Center Theatre Group News & Blogs

Creating our Soft Power

Bobby Martinez — Wed, 31 May 2023 17:06:00 -0700

At the Mark Taper Forum, Center Theatre Group is preparing to present the world premiere of A Transparent Musical, which opens this May. In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, we are reflecting on another world premiere musical at Center Theatre Group, Soft Power by David Henry Hwang, which opened in May of 2018. We spoke with Hwang to discuss the process and creation of a new musical, the impact and heart of Soft Power, and the importance of Asian American stories in theatre.

In Soft Power, the character DHH dreams of a futuristic musical that tackles themes and messages that are of importance to him. How did you first come to the idea of Soft Power and what motivated you to tell that story?

HWANG: I saw Bart Sher's production of The King and I on Broadway. I'd always loved that show but became more aware of how an inconsequential historical figure had been elevated into a major cultural icon through the "soft power" of the American musical. This led me to want to create a reverse The King and I, where the "true" story of a minor Chinese character in America would be similarly elevated through the lens of a futuristic Chinese musical. I figured we would start by seeing the "real" story through a play, then mythologize it in the musical.

What was it like to build a “play with a musical” from the ground up? What were the most exciting aspects, and were there any challenges along the way?

HWANG: This was an extremely challenging process in many ways! Perhaps the two most consequential challenges came out of unexpected real-life events. One—The 2016 election. In my original conception, the Chinese character was going to become an advisor to President Hillary Clinton. We even did a reading of this early draft the morning of the 2016 election! The next morning, I remember calling director Leigh Silverman and saying, "I think this will be bad for the country, but it could be good for the show. Two—My stabbing. As I began writing the show and transitioning from the play to the musical, I found myself writing about my having been stabbed in the neck a couple of years prior. I thought, "This will never make it into the show," but it ended up becoming a pivotal plot device.

Throughout the show, we see DHH’s struggle and alienation for not being “Chinese” or “American” enough, but finds power in telling stories through both cultures. Why did you feel compelled to add this plot line to the show, and what do you hope audiences gain from this perspective?

HWANG: I've written both AAPI and transnational stories. In Soft Power, I wanted to be transparent about portraying a "Chinese story" through an AAPI lens. Since the musical is literally DHH's fever dream when he's stabbed, we're able to experience that dual perspective.

Since its premiere in 2019, there has been an increase in anti-Asian rhetoric and actions throughout the United States. Is there anything from your experience with Soft Power that you hope audiences will carry to challenge the rise in Asian hate?

HWANG: The spike in anti-Asian hate, which began during the pandemic, has made the stabbing of DHH in the show even more relevant and relatable. As I continue to reconceive Soft Power for its next iteration, I hope to utilize the fact that audiences are much less likely to believe, as some did in 2019, that anti-Asian racism doesn't exist. I hope audiences can understand how the soft power of dehumanizing narratives and stories makes more possible real-life hate and attacks. Representation is not just a matter of visibility—it can be literally a matter of life and death. Moreover, I hope AAPI audiences grasp that "model minority"-ism doesn't work; we are only accepted in America until we are not. Rather than accommodating racism and believing that proximity to whiteness will protect us, we must fight racism, uniting with other BIPOC communities and white allies who share our cause.

You carry a legacy of powerful and thought-provoking work that touches on both the Asian and Asian American experience. What draws you to tell these stories for the community with theatre as the medium?

HWANG: I don't know that an artist gets to choose their subject. I've been attracted to Asian and AAPI stories because they've helped me to understand myself, and my relationship to this country as well as the root culture of my parents. I'm attracted to theatre because I love the interaction between live performers and a live audience, in a space that is simultaneously naturalistic and metaphorical.

Do you feel that there are any challenges or obstacles the Asian American community faces in the theatre industry?

HWANG: Asian and AAPI stories are still largely excluded from commercial and Broadway theatre. Particularly over the past 3-5 years, theatre has fallen behind film and TV in this regard.

Is there anything the American theatre community must do to support our Asian American storytellers both onstage and off?

HWANG: See our shows! Support AAPI artists, through ticket purchases and donations! And if your kids want to pursue a career in the arts, celebrate and encourage them!

Being Transparent with Adina Verson

Bobby Martinez — Tue, 30 May 2023 12:54:00 -0700

A Transparent Musical, which opens at the Mark Taper Forum at the end of the month, explores the intersection of Jewish and queer history. The brand-new musical follows the Pfeffermans, a Los Angeles Jewish family that is forced to confront their own identities when their parent, Maura, transitions to the transgender matriarch she always knew she was. In honor of Jewish American Heritage Month, we sat down with A Transparent Musical’s Adina Verson (they/she) to discuss the importance of Jewish and queer stories on stage, as well as their own relationship with theatre, their identity, and their heritage.

Verson was raised Jewish and grew up attending a reformed synagogue. One of their earliest memories involves a woman who would wear a kippah, which is traditionally worn by Jewish males to cover their heads. “I remember being fascinated by this person Verson questioned why she was allowed to wear one. Soon after, the prayer books at their temple changed all the pronouns for God to neutral pronouns. “Just a little change like that was so integral to understanding gender and spirituality,” they said.

