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JAN UAR Y 2 0 2 4
MAGAZINE
Y m
contents P1 Program Cast, performances, who’s who, director’s notes and donors
6 In the Wings At the Music Center, L.A. Opera’s double bill of 20thcentury gems and L.A. Phil’s A Century of Film Music John Williams spotlight. At BroadStage, A Weekend with Pablo Picasso one-man show.
E a o y
12 New Year, New
Leaders, New Visions
Los Angeles performing-arts companies and venues—L.A. Master Chorale, Pasadena Symphony and Pops, the Wallis, CAP UCLA and L.A. Children’s Chorus—welcome new leadership.
u
18
24 Big Apple Arts
12
New York City visitors can enjoy a variety of new performing-arts experiences incuding the Museum of Broadway, the Perelman Performing Arts Center and NYU’s John A. Paulson Center.
32 Parting Thought Performances’ new program platform for shows and concerts can be accessed from any digital device.
24
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: JOE KRAMM, COURTESY CAP UCLA, DARREN COX
18 Principled Palette
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2 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: JOE KRAMM, COURTESY CAP UCLA, DARREN COX
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4 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE
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I N TH E W I N G S
OPERA
DOUBLE FEATURE
TWENTIETH-CENTURY GEMS make for a diptych ripe for rediscovery at L.A. Opera. Highway 1, USA, by William Grant Still, “dean of African-American composers,” gets its Los Angeles premiere. Norman Garrett and Nicole Heaston star as a hardworking Black couple whose years of sacrifice are misguided; Chaz’men Williams-Ali portrays the brother who squanders every opportunity. Director Kaneza Schaal and production designer Christopher Myers previously collaborated on Omar in 2022. Alexander Zemlinsky’s The Dwarf, set to a lush score and staged here in 2008, is based on Oscar Wilde’s gothic tale of one-sided love in a Spanish court. Tenor Rodrick Dixon stars. Director Darko Tresnjak conjures an opulent production featuring costumes by Linda Cho; both are Tony Award winners. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown, 213.972.8001, laopera.org
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The Dwarf: L.A. Opera’s 2008 production and, left, Rodrick Dixon in the title role.
ROBERT MILLARD
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IN TH E W I N G S
MUSIC
Movie Maestro Spotlight
Film composer John Williams
Newman, David’s daughter; the concert begins with 20th Century Fox Fanfare by Alfred Newman, David’s father. Selections also include Miklós Rózsa’s prelude to Ben-Hur, Maurice Jarre’s Suite from Lawrence
of Arabia, Danny Elfman’s title music for Batman, Nino Rota’s Suite from The Godfather and excerpts from Williams’ own Close Encounters of the Third Kind. 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown, 323.850.2000, laphil.org
COURTESY L.A. PHIL
SINCE TALKIES FIRST showed music’s power to transform moving images, composers have heightened on-screen action and illuminated unspoken drama with soundtracks as inventive and wide-ranging as the films they scored. Few have a greater appreciation for the history of film music—or a larger impact on its story—than John Williams. Williams has composed the music for more than 100 films, including all nine Star Wars films, the first three Harry Potter films, Schindler’s List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jaws, Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and the Indiana Jones films. Feb. 2-4 at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Williams curates A Century of Film, an exploration of cinematic composition featuring landmark Hollywood scores performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and conducted by David Newman—who has himself composed the music for 100 films. Soloists include soprano Diana
8 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE
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IN TH E W I N G S
THEATER
Of Cubism, Constructs and Collage
WRITER, PERFORMER, AND founding member of Culture Clash, Herbert Sigüenza assumes the role of one of the most influential artists of the 20th century for L.A. Theatre Works’ A Weekend with Pablo Picasso. The one-man show, March 14-15 at BroadStage, unfolds in Picasso’s studio as he prepares to deliver six new works to a buyer Monday morning. Based on Picasso’s writings, the experience includes projections of the art being created and historic images and text.
Co-founder of Cubism and collage, Picasso was a Spanish painter, sculptor and ceramicist based in France; among his best known works are Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907) and Guernica (1937). “There’s undeniable power in the presence of this creative genius, as embodied so convincingly by Sigüenza,” writes the San Diego Union Tribune. The Friday performance includes ASL interpretation; Saturday’s show has Spanish supertitles. 1310 11th St., Santa Monica, 310.434.3200, broadstage.org
JASON SULLIVAN-DUPLA
Herbert Sigüenza as Pablo Picasso
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YOU’RE HERE. Congrats, You’ve Picked a Great Performance!
Check out the interactive version of this theater program magazine and enjoy even more insight into the performers, creative talent and theater activities that are behind it all.
