California International Theatre Festival Announces 2009 Season

California InterNational Theatre Festival 2009 season is presented by the City of Calabasas with Linda Purl as Festival Director, M. Edgar Rosenblum as Executive Director and Joe Peracchio as Festival Producer. The Festival will take place in several Calabasas locations and will include distinguished international productions. The 2009 season will feature Moby Dick - Ishmael's Tale by Conor Lovett and Judy Hegarty Lovett, Adapted from the novel by Herman Melville, performed by Conor Lovett & directed by Judy Hegarty Lovett of Gare St. Lazare Players, Ireland; An Evening with...Sir Donald Sinden, Royal Shakespeare Company veteran from the UK; A Tale of a Lonely Man by Ofer Amram Company of Tel Aviv, Israel; a cabaret show with London cabaret artist Giselle Wolf and the closing event A Taste of Calabasas meets Cafe Burlesq-O! at the Riviera Restaurant in Calabasas featuring international cuisine & performances. Tickets range from $20 - $35 and can be purchased on the Festival's website at www.citfestival.org or by calling 800-341-2766. VIP Festival Passports can be purchased for $240, which includes premium seating at all festival performances as well as the closing gala event. Super-Saturday Passports can be purchased for all shows on Saturday August 22nd for $90.

Purl is an award winning stage and television actress probably best known as Charlene Matlock from the series Matlock and as Ashley Pfister, Fonzie's fiancée, from Happy Days. Rosenblum was the Executive Director of Long Wharf Theatre from 1970-1996 and under his leadership, was the recipient of many awards. Peracchio is the Founding Artistic Director of Tricklock Company, acclaimed touring theatre company, and the founder of New Mexico's premiere annual performing arts event The Revolutions InterNational Theatre Festival now in its 10th season.

Festival Director, Purl explains "Born of a passion to stimulate cross cultural communication, like minds of theatre professionals, artists, business professionals, civic leaders and entrepreneurs have come together to create an annual event that builds bridges of understanding between ourselves and all nations of an increasingly inter-connected planet...The California InterNational Theatre Festival."

"Our mission is to produce an annual theatre festival in California, offering a distinguished array of international presentations and committed to broadening cultural understanding by means of community outreach, student training and cultural exchange through the performing arts." Says Purl.

The City of Calabasas has taken a dynamic leadership position as Title Sponsor of CITF Season 2009, ensuring this vibrant addition to California's cultural scene. This unique event will allow theatre lovers of all ages to immerse themselves in a dazzling assortment of classical and contemporary productions presented in a broad range of theatrical styles from many different countries.