Center Theatre Group News & Blogs

'Curious Incident' Begins Performances at the Ahmanson

Center Theatre Group — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 15:15:00 -0700

“THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME” BEGINS PERFORMANCES AT CENTER THEATRE GROUP/AHMANSON THEATRE AUGUST 2 AND CONTINUES THROUGH SEPTEMBER 10, 2017

Tony and Olivier Award-Winning Best Play

A New Play by Simon Stephens

Adapted From the Novel by Mark Haddon

Directed by Marianne Elliott

Presented by Center Theatre Group, The National Theatre production of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” will begin performances at the Ahmanson Theatre on August 2 with the opening set for August 3. The Tony Award-winning new play by Simon Stephens is adapted from Mark Haddon’s best-selling novel and directed by Tony winner Marianne Elliott (“War Horse”). Performances will continue through September 10, 2017.

The “Curious Incident…” cast includes Juilliard graduate Adam Langdon as Christopher, Gene Gillette (“War Horse”) as Ed, Felicity Jones Latta (“Metamorphoses”) as Judy, Maria Elena Ramirez (“Fish in the Dark”) as Siobhan and Amelia White (“The Heiress”) as Mrs. Alexander. The ensemble includes Brian Robert Burns (“War Horse”), Francesca Choy-Kee (“Disgraced”), Josephine Hall (“Les Liaisons Dangereuses”), John Hemphill (“School of Rock”), Robyn Kerr (“Dark Vanilla Jungle”), Kathy McCafferty (“Dada Woof Papa Hot”), Tim McKiernan (“War Horse”), J. Paul Nicholas (“Blood and Gifts”), Geoffrey Wade (“Translations”) and Tim Wright (“Curious Incident”/Broadway). Benjamin Wheelwright (“Curious Incident”/Broadway) will play Christopher at certain performances.

The production is designed by Tony Award winner Bunny Christie and Tony Award-winning video designer Finn Ross, with lighting by Tony Award winner Paule Constable, choreography by Scott Graham and Olivier Award winner Steven Hoggett for Frantic Assembly, music by Adrian Sutton, sound by Ian Dickinson for Autograph, and hair and wig design by David Brian Brown. Casting is by Daniel Swee, CSA and Cindy Tolan, CSA.

In “… this highly original, deeply engaging play” (Elysa Gardner, USA Today), 15-year-old Christopher has an extraordinary brain; he is exceptionally intelligent but ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. When he falls under suspicion for killing his neighbor’s dog, he sets out to identify the true culprit, which leads to an earth-shattering discovery and a journey that will change his life forever.

Ben Brantley of The New York Times said this play is “… one of the most fully immersive works ever to wallop Broadway. Be prepared to have all your emotional and sensory buttons pushed, including a few you may have not known existed.” Richard Zoglin of Time Magazine said that “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” is “… a play that works on every level — crowd-pleasing, eye-opening, life-affirming and unmissable.”

“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” transferred to London’s West End, following a sold-out run at the National’s Cottesloe Theatre in 2012. The production received seven 2013 Olivier Awards, including Best New Play and continues to play to sold-out houses at the Gielgud Theatre in London. A UK and Ireland Tour launched in 2014 and a second tour of the UK and Ireland launched in January of this year. “Curious Incident…,” the longest running play on Broadway in the past 10 years, opened on October 5, 2014, at the Barrymore Theatre, winning five Tony Awards including Best Play, six Drama Desk Awards including Outstanding Play, five Outer Critics Circle Awards including Outstanding Production of a Broadway Play and the Drama League Award for Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Play. The North American tour is produced by Stuart Thompson, Tim Levy for NT America, Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures Inc., Lisa Burger for NT Productions, Bob Boyett, Roger and William Berlind, Scott M. Delman, Roy Furman, Glass Half Full Productions, Ruth Hendel, JFLT TLP Partnership, Jon B. Platt, Scott Rudin, Triple Play Broadway and The Shubert Organization.

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

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.

Tickets for “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” 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 – $130 (ticket prices are subject to change). The Ahmanson Theatre is located at The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, 90012.

