Skylight Theatre

Spotlight Series: Meet Simon Levy, a Director and Producer Who Calls The Fountain Theatre His Home

This Spotlight focuses on Simon Levy who began his directing career in San Francisco, then moved to Los Angeles in 1990 where he has been the Producing Director for the Fountain Theatre since 1993. His directing and producing credits are numerous, with over 100 productions in Los Angeles and San Francisco that have won more than 200 awards. His journey has been blessed with having wonderful mentors along the way, which has enabled the talented director to earn his living doing theatre and earned him great respect from the entire LA Theatre community.

Shari Barrett (SB): What would you like readers to know about your theatrical background?

Simon Levy (Simon): I started off as a sax player, but when I got bored with some of my music classes at City College of San Francisco, I decided to take an acting class. I immediately became friends with two very talented dynamic actors, Harry Groener and Peter Kors, who are still friends to this day, and because of their encouragement, I fell in love with acting and switched my major. Then it was on to San Francisco State, a national tour doing Hamlet with the rag-tag/caravanning San Francisco Shakespeare Company, a season at the Alley Theatre as an apprentice actor, then back to San Francisco State to finish my degree, where I fell in love with directing.

Simon Levy as Hamlet with the San Francisco Shakespeare Company

My friend, Michael Lynch, a playwright, was having his plays produced at the One Act Theatre Company, and he and I became a playwright/director team which allowed me to really earn my chops as a director. At the same time, I worked at Steve Silver’s “Beach Blanket Babylon” for 7 years as everything from House Manager to Stage Manager to General Manager, where I learned to appreciate the business side of theatre.

Eventually I ended up in LA in 1990 and the Fountain Theatre in 1993, where I’ve been ever since. I’ve been very fortunate to have wonderful mentors along the way and to earn my living doing theatre.

(SB): What production(s) were you involved with when word went out you needed to immediately postpone/cancel the show?

(Simon): I was literally days away from going into rehearsals for Steven Levenson’s magnificent play If I Forget at the Fountain with a really wonderful cast and creative team.

(SB): How was the shutdown communicated with the cast and production team?

Stephen Sachs and Simon Levy at The Fountain Theatre

(Simon): It was pretty obvious to Stephen Sachs and me at the beginning of the week of March 9th that our lives were about to change, so we started preparing. We were supposed to have a meeting with the cast and designers of If I Forget with our consultant, Rabbi Daniel Bouskila (who was one of my consultants on The Chosen) to start prepping for the background work on the play. We cancelled that meeting out of a growing concern about being in the same room together. Then on March 12^th, we made the decision to suspend the production of Human Interest Story and rehearsals for If I Forget. We really wanted to do both in person, with everyone in the room. But, again, out of a heightened sense of precaution and uncertainty, we decided to communicate with everyone by email. By then it was pretty obvious where the news cycle was going.

Bill Brochtrup and Tim Cummings in “Daniel’s Husband”, directed by Simon Levy at the Fountain Theatre

(SB): I am so happy I was able to attend the opening weekend of Human Interest Story and have featured Spotlight interviews previously on the show’s two stars: Rob Nagle and Tanya Alexander. I also interviewed Bill Brochtrup, one of the stars from Daniel’s Husband which you directed last year at the Fountain, which was one of my favorite shows last year. And I treasure the Make America Kind Again badge you gave to some of us in the audience on opening weekend, and I proudly wear mine every day. It’s an important message, especially right now.

Are plans in place to present those two postponed productions at a future date?

Rob Nagle and Tanya Alexander in “Human Interest Story” at the Fountain Theatre.

(Simon): Both productions are currently suspended, but it’s our intention to re-open Human Interest Story and go into rehearsal for If I Forget once we get an All Clear from the City and State. We recognize, of course, that re-opening businesses, especially theatre, will be a helter-skelter, slow rolling out and testing, but we will adjust accordingly. Safety first for our artists and patrons, above all else.

(SB): What future productions on your schedule are also affected by the shutdown?

(Simon): We have the rights to two very exciting projects, Caryl Churchill’s Escaped Alone and Lucy Kirkwood’s The Children. Future announcement about all Fountain Theatre productions will be posted at FountainTheatre.com.

(SB): How are you keeping the Arts alive while at home by using social media or other online sites?

(Simon): There’s a stunning amount of material online right now, from local companies like Impro Theatre to readings by Skylight Theatre and L.A. Theatre Works and others, from Broadway and London, and world theatre from Berlin to Japan, plus all the Zoom meet-ups. So I’m sampling a lot of that, and I like to listen to Broadway musicals. Ironically, I haven’t been able to read any plays yet as I feel like the real-life world drama that’s unfolding on TV and my news-feeds supplants everything else right now… though I’m starting to feel the urge to dig into the huge backlog of plays sitting on my desktop.

But as much as I appreciate all the online content available right now, you can’t hit the ‘pause’ button when you’re attending live theatre. I miss that immediacy… that visceral thrill… and the danger of it. But I recognize that we’re about to enter a “new” normal, which will include theatre online, because this pandemic has forced us to think/create in different ways, and we have to be aware of and sensitive to those changes. Creativity is about growth and moving into the future, and artists will always find a way to be creative. Who knows, perhaps there’s a future for Mask Theatre! One thing I know for certain: We artists are phoenixes and we will blaze anew!

(SB): As always, Simon, thank you for your insightful words and presence in the LA Theatre community. For more information about Simon Levy and his projects, please visit:

SimonLevy.com
FountainTheatre.com
TheGreatGatsbyPlay.com

This article first appeared on Broadway World.

Spotlight Series: Meet Scott Jackson Who Discovered His Love of Acting After College

This Spotlight shines on Scott Jackson who discovered his love of acting after college and now graces stages in the City of Angels. He had just wrapped portraying George Deever in a sold-out production of All My Sons at Pacific Resident Theatre in Venice when the entire theatre world was forced to shut down.

Shari Barrett (SB): What would you like readers to know about your theatrical background?

Scott Jackson (Scott): I didn’t have much of a theatrical background until after college as I grew up in North Dakota where the performing arts were not a very significant part of my life, at least not in my home town. I was, however, the clown in my family and loved making my family laugh. I was demonstrative and I loved to entertain people as it always gave me a great feeling. In first grade, there was an incident where my teacher asked all the students to make something out of a piece of cardboard. I drew, and cut out, an electric guitar and pretended that I was in a rock band. I got on top of a desk and was really rocking out! For that performance, I was scolded by the teacher and put in the closet as punishment (a warning to readers: it’s not all standing ovations). Around that same age, I was playing the piano and performed in various recitals and read the First Reading at our Sunday mass. I guess it’s all part of a foundation for this career entertaining people.

Marc Valera, Scott Jackson, Amy-Helene Carlson in ALL MY SONS at Pacific Resident Theatre. Photo by Jeff Lorch

(SB): What production(s) were you involved with when word went out you needed to immediately postpone or cancel the show?

(Scott): We were just wrapping up a production of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons at Pacific Resident Theatre after a very successful run with about 7 months of extensions. I guess the timing worked out in that we closed the show approximately a week before things became more serious with the mandatory shutting down of citywide events.

(SB): How were you following the news and sharing your concerns with the cast and production team?

Terry Davis and Scott Jackson. Photo by Jeff Lorch

(Scott): Just as we did during the run, we’ve been emailing and texting each other. And now that we must social isolate ourselves, we are connecting through social media and staying active by posting updates. We just had a Zoom cocktail party, a new experience for me! After 7 months, 8 with rehearsals, I’m sort of enjoying some solitude. I’ve never been very active with Facetime or live video chats since my preference is texting emoji’s 😎.

(SB): Are plans in place to present that production at a future date?

(Scott): I don’t think so. Despite the sold-out run, the play has been done so many times recently, including on Broadway, that it would be difficult to re-mount and market the show with the same cast and production team. That said, the run was very telling about great writing, especially when it’s timely and timeless, combined with a great production team, and how it will bring people out to see it again and again. Seventy years after it was first produced, this classic still brought in young people as well as returning audiences from different generations.

Scott Jackson and Richard Fancy. Photo by Jeff Lorch

(SB) I am sharing the link to my Broadway World review of All My Sons at Pacific Resident as I thoroughly enjoyed the production, directed with great skill and reverence for Arthur Miller’s script and characters by Elina De Santos, in which Scott portrayed George Deever.

(SB): What future productions on your schedule are also affected by the shutdown?

(Scott): I’m directing a short film and I was just about to begin pre-production. Regarding theater, I’m beginning to look at the role of Jean in Miss Julie by August Strindberg. I don’t have many details about the production yet, but I’ve been interested in working on this play because it talks about the small person who’s fighting for more. It’s about the class system and what your place in the world is at birth. It’s really about survival. It’s Julie vs. Jean. That sounds like fun to me. And a challenge.

(SB): How are you keeping the Arts alive while at home by using social media or other online sites?

Sean Patrick Flanery and Scott Jackson in “Trafficked.” Photo courtesy Jackson

(Scott): Some theatre companies have developed online series during this physical distancing time. For example, the Skylight Theatre has started an online series called “Skylight Live” every Thursday at 3pm, with new and humorous pieces that are written for this medium. I continue to support other artists and arts organizations by retweeting and sharing their good news. People will eventually want to get out and support the arts again, and social media plays a huge part in promoting artists and their work.

(SB): What thoughts would you like to share with the rest of the L.A. Theatre community while we are all leaving the Ghostlight on and promising to return to the stage soon?

(Scott): I’ve heard people say that Los Angeles is not a theater town, but those are people who don’t go to the theater and who don’t work in the theater. This town is thriving with talented writers, directors, actors, and designers, all of them theater-makers who are forming and monitoring the pulse of a new Millennium. Being an actor in the theater is a craft and expression of creativity like nothing else that I’ve experienced in life, so fulfilling and rewarding. Being an audience member in the theater is life-giving, and dare I say, social. I am like-minded and very appreciative of anyone who supports theater, like you. So thank you for keeping the ghost light on and for writing, creating, and for reaching out.

(SB): Thanks so much. My goal is to “get the word out” about all forms of theatre in our city, drawing others into the incredible in-person sharing experience that only live performances can create in a room filled with people.

(Scott): My best advice is to stay creative and active. Connect with other artists virtually. I feel like we’re going to come back stronger, and have more gratitude for theater and the theater community, especially after all this time to get to know each other better. May we all be back on the boards soon!

This article first appeared on Broadway World.

JOAN OF ART: Never Is Now – A Powerful Play, A Must See Film About A True Legend and a Night of Magic

What makes a play memorable? For me it’s one that moves me emotionally and one that makes me think. NEVER IS NOW is just such a play. There are some events in history that are very hard to visit, but at the same time, it’s so important that we do just that, which brings me to this world premiere directed by Tony Abatemarco and Celia Mandela Rivera playing at the Skylight Theatre. I’ve seen numerous productions put on by this theatre company and have never been disappointed. They do excellent work and this production is no exception.

The play asks the question…What happens when people from diverse backgrounds experience the first hand accounts of ten survivors who were labeled ‘undesirable’ and thrust into Hitler’s systematic genocide.?

Award winning playwright/producer Wendy Kout disturbingly links then and now so we may understand what breaks us apart and embrace what bonds us together. NEVER IS NOW according to Wendy is just the beginning of the conversation.

This is a theatre experience that you will be thinking about long after the curtain falls. I know I was. You can see this play Fridays at 8:30pm, Saturdays at 4pm & 8:30pm and Sundays at 2pm through October 27th.

Skylight Theatre is located at 1816 1/2 N Vermont Ave in East Hollywood, 90027. To purchase tickets go to SkylightTheatre.org or call 213-761-7061.

When I was a little girl my grandmother told me that her favorite singer was a woman named Judy Garland. After watching her films over the years, she became one of my favorite singers as well.

On Friday, September 27th, the film JUDY starring the brilliant Renee Zellweger opens and having seen it, I predict she will win the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actress. She absolutely nails the part. Not only is her portrayal of one of the world’s greatest entertainers right on point, when Renee sings, she sounds just like Judy capturing Garland’s emotional intensity.

JUDY takes place during the winter of 1968 when the singer arrived in London to perform a five week sold out run at The Talk of the Town. As she prepares for each show, we journey into her past and get to understand why the singer was so tormented and had to resort to drugs and alcohol to ease her pain.

The film features some of Judy’s best known songs, celebrates her voice and shows the audience why she had such a desperate need for love and constant reassurance. Don’t miss it!

Next to seeing great plays and films I love watching magic shows and that’s exactly what I’ll be doing this Saturday night. Ivan Amodei, one of my favorite magicians, will be performing at Janet & Ray Scherr Forum Theatre located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd in Thousand Oaks. Ivan is considered to be one of today’s most gifted illusionists.

His show is entitled Secrets & Illusions and having seen it twice before, I promise you, it’s one you won’t forget.

Ivan could easily settle for just amazing people, but he does so much more. Whether it’s his world class sleight of hand, fantastic storytelling or mind-blowing mentalism, every ‘trick’ embodies a powerful truth about empowerment and hope. He has won six People’s Choice Awards for Best Entertainer and his long running show Intimate Illusions was a Top Pick by the Los Angeles Times.

If you love magic as much as I do, than Ivan Amodei is the magician to see. For tickets or more information go to IvanaModei.com, CivicArtsPlaza.com or call the Civic Arts Plaza box office at 805-449-2787.

Whatever you choose to do this weekend, make it a fun one.

Ashton’s Audio Interview: The cast of “Bronco Billy – The Musical” at Skylight Theatre

“The show is about living your passion. About being part of a family even if you have to create your own. With some unexpected turns through love, villainy, show business, and lots of humor, Chip, John, and Michele have beautifully honored the book and enlightened the characters with their magical musical influences,” says Author Dennis Hackin. “All this, during a time when everyone could use a new upbeat musical.”

Enjoy this interview with the cast of “Bronco Billy – The Musical” at Skylight Theatre, playing through June 30th. You can listen to this interview while commuting, while waiting in line at the grocery store or at an audition, backstage and even front of the stage. For tickets and more info Click here.

Ashton’s Audio Interview: The cast of “America Adjacent” at Skylight Theatre

In pursuit of the American Dream, six pregnant Filipina women risk everything. Confined to a one-bedroom one-bath unit in East Hollywood, they do their best to overcome fears of jail and deportation so that their children can have a better life.* Enjoy this interview with the cast of “America Adjacent” at Skylight Theatre, playing through Mar 24th. You can listen to this interview while commuting, while waiting in line at the grocery store or at an audition, backstage and even front of the stage. For tickets and more info Click here. *taken from the website

Drama Ensues: 5 Questions for Boni Alvarez

My dear friend and playwriting hero Boni Alvarez is back at it, taking Los Angeles theatre by storm with his new play AMERICA ADJACENT, playing at Skylight Theatre. The run, helmed by Jon Lawrence Rivera, has been selling out, so get tickets if you can. This is one hot play.

For tickets and info visit Skylighttheatre.org/event/america-adjacent

Roger Q. Mason (RQM): Boni, tell us about the impetus for AMERICA ADJACENT.

Boni Alvarez (BA): I read an article years ago about a Chinese birthing house getting raided in the San Gabriel Valley. The descriptions of the living conditions, the women participating, the Stateside operation, it was all so vivid. It made me question – why? Why would these Chinese women – women of means – endure these conditions, all in the name of birthing a U.S. citizen? I re-imagined the situation with Filipina women.

RQM: One room, six Filipina women. Diyos ko! That’s the perfect hotbed for drama. What’s it like for six women, particularly six Filipina women?

BA: They have a common bond with their shared goal, but they are a very diverse group of women. Some are married, some not. They come from different areas of the Philippines. They travel in different social circles. They’re experiencing the discomforts of pregnancy, of being in a confined space, of being far from home. Drama ensues.

RQM: This project is a confluence of quite a few longstanding relationships: you’re a resident playwright at Skylight; you’ve collaborated with Jon Lawrence Rivera many times before; and – correct me if I’m wrong – some of the members of your cast have been in other projects before. How have these relationships influenced your work and your process?

BA: The folks at Skylight have always championed my voice as a playwright. I’ve written four plays in the Playwrights’ Lab, so it’s a fertile community for me. Jon has been a champion of my work since I graduated from USC. There’s an ease in our collaborations – we speak a similar language and we really enjoy each other. In terms of actors I work with repeatedly, I am drawn to them because they understand my storytelling. This is the second play I’ve had Evie Abat in and my third with Sandy Velasco. There’s comfort in knowing that an actor will come through both professionally and artistically. But I love meeting new actors also. I think my plays tend to have bigger casts because I feel a responsibility to write for more actors, especially Filipino ones.

RQM: Okay, now a big question. How is the “American Dream” packaged for Filipinx people abroad and how is the reality so terribly different when they get to the States? As a fellow Filipinx playwright (my mother came to the US in 1980) I am interested in hearing your take on this cultural dichotomy.

BA: When I would visit the Philippines as a child, I got the sense that relatives believed that money grew on trees in the States, that all you had to do was get here and all would be golden.

But most immigrants know that’s not true. You have to work hard to scratch out a living here, but working hard and being able to pay your rent – I don’t think that’s the ‘dream’. That’s just simple existence – we haven’t even touched on other elements like racism and xenophobia and how that factors into culture shock and colors the ‘dream’.

RQM: We know you STAY writing, Boni. That’s one of the many things we love about you. What are you working on now?

BA: Working on a new political play Emmylu in the Skylight Lab. Revising my WWII play Refuge for a Purple Heart set in the Philippines – a love story between a Jewish Austrian refugee and a Filipino boy. And finishing up a half-hour pilot, a dramedy.

Ashton’s Audio Interview: The cast of “Sugar Plum Fairy” at Skylight Theatre

Sugar Plum Fairy is a thoroughly original story about a 12 year-old girl who dreams of dancing the lead in The Nutcracker with a cast of characters you won’t forget!
Enjoy an offbeat holiday treat that Adults and Kids love! Join in if you like, (think G-rated “Rocky Horror” fun) and don’t forget to wear your ugly holiday sweater, tutu or silly Hanukah hat. It’s 75 minutes of madcap merriment that will send you home smiling!*
Enjoy this interview with the cast of “Sugar Plum Fairy” at Skylight Theatre, running until Dec 23rd. You can listen to this interview while commuting, while waiting in line at the grocery store or at an audition, backstage and even front of the stage. For tickets and more info Click here.
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*taken from the website

EVENTS OPENING THIS WEEK

WICKED @ Pantages Theatre

November 29, 2018 2:00 pm

WICKED, the Broadway sensation, looks at what happened in the Land of Oz…but from a different angle. Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin—smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing …read more

COME FROM AWAY@ Ahmanson Theatre

November 29, 2018 2:00 pm

This New York Times Critics’ Pick takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but …read more

DIXIE’S TUPPERWARE PARTY @ Kirk Douglas Theatre

November 29, 2018 8:00 pm

This hilarious Off-Broadway smash returns to Los Angeles, featuring Dixie Longate, the fast-talking, gum chewing, ginger-haired Alabama gal who is bringing your grandma’s Tupperware party out of the living room and into the 21st …read more

NICOLE HENRY, SET FOR THE SEASON @ Smothers Theatre at Pepperdine University

November 30, 2018 8:00 pm

Renowned for her potent combination of dynamic vocals, impeccable phrasing, and powerful emotional resonance, acclaimed jazz singer Nicole Henry brings new life to classic holiday repertoire. Her expressive vocals and stage-commanding charisma have earned …read more

WHITE NIGHTS, BLACK PARADISE@ Hudson Guild Theatre

November 30, 2018 8:00 pm

In 1978, People’s Temple, a progressive, Black multiracial church, self-destructed in a Guyana settlement named after its founder, the Reverend Jim Jones. A riveting story of complicity and resistance; loyalty and betrayal; black struggle …read more

A HARMONY BOYS CHRISTMAS – LIVE FROM WAIKIKI BEACH! @ The Broadwater

November 30, 2018 8:00 pm

The Boys are back! It’s 1963 all over again and famed foursome The Harmony Boys are returning to spread Christmas Cheer all over your face in a new holiday special on the gay and …read more

FIRST NIGHT BY JACK NEARY @ Point Loma Playhouse

November 30, 2018 8:00 pm

First Night by Jack Neary A bright, warm comedy about dreams, life and love, that had critics and audiences cheering at its premiere. Danny Flemming had convinced himself that life’s dreams can’t be anything more …read more

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE @ Theatre West

November 30, 2018 8:00 pm

“It’s a Wonderful Life.” Matt Johnson directs this radio-drama style staging of the holiday classic, based on the 1947 Lux Radio Theatre version, about a man who learns how important his life is to …read more

ELF THE MUSICAL@ Musical Theatre West, Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center

December 1, 2018 2:00 pm

Based on the cherished 2003 hit film starring Will Ferrell, Elf the Musical is the story of Buddy the elf. Featuring songs by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin (Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway, The Wedding Singer), with …read more

THE SANTALAND DIARIES @ Santa Monica Playhouse The Main Stage

December 1, 2018 8:00 pm

“A sardonic, merrily subversive tale—just the antidote to bright-eyed joy before too many shopping days have passed. Worth more than a photo album full of Santas!” NY Newsday. Patrick Censoplano once again dons the …read more

JAKE SHIMABUKURO @ Smothers Theatre at Pepperdine University

December 1, 2018 8:00 pm

In just over a decade of recording music and playing sold-out shows worldwide, Jake Shimabukuro has already redefined the ukulele. In his hands this diminutive Hawaiian instrument becomes a complex and bold new musical …read more

A CHRISTMAS CAROL @ The Whitmore-Lindley Theatre Center

December 1, 2018 8:00 pm

From award winning solo performer comes the classic Dickens tale of redemption and hope. Blanco’s tour de force performance brings Dickens’ wonderful characters to life with magic and audience participation. The lessons of forgivenes …read more

DEATH HOUSE @ The Road Theatre Company

December 1, 2018 8:00 pm

On the night a death-house chaplain must hand over the reigns to the confident young pastor set to replace him, the men encounter an enigmatic inmate who challenges their convictions and changes their lives …read more

HOW TO PRODUCE A HOLLYWOOD FRINGE SHOW @ Asylum (Inter)national House – Combined Artform

December 2, 2018 2:00 pm

How to Produce a Hollywood Fringe Show taught by Matthew Quinn Excited about the thought of doing a show at HFF, but have concerns and questions? Get the answers to your questions and an overview of …read more

SUGAR PLUM FAIRY @ Skylight Theatre Company

December 2, 2018 3:00 pm

Skylight Theatre Company and Frier McCollister present Sandra Tsing Loh’s “Sugar Plum Fairy” Directed by Bart De Lorenzo This offbeat and thoroughly original holiday treat offers festive cheer while engaging audiences to participate (think G-rated …read more

A HOLIDAY COMEDY SHITSH*W@ The Complex

December 4, 2018 7:30 pm

A Holiday Comedy ShitSH*W LOS ANGELES PREMIERE New Banner – SJK 11.6.18.jpg An Original Sketch Comedy Walk Down A Hilarious Dysfunctional Santa Clause Lane December 4, 2018 @ The Complex Theatre Opening December 4 …read more

EVENTS OPENING THIS WEEK

18TH ANNUAL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL @ Laemmle NoHo 7

October 31, 2018 8:00 pm

OCT 31st @ 8:00PM – OPENING NIGHT: 818 THE MOVIE Wed 10/31/18 08:00 PM 1 – NOT THAT STRONG Music Video, 5 min., Rated: Not Rated, English Dir: Gregory JM Kasunich, Prod: Gregory JM Kasunich, Gene Micofsky 2 – …read more

BRIDE OF BLOOD@ Skylight Theatre Company

October 31, 2018 8:00 pm

King Solomon, the son of King David, was famed as the wisest King in all the world. With 700 wives and 300 concubines, his truest love may be the Queen of Sheba, and a …read more

SKYPILOT ONE ACT FESTIVAL 2018 @ Oh My Ribs! Theater

November 1, 2018 8:00 pm

The award-winning SkyPilot Theatre Company will premiere seven original short plays during its inaugural SkyPilot One-Act Festival this November at Oh My Ribs! Entertainment, 6468 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood. The plays (titled Series …read more

THERE IS EVIL IN THIS HOUSE @ studio/stage

November 2, 2018 8:00 pm

Flat Tire Theatre Company presents There is Evil in This House Written by Natalie Nicole Dressel Directed by Sofija Dutcher A pop-culture obsessed Transgender woman copes with the realities of having grown up in a haunted house, the …read more

SHE LOVES ME @ Actors Co-op David Schall Theatre

November 2, 2018 8:00 pm

Actors Co-op Theatre Company presents the three-time Tony Award-Winning Musical She Loves Me, with book by Joe Masteroff, music by Jerry Bock, and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, directed and choreographed by Cate Caplin, produced …read more

GRAY PEOPLE @ The Belfry Stage (Upstairs)

November 2, 2018 8:30 pm

Force of Nature Productions presents the World Premiere of Kerry Kazmierowicztrimm’s GRAY PEOPLE. GRAY PEOPLE tells a story of constantly shifting trust and loyalties as James, Jenny and Adam tensely await a late-night delivery in …read more

THE UPCYCLERS – AN EARTH SAVING MUSICAL @ Miles Memorial Playhouse

November 3, 2018 2:00 pm

Zoo Theatre Company will present the World Premiere of “THE UPCYCLERS – An Earth Saving Musical,” with Book, Music and Lyrics written by Daniel Sugimoto, created by Julia Lisa and Daniel Sugimoto, starring Julia …read more

LONDON-PARIS-ROAM! @ MiMoDa Studio

November 3, 2018 8:00 pm

LONDON-PARIS-ROAM ! A new one-woman musical show starring Sarah Tullamore. Original music and lyrics by James Burn Book and additional music/lyrics by Sarah Tullamore Directed by Frederic Baptiste Accompanied on piano by Alan Steinberger …read more

AROUND THE WORLD WITH SUZY LONDON @ Theatre West

November 3, 2018 8:00 pm

An evening of songs and stories from Suzy’s travels around the world from the streets of Paris to the cabarets of Germany…. the rain forests of Brazil to the steppes of Eurasia ….. from …read more

SHE IS HISTORY @ Theatre West

November 4, 2018 2:00 pm

Amy Simon in She Is History, a play about women who make and made history. Watch Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony multitask – just like today’s mom – running the house, fixing …read more

Friday Features – Sweet Shows This Coming Week

Better Lemons has lots of registered shows and events and lot of them have Critics and Audience reviews posted. Here you can see their favorites and when you click on a title, you will see all the critics’ and audience reviews and ratings. From there you can choose what your adventures this weekend will be. We wish you a fantastic weekend!

The Gin Game

A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN

SWEAT

SWANSONG

Resa Fantastiskt Mystisk

Martians – An Evening With Ray Bradbury

“BLACK!”

