Kirk Douglas News

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley continues its 2015/2016 season with the Northern California Premiere of TOKYO FISH STORY by Kimber Lee.

The Broadway Dreams Foundation (BDF), a premier non-profit organization dedicated to training, mentoring and providing career opportunities to the next generation of musical theater performers, announced that Victoria T. Morris, CEO of Lexikat Artists; Bruce Daitch, Head of Strategy, Planning and Operations for DreamWorks SKG; and Nanci Lewis, of The Vanderblue Team, have been elected to the BDF's Board of Directors, effective January 1, 2016.

The Public Theater announced complete casting today for the New York premiere of HEAD OF PASSES, written by Tarell Alvin McCraney and directed by Tina Landau. Part of Oskar Eustis' 10th anniversary season, HEAD OF PASSES begins previews on Tuesday, March 15 in the Newman Theater and runs through Sunday, April 17, with an official press opening on Monday, March 28.

?Abingdon Theatre Company, in collaboration with The Muse Project, will present STET, a new play inspired by true events, written by Kim Davies and conceived by Kim Davies, Jocelyn Kuritsky and Artistic Director Tony Speciale. A limited Off-Broadway engagement will begin previews in June, as part of Abingdon's 2015-2016 Season. Tony Speciale is set to direct the world-premiere production, which marks his inaugural programming as Artistic Director.

Solar power confronts spirit power in a new drama by Stephen Sachs about climate change, cultural change and the moral consequences of personal choice. Cameron Watson directs Elizabeth Frances and Brian Tichnell in the world premiere of Dream Catcher, which opened on January 30 at the Fountain Theatre in Hollywood. Check out photos from the show, below!

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle (LADCC) has announced its nominations and special awards for excellence in Los Angeles and Orange County theatre for the year 2015 (Dec. 1, 2014 - Nov. 30, 2015).

Grace Gummer will appear as a series regular in the second season of USA Network's hit drama series MR. ROBOT.

Center Theatre Group presents "Through the Looking Glass," as part of its Community as Creators project, which engages L.A. communities in the creation of theatre. Written by poet/playwright Jerry Quickley, "Through the Looking Glass" brings together the people of two neighborhoods - Montebello and Leimert Park - to study one another and, with a new perspective, tell each other's stories and illuminate their own experiences. reg e gaines directs this deeply personal production which seeks to create connections, inspire and empower.

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will present the Life Achievement Award to comedic trailblazer, actor, singer, dancer, producer and author Carol Burnett live at the 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

Ensemble Studio Theatre/LA continues with their WORLD PREMIERE of Click and drag to move Watching O.J. by David McMillan Continuing through Black History month February 5th - 28, 2016 Running at 8pm Fridays and Saturdays, and 2pm Sundays EST/LA is in the Atwater Village Theatre complex at 3269 Casitas Ave. LA, CA 90039 Tickets are $19.95 in advance at watchingoj.com or $25 at the door.

Veteran New York actor and writer James Lecesne portrays every character in a small Jersey shore town as they unravel the story of Leonard Pelkey, a tenaciously optimistic and flamboyant 14-year-old boy who has gone missing. As he interviews the people from Leonard's life, Lecesne transforms himself into each of them with a quick turn of his body, completely changing his voice and physicality as be morphs from male to female, young to old. It is an amazing tour-de-force one-man performance that will enthrall you as several characters are brought fully to life without the use of costumes or props.

The critically acclaimed off-Broadway hit THE ABSOLUTE BRIGHTNESS OF LEONARD PELKEY, written by and starring James Lecesne, the writer of the Academy Award-winning film Trevor, begins a limited 23 performance engagement at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, tonight, January 13. The show runs through January 31, 2016 (press opening Thursday January 14).

