Sorted by date Results 1106 - 1130 of 1157
I recently attended a DouglasPlus workshop for “Next Stop Amazingland” at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. Because this production was being presented by the same creators of the critically acclaimed dreamscape vaudeville “All Wear Bowlers” (2005), I was interested to see it. Trey Lyford and Geoff Sobelle teamed up with world-class magician Steven Cuiffo to form this mix of half-theatre, half-magic show. The idea was to combine the magic with glitz, humor, and bizarre, off-the-wall characters. Overall,...
The performance by the Get-Lit Players, teen poets, is another unique and stellar offering from The Actors” Gang and co-sponsored by LA Weekly in the WTF?! Series. The troupe studies and recites classic poems and then writes responses, which are showcased in explosive, live shows. It is a writing program for at-risk teens from 13 to 19 years-old in Los Angeles with 75% of these teens being Title 1, who face school dropout rates of up to 70%. In 2008 in Washington, D. C. they scored in the Top T...
Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music stands almost alone in the grand sweep of his works for musical theatre – though set in the perpetual twilight of a Scandinavian summer night, A Little Night Music is perhaps his lightest show. Far better known for his work roaming in the shadows, Sondheim here takes a less tragic view of love and its foibles. Although, Night Music starts with pairs of lovers – some mismatched, some not remembering why they matched in the first place – the romantic, waltz-...
In light of the recent incident at Ft. Hood and given that I sit and write my feature reviews this week on Veterans' Day, it is impossible for me not to showcase one of the most powerful and moving films of our time - Oren Moverman's THE MESSENGER. Casualty Notification Officer. The very phrase brings dread to anyone in or anyone with a family member in the military for it is the CNO that is charged with the duty of personally notifying you that a loved one has been lost in the line of battle....
The Culver City High School Academy of Visual and Performing Arts (AVPA) Theatre Department presents their first production of the season production calendar: Nicholas Nickleby, based on the novel by Charles Dickens and directed by Sheila Silver, AVPA’s new Creative Director of Theatre. The show opened to a full house on Thursday, November 12, and continues through November 22 with 7 p.m. performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 1:00 p.m. matinee on Sunday at the Sony Pictures Theatre (The Blackbox), behind the Robert Frost Auditorium,...
Students from Culver City High School 's Academy of Visual and Performing Arts (AVPA) Film Department, along with their parents, are sponsoring a Giant Garage Sale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, November 21, at the corner of Garfield and Elenda, across the street from Culver City High School . For information about how to donate items to the Garage Sale or to make a monetary contribution to the AVPA Film Program, contact AVPA Foundation Film Rep Jean Ballantine at 310-398-4200 or [email protected]@ca.rr.com, or the Film...
Originally published in 1843, Charles Dickens’ “ A Christmas Carol” is believed to be one of the greatest Christmas stories ever told. And I have to agree. Next to “Oliver Twist”, “A Christmas Carol” is my favorite Charles Dickens novel. I still remember on reading it back in my elementary school days, how I was drawn to the darkness and grit of story and the characters, and how from the darkness sprang a beautiful hopeful light and joy. And it seems that I am not the only one touched by the tal...
A troop of young actors from Culver City High School's Academy of Visual and Performing Arts (AVPA) attended the DTASC Fall Theatre Festival (Drama Teachers Association of Southern California) on Saturday, October 24 at Carson High School. Actors Jesse Pilchin, Conor Murphy and Kevin Mitchell, directed by Louie Chavez, won a first place trophy for their performance in a scene from The Lonesome West by Irish playwright Martin McDonagh. All first place winners will perform at "Salute to the Winners" on Sunday, November 15 at the Barnsdall...
The Actors' Gang WTF?! Festival continues with sScheduled events including Documentary Tuesdays, Film Wednesdays, Theater Thursdays, Fun Fridays, and Music Saturdays. All proceeds benefit The Actors' Gang's community outreach programs. Visit the website at www.wtffestival.comfor the most up-to-date schedule and line-up. This week: Thursday, November 5 at 8 pm (Bar opens at 7 pm) - Dance troupe, MENTAL HEAD CIRCUS and HOOPDAWGZ, create an intoxicating vaudeville circus that pulses with dance, humor, hula hoops and bawdy allure. - $15 Friday,...
The Culver City High School Academy of Visual and Performing Arts (AVPA) Theatre Department presents their first production of the season production calendar: Nicholas Nickleby, based on the novel by Charles Dickens and directed by AVPA’s new Creative Director of theatre, Sheila Silver. The show runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, November 12 to November 21 at 7 p.m. with 1 p.m. matinees Sundays, November 15 and 22 at the Sony Pictures Theatre (The Blackbox), behind the Robert Frost Auditorium, 4401 Elenda Street in Culver City. Tickets a...
Ten years ago a cult phenomena was borne from the fertile imagination of Troy Duffy. Essentially an ode to vigilante justice, a topic on which Duffy speaks quite passionately (as he does about filmmaking) harkening back to the Bible and certain circumstances which warrant “an eye for an eye”, the stories of Duffy and the Boondock Saints are themselves the things on which Hollywood legend is made. A bartender/barback, the magical light of Harvey Weinstein shone down from above, blessing Duf...
Kentwood Announces Auditions for “SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION” Kentwood Players announces auditions for "Six Degrees of Separation" by John Guare on Saturday, November 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m, and Sunday, November 8 from 7 p.m. to 10 at the Westchester Playhouse located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester. The production is directed by Don Schlossman and produced by Jordan Bland and Meredith M. Sweeney. Performance dates are January 8 to February 13, 2010 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2. Six Degrees of Separation refers to...
Tim Robbins nonchalantly sauntered on stage at the Actor’s Gang Theatre last Saturday night and welcomed the packed house as if he were inviting them into his living room. The crowd loved it and responded as if they were dear friends at a guitar pull in Nashville. Tim started several songs over, laughing at his mistakes and endearing himself even more to the audience. He did three songs solo and then was joined by his son, Miles, his brother, guitarist David Robbins, accordion player Chris S...
In addition to my love and mesmerization with movies from small on, a key visual element in my youth was cartoons - and not just your standard Bugs, Tweety, Taz or Tom & Jerry. No I went full bore along with my brothers for the early Japanese anime complete with dubbed voices. Part and parcel of a 60's era Philadelphia tradition, Wee Willie’s Cartoon Corners was the only place to get your afternoon fix of futuristic adventure complete with Speed Racer and my fave, the 1960's black & white Osuma...
In this time where "change" is the word of the year, artist Elana Mann and 30 art students from the Culver City High School Academy of Visual and Performing Arts (AVPA) program will be throwing "Retirement Bash," an interactive performance event, in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA). AVPA art students will present, "Retirement Bash," on Saturday from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 at The Culver City Senior Center located at 4095 Overland Avenue in Culver City. The event is free and open to the public. During a ten-week...
The Actors' Gang WTF?! Festival is in its second week of a two-month special time. Known for plays, the Actor’s Gang is presenting music, film, dance, poetry and more to raise funds. Scheduled events include Documentary Tuesdays, Film Wednesdays, Theater Thursdays, Fun Fridays, and Music Saturdays. All proceeds benefit The Actors' Gang's community outreach programs. Visit the website at www.wtffestival.comfor the most up-to-date schedule and line-up. Upcoming events: Saturday, October 24 at 8:30 pm (Bar opens at 7 pm) - 89.9 KCRW Presents JACKS...
In the United States funding for the arts has always been one of the first things to go in tough economic times as evidenced by the decline of the Harlem Renaissance. Now all artistic venues are having financial difficulties. Actor’s Gang founder Tim Robbins was told that the theatre would have to be dark until January due to lack of funding, and two writing programs, one for students and another to combat recidivism in prisons, would have to go. His reply, “WTF?!” became the title of the new se...
I have often reminded you that some of the best films come from the theatre. And although it’s been awhile since our last stage to screen incarnations, the drought is now over with the delightful, introspective and even voyeuristic character study, PETER AND VANDY. Written and directed by playwright Jay DiPietro, who makes his film directorial debut here, PETER AND VANDY is an adaptation of DiPietro’s 2002 smash hit of the same name. Critically and publicly acclaimed, including a Drama Desk nom...
As the school bell rings the start of another day, let me say this - AN EDUCATION is some kind of education! Jenny is your average 16 year old schoolgirl. Attending a private school in the London suburb of Twickenham, her father pushes her to be the best, get those straight “A’s”, study, study, study, earn that scholarship to Oxford. And after all, you need to go to college to find a husband. (I know, I know. What do you expect in 1961?) Between classes all day and cello practice every after...
Need to know is the phrase used by the government to describe the restriction of data that is considered sensitive. Even if one has the necessary clearance, such information would be given only as one has a ”need to know.” Winner of the Culver City Artist Award in 2008 and current Culver City resident April Fitzsimmons takes the audience at the Actor’s Gang on an untypical American journey in her one-woman show with that title. Her performance begins with her upbringing in a large, Irish Catho...
The Actors’ Gang will branch out from plays to a variey of entertainment in the next three months known as The WTF?! Festival. "The name of this festival came to me after a recent board meeting where I was told that due to the economic downswing and recent reduction in donations that we can no longer afford to produce theater," explains Actors' Gang Artistic Director, Academy Award-winning actor Tim Robbins. "I was told it would be less expensive to do nothing." The WTF?! Festival was Robbins answer to the board. "We're not very good at d...
Want to double your fun? Easy, with TWO iconic Tito's determined to provide a Taco Tuesday that is truly olé-worthy. It's that serendipitous time again, Oct. 4, not only National Taco Day AND National Vodka Day -- and during National Hispanic Heritage Month, no less. This fifth annual Tito's Fiesta Mexicana is a wonderful fundraiser that benefits the Culver City Arts Foundation (https://culverarts.org/) and is put on by Tito's Tacos (https://www.titostacos.com/) and Tito's Handmade Vodka...
Santa Monica College presents the SMC Jazz Ensemble - with renowned percussionist and bandleader Christian Moraga as special guest artist - in a concert on Monday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. in the Music Hall at the SMC Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th Street (at Santa Monica Boulevard), Santa Monica. Led by conductor Frederick Keith Fiddmont, the accomplished musical group will explore "Swing to Sabor," a program featuring music from Quincy Jones, Benny Golson, Paul Lopez, and Michael Mossman....
How many of you out there remember the Golden Ages of roller derby in the 50's, the 70's or even during the depression in the 30's. For me, coming from Philly, roller derby in the 70's was a staple of entertainment - particularly for viewing on UHF television. And while roller derby and the Philadelphia Warriors were banking those turns and jamming their way into the hearts of the crowd, my dad was reminding me of derby back in the 50's. But roller derby wasn't just in Philly. It was reigning...
A very recognizable face to those in the theater community, Michael Stuhlbarg is now making his mark on film with his first leading feature film role for none other than the Coen Brothers. Already a Tony nominee for his performance in “The Pillowman”, followed by a multiple award winning turn in David Mamet’s adaptation of “The Voysey Inheritance”, Stuhlbarg is no stranger to the concept of embodiment of a character. And with Stuhlbarg, each interpretation is more dazzling than the last. Now, as...
