BWW Interview: Greg Watanabe – A NO-NO BOY FOR US ALLMay 3, 2021In sync with Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, L.A. Theatre Works will be releasing two audio theater recordings about the horrific Japanese American experience during World War II - Jeanne Sakata’s FOR US ALL and Ken Narasaki’s NO-NO BOY. FOR US ALL’s available for purchase now, with NO-NO BOY on May 15, 2021. Anna Lyse Erikson directs both show’s large ensemble casts, with Greg Watanabe voicing the lead characters in both.
BWW Interview: Jared Mezzocchi's Guided Tour Thru His & SOMEONE ELSE'S HOUSEApril 30, 2021Geffen Stayhouse’s sixth virtual production Jared Mezzocchi’s SOMEONE ELSE’S HOUSE world premieres April 30, 2021. This live, virtual, and interactive theatrical experience was written and will be performed by Jared. Based on the true-life haunting encounters of generations of his family living in New England, the Zoomed audience will follow along with Jared narrating his family histories using the “haunting kits” pre-mailed before their reserved performance.
BWW Interview: Sharon Lawrence Always Zealously Involved In Taking Her SHOTApril 20, 2021Skylight Theatre Company begins its 2021 season of Skylight LIVE April 24, 2021; with Robin Gerber’s THE SHOT starring the incomparable Sharon Lawrence. This behind-the-scenes story of The Washington Post publisher Katherine Graham is directed by Michelle Joyner and produced by SPARKS Theatricals.
Sharon managed to squeeze some time for my queries between filming Rebel and her many social justice commitments.
BWW Interview: SLOW FOOD Playwright Wendy MacLeod Writing From Real-LifeApril 19, 2021International City Theatre’s next virtual production Wendy MacLeod’s SLOW FOOD will begin streaming April 29, 2021. Wendy has taken a bad experience at a restaurant that she personally underwent, and turned it into comedy gold. This prolific writer of stage, screen and television took some time from her many scripts to answer a few of my queries.
BWW Interview: Triple Threat Jason Graae Always In PERFECT HERMANYApril 12, 2021A co-production of San Francisco’s 42nd Street Moon and Long Beach's Musical Theatre West, PERFECT HERMANY will be available to stream online through May 2, 2021 as part of Moon’s 2021 Moonbeams season. This homage to legendary Broadway composer Jerry Herman stars the versatile Jason Graae, directed by Lee Tannen with musical direction by John Boswell.
BWW Interview: Mentalist MICHAEL GUTENPLAN On Creating Magic & WonderApril 6, 2021Laguna Playhouse will present for one-night-only master magician/mentalist/psychic MICHAEL GUTENPLAN live Zooming April 24, 2021. A fixture at the Magic Castle and venues and arenas all over the world, Michael has wowed people of all ages and backgrounds in his 20+-year career.
BWW Interview: From PUBLIC OFFICE to SWEATSHOP, Kristina Wong Pivots FROM NUMBER TO NAMEApril 5, 2021Performance artist/comedian/writer Kristina Wong will world premiere her FROM NUMBER TO NAME for East West Players (in partnership with API Rise Saturday), April 10 and Sunday, April 11, 2021. This funny lady strikes a more serious tone in telling the true-life accounts of formerly incarcerated Asian Pacific Islanders and their affected families.
BWW Interview: Playwright Matthew Paul Olmos UNDERNEATH & All Around LOS ANGELESApril 1, 2021The Echo Theater Company's next production UNDERNEATH THE FREEWAYS OF LOS ANGELES will live-stream April 2 for sixteen Zoom performances. Written by playwright Matthew Paul Olmos, this interactive murder mystery experience has been inspired by historical events centering in and around the Los Angeles neighborhood of Boyle Heights. Michael Alvarez directs the cast of Mia Ando, Morgan Danielle Day, Amy K. Harmon, Gloria Ines, Roland Ruiz and Darrett Sanders.
