Colette Kilroy

Playwright Amy Freed has always been a Shakespeare fan. Her breakout hit, The Beard of Avon (SCR-commissioned and premiered, 2001), was a smart, funny look at the controversy surrounding the authorship of Shakespeare's plays. Now comes SHREW! (March 24-April 21, Segerstrom Stage), in which Freed has re-imagined The Bard's play, The Taming of the Shrew, as a wickedly funny love story of two people who find their way to true, deep and mutual love. Art Manke directs SHREW!, which is an anchor production of the 2018 Pacific Playwrights Festival. Tickets are available at www.scr.org.

When it comes to the theatrical art of farce, Ken Ludwig's hilarious 1986 stage play LEND ME A TENOR certainly qualifies as a perfect example of the genre. Amusingly cheeky throughout, the 9-time Tony Award nominated comedy has been revived locally with a posh new production under the direction of Art Manke that is now playing at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts through November 13. Utilizing a laundry list of classic madcap set-ups, LEND ME A TENOR feels very much like a well-paced, meticulously crafted, old fashioned sitcom episode that has been super-sized into two gloriously funny acts.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & McCoy Rigby Entertainment present the second show of its 2016-2017 season: Davis Gaines starring in the hilarious comedy LEND ME A TENOR, written by Ken Ludwig and directed by Art Manke. LEND ME A TENOR opened on October 22 and runs through Sunday, November 13, 2016 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.  BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at the opening night pics below!

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & McCOY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT are delighted to present the second show of its 2016-2017 season:  Davis Gaines starring in the hilarious comedy LEND ME A TENOR, written by Ken Ludwig and directed by Art Manke.  LEND ME A TENOR will preview on Friday, October 21, 2016 (with a press opening on Saturday, October 22) and run through Sunday, November 13, 2016 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.   

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & McCOY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT are delighted to present the second show of its 2016-2017 season:  Davis Gaines starring in the hilarious comedy LEND ME A TENOR, written by Ken Ludwig and directed by Art Manke.  LEND ME A TENOR will preview on Today, October 21, 2016 (with a press opening on Saturday, October 22) and run through Sunday, November 13, 2016 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.   

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & McCOY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT are delighted to present the second show of its 2016-2017 season:  Davis Gaines starring in the hilarious comedy LEND ME A TENOR, written by Ken Ludwig and directed by Art Manke.  LEND ME A TENOR will preview on Friday, October 21, 2016 (with a press opening on Saturday, October 22) and run through Sunday, November 13, 2016 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.   

The Laguna Playhouse Executive and Artistic Directors, Karen Wood and Ann E. Wareham are delighted to present a new look at a hilarious classic, fresh off a critically-acclaimed run at the Pasadena Playhouse. Prepare to be intoxicated by FALLEN ANGELS, written by Noel Coward and directed by Art Manke. 'This is a deliriously giddy look at a rarely produced play by the one-and-only master of the sophisticated comedy, Noel Coward,' offers Wood. 'We are thrilled to present this brilliant and wickedly fun production to our subscribers and audiences and we know they will leave our theatre as charmed by this production as we are!' adds Wareham. FALLEN ANGELS will open tonight, October 12 at 7:30pm and run through Sunday, November 3, 2013 at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.

The Laguna Playhouse Executive and Artistic Directors, Karen Wood and Ann E. Wareham are delighted to present a new look at a hilarious classic, fresh off a critically-acclaimed run at the Pasadena Playhouse. Prepare to be intoxicated by FALLEN ANGELS, written by Noel Coward and directed by Art Manke. 'This is a deliriously giddy look at a rarely produced play by the one-and-only master of the sophisticated comedy, Noel Coward,' offers Wood. 'We are thrilled to present this brilliant and wickedly fun production to our subscribers and audiences and we know they will leave our theatre as charmed by this production as we are!' adds Wareham. FALLEN ANGELS will begin previews on Tuesday, October 8 and will open on Saturday, October 12 at 7:30pm and run through Sunday, November 3, 2013 at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.

British playwright Alan Ayckbourn's amusing 1972 comedy ABSURD PERSON SINGULAR--which celebrates its 40th Anniversary this year--is currently eliciting chuckles through October 7 at South Coat Repertory in Costa Mesa. Though very much a product of its era, the three-act play directed by SCR co-founding Artistic Director David Emmes still succeeds in mining genuine laughs thanks to its mixed bag of sharp one-liners, humorous (if clichéd) visual gags, and a stupendously gifted cast.

This year marks the 40th anniversary for Alan Ayckbourn's first big hit, Absurd Person Singular.

Set against the interesting backdrop of flowing petticoats in a sea of celestial dots of light, Lauren Gunderson's charmingly lyrical new play SILENT SKY is now enjoying a fully-staged World Premiere production at South Coast Repertory through May 1. With a penchant for subtle wit and sincerely earnest dialogue, Gunderson has attempted a nicely-crafted 'work-in-progress' that gives us a headstrong heroine nerd to root for from America's little-known historical margins.

Unusual and provocative best describe Sarah Ruhl's Pulitzer-Prize nominated The Clean House receiving its LA Premiere at the Odyssey. Under Stefan Kruck's consistently circular staging, the play elicits laughter through tears and is bound to be a hit with theatre lovers, especially with those who have a taste for the outrageous.