[NoHo Arts District, CA] – Join Force of Nature Productions in a celebration of the 10th season with their production of Anniversary RUSH: A Decade of FON! April 25-27.

About Anniversary RUSH: A Decade of FON!

In 2016, Force of Nature created a fun little show as a last-minute request to fill out a weekend. The show called RUSH became a huge success and a staple of the company’s season year after year. Now, in its 19th iteration and celebrating the company’s 10th anniversary, Force of Nature honors a decade of laughs, tears, and craziness with Anniversary RUSH: A Decade of FON.

But, what is a RUSH you may ask?

The RUSH is Force of Nature’s unique play festival format, uniting actors, writers, and directors in a collaborative whirlwind of creative energy.

The premise is deceptively simple: actors, writers, and directors are teamed together by lottery, then together select a handful of prompts – in this case, a line written for a previous RUSH, a prop used in a previous RUSH, and one of the top 100 Billboard songs during Force of Nature’s Anniversary Day (February 1st) from the last decade. Playwrights then author an original, short play based on these prompts and tailored to their cast. Directors and their casts then rehearse, tech, and mount the entire production over just a few weeks. It’s fast, fun and always results in a memorable show for audiences and talent alike.

So, join them this April to celebrate Force of Nature’s 10th season with their anniversary RUSH play festival. Nine original plays; a decade of FON memories.

The Team

Written by: Ash Muñoz, Dana Hammer, Dylan Porter, Evan Baughfman, Teresa Jusino, Tyler Bianchi, V Cate, Sophie Rusin, and Jonathan Josephson.

Directed by: Corey Chappell, Daria Good, David Tucker, Jahel Corban Caldera, Jerry Chappell, Ron Gabaldon, Sebastian Muñoz, and Teresa Jusino.

Produced by: Jahel Corban Caldera, Jerry Chappell, and Sebastian Muñoz with Force of Nature Productions.

The Cast

Featuring the Talents of: Ana Dragovich, Anne Westcott-Navarrette, Annegret Steioff, Asha Nataraj, Carol Cantu, Deborah Baum, Emilie Crotty, Georgan George, Gloria Galván, Hanna Tucker, Heather Vazquez, Maleah Woodley, Michelle Miyamoto-Galván, Susan Dziama, Tally Vartanian, Vicky Inoue, Carlos Chavez, Carlos Gomez, Ignacio Navarro, Jason Bowe, Jim Martyka, Kevin Carrao, Kyle Felts, Kindryn Durantt, Richard Marquis, Sammy Marquis, William Muñoz.

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More About Force of Nature Productions
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“The show has been delayed due to the L.A. fires and we will post the new dates as soon as we have them.”

[NoHo Arts District, CA] – Someone knows. Somewhere. The Victory Theatre Center presents the world premiere of Four Women in Red, a provocative new play written by Laura Shamas (Chickasaw Nation) and directed by Jeanette Harrison (Onondaga), about four resilient women searching for their missing loved ones. 

Carolyn Dunn (Tunica-Choctaw/Biloxi, Mvskoke), Harriette Feliz (Chumash), Zoey Reyes (Diné and Chicana) and Jehnean Washington (Yuchi, Seminole and Shoshone) star as four First American women desperate to find missing friends and relatives in the face of apathetic sheriffs and dwindling clues. Are their loved ones lost? Were they taken? Are they even alive? This moving new play celebrates the power of community as the four women seek answers against all odds. Their roller-coaster journey involves mystery, grief, prayer and moments of sudden joy.

Indigenous women are currently facing an epidemic of violence, with some of the highest rates of physical and sexual violence in the nation.

“Women and girls are disappearing, and no one will look for them,” says Victory Theatre Center producing artistic director Maria Gobetti. “It’s horrifying.”

“It breaks my heart,” says Shamas. “I wrote this play to raise awareness about this very real crisis. Congressional hearings were held last month to try to address some of these issues, but most Americans are unaware of this horrible ongoing emergency, and we must take action.”

Four Women in Red was first developed by Native Voices, the only Actors’ Equity theater company in the country dedicated to developing and producing new plays by Native artists. Written during the pandemic for a virtual Native Voices Short Play Festival, an expanded, full-length version was selected for the 2022 Native Voices Festival of New Plays. The Victory’s world premiere production, championed by Gobetti and board members Zilah Mendoza, Donna Preacher-Hall and Herb Hall, marks the first time a play developed by Native Voices has been produced by another Los Angeles theater. The play is the recipient of a prestigious Los Angeles New Play Project (LANPP) grant. In addition, the production is supported in part by a Burbank Community Arts Grant.

“Four Women in Red exposes an issue that touches nearly every Native family, yet one that most people are completely unaware of,” explains Harrison. “Deb Haaland, currently Secretary of the Interior under Biden—the first Native woman ever appointed to a cabinet position—has started the Missing and Murdered Unit (MMU), so this is a particular moment in history. If we can let people know the true impact of programs like this, it may help.”

The Team

The creative team for Four Women in Red includes costume designer Lorna Bowen (Muscogee Creek Nation, Seminole and Cherokee); lighting designer Grayson Basina (Ojibwe); production designer Evan Bartoletti; sound designer Jose Medrano Velazquez; graphic designer Nipinet Landsem (Ojibwe and Michif, descendant of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and a citizen of the Manitoba Métis Federation); dramaturg Gail Bryson; and photographer Tim Sullens. The associate producer is Lisa Lokelani Lechuga and the stage manager is Ngan Ho-Lemoine. Maria Gobetti and Evan Bartoletti produce.

