Latest news with #LaJollaPlayhouse
Los Angeles Times
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Center Theatre Group's 2025-26 season: David Byrne's 'Here Lies Love,' 'Paranormal Activity' and more
Bisserat Tseggai, left, and Mia Ellis in 'JaJa's African Hair Braiding.' The Imelda Marcos bio-musical 'Here Lies Love' injects some disco shimmer to the Center Theatre Group 2025-26 season announced Tuesday. The company behind the Ahmanson Theatre and Mark Taper Forum in downtown L.A. and the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City released a lineup that also includes the Jocelyn Bioh play 'Jaja's African Hair Braiding'; Eboni Booth's new play 'Primary Trust'; a stage riff on the 'Paranormal Activity' movies; the musical '& Juliet' and a 25th anniversary revival of 'Mamma Mia!' 'Here Lies Love,' featuring music by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, and lyrics by Byrne, made history as Broadway's first musical with an all-Filipino cast. The production earned 2024 Tony nominations for score, sound design, scene design and choreography as well as praise from critics including the New York Times' Jesse Green, who applauded the 'infernally catchy songs.' The musical also faced criticism for historical distortion and what some saw as the underplaying of corruption, censorship and violent political oppression in the Philippines during the Marcos regime. The musical has been updated since its 2013 Off-Broadway premiere at the Public Theater to emphasize the People Power Revolution that spurred the end of the Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos era. In New York, producers transformed the Broadway Theater to evoke Studio 54. Center Theatre Group will present 'Here Lies Love' in the Taper in a run scheduled to open Feb. 11. Snehal Desai, CTG's artistic director, will helm the production. The comedy 'Jaja's African Hair Braiding' earned Tony nominations last year for best play, direction, scenic design and sound design, and Dede Ayite won the award for her costumes. Set in Harlem, Bioh's play centers on a community of West African immigrants who 'confront the challenges of being outsiders in their own neighborhood.' Whitney White will direct a co-production with La Jolla Playhouse, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. It opens at the Taper on Oct. 1. Booth's 'Primary Trust' was the 2024 Pulitzer Prize winner for drama. The Pulitzer citation called it 'a simple and elegantly crafted story of an emotionally damaged man who finds a new job, new friends and a new sense of worth, illustrating how small acts of kindness can change a person's life and enrich an entire community.' Caleb Eberhardt in La Jolla Playhouse's West Coast-premiere production of 'Primary Trust' last year. After seeing the play's West Coast premiere at La Jolla Playhouse last year, Times theater critic Charles McNulty wrote: 'This is a quirky, small-scale, quietly reflective work that's as tenderhearted as it is spryly comic and as poignant as it is ultimately uplifting. 'It's refreshing to see such a prodigious honor bestowed on a piece of writing that's content to go about its human business without the need to inflate its own importance.' Knud Adams will direct the Taper production, which opens in May 2026. Here are the six major productions in the 2025-26 CTG schedule (in chronological order) announced by Desai, managing director and chief executive Meghan Pressman and producing director Douglas C. Baker. A seventh production will be announced at a later date. '& Juliet'Book by David West ReadMusic by Max Martin & FriendsDirected By Luke SheppardAhmanson Theatre Aug. 13-Sept. 7 'Jaja's African Hair Braiding'Mark Taper Forum Oct. 1-Nov. 9 'Paranormal Activity'Based on the 'Paranormal Activity' films from Blumhouse and Solana Films, adapted here by arrangement with Paramount Pictures and Melting PotWritten by Levi HollowayDirected by Felix BarrettCo-production with American Conservatory Theater of San Francisco, Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Shakespeare Theatre Company of Washington, D.C. Ahmanson Theatre Nov. 13-Dec. 7 'Here Lies Love'Mark Taper Forum Feb. 11-March 22 'Primary Trust'Mark Taper Forum May 20-June 28, 2026 'Mamma Mia!'Music and lyrics by Benny Andersson & Björn UlvaeusBook by Catherine JohnsonDirected by Phyllida LloydAhmanson Theatre June 23-July 19, 2026 The company's 'CTG:FWD' programming includes three shows at the Kirk Douglas: 'Puppet Up! — Uncensored,' an audience-driven affair featuring creations from the Jim Henson Co., running July 16-27; 'Guac,' writer and star Manuel Oliver's one-man show, from the father of a son who was killed in the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., running Oct. 14-Nov. 2; and 'The Enormous Crocodile,' a musical based on the work of Roald Dahl, Dec. 5-Jan. 4. 'Like It Like Harlem,' a production in partnership with Muse/ique, is scheduled for Aug. 8-10 at the Taper.
