Performances Magazine | A Noise Within, September 2024
SEPTEMBER 2024
Fredrick Stuart, Trisha Miller, Christian Henley, and Mildred Marie Langford.
Photo by Daniel Reichert design by Teresa Meza.
2024/25 SEASON
ROMANTICS:
SCHUBERT’S TROUT
SAT, SEP 28 | 7:30 PM | The Wallis
SUN, SEP 29 | 4 PM | The Huntington
Margaret Batjer DIRECTOR OF CHAMBER MUSIC
TRAILBLAZERS:
MARTÍN + BRAHMS + BAUER
SUN, OCT 20 | 4 PM | The Wallis
ARTISANS:
MARTÍN + HAYDN + BEAL
SAT, OCT 19 | 7:30 PM | Alex Theatre
Jaime Martín | The Wallis
Jaime Martín
SUN, NOV 3 | 4 PM | The Wallis MUSIC
SAT, NOV 2 | 7:30 PM | ALEX THEATRE
Juho Pohjonen PIANO
Thomas
Hall-Tompkins
Bauer
contents
P1 Program
Cast, performances, who’s who, director’s notes and donors
6 In the Wings
Movement on the move at the Wallis in Beverly Hills; Plugged In at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, part of the Getty's PST ART; Puccini's Madame Butterfly at L.A. Opera.
12 The New Face of L.A. Theater
Artistic director Snehal Desai suggests it will take him three years to truly make his mark on Center Theatre Group— but a number of impressive changes are already underway
17 Star Power
The elevated cuisine at new Star Leaf in Pasadena celebrates Southeast Asian culinary traditions and often dishes associated with street vendors and night markets
22 First Resort
On holiday at home: Prominent hospitality design firm Avenue Interior Design transitions to residential interiors, introducing a resort lifestyle at home
32 Parting Thought
Performances’ program platform for shows and concerts can be accessed from any digital device.
OFFERINGS IN OCTOBER at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts explore movement in unexpected ways. American Modern Opera Company brings a physicalized dimension to Olivier Messiaen’s deeply affecting song cycle Harawi on Oct. 1. Members include soprano Julia Bullock, pianist Conor Hanick, and
choreographer/dancers Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber; Zack Winokur directs. Choreographer Benjamin Millepied offers an innovative vision of Prokofiev’s Romeo & Juliet Suite Oct. 10-12 that navigates between film, dance and theater. Filmed live, dancers pass from stage to screen; the plot unfolds onstage and off.
Circus visionary Yaron Lifschitz’s Circa: Humans 2.0, Oct. 18-19, is “a tightly woven choreography of bodies, a symphony of acrobatics, sound and light ... deeply engaged with the challenge of being human.” Music is by Ori Lichtik, lighting by Paul Jackson. 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310.246.3800, thewallis.org
Choreographer Benjamin Millepied’s Romeo & Juliet Suite
Opposite: Julia Bullock in Olivier Messiaen’s Harawi
LIT!
THE NORTON SIMON Museum presents Plugged In: Art and Electric Light, an exhibition that explores the emergence of electric light as an artistic medium in the mid-20th century. The show’s eight artists—Walter Askin, Laddie John Dill, Dan Flavin, Robert Irwin, Jess, Robert Rauschenberg, Allen Ruppersberg and Andy Warhol— engaged with new technology, mass media and industrial materials, incorporating electric light into their creations as a way to shape and respond to sweeping artistic and social change. These themes are explored through 11 works of art, some deeply personal and even transcendent, produced between 1964 and 1970; all are drawn from the Norton Simon collections. Plugged In runs Sept. 20-Feb. 17 in the museum’s lower-level exhibition wing, concurrent with the Getty-led initiative PST ART: Art & Science Collide. 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, 626.449.6840, nortonsimon.org
ART
Clockwise from far left: Walter Miller Askin, Polyplanograph (1970); Robert Rauschenberg, Green Shirt (1965-67); Robert Irwin, Untitled (1968); Dan Flavin, “monument” on the survival of Mrs. Reppin (1966); and Jess, Assembly Lamp Eight (1966)
SPREAD, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: WALTER M. ASKIN; ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG
Butterfly Takes Flight
AN AMERICAN OFFICER in turn-of-the-century Japan wants a bride, and a marriage broker obliges, assuring him that the union can be easily dissolved. Innocent Cio-Cio San believes they’re in love, even as Pinkerton sails to America. For three years, she fights off rising debts and new suitors, certain of his return. But when their long-awaited reunion finally arrives, the lieuten-
ant isn’t alone—and he isn’t here for her. Director Mario Gas gives Puccini’s Madame Butterfly a cinematic twist: The action takes place on a 1930s film set. Korean soprano Karah Son reprises her signature role; tenor Jonathan Tetelman is Pinkerton; Hyona Kim is Cio-Cio San’s devoted maid Suzuki. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown, 213.972.8001, laopera.org
OPERA
A cinematic Madame Butterfly. Below: Karah Son as Cio-Cio San
OCT 2 – NOV10
The New Face of L.A. Theater
Artistic director Snehal Desai says to give him three years to make his mark on Center Theatre Group. He’s not wasting time, coming out of the box at the legacy company with a reimagined American Idiot.
/ BY SHERRY STERN /
WHEN SNEHAL DESAI LOOKS up from the desk in his downtown office, it’s no coincidence he sees posters for Jelly’s Last Jam and Children of a Lesser God Both shows were among the success stories of Center Theatre Group in its playmaking heyday, plays and musicals developed at the Mark Taper Forum and the Ahmanson Theatre that went on to acclaim, Tony Awards and an ongoing presence on American stages.
“That’s the heart of how we became known,” says Desai as he nods toward the posters he has strategically hung. CTG’s legacy has been in his sightlines ever since he interviewed last year to become just the third artistic director of L.A.’s flagship theater company.
“As a candidate, I told the board that’s what I want to bring back, to produce in the place known for work that’s going out into the country,” Desai says.
That ambition and vision clearly spoke to CTG’s board of directors during its search for a leader in what can only be described as a tumultuous time. Simmering economic and artistic struggles intensified during the COVID shutdown and amid harsh criticism about representation on stage and behind the scenes.
“We knew we wanted someone who would take us into the future,” says CTG board president Amy Forbes. “You could tell Snehal had a viewpoint and an aesthetic and a vision, and that he could execute and deliver.”
Soon after Desai arrived in early 2023, the company laid off 10 percent of its staff and paused programming at the Taper, allowing the theater to financially restructure and regroup—heartbreaking decisions, Desai says.
Under his guidance, the Taper turned on a dime and created CTG: FWD, a series of varied events downtown and at the intimate Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City. The stopgap gave the company a nice jolt, notably from
New Center Theatre Group artistic director Snehal Desai
Just for Us, a funny and timely one-man show from Alex Edelman that Taper brought back for two engagements after its initial sold-out run. “It was one of the best things we did,” Forbes says.
CTG: FWD was not simply about programming. It drew a range of artists, kept the Taper alive in the community and attracted financial support. The concept provides insight into how Desai thinks. “He’s both a dreamer and a pragmatist,” Forbes says.
He’s also the first person of color to run CTG.
Desai’s parents immigrated to Pennsylvania, where he was born and raised, from India; Desai doesn’t look like most artistic directors of major American theater companies, even in 2024. He’s also in his 40s, he’s gay and an artist, too, with many credits as a director.
