Center Theatre Group News & Blogs

Cast Revealed for 'The Last Ship' at the Ahmanson

Center Theatre Group — Fri, 20 Dec 2019 14:37:00 -0800

CASTING REVEALED FOR THE NATIONAL TOUR OF “THE LAST SHIP” STARRING STING

THE SHOW MAKES ITS LOS ANGELES DEBUT AT CENTER THEATRE GROUP/AHMANSON THEATRE JANUARY 14 THROUGH FEBRUARY 16, 2020

Full casting for Sting’s acclaimed musical, “The Last Ship,” has been announced. Tickets are currently on sale for the premiere Los Angeles engagement at Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre. To purchase tickets, visit CenterTheatreGroup.org, call Audience Services at (213) 972-4400 or visit the Center Theatre Group Box Office (at the Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012). Ticket prices start at $35.

The limited five-week engagement of “The Last Ship” will begin performances on January 14 and will play through February 16, 2020 at the Ahmanson Theatre. The opening is set for Wednesday, January 22 at 8 p.m.

Seventeen-time Grammy Award®-winner Sting will star as shipyard foreman, ‘Jackie White,’ and will perform the role at every performance. He is joined by Frances McNamee as ‘Meg,’ Jackie Morrison as ‘Peggy White’ and Oliver Savile as ‘Gideon Fletcher.’

The remainder of the entirely British cast includes Marc Akinfolarin, Joe Caffrey, Matt Corner, Susan Fay, Orla Gormley, Annie Grace, Sean Kearns, Oliver Kearney, David Muscat, Tom Parsons, Joseph Peacock, Sophie Reid, Hannah Richardson and Jade Sophia Vertannes.

The company is appearing with the support of Actor’s Equity Association.

For more information on the production and a video sneak peek, please visit thelastshipmusical.com

Inspired by Sting’s 1991 album, “The Soul Cages,” “The Last Ship” tells the story of Gideon, a prodigal son returning home after 17 years at sea to find that the local shipyard his town was built around is closing and Meg, the love he left behind, has moved on. Tensions flare and picket lines are drawn as foreman Jackie White (Sting) rallies the workers to take over the shipyard and build one last ship in the face of the gathering storm.

A love story, a tale of family and friendship, and a passionate homage to the shipbuilding community Sting grew up in, this “thrilling and stirring musical" (The Guardian) features a Tony-nominated original score by Sting including some of his best-loved songs “Island of Souls,” “All This Time” and “When We Dance.”

Completely reimagined since its Broadway debut in 2014, “The Last Ship” has thrilled audiences across the UK and in Toronto and has been described as “uplifting, intimate, heart-breaking and universal." (The Stage.)

“The Last Ship” has a new book and direction by incoming artistic director of the National Theatre Wales Lorne Campbell; is based on the original book by John Logan and Brian Yorkey; has set design by 59 Productions, the multi award-winning studio behind the video design of the London 2012 Olympic Games, “Les Misérables” and “War Horse”; musical supervision and orchestrations by Emmy Award-winning, Drama Desk, Tony and Grammy nominated arranger/composer/producer Rob Mathes whose credits include arrangements for “The Greatest Showman” and work with the biggest names in music including Elton John, Tony Bennett, Lou Reed, Jay-Z, Aretha Franklin and many more; musical direction by Richard John; costume design by Molly Einchcomb; movement direction by Lucy Hind; lighting design by Matt Daw and sound design by Sebastian Frost.

“The Last Ship” is produced by Karl Sydow.

Center Theatre Group, one of the nation’s preeminent arts and cultural organizations, is Los Angeles’ leading nonprofit theatre company, which, under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Ritchie, Managing Director Meghan Pressman and Producing Director Douglas C. Baker, programs seasons at the 736-seat Mark Taper Forum and 1600 to 2100-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.

BIOGRAPHIES

STING (Jackie White, Music & Lyrics). Composer, singer-songwriter, actor, author and activist Sting was born in Newcastle, England before moving to London in 1977 to form The Police with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers. The band released five studio albums, earned six Grammy Awards® and two Brits, and was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.

As one of the world’s most distinctive solo artists, Sting has received an additional 11 Grammy Awards®, two Brits, a Golden Globe, an Emmy, four Oscar nominations, a Tony nomination, Billboard Magazine’s Century Award and MusiCares 2004 Person of the Year. In 2003, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for his myriad of contributions to music. Also a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, he has received the Kennedy Center Honors, The American Music Award of Merit and The Polar Music Prize. Sting has been awarded Honorary Doctorates of Music by the University of Northumbria (1992), Berklee College of Music (1994), University of Newcastle upon Tyne (2006) and Brown University at its 250th Commencement ceremony (2018).

