring Meryl Streep . . . [as well as] drug addiction, bipolar disorder, motherhood, having a child with a man who forgot to tell her he was gay, waking up next to a man who died not only in his sleep . . . but in mine, and her ultimate triumph over adversity."

Among Fisher's numerous credits include the films "Shampoo," the first "Star Wars" trilogy, "The Man With One Red Shoe," "Hannah and Her Sisters," "When Harry Met Sally," "Austin Powers" and the upcoming "Fanboys," as well as hosting her own show "Conversations From the Edge." She has also penned the novels "Postcards From the Edge," "Surrender the Pink," "Delusions of Grandma" and her latest, "The Best Awful."

Director Ravetch recently sold the adaptation of his stage play, Off Sides, which debuted with Christine Lahti and Robert Forster in a workshop reading at The Geffen Playhouse. He has also directed Love Acts, Deathtrap, The Big Knife, The Hasty Heart, The Seagull, Waiting for Lefty and A Prayer for My Daughter.

The Geffen will next present Ricky Jay & His 52 Assistants (Nov. 21-Jan. 27, 2007). Also slated are Jeffrey Hatcher's A Picasso (Feb. 4-March 25, 2007), David Mamet's Speed-The-Plow (Jan. 30-March 18, 2007), Neil LaBute's Fat Pig (May 5-June 10, 2007), Tom Stoppard's translation of Gérald Sibleyras' Heroes (April 10-May 27, 2007) and Heshey Felder's George Gershwin Alone (June 5-July 22, 2007).

Tickets to Wishful Drinking at the Geffen Playhouse, located at 10886 Le Conte Avenue in Westwood, CA can be purchased by calling (310) 208 5454 or online at www.geffenplayhouse.com.