Ahmanson Theatre News

Renowned director Derek Charles Livingston and musical director Richard Berent bring Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's musical thriller SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET to The Production Company's Chandler Studio Theatre in a re-imagining of sheer theatrical lightning beginning September 18th, 2009. This ?Sweeney' is up close and personal!

Following a three-year run on Broadway as Mrs. Brill, the harried cook and housekeeper in the beloved musical 'Mary Poppins,' Jane Carr returns to her hometown to play the role in Los Angeles, beginning Friday, November 20, 2009 at 8 p.m.

Many people rightly consider "Mary Poppins" a timeless classic. Well, with the new musical's Los Angeles premiere Sunday night at the Ahmanson Theater, you can also call it timely. While it first premiered in London five years ago in a very different economic and social climate, seeing it now, amidst the current economic crisis and the want to go 'back to basics', the stage musical seems more appropriate, meaningful and heartfelt. We could all use a little "Mary Poppins" in our lives, to teach us all that the love of family is more important than anything else.

The WEST COAST PREMIERE of Broadway's Perfectly Magical Musical opened at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre on Sunday, November 15.

The Donmar Warehouse presents PARADE, with a book by Alfred Uhry and music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown. PARADE is co-conceived by Harold Prince and directed and choreographed by Rob Ashford.

Disney and Cameron Mackintosh Present 'Mary Poppins'. Original Music and Lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. Book by Julian Fellowes, New Songs and Additional Music and Lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. Co-Choreography by Stephen Mear. Co-Direction and Choreography by Matthew Bourne. Directed by Richard Eyre

The West Coast premiere of 'Mary Poppins' opens Sunday, November 15, 2009, at 6:30 p.m. at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre for a limited engagement through February 7, 2010.

A Noise Within (ANW) pokes a bit of fun at its own name with some theatrical humor when it stages the joyfully out-of control British farce NOISES OFF by MICHAEL FRAYN, opening Saturday, November 14 and closing Sunday, December 20, 2009 (previews begin November 7).

The casting is complete for the world premiere of 'Palestine, New Mexico' written by Richard Montoya for Culture Clash.

West Coast Ensemble presents the fourth and final show of their 2009 season, THREE TALL WOMEN, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Edward Albee and directed by Michael Matthews (Stupid Kids, The Bacchae). THREE TALL WOMEN will preview on Thursday, November 12 and Friday, November 13 at 8:00pm and will open on Saturday, November 14 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, December 20 at West Coast Ensemble - The El Centro Theatre, 800 N. El Centro Ave. in Hollywood.

Center Theatre Group and producers Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions and Cameron Mackintosh announced today that tickets for the eagerly anticipated production of Mary Poppins will go on sale to the public on Sunday, May 10 at 11am. Mary Poppins begins performances at the CTG/Ahmanson Theatre on November 13, 2009, for a limited engagement. Opening is set for Sunday, November 15 at 6:30 p.m.

Sarahbeth Grossman and Craig Zehms today announced that they would present the Off-Broadway premiere of Martin Casella's acclaimed comedy THE IRISH CURSE at the Soho Playhouse, 15 Vandam Street (between Avenue of the Americas & Varick Street) beginning an open-ended run on St. Patrick's Day, March 17th.

West Coast Ensemble presents the fourth and final show of their 2009 season, THREE TALL WOMEN, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Edward Albee and directed by Michael Matthews (Stupid Kids, The Bacchae). THREE TALL WOMEN will preview on Thursday, November 12 and Friday, November 13 at 8:00pm and will open on Saturday, November 14 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, December 20 at West Coast Ensemble - The El Centro Theatre, 800 N. El Centro Ave. in Hollywood.

West Coast Ensemble presents the fourth and final show of their 2009 season, THREE TALL WOMEN, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Edward Albee and directed by Michael Matthews (Stupid Kids, The Bacchae). THREE TALL WOMEN will preview on Thursday, November 12 and Friday, November 13 at 8:00pm and will open on Saturday, November 14 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, December 20 at West Coast Ensemble - The El Centro Theatre, 800 N. El Centro Ave. in Hollywood.

The 2009-2010 season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center welcomes the North American Premiere of 'Kings of the Dance' in which six renowned dance virtuosos share the stage and bring their power, strength, grace, and beauty to master works by many of the art form's most important choreographers.

West Coast Ensemble presents the fourth and final show of their 2009 season, THREE TALL WOMEN, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Edward Albee and directed by Michael Matthews (Stupid Kids, The Bacchae). THREE TALL WOMEN will preview on Thursday, November 12 and Friday, November 13 at 8:00pm and will open on Saturday, November 14 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, December 20 at West Coast Ensemble - The El Centro Theatre, 800 N. El Centro Ave. in Hollywood.

The always charming Richard Sherman spoke with the LA Times this weekend in advance of the West Coast premiere of 'Mary Poppins' opens Sunday, November 15, 2009, at 6:30 p.m. at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre for a limited engagement through February 7, 2010.

The new incarnation of 'Dreamgirls' will arrive at the world famous Apollo Theater in New York City, where it will open for a limited engagement from November 7th through December 5th 2009.

Producer John Breglio and the Apollo Theater Foundation, Inc. will present the premiere engagement at the Apollo Theater, prior to the national tour of the groundbreaking musical.

Center Theatre Group will present Dreamgirls, Music by Henry Krieger, Lyrics and Book by Tom Eyen, Directed and Choreographed by Robert Longbottom, and Co-Choreography by Shane Sparks. Dreamgirls will preview at the Ahmanson Theatre on February 25th, and opens on February 26th through April 4, 2010.