South Coast Repertory News

South Coast Repertory turns classic fairy tales inside out for the season's final Theatre for Young Audiences production: The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales. John Glore adapted the play from the book by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith. The show, with a host of wacky characters and silly songs, is directed by Jessica Kubzansky and runs May 23-June 8 on the Julianne Argyros Stage. Tickets are available online at www.scr.org.

Pulitzer Prize nominee Rajiv Joseph's (Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo - NEA Award BEST PLAY) Gruesome Playground Injuries launches the season for multi-award winning Rogue Machine Theatre (BEST PRODUCTION award winner 2013, 2011 and 2010 - Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle, Ovation). Their SEVENTH SEASON begins May 24, 2014.

Closing Aurora Theatre Company's 22nd season is David Mamet's powerful, fast-paced drama AMERICAN BUFFALO. Tony-nominated director Barbara Damashek, who helmed Aurora Theatre Company's acclaimed productions of Fat Pig and Private Jokes, Public Places, returns to direct AMERICAN BUFFALO, featuring James Carpenter (John Gabriel Borkman, The Master Builder, The Birthday Party, The Homecoming), Paul Vincent O'Connor (Death Defying Acts, National Tour August: Osage County), and Rafael Jordan. AMERICAN BUFFALO plays June 13 through July 13 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets ($32-60) and information the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org. For mature audiences.

The National Acrobats of The People's Republic of China have entertained audiences worldwide for more than 60 years with astonishing feats of acrobatic agility and stunning display of martial arts, and the company returns to Segerstrom Center for the Arts with a brand new production on Saturday, September 13 at 3 p.m. in the Rene?e and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. This elite group of acrobats continues a remarkable 2,000-year-old tradition of mastering precision, balance, grace, strength and artistry that result in dazzling and high adrenaline performances that also feature beautiful costumes, thrilling choreography and both traditional and modern music.

Orange County movie fans can look forward to another great summer of free and fun film screenings at Segerstrom Center for the Arts as Movie Mondays returns for its eighth season on the Arts Plaza. Movie Mondays 2014 kicks off with the heartwarming 1935 classic The Little Colonel, starring Shirley Temple. From post Civil War America we head to 1990s London with the sparkling Spice Girls starring in the jet set musical, Spice World. Then it is off to turn-of-the-20th century Paris with the Academy Award®-winning musical Gigi, directed by Vincente Minnelli and featuring some of the most memorable Lerner & Loewe tunes. Continuing with the winner of this year's Audience Favorite Fan Poll, Cabaret, starring Oscar winners Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey. Shirley MacLaine as the eternal optimist in Sweet Charity wraps up the summer film series. Center audiences will have a chance to see MacLaine live when she makes her Center debut on September 20 in her one-woman show.

Profiles Theatre Artistic Directors Darrell W. Cox and Joe Jahraus announce the titles for the 26th Season featuring a full slate of new and challenging works premiering at the Profiles Theatre Complex on North Broadway. The upcoming season features six productions including the Midwest premieres of Reasons to be Happy by Neil LaBute, the award-winning play The Other Place by Sharr White, the world premiere of Genius by Kate Walbert and a new premiere for spring 2015 to be announced soon. Additionally, Profiles' acclaimed production of Hellcab by Will Kern, one of Chicago theatre's longest running hits and a seasonal favorite at Profiles for the past two years, returns again for the holiday season. These six productions alternate between Profiles' two venues, The Main Stage at 4139 N. Broadway and The Alley Stage at 4147 N. Broadway.

In the new play FIVE MILE LAKE---currently in the midst of its World Premiere at Costa Mesa's South Coast Repertory through May 4---author Rachel Bonds populates her quiet, snail-paced drama with characters that speak in hushed tones and coded exchanges that seem to mask a lifetime's supply of jealousy, inner regrets, and frustrations. Therein lies the play's risky machination---is being too subtle and expressing mostly just surface subtext enough to keep an audience invested and interested in what they're watching?

Brave New World Rep announces the latest in its NEW WORKS series featuring Brooklyn playwrights, #therevolution by Kristoffer Diaz. The production, directed by Liesl Tommy, will play May 5th, 2014 at 7 p.m. at 61 Local, 61 Bergen Street, Brooklyn, NY (F/G to Bergen Street). Admission for all events is free

The 2013 - 2014 jazz season at Segerstrom Center for the Arts welcomes the debut of the Fred Hersch Trio this weekend, May 2 & 3 in Samueli Theater.

