What’s Behind Door Number 2?

Denise and Matt believe they are the legal owners of the contents of an abandoned storage unit. Then along comes a big dude who begs to differ with their appraisal of their circumstances. Sometimes you just can’t make a deal.

Kim Hlavac directs herself, Jeff LeBeau, and Keith Barber.

Kim is also the playwright. A frequent contributor to Open-Door Playhouse as an actor, director, and writer, she graduated from the famed High School of Performing Arts and then attained her BFA from SUNY/Purchase.

Listen Here:
https://www.opendoorplayhouse.org/opendoortheaterplays/whatsbehinddoornumber2
Run Time: 10:40

Founded by playwright and filmmaker Bernadette Armstrong, Open-Door Playhouse is a Theater Podcast- like the radio dramas of the 1940s and 1950s. The Playhouse launched on September 15, 2020. At the time, Open-Door Playhouse provided Playwrights, Actors, and Directors a creative outlet during the shutdown. Since its inception, Open-Door Playhouse has presented Short and One-Act plays from Playwrights across the country and internationally. In 2021 Open-Door Playhouse received a Communicator Award for Content for the play Custody. In 2023, the play What’s Prison Like was nominated for a Webby Award in the Crime & Justice Category.

Sound Production: Oak House Recording Studio in Altadena, CA with Sound Engineer David Peters. The team behind the mic, Producer and Founder of Open-Door Playhouse Bernadette Armstrong, Assoc. Producer Laree Griffith, who manages our website and newsletter.

‘Heading Into Night: A clown play about… [forgetting]’
gets West Coast premiere at Odyssey Theatre 

Cirque du Soleil clown Daniel Passer and award-winning director Beth F. Milles bring a clown ode to loss and remembrance to the Odyssey Theatre stage, exploring the unexpected humor and discoveries to be found in the loss of memory, and deeply honoring the experience of people whose memories are fading. The West Coast premiere of Heading Into Night: A clown play about… [forgetting] will run October 5 through November 17 at the Odyssey’s venue in West L.A., with two preview performances on Thursday, Oct. 3 and Friday, Oct. 4.

Longtime collaborators, Milles and Passer devised and developed this interactive piece as an investigation into the work being done at kinder, gentler care dementia villages based on Hogeweyk, an eldercare facility in the Netherlands where people facing cognitive loss are nurtured in a community. Preparing for the work, the two delved into cognitive science research about repetition, connecting the mental looping characteristic of cognitive loss with clowning and commedia dell’arte theater.

“Clowning is often built on repetition, so this seemed a very organic connection,” says Milles. “There is nothing less certain than not knowing. And there is a mystical, tenuous fragility in the state of losing one’s place, as well as an audacious power in just ‘being.’ This work is focused on the joy of rediscovery. Daniel and I want to be adventurers, to explore ways to give to our community each time we create a work.”

Heading Into Night premiered at The Cherry Arts in Ithaca, New York, where Milles is a member of the acting and directing faculty at Cornell University. As a director and theater creator, she specializes in new and devised work investigating the comic impulse. Milles has directed on Broadway and at theaters around the country, including award-winning productions with the celebrated Actors Gang in Los Angeles. Last season, she directed Iva Brdar’s And if I don’t behave then what at Open Fist Theatre Company.

“Looking through the lens of a clown, and bringing a sense of joy and childlike innocence to the theme of memory, has been a rich landscape to explore,” says Passer, who has been a clown and comedy conceptor for Cirque du Soleil and Dragone Entertainment for over a decade; has taught commedia, clown and improvisation at Moscow Art Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Brown University, Harvard, Cornell; and is currently on faculty and associate director of performance at CalArts. “I love collaborating with Beth and dreaming up the impossible and striving to bring it to life.”

Joining Passer on stage at the Odyssey are actor Peter Mark and musician Redfield Clipper Mills.

