2016 American Music Awards Noms Announced

Drake Shatters 32-Year AMA Record for Most Nominations

in a Single Year with 13 Nominations

Rihanna Earns Seven Nominations,

While Adele and Justin Bieber Tie with Five Nominations Each

2016 Artist of the Year Nominees include Adele, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Drake, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Rihanna, Twenty One Pilots, Carrie Underwood and The Weeknd

The American Music Awards, the world’s biggest fan-voted award show, announced today the “2016 American Music Awards” nominees with recording artists Joe Jonas and Rachel Platten revealing six categories of nominees live on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Immediately following the broadcast, five additional categories were announced in real time exclusively via Snapchat (TheAMAs).  ABC News then livestreamed the remaining 17 categories and included a recap of all nominees in the 11 previously announced categories.  (See the full list of nominees below).  The “2016 American Music Awards” will broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, November 20 at 8:00pm ET on ABC.  

Drake leads with 13 nominations and sets a new AMA record for most nominations in a single year, surpassing Michael Jackson’s previous record of 11 nominations in 1984. Rihanna received seven nominations and Adele and Justin Bieber received five each.  Beyoncé and The Chainsmokers each received four nominations.  Additionally, Bryson Tiller, Twenty One Pilots, Carrie Underwood, Fetty Wap and The Weeknd earn three nominations each.

The Artist of the Year nominees are Adele, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Drake, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Rihanna, Twenty One Pilots, Carrie Underwood and The Weeknd.  The ten nominees will be narrowed to five based on the votes received through Monday, November 14 at 8:59:59am PT.  Voting for Artist of the Year will close on Thursday, November 17 at 8:59:59pm PT. The winner will be determined by the total votes received throughout the entire voting period.  

Nominees for New Artist of the Year Un-leashed by T-Mobile are Alessia Cara, The Chainsmokers, DNCE, Shawn Mendes and Zayn.  Voting for this category opens November 2^nd.

2016 AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS TOP NOMINATED ARTISTS CHART FACTS:

·       Everything Drake touches turns to chart gold. His most recent album, Views, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart (his sixth No. 1 album) and spent more weeks at No. 1 than any hip-hop album since 1991. The set has accumulated more than 2.5 billion on-demand audio streams for its songs in the U.S. according to Nielsen Music, including the monster hit “One Dance,” which ruled the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 10 weeks. “One Dance” proved to be so popular, it was crowned Billboard’s Song of the Summer for 2016.

·       Pop superstar Rihanna started off 2016 with a bang – earning her second No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with ANTI, and topping the Billboard Hot 100 with the set’s lead single, “Work,” featuring Drake. The tune marked Rihanna’s 14^th No. 1 single – pushing her ahead of Michael Jackson’s 13 No. 1s. In the nearly 60-year history of the Hot 100, the only acts with more No. 1s are Mariah Carey (with 18) and The Beatles (20). Further, Rihanna followed up “Work” with two more top 10 hits on the Hot 100: her own “Needed Me” and as featured on Calvin Harris’ “This Is What You Came For.”

·       Adele’s blockbuster third album, 25, exploded on the Billboard 200 chart upon its debut. In its first week on sale in the U.S., it sold a whopping 3.38 million copies: the single largest sales week on record (since Nielsen Music began electronically tracking sales in 1991). So far, the album has spent 10 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and has sold more than 9 million copies in the U.S. Further, the Recording Industry Association of America certified the album Diamond, indicating 10 million units earned for the set – giving Adele back-to-back Diamond-certified albums, following 21. The 25 album launched three top 20-charting singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Its lead single, “Hello,” ruled the list for 10 weeks, and was followed by “When We Were Young” and the top 10 hit “Send My Love (To Your New Lover).”

·       With the release of his 2015 album Purpose, already-established pop superstar Justin Bieber reached even higher levels of success, landing his first three No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100: "What Do You Mean?," "Sorry" and "Love Yourself." The set has sold 1.8 million copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen Music, upping his career total to 12.6 million albums sold. Bieber has placed six No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 – the last five consecutively dating to 2011.

