Category Archives: Uncategorized

Alicia Carroll Recipient of Playwriting Commission

Posted on by

IAMA THEATRE COMPANY NAMES 
ALICIA CARROLL AS 2025 RECIPIENT OF 
SHONDA RHIMES-SPONSORED 
UNSUNG VOICES PLAYWRITING COMMISSION

 

LOS ANGELES, CA (26 March 2025) — IAMA Theatre Company, committed to cultivating new voices and creating new, boundary-pushing work, has selected Alicia Carroll as the 2025 recipient of the Los Angeles-based theatre company’s The Rhimes Unsung Voices Playwriting Commission, sponsored by IAMA Patron of the Arts Shonda Rhimes (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal,” “”Bridgerton”). Now in its eighth year, The Rhimes Unsung Voices Playwriting Commission was created to nurture emerging playwriting talent with an emphasis on cultural inclusion and fresh creativity in theatre. This commission supports a writer from an underrepresented community, who has been minimally professionally produced, but not had a commercial, Off-Broadway, or Broadway production of their work.

“We are so honored to continue to support thrilling new voices such as Alicia’s;  it’s especially meaningful to support a writer who began her journey with us in our Emerging Playwrights Lab,” said IAMA Artistic Director Stefanie Black, “Alicia has been a valued member of the IAMA community and we are delighted to be able to continue our collaboration with her in this way. We can’t wait to see what she writes next.”

 

Alicia Carroll was a member of IAMA’s 2020-21 Emerging Playwrights Lab, an artistic home for early-career and emerging Los Angeles-based playwrights. Previous works written in the IAMA Emerging Playwrights Lab have seen various runs at theatres across the nation including the 2024 run of Max Wolf Freidlich’s JOB.

 

“There is no greater gift for a writer than the time and resources they need to create,” shared Carroll. “I’m so thankful for the opportunity to work on a new piece with the guidance and support of the IAMA team.”

 

Alicia Carroll is a playwright and TV writer hailing from Philadelphia and the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia area (DMV). Her writing credits include “Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin” (Peacock), “The Watchful Eye” (Freeform), “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” (NBC) and Crooked Media’s comedic live show and podcast, “Lovett Or Leave It.” She has participated in several fellowships and labs across mediums as a writer, including Film Independent’s Project Involve Fellowship, Women In Film: Insight Fellowship, IAMA Theatre Company’s Emerging Playwrights Lab, ESTLA’s Ignite Lab, The Workshop Theater’s Winter Rewrite Intensive, and The Orchard Project’s Greenhouse Lab. When she’s not writing, Carroll teaches TV writing online at Story Brain Academy, Writing Workshops, The Writing Pad and Sundance Collab. She also works with Expand The Canon, bringing classics by underrepresented playwrights to the forefront. 

 

Past recipients of The Rhimes Unsung Voices Playwriting Commission include IAMA Ensemble Member Brian Otaño; playwright and activist Geraldine Inoa; Iranian-American playwright Sanaz Toosi, who went on to receive a Pulitzer Prize; Obie-winning performer/playwright Ryan J. Haddad; Emmy-nominated writer, director and producer Larry Powell; celebrated actor, director and playwright June Carryl; and Chinese-Canadian playwright, TV writer, screenwriter Chloé Hung. In 2016, IAMA became a recipient of The Rhimes Foundation, led by legendary television producer and screenwriter, Shonda Rhimes. In turn, Rhimes, a frequent IAMA audience member and supporter, was named IAMA’s inaugural Patron of the Arts in 2017, committing funds for the commission as well as other important support for IAMA’s mission and programming through The Rhimes Foundation. The Rhimes Foundation was established in 2016 to support arts, education and activism, with a focus on promoting cultural inclusion and fighting inequality.

 

ABOUT IAMA THEATRE COMPANY
Founded in 2007, IAMA Theatre Company is a Los Angeles-based ensemble of artists committed to cultivating new voices, creating new works that push boundaries and take risks, and fostering an inclusive community that inspires a new generation of theatermakers and audiences. Designated by Playbill as “one of 20 regional houses every theater lover must know,” “an LA intimate theater gem” by KCRW, and a “creative force on the local theatre scene” by the Los Angeles Times, the award-winning company is dedicated to developing and producing new plays and musicals by emerging and established playwrights, including over 30 world, West Coast and Los Angeles premieres. This season’s Broadway productions that first started at IAMA include Max Wolf Friedlich’s JOB and Leslye Headland’s Cult of Love. The backbone of the company, IAMA’s Ensemble Members have been featured in numerous critically acclaimed TV shows and films as well as a vast array of theatre and live performances on and Off-Broadway, across the country, and around the world. IAMA is invested in challenging audiences with authentic experiences that reflect the complex modern world.