Throughout his illustrious career, Sting has sold 100 million albums from his combined work with The Police and as a solo artist.

Following his critically acclaimed album, “57th & 9th,” his first rock/pop collection in over a decade, Sting and reggae icon, Shaggy released a collaborative, island-influenced album, entitled “44/876,” drawing from the many surprising connections at the heart of their music. With its title referencing their home country codes, “44/876” first and foremost honors the duo’s mutual love for Jamaica: Shaggy’s homeland, and the place where Sting penned such classics as The Police’s “Every Breath You Take.” Their chart-topping release debuted at #1 in Germany and Top 10 in the UK. It spent over 20 weeks atop Billboard’s Reggae Album chart in the US, earned Gold certifications in Poland and France and received the Grammy Award® for Best Reggae Album.

The duo, both managed by the Cherrytree Music Company, recently reunited to release a new, festive reggae song entitled “Silent Night (Christmas is Coming)” available on all streaming and digital platforms. https://smarturl.it/StingSilentNight

Earlier this year, Sting was honored at the BMI Pop Awards for his enduring hit single “Every Breath You Take,” which has become the Most Performed Song, with 15 million radio plays, from BMI’s catalog of over 14 million musical works.

On May 24, a new album entitled “My Songs,” featuring contemporary interpretations of his most celebrated hits, was released and followed by a world tour of the same name. Sting’s ‘My Songs’ World Tour is a dynamic and exuberant show featuring his most beloved songs spanning the 17-time Grammy Award® winner’s prolific career with The Police and as a solo artist.

The special edition release of Sting’s album, “My Songs” was released November 8 and includes a bonus CD with new live recordings from the My Songs World Tour. A digital album titled “My Songs: Live” containing 11 new live recordings captured along the My Songs World Tour is also available.

Next year, Sting will headline a Las Vegas residency, “My Songs,” set to open at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace Friday, May 22, 2020. The show will present a compendium of Sting’s songs with dynamic, visual references to some of his most iconic videos and inspirations.

He has appeared in more than 15 films, executive produced the critically acclaimed “A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints,” and in 1989 starred in “The Threepenny Opera” on Broadway. His most recent theatre project is the Tony®-nominated musical “The Last Ship,” inspired by his memories of the shipbuilding community of Wallsend in the North East of England where he was born and raised. The show, with music and lyrics by Sting, ran on Broadway in 2014/2015 and completed a UK regional theatre tour which ran from March – July 2018. Thereafter, Sting starred as shipyard foreman Jackie White in the Toronto-based production of “The Last Ship” at the Princess of Wales Theatre. He will reprise the role for productions in Los Angeles at the Ahmanson Theatre (January 14 – February 16, 2020), San Francisco at the Golden Gate Theatre (February 20 – March 22, 2020), Washington, D.C at the National Theatre (March 27 – April 5), St. Paul, MN at the Ordway Center (April 8 – 19), and in Detroit, MI at the Detroit Opera House (April 22 – 26).

Sting’s support for human rights organizations such as the Rainforest Fund, Amnesty International, and Live Aid mirrors his art in its universal outreach. Along with wife Trudie Styler, Sting founded the Rainforest Fund in 1989 to protect both the world’s rainforests and the indigenous people living there. Together they have held 19 benefit concerts to raise funds and awareness for our planet’s endangered resources. Since its inception, the Rainforest Fund has expanded to a network of interconnected organizations working in more than 20 countries over three continents.

www.sting.com Instagram: @theofficialsting Twitter: @officialsting Facebook: http://bit.ly/2TU4Y1Z www.cherrytreemusiccompany.com/

FRANCES MCNAMEE (Meg Dawson). Theatre includes “Clybourne Park” (UK Tour), “The Last Ship” (UK Tour/Princess Wales Theatre, Toronto), where she was nominated for UK Theatre Awards’ ‘Best Performance in a Musical’, “The Two Noble Kinsmen,” “The Rover,” “The Christmas Truce,” “Love’s Labour’s Lost, Love’s Labour’s Won” (Royal Shakespeare Company), “A Christmas Carol” (The Old Vic), “Big Fish” (The Other Palace), “Punishment Without Revenge/ A Lady of Little Sense” (Theatre Royal Bath/Arcola Theatre), where Frances was nominated for The Ian Charleston Award, “The Mother” (Kiln Theatre) and “20th Anniversary Gala Performance of Les Misérables” (West End). Television includes “Stigma” (Web Series). Radio includes “Fifteen Minute Live” (Slung Low).

