Don Grigware - Page 19

On Sunday, February 19 LA's Next Great Stage Star 2017 Presented by Princess Cruises came to an uber exciting conclusion at the Colony Theatre. After a very entertaining 90-minute program in which the 18 contestants gave 150% to their uptempo songs from Broadway shows, thirteen contestants were eliminated and the top five finalists selected during the first intermission. It was then decided, like the last two years from the consensus of the judges, to add a sixth contestant. Then each of the six proceeded to perform a second number after which the distinguished panel of 18 judges made the final decision during the second intermission. Musical director par excellence Richard Berent accompanied at the piano throughout the three hour show.

Will, your grandpa is a truly great actor, one of the best. What is it like to perform for him? How has he inspired you? Is he attentive to your needs - both giving and constructively critical ... or does he leave you on your own to overcome your own failures? Is he happy or unhappy that you have chosen the acting profession? It isn't particularly different for me having him in the audience. He is an inspirational figure to me because he loves what he does and he works hard. There are many lessons in watching him work at his senior age, and observing his passion to keep moving is an incredible thing. I am very glad we get to have the grandfather-grandson relationship we do, and he is always asking me how he can help or if I have any questions. He has always been my grandpa first, and it is very comforting to know that I have someone who I can ask anything, about life or about the business. I think he is happy for me that I am pursuing my passion, and he sees where my heart is at, in the work and

Actress Judith Light certainly needs no introduction. A familiar face to television audiences, she co-starred in the soap One Life to Live winning two Daytime Emmy Awards and in prime time with Tony Danza in Who's the Boss?She has also won two Tony Awards for her stellar work on Broadway. She is a gay rights activist and she and her husband Robert Desiderio have contributed greatly to the gay community in Los Angeles over the years. Co-starring in Amazon's web series Transparent, she is currently performing double duty: the TV show by day and at night a workshop play God Looked Away at the Pasadena Playhouse sharing the stage with none other than icon Al Pacino. I caught up with her this week, and she talked briefly but joyously about the play, her role in it and working with Pacino.

Let's get one thing perfectly clear from the get.go. Luis Valdez's Zoot Suit which premiered at the Mark Taper Forum and on Broadway in 1978, is a milestone. Broadway had not seen anything quite like it up to that point. First of all, it put Mexicans into the mainstream ... and their Pachuco culture, including their music and dance. In form it's a serious play about the Zoot Suit murders of 1942 in Southern California, but it is laced with humor, song and dance, classifying it in both realms of fact and fantasy. Now, after 39 years, in the 50th anniversary year of Center Theatre Group, Zoot Suit returns in an all new revival, once again directed by the brilliant Valdez. It has a fantastic cast, is high on entertainment value...and its issues do indeed mirror those present in today's politically ruthless world.

Don't cry for Eva! Tim Rice's & Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita has had a thirty-nine year international love affair with the public since it  premiered in 1978 in London and in 1979 on Broadway. The latest revival in regional theatre is currently at MTW in Long Beach. An operetta, or rock opera, with no spoken dialogue, and based on Eva Duarte Peron and husband Juan Peron of Argentina, the story documents the rise to power of a simple peasant girl to the rank - almost - of Vice-President of her country. I say almost because she became too ill to accept the nomination in 1951 and passed into immor

Author Jacqueline T. Lynch has just published Comedy and Tragedy on the Mountain about the Mt. Tom Playhouse in Holyoke, Massachusetts. She interviewed me about three years ago, since I was born and raised in Holyoke and ... since I spent my childhood watching the Valley Players at Mt. Tom. The Players were my mentors for my odyssey through the acting world. It's a fascinating book. Lynch has also written the only biography in existence of movie and musical star Ann Blyth. In the following interview she talks about both books and her life as a writer.

There's nothing like a good old fashioned mystery to keep you on the edge of your theatre seat, especially one that's written by the grande dame of the genre Agatha Christie. The Mousetrap was one of the longest running plays on the West End for umpteen years. As I sat at Group rep Friday night watching Witness for the Prosecution, which is rarely revived, I really tuned in to the dialogue. It is so well constructed, and the dozen or so characters are deliciously humorous. I am happy to report that the new production at Group rep directed by skilled veteran Jules Aaron and starring guest artist Salome Jens and Larry Eisenberg is akin to a jolly good rollercoaster ride. It's delightfully entertaining and can be seen through March 12.

Angelica Page stands quietly stage left and watches a home movie of herself on a giant rear screen. She sees a seemingly innocent little girl running around and playing with her mother Geraldine Page. When the film is over, she steps forward ever so slowly into the spotlight and addresses the audience fearlessly, 'My mother is haunting me.' At that precise moment, we sense we are in good hands. The family talent assuredly has rubbed off on Angelica Page, and we are in for a brilliantly honed theatrical evening.

Award-winning veteran director Jules Aaron has been putting his directorial stamp on plays and musicals for several decades.  Mr. Aaron took time out of his busy schedule to talk with us about his current project, The Group Rep's production of Agatha Christie's New York Critic Circle and Tony award-winning play WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION featuring guest artist Salome Jens, running January 27 through March 12, 2017 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood.  Last season, Jules Aaron directed the most successful play the Group Rep has ever produced, the sold-out, twice extended musical THAT LOVIN' FEELIN'.

