Larry Owens' SONDHEIMIA, Bernadette Peters & More Announced for Pasadena Playhouse's Sondheim Celebration

Pasadena Playhouse Producing Artistic Director Danny Feldman announced the latest news for the theater's upcoming six-month-long celebration of the works and impact of Stephen Sondheim January 26 through June 11, 2023.

"We want our celebration of Stephen Sondheim to be for everyone," Producing Artistic Director Danny Feldman said. "Two grand productions, among the most ambitious in our history, anchor our celebration but that's really just the start. At the heart of our celebration are student productions, concerts by two rising stars and the ultimate Broadway icon, a community choral event, and more. We are bringing together professional theatermakers, community organizations and students of all ages to create a special celebration. Whether you are a Sondheim lover, have never experienced his work, or are perhaps somewhere in between, our festival has something for everyone. Our goal is to create an opportunity for all of our Los Angeles community to come together and celebrate the life of one of the most important figures in theater history. A fitting tribute for a legend who has touched so many and will continue to for generations to come."

Pasadena Playhouse has announced the directors for the previously announced Sondheim productions. Sarna Lapine, who helmed the most recent Broadway revival of the show, will direct the Playhouse's upcoming production of Sunday in the Park with George. Playhouse favorite David Lee (Ragtime, Casa Valentina) returns to direct A Little Night Music, commemorating the show's 50th anniversary.

The Celebration includes the newly announced student production of Company performed by students of the USC School of Dramatic Arts and special events including Larry Owens' Sondheimia Presented by Jeremy O. Harris, Eleri Ward: Acoustic Sondheim, and Impro Theater's Sondheim UnScripted. Song by Song by Sondheim a special musical presentation of Sondheim's work, featuring the Gay Men's Chorus of LA, Pasadena Chorale, Vox Femina LA, and ACABELLA (Academy of Music for the Blind), will be held at the First United Methodist Church Pasadena.

As previously announced, The State Theater of California's Sondheim Celebration will include two special events at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. In January 2023 Into The Woods will be presented in a landmark partnership with Pasadena Unified School District, directed by Fran de Leon. Bringing high school students together with theater professionals, the team will create a full production from the imaginations of the students This project will culminate in two student matinee performances and one free public performance, making it possible for thousands of student and community members to see Sondheim's fairytale-inspired musical at no cost. And in June, Sondheim muse Bernadette Peters will take the stage and perform at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium for two performances.

In the spirit of exploring Sondheim's work through other mediums, world-renowned graphic designer Paula Scher (pentagram.com) was commissioned to create the artwork for the Sondheim Celebration.

Pasadena Playhouse's Sondheim Celebration is made possible through the generous support of Pasadena-based East West Bank and the Helen and Will Webster Foundation.

Ticketing and on-sale information, including access to the Celebration Series Package, can be found online at pasadenaplayhouse.org, or by calling 626-356-7529.


A SONDHEIM CELEBRATION (January 26 - June 11, 2023)

Into the Woods (January 26 - 27, 2023)

Book by James Lapine, Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Directed by Fran de Leon.
Presented by Students of the Pasadena Unified School District

Into the Woods is a lyrically rich retelling of classic Brothers Grimm fables, with Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine bringing the cockeyed fairytales to life on stage featuring all of your favorite characters - Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack (and his beanstalk) and the Witch. In a landmark partnership, the Playhouse will collaborate with the high school students and teachers of Pasadena Unified School District to present Into The Woods with students working alongside theater professionals in creating their own special production.

Sunday in the Park with George (February 14 - March 19, 2023, Press Opening Sunday, February 19) Book by James Lapine, Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Directed by Sarna Lapine.

One of the most acclaimed musicals of all time, Sondheim's most innovative and groundbreaking musical has rarely been produced in Los Angeles with the full-scale production it deserves-until now. Inventive, insightful, and in a class of its own, this ravishing, captivating masterpiece encapsulates the complexity of life-and the art of understanding it.

