Gil Kaan - Page 15

Padua Playwrights world premieres poet/playwright Murray Mednick’s Three Tables April 23, 2022, at the Zephyr Theatre. The playwright himself directs the cast featuring Steve Apostolina, Eric Stanton Betts, Raquel Cain, Matt Gottlieb, Laura Liguori, Dennis Renard, Corey Rieger and Michael Uribes. I got the chance to throw a few questions at Murray on Three Tables, Padua Playwrights and his long history with Los Angeles theatre.

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment’s next production The Sound of Music opens April 23, 2022 (with two previews preceding). Glenn Casale directs the cast of this Rodgers & Hammerstein classic headed by Diane Phelan as Maria, Christopher Carl as Captain von Trapp and Suzanna Guzman as Mother Abbess. I had the chance to throw out a few queries to Diane on being the first Asian actress to portray Maria, as well as her backstory on her acting career and social activism.

Already in previews, Center Theatre Group’s Associate Artist Phylicia Rashad directs Pearl Cleage’s Blues for an Alabama Sky at the Mark Taper Forum, with opening night April 13th. Set in 1930’s Harlem, the cast includes Joe Holt, Nija Okoro, Dennis Pearson, Greg Alverez Reid and Kim Steele. I had the opportunity to question Greg on some behind-the-scenes of Blues, as well as his history with his storied director.

Clinton Leupp brings his celebrated alter ego drag legend Miss Coco Peru back to the Renberg Theatre at Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center for three performances of his latest show Bitter, Bothered & Beyond the weekend of April 29, 2022. I got a chance to get some behind the scenes dish on Coco and her latest entertaining efforts.

Garry Marshall Theatre kicks off their 2022 season in their new GMT outdoor stage with Impro Theatre’s Jane Austen Unscripted April 16,2022.   Sara Mountjoy-Pepka co-directs (with Paul Rogan) Impro Theatre company members and live musicians as they mingle amongst the audience having afternoon tea and delectable treats from vendors from the GMT neighborhood. Sara carved open some time to give me a peek into the behind-the-scenes of Jane Austen, as well as her own back story of improv.

Author/ stand-up comedian/ magician Judy Carter presents her semi-biographical, part-stand-up, part-magic show A Death-Defying Escape! live at the Hudson Guild Theatre beginning April 2, 2022, with online streaming available starting April 9th.  Lee Costello directs Judy alongside Kevin Scott Allen and Lyndsi LaRose. Judy made some time for me to magically transform my queries into amusing bon mots.

The Group Rep presents producer/director/writer Bruce Kimmel’s L.A. Now and Then, a brand new musical revue celebrating the City of Angels opening April 1, 2022. Cast features the vocals talents of Bita Arefnia, Lottie Arnold, Lisa Dyson, Harrison Fahn, Liz Grannis, Tim Hearl, Haruna Kajino, Marcel Licera, Danika Masi, Hisato Masuyama, Alariza Nevarez, Alec Reusch, Jeffrey Rockwell, Margaret Staedler and Tamir Yardenne, with musical direction by Richard Allen. I had the chance to find out some behind-the-scenes details on L.A. Now and Then from Richard, as well as some highlights of his long musical career.

West Coast premiere of Lucas Hnath’s A Public Reading of An Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney opens March 26, 2022 at the Odyssey Theatre. Peter Richards directs the cast of Kevin Ashworth, Brittney Bertier, Thomas Piper and Cory Washington. Peter allowed me to probe into the interworking of A Public Read…, as well as his acting/directing career trajectory.

One of Broadway’s favorite leading ladies Kelli O’Hara will be appearing with SiriusXM Radio staple Seth Rudetsky for a one-night concert at The Wallis April 2, 2022 as part of The Wallis Broadway @ concert series. Kelli was gracious enough to carve out a little time to answer a few of my theatrical queries.

Emmy-winning composer Jim Dooley teams up with Troubies’ founder Matt Walker to world premiere the ‘dynamic plot-concepted’ The Revue at the Colony Theater opening March 17, 2022. Matt directs the cast of himself with Rick Batalla, Katie DeShan, Tiffany Daniels, Isaac Robinson-Smith and Travis Leland. Jim carved some time from rehearsals to explain his novel dynamic plot concept and chat on some highlights of his varied career.

Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group and Microsoft Theater will launch their new five-year partnership of presenting a Cirque du Soleil touring production within L.A. LIVE annually with their high-energy, high-acrobatic spectacular OVO opening March 16, 2022. I had the opportunity to field a few queries to Cirque du Soleil’s president of the touring shows division Mike Newquist.

Open Fist Theatre Company returns to live performances with Sarah Ruhl’s In the Next Room, or the vibrator play opening March 18th at Atwater Village Theatre. Lane Allison directs the cast of Bryan Robert Bertone, Spencer Cantrell, Stephanie Crothers, Monazia Smith, Dionna Veremis, Alex Wells and Jennifer Zorbalas. I had the opportunity to toss out a few queries to Lane on her vibrator play, her back story with Open Fist and her history with L.A. Theatre.  

Marisa Matthews and Ashley Moniz produced their first edition of their monthly cabaret Broadway at The Bourbon Room last month with their second edition Songs of Sondheim playing March 28, 2022, at (of course) The Bourbon Room. Got a chance to throw out a few questions to B@BB’s musical director extraordinaire, the very busy Benet Braun.

Multi-million selling recording artist Sam Harris debuts his latest show Sam Harris: Openly Gray on the West Coast at the Catalina Bar & Grill March 25th and 26th. I had the opportunity to pose a few questions to this popular and very talented cabaret performer/writer.

Playwright Benjamin Benne’s Alma (already in previews) will world premiere March 13, 2022, at Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre, produced in cooperation with American Blues Theater. Juliette Carrillo directs Cheryl Umaña in the title role with Sabrina Fest as her daughter Angel. I had the most delightful Zoom interview with Cheryl before she had to go to her rehearsals.

East West Players has resumed LIVE performances with Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins (already opened). East West Players’ producing artistic director Snehal Desai directs the cast which includes Trance Thompson, Gedde Watanabe, Adam Kaokept, Joan Almedilla, Max Torrez, Christopher Chen, George Xavier, Astoncia Bhagat, Arvin Lee, Aric Martin, Kym Miller, Andrea Somera, Jalen Lum, Michael Cavinder and Maya Nahree McGowan. I had the chance to toss a few questions to Gedde, this enduring, steadily working actor, about his long relationship with East West and his various other acting gigs.

The Musical Theatre Guild will be presenting for one-night only A Sondheim Birthday Celebration Live! Laugh! Love! on Stephen Sondheim’s birthday March 22nd at The El Portal Theatre. Jason Graae hosts the Celebration featuring Musical Theatre Guild members with special guest, Stephen Sondheim veteran Teri Ralston. I got to playfully rouse Teri to reminisce about her decades’ history with Stephen Sondheim.

The critically acclaimed The Lehman Trilogy opens March 6, 2022, at the Ahmanson after its successful runs on Broadway and the West End. Multi-award-winning Sam Mendes directs Simon Russell Beale and Adam Godley reprising their Broadway roles, with Howard W. Overshown who understudied in the Broadway production. Playwright Ben Power has adapted Stefano Massini’s original script on the deep-dive history of the Lehman Brothers investment banking company. I had the opportunity to speak with The Lehman Trilogy’s composer/sound designer Nick Powell just before going into dress rehearsal.

Geffen Playhouse’s next live production in their Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater, Lindsay Joelle’s TRAYF opens March 10th (with previews already in progress). Maggie Burrows directs the cast of Ilan Eskenazi, Ben Hirschhorn, Louisa Jacobson and Garrett Young. For those unfamiliar with the term “trayf,” Oxford Language dictionary defines trayf as “adjective: (of food) not satisfying the requirements of Jewish law.” I had the opportunity to throw out a few questions to Lindsay amidst her final rehearsals.

LA Opera’s next production St. Matthew Passion will open March 12, 2022, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. LA Opera’s music director James Conlon conducts with choreographer John Neumeier staging Johann Sebastian Bach’s scared masterpiece with members of the Hamburg Ballet. The always busy Maestro found some time to answer a few of my orchestral queries.