Click here to find the artists’ bios.

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[NoHo Arts District, CA] –  Ronnie Marmo and Theatre 68 proudly announce the return of critically acclaimed BILL W. AND DR. BOB – the gripping, true story about the two men who founded Alcoholics Anonymous – written by Samuel Shem and Janet Surrey, directed by Ronnie Marmo at Theatre 68 Arts Complex.

In 1929, famous New York stockbroker Bill Wilson crashes along with the stock market and becomes a hopeless drunk. Dr. Bob Smith, a surgeon from Ohio, has also been an alcoholic for 30 years, often going into the operating room with a hangover.

Through an astonishing series of events, Bill and Bob meet and form a relationship, each helping the other to stay sober. BILL W. AND DR. BOB is the amazing and often humorous story of the two men who pioneered Alcoholics Anonymous, as well as the story of their wives who founded Al-Anon.

The play artfully illustrates Bill and Bob’s journey from the pain and isolation of alcoholism to the hope and inspiration they find in sobriety and helping others. The play originally opened Off-Broadway at the New World Stages to outstanding critical acclaim.

The Team

Playwrights – Samuel Shem and Janet Surrey
Producer and Director – Ronnie Marmo
Assistant Director – Janelle Marmo
Stage Manager – Eleanor Conniff
Set Design – Joey Mataratz
Lighting Designer – Cortney Roles

The Cast

Ronnie Marmo, Steve Gelder, Janelle Marmo, Joyce Fidler, Kimberly Demarse, Paul Ian Stanley, Jon Luke Thomas (Sundays only).

Reviews

Recommended “An often moving revival… Earnest, impassioned performances…” – LA Times

“A REMARKABLE STORY! By sheer dint of intelligent writing, a leavening of humor and the innate power of its biographical storytelling, this play TOUCHES ITS AUDIENCE” – VARIETY

Recommended “Marmo’s direction sensitively guides the action” – LA Weekly

“A moving gathering of the like-minded” – Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune

“Passion is felt in the urgency, honesty, and power of this simple staging.” – Backstage West

“A new version of the script that just ran Off-Broadway…dramatic, poignant, and compelling” – Beverly Hills Outlook

“Humorous, touching, and intelligent,Bill W. and Dr. Bob teaches viewers of the faith that is found within human connection and communal strength.” – SoCal

“It will appeal to everyone for the exciting story of the origins of this program, which is the foundation of the many self-help and recovery groups that are woven into the fabric of U.S. society. – Buzz Center Stage

“It’s an engaging, heartwarming, gently humorous story with a real message” -Splash Magazine

“Ronnie Marmo directs and instills in the story a noir-like energy. A rhythmic, nuanced stylish production brimming with authenticity” -NoHo Arts“This play is not just for people struggling with alcoholism or drug addiction; it’s emotionally gripping and quite inspiring” -Your Chicago Correspondent

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Read the NoHo Arts Theatre Review>>
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[NoHo Arts District, CA] – The world premiere of Dan Waldkirch’s side-splitting comedy ROD HINCKLEY BREAKS THE GUINNESS WORLD RECORD FOR LONGEST USABLE GOLF CLUB directed by Denise Devin heads to Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre March 21-April 5.

Rod Hinckley wants to have a big, important, life-changing adventure!  So he builds the world’s longest usable golf club, breaking the Guiness World Record! And his adventure begins – one that will take him from the murky recesses of the Columbus Ohio Sewer, to being hunted by secret “G” men to being hurtled into the Cosmos, all with his golf club tagging along!

Join Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre for ROD HINCKLEY BREAKS THE GUINNESS WORLD RECORD FOR LONGEST USABLE GOLF CLUB – a wildly hilarious comedy that is all about big swings, bad ideas, and the meaning of life!

The Team

Written by Dan Waldkirch, directed by Denise Devin and produced by Zombie Joe.

Dan Waldkirch is a playwright and musician from Wauwatosa, WI. His musical The Unsackable Man – a retelling of Moby Dick on an NFL football field – lit up ZJU audiences in 2022; Denise Devin has been Lead Director at ZJU for over 20 years, directing, writing and creating many firsts for the theater including ten children’s plays, editing and directing a dozen Shakespeare plays, working with many new plays from other playwrights, and now stepping into a directorial role with the signature ZJU Urban Death Halloween Haunt. This is Ms. Devin’s second collaboration with Dan Waldkirch, and she looks forward to many more.

The Cast

Featuring the World’s Most Rib-Tickling Cast: Jonica Patella, Ian Heath, Tosca Minotto, Nick Salas, and Elif Savas AND the World’s Most Pluckiest Band Duo: Dan Waldkirch and Andrew Miller.

For Ages 15+. (Contains some strong adult language) This is a sit back, be-amazed and laugh-loudly show!

Duration:  One hour, with no intermission.  Wheelchair accessible.

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[NoHo Arts District, CA] – Los Angeles Pierce College Theatre will continue its 2024-2025 Season with Antigone, by Jean Anouilh, directed by JP Evans and running March 28-April 6.

Based on Sophocles’ original work, French playwright Jean Anouilh’s version has been adapted by Lewis Galantiere, with additional material by LAPC Director JP Evans and the cast.

The year is 2156. In this re-imagining of the Greek classic set in a post-apocalyptic landscape – out of a fallen world, a new society is born. Antigone endures the disgrace of her father, King Oedipus, and the death of her brothers in battle. Trapped within the oppressive regime of King Creon, she faces a decision – give burial rights to her brother and defy the state or seek true justice.

