Amanda Knehans News

The Echo Theater Company presents a stunning world premiere of Erik Patterson's HANDJOB. Echo Theatre's artistic director Chris Fields quite ably directs his talented cast, as two sets of actors alternately depict the scenario of a curious, middle-aged gay man hiring a shirtless housekeeper/cleaner for a session of cleaning, leering and lusting. Patterson's very witty and smart script of clever puns and sharp observations gets even more witty and even smarter after a big reveal, that I won't be spoiling.

When a gay writer hires a man to work as a a?oeshirtless cleaner,a?? homophobia, racism and issues of consent bubble to the surface in the world premiere of Handjob, an outrageous comedy by Erik Patterson. Chris Fields directs the Echo Theater Company production, set to open on Sept. 7 for a seven-week run through Oct. 21. Three a?oepay what you wanta?? previews take place on Sept. 4, Sept. 5 and Sept. 6.

Coeurage Theatre Company, LA's Pay What You Want theatre company, has announced the first production of its 10th Anniversary season, the Los Angeles premiere of Samsara by Lauren Yee, directed by Rebecca Wear. Opening is set for Saturday, May 11, at 8:30pm. Samsara will play through June 1 at the Met Theatre in Los Angeles.

Theatre of NOTE continues its 2019 season with ROOTS: An Evening of World Premiere Shorts,by Lisa Sanaye Dring, Phinneas Kiyomura, Erik Patterson, and Bill Robens, directed by Lee Hannah Conrads.

Theatre of NOTE continues its 2019 season with ROOTS: An Evening of World Premiere Shorts,by Lisa Sanaye Dring, Phinneas Kiyomura, Erik Patterson, and Bill Robens, directed by Lee Hannah Conrads. ROOTS: An Evening of World Premiere Shorts is an evening of four wonderfully strange world premiere short plays, written by four accomplished Theatre of NOTE-grown playwrights, which together usher audiences through the complexity of the human condition. 

Coeurage Theatre Company, LA's Pay What You Want theatre company, has announced the first production of its 10th Anniversary season, the Los Angeles premiere of Samsara by Lauren Yee, directed by Rebecca Wear. There will be one preview performance on Friday, May 10, at 8:30pm, and opening is set for Saturday, May 11, at 8:30pm. Samsara will play through June 1 at the Met Theatre in Los Angeles.

Moving On: The 2019 One Acts features a mix of established playwrights and exciting, emerging younger talent. Here's the program:

Ammunition Theatre Company has announced the world premiere production of Brain Problems, a new comedy by Malcolm Barrett directed by Bernardo Cubria. Opening is set for Friday, April 26, at 8pm, at The Pico in West Los Angeles. The engagement will continue through May 19 only.

Each year, Sierra Madre Playhouse presents a show especially for young audiences. In 2019, the show is Stuart Little, innovatively staged with puppets, projections and original music. Performances for school field trips start on March 11 with over 3000 tickets sold, but the Playhouse will present a limited number of performances to the general public as well, with an official public opening on March 16. The play is ideal for audience members aged 4 to 10, but their entire families can enjoy it as well.

Fierce. Funny. Intense. The Echo Theater Company opens its 2019 season with theLos Angeles premiere of The Wolves, the debut play by "playwright to watch" Sarah DeLappe that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Alana Dietze (Dry Land) directs for aMarch 16 opening at Atwater Village Theatre. Pay-what-you-want previews begin March 13, and performances continue through April 22.

Tuesdays with Morrie/by Jeffrey Hatcher and Mitch Albom/directed by L. Flint Esquerra/Sierra Madre Playhouse/through March 31 Was there a mentor apart from family who gave you the inspiration to change the way you lived your life? Based on Mitch Alboms book entitled Tuesdays with Morrie in which he details his relationship with Professor Morrie Schwartz at Brandeis U in Massachusetts in the late 70s, the two character play is currently receiving an insightful and enjoyable production at Sierra Madre Playhouse through March 31. With meticulous direction from L. Flint Esquerra and splendid performances from Larry Eisenberg as Morrie and Jackson Kendall as Mitch, the play should be a popular hit with audiences young and old.

Fierce. Funny. Intense. The Echo Theater Company opens its 2019 season with theLos Angeles premiere of The Wolves, the debut play by "playwright to watch" SarahDeLappe that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Alana Dietze (Dry Land) directs for aMarch 16 opening at Atwater Village Theatre. Pay-what-you-want previews begin March 13, and performances continue through April 22.

