Steve Peterson News

Hope Juber and Laurence Juber discuss their latest stage endeavor Without Annette set to open Thursday July 10 at the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks. Hope co-penned the play with Jeff Doucette. Her husband Laurence serves as producer.

Step Up Productions is pleased to announce its full 2014-15 Season - its first Jeff Awards eligible season! The season kicks off this fall with the Chicago premiere of Theresa Rebeck's new comedy DEAD ACCOUNTS directed by Jason Gerace (2014 Jeff Award, Best Director, Great Expectations). Then, Step Up rings in the holidays with the return of HOLIDAZE, a hilarious and heartfelt round up of original, holiday-themed short works by some of the industry's most talented young playwrights. Winter also brings the bold two-man show, HANDICAP THIS!, an honest and comedic exploration of living with disabilities. The season concludes next spring with Beth Henley's Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning dark comedy CRIMES OF THE HEART. Single tickets for all productions will go on sale at a later date. For more information, visit www.stepupproductions.org.

On August 4, 1892, Lizzie Borden's father and stepmother were found bludgeoned in their family home. Lizzie was arrested for murder and the trial date set for June 5, 1893. The trial lasted 14 days and caused a national sensation as it was the first public trial in the United States to be covered extensively by the media. Although Lizzie Borden was acquitted, the question still remains: "Did she or didn't she?" We challenge you to make your own decision after seeing BLOOD RELATIONS.

The Ghost of Gershwin, a new old-fashioned musical, will open Friday, May 9th at the Lonny Chapman Theatre located on the edge of the NoHo Arts District.

On August 4, 1892, Lizzie Borden's father and stepmother were found bludgeoned in their family home. Lizzie was arrested for murder and the trial date set for June 5, 1893. The trial lasted fourteen days, and caused a national sensation as it was the first public trial in the United States to be covered extensively by the media. Popular opinion was split on her innocence or guilt. Did she or didn't she do it? See BLOOD RELATIONS and decide for yourself.

Just short of his 66th birthday, Henry Holden, an actor with a disability, will run the LA MARATHON this Sunday, March 9. In doing so, he will help raise funds to support his theatre company, the Group Rep at the Lonny Chapman Theatre, which is facing a frivolous lawsuit that could drain their operating funds. Henry's also racing to see if he can improve his time of twenty years ago - when he was in his mid-40s and first participated.

2013 Interview with Larry Eisenberg by guest journalist Steve Peterson

In Steve Peterson's interview below, director Larry Eisenberg talks about his theatre background and what led him to choose SHERLOCK'S LAST CASE for Group Rep.

It seems an easy acting assignment; sit at a table in the dark, wait for the lights to come up full, gather your thoughts, eat a banana or two, explore the limits of your playing area, bring out a few properties from the wings, including an old tape recorder, and then sit, listen, react and comment on what you hear on the tape until, finally, the lights fade to black.

Donald Margulies, winner of a Pulitzer for his Dinner With Friends, was also nominated for the same prestigious award for Collected Stories, a taut two-character drama about a complicated relationship between a renowned short story writer, Ruth Steiner, and Lisa Morrison, a talented graduate student she is mentoring. The relationship deepens beyond mentor/pupil to best friend and confidant. Several years pass and Lisa publishes her own work of fiction…or is it?

Gregg T. Daniel has a diversified and well-known career as stage director/actor and television/film actor. In this chat, conducted by guest interviewer Steve Peterson, Daniel discusses his latest directorial work Elmina's Kitchen for Lower Depth Theatre Ensemble (LDTE), opening August 11 at the Lost Studio on La Brea in Hollywood.

The funeral of a baby, the grieving parents look for reasons why their child should be taken from them. Finding no reason but the caprice of fate, the couple moves forward to exercise that caprice on those around them. Their hope for immortality through their child dashed, they will live on through infamy. As one begins in amoral certitude and descends to a moral madness, the other travels the road from moral doubt to a profane confidence to awful self-knowledge, neither losing sight of the love and loss that propelled their actions.

The one-woman, autobiographical show, Aiming for Sainthood, the third offering in Millennium Park's new theater lab series, In the Works, is coming to the Jay Pritzker Pavilion from March 25-27, 2010 at 7:30 p.m.

Chicago Dramatists' Fireside Chat with Visiting Artist Arthur Kopit was a sold-out event on February 20th.