Cristina Gerla News

Columbia University School of the Arts will present DeAndre Short's (Columbia MFA Playwriting Candidate 2023) production of THE GROUP.

Sent to stay with his step-grandfather in a Rhode Island beach town for a summer, Daniel collides with Izzy, a feisty local. In a spirited dueling of minds that plays off the tropes of romantic comedy, Indian Summer explores what connection is, romantic and otherwise. The play features Spencer Gonzalez, Clara Napolitano, Haythem Noor, and Julian Socha.

Coeurage Ensemble, LA's Pay What You Want performance company, has announced the launch of its new initiative of immersive, location-specific storytelling experiences, The Nomad Project. The first endeavor under the new artistic leadership of Joseph V. Calarco and Amanda McRaven, The Nomad Project debuts with nine individual audio stories by 10 Los Angeles playwrights and screenwriters.

CELEBRATION THEATRE presents a special evening dedicated to honoring playwright Patricia Loughrey's dedication to bringing light and awareness to the LGBTQ community through her works.  Featuring performances from her various plays, Celebration Theatre is pleased to honor Patricia Loughrey with The Chuck Rowland Pioneer Award on Tuesday, June 20 at the West Hollywood City Chambers, 625 N. San Vicente in West Hollywood. Curtain is at 7:30 pm.    

'Failure: A Love Story' chronicles the lives, loves and deaths of the three Fail sisters (June Carryl, Margaret Katch, and Nicole Shalhoub) and the one man with the double moniker Mortimer Mortimer (Kurt Quinn) who fell in love with each of them but not at the same time. Set against the backdrop of 1920s Chicago, this touching, whimsical tale explores the impermanence of life and the permanence of love, especially among devoted family members. The 'failure' in the title refers to poor Mortimer's inability to ever marry any of the three sisters after falling in love with them, as the untimely deaths of the three sisters happen before any marriages can take place.

Center Theatre Group's Block Party begins with the opening of the Coeurage Theatre Company production of "Failure: A Love Story" this Sunday, April 16 at 6:30 p.m. Written by Philip Dawkins and directed by Michael Matthews, "Failure: A Love Story" will run through April 23, 2017, with 11 performances only.

Casting is finalized for three local productions being presented as part of Center Theatre Group's inaugural Block Party: Celebrating Los Angeles Theatre.

Coeurage Theatre Company, LA's Pay What You Want Company, has announced the extension and re-opening of Urinetown: The Musical. With music by Mark Hollmann, lyrics by Hollmann and Greg Kotis, book by Kotis, musical direction by Gregory Nabours, and directed by Kari Hayter, the extended run will begin on Friday, January 6 at 8pm and continue through February 25 at the Historic Lankershim Arts Center.

Coeurage Theatre Company, LA's Pay What You Want Company, has announced the final production of its seventh season, three-time Tony Award-winner Urinetown: The Musical. With music by Mark Hollmann, lyrics by Hollmann and Greg Kotis, book by Kotis, musical direction by Gregory Nabours, and directed by Kari Hayter, there will be one preview performance on November 4 at 8pm and opening is set for Saturday, November 5 at 8pm. Urinetown: The Musical will play through December 3 at the Historic Lankershim Arts Center. 

Talk about quirkiness and how it makes a musical rock! The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is terribly funny in a smart, slick, offbeat manner with prize worthy characterizations of lively eclectic people.It may be a tad long like the actual spelling out of words (that are not to be believed!)yet the exaggeration and contestants' varied reactions give rise to some great comic moments...and I love the audience involvement! Some of the contestants are picked from the audience and their ad-libs lend one.of.a.kind hilarity. The unpredictability in denouement is another big plus in the overall enjoyment of the show. It's like a real contest. Who will win is anybody's guess!

Couerage Theatre Company mounts a fine-tuned production of Failure: A Love Story, playwright Philip Dawkins' fresh, unique take on a ill-fated family in the early 1900s. Michael Matthews smoothly directs and inventively stages his large talented, triple-threat cast as they sing, dance and act out this saga of the Failure family, with seemingly more deaths than the Kennedy clan has endured.

Coeurage Theatre Company, LA's 'Pay What You Want' Company, has announced the third production of its 2015 season, the Los Angeles premiere of Failure: A Love Story by Philip Dawkins. Directed by Ovation Award-winner Michael Matthews, opening is set for tonight, July 24 at 8pm. Failure: A Love Story will play through August 29 at GTC Burbank.

Coeurage Theatre Company, LA's 'Pay What You Want' Company, has announced the third production of its 2015 season, the Los Angeles premiere of Failure: A Love Story by Philip Dawkins. Directed by Ovation Award-winner Michael Matthews, there will be three preview performances on July 18, 22, and 23 at 8pm and opening is set for Friday, July 24 at 8pm. Failure: A Love Story will play through August 29 at GTC Burbank. 

Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC), presenters of the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival, announce a workshop production of RED BARN, a new musical play. The book is written by David Melville and Melissa Chalsma, original music and lyrics by David Melville and directed by Melissa Chalsma. Performances of RED BARN will begin on Friday, March 13 and run through Sunday, March 29 at the Independent Studio in the Atwater Crossing Arts + Innovation Complex, 3191 Casitas Ave., #168 in Atwater Village. This production is not open for review.

La Jolla Playhouse presents the world-premiere production of Kingdom City, by Sheri Wilner, directed by Jackson Gay. The production runs now through October 5 (press opening tonight, September 12 at 8pm) in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

La Jolla Playhouse presents the world-premiere production of Kingdom City, by Sheri Wilner, directed by Jackson Gay. The production runs now through October 5 (press opening this Friday, September 12 at 8pm) in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

La Jolla Playhouse presents the world-premiere production of Kingdom City, by Sheri Wilner, directed by Jackson Gay. The production runs tonight, September 4, through October 5 (press opening on Friday, September 12 at 8pm) in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre.

La Jolla Playhouse announces the cast and creative team for its upcoming world-premiere production of Kingdom City, by Sheri Wilner, directed by Jackson Gay. The production runs September 4 - October 5 (press opening on Friday, September 12 at 8pm) in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre, and tickets are available at LaJollaPlayhouse.org or by calling (858) 550-1010.

Thirty years after directing and choreographing the Odyssey Theatre's award-winning West Coast premiere, and following a wildly successful off-Broadway revival at the York Theatre last season, Bill Castellino reunites with musical director Gerald Sternbach to charm audiences with a revitalized, updated version of Ionescopade at the Odyssey Theatre, beginning May 31. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities below!

Taken from the plays, playlets, journals and poetry of "Theatre of the Absurd" playwright Eugene Ionesco (Rhinoceros, The Bald Soprano, Exit the King), IONESCOPADE is a zany musical vaudeville featuring mime, farce and parody - all hilariously balanced on the edge of madness.