Shari Barrett
Shari Barrett, a Los Angeles native, has been active in the theater world since the age of six - acting, singing, and dancing her way across the boards all over town. After teaching in secondary schools, working in marketing for several studios, writing, directing, producing, and performing in productions for several non-profit theaters, Shari now dedicates her time and focuses her skills as a theater reviewer, entertainment columnist, and publicist to "get the word out" about theaters of all sizes throughout the Los Angeles area. As a founding member of the LA Stage Alliance Leadership Council Task Force, she and reps from theaters throughout the city worked together to articulate a vision for the theater community of Greater Los Angeles.
Shari is a member of the Board of Directors for Kentwood Players at the Westchester Playhouse, one of the thriving community theater groups in Los Angeles, and the Publicist for CRE Outreach at The Blue Door, a theater group dedicated to providing artistic expression for those with all disabilities, military veterans, and at-risk youth.
Along with being on the dedicated team of Broadway World theater reviewers in Los Angeles, Shari writes a weekly "Stage Page" column in the Culver City News featuring local theater news and reviews.
Shari has received recognition from the City of Los Angeles for her dedication of heart and hand to the needs of friends, neighbors and fellow members of society for her devotion of service to the people of Los Angeles, and is honored to serve the theater world in her hometown.
Review: BRONCO BILLY ? THE MUSICAL Spectacular World Premiere Two-Steps its Way to Fame at the Skylight Theatre
BWW Review: HERSHEY FELDER: A PARIS LOVE STORY Captures the Musical Magic of Claude Debussy's City of Light
Review: A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE Examines Sultry Sexual Tension and Scandalous Behavior in 1947 New Orleans
Review: A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN Celebrates the Queen of Rock and Roll's Glory Days and Early Blues Influences
Review: World Premiere MARTIANS: AN EVENING WITH RAY BRADBURY Takes Audiences on an Imaginative Journey to Life on Mars
BWW Review: PARADISE, a Divine Bluegrass Musical Comedy Made Great Again at Ruskin Group Theatre
Bucket List Theatre Announces the Cast of SILENCE! THE MUSICAL opening 10/11
Review: 26 PEBBLES Shares True Tales from Sandy Hook's Accidental Activists Working Together to Heal
Review: Michael Arden Directs ANNIE with Creative Ingenuity at the Hollywood Bowl
Review: Barra Grant Shares Personal Tales of Growing Up as MISS AMERICA'S UGLY DAUGHTERReview: THE BULLY PROBLEM Action-Packed Musical About Bullying, Standing up for Yourself - and Robots - Shines at Fringe
June 16, 2019
Fresh off showcasing at the prestigious ASCAP Musical Theatre Workshop, acclaimed composer Michael Gordon Shapiro's captivating, award-winning musical THE BULLY PROBLEM is thrilling Fringe audiences with its sweet, poignant, and action-packed musical about bullying, standing up for yourselfand robots. Performed by an ensemble of actors who know how to truly support each other and work together from moment-to-moment, there is no doubt in my mind the production will be one of the biggest Fringe hits this month.
Review: INDECENT Centers on Love Winning Over the Forces of Hate as Told by the Author and Performers of Sholem Asch's Groundbreaking Play GOD OF VENGEANCE
June 13, 2019
INDECENT now onstage at Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre in a co-production with Huntington Theatre Company, magnificently directed by Rebecca Taichman, is as close to a Broadway-quality production as you will ever see in the City of Angels, with incredibly entertaining, stylized movement performed by triple-threat performers, guaranteed to draw you into not only the story but the necessity of its truth being brought to the stage now.
Review: SHAME OF THRONES: The Musical Comically Spoofs the Feuding Lannister, Stark, and Targaryen Families
June 13, 2019
Presented through July 8 at part of the Whitefire Theatre Musical Mondays, the updated and unrated SHAME OF THRONES: The Musical, directed by Rachel Stein, produced by Steven Christopher Parker, Steven Brandon, Erin Stegeman, and Ace Marrero is a riotous romp through not only the beginning of the series where all of the major characters were introduced, but also manages to throw in plenty of groan-worthy jabs at every character and situation during its entire run.
