Larry Eisenberg News

The Group Rep is entering its 43rd year of continuous operation and proudly announces its newest Season containing an exciting collection of original and classic theatrical offerings.  These will explore the reasons people do the things they do and offer the audience a portal into the motives that drive a fascinating array of complicated human beings.

The Group Rep presents the world premiere comedy A Nice Family Christmas written by Phil Olson, directed by Doug Engalla, produced by Alyson York.

The Group Rep presents the world premiere comedy A Nice Family Christmas written by Phil Olson, directed by Doug Engalla, produced by Alyson York.

The 2003 film Calendar Girls was produced in the US with a British cast starring Helen Mirren and Julie Walters. It is a delightful comedy and a sweet ode to women, who, dissatisfied with many lifestyle choices, try quite earnestly to raise the bar. In 2008 it was made into a play and has been a best seller in the UK, probably because it takes place in and pays homage to Yorkshire. Now under Larry Eisenberg's keen and caring direction, Calendar Girls, rarely produced in the US, has a sturdy production with a sterling cast at Group rep in NoHo through October 9.

The Group Rep presents Tim Firth's comedy CALENDAR GIRLS, based on the motion picture by Juliette Towhidi and Firth, directed by Larry Eisenberg, and produced for the Group Rep by Drina Durazo. The show runs tonight, August 26, through October 9, 2016, and BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The Group Rep presents Tim Firth's comedy CALENDAR GIRLS, based on the motion picture by Juliette Towhidi and Firth, directed by Larry Eisenberg, and produced for the Group Rep by Drina Durazo.

The Group Rep presents the world premiere of Gus Krieger's THE ARMADILLO NECKTIE, directed by Drina Durazo, produced by Troy Whitaker. The jet black comedy takes place on the border of Iraq and Iran where U.S. Army Colonel Ulysses Simpson Armadillo with help from his trusty Executive Officer Buckley Dunham, has been searching tirelessly for the native insurgents who, years ago, murdered his beloved wife.  

Musical geniuses of yesteryear like Vivaldi, Handel, Mozart or Bach ... ah, a chosen few who left an unparalleled legacy...but not without bitter resentment and treachery from rivals, some talented, some not... Remember Amadeus by Peter Schaeffer? Salieri stopped at nothing to thwart Mozart's success. Well, now Itamar Moses pits not one, but seven musicians against one another for the coveted position of choirmaster/organist after Johann Kunau dies literally at the organ at Thomaskirche, Leipzig in 1722. There's a flurry of fanciful farce amongst the competitiveness currently onstage in Moses's Bach at Leipzig at Group rep, directed by the brilliant Calvin Remsberg and boasting a devilishly versatile cast, through May 1.

alvin Remsberg is well known as both actor and director on both coasts. Favorite stage credits: Sweeney Todd (First National, and Television productions), CATS, the acclaimed Los Angeles' Phantom of the Opera, Man of La Mancha, and Oliver!  Favorite film credits: 'Pretty Woman,' 'Shrek,' 'The X-Files,' 'Twilight of the Golds,' 'Silk Stalkings.' Favorite Directing credits: The Medium,  Educating Rita, Chapter Two, Dracula,  Triumph of Love, The Sound of Music, Urinetown, Sunday in the Park with George (Ovation Nomination), Into the Woods, Hello, Dolly!, The Last Five Years, Glory Days, F**king Men (American premiere), and Sweeney Todd (Ovation nomination), and ten musicals for The Musical Theatre Guild. This is his directing debut at The Group Rep. by Steve Peterson

Award-winning veteran director Jules Aaron has been putting his directorial stamp on musicals and plays for several decades.  Mr. Aaron takes time out of his busy schedule to talk with us about his current project, the west coast premiere of The Group Rep's production of THAT LOVIN' FEELIN' running December 11 through January 24, 2016 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood, which already has some SOLD OUT performance dates.  He also gives us a glimpse into his background and the encouragement he received along the way.

The Group Rep Co-Artistic Directors Larry Eisenberg and Chris Winfield have announced the company's exciting 42nd Season and the opening of a new performance space on the second floor of the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood, CA. 

Members of the 'Pro99' movement of Actors' Equity Association have issued an open letter to AEA's newly elected president, Kate Shindle, in response to her victory and to her inaugural address as president of the national union for actors and stage managers. The open letter is signed by over 400 Equity members (listed below), including such notable names as Ed Asner, Francis Fisher, Sally Kirkland and Alfred Molina. The 'Pro99' movement formed in late 2014 in opposition to AEA's rollout of a new plan that will effectively force 'intimate theaters' in Los Angeles to pay Equity actors minimum wage, go 'non-union' or even close - despite an overwhelming vote against the plan by 66% of the Los Angeles membership on an advisory referendum. 'Pro99' members around the nation, who take their name from the current AEA '99 Seat Plan' that allows members to volunteer in smaller venues, oppose AEA's new promulgated plan. They are requesting that Equity leadership put a moratorium on the plan until local members' voices can be heard, and that the union work with its members to develop an alternative plan that will more realistically address the needs of the Los Angeles theater community.

Director Gregg T. Daniel returns to The Group Rep to direct Eric Simonson's critically acclaimed play LOMBARDI based on the book When Pride Still Mattered:  A Life of Vince Lombardi by Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Maraniss.  In our conversation, Gregg talks about the play, his fascination with the nature of greatness, and what he's been up to as a director. By Steve Peterson

The Group Rep presents the world premiere musical Love Again, book by Doug Haverty, music by Adryan Russ, lyrics by Russ and Haverty, directed by Kay Cole, produced by Richard Alan Woody and Jon Cortez for The Group Rep, with musical direction by Richard Berent.

The Group Rep presents the world premiere musical Love Again, book by Doug Haverty, music by Adryan Russ, lyrics by Russ and Haverty, directed by Kay Cole, produced by Richard Alan Woody and Jon Cortez for The Group Rep, with musical direction by Richard Berent.

The World Premiere of AFFLUENCE by playwright Steven Peterson is a pitch-dark comedy that may cause one to reflect on the true meaning of wealth. The play was the winner of the 2013 Julie Harris Playwright Award of the Beverly Hills Theatre Guild, now onstage at Theatre 40 through October 20, directed by Larry Eisenberg and produced by David Hunt Stafford, their first stage collaboration in their 40 year friendship. What took you two so long to create such a fine piece of theater?

The Group Rep is proud to announce their 41st Season of six exciting and very different plays.

The Group Rep presents the world premiere musical 'The Ghost of Gershwin,' with music by Wayland Pickard, book by Doug Haverty, lyrics by Laura Manning, directed by Jules Aaron, choreographed by Michele Bernath, and produced by Richard Alan Woody. The play runs today, May 9 through June 22, 2014, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm at the Lonny Chapman Theatre at the edge of the NoHo Arts District.

The Ghost of Gershwin, a new old-fashioned musical, will open Friday, May 9th at the Lonny Chapman Theatre located on the edge of the NoHo Arts District.

The Group Rep presents the world premiere musical 'The Ghost of Gershwin,' with music by Wayland Pickard, book by Doug Haverty, lyrics by Laura Manning, directed by Jules Aaron, choreographed by Michele Bernath, and produced by Richard Alan Woody. The play runs May 9 through June 22, 2014, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm at the Lonny Chapman Theatre at the edge of the NoHo Arts District.