The Los Angeles Premiere of Samuel D. Hunter’s
“Grangeville”
Directed by John Perrin Flynn
Opening at 8pm on Friday, May 29 – reception to follow
8pm Fridays, Saturdays; 2pm Sundays through July 19, 2026
No performance on June 5, 12; July 3, 5
Added performances at 8pm Sunday June 14; Mondays June 8, 15
Ruskin Group Theatre at 2800 Airport Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Santa Monica, CA (May 1, 2026) – MacArthur “Genius” Fellow Samuel D. Hunter (The Whale) explores the often-imperfect act of forgiveness in his multi-award nominated play Grangeville, a Los Angeles premiere opening at the Ruskin Group Theatre Arts Center on May 29 in Santa Monica.
Two estranged half-brothers—one living in rural Grangeville, Idaho, the other in Amsterdam—reconnect through a series of virtual conversations as they grapple with decisions about their ailing mother’s care. What begins as a practical discussion slowly unearths long-buried tensions and the kind of stories that we tell ourselves in order to survive.
Photo: Jeff LeBeau, Tim Cummings (by John Perrin Flynn)
Samuel D. Hunter (Playwright) recently made his Broadway debut with the premiere of his newest play, Little Bear Ridge Road (nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Broadway Play) starring Laurie Metcalf. He is the recipient of an Obie Award for Playwriting (A Bright New Boise with an additional OBIE Award for Production), and a MacArthur “Genius Grant” Fellowship for his work as a playwright. Hunter’s full-length plays include The Whale (Drama Desk Award, Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play, GLAAD Media Award, Drama League and Outer Critics Circle nominations for Best Play), A Case for the Existence of God (New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play), A Bright New Boise (Obie Award, Drama Desk nomination for Best Play), Greater Clements (Drama Desk nomination for Best Play, Outer Critics Circle Honoree), Lewiston / Clarkston (Drama Desk nomination for Best Play), A Great Wilderness, and Pocatello, among others. A film version of The Whale, directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Brendan Fraser, was released by A24 Films. He is the recipient of a 2012 Whiting Writers Award and an honorary doctorate from the University of Idaho.His work has been produced Off Broadway in New York City by Lincoln Center Theatre, Playwrights Horizons, LCT3, Signature Theatre, Page 73 Productions, Clubbed Thumb, and Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre. Elsewhere, his work has been produced by Theatre Royal Bath, Dallas Theatre Center, Seattle Rep, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, South Coast Rep, Rogue Machine, and Victory Gardens among others. Two published anthologies of his work are available from TCG Books, and a third is forthcoming. He is a member of New Dramatists and a current Resident Playwright at the Signature Theatre in New York City. He holds degrees in playwriting from NYU, The Iowa Playwrights Workshop, and Juilliard.
John Perrin Flynn (Director) is a founding member of Rogue Machine and served as the first Artistic Director for the company (2008 – 2025). For RMT John directed the World Premieres of John Pollono’s Lost Girls, Henry Murray’s Treefall and Three Views of the Same Object, as well as David Rambo’s A Good Guy. He directed regional premieres of Enda Walsh’s The New Electric Ballroom and Penelope; Samuel D. Hunter’s Pocatello, A Permanent Image and A Bright New Boise; Cormac McCarthy’s The Sunset Limited, and their inaugural production, Compleat Female Stage Beauty. John was the Executive Producer and Director of Lifetime’s long-running series Strong Medicine and has produced two other series and 14 television movies or miniseries including the Emmy-nominated Burden of Proof. In 2012, he received the Career Achievement Award for Theatre from the LA Weekly. In 2025 he received The Los Angeles Drama Critics Gordon Davidson Award and the Playwrights Arena Lee Melville Award for distinguished contribution to the Los Angeles theater community.
CAST: Tim Cummings as Arnie (Lars in the world-premiere of Weston Gaylord’s Octopus’s Garden at Boston Court. Three LA Drama Critics Circle Awards for The House in Scarsdale at Boston Court, The Normal Heart at The Fountain, and The New Electric Ballroom at Rogue Machine. Other selected LA credits: Daniel’s Husband, Need To Know, The Woodsman, The Firebird at LA Phil, The Phantom Tollbooth, Eurydice, WAR, The Winter’s Tale, Hamlet, Tartuffe, The Outsiders Presents IV at REDCAT. Jeff LeBeau as Jerry (Years to the Day at Beverly Hills Playhouse and Sargent Theatre NY – 2026 Stage Raw Award. Other work includes Samuel D. Hunter’s The Few, American LaRonde, and Middletown directed by Ann Bronston at Pacific Resident Theatre, as well as Dance of Death directed by Ron Sossi at the Odyssey Theatre, Gary in Murray Mednick’s The Gary Plays at the Skylight /Open Fist, Burning in China, a one person showdirected by Caleb Deschanel at Poway Arts, John Drew NY, and Hurlyburly written and directed by David Rabe at the Geffen Playhouse. For narration in Discovery and UM’s The Great Storm – Jeff received a regional Emmy Award.
