Lauren Peterson News

Shakina Nayfak is a woman blessed with an abundance of talents. She enjoys success as a director, writer, performer, producer, and social activist. Recently she created the critically-acclaimed role of Ava in the Transparent's Musical Finale now streaming on Amazon Prime. She is beloved by fans for her role as Lola on Hulu's Difficult People and has premiered three solo shows at Joe's Pub to sold-out houses. On Saturday, November 9th she brings her one woman show Manifest Pussy back to Joe's Pub. Described as a rock concert/standup special/ritual sacrifice' the show tells the story of Shakina's journey to Thailand for gender confirmation surgery in 2014.

On the day the Obergefell Vs. Hodges ruling was announced, a group of LGBTQ seniors was busy rehearsing a show. There was so much excitement about the legalization of gay marriage, the performers could barely concentrate. This group of people, ages 60 - 91, had seen the full spectrum of gay rights, played out in their lifetimes.

It's the most wonderful time of the year, especially for the Group Rep at the Lonny Chapman Theatre, which for 38 years has provided holiday cheer for children-in-need.

The Group Rep presents Rocky the Renegade Reindeer , written by Craig Alpaugh, directed by Robert Axelrod. Rocky, the back-up reindeer for Santa Claus, organizes a strike among the other reindeer on Christmas Eve. Can Santa save the day?

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!

Evenings of short one-acts are the rage at Equity-waiver theatres! In the black box theatre upstairs at Group rep you you are invited to come see Nine Winning One-Acts, plays that stretch a mere ten-fifteen minutes in length. The mini plays were chosen from over 160 entries from across the United States and written by various unknown playwrights. The evening is divided into two acts with five plays comprising Act One and four in Act Two. There is no single theme running through them, so if I had to describe the conflicts ...why ... life, death, dating, marriage, love, gay relationships, infidelity, euthanasia...and even cat abuse, though mild, thrown into the fray. The evening is Group rep's way of utilizing more company actors and directors, many of whom work less on the theatre mainstage, and for the most part, it's pleasantly stimulating and entertaining fare.

It is refreshing in this day and age to see an attempt to create a new musical. With few exceptions, it appears to be a dying art. If not, we would not be witnessing a raft of old steady revivals on Broadway, off-Broadway and in regional venues across the globe. Doug Haverty and Adryan Russ, no strangers to successful musical ventures, have taken the topic of love and have created Love Again, a bold effort at showing the intermingling of different aspects of love with a semi-large cast. Under the steady hand of Kay Cole all manage to shine in one form or another and a lot of it works delightfully. There's much potential with some more work and readjustments to the book. Many of the songs are quite lovely, and love, in all of its shades and colors, is always a treat to experience. Love Again has its niche at Group rep in NoHo through June 28.

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.

Last night, Blue Lapis Light, Austin's renowned aerial Dance Company, opened Remake Home. The two night event, which closes this evening, is produced by Blue Lapis Light's youth outreach program, Youth Taking Flight. Youth Taking Flight focuses on teenagers and uses movement to instill confidence and open students to new paths of listening and learning.