The Relevant Stage at Warner Grand Theatre Gears up for their Second Show

In residence at Warner Grand Theatre, one of the few large theatres operating in Los Angeles, is a spunky, new theatre company with a true artistic focus: producing performing arts works that explore current social issues. With a mission mantra of “Challenge Hearts… Engage Minds… Expose Truths” The Relevant Stage sets course for its second production coming in May, 2008, Over There/Over Here.

The Warner Grand Theatre where this niche company makes its home, is a 77-year-old, awe inspiring movie palace now making a strong transition into the performing arts. Located in the town a port town known as San Pedro, the theatre was created by chief architect B. Marcus Priteca and designer A.T. Heinsbergen. Pritica later designed Hollywood's famous Pantages Theater and many others. Three Warner theatres stood for many years in Southern California, but now only the San Pedro Warner remains.

The Theater was purchased by the City of Los Angeles in 1995 and is operated by the City's Department of Cultural Affairs.

In the past 10 years, renovations have been made to Warner Grand Theatre that included the replacement and restoration of chandeliers, marquees, curtains, aisle lights, sound and fly systems, and a massive restoration of 1500 audience seats all thanks to community support and the work of a volunteer run organization, Grand Vision.

“It’s a pleasure to have a beautiful, historic, art deco theatre in this condition to play in.” states Artistic Director and Founder of The Relevant Stage, Ray Buffer.
Recently The Relevant Stage presented its inaugural production, a conceptual theatre piece called “Acts of Desperation” that combined three visual components: cinema, ballet and staged drama. Buffer elaborates, “It was a perfect homage to the history of this fine theatre. In one production we showed the power of cinema combined with the performing arts – a reflection on the past and a look toward the theatre’s promising future. The subject matter was true to our mission, we addressed the issues of teen suicide, school shootings and bullying. It is unfortunate and tragic that one week after we closed, there was a school shooting incident at Northern Illinois University.”

Over 1100 students were able to be bused in to see special, private, daytime performances, and another 1000 audience members came to the public offerings. “Performance after performance people old and young, came to me after the show to express how moved they were by the show and thanked me for taking the risk of producing this work. Knowing that an audience understands our mission and wants us to succeed, makes it all worthwhile.” Buffer stated.

Over There/Over Here is another pointed production. Written by a young Iraq War veteran, Michael Reyes, and first performed at the Cabrillo Theatre in New York in 2006, it will receive its second production, and West Coast Premiere at Warner Grand Theatre. “This show is really special in that it is told from the perspective of a young person who goes to war and comes back… a young person who went because he was trying to escape his inner city neighborhood and make something more of his life.” Explains Buffer who will direct this production. “But when he comes back ‘over here’, he has to deal with the sacrifice he made and figure out how to move forward. He has to navigate through all of the public’s opinions, and discover his own reasons.”

The Relevant Stage will not shy away from its mission in later offerings. It addresses overpopulation and water shortage with the absurdist, Brecthian, Urinetown the Musical by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis; societal conformity with cult favorite, Bat Boy the Musical by Keythe Farley, Brian Flemming and Laurence O'Keefe, and genetic engineering with Reinventing Eden by Seth Rozin. Reinventing Eden is also a “2nd ever” production and West Coast Premiere. Buffer remarks, “Rozin, is the founder and artistic director of Interact Theatre Company in Philadelphia, and the writer of this finely-crafted, family drama about the fine line between playing God and preventative medicine. I am proud to present his play in California for the first time”.

How does a group like The Relevant Stage stay true to its mission and pay the bills? “It’s not easy!” Buffer laughs, "But we have been fortunate to collaborate with artists and business people who believe in our idea enough that we have been keeping our bills minimal. Any money we make goes right back into the organization to fuel the next show. San Pedro is one of the last underdeveloped frontiers of Los Angeles, and it is now on a fast track for redevelopment. New businesses and residences are popping up every day. The Relevant Stage is here at just the right time."

More information is available at www.therelevantstage.com

The Relevant Stage
600 S. Pacific Ave., #220
San Pedro, CA 90731

The Relevant Stage is a non-profit theatre company dedicated to presenting works that engage minds and challenge hearts by exposing relevant social issues through stimulating entertainment.

This release was published on openPR.