Friday, August 19, 2016
CABARET, FILM & DANCE NEWS for Friday, August 19, 2016
CABARET/CONCERTS
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| Kurtis Simmons |
The following Monday night (August 29) at Rockwell, Kurtis Simmons makes his LA solo debut performing songs from his critically acclaimed pop/rock CD Fraction of a Thread, along with tunes from his original musical Hipster Sweatshop (co-written with Kyle Puccia and Darryl Stephens). Music direction is by Sean Bart. Also appearing with Simmons are Jordan Kai Burnett and Nicci Claspell. Rockwell-la.com
Theatricum Botanicum’s Under the Oaks salon series returns during the month of September with four Thursday night musical performances outdoors under the California oaks in the company’s S. Mark Taper Foundation Pavilion. Sept 1 is an evening of song with actress Judy Norton. On Sept 8 it’s Roots, gospel and old school R&B with Skyrocket recording artists Little Faith. Sept 15 Tom Allard will perform Love Songs, Storytime and Moon-Madness! with musical guests. And on Sept 22, multi-instrumentalists Many Distant Cities (Clara Dykstra on accordion, ukulele and trumpet, Liz Eldridge on glockenspiel and ukulele, and Carl Turner on bass, drums and ominichord will sing about love and dying and bleeding a lot. www.theatricum.com
An Evening of Classic Broadway with Brad Ellis and Dianne Fraser returns August 22. Show features music by music by Bernstein, Sondheim, Guettel, Jason Robert Brown, Hugh Martin, Kander & Ebb sung by Julie Garnyé, Emma Ashford, Joshua Finkel, Barrett Foa, Zachary Ford, Susan Edwards Martin and Christina Saffran. Rockwell-la.com
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| Photo courtesy of Disney |
It’s hard to believe that Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is celebrating its 25th anniversary, but it is. To mark the occasion, the El Capitan theatre in Hollywood is showing the film daily, Sept 2-18, and also featuring a special appearance by Belle, live on stage before each screening. Showtimes are 10am, 1pm, 4pm & 7pm. Tuesdays are designated as Tiny Tot Tuesday and during the 10am screening, parents and small children can enjoy the movie in a tot-friendly way – with lights dimmed rather than out and with reduced sound levels. At the end of the film, families will have the opportunity take pictures with Belle on stage. For more info about special events in connection with the screenings at the El Capitan go to www.elcapitantickets.com.
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| CONTRA-TIEMPO |
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| Photo by Marc Domage |
Local favorite Diavolo – Architecture in Motion is celebrating its 25th Anniversary season by bringing Passengers, a new work, to The Broad Stage, Sept 23-25, along with audience favorite Trajectoire. Passengers takes place on and around a giant morphing staircase with multiple doors, passageways, and shifting surfaces. Here, the dancers contend with themes of journey and transition and the tenuous balance we attempt to strike each day as both indomitable drivers and unwitting passengers. Following intermission, Trajectoire takes the audience on a visceral and emotional journey through the ebb and flow of the human experience. As the performers struggle to find their balance on a voyage of destiny and destination, Trajectoire shows the transcendence of the human soul against all odds. www.thebroadstage.org
The USC Glorya Kaufman International Dance Center will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Oct 5 to celebrate its grand opening. The center will act as the new home of the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, the first new school to be established at USC in nearly forty years. “This is the largest dance-dedicated complex on a private university campus,” said Jeffrey de Caen, Associate Dean for Operations. At the Kaufman Dance Center, students will have endless tools to experiment with different settings and engage in dialogue with other performing arts disciplines both on and off campus; even its courtyard can act as a non-traditional venue space.” Kaufman.usc.edu
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Labels: el capitan, redcat, rockwell, the broad stage, theatricum botanicum
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Musical News for Thursday, August 28, 2014
“I try to break traditions, to look at something we may have all viewed many times before and see it completely differently,” says Ezralow. “With this new company of 9 dancers, I want to build a creative home for the huge amount of repertory I’ve developed around the world. Being an eclectic artist means that I’ve been lucky enough to jump from film to TV to stage, but there’s been no way until now to collect everything into a single body of work.” Tickets: (323) 461-3673 or www.FordTheatres.org. A $5 discount is available with advance purchase by Sept. 6.
