L.A. Stage Insider
Celebrating the Best in Live Theater and Cabaret in the Greater Los Angeles Area
Written by Julio Martinez
December 11, 2024
Celebrating the Best in Live Theater and Cabaret in the Greater Los Angeles Area
HOLIDAY NEWS
Rubicon Theatre Company announces the return The Platters’ “Very Merry Christmas Show.” The legendary doo-wop group will bring their sound and harmonies to favorite holiday songs, while also reprising their chart-topping hits, including: “Only You,” “The Great Pretender,” “My Prayer,” “Twilight Time,” and “ˆSmoke Gets In Your Eyes.” There will be 3 Performances Only! Dec 16 (7pm) and Dec 17 (2pm and 7p.m) at Rubicon’s Karyn Jackson Theatre, located at 1006 E. Main Street in Ventura’s Downtown Cultural District. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.rubicontheatre.org or call 805.667.2900.
5-Star Theatricals, TOArts and Lythgoe Family Productions announce full casting as Lythgoe Family Panto makes its return to the Los Angeles area with Alkaio Thiele (“Peter Pan”), Julia Roome (“Wendy”), Nayah Damasen (“Tinker Bell” and Ben Giroux (“Smee”), joining the previously announced John O’Hurley as “Captain Hook” in Peter Pan And Tinker Bell: A Pirate’s Christmas, written by Kris Lythgoe, choreography by Clarice Ordaz, musical direction by Michael Sobie and directed by Bonnie Lythgoe. The production will begin performances on Dec 13 (7pm), running through Dec 29 (4pm) at the Scherr Forum Theatre at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center, 2100 thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks. Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or by calling the box office at (805) 449-2787.nFor more information on all shows and programming visit 5startheatricals.com or bapacthousandoaks.com.
Calista Flockhart, Julie Harris
L.A. Theatre Works reveals that four audio theater productions of classic plays by Tennessee Williams are now available. The Tennessee Williams Collection launches with the release of The Glass Menagerie (Dec 10), followed by three titles in 2025: A Streetcar Named Desire (Mar 11), The Rose Tattoo (Apr 8), and Summer and Smoke (May 6). Listeners will be able to find each recording online at latw.org, as well as at retailers and libraries everywhere. A co-production with NPR affiliate KCRW 89.9 FM and the BBC, the L.A. Theatre Works audio production of The Glass Menagerie, Williams’ autobiographical “memory play” that launched his career, reunited the cast of the Roundabout Theatre’s celebrated revival: Julie Harris, Calista Flockhart (in her Broadway debut), Kevin Kilner and Zeljko Ivanek, and features John Goodman as the narrator. For more information, go to streaming.latw.org.
PREMIERES
The Goddamn Couple Down the Hall
Theatre West’s acclaimed premiere presentation of the comedy-Mystery, The Goddamn Couple Down the Hall, ends is run on Dec 15. Written by Mark Wilding and directed by Charlie Mount, the production plays Fri & Sat (8pm), Sun (2pm). Theatre West is located at 3333 Cahuenga Blvd. West, in Los Angeles, CA 90068. For reservations: call (323) 851-4839 or go to http://theatrewest.org
Write Act Repertory announces its second annual Holiday Express Fest 2024, a collection of 5 original one act plays written by various writers. Produced by Write Act Repertory’s Producing Artistic Director John Lant with Darrin Yalacki and Susan C. Hunter. The plays are written by Susan C. Hunter, Tom Misuraca, Jorge A. Pulido, Katie Bogart Ward and Darrin Yalacki. Starring Alicia Agramonte, Oraldo Austin, Kyle Blumenthal, Justin Bristow, Joshua Gill, Veli Gonzalez, Narissa Johnson, Tony Kim, Ceci Laiche, Nneka, Jamie Pasquinelli, Jorge Pulido, Katie Ward and Adam Wasser, directed by Carla Cackowski, Susan C. Hunter, Jorge A. Pulido, Katie Bogart Ward and Darrin Yalacki. The show plays Dec 7-22 (Fri & Sat, 7:30pm; Sun, 3pm). Write Act Repertory at the Brickhouse Theatre, 10950 Peach St., North Hollywood, 91601. For tickets, go here.
Theatre 40 Santa
On Dec 21, 2024 (3pm), Theatre Forty will be presenting its Holiday Show at the Westwood branch of the Los Angeles Public Library. 1246 Glendon Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024, near the corner of Wilshire and Westwood Blvd. Theatre Forty actors Kevin Dulude, Daniel Leslie, Melanie MacQueen and LeeAnne Rowe will be reading humorous and heartwarming tales of the season. Among the authors represented are Joan Didion, Lemony Snickett, Kenneth Grahame, and Laurie Lee. Admission is FREE and cookies will be served! This is a non-ticketed event; No reservations are necessary. For more information about theatre 40 and its activities, go to http://theatre40.org
SOLO MOJO
Jingle Tales & Tunes (a benefit for mental health programs at Family Service Agency) is coming to the Colony Theatre, Dec 11. Featured solo artists include, Cara Lopez Lee, Lauri Fraser, Pattie Fitzgerald and Pilar Alessandra. For tickets, go to: www.jamcreativestories.com.
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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.