Theatreland, from the publishers of Los Angeles Magazine (fall 2019)

FALL 2019

CENTER THEATRE GROUP PRESENTS

Theatreland FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF

Sting BRINGS US HOME IN

THE LAST SHIP PG 18

John Leguizamo, Mike Birbiglia and Aasif Mandvi AFTER DARK PG 6 Heidi Schreck + Diane Paulus

TAKE NO POLITICAL PRISONERS PG 10

DATE NIGHTS, LATE NIGHTS and the Ultimate Sunday Funday PG 15 The NINE-TIME TONY AWARD-WINNING Best Musical comes to the Ahmanson

Sting.

PHOTO BY LUKE FONTANA.

PG 2

â„¢

PHOTO BY LISA BERG.

PAGE 6 “Comedy, Thrice Improved ” WITH Aasif Mandvi, Mike Birbiglia AND John Leguizamo.

FALL 2019

Theatreland EDITOR IN CHIEF

Julie Bensman

PAGE 10 “The Future Is Female” WITH

PHOTO BY RYAN MILLER/CAPTURE IMAGING.

two of the best and brightest women in theatre.

PAGE 13 “The New Fashion Rules” HOW TO dress to the nines for your eight o’clock curtain.

ART DIRECTOR

Roya Seradj

FEATURES WRITER Geoff Rynex

PUBLISHER

Josef Vann

CUSTOM PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Mitch Getz

INTEGRATED ACCOUNT DIRECTOR Mathew Jongsma

PAGE 16 “The Young Guns” MAKING waves in L.A. this fall.

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Michael Ritchie

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Meghan Pressman

PAGE 18 “Sting: Unplugged”—

PHOTO BY CYLLA VON TIEDEMANN.

Our cover story comes to life.

2 | THEATRELAND

PAGE 26 Full Season Calendar 2019-2020

PRODUCING DIRECTOR

Douglas C. Baker

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Deborah R. Warren

601 West Temple Street Los Angeles, CA 90012 CenterTheatreGroup.org 213-628-2772 tickets@CTGLA.org

L

os Angeles is having

a moment.

And it’s not just

happening across food, fashion and tech (although those scenes are booming, to be sure)—it’s

the dawn of

a cultural zeitgeist. From theatre to film, and every artistic discipline in between, big things are happening in our sunny backyards. Here, you’ll find an entire city teeming with stages, stories, playwrights, directors and thousands of Angelenos

with great taste looking

to get their piece of the pie.

Here in our own city we have one of the most prolific and influential theatre companies in the world. Lucky us. This season, Center Theatre Group will put forth some of their best shows to date, headlined or written by some folks you may have heard of before: Matt Stone,

Ethan Coen, Annie Baker, Trey Parker, Robert Lopez,

John Leguizamo,

Diane Paulus,

Sting, Mike Birbiglia,

Heidi Schreck and Aasif Mandvi.

In this second issue of

Theatreland,

you’ll find stories about some of the

aforementioned artists, plus what to eat, where to drink and what to wear while you’re painting this town red. We are the entertainment capital of the world, for crying out loud.

Enjoy the issue and we’ll see you at the show,

Josef Vann Publisher, Los Angeles Magazine

THEATRELAND | 3

That Theatre Life AT CENTER THEATRE GROUP, EVERYONE COMES TO PLAY.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Actor Lisa Kudrow, cast member Dan Bucatinsky, actor Kate McCormack, and TV personality Meredith Vieira at Opening Night of Quack at the Kirk Douglas Theatre; actor Ming-na Wen and Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan at Opening Night of Soft Power at the Ahmanson Theatre; curtain call for Opening Night of Come From Away at the Ahmanson Theatre with the cast and their characters’ real-life counterparts; James Franco at Opening Night of Linda Vista at the Mark Taper Forum; the cast of Soft Power with actor Vincent Rodriguez III at the Ahmanson Theatre; creator/performer Ruben Santiago-Hudson and actor Blair Underwood at Opening Night of Lackawanna Blues at the Mark Taper Forum; Katy Perry and Dear Evan Hansen writers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul at the Ahmanson Theatre.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYAN MILLER/CAPTURE IMAGING AND CRAIG SCHWARTZ.

4 | THEATRELAND

Sunday

FUNDAY

THERE ARE SO MANY REASONS TO FANCY A SUNDAY MATINEE OVER AN EVENING SHOW, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH ARE THE DTLA HOT SPOTS BELOW:

Eat

OTIUM

Within prime walking distance of the Ahmanson Theatre and Mark Taper Forum (and adjacent to The Broad art museum), you can loiter in the gorgeous garden mezzanine right up until showtime. Don’t miss the mole with eggs and blue corn tortillas.

222 S. Hope St. Los Angeles, CA 90012.

213-935-8500.

Walk

HAUSER & WIRTH

The Arts District got a little cooler when this gallery opened three years ago. Free and open to the public, a rotating schedule of events complements L.A.’s first ARTBOOK store and the seasonally-focused restaurant, Manuela.

901-909 E. 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90013.

213-943-1620.

Shop

POKETO & A+R

With six buildings and 65 retail outposts, ROW DTLA can be overwhelming to say the least. If you’re pressed for time and in a modern mood, don’t miss the design-conscious Poketo and A+R for furniture, lighting and decor.

777 S. Alameda St. Los Angeles, CA 90021.

213-372-5686.

Hang

NOMAD ROOFTOP

“Sundays are the perfect way to pretend the weekend never has to end—it can be your start or end destination for the day. Swing by for cocktails by the pool, or indulge in a pre-matinee snack of oysters and a rosé magnum. The sprawling views of downtown Los Angeles are really stunning.”–Adam George Fournier, Bar Manager.

649 S. Olive St., Los Angeles, CA 90014.

213-358-0000.

THEATRELAND | 5

Comedy, THRICE IMPROVED

Three big names in comedy—Aasif Mandvi, John Leguizamo and Mike Birbiglia—will be in L.A. this season starring in the shows they created. Catch them onstage and, if you’re lucky, around town at these local haunts.

AASIF MANDVI Sakina’s Restaurant Favorite comedy spot?

“The Comedy Store. They’re always super nice to me.

I’ve performed there a bunch and I want to keep performing there.”

Last show you binge watched?

“Fleabag! It’s the best show on TV and Phoebe Waller Bridge is a genius! I’m not gonna tell you why it’s so good, because I want you to watch it.”

It’s 2am in L.A. and you’re starving. Where do you go?

“Thai Town, baby.”

Best way to pass time in L.A. traffic?

“Arguing with the Waze lady.”

@AASIF

Aasif Mandvi’s Sakina’s Restaurant KIRK DOUGLAS THEATRE MAY 29–JUN 28, 2020

6 | THEATRELAND

JOHN LEGUIZAMO Latin History for Morons Last show you binge watched?

“The Wire. I had to rewatch it because it’s some of the most brilliant writing that’s ever occurred on television.”

John Leguizamo’s Latin History for Morons AHMANSON THEATRE SEPT 05–OCT 20, 2019

It’s 2am in L.A. and you’re starving. Where do you go?

“The NoMad DTLA. It’s just cool and chill, and you can get a cocktail and some late night snacks mad quick.”

Which items do you never travel without?

“Gym pants, a dress jacket and jeans—so I’m ready for everything. And some Latin literature—right now, I’m reading 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.”

Best way to pass time in L.A. traffic?

“I love me some YouTube watching Sam B’s monologue, Seth Meyers or the amazing Rachel Maddow.”

@JOHNLEGUIZAMO

MIKE BIRBIGLIA The New One Favorite comedy spot?

“Largo at the Coronet. It’s this intimate, roughly 200 seat proscenium house run by a very warm group of people.”

Which items do you never travel without?

“My sleeping pills and sleeping bag that keeps me from jumping through windows. Long story.”

Best way to pass time in L.A. traffic?

“Podcasts: This American Life, You Make It Weird with Pete Holmes and ScriptNotes. When in doubt, there’s always my podcast, The Old Ones, which I don’t listen to but I do recommend it.”

@BIRBIGS

Mike Birbiglia’s The New One AHMANSON THEATRE OCT 23–NOV 24, 2019

LEFT TO RIGHT: Aasif Mandvi in Sakina’s Restaurant; Mike Birbiglia in The New One; John Leguizamo in Latin History for Morons.

PHOTOS BY LISA BERG, JONNY LEVIN, AND MATTHEW MURPHY.

THEATRELAND | 7

One Is the Luckiest Number

On Beckett

Bill Irwin. PHOTO

KIRK DOUGLAS THEATRE SEP 13–OCT 27, 2019

BY MARK SELIGER / TRUNK ARCHIVE.

Bill Irwin’s On Beckett is an intimate deep-dive into Samuel Beckett’s language and work, and Irwin’s own experience with it. Dael Orlandersmith’s Until the Flood sees her performing material pulled from interviews she conducted with more than a dozen Ferguson, Missouri residents in the aftermath of the Michael Brown shooting. We spoke to each about the thrills and pitfalls of going it alone on stage, and the passion for the subject it takes to pull off a one-person show.

On Beckett (literally) “This guy’s voice—writer’s voice—is one that’s going to last way into the future. I have that basic faith. People are going to be reading and performing Beckett’s stuff the way they have Shakespeare’s.”

DAEL ORLANDERSMITH On the weight of artistic responsibility “The content is very difficult. In reference to the Michael Brown shooting, I hope the characters reflect the different feelings and thoughts...Every night, the challenge is to tackle that stuff.”

On keeping your own pace “Right now, the show is pretty much in my bones. Sometimes you’ll see people, if they’re doing a monologue, they ad lib a lot because they see all eyes on them. But I stick to my center.”

On inhabiting unlikable characters “Sometimes when we see certain people, they remind us of an aspect of ourselves that we don’t like. It’s my responsibility to be a storyteller and to be an actor. But on a personal level, those things kind of stay with me. If I’m playing someone really despicable, I wonder, how did we individually and collectively create that?”

On the power to make changes on the fly “During later stretches in the evening—I’m not sure improvisational would be the word—but there are changes. I’ll take some out, put some in, have a new thought. I watch stage managers up in the booth sometimes go, ‘What’s he talking about here? He’s never said that before.’”

On the potential for disaster “I’m pretty big on fears, and I’ve had many: Would anybody come?

Would I have too little? Would I have too much? Should I strive for laughter? Laughter in the theatre is often an actor’s best friend, or so you think, so you catch yourself trying to do anything that will encourage it. But that’s not always the best way to serve or reach an audience…”

BY ROBERT ALTMAN.