CONCERTS/CABARET: Rockwell Table and Stage announces the world premiere of ROAR, choreographed by Ambrose Respicio III, musical direction by Brian Kennedy and conceived/directed by VP Boyle. Previews September 5 & 6, show opens Friday, September 12 at 8:00 pm. The cast includes Sebastian La Cause, Matt Magnusson, Briana Cuoco, Nicci Claspell, Emily Morris, Joe Donohoe, Kyra Selman, Bianca Giselle and Lexie Galante. ROAR is an immersive theatrical event with a sexy, edgy and kinetic cast that delivers gut-wrenching vocals from songs by Katy Perry, Demi Lovato, Taylor Swift, Pink, Shakira, Rihanna, Lorde, Sia, Lady Gaga, Sara Bareilles and many more. Three young women discover what it means to be truly human when they must battle for survival in their messy, private world as it crumbles. Lover. Husband. Partner. Friend. No one is left untouched as they face the strangers they thought they knew. Rockwell Table and Stage is located at 1714 N. Vermont in Los Feliz. Tickets: (323) 669-1550 x 20 or www.rockwell-la.com.
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Labels: ford amphitheatre, lewis family playhouse, pantages, rockwell
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
Saturday, April 27, 2013
What's Happening Around Town for April 27, 2013
Falcon Theatre is proud to present Troubadour Theater Company’s A Midsummer Saturday Night’s Fever Dream, directed by Matt Walker. Previews begin May 31st and the show opens Friday, June 7th at 8pm. How Deep Is Your Love for the Troubies?! Join them as they dig down to their roots and dust off their fairy wings, tights and white disco suits to re-imagine Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The star-crossed lovers steam and scheme, and the Bard‘s most famous fairy, Puck, will be Jive Talkin’ as this assorted band of merrymakers heats up into a Disco Inferno. The Night Fevers will break 104 and make you sweat, so don your halter tops and Boogie Shoes and let the Troubies melt your hearts. Feeling the fever already? Take A Fifth of Beethoven and call me in the morning! Falcon Theatre, 4252 Riverside Dr., Burbank, CA 91505. For tickets* call (818) 955-8101 or visit www.FalconTheatre.com. *Tickets go on sale May 4, 2013.
A Little New Music at Rockwell
A new musical theater event, A Little New Music, will
take place at Rockwell: Table & Stage on Tuesday May 14 at 8:00 pm. $10
plus 2-item minimum. A Little New Music is a fast-paced hour of the best new or
unheard musical theater songs out there. Whether it’s a premiere from an
established writer or an undiscovered tuner from a promising up-and-comer, its
mission is to entertain with a program that keeps your finger on the pulse. Featuring
music from Jeff Marx (Avenue Q), Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (A Christmas Story:
The Musical), Jeff Bowen [title of show], Ryan Scott Oliver, Ben Toth &
Sam Forman (Sleepless in Seattle), Gregory Nabours, Michael Mahler, Jeff Thomson
& Jordan Mann, and more. Performers will be a mix of highly established
names together with local up and coming talent. For more information visit
David O’s New Tempest
Composer David O.’s latest project is what he calls a “new
kind of opera” based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest. The piece uses the text of
the original play as the libretto for a new piece of live music-theatre,
scored-through from beginning to end for singer/actors and instrumentalists.
Collaborators include director Jessica Kubzansky (Theatre @ Boston Court), dramaturg
Dani Bedau (Shakespeare Center LA), and costume designer Ann Closs-Farley. An Indiegogo
campaign is in the works that will fund a workshop reading/singing of the first
half of it this Fall. For more information, and opportunities to help fund the
project go to www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-tempest-part-one. There are some great perks for funders available now.
The Old Globe’s 2013-14 Season Features Three Musicals
Artistic Director Barry Edelstein announced The Old
Globe’s 2013-2014 season this week, which will include a world premiere
musical, Dog and Pony, by Rick Elice and Michael Patrick Walker, as well as the
previously announced William Shakespeare/Jeff Buckley rock musical The Last
Goodbye. Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! also returns for its 16th
consecutive year.
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| Alex Timbers |
Sept. 20 – Nov. 3, 2013
The Last Goodbye
Conceived and Adapted by Michael Kimmel
Music and Lyrics by Jeff Buckley
The Last Goodbye is a musical fusion of Shakespeare’s
Romeo and Juliet and the incendiary rock songs of legendary singer-songwriter
Jeff Buckley. Directed by Broadway wunderkind Alex Timbers (Peter and the
Starcatcher, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) and choreographed by Sonya Tayeh
(“SoYou Can Think You Can Dance”), The Last Goodbye is the must-see event of the
fall season.