 

ABOUT RHIMES UNSUNG VOICES COMMISSION & THE RHIMES FOUNDATION
Sponsored and inspired by groundbreaking producer and writer Shonda Rhimes, and The Rhimes Foundation, The Rhimes Unsung Voices Playwriting Commission supports a writer from an underrepresented community who has been minimally professionally produced but not had a commercial, Off-Broadway, or Broadway production of their work. Writers who are actively pursuing a career in the theatre are strongly considered.

The Rhimes Foundation was established in 2016 by writer/producer Shonda Rhimes and her family. The foundation was created to support arts, education, and activism with a focus on promoting cultural inclusion, fighting for equality, and standing up against bigotry of any kind.

Odyssey Theatre founding artistic director Ron Sossi passes away at 85

Posted on by

Odyssey Theatre founding artistic director
Ron Sossi passes away at 85

LOS ANGELES (March 22, 2025) — We at the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble are heartbroken to announce that founding artistic director Ron Sossi passed away on Wednesday, March 19, at the age of 85.

Born on November 22, 1939 in Detroit, Ron graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in writing for theater and television before moving to L.A. to attend UCLA film school. There, he supported himself as a wedding photographer and water filter salesman while earning his M.F.A. In addition to writing, Ron was an actor and a singer. He traveled to Korea, Japan and Guam, courtesy of the USO, with a college production of Carousel, where he met fellow student and co-star Bonnie Franklin, and the two were briefly married, from 1967 until 1970. After winning the Samuel Goldwyn Award for screenwriting at UCLA, Ron was hired as a program executive at ABC, where he oversaw productions of shows including Bewitched, The Flying Nun and Love American Style, among others.

In 1969, frustrated and bored by his work in the television industry, Ron founded the Odyssey Theatre in a former storefront church on the seedy end of Hollywood Boulevard. With the raucous sounds of the porn theater next door seeping through, the Odyssey opened its inaugural productions of A Man’s A Man by Bertolt Brecht, The Serpent by Jean Claude van Italie, The Threepenny Opera by Brecht and Kurt Weill, and The Bacchae by Euripides. Long runs of these four plays sealed Ron’s reputation as a maverick with critics and audiences alike. In 1973, he moved the Odyssey to a larger venue in West Los Angeles on the corner of Bundy and Ohio where, starting out with one 99-seat performance space, he gradually expanded it into a three-theater complex. Critically acclaimed, award-winning productions included Peer Gynt, Woyzeck, White Marriage, The Adolf Hitler Show, The Chicago Conspiracy Trial, Nightclub Cantana, Tracers, Mary Barnes, Master Class, Edmond, Rapmaster Ronnie, McCarthy, Idioglossia (later to become the Oscar nominated movie Nell), and Steven Berkoff’s Kvetch—the Odyssey’s longest running show at eight years. During the company’s 16-year tenure in that space, Ron produced and directed two thirds of the Bertolt Brecht canon, including Baal (in which he also starred in the title role), The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Mother Courage and Brechtfest 1 and 2. When the building was sold in 1989, Ron moved the Odyssey to its current home on Sepulveda Boulevard, a city-owned warehouse formerly used to manufacture gas tanks. The new Odyssey opened its doors in 1990 with his production of Faith Healer.

Throughout the theater’s 56-year history, Ron remained dedicated to presenting edgy, risk-taking live theater experiences, including an eclectic mix of new work and boldly re-envisioned classics. He was always particularly drawn to work by German and Eastern European playwrights, as well as to plays exploring metaphysical and spiritual subject matter — part of a lifelong devotion that included studying and practicing Siddha Yoga, Hinduism, Sufism, Tibetian Buddhism, The Gurdjieff Work and, most recently, Bhakti Yoga and Advaita Vedanta. In 2001, Ron created KOAN, a resident ensemble dedicated to the regular creation of unique, devised works. (In Zen Buddhism, a Koan is a paradoxical anecdote or riddle used to demonstrate the inadequacy of logical reasoning and to provoke enlightenment.) Ron’s KOAN productions included The Faust Projekt, Kafka Thing and Buddha’s Big Nite!, as well as Sliding Into Hades, which received the LA Weekly Award for “Best Production of the Year” and Theater in the Dark, an LA Weekly “Best Production” award nominee. More recent productions included a revival of The Serpent for the Odyssey’s 50th anniversary; Wakings, an evening of short “mind excursions” exploring some of the many states of human awareness; and Elephant Shavings, subtitled “a lazy person’s guide to enlightenment,” which he also wrote.

