French Stewart News

Laguna Playhouse will present the second show of its 2023-2024 season, THE RAINMAKER, written by N. Richard Nash and directed by Andrew Barnicle. 

Samadahi Entertainment is set to present VENUS IN FUR, by David Ives, directed by Mark Blanchard.  The dark comedy with exceedingly complex characters and a fast-paced play within a play, featuring Russian-born multi-award-winning actress KATYUSHA (Ekaterina Melnik) as Vanda, is set to open August 4th through September 3rd, 2023, at McCadden Place Theatre. 

Tennessee Whiskey & Fresno Chile Productions have announced the West-Coast premiere of If I'm Good, by Ronnie Larsen, will be extended for one performance. Winner of the Fringe's Best Two Person Show and named Best of the Broadwater, If I'm Good tracks the story of two people from different ends of the political spectrum and explores how we got to the disunity we have in America today. The final performance will be July 6th, 2023 at the Broadwater Black Box.

LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE has announced six special productions this summer.

Tennessee Whiskey & Fresno Chile Productions has announced the West-Coast premiere of If I'm Good, by Ronnie Larsen, at the Hollywood Fringe Festival.

North Coast Repertory Theatre’s Artistic Director David Ellenstein, and Managing Director Bill Kerlin, have been named Laguna Playhouse’s new Artistic and Managing Directors respectively, effective immediately.

Laguna Playhouse announced, in association with Gare St. Lazare, Ireland and the Rubicon Theatre Company, Faline England, Sorcha Fox, Conor Lovett and Joe Spano starring in the rolling Southern California premiere of THE REALISTIC JONESES, written by Will Eno and directed by Judy Hegarty-Lovett.

LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE will present the fourth show of its season, the Tony Award-winning musical ONCE, book by Edna Walsh, music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, musical direction by Julia Hoffmann, choreography by Paula Hammons Sloan and directed by Steve Steiner.

Laguna Playhouse will present four magical ways for you to celebrate the holiday season with four extraordinary holiday experiences; THE WONDERFUL WINTER OF OZ: A HOLIDAY PANTO, THE SKIVVIES: SLEIGH MY NAME, and more.

LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE has released production photos from the California premiere of the hilarious KIM’S CONVENIENCE, written by Ins Choi and directed by Jon Lawrence Rivera. KIM’S CONVENIENCE begins previews on Wednesday, September 21; will open on Sunday, September 25 at 5:30pm and perform through Sunday, October 9, 2022 at the Laguna Playhouse.

Adapted from Rena Strober's hit Off-Broadway show, this film focuses on  the gripping story of how Strober was inspired to learn more about her heritage after  witnessing a mob hit during a performance at an iconic Italian restaurant. 

Playhouse has raised over $25,000 to donate to Jose Andres’ World Central Kitchen. The Playhouse started collecting the donations following the performances of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, “What A Fool Believes - Tribute to The Doobie Brothers” and its most recent production of A Chorus Line.

​​​​​​​The long awaited 62nd Annual Garden Grove Strawberry Festival, “Celebrating Essential Workers,” made its triumphal return May 27 – 30, 2022, after a two-year hiatus due to the worldwide health pandemic. 

Special features include behind-the-scenes interviews with cast and crew, a new interview with Richard Elfman, and a music video from Mambo Diabolico, the surrealist musical collaboration between Elfman and the legendary Ego Plum. Aliens, Clowns and Geeks features the late Verne Troyer, Steve Agee, French Stewart, and George Wendt.

Laguna Playhouse has announced its 2022-2023 Season of Shows! Their season begins with the most successful new Canadian play of the last decade, the hilariously heartwarming KIM’S CONVENIENCE.

The evening of unscripted, unannounced storytellers and performers was hosted by comedian, actor, writer and producer Tone Bell and featured personal behind-the-scenes anecdotes from a lineup of surprise celebrity guests including Kenya Barris, Jon M. Chu, Sharon Lawrence and French Stewart.

Arts in Review hosts playwright/actor Justin Tanner an director Lisa James, discussing the premiere of “Minnesota,” a one-person play, starring Tanner and directed by James.

In QUEEN BEES, director Michael Lembeck has translated producer Harrison Powell’s and writer Donald Martin’s vision into a work that buzzes with a smooth and gentle tone of familiarity and romance. A thriving honeycomb of performances, thanks to the presence of veteran actors Ellen Burstyn, Ann- Margret, Loretta Devine, Jane Curtin, James Caan, and Christopher Lloyd. One of the premiere films to be screened at the 2021 Sedona International Film Festival (June12th-20th). Also, now in theatres and On Demand

Hollywood stars came out to demand California save small performing arts theaters at a press conference supporting State Senator Susan Rubio's Senate Bill 805 (SB 805), “Save The Performing Arts Act of 2021” on Wednesday, May 19 at Josefina López' CASA 0101 Theatre.

The Sacred Fools Theater Company is continuing its REPRISE series of streaming “enhanced” readings or performances of previous  productions. Next up is “Watson,” written and directed by Jaime Robledo (originally presented onstage in Sacred Fools' Season 14, in late 2010), which will be available via YouTube Live on Thursday, January 14 at 5pm PST/8pm EST.