TeenTix LA Blog Theater

If you're a 9th or 10th grader who loves theatre—whether it's the drama, the design, the behind-the-scenes magic, or simply the thrill of a live performance—the Youth Theatre Conservatory is your chance to go from audience member to creator. Kicking off this September in Pasadena, this free, yearlong program offers exclusive access to professional artists, hands-on training in acting, writing, directing, and stage design, and the opportunity to bring your own stories to life on stage. You’ll attend real performances, collaborate with other passionate teens, and create bold original work that reflects your voice. No experience needed—just imagination, curiosity, and a love for storytelling. Spots are limited, so don’t wait to apply!

Goats, women, and paintings: it is hard to predict exactly what the play Alabaster is about when first looking at its poster. This nontraditional Southern play, running at the Fountain Theater until March 30th, elegantly connects these three seemingly unrelated topics to comment on the role of art, relationships, and resilience in our world today.The central plot revolves around two women: June (Virginia Newcomb) and Alice (Erin Pineda). June is a tornado survivor who spends her life painting, talking to her goat Weezy (Carolyn Messina), and tending to her farm, all as a means to isolate herself from the outside world. June invites Alice, a photographer from New York City, to take pictures of her scars so that she can include them in a greater artwork on female survivors. This relationship is initially tense – June’s sudden, awkward outbursts makes Alice uncomfortable and closed off – but as they each gradually reveal their tormenting histories, the two find a comfort in each other that goes beyond the confines of friendship.As June and Alice unravel their histories to each other, another story takes place outside the Alabama farmhouse: Weezy and Bib (Laura Gardner), two goats, experience life on the farm. Although the goats are dressed like humans and can speak to the audience and the human characters, Messina and Gardner’s facial expressions are unmistakably goat-like. While this might sound unsettling, these actresses made their unusual characteristics seem completely natural. Weezy, the younger goat, brings a lightness and humor to this intense play, sometimes revealing June’s inner thoughts, conversing with the humans, or sharing her own opinions to the audience, acting as both a narrator and a character.Although the story is filled with people losing loved ones, the relationships that form as the characters share their grief brings a sense of hope to the narrative. Messina succinctly sums it up: “the whole play is about caregiver connection.” Messina further explains that Weezy is the ultimate caregiver – she provides “tough love” to the characters and the audience, keeping people honest and helping June let go of her traumatic past. Alice also serves as a sort of guide to June, giving her a chance to explore the world beyond her farmhouse while she learns to cope with her own pain as well. Forming relationships is not the only way characters find ways to cope with their past. June’s passion for creating folk art and Alice’s career as a photographer provide an outlet for their suffering. While Alice confronts suffering by documenting its effects on physical bodies, June uses art to escape her trauma, painting idyllic scenes on wood scraps she refuses to display publicly. This makes viewers question the role of art – is it meant to provide a place to escape reality, or confront it? When examining the purpose of this play, it seems the latter is true. After all, this play, written by Audrey Cefaly, depicts a grim and realistic (but hopeful) narrative – with a tone far different from the idyllic scenes in June’s paintings. In fact, the directing by Casey Stangl emphasizes the realism of Cefaly’s play. The characters stay on stage during intermission, stretching, reading, and eating. Weezy wanders into the audience, sitting in the aisles during the play. Fiction meddles with fact. The role of the possibly divine, mind-reading goats further blurs the line between reality and imagination. At several points, one questions the existence of Weezy – is she June’s conscience, a God whispering the truth to Alice, or just a goat with a voice? This question never gets answered, and doesn’t need to. Cefaly and Stangl suggest that reality can blend with fiction to reveal a truth.This play reveals many truths – too many to cover in a single article. As Pineda explains, “there is no core to this play.” Pineda states that the complexity of this play makes it so that everyone interprets it differently when watching it – all watchers can uniquely experience the play as they relate it to their personal circumstances. As a recent mother, Pineda finds this play enriching, and finds endless ways of experiencing the play each night as she plays Alice. The malleability of this play’s message makes its title fitting. The word Alabaster is more than just a tornado-prone town in Alabama – it is a porous rock, Messina points out to me in our interview. The stone is soft: it is easily broken down by natural elements, and therefore serves as an excellent medium for art. In other words, Alabaster is vulnerable to pressure, but a source of beauty when rightly treated – but aren’t we all?

Imagine living in Victorian-era London during the Christmas season. There are decorations placed about—the streets twinkling with fairy lights and colorful ribbons to bring in the festive cheer. A children’s choir can be heard in the distance, going door-to-door and sharing joy in their music. Families are gathered in their houses, laughing, smiling, exchanging gifts, and sharing a Christmas feast. However, one particular home stands out from the rest. No tinsel laced on the roof, no tree put up, no carols to be heard from inside the house. This home belongs to none other than Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge, the very main character of English writer Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. This story was wonderfully brought to the stage by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott and Geoff Elliott, the directors of A Christmas Carol at A Noise Within Theatre. Although I am familiar with this classic, I have never seen a theater-adapted version of it, so this experience was very exciting. On the night of Christmas Eve, Ebenezer Scrooge (Geoff Elliott), an elderly miser who hates the holidays, is haunted by the ghost of his long-dead business partner, Jacob Marley, who warns him about three spirits that will visit him: The Ghost of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. Throughout these visits, Scrooge witnesses the effects of his ignorance and negativity, and it allows him to feel. The play was divided by one intermission, and the first part before the break had the perfect ending. It captured Scrooge in a moment of emotion—a moment under the spotlight when he realized his own misery in a particular scene with the Ghost of Christmas Present.One thing I noticed throughout the play was the amount of thought that was put into the costumes. Each scene had its colorful contrast—the monochrome palette of the Past, the vivid pop of the Present, and the somberness of the Future communicated the indirect message of the costume designer’s creativity to the audience. I especially adored the chromatic complexity of the Ghost of Christmas Present, played by actor Anthony Adu. Not to mention, he did an amazing job of portraying his character—a majestic and cheerful spirit that guides Scrooge through the events of the holiday season. It completely matched his costume, a robe adorned with fruits and leaves which I believe is supposed to represent the festivities of the “present” Christmas. It is clear that designer Angela Balogh Calin put much effort into styling the cast. Another aspect of the play I would love to mention is the set that brought everything together, and not just the props and pieces themselves. The quick changes that the ensemble was always able to keep up with were so professional. As someone with experience in theater, I was impressed with everything. Although the set in itself was quite simple, the lighting and the way the actors used the space still made the stage come to life. One detail that really caught my attention was during the beginning when a real flame was used to light a candle prop. I found it so interesting how they decided to include this because it added a realistic approach to the set.Although the visuals of the play had their spotlight, the true MVP was the acting itself. The emotion that the actors were able to capture in their performance was absolutely magnificent. Scrooge’s pure terror at the visit of his partner’s ghost, the lively Christmas celebrations of Scrooge’s past, the grief of the Cratchit family’s loss in the Ghost of Christmas Future’s vision—they were all emotions that I could actually feel. One scene that especially struck me was when Scrooge saw his grave in the future. The despair and desperation that he showed the spirit when he realized his fate was something I have never seen before. It really showcased Elliott’s talent as the main character, and even made me realize how well the play was adapted for the original story of A Christmas Carol. The way that the directors were able to implement the onimosity and thrill of the classic tale was perfect. It was something that I was not prepared for—the entire performance exceeded my expectations by so much, especially because it has also been a while since I’ve seen a live theater production as an audience member. The atmosphere of each scene was adapted carefully, and every actor worked together in harmony. There wasn’t a moment where a character looked out of place.If in the mood for a Christmas classic that will place you through both sentiments and thrills, A Christmas Carol is the perfect play—whether it's viewing it at A Noise Within (they put it on every year!) or cozying up and reading it on the couch. Now that I have experienced both options, I think that it’s safe to say that this story, with over 100 adaptations, is something that is always available to bring out every holiday season!

 Less than a week before I saw La Cage aux Folles at the Pasadena Playhouse, I went on a school retreat that focused on reflecting on the four types of love as outlined by C.S. Lewis: storge (family love), philia (friendship love), eros (romantic love,) and agape (love for a higher being or calling.) While watching La Cage, I couldn’t help but think about the similarities between the themes of the play and the retreat I had gone on. The two primarily overlapped in emphasis on the importance of having the different types of love in one’s life, and how the purpose of human life is not to simply be an individual but to seek out people who make you feel complete. I think the type of love most present in La Cage are storge (family love) and eros (romantic love). Love is the catalyst for all the events in the musical as it pushes and pulls through the story which goes as such: a married couple, Georges and Albin are the proprietors of a drag club, La Cage aux Folles, on the French riviera. Georges is the club’s MC and director, while Albin is the main drag performer in the club’s nightly cabaret. When Georges’s son Jean-Michel returns from traveling, he announces that he is engaged to a woman called Anne and her parents are coming to visit. As it figures, Anne’s father, Deputy Dindon, is a conservative politician seeking to close down drag clubs, such as La Cage. Trouble arises when Jean-Michel tells Georges that Anne’s parents are under the impression that Georges is a retired diplomat married to Jean-Michel’s absent mother, Sybil. He asks Georges to send Albin away and invite Sybil during the visit so the Dindons can be led to believe Jean-Michel has respectable, heterosexual parents. Georges reluctantly agrees and informs Alban of the plan. Act one culminates in a song, “I Am What I Am," where Albin expresses the hurt he feels by being deliberately excluded from Jean-Michel’s wedding plans. The second act opens with Albin and Georges reuniting on the beach following Alban’s overnight absence. They agree that Albin can attend dinner with the Dindons if he attends as Jean-Michel’s macho Uncle Al. A song follows where Georges instructs Albin on how to correctly perform masculinity and come across as straight. Things begin to fall apart on the night of the dinner when Sybil abruptly cancels and Albin gets spooked right before the Dindons arrive. Georges and Jean-Michel frantically (and hilariously) try to make the situation seem normal until Albin arrives in drag as Jean Michel’s mother. After the butler Jacob fails to prepare dinner, Albin secures a table at a sought after restaurant, Chez Jacqueline, and the party goes to dinner. At Chez Jacqueline, the owner of the restaurant asks Albin for a song and everyone (omitting Deputy Dindon) sings and dances to “The Best of Times” until Albin’s wig gets snatched at the crescendo of the song. After traveling back to Georges and Albin’s home, a horrified Deputy Dindon asks for Anne to not marry Jean-Michel. She doesn’t listen to him, and Dindon and his wife try to leave. Their exit is stopped when they realize there is a crowd of photographers outside of La Cage aux Folles making it impossible to leave without having a picture of himself taken at an establishment his platform seeks to close down. Georges offers to help Dindon escape; he gives his blessing to Anne and Jean-Michel’s marriage. Dindon agrees, and the show culminates in a number where all the Dindons escape by discussing themselves as drag performers at La Cage. 

