L-R: Chris Bramante, Molly Dworsky, Miles Crosman, and Kat Primeau Photo credit: Mary Bonney
Socrates said, “To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom.” They are simple words but carry a profound message about how we experience the world. Applied to theatre, it is a concept that reveals why some companies are successful and others struggle. To understand what kind of art you’re making and who the audience is for it, is everything. For example, Coeurage Theatre Company owns a unique niche presenting adventurous new works under a Pay What You Want banner. Antaeus is a theatre co-op that produces classical works with seasoned artists and employs partner casting for its productions. 3-D Theatricals is known for large scale Broadway-caliber musicals, and 24th Street Theatre creates inclusive world-class family entertainment that both educates and stimulates dialogue among a diverse community. All of them know who they are. Also in this group of self-aware artists is Robot Teammate, producers of Turbulence!, a new 55-minute musical playing through June 22 at Sacred Fools Theatre. At its heart, they are a musical improv group specializing in heightened comedy, often with a sci-fi or fantasy twist. They include their audience throughout the entire process of developing a new work and one thing you can be sure of is that an RT show will be fun. Consequently, getting butts in seats isn’t a problem. Translation: If you don’t have tickets for their current run yet, get them now or prepare to be disappointed when they sell out. Consider it a $15 fun tax; it’s money well-spent. The crowd on Saturday saw the first full performance of Turbulence!, their latest space fluff adventure about a wackadoo crew aboard the S.S. Albacore, commissioned to be Earth’s last minute replacement in the annual race around the Sun. Likable but hilariously unprepared, this bunch of misfits must find a way to overcome their own oddball eccentricities and learn to work together as a team in order to best their rivals. Set to an upbeat ‘80s-style pop rock score, Turbulence! is a screwball mash-up of Friday night SyFy comedy classics and Saturday morning cartoons with colorful characters and bright, energetic choreography. Two musical departures – a hokey country “Hoedown Throwdown” style number (priceless) and a beautiful a cappella choral piece add variety. The friendly rough-and-tumble nature of the work is a good fit for those looking for an escape from the more cynical/slit-your-wrists drama one often finds at the Fringe. This is comical territory, bold and fun-loving. It won’t tax any brain cells (on purpose) but the rowdy good time it delivers is all you need. The only issue they need to rectify is the audio. While the acting is crisp, the sound over the mics is hooty and hollow with frequent feedback. A voiceover sets up the story but you can’t understand it over the band, partly because the balance is off and partly because of the garbled character choice. Once that's handled, this outer space adventure will be firing on all cylinders.
Cast: Miles Crosman (Capt. Davin Galaxy), Kat Primeau (Dr. Joules Johnson), Chris Bramante (Mick Cribbins), Dave Reynolds (Mambo 4), Molly Dworsky (Pattern MaGerk), Sam Johnides (Zorks), Branson NeJame (Malarkis/Announcer). Directed by Molly Dworsky, co-directed by Dave Reynolds. Choreography by Kat Primeau. Book & lycics by Miles Crosman & Robot Teammate. Music composed, arranged & directed by Sam Johnides with additional composition by Branson NeJame. TURBULENCE! June 10 – 22, 2017 Sacred Fools Theater 1076 Lillian Way Hollywood, CA 90038 http://hff17.com/4557 For more Musicals in LA news: Become a Fan on Facebook Follow Musicals in LA on Twitter Click Here to return to home page
Ebony Repertory Theatre will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Broadway musical Five Guys Named Moe with a new production at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center May 18 – June 11. The exuberant, international hit by Clarke Peters pays tribute to the music of rhythm and blues pioneer Louis Jordan and will be directed and choreographed by Keith Young with musical direction by the original Broadway production’s musical director Abdul Hamid Royal. It is the story of the heroic Nomax who is down on his luck. His girlfriend Lorraine has left him, he’s been drinking, and he’s listening to the radio at 4:45 am. Emerging from his radio, the Moes – No Moe, Little Moe, Four Eyed Moe, Eat Moe, and Big Moe – encourage Nomax through song and stories to turn his life around and tell Lorraine that he loves her. Starring Obba Babatundé, Eric B. Anthony, Trevon Davis, Rogelio Douglas, Jr., Jacques C. Smith, and Octavius Womack. www.ebonyrep.org
