April

Why would an African-American—and a slave—enter a Civil War battlefield on the side of the Confederacy? Hero, the character at the center of Suzan-Lori Parks’ Father Comes Home From The Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3), which plays the Mark Taper Forum through May 15, 2016, wrestles with this very question as the play opens. His master has prom...

How Slaves Fought—and Found Freedom—in the Civil War

Some great stories not only stand the test of time but go on to inspire great art for generations to come. Homer’s Odyssey, the story of Trojan War hero Odysseus’ journey from the battlefield to his home and family is one such masterpiece. Over 2,500 years after it was written (or spoken), The Odyssey continues to shape a sizable portion o...

Art That Drinks from the Well of ‘The Odyssey’

Just days after Christmas, if you happened to stroll past a nondescript, dark-curtained storefront—the one just beyond the costume shop and the tax preparer along West Whittier Boulevard—most likely, you wouldn’t have looked twice. You wouldn’t have known that something magical was at work; that while a play was being made, a bridge wa...

Down the Rabbit Hole with "Through the Looking Glass"

Dealing with actors who chew the scenery is an occupational hazard for theatre artists. Occasionally, however, the problem is literal: when a script calls for a canine in a key role. But while it may be challenging to put a dog onstage, it’s more often than not a hit with audiences, including if the dog is played by a human, as in Suzan-Lori...

Dogs of Stage Chew the Scenery

While serial murder is not often considered fertile ground for comedy, when one actor plays all eight of a play’s ill-fated characters, as in A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder (which plays the Ahmanson Theatre through May 1, 2016), the potential for comedic virtuosity becomes endless. But what are the logistics of playing ei...

A Backstage Ballet...An Actor and his Dressers

Suzan-Lori Parks has been named one of Time magazine’s “100 Innovators for the Next New Wave.” She is a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and a MacArthur “Genius” award recipient. Her plays, screenplays, poems, and songs have garnered countless awards from organizations across the United States. Her most recent play, Father Comes Hom...

Creating Roads: a Conversation with Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks