(2006 Revival)

Archived Press Room:
▪ 2003 Production

DELTA BURKE, LESLIE JORDAN & BETH GRANT GO ON TOUR WITH DEL SHORES’ AWARD-WINNING PLAYS: SORDID LIVES - SOUTHERN BAPTIST SISSIES & THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF A TRAILER TRASH HOUSEWIFE!

BETH GRANT RETURNS TO STAR IN: THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF A TRAILER TRASH HOUSEWIFE THE 3rd DEL SHORES PLAY TO BE REVIVED FOR A SEASON OF SHORES! …Trailer Trash Officially Opens May 6, 2006 & Also Stars Dale Dickey, Octavia Spencer, David Steen & Debby Holiday!

DEL SHORES TO REVIVE ALL 6 OF HIS HIT PLAYS IN -- A SEASON OF SHORES --
TO COINCIDE WITH THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ZEPHYR THEATRE! Southern Baptist Sissies – the theater’s most successful play in its 50-year history – will kick off the celebration January 13, 2006!!

The Trials and Tribulations
of a Trailer Trash Housewife

Del Shores’ 2003 play explores the hidden emotions, shame, and secrecy of battered women, while also offering hope, healing, and truth. A delicate blend of frightened humor and pain, the three act play delves right into the heart of abuse. From hysterical highs, to the depths of tragic lows, the play sweeps the emotional spectrum. Shores draws the audience into the fire, allowing them to experience the emotion from all sides… the abuser, the abused, and the powerless bystander.

Beth Grant stars as "Willadean Winkler" a mother of two children (a deceased daughter, and an adult gay son) who is trapped in a loveless marriage with "J.D. Winkler" (David Steen), a struggling truck driver who is lost in unrealistic adolescent athletic dreams. Set in Mesquite Texas, they live in a trailer park next to Willi’s best and only friend, "La Sonia" (Octavia Spencer), a lively character filled with much needed comic relief and hope. Across the way the park’s newest resident, "Rayleen Hobbs" (Dale Dickey), storms into their lives, and sadly she too has her own tragic story to tell.

The character’s are brilliantly strung together, with the help of a sultry intuitive blues singer (Debby Holiday), giving a mere two hour journey into their world that could fill a lifetime. Explosive one-sided arguments erupt and build over time, until one disastrous night it goes too far and the lives of those in the trailer park will never the same.

One of Hollywood's most recognizable faces, Grant has starred in over sixty feature films including the critically acclaimed cult hits, Donnie Darko and Sordid Lives. Popular studio pictures include Rock Star, The Rookie, Matchstick Men, Rain Man, Speed, Child’s Play II, City Slickers, To Wong Foo, and A Time to Kill.  Grant has appeared in over thirty plays from Los Angeles to New York including two productions at The Ahmanson, William Inge's PICNIC (with Jennifer Jason Leigh) and Tennessee Williams Summer and Smoke(with Christopher Reeve) under the direction of Circle Rep's Marshall Mason.  She has created roles in the world premieres of Holy Ghosts by Romulus Linney, On a Southern Journey by Maya Angelou, The Day Emily Married by Horton Foote, Sordid Lives and The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife  by Del Shores.  Grant is a recipient of THE LOS ANGELES DRAMA CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD and THE L.A. STAGE ALLIANCE OVATION AWARD and THE BACKSTAGE WEST GARLAND AWARD for BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE for the 2003 production of Del Shores' The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife.  Grant co-stars in several upcoming features of which she is very proud.  She will soon be seen in Little Miss Sunshine, Flags of Our Fathers, directed by Clint Eastwood, Factory Girl, Running with Scissors and in Donnie Darko director, Richard Kelly's second film, Southland Tales. Making the rounds at the festivals are several independents including The House of Usher directed by Hayley Cloake; Our Very Own directed by Cameron Watson; and Hard Scrambled directed by David Hay.  On television Grant has guest starred in hundreds of hit television shows including the Six Feet Under episode where she famously made love to Peter Krause while reciting the 23rd Psalm. She has been a regular or recurred on many television shows including Malcolm in the Middle, King of the Hill, Yes, Dear, Everwood, Coach and Delta. Grant is a student of Milton Katselas at The Beverly Hills Playhouse.  She is married to actor Michael Chieffo and their proudest achievement is thirteen year-old Mary Elizabeth.