I’ll be honest, when I went in to experience Robbin from the Hood, I was expecting a faithful, modern retelling of Robin Hood. I thought I would find stereotypical references such as capers and forest friends. Instead, I found myself invested in the tale of Robbin, an ambitious, hot-tempered, seventeen year old girl who lives in an inner-city neighborhood. Her hopeless surroundings caused by poverty drives her to look for a way out.The play opens with an elderly man in a wheelchair flipping through newscasts. Sounds of dystopian news reports on the rising poverty rates fill the intimate theater, until the man eventually turns on The Lone Ranger. The relative calm of the scene is quickly interrupted by the boisterous arrival of Robbin (Iesha Daniels). The play only gets more energetic from there, with the first showing of Juan, Robbin’s spirited best friend. His vibrant nature is what kicks this play into high gear, as the two feed on each other’s zeal.  It’s pretty clear from the get-go that you’re in for a ride.  This liveliness carries through the whole first act. It’s here where we learn that Robbin's math genius and Juan’s artistic giftedness have earned them summer-long internships at Kennedy Global, a multi-billion dollar company. Despite the rather menial work they’ve been assigned, it’s still more stimulating than their academic environment, which was underfunded and overpopulated. They hope to climb the corporate ladder out of poverty and finally be able to take care of their families. This is the act that also introduces two Kennedy Global executives, Kyle and Margaret, whose initial generosity contrasts with their ultimate motives.  Despite Kyle’s early misgivings about hiring teens from at-risk neighborhoods, he is reluctantly convinced by an insistent Margaret to let them join the company. Robbin and Juan don’t seem to notice any red flags however, as they quickly settle into their new, high-paying jobs.One thing that really stood out to me was the acting. Robbin’s (Iesha Daniels) confident, sassy attitude is balanced by her moments of vulnerability. The scenes where she worries over her ailing grandfather and financial situation are the ones that best enrich the play. Juan (Enrike Llamas) has complexity as both a funny best friend and a person who’s growing weary of his unpromising surroundings. William L. Warren, who played Grandpa Percy, was convincing in his portrayal of a beloved elderly man facing decline. His shuffling feet, shaky grasp, and weathered voice helped make every moment of his stage time thoroughly believable. There are no stock characters here, every role is complex and well-defined.After a ten minute intermission, I returned to the theater excited for act two. Much to my surprise and delight, I found myself enjoying act two even more than its predecessor. The restless energy of the first act has now subsided. It has been replaced with more reflective moments of emotion that reveal an array of character motivations. I had the opportunity to interview the actors following the show, and as starring actor Iesha Daniels put it, “I think the physical energy of the first half is what drives the emotion in the second half.” This is made clear in the prison scene with Robbin and her incarcerated, yet beloved Uncle Charlie (Joshua R. Lamont). The scene serves as the crucial turning point where Robbin learns deeply disturbing truths about the way Kennedy Global makes their money. The worst part is that these truths harm the ones she loves most. She now faces a conflict of interest between trying to do what’s right, and keeping a job that allows her to financially provide for her family. At only seventeen, our protagonist is forced to ask herself some pretty difficult questions. How far should one go to end cycles of poverty that plague your community? Is it worth the immediate risk, especially when you have been given an opportunity no one else you know has?  An answer to these questions seems to appear in the form of an abandoned community project that Robbin hopes to revitalize. Her quest to do so will have the audience completely invested in the many twists and turns she faces along the way.  While I was pleasantly surprised by the deviations the play took from the original Robin Hood, similarities between the two are still present upon reflection. Beyond the obvious theme of stealing from the grossly wealthy to empower the impoverished, Robbin from the Hood owes a lot of its impact to the original story. Indeed, there are no Merry Men clad in Lincoln green for this retelling, nor are there any crossbows to be slung. But what the two stories do have in common is the scrappy underdog spirit shared by the two protagonists. Both Robins are temprental, with a tendency to scoff in the face of authority. And yet, both Robins have a caring side to them, a side willing to do anything for the ones they love. Juan serves as a combination of Will Scarlet and Little John, Robin Hood’s two most loyal friends. But perhaps one of the strongest parallels is the fact both Robins pay a price for their biggest act. Robin Hood dies after killing the corrupt Guy of Gisbourne, in an effort to protect his community, and Robbin faces a harsh punishment for doing the same. Their final sacrifice makes them all the more noble.The thing that sets Robbin from the Hood apart from its predecessor is the way it portrays the experiences of talented, impoverished youth. Robbin’s potential is ultimately left untapped and punished, simply because she doesn’t obey the corrupt status quo. Iesha M. Daniels, that actor that plays Robbin herself says, “The ending is a really crucial element to the play because it fully grounds us in reality. This is what happens to girls like Robbin. Black and brown girls who are brilliant, compassionate, and want to change the world and support their communities are crushed and suppressed again and again.” Robbin represents the experience of the disadvantaged, those left behind by a system that seems to work against them. She forces us to question our assumptions about people in at-risk communities. Are they all aimless, or simply given nothing to aim for? And what happens to talented youth when they are left unnurtured?  In this way, Robbin exists to remind the audience of an important lesson: not all people get second chances, even when they should. Overall, Robbin from the Hood is definitely a play worth seeing. Its well-crafted plot, strong actor portrayals, and timely message come together to make an engrossing theater experience. Viewers will find themselves shocked at Robbin’s last act of selflessness, which serves as a reminder of how far some will go to level the playing field. This play acts as a  sharp rebuke of capitalism and an eye-opening lesson on how corporations take advantage of poor communities. Robbin from the Hood connects with the audience on an emotional level. In the words of William L. Warren, the actor who plays Grandpa Percy, “I think this play is about grief…and especially the love that comes along with it.”   

