What happens when 1880 Western bandits are brought back to life in Azusa, CA by a space alien? Sam Shepard's The Unseen Hand joins Odyssey Theatre Ensemble's 50th Anniversary a?oeCirca '69a?? Season of significant and adventurous plays that premiered around the time of the company's inception, coupled with Shepard's gritty and audacious Killer's Head. Longtime Shepard collaborator Darrell Larson directs both plays for a Jan. 18 opening at the Odyssey Theatre in West L.A., where performances will continue through March 8.
A well-acted ensemble gives THE ABUELAS its relatable humanity. Stephanie Alison Walker has written a unflinching look at realistic, flawed relationships under the most atypical circumstances. THE ABUELAS (THE GRANDMOTHERS) - a follow-up of Walker's THE MADRES (THE MOTHERS) also deals with the Dirty War in Argentina in the mid-1970s.
“If you have doubts about your identity, contact Las Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo.” So read billboards across Argentina, where thousands of people were “disappeared” between 1976 and 1983 under a brutal military dictatorship. Questions of truth and identity are explored when Antaeus Theatre Company presents the West Coast premiere of Stephanie Alison Walker's striking new play, The Abuelas. Andi Chapman directs for an Oct. 11 opening at the Kiki & David Gindler Performing Arts Center in Glendale, where performances continue through Nov. 25. Low-priced previews begin Oct. 3.
a?oeIf you have doubts about your identity, contact Las Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo.a?? So read billboards across Argentina, where thousands of people were a?oedisappeareda?? between 1976 and 1983 under a brutal military dictatorship. Questions of truth and identity are explored when Antaeus Theatre Company presents theWest Coast premiere ofStephanie Alison Walker's striking new play, The Abuelas. Andi Chapman directs for anOct. 11 opening at the Kiki & David Gindler Performing Arts Center in Glendale, where performances continue through Nov. 25. Low-priced previews begin Oct. 3.
FEFU AND HER FRIENDS, a surreal dramedy by Maria Irene Fornés, known as an early feminist giant of the avant-garde, challenges modern audiences in that the play is plotless except for the fact eight women with very different agendas, personalities, and sexual orientations have gathered in the country home of their eccentric friend, Fefu, to plan an event for their do-gooding educational work. As multiple conflicts unfold between the old friends, they struggle to define who they are and what it means to be a woman in a male-dominated world.
"Life is theater. Theater is life." Odyssey Theatre Ensemblecontinues its "Circa '69!" season of significant and adventurous plays that premiered around the time of the Odyssey's 1969 inception with the signature work of early feminist giant of the avant-garde Maria Irene Fornes. Denise Blasordirects Fefu and Her Friends for an Aug. 3opening, with performances continuing through Sept. 29.
Odyssey Theatre Ensemble has announced "Circa'69!" an 18-month retrospective beginning in June, 2019 that will celebrate its founding, 50 years ago, by artistic director Ron Sossi, who has remained steadily at the helm since the company's first production in 1969.
According to Wikipedia, the Rashomon effect occurs when an event is given contradictory interpretations by the individuals involved. The effect is named after Akira Kurosawa's 1950 film Rashomon, in which a murder is described in four contradictory ways by four witnesses. Such is the case in Irish playwright Brian Friel's uniquely structured FAITH HEALER which illustrates the healing power of faith over inner demons via four separate monologues performed by 3 characters travelling together through small towns in the United Kingdom in the 1970s. Their goal is to present small community meetings as best they can, in which they hope to occasionally prove that pure faith can heal even the darkest of maladies.
Is Fantastic Francis Hardy a miracle worker - or a showman in search of a dollar? Odyssey Theatre Ensemble continues its 50th anniversary season with Faith Healer, Brian Friel's mysterious, humorous and unforgettable work about an itinerant Irish healer. Odyssey artistic director Ron Sossi directs for a March 23 opening, with performances continuing through May 12.
2018 California Repertory Company begins its 2018-2019 season with The Ghosts of Lote Bravo by Hilary Bettis. The play centers on a mother and daughter who struggle to survive in violent Ciudad Juarez. Guided by La Santa Muerte, Juanda sees her daughter Raquel in a new light, ultimately learning about Raquel's hidden hopes, dreams, and courage. It is a gritty and emotional new work exposing the raw underbelly of The United States' relationship with Mexico and shows the human carnage left in NAFTA's wake.
