Ahmanson Theatre News

Joanna Murray-Smith's Switzerland -- already extended one week -- will extend yet another eight performances by popular demand with a final closing date of April 26, 2015. A world premiere with the Sydney Theatre Company, Switzerland is a Los Angeles Times Arts Editors' "Essential Arts and Culture" Pick and features Laura Linney (Broadway World said she is "pure gold") and Seth Numrich (called "outstanding" by the Los Angeles Times).

According to Deadline, the PITCH PERFECT star has signed on for Ang Lee's upcoming film BILLY FLYNN'S LONG HALFTIME WALK, the adaptation of Ben Fountain's 2012 novel.

Two-time Emmy Award- and Golden Globe-nominee Fran Drescher joined the cast of 'Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella' for the Los Angeles engagement of the 2013 Tony Award-winning Broadway musical. Drescher reprises the role of the wicked stepmother, 'Madame', a role she played in 2014, making her Broadway debut. At the opening night performance, Drescher and the company took time to celebrate the show's LA opening! Click below to watch interviews, footage and opening night festivites!

Broadway's Tony Award-winning production of Cinderella (2013) has a brand new book by Douglas Carter Beane and an expanded score of the glorious music of Rodgers & Hammerstein. As the musical based on the fairy tale possesses a more contemporary storyline, both Cinderella (Paige Faure) and Prince Topher (Andy Huntington Jones) are different - they are orphans, whose similarities in character make them a perfect match. No more losing her Venetian glass slipper at the first act curtain, this Cinderella, with much help, love, support and encouragement from her fairy godmother (Kecia Lewis) is in control and journeys into the second act with a mission to make the 'Impossible' truly 'Possible'.

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 Noel Coward's smash-hit comedic play, BLITHE SPIRIT. The tour makes its Washington premiere Tuesday, March 17 through Sunday, 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 opening night festivities!

At the opening night performance, Drescher reunited with her 'Nanny' cast mates, Charles Shaughnessy and Renee Taylor. Check out photos below!

Olivier Award-winning playwright Katori Hall returns to Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater with the world premiere of her most personal project to date-the fierce comedy-drama The Blood Quilt. Hall is an inaugural resident playwright of Arena Stage's American Voices New Play Institute, and The Blood Quilt is one of three plays from Hall receiving world premieres around the country this season. Hall reunites with director and Howard University alumna Kamilah Forbes (artistic director of the Hip-Hop Theater Festival) following their Broadway collaboration on The Mountaintop. The Blood Quilt runs April 24-June 7, 2015 in the Kreeger Theater.

On March 16, 2015, the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle announced its winners and special awards for excellence in Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura County theater in the year 2014. Announcements were made at a ceremony held at the Beyond the Stars Palace in Glendale, hosted by Dixie Longate (Dixie's Tupperware Party) with musical direction by Corey B. Hirsch (LADCC award winner for A Man of No Importance in 2014).

Two-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe-nominee Fran Drescher joins the cast of 'Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella' for the Los Angeles engagement of the 2013 Tony Award-winning Broadway musical. Drescher will reprise the role of the wicked stepmother, 'Madame', a role she played in 2014, making her Broadway debut.

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 Lansburyreturns to the stage in an exciting North American tour of Noel Coward's smash-hit comedic play, BLITHE SPIRIT. The tour makes its Washington premiere tonight, March 17 through Sunday, 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.

The national tour of THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, winner of the 2014 Tony Award® for Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations, will launch in Des Moines, IA at the Des Moines Civic Center with performances beginning Saturday, November 28th and an official opening on Tuesday, December 1st. Based on one of the most romantic stories ever written, THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY will travel to more than 15 cities in its first season, including Los Angeles, CA (Ahmanson Theatre); Washington, D.C. (The Kennedy Center); Dallas, TX(Music Hall at Fair Park); Pittsburgh, PA (Benedum Center); Minneapolis, MN (Orpheum Theatre); Las Vegas, NV (The Smith Center); Houston, TX (The Hobby Center); West Palm Beach, FL (Kravis Center); Fayetteville, AR (Walton Arts Center); and Dayton, OH (Schuster Center) with additional cities to be announced soon.

The national tour of THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, winner of the 2014 Tony Award for Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations, will launch in Des Moines, IA at the Des Moines Performing Arts Civic Center with performances beginning Saturday, November 28th and an official opening on Tuesday, December 1st.

Two-time Emmy Award-winner and Golden Globe-nominee Fran Drescher joins the cast of "Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella" for the Los Angeles engagement of the 2013 Tony Award-winning Broadway musical. Drescher will reprise the role of the wicked stepmother, 'Madame', a role she played in 2014, making her Broadway debut.

Four Tony Award-winning musicals will be presented in Center Theatre Group's 2015-2016 season at the Ahmanson Theatre of the Music Center of Los Angeles, it was announced today by CTG Artistic Director Michael Ritchie.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces Ben Platt (Pitch Perfect, The Book of Mormon) will star in the title role of Dear Evan Hansen, the original world-premiere musical debuting this summer.

In a new interview with PEOPLE, Kristen Bell shares her concern that her two daughters, Lincoln, 23 months, and Delta, 11 weeks won't give a thumbs up to her mega hit film FROZEN

From a field of 12 local high school students, Shaila Essley, Philip Patrick Bucknor and Wayne R. Mackins-Harris have been selected to represent Los Angeles in the August Wilson Monologue Competition (AWMC) national finals. Contestants this year featured high school students from four Southern California cities, who performed in the regional finals at the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum, Monday night, March 2, 2015. Scroll down for photos from the competition!

'Walking the Tightrope' by Mike Kenny, directed by Debbie Devine, comes to the Kirk Douglas Theatre as part of Center Theatre Group's DouglasPlus programming at 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on May 2 and 3, 2015. (Student performances April 28 through May 1). This is a production of the 24th STreet Theatre.

According to Variety, Kristen Bell has signed on to join Melissa McCarthy and Peter Dinklage in the upcoming comedy MICHELLE DARNELL.

'Dame Edna's Glorious Goodbye -- The Farewell Tour' opened on Wednesday, January 28 at CTG's Ahmanson Theatre. The production continues through March 15, 2015 before heading out across the U.S. Last night, Feb. 17, creator and performer Barry Humphries celebrated his birthday onstage. Check out photos below!