Center Theatre Group News & Blogs

Casting Announced for 'Electricidad'

Center Theatre Group — Fri, 16 Oct 2020 09:23:00 -0700

CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR VIRTUALLY PRODUCED READING OF “ELECTRICIDAD” PRESENTED ON CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S DIGITAL STAGE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GETTY

Release Dates Shift for “The Greek Trilogy of Luis Alfaro,”
“Electricidad” Will Now Premiere November 6,
“Oedipus El Rey” Premieres November 13 and
“Mojada” Premieres November 20

Casting is announced for the multicamera, virtually produced reading of Luis Alfaro’s “Electricidad,” the first play in “The Greek Trilogy of Luis Alfaro” which is presented as part of the Live from the KDT series on Center Theatre Group’s Digital Stage in partnership with The Getty. In a shift to the previously announced schedule, the readings will premiere on successive Fridays at 5 pm Pacific with “Electricidad” on November 6, “Oedipus El Rey” on November 13 and “Mojada” on November 20, 2020. Each reading will be available on demand until January 20, 2021.

Directed by Laurie Woolery, the cast of “Electricidad” will include Esperanza America, Sal Lopez, Sandra Marquez, Alma Martinez, Catalina Maynard, Sarita Ocón, Gabriela Ortega, Rose Portillo, Geoff Rivas and Eddie Ruiz. Additional casting to be announced.

In the days following the murder of her father by her mother, Electricidad is committed to vengeance. To get it, she’ll need her brother, Orestes, to return from Las Vegas and help her finish the job. Transporting Sophocles’ “Electra” to the Los Angeles barrios, Luis Alfaro’s “Electricidad” investigates violence, loss, and redemption through the lens of this age-old tragedy. “Electricidad” was previously produced at the Mark Taper Forum in 2005. Transplanting themes of the ancient Greek tragedies into the streets of Los Angeles, “The Greek Trilogy of Luis Alfaro” gives voice to the concerns of the Chicanx and wider Latinx communities. From performances around the world including celebrated runs at the Mark Taper Forum, Public Theater, Getty Villa and Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Alfaro’s electric adaptations question the role that citizens and community play in social issues facing us all today. All three readings will be free to the public and performed in English with Spanish captioning available.

Luis Alfaro is a Chicano writer known for his work in poetry, theatre, short stories, performance and journalism. Luis spent six seasons as the Playwright-in-Residence at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival from 2013–2019. He was a member of the Playwright’s Ensemble at Chicago’s Victory Gardens Theatre from 2013–2020. Luis is the recipient of a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship. He was recently awarded the PEN America/Laura Pels International Foundation Theater Award for a Master Dramatist, the United States Artist Fellowship and the Ford Foundation’s Art of Change Fellowship. His plays and performances include “Electricidad,” “Oedipus El Rey,” “Mojada,” “Delano” and “Body of Faith.” Luis spent over two decades in the Los Angeles poetry community and toured for ten years as a performance artist. He is a tenured professor at USC. His play anthology, “The Greek Trilogy of Luis Alfaro,” was just released from Methuen Press. Luis was a participant in Center Theatre Group’s 2018/19 L.A. Writers’ Workshop and is a member of the newly formed CTG Creative Collective, a dozen inspiring, innovative and highly collaborative artists shaping the contours of the theatrical landscape of the future.

Center Theatre Group’s Digital Stage is presented by American Express. As presenting sponsor of The Digital Stage, American Express Card Members enjoy special opportunities on the Digital Stage, including: presales and early access for limited-release premium events, invitations to private pre- or post-show meet and greets and access to exclusive content curated especially for Card Members.

Bank of America is Center Theatre Group’s 2020/2021 Season Sponsor, including Digital Stage programming. For more than 20 years, Bank of America has partnered with Center Theatre Group to provide innovative Education and Community Partnerships programs as well as present world-class productions at the Ahmanson Theatre and Mark Taper Forum. Their generous support now extends online to the Digital Stage.

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 / CEO 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.

Center Theatre Group’s newest venue, the Digital Stage, features a collection of new audio and video series including Live from the KDT, Theatrical Experiences, The Forum and Audio Adventures. Center Theatre Group partners with artists and arts organizations from around the world to produce, present and create streaming theatrical content. Many offerings are provided free to the public, with a larger catalogue of videos provided free of charge to Center Theatre Group season ticket subscribers and supporters. Certain programs require an individual streaming fee. The Digital Stage also houses Center Theatre Group’s ever-expanding library of education, community outreach and Art Goes On videos. For more information, visit CenterTheatreGroup.org/DigitalStage.

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October 16, 2020

Fall 2020 Season of Education and Community Partnerships Programming to Move Online

Center Theatre Group — Fri, 21 Aug 2020 11:13:00 -0700

CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S FALL 2020 SEASON OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAMMING TO MOVE ONLINE

Season Running from August through December 2020 Includes Newly Commissioned Plays and Stories, Access to Past Performances and Working Artists, Performance Competitions, Career Resources, Educator Training, Classroom Engagement and More

Center Theatre Group is moving its entire Fall 2020 season of Education and Community Partnerships programming exclusively online, to support the many students, educators and parents adjusting to remote learning. The robust program offerings will include classes, workshops, readings, mentorship, career planning, educator training and a re-imagined approach to its annual August Wilson Monologue Competition and Student Ambassador Program. The season will extend from August through December 2020, with most programs continuing into 2021. Additional programming for the remainder of the 2020 – 2021 season will be announced at a later date.

“While our stages and rehearsal rooms and classrooms across Los Angeles must remain empty, we’re are grateful to be able to continue to keep the arts at the center of our community through a wide array of online programs,” said Center Theatre Group Managing Director / CEO, Meghan Pressman. “When the Safer at Home order came in March we were days away from our popular College & Career Fair but our staff and partners shifted quickly to a fully virtual event that proved both that the new format was possible and that there is a wide audience for these services that extends beyond the people who could come to a set location at a set time. Where our in-person College & Career and Going Pro Fairs would regularly draw 500 people, we were able to reach three times that number, with more young people viewing the program every day.”

