Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Meet the Producers of A LITTLE NEW MUSIC
 |
| L-R: Producers Peter Welkin, Amy Francis Schott, Luke Klipp, Corey Lynn Howe, Christopher Maikish, and Kila Packett |
It takes a village to create a new musical. And it takes a village like A Little New Music to give musical theatre writers a place to showcase new material while their Broadway-hopeful shows are in development. It’s an important part of the process, getting your songs in front of an audience. For the last four years, A Little New Music has presented quarterly concerts that offer the best new songs musical theatre has to offer and audiences can’t get enough of it. Neither can those behind the scenes.
The producers of the series readily admit they love what they do and each one brings his or her own unique perspective to the process of “putting on a show.” Meet Peter Welkin, Christopher Maikish, Luke Klipp, Amy Francis Schott, and Kila Packett from A Little New Music. In this interview, they discuss their roles as producers and what musical theatre means to them. I hope you enjoy this window into their world.
Peter Welkin (Executive Producer) A relationship evolves
For many years I thought that the only way to be part of musical theater was to work really hard learning to sing, act and dance and then jump at any chance to take the first paid gig that came along. That taught me a lot about the trials and tribulations of being a performer but I was always chasing the tail of the business, trying to fit into the mold of the established musicals and the previously-defined characters that were required.
When I got involved with the Academy for New Musical Theater, I had a revelation – a nearly spiritual one. I realized that there was a whole new world of possibilities when it came to being in on the ground floor of developing new musical theatre works. I wanted to be part of the bleeding edge of this new musical theatre world, and ever since then, I’ve been involved in innumerable shows, readings, presentations, and more recently, concert productions, showcasing exciting new musical theatre material.
Early on, an ALNM concert attendee remarked that she “loved what we were doing and that she was so excited to feel like she was getting a sneak-peek at the future of Broadway.” Something fresh, something new, something exciting, that’s what keeps me motivated to do to this. Answering this need for our audience makes them more like an insider, and puts them closer to the cutting edge of the musical theatre art. I love to be able to say, “Oh yeah, Come From Away is on Broadway now, but we presented a song from that show almost two years ago, before most people had ever even heard of it.” That’s super exciting to me!
Holding the vision
Luckily, I’m not the only person who needs to maintain the vision for what we do. Our team is composed of people with really different backgrounds who are all dedicated to volunteering their time to bring our shows to fruition. We often rotate the producing roles when we build a show to avoid burnout. As an entirely volunteer group, each of us makes the choice to spend our free time working on this. That means we’re each dealing with our various jobs, relationships and family obligations, which can easily distract us. It’s not always easy to keep everyone moving in the same direction. But, knowing that we have a team of people who care deeply about the quality, freshness, and excitement factor in the new material makes my job that much easier.
There’s nothing like the feeling of sitting in that audience, and hearing and seeing how these new songs connect with people. That’s what makes it all worthwhile, knowing that we consciously created something an audience has never seen before, and given them a glimpse into a world of musical theater possibilities they didn’t know existed. Which reminds me of a famous Sondheim lyric…
“White, a blank page or canvas. The challenge: bring order to the whole, through design, composition, tension, balance, light and harmony.” – Sunday in the Park with George
 |
L-R:
Mitch Glaser, Kila Packett, Peter Welkin, Amy Francis Schott, Luke Klipp, and
Christopher Maikish in an ALNM producers meeting |
Christopher Maikish (Founding Producer/Artistic Producer) Collaboration is key
Because our production structure encourages rotation of roles for each concert, I think it breeds empathy amongst the team and also allows us an opportunity to engage intellectually with varying parts of “putting on the show.” Most of us have volunteered more than 500 hours each since 2012, encompassing 14 LA concerts, a special San Francisco engagement at Feinstein’s, and two years of presenting the “ALNM Outstanding Songwriting Award” at the Hollywood Fringe Festival.
The hats I’ve worn in my own professional life have been as performer, graphic designer, marketing manager, hospitality, and museum administration. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that this project would end up being a great unifier of those experiences. And the time I’ve spent collaborating with writers, performers, and producers has given me the confidence to lead, and to lead with purpose.