JACKIE MORRISON (Peggy White). Theatre includes “Clybourne Park” (UK Tour), Sicinius Velutus in “Coriolanus” (Royal Shakespeare Company), “The Last Ship” (UK Tour/Princess Wales Theatre, Toronto), “Pygmalion” (Oldham Coliseum), “Clybourne Park” (Rapture Theatre Company), “Abigail’s Party” (Curve Theatre), “This Is Ceilidh” (Speigltent Edinburgh & London), “A Bunch of Amateurs” (Watermill Theatre, Newbury), “Peribanez” (Young Vic Theatre, London), “Oh What A Lovely War!” (The National Theatre/The Roundhouse), “Hay Fever” and “Taking Steps” (Oldham Coliseum), “Celaine” (Hampstead Theatre), “Private Lives” (Oldham Coliseum/Harrogate Theatre), “Sadly Solo Joe” (Greenwich Theatre), “After Mrs Rochester” (Duke of York’s Theatre, West End), “What Every Woman Knows” and “Candida” (Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough), “Othello” (Watermill Theatre/Japan Tour), “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (English Shakespeare Company), “When We Are Married” (Savoy Theatre, West End), “T’is Pity She’s A Whore” (Derby Playhouse), “The Hypochondriac” (West Yorkshire Playhouse) and “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” (Strand Theatre, West End). Television includes “Black Earth Rising” (BBC/Netflix), “Coronation Street” (ITV), “Doctors,” “EastEnders,” “Holby City” and “Casualty” (BBC), “Londongrad” (Wind Catcher), “Endeavour III” (Mammoth Screen), “The Commander: Abduction” (La Plante Productions), “Midsommer Murders” (Bentley Productions), “The Bill” (Talkback Thames), “Little Miss Jocelyn” (Channel 4), “Monarch of The Glen” (Ecosse), “Bugs” (Carnival Films), “Clare in the Community” (Tiger Aspect), “Ultimate Force” (Bentley Productions), “Taggart” and “Dr Finlay” (STV), and “Head Over Heels” (Carnival Films). Radio and Recording includes “The Eyes of the Soul,” “The First Person,” “The Child” and “Into Exile” (BBC Radio 4) and “Brigadoon” (EMI). Jackie has toured several musical shows and revues throughout the years, including “Broadway and Beyond,” “Rodgers and Hammerstein-The Show’s The Story,” “Spread A Little Happiness” and “Broadway to Burns.”

OLIVER SAVILE (Gideon Fletcher) trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Theatre includes “The Last Ship” (Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto), Whizzer in “Falsettos” (The Other Palace), Robert in “Company” (AAC), Fiyero in “Wicked” (Apollo Victoria, West End), Hugo in “Knights of the Rose” (The Arts Theatre, West End), Max in “The Navigator” (Phoenix Theatre, West End), Wayne in “LMTO's State Fair” (Cadogan Hall), “Phantom of the Opera” (Her Majesty’s Theatre), “CATS” (UK Tour), “Les Misérables” (Queens Theatre, West End), “Monkee Business” (UK Tour), “Mamma Mia!” (World Tour), “Sleeping Beauty” (Theatre Royal Wakefield) and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” (UK tour). Television includes Enjolras in “Les Misérables” (ITV Olivier Awards 2014) and The Rum Tum Tugger in “CATS” (ITV Olivier Awards 2013).

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December 20, 2019

Center Theatre Group Provides Union Ticket Offer for 'The Last Ship'

Center Theatre Group — Tue, 17 Dec 2019 15:32:00 -0800

CENTER THEATRE GROUP OFFERS TICKET SPECIAL TO UNION MEMBERS FOR “THE LAST SHIP” STARRING STING AT AHMANSON

Union Members Can Claim $49 Tickets on January 17 and 24

“The Last Ship” Will Play at the Ahmanson Theatre January 14 through February 16

Center Theatre Group salutes local union members with an exclusive ticket offer to Sting’s acclaimed musical, “The Last Ship,” starring and featuring original music and lyrics by 17-time Grammy Award® winner Sting. Set in the shipbuilding town where he was born and raised, the production showcases the strength and resilience of those working in the labor industry. To honor their contributions, members of all creative and labor unions can purchase $49 tickets (regularly $90 – $120) to attend a performance on Friday, January 17 or Friday, January 24. “The Last Ship” will run at the Ahmanson Theatre January 14 through February 16, 2020.

