And The Winner Is was Mitch Albom’s second comedy. It saw its world premiere at the Purple Rose Theater in Chelsea, MI, in the summer of 2005 and its west coast premiere at the Laguna Playhouse in the summer of 2006. And the Winner Is tells the comic story of Tyler Johnes, a self-obsessed movie star, who is finally nominated for an Oscar, then dies the night before the awards. Outraged at his bad luck and determined to know if he wins (even though he's dead), he bargains with a heavenly gatekeeper to return to earth for the big night. Along the way, he drags his agent, his acting rival, his bombshell girlfriend and his ex-wife into the journey, in a wildly twisting tale of Hollywood, the afterlife, and how we are judged.

  And The Winner Is was directed by Purple Rose Theatre Co.'s Artistic Director Guy Sanville. “It’s a quirky, heartfelt and slightly wicked tale of life, death and sacrifice,” Sanville says. About his second collaboration with the playwright, he continues, “Mitch uses humor as a window into the human heart.”

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