COSTA MESA THEATER REVIEWS

Bursting with magic, wit and whimsy, INTO THE WOODS---the sprightly Tony Award-winning musical that features music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Lapine---is currently on stage at the Plummer Auditorium in Fullerton through May 18. Produced by OC's Ovation Award-winning 3-D Theat...

In the new play FIVE MILE LAKE---currently in the midst of its World Premiere at Costa Mesa's South Coast Repertory through May 4---author Rachel Bonds populates her quiet, snail-paced drama with characters that speak in hushed tones and coded exchanges that seem to mask a lifetime's supply of jealo...

Cheyenne Jackson won the hearts of a sold-out crowd by completely opening his own in his debut performance at Walt Disney Concert Hall on Saturday night. The self-professed goal of the tall, dark and handsome singer was simply 'to blanket the audience with love,' which he did repeatedly in a program...

Touching, richly-staged and beautifully-acted, REST---Samuel D. Hunter's oh-so-engrossing and oh-so-funny new play now having its world premiere at Costa Mesa's South Coast Repertory through April 27---presents a disheartening reality of life we all must face sooner or later: that getting older is, ...

To witness---and, yes, hear---Tony Award-winning legend Patti LuPone on a stage live-belting the bejesus out of a note (well, several notes, really) is just another not-so-subtle reminder for newbies and veterans alike why she's such a one-of-a-kind, ultra-talented star in the first place. She can, ...

Despite an injury, good sport Davis Gaines---who plays the title role in Musical Theatre West's new production of Meredith Willson's ever-enduring Tony Award-winning musical THE MUSIC MAN---continues the 'show must go on' mantra and plows through, turning in a rousing performance that does not disap...

It is one of the most wondrous moments in all of Shakespeare's plays; the moment near the end of The Winter's Tale when the statue of Hermione comes to life. Whether it is magic, divine intervention, or merely the resolution of a well-concealed plot, it doesn't matter. It never fails to leave me wit...

What do you get when you mash-up an ancient Greek play with the contemporary, meta-sarcasm of Mean Girls, Legally Blonde, and Bring It On? Why, the buoyant musical confection LYSISTRATA JONES, of course! Filled with witty dialogue, amusingly droll characters, and a high-energy pop score, this Tony n...

During my first taste of the show last fall, I was certainly wowed by its technical wizardry and its talented cast, but was sadly underwhelmed by how much of the original film's stirring, emotional magic and innocent fantasy had been stripped away in favor of easy, high-camp laughs, dazzling onstage...

Dubbed 'Valentine's Day with Matthew Morrison,' the three-night engagement of the OC native's entertaining, high-energy take on swinging, big-band jazz standards and classic Broadway showtunes continues through Saturday, February 15 at the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa. Behol...

Truly one of the most elegant, though underrated musicals of the new century, THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA---now on stage in a lovely new production at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa through February 23---follows the uneasy journey that a loving, though over-protective mother must embark on when her...

If life really is about not taking anything too seriously, as Mel Brooks would have us believe, then do yourself a favor and see 3DT's production of The Producers. It may be politically incorrect but it's the funniest version of this musical I've ever seen and it will push you to have a good time in...

To borrow a tagline from the long-running reality TV series 'The Real World,' the wickedly amusing GOD OF CARNAGE shows exactly 'what happens when people stop being polite... and start getting real.' Well, at least, 'real' in a comically over-the-top way, that is. This outrageous farce---directed by...

International City Theatre opened its 29th season this past weekend with the California premiere of LET'S MISBEHAVE: The Music and Lyrics of Cole Porter. The relatively new musical by Karin Bowersock (book) and Patrick Young (musical arrangements) weaves together more than thirty Cole Porter standar...

Still emotionally resonant more than a decade later, BARE - THE MUSICAL---the angst-fueled, hyper-melodramatic 'pop opera' written by Jon Hartmere Jr. and the late Damon Intrabartolo---continues its Orange County, California premiere performances at Theatre Out---the OC's Gay and Lesbian theatre com...

In her terrific new play TRUDY AND MAX IN LOVE---now having its World Premiere performances at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa through January 29---writer-actress Zoe Kazan (Ruby Sparks) puts an engaging millennial spin on the typical cute-boy-meets-cute-girl story. While, true, the situations--...

Ah, yes. 2013 was indeed an outstanding year for theater in Southern California. Even better: Orange County---my home base---boasted some of the best shows, period---marking an exciting theater renaissance in brilliance and artistry that I hope continues to grow here inside L.A.'s next door neighbor...

Whimsical, poetic, and surprisingly clever, TOTEM---the latest touring Cirque du Soleil spectacular to hit Southern California---is currently performing under a large tent erected at the Orange County Great Park's Festival Site through December 29 (the traveling troupe of 46 will then move to the Sa...

In this hilarious satire of musical theatre, one story becomes five delightful musicals, each written in the distinctive style of a different master of the form, from Rodgers & Hammerstein to Stephen Sondheim - and they all deal with the same classic melodrama plot - 'I can't pay the rent!' George ...

While watching the opening night performance of Musical Theatre West's lively (haha) regional premiere of Mel Brooks' YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, something struck me almost immediately: I'm laughing hysterically. Though previous productions have certainly entertained in the past, much of the jokes and silly...

David Trainer directs the Los Angeles Premiere of David Greig's celebrated new version of August Strindberg's psychological thriller CREDITORS, a co-production between two of the city's most respected theaters, the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and The New American Theatre. The production is a sexy, sava...

In one of this season's most pleasantly stunning surprises, the latest Broadway iteration of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's grand stage musical EVITA has arrived in Southern California at the beautiful Pantages Theatre in Hollywood (its three-week L.A. tour stop concludes November 10). A faithfu...

Funny, intelligent, and profoundly moving, Amy Herzog's play 4000 MILES---now on stage at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa through November 17---is a bittersweet, emotionally rich play filled with heart-tugging situations and amusing true-to-life moments between a grandmother and her grandson. Di...

On the evening of October 11, Peters made an exquisite concert return to the OC accompanied by an incredible mini-orchestra helmed by longtime musical director Marvin Laird, which kicked off Segertrom Center for the Arts' 2013-2014 Cabaret series. As somewhat expected, the concert was a beautifully ...

Not seen in L.A. for over 16 years, THE NORMAL HEART remains one of the theater's most powerful evenings ever. It was so ahead of its time that many of the core issues it addresses - including gay marriage, a broken healthcare system and, of course, AIDS - are just as relevant today as they were whe...