The Pit Collective presents City of Angels, which is now on at Performance Works | Granville Island until July 17th.

The Details

The place – Los Angeles.  The time – the late 1940s. A New York crime novelist agrees, at the behest of a Hollywood producer, to adapt his latest novel into a screenplay but how much is he willing to sacrifice for a taste of fame and fortune?  As the disillusioned author’s marriage falls apart, we see, simultaneously, the adventures of his detective presented as if in black and white film.  The wisecracking and quick-witted “Detective Stone” has a way with women but is forever haunted by the one who got away in this musical spoof of film noir crime novels and Hollywood’s treatment of writers that is smart, swingin’, sexy, and funny.

City of Angels

Directed by Jennifer Copping

Starring Michael Lomenda, Donal Thoms-Cappello, Jennifer Copping, Caitlin Clugston, Janet Gigliotti, Crystal Balint, Paul Herbert, Miranda MacDougall, Tim Perez, Chase Sander, Lindsay Warnock, Jessie Alvarez, Thomas King, Callum Gunn, and John R. Taylor.

Co-Produced by Christopher Shyer
Co-Directed by Sylvia M. Zaradic
Choreography by Ken Overbey
Musical Direction by Angus Kellet
Music by Cy Coleman
Lyrics by David Zippel
Book by Larry Gelbart

Now on until July 17th at Performance Works | Granville Island.

Tickets:
General: $41
CAEA Equity Members/Seniors: $31
BrownPaperTickets.com

How to Enter

Please send an e-mail to info@bizbooks.net and please include this information:

• Your Name

• Your E-mail Address

• Your Phone Number

• “City of Angels” Contest in the subject line

Winners will be selected at random and will be contacted by e-mail.

Recommended Reading The Perfect Stage Crew
2nd Edition Click a cover for more details Empire of the Son Ignite: Illuminating Theatre
For Young People

The post City of Angels Theatre Contest appeared first on Biz Books.

This is the set-up for the stage musical City of Angels, which plays in Vancouver from July 9th through July 17th at Performance Works. Presented by the Pit Collective, this ambitious show is directed by Jennifer Copping, co-directed by Sylvia M. Zaradic, with choreography by Ken Overbey and musical direction by Angus Kellett.

The cast includes Jesse Alvarez, Crystal Balint, Jennifer Copping, Janet Gigliotti, Callum Gunn, Caitlin Clugston, Paul Herbert, Thomas King, Miranda MacDougall, Tim Perez, Chase Sander, John R. Taylor, Donal Thoms-Cappello, and Lindsay Warnock.

The talented Canadian actor Michael Lomenda, perhaps best-known for starring in Jersey Boys on the Broadway stage and later the big screen adaptation for director Clint Eastwood, plays Stone, the detective in City of Angels.

We spoke to Michael Lomenda to get the scoop on City of Angels.

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Can you start by telling us about you and your involvement in City of Angels?

I’m Michael Lomenda and I play Detective Stone in the show, Stine’s alter-ego in the film noir novel he’s adapting for the screen.

What should audiences expect from the show?

City of Angels has got a little something for everyone – it takes place in Los Angels in the late 1940s, when the big Hollywood studios were churning out the hit classic Film Noir films like The Maltese Falcon or Double Indemnity. Stine is a writer from New York who’s been hired to adapt his film noir novel and, as a fish out of water in the Hollywood world, navigates sleazy studio heads, actor egos, re-writes and the relationship with his wife, who sees through all the Hollywood smoke and mirrors.

Meanwhile, as he’s adapting the novel to film, we see it all unfold in fantastic film noir fashion, right in front of your eyes with all the dames, guns, thugs and great lighting everyone loves about the classic film noir films.

AND, on top of it all, the music is incredible! A blend of incredible torch songs, jazzy Manhattan Transfer harmonies, and hilarious comic tour de force tunes. Musically, in Cy Coleman and David Zippel’s hands, you’d have to be dead to be bored.

How did you prepare for your role?

Besides reading the script relentlessly, I watched a bunch of film noir documentaries and films just to really immerse myself in it all, which was kinda like an Easter egg hunt because every film or documentary I watched, the more you find all the incredible nods and references to the film noir genre running through City of Angels. If you’re a fan of this genre, this show’ll be a real treat.

