Ovation News

The Victory Theatre Center is proud to present the World Premiere of SHOWPONY, a new comedy by Judith Leora and directed by Tom Ormeny.

King of Cuba, a new comedy by award-winning writer Cristina Garcia, has extended through August 26th at the historic Berkeley City Club (originally scheduled to close August 19). In King of Cuba, two aging Cubanos hilariously have a go at each other. Opening night Marga was described as 'dethroning machismo,' while the house erupted as El Comandante (Marga Gomez) remarked "Nobody has bigger cojones than I do." The night then roiled with laughter as the two silver haired Cubanos 'knock each other down' verbally and otherwise.

The Colony Theatre in Burbank has announced a four-performance engagement of Doris and Me, A Musical Tribute to Doris Day starring Scott Dreier from August 9-12. Doris and Me is directed by Ovation Award-winner Richard Israel. This engagement follows Dreier's recent performance at Doris Day's 96th birthday celebration in Carmel, CA, which was a benefit for the Doris Day Animal Foundation.

In honor of Artistic Director Michael Kahn's final season with the Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC), the opening show of the 2018-2019 Season, William Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors, will feature beloved performers, many of whom have been with the Company since the very beginning.

LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE is thrilled to present the second show in its 98th season, Angela Ingersoll starring as Judy Garland in the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts/McCoy Rigby Entertainment production of the critically acclaimed END OF THE RAINBOW, written by Peter Quilter, with musical direction by Jon Steinhagen and directed by Ovation Award winner Michael Matthews.  

Six began as a Cambridge University student production before heading to the Edinburgh Fringe last year. It returns to Edinburgh this year following on from a successful run at the Arts Theatre in London and a UK tour.

The good news is that 'Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!,' an original Filipino play set into music by APO Hiking Society's hit songs, is like no other OPM jukebox musical we have seen in recent memory. Most of the jukebox musicals staged in Manila have an entirely fictional story (e.g. 'Ako si Josephine,' '3 Stars and a Sun' ) or have a plot that's leaning towards social commentary (e.g 'Rak of Aegis'), and, more often than not, try to repackage the sound of the original versions of the songs to make them more current and theatrical (e.g 'Ang Huling El Bimbo,' 'I Remember a Boy'). In their first foray into producing an original material, 9 Works Theatrical and Globe Live go for a more sentimental story, an ultimate throwback to the mid-1970s, with a plot that's loosely based on the early years of the original members of the APO Hiking Society.

In 1992 a schoolgirl from Fife was catapulted to a rock star life in an indie band. Touring with Radiohead, partying with Blur, she was living the dream. Until she wasn't. Based on her teenage diaries, this is the true story of Cora Bissett's rollercoaster journey from the girl she was to the woman she wanted to be. Performing with a live band, directed by Orla O'Loughlin, Cora celebrates life's euphoric highs and epic shitstorms, asking what wisdom we should pass to the next generation and which glorious mistakes we should let them make.

Next week, Feinstein's/54 Below will present some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com/Feinsteins or call (646) 476-3551.

The Suzhou Chinese Orchestra drew hundreds of Chinese folk music-lovers to the Lincoln Performance Hall at Portland State University on Friday with a "Charm of Chinese Music Concert".

Whether you're up for it or not, jukebox musicals are back in full swing. The genre assumes a new swagger--aimed not merely to regale, but ostensibly to prove artistic legitimacy.

Standing Room Only and Graceful Productions have announced a staged reading of the new musical Calvin Berger at the Hudson Backstage Theatre in Hollywood. With book, music, and lyrics by Barry Wyner and directed by Ovation Award-winner Richard Israel, the Calvin Berger staged reading will be presented on Friday, August 10, and Saturday, August 11, at 8pm and Sunday, August 12, at 7pm. The cast will feature (in alphabetical order) Joshua Bassett, Grace Kaufman, Julia Lester, and Jason Eric Testa. The musical director is Anthony Lucca.

Honeck-Moss Productions presents "In The Works." This exciting series is in it's second season was conceived as an opportunity for composers to try out new work in front of an audience and see how it plays in a supportive environment. It is also an opportunity to create community among the composers and their performers.

After selling out their first four performances, Trans Voices Cabaret returns to The Duplex with an even bigger cast of transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming performers on Saturday, August 18th, 2018 at 9:30pm, with direction by Donnie Cianciotto and musical direction by Anessa Marie.

It was a picture perfect Berkshire evening on Wednesday, July 25, as WAM Theatre supporters packed the bucolic grounds of the Berkshire Equestrian Center in Richmond. They celebrated and supported the company's ninth season at WAM's sold-out Midsummer Cocktail Party Benefit, hosted by Berkshire favorite Ty Allan Jackson.

There's no wonder why Oliver sold out at Carrollwood Cultural Center. Celebrating their 10th anniversary and revisiting the first show that debuted at the center with two of the original actors - Terry Larosa and Kimberly Rostas, MAS Theatre's Oliver was spectacular entertainment. Under the exceptional direction of Tracy Stemm-Crews, musical direction by Mary Jo Hahn, choreography talents of Ashley Ryan Lord and Aaron Washington, lighting by Keith Eisenstadt, and costumes by Heather Cleveland, there wasn't a moment that went too fast, an actor that needed to pick up speed, a set change that took you away from the story, choreography that didn't have perfect pace. Everything worked in this high-energy production - especially the cast using the balcony during the beautiful Who Will Buy and by creating an immersive experience for the audience by going up and down the aisles.

It has been reported that stage and screen actor Orlando Bloom halted a performance of the play Killer Joe twice last evening to shame an audience member who appeared to be using an iPad to film the performance.

San Francisco Playhouse (Artistic Director Bill English; Producing Director Susi Damilano) announced casting for the final show of its 2017-18 Sandbox Series-the world premiere of Washed Up on the Potomac, written by Lynn Rosen. Jose Zayas will direct.

A crowdfunding campaign to create an endowed scholarship to honor the late Broadway actor Trent Armand Kendall has been launched by Kaitlin Hopkins the head of the BFA Musical Theatre program at Texas State University, and her husband and faculty member Jim Price, who were long time friends of Kendall and one-time cast mates with him on the hit musical Batboy.

Standing Room Only and Graceful Productions have announced a staged reading of the new musical Calvin Berger at the Hudson Backstage Theatre in Hollywood. With book, music, and lyrics by Barry Wyner and directed by Ovation Award-winner Richard Israel, the Calvin Berger staged reading will be presented on Friday, August 10, and Saturday, August 11, at 8pm and Sunday, August 12, at 7pm. The cast will feature (in alphabetical order) Grace Kaufman, Julia Lester, Jason Eric Testa, and one more actor to be announced. The musical director is Anthony Lucca.