Shaping the show
In the early days, we discussed having themed concepts for each show, but we decided that the idea of the “NEW” was more than enough. We really just want to share the songs we are most excited about. What generates that excitement? It might be a world premiere, an underserved storyline, a sophisticated melody, an unexpectedly clever lyric, an amazing new writer LA needs to meet, a show with momentum, the opportunity to break from tired casting tropes, a damn-funny song, or simply an unforgettable moment.
Programming always feels a little bit like winemaking – you’re never fully in control of what the audience will experience, but you’re after the right balance of ingredients. We lean towards keeping the night upbeat, crisp, and fun. We program an eclectic blend of musical styles and we do seek a few name performers per concert. The hard fact is that it helps create momentum for filling the room, but we love local, new talent. We look for a balance in representation for both writers and performers regarding gender, race, age, life experience, etc. Logistics don’t always let us achieve that perfectly, but these are transparent and active conversations.
A commitment to diversity
That ethos has been front and center for me since the beginning. A Little New Music is in pursuit of a future artistic world and I believe diverse representation starts with the decision makers. Female, Trans, and POC writer friends – know that we want to hear from you. If our evening of songs is serving a singular idea, for me it’s this: You are not alone and you are welcome here. All of you. Let’s celebrate.
At a time when society is receding into the numbing safety of technology, bringing the LA theater community into the same room to reflect on human life, to find an entertaining escape, or to make new connections feels more important than ever. I know performers who have found agents and lucrative projects from singing at our concerts. I know people who literally met and fell in love. And I know emerging writers now within earshot of producers we’ve had in our rooms. It’s intensely satisfying to have helped facilitate that.
 |
| Christopher Maikish and Luke Klipp |
For me personally, performance and politics have generally been separate, and the challenge in straddling two very different worlds has made committing wholly to either of them virtually impossible. What I hope people are starting to recognize within the current political climate is that there is more to life than its mere existence, and that we also need to consider what makes life worthwhile.
Musical theatre – and the arts more generally – are an invaluable element to that idea of what makes life worth living. Every single show that we have done has had moments that brought me to tears, moments that made me laugh out loud, and moments that caused me to think about my life and my role in the world. Every single show.
Amy Francis Schott (Managing Producer) Getting it done
For this particular show, I’m the utility player. Whatever needs to be done, I’ll do it. I’m a longtime stage manager so it’s natural for me to take on that role with ALNM. My other role, and the one I love the most, is writer outreach. Writers are the rockstars of my world: what they do, creating words and music which come together into more than the sum of their parts. That is the coolest thing I can imagine.
Music, music, music
We get a lot of song submissions – over 80 this last round – and there are songs we carry over because we love them and want to present them but, for whatever reason, they don’t fit into the current show we’re doing. Sometimes it’s because we can’t find the right casting or because another song we’ve chosen has too much similar DNA. We’ve held songs over 3 or 4 times, sometimes even a year, until it finds a place in the right show.
A story behind every song
Tim Rosser and Charlie Sohne are NYC writers and we’ve featured them a number of times in our concerts. When their show The Boy Who Danced on Air had its world premiere at Diversionary Theatre in San Diego last year, we were able to get the two leads to come up to LA the week after it closed to sing a duet from the show. Now the musical is about to make its Off-Broadway premiere at Abingdon Theatre Company in May.
A few years ago I met the writers of Come From Away at NAMT (National Alliance for Musical Theatre), Irene Sankoff and David Hein. We ended up having lunch together and we became Facebook friends. The next year, Come From Away was featured at NAMT. It was one of the most extraordinary musicals I’d ever seen and everyone was talking about it. Through that connection, we were able to present “Me and the Sky” from the show in our September 2014 concert. Since then, I’ve had the joy of seeing it brought fully to life at La Jolla Playhouse in 2016 and now the world can see it on Broadway!
We’ve programmed songs by established writers like Kate Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk (their new show The Mad Ones is about to go up Off-Broadway) and also up-and-comers like Michael R. Jackson. The first time we featured Kerrigan and Lowdermilk was an unusual situation. They have a friend who is an opera singer, Zach Altman, and I had seen him sing this amazing song “One Last Prayer” from their musical Republic, based on Shakespeare’s Henry VI, Parts 1 & 2 and set in Northern Ireland in the 1970s. It was stunning. Turns out, Zach was going to be in LA and we were able to make arrangements for him to come and perform with us.
