FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, PLEASE

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Jenni Benzaquen

Press Director

Geffen Playhouse

(310) 208-6500, ext. 126

jenni@geffenplayhouse.com

GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE PRESENTS WEST COAST PREMIERE OF STEPHEN JEFFREYS’ I JUST STOPPED BY TO SEE THE MAN

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CAST INCLUDES JONELL KENNEDY, DONOVAN LEITCH AND CLARENCE WILLIAMS III

SEPTEMBER 9 – OCTOBER 19

LOS ANGELES – Aug. 8, 2003 – Geffen Playhouse Producing Director, Gilbert Cates, proudly announces the first play of Geffen Playhouse’s 2003-2004 season: the West Coast premiere of Stephen Jeffreys’ I Just Stopped By to See the Man. To be directed by Geffen Artistic Director Randall Arney, I Just Stopped By to See the Man will feature JoNell Kennedy, musician Donovan Leitch, and Tony Award nominee Clarence Williams III. I Just Stopped By to See the Man premieres at Geffen Playhouse from September 9–October 19 with an official press opening on Wednesday, September 17.

Set in the Mississippi Delta in the mid-seventies, I Just Stopped By to See the Man explores the bonds between rock-and-roll and the blues, between black and white, and between legend and reality. Poignant and provocative, Jeffreys’ play centers on a legendary blues man long thought dead, his political activist daughter and a British rock star seeking the truth about the man who inspired his career.

“This is a truly moving and passionate play that combines the powerful element of music with a captivating story and a cast of dynamic actors,” said Cates. “We are also thrilled that Geffen Artistic Director Randall Arney will be back in the director’s chair to unravel this remarkable tale for our theatergoers.”

I Just Stopped By to See the Man had its world premiere two years ago at the Royal Court Theatre where it was hailed by The London Daily Telegraph as a “richly human and moving play.” The play had its American premiere at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre last year, where it was lauded in the Chicago Sun Times as an “affectionate ode to a powerful musical fusion.”

Not unlike the characters they will portray, the cast of I Just Stopped By to See the Man share histories steeped in music. Actor and musician Donovan Leitch (Karl) is the son of seventies pop sensation Donovan, best known for his hit song “Mellow Yellow.” Leitch is the lead singer for British rock band, Nancy Boy. JoNell Kennedy (Della) is a Louisiana native whose mother was a vocalist in the popular sixties group “The Dixie Kups.” Kennedy sings with a soul band called “The Soul of John Black.” Clarence Williams III is the son of a musician and will be performing a blues song in I Just Stopped By to See the Man.

BIOGRAPHIES: I JUST STOPPED BY TO SEE THE MAN

Stephen Jeffreys (Playwright) was born in London and first attracted critical attention with his study of a stunt man on the skids in Like Dolls or Angels (1977), for which he won the Sunday Times Playwriting Award at the National Student Drama Festival. He won a Fringe First Award in 1984 for Carmen 1936, which was performed by the Communicado at the Tricycle Theatre in London. His comedy Valued Friends played to two sold out runs at Hampstead Theatre in 1989 and 1990 and won him the Evening Standard and Critics' Circle awards for Most Promising Playwright. This was followed by a Jacobean tragicomedy, The Clink, for Paines Plough, for which he was Arts Council writer in-residence from 1987-1989. In 1994, Jeffreys again won popular acclaim for The Libertine, his play about the Earl of Rochester.

Randall Arney (Artistic Director) is most recently known to Geffen audiences for his direction of Rebecca Gilman’s Boy Gets Girl, David Rambo’s God’s Man in Texas and Conor McPherson’s The Weir. He is an ensemble member and former Artistic Director of Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre, where he directed I Just Stopped by to See the Man last fall; The Beauty Queen of Leenane; Death and the Maiden; Curse of the Starving Class; Bang; A Walk in the Woods; Killers; and The Geography of Luck. In addition, he directed the world premiere of Picasso at the Lapin Agile at Steppenwolf, as well as the subsequent Los Angeles (Westwood Playhouse, Drama-Logue Critics’ Award), Off-Broadway, San Francisco, Washington D. C. and Tokyo productions. Broadway transfers under his leadership include The Rise and Fall of Little Voice; The Song of Jacob Zulu (six Tony Award nominations); and The Grapes of Wrath (1990 Tony Award, Best Play). Arney has an MFA degree in Acting and has taught acting and directing at Columbia College in Chicago and Illinois State University. He has also held master classes and workshops at Steppenwolf, around the U.S., and in Tokyo.

JoNell Kennedy (Della) began her professional career in Chicago's theater scene. She appeared in George C. Wolfe's Spunk, in which she won the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actress. She also appeared in Cry the Beloved Country, Marvin's Room, and Midsummer Night's Dream at the Goodman; and Eden at Victory Gardens, among others. Regional credits include Purlie Victorious at Tiffany's Attic, and The Colored Museum at Yale Repertory. Kennedy’s Los Angeles theater credits include Monkey Grass at The Victory and Legacies at The Matrix. Her most recent film and television credits include Imposter; 44 Minutes; X Files; The District; ER; and Friends.

