Tara Battani

Actors Co-op Theatre Company presents Scott McPherson’s multi-award-winning MARVIN’S ROOM opening February 18, 2022. Thomas James O'Leary directs a cast of Laura Esterman, Lee Guthrie, Mark Rosenthal and Jane MacIver. I had the chance to question Thomas on ROOM, his past directorial projects and his long run playing the titular Phantom.

Stage Raw announces the nominations for its third annual awards show 'A Wake and Sing!,' coming Monday, May 15 to Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring Street, Downtown.

Musical Theatre Guild, the winner of the Los Angeles Drama Critic's Circle Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in the theatre, continued their 21st Anniversary Season with the award-winning Off-Broadway musical THE SPITFIRE GRILL.  The one-night-only concert took place at Glendale's historic Alex Theatre on Sunday, November 13, 2016 at 7:00 PM. Scroll down for photos!

Tennessee Williams published Summer and Smoke in 1948 and revised and rewrote it in 1964 as The Eccentricities of a Nightingale. Summer and Smoke is the popular, much revived version despite the fact Tennessee himself among many critics considered the second version to be the most lyrical representation of Miss Alma, the Spanish word for soul. In both plays singer/music teacher Alma Winemiller (Tara Battani), daughter of an Episcopalean minister (Jeffrey Markle), is passionately in love with her neighbor young Dr. John Buchanan (Gregory James) and when that love is gradually unrequited rather than become a miserable spinster, after a long struggle of illness and isolation, she turns to prostitution. In a handsome production of Summer and Smoke at Actors co-op, Williams' debate between the flesh and the spirit, body vs. soul, is still burning with poetic truth after almost 70 years.

Actors Co-op (Ovation Award-Winner 2014 Best Intimate Theatre Musical for 110 in the Shade) announces the third show in its 2015-2016 season (and 24th year of producing theatrical excellence in Los Angeles!) with Tennessee Williams masterpiece SUMMER AND SMOKE, directed by Thom Babbes.  SUMMER AND SMOKE will preview on Wednesday, March 2 and Thursday, March 3 at 8pm and will open on Friday, March 4 at 8pm and run through Sunday, April 17 at the Actors Co-op David Schall Theatre, 1760 N. Gower St. (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood) in Hollywood. Scroll down to see photos from the production below!

Actors Co-op (Ovation Award-Winner 2014 Best Intimate Theatre Musical for 110 in the Shade) announces the third show in its 2015-2016 season (and 24th year of producing theatrical excellence in Los Angeles!) with Tennessee Williams masterpiece SUMMER AND SMOKE, directed by Thom Babbes.  SUMMER AND SMOKE will preview on Wednesday, March 2 and Thursday, March 3 at 8pm and will open on Friday, March 4 at 8pm and run through Sunday, April 17 at the Actors Co-op David Schall Theatre, 1760 N. Gower St. (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood) in Hollywood.

William Gibson's oft-done play THE MIRACLE WORKER opened Friday, April 12 at the Actors Co-op in Hollywood. The innovative staging by Director Thom Babbes and outstanding talent in this production deserve to play to full houses throughout the run!