LINKS TO PERFORMERS’ SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS MULTI-MEDIA PRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE. UNDERSTUDY UPDATES THEATER SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES UPCOMING SHOWS AND CONCERTS AROUND TOWN INSIDER SCOOPS FROM THEATER AND MUSIC PROFESSIONALS
JASON SULLIVAN-DUPLA
It’s the new way to read the program, it’s
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FEATU R E
NEW YEAR, NEW LEADERS, NEW VISIONS Los Angeles performing-arts companies and venues welcome new leadership. / BY L I BBY S L AT E /
12 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE
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SCOTT ALTMAN OFFICIALLY started work as president and CEO of the Los Angeles Master Chorale on Jan. 2. He’s one of a cadre of arts leaders recently signed on to head various Southern California performing arts companies and venues. Unofficially, Altman could say he’s been gathering experience for the role since he was 12 years old, first as a middle-school choral singer on Long Island and then in high school, when his choir competed at an international festival in Vienna and placed second. “My love, my passion, the deepest earliest memories I have of the transcendent power of singing and particularly, singing as one voice, all starts as a boy,” says Altman, who later performed as an opera singer for 20 years, cofounded an opera company and eventually moved into administration, most recently
serving seven years as president and CEO of the Cincinnati Ballet. “With the Master Chorale, I am filled with joy,” Altman says. “And I am so overwhelmed with excitement about what the future holds for the Chorale.” These new leaders—Altman, Andrew Brown at the Pasadena Symphony and Pops, Robert van Leer at the Wallis in Beverly Hills, Edgar Miramontes at CAP UCLA and Susan Miller Kotses at the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus—all bring creativity, visionary thinking and insights gleaned as performers themselves. Also on their respective resumes: business acumen for the not-so-artistic tasks of budget balancing and fundraising. During Altman’s Cincinnati tenure, the ballet company more than tripled its financial assets, enjoyed
Los Angeles Master Chorale, seen here with artistic director Grant Gershon, has a new president/CEO.
PHOTO COURTESY LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE
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FEATURE
ANDREW BROWN ALSO knows something about the power of the voice. Prior to starting work as CEO of the Pasadena Symphony and Pops in
Clockwise from top left: L.A. Master Chorale president/CEO Scott Altman; Pasadena Symphony CEO Andrew Brown; L.A. Children’s Chorus executive director Susan Miller Kotses; Wallis executive director/CEO Robert van Leer; CAP UCLA executive and artistic director Edgar Miramontes
November, he spent five years as CEO of the Pacific Chorale in Costa Mesa and, before that, rose to chief operating officer of the L.A. Master Chorale, where he’d been a singer. The Pacific Chorale won a Grammy Award during his tenure; he produced several large-scale events and performances for the Master Chorale. “I see nothing but opportunity right now,” Brown says of his new ensembles in Pasadena, which also include the city’s Youth Symphony Orchestras; he’d like to institute more crossover among audiences for the symphony, pops and youth groups. “The fact
that any arts organization [still exists] on this side of the pandemic is really heartening.” Regarding the Pasadena Symphony’s search for a new music director, he says, “There are some really viable candidates that would bring a new artistic vision and new growth to the organization. We’re looking for somebody with a strong foundation in the classics, but who also has an eye on new works, new voices and new composers ... that represent the audiences we want to come.” Brown views his artistic directors as partners, and his staff as part of a team.
“You have to have that trust, and that idyllic pragmatism” when it comes to considering projects, he believes. “’Let’s figure that out. Wouldn’t that be cool if …?’ And then, ‘Yeah, we could do that.’ It’s exciting to dream big.” ROBERT VAN LEER also feels, as the saying goes, that teamwork makes the dream work. Van Leer started in April as executive director and CEO of the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills. He’d served as senior vice president of artistic planning at the Kennedy Center in New York for / CONTINUED ON PAGE 30
COURTESY PHOTOS EXCEPT KOTSES, NICHOLAS KOTSES
record ticket sales and expanded its educational and community programs. Here, he wants to increase local audiences but also let the world know of the ensemble’s virtuosity. “The chorale needs to be shouting from the rooftops how tremendous the artistry is, and the impact of the organization,” Altman enthuses. “That’s going to take some energy and a lot of vigorous branding and press and story-making. But I think it’s the top next priority, to get us more in the mix of conversations nationally and internationally.” He’d also like to end the misconception that choral singers just stand and sing, building on previous programs combining song with dance or other dynamic movement.
14 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE
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Scan Me!
12/28/23 10:14 AM
STATEMENT FROM THE ARTIST If there is anything the last few years have taught us, it's that we breathe the same air. There is an inherent eroticism to this: our bodies colliding in the same space. This collision is the immutable reality of contemporary life. It is also the essence of theatre. The theatre requires a sacred corporal exchange – a sense-based modality of transference that demands physical presence. Several questions guided my process while creating this piece: What might be the aesthetic of that transmission? Where do our stories come from? Do we create ourselves in spite of ourselves, or are we created despite ourselves to spite ourselves? It is because of this intimacy – this churning proximity that can only be created by these bodies colliding in this space – that my body is able to find my space, a space beyond the neutered choreography of everyday life. It is from within this newly found personal space that I will reveal parts of myself that I have, until this moment, concealed for my own survival. As I enter this space, I am destroyed and transformed, made consumable only as I become consumed by my own narrative. As you enter this space, I invite you to destroy yourself, to relinquish the burden of your own performance, and to become something greater than yourself: the audience. Welcome to KATE.
PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE P1
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Don't forget to visit the official Don't forget to visit the official KATE merch stand!
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DANNY FELDMAN Producing Artistic Director Presents
JAN 17 — FEB 11
Written by
Starring
KATE BERLANT
KATE BERLANT
Scenic Design DOTS
Producers ELI BUSH LINDSAY JONES
Lighting Design AMITH CHANDRASHAKER
Sound Design PALMER HEFFERAN
Technical Director/ Press Representative Production Supervisor DAVIDSON & CHOY BRAD ENLOW PUBLICITY
Stage Manager LINDSAY JONES
Associate Producer JENNY SLATTERY
Directed by
BO BURNHAM 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.
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P4 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE
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CAST
CAST Kate
STAGE MANAGEMENT Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager
KATE BERLANT
LINDSAY JONES DAVID S. FRANKLIN
KATE will be performed with no intermission.