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July 28, 2017

'Bright Star' Calendar Release

Center Theatre Group — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 00:00:00 -0700

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

October – November 2017

EVENT:
“Bright Star”
Music, Lyrics and Book by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell
Choreography by Josh Rhodes
Directed by Walter Bobbie

DESCRIPTION:
Inspired by a real event, this original musical tells a sweeping tale of love and redemption set against the rich backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and ‘40s. Propelled by an ensemble of onstage musicians and dancers, the story unfolds as a rich tapestry of deep emotion, beautiful melodies and enthralling performances. Marc Snetiker of Entertainment Weekly called “Bright Star,” “A genuinely delightful show bolstered by an incredible debut from Carmen Cusack.”

DATES/TIMES:
Previews begin October 11. Opens October 20. Through November 19, 2017.
Previews (October 11 – October 19):
Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m. No Monday performances.
Opens Friday, October 20 at 8 p.m.
Regular Performances (October 21 – November 19):
Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m. No Monday performances.
Exceptions: No 8 p.m. performance on Wednesday, October 25. Added 2 p.m. performance on Thursday, November 16. No 6:30 p.m. performance on Sunday, November 19.

TICKET INFO:
Ticket Prices: $30 – $130 (Ticket prices are subject to change.)
Tickets 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 tickets online, visit www.CenterTheatreGroup.org. Groups: (213) 972-7231. Deaf community: Information and charge, visit CenterTheatreGroup.org/ACCESS.

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

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July 26, 2017

Center Theatre Group Partners With East West Players

Center Theatre Group — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 00:00:00 -0700

CENTER THEATRE GROUP PARTNERS WITH EAST WEST PLAYERS ON THE WORLD PREMIERE OF “SOFT POWER” BY DAVID HENRY HWANG AND JEANINE TESORIAT THE AHMANSON THEATRE

The Two Organizations Will Hold Four Community Conversations Exploring Themes of this Center Theatre Group Commission

Center Theatre Group’s “Soft Power” Begins May 3, 2018 and Runs Through June 10, 2018

Center Theatre Group will partner with East West Players on the upcoming world premiere of “Soft Power” at the Ahmanson Theatre May 3 through June 10, 2018, announced Artistic Director Michael Ritchie. Through the partnership, East West Players will add this new work created by Tony Award-winning artists David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori as part of its 2017-2018 season and will also collaborate with Center Theatre Group on four Community Conversations leading up to the play’s premiere as part of the Ahmanson Theatre’s 2017-2018 season.

“When we started talking with our colleagues at East West Players about ways to collaborate, we quickly realized that ‘Soft Power’ was the perfect opportunity for us to continue a tradition of artistic partnership by bringing our audiences together once again for a unique new work from David Henry Hwang,” said Ritchie. “The last time we partnered was on ‘Yellow Face’ at the Mark Taper Forum, so it’ll be great to have East West Players’ subscribers join us in another fascinating journey into David’s imagination, this time at the Ahmanson.”

“It is an honor to partner with Center Theatre Group on the world premiere of David Henry Hwang’s ‘Soft Power,’” said Snehal Desai, East West Players’ Producing Artistic Director. “As the playwright that is the namesake of our theatre and whose work East West Players has produced more than any other, David's prescience and ability to turn a mirror not only to our world as it is, but also where we are heading never ceases to astonish. With this production, our relationship with Center Theatre Group will continue to deepen as we initiate a series of joint Community Conversations on Asian American representation and storytelling. East West Players’ 52nd season is dedicated to community and partnerships, and we are proud to include Center Theatre Group as part of ‘The Company We Keep.’”

The four joint Community Conversations are scheduled to take place on October 26, 2017, January 18, 2018, March 15, 2018 and June 5, 2018. Locations, topics and panelists will be announced at a later date. Center Theatre Group’s Community Conversations are a series of panel discussions free and open to the public that feature local thought leaders in dialogue about the context, issues and ideas finding voice on our stages.

“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.”

“Soft Power” begins as a contemporary play before jumping 100 years into the future and exploding into a Chinese musical about present-day America. This seductive new work has 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.”

“Soft Power,” directed by Leigh Silverman with choreography by Sam Pinkleton, is a Center Theatre Group commission and marks the first collaboration between Hwang and Tesori.

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 Theater.

