Yes, America, there was serious star power in the audience for the 2024 Tony Awards compared to years past. There was Oscar-winners, Jessica Lange, Jennifer Hudson and Angelina Jolie, you had Cynthia Enrivo, Jeremy Strong, Holland Talyor, Rachel McAdams, Taraji P. Henson, Alicia Keys, Jay-Z, there were some big names and that usually is not the case.

Oscar-winner Arianna DeBose hosted the ceremony for her third consecutive year kicking things off with a song-and-dance number per usual. It was a fun opening number and it is what you come to expect. I thought the ceremony started off strong with lots of energy with Henson handing out the first trophy of the night for Lead Actor in a Play to Jeremy Strong for “Enemy of the People.”

Alica Keys took to the stage to perform the hit “Empire State of Mind” alongside rapper Jay-Z who made a surprise appearance. It was indeed a fun moment for the ceremony. Will Brill took home the Tony for Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for “Stereophonic.” A triumphant applause was given for Kara Young who walked away with her first Tony Award for Featured Actress in a Play for “Purlie Victorious…” Young had previously been nominated twice before, and celebrated the victory with her father who was by her side.

Daniel Aukin continued the dominance for “Stereophonic” walking away with the prize for Direction in a Play, while Danya Taymor won Direction in a Musical for “The Outsiders.” “Harry Potter” alum, Daniel Radcliffe picked up a Tony Award for Featured Actor in a Musical for “Merrily We Roll Along.” The musical also won the Tony for Best Revival for a Play which was presented by Jennifer Hudson.

“Appropriate” was victorious in the race for Best Revival of a Play, and its star Sarah Paulson walked away with the Tony for Lead Actress in a Play giving a wonderful speech as she took the stage. It was indeed a moment when Former First Lady and Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton took the stage to present “Suffs.”

Kecia Lewis won the Tony for Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical for “Hell’s Kitchen.” When it came to Leading Actor and Actress in a Musical it was Jonathan Groff who picked up his first Tony for “Merrily We Roll Along,” while Maleah Joi Moon won for “Hell’s Kitchen.”

“Suffs” picked up two Tony Awards, Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score. Overall, the ceremony had plenty of energy kicking off the ceremony, but I think the last hour of the ceremony lost a bit of its steam, but I was more entertained than usual. Until 2025 Broadway lovers.

The post “Stereophonic,” “The Outsiders” Win Top Prizes At 2024 Tony Awards appeared first on Canyon News.

The nominees were announced by “Modern Family” alum Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Tony award winner Renee Elise Goldsberry. A partial list of this year’s nominees are below:

Best Play

-“JaJa’s African Hair Braiding”

-“Mary Jane”

-“Mother Play”

-“Prayer for the Frech Republic”

-“Stereophronic”

Best Musical

-“Hell’s Kitchen”

-“Illinoise”

-“The Outsiders”

-“Suffs”

-“Water for Elephants”

Best Revival of a Play

-“Appropriate”

-“An Enemy of the People”

-“Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch

Best Revival of a Musical

-“Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”

-“Gutenberg! The Musical!”

-“Merrily We Roll Along”

-“The Who’s Tommy”

-“The Wiz”

-“Spamalot”

Best Direction Of a Play

-Daniel Aukin “Stereophonic”

-Anne Kauffman “Mary Jane”

-Kenny Leon “Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch”

-Lila Neguebauer “Appropriate”

-Whitney White “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding”

Best Direction of a Musical

-Maria Friedman “Merrily We Roll Along”

-Michael Greif “Hell’s Kitchen”

-Leigh Silverman “Suffs”

-Jessica Stone “Water for Elephants”

-Danya Taymor “The Outsiders”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

-William Jackson Harper “Uncle Vanya”

-Leslie Odom Jr. “Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch”

-Live Schreiber “Doubt: A Parable”

-Jeremy Strong “An Enemy of the People”

-Michael Stuhlbarg “Patriots”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

-Betsy Aidem “Prayer for the French Republic”

-Jessica Lange “Mother Play”

-Rachel McAdams “Mary Jane”

-Sarah Paulson “Appropriate”

-Amy Ryan “Doubt: A Parable”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Roel in a Musical

-Brody Grant “The Outsiders”

-Jonathan Groff “Merrily We Roll Along”

-Dorian Harewood “The Notebook”

-Brian d’Arcy James “Days of Wine and Roses”

-Eddie Redmayne “Cabaret At the Kit Kat Club”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

-Eden Espinosa “Lempicka”

-Maleah Joi Moon “Hell’s Kitchen”

-Kelli O’Hara “Days of Wine and Roses”

-Maryann Plunkett “The Notebook”

-Gayle Rankin “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

-Will Brill “Stereophonic”

-Eli Gelb “Stereophonic”

-Jim Parsons “Mother Play”

-Tom Pecinka “Stereophonic”

-Corey Stoll “Appropriate”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

-Quincy Tyler Bernstine “Doubt: A Parable”

-Juliana Canfield “Stereophonic”

-Celia Kennan-Bolger “Mother Play”

-Sarah Pidgeon “Stereophonic”

-Kara Young “Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

-Roger Bart “Back to the Future: The Musical”

-Joshua Boone “The Outsiders”

-Brandon Victor Dixon “Hell’s Kitchen”

-Sky Lakota-Lynch “The Outsiders”

-Daniel Radcliffe “Merrily We Roll Along”

-Steven Skybell “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

-Shoshana Bean “Hell’s Kitchen”

-Amber Iman “Lempicka”

-Nikki M. James “Suffs”

-Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer “Monty Python’s Spamalot”

-Kecia Lewis “Hell’s Kitchen”

-Lindsay Mendez “Merrily We Roll Along”

-Bebe Neuwirth “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”

The 77th Annual Tony Awards will be hosted by Oscar-winner Ariana DeBose and will be handed out on June 16 from the David H. Koch Theater at the Lincoln Center in New York. The ceremony will air at 8 p.m. EST on CBS and will stream live on Showtime and Paramount+.

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With that said, Oscar-winner and Tony nominee Ariana DeBose hosted the ceremony with a musical number that was fun and exciting. She transitioned by addressing the elephant in the room regarding the Writer’s Guild of America strike and I was glad she did not shy away from it people. DeBose handled the situation with poise and grace, which I enjoyed thoroughly. As for the big winners of the night, “Kimberly Akimbo” won Best Musical, while “Leopoldstadt” won for Best Play. “Parade” was victorious for the Best Musical Revival, while “Topdog/Underdog” was victorious in the Best Play Revival. “Kimberly Akimbo” closed out the night with a total of five trophies, while “Leopoldstadt” and “Some Like It Hot” walked away with 4 awards each. Lead Actress in a Musical went to Victoria Clark for “Kimberly Akimbo.”

There were some momentous moments of the night with Alex Newell and J. Harrison Ghee, openly non-binary performers took home Tony Awards for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for “Shucked” which is all about corn and Best Actor in a Musical for “Some Like It Hot.” It was fantastic to see these performers have their moment in the spotlight and to shed the light to those dreamers out there, that anything is possible and never give up fighting for that dream even if no one else believes you.

Some household names like Sean Hayes of “Will & Grace” walked away with the Tony for Best Actor in a Play for “Good Night, Oscar.” “Killing Eve” star Jodie Comer won Best Actress in a Play for “Prima Facie” over potential favorites Jessica Chastain and Tony darling Audra McDonald.