SPECIAL THANKS Dan McManus, Andrew Skikne, Naomi McPherson, John Early, and The Elysian Theater
For cast and creative team bios, scan here PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE P5
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AS SEEN ON STAGE "Nine out of ten dentists agree that LABUCQ is THE BOOT" – Kate Berlant
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P8 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE
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PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE P9
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P10 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE
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CHAIR EMERITI
Chair Erin Baker Vice Chair Julie A. Gutierrez
David M. Davis David DiCristofaro Michele Dedeaux Engemann Sheila Grether-Marion Kerry McCluggage
Treasurer Bonnie Wongtrakool
BOARD MEMBERS EMERITI
Secretary Leigh T. Olivar
TRUSTEES Sheri Ball MaryLou Boone Dennis Cornell Brandon Dickerson Peggy Ebright Danny Feldman Beth Fernandez Cristina Hernandez Melanie Holden Y-Vonne Hutchinson Jane Kaczmarek Brad King Harmon Kong Brandon Levin Jim McCarthy Ken McCormick Alfred Molina Bingo Roncelli Jeff Smith Lilah Stangeland Ann Sunshine Patricia Barajas Tavera Bernhard von Thaden
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
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
IN MEMORIAM David Angell Theodore Fitch Behr Betty Ann Koen Brooks Albert Lowe Margaret Sedenquist Roger Stangeland James Watterson Bill Galloway
PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE P11
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MEMBERS
Donations reflect gifts given between September 2, 2023 and November 21, 2023. Contributions received after November 21, 2023 will be acknowledged in the next program.
$100,000+ Anonymous Apriem Advisors Erin & Jeremy Baker Brad & Pamela King Ellen & Harvey Knell Terri & Jerry Kohl $50,000+ Anonymous Leigh T. & Harry Olivar Tammi & Lenny Steren Bill Resnick & Michael J. Stubbs Van de Bunt Fox Family Foundation $25,000+ Avery & Andrew Barth Suzi Dietz & Lenny Beer Mary Lou Byrne & Gary W. Kearney Dennis Cornell Michele & Roger Engemann Cristina Hernandez & Jeffrey Bernstein Julie & Don Hopf Jane Kaczmarek Michael Mackness & Eric Sigg Tracy & Ken McCormick Bingo & Gino Roncelli Diana J. Sedenquist / Sedenquist Family Trust Lilah Stangeland Ann & Steven Sunshine $10,000+ Anonymous Chantal & Steve Bennett Robert & Allison Coe The Sahan Daywi Foundation Gail & Jim Ellis Brenda & Bill Galloway Heather & Paul Haaga Elisabeth Hunt Jennifer Lee & Alfred Molina Donna J. Leonhard Tad Lowrey Sheila Grether-Marion & Mark Marion Sarah & Eric Miller Steven A. & Marianne M. Mills Robert J. Muehlhausen Wendy Munger & Lenny Gumport Shine Wang in honor of my parents, Mr. & Mrs. Ling Lang Wang Judith & Wes Whitmore Dr. Frank & Shelley Williams $5,000+ The Angeloff Family Anonymous Barajas Tavera Family P12 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE
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The Babb-Hutchinson Family Carlton Calvin & Mary Blodgett E. Thomas Brewer Johnny Buss The Caplin Foundation Stephanie & Leo Dencik Brandon & Chelsea Dickerson Patti & Jim Dolan Dorothy Falcinella Judith & Stanley Farrar Stephanie Flagg Beth Gertmenian Kate & Kristopher Good / WHH Foundation Jane Gordon and Dennis Levitt Debra L. Grieb & John Mickus Elizabeth & Brian Hall Alan Keith & Richard Brand Christopher Kreiling & Ruben Hassel Anita & Vince Lawler Janet & David Lazier Greta & Peter Mandell Megan Mekjian & Christian Hall David Nagy Dr. Stephen Henry & Rudy O’Claray Garrett Paine & June Thurber Paine Rogolsky Family Foundation Sarah & Daniel Rothenberg Laurie & Jeffrey Smith Lyn Spector Karin & Sean Stellar Rober & Lynn Traver Mary Urquhart Judy Waller Mickey & Nickie Williams Bonnie Wongtrakool & Beong-Soo Kim James & Beth Zapp $2,500+ Jarrett Barrios & Danny Feldman Sheri & Andy Ball Carol M. & Barrett P. Bingaman Meta & Jay Berger Z. Clark Branson Kevin Callahan & John Sims Mary Lea & Bill Carroll Jessica & Greg Cavic Susan & Steve Chandler Joe & Dottie Clougherty Martha Coffey Lynn & Carl Cooper Snehal Desai Anne Dougherty & David Dobrikin Peggy Ebright Michael Enomoto The Espinoza Family Ms. Vivien Stanley Foran & Dr. William F. Foran Kiki & David Gindler
