Company in the News August 2023

See what PlayGround-LA Writers, Alumni, and Company Members are up to this August!

M.J. Kang acted in a short film, Ellen Needs Insurance – which was recently part of the L.A. Shorts International Film Festival. This film was made because the lead actor needed insurance. She cast all actors who needed SAG insurance too. With the on-going strike, here is an entertaining way to see what some creatives did to get SAG insurance. Click here to see the film for free.

Tansu Philip will be performing in her first UCB comedy show on August 14th at 10 PM. She’s excited to make her UCB debut with an all South Asian team! For more info, click here.

Misao McGregor‘s 10-minute play, hellokitty55, which was recipient of PlayGround’s 2020 “Best of PlayGround,” will be published in the 2023 edition of the Bread Loaf Journal. They also received a developmental reading from Bread Loaf’s Acting Ensemble for their full-length play ADULTING which was developed and workshopped in 2021 during their participation in PlayGround’s Resident Playwrights Program.

Jully Lee is in the world premier of HELLO KITTY MUST DIE the musical, now playing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival through August 29. For more information, click here.

Jonathan Josephson is looking forward to a staged reading of his 1903 true crime baseball play “Norine and the King of Swatsville” – one night only at Chance Theatre in Anaheim Hills ( September 20, chancetheater.com). After a few slow years, several of Jonathan’s published plays are again being produced around the country and internationally including his adaptations “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” (Thunder Theatre Company; Phoenix, AZ), “The Legend(s) of Sleepy Hollow” (The Arts Place of Stokes; Danbury, NC), and quite possibly the best marshmallow comedy of all time, “Chubby Bunny” (Stage Door Performing Arts Academy; Whakatane, New Zealand). More about JJ here.

Allie Costa recently appeared on the How Do You Juggle? podcast. Listen here! Her play Art Imitates Life is currently running at the Open Space Arts Summer Playwrights Festival in Maryland. Drop in the Ocean was performed in London at the end of July, while Siblings was performed at the Summer School for the Performing Arts. Learn more here and here.

Matthew Henerson just completed a three-day workshop of Mark Saltzman’s play ROCKET CITY, ALABAM for North Coast Repertory. This fall he will be appearing at the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, Virginia playing Claudius/Ghost in HAMLET, Antonio/Verges in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, and Junius Brutus in CORIOLANUS. Tickets available here.

Mildred Inez Lewis‘ play The Gift has been purchased by the library of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (London) and will receive a reading next year. Her new play We, Four will receive its first reading at The Road theater in Los Angeles this August. Mildred’s comedy radio short BUDGET A.I. will be produced by Mendocino Theatre.