L.A. Stage Insider
Celebrating the Best in Live Theater and Cabaret in the Greater Los Angeles Area
Written by Julio Martinez
March 15, 2023
NEWS
Fats Waller
Laguna Playhouse announces its 2023-2024 Season of Shows, beginning with the 1996 Canadian musical comedy, “2 Pianos 4 Hands,” written by Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt. Plays July 5-23. The season continues with the 1954 Broadway hit, “The Rainmaker,” set against the backdrop of a western drought, written by N. Richard Nash (Sep 20-Oct 8); the Premiere of “The Angel Next Door,” written by Paul Slade Smith (adapted from Play at the Castle by Ferenc Molnar), “captures the sheer joy, sophistication, and wit of 1940s screwball comedies” (Oct 18-Nov 5); a revival of the 1978 Tony winning musical, Ain’t Misbehavin,’ set in musically thriving 1930s Harlem, written by Murray Horwitz & Richard Maltby Jr., music and lyrics by Fats Waller (Jan 24-Feb 11, 2024); “A Shayna Maidel,” telling one family’s story of survival and resiliency following the Holocaust, written by Barbara LeBow (Mar 13-31, 2024); Jean Baptiste Molière’s 1664 comedic masterpiece, “Tartuffe, wherein a religious charlatan worms his way into a wealthy family causing disruption and pandemonium, translated by two-time Pulitzer Prize poet Richard Wilbur (Apr 17-May 5, 2024); and “Holmes and Watson,” following the supposed death of the famous detective, Watson is left to decipher telegrams from three men, claiming to be the real Sherlock Holmes (May 29-June 16, 2024). Season subscriptions will go on sale Mar 21. Tickets can be purchased online at www.lagunaplayhouse.com or by calling (949) 497-ARTS (2787). Single tickets go on sale Monday, May 15. For more information on all shows and programming visit www.lagunaplayhouse.com. Laguna Playhouse is located at 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.
PREMIERES
La Mirada Theatre is presenting the Premiere of “Did You See What Walter Paisley Did Today,?” a ‘Beatnik’ Horror Comedy Musical. Book, music & lyrics by Randy Rogel, with musical direction by Andrew Orbison, musical supervision by Kimberly Grigsby, choreography by Connor Gallagher, developed and directed by BT McNicholl. The cast will feature: Steven Booth (Walter Paisley), Vanessa Sierra, Ross Hellwig, Kingsley Leggs, Kathy Fitzgerald, Janna Cardia, Ashley Moniz, Josh Adamson, James Caleb Grice and Jamir Brown. Opens Mar (8 pm), running through Apr 2, at La Mirada Theatre, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada. Tickets can be purchased at La Mirada Theatre’s website www.LaMiradaTheatre.com or by calling the Box Office at (562) 944-9801 or (714) 994-6310.
Actors Co-Op is presenting the Premiere of “The Human Comedy,” written and directed by Thom Babbes. Set in war front America in 1942, this coming-of-age tale tells the story of Homer Macaulay, a 14-year-old boy who delivers telegrams at night to make money for his family. Based on the novel by William Saroyan, the cast includes Eva Abramian, Rachael Maye Aronoff, Tricia Cruz, Marc Elmer, Adrian Alexander Gamez, Ben Kientz, Bruce Ladd, Mitchell Lam Hau, Kendall Lloyd, Finn Martinsen, Jessie Atijie Oriabure, Jack Sanchez, Tiago Santos, Brendan Shannon and Jessica Woehler. The production is now open, running through Apr 23 at the David Schall Theatre,1760 N. Gower St., Hollywood, CA 90028 (on the campus of Hollywood Presbyterian Church). For Tickets/Info: www.ActorsCo-op.org or call (323) 462-8460.
AROUND TOWN
Linda Purl, Michael Butler and Nancy Travis
Ensemble Theatre Company (ETC) presents the fourth show of its 2022-23 Season, Michael Butler, Linda Purl and Nancy Travis starring in the London and Broadway hit, “The Children,” written by Lucy Kirkwood and directed by Jenny Sullivan. Set at a remote cottage on the coast of Britain after a tsunami wreaks havoc on a nuclear reactor, a married couple’s lives are further disrupted by the mysterious appearance of a long-lost colleague, who confronts them with a stunning moral dilemma: what does the older generation owe to those who are young? The Children opens Apr 8 (8pm) and runs through Apr 23 at The New Vic Theatre, 33 W. Victoria Street in Santa Barbara. Performances are Wed & Thu (7:30pm), Fri & Sat (8pm), and Sun (2pm). Tickets are available through the ETC box office at (805) 965-5400, or online at etcsb.org.
Barry Pearl Michelle Elkin
Barry Pearl and Michelle Elkin will co-direct the energetic musical “Footloose,” produced by Panic! Productions & BarCinBoo Productions. “Footloose: The Musical,” book by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie (based on the 1984 film, written by Pitchford), music by Tom Snow and lyrics by Dean Pitchford and Kenny Loggins will open Apr 22, running through May 14 at Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center. Tickets go on sale soon. For more information about the show: http://www.panicproductions.org
EN POINTE
Raven Wilkinson
Raven Wilkinson was an American dancer who is credited with having been the first African American woman to dance for a major classical ballet company. Wilkinson broke the color barrier in 1955 when she signed a contract to dance full-time with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. Born on Feb 2, 1935, she passed away on Dec 17, 2018. Led by City Ballet of Los Angeles Founder and Artistic Director Robyn Gardenhire and UC Irvine Dance Historian Ariyan Johnson, the Raven Wilkinson Celebration of Life and Legacy Celebration includes performances by LA County High School for the Arts (LACHSA) and Colburn School Ballet Dancers with Saiko Fujii, Colburn School Pianist on Mar 19 (4pm) at the Ebell Club of Los Angeles. For tickets and more information, please visit https://www.cityballetofla.org/, or https://tinyurl.com/ebell-raven-wilkinson-tickets, or call (310) 966-0505.
SOLO MOJO
Tonight, Mar 15 at 7:30pm. Story Salon, holds forth with its monthly Theme Night. Eight monloguists will spend eight minutes tackling thethe subject: “And then I moved On….” Happens at The Art Parlor, 5302 Laurel Canyon in Valley Village 91607. Ticket may be purchased at the door or in advance at Eventbrite.com
Gina Zollman
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. On Mar 17, AIR welcomes singer/songwriter Gina Zollman, who will be presenting the CD Debut Album Release of, “GINA ZOLLMAN: Anywhere With You,” on Wednesday, Mar 22, at Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood.
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