Up next in 10
Jennifer Hudson Wows at CTG's 50th Anniversary Celebration in LA!
13K views
Nov 4, 2022
The 50th Anniversary Celebration of the west coast's renowned Center Theatre Group was a thrilling evening of performances top lined by Academy Award winner and Platinum recording artist Jennifer Hudson at the Ahmanson Theatre Sunday, May 20th in Los Angeles. Fresh off her acclaimed performance in NBC's "Hairspray Live!," Hudson sang the evening's closing number. BWW TV's own Michael Sterling covered the red carpet for the much anticipated event.
View Video Transcript
0:00
Hello, I'm Michael Sterling, and welcome to Broadway World TV
0:09
We're coming to you from Grand Park, downtown Los Angeles. The Center Theatre Group is one of the leading non-profit organizations in the country for theater
0:18
and certainly one of the most successful and important organizations in the country for the live arts
0:25
It is their 50th anniversary this evening, And on the stage of the Amundsen Theatre are a plethora of stars who have come to wish them congratulations
0:37
Some of them will be performing, some will be just speaking. We're going to show you all or as much as we can in just a few minutes
0:45
So don't go away. We'll be right back. In 525,600 minutes, how do you measure a year in the life
0:58
How about love? How about love? Tell us about the show
1:08
Well, you know, you try to press 50 years of extraordinary history into one evening
1:14
I mean, it's almost impossible. But I think what I kept thinking as I was watching is just, you know, you kind of forget how radical this was and how radical it is and what it's really contributed
1:26
I just, I was so moved and seeing all the young people participating and the legacy is just extraordinary
1:33
So what a lineup of talent, you know, right? And they all did a really great job and kind of from their hearts
1:40
Yeah, it made me renew my subscription, you know, that's. Oh, nice
1:45
You made the Center Theater Group very happy. Well, you realize how central this is, not only to the theater, but just to the community
1:55
I mean, it's vital, and it's vital to all these young people going forward. So I think especially now
2:00
God bless you for doing that and supporting theater in general. Well, I think across the board we need to do it
2:06
You know, dance, theater, symphony, music. It's who we are. Thank you for stopping by
2:13
It's always a pleasure. Thank you. Did you have a wonderful experience with the show this evening
2:18
Wonderful show and a great occasion to celebrate the achievement. Yes. You know, it's incredible what they did, really
2:26
And they continue to do amazing work. I mean, I come, I work here and I love theatre
2:32
I come all the time because they do really world-class work. Of course
2:38
And they're one of the leaders of the country. Well, of course. I mean, angels in America
2:43
I mean, just to say one of the many things that they did
2:48
And it's fantastic to see that and see this talent being championed in Los Angeles
2:53
It's beautiful. Well, thank you for supporting them. Thank you for stopping by Broadway World TV
2:58
See you, Broadway soon. Bye. And Ed Benning, how was your evening this evening at the Center Theater Group
3:05
Well it was really fun It was really fun backstage There were a lot of so many great people that wanted to come out for CTG tonight Amazing lineup Amazing I got to share a dressing room with Tyne Daly and Felicia Rastad
3:18
Wow. Did a girl talk there? Yeah, and a couple of my buddies from, you know, plays that I did many years ago
3:26
So it was really fun, and we're all here to celebrate a great theater
3:31
and the non-profit theater, which is very important. Bless you for doing that. Thank you for stopping by Robert Riljeevy
3:36
Thank you. It's 1990. Pryor, Louis, Belize, and Hannah sit on the rim of the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park
3:49
The Bethesda Angel is above them. Pryor speaks. This is my favorite place in New York City
3:58
You're here for one of the greatest celebrations in Los Angeles this evening, the 50th anniversary of the Center Theater Group
4:03
How was it for you this evening? It was particularly magical because I was a fill-in
4:09
So, you know, the old theater trope of the understudy, someone had to drop out, and I had 24 hours to come in and do Belize
4:16
in the Angels in America scene with Annette Bening. So I've been sick to my stomach for a day
4:21
knowing I had to get up there with her and with this fantastic guy. But it's thrilling. It's thrilling
4:27
And we love to have that happen on our stage. You know, this is a movie town and things are, you know, are manufactured
4:34
But when it comes to theater, it's always spontaneous, isn't it? Absolutely. That is what makes theater so magical
4:41
That is what keeps your blood flowing. It's in the complete control of the performer
4:46
It's all about the human body. And so there we were with a really giving audience that gave us back
4:52
What was the thing? They had like subscribers who've been here for over 50 years
4:56
Some of them, yeah. Dedicated to theater in L.A. I love that this renaissance in L.A., this renaissance of theater in L.A
5:01
And it is exactly that. It's a good word. People who live here have always known, but now, you know
5:06
You did it. Yeah, we did it. Shall we get him over here to you? Yeah, Charlie. How you doing
5:10
Good, good. Just wanted to have a couple words and see how your experience was this evening so far
5:14
with what you've seen, the performance. Wow, seeing the performance was incredible
5:19
We had the side profile point of view from the wings. and, you know, just to be included among this group of people is, you know, I keep pinching myself
5:30
Can you believe that? I didn't even know. I know we ran into..
5:35
Louis Gossett Jr. It's just insane. I mean, really. Because, you know, in this business, in film and television and especially
5:42
you meet a lot of famous people. But, honestly, it's this universe of talent that, you know, are the career I want to emulate
5:49
Of course. Yeah. Well, we're happy to have you here. I'm glad you had a good evening so far. I know you're going to have a blast at this dinner
5:54
Did you see you down there already? We haven't. No, we're about to go now. Just wait
5:58
Have a good night, guys. Thank you. Matthew Broderick, you're in Los Angeles Center Theater Group
6:04
50th anniversary. How was it this evening so far? It was very exciting
6:10
The play I did there was like 35 years ago. Really? Yeah
6:15
When you were just a little kid Yeah Yeah I was 20 It one of our most exciting experiences in theater is to come down to downtown Los Angeles
6:26
and see what this group has put together during these 50 years
6:31
It's been remarkable. Yeah, Angels in America, all those, I mean, so much
6:36
August Wilson. What would it take for us to get you out here in Los Angeles
6:41
to do more theater here? Oh, I'd be happy to. You know, it's hard with kids, you know, go to school and stuff like that
6:51
So plays take a long time, unlike movies. Bring everybody out, though, you know, during the vacation time period
6:58
If I can figure that out, I'd be more than happy to. And I know the kids would like to come to L.A. too
7:04
We're happy to have you here for any reason. Have a great evening
7:08
Thank you. Jimmy and Wanda have just come out of the theater from the performance of the 50th anniversary of celebrating this center theater group
7:17
How was it? It was great. I had a wonderful time. It was wonderful to celebrate the time that CTG has had
7:26
Wanda's worked at both the Amundsen and we worked together at the Taper and to see it flourish over these years
7:33
It's just been incredible. Was there a particular standout moment for you, Wanda, in this performance this evening
7:38
There were many, there were many, to name a few. But I love the letter that Michael Ritchie read at the end
7:46
That was very compelling, and it was very moving, and it is a testament to creative institutions in any city
7:54
and what it can give the youth of tomorrow. It's the hope and the focus and the future
8:02
So that letter was very compelling to me. I was very moved by that
8:06
This theater has always represented the best of Los Angeles, the diversity of Los Angeles
8:12
Someone like Michael Ritchie is exactly that kind of man, the letter that he read this evening
8:18
As was Gordon Davidson, because in remembrances of him, there are ghosts of our past
8:25
That's Joseph Papp on the East Coast and Gordon Davidson on the West
8:29
And we have to know what shoulders we stand on. We're standing on the shoulders of mighty great men, artistic vision
8:36
So I'm glad that Michael's here, and I know he's going to pick up the torch and keep going for the next 50
8:41
That's what we need. Thank you so much for stopping by Broadway World TV. Thousands of performances
8:48
More than 25 million patrons in our theaters alone. And millions more across the country and around the world
8:58
You know him, you love him, Barrett Foa, here at the Center Theater Group's 50th anniversary celebration
9:03
What a night, right? What a night, a blast. I can't believe I got to be backstage with all the fanciest people in the industry
9:10
Annette Bening was telling us what she did and who she was sharing her dressing room with
9:14
Well, at least she had a dressing room. Okay. You mean you didn't
9:19
I didn't and neither did Matthew Broderick. I mean, it was crazy. We were packed backstage
9:24
Also, the Jersey Boys are taking over the theater, So we didn have a lot of room but that made it all the more fun You know we got to you know just us the best But we all started out in theater and now some of us are TV stars and it doesn
9:40
matter because it's things like CTG, things like theater, all this new vibrant theater
9:45
that's happening now that CTG's putting out. You have a deep affection for the CTG
9:50
Absolutely. Ever since I moved here, which is, LA's not a theater town, they always say
9:55
but CTG is the one place I keep gravitating towards. Thank God for them, actually
9:59
Absolutely, yeah. Well, we love everything you do. Thanks for stopping by Broadway World TV
10:05
and it's an awesome tie you've got on there, sir. Thank you, sir. You're really beautiful
10:09
I'll thank Ralph for you. Thank you. Thanks. How was this evening
10:15
50th anniversary here for the Center Theater Group. Tonight was magnificent. It was really, you know
10:22
one of the most beautiful things was seeing how many wonderful, wonderful actors
10:28
that we all know, love, and respect that have passed through this theater
10:33
You know, I was just here recently for Gordon Davidson's memorial, and I spake there
10:39
and I said how much I miss him, but, you know, what a prolific man
10:46
and what a wonderful legacy he's left behind. Yes, indeed. And you see, and you can see
10:51
I mean, tonight you just saw what a wonderful legacy he's left behind
10:56
And how wonderfully Michael has picked up the gauntlet. Absolutely. It's so important
11:02
We have such respect for him. He's such an awesome man. He believes so deeply in what he's doing
11:07
and bringing this type of art into Los Angeles, which, of course, we all know is a motion picture town
11:14
Well, but thanks to the taper, it's also a theater town. Yes, it is
11:19
It's a good theater town. And I agree with you, but we need more of it. We need more actors like you on our stages
11:23
Well, hey, I'd love to be there. Yes, indeed. We'd love that, too. You look very dapper, Sarah
11:27
Thank you, man. I appreciate that. Thank you for stopping by Broadway World TV. All right. All right
11:31
Take care. In the future, there's a struggle. Struggle! We have yet to win
11:41
Oh, and there's pride in our hearts to lift us up
#Acting & Theater
#Broadway & Musical Theater
#Entertainment Industry
#Music & Audio
#Vocals & Show Tunes