L.A. Stage Insider
Celebrating the Best in Live Theater and Cabaret in the Greater Los Angeles Area
Written by Julio Martinez
June 26, 2024
NEWS
Arthur Miller August Wilson Steven Dietz
Laguna Playhouse announces that single tickets are now on sale June 25 for its 2024-2025 season of shows. The season begins with a special bonus production of Lerner & Loewe’s Tony-winning musical, “Camelot” (July 24–Aug 11); followed by the comedy, “Don’t Dress For Dinner” (Sep 4-22); Arthur Miller’s “A View From The Bridge” (Oct 30-Nov 17); one of America’s greatest first ladies in the tour-de-force play, “Eleanor” (Jan 15-Feb 2, 2025); a new musical comedy whodunit, “The Remarkable Mister Holmes” (Mar 5-23, 2025); August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning, “Fences”(Apr 30-May 18, 2025); a world premiere mystery, “Peril in the Alps,” (June 11-25, 2025), from writer/director, Steven Dietz; and the Playhouse will close the season with the country music musical, “Honky Tonk Angels” (July 30-Aug 17, 2025). Also, tickets are now on sale for “Sister,” celebrating her Easter & Christmas “Catechisms;” the return of “Comedy Nights at the Playhouse;” and our annual bonus holiday Panto with the premiere of “Rapunzel’s Holiday Wish: A Hair-Larious Tangled Tale.” (tickets on sale July 9). For single tickets and more information, beginning June 25, go at www.lagunaplayhouse.com.
PREMIERES
Madelynn Fattibene Erika Soto
SheLA Arts is set to present “here comes the night,” by Lisa Kenner Grissom. The cast features Erika Soto (Maggie) and Madelynn Fattibene (Olivia), directed by Hailey McAfee. When Olivia, a musician’s wife and climate science advocate, invites Maggie, an old friend turned social media influencer, to spend the weekend while she has an at-home medical abortion, she doesn’t realize that Maggie is about to throw Olivia off course. Featuring two complex female characters, this two-hander is a dark comedic drama that offers a fresh take on the topic of reproductive rights and explores female friendship in the digital age. This new play has a festival premiere at the SheLA Festival with two dates, July 16 (7:30pm) and July 20 (2:30pm) at The Zephyr Theatre 7456 Melrose Ave, LA. 90046. Co-Produced by The Inkwell Theater. For Tickets: https://bit.ly/HCTN_SheLa.
AROUND TOWN
TORRENT
Odyssey Theatre Ensemble’s ongoing “Dance at the Odyssey” series, curated by series co-founder Barbara Mueller–Wittmann, has established West L.A.’s Odyssey Theatre as the go-to place to view contemporary dance. This summer, the series presents first looks at new work by cutting-edge choreographers over the course of three weekends:June 29 (8pm) - Marianna Varviani and Selcouth Dance Theatre Company present “Mark,” June 30 (2pm) - Choreographers Breayre Tender and Anthony Hernandez present “Dear Life;” July 6 (8pm) - Queer Black choreographer Bernard Brown presents “Sugar Odyssey (or the undrowning),” a multi-sensory experience; July 7 (2pm) -Choreographer Olivia Liberati presents “Mafiosi,” exploring the hidden work of the Italian-American mafia; and Intrepid Dance Project presents “Taking Flight,” based on the belief that everyone can dance; July 11 (8pm) - Choreographer Leah Zeiger explores the body’s memory, daily habits and mindsets, with “You Live in My Spine;” July 12 (8pm) - hasten dance and Kaia Makihara delve into a shared physical theater work exploring human grief, regret and finality with “Bounded by Intervals;” July 13 (2pm) & 8 pm - T O R R E N T and choreographer Caitlin Javech present “Rupture,” a highly physical duet that investigates the impact of catastrophic events and ruptures; Choreographer Gianna Burright presents “As if Everything was Perfect,” created in collaboration with performers Natalie Allen, Nicole Hagen and Alex Rix; July 14 (2pm) - Choreographer Hélène Bouboulis dances Dégagez, il n’y a rien à voir (“Move along, there is nothing to see”); and Genna Moroni and G.U.M. (Gorgeous Ugly Movement Collective) present “calling from the void.” Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., L.A. 90025. For tickets and more information, go to: www.OdysseyTheatre.com or call (310) 477-2055 ext. 2.
SOLO MOJO
This Friday, June 28, we're celebrating the anthology release of “From Venice to Venice: Poets of California and Italy.” Published by El Martillo Press! Edited by Mark Lipman (Venice, CA) + Anna Lombardo (Venice, Italy). Readings by Harry E. Northup, Pam Ward, Richard Modiano, Bill Mohr, Anna Lombardo and Susan Hayden. Hosted by El Martillo Press founders David Romero + Matt Sedillo. At Venice-Abbot Kinney Memorial Library, 1pm, located at 501 S Venice Blvd, Venice, 90291. See you there! For tickets and more information, go here.
Dylan Jones
“Siren Song,” a solo show written and performed by Dylan Jones, co-created with Allan Wasserman, Premiering at Hollywood Fringe Festival 2024 at the Stephanie Feury Studio Mainstage (5636 Melrose Ave, 90038.) An invocation of the greats to unwind the riddle of how to be a woman, when the women you wanted to be like aren’t real and the woman who raised you is disappearing before your eyes. If you’ve ever had an identity crisis, “Siren Song” answers the call. Jones invokes acting icons Bette Davis, Barbara Stanwyck and Greta Garbo to knock what being a woman should look like off its pedestal, with a little help from the myth of the Sirens and a ukulele. Written and performed by Dylan Jones, co-created with Allan Wasserman, directed by Amanda McCraven, sound design by Jeff Gardner with Projections by Gabrieal Griego. There are two performances remining, June 28 (10:30 pm), PLUS, one additional performance to be announced. Asylum @ Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre Mainstage 5636 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, 90038. For tickets and more, information go HERE.
CASTING NOTICE
Bruce Kimmel
Writer/Producer/Director Bruce Kimmel is casting for the Aug 11 “Kritzerland” show, his annual all young people production. He has cast seven amazing young folks so far and and he’s looking for five more. Any talented youth between eight and nineteen or twenty. He states, “a talented young male would be nice for a change.” Please PM or DM contact him on Facebook ASAP. It's a brunch show at two o'clock. He'll need to see video or hear audio unless he knows the talent. Show is at Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood. Any talented young person between eight and nineteen or twenty. For more information, go here.
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Arts in Review, hosted by arts journalist Julio Martinez, celebrating the best in theater and cabaret in the Greater Los Angeles area, airs on KPFK90.7fm on Fridays (2-2:30pm), streamed live around the world in real time over KPFK.org.
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