Glendale

http://www.vimeo.com/6036606When John Millington Synge’s The Playboy of the Western World first opened at Dublin’s famous Abbey Theatre in 1907, riots erupted amongst the crowd mid-performance, forcing the actors to pantomime a good portion of the third act. Now while it may be less than surprising to hear about Irish rioting, Playboy was met with similar reactions in both New York and Philadelphia, the latter of which saw the entire company get arrested for putting on an immoral performance.

The play—a brashly violent, romantic, and yet comic tale about patricide, adultery, and general immorality among peasants—is now considered to be Synge’s masterpiece, having spurned two film adaptations, numerous revivals, and even one musical. As for the kind of explosive anarchy the show incited upon its early performances…that hasn’t happened for a long time.

Come Sunday, April 11^th, however, at A Noise Within, the only Southern California repertory company specializing in classical theatre, the riots may reemerge. It’s ‘Pay What You Can’ night, allowing anybody and everybody to simply pay what they can afford to see the company’s newest production of Synge’s The Playboy of the Western World. Directed by company co-founder Geoff Elliott (who also plays the protagonist’s father in the play), and starring Michael A. Newcomer, Lindsay Gould, Apollo Dukakis, Brian Hostenske, and Jill Hill, the 7 PM show promises to be a riot (if, indeed, not a riot-provoking one). But make sure to arrive early, because the ‘Pay What You Can’ tickets are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis (with a $10 cash minimum as the suggested donation). Box office opens at 2 PM on the day of the performance. Bring a little bit of cash, and maybe a good ol’ pair of riot goggles… just in case.

John Millington Synge’s The Playboy of the Western World opens Saturday, April 10^th and runs until May 22^nd at A Noise Within, located at 234 South Brand Boulevard in Glendale. ‘Pay What You Can’ night starts at 7 PM on Sunday, April 11^th. For more information, please call (818) 240-0910, or visit www.anoisewithin.org.

One of Los Angeles’ most talented groups of classical musicians is also one of it’s most playful.  For people with very serious job descriptions that celebrate the world’s most revered classical composers, the members of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra are borderline goofy.  They’re also incredibly knowledgeable and are interested in telling Los Angeles (and the world beyond) what makes chamber music so unique and exciting.

In an effort to reach everyone, they perform at venues all across this sprawling metropolis and even perform in a series of half-concert-half-lectures to bring everyone in the audience up to speed on how instruments have changed since the days when Bach, for example, was composing.  These aren’t, to be clear, the kind of lectures you avoided in college – these redefine what you know about lectures and they come with live music.

Performing February 20 and 21 at the Alex Theatre in Glendale and Royce Hall, respectively, the LA Chamber Orchestra are exploring the world of Baroque music with a concert that includes compositions by Purcell, Vivaldi, Bach, and Mendelssohn.  We caught up with Assistant Concertmaster Tereza Stanislav and got to chat with her about Baroque music, playing violin, and her favorite place in Los Angeles. (See? Serious job description. Smiling, giggling interview. Go figure.)

Not only did we get a chance to talk to them and get some insider info, we also begged and pleaded for some tickets to give to our readers for the February 20 performance at the Alex Theatre.  Check out our video interview and enter this installment of our Extra! Extra! giveaway!

Some details you’ll want to remember: by entering into this giveaway, you’re automatically entered into the next three we’ve got going on.  All we need is your first name, last name, and email address and voila – you’re headed downtown for a first class look at LA’s most charismatic orchestra.  Just make sure you’re on your best behavior – no fooling around.

(Click here if you’d rather buy your own tickets – it’s not worth the risk!)