Robert Towers News

With the current theatre world on hiatus, I have created a Spotlight Series of interviews with some of am the many talented artists who make our Los Angeles theatre community so exciting and vibrant thanks to their ongoing contribution to keeping the arts alive in the City of the Angels. And like all of us, how are they dealing with the abrupt end of productions in which they were involved? This Spotlight Series interview features Kristin Towers-Rowles, an Award-Winning Director, Triple-Threat Actress, and Granddaughter of Screen Legend Kathryn Grayson.

A LOVELY LINEAGE, based on an original concept by Michael Sterling, captures the historic Broadway and Hollywood lineage of Kristin Towers-Rowles starting with her grandmother, the legendary Kathryn Grayson who was an MGM darling and a Hollywood pioneer having starred in some of the most beloved movie musicals of the 1950s including Kiss Me, Kate and Show Boat. Her famous lineage does not stop there - Kristin's grandfather was the dashing and talented Broadway leading man Johnnie Johnston; her mother, Patricia Towers, was a Las Vegas headliner; and her father is the prolific character actor Robert Towers.

Musical Theatre West's (MTW) Reiner Staged Reading Series (RRS) returns with Once Upon a Mattress, on Sunday, November 19, 7pm at the Beverly O'Neill Theater. Tickets are now on sale at the MTW Ticket Office, by calling (562) 856-1999, ext. 4, or by visiting the MTW website at www.musical.org. Advance general admission tickets for each performance are $27 ($32 on the day of the performance). Seating is general admission, with priority access for Reiner Staged Reading Subscribers.

2Cents's Acting Out INK Fest is back for its 3rd exciting year, organized by its Founding President and Artistic Director Kristin Boule. The Fest is being held for 3 days this weekend at the Hudson Theatres in Hollywood, right in the heart of Theatre Row and the LA 99-seat community. INK FEST 2016 features fully produced 1-act plays, ranging from 10-60 minutes, organized in themed-groups, featuring over 100 artists from playwrights to directors to actors and street artists celebrating the FEMALE PLAYWRIGHT and ART. A total of 21 plays by 19 female playwrights are being presented, with 19 directors and 49 actors. What's more, the festival will flood not just the theatre, but also the street & the Hudson Cafe, serving wine & beer all weekend long, with special events scattered throughout.

2Cents's Acting Out INK Fest is back for its 3rd exciting year!!! We are once again gathering over 100 artists for this 3-day event, from playwrights to directors to actors and street artists, to celebrate the FEMALE PLAYWRIGHT and ART! The Fest will kickoff beginning on Friday April 15 at 1pm at the Hudson Theatres in Hollywood, right in the heart of Theatre Row and the LA 99-seat community.

It is refreshing to watch family dysfunction where family members, striving to make thing better, do honestly care about one another. In Bathsheba Doran's The Mystery of Love & Sex we are presented with quite a divergent platter at first glance, but as time progresses and with so many transformations in plot and character, reconnection never ceases to be a top priority. Helmed by Robert Egan, the play, though taking a tad too long to reach its resolutions, boasts some witty dialogue and substantially engrossing scenes by playwright Doran and an outstanding cast of five at the Mark Taper Forum through March 20.

Award-winning playwright Bathsheba Doran's heartfelt new work, THE MYSTERY OF LOVE & SEX, opened last night, February 21, 2016, at the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum and continues through March 20. BroadwayWorld has photos from the starry festivities below!

Award-winning playwright Bathsheba Doran's heartfelt new work, THE MYSTERY OF LOVE & SEX, is currently in previews and opens this Sunday, February 21, 2016, at 7 p.m. at the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum. Performances continue through March 20. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

On Sunday July 24, actress/singer Kristin Towers-Rowles debuted her one-woman cabaret A Lovely Lineage at Sterling's Upstairs @ Vitello's to resounding success. The amazing singer, who is the grand daughter of legendary MGM musical star Katharine Grayson and Broadway veteran Johnnie Johnston, saluted them both as well as her musical comedy performing parents Patty and Robert Towers. Although the young descendant of American show business royalty has a stupendous background, her life has not been that rosy. Playing a role onstage in a show called Veggie Tales, Towers-Rowles popped a disc in her back from wearing a 50-pound costume and was told she would never appear on stage again. She made a near complete recovery and although she still is in pain, exclaims, 'If I have to hurt, I might as well hurt on stage.' It is this unsinkable brave spirit that is present in her beautiful singing voice, in her glowing personality and overall captivating aura. She has an infectious sense of humor as well.

Starting with the imaginative small space staging by director Cate Caplin, musical direction by Jeff Bonhiver, and choreography by Samantha Whidby who also stage manages the production, each of the actors lovingly brings all our favorite Peanuts comic strip characters to life. Set to music in a series of vignettes, "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown" chronicles an average day in the life of Charlie Brown (Holland Noel) and his friends Linus (Richie Ferris), Lucy (Dorothy Dillingham Blue), Schroeder (John Devereaux), along with his sister Sally (Kristin Towers-Rowles), and of course his loyal dog Snoopy (Matt Steele). This little show is packed with heart and humor, expressed in the pure and honest simple truths of children, performed by a fun-loving and super energetic cast.

Singer and actress Kristin Towers-Rowles returns after 4 years to the Arthur Newman Theater at the Joslyn Center in Palm Desert in her well-received one-woman show "My Lovely Lineage" on Sunday, September 7, 2014 at 2 PM. The show will feature songs and stories about and her famous family and growing up in Hollywood along with highlights from her own well established stage career, with local musical director Joel Baker accompanying her on piano.

Following a very successful inaugural production of A Man of No Importance at last year's Hollywood Fringe Festival, Good People Theater Company returns with Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt's beloved musical, THE FANTASTICKS, directed by Janet Miller and featuring musical direction by Corey Hirsch.

From the Masters of family entertainment who brought you PINKALICIOUS and THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, Kelrik Productions proudly presents the musical, DISNEY'S TARZAN, playing April 25 - May 18, at the Monroe Forum Theatre, bringing children's programming to the historic El Portal Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Blvd. in the heart of the NoHo Arts District.

Chromolume Theatre has announced Altar Boyz, the 9th longest-running off-Broadway musical of all time, as its next production. The show has a book by Kevin Del Aguila and music and lyrics by Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker, and will be directed for Chromolume by Kristin Towers-Rowles. With choreography by Samantha Whidby and music direction by Richard Berent, opening is set for Friday, April 4 at 8pm. Altar Boyz will play a strictly limited engagement through May 11 only.

On Sunday July 24, actress/singer Kristin Towers-Rowles debuted her one-woman cabaret A Lovely Lineage at Sterling's Upstairs @ Vitello's to resounding success. The amazing singer, who is the grand daughter of legendary MGM musical star Katharine Grayson and Broadway veteran Johnnie Johnston, saluted them both as well as her musical comedy performing parents Patty and Robert Towers. Although the young descendant of American show business royalty has a stupendous background, her life has not been that rosy. Playing a role onstage in a show called Veggie Tales, Towers-Rowles popped a disc in her back from wearing a 50-pound costume and was told she would never appear on stage again. She made a near complete recovery and although she still is in pain, exclaims, 'If I have to hurt, I might as well hurt on stage.' It is this unsinkably brave spirit that is present in her beautiful singing voice, in her glowing personality and overall captivating aura. She has an infectious sense of humor as well.

Paul Garman, Producing Executive Director, and Steven Glaudini, Producing Artistic Director of Musical Theatre West, are proud to announce the cast of its production of 1776. 1776 will run July 9-25, 2010 at the beautiful Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach.

LA Reprise! presents Li'l Abner through February 17 at the Freud Playhouse at UCLA. The production will be directed by Michael Michetti, choreographed by Lee Martino, and has musical direction by Darryl Archibald.

Li'l Abner is being performed February 5 to 17 for 16 performances only at the Freud Playhouse at UCLA. The production will be directed by Michael Michetti, choreographed by Lee Martino, and has musical direction by Darryl Archibald.

Reprise! is announcing casting for Li'l Abner - Eric Martsolf will play Abner and Brandi Lynn Burkhardt will play Daisy Mae. They join the previously announced Cathy Rigby (Mammy Yokum) and Fred Willard (Senator Bullmoose). The cast also includes John Ganun as Earthquake McGoon, Michael Kostroff as Marryin' Sam, and Robert Towers as Pappy Yokum.