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Scenes of Mirth & Marriage: A Theatrical Evening
Saturday, November 30, 2024 @ 7:00PM
Tickets
General Admission: $30 advance, $35 at the door
VIP Cafe Seating: $65
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PLAYWRIGHTS' THEATRE OF EAST HAMPTON AT LTV STUDIOS PRESENTS
MERCEDES RUEHL & HARRIS YULIN STARRING IN
Scenes of Mirth & Marriage: A Theatrical Evening
Directed by James L. Larocca
Sound Design by David M. Brandenburg. Lighting Design by Hudson Woelk
Join LTV Studios over Thanksgiving weekend for a playful, funny and poignant evening in the theater starring two of the East End's most vibrant and accomplished stars - Tony, Drama Desk, Golden Globe and Academy-Award winner Mercedes Ruehl and legendary Broadway, TV and Film actor Harris Yulin starring in a SCENES OF MIRTH & MARRIAGE: A THEATRICAL EVENING. Directed by Sag Harbor's own James Larocca, SCENES OF MIRTH AND MARRIAGE reunites these illustrious friends in a program of theatrical readings ranging from the silly to the sublime. It's a rare and welcome chance to celebrate the actors' craft as performed by two of our most celebrated stage artists reading works by playwrights like Edward Albee, Noel Coward, Neil Simon and more (and don't be surprised if there are some musical moments and even a bit of Abbott & Costello thrown in for fun and good measure!) Sound and music by David M. Brandenburg, this promises to be a must-see staged reading event and highlight of the East End Holiday season.
MERCEDES RUEHL
Mercedes Ruehl has appeared in the films The Fisher King (Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Los Angeles and Chicago Film Critics Association Awards), Married to the Mob, The Warriors, Big, Heartburn, Slaves of New York, Another You, Last Action Hero, Lost in Yonkers, What’s Cooking?, The Amati Girls, Roseanna’s Grave, Chu and Blossom, Zedya and the Hitman, Spooky House, More Dogs Than Bones, and The Minus Man. She has been seen on Broadway in Neil Simon’s Lost in Younkers (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Helen Hayes Awards), The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? (Outer Critics Circle Award, Tony nomination), The Rose Tattoo, The Shadow Box (Tony nomination), and I’m Not Rappaport. Her Off Broadway credits include Woman Before a Glass (Obie Award), Other People’s Money (Clarence Derwent Award), The Marriage of Bette and Boo (Obie Award), Coming of Age in Soho, The Vagina Monologues, and Edward Albee’s The Occupant. Ruehl’s television credits include HBO’s Indictment: The McMartin Trial, Gia, Hallmark Hall of Fame’s The Lost Child and Loving Leah, El Jefe, Doubt, Star Spangled Banners, Showtime’s North Shore Fish, Guilt by Association, and A Girl Like Me. She also made guest appearances on Entourage, Law & Order, Monday Mornings, Luck, Psych, and Frasier, among others.
HARRIS YULIN
After studying in Los Angeles with the splendid, black-listed actor Jeff Corey, Yulin spent 20 months living in Europe and Israel, dubbing films into English, and performing a night club show with William Burroughs at the Club Montparnasse in Paris. He made his New York debut in 1963 in James Saunders’ Next Time I’ll Sing To You, with James Earl Jones and Estelle Parsons at the Phoenix Theatre. Many plays, Broadway, off-Broadway and elsewhere followed. Recent appearances: Long Day’s Journey into Night at the Court Theatre, Chicago; Death of a Salesman at the Gate Theatre, Dublin; Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at the Chautauqua Festival, and ever trying to get it right, his third try at Claudius in Hamlet at the Classic Stage Company in New York. His production of Horton Foote’s The Trip to Bountiful with Lois Smith and Hallie Foote played an extended run at the Signature Theatre in New York, receiving four Lucille Lortel Awards (Outstanding Lead Actress, Outstanding Featured Actress, Outstanding Production, Outstanding Director), and subsequently moved to The Goodman Theatre, Chicago. His first film was in 1968, an adaptation by Terry Southern of John Barth’s End of The Road, directed by Adam Avakian with longtime friends James Earl Jones and Stacy Keach. Other fondly remembered but not necessarily widely seen efforts include Candy Mountain directed by Robert Frank and Rudy Wurlitzer; Short History of Decay script by Michael Maren; 75% In July by Hyatt Bass; and more widely seen production including Clear and Present Danger directed by Philip Noyce; and Scarface directed by Brian de Palma. He has many TV appearances including Ozark; WIOU, about a CBS newsroom where he played a troubled anchorman; and Mister Sterling, set in the U.S. Senate, written by Lawrence O’Donnell. He has taught, acted and directed at the Juilliard School for ten years.
