Sierra Madre Playhouse Announces Programming for Spring 2024

The award-winning Sierra Madre Playhouse, a dynamic and intimate Southern California cultural hub, announces a wide array of bold and distinctive programming for spring 2024, including theater, music, film, comedy, and family-friendly offerings. In February 2024, the Playhouse, a designated historic landmark, will celebrate its 100th anniversary since opening as a silent movie theater in 1924.

“The Sierra Madre Playhouse is a Southern California gem and one of the region’s oldest cultural venues,” says Artistic and Executive Director Matthew Cook. “This spring, we are honored and excited to commemorate the milestone 100th Anniversary of its evolution from a silent movie house to a leading performing arts venue with an array of diverse programming that reflects the Playhouse’s unique trajectory and the community it serves.” Cook, a Grammy Award-winning percussionist, began his tenure at Sierra Madre Playhouse in September following a range of leadership experience with such noted organizations as Blue13 Dance Company, WildUp, and Pacific Opera Project.

Among numerous performance highlights from January through June 2024 are two theatrical productions, including Jason Robert Brown’s acclaimed The Last Five Years, a captivating play and emotionally charged musical journey that explores the dynamics of a relationship, delving into the highs and lows of love, dreams, and the passage of time, and Alison Arngrim’s global sensation Confessions of a Prairie B*tch, a riotous one-woman show recounting her role as the bratty pre-teen Nellie Oleson from the hit television show “Little House on the Prairie.”

Film @ The Playhouse embraces the venue’s notable movie house roots with a weekend-long Silent Film Festival transporting audiences to the golden age of cinema with five extraordinary films and a selection of shorts accompanied by the enchanting melodies of pianist Frederick Hodges. The screenings include comedy shorts by Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton; Secrets, starring Norma Talmadge; Girl Shy and Hot Water, starring Harold Lloyd; Helen’s Babies directed by William Seiter; and Buster Keaton’s Sherlock, Jr.

Music from around the globe enlivens the Playhouse as lauded Hindustani classical musicians Kamaljeet and Jas Ahluwalia explore the sublime ragas and intricate rhythmic patterns of Southeast Asian on santoor and tabla in an innovative confluence of musical traditions, and Tesserae Baroque Ensemble showcases on period instruments the musical depth and richness of the Baroque era in four compelling programs. Tabla virtuoso Neelamjit Dhillon and cellist Chris Votek bring a unique perspective to the intersection of Hindustani and European classical music, seamlessly weaving together the harmonies of the two distinct musical styles, while acclaimed drummer Matt Johnson and the New Jet Set Swingin’ the Disney Songbook features some of the most recognizable music in the world, delivering beloved hits from timeless Disney animated films with a mix of memorable visuals and fascinating insights.

Providing added musical depth to the season’s offerings are eight genre-expanding jazz programs that showcase such leading artists as keyboard wizard Joey Navarro, who effortlessly blends R&B with Latin; vibraphone sensation Nick Mancini, a true “original” (LA Weekly); and jazz/funk/soul guitarist Greg Porée, who launched his career as the musical director for Sonny & Cher. Sierra Madre Playhouse also presents the rhythmic magic of drummer Michael Carvin, who anchored Freddie Hubbard’s’ iconic bebop band and was a staff drummer at Motown records; boundary-pushing Latin jazz and salsa violinist Dayren Santamaria, featured in the documentary film "Cuba Mia" (My Cuba) and a long-time collaborator with four-time Grammy-winner Oscar Hernandez; and smooth jazz trumpeter Nolan Shaheed, a master of dexterity who has performed with the Count Basie Orchestra, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, and Phil Collins. In addition, trailblazing multi-keyboardist Kait Dunton adds her signature groovy vintage sound to a program fusing classical, pop, rock, R&B, soul, gospel, Brazilian, and Latin music; and guitar luminary Larry Koonse delivers timeless jazz standards he has honed over the years accompanying Cleo Laine, Mel Torme, Bob Brookmeyer, and Natalie Cole, touring globally with the John Dankworth quartet, and as a soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Philadelphia Orchestra.

Comedy @ The Playhouse showcases the unfiltered comedic virtuosity of Subhah Agarwal, a prolific comedy writer whose credits include such TV hits as Netflix's "Arsenio Hall" limited series, Hulu's "Plan B" movie, and Comedy Central's "The Jim Jefferies Show”; Chris Garcia, whose work, bourn of his Cuban heritage, includes his own special on Comedy Central, “This Is Not Happening”, and the TV show “Adam Devine’s House Party”; and French-born comedian Armando Anto, who taps into his decades of classical violin and guitar mastery and breakdancing skills for his hilarious standup performances.

Sierra Madre Playhouse’s exceptional family programming is anchored by three enchanting performances by the Bob Baker Marionette Theatre, a Southland treasure long recognized for introducing children to the wonder of puppetry and theater and inspiring imagination. Other programs geared for people of all ages include TAIKOPROJECT, which adds a modern American twist to the exhilarating ancient Japanese art of taiko drumming, the whimsical magic of Arty Loon, who dazzles with his amazing illusions, spectacular juggling, and charming puppetry, and Percussive Storytelling, hailed for its engaging mix of classical music and storytelling.

ADDRESS/TICKETS/INFORMATION:

Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, CA 91024. For tickets and information, visit www.sierramadreplayhouse.org.