Ahmanson Theatre News

Woo-Hoo! Thanks to OC's 3-D Theatricals, Southern California wasn't deprived of a revival of FUNNY GIRL after all. And, gosh, to top it off, they've even managed to find a Fanny Brice audiences can genuinely admire: Broadway and MAD TV alum Nicole Parker. This admirable new production of the classic Jule Styne/Bob Merrill musical plays the Plummer Auditorium through September 22 then moves to the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center for performances on September 27-29.

After almost a year of touring North America, the Roundabout Theatre Company's buoyant Tony Award-winning revival of ANYTHING GOES has finally docked its madcap ship of lunatics at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa for a shamefully-short one-week engagement through September 29. Featuring an incredible lead performance by Broadway vet Rachel York as Reno Sweeney, this old-fashioned crowd-pleaser is, hands-down, one of the most jubilantly entertaining revivals in recent years. It's pure smile-inducing, gimmick-free musical comedy fun.

Wednesday, October 2 at 8 p.m. is the opening performance for Danny DeVito and Judd Hirsch in Neil Simon's 'The Sunshine Boys' at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre. Directed by Thea Sharrock, 'The Sunshine Boys' continues through November 3, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the stars onstage below!

Center Theatre Group recently announced that Justin Bartha would be joining the cast of Neil Simon's 'The Sunshine Boys' at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre replacing the previously announced David Krumholtz who needed to leave the production for personal reasons.

Center Theatre Group is now accepting applications for the 2013-2014 August Wilson programs - the August Wilson Monologue Competition (AWMC) and the CTG August Wilson In-School Residency Program.

'Humor Abuse,' the hilarious and heartfelt story of growing up in the circus, opened last night, September 21 at 8 p.m. at the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum. Performances of the Obie, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel Award-winning play continue through November 3, 2013. (Previews are September 17 through 20.) Check out a look back at the starry opening night celebration below!

Center Theatre Group will participate in the 11th annual international 'Talk Like a Pirate Day,' today, September 19 in honor of 'Peter and the Starcatcher,' which features pirate captain Black Stache and his crusty crew, Peter and the Lost Boys, mermaids and more. 'Peter and the Starcatcher' plays at the Ahmanson Theatre December 3, 2013, through January 12, 2014.

Japan Society welcomes renowned puppet artist Basil Twist with the return of his critically acclaimed, award-winning Dogugaeshi as Japan Society's Performing Arts Program commences its 60th Anniversary season: Japan, the U.S. & Beyond!. A limited engagement, 7 performances only, plays today, September 18-22 at Japan Society (333 East 47th Street).

Center Theatre Group will participate in the 11th annual international 'Talk Like a Pirate Day,' Thursday, September 19 in honor of 'Peter and the Starcatcher,' which features pirate captain Black Stache and his crusty crew, Peter and the Lost Boys, mermaids and more. 'Peter and the Starcatcher' plays at the Ahmanson Theatre December 3, 2013, through January 12, 2014.

"Humor Abuse," the hilarious and heartfelt story of growing up in the circus, opens September 21 at 8 p.m. at the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum. Performances of the Obie, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel Award-winning play continue through November 3, 2013. (Previews are September 17 through 20.)

Nominees for the 2013 LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards were announced on the evening of Monday, September 16 at Barnsdall Gallery Theatre in Los Angeles, which is owned and operated by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Community Service Division. The nominations were revealed by past Ovation Award recipients Susanne Blakeslee, Shirley Jo Finney, Ryan Johnson, Michael Matthews, Gregory Nabours, Janet Roston, and John Sloan, along with LA STAGE Alliance Chief Executive Officer Terence McFarland.

'Humor Abuse,' the hilarious and heartfelt story of growing up in a circus, created by Lorenzo Pisoni and Erica Schmidt, directed by Schmidt and featuring a tour de force performance by Pisoni, will be presented at the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum, today, September 17 through November 3, 2013. The opening is set for September 21. Get a first look at Pisoni onstage below!

The Pasadena Playhouse presents the hit Broadway musical revue SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE - THE SONGS OF LEIBER & STOLLER. Directed by Jeffrey Polk, performances will begin tonight, September 17 through October 13, with an official press opening on Sunday, September 22, 2013, at 5:00 p.m. at The Pasadena Playhouse. Tickets are now on sale.

Performances begin this Saturday for the DouglasPlus repertory of three of Los Angeles' hottest solo theatre artists, Luis Alfaro, Trieu Tran and Roger Guenveur Smith, at the Center Theatre Group/Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City.

Internationally adored pop star Barry Manilow joins with bookwriter and lyricist Bruce Sussman as well as director Tony Speciale to discuss the new musical HARMONY and share a look behind the scenes of the show, now playing an out of town tryout at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia.

'Peter and the Starcatcher' by Rick Elice, based on the novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson and directed by Roger Rees and Alex Timbers, comes to the Ahmanson Theatre, December 3, 2013 - January 12, 2014.

Clybourne Park, a new play by Bruce Norris that defies definition, is sure to instigate much debate on social issues - past and present. It plays in the Severson Theatre tonight, September 12 - 29.

3-D Theatriclas presents Funny Girl Sept 6 - Sept 22, 2013 at the Plummer Auditorium, and Sept 27 - Sept 29, 2013 at Redondo Beach. Funny Girl is a musical with a book by Isobel Lennart, music by Jule Styne, and lyrics by Bob Merrill. The semi-biographical plot is based on the life and career of Broadway, film star and comedienne Fanny Briceand her stormy relationship with entrepreneur and gambler Nick Arnstein. Its original title was My Man.

Today in 2009, 9 to 5 closed at the Marquis Theatre, where it ran for 148 performances. 9 to 5 is a stage musical with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton and a book by Patricia Resnick, based on the 1980 movie Nine to Five. Resnick had co-written the screenplay with Colin Higgins, the director of the film, in which Parton had her first screen role. The musical premiered at Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles in September 2008 and opened on Broadway on April 30, 2009. It was nominated for 15 Drama Desk Awards, the most received by a production in a single year. It was also nominated for four Tony Awards.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts today announced partial casting for its world premiere musical production of Little Dancer. Four-time Tony Award winner Boyd Gaines will play Edgar Degas, three-time Tony Award nominee Rebecca Luker will play Adult Marie von Goethem, and New York City Ballet principal dancerTiler Peck will play Young Marie von Goethem.