“While we value the face-to-face contact and community connection of our traditional programs, our online programming reduces many of the barriers to participation at this time. We also know the arts and very act of art-making is a central element in building and rebuilding our communities. We feel the imperative to offer these experiences and provide resources to our students, teachers and partners. So, while we look forward to the moment that we can all come back together, I’m heartened to know that these programs will help students, educators and members of the larger community keep a connection to this vital artform and continue to cultivate the next generation of artists and arts administrators who will define the future of theatre.”

Continuing its deep commitment to supporting the careers of emerging theatre professionals, Center Theatre Group launched a new virtual Working in Theatre Series. Taking its name from and expanding on an existing series of pre-recorded videos meant to spotlight the many arts-related careers available, the new Working in Theatre Series, which launched June 12, 2020, is a ten-week series of courses focused on creating original work and building skills for people who wish to pursue a career in theatre. Designed for current college and university students but open to all, the series can be attended in real time or viewed later on demand. The first semester reached 400 students with participants across the US and as far away as Saudi Arabia. Digital reading materials and expanded resources are made available before each course. The Fall 2020 series begins October 16, 2020. For more information, to view recordings of the summer courses, or to register for the series, visit CenterTheatreGroup.org/WITseries. The fall program is produced in partnership with Maroon Arts & Culture, an organization dedicated to education and empowerment through cultural programming and performing arts.

As the Ahmanson Theatre, Mark Taper Forum and Kirk Douglas Theatre sit dark, Center Theatre Group has mined its archives for full productions captured on video that can be made available to educators by special request. While Center Theatre Group generally reaches thousands of students with special student matinees and other mainstage performances, these videos will help keep theatre in the school curriculum. To inquire about access to these and other materials, including Discovery Guides, educators should visit CenterTheatreGroup.org/Educators.

Utilizing these same archival production videos, along with countless other video assets and guest speakers, Center Theatre Group and East Los Angeles College have adapted to this moment of darkened stages to collaborate on a selection of co-designed college courses. The use of these archival video recordings was piloted this summer with East Los Angeles College and will be included this fall in courses including Acting in History and in Style, Actors Orientation to the Professional Theatre, Introduction to the Theatre and Orientation to Technical Careers in Entertainment. These courses are available for all potential students including people under 18 or already holding degrees. For more information about how to enroll in one of these courses, visit elactheater.org/In-collaboration-with-CTG-Fall-2020.

Another new digital venture this fall is Theatre Artist Classroom Connections, which will pair theatre artists with ten local high school and college classroom partners via video conferencing for live webinars. Each class will participate in at least one session tailored to their specific coursework and each of these specialized sessions will be made available to other classrooms and all other interested parties to view live or watch on-demand. The Theatre Artist Classroom Connections webinars will begin in September and run through December. For more information, to register for or stream these webinars, please visit CenterTheatreGroup.org/ClassroomConnections.

The annual August Wilson Monologue Competition, which Center Theatre Group has presented since 2012, continues this year in a virtual format. The Tenth Regional Finals competition hosted by CTG will move online as contestants are asked to submit self-taped auditions for the competition. Twelve Regional Finalists will be selected to receive training and rehearsal sessions provided throughout January and February. The sessions will allow the students to refine their performances while gaining valuable acting techniques. The format of the regional finals will be structured in accordance with the recommendations of state and local health officials. For more information about the program, details regarding audition video requirements or to register for the August Wilson Monologue competition please go to CenterTheatreGroup.org/AugustWilson.

Center Theatre Group’s Student Ambassador Program will be completely virtual this year with 12 high school students gaining leadership and project management skills, guided by teaching artists and staff, as they engage in a hands-on project related to the organization’s artistic efforts. Interested students must apply by September 23. Information and application available at CenterTheatreGroup.org/StudentAmbassadors. Selected students will receive a stipend for participating.

The Teen Theatregoers program will now bring 30 high school students together to explore virtual theatre experiences and discuss in groups, guided by a teaching artist and Center Theatre Group staff members. Selected students will explore what theatre means in the #SaferAtHome world, delving into diverse and cutting-edge virtual performances, from narrative theatre game apps to play readings with artists to exclusive virtual plays from the theatre’s archives to socially-distanced theatre. In addition to watching performances that redefine the art of storytelling and the significance of art making in times of crisis, students will receive mentorship from theatre professionals to explore and define own relationship to theatre. Application deadline for the upcoming session is November 5, 2020; for additional information, please visit CenterTheatreGroup.org/TeenTheatregoers.

Center Theatre Group will also continue its Library Play Readings, even as the three Boyle Heights libraries that have hosted the readings for over five years remain closed due to COVID-19. During the closure, the series of 12 plays will be offered online making them available to a wider audience. The series will include six new commissioned works including “Sandi Koto from San Gabriel” by Judy Soo Hoo, “The Crying Cavern” by Forrest Hartl and “Irrompibles” by Diana Burbano. Scheduling to be announced. For more information or to see the readings when they are posted, please visit CenterTheatreGroup.org/Community.

In addition to the plays developed for the Library Reading Series, Center Theatre Group is launching Community Stories — one-to-five minute pieces created by artists including Anthony Aguilar, Luis Alfaro, Diana Burbano, Juan E. Carrillo, D’Lo Srijaerajah, Forrest Hartl, Judy Soo Hoo, Manuel J. Marron, Julie Taiwo Oni, Marisol L. Torres and Vilma Villela and meant to be shared online. The first season of Community Stories will feature approximately 50 new works that will be released between September of 2020 and March of 2021. For more information and to view the Community Stories as they are released, please visit CenterTheatreGroup.org/Community.