Of course, it wouldn’t be the Tony Awards without a sleuth of musical performances throughout the night which included, “Shucked,” “New York, New York,” “Kimberly Akimbo” and plenty more. Were there any moments that truly wowed like in previous years? Not quite, but I will admit seeing Joaquina Kalukungo back on the stage during the In Memoriam segment was fun, as well as “Glee” alum Lea Michele tackling that Barbra Streisand classic people. She has the pipes for it that is all I can say.

Other winners of the night included Miriam Silverman for Best Feature Actress in a Play for “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window,” Brandon Uranowitz for Best Featured Actor in a Play for “Leopoldstadt,” Bonnie Milligan for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for “Kimberly Akimbo,” Michael Arden winning Best Direction of a Musical for “Parade” while Patrick Marber won Best Direction of a Play for “Leopoldstadt.”

Overall, Broadway’s biggest night was more entertaining than past years because we didn’t have to listen to awkward joke that failed to land and had a bit more improve that actually works when you are acting people. Perhaps a ceremony without scripts permanently will become the norm moving forward, we shall see.

The post “Kimberly Akimbo” Wins Big At 2023 Tony Awards appeared first on Canyon News.

Other big contenders this year include “& Juliet,” “New York, New York” and “Shucked” which earned 9 nominations apiece. The musical “Kimberly Akimbo” picked up 8 nominations. A partial list of this year’s nominees can be viewed below:

Best Musical

-“& Juliet”

-“Kimberly Akimbo”

-“New York, New York”

-“Shucked”

-“Some Like It Hot”

Best Play

-“Ain’t No Mo’

-“Between Riverside and Crazy”

-“Cost of Living”

-“Fat Ham”

-“Leopoldstadt”

Best Revival of a Play

-“August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson”

-“A Doll’s House”

-“The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window”

-“Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog”

Best Revival of a Musical

-“Into the Woods”

-“Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot”

-“Parade”

-“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”

Best Book of a Musical

-“& Juliet”

-“Kimberly Akimbo”

-“New York, New York”

-“Shucked”

-“Some Like It Hot”

Best Original Score

-“Almost Famous”

-“Kimberly Akimbo”

-“KPOP”

-“Shucked”

-“Some Like It Hot”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

-Yahya Abdul Mateen II “Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog”

-Corey Hawkins “Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog”

-Sean Hayes “Good Night, Oscar”

-Stephen McKinley Henderson “Between Riverside and Crazy”

-Wendell Pierce “Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

-Jessica Chastain “A Doll’s House”

-Jodie Comer “Prima Facie”

-Jessica Hecht “Summer, 1976”

-Audra McDonald “Ohio State Murders”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

-Christian Borle “Some Like It Hot”

-J. Harrison Ghee “Some Like It Hot”

-Josh Groban “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”

-Brian d’Arcy James “Into the Woods”

-Ben Platt “Parade”

-Colton Ryan “New York, New York”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

-Annaleigh Ashford “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”

-Sara Bareilles “Into the Woods”

-Victoria Clark “Kimberly Akimbo”

-Lorna Courtney “& Juliet”

-Micaela Diamond “Parade”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Feature Role in a Play

-Jordan E. Cooper “Ain’t No Mo’

-Samuel L. Jackson “August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson”

-Arian Moayed “A Doll’s House”

-Brandon Uranowitz “Leopoldstadt”

-David Zayas “Cost of Living”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Feature Role in a Play

-Nikki Crawford “Fat Ham”

-Crystal Lucas-Perry “Ain’t No Mo’

-Miriam Silverman “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window”

-Katy Sullivan “Cost of Living”

-Kara Young “Cost of Living”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Feature Role in a Musical

-Kevin Cahoon “Shucked”

-Justin Cooley “Kimberly Akimbo”

-Kevin Del Aguila “Some Like it Hot”

-Jordan Donica “Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot”

-Alex Newell “Shucked”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Feature Role in a Musical

-Julia Lester “Into the Woods”

-Ruthie Ann Miles “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”

-Bonnie Milligan “Kimberly Akimbo”

-NaTasha Yvette Williams “Some Like It Hot”

-Betsy Wolfe “& Juliet”

Best Choreography

-Steven Hoggett “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

-Casey Nicholaw “Some Like It Hot”

-Susan Stroman “New York, New York”

-Jennifer Weber “& Juliet”

-Jennifer Weber “KPOP”

Best Direction of a Musical

-Michael Arden “Parade”

-Lear deBessonet “Into the Woods”

-Casey Nicholaw “Some Like It Hot”

-Jack O’Brien “Shucked”

-Jessica Stone “Kimberly Akimbo”

Best Direction of a Play

-Saheem Ali “Fat Ham”

-Jo Bonney “Cost of Living”

-Jamie Lloyd “A Doll’s House”

-Patrick Marber “Leopoldstadt”

-Stevie Walker-Webb “Ain’t No Mo’

-Max Webster “Life of Pi”

Oscar-winner and Tony nominee Ariana DeBose is slated to host the 76^th Annual Tony Awards on Sunday, June 11. The ceremony will move to the United Palace in New York’s City. The ceremony will air live on CBS from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. and will also be streaming live on Paramount+.

The post “Some Like It Hot” Leads 2023 Tony Nominations appeared first on Canyon News.

It was a short theatrical act blending traditional Irish music and dance. The song from the original video spent 18 weeks top of the Irish charts in 1994. It is the second highest selling of all time single in Ireland.

The original score was produced by Bill Whelan. Dancers Michael Flatley and Jean Butler combined with drummers and musicians Anúna. Husband and wife production team John McColgan and Moya Doherty formed a stage show based on the original seven minute production.

It opened as a stage show in Dublin, Ireland in 1995 for five weeks. Since then it has played at 450 venues. The show is currently on a 53 city tour across the US until June 11. The show had its 5000th performance in San Francisco in 2002.

Riverdance.com states, “For the 25th Anniversary production, renowned Irish lighting and video design creatives, High Res, were commissioned to produce and deliver an innovative and integrated set, lighting, and motion graphics design. The High Res team brings a wealth of creative experience, enhancing the visual onstage story telling though the use of technology and expert design.”

The production displays song, dance and performance around traditional Irish stories, myth and history. For example, scene 4 shows “a lone piper mourns Cú Chulainn, the implacable Bronze Age warrior, the great hero of Celtic myth.”

Eight shows will play at the Dolby Theatre this month. The theatre is located at 6801 Hollywood Blvd.

There are options for afternoon and evening shows. Tickets can be purchased at Riverdance Tickets | Event Dates & Schedule | Ticketmaster.com

The post Dolby Theatre Hosts “Riverdance” April 18-23 appeared first on Canyon News.

Well, the Tony Awards were celebrating 75 years in 2022, and they had Oscar-winner Ariana DeBose take on hosting duties. DeBose did a solid job as a host. She kept the pacing moving, had a few solid and hilarious moments. Of course the big opening number involved a song and dance medley that had a mash-up of current and classic musicals, but I wish the show had paid a bit more focus on highlighting those classics that is the reason people enjoy Broadway so much.

She also had that song and dance number involving actor Andrew Garfield that was quite hilarious to say the least people. Even Garfield himself couldn’t help, but blush and play along. As for winners, “A Strange Loop” took home the prize for Best Musical, while Best Play went to “The Lehman Trilogy.” “A Strange Loop” had a commanding 11 nominations entering the ceremony, but only walked away with two awards for the night; the other being Best Book of Musical for Detroit’s Michael R. Jackson.

The musical “Company” won five Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Play, and Broadway legend Patti LuPone walked away with the Tony for Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical. “Take Me Out” won the Tony for Best Revival of a Play, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson beat out his co-star Jesse Williams for Best Featured Actor in a Play. The musical “MJ” won four awards in the night including Lead Actor for Myles Frost, who portrayed the iconic musician. Phylicia Rashad won for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role for “Skeleton Crew,” while Joaquina Kalukango had two moments of the night.

