Bruce Kimmel News

The Group Rep will present the revival of Doug Haverty's award winning play IN MY MIND'S EYE, directed by Bruce Kimmel, and produced for the Group Rep by Bita Arefnia. The play will run February 7 through March 15 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood, California.

A riotous script and a veteran cast who know their way around comedy highlight a bravura production of 'The Man Who Came To Dinner,' Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman's classic 1939 play about a sidelined theater critic, forced to be wheelchair bound in a house in small town Ohio. Jim Beaver, Barry Pearl, and Kay Cole starr in this outrageously funny revival.

The Group Rep presents Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman's beloved farce THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER, directed by Bruce Kimmel, produced by Doug Haverty. The comedy classic takes place a few weeks before Christmas in small town USA, after a famously outlandish NYC radio personality is invited to dine at the house of the well-to-do local factory owner. But this sharp-tongued celebrity slips on a patch of ice outside the front door and injures his hip. Confined to the house for a month, he drives his hosts mad by insulting them, monopolizing their world, wreaking havoc with romantic antics and receiving a constant stream of bizarre guests, including performers, scientists, penguins and even paroled convicts. As Christmas Day approaches mayhem ensues and fate delivers a comeuppance. 

The Group Rep presents Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman's beloved farce THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER, directed by Bruce Kimmel, produced by Doug Haverty. The comedy classic takes place a few weeks before Christmas in small town USA, after a famouslya??outlandish NYC radio personality is invited to dine at the house of the well-to-do local factory owner. Buta??this sharp-tongued celebrity slips on a patch of ice outside the front door and injures his hip. Confineda??to the house for a month, he drives his hosts mad by insulting them,a??monopolizing their world, wreaking havoc with romantic antics anda??receiving a constant stream ofa??bizarre guests, including performers,a??scientists, penguins and even paroled convicts.a??As Christmas Day approachesa??mayhem ensues and fate delivers aa??comeuppance.a??

Actor/director/author Bruce Kimmel is best known to audiences for his tremendous work with Kritzerland, his own company that produces updated albums of classic musicals as well as recordings of new ones like his A Carol Christmas, produced last year at Group Rep and currently nominated for several BroadwayWorld Awards. Kimmel is about to open The Man Who Came to Dinner at Group Rep on December 6. In our convesation he talks about his fondness for the play and gives us his vision for a successful production of it. How do you envision The Man Who Came to Dinner onstage? BK: Fast. Funny. I love the play, have played Banjo twice, so it's really fun to come back to it as a director. The comedy is as funny as it's always been and it's also great to be able to bring whatever we can bring to it. But, for me, pace is key - the play can run long, but I'm making sure that doesn't happen here. Why do you think it has endured all these years even though it's a period piece with the mention of many, many names people today do not recognize? BK: The central situation is so relatable - someone takes over your house and your life, and disrupts everything, but, in the end, ends up being helpful to people. Add to that, the assortment of crazies who populate Sheridan Whiteside's wo

Jason Graae is soon to star once again as the title character in a?oeScrooge in Love!a?? at 42nd Street Moon, where has found a sort of Bay Area artistic home in recent years. This eternally youthful performer is now a veritable showbiz veteran, having starred on Broadway several times, toured the country with legendary composer Jerry Herman, recorded almost 50 CD's and most recently played The Wizard of Oz in the national tour of a?oeWicked.a?? Known for his spirited comic performances and sterling vocals, you might expect Mr. Graae to be a lot of fun to talk to, and you would be right about that. While quick to express heartfelt gratitude to colleagues, he is also the irrepressible imp who can't resist entertaining you with his mischievous sense of humor.

Kay Cole and Barry Pearl join the cast of the Group Rep's production of Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman's beloved farce THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER, directed by Bruce Kimmel and produced by Doug Haverty.   The play runs December 6, 2019 through January 12, 2020 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood, California.

Jim Beaver joins the cast as Sheridan Whiteside in the Group Rep's production of Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman's beloved farce THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER, directed by Bruce Kimmel and produced by Doug Haverty.  

