Cast Announced for Geffen Playhouse World Premiere Musical “The Lonely Few"

CAST ANNOUNCED FOR GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE WORLD PREMIERE MUSICAL “THE LONELY FEW”

FEATURING JOSHUA CLOSE, DAMON DAUNNO, LAUREN PATTEN, CIARA RENÉE, HELEN J SHEN AND THOMAS SILCOTT

BOOK BY RACHEL BONDS WITH MUSIC AND LYRICS BY ZOE SARNAK

DIRECTED BY TRIP CULLMAN AND ELLENORE SCOTT

PREVIEWS BEGIN FEBRUARY 28 - OPENING NIGHT IS MARCH 9

LOS ANGELES (January 17, 2023) – Geffen Playhouse today announced the full cast for its world premiere musical The Lonely Few, with book by Rachel Bonds (Sundown, Yellow Moon; Michael & Edie), music and lyrics by Zoe Sarnak (A Crossing, Galileo), and directed by Trip Cullman (Choir Boy, Significant Other) and Ellenore Scott (Funny Girl, Mr. Saturday Night). The Lonely Few is produced in association with FourthWall Theatrical (This American Wife, Jagged Little Pill).

The cast includes Joshua Close (Fargo, Solace) as Adam; Damon Daunno (Oklahoma!, Hadestown) as Dylan; Lauren Patten (Jagged Little Pill, Fun Home) as Lila; Ciara Renée (Frozen, Waitress) as Amy; Helen J Shen (Man of God, Hair) as JJ; and Thomas Silcott (Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk, Becky Nurse of Salem) as Paul.

Previews for The Lonely Few begin Tuesday, February 28, 2023, in the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater at Geffen Playhouse. Opening night is Thursday, March 9, 2023.

Lila (Lauren Patten, Tony Award winner for Jagged Little Pill) is getting by in her Kentucky hometown—scanning groceries at the Save-A-Lot, caring for her erratic brother, and living for Friday nights, when she plays a gig with her band The Lonely Few. And that’s enough. Or she thought it was, until Amy, an established musician ragged from the road, passes through and offers her a shot at something much, much bigger. But is Lila ready for the life she never dared to imagine? A world premiere musical by Zoe Sarnak and Rachel Bonds, The Lonely Few is a love story between two women searching for a sense of home.

The Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater will be converted into “Paul’s Joint,” a Kentucky dive bar replete with table seating, couches and barstools, in addition to traditional theater seats, setting the stage for an immersive musical theater experience for audience members.

This play was commissioned as part of the Geffen Playhouse’s New Play Development Program thanks to the generosity of Sandra Krause and William Fitzgerald. Major support for this world premiere production provided by the Edgerton Foundation New Play Production Fund.

THE LONELY FEW
Book by Rachel Bonds
Music & Lyrics by Zoe Sarnak
Directed by Trip Cullman & Ellenore Scott
Produced in Association with FourthWall Theatrical

Previews: February 28 – March 8, 2023
Opening Night: March 9, 2023
Closing Night: April 9, 2023

CAST

Joshua Close as Adam
Damon Daunno as Dylan
Lauren Patten as Lila
Ciara Renée as Amy
Helen J Shen as JJ
Thomas Silcott as Paul

PRODUCTION TEAM

Scenic Designer Sibyl Wickersheimer
Costume Designer Samantha C. Jones
Lighting Designer Adam Honoré
Sound Designer Nick Kourtides
Music Supervisor Bryan Perri
Music Director Myrna Conn
Orchestrations by Bryan Perri & Zoe Sarnak
Intimacy Director Sasha Nicolle Smith
Dialect & Voice Coach Tré Cotten
Dramaturg Phaedra Michelle Scott
Production Stage Manager Talia Krispel
Assistant Stage Managers Lauren Buangan & Julian Olive
Casting by Beth Lipari, CSA & Phyllis Schuringa, CSA

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

February 28 – March 5
Monday No performance
Tuesday – Friday 7:30 p.m.
Saturday – Sunday 1:00 and 7:00 p.m.

