Performances Magazine | Pasadena Playhouse, March 2024

by GLORIA CALDERÓN KELLETT

Directed by KIMBERLY SENIOR

contents

P1 Program

Cast, performances, who’s who, director’s notes and donors

6 In the Wings

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra marks Sir Neville Marriner centenary, works by 19th-century French sculptor Camille Claudel at the Getty, ABT's take on Virginia Woolf at Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

12 The Biggest Shoes to Fill Actors playing roles indelibly tied to singular performers— such as Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson and Julia Roberts—take inspiration from the megastars while making the parts their own.

20 Hollywood Mid-Century Designer Patrick Dragonette re-energizes interiors with pieces from decades past, many by Hollywood star turned interior designer William (“Billy”) Haines.

24 Pasta ’dena Uovo—which makes its own fresh pasta in Bologna, Italy, then overnights it—has opened at the Commons in Pasadena. Its recipes often come from renowned Italian restaurants.

32 Parting Thought

Performances’ new program platform for shows and concerts can be accessed from any digital device.

PUBLISHER

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Marriner Centenary Plus

A PROGRAM BY the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra on Easter weekend commemorates the centenary of Sir Neville Marriner, its first music director from 1969 to 1978. Pergolesi’s transcendent Stabat Mater features soprano Amanda Forsythe and countertenor John Holiday, a finalist on Season 19 of NBC’s “The Voice.” A suite from Bach’s Easter Oratorio opens the concert, which is led by

its music director now, Jaime Martín; it closes with Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 in G minor. Performances take place Mar. 30 at the Alex Theatre in Glendale and March 31 at Royce Hall on the UCLA campus. The ensemble’s Baroque series concludes with Italian masterworks led by concertmaster and chamber music director Margaret Batjer. Events including Antonio Vivaldi’s Concerto in D minor with South Korean guitar soloist Jiji are slated for May 4 at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills and May 5 at The Huntington’s Rothenberg Hall in San Marino. 213.221.3920, laco.org

LACO

Upcoming

concerts feature guitarist Jiji and, right, countertenor John Holiday.

FRENCH GENIUS AND TRAGEDY

CELEBRATED FOR HER brilliance during a time when women sculptors were rare, Camille Claudel was among the most daring and visionary artists of the late 19th century—yet her figurative works such as the amorous bronze The Waltz and marble Sakuntala remain little known outside of her native France. Claudel is remembered instead for her dramatic and tragic life story, primarily for her passionate relationship with artist Auguste Rodin—the Musée Rodin in Paris has a room dedicated to her works—and for her three-decade internment by her family in a psychiatric institution. Composer Claude Debussy also pursued her and kept a copy of The Waltz in his studio until his death. A major exhibition opening April 2 at the Getty Center, Camille Claudel seeks to reevaluate and affirm her legacy within a more complex Modernist genealogy; the show includes some 60 sculptures. 1200 Getty Center Drive, L.A., 310.440.7300, getty.edu

Top: Camille Claudel at work, circa 1903. Left to right: Claudel’s bronze Torso of a Crouching Woman (modeled ca. 1885, cast ca. 1913), terracotta Young Girl with a Sheaf (1887) and plaster Man Stooping (ca. 1886).

Opposite: The Waltz (bronze, ca. 1900).

Novel Woolf

WAYNE MCGREGOR’S ballet tryptich Woolf Works is inspired by the emotions, themes and style of three works by 20th-century modernist author Virginia Woolf: Mrs. Dalloway, Orlando and The Waves. American Ballet Theatre presents its North American premiere in five performances April 11 to 14 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. “Life is not a series of gig-lamps symmetrically arranged,” Woolf wrote in her essay Modern Fiction, “life is a luminous halo, a semi-transparent envelope surrounding us from the beginning of consciousness to the end.…” Max Richter’s fittingly luminous score is performed live by the Pacific Symphony. McGregor’s work mirrors Woolf’s startling perspectives; he describes it as “a full-on assault and collision of the senses.” For the final act, “Tuesday,” actress Gillian Anderson recorded Virginia Woolf’s haunting suicide note. 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.556.2787, scfta.org

EMMA ZORDAN

Catherine Hurlin and Daniel Camargo in Woolf Works

THE BIGGEST SHOES TO FILL

Actors playing roles indelibly tied to megastars—Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson, Julia Roberts—take inspiration from the performers while making the parts their own.

/ BY SHERRY STERN /

THERE’S A MOVING scene in Funny Girl when the main characters, Fanny Brice and Nick Arnstein, kiss for the first time. In this intimate moment, Fanny reacts in a way that’s true to herself: She dances a little tap combination.

That time step is pure Barbra Streisand—one of many moves in Funny Girl where the actress currently playing Fanny senses Streisand’s personal touch, mannerisms now baked into the role that Streisand originated 59 years ago.

“For many people, Fanny and Barbra are one,” says Katerina McCrimmon, who stars in the Broadway revival’s national tour. It comes to the Ahmanson Theatre April 2-28 and Segerstrom Center for the Arts May 28-June 9.

“I’ll tell you right off the bat that I feel no pressure to be her. There’s no way I can be, so I never once thought, ‘How do I live up to Barbra?’ ”

The challenge is very real for any actor playing a role that’s singularly tied to a megastar, whether it be a Broadway

actor, a pop singer or a film actress. Think Streisand or Michael Jackson or Julia Roberts. Then consider three stage actors with that exact challenge—inhabiting a persona indelible in audiences’ minds while making the part their own.

“My performance is going to be my performance. It’s very different from what Barbra did, and people are going to either like it or not,” McCrimmon says, on the road during a tour that takes her to 30 cities. “People’s perception is out of my hands. Of course, I respect what she’s done. Without her, there would be no Funny Girl.”

While creating her own Fanny Brice, McCrimmon says, she never forgets the original. In fact, in her spare time on the road, she has been listening to Streisand read the audio version of her autobiography, My Name is Barbra

“I can’t just leave her out of the picture. I know her version of Funny Girl. It’s so beautiful and timeless,” she says; she hopes hers is, too. “I just lead with confidence, and I lead with my heart, and hope that that translates.”

Katerina McCrimmon as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl

Adding another layer is that the character of Fanny Brice was a real person—a comedic actor on stage, film and radio— as popular at the turn of last century as Streisand became after Funny Girl Ultimately, McCrimmon says she must channel Fanny, not Streisand.

“It’s been more of a Fanny-focused rehearsal process, not a Barbra one. We’re really inspired by the essence of Fanny and the essence of her story. But they took a lot of artistic liberties with the show. More than anything, it’s a star vehicle.

“I’m working with my essence and letting that shine through,” she adds. “And just having fun.”

WHILE MCCRIMMON’S portrayal doesn’t have to meet audience expectations of what Fanny Brice was like, that’s the challenge for an actor playing Michael Jackson in the Broadway hit MJ

The biographical jukebox musical explores Jackson’s creative process as he was prepping for the 1992 Dangerous World Tour, and flashes back to young Michael’s formative years.

Its lead must inhabit an incomparable performer. Roman Banks, who stars in the show’s first national tour, differentiates MJ from a tribute act.

“I’m not Michael Jackson. I’ll never be

Michael Jackson, so I will never try to be Michael Jackson,” says Banks. He’s about halfway through a year-long run that comes to the Segerstrom Center March 19-31.

