Rubicon Theatre Company of Ventura Launches New Special Event Series VENTURA LIVE! Music, Laughter and Magic

Posted on April 23, 2024April 23, 2024 by Glamour

Rubicon Theatre Company of Ventura

Launches New Special Event Series

VENTURA LIVE!

Music, Laughter and Magic

Featuring One-Night and Short-Run Concerts, Jam Sessions, New Play Readings, Magic Nights, Comedy, and Much More

12 Events! May 11 – June 15 at Rubicon Theatre in Ventura!

April 22, 2024 (Ventura, CA) – Rubicon Theatre Company, celebrating its 25^th Anniversary Season this year, announces the launch of its exciting new special event series, “VENTURA LIVE! Music, Laughter and Magic,” featuring one-night and short-run concerts, jam sessions, new play readings, magic nights, comedy, and much more. The series runs from May 11 – June 15, 2024. From a reading of a new rock-and-roll musical to a side-splitting comedy and soulful tributes, this diverse series promises to dazzle and delight audiences of all ages and tastes. All events will take place at Rubicon’s home, The Karyn Jackson Theatre in Ventura’s Downtown Cultural District, 1006 E. Main Street. For tickets, go to www.rubicontheatre.org or call (805) 667-2900.

“We are thrilled to launch our new series ‘VENTURA LIVE!’ an exciting milestone for us,” says KARYL LYNN BURNS, Producing Artistic Director of Rubicon Theatre Company.

“The ideas came from a desire to make the theatre more of a community hub,” continues Burns, “and to welcome new audiences to our venue.”

“Our goal is to produce and present events between our mainstage theatrical productions and on off-nights at the theatre,” continues Burns, “and to expand our offerings with a diverse range of live entertainment that will bring more music, joy and laughter to audiences of all ages at a affordable price. (Most events are between $20 and $40, with some free.) With such a diverse lineup of talent and entertainment, VENTURA LIVE! has something for everyone to enjoy.”

Event Series Lineup:

Saturday, May 11 @ 7 pm

MAKE YOUR OWN KIND OF MUSIC

An Evening Celebrating the 60s’ & 70s’ Most Iconic Women in Music

Tickets: $39.50

HEATHER YOUMANS (Dark of the Moon), an all-star band, and musical guests from “The Voice,” “American Idol,” and “Dancing with the Stars,” as well as impressive film and stage credits, celebrate the songs and stories of Carole King, Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin, Olivia Newton-John, Stevie Nicks and more!

Sunday, May 12 @ 3 pm (Mother’s Day)

FROM BROOKLYN TO BROADWAY

Tony and Emmy Award-Winner Lillias White in Concert

Tickets: $39.50

Star of 16 Broadway shows including The Life, Fela! and Hadestown, LILLIAS WHITE returns to the Rubicon stage where she wowed audiences in the Drama Desk Award-winning musical The Best is Yet to Come to perform some of Broadway’s best-loved songs.

Friday, May 17 @ 7 pm & Saturday, May 18 @ 2 pm

THE FOLK LEGACY TRIO IN CONCERT

Lifetime Grammy Winners Play and Sing Folk Favorites

Tickets: $69.50 | $89.50 for VIP Seats with Post-Show Reception with the Artists with (by popular demand) Irish stew, breads, cheeses and stout. (Friday Performance Only)

Member of the Banjo Hall of Fame GEORGE GROVE and RICK DOUGHERTY (both Lifetime Grammy Winners with The Kingston Trio) and JERRY SIGGINS (The Diamonds) perform folk favorites. The Trio brings dynamic vocals and instrumental arrangements to songs from The Weavers, Peter, Paul and Mary, Gordon Lightfoot, Tom Paxton, Simon & Garfunkel and others.

Monday, May 20 @ 7 pm w/Talkback Following

SOMEBODY TO LOVE

Reading of a New Rock-and-Roll Musical in Development

Written by ROBERT STERNIN and PRUDENCE FRASER (“The Nanny”/Off-Broadway)

Directed by SEAN DANIELS

Musical Direction by BRETT RYBACK

Musical Supervision by DILLON KONDOR

This rock-and-roll musical is about four friends who meet freshman year of college and vow to be there for each other always. A story about the choices we make, the triumphs, the failures, and the one thing that matters most Free (Subject to Availability. Tickets must be picked up by 6:45 p.m.)

Sunday, May 26 @ 6:30 pm

Be the Revolution presents

PALOMINO NIGHTS

Country and Rhythm Revue

A Benefit for Theatre and Advocacy Education Programs in the Community

Tickets: $25 at door | $20 in advance

Embark on a musical journey as a thrilling group of bands and artists including BEAU RED, MARK MASSON (Shaky Feelin’), THE VAN ALLEN TWINS, and JAY PONTI, pay homage to icons such as Willie Nelson, Patsy Cline, Merle Haggard, and the Allman Brothers.

Thursday, May 30 @ 7 pm

MARLEY’S GHOST

Tickets: $39.50

Composed of Singer/Multi-Instrumentalists: DAN WHEETMAN, JON WILCOX, MIKE PHELAN, ED LITTLEFIELD JR., JERRY FLETCHER AND BOB NICHOLS

A night with Marley’s Ghost transcends genres and generations, with an eclectic, rollicking set featuring Honky Tonk, Texas Swing, Folk, Country, Swampy Blues and ballads invoking the great crooners of years past. More than three decades from that initial spark, they’re still playing together with the same passion, purpose and chemistry that inspired them early on.