On the need to do it “I found I had this repository of Beckett stuff in my head. It wouldn’t go away—and I didn’t want it to go away. I spoke to it while driving, would go back and reread it…It’s sort of a personal thing that I’ve wrought.”

Dael Orlandersmith. PHOTO

BILL IRWIN

On costuming “Costumes are characters. Where does this person live, how does this person feel about themselves? If this person is an extrovert, what kinds of colors do they wear? Do they eat, do they sleep, do they drink alcohol, do they go to church?”

Until the Flood 8 | THEATRELAND

KIRK DOUGLAS THEATRE JAN 24–FEB 23, 2020

BY JOHAN PERSSON.

Matthew Ball and ensemble. PHOTO

Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake AHMANSON THEATRE DEC 03, 2019–JAN 05, 2020

Swan Lake, Upside Down Matthew Bourne doesn’t like following the rules.

The director and choreographer’s powerful interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake replaces the traditional female corps-de-ballet with a menacing male ensemble which shattered conventions and took the dance world by storm. Safe to say, he’s earned the applause of everyone in our office—who doesn’t like to flip the script every once in a while?

You first staged Swan Lake in 1995, and it went on to become the longest running ballet on the West End and Broadway. How has your relationship with it changed over the years?

“It’s always exciting to bring back Swan Lake. So many people love it, and you know they’re going to want to come and see it again. It still seems to move and inspire people—that’s why we’re still doing it nearly 25 years on.”

The show has been seen by millions of people worldwide over the years. Is it a bigger challenge to revisit this work than other shows in your repertoire?

“It was a great opportunity to refresh it.

I wouldn’t say we’re changing it enormously but refreshing it for this next period of time. And it may change again in the future, who knows? For many people seeing the new version of Swan Lake, they probably won’t recognize many of the subtle changes we’ve made, and I think they’ll feel like they’re still seeing the same piece. Generally speaking, we’re celebrating the piece that already exists.”

Were you surprised by the scale of the impact Swan Lake had on young men wanting to pursue dance as a career?

“It felt very cool and very masculine, yet

it required a lot of artistry and sensitivity. It was that mixture of things that really inspired a lot of young men to want to get into dance. For example, there aren’t many shows where you can say that you’ve got an entire cast of dancers whose burning ambition it was to be in this production.”

You took Swan Lake in a completely different direction from the versions that had come before it. What motivated and inspired you to do that?

“New Adventures is a contemporary dance theatre company, so we had to tell a story through movement in a different way, with a big idea to make people pay attention. The female swan was such an iconic image to attempt to shatter. A male dancing swan was very unexpected, and people couldn’t imagine what it was going to look like.”

What are the key themes of your version of Swan Lake? What’s the most important message you hope to portray to the audience?

“Ultimately, it’s about someone struggling with who they are and the world in which they live. It has a message about looking for love and acceptance, but it’s also ultimately about loss and finding peace.

These themes are universal.”

THEATRELAND | 9

The Future Is Female

*

* of theatre 10 | THEATRELAND

What the Constitution Means to Me

Heidi Schreck.

PHOTO BY TESS MAYER.

MARK TAPER FORUM JAN 12 – FEB 16, 2020

HEIDI SCHRECK What do Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Meryl Streep, Hillary Clinton, Danai Gurira, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Emma Thompson, Gloria Steinem, Glenn Close and Diane Sawyer have in common?

They’re just a few of the incredible women/feminist heroes who have seen Heidi Schreck’s groundbreaking What the Constitution Means to Me during its celebrated New York run. With a Tony Award® nomination for Best Play, a Pulitzer Prize finalist designation, and New York Drama Critics’ Circle and Obie Awards for Best American Play, this new work is a sensation that critics and audiences have praised universally. Hillary Clinton herself called it a “beautiful play” and “an empowering call to consider what it means to be a citizen.”

Is there a better reason to get to the theatre right about now?

Diane Paulus. PHOTO

BY SUSAN LAPIDES.

DIANE PAULUS Why here?

It was a time when the United States felt divided. It was a subject no one thought could become a hit Broadway show, featuring a stodgy figure from the history books. It was 1969, and 1776, the musical about how John Adams got the Declaration of Independence signed, won the Tony Award® for Best Musical, earned raves from critics and audiences alike, and was adapted into a feature film. Now, it’s heading back to Broadway—but first, it’s got an engagement at the Ahmanson Theatre, where it has never before been seen.

Why now?

Fifty years ago, at the dawn of the cultural revolution that changed America, 1776 was the musical the country needed. “I can’t imagine a better time to revisit this work than as our country nears our next presidential election,” says Center Theatre Group Artistic Director Michael Ritchie.

Why her?

Visionary director Diane Paulus has already reimagined two iconic musicals: The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, which earned Audra McDonald a Tony on Broadway, and her revival of Pippin, which flipped the script by changing the Leading Player role (made famous

by Ben Vereen) to a woman. Paulus also made Broadway history by leading the all-female creative team behind the hit musical Waitress.

We can’t wait to see what her powerful perspective brings to an iconic show and a key moment in history.