Actors Co-ops 25th Silver Anniversary season closes with Lucky Stiff, the killer musical by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. Stephen Van Dorn directs the show which is now in previews and opens May 12. Choreography is by Julie Hall and musical direction by Taylor Stephenson. This hilarious musical murder mystery farce mixes diamonds, mistaken identities and a body in a wheelchair (and puppies!) in an all singing, all dancing, killer musical comedy. Starring Claire Adams, David Atkinson, Gina D’Acciaro, Brian Habicht, Alastair James Murden, Brandon Parrish, Rory Patterson, Selah Victor, José Villarreal and Vito Viscuso. www.ActorsCo-op.org
Jaime Camil, of CW’s Jane the Virgin, will star in the Hollywood Bowl’s summer musical Mamma Mia! in the role of Sam Carmichael. The show will be directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall and conducted by David Holcenberg. Complete casting TBA. Performances at the Bowl are July 28, 29 & July 30. Single tickets are on sale now. www.hollywoodbowl.com
After Hours Theatre Company presents Benj Pasek and Justin Paul’s Dogfight at the Hudson Theatre beginning June 2. Musical direction is by Elmo Zapp, choreography by Jennifer Oundjian and co-direction by Oundjian and Jennifer Strattan. In 1963, on the eve of their deployment to a small but growing conflict in Southeast Asia, three young Marines set out for one final boys’ night of partying and debauchery. But, when Corporal Eddie Birdlace meets Rose, an awkward and idealistic waitress whom he enlists to win a cruel bet with his fellow recruits, she rewrites the rules of the game and teaches him the power of love and compassion. Starring Payson Lewis, Nicci Claspell, Trent Mills, Spencer Strong Smith, Emily Morris, Peter Allen Vogt, Stephanie Anderson, Austin Powell, Aliya Stuart, Nevada Brandt, Harrison Meloeny, Everjohn Feliciano, Emily Barnett, Erik Hall, and Jilli Marine. www.plays411.com/dogfight
The musical comedy improv group Robot Teammate premieres its original musical space race comedy Turbulence! at Sacred Fools Theater beginning June 10. It’s the year 4242 and the Intergalympics competition between humans on Earth and Mars is at a fever pitch. An epic race around the sun concludes the events, but the untimely demise of Earth’s designated competitors means the haphazard crew of the S.S. Albacore and their android assistant Mambo 4 must go to bat. What happens next is anyone’s guess. Starring Kat Primeau, Miles Crosman, Molly Dworsky, Dave Reynolds and Chris Bramante. Miles Crosman is head writer. The show is directed by Molly Dworsky and Sam Johnides is musical director. Family-friendly (ages 10+). June 10 – 22. Tickets: http://hff17.com/4557
Musical Theatre Guild has announced its upcoming 2017 – 2018 season consisting of rarely seen musicals based on popular films. They are: Sugar (Sept 24, 2017), Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Nov 12, 2017), High Society (Feb 25, 2018) and Honeymoon in Vegas (May 6, 2018). All performances will take place at the Alex Theatre in Glendale at 7pm. Season tickets go on sale in late June and single tickets in July. www.musicaltheatreguild.com
Fraser Entertainment Group presents A Classic Broadway Mother’s Day featuring a cast of mom singers and their offspring on Sunday, May 14. Doors open at 4:30 for the 6pm songfest at Rockwell Table and Stage. Hosted by Jason Graae and special guest music director Todd Schroeder and starring Tami Tappan Damiano & Dante Damiano, Chelsea Field, Chelsy Gray & Owen Bakula, Dianne Fraser & Hayley Silver, Kelly Lester & Julia Lester, and Nita Whitaker & Skye LaFontaine. Click Here for tickets. For more Musicals in LA news: Become a Fan on Facebook Follow Musicals in LA on Twitter Click Here to return to home page
Davis Gaines returns to a role that won him an Ovation Award this June, Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha, this time at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts. Glenn Casale directs, musical direction is by Jeff Rizzo and choreography is by Patti Colombo. Joining Gaines in the cast are Nikki Crawford as Aldonza and Roland Rusinek as Sancho, Rich Hebert (Padre), Michaelia Leigh (Antonia), Jenny McGlinchey (Housekeeper), Jeff Skowron (The Barber), Shannon Stoeke (Dr. Carrasco/Duke), Joseph Abrego, Greg Butler, Joe Komara, Kailyn Leilani, Rachel McLaughlan, Eric Stretch, Michael Stumpfig, Michael Thomas-Visgar, John B. Williford, and Jenna Wright. The chivalrous knight Don Quixote rides again in an unpredictable adventure that takes him into battles with an imaginary foe and into romance with the beautiful Dulcinea. June 2 – 25. www.lamiradatheatre.com