Julie A. Gutierrez Beth & Rob Hansen Philip Hawkey & Dena Spanos-Hawkey Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation Donor Advised Fund Ronald and Susan Hoffman Chris & Melanie Holden Richard Kaplan Mark Kudler Brandon Levin Brenda Levin Carl L. Levinger Heather Lord & Jason Wolenik Shelly & Dennis Lowe Lynn & Luke Maxcy Thomas & Samira Moran Ceil & Wendell Mortimer Richard Motika & Jerrie Whitfield Ainhoa Moya Nancy & Phil Naecker Richel & Kenneth Nash Richard Oosterom & William Ferry J.R. & Chip Ossman Faryn Pearl Amanda Crick & Glenn Pfeffer Barbara & Tony Phillips Shannon Quinn Sara & Dinesh Sadhwani Emad Saleh Susan Shieldkret & David Dull Terry Solis Kristan & Philip A. Swan Thomas Castañeda & Richard von Ernst Nicole & Bernhard von Thaden Marianne Wallace Steven Warheit & Jean Christensen Derek Whitefield & Gary Dahle Robert & Deborah Wycoff $1,000+ Anonymous Andy Abowitz Nancy McAniff Annick Ellen & Lewis Anten Linda Antonioli in loving memory of Kenny Antonioli Alison Ashford Deborah Beveridge Susan Bleecker Suzanne Boone Paula Brand Gabrielle Bruveris Diana Buckhantz Dave & Zoie Carney Chris & Will Cathcart Hannah Coan The Colburn Family Foundation Geoffrey Cowan & Aileen Adams Phyllis Currie
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Martha Denzel Sandy & Mark Esensten Sue & Jim Femino Beth Fernandez Lisa Field James Flock Marilyn Louise Flynn Janis Frame & Sandy Zisman Dale Franzen Carole Fritz Carol Gabel Karen Gallagher Olga Garay-English Carlos Garcia Fariba Ghaffari Jordan Goldberg Linda & Jay Griffey Patricia Grubman Donald & Denise Hahn Rose Ann Hall Annette Hanks Tracy & Richard Hirrel Gary Hunter Marie Ida Gary & Lois Ingham Freya & Mark Ivener Sue Jandial Lenny & David Kelton John E. Kinikin Edward & Joy Klein Eugene Korney & Penny Grosz Alex LaCasse Penelope & Steven Ledbetter Denise Lopez Steven G. Madison Janice Malanga Diane Martin Robert McManus Mary Anne & Lary Mielke Carolyn Miller Joan & Phil Miller Sue & Monty Mohrman Cheryl & Judd Morris Jacquelyn Myers Joe Olender Sharyl Overholser Teresa Payton Diana Peterson-More Dr. Dianne Philibosian Gloria & Don Pitzer Lucy Pliskin Carolyn & John Poer Richard Polanco Meenakshi Ponnusamy Don Riddell & Sharon Valdez Mark Schuster Ted S. Shin Oula Siblini Jan & Carl Siechert Janis & Stuart Simon Gabby Silvi David & Gail Snyder Antonia Hernandez & Judge Michael Stern Donna Stevens Randall & Mari Tamura John D. Taylor Shirlie Thomas Valerie Gumbiner Weiss & Aaron Weiss
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Carl Whidden Carolyn Wilson & Patrick Connor Liz & Andy Wilson Cheryl Wold Barbara & John Wortmann Robbie & David Zeidberg Amy Zeidler $500+ Anonymous Justin Babb Don Bacigalupi Bruce & Judy Bailey Wayne Bemis Gary & Shirley Best Carole Black Bill & Claire Bogaard Thomas Bogaard Annette Brandin John Brinsley William Brownlie Wendy Chang Joe Dadourian Pamela G. Dawber Debbie DeRing Art Dhallin Lalo and Catherine Diaz Harout Dimijian Kay & Larry Driscoll Jody Dunn Janet Ellis Narda Fargotstein Jackie & Don Feinstein Terry Feuerborn Yvonne & Craig Flint Betty Jo Gaddy Gracella C. Gibbs Pamela Girard & Shayne Smith Dennis Greer Terry Grill Charles Hay Emily & Henry Hancock Will Hong Sue H. Horn Carolyn V. Horne Gary T. Izumi Mary & Richard Josenhans Rochelle & Jerome Kaplan Amy & Alan Karbelnig Mr. & Mrs. Michael Kettle David C. Kramer Susan Kramer Doug Kranwinkle Sarna Lapine Clark Linstone Gerald Loeb & Frances Richmond Nolanda & Joe Love Luther & Carol Luedtke Denise Lumarda Aaron Mark Ilene Marshall Jim & Amanda McCarthy Joyce McGilvray Lori A. McKenna Kelly McKenzie Christopher Meyer & Gary Holm Margot & Mitch Milias
Brian Miller Suzy Moser Laura Mosqueda Robert & Terri Mulein Charlene B. Nelson Christine Ofiesh Janice Ohta & Fred Weiss Robert Oltman Michael Oppenheim Anthony & Carolyn Pearson Charlie and Sandra Plowman Andrea & Jeff Pomerance Lorelle Pouncey Jennifer Price-Letscher Winnie Reitnouer Theresa Reyes Ed & Linda Richmond Tim & Jeanne Sakata Patterson in honor of Gordon Hirabayashi San Marino Rotary Charities William Sargent & Nancy Wischhusen Lorraine Schield John Scott Betty & John Seinfeld Robert Sepulveda Joel Sheldon Scott Sigman Laurie and Robert Silton Adele Skibba Mark Swenson & Craig Coburn Hamed Tavajohi Laney Techentin Brian Thomas Shannon Thyne Andrew J. Tiedge Eileen T’Kaye Martha Tolles Anita Tsuji Robin Underwood & Rebecca Rieck Greg Vanni Timothy Vient Audrey & George D. Voigt Carrie Walker The Wang Family Jim & Mary Weidner Laura Zucker
Want to add your name to the list? Scan the QR code to donate today or visit pasadenaplayhouse.org to learn more.