Tesori’s Broadway credits include “Fun Home” (2015 Tony Award winner which played 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.

East West Players, the nation's longest-running professional theatre of color and the largest producing organization of Asian American artistic work, was founded in 1965, at a time when Asian Pacific Islanders (APIs) faced limited or no opportunities to see their experiences reflected outside of stereotypical and demeaning caricatures in the American landscape. EWP not only ensures that API stories are told, but works to increase access, inclusion, and representation in the economy.

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

Tickets for “Soft Power” are currently available through Center Theatre Group or East West Players season ticket membership. For information and to purchase Center Theatre Group season tickets by phone, call the Exclusive Season Ticket Hotline at (213) 972-4444. To purchase Center Theatre Group season memberships online, visit www.CenterTheatreGroup.org/Ahmanson. For East West Players subscriptions, call (213) 625-7000 or visit www.EastWestPlayers.org. Single tickets go on sale July 26, 2017, at the Center Theatre Group box office, by phone at (213) 972-4400 or online at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org.

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July 25, 2017

Carmen Cusack Reprises Role in 'Bright Star' at the Ahmanson

Center Theatre Group — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 11:53:00 -0700

CARMEN CUSACK TO REPRISE HER TONY-NOMINATED ROLE IN THE CENTER THEATRE GROUP PRODUCTION OF “BRIGHT STAR” AT THE AHMANSON THEATRE

Tickets Go On Sale Wednesday, July 26 For The Award-Winning Musical Which Runs October 11 Through November 19, 2017

Center Theatre Group has announced that Carmen Cusack will reprise her Tony-nominated role as Alice Murphy in “Bright Star” at the Ahmanson Theatre. The Tony-nominated Best Musical, with music, lyrics and story by Grammy, Emmy and Oscar winner Steve Martin and Grammy winner Edie Brickell, will be presented by Center Theatre Group by special arrangement with Joey Parnes Productions at the Ahmanson Theatre October 11 through November 19, 2017. The opening is set for October 20 and individual tickets go on sale Wednesday, July 26.

The powerfully moving new musical 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, this original musical tells a sweeping tale of love and redemption set against the rich backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and ‘40s. Propelled by an ensemble of onstage musicians and dancers, the story unfolds as a rich tapestry of deep emotion, beautiful melodies and enthralling performances. Marc Snetiker of Entertainment Weekly called “Bright Star,” “A genuinely delightful show bolstered by an incredible debut from Carmen Cusack.”

Carmen Cusack made her Broadway debut last year in “Bright Star,” for which she received a Tony nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. She was featured last fall in New York City Center’s gala concert of “Sunday in the Park with George” and in Los Angeles in “For The Record – Scorsese: American Crime Requiem.” Other credits include “The First Wives Club: The Musical” (Chicago’s Oriental Theatre), “Sunday in the Park with George” (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), “Carrie” (MCC), “South Pacific” (Lincoln Center Theater and national tour at the Ahmanson) and “Wicked” (first U.S. tour and Melbourne, AU). West End credits include “Over the Rainbow” (the Eva Cassidy story), “Les Misérables” (Fantine), “The Secret Garden” (Rose), “Personals” (Kim) and “Phantom of the Opera” (Christine). This year, Carmen starred in the world premiere of Karen Siff Exhorn’s “Do This,” a one-woman play at Gulfshore Playhouse in Naples, FL. She recently released the Live at 54 Below album, “If You Knew My Story,” and she sold out eight shows at Feinstein’s/54 Below in NYC. Most recently, she starred in “Sondheim on Sondheim” with the Boston Pops in Tanglewood, Boston and at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.

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 No. 1 on the Top Current Blue Grass Albums chart, No. 2 on the Top Broadway chart, No. 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.

The “Bright Star” creative team includes Tony and Emmy Award winner Eugene Lee (scenic design), Tony Award winner Jane Greenwood (costume design), Tony Award nominee Japhy Weideman (lighting design), Tony Award nominee Nevin Steinberg (sound design), Tom Watson (hair and wig design), Grammy Award winner Peter Asher (music supervision), Rob Berman (musical direction and vocal arrangements) and Tony-nominee August Eriksmoen (orchestrations).