Recipient of the 1985 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, "Sunday remains a masterpiece that affirms the painful, isolating joys of creation, and the need to learn new lessons. Like a densely plotted canvas, it's worth seeing, no matter where or how it's hung." - Time Out New York

Larry Owens' Sondheimia Presented by Jeremy O. Harris (February 27 & March 6, 2023, Playhouse Mainstage)

this curated concert, multi-award-winning musical theater actor Larry Owens explores time, love, and ambition through the music and lyrics of Stephen Sondheim, with Josh Kight on piano.

Eleri Ward: Acoustic Sondheim (March 31 & April 1, 2023, Playhouse Courtyard)
New York City-based actor, singer, and musician Eleri Ward brings her "harmonious marriage of musical theater and indie folk music" (Forbes) to the Playhouse, highlighting her swirling harmonies and original point of view.

Company (April 20 - 26, 2023)

Book by George Furth, Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Directed by Richard Israel.

Phone rings, door chimes, in comes Company. Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's groundbreaking musical comedy is largely regarded as a trailblazer of the modern-musical genre and is the winner of six Tony Awards - including Best Musical, Best Score, Best Lyrics and Best Book. The habitually single birthday celebrant is forced to question their adamant retention of singlehood during a darkly comic array of interactions with their diverse group of friends in this musical featuring a brilliantly brisk and energetic score containing many of Sondheim's best-known songs.

Song by Song by Sondheim (April 22, 2023, First United Methodist Church Pasadena)
Gay Men's Chorus of LA, Pasadena Chorale, Vox Femina LA, and ACABELLA (Academy of Music for the Blind) and additional community Choirs from all over LA come together to sing Sondheim.

A Little Night Music (April 25 - May 21, 2023, Press Opening Sunday, April 30)
Book by Hugh Wheeler, Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Suggested by a film by Ingmar Bergman, Directed by David Lee.

In honor of its 50th Anniversary, the Playhouse is proud to present this unsung sensation in its full, original, and soaring orchestration. Boasting one of the most singular and sumptuous scores in Broadway history, Sondheim's enchanting, hilarious romantic farce is a bona-fide classic of American musical theater.

Recipient of three Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score, A Little Night Music is "heady, civilized, sophisticated and enchanting." - New York Times

Sondheim UnScripted (May 5 - 7, 2023, Carrie Hamilton Theatre)

Impro Theatre's Sondheim UnScripted is a completely improvised "musical revue" in the style of one of Broadway's most acclaimed artists, Stephen Sondheim. The on stage cast and improvising piano virtuoso work together as an ensemble to create songs with the intricate rhymes, soaring counter melodies, and complex themes that are all hallmarks of Sondheim's work, creating a wholly original, thrilling musical revue so closely resembling Sondheim's work, you'd swear you knew the songs even though they're completely made-up on the spot for every performance.

Bernadette Peters in Concert (June 10 - 11, 2023)

Bernadette Peters, Broadway's brightest star and Sondheim's most stunning muse, in an unforgettable evening of song from the Broadway shows she's received accolades for, as well as from all her Grammy Award winning and nominated albums. A glamorous evening as only Bernadette Peters can do.

ABOUT PASADENA PLAYHOUSE

Pasadena Playhouse has been bringing people together for more than 100 years to experience bold and important theater. It is one of the most prolific theaters in American history with a legacy of profound theatrical impact and courageous new work. In 1937, the Playhouse was officially recognized as the State Theater of California for its contribution and commitment to the dramatic arts. Today it continues that tradition of excellence under the helm of producing artistic director Danny Feldman. Dedicated to enriching lives through theater, community programs and learning initiatives, Pasadena Playhouse is a living force in the community.

