Center Theatre Group News & Blogs

Luis Alfaro Joins Center Theatre Group as Newest Associate Artistic Director

Center Theatre Group — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 11:11:00 -0700

“Center Theatre Group has been my artistic home for nearly my entire career, so to return at such a pivotal moment in the history of regional theatre, the organization, and Los Angeles, is quite invigorating,” said Alfaro. “I’m joining a wonderful mix of associate artistic directors, all of whom have been doing exciting work to move the theatre forward during such existential times. I’m looking forward to helping further our shared vision of nurturing more Los Angeles voices and stories and asking important questions, like how we are viewing our role as an anti-racist theatre organization. I’ve been heartened by my talks with Michael, his team, and Meghan about our ideas for upcoming artistic projects and investments, some of which we’ll announce soon.

“It will also be important for me to continue talking with my colleagues as we consider what is truly regional about a regional theatre, especially in our incredibly diverse city. We’ve already started having these crucial conversations and I'm positive that the entire organization is ready to lean more heavily into this idea. There’s no denying that our industry is facing a critical moment of self-reflection, and I firmly believe that Center Theatre Group is rising to the challenge as it considers its role in the new American theatrical landscape.”

Alfaro’s relationship with Center Theatre Group began in 1995, when he helped guide artistic development under Founding Artistic Director Gordon Davidson, and has continued in different roles since that time, including as a member of the newly formed CTG Creative Collective. Prior to joining the theatre, Alfaro worked as an usher for The Music Center at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Mark Taper Forum and Ahmanson Theatre in the early 1980s. Center Theatre Group has produced several of his works including “Electricidad” and “Black Butterfly” at the Taper, “St. Jude” at the Douglas and, in 2020, Alfaro brought his trilogy of Greek plays, “Mojada,” “Electricidad” and “Oedipus El Rey,” to Center Theatre Group’s Digital Stage as part of the series Live From the KDT.

“I’ve been speaking with Luis and my team about this possibility for quite some time, knowing that we wanted him to have a formal role in our planning for the anticipated return to in-person programming at our theatres,” said Ritchie. “It’s also important to me for Luis to help nurture our next wave of playwrights and consider how we more deeply invest in our Los Angeles community. Luis brings a rich history and understanding of Center Theatre Group and of this great city and its many exciting voices. It’s been an honor working with Luis in various capacities over the years, and I’m heartened to know that his voice is part of the artistic team that will continue at the organization beyond my own tenure in the coming years.”

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 Playwrights 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 released from Methuen Press and is the winner of this year’s London Hellenic Prize. Luis was a participant in Center Theatre Group’s 2018/19 L.A. Writers’ Workshop and is also a member of the CTG Creative Collective, a dozen inspiring, innovative and highly collaborative artists shaping the contours of the theatrical landscape of the future.

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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July 14, 2021

2021 College & Career Fair for the Arts and Going Pro Career Fair

Center Theatre Group — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 13:55:00 -0800

CENTER THEATRE GROUP HOLDS FREE VIRTUAL EVENTS FOR THEATRE STUDENTS AND EARLY-CAREER PROFESSIONALS

COLLEGE & CAREER FAIR FOR THE ARTS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, EDUCATORS AND PARENTS ON MARCH 20, 2021

GOING PRO CAREER FAIR FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS, GRADUATE STUDENTS, EDUCATORS AND EARLY-CAREER THEATRE PROFESSIONALS SCHEDULED ON APRIL 17, 2021

Center Theatre Group invites theatre students and early-career professionals to participate in one of two upcoming daylong virtual events meant to prepare students and emerging professionals for a career in the arts. The College & Career Fair for the Arts runs from 10 am to 3 pm on Saturday March 20, 2021. Going Pro Career Fair will run from 10 am to 4:30 pm on Saturday, April 17, 2021. Each event is free to the public but reservations are required (more information below).