First, she delivered perhaps the most iconic performance at the Tony Awards I have EVER SEEN, when she sang, yes you heard me sang, “Let it Burn.” She burned that stage and the house down with that performance. I was in awe watching her and to see the standing ovation she earned afterwards. Whew, the reaction from Oscar-nominee Cynthia Enrivo said what the audience and all the viewers had to be thinking.

She gave me chills and if Broadway had not been calling her for her performance in the musical “Paradise Square,” I am sure Hollywood is going to be calling her phone up in the coming days and weeks people. Kalukango topped off that phenomenal performance with a victory for Leading Actress in a Musical for her work in “Paradise Square.” She was emotional and delivered a solid acceptance speech, where I don’t think there was a dry eye in the audience.

Matt Doyle won the Tony for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical. The 2022 ceremony may have been one of the most entertaining ceremonies for the Tony Awards I have seen in a long time. No one play or musical dominated, the wealth was shared across the board to all the plays and musicals nominated and that was fun to see. I never want to see one play or musical dominate all the categories because it becomes predictable and no one likes predictability people.

The post “A Strange Loop” Wins Big At Tony Awards appeared first on Canyon News.

There were some surprises people and considering Broadway has been heavily impacted by COVID-19 and the pandemic, I’m not all that surprised. The plays and musicals had to be stellar to get the recognition. No love for the big names from “The Plaza Suite” and “Funny Girl” didn’t resonate with Broadway as much as one expected. A list of this year’s nominees can be viewed below:

Best Play

-“Clyde’s”

-“Hangmen”

-“The Lehman Trilogy”

-“The Minutes”

-“Skeleton Crew”

Best Musical

-“Girl From The North Country”

-“MJ”

-“Mr. Saturday Night Live”

-“Paradise Square”

-“SIX: The Musical”

-“A Strange Loop”

Best Revival of a Play

-“American Buffalo”

-“For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When The Rainbow Is Enuf”

-“How I Learned To Drive”

-“Take Me Out”

-“Trouble in Mind”

Best Revival of a Musical

-“Caroline, or Change”

-“Company”

-“The Music Man”

Best Revival of a Book

-“Girl From The North Country”

-“MJ”

-“Mr. Saturday Night”

-“Paradise Square”

-“A Strange Loop”

Best Original Score

-“Flying Over Sunset”

-“Mr. Saturday Night”

-“Paradise Square”

-“SIX: The Musical”

-“A Strange Loop”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

-Simon Russell Beale “The Lehman Trilogy”

-Adam Godley “The Lehman Trilogy”

-Adrian Lester “The Lehman Trilogy”

-David Morse “How I Learned to Drive”

-Sam Rockwell “American Buffalo”

-Ruben Santiago-Hudson “Lackawanna Blues”

-David Threlfall “Hangmen”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

-Gabby Beans “The Skin of Our Teeth”

-LaChanze “Trouble in Mind”

-Ruth Negga “Macbeth”

-Deirdre O’Connell “Dana H.”

-Mary-Louise Parker “How I Learned to Drive”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

-Billy Crystal “Mr. Saturday Night”

-Myles Frost “MJ”

-Hugh Jackman “The Music Man”

-Rob McClure “Mrs. Doubtfire”

-Jaquel Spivey “A Strange Loop”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

-Sharon D Clarke “Caroline, or Change”

-Carmen Cusack “Flying Over Sunset”

-Sutton Foster “The Music Man”

-Joaquina Kalukango “Paradise Square”

-Mare Winningham “Girl From The North Country”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

-Alfie Allen “Hangmen”

-Chuck Cooper “Trouble in Mind”

-Jesse Tyler Ferguson “Take Me Out”

-Ron Cephas Jones “Clyde’s”

-Michael Oberholtzer “Take Me Out”

-Jesse Williams “Take Me Out”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Uzo Aduba “Clyde’s”

Rachel Dratch “POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive”

Kenita R. Miller “for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf”

Phylicia Rashad “Skeleton Crew”

Julie White “POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive”

Kara Young “Clyde’s”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

Matt Doyle “Company”

Sidney DuPont “Paradise Square”

Jared Grimes “Funny Girl”

John-Andrew Morrison “A Strange Loop”

A.J. Shively “Paradise Square”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

-Jeannette Bayardelle “Girl From The North Country”

-Shoshana Bean “Mr. Saturday Night”

-Jayne Houdyshell “The Music Man”

-L Morgan Lee “A Strange Loop”

-Patti LuPone “Company”

-Jennifer Simard “Company”

Best Scenic Design of a Play

-Beowulf Boritt “POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive”

-Michael Carnahan and Nicholas Hussong “Skeleton Crew”

-Es Devlin “The Lehman Trilogy”

-Anna Fleischle “Hangmen”

-Scott Pask, American Buffalo Adam Rigg “The Skin of Our Teeth”

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

-Beowulf Boritt and 59 Productions “Flying Over Sunset”

-Bunny Christie “Company”

-Arnulfo Maldonado “A Strange Loop”

-Derek McLane and Peter Nigrini “MJ”

-Allen Moyer “Paradise Square”

Best Costume Design of a Play

-Montana Levi Blanco “The Skin of Our Teeth”

-Sarafina Bush “for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf”

-Emilio Sosa “Trouble in Mind”

-Jane Greenwood, Neil Simon’s “Plaza Suite”

-Jennifer Moeller “Clyde’s”

Best Costume Design of a Musical

-Fly Davis “Caroline, or Change”

-Toni-Leslie James “Paradise Square”

-William Ivey Long “Diana, The Musical”

-Santo Loquasto “The Music Man”

-Gabriella Slade “SIX: The Musical”

-Paul Tazewell “MJ”

The ceremony will air live on Sunday, June 12 on CBS at 8 p.m. It will also stream on Paramount +. The 2022 Tony Awards will be hosted by Oscar-winner Ariana DeBose and will be handed out from the famed Radio City Music Hall.

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I was rollicking along with the showstopping number of “When the Chips Are Down,” brilliantly choreographed by David Neumann. And then, pow…tears filled my eyes during “Wait For Me,” a quieter, yet powerful number, with swinging lamps even synched perfectly, the effect like that of being on a sinking ship in a storm. The intricate lighting (Bradley King) and miasmic, vertiginous swirl of the fog, the ever-moving set and its design (Rachel Hauck), luscious vocal arrangements (Liam Robinson) and lush orchestrations, with a taste of New Orleans, and an occasional off-note Honky Tonk smattering (Michael Chorney/Todd Sickafoose), the weathered costumes (Michael Krass). It all drew me in, into the eye of the hypnotic eddy of theatrical art. And then came the Wall. “Why We Build the Wall” was only the second song in the conception of Hadestown, written as early as 2006. Its weight and irony are not lost in closing Act One.

There are just a few small bumps along the journey. The audience doesn’t get to see Andre De Shields, Broadway’s Hermes. From what clips I have seen of him and what I knew of him from my days in NYC, he is an undeniable legend. But although the original cast seems to have been quite spectacular overall, this cast, like pets and children, are all equally lovable or, in their own way, maybe even more special than their predecessors. Levi Kreis surprisingly and confidently does get the moves of Hermes, and he sets the tone suavely. The Fates (Belen Moyano, Bex Odorisio and Shea Renne) blend soul-chilling harmonies with their a cappella tones. Orpheus (Nicholas Barasch), with a piercing tenor that first seems off putting, then gets under your skin and grows on you.

