Jahmaul Bakare News

Visually stunning. Inventively staged. Compellingly acted. Beautifully told. Utterly delightful. Heartrendingly poignant. What more can be said about Once On This Island, the Lynn Ahrens-Stephen Flaherty musical which launched its national tour in Nashville last night with a remarkable opening performance before a capacity crowd in Andrew Jackson Hall? The critical raves, audience adulation and awards for the recent Broadway revival of the Caribbean-influenced musical were enough to attract ticket-buyers, to be certain, but the sheer artistry of the production and its amazingly talented cast will be more than enough to propel the company forward on their cross-country tour where, we suspect, the accolades will continue to be bestowed upon the heartfelt and authentic story.

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, the tour of the Tony-winning revival of Once on This Island will launch at The Carson Center for Performing Arts in Paducah, KY on October 12, 2019, followed by its official opening in Nashville, TN at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) on October 15, 2019. Once On This Island will play over 25 cities in its first year on tour. Click here for a full list of tour stops.

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, the tour of the Tony-winning revival of Once on This Island will launch at The Carson Center for Performing Arts in Paducah, KY on October 12, 2019, followed by its official opening in Nashville, TN at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) on October 15, 2019. Once On This Island will play over 25 cities in its first year on tour. Click here for a full list of tour stops.

Cast members from the Broadway company will lead the national tour of 2017 Broadway revival of ONCE ON THIS ISLAND!

The nominees for the 29th Annual LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards, celebrating theatrical excellence and achievement throughout Los Angeles, were announced this week.

Actors Co-op Theatre Company's LA TIMES Critic's Choice and Ovation Recommended production of the Tony nominated musical VIOLET, with music by Jeanine Tesori, book and lyrics by Brian Crawley, based on the short story 'The Ugliest Pilgrim' by Doris Betts, directed by Richard Israel, produced by Thomas Chavira, with musical direction by Taylor Stephenson, The show runs through June 17. Fridays and Todays at 8:00 pm; Sundays at 2:30 pm. Special added matinee Today - June 16 at 2:30 pm. There are no performances June 22, 23 and 24. Two additional shows have been added, Friday - June 29 at 8:00 pm and Today - June 30 at 8:00 pm, extending the run through June 30, at Actors Co-op Crossley Theatre, 1760 N. Gower Street, 90028 (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood) in Hollywood.

The Actors Co-op Theatre Company's LA TIMES Critic's Choice and Ovation Recommended production of the Tony nominated musical VIOLET, with music by Jeanine Tesori, book and lyrics by Brian Crawley, based on the short story 'The Ugliest Pilgrim' by Doris Betts, directed by Richard Israel, produced by Thomas Chavira, with musical direction by Taylor Stephenson, The show runs through June 17. Fridays and Todays at 8:00 pm; Sundays at 2:30 pm. There are no performances June 22, 23 and 24. Two additional shows have been added, Friday - June 29 at 8pm and Today - June 30 at 8:00 pm, extending the run through June 30, at the Actors Co-op Crossley Theatre, 1760 N. Gower Street, 90028 (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood) in Hollywood.

The Actors Co-op Theatre Company's LA TIMES Critic's Choice and Ovation Recommended production of the Tony nominated musical VIOLET, with music by Jeanine Tesori, book and lyrics by Brian Crawley, based on the short story 'The Ugliest Pilgrim' by Doris Betts, directed by Richard Israel, produced by Thomas Chavira, with musical direction by Taylor Stephenson, The show runs through June 17. Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm; Sundays at 2:30 pm. There are no performances June 22, 23 and 24. Two additional shows have been added, Friday - June 29 at 8pm and Saturday - June 30 at 8:00 pm, extending the run through June 30, at the Actors Co-op Crossley Theatre, 1760 N. Gower Street, 90028 (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood) in Hollywood.

Actors Co-op Theatre Company's LA TIMES Critic's Choice and Ovation Recommended production of the Tony nominated musical VIOLET, with music by Jeanine Tesori, book and lyrics by Brian Crawley, based on the short story 'The Ugliest Pilgrim' by Doris Betts, directed by Richard Israel, produced by Thomas Chavira, with musical direction by Taylor Stephenson, The show runs through June 17. Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm; Sundays at 2:30 pm. Special added matinee Saturday - June 16 at 2:30 pm. There are no performances June 22, 23 and 24. Two additional shows have been added, Friday - June 29 at 8:00 pm and Saturday - June 30 at 8:00 pm, extending the run through June 30, at Actors Co-op Crossley Theatre, 1760 N. Gower Street, 90028 (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood) in Hollywood.

