It’s never too early to plan ahead for theatre tickets. Unlike New York, where shows often play for months, even years, Los Angeles audiences have a more limited access to fine productions. For example, Disney’s Tony Award winning musical “Newsies” returns to the Hollywood Pantages, but will be kicking up its heels from August 30 to Sept. 4 only. If you didn’t see it when it first played at the Pantages, check it out with the family. The Tony-award-winning choreography is truly amazing. This will be followed by “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” Nov.
It’s never too early to plan ahead for theatre tickets. Unlike New York, where shows often play for months, even years, Los Angeles audiences have a more limited access to fine productions. For example, Disney’s Tony Award winning musical “Newsies” returns to the Hollywood Pantages, but will be kicking up its heels from August 30 to Sept. 4 only. If you didn’t see it when it first played at the Pantages, check it out with the family. The Tony-award-winning choreography is truly amazing. This will be followed by “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” Nov. 1-27, “White Christmas” Nov. 29 to Dec. 4 and “The King and I” Dec. 13 to Jan. 21. For more information call 1-866-755-2929 or online at Hollywoodpantages.com. Also check out Flex Packages which allow you to choose five or more shows at very reasonable prices. Upcoming 2017 productions include “Rent,” “Finding Neverland,” “An American in Paris,” “The Bodyguard” and the truly hilarious “The Book of Mormon” which returns by popular demand.
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Arthur Miller’s “A View From the Bridge” is coming to the Ahmanson Theatre and will run from Sept. 7 to Oct.16. The play, about a Brooklyn longshoreman who is obsessed with his 17 year-old niece, won a Tony this year for Best Revival of a play. Director Ivo Van Hove also received a Tony for his work. When the show comes to the Ahmanson there will be some on-stage seating which will provide playgoers with the opportunity to see the actors up close and personal. “On stage” tickets are currently available for purchase at $25. For tickets and information call 213-628-2772 or online at CenterTheatreGroup.org.
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This Friday, Aug. 12, two family friendly films will hit the big screen. “Florence Foster Jenkins,” based on a true story, stars Meryl Streep in the title role. The lady in question loved music and fancied herself a divine opera singer, even though truth be told, she was tone deaf. Find out how this wealthy gal finds fans and makes it to the stage of Carnegie Hall.
Streep, a fine singer (what can’t she do) said it wasn’t easy singing so badly. The comedy also stars Hugh Grant.
If you’ve been watching TV, you’ve seen commercials for Disney’s “Pete’s Dragon.” In this version of the story, a young boy has been able to survive in the woods for years. But how was this possible? According to the child he had a friend–a dragon. Along with a very interesting big green, flying dragon the film also stars Robert Redford. It opens city wide on Friday. At the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood there will be a display of art from other Disney dragon films.
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On Aug. 23 the complete eighth and final season of TV’s “Castle” will be available on DVD. Nathan Fillion stars as mystery author Richard Castle, with Stana Katic as Kate Beckett his partner in crime-solving and in life. Their final season begins with a bang as a call from a mysterious stranger puts Beckett on the run and sets off an explosive chain of events. The final DVD package is also filled with bonus features that include bloopers, deleted scenes and “The Great Escape” where the cast of the show is put to the test in an escape room to see if they have honed their detective skills after all these years on “Castle.” Can they work together to identify suspects, solve the mystery and escape the room? And there is more to savor in the bonus department. Running time is approximately 946 minutes (22 episodes).
“Scandal: The Complete Fifth Season” also arrives on DVD on Aug. 23. This time out the Oval Office is up for grabs and none of the players is playing nice, and that includes Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington). In this DVD package there are all 22 episodes, spiced up with exclusive, never-before-seen bonus features and outtakes.
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Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, a.k.a. the comedy duo Key & Peele, star in the action comedy cat caper “Keanu.” In the film the two play Clarence and Rell, cousins who live in the city, but they are definitely not streetwise. However, when their beloved kitten Keanu is catnapped they are forced to impersonate ruthless killers in order to get their cat back. The Blu-ray and DVD contain special features that include: deleted scenes, gag reel and a featurette “Keanu: My First Movie.” The film is rated R for violence, language throughout, drug use and sexuality/nudity so don’t take your kittens to see it.
