Karesa McElheny News

The Hudson Theatre will present a world premiere musical BECAUSE IT'S SUNNY IN L.A. (Especially On Skid Row).  Written and produced by Thaddeus Nagey, in the hope of creating awareness of the homeless population in Los Angeles.

Thaddeus Nagey, in his debut as an Equity Musical Theatre Producer and Union Playwright, is pulling out all the stops for his world premiere of BECAUSE IT'S SUNNY IN L.A. (Especially On Skid Row).  The show is set to open June 3rd at The Hudson Backstage Theatre.

Broadway had one of its greatest commercial hits and the longest running comedy-thriller with Ira Levin's Deathtrap in 1978, and it was later on film in 1982 with Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve. Like Sleuth  before it, Deathtrap makes a game out of murder with plot twists too numerable to mention, and adds just a small amount of comedy to make it all palatable. It's a play within a play, making it doubly intriguing to watch. Now on stage at Sierra Madre Playhouse, this new production of the classic is solid with fine direction from Christian Lebano and a resilient cast.

The multi-award-winning NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHoAce) is thrilled to present a world premiere play, THE LIGHT BULB, written by Joshua Ravetch (One November Yankee) and directed by Noho Arts Center Artistic Director James J. Mellon. THE LIGHT BULB will begin previews on Thursday, September 26 at 8pm; will open on Friday, October 4 at 8pm and run for six weeks through Saturday, November 9, 2013 at the NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd. (at Lankershim) in North Hollywood.

Christopher Knopf's world premiere The Red Room , clearly reminiscent of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, has modern day repercussions in spite of its period time and place. Although appearing affluent on the surface, all members of this family dynasty are suffering. A failing business; for some, no job or money and hasty, psychological escapism. Though not a salesman, Edwin's (Brad Blaisdell) failures are compared to those of Willy Loman, more than once, and the entire structure/content of the play echo the tragic themes of Salesman with its domineering father, loyal-to-a-fault mother and struggling-to-be accepted sons. One might also recall O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night where parental weaknesses segue directly to the next generation like the plague. This is a very heavy-handed dramatic work containing gripping dialogue and incisive confrontations that require an outstanding director and cast to put them over with any degree of success. Fortunately, the NoHo Ace Ensemble is attuned to these challenges.

The multi-award-winning NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHo ACE) presents a world premiere play, THE RED ROOM, written by former WGA President Christopher Knopf and directed by NoHo Arts Center Artistic Director James J. Mellon. THE RED ROOM opens tonight, Friday, September 28 at 8pm and will run for six weeks through Sunday, October 28 at the NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd. (at Lankershim) in North Hollywood.

The multi-award-winning NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHo ACE) presents a world premiere play, THE RED ROOM, written by former WGA President Christopher Knopf and directed by NoHo Arts Center Artistic Director James J. Mellon. THE RED ROOM will begin previews on Thursday, September 20 at 8pm and will open on Friday, September 28 at 8pm and will run for six weeks through Sunday, October 28 at the NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd. (at Lankershim) in North Hollywood.

The multi-award-winning NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHo ACE) presents a newly revised version of the play developed by the company, DEPARTURES, written by Michael Catlin, Effie Hortis, Jim Lunsford, James J. Mellon, Duane Poole, Penelope Richards, Jed Schlanger and Mark Wyrick, and directed by James J. Mellon.

The multi-award-winning NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHo ACE) presents a newly revised version of the play developed by the company, DEPARTURES, written by Michael Catlin, Effie Hortis, Jim Lunsford, James J. Mellon, Duane Poole, Penelope Richards, Jed Schlanger and Mark Wyrick, and directed by James J. Mellon.

The multi-award-winning NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHo ACE) presents the West Coast Premiere of PRAYING SMALL, written by Clifford Morts and directed by Victor Warren. PRAYING SMALL will preview on Thursday, June 10 at 8pm and will open on Friday, June 11 at 8pm and will run for six weeks through Sunday, July 18 at The NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd. (at Lankershim) in North Hollywood.

The multi-award-winning NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHo ACE) presents the West Coast Premiere of PRAYING SMALL, written by Clifford Morts and directed by Victor Warren. PRAYING SMALL will preview on Thursday, June 10 at 8pm and will open on Friday, June 11 at 8pm and will run for six weeks through Sunday, July 18 at The NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd. (at Lankershim) in North Hollywood.

The multi-award-winning NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHo ACE) presents the West Coast Premiere of PRAYING SMALL, written by Clifford Morts and directed by Victor Warren. PRAYING SMALL will preview on Thursday, June 10 at 8pm and will open on Friday, June 11 at 8pm and will run for six weeks through Sunday, July 18 at The NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd. (at Lankershim) in North Hollywood.

The multi-award-winning NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHo ACE) presents the West Coast Premiere of PRAYING SMALL, written by Clifford Morts and directed by Victor Warren. PRAYING SMALL will preview on Thursday, June 10 at 8pm and will open on Friday, June 11 at 8pm and will run for six weeks through Sunday, July 18 at The NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd. (at Lankershim) in North Hollywood.

The multi-award-winning NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHo ACE) presents the West Coast Premiere of PRAYING SMALL, written by Clifford Morts and directed by Victor Warren. PRAYING SMALL will preview on Thursday, June 10 at 8pm and will open on Friday, June 11 at 8pm and will run for six weeks through Sunday, July 18 at The NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd. (at Lankershim) in North Hollywood.

The multi-award-winning NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHo ACE) in association with David Elzer are thrilled to announce that their critically-acclaimed all-new look at the timeless classic, Dracula, dramatized by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston, based on Bram Stoker?s novel , and directed by Ken Sawyer (The Woman in Black, Lovelace) is extending again and will now play through Sunday, May 17 at the NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd. (at Lankershim) in North Hollywood. Additionally, David Burnham, star of The Light in the Piazza will play Renfield on Friday, May 1 & Saturday, May 2.

The multi-award-winning NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHo ACE) in association with David Elzer are thrilled to announce that their critically-acclaimed (LA Times 'SENSATIONAL!' LA Weekly PICK OF THE WEEK! Backstage CRITIC'S PICK!) all-new look at the timeless classic, DRACULA, dramatized by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston, based on Bram Stoker's novel , and directed by Ken Sawyer (The Woman in Black, Lovelace) is NOW EXTENDING through SUNDAY, APRIL 26 at the NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd. (at Lankershim) in North Hollywood.

The multi-award-winning NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHo ACE) in association with David Elzer are thrilled to announce that their critically-acclaimed all-new look at the timeless classic, Dracula, dramatized by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston, based on Bram Stoker?s novel , and directed by Ken Sawyer (The Woman in Black, Lovelace) is extending again and will now play through Sunday, May 17 at the NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd. (at Lankershim) in North Hollywood. Additionally, David Burnham, star of The Light in the Piazza will play Renfield on Friday, May 1 & Saturday, May 2.