·       Fans have become addicted to The Chainsmokers, the duo of Drew Taggart and Andrew Pall, over the past year. The pair earned its first three top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100: "Roses" (featuring Rozes), "Don't Let Me Down" (featuring Daya), and the act’s first No. 1, "Closer" (featuring Halsey). All three smashes have also each spent multiple weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart.

·       Beyoncé’s Lemonade album gave the superstar her sixth consecutive No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart, while its lead-off track, “Formation,” netted the diva her sweet sixteenth top 10 smash on the Billboard Hot 100. All 12 of the songs on the Lemonade album reached the top 40 of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, including the top 10 hits “Formation” (No. 6), “Hold Up” (No. 6), “Sorry” (No. 4) and “6 Inch” (No. 10).

·       R&B sensation Bryson Tiller exploded onto the scene with his debut album, TRAPSOUL. The set reached No. 2 on both the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and the R&B Albums chart. TRAPSOUL spawned three top 25 hits on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart: “Don’t” (No. 4), “Exchange” (No. 8) and “Sorry Not Sorry” (No. 24).

·       Carrie Underwood won American Idol in 2005 and, since hitting Billboard's charts for the first time that year, has yet to slow down. Her latest album, Storyteller, debuted at No. 1 on the Top Country Albums in November 2015, marking her sixth No. 1 on the chart in as many appearances -- no other artist has begun a career with six consecutive No. 1s on the chart. And, with career U.S. album sales of 16.2 million, according to Nielsen Music, she reigns as the best-selling Idol alum. She's also notched 14 No. 1s on Hot Country Songs. With 24 overall Hot Country Songs top 10s, she's yet to miss the chart's top 10 with any of her official singles released to country radio.

·       The world said, “hey, what’s up, hello” to Fetty Wap as his viral single “Trap Queen” ruled pop culture and shot to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Follow-up releases “My Way,” featuring Monty (No. 7) and “679” featuring Remy Boyz (No. 4) also ascended to the top 10, and for six straight weeks, Fetty Wap had two songs in the Hot 100’s top 10. The rapper/singer’s self-titled debut album opened at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and his achievements lifted him to become Billboard’s Top New Artist for 2015.

·       R&B singer The Weeknd waged a full-fledged pop crossover thanks to his album Beauty Behind the Madness. The set debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and launched two No. 1s on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: “Can’t Feel My Face” and “The Hills.” Furthermore, when the latter song replaced the former atop the Hot 100, The Weeknd became only the 11^th artist in the chart’s history to succeed himself at the summit. Meanwhile, the title track for his follow-up album Starboy, due out Nov. 25, is off to a fast start. The track, which features Daft Punk, gave The Weeknd his fifth top 10 on the Hot 100 and sourth No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

·       Twenty One Pilots, the twosome of Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun, have soared to new heights, landing their first three top five Billboard Hot 100 hits in 2016: "Stressed Out," "Ride" and "Heathens." The first two songs are from the pair's 2015 album Blurryface, which became its first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 upon its debut in June 2015. The set has sold 1.1 million copies in the U.S. since its release, according to Nielsen Music. All three songs have also ruled Billboard's Hot Rock Songs chart for multiple weeks each.

At the American Music Awards, artists will be honored in multiple musical genres. Pop/Rock, Alternative Rock, Country, Rap/Hip-Hop, Soul/R&B, Adult Contemporary, Contemporary Inspirational, Latin, EDM and Soundtrack, are some of the genres alongside the awards for Artist of the Year, New Artist of the Year Un-leashed by T-Mobile and Collaboration of the Year.  This year, new categories include Tour of the Year and Video of the Year, while Favorite Song categories in the genres of Pop/Rock, Country, Rap/Hip-Hop and Soul/R&B have been added in lieu of the Song of the Year category.   

American Music Awards nominees are based on key fan interactions as reflected in Billboard Magazine and on Billboard.com, including album and digital song sales, radio airplay, streaming, social activity and touring. These measurements are tracked by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Music and Next Big Sound.

The American Music Awards winners are voted entirely by fans. Voting opened today in all categories except New Artist of the Year Un-leashed by T-Mobile, which will open on November 2^nd.

Fans can vote for all category once per day, per platform in one or both of the below ways. For New Artist of the Year Un-leashed by T-Mobile, fans can vote 100 times per day, per platform.