That gives the company a new face.
“I think it’s a generational shift,” says Desai, who lives in East L.A. with his chihuahua, Zadie.
“The fact that he’s our first artistic director of color is fabulous,” Forbes says. “It has enabled us to reach communities effortlessly, because they’re so excited that he’s there. They already feel more welcome.”
Desai took an initial step with CTG: FWD. But stopgap fixes only go so far, and producing new works takes time.
“It’s about the long game, right?” he says.
“Let me show you over the next three years. Let me get through the cycle a
few seasons. Let me show you the artists and works we’re commissioning.”
That brings him to other challenges he can see from his office, just out the window: the Ahmanson, and behind it, the Mark Taper Forum. Both theaters are spacious, with capacities of 2,100 and 736, respectively.
“We have big venues and a lot of seats to fill,” he says, adding that the path to filling them is reaching as much of the city as possible: satisfying the company’s dedicated
David Patrick Kelly, Nikki Renee Daniels and Daniel Breaker in Once Upon a Mattress
theatergoers while offering productions that draw new audiences.
“We can still present, get national tours and bring the best,” he notes. Its touring shows this season are the lauded Parade revival and the theatrical adaptation of Life of Pi
“We have an amazing artistic community here. I want us to be producing shows with L.A. artists.”
In October, Desai directs a new production of Green Day’s American Idiot with Deaf West Theatre, the deep-rooted L.A. company known for productions weaving American Sign Language and spoken English.
The reimagined punk rock musical, which originally played at the Ahmanson in 2012, unfolds in the Taper with Deaf and hearing actors.
“I want to do things that recognize our legacy as an L.A. theater company,” Desai says. “I love that we’re collaborating with Deaf West—they’re a long-time partner.”
He’s personally drawn to the Green Day album, which he finds as timely now as when it was released 20 years ago. (The band’s international tour marking the album’s anniversary hits SoFi Stadium Sept. 14.)
“For anyone present in /CONTINUED ON PAGE 28
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September 1–29, 2024
Opening Night: September 7
The Skin of Our Teeth by Thornton Wilder Directed
by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott and Geoff Elliott
Producing Sponsor: Terri Murray Sponsors: Kathy & Jim Drummy
Student Matinee Sponsor: Marlene Konnar & John Baldeschwieler
Post Show Conversation Sponsors: Marianne & Mike Newman
CAST
Sabina Ann Noble*
Mr. Antrobus....................................................... Frederick Stuart*
Mrs. Antrobus Trisha Miller*
Henry Antrobus Christian Henley*
Gladys Antrobus Mildred Marie Langford*
Fortune Teller .............................................. Cassandra Marie Murphy*
† Designer is represented by United Scenic Artists Local USA-829 of the IATSE.
* Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
Yannick Haynes Ensemble
David A. Rangel Ensemble
Landon Robinson Ensemble
Veronica McFarlane Ensemble
Maya Sta. Ana Ensemble
Micah Schneider Ensemble
Kasey Mahaffy Stage Manager
Cassandra Marie Murphy Fortune Teller
Anthony Adu Broadcast Official/Ensemble
Mildred Marie Langford Gladys Antrobus
Jacob Cherry Ensemble
Julia Chavez Ensemble
Amber Liekhus Bingo Caller/ Ensemble
Stella Bullock Ensemble
Ann Noble Sabina
Frederick Stuart Mr. Antrobus
Christian Henley Henry Antrobus
Trisha Miller Mrs. Antrobus
Ann Noble (Sabina) Other Theatres: Antaeus (member), Echo (member), Rogue Machine (member), South Coast Rep, Moving Arts (member), The Victory, Son of Semele, LA’s LGBT Center, The Road, Vs., Theatre Ghosts, EST of Santa Barbara, ICT of Long Beach, Malibu Playhouse, Sierra Madre Playhouse, LA’s Museum of the Holocaust, Museum of Tolerance, Edinburgh Fringe, Sydney Fringe, Hollywood Fringe, Capitol Fringe, The Odyssey. Film/TV: We Have To Stop Now, Nurses Who Kill…, Paranormal Burbank, We’re Not Dead Yet, What Women Want, Failed State, Nora & Arnie, Night Sky Education/Training: Northwestern University (B.S. in Theatre), Center Theatre Ensemble, Antaeus, Goodman Theatre.
Frederick Stuart (Mr. Antrobus)
With ANW: (Resident Artist) Lord Summerhays, Misalliance; Bottom, A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Richard Burbage, The Book of Will; Don Pedro, Much Ado About Nothing; Narrator, A Christmas Carol; Leontes, The Winter’s Tale; Bradley, Buried Child; Hercules/ Aeëtes, Argonautika; Lord Henry Wotton, A Picture of Dorian Gray; Bernard Nightingale, Arcadia; Edmund, King Lear; Bohun, You Never Can Tell; Cassius, Julius Caesar; Tartuffe, Tartuffe; Adraste, The Illusion; Prince Hal, Henry IV: Part One; Richmond, Richard III; Hamlet, Hamlet. Film/TV: Criminal Minds, Dr. Odyssey, Empty Space, The Last Tycoon, The Odyssey, Keen Eddie, Romeo and Juliet, Queen of the East, Trail of Tears, The Chief, The Bill, The Geeks, The Delivery, Alive and Kicking, Evil Ground, Dreaming of Joseph Lees, El Cartel Education/ Training: The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
Trisha Miller (Mrs. Antrobus)
With ANW: (Resident Artist) Lina Szczepanowska, Misalliance; Titania, A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Elizabeth/ Emilia, The Book of Will; Squealer, Animal Farm (LA Drama Critics Circle Award); Alcyone, Metamorphoses; Hermione, The Winter’s Tale; Christmas Past, A Christmas Carol; Athena, Argonautika; Miss Pross/Jenny Herring, A Tale of Two Cities; Goneril, King Lear. Other Theatres: Artistic Associate of Trinity Shakespeare Festival (6 seasons-Dallas/Fort Worth Theater Critics Forum Award); Associate Artist of Kentucky Repertory Theatre (4 seasons); Nebraska Rep; Northern Stage; Artists Repertory Theatre; Southwest Shakespeare Company; Las Vegas Shakespeare; Kingsmen Shakespeare; Dallas Children’s Theatre; Theatre Three; Stage West. Film/TV: Little Rituals, Masters of Doom, WitchHunt, Best F(r)iends. Videogames: BioShock, Gears of War, Battlefield, and Tales from the Borderlands franchises. Education/Training: MFA Acting, Wayne State University’s Hilberry Rep. Instagram: @heyitstrishamiller
Christian Henley (Henry Antrobus)
With ANW: Mister, King Hedley II Other Theatres: Christian is a StandUp comedian and performer based in Los Angeles, CA. In 2016 he graduated from the University of Southern California with an MFA in Acting. In 2019, Christian participated in the 2019 ABC/Disney Discovers Talent Showcase for actors. In 2020, he expanded into production and hosting, and he produced his first DigitalDocumentary series, entitled What Do You Do?! In 2022, Christian was selected for Warner Brothers/Rooster Teeth’s Digital Creators program for comedians. He most recently wrapped post-production on his short film, AWoL (loosely based on his experience
working at a special needs high school), which he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in. He is excited to be working with ANW again in their season opener The Skin of Our Teeth!
Mildred Marie Langford (Gladys Antrobus) With ANW: Frieda/Darlene, The Bluest Eye Other Theatres: Nora and Native Son, Antaeus Theatre/ Kirk Douglas Theatre 2019 Block Party; Notes from the Field, Boulevard of Bold Dreams, A Raisin in the Sun (BTAA Nomination), My Kind of Town, In Darfur (Black Excellence Award Nomination), Timeline Theatre; The Great Jheri Curl Debate, East West Players; Intimate Apparel (BTAA, Jeff Award and Black Excellence Award Nominations), Northlight Theatre; Gunshot Medley: Part 1 (Ovation Award Nomination), CAB/Rogue Machine Theatre; Domesticated, Animal Farm, Venus, The Crucible, Steppenwolf Theatre; The Royale (BTAA Winner), American Theatre Company; A Raisin in the Sun, Milwaukee Rep; Failure: A Love Story, Victory Gardens Theatre. TV/Film: Grey’s Anatomy, Delilah, Bosch, Chicago MED, Magic Funhouse, BOSS, Cotton Candy Bubble Gum, Morning Steep, The Three Phases of Isa.
Cassandra Marie Murphy (Fortune Teller) With ANW: (Resident Artist) Mrs. Lovett, Sweeney Todd; First Fairy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Moses/Minimus, Animal Farm; Lucina, Metamorphoses; Aphrodite/Atalanta/ Meleager’s Mother/Woman of Lemnos, Argonautika; Queen Isabel, Henry V; Aldonza, Man of La Mancha. Other Theatres: International Theatre: Ellen, Miss Saigon in Macau, China’s International Music Festival; Francesca, regional premiere, The Bridges Of Madison County; Esmeralda, Hunchback Of Notre Dame, 5 Star Theatricals; Eva Peron, Evita (Eddon Award Best Lead Performance); Fantine, Les Misérables (LA Premier, Ovation Nomination for Best Musical); Ellen,
Miss Saigon (Ovation Nomination Best Musical, Broadway World Nomination Best Actress); Cathy Hyatt, Last Five Years. Film/TV: ABC’s The Voice Finale, Unusual Suspects. Voiceovers/ Recordings: Choir, Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One; Voice of Mulan, Disney’s: Mickey and The Magical Map. @cassandram3 Love to John and Nora.
Kasey Mahaffy (Stage Manager) With ANW: (Resident Artist) Puck, A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Pirelli, Sweeney Todd; Ralph Crane, The Book of Will; Phaeton, Metamorphoses; Bob Cratchit, A Christmas Carol; March Hare/Tweedle Dum, Alice in Wonderland; Victor Frankenstein, Frankenstein; Garry Lejeune, Noises Off; Jim O’Connor, The Glass Menagerie; Rosencrantz, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (LA Drama Critics Circle Award); Sancho Panza, Man of La Mancha; Dauphin, Henry V; Fool, King Lear; Dr. Valentine, You Never Can Tell; Trinculo, The Tempest. Other Theatres: The Inheritance, Geffen Playhouse; The Heart of Robin Hood, The Wallis/Hong Kong Cultural Centre; Peter and the Starcatcher, Crimes of the Heart, You Nero, Taking Steps, South Coast Rep; The Miracle Worker, Assassins, Berkshire Theatre Festival. Film/TV: Grey’s Anatomy, Modern Family, Grace & Frankie, Truth Be Told, NCIS, 9-1-1, AHS, CSI.
Anthony Adu (Broadcast Official/ Ensemble) With ANW: Ghost of Christmas Present/Ensemble, A Christmas Carol; Joey Percival U/S, Misalliance. Other Theatres: Backstroke Boys, Faultline Theatre (Off-Broadway); The Cherry Orchard, South Pasadena Theatre Workshop; Voices from a Pandemic, Notch Theatre Company; Pick Me Last, La Jolla Playhouse; Love’s Labour’s Lost, Cyrano de Bergerac, Colorado Shakespeare Festival; DragON, The Christians, Denver Center; Uncle Vanya, Heap, Everybody Black, The Jefferson Middle School Monthly,
UCSD; new play developments with The O’Neill Theatre Conference, South Coast Repertory, and IAMA Theatre Company. Education/Training: MFA in Acting from UC San Diego; Chautauqua Theatre Summer Conservatory.
Amber Liekhus (Bingo Caller/ Ensemble) With ANW: Beggar Woman, Sweeney Todd; Ruby U/S, King Hedley II Other Theatres: Described as a “versatile singer, whose voice is at once regal and affectionate” (LA Times), Amber has had a thrilling career in the US and abroad. Favorites include: Jelly’s Last Jam at The Pasadena Playhouse, La Cage! at The Hollywood Roosevelt, Annie at The Hollywood Bowl, Sweet Charity with Reprise 2.0, Blues in the Night at The Wallis, Ain’t Misbehavin’ with McCoy Rigby, and Rent, also with McCoy Rigby. Accomplished operatic soprano, Amber appeared as Queen of El Dorado in Candide at LA Opera, Suor Angelica with Opera di Roma, and Lily in Porgy and Bess at San Francisco Opera and Los Angeles Opera. Amber’s favorite role is mommy to Julien and Jasper alongside her supportive husband, Justin.
Stella Bullock (Ensemble) With ANW: A Christmas Carol; Summer With Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet (three years), Hamlet, King Lear, Twelfth Night Other Theatres: The Wolves, Devised: The Circumstance of What’s Given, Twelve Incompetent Jurors, CSArts. Stella directed, wrote, produced, and acted in her original short film Unread Truths, and she has been filming two student-produced films over the past year. She has attended Theatre 360 and Centre Stage Dance Academy, and she has sung and played violin for almost her entire life. Education/Training: (Currently attending) California School of the Arts—Acting Conservatory.
Julia Chavez (Ensemble) Other Theatres: Electricidad at Center Theatre Group’s Legacy Reading; Faith, A Mexican Trilogy; Faith at Latino Theatre Company; Dolores in Black Butterfly at LAMUSART; Margery Pinchwife, The Country Wife; Gladys, The Skin of Our Teeth at East Los Angeles College. Education/Training: AA in Theatre at East Los Angeles College. Julia is one of the ELAC/ANW Fellows and is grateful to be making her A Noise Within debut. Special thanks to her family and professors who continuously show her love and support.
Jacob Cherry (Ensemble) Jacob is a graduate of UCLA’s School of Theatre, Film, and Television, studying acting and playwriting. Recently, he starred as Alex in Samuel D. Hunter’s A Bright New Boise (Dezart Performs), for which he won the Desert Star Award for Best Supporting Actor. He followed that up in Odyssey Theatre’s Accommodation, which earned him a Robby Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Play. Jacob recently performed in I’m Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter at Greenway Court Theatre. Keep an eye out for his upcoming comedic series Copy, Credit, No Pay, which he wrote and directed alongside Shrinking’s Rachel Stubington. Jacob would like to thank Lea Madda, his family, friends, and loved ones for their constant support.
Yannick Haynes (Ensemble) Other Theatres: Terry U/S, How its Gon Be, Echo Theater Co.; Juror 5 in Twelve Angry Jurors, USC; Saint Peter in Last Days of Judas Iscariot, USC; Saville in The Belle’s Stratagem, USC; B in Passage, USC; Laertes in Hamlet Project, USC; Young Collector in A Street Car Named Desire, Arden Theatre Co. Education/Training: BFA in Acting from the University of Southern California.
