To Begin the World Over Again: The Life of Thomas Paine (Venice)

The one-man play  “To Begin the World Over Again: the Life of Thomas Paine” written, with a COLA Fellowship, and performed by Ian Ruskin, leaps from the stage and captures the living essence of our nation’s brilliant, fiery and most radical Founding Father.  Thomas Paine said, “The world is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion.”  

Was he “one of the most brilliant minds in human history” or merely a “filthy little atheist?”  He was certainly one of the most misunderstood men in American history.  It brings to life the wit, contradictions, and contrariness of a man whose intellect and words shaped our national character, inspiring us always to be our better selves. Paine's pen sparked the American Revolution, defined the French Revolution and championed the Age of Reason. He went from hero on the streets of Philadelphia to prisoner in Paris awaiting the guillotine. This play takes you on an extraordinary journey of revolutions and of a world shedding its old skin, looking to ideas of freedom, democracy and above all, justice & equality! Today there is the Occupy movement, back then there was Thomas Paine.

“Spectacular!!!” Harvard Law School

“It was as if the man himself stood before us and spoke across the centuries.” Willamette University

Ruskin was last seen in the Los Angeles Times & LA Weekly Critics Choice performance of the one-man play The Man Himself, written by Alan Drury, and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London.

To Begin the World Over Again: the Life of Thomas Paine will be performed:

Fridays to Saturdays@8pm, Sundays@3pm

May 24^th, 25^th, 26^th, 31^st, June 1^st , 2^nd

The Lillian Theater, 1076 Lillian Way, Hollywood

  &

Fridays-Saturdays@8pm, Sunday 23^rd@7pm, 30^th@8pm

June 21^st, 22^nd, 23^rd,  28^th, 29^th, 30^th

The Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Ave, Venice

The play is performed in Rep with Ruskin's play From Wharf Rats to Lords of the Docks.  

To purchase tickets, visit www.brownpapertickets.com/profile/63869 or call 1-800-838-3006

General admission $20, 

Seniors, Students and the Unemployed $10, 5/24 Opening night with wine reception – $50,  

All performances followed by a Q & A with the Audience.