Ahmanson Theatre

Glorious, Uproarious + Unmistakably

2013/14

Inside!

Danny DeVito is hilarious!

The Sunshine Boys

You will believe a boy can fly!

Peter and the Starcatcher

A pitch perfect musical.

Harmony

Great American Gershwin melodies.

THE GERSHWINs’ Porgy and Bess

Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.

We Will Rock You

SPECIAL BONUS PRODUCTIONS A gothic fairy tale.

Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty

David Suchet + Brian Bedford sizzle.

The Last Confession

5 show package

Starts at

$129

Lush, luminous, thunderous and magical?

It’s just that kind of season.

Welcome to what may be our most ambitious and diverse Ahmanson season ever. This is Event Theatre: the kind of shows you mark in red on your calendar, that make you want to dress to the nine-and-a-halfs, that you gather your friends or family to share and celebrate together.

These are big nights at the theatre.

Starting with a star-studded bang as Danny DeVito brings this celebrated revival of Neil Simon’s The Sunshine Boys direct from London. Also crossing the pond will be the Queen/Ben Elton mega-musical We Will Rock You. Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman have a brand new production of their musical Harmony, inspired by historical events. There’s the epic Tony Award -winning revival of The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, and Peter Pan and a gaggle of pirates sail over from Broadway in Peter and the Starcatcher. ®

And there are bonus options! The amazing Matthew Bourne returns to the Ahmanson with his mesmerising gothic romance Sleeping Beauty. And, direct from London, we present the controversial new Vatican-rocking play The Last Confession.

As it happens every season, there are shows that sell out, and ticket prices go up. So I encourage you now to gather your people, secure your seats and make plans to be swept away by some truly captivating theatre.

Michael Ritchie, Artistic Director

this page, top: Dominic

North and Hannah Vassallo in Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty. photo by simon annand.

We Will Rock You. facing page: Danny DeVito in the London production of The Sunshine Boys. photo by johan persson. photo courtesy of We Will Rock You. photo courtesy of

more London, more Broadway, more Ahmanson!

The three are synonymous with direct hits like Broadway-bound the sunshine boys and MATTHEW BOURNE’S SLEEPING BEAUTY! Exclusively Ahmanson!

One simple call gives you a year of thrilling theatre. 213.972.4444

U.S. PREMIERE DIRECT FROM LONDON.

by

NEIL SIMON Directed by THEA sHARROCK 5 show package

Starts at

$129

Danny DeVito in the London production of The Sunshine Boys. photo by michael birt

“Devito

raises the roof!

Glowing performance!”

—The Guardian, London

“Hilarious.

Danny DeVito

DAZZLES.”

—The Times, London

The laughter hits the ceiling when Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner Danny DeVito tears it up in this outrageous new production of the Neil Simon classic.

At the pinnacle of Vaudeville, Al Lewis and Willie Clark were the undisputed Kings of Comedy before splitting unceremoniously. But when CBS attempts to re-unite the legendary double bill for a once-in-a-lifetime television special, the shtick hits the fan as old grudges begin horning in on the act.

This U.S. premiere direct from London, directed by Olivier Award-winner Thea Sharrock, stokes the heart and the funny bone in a show about show business and the true measure of friendship.

“Insightful production, surprisingly delicate in its broadness. perfEct harmony.”

—The New York Times

this page: top, l - r:

Rebecca Blackstone and Danny DeVito; Johnnie Fiori. middle, l - r: Adam Levy; William Maxwell and Nick Blakely. bottom: Danny DeVito, all in the London production of The Sunshine Boys. photos by johan persson.

LAUGH LOUDEST! Sept 24 – Nov 3, 2013 CenterTheatreGroup.org/Ahmanson

SOAR TO THE STARS ON AN IMAGINAT ® s d r a Aw y n o T 5 ! er n n wi

Peter Pan to l e u q re P ’s p u n w ro AG

BY

Rick Elice

based on the novel by

Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson DIRECTED BY

Roger Rees and Alex Timbers MUSIC by

Wayne Barker

Before Peter was Pan, he was just a boy.