[Update as of 5/1/17 Cabaret has been postponed to Summer 2018]Up next for Celebration Theatre is Kander & Ebb’s Cabaret, directed by Michael Matthews, with choreography by the ever-creative Janet Roston and musical direction by Anthony Zediker. Alex Nee stars as the Emcee and Talisa Friedman as Sally Bowles, with Christopher Maikish (Cliff), John Colella (Ernst), Matthew Henerson (Herr Schultz), June Carryl (Fraulein Schneider), Katherine Tokarz (Fraulein Kost), Nathan Mohebbi (Bobby), Tyler Matthew Burk (Victor), Katheryne Penny (Texas), Janelle Toyami Dote (Rosie) and Alli Miller (Helga). Welcome to the Kit Kat Klub, the seediest, sexiest nightclub in Berlin where life isn’t just beautiful, it’s downright dangerous. May 26 – July 2. www.celebrationtheatre.com
Robot Teammate is releasing an original cast recording of their award-winning musical Thug Tunnel available digitally on Tuesday, May 16, 2017. They’ll be celebrating with an album release party on Saturday, May 20th so mark your calendars. The book, music & lyrics music were conceived through improvisations and refined during writing sessions with the Robot Teammate ensemble, led by director Molly Dworsky. It’s a show I called “exceptionally appealing” and “a great example of what wild imagination, a commitment to getting a little down and dirty, and reveling in the joy of the art itself, can do” when I reviewed it last summer. Featured on the cast album are Chris Bramante, Miles Crosman, Molly Dworsky, Nikki Muller, Dave Reynolds, Ingrid Gillming, Adrian Prohaska, Amanda Rae Troisi, Fayna Sanchez, and The Mother Thugger’s Band. The album will be available for purchase on Robot Teammate’s website and all major digital platforms. Visit www.robotteammate.com for more info.
Michael Leoni’s Elevator has extended its run at the Coast Playhouse in West Hollywood through the end of June. The show is a comedic and emotional ride exploring what happens when seven strangers get stuck in an elevator. In close quarters, it’s only a matter of time before the truth comes out. New to the cast are Zack Carter, Vivi Thai, David Schocke, and Amil Johnson who will be rotating roles with original cast members Devon Werkheiser, William Stanford Davis, Deborah Vancelette, David Abed, Karsen Rigby, Erica Katzin, and Kristina St. Peter. Now through June 25. www.elevatortheplay.com
The Broad Stage opens its 2017-18 season with Born for This featuring original music by GRAMMY® Award-winning artist BeBe Winans and book by Winans and Charles Randolph-Wright, who also directs the new musical. Born for This is the story of Detroit teenagers BeBe and CeCe Winans’ experience joining Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker’s Praise The Lord Network in Pineville, North Carolina. Jim and Tammy become an unlikely surrogate family as the two teenagers turn into the hottest stars in televangical America before crossing over to mainstream fame. Starring as BeBe and CeCe are their nephew and niece Juan and Deborah Joy Winans. The cast also includes Chaz Pofahl as Jim Bakker and Kirsten Wyatt as Tammy Faye Bakker, Kiandra Richardson (Whitney Houston), and Nita Whitaker (Mom Winans), Milton Craig Nealy (Pop Winans), Dyllon Burnside (Michael Winans/ Howard), Desmond Sean Ellington (Carvin Winans/Alvin), Brad Raymond (Ronald Winans) and Michael Stiggers (Marvin Winans). July 11 – August 6. www.thebroadstage.com
We The People: A Musical Revolution is the latest new work from Daniel Sugimoto and the Zoo Theatre Company. The show follows a melting pot of young American struggling to make sense of the ever-changing socio-political climate by tackling current issues such as immigration legislation, anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, and racial division in the United States. Sugimoto’s score is a blend of rock, pop opera, hip-hop, and classical musical theatre that all works together to create a revolutionary thought provoking piece. June 2 – 18 at Miles Memorial Playhouse in Santa Monica. www.TheZooTheatreCo.com
Chance Theater presents an encore presentation of Fancy Nancy, The Musical as part of its TYA series. Written by Susan DiLallo (book & lyrics) and Danny Abosch (music), directed by Angeline Mirenda, and based on original staging by Kelly Todd. The show follows Fancy Nancy and her friends Bree, Rhonda, Wanda, and Lionel as they prepare to perform in their very first show, Deep Sea Dances. Nancy is positive (that’s fancy for “100 percent sure”), that she and Bree will be picked to be mermaids. When another girl wins the coveted role, Nancy is stuck playing a dreary, dull tree. What’s a girl to do? May 5 – 28. www.chancetheater.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