BWW Review: MISTAKES WERE MADE Reunites Three Friends Trying to Make Amends Before it's too Late
June 10, 2019
Certainly, all of us can think of mistakes we made which caused unseen, or perhaps even planned, problems for our friends and/or family members. And as we age, it seems that when we recognize the need to make amends to set things right in our own lives, we need to do that before it's too late. But what if trying to make amends causes even more problems when the truth is revealed, while causing laughs galore at the foibles of all the players? Such is the case in the world premiere of Jerry Mayer's tenth play, MISTAKES WERE MADE - coulda-woulda-shoulda, at the Santa Monica Playhouse. In fact, the comedy has been so popular with audiences, it has been extended through the end of September!
BWW Review: 30th Anniversary of Comical Farce LEND ME A TENOR Celebrated with Lots of Laughter at Theatre Palisades
June 8, 2019
Theatre Palisades is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Broadway opening of Ken Ludwig's LEND ME A TENOR, presenting the hilarious comedy which won three Tony Awards and four Drama Desk Awards. An angry wife, a presumed death, crazy costumes designed by June Lissandrello, secret sex romps, loads of slamming doors and mistaken identities make for a delightful, farcical comedy. Director Sherman Wayne encourages you to attend with a willing suspension of disbelief, putting aside your rational faculties and sense of realism/logic for the sake of theatrical merriment and enjoyment, just as worldwide audiences have been doing for the past 30 years. It's an ideal way to laugh your troubles away for a few hours!
Review: DANA H. Recounts a Five Month Nightmare Journey in the Victim's Own Words
June 7, 2019
The World Premiere of Lucas Hnath's DANA H. at the Kirk Douglas Theatre recounts the real-life story of the playwright's own mother, adapted from interviews with Dana Higginbotham which were conducted by Steve Cosson. Directed by Les Waters, the entire play is told in voiceovers from the real-life interviews, perfectly mimicked and emotionally heartfelt by Deirdre O'Connell in the title role. But be forewarned: this insider's look at a kidnapping and its repercussions is not for the faint of heart.
FIRST LOOK: POINT OF EXTINCTION World Premiere at The Blue Door in Culver City
June 6, 2019
CRE Outreach is pleased to present the World Premiere of POINT OF EXTINCTION, a Science Fiction Political Thriller written by Cosette Ruesga and David Shecter featuring original songs by Laurie Grant. The production is directed by Greg Shane, Artistic Director of CRE Outreach and performed by Theatre by the Blind, the only blind theater company in the country featuring actors doing the improbable with great skill, and by the gifted musicians with autism from Rex & Friends. Performances take place from Friday, June 21 through Sunday, July 7, 2019 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm (except dark on Saturday, June 29), and Sundays at 3pm, at The Blue Door, located at 9617 Venice Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232. This awe-inspiring, production, featuring illusions created by Magic Castle magician Dominik Krzanowski, challenges conventional expectations about the capabilities of individuals who live without sight, struggle with movement, or have difficulty understanding the complexities of social interactions.
Review: Three Door Farce A BAD YEAR FOR TOMATOES Inspires Lots of Laughter Inside Theatre 40
June 5, 2019
Everything seems perfect at first for the famous actress Myra Marlowe (Diana Angelina) who has leased a fully-furnished "country living" style house so she can settle down to write her autobiography. But it's not so ideal for her long-time agent Tom Lamont (David Datz) who wants nothing more than to get the headstrong actress back to Hollywood to star in a new television series, even though both of them know how badly it is written. Myra waivers but sticks to her guns, fed up with the pressures and demands of her acting career and longing for some peace and quiet and well as a much simpler life. But dealing with her nosy, omnipresent neighbors is a different matter.
Review: A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE Examines Sultry Sexual Tension and Scandalous Behavior in 1947 New Orleans
June 2, 2019
there is an excellent staging of Williams' Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, directed by Jack Heller as a visiting production at the Odyssey Theatre, presented by Dance On Productions in association with Linda Toliver and Gary Guidinger, that will allow you to forget how much time passes due to the skill of its playwright, understanding by its director, the brilliance of its cast, and most importantly, Joel Daavid's incredible multi-level scenic design which fills every possible inch of the stage with not only the two-room Kowalski apartment but also several outdoor spaces including a winding New Orleans-style wrought iron staircase leading up to their neighbor's front-door balcony. And from the moment I walked in and sat down, it was easy to hear all the audience accolades rightly being thrown Daavid's way.