Donovan Leitch (Karl) was born in Hertfordshire, England, the son of 60's folk-icon Donovan and model Enid Sages. Leitch grew up in Hollywood where he began his film career as a dancer in the musical Breakin' 2 Electric Bugaloo (1984) and later distinguished himself with supporting roles in Chuck Russell's remake of The Blob (1988), Edward Zwick's Glory (1989) and Mary Harron's I Shot Andy Warhol (1996). Leitch has worked with his sister, Ione Skye, on efforts such as Allison Anders' Gas Food Lodging and The Size of Watermelons. In the early 90s, Leitch moved to New York City, where he started a band called Nancy Boy with his childhood friend Jason Nesmith. During that time, Leitch made his off-Broadway stage debut, playing the role of Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Leitch made his directorial debut with The Party’s Over, a political documentary starring Philip Seymour Hoffman scheduled to be released this fall. His new band Camp Freddy will release their album in the spring of 2004.

Clarence Williams III (Jesse) a New York actor, began his career in a production of Dark of the Moon, directed by Vinnette Carroll. Williams has appeared on Broadway in The Great Indoors co-starring with Geraldine Page and Curt Juergens. He starred in Slow Dance on the Killing Ground for which he received a Tony nomination and the Theater World Award. Also, on Broadway, he co-starred with Maggie Smith in Tom Stoppard’s Night and Day. Williams worked extensively with Joseph Papp’s New York Shakespeare Festival. Under Papp’s direction, he co-starred in William Shakespeare’s King John at the Delacort Theater in Central Park. He also has many off Broadway credits including co-starring with Franchot Tone in Louis John Carlino’s Double Talk. Williams has appeared in many television shows including Law and Order, Star Trek, Hill Street Blues, Miami Vice, Judging Amy and Twin Peaks. He also co-starred in his own television series Mod Squad, as Linc Hayes, for five seasons. He will soon be seen in a recurring role on the new Jerry Bruckheimer series Skin. During Williams film career he had a long collaboration with John Frankenheimer, starting with the film 52 Pick Up, followed by, Reindeer Games, The George Wallace Story, Attica and Tales From the Crypt. He also co-starred in The Generals Daughter directed by Simon West for Paramount Pictures. Some of Williams other film roles include Prince’s father in Purple Rain, a memorable performance in Sugar Hill, directed Leon Ichaso, Deep Cover and Hoodlum both directed by Bill Duke and Life starring Eddie Murphy, directed by Ted Demme. Independent films include, The Brave directed by Johnny Depp, Happy Here and Now, directed by Michael Almereyda and the magnificent costume drama The Legend of 1900, starring Tim Roth, directed by Academy Award winning director, Giuseppe Tornatore.

GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE 2003-2004 SEASON

Subscriptions to the 2003-2004 season are currently on sale. Orders may be placed in person at the Geffen’s box office or by calling the box office at (310) 208-5454. The five-play subscription price range is $135-$230. Special student subscriptions are available for $70.

Sugar Plum Fairy (Nov. 11-Dec. 21)

Next in the season is Sugar Plum Fairy, written and performed by Sandra Tsing Loh, the award-winning novelist, NPR commentator and performer. Sugar Plum Fairy is the story of a 12-year old girl who dreams of dancing the lead in The Nutcracker. However, due to the “cruel, Darwinian pecking order,” she ends up pushed to the back of the chorus. Loh has written a hilarious coming-of-age story about the fickle finger of fate and the humbling experience of dreams not realized. Sugar Plum Fairy runs from November 11 –December 21, 2003, with an official press opening on Wednesday, November 19.

War Music (Jan. 13-Feb. 22)

The Geffen’s season continues with Los Angeles playwright Bryan Davidson’s War Music, directed by Jessica Kubzansky. War Music, based upon dramatic events in the lives of composers Frank Bridge, Anton Webern, and Olivier Messiaen, weaves together three musically-driven playlets. Each composer’s story is linked by warfare, madness, redemption, and, ultimately, the resilient spirit of the human condition. War Music was named one of the top ten notable plays of 2002 by the Los Angeles Times. War Music runs from January 13-February 22, 2004, with an official press opening on Wednesday, January 21.

The Underpants (Mar. 9-Apr. 18)

The fourth production of the Geffen’s season is The Underpants, comic genius Steve Martin’s hilarious adaptation of Carl Sternheim’s 1910 German farce Die Hose. The play introduces a newly married couple that must cope with the madness that results when the wife’s underwear falls down at a parade for the king. Into the fray come a nosy upstairs neighbor and a pair of suitors – a foppish poet and a whiny hypochondriac – who come to rent a room from the couple. The Underpants runs from March 9-April 18, 2004, with an official press opening on Wednesday, March 17.

The season closes with a new play, directed by Gil Cates, to be announced at a later date.

Geffen Playhouse is located at 10886 Le Conte Avenue in Westwood. Single ticket prices range from $28 to $46. The performance schedule is Tuesdays - Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays at 8:00 p.m.; Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.; and Sundays at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. For ticket information, please call the Geffen Playhouse box office at (310) 208-5454. For group reservations, please call (661) 250-7424. Visit the Geffen Playhouse website at www.geffenplayhouse.com.

Geffen Playhouse is headed by Producing Director Gilbert Cates, Artistic Director Randall Arney and Managing Director Stephen Eich.

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