Ghetto Klown: John Leguizamo in his own solo play

John Leguizamo will return to Broadway with his new solo play Ghetto Klown, opening at the Lyceum Theatre on 22 Mar 2011, following previews from 21 Feb, for a 12-week engagement playing through to 15 May 2011.

Conceived and performed by Emmy and Obie Award winner Leguizamo, and directed by Academy Award winner Fisher Stevens ("The Cove"), Ghetto Klown is presented by WestBeth Entertainment, Daveed D. Frazier and Nelle Nugent.

Ghetto Klown is the next chapter in John Leguizamo's personal and professional story. It follows in the unabashed, uncensored, and uninhibited tradition of his 'Mambo Mouth,' 'Spic-O-Rama,'' Freak' and 'Sexaholix...a Love Story.'

In Ghetto Klown Leguizamo takes audiences from his adolescent memories in Queens to the early days of his acting career during the outrageous 80s avant-garde theatre scene, and on the sets of major motion pictures and his roles opposite some of Hollywood's biggest stars.

Leguizamo explains, "Ghetto Klown is all the things I say to my therapist and my manager, but would NEVER want the general public to know. It's cheaper than a lawsuit and I get to take a bow at the end. It's like Wikileaks but with no international manhunt. Yet."

Ghetto Klown was showcased in earlier incarnations in cities including Philadelphia, New Haven, Santa Fe, Louisville, La Jolla, Berkeley, Toronto, and at Montreal's Just for Laughs Festival.

Leguizamo will perform an 'unplugged' version of the show under the title 'John Leguizamo Warms Up' at Chicago's Royal George Theatre from 1 - 12 Feb 2011.

Bios

John Leguizamo's work spans the genres of film, theatre, television, literature and beyond. As writer and performer, Leguizamo created the Off-Broadway show 'Mambo Mouth,' in which he portrayed seven different characters, for which he won an Obie Award. His second one-man show 'Spic-O-Rama' enjoyed extended sold-out runs in Chicago and New York. His third solo show 'Freak' completed a successful run on Broadway in 1998. A special presentation of Freak, directed by Spike Lee, aired on HBO (Emmy Award for Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Music Program and nomination for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special). In Fall 2001 Leguizamo returned to Broadway with 'Sexaholix...a Love Story,' directed by Peter Askin (Tony Award nomination for Best Special Theatrical Performance). Sexaholix aired as an HBO Special in Spring 2002 and toured widely.

Fisher Stevens (Director) made his Broadway debut as 'David' in 'Torch Song Trilogy.' Other Broadway acting credits include 'Brighton Beach Memoirs' and 'Carousel.' Off-Broadway performing credits include 'A Perfect Ganesh,' 'Twelfth Night' and 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' at NYSF. Film and television credits include "Flamingo Kid," "Short Circuit," "Hackers," "Super Mario Brothers," "The Marrying Man," "Friends," "Early Edition," "Numbers" and "Lost." He co-founded Naked Angels, a theater company in New York City, and co-founded Greene Street Films where he produced over 20 films, including "In the Bedroom," "A Prairie Home Companion," "Uptown Girls" and "Awake." He produced and co-directed the documentary film "Crazy Love," which won the 2008 Independent Spirit Award and Fisher produced "The Cove" which won the 2009 Academy Award for Best Documentary.