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

Performances Will Begin for 'Jitney' at Taper

Center Theatre Group — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 13:03:00 -0800

PERFORMANCES WILL BEGIN FOR AUGUST WILSON’S “JITNEY” AT THE MARK TAPER FORUM NOVEMBER 22 THROUGH DECEMBER 29, 2019

Presented by Center Theatre Group, performances for August Wilson’s “Jitney” will begin on November 22 at the Mark Taper Forum. Performances will continue through December 29 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 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 – $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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November 14, 2019

Casting Is Set for Matthew Bourne's "Swan Lake" at the Ahmanson

Center Theatre Group — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 13:03:00 -0800

CASTING IS SET FOR THE NEW ADVENTURES PRODUCTION OF MATTHEW BOURNE’S “SWAN LAKE” PRESENTED BY CENTER THEATRE GROUP AT THE AHMANSON THEATRE DECEMBER 3, 2019 – JANUARY 5, 2020

Casting is set for Matthew Bourne’s “Swan Lake” from New Adventures, which will be presented by Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre December 3, 2019 through January 5, 2020. With direction and choreography by Matthew Bourne and music by Tchaikovsky, “Swan Lake” will open on December 5 at 8 p.m.

‘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.

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

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November 18, 2019

"To Kill A Mockingbird" Joins Center Theatre Group's 2020 – 2021 Season at the Ahmanson Theatre

Center Theatre Group — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 13:03:00 -0800

BROADWAY BLOCKBUSTER HARPER LEE’S “TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD”A NEW PLAY BY AARON SORKIN JOINS CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S 2020 – 2021 SEASON AT THE AHMANSON THEATRE IN LOS ANGELES

Producer Scott Rudin announced today that “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Aaron Sorkin’s new play, directed by Bartlett Sher and based on Harper Lee’s classic novel, will be a part of Center Theatre Group’s 2020 – 2021 season at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. Tony Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Richard Thomas will perform the role of Atticus Finch.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” will launch its coast-to-coast National Tour in August 2020 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The tour will be on the road for over two years, playing dozens of cities across America. Further information about the tour, including full casting and additional cities, will be announced shortly. The first international production will begin performances in London’s West End in May 2020 at the Gielgud Theatre.

“The moment I saw ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ on Broadway, I knew that it needed to come to the Ahmanson,” said Center Theatre Group Artistic Director Michael Ritchie. “We have partnered with Scott Rudin to bring our audiences countless powerhouse productions, including ‘God of Carnage’ and ‘The Humans,’ and I am pleased to add this timely and timeless new play to that list.”

On Broadway, the world premiere production continues to break record after record at the box office, recently shattering its own box office record for the tenth time with the now record-breaking gross of $2,245,898 in its 52nd week (the week ending November 3, 2019). “To Kill a Mockingbird” holds the title of the highest grossing American play in Broadway history, and the production has amassed a total gross of more than $100,000,000.

Set in Alabama in 1934, Harper Lee’s enduring story of racial injustice and childhood innocence centers on one of the most venerated characters in American literature, the small-town lawyer Atticus Finch. The cast of characters includes Atticus’ daughter Scout; her brother Jem; their housekeeper and caretaker, Calpurnia; their visiting friend Dill; a mysterious neighbor, the reclusive Arthur “Boo” Radley and the other indelible residents of Maycomb, Alabama from the novel.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” joins the Tony Award-winning musicals “Hadestown” and “Dear Evan Hansen” (in its return engagement) which were previously announced for Center Theatre Group’s 2020 – 2021 season at the Ahmanson Theatre. The other productions in the 2020 – 2021 season will be announced and season subscriptions will go on sale at a later date. For tickets to the current Center Theatre Group productions, please call (213) 628-2772 or visit www.CenterTheatreGroup.org.

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November 21, 2019

Center Theatre Group Announces New Schools Selected for Disney Musicals in Schools

Center Theatre Group — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 14:42:00 -0800

CENTER THEATRE GROUP ANNOUNCES FOUR NEW SCHOOLS SELECTED FOR DISNEY MUSICALS IN SCHOOLS PROGRAM

Los Angeles Area Public Elementary Schools to Produce a Disney Musical at No Cost

Center Theatre Group is pleased to announce the four new schools that have been selected to participate in the 2019-2020 Disney Musicals in Schools program. The program is an initiative developed by Disney Theatrical Group to create sustainable theatre programs in under-resourced elementary schools. The four schools are a part of Los Angeles County. The four schools include: Dr. Owen Lloyd Knox Elementary (LAUSD), Eastman Avenue Elementary (LAUSD), Euclid Avenue Elementary (LAUSD) and San Gabriel Avenue Elementary (LAUSD).

