Preview performances began this Sunday, January 30, for the five-time Tony nominated production of “33 Variations” with Jane Fonda at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre. “33 Variations,” written and directed by Moisés Kaufman, opens February 9 and continues through March 6, 2011.

Fonda, who is a two-time Academy Award-winner, was nominated for the Tony Award for her role in the 2009 Broadway run of “33 Variations.” The Tectonic Theater Project production was also nominated for a Tony, as was Zach Grenier who also reprises his role at the Ahmanson for his portrayal of Beethoven, and Derek McLane for scenic design and David Lander for lighting.

Fonda and Grenier are joined by Samantha Mathis, Don Amendolia, Susan Kellermann, Greg Keller, Grant James Varjas, Diane Walsh, Scott Barrow, Caitlin O’Connell and Yvonne Woods Slaten. Additional design credits for “33 Variations” include costumes by Janice Pytel, sound by André J. Pluess and projection design is by Jeff Sugg.

In “33 Variations,” the audience is transported back and forth from present-day New York to 19th century Austria, when a musicologist Fonda is determined to solve the musical mystery of why Beethoven Grenier spent his last years feverishly writing 33 variations of what appeared to be a mediocre waltz.

Tickets, which are priced from $20 — $80, are available by calling Center Theatre Group Audience Services at 213 972-4400, in person at the Center Theatre Group box office or on-line at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org.

 Photo Credit: Craig Schwartz

Moises Kaufman, Timothy Koch

Susan Kellermann, Jane Fonda

Caitin O'Connoll, Douglas C. Baker, Jane Fonda, Samantha Mathis, Zach Grenier

Jane Fonda, Moises Kaufman

Zach Grenier, Samantha Mathis, Jane Fonda, Moises Kaufman, Susan Kellermann

Greg Keller, Grant James Varjas, Zach Grenier

click here for complete article on Broadwayworld.com

“Nothing is more important as you age than staying physically active,” the septuagenarian says with characteristic conviction. Her message is in the medium: She recently released two new fitness DVDs geared to Baby Boomers and featuring her age-defyingly slender and fit self.

Since she was first on screen as the babelicious Barbarella, then as an Oscar winner and, in the ’80s, as a founding mother of the aerobics revolution, Fonda has been an icon of fitness and beauty. And she’s not about to let age put an end to all that. We asked her to tell us more about how she does it:

Diet. A super-healthy eating plan is the centerpiece of her regimen. Fonda, who had bulimia and anorexia when she was younger, says she eats “zero trans fats, zero partially hydrogenated oils.” And “no desserts, period.”

On her daily menu: lots of grilled or steamed fish and chicken, fresh fruit and vegetables (especially dark green), dairy and the occasional piece of lean, red bison meat. “Look, I was married to Ted Turner for 10 years,” she says with a laugh. (Turner owns the largest private herd of bison in the world.)

She laments having to give up wine (“unless it’s really good”) to avoid acid reflux.

The discipline has paid off, says Fonda, who credits it with keeping her cholesterol and blood pressure low and her heart “perfect, a 20-year-old’s” — unlike her father’s. Actor Henry Fonda died of heart failure at age 77.

Exercise. It’s key — and constant. To maintain her 121-pound, 5-foot-8 frame, she walks, hikes, swims or rides an exercise bike for 60 minutes four or five days a week. She also works out with weights three to four times a week and does yoga.

“I don’t get up in the morning and say, ‘Oh, boy, I’m going to work out,’ ” she says. “I do it because of how I feel inside when it’s over. There’s nothing better for depression than exercise.”

That’s especially good news for Fonda. Both sides of her family have suffered from depression. Her mother committed suicide when Fonda was 12, “and my father suffered from undiagnosed low-grade depression,” she says. Fonda herself got help over the years from therapy and medication, “and I didn’t get depressed,” she says.

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The words “it’s been the talk of the theater world…” tends to be slapped on the front of every third play, whether the play has earned that opener or not.

But certainly “33 Variations” is deserving. After all, the work, which goes into previews at the Ahmanson on Sunday, Jan. 30, is from Moisés Kaufman, the talent behind “The Laramie Project,” not to mention the director of “Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo.”

Much of the buzzity-buzz however, which we’re certainly joining in here, is over the star: Jane Fonda. And it isn’t as if Ms. Fonda will pass on and off stage in a much-ballyhooed cameo; her role provides the central heat in a play that moves between Beethoven’s time and the modern day.

Also of interest: A pianist is on stage during the show (“33 Variations” is in reference to music, but then you likely knew that).

It’s a Taper production that’s jumped to the Ahmanson, the second change-it-up factor of the play (the first being the jumps through time). We like the unsettled nature “33 Variations” is already promising. Settled=ho-hum.

“33 Variations” begins previews on Sunday, Jan. 30 and runs through Sunday, March 6.

click here for tickets and more info

click here for full article http://www.nbclosangeles.com/around-town/events/114583584.html

Oscar® winner Jane Fonda opens up about aging, motherhood, ex-husband Ted Turner and her new love. Plus, how she’s still feeling the burn.

