'Pro99' Actors' Equity Members Send Open Letter to AEA President
Members of the 'Pro99' movement of Actors' Equity Association have issued an open letter to AEA's newly elected president, Kate Shindle, in response to her victory and to her inaugural address as president of the national union for actors and stage managers. The open letter is signed by over 400 Equity members (listed below), including such notable names as Ed Asner, Francis Fisher, Sally Kirkland and Alfred Molina. The 'Pro99' movement formed in late 2014 in opposition to AEA's rollout of a new plan that will effectively force 'intimate theaters' in Los Angeles to pay Equity actors minimum wage, go 'non-union' or even close - despite an overwhelming vote against the plan by 66% of the Los Angeles membership on an advisory referendum. 'Pro99' members around the nation, who take their name from the current AEA '99 Seat Plan' that allows members to volunteer in smaller venues, oppose AEA's new promulgated plan. They are requesting that Equity leadership put a moratorium on the plan until local members' voices can be heard, and that the union work with its members to develop an alternative plan that will more realistically address the needs of the Los Angeles theater community.
BWW Blog: Brandon Davidson of MY FAIR LADY - If Higgins Was Alive Today
I was a bit intrusive to my cast this evening: I went around to each cast member and stuck my voice memo recorder in their face asking them 4 on-the-spot questions about Henry Higgins. It proved to be a funny experiment as my cast mates blurted out some of their answers (I made this a timed experiment, asking each cast member to say the first answer that came to mind). As it turns out, there were a few common answers about where Higgins would live, or which celebrity he resembles. And just the same, there were some "left field" answers which were cause for a chuckle. Here are the questions I asked:
BWW Reviews: Stages St. Louis's Elegant and Charming MY FAIR LADY
MY FAIR LADY is a venerable warhorse of the stage, and though it used to be performed with a frightening degree of regularity, it's been a while since I've seen it, other than catching the film version on TCM recently. I must say I'm impressed with the current production by Stages St. Louis. It manages to maintain an intimacy that's lost in some of the larger stagings the work has received. In the cozy confines of the Robert G. Reim Auditorium we're able to appreciate the story as well as the staging, and being based on G.B. Shaw's superb play Pygmalion, it's important that that actually come through. It does. Marvelously so. Couple that with the insanely memorable score (book & lyrics Alan Jay Lerner, music by Frederick Lowe) and you have an full evening of wit and charm ahead of you. This is an elegant must-see!
Christopher Guilmet & Pamela Brumley to Lead Stages St. Louis' MY FAIR LADY; Full Cast Announced
Hailed as one of the greatest musicals of all time, My Fair Lady (September 6 through October 6) is the perfect grand finale to the STAGES ST. LOUIS record-breaking 27thseason. This romantic fancy radiates a charm and sophistication unlike any other musical and reigns as an American masterpiece. Lerner and Loewe's score couldn't be closer to pure perfection, with memorable show-stoppers such as 'I Could Have Danced All Night,' 'On the Street Where You Live,' and 'Get Me to the Church on Time.' You'll 'grow accustomed' to this 'loverly' classic as 'your heart takes flight.'
Photo Flash: First Look at The Antaeus Company's Double-Cast CRUCIBLE
The Antaeus Company, L.A.'s multiple award-winning classical theater company, presents an untraditional staging of Arthur Miller's The Crucible. Armin Shimerman and Geoffrey Wade co-direct the fully partner-cast production now through July 7, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the double-cast production below!
STAGE TUBE: Mockumentary Promo - Antaeus Company's THE CRUCIBLE
The Antaeus Company, L.A.'s multiple award-winning classical theater company, has launched an untraditional viral promo for their untraditional staging of Arthur Miller's The Crucible. Starring Crucible co-directors Armin Shimerman ('Quark' onStar Trek: Deep Space Nine, 'Principal Snyder' on Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Geoffrey Wade ('Hot Tooth' on Mad Men), the video takes a comedic mockumentary style look behind the scenes of the production, showing the directors bickering, giving actors line readings and eventually even showering together. Click below to watch!
STAGE TUBE: Mockumentary Promo - Antaeus Company's THE CRUCIBLE
The Antaeus Company, L.A.'s multiple award-winning classical theater company, has launched an untraditional viral promo for their untraditional staging of Arthur Miller's The Crucible. Starring Crucible co-directors Armin Shimerman ('Quark' onStar Trek: Deep Space Nine, 'Principal Snyder' on Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Geoffrey Wade ('Hot Tooth' on Mad Men), the video takes a comedic mockumentary style look behind the scenes of the production, showing the directors bickering, giving actors line readings and eventually even showering together. Click below to watch!
Jacqueline Petroccia to Lead Stages St. Louis' ALWAYS...PATSY CLINE, Beg. 5/31
STAGES ST. LOUIS is proud to announce casting for Always... Patsy Cline, Legally Blonde, The Musical and My Fair Lady. This season exceptional talent will bring life tothree passionate women who broke down society's barriers and stereotypes by refusing to be limited by the vision of others. STAGES also announces the cast for the Theatre for Young Audiences production of, the 'princess story' that started it all, Disney's Cinderella. All season and single tickets are on sale now.
The Antaeus Company Opens THE CRUCIBLE, 5/16
The Antaeus Company, L.A.'s multiple award-winning classical theater company, presents an untraditional staging of Arthur Miller's The Crucible. Armin Shimerman and Geoffrey Wade co-direct the fully double cast production May 16 through July 7, with low-priced previews beginning May 9.
BWW Review: 3-D Theatricals' 9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL is One Big Musical Treat
What an extreme pleasure to see 3-D Theatricals grow over the past three years into a major force on the musical comedy theatrical scene in greater Los Angeles. Based in Orange County, the group headed by artistic director T.J. Dawson is mounting 9 to 5 The Musical every bit as deliciously as the original, with all the excitement that accompanies a Broadway-style musical. Dawson directs a stupendous ensemble, and the production should not be missed through this Sunday March 3 only at Redondo Performing Arts Center, Redondo Beach.
BWW Reviews: MTW Opens 60th Season with Tap-Tastic 42ND STREET Revival
To high-kick-start its 60th anniversary season, Musical Theatre West in Long Beach, CA is presenting a glossy, high-energy revival of what could be the Great Grand-Daddy of all backstage musicals: 42ND STREET. This terrific, tap-tastic new production continues performances at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center through November 11.