Veronica McFarlane (Ensemble)
Other Theatres: Theseus/Oberon, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, British American Drama Academy; Juliet, Romeo and Juliet, Electric Company Theatre; Millie, Picnic, Interact Theater Co.; Julietta, Bravo, New Musicals Inc. Film/TV: Victorious, Bizaardvark, frequent collaborator with Some Dude Productions. Education/ Training: Currently working towards B.A. in Theatre and Film, University of Southern California; Shakespeare training at British American Drama Academy; Improv at UCB/Groundlings.
David A. Rangel (Ensemble) Other Theatres: Freddie in Faith, Harry Horner in The Country Wife, PR Guy in Aristophanes’ The Birds, BIPOC Activist in It Can Change In An Instant, Prince in Miro And The Golden Flask, Sganarelle in The Imaginary Cuckold. Film/TV: Young Freddie in The Last Brown Beret Education/Training: AA In Theatre Arts at East Los Angeles College (currently Hamlet in Shakespeare Workshop).
Landon Robinson (Ensemble) Other Theatres: Tony Award-winning Dallas Theatre Center, The Undermain Theatre in Dallas, as well as The University of Southern California. Film/TV: Once is Enough (Dir. Paul Csige). Education/ Training: BFA Acting for Stage and Screen University of Southern California. This is Landon’s first production with A Noise Within and he could not be more excited!
Micah Schneider (Ensemble) Other Theatres: Cassandra in Troilus and Cressida with Shakespeare on the Bluff, Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the British American Drama Academy, Will in Michaela’s Fluent Aphasia with the University of Southern California. Film/TV: Various University of Southern California Cinematic Arts Films. Education/Training: A Senior
BA in Theatre (Acting Emphasis) at the University of Southern California, Contemporary and Shakespeare Acting training at British American Drama Academy.
Maya Sta. Ana (Ensemble) Other Theatres: Feste in Twelfth Night (dir. Em Weinstein), Two River Theater; Megan in Last Night at the Odyssey, Santa Monica Playhouse; Kate in Nicholas Nickleby, University of Southern California. Education/ Training: London Academy of Musical and Dramatic Art, two-time winner National YoungArts winner (silver winner in the musical category), Carnegie Hall Voices of Hope performer, sharing the stage with artists such as Tori Kelly, Kate Winslet, Colbie Caillat, and others.
Julia Rodriguez-Elliott (Producing Artistic Director/Director) With ANW: Under her leadership, ANW has produced more than 175 works, and she has directed 50 productions, including Animal Farm, Sweeney Todd, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Book of Will, An Iliad, Metamorphoses, Argonautika, A Christmas Carol, Man of La Mancha, Noises Off, Henry V, A Tale of Two Cities, King Lear, The Imaginary Invalid, Six Characters in Search of an Author, A Flea in Her Ear, Julius Caesar, The Threepenny Opera, The Tempest, The Dance of Death, Come Back, Little Sheba, Tartuffe, Pericles, Prince of Tyre. Education/Training: MFA—American Conservatory Theatre. In 2012, Ms. Rodriguez-Elliott (along with her husband, Geoff) received ACT’s inaugural “Contributions to the Field” Award. Ms. Rodriguez-Elliott is the winner of multiple LADCC Awards including the “Milton Katselas Award for Career and Special Achievement in Direction.”
Geoff Elliott (Producing Artistic Director/Director) With ANW: Old Major and Boxer, Animal Farm; Director/Ebenezer Scrooge, A Christmas Carol; Director/John Heminges, The Book of Will Director: The Winter’s Tale, A Christmas Carol, Noises Off, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Arcadia, All My Sons, Endgame, Eurydice, The Playboy of the Western World, The Tempest, The Taming of the Shrew Actor: The Poet, An Iliad; Dodge, Buried Child; Ebenezer Scrooge, A Christmas Carol; Don Quixote, Man of La Mancha; Midas and others, Metamorphoses; King Lear, King Lear. Other Theatres: South Coast Repertory, Arizona Theatre Company, American Conservatory Theatre, Berkeley Shakespeare Festival, California Repertory. Education/ Training: MFA—American Conservatory Theatre. Mr. Elliott is a recipient of multiple LADCC, BackStage, Garland, Robby, Drama-Logue, and LA Weekly awards, as well as the “Margaret Hartford Award for Distinguished Achievement” for ANW.
Frederica Nascimento (Scenic Designer) With ANW: (Resident Artist)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Book of Will. Other Theatres: Works in theatre, film, and multidisciplinary design in the US and internationally. Being an architect informs her work with a focus on materiality, storytelling and conceptual thinking, creating spaces and environments that are alive and empowered by collaboration. Recent design: Design for Living, directed by Bart DeLorenzo (Odyssey Theatre). Education/Training: MFA in Scenic and Production Design for Film at NYU/TSOA; scholar with Gulbenkian Foundation and FLAD; member of the Portuguese Architects Association; Usual Suspect at NY Theatre Workshop; USA 829/IATSE. Faculty at LAPC and LASC. Nominated for NAACP, Ovation, LADCC Awards.
Frederica received the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award 20202021 in Best Set Design for An Octoroon at the Fountain Theatre. www.fredericanascimento.com IG:@ fredericanascimentodesign
Garry Lennon (Costume Designer) With ANW: Costume Design: Metamorphoses, Winter’s Tale, Frankenstein, A Picture of Dorian Gray, Ah, Wilderness!, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Guardsman, The Grapes of Wrath. Other Theatres: Into the Burrow, Alliance Theatre; Fuente Ovejuna, A Christmas Carol, Trinity Rep; MacBeth, Richard III, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Winter’s Tale, ISC; District Merchants, Jane of the Jungle, SCR; Kiss Me, Kate, Carousel, Man of La Mancha; Theatre@ Boston Court: The Missing Pages of Lewis Carroll, The Twentieth Century Way, California: The Tempest, It’s all Bueno, Waking up in Lost Hills, Mary Shelley’s Santa Claus, Cornerstone Theater Company. Directing: Old Log Theatre: Once Upon a Mattress; CSUN Theater: The SpongeBob Musical, Tartuffe, Into the Woods. Education/Training: MFA, West Virginia University. Garry is a professor in the Theater Department at CSUN.
Ken Booth (Lighting Designer) With ANW: (Resident Artist) Since 1998, Ken has worked on at least 70 productions at A Noise Within. Included in these are: Misalliance, Sweeney Todd, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Book of Will, Much Ado About Nothing, Animal Farm, Metamorphoses, An Iliad, Alice in Wonderland, The Winter’s Tale, Argonautika, Henry V, Pericles, Prince of Tyre, Julius Caesar, The Threepenny Opera, Great Expectations, Man of La Mancha, The Glass Menagerie, King Lear, The Tempest, The Dance of Death, Buried Child, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Noises Off, Ubu Roi, The Tragedy of Richard III, and the holiday annual A Christmas Carol.
Education/Training: He graduated from UCLA in 1982.
