Center Theatre Group News & Blogs

'The Last Ship' Calendar Release

Center Theatre Group — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 11:07:00 -0700

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

January – February 2020

EVENT:

Sting in “The Last Ship”

New book by Lorne Campbell

Original book by John Logan and Brian Yorkey

Music and lyrics by Sting

Directed by Lorne Campbell

DESCRIPTION:

This personal, political and passionate musical from the 17-time Grammy Award winner is an epic account of a family, a community and a great act of defiance. When Gideon Fletcher returns home after 17 years at sea, tensions between past and future flare. The local shipyard, which has anchored the community for generations, is in turmoil. Picket lines are drawn as foreman Jackie White (played by Sting) and his wife fight to hold their community together in the face of the gathering storm.

DATES/TIMES:

Previews begin January 14. Opens January 22. Through February 16, 2020.

Previews (January 11 – 21): Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m.; Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m. No Monday performance.

Opens Wednesday, January 22 at 8 p.m.

Regular Performances (January 23 – February 16): Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m.; and Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m. No Monday performances.

Exceptions: Added 2 p.m. performance on Thursday, February 13. No 6:30 p.m. performance on Sunday, February 16.

TICKET INFO:

Ticket Prices: $35 – $179 (Ticket prices are subject to change.)

Tickets are available online at CenterTheatreGroup.org, by calling Audience Services at (213) 972-4400 or in person at the Center Theatre Group Box Office. Groups: (213) 972-7231. Groups: (213) 972-7231. Deaf Community: Information and charge, visit CenterTheatreGroup.org/ACCESS.

LOCATION:

Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre

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

Mike Birbiglia's 'The New One' Opens at the Ahmanson

Center Theatre Group — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 11:07:00 -0700

MIKE BIRBIGLIA’S “THE NEW ONE” OPENS AT THE AHMANSON THEATRE ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25

Written & Performed by Mike Birbiglia and Directed by Seth Barrish,

“The New One” Will Run Through November 24, 2019

Currently in previews, Mike Birbiglia’s one-man comedy “The New One” opens October 25 at Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre. Following its Drama Desk Award-winning Broadway debut, “The New One” will play the Ahmanson through November 24.

Written by Mike Birbiglia, with additional writing by Jennifer Hope Stein, “The New One” is directed by Seth Barrish (“Sleepwalk with Me”) with set design by Beowulf Boritt (“Act One,” “Come From Away”), lighting design by Aaron Copp (“Red State Blue State”) and sound design by Leon Rothenberg (“The Nance,” “The Boys in the Band”). “The New One” is produced by Kevin McCollum, Iris Smith, Triptyk Studios, Chris and Crystal Sacca, Sing Out, Louise! Productions, Jam Theatricals, Ashley Desimone, Jamie Deroy and Caroline Hirsch and Lucas McMahon.

Birbiglia’s previous plays “Sleepwalk with Me,” “My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend” and “Thank God for Jokes” all earned Lortel Award nominations for “Best Solo Show” with “My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend” winning the 2011 award. “The New One” won the Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk awards for “Outstanding Solo Performance.” In “The New One,” Birbiglia delves back into his own life to tell a new story in a new way with the same heart and humor his fans have come to expect.

Birbiglia brings his award-winning Broadway show “Mike Birbiglia: The New One” to a global audience for his newest and most highly anticipated Netflix comedy special. Filmed at the Cort Theatre in Manhattan, the special will launch globally on Netflix on November 26.

Bob Verini of Variety called “The New One” “a brimmingly warm, entertaining [play] on a universally relatable topic. Birbiglia goes through a life-changing journey; there are surprises and one coup de theatre along the way; and he is most certainly a singular character.”

Mike Birbiglia is a comedian, storyteller, director and actor who has performed in front of audiences worldwide, from the Sydney Opera House to Carnegie Hall. His shows, “My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend” and “Thank God for Jokes,” were both filmed for Netflix. In addition to performing live, Birbiglia is an author and filmmaker who wrote, directed and starred in the films “Sleepwalk with Me” and “Don’t Think Twice.” His book “Sleepwalk with Me and Other Painfully True Stories” was a New York Times bestseller and a finalist for the Thurber Prize for American Humor. As an actor, Birbiglia has appeared on “Inside Amy Schumer,” HBO’s “Girls” and “Broad City,” as well as in the films “Trainwreck,” “The Fault in Our Stars” and “Popstar.” He plays the role of Danny Pearson on “Orange Is the New Black” and Oscar Langstraat on Showtime’s “Billions.” He is a contributor to “This American Life” on public radio and was honored with the 2017 Kurt Vonnegut Award for humor.

