Stage West News

The next phase of Actors Theatre's fund-raising efforts will include a series of special events beginning with a concert featuring Dennis Rowland, Walt Richardson and their Friends, Monday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. on Stage West at the Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe. Bob Sorenson will be the Master of Ceremonies.

Following Ruhl's In the Next Room (or the Vibrator Play) last season, Actors Theatre brings Dead Man's Cell Phone to Stage West at the Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe, from Feb. 24 through March 11.

In celebration of the life and work of Woodie King Jr., founder and Artistic Director of The New Federal Theatre, four emerging theatre companies have organized a special conversation with Mr. King to recognize his legacy and impact on the black theatre community.

Mirror Stage continues reflecting the diversity of the community on stage in high quality, progressive productions that play it smart without always playing it safe with West Coast premiere reading of Ground on Saturday, April 28 at 8pm and Sunday, April 29 at 2pm at the Ethnic Cultural Theatre in Seattle. Feed Your Mind: Ground will be directed by Suzanne M. Cohen and feature Michael D. Blum (Chuy), Erwin Galan (Carl), Peggy Gannon (Zelda), Daniela Melgar (Angie), John Murray (Cooper) and Pilar O'Connell (Ines).

San Diego REPertory Theatre (San Diego REP) has announced the fifth production of the company's 36th season, In the Wake.

The next phase of Actors Theatre's fund-raising efforts will include a series of special events beginning with a concert featuring Dennis Rowland, Walt Richardson and their Friends, Monday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. on Stage West at the Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe. Bob Sorenson will be the Master of Ceremonies.

Award-winning solo artist Mike Schlitt, in association with Son of Semele, will present Jesus Ride from March 9 through April 8. The production, which garnered "Outstanding Solo Show" at the New York Fringe in 2009, was presented at Son of Semele Theater last year and will return there this spring for a 5-week run that will culminate in an Easter Sunday performance and celebration.

Today in 1980, the first Broadway revival of WEST SIDE STORY opened at the Minskoff Theatre, where it ran for 333 performances. West Side Story is an American musical with a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and conception and choreography by Jerome Robbins. It was inspired by William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. Set in New York City in the mid-1950s, the musical explores the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds. Bernstein's score for the musical has become extremely popular; it includes 'Something's Coming', 'Maria', 'America', 'Somewhere', 'Tonight', 'Jet Song', 'I Feel Pretty', 'A Boy Like That', 'One Hand, One Heart', 'Gee, Officer Krupke' and 'Cool'.

Check out singer and songwriter Matt Von Roderick's music video for his new single 'Let the Trumpet Talk.' The video is directed by the Tony nominated director of ROCK OF AGES, Kristin Hanggi. Also featured in the video are Autumn Reeser (Entourage, The OC) and Jerry Zucker (Airplane, Naked Gun). The single is produced by Swiss American Federation (Far East Movement, Nelly Furtado, Madonna).

San Diego REPertory Theatre (San Diego REP) has announced the fifth production of the company's 36th season, In the Wake.

The Old Globe today announced principal casting for the Globe's 2012 Shakespeare Festival. Craig Noel Award winner Jay Whittaker returns to the Festival for his third consecutive season to appear in the title role of William Shakespeare's Richard III. He will also appear as Oliver in Shakespeare's As You Like It. Also returning to the Festival are Craig Noel Award winner Robert Foxworth and Adrian Sparks, who will take to the courtroom floor as titanic lawyers Henry Drummond and Matthew Harrison Brady, respectively, in the Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee classic Inherit the Wind. Foxworth, an Old Globe Associate Artist, will also play Lord Hastings in Richard III, and Sparks will play Lord Mayor of London in Richard III and Corin in As You Like It. Festival veteran Dana Green will star as Rosalind, and Dan Amboyer, new to the Festival stage, will play Orlando, the object of her affections, in As You Like It. Green will also play Queen Elizabeth in Richard III. Amboyer will also be featured as Bertram Cates in Inherit the Wind and the Earl of Richmond in Richard III. Festival newcomer Jacques C. Smith will play Jacques in As You Like It, the Duke of Buckingham in Richard III and Mr. Meeker in Inherit the Wind. Adrian Noble returns for his third outing as Artistic Director of the Shakespeare Festival and will helm As You Like It and Inherit the Wind. Renowned British director Lindsay Posner makes his debut at the Globe with his production of Richard III. Noble recently directed the World Premiere stage version of The King's Speech, which is currently touring England, and Posner's hit revival of Noises Off is currently playing at London's Old Vic and will transfer to the West End in March. The 2012 Shakespeare Festival, performed in repertory in the outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre, runs June 3 - Sept. 30, 2012.

SMASH will have its premiere on the NBC network on February, 6, 2012. Developed from an idea of Executive Producer and multiple Emmy and Oscar winner Steven Spielberg, SMASH explores the subculture of musical theatre; celebrating the beauty and heartbreak of Broadway. Boasting a stellar cast from stage and screen, SMASH stars Emmy award winning actress Debra Messing, Academy Award winner Anjelica Huston, Katharine McPhee, Jack Davenport, Tony Award nominee Christian Borle, Megan Hilty and Tony Award nominee Brian d'Arcy James. BroadwayWorld is obsessed with the hilarious video below, which features the talents of John Walton West in a GLEE PROJECT- like version of SMASH. The spoof features impressions of Norbert Leo Butz, Matthew Broderick, Terrence Mann, Mandy Patinkin, and BroadwayWorld'd own Richard Ridge! Click below to check it out!

In celebration of the life and work of Woodie King Jr., founder and Artistic Director of The New Federal Theatre, four emerging theatre companies have organized a special conversation with Mr. King to recognize his legacy and impact on the black theatre community.

San Diego REPertory Theatre (San Diego REP) has announced the fifth production of the company's 36th season, In the Wake.

Following Ruhl's In the Next Room (or the Vibrator Play) last season, Actors Theatre brings Dead Man's Cell Phone to Stage West at the Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe, from Feb. 24 through March 11.

The Road Theatre Company and Taylor Gilbert, Founder/Artistic Director together with Sam Anderson, Artistic Director, have announced in this, their 21st season, the Los Angeles premiere of THE WATER'S EDGE, written by Theresa Rebeck (Broadway's Seminar; Bad Dates, Mauritius) and directed by Sam Anderson ("Lost," Blackbird).

South Coast Repertory is partnering with some of SoCal's most intriguing artists to present a series of eclectic, contemporary theatre in its intimate Nicholas Studio.

WaterTower Theatre Producing Artistic Director Terry Martin today announced the line-up for the 2012 Out of the Loop Fringe Festival, March 1-11 at the Addison Theatre Centre.

The Road Theatre Company and Taylor Gilbert, Founder/Artistic Director together with Sam Anderson, Artistic Director, have announced in this, their 21st season, the Los Angeles premiere of THE WATER'S EDGE, written by Theresa Rebeck (Broadway's Seminar; Bad Dates, Mauritius) and directed by Sam Anderson ("Lost," Blackbird).

The Road Theatre Company and Taylor Gilbert, Founder/Artistic Director together with Sam Anderson, Artistic Director, have announced in this, their 21st season, the Los Angeles premiere of THE WATER'S EDGE, written by Theresa Rebeck (Broadway's Seminar; Bad Dates, Mauritius) and directed by Sam Anderson ("Lost," Blackbird).