His love Eurydice (Morgan Siobhan Green) captures both the innocence of youth and the torture and demands of the streets she’s had to survive on alone, and Persephone (Kimberly Marable) is a powerhouse from her first moment on stage. Marable dances like she carries the depths of hell, while reaching for the heavens. Hades’ deep voice (Kevyn Morrow) lifts the rafters. The Workers Chorus (Lindsey Hailes, Chibueze Ihuoma, Will Mann, Sydney Parra, Jamari Johnson Williams) in all their various sepia hues color the stage and the story. The amplification was hotter than I like it, but…well, it is Hades’ town, after all. Go with it. Act Two was not quite as powerful as Act One, but we were already sold, so we sit back and enjoy the ride that the actors continue to take us on, be it Hadestown below or the world above.

Hadestown was “inspired by” the Greek Mythology of Orpheus, a muse of poetry accompanied by his lyre, or guitar in this case. Orpheus falls in love with Eurydice and follows her to the Underworld, ruled by Hades, who is married to Persephone, the goddess of the seasons, flowers, fruit and grain. She is destined to spend half of the year in the world above, where she brings the spring and summer, and half below…when she leaves that same world barren and cold.

These two stories, or relationships, are intertwined as the audience is carried above and below, along with the characters. Hermes conducts the way, and the Fates insightfully give commentary, while the chorus chimes in like the back-breaking proletariats that they are. It is a story that we still want to believe can end happily. We want to hear Orpheus finish his love song. We want to see Eurydice come back to life in his arms, in his love.

We want to see Persephone spring eternal in all her earthly gossamer greenery. But Hermes reminds us, “it’s a sad song, it’s a sad tale, it’s a tragedy. But we sing it anyway.” And it’s in the singing that we find joy. In the staged performance of tragedy, such is fine art. Hadestown is art in its purest form. Worth remembering. Well worth the journey down, as it lifts us up.

HADESTOWN

Through May 29, 2022

Center Theatre Group / Ahmanson Theatre At The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012

Tues.-Fri. at 8pm; Sat. at 2pm and 8pm; Sun. at 1pm and 6:30pm

EXCEPTIONS: NO MONDAY performances/NO 8pm performance Thurs. May 5/NO 6:30pm performance Sun. May 29/ADDITIONAL performance 2pm on Thurs. May 26

TICKET PRICES: $35-$199 (prices subject to change)

TICKETS ONLINE: www.CenterTheatreGroup.org. OR CALL CTG Audience Services: 213-972-4400. OR GO TO BOX OFFICE at The Music Center. GROUP SALES: 213-972-7231

Deaf community information and charge: visit CenterTheatreGroup.org/ACCESS Center Theatre Group

Run Time and Intermission: 2 hours and 30 minutes including one 15-minute intermission.

The post “Hadestown” Turns Up The Heat appeared first on Canyon News.

As Lora Unger, the CEO/spokesperson of the Pops, introduced the evening, she began with an ebullient, “WELCOME HOME!” For the Pasadena Pops, “Road to Motown,” led by Michael Feinstein, they had their biggest crowd ever, a sold-out evening. One hundred percent of their subscribing audience had agreed to roll over their season tickets until this reopening, allowing the Pops to have the cushion to survive for the duration of lockdown. That is a loyal crowd.

The evening began with a hearty, stirring rendition of the National Anthem, flags waving in time with the orchestra, led by the young student, Cole Brown, mentored through the LA Phil’s Nancy and Barry Sanders Composer Fellowship Program for high school students. The audience stood and sang along as Brown deftly waved his arms. Life, and live music, are back.

Michael Feinstein then entered the stage and warmly embraced the audience, as always. Jokes were made about the fears of playing live again, after being locked up for so long. Are the musicians out of practice? Are the sound technicians still able to balance accordingly? Will the peacocks still squawk on cue? Feinstein was a little more reserved than usual, less chatty with this show, giving merely a taste of Motown history at the start, and a few of the performers added more tidbits, but it was a night mostly for the music: a rapid-fire lineup of the songs, mostly shorter renditions, allowing time for a gamut of the Motown repertoire, and then some…some disco, some Beatles, and the like.

First, Feinstein introduced the still-sexy-at-77 Marilyn McCoo, and still-handsome-at-83 Billy Davis, Jr. The still-in-love-after-50-years couple danced and cooed together, hitting all the right notes, while supported by two great backup singers, Cynthia Bass and Cydney Davis. They opened and ended with their signature songs from their days as The 5th Dimension, “Up–Up and Away” and “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In,” and gave a tribute to the late, great Mary Wilson from the Supremes (who was originally booked to do the show, before her untimely death). “How Sweet It Is” had great guitar and sax solos, giving the Pops orchestra a focused moment. The crowd began to warm up as the sun set and the stars came out. Or the star, I should say.

Thelma Houston took over next, and she is a dynamo at 75. She came bounding on to the stage with high-stepping sparkly sneakers, kicking and bouncing, to a medley which included, appropriately, “Dancing in the Streets.” Thelma was dressed in a capri pantsuit of many colors, and splashy, flashy sequins. As she said, “There’s no more glitter in the stores, because I put it all on for YOU!” She was making up for lost time, sharing the energy she’d stored up in hibernation! With Tina Turner-esque blond hair, and style, she rocked it out, with another montage and nod to Mary Wilson, whose estate had given Houston the rights to sing Wilson’s “Reflections” and “Someday We’ll Be Together.” Houston of course knocked her iconic “Don’t Leave Me This Way” out of the park. Or out of the Arboretum, as it was. She at one point was in verbal and costume-plumage competition with the local peacocks, bantering back and forth with them, as they joined in on cue.

The night was closed with the talents of the tenor quartet, “Spectrum.” Having been spoiled by the amazing “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations” Broadway tour performers at the Ahmanson, I had my doubts if Spectrum could do as well, but they were wonderful. Tyriq Johnson, E.C. Adams, Cushney Roberts, and Pierre Jovan (2nd Tenor/Baritone), dressed in matching classy white suits, nimbly moved and grooved through the second half, hitting all the classic Motown tunes, including the aforementioned “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” and a Jackson 5 Medley. The night was closed with all performers together on stage, all dressed to the nines in more colorful sparkle and sequins, singing a rousing finale, and getting the audience on their feet.

Some changes were put into place at the venue, but that did not impede enjoyment: everyone had to bring, and SHOW, proof of second vaccination against COVID at least two weeks prior. More Porta Potties were brought in, which was a definite plus. Parking was a bit different, and difficult, circumstantially, but an apology was sent out afterwards for the snafus that apparently had arisen, though we hadn’t faced them, luckily. The packed house amped up the level of excitement, but of course, brought with it more irritation. Maybe we were more sensitive, after having not been with the mass public for so long, but, yes, they talked too much during the music, crinkled water bottles inappropriately, had irritating lights/cellphones that distracted sightlines, wore overbearing perfume/cologne, and beat time on the shared tables, rather than just simply clapping along.

On the good side, some light conversation ensued, some pleasantries, the positive kind of social interaction, along with some dancing and swaying and jubilation. It was good to be back HOME with the music and the Pasadena peeps. Who knows what is safe and healthy to do these days, but it seems a pretty safe bet that inching back to socialization, through the arts, in an outdoor venue during the summer, is about the safest way to ease back into life as we used to know it. And the Pasadena Pops at the LA County Arboretum, in Arcadia, is warm and welcoming. The geese and peacocks were there, the trees were swaying, the sun shone brightly, until the stars took over, and for a time, all was right with the world.