Friday, May 31 @ 7 pm

STARS OF TOMORROW

Directed by Joseph Fuqua and Miriam Arichea

Musical Direction by Miriam Arichea

Choreography by Jesse Graham

Tickets $39.50

A Benefit for Rubicon’s Education and Outreach Programs

Sponsored by Dr. Jeanne P. Adams, Anonymous, Barbara Meister and the Jack Oakie and Victoria Horne Oakie Charitable Foundation

This benefit concert features outstanding talented young artists from Rubicon’s Education and Outreach programs and alumni in an all-star evening of song and dance.

Saturday, June 1 @ 7 pm

JERRY ROCHA COMEDY HOUR: CANCER CULTURE

Tickets: $25 at door | $20 in advance

Known for appearances on Netflix, Conan, Comedy Central, and Last Comic Standing, powerhouse comedian Rocha shares the power of laughter to bring light to the darkest of times.

Sunday, June 2 @ 7 pm

IN LOVE WITH A WONDERFUL GUY

Golden Globe Award-Winner Amanda McBroom in Concert

Tickets: $39.50 | $55 includes VIP After-Party with food, birthday cake, wines and “George’s Socks” (a whiskey flight)

Golden Globe Award-Winner AMANDA McBROOM (“The Rose”) sings about love in its many forms in celebration of Rubicon Company Member (and her husband) George Ball’s big birthday!

Musical Director: MICHELE BROURMAN

LARRY TUTTLE on Bass

Tuesday, June 4 @ 7 pm

TREVOR AND SYLVIE SING JAMES AND JONI

The Music of James Taylor and Joni Mitchell

Ensemble Theatre Company Announces its 2024-2025 “Legends and Legacies” Season of Shows

Posted on April 23, 2024April 23, 2024 by Glamour

Ensemble Theatre Company Announces

its 2024-2025 “Legends and Legacies” Season of Shows

Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors

Million Dollar Quartet

Hamlet

Hershey Felder as George Gershwin Alone

Justice

April 1, 2024… Santa Barbara, Calif. –– Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara (ETC), Santa Barbara’s only professional theatre company and a member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), announces its 2024-2025 season: “Legends and Legacies.” Featuring an electrifying lineup of timeless classics and contemporary masterpieces sure to captivate audiences! Opening with the recent Off-Broadway hit comedy, Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, followed by a celebration of four musical legends in, Million Dollar Quartet. In February, one of the most iconic tales of all time, written 425 years ago by William Shakespeare, Hamlet will hit the stage of The New Vic with a modern feel. Spring will have the incomparable Hershey Felder performing his amazing show about one of America’s greatest composers, George Gershwin, in George Gershwin Alone. And, ETC’s 46^th season will close with Justice, about the first female justices appointed to the highest court in our nation.

“In planning the 46th season, I was inspired by the idea of legends and legacies, and I found myself contemplating the hallmarks that make a legend or legendary tale,” said Scott DeVine, ETC’s executive director. “Certainly, some legendary tales involve such profound imagination that you wonder how someone came up with the idea. But it’s the individual legends that stood out to me, as many of them never realized the impact they would have on the world in their own lifetimes. My hope for this season is that audiences will experience these stories and consider the mark they will leave on their own families, community, and world. As a theater community, we have an obligation to tell new stories of inspiration, while keeping timeless classics alive for future generations. For ETC, I believe our legacy will center around our ability to continue bringing high-quality theater to Santa Barbara that entertains long-time theater lovers while attracting new theater goers who will discover their own passion for this four-thousand-year-old art form while experiencing one of these legendary tales.”

ETC’s 2024-25 season begins with the recent Off-Broadway hit, Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen. Ever wondered what would happen if you took Bram Stoker’s legendary vampire tale and put in into a blender with the comedic influences of Mel Brooks, and Monty Python? That’s just what happens in this lightning-fast, laugh-out-loud 90-minute quick-change magical romp. Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors runs October 10 – 27, 2024.

Next, the Tony® Award-nominated musical, Million Dollar Quartet, by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux. Step back in time to December 4, 1956 for one of the greatest jam sessions ever recorded when a twist of fate brought together four music icons: Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins. Experience the magic of their impromptu jam session as they redefine rock ‘n’ roll history, featuring an incredible score of rock ‘n’ roll, gospel, R&B and country hits, performed live onstage by world-class actor/musicians. Showcasing hit songs including “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Walk the Line,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” “Hound Dog,” and more. Million Dollar Quartet runs December 5 – 22, 2024.

The most famous thriller ever written is given a visceral, frightening, and moving new modern dress production when it hits the stage of The New Vic in February. ETC’s modern production of the timeless classic, Hamlet, will reinvent Shakespeare’s tragedy for the 21st century, drawing new resonance from this 425-year-old play’s investigation of family, madness, murder, and forgiveness. Young Hamlet returns home from university to find his father dead, his inheritance stolen, and his mother remarried to his uncle. When the ghost of his father returns from the grave and pressures his son into a mission of revenge, Hamlet jump starts a chain of events that will redefine his relationship to his parents, his mortality, his nation, and himself. Hamlet runs February, 6 – 23, 2025.

ETC welcomes the incomparable Hershey Felder as George Gershwin Alone in April. The story of America’s great composer who, with the groundbreaking “Rhapsody in Blue,” made a “Lady out of Jazz.” The show incorporates the composer’s best-known songs from “The Man I Love” and “Someone to Watch Over Me”, through the hits of An American In Paris and Porgy and Bess, to a complete performance of “Rhapsody In Blue”. George Gershwin was born in 1898 to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents in Brooklyn. Together, he and his brother, Ira, wrote standards such as “The Man I Love,” “Someone to Watch Over Me,” “Embraceable You,” “Fascinating Rhythm,” “I Got Rhythm,” “‘S Wonderful” and “They Can’t Take That Away from Me.” His groundbreaking opera, Porgy and Bess, is now considered an American classic. All told, George Gershwin wrote more than 1,000 songs for the stage and screen as well as works for the opera house and the symphony orchestra. In 1937, Gershwin died of an undiagnosed brain tumor at the age of 38, never knowing how famous and beloved he and his work would become. George Gershwin Alone runs April 3 – 20, 2025.

