ANNABELLE GURWITCH (playwright/performer) is an actress, activist and author, most recently, of the New York Times Bestseller “I SEE YOU MADE AN EFFORT,” which NPR says is, “moving…hilarious…infused with sharp wit… Gurwitch is squarely in Nora Ephron territory.” I See You Made an Effort was launched in a sold out staged reading with Broadway stars including Alice Ripley, Jessica Hecht, Tonya Pinkins and Gina Gerson at Second Stage. Her other books include, “You Say Tomato, I Say Shut Up,” co-written w/ her husband Jeff Kahn, deemed “Laugh out loud” by People Magazine, the “Fired!” book and acclaimed Showtime Comedy Special; she co-hosted the very popular series, “Dinner & a Movie,” on TBS for six years.  She is currently writing a television adaption of Effort for the F/X network.

Gurwitch’s theatre credits include the world premiere of Donald Margulies’ Coney Island Christmas at The Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles and the 20th anniversary production of Uncommon Women and Others at Second Stage Theatre. Her performance off- Broadway at the Jose Quintero in the title role of Joe and Betty by Murray Mednick was recognized in “The Top Ten Performances of the Year” by critics in both The New York Times and Los Angeles Times.

She was a regular commentator on NPR for numerous years and her writing has appeared everywhere from The Nation.com, Marie Claire, More, to the Los Angeles Times. TV appearances include: Oprah, The Today Show, The Dr. Oz Show, Real Time with Bill Maher, CNN, MSNBC, Dexter, Boston Legal, and Seinfeld. Gurwitch grew up in Miami, is a Jewish mother to a teenage son, she and her family live in Los Angeles and has been a leader in the sustainability movement for many years.

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BART DELORENZO (director) is the artistic director of the Evidence Room theater in Los Angeles.  His recent work with the company includes Passion Play, Annapurna (revived Off-Broadway with The New Group), Ivanov, Margo Veil, and The Receptionist, all produced with the Odyssey Theater.  Recent LA productions include the world premieres of Steven Drukman’s Death of the Author and Donald Margulies’s Coney Island Christmas at the Geffen Playhouse; Carla Ching’s Fast Company, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s Doctor Cerberus, and Donald Margulies’s Shipwrecked! An Entertainment at South Coast Repertory; and Justin Tanner’s Day Drinkers at the Odyssey and Voice Lessons at the Zephyr.  Other recent directing includes The Night Watcher at Washington’s Studio Theatre, Cymbeline at A Noise Within, Legacy of Light and Around the World in 80 Days at the Cleveland Play House, King Lear with LA’s Antaeus Company, Dead Man’s Cell Phone at South Coast Rep, The Projectionist at the Kirk Douglas Theatre/CTG, bobrauschenbergamerica at Inside the Ford, and A Number at the Odyssey. He has received LA Drama Critics Circle Awards (including the Milton Katselas Award for career achievement), LA Weekly awards, Backstage Garlands, and the Alan Schneider Director Award.