ArtsBeatLA

Center Theatre Group announces their Spring 2025 CTG:FWD programming

Center Theatre Group has announced its Spring 2025 CTG:FWD programming, featuring a thrilling lineup of theatrical and musical programs. Two productions will be staged at the Kirk Douglas Theatre: the first being the new musical comedy 44, which began with a sold-out engagement at LA’s The Bourbon Room. Created by Eli Bauman, the musical takes a satirical look at the rise and presidency of Barack Obama, as well as the eccentric political characters he met along the way.   

44 will be performed at the Kirk Douglas Theatre from February 23 to March 23, 2025 (opening on Thursday, February 27). It is written, composed, and directed by Eli Bauman, and is produced by Monica Saunders-Weinberg (Hana Black Productions), along with Bauman. 

Tickets are now on sale to the general public at centertheatregroup.org

Obama’s election changed history. And as we can clearly see, it also ended racism forever! But 44 is the story of the Obama you won’t read about in history books … because history books are now banned in most states. But also because 44 is the story of Obama as Joe Biden kinda sorta remembers it … as a musical! 

“As we survived the totally normal and stress-free 2024 election and Inauguration Day, we hope you’ll join us for a look back at the 44th Presidency of the United States—when the White House was full of hope, when the President didn’t endorse a violent attack on his own Vice President, and the President’s largest scandal was wearing a tan suit.” 

Eli Bauman.

44 is followed by a return engagement of TheaterWorksUSA’s New York Times Critic’s Pick El Otro Oz to the Kirk Douglas Theatre from March 29 to April 13.  Click your heels together tres veces and take a transformative journey with this salsa, merengue, and Mexican folk-infused musical inspired by The Wizard of Oz

This bilingual musical by Mando Alvarado, Tommy Newman, and Jaime Lozano tells the story of Dora. As her fifteenth birthday approaches, Dora, a contemporary Latiné teenager, struggles with her family’s ideas about tradition and dreads her impending quinceañera. But, when Dora gets swept away to a strange new land, she learns how to celebrate her unique rhythm and embrace her cultural identity.  

The New York Times said that El Otro Oz “… isn’t your grandparents’ Wizard of Oz. Or your parents’ Wiz. Or your older sister’s WickedEl Otro Oz is a high-spirited mix of all these shows, with more than a dozen songs and several winning performances. No time to click heels in this 65-minute telling: these shoes are made for dancing.” 

Upcoming Spring 2025 CTG:FWD programming at the Mark Taper Forum is made possible through the generous support of the S. Mark Taper Foundation. Additional funding is provided by gifts to the Artistic Director Discretionary Fund. Tickets and information are available at centertheatregroup.org

These events are a continuation of an initiative created by Artistic Director Snehal Desai beginning in 2023. Desai said, “CTG:FWD continues to expand the variety of programming and experiences we are able to bring to Center Theatre Group audiences. TheaterWorksUSA has brought us musicals based on Dav Pilkey’s enormously popular characters with Dog Man: The Musical and Cat Kid Comic Club: The Musical. Now, they bring us this critically acclaimed reimagining of Oz, with a lasting identification with the heroism and courage among characters that have become among the most enduring of the past hundred years, no matter the version.” 

Desai continued, “In an entirely different vein, 44 brings us a hilarious revisiting of the recent past, even as it feels distant now—but more importantly, allows us to support a new musical born right here in Los Angeles. Finally, I could not be more thrilled to continue our partnership with MUSE/IQUE, led by the incomparable Rachael Worby, as they kick off their season under the roof of the historic Mark Taper Forum.”

Center Theatre Group will also be rolling out more special events and opportunities under the CTG:FWD banner throughout the coming year. 

44

Written and directed by Eli Bauman

Choreography by James Alsop

Musical Direction by Anthony “Brew” Brewster

Produced by Monica Saunders-Weinberg and Eli Bauman

Kirk Douglas Theatre | February 23 to March 23, 2025

The smash-hit musical comedy 44 comes to the Kirk Douglas Theatre from sold-out engagements in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago at the time of the 2024 Democratic National Convention, and LA’s The Bourbon Room, where it originated. 44 is a satirical look at the rise and presidency of Barack Obama, as well as the eccentric political characters he met along the way.  

44 is written, composed, and directed by former Obama campaign organizer Eli Bauman (NBC’s Maya & Marty), and is produced by Monica Saunders-Weinberg (Hana Black Productions), along with Bauman. 