The selected schools will begin a 17-week musical theatre residency later this month. Each school will receive performance rights, education support materials and guidance from two teaching artists. The program features a professional development focus, through which participating school teachers partner with Center Theatre Group teaching artists to learn how to produce, direct, choreograph and music direct, culminating in their first 30-minute Disney KIDS musical at their school. As a capstone to the experience, Center Theatre Group will host a Student Share Celebration in which each school performs one number from their show on the Ahmanson Theatre stage for an audience of students, teachers, family and community members.

On being selected, the principals from each school had the following to say:

“We are grateful for this opportunity to create a sustainable theatre program for our school. This grant will be an ongoing gift to our community that will have a lasting effect on our students and their families. Our students will develop a capacity for creativity and perseverance through collaboration.” –Maria Vasquez, Knox Elementary

“At Eastman Avenue Elementary we take pride in providing multiple opportunities for students to succeed within and beyond the classroom. We want students to be exposed to opportunities that they might not have access to within our immediate community. Disney Musicals in Schools is one more partnership that will instill in our students the love for theatre at an early age.” –Laura Naulls, Eastman Avenue Elementary

“San Gabriel Avenue Elementary believes art education is not a privilege; it is a human right and our students deserve the opportunity to showcase their skills and talent. This platform helps us offer our community a high quality theatre arts program.” –Elizabeth Martinez, San Gabriel Avenue Elementary

“Participating in Disney Musicals in Schools will be a life-changing experience for our students. Thank you for helping us close the opportunity and achievement gap and for the gift of the arts, rich language and personal development.” –Cristina Muñoz, Euclid Avenue Elementary

During the past two years, 10 Los Angeles area public schools have successfully participated in the program, with 496 students and 52 school teachers working together to create a culture of musical theatre at their schools. Center Theatre Group is pleased to announce that all former schools are continuing to produce musicals at their schools. They include: Breed Street Elementary (LAUSD), Cantara Street School (LAUSD), Harrison Elementary (LAUSD), Hope Street Elementary (LAUSD), Humphreys Avenue Elementary (LAUSD), La Ballona Elementary (Culver City Unified School District), Ritter Elementary (LAUSD), Saturn Street Elementary (LAUSD), Tulsa Street Elementary (LAUSD) and Wild Rose School of Creative Arts (Monrovia Unified School District).

Using the unique world of musical theatre, Disney Musicals in Schools helps to foster positive relationships between students, faculty, staff, parents and the community. Students and teachers work in teams, developing the wide spectrum of skills needed when producing a piece of musical theatre, including critical thinking, problem solving, ensemble building, communication, self-confidence and interpersonal skills.

Disney Musicals in Schools was launched in 2010 in response to Disney Theatrical Group’s concern that under-resourced public elementary schools were not afforded equitable access to the arts. After successfully offering the program in New York City schools, Disney Theatrical Productions began partnering with organizations in other communities across the United States.

Disney KIDS musicals, created in partnership with Music Theater International (MTI), are 30-minute musicals designed for elementary school performers and have been adapted from the classic Disney films “101 Dalmatians,” “Aladdin,” “The Aristocats,” “The Jungle Book,” “The Lion King” and “Winnie the Pooh.”

Disney Theatrical Group (DTG) operates under the direction of Thomas Schumacher and is among the world’s most successful commercial theatre producers, bringing live entertainment events to a global audience of more than 20 million people a year in more than 50 countries. Under the Disney Theatrical Group banner, the group produces and licenses Broadway productions around the world, including “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Lion King,” Elton John & Tim Rice’s “Aida,” “TARZAN®,” “Mary Poppins,” a co-production with Cameron Mackintosh, “The Little Mermaid,” “Peter and the Starcatcher,” “Newsies,” “Aladdin” and “Frozen.” Other successful stage musical ventures have included the Olivier-nominated London hit “Shakespeare in Love,” stage productions of Disney’s “High School Musical,” “Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame” in Berlin and “King David” in concert. DTG has collaborated with the nation’s preeminent theatres to develop new stage titles including “The Jungle Book,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “Freaky Friday” and “Hercules.” As a part of the recent acquisition of 21st Century Fox, DTP also heads the Buena Vista Theatrical banner which licenses Fox titles for stage adaptations including “Anastasia”; “Moulin Rouge! The Musical”; “Mrs. Doubtfire” and “The Devil Wears Prada.”

