Kent Butler News

The Group Rep's well received production of Neil Simon's classic farce RUMORS, directed by Doug Engalla, produced by Alyson York, has been extended due to critical acclaim and sold out houses. The play about five neurotic couples who gather for a dinner party celebrating one couple's 10th anniversary, goes wildly awry when guests arrive early only to discover their host has shot himself, the hostess and servants are missing, and dinner not ready. Confusions and miscommunications mount, as the evening spins off into farcical hilarity. The play, which opened June 15, will run through August 11th at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood, at the edge of the NoHo Arts District.

The Group Rep's production of Neil Simon's classic farce RUMORS, directed by Doug Engalla, produced by Alyson York for the Group Rep, was well received opening weekend. RUMORS centers around five neurotic couples who gather for a dinner party celebrating one couple's 10th anniversary. The best laid plans go wildly awry when guests arrive early only to discover their host has shot himself, the hostess and servants are missing, and dinner not ready. As confusions and miscommunications mount, the evening spins off into farcical hilarity. The play opened June 15 and runs through July 29 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood, at the edge of the NoHo Theatre and Arts District.

North Hollywood's Lonny Chapman Theatre was packed Friday night for the opening of Neil Simon's RUMORS. This classic farce followed five couples that had all been invited to a dinner party to celebrate a sixth couple's 10th anniversary. However, everything changed when the couples discover the host (Charlie) had shot himself, his servants and hostess were missing, and dinner hadn't been prepared. What divulged was utter nonsense and hilarity.

The Group Rep presents Neil Simon's classic farce RUMORS, directed by Doug Engalla, produced by Alyson York for the Group Rep. Five neurotic couples gather for a dinner party celebrating one couple's 10th anniversary. The best laid plans go wildly awry when guests arrive early only to discover their host has shot himself, the hostess and servants are missing, and dinner not ready. As confusions and miscommunications mount, the evening spins off into farcical hilarity. The play runs June 15 through July 29 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood, at the edge of the NoHo Arts District.

The Group Rep presents Neil Simon's classic farce RUMORS, directed by Doug Engalla, produced by Alyson York for the Group Rep. Five neurotic couples gather for a dinner party celebrating one couple's 10th anniversary. The best laid plans go wildly awry when guests arrive early only to discover their host has shot himself, the hostess and servants are missing, and dinner not ready. As confusions and miscommunications mount, the evening spins off into farcical hilarity. The play runs June 15 through July 29 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood, at the edge of the NoHo Arts District.

The Group Rep presents Neil Simon's classic farce RUMORS, directed by Doug Engalla, produced by Alyson York for the Group Rep. Five neurotic couples gather for a dinner party celebrating one couple's 10th anniversary. The best laid plans go wildly awry when guests arrive early only to discover their host has shot himself, the hostess and servants are missing, and dinner not ready. As confusions and miscommunications mount, the evening spins off into farcical hilarity. The play runs June 15 through July 29 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood, at the edge of the NoHo Arts District.

The Group Rep presents Neil Simon's classic farce RUMORS, directed by Doug Engalla, produced by Alyson York for the Group Rep. Five neurotic couples gather for a dinner party celebrating one couple's 10th anniversary. The best laid plans go wildly awry when guests arrive early only to discover their host has shot himself, the hostess and servants are missing, and dinner not ready. As confusions and miscommunications mount, the evening spins off into farcical hilarity. The play runs June 15 through July 29 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood, at the edge of the NoHo Arts District.

birthday. He is dying of cancer but is told that he is suffering from a spastic colon. Mendacity. Margaret (Madeline Fair) denies gossip that she and husband Brick (Daniel Kaemon) are sleeping apart. The denial is a lie. Gooper (Todd Andrew Ball) and wife Mae (Kyra Schwartz) swear to have Big Daddy's back. More mendacity. Brick denies unspeakable devotion to football pal Skipper. Mendacity, mendacity, mendacity. The plantation reeks of it. The only truth that exists is that Big Daddy does hate his relationship with Big Mama (Diane Frank) and is not afraid to tell it to the world.The Pollitt family give new meaning to the word dysfunction. Who would want to celebrate anything with them? But somehow Tennessee Williams manages to get us to care for Maggie, Brick, Big Daddy and Big Mama. Gooper, Mae and their no.neck monster children... we can definitely live without. Now in an appealing production at Group rep directed meticulously by L. Flint Esquerra and with an outstanding cast, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof still manages to grab hold and move us.

The Group Rep at the Lonny Chapman Theatre presents Tennessee Williams' dynamic and demanding Pulitzer Prize-winning play directed by L. Flint Esquerra, produced by Kevin Dobson for The Group Rep. Check out photos from the show below!

The Best in LA Theatre for 2014 (alphabetical listings; Equity, Equity-waiver & Non-Equity productions are mixed) (artists performing outside LA may be included in performance categories)

Tennessee Williams' classic A Streetcar Named Desire is revered as one of the greatest plays of the 20th century with Blanche DuBois and Stanley Kowalski, two of the most fascinating characters in theatrical history. Written in the 40s, the play does have many dated elements, but given a taut, well-honed production, its beautifully poetic passages still inspire...and its raw passions can ignite fireworks. Now onstage at the group rep in NoHo, Streetcar may be a daring choice for this company, but under L. Flint Esquerra's caring and detailed direction and with four actors perfectly cast in the lead roles, it is something to sing about.

The Group Rep presents as their first production of their 41st Season Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire directed by L. Flint Esquerra, produced by Kellie Brook Malone for the Group Rep. This Pulitzer Prize and Drama Critics Circle Award-winning play famously recounts how the faded and promiscuous Blanche DuBois is pushed over the edge by her sexy and brutal brother-in-law, Stanley Kowalski. Considered to be one of the most remarkable plays of our time, the play solidified Tennessee Williams' position as one of the most important young playwrights of his generation.

The Group Rep presents the Tony nominated, fast-paced farce MOON OVER BUFFALO by Ken Ludwig (Lend Me a Tenor) directed by Drina Durazo, produced by Stephanie Colet.

The Group Rep presents the Tony nominated, fast-paced farce MOON OVER BUFFALO by Ken Ludwig (Lend Me a Tenor) directed by Drina Durazo, produced by Stephanie Colet.

Lee Blessing gives us a three-dimensional look at baseball legend Ty Cobb in his fiercely honest one-act Cobb now onstage at Group rep in NoHo. Superbly staged by Gregg T. Daniel and gloriously acted by an ensemble of four, Cobb is represented at the beginning, middle and end of his life by three actors who play simultaneously around and against each other, as the man, like all men, attempts to sum up his life and make sense of his accomplishments.

The Group Rep will present Lee Blessing's COBB, directed by Gregg T. Daniel, produced by Richard Alan Woody.

The Group Rep will present Lee Blessing's COBB, directed by Gregg T. Daniel, produced by Richard Alan Woody.

In his lovely script The Trip to Bountiful Horton Foote engages our attention with his keen appraisal that 'The world can't be bought'. Believing the best things in life are free - well, almost..., elderly Carrie Watts (Gwen Van Dam) proves just how healing a return to one's roots, however brief, may be. Group rep utilizes a fine cast, achieving an overall excellent representation of Foote's rarely seen work.