Gil Kaan - Page 14

Broadway cabaret staple Joe Iconis will be previewing songs from his new ‘Album’ (to be released June 17th) at the Bourbon Room June 22, 2022, joined by some of the ‘Album’ artists who are also members of Joe Iconis & Family. Joe took a moment to answer a few of my musical queries.

The national tour of Come From Away landed at the Ahmanson May 31, 2022 (with a run at Segerstrom Center for the Arts June 21-26). The true story of 7,000 stranded passengers on September 11, 2001 and how the small town in Newfoundland unselfishly welcomed them. Nick Duckart, part of this crazy talented ensemble, found some time between shows to answer a few of my queries.

Song master Michael Feinstein will duet with songstress Freda Payne in a tribute to two song greats - A Very Special Evening with Ella and Frank - June 7th and 8th at Feinstein’s At Vitello’s. The very busy Michael graciously took some time to answer a few of my queries.

Sweet Nell Productions & Outside In Theatre, in collaboration with Family Affairs Studio, will world premiere Justin Elizabeth Sayre’s Lottie Platchett Took a Hatchet at Assembly Festival as part of The Edinburgh Fringe Festival August 4th - 27th, with a preview in Los Angeles at Casita del Compo’s Cavern Club June 10th – 12th. Jessica Hanna directs the cast of Kirsten Vangsness as Lottie (June 10 & 11) Lauren Lopez as Lottie (June 12 & August 4 – 27) with Tom Lenk, Ryan W Garcia, Tom Detrinis and Justin Elizabeth Sayre. I had the opportunity to ask Tom Lenk a few queries about his many successful ventures, as well as his history with producer/director Tom Detrinis.

The next show at the Mark Taper Forum, Rajiv Joseph’s King James world premieres June 8, 2022 (with previews starting June 1st). Kenny Leon directs this co-production of Center Theatre Group and Steppenwolf Theatre Company starring Glenn Davis and Chris Perfetti. Glenn took some time to answer a few of my queries on King James, being co-artistic director at Steppenwolf Theatre and working with a one-of-a-kind co-star.

Latino Theatre Company presents Kulunka Teatro’s André & Dorine beginning June 8, 2022 at The Los Angeles Theatre Center. Co-founding member of Kulunka Teatro Iñaki Rikarte directs the silent cast of Edu Cárcamo, El José Dault and Garbiñe Insausti portraying over fifteen different characters, telling the story with only masks, gesture and movement. I had the opportunity to get some behind-the-scenes info about André & Dorine and Kulunnka Teatro from Iñaki.

Pasadena Playhouse’s next live production Uncle Vanya opens June 1, 2022. A most productive Los Angeles theatre staple, Michael Michetti directs this Los Angeles premiere of the Richard Nelson, Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky translation of the Anton Chekhov classic Uncle Vanya. Cast includes Hugo Armstrong as “Vanya,” with Anne Gee Byrd, Brian George, Brandon Mendez Homeras, Jane Taini, Sabina Zuniga-Varela and Chelsea Yakura-Kurtz. Michael found some time from his multi-tasking to answer a few of my queries.

The Groundlings’ Chris Guerra shares the process he went through to become a Main Company member, as well as the inspiration he finds in everyday life and his two kids.

One week after the west coast premiere of S. Asher Gelman’s Afterglow opened at the Hudson Theatre, one of the three leads couldn’t go on. Fortunately, understudy Nate Richardson was in the wings ready to tackle the integral role of Alex.

A protégée of Quincy Jones and mentored by Stevie Wonder, singer Sheléa graces The Wallis stage with her one-nighter Pretty World: Through the Eyes of Alan & Marilyn Bergman June 25, 2022. Sheléa shared remembrances of her many high-profile events in her life leading up to her Bergmans tribute.

I originally interviewed Anna Ouyang Moench in February 2020 for her proposed March 12, 2020 opening of Man Of God. And then the pandemic happened. I got the chance to revisit with Anna on her rescheduled opening May 20, 2022 (with previews beginning May 10th). The original 2020 interview has been updated. Maggie Burrows directs the 2022 cast of Shirley Chen, Emma Galbraith, Erin Rae Li, Albert Park and Ji-young Yoo.

