L.A. Stage Insider
Celebrating the Best in Live Theater and Cabaret in th Greater Los Angeles Area
Written by Julio Martinez
November 1, 2023
NEWS
Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea Photo by Ed Krieger
The Los Angeles Music Center announces the performers for this year’s “64th Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration,” a one-of-a-kind, free holiday spectacular that has been a Los Angeles holiday tradition since 1959. This year’s version of the two-time Emmy® award-winning event will feature 23 music ensembles, choirs and dance companies representing the county’s many neighborhoods and cultures. Returning audience favorites include two-time Grammy-winning Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea; 10-piece Latin jazz band Gabrielito y La Verdad; the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles; Jewish culture revival band Mostly Kosher; high energy JazzAntiqua Dance & Music Ensemble; and internationally renowned Japanese drummers Taikoproject in a collaboration with Indian-inspired Blue13 Dance Company. Among this year’s newcomers are Carnegie Gospel Choir, recently returned from Carnegie Hall; America’s Got Talent quarter-finalists Divas and Drummers of Compton; the Hiza Yoo Korean Dance Institute; Mexican folklórico company Técnica Arte y Folklore; and Bulgarian dance ensemble XoroTroptzi. As always, the program will invite an in-person audience with the free performance at The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Sunday, De. 24 (3-6pm), as well as at-home audiences watching the live broadcast on PBS SoCal or streaming the show live on the pbssocal.org website. Following the live broadcast, the Holiday Celebration will remain available to stream on-demand on pbssocal.org, as well as on the free PBS app. An encore presentation will be broadcast by PBS SoCal on Sunday, Dec. 24 (6pm), and on KCET on Dec (9pm-12am) and Dec 25 (12pm). For more information, visit HolidayCelebration.org
PREMIERES
The Fab Four
Troubadour Theatre Company is celebrating its 28th season by asking the question, “Why Don’t We Do It In The Snow?” Troubadour’s latest premiere musical comedy event, “White (Album) Christmas,” combines the classic 1954 film, White Christmas, with the Fab Four’s 1968 epic double record, the White Album, adapted, & directed by Matt Walker, musical direction by Ryan Whyman. The cast will feature: Beth Kennedy, Rick Batalla, Mike Sulprizio, Cloie Taylor, Misty Cotton, John Paul Batista, Dallys Newton, Isaac Robinson-Smith, Philip McNiven, Suzanne Jolie Narbonne, and Walker. The Music Supervisor is Eric Heinly. The production will preview Dec 8 (8pm) & Dec 9 (4pm). Opens Dec 9 (8pm), performing through Dec 23 at The Colony Theatre, 555 N. Third St. in Burbank. Tickets available online at www.troubie.com, colonytheatre.org, or by calling the box office at (818) 558-7000.
Fly Jamerson & Amanda McRaven
The Village at Ed Gould Plaza (Lily Tomlin/Jane Gould Cultural Arts Ctr) is hosting the Premiere of “Frozen Fluid,” written by Fly Jamerson, co-produced with Coeurage Ensemble). Three scientists at a research facility live and conduct research out on the ice, continuously becoming and unbecoming themselves as they play out the creation of the world. Cast features Michael Budd, Nicole Delsack and J Valerione, directed by Amanda Mcraven. Plays Nov 10-Dec 17 (Fri/Sat/Mon, 8pm; Tue-Thu & Sun, 7pm). Located at 1125 N. McCadden Place, L.A. 90038/ For tickets and more information, go here.
AROUND TOWN
Ensemble
Theatre 40 is presenting “A Very Die Hard Christmas,” a musical parody of the hit film, “Die Hard,” on the 35th anniversary of that action classic’s release. Written by Jeff Schell and The Habit, the Seattle-based comedy troupe that originated this show. Sandro Monetti directs and contributes additional dialogue. The cast for includes Nick Versteeg, Lauren Samuels, Jesse Merlin, Raymund King, Nick Bredosky, Roslyn Cohn, Joe Clabby and Kristal Dickerson. Original music: Elizabeth Ross; Choreographer: Hisato Masuyama. Theatre Forty, 241 S, Moreno Drive, in the Mary Levin Cutler Theatre (same venue, new name), Beverly Hills, CA 90212. The venue is on the campus of Beverly Hills High School. Free parking is available in the parking lot beneath the theatre. Plays Sundays, Dec 10 & 17 & Dec 20. All shows at 7:30 p.m. For reservations, (310) 364-3606. Online Ticketing: http://theatre40.org
SOLO MOJO
Murray Mednick
Library Girl Presents will be presenting “Streetwise-The Poetry of Murray Mednick,” curated by Darrell Larson, Guy Zimmerman and Susan Hayden, hosted by Hayden. Also celebrating the 14 year anniversary of Library Girl! Thanks to Darrell Larson, Guy Zimmerman, Beth Ruscio, Leon Martell, John Diehl, Shawna Casey, Roxanne Rogers and of course, the rare and brilliant Murray Mednick. Takes place Nov 12 (6pm) at Ruskin Group Theatre, at Santa Monica Airport. For tickets and 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. On Nov 3, Arts in Review welcomes Ben Guillery, director of “The Talented Tenth,” opening Nov 11 at Los Angeles Theatre Center.