The Antigone TEAM

LAPC Theatre’s production is directed by JP Evans. The cast includes David Armen, Melinda Birke, Deniz Boysan, Josie Breedlove, Elena Cozma, Olivia Espinoza, Lily Feldman, Pahola Godinez, Natalia Kane, Natasha Zakaria Marebridge, Stella Ramirez, Charley Ramos, Elias Ruiz, Andrew Tafur, Meagan Truxal and Dale Van Slyke.

The production features scenic design by Frederica Nascimento, costume design by Nataly Gomez, lighting design by Bri Patillo and sound design by Edward Salas. Felipe Pimentel Carneiro is the stage manager.

Antigone will be a special sign interpreted performance on Sat., Apr. 5 at 7:30pm.

LAPC Theatre’s venues are fully accessible to those with mobile disabilities and hearing impairments.

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[NoHo Arts District, CA] – Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group proudly presents MODERN MYTHS AWAKENED – a terrifying re-imagining of some of the world’s most infamous!

Prepare for an unrelenting journey into the darkest corners of folklore as Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group brings audiences MODERN MYTHS AWAKENED, an all-new horror experience that breathes terrifying new life into some of the world’s most infamous urban legends.

The Team

Written and directed by Charlotte Cocker and produced by Zombie Joe, this 45-minute sit-down horror event will twist and transform familiar tales—La Llorona, The Babysitter and the Man Upstairs, Slender Man, and more—into modern nightmares designed to unnerve even the bravest horror fans!

The Cast

Featuring Dantrell McClain, Jordan Rivera, Leila Elihu,  Matt Keim, Michael Medina, Michael Silva, Raven Mahoney, Ron Gabaldon, Samantha Rosenberg, Skeleton Steve, Steven Arce; Special Guest Appearance (on select nights) by Dani Gray, Jorge Vaca, Sunn’e Ratcliff.

MODERN MYTHS AWAKENED is for Ages 18+ only, due to graphic content, nudity, and extreme scares.

Duration:  45 minutes, with no intermission.  Wheelchair accessible.

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[NoHo Arts District, CA] – Robo & Bash Productions, in collaboration with Theatre 68, presents 1984, an adaptation of George Orwell’s classic novel by Robert Owens, Wilton E. Hall Jr. and William A. Miles Jr., and directed by Danny Cistone at the Theatre 68 Arts Complex.

Winston Smith, an IngSoc Outer Party member who works at the Ministry of Truth rewriting the past, repeatedly prints these words in a small diary he found in an old proletarian junk shop. Never mind the words; the very fact that Winston bought the diary, that he opened it and began to compose, are acts punishable by death. Such is life in Big Brother’s Oceania, one cannot speak or think their own thoughts for fear of the thought police and the mystery behind the door of Room 101. Yet Winston is obsessed with the REAL past and yearns to unlock its truths. When Julia, a fellow Outer Party member, enters his life, he finally sees a way to reach the unreachable, to live beyond Big Brother.

George Orwell’s masterpiece, from which this play is adapted, is the foundation for most dystopian future imaginings. From music to visual art, to television and cinema, Orwell’s vision of the future, of “a boot stamping on a human face – forever,” continues to manifest, displaying the horrors of its harsh parallels to the modern world. Perhaps this is why 1984 is often considered one of the most banned books of all time; despite being published in 1949, Winston’s journey hits a nerve in the parties that want to suppress its message, as well as those who defend and advance its cautionary significance.

The 1984 Cast

The cast includes Leif Gantvoort, Eddie Alfano, Shelly Snellman, Bella Balsamo, Grant Fletcher Prewitt, Mark Tracy, Eleanor Conniff, and Nicholas Adams.

About Danny Cistone

Danny Cistone has over 35 years of experience in the entertainment industry. Most notably, he co-created, directed, and designed the Off-Broadway Hip-Hop sensation Groovaloo, beginning his collaboration with Bradley Rapier. He directed both stage and film productions of West of Brooklyn, as well as the feature film Monster Heroes. Other theatre credits include Music, Cocaine & Philosophy at Greenway Court Theatre, The Afflicted at Theatre 68, and John Patrick Shanley’s The Big Funk for a Shanley Fest with the author’s blessing. He directed and designed the music video for Dr. Stank’s Turn That Shit Up.

He is a member of the Art Director’s Guild specializing in film and television design and is currently working on the stop-motion animation film Astray. He recently Art Directed the flagship seasons of Quantum Leap (NBC/Universal), Kindred (FX), Our Kind of People (FOX), and season three of YOU (Netflix). He also designed season two of Black Jesus (Adult Swim), and seasons two and three of Disney XD’s #1 hit Walk the Prank.

As a designer, Danny has embraced the challenges of shooting an entire season on location with limited budgets and time (Final Witness – ABC/ Disney, School Spirits –SyFy, Emmy Award winner A Crime to Remember – Investigation Discovery). His flashy, exuberant designs have been seen on giant stadium screens (Katy Perry’s Candifornia Tour, The Eagles’ History of the Eagles Tour and Pink’s European Tour) and the small screen (Superfruit, Garbage). He has artfully executed the vision of the first SAG deaf director and now Oscar Winner, Troy Kotsur’s feature film No Ordinary Hero and his stage sets have won numerous accolades (multiple Ovation and LA Drama Critics Circle nominations).

