Re-envisioned 'STREETCAR', THAT NEVER HAPPENED Premiere and More Highlight Boston Court's 2018 Season

By: BWW News Desk Oct. 09, 2017

Boston Court Performing Arts Center will bring another daring year of theatre and music events to Southern California to their 2018 season. Artistic Directors Jessica Kubzansky, Michael Michetti and Mark Saltzman have programmed dozens of eclectic, globe-trotting, and genre-crossing concerts as well as three new theatrical productions including two premieres.

Artistic Director Michael Michetti helms the first theatrical offering: a bold, modern retelling of one of the most famous plays of the past century, A Streetcar Named Desire (February 15 - March 25, 2018). This radical re-envisioning of Streetcar will feature a multicultural cast and modern setting, pushing on the play's contemporary relevance. This is not the first time Boston Court has staged a controversial Tennessee Williams work; 2011 saw a collaboration with CalArts on another of his plays.

Boston Court Performing Arts Center's music offerings, curated by Artistic Director Mark Saltzman, launch with The Operatic American Playwright -- a concert (January 27) drawn from the literary output of Tennessee Williams and some of his contemporaries. Pianist Mark Robson and soprano Amanda Squitieri have created a staged program of scenes from operas inspired by seminal works of 20th century American Playwrights and novelists.

Theatre offerings continue with the West Coast premiere of first generation Nigerian-American playwright Mfoniso Udofia's Her Portmanteau (May 24 - June 30). Directed by Gregg T. Daniel, Her Portmanteau is one part of the nine-play saga, The Ufot Cycle, which chronicles the triumphs and struggles of the tenacious matriarch of a Nigerian family in the United States. Udofia has been praised by Deadline Hollywood as a playwright with, "a seriously compelling storytelling gift."

The world premiere of Everything That Never Happened (September 27 - November 4) by Sarah B. Mantell and directed by Artistic Director Jessica Kubzansky concludes the 2018 theatrical season. The play, a finalist for the Leah Ryan FEWW Emerging Playwright Prize, reexamines The Merchant of Venice for what really went down between Shakespeare's scenes. Mantell explores the realities of Jewish history and culture, the true relationship between Shylock and Jessica, and what it costs to escape from a 16th Century Venetian ghetto.

As in prior seasons, dozens of concerts will happen throughout the year particularly in the spring and fall. Highlights include a weekend mini-festival surveying the music of Claude Debussy in celebration of his 100th birthday (October 5-7), the return of the wildly popular Piano Spheres artists Mark Robson, Vicki Ray (October 12), and Susan Svr?ek (September 8), collaborative concerts of poetry and music with the Red Hen Press, and the Boston Court debuts of brilliant piano virtuoso Steven Vanhauwaert, and the New Philharmonic string quartet featuring members of the LA Philharmonic.

Reaching beyond the borders of Los Angeles, UniCamp Ensemble (February 2-3), the Brazilian conductorless cello orchestra, comes from Sao Paolo, the Moscow Contemporary Music Ensemble (March 3) from Russia, and the locally-based Armenian Public Radio (February 17) brings a modern twist to the musical traditions of ancient Armenia.

Keeping with its mission to present the newest and most interesting music of Los Angeles area composers, the nonprofit performing arts center is proud to present two evenings featuring the latest compositions of Joanna Wallfisch (February 9) and Julia Adolphe (October 13). Wallfisch premieres a new multimedia song cycle along with her new CD release, and Adolphe, whose commissions have already been performed by the New York Philharmonic and the LA Chamber Orchestra will feature an eclectic evening that includes selections from her new opera, A Barrel of Laughs, A Vale of Tears. Those concerts plus other jazz, micro-tonal music, classical chamber music, world music, new music, and much more round out the year.

"Our extraordinary team of artistic directors have created a 2018 season that includes dozens of theatrical, musical, poetic, and at times indescribable offerings," says Executive Director Kyle Clausen. "I'm looking forward to welcoming returning subscribers, as well as brand new patrons to our 15th season of bold, adventurous programming in a beautiful, intimate venue."

New and returning subscribers can purchase tickets to the 2018 season now with flex passes, traditional music or theatre subscriptions or the new $25/month Full Court Pass, which allows unlimited access to tickets to any Boston Court Performing Arts Center season performances. Subscriptions range from $54-$130. Visit BostonCourt.com or call 626.683.6801 to subscribe.

BOSTON COURT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER'S 2017-18 SEASON:

THEATRE

A Streetcar Named Desire

Written by Tennessee Williams

Directed by Michael Michetti

A Reimagined Classic on the Boston Court Main Stage

February 15 - March 25, 2018

Opens February 24, 2018

This daring production strips away decades of Southern gothic gauze to reveal striking themes of class, race, and gender--reinvigorating the classic which shocked audiences in its debut 70 years ago. By placing the iconic 1940s-era Blanche within an entirely contemporary, multicultural, urban environment familiar to audiences but utterly foreign to her, this 21st century production highlights the relevance of this play for our divided America.

Her Portmanteau

Written by Mfoniso Udofia

Directed by Gregg T. Daniel

A West Coast Premiere on the Boston Court Main Stage

May 24 - June 30, 2018

Opens June 2, 2018

"A moving and powerful corrective to the notion that what immigrants leave behind is always awful, and that what they find is worth the trip." - The New York Times

A family rifles through their literal and emotional baggage in this taut and poignant drama about family, legacy, and connection. Tensions flare and secrets are exposed in this West Coast premiere chronicling the triumphs and struggles of tenacious Ufot family matriarch and her two daughters--one of whom recently emigrated from Nigeria. Mfoniso has written a rich and surprising family saga steeped in unapologetic emotional truth and exploring the limits of the bonds between mothers and daughters, the power of place, and how we define home.

Everything That Never Happened

Written by Sarah B. Mantell

Directed by Jessica Kubzansky

A World Premiere on the Boston Court Main Stage

September 27 - November 4, 2018

Opens October 6, 2018

The Merchant of Venice missed the point.

Forget everything you think you know about Shylock; this world premiere fills the gaps in Shakespeare's tale and exposes the realities of Jewish history. Mantell's fresh and time-bending story is rich with humor and heartbreak while bridging the 16th century with today and beyond. What do we lose or gain by leaving our own culture? And what sacrifices does love demand of fathers and daughters, lovers and friends? Everything That Never Happened is a play about disguise, assimilation, pomegranates, and everything Shakespeare left out.

MUSIC - CLASSICAL, OPERA, CONTEMPORARY and NEW

OPERA

The Operatic American Playwright