“What I am trying to capture is his essence and his humanity on stage. I think that is the way people are going to find themselves, feeling a presence of his spirit or his artistry.”

Banks made Broadway history in 2018 as the first Black actor to play the lead in Dear Evan Hansen, an opportunity he describes as a “huge dream come true.”

Then along came MJ, a role he was determined to play. Growing up in a house where his parents played the Jackson Five,

and later discovering his uncle was a key dancer in the “Bad” video, Banks knew Jackson and his moves. “If there’s one thing I can do, it’s Michael Jackson’s stuff.

“I was obsessed. The moment I heard about it, I was like, ‘I have to do this.’ It was the music that I grew up with. I sung this my entire life.”

Banks says audiences shouldn’t expect an exact replica of Jackson—for that, he directs them to YouTube.

“It feels more like I’m submitting myself as a vessel instead of doing an impersonation,” he says. “If I can focus on the man, focus on his heart and focus on the energy that he brought to performance, the passion he

PHOTOS MATTHEW MURPHY

Roman Banks as Michael Jackson and, below, Banks and Mary Kate Moore, in MJ

brought to a performance and the level of detail ... the rest will follow.”

It’s a role that’s changed Banks as a person and a performer.

“I’ve been really trying to submit myself to the freedom of movement that Michael seemed to have on stage. That’s opened up a new avenue of energy that I feel.”

IN A NEW musical based on the 1988 romantic comedy Mystic Pizza, recently seen at La Mirada Theatre and other California theaters, Krystina Alabado plays Daisy, the role that made Julia Roberts a star.

“It’s this delicate balance, at least for me as an artist and an actor,” Alabado says. “There’s nothing that I can possibly do to ever be Julia Roberts as Daisy in the movie.”

When she first took the role, Alabado wasn’t thinking of Roberts. She was looking on her computer screen at the postage-stamp faces of the team creating the show. Mystic Pizza was developed on Zoom at the height of the pandemic, with actors lip syncing to ’80s pop hits.

“Oddly, I didn’t even think about the craziness that I was stepping into this role that was Julia

/CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

WELCOME

MAY 29 – JUN 23, 2024

JELLY’S LAST JAM

Book by

George C. Wolfe

Music by

Jelly Roll Morton

Lyrics by Susan Birkenhead

This April, our historic Playhouse will turn 99 years old! From the beginning of our storied history, Pasadena Playhouse has brought to life a wide variety of productions from classics to musicals to the best new plays of our time.

Tonight, One of the Good Ones joins the list of nearly 500 plays to have their world premiere on our stage. In addition, tonight’s play is the first commission during my time here as Producing Artistic Director, adding playwright Gloria Calderón Kellett to the ranks alongside Tennessee Williams, Eugene O’Neill, Suzan-Lori Parks, Noel Coward and many, many more.

You are in for a treat. Gloria is a brilliant storyteller who can make you laugh, think, and feel deeply all at the same time. Her loveable characters have conversations onstage that are seldom – if ever –tackled in the American Theater, ultimately, bringing us all closer together.

Collaborating with her is our fearless director Kimberly Senior, making her Playhouse debut alongside an amazing company of theatermakers who have come together to make this production just for you.

Our passion as the State Theater of California is to continue to give theatermakers in this country a space to thrive and do their best work. In fact, while you are watching this world premiere, we’re hard at work with our final production of the year, the astounding musical, Jelly’s Last Jam

Jelly’s Last Jam, one of the most important and entertaining shows in the canon of great American musicals, has rarely been performed since its debut over 30 years ago. We couldn’t be more thrilled to bring this show back in an ambitious original production at the Playhouse. Trust me, you won’t want to miss this one!

Thank you for being here and supporting live theater. Whether this is your first time joining us or you are a Member, we’re grateful that you are here and are excited to share One of the Good Ones with you.

DANNY FELDMAN

Producing Artistic Director

DANNY FELDMAN

Producing Artistic Director Presents

Scenic Design

TANYA ORELLANA

By

GLORIA CALDERÓN KELLETT

Starring

LANA PARRILLA

Costume Design

DENITSA BLIZNAKOVA

Fight & Intimacy Coordinator

RACHEL LEE FLESHER

Technical Director/ Production Supervisor BRAD ENLOW

Lighting Design JAYMI LEE SMITH

Casting

RYAN BERNARD TYMENSKY, CSA

Press Representative DAVIDSON & CHOY PUBLICITY

Directed by KIMBERLY SENIOR

Sound Design

JEFF GARDNER & ANDREA ALLMOND

Stage Manager DAVID S. FRANKLIN

Associate Producer JENNY SLATTERY

One of the Good Ones was commissioned by Pasadena Playhouse.

Pasadena Playhouse sits on the land of the Gabrielino-Tongva and Kizh people, who historically inhabited the area around present-day Pasadena. We honor their contribution to this region and give thanks for the opportunity to live, work, and perform on their unceded ancestral lands.

CARLOS GOMEZ ISABELLA GOMEZ NICO GREETHAM SANTINO JIMENEZ

ABEL GARCIA ANNA L a MADRID

CAST

LANA PARRILLA

SANTINO JIMENEZ

ABEL GARCIA

ANNA L a MADRID

NICO GREETHAM

CARLOS GOMEZ

ISABELLA GOMEZ

CAST

Ilana LANA PARRILLA

Enrique CARLOS GOMEZ

Yoli ISABELLA GOMEZ

Marcos NICO GREETHAM

Pedro SANTINO JIMENEZ

UNDERSTUDIES

Understudies never substitute for players unless a specific announcement is made at the time of the appearance.

for Marcos and Pedro ABEL GARCIA for Enrique

SANTINO JIMENEZ for Ilana and Yoli ANNA L a MADRID

STAGE MANAGEMENT

Stage Manager

Assistant Stage Manager

DAVID S. FRANKLIN

MIRIAM E. MENDOZA

One of the Good Ones will be performed without an intermission.

The Actors and Stage Managers employed in this production are members of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

CAST

WHO’S WHO

PASADENA PLAYHOUSE

Pasadena Playhouse, the official State Theater of California and recipient of the 2023 Regional Theatre Tony Award, is internationally recognized for its significant role in the development of American Theater. One of the most prolific theaters in the country, the Playhouse has staged thousands of original productions since its founding in 1917 including premieres of works by Tennessee Williams, Eugene O’Neill, Suzan-Lori Parks and hundreds more. For decades, its pioneering School for Theater Arts was a training ground for actors and theatermakers who went on to make significant contributions to the entertainment industry. Under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Danny Feldman since 2016, Pasadena Playhouse’s productions and community programs are centered on its founding idea of being a living force in its community, making theater for everyone. Today, the Playhouse continues to advance the American Theater and serves as a hub for the top theatermakers of our time.

LANA PARRILLA

Ilana

Of Italian and Puerto Rican descent, Lana Parrilla spent her childhood in Brooklyn, New York. At a young age, she made numerous home videos with her family and especially with her aunt, who is a working actress. Lana’s family supported her natural inclination to perform, however with her determination no one was going to stand in the way of her passion. Parrilla graduated from high school and shortly thereafter moved to Los Angeles to study her craft and began to appear in local theater productions.

Parrilla’s remarkable role as Regina Mills/ Evil Queen/Roni on ABC’s hit show Once Upon A Time came to an end in 2018, after an impressive seven seasons. For her work on the show, she has received the NHMC Impact Award, an ALMA Award for Outstanding TV Actress, a Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actress: Fantasy/Sci-Fi in 2016, and was voted by fans as TV Guide’s Best Villain for 2 out of the 3 years. In 2003, Parrilla received an Imagen Award for her work on Boomtown.

Parrilla recently wrapped season 2 of Netflix’s The Lincoln Lawyer, and will next be seen in Netflix’s upcoming feature film Atlas, starring opposite Jennifer Lopez. She also recently starred in Season 2 of the CBS All-Access dark comedy-drama anthology series, Why Women Kill, playing the main role of Rita Castillo.

One of Parrilla’s earliest on-camera jobs was an appearance in the Steven Spielberg movie of the week Semper Fi. Thereafter, she joined the cast as a regular on the hit comedy series Spin City. Parrilla has been a regular on many critically acclaimed shows such as Boomtown, where she played a young paramedic, 24, as a counter-terrorist agent, and Swingtown, as a sexually progressive woman in the 1970s, to name a few. Parrilla has also recurred on such memorable series as NYPD Blue, Six Feet Under, and Lost.

When not on location, Parrilla enjoys spending time with her family in Los Angeles and New York and loves to travel the world. She has volunteered in community projects throughout Sri Lanka, Haiti, Canada and at home in the US.

CARLOS GOMEZ

Enrique

Carlos originated the role of Kevin Rosario in the Tony Award winning production of In the Heights on Broadway. Other theater credits include Destiny of Desire (Arena Stage, Old Globe Theater), Daphne’s Dive (Signature Theater NYC), Living Out (Mark Taper Forum), and Once Removed (Long Wharf Theater). Selected television work includes ER, Friends, Madam Secretary, Law & Order:The Menendez Murders, FBI, Not Dead Yet, Hightown, and The Baker and the Beauty. He has appeared in the films Desperado, Fools Rush In, The Perfect Game, House of Sand and Fog, Dolphin Tale 2, Trial by Fire, The Report, and Ride Along 2. Carlos was nominated for an Alma Award, and was awarded the Imagen Award 2011-2013 for portraying Carlos Sanchez in the hit tv show series The Glades on A&E.

ISABELLA GOMEZ

Yoli

Isabella may be best known for her awardwinning role as Elena Alvarez in the critically acclaimed series One Day at a Time. She’s garnered a handful of credits since, including recurring on the hit ABC series The Goldbergs, starring in Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, and Amazon’s With Love. Other leading projects include E’s Royal

Rendezvous, Spotify’s La Cabina Telefonica, and the upcoming horror indie The Mannequin She’s stoked to be making her stage debut with One of the Good Ones at the beloved Pasadena Playhouse.

NICO GREETHAM

Marcos

Nico is excited to return to the stage in his Pasadena Playhouse debut. Broadway: Disney’s Newsies. Television includes So You Think You Can Dance, Love, Victor, and Ryan Murphy’s anthology series American Horror Story and American Horror Stories (Seasons 1 and 2). Film includes Netflix’s The Prom, Dinner in America, and Dramarama. Nico is honored to have the opportunity to represent his heritage as firstgeneration Colombian American. Thanks to all those involved in this production, his family, and his team.

@nicogreetham

SANTINO JIMENEZ

Pedro, u/s Enrique

Santino was born and raised in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The acting bug bit him while in elementary school, where he carried a brown tempera painted cardboard donkey through the cafeteria. Since then, he’s appeared on such networks as NBC, CBS, FOX, HBO, and Netflix. He spends his time volunteering with Young Storytellers, a non-profit organization raising the voices of children one voice at a time and is a Jiu-Jitsu kid’s coach at Legacy Glendale. Thank you to his team, Gloria, and Pasadena Playhouse for this incredible opportunity!

ABEL GARCIA

u/s Marcos/Pedro

Abel Garcia was born and raised in El Paso, Texas where he received his BFA in Theatre Performance from UT El Paso in 2016. Shortly after, he moved to Southern California and received his MFA in Acting from UC Irvine in spring 2021. Abel is an actor as well as a parttime theater instructor at the Orange County School of The Arts (OCSA). Thank you, Mom, Dad, Miriam, and Eric for your continuous love and support. Abel will be performing in the New Swan Shakespeare Festival in Irvine, CA this summer as Angelo in Measure for Measure and Malvolio in Twelfth Night. Most recent credits include Smith and Judge Hayes in The Story of Biddy Mason (Autry Museum 2024); Brutus in Julius Caesar (Teatro Neplanta 2024); Self in Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged and Touchstone in As

You Like It (New Swan Shakespeare Festival 2023); Ralph D in The Motherf***er with the Hat (Teatro Neplanta); Dromio of Ephesus in Comedy of Errors and Cleon in Pericles, Prince of Tyre (New Swan Shakespeare Festival 2022); Peter in Silent Sky (Greenbrier Valley Theatre 2022); Pale in Burn This (Illuminations 2021); and The Creature in Reading Frankenstein (CounterBalance Theater, 2019).

ANNA L a MADRID u/s Ilana/Yoli

Anna is an actor and audition coach most likely recognized for her role as Fake Angela, opposite Nathan Fielder in HBO’s groundbreaking first season of The Rehearsal. Recent TV credits include recurring as Rocio in Hulu’s This Fool and recurring as Lacey Gamble in season 2 of Shining Vale opposite Courtney Cox. LA Theatre: IAMA, Echo Theatre, and Boston Court Pasadena.

GLORIA CALDERÓN KELLETT

Playwright

Gloria Calderón Kellett is an award-winning writer, producer, director, and actress.

She was an executive producer, co-creator, co-showrunner, director, and actress on the Emmy-winning sitcom One Day at a Time. Her critically acclaimed Amazon Original series, With Love, is the first series coming out of an overall deal between her company, Glonation and Amazon Studios. Along with Blumhouse Television and Spotify, Glonation is also producing The Horror of Dolores Roach based on the hit Gimlet podcast reuniting her with star Justina Machado.

The proud daughter of Cuban immigrants, Calderón Kellett graduated from Loyola Marymount University and went on to earn a master’s degree in theater from the University of London. She spent her early years as a writer/producer on numerous shows including Devious Maids and How I Met Your Mother. Her acting credits include Jane The Virgin, Angie Tribeca, Dead To Me, How I Met Your Mother, and Your Place Or Mine. She also appeared as a narrator on Drunk History (New Orleans). Kellett is also a sought after director having directed episodes of How I Met Your Father, Lopez vs. Lopez, One Day at a Time, Mr. Iglesias, and the Mad About You revival among others.

WHO’S WHO

Gloria is a champion for women, the Latino/a/x/e community, and other disenfranchised voices. She is an executive committee member for The Television Academy. She assisted Amazon in supporting their inaugural Inclusion Playbook, providing a template for how to make content in an inclusive and responsible way. Her advocacy includes being a founding member of the Untitled Latinx Project, a group of Latine show runners who advocate on behalf of the Latine community (by such efforts as the Dear Hollywood initiative) to help studios identify ways to support and tell Latine stories. As an ambassador for the non-profit ReFrame, which celebrates and encourages gender parity in front of and behind the camera, and a partner with the Latinx House/Adelante, she supported up-and-coming Latina directors and DPs by having them shadow on the set of With Love on Season 2. Alongside the Latino Film Institute, LACollab, and Amazon, she also mentors with The Youth Cinema Project to strengthen the Latino pipeline to Hollywood. Her mentor efforts also include working with the Pillars Artist Fellows, co-founded by Riz Ahmed to support Muslim writers and directors. To offer free advice to new artists at the beginning of their careers, she partnered with Buzzfeed’s Perolike to release a web series titled: Hollywood 101.