Danny’s early experience as an actor, dancer, and subsequent director paved the way for his work as a notable, in-demand designer. He is a Broadway veteran with over ten years of experience performing and touring with such productions as Gypsy, Grease!, and Lost in Yonkers, while also working closely with the late choreographer Jerome Robbins (West Side Story) on the personal and revealing autobiographical A Poppa Piece. Upon moving to Los Angeles, he continued to work steadily in film and television as an actor (Deuces Wild, General Hospital, Malcolm in the Middle, etc), while also working behind the scenes on over 100 productions, developing his own aesthetic and innovative ways of storytelling.

Danny’s experience in nearly all aspects of entertainment and his ability to move easily between departments enable him to design and direct with flexibility, mindfulness, and a passion for creating a world that is a character in and of itself.

About Leif Gantvoort

Leif’s latest feature film, A Pretty Good Movie (writer, co-director, and lead actor) won Best Feature at the Pasadena International Film Festival and at the Portland Festival of Animation and Technology, and won Best Comedy at the GenCon Film Festival. As an actor, Leif has been in The Amazing Spider-Man (where he killed Uncle Ben) and Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2. He has guest starred on numerous TV shows, including The Hunting Party, Will Trent, The Rookie, Magnum, P.I., NCIS, S.W.A.T., How to Get Away with Murder, and Chicago P.D. You can also see him jumping out of planes or traversing volcanoes while playing board games at Above Board TV on YouTube. In his limited free time, he skates as a banked track roller derby referee (under the name of Wild Bill Hiccup)for the L.A. Derby Dolls.

About Shelly Snellman

Shelly Snellman is a producer/ actress and co-founder of Robo & Bash Productions, a “mom and pop” shop that recently made a huge splash with its award-winning debut short A Blue Shroud. Shelly’s first love, however, has always been the theatre.

As a producer, her favorite theatre productions include Rope (Avery Schreiber Theatre), and Crumble: Lay Me Down Justin Timberlake (Theatre 68). As an actress, she is partial to her roles in Drop Dead! (written and directed by Billy Van Zandt), The Afflicted (written by Leif Gantvoort and directed by Danny Cistone), and An Italian American Reconciliation and The Red Coat (written by John Patrick Shanley and directed by Ronnie Marmo), among several others.

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More About Theatre 68
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[NoHo Arts District, CA] – Mystery and romance abound in A Noise Within’s production of Jane Eyre, the thrilling and heart-wrenching tale of self-determination by Charlotte Brontë, adapted by Elizabeth Williamson and directed by Geoff Elliott. Check out the Review here!

Orphaned as a child and determined to live life on her own terms, strong-willed Jane (Jeanne Syquia) takes a position at Thornfield Hall working as a governess for the brooding Edward Rochester (Frederick Stuart). There, she falls in love with her mysterious employer… until the discovery of a dark secret leads to a devastating aftermath. This bold and dynamic production offers a compelling portrayal of one woman’s quest for freedom and fulfillment in the face of devastating adversity.

“I read the adaptation first, having never read the novel, and I couldn’t put it down—it set me on fire,” says Elliott. “It’s a deeply affecting love story that’s also a Gothic horror tale, at once stirring, terrifying, with an impending sense of violence, and, in the end, uplifting. Williamson did a remarkable job of distilling the novel, which I’ve since read three times, into a sweeping, fast-moving two hours that moves like a river.”

A one-hour INsiders Discussion Group will take place prior to the matinee on Sunday, March 30, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Post-performance conversations with the artists will take place every Friday (except the preview) and on Sunday, April 6. Student matinees are scheduled on select weekdays at 10:30 a.m.; interested educators should email education@anoisewithin.org.

The Jane Eyre Cast

The cast also includes Deborah Strang as Mrs. Fairfax, and Bert Emmett, Julia Manis, Trisha Miller and Riley Shanahan, who each take on multiple roles. Young Stella Bullock plays Jane as a child, as well as Mr. Rochester’s ward, Adele.

The Creative Team

The creative team includes scenic designer Frederica Nascimento; costume designer Angela Balogh Calin; lighting designer Ken Booth; composer and sound designer Robert Oriol; wig and make up designer Tony Valdés; properties designer Stephen Taylor; dialect coach Andrea Odinov; and dramaturg Miranda Johnson-Haddad. The production stage manager is Candice Segarra-Stroud, assisted by Katelyn Hampton.

About A Noise Within

A Noise Within has been called “an oasis for those who love classic stories” by the Los Angeles Times and is a leading regional producer based in Pasadena, California. Under the leadership of Elliott and Rodriguez-Elliott, the award-winning resident theater company is honored to represent the entire community at its state-of-the-art, 324-seat performance space. In addition to producing world-class performances of classic theater, the organization runs robust education programs with the goal of inspiring diverse audiences of all ages. ANW is committed to anti-racist policies and practices across the entirety of the organization. By interpreting its mission to fully engage audiences through community and artist-centered work in multiple creative disciplines, ANW is striving to be a theater that better serves the entire community.

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[NoHo Arts District, CA] – The Group Rep is proud to present the West Coast premiere of the notorious musical DRAT! THE CAT! with book and lyrics by Ira Levin and music by Milton Schafer. See the Review here!

Bruce Kimmel directs as he fulfills a promise to the writer.  Gerald Sternbach serves as musical director. The show is produced by Koushik Chattopadhyay for The Group Rep.

In 1957, Levin got the idea for a Broadway musical, “Idea for a musical comedy: Girl jewel-thief vs. the world’s greatest detective, or a young rising one.”

