Special MuMo Offer for Follies at the Ahmanson

http://www.centertheatregroup.org/follies

“…White-Hot…Vibrant and Moving!” – Ben Brantley, The New York Times

When former members of the “Weismann Follies” reunite on the eve of their theatre's demolition, two couples remember their past and face the harsher realities of the present. Reminiscing about their younger selves and the years gone by, the crumbling theatre brings back memories for both couples of good times and bad.

A LIMITED TIME OFFER – Experience Follies for just $49! 

Visit www.CenterTheatreGroup.org/BUDDY or call 213-972.4400 and mention code BUDDY.

With an extraordinary 28-piece orchestra, Follies features one of the largest casts ever to appear on the Ahmanson stage:  starring four-time Tony Award nominee Jan Maxwell as Phyllis Rogers Stone, Tony Award-winner Victoria Clark as Sally Durant Plummer, two-time Tony Award nominee Danny Burstein as Buddy Plummer, three-time Emmy Award nominee Ron Raines as Benjamin Stone and Olivier Award winner Elaine Paige as Carlotta Campion.

Containing such well-known songs as “Broadway Baby,” “I’m Still Here,” “Too Many Mornings,” “Could I Leave You?” and “Losing My Mind, don’t miss the Kennedy Center’s critically acclaimed Broadway production of James Goldman and Stephen Sondheim’s Tony Award®-winning musical Follies at the Ahmanson Theatre for six weeks only, May 3 through June 9, 2012.

Only in Los Angeles. Only at the Ahmanson.

Review for American Idiot at the Ahmanson Theater

Blazing in on a blast of energy and punk musical theater rage, American Idiot is making its well-anticipated Los Angeles premiere at the Ahmanson Theatre from now until April 22. American Idiot tells the story of three friends who long to escape their self-described hell of suburbia with decidedly disappointing results. One can’t even leave their town, one gets seduced into the military, and the other succumbs to the allure of drug addiction. But the story isn’t the focus of this show: with very little dialogue, American Idiot brings to life Green Day’s seminal album as well as other songs from their catalogue by doling out those songs to the three characters and the women around them.

The show is every bit as powerful as it was on Broadway, with a young cast that mixes Idiot veterans with newcomers. Van Hughes is excellent as Johnny, who anchors the show with his voice and his guitar playing. Scott J. Campbell is a wonderful gentle giant as Tunny the enlistee. And Jake Epstein takes the very difficult role of Will, a guy who never leaves his couch, and makes him incredibly sympathetic. The Tony-winning industrial set is filled with scaffolding and TV monitors that comment on the action, and the Tony-winning lighting is particularly evocative. Every cast member is fiercely committed, and I’m a huge fan of Steven Hoggett’s choreography. If I had to pick a favorite moment, it would be Tunny’s dream in the military hospital, where he and The Extraordinary Girl (Nicci Claspell) literally take flight, and my favorite cast member would be Leslie McDonel as the pregnant girlfriend and the best dancer in the company.

American Idiot is a special, rewarding, even challenging show that was passed over for the Tony for Best Musical by the far more conventional (and, in my opinion, inferior) Memphis. Don’t miss it! - Andrew Blau

Green Day’s American Idiot

Ahmanson Theatre, downtown at the Music Center

March 13 – April 22

For tickets call 213.972.4400

or visit http://www.centertheatregroup.org/IDIOT

Performance Schedule:  Tue – Fri at 8, Sat 2 & 8, Sun 1 & 6:30

For groups of 15 or more, call 213.972.3000

The music of Green Day and the lyrics of lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong capture the spirit of a generation with its Grammy® Award-winning multi-platinum album. American Idiot puts those raw emotions front and center in a highly theatrical and thoroughly satisfying rock opera that burns up the stage.  The songs are bursting with emotion.  The story dares you to feel and celebrate and hope.

Monster hits like “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”, “21 Guns,” “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” “Holiday” and the title track soar like they were written for the stage under the direction of Tony Award® winner Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening), choreography by Olivier Award winner Steven Hoggett (Black Watch) and music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Pulitzer Prize winner Tom Kitt (Next to Normal).

WE CAN'T WAIT! SO CHECK OUT:

Special Ticket Offers for American Idiot!

GREENSEATS! Save 50% on Mezzanine seats!

Rear Mezzanine seats are just $42.50 (Tues-Fri; Reg. $85) or $50 (Sat-Sun; Reg. $100) for all performances through March 25 including the Gala Opening on Wednesday, March 14!    Call 213.972.4400 and mention code GREENSEATS or visit www.CenterTheatreGroup.org/GREENSEATS.

Feeling lucky? Come downtown and register for the daily lottery!

Get up close and personal!  Sit in the front row for only $30! If your name is selected, you can purchase up to 2 tickets in the FIRST 2 ROWS of the theatre for just $30 each*! Visit http://www.centertheatregroup.org/lottery for more details.

Like CTG on Facebook!

Text “LikeCTGLA” to 32665.