Check out the upcoming shows: “Fleetwood Mac: A Tribute,” July 24, 2021; “Michael Feinstein Sings Sinatra’s Songbook,” Aug. 14; “Classical Mystery Tour: Music of The Beatles,” Aug. 28th; and “100 Years of Broadway,” September 11. Information at www.pasadenasymphony-pops.org or call 626-793-7172. Pasadena Pops at the LA County Arboretum and Botanic Gardens Sierra Summer Concert Series 2021 301 N Baldwin Ave., Arcadia, CA, 91007.

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The company is a female-led organization that seeks to produce ambitious and diverse stories with total transparency. Key values include: innovation, collaboration, diversity and excellence.

With the advancing pressures of the novel COVID-19 virus, Eden created an installment of “room plays” in which the artists would get together in one singular area to tell a story that would then be broadcasted through ZOOM.

“By utilizing technology to continue ETC’s mission of dismantling the idea of otherness, this storytelling enables us to reflect on the experiences of all in our community during our time apart from one another, or at those moments we come together,” they state.

The production will tell three different stories: “Snapped-shot,” a post-apocalyptic story, “First Day,” a lesson on art history and “The Pedicure,” a story set in New York 243 days into quarantine.

The evening will begin at 8 p.m. and people can R.S.V.P through their website. From their, they can watch the show through the company’s Facebook page. Eden has asked for those who watch to donate directly to the Equal Justice Initiative, the organization that the show has been dedicated to.

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ISC was first founded in 1998 in New York where they put on their first production of Shakespeare’s “Henry V.” The company relocated to Los Angeles in 2001, and two years later partnered with the Department of Cultural Affairs to produce the Free Shakespeare Festival.

The festival was originally cancelled for 2020 due to the safer-at-home issued in March, becoming the first time for the company during its the 17-year run.

In an announcement on their website, ISC expressed concerns of the loss of funding through fundraisers that help allot for the free admissions to the festival but still made plans to bring the show to fans with a live stream performance of “The Comedy of Errors” in August.

Artistic Director and co-founder Melissa Chalma spoke to NBC Los Angeles stating:

“We’re looking at doing Shakespeare in the Parking Lot and kind of modeling it on drive through movie theaters which people are still going to now.”

Chalma indicated they are looking at ways to build a big enough stage to allow as many cars to be able to see as well as making plans to make it streamable for those to watch in the comfort of their homes.

The Independent Shakespeare Company has yet to release a timeline on when they hope to have the festival ready for audiences.

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Two new plays will be featured at Geer’s Theatricum two Sundays in the month of July. Both plays consist of two American families confronting their legacies across generations. The readings will take place in the Theatricum’s S. Mark Pavilion outdoor space in Topanga.

On Sunday, July 14 at 11:00 a.m. the play, “Sadie’s Day” written by Danielle DeCrette and directed by Elena Campbell-Martinez will be featured. “Sadie’s Day” is a comedy, about life and death, and three women, who with the help of an overextended hospice worker are forced to examine their choices and expectations as mothers and daughters.

On Sunday, July 21 at 11:00 a.m. the play “The Dog Show” written by Ivan Faute and directed by Laura Stribling will be shown. “The Dog Show” is a dark comedy about a deeply troubled family whose sins cannot be absolved through confession.

Theatricum Botanicum is also offering two Dramaturgy Workshops and will feature several private GreenReads. The Dramaturgy Workshop is a workshop designed to help new playwrights develop and perfect their abilities. The workshop is headed by the Theatricum’s playwright-in-residence Jennie Webb. The courses will be held over the course of two months on alternating Sundays.

The workshop culminates in developmental GreenReads which is performed with professional Theatricum actors. The workshop accepts four playwrights by submission only and the next session deadline is September 1. Interested playwrights should visit https://theatricum.com/seedlings-dramaturgy-workshop/ for more information.

Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum is located at 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Boulevard in Topanga Canyon midway between Pacific Coast Highway and the Ventura freeway. For more information visit www.theatricum.com/seedlings or call the theatre directly at (310) 455-3723.

Botanicum Seedlings: A Development Series For Playwrights was created in 2002. The Botanicum Seedlings series has supported over 150 new plays over 50 of which have gone on to win awards or receive major productions across the country.

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I’ve been going to the Hollywood Bowl for years, and whenever I consider moving out of LA (virtually every day, lately, with traffic being what it is), one of the main things that I have thought would keep me here is the Bowl. But I had never even known of this Arcadia venue. Comparisons to the Bowl are inevitable. They are both outdoor arenas, where you can bring food to eat, and wine and beer to drink, but the fact is, they are two very different venues.

The Arboretum is a gorgeous, magical setting for concerts. The very short entrance path is engulfed with a dense forest of trees, bordered by a pond covered by rich green algae. With a backdrop of the mountains, the grassy grounds of the event give it the inviting feel of a neighborhood get-together. We hit no traffic coming or going, no bottlenecks. Parking and entry to the park were a breeze. Smaller than the Bowl, the experience is instantly more intimate, and the Principal Conductor, Michael Feinstein delivers in a perfectly suited congenial style.

This is Michael Feinstein’s seventh season as Principal Conductor with the Pops, following Marvin Hamlisch, who had led for 15 years prior. Feinstein is smart. He brings in assorted talent and keeps the concert moving along with anecdotal history about each song and its composer. Feinstein seems to have personal connections with so many past greats of the music biz, betraying his apparent age. He jokes colloquially with the audience, referencing the ubiquitous peacocks, who inhabit the Arboretum. He clearly loves what he does, performing with an infectious warm smile on his face, for the older, somewhat staid, but clearly appreciative, crowd.

Kevin McKidd was the Hollywood name draw, but he sang only two songs from the Songbook. He could have done more. He was charming. He has a voice, but it was one strengthened by acting, which he better showed in his rendition of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s “Maria.” His “On the Sunny Side of the Street” was cute and playful, and loosened him up more, so it would have been nice to see him sing one more song.

Melissa Errico (“My Fair Lady’s” Eliza) represented Broadway, with lovely renditions of three classics, “Where or When,” the (thankfully) uncensored “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered,” and “Zing, Went the Strings of My Heart.”

Like the Bowl, the stage action was simulcast on two large video screens flanking the stage, but the camera work was better, capturing unique angles and viewpoints with clarity, and covering just the right performers at the right times. There were clever film clips, of Tin Pan Alley, and of “Gone with the Wind,” to accompany a few numbers, and dancers Victoria Rafael and Forrest Walsh brightened the stage with an effortless and classy touch, whether they were buttoning up their “overcoats,” or swirling in white chiffon, satin, and tuxedo. Feinstein sings a few songs himself, and Larry Blank, as the Resident Conductor, then conducts.

The orchestra was featured in the “Big Band Montage” and “Sing, Sing, Sing.” During David Rose’s “Holiday for Strings,” unfortunately, the otherwise balanced sound fell a bit short, ironically on covering the strings. There were a few humorous snafus. Feinstein introduced Kevin McKidd as appearing in “Rom-A,” and McKidd thanked Michael “Fine-steen,”and as Feinstein pointed out, the squawking peacocks were “almost keeping time,” and sirens “killed” the finale of the final song, and but such is the novelty of a live, outdoor performance.

Feinstein has just opened another nightclub, this one at Vitello’s, adding to his clubs in SF and NYC, and the Los Angeles community is lucky to have him in residence. The encore was a Feinstein solo of “Old Friend” on the piano, a bittersweet gem from “I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road.” It was a different sort of encore, but the introspective moment seemed well-deserved for a man just playing to his old friends in his very large, very lush open-air living room.

