Center Theatre Group News & Blogs

Family Affairs

Mon, 30 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0700

Family affairs

As Luis Alfaro, Lorenzo Pisoni and Trieu Tran's solo performances place their fathers center stage, we take a look at some of the other family affairs making headlines in the theatre world.

CTG in the News

1. Solos at the Douglas — From St. Jude to Rodney King to Uncle Sam by Larry Pontius [LAStageAlliance.com]
September 18, 2013

“I probably shouldn’t have done it now. It’s seven months into it.” Luis Alfaro is talking about the grief he is now beginning to experience from the loss of his father. “I’m totally having a hard time going through it.”

2. At Taper Show, They Send in the Clown by Jim Farber [LADowntownNews.com]
September 18, 2013

For hundreds, even thousands of years, circus families have inhabited a world unto themselves, a lifestyle based on itinerant wandering and endless performances. It is replete with its own code of conduct and unique perspective on child rearing.

This is ...

Theatre on the Road

3. Condola Rashad, star-bred and 'Cosby' trained by Steven Zeitchik [LATimes.com]
September 28, 2013

When Condola Rashad was a little girl, her mother would often take her to work. The youngster would sit and play or watch curiously as the woman she called Mom scurried about her job.

It was similar to the experience ...

4. Take a Trip Through the Memory of Tennessee Williams and the All-American Classic The Glass Menagerie by Marc Snetiker [Broadway.com]
September 21, 2013

The parallels between Glass and Williams’ real-life family were intentional: The young writer (whose first name is Thomas) was much like free-minded, guilt-ridden Tom; his older sister, Rose (who eventually had a frontal lobotomy), paralleled the afflicted Laura. Williams’ father ...

From Stage to Screen

5. Watch Meryl Streep Spar With Julia Roberts & More in New August: Osage County Trailer by Kathy Henderson [Broadway.com]
September 12, 2013

This two-minute preview centers on the Weston family's notorious dinner scene, which begins with a lengthy blessing delivered by in-law Charlie Aiken (Chris Cooper) and includes many of playwright-turned-screenwriter Tracy Letts’ best barbs, including the clan’s reaction when young Jean ...

Playwrights find a home in the Ojai Valley

Wed, 18 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0700

Playwrights find a home in the Ojai Valley

by Tiffany Moon

The Ojai Playwrights Conference and the birth of a play

For the last 16 summers, playwrights, both emerging and established, have convened in Ojai, Calif., for two weeks of intimate reflection and genesis of their work. Leading directors and dramaturges of the American theatre scene are invited to make up the creative teams for each writer, and a group of 10-15 undergraduates and recent graduates make up the intern team of literary and directing associates that work in concert to bring the play to life. Add to that a company of professional actors and stage managers, and a devoted administrative and production staff, and the result is a kind of summer camp for theatre professionals, where for two weeks the only thing that matters is a focus on what the playwright needs to take their work to the next level.

One thing you hear repeated from the playwrights who attend the conference is that OPC is a safe place for them, where they are able to really focus on the material they are working on without fear of failure or criticism.

The 2013 Ojai Playwrights Conference took place from July 29 – August 11, gathering eight playwrights (Luis Alfaro, Lucy Alibar, Richard Cabral, Sam Hunter, Sean Lewis, Jiehae Park, Laura Schellhardt, David Wiener) to work on brand new pieces that would culminate with public readings during the New Works Festival portion of the week. Alice Tuan, one writer-in-residence and a former CTG Sherwood Award winner, served as a dramaturg in addition to working on her latest plays inside the library room.
The first week of OPC is invitation-only, providing the playwrights an opportunity to hear their play read aloud by their fellow artists in a nonthreatening environment. After the play is read, there is a discussion period where the entire artistic company gives constructive feedback. This feedback allows each playwright to hear from the directors and dramaturges who will be working on other plays during the following week before they enter the rehearsal period.

The first week also features a workshop for our interns, who work on creating and developing their own solo pieces with the playwrights and artistic staff that will be performed for the company during the second week. It is an incredible opportunity for these future artistic leaders to work side-by-side with working professionals on material that is personal and transformative.

