Sunday, July 16, 2017
Photo Flash: PETER PAN at Cabrillo Music Theatre
Yvette Lawrence directs Cabrillo Music Theatre’s production of Peter Pan, a family friendly musical where fairies, pirates, Lost Boys, and Indians all inhabit a magical world. The show is based on J.M Barrie’s story, with music by Mark Charlap and Jule Styne, and lyrics by Carolyn Leigh, Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and features musical direction by Dan Redfeld and choreography by Cheryl Baxter. Now through July 23, 2017 at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. Photo credit: Ed Krieger www.cabrillomusictheatre.com
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Monday, August 29, 2016
MUSICAL NEWS for Monday, August 29, 2016
MUSICAL NEWS
An all-star ensemble joins For The Record when it returns to Los Angeles with a new production, For The Record: Scorsese - American Crime Requiem, kicking off the 2016-17 season at The Wallis, Sept 21-Oct 16. Show will feature Tony Award-winner John Lloyd Young, Tony Award-nominee Carmen Cusack, American Idol’s Pia Toscano, Lindsey Gort (The Carrie Diaries), Grammy Award-nominee B. Slade, and For The Record alums James Byous, Dionne Gipson, Olivia Harris, Doug Kreeger, Justin Mortelliti, Jason Paige, and Zak Resnick. The performance will highlight 40 years of Scorsese’s storytelling through films like GoodFellas, Casino, The Departed, The Wolf of Wall Street and more on a massive four tier stage.
“Over the past year, we have been expanding the For The Record brand outside of Los Angeles by presenting our 1980’s inspired Brat Pack show on the Norwegian Cruise Line’s Escape, opening Baz (Luhrmann) - Star Crossed Love at The Palazzo Theater in Las Vegas, and most recently announcing a partnership with dick clark productions and ABC to develop the series as live musical events for the network,” said co-creator/Executive Producer Shane Scheel. “We are thrilled to finally be back home in Los Angeles with this new partnership at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.” www.thewallis.org
Chromolume Theatre presents Jason Robert Brown’s song-cycle Songs For A New World, directed by James Esposito, with musical direction by Daniel Yokomizo, Sept 9-25. Cast includes Bailey Humiston, Matt Mancuso, Teresa Tracy, Kenny Gary, Samantha Lawrence, James Esposito, and Bonnie Sludikoff. The show is about “one moment, hitting a wall and having to make a choice, or to take a stand, or to turn around and go back.” www.crtheatre.com
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| Pilobolus' Shadowland. Photo by Ian Douglas |
FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT
Pilobolus’ amazing spectacle of inventiveness, Shadowland, returns to Southern California on Sunday, Oct 2 at 3:00pm to kick-off VPAC’s popular Family Matinee Series. Created by famed dance company Pilobolus after years of experimentation with short-form shadow play, Shadowland is part shadow act, part dance, part circus and part concert. It was conceived in collaboration with Steven Banks, lead writer for the playfully surreal animated series SpongeBob SquarePants, and is propelled by a rhythmic original score by David Poe. Shadowland is the storybook journey of a young girl coming of age, funny and sensational, told with Pilobolus’ signature fusion of shadow, theatre and dance. valleyperformingartscenter.org
The Arcadia Performing Arts Foundation presents the Shanghai Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China on Friday, Sept 23 at 8pm. For over fifty years, the Shanghai Acrobats have proven to be one of the most influential and competitive acrobatic companies in China. The company’s acrobats, jugglers and contortionists create a performance highlighted by specially designed backdrops, lighting and music that promises to entertain and enlighten people of all ages. www.arcadiapaf.org
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Labels: arcadia perf arts center, cabrillo music theatre, chromolume theatre, garage theatre, the wallis, valley performing arts center
Saturday, October 17, 2015
First Look: Cabrillo Music Theatre's DAMN YANKEES
Cabrillo Music Theatre’s season opens with Damn Yankees, directed by Kirsten Chandler, playing now through October 25, 2015 at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. Aging, die-hard Washington Senators baseball fan Joe Boyd will do anything for the Senators to beat the New York “damn” Yankees and win the pennant...even make a deal with the devil. See what happens in the baseball musical that will have you singing and dancing right along with it. Tickets are available at www.cabrillomusictheatre.com. Batter up! |
| Katheryne Penny and the Ballplayers |
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| Renée Marino (Lola) and the Boys |
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| John Sloman (Applegate), John Atkins and Sarah Tattersall (Meg Boyd) |
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| Renée Marino (Lola) and John Sloman (Applegate) |
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| Travis Leland (Joe Hardy) and Renée Marino (Lola) |
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| Katheryne Penny and the Ballplayers |
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| The Ballplayers |
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| Sarah Tattersall (Meg) and Travis Leland (Joe) |
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| Renée Marino (Lola) and the Boys |
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| Katheryne Penny and the Ballplayers |
