Hostage (2018)
Written by Michelle Kholos Brooks
Directed by Elina de Santos
Producers: Gary Grossman, Tony Abatemarco
Associate Producers: Jonathan Muñoz-Proulx, Josh Gershick,
Shaina Rosenthal, Leila Tabatabaee
– THE STORY: A stunning connection develops between disparate worlds when a mother, unauthorized and unafraid, travels to Tehran to save her 19 year old son from being held captive by Iranian student revolutionists at the American Embassy.
SCHEDULE
Skylight Theatre;
May 19 – July 22
World Premiere
2017-2018 Season
"In our increasingly polarized society, perhaps there are lessons we can gather from the idealism of an everyday person; a mother, having the courage to stand outside politics out of love for her son."
- Michelle Kholos Brooks
BEYOND
CONVERSATION
Enhance your experience.
We hope to bring more to the conversation begun by the play HOSTAGE. Informal chats with invited guests last 20-25 minutes and begin immediately after the performance.
Sun. May 27 - A NEST OF SPIES
Sun. June 3 - AMERICA HELD HOSTAGE
Sun. June 10 - TEHRANGELES
Sun. June 17 - ISLAMOPHOBIA 101
Sun. June 24 - THE MUSLIM WITH THE GUN
Sun. July 1 - (no Beyond Conversation scheduled)
Sun. July 8 - FROM PAGE TO STAGE
Sat. July 14 - MY STORY: BARBARA TIMM (Special Guest; Day & Time)
Sun. July 15 - BANNED
Sun. July 22 - ENEMIES AMONG US
MEDIA
2018
THE ARTISTS OF HOSTAGE
Michelle Kholos Brooks
Writer
An award-winning playwright whose work is currently being staged across the U.S. and Canada. Hostage was a finalist for the Woodward/Newman Drama Award, the Fratti Newman Political Play Contest, and was a Showcase finalist for the National New Play Network. Hitler’s Tasters, winner of the 2017 Susan Glaspell Award, made its world premiere at Centenary Stage Company in April 2018, and will be produced by New Light Theatre Project in New York, October 2018. Kalamazoo, co-written with Kelly Younger, won the 2014 Riva Shiner Comedy Award, Bloomington Playwrights Project. It has been published by Dramatists Play Service and produced across the country. Family Planning made its world premiere at the Colony Theatre and was a finalist for the 2014 Riva Shiner Comedy Award. Chair was a finalist for the Firehouse Theatre’s Festival of New American Plays. Brooks has received additional productions and developmental support of various works from Pacific Resident Theatre, The Road Theatre Company, The Boston Court Theatre, The Barrow Group, Wordsmyth Theatre and the Bay Street Theatre. Brooks is a member of The Dramatists Guild of America, The Playwright’s Center and Pacific Resident Theatre. She is a nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council within the Scowcroft Center on Strategy and Security.
Elina de Santos
Director
Co-Artistic Director Rogue Machine Theatre: 5 World premieres; IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW, Katherine Cortez, DIRTY FILTHY LOVE STORY, Rob Mersola, NICE THINGS, Vince Melocchi, YARD SALE SIGNS, Jennie Webb. American Premiere, Oliver Cotton’s DAYTONA. West Coast Premieres: BHUTAN, Daisy Foote, VIVIEN, Rick Foster, STOP KISS, Diana Son, and FALLING, Deanna Jent. Founder Celebrating Voices, youth playwriting program serving Boys and Girls Club of America. PRT: ORPHEUS DESCENDING, A DELICATE BALANCE (LA Premiere), ROCKET TO THE MOON, DEATH OF A SALESMAN. Skylight Theatre: 3 World Premieres, HOSTAGE by Michelle Kohlos Brooks (May 2018), CHURCH & STATE by Jason Williams, THE SEXUAL LIVES OF SAVAGES by Ian McDonald. WCJT: NEW JERUSALEM, BROKEN GLASS. Pasadena Playhouse; WCP of VINCENT IN BRIXTON, Odyssey: ARSENIC AND OLD LACE, SPEED THE PLOW (LA Premiere), AWAKE & SING!, ALL MY SONS. Regional credits: ORPHANS by Lyle Kessler (ICT), ROMEO & JULIET: CIRCUS VERONA, (DWT), AWAKE & SING!, BTF & PPT.
Recipient of the LADCC Milton Katselas Distinguished Achievement in directing, 2012. Member: Actor's Studio Directors unit and the SDC serving on 2 committees.
Tracie Lockwood
actor
Returning to the Skylight after starring in their 2016 production of Church and State, Tracie is a member of Pacific Resident Theatre, and a founding member of Rogue Machine Theatre, she appeared in: Henry V, Turn of the Screw, Pocatello, A Permanent Image (LADCC Award) and more. She has also performed locally at the Odyssey, and the Pasadena Playhouse.
