Nick DeGruccio News

The 24th Annual LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards, celebrating theatrical excellence and achievement during the 2013 season, were presented on Sunday, November 3 at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse Thirty-five awards were bestowed upon 13 different Southern California theatre companies. Leading the pack with 12 was Center Theatre Group (seven for The Nether at the Kirk Douglas Theatre; three for Joe Turner's Come and Gone at the Mark Taper Forum; one for The Scottsboro Boys at the Ahmanson Theatre; and one for The Royale at the Kirk Douglas Theatre). CTG was followed by 3-D Theatricals with five awards (four for Parade and one for Shrek the Musical). The Chance Theater and La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts took home three awards each (including Best Season for La Mirada); Circle X Theatre Company, the Fountain Theatre, and the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble tied with two each. Check out a look back at the red carpet arrivals, award ceremony, and more below!

End LA and Scott Disharoon have announced they will present The End Of It, a new play by Paul Coates, for a limited engagement at the Matrix Theatre on Melrose with previews beginning tonight, Saturday, September 7, and opening set for Saturday, September 14 at 8pm. Directed by three-time Ovation Award-winner Nick DeGruccio, the world premiere of The End Of It will run through October 20.

End LA and Scott Disharoon have announced they will present The End Of It, a new play by Paul Coates, for a limited engagement at the Matrix Theatre on Melrose with previews beginning Saturday, September 7, and opening set for Saturday, September 14 at 8pm. Directed by three-time Ovation Award-winner Nick DeGruccio, the world premiere of The End Of It will run through October 20.

Heartbreaking. Gutsy. Intensely riveting. These are some of the words I jotted down in the dark---while simultaneously wiping tears streaming down my face---during the Southern California Regional Premiere of the Tony Award-winning musical NEXT TO NORMAL, now playing at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts for a limited run ending June 23. The winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, this thought-provoking, emotionally-heavy musical play---which features music by Tom Kitt and book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey---has now been revived locally in a top-notch, Broadway-caliber staging that truly impresses from beginning to end.

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, June 2, 2013 - Sunday, June 2, 2013.

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment present the Southern California regional theatre premiere of the Tony Award-winning musical, NEXT TO NORMAL, music by Tom Kitt, book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, musical direction by Darryl Archibald and directed by Nick DeGruccio with musical direction by Darryl Archibald. NEXT TO NORMAL opened last night, June 1, and runs through Sunday, June 23, 2013. BroadwayWorld was there for the opening festivities and brings you photos from the curtain call, party and more!

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & MC COY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT will present the Southern California regional theatre premiere of the Tony Award-winning musical, NEXT TO NORMAL, music by Tom Kitt, book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, musical direction by Darryl Archibald and directed by Nick DeGruccio. NEXT TO NORMAL will preview on Friday, May 31, 2013 (with a press opening on Saturday, June 1) and runs through Sunday, June 23, 2013 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment present an all-new revival of one of the greatest musicals of all time, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, with book by Lawrence Kasha and David Landay, lyrics, music and new songs by Johnny Mercer, Gene de Paul, Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn. SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS features musical direction by Dennis Castellano, choreography by Patti Colombo and will be directed by Glenn Casale. SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS opened on Saturday, April 13, and runs through Sunday, May 5, 2013 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts. BroadwayWorld was there for the opening celebrations and brings you photos below!

The Tony Award-winning musical 1776 will make its Cabrillo Music Theatre and Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza debut from tonight, October 19 through Sunday, October 28. The musical about the writing of the Declaration of Independence brings the most significant moment in American history to life with wit, wisdom and humanity. The result is a musical theatre classic that will have audiences cheering for the creation of democracy.

The Tony Award-winning musical 1776 will make its Cabrillo Music Theatre and Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza debut from Friday, October 19 through Sunday, October 28. The musical about the writing of the Declaration of Independence brings the most significant moment in American history to life with wit, wisdom and humanity. The result is a musical theatre classic that will have audiences cheering for the creation of democracy.

The preview engagement of JEKYLL & HYDE celebrated its opening night performance on September 8, 2012, at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts in La Mirada, Calif. The limited pre-tour engagement will play through September 30, 2012. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the opening night curtain call and photos of the cast-including Constantine Maroulis, Deborah Cox and more-at the after party!

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS held its MISS SAIGON press opening last night, April 14. Below, see photos of stars Lawrence Cummings, Cassandra Murphy, Jacqueline Nguyen, Aidan Park and more at the event!

Just as the 2012 presidential race heats up,International City Theatre (ICT) presents the West Coast premiere of a hard-boiled, darkly comic, Olivier Award-nominated rock musical about the American political machine. With book and lyrics by John Dempsey and music by Dana P. Rowe, The Fix begins a four-week run on April 27 at International City Theatre in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center. Randy Brenner is at the helm, with musical direction by Darryl Archibald, choreography by Heather Castillo, and Sal Mistretta reprising his Helen Hayes Award-winning role as Uncle Grahame. Low-priced previews take place on April 24, 25 and 26.

DOMA Theatre Company kicks off its 2012 season of musical theater with a revival of The Who's Tommy. Hallie Baran directs the Tony Award-winning rock opera that features a book by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff; music and lyrics by The Who's Pete Townshend; and additional music and lyrics by John Entwistle, Keith Moon and Sonny Boy Williamson. Musical director is Chris Raymond and Angela Todaro choreographs. Performances take place March 23 through April 15 at The MET Theatre in Los Angeles.

DOMA Theatre Company kicks off its 2012 season of musical theater with a revival of The Who's Tommy. Hallie Baran directs the Tony Award-winning rock opera that features a book by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff; music and lyrics by The Who's Pete Townshend; and additional music and lyrics by John Entwistle, Keith Moon and Sonny Boy Williamson. Musical director is Chris Raymond and Angela Todaro choreographs. Performances take place March 23 through April 15 at The MET Theatre in Los Angeles.

For the past several weeks, Broadway's Davis Gaines has took to the stage as Don Quixote in the Musical Theatre West production of Man of La Mancha at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Center for the Performing Arts. Having received rave notices since its February 10 opening of a fourteen performance run, BWW TV's Los Angeles Correspondents Michael Sterling and Jerry Evans visited Gaines and company to reflect on the run as it prepares for closing on Sunday, February 26. Click below to check out the video!

With two impressive lead stars--Davis Gaines and Lesli Margherita--at the forefront of a fresh, dynamic re-staging of a classic work, Musical Theatre West's brand new production of the 1965 Tony Award-winning musical MAN OF LA MANCHA is, hands down, one of the most complex, beautifully-rendered musical revivals to grace Southern California in some time. A laudable blend of strong musical performances, sublime visual artistry, and a labyrinthine story, this intensely-moving theatrical offering will continue to wow audiences at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach through this Sunday, February 26.

Broadway composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz went to see yesterday's matinee of Musical Theatre West's production MAN OF LA MANCHA. At the evening performance, Martha Wasserman (widow of Dale Wasserman) showed up with French actor David Serero, who is doing the role of Cervantes in the French production. See the photos below!