Union members can purchase their tickets in advance at CenterTheatreGroup.org using promo code UNION or they may purchase tickets in-person at the Center Theatre Group Box Office. Union members must show their Union ID (or equivalent) at the Box Office when picking up their tickets.

Sting will star as shipyard foreman, Jackie White, and will perform the role at every performance. Additional casting will be announced at a later date.

“The Last Ship,” inspired by Sting’s 1991 album “The Soul Cages” and his own childhood experiences, tells the story of a community amid the demise of the shipbuilding industry in Tyne and Wear, with the closure of the Swan Hunter shipyard.

When a sailor named Gideon Fletcher returns home after 17 years at sea, tensions between past and future flare in both his family and his town. The local shipyard, around which the community has always revolved, is closing and no one knows what will come next, only that a half-built ship towers over the terraces. With the engine fired and pistons in motion, picket lines are drawn as foreman Jackie White (Sting) and his wife Peggy fight to hold their community together in the face of the gathering storm.

This personal, political and passionate musical from Sting, is an epic account of a family, a community and a great act of defiance. “The Last Ship” features an original, Tony®-nominated score with music and lyrics by Sting as well as a few of his best-loved songs; “Island of Souls,” “All This Time” and “When We Dance.” It is the proud story of when the last ship sails.

The musical is directed by Lorne Campbell, previously artistic director of Northern Stage in Newcastle and recently appointed as artistic director of National Theatre Wales, and has set design by the Tony Award-winning 59 Productions, the team behind the video design for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

“The Last Ship” has a new book by Lorne Campbell and is based on the original book by John Logan and Brian Yorkey, orchestrations by Rob Mathes, musical direction by Richard John, costume design by Molly Einchcomb, movement direction by Lucy Hind, lighting design by Matt Daw and sound design by Sebastian Frost. “The Last Ship” is produced by Karl Sydow.

Composer, singer-songwriter, actor, author and activist Sting was born in Newcastle, England before moving to London in 1977 to form The Police with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers. The band released five studio albums, earned six Grammy Awards® and two Brits, and was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.

Throughout his illustrious career, Sting has sold 100 million albums from his combined work with The Police and as a solo artist.

The duo recently reunited to release a new, festive reggae song entitled “Silent Night (Christmas is Coming)” available on all streaming and digital platforms. https://smarturl.it/StingSilentNight

On May 24, a new album entitled “My Songs,” featuring contemporary interpretations of his most celebrated hits, was released and followed by a world tour of the same name, which will resume next summer in Europe. Sting’s ‘My Songs’ World Tour is a dynamic and exuberant show featuring his most beloved songs spanning the 17-time Grammy Award® winner’s prolific career with The Police and as a solo artist.

The special edition release of Sting’s album, “My Songs” was released November 8 and includes a bonus CD with new live recordings from the My Songs World Tour. At the same time, a digital album titled “My Songs: Live” containing 11 new live recordings also captured along the ‘My Songs’ World Tour is also available.

Sting is managed by the Cherrytree Music Company. www.sting.com; www.cherrytreemusiccompany.com

For more information on the production and a video sneak peek, please visit thelastshipmusical.com.

General tickets for “The Last Ship” are available online at CenterTheatreGroup.org, by calling Audience Services at (213) 972-4400 or in person at the Center Theatre Group Box Office (at the Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center in Downtown Los Angeles). Tickets range from $35 – $199 (ticket prices are subject to change). The Ahmanson Theatre is located at The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012.

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December 17, 2019

Matthew Bourne's "Swan Lake" Opens at the Ahmanson Theatre

Center Theatre Group — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 16:53:00 -0800

THE NEW ADVENTURES PRODUCTION OF MATTHEW BOURNE’S “SWAN LAKE” OPENS AT THE AHMANSON THEATRE ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2019

Presented by Center Theatre Group, “Swan Lake” Will Run Through January 5, 2020

Currently in previews, the New Adventures production of Matthew Bourne’s “Swan Lake” opens December 5, 2019 at Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre.

With direction and choreography by Matthew Bourne and music by Tchaikovsky, “Swan Lake” will play the Ahmanson through January 5, 2020.