At the helm of the Odyssey for 56 continuous years, Ron was the recipient of numerous awards, including the LA Weekly Career Achievement Award. He was twice honored with the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle prestigious Margaret Harford Award for “demonstrating a continual willingness to experiment provocatively in the process of theater,” as well as with the circle’s Ron Link Award for “consistent quality of direction.” According to a 1982 Los Angeles Times article by Lawrence Christon, “When the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle debated Ron’s merit as this year’s recipient of the Margaret Harford Award—they decided he deserved it—two adjectives that cropped up in discussion were ‘exasperating’ and ‘incorrigible.’” Christon went on to note that Ron “wished they had put ‘incorrigible’ on the award.”

Ron is survived by his wife, Séverine Larue, and by his sister, Nancy Foley.

In accordance with his instructions, no service or ceremony will be held. It was Ron’s wish that the ongoing vibrancy of the theater he built would serve as his only memorial. The Odyssey’s curtain will continue to rise, and every future performance will be a testament to Ron Sossi’s enduring legacy.

OCTG Theatre Awards Unveils List of Nominees

Posted on by

OCTG Theatre Awards Unveils List of Nominees

Productions of “Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical,” “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” “The Mother F*cker with the Hat,” and “Sweeney Todd” Lead the Pack.

March 5, 2025 – Anaheim, California

On Saturday, February 22, 2025, during the OC Theatre Guild’s membership meeting, the nominees for the fourth annual OCTG Theatre Awards were officially announced. The awards ceremony, where winners will be revealed, is scheduled for the evening of Monday, April 28, 2025, at the Samueli Theater at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. Directed by Guild Board Secretary Shinshin Yuder Tsai, this year’s show continues the tradition of celebrating the vibrant and diverse achievements of the theatre community. Tickets will be available at www.octheatreguild.org/octg-awards on March 10, 2025.

Awards Coordinator and Guild Vice-President Kristin Campbell Coyne remarked, “The OCTG Theatre Awards program continues to grow in incredible ways. This year, we’ve seen 121 nominations across 21 categories, with 46 productions submitted for adjudication. The gender-neutral performance categories maintain double the nominees and two winners each.” Twenty organizations participated, with 62 voters from various theatre disciplines determining the results. All votes were audited by accounting firm Numbers South West Inc to ensure accuracy.

This year’s nominees highlight standout productions. Leading the nominations is Chance Theater, recognized for “Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical,” “Sweeney Todd,” and “Alma.” The Wayward Artist also earned multiple nominations for “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” and “The Mother F*cker with the Hat.” Curtis Theatre garnered several nominations for “Once” and “Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life,” which was co-produced with Begins and Ends with ‘A’ Productions. Other companies, including Costa Mesa Playhouse, Yorba Linda Spotlight Players, The Larking House, and J Stage, also showcased their creative excellence with celebrated works.

A detailed list of nominees is included below and can also be found on the Guild’s website.

The OC Theatre Guild launched its awards program in 2020 to celebrate excellence in Orange County theatre. “Every year our volunteer voters see so much incredible work, each season is really a labor of love by them,” said Awards Coordinator and Guild Board Member Katie Chidester. “Between annual applications, training, and numerous production assignments, they put a tremendous amount of work in because they believe in creativity and talent in our region.”

To submit a show for adjudication or apply to become a voter for next year’s OCTG Theatre Awards, visit www.octheatreguild.org/octg-awards.

OC Theatre Guild was founded in 2015 and officially organized in 2019 as a not-for-profit 501(c)3 to serve Orange County’s vital artistic community with a mission to nurture, support, and promote live theatre in greater Orange County. That stated goal is supported by the long-held beliefs of the guild’s founders and leaders that theatre and the performing arts are an essential part of what creates a healthy, passionate, and multicultural society that enriches communities while providing opportunities for personal growth and fulfillment. Through the last several years, the guild has made a commitment to answer the question “What can we do together that we can’t do on our own?”