Tickets for “Bright Star” will be available beginning July 26 by calling (213) 972-4400, online at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org or at the Center Theatre Group Box Office located at the Ahmanson Theatre. Tickets range from $30 – $130 (ticket prices are subject to change). The Ahmanson Theatre is located at The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, 90012.

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July 24, 2017

Cast is Set for 'Head of Passes' at the Taper

Center Theatre Group — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 14:25:00 -0700

CAST IS SET FOR CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S PRODUCTION OF “HEAD OF PASSES” AT THE MARK TAPER FORUM SEPTEMBER 13 THROUGH OCTOBER 22, 2017

Phylicia Rashad Returns to the Taper in Tarell Alvin McCraney’s Piercing New Play

Center Theatre Group has announced the cast for “Head of Passes” by Oscar winner and playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney. Directed by Tina Landau and featuring Tony winner Phylicia Rashad, “Head of Passes” begins previews September 13, opens September 24 and continues through October 22, 2017, at the Mark Taper Forum.

Joining the previously announced Rashad, the cast includes, in alphabetical order, Alana Arenas, Francois Battiste, Kyle Beltran, J. Bernard Calloway, James Carpenter, John Earl Jelks and Jacqueline Williams.

The creative team includes scenic design by G.W. Mercier, costume design by Toni-Leslie James, lighting design by Jeff Croiter and sound design by Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen. The production stage manager is David S. Franklin.

Family and friends are gathering to celebrate Shelah’s (Rashad) birthday under the leaky roof of her home at the mouth of the Mississippi River. But an unwanted birthday party and unrelenting rains are only the first challenges in this contemporary parable inspired by the Book of Job in which unexpected events turn the reunion into the ultimate test of faith and love. As her world seems to collapse around her, Shelah must fight to survive the rising flood of life’s greatest challenges in this poetic and piercing new play.

When “Head of Passes” was presented at The Public Theater, Ben Brantley of The New York Times said, “… in her remarkable, pull-out-all-the-stops performance in Tarell Alvin McCraney’s ‘Head of Passes,’ Ms. Rashad gives the impression that she could definitely hold her own on Shakespeare’s blasted heath. Portraying a sorely tested Southern matriarch, she can be found railing against God and the elements with a harrowingly Lear-like rage.” Linda Winer of Newsday observed, “If Phylicia Rashad had not already taken us on formidable journeys through the world of August Wilson and so many other formidable dramas, it would be tempting to call Shelah, the matriarch in ‘Head of Passes,’ the role of a lifetime.”

Phylicia Rashad last performed at the Taper in 2003 in the world premiere production of August Wilson’s “Gem of the Ocean,” a role that would earn her a 2005 Tony nomination. She won the 2004 Tony for Best Actress in a Play for her performance as Lena Younger in “A Raisin in the Sun.”

Tarell Alvin McCraney co-wrote the Oscar-winning film “Moonlight,” which is based on his play “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue.” The film earned him an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. McCraney is an ensemble member at Steppenwolf Theatre Company and founding member of Teo Castellanos/D-Projects. In addition to the MacArthur “Genius” Grant, he has received the Doris Duke Artist Award, Whiting Award, Steinberg Playwright Award, Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Playwright, The New York Times Outstanding Playwright Award, the Paula Vogel Playwriting Award and the Windham Campbell Award. He was International Writer in Residence for the Royal Shakespeare Company (2009 to 2011) where he remains an associate artist. He is a professor of theatre and civic engagement for the University of Miami’s department of theatre. McCraney is the Artistic Director of the Youth Arts Leadership Summer Program. His Public Theater productions include “Head of Passes,” “The Brother/Sister Plays” and an edit of “Antony and Cleopatra.” “The Brothers Size” was a part of the Under the Radar Festival and other credits include “Choir Boy” and “Wig Out.”

Tickets to “Head of Passes” 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 – $95 (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.

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July 20, 2017

Cast Set for 'The Red Shoes' at the Ahmanson

Center Theatre Group — Thu, 13 Jul 2017 00:00:00 -0700

CAST SET FOR THE MATTHEW BOURNE / NEW ADVENTURES PRODUCTION OF “THE RED SHOES” AT THE AHMANSON THEATRE

Center Theatre Group and Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center Present the American Premiere of “The Red Shoes” September 15 Through October 1, 2017

Based on the Film by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger and the Hans Christian Andersen Fairytale “The Red Shoes” Features Music by Bernard Herrmann

The cast is set for the acclaimed Matthew Bourne / New Adventures 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.