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Labels: cabrillo music theatre
Monday, July 20, 2015
Photo Flash: OKLAHOMA! Now Playing at Cabrillo Music Theatre
Once upon a time, musical theatre was a sometimes-random collection of songs, dances, and comedy bits. Then, along came OKLAHOMA!, the first collaboration between Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. By pushing boundaries and creating new theatrical devices, OKLAHOMA! reinvented the musical theatre genre. Cabrillo Music Theatre’s production runs through Sunday, July 26 in the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd in Thousand Oaks. There will be a signed performance for the deaf and hard-of-hearing on Friday, July 24th, at 8:00 pm. Tickets: www.cabrillomusictheatre.com |
| Callandra Olivia as Laurey and Dan Callaway as Curly. Photos by Ed Krieger |
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| Josh Switzer as Will Parker and the cast of Oklahoma! |
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| Josh Switzer (Will Parker) and dancers |
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| Callandra Olivia (Laurey), Dynell Leigh (Aunt Eller), Melanie Mockobey (Ado Annie), and Damon Kirsche (Ali Hakim) |
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| Tim Campbell, Dan Callaway and the ensemble |
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Labels: cabrillo music theatre
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Review: The Ladies Rule in Cabrillo Music Theatre's COMPANY
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| Alxander Jon and the company of Company |
A noticeably long, drawn-out silence opens Cabrillo Music Theatre’s production of Company as 35-year old Robert (Alxander Jon) comes home to his empty New York bachelor pad. It is the final moment of solitude before the coordinated cacophony of voices begins in Nick DeGruccio’s sleekly directed revival of Stephen Sondheim (music & lyrics) and George Furth’s (book) 1970 classic. Loaded with unspoken thoughts and full of anticipation, the silence acts like a laser to focus the audience’s attention making it a dynamic way to open the show.
In a nutshell, Company is a series of unrelated scenes and songs about marriage that express the good and the bad of relationships written in a variety of musical styles that complement their disparate ideas. The glue that connects them is Robert but scenes still jump around in no particular order. Sondheim himself has said that the musical isn’t linear but that the entire three hours takes place in a flash in Robert’s mind, much like a momentary reflection on the question of remaining single.
There is irony in the very bones of the piece with few characters saying out loud what they really mean. Dysfunction is a common theme in all of the relationships. Sarah (Elissa Wagner) and Harry’s (Michael Andrew Baker) constant bickering dissolves into a hilariously uncomfortable game of one-upmanship that covers their not-so-secret coping mechanisms (he drinks, she eats). But when Robert asks Harry later if he’s happy being married he says you’re always sorry, always grateful. It’s a poignant moment that demonstrates our need for love and connection, no matter how difficult it might be to make a relationship work.
Susan (Elizabeth Eden) and Peter (James Padilla), the perfect couple, tell Robert that although they are continuing to live together, they’ve recently gotten divorced and couldn’t be happier...together. Amy (Shelley Regner) and Paul (Nick Tubbs), on the other hand, are about to be married, if she can get past a seriously funny case of cold feet. A disillusioned Joanne (Tracy Lore) throws sarcastic barbs at her husband, Larry (Paul Babb), who still says he’ll never leave her, and a straight-laced Jenny (Heather Dudenbostel) pretends to like smoking pot just to please her husband David (Kevin F. Story).
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| Shelly Regner and Alxander Jon |
Although Robert is the central character in Company, Cabrillo’s production belongs to the ladies. Regner makes “Getting Married Today” a bona fide showstopper as the crazy, hyperventilating bride who spits out more words than you can believe possible. Sondheim’s lyrics are masterpieces of internal dialogue, each one more distinctive and revealing than the next. Lore bites into Elaine Stritch’s signature song “Ladies Who Lunch” with unbridled ferocity and Chelsea Emma Franko makes “Another Hundred People” the showpiece you hope it will be. Franko, Jane Papageorge (April) and Aly French (Kathy) are also featured in the girlfriend trio “You Could Drive A Person Crazy,” a great little comedy song and dance number about the song and dance that Robert is giving them as he avoids commitment. They have a terrific blend and choreographer Cate Caplin adds some smooth dance moves to go with it.
Much of Caplin’s choreography highlights the subtext of DeGruccio’s staging by creating a pack vs. lone wolf series of visuals. The ensemble sings, dances, and moves toward Robert as he holds fast to his side of the line. The Act II opening song “Side By Side” builds until it becomes an exciting full-on circus production number that swells to a thrilling climax.
Jon has a lovely voice but not enough presence to match the energy of the women around him. Consequently, his songs become stand and sing moments that don’t really connect with the audience nor do they have the impact they should. Musical director Cassie Nickols’ orchestra, placed upstage center but in view just beyond the set, does a beautiful job with Sondheim’s complicated and quirky score.