Founded in 1998, Independent Shakespeare Co. started their iconic free outdoor

Shakespeare performances in 2003, at Barnsdall Park. By 2010, ISCLA had moved to Griffith Park’s Old Zoo and has since performed two shows every summer, with bonus live music and cultural performances for their audience of over 40,000. I am one of ISCLA’s many adoring patrons, and have seen their shows every summer for longer than I can remember. Their sense of whimsy, incredible commitment, total immersion with the outdoor performance space, and ability to adapt Shakespeare to modern sensibilities through music, costume, and more makes the experience a delight every time.

As a non-profit theater group, their longevity and ability to survive the pandemic

is inspirational -- amidst the Covid-19 lockdown, they even established a permanent stage at Griffith Park! But their outdoor space is not the only home of ISCLA’s breathtaking shows; in 2011, Atwater Crossing Complex welcomed ISCLA into their arms with a year-round indoor theater space. This 65-seat theater has been home to incredible shows over the years: Julius Caesar, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, singalongs, and even workshops with Independent Shakespeare’s wonderful founders, David Melville and Melissa Chalsma. Now, from March 21-April 9, David Melville will be performing Hamlet, Solus, a one-man show version of one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies.

Melville is no stranger to solo theater; for many consecutive years, he has

performed a two-person show of A Christmas Carol, playing both Dickens and most of the characters. He’s also done some even more minimalist one-person shows including Nicholas Nickelby and Solemn Mockeries. Hamlet, Solus, however, is an entirely different beast. Fascinated by the commitment to such an emotional and complex show, as well as being a huge fan of Shakespeare, I sat down with David Melville to discuss what led him to create this iambic lab.

Cyrus: Of all the famous and beloved Shakespeare plays, what drew you towards Hamlet for the Iambic Lab?

David: Well, I suppose I have a long history with Hamlet. I've done it a number of times, not just with ISC. It was the play that brought me to America. I was in a production that was on Broadway in 1995, and Ralph Fiennes was playing Hamlet, and that's where I met Melissa, and Melissa and I run the company together. So really, Hamlet's the reason I ended up in America, and I ended up meeting Melissa, and without Hamlet, I wouldn't have my children, or Independent Shakespeare Company wouldn't exist. And then when we started doing shows in the park, our second season, 2005, we did Hamlet, and I played Hamlet that time. And I think it was the first show where things really started to take off. It was the first show that really started attracting significantly large audiences, and it was popular.So we did it again the next year, and then we came back to it several times, and it's always been really good to us, I think, in that regard. And the last time I did it was, gosh, must be about 12 years ago now, and I was sad when it was over, because I had such a long relationship with the play. But I always thought it was unfinished business somehow, and I think I was doing a school's workshop, and I had to do some speeches from Hamlet, and I just got the idea then, I wanted to actually do this as a one-person show. But if you do a one-person show, you're not just playing Hamlet, you're playing everyone, so that kind of gives you license to, you know, to be creative. So that's kind of how we arrived at it.

Cyrus: That's perfect. That's actually a great segue to my next question of playing even one of the main roles in Hamlet would be a daunting task, and you're playing them all. What's that like, emotionally and physically, and even practically?

David: We're not doing four and a half hours of me saying absolutely every line. And it's been whittled down quite a bit. I think that it probably should be, it's a little, probably a little over 90 minutes. So I've had to cut quite a lot of roles, and I've really sort of centered on certain themes and certain relationships. But, you know, most of the main characters are there. So I found it interesting starting to work on it, having been so familiar with Hamlet and Hamlet's point of view, it does feel a little bit like the characters are being presented from Hamlet's perspective. So Claudius is way more evil than an actor would approach him, probably, you know, and Gertrude is way more fickle and flighty. And I don't know whether that's how it'll end up in the actual sort of final mix, but certainly as a way in, it was hard to dissociate myself from Hamlet's perspective and his point of view.