Fifty years ago, a band of young actors-led by a duo fresh out of San Francisco State-came together through a love of theatre. When they officially formed as a company, South Coast Repertory, the group's first production was Moliere's classic, Tartuffe. As SCR concludes its 50th Season this year, it comes full circle with a new production of Tartuffe, directed by Dominique Serrand, May 9-June 8, on the Segerstrom Stage.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company has announced the line-up for the ninth annual First Look Repertory of New Work, featuring three developmental productions of new plays presented in rotating repertory July 26 - August 24, 2014 in the Garage Theatre (1624 N Halsted St). First Look 2014 includes: Ironbound by Martyna Majok, Hushabye by Tanya Saracho and Okay, Bye by Joshua Conkel. The 2014 festival also features readings of two new plays, American Beauty Shop by Dana Lynn Formby and Opium Den by Julie Marie Myatt. Tickets to First Look Repertory of New Work ($20) are on sale now. To purchase tickets or RSVP for the free readings, call Audience Services at 312-335-1650.

Broadway In Chicago has announced additional principal casting for the world premiere of AMAZING GRACE, the new musical with music and lyrics by Christopher Smith and a book by Christopher Smith and Arthur Giron, directed by Gabriel Barre (Andrew Lippas' The Wild Party) and choreographed by Tony Award winner Christopher Gattelli (Newsies).

The supernatural power of love is taking Orange County by storm as the new Broadway and West End musical GHOST - THE MUSICAL, adapted from the Academy Award-winning film, opens at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, July 29 - August 10.

Alley Theatre Artistic Director Gregory Boyd announces the cast and creative team for recent Tony Award-winning comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Appearing in titles roles are Resident Actor Jeffrey Bean as Vanya, Sharon Lockwood returning to the Alley as Sonia, Alley Artist Josie de Guzman returning as Masha, and Resident Actor Jay Sullivan as Spike. Rounding out the cast and making their Alley debuts are Rachael Holmes as Cassandra and Sarah Nealis as Nina. Jonathan Moscone, Artistic Director of California Shakespeare Theater, helms the production and returns after having directed the Alley's 2011 production of Amadeus.

The manicured life of an actor-turned-politician and his impeccable wife is upset when relatives arrive at their Palm Springs home for the holidays - including daughter Brooke who's about to publish a tell-all memoir. caryn desai [sic] directs Jon Robin Baitz's Other Desert Cities, opening June 6 at International City Theatre in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center. Two low-priced previews take place on June 4 and June 5.

The heartwarming and hilarious one-man show, Snowflake, starring Gale LaJoye returns to Segerstrom Center for the Arts this weekend, April 26 & 27 in Samueli Theater.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts has announced its 2014 - 2015 Family Series. Eight shows will feature an array of talented international artists who will entertain and inspire families gathered for the spontaneous thrill and joy of live theater. Each performance will be preceded by an hour of free audience engagement activities themed to the show. Performances are in the Center's Samueli Theater unless otherwise noted.

Yoshiki, Asia's foremost rock icon and multi talented music superstar, will bring his new live show, Yoshiki Classical, to Segerstrom Center for the Arts for a special one-night-only concert tonight, April 25 at 8 p.m. in the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall.

International rock icon Yoshiki has announced three new concert dates across Asia to his highly anticipated Yoshiki Classical tour. X Japan's founder and leader will bring his first classical concert tour to Taipei, Taiwan, as well as, Tokyo and Osaka, Japan. The newly added concert dates follow Yoshiki's recently announced Bangkok, Thailand performance. Yoshiki, Asia's foremost rock icon and multi talented music superstar, will embark on the Yoshiki Classical tour at Segerstrom Center for the Arts tonight, April 25 at 8 p.m. in the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall before setting off across North America, Europe and Asia, culminating in Yoshiki's native Japan.

Experience something(s) new: Three world premiere productions and four new play readings during South Coast Repertory's 2014 Pacific Playwrights Festival this weekend, April 25-27.