SIDETRACKED Comes To Macha Theatre 2/3-19

Sharon Michaels in association with the Macha Theatre presents SIDETRACKED, a world premiere whodunit set in the Golden Age of Hollywood, directed by Ray A. Rochelle. The play opens with five passengers waiting to board the train at L.A.'s Union Station – and each of them has a motive for the murder that's just been discovered. This gripping dramedy pays homage to an earlier era with nods to film noir, Bogart and Bergman, and Fred and Ginger, too. February 3 – February 19, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 3pm. Tickets: $20-$25. Buy Tickets/Info: www.plays411.com/sidetracked or (323) 960-7724. Macha Theatre, 1107 N. Kings Road, West Hollywood 90069.

Cast: Bix Barnaba, Michele Bernath, Carlos Ciurlizza, Sondra Currie, James Gleason, David P. Johnson, and Jamison Lingle.

Production Team BIOS

Sharon Michaels (Writer-Producer) started out as a ballet dancer, worked in Alicia Alonso's ballet company for three seasons, danced in several Broadway shows including Carnival, La Plume de Ma Tante, and numerous Off- Broadway shows as well. Ms. Michaels performed in musical films such as West Side Story, Dr. Dootlittle (the pushmi-pullyu), and Mame: and then began writing. Her first produced script, In My Daughter's Name, was a courtroom drama produced on TV Movie on CBS. A novel, CHASING A DREAM, a family saga, is currently on sale on Amazon.com. SIDETRACKED is her third play.

Ray A. Rochelle (Director) Ray’s began 25 years ago with his first professional musical production of “Music Man” for the former San Gabriel Civic Light Opera (now the San Gabriel Valley Music Theatre). Over the years he has performed for major cruise lines and in over 40 professional musical productions with several different companies such as (East West Players, Music Theatre Guild, Stella Productions and San Bernardino Civic Light Opera to name a few). After touring nationally and internationally with Miss Saigon, Ray had the opportunity to associate direct and choreograph the first western regional production of Miss Saigon for Fullerton Civic Light Opera in 2005, which garnered him Ovation Awards for Best Musical and Best Direction. He directed and executive produced Miss Saigon once again for his home theatre company (the San Gabriel Valley Music Theatre) May 2010. For the past two years, he has worked side by side with Producing Artistic Director Bobby Hundley, in every event and project promoted for SGVMT. Directing is a new passion for him, and in addition to SIDETRACKED, Ray is currently directing SGVMT’s An Intimate Evening of The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber – A Concert of Love premiering February 4th.

Rikki Lugo (Associate Producer) has been the Resident Choreographer and Director for the San Gabriel Music Theater for the past 25 years. Recent shows include The King and I and Oliver, choreographed Palm Springs Follies, Disneyland and the American Girl Revue at the Grove in Los Angeles. Staged night club acts in Aruba, Orlando and Nashville. She is the recipient of several Drama Logue Awards and the Robby Award. When not choreographing or directing, she teaches dance. She will be directing a musical for San Gabriel this spring.

Cast BIOS

Bix Barnaba Recent local stage appearances are the Group Rep’s productions of Barefoot in the Park and The City at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in NoHo. TV appearances include: "PARTY DOWN", "WARREN THE APE", “C.S.I.”, “ARLISS”, “BOOMTOWN”, “THE SIXTIES”, “BONNIE HUNT”; FILMS: “THE BABE”,”LIAR, LIAR”, and “DEAD MAN ON CAMPUS”. Mr. Barnaba has created a solo show about Harry Truman, Give ‘em Hell, Harry, and has performed it in New York Off- Broadway. He is currently producing an Englsih language play in Rome Italy, “ITALIA E' UNA POSTA SPECIALMENTE.”

Michele Bernath has her MFA from UCLA. As a musical comedy performer she has appeared in New York, Las Vegas and with numerous national touring companies. Some of her favorite roles have included Minnie Faye in Hello Dolly, Aunt Sue in No No Nanette and Anybody’s in West Side Story. Her Group Rep Theatre Company credits include Chaim’s Love Song, Nice Family Gathering, Over The River and Through the Woods and, most recently, String of Pearls. Her TV appearances include “Columbo”, “Murder She Wrote”, “Taxi” and “Laverne and Shirley.”

Carlos Ciurlizza was born and raised in Peru. He moved to Los Angeles to attend an acting program at The Sanford Meisner Center, which he graduated from in 2008. In 2009, he graduated with honors from Santa Monica College in Theater Arts. Acting theatre credits: Matthew Modine saves the Alpacas (Geffen Playhouse) directed by TONY award-winning director John Rando; LA Opera’s IL Postino starring Placido Domingo (Dorothy Chandler Pavilion); LA Opera’s Rigoletto directed by TONYaward- winning director Mark Lamos. Film credits: “7 days” (Dir. Erika Olmos), “Online” (Dir. Douglas Spain), “Ready to Talk” (Dir. Angeles Reine); TV credits: America’s Most Wanted (FOX), “No me hallo” (Univision), “Burned” (BET) and the pilot “Be Forever Now”. As a writer, he has written four screenplays: "The Arch", "Take me with you" (pre-selected into the 2012 Sundance screenwriting lab), "Ready to talk" (short film that premiered at the 2011 Seville European Film Festival) and “Breathe”.

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