Dale is returning to the role she originally played in the award winning '03 production of ...Trailer Trash Housewife - as well as to be a part of this "season" as "Odette" in Southern Baptist Sissies and "Sissy" in Sordid Lives. Previous work with Mr. Shores includes his 10th anniversary production of Daddy’s Dyin... Who’s Got the Will? at Theatre Theatre.  Other LA Stage: Conquest of the South Pole (Odyssey), The Women (Theatre Neo), The Body (the Matrix), IF The Price is Right (Edgefest), and Horton Foote’s Laura Dennis (Drama-Logue Award) here at the Zephyr.  In New York, she worked on Broadway in The Merchant of Venice (directed by Sir Peter Hall) and off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons, Signature Theatre Co., and Manhattan Punch Line.  Regional credits include: several seasons at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center, Denver Center, and the Clarence Brown (opposite David Keith in The Rainmaker).  In television, she was “Opal” in the CBS series Christy and numerous guest roles include: Fraiser, The X-Files, CSI, Numbers, ER, Close to Home, Gilmore Girls, Cold Case, King of the HIll, City of Angels and My Name is Earl as “Patty, the daytime hooker”.  Film:  Domino, The Pledge, The Incredibly True Adventures of 2 Girls in Love, The Journey of August King, Sordid Lives, and Our Very Own.

Debby won over audiences in the juicy role of “The Blues Singer” in the Los Angeles production of the award-winning play The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife, written by Del Shores.  Debby Holiday has shared the stage with legendary recording artists like John Waite and Rod Stewart, recently appearing on several television programs including The View, The Rosie O'Donnel Show and The David Letterman Show. During her career, Debby has toured and opened for rock superstars including Joe Walsh, Rod Stewart and Kiss. In 2004 she completed her third independent LP Half A Mile Away.  This LP contains the original versions of Dive and Half A Mile Away, Holiday's songs that scored Top 5 and Top 7 on the Billboard Dance Club Play chart in 2004-2005. Both tracks were released as maxi-singles with remixes by Chris Cox (Thunderpuss), Scotty K. (The Ellen Degeneres Show), Scott Anderson of Solar City (Erin Hamilton, Pepper Mashay), Jamie J Sanchez (Mezzanine SF) and Roland Belmares (Belmares & Preve). The success of Dive and Half A Mile Away landed Debby Holiday's indie label *Nebula 9 a U.S. distribution deal through Master Entertainment (MASE). In 2005 the LP Half A Mile Away and a two-song EP with select dance remixes of Dive and Half A Mile Away were placed in Virgin Megastore, Tower Records, Amoeba Records and independent music stores nationwide.

Octavia can next be seen as one of the stars of the much anticipated new series on Comedy Central entitled Halfway Home. She also has a strong supporting role in Pulse. Spencer is a native of Montgomery, Alabama; which, she claims is the proverbial buckle of the Bible belt. She ís the sixth of seven siblings and holds a BS in Liberal Arts from Auburn University. A “closet” lover of acting, this practical Alabamian knew that she’d someday work in the film industry, but never dreamed it would be in front of the camera. In 1995, acclaimed director Joel Schumacher changed all that by giving her a small part opposite Sandra Bullock in the hit film A Time to Kill, and Spencer was on her way. In 1996, she teamed up with Bullock again in Bullock’s directorial debut of Making Sandwiches, a short film that premiered at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival and won rave reviews. Since then, Spencer has continued to see success as an actor in memorable supporting roles. In 2003, she made her stage debut in Los Angeles, in Del Shore’s award winning play, The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife. Later that year, she starred opposite Emmy Award winner Allison Janney in Tate Taylor’s critically lauded, and award winning short feature, Chicken Party. Her screen credits include: Coach Carter, Charm School, Win A Date with Tad Hamilton, Legally Blonde 2, Spiderman, Big Momma’s House, Never Been Kissed, & Being John Malkovich. She’s had a myriad of guest-starring roles on TV including: ER, CSI: New York, Dharma & Greg, LAX, Huff, Medium and NYPD Blue just to name a few. In 2002, the avid forensic buff co-authored a mystery novel for kids entitled, The Rock Holler Gang: Jr. Detectives.

David began his writing career after spending his first six years in Los Angeles as an actor. After numerous appearances on screen and the stage, including the films Of Mice and Men and Reservoir Dogs” he decided to try a different form of artistic expression. After a few months he finished his first play A Gift From Heaven which opened to rave reviews and garnered a “Critic's Choice” from the LA Times as well as honors from many other trade publications. The play was awarded eleven Drama-Logue Awards. His second play, Avenue A, also an LA Times “Critic's Choice”, opened to sold out houses and won four Drama Critic's Circle Awards, including the Ted Schmitt Award for best new play and the Featured Performance Award for his role as Larry. Avenue A also had a successful run at 29thStreet Rep Theatre in New York. Following the critical success of his first plays, David was selected in the LA Times' annual feature “Faces to Watch” which highlights the work of a select few of Los Angeles' up and coming artists in the entertainment field. David adapted his first play A Gift from Heaven for the screen. The film garnered critical acclaim including top honors in Italy's Rome-Florence Film Festival and the Charleston World Fest film festival in South Carolina. David co-wrote and produced the independent film The Corndog Man which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. He also appeared in Del Shores' premier of The Trails and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife for which he won an LA Weekly Award for Best Supporting Actor. David currently resides in New York City with his wife, actress Bobbie Eakes.