The first time I heard Michael’s music was in a late night concert after NYMF (New York Musical Festival). He wrote a song called “Miss Lucy” that I fell in love with and I asked him about it after the show. Cut to later when he submitted “Bathtub At The Beverly Hills Hotel” for ALNM and we found the amazing Jasmin Richardson (who’s on tour with The Bodyguard right now) to perform it. The song is sung from Whitney Houston’s point of view in her final moments. Jasmin gave an incredible performance and it ended up becoming one of the high points of the series.
Kila Packett (Marketing Producer): Every village needs its people
There are a lot of ways we bring the people to our village. Our website, designing posters, emails, press releases, videos showcasing our writers and performers, social media posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; college outreach, musical theatre clubs, and word of mouth; returning patrons, and of course name talent!
For example, on social media, I want our followers to join us in the day-to-day journey of how we piece a concert together. Similar to how celebrities post stories on their Facebook Live and Instagram, I like to be transparent with our audience by giving them a real behind-the-scenes view of our process.
We have followers from all around the country who seek out musicals and, if we can make our routine a little more personal, it gives them a sense of being part of our community – a vibrant and constantly growing family of artists and art lovers. We are always trying new approaches for our promotional videos, and because music is such a great part of what we do, we want to challenge the listener to hear us in exciting new ways.
Can’t help falling in love
I grew up loving musicals from watching movies and TV specials, records, and cassette tapes. I remember seeing Annie in the movie theater, The Mikado on PBS, my aunt played Guinevere in a production of Camelot, and my mother owned the recording of Funny Girl but I never saw a Broadway musical live until later in life. I know there are people just like me who want to hear the newest material so it makes promoting our work that much easier. There is a huge audience out there and social media not only brings our work to the masses, it helps us find new talent. That’s what I love about being at the forefront of cutting edge musical theatre. I get to be an ambassador for lovers of this art form and help bring people together. It doesn’t get better than that.
* * * * *
A Little New Music’s producing team also includes Corey Lynn Howe, Mitch Glaser, Katherine Washington, Katie Porter, Chelsea Rae Bernier, Eran Scoggins, Michelle Lane, and musical director Gregory Nabours. Their next concert is April 24th at Catalina Bar & Grill, 6725 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Doors open at 7pm for the 8:30 pm curtain. For tickets and more information, call (323) 466-2210 or visit www.alittlenewmusic.org.
Since 2013, A Little New Music has featured over 170 songs by writers such as Sankoff & Hein, Pasek & Paul, Miller & Tysen, Ryan Scott Oliver, Carmel Dean, Kerrigan & Lowdermilk, Milburn & Vigoda, Adam Gwon, Joe Iconis, Drew Fornarola, Zoe Sarnak, Erik Przytulski, Michael Finke, Rollins & Levine, and Gregory Nabours. More than 200 performers have appeared in ALNM concerts including Daisy Eagan, Jeff Marx, John Tartaglia, Shoshana Bean, Barrett Foa, Nicole Parker, Krysta Rodriguez, and Michael A. Shepperd.
For more Musicals in LA news:
Become a Fan on Facebook
Follow Musicals in LA on Twitter
Click Here to return to home page
Labels: a little new music
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
MUSICAL NEWS for Tuesday, June 3, 2014
The Ghost of Gershwin, an original homage to George Gershwin at the Lonny Chapman Theater, through June 22
Chasing the Song, a world premiere at the La Jolla Playhouse through June 15
For the Record: Quentin Tarantino, the popular cabaret show at DBA in West Hollywood, through July 26
Dog and Pony, a world premiere at The Old Globe in San Diego, through June 29
Nickel Mines, a world premiere at UC Irvine, through June 7.
Elements, a west coast premiere by the Angel City Chorale, June 6 & 7
Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, a musical cabaret at the new Fifty-Seven in downtown LA, through June
Werewolves of Hollywood Blvd, premiering at the Hollywood Fringe Festival (Lillian Theatre), through June 28
A Little New Music, the Festival joins in showcasing songs from new musicals at Rockwell in Los Feliz on June 10.
Futurefest, the Festival’s annual marathon featuring talented high school and college talent performing songs from new musicals at Rockwell on June 11.