Center Theatre Group’s Education and Community Partnerships programs are made possible in part by Bank of America. Generous funding is also provided by The Dwight Stuart Youth Fund, JP Morgan Chase & Co, The Capital Group Companies Charitable Foundation, The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation and The Edward A. and Ai O. Shay Family Foundation. Additional funding is provided by SoCalGas and the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation. Center Theatre Group’s Student Matinee Program is made possible in part by the Rosenthal Family Foundation. The Student Matinee Program also receives generous support from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Betsy and Harold Applebaum, Diana Buckhantz and Vladimir and Araxia Buckhantz Foundation, Cindy and Gary Frischling, The Norman and Sadie Lee Foundation, Renee and Meyer Luskin, Deena and Edward Nahmias, Laura and James Rosenwald and Orinoco Foundation, Union Bank, The Walt Disney Company Foundation and Paramount Pictures. Center Theatre Group’s August Wilson Program is made possible by the Michael Shaw Jacobs Fund and The Dwight Stuart Youth Fund. Additional support is provided by the Lawrence P. Frank Foundation and the Sascha Brastoff Foundation. The August Wilson Monologue Competition Los Angeles Regional Finals is presented by the Center Theatre Group Affiliates. Center Theatre Group’s Community Workshops and Library Play Readings are made possible by a generous grant from the California Arts Council. Additional funding is provided by the Friars Charitable Foundation. Center Theatre Group’s Internship program receives funding from the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture. The Teen Theatregoers program is generously supported by a grant from the California Arts Council. The Front and Center Theatre Collaborative is made possible by the Culver City Unified School District with funding from Sony Pictures Entertainment and the Culver City Education Foundation.

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 / CEO 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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August 21, 2020

"Tambo & Bones" Joins Douglas 2021 Season

Center Theatre Group — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 17:14:00 -0700

“TAMBO & BONES” ANNOUNCED AS PART OF CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S NEXT SEASON AT THE KIRK DOUGLAS THEATRE

Los Angeles Dates to Be Announced for the World Premiere Co-Production with Playwrights Horizons

The world premiere production of Dave Harris’ “Tambo & Bones” will be a part of the Center Theatre Group’s upcoming season at the Kirk Douglas Theatre following the play’s New York engagement. A co-production with Playwrights Horizons, this explosive new work from one of the country’s fastest rising playwrights will be directed by Taylor Reynolds. Dates for the engagement of “Tambo & Bones” at the Kirk Douglas Theatre and the other productions in Center Theatre Group’s upcoming season at the Douglas will be announced at a later date.

Tambo and Bones are two characters trapped in a minstrel show. It’s mad hard to feel like a real person when you're trapped in a minstrel show. Their escape plan: get out, get bank, get even. A rags-to-riches hip-hop triptych, “Tambo & Bones” roasts America’s racist past, wrestles America’s racist present, and explodes America’s post-racial future — where what’s at stake, for those deemed less-than-human, is the fate of humanity itself.

“Dave Harris is an important young writer and a voice that needs to be heard,” said Center Theatre Group Artistic Director Michael Ritchie. “We have been following his work for some time and were riveted after witnessing a reading of ‘Tambo & Bones’ at the Ojai Playwrights Festival last year. We approached Dave and the director, Taylor Reynolds, to let them both know that we hoped we could be a part of their journey with this piece. We are now thrilled to be able to publicly announce that, in partnership with Playwrights Horizons, we can make sure Los Angeles and New York audiences have the opportunity to see his vital and undeniably electric new work. It’s a powerful play that exemplifies exactly what we are missing while stages around the country sit empty—the unquestionable power of live theatre, diverse voices and provocative stories to expand the way we see the world and understand different perspectives.

“While we had been excited to announce our next Douglas season, including ‘Tambo & Bones,’ earlier this year, the ongoing shutdown of our venues has shifted our season planning process. We do, however, feel it's important to remind ourselves that art will certainly go on when we can all once again safely gather in the theatre. This is just one more piece in the puzzle as we prepare for that moment but it helps set a high bar as we continue to plan the rest of our upcoming seasons at the Mark Taper Forum and Kirk Douglas Theatre and as we evolve as an organization and make meaningful changes to better serve our community.”

“I began writing this play while watching the founding fires of this country continue to burn,” said Dave Harris. “I began writing this play to confront the fact that now, through the theatre and writing, those fires have somehow become a gateway to artistic success. Now in this moment, when everywhere we turn there is another fire and another reckoning. In this moment when Black people are tearing down racism in the white community and reckoning with capitalism in our own. When our pain is demonized in the media and rewarded onstage. This play was the most fun way to explore something that terrified me, and I am thrilled that it will be a part of theatre's return to both L.A. and New York. Center Theatre Group and its staff have been so incredibly supportive since this play had its first public reading and throughout this pandemic. It brings me tremendous joy to know that, when theatre returns, Taylor and I will be bringing this wild ass play to life.”

Dave Harris is a poet and playwright from West Philly and the Tow Playwright-in-Residence at Roundabout Theatre Company. His play “Exception to the Rule” will have its world premiere at Roundabout Underground in spring 2021. Honors include the 2019 Ollie Award, Lorraine Hansberry Award, Mark Twain Award from The Kennedy Center, 2018 Venturous Fellowship from The Lark and a Cave Canem poetry fellowship, amongst others. His adapted film “Summertime” had its premiere at Sundance in 2020. His first full-length collection of poetry, “Patricide,” was published in May 2019 from Button Poetry.

Taylor Reynolds is a New York-based director from Chicago and one of the Producing Artistic Leaders of the Obie-winning The Movement Theatre Company. She has worked as a director, assistant and collaborator with companies including Clubbed Thumb, Page 73, Signature Theatre Company, Ars Nova and The 24 Hour Plays. Selected directing credits include “Richard & Jane & Dick & Sally” (Baltimore Center Stage/Playwrights Realm), “Tough” (AADA), “Plano” (Clubbed Thumb, Drama Desk nomination for Best Director), “Songs About Trains” (Radical Evolution), “ALLOND(R)A” (New Georges Audrey Residency), “Think Before You Holla” (creator/deviser). New Georges Affiliated Artist, 2017-2018 Clubbed Thumb Directing Fellow, Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab alum and member of SDC.

