Next Thing You Know


Chromolume Theatre
April 15 - May 1, 2016
Music by Joshua Saltzman
Book and Lyrics by Ryan Cunningham
Fri, Sat. 8pm
Sun. 7pm

 

 

 

****WEST COAST PREMIERE****


Next Thing You Know is the story of four New Yorkers as they laugh, love and drink their way through the big questions that face all young dreamers who wake up in the city that never sleeps. Does marrying a really nice guy mean you're settling down or just settling? Does taking a nine-to-five equal giving up or growing up? Does a decade in the city break you down or break you in?

 

 

CAST/CREW BIOS

 

 

 

Reviews

Steven Stanley of StageSceneLA raves "Wow! A Terrific West Coast Premiere."

Ryan Luevano of Tin Pan L.A. raves "With the [Shen] Heckel's smart direction and the performances by the cast you are in for an evening of youthful entertainment."

Leo Buck of Buck-Ing Trends raves "Here's a future classic musical that speaks to a whole new generation of theater-lovers and is the perfect antidote to those larger, 'spashier' special-effects extravaganzas so common of late."

MORE REVIEWS

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FAQ

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AUDITIONS

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FAQ

Where are you located?
We currently are a company without a home. You can reach us at P.O. Box 61964, Los Angeles, CA 90064.

What time should I arrive at the theatre?
Generally speaking, it is best to arrive at the theatre roughly 15-30 minutes before your performance.

Does the theatre have wheelchair access?
Yes.

Can my child/baby attend the theatre?/Is the show appropriate for children?
It is Chromolume Theatre's policy that no babies in arms may be allowed to attend. Further, we do not permit children under the age of four (4) to attend. This is to ensure that all customers enjoy the show. Young children are admitted but are not encouraged to attend unless the parent is confident the child will not distract other members of the audience. Everyone must have a valid ticket and occupy a seat. Accompanying adults will be asked to remove any noisy children. Generally, Chromolume Theatre produced productions are appropriate for school age children, while visiting productions can vary in appropriateness. Regardless, you should probably check with the Box Office when you order your tickets whether the production you are attending is appropriate for your child.

Are your actors professional?
In most cases, yes. Most, if not all, of the actors who perform in our shows are members of Actors Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild and/or American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.

Do your musicals have live musicians or taped accompaniment?
All of Chromolume Theatre's produced musicals include a single piano, or a small orchestra, usually five pieces. We do not use taped accompaniment at any of our performances. Any visiting production may use taped accompaniment.

Whom do I contact to usher for one of your performances?
If you wish to usher for one of our performances, contact our House Manager.

How can I purchase tickets for one of your productions?
There are three ways to purchase tickets for Chromolume Theatre produced performances (please note that visiting productions' methods may vary):

  • Purchase them online through our secure server
  • Purchase them in person at the Box Office
  • Purchase them over the telephone by calling (323) 510-1651 x202

Where do I pick up my tickets?
You can pick them up at the Box Office on the date of your performance.

Where is the Box Office located?
The Box Office is located immediately as you enter the theatre, to your right. The Box Office is open one hour prior to performance.

When are auditions for your performances?
Audition dates and times vary depending on the production. You can browse our Audition Page to check out when an upcoming audition is occurring and what to prepare for said audition.

Do you do only do musicals?
Chromolume Theatre's production productions are not only musicals. Occasionally, we will produce a play or a play with music. Visiting productions can vary anywhere between performance art to fully staged musicals.

Where can I find rental information?
To rent our theatre or to find out more information, you can check our Rental Page or call us at (323) 510-1651.

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AUDITIONS

Chromolume Theatre does not currently have any auditions scheduled.

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AUDITIONS

Chromolume Theatre does not currently have any auditions scheduled.

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Cast/Crew Bios

Brad Simanski, Darren
Next Thing You Know

Brad is thrilled to be returning to the Chromolume theatre after performing the role of Steven Q. Bukowski in last years Hollywood Fringe Festival hit Mirror, Mirror the Musical. Brad is super excited to be involved in the West Coast Premiere of The Next Thing You Know, and is honored to join such a fun and talented cast of performers and crew. Some favorite roles/shows are: Boq and Ensemble in Wicked, Billy in 42nd Street, Simon Stride in Jekyll and Hyde, and Henry in the Sci-Fi short thriller Immersion. When not on stage or camera, Brad can be found writing screenplays, creating short films, and teaching Yoga/leading Teacher Trainings for CorePower Yoga. Thanks for supporting live theater!