Verson grew up in the Midwest and was involved in the arts from a young start. They participated in community theatre, was a member of the children’s choir, and always enjoyed acting. By high school, they were enrolled at an art school that encouraged students to attend college, which lead Verson to study musical theatre.

But as time went on, they found themselves not enjoying the art form. “I didn’t feel like I had a place in musical theatre,” they shared.

After four years, they decided to shift their focus and study acting in graduate school. Verson found themselves enjoying the craft, as it aided them in processing their own emotions and trauma. “I really felt like I could find myself in this place,” Verson shared. “I think I would go insane if I wasn’t an actor.”

Though they currently star in a Jewish and queer musical, Verson already carries familiarity in telling these stories onstage. In 2017, Verson starred in the Broadway production of Indecent and was also a cast member in the production the Ahmanson in 2019. In the show, Verson played various roles, including Rifkele, a Jewish and lesbian woman who falls for a prostitute who works at her father’s brothel.

Verson identifies as nonbinary, which has played a massive role in their life and understanding their own queerness. But their journey was still in progress while working on Indecent. “[It] made me realize that I don’t identify with being a woman, and I don’t identify with being a lesbian,” they shared.

But even while coming to terms with their own identity, Verson found beauty in the production, as it was an opportunity to showcase the intersection between the Jewish and queer communities.

Verson also found Indecent to be important as it explored a different side of Jewish history. “As a Jewish kid, all we did in Sunday school was talk about the Holocaust,” they shared. “[It’s} very important but traumatizing. During Indecent, I feel like I was able to explore different parts of Jewish history that are not put at the forefront of Jewish education.”

The cast was able to visit the Jewish Museum, where there were different kinds of menorahs on display. Verson was interested to see how different each menorah was to one another and contributes this to the individuality and progression of the Jewish experience.

“I feel like I truly learned what the Jewish Diaspora is, in that it’s this huge umbrella,” they shared. This helped Verson understand the progression of the Jewish experience throughout history, and how the community has grown and evolved in the face of adversity.

“I learned in Indecent that, during WWII, [when] people immigrated to the United States, the goal was to assimilate, and that’s where reformed Judaism came from,” they shared. “People wanted to assimilate because they had never been accepted into a culture.”

In A Transparent Musical, Verson plays Ali, who goes on their own journey of identity and self-discovery after grappling with their parents' own transition. The process of creating a queer and Jewish musical has been rewarding for Verson in many ways.

“It means so much to have a character like [Ali,]” they shared. “I have struggled for so long in not feeling queer enough. I’m married to a man. I have a child....and so I always feel like I am not seen as queer.”

But for Verson, being in a room with other nonbinary, transgender, and gender expansive performers has made them feel seen and a part of the community. Verson also feels that a role like Ali showcases the infinite possibilities of being nonbinary. They find this to come at a pivotal time, when stories about the gender spectrum are being placed within a binary.

“It’s been boxed in again, and I love that Ali’s journey is really in the gray area and not defined,” they said. “I really hope that other people like me feel accepted into the queer community regardless of where on the spectrum they are.”

As audiences walk into the Mark Taper Forum, they are transported to a Jewish Community Center, (JCC) where the heart of A Transparent Musical takes places. The Taper has been transformed to look like a JCC, with community posters and event fliers decorating its walls. For Verson, seeing the set and walls of the show has made them feel at home.

“Similar to the gender spectrum, I feel like [the Jewish spectrum] isn’t often explored,” they noted. “So many Jewish plays and stories are pre-Holocaust, before Judaism branched into different practices.”

For Verson, stories that focus on Orthodox or specific practices of Judaism don’t feel as familiar, as they didn’t practice in those specific sects. “Kind of like my queerness, it’s a thing where I identify with this, but I still feel on the outside. To have a story about reformed Judaism within a JCC is amazing to feel on the inside of.”

Verson hopes that Jewish audiences feel at home as well while watching A Transparent Musical, and that non-Jewish audiences also feel welcomed. “It’s about bringing people together instead of keeping people apart,” they shared.

Creating a welcome environment for all is important to the heart of A Transparent Musical, as it embodies the act of acceptance and inclusivity for all while still creating a space for the marginalized. Verson feels it's important to ask who the audience is of the intended art and finds the show to be a symbol of that mission.

“This show does an incredible job of being inclusive,” they shared. “It’s such a diverse cast.... people from all walks of life that have all had a voice in the room.”

The show also provides the opportunity to heal as a community with theatre as the medium. With the actors onstage telling the story, it creates a connection between the audience and performer that resonates with one's empathy. Though the transgender and Jewish communities have faced adversity, Verson finds that telling these stories is important for a culture to survive.

“It takes the foundational Jewish saying of “never forget” and really explores what that means,” they shared. “Hopefully [it] will make people see how much joy and possibility there is now and will help us to not repeat mistakes." As antisemitism and transphobia rises throughout the country, Verson finds that A Transparent Musical can counter those notions simply by existing. “I think it puts trans, queer, Jewish human beings in front of you, and I feel like that's all you need,” they said. “You just need to see that it’s a human being. And we all have the same goal. We all want to live safe, respected lives.”

Light Up Los Angeles

Center Theatre Group — Thu, 25 May 2023 16:12:00 -0700

Attendees gathered for an evening not just under the stars but surrounded by them. This year’s Honorary Gala Co-Chairs included Angela Bassett & Courtney B. Vance, Anna Camp, Adam Rothenberg, and Cecily Strong. Attendees began the evening with a reception & dinner at the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion. The Mark Taper Forum then hosted special appearances from Jesse Tyler Ferguson & Justin Mikita, Rachel Bloom, Brendan Hunt, Sadie Brickman Reynolds, Joey & Faith Soloway, and Michael Urie, along with some special performances.

Incoming Artistic Director Snehal Desai also made his first public remarks on the Taper stage. He spoke of the enduring legacy of Center Theatre Group and how he hopes to inspire others as he departs East West Players to lead Center Theatre Group into its next chapter.

“Change will come, but I do also want to acknowledge that all of this happens as we stand on the shoulders of giants,” he said. “I feel so privileged to stand before you, connecting two of the most iconic theaters not only in L.A., but in the country and some of the greatest leaders the American theatre has ever known.”

At the end of his speech, Desai asked that the house lights be raised so that the audience could be in view. “I see you,” he told the audience. “And thank you for seeing me.”

Many stars of both stage and screen performed throughout the evening as well. Deborah Cox and Cheyanne Jackson reunited to sing “Written in the Stars” from Aida—17 years after they performed alongside each other in the Broadway production. Carmen Cusack delivered a climactic performance of the titular song from Flying Over Sunset and George Salazar brought the house down with a performance from Joe Iconis’ The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical. Culture Clash made audiences chuckle with a comedy performance. And Peppermint brought the audience to their feet with her performance of “Killing Me Softly.”

After the show, attendees and celebrities alike danced the night away on the Jeffrey Moss Plaza led by DJ Heidi Lawden. Take a look at some of the special moments of the evening!

A New Standing Order

Jessica Doherty — Thu, 18 May 2023 18:07:00 -0700

A Transparent Musical, playing at the Mark Taper Forum through June 25th, is inspired by the award-winning Amazon Prime Original Series Transparent, created by Joey Soloway. Though the characters may overlap, the story is new, serving as an alternate canon separate from the events of the television show that first aired in 2014.

“New musicals are exciting because of their potential,” Kelley said. “The amount of people collaborating towards that one thing is epic.”

What does it mean to develop a completely new musical? On the heels of the global pandemic and financial insecurity, Kelley said it involves a great deal of risk—but it isn’t without reward. “It makes me really proud to work here,” he said. “It’s great to put the spotlight on the radical joy of this show and the community members [whose] stories are being told.”

Many iterations of A Transparent Musical existed before the production currently on the Taper stage, and many creatives collaborated to create it. Co-Book Writer Joey Soloway said one of the first iterations of the musical was a 2018 performance at Joe’s Pub in New York City, for which their sibling, Faith Soloway, wrote the songs and lyrics. Director Tina Landau joined later that year. Co-Book Writer MJ Kaufman joined the process when there was a draft of the script and songs that were being rewritten. Choreographer James Alsop joined in 2020 after working with Tina on another project the year prior.

Center Theatre Group received a draft of the script in 2022 and announced that the world premiere production would take place on the Taper stage about a year later. From there, Kelley said there were several development workshops, from short table reads to partially staged workshops. In between these workshops, the creatives reworked the script and songs. After the last workshop in March, a new draft was ready for when the cast started a four-week rehearsal process in Los Angeles in April before opening at the end of May.

Tina feels that five years is not very long when developing a new musical—she spent 10 years working on The SpongeBob Musical. But much has changed since the team began creating A Transparent Musical in 2018. “We started this show pre-COVID, pre-hundreds of anti-trans legislations,” she said. “The world was different—it was the before time.” Despite the myriad of ways the world has changed around the show, Tina feels it resonates, perhaps even more, to audiences in 2023. “I always loved [A Transparent Musical] and its spirit of inclusion, its humor, its subversive sensibility—but I didn’t feel the same necessity and passion about it that I do now,” she said. “It has become increasingly more pertinent and urgent.”

As of early May 2023, there have been 541 bills both nationwide and in 49 states that bar access to healthcare, education, legal recognition, and public existence for transgender, nonbinary, and/or gender nonconforming individuals. Some of these bills impact other intersections of identity, seeking to defund or bar Critical Race Theory, Radical Feminist Theory, Critical Ethnic Studies, and more from higher education.

Both the story and the cast represent and investigate the many intersections of identity beyond gender—of sexuality, race, and religious belief as well. “I would say every cross-section and group or identity in our company is living in a world where some part of how they identify, if not all, is being attacked or made to feel unsafe in the world,” Tina said.

Joey feels that the song, “Jewish and Queer,” at the beginning of Act Two encapsulates the hope transgender and nonbinary individuals felt just a few years ago, through the lens of the queer and/or Jewish people who did not survive the Holocaust. A large part of the show takes place at the Institute of Sexual Research in Berlin in the 1930s—one of the first clinics and research centers for gender and sexuality studies and healthcare in the world that was largely erased from history.

“It points to history repeating itself,” Faith said. They feel that even Jewish and/or queer individuals do not know much about this point in history, and the conversations and studies that were underway, because of how its materials and existence were destroyed.