The role of ‘The Swan’ is performed by Will Bozier and Max Westwell. ‘The Prince’ is performed by James Lovell and Andrew Monaghan, while ‘The Queen’ is performed by Nicole Kabera and Katrina Lyndon.

‘The Girlfriend’ is also performed by Katrina Lyndon. She is joined by Freya Field and Carrie Willis.

‘The Private Secretary’ will be played by Jonathon Luke Baker, Jack Jones, Ashley-Jordon Packer and Max Westwell.

The company also includes Nicole Alphonce, Andrew Ashton, Benjamin Bazeley, Alistair Beattie, Callum Bowman, Isaac Peter Bowry, Tom Broderick, Megan Cameron, João Castro, Kayla Collymore, Zanna Cornelis, Cameron Everitt, Keenan Fletcher, Michaela Guibarra, Parsifal James Hurst, Shoko Ito, Mari Kamata, Nicholas Keegan, Jack Mitchell, Harry Ondrak-Wright, Jack William Parry, Barnaby Quarendon, Sam Salter, Mark Samaras, Alex Sturman, Katie Webb and Stan West.

Over two decades after Matthew Bourne redefined “Swan Lake” for Los Angeles and much of the world, the production returns with a fresh look for the 21st century. Retaining the iconic elements of the original production loved by millions around the world, Matthew Bourne and award-winning designer Lez Brotherston (set and costumes) will create an exciting re-imagining of the classic production. Acclaimed designer Paule Constable joins the creative team with a spectacular new lighting design.

Thrilling, audacious, witty and emotive, this “Swan Lake” is perhaps still best known for replacing the female corps-de-ballet with a menacing male ensemble, which shattered conventions, turned tradition upside down and took the dance world by storm.

Collecting over 30 international accolades including an Olivier Award in the UK and three Tony Awards on Broadway, Matthew Bourne’s powerful interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece is a passionate and contemporary “Swan Lake” for our times.

Following its run in Los Angeles, Matthew Bourne’s “Swan Lake” will also play the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. (January 21–26, 2020) and the New York City Center (January 30–February 9, 2020).

New Adventures is a national portfolio organisation supported using public funds by Arts Council England.

Matthew Bourne is firmly established as the UK’s most popular and successful choreographer and director. He is the creator of the world’s longest-running ballet production, a record breaking eight-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. Matthew started his dance training at the comparatively late age of 22 and danced professionally for 14 years, creating many roles in his own work. As Artistic Director of his first company, Adventures in Motion Pictures, from 1987 until 2002, Matthew created many award-winning works. Further hit productions were created when New Adventures was launched in 2002, becoming the UK’s busiest and most successful dance company and the major exporter of British dance across the world. Matthew is also a West End and Broadway choreographer; a more than 20-year relationship with producer Cameron Mackintosh has resulted in the globally successful musicals “Mary Poppins,” “My Fair Lady,” and “Oliver!” He has seven honorary doctorates and in 2018 received an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from University of Oxford. He is also a companion of Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts and a proud patron of many organizations, including Tring Park School of the Performing Arts, the Arts Educational Schools London and Laine Theatre Arts. In 2015, he became the first dance figure to be given the Stage Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre, presented by the UK Theatre Awards. He was knighted in the Queen’s New Year Honours in 2016 for services to dance and awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award in recognition of his outstanding services to dance. Matthew was presented the Special Award at the Olivier Awards 2019, in recognition of his achievements in dance. This Special Award makes him joint holder of the most ever Olivier Awards, alongside Judi Dench.

Tickets for Matthew Bourne’s “Swan Lake” 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 $35 – $145 (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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December 5, 2019

Final Casting and Extension Announced for “What the Constitution Means to Me”

Center Theatre Group — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 16:53:00 -0800

FINAL CASTING IS SET FOR L.A. ENGAGEMENT OF

HEIDI SCHRECK’S “WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME” THE TONY-NOMINATED PLAY EXTENDS AN EXTRA WEEK AT CENTER THEATRE GROUP/MARK TAPER FORUM DUE TO OVERWHELMING EARLY DEMAND

Local Student Jocelyn Shek Joins Tony Nominated Maria Dizzia and Original Broadway Cast Members Mike Iveson and Rosdely Ciprian at the Mark Taper Forum January 12 – February 23, 2020

Center Theatre Group Announces Theatre Access For L.A. Initiative Adding $15 Student Rush to Existing Programs Helping to Make Theatre Available to All Audiences

As a Special Celebration of the United States’ 232-Year-Old Constitution 232 $25 Tickets Will Be Available in the Extension Week

As final casting is being announced, the engagement of playwright Heidi Schreck’s “What the Constitution Means to Me” at Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum is already being extended by a week due to overwhelming early sales. The Tony-nominated play, originally scheduled to run January 12 – February 16, 2020, will now continue until February 23, 2020.