*To register for the lottery, visit the Ahmanson Theatre Box office to fill out form with your name, address, phone number and email address.  Registration begins at 12noon (Tuesday – Saturday) and at 11am (Sunday) and continues until the live drawing takes place 90 minutes prior to the performance.  On days with matinee and evening performances, you may register for both simultaneously, but you may only register once per performance.  You must be present when your name is drawn and present ID and proof of registration. Approximately 30 tickets are available per performance. Visit www.CenterTheatreGroup.org/Lottery for complete rules and additional details and a detailed performance schedule. Available on day of performance only.

Bring It On: The Musical at the Ahmanson

The Fans with Lin-Manuel Miranda

If you are looking for a fun, bright, and laugh filled night of theater, look no further than the new touring production of Bring It On: The Musical at the Ahmanson.  Amazing stunts and choreography will keep you cheering for more, while the story of friendship and learning that winning isn’t the most important goal resonates long after the roar of the crowd has faded.  The writers of some of Broadways most recent hits including co-composers Lin-Manuel Miranda, (In The Heights) Tom Kitt, (Next to Normal) and a libretto by Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q) with  co-lyricist Amanda Green (High Filelity), have joined forces to showcase the direction and Choreography of Andy Blankenbuehler (In The Heights).

The cast is filled with young-vibrant talent.  Taylor Louderman plays Campbell, the cheerleader whisked away from her home turf at Truman High School and forced to find her own way at Jackson, a High School that doesn’t even have a cheer squad.  Louderman is a force of nature, with a great voice, a winning personality, and does all of her own stunts.  

Other highlights include Adrienne Warren as Danielle, the queen bee at Jackson High and Ryann Redmond who, as Bridget, brings down the house with her turn as an outcast who needs a boost of confidence to become her own force of nature. 

Perhaps the brightest spotlight on the stage is held by Gregory Haney.  His portrayal of the transgendered La Cienega, makes him a true audience favorite.   He sings, dances (in heels) and knows his way around some top notch comedic timing.

The Fans with Kate Rockwell

A MuMo fan-favorite shout out to Kate Rockwell who recently performed a set at Musical Mondays.  Rockwell struts and sings with aplomb as Skylar, best described as a bitch in heels, but she’s also “a bitch with standards.”

Rounding out the cast, Neil Haskell, Jason Gotay, and Elle McLemore give strong supporting performances.

Three cheers to the entire cast who all help to make sure that the audience walks out of the theater smiling head to "toe-touch". ~ Bobby Beus

Bring It On: The musical continues performance through December 10^th

For more information visit: www.centertheatregroup.org/bringiton

And for discount tickets don’t forget to use our promo code: Game

Bring It On: The Musical at the Ahmanson Promo Code

Special Promo Code for 

The Fans Of MuMo!

Bring It On: The Musical

Ahmanson Theatre

October 30 – December 10

For tickets call 213.972.4400

or visit http://www.centertheatregroup.org/bringiton

Performance Schedule:  Tue – Fri at 8, Sat 2 & 8, Sun 1 & 6:30

For a sneak peek, click here

Want to bring a group to the theatre?  Call 213.972.7231

See Bring It On: The Musical for as low as $39!  

For performances October 30-November 10!*

Call 213.972.4400 and mention code GAME or purchase online at

www.centertheatregroup.org/GAME.

BRING IT ON:  THE MUSICAL, kicking off its national tour at the Ahmanson Theatre, is the explosive new musical comedy that raises the stakes on over-the-top high school rivalries. Set against the world of competitive cheerleading, this powerhouse new show hilariously proves that winning isn’t everything when it means losing something - or someone - you really care about.

Bring It On: The Musical has brought together some of the freshest and funniest creative minds on Broadway, including the creative talents behind Avenue Q, In The Heights, Next to Normal, High Fidelity and Wicked.

Don’t miss this musical comedy that combines an exciting new sound, gravity-defying choreography and stunts, and a thrilling story to create a total theatrical event worth cheering for.  Game on!

*Subject to availability.  May not be combined with other offers.  Does not apply to previously purchased tickets.  Valid for seats in the Orch., Mezz., Mid-Orch., & Orch. X – ZZ for perfs from Oct 30 – Nov 10. Special prices are $39 - $79 (Reg. $65 - $100.)

Maybe This Time… REPRISE opens Cabaret at the Freud Playhouse.

It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. It was a seedy nightclub called the Kit Kat Club in 1931 Berlin. Here the lives of two native English speakers, Sally Bowles (Lisa O’Hare) and Cliff Bradshaw (Jeff McLean) entwine. Here too they, along with their friends, experience love, joy, and a defeating sense of fatality. This is the world of Cabaret (Kander/Ebb) that REPRISE introduced to this first-time watcher.

As the show opens, Cliff meets Ernst Ludwig, played by the delightful Zach Bandler. Immediately charming and affable, Bandler’s portrayal of Ernst easily wins Cliff’s friendship and offers assistance with work, lodging and entertainment. The two (temporarily) part ways as Cliff goes to get settled in his new lodgings.

