Center Theatre Group News & Blogs

2017-18 Ahmanson Season Announced

Center Theatre Group — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 00:00:00 -0800

REVISED†

CENTER THEATRE GROUP’s 51ST SEASON AT THE AHMANSON THEATRE INCLUDES A WORLD PREMIERE, AN AMERICAN PREMIERE, A PRE-BROADWAY PRODUCTION AND WORKS BY EMMY, GRAMMY, OSCAR AND TONY WINNERS

The 2017-2018 Season at the Ahmanson Theatre Features “The Red Shoes,” “Bright Star,” “Something Rotten!,” "Crazy for You,"† “Soft Power” and “The Humans”

Begins September 15, 2017, and Runs Through July 29, 2018

[For complete listing of plays and performance dates, please see PDF of release.]

† Please note the recently announced “Crazy for You” will complete the 2017-18 season and the opening night for “The Red Shoes” has moved

Center Theatre Group enters its second half century at the Ahmanson Theatre with the 2017-2018 season announced today by Artistic Director Michael Ritchie. The new season features two Tony-nominated musicals, a Tony-winning play, the world premiere of a Center Theatre Group commission and the American premiere of an exciting new work. An additional production for the subscription season will be announced at a later date.

“For more than 50 years, Center Theatre Group has been working with the world’s greatest artists to present unforgettable experiences for our audiences,” said Ritchie. “As we enter our next 50 years, I am pleased to be able to offer a wide-ranging season for our vibrant and diverse city.

“We welcome the return of the newly knighted Sir Matthew Bourne with the American premiere of another masterpiece, ‘The Red Shoes,’ as well as the return of director / choreographer Casey Nicholaw with a hilarious new musical, ‘Something Rotten!’

“We have Stephen Karam’s new play ‘The Humans’ which swept the 2016 Tony Awards and an incredibly romantic new musical, ‘Bright Star,’ from legendary entertainer Steve Martin and Grammy winner Edie Brickell.

“Finally, when we looked to celebrate Center Theatre Group’s first 50 years, I turned to Los Angeles-born David Henry Hwang to create a new work to mark the occasion. ‘Soft Power’ was previously announced as part of the Taper 2017-18 season but now will be presented at the Ahmanson. David is joined by fellow Tony Award-winner Jeanine Tesori to create an excitingly unique new work for our 51st season.”

Matthew Bourne’s Production of “The Red Shoes”

American Premiere

Acclaimed choreographer Matthew Bourne returns to the Ahmanson Theatre with his production of “The Red Shoes.” Presented by Center Theatre Group and Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center, the American premiere of “The Red Shoes” runs September 15 through October 1, 2017, with the opening set for September 19.† This production is presented as a bonus option for Center Theatre Group subscribers and will be offered as the first engagement in the Dance at The Music Center 17/18 season.

A beloved fairy tale and Academy Award-winning movie, “The Red Shoes” has seduced audiences and inspired generations of dancers with its tale of obsession, possession and one girl’s dream to be the greatest dancer in the world. Victoria Page lives to dance but her ambitions become a battleground between the two men who inspire her passion.

Bourne’s magical new adaptation of the legendary Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger film reunites him with his regular collaborators and New Adventures Associate Artists who created “Sleeping Beauty,” Lez Brotherston (set and costumes), Paule Constable (lighting) and Paul Groothuis (sound).

“The Red Shoes” is set to a new score arranged by New Adventures Associate Artist Terry Davies using the mesmerizing music of golden-age Hollywood composer Bernard Herrmann (most famous for his collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles and Martin Scorsese). Herrmann’s work ranges from the witty and playfully robust to the achingly romantic and bittersweet.

Bourne has enjoyed a special relationship with Los Angeles audiences, and Center Theatre Group, in particular. In addition to “Swan Lake,” which had its American premiere at the Ahmanson in 1997, a total of eight other Bourne productions have been presented: “Sleeping Beauty,” “Cinderella,” “The Car Man,” “Play Without Words,” “Nutcracker!,” “Edward Scissorhands,” “My Fair Lady” and “Mary Poppins.”

“Matthew has been a beloved member of the Center Theatre Group family for many years,” said Michael Ritchie. “It is always a pleasure to welcome him back home.”

“We are thrilled to open the 2017-2018 season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center with Matthew Bourne’s ‘The Red Shoes,’” said Rachel Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center. “Matthew has been an extraordinary force in the dance world. His new interpretation of one of the greatest films about ballet, one that highlights the poignant theme of love vs. art, still resonates with audiences today.”

“It’s a feast for the eye, with every scene animated by sharp detail and witty characterization,” said Luke Jennings of The Observer in his review of the London engagement. “Bourne choreographs with the lightest of touches, threading in references to Hollywood movies and Diaghilev-era ballets as he goes. ‘The Red Shoes,’ I’m certain, will be dancing for years to come.”

“Bourne’s production provides something that Powell and Pressburger by definition couldn’t: the immediacy of flesh-and-blood dancers, right before your eyes,” said Mark Monahan of The Daily Telegraph. “It’s a complex story, one that ricochets between London and France, art and real life. And, brilliantly aided and abetted by his long-standing designer Lez Brotherston, Bourne lets it unfold clearly and urgently, with no prior knowledge of the film necessary.”

Matthew Bourne is a five-time Olivier Award winner, and the only British director to have won the Tony Award for both Best Choreographer and Best Director of a Musical. He has been recognized by over 40 international awards and was awarded the OBE for Services to Dance in 2001.

Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center is one of the leading presenters of dance on the West Coast. The celebrated series offers significant works by prestigious ballet and contemporary dance artists from around the world. Entering its second decade, Dance at The Music Center continues to be a powerful commissioning force through the support of new works and artists-in-residence projects by today’s most influential companies and choreographers. Performances take place throughout The Music Center, including the historic Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the distinctive Ahmanson Theatre and the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall, providing the ideal setting for inspiring dance experiences.

“Bright Star”

The Tony-nominated “Bright Star” with music, lyrics and story by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell will be presented by Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre October 11 through November 19, 2017, with the opening set for October 20.

The powerfully moving new musical by Grammy, Emmy and Oscar winner Martin and Grammy winner Brickell, “Bright Star” is directed by Tony winner Walter Bobbie and choreographed by Josh Rhodes. “Bright Star” won the 2016 Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Musical and Best Score and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music. It also received five 2016 Tony Award nominations including Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book, Best Lead Actress in a Musical and Best Orchestrations.

Inspired by a real event, “Bright Star” tells a sweeping tale of love and redemption set against the rich backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and ’40s. When literary editor Alice Murphy meets a young soldier just home from World War II, he awakens her longing for the child she once lost. Haunted by their unique connection, Alice sets out on a journey to understand her past — and what she finds has the power to transform both of their lives. Propelled by an ensemble of onstage musicians and dancers, the story unfolds as a rich tapestry of deep emotion, beautiful melodies and powerfully moving performances. An uplifting theatrical experience that holds the audience tight in its grasp, “Bright Star” is as refreshingly genuine as it is daringly hopeful.