Shores has written six plays: Cheatin' (1984), Daddy's Dyin'... Who's Got the Will? (1987), Daughters of the Lone Star State (1993), Sordid Lives (1996), Southern Baptist Sissies (2000) and The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife (2003). Awards include Los Angeles Drama Critics' Circle, GLAAD, LA Weekly, NAACP, Drama-Logue, Backstage West Garland, Robby, and Maddy. He is also LA Weekly’s 2006 Career Achievementt Award winner. Films include Daddy's Dyin'... Who's Got the Will? (Writer/Executive Producer) and Sordid Lives (Writer/ Director). He has written and produced the television series Queer As Folk, Dharma & Greg, Ned & Stacy and Mr. & Mrs. Smith and wrote, directed and executive produced the Showtime movie "The Wilde Girls."  A complete bio is online here.

Jason is the Vice President of Development for Del Shores Productions, parent company to Season of Shores. He and Shores’ pilot, Intersections, is in development with Cary Brokaw (Angels in America, Closer). Jason has also produced and co- produced a variety of concerts and benefits throughout California, including a sold-out rock show in Hollywood headlined by rock/soul and dance diva Debby Holiday, and fundraisers in Palm Springs and L.A. benefiting Sloan-Kettering and cancer research. Jason is the author of a new book Unlock the Box. Jason will also produce the film version of Southern Baptist Sissies, joining forces with Shores, producer Victoria Alonso (Big Fish, Kingdom of Heaven, Sordid Lives), and six-time Emmy Award-winning producer Alice West (Picket Fences, LA Law, The Practice, Ally McBeal) under their new production company Far From Right Productions. Jason was last seen on stage in Lisbon Traviata and is currently starring as “Ty” in the hit revival of Sordid Lives. He wishes to thank Sharyn Lane for unknowingly teaching him the right way to produce theatre.

Joe Pat is thrilled to be back “in church” with Del! He created the dual roles of “Brother Chaffey” and “Houston” in the original 2000 production of Southern Baptist Sissies (as well as musical-directed the show). He also collaborated with Del on the award-winning play The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife (2003 Ovation Nominee), composing the show’s songs, co-writing the lyrics and appearing onstage as the pianist. Joe wrote the songs to the cult hit musical Judy’s Scary Little Christmas (another Ovation Award winner) which has enjoyed sold-out engagements in Los Angeles, Portland, Des Moines and Chicago. The original cast album was recorded a few months ago. Joe wrote the music and lyrics for Leslie Jordan’s off-Broadway show Hysterical Blindness & Other Southern Tragedies, which ran for seven months at the Soho Playhouse in NYC, then played in L.A., Richmond and Fort Worth (in a production Joe also directed). Joe Pat wrote the book, music and lyrics for the satirical musical The Grave White Way (2001 Ovation Nominee), at the Hudson Theatre in Hollywood. Other L.A. songwriting credits include She’s a Handful, In Sherwood and Plum Pink Pedicure. He has written songs for several films in development at Warner Brothers, and was the headwriter/songwriter for the NPR comedy broadcast Propaganda Radio. Joe’s current musical Fools For Broadway (for which he wrote the book, music and lyrics) is currently being workshopped by the acclaimed Directors Company in New York. His numerous original songs have been sung by many Broadway vets, including John Raitt, Loretta Devine, Jason Graae, Davis Gaines, Ken Page, Harry Groener, Stephen Schwartz, Sharon McNight, Billy Porter, Susan Egan, Mary Bond Davis, Valarie Pettiford, Gregory Jbara and Billy Barnes. Joe is a member of ASCAP and The Dramatists Guild.

Dorinda hails all the way from New Jersey by the way of Kentucky. The Kentucky part is from her Mamma. Dorinda studied in New York at such conservatories as Stella Adler, William Esper and many more. L.A. work includes plays with the 68 Cent Crew and the Actor's Showcase. She is so excited and honored to be part of a Season of Shores. She would like to thank Del and Jason for this opportunity. She would also like to thank Mom, Dad, Kimberly, Wendy, Abigail, Kira, Lou, Katerina, and Annabelle. Also to my girls - Katherine, Sonja, and Heather. Without all of you, I would not be here. Follow your dreams.