BWW Review: HERSHEY FELDER: A PARIS LOVE STORY Captures the Musical Magic of Claude Debussy's City of Light
May 29, 2019
Debussy (1862-1918) is still known best as well as a seminal force in the music of the early 20th Century having developed a highly original system of harmony and musical structure that expressed in many respects the ideals to which the Impressionist painters and writers of his time aspired. Felder truly takes his audience on a journey through his own early walks down the streets of the composer's life in Paris. Thus, we are treated to the personal observations of both men who describe the City of Light's wondrously romantic settings from The Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, Notre Dame and its Point Zero, to a walk through The Tuileries Garden, down the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triumph, and on to the composer's home near the Bois de Boulogne.
May 20, 2019
I cannot offer enough superlative-laden adjectives to describe the brilliance of the cast, beginning with Eric B. Anthony as Bronco Billy, who channels one of the most famous African American cowboys, Nathan 'Deadwood Dick' Lane, with his effervescent personality making me believe he could easily be one of the great, rodeo-winning cowboy's descendants! His partnership onstage with Amanda Leigh Jerry as Antoinette/Miss Lilly, is beautifully realistic and dreamlike at the same time as they tear up the stage singing catchy tunes while executing athletic choreography to perfection.
Review: VIOLENCE: THE MISADVENTURES OF SPIKE SPANGLE, FARMER Re-Invades The Actors' Gang
May 17, 2019
Back in 1986, The Actors' Gang presented VIOLENCE: THE MISADVENTURES OF SPIKE SPANGLE, FARMER, originally written and directed by the group's Artistic Director Tim Robbins, which offered a no-holds barred satire of militarism and media manipulation. An updated version written by Robbins and Adam Simon, directed by Bob Turton, has re-invaded The Actors' Gang through June 22, 2019 in Culver City. The political and social satire tells the story of Spike Spangle, a down on his luck farmer who gets sucked into a whirlwind of celebrity and patriotism, fueled by his need for more money. During his journey, Spike joins Superman on billionaire Max Enormous' Celebrity Space Shuttle, and a nefarious plot twist leads to the deification of Spike Spangle as an American hero.
May 16, 2019
Some believe the history of humanity has been guided by a desire to come to terms with the unknown in our world to create order amidst the overwhelming flood of mystery which surrounds us. Perhaps it is our desire to know about the complexities and intricacies of being human, to understand that which we cannot explain, which have led magicians to create flocks of followers attempting to figure out exactly how reality seems to be bent in their presence. Such is the case for storyteller and master illusionist Helder Guimares who has returned to the Geffen Playhouse to share his personal perspective on how important it is to experience mystery in today's world. And wonder you will at his mind-blowing illusions, impossible coincidences, and entirely new perspectives, leaving you with one overwhelming thought - just how did he do that?
BWW Review: CAPTIVATED: YOU Immersive but Lackluster Experience Disappoints its Audience
May 15, 2019
I have to congratulate They Played Productions for their great marketing and promotion of their 6th immersive theater experience, CAPTIVATED: YOU, which they claim is specifically designed with over 45 DIFFERENT ENDINGS since the audience's actions will determine which happens at any given performance. And though I had not seen any of the previous, year-long series, I was assured I would be able to follow the story. That part is true, mostly thanks to the brilliant and spellbinding on site introduction to the evening performed by Katie Conrad as Emma G. Nation, who thanked us for being willing to assist her in finding her missing friend Mike Stone (Glenn David), and then escorted us around the corner to the warehouse where CAPTIVATED: YOU took place.
Review: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT Adaptation for Three Actors Offers an Intense Psychological Why-Dun-It
May 14, 2019
For many students, it is a requirement to read CRIME AND PUNISHMENT by Fyodor Dostoevsky. But, in my opinion, the much-too-long, repetitive text is difficult to follow as much of the action takes place within the mind of its protagonist, Raskolnikov, who admits he murdered two women and is trying to understand what lead him to do so. So, when I heard Working Barn Productions was presenting Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus's Jefferson Award-winning, three-person adaptation of the famous novel as a psychological inquiry into the troubled mind of a murderer, I thought perhaps this was the perfect way to re-visit the story.
Interview: FAMOUS Returns to The 11:11 as a Tighter, More Visually Stunning Play Addressing the Cost of Fame
May 10, 2019
FAMOUS re-opened in April after a successful run in 2018. I decided to speak with the show's Creator/Director Michael Leoni (ML) and producers Michelle Kaufer (MK) and Cassidy Pepper (CP), about how the new production uses stylized movements by the characters, enhanced lighting and sound designs, to bring the play flow so much more fluid than last year's version. The result grabs the audience's attention to the point of being able to hear a pin drop, making the entire experience even more stunning and breathtaking than before. And, of course, its relevance to the #MeToo movement is immediately recognizable as power players move in and out of Jason's life during the party.
