Gil Kaan - Page 22

The Fountain Theatre will inaugurate their new outdoor stage with Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ 2014 Obie Award-winning AN OCTOROON, with previews beginning June 11, 2021. Judith Moreland directs the cast of Leea Ayers, Matthew Hancock, Mara Klein, Hazel Lozano, Rob Nagle, Kacie Rogers, Vanessa Claire Stewart and Pam Trotter. Between final rehearsals, Matthew, who plays the playwright’s alter-ego among other characters, made some time to answer a few of my inquiries.

As part of their Virtual 55th Anniversary Season, East West Players will be streaming Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre (vAct)’s 1 HOUR PHOTO beginning June 12, 2021. Written and performed by writer/performer/storyteller Tetsuro Shigematsu, 1 HOUR PHOTO is directed by Richard Wolfe and will available online through June 20,2021.

Ojai Playwrights Conference (OPC) will be presenting their virtual celebration CONNECTIONS benefiting their 2021 season June 12, 2021. CONNECTIONS will feature new or adapted works by playwrights: Luis Alfaro, Jon Robin Baitz, Father Greg Boyle, Bill Cain, Culture Clash, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Danai Gurira, Samuel D. Hunter, David Henry Hwang, Julia Izumi, James Morrison and his son Seamus Morrison, Jeanine Tesori and Charlayne Woodard. Performers include Brian Cox, Eileen Galindo, Tzi Ma, Rose Portillo, Samantha Quan, John C. Reilly, Israel López Reyes, Nikkole Salter, Jimmy Smits, and Phillipa Soo; as well as some of the playwrights performing their own pieces.

L.A. Theatre Works will release their state-of-the-art audio recording of Stephen Tobolowsky’s A GOOD DAY AT AUSCHWITZ June 2, 2021. Based on a true story, Stephen has adapted GOOD DAY from his previous book My Adventures with God. Stephen managed to find some time between his podcast The Tobolowsky Files, his many film and TV commitments, and being half of a beloved Los Angeles theatre acting/directing couple, to answer a few of my enquiries.

A Noise Within (ANW) will premiere their filmed staging of ALICE IN WONDERLAND streaming May 27, 2021. This Lewis Carroll classic, adapted by Eva Le Gallienne and Florida Friebus, was actually the last live production mounted on the ANW stage when theatres shut down last March. Stephanie Shroyer, who directed and conceived this Spring 2020 production, graciously agreed to answer a few of my queries.

The seventh installment of Geffen’s Stayhouse series Is THE DOOR YOU NEVER SAW BEFORE: A CHOOSICAL MUSICAL has been in previews, with opening May 22, 2021. This world premiere, written by Matt Schatz, is geared for children and the young at heart. An ‘Adventure Suitcase,’ full of puzzles and special items will be pre-mailed for the youngsters’ interaction during the Zoom of the show. Katie Lindsay directs the cast of Michael Faulkner, Shyla Lefner and Gabrielle Maiden.

The Road Theatre Company has begun streaming playwright Steve Yockey’s REYKJAVÍK, their second show of their 2021 virtual season. Set in Reykjavík, Iceland, Ann Hearn Tobolowsky directs the REYKJAVÍK cast of Stephen Tyler Howell, Alaska Jackson, Carlos Lacamara, Brian Ibsen, Danny Lee Gomez and Jacqueline Misaye. Ann managed to find some time between REYKJAVÍK rehearsals, and being half of a beloved Los Angeles theatre acting/directing couple, to answer a few of my enquiries.

Antaeus Theatre Company launches their second season of their popular podcasts THE ZIP CODE PLAYS: LOS ANGELES May 20, 2021. Each play, set in six different L.A. zip codes, features acclaimed Antaeus actors enacting scripts written by members of the Antaeus Playwright Lab. Two-time Audiofile Award-winner Ramón de Ocampo reprises his role of series host, with Jeff Gardner and Ellen Mandel returning in their respective roles as audio producer/sound designer/foley artist and music composer.