But when this orphan climbs aboard the good ship Neverland, he whisks us away on an exhilarating adventure to answer the century-old question: How did Peter Pan become The Boy Who Never Grew Up? In this innovative and imaginative musical play based on the best-selling novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, a company of a dozen actors play more than a hundred unforgettable characters in the epic origin story of popular culture’s most enduring and beloved hero.

No strings. No wires. Peter sails, swims, swashbuckles and ultimately soars on pure imagination, inspired stagecraft and fearless theatricality.

And did we mention pirates?

5 show package

Starts at

$129

suitable for all ages, especially 10 years and up.

The cast of the Broadway production of Peter and the Starcatcher. photo by o&m co.

ION-FUELED NEVERLAND ADVENTURE. “THE MOST EXHILARATING BROADWAY STORYTELLING IN DECADES! YOU MUST EXPERIENCE IT FOR YOURSELF.” — Ben Brantley, The New York Times

“MIRACULOUS.

Spectacle, wit, and joy spill out of this production like treasure from a magic pocket.”

— Justin Davidson, New York Magazine

“ASTONISHING. Superbly directed

by Roger Rees and Alex Timbers.”

— John Lahr, The New Yorker

“AN ABSURDLY FUNNY FANTASTICAL JOURNEY!” — Melissa Rose Bernardo, Entertainment Weekly

adventure awaits! Dec 3, 2013 – Jan 12, 2014 CenterTheatreGroup.org/Ahmanson

“Harmony strikes a powerful chord.”

— USA Today

A tuneful, thought-provoking musical blockbuster.”

— Backstage

5 show package

Starts at

$129

“A modern musical with its roots in the golden age of American musicals.

So many glorious moments, it deserves to be a smash hit. Brilliant score.”

— Harvey Epstein, San Diego Arts Magazine

“Harmony tells a terrific, touching, tragic-but-true story.

Manilow artfully captures the era from jazz to jitterbug, novelty numbers to pop and politics.

Sussman’s lyrics are urbane and clever. Remarkable.”

— Pat Launer, KPBS

They were the first sensational boy band: six talented young men who came together in 1920s Germany and took the world by storm with their signature blend of sophisticated close harmonies and uproarious stage antics.

The Comedian Harmonists sold millions of records, starred in a dozen films and packed the houses of the most prestigious concert halls around the globe until the world they knew forever changed.

Their amazing story inspired longtime collaborators, the legendary Barry Manilow and theatre veteran Bruce Sussman, to create a spectacular new musical with an original score that celebrates this extraordinary group of friends and ensures that their quest for true harmony in the most discordant chapter of human history will never be forgotten.

“We are both thrilled to finally return to our first love — writing a musical together. Especially this one,” Manilow and Sussman shared. “It has been an indescribable honor to spend all this time in the company of these six extraordinary men.”

ssman

Bruce Su

Barry Ma

nilow

Bruce Sussman and Barry Manilow. photos by christopher ottaunick

tune in! Mar 3 – Apr 13, 2014 CenterTheatreGroup.org/Ahmanson

GET SWEPT AWAY BY THE LUSH GERSHWIN SCORE OF TH

“The enduring

and magnetic ap

THE

n a c i r AMe

L A IC S MU

George Gershwin, DuBose and Dorothy Heyward, and Ira Gershwin BOOK ADAPTED BY Suzan-Lori Parks Musical Score adapted by Diedre L. Murray 5 show package DIRECTED BY Diane Paulus Starts at BY

$129

The cast of the Original Broadway production of The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess. photo by michael j. lutch.

HIS GREAT AMERICAN TONY AWARD -WINNING MUSICAL. ®

peal of Gershwin’s score is undeniable!”

—The New York Times

2012 Tony Award Best Musical revival ®

“A gorgeous theatrical

rapture!”

—New York magazine

“Left me breathless.”

—The New Yorker

There’s a hurricane blowing into the Ahmanson filled with glorious Gershwin melodies, rousing production numbers and one of theatre’s most unforgettable and timeless love stories. The legendary Porgy and Bess, ahead of its time in 1935, has come of age in a contemporary new adaptation deservedly celebrated with the 2012 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. ®

Charleston’s Catfish Row, and the livin’ ain’t easy for Bess, bound to one man and in love with another.

