Michael Ritchie

Michael Ritchie, who became known in his youth as Hollywood's boy wonder of low-budget spectaculars and went on to direct hits--including arguably his best, "The Candidate"--and a few box office misses, has died. He was 62. Ritchie, who directed Robert Redford in "Downhill Racer" and in "The Candidate," died Monday in New York of prostate cancer.

As artistic director of L.A.'s Center Theatre Group, Michael Ritchie reads more than a play a day on average - perhaps 500 a year - in quest of the 15 or 16 he'll pick each season for his company's three stages. But lately he's noticed that there's a bit less to read. Shorter scripts have been popping up more than they used to. "Nowadays a lot more plays are being written as one-acts," said Ritchie - meaning the stories play out in perhaps 90 minutes or less, without stopping for intermission.

Michael Ritchie did not win friends with his first landscape-changing decision as artistic director of Center Theatre Group: eliminating the programs designed to develop new plays and foster multicultural diversity. But even as he announced in May that he was scrapping Mark Taper Forum's play labs for Latino, Asian, black and disabled writers and the series of public play readings that went with them, Ritchie insisted that diversity, new work and community consciousness would continue at L.A.'

The Tony Awards may be the toast of Broadway, but there were Champagne glasses being raised for some of Sunday's victors who have roots in Southern California. The most noteworthy production was "Clybourne Park," which was named best play. The Pulitzer Prize-winningdrama by Bruce Norris about race relations, class and real estate was produced earlier this year at the Mark Taper Forum. Michael Ritchie, the artistic director of Center Theatre Group, which operates the Taper, the Ahmanson and the Kirk Douglas Theatre, called the appeal of "Clybourne" universal.

Ralph Renzi can be blamed for all the 50th anniversary hoopla around the Williamstown Theatre Festival, for he was the one, back in the sleepy summer of 1954, who decided that the northern Berkshires were destined to offer attractions beyond their "roadside stands retailing trinkets." A rich New York couple, the Clarks, already were building an art museum up the street to put their Renoirs out of the reach of a nuclear attack.

When the movers cart Michael Ritchie's things west in a year or so, their load will be lightened by the lack of the sort of keepsakes you would expect to find among the possessions of a self-styled "theater rat." There will be very few posters, playbills or props -- few reminders of productions past -- in the boxes that Ritchie will bring along when he becomes the most powerful figure in Los Angeles theater.

The head of the celebrated Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts will assume the leading position in Los Angeles theater in January 2005 as artistic director of the Mark Taper Forum, the Ahmanson Theatre and the new Kirk Douglas Theatre, it was announced Monday. Center Theatre Group, which oversees the three theaters, named Michael Ritchie to take over what is considered the most powerful theatrical producing job in the West and a key position in American theater.

L.A.'s flagship theater company has taken a two-year dip in red ink, and its new leader's response runs counter to intuition: The way to stop losing money, says artistic director Michael Ritchie, is to spend more. He's begun by forking out $3.1 million for "Dead End," his lavish first production, which opens Wednesday. That's $1 million more than the usual budget for an Ahmanson Theatre play.

NO one said it was going to be easy. But with his first season behind him and his second already underway, Center Theatre Group artistic director Michael Ritchie has yet to communicate a clear theatrical game plan. Questions concerning his artistic vision for the Ahmanson Theatre, the Mark Taper Forum and the Kirk Douglas -- three unique spaces demanding customized leadership -- are mounting.

You'll believe a man can fly. You'll buy Tim Allen as Santa and Tom Cruise as Vlad Jr. You'll put faith in werewolves with receding hair lines, digital dinosaurs and aliens who phone home. But will you believe something quite so fantastic as a young couple swept up in the swells of love spontaneously breaking into song? Try to remember . . . if you can.

NO one said it was going to be easy. But with his first season behind him and his second already underway, Center Theatre Group artistic director Michael Ritchie has yet to communicate a clear theatrical game plan. Questions concerning his artistic vision for the Ahmanson Theatre, the Mark Taper Forum and the Kirk Douglas -- three unique spaces demanding customized leadership -- are mounting.

Michael Ritchie did not win friends with his first landscape-changing decision as artistic director of Center Theatre Group: eliminating the programs designed to develop new plays and foster multicultural diversity. But even as he announced in May that he was scrapping Mark Taper Forum's play labs for Latino, Asian, black and disabled writers and the series of public play readings that went with them, Ritchie insisted that diversity, new work and community consciousness would continue at L.A.'

HEY, where's the fire? The Sunday morning church bells at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels had just chimed 8 when two firetrucks rounded the corner from Temple Street to Grand Avenue and pulled up alongside the Music Center's Ahmanson Theatre. Luckily, surrounding streets were blocked off for a 5-K run, part of the L.A. Tofu Festival. But these firefighters were not here to extinguish a blaze -- or to celebrate soy products.

L.A.'s flagship theater company has taken a two-year dip in red ink, and its new leader's response runs counter to intuition: The way to stop losing money, says artistic director Michael Ritchie, is to spend more. He's begun by forking out $3.1 million for "Dead End," his lavish first production, which opens Wednesday. That's $1 million more than the usual budget for an Ahmanson Theatre play.

Kate BURTON may be starring as rich, glamorous Constance Middleton in a revival of "The Constant Wife" -- the sort of drawing-room comedy with a butler who can bring the car around. But offstage she's an Upper West Side mom, struggling with such mundane tasks as alternate-side-of-the-street parking.

In the four weeks since Center Theatre Group's new artistic director Michael Ritchie announced that he would eliminate most of the company's formal programs for developing new plays -- including the annual New Work Festival as currently constituted and labs for Latino, Asian, black and disabled writers -- his actions have been the talk of the theater community.

"Smile" (1975), directed by Michael Ritchie. 113 minutes. Rated PG. One of a series of Michael Ritchie films about America's unbending faith in traditions and pageantry, no matter how tarnished. In this one, it's a beauty pageant that takes it on the chin. Look for an 18-year-old Melanie Griffith as one of the contestants.

After reading several year-end studio release schedules, I was once again disappointed to see no mention of "The Fantasticks." Here is a moderate-budget film with a major director (Michael Ritchie) and estimable performers (Joel Grey and Barnard Hughes among them), already completed. Why on Earth wouldn't it be released? Does United Artists really think that there is absolutely no audience for the film version of the longest-running--and still running--musical in history? KEVIN MICHAELS Irvine Funny you should ask. Take a peek at Page 34.

When Michael Ritchie, Center Theatre Group's new artistic director, announced details of his first season last week, the only actress he mentioned was Annette Bening, who will headline Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard" at the Mark Taper Forum next February. But Ritchie is married to actress Kate Burton, and he says he expects she'll wind up appearing on one CTG stage or another while he's the boss. That won't be anytime soon. This summer, Burton will star along with Lynn Redgrave in a revival of W.

"If this production fails on a major, major scale, then, as I said to the staff, you might as well start looking for someone else," said Michael Ritchie, "because this is everything in one package of what I love about the theater." The new artistic director of Center Theatre Group was speaking of "Dead End," a 1935 drama that will launch his tenure at the top of Los Angeles' flagship theater company when it opens the 2005-06 Ahmanson Theatre season on Sept. 7.