The 46^th season concludes with the Southern California premiere of Justice, by Lauren Gunderson. Justice explores the first women on the U.S. Supreme Court – Sandra Day O’Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Sonia Sotomayor – at the height of their power. Following the fraught confirmation process of Justice Sotomayor, we uncover the true sisterhood of these three iconic Americans as they inspire, challenge, and usher in the next generation of changemakers and trailblazers in American jurisprudence, while fighting private battles of their own. They confront and comfort each other about equal justice under the law, legal strategy, civic responsibility, as well as husbands, motherhood, kids, dreams, and sorrows, all while setting a new course for our country and the world. Justice runs June 5 – 22, 2025.

###

Subscription renewals to ETC’s 2024-25 “Legends and Legacies” Season will go on sale on Wednesday, April 10 and new subscriptions will go on sale Wednesday, May 15 by calling the Box Office at 805-965-5400 or online at etcsb.org. All shows will perform at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria Street in Santa Barbara. Five-play season ticket prices range from $190.00 – $435.00.

Single tickets will go on sale August 1, 2024 and will range from $40 – $94, with discounts available for seniors. Student tickets are available for only $25 each, and tickets for patrons 35-and-under are just $35 (subscription price is $165.00). Single tickets are available through the ETC box office at (805) 965-5400, or online at etcsb.org. For group sales information, please call (805) 965-5400.

The Box Office is open Tuesday–Saturday 1pm–5pm and one hour prior to all performances. Plays, artists, dates and prices subject to change.

###

Ensemble Theatre Company, a member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), is Santa Barbara’s sole professional Equity theater company. ETC is committed to producing the highest professional quality theater in Santa Barbara, employing accomplished professional actors and stage managers.ETC has been home to several world, American and West Coast premieres and has received recognition and accolades throughout its enduring history, Including being recognized in an Equity theater company by the Actors’ Equity Association, the labor union for American actors and state managers. As the sole professional Equity theatre company in Santa Barbara, ETC brings a wide range of accomplished theatrical professionals to the region. For more information, visit our website at etcsb.org.

Theatre Review: Tiny Beautiful Things

Posted on April 22, 2024April 22, 2024 by Glamour

Tiny Beautiful Things is presented by Chance Theater. Based on the book by Cheryl
Strayed. Adapted for the stage by Nia Vardalos. Co-conceived by Marshall Heyman, Thomas Kail, and Nia Vardalos. Directed by Katie Chidester.

Tiny Beautiful Things is a collage of stories that reflect the challenges and misfortunes in life. Due to the nature of the story, the kinetics are kept at a minimum. This play is mostly an emotional roller coaster. The main ingredients are the details of private lives and the urgent need of enlightening advice. With an excellent stage design, Director Katie Chidester relies on the power of the script and her actors’ skills to keep the audience engaged and entertained. Since the amount of Sugar’s readers is pretty extensive, three actors, Jonathon Lamer, Jennifer Richardson, and Sam Mistry, play the roles of different readers.

When Sugar (Aubrey Saverino, Matinicus: The Story of Abigail Burgess) reads the stories posted on her column, she starts to unlock her own private and painful past experiences. At that point, Sugar joins her readers’ journey on the search for answers, empathy, and healing. She revisits her own past experiences to advise and comfort her audience with honesty, finding her own catharsis in the way. The stories posted on Sugar’s column deal with love, loss, anxiety, sex, faith, etc. It’s like the wild west on steroids. The challenge for Sugar is to figure out how she can contribute to solve some extraordinary complex issues. Married with two children and a rather complicated past, Sugar finds out that her column could be an open book for both her readers and herself. All behind the anonymity of a pen name.

Sexual abuse is another topic highlighted in the play. For Sugar, the sexual abuse stories some readers share with her start to clear the path to her own healing. A victim of sexual abuse herself, Sugar opens up about her own demons and the strategy to cope with the trauma, an extraordinary quest to find the much needed internal peace to sooth her soul.

Some of the experiences shared in Sugar’s column are deeply sorrowful; they are the manifestation of the searing pain of open wounds that refuse to heal. One of the most moving cases is that of Living Dead Dad (played by Lamer), a man whose 22-year-old son was killed by a drunk driver. The private hell of this father seems to be too much to take. The grief is taking over his existence to a point where he no longer enjoys the company of the good and supportive people around him. Having lost her mother to cancer when Sugar was 22, she relates to the pain of this man.

This is the climax of the emotional journey of the play. Saverino and Lamer delve deep into a place of pain and desolation. Captivating the audience, both actors embody the essence of the characters and the heart of the story. It’s a scene where they capture the healing language of everlasting love through the shared experience of loss. It exemplifies Sugar’s transformative journey as a writer and the transformative journey of her readers as a result of her empathy and encouragement.

Visually, the set design concentrates on one color: Orange. In fine arts, orange symbolizes warmth, optimism, and freedom. Widely used in autumn, this color reminds us of the coziness spirit of the season. The stage—Sugar’s home—feels cozy and warm, like a safe place to pour out one’s heart. Similarly, her readers see Sugar’s advice as a fountain of optimism, a key ingredient she uses to reassure her readers that everything will be fine despite their difficulties. And as a result of their mutual nurturing and validation, together they try to achieve the freedom they need to move on with their lives.

