PASADENA, CALIF.: Pasadena Playhouse has announced its fall programming for PlayhouseLive, a streaming platform that will present theatrical productions to a global audience beginning Sept. 30. The lineup will feature live and live-captured performances, as well as educational programming and digital theatre experiences.
“PlayhouseLive is a new way for audiences and artists to connect during this pause of in-person programming,” said producing artistic director Danny Feldman in a statement. “With a bold new commissioned work about the Black experience in America, a musical celebration of the great Jerry Herman, and a series of shows bringing theatre lovers backstage, there is something for everyone. While PlayhouseLive is not a replacement of live theatre, it is a high-quality alternative that harnesses the power of theatre in an all-new way.”
The streaming will kick off with Still by Javon Johnson, a one-man show about the complexities of the Black experience.
Next up will be the premiere of Jerry Herman: You I Like, a new musical revue dedicated to the legendary composer and lyricist.
Following will be a new series called In Development, which will feature unproduced works as they are introduced to the world for the first time. The first episode will feature Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman performing excerpts from Iceboy!, a new musical by Mark Gollman, Jay Reiss, and Erin Quinn Purcell.
Next will be Intermission with Hashtag Booked, a series that will feature celebrity interviews hosted by LaNisa Frederick and Danielle Pinnock. The first guest will be actor Alfred Molina.
The programming will continue with Page to Stage, a show that offers a behind the scenes look at a production from conception to opening night. The series will begin with Pasadena Playhouse’s revival of Little Shop of Horrors.
The From the Archives documentary series will explore the history of Pasadena Playhouse, with a look back at productions in the 1920s and the company’s leadership throughout the decades.
PlayhouseLive will also feature educational programming, including “The Everyday Avant Garde in Black Theatre Making,” led by writer, composer, and performer Eisa Davis; “Shakespeare Masterclass,” led by director and actor Rob Clare; “Basics of Stage Management,” led by Broadway stage managers Kathleen Purvis and Andrew Neal; and the return of Adam Epstein with “The Contemporary Broadway Musical” and Janet Fontaine with “Playtime with Miss Janet.”
PlayhouseLive is part of the company’s Community at Play program, which aims to remove barrier to arts participation and offers free and low-cost ways to engage with the arts. Distribution channels will include a standalone website, iPhone and Android apps, AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, Roku, Chromecast, and AirPlay, among others. The platform will offer free content, pay-per-view events, as well an all-access Membership. PlayhouseLive Membership is being launched with a free trial period through December. Pasadena Playhouse Members will receive full access to the content on PlayhouseLive throughout the 20/21 season. Content release dates for PlayhouseLive may vary.