Tara Shoemaker, Waverly
Next Thing You Know

Tara is thrilled to be a part of the West Coast Premiere of NEXT THING YOU KNOW, in her Chromolume Theatre debut. Being a San Diego native, she's made her way around regional theaters having the wonderful opportunities to perform in shows such as: White Christmas (SDMT), Hello Dolly! (Welk Resort), Singin' in the Rain (SDMT & MTW), My Fair Lady (Moonlight), and Anything Goes (Welk Resort). Many thanks to the creative team for giving me such a wonderfully new challenge, and this cast for being wonderful (and talented) human beings. Lots of love to my family and friends for all their ongoing support and for traveling many, many miles!


Maya Sayre, Lisa
Next Thing You Know

Maya Sayre is thrilled to be making her debut at Chromolome Theatre. Favorite credits include The Ides of March, The Yank, AIDAN 5, The Marvelous Wonderettes (Short North Stage) and Boston Marriage (Contemporary American Theatre Co.). She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Otterbein University, is an IAWTV Award Nominee, and a proud member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA. Maya is originally from Columbus, Ohio, loves all things science fiction, and regularly volunteers for Best Freinds Animal Society. She encourages everyone to rescue an animal today! www.MayaSayre.com.


Alex Allred, Luke
Next Thing You Know

Alex Allred is thrilled to be working with the Chromolume Theatre for the first time. He received a BFA in classical acting from Southern Utah University and worked with companies such as the Utah Shakespeare Festival and the Neil Simon Festival before recently moving to Los Angeles. Some favorite credits include Jamie in The Last Five Years, Billy Flynn in Chicago, Vernon Gersch in They're Playing Our Song, Tony Kirby in You Can't Take it With You, and Kodaly in She Loves Me.


Molly Gilman, Waverly u/s
Next Thing You Know

Molly Gilman is delighted to make her Chromolume debut! A recent east coast transplant, she has a B.A. in Classics from Vassar College. NY credits: Pinkalicious (world premiere, Off-Broadway, cast album), Woyzeck Musical Deathmetal (Off-Bway: Gorilla Rep), SeaWife (Lobbyists), The Trojan Women (Wide-Eyed Prod.), The Tempest (Looking Glass/CAGE), Taming of the Shrew (Hudson Shakespeare Co.), Happy Hour (Michael Chekhov Theatre Co.), Das Rheingold (Metropolitan Opera), and more. Touring: Twelfth Night, Love's Labour's Lost, Duchess of Malfi, and A Christmas Carol (American Shakespeare Center); Simon the Invisible Boy (Ritual Theatre Co.). LA: Bronies! (3rd Street Theater & cast album), Adventures of Holly and Snowflake (Dancing Squirrel Prod.), Einstein is a Dummy (Sierra Madre Playhouse), Pillars of New York (Write Act Rep); Annabelle and the Snow Queen Express, Dorothy's Adventures in Oz, Drempels, All About Santa, and Alice and the Wonderful Tea Party (Santa Monica Playhouse). More on www.mollygilman.com. Love and thanks!


Bonnie Sludikoff, Lisa u/s
Next Thing You Know

Bonnie is elated to join the cast of Next Thing You Know and this is her first show with the Chromolume Theatre. Bonnie performs regularly with her musical improv group, 99 Problems, But A Pitch Ain't One and she recently appeared as a solo performer in IOWest's Funny Women Festival. Past favorite roles include Bebe in A Chorus Line, Jeanie in HAIR, and Doatsy Mae in Best Little Whorehouse in Texas! She was the 2012 winner of Hollywood's Cabaret Idol, and has had the pleasure of singing in a variety of exciting venues over the last several years from Disneyland to dingy bars; when you're a performer in LA you have to find the love in every experience!


Michael Worden, Darren u/s
Next Thing You Know

Michael is excited to be making his Chromolume debut. His touring credits include Into The Woods (Jack) and Footloose (Chuck). Regional theater credits include The Last Five Years (Jaime), Next to Normal (Dr. Fine/Madden), A Streetcar Named Desire (Stanley Kowalski), Company (Peter), Oliver (Bill Sykes) and The Odd Couple (Alternating as Felix and Oscar) and Crime of the Heart (Barnett Lloyd). Michael can be seen on the 1st season of True Nightmares on ID as Grady Stiles (The Lobster Boy). Michael would like to thank the entire cast and crew for this wonderful experience and Carly for her unwavering love and support.


