Brittney S. Wheeler News

Learn about the recent appointment of Brittney S. Wheeler and Nathan Frizzell as Artistic Directors at Celebration Theatre. Find out more about their roles and their vision for the future of the theater.

Check out photos from Celebration Theatre's production of THE REAL BLACK SWANN: Confessions of America’s First Black Drag Queen, written and performed by Les Kurkendaal-Barrett, directed by Tom Trudgeon, with cultural consultation by Brittney S. Wheeler, here!

Celebration Theatre and the Los Angeles LGBT Center present the Los Angeles premiere of the award-winning THE REAL BLACK SWANN: Confessions of America’s First Black Drag Queen, written and performed by Les Kurkendaal-Barrett, directed by Tom Trudgeon, withcultural consultation by Brittney S. Wheeler. 

The Vagrancy will present BLOSSOMING: a new play reading series. The Vagrancy annually selects four playwrights with diverse perspectives to join their playwrights' group.

The Vagrancy announces BLOSSOMING: a new play reading series. The Vagrancy annually selects four playwrights with diverse perspectives to join their playwrights' group.

Next up for the Celebration Theatre, in association with the Los Angeles LGBT Center, a new look at William Finn and James Lapine’s A New Brain opening May 6, 2023 (with previews beginning April 29th) at the Davidson/Valentini Theatre. With both William Finn and James Lapine’s approval, this production has been cast with gender-expansive casting. Khanisha Foster directs the cast of Yassi Noubahar, Richardson Cisneros-Jones, Gina Torrecilla, Ryan O’Connor, Whitney Avalon, Sadé Ayodele, Mitchell Johnson, Jason Ryan, Gabi Van Horn, and Amanda Kruger as the musical’s protagonist Gordon Schwinn; with choreography by Alli Miller-Fisher and musical direction by Gregory Nabours. Khanisha found some time to answer a few of my queries with Amanda also jumping in to offer their input.

Celebration Theatre recently presented its first live fundraiser since 2019, as part of a new partnership with the Los Angeles LGBT Center, a prime opportunity to introduce new leadership and to share their commitments to the Los Angeles theatre community - and the queer community at large. 

Celebration Theatre, in association with the Los Angeles LGBT Center, will present a brand new look at the William Finn musical, A NEW BRAIN,  music and lyrics by William Finn.

Award-winning theatre company THE VAGRANCY is now accepting submissions for its 2022/2023 Writers' Group. This year's theme is 'Exile/Embrace.'

Celebration Theatre is back. After a years-long hiatus of mainstage performances, the company is on a new road to creative change. Interim Artistic Director Ann James (she/they) made a successful case for the theater’s first offering of the season: “At the center of Celebration shifting to a new era in its forty-year lifespan is the bold decision to produce a show that is sure to be a sell out in Los Angeles.”

Celebration Theatre is back. After a years-long hiatus of mainstage performances, the company is on a new road to creative change. Interim Artistic Director Ann James (she/they) made a successful case for the theater's first offering of the season: 'At the center of Celebration shifting to a new era in its forty-year lifespan is the bold decision to produce a show that is sure to be a sell out in Los Angeles.'

Celebration Theatre will present OUTober, a weeklong festival of live events to spotlight the coming-out experience across the queer spectrum. The festival takes place October 10 - 16 at The Broadwater complex in Hollywood Theatre Row, as well as free-to-the-public livestreams on YouTube.

Celebration Theatre, one of the nation's longest-running LGBTQIA+ arts organizations, has announced an innovative artistic team to guide its vision for future programming and audience development.

The Vagrancy announces THE LIFE AND DEATH OF written and directed by June Carryl. THE LIFE AND DEATH OF is a short, poetic piece dedicated to Oluwatoyin 'Toyin' Salau featuring an epilogue by librect baker to benefit Black Lives Matter and Black Trans Protesters Emergency Fund  

Celebration Theatre announced its first-ever online theatre festival CELEBRATING PRIDE. The nation's oldest continuously-producing LGBTQ+ theatre will host a FULL SEVEN DAYS of online programming dedicated to remind the community to live out loud, to be proud of our past and to look forward to the future!

As part of the official kick-off to West Hollywood's 'One City One Pride,' West Hollywood's Art Division (in collaboration with the Celebration Theatre) presents a free live-stream reading of Patricia Loughrey's DEAR HARVEY on Harvey Milk Day, May 22, 2020. Produced and directed by Celebration Theatre's artistic director Michael A. Shepperd, DEAR HARVEY recalls the too-short political career and the lasting impacting of the first openly gay elected politician, as told through the eyes of those who had the privilege of knowing him.

This Spotlight focuses on Elizabeth Adabale, a dedicated musical theatre entertainer who studied public health and theatre at the University of Southern California and taught high school biology with Teach for America, until the stage pulled her elsewhere. I first met her in 2013 when she began to audition for productions in Los Angeles and I knew with her talent and stage presence, Elizabeth was destined to a?oehit it biga?? on stages across the country! I reached out to her to find out how is she dealing with the cancellation of her national tour in 'The Color Purple' after 111 performances.

Sacred Fools Theater Company is launching its 23rd season with the World Premiere of the musical DEADLY by Vanessa Claire Stewart with Music by Ryan Thomas Johnson and directed by Jaime Robledo. Taking place in 1893, a time of hope and optimism as the World's Fair turns the globe's eyes toward Chicago and the cultural explosion of art and technology on display. But it is also a time when a demon lurks beneath, taking advantage of the adventuresome spirit of modern-thinking and very independent women. It just wouldn't do to forget who they were.

CELEBRATION presents, as part of its "Celebrating New Works" reading series, Hypocrites & Strippers by Kim Yaged, directed by Brittney S. Wheeler and performing one night only on Tuesday, May 21 at 7:30pm at The West Hollywood City Chambers, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd in West Hollywood.