Gil Kaan

With the very successful run in progress of Reefer Madness: The Musical at the Whitney, the original stars of the 2005 movie Reefer Madness, Kristen Bell and Christian Campbell will reunite onstage July 30, 2024, for Reefer Madness: The Musical 25th Anniversary Concert in celebration of their new Los Angeles revival being extended through August 18th at The Whitley. Christian graciously took some time from his multi-tasking duties for Reefer to answer a few of my queries.

The North American tour CLUE comes to Southern California landing at Segerstrom Center for the Arts July 23, 2024, before opening at the Ahmanson July 30, 2024. Casey Hushion directs this whodunnit with the cast of John Treacy Egan, Michelle Elaine, Joanna Glushak, Tari Kelly, Mark Price, John Shartzer, Jonathan Spivey, Alex Syiek, Mariah Burks, Teddy Trice and Elisabeth Yancey. Joanna graciously took time between her Seattle shows to answer a few of my queries.

The Hollywood Bowl will celebrate the 50 years of collaboration of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg July 28, 2024, with Do You Hear The People Sing?, a collection of their hits from Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, Martin Guerre, The Pirate Queen and their very first musical together, La Révolution Française. Kevin Stites conducts a sixty-piece orchestra and choir with an all-star cast including Patrick Wilson, Skylar Astin, Emily Bautista, Jon Jon Briones, Nikki Renée Daniels, Rachel Tucker, and Marie Zamora. Jon Jon carved out some time to answer a few of my queries.

Read BroadwayWorld's interview with Brandon Victor Dixon about Plenty Of Heart, Plenty Of Hope at The Wallis.

Currently at the Ruskin Group Theatre, Jon Robin Baitz’s The Substance of Fire which opened last week. Mike Reilly directs the cast of Rob Morrow and Marcia Cross with Emmitt Butler, Fiona Dorn and Barret T. Lewis. Marcia most genially made time to answer a few of my queries.

Prolific playwright Tom Jacobson world premieres his two latest works The Bauhaus Project and Crevasse in July. Open Fist Theatre Company premieres The Bauhaus Project, a theatrical event presented in two parts (Part 1: Bauhaus Weimer and Part 2: Bauhaus Dessau and Bauhaus Berlin) opening July 19, 2024, at Atwater Village (with previews July 12th, 13th and 14th). Son of Semele and The Victory Theatre co-produces Crevasse beginning July 26 (with previews July 19th and 20th) at the Victory Theatre. In The Bauhaus Project, Martha Demson directs the cast of Jack Goldwait, Sang Kim, Katarina Joy Lopez, Chloe Madriaga and John C. Sweet. In Crevasse Matthew McCray directs Leo Marks and Ann Noble. The ever busy Tom was ever gracious enough answer a few of my queries again.

David Dean Bottrell will bring his two one-man shows Dear Mr. Bottrell, I Cannot Possibly Accept This and The Death of Me Yet in rep to the Matrix opening July 10, 2024. David graciously took time out of his rehearsals to answer a few of my queries.

The first all-Gershwin concert in history Cuban Overture will be re-created July 11, 2024 at the Hollywood Bowl as All-Gershwin.  Former LA Phil Associate Conductor Lionel Bringuier reprises the night with Gershwin’s iconic classical, jazz, and Caribbean rhythms, while celebrating Rhapsody in Blue’s 100th anniversary, The evening will feature the Los Angeles Philharmonic, pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet,   and vocalists Isabel Leonard and Tony Yazbeck. Tony graciously took time to answer a few of my queries.

East West Players world premieres Philip W. Chung’s Unbroken Blossoms June 30, 2024 (with previews beginning June 27th). Jeff Liu directs the cast of: Gavin Kawin Lee, Ron Song, Arye Gross, Alexandra Hellquist, Conlan Ledwith, Paul Dateh, Ty Aldridge and Valerie Rose Lohman. Gavin took some time from rehearsal to answer a few of my queries.

Currently in previews, Mike Lew’s tiny father takes the mainstage of the Geffen Playhouse (with opening night June 20, 2024). Moritz von Stuelpnagel directs the cast of Tiffany Villarin and Maurice Williams.

