Center Theatre Group News & Blogs

Opening nights and premieres galore

Fri, 22 Nov 2013 00:00:00 -0800

Opening nights and premieres galore

With Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty here at Center Theatre Group, Macbeth at Lincoln center, and more premiering shows around the country, the LA and NY stage scenes are extremely busy.

Opening Nights

1. Review: In 'Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty,' imagination awakes by Lewis Segal [LATimes.com]
November 22, 2013

"Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty" opened Thursday at Center Theatre Group, and this gothic romance "exploited our lust for the undead in surprising, resourceful ways." Bourne's staging of this Tchaikovsky masterwork, onstage at the Ahmanson Theatre through Dec. 1, combines the traditional story with a modern fairy-tale twist.

2. Come, You Spirits! Step Inside the Thrilling Opening Night of Shakespeare's Macbeth, Starring Ethan Hawke by Broadway.com staff [Broadway.com]
November 22, 2013

"Lincoln Center Theater’s revival of Shakespeare's terrifying tragedy Macbeth opened at Broadway’s Vivian Beaumont Theatre on November 21. Hear from stars Ethan Hawke, Anne-Marie Duff and more as they toast to their big opening night."

3. Review: 'Play Dead' with glee as Todd Robbins conjures chills by Margaret Gray [LATimes.com]
November 21, 2013

The Geffen Playhouse is reviving the 2010 off-Broadway show "Play Dead," but they are not willing to reveal their new tricks and experience. This show about magicians in the 1930s successfully "scares the wits" out of audience members.

Premiering Shows

4. Wicked Fave Louise Dearman to Headline U.K. Premiere of New Musical The Water Babies by Damian Bellino [Broadway.com]
November 22, 2013

"Louise Dearman will headline the world premiere of The Water Babies at the U.K's Curve Theatre. Dearman, the first actress to ever portray both Elphaba and Glinda in Wicked, will take on the role of Mrs D in the new musical inspired by Charles Kingsley’s classic novel."

5. Labyrinth Theater Company to Present New York Premiere of Stephen Belber's The Muscles in Our Toes by Damian Bellino [Broadway.com]
November 21, 2013

The Labyrinth Theatre Company announced that they will be adding The Muscles in Our Toes to their season. This dark comedy, about "four friends [who] meet at their high school reunion, and ponder a plan to free their old friend who’s been kidnapped by a radical political group," will open in late spring 2014.

Veteran works, Shakespearean performances, and more!

Tue, 12 Nov 2013 00:00:00 -0800

Veteran works, Shakespearean performances, and more!

New plays and arts programs for veterans emerge, Twelfth Night and Waiting for Godot with Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen opens on Broadway, and Princess Bride turns into a stage production.

Veterans in the arts

1. Play about honoring veterans features real-life military personnel by Kristin Tillotson [StarTribune.com]
November 9, 2013

The Veterans Play Project, which premiers Friday at Fort Snelling’s Base Camp, is a show based on experiences from military with a cast primarily made up of veterans. "Set in a fictitious small town going through a debate about turning a sacred space called the Rock into a veterans memorial, the play explores how vets are honored for their service, and the varying feelings they have about that."

2. War Theater, Repurposed By Robin Pogrebin [NYTimes.com]
November 10, 2013

After a time of service, many veterans do not know how to re-enter the arts world. B. R. McDonald is a veteran himself, and after seeing this need decided to create his Veteran Artist Program that helps "former soldiers learn to navigate the entertainment business and pitch their projects."

New York Shows

3. Boys Will Be Boys (and Sometimes Girls) by Ben Brantley [NYTimes.com]
November 10, 2013

Twelfth Night, which opened on Sunday in New York with Mark Rylance, was a big success. The production featured males in all of the roles to give it the original Shakespearean feel.

4. Meet Didi & Gogo! Get an Absurd First Look at Patrick Stewart & Ian McKellen in Waiting For Godot by Lindsay Champion [Broadway.com]
November 11, 2013

Sir Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart team up in Samuel Beckett's Waiting For Godot. The two orginally performed this in London in 2009, but will now open at the Cort Theatre on November 24.

5. 'Princess Bride' to be turned into a Disney stage production by David Ng [LATimes.com]
November 11, 2013

Disney announced on Monday that they will be adapting the movie Princess Bride for a stage production. There is no release date yet, nor do they know whether or not they will be making it a play or a musical.

Sleep

Center Theatre Group — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 21:32:00 -0800

There are medical conditions where symptoms include involuntary sleep. Narcolepsy sufferers have no control over short episodes of sleep, it can happen anywhere at any time. “There is a rare ‘Sleeping Beauty’ condition (Kleine-Levin Syndrome) where sufferers experience long sleep episodes.