Actor Dan Castellaneta is a familiar face and voice from TV's The Simpsons and The Tracy Ullman Show. He has written a play entitled For Piano and Harpo that will open on February 10 at the Falcon Theatre in Burbank. In our chat he tells us about his past work, the play and what inspired him to write it. Tell us how For Piano and Harpo came about. Were you intrigued by the relationship between Harpo and Oscar Levant? What a frenzy those two must have created together!

Bullying remains the number one problem among high school students in today's world. In Jordan Tannahill's Late Company he explores a Canadian family whose gay son committed suicide due to the influences of bullying at the Toronto school he attended. Currently onstage at Theatre 40, in its American premiere, Late Company boasts superb direction from Bruce Gray and a dynamic cast of 5 actors.

Who says artistry seldom improves with age? I saw Robyn Spangler perform her first Linda Ronstadt show, after an extensive tour to promote her CD Why I Love Linda Ronstadt about five years ago. I had the following to say about her performance. 'Accessible, friendly with an aura of poise and self-confidence, Spangler ... fully engages and entertains her audience. I had such a good time, when the hour was over, I wanted to cry out for more...more Nelson Riddle, more Gilbert and Sullivan! Leaving an audience wanting more is a sign of a truly great cabaret artist, and Robyn Spangler fills the bill'.

Loosely patterned after 'an audition process', this 11th annual fully produced event is geared to discovering new talent between the ages of 18 and 32 for the musical theatre stage. This year once again the contest is generously sponsored/presented by Princess Cruises. As has become the standard, approximately 20 contestants compete for the title, a $2500 cash prize, a headlining engagement at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal during the New Year, professional representation in the business of  musical theatre, and other valuable prizes. To date, over a dozen former contestants have already made their Broadway and/or Off-Broadway debuts; while nearly another 100 have either starred in Broadway U.S. National Tours; Regional U.S. Musical Theatre productions; Las Vegas Hotel sit-downs of Broadway Musicals; on board in lavish production shows presented by some of the world's most prestigious cruise lines; or have starred on stages at numerous Southern California Theme Parks such as Disneyland's California Adventure and Lego Land. Internationally, Tokyo Disney is also host to Stage Star talent. 

Thomas Gibbons' rarely seen exploration of responsibility in reporting black culture and sensibility Bee-Luther-Hatchee is receiving an engrossing production at Sierra Madre Playhouse with meticulous direction from Saundra McClain and a superb cast of five,

Actress Salome Jens certainly needs no introduction. She has starred on Broadway, in film and on television over the years creating a mystique that is original and totally alluring. The very sound of her voice holds me captive. She will open at Group rep in NoHo on January 27 in the classic Witness for the Prosecution. I caught up with her during her busy schedule, and here's what she had to say about the play and the new production.

Think the zaniness of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest and Brandon Thomas' Charlie's Aunt and then those crazy American stage musical parodies like Little Mary Sunshine and The Boy Friend, and you've nailed the nonstop comical antics of  I'm Just Wild About Harry adapted by Gary Lamb and William A. Reilly at Crown City Theatre in NoHo. With slick direction and choreography from Lisaun Whittingham and a superior cast, this musical is perfect holiday entertainment.

There are undoubtedly other productions worthy of merit in 2016 which I did not cover. This list is based only on what I saw and reviewed. (alphabetical listings; Equity, Equity-waiver & Non-Equity productions are mixed) (artists performing outside LA may be included in performance categories) No set, costume, technical awards. I leave that to the bigger awards and to the expertise of those who really know those fields inside out.

Actor/singer John Lloyd Young, best known for his Tony-winning portrayal of Frankie Valli in the original Broadway musical Jersey Boys and for his performance in the 2014 film, performs monthly at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal. Like all the other shows, his December 27th performance was sold out, with fans from around the globe coming out to hear his incredible voice and to purchase his solo CD My Turn. It is absolutely amazing to see how enthusiastically the fans respond to his first entrance onstage, and how they scream and stand up after many of the show's songs. He is revered and idolized almost as much as yesteryear's Elvis or Michael Jackson. And the ladies present...I am happy to say, are not that young. They are middle age and up, some in their 60s and 70s. These ladies whoop it up and jump to their feet and feel the music. Yeah!

Tell me about working with Cirque du Soleil. How long have you been with them? TORUK - The First Flight is my first Cirque du Soleil show. I started with the majority of artists in July of 2015. I actually first auditioned for Cirque du Soleil in 2001 and made it to their artist database in 2002. It was puppetry that finally got me to run away with the circus!

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was immortalized in the 60s TV classic of the same name and is now full-blown in an onstage touring musical called Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer The Musical. It follows the film almost to the letter with a bevy of animal characters, elves and of course, Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus. It was Mrs. Donner who gave birth to Rudolph, and to protect him from the world, his family covered up his nose... but to no avail. Now with its two-day stop at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Rudolph... is a delight for children with its sugar-coated, infectiously cute little story.