The television show Transparent began airing in 2014, nearly 10 years before this production. “I don’t think we could have imagined, 10 years later, that things would be actually getting worse for trans people,” Joey said. “We have become an object of hatred for people by putting ourselves out there. It feels good to represent ourselves, but you will immediately become targets.”

Despite this, James feels there is power in visibility. “As hard as you try to erase us, get rid of us, try to silence us—it’s impossible,” she said. “No matter how you see me, you have to see me as human first.”

A Transparent Musical is not just about the experience of being queer, but queerness is inherently built into the show’s approach to genre and storytelling.

“The show we are doing is what I call 'genre-queer,'” Tina said. “You can’t define it, it doesn’t remain one thing, it doesn’t live by or exist by the rules of a binary and it is constantly in flux, surprising, and has the freedom to change.”

This is MJ’s first time writing for a musical—but he has written many plays, often about queer characters who are interrogating the roles of gender, masculinity, and power in the world and featuring nontraditional family structures. Thematically, A Transparent Musical fits well into their body of work.

When writing, MJ said they bring the specifics from the world they live in onto the stage, which makes the show more accessible for the communities they are representing as well as those outside of it. “The Jewish worlds I am a part of are filled with queer and trans people and are very multi-racial, multi-ethnic,” he said. “I think that’s good and important [for audiences] to confront their own assumptions about who can be a Jew and what they look like.”

Faith feels that Judaism has influenced the play itself as well. “As Jews, we are allowed to ask questions, our religion gives us that tolerance and...dares us to push against what’s in front of us.”

James finds that the opening number is a testament to the many ways people challenge the status quo. “Standing Order” is a company-wide song, in which Jewish Community Center members sing about a change to their routine breakfast order. “It means more than just the food,” James said. “It means how people are used to having things a certain way in their life and it's difficult for people to adjust to change...We’ve all wanted to break tradition and start our own.”

Despite some heavy themes, there is a great deal of levity and humor throughout the show.

“The laughing, the crying, the singing is a way to move the ideas through the body without giving a lecture,” Joey said. When commenting on the humor of the show, Joey chuckled. “[Jewish people] have always been the joke writers.”

One of MJ’s favorite lines echoes this sentiment: “I laugh my way through it // Only way I know how to do it.” They feel it speaks to themselves and their work. “It feels so culturally true and easy,” they said. “And speaks to the truth of life and the reality of being alive.”

Joey feels this play is for everyone—including straight and cisgender men. “This is not a play against them,” they said. “This is a play that includes them and welcomes them and tells their stories, too.”

At the heart of A Transparent Musical is a family. The Pfeffermans, yes, but the family of the JCC and the queer community across generations as well.

“I think that’s something the characters in this play learn in different ways, how much family and chosen family aren’t actually a binary or dichotomy,” MJ said.

The familial bond of the show is only natural to siblings Joey and Faith, whose personal experience has been embedded in both the television show Transparent and A Transparent Musical. For Faith, who grew up listening to musicals with Joey and has worked as a composer for many years, A Transparent Musical, “reflects a life of working in music.”

Not only did one of Joey and Faith’s parent’s transition, but they both came out as nonbinary as well.

“Being second-generation trans is a really special experience, because there were a lot of people who weren’t aware of the trans people in their family because people didn’t get to be trans,” Joey said. “It’s a very privileged position and it’s a very powerful position—I hope we can use that position to stand next to all the people who are figuring it out.”

James feels similarly. “It’s not that bad to try something new... to choose love [and] kindness... to respect each person individually as who they are,” she said. “If we take the time to understand [people] and respect them at the bare minimum, we can move through this world much [easier].”

Tina hopes audiences will leave the show with, “an open heart and appreciation, rather than a suspicion, of difference and otherness.”

Joey and Faith feel that the show could inspire change in the world outside of the walls of the Taper. “What I have always wanted to do with this material is feel that electricity with an audience of an awakening of something new,” Faith said.

“The power of solidarity, the power of recognizing that so many of us are ‘other’ and feeling alone keeps us from changing the world,” Joey said. “But once we realize that we’re all ‘other’ and take pleasure in that, I think anything’s possible. There’s still time to save the world.”

Let’s go Moms, LET’S GO!

Bobby Martinez — Tue, 09 May 2023 17:48:00 -0700

Trina

Falsettos (1994, 2019)

Eden Espinosa in the First National Tour of "Falsettos."

If anyone knows anything about life throwing you curveballs, it’s Trina. A housewife living in 1970’s New York City, Trina had her world turned upside down when her husband, Marvin, left her for another man. She had always worked hard to be a loving and supportive wife and mother, but when Marvin leaves, she finds solace with her psychiatrist, Mendel. At the heart of her world is her son, Jason, who struggles to accept the reality of life with separated parents. To help him, she takes him to her psychiatrist to find peace through conversation and therapy. By the end of the show, Trina finds empowerment in the love she holds for her son, her newfound lover, and even in Whizzer, Marvin’s lover who suffers from the AIDs epidemic. She realizes she had searched for validation in the traditional family, but a mother she will always be, and the love she has for her new, nontraditional family, is all she needs.