It’s turn-of-the-previous-century New York. A clever, stealthy cat burglar is lifting diamonds from society’s wealthiest patrons. The most respected sleuth is engaged but suddenly dies. The police turn to his good-hearted but inept-but-earnest son, Bob. His bumbling attempts to follow in his dad’s footsteps do lead him to the “Cat” but he falls head over heels with … her. So, he tries to reform her while she thwarts him at every turn. Will good-ness and love triumph? Can they return the diamonds and be forgiven? The musical includes the top ten song “He Touched Me.”

“The genre-defining works of novelist-playwright Ira Levin (1929-2007) include such indelible titles as Rosemary’s Baby, The Stepford Wives, The Boys from Brazil andDeathtrap – the fifth longest-running play in Broadway history. At home in nearly every genre – horror (Rosemary’s Baby), crime (Edgar-winning A Kiss Before Dying), science fiction (This Perfect Day), comedy (No Time for Sergeants), even a Broadway musical (Drat! The Cat!) – Levin’s enduring works continue to resonate with readers and audiences, acting as iconic cultural and creative touchstones.” – iralevin.org

The DRAT! THE CAT! Cast

The Group Rep cast features the talents of Ben Anderson, April Audia, Riley Croman, Sydney DeMaria, Lareen Faye, Amy Goldring, Lee Grober, Doug Haverty, Angie Lin, Hisato Masuyama, Constance Mellors, Savannah Mortenson, Maxwell Oliver, Lloyd Pedersen, Alec Reusch, Rob Schaumann, Nicole Slatin, Melissa Strauss, and Steve Young.

The Team

The production team includes Audrey Szot (Set Design), Echo Brejcha (Lighting Design), Robbie Myles (Lighting Consultant), Shon Le Blanc (Costume Design), John Harvey (Sound Design), Cynthia Payo (Assistant Director), Denise Downer (Marketing), Art & Soul Design (Graphic Design), Cathy D. Tomlin (Sound Mixer), Krys Fehervari (Wig Design), Terrie Collins-Grant (Properties Design), Maria Kress (Artistic Council Liaison), Kristin Stancato (Webmaster & Online Marketing), Doug Engalla (Promotional Video & Photography), Jackie Shearn (Social Media), and Maxwell Petrie (Stage Manager).

The musical will run on The Group Rep Theatre’s Main Stage (First Floor).

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[NoHo Arts District, CA] – Glendale Community College Theatre Department presents The Women of Lockerbie, a play by Deborah Brevoort and directed by Jeanette D. Farr.

A mother from New Jersey roams the hills of Lockerbie, Scotland, looking for her son’s remains that were lost in the crash of Pan Am 103. She meets the women of Lockerbie, who are fighting the U.S. government to obtain the clothing of the victims found in the plane’s wreckage. The women, determined to convert an act of hatred into an act of love, want to wash the clothes of the dead and return them to the victims’ families.

The Women of Lockerbie is loosely inspired by a true story, although the characters and situations in the play are purely fictional.

Written in the structure of a Greek tragedy, it is a poetic drama about the triumph of love over hate.

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[NoHo Arts District, CA] –  Breakdowns Productions returns to The Sherry Theater with “The Body,” a darkly comedic collection of four one-acts exploring one mysterious event.

After three years of success with “The Ho Bag” series of one acts at the Sherry Theater, Breakdowns Productions returns with “The Body.” The one-acts include “Content” and “Fish” written and directed by Janna King, and “Séance” and “Leverage” written by Genah Redding and co-directed by Redding and Bobby Bruton.

The darkly comedic one-acts all center on a tragedy and the wildly varying POVs of the people who watch the progression of the evening’s events. The body in question (never shown to the audience) brings up issues for all the characters: grief, sex and fidelity, family dysfunction, addiction, corporate greed and social media obsession.

Longtime creative partners King and Redding enjoy working with a device that links one-acts. Their original concept “The Ho Bag” in which a gaudy handbag is passed between friends sold out three years in a row, with “The Ho Bag 3” capping off the collection last spring 2024.

“Genah and I love coming up with a centerpiece inspired by real-life. I had an experience where a body bag was rolled past my home on a gurney as friends and I were getting ready for casual night out,” reveals King. “This definitely changed the mood and social trajectory of the night. Everyone was affected in both contrasting and comparable ways.”

“We both need to keep a sense of humor during dark times,” says Redding. “We don’t shy away from deeply flawed characters because imperfections are also human connection. We’ve all got our ‘stuff’ and hope that our audience will not only be curious about the mystery but these complex tangential relationships.”

“The Body” Cast

The talented cast includes (in alphabetical order) Allen Barstow, Alyssa Berkowitz, Theodore Coonradt, Kore Murphy, Genah Redding and Peter Schiavelli. These actors will play different roles in the different short plays. Written by Janna King and Genah Redding. Directed by Bobby Bruton, Janna King and Genah Redding

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[NoHo Arts District, CA] –  Theatre West and David P. Johnson present Theatre Rocks! A rock concert on Saturday, April 5, produced by Garry Kluger, to benefit Theatre West community programs.

Three great bands!

Rock out to the music of 53 Trees featuring Grace Marquez and David P. Johnson; Bobby Bognar (acoustic); and Cat Chemist featuring Bobby Cox (acoustic).

Proceeds from this concert support the ongoing artistic endeavors and community programs of Theatre West, a non-profit organization.

Stage manager: Ernest McDaniel.