She is a member of The Creative Coalition where she fights to support the arts and arts programs by going to Washington DC and meeting with members of congress to encourage their support for the National Endowment for the Arts and is the chair for their Pay Gap Initiative which gives grants of 10k to entry level BIPOC candidates to help them start their Hollywood journey. As an Ambassador for the National Women’s History Museum, she is focused on highlighting the countless untold stories of women throughout history. As a part of the Celebrity Ambassador Cabinet for The National Hispanic Media Coalition, she supports their woman-led nonprofit civil and human rights organization founded to eliminate hate, discrimination, and racism toward the Latino community. She’s also a part of the Creative Council for Emily’s List, which is the nation’s largest resource dedicated

to electing Democratic women to office, and the Creative Council for Vote Mama Foundation which is the leading source of research and analysis about the political participation of moms.

Gloria is also an industry advocate for greening Hollywood and has partnered with Scriptation to come up with solutions to make a positive environmental impact and reduce Hollywood’s carbon footprint while also advocating for stories about the environment on TV.

Awards for her work include: The Television Academy Honors, The Geffen Trailblazer Award, Mental Health America Media Award, ALMA Award, Imagen Award, Vanguard Award, NHMC Award, Sentinel Award, and The Voice Award. She has been honored as an industry leader by The Hollywood Reporter in their Top Women in Entertainment issue, the THR100 list issue, and their 50 Agents of Change issue.

KIMBERLY SENIOR Director

Kimberly is a theater freelance director whose award-winning work has been seen in 15 states and spans 200+ productions. Broadway: 2013 Pulitzer-winning play Disgraced. Other: Manhattan Theatre Club, Audible Theater, Goodman Theatre (Artistic Associate), Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Kennedy Center, Mark Taper Forum, Huntington, among others.  Film/TV: Chris Gethard: Career Suicide (HBO). Selected Awards: Alan Schneider Award, 2016 TCG Conference, 2016 Special Non-Equity Jeff Award, Finalist, 2013 SDCF Joe A. Callaway Award. www.kimberlysenior.net

TANYA ORELLANA Scenic Design

Tanya (she/her) designs performance spaces for theater, opera, and immersive experiences. Collaborations include For The People by Larissa FastHorse and Ty Defoe at The Guthrie Theatre; Big Data by Kate Attwell directed by Pam MacKinnon at ACT; Oedipus directed by Jenny Koons at The Getty Villa; We the Peoples Before directed by Roberta Uno at The Kennedy Center; The Industry’s Sweet Land, an immersive opera directed by Yuval Sharon and Cannupa Hanska Luger at LA State Historic Park; Long Beach Opera's Voices from a Killing Jar by Kate Soper, directed by Zoe Aja Moore; LEAR by Marcus Gardley, directed by Eric Ting at Calshakes; and The Kind Ones by Miranda Rose Hall, directed by Lisa Peterson at

Magic Theatre. She is a member of Wingspace Theatrical Design and an organizing member of La Gente: The Latine Theatre Production Network. She received her MFA in Scenic Design from CalArts and is a recipient of the Princess Grace Fabergé Theatre Award. www.tanyaorellana.com

DENITSA BLIZNAKOVA

Costume Design

Denitsa is happy to return to Pasadena Playhouse where she previously designed The Father. Her theater design work has been seen nationwide at venues including the Geffen Playhouse, Mark Taper Forum, Old Globe Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Kennedy Center, Cleveland Play House, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Boston Court, and others. Denitsa's work for opera includes productions at Los Angeles Opera, San Diego Opera, and Santa Fe Opera. Costume design credits for other media include films and music videos. Nominations for Outstanding Costume Design: LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award and Colorado Theatre Guild Henry Award. She is the recipient of the 2020 Costume Design Award from the Costume Society of America. Denitsa is a Professor and the Head of the MFA Design and Technology program in the School of Theatre, TV, and Film at SDSU. www.Denitsa.com.

JAYMI LEE SMITH

Lighting Design

Jaymi is thrilled to return to the Pasadena Playhouse where she previously designed Uncle Vanya, Pygmalion, and Mauritius. She has been designing around the country for the last 30 years at theaters such as Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Dallas Theater Center, South Coast Repertory, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, The Alley Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Goodman Theatre, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Hartford Stage, Alliance Theatre, Getty Villa Theater, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Repertory Theater and Lookingglass Theatre Company, among others. Her work also has been seen in China, Italy, Spain, Scotland, and Ireland. She is currently a professor of Lighting Design and the Associate Dean for Student Success at the University of California, Irvine. Her website is jaymismith.com.

JEFF GARDNER Sound Design

At Pasadena Playhouse: Inherit The Wind, The Sound Inside, Miracle On 34th Street, It's A Wonderful Life. Select credits include Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992, and The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in The Universe at the Mark Taper Forum. Elsewhere: Williamstown Theatre Festival, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Cleveland Playhouse, Baltimore Center Stage, Shakespeare Theatre Company (DC), Arena Stage, The Kennedy Center, Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Los Angeles; Geffen Playhouse, The Wallis, A Noise Within, Antaeus Theatre Company, Circle X Theatre, Echo Theater Company, Rogue Machine Theatre, IAMA Theatre. Los Angeles Stage Alliance Ovation Award, Stage Raw and LA Drama Critics Circle Award Winner. Jeff can be seen at L.A. Theatre Works where he regularly performs live sound effects. jeffthomasgardner.net.

ANDREA ALLMOND Sound Design

Andrea (she/they) is a sound designer and composer for theater, film, audio dramas, immersive installations, and more. Select Theatre Credits: Gloria: A life (Off Broadway); The Search For Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe (Composer – Mark Taper Forum); How to Break (Village Theatre); Nina Simone: Four Women (South Coast Repertory); As You Like It, Twelfth Night, The Winter's Tale (Dallas Theater Center – Public Works Dallas); Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare at Notre Dame). Tours include As Much I Can (ViiV), Lucy Loves Desi (L.A. Theatre Works), and Wild Fire (Denver Center for the Performing Arts). Andrea also produces music and DJ's under the name Sherpa Slim. @sherpaslim

RACHEL LEE FLESHER Fight & Intimacy Coordinator

Pasadena Playhouse debut! Select Chicago credits: Romeo and Juliet (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); Twilight Bowl, Relentless (Goodman Theatre); The Burials (Steppenwolf for Young Adults); Constellations, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, The Most… Miz Martha Washington (Steppenwolf Theatre); The Displaced (Joseph Jefferson Award Nomination) (Haven Theatre); First Love is the Revolution (Joseph Jefferson Award Nomination) (Steep Theatre). Select Los Angeles credits: Cabaret, Destiny of Desire, Dial M for Murder (The Old Globe Theatre), Cassils Human Measure

WHO’S WHO

(RedCat Theatre), Radical (IAMA Theatre Company). Select Regional credits: There’s Always the Hudson (Woolly Mammoth Theatre); Othello (Dallas Shakespeare Theatre); West Side Story (Lyric Theatre Oklahoma). Select television credits: Intimacy Coordinator for GLOW 3 (Netflix); You 2 (Warner Horizons); Hunters 2 (Amazon); The Summer I Turned Pretty 2 (Apple TV+); Gaslit (NBC Universal). Education: Rachel is an intimacy coordinator on the SAG-AFTRA registry, the founder and CEO of Intimacy Professionals Education Collective (accredited by SAG-AFTRA), and a certified intimacy director and intimacy coordinator with Intimacy Directors and Coordinators. Rachel is a SAG-AFTRA stunt performer, a certified fight director, and fight instructor with the Fight Directors Canada.

