Ahmanson Theatre News

Curtains by John Kander, Fred Ebb, Rupert Holmes, and Peter Stone is a murder mystery wrapped up in the trappings of a romantic comedy. When it premiered at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, Curtains received mixed reviews. However, in 2007 the show opened on Broadway and received eight Tony Award nominations. Curtains presents the audience with a show within a show. This musical whodunit explores the lives, loves, and lies of the cast and crew of a musical called 'Robbin' Hood' who find themselves suspects in a murder investigation when their leading lady is killed backstage. The curtains opened on Curtains at Oyster Mill Playhouse on April 20, 2018.

Actors Co-op Theatre Company (Ovation Award-Winner 2017 Best Play, Intimate Theatre for 33 Variations) is proud to present the Tony nominated musical VIOLET, with music by Jeanine Tesori, book and lyrics by Brian Crawley, based on the short story 'The Ugliest Pilgrim' by Doris Betts, directed by Richard Israel, produced by Thomas Chavira. Violet opens Friday, May 11 at 8:00 pm, and will run through Sunday, June 17 at the Actors Co-op Crossley Theatre, 1760 N. Gower Street, 90028 (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood) in Hollywood.

Good morning BroadwayWorld! Today's top stories: New York Theatre Workshop will host its 2018 gala tonight, and Broadway stars will unite in Sunrise, FL for a benefit concert for Parkland!

The upcoming world premiere of 'Soft Power' by David Henry Hwang (play and lyrics) and Jeanine Tesori (music and additional lyrics) will be produced by Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre from May 3 through June 10, 2018. Directed by Leigh Silverman and choreographed by Sam Pinkleton, the opening of 'Soft Power' is set for May 16. Following its run at the Ahmanson, 'Soft Power' will play San Francisco's Curran from June 20 through July 8, 2018.

Center Theatre Group invites current high school students to attend Reimagine Your American Dream, a teen youth summit inspired by David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori's "Soft Power." The free event will take place on Friday, May 4, 2018, from 4:30 - 10:30 p.m. (includes performance time for "Soft Power") at The Music Center Annex and the Ahmanson Theatre in Downtown L.A.

The long awaited revival of Jason Robert Brown and Alfred Uhry's gripping Tony Award-winning murder mystery musical PARADE as presented in 2013 at Fullerton's Plummer Auditorium by 3-D Theatricals (3DT) of Los Angeles and Orange County, will once again take a bow at two Southern California main stage theatres beginning June 1 - 10 at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts and June 15 - 24, 2018 at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center.

Abingdon Theatre Company (Tony Speciale, Artistic Director; Denise Dickens, Producing Director) has announced casting for the first production of its 25th Anniversary main stage season, The Gentleman Caller, a new play by Philip Dawkins (Charm, Le Switch, The Homosexuals).

Today, Carole Shorenstein Hays announced that single tickets are now available for SOFT POWER, the play featuring a musical by David Henry Hwang (play and lyrics) and Jeanine Tesori (music and additional lyrics). SOFT POWER will make its Bay Area premiere at San Francisco's Curran (445 Geary Street) June 20 - July 8, 2018. SOFT POWER is a Center Theatre Group co-commission with The Public Theater and will perform at the Curran following its world premiere at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles

As it did last year with its first Block Party, Center Theatre Group continues to strengthen its relationships within the Los Angeles theatre community by creating additional avenues for the organization to work with local playwrights, actors, directors and designers to gain more exposure for their work in greater Los Angeles. This year, Center Theatre Group received 53 submissions for Block Party 2018 from intimate theatre companies in the greater Los Angeles area who each submitted one production that opened at their location between January 1, 2016, and May 30, 2017. This year's first Block Party 2018 selection is the Playwrights' Arena production of BLOODLETTING, written by Boni B. Alvarez and directed by Playwrights' Arena Artistic Director Jon Lawrence Rivera. The play opened at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City on Saturday, March 31 and closes Sunday, April 8.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) announces the 2018 Bootcamp Weekend Intensive for Showcase Producing on Saturday, April 28, 2018 & Sunday, April 29, 2018 from 10am - 6pm at Nola Studios, 244 W. 54th Street, 5th floor. Registration is $270 for non-members ($225 for TRU members, $290 for Membership/Workshop Package, and $100 for a second attendee). Save $50-$60 with the Early Bird Discount through April 15.