Disney Theatrical Group also delivers live shows globally through its license to Feld Entertainment, producer of “Disney on Ice” and “Marvel Universe Live!,” bringing beloved Disney stories and characters annually to over 12 million guests in nearly 50 countries worldwide. In addition, DTG licenses musical titles for local, school and community theatre productions through Music Theatre International, including “The Lion King Experience,” a unique holistic arts education program wherein accredited elementary and middle schools produce condensed, age-appropriate JR. and KIDS adaptations of “The Lion King.”

Music Theatre International (MTI) is one of the world's leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world the rights to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser, and orchestrator Don Walker, MTI is a driving force in advancing musical theatre as a vibrant and engaging art form.

MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists and book writers of these musicals to provide official scripts, musical materials and dynamic theatrical resources to over 70,000 professional, community and school theatres in the US and in over 60 countries worldwide.

MTI is particularly dedicated to educational theatre, and has created special collections to meet the needs of various types of performers and audiences. MTI’s Broadway Junior™ shows are 30- and 60-minute musicals for performance by elementary and middle school-aged performers, while MTI’s School Editions are musicals annotated for performance by high school students.

MTI maintains its global headquarters in New York City (mtishows.com), with additional offices in London (MTI Europe: mtishows.co.uk, mtishows.eu), and Melbourne (MTI Australia: mtishows.com.au).

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November 11, 2019

Finalists Announced for 2020 Dorothy and Richard E. Sherwood Award

Center Theatre Group — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 14:42:00 -0800

FINALISTS ANNOUNCED FOR 2020 DOROTHY AND RICHARD E. SHERWOOD AWARD Center Theatre Group’s $10,000 Award Supports Innovative L.A. Theatre Artists

Three finalists have been selected for Center Theatre Group’s 2020 Dorothy and Richard E. Sherwood Award: Sigrid Gilmer, Alexandra Meda and Mat Diafos Sweeney. Center Theatre Group recognizes and celebrates this year’s finalists for their exceptional contributions to the Los Angeles theatre landscape and their work as innovative and adventurous artists.

Created in memory of Dorothy and Richard E. Sherwood, the $10,000 award aims to cultivate innovative theatre artists working in Los Angeles who push formal and aesthetic boundaries and demonstrate dedication to improving their respective artistic fields. The winner of the $10,000 award will be announced at the 2020 Ovation Awards. The two additional finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium.

Sigrid Gilmer makes black comedies that are historically bent, totally perverse, joyfully irreverent and concerned with issues of identity, pop culture and contemporary American society. Sigrid burst onto the national theatre scene with her play “Harry and the Thief,” an action film/historical/time travel play about a thief who is blackmailed into traveling back in time to deliver a cache of arms to Harriet Tubman. It has since been produced across the country, including Pavement Group (Chicago), Know Theatre (Cincinnati) and Skylight Theatre (L.A.). Additional select works include “Slavey” (Clubbed Thumb), “Seed: A Weird Act of Faith,” “It’s All Bueno” (Cornerstone Theater Company), “Frilly” and “Mama Metal” (IAMA Theatre Company). Her television work includes “A Series of Unfortunate Events” (Netflix) and “Claws” (TNT). Sigrid has an MFA in Writing for Performance from CalArts, where she was mentored by Suzan-Lori Parks. She resides in Los Angeles.

As a stage director, culture-producer, disrupter for social justice and a digital media creator, Alexandra Meda generates original works through collective/ensemble practice that is engaged both in person and virtually with artists and changemakers across the globe. As a devised theatre maker she nurtures female-driven spaces that center WOC in rich collaborations between the community, performers, scholars, designers, thinkers and artists. With her work, she aims to positively shift how we interact with, look at and value the femme body. She is the Artistic Director for Teatro Luna + Teatro Luna West, a national Latinx/WOC collective that tours internationally with ensembles founded in 2000 in Chicago and 2014 in Los Angeles. In 2018 she opened up Studio Luna, a performance and EDI workshop laboratory for new work, community gathering and thought. This spring she directed and co-produced an Audible Original called “Talking While Female & Other Dangerous Acts,” featuring 25 short solo plays with original music with a forthcoming podcast of the same title. Currently, she is finishing development on “The Times,” the third play in Teatro Luna’s trilogy on themes of violence against women which goes on tour in 2020 through the support of a National Touring and Development Grant from the New England Foundation for the Arts. The trilogy begins with “Generation Sex,” which world premiered at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in 2015, “Lovesick,” workshopped in 2017 at the DESTINOS International Latino Theatre Festival in Chicago and culminates with “The Times,” which is a production with an accompanying museum exhibit documenting the last decade of violence against women of color by women of color. She has a forthcoming book project on the relationship between collaboration, failure and innovation with Dr. Liza Ann Acosta; contributes to the National Cultural Navigations Project; is a steering committee member of The Jubilee and the Latinx Theatre Commons, both national movements for equity and parity in theatre; and works with The Latinx Theatre Alliance, Los Angeles. Since 2017 she has facilitated creative renewal, collaborative leadership and leading change retreats, workshops and training in her favorite cities around the world. She is a graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University.

