FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 22, 2011 Press Contact: Kelsey Von Stubbe Marketing Director Cell: 509.945.

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Washington Ensemble Theatre is showing:

Urban Tanuki Samurai

An Adventure for Children
Written and created by Ali el-Gasseir and Jonah Von Spreecken

January 21/22 & 28/29 February 4 & 5 Special time! 11:00 am

Whats a tanuki you ask? Tanuki is the name for a mischievous shapeshifter in Japanese folklore. Our story of Urban Tanuki Samurai tells the tale of two friends who live in a hilarious recycle bin-filled game with make-believe raccoon-like warriors. Cherry blossoms fall. Swords are drawn. The recycling gets collected! But when the game has to end, which one of them is going to take out the garbage? Urban Tanuki Samurai is a comedic romp for all ages. Special time of 11:00 am, tickets are $5-$10 and are available at www.brownpapertickets.org CAST BIOS: Ali el-Gasseir (Ricky), co-artistic director of Washington Ensemble Theatre, is an actor, director, playwright and teacher in the Seattle area. He has performed for companies such as Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Seattle Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, and Theatre Rhinoceros. Ali holds a BA in Theatre Arts from UC Santa Cruz and an MA in Theatre History and Criticism from San Francisco State University. Jonah Von Spreecken (Alfonzo) is excited to be dumpster diving and samurai slashing across the stage for this world premiere of Urban Tanuki Samurai. Over the past 10 years, he has appeared in productions for various local theatre

companies including, Annex Theatre, ACT, Consolidated Works, C.H.A.C., Washington Ensemble Theatre, New Century Theatre and Book-It Repertory. Jonah has also written and performed in shows produced locally and on the Canadian Fringe Circuit including The Snowflake Factory (at Northwest Film Forum), The Dwellers (for Solo Performance Festival @ T.O.J.), Gloomology, and The Excursionists 1 & 2, (Canadian Fringe Festival Circuit). He thanks his wife, Brittany and V.C.A.T. for their support! Reva Keller (Costume Designer) is a junior at Cornish College of the Arts studying video and printmaking. She has been exploring costume design outside of school for a few years, and has done work for Degenerate Art Ensemble as well as various independent dance and theater productions in the Seattle area. Evan Mosher (Sound Designer) has spent most of the last seven-odd years creating and performing with art-rock/performance collective "Awesome". Previously at Washington Ensemble Theatre, Evan assembled sounds for Love Horse, and his designs have also been heard at Seattle Public Theatre (Arms and the Man and the Cryptogram). Evan also assisted Robertson Witmer with sound duties for Vestal Virgins at Theater Schmeater, Babs the Dodo at WET, Cloud 9 at Strawberry Workshop Theatre, and The Strange Misadventures of Patty at Annex Theatre. Tessa Carlson (Stage Manager) is quite new to the Seattle theatre scene and is very excited to be stage managing her second show at Washington Ensemble Theatre. Working with the ensemble has been a real pleasure and she looks forward to more projects in the future.

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