by Susan Forrest
Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2007 at 8:44 AM
The world premiere of "Ugly Coco" on October 5th, 6th, 7th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 19th, 20st, and 21st.
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In Ugly Coco, Miss Coco asks the urgent question: Can a drag queen save the world? She will take us back to her childhood and follow the trajectory of her life from boyhood to manhood to “womanhood”—how it led her from singing show tunes on the New York subway at age nine to finding an annoyingly large number of people telling her she’s a shaman. In classic Coco Peru fashion, the show will be as hilarious as it is moving.
Leupp was nominated for an L.A. Ovation Award and won the GLAAD Theater Award for his 2003 production of Miss Coco Peru is Undaunted. He also received awards for his performance in Girls Will Be Girls (for both best actor and best actress!).
The creation of actor/writer Clinton Leupp, Miss Coco Peru hit Los Angeles in 1999 with her acclaimed solo show, Miss Coco Peru’s Universe (1999 GLAAD Media Award nominee, Los Angeles Times Best Bet, LA Weekly Pick of the Week). Now Leupp is back with an all-new production that is sure to thrill the legion of L.A.-area Cocophiles. Miss Coco will again confirm why the LA Weekly calls her “refreshingly intelligent … thoroughly absorbing … a kind of revelation.”
Leupp, originally from the Bronx, is known for transcending simple camp values and entering the realm of true theater. He has been praised for “single-handedly resurrecting the lost art of telling a story that takes the audience on a long, very amusing and emotionally cathartic journey” (CinemaStage Magazine). On his path to gender-bending stardom, Leupp/Peru has written and performed award-winning solo shows on stages all over the world, including London, Lisbon, Cancun, Phoenix, New York and Beverly Hills. Coco has appeared in the films Girls Will Be Girls, trick, and To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything,Julie Newmar. Her television credits include Will & Grace, Boy Meets Boy, New York Undercover and Showtime’s Rude Awakening. Find out more at www.MissCoco.com.
Award-winning director Michael Schiralli has directed theater and cabaret in (among other places) New York, Los Angeles, London and Paris. Along with Miss Coco, he has directed stage productions for Varla Jean Merman, Janeane Garofalo, Caroline Rhea, Christine Chenowith and Jackie Hoffman and has directed segments for HBO’s Anything But Standup.
About L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center:
The purpose of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center's Cultural Arts Program is to serve the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community—and beyond—by presenting exciting, empowering, and inspirational bodies of work. Through theater, music, and art—endeavors that are vital to the human spirit—the community can come together, understand each other's lives, and celebrate the complex vitality of the human experience. Net proceeds from all Cultural Arts Program events are used to support the entire range of Gay & Lesbian Center services.
About Renberg Theatre at the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center:
This 200-seat theatre features theatre, comedy, music and dance by established stars and talented newcomers. It is part of the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center
www.misscocoperu.com/