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PARTNERS
INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS Ahmanson Foundation The David Lee Foundation Dwight Stuart Youth Fund The Fitzberg Foundation The Helen & Will Webster Foundation Jess & Palma Morgan Foundation
Jolie-Pitt Foundation Milo W. Bekins Foundation National Endowment for the Arts Perenchio Foundation The Rose Hills Foundation San Marino Rotary Club Shekels Charitable Foundation
CORPORATE SPONSORS Hudson Pacific Properties J.P. Morgan Private Bank
Contributions received after November 21, 2023 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 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
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LEADERSHIP Danny Feldman Producing Artistic Director Kory P. Kelly Chief Marketing & Communications Officer Jenny Slattery Associate Producer Alex Wang Chief Development Officer Thomas Yamamoto Chief Financial & Administrative Officer ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE Kristen Hammack-Eaton Executive Assistant & Board Liaison Vanessa Mejia Business Manager Scott Savoie Accounting Manager DEVELOPMENT Rachel Malkenhorst Director of Individual Giving Sam Palmer Director of Events Rachel Park Assistant Director of Grants & Development Communication 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 Taylor Wallis Teaching Artist FACILITIES Pita Cervantes Custodian Maria Lupe Flores Custodian Michael Rodriguez Facilities Technician Rosa Salcedo Lead Custodian
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MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Omar Avedanke Director, Creative & Content Spencer Berry Graphic Designer Davidson & Choy Publicity Press Representative Abby Green Marketing Manager, Education & Engagement Matthew Iannantuoni Marketing & 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 Aoife Fagan-Riddle Patron Services Associate Rafael Goldstein Patron Services Associate Noah Grater Patron Services Associate Amanda Kochey Assistant House Manager Jeremy Kucharek Assistant House Manager Kevin Lauver Patron Services Manager Emily Minnotte House Manager Carol Osborn Audience Engagement Gaby Ostrove Patron Services Associate Rachyl Spacca Director, Patron Experience & Sales Tammi Steren House Manager PRODUCTION/ARTISTIC Brad Enlow Technical Director / Production Supervisor Bonnie McHeffey Company Manager Amanda Tralle Producing Assistant
STAFF KATE PRODUCTION STAFF Stage Manager Lindsay Jones Assistant Stage Manager David S. Franklin Associate Lighting Design Paul Vaillancourt Associate Sound Design Omar Madkour Associate Lighting Design Belle Alatorre 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, Evan Drane, Charles Millican, Matt Petosa, John Povilaitis
For additional production staff, please visit our digital program!
12/21/23 12:47 AM
FRIENDS OF THE PASADENA PLAYHOUSE Board of Directors Lillias Krezel, Patti La Marr, Florence Lang, President Beverly Meissner, Beth Fernandez Shirley Miller, Emily 1st Vice President Minnotte, Patrick Barbara Cruse Oliva, Sean O'Shea, 2nd Vice President Betty Parnell, Nancy Ashcraft Natalya Pashkova, Treasurer Sienna Salce, Tammi Lawrence Yu Steren, Farryl Secretary Weitzman Sharon Zaslaw Advisory Directors Lenore Bond Doris Arima, Raquel Almanzar, Nancy Burgess, Maggie Ashcraft, Carolyn Chatman, Ross Di Pane (Chair), Sue Clark, Karie Henley, Haney Horn Barbara Jacoby,
The Director is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national theatrical labor 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. Lighting Rentals furnished by Kinetic Lighting. Sound Rentals furnished by DNB Sound.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 all-gender 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. the performance begins.
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
CONTACT PATRON SERVICES Email boxoffice@pasadenaplayhouse.org Phone 626-356-7529
BOX OFFICE HOURS Tuesday - Saturday 12 PM - 6 PM Sunday 12 PM - 4 PM
PHONE HOURS Tuesday - Saturday 12 PM - 6 PM Sunday 12 PM - 4 PM
Please note hours are subject to change due to observed holidays.
@pasadenaplayhouse
Pasadena Playhouse
On performance days, the Box Office windows will remain open 15 minutes after the show begins.
@pasplayhouse
@pasadenaplayhouse
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HERE’S TO YOU
97%
of audiences read the program.
6.2
million readers annually.
65%
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D ESIGN
The wall color Feral is produced by Price Latimer and Maya Crowne, below, socially conscious co-founders of Alkemis Paint.
PRINCIPLED PALETTE IT HAS LONG BEEN acknowledged that colors have a subtle yet potentially profound impact on human emotions and behavior; restaurants, educational institutions and hospitals take particular care in choosing colors that excite, motivate or soothe their respective clienteles. Alkemis Paint addresses neuro-aesthetic issues, and
sustainability, vegan composition and social responsibility, to produce the first architectural wellness paint. Co-founded last year by creative and socially conscious entrepreneurs Maya Crowne and Price Latimer, Alkemis Paint celebrates the planet’s extraordinary colors while protecting its ecosystems and nurturing the people enveloped by its products. “When I was redecorating my home during the pandemic, I realized there were no commercial paint brands that addressed my core values,” explains CEO Crowne, a
DECOR PHOTOS JOE KRAMM. PORTRAIT MAGDALENA WOSINSKA
New Alkemis Paint goes beyond considerations of color and durability to a myriad of others including health and wellness. / BY ROGER GRODY /
2
A D
lo 18 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE
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DECOR PHOTOS JOE KRAMM. PORTRAIT MAGDALENA WOSINSKA
2023/24 Season
A New Era for Dance in LA losangelesballet.org
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D ESIGN
Rich, saturated colors from Alkemis Paint, here and below, help showcase decor and art.