It is in this boardinghouse that we meet most of the rest of the cast: the proprietress, Fräulein Schneider (Mary Gordon Murray), and her boarders Herr Schultz (Robert Picardo) and Fräulein Kost (Katrina Lenk). Murray’s invigorating performance of “So What” thrilled the audience with her frank honesty. Fräulein Schneider and Herr Schulz's budding romance blooms during the show with shining performances from both Murray and Picardo. There was certainly nothing sub-par about this sub-plot.

Later at the Kit Kat Club, we finally met Sally Bowles. While Jeff McLean competently matched Lisa O’Hare vocally throughout the show (including “Perfectly Marvelous”), O’Hare easily steals the show. Her performance as carefree Sally was effortlessly effervescent and reminiscent of a young, unrestrained Julie Andrews. While some might be disappointed “Mein Herr” is not performed, the title number “Cabaret” was the single most emotionally powerful number in the show.

Ultimately, it proves to be the worst of times as Ernst Ludwig’s political alignments are revealed. Here, Bandler’s performance demonstrates all too well how easily bigotry can hide among our friends and neighbors as his character’s beliefs destroy many of the relationships that were built. While its opening night failed to take me as far into the dark grittiness of this reality as I was hoping (in part due to a disconnect between the audience and the Emcee-played by Bryce Ryness), the raw talent (and gorgeous costumes by Kate Bergh) was enough to make this an enjoyable experience for a first-time viewer. 

~Jason Rasmussen~

Book by Joe Masteroff

Based on the play by John Van Druten and stories by Christopher Isherwood

Music by John Kander   Lyrics by Fred Ebb

Directed and Choreographed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge

 Cabaret runs through September 25, 2011 at The Freud Playhouse Box Office:  310 285 2101

www.Reprise.org

Jersey Shoresical: A Frickin' Rock Opera at Bootleg Theater

The Cast of Jersey Shoresical

Every Wednesday night in July audiences will have the opportunity to witness a television parody like no other with Jersey Shoriscal: A Frinkin’ Rock Opera.  Directed by Drew Droege,  at the Bootleg Theater,  I will admit it, I am a  devout viewer of my guilty pleasure, MTV’s Jersey Shore, so to see it skewed as a rock opera almost made me as happy as when I watch the show. 

This was by far the most meticulously stitched web of comedy and mockery of TV parody that I have seen in quite a while. Daniel Franzese and Hanna Lopatin have taken the best and most ridiculous situations of “The Situation” and the rest of the Jersey crew and turned them into a fun freakin’ rock opera.

With spot on impressions, this cast has taken the time to emulate the Guido and Guidette, in performances that will keep you laughing long after you left the theater and especially when you are sharing the night with your friends the next day.

Book, music, and lyrics are written by Hanna Lopatin and Daniel Franzese.  Franzese whom we love from films like Mean Girls, Bully, and Kill Theory, also plays muscled out juice head Ronnie. In his commitment for the role, Daniel put on about 30lbs of… store-bought, muscle suit (Ha!) to portray the roided out Ronnie.  His duets with Lopatin, who plays Sammi, are powerful and when it needs to be, sweet and lovely.  Highlighting the poison in their relationship the pair sing through the show with “I Fucking Hate you” not to be outdone by  “I Fucking Love you”.

Daniel Franzese and Karen Diconcetto

Karen Diconcetto impression of the little meatball, Snookie,  is fun energetic and loveable.  More than anything, Snookie,  just wants to be loved, and Diconcetto sells an awkward but very funny moment over her desire for a gorilla juice head or even just a pickle during her song “Snookie’s Lament”.

J-Wow played by Mr. Willam Belli (Wonder Woman, Nip/Tuck), at first gave me caution that it would be too “mean” even for a parody.  But Willam is excellent and offers a surprisingly honest drag version of J-Wow and plays the role fantastically.  I don’t think an actress could have done a better job especially in her song “Grow Some Balls”:  Hilarous! And William sings the sh*t out of it!.

If you aren't up to date on the Jersey Shore, the program equips the audience with a Jersey Shore Glossary and also the authors, smartly round out the cast with a trio of Doo Wop girls who help us along the way.  Known as The Random Sluts, played by Kimmy Gatewood, Meghan Parks, and Aynsley Bubbico (best known from GREEK), this Guidette-Slut-Trio complement each other well and bring a great mix of voices to sing the main titled song “At The Jersey Shore”, which was in my head for the rest of the week.

 If you are a fan of “The Shore” you won’t want to miss your chance to fist pump your way to the Bootleg Theater for some simple fun entertainment. The theater has a great beer and wine selection at a reasonable price, and you can’t get a bad seat in the house.  Definitely a lot of fun! - J.J. Barnes -

Jersey Shoresical: A Frickin Rock Opera plays every Wednesday in July at the Bootleg Theater. 

2220 Beverly Blvd.  Los Angeles CA

Tickets are $15 dollars each and you can purchase your tickets on-line here: 

http://www.bootlegtheater.org/