Monday, July 9, 2012
Performance Riverside Holds INTO THE WOODS Auditions
Performance Riverside announces open call auditions for professional non-union performers for Into the Woods, July 30 at 6pm, with callbacks on Tuesday, July31. Auditions will take place at Landis Performing Arts Center on the Riverside City College campus, 4800 Magnolia Avenue, Riverside. Director: Valerie Rachelle. Music Director/ Conductor: Scott Smith. Producing Artistic Director: Matt Neves.
Prepare 16-bars to showcase the skills necessary to perform this musically challenging work by Steven Sondheim. Bring sheet music; an accompanist will be provided. Please bring photo/resume and come prepared to list any conflicts you have with the rehearsal schedule. All roles are open. Casting for:
Baker's Wife (Mezzo - G to high F) 25 to 40
Narrator/Mysterious Man (Baritone - G to high E)
Cinderella (Soprano - G to high G) 18 – 26
Jack (Tenor - A to high G) 18 - 26
Jack's Mother (Soprano - B to high F#) 35 – 55
Witch (Mezzo - low F to high F) 30 - 45
Rapunzel (Lyric Soprano - C to high A#) 18 - 28
Little Red Riding Hood (Mezzo - B to high F) 18 – 25 to play 12 - 15
Rapunzel's Prince (Baritone/Tenor - C# to high E) 22 - 35
Cinderella's Prince (Baritone/Tenor - B to high Gb) 22 - 35
Wolf (Dark Baritone - B to high )
Prince's Steward - 22 to 45
Florinda & Lucinda - (Mezzo - C to high E) 20 to 30
Cinderella’s Father
Cinderella’s Mother, Granny, and Giant - 38 to 60
Snow White and Sleeping Beauty - 18 to 25
Stepmother (Mezzo - A# to high F) 40 to 55
Weekend and evening rehearsals begin August 20, with performances September 21 - 30, 2012. Performance Riverside encourages individuals of any age, race, color, national origin, religion, disability or sexual orientation at all of its auditions. All performances are at Landis Performing Arts Center at 4800 Magnolia Ave. in Riverside. For more information about the auditions call their audition hotline at 951-222-8485 or visit www.performanceriverside.org.
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Labels: performance riverside
Sunday, November 9, 2014
MUSICAL NEWS for Sunday, November 8, 2014
The Playhouse also announces the centerpiece of its 2015 Without Walls (WoW) Festival: Healing Wars, conceived, directed and choreographed by internationally-renowned choreographer Liz Lerman. The show’s run will culminate at the 2015 WoW Festival taking place Oct. 9 – 11. Also part of the season is the previously-announced world-premiere musical Up Here, featuring book, music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, directed by Alex Timbers. Tickets are available by subscription at (858) 550-1010 or online at www.lajollaplayhouse.org.
HOLIDAY: Belting out the Hallelujah Chorus has become an exhilarating and joyous holiday tradition, and the Los Angeles Master Chorale’s (LAMC) famed Messiah Sing-Along, conducted by artistic director Grant Gershon, continues to reign supreme as the ultimate must-do for sing-along fans on Sunday, Dec. 7th, 7:00 pm, at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Sopranos, altos, tenors and basses of all abilities – even those with no singing experience – are welcome to the Chorale’s 34th Annual Sing-Along, in which the 2,100-member audience becomes the choir. The performance features a professional orchestra and quartet of professional soloists from the Chorale, including Holly Sedillos, soprano; Janelle DeStefano, mezzo soprano; Ben Cortez, tenor; and David Castillo, baritone. Messiah scores are available for $10 at the door. Tickets: (213) 972-7282 or www.lamc.org.
Performance dates and locations include:
Nov 29-30: Arcadia Performing Arts Center, Nov 29-30
Dec 6-7: Lewis Family Playhouse, Rancho Cucamonga
Dec 13-21: Bridges Auditorium, Claremont
Dec 27: Fox Performing Arts Center, Riverside
CABARET: Monday, Nov. 10 at 8:00 pm - Simply Scott Alan, An intimate concert with composer Scott Alan and today’s brightest stars. Alan returns to Rockwell: Table & Stage in an evening of songs featured from his five successful albums including Dreaming Wide Awake, Keys, What I Wanna Be When I Grow Up, LIVE and Anything Worth Holding on To as well as songs from his musicals, Home & ifi. Tickets: (323) 669-1550 x 20 or www.rockwell-la.com.