Seth Barrish is co-artistic director of The Barrow Group. For the Netflix presentations, Barrish was the director of “Mike Birbiglia: My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend” and co-director of “Thank God for Jokes.” Theatre directing credits include “Thank God for Jokes” (Lucille Lortel nomination), “All the Rage” (Lortel Award, Outer Critics Circle nomination), “My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend” (Lortel Award, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations – final performance at Carnegie Hall), “Sleepwalk with Me” (Nightlife Award), “The Tricky Part” (Obie Award, two Drama Desk nominations), “Pentecost” (Drama Desk nomination), “Old Wicked Songs” (Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award and Garland Award), “Good” (Straw Hat Award) and many more. Barrish is co-director and co-screenplay writer for “Sleepwalk with Me.” As a playwright, he is co-adaptor of “Enemy of the People” (an adaptation of Ibsen’s “An Enemy of the People”). Barrish is consulting producer for “Don’t Think Twice.”

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.

Tickets 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 – $145 (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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October 24, 2019

'What the Constitution Means to Me' Calendar

Center Theatre Group — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 11:07:00 -0700

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

January – February 2020

EVENT:

Heidi Schreck’s

What the Constitution Means to Me”

Directed by Oliver Butler

DESCRIPTION:

Fifteen-year-old Heidi Schreck earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions across the United States. This hilarious, hopeful and achingly human new play resurrects Heidi’s teenage self in order to trace the profound relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives.

DATES/TIMES:

Previews begin January 12. Opens January 17.^ Through February 16.

Previews (January 12 – 16): Sunday at 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday through Thursday at 8 p.m. No Monday performance.

Opens Friday, January 17 at 8 p.m.

Regular Performances (January 18 – February 16): 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.

Exceptions: No public performances on Tuesday, February 11 and Wednesday, February 12.^^

TICKET INFO:

Ticket Prices: $25 – $125 (Ticket prices are subject to change.)

Tickets are available online at CenterTheatreGroup 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. 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

###

October 24, 2019; Updated 1.15.20

^The opening was previously annouced for January 15.

^^The exception dates were incorrectly listed as January 11 and 12; this has beeen corrected.

Center Theatre Group Announces 2019-2020 L.A. Writers' Workshop Participants

Center Theatre Group — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 11:07:00 -0700

CENTER THEATRE GROUP ANNOUNCES

2019-2020 L.A. WRITERS’ WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS

Seven Local Playwrights Have Been Chosen For Annual Residency

Center Theatre Group has selected participants for the 2019-2020 L.A. Writers’ Workshop, where local playwrights are invited to spend eight months in residence at the company researching and writing new works with the feedback from artistic staff and their fellow writers. The workshop, administrated by Center Theatre Group’s Artistic Department, is designed to foster new voices, inspire playwrights to create their best work, encourage bold writing and build relationships among local playwrights, Center Theatre Group and the Los Angeles theatre community.

“Being a large theatre in Los Angeles gives us the opportunity and the responsibility to open our doors and give writers a place to write exciting new plays,” says Center Theatre Group Associate Artistic Director/Literary Director Neel Keller. “Center Theatre Group was one of the first theatres to make wholesale commitments to the development of new work. The L.A. Writers’ Workshop grew out of that desire to have writers even more present and involved in the life of the theatre. It’s important for all of our spirits to have playwrights here—in the midst of all our activity. Their presence brings creative energy to our buildings and makes a clear statement that supporting the genesis of new, exploratory work is a central part of what Center Theatre Group is.”

Those participating in the 2019-2020 L.A. Writers’ Workshop include Adelina Anthony, Ngozi Anyanwu, Jonathan Caren, Dionna Michelle Daniel, Boo Killebrew, Kenneth Lin and Kemp Powers. Playwrights were selected by Center Theatre Group’s artistic staff. Each year, the goal is to bring together Los Angeles playwrights, all of varying backgrounds and writing styles, with the intent on creating work that challenges audiences and the surrounding theatre community. To be eligible, the writers must currently reside in Los Angeles and must be either starting work on a new play or interested in starting work on a new play.

