Ann Closs-Farley News

Ashley Kate Adams of AKA Studio Productions and Jim Kierstead will present the World Premiere of a new American play, THE DODGERS, written by Diana Amsterdam and directed by Dave Solomon, BroadwayWorld has learned.

The 2015 LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards, celebrating theatrical excellence and achievement during the past 12 months, were presented on Monday, November 9 at the Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center. Among the many winners were the stars and creative team of Deaf West's SPRING AWAKENING, now on Broadway. Scroll down for photos from the arrivals, ceremony and after-party!

The 2015 LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards, celebrating theatrical excellence and achievement during the past 12 months, were presented on Monday, November 9 at the Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center. Among the many winners were the stars and creative team of Deaf West's SPRING AWAKENING, now on Broadway. Scroll down for the full list of winners!

Three finalists have been selected for Center Theatre Group's 2016 Richard E. Sherwood Award: Miwa Matreyek, Dr. Chantal Rodriguez and Kevin Williamson. Center Theatre Group recognizes and celebrates this year's finalists for their exceptional contributions to the Los Angeles theatre landscape and their potential as innovative and adventurous artists.

La Jolla Playhouse opened its world premiere of UP HERE, a new musical comedy featuring book, music and lyrics by the husband-and-wife composing team of Robert Lopez (The Book of Mormon, Avenue Q) and Kristen Anderson-Lopez (In Transit), recipients of the 2014 Academy Award for Best Original Song for their hit song, 'Let It Go,' from the Disney animated film Frozen. UP HERE is directed by Tony Award nominee Alex Timbers (Broadway's Rocky, Off-Broadway's Here Lies Love, Playhouse's Peter and the Starcatcher) and runs now through September 6 in the Playhouse's Mandell Weiss Theatre. 

La Jolla Playhouse opens its world premiere of UP HERE, a new musical comedy featuring book, music and lyrics by the husband-and-wife composing team of Robert Lopez (The Book of Mormon, Avenue Q) and Kristen Anderson-Lopez (In Transit), recipients of the 2014 Academy Award for Best Original Song for their hit song, 'Let It Go,' from the Disney animated film Frozen. UP HERE is directed by Tony Award nominee Alex Timbers (Broadway's Rocky, Off-Broadway's Here Lies Love, Playhouse's Peter and the Starcatcher) and runs now through September 6 in the Playhouse's Mandell Weiss Theatre. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

La Jolla Playhouse opens its world premiere of Up Here, a new musical comedy featuring book, music and lyrics by the husband-and-wife composing team of Robert Lopez (The Book of Mormon, Avenue Q) and Kristen Anderson-Lopez (In Transit), recipients of the 2014 Academy Award for Best Original Song for their hit song, 'Let It Go,' from the Disney animated film Frozen. Up Here is directed by Tony Award nominee Alex Timbers (Broadway's Rocky, Off-Broadway's Here Lies Love, Playhouse's Peter and the Starcatcher) and will run July 28 - September 6 in the Playhouse's Mandell Weiss Theatre. Up Here is being presented by special arrangement with Scott Sanders Theatrical Productions, along with Victor Alvarez, Warner/Chappell Music, Sally Horchow International Productions, Caiola Productions, Dominion Pictures.

La Jolla Playhouse announces the cast and creative team for its world premiere of Up Here, a new musical comedy featuring book, music and lyrics by the husband-and-wife composing team of Robert Lopez (The Book of Mormon, Avenue Q) and Kristen Anderson-Lopez (In Transit), recipients of the 2014 Academy Award for Best Original Song for their hit song, 'Let It Go,' from the Disney animated film Frozen. Up Here is directed by Tony Award nominee Alex Timbers (Broadway's Rocky, Off-Broadway's Here Lies Love, Playhouse's Peter and the Starcatcher) and will run July 28 - September 6 in the Playhouse's Mandell Weiss Theatre. Up Here is being presented by special arrangement with Scott Sanders Theatrical Productions, along with Victor Alvarez, Warner/Chappell Music, Sally Horchow International Productions, Caiola Productions, Dominion Pictures.

Center Theatre Group's annual Richard E. Sherwood Award, a $10,000 award designed to nurture innovative and adventurous emerging Los Angeles theatre artists, is open for application now through June 15, 2015.

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment presents their first-ever World Premiere musical and the fourth show of their 2014-2015 season, the runaway hit of the New York Musical Theatre Festival, JANE AUSTEN'S PRIDE AND PREJUDICE A Musical, with music, lyrics and book by Lindsay Warren Baker & Amanda Jacobs, based on the novel 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen, with music direction by Timothy Splain, choreography by Jeffry Denman, and directed by Igor Goldin. JANE AUSTEN'S PRIDE AND PREJUDICE A Musical opens tonight, April 18 and runs through Sunday, May 10, 2015 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment present their first-ever World Premiere musical and the fourth show of their 2014-2015 season, the runaway hit of the New York Musical Theatre Festival, JANE AUSTEN'S PRIDE AND PREJUDICE A Musical, with music, lyrics and book by Lindsay Warren Baker & Amanda Jacobs, based on the novel 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen, with music direction by Timothy Splain, choreography by Jeffry Denman, and directed by Igor Goldin. JANE AUSTEN'S PRIDE AND PREJUDICE A Musical will preview tonight, April 17, 2015 (with a press opening on Saturday, April 18) and run through Sunday, May 10, 2015 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.

STAGE RAW is pleased to announce the FIRST ANNUAL STAGE RAW LOS ANGELES THEATER AWARDS, championing the best work of 2014 in L.A.'s now embattled theaters of up to 99-seats. (STAGE RAW is using the same jury that was assembled through 2014 for the now dearly departed LA WEEKLY Theater Awards.) Check out the full list of nominees below!

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment announce their first-ever World Premiere musical and the fourth show of their 2014-2015 season, the runaway hit of the New York Musical Theatre Festival, JANE AUSTEN'S PRIDE AND PREJUDICE A Musical, with music, lyrics and book by Lindsay Warren Baker & Amanda Jacobs, based on the novel 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen, with music direction by Timothy Splain, choreography by Jeffry Denman, and directed by Igor Goldin. JANE AUSTEN'S PRIDE AND PREJUDICE A Musical will preview on Friday, April 17, 2015 (with a press opening on Saturday, April 18) and run through Sunday, May 10, 2015 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.

The ensemble effort of La Mirada Theatre/McCoy Rigby's cast of BILLY ELLIOT is an extraordinary accomplishment and especially resonant in a musical that is all about solidarity and overcoming the odds. It also has the kind of opening night story that wins hearts and shows how a company will rally like a family to manage an unexpected, even disastrous, event.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & MC COY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT present pure 'electricity' with the third show of their 2014-2015 season, the Southern California Regional Premiere of the ten-time Tony Award-winning musical, BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL, music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, musical direction by John Glaudini, choreography by Dana Solimando and directed by Brian Kite. BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL will preview tonight, January 16, 2015 (with a press opening on Saturday, January 17) and run through Sunday, February 8, 2015 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & MC COY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT present pure 'electricity' with the third show in its 2014-2015 season, the Southern California Regional Premiere of the ten-time Tony Award-winning musical, BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL, music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, musical direction by John Glaudini, choreography by Dana Solimando and directed by Brian Kite. BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL will preview tonight, January 16, 2015(with a press opening on Saturday, January 17) and run through Sunday, February 8, 2015 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & MC COY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT announce the complete cast as they present pure "electricity" with the third show of their 2014-2015 season, the Southern California Regional Premiere of the ten-time Tony Award-winning musical, BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL, music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, musical direction by John Glaudini, choreography by Dana Solimando and directed by Brian Kite. BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL will preview on Friday, January 16, 2015 (with a press opening on Saturday, January 17) and run through Sunday, February 8, 2015 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & MC COY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT present pure 'electricity' with the third show in its 2014-2015 season, the Southern California Regional Premiere of the ten-time Tony Award-winning musical, BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL, music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, musical direction by John Glaudini, choreography by Dana Solimando and directed by Brian Kite. BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL will preview on Friday, January 16, 2015(with a press opening on Saturday, January 17) and run through Sunday, February 8, 2015 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.

The new musical Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, with music, lyrics, and book by Lindsay Warren Baker and Amanda Jacobs, will receive two invitation only industry presentations on Monday, December 8, 2014 at New World Stages (340 W 50th Street) in New York City.

The Geffen Playhouse production of The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens and Count Leo Tolstoy: Discord, is extending for a third time, now through December 21, 2014. The production, in the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater at the Geffen Playhouse, is written by Scott Carter, executive producer and writer for Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect and Real Time.