Nov. 16 – Dec. 28, 2013
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Book and Lyrics by Timothy Mason, Music by Mel Marvin
Original Production Conceived and Directed by Jack
O’Brien
Original Choreography by John DeLuca
Everyone’s favorite green meanie will return for his 16th
consecutive year in this heartwarming musical based on the classic book and
animated film. James Vásquez returns to direct this beloved San Diego holiday
tradition.
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| Michael Patrick Walker |
May 28 – June 29, 2014
Dog and Pony
Book by Rick Elice
Music and Lyrics by Michael Patrick Walker
From the award-winning talents behind Jersey Boys, Peter
and the Starcatcher and Altar Boyz, Dog and Pony is a romantic musical comedy
that follows Mags and Andy, a successful screenwriting team, as their professional
relationship evolves into something more. Tony Award winner Roger Rees (The
Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby) returns to the Globe to helm the world premiere of this delightful
new musical.
The season will also include the world premiere comedy,
The Few by Samuel D. Hunter (Sept. 28 -Oct. 27, 2013), the west coast premiere
of Bethany by Laura Marks, directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch (Jan. 25 - Feb. 23,
2014), Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale
(Feb. 8 - March 16, 2014), the first indoor Shakespeare production at
the Globe in over a decade, Time and the Conways by J.B. Priestley (March 29 - May 4, 2014), the California premiere of Water by the Spoonful by Quiara
Alegría Hudes (April 12 - May 11, 2014), and Vanya and Sonia and Masha and
Spike by Christopher Durang, directed by Nicholas Martin (May 17 – June 22,
2014). Season subscriptions are available now at www.TheOldGlobe.org or by
calling (619)23-GLOBE [234-5623].
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Labels: david o, falcon theatre, old globe, rockwell, troubies
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
What's Happening Around Town for November 14, 2012
A family friendly version of Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein the Musical is coming to the Hudson Backstage Theatre November 15 -18, directed by Nancy Horak and Jeff Lucas, with musical direction by Kris Feldman.Young Frankenstein the Musical, with music and lyrics by Mel Brooks and book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, is a wickedly inspired re-imagining of the Frankenstein legend based on Mel Brooks’ classic comedy masterpiece - his 1974 film, Young Frankenstein. The story follows bright young Dr. Frankenstein (that’s Fronkensteen) as he attempts to complete his grandfather’s masterwork and bring a corpse to life. The Hudson Backstage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA. 90038. For tickets and information, call (323) 960-7785 or visit www.plays411.com/youngfrankenstein.
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The Coterie is proud to present the debut performance of NYLA: Voices from Broadway on November 19 and December 17. NYLA is a group of five singers who have performed in a combined 15 Broadway shows and national tours. Join them as they recount their migration from NY to LA through hilarious anecdotes, reimagined Broadway hits, and ewly arranged a capella tunes. Featuring Joe Abraham (Hairspray, The Little Mermaid, Shrek), Eric B. Anthony (Lion King, Mary Poppins, Hairspray), Ashley Fox Linton (Wicked, Les Miserables), Michelle Loucadoux (Anything Goes, Mary Poppins, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast), and Christine Negherbon (Chicago, 42nd Street, My Fair Lady). www.brownpapertickets.com/event/294529
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Ben Rimalower brings his popular one man show Patti Issues to LA for one night only November 25 at 8pm. When Rimalower was eight years old, his father came out of the closet and embarked on a drug-fueled tear that left his family in tatters. Amid the chaos of his young life, Ben found comfort - like so many gay boys before him and after - in musical theater, and specifically in the transportive voice of Broadway star Patti LuPone. After serving as the director of numerous Off-Broadway plays, concerts and all-star benefits, Patti Issues marks Rimalower’s debut as a playwright and performer. With a mix of comic irreverence, stark candor and show-biz bravado, Patti Issues poignantly explores the challenges facing LGBT parents and children while shining unique light on gay men’s time-old obsessions with divas. Directed by Aaron Mark. Rockwell Table & Stage, 1714 N. Vermont, Los Angeles 90027 (doors open at 6:30 pm). Click Here for tickets ($20). There is also a two-drink minimum, per person.
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