• Via AMAvote.com 
• Posting a tweet on Twitter that includes the nominee's Twitter handle, the category name and #AMAs within the post(s).

Preceding the ABC broadcast for the 8th consecutive year will be the “Coca-Cola® Red Carpet LIVE! @ The 2016 AMAs” pre-show. This live show will stream online for fans worldwide on November 20^th. 

The “2016 American Music Awards” is produced by dick clark productions. Allen Shapiro and Mike Mahan are Executive Producers. Larry Klein, Barry Adelman and Mark Bracco are Producers.

Below please find the full list of nominations for the 2016 American Music Awards®:

2016 AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS® NOMINEES:

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

·       Adele

·       Beyoncé

·       Justin Bieber

·       Drake

·       Selena Gomez

·       Ariana Grande

·       Rihanna

·       Twenty One Pilots

·       Carrie Underwood

·       The Weeknd

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR UN-LEASHED BY T-MOBILE

·       Alessia Cara

·       The Chainsmokers

·       DNCE

·       Shawn Mendes

·       ZAYN

COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR

·       The Chainsmokers Featuring Daya “Don’t Let Me Down”

·       Drake Featuring Wizkid & Kyla “One Dance”

·       Fifth Harmony Featuring Ty Dolla $ign “Work From Home”

·       Rihanna Featuring Drake “Work”

·       Meghan Trainor Featuring John Legend “Like I’m Gonna Lose You”

TOUR OF THE YEAR

·       Beyoncé

·       Madonna

·       Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

·       Justin Bieber “Sorry”

·       Desiigner “Panda”

·       Rihanna Featuring Drake “Work”

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – POP/ROCK

·       Justin Bieber

·       Drake

·       The Weeknd

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – POP/ROCK

·       Adele

·       Selena Gomez

·       Rihanna

FAVORITE DUO OR GROUP – POP/ROCK

·       The Chainsmokers

·       DNCE

·       Twenty One Pilots

FAVORITE ALBUM – POP/ROCK

·       Adele “25”

·       Justin Bieber “Purpose”

·       Drake “Views”

FAVORITE SONG- POP/ROCK

·       Adele “Hello”

·       Justin Bieber “Love Yourself”

·       Drake Featuring Wizkid & Kyla “One Dance”

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – COUNTRY

·       Luke Bryan

·       Thomas Rhett

·       Blake Shelton

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – COUNTRY

·       Kelsea Ballerini

·       Cam

·       Carrie Underwood

FAVORITE DUO or GROUP – COUNTRY

·       Florida Georgia Line

·       Old Dominion

·       Zac Brown Band

FAVORITE ALBUM - COUNTRY

·       Luke Bryan “Kill the Lights”

·       Chris Stapleton “Traveller”

·       Carrie Underwood “Storyteller”

FAVORITE SONG - COUNTRY

·       Florida Georgia Line “H.O.L.Y.”

·       Tim McGraw “Humble And Kind”

·       Thomas Rhett “Die A Happy Man”

FAVORITE ARTIST – RAP/HIP-HOP

·       Drake

·       Fetty Wap

·       Future

FAVORITE ALBUM – RAP/HIP-HOP

·       Drake “Views”

·       Drake & Future “What A Time To Be Alive”

·       Fetty Wap “Fetty Wap”

FAVORITE SONG – RAP/HIP-HOP

·       Desiigner “Panda”

·       Drake “Hotline Bling”

·       Fetty Wap “679”

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – SOUL/R&B

·       Chris Brown

·       Bryson Tiller

·       The Weeknd

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – SOUL/R&B

·       Beyoncé

·       Janet Jackson

·       Rihanna

FAVORITE ALBUM – SOUL/R&B

·       Beyoncé “Lemonade”

·       Rihanna “Anti”

·       Bryson Tiller “T R A P S O U L”

FAVORITE SONG – SOUL/R&B

·       Drake Featuring Wizkid & Kyla “One Dance”

·       Rihanna Featuring Drake “Work”

·       Bryson Tiller “Don’t”

FAVORITE ARTIST - ALTERNATIVE ROCK

·       Coldplay

·       Twenty One Pilots

·       X Ambassadors

FAVORITE ARTIST - ADULT CONTEMPORARY

·       Adele

·       Rachel Platten

·       Meghan Trainor

FAVORITE ARTIST - LATIN

·       J Balvin

·       Enrique Iglesias

·       Nicky Jam

FAVORITE ARTIST - CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL

·       Lauren Daigle

·       Hillsong UNITED

·       Chris Tomlin

FAVORITE ARTIST - ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC (EDM)

·       The Chainsmokers

·       Calvin Harris

·       Major Lazer

TOP SOUNDTRACK

·       Purple Rain

·       Star Wars: The Force Awakens

·       Suicide Squad: The Album

Boo! A Madea Halloween In Theaters October 21

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sPHseSGr9Q&feature=youtu.be

Directed By: Tyler Perry

In TYLER PERRY’S BOO! A MADEA HALLOWEEN, Madea winds up in the middle of mayhem when she spends a hilarious, haunted Halloween fending off killers, paranormal poltergeists, ghosts, ghouls and zombies while keeping a watchful eye on a group of misbehaving teens.

The cast includes: Tyler Perry, Diamond White, Bella Thorne, Cassi Davis, Patrice Lovely and Andre Hall.

Parker Talks/Doesn't Talk 'The Birth Of A Nation'

 By Darlene Donloe

Earlier this year Nate Parker was the big man on campus.

His film, The Birth of A Nation, was so well received at the Sundance Film Festival, that a bidding war ensued, which was eventually won by Fox Searchlight.

The film, set for release Friday, Oct. 7, tells the story of Nat Turner, who led a slave uprising.

In the film Parker is exceptional as Nat Turner, the strong-willed slave and preacher who led a 48-hour slave rebellion.

The drama, which is exceptional, is being overshadowed by Turner’s personal drama, which dates back 17-years ago when Turner was accused and then acquitted of gang-raping a woman when he was a college student.

Parker recently addressed the issue, or rather side-stepped the issue on Good Morning America (GMA) and 60 Minutes. The result didn’t really do him any good. The back and forth with Robin Roberts on GMA was very uncomfortable and painful to watch. It was clear Parker did not want to talk about the allegations. He dodged and tried to deflect and had no intention of saying he was sorry for the events that took place in 1999.

Parker, who was acquitted, does not feel he should have to apologize. It actually makes sense. If, in his mind, he didn’t do anything wrong, why would he apologize?

Reportedly, he told Cooper “I was falsely accused…I went to court…I was vindicated. I feel terrible that this woman isn’t here…her family had to deal with that, but as I sit here, an apology is – no.”

Turner participated in a press conference for the film at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). 

Following is an excerpt of the questions and answers Nate Parker (NP) gave during the press conference.

The first question involved his response to those filmgoers who said they wouldn’t see Parker's Nat Turner slave-revolt film because of the resurfaced allegations stemming from the 1999 incident at Penn State. He replied by turning attention to his 10 fellow actors sitting on the podium with him.

NP: I would say: 'You know I've addressed it; I'm sure in future forums I will address it more. There's no one person who makes a film.’ he said to reporters, continuing a weekend posture in which the filmmaker has sought to turn attention to some degree away from himself. There are so many people away from their families, they spent time in post until this very moment…Everyone who sweat and bled for their work should be rewarded. I would encourage everyone to remember, personal life aside, I’m just one person. There was never one person [on the film]. We did our best to create atmosphere where everybody felt included. He wound down with, “Nat Turner has healing qualities and progresses us all forward. The legacy of Nat Turner is important to us — he healed all of us.”

Parker was asked if he feels there are Hollywood double standards in judging people for past sins. He declined to offer much elaboration on either.

NP: This is a forum for the film, for the other people sitting on this stage. It's not mine, Parker said to the first question. I don't want to hijack this for my personal life. I just want to honor this film and move it forward. He then thanked TIFF for including the film in its slate.

A follow-up question yielded a very cautious response.

