Ahmanson Theatre News

The First National Tour of Matilda the Musical, produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company and The Dodgers, launches tonight, May 29, with an official tour opening set for June 7, 2015 at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles.

Casting is set for "Girlfriend," which will begin previews at the Center Theatre Group/Kirk Douglas Theatre on July 12 with the opening slated for July 19. Featuring a book by Todd Almond and music and lyrics by Matthew Sweet, the rock musical about first love will continue through August 9.

Explain briefly about the musical.  Murder for Two is a two person murder mystery, where one guy plays the wanna-be detective, and the other guy plays all the suspects, and the both play the piano. How did it get started? If I remember correctly, you first started off-Broadway, ran a while and then returned after a brief absence due to overwhelming popularity? That's correct. We began at Second Stage Uptown, had an extended, sold-out run, and then transferred after a brief hiatus to New World Stages for a commercial run. All told, the show ran about a year in New York, before hitting the road in a tour.

Lovers of dance-theatre and visual arts will be wowed by the much-anticipated return to The Music Center of Russia's leading contemporary ballet company as Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center presents Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg with Rodin.

George Street Playhouse and Artistic Director David Saint are pleased to present Tony and Emmy Award winners DAVID HYDE PIERCE and DEBRA MONK in A.R. Gurney's classic love story, Love Letters, on the New Brunswick stage for one night only Wednesday, June 3 at 8pm.  The modern classic two-hander will be helmed by GSP Artistic Director DAVID SAINT. 

The Flea Theater has announced the New York premiere of The Theatre @ Boston Court's production of HAPPY DAYS by Samuel Beckett, directed by Andrei Belgrader. After critically acclaimed runs in Boston and LA, The Flea welcomes theater veterans Brooke Adams and Tony Award nominee Tony Shalhoub to Tribeca.  Previews begin June 20 with opening night slated for June 29.

With the continued growth of its celebrated Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center series, and the success of its highly popular participatory dance experiences, The Music Center has become an important hub for dance in Los Angeles. Its 2015-2016 dance season is a prime example of the commitment of The Music Center to present distinctive dance experiences to Southern California audiences, especially by internationally renowned artists in classical ballet and contemporary expression.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, under the leadership of Artistic Director Molly Smith and Executive Producer Edgar Dobie, announces the full cast and creative team for Dear Evan Hansen.

The Ojai Playwrights Conference (OPC) launches its 18th season with a benefit gala themed 'Town & Country' today, May 2, 3:00 pm, in Ojai, CA. Honoring Gordon Davidson for his decades of leadership in new play development in Los Angeles, and Judy Ovitz, an invaluable patron of the arts and OPC leader, the Benefit helps to fund the development of compelling new works for the American theatre.

A brand new production of THE SOUND OF MUSIC, directed by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O'Brien, will tour North America beginning September 2015.

Producers Robyn Goodman, Jill Furman and Stephen Kocis announce that the national tour of Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella has recouped its entire $4.8 million investment in just six months after having launched on October 10, 2014 in Providence, RI.

The new musical comedy Something Rotten!, directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon, Aladdin), with music and lyrics by Grammy Award winner Wayne Kirkpatrick and Golden Globe Award nominee Karey Kirkpatrick and a book by Karey Kirkpatrick and best-selling author John O'Farrell, officially opens on Broadway tonight, April 22, 2015 at the St. James Theatre (246 West 44th Street). Scroll down to learn more about the company and watch interviews with the cast!

Casting has been announced for the First National Tour of Matilda the Musical. Produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company and The Dodgers, the First National Tour of Matilda the Musical will begin this May with technical rehearsals and performances at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven, CT, with the official tour opening at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles on June 7, 2015.

The 2014 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder, will launch its First National Tour in September 2015, producer Joey Parnes announced today. The tour route includes stops in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Washington DC, and Toronto, among many other markets.

On May 3, 2015 at 2pm, New York Theatre Barn (Theatre Barn) presents its exclusive Spring Benefit - a one-time only presentation of Gotta Dance: A Choreography Conversation at Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway at 95th Street.

Following the internationally acclaimed production with sold-out engagements on Broadway and London's West End, television legend, Oscar recipient and five-time Tony Award-winner Angela Lansbury returns to the stage in an exciting North American tour of Noël Coward's smash-hit comedic play, BLITHE SPIRIT. The tour made its Washington premiere on March 17 and celebrated its final curtain call on March 29 at the National Theatre, where Ms. Lansbury made her first pre-Broadway stage debut nearly 58 years ago to the day in Hotel Paradiso. Scroll down for photos from the curtain call!

Gigi, Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's beloved Oscar and Tony Award-winning musical comedy, celebrates its opening tonight, April 8, at the Neil Simon Theatre (250 West 52nd Street). Scroll down to learn more about the company, and watch highlights from the show below!

The Ojai Playwrights Conference (OPC) launches its 18th season with a benefit gala themed 'Town & Country' on Saturday, May 2, 3:00 pm, in Ojai, CA. Honoring Gordon Davidson for his decades of leadership in new play development in Los Angeles, and Judy Ovitz, an invaluable patron of the arts and OPC leader, the Benefit helps to fund the development of compelling new works for the American theatre.

'Girlfriend', featuring book by Todd Almond and music & lyrics by Matthew Sweet, will be directed by Les Waters at Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre, running July 12 through August 9, 2015.

Florida Grand Opera (FGO), along with the Saint Martha - Yamaha 2014-2015 Concert Series, is proud to welcome world-renowned Broadway star Lisa Vroman to Miami for a one-night-only concert. This concert, which will be held in the Broad Center for the Performing Arts at Barry University at 8pm on April 17, will feature Broadway and opera hits sung by Vroman and members of FGO's Young Artist Program.