The Grammy-nominated original cast recording of “Bright Star” charted on five different Billboard lists in its first week of wide release. The cast album from Ghostlight Records placed at number 1 on the Top Current Blue Grass Albums chart, number 2 on the Top Broadway chart, number 5 on the Americana/Folk Albums chart, as well as hitting the Top 100 on the Billboard Top Albums chart and Top 200 on the Overall Digital Albums chart.

Steve Martin is one of the most well-known and pervasive talents in entertainment. His work has earned him an Academy Award, five Grammy Awards (two for comedy, three for music), an Emmy, the Mark Twain Award and the Kennedy Center Honor. Martin’s films are widely popular successes, such as “The Jerk,” “Planes, Trains & Automobiles,” “Roxanne,” “Parenthood,” “L.A. Story” (Martin also wrote the screenplay), “Father of the Bride” and “Bowfinger.” As an author, Martin's work includes the plays “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” and “The Underpants”; the best-selling novella “Shopgirl” and his memoir “Born Standing Up.” Also an accomplished banjoist, Martin released his third full-length album, “Love Has Come For You,” in 2013 with songwriter Edie Brickell. The album won a Grammy for “Best American Roots Song” and inspired the musical “Bright Star.”

Edie Brickell released the debut multi-platinum album “Shooting Rubber Bands At The Stars” with New Bohemians in 1988. Her recent works include a 13-track collaboration with Steve Martin titled “Love Has Come For You.” The duo’s second album “So Familiar” features 12 new songs that bring the duo’s musical collaboration into fresh creative territory.

Walter Bobbie directed the New York productions of “Venus in Fur,” “The Landing,” “Golden Age,” “School for Lies,” “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas,” “Chicago,” “The Submission, Cabin Pressure,” “The Savannah Disputation,” “New Jerusalem,” “High Fidelity,” “The Other Woman,” “The Marriage of Bette and Boo,” “Sweet Charity,” “Twentieth Century,” “Footloose,” “Durang Durang,” “For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls” and “A Grand Night for Singing.” He was Artistic Director of City Center Encores! where he also directed “Fiorello!,” “Chicago,” “Tenderloin,” “Golden Boy,” “No, No, Nanette” and “Zorba!,” as well as the Carnegie Hall concerts of “South Pacific” and “Carousel.” Bobbie served for 12 years on the Board of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. He is a recipient of the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Tony Awards.

“Something Rotten!”

The completely original and uproarious ode to the Broadway musical, “Something Rotten!” comes to Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre November 21 through December 31, 2017. Opening night is the first performance, November 21.

“Something Rotten!” is directed and choreographed by Tony winner Casey Nicholaw (“The Book of Mormon,” “The Drowsy Chaperone”), with music and lyrics by Grammy winner and Tony nominee Wayne Kirkpatrick and Golden Globe and Tony nominee Karey Kirkpatrick and a book by Tony nominees Karey Kirkpatrick and best-selling author John O’Farrell. Three Broadway principals will be reprising their roles with Rob McClure as Nick Bottom, Adam Pascal as Shakespeare and Josh Grisetti as Nigel Bottom.

With 10 Tony nominations including Best Musical, this hilarious new musical comedy tells the story of brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom, two playwrights stuck in the shadow of that Renaissance rockstar Will Shakespeare. When a soothsayer foretells the next big thing in theatre involves singing, dancing and acting at the same time, the Bottom brothers set out to write the world’s very first musical.

Elisabeth Vincentelli of the New York Post called “Something Rotten!” “a deliriously entertaining new musical comedy that is devilishly clever under its goofy exterior. … Set in 1595 England, the show is a love letter to both Shakespeare and musicals. Never mind that tuners hadn’t been invented yet.” Charles McNulty of the Los Angeles Times said it “just may be the funniest musical comedy to come around since ‘The Book of Mormon.’”

Karey Kirkpatrick began as a screen and songwriter for Disney Animation, where he penned “The Rescuers Down Under” and “James and the Giant Peach.” Screenwriting credits include “Chicken Run” (Golden Globe nominee for Outstanding Comedy), “Charlotte’s Web,” “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” “The Spiderwick Chronicles,” “Flakes” and “Over the Hedge,” which he also co-directed.

Wayne Kirkpatrick is the Grammy-winning songwriter of “Change the World” by Eric Clapton (Song of the Year). His songs have been recorded by Bonnie Raitt, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Joe Cocker, Wynonna, Gabe Dixon, Nickel Creek, Trisha Yearwood, Babyface, Peter Frampton, Amy Grant, Garth Brooks, Little Big Town and Michael W. Smith, among others.

John O’Farrell is a bestselling author whose books have been translated into 25 languages and adapted for BBC radio and television. Film and television credits include “Spitting Image,” “Have I Got News for You,” “Chicken Run,” “Murder Most Horrid” and “Smith and Jones.” O’Farrell won the British Comedy Award and founded U.K.’s first daily satirical news website, NewsBiscuit.

Casey Nicholaw’s Broadway credits include directing and choreographing “The Drowsy Chaperone,” “Elf” and Disney’s “Aladdin.” Casey was co-director and choreographer of “The Book of Mormon” and choreographer of Monty Python’s “Spamalot” directed by Mike Nichols (2005 Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations, Best Choreography).

“Crazy for You”

The Tony Award-winning Best Musical, “Crazy for You,” with music and lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin and a book by two-time Tony Award nominee Ken Ludwig (“Lend Me a Tenor”), will be produced by Center Theatre Group in an exclusive pre-Broadway engagement at the Ahmanson Theatre. Susan Stroman (“The Producers,” “Show Boat,” “Contact”), who won the first of her five Tony Awards for choreographing the original 1992 Broadway production of the musical, will direct and choreograph this limited Los Angeles engagement which will begin performances February 7, 2018, and run through March 18, 2018. Opening night is set for February 16, 2018.

“‘Crazy for You’ is – at its heart – a raucous musical tale about the power art has to bring life to a community and purpose to its people,” Ms. Stroman said. “It’s as resonant today as ever, and I am thrilled at the chance to re-discover this show and introduce a whole new generation to its great comedy, unabashed romance and the most choreographically-inspiring Gershwin music the world has ever known.”

“I’m thrilled that a whole new generation of theatregoers will get to see ‘Crazy for You’ at the great and glorious Ahmanson Theatre,” said Ken Ludwig. “It will be a treat for me to roll up my sleeves, revisit the show and spend time once again in Deadrock, Nevada with Bobby, Polly and Bela Zangler.”

Featuring a score of showstoppers by George and Ira Gershwin including “I Got Rhythm,” “Embraceable You,” “Slap That Bass” and “Someone To Watch Over Me,” “Crazy for You” is an irresistibly funny valentine to the American musicals of the 1930s. The book by Ken Ludwig brings audiences into a world of cowboys and showgirls, where a Wall Street guy and a Main Street gal can fall madly in love, put on a show and dance their way to happiness.

When “Crazy for You” first premiered on Broadway in 1992, Frank Rich raved in The New York Times, “When future historians try to find the exact moment at which Broadway finally rose up to grab the musical back from the British, they just may conclude that the revolution began last night. The shot was fired at the Shubert Theater, where a riotously entertaining show called ‘Crazy for You’ uncorked the American musical’s classic blend of music, laughter, dancing, sentiment and showmanship with a freshness and confidence rarely seen… ‘Crazy for You’ scrapes away decades of cabaret and jazz and variety-show interpretations to reclaim the Gershwins’ standards, in all their glorious youth, for the dynamism of the stage.” It went on to win Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Choreography and Best Costume Design of a Musical, playing 1,622 performances.

“Soft Power”

World Premiere

The world premiere of “Soft Power,” a hilariously provocative new work created by two Tony Award-winning artists, David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori, will debut at the Ahmanson Theatre. Directed by Leigh Silverman with choreography by Sonya Tayeh, this time and genre-bending piece runs from May 3 through June 10, 2018, with the opening set for May 16.

What begins as a contemporary play jumps 100 years into the future and explodes into a Chinese musical about present-day America, in this seductive new work with play and lyrics by Hwang and music by Tesori. A beloved East-meets-West musical, China’s 21st-century rise and a Presidential candidate’s fundraiser collide to make mayhem—and some beautiful music. This show is inspired by the West's often ridiculously inauthentic portrayals of Asia, and China’s quest for world cultural influence, also known as “Soft Power.”

Hwang was commissioned by Center Theatre Group to create this work for the 50th Season at the Mark Taper Forum. Tesori is now joining the creative team as “Soft Power” moves into the 2017-2018 season at the Ahmanson.

Hwang returns to Center Theatre Group where he premiered Pulitzer Prize finalist “Yellow Face” and his Tony-nominated revival of “Flower Drum Song.” Hwang’s other work includes the plays “M. Butterfly,” “Chinglish,” “Kung Fu,” “Golden Child,” “The Dance and the Railroad” and “FOB,” and the Broadway musicals “Aida” (co-author, Ahmanson 2001-2002 season) and Disney’s “Tarzan.” He is also America’s most-produced living opera librettist, and a writer/producer for the Golden Globe-winning television series “The Affair.” Born and raised in Los Angeles, Hwang is a Tony Award winner (“M. Butterfly”) and three-time nominee, a three-time Obie Award winner and a two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Recent honors include the 2011 PEN/Laura Pels Award for a Master American Dramatist, the 2012 Inge Award, the 2012 Steinberg Distinguished Playwright “Mimi” Award, a 2014 Doris Duke Artist Award and the 2015 IPSA Distinguished Artist Award. He is Chair of the American Theatre Wing and sits on the boards of Young Playwrights Inc. and the Lark Play Development Center. Hwang was recently the Residency One Playwright at New York’s Signature Theatre, and currently serves as head of playwriting at Columbia University School of the Arts. In 1998, East West Players named its new mainstage The David Henry Hwang Theatre.

Tesori’s Broadway credits include “Fun Home” (2015 Tony Award winner which plays at the Ahmanson February 21 through April 1, 2017), “Violet,” “Caroline, or Change,” “Shrek The Musical,” “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” “Twelfth Night” (Lincoln Center Theater) and John Guare’s “A Free Man of Color.” Tesori also collaborated with Tony Kushner on “Mother Courage” starring Meryl Streep at the Delacorte. Her opera credits include “A Blizzard on Marblehead Neck” (libretto, Tony Kushner; Glimmerglass) and “The Lion, the Unicorn and Me” (libretto, J. D. McClatchy; Washington National Opera). Her songs are featured in the Netflix revival of “Gilmore Girls.” She is the artistic director/co-founder of A Broader Way, an arts empowerment program for girls from underserved communities; the founding artistic director of Encores! Off-Center; and a lecturer in music at Yale University and Columbia University. Tesori is a member of the Dramatists Guild.

“The Humans”

The Tony Award-winning Best Play of the Year, “The Humans,” written by Stephen Karam and directed by Joe Mantello will be presented by Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre June 19 through July 29, 2018, with the opening set for June 20.

The angst, anguish and amity of the American middle class are first coaxed – then shoved – into the light in this uproarious, hopeful and heart-breaking play that takes place over the course of a family dinner on Thanksgiving. Breaking with tradition, Erik Blake has brought his Pennsylvania family to celebrate and give thanks at his daughter’s apartment in lower Manhattan. As darkness falls outside the ramshackle pre-war duplex and eerie things start to go bump in the night, the Blake clan’s deepest fears and greatest follies are laid bare. Our modern age of anxiety is keenly observed, with humor and compassion, in this new American classic.

After transferring from Off-Broadway’s Laura Pels Theatre, the Broadway production of “The Humans” swept the 2016 awards season, including winning the Tony Award for Best Play. “The Humans” was also named the Best Play of the Year by the New York Drama Critics’ Circle, the Outer Critics Circle and the Drama League. The Obie Awards honored Stephen Karam with a 2016 Award for Playwriting and he was a Pulitzer Finalist for “The Humans.” Garnering the most ecstatic reviews of any play in recent memory, “The Humans” was heralded as “The Best Play of the Year” by The New York Times, New York Magazine, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Record, Time Out New York, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, The Wrap and more.

Charles Isherwood of The New York Times called “The Humans,” “blisteringly funny, bruisingly sad and altogether wonderful.” Jesse Green of New York Magazine said, “The best play of the year. The most, well, human play I’ve ever seen. This is why we go to the theatre.”

Stephen Karam is the author of “The Humans” (Tony Award, Obie Award for Playwriting, New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama Desk Award, Drama League Award and 2016 Pulitzer Prize finalist), “Sons of the Prophet” (New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Lucille Lortel Award, Hull-Warriner Award and 2012 Pulitzer Prize finalist) and “Speech & Debate.” Stephen has written a screenplay adaptation of Chekhov’s “The Seagull” and an adaptation of Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard” that opened on Broadway last fall at the Roundabout Theatre Company. Stephen is a graduate of Brown University and grew up in Scranton, PA.

Joe Mantello received a 2016 Tony Award nomination for “The Humans.” Other directing credits include “Blackbird,” “An Act of God” (on Broadway and at the Ahmanson), “Airline Highway,” “The Last Ship,” “Casa Valentina,” “I’ll Eat You Last: A Chat With Sue Mengers,” “The Other Place,” “Dogfight,” “Other Desert Cities,” “Pal Joey,” “9 to 5” (on Broadway and at the Ahmanson), “November,” “Three Days of Rain,” “The Odd Couple,” “Glengarry Glen Ross” (Tony nomination), “Laugh Whore,” “Assassins” (Tony), “Wicked,” “Take Me Out” (Tony), “Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune,” “Design for Living,” “The Vagina Monologues” and “Love! Valour! Compassion!” (Tony nomination). Acting credits include the Broadway productions of “The Normal Heart” (Tony nomination) and “Angels in America” (at the Mark Taper Forum and on Broadway, Tony nomination); and for HBO, “The Normal Heart” (Emmy Award nomination). He is a member of Naked Angels, a Roundabout Theatre Company Associate Artist and has received Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Helen Hayes, Clarence Derwent, Obie and Joe A. Callaway Awards.

Center Theatre Group’s 2017 – 2018 Ahmanson Season

Available on Membership Only

Tickets for the Ahmanson Theatre’s 51st season are currently available by season ticket membership only. For information and to charge season tickets by phone, call the Exclusive Season Ticket Hotline at (213) 972-4444. To purchase season memberships online, visit www.CenterTheatreGroup.org/Ahmanson.

Center Theatre Group offers a number of services to accommodate persons requiring mobility, vision and hearing access. For more information, please visit www.centertheatregroup.org/access.

Center Theatre Group

Center Theatre Group, one of the nation’s preeminent arts and cultural organizations, is Los Angeles’ leading nonprofit theatre company, programming seasons at the 736-seat Mark Taper Forum and 1600 to 2000-seat Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center in Downtown Los Angeles, and the 317-seat Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City. In addition to presenting and producing the broadest range of theatrical entertainment in the country, Center Theatre Group is one of the nation’s leading producers of ambitious new works through commissions and world premiere productions and a leader in interactive community engagement and education programs that reach across generations, demographics and circumstance to serve Los Angeles.

Bank of America is the season sponsor and Delta airlines in the official airline sponsor for Center Theatre Group’s 2017-2018 season the Ahmanson Theatre.

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February 23, 2017/Updated November 13, 2017

Center Theatre Group Announces Judges for 2017 AWMC

Center Theatre Group — Wed, 22 Feb 2017 13:32:00 -0800

CENTER THEATRE GROUP ANNOUNCES FIVE JUDGES FOR 2017 AUGUST WILSON MONOLOGUE COMPETITION REGIONAL FINALS HELD AT THE MARK TAPER FORUM ON FEBRUARY 27

KTLA’s Kaj Goldberg Will Host the Regionals Where Five Judges Will Select Students to Participate in AWMC National Finals on Broadway on May 1, 2017

Center Theatre Group is announcing five judges from varying professions that will participate in the 2017 August Wilson Monologue Competition (AWMC) Regional Finals taking place at the Mark Taper Forum on Monday, February 27. The judges will evaluate performances from 12 local high school students as they perform monologues from August Wilson’s “The American Century Cycle,” a 10-play dramatization of the African American experience in the 20th century. The event will be hosted by KTLA’s Kaj Goldberg.

The judges are, in alphabetical order, Wren T. Brown (Ebony Repertory Theatre Artistic Director), Kim Coleman (casting director), Gregg T. Daniel (Lower Depth Theatre Ensemble Artistic Director), Dennis Haysbert (actor in Fox’s “24,” CBS’ “The Unit”) and Karla Souza (actor in ABC’s “How to Get Away with Murder”). This is the sixth consecutive year that Center Theatre Group is hosting the Southern California component of the national monologue competition, which is designed to inspire and educate Los Angeles students through Wilson’s work.

The students that will participate in the AWMC regional finals are Joey Aquino (Los Angeles), Luke Baxter (Moreno Valley), Kelly Bouslaiby (Fontana), Hollis Dohr (Sherman Oaks), Asa Ferguson (Los Angeles), Hannah Franklin (Long Beach), Elija Hall (Los Angeles), Habin Lee (Los Angeles), Arjang Mahdavi (Granada Hills), Ehvinny Mora (Rowland Heights), Alexander Villaseñor (Los Angeles) and Aryana Williams (Carson). The students represent seven local high schools within Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties.

Aquino and Williams both participated in the 2016 competition where Williams took third place.

The 12 students have received training and rehearsal sessions provided by Center Theatre Group, which allows the students to refine their performances while learning valuable acting techniques.

The two top-performing regional finalists will move forward to the 10th annual AWMC national finals; the third place student will serve as alternate. The first and second place students will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City for the finals, which will take place on May 1 at the August Wilson Theatre on Broadway. As preparation for the national component of the competition, all three students will receive master classes to workshop their monologues, as well as scholarship awards.

This year’s program began with a preliminary audition that featured 133 students in 10th, 11th or 12th grade from 34 different high schools in Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Fifty-three of those students advanced to a semi-final round held at The Music Center Annex in December where the aforementioned 12 regional finalists were selected to move forward.

Center Theatre Group also offers an in-school residency as part of the larger August Wilson Program. The August Wilson In-School Residency is a semester-long program that provides Title 1 students with an in-depth study of the work of August Wilson. The four classrooms selected for the in-school residency will attend the AWMC Los Angeles Regional Finals as part of their residency experience, witnessing the power of theatre as their peers bring August Wilson’s characters to life.

“These programs are part of our tradition of nurturing new voices in the American theatre,” said Director of Social Strategy, Innovation and Impact Leslie K. Johnson. “They enable students from all walks of life to discover August Wilson’s profound and deeply relevant works of art, explore their own creative voices and learn more about our shared history and themselves.”

AWMC is a national program presented by Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company and Jujamcyn Theaters and hosted in cities throughout the country, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, New York, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Dallas, Greensboro (North Carolina) and Los Angeles. Each city runs its program differently and each experience is designed to provide intensive learning opportunities for high school students to study and practice the craft of acting through Wilson’s work.

The Southern California component of the August Wilson Monologue Competition is led by the Center Theatre Group Education and Community Partnerships Department. Currently one of the most active theatre education programs in the country, Education and Community Partnerships has reached more than 18,000 students, teachers and community members throughout Southern California in the 2015-2016 season.

Regional funding for the August Wilson Monologue Competition is provided by the Center Theatre Group Affiliates and the Wells Fargo Foundation. The AWMC Regional Finals also receives generous support from the Center Theatre Group Corporate Circle and The Rosenthal Family Foundation.

Center Theatre Group honors its long-standing relationship with August Wilson through its August Wilson Program, as well as through its continued production of Wilson’s work. Center Theatre Group has presented nine of Wilson’s plays, including two world premiere productions of his work. Most recently, in September/October 2016, Wilson’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” had a successful run at the Mark Taper Forum.

More information on Center Theatre Group’s August Wilson Monologue Competition can be found at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org/AugustWilson.

