Michael L. Quintos News

America has had a long tragic history of sending brave young people off to foreign lands to fight in life-endangering wars, only to see those who have survived come home forever changed. This idea lingers over the new engaging musical DOGFIGHT, now having its Los Angeles/Orange County-area premiere at the Chance Theater in Anaheim through March 6. Adapted from the 1991 Warner Bros. film of the same name and featuring music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul and a book by Peter Duchan, this 2013 Lucille Lortel Award-winning off-Broadway musical shows how even the most confident, self-assured people can still be severely affected not only physically but also emotionally by the harsh realities of explosive, in-the-trenches combat.

Leave it to the creative folks over at 3-D Theatricals, Orange County's award-winning Broadway-caliber theatrical company, to be the entity responsible for this splendid new regional production of DISNEY's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST---the 1994 stage adaptation of the studio's gorgeous Academy Award-winning 1991 animated film that features music by Alan Menken, and lyrics by the late Howard Ashman and Tim Rice. 3DT's rather complex mounting---directed by 3-DT co-founder and artistic director TJ Dawson---is a marvelously-enchanting reboot, even despite the myriad of unfortunate opening night technical gaffes and (almost) forgotten/missed lines of dialogue that occasionally interrupted some of the wonderment. Of course, surely the kinks will be ironed out for the remainder of its scheduled run at the Plummer Auditorium in Fullerton through February 21 (which will then transfer for a weekend of shows at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center from February 26-28).

What happened all around our Broadway World this week?  We're featuring the best stories in Raleigh, Sacramento, China, and more. Check out our top 10 list, which includes NCT's GREASE, HAIRSPRAY in Sacramento, and STUPID F***ING BIRD in Albuquerque, just to name a few.

Now on stage in an exquisite new regional production at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa through February 21, 2016, John Logan's riveting Tony Award-winning two-character play RED imagines a specific time period in the life of world-renowned abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko (played with superb gusto by Mark Harelik) and his struggles to remain an appreciated, serious artiste at the dawn of pop art, Andy Warhol, and the rise of pretty (and well-funded) 'over mantle' modern art. With the help of a new young assistant (the impressive Paul David Story), Rothko forges ahead with a high-paying commission to produce a series of murals for the Four Seasons Restaurant, which causes much inner turmoil for the artist.

Filled with eye-popping visuals, optical trickery, risky stunts, hilarious audience participation, and lots of hammy showmanship (complete with Solid Gold-style background dancers-slash-magicians' assistants), THE ILLUSIONISTS - LIVE FROM BROADWAY is a supremely entertaining if occasionally cheesy stage show that's like several caffeinated Vegas magic shows on steroids all mashed together. The first stop of this new leg of the post-Broadway national tour is Orange County's Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, where it will attempt to wow local audiences for a strictly one-week engagement until February 7.

This week, we go around our Broadway World to feature stories in Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Denver, and more. Check out our top 10 stories around our Broadway World below, which include OF MICE AND MEN at Milwaukee Rep, the pre-Broadway engagement of EMPIRE in Los Angeles, and VIOLET in Denver,  just to name a few.

The pre-Broadway engagement of EMPIRE opened at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, with book, music & lyrics by Caroline Sherman and Robert Hull, musical direction by Sariva Goetz, and directed and choreographed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge (Ragtime). EMPIRE runs through Sunday, February 14, 2016.

It's no surprise that a palpable, uproarious reception greeted the opening night performance of EMPIRE - THE MUSICAL, a brand new stage show featuring book, music, and lyrics by Caroline Sherman and Robert Hull---currently having its 'out-of-town' premiere at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts through February 14, 2016. Directed and choreographed by Tony Award nominee Marcia Milgrom Dodge (RAGTIME), this ambitious new original musical---advertised with declared aspirations for an eventual engagement on Broadway---fashions an early 20th Century era, multi-character narrative about the construction of one of the world's most iconic skyscrapers: the Empire State Building in New York City. The good news? It's exceedingly entertaining. The not-so-good news? It's a show with lots of potential but needs a lot more tinkering and refining.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & MC COY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT (2014 Ovation Award Nominee for Best Season!), in association with Sue Vaccaro, Ricky Stevens & The Rivet Gang announce the third show of their 2015-2016 season, the pre-Broadway engagement of EMPIRE, book, music & lyrics by Caroline Sherman and Robert Hull, musical direction by Sariva Goetz, and directed and choreographed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge (Ragtime).  EMPIRE will preview on Friday, January 22, 2016 (with a press opening on Saturday, January 23) and run through Sunday, February 14, 2016 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.  BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at curtain call and press night below!

This week, we go around our Broadway World to feature stories in New Jersey, Wichita, Miami, and more. Check out our top 10 stories around our Broadway World below, which include a 'must-see' THE PIANO LESSON in New Jersey, PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE in Wichita, and THE NETHER in Miami, just to name a few.

Much like the opening night performance I experienced at the show's debut at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood last month, I was once again blown away by Menzel's incredible musical gifts with the show's opener at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa (which plays through January 24). Even better: she is still surrounded by the same equally astonishing support cast, particularly her original Broadway co-stars LaChanze, Anthony Rapp, and James Snyder. So how was the experience this time? While my initial reaction to the show itself hovered somewhere in the middle, I have to admit that I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed the show the second time around. Dare I say, I even think I *loved* it more.