New York Times
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Idina Menzel's ‘Redwood' to Close Following Tony Nominations Shutout
'Redwood,' a musical starring Idina Menzel, will end its Broadway run on May 18, an unexpectedly early closing announced just 24 hours after the show failed to garner any Tony Awards nominations. The show's producers, Eva Price, Caroline Kaplan and Loudmouth Media, which is Menzel's production company, announced the closing on Friday morning, acknowledging in a statement that 'we had of course hoped for a longer run.' It had been scheduled to run at least until Aug. 17. 'Redwood' was among 13 Tony-eligible shows that did not receive any nominations on Thursday. And although it had started off well at the box office, the show faced a worrisome decline in weekly grosses last month. It is the first production to decide to close following the Tony announcements, but it is not likely to be the last — several musicals are exhibiting signs of weakness at the box office at a very competitive and challenging time for Broadway shows, when it has become increasingly difficult for shows to become profitable because the costs of producing have risen. 'Redwood' is a passion project for Menzel and her main collaborator, Tina Landau, who conceived the show with the actress and then wrote the book and directed the production. Kate Diaz wrote the music and collaborated with Landau on the lyrics. It had an initial production last year at La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego. The musical is about a New York City gallerist, who, grieving the death of her son, drives cross-country and winds up in a redwood forest, seeking some kind of solace while tree-sitting. The set features enormous LED screens that are used to depict the landscape, and Menzel and several of her co-stars perform part of the show while climbing a large prop tree. The show was named a Critic's Pick by Jesse Green of The New York Times, who wrote, 'You have to admire the guts it takes to have put a deeply serious show about trauma and resilience on Broadway right now.' But other critics were less impressed; the reviews were mostly mixed to negative. The producers said that, during the production's run, the show helped raise more than $2 million for charities, much of it in support of redwood forests. 'Redwood' began previews at the Nederlander Theater on Jan. 24 and opened Feb. 13. At the time of its closing, it will have had 127 performances. It was capitalized for up to $16 million, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission; that money has not been recouped.
Forbes
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
These San Diego Regional Theaters Meet The Moment With Must-See Shows
Quentin Earl Darrington as Frederick Douglass and Ivan Hernandez as President Abraham Lincoln in La Jolla Playhouse's world-premiere musical, "3 Summers of Lincoln." You never need an excuse to escape to sunny San Diego but major premieres at two of the coveted destination's award-winning theaters are reason enough to drop everything and book a trip now. 3 Summers of Lincoln at La Jolla Playhouse and What the Constitution Means to Me at North Coast Rep are both exceptional shows that are impactful, important and thought-provoking, especially at this time in history. Although they share themes focused on the US government, they are totally different – one's a musical, the other a play; one is an exploration of the effort to end the Civil War, the other an exploration of the effort to create the Constitution – and each brings something exciting and relevant to the table. It's impossible to talk about 3 Summers of Lincoln without mentioning Hamilton but they really have little in common other than the fact that they're both contemporary musicals about a game-changing period in US history. While Hamilton mostly features hip hop and rap, 3 Summers of Lincoln is more traditionally Broadway, filled with anthems, ballads and enough catchy songs to eventually earn it a Tony nomination. If I could find the soundtrack on Spotify, I would have downloaded it as I left the theater. The La Jolla Playhouse run is the musical's world premiere, and you'll be sucked in from the first notes of its opening number, 'Ninety Day War.' Featuring a riveting performance by a soldier played by Evan Ruggiero, a self-described 'one-legged