And at the heart of this tempest is a rich and rapturous score of Gershwin standards that ring to the rafters.

Breathtaking classics like “Summertime,” “It Ain’t Necessarily So” and “I Got Plenty of Nothing.”

Like South Pacific and Follies, this rare production captures the iconic masterwork the way it was meant to be appreciated: on the sumptuous Ahmanson stage with a magnificent 23-piece orchestra.

witness the glory! Apr 22 – Jun 1, 2014 CenterTheatreGroup.org/Ahmanson

SING OUT, ROCK OUT! Every song’s a Boh

“Exhilarating an will how gs n st o s u j e u “Th nd yo remi

s u o l ” u . e b faueen wer Q

t

enden

dep The In

—

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY

QUEEN BEN ELTON

BOOK AND DIRECTION BY

5 show package

Starts at

$129

Boom Boom Clap! It’s the thunderous roar of revolution with the blockbuster hits of the legendary Queen driving its epic story. In the future, computergenerated music reigns, live rock is outlawed, and conformity is brutally enforced.

Until a pair of young renegades, Galileo and Scaramouche, dare to break free and search for a long-buried electric guitar. Before Another One Bites the Dust, you can be sure our heroes will find Somebody to Love.

We Will Rock You — in its first national U.S. tour — captures the majestic grandeur and rock and roll spirit of Queen in a lavish production that has been celebrated around the world and is still breaking box office records in London. photo courtesy of

We Will Rock You

emian Rhapsody in this Killer Queen Musical.

nd great fun.”

—TIME magazine

“One of the best shows I’ve seen.

Sheer entertainment and enjoyment.”— London Daily Mirror READY TO rock? Jul 15 – Aug 24, 2014 CenterTheatreGroup.org/Ahmanson

BONUS OPEN YOUR EYES TO A NEW BEAUTY IN option

at the Ahmanson

5 show package

Starts at

$129

A new adventures production A presentation of Center Theatre Group and Glorya Kaufman presents Dance at the Music Center

facing page: The

cast of the West End (London) production of Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty. photo by mikah smillie.

THIS GOTHIC FAIRY TALE WITH A MODERN TWIST.

“Extraordinary. Fantastic.

Dazzling. Masterful.”

—Sunday Express, London

“Britain’s most successful choreographer will blow your mind with his sheer imagination, wit and brio.”

—The Times, London

“This is Bourne

at his BEST.” —New York Times

He set the Dance world on fire and attracted new audiences to the theatre with his daring new spins on Nutcracker! and Swan Lake.

Now, the two-time Tony Award and five-time Olivier Award-winning choreographer sets his sights on the third and final Tchaikovsky masterwork. ®

Matthew Bourne (Edward Scissorhands, The Car Man) returns to the Ahmanson, re-imagining Sleeping Beauty as a mezmerizing gothic romance complete with fairies and vampires, enchanting and arresting scenery and costumes: all in a fully immersive surround sound experience.

Bourne knows how to engage and enthrall an audience, making ardents fans of his unique stories in dance. There won’t be any sleeping during this Beauty. Only rapturous applause.

TWO WEEKS ONLY! Nov 21 – Dec 1, 2013 CenterTheatreGroup.org/Ahmanson

BONUS UNLOCK A SCANDAL MOST PAPAL IN option Taper at the Ahmanson MARK TAPER FORUM SUBSCRIBERS If you plan to purchase a Mark Taper Forum subscription next season, do not purchase The Last Confession. It will be included in your Taper 2014 season package.

“Brilliant

tale of venom in the Vatican.”

— London Telegraph

“Intelligent & provocative, satisfyingly complex.”

—London Evening Standard

BY ROGER CRANE DIRECTED BY Jonathan Church

The Last Confession recounts the mystery shrouding the events as told by their ultimate witness: Cardinal Benelli, who engineered John Paul’s ascent. This provocative thriller delves into the world’s most highly guarded institution, exploring the machinations of power amid crises of faith and the struggle to conceal the truth at any cost.

5 show package

Starts at

$129

1978, and a little-known country priest is crowned Pope John Paul I in an uneasy compromise.