Robert Oriol (Original Music Composition/Sound Design) With ANW: (Resident Artist) Original Music Score: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Book of Will. Sound Design: Kiss of the Spider Woman. Original Music Composition/Sound Design: Metamorphoses, A Christmas Carol, Frankenstein, Argonautika, Henry V, A Tale of Two Cities, King Lear, Arcadia, Six Characters in Search of an Author, All My Sons, A Flea in Her Ear, Julius Caesar, Figaro, The Dance of Death, Tartuffe, As You Like It, The Imaginary Invalid, Pericles, Prince of Tyre. Musical Direction/Sound Design: The Grapes of Wrath. Other Theatres: Music Composition/Sound Design for various venues including Boston Court, Odyssey, Open Fist, and Theatre of Note. Original Music Score for Antaeus (2024 audio play). 2020 Ovation Awards Honors Recipient in Music Composition for a Play (Frankenstein) 2019 LADCC Special Award Recipient for Distinguished Achievement in Theatrical Design.
Rod Bagheri (Music Director) With ANW: Music Director: Animal Farm, A Christmas Carol, Sweeney Todd. Other Theatres: Seen both as a conductor/ pianist and as an actor, Rod has been a music director for several local companies including The Candlelight Pavilion (Legally Blonde, Footloose, 9 to 5), The Wayward Artist (Next To Normal) and The Chance Theater (Lysistrata Jones, West Side Story). Recently as an actor: Davey in Newsies (3d Theatricals), Jerry Lee Lewis u/s in Million Dollar Quartet (National Tour), Jesus in Godspell (The Wayward Artist). Former Assistant Conductor for Pageant of the Masters. Has taught voice, piano, and improv for over a decade.
Nicholas Santiago (Projection Designer) With ANW: Video Designer: Animal Farm, The Book of Will. Other Theatres: Nicholas has worked for numerous universities and theatre companies around Los Angeles, including the Pasadena Playhouse, Rogue Machine, the Chance Theatre, The Road Theatre, and the Fountain Theatre. He has received numerous award nominations including an Ovation nomination and an LA Drama Critics Circle award for his work on Rogue Machine’s A Permanent image and an ovation win for his work on The Fountain Theatre’s production of The Cost of Living. nsantiagodesign.com
Tony Valdés (Wig/Makeup Designer) With ANW: Wigs & Make-up Design: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Sweeney Todd, Misalliance, Much Ado About Nothing, Animal Farm, Metamorphoses. Graduate from the University of Puerto Rico where he earned a B.A. in Fine Arts on Theater. Tony worked for fifteen years in P.R as a hair and makeup artist on professional theatrical productions and television. Since he moved to Los Angeles in 1999, Tony has worked as a professional HMU artist at CNN Spanish Edition, stage, fashion, music videos and independent films. Tony taught classes from Beauty Makeup to Special FX along with his position as Co-Director and Dean of Academics at EI School of Professional Makeup in Hollywood for 20 years. As the owner of Tombola Stage Hair & Makeup, he offers wig styling classes and wig styling services.
Angela Sonner (Production Stage Manager) With ANW: Production Stage Manager: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, A Christmas Carol, Sweeney Todd, Misalliance Other Theatres: The Sound of Music, Oliver!, The Louise K. Taylor Performing Arts Center; Afterglow, Midnight Theatricals; Enter Stage Right, 24th St. Theatre; Adobe Punk, Evangeline; The Queen of Make-
Believe, They Shoot Mexicans Don’t They?, About…Productions; Dream Hou$e, Arizona Theatre Company; Lydia, Medea, UCLA – Little Theatre; Toyer, Dodgers, We Are The Tigers, The Hudson Theatres; Sylvia, Cat’s Cradle, Sierra Madre Playhouse; The Story of Carlos Bulosan, East West Players. Angela has also been the Theatre Director for Performing Arts Workshops, West LA for the past nine years. Education/Training: B.A. (Theatre), UNR.
Hope Matthews (Assistant Stage Manager) With ANW: Assistant Stage Manager: A Christmas Carol, Misalliance. A2/ Deck crew: Sweeney Todd. Crew Swing: The Bluest Eye, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Production Intern for 2023-24 season. Other Theatres: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Independent Shakespeare Company; Shrek Jr., Teenage Drama Workshop; Newsies, 5 Star Theatricals; Tartuffe, Once On This Island, Fefu and Her Friends, CSUN Theatre. Hope is also the resident stage manager and stage management mentor for the students at Westmark School. Education/ Training: B.A. (Theatre), CSUN.
Dr. Miranda Johnson-Haddad (Resident Dramaturg) With ANW: Dramaturg: Misalliance, King Hedley II, Sweeney Todd, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Bluest Eye, The Book of Will, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Much Ado About Nothing, Radio Golf, Animal Farm, Metamorphoses, All’s Well That Ends Well, Argonautika, Othello; Educator and Consultant since 2011. Other Theatres: Dramaturg: Inherit the Wind, Pasadena Playhouse
State Theater; Dramaturg, Measure Still for Measure, Boston Court Theater; Consultant, The Shakespeare Theatre Company, Washington, D.C. Dr. Johnson-Haddad has taught Shakespeare, Drama, and Literature at Howard University, UCLA, Vassar College, and Yale University. She is a frequent speaker at Los Angeles Opera, the Shakespeare Club of Pomona Valley, and elsewhere. Education/ Training: Ph.D. Renaissance Studies, Yale University; B.A. Comparative Literature, Princeton University.
Douglas Love-Ramos (Managing Director) Most recently served as Managing Director of Orlando Shakespeare. Douglas previously served as CEO/Producing Director of Walden Playhouse for film studio Walden Media and Producing Director of FamilyStage San Francisco at the historic Orpheum Theater. He annually staged the education centerpiece program Rock Odyssey for Miami’s Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. His stage adaptation of Marlo Thomas’s Free To Be…You And Me was published by Rogers and Hammerstein Theatre Library. Douglas is the creator and executive producer of award-winning television series, including Out of the Box for Disney and Jammin’ Animals for HBO. He is the author of more than 30 books published by HarperCollins, Disney Press, World Book Encyclopedia, and others. He built two theaters and a children’s museum, and created the arts education product, World Book’s Dramatic Learning, used by 11 million classroom students worldwide.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Thornton Wilder (1897-1975) was a novelist and playwright whose works celebrate the connection between the commonplace and the cosmic dimensions of human experience. He is the only writer to win Pulitzer Prizes for both drama and fiction: for his novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey, and two plays, Our Town and The Skin of Our Teeth. His other novels include The Cabala, The Woman of Andros, Heaven’s My Destination, The Ides of March, The Eighth Day and Theophilus North. His other major dramas include The Matchmaker (adapted as the musical Hello, Dolly!) and The Alcestiad The Happy Journey to Trenton and Camden, Pullman Car Hiawatha
ABOUT A NOISE WITHIN
ANW THEATRE
A Noise Within has been called “an oasis for those who love classic stories” by the Los Angeles Times and is a leading regional producer based in Pasadena, California. Under the leadership of Producing Artistic Directors Julia Rodriguez-Elliott and Geoff Elliot, the award-winning resident theater company is honored to represent the entire community at its state-of-the-art, 324-seat performance space. In addition to producing worldclass performances of classic theater, the organization runs robust education programs with the goal of inspiring diverse audiences of all ages.
COURTESY
As a courtesy for artists and audience members, all cell phones and electronic devices must be silenced during the performances. Late seating is at the House Manager’s discretion. A Noise Within may refuse service to anyone.
and The Long Christmas Dinner are among his well-known shorter plays. He enjoyed enormous success as a translator, adaptor, actor, librettist and lecturer/teacher, and his screenplay for Alfred Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt remains a classic psycho-thriller to this day. Wilder’s many honors include the Gold Medal for Fiction from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. More information on Thornton Wilder and his family is available in Penelope Niven’s definitive biography, Thornton Wilder: A Life (2013), as well as on the Wilder Family website, www.thorntonwilder.com.