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February 22, 2017

Third and Final Extension Announced For 'Zoot Suit"

Center Theatre Group — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 12:15:00 -0800

THIRD AND FINAL EXTENSION ANNOUNCED FOR
CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S EXTRAORDINARY RUN OF "ZOOT SUIT"
NOW THROUGH APRIL 2, 2017, AT THE MARK TAPER FORUM

Tickets for the Final Week of Performances Will be Available First to the
L.A. Community In-Person Only at the Center Theatre Group Box Office from
Thursday, February 23 Through Friday, February 24

Due to continued extraordinary ticket sales and resounding critical response, Center Theatre Group is announcing a third and final one-week extension for the run of Luis Valdez’s “Zoot Suit" at the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum. Performances will now continue through April 2, 2017, at the Taper. Written and directed by Valdez, “Zoot Suit” is presented in association with El Teatro Campesino.

Because of the unprecedented demand for tickets, and in order to ensure that the new dates are first made available to the Los Angeles community, the extended week dates will be sold in-person only at the Center Theatre Group box office located at the Ahmanson Theatre beginning Thursday, February 23 at noon and continuing through Friday, February 24 at 8 p.m. Tickets will become available online at CenterTheatreGroup.org on Saturday, February 25 at noon.

“It’s clear that Los Angeles has been awaiting the return of this iconic play by Luis Valdez since it was first premiered on our stage nearly 40 years ago,” said Center Theatre Group Artistic Director Michael Ritchie. “We felt it was important to truly honor that spirit and welcome the community to join us for one final celebration at The Music Center as the last remaining tickets go on sale. With the overwhelming response to this revival, tickets have been hard to come by, so it’s our hope that as many Angelenos as possible can experience the legend that is ‘Zoot Suit.’”

“We want to thank this gorgeous megalopolis of Los Angeles for embracing 'Zoot Suit' again after almost 40 years! I salute Michael Ritchie and all our creative team at Center Theatre Group for making possible this spectacular return to the Mark Taper Forum. We humbly look forward to advancing the New American Theatre from coast to coast,” said Luis Valdez.

On November 18, 2016, Center Theatre Group celebrated the return of “Zoot Suit” with a community on-sale event in front of the Ahmanson Theatre on The Music Center Plaza in downtown Los Angeles. Featuring a buy one ticket get one free offer, Center Theatre Group welcomed over 500 people and broke the record for highest single day box office sales at the Mark Taper Forum with ticket revenues totaling $90,000. The Plaza event included zoot suit-wearing dancers, live music from the Ragsdale Quartet featuring Alexis de la Rocha and was live broadcast on KTNQ 1020AM and KRCD Recuerdo 103.9FM/98.3 FM.

As part of Center Theatre Group’s ongoing mission to serve students and educators, its Student Matinee program will have welcomed nearly 3,000 students and educators to a performance of “Zoot Suit,” including 63 school groups from grades 9-12 —42 of which are Title 1 schools. The Center Theatre Group Student Matinees are sponsored by Macy’s, Center Theatre Group Affiliates, Center Theatre Group Corporate Circle, JPMorgan Chase, Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Wells Fargo Foundation, Renee and Meyer Luskin, Deena and Edward Nahmias, Eva and Marc Stern, the Artists and Educators Forum, The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation and The Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation.

“Zoot Suit” was originally commissioned and developed by Center Theatre Group, playing for nearly a year in Los Angeles first at the Taper from August 6 to October 1, 1978, then at the Aquarius in Hollywood from October 10, 1978, through July 1, 1979. It went on to become Broadway’s first Chicano play and was made into a major motion picture that became a cultural phenomenon.

Nearly 40 years after its world premiere, original creator Valdez once again fills the Taper’s stage with a company of 25 actors, singers and dancers weaving fact and fiction together as they portray the events surrounding the infamous 1942 Sleepy Lagoon murder in Los Angeles. Filled with heart, sly wit and the infectious songs of Lalo Guerrero, “Zoot Suit” remains an urgent portrayal of the clash between generations in a Chicano family, the rifts between cultures in America and how racism and injustice can haunt a city and a society.

Bank of America is the title sponsor for “Zoot Suit.”

Tickets range from $25 – $125 (ticket prices are subject to change). The Mark Taper Forum is located at the Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012.

###

February 21, 2017

'Zoot Suit' Extends Again, Now Through March 26

Center Theatre Group — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 00:00:00 -0800

“ZOOT SUIT” EXTENDS ANOTHER WEEK, NOW THROUGH MARCH 26 AT CENTER THEATRE GROUP/MARK TAPER FORUM

Due to extraordinary ticket sales, Center Theatre Group’s “Zoot Suit” has announced a second one-week extension. Performances will now continue through March 26, 2017, at the Mark Taper Forum. Previews for “Zoot Suit” began January 31. Written and directed by Luis Valdez, “Zoot Suit” is presented in association with El Teatro Campesino.

“Zoot Suit” was originally commissioned and developed by Center Theatre Group, playing for nearly a year in Los Angeles first at the Taper from August 6 to October 1, 1978, then from October 10, 1978, through July 1, 1979, at the Aquarius in Hollywood. It went on to become Broadway’s first Chicano play, was made into a major motion picture and became a cultural phenomenon.

Nearly 40 years after its world premiere, original creator Luis Valdez will once again fill the Taper’s stage with a company of 25 actors, singers and dancers weaving fact and fiction together as they portray the events surrounding the infamous 1942 Sleepy Lagoon murder in Los Angeles. Filled with heart, sly wit and the infectious songs of Lalo Guerrero, “Zoot Suit” remains an urgent portrayal of the clash between generations in a Chicano family, the rifts between cultures in America and how racism and injustice can haunt a city and a society.

The cast includes (in alphabetical order), Brian Abraham, Mariela Arteaga, Demian Bichir, Melinna Bobadilla, Oscar Camacho, Stephani Candelaria, Raul Cardona, Fiona Cheung, Tiffany Dupont, Caleb Foote, Holly Hyman, Kimberlee Kidd, Rocío López, Jeanine Mason, Tom G. McMahon, Andres Ortiz, Michael Naydoe Pinedo, Matias Ponce, Rose Portillo, Gilbert Saldivar, Richard Steinmetz, Evan Strand, Bradford Tatum, Raphael Thomas and Daniel Valdez.

Choreography for “Zoot Suit” is by Maria Torres, the production includes songs composed by Lalo Guerrero, the music director is Daniel Valdez, casting is by Rosalinda Morales, Pauline O’con, CSA, and Candido Cornejo, Jr., CSA. Scenic design is by Christopher Acebo, costume design is by Ann Closs-Farley, lighting design is by Pablo Santiago, sound design is by Philip G. Allen and projection design is by David Murakami. The associate director is Kinan Valdez and the production stage manager is David S. Franklin.

“Theatre has always created an extraordinary connection between artists and audiences,” said CTG Artistic Director Michael Ritchie. “Nowhere is that more clear than in the uniquely intimate space of the Mark Taper Forum. And that connection continues well beyond the curtain call in plays like Luis Valdez’s ‘Zoot Suit,’ which changed the cultural landscape when it premiered at the Taper almost four decades ago and will continue to offer a vital insight when it opens our 50th season at the Taper in 2017.”

Bank of America is the title sponsor for “Zoot Suit.”

Tickets to “Zoot Suit” are available by calling (213) 628-2772, online at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org, or at the Center Theatre Group box office located at the Ahmanson Theatre. Tickets range from $25 – $109 (ticket prices are subject to change). The Mark Taper Forum is located at the Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012.

# # #

February 13, 2017

'Remote L.A.' Calendar Release

Center Theatre Group — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 14:49:00 -0800

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

March – April 2017

EVENT:

“Remote L.A.”

By Rimini Protokoll

Concept, script and direction by Stefan Kaegi

Research, script and direction for L.A. by Jörg Karrenbauer

DESCRIPTION:

Celebrate Center Theatre Group’s 50th Anniversary Season with a pedestrian-based live art experience. Participants will join a group of 50 people exploring Los Angeles on a guided audio tour that seems to follow them as much as they are following it, directed and produced by award-winning international documentary theatre team Rimini Protokoll. Participants are provided with a soundtrack to the streets, sights and rooftops of Los Angeles. A computer-generated voice sets them out on a trail through the city, guiding the group’s movements in real time. The performance reveals a “secret Los Angeles,” journeying to places normally unseen, places where humans encounter their limits, places where crowds gather, back alleyways, dark hallways and common areas seen through a new lens. At times the group is given tasks—take the Metro or travel at a new pace. Participants are not just audience members, they are actors and spectators, observers and observed, individuals and a pack, all at the same time.

DATES/TIMES:

Previews Sunday, March 12 at 4 p.m.

Opens Tuesday, March 14 at 4 p.m. Through April 2.

Regular Performances: (March 15 – April 2):

Tuesday through Friday at 4 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. No Monday performances.

Each performance will begin at La Plaza (501 N Main St) at the times indicated above. Participants should meet at the Ahmanson Box Office a half hour prior to show time.

TICKET INFO:

Ticket Prices: $39 (Ticket prices are subject to change.)

Tickets are available online at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org, by calling Audience Services at (213) 628-2772 or in person at the Center Theatre Group box office. Advance tickets only. Groups: (213) 972-7231.

LOCATION:

Meet guides at Ahmanson Box Office a half hour prior to show time.

Ahmanson Box Office is located at The Music Center,

135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012.

# # #

February 9, 2017

Center Theatre Group To Host Sing Out "Ring of Keys" Contest

Center Theatre Group — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 00:00:00 -0800

CENTER THEATRE GROUP TO HOST SING OUT “RING OF KEYS” CONTEST

INDIVIDUALS AND NON-PROFESSIONAL CHOIRS ELIGIBLE

WINNERS WILL RECEIVE TICKETS TO “FUN HOME”

In anticipation of “Fun Home” coming to the Ahmanson Theatre, Center Theatre Group will host a Sing Out “Ring of Keys” Contest. Individuals and non-professional choirs are invited to submit video of themselves singing the song “Ring of Keys” from the musical “Fun Home.” Center Theatre Group will present “Fun Home” at the Ahmanson Theatre February 21 through April 1, 2017. Opening night is February 22.

Contest applicants are asked to create a video that is between two and five minutes long which can include an introduction of themselves or their group. Center Theatre Group will provide sheet music in the form of a four-part acapella arrangement of “Ring of Keys” upon request. All submissions must be received no later than Friday, February 24.

All video submissions will be posted to Center Theatre Group’s YouTube channel on Monday, February 27. Judging will occur between February 27 and March 3. The video that receives the most likes will be named the contest winner. The singer or singers in the winning video will receive complimentary tickets to see “Fun Home.”

For more information about the Sing Out “Ring of Keys” Contest, please visit www.CenterTheatreGroup.org/SingOutRingofKeys.

Based on Alison Bechdel’s best-selling graphic memoir, “Fun Home” introduces Alison at three different ages in her life, as she explores and unravels the mysteries of her childhood. A refreshingly honest musical, Alison eventually sees her parents through the eyes of a grown-up. Winner of five 2015 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Book, Score and Director of a Musical, “‘Fun Home’ is extraordinary, a rare beauty that pumps fresh air into Broadway” (The New York Times).

Bank of America is the season sponsor for the Ahmanson Theatre and Delta Airlines is the official airline sponsor.

Tickets for “Fun Home” are available by calling (213) 972-4400, online at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org or by visiting the Center Theatre Group box office located at the Ahmanson Theatre. Tickets range from $25 – $125 (ticket prices are subject to change). The Ahmanson Theatre is located at The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, 90012.

# # #

February 7, 2017

Casting Complete for 'Good Grief' at the Douglas

Center Theatre Group — Mon, 06 Feb 2017 13:04:00 -0800

CASTING IS COMPLETE AND REHEARSALS HAVE BEGUN FOR “GOOD GRIEF” AT CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S KIRK DOUGLAS THEATRE

The World Premiere by Ngozi Anyanwu Will Play February 26 Through March 26, 2017

Casting is complete and rehearsals have begun for Ngozi Anyanwu’s new play “Good Grief” at Center Theatre Group’s Kirk Douglas Theatre. Directed by Patricia McGregor, Anyanwu will also perform in “Good Grief” for its world premiere at the Douglas, which begins previews February 26, opens March 5 and closes March 26, 2017. This is the first of Anyanwu’s plays to receive a full professional production.

The cast features, in alphabetical order, Dayo Ade, Wade Allain-Marcus, Ngozi Anyanwu, Marcus Henderson, Omozé Idehenre, Carla Renata and Mark Jude Sullivan. Scenic design is by Stephanie Kerley Schwartz, costume design is by Karen Perry, lighting design is by Pablo Santiago, sound design is by Adam Phalen, and Kathryn Bostic is composer. Casting is by Meg Fister and Anne L. Hitt is the production stage manager.

“Good Grief” follows Nkechi (played by Anyanwu), a good Nigerian-American girl frozen in her own coming-of-age story. When tragedy strikes on an unplanned break from college, she retreats into her childhood home and reexamines the many steps she’s taken on the way to adulthood, from first crush, to missed connections, to the struggles of being a first-generation girl blending in to her suburban Pennsylvania reality.