Pasadena Pops: “The Great American Songbook: Icons from Tin Pan Alley, Broadway and Hollywood”

Pasadena Pops at the LA County Arboretum and Botanic Garden
Sierra Summer Concert Series
The Great American Songbook: June 22, 2019

301 NORTH BALDWIN AVE ARCADIA, CA 91007

Summer 2019 Season includes: Rhapsody in Blue (July 13); Michael Feinstein Sings Cole Porter (August 3); Music of Elton John Starring Michael Cavanaugh (August 24), MGM Movie Classics (September 14)

Lawn seats: $10 Child, $25 Adult; Table seats from $46-$150; or book a full table for 6 or 10 guests.

Gates open at 5:30 p.m. for picnicking, Concerts begin at 7:30; Food can be preordered, or you can pick up food there at the Food Trucks or across the way at the Santa Anita Westfield Mall. For detailed information on tickets, concerts, and the venue, go to https://pasadenasymphony-pops.org/concerts/sierra-summer-concert-series-2019/ or call (626) 793-7172.

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Corden, while funny, just lacked that punch of excitement that I’ve seen from previous hosts like Neil Patrick Harris (who made an appearance) and even Hugh Jackman. He did his best; it just wasn’t enough to keep me entertained people. The big winner of the night was a musical that I hadn’t heard of, “Hadestown” which walked away with a total of eight Tony Awards including the big one, Best Musical.

Another big winner of the night was “The Ferryman” which took the prize for Best Play. Celia Keenan-Bolger won the first prize of the night for Featured Actress in a Play for her work in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” while Bertie Carvel won the Tony for Featured Actor in a Play for his role in “Ink.” Elaine May took to the stage to capture the prize for Leading Actress in a Play for “The Waverly Gallery.” Bryan Cranston won for Leading Actor in a Play for his performance in “Network.”

Big wins for “Hadestown” also include the win for Andre De Shields for Featured Actor in a Musical, as well as Rachel Chavkin who won for Best Director, and she gave an astounding speech, talking about inclusion and the importance of diversity in the arts. Perhaps the biggest highlight of the night was seeing Ali Stoker win the Tony Award for Featured Actress in a Musical for “Oklahoma.” Seeing Ali, who is confined to a wheelchair win that award for an amazing performance was just sensational and to give such a rousing and inspiring speech on top of it was just icing on the cake.

“The Boys in the Band” won the award for Best Revival of a Play, while Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma” won the Tony for Best Revival of a Musical. Other acting prizes handed out for the night included wins for Santino Fontana for Leading Actor in a Musical for “Tootsie,” while Stephanie J. Block won for Leading Actress in a Musical for “The Cher Show.” As I pointed out the 73rd Tony Awards was a very slow paced ceremony, but there were some big wins that totally made up for the slow ceremony. Will Corden be asked to return in 2020? I’m not so sure; I would prefer someone with a bit more excitement or skill hosting to take over.

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The show opens with the birth of Matilda (played with spot-on spirit and spunk by Lucy Bollier on opening night, to be alternated with Olivia Marcum through the run). She was an unwanted surprise and ultimate insult to her mother and father. Mrs. Wormwood (the effectively self-absorbed Janna Cardia) describes Matilda’s birth as “the worst day of my life,” and Mr. Wormwood (the lanky and perfectly cartoonish James Larsen) says, “All I know, I learnt from the telly…watch more TV.” The Mrs. is busy pursuing her dance career, peroxided blonde bouffant and a cigarette, while Mr. is taking pride in his latest get-rich-quick scheme, selling tainted used cars to Russians. Their favored firstborn, Michael (the delightfully doltish Nick McKenna), sits numbly in front of the telly. Despite the less-than intellectual, non-supportive household, Matilda teaches herself to read, working up to not only Russian novels, but the Russian language, as well. Her family looks at her with disdain. They don’t get her intelligence, nor do they like it.

Matilda finally gets to go to school, Crunchem Hall, where Miss Trunchbull, the principal reigns. Trunchbull (played with fierce conviction and condescension by Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper) bellows the school motto: “Children are maggots,” and says, “To teach the child, first you must break the child.” Nobility has left the building. She puts the kids through the wringer, her “chokey,” swings them by their pigtails and flings them out windows. While Trunchbull tries to crunch `em, the teacher, Miss Honey (compassionately and passionately portrayed by Katie DeShan), facing her own demons, tries to uplift. She is aided by the town librarian, Mrs. Phelps (the lilting–I could listen to her say “Matilda” all day long–and warmly animated Deanna Anthony).

Ultimately, the good prevail. The elder students, at first seeming freakishly tall and bullying, come around. Through the tutelage of Matilda and a brush with telekinesis, and with the resilience of Miss Honey, they all resist Trunchbull. They discover that you “must be brave enough to fight the creatures,” proving you can break the victim mold and overcome the negativity you face.

The younger and older students bind forces, and interestingly, by the end of the show, they somehow all seem to even out more in height. This is yet another feat by this masterful ensemble, led by Lavender (played with precise movement and keen comedic timing by Olivia Zenetzis) and Bruce (pitiful, yet inspirational, Marcello Silva). Bringing the cast and the storyline full circle are The Escape Artist/Doctor (the strong presence of Ben Carroll), and The Acrobat (the lovely Monica Ricketts), and a bunch of Russians.

All the alphabet blocks line up. It’s all absurd fun that floats over a deeper story of the despair and frustration of the meek Miss Honey’s past, and Matilda’s dismal future. The sweet convergence of the two lifts them, and consequently, the audience, into a better life.

All I knew about Matilda for years was that in the original UK production, and on Broadway, swings descended from the ceiling and the kids swung from the heavens. This staging is by rights apparently limited now to Broadway, but at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, with Direction by Lewis Wilkenfeld, Choreography by Heather Castillo, and Scenic Design by Stephen Gifford, nothing is lost. It’s replaced by old-fashioned playground rides (now basically banned from playgrounds). This is just as freeing and memory-evoking as swings. The kids kick up their legs and fly a bit on the bounce of a seesaw, take a liberating spin on the “merry-go-round” disc and plunge the freefall of the metal slide, sharing sheer abandon and empowerment. But Matilda is much more than swings, or playground rides.

Castillo’s choreography is energetic and vibrant, then countered by making the most of a simple en masse lean of the ensemble, or of wistful, still poses in “Don’t Cry”; she finds every nuance of comedy in the ballroom dance attempts of Rudolpho (John Paul Batista), the smoldering Italian stud of a ballroom dance coach, and Mrs. Wormwood, and Michael and Mr. Wormwood’s brilliantly funny “All I Know” dance. Though much of the book by Dennis Kelly, and the music and lyrics by Tim Minchin, is excitingly rebellious, there are moments like “Quiet,” where Matilda sings of the peace she finds, “like the sound when you lie upside down in your bed, just the sound of your heart in your head.” You’re first taken aback by the abusiveness, then taken back to a sweet time.

This is a dark, gritty, surreal, somewhat supernatural story, giving Matilda the edge that makes it simultaneously an adult musical for children, and a children’s musical for adults, all that Roald Dahl could have imagined, and more. There is an adult depth to Matilda. At its most uncomfortable moments, Matilda calls upon the audience to witness abuse, but then, it magically brings you back to the purity of childhood, as only Roald Dahl can do, served with a cherry confection on top, which makes it over-the-top palatable.

Don’t take long to decide to go; the run, like Matilda herself, is short and feisty.

Roald Dahl’s “Matilda”

Adapted by Dennis Kelly

Music & Lyrics by Tim Minchin

Musical Direction by Jennifer Lin

Choreography by Heather Castillo

Directed by Lewis Wilkenfeld

Matilda through Sunday, March 31, 2019

Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza

2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard

Thousand Oaks, CA 91362

Performances are Thursday at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m.