Stephen Sondheim

Stephen Sondheim wrote the music and lyrics for Saturday Night (1954), A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (1962), Anyone Can Whistle (1964), Company (1970), Follies (1971), A Little Night Music (1973), The Frogs (1974), Pacific Overtures (1976), Sweeney Todd (1979), Merrily We Roll Along (1981), Sunday In The Park With George (1984), Into The Woods (1987), Assassins (1991), Passion (1994) and Road Show (2008) as well as lyrics for West Side Story (1957), Gypsy (1959) and Do I Hear A Waltz? (1965) and additional lyrics for Candide (1973). Anthologies of his work include Side By Side By Sondheim (1976), Marry Me A Little (1981), You're Gonna Love Tomorrow (1983), Putting It Together (1993/99) and Sondheim On Sondheim (2010). He composed the scores of the films Stavisky (1974) and Reds (1981) and songs for Dick Tracy (1990) and the television production Evening Primrose (1966). His collected lyrics with attendant essays have been published in two volumes: "Finishing the Hat" (2010) and "Look, I Made A Hat" (2011). In 2010 Broadway's Henry Miller's Theatre was renamed The Stephen Sondheim Theatre in his honour; in 2019, London's Queens Theatre was also renamed the Sondheim.

James Lapine

James Lapine is a playwright and director. On Broadway he has worked with Stephen Sondheim on Sunday in the Park with George; Into the Woods; and Passion. He also conceived and directed the musical revue Sondheim on Sondheim. With William Finn he created Falsettos, recently revived by Lincoln Center Theater; Little Miss Sunshine; Muscle; and directed Finn's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Other Broadway credits include his play based on Moss Hart's memoir Act One (also LCT), Amour, The Diary of Anne Frank, Golden Child, and Dirty Blonde. He has written the plays Table Settings, Twelve Dreams, The Moment When, Fran's Bed and Mrs. Miller Does Her Thing. Lapine has been nominated for eleven Tony Awards, winning on three occasions. He has also been the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize, SDC's Mr. Abbott Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater, and inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame.

Hugh Wheeler

Hugh Wheeler was a novelist, playwright and screenwriter. He wrote more than thirty mystery novels under the pseudonyms Q. Patrick and Patrick Quentin, and four of his novels were transformed into films: Black Widow, Man in the Net, The Green-Eyed Monster and The Man with Two Wives. For films he wrote the screenplays for Travels with My Aunt, Something for Everyone, A Little Night Music and Nijinsky. His plays include Big Fish, Little Fish (1961), Look: We've Come Through (1961) and We Have Always Lived in the Castle (1966, adapted from the Shirley Jackson novel), he co-authored with Joseph Stein the book for a new production of the 1919 musical Irene (1973), wrote the books for A Little Night Music (1973), a new production of Candide (1973), Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979, based on a version of the play by Christopher Bond), and Meet Me in St. Louis (adapted from the 1949 MGM musical), contributed additional material for the musical Pacific Overtures (1976), and wrote a new adaptation of the Kurt Weill opera Silverlake, which was directed by Harold Prince at the New York Opera. He received Tony and Drama Desk Awards for A Little Night Music, Candide and Sweeney Todd. Prior to his death in 1987 Mr. Wheeler was working on two new musicals, Bodo and Fu Manchu, and a new adaptation of The Merry Widow.

Sarna Lapine

Sarna Lapine is a New York-based director of musicals, operas, and plays. She is currently focused on developing new work as well as radically re-imagined revivals.

Recent credits include Fiddler on the Roof performed with The Philadelphia Orchestra; Lillian Hellman's Watch on the Rhine (Spotlight on Plays); the world premiere of Kate Hamill's Dracula (Classic Stage Company); the New York premiere of Kate Hamill's Little Women (Primary Stages); as well as The Rape of Lucretia (Boston Lyric Opera), named Best Opera of 2019 by the Boston Globe.

Lapine directed the critically-acclaimed Broadway revival of Sunday in the Park with George starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford, which reopened the Hudson Theatre on Broadway.

