We are very excited to announce our newest sponsor... Celebration Theatre. Thanks to PLC member Michael A. Shepperd, Co-Artistic Director at Celebration Theatre, for making it happen. On Saturday, April 24, 2014, Celebration Theatre celebrates its 31st season and honors actors Robert Forster and Wendie Malick at its Vibrant Voice Awards.
"Being the Artistic Director of an LGBTQ theatre and being a dad, I wanted to make sure that we not only did works that would interest and intrigue everyone, I also wanted to make sure we included works for LGBTQ folks with families," say Shepperd. "Since taking over as Co-Artistic director, we have done three family oriented shows and have commissioned two more. I look forward to Celebration becoming a place where dads can come for a night out away from the kids or an afternoon of fun for the whole family."
Celebration Theatre was founded in 1982 by gay rights pioneer and co-founder of the Mattachine Society, Chuck Rowland, when he leased a storefront in Silverlake to start a community theatre dedicated to producing gay-themed material.
In 1992, Robert Schrock became artistic Director and moved the company to a 64-seat equity waiver space in West Hollywood. The theatre’s vision became more audience-focused and quickly achieved major artistic recognition as an incubator for new works. Many shows have gone on to success in New York and beyond, including Pinafore!, A Language of Their Own, Naked Boys Singing!, Play It Cool, Supernormal Clutches, The Ballad of Little Mikey, Justin Love, and revolver.
Part of that legacy are Schrock’s successors, award-winning artistic directors Richard Israel, Derek Charles Livingston, John Michael Beck, and most recently, Michael A. Shepperd and Michael Matthews. Today, the demands of a professional operation are supported by Executive Director Michael C. Kricfalusi and Managing Director Michael O’Hara.
Celebration Theatre continues to provide a safe and supportive forum for professional and emerging LGBTQQIA writers, directors, designers, and performers, giving voice to the full experience of gay culture. And in the past decade, the theater has expanded outreach into its own community, offering educational and family programs, as well as partnering with numerous community organizations, like the LA Gay & Lesbian Center and Congregation Kol Ami.
Over 30 years later, Celebration Theatre remains the only professional theatre with the mission of creating an outlet for LGBTQQIA voices in Los Angeles.
As a PLC Sponsor, Celebration Theatre is providing tickets to its performances for POP Perk! drawings. Lucky members attended Portrait of an Artist...with Linda Lavin and Steve Bakunas on February 1, 2014.
The theatre is raising funds for a new home and is hosting a Spring benefit on April 26th. Shepperd explains, "The cast of Hot In Cleveland, including the Amazing Betty White, will be performing an episode of the Golden Girls on the HIC Soundstage. Former Supreme Mary Wilson will also be on hand to perform and many more. I hope you can all come out and support YOUR lgbtq theatre."
For more information on Celebration Theatre and to plan your next evening out, visit www.CelebrationTheatre.com