BWW Review: Blockbuster Broadway Musical HAIRSPRAY Blasts 1962 onto the Norris Theatre Stage
May 8, 2019
Even if you have seen many productions of the totally entertaining Broadway musical-comedy HAIRSPRAY, do not miss the larger?than?life production, with its infectious music, show?stopping dance numbers and uplifting story, now at the Norris Theatre on the Palos Verdes Peninsula through May 12. With a talented cast of 28 local triple-threat performers, directed to perfection by Kari Hayter with some of the most demanding and athletic constant choreography by Christopher M. Albrecht, producer Chris Gilbert is to congratulated for bringing one of the best total packages to the stage!
BWW Review: Cirque du Soleil AMALUNA Storytellers Fly Through the Air with the Greatest of Ease and Incredible Skill
May 3, 2019
I must admit that the entire production is so dynamically attention-grabbing that I failed to take many notes, as I did not want to miss a moment watching the incredibly athletic performers who often seemed to not have a bone in their bodies as they cavorted on high-flying trapezes and uneven parallel bars, especially a young woman who seemed to actually be a part of the high-flying hoop on which she entertained Miranda, finally getting her to join in to create some of the most spectacular hoop gymnastics I have ever seen.
BWW Review: SAMSKARA at Wisdome Immersive Art Park Dazzles Audiences With Digital Artwork by Android Jones
May 2, 2019
Colorado born, independent artist Android Jones has become worldwide famous due to his impressive art installations at the Burning Man festival, the Grateful Dead Fare Thee Well Tour, as well as his interactive projections on the Sydney Opera House and Empire State Building in New York City. Best described as a 'digital painter,' his immense body of work has become well known for his many layered, psychedelic works and live performances using a custom-built digital set up which allows for his mystical art to spellbindingly move across two and three-dimensional platforms. Android has traveled the world exhibiting his work and has contributed to events on 6 continents. If you have never experienced his mind-blowing creations, now is your chance right here in Downtown Los Angeles during SAMSKARA at Wisdome.LA Immersive Art, a fully immersive four dome exhibition experience in the downtown LA Arts District.
BWW Review: The Robey Theatre Company Presents the World Premiere of BIRDLAND BLUE Honoring Jazz Great Miles Davis
April 30, 2019
At Broadway and 52nd Street in New York City, the nightclub Birdland was the legendary center of the jazz world, where the glitterati of Broadway, Hollywood and the sports world regularly filled its 500 seats. In August 1959, the biggest star in jazz was Miles Davis, who earlier that year recorded Kind of Blue, regarded then and now as the most innovative and best jazz album of all time. The Miles Davis Sextet, as constituted that summer, was regarded as the best jazz combo ever. Honoring his love of all things jazz, Randy Ross Ph.D., an accomplished saxophonist and member of the jazz group the Blue Morning Quintet, spent several years researching Miles Davis and the amazing musicians in his Sextet. After gathering enough information to paint a clear picture of these jazz greats, Ross wrote his world premiere play BIRDLAND BLUE, directed by Ben Guillory, Artistic Director and Co-Founder of The Robey Theatre Company, the group producing the show at LA Theatre Center through May 12.
June 16, 2019
Fresh off showcasing at the prestigious ASCAP Musical Theatre Workshop, acclaimed composer Michael Gordon Shapiro's captivating, award-winning musical THE BULLY PROBLEM is thrilling Fringe audiences with its sweet, poignant, and action-packed musical about bullying, standing up for yourselfand robots. Performed by an ensemble of actors who know how to truly support each other and work together from moment-to-moment, there is no doubt in my mind the production will be one of the biggest Fringe hits this month.
Review: INDECENT Centers on Love Winning Over the Forces of Hate as Told by the Author and Performers of Sholem Asch's Groundbreaking Play GOD OF VENGEANCE
June 13, 2019
INDECENT now onstage at Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre in a co-production with Huntington Theatre Company, magnificently directed by Rebecca Taichman, is as close to a Broadway-quality production as you will ever see in the City of Angels, with incredibly entertaining, stylized movement performed by triple-threat performers, guaranteed to draw you into not only the story but the necessity of its truth being brought to the stage now.
