“CRITIC’S CHOICE” – LA Times “TOP TEN” – Stage Raw

It’s 1946 in Pittsburgh. An 18-year-old Andy Warhol finds himself in the basement of the working class bar. Over the course of a summer, Andy gives and gets inspiration, guidance, and friendship from a surprising source.

A brand new season begins in August for L.A.’s multi-award winning Pacific Resident Theatre as they announce the world premiere staging of “Andy Warhol’s Tomato,” by Vince Melocchi. This marks the first play of the 2019/20 Season.

Written by Vince Melocchi (Ovation Award nom for “Original Play” – Lions) and directed by Dana Jackson (LADCC noms and AwardEccentricities of a Nightingale – LA Times Critic’s Choice, five Sage Awards, multiple Broadway World Nominations), this new work is being supported and developed by PRT as part of their commitment to providing opportunities for artists and craftsmen to enrich their skills.

Pittsburgh folklore has it that there is a working class bar which has the reputation for being the place where a teenage Andy Warhol drew on napkins in exchange for Coca-Cola. While drinking at that same bar, playwright, Vince Melocchi, began to see it in a different way… as a creative, mysterious place. He noted, “Andy allowed us to see, think, and feel about art in a completely new way. I wanted to find out who and what were his real influences. Andy Warhol’s Tomato imagines a chance encounter between Warhol and a Pittsburgh bar owner, as a step on his extraordinary journey.”

Directed by Dana Jackson, the cast includes Derek Chariton (as Andy Warhol) and Keith Stevenson (as Bones).

“Andy Warhol’s Tomato” runs Fridays and Saturday at 8pm, Sundays at 3pm, Thursdays Oct 17th and 24th at 8pm, through October 27, 2019.Pacific Resident Theatre is located at 703 Venice Blvd., in Venice, CA 90291. Tickets are $25 – $34 and can be purchased online at https://pacificresidenttheatre.com or by calling (310) 822-8392.800×800