Since OCTG’s inception, the following individuals and organizations have provided support: Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Amanda DeMaio, CA Relief Program, Capital Group Foundation, Charitable Ventures of OC, Tod White, Craig Tyrl, Matthew Takahashi, Zaradich Law, Facebook, The Walt Disney Company Foundation, Orange County Dept. of Education, The Blackbaud Giving Fund, Amazon, Aja Bell, Jocelyn Buckner, Kristin Cambpell, Sharyn Case, Patrick Chavis, Katherine Chidester, Wendy Colon, Maddi Deckard, Eric Eberwein, Barney Evans, Andrea Freeman, Rob Greenfield, Glenn Griffin, Sara M. Guerrero, Dana Hammer, Laura Hathaway, Michael Hornyak, Tim Hume, Aleksandr Iakovlev, Elizabeth Jouvenat, Scott A. Keister, Tommie Kozlov, Andrea G. La Vela, Rose London, Patrick Mannion, Jill Cary Martin, Candyce Marto-Maedel, Neil Middleton, Michelle Miller-Day, Desiree Nguyen, Cindy ODell, Stephen Peeler, Crystal Phillips, Cheryl Prevor, Christopher Reilly, Gene Rogers, Amber Scott, April Skinner, Chris Sumpter, Richard Stein, Nicolas Thiery, Nicholas Thurkettle, Zeffy Foundation, Debra Wondercheck, Jordan R. Young, Patricia Zantos, Amanda Zarr, and David Zelhart.

LIST OF THIS YEAR’S NOMINEES

Outstanding Production of a Play

  • Alma, Chance Theater

  • The Children, The Wayward Artist

  • Other Desert Cities, Newport Theatre Arts Center

  • The Mother F*cker with the Hat, The Wayward Artist

  • Tiny Beautiful Things, Chance Theater

 

Outstanding Production of a Musical

  • Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Once, Curtis Theatre

  • All Shook Up, Yorba Linda Spotlight Players

  • The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

  • Sweeney Todd, Chance Theater

 

Outstanding Direction of a Play

  • Amanda Hallman, Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life, Curtis Theatre and Begins and Ends with ‘A’ Productions

  • Craig Tyrl, The Children, The Wayward Artist

  • Katie Chidester, Tiny Beautiful Things, Chance Theater

  • Michael Martinez Hamilton, The Mother F*cker with the Hat, The Wayward Artist

  • Sara Guerrero, Alma, Chance Theater

 

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

  • Casey Long, Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Charna Lopez, All Shook Up, Yorba Linda Spotlight Players

  • James Michael McHale, Sweeney Todd, Chance Theater

  • Jonathan Infante, Once, Curtis Theatre

  • Sydney Raquel, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

 

Outstanding Leading Performance in a Play

  • Aubrey Saverino (Sugar), Tiny Beautiful Things, Chance Theater

  • Bobby D. Lux (Lenny), Rumors, Westminster Community Playhouse

  • D.X. Machina (Jackie), The Mother F*cker with the Hat, The Wayward Artist

  • Heather Lee Echeverria (Angel), Alma, Chance Theater

  • Juliet Fischer (Rose), The Children, The Wayward Artist

  • Kalinda Gray (Emilie), Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life, Curtis Theatre and Begins and Ends with ‘A’ Productions

  • Marta Portillo (Alma), Alma, Chance Theater

  • Michelle Pedersen (Catherine Givings), In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play), Costa Mesa Playhouse

  • Rose London (Katherine Brandt), 33 Variations, Costa Mesa Playhouse

  • Ruben Matos (Ralph D.), The Mother F*cker with the Hat, The Wayward Artist

 

Outstanding Leading Performance in a Musical

  • Claire Manson (Cinderella), Into the Woods, Jstage

  • Emma Laird (Girl), Once, Curtis Theatre

  • Jenna Luck (Olive Ostrovsky), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

  • Jocelyn A. Brown (Mrs. Lovett), Sweeney Todd, Chance Theater

  • Laura Hart (Mrs. Lovett), Sweeney Todd, Cabrillo Playhouse

  • Mallory Kerwin (Paulette), Legally Blonde, No Square Theatre

  • Mandy Foster (Emma Woodhouse), Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Micah Nicholson (William Barfee), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