The workshop begins in November with a weekend-long salon where local experts of the playwrights’ choosing are invited for a Q&A session. Through the session, the playwrights are able to use each expert’s knowledge and experience to garner additional insight on their respective play topics. The workshop continues with monthly meetings wherein the seven playwrights will come together to fuel the creative process and further the evolution of their work. During these meetings, the playwrights have the opportunity to lead cold readings, conduct improvisational exercises for scene development, discuss and deliberate relevant topics and invite additional experts as needed. In June of 2020, a three-day retreat will serve as the residency year’s conclusion. Play readings of all seven plays will be conducted throughout the weekend with the help of professional actors hired by Center Theatre Group.

In June 2018, Center Theatre Group launched the annual L.A. Writers’ Workshop Festival at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. It featured three new plays by L.A. Writers’ Workshop participants from throughout the program’s history. Details for the 2020 L.A. Writer’s Workshop Festival will be announced at a later date.

Center Theatre Group has produced plays developed in the Writers’ Workshop, including the world premieres of Eliza Clark’s “Quack,” (Kirk Douglas Theatre in 2018) and Lisa Loomer’s “Distracted” (Mark Taper Forum in 2007).

Several of the plays written and developed in the Writers’ Workshop have been produced around the country, including Julie Marie Myatt’s “My Wandering Boy” (South Coast Repertory), Adriana Sevahn Nichols’ “Night Over Erzinga” (Golden Thread/Silk Road Rising co-production) and Brett Neveu’s “The Opponent” (A Red Orchid Theatre). Additionally, Julie Hébert’s dance-theatre piece “Night Falls” was performed in San Francisco in 2011 and Lila Rose Kaplan’s “Entangled” premiered at UC Santa Barbara’s Launch Pad in 2012. Dominique Morisseau’s “Confederates” (which had a staged reading as part of the 2019 L.A. Writers’ Workshop Festival) will have its world premiere at Oregon Shakespeare Festival in April 2020 followed by a New York premiere at Signature Theatre Company in May 2020.

In the 14 years since its founding, the Writers’ Workshop community has grown to 103 playwrights, including Jennifer Haley (“The Nether”), Dominque Morisseau (“Shameless,” “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations” and “Pipeline”), Qui Nguyen (“Vietgone”) and Marco Ramirez (“The Defenders,” “The Royale”).

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October 29, 2019

'The New One' Begins at the Ahmanson

Center Theatre Group — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 10:08:00 -0700

PERFORMANCES BEGIN FOR MIKE BIRBIGLIA’S “THE NEW ONE” AT THE AHMANSON THEATRE OCTOBER 23 THROUGH NOVEMBER 24, 2019

Written & Performed by Mike Birbiglia

Directed by Seth Barrish

Performances will begin for Mike Birbiglia’s one-man comedy “The New One” at Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre on October 23. Following its Drama Desk Award-winning Broadway debut, “The New One” will play the Ahmanson through November 24 with the opening set for Friday, October 25.

When she included “The New One” in her list of the best stage shows of 2018, Entertainment Weekly’s Jessica Derschowitz said “hilarious and poignant observations about becoming a parent and the ways his life changed after the birth of his daughter — the ‘new one’ in this scenario — make for some of his best and most heartfelt work yet.” Bob Verini of Variety called “The New One” “a brimmingly warm, entertaining [play] on a universally relatable topic. Birbiglia goes through a life-changing journey; there are surprises and one coup de theatre along the way; and he is most certainly a singular character.”

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October 17, 2019

Cast Set for August Wilson's 'Jitney' at Taper

Center Theatre Group — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 14:50:00 -0700

CAST IS SET FOR AUGUST WILSON’S “JITNEY” AT THE MARK TAPER FORUM NOVEMBER 22 THROUGH DECEMBER 29, 2019

The cast is set for August Wilson’s “Jitney,” which will be presented by Center Theatre Group at the Mark Taper Forum November 22 through December 29, 2019, with the opening set for November 24. Originally presented by Manhattan Theatre Club, “Jitney” is directed by Tony Award winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson.

The cast includes, in alphabetical order, Francois Battiste, Harvy Blanks, Amari Cheatom, Anthony Chisholm, Brian D. Coats, Steven Anthony Jones, Nija Okoro, Keith Randolph Smith and Ray Anthony Thomas.

The creative team features scenic design by David Gallo, costume design by Toni-Leslie James, lighting design by Jane Cox, sound design by Darron L. West and Charles Coes with original music by Bill Sims Jr. and fight direction by Thomas Schall.