Following its LA run, 44 took home seven 2023 BroadwayWorld L.A. Awards, including Best Musical, Best Direction of a Musical (Eli Bauman), Best Musical Direction (Anthony Brewster), and Best Choreography (James Alsop). 

Eli Bauman (Writer, Composer, Director, Producer) was born and raised in Los Angeles to his mother Mary, a therapist for special needs children, and father, Jon, also known as “Bowzer” from the retro 50’s nostalgia TV show/most random band to play Woodstock, “Sha Na Na.” After enduring this not remotely strange childhood, Bauman graduated from Columbia University with a degree in English and Creative Writing. Upon graduation, Eli toured the country with his father, singing in casinos ranging from the 10,000 seat Mohegan Sun Aren” to the utterly depressing Boomtown Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. After moving back to LA in 2007 to pursue a career in Hollywood, Eli gave up the glamorous world of television production for the even more glamorous world of political campaigning, moving to Las Vegas’ largest and hottest county to organize for radical fringe candidate, Barack Obama, whom we’ve never heard from since.  

Monica Saunders-Weinberg (Producer) has an extensive professional and creative portfolio – from business and real estate to philanthropy and the performing arts. Saunders-Weinberg has over 26 years of experience working on the board of The Terrace Tower Group where she is the Co-Owner and joint Deputy Chair. The Terrace Tower Group is a privately owned, leading property development company with various investments in Australia and the United States. A passionate philanthropist, Saunders-Weinberg collaborates with numerous charities globally. She is a founding partner of The Growth Project—an initiative that brings emerging charities and business leaders together for maximum positive social impact. She also heads her family’s charitable arm, The Saunders Foundation, cultivating its mission for the last 25 years and spearheading its day-to-day operations. Monica chaired the Sydney Children’s Hospital Gold Dinner Committee from 2019 – 2021, presiding over the largest charity event in Australia, and breaking several Australian fund-raising records. Saunders-Weinberg continues to work closely with a wide range of charities and is hugely passionate about philanthropy and the arts. Saunders-Weinberg recently teamed up with Award winning producer Bruna Papandrea’s Made Up Stories to executive produce the feature film, Addition, and to develop a film adaptation of Fiona McIntosh’s bestselling book, The Pearl Thief. Monica resides in Sydney with her husband, Richard, where they are devoted parents to their three children. 

Anthony “Brew” Brewster (Music Director) was born in Santa Monica, California. He developed an enriched soulful style by singing and playing the piano and trumpet in church. As a lead member in two of Los Angeles’ most seminal acts, Fishbone and The Untouchables, Brewster showcased his wide range for developing, arranging, and producing skills for some of today’s top artists. 

Miss James Alsop (Choreographer) most recently contributed choreography to the Renaissance World Tour and you can see her movement direction on Kim Kardashian and Emma Roberts on the most current season of American Horror Story: Delicate. The Whitney Houston biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebodymarks her feature film choreographic debut. She choreographed the acclaimed Peacock musical TV series Girls5eva, executive produced by Tina Fey as well as the #1 Netflix series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Her choreography has also been featured on PoseSoundtrackGossip Girl, and the upcoming season of Emily in Paris. Her work can also be seen in the Kerry Washington sitcom Unprisoned

photo_by_jeremy_daniel_l-r__rafa_reyes_gerardo_esparza_mayelah_barrera_juan_danner
TheaterWorksUSA’s production of El Otro Oz

Book by Mando Alvarado and Tommy Newman 
Music & Lyrics by Jaime Lozano and Tommy Newman

Kirk Douglas Theatre | March 29 to April 13, 2025

El Otro Oz, a bilingual musical, has book by Mando Alvarado and Tommy Newman and music and lyrics by Jaime Lozano and Tommy Newman. 

Click your heels together tres veces and take a transformative journey with this salsa, merengue, and Mexican folk-infused musical inspired by The Wizard of Oz. As her fifteenth birthday approaches, Dora, a contemporary Latiné teenager, struggles with her family’s ideas about tradition and dreads her impending quinceañera! But, when Dora gets swept away to a strange new land, she learns how to celebrate her unique rhythm and embrace her cultural identity. 