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.

Ticket and subscription on-sale dates will be announced at a later date. For more information please visit CenterTheatreGroup.org. The Kirk Douglas Theatre is located at 9820 Washington Blvd. in Culver City, CA 90232.

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July 14, 2020

Center Theatre Group Seasons Postponed Until Spring 2021

Center Theatre Group — Mon, 15 Jun 2020 16:16:00 -0700

CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S 54th SEASON AT THE AHMANSON THEATRE POSTPONED FULL SEASON OF SEVEN SHOWS SET TO BEGIN IN APRIL 2021

MARK TAPER FORUM AND KIRK DOUGLAS THEATRE SEASONS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN THE SPRING OF 2021

CENTER THEATRE GROUP STAGES WILL HAVE BEEN DARK FOR 56 WEEKS RESULTING IN NEARLY $40 MILLION OF LOST REVENUE AND FORCING A 65% BUDGET REDUCTION AND EXPANSION OF STAFF FURLOUGHS

Center Theatre Group Launches Emergency Fund

“The Lehman Trilogy,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Les Misérables” and “Hadestown” to Be Rescheduled

“Come From Away” and “Ain’t Too Proud” Shortened to Two Weeks Each to Accommodate Other Tour Stops

Artistic Director Michael Ritchie announced Center Theatre Group’s 54th season at the Ahmanson Theatre, previously referred to as the 2020 – 2021 season, will begin later than originally announced. Productions of “The Lehman Trilogy,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Les Misérables” and “Hadestown” are no longer available in their previously announced dates. These productions, along with a to be announced production, were set to begin the season, meaning that the 54th season will now begin with “To Kill a Mockingbird” on April 29, 2021. In addition, the engagements of returning musicals “Come From Away” and “Ain’t Too Proud” have been shortened to two weeks each to accommodate other markets. To see the current schedule of the 54th season please refer to the final two pages of this release.

When performances resume in April 2021, Center Theatre Group’s three stages—the Ahmanson, Mark Taper Forum and Kirk Douglas Theatre—will have been dark for more than 56 weeks. While “Slave Play” has been announced for the upcoming season at the Taper, the timing of that production and the remainder of the Taper and Douglas seasons have not yet been announced, and we expect that they will also resume in spring 2021. This unprecedented dark period is a direct effect of the prolonged safety and health concerns arising from COVID-19 and is expected to result in losses of approximately $40 million in ticket revenue across the three venues. These cancellations have necessitated a severe 65% cut in Center Theatre Group’s operating budget over the upcoming fiscal year. Center Theatre Group, a nonprofit organization, has launched an Emergency Fund to help carry the organization through this period as it must now rely more heavily on contributed income. The drastic cut in revenue will also require an expansion of previously enacted staff furloughs, regrettably pushing the return date of furloughed staff to 2021 and expanding the number of full-time employees on furlough from 50% to 60% of pre-pandemic staffing. During this dark period on stage, however, the organization’s education and community programming has shifted online. From digital courses focused on emerging theatre professionals to educator training and ongoing community artistic partnerships, Center Theatre Group will be able to serve thousands of students, artists and adult learners throughout this period, both locally and national through digital channels.

“It is with great sadness that we have reached a point where it is simply impossible for us to envision safely returning to the Ahmanson, Taper and Douglas until spring of next year,” said Ritchie. “Since we first announced our closure during the initial wave of the pandemic, we have been tirelessly working through every possible scenario for reopening, all the while ensuring that the health and safety of our audiences, artists and staff were our top priority. Ultimately, it became clear to us, and to many touring productions scheduled to play the Ahmanson, that there is no way to be certain that such safety could exist earlier than next year. I could never have imagined such an extended period where Los Angeles would be without the ability to gather as a community and experience the transformative power of theatre. This is painful not only to hundreds of our staff members and artists, but also to the tens of thousands of Angelenos we proudly serve each year, both from our stages and throughout our communities. We are continuing to find hope and inspiration in our online programs, which include virtual education initiatives and our Art Goes On Project, with more to come. I am confident that we can return safely to the stage with this new schedule and, should health officials become more optimistic about a safe timeline to resume large gatherings, we will work as quickly and safely as possible to return to the stage sooner.”

Center Theatre Group launched the Art Goes On: Emergency Giving Fund as a direct result of the sustained financial impact of COVID-19. Members of the organization’s Board of Directors have agreed to match all donations up to $500,000 with a deadline of June 30, 2020. Donations can be made at CenterTheatreGroup.org/EmergencyGiving.

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.

Bank of America is the season sponsor for Center Theatre Group’s 54th season at the Ahmanson Theatre. American Express is the official credit card for Center Theatre Group’s seasons at the Ahmanson Theatre, Mark Taper Forum and Kirk Douglas Theatre.

Center Theatre Group is still committed to presenting a seven-show subscription season. At this time, there is nothing further current subscribers need to do to maintain their subscription for the upcoming 54th Season. Subscribers with questions may contact tickets@ctgla.org or call (213) 972-4444 for more information.

For information and to purchase a subscription by phone, call the exclusive subscription hotline at (213) 972-4444. To purchase season subscriptions online, visit CenterTheatreGroup.org/Ahmanson. Groups of 10 or more may reserve tickets by calling (213) 972-7231. General on-sale dates for individual productions will be announced at a later date.