What If? A Musical Revue directed by Bruce Kimmel, produced by Doug Haverty, with musical direction by Richard Allen, returns to Los Angeles for Two Nights only, Wednesday, October 23 and Thursday, October 24 at 8:00 pm, as a fundraiser for The Group Rep Theatre Company at the Lonny Chapman Theatre, one of the oldest producing theatre companies in greater Los Angeles.

The 101st Kritzerland show is also the ninth anniversary show!  Yes, it's Kritzerland's ninth anniversary and it's going to be a fun show, filled with classic songs from musical theatre and film, and, as always, some incredibly rare material you won't hear at any other shows.  Kritzerland did its very first show in September 2010 and the shows are still going strong. 

Girl-next-door makes good! Calabasas High School graduate Sami Staitman, who is entering her sophomore year as a musical theatre student at Pace University in New York, has already landed her first Off-Broadway starring role in the theatre-themed musical, 'The Green Book,' which opens September 27. We caught up with Sami during her summer 'break' (Sami never takes time off from acting!)

On Sunday June 2, Kritzerland celebrated its 99th performance with a special brunch matinee at Feinstein's Upstairs at Vitello's, entitled June Is Brunching Out All Over. It was supposed to be a tribute to Harry Warren, but as host Bruce Kimmel explained, it's often better to throw in a few other songs from different composers...so the show was a mix...and delightful with musical director Richard Allen at the keys and a bevy of exceedingly talented singers including special guest Bill Hayes...Kim Huber, Kelley Dorney, Jenna Lea Rosen, Robert Yacko, Damon Kirsche and Bruce Kimmel himself perfoming a lovely solo number 'Hushabye Mountain' by the Sherman Brothers for the film 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'.

The Group Rep presents A Cabaret Line, a Two Night Only! fun fundraiser cabaret show, directed and hosted by Bruce Kimmel, with music direction by Richard Allen, produced by Doug Haverty, June 11 and June 12 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood, California.

For the 99th Kritzerland show, it's an eclectic show that is so eclectic it's not even happening at the usual evening time. No, this Kritzerland show is happening at brunch. 

For the 98th Kritzerland show, it's our annual May madness show, which, like our crazy April Fools show, is equally mad and wild, with some pretty stuff thrown in, too. 

The Group Rep's Co-Artistic Directors, Larry Eisenberg and Chris Winfield announce the Group Rep's 45th Season (2019) with six eclectic and unique plays: Laundry and Bourbon & Lone Star, two one-act comedies by James McLure, directed by Barbara Brownell (January 25 - March 3),  The Secret of Chimneys, a long lost play by Agatha Christie, directed by Jules Aaron (March 29 - May 5), Avenue Q, the wry, Broadway musical written by Jeff Whitty, Music and Lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, directed by Patrick Burke (May 31 - July 7),  Loose Knit, a modern comedy by Theresa Rebeck, directed by L. Flint Esquerra  (August 2 - September 8), Night of the Living Dead, a gripping terror-filled drama based on the George Romero film, adapted by Gus Krieger directed by Drina Durazo (October 4 - November 10), and the beloved farce The Man Who Came to Dinner by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, directed by Bruce Kimmel (December 6, 2019 - January 12, 2020).  The six shows will be performed on the Main Stage, first floor 90 Seat Theatre.

A CAROL CHRISTMASbook by Doug Havertymusic & lyrics by Bruce Kimmeldirected by Bruce KimmelGroup Rep, NoHothrough December 30 So many versions of A Christmas Carol surface in November and December in local theatres, but most are really not worthy of your attention. This year exceptions are the Geffen's spectacular one-man version ... and... Group Rep is really turning up the heat with an original contemporary musical entitled A Carol Christmas. With a cast of 20 on their wide stage, Group Rep offers its audiences a terrifically enjoyable time this holiday season through December 30.

On November 16, a new musical version of A Christmas Carol entitled A Carol Christmas will open at Group Rep in North Hollywood. Doug Haverty wrote the book and Bruce Kimmel, the music and lyrics. Kimmel is also the director. In the conversation that follows both men discuss the new piece. Bruce Kimmel, what are your challenges in directing this piece?