Emerson has relocated from Dallas, Texas, to join the cast of Southern Baptist Sissies. He appeared previously in the role of “Benny” with the Uptown Players in Dallas. His other theatre work includes productions with the Dallas Theater Center, Shakespeare Festival of Dallas, Dallas Children's Theater, Casa Manana, Granbury Opera House, Lyric Stage, WaterTower Theatre, Classical Acting Company and others. His most recent roles include: the Regional Premiere of Alan Menken and Tim Rice's King David, Romeo and Juliet, The Outsiders, Joseph…Dreamcoat, An Inspector Calls, and Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates. He received a 2004 Column Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for the role of “Dickon” in The Secret Garden. Emerson graduated Phi Betta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from Baylor University. He would like to thank Del for this incredible opportunity to be a part of creating art that encourages understanding.

Kathi has worked at theatres from Sacramento to Los Angeles including: the Odyssey, Wallenboyd, Japanese American Theatre, Ventura College Opera Workshop, CAST, Zephyr, Electric Lodge, Stella Adler, LATC, Met, PRT, Hayworth, Hudson, Rubicon in Ventura, and Santa Barbara Ensemble Theatre. She is the resident Lighting Designer at The Fountain Theatre in Hollywood. She earned her Equity card for stage-managing Edith Stein at the Zephyr in San Francisco. She has stage-managed, designed lights, been part of a running crew, assisted directors, emceed and almost anything else that needed to be done. A recipient of multiple awards that include LA Weekly, Backstage West, LADCC and two Theatre L.A. Ovation Awards (4 nominations), LADCC Angstrom Award for Career Achievement in Lighting Design and LA Weekly Award for Career Achievement. Kathi is thrilled to be part of Del's year at the Zephyr and to bring the “Sissies” to light at The Zephyr for a third time. Looking forward to all the sordid lives to follow.

Jeff has been a nationally exhibited and collected painter for over twenty years. He has created sets for plays in Chicago, New York and most recently Los Angeles where he has garnered attention for his work on plays as diverse as Sight Unseen, Cheyenne and Sylvia. In addition, his backdrops have graced the pages of Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, Rolling Stone and Time. Jeff lives in Hollywood with his wife, author/illustrator Courtney Watkins, and Tate. www.jeffrobinsonartist.com

Craig has worn many hats (not to mention wigs and heels) in recent Del Shores productions. He appeared several times as "Benny" in 2002's run of Southern Baptist Sissies and served as Costume Designer for The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife. He is most excited to tackle his latest roles of Stage Manager and Costume Designer for A Season of Shores at the Zephyr Theatre. As an accomplished actor and singer, Craig appeared (as "Miss Bible Belt") in the critically acclaimed Los Angeles premiere of Pageant. His costumes for Trailer Trash Housewife garnered local praise and were nominated for an NAACP Award. Craig is humbled, flattered, and honored to be a part of the Del Shores Productions family. He is constantly awed and inspired by the talent, spirit, and energy of this amazing ensemble of players... and he looks forward to the journey ahead with each of them... every "sordid" minute of it.

Linda and Gary have been the producing managers at the Zephyr Theatre since 1988. They shared a passion for original stage work and produced their first project, MM at 58, by Will Manus, followed by Maurice Keller’s award-winning Wilde... And Wonderful!, Wright from America by Williard Sims, Going Back by John Crowther and Joe Maruzzo’s comedy Red Roses. In 1991, the team produced ZepyrFest!, a solo performance festival featuring the work of Luis Alfaro, Amy Hill, Edie McClurg, Burke Byrnes, Eric Trulles, Laurie Latham and Colin Martin, whose Virgins and Other Myths went on to win the L.A. Drama Critics Circle award for Best Solo Performance. Under the AppleArts production banner, Toliver and Guidinger produced Rick Borelli’s The Best Dope in Town, Hal Ackerman’s It Ain’t Nuthin’ Nice starring Tommie Larney, Lynn Manning’s early one-acts, The Convert and The Colorized Version, Micheal Kearn’s My Name is Wynona and I Am a Shoplifter, The Porcelain Penelope Show starring Precious Chong, Ernest Thompson’s White People Christmas, and Alan Aymie’s Rap. In collaboration with Firehouse Proudctions, they produced the original workshop production of the highly acclaimed musical The Last Session by Steve Schalchlin and Jim Brochu which went on to play off-Broadway for nine months. In association with Blue Sphere Alliance, they later produced the Schalchlin-Brochu musical The Big Voice: God or Merman? which garnered the 2005 Ovation Award for the Franklin R. Levy Memorial Award for Musical Intimate Theatre. Most recently, Toliver and Guidinger produced Harold Pinter’s The Caretaker, directed by Matt Gottlieb, which was nominated for four Ovation Awards, concluding in the best actor award for Robert Mandan. They are proud to be at the helm of the Zephyr Theatre during its fifty year celebration, and give a special salute to Lee Sankowich, without whose support none of this would be possible.

Beth Grant

Beth Grant

Beth Grant

Beth Grant

Beth Grant &
David Steen
 

Beth Grant &
David Steen

Beth Grant &
David Steen

David Steen &
Beth Grant

Beth Grant &
David Steen

Octavia Spencer

Octavia Spencer &
Beth Grant

Beth Grant &
Octavia Spencer

Beth Grant &
Octavia Spencer

Beth Grant &
Octavia Spencer

Beth Grant &
Octavia Spencer

David Steen,
Dale Dickey &
Beth Grant

David Steen,
Dale Dickey &
Beth Grant

Dale Dickey

Dale Dickey &
Beth Grant

 Beth Grant &
Dale Dickey

Dale Dickey

Dale Dickey &
Beth Grant

Debby Holiday

Beth Grant,
Debby Holiday &
Dale Dickey

Debby Holiday &
Beth Grant

The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife

(2003 Production)

The Trials and Tribulations
of a Trailer Trash Housewife

Del Shores’ new play explores the hidden emotions, shame, and secrecy of battered women, while also offering hope, healing, and truth. A delicate blend of frightened humor and pain, the three act play delves right into the heart of abuse. From hysterical highs, to the depths of tragic lows, the play sweeps the emotional spectrum. Shores draws the audience into the fire, allowing them to experience the emotion from all sides… the abuser, the abused, and the powerless bystander.

Beth Grant stars as Willadean Winkler a mother of two children (a deceased daughter, and an adult gay son) who is trapped in a loveless marriage with J.D. Winkler (David Steen), a struggling truck driver who is lost in unrealistic adolescent athletic dreams. Set in Mesquite Texas, they live in a trailer park next to Willi’s only and best friend, La Sonia (Octavia Spencer), a lively character filled with much needed comic relief and hope. Across the way the park’s newest resident, Rayleen Hobbs (Dale Dickey), storms into their lives, and sadly she too has her own tragic story to tell.

The character’s are brilliantly strung together, with the help of a sultry intuitive blues singer (Debby Holiday), giving a mere two hour journey into their world that could fill a lifetime. Explosive one-sided arguments erupt and build over time, until one disastrous night it goes too far and the lives of those in the trailer park will never the same.

From New York to Los Angeles, Beth Grant’s theatre credits include the world premieres of HOLY GHOSTS by Romulus Linney, ON A SOUTHERN JOURNEY by Maya Angelou, THE DAY EMILY MARRIED by Horton Foote and SORDID LIVES by Del Shores.

She has appeared twice at The Ahmanson in William Inge's PICNIC and in Tennessee Williams' SUMMER AND SMOKE, both directed by Marshall Mason.

This past year Grant was seen in four popular films: ROCK STAR, DONNIE DARKO, THE ROOKIE and SORDID LIVES. She is best known for her diverse character portrayals in over 45 feature films including RAIN MAN, CHILD'S PLAY II, SPEED, TO WONG FOO, A TIME TO KILL and DANCE WITH ME.

She recently completed work on MATCHSTICK MEN directed by Ridley Scott. A few of Grant's many television roles include DELTA and MAXIMUM BOB. Beth is also student of Milton Katsales. 

Dale Dickey was seen on this stage last year as "Odette Annette Barnett" in SOUTHERN BAPTIST SISSIES. Other LA stage includes the tenth anniversary production of DADDY'S DYIN' (WHO'S GOT THE WILL?), SORDID LIVES and LAURA DENNIS (Drama-Logue Award). 

In New York Dickey starred in THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (with Dustin Hoffman) on Broadway and extensive work with Playwrights Horizons, Signature Theatre Co. and Manhattan Punch Line.

Her Regional credits include the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center, Denver Center Theater, PaperMill Playhouse, Meadowbrook, Arkansas Rep, and The Clarence Brown Theatre - where she starred in THE RAINMAKER opposite David Keith.

TV work includes Opal McHone in CHRISTY, and guest spots on FRASIER, THE X-FILES, CITY OF ANGELS,THE CLIENT and HIGH INCIDENT. Films: THE PLEDGE (directed by Sean Penn), THE INCREDIBLY TRUE ADVENTURES OF TWO GIRLS IN LOVE, THE JOURNEY OF AUGUST KING, and SORDID LIVES. 

Debby Holiday experienced every aspect of the music industry having grown up around the Motown scene.  From an early age she was given an education, watching her father, Jimmy, write and record songs for such artists as Ray Charles, Jackie DeShanon, Kenny Rogers...and on and on and on.

Holiday learned from the greats, and is now a world-class vocalist in her own right.  She has spent the last two years bouncing back and forth between Los Angeles and Nashville writing with many of today's top writers.

Ms. Holiday most recently was on tour with Rod Stewart and John Waite, and is currently writing songs for other artists with producer Cliff Magness (Avril Lavigne), as well as material for her own record.

http://www.debbyholiday.com

Octavia Spencer’s career has been booming for several years, having co-starred in several blockbuster films, including NEVER BEEN KISSED, with Drew Barrymore, BIG MOMMA’S HOUSE with Martin Lawrence, and SPIDERMAN, Tobey Maguire. 

Her latest films due out this year include BAD SANTA with Billy Bob Thornton, S.W.A.T with Sam Jackson, and Legally Blonde 2: Red White and Blonde with Reese Witherspoon.  TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF A TRAILER TRASH HOUSEWIFE marks Spencer’s first stage play. 

An Actor, writer and producer, David Steen’s first original play was A GIFT FROM HEAVEN for which he won acting, writing and producing awards, as well as an LA Times "Critics Choice.”

His second play, AVENUE A, also an LA Times “Critic’s Choice”, won him four Drama Critics Circle awards for acting, writing, producing, and the coveted “Best New Play” award.  In addition to a great run in Los Angeles, AVENUE A also played at New York's 29th Street Repertoire.

The Los Angeles Times listed David Steen as one of the industries’ "Faces To Watch." He also was a writer producer and actor in the Sundance Film Festival cult film THE CORNDOG MAN.

Talk Show Voices

Although Del Shores has written, directed and produced in film, television and stage, he is proudly best known for his plays. 

 “Daddy’s Dyin’ (Who’s Got The Will?),”  (1987), still his most known play,  originally ran two years at Theatre/Theater in Hollywood, winning many Los Angeles theatre awards, including LA Weekly’s  Best Production and Best Writing.  The play has subsequently been produced in over 1000 theatres worldwide.  A movie version of “Daddy’s Dyin’” was released in 1990 by MGM and Propaganda Films and starred Beau Bridges, Tess Harper, Judge Reinhold, Keith Carradine and Beverly D’Angelo.  Shores wrote the screenplay and executive produced the film.

“Sordid Lives”, his fourth play, opened in Los Angeles May 11, 1996 and ran 13 sold-out months.  The critics raved -- ultimately 13 of them awarding the production “Critic’s Choice.”    F. Kathleen Foley of the Los Angeles Times wrote:  “Sordid Lives” has more laughs than a hunting dog has ticks.  Del Shores is a master of the Texas comedy.  His sprawling new work is just as funny, -maybe funnier than “Daddy’s Dyin’.”  Shores’, directing his work for the first time, keeps the one-liners zinging with the dexterity of a mule skinner lashing flies off his team’s hindquarters.   The play went on to win 14 Drama-Logue Theatre Awards, including three for Shores for writing, directing and producing.

In 1999, Shores’ wrote and directed the film version of “Sordid Lives” starring Beau Bridges, Delta Burke, Olivia Newton-John, Bonnie Bedelia, along with many of the original cast members of the play.   The film is still in limited release (almost two years after its release) and has become a cult favorite.  Ivor Davis of The New York Times Syndicate called  it:  “The most delicious combination of emotion and laugh out loud hilarity to come along in the new Millennium...The Birdcage meets the Bible Belt--and the result is the most hilarious comedy of the year.”   The movie won many festival awards, including Best Film at the New York Independent Film & Video Festival, Atlanta Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival, Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival, South Beach Film Festival, Memphis International Film Festival, and the San Diego International Film Festival.  The DVD version will be available March 18^th.

“Southern Baptist Sissies” is Shores’ most personal play -- and his most dramatic.   It enjoyed a ten-month sold out run in Los Angeles in 2000 and 2001, then sold out last summer at the McKinney Avenue Contemporary Theatre in Dallas.   The LA production received 20 Los Angeles Theatre Awards, Shores alone receiving the LA Weekly, Robby and Maddy for Best Direction and the Backstage West Garland, Robby and Maddy for Best Writing.  The play was also awarded the prestigious GLAAD Award for Outstanding Production of the Year.

Other plays include “Cheatin’” and “Daughters of the Lone Star State.”  All his plays (except Sissies) are published by Samuel French, Inc.  Shores’ latest play “The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife” will open March 28, 2003 at the Zephyr.

In television, Shores has written and produced for “Maximum Bob”, “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”, “Live Shot”, “Touched By An Angel”, “Ned and Stacey” “Family Ties” and “Dharma and Greg.”   He has also written and produced pilots for every network and wrote and directed the recent Showtime movie “The Wilde Girls”, staring Olivia Newton-John and Swoosie Kurtz.  Currently Shores is writing and producing the hit series “Queer as Folk” for Showtime.

Many know Sharyn Lane from the early days of the ground-breaking series MARRIED WITH CHILDREN.  Her then husband, Ron Leavitt was a co-creator of the show, and Sharyn was his muse for the lead role of “Peg Bundy.”  At the series launch Lane and actress Katey Sagal did a sweeping media tour to promote the “real” Peg Bundy.