1776

AHMANSON THEATRE JUL 21—AUG 23, 2020 THEATRELAND | 11

B I T E - S I Z E D Brilliance

The hollows of Appalachia. The executive suites of Hollywood. A cluster of New York tenement apartments. In each place, in every corner, lies a story waiting to be told. Together they make for an eccentric look at life across America as only celebrated playwright and filmmaker Ethan Coen could deliver. And when it came time to find a director, longtime Coen collaborator and Atlantic Theater Company Artistic Director Neil Pepe was the obvious choice.

“Ethan and I had lunch, and he said, ‘I’ve written one-acts and I’d love for you to look at them.’ I read and I loved them— they were incredibly funny and irreverent, just sort of bite-sized pieces of the brilliance of Ethan’s writing for film but applied to a theatrical form.”

“Every show I’ve done at the Taper has been a blast in many different ways. I’m old friends with Center PHOTO BY DOUG HAMILTON.

LOVE AT FIRST READ

WEST COAST LOVE

(L-R): Ethan Coen and Neil Pepe.

Pepe (thank goodness) said yes, and A Play Is a Poem quickly became one of the most highly-anticipated plays of the upcoming season. As Pepe prepares for its world premiere at the Mark Taper Forum, we grabbed a few minutes with him.

A TEAM EFFORT “I’m excited to be doing one-acts with a great ensemble of actors.

It’s where I come from, having come of age in a theatre company with a closely knit acting ensemble. I know the Coen Brothers have also used a lot of the same actors, and seem to come from a background and aesthetic of great ensemble work.”

NOT YOUR AVERAGE NIGHT OUT “It’s both challenging and fun to serve each play on iits own terms and find a way to unify them as a complete evening. We’re building the design so we can come up with a unity of look...I wouldn’t say the one-act form is a lost form but it’s certainly less popular than it was. It’s wonderful to explore these beautiful little stories.”

12 | THEATRELAND

LAST Great Play You Saw? “The Ferryman by Jez Butterworth.”

FAVORITE Dinner?

“Currently, it’s cod puttanesca. Being half-Italian, it reminds me of my roots.”

BEST Weekend Getaway?

“My wife and I have a tiny little place in the Catskills. It is literally a one-bedroom, teeny little brick cabin way high up a mountain, surrounded by fields and there’s a horse farm next door.”

MOST Overused Phrase? “‘The only other thing I would say…’

And then I end up saying ten things.”

LAST Theatre Group Artistic Director Michael Ritchie— we’ve sort of come up in our careers together. I’ve known him since he was a stage manager back in the ’80s...The thing that’s uniquely compelling about this show starting in Los Angeles is that it’s inherently a film and TV town. It’s that crossover where great writers for film sometimes write for theatre and vice versa, and that’s always excited me.”

Thing You Googled?

“The chords and lyrics to The Rolling Stones’ ‘ You Can’t Always Get What You Want.’”

A Play Is a Poem MARK TAPER FORUM SEP 11–OCT 13, 2019

THE

New

FASHION

RULES

WHEN IT COMES TO THE THEATRE, THERE IS ONLY ONE FASHION RULE:

TH E LEADING M A N

HAVE FUN.

T H E COMI C R E L I E F • A tailored suit is always in style.

• Ties = optional.

• Denim jackets are always welcome at the theatre (this is L.A.!).

• Nail polish for guys? Why not!

• Coordinating ffacial hair is the new black.

• Does your outfi outfit make you smile this big? It should.

TH E ING EENUE N UE • Never shy away from a little e (or a lot)) of color.

• Minimal jewelry pairs perfectly ctly with prints.

• Take notes: This is a power pose.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Actor Darren Criss at Center Theatre Group’s Annual Gala, musicians JackBenny at Opening Night of Falsettos at the Ahmanson Theatre, actress Chrissy Metz at Opening Night of Dear Evan Hansen at the Ahmanson Theatre, actress Danielle Brooks at Opening Night of Ain’t Too Proud at the Ahmanson Theatre, actress Olivia Wilde at Opening Night of Falsettos.

PHOTOS BY RYAN MILLER/CAPTURE IMAGING.

T H E DESIGNER • You can never go wrong with a LBD, lad ladies.

• Why wea wear heels when flats look this chic chic?

• Cat eye + bold red lip = Y.E.S.

THEATRELAND THEATRELAN AND | 1 AN 13 3

YOUR Latin

Cocktail REFRESHER

HAD ONE TOO MANY MARGS TO KEEP TRACK? HERE’S A CHEAT SHEET:

Margot. PHOTO

COURTESY OF UMBRELLA LA.

CUBA

Date Nights & Late Nights

Cuban cocktail made with white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water and mint.

IS IT JUST US OR IS THERE ANOTHER NEW RESTAURANT OPENING IN L.A. EVERY DAY? IF YOU’VE GOT BETTER THINGS TO DO THAN KEEP TRACK OF ‘EM ALL, WE’VE DONE THE HARD WORK FOR YOU. INSPIRED BY THE UPCOMING LATIN HISTORY FOR MORONS AT THE AHMANSON THEATRE, HERE ARE OUR TOP PICKS FOR LATIN-INSPIRED DATE NIGHTS (DINNER BEFORE THE SHOW) AND LATE NIGHTS (THE NIGHTCAP TO SIP WHILE DISCUSSING HOW MUCH YOU LOVED IT). SALUD!

