Gil Kaan - Page 28

A protégée of Quincy Jones and mentored by Stevie Wonder, singer Sheléa graces The Wallis stage with her one-nighter Pretty World: Through the Eyes of Alan & Marilyn Bergman June 25, 2022. Sheléa shared remembrances of her many high-profile events in her life leading up to her Bergmans tribute.

I originally interviewed Anna Ouyang Moench in February 2020 for her proposed March 12, 2020 opening of Man Of God. And then the pandemic happened. I got the chance to revisit with Anna on her rescheduled opening May 20, 2022 (with previews beginning May 10th). The original 2020 interview has been updated. Maggie Burrows directs the 2022 cast of Shirley Chen, Emma Galbraith, Erin Rae Li, Albert Park and Ji-young Yoo.

Clearglass Productions premiere show Mike Bartlett’s Cock opens June 11, 2022, at the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Davidson/Valentini Theatre as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival (with a preview June 6th). Clearglass’ co-founder Taubert Nadalini directs the cast of Annika Chavez, Dennis Delsing, Mathew Dunlop and Clearglass’ co-founder Sean Hemeon. Sean took some time to share some behind-the-scenes of Cock and Clearglass.

Up next for 3-D Theatrical, Tony Award-winning NEWSIES opens May 14, 2022 at Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts (with a preview on Friday, May 13th). No stranger to the lead role of Jack Kelly, Dillon Klena reprises his role from two earlier productions.

Next up at The Wallis, a radical reinvention of Shakespeare’s King Lear, starring Joe Morton in the titular role opens May 14, 2022 (with previews beginning May 10th). John Gould Rubin directs the cast which also includes Mark Harelik, River Gallo, Zach Solomon, Brie Eley, Emily Swallow, Rafael Jordan, Miguel Perez, Stanley Jackson, and Danielle Thorpe. John was most gracious to carve out some time of his full creative schedule to answer a few of my queries.

Greenway Arts Alliance, in association with Two Sisters Media, presents the world premiere of Who Are You, written and performed by Shareen Mitchell, beginning May 13, 2022, with Kate Jopson directing this one-woman show. Shareen made some time to answer a few of my queries into her show, her fashion background and Two Sisters Media.

A Noise Within’s next production Mary Zimmerman's Metamorphoses will open May 14, 2022, with previews beginning May 8th. A re-envisioning of ancient Greek myths for a modern audience, Metamorphoses is set entirely in and around an on-stage swimming pool. ANW’s co-producing artistic director Julia Rodriguez-Elliott directs a cast of ten ANW resident artists who tackle over 85 roles in six myths: Alan Blumenfeld, DeJuan Christopher, Geoff Elliott, Rafael Goldstein, Nicole Javier, Kasey Mahaffy, Sydney A. Mason, Trisha Miller, Cassandra Marie Murphy and Erika Soto. Julia took some time from her multiple duties as Metamorphoses’ director and ANW’s co-producing artistic director to discuss Metamorphoses logistics, as well as her successful working relationship with co-producing artistic director husband Geoff Elliott.

The first Los Angeles revival of Yasmina Reza’s Tony Award-winning comedy God of Carnage plays a limited three-week engagement at the Odyssey Theatre beginning May 13, 2022. Peter Allas directs the playwright-approved cast of Matthew Downs, Jack Esformes, Lisa LoCicero and Leilani Smith. The very busy Peter made some time to answer a few of my queries.

The national tour of Tootsie has landed at the Dolby Theatre. In the lead role of Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels, Drew Becker has endured a deluge of callbacks, mastering the many quick changes his first national tour requires.

The final event of The Soraya’s 10th Anniversary Celebration - Broadway Celebrates The Soraya - features Broadway stars Eden Espinosa, Joshua Henry and Megan Hilty, backed by Richard Kaufman and the CSUN Symphony April 30, 2022.  Megan was most gracious in finding time to answer a few of my queries.

Next up at the Ahmanson, the Los Angeles engagement of the eight-time Tony Award-winning Hadestown opening April 27, 2022. Rachel Chavkin directs this touring cast which includes Nicholas Barasch as Orpheus, Morgan Siobhan Green as Eurydice, Tony Award winner Levi Kreis as Hermes, Kimberly Marable as Persephone and Olivier Award® nominee Kevyn Morrow as Hades. Also featured, Belén Moyano, Bex Odorisio, Shea Renne, Lindsey Hailes, Chibueze Ihuoma, Will Mann, Sydney Parra and Jamari Johnson Williams. Levi managed to find some time between his rehearsals and songwriting to response to a few of my queries.

Padua Playwrights world premieres poet/playwright Murray Mednick’s Three Tables April 23, 2022, at the Zephyr Theatre. The playwright himself directs the cast featuring Steve Apostolina, Eric Stanton Betts, Raquel Cain, Matt Gottlieb, Laura Liguori, Dennis Renard, Corey Rieger and Michael Uribes. I got the chance to throw a few questions at Murray on Three Tables, Padua Playwrights and his long history with Los Angeles theatre.

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment’s next production The Sound of Music opens April 23, 2022 (with two previews preceding). Glenn Casale directs the cast of this Rodgers & Hammerstein classic headed by Diane Phelan as Maria, Christopher Carl as Captain von Trapp and Suzanna Guzman as Mother Abbess. I had the chance to throw out a few queries to Diane on being the first Asian actress to portray Maria, as well as her backstory on her acting career and social activism.

Already in previews, Center Theatre Group’s Associate Artist Phylicia Rashad directs Pearl Cleage’s Blues for an Alabama Sky at the Mark Taper Forum, with opening night April 13th. Set in 1930’s Harlem, the cast includes Joe Holt, Nija Okoro, Dennis Pearson, Greg Alverez Reid and Kim Steele. I had the opportunity to question Greg on some behind-the-scenes of Blues, as well as his history with his storied director.

Clinton Leupp brings his celebrated alter ego drag legend Miss Coco Peru back to the Renberg Theatre at Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center for three performances of his latest show Bitter, Bothered & Beyond the weekend of April 29, 2022. I got a chance to get some behind the scenes dish on Coco and her latest entertaining efforts.

Garry Marshall Theatre kicks off their 2022 season in their new GMT outdoor stage with Impro Theatre’s Jane Austen Unscripted April 16,2022.   Sara Mountjoy-Pepka co-directs (with Paul Rogan) Impro Theatre company members and live musicians as they mingle amongst the audience having afternoon tea and delectable treats from vendors from the GMT neighborhood. Sara carved open some time to give me a peek into the behind-the-scenes of Jane Austen, as well as her own back story of improv.

Author/ stand-up comedian/ magician Judy Carter presents her semi-biographical, part-stand-up, part-magic show A Death-Defying Escape! live at the Hudson Guild Theatre beginning April 2, 2022, with online streaming available starting April 9th.  Lee Costello directs Judy alongside Kevin Scott Allen and Lyndsi LaRose. Judy made some time for me to magically transform my queries into amusing bon mots.

The Group Rep presents producer/director/writer Bruce Kimmel’s L.A. Now and Then, a brand new musical revue celebrating the City of Angels opening April 1, 2022. Cast features the vocals talents of Bita Arefnia, Lottie Arnold, Lisa Dyson, Harrison Fahn, Liz Grannis, Tim Hearl, Haruna Kajino, Marcel Licera, Danika Masi, Hisato Masuyama, Alariza Nevarez, Alec Reusch, Jeffrey Rockwell, Margaret Staedler and Tamir Yardenne, with musical direction by Richard Allen. I had the chance to find out some behind-the-scenes details on L.A. Now and Then from Richard, as well as some highlights of his long musical career.

West Coast premiere of Lucas Hnath’s A Public Reading of An Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney opens March 26, 2022 at the Odyssey Theatre. Peter Richards directs the cast of Kevin Ashworth, Brittney Bertier, Thomas Piper and Cory Washington. Peter allowed me to probe into the interworking of A Public Read…, as well as his acting/directing career trajectory.

One of Broadway’s favorite leading ladies Kelli O’Hara will be appearing with SiriusXM Radio staple Seth Rudetsky for a one-night concert at The Wallis April 2, 2022 as part of The Wallis Broadway @ concert series. Kelli was gracious enough to carve out a little time to answer a few of my theatrical queries.