LOS ANGELES THEATER REVIEWS

& JULIET proves rather emphatically that nobody really needs an original idea or song when you can just as easily get folks rocking out to Britney Spears or Katy Perry....

A truly delightful escape, this must-see production is a bit of charmed magic, a fanciful and evocative whimsy....

The revival of Guirgis’s 2010 play, directed by Jolie Oliver, is equal parts humor, romance and tequila-soaked despair. Led by a muscular trio of performances by Lodric D Collins, Jordan Marinov and Alex Desert, this agile MOTHERFU**KER  is nothing short of compelling....

Reel to Reel is the Los Angeles premiere of an exquisitely evocative new play at Rogue Machine at the Matrix Theatre on Melrose through August 23rd.  Reel to Reel is a stunning anatomy of sound. ...

When it comes to the Hollywood Bowl's Summer 2025 production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber / Tim Rice classic rock musical JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR—which opened August 1 for three sold-out performances playing throughout the weekend—there are just not enough superlatives to bestow upon one of the mos...

It’s clever and smart but not smirking. It’s romantic and sweet, but never saccharine. Everything about SOME LIKE IT HOT fires on all cylinders, gleaming like a brass band....

Jeff Gould’s THE MARRIAGE ZONE, a romantic dramady laced with dose of retro sci-fi, is not particularly deep or penetrating, but that doesn’t make this second LA staging at 905 Cole any less fun....

Overall, A BEAUTIFUL NOISE—now on stage at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa through August 10, 2025—comes off as guaranteed musical candy for Neil Diamond devotees, thanks to its current form as a polished, tidy, nostalgia-baiting jukebox musical loaded with familiar hits, sprinkles ...

THE IRISH CURSE is a moving exploration of masculinity, brotherhood, and how one commonality can erase race, age, and socioeconomic lines to find connection....

Bursting with powerful, beautifully-rendered musical performances and emotionally-stirring characterizations from a terrific ensemble cast, Chance Theater's incredible-sounding, fiercely-acted, deeply searing new production of SPRING AWAKENING is, according to this critic, one of the best, most sati...

Musically entertaining though rather light on narrative heft, Musical Theatre West's otherwise rousing, concert-like new production BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY—now on stage at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach through July 27, 2025—is a straightforward, nostalgic jukebox music...

A tale of community and the frailty of Tinseltown dreams, YANKEE DAWG is given a full-throated production by actors Daniel J. Kim and Kelvin Han Yee under the direction of Jennifer Chang....

David Melville’s performance is a delicious mix-up of romance, hijinks and buffoonery, often overlapping. LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST plays through July 27 in Griffith Park. ...

For the most part, 5-Star Theatrical’s production of Frozen, playing through July 20 at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center in Thousand Oaks, does a fantastic job bringing the beloved Disney tale to life thanks to a bevy of knockout voices, lively dance scenes, and energetic performances fr...

'Beautiful Noise' is a better-than-average jukebox musical about the career of superstar singer-songwriter Neil Diamond, presented as an aged Diamond goes through psychoanalysis with a therapist....

In the 100-minute, decades-spanning duration we spend with this woman who feels so very recognizable, Ziegler, director Maggie Burrows and actors Nadine Malouf, Ryan Vasquez and Michaela Watkins leave us affected, contemplative and more than a little bit heartbroken....

Overall, this year’s Hollywood Fringe Fest was a boon of creativity and talent. See what our critic thought about several shows from this year's Hollywood Fringe!...

It was a mixed bag at the Hollywood Fringe Festival, but overall, the show went on and talent persevered...

What did our critic think of THE RESERVOIR at Geffen Playhouse Gil Cates Theater? “Well, the Geffen sure knows their audience,” remarked my guest at the media preview of, THE RESERVOIR.  And I’d have to agree.  Between the spontaneous audience call backs, guffaws, tears, and chant-alongs tha...

For his production of ALL’S WELL, director Peter Francis James has much to work with including plenty of solid actors and an equally strong technical team, but the production’s frothy overlay often feels off key...

A double feature from Pamela Eberhardt showcases her caustic wit and emotional depth...

Nice Girl is the West Coast premiere of a must-see new drama at Rogue Machine on Melrose through July 20th.  This is a quietly thoughtful, intimately compelling slice-of-life four person play I found incredibly poignant and moving....

When PARADE debuted on Broadway in December 1998 it won Tonys for Best Book and Best Original Score and six Drama Desk Awards. The 2023 revival was nominated for six Tony Awards itself, winning two. Now touring, the show, based on a true story, is in Los Angeles through July 12. And while it takes p...

Pandora’s Boombox is a metaphysical, absurdist, family-friendly clown show through June 28th at the Actors Company on Formosa, as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival.  This is the kind of show that I always hope to see at Fringe - clever, wildly unusual and imaginative, hugely entertaining, and...

The Hollywood Fringe Festival is hitting new highs this year, and with 416 shows to choose from, there’s something for everyone. The sheer number of shows means there is essentially no way to see them all, but I’m giving an overview and mini reviews of some of them. This is part one....