CREATIVE TEAM: Stephanie Kerley Schwartz (Scenic and Costume Design), Dan Weingarten (Lighting Design), Keith Stevenson (Sound Design), Jan Bryant & Dan Speaker (Stunt/Fight Coordination), Nicole Millar, Stephanie Kerley Schwartz & Ryan Wilson (Props), Nicole Millar (Production Stage Manager).
John Ruskin (Artistic Director/Producer) founded the professional company in 2001. Most recently, he produced Joanna Murray-Smith’s Honour, starring Marcia Cross and Matthew Letscher, for the new arts center’s inaugural show on the Kaplan Stage. Other productions include Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge (Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle nomination for BEST REVIVAL and two additional nominations for BEST ACTOR; winning 3 Stage Raw Awards). He produced Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile (extended for four months), the Los Angeles premiere of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner(extended for three months), and Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman which starred Rob Morrow. John helmed the critically acclaimed production of Strange Snow, and teaches a Master’s Class in acting at the RGT school. John’s years of experience include studies at the Yale School of Drama, British American Drama Academy in Oxford, England, and the University of Colorado in Boulder. In New York, Ruskin joined the acting faculty of the Neighborhood Playhouse at the request of Sanford Meisner (who he then apprenticed with) before moving to Los Angeles where he founded the RGT school of acting in addition to the professional theatre company.
Michael Myers (Producing Artistic Director) has served as Ruskin’s Managing director since 2002. In that time, he has produced close to 100 projects, along with John Ruskin, including the hit musical, which he also directed, Paradise: A Bluegrass Musical which he then revived at the Austin Playhouse for a sold-out run. Other notable projects include developing and producing the world premiere production of Rex Pickett’s Sideways the Play. Since its world premiere at the Ruskin, Sideways the Play has been produced at the La Jolla Playhouse under Des McAnuff and recently had its West End Premiere at the St. James Theatre. Mike developed and directed the world premieres of Sneaky Ole Time with music by multi-Grammy Award winnerPaul Overstreet, Rainbow Bridge, and Digging up Dad. Mike is a co-creator of the Ruskin Group Theatre’s “L.A. Cafe Plays,” the monthly offering of one-acts done in 10 1/2 hours from conception to staging. The “L.A. Café Plays” have been produced over 200 times since 2004. Mike served 12 years on Santa Monica Arts Commission, ten years as chair. During his time on the commission, Mike was integral in the city’s decision to prioritize maintaining artist affordability in Santa Monica.
Ruskin Group Theatre recently concluded their over two-decade tenure, at the original building next door, with a sold-out production of The Fantasticks, known for being the world’s longest running musical. Their CAFÉ PLAYS, created at RGT, celebrates their15th anniversary.
“Grangeville” opens at 8pm on Friday, May 29 and runs at 8pm Fridays, Saturdays; 2pm Sundays through July 19, 2026. No performance on June 5, 12; July 3, 5. Added performances at 8pm Sunday June 14; Mondays June 8, 15. Ruskin Group Theatre is located at 2800 Airport Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90405. Tickets are $40 – $45 and can be purchased in advance at www.ruskingrouptheatre.com or for more information: (310) 397-3244. Free parking available on site.
EVENT DETAILS FOR LISTINGS: Run time is approximately 90 minutes (no intermission)
WHAT: “Grangeville”
Written by: Samuel D. Hunter
Directed by: John Perrin Flynn
Produced by: John Ruskin, Michael R. Myers, Nicole Millar
Presented by: Ruskin Group Theatre
DESCRIPTION: Two estranged half-brothers—one living in rural Grangeville, Idaho, the other in Amsterdam—reconnect through a series of virtual conversations as they grapple with decisions about their ailing mother’s care. What begins as a practical discussion slowly unearths long-buried tensions and the kind of stories that we tell ourselves in order to survive.
WHEN: Opening at 8pm on Friday, May 29, 2026
Schedule: 8pm Fridays, Saturdays; 2pm Sundays
No performance on June 5, 12; July 3, 5
Added performances at 8pm Sunday June 14; Mondays June 8, 15
Closing July 19, 2026
WHERE:
Ruskin Group Theatre
2800 Airport Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(ample free parking)
HOW:
For reservations http://www.ruskingrouptheatre.com or call (310) 397-3244
HOW MUCH: $45
Seniors/Student/Guild: $40
Discounts for groups of 10 or more
Instagram: @ruskingroupthtr