On April 20 and 21 Peter Mac repeated one of his most challenging shows honoring Judy Garland: Judy at Carnegie Hall. To sing all 26 dynamic tunes at the highest peak as well as to replicate in minute detail the deliciously droll Garland anecdotes about her encounters with a chic Parisian hairdresser or a disgustingly insincere London press woman ... this is a huge...no, daunting task to pull off. Only a truly gifted performer can do it, and there is literally no one who comes even close to Peter Mac, who sings the only sincere loving tribute to Judy Garland anywhere. Mac gave 150% this past weekend and will do so again this coming weekend April 27 and 28 at the French Quarter inside the French Market in Hollywood. The show is astounding from start to finish. Mac, like Garland, works at a harrowingly brisk pace throughout accompanied at the piano by wonderful musical director Bryan Miller and by Kevin Widener on percussion. Mac even manages to throw in a few of his own jokes like the one about Tallulah Bankhead wiring 'Kisses on your opening' or talking freely about composer Noel Coward who never held back an opinion. Judy Garland would have been 90 years old in June of this year, and what devilish great fun to hear Mac shout out as Garland herself would undoubtedly say, 'I'm too old for this shit!'
'The Convert' opened last night, April 19 at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. The show, written by Danai Gurira and directed by Emily Mann in co-production with McCarter Theatre Center and the Goodman Theatre, is a world premiere production running through May 19. Danai Gurira, Wes Craven, Rutina Wesley, L. Scott Caldwell, Ntare Mwine, Glen Mazzara, Nyambi Nyambi, Deidrie Henry, Kristolyn Lloyd, Mia Barron, Edwina Findley, Lauren Cohan and more attended opening night. Check out the photos below!
This is my 7th Peter Mac show since August. Needless to say, I am a huge fan of the man and his talent, which must be experienced up close to be fully appreciated. He is the current master tribute artist, making Garland totally his own. As Margaret O'Brien herself said, it's like an evening up close and 'personal with Judy Garland', and Mac gives so very much of himself to the singing and banter, that it's uncannily infectious. He could read/sing the phone book, and that would be OK too, as audiences will listen. Once a Peter Mac fan, you are hooked, baby! This show Judy Garland's Lost Easter Special with special guests DJ Schaefer as Bea Arthur, Alissa Cote as Lorna Luft, Glory Gale as Liza Minnelli and David Marker as Joey Luft, very similar to the Christmas Special in December at the Gardenia, is a lot of uproarious fun, obviously because it takes liberties in its originality and in not copying an actual special. But it's every bit as spontaneous, warm and loving as Garland's own family-oriented program.
The first two weeks of April will be Judy Garland's The Lost Easter Special' on stage with Judy, her three kids and good friend, Bea Aurthur!
Then the last to weeks is 'Judy at Carnegie Hall', Peter Mac celebrates the 51st Anniversary of Judy Garland's concert by recreating it just as Garland did in 1961.
Fifteen students from Henry J. Kaiser High School, Walnut High School, Fullerton Union High School, Los Angeles County High School for the Performing Arts, Notre Dame Academy and other high schools across southern California performed monologues from Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson's 10-play “Century Cycle' on Monday, March 26 at Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum's August Wilson Monologue Competition Regional Finals.
Samuel Beckett's modern classic 'Waiting for Godot' opens March 21, 2012, at 8 p.m. and continues through April 22 at the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum. The cast includes prominent Beckett actors Alan Mandell (Estragon) and Barry McGovern (Vladimir), Academy Award-nominee James Cromwell (Pozzo), Hugo Armstrong (Lucky) and LJ Benet (Boy); the director is Michael Arabian. Check out the production photos below!
Kathy Bates is among the upcoming guests on CBS's THE LATE LATE SHOW with CRAIG FERGUSONON for the weeks of 3/21- 4/3. The show airs Monday through Friday, 12:37-1:37 AM, ET/PT.
The national tour of Green Day's 'American Idiot' opened in Los Angeles last night, March 14, at the Ahmanson Theatre. Performances continue through April 22, 2012. Check out photos from the star-studded opening night below!
'American Night: The Ballad of Juan José,' written by Richard Montoya, developed by Culture Clash and Jo Bonney, and directed by Bonney, opens Sunday, March 11 at 6:30 p.m. at Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre. Performances begin March 9 and continue through April 1, 2012.
William H. and Karla Ahmanson recently hosted an event that gave attendees the opportunity to see the puppetry of WAR HORSE up close. They met the puppeteers and were able to ask them questions after seeing them in action. Mr. Ahmanson is the Center Theatre Group Board President.
Here's a chance to take another trip over the rainbow with everyone's favorite diva, Judy Garland! In a new cabaret concert specifically designed for the beautiful cabaret room at the historic and legendary French Quarter Restaurant inside the French Market Place in West Hollywood. The show takes place in an intimate showroom built specifically for Mr. Mac. Peter Mac warms up the winter by once again demonstrating his acclaimed ability to recapture the magic , the humor, and joy of the woman who was unhesitatingly billed , reviewed and accepted as "the world's greatest entertainer."
The current JUDY GARLAND LIVE! runs for the rest of February every Friday & Saturday night!
Critically Acclaimed Judy Garland Tribute Artist Peter Mac has a new weekly home in the West Hollywood's French Quarter Restaurant's inside the French Market Place. This will be the first performance in their brand new Showroom built and designed especially for Mac. Actress Mila Kunis recently attended the show - check out photos below!
Critically Acclaimed Judy Garland Tribute Artist Peter Mac has a new monthly home in the West Hollywood's French Quarter Restaurant's inside the French Market Place. This will be the first performance in their brand new Showroom built and designed especially for Mac.
Jokes fly and hidden agendas unfold as two vastly different generations of characters tip-toe the delicate dance of social politics, pitting race against real estate at the crux of two seminal events - 50 years apart - in the same north Chicago house.
Ebony Theatre's production of Lorraine Hansberry's American classic 'A Raisin in the Sun,' playing at Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre, opened last night with performances continuing through February 19, 2012. Check out photos from the show's opening night below!
'Fela!,' the 2010 Best Musical Tony Award-nominated musical, opened last night, December 14th, at 8 p.m. at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre. The musical, filled with the exuberant music of Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, will continue through January 22, 2012. Check out photos from opening night below!
Take another trip over the rainbow with Judy Garland in a new cabaret concert specifically designed for the beautiful cabaret room at Tom Rolla's Gardenia.
Take another trip over the rainbow with Judy Garland in a new cabaret concert specifically designed for the beautiful cabaret room at Tom Rolla's Gardenia.
