Shelly Kurtz News

Seventeen years ago, Susan Priver starred as Flora opposite Henry Olek as Edward with Shelly Kurtz as the match seller in Harold Pinter’s A Slight Ache, a tragicomedy of manners that takes a funny, ominous, and unsettling journey into the human psyche. All three actors will reprise their roles in a visiting production of Pinter’s play, directed by Jack Heller at the Odyssey Theatre in West L.A. from August 26 through October 1. I decided to speak with Susan about her experience with both productions of Pinter’s play.

Harold Pinter fans can enjoy 72 minutes of quintessential Pinter when Jack Heller directs the Nobel Prize-winning playwright's rarely-produced early work, A Slight Ache, in a visiting production at the Odyssey Theatre. Dance On Productions in association with Linda Toliver and Gary Guidinger presents a six week run, August 26 through October 1.

We're still not able to crowd together in theatres just yet, but the West Coast Jewish Theatre has a wonderful evening of entertainment for you to enjoy online on Saturdays now through May 29, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. PDT, its Magical Musical Mystery Follies.

The West Coast Jewish Theatre has a wonderful evening of entertainment for you to enjoy online on Saturdays, April 24, May 1, or May 8, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. PDT, its Magical Musical Mystery Follies.

Neo Ensemble Theatre will present the world premiere of Representative Misbehavior by Tom Walla, it was announced today. Under the direction of Flint Esquerra, this new comedy will play one preview performance on Thursday, September 26, at 8pm, and open on Friday, September 27, at 8pm. The limited engagement will run through October 20 only.

Neo Ensemble Theatre will present the world premiere of Representative Misbehavior by Tom Walla, it was announced today. Under the direction of Flint Esquerra, this new comedy will play one preview performance on Thursday, September 26, at 8pm, and open on Friday, September 27, at 8pm. The limited engagement will run through October 20 only.

The 18th annual Tribeca Film Festival, presented by AT&T, today announced its 2019 lineup of 63 diverse and engaging short films in competition, including 31 world premieres. This year's shorts program includes a cross-section of international and U.S. filmmakers, curated from a record 5131 submissions with female filmmakers directing 45% of the selections. The short films will be presented in 11 distinct competition programs, consisting of six narrative, four documentary, and one animation program. There will also be special screening programs for the annual Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival and the debut of shorts from The Queen Collective, a program aimed at accelerating gender and racial equality behind the camera. The 2019 shorts lineup is programmed by Sharon Badal and Ben Thompson. The 2019 Tribeca Film Festival takes place April 24 - May 5.

Directed by Howard Teichman for the West Coast Jewish Theatre at the Miles Memorial Playhouse in Santa Monica on a beautifully detailed split-level set designed by Kurtis Bedford and lit by Ellen Monocroussos, Neil Simon's classic took on a more emotional dedication from the cast with Simon's passing on August 26, 2018 during the show's rehearsal process. But even though Teichman keeps the pace moving along at a steady pace, running at almost 3 hours with very little laughter, the play, though extremely well written and performed, does seem a bit long and drawn-out as there certainly were moments when it could have ended much sooner and still been as effective.

It's 1949, the war is over, and America is beginning a new chapter. Eugene Jerome and his brother Stan are being given a chance to audition as comedy writers for CBS in the emerging medium of television. If they succeed, they'll move out of the family home in Brighton Beach and into the Big City. Eugene, however, is distracted. He's fallen in love and thinks his new girl is The One. Stan has episodes of writer's block.

It's 1949, the war is over, and America is beginning a new chapter. Eugene Jerome and his brother Stan are being given a chance to audition as comedy writers for CBS in the emerging medium of television. If they succeed, they'll move out of the family home in Brighton Beach and into the Big City. Eugene, however, is distracted. He's fallen in love and thinks his new girl is The One. Stan has episodes of writer's block.

It's 1949, the war is over, and America is beginning a new chapter. Eugene Jerome and his brother Stan are being given a chance to audition as comedy writers for CBS in the emerging medium of television. If they succeed, they'll move out of the family home in Brighton Beach and into the Big City. Eugene, however, is distracted. He's fallen in love and thinks his new girl is The One. Stan has episodes of writer's block.

Winning the prestigious Woodward/Newman Award for best play, while being developed at Rogue Machine for their 2012 season, brought with it a fully funded production mounted at the Bloomington Play Project in Indiana. It turned out to be one of their most successful projects to date. A Holland New Voices Award came shortly afterwards, and now playwright Henry Murray is ready for its close-up at Rogue Machine, known for staging new works. This will be a West Coast Premiere in one of the country's most vibrant cities for new plays, Los Angeles, opening tonight, September 15, 2012.