  • Naomi Groleau (Natalie/Ed), All Shook Up, Yorba Linda Spotlight Players

  • Tom Avery (Hedwig), Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Chance Theater

 

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Play

  • Branda Lock (Gloria/Nan), Gloria, Chance Theater

  • Erik Scilley (Lorin), Gloria, Chance Theater

  • Griffin Glenn (Mike Clark), 33 Variations, Costa Mesa Playhouse

  • Jonathon Lamer (Letter Writer #1), Tiny Beautiful Things, Chance Theater

  • Marta Portillo (Victoria), The Mother F*cker with the Hat, The Wayward Artist

  • Neil Switzer (Ernie), Rumors, Westminster Community Playhouse

  • Oscar Emmanuel Fabela (Cousin Julio), The Mother F*cker with the Hat, The Wayward Artist

  • Peter Hilton (Tilden), Buried Child, Costa Mesa Playhouse

  • Psalms Salazar (Veronica), The Mother F*cker with the Hat, The Wayward Artist

  • Will Martella (Dean/Devin), Gloria, Chance Theater

 

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical

  • Angel Correa (Vice Principal Douglas Panch), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

  • Blake Rhiner (Frank Churchill), Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Carolyn Lupin (Rona Lisa Peretti), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

  • Clayton Michael Walker (Leaf Coneybear), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

  • Cynthia C. Espinoza (Mrs. Elton), Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Haven Hanson (Lumiere), Beauty and the Beast,  Jstage

  • Jeff Lowe (George Knightley), Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Laura M. Hathaway (Beggar Woman), Sweeney Todd, Chance Theater

  • Luc Clopton (Robert Martin), Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Sadie Alexander (Harriet Smith), Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

 

Outstanding Ensemble in a Play

  • Other Desert Cities, Newport Theatre Arts Center

  • Gloria, Chance Theater

  • The Mother F*cker with the Hat, The Wayward Artist

  • Rumors, Westminster Community Playhouse

  • 33 Variations, Costa Mesa Playhouse

 

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical

  • Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Once, Curtis Theatre

  • All Shook Up, Yorba Linda Spotlight Players

  • The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

  • Sweeney Todd, Chance Theater

 

Outstanding Costume Design

  • Bruce Goodrich, Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Christopher Aceves, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

  • Haven Hanson, Beauty and the Beast,  Jstage

  • Marci Alberti, The Mother F*cker with the Hat, The Wayward Artist

  • Tom Phillips & Larry Watts, In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play), Costa Mesa Playhouse

 

Outstanding Lighting Design

  • Axiom Cutler, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

  • Heather Harless, Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life, Curtis Theatre and Begins and Ends With ‘A’ Productions

  • Kara Ramlow, Alma, Chance Theater

  • Kris Kataoka, Once, Curtis Theatre

  • Masako Tobaru, Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

 

Outstanding Scenic Design

  • Christopher Scott Murillo, Alma, Chance Theater

  • Jon Gaw, Once, Curtis Theatre

  • Kristin Campbell Coyne, Tiny Beautiful Things, Chance Theater

  • Michael Serna, Killer Joe, Costa Mesa Playhouse

  • Teddy Pagee, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

 

Outstanding Sound Design

  • Eric Backus, Gloria, Chance Theater

  • James Markoski, Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Lia Weed, Sweeney Todd, Chance Theater

  • Melanie Falcón, Alma, Chance Theater

  • Thor Fay, Once, Curtis Theatre

 

Outstanding Choreography

  • Charna Lopez, All Shook Up, Yorba Linda Spotlight Players

  • Jennifer Kornswiet, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

  • Kelsie Blackwell, Once, Curtis Theatre

  • Mo Goodfellow, Sweeney Todd, Chance Theater

  • Sabrina Harper, Alice by Heart, No Square Theatre

 

Outstanding Music Direction

  • Christopher W. Smith, All Shook Up, Yorba Linda Spotlight Players

  • Jennifer Schniepp, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

  • Lex Leigh, Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Lex Leigh, Sweeney Todd, Chance Theater

  • Patrick Copeland, Once, Curtis Theatre

 

Outstanding Projection Design

  • Jonathan Infante, Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life, Curtis Theatre and Begins and Ends With ‘A’ Productions