Donna

Mamma Mia! (2002)

Dee Hoty in "Mama Mia."

This show is nothing without Donna—literally. Her daughter, Sophie, wants her father to walk her down the aisle, but they don’t know which of three men it really is! Her daughter writes to them without Donna’s knowledge, to figure it out. Donna is caring and fun and eventually helps Sophie to realize that family isn’t always about blood relations, but who you make it. For a show with “Mamma” in the title, though, a lot of it sure has to deal with dads!

Celie

The Color Purple (2007)

Jeannette Bayardelle as Celie and LaToya London as Nettie in "The Color Purple." Photo credit: Paul Kolnik.

Celie became a mother at a young age—and is separated from her children very quickly. Celie gives birth to her second child at the start of the show, which then follows her journey of self-discovery and reunion with her children over 30 years. Despite the struggles she faces in the rural Southeast, she perseveres, showing audiences that they can tackle any challenges they may face, too.

The Baker’s Wife

Into the Woods (1989, 2002, 2023)

From L to R: Stephanie J. Block and Sebastian Arcelus in the Broadway production of "Into the Woods." "Into the Woods" will play at Center Theatre Group / Ahmanson Theatre June 27 to July 30, 2023 as part of the 2022-2023 Season. Photo by: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman.

The Baker’s Wife wants nothing more than to have a child. She longs to be a mother so badly that she embarks on a journey into the woods with her husband to retrieve objects for a witch who will lift the curse on their household and allow them to start a family. If you haven’t seen the show—don’t read on! Come see Into the Woods this season at the Ahmanson this summer! If you have, then you know what happens next.

Alma

Alma (2022)

L-R: Cheryl Umaña and Sabrina Fest in “Alma” at Center Theatre Group’s Kirk Douglas Theatre. Photo credit: Craig Schwartz Photography

As a mother, Alma knows how important it is for her teenage daughter, Angel, to do well on the upcoming SATs. So, she helps her study by quizzing her on vocabulary for the exams. But on top of her motherly duties, Alma is preparing to take the U.S. Citizenship exam. For undocumented immigrants like Alma, the exam can be daunting, as it tests prospective citizens on the history of the country, as well as the political structure that governs the country in the present day. Though dreading the reality of loopholes and laws that must be acknowledged as an undocumented immigrant, Alma finds excitement in the future for both her and her daughter. As the pair study for their respective exams, they look for hope in the uncertainty ahead of them, as their futures lay in the hands of their tests.

Heidi Hansen

Dear Evan Hansen (2022)

L-R: Anthony Norman and Coleen Sexton in “Dear Evan Hansen” playing at Center Theatre Group / Ahmanson Theatre. Photo credit: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade

Motherhood can be a beautiful journey, but sometimes you can’t help but ask, “Does anybody have a map?” Heidi Hansen is a busy woman. She’s a single mom, raising her teenage son Evan, while working as a devoted nurse and taking night classes to become a paralegal. But even with a packed schedule, she tries her best to be there for her son, who struggles managing his social anxiety. It’s a lot to take in, but Heidi Hansen charges forward. And when her son needs her most, she knows exactly what to say in a ballad that leaves Evan and audiences choking back tears. When the world is feeling “So Big” and you’re feeling “So Small,” Heidi is there to remind you that mom isn’t going anywhere, she’s staying right here. No matter what, she’ll be there.

Singin’ Through History!

Bobby Martinez — Fri, 05 May 2023 18:35:00 -0700

HAMILTON by Lin Manuel Miranda.

What would a list of historical musicals be without the record-breaking production, Hamilton? Described as about “America then, as told by America now,” this revolutionary musical tells the tale of Alexander Hamilton and the struggles and choices he faced during the rise and creation of the newly blossomed United States of America. Applauded for its innovative storytelling, Hamilton heavily explores the birth of our nation through R&B, pop, and soul music, while also focusing on non-white actors and their portrayal of the Founding Fathers and other historical figures. Opening to positive reviews in 2015 on Broadway, Hamilton received 16 nominations and won 11 awards, including Best Musical, at the 70^thTony Awards. The production continues to thrive on Broadway and on tour throughout the United States and can be watched on Disney+ in a performance featuring the original Broadway cast.

JUSTICE by Lauren Funderson. Music by Bree Lowdermilk, Lyrics by Kait Kerrigan.

Karen Murphy (Sandra Day OConnor), Stephanie Prentice (Sonia Sotomayor), and Lynda DiVito (Ruth Bader Ginsburg) in Justice: A New Musical at Marin Theatre Company. Photo credit: Kevin Berne

This new musical brings the legacy of Supreme Court justices Sandra Day O’Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and Sonia Sotomayor to the stage, using song and word to share the experiences of the trailblazers in the judicial world. The show follows Ginsburg, as she joins the Supreme Court, welcomed by the first and only other woman there, O’Connor. United by their passions for equality and the urgency within the highest court of the land, Justice shares the historic legacy of our heroines and the challenges they faced while propelling the next generation of changemakers and trailblazers in the U.S. legal system and setting a new course for the country and world.

BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON By Alex Timbers. Music and Lyrics by Michael Friedman.

Benjamin Walker as Andrew Jackson and the cast of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson.