A country music songwriter, Lane owns Zamalama and Mamalama Publishing Companies in Nashville.  Zamalama recently celebrated platinum sales for John Michael Montgomery’s smash hit single “HOME TO YOU,” and top selling singer/songwriter and partner in Zamalama, Kacey Jones, has been climbing the charts with her new CD, “Show Up Naked and Bring Beer,” and both Lane and Jones are celebrating over the success of the single they co-wrote, “I Can Get Over Him If I Could Get Under You.”

In 1996 Lane met writer/director Del Shores through a mutual friend, Joe Voci, at Shores’ play SORDID LIVES.  They immediately hit it off, with Lane declaring that the play should be made into a movie… and that she was going to produce it.  Through Lane’s recording industry relationships she arranged for Del to meet Tammy Wynette, the idol of the character “Brother Boy” in his play SORDID LIVES.  They also set out to fund the film (with letters to their rich friends), and three years later they began principal photography on what has now become one of the most recognized cult favorite films of recent history.

SORDID LIVES went on to win 13 film festival awards, including nine audience awards.  The film was also honored with its own day, April 9, 2002, by the city of Palm Springs, California, for breaking all theatrical box office records in the desert town. In addition to producing the award-winning independent theatrical film SORDID LIVES, (now set to be released on VHS/DVD March 18th by 20th Century Fox/Regent Entertainment), Lane also produced JUST DESSERTS for Artist Entertainment Group. 

Other collaborations with Shores through their Delane Productions, include the play SOUTHERN BAPTIST SISSIES, for which Lane won the GLAAD Award in 2001, along with the Robby for Best Production of the year, and TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF A TRAILER TRASH HOUSEWIFE.  In addition to producing, Lane has co-written several songs for projects with Shores, including songs for the filmed version of SORDID LIVES, and now for the play TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF A TRAILER TRASH HOUSEWIFE. 

This is Joe’s second association with Del Shores, having played the dual roles of Brother Chaffey & Houston, the Bar Pianist, in the original cast of SOUTHERN BAPTIST SISSIES, a production which he also scored and musical directed.

Most recently, Joe wrote the songs for the smash hit JUDY’S SCARY LITTLE CHRISTMAS at the Victory Theatre, nominated by L.A. Weekly as Best Musical. He wrote the book, music and lyrics for the cult show THE GRAVE WHITE WAY at the Hudson Backstage Theatre (a 2001 Ovation Award nominee). The show is currently being workshopped by The Director’s Company in New York. Joe wrote the music and lyrics for the Off-Broadway show HYSTERICAL BLINDNESS AND OTHER SOUTHERN TRAGEDIES, which enjoyed a six-month run at the Soho Playhouse, then played to sell-out crowds in Los Angeles, Richmond and Fort Worth (a production he directed).

Joe also composed songs for the L.A. productions SHE'S A HANDFUL, IN SHERWOOD, and PLUM PINK PEDICURE. He has written songs for Warner Brothers, and was the headwriter/songwriter for the National Public Radio comedy broadcast PROPAGANDA RADIO.

Joe's original songs have been sung by a variety of Broadway performers, including John Raitt, Loretta Devine, Jason Graae, Davis Gaines, Ken Page, Billy Barnes, Harry Groener, Stephen Schwartz, Sharon McNight, Valarie Pettiford and Billy Porter. Joe is also co-producer of the independent film LOST IN THE PERSHING POINT HOTEL. He is a member of both ASCAP and The Dramatists Guild.

Robert has spent forty years in the theatre, primarily as a set designer. He is delighted to be working for the first time with Del Shores and his extended theatre family.

Recent productions include OLIVER!, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, THE GIN GAME, BRILLIANT TRACES and EQUUS at Deaf West Theatre; GILA and STUMPS at The Odyssey; CHANGE AT BABYLON at The Tiffany; THE GLASS MENAGERIE at The Stella Adler; A CHRISTMAS CAROUSEL at The University of Oklahoma; BILOXI BLUES at The Court and LOLLY FOSTER'S DAREDEVIL AIRSHOW at The Kennedy Center.

O'Donohue designed lights for the original run of SOUTHERN BAPTIST SISSIES at The Zephyr and is thrilled to be back with Del again.  

In addition to Trials..., her current shows include GOING TO ST. IVES at The Fountain,  NAKED WILL at Celebration Theatre, DANCING AT LUGHNASA at The Rubicon in Ventura, LET THE ROCKS SPEAK at The Fountain plus shows at the Odyssey and Laurelgrove. 

A multiple award-winning  lighting designer of trillions of productions in the last decade, she is also a bowler, stage manager and ceramic artist.  Other theatres she has hung in include the Odyssey,  Actors  Co-op, Fountain,  Grove, Hudson, Tiffany,  Court,  Bilingual Foundation of the Arts, Powerhouse, American Renegade,  McCadden,  Lex, Ruby and both theatres at the Cast, to name a few.

