Ed Krieger News

The Troubies continues its 25th Silver anniversary season (bringing Los Angeles audiences a quarter century of mayhem!), with their 18th annual holiday offering of A CHRISTMAS CAROLE KING adapted & directed by Matt Walker with musical direction by Derrick Finely, in which the soulful sounds of songstress Carole King are combined with one of the most enduring stories of our time, and the result is 'So Far Away' from what you'd expect! The nine cast members who play a multitude of characters and change costumes more frequently than seems humanly possible, are (in alphabetical order): Rick Batalla, Chelle Denton, Beth Kennedy, Janelle Lillian, Luis a?oeL.T.a?? Martinez, Mike Sulprizio, Cloie Wyatt Taylor, Matt Walker and David C. Wright. And you could not ask for a more talented, off-the-wall group of entertainers to bring this holiday laugh fest back every December to appreciative local audiences!

KPFK Radio's Arts in Review, Los Angeles's longest-running radio showcase on live theater and cabaret, presents its annual Holiday Special, featuring the AIR Repertory Players. Under the direction of Irene Arranga, this year's Holiday dramatizations include the premiere of Churchill and Roosevelt at Christmas, written by Julio Martinez, and an encore presentation of Christmas in Tinseltown (the story of the creation of a?oeWhite Christmasa??). Also featured is the holiday music of Al Jarreau, Jane Fuller and guitarist AnnaMaria.  Hosted by entertainment journalist Julio Martinez, the program airs Wednesday, Dec 25 (9 to 10am­­­­­­­­­­), on KPFK 90.7.FM, streamed live worldwide on kpfk.org. 

KPFK Radio's Arts in Review, Los Angeles's longest-running radio showcase on live theater and cabaret, presents its annual Holiday Special, featuring the AIR Repertory Players. Under the direction of Irene Arranga, this year's Holiday dramatizations include the premiere of Churchill and Roosevelt at Christmas, written by Julio Martinez, and an encore presentation of Christmas in Tinseltown (the story of the creation of a?oeWhite Christmasa??). Also featured is the holiday music of Al Jarreau, Jane Fuller and guitarist AnnaMaria.  Hosted by entertainment journalist Julio Martinez, the program airs Wednesday, Dec 25 (9 to 10am­­­­­­­­­­), on KPFK 90.7.FM, streamed live worldwide on kpfk.org.

TROUBADOUR THEATER COMPANY continues its 25th Silver anniversary season (bringing Los Angeles audiences a quarter century of mayhem!), with their 18th annual holiday offering, A CHRISTMAS CAROLE KING, with musical direction by Derrick Finely choreography by Matt Walker, Suzanne Jolie Narbonne and Luis “L.T.” Martinez, and adapted & directed by Matt Walker.

We all know how unintentionally funny nuns can be as they go about their daily lessons, ruler in hand, trying to get children to behave or do their lessons. Or perhaps not. But just imagine if you could be a fly on the wall in the early morning hours, listening in as they get together over coffee or while baking bread in their small kitchen and blissfully make fun of not only their students but each other, as well as their local Bishop who holds all the money needed to keep their beloved St. Cyril's convent and school from closing down. They smoke and swear while complaining about being old, jaded and stupid, but realize that just like their building and the entire neighborhood around them, we're just a?oeall dirt poor.a?? And incredibly funny!

Laguna Playhouse Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham and Executive Director Ellen Richard are thrilled to announce the final cast and creative team to join acclaimed film, TV and theatre veterans Frances Fisher (“Titanic,” Native Gardens, Barbeque), as “Queen Eleanor” and Gregory Harrison (“Trapper John, M.D.,” Broadway's Chicago, Steel Pier), as “King Henry II” in THE LION IN WINTER, written by James Goldman and directed by Sheldon Epps.

Actor Burt Grinstead gained recognition in Los Angeles for his terrific performance in Deathtrap at LGBTQ and later in The Rope at Actors Co-op. He formed his own production company and produced and co-starred in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, which he also adapted with his partner Anna Stromberg. They won top prize at the Hollywood Fringe Festival in 2018. Grinstead is currently preparing to open as Richard the Lionheart in The Lion in Winter at Laguna Playhouse this Sunday November 10. In our conversation he talks about the play in depth and lays bare his passion for the acting profession.

One Performance Only! This Sunday, November 3, 2019! Long ago but not far away at all, there were many TV Variety Shows, Award Ceremonies, Music Centers and Theatre abounding with live Musical Performances, all with massive budgets; and dancers in this town, Los Angeles, made a darn good living, albeit having to work their asses off to do so, but it was a good and plentiful, fulfilling life. Besides myself, there was a plethora of working, professional dancers who ended up bonding together pretty easily, as a dancer's life is one of a nomad, or gypsy, going from one job to another, but in doing so, finding kindred spirits and lifelong connections. Jay Johnson, husband of one of these dancers and artistically gifted himself, was part of the artistic community, as was his wife, Sandi, and, typical with dancers, became close friends and comrades with other dancers, choreographers, and like-minded performers. As Jay was earning international fame as a ventriloquist, actor and comedian, and starring on the hit TV Series 'Soap,' us dancers were slaving away, happy to be able to make a living doing what we loved. Jay is best known for his role on ' Soap' as Chuck Campbell, a ventriloquist who believed his puppet Bob was real and demanded everyone treat Bob as human.