The second week is the Festival Week, where professional actors come in and the plays begin to be shaped for their public readings at the end of the week. During this time, there are many revisions as the plays move toward fulfilling the ultimate vision of the playwright.

The Festival Week also includes the Youth Workshop, a program where junior high and high school students are led through a week of writing and theatre exercises led by OPC co-founder Kim Maxwell, culminating in a public performance of original scenes and monologues created throughout the week. The Youth Workshop is mentored by the OPC playwrights and dramaturges.

Two plays from the 2013 conference will see premieres in Southern California this season – St. Jude by Luis Alfaro, directed by OPC Artistic Director Robert Egan, currently playing at the Kirk Douglas Theatre as part of RADAR L.A.; and Rest by Sam Hunter, which will be part of South Coast Repertory’s 50th Anniversary season.

For everyone involved, the Ojai Playwrights Conference is an inspiring two-week period that provides the ideal environment for the birth of a play. The Ojai Playwrights Conference is committed to nurturing artists who speak to the current issues of our world and aren’t afraid to grapple with these topics in a meaningful and artistic way. For more information about the Ojai Playwrights Conference, including how to apply to be an intern or how to submit your work for consideration, visit our website.

The work on the city’s #RadarLA, and other theatre news

Wed, 18 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0700

The work on the city’s #RadarLA, and other theatre news

As theatre-lovers gear up for the international Radar L.A. festival, Los Angeles-based artists earn Ovation Award nominations for their original work.

CTG in the News

1. 2013 LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Award nominees announced [LAStageAlliance.com]
September 16, 2013

New work by Los Angeles artists landed Center Theatre Group at the top of the heap when LA STAGE Alliance announced the Ovation Award nominations on Monday night. Eighteen of CTG's 29 nominations were for brand-new productions mounted at the Kirk Douglas Theatre: Jennifer Haley's The Nether with nine, Marco Ramirez's The Royale with seven and The Second City's A Christmas Carol: Twist Your Dickens! with two. Los Angeles-based playwrights Haley and Ramirez also earned nods for playwriting.

Other nominations recognized CTG's entire season and Joe Turner's Come and Gone, Anything Goes and The Scottsboro Boys.

To read the complete list of nominees, click here!

2. Sunshine Boys Danny DeVito and Judd Hirsch crack wise by Jessica Gelt [LATimes.com]
September 12, 2013

Danny DeVito and Judd Hirsch blow into a downtown steakhouse like a comedy hurricane.

They've arrived straight from rehearsal for their upcoming show, "The Sunshine Boys," at the Ahmanson Theatre, and the tone of their entrance shtick owes something to ...

Onstage in L.A.

3. Radar L.A. Is Again on LA's Radar by Les Spindle [LAStageTimes.com]
August 28, 2013

"The 2013 festival’s eclectic bill of fare will be concentrated in several venues in LA and vicinity over an eight-day period — although several productions open before the festival or will extend briefly beyond the festival. The event will include ... "

Theatre on the Road

4. DOMESTICATED dives into the conflagration of gender, power, sexuality and politics [LCT.org]
September 16, 2013

Fresh off their run together with A Parallelogram at the Mark Taper Forum, playwright Bruce Norris and director Anna D. Shapiro are now collaborating on Domesticated for Lincoln Center Theater. Read more about this new work. starring Laurie Metcalf and Jeff Goldblum, here.

In the Artist's Own Words

TheAtlantic.com's new video series, called Creative Breakthroughs, presents interviews with leaders in media, tech and the arts. One of our favorites so far comes from CTG favorite Anna Deavere Smith, who transformed adversity into a whole new form of storytelling.

Walt Disney Concert Hall nears 10th anniversary, and other theatre news

Wed, 11 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0700

Walt Disney Concert Hall nears 10th anniversary, and other theatre news

The casting changes, world premieres, season announcements and other milestones theatre-lovers have been talking about this week.

CTG in the News

1. Take a Magical First Look at Laura Osnes and New Godmother Rebecca Luker in Broadway's Cinderella by Josh Ferri [Broadway.com]
September 10, 2013

The Broadway revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, co-produced by Center Theatre Group, underwent a magical transformation of its own this week when Rebecca Luker took over the role of Marie, the Fairy Godmother. Broadway.com announced the casting change last week, and has since published one of the first production photos with Luker in costume. Check it out here!

