The Geffen Playhouse News

The play adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher and Andy Garcia, produced in association with Frank Mancuso and Andy Garcia, and directed by Doug Hughes, honors the original story in which disillusioned World War II veteran Frank McCloud (Danny Pino) travels to a hotel in Key Largo to pay his respects to Nora (Rose McIver), the young widow of a fallen solider, who now runs the hotel with its owner, her blind father (Tony Plana) who claims to have a?oeseena?? and heard it all during his lifetime. What McCloud doesn't count on is being confronted by an entirely different type of battlefield with mobsters who have overtaken the hotel, led by the ruthless Johnny Rocco (Andy Garcia, who dominates the stage channeling Al Pacino in The Godfather to the hilt), who is waiting for the culmination of a drug deal. As a hurricane barrels toward the Keys, tempers flare and gunfire blares, forcing McCloud to face his demons in order to take down a monster.

The world premiere adaptation of KEY LARGO, already in previews, will open tonight, November 14, 2019 at the Geffen Playhouse. Packed with award winners all around, Oscar nominated actor Andy Garcia stars as Johnny Rocco in his co-adaptation with Jeffrey Hatcher (based on the play by Maxwell Anderson and the screenplay by Richard Brooks and John Huston). I had the wonderful opportunity to grill Johnny Rocco's moll Gaye Dawn, or rather, to ask a few questions of the wonderful actress who plays her - Joely Fisher.

The lines between myth and reality become increasingly blurred in Defenders. When Iceland was threatened with invasion by Germany in WW2, the allies decide to step in. The world premiere from Pandelia's Canary Yellow Company by Cailin Maureen Harrison, and directed by Reena Dutt, follows three American G.I.s who are shipwrecked on the remote island of Hrisey off Iceland's northern coast.

Before getting to the review, allow me to write in full disclosure: Approximately a?' of my viewing enjoyment of this production was usurped due to the fact that there was an elderly gentleman having issues with his hearing devices and the one-act that developed in trying to assist him. The billowing and flustering and seat-switching that was going on with the 'annoyed and put-off' audience members added with the bumbling and fumbling of the Front Of-House staff that tried to assist him was, to say the least, amazingly distracting. Mind you, I was equally disappointed in the 50'something crowd expressing their irritation as I was with the lack of decorum from the staff. To the FOH staff, may I highly suggest to have a workshop on working with seniors before, during, and after a performance and allow for all scenarios that may come up during their visit. To the 50'something crowd...we will sometime (soon) be the age of that senior gentlemen, may we remember that and put forth the energy of how we wish to be treated during our twilight years. Seniors deserve our utmost respect!

Oh what a celebration we'll have today because it's the sixteenth anniversary of Wicked, which opened at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre on October 30, 2003. We're helping our fellow Ozians rejoicify by looking back at what the show's original cast has been up to since leaving the smash hit, including Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, and more. Check it all out!

Playwright Larissa FastHorse is having one hell of a year. Her THE THANKSGIVING PLAY has already been produced in various cities across the United States this year, with her next production already in previews at the Geffen Playhouse, and opening November 5, 2019. Michael John Garcés directs Larissa's humorous and woke take on Thanksgiving traditions featuring Noah Bean, Alexandra Henrikson, Jeff Marlow and Samantha Sloyan. After a full day of PLAY's rehearsals, I had the opportunity to chat with Larissa on her South Dakota, Sicangu-Lakota heritage.

Laguna Playhouse announces the final cast and creative team to join acclaimed film, TV and theatre veterans Frances Fisher (a?oeTitanic,a?? Native Gardens, Barbeque), as a?oeQueen Eleanora?? and Gregory Harrison (a?oeTrapper John, M.D.,a?? Broadway's Chicago, Steel Pier), as a?oeKing Henry IIa?? in THE LION IN WINTER

The lines between myth and reality become increasingly blurred in Defenders. When Iceland was threatened with invasion by Germany in WW2, the allies decide to step in. The world premiere from Pandelia's Canary Yellow Company by Cailin Maureen Harrison, and directed by Reena Dutt, follows three American G.I.s who are shipwrecked on the remote island of Hrisey off Iceland's northern coast. The stranded G.I.s find themselves with missing weapons, few supplies, and a broken radio. They realize they must rely on the locals for survival but, like current-day warfare, the locals fear the loss of their culture, their women and their safety with the presence of foreigners on their land. Defenders opens on November 9, with performances continuing through December 8 at The Broadwater Black Box in Hollywood. One lower-priced preview takes place on November 8.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association has received a $4 million grant commitment from the Edgerton Foundation, on behalf of their donor-advised fund at the California Community Foundation.