The College and Career Fair for the Arts is an annual free event designed to help arts-interested students look ahead to college and beyond by providing high school students and parents with information about higher education and careers in the arts. The fair will feature both live interactive sessions on the day of the event and prerecorded sessions available for viewing at any time. Attendees on March 20 will have access to free, virtual college counseling, the opportunity to chat with theatre artists in small groups and information about local and national higher education options. Prerecorded sessions will remain accessible throughout the year. The event will include representatives from approximately forty colleges and universities from East Los Angeles College, UCLA and USC to University of Wisconsin, Penn State and Rutgers. The College and Career Fair for the Arts is free but registration is required. For reservations or more information visit www.CTGLA.org/CollegeFair.

The Going Pro Career Fair is an annual event featuring a full day of free career preparation, mentorship and networking, designed to prepare students to step directly from higher education into a rewarding career in live theatre and entertainment and provide early-career artists with the tools they need to grow within their chosen profession. Sessions will focus on how the events of the past year have impacted theatre artists; how students and emerging professionals can prepare to jump into the field as live theatre returns; and how to demand and create change. Including representatives from Backstage, Stage Management Association, Dramatists Guild of America, Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Local 706 and Actors Equity as well as other unions and service organizations, the event will mix live, interactive content with prerecorded sessions available for viewing at any time. The fair is open to current college and graduate students, early-career individuals and college, university and trade tech educators. Through April 12, registration is open exclusively to students attending a college or university in California, educators currently teaching at college or university in California and early-career individuals, based in California and intending to pursue a career in theatre and live entertainment. Reservations will be opened to others if space remains. For reservations or more information, visit www.CTGLA.org/GoingPro.

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 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.

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March 11, 2021

Center Theatre Group Announces 8 New Board Members

Center Theatre Group — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 13:48:00 -0800

CENTER THEATRE GROUP NAMES
MICHELLE A. AVAN, WENDY CHANG, NOAH FRANCIS, RON GILLYARD, MAX GOUSSE, MARSHA TAUBER SALLAI, RICHARD WEITZ AND HATTIE WINSTON
TO ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Center Theatre Group has added eight new members to its Board of Directors over the course of this season, as the organization continues building strong support from across the community throughout the prolonged closures of its theatres as a result of the pandemic, announced Board President Kiki Ramos Gindler. Growing its Board to 50 members, its newest dedicated supporters are Michelle A. Avan, Wendy Chang, Noah Francis, Ron Gillyard, Max Gousse, Marsha Tauber Sallai, Richard Weitz and Hattie Winston.

“As theatres continue to face previously unimaginable financial challenges in the face of this pandemic, it’s heartening to know there are so many advocates ready to commit their support to Center Theatre Group. They are helping ensure we will weather the storm and rebuild in inspiring new directions,” said Gindler. “These new members represent some of the pillars of Los Angeles that have helped keep this organization a vital part of the theatre ecosystem in this country for more than 50 years.

“Our Board has also made an important commitment to becoming a better reflection of our community by expanding its representation to include more BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) voices,” added Gindler. “Last year, our Board Leadership voted to adopt a dedicated budget item for equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism for the entire organization. And we created a standing committee on the Board dedicated to this necessary work. This committee’s goals include revising the Board’s workplan to include measurable actionable steps in diversifying its membership and moving towards being an anti-racist organization. We will continue to work at the Board level and with the organization’s leadership to further these goals in the coming months and beyond.”

The newest board members include leaders from the worlds of finance, education, marketing, sales, the arts, the recording industry and the wider entertainment industry.

Michelle A. Avan is the Managing Director, West Division Supervision Executive at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, with a career in the financial services industry spanning more than 25 years and an ongoing commitment to empowering young people, particularly Black women and girls, by helping them realize their full potential through financial acumen, higher education, determination and drive. Among her accomplishments, Avan was a recipient of Bank of America’s Global Diversity & Inclusion award as well as a member of the company’s Black Executive Leadership Council and co-chair of that’s group’s business initiative.

