Fred Willard News

LaMirada and McCoy Rigby Entertainment will present the award-winning and revolutionary 1776 THE MUSICAL, with musical direction by Jeff Rizzo and directed & staged by Glenn Casale. 1776 THE MUSICAL will begin previews on Friday, January 11, 2019 (with a press opening on Saturday, January 12 at 8pm) and runs through Sunday, February 3, 2019 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.

The New Year brings epic adventures for Adult Swim's new animated series, Tigtone, premiering Sunday, January 13th at Midnight ET/PT. This quarter-hour series is created by Andrew Koehler and Benjamin Martian, who also serve as executive producers with Blake Anderson (Workaholics).

What does a pageant star who calls herself the “hot-mess express,” a confident Nigerian beauty with a loud-and-proud personality,; a deceptively bubbly spitfire who is hiding a dark family secret, a California beach blonde who has a secret that ironically may make her the Bachelor's perfect match, and a lovable phlebotomist all have in common? They're all on the hunt for love with Colton Underwood when the 23rd edition of ABC's hit romance reality series “The Bachelor” premieres with a live, three-hour special on MONDAY, JAN. 7 (8:00–11:00 p.m. EST), on The ABC Television Network, streaming and on demand.  

The Dick Cavett Show Coming To DVD from SMORE Entertainment

SF Sketchfest presented by Audible announces the initial line up for the 18th annual San Francisco Comedy Festival January 10-27, 2019, featuring top comedic talent performing in venues across the city. Audiences can expect another outstanding year of programming and fun as SF Sketchfest will host major comedy stars and the best up-and-coming acts from around the world for non-stop entertainment including sketch, stand-up, alternative comedy, music, improv, films, tributes, live podcasts, storytelling, family shows, workshops, panels and more.

SF Sketchfest presented by Audible announces the initial line up for the 18th annual San Francisco Comedy Festival January 10-27, 2019, featuring top comedic talent performing in venues across the city. Audiences can expect another outstanding year of programming and fun as SF Sketchfest will host major comedy stars and the best up-and-coming acts from around the world for non-stop entertainment including sketch, stand-up, alternative comedy, music, improv, films, tributes, live podcasts, storytelling, family shows, workshops, panels and more.

The musical is a send-up of the cult classic movie and other sci-fi films and TV shows of the 1950s, melded with plot elements from "The Tempest" along with dialogue bits from multiple Shakespeare plays. That was part of the fun for me, catching so many Shakespearean quotes perfectly placed in the dialogue of Bob Carlton's musical set on a spaceship sometime in the future, featuring a galaxy of 1950's and 1960's rock and roll classics including "Wipeout," "Good Vibrations," "Great Balls of Fire," "All Shook Up," "Monster Mash" and "We Gotta Get Out of this Place." And what an outrageously fabulous band under the musical direction of Trevor Wheetman and Omar D. Brancato, both of whom rocked the house on guitars while believably playing Ensign crew members onstage.

Already wondering how to entertain your visiting relatives this holiday season? The Second City has you covered with its new holiday revue, The Second City's The Good, the Bad & the Ugly Sweater. This hilarious show pulls a festive mix of material from The Second City archives and is the perfect way to celebrate winter in Chicago.

Get ready to blast off as Rubicon Theatre Company presents the hilarious, out-of-this-world musical RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET, returning to Ventura after its acclaimed run in 2016. Winner of the Olivier Award for Best Musical, this fabulously campy send-up of "Forbidden Planet" and other sci-fi films and TV shows of the 1950s and 1960's melds plot elements from The Tempestwith language from multiple plays by Shakespeare. Set on a spaceship sometime in the future, the show features a galaxy of rock-and-roll classics, including "Wipeout," "Good Vibrations," "Great Balls of Fire," "All Shook Up, and "Monster Mash." The jukebox musical spoof rockets into orbit just in time for Halloween - with a gala costume party on Saturday, October 20 at 7:00 p.m. followed by an after-party at Rhumb Line on the Harbor. Low-priced previews are October 17-19. The show runs Wednesdays through Sundays through November 4.