BWW Interview: Singing Comedian Brian O'Sullivan On LITTLE FISH & His BIG LAUGHSMarch 26, 2021Actor/singer/comedian Brian O’Sullivan will perform his and Little Fish's first live Zoom LITTLE FISH, BIG LAUGHS WITH BRIAN O'SULLIVAN April 2 & 3, 2021. A regular denizen of the Los Angeles comedy clubs and theatre community, Brian will communicate his comic tales peppered with his witty lyrics and guitar-playing.
BWW Interview: Director Bernadette Armstrong Pivoting Across The Continents With THE CANTERVILLE GHOSTMarch 17, 2021The intercontinental collaboration of Open-Door Playhouse and Our Kid and Me Productions THE CANTERVILLE GHOST premieres online March 24, 2021. Open-Door creator Bernadette Armstrong directs this adaptation of the short story by Oscar Wilde featuring a combined cast from Los Angeles and Oxford, U.K.
Bernadette agreed to share some insights on pivoting from live theatre in these pandemic times.
BWW Interview: Chelsea Sutton Reveals The Personal Significance of Creating SPITE & MALICEMarch 15, 2021Playwright/director Chelsea Sutton's latest SPITE & MALICE premieres March 22, 2021 as one of the thirteen projects in RealTime Intervention's POST THEATRICAL. An homage to her grandmother, SPITE & MALICE has the audience interacting with the SPITE & MALICE actors, using materials mailed to the ticket holder. The busy, multi-project-juggling Chelsea managed to find a few moments to answer my inquiries.
BWW Interview: Tara Donovan Elatedly Producing Her POV At Little FishMarch 1, 2021Little Fish Theatre's annual short play festival PICK OF THE VINE, premiering March 5, has smoothly morphed into a hybrid stage-to-film online. The filming of this year's final seven plays, chosen out of 800+ submissions, have been overseen by producer Tara Donovan, as well as producing artistic director Lisa Coffi. Tara graciously made some time to answer a few of my queries, inviting Lisa to fill in with more specific answers as needed.
BWW Interview: Herbert Siguenza Smoothly Glides From Culture Clash to PICASSOFebruary 27, 2021The film adaptation of Herbert Siguenza’s solo show A WEEKEND WITH PABLO PICASSO begins its on-demand viewing March 6, 2021. Presented by CaltechLive! and produced by San Diego Repertory Theatre, Tim Powell and Todd Salovey direct WEEKEND, based on Herbert's sold out nationwide, one-man show. The very busy Herbert managed to carve out a little time to answer a few of my enquiries.
BWW Interview: Edi Patterson's The ONE! You Want To SeeFebruary 22, 2021The Groundlings Theatre Main Company member Edi Patterson will premiere her one-nighter ONE! March 2, 2021. Directed by Groundlings alumni/teacher Deanna Oliver, Edi will improv and riff completely on audience suggested topics.
BWW Interview: UNRAVELLED Playwright/Actor Jake Broder Creating Good Times To Mask The Bad Times We're HavingFebruary 16, 2021Jake Broder's UNRAVELLED virtually premieres February 25, 2021. Jake explores the not-oft-told, surprising, complicated connection between genius, art and medical science, told via the correlation between modern Canadian artist Dr. Anne Adams (1940–2007) and French composer Maurice Ravel (1875–1937).
Jake found some time between his multitasking of juggling his multiple writing projects to answer a few of my queries.
BWW Interview: Brent Schindele's Very Thoughtful & Serious About His ARTFebruary 15, 2021International City Theatre's 36th season opener - the virtual presentation of Yasmina Reza’s ART - begins streaming on February 18, 2021. Directed by caryn desai, this story of how a purchase of a modern art piece affects friendships stars Brent Schindele, Brian Stanton and Michael Uribes. Brent took some time to answer my queries amidst newborn caring and producing his and his wife Erica's entertaining and informative regular YouTube segments for LagunaPlayhouse.