DAT E NIGH TS (in DTLA)

DAMA The Dish: Whole Snapper “The butterflied whole fish is rubbed with guajillo and chile de arbol spices that evoke the flavors of a Mexican al pastor,” says Executive Chef Antonia Lofaso. “Then, we roast it and top with a Caribbean flair of Jamaican-inspired escabeche including carrots, celery and grilled pineapple.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing John Leguizamo’s Latin History for Morons!

Not only do I love him and his work, I love when you can walk away from an experience having learned something you didn’t know before.”

612 E 11th St, Los Angeles, CA 90015.

213-741-0612.

BAR AMÁ The Dish: Lamb Birria “As the fall weather gets colder, we make more of the stews I grew up on,” says Director of Operations Genevieve Hardison. “This is a dish I grew up watching my Amá make. It’s hearty and has a subtle heat. The smell alone has great memories for me.”

“I’m so excited for The Last Ship with Sting.

We’re all huge fans of his.”

118 W 4th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013.

213-687-8002.

L AT E NIGH TS (in Culver)

BAR BOHEMIAN (in Culver City’s new Citizen Public Market)

Sip on This: Paloma Quemado “Quemado means ‘burnt’ in Spanish,” explains GM

Mojito

Andrew Corbett. “This riff on a Paloma makes use of mezcal in place of tequila to offer a smoky aroma and flavor.”

Margarita MEXICO You know this Mexican classic: Tequila, orange liqueur and lots of lime juice.

“I’ve wanted to see The Book of Mormon since it came out in 2011. I was a big fan of South Park growing up.”

9355 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232.

MARGOT Sip on This: Di Amalfi (Blanco Tequila, Gusto Di Amalfi Mandarino, Sunflower Syrup, Lime and Orange Bitters).

Pisco Sour PERU Pisco (Peruvian brandy) mixed with fresh squeezed lime juice, simple syrup, ice, egg white and a dash of bitters.

“Latin America and Italy meet to produce something truly refreshing.”—GM Bruce Childress. “I can’t wait to

see Sakina’s Restaurant at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. Not only is Aasif Mandvi incredibly funny and talented, I want to see how the show revolves around life at a restaurant.”

8820 Washington Blvd, #301, Culver City, CA 90232. 310-643-5853.

Michelada MEXICO Mexican beer-based cocktail with lime juice, hot sauce and spices. Don’t forget the tajín salted rim.

THEATRELAND | 15

THE

Young GUNS

King James

MARK TAPER FORUM JUL 29–AUG 30, 2020

Pulitzer-winning playwright Annie Baker is bringing The Antipodes, her writers’ room meditation on storytelling itself, to the Mark Taper Forum. Soon after, the Taper will host native Clevelander, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo playwright and 2018 Obie winner Rajiv Joseph’s King James, an ode to his hometown’s LeBron era. Here’s what they have to say about setting as a container, streaming for playwrights and the fertile narrative ground of sports…

RAJIV JOSEPH How did growing up a Cleveland sports fan mold your ability to articulate the human condition?

“Our sports lives were basically defined by heartbreak and disappointment...I think that made me think about sports in a more complex narrative way.”

Do you root for LeBron now that he’s on the Lakers?

“The first time he left Cleveland, I was mad at him...By his fourth year at Miami, I was a fan again, because I just decided, this guy is too good. His career is too amazing.”

Do you ever binge-watch?

“Oh yeah. I’m a human being living in 2019! The last show I bingewatched was Fosse/Verdon, which I absolutely loved. I think once a year, in the dark dreary days of February in New York, I watch the entirety of The Office again. There are so many great shows that dazzle me. Recently, they’ve been Fleabag and Atlanta.”

PHOTO BY BENEDICT EVANS.

How do you generally begin writing a play?

“I usually start with the setting, which is the play’s container.

The setting dictates the structure. So I think of some intricate, specific world I want to see theatricalized, and then a character usually follows.”

What are five plays you think everyone should read or see?

“Everything by Chekhov and most things by Shakespeare and, in no particular order: A Number by Caryl Churchill; Antigone by Mac Wellman; The Big Meal by Dan LeFranc; 70 Scenes of Halloween

by Jeffrey Jones; The Oresteia—okay, that’s three plays, I’m cheatt ing—by Aeschylus.”

What do you look forward to coming to L.A.?

“Every time I’ve come to L.A. for theatre, it’s been this great experience—really fun and really creative. I’ve felt very lucky to be a part of that Center Theatre Group community and family.”

ANNIE BAKER You seem interested in the ways the same stories get told over and over, across cultures and centuries. Where does that interest come from?

“Aren’t we all interested in that? I’m interested in the fact that they’re not actually the same stories. People say they are, but I think they’re not. I think the stories change, and they should change.”

The Antipodes

MARK TAPER FORUM MAR 25–APR 26, 2020 16 | THEATRELAND

PHOTO BY JOHN D. & CATHERINE T. MACARTHUR FOUNDATION.

Making a Mentor Proud You may know Ruben Santiago-Hudson. The man from Castle, Billions, and, of course, Lackawanna Blues at the Mark Taper Forum? Yeah, that’s the one. Now he’s stepped into director role, leading the Tony-winning revival and first-ever Broadway staging of August Wilson’s Jitney. We caught up with him to talk about giving one of his mentor’s most beloved works new life…

“It’s a preservation of a culture that many people aren’t aware of—one never really given credence and respect—which is just the culture of Northern colored people.” Such is how Ruben Santiago-Hudson describes the timeless significance of August Wilson’s work.