ACCESSIBILITY
All areas of A Noise Within are accessible by wheelchair. Assisted Listening Devices are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Select performances provide GalaPro closed caption service. Relaxed Performances are provided for members of our neurodiverse community for A Christmas Carol
LOBBY BAR
A variety of refreshments are available from our Lobby Bar and may be taken into the theatre. No outside food or drink is permitted in the building.
CONTACT PATRON SERVICES
Email: boxoffice@anoisewithin.org
Phone: 626.356.3121
Box Office Hours: Tue-Sat 2-6 pm and 2 hours before performances begin.
anoisewithintheatre @anoisewithin
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE INCROWD!
A Noise Within gratefully acknowledges the generosity of our donors. The following donors made gifts of $250 or more between August 1, 2023–July 31, 2024. * Producer Pass subscribers generously made a donation equal to the cost of their season subscription to support the full cost of theater operations.
Heather & Paul Haaga
Richard & Sally Roberts
Jeanie & Terry Kay*
Bill & Priscilla Kennedy*
Alan M. & Sheila R. Lamson*
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SEASON SPONSOR ($50,000+)
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PRODUCING SPONSOR ($30,000 TO $49,999)
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SPONSOR ($15,000 TO $29,999)
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Mr. James King
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Joyce White*
DIRECTOR CIRCLE ($5,000 TO $14,999)
Jay Lesiger & Tom Klebba
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Jane W. Schlegel
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Marlene Konnar & John Baldeschwieler
PLAYWRIGHT
Sally Abood
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William & Mary Coman
Becky Doody, In Memory Of Jack Doody & Don Wallschlaeger*
Barbara Durham
Geoff Elliott & Julia Rodriguez-Elliott
Beth Gertmenian
Kathleen Gilmore
Steven & Elizabeth Green
Sandy Greenstein
Erica Hahn
Doug Hutchinson*
Denise & Ryan Jay
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Helen Baatz
Jeannine Bogaard
Linda Dozier*
Patrick Garcia
Armando Gonzalez & Brenda Berg
Gary and Dee Dee Ewell
Sherry G. Hepp
Molly Joseph
David Kelton
Susan Kramer*
George Abdo & Sara Campbell
Eric Baker
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CIRCLE ($2,500 TO $4,999)
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ARTIST CIRCLE
($1,500 TO $2,499)
Kathryn Leonard
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ADVOCATES
($500 TO $1,499)
Claire Bellanti
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Ken Booth
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Bronwyn Dawson and Ken
Yapkowitz In Honor of Fionn James
Candace McGee
Carol Stone
Chris Schmidt
Cindy Stephens
Daniel Rothmuller
Deborah Anderson
Diane Grohulski
Donna & Frank Minano
Donna Tucker
Earle Miller
Edward Rocklin
Edwin Robinson
Ellen & William Ireland
Eric Levander
Fred Manaster
ADVOCATES
Andrea & Jay Labinger
Kathleen Larsen
Cynthia Leva & Fred Barker
Deanna Lohse
Rob McManus
Jerome Mersky & Vincent Finnochio
Tanya Mink & James Collier
Dr. Susan Mohrman
Esther Mott
Michael M. Mullins & James A. Newman
Lisa Nelson
Barbara Goen Nemer, In Memory of David Nemer
Marilyn Omernick
Rebecca Omahen
Michael R. Oppenheim*
Thomas Palfrey
Greg Porée
Carol & Francois Rigolot
Sally & Brian Rivera
Dr. Carole & Donald Roback
John & Jennifer Robinson
Karen M. And Michael Rosenthal
Dr. Ellen Rothenberg In Memory of Jerome Rothenberg
Alec Brooks & Carol Samek
Janet Samuel
Kevin Schaeffer
Kristen Schmidt
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Richard Sheehan & David Clarke In Honor of Tom Klebba & Jay Lesiger
FRIENDS ($250 TO $499)
Frederick & Barbara Gable
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Leah Heap & Freeman Baldwin
Leslie Regal
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Carol Shelton
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Jeff Simmonds & Valerie Duval*
Jonathan Smilove
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Deborah Strang
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Francine Swain & Robert Murdock
Eliazar Talamantez
Joaquin Talleda
John D. Taylor*
Shivani Thakkar
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Holly Whatley
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Julianne & David Worrell
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Michael Wright
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Marlene Mills
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Michael Hegeman
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Robert Anderson
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Scott Bryson
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Shimica Gaskins & James Perez
Stacy Christopher
Walt Fidler
William Boyd
William Robinson
Please email: development@anoisewithin.org if your name is omitted or incorrect. We apologize for any errors.
BARD’S LEGACY CIRCLE
Remembering A Noise Within in your estate plan is your ticket to a very special group of friends of our theatre. We gratefully acknowledge our Bard’s Legacy Circle Members.
Helen & John Baatz
Steven & Judy Bass
Meg Huntington Cajero
Bronwyn Dawson & Kenneth Yapkowitz
Barbara Durham
Barbara Goen
Vernon & Sylvia Jones
INSTITUTIONAL GIVING
Jeanie & Terry Kay
Alan M. & Sheila R. Lamson
Richard & Sally Roberts
Steve Smith & Michelle Guy
Lyn Spector
William Strickland
Thank you to the following institutions who support A Noise Within’s operations, education, artistic development, and other special projects. If you are interested in learning about the benefits of institutional giving or sponsorship, please contact our Development Department at development@anoisewithin.org.
Season Sponsor
The Ahmanson Foundation
The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation
Perenchio Foundation
The Rose Hills Foundation
SNAP Foundation
Steinmetz Foundation
Producing Sponsor
The Ann Peppers Foundation
The Capital Group Charitable Foundation
Dwight Stuart Youth Fund
Helen and Will Webster Foundation
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors & Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture
Michael J. Connell Foundation
The Shubert Foundation
Sponsor
Amazon
BCM Foundation
California Arts Council
Edward A & Ai O Shay Foundation
The Kenneth T. & Eileen L. Norris Foundation
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger
Pasadena Community Foundation
Sally and Dick Roberts Coyote Foundation
Shakespeare in American Communities: National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest
Director Circle
Mara W. Breech Foundation
Michael & Irene Ross Endowment Fund of the Jewish Community
Z. Clark Branson Foundation
This project is supported, in part, by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Department of Arts and Culture
This organization is supported by the California Arts Council, a state agency. Learn more at www.arts.ca.gov
ARTISTIC STAFF
Julia Rodriguez-Elliott & Geoff Elliott, Producing Artistic Directors
MANAGEMENT & ADMINISTRATION
Douglas Love-Ramos, Managing Director
Jesse Perez, Director of Finance
DEVELOPMENT
Jim Miller, Director of Development
EDUCATION
Lea Madda, Director of Education
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Lauren Marks, Director of Marketing & Communications
Subscribe today to save up to 28% and access exclusive benefits
September 1–September 29, 2024
August Wilson’s
The Piano Lesson
October 13–November 10, 2024 A Christmas Carol BY Charles
Dickens
ADAPTED FOR THE STAGE BY Geoff Elliott
November 30–December 24, 2024
March 23–April 20, 2025
May 4–June 1, 2025
Cast of Sweeney Todd by Craig Schwartz.