DeGruccio stages the musical on a stunning multi-level skeletal set design by Tom Buderwitz. Its steel gray walkways, platforms, and staircases form the framework of Robert’s Manhattan apartment building and suggest the rest of the indoor and outdoor locations with only a change of minimalist furniture: a shag rug and bean bag chairs for a living room, a bench for Central Park, a cocktail table for an uptown happy hour. Above are a series of modernist cutouts that represent an abstract New York skyline. Jean-Yves Tessier’s lighting defines the changing space and captures the light of specific times of day quite beautifully. More than anything, though, it is Thomas Marquez’s costumes and Cassie Russek’s hair & makeup that give Company its mod throwback feel.
Company is being presented in the Scherr Forum, the smaller of the two theaters at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza and it’s a good fit for the intimate production. Music lovers, and especially lovers of Sondheim’s exquisitely detailed songs, will find a myriad of emotions hidden in the spaces between the words. Here’s to the ladies whose company makes this theatrical birthday party a musical feast.
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| Jane Papageorge and Alxander Jon |
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| Alxander Jon and Tracy Lore |
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| Chelsea Emma Franko and Alxander Jon |
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| Michael Andrew Baker, Alxander Jon, and Elissa Wagner |
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| Alxander Jon and Aly French |
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| Kevin F. Story, Heather Dudenbostel, and Alxander Jon |
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| Alxander Jon and the company of Company |
January 23 - February 8, 2015
Cabrillo Music Theatre
Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza
Scherr Forum Theatre
2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd. in Thousand Oaks
Tickets: (800) 745-3000
www.cabrillomusictheatre.com
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Labels: cabrillo music theatre
Thursday, December 18, 2014
MUSICAL NEWS for Thursday, December 18, 2014
The cast will feature Noah Parets as Billy (National Tour, Billy Elliot), Vicki Lewis as Mrs. Wilkinson, Jake Kitchin as Michael (Broadway & National Tour, Billy Elliot), Jamie Torcellini as George, Marsha Waterbury as Grandma, Kim Huber as Billy’s Mum, Brandon Forrest as Adult Billy, Neil Dale as Mr. Braithwaite, Sammy Gayer as Debbie, and in the ensemble: Andrew Blake Ames, Brooke Besikoff, Emma Bradley, Michael Dotson, Jeremy Duvall, Zachary Hess, Olivia Knox, Emilie Lafontaine, Tyler Ledon, Julia Nicole Massey, Jenna McConnell, Bruce Merkle, McKenna Perez, Gary Lee Reed, Benni Ruby, Brian Steven Shaw, Hannah Jean Simmons, Ashley Kiele Thomas, Brooklyn Vizcarra, and Justin Wilcox. Tickets: (562) 944-9801, (714) 994-6310 or www.lamiradatheatre.com
REDCAT presents the world premiere of Half Life, the newest work by Los Angeles multimedia ensemble Cloud Eye Control, Jan. 15 - 18, 2015. Cloud Eye Control was formed in 2006 by the Los Angeles based trio of animator and media artist Miwa Matreyek; composer, writer, and performer Anna Oxygen (Anna Huff); and theater director Chi-wang Yang, all known internationally for their stunning work individually and as a multimedia collective. A deeply expressive lamentation of fierce urgency, their latest multimedia production is an imagistic, visceral work inspired by the nervous fear felt in the wake the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. It features Cloud Eye Control’s signature hybrid performance style that mixes projected animation, live performance, and a live soundtrack of original electronic music.
The story centers around two women who literally and figuratively live on opposite sides of the world. When an unknown cataclysmic force disrupts both of their lives, each is compelled to embark on a journey to locate its source. Cloud Eye Control transforms the stage into an imaginative landscape with several customized, moveable screens full of lush animations where live actors interact in the layered space to create imaginative and odd encounters between the virtual and the physical. The original score, sung by the performers with a live band, brings a rock concert dynamism to the moody and atmospheric world. Click Here for more information or call (213) 237-2800.
ComeTogether A BeatlesTribute - Trailer 2014
.Devolver Digital Films is proud to announce the digital VOD release of The Beatles tribute documentary, Come Together Feb. 3, 2015. Directed by Steve Ison and John Scofield, Come Together features performances by ten of an estimated 8,000 international Beatles tribute bands keeping the legacy of The Fab Four alive around the world. Come Together was filmed primarily in and around Liverpool, the birthplace of The Beatles – including the world famous Cavern Club where they were discovered – during International Beatleweek, five decades after the band was formed in 1960. Julia Baird, the sister of John Lennon, narrated the film. In addition to entertaining viewers, Come Together demonstrates the impact of The Beatles on global culture. For more information, visit www.cometogethermovie.com
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Labels: cabrillo music theatre, la mirada theatre, redcat
Friday, November 14, 2014
First Look: MEMPHIS at Cabrillo Music Theatre
Cabrillo Music Theatre kicks off its 2014-15 season with Memphis, opening tonight and running through November 23. From the underground dance clubs of 1950s Memphis, Tennessee, Memphis is the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical that bursts off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs, and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love setting its story of tolerance and the pursuit of happiness to a classic rock beat. Robert W. Schneider directs. Get your tickets now! For more information go to www.cabrillomusictheatre.com.Click Here for discounted tickets.