Artland, the first world premiere musical developed at the LA County High School of the Arts, through June 15.
30 Minute Musicals, musical satires of blockbuster movies – Independence Day and Outbreak, at the Hudson Theatre in West Hollywood, through June.
One Singular Sensation, the Festival expands to Napa for Broadway Under the Stars in June and July. For more information about all of the shows, go to www.lafestival.org.
TELEVISION: KCET will present two shows for musical fans this week. On Thurs, June 3, 2014 at 10:00 pm, they will air A Broadway Lullaby, a new documentary from award-winning director Barbara Rick. The documentary provides an unprecedented inside look at Broadway’s brightest performers, all uniting to combat breast cancer through the beauty and power of music and art. The film captures the inspiration, rehearsals, recordings and creative process of artists including Victoria Clark, Raul Esparza, Sutton Foster, Marva Hicks, Nikki M. James, Judy Kuhn, Rebecca Luker, Audra McDonald, Donna Murphy, Laura Osnes, Vanessa Williams, Charles Randolph-Wright, Stephen Schwartz, David Shire, and Jules, and musicians Larry Campbell, Dave Eggar, Taylor Eigsti, Gil Goldstein, Fred Hersch, Julian Lage, and many more. The documentary will also stream online at www.kcet.org. Click Here for more about the documentary and view the teaser below.
Then on Friday, June 6 at 8:30 pm, Dialogue With Doti, hosted by Chapman University president Jim Doti, will debut. The talk show profiles today’s leaders in business, science, the arts and more. Doti’s first episode features four-time Tony Award®-winning playwright Terrence McNally (Master Class, Ragtime, Kiss of the Spider Woman). McNally will share stories and memories of his life and discusses his play Mothers and Sons which has been nominated for a Tony Award®.
YOUTUBE: News from across the pond - Episode one if Don’t Let Go is now available on YouTube. The musical film is by Jacob William, a recent Goldsmiths University graduate, and is produced by Seth Chan and directed by Bella Barlow. Don’t Let Go tells the story of Tom (played by William) who, after a car accident leaves him in a wheelchair, fights to save the girl he loves (Annie Kirkman) from an abusive relationship (Roy Ryan). Featuring ten original songs performed live and characters like a reggae-singing Grandma (played by Juliette Kaplan of BBC’s Last Of The Summer Wine), Don’t Let Go is a heartwarming and heartbreaking story about embracing life and love in the face of sheer adversity. For more information, go to www.dontletgo.co.uk or www.jacobwilliam.co.uk or check out the video below.
SEARCH FOR NEW MUSICALS: July 15 is the submission deadline for ANMT’s annual Search for New Musicals. Entries are accepted from around the globe and winners receive awards worth up to $25,000 in workshop productions, concert readings, feedback, and developmental support. All entries will receive constructive dramaturgical feedback, and will be entered in the Search contest. The winner of the 2014 Search will be announced by November 15, and will receive a workshop with the Academy Repertory Company, detailed feedback from the ANMT staff, and will be given a concert reading in Los Angeles. Writers may submit their shows electronically via ANMT's website, or submit materials by mail after completing an online submission form. For more info go to www.anmt.org.
ANMT’s BIZ OF THE MUSICAL THEATRE BIZ CONFERENCE will take place July 18-20 at the NoHo Arts Center in North Hollywood. Sign up by June 15 and take advantage of the $100 off early registration discount. Every other year, NMI & ANMT host a prestigious conference on the business side of the musical theatre business. Panelists include award-winning writers, artistic directors, commercial producers, entertainment lawyers, agents, union reps, and social media marketing experts. For information go to www.newmusicalsinc.net and click on DEVELOP and then CONFERENCE.
ANMT BOOT CAMP: The Academy for New Musical Theatre is offering three courses this summer for musical theatre bookwriters and lyricists as part of the annual Musical Theatre Summer Boot Camp. They are:
BEATING BROADWAY - August 5, 7, 12, 14
Instructor: Scott Guy
Tues/Thur for 2 weeks; 7-10pm
Using Steve Cuden's book Beating Broadway, these four sessions will detail the 'beats' of the plot line of several successful Broadway musicals
BOOK LAB - July 12, 26, August 2, 9, 16, 23 (note no July 19)
Instructor: Elise Dewsberry
Six Saturday mornings from 10am-2pm
The Book Lab is designed as an introduction to writing the book of a musical while also outlining the collaborative steps involved in creating a new musical with the whole team.
