The Geffen Brings Another British Invasion to Town With These Paper Bullets

Writer Rolin Jones’ modish ripoff of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing is set in miniskirt-wearing, swingin’ 1960s’ London. The four lads of the Quartos have come to town to woo and wow the ladies, but in true fashion, true love makes fools of them all. With new songs written by Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong and direction by the acclaimed Jackson Gay, These Paper Bullets! is the most fun show you’ll see all season.

Features on the show’s cast are popping up all over town. Take a look and get to know the creatives behind the scenes before you see them onstage.

“It’s Gonna Be Awesome!” Nicole Parker on Shakespeare/Beatles Mash-Up These Paper Bullets!
For Nicole Parker, the new play-with-music These Paper Bullets! is a gift that will keep on giving. “Someone said the other day, ‘Can you imagine? You’ll be doing this show in 2016.’ We’re doing this show until next year, which is awesome.” A veteran of MadTV and a former Elphaba in Wicked, Parker is pumped to be part of the cast of Jackson Gay’s production, and in a leading-lady role, no less. On the morning of the first L.A. preview, she talked with TheaterMania about playing Beatrice to Justin Kirk’s Benedick, singing the tunes of a legendary punk rocker, and enjoying the work that comes with putting together a play from the ground up. Continue reading here …

Weeds’ star Justin Kirk: From rolling papers to ‘paper bullets’
Justin Kirk is perhaps best known for playing one of the naughtiest Jewish characters ever to have graced the small screen: On Showtime’s Weeds, he portrayed Andy Botwin — brother-in-law to Mary-Louise Parker’s pot-selling widow — who dodges military service by signing up for, of all things, rabbinical school. Continue reading here …

Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, Rolin Jones bring These Paper Bullets! to the Geffen
Playwright Rolin Jones flew up to Oakland to meet with Billie Joe Armstrong about collaborating on a project together and as Jones was laying out the idea for a new play with music, fans kept interrupting, asking the Green Day frontman for an autograph. All the while, during the pitch, Jones says the rocker was mostly listening in silence.

“When I finished, he basically just stared at me,” Jones recalls, “and said, ‘Let me get this straight. You’re going to rewrite Shakespeare, and I’m going to rewrite The Beatles.’” Continue reading here …

From Green to Groovy — Nicole Parker Gets a ’60s Makeover for THESE PAPER BULLETS
Nicole Parker stars opposite Justin Kirk in the west coast premiere of These Paper Bullets! A Modish Ripoff of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing at Geffen Playhouse this month … Still high on the adrenaline of a full day of rehearsal, an energetic Parker spoke to me about her experience working on the new production. I think you’ll see why the former star of Wicked and MADtv landed the role. This is one all-around great gal. Continue reading here …

How the Beatles Influenced Casting On These Paper Bullets!
Phyllis Schuringa, artistic associate and casting director at the Geffen Playhouse, took a step back in time to cast the season opener These Paper Bullets!, a fun throwback to the ’60s take-off of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. The show originally opened at the Yale Repertory and will continue on to the Atlantic Theater Company after its Geffen run. The show was initially intended to as a complete package, but some actors became unavailable, giving Schuringa the chance to be involved in casting a couple roles in addition to all the understudies. “It was kind of an all hands on deck process,” she says. Continue reading here …

These Paper Bullets! opens at Geffen Playhouse, fresh take on Shakespeare
Sex, drugs, rock ’n’ roll and Shakespeare — an unusual combination for a play, but one which the creators of These Paper Bullets! think will prove a winning one. Opening Tuesday at the Geffen Playhouse in Westwood, These Paper Bullets! is known as a rip-off of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. The play takes four of Shakespeare’s protagonists coming back from war, and transforms them into a Beatles-esque rock star band “The Quartos” returning from a world tour. Continue reading here …

Los Angeles Theater: 34 new works on stage this season
And how’s this for excitement? Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong has a hand in conjuring up the sound of the Beatles for These Paper Bullets! A Modish Ripoff of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, opening Sept. 16 in the Gil Cates Theater at the Geffen Playhouse. Continue reading here …