Mat Diafos Sweeney is an Ovation Award-winning performance maker from Los Angeles. His practice includes directing, choreographing, designing, composing music and writing/collaging texts to make new theatre. He creates through-composed performance work for multi-disciplinary ensembles, often devised and staged in non-theatrical venues. He has been independently producing work as four larks since 2008, with an evolving coterie of collaborators across the US and Australia. His most recent projects include “undine,” a New Music USA-supported ecofeminist songspiel in a converted flower shop downtown, and “katabasis,” a processional opera staged around the grounds and gardens of the Getty Villa, styled after ancient mystery rites. In the coming year, he will continue his ongoing series of site-specific performance activations for the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, present his participatory installation song cycle “hymns” and premiere his new adaptation of Mary Shelley's “Frankenstein” at the Wallis.

Since 1996, Center Theatre Group has recognized and celebrated local theatre artists with the Richard E. Sherwood Award. In 2018 Dorothy Sherwood, Richard’s wife and fellow champion of innovative and adventurous theatre artists, passed away. To honor the passion and dedication of both patrons of the arts, the award was renamed the Dorothy and Richard E. Sherwood Award.

Dorothy and Richard E. Sherwood were patrons of the arts with a special appreciation for artists who are in the vanguard of theatre. Richard was president and then chairman of the Center Theatre Group Board of Directors from 1980 until his passing in 1993. The award is established as an endowed fund at Center Theatre Group by their family, friends, colleagues and fellow board members, to honor the family’s passionate commitment to theatre. Dorothy Sherwood was deeply involved in the curation and selection process, hosting salons at her home for many of the artists, traveling to theatres around Los Angeles to support new work, and ensuring that the award would truly help recipients.

Past recipients of the Dorothy and Richard E. Sherwood Award include set and projection designer Hana S. Kim (who designed the August Wilson Monologue Competition at the Taper), lighting designer Pablo Santiago (“Zoot Suit” and “Valley of the Heart”), lighting designer Christopher Kuhl (“The Nether” and “Appropriate”), costume designer Ann Closs-Farley (“Women Laughing Alone With Salad,” “Zoot Suit”), director Lars Jan (“The White Album”), director/performer/choreographer Ameenah Kaplan (“The Royale,” “Facing Our Truth”), playwright John Belusso (“The Body of Bourne”) and director Robert O’Hara (“In the Continuum,” “Eclipsed”) among others.

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November 11, 2019

Center Theatre Group Announces Productions for Block Party 2020

Center Theatre Group — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 10:45:00 -0800

CENTER THEATRE GROUP ANNOUNCES PRODUCTIONS FOR FOURTH ANNUAL BLOCK PARTY AT THE KIRK DOUGLAS THEATRE

MARCH 18 – APRIL 19, 2020

Block Party 2020 to Include Sacred Fools Theater Company’s “The Art Couple” and IAMA Theatre Company’s “Canyon”

Center Theatre Group has selected two local productions for the fourth annual Block Party: Celebrating Los Angeles Theatre at the Kirk Douglas Theatre from March 18 through April 19, 2020. Block Party 2020 will remount Sacred Fools Theater Company’s “The Art Couple” and IAMA Theatre Company’s “Canyon.” The visiting companies will receive the full support of Center Theatre Group and its staff in order to fund, stage and market each production.

“Block Party offers an exciting opportunity for our organization to connect with other members of the Los Angeles theatre community and celebrate the art and artists and that help make this city such a vibrant theatre town,” said Center Theatre Group Artistic Director Michael Ritchie. “We look forward to welcoming Sacred Fools and IAMA into the Douglas and sharing ‘The Art Couple’ and ‘Canyon’ with our audiences.”