Vaneh Assadourian
actor
Vaneh Assadourian is a Los Angeles-based actor and director born and raised in Tehran, Iran. Selected credits include: Theater (Actor): HAPPIEST SONG PLAYS LAST (the LATC); AS YOU LIKE IT (The Southland Company); THE ORANGE GARDEN (Theatricum Botanicum); TALL TALES: MYTHS OF MAGICAL TREES (UCLA and The Geffen Playhouse); MERCY STATION (The Vagrancy); UNCOVERED CITIES (Circle X Theatre). She received a BA from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television.
Jack Clinton
actor
Jack was last seen performing his one-person show, "Not to be Negative but…" at the United Solo festival where it was picked to be part of an anthology. He has also performed it at the Comedy Central Stage. Jack has performed in numerous plays on both coasts.
Zachary Grant
actor
Zachary studied at the British American Drama Academy in London and is a graduate of the School of Dramatic Arts at USC. He was seen as William in Punk Rock directed by Lisa James at the Odyssey Theatre and in the film Being Charlie directed by Rob Reiner.
Christopher Hoffman
actor
Christopher Hoffman began acting at age 10 in his hometown of Evanston, Illinois with the role of Will Stanton in an adaptation of Susan Cooper's "The Dark is Rising". He continued acting through high school and college, earning a BFA from USC before making the move to NYC. After a two-year internship at The Public Theatre, Christopher produced and acted in dozens of off-Broadway plays including playing 17 different roles in Gia Forakis's award winning "Solo Allegro Cappuccino" as well as his favorite role to date - Bobby Sands in "Awaiting the Lark". After returning to LA, Christopher has pursued a TV and film career while working at The Skylight Theatre Company as Production Stage Manager. His credits included recurring work in David Milch's "Luck", Jeffrey Bouchard on "Better Off Ted" and as the casually racist white guy on "Everybody Hates Chris".
Satiar Pourvasei
actor
Notable theatre credits include Marco in the critically acclaimed production of A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE at Pacific Resident Theatre, Bingley in PRIDE & PREJUDICE, Dionysus in THE BACCHAE, and the Count in DRACULA. Television credits include Days Of Our Lives, J.A.G., and The Practice. Satiar is a graduate of the University of Southern California with a B.F.A. - Acting degree. Growing up in Los Angeles, Satiar enjoys life by the beach where he lives with Maximus his Rottweiler, and is often seen on his motorcycle.
Ethan Rains
actor
A graduate of SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts. THEATRE: Most recently, The Suppliant Women @ The Getty Villa produced by the Rogue Machine Theatre TV: NCIS, NCIS: LA, 24, The Unit, CSI: Miami, General Hospital: Nightshift, E-Ring, The Closer, Judging Amy, and Days of our Lives. FILM: Most recently, SAMIR, a remake of the classic “Count of Monte Cristo” and “The 15:17 to Paris.” Ethan is of Iranian decent and his birth name is Iman.
DESIGNERS
SCENIC DESIGN: Stephanie Kerley Schwartz
LIGHTING DESIGN: Brian Gale
SOUND DESIGN: Christopher Moscatiello
COSTUME DESIGN: Naila Aladdin Sanders
ASSISTANT COSTUMER: Natalie Shahinyan
PROPERTY MASTER: David Phillips
FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHER: Edgar Landa
PRODUCTION STAFF
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Shen Heckel
PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER: Garrett Crouch
CASTING DIRECTOR: Raul Clayton Staggs
PUBLICIST: Judith Borne (press kit available)
MARKETING ART DESIGN: Llance Bower
PROGRAM DESIGN: Guillermo Perez
PRODUCTION PHOTOGRAPHER: Ed Kreiger
REVIEWS
"Shattering. "Lockwood’s deceptively unassuming performance is a beacon of authenticity that lights the stage"
- LA Times - F. Kathleen Foley
"Completely Captivates. Gripping, tension-packed...absolutely stunning mounting by the Skylight Theatre. Tracie Lockwood gives a Tour de Force performance. Go See HOSTAGE” - Broadway World - Gil Kaan
"WOW! As riveting as live theater gets... The time could not be riper for Hostage to debut a powerful tribute to a mother who would not take no for an answer”
- StageSceneLA - Steven Stanley
“TOP TEN. Powerful theater. Heartfelt and thought-provoking… Recommended ”
- StageRaw - Iris Mann
"Finely crafted drama... The staging is as fascinating as the story. ... A definite must see!" - KPCC - Hettie Lynne Hurtes