NP: I don't pretend to be an expert on reactions of anyone. I'm a filmmaker. I feel like this is my calling. (Parker said to the question about double standards). I'm going to stay in that lane. When we’re talking about injustice we all have jobs to do. (referring to the journalists in the room as well as the filmmakers on stage), adding that he thought both jobs would “progress us forward as a nation, progress us forward as a planet and put forth an effort that can raise all ships."

As has been reported repeatedly, Parker was asked by Cara Buckley, a New York Times reporter, if he should apologize.

NP: I’ve addressed it a few times. I’m sure I’ll address it in different forums. This is a forum for the film, this is a forum for the other people who are sitting on this stage. It’s not mine, I don’t own it, it does not belong to me. I definitely don’t want to hijack this with my personal life. I do want to make sure we’re honoring this film and these people in front of you.  I would just say I’ve addressed it, and I’m sure in future forums I will address it more. There were more than 400 people involved in this project. I would just encourage everyone to remember that, personal life aside, I’m just one person.

The Birth Of A Nation is directed by and stars Nate Parker, Gabrielle Union, Colman Domingo, Aunjanue Ellis, Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King, Penelope Ann Miller, Roger Guenveur Smith, Jackie Earle Haley and Mark Boone Junior.

'The Girl On The Train' Makes Several Stops

By Darlene Donloe

The Girl On the Train, in theaters nationwide on Friday, Oct. 7, is one of the most highly anticipated movies of the season.

The thriller is based on the incredibly popular novel by Paula Hawkins.  

The story is about Rachel, played by an engaging Emily Blunt. Rachel got problems. Lots of problems. Rachel is an alcoholic. She’s an alcoholic who drinks so much she regularly has blackouts, forgetting everything she’s done. Still spinning from her recent divorce, she spends her days going back and forth on a train – fantasizing about a couple (Luke Evans and Haley Bennett) that lives in a house her train passes every day.

One day she sees something shocking. When the woman she’s been watching comes up missing, Rachel, for some strange reason only she can understand, decides to investigate. With nothing else to do she somehow becomes entangled in the mystery that unfolds. 

Emily Blunt

But that’s not all. She still has an obsession with the home she used to share with her husband (Justin Theroux). She is also  fixated on his new wife (Rebecca Ferguson) and baby.

Full disclosure.  I didn’t read the book. Full disclosure. I found some of the movie painfully slow.  There are, however, some great performances, especially from Blunt, who is literally drunk, high or incredibly sad through the entire film.

I found some of the narrative ridiculous. I found some of the scenes far-fetched and too nonsensical to pay homage to the story. Unfortunately, the thriller factor never really materialized.

On several occasions I found myself saying, “That wouldn’t happen. Why would she do that?”  One time would have been ok. But to say it at least three times is a bit much.   I can’t reveal the moments without ruining the film.

Is the film worth the price of admission?  Yes. Tate Taylor, who directed the film, has put together an interesting movie. It jumps back and forth between present day and the past. It jumps a lot. Taylor uses voiceover and various camera techniques to produce a sense of terror and mystery. Some of it works, some of it doesn’t

The Girl On The Train (based on the bestselling novel by Paula Hawkins), is directed by Tate Taylor (The Help, Get On Up), written by Erin Cressida Wilson and stars Emily Blunt, Rebecca Ferguson, Haley Bennett, Justin Theroux, Luke Evans, Allison Janney, Edgar Ramirez, Lisa Kudrow and Laura Prepon.

On the DONLOE SCALE:  D (don’t bother), O (oh, no), N (needs work), L (likeable), O (oh, yeah) and E (excellent), The Girl On The Train (DreamWorks Pictures) gets an O (oh, yeah).

CTG Partners With TodayTix For 50th Anniversary

Center Theatre Group has partnered with TodayTix to launch a Mobile Lottery for the Ahmanson 2016/17 season. 

In honor of Center Theatre Group’s 50^th Anniversary, TodayTix will offer $19.67 lottery tickets all season long at the Ahmanson Theatre to celebrate the year Center Theatre Group was born.

TodayTix will run the Mobile Lottery for Center Theatre Group’s 2016/17 Season at the Ahmanson Theatre including the following productions: “A View From the Bridge,” “Amelie, A New Musical,” “Fun Home,” “Into The Woods,” “Jersey Boys,” and “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.”