She's lit  standards ( BILOXI BLUES), classics (MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM  and  SUMMER AND SMOKE),  one-person shows (Paul Linke's TIME FLIES WHEN YOU'RE ALIVE and  Susan  Leslie's THIS IS YOUR WAKE-UP CALL, plus huge extravaganzas (THE GREEKS at the  Odyssey).

Recently there was AFTER THE FALL, NIGHT OF THE IGUANA, and the atmospheric lighting for the FIREFLY BISTRO, a lovely new restaurant in South Pasadena.  

Awards include  Career Achievement Awards for Lighting Design from  the LA  Drama Critics Circle and the LA Weekly, 2 Ovation Awards, 4 LA Weekly Awards,  an NAACP Award and numerous Dramalogue and Backstage West Garland  Awards.

Marlana Hope began working with Delane Productions as the assistant stage manager for Southern Baptist Sissies. 

On her own Ms. Hope has written and directed the theater production "But For Endless Ifs," which was produced at the Armory Theatre.  In addition, she has also written the original musical, "The Vision I Hear."  Marlana's Hollywood exploits include work on The Academy Awards, The Tonight Show and NBC's Three Sisters.  She received a BFA in Theatre Directing and Choreography from the University of Illinois. 

This marks John’s eighth collaboration with Del Shores, most recently with the SOUTHERN BAPTIST SISSIES runs in L.A and Dallas. John was also the prop master for SORDID LIVES, the movie.

He worked in New York with L.A. originated show BONHOEFFER 1945. John stage managed the very successful MARVIN’S ROOM, as well as OLEANNA, by David Mament.

He worked often with the late great director Ron Link, on such productions as THE KILLING OF MICHAEL MALLOY, DAUGHTERS OF THE LONE STAR STATE, also written by Del Shores, and the 1992 Los Angeles Drama Critics’ Circle’s Production of the Year MELODY JONES; A STRIPTEASE IN TWO ACTS.

TRIALS… marks the second collaboration between Craig Taggart and Del Shores, having made his LA stage debut as "Benny/Iona Traylor" in Shores’ second run of the smash-hit dramedy Southern Baptist Sissies. This time, Craig is now designing the dresses rather than wearing one. A native of Mid-Missouri, Craig received his training at the University of MO-Columbia, where he received numerous accolades for his costume designs. His renderings for “March of the Falsettos” won him recognition at the American College Theatre Festival and his designs for the Missouri Summer Repertory's production of All in the Timing garnered national attention. Trials and Tribulations… has been the icing on the cake of his costuming career in that he has been able to design both trash AND glam... something his kinfolk back at the Ashland Mobile Home Court would be ever so proud of. Craig is very happy to get the trash out of the closet and back up on stage where it belongs.

Trailer Trash Housewife. He is also happy to be getting started on 2003 and is still recovering from having done sound design for 18 productions in 2002. 

His other designs include YOU’RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN,  THE LARAMIE PROJECT, FUDDY MEERS AND SIDE SHOW (Ovation Nomination) at The Colony Theatre; FEN, THE MOUND BUILDERS, and AS I LAY DYING at The Open Fist Theatre; VICTOR, DON'T DRESS FOR DINNER, and DELIA'S SONG at The Eclectic Company Theatre;  THE ADDING MACHINE at Sacred Fools Theatre; THE HAVE-LITTLE at The Strasberg Theatre; LONELY PLANET, and RUNT at the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center; and GHOSTS IN THE COTTONWOODS, and WILD LIFE with The Echo Theatre company. 

He won the 1998 USITT/ClearCom Sound Achievement Award, the 1999 LA Weekly Revival Production of the Year award,  a 2001 Garland Award for Sound Design of FEN,and he received an Honorable Mention for his sound designs on YOU'RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN and SIDE SHOW at the 2002 Garland Awards.

He is the co-owner of Wasted Monkey Productions with recent projects including THE MUMMY RETURNS and GRINCHMAS attractions at Universal Studios Hollywood, as well as projects for Walt Disney Imagineering and The Bridge Theatres.

When not Sound Designing, Drew can be found in other areas of the theatre. He is the co-writer and co-producer of THE OTHER WORLD NEWS, an episodic staged radio drama and is planning to help bring  more episodes of the story to an LA Stage in 2003.

Del Shores

Del Shores

Dale Dickey, Beth Grant

Beth Grant, Dale Dickey

Beth Grant, Debby Holiday

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Beth Grant, Debby Holiday

Beth Grant, Octavia Spencer

Beth Grant, Octavia Spencer

Beth Grant, Octavia Spencer

Beth Grant, David Steen

David Steen, Dale Dickey, Beth Grant