Archive for September, 2009

Ernest Figueroa – Artistic Director

admin on 09 29, 2009 | 10 Comments

Pasadena Resident Ernest A. Figueroa New Artistic Director of The Group Rep at Lonny Chapman Theatre Offers Season Rep at Group Rep

August 20, 2009 - North Hollywood, CA - The Group Rep at the Lonny Chapman Theatre recently appointed Pasadena resident Ernest A. Figueroa as their new Artistic Director.  Figueroa, who also recently joined The Broad Stage as Associate Producer, assisting on the programming and production at the newly opened 541-seat state-of-the-art presenting house in Santa Monica, brings more than 20 years of event and theater producing and directing experience to the 36 year-old North Hollywood institution.

“With his vast theater experience as a producer, director, playwright and actor, Ernest has both a strong artistic sensibility and solid business savvy.  He epitomizes an exciting energy and direction for our theater,” remarked Board President Janet Wood.

In addition to his theatrical experience, Mr. Figueroa served five years as the Grants and Programs Manager with the City of Pasadena leading the way on the bi-annual city-wide event called “ArtNight Pasadena” that grew in attendance from 4,000 to 14,000 people in attendance in less than five years.

“It is beyond a privilege to be asked to head up this theatre.  Its legacy and history of excellence for more than three decades under the leadership of

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2009 Season Announced

admin on 09 21, 2009 | 5 Comments

Ernest A. Figueroa, who recently took over as Artistic Director of The Group Rep at the Lonny Chapman Theatre, has chosen to open his first season with an ambitious rotating repertory of three distinguished plays.

“It has been years since The Group Rep has had a pre-announced season of plays,” said Figueroa.  “The season will open with a collection of plays featuring phenomenal roles.  This is the best way to show off our talented membership of multi-generational actors.  Each role is a gem and each play, a powerhouse.”

The three plays in the REP complement each other, illuminating different facets of the human condition, written by award-winning playwrights known for their rapier wit and ability to bring a strong, emotional truth to the stage. The REP at the Group Rep opens September 17 and runs every Friday through Sunday, ending November 8, which allows theatre patrons to see all three shows in a single weekend. The plays in repertory are: Heroes, brilliantly adapted by Tom Stoppard from an original work by Gerald Sibleyras, is a poignant, hilarious comedy that chronicles the great escape of three veterans from their retirement home; The comic drama Painting Churches by Tina Howe is a moving family affair, a theatrical portrait of the complex relationship between aging parents and their artist daughter as she struggles to come to terms with them and they wit

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