John Steppling News

On April 8 at 7:00 PM, Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave., will present a free concert reading of 'The Coming Storm: the legacy of anti-Semitism endures,' written and directed by Stephan Morrow.

From December 22 to January 8, Theater for the New City will present the world premiere of 'Darkness After Night: Ukraine,' a play written and directed by Stephan Morrow that is set in the contemporary war between Russia and Ukraine.

Center Theatre Group’s co-artistic director playwright Luis Alfaro curates and leads CTG’s L.A. Writers’ Workshop Festival taking place over the course of two weekends, September 9-11 and September 16-18, 2022 at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. I had the chance to obtain a few answers from this very busy, multi-tasking man.

Padua Playwrights presents the world premiere of the newest work from legendary poet/ playwright Murray Mednick. Performances of Mednick's darkly comic Three Tables, directed by the playwright, continue through May 22 at the Zephyr Theatre.

Padua Playwrights world premieres poet/playwright Murray Mednick’s Three Tables April 23, 2022, at the Zephyr Theatre. The playwright himself directs the cast featuring Steve Apostolina, Eric Stanton Betts, Raquel Cain, Matt Gottlieb, Laura Liguori, Dennis Renard, Corey Rieger and Michael Uribes. I got the chance to throw a few questions at Murray on Three Tables, Padua Playwrights and his long history with Los Angeles theatre.

Padua Playwrights presents the world premiere of the newest work from legendary poet/playwright Murray Mednick. Mednick directs his darkly comic Three Tables for a five-week run, April 23 through May 22, at the Zephyr Theatre on Melrose Avenue.

The Theater for the New City production of 'Sometime Child: a Reclamation and a Redemption' by Richard Bruce, previously scheduled for February 10 to 20, was struck by Covid in the cast. That forced the run to be postponed on its opening day. The production has been reassembled and will be presented by Theater for the New City from March 13 to 27.

The Theater for the New City production of 'Sometime Child: a Reclamation and a Redemption' by Richard Bruce, previously scheduled for February 10 to 20, was struck by Covid in the cast. That forced the run to be postponed on its opening day.

'The Assassination of J.Kaisaara?? will return for a second run at Theater for the New City.

When there is a sick child in a family, says playwright Anne Marilyn Lucas, an entire family revolves around the child's illness.  In 2016 more American lives were taken by drug overdoses than were lost in the Vietnam War, according to the Centers for Disease Control, and deaths increased by 10.7%, to 72,000, the following year. 

'Looking Back at Bangkok and Beyond....' is a solo play written and performed by Stephan Morrow based on a global pilgrimage he embarked on at the end of his teenage years.

'Looking Back at Bangkok and Beyond....' is a solo play written and performed by Stephan Morrow based on a global pilgrimage he embarked on at the end of his teenage years.

Created by the team behind the critically acclaimed 2015 production of Heather Smiley for President, the musical has a book and lyrics by Tom Attea, with music composed by Arthur Abrams. The production is directed by Mark Marcante. THE FOLK SINGER will play a limited engagement through October 23rd. Also opening this weekend are three new one act plays by Lorinne Vozoff and Eduardo Machado Directed by Eduardo Machado Starring Sharon Ullrick, Lorinne Vozoff and Eduardo Machado Lighting Design: Alexander Bartenieff  Costume Design: Michael Bevins Stage Manager: Fran Acuna-Almiron From two old friends who seem to have fallen for the same man.... again, to a chance meeting on a park bench, to a showdown between two theatrical giants, LIFE MASKS is a collection of one acts celebrating that even though you might now be of a certain age, you still can fight for what you believe

'Life Masks,' an evening of new works by Lorinne Vozoff and Eduardo Machado, celebrates that even though you might now be of 'a certain age,' you still can fight for what you believe. Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave., presents the evening tonight, September 29, through October 15.

'Life Masks,' an evening of new works by Lorinne Vozoff and Eduardo Machado, celebrates that even though you might now be of 'a certain age,' you still can fight for what you believe.  Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave., presents the evening September 29 to October 15.

Heidi Darchuk's The Empire Builder follows Marigold on her trip east through Montana on an old train line to visit the grave of her grandmother. Hank Bunker's The World to Come, gives us two men grappling with the aftereffects of an apparent alien visitation. In Shayne Eastin's Trouble for Miles, a family fishing excursion goes horribly wrong. Christopher Kelley's Now and at the Hour takes us to the basement of the hero's childhood home where his brother's shade awaits.

Heidi Darchuk's The Empire Builder follows Marigold on her trip east through Montana on an old train line to visit the grave of her grandmother. Hank Bunker's The World to Come, gives us two men grappling with the aftereffects of an apparent alien visitation. In Shayne Eastin's Trouble for Miles, a family fishing excursion goes horribly wrong. Christopher Kelley's Now and at the Hour takes us to the basement of the hero's childhood home where his brother's shade awaits.

A new trailer for Death in the Desert, starring internationally acclaimed actor Michael Madsen (The Hateful Eight, Sin City), has been released. The film is due for release in 2016 by Osiris Entertainment.

From tonight, October 8, through October 25, Theater for the New City will present the world premiere of 'Wives,' newly written by Mario Fratti, in a double-bill with his breakthrough play, 'The Academy.' Taken together, the two plays illustrate the changing nature of the battle of the sexes between the postwar period and now. The two-part evening is directed by actor/director Stephan Morrow, who plays the instructor of a school for gigolos in 'The Academy.'