“No matter how much theatre you go to in Los Angeles, you are bound to miss lots of amazing work,” said Center Theatre Group Associate Artistic Director Lindsay Allbaugh. “Block Party offers a fantastic opportunity to revisit some of the pieces I’ve seen throughout the year and look at many of the amazing productions I’ve missed. As tough as it is to narrow down to just a couple productions, it is a pleasure to see and discuss local theatre with my colleagues throughout Center Theatre Group and then have the opportunity to invite artists from other companies into our family to remount their work.”

Full casting for each production will be announced at a later date.

“The Art Couple”

Sacred Fools Theater Company

March 18 – 29, 2020

“The Art Couple” from Sacred Fools Theater Company will take the first slot and will begin previews March 18, 2020, open March 20 and continue through March 29. Written by Brendan Hunt and directed by Lauren Van Kurin, “The Art Couple” is a dramedy about Neil Simon’s struggle to break a terrible case of writer’s block he is suffering after accepting a huge commission for his completely unwritten third play: “The Odd Couple.” Encouraged by a mysterious busboy with a western twang (who also happens to be an aspiring playwright), Simon decides the play should be more than schtick, it should be about art. When he learns that Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin shared an ill-fated cohabitation, he endeavors to write about that real-life (but very odd) couple. Neil and the busboy battle for control of the play in parallel scenes and the odd couples begin to resemble something closer to “True West,” building irrevocably to a suitably ridiculous conclusion.

“It’s rare to find a show that appeals to so many different kinds of people,” said Co-Artistic Director Aviva Pressman. “If you like silly, funny, relatable work, this is a great night out. If you like history, art, theatre and the finer things in life, it’s just as compelling.”

Pressman, Vanessa Claire Stewart and Adriana Colón are Co-Artistic Directors of Sacred Fools Theater Company.

“Canyon”

IAMA Theatre Company

April 8 – 19, 2020

A compassionate look at gender, race, citizenship and the costs of trying to live a conventional, American life, “Canyon” from IAMA Theatre Company (originally produced in association with the Latino Theater Company) will take the second slot and will begin previews April 8, 2020, open April 10 and continue through April 19. Written by current L.A. Writers’ Workshop participant Jonathan Caren and directed by Whitney White, “Canyon” follows Jake and Beth, a seemingly progressive thirty-something married couple, and Eduardo and Rodrigo, a Mexican father and son, who they’ve hired to renovate a deck. The play explores what happens when ideals and consequences collide and the lives of two families are rocked by an unpredictable accident.

“This production is very special to us because it was written by Los Angeleno and company member Jonathan Caren,” said Co-Artistic Director Stefanie Black. “We spent four years workshopping and developing this play with our company. It embodies all the values of IAMA not only as artists, but as a group of people looking to effect change through theatre.”

“We are so excited to be a part of Block Party,” said Co-Artistic Director Katie Lowes. “It’s truly an honor to represent L.A. intimate theatre on such a big stage. And as a company that strongly values telling stories for and about our Los Angeles community, we hope participating in Block Party will highlight the importance of producing Los Angeles playwrights.”

With Block Party, Center Theatre Group will continue to strengthen its relationships within the Los Angeles theatre community by creating additional avenues for the organization to work with local playwrights, actors, directors and designers. Block Party also helps to foster relationships between Center Theatre Group staff and the staff of theatre companies throughout Los Angeles.

Block Party receives major support from Aliza Karney Guren and Marc Guren with generous funding also provided by Joni and Miles Benickes.

Previous Block Party productions have included “For the Love Of (or, the roller derby play)” (Theatre of NOTE), “Rotterdam” (Skylight Theatre Company), “Native Son” (Antaeus Theatre Company), “Ameryka” (Critical Mass Performance Group), “Bloodletting” (Playwrights’ Arena), “Citizen: An American Lyric” (The Fountain Theatre), “Die, Mommie, Die!” (Celebration Theatre), “Dry Land” (The Echo Theater Company) and “Failure: A Love Story” (Coeurage Theatre Company).

Tickets for Block Party 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 for each individual production range from $30 – $75 (ticket prices are subject to change). A Block Party Party Pass is available for $50, which includes a ticket to each production as well as a complimentary cocktail (or non-alcoholic beverage) at each performance. The Party Pass is available by phone or in-person now through March 29.

The Kirk Douglas Theatre is located at 9820 Washington Blvd. in Culver City, CA 90232. Free three hour covered parking at City Hall with validation (available in the Kirk Douglas Theatre lobby).

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November 5, 2019