When you think of the early years of the United States, one can’t help but think of powdered wigs and frock coats, but Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson puts a bit of a twist on the seventh American President. With a rock sound, the musical follows a satirical, emo rock star version of Andrew Jackson, as we see the founding of the Democratic Party. Exploring the legacy of early populism, the Indian Removal Act, and Jackson’s personal relationship with his wife, Rachel, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson had its world premiere at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in 2007, and received positive reviews, showing audiences that history lessons don’t have to be a snooze fest, but can be just as fun as say, a rock concert.

PARADE by Alfred Uhry. Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown

''Parade'' Joan Marcus

This historical musical faces the dark realities of antisemitism in the United States, reminding audiences of the dire need for conversations surrounding civil rights and allyship for the Jewish community. Set in 1913 Georgia, Parade follows the trial of Leo Frank, a Jewish American factory superintendent who was accused and convicted of raping and murdering a thirteen-year-old employee. Sensationalized by the media coverage, the trial stirred antisemitic tensions in the state of Georgia, with Leo Frank being kidnapped and hung by a lynching party after being found guilty at the trial, though the show notes that the true murderer may have in fact been the key witness against Frank at the trial. The events, a Jewish Civil Rights organization. Originally opening on Broadway in 1998, Parade was revived on Broadway on March 16th, 2023, and opened to positive reviews. During their first preview on Broadway, members of the Nationalist Socialist Movement, a neo-Nazi group, protested the production outside the theatre. Critics have since praised the production, citing the timeliness and urgency of this piece as antisemitism continues to rise throughout the United States.

Assassins by John Weidman. Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

A musical by the legendary Stephen Sondheim, Assassins follows historical figures that attempted (whether they were successful or not is another story) to assassinate Presidents of the United States, and the ideals that surround their presence in American history. The show contemplates the themes of “the greater good,” questioning what sacrifices are deemed necessary under certain motives. Originally opening Off-Broadway in 1990 and revived on Broadway in 2004, the show received favorable reviews and won five Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical.

1776 is playing at the Ahmanson Theatre now through May 7^th.

Continuing the conversation

Center Theatre Group — Thu, 04 May 2023 12:49:00 -0700

The T in LGBTQIA+ stands for Transgender and is inclusive of Transgender, Non-Binary, and Gender Expansive (or Gender Non-Conforming) identities.
Common shorthand in referring to transgender, non-binary, and gender expansive folks include Trans/GNC, TGNC, Trans+, Trans and Queer, or other variations. Preferred shorthands are ever-evolving and still discussed within the community. Transgender (trans) means you identify with a gender outside of the gender you were assigned at birth.
Cisgender (cis) means you identify with the gender you were assigned at birth.
Non-Binary is a term for gender identities that live outside of the binary of “man” and “woman.” A non-binary gender experience could be a mix of “man” and “woman,” somewhere between “man” and “woman,” outside of “man” and “woman” or another experience entirely.
Gender Expansive (GE) or Gender Non-Conforming (GNC) are common umbrella terms for folks who do not identify within the gender binary (“woman” and “man”). Non-Binary and other gender identities (such as Genderqueer, Demiboy, Demigirl, Genderfluid, Bigender etc.) can be included in these umbrella terms or exist on their own. Gender Non-Conforming is also sometimes used to describe someone’s gender expression rather than their identity.
Some Non-Binary and Gender Expansive/Gender Non-Conforming folks identify as Transgender and some do not.
Gender identity is how you identify and feel on the inside.
Gender expression is how you express your gender on the outside.
Gender identity and gender expression are not necessarily correlated.
Transgender is a descriptor of a gender identity and is not connected to someone’s sexual orientation.
Sexual Orientation is who I go to bed with, Gender Identity is who I go to bed as.

A note on language in A Transparent Musical from Director Tina Landau

To honor the truth of our story and its characters, A Transparent Musical contains language that might be offensive and triggering to a variety of communities—most prominently language that is transphobic or anti-Semitic. The views implicit in this language reflect those of the character within the story and not those of the creators or company. For gender-related terms in addition to the definitions offered below, including terms to avoid, please visit GLAAD Media Reference Guide at www.glaad.org/reference.

We recognize that concepts around pronouns and gender expansiveness might be new to some of our audiences and so we offer this glossary of some of the most common words you may hear in our show or our culture:

Gender is a set of socially constructed behaviors and attributes that a society considers appropriate, usually in relation to the categories of male, female, or nonbinary. Your gender is different than your sex assigned at birth.

Gender identity is how you identify and feel on the inside. Gender expression is how you express your gender on the outside. Gender identity and gender expression are not necessarily correlated.

Cisgender (cis) means you identify with the gender you were assigned at birth.

Transgender (trans) means you identify with a gender outside of the gender you were assigned at birth. Transgender is a descriptor of a gender identity and is not connected to someone’s sexual orientation. ‘Sexual orientation is who you go to bed with, gender Identity is who I go to bed as’.

Nonbinary is a term for gender identities that live outside of the binary of “man” and “woman.” A non-binary gender experience could be a mix of “man” and “woman,” somewhere between “man” and “woman,” outside of “man” and “woman” or another experience entirely.