The creative team includes costume designer Márion Talán de la Rosa; lighting designer Russell Champa; projection designer Gabrieal Griego; technical consultant Pierre Clavel; and graphics designer Luba Lukova. The stage manager is Bella Peters. Beth Hogan produces for Odyssey Theatre Ensemble.

Performances of Heading Into Night take place on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. from October 5 through November 17. There will be two additional weeknight performances, on Wednesday, Oct. 16 and Wednesday, Nov. 6, each at 8 p.m.: Two previews take place on Thursday, Oct. 4 and Friday, Oct. 5, both at 8 p.m. Post-performance discussions are scheduled on Wednesday, Oct. 16 and Friday, Nov. 1. The third Friday of every month is “Wine Night”: enjoy complimentary wine and snacks and mingle with the cast after the show.

Tickets to performances range from $20 to $40 on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Performances on Fridays are Pay-What-You-Can (reservations open online and at the door starting at 5:30 p.m.). The Odyssey Theatre is located at 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., West Los Angeles, 90025

For more information and to purchase tickets, call (310) 477-2055 or go to OdysseyTheatre.com.

World premiere, family–friendly ‘The Girl Who Made
the Milky Way’ is based on Khoisan myth

Imagine Theatre in partnership with The Colony Theatre presents a world premiere, family-friendly theatrical experience inspired by a Khoisan myth. An original commission by Imagine Theatre, The Girl Who Made the Milky Way is written by acclaimed playwright June Carryl and directed by Imagine artistic director Armina LaManna. Five public performances will empower girls and transfix boys ages five and up from November 9 through November 17 at Burbank’s Colony Theatre. Nine additional weekday matinees are available for school field trips November 12 through November 22.

The Khoisan, an ancient ethnic group with a long and intriguing history, are believed to be the oldest human inhabitants of southern Africa. In the play, a young girl, Little Sister (Stakiah Lynn Washington), evolves from struggling with her place and duties among her people to embracing her uniqueness, voice, courage, and identity. Supported by a cast of archetypal characters in the form of animals, trees, mountains and spirits (Jamela Asha, Edward Hong, Max Lawrence, Carter Michael and Makha Mthembu), Little Sister braves the dangers of the African savanna and confronts the unfair expectations the world has of her because she is a girl. Not only does she help find her father by creating the stars of the night skies, but she also discovers her true self.

“When I heard of this South African folktale about a young girl inventing the stars, it resonated with me,” says LaManna. “It fits right in with Imagine’s mission to immerse young people in theater that is cross-cultural and celebratory of gender equity, diversity, and inclusivity. All Imagine Theatre productions are newly commissioned works and spotlight a female protagonist.”

Imagine Theatre has previously presented critically acclaimed productions of Warrior Queen Anahit the Brave, based on an Armenian fairytale, and The Tale of Turandot, a modern version of a fable, perhaps best known as Giacomo Puccini’s final opera, set in China. Both took place at The Colony Theatre and were directed by LaManna. The Girl Who Made the Milky Way marks the first time the two companies have joined together as co-producers.

The multiple award-winning creative team for The Girl who Made the Milky Way includes scenic designer Tom Buderwitz; costume designer Dianne K. Graebner; projections designer Gabrieal Griego; lighting designer Gavan Wyrick and sound designer Rebecca Kessin. The production stage manager is Elna Kordijan. Griego and LaManna produce for Imagine Theatre.

A professional Actors’ Equity company dedicated solely to producing original and relevant theater for young audiences in grades K through 5, Imagine Theatre strives to build an empathetic and inclusive society across cultures by immersing young people in theater that celebrates gender equity, diversity and civic engagement. The Colony Theatre strives to stimulate, inspire, illuminate and celebrate our common humanity through the shared experience of live, professional theater.

The Girl Who Made the Milky Way will receive five public performances on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 10 at 4 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, November 17 at 4 p.m. In addition, there will be nine student matinees available for school field trips on weekdays November 12 through November 22; interested educators should email [email protected] for more information.