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| Lakeisha Renee Houston, Todd Abramson and the ensemble of Memphis. Photos by Ed Krieger |
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| The Beale Street Ensemble |
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| Todd Abramson (top) and the Beale Street Ensemble |
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| Lakeisha Renee Houston and Todd Abramson |
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| Lakeisha Renee Houston and Todd Abramson |
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| Keith Jefferson, Lakeisha Renee Houston, and the Beale Street Ensemble |
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| Todd Abramson and Linda Kerns |
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| Lakeisha Renee Houston and Ensemble |
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Labels: cabrillo music theatre
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Musical News for Tuesday, August 19, 2014
The three other plays include the west coast premiere of Abigail/1702 in which Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa picks up the tale of Arthur Miller’s child-villain Abigail Williams ten years after The Crucible; a 30th anniversary production of August Wilson’s modern American classic, Fences; and the Los Angeles premiere of David Ives’ adaptation of Jean-François Regnard‘s 18th century French classic, The Heir Apparent. For more information and to subscribe to the 2014 season, please call (562) 436-4610 or go to www.InternationalCityTheatre.org.
Valley Performing Arts Center on the campus of California State University, Northridge presents the OBI-Award winning SITI Company’s Café Variations on Tuesday, September 30 at 7:30 pm. SITI was founded in 1992 by Anne Bogart and Tadashi Suzuki to redefine and revitalize contemporary theater in the United States through an emphasis on international cultural exchange and collaboration. SITI combines theater, dance and the music of George and Ira Gershwin in its six-actor version of Café Variations, a theatrical exploration of life, love and identity in an unabashedly romantic celebration of café culture. Shown in the intimate Plaza del Sol, tickets range from $55 to $65. For tickets and a complete calendar of VPAC events visit www.valleyperformingartscenter.org.
Cyrano meets The Sopranos in Serrano, the Musical, a new musical based on the French classic Cyrano De Bergerac set in New York’s Little Italy directed by Joel Zwick, featuring book & lyrics by Madeline Sunshine and music by Robert Tepper. Click Here to check out their Indiegogo campaign. For more about the musical visit www.serranothemusical.com.
CABARET/CONCERTS: Reaching for the Stars: A Cabrillo Cabaret will take place on Monday, August 25 at 8:00 pm at the Lyric Theatre, 520 N La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036. Stars from Cabrillo past and present will join forces for this evening of entertainment to raise funds for the company. Performers include Kelli Provart, Jim J. Bullock, Harley Jay, Shannon Warne, Jeffrey Scott Parsons, Zachary Ford, Natalie Storrs and many more. Musical direction is by Cassie Nickols. Tickets are $20 at www.cabrillomusictheatre.com.
Rockwell Table and Stage has announced its September line-up. Highlights include:
Disney Dreams: Broadway Sings Disney (Sept. 4, 11, 18 & 25 at 8:00 pm)
Broadway performers share the love of Disney through songs and storytelling immediately followed by You Sing Disney – Open Mic at 11:30 pm.
Broadway Barre (Monday, Sept. 8 at 8:00 pm)
Hosted by Kate Pazakis with Brian Kennedy at the Piano, this monthly event is where LA’s vibrant musical theater community comes together to enjoy each other’s company as well as perform for each other.
A Little New Music 6 (Tuesday, Sept 23 at 8:00 pm)
This fast-paced hour of the newest or unheard musical theatre material is hosted by Jordan Kai Burnett and will showcase songs by award-winning writers Buck & Acquisto, Michael Gordon Shapiro, Drew Fornarola, Adam Gwon, Andrew Gerle, Michael Finke, Rosser & Sohne, Atkins & Segal, Salmond & Aronson, Defoe & Sinutoke, Wilmott & Stevens, Sankoff & Hein, and Daniel Maté. Special appearances by musical comedy duo Schoolcraft & Murray, and back by popular demand, Milburn & Vigoda.
For reservations and info about Rockwell’s complete schedule of performances go to www.rockwell-la.com.
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Labels: cabaret at the merc, cabrillo music theatre, international city theatre, laguna playhouse, rockwell, valley performing arts center