Review: SHAME OF THRONES: The Musical Comically Spoofs the Feuding Lannister, Stark, and Targaryen Families
June 13, 2019
Presented through July 8 at part of the Whitefire Theatre Musical Mondays, the updated and unrated SHAME OF THRONES: The Musical, directed by Rachel Stein, produced by Steven Christopher Parker, Steven Brandon, Erin Stegeman, and Ace Marrero is a riotous romp through not only the beginning of the series where all of the major characters were introduced, but also manages to throw in plenty of groan-worthy jabs at every character and situation during its entire run.
BWW Review: MISTAKES WERE MADE Reunites Three Friends Trying to Make Amends Before it's too Late
June 10, 2019
Certainly, all of us can think of mistakes we made which caused unseen, or perhaps even planned, problems for our friends and/or family members. And as we age, it seems that when we recognize the need to make amends to set things right in our own lives, we need to do that before it's too late. But what if trying to make amends causes even more problems when the truth is revealed, while causing laughs galore at the foibles of all the players? Such is the case in the world premiere of Jerry Mayer's tenth play, MISTAKES WERE MADE - coulda-woulda-shoulda, at the Santa Monica Playhouse. In fact, the comedy has been so popular with audiences, it has been extended through the end of September!
BWW Review: 30th Anniversary of Comical Farce LEND ME A TENOR Celebrated with Lots of Laughter at Theatre Palisades
June 8, 2019
Theatre Palisades is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Broadway opening of Ken Ludwig's LEND ME A TENOR, presenting the hilarious comedy which won three Tony Awards and four Drama Desk Awards. An angry wife, a presumed death, crazy costumes designed by June Lissandrello, secret sex romps, loads of slamming doors and mistaken identities make for a delightful, farcical comedy. Director Sherman Wayne encourages you to attend with a willing suspension of disbelief, putting aside your rational faculties and sense of realism/logic for the sake of theatrical merriment and enjoyment, just as worldwide audiences have been doing for the past 30 years. It's an ideal way to laugh your troubles away for a few hours!
Review: DANA H. Recounts a Five Month Nightmare Journey in the Victim's Own Words
June 7, 2019
The World Premiere of Lucas Hnath's DANA H. at the Kirk Douglas Theatre recounts the real-life story of the playwright's own mother, adapted from interviews with Dana Higginbotham which were conducted by Steve Cosson. Directed by Les Waters, the entire play is told in voiceovers from the real-life interviews, perfectly mimicked and emotionally heartfelt by Deirdre O'Connell in the title role. But be forewarned: this insider's look at a kidnapping and its repercussions is not for the faint of heart.
FIRST LOOK: POINT OF EXTINCTION World Premiere at The Blue Door in Culver City
June 6, 2019
CRE Outreach is pleased to present the World Premiere of POINT OF EXTINCTION, a Science Fiction Political Thriller written by Cosette Ruesga and David Shecter featuring original songs by Laurie Grant. The production is directed by Greg Shane, Artistic Director of CRE Outreach and performed by Theatre by the Blind, the only blind theater company in the country featuring actors doing the improbable with great skill, and by the gifted musicians with autism from Rex & Friends. Performances take place from Friday, June 21 through Sunday, July 7, 2019 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm (except dark on Saturday, June 29), and Sundays at 3pm, at The Blue Door, located at 9617 Venice Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232. This awe-inspiring, production, featuring illusions created by Magic Castle magician Dominik Krzanowski, challenges conventional expectations about the capabilities of individuals who live without sight, struggle with movement, or have difficulty understanding the complexities of social interactions.
Review: Three Door Farce A BAD YEAR FOR TOMATOES Inspires Lots of Laughter Inside Theatre 40
June 5, 2019
Everything seems perfect at first for the famous actress Myra Marlowe (Diana Angelina) who has leased a fully-furnished "country living" style house so she can settle down to write her autobiography. But it's not so ideal for her long-time agent Tom Lamont (David Datz) who wants nothing more than to get the headstrong actress back to Hollywood to star in a new television series, even though both of them know how badly it is written. Myra waivers but sticks to her guns, fed up with the pressures and demands of her acting career and longing for some peace and quiet and well as a much simpler life. But dealing with her nosy, omnipresent neighbors is a different matter.
