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CONTACT: Patty Onagan 818/464-3706 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE :"FROM BONKERS TO BOTOX" ONE WOMAN'S HEROICALLY DETERMINED BATTLE STUDIO CITY, CA (June 7, 2004) - 2 Apples Productions in association with The Stella Adler Theatre present the return of FROM BONKERS TO BOTOX , written and performed by Julianne Grossman ( Bermuda Avenue Triangle) . Performances begin on Friday, June 25 at The Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood (6773 Hollywood Blvd.). The production features newly written and directed scenes about Grossman's personal journey through clinical depression, suicide attempts, hospitalization and recovery. She lived. And while Julianne is no longer suicidal, she is just crazy enough to share her remarkable experiences and innermost thoughts with naked hilarity! Devon M. Schwartz (Off-Broadway's Woman of Paris) is set to direct the 15-show run. Added bonus: tickets are affordable at only $20 each. In FROM BONKERS TO BOTOX , life was great for Julianne Grossman - until her struggle with depression led to 3 suicide attempts and as many hospitalizations in Los Angeles psychiatric wards! Creating a vivid cast of 25 characters and depicting "life in lockdown," Julianne takes us on a hilarious journey with a unique penchant for turning tragedy into triumph. During the rare moments when our laughter subsides, we are left with a deeper understanding of depression, and greater compassion for those affected by suicide. "According to recent statistics from The Center for Disease Control, more people in the U.S. die from suicide than from homicide," says Julianne Grossman, actress/playwright/co-producer. "I wrote FROM BONKERS TO BOTOX , to help generate awareness and a greater understanding of clinical depression and suicide through humor." "The play is a vehicle through which we can begin a dialogue, reduce the stigma surrounding depression, and create awareness about resources available for suicide prevention," said producer Diana Stein. "It is our hope not only to help those who are suicidal, but also the people who love them. And, incidentally, the show has the added benefit of being hilarious!" FROM BONKERS TO BOTOX originally opened April 2, 2004 at The Stella Adler Studio Theatre and played to sold-out performances. The play was originally directed by Che'Rae Adams. A portion of the show's proceeds will be donated to the Suicide Prevention Center at the Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health Center. BIOGRAPHIES JULIANNE GROSSMAN (Performer/Playwright/Producer). FROM BONKERS TO BOTOX is Julianne Grossman's playwriting debut. After having emerged from a "Great Depression," she set out to educate, entertain, and inspire others who may be dealing with depression. She has appeared in numerous theatrical productions, including Renee Taylor and Joe Bologna's Bermuda Avenue Triangle off-Broadway in the Fall of 1997, following its West Coast premiere at the Tiffany and Canon Theaters. She appeared in a multi-city tour of Godspell , and starred in the one woman show The Year of the Bridesmaid in various venues for three years. After garnering a Drama-logue Award for her work as a founding member of Theater Geo, Julianne starred in Carrying On , a play written for her by theater/film critic and columnist, Bruce Feld. During the past decade, Julianne has established herself as a voice actor, working consistently in commercial, promo, and animation voiceover work. Los Angelinos can currently hear her voice on all California National Bank radio spots, which she also co-writes. Julianne is the owner of Voicetel Productions, which produces English and foreign language audio, including on-hold messaging, voicemail system prompts, interactive voice response systems, and radio commercials. Through her work on FROM BONKERS TO BOTOX , Julianne hopes to provoke a dialogue about and an awareness of depression, its effects and its treatments. By shedding light on this sensitive topic, she hopes to lessen the shame surrounding depression and encourage others to become better educated about medication, which she feels can be both a blessing and a curse. Julianne is currently at work adapting FROM BONKERS TO BOTOX to a novel. DEVON M. SCHWARTZ (Director) relocated to Los Angeles from New York in the summer of 1998 with Mortal Coil , an award-winning drama he produced at Stella Adler. Favorite NYC directing credits are Henry Becque's Woman of Paris for Chain Lightning Theatre, plus the world premieres of: Intimacies for EST''s OctoberFest, Night Travel at the Trilogy Theatre, Conjuring the Moose and Window Pain for the Bread & Circuses Festival, and Enter Attendant Disguised or What You Willy at both Expanded Arts and Theatre-Studio Inc. While at Yale University, where he graduated with a Theater Studies and Psychology degree in 1995, Devon directed Ionesco's Rhinoceros and the musical Rags , which gave him his Broadway debut as an actor eight years earlier. Other acting highlights include King John and Richard II at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, three other New York Shakespeare Festival productions at Joseph Papp's Public Theatre, The Little Rascals at the Goodspeed Opera House, and the title role in Johnny Pye & the Foolkiller at the Lambs Theatre. During this time he worked with such actors as Mandy Patinkin, Joan Cusack and Peter MacNicol, and such directors as Joseph Papp, Stuart Vaughan and David Hare. Since moving to LA, Devon has directed Who Made Robert DeNiro King of America by Jason Katims, Haiku by Katherine Snodgrass, The Straight Bozo by Tim McNeil, Pilgrims of the Night by Len Jenkin, and What the Butler Saw by Joe Orton. He also just recently wrapped the short film Work , which he co-directed and adapted from Gordon Pengilly's critically acclaimed The Work Play . Devon currently serves as senior production coordinator for the Stella Adler Theatre. Over the last few years he has also found time to produce, direct and edit over a dozen documentary videos, including The Eternal Now , a life-affirming portrait drawn from interviews with residents at the Actors' Retirement and Nursing Home. DIANA STEIN (Producer) has spent her career utilizing entertainment for its power as an educational tool. By day, she is the Deputy Director for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. By night, she is making her debut as a theater producer. She has served as management supervisor at Rogers & Associates, a strategic communications and public relations agency in Los Angeles where she worked on a variety of cause-related and social marketing accounts. She was responsible for entertainment industry activities on behalf of the White House ONDCP's National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign. She also managed the agency's activities for KCET, the Los Angeles flagship station for PBS. Previously, Stein was the Director of Communications for Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Steven Spielberg after the filming of Schindler's List to interview Holocaust survivors and witnesses throughout the world. Additionally, Diana was the production coordinator for writer, actor, comedian, Steve Allen. A native of Los Angeles, she has been a youth director and teacher, creating an annual musical theater workshop for kids. Additionally, she has served on the board of American Women in Radio and Television, where she created its mentor program. She helped found the Sheldon Weisman Cancer Research Fund at the Norris Cancer Center at the University of Southern California. Diana received her bachelor's degree in Radio, Television and Film production from California State University, Northridge. CALENDAR LISTINGS FOR JUNE 25 - JULY 25, 2004PRODUCTION: "FROM BONKERS TO BOTOX" Written and performed by Julianne Grossman THEATRE:
SCHEDULE: Friday, June 25 at 8:00 PM-OPENING NIGHT TICKETS: Phone: 818/753-7788 Email: reservations@bonkerstobotox.com Online: www.bonkerstobotox.com PRICES: $20.00 for all performances. $18.00 for students and groups of 20 or more PARKING: Parking is available behind the theatre for $3.00 at the Prestige Parking Lot located on Highland Avenue. Mention Stella Adler Theatre. WEBSITE: www.bonkerstobotox.com PRESS CONTACT: Patty Onagan 818/464-3706
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