Pippin Captivates! (LAArtsOnline.com)

Borris York, Sasha Allen, and Mathew deGuzman star in
Pippin’ at the Pantages Theatre (Photo: Terry Shapiro)

Swan Lake! (LAArtsOnline.com)

Swan Lake at The Music Center

Swan Lake!

By Ken Werther

I think it’s safe to say that Swan Lake is one of the most beloved ballets of all time. It is certainly my favorite, and I am counting the hours until The Australian Ballet arrives at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion with its new production! Tchaikovsky’s immortal score will be performed by a live orchestra as Australia’s national ballet company presents Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake, a new version that I’m told captures the passion, romance, and magic of the classic ballet in a way that’s both refreshingly original and reverently classical.

Founded in 1962, The Australian Ballet is recognized as one of the world’s major international ballet companies. In 1966, Rudolf Nureyev, Margot Fonteyn and The Australian Ballet danced Swan Lake on the stage of the brand new Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Now, this legendary dance company returns to present its critically acclaimed re-imagining of this pillar of the classical repertoire…in celebration of The Music Center’s 50th anniversary!

Composed by Tchaikovsky in 1876, Swan Lake was first performed by the Bolshoi Ballet in 1877. There are currently more than 20 versions available on video (ranging from 1966 to 2009) and countless recordings of the score from which to choose. I am the proud owner of at least five of those! This great opportunity to experience this rare and wonderful dance event in Los Angeles is brought to us by Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center. All hail Ms. Kaufman!

Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake plays at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, located at 135 N. Grand Ave, October 9-12.

PRESS RELEASE — “MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH” SET FOR INDUSTRY READING ON MONDAY 10/27 IN NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA

WARP GRAPHICS PRESENTS

MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH
A MUSICAL THRILLER

BOOK AND LYRICS BY WENDY PINI
MUSIC AND ADDITIONAL LYRICS BY GREGORY NABOURS
DIRECTED BY CALVIN REMSBERG

EXCLUSIVE WORLD PREMIERE INDUSTRY READING
SET FOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 27
IN NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA

Warp Graphics has announced a world premiere industry reading of Masque of the Red Death, a musical thriller with book and lyrics by Wendy Pini, music and additional lyrics by Gregory Nabours, and directed by Calvin Remsberg, on Monday, October 27 at 7:30pm at the NoHo Arts Center in North Hollywood, CA.

Epic in sweep and scope, Wendy Pini and Greg Nabours’ musical thriller Masque of the Red Death is based on Pini’s graphic novel of the same name (based on The Mask of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe) which employs a Japanese anime style of art, and this new musical expands on this adaptation. Set in a decadent, perfect future, Anton Prosper uses his vast fortune and scientific genius to seek the ultimate power of life over death. But when the stunning prodigy Steffan Kabala enters Prosper’s life, he unlocks a tempestuous passion that may send the entire planet hurtling into a bloody maelstrom of destruction.

Writer/Artist Wendy Pini has worked for nearly all of the major comics publishers such as Marvel, First Comics, Comico, DC Comics, and Dark Horse Comics. In 1977, she created the best-selling high fantasy comic series Elfquest, the first Japanese anime-influenced graphic novel series to be published in America. Pini’s adults-only graphic novel based on Edgar Allan Poe’s horror story The Mask of the Red Death (1842) serves as the foundation for this new musical thriller.

Gregory Nabours is a composer/lyricist and music director. Musical Direction credits include The Color Purple (2012 Ovation, LADCC, LA Weekly, and NAACP Awards), Thoroughly Modern Millie, Falsettos, Rent, The Wild Party, A New Brain, Spring Awakening, Into the Woods, Assassins, and The Full Monty. Nabours’ song cycle, The Trouble With Words, was awarded the 2011 Ovation Award for Best Music and Lyrics for an Original Musical, as well as Best Musical in the Hollywood Fringe Festival. This November, an evening of his work will be performed and broadcast at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Nabours is a founding member and resident composer of Coeurage Theatre Company.

Calvin Remsberg is known both as an accomplished actor and noted theatre director. His directing credits include the revival of Bare, the LA premiere of Glory Days, Into the Woods starring Anthony Geary, Hello, Dolly! for 3-D Theatricals, Sweeney Todd for Musical Theatre West, the 20th Anniversary production of Sweeney Todd for Reprise!, the West Coast Ensemble production of Sunday in the Park with George, and Interact Theatre Company’s Urinetown. For Musical Theatre Guild, Remsberg has directed Shenandoah, Parade, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Street Scene, Aspects of Love, Titanic, The Most Happy Fella, and Death Takes a Holiday.

The cast will feature (in alphabetical order) Heather Ayers, Benai Boyd, Rich Brunner, Emma Degerstedt, Tawny Dolley, Ben Gibson, Steven Good, Steve B. Green, Paulette Ivory, Ashley Jones, Jeffrey Landman, Tyler Ledon, Jamison Lingle, Jacob Lusk, Marco Ramos, Aaron Scheff, Rebecca Spencer, Zach Spound, and Zach Villa.

The reading will take place on Monday, October 27 at 7:30pm. For more information, contact kenwertherpr@gmail.com. The NoHo Arts Center is located at 11136 Magnolia Boulevard in North Hollywood, CA, 91601.

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10-03-14