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BWW Review: A Modern Day OTHELLO Finds Humor Amid the Horror of Revenge
by Ellen Dostal - Feb 21, 2019

Never has the relationship between Iago and Roderigo in Shakespeare's OTHELLO stolen the show like it does in the current A Noise Within production, directed by Jessica Kubzansky. With an outwardly nonchalant Michael Manuel as the revenge seeking villain, and Jeremy Rabb, an actor who knows comedy like the back of his hand, as his unsuspecting lackey, the situational humor in Shakespeare's tragedy comes front and center. That's right, humor.

Elan Ensemble Presents HOW WE'RE DIFFERENT FROM ANIMALS
by Stephi Wild - Feb 14, 2019

ELAN Ensemble has announced its inaugural production, the world premiere of How We're Different from Animals, based on short stories from No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July. Under the direction of Ovation Award nominee Jonathan Mu oz-Proulx (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest), the production is set to open on Friday, February 22, at 8pm and run through March 24 only at the Atwater Village Theatre.

SOFT POWER And More Win 2019 LA Ovation Awards; See The Full Winners List
by A.A. Cristi - Jan 29, 2019

The 29th Annual LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards, celebrating theatrical excellence and achievement throughout Los Angeles, were presented on Monday, January 28, at the Theatre at Ace Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

SOFT POWER, Kathleen Marshall and More Nominated for 2019 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards
by A.A. Cristi - Nov 21, 2018

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

BWW Review: Absurdly Comic OLD CLOWN WANTED Gets West Coast Premiere at Odyssey
by Shari Barrett - Nov 5, 2018

Inspired by a 1970 Federico Fellini film, OLD CLOWN WANTED centers on three aging clowns who compete for a job in a room with no windows and very little furniture, in which theater and circus arts are intertwined in an absurdist, cynical, tender and very funny look at aging and man's fear of uselessness in society. The entertaining and non-stop action in this new translation from the French by Jeremy Lawrence, is appropriately directed by Romanian-born Florinel Fatulescu, who has won numerous theater awards for his daring and innovative style. While the overall production seemed very Italian in nature to me, there was certainly enough Vaudevillian slapstick schtick to keep audiences laughing from start to finish.

East West Players Announces Extension Of VIETGONE
by A.A. Cristi - Oct 26, 2018

East West Players (EWP), the nation's longest-running professional theater of color in the country and the largest producing organization of Asian American artistic work, is pleased to announce an extension for the Los Angeles premiere of Qui Nguyen's Vietgone, which the New York Times has hailed as "a raucous comedy" and Rolling Stone has described as "a wild, enjoyable ride." Directed by Jennifer Chang, Vietgone began preview performances on October 18, with opening night on October 25, 2018, and now closes on Sunday, November 18, 2018 with an extension that includes four additional performances.

Latino Theater Company Premieres Get Simultaneous Runs at The LATC
by Julie Musbach - Sep 27, 2018

What do a couple of a petty criminals planning a kidnapping in a seedy Barstow motel and a gay, Latino, world champion boxer in 1980s New York at the start of the AIDS epidemic have in common?

Echo Theater's WHAT HAPPENED WHEN Gets Third and Final Run with New Cast
by BWW News Desk - Sep 27, 2018

Brooding, compelling, funny and startling. Memories unravel and dark truths are revealed in a haunting ghost story by Rattlestick Playwrights Theater's Daniel Talbott(Slipping) when The Echo Theater Company's West Coast premiere returns in a third and final rendition (following productions in April and July) with a third set of ensemble members. This time round, Chris Fields directs Ian Bamberg,Matthew Gallenstein and, at alternate performances,Kenzie Caplan and Mara Klein, for a Sept. 27 opening at Atwater Village Theatre. 

Romanian-French Playwright Matei Visniec's OLD CLOWN WANTED Makes West Coast Premiere
by BWW News Desk - Sep 22, 2018

Inspired by a 1970 Federico Fellini film, three aging clowns compete for a job in an absurdly comic look at man's fear of uselessness in society. Odyssey Theatre Ensemble presents the West Coast premiere of Old Clown Wanted by Romanian-French playwright Matei Visniec in a new translation from the French by Jeremy Lawrence. Romanian-born Florinel Fatulescu directs for a Sept. 22 opening, with performances continuing through Nov. 4 at the Odyssey Theatre in West L.A.

Photo Flash: First Look at the West Coast Premiere of OLD CLOWN WANTED
by Stephi Wild - Sep 19, 2018

Inspired by a 1970 Federico Fellini film, three aging clowns compete for a job in an absurdly comic look at man's fear of uselessness in society. Odyssey Theatre Ensemblepresents the West Coast premiere of Old Clown Wanted by Romanian-French playwright Matei Vi?niec in a new translation from the French by Jeremy Lawrence. Romanian-born Florinel Fatulescu directs for a Sept. 22 opening, with performances continuing through Nov. 4 at the Odyssey Theatre in West L.A.