RYAN BERNARD TYMENSKY, CSA RBT Casting

Ryan has made significant casting contributions to the film, television, and theater industry. With over a decade of experience working at one of the world’s premiere casting offices, The Telsey Office, Ryan has built a diverse portfolio spanning across various mediums. From big budget studio features to low budget independent films, from network television to streaming television, and live theater. Ryan’s versatility in the world of casting speaks for itself. For the last 8 years, Ryan has cast many theater productions in Los Angeles, including shows at Pasadena Playhouse and the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. Their portfolio also includes notable TV and film projects such as the Wicked Movies, This Is Us, Atypical, Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration, And Just Like That.., and Dear Evan Hansen. Ryan puts inclusion and diversity at the heart of everything they do. Their mission is to celebrate and actively advocate for performers who reflect the full spectrum of human diversity to help expand a multiplicity of narratives; narratives that reflect the real world we live in and challenge conventional boundaries that currently exist in the entertainment industry. @rbtcasting

DAVID S. FRANKLIN Stage Manager

Past Productions here at Pasadena Playhouse include KATE (assistant stage manager), Inherit The Wind, The Sound Inside (assistant stage manager), The Father (assistant stage manager), Stoneface, Defiance, Showtune (The Music of Jerry Herman), and Sisterella to name a few. Over at Center Theatre Group, highlights include Baz Luhrmann’s La Bohème, Curtains, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Two Unrelated Plays by David Mamet, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, God of Carnage, Red, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Bent, Zoot Suit, Archduke, Linda Vista, King James, The Old Man and the Pool, The Secret Garden, and A Transparent Musical. Other Los Angeles: Los Angeles Theatre Center in its heyday from 1985–1990, the Geffen Playhouse. Regional: Seattle Rep, Intiman Theatre. New York: Public Theater. Tours: Europe – Quotations from a Ruined City, Law of Remains (with Reza Abdoh’s Dar a Luz company).

MIRIAM E. MENDOZA Assistant Stage Manager

Miriam (she/her) is extremely excited to be returning to Pasadena Playhouse. Credits include Inherit the Wind (Pasadena Playhouse); world premiere of Alma, Tambo & Bones (Center Theatre Group – Kirk Douglas Theatre); 2:22 A Ghost Story; The Secret Garden (Center Theatre Group – Ahmanson Theatre); world premiere of A Transparent Musical (Center Theatre Group –Mark Taper Forum); The Half Life of Marie Curie (Theatre SilCo). An El Paso, Texas native, Miriam teaches and works around the Los Angeles area. She has been a company member of New Swan Shakespeare Festival and has worked for the Walt Disney Company’s Imagination Campus (formerly known as Disney Performing Arts). MFA in Stage Management from the University of California, Irvine.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Chair

Erin Baker

Vice Chair

Julie A. Gutierrez

Treasurer

Bonnie Wongtrakool

Secretary

Leigh T. Olivar

TRUSTEES

Erin Baker

Sheri Ball

MaryLou Boone

Dennis Cornell

Brandon Dickerson

Peggy Ebright

Danny Feldman

Beth Fernandez

Julie A. Gutierrez

Cristina Hernandez

Melanie Holden

Y-Vonne Hutchinson

Jane Kaczmarek

Brad King

Harmon Kong

Brandon Levin

Jim McCarthy

Ken McCormick

Alfred Molina

Leigh T. Olivar

Bingo Roncelli

Jeff Smith

Ann Sunshine

Patricia Barajas Tavera

Bernhard von Thaden

Bonnie Wongtrakool

CHAIR EMERITI

David M. Davis

David DiCristofaro

Michele Dedeaux Engemann

Sheila Grether-Marion

Kerry McCluggage

BOARD MEMBERS EMERITI

Valerie Amidon

Carol Burnett

Linda Griffey

Ralph Hirschmann

Frank Kleemann

Dennis Lowe

Tad Lowrey

Rao Makineni

Abel Ramirez

Kathy Arntzen Roat

Anne Rothenberg

Lyn Spector

Elliot Stahler

Corky Hale Stoller

Mike Stoller

Greg Stone

Leslie Tolan

Martha Williamson

IN MEMORIAM

David Angell

Theodore Fitch Behr

Betty Ann Koen Brooks

Albert Lowe

Margaret Sedenquist

Lilah Stangeland

Roger Stangeland

James Watterson

Bill Galloway

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

MEMBERS

Donations reflect gifts given between November 21, 2023 and February 2, 2024. Contributions received after February 2, 2024 will be acknowledged in the next program.

$100,000+

Anonymous

Apriem Advisors

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$500 - $999

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San Marino Rotary Charities

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Betty & John Seinfeld

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Rachyl Spacca

Nadya Starr

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Hamed Tavajohi

Laney Techentin

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Andrew J. Tiedge

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Martha Tolles

Laura Treister

Anita Tsuji

Robin Underwood & Rebecca Rieck

Timothy Vient

Margaret Villarreal

Audrey & George D. Voigt

Stephen & Nova Wheeler

Ty Williams

Joseph and Alison Winter

Roxanne Wong

Laura Zucker

Want to add your name to the list? Scan the QR code to donate today or visit pasadenaplayhouse.org to learn more.

PARTNERS

INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS

Ahmanson Foundation

Bar Chelou

The David Lee Foundation

Dwight Stuart Youth Fund

The Fitzberg Foundation

Friends of the Pasadena Playhouse

The Helen & Will Webster Foundation

Jess & Palma Morgan Foundation

Jolie-Pitt Foundation

Michael J. Connell Foundation

Milo W. Bekins Foundation

National Endowment for the Arts

Perenchio Foundation

The Rose Hills Foundation

Sacred River Wines

San Marino Rotary Club

Shekels Charitable Foundation

CORPORATE SPONSORS

Hudson Pacific Properties

J.P. Morgan Private Bank

Contributions received after February 2, 2024 will be acknowledged in the next program.

GILMOR BROWN SOCIETY

The Gilmor Brown Society recognizes legacy givers who have honored the Playhouse by including the theater in their own will or trust. We are grateful for the legacy of the following individuals whose generosity allows this organization to continue serving our community.