About Theatre West

Established in 1962, Theatre West is celebrating its 63rd year as the oldest continually running professional theatre company in the city of Los Angeles. It is a membership collective of actors, playwrights, directors, and technicians. Theatre West’s alumni members include Ray Bradbury, Beau Bridges, Richard Dreyfuss, Sally Field, Betty Garrett, Martin Landau, Lee Meriwether, Jack Nicholson, Carroll O’Connor, Sherwood Schwartz, Joyce Van Patten, Jim Beaver, and Paul Winfield.  Theatre West has produced more than 300 plays and musicals.  Of these plays, nearly 70% are original works developed in its workshops and many have led to Broadway, regional tours, and feature films including A Bronx Tale by Chazz Palminteri; A Very Brady Musical by Lloyd Schwartz and Hope Juber; Our Man in Santiago by Mark Wilding that transferred to Off-Broadway in the Fall of 2022;  and our co-production of Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground that went to Broadway in 2023. Theatre West is supported in part by The Ahmanson Foundation, California Arts Council, Peter Glenville Foundation, The Green Foundation, Kaplan-Loring Foundation, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, National Endowment for the Arts, Lloyd E. Rigler-Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation, Sidney Stern Memorial Trust, Dwight Stuart Youth Fund, and L.A. Parent Magazine.

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[NoHo Arts District, CA] – Valley Opera and Performing Arts (VOPA) presents The Best of Broadway…And Everything Else! at El Portal Theatre on April 5 and 6 only.

VOPA’s most popular concert series – The Best of Broadway…And Everything Else! – returns, bigger and better than ever!

A huge cast of soloists, dancers, ensemble, and children’s chorus joins the VOPA Orchestra, conducted by Maestra Noreen Green, and the VOPA Rocks band to bring you an eclectic concert of greatest hits from across many musical genres. Selections from Broadway, R&B, Country, Classic Rock, Opera, and more come together to prove that…Good music is good music, so let’s just enjoy it all!

TICKETS

$29 – $92 (including all fees)

USE CODE: VOPA2
for 10% off any Tier 1 or Tier 2 ticket
(not valid with any other discount)

ABOUT Valley Opera & Performing Arts (VOPA)

VOPA presents world-class musical and theatrical productions, fostering a vibrant cultural scene in the heart of the San Fernando Valley. Our commitment to providing accessible, diverse, and high-quality performances that engage, challenge, and unite our audiences, artists, and supporters shines as we celebrate the transformative and timeless beauty of the human spirit expressed through music and the performing arts. VOPA presents performances of everything from fully staged opera and musical theater works with orchestra, to laid back concerts of jazz standards and even classic rock concerts with its band, VOPA Rocks. Through the company’s Outreach, Education, and Community Service program, VOPA provides entertainment for underserved and economically or otherwise disadvantaged communities. VOPA also mentors up-and-coming artists, many of whom have gone on to enjoy careers working in the most elite theaters in the world.

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More About El Portal
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[NoHo Arts District, CA] – Producers John Lant and Tamra Pica of Write Act Repertory present the West Coast premiere of Stephen Gilbane’s Lost Cellphone Weekend, a new musical cautionary tale about our screen-centered modern life at the Brickhouse Theatre April 5-27. Check out the Review here!

Lost Cellphone Weekend is inspired by the 1945 Billy Wilder film The Lost Weekend with Ray Milland, a love letter to Film Noir. This noir parody on artists who try to single-handedly solve social problems through their writings is fitting in any time period.

Don Birnam has a problem.  But it’s not the usual stuff, like booze or drugs. He has a social media problem, a problem with his cellphone.  Like many of us do. This weekend, he will be tested as never before! Begging the question, “Can you survive a weekend offline?”

The Lost Cellphone Weekend Cast

Lance Bagley, Birdie, Scott Di Lorenzo, Lauren Faulkner, Trevor Murphy, Courtney South and Jess Spruiell.

The Creative Team

Produced by John Lant and Tamra Pica
Written and Composed by Stephen Gilbane
Directed by Darrin Yalacki
Choreographed by Misty West
Casting by Tamra Pica Casting
Music Direction by Daniel Pietruska
Accompanist by Grace Balint
Lighting and Set Design by Zad Potter
Associate Producer Jonathan Harrison
Stage Manager – Abigail Westman
Percussion – Nancy Guzman
Additional Music Recording – Erich Rausch
Costumes – Susan Eiden and Darrin Yalacki
Publicity – Sandra Kuker-Franco of Sandra Kuker PR

Stephen Gilbane – Composer for Film, TV, & Theater

Steve won a New England Emmy Award in 2023 for Outstanding Musical Composition & Arrangement for the music he composed and orchestrated for the 5-episode series, Slatersville: America’s First Mill Village, which premiered on Rhode Island PBS on September 16, 2022.  He is currently working on Season 2, which is in post-production.

Steve has composed music on the fly for comic & dramatic scenes as an improv theater accompanist in Boston since the early ’90’s.  He has also taught theater improvisers how to make up songs on the spot.  He attended Berklee College of Music for Film Scoring, back when projects were on VHS tape.

He has written the music for the feature length slasher film Bit Parts, as well as for several shorter horror films for Elftwin Productions.  He has scored half a dozen 48 Hour Film Project submissions, honing his skills composing under extreme deadlines.  He also has written music for a number of musicals, including 10 Halloween-themed ‘Gorefest‘ musicals for Improv Boston, as well as his own latest noir parody Lost Cellphone Weekend.

