L.A. Stage Insider

October 19, 2022

Written by Julio Martinez

THE COMPLEX LOSING ITS LEASE...LONG BEACH OPERA 2023 SEASON...CTG TICKET DROP TUESDAYS...EAST WEST PLAYERS PREMIERES ‘THE BROTHERS PARANORMAL’...WRITE ACT REP DEBUTS ‘THE ATHEIST MOTHER’... JASON GRAAE’S ‘GREATEST HITS’ AT EL PORTAL...INSIDE L.A. STAGE HISTORY RECALLS PASADENA PLAYHOUSE VS. CALIFORNIA STATE LEGISLATURE...AND MORE.

NEWS

The Complex

The Hollywood community is at risk of losing The Complex as a theatre space. The landlord is not planning on extending their lease, and the current expectation is that the building will be vacated by Dec 31, 2022, sold at a high price, and bulldozed to be converted into a high rise. The theatre space will be gone. This cannot happen, though, if the building is nominated and accepted as a landmark, historical building and sold for a lower price to a buyer that will maintain it as a theatre space. The Complex is working to make this happen quickly, but time is running out. To that end, there will be a demonstration on Saturday, Oct 22 at 12:00 pm in front of The Complex (6476 Santa Monica Blvd.) featuring speakers, music, and supporters of the artistic home to so many. The Hollywood Fringe Festival stands in support of The Complex. Over the last 12 years, 492 Fringe productions with 2,277 individual shows have performed at The Complex.  Give your support. See you on the 22nd!

Long beach Opera announces 2023 season, featuring four operatic experiences, including: the premiere of “The Romance of the Rose,” by Kate Soper (Feb 18 & 19, 25, 2023);  “The Horse,” created and performed by Chris Emile, music and sound design by Cody Perkins, developed with and commissioned by Los Angeles Nomadic Division (LAND) (Mar 4, 5, 11, 12); “The Feast,’ based on G.F. Handel’s Alessandro,  starring Jakub Józef Orliński and the Martha Graham Dance Company (May 20 & 21); and “The Recital,  featuring Franz Schubert’s song cycle “Die Schöne Müllerin,” in tandem with the animated film, “Christopher at Sea” by Tom C. J. Brown,  
and the premiere of “The Recital,” a new film, written and directed by James Darrah, score by Christopher Rountree, 
starring and co-created by Measha Brueggergosman (June 24 & 25).  Information about season tickets at longbeachopera.org

Center Theatre Group is launching Ticket Drop Tuesdays, a new ticketing option for its audiences. Patrons will be able to purchase up to four tickets at a flat rate of $20 by visiting CenterTheatreGroup.org/Promo at 12 p.m. PST every Tuesday and using the code TUESDAY20. Beginning Oct 18, tickets will be available for “The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe” and “Clyde’s” at the Mark Taper Forum and “2:22 – A Ghost Story” at the Ahmanson Theatre. Tickets will be available on a first come, first served basis and the dates, seat locations, and shows available will change each week. To learn more about Ticket Drop Tuesday, visit CenterTheatreGroup.org/Tickets/Ticket-Drop-Tuesday.

PREMIERES

Prince Gomolvilas

East West Players (EWP) presents the L.A. premiere of “The Brothers Paranormal, written by Prince Gomolvilas and directed by Jeff Liu. After a nationwide increase in sightings of “Asian-looking ghosts,” two Thai brothers struggle to launch a ghost-hunting business. The cast features, David Huynh, Roy Vongtama, Tamika Simpkins, Jasper Louis, Emily Kuroda and Pearrie Hammie. Opens Nov 20, running though Dec 11. All performances are presented at the David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center of the Arts at 120 Judge John Aiso Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 in Little Tokyo. Tickets may be purchased online at eastwestplayers.org or by calling (213) 625-7000.