Wendy Chang is a respected leader in the field of nonprofits and foundations as the director of the Dwight Stuart Youth Fund, a foundation that has been a strong supporter of Center Theatre Group since 2002. Previously, Wendy has held positions including Executive Management Academy Director at the Whitecap Foundation; Director of Training and Advancement at Public Corporation for the Arts; Special Projects/Membership Director for the California Association of Nonprofits; and Director of Consulting Services for CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, Silicon Valley. She has served on several boards and councils, including Lambda Legal, Liberty Hill Foundation, Play Equity Fund, Arts Education Collective Funders Council, Los Angeles Partnership for Early Childhood Investment, OUT Fund and Circle of Change giving circles, East West Players and Asian American Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy, among many others.

Noah Francis is a Vice President at JPMorgan Private Bank in Los Angeles, with more than a decade of experience in the financial services industry. Noah works as a Private Banker concentrating on the sports and entertainment industry with a particular focus on building black wealth. Prior to joining the Los Angeles Private Bank, Noah was based in London as the Business Manager supporting the J.P. Morgan Global Corporate Banking franchise in Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA). In this role, he developed and executed strategic objectives alongside the head of the EMEA Corporate Bank, as well as the senior Country Heads managing emerging market locations in the region, as well as the Multinational Corporates business.

Ron Gillyard is a partner and Chief Growth Officer of Quantasy + Associates, an award-winning full-service marketing and advertising agency in Los Angeles, having previously worked at Motown Records, Bad Boy Entertainment, J Records and Interscope Records. While in these positions he oversaw the A&R, marketing and sales of more than 100 million albums. In 2011, Gillyard was awarded a Grammy award for his work as a producer on Bebe & Cece Winans’ album “Still” in the category of Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album. He is also a producer of the musical “Born For This,” featuring music by BeBe Winans and book by Charles Randolph-Wright.

Max Gousse is co-founder & Chairman of Artistry Collective (www.artistry-collective.com). Max’s work in the A&R arena dates back to the mid-90s, having worked with Adina Howard on the now-classic, “Freak Like Me.” Another milestone was his A&R work with Beyonce on the albums “B’ Day” and “I Am...Sasha Fierce,” as well as the “Dreamgirls” soundtrack. Max has also worked with B2K, Solange, Kelly Rowland and Sunshine Anderson, all while working at a litany of music companies including East West, Epic, Universal Music Publishing, Mathew Knowles’ Music World and Island Def Jam.

Marsha Tauber Sallai is the President of Royal Accessories, LLC., a multi-faceted Luxury Gift Line business specializing in custom designs. Utilizing her management consulting experience, the company went from a start-up to an established account base of national and international presence in over 600 boutiques, luxury hotels, retailers, online stores and special commissions for the Smithsonian, Field and Cummer Museum. An avid volunteer, she is the President of the Center Theatre Group Affiliates, a women’s volunteer organization founded in 1971 by Dorothy Buffum Chandler, and the longest standing volunteer organization supporting CTG.

Richard Weitz is a partner at William Morris Endeavor (WME), with clients including creators, producers, showrunners and directors such as Tina Fey, Robert Carlock, Ricky Gervais, LL Cool J, John Legend and Josh Groban. After joining Endeavor in 1997, Weitz was promoted to partner in April 2002 and served as the head of the agency’s television packaging and literary department which he helped start. Richard and his daughter Demi have been hosting RWQuarantunes—celebrity filled fundraiser Zoom events—during the recent pandemic and have raised over $18 million for charities including more than $700,000 for Center Theatre Group through his virtual benefit in January.

Hattie Winston has worked extensively across stage, television and film. Perhaps best known for her television work on “Becker” and “The Electric Company,” she began her career in the theatre, as a founding member of the world-renowned Negro Ensemble Company. Her Broadway credits include “Hair,” “The Me Nobody Knows,” “Two Gentlemen of Verona,” and “The Tap Dance Kid.” She has received two Obie Awards, two Drama-Logue Awards, CEBA Awards and an Audelco Award for her contributions to the world of theatre. Winston served as the national co-chair for the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists Equal Employment Opportunities Committee and donated a collection of writings entitled the Hattie Winston African American Scripts and Screenplays Collection to the University of Louisville.

They join a group of philanthropic leaders on Center Theatre Group’s Board, including Chairman William H. Ahmanson, President Kiki Ramos Gindler, Executive Vice President Brindell Roberts Gottlieb, Vice President William R. Lindsay, Secretary Amy R. Forbes, Treasurer David Quigg and members Harry Abrams, Jonathan Axel, Pamela Beck, Thom Beers, Miles Benickes, Gail Berman-Masters, Jana Bezdek, Betsy Borns, Diana Buckhantz, Dannielle Campos Ramirez, Jill Chozen, Christine Cronin-Hurst, Bradford W. Edgerton, MD, Gary Frischling, Rebecca George, Patricia Glaser, Manuela Cerri Goren, Robert Greenblatt, Jason Grode, Aliza Karney Guren, Stanley Iezman, Paul James, Jody Lippman, Louise Moriarty, Kari L. Nakama, Philip Pavel, Meghan Pressman, Michael Ritchie, Laura Rosenwald, Bruce L. Ross, Donna Schweers, Elliott Sernel, Glenn A. Sonnenberg, Sandra Stern, Bonnie Vitti and Matthew Walden.

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February 25, 2021

'The Gaze ... No Homo' Comes to the Digital Stage

Center Theatre Group — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 11:10:00 -0800

LARRY POWELL’S “THE GAZE … NO HOMO” COMES TO CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S DIGITAL STAGE FEBRUARY 25 THROUGH MARCH 25, 2021

Adapted for a Digital Stage by Powell, the Digital Production will be Free to the Public for the First Weekend and $20 for the Remainder of the Run

Center Theatre Group is presenting Larry Powell’s “The Gaze … No Homo,” a satiric dramedy about the decolonization of the Black imagination which will be presented on Center Theatre Group’s Digital Stage February 25 at 5 pm Pacific through March 25, 2021. Produced by Tell Me A Story Productions, “The Gaze” will be free to the public for the first weekend (February 25 through 28) and cost $20 for the remainder of the run. The streaming video will be available on demand at centertheatregroup.org/digitalstage/videos/the-gaze-no-homo.

Adapted from his own 2020-2021 Eugene O’Neill Theater Center National Playwrights Conference Finalist play, writer / creator Larry Powell refers to this production of “The Gaze” as a “#Digiplay Experience.” Set in the prestigious Evergreen Theatre Festival tucked in a bucolic small town, which prides itself on developing the brightest and boldest new American voices, a young actor is cast in the virtual production of an emerging Black queer playwright. As the established director dreams of Broadway and tensions rise in heated Zoom-based rehearsals, “The Gaze” examines the process of building culturally specific and queer works of color in historically white spaces.

Larry Powell is a writer, actor, director and producer born and raised in South Central LA. As an actor he’s played roles in some of the most exciting new plays in America including “The Legend of Georgia McBride” by Matthew Lopez, “Broke-ology” by Nathan Louis Jackson and “While I Yet Live” by Billy Porter. At the Mark Taper Forum, Powell appeared in “The Christians” by Lucas Hnath (also the world premiere at Actors Theatre of Louisville) and “Father Comes Home From The Wars” by Suzan Lori Parks. He also stars as Lawrence in the movie “The Browsing Effect” (Prime Video). He is a two-time Ovation Award nominee, three-time NAACP Theatre Award nominee, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Award nominee, two-time LA Drama Critics Circle Award winner, as well as an Audelco and Audie award nominee. Writer/creator of “The Gaze” New Media Series and #Digiplay Experience, Powell is also a dynamic playwright and screenwriter. As a director, he has worked with brilliant artists on exciting new works for stage and screen. Including work on his own feature film project “Mother’s Milk” (Pan African Film Festival 2021 Official Selection) and working with Phylicia Rashad on her Center Theatre Group production of “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” at the Taper (assistant director). Powell is an adjunct lecturer at the University of Southern California’s School of Dramatic Arts MFA Acting program (Directing stellar productions of “The Brothers Size” by Tarell Alvin McCraney and “Pipeline” by Dominique Morisseau). Powell is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon’s School of Drama and the Founder of Free The Arts a holistic experience for diverse, intergenerational Black artists to put each other on game through quality training, community, opportunity, and new, bold works for a new audience.

