What Goes Around Comes Around In THE KARMA COOKIE 3/5-29

1812 Productions is pleased to present its third world premiere comedy of the 2008-2009 season, The Karma Cookie. The Karma Cookie will run from March 5th to March 29th at The Adrienne Theatre, 2030 Sansom Street. Press Opening is Wednesday March 11th. Tickets range from $17-$35 and are available by contacting 1812 Productions directly at (215) 592-9560 or at www.1812productions.org.

An out-of-this-world comedy experience, The Karma Cookie follows two British brothers around the globe on their quest for enlightenment... sort of. All bets are off when the lives of this filial pair are commandeered by the forces of nature, the winds of change, the will of the Gods, and the little white paper fortunes they get in fortune cookies. Each cookie opened and each fortune read takes the brothers to a whole new adventure full of questions, challenges, and cream pies to the face. Bounding around the world from cut-throat aerobics classes to Himalayan monasteries to passenger cars in clock-work trains, these brothers meet each challenge with a singular wit only the English can muster. But when they reach the big "WHY" behind it all, no one is more surprised than they are.

The Karma Cookie features celebrated Philadelphia performers Anthony Lawton and Jered McLenigan, and is directed by award winning Philadelphia artist and 1812 co-founder Pete Pryor. "The Karma Cookie is a wonderful new play filled with ridiculous sibling rivalry and magical realism," says Pryor. "This production at 1812 is a chance to work on a pretty extraordinary comedy. P. Seth Bauer has such an amazing sense of what comedy is that it nearly beams off the page. The first time I read the script I was laughing aloud from beginning to end. Not to mention being moved in completely unexpected ways by these beautiful and complicated brothers."

Jennifer Childs, 1812 Productions' Artistic Director, says of the play, "The Karma Cookie is the third world premiere of our season and is a part of our Independence Foundation Series-a performance series that features new work by a Philadelphia artist. Producing new work and specifically the work of Philadelphia artists is an important part of 1812's programming and is all the more important given the current state of American non-profits and arts producers. As we all persevere through this economy, I believe it is paramount to continue to support new and energetic work by emerging theatre artists. P. Seth Bauer gives 1812 a great opportunity to do so with The Karma Cookie. This hilarious play, through all of its twists and turns, enlightens, inspires and makes you continually question what is going on behind the scenes in everyday life-all the while making you laugh really hard. I'm so pleased to premiere this play at 1812 Productions."

Anthony Lawton (Barry): Anthony has acted in Philadelphia for sixteen years. Favorite roles include George in Of Mice and Men (Walnut); Austin in True West and Feste in Twelfth Night (Lantern); "man" in Brief Interviews with Hideous Men (1812); and The Devil and Billy Markham, The Great Divorce and The Screwtape Letters. Film and television credits include Unbreakable, Invincible, Hack, and Cold Case. The Philadelphia City Paper named him the city's "Best One-Man Theatre." His original play, The Foocy (2005), received five Barrymore nominations, including one for Best New Play.

Jered McLenigan (Alistair): Jered most recently appeared in It's a Wonderful Life-A Live Radio Play at The Prince, Bloom's Fork for Greg Giovanni's Big Messy Retrofest and in Tom Stoppard's Rock N' Roll at the Wilma Theater. Area appearances include multiple productions with The Wilma, Lantern, Mum Puppettheatre, Act II, Theatre Horizon and Iron Age, among others. Barrymore Nominations: The Elephant Man (Iron Age Theatre, Outstanding Leading Actor), The Pillowman (Wilma Theater, Outstanding Ensemble, Outstanding Overall Production), Terra Nova (Iron Age Theatre, Outstanding Ensemble). Jered is a proud member of Actors' Equity Association.
Pete Pryor (Director): Pete is the co-founder of 1812 Productions for whom he directed The Four of Us, Recent Tragic Events and The Great Northeast. Recently he directed Cinderella for People's Light and Theater Company. He is the recipient of two individual artist fellowships from the Independence Foundation and two Barrymore awards. Credits include: Arden Theatre, Act II Playhouse, Azuka Theatre, The Boarshead, Cape May Stage, Theatre Exile, The Lantern, People's Light and Theatre Company, Freedom Theatre, Philadelphia Theatre Company, The O'Casey Theater Company of Ireland, and The Wilma. Film and TV credits: The Cellar, Surrender Dorothy, The In Crowd, Felix Melman, Hack and The Starship Akuno. Last May, he completed a development workshop of his first play, Beautiful Boy. Later this season he will be working with Theatre Exile (American Buffalo) and People's Light and Theater Company (Doubt). He is the artist in residence at The Pathway School.

P. Seth Bauer (Playwright): P. Seth Bauer is thrilled to be working with 1812 again after collaborating with Pete Pryor on his Beautiful Boy. He was named one of the "People of the Year" for making a significant impact on the New York theatre scene. His plays include Early in the Morning, Over the Line, Iphigenia, The Umbrella Play, The Burglar of Suburbia and numerous one-acts. His work has been seen throughout the country and in Europe and his plays have been published by Dramatists Play Service, Samuel French, Smith & Krause among others. Screenwriting credits: Wet, A.R.C. He teaches playwriting at Temple University. Coming up: Dahlia-a commissioned play from the grandson of the accused murderer as depicted in "The Black Dahlia Avenger".

Artistic Director Jennifer Childs and Resident Artist Pete Pryor founded 1812 Productions in the spring of 1998 with a goal to entertain and educate audiences through comedy, and to support and hire local artists. 1812 Productions is a multiple Barrymore Award winning theatre company. Their education program, 1812 Outreach, has received multiple nominations and been awarded the Barrymore Award for Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service. On April 20, 2005, 1812 Productions received an honorary citation from the City of Philadelphia for outstanding work and commitment to the Philadelphia arts community. Most recently, 1812 Productions received three Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre for its 2007-2008 season. 1812 Productions, while continually on the search for a permanent home, continues to perform at various locations in Philadelphia.

The Adrienne Theatre
2030 Sansom Street
Philadelphia, PA 19130
Tickets: $17-$35
Dates: March 5th-March 29th

Tickets and Information Contact: 1812 Productions
421 N. 7th Street
Suite 218
Philadelphia, PA 19123
(215) 592-9560