OUTLINING ANYWHERE! - July 14, 21, 28; August 4, 11, 18
Instructor: Elise Dewsberry
Six Monday evenings from 7pm-10pm
The Outlining Lab is available in-person OR online (or a combination of the two!) Video lectures, exercises, handouts, and tests are all available online.
For complete course details, prices, early bird discounts and registration info go to www.anmt.org and click on BOOT CAMP.
Other award recipients include Sheldon Donenberg and Holly Gould for Best Actor and Actress respectively; Santa Monica High School (Pippin) for Best Musical Staging or Choreography; Marina High School (Crazy for You) for Best Costumes; The Academy of Music at Hamilton High School (Anything Goes) for Best Orchestra; Agoura High School (Into the Woods) for Best Scenic Design; and Chaffey High School (Monty Python’s Spamalot) for Best Technical Crew. www.JerryHermanAwards.com
For more Musicals in LA news:
Become a Fan on Facebook
Follow Musicals in LA on Twitter
Click Here to return to home page
Labels: a little new music, anmt, festival of new american musicals, kcet, la jolla playhouse, san diego musical theatre, the grove theatre
Friday, December 6, 2013
Musical News Around Town for Friday, December 6, 2013
Cabrillo’s terrific cast will include Roger Befeler, Scott Dreier, Jeffrey Scott Parsons, and Kurtis Simmons. All are experienced in the world of Plaid, and their combined talents make Cabrillo’s production one for the ages. In addition, original “Plaid,” Larry Raben, returns to Cabrillo to direct and Alby Potts returns as musical director. Tickets: www.ticketmaster.com. For more info go to www.cabrillomusictheatre.com.
TELEVISION: Six By Sondheim, the final film in HBO’s Fall Documentary Series will debut on Monday, December 9th (9:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT). Directed by Tony Award-winner and frequent Steven Sondheim collaborator James Lapine, Six By Sondheim is a highly personal profile of a great American artist as revealed through the creation and performance of six of his iconic songs. Told primarily in Sondheim’s own words, this feature documentary weaves together dozens of interviews with the composer, rarely seen archival material spanning more than half a century (including newly discovered footage of Ethel Merman performing Gypsy) and re-stagings of three songs produced especially for the film.
Showcase performances by Broadway and Hollywood stars such as Audra McDonald (Porgy and Bess), Darren Criss (Glee), Jeremy Jordan (Newsies) and America Ferrera (Ugly Betty) are interspersed with archival performances of Sondheim standards by stars like Bernadette Peters, Mandy Patinkin, Dean Jones, Yvonne de Carlo and Larry Kert. Additional HBO playdates: Dec. 9 (5:25 am), 12 (9:30 am & 6:30 pm), 15 (11:45 am), 17 (12:30 am), 20 (10:45 am) and 28 (2:00 pm).
FRINGE NEWS: Registration for the 5th annual Hollywood Fringe Festival begins February 1, 2014. Other important dates include:
April 1: Registration deadline for guide inclusion
June 5 – 10: Fringe Previews
June 11: Fringe Opening Night Gala
June 12 – 29: 5th Annual Hollywood Fringe Festival
June 29: Fringe Award Ceremony & Closing Night Party
The organization needs volunteers and interns throughout the year and you can learn more HERE. A venue meeting will also be held on Saturday, December 7 at 5pm in the Asylum Lab (at Theatre Asylum), 1078 Lillian Way.
Performers include Joan Almedilla, Michael Arden, Sharon Catherine Blanks and Billy Blanks, Jr., Yvette Cason, LaVance Colley, Loretta Devine, Danny Gurwin, Cliffton Hall and Deedee Magno Hall, Sam Harris, Dawnn Lewis, Andy Mientus, Nicole Parker, Jennifer Paz and Anthony Federov, Valerie Perri, Kelli Provart, Joan Ryan, Gwen Stewart, Lea Thompson, and Nita Whitaker. The benefit will be directed by Jeffrey Polk with Abdul HamidRoyal, Todd Schroeder, Gerald Sternbach, and John Gentry Tennyson serving as musical directors. Tickets: www.PasadenaPlayhouse.org or (626) 356-7529.
A Little New Music presents its final event of 2013 at Rockwell: Table & Stage on Tuesday, December 10. The fast-paced one hour program will showcase some of the best new or unheard musical theater songs by Doug Katsaros & Amanda Yesnowitz (Somewhere in Time) Joe Iconis (Smash, The Black Suits), Adam Gwon, Zoe Sarnak, Thomson & Mann, Gregory Nabours, Blaskie & Weston, Sam Wilmott, Milburn & Vigoda, Mark Allen, Rachel J. Peters, B.T. Ryback & Brian Pugach, Drew Fornarola, and Michael Finke.
Performers include Walter O’Neil, Nicci Claspell, Michael A. Shepperd, Coby Getzug, William Martinez, Anne Schroeder, James Lynch, Charissa Hogeland, Ryan McCartan, Jessica Reiner-Harris, Adam Silver, Kelsey Hainlen, Matt Merchant, Kelly Lester, Jason Peter Kennedy, and Segun Oluwadele. Jordan Kai Burnett hosts, with musical director Bryan Blaskie on keys. Doors open at 6:30pm and showtime is at 8:00pm. Tickets and info: www.alittlenewmusic.org
Ryan Black’s 88’s extends Hollywood Holidays at Don’t Tell Mama L.A. on December 11. Seats may be reserved with a dinner reservation by calling (323) 380-7209, or you can reserve online HERE. Open mic after the show. For more information go to www.facebook.com/RyanBlacks88s.
The Grove Theatre presents Great Joy – A Christmas Celebration on Sunday, December 22 at 6 pm. The staged concert will feature heart-warming traditional and unique Christmas Songs complemented by inspiring readings and dramatic moments that will brighten your holiday. Under the leadership of Brian and Jeni Stivale, the cast will transport you on a musical journey in a family-friendly celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and the great joy that this season brings to all. Tickets are $20 for adults, $17 for seniors and $15 for children and students. For more information call (909) 920-4343.
AUDITIONS: Kentwood Players will hold open auditions for Fiddler on the Roof featuring book by Joseph Stein, lyrics by Jerry Bock, and music by Sheldon Harnick on Saturday, January 11, 2014 from 11am-5pm (please arrive no later than 3pm) and on Sunday, January 12, 2014 from 6-10pm (please arrive no later than 8pm). Callbacks will be held on Monday, January 13 from 7-10pm. Auditions and performances take place at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Avenue, Westchester, CA 90045. For complete details and a breakdown of characters go to www.kentwoodplayers.org.
For more Musicals in LA news:
Become a Fan on Facebook
Follow Musicals in LA on Twitter
Click Here to return to home page
Labels: a little new music, cabrillo music theatre, HBO, hollywood fringe festival, kentwood players, pasadena playhouse, ryan black, the grove theatre, upright cabaret
Monday, September 16, 2013
What's Happening Around Town for September 16, 2013
OPENINGS: Radar L.A., an international city-wide festival of contemporary theatre is set to begin Sept. 24. Presented by REDCAT and CalArts in association with Center Theatre Group, and other local and national partners, the festival will highlight 18 influential productions including works from Latin America, the Pacific Rim and Los Angeles. I’ve highlighted four of the productions that will hold special interest for those who love music and dance but for info on all of the shows that are part of the festival, Click Here.
REDCAT (85 minutes)
Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater
631 West 2nd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 - More Info
Director & choreographer David Roussève’s dance-driven work is a coming of age story for the Twitter generation, in which the central character never makes a physical appearance. Present only in unanswered texts projected on multiple screens, a gay African-American teenager reaches out with growing urgency as the dark realities of his life become apparent. On stage the dancing unleashes a full-bodied expression of emotional states that contrast the intimate romanticism of Nat King Cole with the rough edges of original hip-hop inflected music by d. Sabela grimes, while Stardust plays out against Cari Ann Shim Sham’s immersive video imagery.