In addition to working on Broadway, Lapine has worked regionally, Off-Broadway and internationally, including the Japanese premiere of Anna Ziegler's Photograph 51. Touring productions include: the North American tour and Japanese premiere of The National Theatre's WarHorse; Dirty Dancing North American tour; and the second national tour of Lincoln Center Theater's Tony Award winning revival, South Pacific. Concerts include: 4-Stars in Osaka and Tokyo, Japan; two Sondheim concerts with the Boston Pops starring Ruthie Ann Miles, Carmen Cusack and Phillip Boykin; as well as Sondheim on Sondheim at The Hollywood Bowl, starring Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jonathan Groff and Vanessa Williams.

Lapine has been a guest artist at Juilliard, Fordham University, the Hartt School at University of Hartford, and BMI. She has been a guest speaker at Rutgers University, CalArts, and Mountview Academy, and has taught at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York. She holds an MFA in film from Columbia University.

Her first documentary short film My Saraab, about a political refugee from Iraq, won best short film at the Northwest Film Forum in 2005 and was accepted at the Big Sky Documentary film festival, Beverly Hills Shorts Festival, Arab & Iranian Film Festival, and Northwest Folklife.

Lapine served as Bartlett Sher's assistant and associate director on Lincoln Center Theater's Broadway productions of The Light in the Piazza; South Pacific; Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown; and Awake and Sing!.

Before a career in theater, Lapine worked in arts and outdoor education in Seattle, WA. She was a mountaineering and rock-climbing guide for the Pacific Northwest Outward Bound School, as well as Program Director for a nonprofit called Powerful Voices, designed to teach sex education to girls in the juvenile justice system. Lapine transformed the latter program through a new curriculum promoting self-expression through the arts. In conjunction with a researcher at the University of Washington, she helped address teen motherhood, addiction, and sexual assault issues.

David Lee

David was born and raised in Claremont, California. He graduated from the University of Redlands with a degree in Theater and Music. In 1978 he began a long career writing, directing and producing television comedy. With writing partner Peter Casey, he wrote and produced The Jeffersons (six years) and Cheers (four years). In 1989 they added a third partner, the late David Angell. The first series they created, Wings, ran for eight seasons on NBC. Their second, Frasier, ran eleven seasons and made television history by winning more Emmy awards than any other sitcom... ever. Besides directing many episodes of his own series, David has directed several pilots and was a repeating guest director for Everybody Loves Raymond. He has won many and various awards for his work in television including nine Emmys (nineteen nominations) for writing, directing and producing, a Golden Globe, the People's Choice (twice), the Directors Guild Award, the Television Critics Award (three times), the British Comedy Award, the Humanitas Prize (twice), and the prestigious Peabody Award. He is also an accomplished theater director, staging critically acclaimed revivals of Light Up the Sky, Do I Hear A Waltz?, 110 in the Shade, Diva, Can-Can (featuring a new book he co-authored; Ovation award: best director), his 8-person version of Camelot (now licensed by MTI), Art, the West Coast premiere of Casa Valentina, and Ragtime (Ovation Award; Best Director' Best Musical) at Pasadena Playhouse. He directed the world premiere of How I Fell In Loveat the Williamstown Theater Festival, Present Laughter and Camelot at the 2 River Theater in New Jersey, and On the Twentieth Century, Assassins, Company, A New Brain, Applause!, Working, Elegies, Two By Two, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Gigi and Zorba (Ovation nomination; best director) for Reprise! In 2007 he directed the acclaimed production of South Pacificat the Hollywood Bowl starring Reba McEntire and Brian Stokes Mitchell. In 2014 he again directed his Can-Can at the Papermill Playhouse in its pre-Broad-way tryout. Shortly after he directed Wonderful Town for LA Opera and Dear World starring Tyne Daly at the Soraya Theater.

