Larry Gelbart News

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, announces the first four selections of its 40th Anniversary Season. The celebratory season kicks-off with the current Off-Broadway hit The Commons of Pensacola, which is expected to be the first regional production. The season continues with Agatha Christie's mystery The Mousetrap, which is the world's longest-running play. Playwright Bruce Graham (Stella & Lou, The Outgoing Tide) returns to Northlight for the World Premiere of White Guy on the Bus. Shining Lives: A Musical, based on Melanie Marnich's play, commissioned by Northlight and written by Jessica Thebus (book & lyrics), Andre Pluess and Amanda Dehnert (music) will make its World Premiere in the Spring. An additional title is yet to be announced.

Isaac Sidney 'Sid' Caesar, an American comic actor and writer, died on Wednesday at the age of 91. He best known for the pioneering 1950s live television series Your Show of Shows, 'Sid Caesar was 27 when he launched Your Show of Shows - TV's first and greatest live comedy,' NPR's Susan Stamberg's on his show.

Musical Theatre West presents the second production of their 61st season, Davis Gaines (Los Angeles' longest-running Phantom in The Phantom of The Opera) starring as Professor Harold Hill and Gail Bennett (Mary Poppins) starring as Marian Paroo in Meredith Willson's timeless and joyous, THE MUSIC MAN, book, music and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Meredith Willson and Franklin Lacey, musical direction by Corey Hirsch, choreography by John Todd and directed by Jeff Maynard.

Desert Foothills Theater (DFT), a division of the Foothills Community Foundation, presents 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum' running tonight, Feb. 14 through Sun., March 2 in the Black Box Theatre of Cactus Shadows Fine Arts Center, 33606 N. 60th Street, in North Scottsdale.

Desert Foothills Theater (DFT), a division of the Foothills Community Foundation, presents 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum' running Fri., Feb. 14 through Sun., March 2 in the Black Box Theatre of Cactus Shadows Fine Arts Center, 33606 N. 60th Street, in North Scottsdale.

Chicago-Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, announces a forthcoming artistic exchange with Ireland through the co-production of Chapatti, a new work developed through Northlight's Interplay program. The co-production of Chapatti will premiere at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie, March 7-April 13, 2014, and will open at the Galway Arts Festival in July 2014. Chapatti, by acclaimed Irish playwright Christian O' Reilly, will be directed by Artistic Director BJ Jones and will feature John Mahoney and Penny Slusher.

As the calendar turns to February, the weather is, for the moment remarkably mild. Spring, though, is far off and cold, dreary days are still to come. It's the perfect time to sit in a cozy theater and have your spirits lifted watching a hysterical play that fills you with the warmth of joyfulness and fun. Ocean State Theatre Company has exactly what you need with their production of Neil Simon's Laughter on the 23rd Floor.

Musical Theatre West presents the second production of their 61st season, Davis Gaines (Los Angeles' longest-running Phantom in The Phantom of The Opera) starring as Professor Harold Hill and Gail Bennett (Mary Poppins) starring as Marian Paroo in Meredith Willson's timeless and joyous, THE MUSIC MAN, book, music and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Meredith Willson and Franklin Lacey, musical direction by Corey Hirsch, choreography by John Todd and directed by Jeff Maynard.

American Stage Theatre Company announces its 2014-2015 season for its six Mainstage productions, their 30th Anniversary with American Stage in the Park and a bonus production that will be a world premiere. American Stage offers an unforgettable theatrical journey with one world premiere, four area premieres, two Tony Award-winning plays, two musicals, our 8th installment of an August Wilson's Century Cycle, a Neil Simon classic and even a farce by Lewis Black. Our 2014-2015 season will be a season above the rest!

Original Titanic Broadway cast member Drew McVety will again set sail in the Tony Award-winning musical, which begins performances at WBT tonight, January 16. The production, which is a new intimate adaptation of Maury Yeston and Peter Stone's lushly scored musical about the doomed ocean liner, will run through February 23rd.

Original Titanic Broadway cast member Drew McVety will again set sail in the Tony Award-winning musical, which begins performances at WBT on January 16. The production, which is a new intimate adaptation of Maury Yeston and Peter Stone's lushly scored musical about the doomed ocean liner, will run through February 23rd.