The recipient of the 2016 Humanitas/Center Theatre Group Playwriting Prize, Anyanwu is an actress, writer, producer and director. She is a graduate of the University of California San Diego's MFA acting program and also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre from Point Park University. She has performed at the Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Barrington Stage, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater and the Mark Taper Forum. Anyanwu is the founder and one of the original members of the 1st Generation Nigerian Project where she served as Artistic Director and wrote and performed along with several other amazing Nigerian-American female artists under the direction of John Gould Rubin (Bank Street Theatre, Women Center Stage Festival). She now serves as Co-Artistic Director of Now Africa's Playwrights Festival. She has directed “She Gon Learn,” by Lisa Strum for the Emerging Arts Festival and for the United Solo Festival. She has also served as assistant director at Intar (Unit 52) and under Eve Best with Old Vic New Voices.

Tickets for “Good Grief” are available by calling (213) 628-2772, online at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org, at the Center Theatre Group box office at the Ahmanson Theatre or at the Kirk Douglas Theatre box office two hours prior to performance. Tickets range from $25 – $70 (ticket prices are subject to change). The Kirk Douglas Theatre is located at 9820 Washington Blvd. in Culver City, CA 90232. Ample free parking and restaurants are adjacent.

###

February 6, 2017

'Zoot Suit' Opens Sunday, February 12 At The Mark Taper Forum

Center Theatre Group — Mon, 06 Feb 2017 00:00:00 -0800

“ZOOT SUIT” OPENS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2017 AT CENTER THEATRE GROUP/MARK TAPER FORUM

“I have tried my best to defend what is most precious in our American society – a society now at war against the forces of racial intolerance and totalitarian injustice,” -- George Shearer, defense attorney for the 38th St. Gang in “Zoot Suit”

Currently in previews, Center Theatre Group’s “Zoot Suit” opens February 12 at the Mark Taper Forum. This legendary play with music will continue through March 19, 2017, (extending one week from the originally announced closing date). Written and directed by Luis Valdez, “Zoot Suit” is presented in association with El Teatro Campesino.

Nearly 40 years after its world premiere, the original creator Luis Valdez will once again fill the Taper stage with a company of 25 actors, singers and dancers weaving fact and fiction together as they portray the events surrounding the infamous 1942 Sleepy Lagoon murder in Los Angeles. Filled with heart, sly wit and the infectious songs of Lalo Guerrero, “Zoot Suit” remains an urgent portrayal of the clash between generations in a Chicano family, the rifts between cultures in America and how racism and injustice can haunt a city and a society.

International stage and screen star Demian Bichir (Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight,” FX’s “The Bridge,” Showtime’s “Weeds,” Soderbergh’s “Che” and “A Better Life,” Academy Award nomination) plays the indelible role of El Pachuco.

Actors Daniel Valdez and Rose Portillo are returning to “Zoot Suit” after appearing in the world premiere production at the Taper in 1978, as well as at the Aquarius Theatre in Hollywood, on Broadway and in the film. Valdez played the leading role of Henry Reyna, while Portillo played Della, his barrio girlfriend. The two will be reunited for this new production, with Valdez now playing Enrique Reyna (Henry’s father) and Portillo playing Dolores Reyna (Henry’s mother). Daniel Valdez will also music direct once again.

Jeanine Mason, who plays Della, won season five of “So You Think You Can Dance” and recently appeared in ABC’s “Of Kings and Prophets.” She also played a recurring role on ABC Family’s “Bunheads.”

Matias Ponce, who plays Henry Reyna, has appeared in Los Angeles, New York and regional theatre productions of such plays as “Handball,” “Short Eyes,” “Faith: Part I of A Mexican Trilogy” and “Dominica: The Fat Ugly Ho.” Film and television credits include “Flight World War II,” “Lie to Me,” “Victorious” and “Rizzoli & Isles,” among many others.

“Theatre has always created an extraordinary connection between artists and audiences,” said Center Theatre Group Artistic Director Michael Ritchie. “Nowhere is that more clear than in the uniquely intimate space of the Mark Taper Forum. And that connection continues well beyond the curtain call in plays like Luis Valdez’s ‘Zoot Suit,’ which changed the cultural landscape when it premiered at the Taper almost four decades ago and will continue to offer a vital insight when it opens our 50th season at the Taper in 2017.”

Bank of America is the title sponsor for “Zoot Suit.”

Tickets to “Zoot Suit” are available by calling (213) 628-2772, online at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org or at the Center Theatre Group box office, located at the Ahmanson Theatre. Tickets range from $25 – $99 (ticket prices are subject to change). The Mark Taper Forum is located at the Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012.

# # #

February 6, 2017

Center Theatre Group To Hold Six Community Conversations For 'Zoot Suit'

Center Theatre Group — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 00:00:00 -0800

CENTER THEATRE GROUP TO HOLD SIX COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS FOR “ZOOT SUIT”

Conversations Will Discuss Youth Activism, the Making of “Zoot Suit,” Chicano Art, Fashion and Politics, the Music of Lalo Guerrero and Bias in the American Media

Center Theatre Group will host six Community Conversations for “Zoot Suit,” which returns to the Mark Taper Forum to celebrate Center Theatre Group’s 50th Anniversary. This series of panel conversations on selected nights throughout the run will be open to the public and feature local thought leaders in dialogue about the context, issues and ideas finding voice on our stages.

“Zoot Suit” began previews January 31, opens February 12 and runs through March 19, 2017 (extending one week from the originally announced closing date). Written and directed by Luis Valdez, “Zoot Suit” is presented in association with El Teatro Campesino.

“The Community Conversations are that moment when we ask people in our community to help us make relevant the themes and ideas that are alive on our stage,” said Leslie K. Johnson, Center Theatre Group’s Director of Social Strategy, Innovation and Impact. “Asking thought leaders to come and spark that conversation is exciting. By inviting them into the room, we are able to hear someone who lives these topics every day discuss them in the context of the show.”

The “Zoot Suit” Community Conversations will kick off on Wednesday, February 8 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. with #YouthPower: Young Artists Keep Changing the World. The panel conversation will discuss the power of groups of young people across the globe uniting to make themselves seen and heard throughout the 20th century, from swing-dancing teenagers in Nazi Germany to the activists who used social media to rise up during 2011’s Arab Spring. The Mexican-American pachuco youth of 1940s Los Angeles who are depicted in “Zoot Suit” are part of a long and important tradition that continues to have an impact on all of us today. Young artists, and activists and scholars will discuss how young people respond to issues affecting their community – in Los Angeles today and around the world throughout history. This event will take place at the AltaMed Health Services Corporation Corporate Headquarters, 2040 Camfield Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90040. Panelist to be announced. Free to the public.

On Saturday, February 11 from 1 to 2 p.m., the pre-show panel conversation The Making of the “Zoot Suit” Revival will include a member of the creative team behind the first major Los Angeles revival of “Zoot Suit” at its birthplace – the Mark Taper Forum – and will discuss the process of remounting this historic show. This event will take place at The Music Center Annex building, 601 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012, in Rehearsal Room A. Panelists to be announced. Free to the public.