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

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Panelists Announced for "L.A. Playwrights: Writing for a Changing World"

Center Theatre Group — Tue, 19 May 2020 12:32:00 -0700

PANELISTS ANNOUNCED FOR “L.A. PLAYWRIGHTS: WRITING FOR A CHANGING WORLD” THURSDAY, MAY 21 AT 3 PM

Jeremy O. Harris Joins Local Playwrights Luis Alfaro, Bekah Brunstetter, Aleshea Harris, Molly Smith Metzler and Dominique Morisseau for Next L.A. Theatre Speaks Discussion

Center Theatre Group is announcing panelists for “L.A. Playwrights: Writing for a Changing World,” on Thursday, May 21 at 3 pm PT, including local writers Luis Alfaro, Bekah Brunstetter, Aleshea Harris, Molly Smith Metzler and Dominique Morisseau. They will be joined by one-time Los Angeles resident Jeremy O’ Harris whose Broadway debut “Slave Play” was recently announced as part of the upcoming season at the Mark Taper Forum. Part of the L.A. Theatre Speaks series meant to help theatre creators come together to share ideas, strategize and support each other in these unprecedented times, the conversation will be hosted by Center Theatre Group Managing Director/CEO Meghan Pressman and moderated by Center Theatre Group Associate Artistic Director/Literary Director Neel Keller.

The biweekly series will continue with “A Theatre Fundraising: Inspiring and Cultivating Support in a Time of Uncertainty” (June 4). Other upcoming discussions include “Artist and Company Resources: Navigating the Field of Artist Relief,” “L.A. Actors: Who is the Audience? Where is the Stage? What is the Part?” and “L.A. Designers: Finding Inspiration.” Schedule and panelists will be announced at a later date.

Presented as part of Center Theatre Group’s Art Goes On project, the L.A. Theatre Speaks series draws on artistic directors, actors, directors, playwrights, designers and administrators. All discussions will begin at 3 pm PT and include a question and answer session – audience members who wish to participate must register in advance at CTGLA.org/LATheatreSpeaks. The discussions will also be live-streamed and archived at Facebook.com/CTGLA. For more information, please visit CTGLA.org/LATheatreSpeaks.

Born out of the search for new ways to inspire conversation and build community around art — and what that can look like while stages are dark, the Art Goes On project gives audiences an opportunity to get to know members of the artistic community on a personal level. In addition to the L.A. Theatre Speaks series, the Art Goes On project includes the Artists Create series of videos produced in this time of social distancing by Center Theatre Group’s family of artists and Scenes from the Vault, a series of videos highlighting favorite moments from Center Theatre Group’s history across its three stages. Both series are available to view online at CTGLA.org/ArtGoesOn or at youtube.com/CTGLA with the hashtag #ScenesFromTheVault and #ArtGoesOn.

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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May 19, 2020

Center Theatre Group Accepting Submissions for 2021 Sherwood Award

Center Theatre Group — Mon, 18 May 2020 14:33:00 -0700

CENTER THEATRE GROUP NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS FOR THE 2021 DOROTHY AND RICHARD E. SHERWOOD AWARD

June 17 is the Deadline to Apply for $10,000 Award for Innovative L.A. Theatre Artists

Center Theatre Group is now accepting submissions for the 2021 Dorothy and Richard E. Sherwood Award. The deadline to submit an application is June 17, 2020, at noon.

The Sherwood Award is an annual $10,000 prize that supports innovative and adventurous theatre artists and engages them in a professional relationship with Center Theatre Group. The award is presented to one theatre artist each year at the Ovation Awards ceremony produced by LA Stage Alliance. Two additional Sherwood finalists will also receive a $2,000 honorarium.

“Dorothy and Richard Sherwood understood that, while theatre is an ancient artform, the art of making theatre is in a perpetual state of evolution,” said Center Theatre Group Artistic Director, Michael Ritchie. “In this current moment, as we are unable to bring audiences together, it is more important than ever to seek out and engage with artists that are innovating and imagining the ways that theatre can continue to adapt and respond to an ever changing world.”

Center Theatre Group invites individual theatre artists to submit an application if they have resided in Los Angeles for at least two years and have developed or collaborated in at least two fully produced projects in Los Angeles. Sherwood awardees demonstrate leadership qualities, push existing boundaries and are dedicated to improving the future of their respective artistic fields. Artists are not limited by title, role or genre, but they must have a relationship to contemporary performance rooted in theatre.

Center Theatre Group will be hosting an Artist Statement Workshop via Zoom for interested applicants on Saturday, June 13 at 11am. Previous Sherwood recipient Miranda Wright, Center Theatre Group Line Producer for Artistic Projects Patricia Garza and Sherwood Fellow Brianna Saranchock will answer questions related to the application process and lead applicants through a series of exercises that will help them craft a captivating artist statement for the application and future endeavors. This session is recommended but not required. To RSVP please email Sherwood@CTGLA.org by Thursday June 11, 2020.

Created in memory of Richard E. Sherwood in 1996 and renamed in 2018 following the passing of his wife Dorothy, the $10,000 award aims to cultivate theatre artists working in Los Angeles who push formal and aesthetic boundaries and demonstrate dedication to improving their artistic fields. Dorothy and Richard E. Sherwood were patrons of the arts with a special appreciation for artists who are in the vanguard of theatre. Richard served on the Center Theatre Group Board of Directors including as President and Chairman 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 performance maker Mat Diafos Sweeney, performance artist Kristina Wong, projection designer Hana S. Kim, lighting designer Pablo Santiago, Miwa Matreyek of Cloud Eye Control, Sean Cawelti of Rogue Artists Ensemble, Miranda Wright of Los Angeles Performance Practice, Lars Jan of Early Morning Opera, lighting designer Christopher Kuhl and costume designer Ann Closs-Farley, among others.

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.

For more information about the Dorothy and Richard E. Sherwood Award, please visit www.CenterTheatreGroup.org/Sherwood. For questions or concerns about the application process or to RSVP to the Artist Statement Workshop, please contact Sherwood@CTGLA.org.