Review: A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE Examines Sultry Sexual Tension and Scandalous Behavior in 1947 New Orleans
June 2, 2019
there is an excellent staging of Williams' Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, directed by Jack Heller as a visiting production at the Odyssey Theatre, presented by Dance On Productions in association with Linda Toliver and Gary Guidinger, that will allow you to forget how much time passes due to the skill of its playwright, understanding by its director, the brilliance of its cast, and most importantly, Joel Daavid's incredible multi-level scenic design which fills every possible inch of the stage with not only the two-room Kowalski apartment but also several outdoor spaces including a winding New Orleans-style wrought iron staircase leading up to their neighbor's front-door balcony. And from the moment I walked in and sat down, it was easy to hear all the audience accolades rightly being thrown Daavid's way.
BWW Review: HERSHEY FELDER: A PARIS LOVE STORY Captures the Musical Magic of Claude Debussy's City of Light
May 29, 2019
Debussy (1862-1918) is still known best as well as a seminal force in the music of the early 20th Century having developed a highly original system of harmony and musical structure that expressed in many respects the ideals to which the Impressionist painters and writers of his time aspired. Felder truly takes his audience on a journey through his own early walks down the streets of the composer's life in Paris. Thus, we are treated to the personal observations of both men who describe the City of Light's wondrously romantic settings from The Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, Notre Dame and its Point Zero, to a walk through The Tuileries Garden, down the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triumph, and on to the composer's home near the Bois de Boulogne.
May 20, 2019
I cannot offer enough superlative-laden adjectives to describe the brilliance of the cast, beginning with Eric B. Anthony as Bronco Billy, who channels one of the most famous African American cowboys, Nathan 'Deadwood Dick' Lane, with his effervescent personality making me believe he could easily be one of the great, rodeo-winning cowboy's descendants! His partnership onstage with Amanda Leigh Jerry as Antoinette/Miss Lilly, is beautifully realistic and dreamlike at the same time as they tear up the stage singing catchy tunes while executing athletic choreography to perfection.
Review: VIOLENCE: THE MISADVENTURES OF SPIKE SPANGLE, FARMER Re-Invades The Actors' Gang
May 17, 2019
Back in 1986, The Actors' Gang presented VIOLENCE: THE MISADVENTURES OF SPIKE SPANGLE, FARMER, originally written and directed by the group's Artistic Director Tim Robbins, which offered a no-holds barred satire of militarism and media manipulation. An updated version written by Robbins and Adam Simon, directed by Bob Turton, has re-invaded The Actors' Gang through June 22, 2019 in Culver City. The political and social satire tells the story of Spike Spangle, a down on his luck farmer who gets sucked into a whirlwind of celebrity and patriotism, fueled by his need for more money. During his journey, Spike joins Superman on billionaire Max Enormous' Celebrity Space Shuttle, and a nefarious plot twist leads to the deification of Spike Spangle as an American hero.
May 16, 2019
Some believe the history of humanity has been guided by a desire to come to terms with the unknown in our world to create order amidst the overwhelming flood of mystery which surrounds us. Perhaps it is our desire to know about the complexities and intricacies of being human, to understand that which we cannot explain, which have led magicians to create flocks of followers attempting to figure out exactly how reality seems to be bent in their presence. Such is the case for storyteller and master illusionist Helder Guimares who has returned to the Geffen Playhouse to share his personal perspective on how important it is to experience mystery in today's world. And wonder you will at his mind-blowing illusions, impossible coincidences, and entirely new perspectives, leaving you with one overwhelming thought - just how did he do that?
BWW Review: CAPTIVATED: YOU Immersive but Lackluster Experience Disappoints its Audience
May 15, 2019
I have to congratulate They Played Productions for their great marketing and promotion of their 6th immersive theater experience, CAPTIVATED: YOU, which they claim is specifically designed with over 45 DIFFERENT ENDINGS since the audience's actions will determine which happens at any given performance. And though I had not seen any of the previous, year-long series, I was assured I would be able to follow the story. That part is true, mostly thanks to the brilliant and spellbinding on site introduction to the evening performed by Katie Conrad as Emma G. Nation, who thanked us for being willing to assist her in finding her missing friend Mike Stone (Glenn David), and then escorted us around the corner to the warehouse where CAPTIVATED: YOU took place.