Tickets: Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza Box Office, www.5startheatricals.com, or by phone at (800) 745-3000. For tickets, please call (800) 745-3000.

Ticket prices range from $35 – $83. For ticket and theatre information, call (805) 449-ARTS (2787). Student, Senior and Group discounts are available.

For groups of 10 or more, please call Group Sales, 5-STAR THEATRICALS at (805) 497-8613 ext 1.

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William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” will be starting off the theatre’s season June 1 at 8:00 p.m. It is a comedy of twins who are separated by a shipwreck and are lost at sea. The play explores themes of unrequited love, mistaken identities, and gender bending. The play will be accompanied by original music by cellist and composer Marshall McDaniel. The last night to see “Twelfth Night” will be Saturday, September 28 at 8:00 p.m.

June 2 will feature Theatricum Botanicum’s annual performance of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” directed by Willow Geer. The popular Shakespearean comedy features themes of romance, fairies, magic, cosmic misadventures, and mistaken identities. The final showing of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” will be Monday, September 2 at 6:00 p.m.

June 8 will be the opening of “Moby Dick – Rehearsed,” written by Orson Wells and directed by the theatre’s Artistic Director Ellen Geer. The play is an adaptation of Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick.” The play is about a captain’s obsession to kill the white mammoth Moby Dick. The last night to view Melville’s play adaptation will be Sunday, September 29 at 4:00 p.m.

Henrik Ibsen’s “An Enemy of the People” will have its opening production June 22. An Enemy of the People is a play that explores the individual versus society. “Enemy of the People” is freely adapted and directed by Ellen Geer.

“The Skin of Our Teeth” written by Thornton Wilder, will be opening July 13 at 8:00 p.m. This Pulitzer Prize winning play explores themes of modernity and antiquity. The play uses humor, history, and mythology to describe the human will to carry on. The final performance of “The Skin of Our Teeth” will be Sunday, September 29 at 8:00 p.m.

“The Gin Game” starring Alan Blumenfeld and Katherine James, will open August 17 at 8:00 p.m. The Tony Award winning production is about two people who share a mutual love for the game of gin rummy. As they play, they begin to realize that their secrets are being used against them – a metaphor for their lives. The last showing of “The Gin Game” will be Sunday, September 29 at 8:00 p.m.

Actor and social activist Will Geer first opened the outdoor venue in 1973 near The Getty Villa in Topanga Canyon. Geer’s intention was to combine his acting and botanical careers. The idea for the theatre’s name “Theatricum Botanicum” came from the book “Theatrum Botanicum” by the English Botanist John Parkinson.

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Originally named Margaret Myrtle Hoag on September 25, 1932, Hoag graduated from Shimer College in Mount Carroll, Illinois at the age of 19. She attended graduate school in Case Western Reserve University, in Cleveland, OH.

She later moved to New York and starred in a Broadway production of James Forsyth’s “Heloise” after studying at the Actors Studio. She played a nurse in “Tammy and the Doctor” in 1963 upon her arrival in Los Angeles, and later appears in “The Trip” in 1967. She grew to fame for her role on the sitcom “The Facts of Life.”

She also starred in other TV shows including the pilot episode of “Hawaii Five-O” in 1968. She also appeared on the shows “That Girl,” “Gunsmoke,” “The Partridge Family,” “Grace Under Fire,” “Police Woman,” “The Rockford Files,” and “Archie Bunker’s Place.”

Hoag leaves behind her husband of 47 years, her daughter, and two grandsons.

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In “Dear Evan Hansen,” this team brings social anxiety disorder and depression front and center to the stage, effectively weaving the drama, with just the right touch of humor, through their captivating music. Pasek & Paul may even be the first team to start a new category, EGGOOT winners, garnering Emmy, Grammy, Golden Globe, Oscar, Obie and Tony awards. Something to write home about, if not to their therapists.

Evan Hansen (now played by Ben Levi Ross, the understudy from NY) is a troubled youth. His father walked out when Evan was seven, and he struggles with a non-specified disorder, leaving him unable to find friends or a place in a society that he is having difficulty navigating. His single mother, Heidi (Jessica Phillips), is stretched tight, working long hours as a nurses’ aide, and attending classes, hoping to gain more income to support her son, get him to his therapist, monitor his drugs, and help him connect. In the process, she has forgotten to simply hug him, and love him for what he is or is not.

Meanwhile, at his school, Connor and Zoe Murphy, Jared Kleinman, and Alana Beck are having equally difficult times. Connor (Marrick Smith), the older brother of Zoe (Maggie McKenna), is angry and withdrawn, smoking pot and berating his parents (Larry and Cynthia, played by Aaron Lazar and Christiane Noll), sister and schoolmates, if he communicates at all. Zoe is bitter that Connor gets all the attention. Their distant parents are proof that “when you’re rich and you don’t have a job, you get crazy.” Then there’s Jared (Jared Goldsmith), the “family friend” who claims he is forced by his parents to be friendly to Evan. Ironic, since his only other friends are the invented camp buddies he references. Flitting in and out like a noisy butterfly is Alana (Phoebe Koyabe), who desperately reaches out to anyone and everyone, but doesn’t let them get a word in edgewise, or let them get in at all, before she flies away.

Eight people, floundering. It’s painful, it’s raw, it’s real. Evan gets an assignment from his therapist to write daily letters to himself, beginning with, “Dear Evan Hansen: Today is going to be a good day….” He starts on one, which is then snatched from the printer in the school computer lab by Connor. He and Connor have a brief scuffle, and then Connor shoves the paper in his pocket, slips out, and checks out of life. Connor’s parents discover Evan’s letter in their son’s pocket and take it to be the suicide letter Connor wrote to his one dear friend they knew nothing of, Evan. When they meet Evan, they try to fill in the blanks and he takes the bait. He then gets himself caught in the dense web of a lie, as he finally discovers a purpose in life: to give closure and connection to this broken family. It doesn’t hurt that this web also enwraps his crush, Zoe, into his life.

His lie spins out of control, to a screaming crescendo of viral projections (literally effected by Peter Nigrini’s Projection Design and Japhy Weideman’s Lighting Design), as the internet turns not only Connor into a superstar, but also Evan, Alana, and Jared. They are now popular, important, and connected, but it’s all a lie, and as viral goes, undoubtedly fleeting. This is troubling, for an audience, and for an individual. Such is the drumbeat of “Dear Evan Hansen.”

I teach musical theatre to kids, and this summer, several of them worked on the music of Pasek and Paul. I grew to love their music, but I had my reservations about the story line of “Dear Evan Hansen” and wondered how I would feel about it when I would see it on the stage. A young person finding a reason to exist, by living a lie? What hit me most this summer, knowing just the skeleton of the show, was that I wished Evan had discovered a Musical Theatre class.

After having seen the show opening night at the Ahmanson, I still feel that way, but I also found that all eight characters in the story would also have benefited from joining the cast of a musical at their high school or elementary school or community theatre. All the characters in this play need to connect, but they don’t see that “there’s no place like home.” If only they had realized that all the people in this circle could have found just as valid a purpose by connecting to one another, on their own truths.

There are two mantras in “Dear Evan Hansen,” one being, “#YouWIllBeFound,” and the other, “#YouAreNotAlone.” “You will be found” is a dubious one. It may have a nice ring to it, but not so much for Connor. He committed suicide. He was perhaps “found” after death, but that was an invented Connor. The popularity pinned to him at death is empty, and unfortunately too often what happens. Many of the shooters/murderers/suicides in real life are clearly seeking notoriety through death. This must not be confused with being “found.”  The phrase “You are not alone” is one to hold on to, however. If only we could all find one another.