Monday, Nov. 17 at 8:00 pm – Bret Shuford: Charming, A Tale of an American Prince
Why should the Princesses get all the glory? In Charming, Bret Shuford tells the tale of one Prince’s trek from the faraway Kingdom of Texas to a castle in The East Village. Shuford’s quest is highlighted by the music of Sondheim, Lutvak, Prince and more, with a little Disney magic thrown in for good measure. Friendship bracelets, giants and maybe even a furry woodland creature help guide this Prince along the way. Musical Direction is by Tracy Stark, Direction by Lennie Watts. Tickets: (323) 669-1550 x 20 or www.rockwell-la.com.
Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 8:00pm – The Hollywood Jane Revue: We’re Just Drawn to That, A Burlesque Tribute to Animation. The show brings your favorite animated characters to life on the stage to tantalize and tease you. From Frozen to Venture Bros., From Archer, to Scooby Doo, we’re covering the world of animation with our discarded clothing. Burlesque by Blanche Bourgeois, Georgia O’Queef, Captain Androgyny, Brandy Snifter, Tiffy Twister, Lana Entendre, Gwen Ruby, Robin Switch, Veronica Voss, Amber Dextrous, and Captain Jack Heartless. Magic by: Scott Marshall. Hosted by Charles Eights. Tickets: (323) 669-1550 x 20 or www.rockwell-la.com.
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Thursday, January 17, 2013
What's Happening Around Town for January 17, 2013
Stages of Gray Theatre in Pasadena announces that the world premiere comedy/revue Doctor, Doctor!, written by Randall Gray, will open its inaugural season. It will run Feb. 1 - March 24 at Stages of Gray Theatre, 299 N. Altadena Dr., Pasadena, CA 91107. Set to a score comprised of pop standards, the show provides laughter, singing and dancing in a look at the lighter side of healthcare in the era of reform. Artistic Director Randall Gray will direct a cast that includes Scott Alin, Cody Bushee. Christine Cater, Jon Christie, Mark Colbenson, Sara Davenport, J.D. Driskill, Michelle Feng, Neil Lewis, Richard Lee, Bear Manescalchi, Lisa Marie, Eliezer Ortiz, Wendy Rostker, Samantha Vandellon, Sarajane Williams, Barbara Woods and Claudia Zielke. Choreography is by Ali Whitman and the technical director is Alexander Nifong. For tickets call (866) 811-4111 or visit www.stagesofgray.com.
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Gifts of Love: The Words and Music of Stephen Schwartz, a benefit concert, will be presented on Sunday, February 10th at Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood, 6725 Sunset Blvd. just east of Highland. Doors open at noon for a sumptuous brunch/lunch buffet. Entertainment (suitable for all ages) will begin at 1:00 pm. Tickets are $50 per person for food and entertainment (tax and gratuity included; full no-host bar also available.) Click Here for tickets.
Musical Directors Mitch Kaplan and Valerie Taylor, with Scott Olsen on Bass and Denise Fraser on Drums, lead a first-rate line-up of singers from the musical theatre world, performing the songs of Stephen Schwartz from such shows and films as Wicked, Pippin, The Baker’s Wife, Working, Godspell, Children of Eden, Rags, The Magic Show, Enchanted, Hunchback, Phcahontas, The Prince of Egypt and more. The show will be hosted by True Blood’s Carolyn Hennesy. All proceeds will benefit the Musical Theatre Programs at both campuses (Culver City and Valley Glen) of Summit View School. Summit View is dedicated to educating young people with learning differences. A commitment to maximizing each student's potential and performance forms the foundation of the school's educational program. www.summitview.org
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Cindy Williams, of Laverne and Shirley, fame will star in Nunset Boulevard on Saturday, January 26 at 8pm at the Fox Performing Arts Center. The Little Sisters of Hoboken have gone Hollywood in the highly anticipated, latest installment of Dan Goggin’s international smash-hit Nunsense franchise. Nunset Boulevard follows the latest exploits of The Little Sisters of Hoboken, who have been invited to perform at the Hollywood Bowl. They are thrilled at the prospect until they arrive and realize that they are booked into the Hollywood Bowl-A-Rama - a bowling alley with a cabaret lounge - and not the famed “Bowl” they were imagining. Fox Performing Arts Center is located at 3801 Mission Inn Avenue in Riverside. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster or at the box office located at 3801 Mission Inn Avenue in Riverside. The Box Office Phone number is: (951) 779-9800.
