Because It’s Sunny in L.A.

[NoHo Arts District, CA] – The Hudson Theatre presents a world premiere musical Because It’s Sunny in L.A. (Especially On Skid Row), written and produced by Thaddeus Nagey, in the hope of creating awareness of the homeless population in Los Angeles, running June 3 – 24.

Because It’s Sunny in L.A. was created from years of personal experiences with homelessness and Nagey is determined to truly make a positive difference in the world and create safe places for marginalized people to have a powerful voice in our communities.  A landmark musical play that culturally addresses the systemic homelessness humanitarian crisis in not only Los Angeles, but nationwide.

The three-act immersive, dark comedy musical is designed to culturally inspire change and the way people think and feel about homelessness. Thousands a year die from issues of homelessness. Because It’s Sunny in L.A. is about the severe nature of homelessness in L.A. Following five homeless characters and their stories living on Skid Row in Los Angeles. 

PRODUCTION TEAM

Directed by Karesa McElheny
Written and Produced by Thaddeus Nagey
Composed by Tim Poulin & Thaddeus Nagey
Musical Direction by Garth Herberg
Director of Choreography, Elizabeth Ellie Rodríguez
Poster Art and Graphic Design by AwildOun
Sound Design by Tim Poulin
Light & Visual Design by Thaddeus Nagey
Ray Lewis and Ase Ashe Dancers & Drummers from the Heart (Drums and Percussion)
Set & Costume Design by Karesa McElheny and Thaddeus Nagey

CAST

“Abbott” – Alikhan Lochin
“Costella” – Lorinda Hawkins Smith**
“Mother” – Betzi Marroquin
“Vanessa” – Veve Melendrez**
“Carmen” & “Disembodied Voice” – emelle**
“Police Officer,”  “Darryl” & “Disembodied Voice #2” – Iron Donato
“James” Thaddeus Nagey**
Adam Kreindle – Prerecorded Voiceover for Audiobook

** Member of Actor’s Equity Association 

A NOTE FROM THE PLAYWRIGHT

I first started writing this playbook in 2018, (not actually knowing I would write a full-length play) as a long poem describing the experience of what it was like to process & honor human remains (and the humanity that comes with it) in the Air Force during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. I had just come out of homelessness & hospitalization in 2016 & went through bridge & section 8 housing, leading up to and during graduate theatre school. While attending, I learned that a staggering 53,000 enrolled CSU students were homeless. Subsequently, I got involved as an acting coach, stage manager, & writer, helping skid row artists in downtown L.A. as a volunteer and intern. I became attuned to the issues of homelessness through personal experience, academic studies, and hands on working with artists that were suffering from poverty and homelessness. Without a lot of support, I started writing poetry, scenes and music and submitted them to the Kennedy Center College Theatre Festival in 2019 & was personally invited to the festival, subsequently winning a BEST PLAY award at the Festival. Ultimately, I wrote this play because I wanted people to learn about the issues of homelessness in a compassionate way through theatre, a form of community engagement, where people drop their guards, listen, and open up their hearts and minds.

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