Second Thought Theatre begins its sixteenth season with the area premiere of Mlima's Tale by Lynn Nottage. Tiana Kaye Blair makes her STT directing debut with this year's season opener. Mlima's Tale begins with previews on Wednesday, February 19 and runs through Saturday, March 14. All performances of Mlima's Tale will take place at Bryant Hall on the Kalita Humphreys Campus, 3400 Blackburn Street. Tickets to Mlima's Tale can be purchased online at secondthoughttheatre.com.
Jon Lawrence Rivera, Artistic Director of Playwrights' Arena a?" the first and oldest theater dedicated to discovering, nurturing, and producing original works written exclusively by Los Angeles playwrights a?" is thrilled to announce the extended run of RED INK by Steven Leigh Morris through Monday, February 24, 2020.
Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater presents the world premiere of Eduardo Machado's (Havana Is Waiting, The Cook) Celia and Fidel. It's 1980 and Cuba is dealing with a failing economy. As Fidel Castro ponders on how to move his country forward, his political partner, Celia Sánchez, is never far from his side. Imbued with magical realism, Celia and Fidel is the dynamic story of radical change in Cuba featuring the country's most notorious political figure and Cuba's most influential female revolutionary. Directed by Molly Smith, Celia and Fidel runs February 28 through April 12, 2020 in the Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle.
The Olivier Award nominated stage production of The Tiger Who Came to Tea today announces an 8-week summer season in the West End for 2020, returning to Theatre Royal Haymarket following its hugely popular 2019 Christmas run. A musical play adapted and directed by David Wood OBE, based on the classic tale by the late Judith Kerr OBE, The Tiger Who Came to Tea will open in London on Thursday 16 July, playing until 6 September 2020. This will be the production's 7th West End run and marks its 12th year on stage.
Already in previews, Heidi Schreck's 2019 Tony-nominated Best Play and Pulitzer Prize finalist WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME has been extended twice at the Mark Taper Forum through February 28, 2020. Maria Dizzia assumes the role of Heidi in this national tour, with original Broadway cast members Mike Iveson and Rosdely Ciprian rounding out the cast. (Jocelyn Shek will alternate the role of debater with Rosdely.) I had the opportunity to ask a few CONSTITUTIONal questions of Mike.
Under the production of owner Faith Clark and co-direction of Jake Indano and Dulcie Mishkin, on January 25 & 26, Florida Drama Kids will bring to stage 56 students, ages 6-17 in Disney's Frozen Jr. at Hillsborough Community College, Brandon campus.
Tony Award nominee Maria Dizzia is starring in the first two stops of the national tour of Heidi Schreck's Tony Award nominated play and Pulitzer Prize finalist What the Constitution Means to Me, directed by Oliver Butler.
Diablo Ballet presents the second program of their 26th season, Balanchine & Beyond, Feb 7 a?" 8 at the Del Valle Theatre in Walnut Creek. The programs features selections from five ballets including George Balanchine's, Who Cares? set to the music of Gershwin; the choreographic debut of company dancer Michael Wells; the bravura Esmerelda; and the celebration of female choreographers with works by Sally Streets and Penny Saunders.
Jocelyn Bioh's hit comedy School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, comes to Portland this January in a historic co-production between Artists Repertory Theatre and Portland Center Stage at The Armory. Inspired in part by Bioh's mother's time in a boarding school in Ghana, and Bioh's own experience in at a boarding school in Pennsylvania, School Girls tells the story of Paulina, the reigning Queen Bee at Ghana's most exclusive boarding school. Her dreams of winning the Miss Universe pageant are threatened by the arrival of Ericka, a new student with undeniable talent, beauty … and lighter skin.
The Lucille Lortel Theatre Foundation has announced the guest lineup for February 2020 tapings of the popular a?oeLive at the Lortela?? podcast focused on Off-Broadway. Each taping lasts about 60 minutes a?" with 45 minutes of moderated conversation with host Eric Ostrow and 15 minutes for audience questions. As always, tickets are free to the public and can be reserved by visiting www.liveatthelortel.com.
