Ahmanson Theatre News

The Fred Ebb Foundation (Mitchell Bernard, Trustee) in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) will present the sixth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to Douglas J. Cohen.

The world premiere of Randy Newman's 'Harps and Angels' opens at the Center Group/Mark Taper Forum at the Los Angeles Music Center on Sunday, November 21 at 7 p.m. Previews are underway and performances continue through December 22, 2010.

BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO - the new American play by Rajiv Joseph and starring Robin Williams in his Broadway acting debut - will perform at the Richard Rodgers Theatre (226 W. 46 St.) on Broadway, it has been announced by the play's producers Robyn Goodman, Kevin McCollum, Jeffrey Seller and Center Theatre Group, with previews set to begin on March 11, 2011 prior to its official opening night on March 31.

Performance Network Theatre announces it's production of 'The Drowsy Chaperone' with book by Bob Martin and Don Mckeller and musics and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison. The musical comedy, which recently received the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score, will run November 11 through December 26, 2010. 'The Drowsy Chaperone' is directed by Carla Milarch (Little Shop of Horrors, The Baker's Wife, The Fantasticks) with Musical Direction by R. MacKenzie Lewis (Little Shop of Horrors, The Baker's Wife) and stars Naz Edwards, Scott Crownover, Phil Powers, Andrea Mellos, Mark Hammell, Matt Anderson, Eva Rosenwald, Linda Rabin Hammell, Brian Thibault, Lisa Lauren Smith, Charlie Sutherland, Pete Podolski and Phill Harmer.

The Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical, Next to Normal, will play its final Broadway performance on Sunday, January 16, 2011, announced Producer David Stone. Upon closing, the musical will have played 21 previews and 733 performances. Next to Normal is performed at the Booth Theatre (222 West 45th street).

Victory Gardens proudly announces casting for the World Premiere of Joel Drake Johnson's The Boys Room directed by Associate Artistic Director Sandy Shinner and for the Chicago Premiere of Annie Baker's Circle Mirror Transformation directed by Dexter Bullard.

Janelle Monáe attended the Saturday, October 30 matinee performance of Matt Sax and Eric Rosen's world premiere production of 'Venice,' now playing at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. Monáe, a singer/songwriter was performing herself that night at The Palladium in Los Angeles.

SUPERIOR DONUTS, the fresh-baked tale of friendship and redemption in a Chicago donut dispensary, makes its regional premiere at TheatreWorks, the nationally acclaimed theater of Silicon Valley

Celebration Theatre is thrilled to present the second show in its 2010-2011 Season of Shows, the Tony Award-winning play, TAKE ME OUT, written by Richard Greenberg and directed by Michael Matthews and produced for Celebration Theatre by Nicholas Caprio, Michael C. Kricfalusi, Todd Milliner and Christopher Sepulveda.

In response to popular demand, The Blank Theatre Company has announced the return of Nicholas Brendon in 'The Santaland Diaries' by David Sedaris. Once again directed by Michael Matthews, 'Santaland' begins preview performances on Friday, November 19, and opening night is set for Saturday, November 27 at 8:00 at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood. Last year's entire engagement of this show at The Blank's 2nd Stage Theatre sold out before performances began.

The national tour of 9 to 5: The Musical has reached Tampa, and Diana Degarmo stopped by FOX13 to chat about the production. Check out this video of her interview below!

Performance Network Theatre announces it's production of 'The Drowsy Chaperone' with book by Bob Martin and Don Mckeller and musics and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison. The musical comedy, which recently received the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score, will run November 11 through December 26, 2010. 'The Drowsy Chaperone' is directed by Carla Milarch (Little Shop of Horrors, The Baker's Wife, The Fantasticks) with Musical Direction by R. MacKenzie Lewis (Little Shop of Horrors, The Baker's Wife) and stars Naz Edwards, Scott Crownover, Phil Powers, Andrea Mellos, Mark Hammell, Matt Anderson, Eva Rosenwald, Linda Rabin Hammell, Brian Thibault, Lisa Lauren Smith, Charlie Sutherland, Pete Podolski and Phill Harmer.

Celebration Theatre is thrilled to announce that the critically-acclaimed (LA Weekly GO!, Backstage CRITIC'S PICK!) second show in its 2010-2011 Season of Shows, the Tony Award-winning play, TAKE ME OUT, written by Richard Greenberg and directed by Michael Matthews and produced for Celebration Theatre by Nicholas Caprio, Michael C. Kricfalusi, Todd Milliner and Christopher Sepulveda, is a grand-slam, home-run.

9 TO 5: The Musical had its world premiere engagement in Los Angeles at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre on Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 and opened on Broadway at the Marriott Marquis Theatre on April 30, 2009. 9 to 5: The Musical was nominated for four 2009 Tony Awards® including Original Score and received a record breaking 15Drama Desk nominations including Outstanding Musical.

Since 1985, The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles has been a vibrant hub of unique programs and events designed to make Shakespeare accessible and engaging in Los Angeles.

Since 1985, The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles has been a vibrant hub of unique programs and events designed to make Shakespeare accessible and engaging in Los Angeles. At last April's annual 'Simply Shakespeare' fundraiser, Helen Hunt read the role of Beatrice in 'Much Ado About Nothing.'

Alice Ripley, who received the 2009 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Next to Normal, will reprise her acclaimed performance in the musical's 36-week multi-city North American tour, launching November 23 with a six-week engagement at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. Following the premiere, the tour has confirmed engagements in Denver, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Des Moines, Providence, Hartford, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Chicago, St. Paul, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Washington, DC, and Toronto.

Asolo Repertory Theatre announced the complete cast of its upcoming production of Bonnie & Clyde a thrilling new musical with book by Ivan Menchell (The Cemetery Club, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang); music by Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll & Hyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel); lyrics by Tony Award-winner Don Black (Sunset Boulevard, Song and Dance); Music Supervision, Arrangements and Orchestrations by John McDaniel; and direction and musical staging by Tony Award- winner Jeff Calhoun (Deaf West's Big River and Pippin, Grease!). The production runs from November 16 - December 19, 2010 on the Asolo Rep mainstage-The Mertz Theatre. The press opening is November 19, at 8 p.m.

The world premiere production of the Center Theatre Group-commissioned 'Venice,' a new musical that tells a rich story of war, love, betrayal and the quest for peace with a powerful score that fuses elements of hip-hop, R&B and opera. At the CTG/Kirk Douglas Theatre. Opening is set for October 17.

Jamie Adkins' "Circus INcognitus" is a special treat for families and children (ages 6-12).