Clearglass Productions premiere show Mike Bartlett’s Cock opens June 11, 2022, at the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Davidson/Valentini Theatre as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival (with a preview June 6th). Clearglass’ co-founder Taubert Nadalini directs the cast of Annika Chavez, Dennis Delsing, Mathew Dunlop and Clearglass’ co-founder Sean Hemeon. Sean took some time to share some behind-the-scenes of Cock and Clearglass.

Up next for 3-D Theatrical, Tony Award-winning NEWSIES opens May 14, 2022 at Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts (with a preview on Friday, May 13th). No stranger to the lead role of Jack Kelly, Dillon Klena reprises his role from two earlier productions.

Next up at The Wallis, a radical reinvention of Shakespeare’s King Lear, starring Joe Morton in the titular role opens May 14, 2022 (with previews beginning May 10th). John Gould Rubin directs the cast which also includes Mark Harelik, River Gallo, Zach Solomon, Brie Eley, Emily Swallow, Rafael Jordan, Miguel Perez, Stanley Jackson, and Danielle Thorpe. John was most gracious to carve out some time of his full creative schedule to answer a few of my queries.

Greenway Arts Alliance, in association with Two Sisters Media, presents the world premiere of Who Are You, written and performed by Shareen Mitchell, beginning May 13, 2022, with Kate Jopson directing this one-woman show. Shareen made some time to answer a few of my queries into her show, her fashion background and Two Sisters Media.

A Noise Within’s next production Mary Zimmerman's Metamorphoses will open May 14, 2022, with previews beginning May 8th. A re-envisioning of ancient Greek myths for a modern audience, Metamorphoses is set entirely in and around an on-stage swimming pool. ANW’s co-producing artistic director Julia Rodriguez-Elliott directs a cast of ten ANW resident artists who tackle over 85 roles in six myths: Alan Blumenfeld, DeJuan Christopher, Geoff Elliott, Rafael Goldstein, Nicole Javier, Kasey Mahaffy, Sydney A. Mason, Trisha Miller, Cassandra Marie Murphy and Erika Soto. Julia took some time from her multiple duties as Metamorphoses’ director and ANW’s co-producing artistic director to discuss Metamorphoses logistics, as well as her successful working relationship with co-producing artistic director husband Geoff Elliott.

The first Los Angeles revival of Yasmina Reza’s Tony Award-winning comedy God of Carnage plays a limited three-week engagement at the Odyssey Theatre beginning May 13, 2022. Peter Allas directs the playwright-approved cast of Matthew Downs, Jack Esformes, Lisa LoCicero and Leilani Smith. The very busy Peter made some time to answer a few of my queries.

The national tour of Tootsie has landed at the Dolby Theatre. In the lead role of Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels, Drew Becker has endured a deluge of callbacks, mastering the many quick changes his first national tour requires.

The final event of The Soraya’s 10th Anniversary Celebration - Broadway Celebrates The Soraya - features Broadway stars Eden Espinosa, Joshua Henry and Megan Hilty, backed by Richard Kaufman and the CSUN Symphony April 30, 2022.  Megan was most gracious in finding time to answer a few of my queries.

Next up at the Ahmanson, the Los Angeles engagement of the eight-time Tony Award-winning Hadestown opening April 27, 2022. Rachel Chavkin directs this touring cast which includes Nicholas Barasch as Orpheus, Morgan Siobhan Green as Eurydice, Tony Award winner Levi Kreis as Hermes, Kimberly Marable as Persephone and Olivier Award® nominee Kevyn Morrow as Hades. Also featured, Belén Moyano, Bex Odorisio, Shea Renne, Lindsey Hailes, Chibueze Ihuoma, Will Mann, Sydney Parra and Jamari Johnson Williams. Levi managed to find some time between his rehearsals and songwriting to response to a few of my queries.