What’s the most rewarding part of acting in a musical?

For me, good musicals like this one are the coming together of all my favorite things, and contrary to how some people in “the biz” are portrayed in our show, the people I work with are my favorite perk of doing what I love.

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For Young People

Where do you get your creative inspiration from?

Tons of things. I listen to a lot of music. Podcasts. I meditate. I watch a ton of movies and TV. I travel, I eat food, I love visual art. I steal from the fellow actors I admire. I read. Ultimately, being an actor is not just that, I feel like it’s being and artist, so I work at trying to find inspiration in life. Oh, and bourbon.

What are the three most important elements for a good stage musical?

A good director first and foremost who has a clear vision and the ability to steer the ship, make quick decisions, and ultimately be able to TRUST. Trust that the script and score is incredible (if it is), trust the actors will bring it (if they’ve cast well), trust they’ve assembled a brilliant crew who will have their back and trust that their vision is strong and compelling to truly engage and audience. There’s at least three things in there, right?

What books and authors would you recommend for stage performers?

Just read it all. Honestly. And then cherry pick whatever works for you. I also find interviews with actors really (useful) and any time I can go to a talk-back with working directors, producers, writers, and actors, I go. Almost always they say something that inspires me to feel more courageous.

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?

To be okay with failure. And that ultimately you have to lean into it. Rehearsal can be grody sometimes because you’re falling on your face in front of everyone over and over again. But you have to do it, and you have to do it in front of everyone because it’s how you pick yourself up that’s interesting.

What do you want your artistic legacy to be as a performer?

Are you kidding with this question?! It’s so epic!!! Honestly, I just love the people I work with so I hope they all show up at my funeral and sing and there’s a good spread with lots of cheese and they talk about my ridiculous backstage dancing and hopefully, my open heart. I grew up as a weird kid in small town Alberta, and I’m incredibly grateful for where my career has taken me, so, I think if, in my career, I’ve ever inspired anyone to go into the arts or push a little harder in the biz for a little longer, or to write or paint or knit or sing or whatever, I’d sincerely be a happy camper.

Where can people find out more about you and City of Angels? 

I’m on all the social medias (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) as well as MichaelLomenda.com and City of Angels is on Facebook and you can find tickets at BrownPaperTickets.

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Thanks to Michael Lomenda for speaking with us!

You can see City of Angels at Performance Works from July 9th through July 17th with a special preview on July 8th. For tickets, please visit BrownPaperTickets.com.

The post The Biz Interview: Michael Lomenda appeared first on Biz Books.

After a ruthless faction seizes power in Washington, Carlton Berg, a bureaucrat for the State Department, runs off with the new regime’s top secret enemies list. Unfortunately for Carlton, the chase has come to an end in a police station in the Ozarks town of Lodus. As Department of Homeland Security agents close in, he must convince an unwilling set of confidants—an unsympathetic police chief, a law-abiding administration assistant, and fellow prisoner Tanya Shepke, a motor-mouthed recidivist who’s turned herself in for drunk driving and thinks Skynyrd should be on the new money — of his plans to expose the new regime.  Inspired by real-life US government initiatives—the Readiness Exercise 1984, and Main Core—the premise of play is unnervingly plausible and highly apt in light of Bill C-51, Edward Snowden’s revelations, and Chicago’s Homan Square detainment scandal. The North Plan is a suspenseful, unsettling, and often hilarious portrayal of what happens when democratic order has been upended. The production is staged in a site-installed space in Vancouver’s Chinatown open to the public for the first time. The revolution starts now.

What critics are saying:

“The North Plan mixes paranoia and farce!” – Kathleen Oliver, The Georgia Straight

“The antics of the players and the twists in the plot keep the audience laughing out loud.” – Christian Steckler, Review Vancouver

“I can’t remember laughing so hard and being so unsettled at the same time – in equal measure.” – Jo Ledingham, On the Scene

“The North Plan is well written, acted and directed. I honestly haven’t had this much fun at show in a long time.” – Christina Pontikis, Vancouver Weekly

“This play is on a slow burn that sparks in the first half, but really ignites in the second.” – Chelsey Stuyt, Vancouver Presents!

Starring Genevieve Fleming, Catherine Lough Haggquist (of Biz Books), Paul Herbert, Daniel Martin, Allen Morrison, and David Mott

Directed by Chelsea Haberlin

Designed by James Coomber, Laura Fukumoto, and Jergus Oprsal

Jason Wells received the Elizabeth Osborn New Play Award in 2010 for an emerging playwright from the American Theatre Critics Association.

In an underground Location near 211 East Georgia (at Main St) in Vancouver.

November 19th – 22nd & 24th – 29th @ 8PM
November 21st & 29th @ 2 PM

Come to the door and Pay-What-You-Can for a preview on Thursday, November 19th!

Tuesday, November 24th performance and Saturday, November 21st matinee are 2-for-1!

Regular Tickets: $20

Low Income: $14

Buy tickets through Theatre Wire!

Recommended Reading The Perfect Stage Crew
2nd Edition Click a cover for more details Empire of the Son Ignite: Illuminating Theatre
For Young People

The post The North Plan appeared first on Biz Books.

This is the story of Good People, which has arrived at Vancouver’s Studio 1398. It’s now playing with a cast that includes Nancy Sivak, Rondel Reynoldson, Rukiya Bernard, Kurt Max Runte, Adam Lolacher, Paul Herbert, and Linda Darlow.

We spoke to director Jennifer Copping about the experience of staging this story for a Vancouver audience.

What inspired you to take on this production?

A few years ago my husband and I were on a trip to New York for my birthday. It was the weekend of the Tonys which I never miss and we happened to be staying at the Plaza. We got a deal people!!!

Anyways, as the cab pulled up to the hotel I noticed all kinds of security and roping off of entrances. We went up to our room and turned on the show to watch.

One of the highlights was seeing Frances McDormand win the Tony for Best Actress for a play called Good People.  It’s an understatement for me to say that I love her. So I immediately knew I had to read that play. If she loved it I would love it.

There’s a whole other story of that night as I realized that the craziness downstairs was because the Tony after party was happening there,but I’ll save that for another time.

I went to the theatre bookstore the next day and bought the play. Laughing and crying reading it on the plane home, I knew I had to direct it. It took three years to get the rights but tenacious is my middle name.

Recommended Reading The Perfect Stage Crew
2nd Edition Click a cover for more details Empire of the Son Ignite: Illuminating Theatre
For Young People

Can you briefly walk us through your creative process for this production, from the early stages all the way to opening?

First off was casting. The role of Margie is so complicated. I really only had one actress in mind. Someone I had always wanted to see do a role like this.  Someone who every time I see them act I am left wanting more. I asked her to do a read of it for me and she said yes. That actress was Nancy Sivak. The other roles all fell into place so beautifully. It truly is magic when the casting is so perfect!

I had a lot of years to sit with the play until we have finally been able to produce it. I knew I wanted to keep it simple and I knew I wanted it to be a visceral experience.  I think we’ve accomplished both.

Are there any books or specific authors that have been influential to you so far in your creative journey?

All Souls by Michael Patrick Macdonald.  A director I worked with on Fargo named Matt Shakman told me to read it as research. We were talking about our love of theatre ( he also directed theatre) and I mentioned I was dying to work on this piece. It turned out he had directed it at the Geffen in LA and loved it as much as I did!

What were the biggest challenges for you as a director in developing this production and how did you deal with them?

For me, it’s always time. Not enough of it. I never really care about elaborate sets or costumes. I just wish we had enough money for all of us to take three weeks off from our real lives and jobs and just dive into this world completely. But… the miracle is always that somehow it all comes together if you trust the writing and you trust the work. With however much time you have.

What can you share about any future projects that are in development?

I have a couple of incredible shows that I get to be a part of next year onstage myself.  One that I can announce is Godspell for the Arts Club. Exciting!! The other is a play that I am thrilled to be a part of, but I better wait until they announce it.

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You can see Good People at Studio 1398 (3rd Floor, 1398 Cartwright Street) until November 29th, 2014, where it runs Tuesday to Saturday at 8PM with a 2PM matinee on Saturday, November 22nd.

Tickets are $25 each ($15 for the matinee) and available at the door and on BrownPaperTickets.com

The post The Biz Interview: Jennifer Copping of Good People appeared first on Biz Books.