David Elzer News

The Falcon Theatre, Abbie Phillips and Jan Kallish in association with the Lookingglass Theatre Company are thrilled to announce a very special event to benefit Lookingglass Theatre Company. On Saturday, March 29 at 4 pm, a performance of the West Coast Premiere of THE LAST ACT OF LILKA KADISON, written by Nicola Behrman, David Kersnar, Abbie Phillips, Heidi Stillman and Andrew White and directed by Dan Bonnell, followed by a post-show Q & A with members of the creative team, and a private dinner following. This is the first association between the Falcon Theatre and Lookingglass Theatre Company of Chicago, 2011 recipient of the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre.

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle has announced the winners and special awards for excellence in Los Angeles and Orange County theatre for the year 2013. The 45th Annual Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards ceremony took place Monday, March 17 at the Colony Theatre in Burbank, and was hosted by Nicole Parker.

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle has announced its 2013 nominations and special awards for excellence in Los Angeles, Orange County and Ventura County theatre. The 45th Annual Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards ceremony will take place on Monday, March 17, 2014 at The Colony Theatre, located at 555 N. Third Street in Burbank.

The Theatrical Producers League of Los Angeles (TPLLA) announced today an official merger of the organization between the Intimate Theatres (99 seats or less) and Midsize Theatres (100 - 699 seats) with the expectation that the LORT/CLO/Large Size theatres will be joining the newly formed organization shortly. Although each membership group has unique variables, there is common ground. In an effort to formalize an organization to serve as an umbrella for these common issues and concerns, a new 501(c)(6) is being formed. At present the Midsized and Intimate theatres are working together actively to move this forward. The LORT, CLO, and Larger theatres have expressed support and will be on board once the umbrella organization is in place. Two sub-committees for the umbrella organization have already been formed in Marketing & Communications, and Vision & Branding, with a goal of unifying all constituents around a strategic plan that reflects the League's mission.

Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal, the most critically acclaimed, award-winning supper club of its kind in the greater Los Angeles area, has set Sunday, December 15, 2013 as auditions for the 8th consecutive year of LA's Next Great Stage Star®, it was announced today by Executive Producer Michael Sterling of Michael Sterling & Associates in Los Angeles, CA. "Our annual auditions in search of 10 men and 10 women between within the ages of 18 and 28, is highly anticipated by the hierarchy of those in the business of presenting Los Angeles Broadway musical theatre. We couldn't be more grateful to our professional colleagues and select corporate entities for their consistent support of Stage Star since its inception eight years ago."

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts & McCoy Rigby Entertainment presents the first production in its 2013-1014 season of shows, the Tony Award-winning play, BROADWAY BOUND, written by Neil Simon and directed by Jeff Maynard. BROADWAY BOUND runs through Sunday, October 13, 2013 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada. Check out the opening night shots below!

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS brought back the always hilarious TROUBADOUR THEATER COMPANY and their smash-hit, critically-acclaimed A MIDSUMMER SATURDAY NIGHT'S FEVER DREAM, directed by Matt Walker, this weekend, with performances running July 12 through today. Check out a look back at the opening night below!

BWW TV's Michael Sterling and Jerry Evans of the JLE Media Group were on hand to produce exclusive television coverage for Broadway World at the Finale of LA's Next Great Stage Star 2013 which broke all previous years attendance records during its six week run at Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal in the NoHo Arts district of North Hollywood, CA January 6 through February 10. Check out the video below!

Diversionary Theatre announces the addition of Justin Love, a new musical fantasy, to complete its 2013 roster of mainstage productions. Joining the currently running West Coast premiere of Birds of a Feather (through March 3, 2013) and the San Diego premiere of the literary romp, The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabbler (March 28 - April 28, 2013), will be the West Coast premiere of Charles Busch's hilarious spoof The Divine Sister (May 23 - June 30, 2013), directed by Glenn Paris, and the world premiere farce She-Rantulas From Outer Space (October 24 - November 17, 2013), by Phil Johnson and Ruff Yeager. By popular demand, Diversionary will also bring back its twisted take on holiday tradition Scrooge in Rouge (December 5 - 29, 2013).

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle (LADCC) has announced its nominations and special awards for excellence in Los Angeles and Orange County theatre in 2012. The 44th annual LADCC Awards ceremony will take place on Monday, March 18 at historic, heralded Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring Street in downtown L.A.

With the recent success of competition programs such as American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance and, of course, Dancing With The Stars, competitions such as the now successful Stage LA's Next Great Star have caught the attention of many a young hopeful. Although the first of the 6 week competition has passed, the competition has five more weeks of competitive talent lined up. The producers have just announced the complete line up of celebrated judges for the reamaining dates of Jan 13, 20, 27 and Feb 3 adn 10 (below).

Celebration Theatre announced today changes to their management team. Effective immediately, the Artistic Director position will be shared by the Ovation award-winning duo of Michael Matthews and Michael A. Shepperd. Both Matthews and Shepperd are former Artistic Directors of Celebration Theatre and are excited to be back to guide the theatre into it's thirty-first season and beyond.

The choices I have made are based solely on the plays and performances that I actually saw. I cannot see all the great talent that is out there in LA; it is physically impossible, as there exist far too many theatre/cabaret performances for one person to cover. So if a choice of yours is not on my list, chances are, I did not see that play or performance...or, it just did not make the final cut. I also do not separate Equity from Equity waiver; I consider all the productions/performances I select to be of top-of-the-line quality/professionalism.

Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal has set Sunday, December 9 as auditions for the 7th consecutive year of LA's Next Great Stage Star®, it was announced today by producers Michael Sterling and Tony Monsour of Michael Sterling & Associates in Los Angeles, CA. www.msapr.net. For the second consecutive year - author, actress, concert headliner, and arts philanthropist Barbara Van Orden joins Sterling and Monsour by gifting LA's Next Great Stage Star® with the Barbara Van Orden Grant which provides invaluable assistance to production of the annual competition.

John Caird's production of DADDY LONG LEGS is now playing at London's newest theatre complex, the St. James Theatre. DADDY LONG LEGS will run at the St. James Theatre until 08 December. Robert Adelman Hancock and Megan McGinnis will reprise the roles of Jervis Pendleton and Jerusha Abbott. Check out the video below!

Celebration Theatre in association with DEMAND PRoductions and Peter Schneider have announced the first show of its celebratory 30th Anniversary Season, the smash-hit, critically-acclaimed world premiere musical, JUSTIN LOVE, book by Patricia Cotter and David Elzer, story by David Elzer and Bret Calder, music by Lori Scarlett and David Manning, lyrics by Lori Scarlett, directed by Michael Matthews, choreography by Janet Roston and musical direction by Gregory Nabours is adding performances through Sunday, December 16 at Celebration Theatre, 7051B Santa Monica Blvd in Hollywood.