Anonymous

Lenore Almanzar

Ellen Bailey*

In Memory of Judie Bartell

Caroll

Carol M. & Barrett P. Bingaman

Estate of Evelyn Bray

Darrell Brooke

Marjorie Cates

Ross Clark

Gary Dahle & Derek Whitefield

Estate of Agnes Duncan

Peggy Ebright

Estate of Harriet L. Freeman

Estate of Ada Gory

Linda & Jay Griffey

Virginia Hawkins

Sue Haynie-Horn & John Horn*

Sheila Grether-Marion & Mark Marion

Doug Jones & John Sanger*

Annelies Kischkel

Estate of Pauline Ledeen*

The Joanie Marx Trust

Adele Morse

William & Adele Nevins

Shirli Nielson*

Estate of Charles Pierce

Shirley Reed Trust*

Frederick Ricci*

Estate of Constance Ropolo

A. Jerald Saldana

Estate of Margaret H. Sedenquist*

Sandra Shaw*

Lyn Spector

Lilah & Roger Stangeland*

Estate of Bill Watters

Jim Watterson

Barbara Jean Wolpert

*Gift Realized

LEADERSHIP

Danny Feldman

Producing Artistic Director

Jenny Slattery

Associate Producer

Rachyl Spacca

Interim Chief Marketing & Communications Officer

Alex Wang

Chief of Staff

Thomas Yamamoto

Chief Financial & Administrative Officer

ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE

Kristen Hammack-Eaton

Executive Assistant & Board Liaison

Vanessa Mejia

Business Manager

Scott Savoie

Accounting Manager

DEVELOPMENT

Zindzi Hammond-Hanson

Events Assistant

Rachel Malkenhorst

Director of Individual Giving

Sam Palmer

Director of Events

Rachel Park

Director of Institutional Giving

Matt Tornero

Development Associate

EDUCATION

David Kahawaii IV

Line Producer, Youth, Family & Outreach

Arie Levine

Education Manager

Simon Martin

Education Production Assistant

Sarah Mass

Education Programs Coordinator

FACILITIES

Bryan Flores

Maintenance Technician

Maria Lupe Flores

Custodian

Michael Rodriguez

Facilities Manager

Rosa Salcedo

Lead Custodian

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Omar Avedanke

Director, Creative & Content

Spencer Berry

Graphic Designer

Davidson & Choy Publicity Press Representative

Matt Iannantuoni

Marketing and Communications

Operations Coordinator

Brandon Karrer

Communications Manager, Content & Media Relations

Brianna Kinsman

Digital Marketing Coordinator

Nelly Mueller

Director, Advertising & Audience Development

Nathaniel Peterson

Video Production Specialist

PATRON SERVICES

Shelby Amses

Patron Services Supervisor

Sam Ciavarella

House Manager

Rafael Goldstein

Patron Services Associate

Noah Grater

Patron Services Associate

Amanda Kochey

Assistant House Manager

Jeremy Kucharek

Assistant House Manager

Kevin Lauver

Associate Director of Patron Services

Emily Minnotte

House Manager

Carol Osborn

Audience Engagement

Gaby Ostrove

Patron Services Associate

Tammi Steren

House Manager

Jocelyn Wadland

Patron Services Associate

PRODUCTION/ARTISTIC

Brad Enlow

Technical Director / Production Supervisor

Bonnie McHeffey

Company Manager

Amanda Tralle

Producing Assistant

STAFF

ONE OF THE GOOD ONES PRODUCTION STAFF

Stage Manager

David S. Franklin

Assistant Stage Manager

Miriam E. Mendoza

Assistant Director

Lauren Johansen

Assistant Lighting Design

Kassia Curl

Assistant Costume Design

Mayte Martinez

Production Assistant

Linda Ureña

Casting Assistant

Dana Gaier

Deck Chief

Matt Petosa

Head Electrician

Vsev Krawczeniuk

Assistant Head Electrician

Fiona Jessup

Lead Audio

Corey Charness

A2

Marcos Friedman

LX Programmer

Keannak Parvaz

Wardrobe Supervisor

Liz Rose

Props Head

Douglas Puskas

Lead Scenic Painter

Johnny LeBlanc

Head Carpenter

Anthony Arevalo Carpenters

Kenny Arrincon, Nicolas Chamberlin, Alexis Garduno

Jacob Nava, Dwight Ortiz, John Povilaitis Electricians

Keanu Ross-Cabrera, Victor Bustos, Evan Drane, Steven Garcia, Amahl Chekh

Khalil, Matt Petosa, Frankie Paglianti, Adriana De La Parra, John Povilaitis For

FRIENDS OF THE PASADENA PLAYHOUSE

Board of Directors

President

Beth Fernandez

1st Vice President

Barbara Cruse

2nd Vice President

Nancy Ashcraft

Treasurer

Lawrence Yu

Secretary

Sharon Zaslaw

Directors

Doris Arima, Raquel

Burgess, Maggie

Chatman, Ross Clark, Karie Henley, Barbara Jacoby,

Lillias Krezel, Patti La Marr, Florence Lang, Beverly Meissner, Shirley Miller, Emily Minnotte, Patrick Oliva, Sean O'Shea, Betty Parnell, Natalya Pashkova, Sienna Salce, Tammi Steren, Farryl Weitzman Advisory

Lenore Bond Almanzar, Nancy Ashcraft, Carolyn Di Pane (Chair)

IN THE THEATER

FOR EVERYONE’S ENJOYMENT

As a courtesy to the artists and patrons, we ask you to please turn off cell phones, all electronic devices and anything that may light up the area around you prior to the performance. Please refrain from talking and any disruptive noise-making during the performance. Neither photography nor the use of electronic recording devices is allowed during performances.

LATE ARRIVALS

In consideration of our artists and patrons, late seating will take place during the first appropriate break in the performance at the discretion of Management. House Management may need to direct late arrivals to alternate seats. For the convenience of latecomers, the performance in progress may be viewed and heard on the monitors in the lobby.

RESTROOMS

Restrooms, including accessible facilities, are available in the lobby 45 minutes before each performance. We invite you to use whichever restroom you are comfortable using. We offer allgender restrooms upstairs in the Carrie Hamilton lobby. Please see House Management if you would like to be directed to these restrooms at any time during your visit.

CONTACT PATRON SERVICES

Email

boxoffice@pasadenaplayhouse.org

Phone

626-356-7529

PHONE HOURS

Tuesday - Saturday 12 PM - 6 PM

Sunday 12 PM - 4 PM

union.

This theater operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

The technical employees of the Pasadena Playhouse are represented by the INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF THEATRICAL STAGE EMPLOYEES, MOVING PICTURE TECHNICIANS, ARTISTS AND ALLIED CRAFTS, OF THE UNITED STATES, ITS TERRITORIES AND CANADA, AFL-CIO,CLC: Local 33 Stagehands, Local 706 Make-up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Local 768 Theatrical Wardrobe Local 800 Art Director’s Guild. The scenic, costume, lighting, and sound designers in LORT Theatres are represented by United Scenic Artists, Local USA-829 of the IATSE.

Scenic materials provided by A&G Lumber and Industrial Metal Supply. Lighting Rentals furnished by Kinetic Lighting. Sound Rentals furnished by DNB Sound.

Special thanks to Mark Holden with The Invisible Studios.

AGE RESTRICTIONS

Children under age 6 will not be admitted into the theater. We ask that everyone in your party, regardless of age, be able to sit quietly through a performance without disrupting other patrons or the artists. Patrons of all ages must have a ticket to enter the theater and must sit in the seat indicated on the ticket.

ACCESSIBILITY

We are committed to making theater accessible to all patrons. Assisted-listening devices can be checked out in the lobby before the performance using a photo ID. The third Sunday matinee performance for every Mainstage production offers Open Captioning with Audio Description. For more information regarding accommodations and services, please contact Patron Services or ask the House Manager.

