An Act of God (LAArtsOnline.com)

^{An Act of God starring Sean Hayes is now playing through March 13th at the Ahmanson Theatre}

By Ken Werther

In the early spring of 2015, An Act of God made his first of 76 appearances at Studio 54 on Broadway. He proceeded to hold forth through the early summer on matters of faith and folly to peals of raucous laughter. Audiences were more than a little surprised to discover that in a history-making metaphysical transformation, God looked an awful lot like four-time Emmy Award-winner Jim Parsons.

The magic and mirth will continue when God arrives onstage at the Ahmanson Theatre this month looking an awful lot like Will & Grace star and Emmy Award-winner Sean Hayes. I expect that a great many of us will be making our way downtown to sample God’s sense of humor on a myriad of issues, and to hear his version of familiar biblical stories. Rumor has it that he will also be delivering a new and improved set of Commandments, and who wants to miss that?

An Act of God is directed by two-time Tony Award-winner Joe Mantello (The Normal Heart, Assassins). I’m fortunate to have met Joe all the way back in 1992 when he was in the original cast of Angels In America at the Mark Taper Forum, and this guy is the real deal. So let’s see … Sean Hayes, Joe Mantello, God … I’m there!

An Act of God is now on stage at the Ahmanson Theatre, click here for tickets and more information.

Reviews: Ham

http://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/BWW-Review-Off-Broadways-Hit-HAM-Brings-Mega-Talented-SAM-HARRIS-to-LGBT-Hollywood-for-Three-Weeks-20160125

http://www.ryanmluevano.com/2016/01/25/review-sam-harris-ham/

http://www.haineshisway.com/2016/01/ham-a-musical-memoir-reviewed-by-rob-stevens/

Shari Barrett

https://www.facebook.com/shari.barrett/media_set?set=a.10207218870743329.1073742294.1630394732&type=3&pnref=story

“This Star Search-winning recording artist is at the top of his game in HAM: A Musical Memoir. As a singer, actor and storyteller, Sam Harris is as good as it gets as he melodically takes us through the ups and downs of his life. Music Director and pianist Todd Schroeder is outstanding as well. It’s a fascinating story and is one of our FEATURED events. Tony Award winner Billy Porter is Co-Director of this show. GO!” – Performing Arts LIVE

http://www.artsinla.com/Theater_Reviews.html

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-ham-musical-memoir-review-los-angeles-lgbt-center-renberg-20160126-story.html

http://www.culvercitynews.org/entertainment/stage-page-ham-a-musical-memoir-is-a-tribute-to-creating-your-dreams/

http://stageraw.com/2016/01/28/ham-a-musical-memoir/

http://showmag.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=444:ham-a-musical-memoir&catid=1:theater&Itemid=3

NEWS RELEASE — WORLD PREMIERE OF “SALOME” BY CHRISTOPHER ADAMS-COHEN OPENS FEBRUARY 5 AT MACK SENNETT STUDIOS

CLICK HERE FOR REVIEWS

Lunar River
in association with Mack Sennett Studios
presents
the World Premiere of
SALOME
A Play by Christopher Adams-Cohen
Directed by Patrick Kennelly

JANUARY 31 — FEBRUARY 28 NOW THRU MARCH 6
THE BASEMENT AT MACK SENNETT STUDIOS

OPENS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5 AT 8PM
NO PERFORMANCES FRIDAY 2/12, SATURDAYS 2/13 & 2/27, SUNDAY 2/28

Lunar River in association with Mack Sennett Studios has announced the world premiere of Salome, a radically queer reinvention of the ancient tale, written by Christopher Adams-Cohen and directed by Patrick Kennelly. Salome will run for four weeks only with two preview performances on January 31 and February 4 at 8pm. Opening is set for Friday, February 5 at 8pm. Salome will run through February 28 March 6 at The Basement at Mack Sennett Studios.

The cast will feature (in alphabetical order) Christopher Adams-Cohen, Matthew Raich, Rachel Rivera, Soren Royer-McHugh, and Jacqueline Wright. The scenic design is by John Iacovelli, lighting design is by Pablo Santiago-Brandwein, costume design is by Lauren Oppelt, and music and sound design is by Jonathan Snipes. The stage manager is Kelly Egan.

In this radically queer reinvention of the ancient tale of Salome, the playwright takes spiritual inspiration from the transgressive sexuality of Oscar Wilde’s poetic study of the ultimate femme fatale, igniting a militantly erotic epiphany for the 21st Century.

Playwright Christopher Adams-Cohen is also an actor and director. He first appeared on stage as a disembodied angel head in Achim Freyer’s Faust. A Los Angeles native, he played roles as a child vocalist at the LA Opera, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and Hollywood Bowl. He apprenticed at New York Stage & Film’s Powerhouse Theatre, and returned there in the summer of 2015 to act in their workshop series. Adams-Cohen is currently producing new work at Montserrat, a performance space in the DTLA Industrial District (www.montserratdtla.com), serves as literary manager for TinyRhino LA, and is a frequent writer and performer with Play Collaborative Arts (www.playcollaborativearts.com). He is a graduate of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. More at www.cadamscohen.com.

Director Patrick Kennelly writes, produces, directs, designs, and curates for film and video, theatre, and for the performance and visual arts. His recent projects include the experimental short-form documentary ten minutes in two hours, shot in South Sudan, a music video for the single “Body & Blood” on noise-rap group Clipping’s debut album, and the feature film Excess Flesh which had its world premiere at SXSW in the spring of 2015. Kennelly is the Co-Artistic Director at Highways Performance Space.
There will be two preview performances of Salome on Sunday, January 31 at 7pm and Thursday, February 4 at 8pm. Opening is set for Friday, February 5 at 8pm. The engagement will run through February 28 with performances on Thursday and Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 9pm, and Sunday at 7pm. Admission for previews is $28 (students $20) and for regular performances $32 (students $25). Tickets are available online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2488224 or by calling (800) 838-3006.

The Basement at Mack Sennett Studios is located at 1215 Bates Avenue, LA, 90029 (on the corner of Fountain, one block east of Sunset).

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01-21-16

^{L to R — Christopher Adams-Cohen, Jacqueline Wright, Matthew Raich.
PHOTO BY GAIL HOWLAND.}