The Giver February 24, 2011

PHANTOM PROJECTS THEATRE GROUP presents
THE GIVER
Adapted by Eric Coble from the Newbery Award winning story by Lois Lowry
This will be the second show of their 15th Anniversary season
Performances on February 23rd at 12pm & 7pm, and
February 24th at 10am, 12 pm, and 7pm

PHANTOM PROJECTS THEATRE GROUP, based at The La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, continues their 15th anniversary season with an adaptation of the stunning multi-award winner and “Best Book for Young Adults” THE GIVER.

Jonas' world is perfect. Everything is under control and safe. There is no war or fear or pain. There are also no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the community. But when Jonas turns 12, he is chosen for special training from The Giver—to receive and keep the memories of the community. The Giver is the only person who holds the memories of real pain and real joy. Now Jonas will learn the truth about life—and the hypocrisy of his utopian world. Through this astonishing and moving adaptation, discover what it means to grow up, to grow wise, and to take control of your own destiny.

JANET MILLER (Director) received a 2010 Ovation Award nomination for her work at Musical Theatre West, and a 2009 Lucille Lortel Award nomination for the Off-Broadway production of THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES. This past summer, Janet 
was invited to stage her original choreography at Capital Repertory in Albany NY, San Jose Repertory, Theatre Aspen, and Sacramento Music Circus. Last season for Phantom, Janet directed Lydia R. Diamond’s adaptation of the Toni Morrison book, THE BLUEST EYE to critical acclaim. Janet was the resident choreographer for Milt Larsen’s Variety Arts Center for six years, and choreographed several period pieces in that venue. She has taught and choreographed worldwide, most notably in Thailand and China. Janet is the recipient of the 2003 Excellence in Art Award for Drama and was the Artistic Director/Resident Director for the Torrance Theatre Company for seven years, directing sixteen shows during her tenure. She received a 2003 Choreography Garland Award in addition to the 2006 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Choreography. In 2008, she received a Garland Award and a LADCC Award for choreography in WINTER WONDERETTES.

STEVE CISNEROS (Producing Artistic Director, Co-Founder) founded Phantom Projects at the age of 17, teaming up with his former high school teacher Bruce Gevirtzman. As Producing Artistic Director of Phantom Projects, Cisneros oversees the daily operations of the group and has successfully achieved growth for the company each season. In addition to Southern California, he has created an international scope of influence for the troupe, which has been featured internationally, particularly in Russia and France. In 2010, Phantom Projects opened a costume rental company, which rents out thousands of costumes to theatres and performance groups. Steve’s savvy sense of business planning has incorporated this new source of revenue into another opportunity to sustain and grow the already successful brand known as Phantom Projects Theatre Company. The group will now be expanding their cultural offerings to a wide range of classics, and the development of new works for adult audiences while continuing to offer programming for teens.
RESERVATIONS: Daytime performances: (714) 690-2900 or Evening performances: (714) 994-6310. Subscriptions and single tickets are on sale at http://www.lamiradatheatre.com/tickets.htm. All daytime performances are $6 and evening show tickets are $22. Student discounts are available for evening performances. La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts is located at 14900 La Mirada Blvd, La Mirada, CA 90638. Additional information can be found at www.LaMiradaTheatre.com or www.PhantomProjects.com.

Audiences can also connect via the following sites: www.Facebook.com/PhantomProjects, www.Twitter.com/PhantomProjects , and www.YouTube.com/PhantomProjects.

ABOUT PHANTOM PROJECTS
Phantom Projects Theatre Group was founded in 1997 with the mission of providing high quality theatrical experiences to Southern California Audiences. Specializing in plays based on classic pieces of literature, Phantom Projects continues to bring veteran actors from Stage, TV, and Film to perform at the 1,251 seat La Mirada Theatre and in Santa Monica, CA at The Miles Playhouse. The 2011 15th anniversary season will include THE GIVER (February 23 & 24), THE BLUEST EYE (April 8-24 at The Miles Playhouse in Santa Monica), THROUGH THESE EYES (May 5th), and THE 2011 YOUNG ARTIST PROJECT (August 6th).