Taylon Donlan and Helen Siff

Write Act Repertory is presenting the premiere of “The Atheist Mother” by Willard Manus, based on the fictionalized life of Madelyn Murray O’Hair, the woman who led the fight to ban prayer in America’s public schools.  The cast features Sam Aaron, Carlos Chavez, Taylor Donlan, Bruce Nehlsen and Helen Siff, directed by Judith Rose. Now open, running through Nov 13. The Brickhouse Theatre is located at 10950 Peach Grove St.. For rickets and information, go to:https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/5573882

AROUND TOWN

Cast of  In The Heights

Rubicon Theatre of Ventura announces the Oct 29 opening for the Centerpiece of the Company’s 2022-2023 “Welcome Home” Season: Broadway’s 2008 Best Musical Tony-winner, “In the Heights,” by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes, directed and choreographed by Luis Salgado. Musical director is Brent Crayon. The cast is led by Ryan Reyes as bodega-owner Usnavi (originally played by Lin Manuel-Miranda), who introduces audiences to the characters and is the guide through the story.  Runs through Nov 13. For more information about Rubicon Theatre Company, or to purchase tickets, call (805)667-2900 or go to www.rubicontheatre.org. The theatre is located at 1006 E. Main Street in Ventura’s Downtown Cultural District. 

Tomas Pais & Heidi Ramee

Crimson Square, housed at the Beverly Hills Playhouse, presents its production of “Belleville” by Amy Herzog. Directed by Benjamin Burt. This “unexpected thriller” stars Heidi Ramee and Tomas Pais, along with Andrew Tyree and Olabisi Kovabel. The show runs Oct 28-Nov 20 (Fri/Sat 8pm, Sun 7pm). For information and tickets:  www.crimsonsquare.org or call (323) 657-5992. Beverly Hills Playhouse is located at 254 South Robertson Blvd., Beverly Hills 90211. 

 SOLO MOJO

Jason Graae

El Portal Theater in NoHo is hosting Jason Graae’s Graaetest Hits - The Sequel, a solo outing for Jason Graae, with Musical Director Gerald Sternbach. 1 Performance Only! Oct 21 at 8pm. For tickets and more information, go here.

INSIDE L.A. STAGE HISTORY:

Pasadena Playhouse: Gilmore Brown vs. California State Legislature 

In the spring of 1937, Pasadena Playhouse was designated by the California State Legislature as the Official State Theatre of California, due mainly to the national attention Playhouse had received for being the first and only resident theater in the U.S. to perform the complete canon of William Shakespeare, which moved George Bernard Shaw to liken Pasadena as “The Athens of the West.”

When the Legislature’s proclamation read that this honor was for “the 19 years of work done by the world-famous Pasadena institution in advancing the dramatic arts and for bringing international attention to the cultural activities of California,” Artistic Director Gilmore Brown expected a significant endowment from the Legislature would be forthcoming. It did not happen.

Brown discovered that most California legislators did not attend live theater. One legislative assistant informed him that a significant number of the legislators were dedicated California history buffs. After quickly consulting with his staff, Brown came to a decision. On the day of the official designation ceremony in Sacramento, Brown addressed the legislature, informing them he planned to dedicate the Playhouse’s upcoming 3rd Annual Midsummer Drama Festival to plays that tell “The Story of the Great Southwest.”  He blatantly requested funds to help underwrite the project. 

He got the money, but then he had to come up with the product. The festival, scheduled June 28 to August 14, 1937 was hyped to “paint in footlight pageantry on the glamorous and thrilling march of Southwestern history from 1470 through 1900.” Seven plays, marking seven important steps in the history-making trek, were chosen, beginning with Montezuma by Gerhart Hauptmann.  Following in historical order were the San Juan Capistrano Mission play, Miracle of the Swallows by Ramon Romero; Night Over Taos by Maxwell Anderson; Franz Werfel’s Juarez and Maximilian; Rose of the Rancho by Richard Walton Tully and David Belasco; Girl of the Golden West by Belasco; and Miner's Gold, Agnes Peterson's saga of three generations of San Franciscans. 

Of great assistance on this project was 22-year-old Playhouse academy student, George Reeves. Fluent in Spanish, Reeves served as a dialect coach, as well as performing in four of the plays. Soon, Hollywood beckoned. In 1939, Reeves made his mark in film as one of the suitors to Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind. Later he was cast in the title role in the 1951 TV series, The Adventures of Superman. In 1938, Gilmor Brown, realizing he would get no further funding from Sacramento, went back to his favored Midsummer Drama Festival bill o’ fare – generous helpings of The Bard and George Bernard Shaw. So there!

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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 KPFK (90.7fm) on Fridays (2-2:30pm), streamed live around the world in real time over www.kpfk.org.

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