Thirty-three days later, “the Smiling Pope” is found dead: the very day after threatening changes in the Vatican and the removal of three hostile Cardinals from their posts. No investigation or autopsy is performed, and a Vatican press release about the cause of his death is later proven to be, in large part, false.

facing page:

this page: The cast of the London production of The Last Confession.

David Suchet and Michael Jayston in the London production of The Last Confession. photos by john haynes

THIS THRILLER RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES.

“A powerful work.

David Suchet is

marvelous.”

— Daily Express

The Chichester Festival Theatre production

FOUR WEEKS ONLY! Jun 7 – Jul 6, 2014 CenterTheatreGroup.org/Ahmanson

more London. more Broadway. more Ahmanson.

Every step. Every note. Every wow.

The best way to catch every magic Ahmanson moment is also the easiest: Season Tickets, expertly handled by our award-winning Audience Services team.

SATISFACTION GUARANTEED Attend your first Ahmanson performance, and if you aren’t 100% satisfied, we’ll take the remainder of your tickets back and refund the balance of the season.

Center Theatre Group’s Audience Services Available seven days a week.

Monday through Friday 10am to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday Noon to 6pm AND two hours prior to any performance at the Ahmanson, Taper and Douglas.

Except major holidays.

One call puts YOU in the

HEART OF IT ALL.

5 show package

Starts at

$129

213.972.4444

The company of Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty. photo by simon annand

New season ticket prices everyone can afford.

Lock in great seats, prices and savings!

Season Tickets.

Check out new lower prices for our 5-show season ticket packages in MidOrchestra and Orchestra Rows X-Z. Plus Balcony seating starts at just $129 — a whisker under $20 per show.

Some seating sections will sell out. Premium Orchestra and Premium Mezzanine sections have very limited availability. Call Audience Services at 213.972.4444 for current updates.

5-Show Prices for the Ahmanson include The Sunshine Boys, Peter and the Starcatcher, Harmony, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess and We Will Rock You. Full

Season Tickets

Premium Preferred Mezz Mid-Orch Orch/Mezz Orch

Orch Rows X-Z

Balcony

Tue – Fri Eve at 8pm, $ 490 $ 440 $ 365 $ 265 Thurs Mat at 2pm

$ 129

$ 129

Sat at 2pm; $ 595 $ 495 Sun at 1pm & 6:30pm and A2 Wed Eve

$ 425

$ 299

$ 179

$ 179

Sat Eve at 8pm

$ 415

$ 385

$ 315

$ 149

$ 580

$ 486

Student $ 99 (Balcony: Tue – Fri Eves & Thurs Mats only) D.A.T.E./Audio Description

$ 255

(Week 6 Sat Mat, Orch – ONLY for patrons requiring Sign Language Interpretation or Audio Description)

Premium Orchestra/ Mezzanine Preferred Orchestra Preferred Mezzanine Mid-Orchestra (R-W) Orchestra Rows (X-Z) Balcony

BONUS optionS

Sleeping Beauty November 21–December 1, 2013

THE LAST CONFESSION* June 7–July 6, 2014

Tue–Fri Eve & Fri Mats Premium Orch/Mezz $ 95.00 Preferred Orch $ 85.00 Preferred Mezz $ 70.00 Mid Orch $ 50.00 Orch X-Z/Balcony $ 22.00

Tue–Fri Eve & Thu Mats Premium Orch/Mezz $ 90.00 Preferred Orch $ 80.00 Preferred Mezz $ 65.00 Mid Orch $ 45.00 Orch X-Z/Balcony $ 16.00

Sat & Sun Eve Premium Orch/Mezz $ 120.00 Preferred Orch $ 99.00 Preferred Mezz $ 85.00 Mid Orch $ 58.00 Orch X-Z/Balcony $ 30.00

Sat & Sun Mat Sat & Sun Eve Premium Orch/Mezz $ 105.00 Preferred Orch $ 89.00 Preferred Mezz $ 75.00 Mid Orch $ 53.00 Orch X-Z/Balcony $ 30.00

Add these extra special productions to your Ahmanson season tickets. Sat & Sun Mat

* Taper Season Ticket Members: Please see note on previous page

Your Way. GUARANTEED LOW PRICES. When shows get hot (as they often do at the Ahmanson) and ticket prices go up, you’ll be enjoying cool guaranteed prices locked in with your season ticket purchase. Even if you buy now and exchange for a different performance date later, you are guaranteed your original price (unless, of course, you upgrade to a higher-priced section).