Matthew Noah, Luke u/s
Next Thing You Know

Matthew is pleased to be on Sullivan Street with such an amazing cast, crew, and creative team. He was just seen as Jacey Squires in Music Man with Center Stage, Directed by Keely Milliken. Matthew was also given the opportunity to portray as Jean in Alien vs Musical (Theatre Asylum) Fringe Festival Winner for Best Premeier of a New Musical in 2015 Directed by Matthew Tyler, Mitch Mahoney in 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (YATC), Psycho Killer in Scary Musical The Musical (NoHo Arts Center), Mr. Mushnik in Little Shop Of Horrors (The EMTT Group), Ensemble in Music Man (Louise K. Performing Arts Center), and Squeegee Man in Rent (Beyond The Stage) Directed by Michael A. Sheppard. Matthew volunteers some of his time and started a performing arts program at his high school Alma Mater, where he teaches about the benifits of being in the performing arts onstage and backstage. Matthew would like to thank his family and friends for their continuous love and support. Follow him on Instagram: singermatty26


Shen Heckel, Director
Next Thing You Know

Shen is a theatre professional from the Los Angeles area. He graduated from UCLA's School of Theatre, Film, and Television, and is an alumnus of the New York Lincoln Center Directors' Lab. Assistant Directing credits include Working, the musical and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, the world premiere of The Dodgers and We Are The Tigers. He has worked in all aspects of theatre, some previous projects include Stage Manager and Lighting Designer of Twelfth Night, R&J, and A Winters Tale. Set and Lighting Designer of The Bachelorette. Assistant Stage Manager of Recorded in Hollywood, Properties Master of Assassins, Taming of the Shrew, and Corktown 57. He also made his LA acting debut this past summer in Sex, Love, and Yoga.


Emily Cohn, Musical Director
Next Thing You Know

Emily Cohn is an up and coming Music Director based in Southern California. She received her Bachelors of Jazz Piano from California State University Northridge in 2010 and has been MD and playing for musicals since. Shows include: A Little Princess, Stupid Gold, A Christmas Memory, first production of We are the Tigers, multiple award winning Hollywood Fringe show Alien vs Musical, Bagels, NYSSV, Belle Barth Cabargay, at NMI., Little Women, Into The Woods, Roar of the Greasepaint the Smell of the Crowd, Peter Pan, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Little Shop of Horrors. Emily released her first EP as songwriter which can be purchased at www.emilycohnmusic.com.


James Esposito, Scenic and Sound design
Next Thing You Know

James is currently the V.P. of Operations at Chromolume Theatre. Sound design credits include Bird, Prez, Do Lord Remember Me, Secrets Every Smart Traveler Should Know, Merrily We Roll Along, Capsized Floatsam, Greek Tragedy, Musical of Musicals, the Musical, Altar Boyz, and Strip, the latter of which he also directed. Scenic Design credits include the NAACP Award Winning production of Do Lord Remember Me and Love Songs - A Musical, both for Chromolume Theatre. On stage, his credits include Company (Bobby), City of Angels (Munoz), Two Gentlemen of Verona (Thurio), Forever Plaid (Sparky), Fiddler on the Roof (Twice!), Cinderella and Chess just to name a few.


Michael Mullen, Costume Design
Next Thing You Know

Michael is happy to be working on this project. He has costumed such shows as Fugue (Ovation and Broadway World nominations), Sweeney Todd (Stage Raw nomination), American Idiot (TicketHolder Award), When Stars Align (Broadway World nomination), Dorian's Descent (Broadway World nomination ), Moon Over Buffalo (Broadway World nomination), God's Gypsy (Broadway World nomination), Dreamgirls (Ovation Award, Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award, N.A.A.C.P. Theatre Award, L.A. Weekly Theatre Award, Broadway World Award). He has received such Stage SceneLA Awards as 2014-2015 Costume Designer Extraordinaire, 2013-2014 Costume Design Of The Year (Individual Production) for Dorian's Descent, and 2012-2013 Costume Designer Of The Year. He would like to thank everyone involved with this show, his friends and family, and you for coming to see it! :)


Richard Fong, Lighting Design
Next Thing You Know

Richard is thrilled to make his lighting design debut with the Chromolume Theatre family. His devotion to theatre has led him to UCLA's School of Theater, Film and Television where he currently studies under industry professionals. Hailing from the Bay Area, he has worked with Berkeley Repertory Theatre on their production of An Audience with Meow Meow, Contra Costa Civic Theatre's production of La Cage aux Folles, and Ray of Light Theatre's Heathers: The Musical. He aims to enrich his theatrical design career in the Los Angles area and hopes that he can bring something exciting to the west coast premiere of Next Thing You Know.


