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Susan Claassen to Star inA CONVERSATION WITH EDITH HEAD

An Evening of Wit, Wisdom and a Whisper of Gossip!

The (Name of Organization) presents Susan Claassen in A CONVERSATION WITH EDITH HEAD by PaddyCalistro and Susan Claassen, based on the book Edith Head ’s Hollywood (E.P. Dutton, Inc. 1983) by Edith Head andPaddy Calistro. A CONVERSATION WITH EDITH HEAD to be presented (dates), is a behind-the-scenes feast ofgreat movie lore and delicious stories that provide insight into Hollywood’s legendary costume designer, Edith Head.In her six decades of costume design, she worked on 1,131 motion pictures, dressed the greatest stars of Hollywood,received thirty-five Academy Award® nominations and won an unprecedented eight Oscars.® Hear Miss Head tellher own story, which is as fascinating as the history of the film industry itself. It is a story filled with humor, frustrationand above all glamour. This diva of design helped to define glamour in the most glamorous place in the world--Hollywood!

Edith Head spent more than sixty years as a motion picture costume designer. Of those, forty-four years were spentat Paramount Studios. There she worked with the most famous actors of the time, from Mae West and Clara Bow toGrace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn and Bette Davis. When Paramount failed to renew her contract in 1967, AlfredHitchcock stepped in and Ms. Head was invited to join Universal Studios. At Universal she costumed Robert Redfordand Paul Newman in The Sting and won the first-ever Oscar® for a film without a female lead. Her eight AcademyAwards® celebrated her artistry in The Heiress (her first Oscar®), Samson & Delilah, All About Eve, A Place in theSun, Roman Holiday, Sabrina, The Facts of Life and The Sting. Edith Head died in October 1981, still under contractto Universal Studios, having just completed working on the Steve Martin film, Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid.

Susan Claassen was inspired to write and star in the show while watching a television biography of Ms. Head. Thepetite, dark-haired actress immediately imagined herself playing Edith Head, “…a perfect fit,” as Claassen describesit. “I discovered that not only do I bear a striking resemblance to Edith Head, but we share the same love for clothesand fashion,” Claassen notes. Much of the dialogue in A CONVERSATION WITH EDITH HEAD comes directly fromthe famed designer. When she was asked to write the authorized posthumous autobiography, Edith Head’sHollywood, Ms. Calistro acquired more than thirteen hours of recollections recorded by Edith Head, which she andMs. Claassen painstakingly reviewed to gather the remarkable “Edithisms”-- as Ms. Head referred to her ownsayings--that abound in the show. In addition, Claassen and Calistro collected insights from Hollywood insiders whoknew Ms. Head best: costume designer Bob Mackie, who once worked Ms. Head's sketch artist; her dear friend EdieWasserman, wife of the late Universal Studio head Lew Wasserman; and Art Linkletter, award-winning host ofHouse Party, the daytime television show of the 1950s that brought Edith Head into the homes of America.

A CONVERSATION WITH EDITH HEAD based on the play SKETCHES–EDITH HEAD'S HOLLYWOOD, isproduced through special arrangement with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and the MotionPicture and Television Fund. The original play, SKETCHES–EDITH HEAD'S HOLLYWOOD, premiered tocritical acclaim and a sold-out extended run at the Invisible Theatre (IT) in Tucson, Arizona, in January 2002.It went on to play to SRO audiences in Key West, Florida. A CONVERSATION WITH EDITH HEAD has beenperformed at benefits for the Chicago Historical Society, the Invisible Theatre and also at the WadsworthAtheneum in Hartford, Connecticut, the American Film Institute (AFI) Silver Theatre and Cultural Center inSilver Spring, Maryland, and the Arizona Women’s Theatre in Scottsdale, Arizona. 2006 dates include NorthCoast Repertory Theatre in San Diego, FASHION INSTITUTE OF DESIGN AND MERCHANDISING in LosAngeles, The Hollywood Heritage Foundation, NYC and The GIFT Festival - an international theatre festivalin the Republic of Georgia.

For more information on A CONVERSATION WITH EDITH HEAD (www.edithhead.biz)

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or to schedule an interview with Susan Claassen and Paddy Calistro, please contact(add organizational information)

