Los Angeles theatre possibilities are heating up. Upcoming, check out the 2016-17 Valley Performing Arts Center Season (VPAC for short). Then look into “Cabaret” which will arrive at the Hollywood Pantages for a three week run — July 19 to Aug. 17. And last, but by no means least, there’s the comedy/drama “Big Sky” at the Geffen Playhouse through Sunday, July 1.
Los Angeles theatre possibilities are heating up. Upcoming, check out the 2016-17 Valley Performing Arts Center Season (VPAC for short). Then look into “Cabaret” which will arrive at the Hollywood Pantages for a three week run — July 19 to Aug. 17. And last, but by no means least, there’s the comedy/drama “Big Sky” at the Geffen Playhouse through Sunday, July 1.
Attention theatregoers, families and music and dance lovers —the Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC) has just announced their upcoming 2016-17 season. Their new season will include eight original events only seen at VPAC and much, much, more
According to VPAC’s Executive Director, Thor Steingraber, “Within the first week of our new season VPAC will feature three artists that are among my personal favorites —Tyne Daly, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Wynton Marsalis.” He continues, “This breadth of programing continues throughout the season which will include a new Big Band series, a Latin Music Series featuring the women who are redefining the genre, three concerts in honor of John Adam’s 70th birthday and eight original performances produced by VPAC.”
Highlights include Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Philharmonia Orchestra, London (Oct.5), the St. Petersburg Philharmonic performing Shostakovich’s Symphony No, 5 (March 16) and Tyne Daly starring in Jerry Herman’s “Dear World” which will open the season on Sept. 30.
Broadway comes to VPAC with “Westside Story” (March 10-12, 2017) and “Man of La Mancha” (May 5-7, 2017). Silent movie buffs can enjoy seeing Charlie Chaplin’s “Modern Times” on Nov, 18, 2016 and Buster Keaton’s “The General,” March 25, 2017, both with live music performed by the New West Symphony.
Another plus is a special Election Year offering on Nov. 1 entitled “Vote or Die Laughing: A Post Modern Political Vaudeville” by Culture Clash.
This is just a sample of the upcoming VPAC season. Tickets are now on sale at ValleyPerformingArtsCenter.org or by calling 818-677-3000.
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The Tony Award winning Broadway hit “Cabaret” is coming to the Hollywood Pantages Theatre for one month only — July 19 to Aug. 17. The John Kander and Fred Ebb musical is set in Berlin’s Kit Kat Club where singer Sally Bowles and the racy emcee entertain customers with rowdy comedy and music. For a while, cabaret customers can leave their troubles behind, but as life in pre-WWII Germany grows darker and more and more uncertain, the question is, can the allure of decadent Berlin nightlife get them through the dangerous times that lie ahead? Cabaret” is filled with marvelous music, featuring such memorable songs as “Cabaret” and “Wilkommen.” — so make plans to “come to the cabaret old chum.”
Tickets are on sale online at www.HollywoodPantages.com and www.Ticketmaster.com or by phone at 866-755-3075.
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The comedy/drama “Big Sky,” at the Geffen Playhouse through Sunday July 17, focuses on a truly dysfunctional family. So if you thought your family was a mess, check out this threesome who are vacationing at a swanky Ritz Carlton condominium in Aspen Colorado. Jack (Jon Tenny) is there as a guest of the Pederson Fund, a potential employer. He has brought along his wife Jen (Jennifer Westfeldt) and their teen-aged daughter, Tessa (Emily Robinson). Add to the mix, Jen’s gay buddy Jonathan (Arnie Burton) who winds up being the unwitting confidant to all three.
Things start off well enough in Act I as Jack samples the really, really expensive wine and chocolates provided by the company. However, that’s all there is to eat. In turns out Jen has been too busy to shop for food since she is constantly on her cell phone. But who is she talking to anyway?
As the snow begins to fall outside their big picture window, the big chill starts to set in. It seems everyone, except poor Jonathan, is keeping a deep, dark secret which they each share with him, one by one. Jen is having an affair, Jack is desperate to land this job or he will be bankrupt and their daughter is planning to drop out of college and run away with the Native American porter in the family’s New York building. His name is Catoni, which means “Big Sky.”
Things heat up in Act II, even though the condominium is now freezing cold due to the raging snowstorm outside. The dark secrets surface, tempers flair and it is clear that this family is in deep trouble–trouble that could have perhaps been averted if they had been honest with one another long, long before this ill-fated dream vacation.
At the Geffen Playhouse,10886 Le Conte Ave., L.A. through Sunday, July 17. For tickets and information call: (310) 208-5454 or online at www.geffenplayhouse.com.
