Darrett Sanders News

The 2018 Stage Raw Theater Awards celebrate excellence on the Los Angeles stages in venues of 99-seats or under. This fourth annual edition includes productions that opened between January 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018.

The School of Night returns to Fringe after a successful run of Punch and Judy (2016) and The Faggot King or the Troublesome Reign and Lamentable Death of Edward the Second (2017) with a new translation of a seldom produced play by the largely forgotten Roman tragedian who's influence extended across two millennia to furnish the thematic, structural and poetic blueprint for all of European Renaissance drama. Experience the rarely seen work of the playwright Kyd, Marlowe, Shakespeare, Jonson and Webster considered the all-time master of tragedy ... Lucius Annaeus Seneca.

Theatre of NOTE continues its 2018 season with its production of For The Love Of (or, the roller derby play) by Gina Femia, directed by Rhonda Kohl. For The Love Of will preview Tuesday and Wednesday, April 24 and 25 at 8pm, and will open on Thursday, April 26 at 8pm and run through Saturday, May 26 at Theatre of NOTE, 1517 N Cahuenga Blvd (just north of Sunset) in Hollywood.

The air between the words is so thick you could cut it with a knife in Daniel Talbott's shadowy play about three siblings attempting to survive their dysfunctional family. Each is broken in his or her own way and, as the hairball unravels, the audience must piece together their fragmented story over a period of six years.

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). Chris Fields directs theWest Coast premiere of What Happened When for The Echo Theater Company, opening at Atwater Village Theatre on April 12. Following the production's three-week run through April 26, What Happened When will re-open this summer and again in the fall, each time with a different cast.

What made the Hot List? THE ART COUPLE from Sacred Fools Theatre Company at The Broadwater, SELL/BUY/DATE at Geffen Playhouse, and ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL at Independent Shakespeare Co.'s new studio theater. Check out the latest recommendations below and go see a show! Reviews by BWW Sr. Editor Ellen Dostal (LADCC).

Following THE VAGRANCY's BROADWAY WORLD "BEST PLAY" NOMINATED production of MACBETH, the award-winning theatre company proudly presents Shakespeare's ROMEO AND JULIET, helmed by Artistic Director CAITLIN HART.

Two performances of One Year Later have been added due to popular demand! Open Fist Theatre Company's "political pop-up" features 13 short plays by writers from across the country that explore our nation's current social and political climate and how the past year has affected us. Finding it hard to get off the couch and get to the theater? Open Fist has brought the couches to Atwater Village Theatre, creating a cozy, speakeasy setting where patrons can arrive early or stay late to have a drink and a chat with the cast and fellow audience members.

Theatre of NOTE opens its 2018 season with its production of YEAR OF THE ROOSTER, by Olivia Dufault and directed by McKerrin Kelly. YEAR OF THE ROOSTER will preview Friday and Saturday, February 16 and 17 at 8pm, and will open on Thursday, February 22 at 8pm and run through Saturday, March 24 at Theatre of NOTE, 1517 N Cahuenga Blvd (just north of Sunset) in Hollywood.

How far will powerful men and institutions go to keep their secrets - and who pays the price when they do? Echo Theater Company and Circle X Theatre Co. join forces to present the world premiere of An Undivided Heart by Yusuf Toropov, directed by Chris Fields and running March 16 through April 22 at Atwater Village Theatre. Two pay-what-you-want previews take place on March 14 and March 15.

Open Fist Theatre Company's revival of Ron West and Phil Swann's musical comedy DELEARIOUS has a lot going on. The production contains three storylines in three different time periods twisted together in a fast-paced, boisterous style that was an award-winning hit for the company in 2008. Nine years later, it still packs in more story than you can possibly keep straight but it also offers up plenty of laughs to go along with it.

Tragedy meets hilarity and King Lear gets a happy ending in a madcap musical romp la Mel Brooks and Monty Python. Open Fist Theatre Companyrevives its smash hit production of deLEARious, an award-winning play-within-a-play by Second City'sRon West and composer Phil Swann. West directs for a Nov. 10 opening at Atwater Village Theatre, where performances will continue through Dec. 16. Pay-what-you-want previews begin Nov. 3.

Theatre of NOTE presents the world premiere of HELLO STRANGER, written by Sharon Yablon and directed by Sarah Figoten Wilson. HELLO STRANGER runs now through Saturday, November 18 at Theatre of NOTE, 1517 N Cahuenga Blvd (just north of Sunset) in Hollywood. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The Echo Theater Company continues its 20th Anniversary Season with a funny, tragic and provocative new play by Los Angeles' own Boni B. Alvarez. Dually inspired by Calder n's Spanish Golden Age Drama The Physician Of His Own Honor and the 1990 documentary Paris is Burning, which detailed New York's then-underground drag queen ball culture, Alvarez ups the stakes by setting his story in the heart of L.A.'s Historic Filipinotown. Echo company member Rodney Todirects the world premiere of Fixed, now throughOct. 22 at Atwater Village Theatre.

From the playwright and producers of Hit the Wall comes the West Coast premiere of Exit Strategy by acclaimed Chicago playwright Ike Holter. First produced in Chicago in 2014 and then off-Broadway in 2016, this fiery and poetic play will be directed by Deena Selenow. Three preview performances are scheduled for September 26, 27, and 28, and opening is set for Friday, September 29 at 8pm. The run will continue through November 5 in the Davidson/Valentini Theatre.

From the playwright and producers of Hit the Wall comes the West Coast premiere of Exit Strategy by acclaimed Chicago playwright Ike Holter. First produced in Chicago in 2014 and then off-Broadway in 2016, this fiery and poetic play will be directed by Deena Selenow. 

Theatre of NOTE presents the west coast premiere of WELCOME TO THE WHITE ROOM, written by Trish Harnetiaux and directed by Megan A McGuane. WELCOME TO THE WHITE ROOM opened last night, August 17, and will run through Saturday, September 16 at Theatre of NOTE, 1517 N Cahuenga Blvd (just north of Sunset) in Hollywood. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Now playing at Theatre of NOTE is the west coast premiere of WELCOME TO THE WHITE ROOM, written by Trish Harnetiaux and directed with constant, attention-getting movement by Megan A McGuane. In the small, black box theater, we discover Ms. White (Sierra Marcks), Mr. Paine (Chris Gardner), and Jennings (Sarah Lilly) shortly after they have arrived in a completely white room set designed by Amanda Knehans. It soon becomes apparent they have not met before nor do any of them know the reason they have been brought into this strange place. As the one-act play unfolds, we follow their journey as they attempt to figure out exactly what they are meant to do and the reason for their entrapment in such a strange place.

Echo Theater's world premiere of The Cake by Bekah Brunstetter has been extended through August 13, with added performances on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Welcome to Your Alternative Reality - Take the edge off your week with a bracing tonic of laughter and lunacy! Highlights in this evening of interwoven one-acts and sketches include a liberal journalist working for a right wing news program; an octogenarian stressing about the future of the planet; high-level government leakers in love; and a dry cleaner who might be our next president.