LAFPI

Neil Gooding Productions presents
West Coast Premiere of Hit Off-Broadway Play
‘The Opposite of Love’
Hudson Backstage Theatre

 An intimate story about a trust fund baby and a down on his luck hustler who form an unlikely bond, the hit Off-Broadway play The Opposite of Love will have its west coast premiere opening July 25 at the Hudson Backstage Theatre and continues through August 31, with a preview performance on July 24. Featuring original star and Los Angeles native Ashley Griffin (Playwright and co-stars as Eloise) making her long awaited Los Angeles theatrical return, co-starring with actor Evan Strand (co-stars as Will). When Eloise hires Will to help her move past her sexual trauma, their search for intimacy must survive darker inclinations in a world where love is a commodity.

Presented by Neil Gooding Productions (Back to the Future, Gypsy, Operation Mincemeat, Sunset Blvd.) and directed by Melora Marshall, an actress in her own right and director renowned for her dynamic contributions to the stage, particularly at the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga Canyon. A longtime company member, she has performed in countless productions over the decades, often taking on gender-bending and unconventional roles that showcase her versatility and depth as an artist.

This show will mark the “hometown return” of Broadway artist, and L.A. native, Ashley Griffin, in her first theatrical performance/performance of her work in L.A. since her move to NYC to attend NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, after which she began her Broadway/off-Broadway career. Griffin started as a child actor in L.A. known for her tremendous dramatic acting ability. She made her Shakespeare debut at age eight and performed in theater, film and T.V. all over L.A., including traveling with some productions to London and Stratford-Upon-Avon. She had her first play produced in L.A. when she was seventeen years old.

The Opposite of Love had received development at A.R.T. and off-Broadway’s Theatre Row and premiered off-Broadway in 2024 at The Royal Family Theater, produced by NewYorkRep Founding Executive Director, Gayle Waxenberg.

Described as “If ‘Pretty Woman’ was a ‘Black Mirror’ episode, sans tech, THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE has been heralded as:

– “A masterpiece…For anyone asking where the great new American plays are, look no further…(an) extraordinary achievement (that) cuts straight to the heart of the human condition” – OnStage

– “A bold and hard hitting new play” – Plays to See

– “A truthful, devastating and brave play” – Times Square Chronicles

“There are a lot of things we don’t talk about when it comes to intimacy,” says Ashley Griffin. “My generation was the first raised after the afterglow of the “free love” movement had faded and given way to a free for all cyber world where dating feels like an audition process and love, in many ways, is a commodity. We need to finally talk about the painful experiences, the dangers, the fears that have become horribly casual and common, in addition to addressing the long term ramifications of sexual assault and trauma for those of any gender. The Opposite of Love was born out of a desire to hold a mirror up to the issues in romantic relationships we pretend don’t exist or, for some, may not realize exist at all.”

*ASHLEY GRIFFIN (Eloise, Playwright) is a Broadway writer/performer most well known as the first person in history to be nominated for a major award (NYIT Award) for both playing and directing Hamlet (for a theatrical production.) As a writer, Ashley’s work has been produced/developed at New World Stages, Manhattan Theater Club, Playwrights Horizons and more. Ashley received the WellLife Network Award and a county commendation for her off-Broadway play Trial (directed by Lori Petty and heralded as “If this show were on Broadway, it would win the Pulitzer” – StageScore) which is currently in talks for a transfer. She has written extensively for film and T.V. and is the author of two bestselling novels, Blank Paige and The Spindle. As a performer, Ashley has appeared extensively on and off-Broadway as well as on T.V. and film. Highlights include work at The Gershwin Theater, Lincoln Center, Playwrights Horizons, MTC, The Public Theater, as well as in The Greatest Showman and on Homeland. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and has trained at the RSC and the National Theater.

*EVAN STRAND (Will) is an American actor and dynamic performer whose range, discipline, and captivating presence have made him a standout across television, film, and theatre. His on-screen credits include memorable appearances on General Hospital and Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), as well as the beloved Reddi Whip Milkman in NBC’s Hairspray Live. On stage, Evan is best known for his acclaimed portrayal of Sven in Disney’s Frozen National Tour and limited Singapore engagement, and for his performance in Zoot Suit at the Mark Taper Forum. A classically trained ballet dancer from the age of seven, Evan has graced the stage in roles such as Bluebird in Sleeping Beauty, Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Kashchei in Firebird. His versatility extends far beyond dance, with extensive training in horseback and motorcycle riding, boxing, stage combat, puppetry, archery, and weapons handling. He also has a background in synchronized swimming, pole vaulting, track & field, baseball, soccer, Tai Chi, and stilt walking.

*Appear courtesy of Actors Equity Association

MELORA MARSHALL (Director) is an American actress and director renowned for her dynamic contributions to the stage, particularly at the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga Canyon, California. A longtime company member, she has performed in countless productions over the decades, often taking on gender-bending and unconventional roles that showcase her versatility and depth as an artist. Standout performances include the title role in Shakespeare’s Richard III, where she brought a chilling and compelling presence to the infamous monarch, and Joan of Arc in George Bernard Shaw’s Saint Joan, a portrayal marked by fierce conviction and emotional clarity. Aside from stage, she works in film and television. In recent years, she has increasingly focused on directing, bringing her deep understanding of classical and contemporary texts to the helm. In 2024, she directed Tartuffe: Born Again, a bold adaptation of Molière’s classic play, reimagined in 1980s Louisiana with Tartuffe as a disgraced televangelist. The production earned her the 2024 Progie Theater Award, The Welles, for Best Director of a Progressive Play, honoring both her artistic vision and the production’s timely satire on power, faith, and manipulation. Her creative work has extended to other major venues including the Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre, The Old Globe, and South Coast Repertory. A multifaceted artist—singer, songwriter, guitarist, actress, director—she has also been a devoted Shakespeare educator, leading workshops and classes at Theatricum for decades. Her teaching blends scholarship with performance practice, and she has mentored countless emerging actors in the rhythms, rhetoric, and emotional truth of Shakespeare’s language.

NEIL GOODING PRODUCTIONS (Producer) was established in 2002 and brings high quality theatrical experiences to Broadway, West End, Australian and international audiences, upholding a strong emphasis on the development of new work. NGP was founded by Neil Gooding – an international theatre Director, Producer and Writer. As a producer, Neil’s work includes Broadway: Back to the Future: The Musical, Harmony, All of Me, Macbeth and the current revivals of Sunset Boulevard and Gypsy. Neil is represented on the West End by Back to the Future: The Musical and Holding the Man. Neil has been nominated for numerous awards including the 2009 Helpmann Award and the Sydney Theatre Critics Award.

Performances of The Opposite of Love take place on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 4 p.m. from July 24 through August 31. There will be a preview performance on Thursday, July 24 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $29-$45.

Hudson Backstage Theatre is located at 6539 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90038 (at N Hudson Ave). To purchase tickets and for more information, go to https://www.onstage411.com/ or The Opposite of Love – Hudson Backstage Theatre – Los Angeles – onstage411.com or call (323) 856-4249.