Photo Flash: First Look at Porters' PERICLES, Running Now in NoHo
Pericles marks the 24th Shakespearean production for the Porters on their quest to completing the canon. Artistic Director Charles Pasternak returns to the directing chair and Leon Russom to the boards. They last worked together on 2014's production of Henry V, a critical and audience hit, which received Ovation, BroadwayWorld, and Valley Theatre Award nominations. Scroll down for a first look at the cast in action below!
BWW Review: The Porters Reconstruct History in HENRY VI, PTS 1, 2 & 3
Attempting to produce all of Shakespeare's plays would be daunting task for any theatre company but one young group of actors has continued to stay the course. Over a ten-year period, the Porters of Hellsgate have produced twenty of the playwright's thirty-eight plays, steadily working toward their goal of being the first in Los Angeles to mount the entire canon. This season, they tackle three at once with HENRY VI, Parts 1, 2 & 3.
BWW Review: Antaeus Transforms CLOUD 9 into a Resounding 10!
Caryl Churchill's 1982 Obie Award-winning CLOUD 9 receives a hilarious, yet heartstring-tugging revitalization from the always reliable Antaeus Theatre Company. Casey Stangl expertly directs her very talented cast as they skillfully navigate the complexities of each undertaking dual roles. What an incredible showcase for these actors to display their diverse acting ranges.
Casey Stangl to Helm CLOUD 9 at Antaeus, 3/10-4/24
Sex and gender. Race and power. Politics and family. Plus Queen Victoria! Antaeus Theatre Company presents Caryl Churchill's outrageous, hilarious and bitingly satirical Cloud 9 in a fully partner-cast production. Casey Stangl directs for a March 10 opening at the Antaeus Theater in NoHo, with low-priced previews beginning March 3.
'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.
Elizabeth Alderfer, Eshan Bay and More Join Cast of DEBUTANTE. World Premiere
Producer Robb Nanus (Andrew Lippa's I Am Harvey Milk) is pleased to announce the full cast for the world-premiere production of DEBUTANTE., written by Ryann Weir and directed/created by Annie Tippe. After a sold out presentation at Ars Nova's ANT Fest last June, DEBUTANTE. returns to New York City this spring at the Bernie Wohl Center (647 Columbus Avenue) starting April 23.
Andak Stage Company Presents LADYHOUSE BLUES, Now thru 3/24
Award winning playwright Kevin O'Morrison's evocative drama for five women is set in the 1919 St. Louis 'ladyhouses,' so-called while men were off fighting, and women almost exclusively occupied these tenements. LADYHOUSE BLUES opens tonight, February 16th at NewPlace Studio Theatre.
Andak Stage Company to Present LADYHOUSE BLUES, 2/16-3/24
Award winning playwright Kevin O'Morrison's evocative drama for five women is set in the 1919 St. Louis 'ladyhouses,' so-called while men were off fighting, and women almost exclusively occupied these tenements. LADYHOUSE BLUES opens February 16th at NewPlace Studio Theatre.
Marsha Mason and More Star in Pasadena Playhouse's AUNT STOSSIE'S COMING FOR FIVE DAYS, 1/8 & 9
The Pasadena Playhouse has announced the cast for the second presentation of its 2012 - 2013 HOTHOUSE at The Playhouse series, Aunt Stossie's Coming for Five Days. Written by Ellen Simon and directed by Dámaso Rodriguez (former Associate Artistic Director of The Pasadena Playhouse, Co-Founder of the Furious Theatre and incoming Artistic Director for the Artists Repertory Theatre in Portland), the staged reading will star Marsha Mason (The Goodbye Girl, 'The Middle') in the title role, Mary Steenburgen ('30 Rock,' 'Bored to Death,' The Proposal) and Kirsten Vangsness ('Criminal Minds') and will perform tonight, January 8 and 9, 2013, in the Carrie Hamilton Theatre at The Pasadena Playhouse.
Marsha Mason and More to Star in Pasadena Playhouse's AUNT STOSSIE'S COMING FOR FIVE DAYS, 1/8 & 9
The Pasadena Playhouse has announced the cast for the second presentation of its 2012 - 2013 HOTHOUSE at The Playhouse series, Aunt Stossie's Coming for Five Days. Written by Ellen Simon and directed by Dámaso Rodriguez (former Associate Artistic Director of The Pasadena Playhouse, Co-Founder of the Furious Theatre and incoming Artistic Director for the Artists Repertory Theatre in Portland), the staged reading will star Marsha Mason (The Goodbye Girl, 'The Middle') in the title role, Mary Steenburgen ('30 Rock,' 'Bored to Death,' The Proposal) and Kirsten Vangsness ('Criminal Minds') and will perform January 8 and 9, 2013, in the Carrie Hamilton Theatre at The Pasadena Playhouse.
Don Grigware Announces His Best in LA Theatre for 2012
The choices I have made are based solely on the plays and performances that I actually saw. I cannot see all the great talent that is out there in LA; it is physically impossible, as there exist far too many theatre/cabaret performances for one person to cover. So if a choice of yours is not on my list, chances are, I did not see that play or performance...or, it just did not make the final cut. I also do not separate Equity from Equity waiver; I consider all the productions/performances I select to be of top-of-the-line quality/professionalism.
BWW Reviews: Group Rep Opens Collected Stories
There have been many dramatized stories about the relationship between teacher/student, mentor/artist. Eve Harrington in All About Eve is the first to come to mind and her infatuation with Margo Channing's every move. She adored her and stole from her. She recreated and used her for her own success, not caring what became of Margo. In his Collected Stories Donald Margulies puts seemingly vulnerable writing student Lisa Morrison (Liza de Weerd) into the nurturing care of teacher/writer Ruth Steiner (Julia Silverman) and extols the comaraderie that develops between them as colleagues until it becomes a fact that Morrison has taken a confided incident from Steiner's life and sensationalized it in her very first novel. Under Sherry Netherland's watchful eye, both actresses hit the jackpot theatrically as they meticulously explore the intelligent issues at hand.
BWW Interviews: Julia Silverman and Liza de Weerd Discuss Collected Stories to Open at Group Rep, October 12
Donald Margulies, winner of a Pulitzer for his Dinner With Friends, was also nominated for the same prestigious award for Collected Stories, a taut two-character drama about a complicated relationship between a renowned short story writer, Ruth Steiner, and Lisa Morrison, a talented graduate student she is mentoring. The relationship deepens beyond mentor/pupil to best friend and confidant. Several years pass and Lisa publishes her own work of fiction…or is it?