THREE VIEWS OF THE SAME OBJECT opens on September 15, 2012 at 8pm, running Friday and Saturday at 8:00 PM and Sunday at 3:00 PM through October 28, 2012. ROGUE MACHINE is located at 5041 Pico Blvd., LA, CA 90019. Tickets are $30. Reservations: 855-585-5185 or at www.roguemachinetheatre.com. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below.

Winning the prestigious Woodward/Newman Award for best play, while being developed at Rogue Machine for their 2012 season, brought with it a fully funded production mounted at the Bloomington Play Project in Indiana. It turned out to be one of their most successful projects to date. A Holland New Voices Award came shortly afterwards, and now playwright Henry Murray is ready for its close-up at Rogue Machine, known for staging new works. This will be a West Coast Premiere in one of the country's most vibrant cities for new plays, Los Angeles, opening September 15, 2012.

During the first half hour of Richard Raskind's world premiere The Bridge Club, I was genuinely engaged by its unusual set of circumstances, its believable dialogue and two main characters Jack (Christopher Franciosa) and Sue (Nancy Dobbs Owen). I really got to like both of them and so wanted the play to go in a linear direction. Alas, Raskind veered 100% away from that, and to some, who like their dramas akin to TV's Touched by an Angel, that will bring pleasure. I wanted more. Now under Mike Sabatino's steady direction and fine cast, The Bridge Club, despite its theatrical letdown, is still entertaining fare...and don't let its title deceive you, it's not about a group of oldsters playing cards.

Simon Productions present Richard Raskind's THE BRIDGE CLUB directed by Mike Sabatino, which makes its west coast premiere April 20 - May 13, 2012. Cast features Christopher Franciosa, Shelly Kurtz, Nancy Dobbs Owen, Vesna Tolomanoska, and Andrew Villarreal. The play opens Friday, April 20th as a guest production at Deaf West Theatre in the NoHo Arts District.

Richard Raskind's "The Bridge Club" directed by Mike Sabatino, produced by Simon Productions, will have its West Coast Premiere Friday, April 20 through Sunday,

Simon Productions present Richard Raskind's THE BRIDGE CLUB directed by Mike Sabatino, which makes its west coast premiere April 20 - May 13, 2012. Cast features Christopher Franciosa, Shelly Kurtz, Nancy Dobbs Owen, Vesna Tolomanoska, and Andrew Villarreal. The play opens Friday, April 20th as a guest production at Deaf West Theatre in the NoHo Arts District.

Richard Raskind's "The Bridge Club" directed by Mike Sabatino, produced by Simon Productions, will have its West Coast Premiere Friday, April 20 through Sunday,

Chuck Faerber's world premiere Counter Men, now onstage at the Whitefire Theatre, is peculiarly intriguing with a 14-character cast and just about as many plotlines. On the plus side, it's entertaining - to a point - with a mostly wonderful ensemble. On the negative side, its big picture gets bogged down by too many unnecessary stories. It can work in a soap on TV, but not on a tiny stage.The setting? The rump section of a diner-like restaurant in Glendale - great realistic set design by Davis Campbell - where an odd assortment of men hang out daily: an actor, a screenwriter, and a musician are among the brood. This is a suburb of Hollywood, after all, so it's not unusual for show biz folks to find a second home where they can dish the dirt, kind of like Dupars in Studio City. There are a couple of waitresses who know the men quite well, so, for the most part, what we see is a big extended family, except of course, for those making quick entrances/exits to and from the restroom, one of whom is branded a terrorist. A couple of the men are vets and have conflicting opinions with the younger guys about the war in Iraq. Mackie (Paul Haitkin) has a macho streak and brags about picking up women and videotaping his sexual trysts with them. Carl (Bart Braverman) has some serious issues with cancer. Joyelle (Marion Ramsey), the older and motherly waitress, has a son in Iraq and is in a constant state of anxiety for his safety. Ludy (Vanessa Herrera), the younger waitress, with a black eye and bruises on her arms, is clearly having some problems at home. Teo, a homeless filipino musician, who uses one of the booths to sleep in as well as a studio in which to compose, is attracted to Sackie (Naila Browne), a gal from Glendale's Water and Power, but he's timid about taking the first step to meet her. One of Mackie's conquests, Sheila, a real estate tycoon, gives up the business and eventually becomes a nun (Anna Nicholas). The stories go on and on, endlessly.