This stage adaptation extracts the most moving and disturbing details of the inspirational life of Cheryl Strayed, whose struggles with drugs, the loss of her mother at an early age, and sexual abuse are an inspiration to search deep inside to find the strength to heal and overcome adversities.

Tiny Beautiful Things

Chance Theater @ Bette Aitken Theater Arts Center on the Cripe Stage
5522 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim, CA 92807

Performances: April 13th – 28th, 2024; Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3 p.m. & 8 p.m., Sundays at 3 p.m.

Tickets: chancetheater.com

Based on the book by Cheryl Strayed. Adapted for the stage by Nia Vardalos. Co-conceived by Marshall Heyman, Thomas Kail, and Nia Vardalos. Directed by Katie Chidester. Laurie Smits Staude is the Executive Producer for this production. Bette & Wylie Aitken are Executive Season Producers for the entire 2024 schedule. Susan Bowman & Freddie Greenfield and Linda Maggard are Associate Producers, and The Family of Mary Kay Fyda-Mar is this year’s Associate Season Producers.

Cast: Aubrey Saverino, Jonathon Lamer, Jennifer Richardson, and Sam Mistry.

Creative Team: Scenic designer Kristin Campbell Coyne, costume designer Gwen Sloan, lighting designer Jordan “LJ” Curiel, sound designer Darryl B. Hovis, stage manager Bebe Herrera, and dramaturg Jocelyn L. Buckner.

Theatre Review: Stalin’s Master Class

Posted on April 16, 2024April 16, 2024 by Glamour

Stalin’s Master Class is presented by the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, Ron Sossi Artistic Director, in association with Isabel and Harvey Kibel. Written by David Pownall. Directed by Ron Sossi. Produced by Beth Hogan.

Although the meeting depicted by playwright David Pownall didn’t actually happen, the characters and some of the events mentioned were real. During Stalin’s regime, the so-called Zhdanov Doctrine was used as a mechanism to align all artists to the Politburo’s propaganda.

In 1948, the Soviet Communist Party held the Moscow Composers’ Conference, where six of the leading composers, including Prokofiev and Shostakovich, were censored for being considered formalistic, undemocratic, and their music labeled as a cacophony. In Stalin’s Master Class, Pownall imagines what transpired in a meeting before the 1948 Conference.

Concerned that Soviet music is not patriotic enough, Joseph Stalin (Ilia Volok) and Soviet cultural minister Andrei Zhdanov (John Kayton) summon composers Sergei Prokofiev (Jan Munroe) and Dmitri Shostakovich (Randy Lowell) to the Kremlin.

Stalin decides to introduce socialist realism into Soviet music and tries to teach the two composers a lesson on patriotism, Marxism ideology, and the idyllic image of Georgian pastoral life. Exasperated by their lack of commitment, Stalin instills fear on the two musicians, forcing them to compose a cantata that fits the triumphant spirit of the Soviet proletariat.

Displaying anti-cosmopolitan attitudes as a way to keep any western influences at bay, Stalin despises jazz and other genres popular in the 1940s. After a few glasses of vodka, the psychological and physical abuse starts to take effect. Prokofiev and Shostakovich relent to Stalin and Zhdanov’s requests.

In a production that feels a bit static at the beginning, the action starts to build up right before the intermission. The play is mainly psychological, but Director Ron Sossi manages to turn the script into an entertaining spectacle of music and humor, especially when the four characters try to put their minds together to compose the emblematic cantata intended to inspire an entire generation of faithful communist subjects.

The play delves into the mind of one of the most enigmatic figures in the political scene of recent times. From his poor upbringing to the madness of power, Pownall explores Stalin as a political figure and a human being at the edge of implosion, a characterization captured brilliantly in the last scene.

The music is fantastic and so is the scenic design with its 1940s vibe. The humor helps to move the story forward and it is an excellent contribution to the characters, but then the main theme of the play takes over: A troubled sense of regret and the tragic loss of liberties that marked one of the most tumultuous periods of the 20th century.

Stalin’s Master Class

Odyssey Theatre
2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90025

Tickets: odysseytheatre.com

Performances: April 13 – May 26
• Wednesdays at 8 p.m.: April 17* and May 15* ONLY
• Fridays at 8 p.m. (wine nights): April 19**, April 26* **; May 3**, May 10**, May17**, May 24**
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: April 13 (Opening Night), April 20, April 27; May 4, May 11, May 18, May 25
• Sundays at 2 p.m.: April 21, April 28; May 5*, May 12, May 19, May 26
*Post-performance discussions on Wednesday, April 17; Friday, April 26; Wednesday, May 15; Sunday, May 5
**Wine Night Fridays: Enjoy complimentary wine and snacks following all Friday night performances.

Written by David Pownall. Directed by Ron Sossi. Music Direction by Nisha Sue Arunasalam. Starring John Kayton, Randy Lowell, Jan Munroe, Ilia Volok. Produced by Beth Hogan. Presented by the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, Ron Sossi Artistic Director, in association with Isabel and Harvey Kibel.

Creative team: Scenic designer Pete Hickock; lighting designer Jackson Funke; sound designer Christopher Moscatiello; costume designer Mylette Nora; props designer Jenine MacDonald; and graphics designer Luba Lukova. The stage manager is Jennifer Palumbo.

Theatre Review: Can’t Live Without ‘Em

Posted on April 13, 2024April 13, 2024 by Glamour

The Group Rep presents the World Premiere of Can’t Live Without ‘Em. Written by Lee Redmond. Directed by Mareli Mitchel-Shields. Produced by Brent Beerman for The Group Rep.