Echo Theater's WHAT HAPPENED WHEN Gets Third and Final Run with New Cast
by Julie Musbach - Aug 28, 2018

Brooding, compelling, funny and startling. Memories unravel and dark truths are revealed in a haunting ghost story by Rattlestick Playwrights Theater's Daniel Talbott(Slipping) when The Echo Theater Company's West Coast premiere returns in a third and final rendition (following productions in April and July) with a third set of ensemble members. This time round, Chris Fields directs Ian Bamberg,Matthew Gallenstein and, at alternate performances,Kenzie Caplan and Mara Klein, for a Sept. 27 opening at Atwater Village Theatre. 

Romanian-French Playwright Matei Visniec's OLD CLOWN WANTED Makes West Coast Premiere
by Julie Musbach - Aug 28, 2018

Inspired by a 1970 Federico Fellini film, three aging clowns compete for a job in an absurdly comic look at man's fear of uselessness in society. Odyssey Theatre Ensemble presents the West Coast premiere of Old Clown Wanted by Romanian-French playwright Matei Visniec in a new translation from the French by Jeremy Lawrence. Romanian-born Florinel Fatulescu directs for a Sept. 22 opening, with performances continuing through Nov. 4 at the Odyssey Theatre in West L.A.

Stage Raw Announces Its 2017-2018 Theater Award Recipients
by Stephi Wild - Aug 21, 2018

The 2018 Stage Raw Theater Awards celebrate excellence on the Los Angeles stages in venues of 99-seats or under. This fourth annual edition included productions that opened between January 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018. Stage Raw is a community funded professional journalism website that was created in response to the decline of arts coverage in local mainstream and alternative media.The Awards ceremony was held Monday night, August 20, at Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles, hosted by Coeurage Theatre Company, and co-directed by Jer Adrianne Lelliott, Thaddeus Shafer and Lauren Ludwig. Winners notated in red below.

East West Players Announces Cast And Creative Team Of VIETGONE
by Julie Musbach - Aug 10, 2018

East West Players (EWP), the nation's longest-running professional theater of color in the country and the largest producing organization of Asian American artistic work, is pleased to announce the cast and creative team for the Los Angeles premiere of Qui Nguyen's Vietgone, which the New York Times has hailed as "a raucous comedy" and Rolling Stone has described as "a wild, enjoyable ride." Directed by Jennifer Chang, Vietgone begins performances on October 18 and runs until November 11, 2018, with opening night on October 25, 2018.

Padua Playwrights Presents MAYAKOVSKY AND STALIN
by BWW News Desk - Jul 21, 2018

Two love stories. Two suicides. Padua Playwrights presents the world premiere of Mayakovsky and Stalin, written and directed by legendary poet/playwright Murray Mednick (The Gary Plays), opening at the Lounge Theatre on July 21.

Stage Raw Announces Nominees For 2017-2018 Los Angeles Theatrical Excellence
by A.A. Cristi - Jul 19, 2018

The 2018 Stage Raw Theater Awards celebrate excellence on the Los Angeles stages in venues of 99-seats or under. This fourth annual edition includes productions that opened between January 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018.

Stage Raw Announces Nominees For 2017-2018 LOS ANGELES THEATRICAL EXCELLENCE!
by A.A. Cristi - Jul 11, 2018

The 2018 Stage Raw Theater Awards celebrate excellence on the Los Angeles stages in venues of 99-seats or under. This fourth annual edition includes productions that opened between January 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018.

SUBURGATORY's Laura Liguori Stars In New Play
by Julie Musbach - Jul 10, 2018

Actress Laura Liguori takes on the role of a Russian poet's enigmatic muse in a true life story of 1930s Russia in the play MAYAKOVSKY AND STALIN will premiere at 8 p.m. on July 21 at the Lounge Theatre, 6201 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90038. It will run through Aug. 19.

Padua Playwrights Presents MAYAKOVSKY AND STALIN
by Julie Musbach - Jun 19, 2018

Two love stories. Two suicides. Padua Playwrights presents the world premiere of Mayakovsky and Stalin, written and directed by legendary poet/playwright Murray Mednick (The Gary Plays), opening at the Lounge Theatre on July 21.

RIPE FRENZY Comes to Greenway Court Theatre
by BWW News Desk - May 17, 2018

Jennifer Barclay's RIPE FRENZY is produced by Greenway Arts Alliance (Whitney Weston and Pierson Blaetz, Co-Founders and Co-Artistic Directors) at Greenway Court Theatre (544 N. Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles), as part of a National New Play Network (NNPN) Rolling World Premiere with partnering theaters New Repertory Theatre in Boston and Synchronicity Theatre in Atlanta. Winner of the 2016 NNPN Smith Prize for Political Theatre, RIPE FRENZY is directed by Ovation Award-nominee Alana Dietze (Dry Land at the Echo Theater Company and Kirk Douglas Theatre) and projection designs by Obie Award-winner Jared Mezzocchi (Vietgone at Manhattan Theatre Club). Performances will play May 17 through June 17, 2018; with the press opening on Saturday, May 19.

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