Mr. Larocca’s one-act play, Jimmy Chen, was presented by The Naked Stage at John Drew in April, 2008. Jim directed two staged readings of the award-winning drama Visiting Mr. Green starring Eli Wallach in 2009 - the first at The Players in New York City, and the second at the John Drew Theater in East Hampton. He directed the premier presentation of the new play, Harry and Eddie: The Birth of Israel, for the John Drew in the summer of 2007. The historical drama was written by Mark Weston and starred Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, Rik Colitti, Dick Horwich and Ed Schiff.
Jim Larocca wrote and directed The Night of Seventy-Five Stars at the John Drew in the summer of 2006, celebrating the seventy-fifth year of the historic theater. The cast included Dina Merill, Alec Baldwin, Bob Balaban, Joy Behar, Mercedes Ruehl, Harris Yulin, Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, Larry Pine, Paul Hecht, Steven Bradbury, Kristen Lowman, Ronald Guttman, Josh Gladstone, Cornelia Sharpe, and Joan Copeland in dramatic roles, and a host of musical talent that featured Itzhak Perlman as well as Anna Bergman, Paul Katz, KT Sullivan, Bonnie Lee Sanders and Mark Nadler.
Larocca’s play, 44 Sunset Park, a family drama, was presented in a staged reading at The John Drew Theater in 2004, with Joan Copeland in the leading role. It was earlier presented at The Players in New York City, and in 2001 it was the first play ever presented by the newly-established Naked Stage at Southampton College.
In 2004 Mr. Larocca directed Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson in A. R. Gurney’s “Love Letters” at Guild Hall, and in 2005 he directed the pair in “In Persons.” In 2005 he directed Marc Safranko’s “Miller in Love,” Lee Davis’ “Shadows in the Sun,” also starring Miss Copeland, and Craig Pospisil’s “Whatever,” all at the Neighborhood Playhouse Theater in New York City. In the fall of 2005, he directed Bruce Jay Friedman’s “A Farewell to Tanya” at the Neighborhood Playhouse, and in early 2006 directed Fred Timm’s “Sacrifice to Eros,” starring Cornelia Sharpe and Anthony Roth Costanzo.
James Larocca was a founding member of the Naked Stage, the theater collaborative at The John Drew Theater, and was a long-time member of Meir Ribalow’s Playwrights Workshop at The Players in Gramercy Park. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, Inc. and resides with his family in Sag Harbor and New York City.
Mr. Larocca’s one-act play, Jimmy Chen, was presented by The Naked Stage at John Drew in April, 2008. Jim directed two staged readings of the award-winning drama Visiting Mr. Green starring Eli Wallach in 2009 - the first at The Players in New York City, and the second at the John Drew Theater in East Hampton. He directed the premier presentation of the new play, Harry and Eddie: The Birth of Israel, for the John Drew in the summer of 2007. The historical drama was written by Mark Weston and starred Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, Rik Colitti, Dick Horwich and Ed Schiff.
Jim Larocca wrote and directed The Night of Seventy-Five Stars at the John Drew in the summer of 2006, celebrating the seventy-fifth year of the historic theater. The cast included Dina Merill, Alec Baldwin, Bob Balaban, Joy Behar, Mercedes Ruehl, Harris Yulin, Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, Larry Pine, Paul Hecht, Steven Bradbury, Kristen Lowman, Ronald Guttman, Josh Gladstone, Cornelia Sharpe, and Joan Copeland in dramatic roles, and a host of musical talent that featured Itzhak Perlman as well as Anna Bergman, Paul Katz, KT Sullivan, Bonnie Lee Sanders and Mark Nadler.
Larocca’s play, 44 Sunset Park, a family drama, was presented in a staged reading at The John Drew Theater in 2004, with Joan Copeland in the leading role. It was earlier presented at The Players in New York City, and in 2001 it was the first play ever presented by the newly-established Naked Stage at Southampton College.
In 2004 Mr. Larocca directed Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson in A. R. Gurney’s “Love Letters” at Guild Hall, and in 2005 he directed the pair in “In Persons.” In 2005 he directed Marc Safranko’s “Miller in Love,” Lee Davis’ “Shadows in the Sun,” also starring Miss Copeland, and Craig Pospisil’s “Whatever,” all at the Neighborhood Playhouse Theater in New York City. In the fall of 2005, he directed Bruce Jay Friedman’s “A Farewell to Tanya” at the Neighborhood Playhouse, and in early 2006 directed Fred Timm’s “Sacrifice to Eros,” starring Cornelia Sharpe and Anthony Roth Costanzo.
James Larocca was a founding member of the Naked Stage, the theater collaborative at The John Drew Theater, and was a long-time member of Meir Ribalow’s Playwrights Workshop at The Players in Gramercy Park. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, Inc. and resides with his family in Sag Harbor and New York City.
JAMES L. LAROCCA, PLAYWRIGHT AND DIRECTOR
James L. Larocca is a playwright and director whose gripping war-based drama Penang opened the 2008 Midtown International Theater Festival in New York City with sold-out houses, where the play earned five nominations, including Best Drama. Penang was earlier presented in a staged reading at The Players in New York City in 2003, and at the John Drew Theater at Guild Hall of East Hampton later that year. Penang enjoyed strong favorable reviews for a full production in November 2009 at the Abington Workshop Theater on West 36th Street in New York. The production starred Brett Davidson and Peter Sabri.
Mr. Larocca’s one-act play, Jimmy Chen, was presented by The Naked Stage at John Drew in April, 2008. Jim directed two staged readings of the award-winning drama Visiting Mr. Green starring Eli Wallach in 2009 - the first at The Players in New York City, and the second at the John Drew Theater in East Hampton. He directed the premier presentation of the new play, Harry and Eddie: The Birth of Israel, for the John Drew in the summer of 2007. The historical drama was written by Mark Weston and starred Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, Rik Colitti, Dick Horwich and Ed Schiff.
Jim Larocca wrote and directed The Night of Seventy-Five Stars at the John Drew in the summer of 2006, celebrating the seventy-fifth year of the historic theater. The cast included Dina Merill, Alec Baldwin, Bob Balaban, Joy Behar, Mercedes Ruehl, Harris Yulin, Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, Larry Pine, Paul Hecht, Steven Bradbury, Kristen Lowman, Ronald Guttman, Josh Gladstone, Cornelia Sharpe, and Joan Copeland in dramatic roles, and a host of musical talent that featured Itzhak Perlman as well as Anna Bergman, Paul Katz, KT Sullivan, Bonnie Lee Sanders and Mark Nadler.
Larocca’s play, 44 Sunset Park, a family drama, was presented in a staged reading at The John Drew Theater in 2004, with Joan Copeland in the leading role. It was earlier presented at The Players in New York City, and in 2001 it was the first play ever presented by the newly-established Naked Stage at Southampton College.
In 2004 Mr. Larocca directed Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson in A. R. Gurney’s “Love Letters” at Guild Hall, and in 2005 he directed the pair in “In Persons.” In 2005 he directed Marc Safranko’s “Miller in Love,” Lee Davis’ “Shadows in the Sun,” also starring Miss Copeland, and Craig Pospisil’s “Whatever,” all at the Neighborhood Playhouse Theater in New York City. In the fall of 2005, he directed Bruce Jay Friedman’s “A Farewell to Tanya” at the Neighborhood Playhouse, and in early 2006 directed Fred Timm’s “Sacrifice to Eros,” starring Cornelia Sharpe and Anthony Roth Costanzo.
James Larocca was a founding member of the Naked Stage, the theater collaborative at The John Drew Theater, and was a long-time member of Meir Ribalow’s Playwrights Workshop at The Players in Gramercy Park. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, Inc. and resides with his family in Sag Harbor and New York City.
