Shari Barrett - Page 55

STEEL MAGNOLIAS is centered in a small town beauty shop in Louisiana where social veneers are set aside and women see one another once a week, building relationship and community with extraordinary mettle that suits the metaphor in the play's title.

Written and directed by Steve Altman, JUST IMAGINE intertwines John Lennon's songs with the stories behind them to create a unique and electrifying multimedia concert experience. The multimedia show takes you through a final Lennon performance, revealing his outlook on his life, his music career, as well as his inspiration for songs and his relationships with loved ones.

It's difficult to know where to start with my praise for this outrageously spectacular production. Starting with a remarkable cast able to transform themselves into what seemed to be hundreds of characters in a matter of seconds, every single element combined brilliantly to make the production shine from start to finish.

Kentwood Players welcomes Joshua Eli Kranz as Musical Director for its production of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS opening this September.

Haven Academy of the Arts, an El Segundo-based theatre program, is pleased to present its summer musical production of THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE at the OCF Auditorium (343 Coral Circle in El Segundo) on July 10, 11, 12, 13 at 7:00 PM and July 13 at 2:00 PM.

For the 2012-2013 season, every cast member and technical designer for each show of the season (The Miracle Worker - Doubt, a Parable - Scream Queens, The Musical - Fortinbras - The 39 Steps - Ragtime) was nominated for a Marcom Masque Award in appropriate categories. This year's Marcom Masque Awards Ceremony was held on Saturday, June 29 at the Westchester Playhouse, home of the Kentwood Players.

Actors who dedicate their life to the theatre are a passionate, unique and rare breed. Art imitates life imitates art when Theatricum Botanicum artistic director Ellen Geer stars alongside her sister Melora Marshall, daughter Willow Geer and daughter-in-law Abby Craden in THE ROYAL FAMILY, an uproarious comedy about a family of actors.

In Great Britain, the period between 1963 and 1966 was one of the most extraordinary moments of youth cultural history as well as in popular music history. MODROCK, with book by Hogan Thomas-Jones, directed by Brian Lohmann, produced by Tom Coleman with choreography by Michele Spears, is an homage to this period and to the many iconic bands and songwriters who emerged from it.

In 86 minutes, SUNNY AFTERNOON presents thought-provoking storytelling at its best with a cast that could not be any more perfect in their characterizations of every person to be in Oswald's presence from the moment he was arrested until he was murdered. The play is bold, meticulous in detail, flooded with character, and challenging in every respect.

HOT CAT takes a very modern approach CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, telling it with imaginative and highly intricate movement with the talented cast often saying more with a choreographed group turn of their heads than could ever be portrayed with words alone. Kudos to Tina Kronis for her vision in direction and choreography, and for sharing her deep understanding of the characters with us.

The summer theater season wouldn't be complete without multiple interpretations of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream to quench our appetite for the Bard's most beloved comedy. I have never seen a production more understandable or better staged than the current one at the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble presented by the New American Theatre, directed by Jack Stehlin.

Kentwood Players presents the 1989 Tony Award-winning comedy/farce 'LEND ME A TENOR' by Ken Ludwig from Friday, July 12 to Saturday, August 17, 2013 for a six-week run on Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm with Sunday matinees at 2pm at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Avenue, Westchester, CA 90045. The production is directed by Gail Bernardi and produced by Susan Goldman Weisbarth.

Ruby is portrayed by the star and principal writer of this show, Anastasia Barnes, who originally created the character of Ruby Besler in a popular web series in which Ruby gives advice to women (and occasionally to men) on sex and romance, always followed by an original novelty song with a sound appropriate to the 40s period.

Thoroughly Modern Millie is a high-spirited musical romp taking place in New York City in 1922, telling the story of young Millie Dillmount who has just moved to the city in search of a new life for herself. It's a New York full of intrigue and jazz - a time when women were entering the workforce and the rules of love and social behavior were changing forever.

Chalk Repertory Theatre continues their Fifth Anniversary Season by heading to the grounds of UCLA's historic William Andrews Clark Memorial Library to present LADY WINDERMERE'S FAN by Oscar Wilde from July 27-August 18, 2013 on Saturdays and Sundays at 6:00pm

I am a huge fan of theatre that gets you thinking and questioning the experience, characters and subject matter presented. And I find myself, even after so many hours, still thinking about this fine production and just what reality was really being presented. I challenge you to do the same after seeing this brilliant production.

#HASHTAG explores the other kind of LA gridlock: the daily struggle to remain engaged in the present moment in a culture built on social media and status anxiety. Audience members are encouraged to leave their phones on and tweet, take videos or photos and post them during the show to document the exact moment being created during this collaborative piece of theatre.

The Spolin Players Improvisational troupe is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Viola Spolin (known as 'The High Priestess of Improv') by performing her theatre games at The Hollywood Fringe Festival. Each hour-long completely improvised show will be completely different and original. Bring your imagination and suggestions, and get ready to laugh a lot!

You can experience ALL the comedies, ALL the tragedies, ALL the histories, and even a nod to the sonnets, neatly compressed into a 97-minute package performed by three exceptionally talented actors: Eric Bloom (the company's Artistic Director), Mike Niedzwicki, and Lucas Kwan Peterson.

Through combined and extremely intricate dance movements, the skill of the actors/dancers certainly exemplified the group's moniker as a physical theatre ensemble with each scene more exciting that the last. You will not be able to take your eyes off them!