With live theater on a hiatus, we asked some of the Long Beach Playhouse directors who were going to be directing shows this year to get back in the game and direct their favorite scenes from the public domain.  They choose the scenes, they choose the actors, and we are now happy to showcase their work. As the Director’s Choice Festival goes on, we hope to add scenes from further Playhouse directors.

This is a free online event, but we do appreciate any donation may want to make to help us thrive in this time when we can’t do live theater!  To Donate any amount, visit the link below:

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SCENES:

Pyramus and Thisby  Scene from A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, Act Five, Scene One

ONLINE PROGRAM

Written by William Shakespeare

Directed by Gregory Cohen

CAST:

• PROLOGUE Andrew Vonderschmitt
• PYRAMUS Adanna Kenlow 
• THISBY Lee Samuel Tanng
• WALL Rick Reischman
• LION Raphael Buenaventura
• MOONSHINE Daryl Mendelson

PRODUCTION CREW:

• VIDEO EDITOR Gregory Cohen

Songs from SHUFFLE ALONG

ONLINE PROGRAM

Music by  Eubie Blake, Lyrics by Noble Sissle

Directed by Rovin Jay

Musical Direction by Stephen Olear

Choreographed by Sonya L. Randall

CAST:

• “I CRAVING FOR THAT KIND OF LOVE” SINGER Sonya L. Randall
• “I’M SIMPLY FULL OF JAZZ” SINGER Erica Stewart-Givhan
• DANCER Dominique Johnson-Stroud
• DANCER Ebony Lanet

PRODUCTION CREW:

• VIDEO EDITOR Ryella Linder
• AUDIO EDITOR CJ Randall
• ACCOMPANIST Stephen Olear

“To Be, Or Not To Be” Monologue from  HAMLET

ONLINE PROGRAM

Written by William Shakespeare

Directed by ShinShin Yuder Tsai

CAST:

• HAMLET Deva Marie Gregory

PRODUCTION CREW:

• VIDEO EDITOR ShinShin Yuder Tsai

Act One of AN IDEAL HUSBAND

ONLINE PROGRAM

Written by Oscar Wilde

Directed by Ryan Holihan

CAST:

• ROBERT CHILTERN Sean W. Galuszka
• LADY CHILTERN/LADY BASILDON Corrinne Mica
• MR. CHEVELEY Brendan Kane
• LORD GORING Noah Wagner
• LADY CHAVERSHAM AND OTHERS Lisa J. Salas
• MARTIN CHILTERN August Sorenson
• LORD MARKBY Richard J. Martinez
• MRS. MARCHMONT, COUNTESS DE NANJAC Alison Boole
• MASON Ryan Holihan

PRODUCTION CREW:

• VIDEO EDITOR Ryan Holihan 

LACK

ONLINE PROGRAM

Written by Jarid McCarthy

Directed by Aung Khine Min

LACK follows a trio of lovers, Millie, Ben, and Cheyenne during a time of painful transition. After a tower fire destroys nearly all of their belongings in the midst of a break-up, the three struggle to come together to face the limits of their love, work their way through crisis and miscommunication, and ultimately find a way to come clean together and start anew.

CAST LIST:

• Brandon Burns (BEN)
• Molly Renze (MILLIE)
• Nate Lynn (CHEYENNE)

PRODUCTION CREW:

• Aung Khine Min (DIRECTOR)
• Jarid McCarthy PLAYWRIGHT)
• Scott Garner (SOUND DESIGN)

“we loved each other once” :

ONLINE PROGRAM

Devised from the poems “In My Sky at Twilight” and “I Remember You As You Were” written by Pablo Neruda

Directed by Reed Flores

CAST:

• Le Alfieri (Performer)
• Angelica Toledo (Performer)

PRODUCTION CREW:

• Reed Flores (VIDEO EDITOR)

Scenes from UNCLE VANYA:

ONLINE PROGRAM

Written by Anton Chekhov

Directed by Diane Benedict

ABOUT THE SCENES:

Isolation. Boredom. Family. Restlessness. Impending end of life. Unanswered questions.  Life slipping by. The timely story of Uncle Vanya combines the exhaustion and resentment of those who work hard every day; their lives being cheated from those city gentry who are lethargic, high-strung, irritable, and constantly complaining.  Sounds all too familiar in COVID 2020…

ACT TWO,  SCENE ONE

“Late July, after midnight. The drawing room. A storm is brewing. The Professor, frail and in constant pain with his gout, can’t sleep, keeping the rest of the house awake with his prattle.”

ACT THREE

“Early September. 12:45pm.  The study.  Sonya’s secret bursts from her heart, awakening a passion within Yelena.  Astrov discovers Sonya’s secret, prompting a fox-hunt through the forests of Russia.  Vanya while picking roses for Yelena sees everything just before the Professor makes a grandiose announcement that will change their lives forever.”

CAST:

• Ron Marasco (PROFESSOR ALEXANDER SEREBRYAKOV)
• Rena Heinrich (YELENA)
• Angelina Reddy (SONYA)
• Tim Fitzgerald (UNCLE VANYA)
• Mike Daze (DR. MICHAEL ASTROV)

PRODUCTION CREW:

• F. Jason Sheppard (Production Stage Manager)
• Christopher Scott Murillo (Set Designer & Media Director)

Scenes from PRIDE & PREJUDICE:

ONLINE PROGRAM

Written by Jane Austen, Adapted by Mrs. Steele Mackay

Directed by Brooke Aston

ABOUT THE SCENE:

In “Scenes from Pride & Prejudice”, director Brook Aston focuses on the iconic push and pull relationship between Austen’s most famous lovers, Miss Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, in a series of scenes from the story. Will their pride prejudice them from finding true love?

CAST:

• Scout Lepore (MISS ELIZABETH BENNET)
• Rod Bagheri (MR. DARCY)

PRODUCTION CREW:

• Brooke Aston (VIDEO EDITOR)
• Brooke Aston (SOUND DESIGNER)

“OUT DAMN COVID AUDITION”:

ONLINE PROGRAM

Written and Directed by Susan Boulanger

ABOUT THE SCENE:

In the original scene “Out Damn Covid Audition”, an actor turns to her friend for help with her upcoming online audition for Lady Macbeth, and gets some unexpected coaching in this humorous take on backstage politics.

CAST:

• Diana Evans (DIANA)
• Ginger Davis (GINGER)

PRODUCTION CREW:

• Diana Evans (VIDEO EDITOR)

The DIRECTOR’S CHOICE Scene Festival is a Free Event, but if you liked any of the scenes, please consider donating to the Long Beach Playhouse.  Every dollars helps us thrive until we can produce Live Theater again!

DONATE HERE

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