• The “third act”: Why Jane says life is better than ever
• Jane on her co-stars…Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez and more!

Baby Boomers, get ready to feel the burn again! Jane Fonda, 72, is springing back into her workout gear this fall to release two new DVDs designed for the generation that came of age feeling the burn from her first blockbuster workout tape, Jane Fonda’s Workout, debuted in 1982. “I’m very excited to be back in the fitness business,” Fonda told PEOPLE. “I know from experience and from my research how critical it is for boomers and seniors to be physically active. Even if they’ve never exercised in their lives, now’s the time and my programs are a good, safe way to do it.” The two titles, Jane Fonda: Prime Time Walkout and Jane Fonda: Prime Time Fit & Strong — both due out Nov. 30 — are not only for the senior set. Fonda says she also hopes to inspire “people who think that they are too far unfit to get fit again.” Tell us: Will you buy Jane Fonda’s new workout DVD?–Thailan Pham

click for complete article
http://stylenews.peoplestylewatch.com/2010/09/01/first-look-jane-fonda-new-workout-dvd-revealed/

Jane Fonda, who returned to Broadway last year after a 46-year absence and earned a Tony nomination for her performance in “33 Variations,” will reprise the role at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles next year.

The Center Theatre Group said Thursday that the play, written and directed by Moises Kaufman, would be part of the Mark Taper Forum’s 2011 season but would be staged at the neighboring Ahmanson from Jan. 30 through March 6. Ahmanson subscribers will be offered tickets as a bonus option.

CLICK HERE TO READ COMPLETE ARTICLE

By Borys Kit – May 4, 2010

Jane Fonda and Catherine Keener are teaming up for a little “Peace, Love, and Misunderstanding,” a multigenerational indie film to be directed by Bruce Beresford.

BCDF Pictures is producing and financing the picture, which is eyeing a July start in New York’s Hudson River Valley.

. . . click here for full article

Is there anything odd about holding World Fitness Day in Atlanta, headquarters of Coca-Cola, whose sugar-laden drinks are fueling an obesity epidemic?
Coca-Cola is one of our sponsors. Coke is making a huge effort to put out healthy drinks. For example, in schools it doesn’t put out sugary soft drinks anymore.

click here for the complete article

I am not sure of the date. Barely know the day of the week. Been so busy. Had an interview in NPR this morning that I forgot!! It’s been rescheduled for Wednesday. Then I had a G-CAPP Executive Committee call this afternoon and forgot that, too. Busy planning and preparing for a party that Richard and I are hosting for fabled music man, Clive Davis, rehearsing my DVDs which tape next week and finishing a new chapter in my book… Something I hadn’t envisioned but my wonderful editor, Kate Medina, sort of re-conceptualized the book, making it more interesting to people—men and women-who aren’t yet in their third acts but need to start thinking and planning for when they arrive there. Don’t get me wrong, it is still about how to age successfully but she has me starting earlier. I didn’t want to write this chapter but had a break through over the weekend and wrote the whole thing and I’m excited about it. Part of me couldn’t quite believe it was Easter and I didn’t even don my traditional full bunny suit (white clown makeup with broom straws glued on for whiskers for the face…everything else covered in [fake] bunny fur.) NO Easter egg hunt…my grandchildren don’t arrive till tomorrow for spring break. Took a long bubble bath last night while I was writing this blog.

I’m in dark glasses cause I lost my reading glasses at Carnegie Hall last week (was it really??) and sat on my lighter sunglasses yesterday so dark was all I had/have to read with. Do you, like me, find that these sorts of things—forgetting, losing, sitting on stuff, locking keys in cars— when you’re doing too much? Urghhhh

Did Larry King just now to promote World Fitness Day May 1st at the Georgia Dome. I was able to announce the new news: LUDACRIS will appear that day and perform live!!! He’s a friend. So will the Pointer Sisters. Anita Pointer is a friend as well. AND, Jason Sellards, lead singer and song writer of Scissor Sisters will come on stage to warm up with me to their song “Comfortably Numb.” He’s becoming a friend. As another friend, Peggy Siegel, just emailed me to say “All that fun and music…The event sounds like Woodstock without the drugs and the rain.” In the words of Sarah Palin, “You betcha!”

It was fun doing Larry again. I’ve known him so long (don’t forget he worked for my ex husband for years—CNN founder Ted Turner and visited us on Ted’s ranches many times.)

I got back to Richard’s in time to watch horn player, Lee Thornburg, laying down a new track on a song “I’ve got The World on a String” that Rod Stewart sings on the album that he and Richard are working on. I walked into the “pub” where Richard does his recording in time to hear Lee ask Richard if he should “ Play the root on the bone” and I knew I was in unfamiliar territory, a new world with its own language. I like being brought into new worlds. Rod was here when I left to do Larry’s show…looking superb, I have to say. And the album is amazing.

Lee Thornburg with engineer Jeff Phurrough behind him in Richard's "pub."

So that’s that. Tomorrow is the day for the grandkids. I have so missed them.

See You Next Time…

for more information on “World Fitness Day” click here