PRODUCTION ADVISORY

We do not offer advisories about the subject matter for each production, as sensitivities vary from patron to patron. If you have any inquiries regarding the content, age-appropriateness or stage effects (such as strobe lights or theatrical fog) that may affect patron comfort, please contact Patron Services or a House Manager before the performance begins.

BOX OFFICE HOURS

Tuesday - Saturday 12 PM - 6 PM

Sunday 12 PM - 4 PM

On performance days, the Box Office windows will remain open 15 minutes after the show begins. Please note hours are subject to change due to observed holidays. @pasadenaplayhouse

The Director is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national theatrical labor

Next Steps

March 2024

Belles-Lettres

Justin Peck/César Franck

Frank Bridge Variations

Hans van Manen/Benjamin Britten U.S. PREMIERE

NEW WORK

Melissa Barak/Kris Bowers WORLD PREMIERE

At The Broad Stage

Mar 22 7:30 pm

Mar 23 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm

Mar 24 2:00 pm

LEGACY DEBUSSY + HAMELIN

MAR 2 | THE WALLIS

MAR 3 | ZIPPER HALL

EXPLORE LACO’S 2023/24 SEASON

Margaret Batjer DIRECTOR OF CHAMBER MUSIC

Marc-André Hamelin PIANO

LEGACY: DEBUSSY + HAMELIN is made possible, in part, with the generous support from Anne-Marie + Alex Spataru.

TRADITIONS PERGOLESI’S STABAT MATER

MAR 30 | ALEX THEATRE

MAR 31 | ROYCE HALL

Jaime Martín CONDUCTOR

Amanda Forsythe SOPRANO

John Holiday COUNTERTENOR

PERGOLESI’S STABAT MATER is made possible, in part, with the generous support from Cheryl K. Petersen + Roger H. Lustberg.

HORIZONS BEETHOVEN + SKYE

APR 20 | ALEX THEATRE

APR 21 | ROYCE HALL

Jaime Martín CONDUCTOR

Tereza Stanislav VIOLIN

Yura Lee VIOLA

The featured performance of Tereza Stanislav is made possible, in part, with the generous support from Terri + Jerry Kohl and Ruth Eliel + Bill Cooney. Additional support for BEETHOVEN + SKYE provided by Carol Eliel + Tom Muller.

ORCHESTRAL

ORCHESTRAL

CHAMBER

JIJI + VIVALDI

MAY 4 | THE WALLIS

MAY 5 | THE HUNTINGTON

Margaret Batjer LEADER

JIJI GUITAR

Andrew Shulman CELLO

JIJI + VIVALDI is made possible, in part, with the generous support from June + Simon Li.

DEPARTURES

MONTERO+MOZART

MAY 24

PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY OF ORANGE COUNTY

MAY 25 | ALEX THEATRE

Jaime Martín CONDUCTOR

Gabriela Montero PIANO

CHAPLIN +THE IMMIGRANT

MAY 26 | LINWOOD DUNN THEATER

Gabriela Montero PIANO

Dive deep into masterpieces by Stravinsky, Shostakovich, and Rachmanino featuring LACO musicians and Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Montero. Then take a cinematic journey with a special, live, improvised performance by Montero to Charlie Chaplin’s timeless 1917 classic The Immigrant.

BAROQUE

ORCHESTRAL

HOLLYWOOD MID-CENTURY

MANY OF THE FINEST VINTAGE FURNISHINGS deployed by prominent Los Angeles interior designers are obtained from acclaimed interior designer and mid-century modernism authority Patrick Dragonette. Dragonette’s interiors reflect the rich residential design traditions of the city, and admirers of this iconic Southern California genre make pilgrimages to his showroom.

After a nearly a quarter of a century in West Hollywood, Dragonette moved the showroom to Palm Desert—where it was buzzing during the most recent Modernism Week. But it’s a year-round resource for designers, homeowners and collectors, as is the website dragonetteltd.com, which offers 300 pieces of furniture, paintings, jewelry, and objets d’art.

Elegant, theatrical dining room by Dragonette in Trousdale Estates.

DESIGNER PATRICK DRAGONETTE RE-ENERGIZES INTERIORS WITH PIECES FROM DECADES PAST. / BY ROGER GRODY /

SHINING A LIGHT ON THE PERFORMING ARTS

CAP UCLA continues to welcome a bevy of today’s most searching, innovative and compelling artists throughout 2024.

VISIT

The brand new UCLA Nimoy Theater, Royce Hall and The Theatre at Ace Hotel.

EXPLORE

A genre-defying lineup of music, dance, theater and literary arts.

by Jeff Busby

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

> Urban Bush Women > Martha Redbone > Samora Pinderhughes

> Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana > UnCabaret > Magos Herrera > Meshell Ndegeocello

> Third Coast Percussion > Maya Beiser > LADAMA > John Cameron Mitchell

> Luciana Souza > Eighth Blackbird > Meow Meow > Alfredo Rodriguez

AND MANY MORE! TICKETS

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Urban Bush Women by Ian Douglas

Meow Meow

Mid-century modern furniture comprises more than 80 percent of his merchandise. “I appreciate the simple geometry of these pieces,” says Dragonette, “but their designers also created an extensive vocabulary of finishes, including paints that present unique textures, not just color.”

Originally a student of theater arts, Dragonette, is the nation’s leading authority on the work of Hollywood star turned interior designer William (“Billy”) Haines. In addition to Haines’ portfolio of original mid-century furniture, his client list for interior design commissions included the

Bloomingdales, Reagans and Warners.

Recounting his discovery of Haines’ signature Brentwood chair, Dragonette recalls, “It was the sexiest chair I ever saw and I’ve been obsessed with his work ever since.” A tireless advocate, Dragonette bemoans that Haines’ work long sold at a steep discount to that of his French contemporaries.

“I’ve championed Haines' work for 25 years and am pleased to see he’s now receiving the attention he deserves,” he says. “Every Hainesdesigned chair or sofa is as comfortable as it is beautiful.”

Offered at $26,000 is a rare pair of ledge-back Seniah chairs by Billy Haines from the 1960s, re-upholstered in a leafy fabric favored by Haines.

Dragonette’s expertise dips further into the 20th century. He carries an Art Deco burlwood desk ($4,200) from the 1920s, acquired from the private collection of the late Norman Lear.

The designer’s own line, Dragonette Private Label, features bespoke items inspired by midcentury modern design and often incorporating a sense of whimsy.

In a pair of his Pedra table lamps, backlit disks of agate are inlaid into polished nickel bases and finished with black silk shades. The back of his Almont armchair is distinguished by a triangular cutout, reflecting Dragonette’s penchant for creating intrigue through voided spaces.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: DAN ARNOLD, ROGER ROBLES (2). OPPOSITE: ERIK NELDNER

Channeling Haines, he says, “My approach is to seek simplicity of shape and design, matched by genuine comfort.”

That approach applies to his interior design commissions as well.

In a luxury estate in Encino, Dragonette cre-

Room filled with mid-century treasures in Trousdale Estates. Opposite, clockwise from left: extravagant dressing room in Encino; Asian-inspired lamp and a pair of chairs by Billy Haines.

ated a theatrically elegant dining room featuring a set of his custom-embroidered Almont Chairs, hand-painted Rousseau-

inspired walls by artist Maria Trimble, and an antique Venetian mirror and chandelier.