Thomas Axelrod (Bert Emmett, Animal Farm, Motel 66) is in some kind of trouble. He suffered a stroke and is now in a coma. But he is still able to hear. His ex-wife Maureen (Cynthia Payo, Room Service), rushes to the hospital to be with him. So is his current wife Sharon (Daisy Staedler, The Laramie Project). And his previous unknown mistress Chrissy (Jazz Strong). A horny Dr. Payne (Paul Anthony Kelly) is the physician that tries to bring Thomas back to a normal life.

After a brief scare of an incoming nuclear attack, the flickering red lights were nothing more than just a technical glitch, cleverly addressed by Emmett during the performance and candidly addressed by the staff during the intermission. Suddenly, we had a second chance in life.

Back to the story. The play is brilliantly written by Lee Redmond. Emmett plays Thomas as his consciousness, a playful blend of psycho-narration and interior monologue. As Thomas is unable to move, all he can do is listen and reflect on his actions, virtues and vices included. Maureen is the character that tries to hold all the pieces together in the face of adversity. Payo delivers a terrific performance portraying the quirky Maureen: Loud, clueless, and on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

A very peculiar motif in Act II is the palm trees all over the place. In the context of the story, palm trees seem to symbolize femininity, endurance, and peace. Three characteristics that convey Thomas’ life.

He has surrounded himself with women, loving and playing them at the same time. And now, in a helpless situation, he has no other option but to hear what they have to say. That includes dating other men to explore their sexuality, taking back their femininity. As an extra punishment for his philandering, he also has to listen to chatty Tammy (Jessica Kent, Harold and Maude, Room Service, Motel 66), his nurse at the long term care facility.

Physically, he needs endurance to survive his stroke. Unable to move, he can only hear his surroundings and worry about the fate of the women in his life. And, of course, the fate of his unborn child.

And lastly, achieving peace as the life cycle is about to end. Thomas and the three women have to decide if this will be an achievable goal. The interactions among the women will be a factor to determine the resolution.

The witty dialogue keeps the audience engaged and invested in the characters. Although the pacing of the second act started to feel a bit slow, the action picked up by the end in a frenetic display of physical comedy. Director Mareli Mitchel-Shields uses the skillful talent of her cast to create rich and three-dimensional characters that are effectively framed by a carefully-curated stage design. The World Premiere of Can’t Live Without ‘Em is another fine example of the successful Writers Workshop at the Lonny Chapman Theatre, inspiring and nurturing talent to keep live theatre alive for years to come.

Can’t Live Without ‘Em

Lonny Chapman Theatre – Upstairs Stage
10900 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood 91601

April 11, 2024 – May 12, 2024

Thursdays and Sundays at 7: 00 PM

Saturdays at 4:00 PM

Tickets: thegrouprep.com

Written by Lee Redmond. Directed by Mareli Mitchel-Shields. Produced by Brent Beerman for The Group Rep.

Cast: Bert Emmett (Thomas Axelrod), Paul Anthony Kelly (Dr. Payne), Jessica Kent (Tammy), Holly Seidcheck (U/S Chrissy White performs May 2, 4 & 5), Cynthia Payo (Maureen Axelrod), Danny Salay (U/S Dr. Payne performs April 25, 27, & 28), Daisy Staedler (Sharon Axelrod) and Jazz Strong (Chrissy White).

Creative Team: Set Design Mitchel-Shields/Redmond, Lighting Design Frank McKown, Graphic Design Doug Haverty, Assistant Director/Stage Manager Casey Murray, John Ledley (Tech Operator), Online Marketing Kristin Stancato, Social Media Denise Downer and Jackie Shearn, Promotional Video and Photography Doug Engalla.

Theatre Review: King Hedley II

Posted on April 10, 2024April 10, 2024 by Glamour

A Noise Within presents King Hedley II. Written by August Wilson. Directed by Gregg T. Daniel. Produced by Artistic Directors Julia Rodriguez-Elliott and Geoff Elliott. A Noise Within’s 2023-24 Season is presented by the S. Mark Taper Foundation.

Pittsburgh, 1985. King (Aaron Jennings) has been released from prison and is trying to provide for his mom Ruby (Veralyn Jones, Hamlet) and his wife Tonya (Kacie Rogers, Celestial Events, Arrowhead). Is America willing to give him a second chance? But he’s a Black man from a distressed neighborhood. And now with a criminal record, it might be too much to ask. Trying to survive, he pairs up with his friend Mister (Christian Henley) to sell refrigerators of dubious origin. With an entrepreneurial spirit and a little bit of luck, they plan to save up enough money to start a video store business. Great idea. Especially if the robbery goes as planned. But that’s not all, Tonya wants to abort King’s baby. And don’t forget Elmore (Ben Cain), a gambler with the swagger of a playboy, and a little secret.

August Wilson‘s piercing writing comes to life in Director Gregg T. Daniel‘s exhilarating version of King Hedley II. The play is a snapshot of the African American experience in Pittsburgh during the 80s, a time when the city lost more than 200,000 steel and manufacturing jobs. Wilson’s characters face the searing degradation of Pittsburgh’s quality of life. But they also symbolize the punishing discrimination endured by African Americans on a larger scale. King, in particular, reveals that he was convicted by an all-White jury that immediately perceived him as a threat, negatively affecting the outcome of his trial. As that status quo is still a contentious issue in America, Wilson’s writings continue to be relevant today. Still echoing. Still moving.