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May 18, 2020

Announcing Theatre Skills @ Home

Center Theatre Group — Thu, 14 May 2020 12:00:00 -0700

CENTER THEATRE GROUP ANNOUNCES THEATRE SKILLS @ HOME ALLOWING THEATRELOVERS TO LEARN THE TRICKS OF THE TRADE FROM LOCAL EXPERTS.

Part of the Art Goes On Program, Theatre Skills @ Home Launches with Tutorials in Stage Fighting and Costume Design

Center Theatre Group is announcing the newest addition to the Art Goes On project with Theatre Skills @ Home, a new series that taps into the deep pool of local theatre artists to offer brief theatre tutorials. Directors, designers, artists, artisans and crew will give tips on how to inject a little stage magic into the home. The opening videos feature fight director Edgar Landa (“Homebody/Kabul,” “The Nether”) teaching the art of stage fighting and costume designer Ann Closs-Farley (“Zoot Suit,” “Women Laughing Alone With Salad”) creating a fairy costume out of odds and ends that can be found at home. Each week a new video will be posted at CTGLA.org/SkillsAtHome.

“My social media newsfeed is filled with colleagues and friends trying new things,” said Center Theatre Associate Artistic Director Lindsay Allbaugh. “They are giving themselves haircuts and trying new hair colors, baking sourdough bread (all the talk about starters!!), making soups, gardening and growing their own vegetables. And as a mom, my feed is also filled with parents looking for fun projects to do with their home-schooled children. So, as people seek to expand their horizons, who better to turn to than the theatremakers who have made a career of transforming bare stages into new worlds and letting us experiences lives we might have never lived.”

Born out of the search for new ways to inspire conversation and build community around art — and what that can look like while stages are dark, the Art Goes On project gives audiences an opportunity to get to know members of the artistic community on a personal level. In addition to the Theatre Skills at Home series, the Art Goes On project includes the Artists Create series of videos produced in this time of social distancing by Center Theatre Group’s family of artists, L.A. Theatre Speaks discussion series meant to help theatre creators come together to share ideas, strategize and support each other in these unprecedented times and Scenes from the Vault, a series of videos highlighting favorite moments from Center Theatre Group’s history across its three stages. These series are available to view online at CTGLA.org/ArtGoesOn or at youtube.com/CTGLA with the hashtag #ScenesFromTheVault and #ArtGoesOn.

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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May 14, 2020

Panelists Announced for "L.A. Theatre Goes Digital: Creating Online"

Center Theatre Group — Tue, 05 May 2020 13:32:00 -0700

PANELISTS ANNOUNCED FOR
“L.A. THEATRE GOES DIGITAL: CREATING ONLINE”
PUBLIC DISCUSSION THIS THURSDAY, MAY 7 AT 3 PM

Part of the Art Goes On Project, the Second Talk in the L.A. Theatre Speaks Series Features Representatives from Local Theatres Including Deaf West Theatre, Fountain Theatre, Geffen Playhouse, IAMA Theatre Company and The Industry with Outside Innovators from Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Situation

Panelists have been announced for “L.A. Theatre Goes Digital: Creating Online,” this Thursday, May 7, at 3 pm PT. The second in Center Theatre Group’s bi-weekly discussion series L.A. Theatre Speaks, the talk will feature local artistic directors DJ Kurs (Deaf West Theatre), Stephen Sachs (Fountain Theatre) and Yuval Sharon (The Industry) as well as Katie Lowes (IAMA Theatre Company Co-Artistic Director) and Amy Levinson (Geffen Playhouse Associate Artistic Director). They will be joined by Oregon Shakespeare Festival Artistic Director Nataki Garrett and Situation President and Founder Damian Bazadona to offer a national perspective. The discussion will be moderated by Center Theatre Group Managing Director Meghan Pressman and ASL-interpreted live by John Arce and Francine Stern.

There have been a surprising number of bright spots for theatre lovers these past few weeks, from star-studded digital celebrations and hilarious viral videos to live-streamed performances and new commissioned works from some of our favorite playwrights. Many theatre companies have created new initiatives and programs from scratch in what feels like days; some have seen existing online projects become vital to realizing their missions. How are Los Angeles theatres moving their work to the digital space, and where do we fit into the national and international landscape? Will any of these experiments change how we create once live theatre is up and running again? We’re excited to welcome local and industry innovators and leaders to our next L.A. Theatre Speaks discussion.

Meant to help theatre creators come together to share ideas, strategize and support each other in these unprecedented times, the series will continue with “L.A. Playwrights: Writing for a Changing World” (May 21) and “A Theatre Fundraising: Inspiring and Cultivating Support in a Time of Uncertainty” (June 4). Other discussions to be scheduled include “Artist and Company Resources: Navigating the Field of Artist Relief,” “L.A. Actors: Who is the Audience? Where is the Stage? What is the Part?” and “L.A. Designers: Finding Inspiration.” Panelists will be announced closer to each discussion.

All discussions will begin at 3 pm PT and include a question and answer session – audience members who wish to participate must register in advance at CTGLA.org/LATheatreSpeaks. The discussions will also be live-streamed and archived at Facebook.com/CTGLA. For more information, please visit CTGLA.org/LATheatreSpeaks.

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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May 5, 2020

'Slave Play' Announced as Part 2020/21 Taper Season

Center Theatre Group — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 10:00:00 -0700

“SLAVE PLAY” ANNOUNCED AS PART OF CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S 2020 – 2021 SEASON AT THE MARK TAPER FORUM

First Production of This Searing New Work Outside of New York
Features Original Broadway Creative Team

Jeremy O. Harris’ unflinching new work “Slave Play” will be a part of Center Theatre Group’s 2020 – 2021 season at the Mark Taper Forum. Two-time NAACP and Obie Award winner and the recipient of Center Theatre Group’s inaugural Sherwood Award, Robert O’Hara returns to direct “Slave Play,” the most talked-about and proselytized-for show in New York last season. The original creative team from the Broadway engagement will bring the acclaimed new work to Los Angeles for its first production outside of New York with casting and schedule to be announced at a later date.