tap dancer,' who offers a physical representation of the telegraph that experts believe helped Lincoln win the war, its percussive beat goes right through you and you can't help sit up straighter, instantly at attention. (L-R) Eric Anderson, Noah Rivera, Johnathan Tanner and Evan Ruggiero in La Jolla Playhouse's world-premiere musical, "3 Summers of Lincoln." The show covers the summers of 1862, 1863 and 1864 as President Lincoln tries to end the war that has been going on for days, months, years – which are regularly displayed on the impressive set, conveying the heaviness of this endless battle and its massive body count. He worries about the soldiers, doubts his decisions and gets more and more frustrated with General McClellan. He also develops a treasured and often volatile relationship with abolitionist Frederick Douglass. Their meetings are electrifying. It's so moving to watch Lincoln struggle over whether to issue the Emancipation Proclamation against the warnings of his cabinet. When he finally decides to do the right thing and end slavery, despite the fact that it may cost him a second term, it feels like a miracle. Every performance in 3 Summers of Lincoln is outstanding, with Ivan Hernandez totally embodying the President (if you saw him on the street, you'd swear Lincoln had come back to life) and Quentin Earl Darrington stealing the spotlight every time he appears on stage as Douglass. Carmen Cusack is a three-dimensional Mary Todd Lincoln, Saycon Sengbloh becomes more than Mary's trusted friend and dressmaker and John-Andrew Morrison is a stand out as Lincoln's butler. With gorgeous sets, costumes and songs, 3 Summers of Lincoln deserves to follow many of La Jolla Playhouse's former hits (including Jersey Boys, Come From Away, Redwood) to Broadway. Jacque Wilke in "What the Constitution Means to Me" at North Coast Rep. A few miles north, in Solana Beach, North Coast Rep has just extended the San Diego premiere of What the Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Schreck. I had seen the Tony-nominated show on Amazon Prime and loved it but seeing it in person, especially in the intimate North Coast Rep theater, was truly meaningful. Jacque Wilke stars as the playwright herself, who recreates her real-life experiences as a 15 year old student who paid for college with money she earned by winning Constitutional debate competitions at American Legion halls across the country. The show is deeply personal, making it a much more natural way to teach people an important thing or two than lecturing them. It's well-structured, hilarious, heartbreaking, educational and relatable. Wilke is likeable and personable as Heidi and it's easy to get invested in her stories and history, all of which are tied into the Constitution and its amendments. We suddenly grasp the meaning of this document as she reveals both its brilliance and flaws, using actual recordings of Supreme Court justices involved in their own debates about real cases. Em Danque and Jacque Wilke in "What the Constitution Means to Me" at North Coast Rep. It quickly becomes clear that women have been underserved by the Constitution, which Heidi argues is a 'living document' that can and should evolve over time. One of the highlights of the show is the debate between Heidi and a local student (Em Danque), who each take a side on whether to keep or abolish the Constitution. Every audience member is given a pocket copy of the Constitution to keep and encouraged to cheer for points they agree with and boo when they disagree. At every performance, one audience member is chosen to pick the winner of the debate. At mine (and 85% of the performances, according to the stage manager) , she opted to keep the Constitution with the caveat that it needed more amendments to protect rights for all. Or, to quote President Lincoln himself, 'The people – the people – are the rightful masters of both congresses, and courts – not to overthrow the constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert it.' The audiences of both What the Constitution Means to Me and 3 Summers of Lincoln were totally engaged and vocal, applauding wildly when specific lines hit home, reinforcing the plays' messages that we, the people, have to participate if we want to influence the outcome of elections, wars, bills, the future of democracy. We can't just be spectators.
