PlayGround-LA Company in the News February-2020

See what PlayGround-LA Writers, Alumni, and Company Members are up to as we prepare to for the February 10th Monday Night PlayGround.

Jonathan Josephson is thrilled to be working on the libretto for a new concert version of  RANDY NEWMAN’S FAUST a modern retelling of the classic Devil vs. Lord story. After debuting 25 years ago as a concept album featuring James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Don Henley, and Elton John, Faust comes back to life with the full score performed by a cast of musical theater talent, backed by a gospel choir and a big band. The concert will be performed at the 1700-seat Soraya, the Valley Performing Arts Center, on May 9 – get tickets here: https://www.thesoraya.org/calendar/details/faust-the-concert

Diana Burbano’s play GHOSTS OF BOGOTA  gets its world premiere at AlterTheater in San Rafael on 2/1

Allie Costa booked a recurring role on a new comedy series. Stay tuned for more details! http://www.alliecosta.comhttp://www.imdb.me/alliecosta

Frieda de Lackner semi-directing a staged reading of a screenplay on Friday, February 7 that features one of our Playground LA actors, Christina Wren.  

Daysha Veronica Edewi just published my first e-book called Eat Your Way To Self-Confidence on Amazon.

Victoria Goring is currently working on her 3rd summer tour of The Duelling Dames. 

Jully Lee is directing WHERE I’M FROM by Howard Ho in the Short Play Festival at Company of Angels (running March 23 – April 6), and will be performing in TEA by Velina Hasu Houston at Hero Theatre (running April 10 – May 10).

COWGIRLS by Mildred Inez Lewis first seen at Playground-LA, then produced by Ensemble Studio Theatre-Los Angeles and Everyday Inferno (NYC) will be published in the spring edition of Feels Blind literary magazine. Mildred was interviewed about Pio Pico and her play about him, THE SECRET LIFE OF LA FREEWAYS, for a KCRW (NPR) segment that will air in February. 

Monologues from Rhea MacCallum‘s plays, THREE MILES OF BAD ROAD and  THE EX-GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE, have been published in the 2019 editions of Applause Theatre and Cinema Books Best Women’s and Best Men’s Monologue anthologies.  

Tiana Randall-Quant is in the process of devising a show with the Wallis Studio Ensemble. The piece is a surrealist movement-based exploration of space between our conscious and sub-conscious, and how societal pressures fracture our true selves. It will be opening on February 20th at the Hudson Theatre, and they will later be taking the show to the Brighton Theatre Festival in the UK 

Emily Brauer Rogers’ play THE PAPER HANGERS, an adaptation of “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, will be performed at Stages Theatre in Orange County beginning March 7. For tickets or more information, click here. 
 
Tahmus  Rounds will guest star in episode 106 of 911: Lonestar on Fox. 
 
Mark Sherstinsky will have his holiday horror radio play NO TREE produced by the nationally-syndicated radio program Shoestring Radio Theatre in March; the play will also broadcast live on KXSF radio (102.5FM) in San Francisco.   Mark’s immigration apocalypse play THE SOUND OF INVASION will be part of the Towne Street Theatre 10-Minute Play Festival from April 4-26.
 
Christina Wren premiered the finale of her comedy series, HICKSTERS,  at the Row House Cinema in Pittsburgh last month. The full series is now online and can be found at www.HickstersComedy.com
 
Desiree’ York is directing IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOWS  by Katherine Cortez at California State University Fullerton opening March 6, 2020 at Grand Central Theatre.