Tell Me A Story Productions, founded by Executive Producer Angelica Robinson, acquires, develops and produces premium content for film, television and new media. Committed to highlighting edutainment programming, as well as character-driven stories that embrace diverse images of the multi-cultural human experience, our team is a go-to source for on-screen and behind-the-scenes diverse talent in media.

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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February 19, 2021

2021 August Wilson Monologue Competition Regional Finalists

Center Theatre Group — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 15:38:00 -0800

CENTER THEATRE GROUP SELECTS 11 LOCAL STUDENTS FOR 2021 AUGUST WILSON MONOLOGUE COMPETITION REGIONAL FINALS TO BE CAPTURED AT THE KIRK DOUGLAS THEATRE AND STREAMED ON CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S DIGITAL STAGE MARCH 23 AT 5 PM

Top Two Students Will Be Joined by 2020 Finalist Tyla Uzo to Participate in National Finals

Center Theatre Group has selected 11 local high school students to participate in the regional finals for the 2021 August Wilson Monologue Competition (AWMC) to be held virtually with participants performing on the stage of the Kirk Douglas Theatre in early March. Viewed remotely but in real time by the competition’s judges, the performances will be recorded and streamed during the live event on March 23 at 5 pm Pacific. The livestream of the event will be free to the public and available at CTGLA.org/AugustWilson2021.

This is the tenth consecutive year Center Theatre Group is hosting the Los Angeles component of the national monologue competition. The program is designed to inspire and educate Los Angeles youth using monologues from August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle,” a 10-play cycle that details the complexity of the African American experience in the 20th century. All previous competitions have culminated in an evening of monologues performed on the stage of the Mark Taper Forum.

“The August Wilson Monologue Competition is always one of my favorite evenings in the theatre each year,” said Center Theatre Group Artistic Director Michael Ritchie. “For many of these young performers, this is their first introduction to the unparalleled cycle of plays by of one of America’s greatest playwrights, and the opportunity to witness the transformational power of August’s work on these students and the chance to see the energy and the insights that they bring his words never fails to leave me awestruck. While the pandemic forced changes to the program this year, I am happy that the participants will still be performing on one of our stages and hope that this virtual format will make it easier for the wider community to experience the work of these amazing young performers who promise to be the future of theatre. I absolutely expect this year’s event to be one of my favorite nights in front of a computer screen.”

The students selected to participate in the regional finals are Simone Baker (Sherman Oaks), Hazel Eko (Los Angeles), Willa Jackson (Los Angeles), Chazaiah Johnson (Los Angeles), Hailey Soomin Lee (Redondo Beach), Giselle Lopez (Los Angeles), Veronica McFarlane (Whittier), Stephen Moran (Los Angeles), Reva Pau (South Pasadena), Dillion Jerome Sowell (Moreno Valley) and Landon Wouters (Fullerton).

Two finalists will be announced during the livestream on March 23. Those two finalists will be joined by one of last year’s finalists, Tyla Uzo, in advancing to the national competition. The students selected will receive master classes provided by Center Theatre Group. The sessions will allow the students to refine their performances while gaining valuable acting techniques.

The program kicked off this season with a preliminary audition that featured 113 students in 10th, 11th or 12th-grade from 33 different high schools in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties. Of those students, 45 advanced to a semi-final audition held live on Zoom in December 2020 where the aforementioned 11 regional finalists were selected to move forward.