  • Kristin Campbell Coyne and James Markoski, Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Nick Santiago, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Chance Theater

  • Nick Santiago, Sweeney Todd, Chance Theater

  • Victoria Serra, 33 Variations, Costa Mesa Playhouse

 

Outstanding Prop Design

  • Amanda Hallman and Colin Lawrence, Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life, Curtis Theatre and Begins and Ends With ‘A’ Productions, Properties Designer

  • Bebe Herrera, Sweeney Todd, Chance Theater, Props Director

  • Bonnie-Lyn Montano, The Mother F*cker with the Hat, The Wayward Artist, Properties Designer

  • Jim Lowe & Kelsey Lowe, Puffs, Alchemy Theatre Company, Props Master

  • Joe Lauderdale, The Children, The Wayward Artist, Properties Designer

 

Outstanding Fight Direction

  • David Rodriguez, Killer Joe, Costa Mesa Playhouse, Fight Director

  • Martin Noyes, Alma, Chance Theater, Fight Director

  • Matthew M. Hayashi, Abyss, The Larking House, Fight Director

 

Outstanding Wig/Hair Design

  • Adriana Rodriguez Burciaga, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Larking House, Hair Designer

  • Cliff Senior, In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play), Costa Mesa Playhouse, Wig Designer

  • Jeff Weeks, A Doll’s House, Part 2, STAGEStheatre, Wig and Hair Designer

 

Notable Outstanding Achievement

  • Adriana Rodriguez Burciaga, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Larking House, Makeup Designer

  • Craig Holland, Birdbrain, The Wayward Artist, Playwright

  • Eric Eberwein, Peace Be With You, The Wayward Artist, Playwright

  • Genevieve Kauper, Abyss, The Larking House, Makeup Designer

  • Sarah Leonard, Into the Woods,  Jstage, Puppet Designer

‘One Jewish Boy’ at Atwater Village Theatre

Posted on by

West Coast premiere of ‘One Jewish Boy’ will
open Echo Theater Company’s 2025 season

LOS ANGELES (February 10, 2025) — Navigating any relationship is difficult enough. What happens when you factor in politics and rising prejudice? Echo Theater Company presents the West Coast premiere of One Jewish Boy by British playwright Stephen Laughton, a biting, bittersweet story of two young people in love confronted with the world’s unpredictable cruelty. Echo artistic director Chris Fields directs the six-week run at Atwater Village Theatre (replacing the previously announced production of Flight). Performances take place March 22 through April 28, with three Pay-What-You-Want previews are set for March 19, March 20 and March 21.

A love story set over a decade, One Jewish Boy stars Zeke Goodman, last seen at the Echo in Hooded, or Being Black for Dummies, as Jesse, a nice Jewish boy from North London. Jesse falls hopelessly for Alex, a young woman of mixed race played by Sharae Foxie, whose credits include the Sundance award-winning crime comedy I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore. The love between Jesse and Alex is real, pure and absolute — but Jesse has never been able to shake off the memory of a traumatic event that changed him forever. Can the fear of hatred be worse than the hate itself?

“These two people are crazy for each other, but their relationship is threatened by internalized hate,” says Fields. “How do you stay in love in a world that is thrusting its malevolence at us? The theme of this play is how to hold on to love.”

WHAT:
Echo Theater Company presents the West Coast premiere of One Jewish Boy, a funny, biting, bittersweet story about two young people in love who are faced with the world’s unpredictable cruelty. Jesse, a nice Jewish boy from North London, falls hopelessly for Alex, a young woman of mixed race. Navigating any relationship is difficult enough. What happens when you factor in politics and rising prejudices?

WHO:
• Written by Stephen Laughton
• Directed by Chris Fields
• Starring Sharae Foxie and Zeke Goodman
• Presented by The Echo Theater Company, Chris Fields artistic director

WHEN:
March 19 through April 28
• Previews: March 19–March 21: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m.
• Performances: March 22–April 28: Fridays and Mondays at 8 p.m. / Saturdays at 7 p.m. / Sundays at 4 p.m. plus three Thursdays at 8 p.m.: April 10, April 17, April 24

WHERE:
Echo Theater Company
Atwater Village Theatre
3269 Casitas Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90039

PARKING:
FREE in the Atwater Crossing (AXT) lot one block south of the theater.