Trent Mills is one of those versatile young actors who can do it all - a 'five-tool' player who can act, sing, dance, do drama, and comedy and do it all well. Mills is starring as Marcellus Washburn in 5-Star Theatricals' production of 'The Music Man,' which plays through Oct. 27 at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. We talked with Mills about the art of physical comedy and his fresh, new approach to his character.

IT'S A HIT! CASA 0101 Theater and Tía Chucha's Centro Cultural & Bookstore will extend their World Premiere production of the new play, ALWAYS RUNNING, based on the groundbreaking award-winning memoir written by Los Angeles Poet Laureate Luis J. Rodríguez, adapted for the stage by Luis J. Rodríguez and Hector Rodriguez, directed by Hector Rodriguez, starring Rufino Romero as Luis J. Rodríguez, leading a cast of 16 rotating actors playing 32 roles.

What do the 1950s have in common with 1912? Both were ages of innocence. When Meredith Willson wrote his story with Franklin Lacey about a con artist bamboozling an Iowa town in 1912, which formed the substance of his musical The Music Man (1957), the effect became like that of N. Richard Nash's The Rainmaker. People were jubilant, ecstatic and welcomed Professor Harold Hill, as they craved a good old-fashioned love story coated with ironic excitement. He was a charmer, and they saw way past his bad side. Now in a spectacular new production at 5-Star Theatricals, this company headed by Tony nominee Adam Pascal, keeps the show fantastically rousing and musically. almost perfect yet grounding the love story within the realm of  kitchen.sink believability. With splendid director Larry Raben, divine choreographer Peggy Hickey and fab musical director Brad Ellis at the helm, a marvlous 40 member cast takes the The Music Man and offers a much needed take on the way life should be, whether it's 1912, 1955 or 2019.

Tony nominee Adam Pascal stars as Professor Harold Hill in the first show of the 5-Star Theattricals 2019-2020 season, THE MUSIC MAN.

Two love stories. Two suicides. Padua Playwrights presents the NYC premiere of Mayakovsky and Stalin, written and directed by legendary poet/playwright Murray Mednick (Theatre Genesis) opening at the Cherry Lane Theatre for a four-week run beginning Oct. 17.

Told in three separate one-act stories, the World Premiere of Leda Siskind's play THE SURVEILLANCE TRIOLOGY explores the ways in which private citizens have become victims of ever-present eavesdropping by forces able to be kept secret until the damage has been done. Directed by Amanda Conlon at Theatre 40, ultimately you may just walk out at the end wondering just how you are being watched and for just what purpose, especially when you turn your cell phone back on and begin interacting with it.

The Skylight Theatre Company continues to provoke and encourage conversation and education. Their latest offering, opening September 21st, is a strong continuation of that tradition.

The Skylight Theatre Company continues to provoke and encourage conversation and education. Their latest offering, opening September 21st, is a strong continuation of that tradition.

CASA 0101 Theater and Tía Chucha's Centro Cultural & Bookstore will present the World Premiere of ALWAYS RUNNING, based on the groundbreaking memoir written by Luis J. Rodriguez, adapted for the stage by Luis J. Rodriguez and Hector Rodriguez, directed by Hector Rodriguez, starring Rufino Romero as Luis J. Rodriguez, leading a cast of 11 actors playing 31 roles.  The play will be presented for a Six-Week Run on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 5:00 p.m. at CASA 0101 Theater, 2102 East First Street (at St. Louis Street), Boyle Heights, CA  90033, August 31 a?" October 20, 2019.  Opening Night is Saturday, August 31, 2019 at 8:00 p.m.  Discounted Previews will be presented on Thursday and Friday, August 29 and 30, 2019 at 8:00 p.m.  Special Saturday Matinees will be given on September 7, 14 and 21, 2019 at 3:00 p.m.  There will be no performances September 27, 28 and 29, 2019.

This universally appealing play is bound to be a hit thanks to the sure-fire comedic direction by Howard Storm, an A-List comedian early in his career who subsequently became one of the busiest directors of television comedy, on a single a?oehome during renovationsa?? set by Jeff G. Rack which represents the homes of all 3 couples, often simultaneously without a bit of confusion as to who is where with whom. It's an amazing feat of direction, performed to perfection by a talented cast.

West Side Story/book by Arthur Laurents/music by Leonard Bernstein; lyrics by Stephen Sondheim/directed by Larry Raben/choreographed by Karl Warden/music director:Jeff Rizzo/ 5 Star Theatricals at Thousand Oaks Plaza, Fred Kavli Theatre/ through August 4 Ask actors/actresses to name their favorite Broadway musical of all time and they most often concur, West Side Story. Why? It has phenomenal music by Leonard Bernstein, with concise poetic lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, a tight and gripping book by Arthur Laurents ... and ... brilliant choreography established in 1957 by Jerome Robbins. It is one of the most powerful love stories ever penned, next to Romeo and Juliet. With all these elements complementing one another, from the first downbeat of the orchestra and the appearance of the Jets creeping in one by one on a half-lit stage, the show pulls you in and doesn't let go for its almostr three hours ... and its message and images of love linger long after.

Led by stars Brandon Keith Rogers (Tony) and Giselle Torres (Maria), 5-Star Theatricals' production of 'West Side Story' features scintillating new choreography by Karl Warden, including some stunningly visual interpretations of the story. Dynamic performances all around, this is a MUST-SEE production! Plays through August 4 at the Kavli Theatre in Thousand Oaks.