Darrin Yalacki – Director

Darrin, is a writer and improviser in Los Angeles, hailing from Grand Rapids, Michigan. He trained in improv, at ComedySportz San Jose. After moving to Southern California, he continued his training at iO West and ComedySportz Los Angeles. While at iO West he has performed with several groups as well as written and performed with the acclaimed sketch show What! and the sketch group, No Beaks. In addition, he has also directed several improv and sketch groups and runs the Improv Lab at Write Act, including the recent Cringe Fest 2023. Darrin created, produced, and starred in the pilot Rehab. He contributed as a producer for the pilot presentation PepU. He wrote and produced Con-Sequences:  The Web Series and produced and acted in Corporate: The Web Series. He also played Rafael in the new musical Beguiled and performed his one-person show Human Me-Sources (a show about how working in Human Resources for 10 years destroyed him as a person) and has recently completed his short film Interpretive Dance and his play Not/Now.

Tamra Pica – Producer / Casting Director

Tamra is a versatile producer and casting director whose 36-year career spans theater, television, and digital live production. She has worked on over 500 productions, including recent Off-Broadway hits like Frankenstein, Wicked City Blues, and Swing. Other notable credits include Lili Marlene, Caldwell’s Bomb for the New York Venus/Adonis Theater Festival, Renewal, Your Name on My Lips at Theater for the New City, and the long-running musical Fabulous! Queen of the New Musicals. Her work at the Brick House Theater in North Hollywood includes productions of Freeway Dreams, Path to Catherine, and Playwright’s Parlor: An Evening of 15-Minute New Works. Her television work includes production, casting, and development for major networks such as Disney, Sony, Cartoon Network, NBC, TBS, CBS, MTV, ABC, and FOX, most recently on Disney’s Mira, Royal Detective and Netflix’s Blood of Zeus. After the pandemic, Tamra’s love of technology and live events led her to produce over 125 digital events, blending innovation with storytelling. As a passionate advocate for writers, she consults on projects across television, film, novels, and theater, helping writers clarify their vision and connect with audiences. She also developed the global virtual writing retreat Second Saturday, which has run monthly since 2020 allowing writers a creative community. A tech enthusiast and regular panelist on YouTube’s series The Rundown, she frequently shares insights using technology to enhance creative work and digital presence.

John Lant -Write Act Repertory’s Producing Artistic Director 

John’s a 44+year veteran, Interlochen Alumni, produced 18 Off-Broadway plays and been involved in over 800 hundred television, film, and theatrical productions as creative entity and/or production manager. He has served for 22 years at Write Act Rep’s, Production Managed Carnegie Hall for 14 seasons with over 2,000 events in three venues and the last three years at Tilles Center. His work includes Kennedy Center, Alliance Theatre, Lincoln Center, Juilliard, MTC, Circle Rep, Circle in the Square, WPA and EST. National tours include Phantom of the Opera, Evita, Singin’ in the Rain, One Mo’ Time, Gypsy, The Three Musketeers, Connecticut Ballet, and Aeros. An award-winning producer, SSDC director, writer, lighting and set designer, in LA & NYC work includes The Garfunkels at Carnegie Hall, BET JAZZ MASTERS Awards, NARAS Grammy Awards, The Academy Awards, Cal Arts, The Odyssey, Ivy Substation, Ricardo Montalban, Glendale Center, Hollywood Playhouse, Long Beach Playhouse, Jewel Box Theatres, Write Act Repertory in LA, Carnegie Hall, St. Luke’s, Actors Temple, St. Clement’s, Hudson Guild, Theater Row, A.R.T./NY, MTC, New World Stages and Tilles Center garnering DramaLogue Awards, Diamond Awards, LA Weekly, Garland, ADA, 2xNAACP, Ethel Casey, NY Theaterfest, MITF, BWWorld, Backstage Picks, Nominations and Awards. More info: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnlantprod

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[NoHo Arts District, CA] – This Easter season, Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group invites you to experience the holiday like never before with F*CKED UP EASTER EGG HUNT — a twisted, terrifying, and unapologetically shocking horror experience for adults only.

Running April 17-20, 2025, this 18+ immersive horror show features nudity, graphic content, and intense scares, making it a must-see for those who like their holidays served with a side of chaos!

F*CKED UP EASTER EGG HUNT is a sequel to last Easter’s notorious production, plunging audiences deeper into its dystopian world, where the Easter Bunny has obliterated all other holiday figures and reigns as the last standing icon. But this year, the hunt is even deadlier, and no one is safe. Featuring most of the original cast, expect twisted surprises, grotesque encounters, and a nightmarish Easter celebration unlike anything you’ve ever witnessed.

The F*CKED UP EASTER EGG HUNT Cast and Team

Featuring Charlotte Cocker, Kyle Donovan, Dani Gray, Raven Mahoney and Jennie Tuliao.

Directed by Charlotte Cocker and produced by Zombie Joe.

FYI

F*CKED UP EASTER EGG HUNT is for Ages 18+ only, due to nudity, graphic content and intense scares. *(Releases to be signed at the door, prior to entry).  Wheelchair Accessible.

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[NoHo Arts District, CA] –   Showstopper, the one-man musical starring Gary Stockdale, heads to the Whitefire Theatre March 21-April 25.
Check out the Review here!

One Man. One Piano. A Lifetime of Musicals.

The name Jerry Rockwell may not instantly come to mind, but he is a composer/lyricist responsible for some of musical theatre’s most popular and innovative shows. Some, like Rascals & Rogues and Water Cooler, were hits, while others like Key Party and Tricky Dick were not. And others, like Beyond and Split, never even made it to opening night. Jerry’s work was always challenging, bold, and intensely personal.

Still doesn’t ring any bells? Well, that’s because Jerry doesn’t exist.