former corporate finance professional from a holistically minded family. “There needed to be a beautiful and healthy way to color our walls,” says Crowne, who communicates the brand’s aspirational qualities through an elevated, elegant approach to a product that has ancient origins. “One of our fundamental interests is biophilic design,” states chief
creative officer Latimer, a lifelong artist, “bringing nature indoors, as well as the values that color brings to the spaces where we spend 90 percent of our lives. “In conventional paints, there are so many petrochemical products that are deleterious to our health,” she says, adding that Alkemis brings nature and design together for more sustainable built environments. Crowne feels that the practices adopted by consumers in relation to food and beauty products should extend to what they put on the walls in their homes. “We believe the conscientious choices we make in our homes percolate out into the world,” Latimer suggests, “affecting change on a broader scale.” In recent years, some major manufacturers have promoted their reductions in the use of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in their
paints. Despite the benign term “organic,” these are typically manmade chemicals and many paint labels in California continue to carry ominous Proposition 65 warnings. Alkemis has earned certification from Cradle to Cradle, an institute that evaluates all aspects of product design and manufacturing across criteria from clean air and climate protection to social responsibility. In addition to receiving this demanding certification, Alkemis’ made-to-order paints are natural, vegan/cruelty-free, nontoxic, anti-mold and -fungal, and noncombustible. The company’s manufacturing facilities are emission-free, powered by renewable energy and use recycled water, making Alkemis an obvious selection for conscientious design professionals and their clients.
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COMMUNITY, CONNECTION JANUARY 12 – 13
CAMILLE A. BROWN & DANCERS: ink “Ms. Brown is one of the most expressive, genuine and deeply felt choreographers working today.” – The New York Times
AND CONVERSATIONS JANUARY 13 – 28
BOTH AND
(A PLAY ABOUT LAUGHING WHILE BLACK)
“Ratteray gives a transformational one-woman performance, rich and engaging.” – ColoradoBoulevard.net
SPARKED BY BOLD, NEW AND BLACK VOICES JANUARY 17
MICHELLE CANN, PIANO “A compelling, sparkling virtuoso.” – Boston Music Intelligencer
L.A.’S CULTURAL DESTINATION TheWallis.org • 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90210
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DES I GN
JOIN LACO IN THE NEW YEAR CURRENT: [inti]mate
BACH + BAUER
CURATOR + COMPOSER
FEB 3+4
inti figgis-vizueta
JAN 20+21 SPECIAL EVENT
LEGACY
DEBUSSY + HAMELIN Margaret Batjer
DIRECTOR OF CHAMBER MUSIC
Marc-André Hamelin PIANO
MAR 2+3 CHAMBER
HORIZONS
BEETHOVEN + SKYE
Tereza Stanislav VIOLIN Yura Lee VIOLA
APR 20+21 ORCHESTRAL
DEPARTURES
MONTERO + MOZART Gabriela Montero PIANO
MAY 25 ORCHESTRAL
Margaret Batjer LEADER Thomas Bauer BASS
BAROQUE
TRADITIONS PERGOLESI’S STABAT MATER Amanda Forsythe SOPRANO
John Holiday
COUNTERTENOR
MAR 30+31 ORCHESTRAL
JIJI + VIVALDI Margaret Batjer LEADER JIJI GUITAR Andrew Shulman CELLO
MAY 4+5 BAROQUE
CHAPLIN + THE IMMIGRANT Gabriela Montero PIANO
MAY 26 SPECIAL EVENT
LACO.ORG CURRENT: [inti]mate is presented in collaboration with the Los Angeles LGBT Center and the Museum of Latin American Art – Long Beach
Alkemis products use a natural, colorless quartz binder that forms a permanent chemical bond between the paint and its underlying surface, creating a finish as indestructible as stone. The paints’ lifespans are typically 20-plus years, far longer than those achieved with massproduced latex or acrylic products. That impressive durability mitigates the higher up-front cost. “I love specifying a best-in-class, holistically healthy product that outlasts any other paint,” says Lisa Galano, founder and creative director of Studiocake, a design firm whose clients include Ritz-Carlton Residences and Spotify. “Not only are the colors simply stunning, saturated and possess a beautiful matte finish, Alkemis products are uniquely mineral-based as opposed to conventional plasticbased paints.” Using natural ingredients does not compromise the aesthetic qualities of Alkemis paints, Latimer says. “All of our paint finishes are matte, but when the light hits their crystalline structures, they exhibit an unparalleled luminosity.” Alkemis Paint alkemispaint.com
L
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De M
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OPENING NIGHT
Sat Jan 27 | 8pm A GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY WITH
Herb Alpert & Lani Hall
LA’S PREMIER WINTER JAZZ FESTIVAL RETURNS! Wed Jan 31 | 8pm Thu Feb 1 | 8pm
Ranky Tanky WITH VERY SPECIAL GUEST
Ms. Lisa Fischer SCAN FOR TICKETS
Fri Feb 2 | 8pm Sat Feb 3 | 8pm
Booker T. Jones
60 YEARS OF GREEN ONIONS AND THE HAMMOND B-3 WITH SPECIAL GUEST
Matthew Whitaker Wed Feb 7 | 8pm
Delfeayo Marsalis & The Uptown Jazz Orchestra Sat Feb 10 | 8pm
Eliades Ochoa WITH SPECIAL GUEST
Delfeayo Marsalis
Harold López-Nussa
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TRAVEL
BIG APPLE ARTS
New York City visitors can enjoy a variety of new performing arts experiences. / by LIBBY SLATE / SIT DOWN AT THE MAKEUP TABLE at the crafts and design exhibit at the Museum of Broadway in New York City, and you’re apt to look in the mirror to find you’re wearing the familiar round-rimmed eyeglasses and a headpiece from Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Virtually, of course, but seeing that bedecked image is just one of the discoveries and delights that await theater fans at the first permanent museum devoted to Broadway. From the first moments simulating the backstage countdown to
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curtain—the recorded voice of a stage manager announces the half-hour and 15-minute calls and finally, “Places, please”—the museum is a nonstop compendium of ooh and ahh encounters. There are rooms full of costumes, props and scenic elements from shows such as Phantom of the Opera, A Chorus Line, Hair and Rent; lyric lists and music sketches by Rodgers and Hammerstein and other composers; and photo-filled wall timelines of Broadway through the decades. Even the gift shop merchandise
PHOTOS THIS PAGE IWAN BAAN
1/5/24 11:24 AM
8 -T IM E
TO N Y AWAR D ® W I N N E R
THE DEMON BARBER O F F L E E T ST R E E T Perelman Performing Arts Center, designed by REX, and, below, the lobby at the Vartan and Clare Gregorian Stage
February 11–March 17, 2024 MUSIC AND LYRICS BY
BOOK BY
Stephen Sondheim
Hugh Wheeler
FROM AN ADAPTATION BY
DIRECTED BY
Christopher Bond
Julia Rodriguez-Elliott
SWEENEY TODD is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com
“A G LO R I O U S M U S I C A L T H R I L L E R ” — LO S A N G E L E S T I M E S
ANOISEWITHIN.ORG/SWEENEY 626.356.3121 FREE PARKING 3352 E. Foothill Blvd, Pasadena Photo Geoff Elliott by Daniel Reichert.