Larry Owens

Larry Owens is the winner of both a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor and a Lucille Lortel Award for starring as the alter ego of writer/composer/lyricist Michael R. Jackson in the Pulitzer prize-winning musical A Strange Loop at Playwrights Horizons. Larry can most recently be seen on Abbott Elementary (ABC), Life & Beth (HULU), High Maintenance (HBO), Betty (HBO), Search Party (HBO Max), in Craig Gillespie's film, Dumb Money, and the upcoming Miramax feature, Silent Retreat, directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson. He has also just wrapped a role in Julio Torres untitled feature for A24 alongside Tilda Swinton, with Emma Stone's Fruit Tree producing.
Larry studied drama and improvisation at the School at Steppenwolf. Recently, Owens starred in the curated concert Sondheimia at Carnegie Hall, where he explored time, love, and ambition through the music and lyrics of Stephen Sondheim. Larry is currently developing his original television series Folly at FX, with Bryan Fuller and Barry Sonnenfeld executive producing. Additionally, Larry has a feature in development at Netflix with Jonah Hill's Strong Baby Productions attached to produce.

Bernadette Peters

Throughout her illustrious career, Bernadette Peters has dazzled audiences and critics with her performances on stage, film and television, in concert, and on recordings. She has garnered numerous accolades including three Tony Awards, a Golden Globe, three Emmy and four Grammy Award nominations and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Best known for her work on stage and one of Broadway's most critically acclaimed performers, Bernadette recently starred on Broadway as Dolly Gallagher Levi in the hit musical, Hello, Dolly!. Prior to that, she starred in City Center's Encores! Production, A Bed and a Chair: A New York Love Affair featuring the music of Stephen Sondheim and orchestrations by Wynton Marsalis and on Broadway, in Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music and Follies.

Peters garnered both the Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for her performance in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, Song and Dance. She also won a Tony Award for her performance in Annie Get Your Gun. She received Tony nominations for her outstanding performances in Sam Mendes' critically acclaimed revival of Gypsy, in Neil Simon's The Goodbye Girl, Stephen Sondheim's Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Sunday in the Park with George, the Jerry Herman/Gower Champion ode to the movies, Mack and Mabel, and the Leonard Bernstein/Comden and Green musical On The Town. In addition to these honors, Peters earned a Drama Desk nomination for her unforgettable portrayal of the Witch in Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods.

She also enjoys a career which boasts an impressive list of television credits, including guest-starring on the NBC-TV series, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist for which she earned an Emmy nomination. The popular series was made into a TV movie musical titled Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas for The Roku Channel. Other recent TV appearances include The CW's Katy Keene; CBS All Access' The Good Fight; and Amazon Prime's Golden Globe winning series, Mozart in the Jungle. She recently completed production on the new Apple TV series, High Desert, scheduled to be released this Summer.

Other television credits include NBC-TV's Smash, ABC-TV's Grey's Anatomy and Ugly Betty. In addition to starring in the Lifetime TV movie Living Proof, Peters has lit up the silver screen in over 30 films throughout her distinguished career. She received a Golden Globe Award for her memorable performance in Pennies From Heaven. Other film credits include The Jerk, The Longest Yard, Silent Movie, Annie, Pink Cadillac, Slaves of New York, Woody Allen's Alice, Impromptu, It Runs in the Family, Coming Up Roses, The Broken Hearts Gallery and most recently, a surprise appearance in the popular Jonathan Larson biopic, tick, tick...BOOM!

Bernadette has recorded six solo albums, including the Grammy-nominated I'll Be Your Baby Tonight, Sondheim, Etc.: Bernadette Peters Live at Carnegie Hall, and Bernadette Peters Loves Rodgers & Hammerstein, in addition to numerous original Broadway cast recordings.

Peters devotes her time and talents to numerous events that benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Her "pet project" Broadway Barks, co-founded with Mary Tyler Moore, is an annual, star-studded dog and cat adoption event that benefits shelter animals in the New York City area. She is a New York Times best-selling author who has penned three children's books: Broadway Barks, Stella is a Star, and Stella and Charlie: Friends Forever. All of her proceeds from the sale of these books benefit Broadway Barks. Peters resides in New York and Los Angeles with her rescue dogs, Charlie and Rosalia.