He’s the brainchild of theatre veterans Gary Stockdale and Spencer Green, who created the award-winning musicals Bukowsical and Bumpersticker; and Matthew Leavitt, co-artistic director of The 6th Act, and librettist for the operas Orpheus and The Wreck of the Miranda, and the book/lyrics for the musical Kid Gloves.

Showstopper is a one-person show which follows Jerry as he discusses his life and career to an “audience” at New York’s 92Y Theatre. He details the ups and downs, successes and failures, and everything that he sacrificed in his quest to become the Next Big Thing as a musical composer on Broadway.

Each song in Showstopper comes from one of Jerry’s own musicals starting in the late-1960s and going all the way to the present. Some are big and brassy, some anthemic, some jaunty and jolly, others introspective. And as he traces the development of his music, influenced and fed by his personal triumphs and struggles, we learn how life and art are inextricably linked.

The Showstopper Team

Gary Stockdale

Composer, Lyrics, Book, and Star of the Show.
Gary is a two-time EMMY Award- nominated TV and film composer (Sabrina, the Teenage Witch; Penn & Teller: Bullshit!, The Aristocrats), a veteran studio singer (Star Wars: Rogue One, Jurassic World, Skyfall  with Adele on 2013 Oscars), and a touring songwriter. His music has been featured on Broadway in Penn & Teller Rot In Hell. He was an original member of The Brian Setzer Orchestra, and also sang a featured solo in the cult-classic musical TV series, Cop/Rock. With Spencer Green, Gary co-wrote the irreverent adult musical Bukowsical, which won Outstanding Musical at the 2007 New York International Fringe Festival. Gary also composed the score for the original Off-Broadway production of Playdead, written by Teller of Penn & Teller. Bukowsical, the CD, as well as his albums Keep Letting Go, and Sure Of Mice Elf are on Spotify, Amazon and all music sites.

Spencer Green

Book, Lyrics
Spencer Green reminds you that the use of flash photography or any sound recording devices is strictly prohibited during this biography. Mr. Green has written for In Living Color, AAAHH!!! Real Monsters, Duckman, Mad TV, The Fairly Oddparents, Denis Leary’s Merry F#%$in’ Christmas, Americana for BBC Radio, and the radio play podcast Labora-Story for St. Louis’ Theatre Lab. He was a contributing editor for more than two decades to Leonard Maltin’s annual Movie Guide, as well as co-editor of Maltin’s Movie Encyclopedia and managing editor of Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide, and edited We’ll Never Be Young Again: Remembering the Last Days of John F. Kennedy. Mr. Green has performed at the Los Angeles comedic writers’ salon Sit ‘n Spin and is co-author/co-lyricist of the award-winning musicals Bukowsical, and Bumpersticker. His plays have been produced by St. Louis’ Theatre Lab, Chicago’s Hobo Junction, and Los Angeles’ Sci-Fest LA, and The Scorpion and the Frog: a time-killer was produced by The 6th Act at the 2019 Hollywood Fringe Festival. He has also written for The Huffington Post and created the parody web site The Parallel Universe Film Guide.

Matthew Leavitt

Book, Director
Matthew Leavitt: Matthew Leavitt is an award-winning playwright, director, librettist, and co-artistic director of The 6th Act Theatre Company. Most recently he directed the world premiere of The Brothers Abelson: Since 1946 at The Electric Lodge in Venice. Other selected directing credits include Hamlet (winner of ‘Best Director of a Play’ Stage Scene LA Award), Legally Brunette (World Premiere – The Garry Marshall Theatre in Los Angeles, 54 Below in NYC), Sonnets From Suburbia (World Premiere – Edinburgh Fringe Festival, 59E59 in NYC, Hollywood Independent Theatre Festival in Los Angeles), The Scorpion and the Frog: a time killer (World Premiere – Hollywood Fringe Festival), Double Play (World Premiere – Stephanie Feury Theatre), Arrival (Sci-Fest LA), Barfly Shakespeare (The 6th Act), Twelfth Night (Village Green Productions), The Taming of the Shrew (Village Green Productions) and Goes The Weasel (Ammunition Theatre Company). Playwriting credits include The $5 Shakespeare Company (LA Times Critics’ Choice) and The Boomerang Effect (published by Concord Theatricals), which has enjoyed numerous productions throughout the US and UK. His newest play Sukkot recently premiered at The Skylight Theatre in Los Angeles. He has been commissioned twice by LA Opera to write the librettos for two new operas, Orpheus and The Wreck of the Miranda (both collaborations with classical and film composer Nathan Wang). For more information visit www.the6thact.com

John Mitchell

Producer
John has been a theater producer and director for over 30 years.  Over his many years, he has produced shows in Sacramento, Los Angeles and New York.  Mr. Mitchell began producing at his own theater company in Sacramento at age 25 and completed two seasons of shows before he moved to Los Angeles to pursue his career in theater and television writing.  John has developed three sitcom pilots which were sold (the shows were not picked up) and currently is working on an animated show called Agro Squirrel.  Mr. Michell produced Bumpersticker for the Hollywood Fringe in 2016 and working with the same team, Mr. Mitchell produced Bukowsical! at the New York Fringe, where it took Best of Fringe 2008.  The following year, he brought the one-woman show Now That She’s Gone to the NY Fringe.  In between Mr. Mitchell has been busy developing new works and has three current musicals in development.

He has been active in the management of theater companies and non-profit organizations for more than 30 years as well and currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors of New Musicals Inc.

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