Gil Kaan - Page 16

Naomi Grossman, fan favorite ‘Pepper’ from Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story presents her new solo show American Whore Story at the Skylight Theatre beginning June 1, 2023. This irreverent love letter to AHS fans is directed by Richard Israel. Naomi made the most of her travel time flying to New York comfortably answering a few of my queries.

Next up at the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum, the world premiere of A Transparent Musical opening May 31, 2023 (with previews beginning May 20th). Tina Landau directs this new musical based on the hit Amazon Prime original TV show by Joey Soloway. I got the chance to chat with Peppermint who plays Davina, the Alexandra Billings’ role on the TV show Transparent.

Law & Order: Organized Crime’s Danielle Moné Truitt brings her one-woman show 3: Black Girl Blues to the Hudson Theatre for a 3-weekend run beginning May 19, 2023. The very busy Danielle found some time to answer a few of my queries between shooting her TV gig, her stage rehearsals, her community activism work and her parental duties.

Up next for the Rogue Machine, NNPN’s rolling premiere of francisca da Silveira’s can i touch it? opening May 6, 2023 at the Matrix. Gregg T. Daniels directs the cast of Safiya Fredericks, Suzen Baraka, Iesha Daniels and Scott Victor Nelson. francisca massaged some non-rehearsal time availability to answer a few of my queries on her touch and her process.

Producer Entertainment Group (PEG) will be presenting their telethon Drag Isn’t Dangerous May 7, 2023 broadcasting live at moment.co/dangerous. An endless list of some of the biggest names in drag and film will be participating. PEG’s co-founder Jacob Slane was most gracious to share some of the behind-the-scenes of Drag Isn’t Dangerous, the biggest fundraising effort to combat recent anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation to date.

Next up at East West Players, the world premiere of On This Side of the World co-produced with FilAm ARTS and opening May 14, 2023 (with previews beginning May 11th). Noam Shapiro directs the cast of Steven-Adam Agdeppa, Zandi De Jesus, Michael C. Palma, Cassie Simone, Andrea Somera and Shaun Tuazon, with understudies Melvin Biteng and Justine Rafael. East West Players alumni Michael took some time from his rehearsals and photography to answer a few of my queries.

The Wallis presents Stephanie J. Block With Seth Rudetsky, its second installment of its internationally acclaimed Broadway @ The Wallis concert series, May 4, 2023. The Tony Award-winning actress/ podcaster/ mother/ wife carved out some time from her multiple commitments to give me some insights to her collaboration with Seth, as well as her upcoming Into the Woods stint at the Ahmanson.

Ebony Repertory Theatre (ERT) will begin their 15th anniversary season with the Tony Award winning Ain’t Misbehavin’ opening May 4, 2023.  ERT’s producing artistic director Wren T. Brown directs the cast of Yvette Cason, Wilkie Ferguson III, Connie Jackson, Marty Austin Lamar and Natalie Wachen. Wren found some time from his many ERT duties to answer a few of my queries.

The second mainstage production of Pasadena Playhouse’s six-month-long Sondheim celebration A Little Night Music opens April 30, 2023 (with previews beginning April 25th). David Lee directs this 50th anniversary production of A Little Night Music with a cast of 19, accompanied by a full-sized orchestra.  Jodi Long, who plays Madame Armfeldt, took some time to answer a few of my queries.

Next up for the Celebration Theatre, in association with the Los Angeles LGBT Center, a new look at William Finn and James Lapine’s A New Brain opening May 6, 2023 (with previews beginning April 29th) at the Davidson/Valentini Theatre. With both William Finn and James Lapine’s approval, this production has been cast with gender-expansive casting. Khanisha Foster directs the cast of Yassi Noubahar, Richardson Cisneros-Jones, Gina Torrecilla, Ryan O’Connor, Whitney Avalon, Sadé Ayodele, Mitchell Johnson, Jason Ryan, Gabi Van Horn, and Amanda Kruger as the musical’s protagonist Gordon Schwinn; with choreography by Alli Miller-Fisher and musical direction by Gregory Nabours. Khanisha found some time to answer a few of my queries with Amanda also jumping in to offer their input.

