Gil Kaan - Page 7

Up next for Theatre 40’s current season, Terrence McNally’s It’s Only a Play opening March 23, 2023. Larry Eisenberg directs the cast of Todd Andrew Ball, Peter Bussian, Fox Carney, Joe Clabby, Cheryl David, Mouchette van Helsdingen and Jeffrey Winner. Larry was most gracious in carving out time to give serious thoughts to answering my queries.

Boston Court world premieres Rosie Narasaki’s Unrivaled beginning March 16, 2023. Boston Court Associate Artistic Director Margaret Shigeko Starbuck directs this co-production with Playwrights’ Arena featuring: David Huynh, Katie Kitani, Cindy Nguyen and Chelsea Yakura-Kurtz. Rosie was most gracious in answering a few of my queries.

The revival of the Tony Award-winning The Secret Garden - The Musical has just opened at the Ahmanson. Sierra Boggess heads the large cast directed and choreographed by Warren Caryle. I had the chance to chat with John-Michael Lyles who plays Dixon, a most pivotal influence on the central character Mary Lennox.

Read BroadwayWorld's interview with Dan Redfeld on Little Women, and more!

Yamato: The Drummers of Japan will play Southern California at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts March 3rd and the Soraya Center at CSUN March 4th with their latest show Hinotori -The Wings of Phoenix. This North American tour marks Yamato’s 30th anniversary season. Masa Ogawa, the founder and artistic director of this globally-renown Japanese Taiko drumming group, shared a few behind-the-scenes facts on Yamato.

The west coast premiere of playwright Anna Deavere Smith’s expanded solo show Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 opens March 15, 2023, at the Mark Taper Forum (with previews beginning March 8th). Gregg T. Daniel directs the cast of Hugo Armstrong, Lovensky Jean-Baptiste, Lisa Reneé Pitts, Jeanne Sakata and Sabina Zúñiga Varela performing the 30-40 characters of the play that Anna originally performed all on her own. Gregg was most gracious to carve out time from rehearsals to answer a few of my queries.

Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s 1985 Pulitzer Prize winning Sunday in the Park with George has just opened at the Pasadena Playhouse as part of their six-month celebration of everything Sondheim. Sarna Lapine (James’ niece) directs the cast of twenty-two, lead by Graham Phillips as George Seurat/George and Krystina Alabado as Dot/Marie. Andy Einhorn conducts a full orchestra of sixteen musicians. After a howling boot camp of rehearsals and a very successful opening night, Graham finally took a breather to answer a few of my queries.

Next up at Antaeus Theatre Company, Caryl Churchill’s Love and Information opening March 3, 2023 (with previews beginning February 26th). Emily Chase directs the eight-member cast of: — John Apicella, Anne Gee Byrd, Darius De L Cruz, Kwana Martinez, Kevin Matsumoto, Erin Pineda, Lloyd Roberson II and Zoe Yale. Emily was most gracious to give me some behind-the-scenes of Love and Information and some of the rational driving her creative decisions.

Cirque du Soleil’s Corteo lands at the Microsoft Theatre March 23, 2023. Corteo, usually a somber procession (translated from ‘cortege’ in Italian) receives a colorful, joyous make-over as only Cirque de Soleil can do, with an international cast of clowns, acrobats, contortionists and musicians. I got the chance to get some behind-the-scenes tidbits from Corteo’s vocalist Sofia Montano.

Barry Wyner’s Calvin Berger opens at the Colony Theatre February 16, 2023. Richard Israel directs the cast of Corinne Miller, Jordan Quisno, Jasmine Sharma and Frankie A. Rodriguez as the titular Calvin in a revamping of Cyrano de Bergerac in a high school setting. I got a chance to throw out a few inquiries of Frankie amidst his final rehearsals.

Brynn Thayer’s Let Me In premieres at the newly remodeled Theatre 60 Arts Complex February 25, 2023. Brynn also directs this co-production by DSE Productions and Theatre Planners with the cast of Jorge Garcia, Bryan McKinley and Rachael Meyers. I had the opportunity to throw out a few questions for Jorge to ponder.

Playwright Lee Edward Colston II’s The First Deep Breath is receiving its west coast premiere at the Geffen Playhouse through March 5, 2023. Steve H. Broadnax III directs a most uniformly stellar cast of: Opa Adeyemo, playwright Lee Edward Colston II, Brandon Mendez Homer, Ella Joyce, Herb Newsome, Deanna Reed-Foster, Candace Thomas and Keith A. Wallace. Steve managed to find some off-time between rehearsals and shows to answer a few of my queries.

Comedienne and internet sensation Jiaoying Summers has organized Stand With Asians: Love>Guns, an evening of comedy, as a benefit for the Stand with Asians Community Fund February 13, 2023 at the Hollywood Improv. The funny lady carved out some time to answer my queries with her innate humor.

The Fountain Theatre west coast premieres Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell and Gordon Farrell’s The Lifespan of a Fact opening February 18, 2023 (with previews starting February 15th). Fountain Theatre’s producing director Simon Levy directs the cast of Ron Bottitta, Inger Tudor and Jonah Robinson. Simon took some time between his rehearsals to give me some insight to the behind-the-scenes of Lifespan and the Fountain.

Luminario Ballet of Los Angeles bring their first full-length program Heroes, Sheroes, and Eros to The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts for two performances February 17th & 18th. Luminario founder and current artistic director Judith FLEX Helle parsed out some time from rehearsals to answer a few of my queries.

Rogue Machine world premieres Diane Frolov and Susan Justin’s Come Get Maggie, opening February 11, 2023 at the Matrix Theatre. Michael Pressman directs the cast of: Phillip Casnoff, Beth Egan, Melissa Jobe, Nicole Ledoux, Melanie Neilan, Bruce Nozick, Chase Ramsey, Dennis Renard, Jacquelin Lorraine Schofield and Eddie Vona. Diane managed to find some time in her hectic, always busy schedule to answer a few of my queries.

Musical director Joseph Thalken will be accompanying one of his long-time collaborators Patti LuPone in her cabaret show Don’t Monkey with Broadway February 9, 2023 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

Theatre of Note world premieres Phinny Kiyomura’s Nimrod February 10, 2023 (with previews February 8th & 9th).  TV’s Criminal Minds favorite Kirsten Vangsness stars as Nimrod. Kirsten managed to find time in her hectic, busy schedule to answer a few of my queries.

Legendary star of Broadway (and all other mediums of entertainment he undertakes) Ben Vereen will be bringing his latest cabaret act Steppin’ Out With Ben Vereen to the Catalina Bar & Grill February 24th & 25th. 

Kristina Wong’s Pulitzer Prize finalist “Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord” will open at The Kirk Douglas February 15, 2023 (with previews beginning February 12th). Chay Yew directs this coproduction of Center Theatre Group and East West Players, with additional support from the Skirball Cultural Center. I managed to catch the ever-in-motion Kristina in Tempe, Arizona where she is the ASU Gammage Artist-in-Residence for three years.