The role of Victoria Page, the girl who dreams of being a great dancer, was created by New Adventures leading lady Ashley Shaw in a career defining performance. She will perform the role at the Ahmanson Theatre, as will New Adventures rising star Cordelia Braithwaite who has also received great praise for her interpretation.

Sam Archer, who created the title role in “Edward Scissorhands” in 2005 and performed the role at the Ahmanson, has starred in “Cinderella,” “The Car Man” and “Play Without Words.” Archer returned to New Adventures to create the iconic role of Svengali-like impresario Boris Lermontov, which he will perform at the Ahmanson. Jack Jones, who recently made his debut in the role, will also play Lermontov at some performances.

Dominic North, one of New Adventures’ most popular dancers, created the role of Julian Craster. Joining him in the role for the U.S. tour is American Ballet Theatre star Marcelo Gomes, who was last seen with New Adventures in “The Car Man” at Sadler’s Wells in 2015 and previously danced The Swan in “Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake” in Tokyo in 2014.

Completing the principal cast are the leading dancers of the Lermontov Company. Prima Ballerina Irina Boronskaja is played by Michela Meazza, who returns to New Adventures where she has danced and created many leading roles. She is joined by Company favorites Anjali Mehra, most recently seen as both The Queen and The Girlfriend in “Swan Lake,” and Nicole Kabera, who most recently played “Queen Eleanor” in “Sleeping Beauty.”

The role of Ivan Boleslawsky has been created by one of New Adventures finest young dancers Liam Mower (the original West End Billy Elliot now taking on his seventh principal role with New Adventures). Also playing Ivan is popular company dancer, Danny Reubens, who scored a great personal success recently as Jack in “Lord Of The Flies” and rising star, Will Bozier.

The role of Lermontov Company choreographer and character dancer Grischa Ljubov, was created and will continue to be played by veteran company dancer, Glenn Graham, who played The Swan in “Swan Lake” and has recently been seen as King Benedict in “Sleeping Beauty.” Also playing the role of Grischa will be Leon Moran recently seen in “Sleeping Beauty,” “The Car Man” and as Jim in “Edward Scissorhands.”

Completing the New Adventures cast as the leading dancers and creative team behind the Ballet Lermontov are Steph Billers (cover Irina Boronskaia), Jackson Fisch, Joshua Harriette, Daisy May Kemp, Philip King (cover Julian Craster), Dominic Lamb (cover Grischa Ljubov), Katrina Lyndon (who also plays Victoria Page) Kate Lyons, Andrew Monaghan (who also plays Julian Craster) Joe Walkling, Katie Webb (cover Victoria Page) and Seren Williams.

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.”

“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.

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.

Tickets for “The Red Shoes” 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 $30 – $130 (ticket prices are subject to change). The Ahmanson Theatre is located at The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, 90012.

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July 13, 2017

'Head of Passes' Calendar Release

Center Theatre Group — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 13:20:00 -0700

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

September – October 2017

EVENT:

“Head of Passes”

By Tarell Alvin McCraney

Directed by Tina Landau

DESCRIPTION:

Family and friends are gathering to celebrate Shelah’s (Phylicia Rashad) birthday under the leaky roof of her home at the mouth of the Mississippi River. But an unwanted birthday party and unrelenting rains are only the first challenges in this contemporary parable inspired by the Book of Job in which unexpected events turn the reunion into the ultimate test of faith and love. As her world seems to collapse around her, Shelah must fight to survive the rising flood of life’s greatest challenges in this poetic and piercing new play.

DATES/TIMES:

Previews begin September 13. Opens September 24. Through October 22, 2017.

Previews (September 13 – September 23): Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sunday at 6:30 p.m. No Monday performances.

Exceptions: Added 1 p.m. performance on Sunday, September 17; added 2:30 p.m. performance on Saturday, September 23

Opens Sunday, September 24 at 7 p.m.

Regular Performances (September 26 – October 22): Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 and 8 p.m., Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m. No Monday performances.