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After a short hiatus, Dan Callaway’s musical theatre workshop will be back in February. Thoughts from Dan about upcoming sessions: “The workshop is going to be a place for you to build your skills as well as your community. We are not in this in isolation, and class is going to be more and more a place where we collaborate and help each other out. We're going to eat together, and we're going to take our music into the community. More on this later. There will also be more opportunities for you to perform. I’m ganging up with lots of my friends and colleagues, and we’re coming up with some great ideas for showcases and other ways that will give you goals and performance opportunities that will inspire you to reach your own next level.”
Upcoming Schedule:
February: Theme and Industry Guest TBA next week
Thursday Feb. 7, 7-10
Tuesdays, Feb 12, 19, and 26, from 7:00 - 10:00 pm
March: Sondheim Workshop
Tuesdays, March 5, 12, 19, 26 from 7:00 - 10:00 pm
We'll put together a showcase of Sondheim songs and scenes that will be performed in a workshop setting for industry guests at the end of the month.
Workshop fee is $300/month. Send Dan an email at dan@MyLAVoiceTeacher.com to reserve a spot.
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One Night Stand
And in theatres, one night only: One Night Stand, a behind the scenes look at Broadway’s zany 24 Hour Musicals will be shown in theaters nationwide on January 30 at 7:30 pm local time. This is your opportunity to get an inside look at the process of some of Broadway and Hollywood's greatest actors, directors and writers as they write, cast, rehearse and perform four short musicals in just 24 short hours. Tickets can be purchased at www.fathomevents.com.
Live at the RRazz Room
Erich Bergen, currently starring as Billy Crocker in the national tour of Anything Goes, is set to bring his one-night-only concert to San Francisco’s premiere nightclub, Live At The RRazz, on Monday, January 28 at 8pm. Bergen is perhaps best known for his critically acclaimed performance as Four Seasons member Bob Gaudio in the first national tour and Las Vegas companies of the Broadway smash Jersey Boys. With musical direction by Michael Orland, Bergen’s concert will feature new material, including songs from Hero, Jersey Boys, and his CD, The Vegas Sessions. Tickets are on sale now at www.LiveAtTheRRazz.com, or by calling (800) 380-3095.For more Musicals in LA news:
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Labels: catalina jazz club, fox performing arts center, Rrazz Room, stages of gray
Saturday, August 29, 2015
Review: Sondheim Two Ways – Examining Assassins and UnScripted
Using the suggestions of a family heirloom and a sequence of four notes volunteered by the audience, eight actors, a pianist, and a lighting improviser weave a Sondheim-esque tale of love, loss, and lessons learned reminiscent of the sights and sounds of Into the Woods, Company, Sweeney Todd, Side By Side By Sondheim, and more.
It’s all here: the challenging vocal lines, romantic swells, dissonant harmonies, and overlapping counterpoint accompanying a journey that teaches its characters about the world. Funny, heartwarming, and full of surprises, it’s all-Sondheim, all the time, and only you get to see it this time before it’s gone forever.
As with The Troubies, Falcon Theatre’s normal summer resident laugh company, a great deal of the fun is in the moments that go awry – Lisa Fredrickson trying to sit up on a ledge and not quite getting there but not pretending it didn’t happen, Kelly Holden Bashar responding with a line of dialogue full of accidental sexual innuendo and then watching her realize it after the audience gets it first, and those meta moments when the lyrics turn in on themselves to capture not only what is happening in the story but the plight of the actors as well.