On Thursday, February 16 from 6 to 7:30 p.m., the pre-show conversation The Song and Swing of “Zoot Suit” will discuss the music of the 1940s that propels “Zoot Suit” and features a blend of swing, boogie-woogie, R&B, jazz and Chicano big band tunes. Participants will dive into this music, learn about Lalo Guerrero – one of the most influential and important Chicano musicians of the 20th century whose work features prominently in “Zoot Suit” – and maybe even learn a few dance steps. This event will take place at The Music Center Annex building, 601 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012, in Rehearsal Room A. Panelists to be announced. Free to the public.

On Saturday, February 18 from 3 to 5:30 p.m., the panel conversation “Zoot Suit” in Dreamland will discuss the deeply intertwined relationship between art and politics in Chicano culture in Los Angeles and beyond, from the 1940s era of “Zoot Suit” to the 1970s, when “Zoot Suit” writer and director Luis Valdez and visual artist Frank Romero were rising young stars. As the Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) presents “Dreamland: A Frank Romero Retrospective” and Center Theatre Group produces Valdez’s “Zoot Suit,” the panel will explore the way politics has inspired the work of Valdez, Romero and other Chicano creators. This event will take place at the Museum of Latin American Art, 628 Alamitos Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802. Panelist to be announced. Event included with the cost of admission to MOLAA.

On Saturday, March 4 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., the panel conversation Dress for Unrest: From the Zoot Suit Riots to the Hoodie will discuss the intersection of fashion and politics. In 1943, the Zoot Suit Riots erupted when thousands of Anglo servicemen and civilians in Los Angeles assaulted young Chicanos, many of whom wore zoot suits that their attackers considered unpatriotic. In 2012, after Trayvon Martin was shot while wearing a hooded sweatshirt, the hoodie became a symbol of the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Panelists will discuss how we show our affiliations, communicate beliefs and make social statements through fashion. This event will take place at The Music Center Annex building, 601 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012, in Rehearsal Room A. Panelists to be announced. Free to the public.

On Thursday, March 9 from 6 to 7:30 p.m., the pre-show panel conversation Has News Ever Been Fair and Balanced? will explore the history of American journalism and whether it’s ever truly objective. Fake news has been in the spotlight these past few months, but headlines that bend, stretch or completely disregard the truth are nothing new. In the 1940s, the Los Angeles press called Mexican-Americans in zoot suits “hoodlums” and “gang members,” and played a role in the conviction of the young men on trial for the Sleepy Lagoon murder as well as the Zoot Suit riots that followed. This event will take place at The Music Center Annex building, 601 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012, in Rehearsal Room A. Panelists to be announced. Free to the public.

Bank of America is the title sponsor for “Zoot Suit.”

RSVPs for the Community Conversations are encouraged. For more information, please visit www.CenterTheatreGroup.org/ZootSuitCommunity. Please note an RSVP to a Community Conversation does not include a ticket to a performance of “Zoot Suit.”

# # #

February 1, 2017

Center Theatre Group News & Blogs

2017-18 Ahmanson Season Announced

REVISED†

CENTER THEATRE GROUP’s 51ST SEASON AT THE AHMANSON THEATRE INCLUDES A WORLD PREMIERE, AN AMERICAN PREMIERE, A PRE-BROADWAY PRODUCTION AND WORKS BY EMMY, GRAMMY, OSCAR AND TONY WINNERS

The 2017-2018 Season at the Ahmanson Theatre Features “The Red Shoes,” “Bright Star,” “Something Rotten!,” "Crazy for You,"† “Soft Power” and “The Humans”

Begins September 15, 2017, and Runs Through July 29, 2018

[For complete listing of plays and performance dates, please see PDF of release.]

† Please note the recently announced “Crazy for You” will complete the 2017-18 season and the opening night for “The Red Shoes” has moved

Center Theatre Group Announces Judges for 2017 AWMC

CENTER THEATRE GROUP ANNOUNCES FIVE JUDGES FOR 2017 AUGUST WILSON MONOLOGUE COMPETITION REGIONAL FINALS HELD AT THE MARK TAPER FORUM ON FEBRUARY 27

KTLA’s Kaj Goldberg Will Host the Regionals Where Five Judges Will Select Students to Participate in AWMC National Finals on Broadway on May 1, 2017

Third and Final Extension Announced For 'Zoot Suit"

THIRD AND FINAL EXTENSION ANNOUNCED FORCENTER THEATRE GROUP’S EXTRAORDINARY RUN OF "ZOOT SUIT"NOW THROUGH APRIL 2, 2017, AT THE MARK TAPER FORUM

Tickets for the Final Week of Performances Will be Available First to theL.A. Community In-Person Only at the Center Theatre Group Box Office fromThursday, February 23 Through Friday, February 24

'Zoot Suit' Extends Again, Now Through March 26

“ZOOT SUIT” EXTENDS ANOTHER WEEK, NOW THROUGH MARCH 26 AT CENTER THEATRE GROUP/MARK TAPER FORUM

'Remote L.A.' Calendar Release

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

March – April 2017

EVENT:

DESCRIPTION:

DATES/TIMES:

TICKET INFO:

LOCATION:

Center Theatre Group To Host Sing Out "Ring of Keys" Contest

CENTER THEATRE GROUP TO HOST SING OUT “RING OF KEYS” CONTEST

INDIVIDUALS AND NON-PROFESSIONAL CHOIRS ELIGIBLE

WINNERS WILL RECEIVE TICKETS TO “FUN HOME”

Casting Complete for 'Good Grief' at the Douglas

CASTING IS COMPLETE AND REHEARSALS HAVE BEGUN FOR “GOOD GRIEF” AT CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S KIRK DOUGLAS THEATRE

The World Premiere by Ngozi Anyanwu Will Play February 26 Through March 26, 2017

'Zoot Suit' Opens Sunday, February 12 At The Mark Taper Forum

“ZOOT SUIT” OPENS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2017 AT CENTER THEATRE GROUP/MARK TAPER FORUM

Center Theatre Group To Hold Six Community Conversations For 'Zoot Suit'

CENTER THEATRE GROUP TO HOLD SIX COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS FOR “ZOOT SUIT”

Conversations Will Discuss Youth Activism, the Making of “Zoot Suit,” Chicano Art, Fashion and Politics, the Music of Lalo Guerrero and Bias in the American Media

THIRD AND FINAL EXTENSION ANNOUNCED FOR
CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S EXTRAORDINARY RUN OF "ZOOT SUIT"
NOW THROUGH APRIL 2, 2017, AT THE MARK TAPER FORUM

Tickets for the Final Week of Performances Will be Available First to the
L.A. Community In-Person Only at the Center Theatre Group Box Office from
Thursday, February 23 Through Friday, February 24