Gil Kaan - Page 35

Playwright/actress Ann Noble, a well-known staple of the Los Angeles theatre scene, will next be exhibiting her acting talents in the joint world premiere of Jami Brandli's BLISS (OR EMILY POST IS DEAD!) opening at the Atwater Village Theatre November 3, 2018. We had the chance to catch Ann between her many multi-tasking efforts of acting, writing and teaching incarcerated youths.

Kate Pazakis, executive producer of the UNAUTHORIZED MUSICAL PARODY OF series, continues her successful streak of hysterical musical parodies of cinematic pop favorites with THE UNAUTHORIZED MUSICAL PARODY OF STRANGER THINGS. Pazakis' most witty script cleverly utilizes pop songs to advance the narrative of the Netflix cult phenom Stranger Things. Nathan Moore expertly directs his cast of enthusiastic triple-threats at a rousing, non-stop pace with only enough time for deserved applause to die down before the next song or comedy bit tickles your funny bones. 

Lillian Hellman's THE LITTLE FOXES receives a stunning, STUNNING mounting by the always dependable Antaeus Theatre Company. Helmed with much precision by director Cameron Watson, the two-and-a-half-hour, two-intermission, three-act simply whizzes by, packed with Hellman's wonderful words coming out of the most capable troupe of actors, all.

Center Theatre Group will world premiere Eliza Clark's new comedy QUACK at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. Already in previews (with opening set for October 28, 2018), QUACK ever so timely illustrates the vulnerability of an adoring public eager to follow, without question, the advice of TV personality Dr. Irving Baer. I had the opportunity to throw a few questions out to Jackie Chung, a Center Theatre Group alumni who plays the talk show guru's nurse Kelly.

East West Players solidly mounts the Los Angeles premiere of playwright Qui Nguyen's VIETGONE. With a sturdy cast of five talented performers, complemented greatly by the vividly vibrant projection designs of Kaitlyn Pietras and Jason H. Thompson; many individual moments of heart-string tugging pathos score a bulls-eye. Jennifer Chang ably directs her committed cast as they span locations from Vietnam to Arkansas to California, from the 1970s to the 2010s.

Door Number 3's world premiere of Philip Ridley's RADIANT VERMIN receives a strong mounting with Tim True expertly directing his very talented cast in a quick-paced tale of greed and its consequences. Britt Harris and Kapil Talwalkar bring their all in virtuoso performances as Jill and Ollie, breaking the fourth wall to describe, in great detail, the happenings between first learning of the dream home offer to the present with their newborn Benji celebrating his first birthday.

DEAR EVAN HANSEN, the winner of six Tony Awards (including Best Musical) makes its second stop of its 23-city national tour at the Ahmanson Theatre with opening night set for October 19, 2018. I had the opportunity to sit down with two of the leads of DEAR EVAN HANSEN. I joined Ben Levi Ross (Evan Hansen) and Jessica Phillips (Heidi Hansen) in the expansive Founders' Room of the Ahmanson Theatre for a private interview.

Stand-up comedy stalwart Paul Rodriguez will be taking on the role of God in the revival of Bruce Jay Friedman's cult-classic STEAMBATH opening October 20, 2018 at the Odyssey Theatre. I had the chance to illicit a few serious answers from this funny man amongst his very comical responses.

The Playwrights' Arena's world premiere of playwright Donald Jolly's BABY EYES presents a volatile, in-your-face telling of Gio, a diminutive teenage boy surviving bullies and homophobia in 1950's Baltimore. Jon Lawrence Rivera expertly directs his talented cast at a fast, smooth pace. Rudy Martinez totally inhabits the pivotal role of the elfin Gio who spends his days at school running from a gang of bullies and his evenings avoiding his demanding racist father Sal (a commanding Ted Monte).

The Groundlings kill it again with their current laugh-packed Friday & Saturday night show GROUNDLINGS HALLOWEEN SHOW, mining chuckles and guffaws with their seriously funny (and sometimes funny serious) sketches written and performed by a cast at the top of their comedy game. Deanna Oliver most deftly directs her talented troupe bringing out their comic timing, some dramatic readings, a little well-hoofed group choreography and even a gymnastic rocker performance.