These crafty adventurers will chew on an idea as long as they can to see where it goes, and while not every thread leads to the promised land, the skill of this merry band is never in question.
The work is a completely collaborative effort so it’s hard to single out any one individual however, at this performance, showstopping turns by Michele Spears in a song and dance sequence turned production number and Cory Rouse’s lighthearted rapid patter songs went above and beyond in the category of “thinking on one’s feet.” Brian Michael Jones and Brian Lohman also created a completely unexpected and wholly satisfying story arc for their buddy characters that could never have been planned. Hilarious and intellectual…we never saw it coming. Come to think of it, they probably didn’t either.
But the star player in the company this time around is musical director Peter Smith on piano. His background in jazz is a definite asset in crafting this kind of improvised madness. It requires a unique ability to be both ahead of the actors and present to their immediate musical needs to continually propel the action forward. Smith does all that and more.
Over at the 99-seat Pico Playhouse, Red Blanket Productions is mounting a revival of Sondheim’s darkly comic musical Assassins, a thought-provoking examination of historical figures whose only claim to fame was killing, or attempting to kill, a U.S. President. First produced off-Broadway in 1990, the show experienced a number of complications before its circuitous path finally led to Broadway in 2004, where it won five Tony Awards.
For that production the roles of the Balladeer and Lee Harvey Oswald were played by the same actor for the first time – Neil Patrick Harris – a choice that added a decidedly unsettling quality to the production. After bonding with a wholesome fresh-faced narrator for three quarters of the show, the audience suddenly watches him morph into the killer who takes down President John F. Kennedy in the eleventh hour. The decision to combine the roles was so powerful that, though not required, it is often duplicated in productions, even today.
That isn’t the case with Dan Fishbach’s remount at Pico Playhouse. Sean Benedict plays the tormented Oswald and Nick Tubbs, the enthusiastically happy Balladeer. Goaded by John Wilkes Booth (Travis Rhett Wilson) and the rest of the assassins, Oswald’s bullet finds its target and the world changes forever. The production’s final tableau always hits an audience in the gut regardless of how successful the scenes leading up to it have been.
For the show to work, a director needs to achieve a balance between the presentational aspects of the writing (which is responsible for much of the show’s comedy) and the intricately nuanced inner life of the characters. Each one honestly believes the words he or she says and that truth must come through, especially if their performances are pushed to the broad end of the spectrum. Broad can be funny but it must be truthful first, otherwise the actors end up acting twice as hard to make sure their bit is funny. When that happens their words ring a notch emptier and the audience doesn’t feel the punch of how pathetically horrifying their actions really are. Or, they become a one-note character – angry, sloppy, or crazy are the three choices that seem to be most popular.
Normally staged in a carnival-like setting, Alex Kolmanovsky’s captivating design jettisons the dark affair to a kind of surreal purgatory. Here the killers are found out of time in a midway where presidents’ faces pop up as targets in a shooting range and ensemble members peer through what looks like the torn pages of a book from beyond the walls. Effective too is Will Adashek’s use of light and shadow to create a 3-D texture to the visuals.
Taken at face value, the production is an eerie adventure into a surreal musical world and will certainly leave you humming Sondheim’s lively ditties on your way out to the car. But for those looking for more, a deeper dive is needed.
Sondheim UnScripted photos by Jill Mamey: Brian Lohmann and Daniel Blinkoff
Kari Coleman, Daniel Blinkoff, Jen Reiter, Brian Lohmann, Kelly Holden Bashar, and Cory Rouse
Assassins photos by Will Adashek: The cast of Assassins
Travis Rhett Wilson and Adam Hunter Howard
SONDHEIM UNSCRIPTED
August 19 - September 27, 2015
Falcon Theatre
4252 Riverside Drive
Burbank, CA 91505
Tickets: www.falcontheatre.com
ASSASSINS
August 21 - September 27, 2015
Pico Playhouse
10508 West Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles 90064.
Tickets: www.assassinsmusicalLA.com
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Labels: falcon theatre, impro theatre, pico playhouse