Brad Blaisdell

Singer Pat Whiteman and Grammy-nominated songwriter and recording artist Harriet Schock will reprise their hit show Today, June 29 at the E Spot Lounge in Studio City.

Singer Pat Whiteman and Grammy-nominated songwriter and recording artist Harriet Schock will reprise their hit show Thursday, June 29 at the E Spot Lounge in Studio City.

On Thursday May 19 consummate singer Pat Whiteman presented An Evening of Pat Whiteman & Grammy nominated songwriter Harriet Schock at the E Spot Lounge at Vitello's in Studio City to a sold-out house of arduous music lovers. Although not as well known as the others, Harriet Schock has been compared to Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon. Her pop songs are that good, for example 'Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady' which gave Helen Reddy a great big hit back in the 70s. Who better to interpret her incisive emotional messages than virtuoso Pat Whiteman? The evening was a divine songfest of original material with a 6-piece band, including Schock at the piano and electronic keyboard, and two backup singers. There were also special guests: Gary Lynn Floyd, who has an uber expressive singing style perfect for Schock's music...and movie composer Misha Segal who co-wrote the gorgeous 'First Time on a Ferris Wheel' with Schock.

Versatile and popular singer Pat Whiteman and Grammy-nominated songwriter and recording artist Harriet Schock will debut a new show on Thursday, May 19 at the E Spot Lounge in Studio City. Gary Lynn Floyd will serve as special guest along with a substantial band including Joe Lamanno on bass, Jennifer Richardson on cello, Andrea Ross-Green and Barbara Shane on background vocals, Scott Breadman on percussion, Kelly De Sarla on flute and Brad Blaisdell on harmonica.

KISS ME, KATE starring multi Emmy-Award Winning Wayne Brady ("Let's Make a Deal," "Whose Line Is It Anyway?") as Fred/Petruchio, is in its final week, presented by The Pasadena Playhouse (Artistic Director Sheldon Epps and Executive Director Elizabeth Doran) and closes October 12. The production also stars Merle Dandridge (Broadway's Spamalot and Tarzan) as Lilli/Kate and is directed by Sheldon Epps.

Cole Porter's Kiss Me Kate is a timeless, delightful musical romp that can be seen again and again. It's an overblown, joyous account of two egotistical actors, once married to each other, who adore one another but just cannot be around each other very long without catastrophic, calamitous results. It's also a play within a play, as Lilli Vanessi (Merle Dandridge) and Fred Graham (Wayne Brady) are on tour essaying Katharine and Petruchio in Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. Above all, the silly contrived story is overshadowed by Cole Porter's divine score with some of the most glorious tunes ever composed. Kiss Me Kate is a showcase to Porter's genius. The current revival at Pasadena Playhouse, although not any better than any of the other local revivals as of late, does boast the comical presence of Wayne Brady and the stunning talent of Merle Dandridge..

The Pasadena Playhouse presents multi-Emmy Award winning Wayne Brady ("Let's Make a Deal," "Whose Line Is It Anyway?") as Fred/Petruchio in the Cole Porter Broadway musical KISS ME, KATE, directed by Sheldon Epps. The production also stars Merle Dandridge (Broadway's Spamalot and Tarzan) as Lilli/Kate. KISS ME, KATE opened tonightperforms through October 12, 2014. The production opened last night, September 21, and Broadway's original 'Kate', Patricia Morison, visited the show - scroll down for a photo!

The Pasadena Playhouse welcomes Wayne Brady as Fred/Petruchio in the Cole Porter Broadway musical KISS ME, KATE. The multi-Emmy Award winning Brady will head a cast of 17. Epps will direct the 2014-2015 Season opener, which runs from September 16- October 12, 2014 with the official press opening on September 21. The production also stars Merle Dandridge (Broadway's Spamalot and Tarzan) as Lily/Kate. Check out a first look at the cast in action below!

Christopher Knopf's world premiere The Red Room , clearly reminiscent of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, has modern day repercussions in spite of its period time and place. Although appearing affluent on the surface, all members of this family dynasty are suffering. A failing business; for some, no job or money and hasty, psychological escapism. Though not a salesman, Edwin's (Brad Blaisdell) failures are compared to those of Willy Loman, more than once, and the entire structure/content of the play echo the tragic themes of Salesman with its domineering father, loyal-to-a-fault mother and struggling-to-be accepted sons. One might also recall O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night where parental weaknesses segue directly to the next generation like the plague. This is a very heavy-handed dramatic work containing gripping dialogue and incisive confrontations that require an outstanding director and cast to put them over with any degree of success. Fortunately, the NoHo Ace Ensemble is attuned to these challenges.

The multi-award-winning NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHo ACE) presents a world premiere play, THE RED ROOM, written by former WGA President Christopher Knopf and directed by NoHo Arts Center Artistic Director James J. Mellon. THE RED ROOM opens tonight, Friday, September 28 at 8pm and will run for six weeks through Sunday, October 28 at the NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd. (at Lankershim) in North Hollywood.

The multi-award-winning NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHo ACE) presents a world premiere play, THE RED ROOM, written by former WGA President Christopher Knopf and directed by NoHo Arts Center Artistic Director James J. Mellon. THE RED ROOM will begin previews on Thursday, September 20 at 8pm and will open on Friday, September 28 at 8pm and will run for six weeks through Sunday, October 28 at the NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd. (at Lankershim) in North Hollywood.

The multi-award-winning NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHo ACE) presents the return of its smash-hit, critically-acclaimed original musical, perfect for the whole family this holiday season, YO HO HO! A PIRATE'S CHRISTMAS.

The multi-award-winning NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHo ACE) presents the return of its smash-hit, critically-acclaimed original musical, perfect for the whole family this holiday season, YO HO HO! A PIRATE'S CHRISTMAS.

The multi-award-winning NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHo ACE) presents a newly revised version of the play developed by the company, DEPARTURES, written by Michael Catlin, Effie Hortis, Jim Lunsford, James J. Mellon, Duane Poole, Penelope Richards, Jed Schlanger and Mark Wyrick, and directed by James J. Mellon.

The multi-award-winning NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHo ACE) presents a newly revised version of the play developed by the company, DEPARTURES, written by Michael Catlin, Effie Hortis, Jim Lunsford, James J. Mellon, Duane Poole, Penelope Richards, Jed Schlanger and Mark Wyrick, and directed by James J. Mellon.

The multi-award-winning NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHo ACE) presents the third return of its smash-hit, critically-acclaimed original holiday musical, perfect for the whole family, YO HO HO! A PIRATE'S CHRISTMAS, from the creative team that brought you Dorian, The Ghost and Mrs Muir and Lizard, music and lyrics by Scott DeTurk and James J. Mellon and written and directed by James J. Mellon.