Olivia Sedoryk, Stage Manager
Next Thing You Know

A recent graduate of California State University Long Beach, Olivia is thrilled to join the production team of Next Thing You Know. Raised in Monterey CA, home of one of the world's greatest annual jazz festivals, she has a strong passion for music and performance. This will be her second time working with Chromolume Theatre since her last position as a stage manager for their production of Prez, Her stage management experience includes the University Player's productions of George C. Wolfe's The Colored Museum, and Adam Rapp's Red Light Winter. Her other recent works include makeup design and assistance for the California Repertory Company's productions of Caryl Churchill's Far Away and Jennifer Maisel's Out of Orbit, and the University Player's productions of Stephen Adly Guirgis' The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, and Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice.

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Reviews

 

Steven Stanley of StageSceneLA raves...

 

Wow!

 

"No one writes contemporary musical romcoms better than Joshua Salzman and Ryan Cunningham, proof positive of which can be savored in Next Thing You Know...now being given a terrific West Coast Premiere by Chromolume Theatre Company.."

 

"It’s hard to imagine a finer showcase for 20something actor-singers than Next Thing You Know, and Chromolume's cast more than fill the bill."

 

"[Brad] Simanski gives Darren a guy-next-door charm, a bit of the dork, and some fabulous pipes to make for a thoroughly winning lead performance opposite [Tara] Shoemaker's vivacious (and equally vocally blessed) Waverly."

 

"The golden-voiced [Alex] Allred's natural likeability makes him a terrific choice to play Luke."

 

"As for [Maya] Sayre, expect big things ahead from the petite stunner whose terrific comedic chops and impressive power pipes make her 'one to watch.'"

 

"Shen Heckel makes a noteworthy directorial debut, both in the performances he has elicited and in the imaginative use of his carefully-detailed multi-locale NYC set (bar, office, and assorted apartments) lit by Richard Fong with professional flair."

 

"L.A. costume design star Michael Mullen provides each character with multiple just-right outfits."

 

Sound designer James Esposito gets snaps for one of Next Thing You Know's cleverest sequences."

 

"Musical director Emily Cohn earns high marks both for cast vocals and for piano accompaniment."

 

Next Thing You Know, a romantic roundelay that offers its own brand of delights [welcomes] Chromolume Theatre back with a mix of New York City magic and pizzazz.

 

 

Ryan Luevano of Tin Pan L.A. raves...

 

"Intimate theater is thriving all over Los Angeles and the Chromolume Theatre is one of the quintessential hot spots to take in a show with a mere fifty strangers."

 

"Not only does this chamber musical fit nicely in the space, but the direction and scenic design by Shen Heckel adds a layer familiarity as he creates moments reminiscent of the sitcom How I Met Your Mother."

 

"Tara Shoemaker is a strong Waverly...her bold voice shines in 'Don't Say Another Word' and 'I Wish There Were A Reason.'

 

"Maya Sayre is the spunky Lisa who's fruity and expressive voices provides beautiful song moments in 'Manhattan Bridge,' and 'You Can't Be Everything You Want.'"

 

"Brad Simanski (Darren) is a hilarious and deep, he’s the little guy with so much to give in all of his scenes and songs..."

 

"[Alex] Allred takes up the whole stage in every scene, his robust and honeyed voice are supreme in 'Morning After Omelet,' 'The Way To Get A Girl' and 'And I Breathe'."

 

"Emily Cohn has put together a remarkable cast who handles this contemporary score with ease and expression. She masterfully leads this production from the piano, keeping up with all the action on stage and following her singers every move."

 

"With the [Shen] Heckel's smart direction and the performances by the cast you are in for an evening of youthful entertainment."

 

 

Leo Buck of Buck-ing Trends raves...

 

"Directed by Shen Heckel with musical direction by Emily Cohn, 'Next Thing You Know' hails a new, cutting edge development in the evolution of significant relationship musicals and shouldn't be missed!"

 

"Cunningham's fast-moving script is consistently sharp, clever, and reassuring..."

 

"Tara Shoemaker laudably succeeds in the potentially tricky role of the apty named Waverly."

 

"[Brad] Simanski demonstrates terrific emotional depth."

 

"Maya Sayre [is] a sultry cross between Judy Collins, Joan Baez and Edith Piaf."

 

"As Luke, Alex Allred uses his wholesome good looks to great advantage, presenting a smooth and sexy vibe such as the likes of Jimmy Stewart or Tobey McGuire would were either of them complete womanizing playboys!"

 

"Hung Over is also a vibrant group effort and ranks among the most memorable in the show's score."

 

"Here's a future classic musical that speaks to a whole new generation of theater-lovers and is the perfect antidote to those larger, "spashier" special-effects extravaganzas so common of late."