Rattlestick Playwrights Theater Announces
Wyatt Fenner to Join the Cast of
Slipping
Beginning Sunday, April 21, 2013
At the Lillian Theatre in Hollywood, CA

LOS ANGELES, CA – April 16, 2013 – Rattlestick Playwrights Theater announces that Wyatt Fenner (The Whale, Misalliance, Next Fall) will take over the lead role of Eli in Slipping starting Sunday, April 21, 2013.  Fenner will replace Seth Numrich (Broadway’s War Horse, Golden Boy), who will travel to London to star with Kim Cattrall in the upcoming production of Tennessee Williams’ Sweet Bird of Youth at the Old Vic.  Fenner has received rave reviews for his performances, including his most recent role as 19-year-old Mormon missionary Elder Thomas in The Whale, at South Coast Rep.  Slipping, written and directed by Daniel Talbott, runs through Sunday May 5, 2013 at the Lillian Theatre in Hollywood, CA.  Elephant Stages’ Lillian Theatre is located at 1076 Lillian Way, Los Angeles, CA 90038.  For additional information, please visit www.Rattlestick.org/rattlestick-LA.

From left, cast members Maxwell Hamilton and Seth Numrich perform in Daniel Talbott’s Slipping.
(Photo credit: Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging; see more production stills here.)

Numrich, for whom the role of Eli was created, performed in Rattlestick’s 2009 critically acclaimed New York production of Slipping, reprising his part this year in Los Angeles.  In addition to Numrich’s upcoming performances at London’s Old Vic, the rising star has also recently signed on as one of the leads in AMC’s pilot, the period drama Turn, which tells the story of an unlikely group of spies who turn the tide in America’s fight for independence.

Slipping is the coming-of-age story of Eli.  
Alone, numb, and friendless after the death of his father, high school senior Eli moves with his English professor mom from San Francisco for a fresh start in Iowa.  A new relationship with a boy at school exposes him again to the possibility of closeness and the danger of being swallowed by it.

The cast of Slipping is MacLeod Andrews (Slipping in New York, Too Much Memory at piece by piece/Rising Phoenix Rep); Wyatt Fenner (The Whale and Misalliance at South Coast Rep, Next Fall at the Geffen); Maxwell Hamilton (professional stage debut, UCLA productions of RENT and Neon Boneyard); Seth Numrich (Golden Boy, War Horse, The Merchant of Venice on Broadway, Iphigenia at Signature, the New York production of Slipping); Wendy vanden Heuvel (Resurrection Blues by Arthur Miller at the Guthrie Theater, Counting The Ways/Talk To Me Like the Rain… at the Magic Theatre, A Movie Star Has to Star in Black and White at Signature).  The Eli alternate is Brett Donaldson (professional stage debut, college and community theatre credits include Angels in America, Harvey, and Auntie Mame).

Wyatt Fenner
(Photo courtesy of Rattlestick Playwrights Theater)

Wyatt Fenner is thrilled to be joining the cast of Slipping with Rattlestick LA.  Recently seen as Elder Thomas in the West Coast premiere of Samuel D. Hunter’s The Whale at South Coast Repertory, other credits include playing Luke opposite playwright Geoffrey Nauffts in Next Fall at the Geffen, Bentley in Misalliance (also at South Coast Rep), Beethoven in the Los Angeles premiere of Dog Sees God, Horace in Anita Bryant Died for Your Sins, as well as performances at The Ahmanson, Ford’s Theatre, Folger Theatre, The Shakespeare Theatre Company, Williamstown, the Perry Mansfield Theatre Festival, Arena Stage, Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival, The Antaeus Company, Rorschach Theatre, Theatre @ Boston Court, Ensemble Theatre Company, Havok Theatre, and A Noise Within, among many others.  Television credits include Veronica Mars and Bones.  Fenner received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from USC.

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater –
Based in New York’s West Village, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater presents diverse, challenging, and often-controversial plays that otherwise might not be produced, in order to foster the future of American theater.  The multi-award-winning company – which produces both at its home on Waverly Place and at the historic Cherry Lane Theatre just a few blocks away – is the recipient of the 2007 Ross Wetzsteon Memorial OBIE Award, which recognized the organization for its work and mission: developing and producing innovative new plays.

Well-known as one of the most-respected off-Broadway theater companies, Rattlestick is a playwrights’ theater that seeks out unique voices and excellence in the craft.  The organization’s focus is on getting bold new works up and out to the public.  Rattlestick is interested in stories that are human and honest – stories that provoke audiences to think.  By guaranteeing a second production, Rattlestick gives its playwrights permission to take chances and, potentially, even to fail.  In creating an atmosphere that fosters risk-taking, Rattlestick encourages playwrights to challenge themselves to realize their full creative potential.

Rattlestick’s current season features daring new works by Adam Rapp, Jon Fosse, Jesse Eisenberg, Jonathan Tolins, Mando Alvarado, Jessica Dickey, and Lyle Kessler.  Currently running in New York at Rattlestick on Waverly Place is Jonathan Tolins’ Buyer & Cellar starring Michael Urie, and at the Cherry Lane Theatre is Rattlestick’s production of Eisenberg’s The Revisionist, in which he co-stars with Vanessa Redgrave.

Slipping is the first Los Angeles production of OBIE Award-winning Rattlestick Playwrights Theater.   The critically acclaimed, sold-out New York production was named one of the top ten plays of 2009 by The Advocate.  Slipping runs Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00pm, and Sundays at 3:00pm and 7:00pm (visit ticket site for additions).  Tickets cost $34 (with discounts available for theater artists, students, and seniors) and are available through Brown Paper Tickets at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/335220 or by calling 800-838-3006.  Slipping contains adult themes, language, and nudity.

Rattlestick and Slipping LA Links:
• http://www.rattlestick.org/rattlestick-la
• Rattlestick on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/RattlestickPlaywrightsTheater
• Follow @RattlestickLA – https://twitter.com/RattlestickLA
• Slipping FB Event Page – https://www.facebook.com/events/140003636175880
• Slipping YouTube Trailer [:45] – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaInjmWIIIw&feature=youtu.be
• Slipping Soundtrack on Spotify – http://spoti.fi/Z92SI3
• Initial Press Release – https://www.greengalactic.com/2013/rattlestick-playwrights-theater-slipping-la

For more information about Slipping and Rattlestick in LA, press passes, photos, or to arrange interviews, please contact Green Galactic’s Lynn Tejada at 213-840-1201 or lynn@greengalactic.com.  For Rattlestick in New York, please contact Don Summa at 212-944 9444 or don@kornbergpr.com.