Shari Barrett - Page 14

The venerated Los Angeles-based Lula Washington Dance Theatre returned to the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts to celebrate its milestone 40th anniversary with a dynamic and powerful program exploring social and humanitarian issues from January 30 through February 1 in the Bram Goldsmith Theater. The program, which launched The Lula Washington Dance Theatre's year-long anniversary celebration, included three world premieres and a West Coast premiere, with new works from new voices, some of whom are a generation younger than co-founders Lula and Erwin Washington, which mixed jazz, hip-hop, African movement, ballet, modern, tap and other dance styles to perfection.

Popular American film director and producer, television writer and producer, playwright and actor Del Shores is an expert at creating mid-twentieth century lowbrow female characters; the salt of the earth Southern women on the surface who bubble with peppery torment beneath the surface, just waiting to explode. And now in his latest play, THIS SIDE OF CRAZY which Shores also directs at the Zephyr Theatre for its Los Angeles premiere, carries on the same tradition of a strong-willed, highly religious mother who raised her three very different daughters, each of whom has rebelled against family traditions and society's expectations - until they are called upon to reunite in the family home for some higher purpose.

Five and a half years ago, the town of Ferguson, Missouri, became the focus of national attention following shooting of teenager Michael Brown on August 9, 2014. The unarmed, black 18-year-old was shot dead by Darren Wilson, a 28-year-old white police officer, for allegedly robbing a convenience store on Canfield Drive, the same street on which Brown lived. Protests and media attention focused on the town for a year, while the community of Ferguson was left in turmoil.

As is true with almost every one of The Bard's plays, magic and mayhem, fops and fairies, mistaken identity, romance and humor abound in this tongue-firmly-in-cheek evening with elements of pantomime, Commedia dell'arte and conventions of classical theater woven together with DeCarlo and Rudie narrating the tale as the elvish mischief makers Orion and Talia. While there are quotes and references from several of The Bard's creations, LOVE IN BLOOM takes its biggest story line from a?oeA Midsummer Night's Dreama?? with three sets of lovers dealing with mistaken identities due to cross-dressing, who eventually get lost in the woods in order for the fairies' spell to be cast so that all ends well and love rules the day.

Playwright Stanley Brown directs the world premiere of his play HUCKLEBERRY TOWERS through February 9, 2020, at the ELATE Theatre Company's Lincoln Stegman Theatre in North Hollywood. With a cast of 18, most of whom are seniors who just might be real residents of the retirement home named in the title, this poignant comedy about their so-called golden years speaks to the importance of friendship even when you have trouble remembering their names or hearing conversations around you.

At the center of his play is the Matera family, soon to get together for a very special SUNDAY DINNER in that their son Michael (James Tabeek), a young priest in the Chicago Archdiocese, is returning to his parents' home in the Bronx after his grandfather dies. And just as Jewish mother would “qvell” about her son being a doctor, no doubt a Catholic mother would love to brag about her son being a priest. So of course when we first meet the family's matriarch Rose (Sharron Shayne) and her sister Margaret (Michele Schultz) as they are preparing the table for what they expect will be an interesting gathering, we soon learn because so many family members will be there with lots of past history, emotional reactions are bound to be ignited.

The real star of the show is its designed-to-travel, multi-level scenic design by 59 Productions, enhanced by sound designer Sebastian Front and lighting designer Matt Daw, which includes some of the most amazing projections I have ever witnessed that completely transform into the many scenes required, from the shipyard, inside homes, the local beer pub, to an extraordinary church interior that generated gasps from the audience, as well as the appearance of waves crashing on the docks and snow falling. But it is the final scene when the Utopia, the last ship to be built, launches from the soon-to-close shipyard that will take your breath away. It's just a shame it takes almost 3 hours to get to it.

Energetic, urban and contemporary, Cirque du Soleil's VOLTA, written and directed by Bastien Alexandre, with Jean Guibert as the director of creation, is a captivating voyage of discovery that showcases never-before-seen under the Big Top acrobatics in a visually striking world. Driven by a stirring melodic score and inspired in part by the adventurous spirit that fuels the culture of street sports, VOLTA is a story of transformation, being true to oneself, fulfilling one's true potential, and recognizing one's own power to make it possible. The production is perhaps the most acrobatic show ever staged by Cirque du Soleil, with acts from around the world offering amazing displays of roller skating, balance, trampoline leaps through windows to rooftop, Double Dutch rope skipping, tumbling, rings, and BMX bicycle flips that challenge gravity.

The playwright nervously awaiting the make-or-break review on opening night has been the setting of many stage and movie scenes. But in this play, McNally runs with the idea, taking no prisoners across two acts boasting almost as many Broadway name-drops as punch lines, all delivered with perfect comic timing by a cast of talented actors who know how important it is to both give and take with each other as the wide range of human emotions overcomes the a?oestarsa?? who hope and pray this play will revive their struggling careers. And all the while, the laughs abound non-stop.

Here is your first look at onstage photos from THE GIVER, adapted for the stage by Eric Coble, based on the Newberry Award-winning book by Lois Lowry, directed by Harold Dershimer for Kentwood Players at the Westchester Playhouse. Featured is Jack Heath as Jonas for performances on Jan 17-18-19, Jan 31-Feb1-Feb 2, Feb 21-Feb 22. On alternating weekends, Elliott Plunkett portrays Jonas. Photos by Gloria Plunkett

Directed by Hollace Starr, an associate professor of theatre at Pepperdine University, a designated Linklater Voice teacher, and a lifetime member of the Actors Studio, with an innate understanding of feminine emotional turmoil, and John Perrin Flynn's keen eye for multimedia effects, EARTHQUAKES IN LONDON tackles our chronic inability to act in the interest of our future generations. At the center are three very different sisters who are left to raise and care for one another after their mother dies and their father abandons them. Now adults, the sisters find themselves navigating a 21st century London that is at the precipice of both an existential and an all-too-real environmental crisis.