Cyrus: One thing that fascinates me about Independent Shakespeare is that you guys often incorporate modern music and live music into your productions. I noticed that that's also a theme for Hamlet, Solus. How do you think that enhances or changes the meaning of the story?

David: Hopefully it enhances it. I think there might be some people that come and see it and strongly disagree with that. You know, there's not a whole lot of music. I mean, it's mostly the Shakespeare text, but I, you know, we wanted to use this as an opportunity to experiment with a certain way of doing things. And I've done a number of one person shows before and I've always approached them in a very minimal way.But, you know, I've been interested in -- I've started doing a lot of sound design for the show. So when I work as a director, I often do my own sound design. And I really like it. And I record my own music at home because I write. So I've been writing songs for the Shakespeare plays. So I do love sound design. And I was sort of curious about how to use looping and whether there was a practical application for that in a stage. So I wanted to see if there was a way to create live loops on stage, and I'm trying to incorporate it on some lines. So certain words can be put into a loop and then sort of repeat. It's quite complicated, because it means I've got to have various trigger points around the stage, where I can activate these things. I mean, doing Hamlet as a solo show is a tightrope walk, as it is, but to deal with all this very fiddly tech stuff… I don't know, my mind might explode.

Cyrus: But hopefully not until after the show.

David: During the show, probably.But, you know, in rehearsals, we've done it, you know, it's quite satisfying when it works. But so yeah, I was just really interested in can I do that? Can I build just using the kind of synthesizer applications that you would use in a program like Logic? There's a live version of that called Main Stage. And I'm not using it a whole lot, but to be able to sort of play just a tone that will underscore a speech in a way.

David (continued): I'm giving a little bit more space to a character who I think is probably the most important character in Hamlet, outside of Hamlet, who doesn't have any lines. And that's Yorick. Whenever you see a picture of Hamlet, you know, it's Hamlet holding Yorick. He's quite sort of iconic as far as the production goes. But we don't really know too much about him [Yorick]. But he has a very interesting perspective, I think, because Hamlet is so much about death and grief. And that's one of the themes I'm trying to explore in this. And, you know, of course, Yorick sort of is on the other side of that. He does know a thing or two about it. You know, he might just be the court fool, but he is actually, something that Hamlet doesn't know, and it's not until Hamlet meets Yorick that it's after his meeting with Yorick that he's finally ready to do what he's been avoiding all of this time, not until he stares into Yorick's eyes, or what used to be his eyes. So I've sort of resurrected him, and he's helping to narrate the show a little bit. But rather than me sort of trying to write Shakespeare, I'm doing it mostly in the form of this 1930s/40s English Music Hall style, in the style of this performer called George Formby, who played a banjolele. And so I'm sort of riffing around his song style, which is very upbeat and comedic. So, tonally, it's very much against the grain of what people would expect from something like this. I'm not sure, you know, whether it's going to please people or not. But I'm just -- this is a ridiculously indulgent project. (laughs)

Cyrus: What was the process of making Hamlet, Solus? Like, I know sometimes productions can be sat on for years. If so, how many months, years, how much time has been spent?

David: We've talked about it for a long time, mostly sort of as a joke. When we're trying to think about what we're going to put in our indoor space, and something drops out. And I said, ‘Well, I can always do my one-man Hamlet’. But this year, I guess, Melissa, just put it on the calendar. And I didn't know whether she was serious or not, but I decided to take her seriously. And then the next part, I guess, was trying to learn some of the speeches of the characters that I'd not played before. So that they're sort of more in my bones, because Hamlet's very in my bones, but you know, Gertrude obviously isn't. So that was the other key part of the process, but it's been very, very much “solus”. But, you know, one of the nice things about doing a one person show is that you can always be in rehearsal. If you're in the car, or whatever you're doing, you know, you can always be working on it. But one of the downsides is that it's rather lonely. And I, one of the things I love about being in the theatre is, you know, having my fellow actors around to goof around and play with and, you know, it's a little lonely. Although I do anticipate that I can have many cast parties, and they'll all be very cheap.

Cyrus: You can invite Hamlet and Gertrude.

David: I don't know that you’d want Hamlet at a party. (laughs)

Cyrus: What do you want or hope audiences to take away from this show?