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Producing Artistic Director), recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award in 2016, launches its 80th milestone season with The Color Purple, directed by Tony Award-winner John Doyle. The Color Purple is the Tony Award-winning musical revival based upon the novel written by Alice Walker and the Warner Bros./Amblin Entertainment motion picture with a book by Marsha Norman and music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray. Cast members from the 2015 Broadway revival lead the Paper Mill Playhouse company, including Adrianna Hicks (Aladdin, Sister Act - Germany) as Celie, Carla R. Stewart (Ghost - National Tour, Rent - Regional) as Shug Avery and Carrie Compere (Holler If You Hear Me, Shrek the Musical - National Tour) as Sofia.

Paper Mill Playhouse has announced casting for The Color Purple, directed by Tony Award winner John Doyle. Cast members from the 2015 Broadway revival lead the Paper Mill Playhouse company, including Adrianna Hicks (Aladdin, Sister Act - Germany) as Celie, Carla R. Stewart (Ghost - National Tour, Rent - Regional) as Shug Avery and Carrie Compere (Holler If You Hear Me,Shrek the Musical - National Tour) as Sofia. 

The Wallis presents Celebrity Autobiography, Today, July 21, 2018 at 7:00 p.m.

Created by Eugene Pack and developed by Pack & Dayle Reyfel, audiences at Celebrity Autobiography are treated to an entertaining evening of non-stop laughter as an eclectic mix of talented & hilarious performers act out classic excerpts from a range of celebrity tell-alls

Created by Eugene Pack and developed by Pack & Dayle Reyfel, audiences at Celebrity Autobiography are treated to an entertaining evening of non-stop laughter as an eclectic mix of talented & hilarious performers act out classic excerpts from a range of celebrity tell-alls

The Wallis presents Celebrity Autobiography, Saturday, July 21, 2018 at 7:00 p.m.

On Friday, June 1, Governor General Julie Payette presented a Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award to Second City CEO and Executive Producer Andrew Alexander. The ceremony took place at Ottawa's Rideau Hall as part of the 2018 Governor General's Performing Arts Awards (GGPAA), Canada's most prestigious recognition for the performing arts. The following evening, Alexander and his fellow laureates were feted at the GGPAA's annual star-studded gala, held at the National Arts Centre.

The popular intimate nightclub, The Sorting Room, returns this summer to the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, delivering a compelling and eclectic mix of music, comedy and cabaret with nine diverse sessions from June 22 – July 21, 2018, 7 pm. The Sorting Room  transforms the Lovelace Studio Theater into a 140-seat custom built nightclub space that offers Los Angeles audiences a rare opportunity to experience some of the best and emerging talent in cabaret, live contemporary music, spoken word, and more. The Sorting Room Summer sessions are sponsored by Delta Air Lines.  

What do a fashion aficionado whose over-the-top confidence led him to the competitive world of male modeling, a nine-year NFL veteran who is a big teddy bear despite his gruff exterior, an outdoorsman who likes to take things slow, a former professional football-player-turned-philanthropist who has a secret that could end his chances of getting the final rose and the dashing gent who pulled out all the stops when he first met the Bachelorette all have in common? They're all on the hunt for Becca Kufrin when the 14th edition of ABC's popular romance reality series, “The Bachelorette,” premieres on MONDAY, MAY 28 (8:00–10:01 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network, streaming and on demand.  

The full cast for The 5th Avenue Theatre's spectacular new production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which stars Deaf actorJoshua Castille as Quasimodo, has been announced. Castille will use American Sign Language (ASL) throughout his performance, bringing new life and perspective to Quasimodo, who is deaf in the novel by Victor Hugo.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & McCOY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT present the fourth show of its 2017-2018 season (and the 40th anniversary of the iconic theatre) with