With the topic of illegal immigration so prevalent in today's news, now is the perfect time to take a very personal look at the trials and tribulations of those who immigrated, both legally and illegally, to our country in THE NEW COLOSSUS, a new play co-written by The Actors' Gang ensemble and its Artistic Director Tim Robbins, who also directs the production. In it, twelve of the acting troupe's members tell their ancestors' stories, reflecting their great diversity, struggles and journeys from oppression to freedom, a real personal testament celebrating the courage and great character of the refugees who came to this country throughout the last 200 years.

The five-time Tony Award-nominated hit classic has returned to its roots on Hollywood Blvd. with an immersive theatrical and dining experience at a specially built performance venue and nightlife destination named after the venue at the center of the show, The Bourbon Room. And with 6 years on Broadway and over 2,350 performances, 5 Tony nominations, 20 productions worldwide and 30 hit songs from the 80s, ROCK OF AGES is the best-reviewed, most-nominated, hair band musical of all time and not to be missed this time around as the cast and creative team are filled with Tony Nominees, Rock of Ages Alums, Broadway talent and fresh faces who generate enough energy to light up the city!

Arthur Miller's electrifying family drama ALL MY SONS won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best New Play and Miller his first Pulitzer Prize when it first opened in 1947, and went on to be a recipient of numerous Tony Awards. Inspired by a story from an Ohio Newspaper on an aircraft factory's troubled contracts during WWII, the tale remains as timely as it is timeless about pointing your finger at someone else rather than soil your own reputation by taking responsibility for your own actions, a personality trait all too evident in today's society.

Playwright Robert Harling based the STEEL MAGNOLIAS story on his experience with the death of his diabetic sister. As her best friend and closest sibling, Harling found it difficult to cope with losing her, and his friends advised him to write about his feelings as a coping method. What began as a short story then evolved into a full-length play due to the complexity of the relationships and emotions that existed among the female characters who are a?oeas delicate as magnolias but as tough as steela?? who utilize humor and lighthearted conversations to cope with the seriousness of life's underlying situations.

BLIND TALENT is a heartfelt dramedy about coming to grips with challenging conformity and social hierarchy to find the beauty in the struggle to achieve your dreams. The story centers on Adrian (Kenny Lee), an actor on the cusp of stardom who has been an employee for the least-reputable studio in Hollywood. Now at the end of a five-year player contract, his recent diagnosis of macular degeneration threatens to abruptly end his budding career. In an attempt to keep his job, Adrian turns to his Aunt Kay (Sheila Walker), a former manager in her own right, and the two work out a day-to-day routine and system to maintain normal appearances. But as Adrian begins to lose more and more of his sight, he must be honest with those around him, and ultimately, himself, proving there is no blind lucka?? only blind talent.

Rogue Machine is presenting the world premiere of DISPOSABLE NECESSITIES, written by Neil McGowan and directed by Guillermo Cienfuegos, at the Electric Lodge in Venice through February 23. The play's title refers to the physical body we all live with, a cage of meat and bones that signals the end of life as we know it when it breaks down and stops functioning. This new comedic fantasy examines what life might be like in Maryland in the year 2095 when those wealthy enough have the ability to live forever exactly as they choose to be, creating a future where our physical bodies have become disposable, something to be tossed aside and replaced with another model which is better functioning. But what does that mean to our personal relationships when anyone can completely change their physical appearance on a whim?

Attendees will enter a nightclub in 1963 Germany just under the shadow of the Berlin Wall where everyone is a spy and no one can be trusted. During the evening, CRIMSON CABARET guests will engage with secret agents and be slipped notes with assigned missions to complete throughout the evening. All guests are required to dress in 1960s appropriate cocktail party attire and assume a character of their choosing, then bring that character into the space and be ready to do what is asked of you and find the right person who can lead you in the direction where your skills are required during this multi-sensory, immersive theatrical experience. But you see, since everyone is dressed appropriately, how can you possibly know who to trust and who is really playing for the wrong team on this side of the wall?

The Troubies continues its 25th Silver anniversary season (bringing Los Angeles audiences a quarter century of mayhem!), with their 18th annual holiday offering of A CHRISTMAS CAROLE KING adapted & directed by Matt Walker with musical direction by Derrick Finely, in which the soulful sounds of songstress Carole King are combined with one of the most enduring stories of our time, and the result is 'So Far Away' from what you'd expect! The nine cast members who play a multitude of characters and change costumes more frequently than seems humanly possible, are (in alphabetical order): Rick Batalla, Chelle Denton, Beth Kennedy, Janelle Lillian, Luis a?oeL.T.a?? Martinez, Mike Sulprizio, Cloie Wyatt Taylor, Matt Walker and David C. Wright. And you could not ask for a more talented, off-the-wall group of entertainers to bring this holiday laugh fest back every December to appreciative local audiences!

Taking the film and its music to the next level, The Wallis and For The Record are presenting a holiday season encore of last year's LOVE, ACTUALLY LIVE world premiere in the Bram Stoker Theater at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills through December 29. The multimedia presentation, adapted and directed by Anderson Davis with musical supervision by Jesse Vargas, turns the theater into a giant, immersive, cinema in a three-dimensional world where the film and live action seamlessly intertwine throughout the London setting. Each scene is a festival of excellent characterizations, extraordinary lighting effects and costumes, brilliant and fast-paced direction and choreography, and the joy of great music that perfectly expresses the mood and themes of the movie and jukebox musical LOVE ACTUALLY LIVE. No doubt this suburb holiday musical will be making its return to The Wallis each December!