I do take pride in being involved in theatre, particularly with teaching our youth. I have seen and witnessed its power firsthand: theatre allows a connection so unique from other school experiences for children. Theatre casts bond in ways that no other vehicle allows. The so-called “nerds” find friends, acceptance, a voice. Younger students find strength through the elders taking them under their wing, and the elders learn leadership. Those who have trouble speaking are given lines to say. People who can’t find themselves can find a character to hide behind, or explore, or have control over, better than they can understand themselves at first; eventually, this often gives them the confidence to trust themselves. People like Evan Hansen don’t have to lie in life, they can act, on stage. It can be a beautiful thing.

And through drama, audiences, too, can find themselves, in a darkened theater, their lives brought to light and life on the stage. “Dear Evan Hansen” (directed by Michael Greif, based on a book by Steven Levenson) does just that, and that is why it is the success it has become. It is moving, riveting, troubling, and though a raw example of how a lie can do harm, it shows that the story of the telling of a lie can possibly lead to the truth. We need to reach out and discover each other, and in so doing, find ourselves. Bravo to “Dear Evan Hansen” for navigating that path, giving us a map, and thus opening this dialogue through beautiful music and lyrics, excellent acting, and soaring voices.

“Dear Evan Hansen” is running through November 25. Performance Days and Times: Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sunday at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.; No performances on Mondays; Exceptions: Added 2 p.m. performance on Wednesday, November 21; No 8 p.m. performance on Thanksgiving Day, November 22.

Ticket Prices: range from $99 to $285 (Ticket prices are subject to change.)

Tickets are available online at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org, by calling Center Theatre Group Audience Services at (213) 972-4400, or in person at the Center Theatre Group Box Office at The Music Center. For Group Sales call (213) 972-7231. For Deaf community information visit CenterTheatreGroup.org/ACCESS.

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Each key member of The Temptations through the years is given a moment:  the actor, in which to shine, the character, to shine through, and their voices to rise above. Derrick Baskin, as Otis Williams, is the solid, humble anchor to Ain’t Too Proud, as he narrates and shares his observances, starting with a wry reference to the depths of their lyric, “You got a smile so bright, you coulda been a candle.” Otis is the “Runaway Child,” who managed to run from the criminal life of the streets of Detroit, once he heard the Godlike message of the Cadillacs’ “Gloria,” and find his higher calling through music. He was joined by Elbridge “Al” Bryant (the solid Jarvis B. Manning, Jr.), Melvyn Franklin (the mellifluous bass, Jawan M. Jackson), Eddie Kendricks (the crooner, Jeremy Pope) and Paul Williams (the soulful, melodious James Harkness).

They really found their groove with the tumultuous addition of the volatile David Ruffin (the robust, energetic Ephraim Sykes, with the smoothest of moves and style). Through thick and thin, Williams fought to maintain the “Collective Voice,” and equality, and in Ain’t Too Proud, all do indeed showcase their talents to beautiful effect.

The “Temps” are balanced by the distinctive voices of Jahi Kearse as Berry Gordy and Christian Thompson as Smokey Robinson, and the comedy of Joshua Morgan as their manager, Shelly Berger. The Temptations reign supreme in this show, but The Supremes also make their appearance, in a funny twist of their battles to the top of the charts. As the group’s first manager, Johnnie Mae, Taylor Symone Jackson is crisp and driven, but the one woman who steals the show from the men was Rashidra Scott, as Josephine, Otis’s long-neglected wife, when she turns it on with “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” before exiting dramatically stage left.

The choreography by Sergio Trujillo is as slick and suave as could be, with tempting moves to all 31 songs hit upon. He captures The Temptations’ signature style of the four facing in, mirroring each other’s stylized moves, with the lead singer of the moment off to the side, then, like a motorized Detroit engine, switching positions and regrouping. Playing with the location of their audience, we’d see side angles and back views, as if taking us along on their round-the-world tour. Trujillo turns the synchronized unbuttoning of jackets and checking of wristwatches into fine dance moves that articulate the way they did the things they did.  Not a beat was missed in this fast-paced, well-oiled machine.

The production team reflected the Collective Voice of The Temptations, in working as a dynamic unit as well. The stage design by Robert Brill was impeccably executed, with turntables and roller tracks used to the utmost fluidity. Howell Binkley (Lighting Design), Peter Nigrini (Projection Design) and Paul Tazewell (Costume Design) all must be mentioned and commended, as should Steve Canyon Kennedy for his perfectly balanced Sound Design. And in a show which culminates with 24 Temptations on stage, the main players all flawless in their presentation, a nod must be given to Tara Rubin for casting not a weak link in the mix.

This was the first and only time I experienced a standing ovation where I thought, “This may never end…,” nor did I want it to, not for hope of an encore, but rather to extend sheer appreciation. The only thing that eventually stopped it was Baskin’s heartfelt introduction of the shining lights in the audience, none other than Otis Williams, himself, Berry Gordy, Mary Wilson of the Supremes and Shelly Berger. This being a Pre-Broadway run, I am sure Broadway will open its arms to this theatrical gem, but this is an opportunity for LA to beat NY to a #1 hit. LA is lucky to have The Temps stop here first, so see it now, and everyone, “Get Ready” to beg for more!

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That is the one thing that is amazing about the Tony Awards: you see actual people sing, perform and deliver on the stage instead of relying on lip syncing. The first award of the night for Leading Actor in a Play was given to Andrew Garfield, and rightfully so for his riveting work in “Angels in America.” Watching that musical number for “Mean Girls” reminded me just how great that comedy written by Tina Fey and starring Rachel McAdams and Lindsay Lohan was.

Carey Mulligan presented the Tony Award for Featured Actress in a Play to Laurie Metcalf for “Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women.” It’s nice to see Metcalf get a bit of recognition. I loved her performance in “Lady Bird.” The Tony Award for Featured Actress in a Musical went to Lindsay Mendez for “Roger and Hammerstein’s Carousel.” Itamar Moses’ “The Band’s Visit” won for Book of a Musical beating out Tina Fey for “Mean Girls.”

Revered actor Nathan Lane picked up another Tony for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for “Angels in America.” Ari’el Stachel “The Band’s Visit” took home the prize for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical.

Leading Actress in a Play was a victory for Glenda Jackson for her performance in Edward Albee’s “Three Tall Women.” Nabbing a victory in the Best Play race was “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two,” while “Angels in America” won the prize for Best Revival of a Play. “The Band’s Visit” and “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two” picked up a bevy of prizes throughout the night in the technical races.

In perhaps the biggest surprise and upset of the night, “Once on This Island” took home the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. I must say the audience was happy with the result as well, as thunderous applause roared through the room. I’m not sure exactly what actor Robert De Niro shouted as he took the stage, but it was enough to get the crowd cheering and standing to their feet. Not to mention being bleeped several times.

It was a moment for Tony Shaloub who picked up his first Tony Award after three nominations for his work as Leading Actor in a Musical for “The Band’s Visit.” He gave a memorable speech, where he got choked up several times while giving his speech. On the other end of the spectrum his co-star, Katrina Lenk took home the Tony for Leading Actress in a Musical.

The night came to an end with the prize for Best Musical being awarded to “The Band’s Visit.” I will admit the 72nd Annual Tony Awards had its slow moments. Perhaps this is a direct result of not having an actual standout like the unbelievable spectacle that “Hamilton” was back in 2016. That’s the 2018 Tony Awards people, see you in 2019!

Written By Kelsey Thomas

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