Ahmanson Theatre News

Gavin Lee, who originated the role of Bert in the hit Broadway and London productions of MARY POPPINS, and Ashley Brown, who originated the title role on Broadway, both play their final performances today, Sunday October 5th. They will then ready to essay the leading roles on the show's National Tour.

Celebration Theatre presents the first show of its 2008-2009 Mainstage Season, Porcelain. Porcelain by Chay Yew opens on Friday, October 10th and runs for six weeks through Sunday, November 9th at Celebration Theatre, 7051B Santa Monica Blvd in Hollywood.

Platform Theatre Group (Greg Tully, Producer) will present the New York revival of Lee Blessing's Two Rooms, directed by Peter Flynn, for a limited Off-Broadway engagement at the Lion Theatre at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street), beginning October 2nd. Opening Night is set for Tuesday, October 7th (7 PM).

BroadwayWorld.com, the premiere theatre site on the internet, is proud to announce its newest offering in the streaming video space. 'Upright's West Side Stories' chronicles the adventures Upright Cabaret producer/hosts Chris Isaacson and Shane Scheel as they travel the left coast in search of great theatre. The premiere webisode takes place at the 9 to 5 press conference with the Queen of Country herself, Dolly Parton.

9 to 5: The Musical opened on September 20th 2008 at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre. Performances will continue through October 19, 2008.

The Prince Music Theater celebrates two Broadway masters - John Kander and Fred Ebb - in a newly re-imagined production of THE WORLD GOES 'ROUND, the smash hit Off-Broadway show that explores the entire career of one of Broadway's most extraordinary creative teams.

On September 22nd, the 2008 Ovation Award Nominees were announced. Now in its 19th year, the LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards will celebrate the 168 theatre companies, 390 registered productions, and over 2,000 individual artists who participated in the September 1, 2007 to August 31, 2008 season

Celebration Theatre presents the first show of its 2008-2009 Mainstage Season, PORCELAIN. PORCELAIN by Chay Yew opens on Friday, October 10th and runs for six weeks through Sunday, November 9th at Celebration Theatre, 7051B Santa Monica Blvd in Hollywood.

Platform Theatre Group (Greg Tully, Producer) will present the New York revival of Lee Blessing's Two Rooms, directed by Peter Flynn, for a limited Off-Broadway engagement at the Lion Theatre at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street), beginning October 2nd. Opening Night is set for Tuesday, October 7th (7 PM).

Producers Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions and Cameron Mackintosh are pleased to welcome Olivier-nominee SCARLETT STRALLEN and ADAM FIORENTINO (in their Broadway debuts as Mary Poppins and Bert, respectively), to the company of the award-winning musical MARY POPPINS, beginning Thursday, October 9 at the New Amsterdam Theatre (214 West 42nd Street).

The Colony Theatre Company presents the third production of its 2008 - 2009 season, the Los Angeles premiere of MARY'S WEDDING, written by Stephen Massicotte and directed by David Rose. MARY'S WEDDING will preview on Wednesday, October 22; Thursday, October 23 and Friday, October 24 at 8:00pm and will open on Saturday, October 25 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, November 23 at The Colony Theatre, 555 North Third Street (at Cypress) adjacent to the Burbank Town Center.

The first preview for '9 to 5: The Musical' has been delayed for the second time and will now take place on Tuesday, Sept 9, 2008, at 8 p.m. at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre. Audiences for the previously-announced previews on September 3, 4 and 5 will be moved to other performances. This change is being made to meet the technical demands of this world premiere musical. Two performances have been added: a matinee preview on Sept 14th and a 6:30 p.m. performance on the closing date of Oct.19.

The first preview for '9 to 5: The Musical' will now take place on Saturday, September 6, 2008, at 8 p.m. at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre. Audiences for the previously-announced previews on September 3, 4 and 5 will be moved to other performances.

The Los Angeles Times reported that Ahmanson Theatre spokeswoman Nancy Hereford confirmed Tuesday that Marc Kudisch, one of the stars of the musical did, indeed, fall while making a jump from a set piece on Sunday. 'Paramedics were called and the actor was taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center and kept overnight for observation. He sustained no serious injury and is back at rehearsals', Hereford explain to reporters.

The current Broadway production of The Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning musical A Chorus Line plays its final performance on Broadway Sunday, August 17, 2008, at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 W 45th St).

Michael Ritchie, Artistic Director of Center Theatre Group, has set the 2009 season at the Mark Taper Forum of the Los Angeles Music Center. The new season, which features six productions, will run from January 15, 2009, through January 24, 2010.

BroadwayWorld's own James Sims recently sat down with two of The Drowsy Chaperone's stars at the Ahmanson Theatre, Jonathan Crombie, reprising his role from the Broadway production as Man in Chair and Nancy Opel as the title character, making her touring debut...

Producer Robert Greenblatt announced today that 9 To 5: The Musical, based on the 20th Century Fox motion picture, will begin previews on Broadway Tuesday, March 24, 2009, and will open Thursday, April 23, 2009, at the Marriott Marquis Theatre (1535 Broadway). 9 To 5: The Musical marks the Broadway debut of seven-time Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and musician Dolly Parton as composer and lyricist.

Producer Robert Greenblatt announced today that 9 To 5: The Musical, based on the 20th Century Fox motion picture, will begin previews on Broadway Tuesday, March 24, 2009, and will open Thursday, April 23, 2009, at the Marriott Marquis Theatre (1535 Broadway). 9 To 5: The Musical marks the Broadway debut of seven-time Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and musician Dolly Parton as composer and lyricist. The musical's book by Patricia Resnick is based on her original story and screenplay for the smash 1980 film comedy.

BroadwayWorld's own James Sims went backstage at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles to chat with Michael Gruber, Nikki Snelson, Denis Lambert and Emily Fletcher about the lasting impression A Chorus Line has left on Broadway and beyond and what it is like taking this production around the country...