“La historia se centra en Dora (Dorothy en ‘El Mago de Oz’), una joven mexico-americana que al cumplir 15 años se siente perdida en medio de las dos culturas; rechaza sus raíces mexicanas porque sólo quiere ser estadounidense. A través del viaje que hace Dora buscará descubrir su cultura y empieza a amar realmente lo que es ella y entiende los sacrificios que hizo su madre para darle una mejor vida en Estados Unidos.” 

“The story focuses on Dora (Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz), a young Mexican-American girl who, upon turning 15, feels lost in the middle of two cultures; She rejects her Mexican roots because she just wants to be American. Through the journey that Dora takes she will seek to discover her culture and begins to really love what she is and understands the sacrifices that her mother made to give her a better life in the United States.”

Musical Director Jaime Lozano said in El Norte.

The orchestrations and arrangements are by Salomon Lerner and Jaime Lozano; scenic design by Frank J. Oliva; costume design by Christopher Vergara; puppet design by Jessica Scott; original choreography by Andrea Guajardo; and original direction by Elena Araoz. 

TheaterWorksUSA has led the Theater for Young and Family Audiences movement in New York City and across North America for over half a century. At TWUSA, they believe that access to art—and theater, in particular—is vital for our youth. Since 1961, the 501(c)3 not-for-profit has captured the imaginations of 100 million new and veteran theatergoers with an award-winning repertoire of over 140 original plays and musicals.  

MUSE/IQUE pays tribute to Ray Charles

Mark Taper Forum

The newly announced CTG:FWD attractions are completed by two new concerts from MUSE/IQUE in the Mark Taper Forum from March 21 to 23 and August 8 to 10, 2025. MUSE/IQUE is a member-supported, nonprofit performing arts organization making radically engaging live music experiences accessible for all. Built on a tradition of community and collaboration, they create events that feature an eclectic mix of artists and artistic disciplines that take place at a variety of our city’s historic locales and cultural institutions. 

In March, MUSE/IQUE pays tribute to Ray Charles with the story of how his diverse musical genres, influences, and collaborators all culminated in his landmark recording of “America the Beautiful” in 1972. In August, MUSE/IQUE explores the bustling music scene where salsa, boogaloo, mambo and more converged in New York in the neighborhood known as “Spanish Harlem” during the postwar World War II era.

MUSE/IQUE creates immersive musical adventures and illuminates the music that shapes our lives. By reimagining the traditional format of the live classical orchestral experience, Artistic Director Rachael Worby seamlessly blends musical performances with researched curation. Their mission is to build empathy and awaken curiosity through live events and strong partnerships with fellow nonprofit organizations in Pasadena and the greater Los Angeles area.

About CTG:

Center Theatre Group, one of the nation’s preeminent arts and cultural organizations, is Los Angeles’ leading not-for-profit theatre company, which, under the leadership of Artistic Director Snehal Desai, Managing Director / CEO Meghan Pressman, and Producing Director Douglas C. Baker, programs the Mark Taper Forum and the Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center in Downtown Los Angeles, and the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City. Center Theatre Group is one of the country’s leading producers of ambitious new works through commissions and world premiere productions and a leader in interactive community engagement and education programs that reach across generations, demographics, and circumstances to serve Los Angeles. Founded in 1967,  Center Theatre Group has produced more than 700 productions across its three stages, including such iconic shows as Zoot SuitAngels in AmericaThe Kentucky CycleBiloxi BluesTwilight: Los Angeles, 1992Children of a Lesser God; CurtainsThe Drowsy Chaperone; 9 to 5: The Musical; and Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad ZooCenterTheatreGroup.org

The S. Mark Taper Foundation, founded in 1989, is a private family foundation dedicated to enhancing the quality of people’s lives by supporting nonprofit organizations and their work in our communities. The S. Mark Taper Foundation is committed to grantmaking that aligns with the values of diversity, equity and inclusion. 

Sponsors:

Bank of America is Center Theatre Group’s 2024/25 “One CTG” Season Sponsor. Bank of America believes in the power of the arts to help economies thrive, to educate and enrich societies, and to create greater cultural understanding. For over 20 years, the company has supported Center Theatre Group’s innovative Education and Community Partnerships programs and world-class productions.   

American Express is the official payments partner of Center Theatre Group. 

Pauline Adamek

Pauline Adamek is a Los Angeles-based arts enthusiast with over three decades of experience covering International Film Festivals and reviewing new Theatre productions, Film releases, Art exhibitions, Opera and Restaurants.

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