Los Angeles Interviews

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...

When I heard about the West Coast premiere of Abby Rosebrock’s Dido of Idaho by The Echo Theater Company at Atwater Village Theatre starring Alana Dietze (pictured), I knew I had to speak with her about the “wonderfully off-beat, darkly hilarious (in a truly cringeworthy way) comedy about female identity and the lengths to which some women will go for the love of a man.”  ...

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 Lo...

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 Shart...

When I heard about the West Coast premiere of Abby Rosebrock’s Dido of Idaho by The Echo Theater Company at Atwater Village Theatre starring Alana Dietze (pictured), I knew I had to speak with her about the “wonderfully off-beat, darkly hilarious (in a truly cringeworthy way) comedy about female ide...

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 Révo...

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....

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...

Produced by Klutzy Dragon and Paper Starship Studios, Expatriated is a poignant new play written and performed by Dominique Roberts and Candace Leung that explores contrasting experiences of migration, centered around the stories of an LA lawyer who finds herself in the vibrant city of Hong Kong, wh...

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 fro...

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 ...

In May 2014, I heard about the new solo show Coming Out Kinky written and performed by Jean Franzblau in which she related her personal journey to sexual self-acceptance. In it, she portrayed 20 characters in her sexual memoir adventure story for curious and open-minded adults to enjoy. So when I h...

Every so often, a new play or musical being done in Los Angeles catches my eye with a big dose of curiosity. Such is the case with the musical The Translucent Frogs of Quuup with Book by Chris Larner and Music by Mark Stevens, produced by Alchemy Theatre Company and directed by Brian Pirnat with mus...

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, D...

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, Jord...

Katerina McCrimmon talks to BroadwayWorld about the rigorous demands of playing Fanny, what it’s like to work with the iconic Melissa Manchester, and how her high school boyfriend’s mom predicted she would land the role someday. ...

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 crea...

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....

BroadwayWorld talks with Marcus M. Martin about what it's like playing 'Genie' eight shows a week in Aladdin, how he got here (including running on a treadmill while singing 'Friend Like Me' to get in shape for the part), and what's next for the new touring Broadway star. ...

ArtsUP! LA is presenting Broadway Bound: Songs & Scenes from Tony Award-Winning Musicals, a new jukebox musical created and directed by Laurie Grant, featuring Rex & Friends, all extraordinary musicians with different disabilities and perfect pitch. Rex & Friends will take you on a fantastic trip of...

Dr. Noreen Green, the Founding Artistic Director and Conductor of the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony has spent 30 years presenting music of the Jewish experience. I decided to speak with Maestra Green on her history with the LAJS, conducting past concerts, and the group’s recent 30th Anniversary celebr...

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....

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...

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. ...

BroadwayWorld spoke with Broadway alumn Megan McGinnis about coming back to SoCal, doing an exorcism in front of her 7-year-old son, and keeping a straight face while acting alongside Justin Collette’s Beetlejuice.  ...

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...

When director Ron Sossi elected to present Stalin’s Master Class at Odyssey Theatre Ensemble for the second time, he was aware that audiences might respond differently to the production than they did to the previous staging 37 years ago....

The west coast premiere of James Ijames’ 2022 Pulitzer Prize for Drama-winning Fat Ham opened April 4, 2024, at the Geffen Playhouse. Sideeq Heard directs the talented cast of Nikki Crawford, Chris Herbie Holland, Billy Eugene Jones, Adrianna Mitchell, Marcel Spears, Benja Kay Thomas and Matthew Eli...

Currently at Rogue Machine, the Los Angeles Premiere of Christian St. Croix’ Monsters of the American Cinema, which just opened April 6, 2024, at the Matrix Theatre. Rogue Machine’s producing artistic director John Perrin Flynn directs the cast of Kevin Daniels and Logan Leonardo Arditty. John took ...

Katierose Donohue Enriquez's multi-award-winning Queen of Fishtown returns to Los Angeles for three nights at The Groundlings beginning April 12, 2024. Corey Podell directs Katierose in her love letter to Philly....

Gloria Calderón Kellett’s One of the Good Ones is nearing the end of its world premiere run at the Pasadena Playhouse, closing April 7, 2024. Kimberly Senior directs the cast led by Lana Parrilla and Carlos Gomez and featuring Isabella Gomez, Nico Greetham and Santino Jimenez. Finally got to pin dow...

For over a decade, The Getty has hosted its Villa Theater Lab series, an exciting forum for reinterpreting classical theater. These workshops feature new translations of Greek and Roman plays and contemporary works inspired by ancient literature. Their latest offering, Aristotle/Alexander, explores ...

Broadway legend Patti LuPone performs her first solo show A Life in Notes with the LA Opera April 20, 2024, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Patti’s long-time musical director Joseph Thalken took some time between their second and third tour stops (respectively, Morristown, New Jersey’s Mayo Perfor...

Donald Margulies’ 2000 Pulitzer Prize-winning play Dinner With Friends opens April 5, 2024 at the Zephyr for a limited engagement (with a preview April 4th).  Peter Allas directs the cast of: Jack Esformes, Marieh Delfino, Leith Burke, Amy Motta, Chala Savino and Rick Segall. Leith found time amidst...

Founded in 1993 by Adilah Barnes and Miriam Reed, the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival holds the distinction of being the oldest Annual Solo Festival in Los Angeles celebrating powerful women performers. The 31st annual Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival, directed by Jessica Lynn Johnson, has ...

Next up for East West Players, Lisa Sanaye Dring’s Kairos opening April 7, 2024 (with previews beginning April 4th). Jesca Prudencio directs the cast of Sylvia Kwan (as Gina), Gerard Joseph (as David) with Ren Hanami, William L. Warren, Julie Zhan and Zachary Bones. Amidst her rehearsals, Sylvia fou...

The North American tour of Funny Girl lands in Los Angeles at the Ahmanson April 2, 2024, and later at Segerstrom May 28. 2024. Tony Award winner Michael Mayer directs the cast of Melissa Manchester, Katerina McCrimmon, Stephen Mark Lukas, Izaiah Montaque Harris, Walter Coppage. Leah Platt, Cindy Ch...

Howard Skora’s Freud On Cocaine returns to the Whitefire Theater March 29, 2024, after a repeatedly extended run just last year. Playwright Howard also directs his cast of: Jonathan Slavin, Barry Brisco, Aaron LaPlante, Mitch Rosander, Sara Maraffino, Sigute Miller and Amy Smallman-Winston....