A masterpiece by two-time Pulitzer winner August Wilson with the production that completed his American Century Cycle on Broadway and received the 2017 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play, “Jitney” is a richly textured piece set in the early 1970s that follows a group of men trying to eke out a living by driving unlicensed cabs, or jitneys. When the city threatens to board up the business and the boss’ son returns from prison, tempers flare, potent secrets are revealed and the fragile threads binding this makeshift family together threaten to come undone at last.

A Tony winner for his performance in Wilson’s “Seven Guitars,” Ruben Santiago-Hudson earned a Tony nomination and Drama Desk Award for his direction of the Broadway debut of “Jitney.” In reviewing Santiago-Hudson’s 2017 revival of “Jitney,” The New York Times’ Ben Brantley said, “How sweet the sound. And how sorrowful and jubilant, as life in a storefront taxi company in an African-American neighborhood in Pittsburgh comes to feel like a free-form urban concerto, shaped by the quick-witted, improvisatory spirit that makes jazz soar.” David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter asked, “Is there a more accomplished living interpreter of the plays of August Wilson than Ruben Santiago-Hudson?” Maya Stanton of Entertainment Weekly added, “It’s like eavesdropping on an often funny, occasionally hostile, always honest discussion about race, urban development (or lack thereof), and relationships — between fathers and sons, men and women, coworkers and friends.”

Tony and Obie Award winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson recently directed the world premieres of Dominique Morisseau’s “Skeleton Crew” at the Atlantic Theater and “Paradise Blue” at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Other directing credits include “Seven Guitars,” “The Piano Lesson,” “The First Breeze of Summer,” “Cabin in the Sky” and many more. The multi-award-winning director and actor wrote, executive produced and starred in the HBO film of “Lackawanna Blues.” It received several honors, including Emmy, Golden Globe, Humanitas, National Board of Review and Christopher Awards. In the spring of 2019 he returned to “Lackawanna Blues” directing and performing in a rare revival of the autobiographical piece at the Mark Taper Forum. Ruben starred in BET’s drama “The Quad,” recurs on Showtime’s “Billions” and starred in TNT’s “Public Morals.” The Lackawanna, New York native opened the Ruben Santiago-Hudson Fine Arts Learning Center in 2014 in his hometown.

Center Theatre Group has presented nine of August Wilson’s plays: “Gem of the Ocean,” “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “Jitney,” “King Hedley II” and “Radio Golf” at the Taper; “Seven Guitars” at the Ahmanson Theatre; and “The Piano Lesson” (1990 Pulitzer Prize) and “Two Trains Running” at the James A. Doolittle Theatre in Hollywood.

In addition, through its Education and Community Partnerships department, Center Theatre Group hosts the annual August Wilson Monologue Competition regional finals in which students in grades 10 through 12 perform monologues from Wilson’s Century Cycle. The winners travel to New York to compete in the national finals at the August Wilson Theatre on Broadway. 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.

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 – $110 (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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October 10, 2019

Maria Dizzia Cast in 'What the Constitution Means to Me' at the Taper

Center Theatre Group — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 14:50:00 -0700

TONY-NOMINATED MARIA DIZZIA TO STAR IN HEIDI SCHRECK’S “WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME” AT CENTER THEATRE GROUP/MARK TAPER FORUM

Directed by Oliver Butler, Dizzia Is Joined by Original Broadway Cast Members Mike Iveson and Rosdely Ciprian at the Mark Taper Forum January 12 – February 16, 2020

Tony Award nominee Maria Dizzia will star in the first two stops of the national tour of Heidi Schreck’s Tony Award-nominated play and Pulitzer Prize finalist “What the Constitution Means to Me,” directed by Oliver Butler. Dizzia will perform the lead role in Center Theatre Group’s Los Angeles engagement at the Mark Taper Forum (January 12 through February 16, 2020) and in Chicago at the Broadway Playhouse (March 4 through April 12, 2020). Additional cities and new casting for the remainder of the tour will be announced this winter. For a complete list of cities, visit constitutionbroadway.com. The opening night performance at the Taper, originally announced for January 15, 2020, has been moved to Friday, January 17.

Dizzia (“In the Next Room (or the Vibrator Play),” “Orange is the New Black”) will be joined for these engagements by original Broadway cast members Mike Iveson and Rosdely Ciprian, who will reprise their roles in both Los Angeles and Chicago. Additional casting to be announced.

