David Geffen News

On the cusp of their 100th toe-tapping performance in the Geffen Playhouse's Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater, the team behind the hit musical Louis & Keely: Live at the Sarhara announce another five-week extension. The 100th performance, which occurs Saturday evening June 13, is a landmark show in a unanimously acclaimed run, which will now continue through Sunday, August 2, 2009.

Ken Novice, the current managing director of the Pasadena Playhouse, will take on the role of Geffen Playhouse managing director effective June 1. Susan Barton, who assumed the interim role last June while the Geffen Playhouse conducted a search to fill the position, will work with Novice to ensure a smooth transition until Novice official takes on the title.

Similar to their namesake act that swept the strip in Vegas decades ago, Louis & Keely: Live at the Sahara is quickly becoming the hottest ticket in town. As such, the play, which was originally set to close on the last week of April, will now be extended for an additional four weeks. After lauded reviews from local media and a near sweep at the 2009 Garland Awards (production, playwriting, direction/musical direction, best actor/actress in a musical), Louis and Keely Live at the Sahara has added 24 performances after nearly selling out its previously announced run. The musical, which follows the life and love of Las Vegas? infamous onstage couple Louis Prima and Keely Smith, will run at the Audrey Skriball Kenis Theater at the Geffen Playhouse through May 24.

In a repeated case of life imitating art (imitating life), the hit musical Louis & Keely: Live at the Sahara announces a second extension due to audience demand. The play, which was first extended through the last week of May, will now be extended for an additional five weeks. With lauded reviews from the local media and a near sweep of the highest honor at every major Los Angeles theater awards ceremony - Best Musical at the Ovation Awards, Best Production at the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards, Best Production at the Garland Awards and Musical of the Year at the LA Weekly Theater Awards - Louis & Keely: Live at the Sahara is playing in the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater at the Geffen Playhouse until June 28, 2009.

Ken Novice, the current managing director of the Pasadena Playhouse, will take on the role of Geffen Playhouse managing director effective June 1. Susan Barton, who assumed the interim role last June while the Geffen Playhouse conducted a search to fill the position, will work with Novice to ensure a smooth transition until Novice official takes on the title.

The Geffen Playhouse adds Bill Cain?s new play Equivocation to its 2009/2010 lineup as well as confirms director John Rando to helm Matthew Modine Saves the Alpacas. The Geffen Playhouse?s 2009 / 2010 season boasts award-winning actors (including Annette Bening, Laurence Fishburne and Matthew Modine), acclaimed directors (Randall Arney, Gil Cates, Leonard Foglia and John Rando) and contemporary new works, including two world premieres, a North American premiere and a West Coast premiere.

Similar to their namesake act that swept the strip in Vegas decades ago, Louis & Keely: Live at the Sahara is quickly becoming the hottest ticket in town. As such, the play, which was originally set to close on the last week of April, will now be extended for an additional four weeks. After lauded reviews from local media and a near sweep at the 2009 Garland Awards (production, playwriting, direction/musical direction, best actor/actress in a musical), Louis and Keely Live at the Sahara has added 24 performances after nearly selling out its previously announced run. The musical, which follows the life and love of Las Vegas? infamous onstage couple Louis Prima and Keely Smith, will run at the Audrey Skriball Kenis Theater at the Geffen Playhouse through May 24.

The Geffen Playhouse's 2009 / 2010 season boasts award-winning actors (including Annette Bening, Laurence Fishburne and Matthew Modine), acclaimed directors (including Geffen Playhouse's own Gil Cates and Randall Arney), and contemporary new works, including two world premieres, a North American premiere and a West Coast premiere.

The Geffen Playhouse is postponing the previously announced production of Nightmare Alley, set to occupy the final slot in the theater's 08/09 season, and replacing it with Beau Willimon's acclaimed new political play Farragut North.

Upright Cabaret sat down with the stars of the world premiere play TIME STANDS STILL.

The lure of a world premiere play by Pulitzer winner Donald Margulies (Dinner with Friends) directed by Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan (Proof) is enticing enough to convince actors Anna Gunn (HBO's Deadwood, AMC's Breaking Bad), Alicia Silverstone (Clueless, Miss Match), David Harbour (Quantum of Solace, Revolutionary Road, State of Play) and Robin Thomas (Damages, Murphy Brown) to temporarily forgo the screens for a stint at the Geffen Playhouse. The second produced work in the Geffen's ongoing commission program, Time Stands Still opens February 11, 2009 on the theater's main stage.

The lure of a world premiere play by Pulitzer winner Donald Margulies (Dinner with Friends) directed by Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan (Proof) is enticing enough to convince actors Anna Gunn (HBO's Deadwood, AMC's Breaking Bad), Alicia Silverstone (Clueless, Miss Match), David Harbour (Quantum of Solace, Revolutionary Road, State of Play) and Robin Thomas (Damages, Murphy Brown) to temporarily forgo the screens for a stint at the Geffen Playhouse. The second produced work in the Geffen's ongoing commission program, Time Stands Still opens February 11, 2009 on the theater's main stage.

The Los Angeles premiere of Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Schenkkan's By the Waters of Babylon brings two award-winning, long-time theater actors to the Geffen stage for the first time: Demián Bichir and Shannon Cochran. Bichir, who is currently starring as Mary Louise-Parker's love interest on Showtime's Weeds, will play the role of Arturo, a Cuban immigrant who is hired to (coincidentally) weed the garden of unconventional Austin widow Catherine. Cochran, who will star as Catherine, is straight from Chicago where she starred in sold out performances of The Lion in Winter at the Writers Theatre.

The Los Angeles premiere of Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Schenkkan's By the Waters of Babylon brings two award-winning, long-time theater actors to the Geffen stage for the first time: Demián Bichir and Shannon Cochran. Bichir, who is currently starring as Mary Louise-Parker's love interest on Showtime's Weeds, will play the role of Arturo, a Cuban immigrant who is hired to (coincidentally) weed the garden of unconventional Austin widow Catherine. Cochran, who will star as Catherine, is straight from Chicago where she starred in sold out performances of The Lion in Winter at the Writers Theatre.

It's just been announced that Barbra Streisand will be making a rare concert appearance amongst other headliners at a September 16, 2008 fundraiser for presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Actor John Mahoney, best known for his decade-long role as Martin Crane on the award-winning sitcom Frasier, is trading his paternal sarcasm for a tipsy Irish brogue in the Geffen Playhouse's upcoming production of The Seafarer set to open in April 2009.

Actor John Mahoney, best known for his decade-long role as Martin Crane on the award-winning sitcom Frasier, is trading his paternal sarcasm for a tipsy Irish brogue in the Geffen Playhouse's upcoming production of The Seafarer set to open in April 2009.

Susan Barton, a twenty year veteran of the Los Angeles theater community will assume the role of managing director at the Geffen Playhouse until a nationwide search can be completed.

Stephen Eich, managing director of the Geffen Playhouse since August 2000, tendered his resignation effective in mid-June, after the opening of the theater's final production from its 07/08 season.

Playwright, performer and activist Daniel Beaty has been creating a community-wide buzz with his acclaimed one-man show Emergency that has enabled the Geffen Playhouse to produce a special week-long extension aimed primarily at Title I public schools (three additional performances will also be added for the general public). The production will now close at 2pm on Sunday, June 1.