Oleanna

[NoHo Arts District, CA] –  Oleanna by David Mamet, directed by Miguel Perez, produced by Darcy Lee, and starring Claire Wagner and Jean-Michel Richaud heads to the Hollywood Fringe Festival 2023.

David Mamet’s Oleanna is a powerful play that explores the complex issues of political polarization, lack of trust in institutions, #MeToo and gender inequality, cancel culture, free speech and mental health and well-being. It’s a timely work that reflects the struggles we face in society today. Through the story of a university professor and a student, Oleanna exposes the power dynamics and manipulation that exist in our society and the dangers that arise when we fail to communicate with one another.

WARNING: Oleanna contains strong language and depictions of violence that some audience members may find traumatizing. Viewer discretion is advised.

BIOS:

Miguel Pérez (Director) was born in San Jose CA . Being raised Catholic he learned to appreciate ritual and ritualized storytelling. At the age of 11 he was cast in the 6th grade production of A Christmas Carol. The experience of rehearsing and performing was so natural and joyful that he decided, at that tender age, to pursue the profession of acting. He earned parts local productions in San Jose and eventually became the youngest member of an improvisational acting troupe called The McGuffey Company that toured the SF Bay Area in the mid 1970s.

In 1975 Miguel joined the United States Marine Corps. Honorably discharged in 1979 Miguel moved to New York City to begin his professional acting career. He auditioned for and was accepted to the National Shakespeare Conservatory, where he studied under master teachers Philip Meister, Mario Siletti and James Tripp. His graduation from the National Shakespeare Conservatory was followed by stints with many regional theaters including the Asolo State Theatre, South Florida Shakespeare Company, American Repertory Theatre, Berkeley Repertory, Hartford Stage and others. In New York he appeared with the Classic Stage Company, The New York Shakespeare Festival and in an array of productions off and on Broadway.

On film Miguel has appeared in dozens of films including Blow, Unbroken: Path To Redemption, Oceans 11, The Ascent and Million Dollar Baby. His television credits include guest starring roles on Seinfeld, Madam Secretary, ER, Shooter, Designated Survivor, Fear The Walking Dead, Seal Team, The Resident and many, many others. In addition to his acting work, Miguel has coached privately for 20+ years. Before the pandemic he was on the faculty of the SAG Conservatory. Currently, he is on the faculty of the Art of Acting Studio in Hollywood and he coaches and teaches privately at his studio in Downtown Los Angeles.

He lives in Downtown LA with his wife, artist Kaye Freeman, and continues to work in theatre, film and television. Website – http://miguelperezactor.com Twitter – @MPproActor, Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/miguelperezactor

Darcy Lee (Producer) Darcy is the rare Los Angeles native. She started her career in the arts at age 17 as a working actor and dancer. She was in numerous television shows, commercials and theatre projects. Falling in love with the collaborative aspect of these projects, she then became impassioned by producing theatre, running theatre companies and coordinating workshops. She served as the Managing Director for a prestigious Los Angeles theatre; The Met Theatre where she really honed her producing chops with some of the movie industry’s greatest talents. After The Met she went on to become an independent producer working on several projects of all kinds at numerous LA Theatres. She is excited to once again be at the Zephyr where she previously produced a run of Miss Margaritas Way. In recent years she became a producer for Padua Hills Playwrights where together they ventured into Film as well. She has produced two award-winning short films and recently obtained her master’s degree in Positive Psychology as it relates to the well-being of artists. She is an Artist Practitioner and facilitates Artist Support Groups where they learn valuable life tools for thriving within their creativity and their chosen projects. 

Claire Wagner (she/her) is an actor and improvisor based in Los Angeles. She is fresh off the three-year conservatory at the Stella Adler Art of Acting Studio in L.A. and spent last summer at the NY Stella Adler school studying Shakespeare with Steve Maurice Jones. Other training and experience include a B.A. in Theatre from CSU Fullerton and residency with improv troupes Best Coast Improv and Creatures of Impulse. FILM/TV: Pog Picks: Back to School Daze. THEATRE: Weirdo, or (make nice) (Larking House); Indecent (Art of Acting); The Dutchman (Leo Rising). 

Jean-Michel Richaud (he/him) grew up in Paris and studied at Paris’s National Conservatory before moving to NY and attending Columbia University’s graduate theater program. For the last ten years, he’s performed and toured the one-man show, Vincent by Leonard Nimoy, worldwide, including Royce Hall in Los Angeles, Symphony Space in NY, Ciné 13 in Paris and two years at the Avignon theater festival. For his work embodying both Vincent Van Gogh and his brother Theo, he was nominated for best actor at the Petits Molières (French Tony awards for small theaters).

He has appeared in numerous films and television shows, and is a founding member of The Next Arena Theater company in Los Angeles. He’s also had an extensive career in voice over, and has dubbed over 400 films into his native French. He’s most proud of his work voicing Al Pacino in the anniversary edition of Scarface, and Colin Firth in The King’s Speech. His countless voice over credits range from animation as the French baron in Frozen to videogames, commercials, ADR, … all right, anything VO related.