Tommy Tune, legendary star of screen and stage taught a master class on Friday November 20 to students in the theatre and music departments. The 6 foot 6 singer/actor/dancer extraordinaire was welcomed with warm applause from the eager students. Structured as an audition, the participants had the opportunity to perform their audition songs for him in exchange for some down to earth and constructive feedback. With his musical director by his side, Tommy imparted some pearls of wisdom to the… Read more

Forty-five minutes from Broadway and a thousand miles from earth, the Isaac family is anything but normal. Hendry Jaglom’s new play is about a family of actors struggling to survive in the world. Vivian and George Isaac’s two daughters, Betsy and Pandora (a.k.a Panda) live on opposite ends of the world. Betsy never liked the life of the theater. Resenting never having had a “normal” childhood, she left as soon as she could, taking her place among the civilians. Pandora… Read more

What can you do when the air is so hot that the milk is going sour and you live in an overcrowded apartment with tenants who are stricken with poverty, alcoholics or worse, murderers? Kurt Weill’s “Street Scene” based on Elmer Rice’s Pulitzer Prize winning play asks that same question. Based in New York during the late 1940’s, “Street Scene” is exactly that: an attempt to present a moment in the life of the working class. It is a glimpse… Read more

Looking for something to do this weekend? There are too many exciting opportunities at the theater this weekend for you to miss. First, Kurt Weill’s opera based on the Pulitzer Prize winning play “Street Scene” opens on Friday Oct. 23 in Nordhoff Hall’s Campus Theatre. Don’t let the word “opera” scare you, Street Scene fuses the styles of traditional opera and musical theater along with a jazz and blues flare. Come hear the story of life as a newcomer to… Read more

Downtown Los Angeles is perhaps the last place one would go to find a good ol’ honky tonk bar, but thanks to the Sacred Fools and “Savin’ up for Saturday Night”, the spirit of the South may be closer than we think. The Sacred Fools theater is situated in a less-than-desirable neighborhood among a cluster of other buildings. However, upon entering the theater and being greeted with a warm “Howdy there!” it was as if I had walked into my… Read more

Friendship, betrayal, memories and revenge: just some of the words the cast of “Tape” used to describe Stephen Belber’s drama. The Ghost Players is a fledgling theatre company founded by CSUN theatre alum: Stephanie Alkazian, Kohtaroh Zushi and Phillip Greenbaum. These three, along with current CSUN student Danielle Payton, have come together to create a very special theatrical piece. Ghost Players, according to Zushi, is committed to creating important theatrical work. “Tape” premiered October 2, 2009 at the Sunset Gardner… Read more

Anna in the Tropics, by renowned Cuban playwright Nilo Cruz, opened in the Little Theatre of Nordhoff Hall on Friday, October 2. Directed by Theatre department faculty member Christine Menzies, Anna is a story about love, loss and tradition. The play is about a family run Cigar factory in Florida during the great depression. In order to keep with tradition Ofelia (played by Raquel Barleycorn) hires a Lector (Played by Alfred Antillon) to read to the workers. The lector quickly… Read more

The infamous Debbie Reynolds performed her Las Vegas show at the Plaza Del Sol on Saturday, October 3. Her variety act of song, impressions and stand up comedy was a thrill for the Northridge patrons. Ms. Reynolds, now 77 years young, still has the spunk and enthusiasm of a twenty year old. Her spirit and charisma radiates from the stage and touches each member of the audience. Ms. Reynolds began her career as a beauty pageant queen where she was… Read more

The selection process for the annual season of productions in the theatre department is not a simple pick-and-choose. After sifting through dozens of suggestions and requests comes more tedious work: gaining rights to the productions in question, selecting a dynamic and versatile repertoire, and factoring in the ever-decreasing funding. The theatre department at CSUN receives over 20 play suggestions throughout the year from students and faculty. A play selection committee consisting of students and faculty has the task of not… Read more