Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/10148
LIVEMAGS.NET MAY>>10 23 THE RELEVANT STAGE San Pedro's Musical Theatre Company By>>Nate JacksoN S an Pedro is on the rise. It is one of the last frontiers of the City of Los Angeles. Everyday this area of the South Bay is surprising people who have never visited before. Where the 110 South Freeway meets the ocean, we find the Port Town of Los Angeles - San Pedro. With its cornucopia of culture and eclectic cuisine, it boasts a burgeoning, artistic and eclectic downtown area that is reminiscent of early Pasadena, mixed with a little bit of Venice Beach. Dine at Whale & Ale, 7th Street Chop House, Niko's Pizzeria, San Pedro Brewing Company or dozens of other fine restaurants. Shop for Pinot at Off The Vine, or take in an exhibit at Parkhurst Gallery. Visit the oldest bookstore in LA, Williams Book Store – open for over 100 years; learn to Samba or Zumba at People's Yoga Health & Dance, get a refreshing iced latte at Sacred Grounds Café or homemade gelato at Garth Trani's Healthy Bistro to enjoy while perusing the bargains at the new, McThrift Store – and don't forget to check out the area's entertainment. Culturally, San Pedro also is home to professional theatre companies, a pops orchestra, a ballet company, film festivals and intimate bands – all of whom occasionally perform at one magical venue: WARNER GRAND THEATRE. The Warner Grand Theatre is an historic movie palace, which was opened on January 20, 1931. It is located in San Pedro, California, at 478 West 6th Street. The design of the Warner Grand Theatre was a joint effort by architect B. Marcus Priteca and interior designer Anthony Heinsbergen. It was one of three similarly lavish Los Angeles area art-deco movie palaces on which Priteca and Heinsbergen collaborated for the Warner Bros. Company in the early 1930s. The others were located in Beverly Hills, and Huntington Park. Priteca later designed Hollywood's famous Pantages Theatre. The Warner Beverly Hills Theatre has been demolished, and the Huntington Park Warner, closed for many years, has been extensively altered, leaving the Grand as the last of the three original theaters remaining intact. By the mid 1990's it had suffered a lengthy period of neglect, despite having been declared a historical and cultural monument of the city in 1982. Facing possible demolition or re-development, in 1995, the theater was purchased by the Cultural Affairs Department (later renamed the Department of Cultural affairs) of the City of Los Angeles in 1996. In 1999, the Warner was added to the National Register of Historic Places as building #98001633. Restored and beautiful in 2007, Warner Grand Theatre became the home of The Relevant Stage (TRS) – San Pedro's Musical Theatre Company, founded by current Artistic Producing Director, Ray Buffer. TRS programs nearly 50% of all events at Warner Grand Theatre – including a series of 15 Summer films for $3 called "Warner On Wednesdays," (beginning May 26 with "Star Trek") comedy events, under the name "San Pedro BrewHaHa," a 4-week tuition-based Summer Camp for teens to learn skills in the performing arts, called "TRS Youthorizons"—all in addition to producing high quality live theatre. Having recently completed critically acclaimed performances of the hilarious musical revue, "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change" in San Pedro, and Fullerton, TRS is now in rehearsal for the infectious musical comedy "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" opening June 11th for a two weekend run. TRS will first show the film with Michael Caine and Steve Martin to audiences for just $3 on Wednesday, June 2 at 7PM and then follow the screening a week later with the live performances of the Broadway musical that it inspired. In July, TRS will perform a staged reading of a brand new opera/ musical, titled "The One & Only", which is loosely based on Homer's "Odyssey" and Euripede's "Polyphenus" and is written by Ray Buffer & Robert Gross. It will be offered free to the public on July 1st, the same night as the popular downtown San Pedro "First Thursday Art Walk" - come enjoy both! In August TRS brings the feel-good, nostalgic, return to 1950's and 1960's pop music, "Forever Plaid" to the Warner stage for three amazing weekends. In September, TRS will merge fact and fiction for one weekend, with a trip to 1940's San Pedro in "6th Street Burlesque". November brings "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" to the screen and then the stage as the MGM classic film is shown to audiences for just $3, and then offered live on stage the following week for two weekends. In December, TRS again offers its traditional telling of Dickens' classic set to period carols, The Christmas Carol in the days preceding and immediately following Christmas. The Disney film, "A Christmas Carol" with Jim Carey will be shown the week prior to Christmas and the live stage performances. In 2011 TRS Plans to offer: "Kiss Me Kate" starring Kristin Towers- Rowles performing the role made famous by her late grandmother, Kathryn Grayson. Other fully staged Broadway musical shows planned for San Pedro in 2011 include, "Violet", "Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," "Chorus Line," "Hairspray," and "Cats". One of the Warner Brothers - Jack Warner, called Warner Grand Theatre "The Castle of Your Dreams." Find out why by coming to downtown San Pedro and into the theater! Learn more at www.therelevantstage.com. (L to R) Kenneth Taylor, Kristin Towers-Rowles, Ray Buffer and Melissa Villasenor from TRS' recent production of "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change". Taylor, Towers-Rowles and Buffer return to the Warner stage in "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" opening June 11.