FROM STREET TO AVENUE – GRAY O’BRIEN STARS IN PARK AVENUE CAT
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London Theatre Direct
Coronation Street star Gray O’Brien is joined by Tessa Peake-Jones, Josefina Gabrielle and Daniel Weyman, in the world premiere of Los Angeles comedy Park Avenue Cat at the Arts Theatre.
This triangle has four corners. One beautiful woman, two Alpha males and a very confused LA therapist presiding over a love triangle in couples’ therapy. In the privacy of the psychotherapist’s consultation room, the first rule is that you tell your therapist everything. Or do you? Park Avenue Cat tells what happens when something crucial is held back. A slinky, sexy comedy that will make you purr.
Gray O’Brien is best known for his portrayal of the villainous Weatherfield businessman Tony Gordon in Coronation Street for which he won the coveted Villain Of The Year in the 2009 British Soap Awards. Tessa Peake-Jones is known to many for her role as Del Boy’s long-suffering wife Raquel in Only Fools and Horses. Double Olivier Award nominated Josefina Gabrielle has starred in numerous West End musicals including Oklahoma and most recently Sweet Charity. Daniel Weyman’s recent successes include the title role in the Chichester Theatre production of Nicholas Nickelby (nominated Best Performance in a Play at the TMA Awards) and The Comedy of Errors (Regent’s Park – nominated best Shakespearian Production What’sonstage Awards).
Park Avenue Cat is directed by Glen Walford, whose most recent West End production was Shirley Valentine with Meera Syall at the Trafalgar Studios. Walford is an internationally acclaimed director who has previously served as Artistic Director at the Ludlow Festival, Everyman Theatre Liverpool and Bubble Theatre Company (which she founded). She has directed major productions all over the world, including regularly working in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and even Siberia.
A writer of plays, screenplays and novels, Strausser's first produced play The Powder Room starred Academy Award Best Actress nominee Sally Kirkland. His second play The Split premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2002 and is currently in development with Tony-nominated director Wilson Milam. A film adaptation of his novel Plastic is in development with Australian director Kate Woods. Park Avenue Cat is also being adapted for film. He studied theatrical writing with the late Milton Katselas in his ‘Master Class’ at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. An American with an English mother, Strausser makes his London debut with Park Avenue Cat.