“As we look forward to the moment that we can safely return to the stage it helps to be reminded of the type of transcendent experiences that continue to draw us back to the theatre,” said Center Theatre Group Artistic Director Michael Ritchie. “Jeremy O. Harris’ revelatory and provocative new work changes the way we see the world around us. I knew Los Angeles needed the opportunity to see ‘Slave Play,’ and the promise of this remarkable work in the hands of the original creative team sets a high standard as we continue to plan the rest of our 2020 – 2021 seasons at the Taper and Kirk Doulas Theatre.”

Hailed as “the single most daring thing I’ve seen in a theater in a long time” by Wesley Morris of The New York Times and “a fascinating explosive-device of a play” by Peter Marks of The Washington Post, “Slave Play” takes place at the MacGregor Plantation, where nothing is as it seems, and yet everything is as it seems. It’s an antebellum fever-dream as three interracial couples converge to rip open history at the intersection of race, love, sex and sexuality in 21st-century America. Soraya Nadia McDonald of The Undefeated said “wisdom and timeliness ripple through ‘Slave Play,’” adding “this play is lit.”

“Slave Play” received the Rosa Parks Playwriting Award, the Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award, The Lotos Foundation Prize in the Arts and Sciences, and the 2018 Paula Vogel Award. The play was nominated for the Outer Critics Circle’s John Gassner Playwriting Award and the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play.

Referred to by the Chicago Tribune as “a major new voice in the American theater,” Jeremy O. Harris is a writer and performer living in New York City. His full-length plays include: “Slave Play,” (New York Theatre Workshop, Broadway’s Golden Theatre); “Daddy” (Vineyard Theatre/The New Group); “Xander Xyst, Dragon: 1”; and “WATER SPORTS; or insignificant white boys” (published by 53rd State Press). His work has been presented or developed by Pieter Performance Space, JACK, Ars Nova, The New Group, New York Theatre Workshop, Performance Space New York and Playwrights Horizons. Harris co-wrote A24’s film “Zola” with director Janicza Bravo, is developing a pilot at HBO, and worked on their hit new series “Euphoria.” He is the 11th recipient of the Vineyard Theatre’s Paula Vogel Playwriting Award, a 2016 MacDowell Colony Fellow, an Orchard Project Greenhouse artist, a resident playwright with Colt Coeur, and is under commission from Lincoln Center Theater and Playwrights Horizons. Harris is a graduate of the Yale M.F.A. Playwriting Program.

Robert O’Hara has received the NAACP Best Play and Best Director Award, the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding New Play, two Obie Awards and the Herb Alpert Award. He directed the world premieres of Jeremy O. Harris’ “Slave Play,” Nikkole Salter and Danai Gurira’s “In the Continuum,” Tarell Alvin McCraney’s “The Brother/Sister Plays (Part 2),” Colman Domingo’s “Wild with Happy,” Kirsten Childs’ “Bella: An American Tall Tale,” as well as his own plays, “Mankind,” “Bootycandy” and “Insurrection: Holding History.” His plays “Zombie: The American” and “Barbecue” world premiered at Woolly Mammoth Theatre and The Public Theater, respectively. His recent directing projects include Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun” at Williamstown Theatre Festival, Aziza Barnes’ “BLKS” at MCC, Inda Craig-Galván’s “Black Super Hero Magic Mama” at the Geffen Playhouse, the Universes’ “UNISON,” inspired by the poetry of August Wilson at Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” at Denver Center for the Performing Arts. O’Hara’s productions of “In the Continuum” and “Eclipsed” were both produced at Center Theatre Group’s Kirk Douglas Theatre.

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.

Ticket and subscription on-sale dates will be announced at a later date. For more information please visit CenterTheatreGroup.org. The Mark Taper Forum is located at The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012.

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April 30, 2020

Center Theatre Group and More Host Virtual Going Pro Career Fair

Center Theatre Group — Tue, 24 Mar 2020 16:27:00 -0700

CENTER THEATRE GROUP, USC, UCLA, CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY AND LA STAGE ALLIANCE PRESENT THE VIRTUAL GOING PRO CAREER FAIR ON SATURDAY, APRIL 18

All Aspiring Theatre Professionals Can Access Free Workshops and More From Their Phone, Computer or Tablet

Center Theatre Group invites all aspiring theatre professionals to participate in the virtual Going Pro Career Fair on Saturday, April 18, 2020, starting at 9:30 a.m. Co-presented by USC School of Dramatic Arts; the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television; Chapman University College of Performing Arts; and LA STAGE Alliance, the free event will now be conducted in a virtual format which is available for all to access from their personal devices (phone, computer or tablet). While the event is free, reservations are recommended in order to receive updates about the fair and how to log on. To RSVP or for more information, please visit CTGLA.org/GoingPro. Reservations will be accepted through Thursday, April 16 at 5 p.m.

“When it became clear we needed to restructure the Going Pro Career Fair as a virtual event, we reached out to the dozens of theatre professionals, higher education partners and workshop facilitators who had already signed on to be a part of the day, asking them to re-imagine their participation for a completely digital format,” said Center Theatre Group Next Generation Initiatives Director Camille Schenkkan. “We’re deeply grateful for the resiliency and flexibility of our community. We’ve been able to translate an in-person event with 400+ guests into something that’s equally exciting: a totally virtual experience, with many parts open to anyone who wants to participate.”

The Going Pro Career Fair is intended to help current undergraduate and graduate students prepare for a professional theatre career; however, the virtual fair is open to any and all interested parties. This year, the fair will focus on people: from agents and managers to artistic collaborators. Attendees will learn how to cultivate their network, make informed business decisions and celebrate their own artistry. To provide insight on these topics, the following workshops and panels will be offered in a virtual format:

Intro & Resource Roundup – 9:30 to 10 a.m.
The People You Hire Panel: Agents, Managers & More – 10 to 11 a.m.
Finding Your Collaborators Panel: Making Theatre with Friends (Or Not) – 11:15 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Conflict Resolution for Stage Managers & Others – 12:15 to 1:15 p.m.
100% That Boss: Entrepreneurship for Artists – 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Success and Self-Care for Artists – 2:45 to 3:45 p.m.