Some 9 million American kids wake up every day without enough guidance and support to make the kind of crucial decisions that will shape their futures. It's the kind of support that mentors like author, Aaron Kirk Douglas, believe every child should have access to. January 2016 marks the 15th year of National Mentoring Month, a campaign aimed at connecting more of our community's young people with caring, invested adults. It's also the month that Portland author and award winning mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters, Aaron Kirk Douglas' first-of-its-kind mentoring memoir comes out. And it was Douglas' own 'coming out,' in 1977, that plays an integral part in the story he shares in 'Growing Up Twice: Shaping a Future By Reliving My Past' (ISBN: 978-09970501-0-3), as he explores what it's like to be a gay, Jewish man mentoring a troubled young Latino boy named Rico (the son of an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala). For Douglas, what started as a one page 'Friendship Agreement,' had, six years later, created a whole new definition of family for both him and the boy he mentored. 'At its core the book is really about the search for acceptance by individuals who have been marginalized,' says Douglas. And though Douglas admits he didn't face many of the difficulties and obstacles that Rico experienced (living in the foster care system, the son of an illegal immigrant) he did struggle to retain a sense of hope and faith in the face of anger and rejection at home, while growing up. Douglas says, 'This is not just a story about mentoring with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, it's a story about breaking the traditional mold in that role - about how, I couldn't be just someone who showed up once a week to do homework or go out for ice cream. Rico needed more than that - he needed an invested male role model and a father figure.' 'Growing Up Twice' is available on Amazon.com and other online retailers in print, and as an ebook download. For more information on 'Growing Up Twice' visit the publisher's website at: http://www.newsworthybooks.com About the Author Aaron Kirk Douglas is a life-long creative, a passionate philanthropist, and award-winning mentor with over a decade's experience in mentoring at-risk youth. A journalism graduate of the University of Oregon and former marketing director at some of the largest and most prominent law and commercial real estate firms in the Pacific Northwest, Douglas is also an award-winning documentary filmmaker, whose film Monster Camp was lauded by Variety. He is currently working on a new musical in development with co-conductor of Broadway's Hamilton, Kurt Crowley. Expertise & Awards • Board member, and 10-year volunteer with Big Brothers/Big Sisters Columbia Northwest (Portland, OR) • Top three finalist, national mentoring recognition from The National Mentoring Partnership (2015) • Recipient of one of Oregon's highest individual honors for outstanding personal achievement in volunteerism in support of low-income children and families. (2011) • Nominee, National Big Brother of The Year (2010) Book Facts Growing Up Twice: Shaping a Future By Reliving My Past Publisher: Newsworthy Books, USA Print: Kindle: Publ. Date: Media kit: Sources ISBN 978-09970501-0-3, $14.95, 238 pages, 5.25' x 8' paperback ISBN 978-0-9970501-8-9 $3.49 Release Date: January 1, 2016 http://www.newsworthybooks.com/media-kit KATU - AM Northwest (2/14/11) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AJtxMrfLIo&feature=player_embedded Interview for documentary https://youtu.be/Jbn_QJFTASc?t=1m37s (The above video interviews feature Douglas' Little Brother's real name, which has been changed to 'Rico' in the book, at his request.) Contact: Vanessa Nix Anthony Phone: (646) 799-2536 Email: editor@newsworthybooks.com

Center Theatre Group and Humanitas announce that Ngozi Anyanwu has won first place for the inaugural Humanitas/CTG Playwriting Prize, with Dan O'Brien in second place and Louisa Hill in third place. The prize is awarded annually to the best new unproduced play written by a Southern California-based writer. The winning plays will be developed with CTG's literary staff, led by CTG's Director of New Play Development Pier Carlo Talenti, and will be presented in staged readings at Humanitas Play Fest, Celebrating Southern California Playwrights, at the Kirk Douglas Theatre from February 12-14.

Diane Rodriguez, associate artistic director at the Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles, California was appointed by President Obama and confirmed by the United States Senate to be a member of the National Council on the Arts, the advisory body of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Long Wharf Theatre presents, in conjunction with Eva Price, THE LION, written and performed by Benjamin Scheuer, directed by Sean Daniels, from tonight, January 6 through February 7, 2016. The play will take place on Stage II. The press opening will take place on January 13, 2016 at 7:30 pm.

Waterwell, one of the Village Voice's Best Arguments for Devised Theater and creators of GOODBAR and #9, continues its annual series of developmental workshop productions with a commission by Dael Orlandersmith (Forever, Yellowman, Beauty's Daugther) for its senior Drama Class of 2016 at the Professional Performing Arts School (PPAS). The new play, Some of the Things Inside, will be directed by Allison Talis and will premiere at PPAS in April 2016.

Bryan Cranston will receive the prestigious 'Spotlight Award' at this year's Palm Springs International Film Festival gala to be held on Saturday at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

WOMEN LAUGHING ALONE WITH SALAD by Sheila Callaghan, directed by Neel Keller, will make its West Coast premiere beginning March 6, 2016, opening March 13 and running through April 3, 2016 at Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre.