Terry Johnson News

This February, travel back to the 1960?s with The Courthouse Center for the Arts as they kick off our 2009 Main Stage season with The Graduate.

The Courthouse Center for the Arts has kicked off its 2009 Main Stage season with The Graduate. The Graduate is a stage adaption by Terry Johnson, based on the hit movie screenplay by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry and the book by Charles Webb. The Graduate runs February 13-28. Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, with matinees on Sundays at 2pm.

West Coast Ensemble (WCE) announces its 2009 Season, their 'BIG'-gest Season Ever! The 2009 season of this award-winning theatre company will present two stage adaptations starting with THE GRADUATE and the musical version of the 1987 film, BIG; followed by the West Coast premiere of ANITA BRYANT DIED FOR YOUR SINS and Edward Albee's THREE TALL WOMEN. Additionally, WCE will produce a bonus show YENTA: Straight from the Mouth,that will be a FREE BONUS SHOW for Season Subscribers.

West Coast Ensemble presents the first show of their 2009 season, THE GRADUATE, adapted by Terry Johnson, based on the novel by Charles Webb, and the motion picture screenplay by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry, THE GRADUATE will be directed by Jules Aaron (Great Expectations). THE GRADUATE will preview on Wednesday, February 11 and Thursday, February 12 at 8:00pm and will open on Friday, February 13 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, April 5 at the new home of West Coast Ensemble - The El Centro Theatre, 800 N. El Centro Ave. in Hollywood.

Nominations have been announced for this year's Laurence Olivier Awards, London's equivalent of the Tonys. The awards, which were created in 1976 will be given out on Sunday March 8, 2009 in a ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel.

The sell-out Menier Chocolate Factory production of La Cage Aux Folles has now transferred to the Playhouse Theatre and is set to run until September 26th. The show is starring Graham Norton and Steven Pacey. The idyllic existence of Georges and the dazzling drag artiste Albin, star of the La Cage aux Folles club, is threatened when Georges' son announces his engagement to the daughter of a right-wing politician, who wants to close down the local colourful nightlife! With a visit from the prospective in-laws imminent, they all decide to take drastic action to hide their lifestyle... but can they keep it up?

The sell-out Menier Chocolate Factory production of La Cage Aux Folles has now transferred to the Playhouse Theatre and is set to run until September 26th. The show is starring Graham Norton and Steven Pacey. The idyllic existence of Georges and the dazzling drag artiste Albin, star of the La Cage aux Folles club, is threatened when Georges' son announces his engagement to the daughter of a right-wing politician, who wants to close down the local colourful nightlife! With a visit from the prospective in-laws imminent, they all decide to take drastic action to hide their lifestyle... but can they keep it up? Jerry Herman's (Hello, Dolly!, Mack and Mabel and Mame) fabulous score includes I Am What I Am, The Best of Times and Song on the Sand. La Cage aux Folles is a timeless and deliciously funny tale of family values, unconditional love, and above all, the need to celebrate who we are. The production of La Cage at Menier Chocolate Factory has earned the title of Best Musical from the Critics Circle Awards.

The Critics' Circle Theatre Awards 2008 were hosted on January 27th, by its new Chairman Mark Shenton - theatre critic for the Sunday Express, daily blogger for The Stage website, and a regular contributor to The Guardian online - at the Prince of Wales Theatre, London. For the fifth year, the awards were presented in association with Nyman Libson Paul Chartered Accountants, leading entertainment industry specialists; and supported by Delfont Mackintosh Theatres and lastminute.com. Media Partner, What's On In Theatre / TV London. As ever, the ceremony was an informal gathering of award recipients, the drama critics, theatre practitioners, and the media, convivially coming together to celebrate the critics' personal choice of the best in theatre, from throughout the UK, during the last calendar year. In contrast with other theatre awards during this jam-packed trophy season, the Critics' Circle Theatre Award winners are always decided by the independent votes of Drama Section members, with no panel discussions or public/industry influence exerted.