MOVING ARTS is thrilled to announce that their critically acclaimed Los Angeles production of the Joint World Premiere, presented by Moving Arts at Atwater Village Theatre in association with Moxie Theatre of San Diego and Promethean Theatre of Chicago, of BLISS (or Emily Post is Dead!), written by Jami Brandli (Through the Eye of a Needle) and directed by Darin Anthony (Apocalypse Play) is EXTENDING through MONDAY, DECEMBER 10 at the Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave. in Los Angeles, 90039.

Brooding, compelling, funny and startling. Memories unravel and dark truths are revealed in a haunting ghost story by Rattlestick Playwrights Theater's Daniel Talbott(Slipping) when The Echo Theater Company's West Coast premiere returns in a third and final rendition (following productions in April and July) with a third set of ensemble members. This time round, Chris Fields directs Ian Bamberg,Matthew Gallenstein and, at alternate performances,Kenzie Caplan and Mara Klein, for a Sept. 27 opening at Atwater Village Theatre. 

The Echo Theater Company's west coast premiere of playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' Pulitzer Prize-finalist GLORIA receives a sturdy mounting with a very capable cast handling the witty, words-heavy monologues. Plot centers on a group of lower-level publishing employees stuck (for various reasons) in their respective, non-upwardly mobile positions. GLORIA illustrates the various common office behaviors, such as back-stabbing, condescension, 'Mean Girl' insulting, and stressing out.

MOVING ARTS announces the Los Angeles production of the Joint World Premiere, presented by Moving Arts at Atwater Village Theatre in association with Moxie Theatre of San Diego and Promethean Theatre of Chicago, of BLISS (or Emily Post is Dead!), written by Jami Brandli (Through the Eye of a Needle) and directed by Darin Anthony (Apocalypse Play). BLISS (or Emily Post is Dead!) will preview on Thursday, November 1 & Friday, November 2 at 8pm; will open on Saturday, November 3 at 8:00pm and will run through Sunday, December 2, 2018 at the Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave. in Los Angeles, 90039.

Brooding, compelling, funny and startling. Memories unravel and dark truths are revealed in a haunting ghost story by Rattlestick Playwrights Theater's Daniel Talbott(Slipping) when The Echo Theater Company's West Coast premiere returns in a third and final rendition (following productions in April and July) with a third set of ensemble members. This time round, Chris Fields directs Ian Bamberg,Matthew Gallenstein and, at alternate performances,Kenzie Caplan and Mara Klein, for a Sept. 27 opening at Atwater Village Theatre. 

For the 20-somethings working at a chic, unnamed New York magazine, the only thing that matters is style, status - and selling out to the highest bidder. The Echo Theater Company presents a razor-sharp, darkly comic drama about ambition, office warfare and pecking orders by MacArthur "genius" grant recipient Branden Jacobs-Jenkins.Chris Fields directs the West Coast premiere of Pulitzer Prize-finalist Gloria, opening Sept. 15 at Atwater Village Theatre.

Jennifer Barclay's RIPE FRENZY is produced by Greenway Arts Alliance (Whitney Weston and Pierson Blaetz, Co-Founders and Co-Artistic Directors) at Greenway Court Theatre (544 N. Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles), as part of a National New Play Network (NNPN) Rolling World Premiere with partnering theaters New Repertory Theatre in Boston and Synchronicity Theatre in Atlanta. Winner of the 2016 NNPN Smith Prize for Political Theatre, RIPE FRENZY is directed by Ovation Award-nominee Alana Dietze (Dry Land at the Echo Theater Company and Kirk Douglas Theatre) and projection designs by Obie Award-winner Jared Mezzocchi (Vietgone at Manhattan Theatre Club). Performances will play May 17 through June 17, 2018; with the press opening on Saturday, May 19.

Jennifer Barclay's RIPE FRENZY is produced by Greenway Arts Alliance (Whitney Weston and Pierson Blaetz, Co-Founders and Co-Artistic Directors) at Greenway Court Theatre (544 N. Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles), as part of a National New Play Network (NNPN) Rolling World Premiere with partnering theaters New Repertory Theatre in Boston and Synchronicity Theatre in Atlanta. Winner of the 2016 NNPN Smith Prize for Political Theatre, RIPE FRENZY is directed by Ovation Award-nominee Alana Dietze (Dry Land at the Echo Theater Company and Kirk Douglas Theatre) and projection designs by Obie Award-winner Jared Mezzocchi (Vietgone at Manhattan Theatre Club). Performances will play May 17 through June 17, 2018; with the press opening on Saturday, May 19.