Hello Readers,
I have to admit that I am really excited about this month’s article. Three reasons:
- It is snowy and cold here in the Big Apple and much warmer in the City of Angels. I am sourcing the warmth.
- Theatre on the west coast piqued my interest.
- This article gave me a wonderful excuse to speak to my dear friend and collaborator, Elizabeth June, who moved to LA almost two years ago.
My knowledge of theatre in LA is very limited. I know about the Groundlings which is an improv company that boasts alumni, Phil Hartman, Lisa Kudrow and Kathy Griffin for starters. I am familiar with The Actors Gang, founded by Tim Robbins, which focuses on presenting “new, unconventional and uncompromising plays and dynamic interpretations of the classics”. Then I learned about the magnificent Robey Theatre Company, founded by Danny Glover and Bennet Guillory, which explores new plays about the Black experience. Elizabeth and I have been friends since our time at the Actors Studio Drama School where I directed her thesis, The Colored Museum by George C. Wolfe. What an experience! So I was thrilled to read her posts about working with this company and that she was so down for an interview with our time difference.
Malini: As a New York City based, theatre trained actress, what were your expectations in regards to your craft within theatre scene in LA?
Elizabeth: I really didn’t think I would get to do any theatre when I moved to LA from New York two years ago because I falsely assumed that no one took theatre seriously out here. Thusly, I auditioned for film and television casting directors when I came out here. Having been a graduate of the MFA program at the Actors Studio Drama School, I did plan on visiting the West Coast Actors Studio (which I still haven’t done yet) but I didn’t think about really participating in any full productions out here.
It was not until two good friends referred me to The Robey Theatre Company, which was founded by Mr. Ben Guillory and Mr. Danny Glover. Yes, that Danny Glover. I nervously auditioned for Ben (as I was a huge fan of his work as GRADY-Shug Avery’s husband-in one of my favorite films “The Color Purple”) and he invited me to join his Advanced Scene Workshop. From there I performed with Robey actors for scene festivals in the “Weekends in Leimert Series” in Leimert Park. That led to my playing Eslanda Robeson in the 1stAnnual Paul Robeson Theatre Festival at The Robey (which is named for Paul Robeson asRobey was his nickname). Working with The Robey Theatre Company has been the most fun and the most rewarding work I have done since my Repertory Season at The Actors Studio Drama School.
Malini: What is the theatre scene like in LA? Is there independent (e.g. Off-Off Broadway-esque) theatre? Are theatres willing to take risks with producing work?
Elizabeth: The big “Broadway-esque” vehicle in L.A. is the Center Theatre Group that is comprised of the Ahmanson Theater, The Kirk Douglas Theatre and the Mark Taper Forum. I was blessed to be called in to audition for an UNDERSTUDY part as Jessie Mae (Vanessa Williams’ role) in “Trip to Bountiful” when it played at The Ahmanson. For more info on CTG: https://www.centertheatregroup.org/tickets/#ahmanson
I have not lived in LA long, so I can only speak for the smaller venues I’ve been to. The Ruskin Group has a cool show once a month called the “LA Café Plays” where 5 directors, 5 playwrights, 10 actors come up with a play in 10 hours and perform it that night for an audience. I’ve been to it a couple of times and it is awesome to see a short play that was written that morning. Andy Dick was there the last time I attended, as he was one of the directors. Ruskin also has a Meisner school where on Saturdays, the advanced students can take a Master scene study class that is co-taught by guest teachers like Dylan McDermott, Anthony Hopkins, Ed O’Neill, Ed Asner to name a few. For more info:http://ruskinschool.com
I was happy to see a Hollywood Fringe show that was brilliantly directed by my good friend and fellow Actors Studio Drama classmate Jeneffa Soldatic and starring Tim Davis who also attended Actors Studio Drama School. We have a few ASDS peeps out here in LA and we try to support each other when we can.
I performed excerpts from “The Baseball Plays: 7th Inning Stretch” with three other actors in a small 40 seat theater, The Raven Playhouse in North Hollywood, last summer in a showcase for casting directors that was a fantastic experience. Many casting directors came out to support since they were friends of my three cast mates. As a result, I got called to audition for several sitcoms and dramas and I got to meet a very special audience member, Mr. Jeff Perry (Cyrus on SCANDAL) who is also the co-founder of Steppenwolf West: http://www.steppenwolfwest.com
Malini: You just came off a successful run with The Magnificent Dunbar Hotel with The Robey Theatre. What were the audiences like for that run?
Elizabeth: I was cast as Ethel Waters in “The Magnificent Dunbar Hotel” which was directed by Ben Guillory and was written by Levy Lee Simon and had 29 straight sold out shows. Levy Lee was a good friend of my brother’s from New York as they had worked together years ago in Ernie McClintock’s 127th Street Repertory Theatre Company. Levy Lee was also the one who originally told me to go audition for The Robey and I am so glad I did. As a result of performing three roles (Ms. Waters, Dr. Vada Somerville and Councilwoman Jan Perry) in this wonderful play where audiences cheered and gave us standing ovations, I received my first L.A. Times review! We may even get nominated for some theatre awards. Not bad for someone who didn’t think she would be doing any theatre in California J To see our photos and reviews, please visit http://robeytheatrecompany.com
Malini: Why are you still doing theatre on the west coast?
Elizabeth: Working with The Robey Theatre Company has given me a theatre home where I can experiment, fall flat on my face, survive and thrive. I can sharpen my tools and learn from Ben Guillory and many of the other guest artists that he brings in to work with us like Margaret Avery (Being Mary Jane), Vanessa Bell Calloway (Shameless) and Harold Sylvester (Married with Children) and Sola Bamis (Mad Men).
I have also found that many of the TV and film actors that are most successful out here in L.A. are those who have had theatre training and who run back to theatre in between their TV and film gigs. It is where we come alive. Theatre is HOME!
For more info on June, please visit: www.elizabethjune.com
The best performing arts centers and theatres in Los Angeles by Time Out:
- Geffen Playhouse:
- Noise Within: Classical theater company
- Mark Taper Forum
- Bootleg Theater
- Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater (REDCAT)
- Los Angeles Theatre Center
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage
- Walt Disney Concert Hall
- Kirk Douglas Theatre
- Royce Hall
- Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC)
- Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Live, Love, Learn,