New York Times
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Review: Wrestling With Angels and Demons in ‘Sumo'
Lisa Sanaye Dring's 'Sumo' offers New Yorkers who are little exposed to that ancient Japanese discipline an opportunity to learn about it in an atmosphere of authenticity and respect. The director Ralph B. Peña's visually splendid staging, with the athletes' nearly naked bodies deployed as living sculpture, immerses us in the pageantry and poetics of a spiritual practice that is also a sport and a big business. But what's authentic and respectful may not always feel satisfying emotionally, and 'Sumo,' a Ma-Yi Theater Company and La Jolla Playhouse production that opened Wednesday at the Public Theater, rarely rises to the dramatic heights it seeks. For long stretches, it feels more like a fuzzy nature documentary than a play. Not that it lacks events. In a fictional Tokyo heya, or wrestling stable, a rigid hierarchy based on competitive achievement is brutally enforced. The main enforcer is Mitsuo (David Shih), who is one tournament away from reaching the sport's highest level. Stratified beneath him are Ren (Ahmad Kamal), Shinta (Earl T. Kim), Fumio (Red Concepción) and So (Michael Hisamoto), each wearing the traditional loincloth and carrying the privilege of his respective rank — or lack thereof. The lowest man, So, spends a lot of time serving the rice and sweeping the ring. Yet there is someone beneath even him. Naturally, that's the unranked newcomer, Akio (Scott Keiji Takeda): an 18-year-old from a troubled background who, though small by sumo standards, has dreamed of becoming a wrestler since childhood. In the way of such stories, his ambition must be humbled. As he scrubs Mitsuo clean in the tub, he scrubs himself of arrogance, pain and desire. 'You reek of need,' Mitsuo says, before violently pouring hot tea down his back. The best plays set in the world of men's sports, like Kristoffer Diaz's 'The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity,' about American wrestling, take the rituals of their milieu and the abuse of athletes within it as givens: starting points for the story, not the story itself. At most they suggest a connection to a general atmosphere of toxic masculinity or the relentless pummeling of no-holds-barred capitalism. Dring could have taken that approach. Women are thought of as contaminants in the heya and arm candy outside it; the sponsors exert a baleful commercial pressure on the fighters. But instead, 'Sumo' puts its characters' quasi-sadistic initiations and humiliations in the context of the sport's spiritual ethos, with its echoes of Shinto purification and the foundational fight between deities representing the human and the divine. 'It's supposed to feel awful,' Ren tells Akio after dropping him to the floor as if flicking a fly. 'Parts of us must be destroyed to make way for what comes after.' Though that didn't work for me, it certainly does for Akio. In the series of competitions designed to give structure and momentum to the otherwise static play, he rises swiftly in the rankings and thus in the other men's esteem. His spiritual growth is rockier, or so we're told, though it's hard to follow dramatic turns that are so thinly sketched. At one point I wasn't sure — and am still not sure after reading the script — whether he does wrong by throwing a match or by not throwing it. Focus is a problem in writing that piles on too many crises in a dutiful effort to particularize each character. One wrestler leaves the heya in shame; another apparently kills himself. A gay subplot, daring in the context of Japanese sumo, is so delicately and abstractly handled it's hard to follow. We are told more about the men's in vitro feelings than we are permitted to see them in vivo. That's not a problem with the physical production. Peña's staging, mostly within a simple 15-foot sumo ring designed by Wilson Chin, provides plenty of intense action, which the men's size and strength make almost elemental, like collisions of planets. (The fight direction is by James Yaegashi and Chelsea Pace.) In other moments, the projections by Hana S. Kim, the lighting by Paul Whitaker and the sound by Fabian Obispo evoke the hush of a bath, the buzz of a restaurant, the clamor of competition. And throughout, the costumes by Mariko Ohigashi, whether the heavy belts worn by the wrestlers at work or their lovely robes in relaxation, tell precise and vivid stories. Yet when you look for the souls within the clothing you find nothing as precise or vivid. That's a problem that comes with the play's virtues. Respect and delicacy, wonderful life values, are less so in drama, and Dring's framing of the work with ingratiatingly comic narration from three priests, as if her subject would otherwise be too strange for New York theatergoers, has a paradoxical effect. It makes sumo seem like a museum exhibit, trapped behind glass. Better, perhaps, just to throw us into the ring.