Review: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT Adaptation for Three Actors Offers an Intense Psychological Why-Dun-It
May 14, 2019
For many students, it is a requirement to read CRIME AND PUNISHMENT by Fyodor Dostoevsky. But, in my opinion, the much-too-long, repetitive text is difficult to follow as much of the action takes place within the mind of its protagonist, Raskolnikov, who admits he murdered two women and is trying to understand what lead him to do so. So, when I heard Working Barn Productions was presenting Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus's Jefferson Award-winning, three-person adaptation of the famous novel as a psychological inquiry into the troubled mind of a murderer, I thought perhaps this was the perfect way to re-visit the story.
Interview: FAMOUS Returns to The 11:11 as a Tighter, More Visually Stunning Play Addressing the Cost of Fame
May 10, 2019
FAMOUS re-opened in April after a successful run in 2018. I decided to speak with the show's Creator/Director Michael Leoni (ML) and producers Michelle Kaufer (MK) and Cassidy Pepper (CP), about how the new production uses stylized movements by the characters, enhanced lighting and sound designs, to bring the play flow so much more fluid than last year's version. The result grabs the audience's attention to the point of being able to hear a pin drop, making the entire experience even more stunning and breathtaking than before. And, of course, its relevance to the #MeToo movement is immediately recognizable as power players move in and out of Jason's life during the party.
BWW Review: Blockbuster Broadway Musical HAIRSPRAY Blasts 1962 onto the Norris Theatre Stage
May 8, 2019
Even if you have seen many productions of the totally entertaining Broadway musical-comedy HAIRSPRAY, do not miss the larger?than?life production, with its infectious music, show?stopping dance numbers and uplifting story, now at the Norris Theatre on the Palos Verdes Peninsula through May 12. With a talented cast of 28 local triple-threat performers, directed to perfection by Kari Hayter with some of the most demanding and athletic constant choreography by Christopher M. Albrecht, producer Chris Gilbert is to congratulated for bringing one of the best total packages to the stage!
BWW Review: Cirque du Soleil AMALUNA Storytellers Fly Through the Air with the Greatest of Ease and Incredible Skill
May 3, 2019
I must admit that the entire production is so dynamically attention-grabbing that I failed to take many notes, as I did not want to miss a moment watching the incredibly athletic performers who often seemed to not have a bone in their bodies as they cavorted on high-flying trapezes and uneven parallel bars, especially a young woman who seemed to actually be a part of the high-flying hoop on which she entertained Miranda, finally getting her to join in to create some of the most spectacular hoop gymnastics I have ever seen.
BWW Review: SAMSKARA at Wisdome Immersive Art Park Dazzles Audiences With Digital Artwork by Android Jones
May 2, 2019
Colorado born, independent artist Android Jones has become worldwide famous due to his impressive art installations at the Burning Man festival, the Grateful Dead Fare Thee Well Tour, as well as his interactive projections on the Sydney Opera House and Empire State Building in New York City. Best described as a 'digital painter,' his immense body of work has become well known for his many layered, psychedelic works and live performances using a custom-built digital set up which allows for his mystical art to spellbindingly move across two and three-dimensional platforms. Android has traveled the world exhibiting his work and has contributed to events on 6 continents. If you have never experienced his mind-blowing creations, now is your chance right here in Downtown Los Angeles during SAMSKARA at Wisdome.LA Immersive Art, a fully immersive four dome exhibition experience in the downtown LA Arts District.
BWW Review: The Robey Theatre Company Presents the World Premiere of BIRDLAND BLUE Honoring Jazz Great Miles Davis
April 30, 2019
At Broadway and 52nd Street in New York City, the nightclub Birdland was the legendary center of the jazz world, where the glitterati of Broadway, Hollywood and the sports world regularly filled its 500 seats. In August 1959, the biggest star in jazz was Miles Davis, who earlier that year recorded Kind of Blue, regarded then and now as the most innovative and best jazz album of all time. The Miles Davis Sextet, as constituted that summer, was regarded as the best jazz combo ever. Honoring his love of all things jazz, Randy Ross Ph.D., an accomplished saxophonist and member of the jazz group the Blue Morning Quintet, spent several years researching Miles Davis and the amazing musicians in his Sextet. After gathering enough information to paint a clear picture of these jazz greats, Ross wrote his world premiere play BIRDLAND BLUE, directed by Ben Guillory, Artistic Director and Co-Founder of The Robey Theatre Company, the group producing the show at LA Theatre Center through May 12.
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