THE ENSEMBLE

DEVIN BARBIN (Fiona and Rosemary) is a thirteen year-old, eighth-grade student at Townsend Junior High School in Chino Hills. She maintains a 4.0 GPA and is in all honors classes. Devin recently appeared in Annie in which she played Grace Farrell. She has also been in Suessical the Musical, A Christmas Carol, Cinderella's Glass slipper, CCCT's 25th Anniversary Show, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Oliver!, and A Christmas Story. She has also tried her hand in lighting in a couple of shows.

LAUREN REEL (Lily) is 8 years old and lives in Lake Balboa, California. Since the age of 3 Lauren has enjoyed dancing for audiences and is already an award winning competitive dancer who with her dance team took Nationals in the summer of 2010. Lauren has been seen performing dance routines at places like The House of Blues and Disneyland. She has booked jobs for companies like Disney and PetSmart, landing her first professional theatre role as Lilly, in the play The Giver, based on the Newberry Award winning book by Lois Lowry. Laurel recorded an audio book for use at Children’s Hospitals. She volunteers at an assisted living home for the elderly serving lunch, calling bingo and delivering flowers to residents whenever she can. Lauren is also a Girl Scout doing many community services like collecting non-perishable items for churches and much more.

COLBY RUMMEL (Jonas) is 13 years old and attends Townsend Jr. High School in Chino Hills. He is the student body president at Townsend, sings and plays guitar in church, plays soccer, and has just finished basketball season. After eight years of competitive gymnastics, he began his acting career at The Chino Community Children’s Theatre. His first musical was in the spring of 2009, when he played the role of “Prince Charming” in the musical, Cinderella and the Glass Slipper. In the fall of 2009, he played “Artful Dodger” in the musical Oliver Twist. For this role, he received an Inland Theater League Founder’s Award, and went on to play the role of “Benjamin,” in the musical, Heavens to Benjamin.

TARA PITT (Mother) was seen as Luisa in Nine, Alaura/Carla in City of Angels, Cathy in The Last 5 Years, Amy in Company, Lady Caroline in Enchanted April, Edna in The Prisoner of Second Avenue, Mary in Merrily We Roll Along, and Catherine in Proof. She has appeared onstage at the Disneyland Resort and South Coast Repertory.

KATINA SALCIDO (Chief Elder) is an alumna of SJS, UCLA, and CSULB. She wears many hats in life including educator, interior designer, personal chef, writer, and mother. When Katina is not performing one of the former professions you might catch her on stage interpreting characters for hers her new acting career.

MICHAEL GRENIE (The Giver) has been acting for nearly 40 years appeared in Phantom's The Crucible as Deputy Governor Danforth and in Of Mice And Men as Candy. Whether it be comedy, drama or musical, Michael is at home on the stage. Most recently seen as Marc in Yasmina Reza's Art, at the Torrance Art Museum. Other credits include the role of General Stanley in The Pirates Of Penzance, Robert in Proof, the emcee in Cabaret, King Henry in The Lion In Winter, and Herod in Jesus Christ, Superstar.

TIM McGRATH (Father) has a career spanning 17 films, working with such talent as Charlize Theron, Channing Tatum, Kim Basinger, Ashton Kutcher, Sharon Stone and Michelle Pfeiffer, among many others. His films have screened at the Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, Berlin and Venice film festivals, to name a few. You can see him this year in movie theatres in the 3D thriller Hybrid, and will head to Louisiana this spring to shoot Shogun Wedding with Seann William Scott and Malin Ackerman.

KATE BARRETT (Stage Manager) has stage managed on 3 continents and performed all manner of stagecraft wizardry across the United States. She has stage managed and/or provided orchestrations for more than 40 original musicals for children. Her favorite lighting designs include Seussical the Musical, Man of La Mancha, The Tempest, The Nutcracker and The Fantasticks.

JAYSON BENDER (Asher) is 13 yrs. old and attends Briggs Fundamental School in Chino, Ca. where he lives. Prior to his role in The Giver Jayson played Oliver Warbucks in Annie, and Farcus “The Bully” in A Christmas Story. Both productions were through The Chino Children's Community Theater.

Official Website: http://www.PhantomProjects.com