The Palace Theatre (90 minutes)
630 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90014 - More Info
Renowned theater artist Lemi Ponifasio and his New Zealand-based company MAU introduce a 10-member ensemble of Maori women who articulate a powerful and undisguised challenge – voiced through the Maori language, genealogy, spirituality and ceremony. Drawing on the tradition of Maori women as the writers of poetry and chant, this courageous work of transmission gives expression to resiliency and outrage in the face of power structures and oppression. Through oratory, choral-work and dance, the performers address issues of being Maori women in this world and turn a mirror to the massive social and political turmoil of our times.
LATC: Theater 1 (75 minutes)
514 South Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 9001 - More Info
Track 3 is Theatre Movement Bazaar’s fast-paced and inventive spin on Three Sisters, Chekhov’s turn-of-the-century play about the decay of the privileged class in Russia, and the search for meaning in the modern world. While this smart, contemporary adaptation by Richard Alger follows the main events of the original play, director and choreographer Tina Kronis incorporates elements of vaudeville, song and dance – from Russian folk to disco – to catapult the play from its Victorian origins into a 21st-century existential extravaganza.
The Million Dollar Theater (90 minutes)
307 Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013 - More Info
El Gallo mixes opera, comedy and surrealist situations to expose the anxieties that fuel creation, from the audition process through to the climactic concert. For the first act, the audience plays witness to a rehearsal process beset with wrestling matches, bared insecurities and exposed underwear. Viewers then experience the “premiere” of the completed performance. It is entirely sung - in an entirely invented language - to a series of tunes ranging from Gershwin to Middle Eastern folk songs, played by a live eight-piece orchestra. Directed by Claudio Valdés Kuri, El Gallo wittily conveys the obstacles and fears that descend on any production, and the sense of triumph that draws people back to the theater.
The Vagrancy presents the west coast premiere of Bottom of the World by Lucy Thurber, a play accompanied by live bluegrass band, Blue Bird Bandits. This quirky, emotional drama unfolds around a young woman dealing with her sister’s sudden death. Sabina Ptasznik directs the life-affirming piece which flashes back to 1910 and takes a heartfelt look at the various characters’ struggle through loss and longing, while striving for human connection. The cast includes Stephanie O’Neill, Natalie Burtney, Anne Butler, Jordan Boughrum, Jeremy Mascia, Steve Madar, Rosemary Stevens, Michael Edelstein, and musicians J Reinke and Peter Blackwelder. After the play patrons are welcome to a Vagrant Hootenanny hosted by Blue Bird Bandits. Fun, dancing and moonshine guaranteed. Oct. 12 – Nov.3 at the The Lounge Theatres in Hollywood. Click Here for tickets.
OVATION NOMINEES: Congratulations to all of the Ovation Award nominees that were announced tonight at Barnsdall Gallery Theatre in Hollywood. For a complete list of nominees Click Here. The Ovation Awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, November 3 at 7 pm at San Gabriel Mission Playhouse, 320 S. Mission Drive in San Gabriel. For more information, visit www.OvationAwards.com.
CABARET/CONCERTS: Following a sold-out May premiere, A Little New Music comes back to Rockwell: Table & Stage on September 24. The program will showcase music by award-winning writers Chris Miller & Nathan Tysen (Broadway-bound Tuck Everlasing), Carmel Dean & Sarah Underwood, and Ryan Scott Oliver (35MM), among many others and will feature performances by Barrett Foa, Julie Garnye, Tinuke Oyefule, Jessica Keenan Wynn, Gina Coconato, the cast of Third Street Theatre’s The Burnt Part Boys, and more. Jordan Kai Burnett hosts and Bryan Blaskie will be on keys. Doors open at 6:30pm and showtime is 8:00pm. Tickets and information: www.alittlenewmusic.org.
Kritzerland presents The Story Goes On: The Songs of Richard Maltby & David Shire, Monday, October 7 at 7:00 pm starring Heather Barr, Will Collyer, Ashley Fox Linton, Sally Mayes, John Sloman and Shannon Warne, with music director John Boswell. For reservations call (818) 754-8700. Cover charge $15 + $10 food minimum + $3 facility charge. Sterling’s at The Federal, 5303 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601. Click Here for more information.
For more Musicals in LA news:
Become a Fan on Facebook
Follow Musicals in LA on Twitter
Click Here to return to home page
Labels: a little new music, kritzerland, ovation awards, radar la, redcat