Mr. Larocca’s one-act play, Jimmy Chen, was presented by The Naked Stage at John Drew in April, 2008. Jim directed two staged readings of the award-winning drama Visiting Mr. Green starring Eli Wallach in 2009 - the first at The Players in New York City, and the second at the John Drew Theater in East Hampton. He directed the premier presentation of the new play, Harry and Eddie: The Birth of Israel, for the John Drew in the summer of 2007. The historical drama was written by Mark Weston and starred Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, Rik Colitti, Dick Horwich and Ed Schiff.
Jim Larocca wrote and directed The Night of Seventy-Five Stars at the John Drew in the summer of 2006, celebrating the seventy-fifth year of the historic theater. The cast included Dina Merill, Alec Baldwin, Bob Balaban, Joy Behar, Mercedes Ruehl, Harris Yulin, Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, Larry Pine, Paul Hecht, Steven Bradbury, Kristen Lowman, Ronald Guttman, Josh Gladstone, Cornelia Sharpe, and Joan Copeland in dramatic roles, and a host of musical talent that featured Itzhak Perlman as well as Anna Bergman, Paul Katz, KT Sullivan, Bonnie Lee Sanders and Mark Nadler.
Larocca’s play, 44 Sunset Park, a family drama, was presented in a staged reading at The John Drew Theater in 2004, with Joan Copeland in the leading role. It was earlier presented at The Players in New York City, and in 2001 it was the first play ever presented by the newly-established Naked Stage at Southampton College.
In 2004 Mr. Larocca directed Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson in A. R. Gurney’s “Love Letters” at Guild Hall, and in 2005 he directed the pair in “In Persons.” In 2005 he directed Marc Safranko’s “Miller in Love,” Lee Davis’ “Shadows in the Sun,” also starring Miss Copeland, and Craig Pospisil’s “Whatever,” all at the Neighborhood Playhouse Theater in New York City. In the fall of 2005, he directed Bruce Jay Friedman’s “A Farewell to Tanya” at the Neighborhood Playhouse, and in early 2006 directed Fred Timm’s “Sacrifice to Eros,” starring Cornelia Sharpe and Anthony Roth Costanzo.
James Larocca was a founding member of the Naked Stage, the theater collaborative at The John Drew Theater, and was a long-time member of Meir Ribalow’s Playwrights Workshop at The Players in Gramercy Park. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, Inc. and resides with his family in Sag Harbor and New York City.
DAVID M. BRANDENBURG, SOUND DESIGN
After studying in Los Angeles with the splendid, black-listed actor Jeff Corey, Yulin spent 20 months living in Europe and Israel, dubbing films into English, and performing a night club show with William Burroughs at the Club Montparnasse in Paris. He made his New York debut in 1963 in James Saunders’ Next Time I’ll Sing To You, with James Earl Jones and Estelle Parsons at the Phoenix Theatre. Many plays, Broadway, off-Broadway and elsewhere followed. Recent appearances: Long Day’s Journey into Night at the Court Theatre, Chicago; Death of a Salesman at the Gate Theatre, Dublin; Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at the Chautauqua Festival, and ever trying to get it right, his third try at Claudius in Hamlet at the Classic Stage Company in New York. His production of Horton Foote’s The Trip to Bountiful with Lois Smith and Hallie Foote played an extended run at the Signature Theatre in New York, receiving four Lucille Lortel Awards (Outstanding Lead Actress, Outstanding Featured Actress, Outstanding Production, Outstanding Director), and subsequently moved to The Goodman Theatre, Chicago. His first film was in 1968, an adaptation by Terry Southern of John Barth’s End of The Road, directed by Adam Avakian with longtime friends James Earl Jones and Stacy Keach. Other fondly remembered but not necessarily widely seen efforts include Candy Mountain directed by Robert Frank and Rudy Wurlitzer; Short History of Decay script by Michael Maren; 75% In July by Hyatt Bass; and more widely seen production including Clear and Present Danger directed by Philip Noyce; and Scarface directed by Brian de Palma. He has many TV appearances including Ozark; WIOU, about a CBS newsroom where he played a troubled anchorman; and Mister Sterling, set in the U.S. Senate, written by Lawrence O’Donnell. He has taught, acted and directed at the Juilliard School for ten years.
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