Tickets for the extension week will go on sale Thursday, December 12 at 10 a.m. and, to make sure as many people as possible can see the production, Center Theatre Group has partnered with several local law firms to launch a new funding initiative titled Theatre Access for L.A. Under this initiative, Center Theatre Group is adding $15 student rush tickets (a limited number available for students 25 and under with a valid student ID) and 232 $25 tickets in the extension week (in honor of the United States’ 232-year-old Constitution) to the existing FreePlay program (free tickets at a preview performance for people 25 years of age and under) and $15 TodayTix lottery (made available for all evening performances) in an effort to make theatre available to every audience. For more information, visit www.CenterTheatreGroup.org/Constitution.

It was also announced that the cast of “What the Constitution Means to Me” will include a Los Angeles high school freshman Jocelyn Shek who is making her stage debut. Rotating in the role with original Broadway cast member Rosdely Ciprian, Shek will perform opposite Tony-nominated actress Maria Dizzia and original Broadway cast member Mike Iveson. Ciprian, Dizzia and Iveson’s casting was previously announced.

Playwright Heidi Schreck’s boundary-breaking play breathes new life into our Constitution and imagines how it will shape the next generation of Americans. Fifteen year old Heidi earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions across the United States. In this hilarious, hopeful and achingly human new play, she resurrects her teenage self in order to trace the profound relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives.

Schreck’s timely and galvanizing play, directed by Oliver Butler, became a sensation off-Broadway last fall before transferring to Broadway where it received two Tony Award nominations among countless other accolades. The New York Times hailed “What the Constitution Means to Me” as “not just the best play to open on Broadway so far this season, but also the most important.”

Initially announced for a 12-week engagement on Broadway, “What the Constitution Means to Me” was extended twice and fully recouped in its Broadway engagement, shattering box office records at the Helen Hayes Theater, for a total run of 24 weeks. “What the Constitution Means to Me” officially opened March 31, 2019 after beginning preview performances March 14, and played its final Broadway performance on August 24, 2019.

“What the Constitution Means to Me” had a record-breaking limited engagement run at the Eisenhower Theater at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., where it played 15 performances immediately following the conclusion of the Broadway run, from September 11 through September 22, 2019.

“What the Constitution Means to Me” features scenic design by Rachel Hauck (“Hadestown”), costume design by Michael Krass (“Hadestown”), lighting design by Jen Schriever (“Eclipsed”) and sound design by Sinan Refik Zafar (“Hamlet”).

“What the Constitution Means to Me” was commissioned by True Love Productions. This production originated as part of Summerworks 2017, produced by Clubbed Thumb in partnership with True Love Productions.

The national tour of “What the Constitution Means to Me” is produced by Diana DiMenna, Aaron Glick, Matt Ross and Level Forward & Eva Price.

Heidi Schreck’s play “Grand Concourse” was a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and winner of the Stacey Mindich Lilly Award. Other plays, including “Creature,” “There Are No More Big Secrets” and “The Consultant,” have been produced by Berkeley Rep, Long Wharf, Page 73, Seattle Public Theatre, New Georges, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater and more. Heidi’s television writing includes “I Love Dick,” “Billions” and “Nurse Jackie.” She is developing a TV series with Amazon based on Patricia Lockwood's “Priestdaddy.” As an actor she’s performed at Berkeley Rep, Roundabout, MTC, Playwrights Horizons, Shakespeare in the Park, Clubbed Thumb, Two-Headed Calf and on “Nurse Jackie,” “Billions,” “Law & Order: SVU” and “The Good Wife.” Winner of two Obies, a Drama Desk Award and the Theatre World Award.

The Theatre Access for L.A. initiative supports Center Theatre Group’s efforts to reach an audience that reflects the diverse makeup of Southern California and the communities we serve. A gift to this fund helps us provide access to underrepresented community members and to create a more inclusive theatre through subsidized ticket offers, innovative audience engagement and education projects, and more. Lead funding for Theatre Access for L.A. is provided in partnership with the following local law firms: by Glaser, Weil LLP; Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman et al.; and Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP.

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 (at the Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center in Downtown Los Angeles). Tickets range from $25-$175 (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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December 11, 2019