News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Br ak rough W k hop Th atr

Nathan Bauer-Spector, Communications Director 619.786.4613 | info@breakthroughworkshop.org | breakthroughworkshop.org

Breakthrough Workshop Theatre Celebrates Fabulous Outcasts and The Divine Miss M with THE BETTE MIDLER PROJECT
SAN DIEGO (March 2013) Breakthrough Workshop Theatre, San Diegos newest educational theatre, announces its upcoming workshop production of THE BETTE MIDLER PROJECT, a duet of one-act plays: Bette and Me by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Wendy Wasserstein; and the World Premiere of Bette and I by BWT Artistic Director Ira Bauer-Spector. The pieces will be performed in repertory one time only at 12pm on March 31, 2013 at Twiggs Green Room in the University Heights area. THE BETTE MIDLER PROJECT is expected to run 60 minutes in total with a 15-minute intermission. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at breakthroughworkshop.org/tickets.

BWT also announces the @breakthroughworkshop Instagram Art Installation

In conjunction with THE BETTE MIDLER PROJECT, BWT will be collecting images through the popular mobile application Instragram. They are looking for any and all fabulous outcasts to express themselves or their love for Bette Midler by taking a photo and tagging @breakthroughworkshop. The images can be of anything. Potential ideas include a picture of your favorite Bette lm character, a shot of you holding your favorite piece of Bette memorabilia, a picture of you with The Divine Miss M or your interpretation of one of your favorite Bette songs. It can also just be a picture showing off what makes you unique! The images collected will be on display around the performance space on March 31st.

ABOUT THE SHOW

THE BETTE MIDLER PROJECT is based on the true life stories of the playwrights and their shared profound connection to the one and only Bette Midler. The pieces explore not just the playwrights personal relationship with the Divine Miss M, but also the greater impact she has had on the Womens Movement and the LGBT Community. The production will be performed in a staged reading style and will include music, multimedia, dance and all things Bette.

ABOUT THE DIRECTORS

THE BETTE MIDLER PROJECT is Co-Directed by Clay Pruitt and Ira Bauer-Spector. Pruitt will helm the Wasserstein piece, with Bauer-Spector directing his autobiographical companion piece. Pruitt is a Los Angeles-based lmmaker, writer and director. He studied lm production and theatre at the University of Colorado at Boulder, interned at the Sundance Institute and currently assists a major up-and-coming Hollywood director. Bauer-Spector founded BWT in October 2012. He also studied theatre at CU-Boulder and earned his MFA in Musical Theatre from San Diego State University in 2010. He has worked professionally in San Diego at San Diego Junior Theatre, Diversionary, The Old Globe, North Coast Repertory, American Rose Theatre and ACT-San Diego.

ABOUT THE CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM

The cast includes actors from various generations, bringing together artists of different backgrounds and experience levels. They include: Richard Morrison as Ira, Heidi Maretz as Wendy, Nathan Bauer-Spector as Narrator, and two of San Diegos brightest youth performers, Pierre Cozic as Young Ira and Tess Maretz as Bettes Make-Up Girl. Ira Bauer-Spector will portray the role of his hero and subject, Bette Midler, in full drag. To assist in the physical transformation, BWT has enlisted the famed makeup artist Francia Cohen of EFXmakeup San Diego to provide Bettes wig/makeup and the acclaimed costume designer Janet Pitcher (San Diego Musical Theatre, Welk Resort Theatre, American Rose Theatre) to provide clothing for The Divine Miss M. The workshops Stage Manager is Katie Armstrong.

ABOUT BWT
THE BETTE MIDLER PROJECT is the second workshop production for Breakthrough Workshop Theatre. BWT was founded in October 2012, and the rst workshop, DEAR HARVEY, took place on January 27, 2013, chronicling the impact Harvey Milk had on the gay rights movement. During BWT workshops, artists from different cities and of varying experience levels come together to work on a show in an intensive-type rehearsal process. They work on ensemble building while exploring the characters and text. The work is focused on accomplishment achieved through personal challenges - or breakthroughs - and their hard work culminates in a one-time only performance. Breakthrough Workshop Theatre was created to give artists unique opportunities and challenges that arent available to them elsewhere, said Bauer-Spector. The success of DEAR HARVEY was truly inspiring and I cant wait to bring Bette Midlers divinity to our audience! Other planned workshops for 2013 include a young artist workshop of Pulitzer Prize-winning PROOF and the LGBT-themed THE TWILIGHT OF THE GOLDS, directed by Cecilia Pang. For more information about Breakthrough Workshop Theatre and THE BETTE MIDLER PROJECT, please call 619.786.4613 or visit www.breakthroughworkshop.org. Tickets for BWT events are $10 and can be purchased at www.breakthroughworkshop.org/tickets.

MISSION STATEMENT Breakthrough Workshop Theatre

Breakthrough Workshop Theatre is an educational theatre with a focus on socially relevant dramatic works pulling from repertoire that ts into one or more of the following categories: LGBT THEATRE, MUSICAL THEATRE and PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING WORKS.The intent of Breakthrough Workshop Theatre is not to produce time and cost-intensive productions, but rather to provide growing theatre artists with a chance to explore signicant characters and material they would otherwise be unlikely to encounter.Through a series of Breakthrough Workshops, cabaret performances and one fullyproduced musical production each season, the work of Breakthrough Workshop Theatre is intended to highlight the necessity of breaking through an obstacle, whether it be a personal struggle or a critical movement in society. Ira Bauer-Spector, Artistic Director

Nathan Bauer-Spector, Communications Director - 619.786.4613, info@breakthroughworkshop.org

JUST THE FACTS

Breakthrough Workshop Theatre presents THE BETTE MIDLER PROJECT Bette and Me Written by Wendy Wasserstein, Directed by Clay Pruitt Bette and I Written and Directed by Ira Bauer-Spector March 31, 2013 at 12pm Twiggs Green Room 4590 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92116 Tickets can be purchased at breakthroughworkshop.org/tickets
Cast: Richard Morrison, Heidi Maretz, Nathan Bauer-Spector, Pierre Cozic, Tess Maretz and Ira Bauer-Spector Makeup/Wig Artist: Francia Cohen, EFXmakeup San Diego Special Costumes Designer: Janet Pitcher Stage Manager: Katie Armstrong
Bette and Me is produced through special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc.

Nathan Bauer-Spector, Communications Director - 619.786.4613, info@breakthroughworkshop.org