Paula Scher

Paula Scher is one of the most acclaimed graphic designers in the world. She began her career as an art director in the 1970s and early 1980s, when her eclectic approach to typography became highly influential. In 1991 she became a partner in the New York office of the distinguished international design consultancy Pentagram, where she develops brand identities, signage, packaging and publications for a wide range of clients.

The fearless simplicity of her work makes brands iconic. Her identity systems for organizations such as The Public Theater, the Museum of Modern Art, Shake Shack, Citibank, Microsoft, Tiffany & Co., and the High Line have become landmarks of modern branding. Along with her work for the Public, her identities for the Atlantic Theater, the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Pasadena Playhouse and Berkeley Rep have transformed the visual landscape of graphic design for the performing arts.

Scher has been the recipient of hundreds of industry honors including the National Design Award and the AIGA Medal. Her designs are in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, the Library of Congress, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and other institutions. A documentary on Scher and her work can be seen in the Netflix series Abstract: The Art of Design.

Eleri Ward

Eleri Ward is a New York City-based actor, singer, and musician. In 2021, she recorded and produced her full-length indie-folk Sondheim album, A Perfect Little Death, in her closet. After gaining a viral TikTok following, it was released by Ghostlight Records and has been hailed as "a harmonious marriage of musical theater and indie folk music, with hauntingly beautiful arrangements" by Forbes and "an incandescent new record, something genuinely new" from American Theater Magazine. Her original pop music has been called "soaring" (Nexus Music Blog), "astonishing" (Rising Artists), and "dreamy" (Neon Music). Her most recent pop EP, Friction, was released in 2021. Eleri has been singing and acting since she was eight years old and has always strived to carve out her own space with the uniqueness she brings to the theater. She studied songwriting at Berklee College of Music before transferring and graduating from The Boston Conservatory with a BFA in Musical Theater and an emphasis in Songwriting, which shows itself clearly in the way she has taken on the Sondheim canon. www.eleriward.com @eleriward

USC School of Dramatic Arts

The USC School of Dramatic Arts fosters the talents of artist-scholars who are dramatically different - who are willing to imagine the future of the entertainment industry and bring it to life. Through an interdisciplinary, entrepreneurial education students develop the skills necessary to discover their unique voice and are exposed to diverse styles and multiple media. Students and recent alumni are supported by the School's unique Professional Development Center which offers career services and professionalization opportunities to help students establish and sustain successful careers as creators, performers and cultural innovators.

ACABELLA (Academy of Music for the Blind)

ACABELLA is an acapella vocal quartet of 3 blind girls from the non-profit Academy of Music for the Blind (AMB) in Los Angeles. Ranging in ages from 12 to 15, each of the girls has perfect pitch and is a multi-instrumentalist. ACABELLA 's repertoire includes classical, jazz, R&B, country, pop and ethnic music.

ACABELLA has been performing all over the greater Los Angeles area for other non-profit service organizations as well as in concerts with well-known music organizations like the Pasadena Master Chorale, Pasadena's MUSE/IQUE, and the Los Angeles Opera.

ACABELLA is directed by David Pinto, Founder of AMB, who also does all the original composing and arranging for ACABELLA.

Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles

GMCLA, under the leadership of Executive Director & Producer Lou Spisto and Music Director & Conductor Ernest H. Harrison, has continued to garner acclaim for artistic excellence while remaining deeply rooted in service to the Los Angeles community and beyond by promoting civil rights, tolerance, and acceptance through music. Founded in 1979 during the emergence of the gay rights movement, GMCLA has spread its message of love and acceptance with concerts across the globe and has raised its collective voice in the struggle for equality, social justice, the fight against the AIDS crisis, the fight for marriage equality and all those seeking to find their own voice. GMCLA's free ticket program has provided access to concerts for thousands of low-income families over the decades, and research-based education programs have served over 70,000 young people throughout the Los Angeles region. In 2019 GMCLA performed at Carnegie Hall and The Hollywood Bowl (with Hugh Jackman), and in February 2020 GMCLA's performance at the Film Independent Spirit Awards was viewed more than 7 million times online. During the pandemic GMCLA presented a full virtual season of concerts, special events and school programs reaching thousands of longtime and new fans. From Los Angeles to Ireland, Brazil and New Zealand, GMCLA's streaming concerts were incredibly well received. Critics have proclaimed the Chorus "inspired" and "expressive, innovative and utterly moving," and hailed GMCLA for presenting "meaningful entertainment."

