Ken Sawyer News

Experience the joyous reunion of Jean Smart and Ann Sonneville as they come together for Fountain Theatre's 40th Anniversary Production of Last Summer at Bluefish Cove. Get a glimpse behind-the-scenes with these captivating photos from the special reunion night.

Unlike most stories told about the LGBT community in the ’70s and ’80s, this isn’t about homophobia, about the terror of coming out to loved ones, or about self-destruction or self-hatred. Chambers creates normalcy of life for her characters, and that makes them relatable to everyone. We know these women. We ARE these women.

First look photos! The Fountain Theatre has transformed the parking lot surrounding the set on its outdoor stage into an oceanfront experience for its 40th anniversary production of the groundbreaking comedy/drama, “Last Summer at Bluefish Cove” by Jane Chambers. Directed by Hannah Wolf, performances opened over the weekend and will continue through August 27.

THE ROAD THEATRE COMPANY and Taylor Gilbert, Founder/Artistic Director together with Sam Anderson, Artistic Director, announce the third and final show of its 30th Anniversary Repertory Season, Sam Anderson & Taylor Gilbert starring in the world premiere of BELOVED, written by Arthur Holden and directed by Cameron Watson.  BELOVED will begin previews on Tuesday, May 10; will open on Friday, May 20 at 8pm and run through Saturday, June 25 at the Road Theatre, located in The NoHo Senior Arts Colony, 10747 Magnolia Blvd. in North Hollywood.

THE ROAD THEATRE COMPANY and Taylor Gilbert, Founder/Artistic Director together with Sam Anderson, Artistic Director, announce the third and final show of its 30th Anniversary Repertory Season, Sam Anderson & Taylor Gilbert starring in the world premiere of BELOVED, written by Arthur Holden and directed by Cameron Watson.  

Multi-million selling recording artist Sam Harris debuts his latest show Sam Harris: Openly Gray on the West Coast at the Catalina Bar & Grill March 25th and 26th. I had the opportunity to pose a few questions to this popular and very talented cabaret performer/writer.

THE ROAD THEATRE COMPANY have announced the Twelfth Annual Summer Playwrights Festival returns to its online format making new plays more accessible than ever.

“HAM: A Musical Memoir,” filmed live on stage, is coming to BroadwayHD, where it will begin streaming exclusively January 7th, 2021. Based on Tony Award nominee and multi-platinum recording artist Sam Harris’s critically acclaimed book, “Ham: Slices of a Life”, the original stage production was developed and directed by Billy Porter.

The new trailer for HAM : A Musical Memoir has been released ahead of the film's virtual theatrical and streaming release.

On Saturday night, Dallas leaders, philanthropists and lovers of the arts came together to celebrate the magic of musical theatre at the 2019 DSM Gala – An Evening with the Best of Broadway presented by PNC.

An Evening with the Best of Broadway illuminated the historic Music Hall at Fair Park on Saturday night as Dallas leaders, philanthropists and lovers of the arts came together to support the magic of musical theatre at the 2018 DSM Gala.

Actors Co-op Theatre Company (Ovation Award-Winner 2017 Best Play, Intimate Theatre for 33 Variations) played to sold out houses opening weekend of their 27th Season with the thriller ROPE, written by Patrick Hamilton, directed by Ken Sawyer, produced by Kevin Shewey.  ROPE runs now through Sunday, October 28 at the Actors Co-op Crossley in Hollywood.

In 1948 Alfred Hitchcock directed the film Rope based on Patrick Hamilton's 1929 play. Its setting was switched from London to New York, and at least for me, the psychological crime story played out in a very talky, uninteresting manner. The stage play, by the way, is rarely produced. Currently onstage at Actors Co-op, Rope is a fun, delightful romp through a game of murder that perks attention from the moment it starts, and thanks to brilliant director Ken Sawyer and his outstanding cast, it's a riveting and enjoyable evening in the theatre, far, far ahead of that Hitchcok movie. I hate the word p

Director Ken Sawyer is an award-winning director for his productions of Deathtrap and Hit the Wall a few years ago at the LGBTQ Center. He is getting ready to open The Rope at Actors Co-op this Friday September 21. Sawyer took time from the busy tech week to discuss the play that became one of Alfred Hitchcock's curious films.  How does The Rope in play form differ from Hitchcock's movie? Hitchcock's movie took place in the 40s in New York City. The play originally was set

Actors Co-op Theatre Company (Ovation Award-Winner 2017 Best Play, Intimate Theatre for 33 Variations) presents the first show in its 27th Season with the thriller ROPE, written by Patrick Hamilton, directed by Ken Sawyer, produced by Kevin Shewey.  ROPE will preview on Thursday, September 20 at 8pm and will open Friday, September 21 at 8pm and run through Sunday, October 29 at the Actors Co-op Crossley Theatre, 1760 N. Gower St. 90028 (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood) in Hollywood.

The 2018 Stage Raw Theater Awards celebrate excellence on the Los Angeles stages in venues of 99-seats or under. This fourth annual edition includes productions that opened between January 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018.

The 2018 Stage Raw Theater Awards celebrate excellence on the Los Angeles stages in venues of 99-seats or under. This fourth annual edition includes productions that opened between January 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018.

What made the Hot List? A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE at Theatre @ Boston Court, ALLEGIANCE by East West Players at the Aratani Theatre downtown, A WALK IN THE WOODS at Actors Co-op, and JACKIE UNVEILED at The Wallis. Check out the latest buzz below and go see a show! Reviews by BWW Sr. Editor Ellen Dostal (LADCC).

Actors Co-op Theatre Company presents the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award nominated drama A WALK IN THE WOODS, written in 1988 by playwright Lee Blessing. The witty two-hander concerns a relationship between two arms negotiators, one Russian and one American, and what happens when they step out of the war room and into the woods above Geneva, Switzerland, during a year of negotiations. Although the two eventually develop a friendly relationship, their personalities certainly differ in that the American is formal and idealistic while the Russian is easily led off topic and very pessimistic that any agreement will ever amount to any changes in the escalating arms race.

Actors Co-0p Theatre Company (Ovation Award-Winner 2014 Best Intimate Theatre Musical for 110 in the Shade) presents the Pulitzer Prize finalist and Tony Award nominated drama A Walk in the Woods written by award-winning playwright Lee Blessing, directed by Ken Sawyer, produced by Lauren Thompson. A Walk in the Woods will preview, Thursday, February 8 at 8:00 pm, and will open Friday, February 9 at 8:00 pm, and run through Sunday, March 18 at the Actors Co-op Crossley Theatre, 1760 N. Gower Street, 90028 (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood) in Hollywood.