While certainly far from a perfect show (both in staging and execution), the bus-and-truck version of BULLETS OVER BROADWAY - THE MUSICAL---the quirky and highly-amusing stage musical adaptation of the 1994 big screen comedy penned by Woody Allen and Douglas McGrath---is nonetheless a supremely fun and engaging stage iteration had me in stitches for much of its two hilarious acts, which have been enhanced by lots of silly, old-fashioned antics and an array of surprisingly top-notch musical/acting performances from a solid, mostly young cast. I can honestly say that this production---now finishing up its Los Angeles premiere performances at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood through January 24---is quite possibly the most enjoyable non-equity first national tour I've watched in a long, long time---a wonderful surprise considering such enterprises have a long, contentious history of enticing lots of industry controversy and skepticism even before the curtain goes up.

As expected, Tony Award winner and Broadway superstar Idina Menzel drew thunderous applause a mere second into the the start of IF/THEN's opening night performance at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre last Wednesday night. It's no stretch then to say that her mere existence in this very same role she herself originated in the original Broadway production seems, above everything else, to be the immediate draw to the recently launched national tour now on stage at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood for a four week engagement through January 3, 2016. The bonus? She is joined onstage by her original co-stars LaChanze, Anthony Rapp, and James Snyder!

This week, we go around our Broadway World to feature stories in Baltimore, New Orleans, Seattle, and more. Check out our top 10 stories around our Broadway World below, which include the National Tour of 42ND STREET in Orange County, MY FAIR LADY in New Orleans, and COME FROM AWAY in Seattle, just to name a few.

Need a pick-me-up from a bad day? Aching to smile heartily through a pleasantly peppy stage musical? Then you need not look further than the rousing, just-launched new touring production of the Tony Award-winning hit 42ND STREET, now currently entertaining audiences at Orange County's Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa through November 22. Earnestly cheerful and unabashedly optimistic, this feel-good, all-singing, all-dancing 1980 stage adaptation of Busby Berkeley's classic 1933 movie musical is back on the road in a brand new, non-Equity national tour directed by co-writer Mark Bramble, who earned a Tony nomination for directing the Tony-winning 2001 Broadway revival. Aside from its Broadway-caliber creative aspects, this new tour succeeds tremendously thanks to its young, energetic, and incredibly likable ensemble cast that brings vim and vigor to the aging Great-Great-Grand-Daddy of all backstage musicals.

It was 25 years ago when South Coast Repertory first staged the World Premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Beth Henley's dark comedy ABUNDANCE. Fast forward to 2015, and Orange County's Tony Award-winning regional theater saw it fitting to once again revisit the property in a brand new production now viewed through 21st Century eyes, that has been beautifully directed by SCR Founding Artistic Director Martin Benson. The play continues performances in Costa Mesa through November 15.

Fourth time's the charm for Musical Theatre West as the award-winning regional theater company opens its 63rd season with the 1956 Lerner and Loewe Broadway classic MY FAIR LADY. Retaining the effervescent wit and jubilant spirit of the original, MTW's irresistibly beguiling, top-notch local revival---now on stage at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Center for the Performing Arts in Long Beach, CA through November 8---is a thoroughly enjoyable production from start to finish. Filled with wit, charm, memorable tunes, and timeless, often uplifting humor, MY FAIR LADY is basically the comfort food of classic musicals... and MTW wisely sticks with this winning formula. After all... why mess with a near-perfect classic?

18 years and billions of box office receipts later, Disney's Tony Award-winning global hit THE LION KING is still going strong both on Broadway and on various touring and sit-down productions across the world. The show's North American tour is currently finishing up its four-week return engagement at Orange County's Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa through November 1. The question raised is this: is THE LION KING, Director Julie Taymor's creative stage adaptation of the hit animated classic still worth seeing these days? Absolutely. Here's ten reasons why...

Appropriately enough, the supposedly haunted Plummer Auditorium in Fullerton is currently playing host to the happy spooks of 3-D Theatricals' regional production of THE ADDAMS FAMILY, which continues performances at this historic theater through October 25 before migrating south to the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center for shows October 31 - November 8. Filled with gleeful, cheese-tastic one-liners and catchy, cleverly written tunes from Andrew Lippa (The Wild Party, Big Fish), this seemingly underrated stage musical gem is a lively, highly-amusing little comedy that celebrates individual uniqueness while poking lots of giddy fun at fragile family dynamics, pointing out that even the most creepy, kooky, mysterious, and spooky beings among us face the same kinds of OMG-drama that so-called 'normals' do. As an added bonus, 3DT's production features a stellar cast led by TV's Bronson Pinchot as Gomez and Broadway vet Rachel York as Morticia.

Full of the Obie-winning playwright's amusingly observant and stirringly poignant portraits of ordinary people in extraordinary flux, Samuel D. Hunter's 2010 play A BRIGHT NEW BOISE is now being staged in a terrific production currently in performance at Orange County's Ovation-winning Chance Theater in Anaheim Hills through October 25.