March 7 – April 9
Monday No performance
Tuesday – Friday 8:00 p.m.
Saturday 3:00 and 8:00 p.m.
Sunday 2:00 and 7:00 p.m.

LOCATION

Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater at Geffen Playhouse
10886 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets currently priced at $30.00 - $129.00. Available by phone at 310.208.2028 or online at www.geffenplayhouse.org. Fees may apply.

Currently, children under six years of age will not be admitted. Masks are no longer required—but are encouraged—for audiences in our theaters and lobby/courtyard areas for all future productions. Select performances of The Lonely Few have been designated as “Masks Required” to accommodate patrons who feel more comfortable attending with an audience that is fully masked.

Rush tickets for each day’s performance are made available to the general public one hour before showtime at the box office. $35.00 General/$15.00 Student.

COLLEGE AUDIENCES

Through a variety of events and other opportunities, Geffen Playhouse welcomes college students to experience the live storytelling presented on our stages. We are proud of our association with UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television, and open our doors to all college students throughout Los Angeles. More information is available at www.geffenplayhouse.org/college.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Rachel Bonds (Playwright) – she/her
Rachel Bonds is a playwright, screenwriter, essayist, and writer for scripted podcasts. Her plays have been developed or produced by Ars Nova, Manhattan Theatre Club, Roundabout Theater Company, Atlantic Theater Company, McCarter Theatre Center, Geffen Playhouse, South Coast Repertory, La Jolla Playhouse, Studio Theatre, Marin Theatre Company, and Williamstown Theatre Festival, among others. She is the recipient of the Weissberger Award, the Sky Cooper Prize, and the Heideman Award, as well as a Tow Foundation Fellowship. Her plays have been twice-named a New York Times Critic’s Pick. She recently finished writing The Boars’ Nest scripted series with Dub Cornett and Holly Gleason for Fresh Produce/Audible, is currently developing her original scripted series, also for Audible, developing her play JONAH with Danya Taymor and Roundabout Theatre Company, and co-raising a family amidst a global pandemic. Originally from the mountains of Tennessee, Bonds is based in Brooklyn.

Zoe Sarnak (Composer & Lyricist) – she/her
Zoe is a New York City-based composer, lyricist, and writer. She is the recipient of a 2018 Jonathan Larson Grant; a finalist for the Fred Ebb Award and the Kleban Prize; and original music composer for the award-winning production of A Crossing at Barrington Stage Company. Her work has been developed with and presented by Second Stage Theater, New York Stage and Film, The Public Theater, Roundabout Theatre Company, Williamstown Theatre Festival, The Guggenheim, Geffen Playhouse, New York Theatre Workshop, WP Theatre, MCC Theater, and many others. Works include: Galileo (with Danny Strong and Michael Weiner), The Lonely Few (with Rachel Bonds), Empire Records (with Carol Heikkinen), Secret Soldiers (with Marsha Norman and Tori Sampson), Afterwords (with Emily Kaczmarek), Particle Fever (with David Henry Hwang and Bear McCreary), Afloat (with Emily Kaczmarek), Split (with Michele Lowe), a Netflix musical film in development with Lauren Miller Rogen, and others to be announced. Her music has been featured by the New York Times Live, The Shannara Chronicles (Spike), Silent Witness (BBC), and in benefit concerts and albums for Everytown. www.zoesarnak.com

Trip Cullman (Director) – he/him
Also at Geffen Playhouse: Barcelona, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Gynecologic Oncology Unit at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center of New York City, Choir Boy. Broadway: The Rose Tattoo, Choir Boy, Lobby Hero, Six Degrees of Separation, Significant Other. Select off-Broadway: Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow, Yen, Punk Rock (Obie Award), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Gynecologic Oncology Unit at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center of New York City (MCC Theater); Days of Rage, The Layover, The Substance of Fire, Lonely, I’m Not, Bachelorette, Some Men, Swimming in the Shallows (Second Stage Theater); Unknown Soldier, The Pain of My Belligerence, Assistance, A Small Fire (Drama Desk nomination), The Drunken City (Playwrights Horizons); Choir Boy (Manhattan Theatre Club); Murder Ballad (Manhattan Theatre Club and Union Square Theatre); The Mother, I’m Gonna Pray for You So Hard (Atlantic Theater Company); Roulette (Ensemble Studio Theare); The Hallway Trilogy: Nursing (Rattlestick Playwrights Theater); The Last Sunday in June (Rattlestick Playwrights Theater and Century Center); Dog Sees God (Century Center); U.S. Drag (stageFARM); and several productions with The Play Company. London: The Colby Sisters of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Tricycle Theatre). Select regional: Alliance Theatre, The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, South Coast Repertory, Bay Street Theater, Williamstown Theater Festival.

Ellenore Scott (Director) – she/her
Ellenore Scott is a New York based choreographer and creative director. Broadway: Funny Girl, Mr. Saturday Night. Off-Broadway: Little Shop of Horrors, Titanique. Other choreography credits include: So You Think You Can Dance, Single All the Way (Netflix), Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical. Scott’s work has been seen at The Bushwick Starr, The Old Globe, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, McCarter Theatre Center, Cherry Lane Theatre, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Cape Fear Regional Theatre, and Seattle Repertory Theatre. As a performer, Scott appeared in numerous television shows (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Smash, Glee) and was a finalist and All-Star on So You Think You Can Dance. Scott is the Artistic Director of ELSCO Dance, a contemporary-fusion dance company. As a content creator, Scott makes lifestyle, dance, and comedy videos for over 1 million followers on TikTok. @helloellenore

FourthWall Theatrical (Producer)
FourthWall Theatrical develops and produces artist-driven, of-the-moment content. Founded by Jana Bezdek and Jen Hoguet in January 2021, their first production, This American Wife (Fake Friends), streamed live in May 2021 and was recognized by both The New Yorker and the Los Angeles Times as one of the top theatrical events of that year. FourthWall is also proud to have co-produced Kimberly Akimbo (Broadway), Jagged Little Pill (Broadway, Australia, National Tour), Nollywood Dreams (MCC Theater), and the Donmar Warehouse’s UK premiere of The Band’s Visit.

Joshua Close (Adam) – he/him
Joshua Close stars in Monica opposite Trace Lysette and Patricia Clarkson, which just premiered at the Venice Film Festival to amazing reviews and an over 11-minute standing ovation. Josh can next be seen portraying Leonardo DiCaprio’s brother in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. He recently wrapped the TV miniseries Plan B opposite Patrick J. Adams. Recent credits include the MGM TV miniseries The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair for director Jean-Jacques Annaud, the feature Solace opposite Anthony Hopkins and Colin Farrell, as well as Kill the Messenger with Jeremy Renner. Previously, Josh garnered attention from his recurring role on FX’s Fargo playing “Chazz Nygaard,” the calculating and arrogant younger brother to Martin Freeman. Additional credits include: Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master and the FX series Justified. Before this, Josh starred opposite Jeremy Renner in ABC’s The Unusuals as well as The Pacific for HBO. Other credits include The Exorcism of Emily Rose, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Diary of the Dead, and K-19: The Widowmaker for director Kathryn Bigelow.

Damon Daunno (Dylan) – he/him
Damon Daunno received Tony and Grammy nominations for his performance as “Curly” in Daniel Fish’s revival of Oklahoma!. TV/film credits: Interview with the Vampire (AMC), The Hating Game (Amazon), The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon), and Blue Bloods (CBS). Other theater credits: The Bengsons’ The Lucky Ones (Lucille Lortel Award Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical), Daniel Fish’s Oklahoma! (St. Ann’s Warehouse, Bard College), Dave Malloy’s Beardo, Anais Mitchell’s Hadestown (New York Theatre Workshop). With UK based Kneehigh Theater: Brief Encounter (Broadway, International Tour), The Wild Bride, Tristan & Yseult, and The Tin Drum. He has performed with orchestras on behalf of the U.S. State Department throughout Russia and Europe. He is a multi-instrumentalist and has scored feature and short length films. He is currently working on an EP of original music, available to stream soon. Graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Lauren Patten (Lila) – she/her
Lauren Patten was the breakout star of the Alanis Morissette/Diablo Cody musical Jagged Little Pill, for which she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical, as well as the Grammy, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle awards. Other stage credits include Fun Home on Broadway, the off-Broadway smash The Wolves (The Playwrights Realm), Days of Rage (Second Stage Theater), and the original L.A. production of Deaf West Theatre’s revival of Spring Awakening. On television, Lauren has had major recurring roles on Blue Bloods (CBS) and The Good Fight (Paramount+), and guest starred on Succession (HBO). She has a starring role in the upcoming Hulu series Career Opportunities in Murder and Mayhem. @pattenlauren

