Gil Kaan - Page 37

Amanda Peet's sophomore playwrighting effort OUR VERY OWN CARLIN McCULLOUGH has already been garnering rave reviews in its current world premiere at the Geffen Playhouse. Focusing on a ten-year-old tennis phenom and her close relationships with her tennis coach and single mom, kudos has been generously spread around the cast and the creatives. We had the opportunity to verbally volley with Joe Tippett, who completely embodies the role of Carlin's coach Jay.

As one of the human characters in the world premiere of playwright Tony Cookson's MUTT HOUSE; Ryan McCartan sings, leads and reacts with a zany pack of canine creatures. Featuring original songs from Cookson, John Daniel, Robb Curtis Brown and David O, MUTT HOUSE begins previews July 10, 2018 at the Kirk Dougas Theatre. We managed to sniff out some answers from Ryan in between his rehearsals.

A member of television comedy royalty, Gregg Oppenheimer grew up visiting the live set of his father Jess Oppenheimer's creation I Love Lucy. Today, an expert historian on all matters Lucy, Gregg's latest theatrical venture I LOVE LUCY: A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE SITCOM will be having its world premiere July 12, 2018 at L.A. Theatre Works venue on the UCLA campus, the James Bridges Theater.

The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles (SCLA) currently presents their new distinct take on Shakespeare's classic HENRY IV. Helmed by Tony Award-winning director Daniel Sullivan, SCLA has combined PART I and PART II into a single sitting of theatre, featuring the Los Angeles stage debut of Tom Hanks as Falstaff. We had the opportunity to chat with one of HENRY IV's most talented co-conspirators, actor Harry Groener who plays Northumberland and Justice Shallow.

Motown legend Diana Ross kiiiiiicked off the Hollywood Bowl's 2018 summer season with polish, pizzazz, and professionalism. Performing for approximately an hour post-intermission, Ms. Ross had the Hollywood Bowl audience in her very capable hands; and, more frequently than not, dancing in their seats. With 50+ years performing in the public eye, Ms. Ross effortlessly commands the stage with her wit, her charm, her flowing costumes, and very vibrant vocal pipes.

Los Angeles theatre lovers will see the welcomed return of the singularly entertaining Reprise productions, rebooted appropriately as REPRISE 2.0. Headed, as before, by producing artistic director Marcia Seligson, REPRISE 2.0 has already announced their first season, beginning June 20, 2018 with SWEET CHARITY, VICTOR, VICTORIA and GRAND HOTEL. Marcia availed herself from her multi-tasking REPRISE 2.0 duties to chat with me.

East West Players, in association with the Los Angeles LGBT Center, has another entertaining hit on their hands with the world premiere of playwright Nathan Ramos' AS WE BABBLE ON. Ramos' very clever, contemporary script (lots of screen grabs of texting and emojis) weaves a sometimes funny, sometimes heart-warming, always real tale of Benji, a gay Asian-American comic book artist and his close family of friends.

Erin Sullivan has created (with help from co-writer Stephanie Rosenberg and co-conceiver Robin Milling) WITH LOVE, MARILYN, her one-woman homage to Marilyn Monroe. Sullivan nails Monroe's breathy line deliveries and body language, especially in recreating Monroe songs 'My Heart Belongs to Daddy' and her signature 'Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend.'

LYSISTRATA UNBOUND, a new take on Aristophanes' LYSISTRATA by Eduardo Machado will world premiere June 9, 2018 in an Odyssey Theatre/Not Man Apart collaboration, with John Farmanesh-Bocca directing his wife Brenda Strong in the title role.  We had the chance to ask a few questions of the always working Brenda.

Already in previews, the latest Culture Clash project BORDERTOWN NOW runs through June 24, 2018 at the Pasadena Playhouse. We had the chance to query director Diane Rodriguez on her history with the nation's premier Chicano/Latino performance trio, as well as, on some of the projects she's currently involved with - Center Theatre Group, the NEA and BORDERTOWN NOW.  