Dragonette filled a sleek Trousdale Estates residence with richly textured finishes and a collection of mid-century treasures.

The living room showcases the versatility of Haines. A Baccarat chandelier illuminates the dining room, which presents pieces by Billy Haines, Edith Norton, Tommi Parzinger and Picasso.

Dragonette, Ltd.

73710 El Paseo, Palm Desert, 760.283.0404, dragonetteltd.com

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Pasta ’dena

Uovo opens in Pasadena at the Commons. / by

BENJAMIN EPSTEIN

/ Uovo is the only restaurant in the United States that handmakes its own fresh pasta in Italy, then overnights it. It does so almost daily— using traditional sheeting and cutting methods, as opposed to modern extrusion—in its kitchen in Bologna. The temperature-controlled international flight is part of the pasta’s requisite rest time; by the time it reaches the new location at the Commons in Pasadena, it’s ideal.

Uovo also uses Italian eggs—uovo is Italian for eggs—that are unavailable here and that result in a deep-

yellow noodle. Tomatoes are from Italy’s Basilicata region. Many recipes are inspired by or come directly from renowned Italian restaurants.

Uovo is bustling and date-night perfect, lit mostly by candles on the tables and twinkle lights. The best seating may be at the 18-seat oaktopped pasta bar, where you can watch dishes being prepared.

Those dishes incude four pastas each from Bologna and Rome and half a dozen other classics.

From Bologna comes a beef-andpork ragú using the 1950s recipe

from the city’s renowned Antica Trattoria della Gigina. It’s dairyfree—no cheese, milk or cream.

Pastas di Roma feature a cacio e pepe using tonnarelli pasta, guanciale, Pecorino Romano DOP and 24-month-aged ParmigianoReggiano cheeses, and a blackpepper blend that’s also imported.

Among lighter classics are a tonnarelli with white-wine clam sauce and a refined ravioli di ricotta.

Tasting menus—the Classic, the meat-forward Regional, and richer Cheese & Truffle—each serve two,

Vongole: tonnarelli in white-wine clam sauce

WEST

COAST PREMIERE MAR 27–APR 28

WRITTEN BY JAMES IJAMES

ORIGINAL DIRECTION BY SAHEEM ALI DIRECTED BY SIDEEQ HEARD

PRODUCED IN ASSOCIATION WITH NO GUARANTEES, PUBLIC THEATER PRODUCTIONS & RASHAD V. CHAMBERS

FEATURING

PRODUCTION SPONSOR

NIKKI CRAWFORD

CHRIS HERBIE HOLLAND

BILLY EUGENE JONES

ADRIANNA MITCHELL

MARCEL SPEARS

BENJA KAY THOMAS MATTHEW ELIJAH WEBB

$34-$37 per person. They present three pastas plus an appetizer and dessert, both shared.

The Cheese & Truffle menu memorably brings both the tagliatelle in truffle sauce and the afore mentioned cacio e pepe, developed with Danilo of Rome’s Trattorio de Danilo, well known for the dish.

The pasta bar and patio beyond

Not from Italy: First Light Farms' grass-fed New Zealand wagyu beef in the battuta di carne, a tartare that's often the ideal pasta prelude.

value, are Uovo’s calling cards. A hit parade of pastas make it a taste and texture party begging repeat visits.

Nota bene:

• Pastas use beef, pork or clams, no poultry.

• The tiramisu al cucchiaio on the tasting menus arrives in a single cup, potentially awkward if you’re not close with your companion.

• Like sibling Sugarfish nearby, Uovo is a non-tipping establishment; 16% is automatically added.

• There are no reservations. Arrive pre-peak hours to avoid waits—also ideal for pre-theater dining for performances at Pasadena Playhouse or by the Pasadena Symphony.

MARGARET

ZANAIDA

/CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

Roberts, because it was such a crazy development. I was thinking about the Zoom and recording these songs and wondering, ‘How are we going to do this?’ ”

97%

As the show became a reality, its premiere was set for late 2021 in Maine. “My first dive into understanding what shoes I was stepping into was really when we got to Ogunquit Playhouse, when I was embodying her in person for the first time,” Alabado says.

“As an actor, you’re always asked to be yourself, but then you are doing these iconic roles that were already established by true superstars of the world, Julia Roberts being one of them. I’ve been a huge Julia Roberts fan my whole life. What I can do is be inspired by her performance.”

Krystyna Alabado as Dot in Sunday in the Park with George

She’s found that playing Julia Roberts play Daisy, in a sense, has changed her as an actress.

“Watching her in that movie fills me with the desire to be more confident and powerful. It’s all these beautiful things that I watch and bring into myself.”

Still, in the end, she says, “I really just find my own version of Daisy.”

Alabado can find inspiration from Roberts at every performance— onstage. Anyone looking closely at the pizza shop set will see a small photo on the wall of the trio of actresses from the movie.

“It’s nice to see her and to be reminded where this character came from.”

It’s not the first time Alabado has stepped into a role made famous by another actor.

She was a replacement on Broadway for the character of Gretchen Wieners in Mean Girls, originated in the movie by Lacey Chabert and on stage by Ashley Parks.

More recently, Alabado starred as Dot in the lauded revival of Sunday in the Park with George at Pasadena Playhouse, a signature role of another singular actress, Bernadette Peters.

As a young girl with Broadway dreams, Alabado would imagine herself in more pop-ish roles (think Rent) than

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as a Peters type in a Sondheim show. In fact, she’d never seen the musical until she was cast in the Pasadena revival; she then watched a video of the original with Peters and Mandy Patinkin.

“I wept through the whole thing,” she recalls. “This is the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. So, I take her and everything she did, and I put it in my heart and my body and soul, so that I feel like she’s with me somewhere in my creation of my own version of Dot.”

Though Alabado has her sights on creating original roles—she’s working with John Leguizamo on his musical Kiss My Aztec, which he’s developing for Broadway—she clearly relishes the opportunity to take on a renowned performer such as Roberts or Peters.

“I remember how powerful and fiery and confident Julia Roberts was in the movie,” she says. “It’s almost like taking the power that she has and trying to get a little bit of that into me. I felt similarly when I did Sunday in the Park and filling a role that iconically was done by Bernadette Peters.

“Just remembering these powerhouse women that I truly grew up with— I want to be like them.”

Gregory

July

August

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 . . . Of all the innovations to have come out of the pandemic, the new Performances program platform, accessed on any digital device, may be least likely to disappear in the foreseeable future. Not only had its time come—it had been long overdue.

Performances provides the programs for 20 SoCal performingarts organizations, from the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Ahmanson to San Diego Opera, where the app made its debut.

The touchless platform provides cast and player bios, donor and season updates and arts-centric features. Audiences receive a link and code word that instantly activate the app; QR codes are posted, too.

Screens go dark when curtains rise and return with the house lights. Updates—repertory changes, understudy substitutions, significant donations—can be made right up to showtime, no inserts necessary.

Other features include video and audio streams, translations and expanded biographies.

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Find whatever it is you want to know—easily.

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Link to your performing-arts companies and venues.

THE PLAYERS

Bios and background for cast, crew and creators.

WHAT’S ON

What’s coming at a glance and ticket information.

For those who consider printed programs 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.

Theaters and concert halls reopened after a long intermission. Stages are live, the excitement is back. Activate your link and enjoy the shows. —CALEB WACHS