Morgan-Wixson Theatre presents the perfect show to commemorate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Nancy Ma’s solo piece HOME. Streaming on May 15, 2021; HOME is directed by Geoffrey Rivas. Nancy squeezed some time in to answer a few of my queries before her opening.

Asian comedy troupe CRAZY WOKE ASIANS created by Kiki Yeung will be celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with a schedule full of shows at the Santa Monica Playhouse. Kiki managed to find some time to answer a few of my inquiries between producing the various May shows, rehearsing her own stand-up and taking care of her toddler son.

Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz will stream CARLO PONTI & THE LOS ANGELES VIRTUOSI ORCHESTRA: YOUNG VOICES May 21, 2021. Benefiting music education, YOUNG VOICES will feature soloists: violinist Audrey Park, violinist YuEun Kim, and harpist Julianne Jimenez; as well as; selected violin students from Pacoima Elementary School.

Broadway actor/singer Terron Brooks will be releasing this first single ‘Tomorrow” from upcoming CD The Soul of Broadway May 7, 2021. Got a chance to talk to Terron about his music and his upcoming podcast Honest Answers launching May 18, 2021.  

In sync with Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, L.A. Theatre Works will be releasing two audio theater recordings about the horrific Japanese American experience during World War II - Jeanne Sakata’s FOR US ALL and Ken Narasaki’s NO-NO BOY. FOR US ALL’s available for purchase now, with NO-NO BOY on May 15, 2021. Anna Lyse Erikson directs both show’s large ensemble casts, with Greg Watanabe voicing the lead characters in both.

Geffen Stayhouse’s sixth virtual production Jared Mezzocchi’s SOMEONE ELSE’S HOUSE world premieres April 30, 2021. This live, virtual, and interactive theatrical experience was written and will be performed by Jared. Based on the true-life haunting encounters of generations of his family living in New England, the Zoomed audience will follow along with Jared narrating his family histories using the “haunting kits” pre-mailed before their reserved performance.

Leading up to the May 1st launch of his latest book (his seventh) Who’s Afraid of Michael Kearns?; multi-hyphenate Michael Kearns shares some behind-the-scenes of what revs up Michael Kearns. His Q&A, presented by Skylight Books, will be live Zoomed, along with a scene from BLOODBOUND performed by Maxwell Caulfield and Peter Frechette.

Skylight Theatre Company begins its 2021 season of Skylight LIVE April 24, 2021; with Robin Gerber’s THE SHOT starring the incomparable Sharon Lawrence. This behind-the-scenes story of The Washington Post publisher Katherine Graham is directed by Michelle Joyner and produced by SPARKS Theatricals. Sharon managed to squeeze some time for my queries between filming Rebel and her many social justice commitments.

International City Theatre’s next virtual production Wendy MacLeod’s SLOW FOOD will begin streaming April 29, 2021. Wendy has taken a bad experience at a restaurant that she personally underwent, and turned it into comedy gold. This prolific writer of stage, screen and television took some time from her many scripts to answer a few of my queries.

A co-production of San Francisco’s 42nd Street Moon and Long Beach's Musical Theatre West, PERFECT HERMANY will be available to stream online through May 2, 2021 as part of Moon’s 2021 Moonbeams season. This homage to legendary Broadway composer Jerry Herman stars the versatile Jason Graae, directed by Lee Tannen with musical direction by John Boswell.

Laguna Playhouse will present for one-night-only master magician/mentalist/psychic MICHAEL GUTENPLAN live Zooming April 24, 2021. A fixture at the Magic Castle and venues and arenas all over the world, Michael has wowed people of all ages and backgrounds in his 20+-year career.

Performance artist/comedian/writer Kristina Wong will world premiere her FROM NUMBER TO NAME for East West Players (in partnership with API Rise Saturday), April 10 and Sunday, April 11, 2021. This funny lady strikes a more serious tone in telling the true-life accounts of formerly incarcerated Asian Pacific Islanders and their affected families.