Many people sleepwalk, carrying out simple or complex and sometimes dangerous activities with no recollection when they wake (somnambulism or noctambulism). Perhaps students in your group sleepwalk or know someone who does?

There is also a lot of research into teenage sleep and the amount of sleep they need or don’t need, the findings vary. Although there does seem to be a consensus on the impact of lack of sleep in teenagers – their academic studies can suffer.

“It’s well-known that teenagers are often night owls and sleepy during the day, so it may be cheering to know that there’s a reason for it.

Research shows that adolescent body clocks differ from those of adults and they do need more sleep. While the average nine- to 10-year-old requires eight hours sleep a night, their older teenage siblings might well need an extra hour and a half.

Lack of sleep is a common cause of under-performance, according to research by the National Sleep Foundation in the US. It found that students obtaining lower grades went to bed later and had fewer hours’ sleep than their higher-achieving classmates.

Difficulties in remembering or concentrating on work in class are associated with sleep deprivation because the brain continues to work while we are asleep, processing new information that enhances the learning process. Some teens can suffer mood or personality changes and may have physical symptoms such as headaches.”

“They often protest that they need the extra hours in bed. But getting too much sleep could in fact be leaving teenagers behind at school, according to research. A study found that they performed better academically if they cut down on lie-ins and had more regular sleep patterns.

And while many think they need nine hours, the optimum amount of sleep for a typical 16-year-old is just seven a night, according to scientists at Brigham Young University, in Utah. Eric Eide, study author, said: ‘We’re not talking about sleep deprivation. The data simply says that seven hours is optimal at that age.’ Reporting the findings in the Eastern Economics Journal, the team said the right amount of sleep decreases with age. The optimum amount of sleep for a ten-year-old is around nine hours while for 12-year-olds it is eight hours.

HOW MUCH SLEEP IS OK?

Most studies suggest teenagers need at least nine hours sleep. And previous studies suggest that children between age seven and 12 need 11 hours in bed. But, according to this latest research by Brigham Young University, the right amount - in terms of testing best in exams - is as follows:

Aged 10: nine to 9.5 hours
Aged 12: eight to 8.5 hours
Aged 16: eleven hours.

Center Theatre Group wins big at Ovations

Tue, 05 Nov 2013 00:00:00 -0800

Center Theatre Group wins big at Ovations

CTG takes 12 trophies at the Ovation Awards, and other highlights from L.A. theatre's biggest night.

Onstage in L.A.

1.Center Theatre Group Collects 12 Awards at L.A. Stage Alliance's 24th Ovation Awards by Degen Pener [HollywoodReporter.com]
November 4, 2013

November 3 was a good night for Center Theatre Group, which won 12 trophies at the annual Ovation Awards. The event, hosted by Michael McKean, honored the season's best in theatre.

2. Ovation Awards 2013: Center Theatre Group, La Mirada win big By David Ng [LATimes.com]
November 4, 2013

"The Ovation Awards, L.A.'s biggest theater honors, were handed out Sunday at a ceremony at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse." Click here for a complete list of the night's winners.

3. THE ARTS FIX: Top 5 #OvationAwards Instagram Photos by Dani Oliver [LAStageTimes.com]
November 5, 2013

Guests at the Ovation Awards ceremony took to social media to share their thoughts, opinions and silly photos. Here are the top five Instagram moments, according to the event's media manager, Dani Oliver.

4. Notes on The Nether From Ovation Awards Champs by Les Spindle [LAStageTimes.com]
November 5, 2013

CTG's world-premiere production of The Nether turned out to be the Ovation Awards' most feted production. Playwright Jennifer Haley, director Neel Keller, actors Dakin Matthews and Brighid Fleming, and set designer Adrian W. Jones reflect on the creative process that led to the well-received production.

5. It was a Quick and Mostly Painless Evening at the Ovation Awards Last Night by Colin Mitchell [Bitter-Lemons.com]
November 4, 2013

Colin Mitchell shares his views on the Ovation Award ceremony's hits and misses.

Center Theatre Group News & Blogs

Opening nights and premieres galore

Opening nights and premieres galore

With Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty here at Center Theatre Group, Macbeth at Lincoln center, and more premiering shows around the country, the LA and NY stage scenes are extremely busy.

Opening Nights

Premiering Shows

Veteran works, Shakespearean performances, and more!

Veteran works, Shakespearean performances, and more!

New plays and arts programs for veterans emerge, Twelfth Night and Waiting for Godot with Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen opens on Broadway, and Princess Bride turns into a stage production.

Veterans in the arts

New York Shows

Sleep

Center Theatre Group wins big at Ovations

Center Theatre Group wins big at Ovations

CTG takes 12 trophies at the Ovation Awards, and other highlights from L.A. theatre's biggest night.

Onstage in L.A.

Did your favorite productions win Ovation Awards? Tells us what you think about the honorees in the comments section!