David: I think that I'd like people to connect with the themes that I want to explore. I'd like them to have a slightly deeper understanding of some of the relationships. I'd like them to sort of understand the graveyard scene as more than just a comic bit. I'd like to think that one of the advantages of doing it as a one person show is you can show characters' points of view a little clearer. Because you have to take a little bit more time in between reactions, and you can stay with reactions, you can show one person saying something to show the other reaction. But if it's just you, you can highlight some of the characters' points of view. There are some key moments. The piece with Hamlet meeting Yorick, which I'm setting up Yorick as kind of this dark comic character. But there's a seriousness when they meet. And also the scene with Gertrude -- I think there's something about the way that it's been edited that it sort of really leads to that moment. So I hope I can sort of highlight some of Gertrude's turmoil and her guilt. And I hope it sort of weirdly, even though it's very sort of edited, I hope there are some elements of the story that maybe make a little more sense. Something I'm very interested in is why Hamlet pretends to be mad. I'm making Hamlet's madness, this sort of weird, like early Pink Floyd sort of noise that sort of keeps coming back and annoying Claudius. So I can create this sort of sound character. So and again, because you're seeing things, you know, the perspective of the characters a little more clearly because it's one person show. I hope I can sort of hone in on the use of Hamlet’s feigned madness that’s a little different from what you would be able to do in a bigger production. Basically grief and madness.

Cyrus: I love that. You’ve touched on this a little bit, but what do you hope to take away from this experience? Do you think you’ll do an iambic lab or Solus project like this in the future?

David: Well we haven’t performed it yet, so we don’t know. It is an act of extreme hubris, so I could fall on my face and regret it. Or I could find wonderful new modes of expression. I mean, I’m challenging myself in ways I’ve never done before, and it’s really scary, and I hope it’s successful and it resonates. If it isn’t successful, I hope I give myself permission to be brave.

Cyrus: Lastly, do you think Hamlet, Solus is accessible to teens who have never seen Sahelsepate and how might they want to prepare for the show?

David: That’s a really good question. I hope it will be; I’m trying to make the story as clear as I can get. I do think the approach to it is playful, hopefully humorous, moving when it needs to be. That’s always a dangerous area with tragic materials -- you don’t want to overplay that comedy, but not overlay the tragedy that people are so bored with. Checkhov used to say “you need to make people laugh before they can cry”. It’ll never be boring, any of this. I do think it’ll be of interest to teens. Even if students don’t study Hamlet, they’ll probably hear some of these lines used as quotations; it’s nice to know where it sits, where it stems from.

Cyrus: Thank you so much; that’s all the questions I’ve prepared. Do you have anything else you’d like to say to teens or anyone else preparing to see the show?

David: Just come with an open mind (laughs). Everything we do, we try to make it warm and welcoming to everyone. If you don’t know Hamlet, it could be the beginning of a wonderful journey, and if you do know Hamlet, it could lend you some deeper insights.

Though Hamlet, Solus has only been in production for a few months, it seems as

though this production from David Melville was inevitable. Hamlet is interwoven with ISCLA’s very DNA, from Melville’s move to America to Independent Shakespeare’s rise in local fame. His personal connection to Hamlet creates a gripping, personal narrative that just hearing about made me jittery with excitement. From the moment I heard about Hamlet, Solus and marked my calendar to see it, to every detail I learned about its creation and nuance by talking to David Melville, I knew this solo expedition into Hamlet would be something unforgettable.

This interview-article is compiled from an audio interview conducted on 5/3/24. Not all of Mr Melville’s full responses have been included. Some responses have been edited or cut.

A New Brain, a show put on by Celebration Theatre and Los Angeles LGBT Center, delves into the concepts of mortality, second chances, and the healing power of art. It follows songwriter Gordon Schwinn, who, after collapsing into their lunch and waking up in the hospital, is faced with the possibility that they might die before writing their greatest songs. The show, Celebration Theatre's first musical in years, is performed with gender-expansive casting. We get the opportunity to learn more about the experience of being in this show and theater through A New Brain's lead actor, Amanda Kruger (they/them).

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With global warming worse than ever and wildfires becoming a yearly occurrence in California, SCINTILLA, recently performed by the Road Theatre Company, is a timely and necessary play about the effect we have on our world. The play follows Michael and Nora as they travel to California's Wine Country to visit his mother, Marianne. As a raging California wildfire approaches Marianne's home, Michael struggles with his mother's refusal to leave, two unexpected visitors, and a complicated family history. SCINTILLA brings up the ultimate question of our very survival on Earth. Fortunately for us, we were able to hear from Danna Hyams, the show's producer, and go deeper into the process and production of SCINTILLA.Why did you choose to put on this show?

I was invited to hear the play read at the playwright's home in the fall of 2019. It was beautifully written and I was completely taken in by the different themes in the story. An extremely well drawn family conflict, juxtaposed by the outward immediate threat of fire and ultimate threat to the planet. I wanted to make this happen and I submitted it to The Road. I was thrilled when they decided to produce it for a Spring 2020 opening. But, of course, we all know what happened in March of 2020. So, we had to put the production on hold. It took three years, but I am very happy that we were able to present it now. What message do you want your audience to take away?

The holiday season is upon us, and A Noise Within has brought back a yearly festive classic. If you haven’t heard about the tale of A Christmas Carol, now is the time to feel immersed within this world. This universal experience unravels the story through its main character, Ebenezer Scrooge, as he discovers change within himself as a person during Christmastime. Lucky for you all, we were able to learn more about this production through the creative eye of Geoff Elliott, the adapter of A Christmas Carol who plays Scrooge himself.

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Why did your team decide to showcase A Christmas Carol and have it performed?

