Larry Lederman News

Hollywood…ROCKIN' WITH THE AGES & THE PINK LADY present the World Premiere production of THE BEAT GOES ON! A Musical Celebration of the Young at Heart, featuring musical direction by David O, and written, choreographed and directed by Ovation Award-winner Cate Caplin. THE BEAT GOES ON! Will begin previews on Thursday, October 4 and will have two Opening nights on Friday, October 12th and Saturday, October 13th and will continue through Sunday, November 11th at the Theatre of Arts Arena Stage, 1625 N. Las Palmas Avenue in Hollywood.

WORKING, the musical by Studs Terkel, Stephen Schwartz, and Nina Faso will open March 16, 2012 at The Production Company's The Lex Theatre in Hollywood's Theatre Row District.

WORKING, the musical by Studs Terkel, Stephen Schwartz, and Nina Faso will open March 16, 2012 at The Production Company's The Lex Theatre in Hollywood's Theatre Row District.

The World Premiere of PULLING LEATHER, written by Ted Ryan, directed and produced by Audrey M. Singer, closes October 30, 2011 at the Actors Forum Theatre in the NoHo Arts District.

Actor Ted Ryan's Pulling Leather is currently on stage @ the Actors Forum Theatre in NoHo. In his first full-length play Ryan has written quite profoundly about love and also plays the central character in the dramedy. In our chat, he tells about what motivated him to pen Pulling Leather.

Don't be deceived by the title Pulling Leather! It does not take place in a leather bar. Yes, it does involve sex, but most likely not in the way you think. It is actually an examination of the various aspects of love as experienced through three very different relationships. An original two-act play by Ted Ryan, which evolved out of Audrey M. Singer's Tuesday night workshop at the Actors Forum, Pulling Leather is unique but universal in that one man's struggle to fully come to terms with his destiny could be everyman's.

The World Premiere of PULLING LEATHER*, written by Ted Ryan, directed and produced by Audrey M. Singer, runs October 1 through October 30, 2011, Friday and Saturday at 8pm, with a Sunday Matinee at 2pm, at the Actors Forum Theatre in the NoHo Arts District.

The World Premiere of PULLING LEATHER*, written by Ted Ryan, directed and produced by Audrey M. Singer, runs October 1 through October 30, 2011, Friday and Saturday at 8pm, with a Sunday Matinee at 2pm, at the Actors Forum Theatre in the NoHo Arts District.

West Coast Ensemble's smash-hit critically-acclaimed production of GYPSY, with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Arthur Laurents, musical direction by Johanna Kent, choreography by John Todd and directed by Richard Israel, will close on Sunday, July 31 at the Theatre of Arts Arena Stage, 1625 N. Las Palmas Avenue in Hollywood.

West Coast Ensemble is thrilled to announce that its smash-hit critically-acclaimed production of GYPSY, with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Arthur Laurents, musical direction by Johanna Kent, choreography by John Todd and directed by Richard Israel, is EXTENDING through Sunday, July 31 at the Theatre of Arts Arena Stage, 1625 N. Las Palmas Avenue in Hollywood.

Revered as one of the greatest book musicals ever written Gypsy, based on the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, and with collaborators Arthur Laurents, Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim is rarely performed except on Broadway due to the demands of the role of Mama Rose, which has been played first by Ethel Merman, and also to acclaim by Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly, Bernadette Peters and most recently Patti Lupone. Films have starred Rosalind Russell and Bette Midler (TV), and there's another theatrical one still in the works for Barbra Streisand. The stage mother to end all stage mothers is a monster role to play. She's on stage 95% of the show and must act, sing and dance 150%; there's no faking this one. In a daring production for Equity Waiver, West Coast Ensemble (WCE) is now presenting Gypsy, half a century after it first opened in New York in 1959. Jan Sheldrick has the role of Rose and she runs with it, acting up a storm, giving it her best shot. Under Richard Israel's skilled direction, the production is somewhat flawed, but overall impressive with its very strong rendering on a smaller stage.

West Coast Ensemble presents GYPSY, with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Arthur Laurents, musical direction by Johanna Kent, choreography by John Todd and directed by Richard Israel.

West Coast Ensemble presents GYPSY, with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Arthur Laurents, musical direction by Johanna Kent, choreography by John Todd and directed by Richard Israel.

West Coast Ensemble presents GYPSY, with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Arthur Laurents, musical direction by Johanna Kent, choreography by John Todd and directed by Richard Israel.

'Gimme, gimme now!' perfectly describes Stiltz!, a comic musical fable showing the negativity of greed, power and fame. Though flawed the show has some terrific tunes from Deborah Johnson and a fine cast under Wayland Pickard and Doug Engalla's steadily fast-paced direction.

STILTZ! The Musical with music and lyrics by Deborah Johnson, book and additional lyrics by Paula Miller, will have its World Premiere on September 24 through October 17, 2010. The musical plays Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm, and Sunday matinees at 2:00 pm, at the Actors Forum Theatre in NoHo.

West Coast Ensemble is thrilled to announce that their critically-acclaimed, smash-hit production of BIG, The Musical, with book by John Weidman, music by David Shire, lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr., based on the motion picture 'BIG' written by Gary Ross and Anne Spielberg and directed by Richard Israel (Floyd Collins, Assassins) is EXTENDING THROUGH SUNDAY, JULY 26 at West Coast Ensemble's new home - The El Centro Theatre, 800 N. El Centro Ave. in Hollywood.

West Coast Ensemble is thrilled to announce that their critically-acclaimed, smash-hit production of BIG, The Musical, with book by John Weidman, music by David Shire, lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr., based on the motion picture 'BIG' written by Gary Ross and Anne Spielberg and directed by Richard Israel (Floyd Collins, Assassins) is EXTENDING THROUGH SUNDAY, JULY 26 at West Coast Ensemble's new home - The El Centro Theatre, 800 N. El Centro Ave. in Hollywood.

Rubicon Theatre Company continues its 'Brave New World' Season with FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. The musical begins previews Thursday, March 19, open on Saturday, March 21 at 7pm and run through Sunday, April 26, 2009 at Rubicon Theatre, 1006 E. Main Street in Ventura. FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is the Tony Award? winning musical that captured the hearts of people all over the world with its universal appeal. The play tells the story of Tevye, a Jewish milkman coping with day-to-day 'shtetl' life, Jewish traditions and the women in his life in pre-Revolutionary Russia.

Rubicon Theatre Company continues its ?Brave New World? Season with Fiddler on the Roof. The musical begins previews Thursday, March 19, open on Saturday, March 21 at 7pm and run through Sunday, April 26, 2009 at Rubicon Theatre, 1006 E. Main Street in Ventura.