HorseChart Theatre presents Charles Busch Campy Comedy Psycho Beach Party opening June 21, 2024 (with previews beginning June 19th) at The Matrix Theatre. Ryan Bergmann and Tom DeTrinis co-direct the cast of Adrián González, Chase Rosenberg, Daniel Montgomery, Daniele Gaither, Drew Droege, Harrison Meloeny, Karen Maruyama, Michael P. Mcdonald, Pete Zias, Sam Pancake, Thomas Hobson and Roz Hernandez. Ryan found some time from multi-tasking between his Mixed eMotion Theatrix shows and putting the finishing touches to Psycho Beach Party to answer a few of my queries.

Next up at the Pasadena Playhouse, the Tony Award-winning Jelly’s Last Jam opening June 2, 2024 (with previews starting May 29th). Kent Gash directs the cast led by John Clarence Stewart as Jelly Roll Morton, Cress Williams, Jasmine Amy Rogers; Wilkie Ferguson III, Karole Foreman, Eric B. Anthony, Doran Butler, Chante Carmel, Cyd Charisse Glover-Hill, Summer Nicole Greer, Janaya Jones, Grasan Kingsberry, Amber Liekhus, Davon Rashawn, Joe Aaron Reid, Naomi C. Walley and Hannah Yosef. I had the chance to chat with John Clarence while he was navigating Los Angeles traffic.

Michael R. Jackson’s 2020 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning A Strange Loop opens June 5, 2024; at the Ahmanson. A co-production of Center Theatrer Gtoup and American Conservatory Theatre, Stephen Brackett  directs the cast led by  Malachi McCaskil as Usher with Dave J. Abrams, Angela Alise, Jordan Barbour, J. Cameron Barnett, Carlis Shane Clark, Alvis Green Jr., Albert Hodge, Avionce Hoyles, Tarra Conner Jones, Jamari Johnson Williams and John-Andrew Morrison. I was able to chat Malachi after he finished his West Coast premiere at A.C.T.

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the original Reefer Madness, a new revised version Reefer Madness the Musical will open May 30, 2024 at The Whitney. I talked to director/choreographer Spencer Liff during the early days of rehearsals, so casting hadn’t been finalized. Members of the original creative team reuniting to produce are: actors Kristen Bell, Christian Campbell and Alan Cumming, creators Kevin Murphy and Dan Studney, Andy Fickman, who directed 2005's Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical, and America Olivo Campbell.

A co-production between Latino Theater Conpany and Playwrights’ Arena, the world premiere of Boni B. Alvarez’ Mix-Mix: The Filipino Adventures of A German Jewish Boy opens May 18, 2024; at the Los Angeles Theatre Center.

Next up at A Noise Within, George Bernard Shaw’s Misalliance which opened May 12, 2024. Guillermo Cienfuegos directs the cast of: Joshua Bitton, Dan Lin Josey Montana McCoy, Trisha Miller, Riley Shanahan, Erika Soto, Deborah Strang, Frederick Stuart and Peter Van Norden.

In a co-production with IAMA Theatre Company, Boston Court’s current production - Tira Palmquist’s The Body’s Midnight opened April 18, 2024. Boston Court’s artistic director Jessica Kubzansky directs this world premiere cast of Ryan W. Garcia, Jonathan Nichols-Navarro, Sonal Shah and Keliher Walsh. Midst her multiple responsibilities, Jessica found time to answer a few of my queries.

Broadway @ The Wallis concert series, this time featuring Seth Rudetsky and Norm Lewis, returns for its final curtain of the 2023/2024 Season May 2, 2024, at The Wallis. Expect an evening of loads of Broadway trivia from Seth coupled with the melodious vocals of Norm.  Amidst his busy schedule, Norm found some time to again answer a few of my queries.

Drag icon Varla Jean Merman brings her latest one-woman show Stand By Your Drag to the Catalina Jazz Club for one night only April 23, 2024. Varla Jean found time after her Palm Springs engagement to answer a few of my queries. 

The world premiere of John Strysik’s Power and Light is currently running in rep at Theatre 40. Jeff G. Rack directs this story of Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla in the beginnings of electricity with the cast of David Hunt Stafford, Eric Keitel, Warren Davis, John Combs, Richard Large, Bailey Castle, Mandy Fason and Kurtis Bedford. Jeff graciously made time out of his multi-tasking weekend to answer a few of my queries.