Jessica Hanna

The first of playwright Lisa Sanaye Dring’s simultaneous world premieres in southern California Hungry Ghost opens August 26, 2023, at the Skylight Theatre, with the second SUMO starting September 26, 2023, at La Jolla Playhouse. The much-in-demand Lisa graciously made some time between pre-production meetings for Hungry Ghost and prepping her numerous upcoming projects to answer a few of my queries.

Theatre of Note world premieres Phinny Kiyomura’s Nimrod February 10, 2023 (with previews February 8th & 9th).  TV’s Criminal Minds favorite Kirsten Vangsness stars as Nimrod. Kirsten managed to find time in her hectic, busy schedule to answer a few of my queries.

Be prepared for a kaleidoscopic exploration of a world full of chaos, alienation, and miscommunication in Love & Information, written by Caryl Churchill and directed by Jessica Hanna, which will open at the CSULB Studio Theater on Thursday, December 1st, at 7:30 p.m. Performances will continue through Saturday, December 10th at 7:30 p.m.

NIn 1992, an ensemble of pioneering artists, with visionary director Anne Bogart at the helm, formed the SITI Company. See photos from inside the event!

The original musical comedy is resonating with, and reaching audiences of all ages across Los Angeles. The live band fills the beautiful Burbank theatre with a funky 1970s sound, the songs show off stunning vocals from the dazzling cast. The show stars Christopher De'Vonte Baker, Jasiana Caraballo, Malynda Hale, Hayden Kharrazi, and Abigail Kate Thomas.

SITI Company’s Board of Directors announced that longtime Executive Director, Michelle Preston, will be stepping down at the end of October after 10 years of leadership. Preston began her tenure at SITI as the Deputy Director in 2012 and was named SITI’s Executive Director in 2014 following the departure of Megan Wanlass.

Cal Rep’s Fall 2022 season highlights stories of identity, humanity, and love; all told by CSULB students, faculty, and guest artists all performed at the Studio Theater at California State University, Long Beach. 

A camp play on the Lizzie Borden case, Lottie Plachett Took a Hatchet is a comedy about axe murder, sexual depravity, and the installation of a toilet. Lottie, an unsuspecting spinster, stands accused of brutally murdering her father and step-mother. But did Lottie Plachett actually take up a hatchet? That's for you and the jury to decide as this camp comedy unfolds

BWW catches up with Tom DeTrinis to chat about bringing I Hate New York to the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

The award-winning SITI Company has announced additional details for its Finale 30th Anniversary Season. At the conclusion of the finale season in December 2022, SITI Company will cease to operate in its current iteration as a touring, teaching, performing ensemble with an administrative staff and a studio.

Sweet Nell Productions & Outside In Theatre, in collaboration with Family Affairs Studio, will world premiere Justin Elizabeth Sayre’s Lottie Platchett Took a Hatchet at Assembly Festival as part of The Edinburgh Fringe Festival August 4th - 27th, with a preview in Los Angeles at Casita del Compo’s Cavern Club June 10th – 12th. Jessica Hanna directs the cast of Kirsten Vangsness as Lottie (June 10 & 11) Lauren Lopez as Lottie (June 12 & August 4 – 27) with Tom Lenk, Ryan W Garcia, Tom Detrinis and Justin Elizabeth Sayre. I had the opportunity to ask Tom Lenk a few queries about his many successful ventures, as well as his history with producer/director Tom Detrinis.

The Road Theatre Company is back with in-person readings on its Magnolia stage! It’s been over 18 months since the theatre doors have been closed but The Road Theatre - led by Founding Artistic Director Taylor Gilbert, together with Sam Anderson, Artistic Director - is leading the charge with 2 weeks of new work developed within its “Under Construction” group.

The owners of the Bootleg Theater in Los Angeles announced on social media that the popular venue in Historic Filipinotown is permanently closed after 20 years (though dark for the last year due to COVID) in operation due to 'irreconcilable differences' with a business partner. 

This week (June 21-28) in live streaming: Kate Reinders, Amanda Kloots and Jennifer Nettles visit Backstage Live, Fredi Walker-Browne shares Ten Minute Tidbits, a Kerry Butler masterclass, Tovah Feldshuh in Becoming Dr. Ruth, and so much more!

On Saturday, June 26th at 7:30pm EST (on demand through June 30), Play-PerView will stream a LIVE performance of Four Chords and A Gun by John Ross Bowie (“The Big Bang Theory,” “Speechless”).

Opera Orlando will partner with 26 Health to present As One, a transgender coming-of-age story about identity, authenticity, and compassion: a story representative of the LGBTQ+ community for all audiences.

On Saturday, May 22nd at 7:00pm EST, Play-PerView will live stream AYA or Dear Lover by Fernanda Coppel (King Liz, “How To Get Away With Murder”).  Directed by Estefania Fadul, this production will feature Raul Castillo (“Looking,” “Atypical”), Tina Huang (“Rizzoli & Isles,” “Arrow”), and Roxana Ortega (“The Casagrandes,” “American Vandal”). 

Opera Orlando closes its 2020-21 season “On the Town” at Harriett's Orlando Ballet Centre with the intimate and powerful one-act opera As One.

The Opera has had to postpone the piano workshop of its first commissioned opera, The Secret River, and will now launch the Opera on the Town series with the world premiere of Death of Ivan Ilych in partnership with Thompson Street Opera Company.

With the recent political, racial, and global unrest occurring throughout 2020, the premiere of Breathe., a live-streamed multimedia form of art activism and interactive theater event fusing live performance, cinema, and artistic swimming in a hybridized narrative that could only be born during these challenging, yet galvanizing times.