“I learned so much as a woman and a citizen from ‘Constitution’ and am so excited to be a part of it,” said Maria Dizzia. “I can't wait to work with Heidi.”

“I have loved and admired Maria for many years and I consider it a huge gift to have an actor of her tremendous talent giving new life to this play,” said Heidi Schreck. “I'm thrilled to be bringing ‘Constitution’ to audiences across the country with this brilliant and generous artist at the helm.”

Playwright Heidi Schreck’s boundary-breaking play breathes new life into our Constitution and imagines how it will shape the next generation of American women. 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 dictated their rights and citizenship.

Schreck’s timely and galvanizing play, directed by Butler, became a sensation off-Broadway last fall before transferring to Broadway where it received two Tony Award nominations among countless other accolades. Sara Holdren of New York Magazine called it “delicately balanced and expansively humane.” Jesse Green of The New York Times called it “not just the best play to open on Broadway so far this season, but also the most important,” adding “joy comes from watching an imaginative new kind of theater emerge.”

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” recently concluded 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.

Maria Dizzia’s New York theatre credits include “If I Forget,” “The Layover,” “Belleville” (2013 Drama Desk nomination), “Uncle Vanya,” “Cradle and All,” “In the Next Room (or the Vibrator Play)” (2010 Tony Award nomination), “The Hallway Trilogy” and more. Maria portrayed Polly on three seasons of Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black.” Other film and television credits include “The Deuce,” “Bull,” “Red Oaks,” “While We’re Young,” “Martha Marcy May Marlene,” “Margin Call,” “Rachel Getting Married,” “Horace and Pete,” “Royal Pains,” “The Newsroom,” “The Good Wife,” “Master of None,” “Louie,” “Fringe” and “Law & Order.” Upcoming, she will be seen in the new HBO series, “The Undoing” and the independent feature, “I Was in Your Blood.” Recently she made her directorial debut with the Amios theatre company in their production of “The Loneliest Number.” She can currently be seen in “13 Reasons Why” streaming on Netflix and throughout the first season on “Emergence” on ABC. Maria received her MFA from the University of California, San Diego.

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.

Oliver Butler is a co-founder and co-artistic director of The Debate Society (TDS), with whom he has co-created and directed nine full-length plays. He directed the premiere of Will Eno’s “The Open House” (Obie Award for Direction; Lucille Lortel Award for Best Play), Eno’s “Thom Pain” at Signature Theatre and the Geffen Playhouse and the City Center Encores! Off-Center production of Jonathan Larson’s “Tick…Tick…Boom” starring Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom and Karen Olivo.

Tickets currently available by subscription only. Beginning October 30, tickets will become available to the general public 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 – $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.

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October 15, 2019

'Latin History for Morons' Spanish Open Caption Performance

Center Theatre Group — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 11:53:00 -0700

SPANISH LANGUAGE OPEN CAPTIONED PERFORMANCE SET FOR JOHN LEGUIZAMO’S “LATIN HISTORY FOR MORONS” AT THE AHMANSON THEATRE ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18

Center Theatre Group will offer a Spanish language open captioned performance of “Latin History for Morons” on Friday, October 18 at 8 p.m. at the Ahmanson Theatre. The show will be performed in English with Spanish translations running simultaneously on an open caption screen. Audience members wishing to view the open captions can request seating when purchasing tickets. Tickets to the Spanish language open captioned performance of “Latin History for Morons” are priced at $35 for single tickets or as low as $120 for a four pack of tickets. Tickets are available online at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org/promo using promo code LHFMSL, 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). The Ahmanson Theatre is located at The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012.

“Latin History for Morons” is inspired by the near total absence of Latinos from his son’s American History books. John Leguizamo embarks on an outrageously funny, frenzied search to find a Latin hero for his son’s school history project. From a mad recap of the Aztec empire to stories of unknown Latin patriots of the Revolutionary War and beyond, Leguizamo breaks down the 3,000 years between the Mayans and Pitbull into 110 irreverent and uncensored minutes above and beyond his unique style.

Ben Brantley of The New York Times called “Latin History for Morons” a “surprisingly poignant one-man play that slyly poses sharp and timely questions of what culturally defines American identity and who, in the nationalistic age of Trump, has ‘the right’ to be here.” Steven Suskin of The Huffington Post concluded, “John Leguizamo is back, as smart, provocative, bracing – and wise – as ever. In this dazzling comedic-philosophic evening of laughter, his Latin lesson is a treat.”

