Inspired by Nicolai Gogol’s famous short story, Wolf Mankowitz’s The Bespoke Overcoat is by turns a deeply comic and unforgettably poignant reimagining of Gogol’s most famous classic tale, The Overcoat. Reset by Mankowitz into the Jewish East End of London, this story about an old clerk who can’t afford a new overcoat is a tale of love and resilience told with dignity and humor. Immediately hailed as one of Britain’s most exciting young playwrights when the play opened in London in 1953, Mankowitz adapted it into a film that won the Oscar at the 29th Academy Awards for Best Short Subject Film in 1957. The son of a Jewish bookseller in London’s East End, Mankowitz was a prolific dramatist, novelist, and screenwriter often known for depicting acts of humanity in a flawed but facinating world.

DIRECTED BY

Marilyn Fox and Dana Jackson

TICKETS

$45

RUN TIME

1 hour 15 minutes (no intermission)

Box Office – (310) 822-8392
Season Subscriptions Applicable

Dates and Times

NOW PLAYING – June 2nd
Fridays & Saturdays at 8PM
Saturdays & Sundays at 3PM
See select dates for details.

Location

703 Venice Blvd. (Between Lincoln and Abbott Kinney) Get Directions

Harry Herman

Fender

Straight away Harry would like to thank his friend Jody Fasanella for providing support and nurturing in the process of performing this role. The same is true for his friends from San Jose State College (at the time) where he first stumbled into the drama department and his Hollywood Cold Reading Group. Harry would like to dedicate his performance to his late friend and teacher, Paul E. Richards of the Actors’ Studio. Favorite roles are from two outstanding Clifford Odets plays, Paradise Lost as Gus at The Company of Angels and Myron Berger with Marilyn Fox at Odyssey Theatre. Most recently at Theatre 40 Harry created the role of Shorty in Randy Lubas’ comedic offering of Love In The Valley – Not Over The Hill.

Robert Lesser

Morry

Theater credits include the Broadway production of The Soft Touch directed by Alan Arkin, Rubbers and Yanks 3, Detroit 0, Top of the Seventh at the American Place Theatre, also directed by Alan Arkin. He appeared in the N.Y. Shakespeare Festival’s Richard the Third at Lincoln Center and has performed at the Yale Repertory’s Winterfest. He starred in the New York premiere of Sam Shepard’s Geography of a Horse Dreamer at The Manhattan Theatre  Club. In L.A., he has appeared at the Odyssey Theatre in Steven Berkoff’s Kvetch, God’s Country, Steambath and Awake & Sing. He was in the West Coast premiere of To Gillian on her 37th Birthday directed by Michael Pressman. Bob’s busy theater life at the Ensemble Theater in Santa Barbara includes a dozen plays, most recently, Amadeus and Measure for Measure. His work at PRT includes, My Antonia, A View from the Bridge, co-directed by Marilyn Fox and Dana Jackson, winning a SAGE Award for  Outstanding Performance, Eugene Ionesco’s prophetic masterpiece Rhinoceros directed by Guillermo Cienfuegos and A Bintel Brief. Some of his films include Hester Street,The Big Easy, 2010, Ernest Saves Christmas, Monster Squad,The Last Innocent Man, Shoot to Kill, Die Hard, Oscar, The Relic, End of Days and Takashi Koizumi’s WW2 epic, Best Wishes for Tomorrow, shot at Toho Studios in Tokyo.

Bruce Nozick

Ranting

Thrilled to be appearing in his first mainstage show at PRT, in the Co-op Bruce has appeared in several shows including “The Realistic Joneses,” “Baby Doll” and “Blunt Force.” Last summer he appeared in “Fetch Clay, Make Man” at The Kirk Douglas Theatre directed by Debbie Allen. With Rogue Machine he has appeared in “Come Get Maggie,” “Finks” and “Honky” (nominated as Best Male Comedy Performance from The Stage Raw Awards). He began his career in New York after graduating from NYU, appearing at multiple Regional Theatres, in the Off-Broadway hit “A Shayna Maidel” and with the first National Tour of Neil Simon’s “Lost in Yonkers.” Since moving to Los Angeles he has appeared in over 100 TV shows and films, including multiple seasons on “Weeds” and “The Last Ship.” Most recently he can be seen on “Chicago Med,” “The Rookie: Feds” and in the Hulu Hanukkah movie “Menorah in the Middle.” He is grateful to have made a living in this crazy industry with the support of his wonderful wife Terry and two awesome sons Lucas and Will. Bruce has also become one of the most sought after audition self-tape coaches in Los Angeles (www.AuditionVideoServices.com). www.BruceNozick.com

Tobias Echeverria

Clerk

Tobia Echeverria is honored to be a part of this play. Born in Iowa and raised in Northern California; Tobias is a recent graduate of UCLA’s Department of Theater (Spring 2023). He now lives and works in Los Angeles as an actor, musician, and dancer.  Recent theatre credits include George Gibbs in Action’s Speak Louder’s Our Town, Pierre in the PRT Co-op’s production of The Madwoman of Chaillot, and Young German Soldier/ensemble in LA Theater Works’ Journey’s End. Recent film appearances include shorts Ghost of You and The Hartmanns. Tobias thanks you for coming and hopes you enjoy the play!