P3 THEATRE COMPANY, in association with the Del Shores Foundation and Beard Collins Shores Productions, presents Emerson Collins starring in the world premiere of THE RED SUITCASE, written by Jiggs Burgess, directed by Del Shores, assistant directed by Blake McIver Ewing, and starring Emerson Collins. Mr. Burgess’ previous play, Wounded, recently won the “International Fringe Encore Series Award” at the 2023 Hollywood Fringe Festival giving it a 4-week Off-Broadway run at the Soho Playhouse in NYC in January 2024. THE RED SUITCASE will preview on Thursday, August 10 & Friday, August 11 at 8pm; will open on Saturday, August 12 at 8pm and perform weekends through Sunday, September 3 at the Broadwater Theatre Main Stage, 1076 Lillian Way in Los Angeles.

The Best Play Winner in the “Del Shores Foundation Writers Search,” THE RED SUITCASE, follows the life of Pogue from his unusual birth to the death of his father. The play explores the sometimes difficult relationship between fathers and sons and the many moments, stories, and characters that build a person and a life. Pogue is led on a journey to unpack his memories that takes him from, “we are the sins of our ancestors” to “we are the hope of our ancestors.” A play of family, survival, and finding ourselves in the stories that made us.

DEL SHORES (Director) has written, directed, and produced successfully across studio and independent film, network, and cable television, and regional and national touring theatre. He is the writer/director/producer of the films Sordid Lives, Blues for Willadean, Southern Baptist Sissies, and A Very Sordid Wedding. He wrote and executive produced the MGM feature Daddy’s Dyin’…Who’s Got The Will? He has written eleven plays, produced thousands of times worldwide, and four adapted for the screen. His publisher is Samuel French/Concord Theatricals. In television, Del wrote, directed, executive produced, and created the LOGO series, Sordid Lives: The Series. He also wrote and executive produced Showtime’s Queer As Folk for the last three seasons and wrote and produced for Dharma & Greg and Ned & Stacey. He has directed Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer; Grammy Award winner Olivia Newton-John; Emmy winners/nominees Beau Bridges, Delta Burke, Leslie Jordan, Bonnie Bedelia, Bobbie Eakes, Patrika Darbo, and Rue McClanahan; Spirit Award winner Dale Dickey; Screen Actor’s Guild Award-winner Beth Grant; as well as Caroline Rhea, Debby Holiday and David Steen. As a performer, Shores has performed in hundreds of standup gigs, with multiple national tours and four live filmed DVDs including his one-man play Six Characters In Search of a Play. He is a GLAAD Award, NAACP Award, and an LA Weekly Lifetime Achievement Award winner. In March 2023, he was given The Chuck Rowland Pioneer Award “for groundbreaking and distinguished achievements in LGBTQ+ playwriting and arts advocacy by The Celebration Theatre.

JIGGS BURGESS (Playwright) was the inaugural winner of the Del Shores Foundation Writer’s Search for The Red Suitcase. Jiggs’ work also been a finalist in the Eugene O’Neill playwriting competition. Produced by P3 Theatre Company, Wounded, act two of his play Wounded/Sparrow, was performed to great acclaim at the 2023 Hollywood Fringe Festival. Other works, including The Girl In The White Pinafore, The Book of Dog, and Anna Mae continue to be produced coast to coast in educational theatre. This is his first full professional production as well as the world premiere of The Red Suitcase.

Emerson Collins as “Pogue,” Kristen McCullough as “April,” Bruce Melena as “Bud,” Charlotte Louise White as “Grandma Evans,” Mat Hayes as “Player 1,”

Pam Trotter as “Player 2,” and Tiago Santos as “Player 3.”

Scenic and Projections Design by Jesus Hurtado; Lighting Design by Frank McKown; Sound Design by Adam Matthew; Costume Design by Shon LeBlanc,

Wigs & Props Design by Krys Fehervari.  Production Stage Manager – Anna Kupershmidt.