Pasadena Chorale

Founded by Jeffrey Bernstein in 2009, the Pasadena Chorale is an auditioned community chorus presenting affordable high-quality choral concerts and educational programs to the greater Pasadena Community.

During its dozen years of service to the community, the Chorale has presented over one hundred performances and enjoyed collaborations with Pasadena Playhouse, MUSE/IQUE, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and the Gamble House. In 2017 the Pasadena Chorale was awarded second place in the American Prize in Choral Performance.

The Chorale also offers a robust education program at no cost to participating students. Each year, through its unique Listening To The Future project, the Chorale pairs local high school composers with a professional composer mentor for a year of study. At the end of the year the Chorale presents a concert of the music composed by these students.

The Pasadena Chorale is the proud recipient of support from the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, The Pasadena Community Foundation and the City of Pasadena. All of PMC's regular concerts are offered on a "Listen First, Then Give" basis, ensuring that all are able to attend, and encouraging the generous support of those who are able.

Vox Femina

Founded in January 1997, Vox Femina Los Angeles gives women voice through the performance of quality choral literature. Diverse in culture, age, race, belief, and sexual identity, we are dedicated to commissioning new works and raising awareness about issues that affect us as a family of women. Through our music, we seek to create a world which affirms the worth and dignity of every person.

Since our debut, VOX has performed a catalogue of music exemplifying diverse musical styles and repertoire. In keeping with our mission, VOX has commissioned over 50 new works for women's voices and collaborated with over 35 contemporary composers. In addition to our season schedule, which includes three subscription concerts, three free community concerts, and a cabaret night, VOX has been active in community outreach, performing and participating in over 200 community events and collaborating with other arts organizations such as the LA Philharmonic, LA Master Chorale, Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles, Trans Chorus of Los Angeles, and VOX Dance Theatre. In 2016, VOX was named District Nonprofit of the Year by then-State Senator Holly Mitchell; in 2017, VOX participated in the international Golden State Choral Trophy competition, winning the women's category and the 2nd highest score overall; in 2018, VOX was selected to participate in the Tapestry International Festival in Vancouver, Canada. VOX was awarded the San Francisco Classical Voice Audience Choice Award for the Best Choral Performance of the 2019-2020 season in the LA area. In 2022, VOX was invited to perform as a Featured Ensemble at the ACDA Western Region Conference in Long Beach.

Impro Theatre

Impro Theatre's Main Company creates completely improvised, full-length plays in the styles of the world's greatest playwrights, authors and composers. With no pre-planning or prepared scenarios, the performers combine verbal dexterity and robust physicality to bring character and plot to life in an instant, making each Impro Theatre show unique and unlike any other theatrical experience. Founded as Los Angeles Theatresports in 1988, Impro Theatre has evolved from a successful short form improv troupe into a critically acclaimed Improvisational Theater Company. In southern California, Impro has performed sold-out shows at South Coast Repertory, The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, North Coast Repertory in San Diego, Falcon Theatre in Burbank, and Pasadena Playhouse, as well as venues around the world including the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, The Athenaeum Theatre in Chicago, The Melbourne Fringe in Australia and Theatre Adyar in Paris. Impro Theatre's Main Company has received multiple Critics' Picks in the Los Angeles Times, Backstage West, and L.A. Weekly, and many shows have been Ovation Recommended. The Los Angeles Times calls them, "Amazing! One of the funniest evenings in town. The troupe spins an entire play into comedy gold right before your eyes." Stage & Cinema says, "As high a degree of general excellence in writing, acting, and direction as I have seen in any theater company in America."

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