“Latin History for Morons” concluded its successful run on Broadway on February 25, 2018. The original 16-week engagement was extended an additional three weeks on opening night, November 15, 2017. The production was the first play of the 2017-2018 season to recoup its entire capitalization. “Latin History for Morons” marks theatre’s most prolific modern Latino playwright, John Leguizamo’s sixth one-man venture onto the stage, following success on Broadway with “Ghetto Klown” (Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama Desk Award), “Freak” (Drama Desk Award), “Sexaholix…A Love Story” (Tony nomination) and Off-Broadway with “Mambo Mouth” (Obie Award) and “Spic-O-Rama” (Drama Desk Award). “Mambo Mouth,” “Spic-O-Rama,” “Freak” and “Ghetto Klown” all went on to be filmed for presentation on HBO.

Fresh off the celebrated and financially successful Broadway run of “Ghetto Klown,” Leguizamo began his acclaimed work on “Latin History for Morons.” The play had its world premiere at Berkeley Repertory Theatre followed by its New York premiere at The Public Theater. Directed by Tony Taccone (“Wishful Drinking,” “Bridge & Tunnel”), the Tony-nominated production of “Latin History for Morons” is written and performed by Leguizamo, featuring scenic design by Rachel Hauck, lighting design by Alexander V. Nichols and original music and sound design by Bray Poor.
“Latin History for Morons” is produced by The WOW Agency, Berkeley Repertory Theatre and The Public Theater.

For more information, please visit LatinHistoryOnTour.com.

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.

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September 27, 2019

'Jitney' Calendar Release

Center Theatre Group — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 11:20:00 -0700

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

November – December 2019

EVENT:

August Wilson’s

“Jitney”

Directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson

DESCRIPTION:

Set in the early 1970s, “Jitney” follows a group of men trying to eke out a living by driving unlicensed cabs, or jitneys. When the city threatens to board up the business and the boss’ son returns from prison, tempers flare, potent secrets are revealed and the fragile threads binding these people together threaten to come undone at last.

DATES/TIMES:

Previews November 22 at 8 p.m. and November 23 at 2:30 and 8 p.m. Opens Sunday, November 24 at 6:30 p.m. Through December 29, 2019.

Regular Performances (November 26 – December 29): 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.

Exceptions: No 8 p.m. performances on Thanksgiving, November 28; Christmas Eve, December 24; and Christmas Day, December 25. No public performances on Tuesday, December 3 and Wednesday, December 4. Added 8 p.m. performance on Monday, December 23. Added 2:30 p.m. performance on Thursday, December 26. No 6:30 p.m. performance on Sunday, December 29.

TICKET INFO:

Ticket Prices: $25 – $110 (Ticket prices are subject to change.)

Tickets will be 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. 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

October 1, 2019

Matthew Bourne's 'Swan Lake' Calendar Release

Center Theatre Group — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 11:20:00 -0700

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

December 2019 – January 2020

EVENT:

Matthew Bourne’s “Swan Lake”

Music by Tchaikovsky

Directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne

DESCRIPTION:

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.

DATES/TIMES:

Previews begin December 3. Opens December 5. Through January 5, 2020.

Previews: December 3 and 4 at 8 p.m.

Opens Thursday, December 5 at 8 p.m.

Regular Performances: (December 6, 2019 – January 5, 2020): Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2:30 and 8 p.m.; and Sunday at 1:30 and 7 p.m. No Monday performances.

Exceptions: No public performance on Thursday, December 12. Added 2:30 p.m. performance in lieu of an 8 p.m. performance on December 24. No performances on December 25 or January 1. Added 2:30 p.m. performance on Thursday, December 26 and Thursday, January 2. Added 7 p.m. performance in lieu of an 8 p.m. performance on December 31.

TICKET INFO:

Ticket Prices: $35 – $145 (Ticket prices are subject to change.)

Tickets are available online at CenterTheatreGroup.org, by calling Audience Services at (213) 972-4400 or in person at the Center Theatre Group Box Office. Groups: (213) 972-7231. Groups: (213) 972-7231. Deaf Community: Information and charge, visit CenterTheatreGroup.org/ACCESS.

LOCATION:

Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre

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

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October 7, 2019; Revised - October 29, 2019