About Us
Troubadour Theater is a free-wheeling, no holds barred, Commedia Del Arte flavored, slapstick driven Los Angeles based theatrical performance and event company – made up of actors, musicians, and comedians that has been performing for audiences throughout Southern California and beyond since 1995.
Their fast-paced, laugh-filled, loose adaptations (some of the lines are still there) of classic plays, literature and film, as well as their original productions make this company a unique and exciting experience for theater-goers of any age.
1995
The Troubies, as they are affectionately called, have performed charitably for many causes including animal conservation, adult rehabilitation, AIDS awareness, California Literacy Night for LAUSD, children with autism and other youth programs. Troubadour members have professional experience as writers, directors, and performers for film, television, theater, orchestra and circus.
2004
In its adaptations of classic and modern content, Troubadour has combined the beauty of the text with diverse physicality and movement, comic routines, and musical numbers. Improvisation plays a large part as audience members are called upon to help erect the set, sing along, and even enlisted to play parts! Never the same show twice! In recent years the Troubies have put their spin on all genres of classic tales, such as A Midsummer Saturday Night’s Fever Dream, Fleetwood MacBeth, Hamlet the Artist Formerly Known as Prince of Denmark and Frosty the Snow Manilow. And thanks to its commissions from the Getty Villa, the Troubies have branched out to the Roman and Greek classic plays most notable adapting and creating Oedipus the King, Mama (with music from Elvis) and ABBAmemnon (with music from Abba) for the Villa’s Classical Lab Series.
2011
Troubadour Theater was one of five arts organizations selected by the Santa Monica City Council to program youth entertainment at the Miles Memorial Playhouse in Santa Monica. The Troubies’ travels have grown each year to include theaters in Hollwood (The Ford Amphitheatre, The Roxy on Sunset, The Matrix Theatre), Santa Monica (The Miles Memorial Playhouse), Malibu (The Getty Villa), Burbank (The Falcon Theatre), La Mirada (La Mirada Theater for the Performing Arts), Laguna Beach (The Laguna Playhouse), Long Beach (The Carpenter Center), Garden Grove (Grove Theatre Center), Fullerton (The Muckenthaler), Ojai (Ojai Shakespeare Festival), San Francisco (San Francisco Fringe Festival), Hailey, Idaho (sponsored by Company of Fools at the Liberty Theatre) and Adelaide, Australia (Adelaide Fringe Festival).
2020
The Troubies have received numerous accolades including a two time honor for Best Season at LA Stage Alliance’s Ovation Awards. For more information on the Troubies, please visit our website and join us on facebook, instagram, and twitter.
What They’re Saying About the Troubies
Awards & Honors
Ovation Award Nomination
FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL / Rick Batalla — Julius Weezer
Ovation Award Winner
FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL / Beth Kennedy — How the Princh Stole Christmas
Ovation Award Nomination
LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL / Matt Walker — How the Princh Stole Christmas
FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL / Rick Batalla — How the Princh Stole Christmas
COSTUME DESIGN (LARGE THEATRE) / Halei Parker — How the Princh Stole Christmas
Ovation Award Nomination
ACTING ENSEMBLE OF A MUSICAL / The cast of Haunted House Party
DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL / Matt Walker — Haunted House Party
FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL / Matt Walker — Haunted House Party
Ovation Award Nomination
FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL / Jonny Quale — The Snow QUEEN
FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL / Beth Kennedy — The Snow QUEEN
COSTUME DESIGN (LARGE THEATRE) / Sharon McGunigle — The Snow QUEEN
City of Los Angeles
CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION, City of Los Angeles, 12th District
Ovation Award Nomination
FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL / Matt Walker — A Midsummer Saturday Night’s Fever Dream
FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL / Beth Kennedy — A Midsummer Saturday Night’s Fever Dream
COSTUME DESIGN (LARGE THEATRE) / Sharon McGunigle — Rudolph the Red-Nosed ReinDOORS
Ovation Award Nomination
BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL (LARGE THEATRE) / Troubadour Theater Company — Two Gentlemen of Chicago
FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL / Matt Walker — A Christmas Westside Story
FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL / Rob Nagle — Two Gentlemen of Chicago
FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL / Matt Walker — Two Gentlemen of Chicago
FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL / Beth Kennedy — Two Gentlemen of Chicago
FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL / Christine Lakin — Two Gentlemen of Chicago
CHOREOGRAPHY / Molly Alvarez — A Christmas Westside Story
MUSIC DIRECTION / Eric Heinly — A Christmas Westside Story
MUSIC DIRECTION / Eric Heinly — Two Gentlemen of Chicago
Ovation Award Winner
BEST SEASON / Troubadour Theater Company — The First Jo-el, Fleetwood Macbeth, A Wither’s Tale
DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL / Matt Walker — A Wither’s Tale
ACTING ENSEMBLE OF A MUSICAL / The cast of A Wither’s Tale
FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL / Matt Walker — A Wither’s Tale
FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL / Beth Kennedy — A Wither’s Tale
Ovation Award Nomination
BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL (LARGE THEATRE) / Troubadour Theater Company — A Wither’s Tale
FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL / Morgan Rusler — The First Jo-el
FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL / Matt Walker — A Wither’s Tale
FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL / Matt Walker — The First Jo-el
FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL / Beth Kennedy — A Wither’s Tale
FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL / Beth Kennedy — The First Jo-el
FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL / Katherine Malak — A Wither’s Tale
CHOREOGRAPHY / Molly Alvarez — The First Jo-el
CHOREOGRAPHY / Ameenah Kaplan — A Wither’s Tale
MUSIC DIRECTION / Eric Heinly — A Wither’s Tale
LIGHTING DESIGN (LARGE THEATRE) / Jeremy Pivnick — A Wither’s Tale
COSTUME DESIGN (LARGE THEATRE) / Sharon McGunigle — A Wither’s Tale
Ovation Award Winner
BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL (LARGE THEATRE) / Troubadour Theater Company — Oedipus the King, Mama!
DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL / Matt Walker — Oedipus the King, Mama!
Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award Winner
THE JOEL HIRSCHHORN AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSICAL THEATRE / Matt Walker
MUSICAL DIRECTION / Eric Heinly — A Wither’s Tale
Ovation Award Nomination
BEST SEASON / Troubadour Theater Company — CHiPS the Musical, Frosty the Snow Manilow, Oedipus the King, Mama!
COSTUME DESIGN (LARGE THEATRE) / Sharon McGunigle — Frosty the Snow Manilow
BOOK FOR AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL / Rick Batalla — CHiPS the Musical
LYRICS/MUSIC FOR AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL / Henry Phillips — CHiPS the Musical
Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award Nomination
LEAD PERFORMANCE / Matt Walker — A Wither’s Tale
Ovation Award Winner
BEST SEASON / Troubadour Theater Company — Alice in One Hit Wonderland 2 – Through the Looking Glass, As U2 Like It, It’s a Stevie Wonderful Life
DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL / Matt Walker — As U2 Like It
COSTUME DESIGN (LARGE THEATRE) / Sharon McGunigle — Alice in One Hit Wonderland 2 – Through the Looking Glass
Ovation Award Nomination
BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL (LARGE THEATRE) / Troubadour Theater Company — Alice in One Hit Wonderland 2 – Through the Looking Glass
BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL (LARGE THEATRE) / Troubadour Theater Company — As U2 Like It
DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL / Matt Walker — Alice in One Hit Wonderland 2 – Through the Looking Glass
MUSIC DIRECTION / Eric Heinly — Alice in One Hit Wonderland 2 – Through the Looking Glass
MUSIC DIRECTION / Eric Heinly — As U2 Like It
CHOREOGRAPHY / Nadine Ellis, Ameenah Kaplan & Christine Lakin — Alice in One Hit Wonderland 2 – Through the Looking Glass
CHOREOGRAPHY / Christine Lakin — As U2 Like It
ACTING ENSEMBLE / The cast of Alice in One Hit Wonderland 2 – Through the Looking Glass
ACTING ENSEMBLE / The cast of As U2 Like It
LA Weekly
BEST THEATRE OF 2009 / Oedipus the King, Mama! (# 4 out of 10)
Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award Winner
FEATURED PERFORMANCE / Beth Kennedy — As U2 Like It
Backstage West Garland Award Winner
PERFORMANCE / Eric Anderson — OthE.L.O
Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award Winner
ADAPTATION / Matt Walker — Alice in One-Hit Wonderland
Backstage West Garland Award Winner
PERFORMANCE / Beth Kennedy — Much Adoobie Brothers About Nothing
PERFORMANCE / Eric Anderson — Hamlet, the Artist Formerly Known as Prince of Denmark
Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award Winner
THE MARGARET HARFORD AWARD FOR SUSTAINED EXCELLENCE IN THEATER / Troubadour Theater Company
FEATURED PERFORMANCE / Beth Kennedy — Much ADoobie Brothers About Nothing
Daily News
TOP TEN THEATER MOMENTS OF 2006 / Troubadour Theater Company — Much ADoobie Brothers About Nothing
Goldstar Events
ROAR OF THE CROWD / Troubadour Theater Company — Much ADoobie Brothers About Nothing
Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award Winner
THE JOEL HIRSCHHORN AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSICAL THEATRE / Eric Anderson — for body of work including portrayal of Ophelia in Hamlet, the Artist Formerly Known as Prince of Denmark
OC Weekly Theater Awards
THE HELENA MODJESKA CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR CONTRIBUTION TO ORANGE COUNTY THEATER
Ovation Award Nomination
WORLD PREMIERE MUSICAL / Troubadour Theater Company — It’s A Stevie Wonderful Life
MUSICAL (SMALLER THEATER) / Troubadour Theater Company — Fleetwood Macbeth
OC Weekly Theater Awards
BEST MUSICAL / Troubadour Theater Company — The Comedy of Aerosmith
BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE, FEMALE / Beth Kennedy — The Comedy of Aerosmith
Entertainment Today
ENTERTAINMENT TODAY’S AUDIENCE AWARD
Ovation Award Nomination
WORLD PREMIERE MUSICAL / Troubadour Theater Company — A Christmas Carole King
Daily News
TOP TEN THEATER MOMENTS OF 2002
San Francisco Fringe
BEST OF THE SAN FRANCISCO FRINGE