Charles Dickens’ short novel A Christmas Carol is an unparalleled tale of transformation and forgiveness. We as an audience are given the opportunity to experience, through Scrooge, the possibilities for change-how just one person can dramatically affect those around them for good or evil. We believe it is vitally important to share with the community such a transformation.

Why do we do it every holiday season and how is the audience impacted?

Well before we began performing the adaptation as a yearly event beginning in 2012, we dreamed of having this holiday tradition on a yearly basis. After we moved into our new and permanent home in 2011 we knew the time was now. The play brings new, younger, families to the theatre, many for the first time. It introduces them to the caliber of work at A Noise Within and many come back to see the other productions. It has become a tradition for members of our community with many coming back over and over again. To be onstage and feel the emotional impact from the audience at curtain call is an experience an actor never forgets.

Why is A Christmas Carol significant to you or your organization?

Dickens’ masterpiece is timeless. Its relevance today, in our rather troubled world, is a healing balm both to us and our audiences every year.

What do we hope for teens to obtain from the production?

First and foremost, that this specific classic and indeed all of the great classics have real world significance-that these plays are not dusty old library books forgotten on a shelf, but have a great deal to tell us about our lives right now. And our young audience members are given the opportunity to realize that live theatre is a once in a lifetime experience, that their active participation as audience members energizes the performers, making that particular day a group effort.

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We would like to thank Geoff Elliott for sharing his experience working on this production with TeenTix LA. Click HERE to learn how to see this production for just $5 before it closes on December 23rd. Be like Ebenezer Scrooge and don’t miss out on feeling transformed by art this season. Enjoy the holiday excitement with your loved ones. We wish you all a happy holiday!

Photo by Craig Schwartz

Get Ready To SMILE for IAMA Theatre

We are so excited to be back promoting another show with our arts partner, IAMA Theatre! SMILE premiered on November 10th. This show explores the story of a 17 year old girl from Northeast Philadelphia. When an “incident” follows pursuit at her affluent school landing her in the guidance counselor’s office, the two find themselves forming an unlikely yet complicated relationship. The main character is also learning how to navigate a world defined by her race, gender, and class. We wanted to learn more about their upcoming production so we asked Stefanie Black, IAMA’s Artistic Director, for more insight.

Why did your team decide to showcase SMILE and how did it come about when choosing which productions to perform?

SMILE was originally developed in 2018 in IAMA's New Works Festival. Melissa Jane Osborne, the playwright, is an ensemble member and submitted the piece. We have been developing it with her and director, Michelle Bossy since 2018. It was originally programmed to premiere in the fall of 2020, but due to the Pandemic, it had been postponed till now. We were and still are so excited about sharing this very relevant and timely piece of theater. It's a story with many perspectives and touches on the very potent themes of grief, trauma, and connection.

What message do you or your team want for teens to obtain from seeing this production?

We want to create more dialogue around feeling seen and heard as a young person. This play examines the many ways that teenagers do not have agency over their own experience, their bodies, their choices; how they rely on adults for safety and care, and how their feelings and perspective is so important. That their voices matter.

What’s something you or your team have learned while participating in this production and are there any lasting impressions you might have?

We have learned that centering the experiences of others around us is the best path to true collaboration and trust. In an environment where you are developing a new play, it's so important for everyone to feel they have a voice in the process and are a vital part of telling this story.

If you could explain this production in one word, what would it be and why?

Layered.

Why do you think this production deserves to be seen by audiences?

There is a lot to be learned from the past. Not just our own, but our society's. It's so important to be able to hold a mirror up to ourselves and see where we have grown and where we still have work to do. This play helps us look at how not much has changed since 1992 and that we, as a society, still have much to do when it comes to uplifting women and their freedoms.

We would like to thank all of the members in IAMA Theatre, including Melissa Jane Osborne, Michelle Bossy, and Stefanie Black for all of their hard work to piece together this production after a long hiatus. This story serves as a touching reminder reflecting on our own society and how much change there is still needed to have.

Check out our events calendar for more details on this interesting and complex production. Teens – take advantage of this deal while you can! In addition, TeenTix LA is having a TeenTix Night with IAMA Theatre on Sunday, November 20th. Don’t miss an opportunity to sign up for lots of fun, food, and a post-show talkback!

Join us on Sunday, November 20!

Happy Pride Month, everyone! We are so excited to celebrate Celebration Theatre’s current production, TALES OF THE TRANSCESTORS. This important show acknowledges transgender individuals and their immense erasure and/or unrecorded moments from history. Based on personal and real-life experiences, TALES OF THE TRANCESTORS brings to you all an interpretative, first-time, live-telling of 6 transgender stories across history. Performed by 6 different artists, it’s a multi-genre experience infused with music, poetry, and one-acts that will bring about an authentic and unique perspective to the intersectional transgender experiences LIVE on stage. We asked Shaan Dasani, the play’s director, to further elaborate on this production.

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Why did your organization want to specifically showcase TALES OF THE TRANSCESTORS?

