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
Monday, August 25, 2014
Musical News for Monday, August 25, 2014
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Labels: hillcrest center, nmi
Friday, August 22, 2014
Photo Tour Through Downtown LA's Incredible Historic Theatre District
This is a day you'll never forget. Take a walking tour of the Downtown Los Angeles Theatre District to see the the original entertainment center of LA. Click on the names of the theatres in blue below the photos for the story of each theatre from the days of Vaudeville. The historical and architectural details are amazing. www.laconservancy.org
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| LA's Historical Broadway Theater District Downtown. All Photos ©Ellen Dostal, Musicals in LA |
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| Los Angeles Theatre Lobby The most lavish of Broadway’s great movie palaces, the 1931 Los Angeles was designed by legendary theatre architect S. Charles Lee. |
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| Los Angeles Theatre stage view from the mezzanine |
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| The Los Angeles Theatre lobby's grand staircase leads to a stunning crystal fountain. |
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| Los Angeles Theatre marquee, in memory of Robin Williams |
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| Orpheum Theatre The fourth and final home of the famed Orpheum vaudeville circuit in LA opened in 1926 |
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| Palace Theatre The Palace is one of the oldest theatres in LA and hosted such stars as Harry Houdini, Will Rogers, Fred Astaire, and a young Rita Hayworth. |
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| Loews State Theatre Done in the Beaux Art style with a brick façade |
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| Ceiling inside the State Theatre |
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| United Artists Theatre Built by the founders of United Artists Pictures - Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, D.W. Griffith and Douglas Fairbanks to show their films. |
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| Original Pantages Theatre, later renamed the Arcade Theatre opened in 1910. The opening bill included: Barnold’s Dog and Monkey Actors in “A Hot Time in Dogville” Sophie Tucker, singer and comedienne Maurice Burkhart, character-singing comedian MacLean and Bryant “17-20 on the Black” gambling sketch Lelliott Brothers, comedy musical sketch Yalto Duo, novelty whirlwind dancers* (*info courtesy of Historic Los Angeles Theatres - Downtown) |
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| Globe Theatre The only legit theatre downtown at the time, it opened in 1913 for producer Oliver Morosco |
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| Roxie Theatre The last theatre built on Broadway and the only one built in the Art Deco architectural style |
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| Tower Theatre Renaissance Revival style, its interior was modeled after the Paris Opera House. It was the first film house in LA to be wired for talkies. Al Joson’s The Jazz Singer premiered here. |
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Labels: Globe Theatre, LA Conservancy, Loews State Theatre, Los Angeles Theatre, Orpheum, Palace Theatre, Pantages Theatre, Roxie Theatre, United Artists Theatre
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Musical News for Thursday, August 21, 2014
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| Co-creators Edie Brickell and Steve Martin (seated) and (L-R) choreographer Josh Rhodes, director Walter Bobbie, musical supervisor Peter Asher, and musical director/vocal arranger Rob Berman. Photos by Jim Cox. |
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| Carmen Cusack appears as Alice Murphy and A.J. Shively as Billy Cane. |
BRIGHT STAR, A New American Musical with music by Edie Brickell and Steve Martin, lyrics by Edie Brickell, and bood by Steve Martin, directed by Walter Bobbie will premiere Sept. 13 – Nov. 2, 2014 at The Old Globe in San Diego. Bright Star features 25 new songs - Americana with a touch of rock - and tells a beguiling tale that unfolds in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina between 1923 and 1945. Billy Cane, a young soldier just home from World War II, meets Alice Murphy, the brilliant editor of a southern literary journal. Together they discover a powerful secret that alters their lives. An entertaining musical of enduring love, family ties, and the light of forgiveness that shines from a bright star. Tickets: www.theoldglobe.org
Back by “Popular” demand, Wicked will return to its Los Angeles home, the Hollywood Pantages, for a limited engagement this holiday season running December 10, 2014 – February 1, 2015. Individual tickets will go on sale to the general public on Sunday morning, September 7 at 10:00 am online at www.HollywoodPantages.com or by calling 800-982-2787, and at the Hollywood Pantages Box Office. Wicked, directed by two-time Tony® Award winner Joe Mantello and featuring musical staging by Tony® Award winner Wayne Cilento, is the untold story of the witches of Oz. Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the Land of Oz. One - born with emerald green skin - is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. Wicked tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.
DOMA Theatre Company is back with Young Frankenstein, adapted for the stage by the Tony award-winning team of Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan (The Producers) Sept. 26 – Nov. 16 at the MET Theatre in Hollywood. Led by director Marco Gomez and musical director Chris Raymond, Young Frankenstein features all of the favorite scenes from the film – plus show-stopping numbers like “Transylvania Mania,” “Together Again,” “He Vas My Boyfriend” and “Puttin’ on the Ritz” (music and lyrics by Brooks, choreography by Angela Todero).
Featuring John David Wallis as Dr. Frankenstein, Scott Seiffert as Igor and Susan Huckle as Inga, with Hector Quintana (the Monster), Toni Smith (Elizabeth), Michelle Holmes (Frau Blucher), Dan Spector (Inspector Hans Kemp), Bobby Reed (The Hermit), Bradley Kuykendall (Dr. Victor Von Frankenstein) and Wesley Moran (Ziggy), with ensemble members Elvira Barjau, Kevin Corsini, Carrie Daniel, Allison Jakubowski, Sandy Mansson, Johnny Ortiz, Bradley Settler and Lauren Tyni. The MET Theatre is located at 1089 N. Oxford Ave., Los Angeles CA 90029. Tickets: (323) 802-4990 or www.domatheatre.com.
Kritzerland’s Fourth Anniversary Show: The Songs That Got Away III on September 7 sold out so quickly that they have added a Sunday matinee at 2:00 pm. Doors open at 1:00 pm for brunch/lunch. There is no cover for this show which stars Evan Buckley Harris, Kimberly Hessler, Travis Leland, Bruce Merkle, Hadley Miller, Madison Claire Parks, Jenna Lea Rosen, Sami Staitman, Adrienne Visnic, Robert Yacko, and Special Guests Kerry O’Malley and Bruce Vilanch. Reservation: (818) 754-8700.
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Labels: DOMA, kritzerland, old globe, pantages
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
Friday, August 15, 2014
Musical News for Friday, August 15, 2014
The cast will feature Ashley Ruth Jones as Psyche, Michael Starr as Eros, Laura L. Thomas as Aphrodite along with Benai Boyd, Mathew Domenic D;Amico, Katie Kitani, Philip Dean Lightstone, Cindy Sciacca, Nakia Secrest, Neil Taffe, Derrian Tolden, Grace Yoo and Cynthia Zitter. The design team includes Stephen Gifford (set design), E.B. Brooks (costume design), Tim Swiss (lighting design), Cricket S. Myers (sound design), and Michael O’Hara (props design). Aerial director is Whitney Kirk and aerial consulting is by Nathalie Gaulthier. Greenway Court Theatre, 544 N. Fairfax Ave. in Hollywood. Tickets: (323) 655.7679 x100 or www.psycherockopera.com.
“I had the true honor (and the great fun) of directing Diahann Carroll here at the Playhouse in our production of BLUE,” said Sheldon Epps. “She has become a good friend and a great supporter of my work here. Diahann has been a great trailblazer and pioneer in our field, opening many doors in the entertainment industry. One could say that the Diversity Project itself is in the grand tradition of her achievements.” For more information about the Wells Fargo Theatrical Diversity Program, or to become a Patron of the 2014 Diversity Celebration, contact Julia Fitzgibbons by phone at (626) 204-7383 or via email at jfitzgibbons@pasadenaplayhouse.org.
I was looking at the ceiling and then I saw the sky, a one-night only performance comes to the Ford. An earthquake romance. A genre-defying song play. With a score by leading contemporary composer John Adams and a libretto by the late poet June Jordan, I was looking at the ceiling and then I saw the sky was written as an homage to the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Now, 20 years later, the Los Angeles County Arts Commission presents the Southern California premiere, performed by Long Beach Opera. LBO artistic director Andreas Mitisek conducts a concert staging at the Ford Amphitheatre on Aug. 23 at8 pm as part of the Ford’s Zev Yaroslavsky Signature Series.
The cast will include Cedric Berry as Dewain, a reformed gang leader; Bernard Holcomb as David, a Baptist minister; Zeffin Quinn Hollis as Mike, a cop who is also a community activist; Andrew Nguyen as Rick, a Vietnamese-American Legal Aid defense attorney; Lindsay Patterson as Leila, an African-American graduate student working as a family planning counselor in an abortion clinic; Zipporah Peddle as Tiffany, a TV crime-as-news reporter; and Holly Sedillos as Consuela, an undocumented immigrant mother of two from El Salvador. Tickets are $100, $80 and $60 (reserved seating), with a VIP package available for $125 that includes premium seating, a choice of wine or beer, and on-site parking. A $5 discount is available with advance purchase by Aug. 16. For more information and to purchase tickets go to www.FordTheatres.org or call (323) 461-3673 (323 GO 1-FORD).