The Actors Co-op Theatre Company's LA TIMES Critic's Choice and Ovation Recommended production of the Tony nominated musical VIOLET, with music by Jeanine Tesori, book and lyrics by Brian Crawley, based on the short story 'The Ugliest Pilgrim' by Doris Betts, directed by Richard Israel, produced by Thomas Chavira, with musical direction by Taylor Stephenson, adds two additional Saturday 2:30 matinees to its run, June 2 and June 16. The well-received production of Violet runs through Sunday, June 17 at the Actors Co-op Crossley Theatre, 1760 N. Gower Street, 90028 (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood) in Hollywood.

Claire Adams stars as a young North Carolina woman seeking a miracle - to heal her disfigured face caused by a farm accident from when she was young. Embarking on a Greyhound bus bound for Tulsa just after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was implemented, Violet deals with race, guilt, and shame in her quest to get an Oklahoma faith healer to make her inner and outer scars vanish.

What made the Hot List? Check out these productions for a look at the vast creativity of theatre makers in action in Los Angeles: FOREVER BOUND at Atwater Village Theatre, PLUNGE: Part 1 of The Ballad of Bimini Baths Trilogy at Son of Semele, SOFT POWER downtown at the Ahmanson, VIOLET at Actors Co-op, THE GIANT VOID IN MY SOUL from Ammunition Theatre Company,  WOOD BOY DOG FISH at Garry Marshall Theatre, and Antaeus Theatre Company's NATIVE SON in Glendale. Reviews by BWW Sr. Editor Ellen Dostal, LADCC.

Sharing scenes and memories with her younger self during the entire musical is 25-year old Violet, portrayed with both great innocence and insightful common sense by Claire Adams, whom we meet as she is setting off on a journey of hope and discovery aboard a Greyhound bus bound for Tulsa, Oklahoma ('On My Way') where she hopes a TV evangelist can create a miracle and cure her disfigurement. And just how disfigured is Violet that people react to her appearance with so much shock? That is left to your imagination since her scar is often described but never seen, almost as if the real scar is unseen on her soul rather than a physical deformity on her face.

Actors Co-op Theatre Company's production of the Tony nominated musical VIOLET, opened to a Sold Out house and garnered a Standing Ovation, on Friday, May 11, at the Actors  Co-op Crossley Theatre in Hollywood, California.

Actors Co-op Theatre Company (Ovation Award-Winner 2017 Best Play, Intimate Theatre for 33 Variations) is proud to present the Tony nominated musical VIOLET, with music by Jeanine Tesori, book and lyrics by Brian Crawley, based on the short story 'The Ugliest Pilgrim' by Doris Betts, directed by Richard Israel, produced by Thomas Chavira. Violet opens Today, May 11 at 8:00 pm, and will run through Sunday, June 17 at the Actors Co-op Crossley Theatre, 1760 N. Gower Street, 90028 (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood) in Hollywood.

Actors Co-op Theatre Company (Ovation Award-Winner 2017 Best Play, Intimate Theatre for 33 Variations) is proud to present the Tony nominated musical VIOLET, with music by Jeanine Tesori, book and lyrics by Brian Crawley, based on the short story 'The Ugliest Pilgrim' by Doris Betts, directed by Richard Israel, produced by Thomas Chavira. Violet opens Friday, May 11 at 8:00 pm, and will run through Sunday, June 17 at the Actors Co-op Crossley Theatre, 1760 N. Gower Street, 90028 (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood) in Hollywood.

BUMPERSTICKER: THE MUSICAL conquers the Hollywood Fringe Festival with its terrific triple threat combination making it great for people who don't like musicals and even better for those who do. It's the right show in the right venue with the right cast, and a rousing good time from beginning to end.

Boyle Heights will be the setting for a pull out all the stops Cinco de Mayo (May 5, 2016) celebration on the Eastside of Los Angeles as Brown Fist Productions in association with CASA 0101 Theater present the opening night of EASTSIDE HEARTBEATS, A New Rock 'n' Roll Musical.

Boyle Heights will be the setting for a pull out all the stops Cinco de Mayo (May 5, 2016) celebration on the Eastside of Los Angeles as Brown Fist Productions in association with CASA 0101 Theater present the opening night of EASTSIDE HEARTBEATS, A New Rock 'n' Roll Musical.

There are undoubtedly other productions worthy of merit in 2015 which I did not cover. This list is based only on what I saw and reviewed. (alphabetical listings; Equity, Equity-waiver & Non-Equity productions are mixed) (artists performing outside LA may be included in performance categories) No set, costume, or technical awards. I leave that to the bigger awards and to the expertise of those who really know those fields inside out.