1984

[NoHo Arts District, CA] – Robo & Bash Productions, in collaboration with Theatre 68, presents 1984, an adaptation of George Orwell’s classic novel by Robert Owens, Wilton E. Hall Jr. and William A. Miles Jr., and directed by Danny Cistone at the Theatre 68 Arts Complex.

Winston Smith, an IngSoc Outer Party member who works at the Ministry of Truth rewriting the past, repeatedly prints these words in a small diary he found in an old proletarian junk shop. Never mind the words; the very fact that Winston bought the diary, that he opened it and began to compose, are acts punishable by death. Such is life in Big Brother’s Oceania, one cannot speak or think their own thoughts for fear of the thought police and the mystery behind the door of Room 101. Yet Winston is obsessed with the REAL past and yearns to unlock its truths. When Julia, a fellow Outer Party member, enters his life, he finally sees a way to reach the unreachable, to live beyond Big Brother.

George Orwell’s masterpiece, from which this play is adapted, is the foundation for most dystopian future imaginings. From music to visual art, to television and cinema, Orwell’s vision of the future, of “a boot stamping on a human face – forever,” continues to manifest, displaying the horrors of its harsh parallels to the modern world. Perhaps this is why 1984 is often considered one of the most banned books of all time; despite being published in 1949, Winston’s journey hits a nerve in the parties that want to suppress its message, as well as those who defend and advance its cautionary significance.

The 1984 Cast

The cast includes Leif Gantvoort, Eddie Alfano, Shelly Snellman, Bella Balsamo, Grant Fletcher Prewitt, Mark Tracy, Eleanor Conniff, and Nicholas Adams.

About Danny Cistone

Danny Cistone has over 35 years of experience in the entertainment industry. Most notably, he co-created, directed, and designed the Off-Broadway Hip-Hop sensation Groovaloo, beginning his collaboration with Bradley Rapier. He directed both stage and film productions of West of Brooklyn, as well as the feature film Monster Heroes. Other theatre credits include Music, Cocaine & Philosophy at Greenway Court Theatre, The Afflicted at Theatre 68, and John Patrick Shanley’s The Big Funk for a Shanley Fest with the author’s blessing. He directed and designed the music video for Dr. Stank’s Turn That Shit Up.

He is a member of the Art Director’s Guild specializing in film and television design and is currently working on the stop-motion animation film Astray. He recently Art Directed the flagship seasons of Quantum Leap (NBC/Universal), Kindred (FX), Our Kind of People (FOX), and season three of YOU (Netflix). He also designed season two of Black Jesus (Adult Swim), and seasons two and three of Disney XD’s #1 hit Walk the Prank.

As a designer, Danny has embraced the challenges of shooting an entire season on location with limited budgets and time (Final Witness – ABC/ Disney, School Spirits –SyFy, Emmy Award winner A Crime to Remember – Investigation Discovery). His flashy, exuberant designs have been seen on giant stadium screens (Katy Perry’s Candifornia Tour, The Eagles’ History of the Eagles Tour and Pink’s European Tour) and the small screen (Superfruit, Garbage). He has artfully executed the vision of the first SAG deaf director and now Oscar Winner, Troy Kotsur’s feature film No Ordinary Hero and his stage sets have won numerous accolades (multiple Ovation and LA Drama Critics Circle nominations).

Danny’s early experience as an actor, dancer, and subsequent director paved the way for his work as a notable, in-demand designer. He is a Broadway veteran with over ten years of experience performing and touring with such productions as Gypsy, Grease!, and Lost in Yonkers, while also working closely with the late choreographer Jerome Robbins (West Side Story) on the personal and revealing autobiographical A Poppa Piece. Upon moving to Los Angeles, he continued to work steadily in film and television as an actor (Deuces Wild, General Hospital, Malcolm in the Middle, etc), while also working behind the scenes on over 100 productions, developing his own aesthetic and innovative ways of storytelling.

Danny’s experience in nearly all aspects of entertainment and his ability to move easily between departments enable him to design and direct with flexibility, mindfulness, and a passion for creating a world that is a character in and of itself.

About Leif Gantvoort

Leif’s latest feature film, A Pretty Good Movie (writer, co-director, and lead actor) won Best Feature at the Pasadena International Film Festival and at the Portland Festival of Animation and Technology, and won Best Comedy at the GenCon Film Festival. As an actor, Leif has been in The Amazing Spider-Man (where he killed Uncle Ben) and Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2. He has guest starred on numerous TV shows, including The Hunting Party, Will Trent, The Rookie, Magnum, P.I., NCIS, S.W.A.T., How to Get Away with Murder, and Chicago P.D. You can also see him jumping out of planes or traversing volcanoes while playing board games at Above Board TV on YouTube. In his limited free time, he skates as a banked track roller derby referee (under the name of Wild Bill Hiccup)for the L.A. Derby Dolls.

About Shelly Snellman

Shelly Snellman is a producer/ actress and co-founder of Robo & Bash Productions, a “mom and pop” shop that recently made a huge splash with its award-winning debut short A Blue Shroud. Shelly’s first love, however, has always been the theatre.

As a producer, her favorite theatre productions include Rope (Avery Schreiber Theatre), and Crumble: Lay Me Down Justin Timberlake (Theatre 68). As an actress, she is partial to her roles in Drop Dead! (written and directed by Billy Van Zandt), The Afflicted (written by Leif Gantvoort and directed by Danny Cistone), and An Italian American Reconciliation and The Red Coat (written by John Patrick Shanley and directed by Ronnie Marmo), among several others.

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