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Labels: ford amphitheatre, greenway court, pasadena playhouse
Thursday, August 14, 2014
News Flash: La Mirada Theatre Presents All-New Immersive Production of CARRIE
An all-new, reimagined, environmental and completely immersive theater production of the legendary musical CARRIE will begin performances at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts on March 12, 2015, with an official opening night set for March 18, 2015. La Mirada Theatre will be completely transformed into Ewan High School, putting audiences, for the first time ever, at the center of the action in this bold and thrilling twist on the now-classic musical.
Based on the novel by Stephen King, CARRIE reunites the original creative team and will include a book by Lawrence D. Cohen (screenwriter of the classic film), music by Academy Award winner Michael Gore (Fame, Terms of Endearment), and lyrics by Academy Award winner Dean Pitchford (Fame, Footloose). Brady Schwind directs the production, with choreography by Imara Quinonez.
“The story of CARRIE has endured in the popular consciousness for decades, but no one has ever experienced it from this point of view,” producers Bruce Robert Harris and Jack W. Batman said. “The idea of placing the audience in the center of this world was just too tantalizing to resist. It’s going to be thrilling.”
Taunted by her peers at school and terrorized by her religious zealot mother at home, CARRIE tells the haunting tale of 17-year-old Carrie White. Lonely and tormented, Carrie discovers she has a shocking secret power. But when a prank at her high school prom goes horribly wrong, everyone finds just how powerful a secret can be...
Individual tickets go on sale on August 15, 2014 at 11:00 am and can be purchased at www.experiencecarrie.com or by calling the box office at (562) 944-9801. CARRIE will run through Sunday, April 5, 2015.
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Labels: la mirada theatre
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Musical News for Wednesday, August 13, 2014
MUSICAL NEWS: Blending the 1925 silent film with original songs and powerful live performances to create a show-stopping-spectacle, Vox Lumiere–The Phantom of the Opera brings the Lon Chaney classic to three-dimensional, high-decibel life. Singers, dancers and musicians give voice to the silent film projected behind them, playing off each other, the audience and the onscreen story to create a magical exchange. Latin and French for “Voices of Light,” Vox Lumiere is equal parts rock concert, opera, musical theater and multimedia spectacle, all working together to tell a story with projected silent movies. Each evening begins with a red carpet entry for the patrons, photo ops with the cast, refreshments and pre-show entertainment in the lobby. Once inside, patrons experience a live band, surround projection screens, hi-definition sound and a light show. The singers and dancers are lavishly costumed in steampunk-inspired attire.Featuring music and lyrics by Kevin Saunders Hayes with vocalists Julie Brody, Marisa Johnson, Victoria Levy, James Lynch, Chris Marcos, Danielle Skalsky, and D. Valentine; Dancers Siân Dakin, Cameron Evans, Carolyn Pampalone, Jamie Pfaff, Dustin Ripkens, and Jason Sensation; and musicians Christopher Allis on drums, Zac Matthews on bass, and Jeff Miley on guitar. Eight performances: Sept. 19-20, Oct. 10-11, Nov. 14-15, Dec. 12-13 will take place at Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013. Tickets: (844) VOX-ROCK or www.voxlumiere.com.
LOST returns as a musical when Chinless Productions opens We Have To Go back: Lost the Musical, just in time for the 10th anniversary of the original show’s premiere. LOST fans will get a second chance to relive their favorite moments on the island in this parody of TV’s most iconic cult hit. Much like Point Break Live or Fellowship, this show is a hilarious tribute to a pop-culture phenomenon. The show takes six seasons of material, 72 characters, and countless locations, and transforms them into one night of absurd musical comedy. It will also offer five different alternate endings the audience votes on nightly so each night LOST fans will have a new chance to get the ending they always wanted. Blacksparrow Auctions is providing authentic props used on the set of LOST for the show and, in the spirit of giving back, 5% of all box office receipts will go to Cancer Gets Lost, a charity organization founded to support and improve the lives of people living with cancer. We Have To Go Back begins its 5 week run on September 18 (opening night is Monday Sept. 22) at the Lillian Theatre (Elephant Stages). Tickets: www.lostthemusical.com.
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Labels: laguna playhouse, mostly musicals, old globe, sacred fools, sterling's, vitello's, vox lumiere