In a survival of the fittest atmosphere, King, Mister, and Elmore are forced to find ways to survive being Black, unemployed, and carrying the stigma of previous criminal convictions. Add to that a high unemployment rate and you have a pressure cooker situation ready to explode. However, Wilson leaves enough room for hope, not only in the symbols, such as the plant and King’s unborn baby, but also in the humor. The humor is as important in the play as much as the drama. It’s like music, made of sound and silence, creating a rhythm impossible to resist. The fantastic cast capture the cadence of the play, pulling the audience into their world; it’s an alluring and inspiring experience, cathartic and with a sense of urgency.

Jennings does a phenomenal job portraying the anger and frustrations of a whole generation of disenfranchised Black males facing an oppressive system. His performance is fierce, absorbing, a tour de force.

Gerald C. Rivers, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Trouble the Water, as Stool Pigeon, mesmerizes portraying the wise and prophetic neighbor. His language blends magically the Christian beliefs and the African spirituality of the Black community, displaying his skills as a Master West African Drummer.

The lighting is another critical element to convey the atmosphere and the psychological state of the characters. Lighting designer Brandon Baruch paints the feelings of the characters with yellow, brown, and red, an effective depiction of the urban decay and danger experienced during the 80s. Together with the striking scene design by Efren Delgadillo Jr., the production team delivers an outstanding setting to frame the grittiness of the story.

Another fascinating element is the music by sound designer Jeff Gardner. The music both as a transition and as a background reflects the tension of the subject matter; it’s gripping and sensual with a flair of film noir, bringing memories of the soundtracks of the TV series The Untouchables and the film Chinatown.

A Noise Within offers another valuable production, honoring one of the best playwrights of the 20th century. August Wilson’s King Hedley II is a powerful play that resonates loud and clear in today’s fragmented society. The six thespians deliver an electrifying poiesis that turns Wilson’s poetry into a memorable performance. It’s an excellent example of what happens when you put together a skilled director, a talented group of actors, and a remarkable script.

King Hedley II

A Noise Within
3352 E Foothill Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91107

Performances April 6 – April 28
• Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.: April 11*; April 25 (dark April 18)
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: April 12^**; April 19^**; April 26^**
• Saturdays at 2 p.m.: April 13; April 20, April 27 (no matinee on April 6)
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: April 6 (Opening Night); April 13; April 20 (no 8 p.m. performance on April 27)
• Sundays at 2 p.m.: April 14^**; April 21, April 28

*The performance on Thursday, April 11 is “Black Out Night,” an opportunity for an audience self-identifying as Black to experience the performance together; tickets include a post-show reception; non-Black-identifying patrons are welcome to attend, or to select a different performance.
**Post-performance conversations with the artists take place every Friday (except the preview) and on Sunday, April 14

In addition to the above dates, four student matinees will take place on weekday mornings (April 10, April 17, April 18 and April 24) at 10:30 a.m. Interested educators should email education@anoisewithin.org.

Tickets: anoisewithin.org

Written by August Wilson. Directed by Gregg T. Daniel. Produced by Artistic Directors Julia Rodriguez-Elliott and Geoff Elliott. Cast: Ben Cain, Christian Henley, Aaron Jennings, Veralyn Jones, Gerald C. Rivers, Kacie Rogers.

Creative team: Scenic designer Efren Delgadillo Jr; lighting designer Brandon Baruch; sound designer Jeff Gardner; costume designer Mylette Nora; wig and makeup designer Shelia Dorn; properties designer Stephen Taylor; and dramaturg Dr. Miranda Johnson–Haddad. The production stage manager is Taylor Anne Cullen, with Arielle Hightower assisting. The producing sponsors are Dick and Sally Roberts.

Theatre Review: Twelfth Night

Posted on April 8, 2024April 8, 2024 by Glamour

Twelfth Night is presented by Actors Co-Op. Written by William Shakespeare. Directed by Michael T. Kachingwe. Produced by Lorinda Hawkins Smith.

This production transfers the story from the Balkans to the South Pacific. It is also set in a recent past. This departure from the original setting gives the story a fresh look at Shakespeare’s themes of romance and European affairs. As expected, the costumes and the music reflect the change of place and culture.

The new setting allows Director Michael T. Kachingwe to give the characters in this production a historical context in relation to the location where the story takes place. The characters of Antonio and Sea Captain (Ben Kientz) have the look of pirates, outcasts that navigated the islands of the South Pacific in the past. Duke Orsino (Antwon Mason Jr.) and Maria (Britny Horton) have the looks of natives from the islands. Viola/Cesario (Mary Leeholland), on the other hand, has a European look, a hint to the European influence on those lands. This staging, however, does not seem to be a political statement on the history of the islands. After all, Twelfth Night is mainly a story with romance and comedy at the center, and Kachingwe keeps it that way. As for the sexual fluidity implied in the play, Kachingwe expresses this concept not only in the characters of Viola and Cesario but also in Feste, a male character played by a female actress, Chloe Babbes.

Talking about Babbes, her comedic and musical talents are engaging and add a playful and mischievous tone to the play. Along with Babbes, William Viriato is the other actor with a sensational sense of comedy. He does a fantastic personification of Malvolio, triggering the loudest laughs with his inventiveness and physical comedy, connecting with the audience immediately.

One thing to point out is that in the original script, Viola and Sebastian (Victor H. Rodriguez) are twins and look alike. In this production, however, Leeholland and Rodriguez do not necessarily look alike. This could be intentional, as this version of the play is modern rather than classical. This could or could not be noticed by the audience, depending on their familiarity with Twelfth Night.

This version highlights the comedy and musicality of the play. Except for the text, the costumes, setting, and music, give this staging a contemporaneous feel to Shakespeare’s story. This production feels closer to Antaeus‘ production of The Tempest, a version that also highlighted the musical aspect of the play.

