Play It Cool - 2006 - Los Angeles Articles Page 4

Today's top stories: Sing Street officially opens off-Broadway, and more!

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR has been around for half a century and is still going strong. The national tour heading to Omaha in December has a new style and I'm particularly eager to see it. I spoke with Tommy McDowell who plays Peter to see what he has to say.

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.

'Cultural Rocketfuel' Vivek Shraya (Vanity Fair), legendary Canadian theatre artist Daniel MacIvor, and the rare return of a One Yellow Rabbit hit to be included in 34th Annual International Festival of the Arts

Cat Country 96 presents the 2019 Jingle Jam at the historic State Theatre. It's an intimate evening of acoustic music with some of Nashville's hottest stars! The concert benefits the FREDDY© Awards program and takes place on Wednesday, November 20, 2019!

Tuzki, China's most famous rabbit, has been selected to lead the cast of a new series produced by Ciwen Media. The as-yet-unnamed modern comedy-drama series will mix live-action and CGI styles, and will mark Tuzki's debut in long-form content.

Toadies have enlisted Steve Albini to record their eighth studio album, the session scheduled for early 2020 in Chicago. Bassist Doni Blair refers to Albini as a “bucket list producer.” Guitarist Clark Vogeler adds “There are records in each of our collections that were recorded by him which mean the world to us.  The sound he brought to records likeThe Pixies' Surfer Rosa, and PJ Harvey's Rid of Me, capture the feeling of being in a room with a band while they play (quite loudly, it would appear).  A personal fave, Wedding Present'sSeamonsters saved me in a way that no other record has.  The emotion of the songs just pours out of the speakers.  His recordings of bands are honest; there's not much in the way of Pro Tools fixing (he records to tape) or studio trickery (no autotune in sight!).  It's mostly just a band in a room with microphones, playing the songs, and that appeals to us at this point.  We've always felt like we could deliver live, so why not record the band live?”

Tony-winning director-choreographer Casey Nicholaw is featured in this monthly episode of 'THEATER: All the Moving Parts', hosted by veteran journalist, Patrick Pacheco. Nicholaw has the remarkable distinction of having four shows running concurrently on Broadway: 'Book of Mormon,' 'Aladdin,' 'Mean Girls,' and "The Prom." Included among his many future projects is "Some Like It Hot."   

Wizard rock pioneers Harry and the Potters (Paul and Joe DeGeorge), have officially released their first full-length album since 2006: Lumos. Using the magic of rock and roll, Lumos chronicles the events of the seventh and final Harry Potter book where J.K. Rowling's teen wizard and his friends are on the run from a xenophobic, authoritarian regime and must work diligently to take down a dark wizard who capitalizes on fear and emboldens supremacist wizards. In other words, the subject matter of Lumos is extremely relevant. Harry and the Potters also just kicked off their first national tour of libraries since 2011 in support of the new album. Lumos was first announced to Harry and the Potters' fans with a Kickstarter campaign on April 23rd, doubling its funding goal within 24 hours of launch. 

Sundance Institute and Skywalker Sound today announced the composers and directors selected for the Sundance Institute Film Music and Sound Design Lab, which returns to the legendary Skywalker Sound Facilities for the seventh year.

Dark Phoenix is the story of one of the X-Men's most beloved characters, Jean Grey, as she evolves into the iconic titular character. During a life-threatening rescue mission in space, Jean is hit by a cosmic force that transforms her into one of the most powerful mutants of all. Wrestling with this increasingly unstable power as well as her own personal demons, Jean spirals out of control, tearing the X-Men family apart and threatening to destroy the very fabric of our planet. The film is the most intense and emotional X-Men movie ever made. It is the culmination of 20 years of X-Men movies, as the family of mutants that we've come to know and love must face their most devastating enemy yet -- one of their own.

At a talkback after a show at her school, the presenter asked the audience if anyone had experienced a time when something they considered a flaw turned out to be an asset. Jessie Knowles raised her hand and boldly told the audience that her bipolar and schizophrenia actually heightened her creativity and spiritual insight. The room went silent and Jessie noticed that afterward people either treated her differently or avoided her altogether. She realized the lack of understanding people had about mental health…and that she could do something about it.