Ciara Renée (Amy) – she/her
Ciara is currently shooting a season-long arc in the hit Showtime series Your Honor opposite Bryan Cranston. She recently shot the independent feature Paint opposite Owen Wilson. Ciara most recently starred as “Jenna” in Waitress, and before that was the first Black mixed actress to play “Elsa” in Disney’s Frozen on Broadway. Previously, Ciara starred in MCC Theater’s The Wrong Man alongside Joshua Henry, directed by Thomas Kail. She originated the role of “The Witch” in Big Fish and appeared as “The Leading Player” in Pippin on Broadway. She also originated the role of “Esmeralda” in The Hunchback of Notre Dame at the Paper Mill Playhouse and was “Peggy/Maria” in the final lab of Hamilton. Ciara splits her time between New York and Los Angeles and also directs/produces. Her next directing venture is the off-Broadway production of Millennials Are Killing Musicals by Nico Juber. Other television: The Big Bang Theory, Facebook’s Strangers, Netflix’s Master of None, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.

Helen J Shen (JJ) – she/they
Helen J Shen is a New York-based actor, writer, and composer. She most recently starred in Man of God at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. A classically trained pianist, she will debut her solo show SHEL-SHOCKED at 54 Below in January. They are a recent graduate of the University of Michigan’s Musical Theatre Program (Go Blue!). Thanks to her family, friends, John, the folks at A&R, and their childhood piano teacher who always reminded them to practice. @helenjshen

Thomas Silcott (Paul) – he/him
He broke-out performing in national and international tours of the Tony Award–winning Broadway musical Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk playing “‘da Voice.” Broadway: Sarah Ruhl’s Becky Nurse of Salem directed by Rebecca Taichman, Birthday Candles opposite Debra Messing. Off-Broadway: Fugard’s Boesman and Lena at the Signature Theatre. Regional: The Royale (Merrimack Repertory Theatre); To Kill a Mockingbird (Alliance Stage Company); Barefoot in the Park (Laguna Playhouse); Fugard’s Coming Home (Berkeley Repertory Theatre and The Fountain Theatre in L.A., winning Best Supporting Actor from Backstage Theatre Awards, and an NAACP Image Award Best Actor nomination) and Painted Rocks (The Fountain Theatre in L.A., Stage Raw Best Actor nomination), and as musician “Slow Drag” in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Mark Taper Forum in L.A., Ovation Award for Best Ensemble). Television credits include: Law & Order, Evil, New Amsterdam, Luke Cage, This Is Us, Hand of God, and Criminal Minds. Graduate of Salem State University with a degree in theatre, and an M.F.A from New York University Tisch School of the Arts.

OPENING NIGHT SPONSORS
UCLA Health
Skylight Gardens

ABOUT GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE
Geffen Playhouse has been a hub of the Los Angeles theater scene since opening its doors in 1995. Noted for its intimacy and celebrated for its world-renowned mix of classic and contemporary plays, provocative new works and second productions, the not-for-profit organization continues to present a body of work that has garnered national recognition. Named in honor of entertainment mogul and philanthropist David Geffen, who made the initial donation to the theater, the company was founded by Gilbert Cates and is currently helmed by Executive Director Gil Cates, Jr., Artistic Director Matt Shakman and Board Chair Adi Greenberg. Proudly associated with UCLA, the Geffen welcomes an audience of more than 130,000 each year, and maintains extensive education and community engagement programs, designed to involve underserved young people and the community at large in the arts. www.geffenplayhouse.org

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MEDIA CONTACTS

Zenon Dmytryk
Geffen Playhouse

Isaak Berliner
Geffen Playhouse