Kachingwe’s production is a valuable rendition of a classical story with a twist more attuned to our times. It also serves as an opportunity to showcase a diverse group of talent that refreshes the theatre scene. At the same time, the major themes of the script are kept. intact. The love, the loyalty, the melancholy, and mainly the comedy are at the heart of this performance. Co-Op‘s offers another excellent play to explore new possibilities using one of the best comedies written by William Shakespeare.

Twelfth Night

Actors Co-Op’s David Schall Theatre

1760 N. Gower Street, Hollywood 90028

On the campus of First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood

April 5 – May 12, 2024

Friday and Saturday Evenings at 7:30 pm

Sunday Matinees at 2:30 pm

Additional Saturday Matinees April 13th & May 4th at 2:30 pm

Tickets: actorsco-op.org

Written by William Shakespeare. Directed by Michael T. Kachingwe. Produced by Lorinda Hawkins Smith.

Cast: Chloe Babbes, Freedom (U/S), Gavin Michael Harris, Britny Horton, Isaac W. Jay, Ben Kientz, Howard Leder, Mary Leeholland, Antwon Mason Jr., Nneka, Victor H. Rodriguez, Kevin Shewey, William Viriato, and Jessica Woehler.

Creative team: Scenic designer Hanalei Vasquez, costume designer Kelly Tsan, lighting designer Jesse Rodriguez, sound designer Thulani Kachingwe, hair and makeup designer Shelia Dorn, stage manager Kassy Menke, assistant stage manager Emmett Lee Merritt, choreographer Royce Correa, and set construction by Chris Winfield.

Music Review: Emaginario

Posted on April 3, 2024April 3, 2024 by Glamour

Emaginario (Ethan Margolis) performed on Wednesday 27 Mar 2024 at Sam First Jazz Club in Los Angeles, bringing his vibrant sound to the stage. Having spent time in Andalusia Spain, his jazz is influenced by the Romani culture and flamenco music, incorporating also the enigmatic sounds of Delta blues.

An accomplished world performer, Emaginario is joined on stage by a group of extraordinary musicians: Katisse Buckingham on sax and flute, Deron Johnson on piano, Luca Alemanno on bass, Chris Wabich on drums, and Munyungo Jackson on percussions. The unique blend of musical styles creates a rich and exuberant sonic landscape with an irresistible beat. The introspective lyrics are deep and poetic, adding an enigmatic aura to Ethan’s bluesy cantaor style.

Ethan’s guitar sounds nostalgic and romantic, with hints of the Caribbean, Spain, and a reflection of his Americana roots. Emaginario’s albums include Soleángeles, Arsa 100, En Madrid, Speakeasy Session, and Sonikete Blues. His new album is set for release on July 12, 2024.

You can find more about Emaginario’s eclectic music in the links below:

https://www.emaginario.com/

https://www.facebook.com/emaginariomusic

https://www.instagram.com/emaginariomusic/

The Fool by Emaginario video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ7saOkAyXs

Listen to tunes from Emaginario’s 2023 Album: Songs of Mind: https://promo.theorchard.com/QkgKor0sD66cUf5Hh7Xc?skin=light

Theatre Review: Could I Have This Dance?

Posted on March 31, 2024April 1, 2024 by Glamour

Could I Have This Dance? is presented by The Group Rep. Written by Doug Haverty. Directed by Kathleen R. Delaney. Produced by Brent Beerman for The Group Rep.

Could I Have This Dance? was developed at The Group Rep and premiered at The Colony in 1991. Since then, it has traveled the world. And now, more than 30 years later, it is produced for the first time at The Group Rep’s stage The Lonny Chapman Theatre.

Monica (Anna Connelly) runs Grapevine, a successful public relations company. She is dating Colin (Andy Shephard), a famous photographer who goes on assignments around the world. Monica’s sister is Amanda (Anica Petrovic), who is dating Errol (Sean Babcock, Motel 66), a much younger man. Monica and Amanda live with their parents Hank (Lloyd Pedersen, Harold and Maude, Morning’s at Seven, Motel 66) and Jeanette (Clara Rodriguez, Harold and Maude, Motel 66). Jeanette has Huntington’s disease, a rare and inherited condition that involves psychiatric, cognitive, and movement disorders (Jeanette has repetitive movements as if dancing).

The rhythm of the play with its tensions and resolutions creates a rich story with characters facing their strengths and insecurities in the face of uncertainty. Monica is a character with a profoundly human bent. She embodies an image of success and self-determination, but one of risk as well. Getting pregnant is like playing Russian roulette, risking the possibility of passing on the gene of Huntington’s disease to a child. However, the human factor is always present. The yearning of motherhood is almost impossible to resist. And risking it all, Monica decides to go all the way.

All of the characters go through a transformative experience, but Monica is perhaps the character that mirrors more closely the dramatic transformation of Jeanette. The diagnosis became a turning point for Jeanette, forcing her to face a whole new reality. For Monica, her biological clock keeps ticking, urging her to take drastic decisions that transform her expectations and commitments.

The script is brilliant and the six actors nail the dialogue and the action. Connelly and Petrovic are excellent, delivering a fascinating bantering between the two sisters and stressing the fears and hopes of a family dealing with a challenging situation. Shephard and Babcock also show their fine performance skills, contributing with their sharp comedic timing, much to the audience’s delight. These four actors are cleverly paired up with Pedersen and Rodriguez, two experienced stage actors that continue to deliver stellar performances on The Group Rep’s productions.

Director Kathleen R. Delaney brings alive the exhilarating rhythm of the play, creating a compelling blend of comedy and drama. Her work with the actors capture the poignancy of Doug Haverty‘s writing in a way that makes the audience get emotionally invested with the characters. And to add more value to this production, the beautiful set resembles the original 1991 staging at The Colony. Also, the costumes are a wayback machine to the 80s. These are details that show the level of commitment of the creative team and offer an attractive production to the audience.

