It’s rare to see so many superstars on stage at once. That’s what you’ll get for Parents in Chains, a new comedy by Jay Martel, which will have a developmental workshop production at Hollywood’s Whitley Theatre on Monday, September 30 and Tuesday, October 1 at 8pm. It’s also rare that such a production is open to the public, so take advantage of this awesome opportunity to see Jason Alexander (Seinfeld) Kristen Bell (Frozen), Yvette Nicole Brown (Dreamgirls), Tom Everett Scott (La La Land), Jackie Tohn (Glow) and Gary Anthony Williams (Boston Legal) in a new comedy about texts, treks, sex, and empty nests.
Produced by J. Todd Harris (The Kids Are All Right) and directed by Andy Fickman (Reefer Madness), Parents in Chains concerns six L.A. parents who exchange texts as their 17-year-old daughters drive home from a weekend in San Francisco during the approach of a hurricane. The trip and the inclement weather bring out both the best and the worst in the parents as they confront, as a group, as couples, and as individuals, what it means to let go of their kids. By turns viciously comic and poignant, Parents in Chains is a valentine to the most difficult, most failure-prone job in the world: parenting.
Parents in Chains
Whitley Theatre, 6555 Hollywood Blvd. in Los Angeles
Monday, September 30 & Tuesday, October 1 at 8pm
for tickets ($35, subject to change), visit Eventbrite
for more info, visit Parents in Chains
JAY MARTEL has won Emmy, Peabody, Writers Guild of America, and American Comedy awards for his writing. He was a showrunner and head writer on Key & Peele in addition to many other comedy series, including Alternatino, Teachers, Halfway Home, and Strangers With Candy. His plays have been staged in New York and Los Angeles. His third novel, The Present, was published earlier this year, and the movie version, starring Greg Kinnear and Isla Fisher, was recently released worldwide. He’s written numerous movies, including Get Hard, starring Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart, and is a contributor to The New Yorker, where his humor appears regularly.
ANDY FICKMAN recently directed Heathers the Musical, which wrapped a record-breaking, sold-out run at The Other Palace in London. Before its transfer to the West End, the show had a successful New York run at New World Stages, where it was nominated for multiple Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Lucille Lortel awards. The show premiered in Los Angeles to sold-out, standing-room-only audiences. He recently completed a workshop of the musical adaptation of the hit film 13 Going on 30 in London. Fickman also directed Reefer Madness: The Musical in both Los Angeles and New York, then directed and produced the filmed version for Showtime. His many film credits include the comedies Christmas Again, The Crew, No Good Nick, Playing with Fire, Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, Parental Guidance and You Again. Additionally, Fickman directed and executive produced two seasons of Kevin Can Wait for Sony TV and CBS.
J. TODD HARRIS is the founder and president of Branded Pictures Entertainment based in Los Angeles. He has produced or executive produced over 50 films, including Oscar-nominated Trial of the Chicago 7 and The Kids Are All Right, along with five Sundance entries, including Bottle Shock. For stage, he produced Heathers The Musical and musical adaptations of Doctor Zhivago and American Psycho for Broadway. He’s currently co-producing Soul Train and Buena Vista Social Club.
