Musicals in LA

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Musical News for Thursday July 24, 2014

MUSICAL NEWS: The Garage Theatre and Alive Theatre present Bertolt Brecht’s The Threepenny Opera August 1-30 at The Garage Theatre. Often described as brutal, scandalous, perverted; yet humorous, hummable and with a happy ending, it is one of the earliest and most successful attempts to introduce jazz into the theatre. With musical direction by Ellen Warkentine (the mastermind behind LOLpera) and longtime director and managing director, Eric Hamme, this evening is going to get weird...that good kind of weird. The cast and band includes Robert Edward, Mark Piatelli, Ellen Warkentine, Ashley Elizabeth Allen, Thomas Amerman, Sarah Chaffin, Dana Benedict, Lysander Ruesehk, Jason Bowe, Stephani Keith, Lizzie Stride, Ethan Zahn, Sally Nguyen, Jeanine Van Dyke, Travis Guerrero, Matthew Proffitt, Daysmel Muniz, John Robertson, Alanah Ntzouras, Matt Kollar and Sumner LeVeque. Choreography is by Angela Lopez. The Garage Theatre, 251 E. 7th Street, Long Beach, CA 90813. www.thegaragetheatre.org

A workshop production of It Happened in Roswell: an intergalactic musical will be presented as part of New Musicals Inc.’s summer series at NoHo Arts Center August 3 – 25. The story follows hard-nosed reporter Scoop who thinks he’s just chasing a story to save his sagging career. But when the alien turns out to be a wide-eyed sexy girl whom the Army wants to capture and dissect in the laboratory, well, Scoop discovers he’s in a big pickle: get the story, or get the girl? The cast includes Rory Dunn as the hard-nosed reporter, with Broadway’s Julie Tolivar as the alien. Nathan Ondracek plays a sweet 4F lad who has been too preoccupied trying to communicate with aliens to notice the love of his life, Bessie, right in front of him in the local diner. Deranged former military man Major Nails is played by John McCool Bowers. The cast also includes Amy Bloom, Emma Sperka, Emerson Boatwright, and Carrie Madsen. Music direction is by Ron Barnett. Co-directed by Terrence Atkins and Scott Guy. It Happened in Roswell is written by Terrence Atkins and Jeffery Lyle Segal. NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd, in North Hollywood. Tickets are $20 at www.nmi.org.

The Festival of New American Musicals presents an ASCAP staged reading of The Front, based on the 1976 Hollywood movie starring Woody Allen and Zero Mostel, August 19 and 20 at 7:30 pm. Barnsdall Gallery Theater, 4800 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90027. Music & Lyrics are by Paul Gordon & Jay Gruska; Book by Seth Friedman; Based on the screenplay by Walter Bernstein. Richard Israel directs the reading, with musical director Keith Harrison. Produced by Marcia Seligson and Michael Kerker. Associate Producer Linda Shusett. For free tickets RSVP to info@lafestival.org

EXTENDED: Chance Theater has extended its run of In The Heights through August 10 with six additional performances. The show was originally scheduled to close on August 3 but will now also play Thursday, August 7 at 8pm, Friday, August 8 at 8pm, Saturday, August 9 at 3pm and 8pm, and Sunday, August 10 at 2pm and 7pm at Chance Theater @ Bette Aitken theater arts Center. Tickets: (714) 777-3033 or www.ChanceTheater.com.

SEASON NEWS: San Diego Musical Theatre has announced its 2015 season at its new home, the historic Spreckels Theatre in downtown San Diego. Shows will include:
West Side Story (Feb. 13 – March 1, 2015) directed by James Vasquez
Singin’ in the Rain (May 22 – June 7, 2015) directed by Todd Nielson
La Cage aux Folles (Sept. 25 – Oct. 11, 2015) directed by Larry Raben
White Christmas (Nov. 27 – Dec. 6, 2015) directed by Todd Nielsen
www.sdmt.org

FILM: In memory of an incredible talent, Arena Cinema Hollywood will screen the documentary Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me for four showings only. In this bold, hilarious and poignant portrait, the uncompromising Tony and Emmy Award-winner is revealed both on and off stage. Candid reflections about her life are punctuated with words from friends (including James Gandolfini, Tina Fey, John Turturro, Tracy Morgan, Hal Prince, George C. Wolfe, Nathan Lane and Cherry Jones) and archival footage that showcases some of the great moments from her career. The 81-minute Sundance Selects film is directed by Chiemi Karasawa. Screenings takes place Sat. July 26 and Sun. July 27 at 3:00 pm; Tues. July 29 and Thurs. July 31 at 6:15 pm. Admission is $12.00. Arena Cinema Hollywood, 1625 N. Las Palmas Ave., Hollywood, CA 90028. (Entrance at rear gate.) Discounted parking is available with validation at lots adjacent to the venue and across the street. For more information, call (323) 306-0676 or go to http://arenascreen.com.

CONCERTS/CABARET: Kritzerland Tributes Female Songwriters Sunday, August 3rd at 7:00 pm at Sterling’s Upstairs at the Federal starring Dan Callaway, Jennifer Kranz, Heather Lee, Lisa Livesay and Shannon Warne, with special guest Kay Cole and musical direction by Tom Griep. The show salutes musical theatre lyricists Carolyn Leigh, Lynn Ahrens, Marsha Norman, Gretchen Cryer, Fran Landesman, Amanda McBroom, and Carole Bayer Sager. Reservations: 818-754-8700.

UPDATE: Tony Award-nominee Obba Babatundé has been set to host Broadway Under the Stars at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre Aug. 16 at 8:00 pm. The Chris Isaacson Presents production stars Tony Award-winner Jennifer Holliday with Erich Bergen, Rogelio Douglas, Jr., Danny Gurwin and Chad Kimball. David Galligan will direct, and the music director is Gerald Sternbach. Purchase tickets by August 2 and save $5. Discount tickets are available by calling (323) 461-3673 or at www.FordTheatres.org.

The Grove Theatre in Upland announces a weekend of entertaining tributes to Elton John, Billy Joel and ABBA. On Friday, August 8th, at 8:00 pm, Terry Davies, “The Piano Man,” will present his personal tribute to greats Billy Joel and Elton John featuring a video as the backdrop that will take the audience through the story he sings. On Saturday, August 9th at 8:00 pm, ABBA FAB, featuring Anne Davies, Chelsea Faulds, Scotty Pearson and Nick Davies, performs its tribute to the music of ABBA. Comprised of vocalists and musicians who have toured the world as solo artists and band members, ABBA FAB has come together to create an extremely entertaining ABBA tribute. The Grove Theatre is located at 276 E. Ninth Street, Upland, CA 91786. Tickets: (909) 920-4343, or http://grovetheatre.com/.

The Los Angeles Jewish Symphony has announced a celebratory concert to commemorate the orchestra’s 20th Anniversary on Sunday, September 7 at 7:30 pm at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood. LAJS will be joined by award-winning and critically acclaimed pianist, actor, playwright, producer, and composer Hershey Felder, who has written an overture specifically for this occasion. With the anniversary concert, LAJS will be making its 11th consecutive appearance in the Ford Summer Partnership Concert Series. Tickets: (323) 461-3673 or www.FordTheatres.org.

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Labels: festival of new american musicals, ford amphitheatre, garage theatre, kritzerland, nmi, san diego musical theatre, upright cabaret