Theater

Diversionary to launch OpenMondays, staged readings of new works

SAN DIEGO -- Diversionary Theatre is preparing to launch OpenMondays, a new monthly series of staged readings of new works. Admission is free.

The debut will be on Monday, March 4, with the staged reading of Anthony Methvin's "Bleed Like Me." Wendy Waddell is directing a cast featuring Bryan Banville, Stewart Calhoun and Jacque Wilke.

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Q&A with Patrick Wang, the powerhouse behind "In The Family" movie about gay parenting | VIDEO

SAN DIEGO – “In The Family,” the tour-de-force debut film by Patrick Wang, who is the star, screenwriter, director and producer, returns to San Diego on Friday, Dec. 7, for an encore performance. The movie also opens that day in San Francisco and San Jose, Calif.

Wang’s film was a big hit at the 2011 San Diego Asian Film Festival, where it was named Best Narrative Feature. And Wang was selected by festival programmers to receive the George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award for his stirring drama.

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An emotional George Takei pledges "Allegiance" to new musical

“… with liberty and justice for all.”

Long before he became etched in our memories as Sulu of "Star Trek" fame, George Takei used to recite those words with one hand over his heart like millions of schoolboys before and after.

What made Takei’s experience different from yours or mine is that he said them while staring out a window at barbed wire fences, sentry towers and guards with machine guns inside a Japanese-American internment camp during World War II.

Soldiers at the door

Baja Betty's does Broadway!

SAN DIEGO -- Popular Hillcrest restaurant and bar Baja Betty's is bringing a full Broadway experience to its customers, with a special dinner and show package for the San Diego production of "La Cage Aux Folles" on Wednesday, Aug. 8.

Baja Betty's is offering the "royal treatment" to customers who sign up for the special package, which includes a ticket to the show, pre-show reception with appetizer buffet, happy hour priced drink specials, round-trip motor coach transportation, and post-theater drink specials at Baja Betty's.

George Hamilton to star in "La Cage Aux Folles" in San Diego

SAN DIEGO -- Hollywood veteran George Hamilton will headline "La Cage Aux Folles," coming to San Diego in August.

The musical will be staged Aug. 7-12 at San Diego Civic Theater downtown.

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"Harmony, Kansas" opens June 14 at Diversionary Theatre

SAN DIEGO -- Diversionary Theatre opens its 2012/2013 season with the production of a brand new musical "Harmony, Kansas." Preview nights begin Thursday, June 14, with the official opening night on Saturday, June 23.

With a lively, soulful score, "Harmony, Kansas" tells the story of Heath, a gay farmer making his way in a rural community where homogeneity rules. When his city-born partner, Julian, talks him into joining a spirited group of gay guys who meet once a week to sing, Heath discovers a love for making music and a kinship he didn't expect.

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Diversionary Theatre explores the meaning of "Pride" in its next production

SAN DIEGO – While attitudes towards homosexuality have changed in the last 50 years, there are deep-rooted societal issues that continue to haunt LGBT people.

Diversionary Theatre’s next production, “The Pride,” will open tonight and look at some of these forces through a time-shifting exploration of identity and passion.

Set in Britain in both 1958 and 2008, the play looks at the lives of a set of characters in the past and modern day who share the same names and are played by the same actors.

Openly gay cast member of “Cats” recounts the tour and coming out in college

Larry Lozier Jr. is prepared to don the fur of any one of nine cats or kittens on a whisker’s notice. He sweeps through San Diego Jan. 10-15 in the national tour of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, “Cats.” The hit musical is an extra addition to Broadway San Diego’s 2011-12 season.

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Year-end review: Jean Lowerison picks the best theater of 2011

In years like this, I’m glad I don’t limit myself to one winner in each category. The choices are just too tough.

Several of the best shows were seen out of town or live in HD, courtesy of London’s National Theatre. But there was plenty of great theater to be seen locally.

Drama

In Los Angeles, I saw my favorite play of the year on the American stage: Yasmina Reza’s “God Of Carnage,” now out on film (titled “Carnage” and with a different cast).

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"Mamma Mia!" actor Mario Matthews never tires of ABBA, AIDS fight and performing

SAN DIEGO – Most girls dream of having their father walk them down the aisle, but what happens when you have three possible dads? If you are Sophie, you invite them all to the wedding and under no circumstance do you tell mom.

Fans of “Mamma Mia!” already know how this love story plays out, but in case you do not, catch one of eight performances at the Civic Theatre in downtown San Diego from May 31 through June 5.

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