The new North American tour of Tony Award-winning Hairspray lands in Southern California, first at Segerstrom in Costa Mesa April 18th though April 30th, and then at the Dolby in Hollywood May 5th through May 21st. This cast, headed by Andrew Levitt (aka Nina West) as Edna Turnblad and Niki Metcalf as Tracy Turnblad, is helmed by Hairspray’s original director Jack O’Brien and original choreographer Jerry Mitchell. Playing the Turnblads’ nemesis Velma Von Tussle is the delicious Addison Garner, whom I got a chance to pose some queries to.

Next up at the Geffen Playhouse, the U.S. premiere of Ava: The Secret Conversations opening April 13, 2023 (with previews already begun). Elizabeth McGovern stars as Ava Gardner in this new play that she wrote. Moritz von Stuelpnagel directs Elizabeth and her co-stars Aaron Costa Ganis and Ryan W. Garcia. Moritz made some time between rehearsals to answer a few of my queries.

Next up at Theatre 40 will be the stage reading of Andrew Davies’s Prin April 28th and 29th. Jules Aaron directs Juliet Mills (as the titular Prin), Maxwell Caulfield, Ivy Khan, Ann Hearn Tobolowsky, Joe Clabby and David Hunt Stafford. Juliet was most gracious to chat with me on her day off from filming Grey’s Anatomy.

Next up for Rogue Machine, the world premiere of June Carryl’s Blue opening April 7, 2023 at The Matrix Theatre. Michael Matthews directs the cast of John Colella and Julanne Chidi Hill. John managed to find some time after returning from working out of the country to answer a few of my queries.

Merrily We Roll Along is currently running at the Whitefire Theatre through April 30, 2023. I got the chance to pepper Conchita Belisle Newman, the creative force behind The Fable Theatre, with some queries on her company and Merrily.

The Center Theatre Group presents the Los Angeles premiere of the Tony Award-winning 1776 opening April 12, 2023 at the Ahmanson (with a preview April 11th). Diane Paulus and Jeffrey L. Page co-direct the cast of 27.

Next up at L.A. Theatre Works, The Confession of Henry Jekyll, M.D., David Rambo’s adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic horror novel, “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” playing April 14th through April 16th. Anna Lyse Erikson directs Seamus Dever in the titular role. David managed to squeeze out some time between his many, many producing/ writing gigs to answer a few of my queries.

Originally premiering at last year’s Hollywood Fringe, The School of Night reprises their award-winning production of Battlesong of Boudica April 9, 2023 at The Hudson Backstage. Co-founder and writer Christopher William Johnson directs the cast of Jen Albert, Daniel Adomian, Tom Block, Colin A Borden, Payton Cella, Sara Gorsky, Brad C. Light, Chloe Madriaga, Christopher Neiman, Tristan Rewald, Lacey  Rosewall, Lucy  Schmidt, Allegra  Rodriguez Shivers, Jack TenBarge, Jesse James Thomas, Frank Tirimacco and Dan Wingard. I got to throw out some questions to Jen, who’s playing the titular role of Boudica. And she punched back her answers directly on target.

Next up at A Noise Within, Manuel Puig’s Kiss of the Spider Woman beginning April 1, 2023 (with previews starting March 26th). Michael Michetti directs this classic two-hander with Adrián González and Ed F. Martin. Ed, a familiar face on the Los Angeles stages, managed to squeeze out some time between rehearsals to answer a few of my queries.  

Cherry Poppins latest show Clue-lesque has taken up residence at Tranny Tramp Granny’s through April 26, 2023. This burlesque musical parody of the cult-favorite ‘80s Clue is powered by the cast of Lauren Avon, Heath Butler, E.K. Dagenfield, Kim Dalton, Shanera Denae’, Kristyn Evelyn, Everjohn Feliciano, Bianca Gisselle, Brin Hamblin, Emma Hunton, Carly Jibson, Janaya Mahealani Jones, Meredith Lim, Alli Miller-Fisher, Matthew Scott Montgomery, Camel Pugh, Cory Robison, Michael Shaw Fisher and Sarah Wines. The very busy performer/ director/ writer/ choreographer/ producer Alli managed to take a breather to answer a few of my queries.