West Coast Ensemble presents the first show of their 2009 season, THE GRADUATE, adapted by Terry Johnson, based on the novel by Charles Webb, and the motion picture screenplay by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry, THE GRADUATE will be directed by Jules Aaron (Great Expectations). THE GRADUATE will preview on Wednesday, February 11 and Thursday, February 12 at 8:00pm and will open on Friday, February 13 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, April 5 at the new home of West Coast Ensemble - The El Centro Theatre, 800 N. El Centro Ave. in Hollywood.

In a year when new musical theatre productions in London consisted of juke box transfers, classic revivals, whimsical adventure stories and majestic failures, one might be forgiven for thinking that the age of great new musicals exists merely in days of Auld Lang Syne. So let's pause and think back over the year's musical fayre.

Following rave reviews Too Much Memory, written by Keith Reddin and Meg Gibson, and directed by Ms. Gibson, has sold out its run through its closing on Monday, December 22, at the Fourth Street Theatre, 83 East 4th Street. The Rising Phoenix Repertory and Piece by Piece production opened Tuesday, December 9, to rave reviews as part of New York Theatre Workshop's Jonathan Larson Lab. All performances are sold out. Those wishing to be put on a waiting should arrive at the theatre 45 minutes prior to curtain.

Too Much Memory, written by Keith Reddin and Meg Gibson, and directed by Ms. Gibson, begins performances tonight at 8:30pm at Fourth Street Theatre, 83 East 4th Street. The Rising Phoenix Repertory and Piece by Piece production is set to open Tuesday, December 9, at 8:30pm. Too Much Memory is a project of New York Theatre Workshop's Jonathan Larson Lab.

West Coast Ensemble (WCE) announces its 2009 Season, their 'BIG'-gest Season Ever! The 2009 season of this award-winning theatre company will present two stage adaptations starting with THE GRADUATE and the musical version of the 1987 film, BIG; followed by the West Coast premiere of ANITA BRYANT DIED FOR YOUR SINS and Edward Albee's THREE TALL WOMEN. Additionally, WCE will produce a bonus show YENTA: Straight from the Mouth,that will be a FREE BONUS SHOW for Season Subscribers.

Too Much Memory, written by Keith Reddin and Meg Gibson, and directed by Ms. Gibson, begins performances tonight at 8:30pm at Fourth Street Theatre, 83 East 4th Street. The Rising Phoenix Repertory and Piece by Piece production is set to open Tuesday, December 9, at 8:30pm. Too Much Memory is a project of New York Theatre Workshop's Jonathan Larson Lab.

Josh Hartnett has been absent from the past four performances of 'RAIN MAN' this week due to food poisoning.

Rising Phoenix Repertory has been joined by Piece by Piece Productions to remount the world premiere of Too Much Memory, written by Keith Reddin and Meg Gibson, and directed by Ms. Gibson, beginning Tuesday, December 2, at 8:30pm at Fourth Street Theatre, 83 East 4th Street.

Chocolate Factory Productions, Sonia Friedman Productions, David Ian Productions, The Ambassador Theatre Group, David Mirvish, Tulchin/Bartner and Jamie Hendry will present La Cage aux Folles with music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman and a book by Harvey Fierstein.

The Wilma Theater continues its 30th Anniversary Season with the U.S. Premiere of Schmucks, directed by the Wilma's co-Artistic Director Jiri Zizka. A comic fantasy by Roy Smiles -who returns to the Wilma for a second consecutive season - Schmucks is a tale of a fictitious meeting between two comic icons, Groucho Marx and Lenny Bruce.

When the first act of Warren Manzi's PERFECT CRIME ends, the audience sits in stone cold silence. The silence lasts for a few moments after the houselights are brought up and when the audience does finally react, they are abuzz about the convolutions of the plot that is unraveling before them. According to actor Robert Emmet Lunney it's 'hopefully because the audience is thinking; maybe even perplexed.'

The Menier Chocolate Factory's record-breaking, sold out production of La Cage Aux Folles has begun rehearsals for its transfer to the West End for a strictly limited season at the Playhouse Theatre previewing from 20th October, with press night on 30th October.