The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) has named The Simpsons co-developer, Emmy-winning television writer/director/producer, and philanthropist Sam Simon as its 2014 Valentine Davies Award honoree

Today in 1989, City of Angels opened at the Virginia Theatre (now the August Wilson Theatre), where it ran for 879 performances. City of Angels is a musical comedy with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by David Zippel, and book by Larry Gelbart. The musical weaves together two plots, the 'real' world of a writer trying to turn his book into a screenplay, and the 'reel' world of the fictional film. The musical is an homage to the film noir genre of motion pictures that rose to prominence in the 1940s. It was directed by Michael Blakemore with sets designed by Robin Wagner and costumes by Florence Klotz.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum will take the stage at the Shakespeare Theatre Company this holiday season. Making his STC mainstage directing debut, STC Associate Director Alan Paul heads up the hilarious and fun musical farce based on the classic plays of ancient Roman playwright Plautus. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum will play at Sidney Harman Hall (610 F Street NW) from today, November 21, 2013-January 5, 2014.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum will take the stage at the Shakespeare Theatre Company this holiday season. Making his STC mainstage directing debut, STC Associate Director Alan Paul heads up the hilarious and fun musical farce based on the classic plays of ancient Roman playwright Plautus. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum will play at Sidney Harman Hall (610 F Street NW) from November 21, 2013-January 5, 2014. Check out the rehearsal photos below!

BroadHollow Theatre Company's production of Neil Simon's Laughter On the 23rd Floor was enjoyable. It's a refreshing, simple, semi-autobiographical play that is inspired by Mr. Simon's early career as one of the writers for the television show Your Show of Shows. The audience was also enthusiastically receptive although the insolent, drunk, middle-aged couple that was making-out across the aisle apparently wanted to be elsewhere.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum will take the stage at the Shakespeare Theatre Company this holiday season. Making his STC mainstage directing debut, STC Associate Director Alan Paul heads up the hilarious and fun musical farce based on the classic plays of ancient Roman playwright Plautus. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum will play at Sidney Harman Hall (610 F Street NW) from November 21, 2013-January 5, 2014.

CABRILLO MUSIC THEATRE welcomes Davis Gaines (Southern California's Longest-running PHANTOM) and Victoria Strong in the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza premiere of Cole Porter's most raucous, sexy, and best loved musical ever, KISS ME, KATE! Cabrillo Music Theatre's 20th Anniversary Season kicks off with the popular favorite tonight, October 18th, 2013, playing until Sunday, October 27th, at the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.

CABRILLO MUSIC THEATRE announces its full cast to join the previously announced Davis Gaines (Southern California's Longest-running PHANTOM) and Victoria Strong in the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza premiere of Cole Porter's most raucous, sexy, and best loved musical ever, KISS ME, KATE! Cabrillo Music Theatre's 20th Anniversary Season kicks off with the popular favorite on Friday, October 18th, 2013, playing until Sunday, October 27th, at the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.

Today we are talking to a recognizable and well-known character actor who has appeared in a number of notable stage and screen properties over the course of his fifty-year career, Shakespeare to COCO to CITY OF ANGELS to STAR TREK and galaxies far, far beyond - Rene Auberjonois. Detailing the finer points of his participation in a number of wildly different stage properties - from his Broadway debut in Lee J. Cobb's Lincoln Center KING LEAR through to COCO opposite Katharine Hepburn, a starring role in CITY OF ANGELS, as well as the infamous DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES and Larry Gelbart's SLY FOX this century, and many more - Auberjonois paints a vivid picture of the working actor throughout the decades. Additionally, Auberjonois also outlines his favorite moments in participating in a number of Robert Altman's most memorable movies - MASH and MCCABE & MRS. MILLER among them - and shares stories from the sets of many of his best-known and best-remembered film appearances - THE EYES OF LAURA MARS and many more included. Plus, Auberjonois also comments on some of his favorite TV parts to date, including his enduring STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE legacy and his most recent projects such as the animated series POUND PUPPIES and ARCHER. Most importantly, Auberjonois offers insight into his indelible participation in the enduring Disney animated family favorite THE LITTLE MERMAID, including how the recent 3D re-release and this week's special features-packed Blu-ray has introduced his famous voice and theatricality to a whole new generation. All of that, thoughts on Broadway now versus the Golden Age, his continued patronage in supporting renown charity Doctors Without Borders, working on Stephen Schwartz's GEPPETTO for Disney and much, much more awaits in this uniquely compelling career-spanning conversation with a stage and screen stalwart.