Doug Haverty News

We are first introduced to a young girl, a very assertive, opinionated young girl, definitely with a strong sense of identity, and self worth. She is heard speaking, which we come to find out is us hearing her inner thoughts and feelings, through her a?oeMind's Eye,a?? her vocally taped diary, into a recorder. The time is 1968. We first view her as she runs, into, outside ~ an elderly man who has fallen in their garden, helping him up and, concerned, guides him inside her home, where she spends much of her sheltered life. Patty, played quite brilliantly by Peyton Kirkner, is both honest and earnest in her connection with her new and only friend, Calhoon (played wonderfully and with much heart by Lloyd Pedersen). They were instant friends; and even though Patty is legally blind they easily shared conversation. The actors totally conveyed that feeling, so it was all the more heart-wrenching when her mom, Lola Henderson, played determinedly by Maria Kress, who, understandably, is ultra protective, comes home and just couldn't fathom this new connection ~ having been the caretaker-mom all of Patty's life, this was a concern she had not yet encountered. Flash forward, and back and forth, throughout the rest of the play, this played out and developed one of the underlying themes while at the same time we were fast-forwarded to Patty (aka now renamed by herself, Trish) as a school teacher in 1981.

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.

Actor/playwright Doug Haverty will become Group Rep's new artistic director in January 2020. In our conversation he tells our readers in great detail about the upcoming season and talks in depth about his vision for the theater. How long have you been a member of Group Rep? DH: I started in 1983, so 36 years.

The Group Rep's world premiere production of A Twisted Christmas Carol, written by Phil Olson, directed by Doug Engalla, produced by Alyson York, a Texas style spoof of Charles Dickens' “A Christmas Carol,” played to a sold out crowd at opening night. The play runs December 15, 2019 through January 12, 2020, Upstairs at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood, California.

A Twisted Christmas Carol marks Doug Engalla's eighth production as Director at The Group Rep. Doug has worked with Phil Olson since 1997 on a number of productions, including five World Premieres in the Don't Hug Me series (most recently, as director of Don't Hug Me, We're Family in 2018), as well as the 2016 World Premiere of A Nice Family Christmas (featuring Tony Award-nominated actor, Marcia Rodd) at The Group Rep. A Twisted Christmas Carol is Doug's sixth World Premiere as Director with Phil Olson. Doug's cast of Phil Olson's A Nice Family Gathering - also in 2016 at The Group Rep - earned a Best Ensemble, Small Theatre nomination from the NAACP Theatre Awards. Doug's previous directing project at the Group Rep was for Neil Simon's Rumors in 2018. He is preparing to open A Twisted Christmas Carol this Sunday December 15. You have such a great rapp

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

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.

The Group Rep presents the world premiere premiere of A Twisted Christmas Carol, a comedy written by Phil Olson, directed by Doug Engalla, produced by Alyson York, a Texas style spoof of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol,' December 14 - January 12, Upstairs at the Group Rep on the second floor of the Lonny Chapman Theatre.

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 Group Rep is proud to present George A. Romero's 'Night of the Living Dead,' adapted for the stage by Gus Krieger, directed by Drina Durazo, produced by Larry Eisenberg, October 4 through November 10, on the Main Stage of the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood. California.

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. 

The Group Rep presents Simon Gray's award-winning wry, dry comic play OTHERWISE ENGAGED directed by Linda Alznauer. In the blithely, sexually-indulgent 70s, a hooked-on-sex book publisher actually craves a tranquil afternoon of Wagner's Parsifal to soothe the savage beast within. But what he encounters is a constant barrage of neighbors, friends, relatives, strangers, aspiring writers and even his wife back from out-of-town with late breaking news. They all need something from him and all he wants is a quiet afternoon, but as we all know — there's no peace for the wicked. 

Otherwise Engaged/by Simon Gray/directed by Linda Alznauer/Upstairs at the Group Rep/through September 8, Saturdays at 4 pm, Sundays at 7 pm Written in the 1970s, Simon Gray's Otherwise Engaged was a grim look at publisher Simon's (Michael Robb) lack of communication with his family, tenant and friends. He preferred to listen to Wagner as opposed to talking about any issue that came up. Little did Gray know that a mere 44 years later, the internet would pretty much take the place of human interaction. Or did he? Maybe via his play he was predicting the future. Currently at Upstairs at the Group Rep, Otherwise Engaged is receiving a stellar production with a fine cast and directed with exacting precision by Linda Alznauer.

Loose Knit/by Theresa Rebeck/directed by L Flint Esquerra/Group Rep, NoHo/through September 8 Will the play be like Steel Magnolias? I queried. But...there are two male actors onboard. Well, as it turns out Loose Knit provides far more entertainment than I expected and presents a myriad of thought provoking ideas, not only about dating, but about the politics of America and how it works or does not. Currently onstage at Grou Rep, Loose Knit should be a great big winner, because of the astute writing, the dynamite seven member ensemble and superior direction from L Flint Esquerra. Five women meet regularly at Gina's (Lisa McGee Mann) apartment to knit...actually, some to knit, some to talk. Gina is a lawyer and professes to want to knit only, but is keeping a secret deep down that is about to rattle her nerves. Two sisters Lily

The Group Rep presents Simon Gray's award-winning wry, dry comic play OTHERWISE ENGAGED directed by Linda Alznauer. In the blithely, sexually-indulgent 70s, a hooked-on-sex book publisher actually craves a tranquil afternoon of Wagner's Parsifal to soothe the savage beast within.

The Group Rep presents LOOSE KNIT, written by Theresa Rebeck, directed by L. Flint Esquerra, produced by Katelyn Ann Clark, a seductively smart, dark comedy about women who, once a week gather to knit. As the sweaters pile up, their lives fall apart. August 2 - September 8, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 pm, Sunday matinees at 2:00 pm, at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood.