Janet Roston News

Stage Raw announces the nominations for its third annual awards show 'A Wake and Sing!,' coming Monday, May 15 to Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring Street, Downtown.

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle announced the recipients of its 48th annual awards for distinguished achievement in theatre tonight, Monday, March 20, at the Colony Theatre in Burbank.

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle is proud to announce a new special award to be presented at its upcoming awards ceremony on March 20: The Gordon Davidson Award for distinguished contribution to the Los Angeles theatrical community. The award is sponsored by the Center Theatre Group, where Gordon Davidson served as the founding Artistic Director from 1967 to 2005, and will be presented this year to Pro99.

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle (LADCC) has announced its nominations and special awards for excellence in Los Angeles, Orange County and Ventura County theatre for the year 2016 (Dec. 1, 2015 - Nov. 30, 2016).

Applying the model that accelerates technology start-ups, THE APPLES AND ORANGES STUDIOS THEATRE ACCELERATOR treats storytellers as founders and creates an opportunity for participants to interact with professionals in storytelling, production, distribution, and mentors in the business of show business.

The 27th Annual LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards, celebrating theatrical excellence and achievement throughout Los Angeles, were presented on Tuesday, January 17, at the Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center.

?Anais, A Dance Opera, created by composer/lyricist Cindy Shapiro and director/choreographer Janet Roston and produced by Mixed eMotion Theatrix, explodes on stage by incorporating music, dance and visual projections into a cutting edge stage production that explores and illuminates the riveting life of famed diarist and literary figure Anais Nin and her world of words, sex, passion and creativity. This contemporary stage production opens August 27, 2016 through September 18, 2016 for a four-week run at the Greenway Court Theatre 544 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036.

?Anais, A Dance Opera, created by composer/lyricist Cindy Shapiro and director/choreographer Janet Roston and produced by Mixed eMotion Theatrix, explodes on stage by incorporating music, dance and visual projections into a cutting edge stage production that explores and illuminates the riveting life of famed diarist and literary figure Anais Nin and her world of words, sex, passion and creativity. This contemporary stage production opens August 27, 2016 through September 18, 2016 for a four-week run at the Greenway Court Theatre 544 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036.

Celebration Theatre at the Lex and Bruce W. Zisterer in association with Nicholas Caprio, Michael C. Kricfalusi, Todd Milliner and Jack Morrissey presents, under the artistic direction of Michael Matthews & Michael A. Shepperd, and thrilled to announce that their critically-acclaimed (LA Times Critic's Choice) Smash-Hit, West Coast premiere of THE BOY FROM OZ, music and lyrics by Peter Allen, book by Martin Sherman, original book by Nick Enright, choreography by Janet Roston, musical direction by Bryan Blaskie, produced by Andrew Carlberg and directed by Celebration Theatre co-artistic director Michael A. Shepperd is EXTENDING through SUNDAY, JULY 31 at the Celebration Theatre's new home, Celebration at the Lex Theatre, 6760 Lexington Ave. in Los Angeles.

This week, we go around our Broadway World to feature stories in Connecticut, Houston, Los Angeles, and more. Check out our top 10 stories around our Broadway World below, which include ANYTHING GOES at Goodspeed, HEATHERS at TUTS Underground, and the West Coast Premiere of THE BOY FROM OZ in Los Angeles, just to name a few.

Once in a great while an extraordinary performer comes along, one that not only moves us, but also affects meteoric changes within our culture. Peter Allen, born Peter Woolnough in 1944 in Tenterfield, New South Wales, Australia and who died young in 1992, was one such mega-talented singer/dancer/musical composer, who appealed to a wide audience.Not at first, mind you; it took a few years in the 60s for him to realize his bisexuality and to understand who he was.

Celebration Theatre at the Lex in association with Nicholas Caprio, Michael C. Kricfalusi, Todd Milliner and Jack Morrissey presents, under the artistic direction of Michael Matthews & Michael A. Shepperd, the West Coast premiere of THE BOY FROM OZ, music and lyrics by Peter Allen, book by Martin Sherman, original book by Nick Enright, choreography by Janet Roston, musical direction by Bryan Blaskie, produced by Andrew Carlberg and directed by Celebration Theatre co-artistic director Michael A. Shepperd.  THE BOY FROM OZ will begin previews on Friday, April 22 at 8pm; will open on Friday, April 29 at 8pm and perform through Sunday, June 19 at the Celebration Theatre's new home, Celebration at the Lex Theatre, 6760 Lexington Ave. in Los Angeles.

Celebration Theatre at the Lex in association with Nicholas Caprio, Michael C. Kricfalusi, Todd Milliner and Jack Morrissey presents, under the artistic direction of Michael Matthews & Michael A. Shepperd, the West Coast premiere of THE BOY FROM OZ, music and lyrics by Peter Allen, book by Martin Sherman, original book by Nick Enright, choreography by Janet Roston, musical direction by Bryan Blaskie, produced by Andrew Carlberg and directed by Celebration Theatre co-artistic director Michael A. Shepperd. THE BOY FROM OZ will begin previews on Friday, April 22 at 8pm; will open on Friday, April 29 at 8pm and perform through Sunday, June 19 at the Celebration Theatre's new home, Celebration at the Lex Theatre, 6760 Lexington Ave. in Los Angeles.

Couerage Theatre Company mounts a fine-tuned production of Failure: A Love Story, playwright Philip Dawkins' fresh, unique take on a ill-fated family in the early 1900s. Michael Matthews smoothly directs and inventively stages his large talented, triple-threat cast as they sing, dance and act out this saga of the Failure family, with seemingly more deaths than the Kennedy clan has endured.

Tennessee Shakespeare Company, in partnership with the University of Memphis' Department of Theatre & Dance, presents its second developing musical reading on the U of M mainstage with Midsummer Night by Valerie Vigoda and Brendan Milburn on June 27 at 7:00 pm.

East West Players (EWP), the nation's longest-running professional theatre of color in the country, celebrating its 50th Anniversary season, is pleased to announce the extension of "The Who's TOMMY" which opened on May 13. Music and Lyrics by Pete Townshend, Book by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff, Additional Music and Lyrics by John Entwistle and Keith Moon.

East West Players has done it again with their spectacular production of The Who's Tommy. With an incredible band, vibrant vocals from the entire cast and stunning visuals, this 'little' theatre easily matches and betters many larger house productions. 

East West Players (EWP), the nation's longest-running professional theatre of color in the country and the largest producing organization of Asian American artistic work, continues its 50th Anniversary Season, Golden, with 'The Who's TOMMY,' Music and Lyrics by Pete Townshend, Book by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff, Additional Music and Lyrics by John Entwistle and Keith Moon. 'The Who's TOMMY' was originally produced on Broadway by Pace Theatrical Group and Dodger Productions with Kardana Productions. The production is directed by Snehal Desai (EWP's 'A Nice Indian Boy') with musical direction by Marc Macalintal (EWP's 'Chess,' 'Krunk Fu Battle Battle') and choreography by Janet Roston (Ovation Award and NAACP Award winner for 'The Color Purple' at Celebration Theatre). Generous support for this production is provided by the S. Mark Taper Foundation Endowment for East West Players.

As part of Tennessee Shakespeare Company's first year-round season, the development of three exciting new musicals launches on the University of Memphis Mainstage this summer with Showplace Memphis: Musical Works in Progress.

East West Players (EWP), the nation's longest-running professional theatre of color in the country and the largest producing organization of Asian American artistic work, continues its 50th Anniversary Season, Golden, with 'The Who's TOMMY,' Music and Lyrics by Pete Townshend, Book by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff, Additional Music and Lyrics by John Entwistle and Keith Moon. 'The Who's TOMMY' was originally produced on Broadway by Pace Theatrical Group and Dodger Productions with Kardana Productions. The production is directed by Snehal Desai (EWP's 'A Nice Indian Boy') with musical direction by Marc Macalintal (EWP's 'Chess,' 'Krunk Fu Battle Battle') and choreography by Janet Roston (Ovation Award and NAACP Award winner for 'The Color Purple' at Celebration Theatre). Generous support for this production is provided by the S. Mark Taper Foundation Endowment for East West Players.