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ABOUT THE PEOPLE

SUSAN CLAASSEN is celebrating her thirty-first anniversary with the Invisible Theatre (IT) and has been aresident of Tucson since 1972. As Managing Artistic Director, she has produced more than 335 productionsand directed more than fifty. Susan has been a member of Actors Equity Association (the professionalactors’ union) since 1969. Some of her most memorable roles have been Bella in LOST IN YONKERS, AliceB. Toklas in GERTRUDE STEIN AND A COMPANION, Hannah in CROSSING DELANCEY, Shirley in SHIRLEYVALENTINE and Trudy in THE SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF INTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE. In addition toher work with the Invisible Theatre she has been a consultant and director for the Waterfront Playhouse andThe Red Barn Theatre in Key West, Florida, and directed I WON’T DANCE at New York’s famed Rainbow andStars Cabaret and St. Paul's prestigious Ordway Theatre. Susan is a national board member of PEOPLE FORTHE AMERICAN WAY–A Constitutional Liberties Organization. She is the recipient of the 1985 Governor’sAward for Women Who Create, the 1993 Humanitarian Torch Award for her efforts on behalf of people livingwith AIDS and a 1996 Distinguished Service Award from the State Federation for Exceptional Children forher commitment to arts education for special populations. Susan was the 1999 City of Hope “Spirit of Life”recipient, and performs as a clown in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. She was recently selected as oneof Tucson Lifestyle’s 10 Most Admired Women.

PADDY CALISTRO is considered one of the leading authorities on Edith Head and is the co-author of EdithHead's posthumous autobiography Edith Head’s Hollywood. The only authorized biography of the world’smost famous costume designer, the book was the first of several books written by Paddy Calistro. She wasselected as Ms. Head’s official biographer based on her experience as a fashion journalist. A former staffwriter for the Los Angeles Times in the fashion and beauty department, Paddy wrote the weekly “Looks”column featured in the Los Angeles Times Magazine for four years as well as contributing several featurearticles to the daily Times and its weekly magazine. She also was the West Coast reporter for Allure from itsinception. Additionally, she contributed to Glamour, Mademoiselle, House Beautiful, Elle, Four SeasonsMagazine and frequently to Fitness and Los Angeles. For more than a decade Paddy was the lead interiordesign writer for Los Angeles magazine, coordinating and writing sections on trends in home design. Shewas the editor of American Style, a bilingual fashion magazine sold in Mexico and South America. The co-founder of Angel City Press, an independent book publishing company based in Santa Monica, she currentlyserves as its publisher and editor-in-chief.

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Critics across the country rave about Susan Claassen’sEdith Head - The Diva of Hollywood Costume Design!!

“Edith Head comes to life in a way that’s so perfectly accurate...”

- New York Times

“Head and shoulders above the rest! Hollywood costume designer Edith Head lives - that is, through the petite body of actor Susan Claassen!”

- The Chicago Sun Times

“Susan Claassen successfully creates a complicated, balance living character ... in this smartly dressed play.”

- Tucson Weekly

“ A compelling glimpse of a Hollywood that no longer exists. It’s a winning production! Susan Claassen’s portrayal of Edith Head is a tour de force ... Ms. Claassen masterfully inhabits Edith Head’s persona. “

- Celebrate-Key West, Florida

“ Viewers were rapt throughout the performance ... ”

- L’attitudes - Key West

“Susan Claassen’s Edith Head play shines ... captures designer’s magic touch!”

- The Tucson Citizen

“‘ You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it.’ Edith Head said it, Susan Claassen shows how it is done...”

- Green Valley News and Sun

“A perfect fit!”- Preview Connecticut

Press photos may be downloaded from the web site(http://edithhead.biz/html/press_kit.html).Photo credit must be given to Tim Fuller

Edith Head was undoubtedly Hollywood s most famous costumedesigner, or magician, as she liked to call herself. Her careerspanned fifty-eight years of movie making. In those years shedressed almost every major star who shone in the industry and,with her straight-cut bangs, dark glasses and tailored suits as hertrademark, became more famous than most of them. Just a fewweeks before she died, she was still waving at fans as theUniversal City Studio Tour stopped at her bungalow.

She was born Edith Claire Posener on October 28, 1897 in SanBernardino, California. Her parents soon divorced, her motherremarried, and the young child was given her stepfather s surname,Spare. She graduated from the University of California at Berkeleyand received a Masters Degree in Romance Languages fromStanford University in 1920. Edith Spare taught French and,despite her lack of experience in the subject, art at the HollywoodSchool for Girls. She enrolled in night classes at Otis Art Instituteand Chouinard, where she met and married Charles Head, andbecame forever Edith Head.

When a 1923 classified ad announced a job opening for a sketch artist at Paramount Studios, theresourceful young woman, in need of a summer income, used a borrowed portfolio to win the positionthat would change the course of her life. She made the transition from sketcher to full-fledged designer in1933 and set about learning everything she could from her boss, Travis Banton. In 1938, as her firstmarriage was ending, Edith Head replaced Travis Banton and was suddenly the top designer at one ofHollywood s biggest studios. She kept the post until 1967 when Paramount was sold and she moved toUniversal Studios. In 1940 Edith Head married one of her best friends, Wiard Boppo (Bill) Ihnen, aParamount set designer. They remained together until his death in 1979, enjoying a very private life intheir Hollywood hacienda, Casa Ladera.