Could I Have This Dance? is an extraordinary play with outstanding performances, a true gem in the theatre scene. It doesn’t fall into the trap of clichéd sentimentalism. Rather, it explores with humor and wit the beauty of human connections and the unbreakable bond of a family dedicated to care for one of their own.

Could I Have This Dance?

The Lonny Chapman Theatre – Main Stage

10900 Burbank Blvd.,

North Hollywood 91601

March 29 – May 5, 2024. Fridays & Saturdays 8pm. Sunday Matinees 2pm.
Sunday Talkbacks with the cast and staff March 31 and April 7, after the matinees.

Tickets: thegrouprep.com

Written by Doug Haverty. Directed by Kathleen R. Delaney. Produced by Brent Beerman for The Group Rep.

Cast: Sean Babcock, Anna Connelly, Anica Petrovic, Lloyd Pedersen, Clara Rodriguez, and Andy Shephard.

Creative team: Set Designer Kathi Chaplar, Lighting Designer Frank McKown, Costume Designer Shon LeBlanc, Sound Designer Nick Foran.

Theatre Review: The Bespoke Overcoat

Posted on March 27, 2024April 22, 2024 by Glamour

Pacific Resident Theatre presents The Bespoke Overcoat. Written by Wolf Mankowitz. Directed by Marilyn Fox and Dana Jackson.

Fender (Harry Herman) is a poor Jewish clerk working in a cold clothing warehouse. He wears an old coat that is falling apart. He asks his boss, Ranting (Bruce Nozick), to let him purchase a coat from the warehouse and pay in installments. Ranting refuses and tells Fender that he would never be able to pay the coat. Fender then decides to ask his Jewish friend Morry (Robert Lesser), who is a tailor, to make him a bespoke overcoat. They agree on the cost and Morry starts working on the overcoat. Unfortunately, Ranting fires Fender after 43 years of service. Fender tells Morry to cancel the order for the overcoat as he no longer has money to pay for it. Feeling sorry for Fender, Morry agrees to finish the overcoat.

Before Morry can finish the overcoat, Fender dies of cold. When Morry comes back from the funeral, he finds Fender’s ghost sitting on his bed. The ghost tells Morry that he wants to go to Ranting’s warehouse at night and take a sheepskin overcoat as payment for all the years of service. They leave and enter the warehouse.

Wolf Mankowitz adapted the play from Nikolai Gogol‘s The Overcoat, a short story written in 1842 and set in St. Petersburg, the capital of Russia at the time. Mankowitz adapts the story to the impoverished East End of London, a neighborhood where many Jews worked in the clothing industry. In the play, a simple necessity becomes a symbol of the hardships of the poor. The overcoat, an essential item to survive the cold weather, represents the struggles and the dreams of those living in precarious conditions. Fender succumbs to the weather and dies without a new overcoat.

Directors Marilyn Fox and Dana Jackson recreate in great detail the grittiness and scarcity of the living conditions portrayed in the script. The extraordinary acting also projects the simplicity of the story, but also the depth of the characters. Herman is excellent as Fender. He explores poignantly the misery and the humble dreams of an old man at the twilight of his life, suffering the indignities of the working class. Lesser as Morry is exceptional as well, capturing the friendship and the regrets represented in his character.

Both Herman and Lesser transport the audience to a time of adversity for the Jewish community in London. The Jews living in London when Mankowitz wrote the script were still facing blatant and inconspicuous antisemitism by the British society, even when the Jews were contributing to the advancement of England’s culture and economy. Fender coming back to life to take a coat from Ranting’s business is a symbol of the right to demand a fair deal in life, whether by the Jews or the working class in general.

The story seems simple, but it contains a deep meaning when the historical context is taken into account. Ranting represents more than just an abusive boss. Fender represents more than just an old clerk. And Morry represents more than just a friend. Fox and Jackson stage a production that brings forward the humanity and hope of the characters and the resilience of a whole community living under adverse conditions in uncertain times.

The Bespoke Overcoat

Pacific Resident Theatre
703 Venice Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291

Opening: 8pm Saturday, March 9, 2024
Schedule: 8pm Thursdays – Saturdays; 3pm Sundays
Closing: June 2, 2024

Tickets: pacificresidenttheatre.org

Playwright: Wolf Mankowitz. Directors: Marilyn Fox and Dana Jackson. Presented by Pacific Resident Theatre. Cast: Harry Herman, Robert Lesser, Bruce Nozick, and Tobias Echeverria. Creative team: Rich Rose (Scenic Design), Leigh Allen (Lighting Design), Audrey Eisner (Costume Design), Chris Moscatiello (Sound Design), Doug Prazak (Prop Design), Jody Fasanella (Assistant Director), Teak Piegdon-Brainin (Stage Manager).

Author Archive: Glamour

Rubicon Theatre Company of Ventura Launches New Special Event Series VENTURA LIVE! Music, Laughter and Magic

Like this:

Ensemble Theatre Company Announces its 2024-2025 “Legends and Legacies” Season of Shows

Like this:

Theatre Review: Tiny Beautiful Things

Like this:

Theatre Review: Stalin’s Master Class

Like this:

Theatre Review: Can’t Live Without ‘Em

Like this:

Theatre Review: King Hedley II

Like this:

Theatre Review: Twelfth Night

Like this:

Music Review: Emaginario

Like this:

Theatre Review: Could I Have This Dance?

Like this:

Theatre Review: The Bespoke Overcoat

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: