Gil Kaan - Page 3

Next up at the Ahmanson, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul’s A Christmas Story opening December 8, 2023 (with previews beginning December 5th). Matt Lenz directs the cast of Chris Carsten, Eric Petersen, Sabrina Sloan, Shelley Regner, Kai Edga, and Henry Witcher; with ensemble members Steven-Adam Agdeppa, Gabbie Fried, Andrew Ge, Juliane Godfrey, Julia Harnett, Michael James, Trent Mills, Kyle Montgomery, Gabriel Navarro, Jane Papageorge, Zeke Bernier, Addalie Burns, Jack Casey, Jordan Coates, Greta Rebecca Kleinman, Kayden Alexander Koshelev, Emilie Ong, Izzy Pike, Jacob Pham and Charlie Stover. Sabrina took some time from her Mother-ing to answer a few of my queries.

The Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir holiday special celebrates its 20th year with PBS premiering December 12, 2023. This perennial favorite, PBS’ #1 holiday show each year, this year features guest stars Lea Salonga and Sir David Suchet performing with the 360-membered Tabernacle Choir and 110-piece Orchestra in the 21,000 seat Salt Lake City Conference Center. This program, titled Season of Light, was taped as a compilation of three performances last holiday season. I had the opportunity to partake in a Zoom Q&A with Lea, Sir David and music director Mack Wilberg.

For The Record’s perennial holiday favorite Love Actually Live returned to The Wallis November 29, 2023. Commemorating the film’s 20th anniversary, Anderson Davis directs the cast of Tomasina Abate, Madison Taylor Baez, James Byous, Chris Cockrill, Audrey Cymone, Anthony Fedorov, Brayden Gleave, Grace Kinstler, Parissa Koo, Doug Kreeger, Austin Lesch, Ruby Lewis, Chris Mann, Jordan Ann Martone, Brian McKnight Jr., Darrell Morris Jr, Nina Nelson, Spencer Schaffe, Drew Seeley, Rex Smith, Alkaio Thiele and Cheyenne Isabel Wells. In the midst of previews, Ruby found some time to answer a few of my queries.

Jeff Schell and The Habit’s A Very Die Hard Christmas opens December 10, 2023 at Theatre 40. Celebrating the film’s 35th anniversary, Sandro Monetti directs this musical parody with the cast of Nick Versteeg, Lauren Samuels, Jesse Merlin, Raymund King, Nick Bredosky, and Theatre 40 favorites Roslyn Cohn, Joe Clabby and Kristal Dickerson. Sandro graciously made it a priority to promptly answer a few of my queries.

Broadway legend Audra McDonald returns to LA Opera backed by the LA Opera Orchestra and her four-piece ensemble (led by musical director Andy Einhorn) December 2, 2023. Be prepared to experience the stunning vocals of six-time Tony winner singing her expansive Broadway and opera repertoire filling the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. The busy mom found some time between her touring engagements to chat with me on the phone.

A re-imagined production of Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee’s Inherit the Wind is currently playing on the Pasadena Playhouse stage, just extended through December 3, 2023. Michael Michetti directs the cast, led by Alfred Molina & John Douglas Thompson as the battling lawyers in a trial inspired by the Scopes Monkey trials in 1925. Rounding out the talented company: Chris Perfetti, Abubakr Al, David Aaron Baker, Rachel Hilson, Jared, Brian Calì, Marlene Forte, Matt Gomez Hidaka, Thomas Hobson, Michael Kostroff, John W. Lawson, Philip J. Lewis, Gabriella Pizzigoni, Rene Rivera and Pam Trotter. After the whirlwind of opening night and unexpected COVID cancellations, John Douglas graciously found some time to chat with me on the phone.

InHouse Theatre’s next site-specific production Matt Schatz’ The Past, A Present Yet To Come will open December 4, 2023 at The Artisan Studios, moving over to The Ebell of Los Angeles December 11th. Tom Detrinis directs the cast of Keri Safran, Brandon Scott and Rob Welsh.  After returning from his trip to Mexico, Brandon graciously found time to answer a few of my queries.

The global tour of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Holiday Show! finally makes its Los Angeles debut at the El Portal Theatre November 25, 2023 (playing through January 21, 2024). Based on Eric Carle’s children’s books, show creator Jonathan Rockefeller directs the cast of Paula Moore, Becki Park, Sean Tibangin and Leonard Moore manipulating 75 life-sized puppets.

Next up for the Center Theatre Group, TheaterWorksUSA’s Dog Man: The Musical opening November 21, 2023 at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. Jen Wineman directs and choreographs this adaptation of Dav Pilkey’s worldwide best-selling book series Dog Man: The Musical. Kevin Del Aguila, who wrote the book and lyrics, found time to answer a few of my queries between pushing objects off his desk and pooping in the sand.

Matt Chait’s A Family Business world premieres November 17, 2023, at the Hudson Mainstage Theatre (with previews November 15th and 16th). Brian Shnipper directs the cast of Eric Stanton Betts, Alli Brown, Michelle Jasso, Lindsay G. Merrithew, Bruce Nozick and Julie Pearl. I had the chance to throw out a few questions to Matt, the playwright and man integral to Los Angeles Theatre history.

Next up at the Getty Villa Theater Lab, Guelan Varela-Luarca and Chay Yew’s The House of Baluyot: A Filipino Oresteia for two performances only November 18th and 19th. Guelan and Chay also direct this work-in-progress with the cast of Ramon de Ocampo, Tess Lina, Zandi De Jesus, Reggie Lee, Andres Paul Ramacho and Amielynn Abellera. Chay found some time from prepping his many, many directorial obligations to answer a few pf my queries.

The 25th Anniversary North American Tour of MAMMA MIA! makes its Los Angeles stop at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre beginning November 14, 2023. Reprising her role of Donna Sheridan, Christine Sherrill leads the cast of 30. Phyllida Lloyd directs and Anthony Van Laast choregraphs this three-week limited engagement. Christine managed to squeeze some time from her last couple of performances in Denver to answer a few of my queries.

The musical workshop of The Manager world premieres at The Bourbon Room November 13th and 14th. The real-life story of the six degrees of separation between Elvis, Colonel Tom Parker, Ricky Nelson and Louis Jay Pearlman is told through the original songs by Ben Susskind. Steve Josephson directs the cast of Kevin Baily, Ted Barton, Steve Josephson, Payson Lewis, Douglas Nottage, Marguerite MacIntyre, Jesse Corbin, Travis Nesbitt, Jesse JP Johnson, Christopher Messin, Cecily Gish and Melanie Au-Yeung. Kevin, who wears two hats in this production as producer and as Colonel Parker, managed to carve out some time to answer a few of my queries between his producing and rehearsing obligations for The Manager and his current stint as John Boehner role in 44.

The smash jukebox tribute Scissorhands - A Musical Tribute returns with an all-new, immersive staging opening December 1, 2023, at The Bourbon Room (with previews starting November 24th). This hilarious parody of the 1990 classic film Edward Scissorhands features their unique take on such pop hits as: What Was I Made For, Dream On, Uninvited, Like a Prayer, I'm Every Woman, Shallow, Shake It Out, and Fast Car. Scissorhands’ playwright Bradley Bredeweg directs the vocally gifted cast of: Jordan Kai Burnett, Emma Hunton, Dionne Gipson, Natalie Masini, Ryan O'Connor, Carly Casey and Alex Ellis; with Carson Higgins, alternating with John Krause. Jordan cut some time out of their busy schedule to answer a few of my queries.

Collaborative Artists Bloc & Support Black Theatre will West Coast premiere Nikkole Salter’s Lines in the Dust November 4, 2023 at the Matrix Theatre. Desean K. Terry directs the cast of Kelly Jenrette, Erica Tazel and Tony Pasqualini, with Kelly and Erica playing the dual roles of Beverly and Denitra. Kelly was most gracious to make time out of her rehearsals to answer a few of my queries.

The West Coast premiere of Howard L. Craft’s Freight: The Five Incarnations of Abel Green begins November 12, 2023, at the Fountain Theatre. Joseph Megel directs this one-man outing starring J. Alphonse Nicholson. J. Alphonse made some time out of his rehearsals to answer a few of my queries.

The Group Rep inaugurates their 51st anniversary season with Kander & Ebb’s 70, Girls, 70 opening November 10, 2023, at their Lonny Chapman Theatre. Bruce Kimmel directs the cast of Cynthia Bryant, Regan Carrington, Kay Cole, Fay DeWitt, and more. Barbara, who shares the role of Ida with Suzy, sat down to answer a few of my queries.

The final production of East West Players’ 57th Season, the Tony Award winning musical Spring Awakening opens October 29, 2023 (with previews already begun). Former EWP Artistic Director Tim Dang directs the cast of Mia Sempertegui, Thomas K. Winter, Marcus Phillips, Madison Grepo, Tamlyn Tomita, Daniel Blinkoff, Jaylen Baham, James Everts, Genki Hall, Sarah Marie Hernandez, Justine Rafael, Eric Renna and Leianna Weaver. Long-time EWP supporter Tamlyn will be making her EWP debut in this production. Tamilyn sprung into Q&A mode to answer a few of my queries,

Akram Khan Dance Company world premieres its Jungle Book reimagined at The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage October 26, 2023. Akram Khan Dance Company member Jan Mikaela Villanueva found some time from their performances in Ottawa, Canada to answer a few of my queries.

Up next at The Geffen Playhouse, Samuel Baum’s The Engagement Party West Coast premieres October 12, 2023 (with previews already in progress). Darko Tresnjak directs the cast of: Richard Bekins, Bella Heathcote, Brian Lee Huynh, Mark Jacobson, Wendie Malick, Brian Patrick Murphy, Jonah Platt and Lauren Worsham. Samuel squeezed out some time from rehearsals and previews to answer a few of my queries.