Cleveland Play House (CPH) is proud to announce the cast of the high-spirited, interactive musical comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Broadway and TV actress Ali Stroker (Glee, Deaf West's Production of Spring Awakening) joins Broadway veterans Kirsten Wyatt (Annie, Elf, Shrek), John Scherer (Sunset Boulevard, By Jeeves, Funny Girl), Lee Slobotkin, Chad Burris (both of Book of Mormon), Kay Trinidad Karns (Little Mermaid), and more in this laugh-out-loud musical directed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge on the Allen Stage through May 6th. This production is sponsored by Huntington National Bank and Zinner & Co.

Joshua Henry is getting ready to open yet another Broadway show, and even that isn't the biggest thing to happen to him this month. The Tony nominee just announced that he and his wife, Cathryn Stringer, just welcomed their first child into the world. 

Shakespeare Theatre Company today announces the cast of Lerner and Loewe's multiple Tony Award-winning musical Camelot. Directed by STC Associate Artistic Director Alan Paul (Kiss Me, Kate; Man of La Mancha), the classic musical will play at Sidney Harman Hall (610 F St NW) from May 22 through July 1, concluding STC's 2017-2018 mainstage season.

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle announced the recipients of its 49th annual awards for distinguished achievement in theatre last night, Monday, March 19, 2018, at A Noise Within in Pasadena. Wenzel Jones presided over the festivities, and Christopher Raymond served as music director.

Lin-Manuel Miranda has teamed up with Ben Platt for the newest song in his #Hamildrop series, Found/Tonight. The song, which features vocals by both men, features bits of 'The Story of Tonight' from Hamilton and 'You Will Be Found' from Dear Evan Hansen. Listen below!

As previously announced, Lin-Manuel Miranda is teaming up with Ben Platt for the next #Hamildrop track. It was recently revealed that the track is called 'Found Tonight' and will be released tonight at midnight. A portion of the proceeds from the track will go to the March For Our Lives Initiative.

Ben Platt took to Twitter today to share an audition tape of himself singing 'Maria' from West Side Story. A film remake by Steven Spielberg is currently in the works but no word on if that's the project Platt was auditioning for or his involvement, if any.

Abingdon Theatre Company (Tony Speciale, Artistic Director; Denise Dickens, Producing Director) continues its 2017-2018 Ghostlight Reading Series this month with a provocative new work inspired by the legacy of legendary comic Lenny Bruce: Buyer Beware, a new play by Michael Weller, will receive a reading presentation Monday March 26 at 7PM at The DR2 Theatre, 101 E. 15th Street. The event is free but reservations are required. Visit abingdontheatre.org for reservations and further information including casting updates.

Get ready to rock...and dance, too! Music Theatre Philly, a professional performing arts training center in Philadelphia, is pleased to welcome SCHOOL OF ROCK Associate Dance Captain Kara Haller, who will be in Philadelphia for the SCHOOL OF ROCK National Tour, as she leads a special Master Class at the Music Theatre Philly studios at 1201 Spruce Street, Philadelphia. The energy-filled session is at 4:30PM on March 30, 2018.

Los Angeles audiences will experience the brilliance of David Bowie like never before with StarDust, Complexions Contemporary Ballet's revelatory tribute to the late icon, taking place at The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion from April 20 - 22, 2018. Part of the 15th season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center (Dance at The Music Center), this production will feature many of the singer's most beloved hits and glam rock-inspired costumes designed by Christine Darch.