In addition to the virtual workshops, which are available to everyone, the Going Pro Career Fair will also provide the following exclusively to current undergraduate and graduate students:

Speed Mentorship – 12 to 4 p.m. – Students who RSVP in advance can sign up to participate in a 20-minute virtual meeting session with a working arts professional. Sessions will be filled on a first come, first served basis.
Self-Tape Auditions – Organized by LA Stage Alliance, there will be 100 slots for students to provide self-tape auditions to be seen by producers and directors from Los Angeles theatre companies. These slots will be filled first by currently registered students with any remaining openings filled on a first come, first served basis for those who RSVP.
Free Headshot Sessions – Center Theatre Group will provide 150 free mini-headshot sessions over the course of two days. Priority will be given to students who registered early. Sessions will take place later in the spring, with exact date to be announced.
Free Backstage Subscription – Students who RSVP to the Going Pro Career Fair will receive info on how to claim a free year-long subscription to Backstage. The offer is only available to new subscribers.

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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March 24, 2020

Center Theatre Group News & Blogs

Casting Announced for 'Electricidad'

CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR VIRTUALLY PRODUCED READING OF “ELECTRICIDAD” PRESENTED ON CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S DIGITAL STAGE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GETTY

Release Dates Shift for “The Greek Trilogy of Luis Alfaro,” “Electricidad” Will Now Premiere November 6, “Oedipus El Rey” Premieres November 13 and “Mojada” Premieres November 20

Fall 2020 Season of Education and Community Partnerships Programming to Move Online

CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S FALL 2020 SEASON OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAMMING TO MOVE ONLINE

Season Running from August through December 2020 Includes Newly Commissioned Plays and Stories, Access to Past Performances and Working Artists, Performance Competitions, Career Resources, Educator Training, Classroom Engagement and More

"Tambo & Bones" Joins Douglas 2021 Season

“TAMBO & BONES” ANNOUNCED AS PART OF CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S NEXT SEASON AT THE KIRK DOUGLAS THEATRE

Los Angeles Dates to Be Announced for the World Premiere Co-Production with Playwrights Horizons

Center Theatre Group Seasons Postponed Until Spring 2021

CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S 54th SEASON AT THE AHMANSON THEATRE POSTPONED FULL SEASON OF SEVEN SHOWS SET TO BEGIN IN APRIL 2021

MARK TAPER FORUM AND KIRK DOUGLAS THEATRE SEASONS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN THE SPRING OF 2021

CENTER THEATRE GROUP STAGES WILL HAVE BEEN DARK FOR 56 WEEKS RESULTING IN NEARLY $40 MILLION OF LOST REVENUE AND FORCING A 65% BUDGET REDUCTION AND EXPANSION OF STAFF FURLOUGHS

Center Theatre Group Launches Emergency Fund

“The Lehman Trilogy,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Les Misérables” and “Hadestown” to Be Rescheduled

“Come From Away” and “Ain’t Too Proud” Shortened to Two Weeks Each to Accommodate Other Tour Stops

Panelists Announced for "L.A. Playwrights: Writing for a Changing World"

PANELISTS ANNOUNCED FOR “L.A. PLAYWRIGHTS: WRITING FOR A CHANGING WORLD” THURSDAY, MAY 21 AT 3 PM

Jeremy O. Harris Joins Local Playwrights Luis Alfaro, Bekah Brunstetter, Aleshea Harris, Molly Smith Metzler and Dominique Morisseau for Next L.A. Theatre Speaks Discussion

Center Theatre Group Accepting Submissions for 2021 Sherwood Award

CENTER THEATRE GROUP NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS FOR THE 2021 DOROTHY AND RICHARD E. SHERWOOD AWARD

June 17 is the Deadline to Apply for $10,000 Award for Innovative L.A. Theatre Artists

Announcing Theatre Skills @ Home

CENTER THEATRE GROUP ANNOUNCES THEATRE SKILLS @ HOME ALLOWING THEATRELOVERS TO LEARN THE TRICKS OF THE TRADE FROM LOCAL EXPERTS.

Part of the Art Goes On Program, Theatre Skills @ Home Launches with Tutorials in Stage Fighting and Costume Design

Panelists Announced for "L.A. Theatre Goes Digital: Creating Online"

PANELISTS ANNOUNCED FOR “L.A. THEATRE GOES DIGITAL: CREATING ONLINE” PUBLIC DISCUSSION THIS THURSDAY, MAY 7 AT 3 PM

'Slave Play' Announced as Part 2020/21 Taper Season

“SLAVE PLAY” ANNOUNCED AS PART OF CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S 2020 – 2021 SEASON AT THE MARK TAPER FORUM

First Production of This Searing New Work Outside of New York Features Original Broadway Creative Team

Center Theatre Group and More Host Virtual Going Pro Career Fair

CENTER THEATRE GROUP, USC, UCLA, CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY AND LA STAGE ALLIANCE PRESENT THE VIRTUAL GOING PRO CAREER FAIR ON SATURDAY, APRIL 18

All Aspiring Theatre Professionals Can Access Free Workshops and More From Their Phone, Computer or Tablet

Release Dates Shift for “The Greek Trilogy of Luis Alfaro,”
“Electricidad” Will Now Premiere November 6,
“Oedipus El Rey” Premieres November 13 and
“Mojada” Premieres November 20

PANELISTS ANNOUNCED FOR
“L.A. THEATRE GOES DIGITAL: CREATING ONLINE”
PUBLIC DISCUSSION THIS THURSDAY, MAY 7 AT 3 PM

First Production of This Searing New Work Outside of New York
Features Original Broadway Creative Team