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TRAVEL
Here and below, exhibits at Museum of Broadway
named for the first Black theater in the United States, which operated on the same Washington Square block from 1821 to 1823. The space is one of three theaters in the John A. Paulson Center, open since April. Both the Times Square-based Museum of Broadway and the Perelman PAC have significant ties to Southern California. Museum founders Julie Boardman and Diane Nicoletti became friends as students at USC. Perelman artistic director Bill Rauch co-founded L.A’s Cornerstone Theater Company and served as its artistic director from
1986 to 2006; he’s also directed productions at the Pasadena Playhouse and South Coast Repertory. Boardman, a two-time Tony Award winner as a producer of The Inheritance and the gender-reversing
Company revival, and Nicoletti, owner of a marketing agency and producer of special events and fan experiences, wanted the museum to be immersive as well as historic, reflecting a trend of new experiential museums.
PHOTOS DARREN COX
is fun and fascinating. Having celebrated its first anniversary in November, the Museum of Broadway is one of several performing arts enterprises and venues established in the past year or so in NYC. The $500-million Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center, named for the businessman-philanthropist and located at Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan, opened Sept. 19, the final public element of the rebuilt World Trade Center site. Two months later, NYU’s Tisch Center of the Arts presented the inaugural performance at its African Grove Theatre, 26 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE
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PHOTOS DARREN COX
Visitors can dance to the music of West Side Story, walk along the cornfields of Oklahoma! and see the same views out into the house that performers do from various Broadway stages. The exhibit storytelling is provided by a team of top designers, visual artists, producers, historians and others; special temporary exhibits include the current SIX: The Royal Gallery, up through April 28. Design also plays a primary role at the Perelman PAC, providing a stunning setting for the roster of music, dance, opera, theater and multi-disciplinary events presented there. The building’s cube-shaped exterior, clad in a marble façade, provides an amber glow at night and was designed by the architecture firm REX, headed by Joshua Ramos. The three theaters, named for John E. Zuccotti, Mike Nichols and Doris Duke, can be joined in 10 different formations, yielding 62 configurations involving the stages and seating for audiences of up to 950. The lobby, which offers free performances on its own stage, is open to the public throughout the day and night; it was designed by Broadway scenic designer David Rockwell, a Tony winner for She Loves Me, and his
2023/24 SEASON TICKETS START AT $25!
CIVIC THEATRE | FEBRUARY 2 & 4 | 2024 This stunning visual and auditory experience tells a tale of seduction and doom and features the San Diego Symphony Orchestra onstage heightening Mozart’s glorious music. Sung in Italian with English and Spanish text projected above the stage.
VISIT SDOPERA.ORG OR CALL PATRON SERVICES 619-533-7000
PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE 27
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T R AV EL
AN UPSCALE BOUTIQUE — SIZES 12 UP —
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firm Rockwell Group, as were the lobby restaurant Metropolis by Marcus Samuelsson and the outdoor terrace. Whether in the theaters or the public gathering spaces, the Perelman’s mission is to foster connections between people, according to Rauch. The programming was chosen to celebrate resilience, be that via an exploration of trauma or a joyous event, given the center’s location on the former site of the Twin Towers. There are more new performing arts experiences to come this year. Tentatively scheduled for a summer opening is the long-delayed TSX Broadway building in Times Square, a 46-story mixed-use tower that includes the alreadyoperating Tempo by Hilton Hotel, an outdoor stage and the 1913 Palace Theatre.
COURTESY NYU TISCH SCHOOL OF THE ARTS. OPPOSITE: JONATHAN KING
At NYU’s John A. Paulson Center: Iris Cantor Theatre and, below, rehearsal at African Grove Theatre
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23/24 SEASON AT AMBASSADOR AUDITORIUM
Beethoven Emperor
JANUARY 27, 2024
KENSHO WATANABE conductor The Palace Theatre, all 7,000 tons of it, was raised 30 feet above the ground to make way for retail and entertainment space at ground level. Museum of Broadway 145 W. 45th St., Times Square
COURTESY NYU TISCH SCHOOL OF THE ARTS. OPPOSITE: JONATHAN KING
Perelman Performing Arts Center 251 Fulton St., Lower Manhattan John A. Paulson Center, NYU 181 Mercer St., Washington Square
GEORGE LI piano
JESSICA HUNT Climb KODÁLY Dances of Galánta BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5 “Emperor”
6 2 6 . 7 9 3 . 7 1 7 2 | P A S A D E N A S Y M P H O N Y- P O P S . O R G SEE WHY LA WEEKLY CALLED POP “THE BEST OPERA COMPANY IN LOS ANGELES”
DIEin theFLEDERMAUS Golden Age of Hollywood THORNE HALL, EAGLE ROCK FEBRUARY 17TH & 18TH
Champagne Reception included
TSX Broadway 1568 Broadway, Times Square
ARATANI THEATER, LITTLE TOKYO JUNE 1ST - 9TH .