California Repertory Company (Cal Rep) announces its 30th Anniversary season which celebrates 3 decades of risk-taking theater by showcasing the work of local artists and bringing a range of World, West Coast and Southern California Premieres to Long Beach.
Playwright Henry Ong admits that when he stumbled upon Tirso de Molina's "La celosa de si misma" (Jealous of Herself) during the Playwrights' Arena (PA) for the Golden Tongues series to introduce audiences to the treasures of the Golden Age of Spanish theater between 1590 to 1681, a PA-partnership with UCLA William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, he discovered an ingenious tale of deceit and deception with fascinating characters and relentless wit. The tale of self-image, identity, and the idea of physical perfection as hoisted upon us in the media immediately presented Ong with the opportunity to set his modern adaptation THE BLADE OF JEALOUSY in Los Angeles, a place where so many of us become dissatisfied with what nature has given us and how the media says we should look causes people to continually crave and seek to attain idealized versions of our physical selves in order to gain love.
Veteran Director, Performer Denise Blasor reteams with Henry Ong to present the world-premiere of 'The Blade of Jealousy,' Ong's modern-day adaptation of Spanish Renaissance Playwright Tirso de Molina's madcap comedy 'La Celosa De Si Misma' (Jealous of Herself) on stage now at The Whitefire Theater in NoHo.
Henry Ong's modern-day adaptation of Spanish Renaissance Playwright Tirso de Molina's madcap comedy 'La Celosa De Si Misma' (Jealous of Herself). directed by Denise Blasor opens Sunday, June 24th at The Whitefire Theatre in Los Angeles.
John Farmanesh-Bocca directs the world premiere of a bracing new version of Eduardo Machado's LYSISTRATA UNBOUND, starring Brenda Strong (Supergirl, 13 Reasons Why) as Lysistrata, in a collaboration between Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Not Man Apart - Physical Theatre Ensemble. First presented at the Getty Villa as part of its 2013 Lab Series, it was inspired by American anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan's efforts for peace following the death of her son in Iraq. With unflinching intensity, it examines the insurmountable cost of war and one woman's epiphany in the face of personal tragedy.
Odyssey Theatre Ensemble collaborates with Not Man Apart-Physical Theatre Ensemble to present the world premiere of Lysistrata Unbound, a new and unexpected dramatic version of the classic Greek story written by acclaimed playwright Eduardo Machado. NMA artistic director emeritus John Farmanesh-Bocca (Tempest Redux, Ajax in Iraq) directs June 9 through Aug. 4 at the Odyssey Theatre in West L.A.
Following the extended run of Rotterdam (5 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle award nominations) the Skylight Theatre Company is offering two World Premiere plays by female playwrights from Los Angeles, revealing the strength and resilience of women in the darkest of circumstances. The Madres by Stephanie Alison Walker opens March 10 and Hostage by Michelle Kholos Brooks opens May 19, 2018.
JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN PARIS receives a first-rate mounting with a cast of powerful singer/actors, backed by a nimble four-piece musical ensemble, and directed and staged with ingenuity of movement that complement the Jacques Brel tales being performed. These Jacques Brel songs serve as little nuggets, little gems of short stories. Dan Fishbach ably directs this revival of Eric Blau and Mort Shuman, stringing these 24 gems so nicely together.
Naughty, funny, dark and romantic: Odyssey Theatre Ensemble presents a revival of Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, the off-Broadway hit by Eric Blau and Mort Shuman that introduced American audiences to the Belgian singer-songwriter known as the "Bob Dylan of France." Director Dan Fishbach and musical director Anthony Lucca helm Jacques Brel… for a July 1 opening at the Odyssey, where it will continue through Aug. 27.
Naughty, funny, dark and romantic: Odyssey Theatre Ensemble presents a revival of Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, the off-Broadway hit by Eric Blau and Mort Shuman that introduced American audiences to the Belgian singer-songwriter known as the "Bob Dylan of France." Director Dan Fishbach and musical director Anthony Lucca helm Jacques Brel… for a July 1 opening at the Odyssey, where it will continue through Aug. 27.