Queer means something a little different to everyone who uses it and identifies with it. It’s most often an inclusive umbrella term for people who identify with sexual orientations and gender identities outside the mainstream of heterosexual or cisgender norms. The word was previously used as a slur, but has been reclaimed by many parts of the LGBTQIA+ movement. Queer is also often used to describe things other than individual identity—for some, queer is a community, queer is liberation, queer is style, queer means inclusivity or flexibility.

Pronouns The words we use to talk about people aside from using their names (ex: he/his, she/hers, they/them, and many more.) Sometimes pronouns correlate with a person’s gender identity, sometimes they don’t.

LGBT stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender, the T being inclusive of Transgender, Non-Binary, and Gender Expansive (or Gender Non-Conforming) identities. Many variants or extensions of the acronym exist, including the common LGBTQ which adds the letter Q for those who identify as queer or are questioning their sexual or gender identity.

For more information on terminology and best practices, please visit: www.glaad.org/reference

For more information on past and present events and their impact on the lives of transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming individuals, please visit:

translegislation.com

aclu.org/legislative-attackson-lgbtq-rights

A Transparent Musical primarily takes place at the Cecile J. Janowitz JCC in the heart of Los Angeles, 2023–a space where Jewish and queer (and many other) communities meet. Here are some terms you may hear throughout the show. “There’s no better time to be Jewish and Queer!”
Hadassah Also known as “The Women’s Zionist Organization of America,” Jewish women’s organization focused on philanthropy and women’s leadership.

JCC Acronym that stands for Jewish Community Center, a gathering place for Jewish communities in most major cities with events and activities for all ages.

Purim A Jewish holiday commemorating how ancient Jews were spared from massacre during the Persian Empire, and during which the Book of Esther is read aloud or reenacted and costumes and revelry are encouraged.

Partner Organizations

Center Theatre Group is proud to partner with these organizations for this production of A Transparent Musical:

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

The ACLU has been at the center of nearly every major civil liberties battle in the U.S. for over 100 years. This vital work depends on the support of ACLU members in all 50 states and beyond.

Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)

As a dynamic media force, GLAAD ensures fair, accurate, and inclusive representation that rewrites the script for LGBTQ acceptance. GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and envisions a world with 100% LGBTQ acceptance.

GLSEN

GLSEN’S mission since 1990 is to ensure that every member of every school community is valued and respected regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

JQ International

Established in 2004, JQ is the premiere LGBTQ+ Jewish organization in Los Angeles. JQ celebrates the lives of LGBTQ+ Jews and their allies by transforming Jewish communities and ensuring inclusion through community building, educational programs, and support and wellness services, promoting the healthy integration of LGBTQ+ and Jewish identities.

The Los Angeles LGBT Center

Since 1969 the Los Angeles LGBT Center has cared for, championed, and celebrated LGBT individuals and families in Los Angeles and beyond.

Lambda Legal

Lambda Legal represents LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV—in the court of law and in the court of public opinion.

PFLAG

Founded in 1973, PFLAG is the first and largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and their families.

Trans Can Work (TCW)

Trans Can Work (TCW) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles, California and is committed to advancing workplace inclusion through innovative training strategies and workforce development.

Trans Chorus of Los Angeles

America's first Trans Chorus, embracing all members of the trans, non-binary and intersex communities. Sharing our LGBTQIA+ spirit through awareness and song.

Trans* Lounge

Trans* Lounge is the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s groundbreaking empowerment program for social connection and support, serving the TGI/ENBY+ (Trans, Gender Non-Conforming, Intersex, Non-Binary, Gender Expansive) communities!

Westside JCC

The mission of Westside JCC is to build community based on Jewish values by creating opportunities for gathering and learning. We reach out to all Jews and the greater community by offering stimulating and innovative educational, social, cultural, recreational and communal programs and activities and fostering a strong connection to Israel.

Nefesh

Nefesh is an open-hearted spiritual community welcoming all of the identities that make up who we are and who we love. Born in the multicultural beauty of L.A.’s east side neighborhoods, Nefesh cultivates empathy, love, and justice. Nefesh is a doorway to the wisdom, ritual, and melodies of the Jewish tradition–a place to find and be found.

Stephen Wise Temple

We make meaning and change the world.

ACCESS At Center Theatre Group

Jessica Doherty — Tue, 02 May 2023 11:00:00 -0700

The first production to use the ACCESS program was Children of a Lesser God at the Mark Taper Forum, which, at the time, was called Project D.A.T.E. (Deaf Access Theatrical Experience). Through this project, Center Theatre Group began offering American Sign Language (ASL) interpretations for certain performances.

“ACCESS is a primary component of our customer service efforts to ensure that all of our patrons have a welcoming and engaging experience while attending our performances,” said Shawn Robertson, Ticket Sales Director of Center Theatre Group. Robertson has always worked with the ACCESS program because of his role, but the work for him is personal, as one of his family members is blind. Robertson attended a performance of Mary Poppins with her, and said her experience was “life-changing.”

Kiyomi Emi, Senior Manager, Marketing Events & Partnerships, has worked on the ACCESS program and community outreach for over 20 years.

“Working with our ACCESS providers to create the best experience for all of our ADA patrons is a commitment that we, at Center Theatre Group, want to uphold,” she said.