PRIORITY SERVICE. When you call our award-winning Audience Services, you’re speaking to a theatre lover like yourself ready to give you exactly what you need: from info on all the shows to insider advice on the best seats.

PRIORITY SEATING. Season ticket holders are assigned seats first and enjoy the same location for every performance. Donors who make a tax-deductible contribution are put on the fast track for future seating upgrades.

PRIORITY UPDATES. Before each show, we’ll email you a tickets reminder along with special online links to interviews with the creative team, podcasts, behind-the-scenes videos and a copy of the program: so you learn more about the show you’re about to experience.

PRIORITY PLUS FLEXIBILITY. Lost your tickets or need to change for a different date? We’ll handle it for FREE at our box office or through our Online Ticket Exchange. Miss a performance? We’ll put you on priority standby for future performances (subject to availability and FREE, unless you choose a higher-priced ticket).

MORE PRIORITY TICKET OPPORTUNITIES. Season ticket members can also buy advance tickets for friends AND get first pick at tickets to special added events at the Ahmanson, Taper and Douglas BEFORE they go on sale to the general public.

Please note: Theatrical devices such as smoking (herbal non-tobacco only), stage fog, strobe lights, gun shots, rough language and nudity may occur in some productions.

If you need to be warned in advance of these occurrences, please contact Audience Services. Productions, casting, performance dates and times are subject to change, due to unforeseen changes after the printing of this material.

Season Tickets. Your Way. CenterTheatreGroup.org/Ahmanson 213.972.4444

Share What you Love. Make a Difference Today!

Center Theatre Group needs you.

Each year we rely on your passion for the arts to support our education and community outreach efforts that make an impact in the Los Angeles community.

Whether it is providing access to the theatre to those with special needs or bringing thousands of students from underserved communities to experience a matinee performance, your support helps CTG make these programs a reality.

Call us today at 213.972.7327 to learn more.

photo by © ryan miller/capture imaging

MAJOR SUPPORT FOR CENTER THEATRE GROUP IS PROVIDED BY

The Ahmanson Foundation, Center Theatre Group Affiliates, Center Theatre Group Artistic Director’s Circle, Center Theatre Group Artists and Educators Forum, The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Edgerton Foundation, Elisabeth Katte Harris Trust, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Music Center Fund for the Performing Arts, Nonprofit Finance Fund, The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, Lloyd E. Rigler - Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation, Laura & James Rosenwald & Orinocco Foundation, The Shubert Foundation Inc., Stein Family Foundation, The Dream Fund at UCLA Donor Advised Fund, Weingart Foundation, and The Wells Fargo Foundation.

ADDITIONAL MAJOR SUPPORT ALSO COMES FROM MEMBERS OF THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE INCLUDING

Judith & Thomas Beckmen, Debra & Norris Bishton, Margaret M. Bloomfield, Linda & Abbott Brown, Erica & Vin Di Bona, Kirk & Anne Douglas, Louise & Brad Edgerton, Lynda & Al Fadel, Ruth Flinkman-Marandy & Ben Marandy, Ava & Chuck Fries, Kiki & David Gindler, Brindell Roberts Gottlieb, The Hargrove Pierce Foundation, In Memory of Morris A. Hazan, June & Gareth Hughes, Eileen & Ken Kaplan, Anonymous, Martin Massman, Alice Mathias, Donna McKenna, Dale S. & Shideh Miller, Nancy & Jack Mishkin, Jerri & Dr. Steven Nagelberg, Timothy A. Regler, Bill Resnick, Lloyd E. Rigler – Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation, Laura & James Rosenwald and Orinocco Foundation, Jeanette Shammas, Maggy & Jack Simon, Judie Stein & Ira Friedman and Stein Family Foundation, Eva & Marc Stern, Kip Sturgeon & Carl Kovach, Louise Taper & Doug Walker, Sue Tsao, Sheila & Wally Weisman, and Misty Widelitz.

front cover: Danny

DeVito in the London production of The Sunshine Boys. photo by michael birt