Long ago, Wilson told Santiago-Hudson he needed to be directing his work. Now, Santiago-Hudson has performed in or directed nine of the ten plays in Wilson’s American Century Cycle, won a Tony for his role in Seven Guitars (after performing it at the Ahmanson of course), and returns to the Taper with Jitney. Understandably then, he’s a Wilson purist. “The people around me have to be equally concerned about being authentic....I don’t want any crossed

August Wilson’s Jitney MARK TAPER FORUM NOV 22–DEC 29, 2019

ideas or mixed notions of what it should be. It’s clear who we are when we walk on that stage,” he says.

With his own protégés, too, he cultivates the authenticity that emanates from the stage during a Wilson play: “What I’m adamant about is them learning their history, learning who they are, remembering their grandmother’s songs she sang on Sunday…Remembering the way their black preachers preached, remembering the wedding ceremonies they went to, the funerals they went to. Bring that to life.”

HIS ROUTINE “Relax, have a cup of tea and just listen to music. I want to be loose, so when I approach the play, I do so from a real easy, relaxed place, and I can take it anywhere I want. I have control.”

THE SOUNDS “I’m listening to a lot of ‘70s music, music that’s appropriate to the mood I should be in. And sometimes I just listen to gospel on a Sunday, whether it’s appropriate to the time or not.”

(LESS) FOOD FOR THOUGHT “I don’t eat much before the show. If I’m doing a play like Lackawanna Blues, I have to blow harmonica and dance and sing, so I don’t want anything in my throat.”

Andre Holland and Carra Patterson.

Original Manhattan Theatre Club company.

PHOTO BY JOAN MARCUS.

(ABOVE): Ruben Santiago-Hudson.

PHOTO BY

BENEDICT EVANS.

18 | THEATRELAND

Sting.

PHOTO BY LUKE FONTANA.

Sting: Unplugged

The Last Ship

AHMANSON THEATRE JAN 14–FEB 16, 2020

In March, Center Theatre Group teamed up with multiple Grammy Award winner Sting to host an exclusive event celebrating the singer’s musical, The Last Ship. The intimate afternoon included a performance on the Ahmanson Theatre stage from Sting and two of his fellow cast members. Safe to say, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear the icon speak, sing and tell stories about his latest passion project.

Sting and the cast of The Last Ship.

PHOTO BY CYLLA VON TIEDEMANN.

“T

his story is very personal to me. It’s about the town where I was born and raised, a place called Wallsend on the coast of Northeastern England near to Scotland. It was a very famous shipyard town.

At the end of my street was a giant ship, which would blot out the light of the sun in the winter.

Each morning, I’d watch thousands of men walk down the hill into the shipyard. I’d watch the same men walk back. The shipyard was a terrifying, dangerous place. As a child, I wondered if the shipyard would be my destiny, too.

But I had a dream that I would become a musician. I dreamt that I would be a songwriter, a singer, that I would perform songs all over the world and receive Grammy awards and platinum discs. All of which seemed to hap-

“

pen. But in many ways, I abandoned the town that had raised me, abandoned the community in which I was brought up.

Songwriting for me was always therapeutic.

Many years later I was faced with a mid-life crisis mixed with writer’s block. I started to do self-therapy. Songwriting for me was always therapeutic.

I thought about the environment that formed me. I started to revisit the people I’d known in that community, the people who worked in the shipyard, the people who were my neighbors and the people who were my friends. I started to write this story, one about the richness, value and spirit of community.”

Get a preview of the songs that tell Sting’s story and see him onstage at the Ahmanson at CTGLA.org/Sting.

THEATRELAND | 19

Once on This Island AHMANSON THEATRE APR 07–MAY 10, 2020

20 | THEATRELAND

Alex Newell and Hailey Kilgore.

PHOTO BY JOAN MARCUS.

Two Major

Songwriters,

TWO TINY STORIES

TAKEN FROM AN INTERVIEW WITH SETH RUDETSKY

Once on This Island is the universal tale of Ti Moune, a fearless peasant girl in search of her place in the world, and ready to risk it all for love. Not only did it win the Tony Award for Best Revival, it also features a lively score from Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the Tony Awardwinning songwriters of Anastasia and Ragtime.

Everything Ahrens and Flaherty touch seems to turn to gold. Don’t believe us? Here are just two tiny stories we think make our point.

Stephen grew up in Pittsburgh and wrote the score for his first musical when he was still in high school. Each scene was set in a different Pittsburgh neighborhood and represented in different style of song: rock ‘n’ roll, country and western, a big showstopper, etc. He calls himself a “musical Meryl Streep” because he changes styles as often as she changes accents.

It was Lynn who discovered the story My love, my love; Or, the Peasant Girll by Rosa Guy upon which Once on This Island is based. She approached the author, Rosa Guy, for the rights, but had to prove herself to earn approval.

Together with Stephen, Lynn presented four songs, and she remembers that after the songs were sung, there was an extremely long silence. Finally, Rosa intoned, incredibly slowly, “Well...that...was...wonderful!” They nailed the rights, and audiences were blessed with the original Tony-nominated run and the 2018 Tony Award-winning revival.

