Richard Allen News

The more things change - the more they stay the same. L.A.'s Latino Theater Company explores the political and cultural climate in 2020 with an eclectic season of productions that looks back at our history and ahead to our future: revivals that reflect the company's past work and the tumultuous fight for Chicano civil rights; contemporary work that explores today's issues; and unique offerings by two guest artists from Spain. In addition, the company will present two free film series, the company's annual free play reading series, and, in December, for the 18th consecutive year, the beloved site-specific holiday pageant La Virgen de Guadalupe, Dios Inantzin at L.A.'s Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. All performances and screenings, except La Virgen, take place at The Los Angeles Theatre Center, a five-theater complex located in a landmark building in Downtown's Historic Core.

Freeform's new series 'Everything's Gonna Be Okay,' which The New York Times called 'a charming dramedy, with an oddball voice and a bittersweet undercurrent,' will have a special airing of its pilot episode on FX on WEDNESDAY, JAN. 22, at 10 p.m. EST/PST.

LA's newest monthly musical series, Feinstein's Presents mostlyNEWmusicals, returns Monday, January 20th, 2020 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day), with FREEDOM RIDERS: The Civil Rights Musical by Richard Allen and Taran Gray.

Broadway's Deon'te Goodman (currently performing in Hamilton) will be flying from NYC to LA just for this special performance of FREEDOM RIDERS: In Concert on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. He will be playing civil rights activist John Lewis. The concert, presented by MostlyNEWmusicals will be at Feinstein's at Vitello's in Studio City, California on January 20th.

 HBO Max has greenlit four new stand-up comedy specials. Tapping into existing talent across the WarnerMedia portfolio, the streamer is teaming up with Tracy Morgan (The Last O.G.), John Early (Search Party), and rising stars Rose Matafeo, Edinburgh Comedy Award winner, and Ahir Shah, double Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee.

WALT AND ROY: A Magical New Musical follows the Disney brothers as they make their roots in Los Angeles in 1923 until they open their first feature length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, in 1937.

ROCKWELL TABLE & STAGE, presents Eric Petersen in 'Eric Petersen's Mini-Big-Band Christmas' on Wednesday, December 11th at 7:00 PM.

Since 1976 you've been in love with Carrie White, the telekinetic teen whose catastrophic prom night captivated the nation and led to thrilling adaptations, musicals, and revivals. Since 1999, you've completely missed the fact that CARRIE has a legitimate cinematic sequel that tells story of Carrie's half-sister, Rachel, an angst-ridden rebel whose life seems to be looking up until her mysterious powers take hold. Now, with CARRIE 2: THE RAGE, AN UNAUTHORIZED MUSICAL PARODY (In Concert), you can relive the magic of CARRIE in nearly every way as prom night survivor-turned-school counselor Sue Snell seeks to help Rachel before it's too late, Rachel's hyper-religious mother tries to kill her, and popular high schoolers prove, once again, they are the absolute worst. Following a Jeff Nominated run at the Underscore Theatre Company in Chicago, this extremely 90s experience featuring an original score by Preston Max Allen, music direction by Patrick Sulken, and direction by Portia Krieger is back in NYC to remind you exactly why the White family line has endured for decades.

What If? A Musical Revue directed by Bruce Kimmel, produced by Doug Haverty, with musical direction by Richard Allen, returns to Los Angeles for Two Nights only, Wednesday, October 23 and Thursday, October 24 at 8:00 pm, as a fundraiser for The Group Rep Theatre Company at the Lonny Chapman Theatre, one of the oldest producing theatre companies in greater Los Angeles.

Bennie L Williams Spiritual Voices presents Oh, Freedom 1619-2019 at the Shorter Community AME Church, 3100 Richard Allen Ct, Denver, CO 80205 at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 16. BLWSV will be joined by guest soloists and musicians for a tribute to African-Americans' commitment to freedom embodied in the music created by enslaved ancestors. Tickets are $20.00, groups of 10 or more $10.00, and available at www.blwspiritualvoices.org

Netflix has ordered The Iliza Shlesinger Sketch Show, sketch comedy series from Iliza Shlesinger. The six-episode half-hour series will shoot in New York this fall and launch in 2020.

Freeform announces Josh Thomas' return to television with 'Everything's Gonna Be Okay,' premiering THURSDAY, JAN. 16. Critically acclaimed for his series 'Please Like Me,' Thomas once again takes on a multifaceted role as creator, writer, executive producer and star of the 30-minute comedy, which introduces Nicholas (Josh Thomas), a neurotic twenty-something-year-old visiting his dad and teenage half-sisters, one of whom is on the autism spectrum. When Nicholas' trip is extended due to his father's untimely death, the siblings are left to cope with not only a devastating loss, but also the realization that Nicholas is the one who will have to rise to the occasion, move in, and hold it all together. A first-look clip wherein Nicholas proposes guardianship of his sisters, Matilda and Genevieve, is available below.

Freeform announces Josh Thomas' return to television with a?oeEverything's Gonna Be Okay,a?? premiering THURSDAY, JAN. 16.Critically acclaimed for his series a?oePlease Like Me,a?? Thomas once again takes on a multifaceted role as creator, writer, executive producer and star of the 30-minute comedy, which introduces Nicholas (Josh Thomas), a neurotic twenty-something-year-old visiting his dad and teenage half-sisters, one of whom is on the autism spectrum. When Nicholas' trip is extended due to his father's untimely death, the siblings are left to cope with not only a devastating loss, but also the realization that Nicholas is the one who will have to rise to the occasion, move in, and hold it all together.

 Fuse Media, a cross-platform entertainment media brand for the multicultural millennial and GenZ audience, announced today that the Fuse channel has set premiere dates for its new fall lineup.  Additionally, Fuse has unveiled the guest star list for new series Made From Scratch, renewed popular series Complex x Fuse for a fifth season, expanded the digital documentary series Soundcheck To Stage to linear and will premiere The Candidates, a new documentary in its Fuse Docs franchise.  

Starstruck, a brand new six-part comedy written, created by and starring 2018 Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Rose Matafeo, has been commissioned by BBC Three and HBO Max and is an Avalon Television production.

SCAN NEW YORK and BOYS & GIRLS HARBOR in collaboration with GAY MEN'S HEALTH CRISIS and FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES are proud to present with Richard Allen and Taran Gray: BAYARD: A New Musical.

BAYARD: A New Musical will premiere at El Teatro of El Museo Del Barrio, August 9th-August 10th, 2019 in partnership with SCAN NY, Boys & Girls Harbor, Gay Men's Health Crisis, and Facing History.

The Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy's Percent for Art Program and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation are pleased to announce the completion of School is Out, a new site-specific public artwork by Karyn Olivier at Stenton Park.

Next week, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond.