Lonny Chapman News

2013 Interview with Larry Eisenberg by guest journalist Steve Peterson

It's hard to believe, but Stages Musical Theatre Festival will be almost twenty years old this year. This biennial musical theatre event returns to Los Angeles the weekend of August 23-25. Featuring eight new musicals presented in concert readings, the festival will be hosted by the New Musicals Initiative (the professional wing of the Academy for New Musical Theatre) and will be presented in two locations: the Lonny Chapman Theatre (10900 Burbank Blvd in North Hollywood) and the Academy, 5628 Vineland in North Hollywood.

The Group Rep presents the French farce by Georges Feydeau and Maurice Desvallieres, translation by Peter Glenville, directed by Drina Durazo, produced by Sherry Netherland. Slamming doors, trysts and secret assignations abound when no one is whom they appear to be in this hilarious, head-spinning bedroom comedy. The show runs tonight, June 28 - August 11, 2013.

The Group Rep presents the French farce by Georges Feydeau and Maurice Desvallieres, translation by Peter Glenville, directed by Drina Durazo, produced by Sherry Netherland. Slamming doors, trysts and secret assignations abound when no one is whom they appear to be in this hilarious, head-spinning bedroom comedy. The show runs June 28 - August 11, 2013.

It's hard to believe, but Stages Musical Theatre Festival will be almost twenty years old this year. This perennial musical theatre event returns to Los Angeles the weekend of August 23-25, hosted by the New Musicals Initiative at the Academy for New Musical Theatre at the Lonny Chapman Theatre (10900 Burbank Blvd in North Hollywood) and the Academy, 5628 Vineland in North Hollywood, featuring eight new musicals, in concert.

The Group Rep presents Richard Harris' Stepping Out directed by Stan Mazin, produced by Linda Alznauer, tonight, February 8 - March 24, 2013.

The Group Rep presents Richard Harris' Stepping Out directed by Stan Mazin, produced by Linda Alznauer, February 8 - March 24, 2013.

In Steve Peterson's interview below, director Larry Eisenberg talks about his theatre background and what led him to choose SHERLOCK'S LAST CASE for Group Rep.

The Group Rep presents Charles Marowitz' Sherlock's Last Case directed by Larry Eisenberg, produced by Drina Durazo, tonight, November 30, 2012, through January 13, 2013. Get a first look at the production in the photos below!

The Group Rep presents Charles Marowitz' Sherlock's Last Case directed by Larry Eisenberg, produced by Drina Durazo, November 30, 2012, through January 13, 2013. Get a first look at the production in the photos below!

The Group Rep presents Charles Marowitz' Sherlock's Last Case directed by Larry Eisenberg, produced by Drina Durazo.

Donald Margulies, winner of a Pulitzer for his Dinner With Friends, was also nominated for the same prestigious award for Collected Stories, a taut two-character drama about a complicated relationship between a renowned short story writer, Ruth Steiner, and Lisa Morrison, a talented graduate student she is mentoring. The relationship deepens beyond mentor/pupil to best friend and confidant. Several years pass and Lisa publishes her own work of fiction…or is it?

The Circle by W. Somerset Maugham is a comedy of manners… a story with 2 triangles, one an elderly couple, and the second, youthful. In the first, the woman, Lady Kitty (played rightfully 'over the top' by a very funny but full of heart Rhonda Lord) has left her first husband, Clive Champion-Cheney (beautifully and truthfully played, but with a dash of humor, by the brilliant Lloyd Pedersen) when she falls in love with the then dashing Lord (Huey) Porteus (very well played by David Hunt Stafford). In the youthful triangle, Elizabeth (elegantly acted by the beautiful Shelby Kocee) is married to Arnold (largely playing an actor as well as a wonderful violinist by the name of Scott Facher), when she realizes that she has fallen in love, and vice versa, with a man of little means, Teddie (handsomely acted by Ross Alden). Now to get things relatively straight, Arnold is the son of Lady Kitty and Clive Champion-Cheney. So it seems that the daughter-in-law, Elizabeth, may be following in the footsteps of her mother-in-law. This all occurs in the beautiful upscale house in Dorset, England in the 1930s, brought to life in the beautiful set design by Jeff G. Rack, great costuming by Michele Young (I was particularly taken by a simple but gorgeous Kelly green period gown that Shelby wore), and good light design by Ric Zimmerman.

The Group Rep at the Lonny Chapman Theatre is hosting a Special Event Performance of Jon Robin Baitz' "The Paris Letter" and an after show Q & A with the celebrated playwright, on Wednesday, August 22, at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in the NoHo Arts District.

The Group Rep at the Lonny Chapman Theatre is proud to present Jon Robin Baitz' THE PARIS LETTER, directed by the award-winning, Jules Aaron produced by Patrick Burke for the Group Rep at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in the NoHo Arts District of North Hollywood, California. The play runs July 20 through September 2, 2012.

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.

Sharon Michaels in association with the Macha Theatre presents SIDETRACKED, a world premiere whodunit set in the Golden Age of Hollywood, directed by Ray A. Rochelle.

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