Tickets to the public performances are $30 for adults and $20 for kids ages 5 to 12 (children under 5 not admitted) except opening night (Nov. 9), for which tickets are $50 and $30 and include a post-performance reception. Group and other discounts are also available.

The Colony Theatre is located in Burbank Town Center at 555 N 3rd St. Burbank, CA 91502. Parking is free in the attached Burbank Town Center parking structure. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (818) 649-9474 or go to imaginetheatreca.org

Penelope: A Lesson in Drowning

By Baylee Shlichtman

Penelope: A Lesson In Drowning is a prequel to The Odyssey, centering Penelope.

As an autistic Spartan princess, Penelope has her life figured out: she weaves tapestries on her loom, which helps quiet the raging waters inside her. She has a system in which she prevents any of her many suitors from winning her hand in marriage. Life is not exactly good, but it’s tolerable. But, after Penelope’s cousin and best friend, Helen, sends a new suitor her way, things get complicated. Odysseus seems different from the other suitors somehow. Different enough that she starts to question how much she really likes her life of safe routines: her daily routine, but also the routine cruelty of her controlling father, the Lord Icarius. Penelope must decide whether the chance of happiness is worth the risk of losing everything she knows. Will she overcome her fear of a love-like drowning and a drowning-like love? Or will she forever be stuck on dry land, safe, but alone?

Directed by Jahnavi Aithal

November 15-17 (Fri-Sat 8pm, Sat-Sun 2pm)

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/secondarylocation/1351241

Instagram: @secondarylocation_

Odyssey’s ‘Thresholds of Invention’ offers sneak
peeks of 2 works-in-progress by Sandra Tsing Loh

Odyssey Theatre Ensemble’s Thresholds of Invention series presents two new works-in-progress by iconoclastic writer/performer Sandra Tsing Loh.

A true story, I’ll Burn That Bridge When I Come to It (An Hilarious Self-Immolation by Sandra Tsing Loh) recounts how Loh’s new play was dropped from Center Theater Group’s 2023 all-female season, only to rip through Los Angeles, New York and London in 16 explosive months. In this TED(x!) talk crossed with a “You’ll Never Eat Lunch in This Town Again” for theater, shots are taken at “Tony Award-nominated” (sure!) producers, Actors’ Equity (because it deserves it) and, of course, diversity/equity/inclusion (cue Twitter cancellation) by a pudgy 62-year-old CIS-crone who doesn’t give a f*k any more! Absolutely not supported by the Ford Foundation or Doris Duke Charitable Fund. Directed by David Schweizer.

A ‘Post-Apocalyptic’ Home Companion!, est. during Omicron Spike 2022, is a “dena” (Pasadena/Altadena/Santa Mon-adena) spin on Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion.” Hosted by Loh, with Roger Neill conducting TACO (Terrible Adult Chamber Orchestra) and a slew of fun surprise guests, the live radio show format features comedy and classic American songs with a twist. In this special “Post-Apocalyptic” (post-election) edition, we will come together to either celebrate the end of a dark era, or to honor our already-proven human resilience and the fact that Costco box wine will always remain super-affordable (at least in Southern California). Come prepared to laugh, cry, and sing (or even play) along — your instruments welcome!

“My play-in-progress, Madwomen of the West, in which four educated, culturally sidelined women over 50 try to make sense of a post-Hillary Clinton world, was briefly developed by CTG as part of their 2022-2023 all-female season, then dropped,” explains Loh. “I’ll Burn That Bridge is the gossipy, rip-snorting, no-prisoners-taken tale of taking that play, starring Caroline Aaron, Brooke Adams, Marilu Henner and Melanie Mayron, from Los Angeles to New York to London for a dizzying, theater rule-breaking 16 months — proving what can happen when ‘women of a certain age,’ whom the world wants to stay invisible and silent, say ‘F*ck that!’”

The Odyssey Theatre’s ongoing Thresholds of Invention series of first looks at pieces in process by prominent L.A. visionaries is curated by Tony Abatemarco and produced by Abatemarco and Beth Hogan.

Loh’s off-Broadway solo shows include Aliens in America and Bad Sex With Bud Kemp. Repertory theater: Sugar Plum Fairy (Geffen Playhouse, South Coast Rep, Seattle Rep, East West Players); I Worry (Woolly Mammoth/Kennedy Center, Actors Theatre/Louisville); The Madwoman in the Volvo (South Coast Rep, Pasadena Playhouse, Berkeley Rep). Her comic memoirs include The New York Times New and Noteworthy “Madwoman and the Roomba”; The New York Times 100 Notable Books “Madwoman in the Volvo”; “Mother on Fire”; “A Year in Van Nuys”; and “Depth Takes a Holiday.” The Los Angeles Times named her 1998 novel “If You Lived Here, You’d Be Home By Now” a 100 Best Fiction Book. An Atlantic contributing editor, Loh has been heard on NPR’s Morning Edition, PRI’s Marketplace and This American Life. A Caltech physics grad, Loh currently hosts the LAist/NPR daily radio science minute The Loh Down on Science.

Two performances of I’ll Burn That Bridge When I Come to It take place on Saturday, Nov. 16 and Saturday, Nov. 23, both at 8 p.m. One performance of A ‘Post-Apocalyptic’ Home Companion! takes place on Sunday, Nov. 17 at 3 p.m.

The Odyssey Theatre is located at 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025. Parking is free in the in-site lot. Tickets to the Thresholds of Invention series are $25 (plus a $3 credit card fee if applicable). For more information, call (310) 477-2055 ext. 2 or go to www.OdysseyTheatre.com.

Evil Eye by Madhuri Shekar

Artists at Play closes our 2024 season with Evil Eye by Madhuri Shekar, directed by Katherine Chou. Join us for an AAP Salon reading on Sunday, November 17, at 4 pm at the Los Angeles Theatre Center.

Evil Eye is a can’t-miss tale about cultural miscommunications, family secrets, and the lingering echoes of trauma. Told through a series of phone calls and voicemails, this Audible Original penned by award-winning playwright Madhuri Shekar transitions seamlessly from a light-hearted family dramedy to an unexpectedly supernatural thriller.

Artists at Play presents this reading after producing the Los Angeles premiere of Madhuri Shekar’s In Love and Warcraft in 2015. This fundraiser will support Artists at Play’s 2025 Season.

Tickets are pay what you want ($20-50). 

Unique docu-play ‘Mother Sisters’ gets
4 performances at MorYork in Highland Park

WHAT:
The Echo Theater Company presents Mother Sisters, a one-woman docu-play starring Makaela Vogel as each of her eight aunts, chronicling their unique experiences leaving home for the first time. Through verbatim monologues drawn from interviews with each of her father’s sisters, Vogel captures defining coming-of-age moments that shaped their lives and identities, offering a poignant reflection on the transformative power of sisterhood and the challenges women faced navigating the world in the ’60s and ’70s. Intimate and evocative, Mother Sisters celebrates female voices, family legacy, and the enduring connections that define who we are.

Makaela Vogel is a Los Angeles based writer and actress who was created in the Land of  Enchantment, New Mexico. This is the third rendition of her play, driven with the intention to honor the women on the paternal side of her family and the generations of women who came before her that made her first breath possible. She is a proud member of Echo Theater Company

WHO:
• Written, Directed and Performed by Makaela Vogel
• Assistant Drector Natalya Nielsen
• Presented by The Echo Theater Company, Chris Fields artistic director

WHEN:
Nov. 21 – Nov. 24
• Thursday, Nov. 21 at 8 p.m.
• Friday, Nov. 22 at 8 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 23 at 8 p.m.
• Sunday, Nov. 24 at 8 p.m.

WHERE:
MorYork
4959 York Blvd.
Highland Park, CA 90042

TICKET PRICE:
$25

HOW:
Call 310-307-3753 or go to  www.EchoTheaterCompany.com