News And Blogs

She didn’t know it at the time, but Andi Chapman’s first encounter with legendary playwright August Wilson was prophetic. “He said ‘hello’ and told me I had hands like his mother,” said Chapman—who, 22 years old and beginning graduate school at the Yale School of Drama, wasn’t sure what to think. Today, however, “That’s a specia...

Meet Center Theatre Group August Wilson Program Advisor Andi Chapman

Let’s say you’ve fallen in love with theatre. You think you might want to make a career out of working behind the scenes. You may have some experience with university theatre productions; you may have some experience in a different kind of work setting. But you don’t know anyone who’s done a job like the one you think you want to do. What�...

Center Theatre Group Launches Apprenticeship Program

The mix of business, artistry, and personal responsibility that comes with a creative career in theatre can be tricky to master, especially for young, emerging professionals. As part of our efforts to support an ever-growing and increasingly diverse theatre community in Los Angeles, Center Theatre Group hosted our first Workforce Readiness Symposiu...

Making Working in Theatre Work for Everyone

A recent survey by statewide arts education coalition createCA found that only 26 percent of middle and high school students in California have access to music, theatre, dance, and visual art—access that is required by state law. The numbers for theatre in particular are bleak: just 4 percent of students across the state are enrolled in theatre c...

Building a Brighter Future For California Educators

In Classroom Connections, Center Theatre Group invites groups of educators to enjoy a night out at the theatre—followed by a discussion of the show and where they found inspiration over food and drinks. The goal is to talk about the bridges we can build between the craft of theatre and the craft of classroom teaching.

'Archduke' Offers Students Lessons in Collaboration and History

Oh, what a night! Please excuse the cliché—I imagine every writer on the planet who has ever penned anything about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons begins with that lyric. But in this case, it would be true, so please allow me to indulge. Three crackerjack teachers from Hawthorne High School joined us for opening night of the Broadway smash hi...

Connecting Students with History through 'Jersey Boys'

Congratulations to Aryana Williams and Alexander Villaseñor on terrific performances in the ninth annual National August Wilson Monologue Competition on May 1, 2017 at the August Wilson Theatre on Broadway. Their performances marked the end of a long and fulfilling journey into Wilson’s work; both Williams and Villaseñor had participated in the...

August Wilson Monologue Competition Finalists Take Broadway

Southern California’s high schools, colleges, and universities abound with aspiring artists, artisans, and arts administrators. And Southern California is full of people who have forged successful arts careers. But connecting them to one another, and creating paths for young people in the field, is a challenge not just for students but also for t...

Building Theatre's Professional Pipeline

‘Fun Home’ Teaches the Power of Adaptation

“Where do cultural leaders come from?” asked Center Theatre Group Director of Social Strategy, Innovation and Impact Leslie K. Johnson. “They’re not just born; they’re made.” Yet training for young people in the arts—especially at the high school and college undergraduate level—typically focuses on transforming them into artists, no...

A Pipeline For Young L.A. Arts Leaders

Center Theatre Group Carpenter Kate Harrow builds, loads in, repairs, and strikes scenery for shows at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Downtown Culver City. Watch her review plans, work with wood, and handle a pretty big saw in our latest Working in Theatre video. She also talks about her education at USC, her big break in summer stock, and what it’s...

The Carpenters who Set the Scene