20 MILLIGRAMS ENTERTAINMENT ABOUT…PRODUCTIONS ACTORS CO-OP THEATRE COMPANY AMMUNITION THEATRE COMPANY ARTISTS AT PLAY PACIFIC RESIDENT THEATRE 2CENTS THEATRE GROUP PANNDORA PRODUCTIONS ANTAEUS THEATRE COMPANY PLAYWRIGHTS’ ARENA AUSTRALIAN THEATRE COMPANY POP-UP PLAYHOUSE BOOTLEG THEATER RED CUP THEATRE COMPANY BRIGHT EYES PRODUCTIONS BROADS’ WORD ENSEMBLE ROGUE ARTISTS ENSEMBLE BUZZWORKS THEATER COMPANY ROGUE MACHINE CAPITAL W Not to make it a coastal competition, but did you know L.A. is home RUSKIN GROUP THEATRE CELEBRATION THEATRE to more small theatres than any other US city, including New York?

SACRED FOOLS THEATER COMPANY CHAL CH ALKK RE REPE PERT RTOR ORYY TH THEA EATR TREE And to celebrate all our hometown has to offer, the Kirk Douglas Theatre will be hosting its 4th annual Block Party this year. Expect two SANT SA NTAA MO MONI NICA CA PLA LAYH YHOU OUSE SE CHAN CH ANCE CE THE HEAT ATER ER recently-produced, critically-acclaimed productions from local theatre CIRCLE X THEATRE CO. SIERRA MADRE PLAYHOUSE companies, and here are a few more numbers for ya: CITY CI TY GAR ARAG AGEE SISIST STER ERSS SU SUPP PPOR ORTITING NG SISISTE TERS RS COEU CO EURA EU RAGE GE THE HEAT ATRE RE COM OMPA PANY NY MAKI MA KING NG A N INDE IN DELI LIBL BLE E IMPA IM PACT CT COIN CO IN & GHO HOST ST SKYL SK YLIG YL IGHT IG HT THE HEAT ATRE AT RE COM OMPA PANY PA NY COLL CO LLAB LL ABOR AB ORAT OR ATIVIVIVEE AR AT ARTITITIST STSS EN ST ENSE SEMB SE MBLE MB LE COMP CO MPAN MP ANYY OF ANG AN NGEL ELSS EL SKYP SK YPILILILOT YP OT THE HEAT ATRE AT RE COM OMPA PANY PA NY COUR CO URAG UR AGEO AG EOUS EO US TEAD TE ADAA PR AD PROD ODUC OD UCTITITION UC ONSS ON ENTE EN TERT RTAI AINM NMEN ENTT L.A. is home to THEE BL TH BLAN ANKK TH AN THEA EATR EA TREE TR “Truly Block Party CRITICAL MASS THE GARAGE THEATRE is a celebration of PERFORMANCE GROUP THEE GH TH GHOS OSTT RO ROAD AD COM OMPA PANY NY CROW CR OWNN CI CITY TY THE HEAT ATRE RE the great love and COMPANY THE GROUP REP THEATRE support existing DOMA THEATRE COMPANY THEE IN TH INKW KWEL ELLL TH THEA EATE TERR throughout our DRAMASTAGE-QUMRAN THE JUNCTION THEATRE city’s theatre scene.”

ECHO THEATER COMPANY THE TH E MATR MA TRIX IX THE HEAT ATRE RE COM OMPA PANY NY ECLE EC LECT CTIC IC COM OMPA PANY NY THE HEAT ATRE RE —Broadway World ENSEMBLE STUDIO THEATRE-THE LOS ANGELES PROJECT THE MOVING ART COLLECTIVE FIERCE BACKBONE THE NEW AMERICAN FOUN FO UNTA UN TAIN TA IN THE HEAT ATRE AT RE THEATRE FOUR CLOWNS THE NEXT ARENA FOUR LARKS THE OPEN FIST THEATRE FUGITIVE KIND GOOD PEOPLE THEATER COMPANY have applied COMPANY GREENWAY ARTS ALLIANCE THE PORTERS OF to the Block Party program GRIOT THEATRE, GROUP REPERTORY THEATRE HELLSGATE HAROLD CLURMAN LAB THEATER THEA TH EATR TREE CO COMP MPAN ANYY HUDS HU DSON ON THE HEAT ATRI RICA CALS LS IAMA IA MA THE HEAT ATRE RE COM OMPA PANY NY THEE RO TH ROAD AD THE HEAT ATRE RE COM OMPA PANY NY IMPRO THEATRE THEE RO TH ROBE BEYY TH THEA EATR TREE CO COMP MPAN ANYY INTERACT THEATRE COMPANY On average, THE THEATRE @ BOSTON COURT INVE IN VERT VE RTIG RT IGOO DA IG DANC NCEE TH NC THEA EATR EA TREE TR are THEE VIVICT TH CTOR ORYY TH THEA EATR TREE CE CENT NTER ER KRITITITZE KR ZERL ZE RLAN RL ANDD PR AN PROD ODUC OD UCTITITION UC ONSS ON contracted each Block THEATRE ASYLUM LATINO THEATER COMPANY LITTLE FISH THEATRE COMPANY Party cycle THEATRE MOVEMENT BAZAAR LOSS AN LO ANGE GELE LESS LG LGBT BT CEN ENTE TERR & SISIXT XTHH THEATRE OF NOTE COUR CO URTT PR UR PROD ODUC OD UCTITITION UC ONSS ON THEATRE UNLEASHED LOS ANGELES NEW COURT THEATRE THEA TH EATR TREE WE WEST ST LOWE LO WERR DE DEPT PTHH TH THEA EATR TREE EN ENSE SEMB MBLE LE have been LUNA LU NARR RI RIVE VERR IN ASS SSOC OCIA IATITION ON WITITHH PA PADU DUAA PL PLAY AYWR WRIG IGHT HTSS URBAN THEATRE MACH MA CHAA TH THEA EATR TRE/ E/FIFILM LMSS produced as part of Block Party MOVE MO VEME MENT NT MISS MI SSIN INGG PIPICT CTUR URES ES so far VIVIST STAA PL PLAY AYER ERSS MOVING ARTS, ODYSSEY THEATRE ENSEMBLE VS. TH VS THEA EATR TREE CO COMP MPAN ANYY OLIO OL IO THE HEAT ATRE RE WOR ORKS KS, IN INCC. OPEN FIST THEATRE COMPANY WEST COAST JEWISH THEATRE WHITEFIRE THEATRE WILL GEER’S THEATRICUM BOTANICUM WORKING STAGE WATTS VILLAGE THEATER COMPANY PHOTOS BY RYAN MILLER/CAPTURE IMAGING AND CRAIG SCHWARTZ. 22 | THEATRELAND