ASL Interpreters John Arce and Francine Stern both grew up in the deaf community and have worked with Center Theatre Group for over 25 years. Stern began her work at Center Theatre Group in 1982 on the original production of A Soldier’s Play at the Mark Taper Forum as well as Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992—which both made their return to CTG this season.

“Our interpretation is meant to be seamless, but never steal focus,” Stern said. “We are always throwing focus to the actors; we are just there to provide access.”

Arce explained that ASL is its own language, with unique methods of communicating tone and emotion. Interpreters are often very expressive to paint a broader picture of the context beyond the dialogue onstage. “We convey the dialogue, the music, the essence of the speaker, some of the facial expressions,” Arce said. “Everything is very visual for deaf [and hard of hearing people].”

Lucy Annett is another ASL interpreter with Center Theatre Group, who recently interpreted Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord. Interpreting this show was personal for Annett, as an Asian American woman growing up in Southern California with similar family traditions of sewing. “That’s exactly my story,” Annett said.

Melody Stein is deaf and recently attended a performance of Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord at the Kirk Douglas Theatre with ASL interpretation from Annett. “[Annett’s] interpretation pulled me right into the play,” Stein wrote in an email. “I felt all of the emotions of the play, especially when Kristina shared the highlights of the pandemic; these remembrances were heart-touching!”

Another option for hard of hearing or deaf patrons is open captioning. Audiences can follow along with the dialogue on stage with a device.

David Chu, of c2 Captioning, works on providing these services for Center Theatre Group. He said timing is everything for open captioning services. “We never give away the punchline, but we’ve got to be really tight with our timing so that a deaf [or hard of hearing] person and a hearing person at the same show laugh at the joke at the same time,” Chu said. He added how TV and film closed captions can sometimes spoil a surprise or joke due to automation. Open captioning at the theatre will adjust based on the actor’s timing—pausing for jokes or audience laughter.

For low vision or blind audience members, Center Theatre Group has previously offered touch tours to certain student matinee performances, sessions in which students are invited backstage to touch props, scenery pieces, or costumes before a show.

Touch tours are especially engaging for productions that rely heavily on prop work, like War Horse, for the full artistic concept. Through touching the puppets, audiences could conceptualize the scale of the titular horse as it matures over the course of the play. For Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, touch tour participants were able to feel Cinderella’s gown and glass slipper, a mark of her stark transformation.

With the 2018 production of Come From Away specifically, there were many ideas and suggestions for the touch tour. While uncertain at first, the team was able to accommodate every request. Participants were able to touch the musical instruments, and set pieces, and even sat on the chairs onstage while the turntable spun to feel the motion of the passengers on the plane during the performance. Cast and crew members joined in on the fun as well.

Deb Piver is a Teaching Artist with Center Theatre Group’s Education and Community Partnerships program who was able to witness how students who are low vision or blind engage with these experiences.

Beyond the additional sensory understanding of the production, Piver said that the ability to go backstage of a production is a special experience itself. “[You] feel like a VIP when you can go backstage at a production, that goes for everybody,” she said. “Most of us don’t get to go backstage at the Ahmanson.”

“One of the best parts of the job is seeing the delight in the students who have just experienced a performance,” Emi said. “They get to relate to what they heard on stage and actually touch props and costumes and experience set changes in ways most audience members never get to experience.”

Another offering for low vision or blind audience members is audio description. Patrons can use a hearing aid device to hear descriptions of visual information onstage. This ranges from descriptions of the actors onstage, prop and set pieces, and action on stage. Deborah Lewis has worked in audio description services for many years at Center Theatre Group, starting with a production of The Scarlet Pimpernel at the Ahmanson Theatre in 2000.

“[Center Theatre Group has] been on the cutting edge of [audio description services],” Lewis said. “Other theatres have come to CTG to see what they do so they can do it themselves.”

The Music Center provides services for patrons with mobility aids across all venues. The Music Center Staff are able to assist patrons to, from, and around the plaza’s theatres, restaurants, and parking structures. There are also mobility aids available to use throughout the evening.

All of the accessibility services are about providing options for the many needs of a variety of patrons.

“It’s all about equity,” Chu said. “We’re trying to give the same experience while honoring the fact that it is a live performance.”

Stern strives for increased intersectionality through her work as an ASL interpreter. “Accessibility and inclusivity and diversity are the future for access in the theatre,” she said. “Our current mission [is] to very mindfully and intentionally bring in a more diverse group of interpreters to better represent what we are seeing onstage.”

Annett also finds this diversity important and hopes that more deaf and hard of hearing community members can get involved in the production process of theatres and their programming. Greater connection to the deaf and hard of hearing community, Annett feels, can provide all audiences a “much more enriching cultural experience.”

Lewis, too, hopes to bring in a new generation of audio describers to continue training and program offerings. As an audience member, Stein longs for greater promotion of these services to the communities they serve.

Piver hopes that additional and continued offerings will remove barriers of access to a wide range of audiences. “[Theatre] is the art form about being human,” she said. “I want it to be open to as many humans as possible.”

For audiences interested in these services, please visit: ctgla.org/access.

For audiences interested in mobility aid services from The Music Center, call the Music Center Access Disability Line at 213-972-0777.