The Mobile Lottery launched September 22 for the Friday evening performance of “A View From the Bridge” and runs through the final performance of the Ahmanson 2016/17 Season. The Mobile Lottery will exclude all matinee performances.

"Center Theatre Group is thrilled to partner with TodayTix for our 50th anniversary season,” said Deborah Warren, Center Theatre Group’s Director of Marketing, “We hope that this enables more people to experience the incredible productions we have coming up at the Ahmanson Theatre – including six award-winning new plays, musicals, and beloved classics.”

"We're honored to launch this partnership and celebrate a fantastic 50th season at Center Theatre Group," said Brian Fenty, co-founder and Executive Chairman at TodayTix, "After 50 years of invaluable artistic contributions to Los Angeles and the theatre community at large, we're proud to join forces and make this anniversary season accessible to new audiences through the Mobile Lottery." 

Pasadena Playhouse To Move Second Production

The Pasadena Playhouse announced today it will move the second production of its 2016-2017 Season to a later date in 2017 and will be cancelling M. BUTTERFLY. The decision was made after The Playhouse was unable to secure rights to present the play later in its season due to the Broadway revival in Spring 2017. Due to several production elements and without the rights for a later date, The Playhouse is cancelling the previously announced M. BUTTERFLY and has begun the planning to replace the production later in the 2016-2017 season.

The season will continue with the Panto at The Playhouse production of Lythgoe Family Panto’s A CINDERELLA CHRISTMAS in December. Tickets for the holiday show are currently on sale.

In a joint statement from Artistic Director Sheldon Epps and Executive/Artistic Director Danny Feldman said: “The Pasadena Playhouse is committed to bringing the best theatrical experience to its stages for our audiences. While we are disappointed that we could not present M. BUTTERFLY, we are working to find another production to add to our 2016-2017 Season.”

The scheduling change gives the added opportunity for Epps and Feldman to work closely together on all aspects of the 2016-2017 Season’s programming, including creative vision and casting. Mr. Feldman will identify new works and world premieres to add to The Playhouse offerings in the coming seasons. Mr. Epps added, “We will also take the opportunity to introduce Mr. Feldman to The Playhouse family and the Pasadena community through a series of meetings and informal gatherings.”  

M. BUTTERFLY was scheduled as the second presentation (October 25 – November 20, 2016) of the subscription offering for The Playhouse’s 2016-2017 Season. A replacement production will be added later in the season and announced in the coming weeks.

Built on a tradition of innovation and excellence, The Pasadena Playhouse is committed to be the premiere theatrical experience in Southern California showcasing the most exciting theatrical entertainment in the state and for launching new work onto the national stage. The Pasadena Playhouse, the State Theater of California, will celebrate its Centennial Anniversary in 2017.

CTG Mourns The Loss Of Gordon Davidson

Gordon Davidson

            Center Theatre Group mourns the loss of its Founding Artistic Director, Gordon Davidson, who passed away Sunday, October 2, 2016. Plans for a memorial event will be announced in the coming days.

            “Gordon Davidson was one of the most renowned and respected artistic directors in regional theatre, in large part because he was one of the original founders of the entire concept,” said Center Theatre Group Artistic Director, Michael Ritchie. “He led Center Theatre Group for 38 years and produced one of the broadest arrays of plays, particularly new plays, of any theatre in the country. Without his prolific vision for Center Theatre Group 50 years ago, the theatrical landscape in Los Angeles, and the country, would be very different. He remains one of theatre’s great leaders and I was proud to call him a mentor, friend, and colleague.”

From 1967 to 2005 Gordon Davidson was the Artistic Director of Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum at the Music Center of Los Angeles. In addition to his role at the Taper, Davidson was the Producing Director of the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre for 15 years, and the Artistic Director of the inaugural season (2004-2005) at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. In addition to redefining theatre in Southern California, he was one of the founders of the regional theatre movement and had a permanent impact on theatre throughout the country and the world.

            Gordon guided hundreds of productions to the Taper stage while overseeing numerous special projects sponsored by the Taper. This work and his direction of many of the Taper plays were acclaimed both in Los Angeles and New York, garnering the Taper a Tony Award for theatrical excellence in 1977.