Celebration Theatre’s 40-year mission has been to entertain, inspire, and empower with innovative productions that celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community. The stories of our trans* family within that community, however, have too often remained untold. Celebration’s Interim Artistic Director, Ann James [Hamilton, Lempicka] (she/they) says, “This is a show that everyone can learn from and enjoy. I hope that the Hollywood Fringe and PRIDE audiences come out to see these artists bring respect to our community ancestors.”

What message do you (or your team) want for teens to obtain from seeing this play?

We're at a time right now where the conversation around trans* identity in media has been both a powerful tool for visibility and community building and has also put trans people under a sometimes uncomfortable microscope, especially as related to teens. We want younger folks to know that there were people who came before, that this isn't new, and that they are a part of a resilient history, and that resilience is a part of them.

What is an emotion/feeling you and your team hopefully want audiences to feel and why?

Inspired. Here are 6 stories about people who lived in their identity when it might have been near impossible to access community, medical care, stable employment, or other resources we have access to today, but they did it on their terms. They found a way to live true to themselves, which is ultimately what I hope we all strive for.

What is the meaning behind this production and what does it mean to you?

Trans history isn't taught in schools. And the history that has been recorded was many times sensationalized by the media at the time. We wanted to give ourselves a chance to explore the history of trans identity through cultures and through time, and bring these stories forward with dignity and respect, through the interpreted lens of these people, by actors who would feel connected to them. In this rendition, we go as far back as the mid-1800s, focusing largely on people who lived in North America, so this is just a small window into our history.

How important is this production to you and is there anything within the show (that you can disclose) that leaves a lasting impression?

At the end of the day, TRANSCESTORS is not just a show about trans people, it's a show about people and how they lived... some were musicians, some fought in wars, some are more rooted in local community impact.... all of them just happened to be trans. That's important, because seeing our stories from this frame helps humanize our experience beyond just one identity. It helps us be seen as a part of the fabric of society in a more holistic sense.

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TeenTix LA would like to echo Shaan, the 6 artists, as well as the rest of the Celebration Theatre team that words have remained truly unspoken for many transgender folks throughout history. This uplifting production celebrates the transgender community and creates much-needed visibility for them. We are so thrilled this production exists -- not just for LGBTQ+ audiences, but for everyone who can gain inspiration from watching it. Just in time for Pride Month, this production is available with our TeenTix Pass for only $5. Fair warning – they only have TWO SHOWS LEFT (one on the 24th & other on the 25th) so once you are done reading this, click on our events calendar tab and make a plan to see this show!

Pasadena Playhouse sets the stage for audiences to check out ANN, their newest production. ANN is written and performed by none other than Emmy Award-winner Holland Taylor. Taylor performs a memorable tribute and shines a positive light on the late Texas Governor Ann Richards. Through Taylor’s performance as Ann Richards, she is able to exude confidence and accompany a fresh yet colorful side to the character. Taylor’s successful performances throughout Texas, Chicago, Washington, DC, and at Broadway’s Lincoln Center have made this a long-awaited event in LA To get you excited for this awesome show, we asked Nelly Mueller, Marketing Manager for Pasadena Playhouse, a few questions about this highly-anticipated play.

- Why did Pasadena Playhouse choose Ann?

Ann was originally part of our 2019 - 2020 Season, before the pandemic hit. We're thrilled to be bringing back this show for its West Coast premiere this season, particularly because this will be Holland Taylor's last time performing this role. Our Producing Artistic Director, Danny Feldman, put it this way: "Holland Taylor is a true legend - her conception, writing, and performance of this show are evidence that she is truly one of the best we've got. It is a privilege to have her here with us to tell her delightful version of the story of Texas Governor Ann Richards one last time."

- What are some highlights or challenges from this production?

As is the nature of live theater, it's important to be ready for anything, and we have a truly excellent team here at Pasadena Playhouse that is always ready to expect the unexpected! We've also been lucky enough to collaborate with some of the team members at ZACH Theatre in Austin, TX to ensure that this production is the best it can be.

- What do you hope for teens to take away from the experience of viewing this production?

We hope that beyond enjoying the return of live theatre after a two year long absence, teens feel encouraged to register to vote! Holland Taylor reminds us that Ann Richards always said to "quit whining, and start participating." For this show, we've even teamed up with When We All Vote to make it easier than ever to register and participate in local and national elections, just like Governor Richards said we should. Visit WhenWeAllVote.org/Ann to learn more.

- What your team is most proud of when doing this production?

This is our second in-person show that we've put up since COVID, and we're so thrilled by the amount of support we've received from our community. We're very proud of being a member supported theater, and it was the support for those members and the greater Southern California community that has allowed us to keep making bold and important theater. It really does take a village!

We are so happy and ecstatic that Pasadena Playhouse is back and better than ever. Their shows never fail to succeed and that is why so many community members around the Southern California area love them so much to keep their in-person shows running. We can’t wait for you all to go see ANN and hope y’all can be moved by Holland Taylor’s legendary portrayal of an iconic leader. Remember teens, you can head over to our events calendar and purchase your $5 tickets using our TeenTix Pass. Get your tickets as soon as you can before Governor Ann Richards retires for the VERY last time.