Sung in Japanese & English PACIFIC OPERA PROJECT CLASSICS. REIMAGINED.
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FEATUR E
CAP UCLA’s new Nimoy Theater in Westwood
seven years and previously held positions in London, the Netherlands and at Lincoln Center. Programming is very much a collaborative process, van Leer notes, and his international experience provides a broader context in considering offerings. But, he says, “Part of the reason I’m drawn to Los Angeles is that so many institutions think about a global context even if they haven’t worked internationally. There is an international vision here.” The former singer and actor wants to explore crossovers between performing mediums and would like to establish programming partnerships with organizations across the city, not only those in the arts, but educational, leadership and community enterprises as well. Conversely, he’s look-
ing into how best to serve the Wallis’ local community, establishing the arts center as a neighborhood gathering place. And of course he wants to provide programming that will draw more people. “It’s really about that three-dimensional model, how we make that very special and complex in the best possible way,” van Leer says. “We want to provide as many access points and engagement points to the public as we possibly can.” EDGAR MIRAMONTES, new executive and artistic director of UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance (CAP UCLA) in Westwood, also has the city’s global perspective on his mind. Miramontes came to Los Angeles from Mexico as a child and later attended UCLA. He reported to work at his alma mater in
August; he’d left a 10-year tenure at REDCAT downtown, serving since 2019 as its deputy executive director and curator. Miramontes oversees programming at three venues, Royce Hall at UCLA, the Theatre at Ace Hotel downtown—which is soon re-branding to a new name—and the new UCLA Nimoy Theater in Westwood. The first two are partnerships; the Nimoy is under CAP UCLA’s control. “I’m interested in working with local, national and international artists,” says Miramontes, who has danced with a Middle Eastern dance troupe. “We’re all interconnected.” Miramontes would like to “gather, introduce and support visionary artists and practitioners [who] can reshape cultural production and practice and provide insight into an
experience other than our own.” Included would be both marginalized artists and those using technology in new ways. Having immigrated here himself, he says heading CAP UCLA “is an important and honorable position to hold, and I’m super thrilled of the potential to have my lived experience speak to the kinds of programs that will happen. I’m excited to think about it.” SUSAN MILLER KOTSES, the newest member of the new-arts-leaders club, begins her position as executive director of the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus in February. She served as the Pacific Symphony’s vice president of education and community engagement in Irvine since 2015. Kotses is also a longtime professional singer and voice teacher, and a can-
JASON WILLIAMS. OPPOSITE, JAMIE PHAM
/CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14
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torial soloist at a temple in Laguna Woods. “When I applied for the position,” Kotses says, “the job posting stated that the vision was of an organization that truly represented all of Los Angeles,” with a new partnership soon to be announced. “Building partnerships has been central to the work I do,” Kotses says. “Engagement with community partners has been central, too—engagement being a two-way process. We each bring something to the table. It’s a real exchange of ideas: Let’s build something together, a true co-creation.”
Los Angeles Children’s Chorus
To represent diverse L.A., Kotses plans to continue what has worked so well previously: establishing collaborations with organizations that have
various cultural traditions and/or leadership of color. “It’s my honor and my privilege to have that opportunity to learn and grow from these
partnerships,” she says. “Connecting with geographically, socioeconomically, ethnically and racially diverse communities is the way forward.”
THE FINAL SEASON
JASON WILLIAMS. OPPOSITE, JAMIE PHAM
TRANSATLANTIC: Vienna to LA January 14 – 4 pm
FIERCE BEAUTY Parts I & II February 25 – 4 & 7 pm
Steven Vanhauwaert, piano, Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, Movses Pogossian, violin, Scott Dunn, Mark Alan Hilt conducting the Jacaranda Chamber Orchestra – music by
Lyris Quartet and friends, pianists Gloria Cheng, Scott Dunn, Schoenberg, Pierre Boulez, Leo Ornstein, John Coltrane, Richard Mikhail Korzhev, reciter Luc Kleiner — music by Arnold Strauss, J.S. Bach, Leonard Rosenman, and Gustav Mahler Schoenberg, Franz Schubert, George Gershwin/Eldon Rathburn, Eric Zeisl , and Ernst Krenek
jacarandamusic.org
First Presbyterian Church – 1220 Second Street, Santa Monica CA 90401 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE 31
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PARTIN G TH O U G H T
reprogra mmed! Performances Magazine unveils a digital program platform for shows and concerts
DROP DOWN MENU Table of app contents.
SEARCH Find whatever it is you want to know—easily.
REGISTER Stay arts-engaged, access past programs.
SIGN IN Link to your performing-arts companies and venues.
THE ESSENTIALS Acts, scenes, synopses, repertory and notes.
THE PLAYERS Bios and background for cast, crew and creators.
CONTRIBUTORS Donors and sponsors who make it all possible—you!
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.
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
COURTESY L.A. PHIL
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.
WHAT’S ON What’s coming at a glance and ticket information.
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AT T H E PA N TAG E S
- The New York Times
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