Staged Reading: Eugene Ionesco’s ‘Rhinoceros’ performed by The Actors’ Gang

  • Wed 2 May 2018
  • 7.30pm

On the occasion of ‘Geta Brătescu. The Leaps of Aesop,’ join us for a staged reading of Eugene Ionesco’s masterpiece ‘Rhinoceros’ by the celebrated LA theater company The Actors’ Gang. Currently on view within the exhibition of Brătescu’s work is ‘Ionesco – The Clown’ (1971), a portrait of Eugene Ionesco, the legendary Romanian-French playwright, which the artist adorned with a red clown nose, a sly commentary on identity, disguise, and the theatrical nature of the artist. Drawing from Brătescu’s rich genealogy of jesters or fools telling uncomfortable truths, the reading of Ionesco’s critically acclaimed play will examine the dangers of mob mentality, ultimately resulting in a commentary of the human condition that seeks to further our understanding of the artist’s powerful body of work. ‘Rhinoceros’ by Eugene Ionesco Directed by Jason Lovett 7.30 pm Approximate running time 2 hrs 15 min This event is free, however, due to extremely limited capacity reservations are required. Please note that if the event is fully booked, names will be taken and added to a first come first served waitlist starting at 6.45 pm the night of the reading. Make a reservation for dinner at Manuela before the performance. About The Actors’ Gang Over the past 37 years, The Actors’ Gang has produced over 200 plays in Los Angeles, in forty-five US states, and on five continents. The company was founded in 1981 by a group of young artists looking to build a theatre that would present relevant and vibrantly entertaining plays. Guided by Founding Artistic Director, Tim Robbins, the company provides a supportive environment for a diverse ensemble of artists and the development of their groundbreaking work. The theater company has presented the work of innovative theater artists including Georges Bigot, Simon Abkarian, Charles Mee, David Schweizer, Bill Rauch and the Cornerstone Theatre Company, Tracy Young, Roger Guenver Smith, Eric Bogosian, Oskar Eustis, Danny Hoch, Beth Milles, Brian Kulick, Stefan Haves, Namaste Theater Company, Culture Clash, Jason Reed, Michael Schlitt and Tenacious D. The Actors’ Gang ensemble has included accomplished actors such as Jack Black, John Cusack, John C. Reilly, Helen Hunt, Kate Walsh, Fisher Stevens, Jeremy Piven, Ebbe Roe Smith, Jon Favreau, Brent Hinkley, Kate Mulligan, Lee Arenberg, Kyle Gass and Tim Robbins. Guest artists that have appeared on The Actors’ Gang stage include: Jackson Browne, Sarah Silverman, Ben Gibbard, John Doe, Tom Morello, Jenny Lewis, Wayne Kramer, Paul Provenza, Zooey Deschanel, Serj Tankian, David Crosby, Pink, Felicity Huffman, Jill Sobule, William H. Macy, Phillip Baker Hall, Jeanne Tripplehorn, T.C. Boyle. and the late, beloved, Gore Vidal. Over the last thirty years The Actors’ Gang has toured the U.S. in forty-five states and on five continents, performing across the world from London to Milan, Bucharest, Athens, Madrid, Barcelona, Bogota, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Melbourne and Buenos Aires.