STAR POWER
Los Angeles offers unparalleled opportunities for exploring the diverse cuisines of Asia—tiny bánh mì shops and dim sum palaces in the San Gabriel Valley, sushi bars on Sawtelle Boulevard, barbecue feasts in Koreatown—and some of the best food is served in unpretentious storefronts.
But steps from Pasadena Playhouse is Star Leaf, a particularly elaborate setting in which to enjoy various Southeast Asian cuisines. The first stateside location of a chain with 40-plus restaurants in Asia, Star Leaf is the antithesis of the endearing holesin-the-wall chronicled by legendary L.A. food writer Jonathan Gold.
GRODY /
The elevated cuisine at new Star Leaf in Pasadena celebrates Southeast Asian culinary traditions often associated with street vendors. / by ROGER
While some of its dishes are inspired by street foods, others have a royal pedigree that surely informed the restaurant's design.
Southeast Asian cuisines at Star Leaf
Founder of the concept, restaurateur Ruth Lin, brought in a team including the former chef of the Singaporean prime minister to kick off the Pasadena project.
The dining room, bathed in jade green tones, features dark-stained
wood, ornate tilework and contemporary globe pendants that evoke traditional Asian lanterns; the generous patio embraces the energy of the Playhouse Village district.
Singapore’s landmark Raffles Hotel has been suggested as an inspiration for the design, but the palm-frond-laden Southeast Asian colonial vibe also incorporates Craftsman elements that tie it to the Crown City. The adjoining wraparound bar dispenses lychee martinis and Singapore slings.
Royal fried rice is laced with seafood and crowned with a delicate sheet of fish roe for an elegant expression. Shrimp cakes on lemongrass skewers arrive with a spirited
chili dipping sauce. Thai staple hotand-sour tom yum soup, elevated with prawns and mussels, serves an entire table. Attractively plated soft-shell-crab summer rolls arrive with a mango dipping sauce.
The Royal Thai Curry beautifully balances its assertive spices and soothing coconut milk. The dish, often featuring duck eggs, potatoes and shrimp, arrives with a Frenchstyle baguette for mopping up the sauce. The shrimp can be switched out for more luxurious soft-shell crab or lobster. A mahogany-hued vegetarian curry presents deep Malaysian flavors.
Twelve-hour-braised Angus short ribs—a formidable bone is plated
Royal Thai Curry with lobster.
Opposite: Star Leaf's lavish jade green colonial-style dining room and, below, shrimp cake skewers
DINING
with the meat to dramatic effect— is accompanied by a mild green curry sauce. Lamb chops with prominent grill marks arrive with a minted chimichurri, charred tomatoes and cauliflower purée. Japanese A5 Wagyu is treated with a green curry-coconut sauce, together as decadent as the surroundings.
An unpretentious pork collar proves an unexpected standout; the tender and beautifully caramelized meat is served alongside lettuce wraps, mint and a pungent, garlicky dipping sauce.
The dessert menu features a soulful Vietnamese coffee flan presented in a delicate caramel cage; a panna cotta is served in a coconut shell and topped with tropical fruit.
The modest, mostly California wine list offers sparkling wines, sauvignon blancs and pinot noirs that pair well with spicy foods; the cocktails and Asian beers also suit. Star Leaf wraps its eclectic celebration of Asian traditions in a sultry package that's hard to resist.
Star Leaf cocktails and culturally diverse dishes
Join us for an exhilarating journey featuring over 80 visionary artists from around the world such as:
> Tarta Relena > Orquesta Akokán > Elevator Repair Service
> Cécile Mclorin Salvant > Quetzal > Rianto > Cha Wa
RIANTO
Photo by Bernie Ng, courtesy of Esplanade — Theatres on the Bay
FIRST RESORT
Prominent hospitality design firm Avenue Interior Design transitions to residential interiors, introducing a resort lifestyle at home. / by ROGER GRODY /
THE LOS ANGELES-BASED firm Avenue
Interior Design made its name creating dazzling aesthetics for restaurants, clubs, boutique hotels and lavish resorts here and across the country. Now, recognizing that homeowners are inspired by the environments they encounter on vacation, Avenue founders and principals
Living room in a vintage Windsor Square residence.
Opposite: Ashley Justman, left, and Andrea DeRosa
DESIGN
Andrea DeRosa and Ashley Justman have begun to apply their hospitality expertise to luxury residential interiors.
The firm’s high-profile hospitality roster includes the Palms and MGM Grand in Las Vegas as well as restaurants for celebrity chefs José Andrés and Michael Mina.
“Evoking the comfort of a residence within a hospitality environment is essential to the success of the overall design,” says Andrea DeRosa.
“The word ‘home’ communicates a sense of comfort and ease, essentially inviting each guest to relax and enjoy the environment.”
DeRosa believes that creating interiors for
homes draws on the same sensibilities as conceiving spaces for hotels and restaurants. But Avenue is not known for a single signature style.
“We consider ourselves style chameleons when it
comes to our hospitality work," DeRosa notes.
“No two venues are the same, nor should their designs be.” A successful design, she suggests, captures the spirit of each individual property.
In Windsor Square: kitchen and dining above, bedroom below, and contemporary wall paper and fine art opposite.
“Since our founding 15 years ago, we have found ourselves working on residential projects for our hospitality clients,” says DeRosa.
“We enjoy the juxtaposition of designing highenergy hospitality environments and then their more personal residential counterparts. Creatively, it’s a beautiful balance.
“We often ask our residential and hospitality clients the same question: ‘What are the hotels you’ve stayed in that resonate with you?’”
Whether it is the interior detailing, access to nature or the gracious
DESIGN
service, shared impressions from a hotel stay can provide a wealth of information about the kind of experience clients seek for their projects—specifically for their private homes.
“Residential and hospitality interior design run mostly parallel to each other, intersecting from time to time,” says DeRosa.
She notes that while the firm approaches the respective specialties with a similar creative process, they do present contrasting logistics.
In residential projects, there is usually time for a design to develop organically; tighter deadlines are often imposed for hospitality projects.
Durability is essential in hospitality environ-
ments that accommodate heavy traffic volumes, but components such as performance fabrics are also gaining popularity in private residences.
For DeRosa’s own 100-year-old residence in L.A.’s Windsor Square neighborhood, accommodating her active family
and her passion for art were her priorities.
“What I live with and what I admire sometimes converge," she says. "While my tastes are habitually evolving, I feature the pieces I love."
Commissioned works in pencil by local artist Claire Salvo appear in the dining
room; pieces by Damien Hirst, Loralee Jade and Thomas Gromas are showcased elsewhere.
For a project in the San Fernando Valley’s historic Forest Hills neighborhood, Avenue’s clients were a creative couple with a passion for cooking and entertaining.
In their warm, inviting living room, a custom sofa was paired with a vintage coffee table and an Aga John rug; on the walls are signed vintage celebrity portraits by acclaimed photographers Terry O’Neill and Mick Rock.
In Forest Hills, vintage pieces in the living room and, below, a modern touch in the kitchen.