TICKET PRICES:
• Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays: $38
• Thursdays: $20
• Mondays and Previews: Pay–What–You–Want

HOW:
www.EchoTheaterCompany.com
(747) 350-8066

THESE SHINING LIVES at the Actors Co-op Crossley Theatre

Posted on by

The award-winning Actors Co-op Theatre Company is proud to present

THESE SHINING LIVES
Written by Melanie Marnich, directed by Thom Babbes and produced by Crystal Yvonne Jackson.
In These Shining Lives, women in the 1920s are thrilled to earn high wages doing the delicate work of painting iridescent dials on watch faces in a factory in the Midwest. Catherine, a mother of twins, eagerly joins the workforce, but as she grows older, she and her coworkers discover that they all suffer from radium poisoning. Despite their deteriorating health, they courageously take action against the watch company.

THESE SHINING LIVES
February 21 – March 30, 2025
Fridays and Saturdays 7:30pm, Sundays at 2:30 pm
Additional Saturday Matinees March 1 and March 15 at 2:30pm
Tickets: Adults: $35, Seniors (60 & over) $30, Students w/ ID: $25.00, Union Members:
$25.00. Student Rush Tickets available Friday Nights (except opening nights), Group Rates, and Season Subscriptions are available. For ticket information visit www.actorsco-op.org or call the box office at (323) 462-8460.
Actors Co-op Crossley Theatre is located at 1760 N. Gower Street, Hollywood 90028 (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood). Free Lot Parking on Carlos.

CRAZY MAMA at Rubicon Theatre Company

Posted on by

Rubicon Theatre Company of Ventura Presents

the World Premiere Drama

CRAZY MAMA

A True Story of Love & Madness

By Sharon Scott Williams

March 26th – April 6th, 2025

Starring Acclaimed Stage & Screen Actress Linda Purl

Directed by Golden Globe Nominee Anson Williams

March 6, 2025 (Ventura, CA) – RUBICON THEATRE, Ventura County’s premier professional not-for-profit theatre company, committed to providing entertainment, enrichment and educational opportunities for local residents and visitors, continues its blockbuster 2024/2025 Dare to Dream Season with the World Premiere of CRAZY MAMA: A TRUE STORY OF LOVE & MADNESS, written by Ojai resident SHARON SCOTT WILLIAMS. This deeply personal, darkly funny, and profoundly moving solo play will run March 26 – April 6, 2025, at Rubicon’s intimate Karyn Jackson Theatre, 1006 E. Main Street, located in Ventura’s Downtown Cultural District. The production is directed by Golden Globe nominee ANSON WILLIAMS (“Happy Days” and “Melrose Place”/”Beverly Hills 90210” as director), and stars celebrated stage and screen actress LINDA PURL (“Happy Days”, “Matlock,” “The Office,” “Homeland,” “True Blood”). Purl returns to Rubicon for her ninth production with the company, calling the theatre her “West Coast artistic home.” This one-woman, 16-character, tour-de-force is about a daughter’s decades-long dream of saving her mother from the soul-crushing grip of mental illness. A testament to the steely resilience of the human heart and the enduring nature of hope, Crazy Mama will leave audiences breathless, moved, and inspired.

MARCH 26 – APRIL 6 (Low-Priced Previews Mar. 26 – 28/Press Opening Mar. 29)

 
Perf. Schedule: Wed. at 2 and 7 p.m., Thurs. at 7 p.m., Fri. at 7 p.m., Sat. at 2 and 7 p.m., Sun at 2 p.m. 
 
Prices: $25 – $84.50 (price includes $5 processing fee); Discounts for Subscribers, Students, Military and Equity
Tickets: (805) 667-2900 www.rubicontheatre.org  
Rubicon Theatre Company is located in The Karyn Jackson Theatre at 1006 E. Main Street in Ventura’s
Downtown Cultural District.
For more information about Rubicon Theatre Company, or to purchase tickets, call (805) 667-2900 or go to
www.rubicontheatre.org.
Supported in part by the SHERI AND LES BILLER FAMILY FOUNDATION
 
Acclaimed actress Linda Purl plays 16 characters in this tour-de-force about a young girl’s decades-long dream of saving her mother from the soul-crushing grip of mental illness. Laced with humor and pathos, Crazy Mama is a true story inspired by Ojai resident Sharon Scott Williams’ award-winning memoir, directed by veteran stage and television director and producer Anson Williams. A testament to the steely resilience of the human heart and the enduring nature of hope, Crazy Mama will leave you breathless, moved, and profoundly inspired. 

