Matthew J. Williamson News

They say you never forget your first.  That was certainly the situation for a former Scotland Yard Police Inspector named Rough (played by John Rensenhouse).  Oddly, Inspector Rough had no known first name. Rough’s first bloody murder case in 1865 remained unsolved fifteen years after the event.

Kansas City Actors Theatre presents the classic Victorian thriller 'Gaslight (Angel Street)' by Patrick Hamilton. This edge-of-your-seat thriller starts January 17th at the City Stage in Union Station.

KC Lyric's 'Seraglio' delivers a fun production, despite the subject matter.

Crown City Theatre announces its new season featuring DANGEROUS CORNER by J.B. Priestley tonight, Sept. 27th, 2012, COMPANY by George Furth and Stephen Sondheim Feb. 14th, 2013, and THE FOREIGNER by Larry Shue May 23rd, 2013. Also, keep a look out for their surprise Christmas show to be announced in October(Dates and shows subject to change.)

Crown City Theatre announces its new season featuring DANGEROUS CORNER by J.B. Priestley Sept. 27th, 2012, COMPANY by George Furth and Stephen Sondheim Feb. 14th, 2013, and THE FOREIGNER by Larry Shue May 23rd, 2013. Also, keep a look out for their surprise Christmas show to be announced in October(Dates and shows subject to change.)

The Best in LA Theatre for 2011 (alphabetical listings) (artists performing outside LA may be included in performance categories)

Actress Juliet Landau, best known to television audiences for her portrayal of Drusilla in 17 episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) is currently co-starring onstage in John Patrick Shanley's Danny and the Deep Blue Sea @ Crown City Theatre through December 18. In our chat the actress, who is a member of the Actors Studio, talks about what it was like growing up the daughter of famous parents, actors Martin Landau and Barbara Bain, her favorite plays and what drew her to playwright John Patrick Shanley in the first place.

If you mention you're from the Bronx, eyelids rise, as one has come to expect to see the lowest of lowlife. John Patrick Shanley's early one-act Danny and the Deep Blue Sea (The Apache Dance) presents Roberta (Juliet Landau) and Danny (Matthew J. Williamson), two savory characters with rage, hatred and violence oozing from every pore. Two extremely unhappy individuals who want to be left alone, when forced to communicate - well, you get the picture; things can only get better. Shanley's lyrical, spiritual parable of salvation comes totally unexpected. One never envisions the outcome that slowly unfolds, and under John McNaughton's stellar direction and with magnetic performances from its two actors, Shanley's play could not be in more adept hands.

The Best in LA Theatre for 2010

M.R. Hunter's A PRAYER FOR MY DAUGHTER, directed by Albert Alarr will extend again, plays its final show on March 27 at 8 PM at the Crown City Theatre.

Crown City Theatre Company is staging Thomas Babe's play, 'A Prayer For My Daughter' at the Crown City Theatre in Hollywood. The show has been extended thru March 20. First played at Joseph Papp's Public Theater in New York 1978, this plays bizarre, poetic quality and edgy dialogue make it a play to remember.  The characters display both their masculine and feminine sides as part of a master game of manipulation.  Someone is going down for murder and no one is leaving the precinct.  Not even Detective Kelly, who's daughter may be on the verge of suicide.

M.R. Hunter's A PRAYER FOR MY DAUGHTER, directed by Albert Alarr will extend again, adding performances on March 26 and 27 at 8 PM at the Crown City Theatre.

Crown City Theatre Company is staging Thomas Babe's play, 'A Prayer For My Daughter' at the Crown City Theatre in Hollywood. The show has been extended thru March 20. First played at Joseph Papp's Public Theater in New York 1978, this plays bizarre, poetic quality and edgy dialogue make it a play to remember.  The characters display both their masculine and feminine sides as part of a master game of manipulation.  Someone is going down for murder and no one is leaving the precinct.  Not even Detective Kelly, who's daughter may be on the verge of suicide.

Crown City Theatre Company is staging Thomas Babe's play, 'A Prayer For My Daughter' at the Crown City Theatre in Hollywood. The show will run until February 28. First played at Joseph Papp's Public Theater in New York 1978, this plays bizarre, poetic quality and edgy dialogue make it a play to remember.  The characters display both their masculine and feminine sides as part of a master game of manipulation.  Someone is going down for murder and no one is leaving the precinct.  Not even Detective Kelly, who's daughter may be on the verge of suicide.

In 1978, Thomas Babe's A Prayer for My Daughter impacted audiences who were living through the post-Vietnam syndrome. Casual use of drugs, crime and police brutality were rampant. We were in a state of moral decay. In retrospect, it has all gotten progressively worse. So, the intense drama is like holding a mirror up to nature as it'were in 2010, and Crown City Theatre has a surefire audience grabber.

Crown City Theatre Company will stage Thomas Babe's play, 'A Prayer For My Daughter' starting February 6 at the Crown City Theatre in Hollywood. The show will run until February 28. First played at Joseph Papp's Public Theater in New York 1978, this plays bizarre, poetic quality and edgy dialogue make it a play to remember.  The characters display both their masculine and feminine sides as part of a master game of manipulation.  Someone is going down for murder and no one is leaving the precinct.  Not even Detective Kelly, who's daughter may be on the verge of suicide.

Crown City Theatre Company will stage Thomas Babe's play, 'A Prayer For My Daughter' starting February 6 at the Crown City Theatre in Hollywood. The show will run until February 28. First played at Joseph Papp's Public Theater in New York 1978, this plays bizarre, poetic quality and edgy dialogue make it a play to remember.  The characters display both their masculine and feminine sides as part of a master game of manipulation.  Someone is going down for murder and no one is leaving the precinct.  Not even Detective Kelly, who's daughter may be on the verge of suicide.

During a quiet moment midway through Act I of last Saturday night's performance of Come Back, Little Sheba, an annoyed (and annoying) man seated in the orchestra section was loudly heard complaining, 'I'm waiting for something to happen.'

The Apple Tree book, music & lyrics by Sheldon Harnick & Jerry Bock additional book by Jerome Coopersmith directed by Gary Lamb (I), William A. Reilly (II), Matthew J. Williamson (III) choreography by Gary Lamb and Bradley Michael Crown City Theatre @St. Matthew's Church on Camarillo in NoHo through July 27

The Apple Tree is an evening of three funny, poignant and fascinating one-act musicals about men, women and temptation with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick (the team that created Fiddler on the Roof, She Loves Me and The Rothschilds), and a book by Bock and Harnick with contributions from Jerome Coopersmith.