Hollywood recognized the petite designer in 1974 with her own star on Hollywood Boulevard, an honorshe had indeed earned. In her six decades of costume design, she worked on 1,131 motion pictures,received 35 Academy Award®® nominations and won an unprecedented eight Oscars®®. In addition toher film work, she designed Vogue sewing patterns; toured the country staging Hollywood fashion shows;wrote magazine and newspaper columns; was America s favorite fashion maven on Art Linkletter sHouse Party; wrote two books, including The Dress Doctor (with Joan Kesner Ardmore; Little, Brownand Co., 1959) and How to Dress for Success (with Joe Hyams; Random House, 1967); and audiotapedhours of interviews in preparation for her autobiography, Edith Head s Hollywood (E.P. Dutton Inc.), co-authored by Paddy Calistro and published posthumously in 1983.

Edith Head died in 1981 of a progressive and rare blood disease, myeloid metaplasia, two weeks aftercompleting work on her last film, Dead Men Don t Wear Plaid. She left her estate to the Motion Pictureand Television Fund and to other charitable organizations aiding Native American children and herbeloved animals. Her funeral was attended by hundreds, including not only Hollywood s stars but also thebacklot people. A Paramount security guard dressed in a uniform designed by Edith Head mused, Iremember her real well. At Christmas she took care of everyone on the lot. She was the greatest designerin the world. Edith Head was quite a girl. And that she was.

Susan Claassen is celebrating her 29th anniversary with theInvisible Theatre (IT) and has been a resident of Tucson since1972. As Managing Artistic Director, she has produced over 335productions and directed over 50, including such favorites asWHEN PIGS FLY, SYLVIA and KINDERTRANSPORT. Susanhas been a member of Actors Equity Association (theprofessional actors union) since 1969. Some of her mostmemorable roles have been Bella in LOST IN YONKERS,Alice B. Toklas in GERTRUDE STEIN AND A COMPANION,Hannah in CROSSING DELANCEY, Shirley in SHIRLEYVALENTINE and Trudy in THE SEARCH FOR SIGNS OFINTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE.In addition to her work with the Invisible Theatre she has been aconsultant and director for the Waterfront Playhouse and TheRed Barn Theatre in Key West, Florida and directed I WON TDANCE at New York s famed Rainbow and Stars Cabaret andSt. Paul's prestigious Ordway Theatre. Susan is a national boardmember of PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY A

Constitutional Liberties Organization and the short half of the comedy team of MOLS AND SUZ. As avideo writer and producer, she has written and produced two award winning projects: CHILDRENAREN T WATERPROOF for the Tucson Drowning Prevention Committee and READY, SET, READfor the Tucson Public Library. She was the recipient of the 1982 Woman on the Move Award in theArts, the 1985 Governor s Award for Women Who Create, the 1993 Humanitarian Torch Award for herefforts on behalf of people living with AIDS, the 1994 and 1998 Tucson Unified School DistrictSuperintendent s Honor Roll Award for her exceptional work with Special Education Arts Programming,and a 1996 Distinguished Service Award from the State Federation for Exceptional Children for hercommitment to arts education for special populations. Susan was the 1999 City of Hope Spirit of Liferecipient, she was honored with the 2001 Volunteer of the Year Award, performed as a clown in the 2001and 2002 Macy s Thanksgiving Day Parades (and will also be in 2003) and was recently selected as oneof Tucson Lifestyle s 10 Most Admired Women. She dedicates her work to the living memory of herbeloved mother, Goldie.

Paddy Calistro is considered one of the leading authorities on Edith Head and is theco-author of Edith Head's posthumous autobiography Edith Head s Hollywood.The only authorized biography of the world s most famous costume designer, thebook was the first of five written by Paddy Calistro. She was selected as Ms.Head s official biographer based on her experience as a fashion journalist. A formerstaff writer for the Los Angeles Times in the fashion and beauty department, Paddywrote the weekly Looks column featured in the Los Angeles Times Magazine forfour years as well as contributing several feature articles to the daily Times and the

weekly Magazine. She also was the West Coast reporter for Allure magazine from its inception.Additionally, she contributed to Glamour, Mademoiselle, House Beautiful, Elle, Four Seasons Magazineand frequently to Fitness and Los Angeles. For more than a decade Paddy was the lead interior designwriter for Los Angeles Magazine, coordinating and writing sections on trends in home design. She wasthe editor of American Style, a bilingual fashion magazine sold in Mexico and South America. The co-founder of Angel City Press, an independent book publishing company based in Santa Monica, shecurrently serves as publisher and editor-in-chief. She dedicates her work on this play to her brother, RonHaver, whose loving spirit continues to inspire!