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. This year, classes from Carson Senior High School, Edward R. Roybal Learning Center and Animo Leadership Charter High School are taking part in the residency. The students and teachers from the three classrooms selected will have the opportunity to view the AWMC Los Angeles Regional Finals as part of their residency experience, witnessing the power of theatre as their peers bring August Wilson’s characters to life.

AWMC is a national program presented by Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company and Jujamcyn Theaters and hosted in cities throughout the country, including Atlanta; Boston; Buffalo, New York; Chicago; Dallas; East Lansing; Greensboro, North Carolina; Hampton Roads, Virginia; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Maryland; Milwaukee; New Haven, Connecticut; New York; Norfolk, Virginia; Pittsburgh; Portland, Oregon; San Diego; Seattle; and Urbana-Champaign, Illinois. Each city runs its program differently and each experience is designed to provide learning opportunities for high school students to study and practice the craft of acting through the work of August Wilson.

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 Cindy and Gary Frischling, the Lawrence P. Frank Foundation, the Sascha Brastoff Foundation, the Find Your Light Foundation and City National Bank. The August Wilson Monologue Competition Los Angeles Regional Finals is presented by the Center Theatre Group Affiliates.

Center Theatre Group honors its long-standing relationship with August Wilson through its August Wilson Program, as well as through its continued production of Wilson’s work. Center Theatre Group has presented nine of Wilson’s “American Century Cylce,” including two world premiere productions. Most recently, Wilson’s “Jitney” had a successful run at the Mark Taper Forum in 2019. More information on Center Theatre Group’s August Wilson Monologue Competition can be found at CTGLA.org/AugustWilson.

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February 18, 2021

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.

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’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.

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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 News & Blogs

Luis Alfaro Joins Center Theatre Group as Newest Associate Artistic Director

2021 College & Career Fair for the Arts and Going Pro Career Fair

CENTER THEATRE GROUP HOLDS FREE VIRTUAL EVENTS FOR THEATRE STUDENTS AND EARLY-CAREER PROFESSIONALS

COLLEGE & CAREER FAIR FOR THE ARTS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, EDUCATORS AND PARENTS ON MARCH 20, 2021

GOING PRO CAREER FAIR FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS, GRADUATE STUDENTS, EDUCATORS AND EARLY-CAREER THEATRE PROFESSIONALS SCHEDULED ON APRIL 17, 2021

Center Theatre Group Announces 8 New Board Members

CENTER THEATRE GROUP NAMES MICHELLE A. AVAN, WENDY CHANG, NOAH FRANCIS, RON GILLYARD, MAX GOUSSE, MARSHA TAUBER SALLAI, RICHARD WEITZ AND HATTIE WINSTON TO ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

'The Gaze ... No Homo' Comes to the Digital Stage

LARRY POWELL’S “THE GAZE … NO HOMO” COMES TO CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S DIGITAL STAGE FEBRUARY 25 THROUGH MARCH 25, 2021

Adapted for a Digital Stage by Powell, the Digital Production will be Free to the Public for the First Weekend and $20 for the Remainder of the Run

2021 August Wilson Monologue Competition Regional Finalists

CENTER THEATRE GROUP SELECTS 11 LOCAL STUDENTS FOR 2021 AUGUST WILSON MONOLOGUE COMPETITION REGIONAL FINALS TO BE CAPTURED AT THE KIRK DOUGLAS THEATRE AND STREAMED ON CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S DIGITAL STAGE MARCH 23 AT 5 PM

Top Two Students Will Be Joined by 2020 Finalist Tyla Uzo to Participate in National Finals

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 NAMES
MICHELLE A. AVAN, WENDY CHANG, NOAH FRANCIS, RON GILLYARD, MAX GOUSSE, MARSHA TAUBER SALLAI, RICHARD WEITZ AND HATTIE WINSTON
TO ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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