Director/adaptor/producer/actress Angeliki Giannakopoulos is providing Los Angeles with a taste of Greek culture, through her world premiere adaptation of A Greek Wedding, opening at the Gascon Theatre in Los Angeles Jan. 18.

"There are so many wonderful stories about our way of life and our history that is not seen on the international level -- I want to bring that excitement to American Film and theatre," Giannakopoulos says.

A Greek Wedding, running through Feb. 23 based on a true story about one of the most important events to take place in a Greek village, is adapted from the novel by Vasa Solomou-Xanthaki. Set in the 1930's, it involves a young bride and groom who suffer the superstitions of their parents and must find a way to survive their inherited "evil".

A Greek Wedding hosts mostly Greek actors and theatre technicians. It is produced by Artemis Productions, with the help of performer, director, and choreographer Athan Karras, internationally known for his Greek folk dances. Karras will stage Wedding's dances.

Karras says, "Often American audiences confuse the presence of Greek music and dance as being limited to such examples seen in Never on Sunday, and Zorba the Greek yet there is so much more." Karras appeared on Broadway in Most Happy Fella, Pal Joey, and Caesar and Cleopatra, and on television and in numerous motion pictures.

Giannakopoulos also stars in the production, replacing Dimitria Arlys who was unable to play the part of the bride who has grown older and reveals her story through flashback. Giannakopoulos recently completed filming and starring in "A Greek Woman," a docudrama on her mother's life. Giannakopoulos received a Drama-Logue Award for her direction of Illya Darling.

For tickets or more information about A Greek Wedding please refer to the Gascon Center Theatre regional listing on Playbill On-Line.

--By Blair Glaser