A View From The Bridge

The Rescued

Fallen Saints: Dark

GLORIA

Romeo and Juliet

BREADCRUMBS

FIRE IN A DARK HOUSE

UK Underdog

Brimstone

26 PEBBLES

Showpony

A PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY

PARADISE – A Divine Bluegrass Musical Comedy

Postponed – Aleichem Sholom! The wit and wisdom of Sholom Aleichem

The Marriage Zone

What Happened When

Old Clown Wanted

Rope

All Night Long

The Cake

I AM CHARLIE

American Hero

Ashton’s Audio Interview: André de Vanny stars in ‘Swansong’ at Skylight Theatre

Pulled from the streets of 1960’s Ireland, this gritty monodrama tells the story of Austin “Occi” Byrne, abused and isolated, violent, vulnerable, and searching for redemption.
Enjoy this interview about “Swansong” staring André de Vanny at the Skylight Theatre, running until Oct 7th. You can listen to this interview while commuting, while waiting in line at the grocery store or at an audition, backstage and even front of the stage. For tickets and more info Click here.
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Taken from the website

Joan's LA: Theatre, Restaurants, and Flea Market Tips For This Weekend

Hi everyone…Well looks like summer isn’t over and it’s going to be a very hot weekend. I intend to spend as many days as I can at the beach. I recommend Zuma in Malibu. It may be a bit of a drive but it’s never crowded and the water is beautiful. Plus you may get a visitor or two.
This Friday I’ll be at one of my favorite plant based Mexican Gracias Madre. Now for those out there that aren’t vegan or vegetarian I promise you will absolutely love this restaurant and you won’t miss meat at all. They serve cuisine that is inspired by the kitchens of Mexico. Everything is organic, farm fresh and it’s all locally sourced food. The chef Chandra Gilbert is definitely an artist. This is a great place to take your girlfriend, your wife, or someone you just met online and want to impress. The prices are quite reasonable. Be sure to order the guacamole and chips. Gracias Madre is located at 8905 Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood. To check out their menu go to GraciasMadreWeHo.com
Saturday night I’m off to the Skylight Theatre located at 1816 1/2 North Vermont for the opening of a play entitled Swansong. The play is being put on by the Australian Theatre Company. I’ve seen several of their productions and every one of them has been excellent. This is a very unique play about a man, Austin ‘Occi’ Byrne that has been abused and has lived a very isolated life filled with violence. He is now searching for redemption. Swansong has played all over the world and from the reviews it’s gotten, I can guarantee you it will be a powerful theatre experience. Plus the play is written by the Irish playwright Conor McDermottroe and no one knows how to express suffering more poetically than the Irish. You can purchase tickets through their show page or you can also do it the old fashion way by calling 866-811-4111.
After the play, you’ll probably want to go somewhere to discuss it and walking down Vermont is the perfect place to do this. This is a very cool street filled with book stores, outdoor cafes, ecclectic shops and the historic Vista Movie Theatre built in 1921 that still shows movies. Oh and my favorite part of Vermont are the dogs. Everyone seems to have one and being a crazy dog person, I have to stop and pet every single one that I see, which for some reason gets whoever I’m with slightly annoyed.
Finally this Sunday you will find me at the world famous Rose Bowl Flea Market. I’m obssessed with anything vintage and this is the one place where you can find anything and everything from your great grandmother’s era. My passion is depression glass and dishes. I have around a thousand pieces (no I’m not a horder) and I found them all there. The Flea Market also has old albums (remember albums) rows and rows of furniture, jewelry, clothes just to name a few of the things you’ll find from the 2500 plus vendors that are there every month.. To learn more go to RGCShows.com/rosebowl.aspx.
After shopping I recommend checking out Old Pasadena where you will find find many historic buildings and some really cool cafes. One of my favorites is Amara Cafe and Restaurant (Chocolate and coffee). What could be better.? Check out their menu at AmaraChocolate.com.
Whatever you choose to do this weekend have a great one.

Ashton’s Audio Interview: The cast of "HOSTAGE" at Skylight Theatre

A stunning connection between two very different worlds. Based on true events, a family fights the backlash from the community and governments, both here and abroad when a Mom travels to Tehran to save her son, a 19 year old Marine held captive during the Iran hostage crisis.
Enjoy this interview about “HOSTAGE” Written By Michelle Kholos Brooks at Skylight Theatre, running until June 24th. You can listen to this interview while commuting, while waiting in line at the grocery store or at an audition, backstage and even front of the stage. For tickets and more info Click here.
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