Vanessa Claire Stewart

​​​​​​​The long awaited 62nd Annual Garden Grove Strawberry Festival, “Celebrating Essential Workers,” made its triumphal return May 27 – 30, 2022, after a two-year hiatus due to the worldwide health pandemic. 

Judith Moreland’s cunning production for the Fountain Theatre sneaks up behind you, gooses, tickles, sings, brays and pretty much does everything but give everyone in the audience a wedgie.

The Fountain Theatre will inaugurate their new outdoor stage with Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ 2014 Obie Award-winning AN OCTOROON, with previews beginning June 11, 2021. Judith Moreland directs the cast of Leea Ayers, Matthew Hancock, Mara Klein, Hazel Lozano, Rob Nagle, Kacie Rogers, Vanessa Claire Stewart and Pam Trotter. Between final rehearsals, Matthew, who plays the playwright’s alter-ego among other characters, made some time to answer a few of my inquiries.

Casting is complete and rehearsals begin this week for the Los Angeles premiere of a radical, incendiary and subversively funny Obie award-winning play by MacArthur Foundation “Genius Grant” recipient Branden Jacobs-Jenkins.

Laguna Playhouse announces they will live-stream a reading of the first show produced by Laguna Playhouse 100 years ago in celebration of the Playhouse’s 100th Anniversary, “Suppressed Desires,” by Susan Glaspell and George Cram Cooke. 

The Blank Theatre's critically acclaimed streaming productions of Nixon on Nixon, a new play by Sean Waldron featuring Rob Nagle and directed by Bree Pavey (with dramaturgy by Shelagh McFadden) and Nathan C. Jones: A Love Story?, a world premiere musical with book by Vanessa Claire Stewart, music by Brendan Milburn, and lyrics by Milburn and Stewart, featuring Amir Levi and directed by Daniel Henning, have now been extended through July 4 for free viewing on YouTube. Both will then move to The Blank's Third Stage on Patreon.

On the surface, NATHAN C. JONES appears to be an unassuming little show about a young man and his new romance. But, as the audience is drawn further and further into the story, it becomes clear that the writers are exploring much deeper questions about loneliness, the desire to be loved, and what happens when reality sits on shifting sands.

Kicking off its 30th anniversary season, The Blank Theatre in Hollywood presented a livestream of Nathan C. Jones: A Love Story?, a world premiere musical with book by Vanessa Claire Stewart, music by Brendan Milburn, and lyrics by Milburn and Stewart, featuring Amir Levi and directed by Daniel Henning.

Kicking off its 30th anniversary season, The Blank Theatre in Hollywood has announced two live-stream shows.

Village Theatre and the Magnum Opus Players and Magnum Opus Theatre present Abi's Choic.

Center Theatre Group has selected two local productions for the fourth annual Block Party: Celebrating Los Angeles Theatre at the Kirk Douglas Theatre from March 18 through April 19, 2020. Block Party 2020 will remount Sacred Fools Theater Company's a?oeThe Art Couplea?? and IAMA Theatre Company's a?oeCanyon.a?? The visiting companies will receive the full support of Center Theatre Group and its staff in order to fund, stage and market each production. 

Sacred Fools Theater Company is launching its 23rd season with the World Premiere of the musical DEADLY by Vanessa Claire Stewart with Music by Ryan Thomas Johnson and directed by Jaime Robledo. Taking place in 1893, a time of hope and optimism as the World's Fair turns the globe's eyes toward Chicago and the cultural explosion of art and technology on display. But it is also a time when a demon lurks beneath, taking advantage of the adventuresome spirit of modern-thinking and very independent women. It just wouldn't do to forget who they were.

Sacred Fools Theater Company is launching its 23rd season with the World Premiere of Deadly, by Vanessa Claire Stewart, Music by Ryan Thomas Johnson and directed by Jaime Robledo. Opening Friday, September 13 and running through November 2 on the Main Stage at the Broadwater Theater Complex, the murderous musical will run Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sunday September 15th at 7pm and one performance on Monday, October 21 at 8pm. 

The Sacred Fools Theater Company is excited to announce its upcoming 23rd Season (2019-2020), featuring two World Premieres and two West Coast Premieres. These four shows serve as the company's Prime Season, in addition to the high volume of late-night and off-night programming the company produces.

The always working French Stewart, a most recognizable face from television, will next be seen on the theatrical boards of the Laguna Playhouse, co-starring with his wife Vanessa Claire Stewart in Mary Chase's Pulitzer Prize-winning HARVEY, opening June 2, 2019. French plays the pivotal role of Elwood P. Dowd who befriends the titular Harvey, a six-foot-and-a-half tall rabbit. French graciously made some time available to answer a few of my inquiring queries.

LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE is delighted to present French Stewart and Vanessa Claire Stewart starring in the wonderfully comic HARVEY, written by Mary Chase and directed by Andrew Barnicle.  Comments Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham and Executive Director Ellen Richard, "We could not think of a better play to end our 98th season with than HARVEY, starring French and Vanessa Claire Stewart under the inspired direction of Andrew Barnicle. French Stewart will be the perfect Elwood, a role he has always wanted to play! Our subscribers and audiences are going to go crazy with laughter and believe in very tall rabbits once more!"

Now celebrating its 27th Anniversary, The Blank Theatre's Nationwide Young Playwrights Festival has chosen 12 plays by playwrights aged 14 19 from six different states. These plays will be presented by professional actors and directors in this year's Festival at The Blank's YPF Pop-Up Playhouse in Hollywood from June 6 30.

LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE is delighted to present French Stewart and Vanessa Claire Stewart starring in the wonderfully comic HARVEY, written by Mary Chase and directed by Andrew Barnicle. Comments Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham and Executive Director Ellen Richard, "We could not think of a better play to end our 98th season with than HARVEY, starring French and Vanessa Claire Stewart under the inspired direction of Andrew Barnicle. French Stewart will be the perfect Elwood, a role he has always wanted to play!

Rogue Machine, known for its mission to present original and provocative programming, is now presenting the West Coast premiere production of FINKS, a New York Times Critic's Pick which was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. The play brings together writer Joe Gilford and director Michael Pressman, friends since childhood and both children of Blacklisted artists. In it, Gilford documents the struggle his parents, entertainers Jack Gilford and Madeline Lee Gilford, endured when they were called to testify, with actual testimony or published statements by those who appeared before the House Un-American Activities Committee used in the play.

The Blank Theatre's Living Room Series will begin its 28th season with a benefit evening on Monday, September 17, with the reading of a new musical, Nathan C. Jones: A Love Story?. With book by Vanessa Claire Stewart, lyrics by Brendan Milburn and Stewart, and music by Milburn, Nathan C. Jones will feature Amir Levi and will be directed by Daniel Henning.