THE CONCERT
Good and evil battle it out in an American retelling of the classic story. Randy Newman’s only musical features the songwriter’s unmatched wit and some of his greatest songs. This Sorayaproduced original concert will feature an all-star cast of fresh talent led by two Broadway phenoms - Reeve Carney (“Penny Dreadful” and Hadestown) as Devil and Javier Muñoz (In the Heights and Hamilton) as Lord.
Music and Lyrics by Randy Newman
Starring
Reeve Carney
Javier Muñoz
Jordan Temple
Veronica Swift
Joanna Lynn-Jacobs
FEATURE /CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15
those years after 9/11, who remembers what the 2004 election was like, it feels like we’re in a moment again with a heightened choice in the direction of the country.”
Desai also likes turning preconceptions about punk rock on its ear.
“One thing that is really interesting about American Idiot is that I love the album, I listened to it.,” Desai says. “When you think of punk, you don’t usually think of people like me, people of color. Punk is very British or white male. This is an opportu-
nity to re-envision that.
“And people don’t often think about the Deaf community in music, right? But they really do engage with music as a means of expression. Particularly the younger generation.
“All of those things made this feel right in the moment.”
Traditionally, the Ahmanson and Taper had their own respective personalities, with distinctive programming and separate subscription bases.
Now they’re combined under the umbrella “One CTG. One LA”: a sevenshow season across both theaters, plus an add-on September production of
by the artistic collective 7 Fingers.
“It’s theater in a new lens, which I think is the future,” Desai says.
Discussing other shows in the “One CTG. One
LA” slate, Desai offers insight into how he builds a season.
The revival of Once Upon a Mattress (Dec.Jan.) debuted last season as a concert version for New York’s Encores! series. “It’s Broadway and
Duel Reality, an acrobatic take on Romeo and Juliet
Alex Edelman in the one-man Just For Us
us,” Desai says. “No one else is doing it.… I love that both Sutton Foster and Michael Urie have long histories with CTG.”
The CTG-commissioned Fake It Until You Make It (Jan.-Mar.), by Larissa FastHorse was painfully delayed by the Taper’s pause.
FastHorse is a Santa Monica-based playwright; the show will be directed by Michael John Garcés, former artistic director of L.A.’s Cornerstone Theater Company.
“It’s a farce,” Desai says of the show. “Who knows where we’re going to be after November? I felt like we needed something that was going to make us be able to laugh.”
Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends (Feb.-Mar.), a starry revue of Sondheim songs, was a sellout in London.
“I love that it will be pre-Broadway,” Desai says. “It was on the West End, it’s coming here, and then it’s going to New York. I want us to be on the path to be preBroadway versus postBroadway all of the time.
“We have a history with Lea Salonga and we have Bernadette Peters, an icon,” he continues.
“Matthew Bourne is directing. He’s also an artist who has a long history with us.”
Hamlet (May-July) is a new noir adaptation of the
Background art by Vecteezy
FEATURE
Shakespeare tragedy conceived by Robert O’Hara, director of A Slave Play in New York, L.A. and now London. “O’Hara is an artist I’ve known for a very long time,” Desai says. “He wants it to be filminspired. It’s going to feel like an L.A. Hamlet.”
Desai leans upon his experience in turning around another L.A. theater group: East West Players, which was in its own budgetary crisis when
Not many young people start out wanting to run a theater company. For Desai the career path was circuitous, beginning when he was a drama student at Emory University and realized the dearth of projects for people like him.
“I kept finding myself very frustrated by the limited opportunities and roles,” he recalls. “Then a wonderful faculty member said, ‘You should take a directing class and see what it’s about.’ That’s when things jelled.”
Desai earned his MFA in directing at the Yale School of Drama, where he found similar hurdles.
“One of the things
folks told me was that in order to make a career in theater, to find a mentor,” he recounts. “I said, great, how do I find a mentor? They said, find someone who looks like you in the field. And I was finding no
one who has this kind of path or trajectory.”
While a student, he sought opportunities in London because of its large number of South Asian artists. Yet he didn’t quite fit in there, either; to
Actor Bradley Whitford, center, with CTG managing director/ CEO Meghan Pressman and artistic director Snehal Desai
his surprise, he was seen not as Indian or Asian but as an American.
Friends suggested he create his own work, which he did for five years in New York—but he was still figuring out who he wanted to be. “I didn’t know who I was doing this work for, who the audience was, or who the communities were that I was serving.”
He sought a fellowship at San Diego’s Old Globe where he liked the vibe and understood the community. A friend suggested they crash a national theater conference in L.A., where he got to know Tim Dang, longtime head of East West Players. Dang hired him to be the company’s literary manager; Desai later served in turn as an artistic associate, then artistic director.
He says his labyrinthine career makes him a better artist and better leader.
“What I love about my journey is that I’ve been an actor, I’ve been a writer, I’ve done all of the roles,” he notes. “That strengthens me as a director and as a collaborator.”
It also means he will be there for the next generation of Asian artists.
“I am now in a place where I want to be,” Desai says. “When the next person tells someone who looks like me to find a mentor, I can be there for them.”
SYMPHONY SERIES AT AMBASSADOR AUDITORIUM
Brett Mitchell MUSIC DIRECTOR
MAHLER SYMPHONY
No. 1
OCT 26, 2024
AKIKO SUWANAI, violin
MOZART “JUPITER” SYMPHONY
JAN 25, 2025
INON BARNATAN, piano
by
MOZART VIOLIN CONCERTO No. 5
MAR 22, 2025
STEFAN JACKIW, violin
RHAPSODY IN BLUE NOV 16, 2024
STEWART GOODYEAR, piano
DVORÁK CELLO CONCERTO FEB 15, 2025
MARK KOSOWER, cello
BEETHOVEN “PASTORAL” SYMPHONY
MAY 3, 2025
WILLIAM HAGEN, violin
Photo
Tim Sullens
reprogrammed !
Performances Magazine unveils a digital program platform for shows and concerts
DROP DOWN MENU Table of app contents.
REGISTER
Stay arts-engaged, access past programs.
THE ESSENTIALS Acts, scenes, synopses, repertory and notes.
CONTRIBUTORS
Donors and sponsors who make it all possible—you!
NO RUSTLING PAGES, no killing trees . . . The new Performances program platform, accessed on any digital device, is among the more enduring innovations to have come out of the pandemic. The platform provides the programs for 20 Southern California performing-arts organizations, from the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Ahmanson Theatre to San Diego Opera, where the app made its debut.
The touchless platform provides cast and player bios, donor and season updates and numerous other
arts-centric features. Audiences receive a link and a code word that instantly activate the app; QR codes are posted, too.
Screens go dark when curtains go up and return when house lights come back on. Updates—such as repertory changes, understudy substitutions and significant new donations—can be made right up to showtime, no inserts necessary. Other features include video and audio streams, translations and expanded biographies.
For those who consider printed
Find whatever it is you want to know—easily.
SIGN IN
Link to your performing-arts companies and venues. SEARCH
THE PLAYERS
Bios and background for cast, crew and creators.
WHAT’S ON
What’s coming at a glance and ticket information.
programs to be keepsakes, a limited number, as well as commemorative issues for special events, continue to be produced. Collectibles!
Meanwhile, there is less deforestation, consumption of petroleum inks and programs headed for landfills. For the ecologically minded, the platform gets a standing ovation.
When theaters and concert halls reopened after their long intermission, the digital Performances was but one more reason for audience excitement. Activate your link and enjoy the shows. —CALEB WACHS