Ain’t No Party Like a Block Party

250+

THEATRE COMPANIES

109 COMPANIES

46

L.A. ARTISTS

9

PLAYS

Merrianne Nedreberg.

Props To the Ladies “Prop people are the misfit toys of theatre,” says Merrianne Nedreberg, Center Theatre Group’s Director of Props. “We are creative problem solvers, and our best work shouldn’t be noticed because it fits in so well with the world we are helping to create.” As a strong, successful female in an often male-dominated industry, it’s pretty much impossible not to notice Nedreberg’s talent.

What do you think a woman can bring to this job that a man necessarily can’t?

“Our production department is primarily female, and with that comes an unspoken sense of support and understanding. Women tend to lift each other up, as well as champion everyone else in the department, which helps create a collaborative work environment.”

Are you seeing a change in female empowerment across theatre roles?

“More women are gaining positions of power. We are allowing stories to be told from a woman’s perspective.

“Don’t be afraid to use your voice.

Don’t be afraid to learn the skills you want to learn.

Don’t apologize for sharing your story.

And always own your mistakes.”

I don’t think this change is happening fast enough, but each time we have a female director or creative, we start to have equal perspective.”

What advice would you give to a young woman who wanted to follow in your career footsteps?

“Don’t be afraid to use your voice.

Don’t be afraid to learn the skills you want to learn. Don’t apologize for sharing your story. And always own your mistakes.”

MOST RANDOM PROPS IN THE PROP HOUSE? Giant cheeseburger • Huge sculpted mouth of a devil • Fake dead cats • Donated props from Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman • Replica of the Oval Office’s resolute desk and armchairs

THE BUZZ Stay up to date on all the latest theatre news:

@ CTGLA

THEATRELAND | 23

FULL SEASON

Calendar Latin History for Morons SEP 5–OCT 20, 2019

2019– 2020

Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake DEC 3, 2019–JAN 5, 2020

A Play Is a Poem SEP 11–OCT 13, 2019

What the Constitution Means to Me

On Beckett

SEP 13–OCT 27, 2019

JAN 12–FEB 16, 2020

The New One

The Last Ship starring Sting

OCT 23–NOV 24, 2019

JAN 14–FEB 16, 2020

Until the Flood August Wilson’s Jitney

JAN 24–FEB 23, 2020

NOV 22–DEC 29, 2019

The Book of Mormon FEB 18–MAR 29, 2020

(L-R, TOP-BOTTOM): John Leguizamo in Latin History for Morons; Dominic North and Will Bozier in Swan Lake; Tamyra Gray in Once on This Island; Aasif Mandvi in Sakina’s Restaurant. Mike Birbiglia in The New One. John Douglas Thompson and Michael Potts in Jitney; Dael Orlandersmith in Until the Flood; The Company of The Book of Mormon.

24 | THEATRELAND

PHOTOS BY MATTHEW MURPHY, JOHN PERSSON, JOAN MARCUS, LISA BERG, JONNY LEVIN, ROBERT ALTMAN, JULIETA CERVANTES.

Sakina’s Restaurant

Block Party 2020 MAR 18–APR 19, 2020

MAY 29–JUN 28, 2020

The Antipodes

1776

Once on This Island

King James

JUL 21–AUG 23, 2020

MAR 25–APR 26, 2020 APR 7–MAY 10, 2020

AHMANSON THEATRE

MARK TAPER FORUM

JUL 29–AUG 30, 2020

KIRK DOUGLAS THEATRE

Plan ahead or book last minute! TICKETS FROM $30

CTGLA.org | 213-628-2772

DRAMA DESK AND OUTER CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE

“A LIFE-AFFIRMING PIECE OF WORK, FOR FATHERS, MOTHERS, AND ALL OF US WHO HAVE THEM.”

—Vogue

AHMANSONTHEATRE.ORG

THEATRELAND | 3