The west coast premiere of playwright Mfoniso Udofia's HER PORTMANTEAU receives a most reverential mounting at Boston Court Pasadena. Omoze Idehenre energetically supplies the needed jolt of energy and enthusiasm as Adiaha, Abasiama's loving daughter with the desire to please her mother's every whim. Joyce Guy grounds HER PORTMANTEAU as Abasiama, the maternal loving heart of this piece.

Prolific playwright Dominique Morisseau's SKELETON CREW begins June 5, 2018 as the next Geffen Playhouse production. SKELETON CREW, the final play in Dominique's three-play cycle THE DETROIT PROJECT, focuses on four co-workers of an auto factory about to go under, circa 2008.  We had the chance to catch Dominique in between her multi-tasking of writing on her multitude of projects, including Showtime's Shameless and the upcoming AIN'T TOO PROUD scheduled for a Broadway run.

The world premiere of playwright Michelle Kholos Brooks' HOSTAGE receives an absolutely stunning mounting by the Skylight Theatre Company. Tracie Lockwood gives a tour de force performance as Barbara, normally an inconspicuous, yet outspoken, mother like most in the Oak Creek, Wisconsin neighborhood; but a real pit bull when matters concern her hostaged son.

This summer's LIVE IN CONCERT film choice Beauty & the Beast brought together a wonderful mix of theatre, television and film talents to sing live along with the live orchestra deftly led by musical director Michael Kosarin as the animated 1991 film Beauty & the Beast played on the accompanying big screens. Zooey Deschanel made for a perfect Belle with her innocence, vulnerability and her striking vocals. Kelsey Grammer IS Lumiere...

The Celebration Theatre will be presenting their third and final show of their successful 2017-18 season - Kander & Ebb's CABARET, beginning previews on May 25 and opening on June 1. I managed to get Celebration Theatre's co-artistic director and CABARET's director Michael Matthews to take a short break from his uber-busy schedule to answer a few of our inquisitive queries.

L.A. Theatre Works will be west coast premiering Leigh Fondakowski's SPILL May 17 through May 20, 2018. We had the opportunity to chat with an L.A. Theatre Works' frequent collaborator, actor James Morrison on his current and past involvement with L.A. Theatre Works.

The world premiere of playwright Steve Apostolina's FOREVER BOUND artfully produces scores of suspenseful 'will he/won't he' moments performed by the talented cast of four. What starts out as a day in the life of a depressed book scout about to be evicted takes welcomed twists and turns to its very satisfying end. Director Ann Hearn Tobolowsky keeps a firm hand in guiding this intermission-less piece smoothly and efficiently to its conclusion.

Kate Pazakis, executive producer of the UNAUTHORIZED MUSICAL PARODY OF series, continues to top herself and her uber-talented team of artists in their latest creation THE UNAUTHORIZED MUSICAL PARODY OF CLUELESS. Director Jimmy Smagula ever-so-smartly runs his triple-threat cast of eight through a rapid succession of recognizable pop songs tautly strung together with Pazakis' very clever spoofs of the film's taglines.

A Broadway Baby for years in supporting and featured roles, Billy Porter won his Tony Award for 'Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical' in his first leading role on Broadway as Lola in Cyndi Lauper and Harvey Fierstein's KINKY BOOTS in 2013. Billy will be bringing his dulcet vocals and his razor-sharp wit to The Soraya June 2, 2018 in his THE SOUL OF RICHARD RODGERS. Billy managed to take a break from his non-stop schedule of creativity to chat with me.

SOFT POWER, the first collective creation of Tony Award winners David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori, will world premiere at the Ahmanson under the auspices of Center Theatre Group, in association with East West Players and the Curran, opening May 16, 2018. We had the wonderful opportunity to chat with a frequent collaborator of both David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori, actor/singer Francis Jue who portrays DHH in SOFT POWER.