Birdland will kick-off their exciting month of programming with the following acts:

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County and The House Theatre of Chicago are proud to present UNITED FLIGHT 232. Playing May 4-May 19, 2019 in the intimate Carnival Studio Theater (Ziff Ballet Opera House), UNITED FLIGHT 232 closes Center's 2018-2019 Theater Up Close Series. Based on the true story of fatal United Flight 232 and adapted from the critically acclaimed book, Flight 232: A Story of Disaster and Survival by Laurence Gonzales, this award-winning play depicts the power of the human spirit to defy unimaginable obstacles and transcend tragedy.

On June 21st, wizard rock pioneers Harry and the Potters (Paul and Joe DeGeorge), will release their first full-length album since 2006: Lumos. Using the magic of rock and roll, it chronicles the events of the seventh and final Harry Potter book where J.K. Rowling's teen wizard and his friends are on the run from a xenophobic, authoritarian regime and must work diligently to take down a dark wizard who capitalizes on fear and emboldens supremacist wizards. In other words, the subject matter of Lumos is extremely relevant. Harry and the Potters will embark on their first national tour of libraries since 2011 in support of the new album. Lumos was first announced to Harry and the Potters' fans with a Kickstarter campaign on April 23rd, doubling its funding goal within 24 hours of launch. 

Birdland has announced its upcoming May program!

Oh my god, I have literally nothing to say about Les Miz. Well, maybe not nothing... not literally! It's not gonna be hard to throw these out, I'll tell you that much. I have so many freaking Les Miz CDs and they all take up so much space at two--even three--discs a pop. The only one I ever really listened to in its entirety more than a couple of times was the Original London cast anyway.

Serenbe Playhouse has become known in Metro Atlanta for its immersive outdoor productions, and for their latest endeavor, director Brian Clowdus has recruited musical star power.

The Actors' Gang presents One Act Festival, featuring two contrasting programs performed in repertory. Show one, entitled The Classic, begins performances March 14th (press opening March 23) and features two classic one-act plays -- Jean-Paul Sartre's No Exit, directed by Brian T. Finney, and Samuel Beckett's Krapps's Last Tape, directed by Cynthia Ettinger. Show two, entitled The Original, begins performances March 16 (Press Opening March 29) and features three new one-act plays written, directed, and acted by The Actors Gang ensemble:  Tradition, written by James Edward Bane and directed by Tess Vidal, A Perfect World, written by Lynde Houck and directed by Danielle Powell, and Clean Slate, written by Bob Turton and directed by Zoe Hall. Both programs will run Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, through April 20th.  

'A Night In Old San Antonio' (NIOSA) is a four-night festival in the heart of downtown San Antonio that celebrates the city's diverse cultural legacy for more than 85,000 revelers annually.

Midnight Theatricals has annouced an updated performance schedule and released a new trailer for WE ARE THE TIGERS, the original pop/rock musical and teen horror comedy written & composed by Preston Max Allen and produced by S. Asher Gelman, that will open Off-Broadway at Theater 80 (80 St. Mark's Place) tonight at 8:00PM Michael Bello directs the pitch-black comedy about a dismally low-ranking team of cheerleaders trying to survive the night while being terrorized by a serial killer. Music supervision and arrangements are by Patrick Sulken. The production began previews on Thursday, February 7, 2019, and will run through April 17. www.tigersmusical.com

Two-time Tony Award-winning Goodspeed Musicals has brought together an extraordinary group of artists to helm the five exciting productions planned this season: an All-American classic, a heart-warming musical tale, an electric dance-filled tuner, an extraordinary true story, and an inspirational journey that's sure to inspire. Single tickets for all five shows set for Goodspeed's 2019 season go on public sale this Sunday, February 17 at 10:00 a.m..

Coffeegrinds Records is proud to announce the release of their 4th BLUE LARGO album BEFORE THE DEVIL STEALS YOUR SOUL, which is a 'Best Blues Album' nominee for the 2019 San Diego Music Awards.

With SXSW 2019 just around the corner, we are excited to reveal five Keynotes as well as more Featured Speakers across 25 Tracks of curated Conference programming.

TheaterWorksUSA announces their newest partnership with Writers House and Scholastic, the global children's publishing, education, and media company, by securing the rights to adapt the worldwide bestseller DOG MAN by Dav Pilkey for the stage.