Sherman Wayne News

Theatre Palisades opened George Bernard Shaw's social commentary 'MRS WARREN'S PROFESSION' on Friday, April 1 at Pierson Playhouse with performances continuing through Sunday, May 8, 2016. The production is directed by Sabrina Lloyd and produced by Martha Hunter and Sherman Wayne by special permission with Samuel French. The cast features (in alphabetical order) Brooks Darnell, Susan Hardie, Craig Jessen, Frank Krueger, Ken MacFarlane and Jenna Tovey.

In Shaw's controversial attack on society's hypocrisy, Young Vivie Warren is intelligent and self-sufficient, but astounded to learn how her mother rose from poverty to riches through the world's oldest profession. Mrs. Warren ably justifies her past, attacking a hypocritical society that rewards vice and oppresses virtue, stating that poverty and the society that fosters poverty are the real villains. Certainly her profession is preferable to life in a 19th century factory!

Noel Coward's plays epitomize the sophisticated wit of the era between the two world wars, and his comedy of manners "HAY FEVER" about a family whose theatrical excesses torment a group of unsuspecting visitors, epitomizes what makes Coward plays so well-loved by audiences worldwide. Considered by many to be cleverly constructed, wittily written, slightly cynical, and undeniably entertaining, the work contains all the elements that helped establish Coward's reputation as a award-winning playwright.

Theatre Palisades presents Noel Coward's hilarious comedy "HAY FEVER" opening Friday, January 15 through Sunday, February 21, 2016 with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. at the Pierson Playhouse, located at 941 Temescal Canyon Road in Pacific Palisades, CA 90272. Here's your first look at cast photos!

BROADWAY BOUND won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, making part three the most serious of the Eugene trilogy plays in which we find Eugene and his older brother Stanley trying to break into the world of show business in 1949 as professional comedy writers while coping with their parents break-up and eventual divorce. Along the way, their material is broadcast on the radio for the first time, making the family upset to hear a thinly-veiled portrait of themselves played for laughs. Of course everyone else in their Brighton Beach neighborhood sees themselves in the characters, but that does lessen the hurt felt by their grandfather and parents when the show airs.

From Cabaret to Chicago, the non-stop hit-parade features unforgettable gems including 'Mr. Cellophane,' 'Maybe this Time,' 'Cabaret' and 'New York, New York', all seamlessly interwoven into a passionate, harmonious, up-tempo evening of musical theatre now onstage at Theatre Palisades, directed and choreographed by Victoria Miller with musical direction by Joshua Eli Kranz who also appears onstage accompanying the singers on a lusciously rich-sounding grand piano along with Anthony Barbarotta on drums and percussion. And thanks to Kranz's musical direction, the singers harmonize beautifully throughout the production.

THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK at Theatre Palisades begins with Otto Frank returning to the family hiding place after his release from Auschwitz when the camp was liberated on 1-27-45. With worldwide celebrations of its 70th anniversary this week, now is the perfect time to experience the story never to be forgotten about Anne's two-year ordeal hiding with her family during the German occupation of the Netherlands. This is a story of life, not death - a true depiction of raw, daily survival during the Holocaust.

BLACK COFFEE is a little known, slow-paced mystery by Agatha Christie which her fans will enjoy. Written in 1934, the story takes place in the library of the home of Sir Claud Amory, a physicist who has just come up with a formula for the atomic bomb. When Sir Claude is poisoned, in his coffee of course, Detective Hercule Poirot is called to solve the mystery. He does so after many wonderful twists and turns in true Christie fashion.

CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF was always the playwright's favorite among all his plays. Theatre Palisades is presenting the original version of the script as written by Tennessee Williams before Eli Kazan, who was already hired to direct both Broadway and the film version, forced him to re-write the script to conform to the mores in McCarthy era 1955. This compelling original version has been professionally produced only two times, in 1958 in London and in 1974 on Broadway with Elizabeth Ashley, Keir Dullea and Fred Gwynne.

When all the elements fall into place in perfect harmony, the resulting frivolity and laughter go far beyond the words on the page to reveal utter hysteria. Such is the case with Anglo-Franco Fusion Farce DON'T DRESS OF DINNER by Marc Camoletti, adapted by Robin Hawdon, now onstage at Theatre Palisades through May 11.

THE FOREIGNER is billed a two-act comedy by American playwright Larry Shue. It has been revived a great many times, from the high school to the professional level, including a well-received 2004 off-Broadway production featuring Matthew Broderick as Charlie. That description certainly sugar coats the unfortunate and shocking ending which has no place being on any stage in America.

Theatre Palisades presents ENCHANTED APRIL, November 9 to December 16 at the Theatre Palisades' Pierson Playhouse. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the production below.