TICKET INFO:

Ticket Prices: $25 – $95 (Ticket prices are subject to change.)

Tickets are available online at CenterTheatreGroup.org, by calling Audience Services at (213) 628-2772 or in person at the Center Theatre Group Box Office. Groups: (213) 972-7231. Deaf community: Information and charge, visit CenterTheatreGroup.org/ACCESS.

LOCATION:

Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum

At The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012

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July 12, 2017

'King of the Yees' Opens at the Kirk Douglas Theatre

Center Theatre Group — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 00:00:00 -0700

THE WORLD PREMIERE PRODUCTION OF “KING OF THE YEES” OPENS AT CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S KIRK DOUGLAS THEATRE SUNDAY, JULY 16

Lauren Yee’s New Play Continues Through August 6, 2017

The world premiere production of “King of the Yees” will open at Center Theatre Group’s Kirk Douglas Theatre on Sunday, July 16 at 6:30 p.m. Written by Lauren Yee, directed by Joshua Kahan Brody and produced in association with Goodman Theatre, “King of the Yees” will continue through August 6, 2017.

The cast includes, in alphabetical order, Rammel Chan, Francis Jue, Angela Lin, Stephenie Soohyun Park and Daniel Smith.

The creative team includes set design by William Boles, costume design by Izumi Inaba, lighting design by Heather Gilbert, sound design by Mikhail Fiksel, projections by Mike Tutaj, casting by Adam Belcuore, CSA and Erica Sartini-Combs, and dramaturgy by Tanya Palmer. David S. Franklin is the production stage manager.

For nearly 20 years, playwright Lauren Yee’s father Larry has been a driving force in the Yee Family Association, a seemingly obsolescent Chinese American men’s club formed 150 years ago in the wake of the Gold Rush. But when her father goes missing, Lauren plunges into the rabbit hole of San Francisco’s Chinatown to confront a world both foreign and familiar. “King of the Yees” is a joyride across cultural, national and familial borders that explores what it means to truly be a Yee.

Lauren Yee’s plays include “Cambodian Rock Band” (South Coast Repertory’s Pacific Playwrights Festival), “Ching Chong China Man” (Pan Asian Repertory Theatre and Mu Performing Arts), “The Great Leap” (Denver Center for the Performing Art’s New Play Summit), “The Hatmaker’s Wife” (Playwrights Realm and Moxie), “Hookman” (Encore Theatre, Company One and Steep Theatre), “in a word” (San Francisco Playhouse, Cleveland Public Theatre, Strawdog Theatre Company and Lesser America), “Samsara” (Victory Gardens Theater, Single Carrot Theatre and the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Playwright Conference) and “The Tiger Among Us” (MAP Fund and Mu Performing Arts). Yee is a member of the Ma-Yi Writers Lab and has received commissions from the Denver Center of the Performing Arts, Lincoln Center Theater/LCT3, Mixed Blood Theatre, Portland Center Stage, South Coast Repertory and Trinity Repertory Company. She received her B.A. from Yale University and MFA from UCSD.

Tickets for “King of the Yees” 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.

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July 11, 2017

'The Red Shoes' Calendar Release

Center Theatre Group — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 17:03:00 -0700

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

September – October 2017

EVENT:

Matthew Bourne’s production of “The Red Shoes”

Adapted from the film by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger and from the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen

Music by Bernard Herrmann

Directed and Choreographed by Matthew Bourne

American Premiere

DESCRIPTION:

Presented by Center Theatre Group and Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center, “The Red Shoes” is a beloved fairy tale and Academy Award-winning movie that 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.

DATES/TIMES:

Previews begin September 15. Opens September 19.

Through October 1, 2017.

Previews (September 15 – September 17):

Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m.

Opens Tuesday, September 19 at 8 p.m.

Regular Performances (September 20 – October 1):

Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m. No Monday performances.

Exceptions: No 6:30 p.m. performance on Sunday, October 1.

TICKET INFO:

Ticket Prices: $30 – $130 (Ticket prices are subject to change.)

Tickets 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. Groups: (213) 972-7231. Deaf community: Information and charge, visit CenterTheatreGroup.org/ACCESS.

LOCATION:

Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre

The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012

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July 10, 2017