CABARET at Scherr Forum Theatre at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center

Posted on by

5-STAR THEATRICALS
Presents the First Show of its 2025 Season…
CABARET
Book by Joe Masteroff
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Based on the play by John Van Druten and the stories of Christopher Isherwood
Musical Direction by Gregory Nabours
Choreography by Clarice Ordaz
Directed by Michael Matthews

“In Here, Life is Beautiful…” beginning Friday, March 14 in the
Scherr Forum Theatre at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center!

OPENS: FRIDAY, MARCH 14 at 7:30pm (press opening) and runs through
SUNDAY, MARCH 30 at 1:00pm
Performances are Thursdays & Fridays at 7:30pm; Saturdays at 1:00pm and
7:30pm; Sundays at 1:00pm
BANK OF AMERICA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER –
SCHERR FORUM THEATRE
2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd, in Thousand Oaks
Tickets range from $68 – $95
For tickets, please call (805) 449-2787.
For theatre information, call (805) 449-ARTS (2787) or buy online at
www.5startheatricals.com.
Student, Senior and Group discounts are available.

‘Comedy Night’ at the Odyssey featuring Kevin Flynn & Friends

Posted on by

Kevin Flynn & Friends headline
‘Comedy Night’ at the Odyssey

One performance only: Saturday, Feb. 8 at 8 p.m.
 

LOS ANGELES (January 9, 2025) — Everything is funnier at the Odyssey Theatre, where “Comedy Night” is fast becoming one of the top spots to see comedy in Los Angeles. Next up: series curator, writer, actor and comedian Kevin Flynn will be joined by stand-up pal Al Ducharme and a special surprise guest for an unforgettable night of comedy on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 8 p.m.

The Odyssey Theatre is located at 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., West Los Angeles, 90025. All tickets are $20, with an additional $3 per ticket fee if using a credit card.

For more information and to purchase tickets, call (310) 477-2055 or go to OdysseyTheatre.com.

January 17 opening of Four Women in Red postponed at Victory Theatre

Posted on by

 

 

NEWS RELEASE

January 17 opening of Four Women in Red
postponed at Victory Theatre

LOS ANGELES (January 11, 2025) — With members of the cast, creative team and audience impacted by the wildfires, The Victory Theatre Center has canceled the previously announced January 17 opening of Four Women in Red, a new play by Laura Shamas about the current crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. A revised performance schedule will be announced at a later date.

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG at La Mirada Theatre

Posted on by

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS &

McCOY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT

IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE CORNLEY POLYTECHNIC DRAMA SOCIETY

PRESENT

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG
Written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer & Henry Shields

The Cornley Drama Society is putting on a 1920s murder mystery, but as the title suggests,
everything that can go wrong… does! The accident-prone thespians battle against all odds
to make it through to their final curtain call with hilarious consequences!

“TONS OF FUN FOR ALL AGES!” – Huffington Post
“BEST SHOW I’VE EVER SEEN!” – Mahatma Gandhi

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG
Written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer & Henry Shields
Directed by Eric Petersen
OPENS: Saturday, January 25 at 8 pm (Press Opening)
and runs through Sunday, February 16 at 6:30 pm
PREVIEWS: Friday, January 24 at 8 pm & Saturday, January 25 at 2 pm
PERFORMANCES: Thursdays at 7:30 pm; Fridays at 8 pm;
Saturdays at 2 pm & 8 pm; Sundays at 1:30 pm & 6:30 pm.
There is no performance on Sunday, January 27 at 6:30 pm.
There will be an Open-Captioned performance on Saturday, February 8, 2025
at 2:00 pm.
Talkbacks with the cast and creative team will be on Thursday, January 30 at
7:30 pm and Thursday, February 13 at 7:30 pm.
LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
14900 La Mirada Blvd. in La Mirada, CA 90638.
Arrive Early to Find Best Parking — It’s Free!
Tickets range from $19 – $90 (prices subject to change).
Children under 3 will not be admitted into the theatre.
For tickets, please call (562) 944-9801 or (714) 994-6310 or buy online at
LaMiradaTheatre.com.  Group, student, and military discounts are available.