A Panel Of LA's Top Critics Take The Stage 10/27

LA's most talented and prolific Theatre Critics take to the stage to answer the questions that keep us up at night, "Who are these critics, what do they do, and how do we find them?"

Writers, Directors, Producers, Publicists, Performers, and anyone else who has struggled to get their work reviewed will benefit from this free workshop that bridges the gap between performer and critic.

This event is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP via the Better Lemons website and to bring their questions, comments, suggestions, and elevator pitches.

Panelists will address strategies for connecting with reviewers, pitching productions, maximizing the benefits of a review, and building relationships with reviewers and critics.

The "Meet the Critics II" panel includes:

Vanessa Cate

Vanessa Cate is the Assigning Editor for Stage Raw and the Editor-in-Chief for @thisstage.la. Vanessa is a performance artist, writer, and jack of all trades, and can be found on stage, in strange audiences, and in interesting situations.

Ellen Dostal

Ellen Dostal writes for BroadwayWorld and Musicals in LA. She is also a Senior Editor and longtime writer for BroadwayWorld Los Angeles. She has covered the performing arts community, jazz, and classical music for KJazz 88.1 FM and K-Mozart 1260 AM. She holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Northern Iowa. She is also the LA Show writer for TheThreeTomatoes.com (The Insider's Guide for women who aren't kids). Ellen joined the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle in 2017.

Ernest Kearney

Ernest Kearney is an award-winning L.A. playwright and rabble-rouser of note and has worked as literary manager or as dramaturge for, among others, The Hudson Theater Guild, Nova Diem and the Odyssey Ensemble Theatre, where he still serves on the play selection committee. He has been the recipient of two Dramalogue Awards and a finalist or semi-finalist three times in the Julie Harris Playwriting Competition. His play Peddle was selected by the Midwest Theatre Network as one of the best plays of 1997. His most recent work 'The Salt Prince' was awarded honors from the Nathan Miller History Play Contest as well as the Fremont Center Theatre Play Contest. A passionate theatre and history buff, Mr. Kearney's reviews can be found on WorkingAuthor.com and TheTVolution.com.

David MacDowell Blue

David MacDowell Blue has been reviewing Los Angeles theatre via his blog "Night Tinted Glasses" since 2012. He has a degree in Theatre Arts and graduated from New York's National Shakespeare Conservatory. At different times, he has acted, directed, written plays and designed things from sets to lights to costumes. Born in San Francisco, he ended up raised in Florida (where he lived through twelve--yes TWELVE--hurricanes) then eventually landed in Los Angeles.

Tracey Paleo

Tracey Paleo is founder of Gia On The Move. Gia On The Move was established in 2009 as an arts & culture dialog site attracting influencer readers in a variety of industries. In addition to Gia On The Move, Tracey Paleo is the former Associate Editor of FootLights and has been a contributor to Discover Hollywood, FootLights, Tolucan Times, Extra Virgin: Under the Tuscan Gun, among other publications. In 2015, Tracey also spearheaded the groundbreaking 1st Stage Raw Los Angeles Theatre Awards live broadcast and Twitter Campaign, which trended regionally to an audience of over one million views alongside Drake, Madonna and The Avengers movie. Tracey was also a panelist on the 1st Stage Raw 'Visualizing The Invisible' Performing Arts Coverage Symposia.

Rob Stevens

Rob Stevens began reviewing in 1973 for the monthly community theatre magazine Showcase, covering the professional theatres in Los Angeles. He served as editor/co-publisher of It's Showtime in 1996-98. He has also been a reviewer/interviewer for Dimension, Data-Boy Magazine, The Civic Star, Frontiers, Frontiers After Dark, Drama-Logue, Backstage West, L.A. Reader, Santa Barbara Independent and a few others. In 1988 he began writing the column West Coast Stages in the national publication Backstage. In recent years he has written for the websites ShowMag.com, TheatreMania.com, and StageHappenings.com. He is the founder of The Robby Awards which began as a listing in Showcase magazine in 1975 and has since grown into an annual awards show. The 30th Robby Awards were presented in February, 2016. He is a member of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle.

The "Meet the Critics II" panel will take place from 10am to 12 noon @ Theatre West, 3333 Cahuenga Blvd. West, LA, CA 90068

Arrive early, bring your coffee mug, and get ready to get connected!

Parking is available in the lot across the street and also on the street.

Audience reviews:

Meet the Critics was the event that I needed to help me learn how to network with prominent members of the Fringe community and the LA Theatre scene. I learned the best ways to contact critics, the do's and don'ts of a press release, and ways to draw an audience. I also met some critics who came to my show and gave me reviews that boosted my confidence as a performer and writer. It it wasn't for Better Lemons, I would have been totally lost trying to navigate the Fringe Fest. ~ John Brahan - actor, playwright "Ain't That America"

Meet the Critics panel is akin to learning the trick behind the magician's illusions. Only in this case it's dream making instead of fantasy breaking. Any serious thespian would be a fool to miss it. ~ Cooper Bates - writer, performer "Black When I Was A Boy"

Yes! Another Press Panel! At the Better Lemons' Fringe Critics panel, I was able to connect and form solid professional relationships with the people at the heart of support system for the LA theater community - it's Press. These events are a must for anyone producing and performing in Los Angeles. ~ Jonathan Tipton Meyers - actor, writer and filmmaker "We Are Traffic - A Rideshare Adventure"

Better Lemons is Home of the LemonMeter and LA's #1 Arts & Entertainment Calendar. Founded in 20016 by Enci Box, Better Lemons aggregates reviews from critics and audience members, and features news and opinion on LA's theatre.

Theater West is an internationally acclaimed non-profit organization, founded in 1962 by movie star Betty Garrett, ad is the oldest continually running theatre company in Los Angeles.

To RSVP and to submit questions or comments, click this link or go to https://better-lemons.com/production/meet-the-critics-ii.

To listen to the Critics Panel from earlier this year, visit https://soundcloud.com/betterlemons/meet-the-critics-panel-june-2018.

To get connected, join us this Saturday, October 27, 10am-12noon at Theatre West, 3333 Cahuenga Blvd. West, LA, CA 90068

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