The L.A. premiere of Bess Wohl's AMERICAN HERO doles out a steady stream of screaming conflicts, yet leaves you hungry for more satisfactory resolutions. James Eckhouse ably directs his committed cast of four in a fast-paced torrent of workplace disagreements. Rodney To totally steals the show with three of his four characters.

More GREASE homage than a blood-sucking WEST SIDE STORY, BLOOD ROCK: THE MUSICAL pits two gangs of vampires against each other in a modern-day fight for survival. This entertaining, light romp receives its transfusion of wonderfulness from the amazing vocals and harmonies of the large talented cast singing the very credible lyrics of Michael Berns. Everyone has their moments to shine under Gary Thomas' able direction.

Well-ensconced on the UCLA campus, Los Angeles Theatre Works presents audio theatre, or as pre-millennials call it 'radio drama,' a throwback technique of decades-old entertainment enhanced by current day technology. I had the chance to delve into the inner workings of LATW from one of the co-founders herself, Susan Albert Loewenberg.

Director Michael Michetti's adaptation of Oscar Wilde's classic novella A PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY has already begun its run at A Noise Within, with opening night slated for September 29, 2018. Though immersed in rehearsals, Colin Bates (who plays the titular role of Dorian) graciously found some time to answer a few of my inquiries into his creative thought processes.

The Echo Theater Company's west coast premiere of playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' Pulitzer Prize-finalist GLORIA receives a sturdy mounting with a very capable cast handling the witty, words-heavy monologues. Plot centers on a group of lower-level publishing employees stuck (for various reasons) in their respective, non-upwardly mobile positions. GLORIA illustrates the various common office behaviors, such as back-stabbing, condescension, 'Mean Girl' insulting, and stressing out.

Ross Mathews, a most busy multi-tasker (judge on RuPaul's Drag Race, host of 2018 Miss America Pageant; to name just a few) will be inaugurating his weekly DRAGTASTIC BUBBLE BRUNCH this Saturday, September 22, 2018 (his birthday!) at Rockwell Table & Stage. It's been a very busy week for Ross, first being awarded from GLAAD, their Davidson/Valentino Award; and then attending the Emmys as part of the Emmy-winning (four this year) RuPaul's Drag Race.

Tony Award-winner Sarah Jones will be encoring her one-womanmulti-character show SELLBUYDATE in Los Angeles, this time at the LGBT Center's Renberg Theatre, with previews beginning September 27, 2018. Having seen Sarah's show earlier this year at the Geffen, I jumped at the chance to dive into the back stories of Sarah and her multiple personalities she shares the stage with.

Bekah Brunstetter's THE CAKE will once again be served on a Los Angeles stage. Helmed by its original world premiere director Jennifer Chambers, THE CAKE has already begun previews, with opening night September 20, 2018 at the Geffen Theatre. A topic still making headlines, a baker's refusal to bake a cake gets uncomfortably personal when the cake's for family. We had the chance to chat with Jennifer on the secret ingredients of Bekah's simply delicious concoction.

In TO DAD WITH LOVE, A TRIBUTE TO BUDDY EBSEN; Kiki Ebsen pays tribute to her father in the best way she knows how - singing and story-telling. Kiki graciously walked me through some of her vivid memories of growing up the child of a famous father, a most popular figure of 1960s television, known to weekly TV viewers as Jed Clampett of The Beverly Hillbillies.

The prolific playwright Jose Rivera's THE UNTRANSLATABLE SECRETS OF NIKKI CORONA world premieres at the Geffen Playhouse. With previews already begun,  opening night's set for September 12, 2018. When Nikki's twin sister Abril dies, Nikki wishes she had communicated all she should have said to her. Ricardo Chavira plays the pivotal role of Orlando, Nikki's conduit to Abril. We had the opportunity to unveil some various SECRETS of Ricardo's theatrical career.