2. REVIEW: The Tallest Tree in the Forest by Frank Siraguso [Infozine.com]
September 11, 2013

The Tallest Tree in the Forest, written and performed by Daniel Beaty, opened at Kansas City Repertory Theatre this week. The play, which chronicles Paul Robeson's remarkable life, heads to the Mark Taper Forum in April 2014. In his review of the world-premiere production, Frank Siraguso says Beaty's "portrayal of Paul Robeson comes at a time when such a voice is more important than ever."

Onstage in L.A.

3. Share your Walt Disney Concert Hall memories and photos [LATimes.com]
September 11, 2013

"Walt Disney Concert Hall's 10th-anniversary season is fast approaching.

The hall's resident orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, begins a season of celebrating with four free community concerts later this month and a red-carpet gala on Sept. 30. The commemorations continue ... "

4. Two Lemon Faves 24th Street and Boston Court Announce New Seasons by Colin Mitchell [LosAngeles.Bitter-Lemons.com]
September 9, 2013

"Two of our favorite theater companies, Boston Court Performing Arts Center and 24th Street Theatre, have announced their upcoming seasons.

These guys are always taking risks, sometimes hitting, sometimes missing, but always challenging themselves and us in return. ... "

5. Non-Traditionalists Deliver Death of a Salesman, Hamlet by Don Shirley [LAStageTimes.com]
September 9, 2013

"A pair of to-be-or-not-to-be classics opened over the weekend — Death of a Salesman at South Coast Repertory and Hamlet at the Odyssey. Both productions are non-traditionally cast.

But before I discuss the casting…

You may recall that ... "

Openings, Broadway debuts and cast changes set theatre world abuzz

Fri, 06 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0700

Openings, Broadway debuts and cast changes set theatre world abuzz

Oscar-nominee Michelle Williams steps into Liza's shoes, and Justin Bartha spreads a little Sunshine at the Ahmanson Theatre. Plus, a look at the forthcoming recordings of August Wilson's Century Cycle.

In the House

1. Justin Bartha Joins LA Production of Sunshine Boys, Starring Danny DeVito and Judd Hirsch by Adam Hetrick and Andrew Gans [Playbill.com]
September 4, 2013

Justin Bartha will join Danny DeVito and Judd Hirsch in the Center Theatre Group production of Neil Simon's The Sunshine Boys, which will begin performances Sept. 24 in Los Angeles.

Thea Sharrock (Equus, After the Dance) stages the comedy ...

Theatre on the Road

2. Michelle Williams to Make Broadway Debut in 'Cabaret' by Patrick Healy [ArtsBeat.Blogs.NYTimes.com]
September 3, 2013

Michelle Williams, the three-time Academy Award nominee and former star of the television series “Dawson’s Creek,” will make her Broadway debut as Sally Bowles in Roundabout Theater Company’s revival of “Cabaret,” the theater confirmed on Wednesday.

The 24-week run will ...

3. Fun Facts About Zachary Quinto And The Cast Of Broadway's "The Glass Menagerie" by Arielle Calderon [BuzzFeed.com]
September 5, 2013

BuzzFeed sat down with the cast of Tennessee Williams [sic] Broadway show The Glass Menagerie. Here are some fun things we learned about the talented group. ...

Onstage in L.A.

4. More theater, music and dance announced for new Annenberg Center by Deborah Vankin [LATimes.com]
September 6, 2013

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, which will finally open its long-awaited doors for a gala celebration in October, has announced additional programs for its inaugural season.

As previously announced, the 2.5-acre, two-theater arts complex in Beverly Hills will debut ...

August Wilson News

5. STAGE TUBE: Directors Hudson, Rashad and More Talk August Wilson Live Recordings by Stage Tube [BroadwayWorld.com]
August 23, 2013

While "Lee Daniels' The Butler" is generating Oscar buzz for its chronicle of several decades of African-American political life, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson masterfully documented a full century of the African-American experience in the 10 plays the [sic] make up the American Century Cycle.