Theaters (Val Day, Artistic Director; Brian Beirne, Managing Director) is thrilled to welcome the NYC premiere of ONE NOVEMBER YANKEE, written and directed by Joshua Ravetch. Produced by Delaware Theatre Company, ONE NOVEMBER YANKEE begins performances on Friday, November 29 for a limited engagement through Sunday, December 29. 

The National Arts Club has selected Inda Craig-Galván for the 2019 Kesselring Prize for playwriting, for her tragicomic play Black Super Hero Magic Mama about a mother who magically turns into a super hero while mourning the shooting death of her unarmed teenage son by police. Craig-Galván officially receives the award, which includes $25,000 from the Club's Kesselring Fund and a residency at the historic clubhouse, during a special ceremony and reception. The evening features a staged reading of her work, directed by Michael Parva of The Directors Company, followed by a reception.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley rings in the holidays with the new musical Pride and Prejudice, the 2019 Tony-winning company's 70th World Premiere. Based on Jane Austen's iconic novel, this engaging work features book, music, and lyrics by Paul Gordon, whose musicals include TheatreWorks favorites Jane Austen's EMMA, Daddy Long Legs, and the Tony-nominated Broadway musical Jane Eyre. Pride and Prejudice follows delightfully liberated Lizzie Bennet and dashing, disdainful Mr. Darcy as they discover the irresistible power of love. A favorite from TheatreWorks's 2018 New Works Festival, this brand new musical romantic comedy will be directed by TheatreWorks's Founding Artistic Director Robert Kelley.

The lines between myth and reality become increasingly blurred in Defenders. When Iceland was threatened with invasion by Germany in WW2, the allies decide to step in. The world premiere from Pandelia's Canary Yellow Company by Cailin Maureen Harrison, and directed by Reena Dutt, follows three American G.I.s who are shipwrecked on the remote island of Hrisey off Iceland's northern coast. The stranded G.I.s find themselves with missing weapons, few supplies, and a broken radio. They realize they must rely on the locals for survival but, like current-day warfare, the locals fear the loss of their culture, their women and their safety with the presence of foreigners on their land. Defenders opens on November 9, with performances continuing through December 8 at The Broadwater Black Box in Hollywood. One lower-priced preview takes place on November 8.

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center is now accepting script submissions for the 2020 National Playwrights Conference. Writers may submit their new plays to the O'Neill's Open Submissions Process through Friday, October 11, 2019.

Laguna Playhouse Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham and Executive Director Ellen Richard are thrilled to announce that acclaimed film, TV and theatre veterans Frances Fisher (a?oeTitanic,a?? Native Gardens, Barbeque), will star as a?oeQueen Eleanora?? and Gregory Harrison (a?oeTrapper John, M.D.,a?? Broadway'sChicago, Steel Pier), will star as a?oeKing Henry IIa?? in its upcoming production of THE LION IN WINTER, written by James Goldman and directed by Sheldon Epps.  

Lauren Yee's Hookman is a horror fairytale brought to life by the trauma of sexual assault. a?oeYee is one of the most important new voices in American playwriting today; her recent LA productions of Cambodian Rock Band and King of the Yees showcase her brilliance in telling family dramas in virtuosic and comedic waysa??, says Artistic Director Jeff Janisheski.

A Noise Within (ANW), California's acclaimed classic repertory theatre company, is proud to announce Noise Now's fall 2019 slate of programming. Launched in February 2019, Noise Now is a cultural initiative by A Noise Within aimed at sharing artistic resources and being radically welcoming of underrepresented populations, communities of color, young people, and anyone who may not be equitably represented in theatre.

San Diego Repertory Theatre (San Diego REP) announced today the cast and creative team for Hold These Truths, the inspiring true story of Gordon Hirabayashi. The production, written by Jeanne Sakata and directed by Jessica Kubzansky, will run November 14 a?" December 8, 2019, in San Diego REP's Lyceum Space Theatre, with previews November 14 a?" 19, and press opening on Wednesday, November 20 at 7:00 p.m.

Producers Greg Berlanti and Robbie Rogers and Creative Producers Dylan Pager and Andy Jones announced today the return of David Kwong's The Enigmatist to The High Line Hotel (180 10th Ave, New York, NY 10011). After overwhelming demand and six months of sold-out performances earlier in 2019, magician and cruciverbalist David Kwong will bring his immersive evening of puzzles, cryptology and illusions back to New York City for a limited engagement, beginning November 1, 2019 that must end January 2020.