Longtime independent film champion, Film Threat, helmed by founder and filmmaker Chris Gore, are stepping into the void to honor true indies and right the Oscar snubs with Award This! Live from Los Angeles on Wednesday, February 5th at the Studio Movie Grill in Glendale, CA. Award This! will feature the creative forces of independent cinema both in front of and behind the camera with inventive new categories: Oscar Snub nominating those performances and filmmakers who blew us away this year like Awkwafina, Jennifer Lopez, Robert DeNiro, Adam Sandler, Greta Gerwig, and Lulu Wang; Movie Critic Worthy of Your Attention honoring the film critics with a pulse on movie commentary including Alachia Queen, John Campea, Leonard Maltin, Luke Thompson and Michael Dequina; Short Film, Socially Relevant Documentary hitting topics that get to the heart of us like Afghan Cycles, The Animal People (executive produced by Joaquin Phoenix), Don't Be Nice, Fat: A Documentary, Life Overtakes Me, Mr. Toilet, No Safe Spaces, and Tell Me Who I Am; Sports Documentary, Indie Sci-Fi, Pop Culture Documentary, Indie Horror, Indie Comedy, Indie LGBTQ+ Themed Film, Indie Action/Thriller, WTF Indie, Director, Directress, Indie Made for Less Than the Contents of an Oscar Gift Bag (Under $100K), Indie Movie of the Year, and Ensemble Cast.
What the Constitution Means to Me officially opened this week at the Mark Taper Forum. Starring Maria Dizzia, written by Heidi Schreck and directed by Oliver Butler, performances will continue through February 28.
As soon as the ordinary theatregoer hears the title What the Constitution Means to Me, he may think 'a boring two hours of history and politics! I get enough of that on a daily basis. I think I'll pass.' Beware! Do not make such judgmental statements! Take a leap of faith and see this play. I found it scintillating; it educated and enlightened me. Now onstage through February 23 at the Taper, Heidi Schreck's in depth exploration is not a one person play about the contents of the Constitution. Yes, of course it presents facts, but the overwhelmingly violent issues at hand are extremely personal and relatable. In spite of its dark corners, it will surprisingly shower you with laughs and hopefully make you want to stand up and fight for human rights.
FACTORY THEATRE has announced the World Premiere of Marjorie Chan's LADY SUNRISE, directed by Factory's Artistic Director, Nina Lee Aquino. The play features a powerful ensemble of six Asian Canadian women, Belinda Corpuz, Ma-Anne Dionisio, Zoé Doyle, Rosie Simon, Lindsay Wu, and Louisa Zhu. Presented at FACTORY THEATRE, February 15 - March 8, 2020 (opening night February 20, 2020).
Today, AUDELCO (Audience Development Committee) President Jackie Jeffries, SeasonWalk Productions CEO Denise Gray, Marcia Pendelton, President of Walk Tall Girl Productions/Black Theater Online, and the Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts, LIU Brooklyn Campus (Rodney Hurley, Managing Director) announced THE THEATERMAKERS - A Black Theater Preview: Winter/Spring Edition.
The Producers Guild of America (PGA) hosted the 31st Annual Producers Guild Awards on the evening of Saturday, January 18 at the Hollywood Palladium. A full list of winners is below.
Presented by Center Theatre Group, a?oeWhat the Constitution Means to Mea?? opens tonight at the Mark Taper Forum. Starring Maria Dizzia, written by Heidi Schreck and directed by Oliver Butler, performances will continue through February 28.
Jon Lawrence Rivera, Artistic Director of Playwrights' Arena – the first and oldest theater dedicated to discovering, nurturing, and producing original works written exclusively by Los Angeles playwrights – is presenting RED INK by Steven Leigh Morris, with a cast that includes Michelle Bonebright-Carter, Steven Culp, Tracey A. Leigh, Leo Marks, Jocelyn Towne, and Peter Van Norden.
Currently in previews, a?oeWhat the Constitution Means to Mea?? at Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum is extended a second and final time. Written by Heidi Schreck, directed by Oliver Butler and starring Maria Dizzia, the Tony-nominated play, originally scheduled to run through February 16 and later extended until February 23, will now continue through February 28, 2020. a?oeWhat the Constitution Means to Mea?? will open on Friday, January 17.
