LOS ANGELES THEATER REVIEWS

The World Premiere of THE FACE IN THE REEDS by Robin Uriel Russin, directed by Sarah Figoten Wilson at Santa Monica's The Ruskin Group, centers on a dysfunctional family gathering to celebrate Passover, the Jewish holiday celebrating freedom. As the meshuge meshugas (crazy madness) plays out, the e...

Directed by John Hall and based in part on Lynde's life and 1976 touring show, OH MY GOODNESS…IT'S PAUL LYNDE is produced with the full approval and cooperation of the estate of Paul Lynde, starring Michael Airingon who channels the late entertainer both in appearance, voice and attitude to a tee....

The 1920s were not called the roaring twenties for nothing, and when 'modern' girls came from small towns across America to New York to seek a job, a husband and money, they were an overabundant lot. Take Millie Dillmount (Allyson Spiegelman) for example, who, like many others, sets her eyes, but ha...

One of the best ways to end the stress of a busy work week is with a few laughs. Best place to find those laughs right now is at ComedySportz LA, where the classically-trained, comically-proficient ladies of CHICKSPEARE take over the courtyard on Friday nights and improvise a one-act Shakespearean c...

Subtle and, at times, molasses-slow in execution---yet ultimately powerful in impact---ONCE is a beautifully-staged, soul-searing musical that interchanges romantic entanglement for creative fulfillment---and how the line that separates these emotions are often blurred. The eight-time Tony award-win...

Los Angeles is a melting pot made up of people from around the world, most looking to settle here to enjoy the great weather, to be with their families, or perhaps to live their dream on breaking into the entertainment industry. Paris Chansons is an international music group made up of talented mus...

Playwright Joanna McClelland Glass's autobiographical Trying is a two character play based on her working relationship as secretary to Judge Francis Biddle from 1967-68 in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. Now in a fine West Coast premiere at ICT in Long Beach, Trying recounts the difficult professional...

Sex in a title is an eye-catching titillation guaranteed to attract an audience. I had never seen It's Just Sex originally, so I thought, 'OMG, let's do it - no pun intended - and be done with it'. Is it about sex for the sake of sex or what? Hardly. The play is not a parody of the porn industry or ...

TIME STANDS STILL is so well written with honest observations on modern life, and directed with an intimate understanding of the characters, the audience is positioned as flies on the wall watching the action as if we are reflecting on our own lives as well as the characters. The actors are totally ...

A trio of strong female performances anchor playwright Eisa Davis' Bulrusher; an intriguing story of a mixed-raced 18-year-old with psychic powers growing up in a predominantly white 1950s California town....

Torrance Theatre Company celebrates its 15th anniversary by saddling up at the James Armstrong Theatre and presenting OKLAHOMA! with music and lyrics by one of Broadway's most influential duos, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. Based on Lynn Riggs' stage play, Green Grow the Lilacs, OKLAHOMA! m...

In It's Just Sex, producer Rick Shaw has concocted the perfect cocktail for the main soiree of this piece; expertly blending one part-genius script of Jeff Gould; one part-firm and slick-paced directing by himself (Rose); one part-clean, efficient, non-obtrusive production elements; and seven parts-...

The anticipation of celebrating the 50th anniversary of that memorable night, August 23, 1964 when I saw The Beatles live at the Hollywood Bowl for the first time, had me excited for days, knowing this time I would be able to hear the music and celebrate it along with a sold out Hollywood Bowl audie...

When you've been given the privilege to watch and, of course, listen to legendary Tony winner Jennifer Holliday sing live---in that signature inimitable style---it's practically akin to a religious experience. She is, to put it mildly, still one of the world's most treasured, gifted musical voices. ...

Actor/singer Dan Callaway has been revered over the last decade in New York and Los Angeles for his fine tenor/baritone voice, and so it is with mixed feelings that we say goodbye to him as he leaves to assume a teaching position in his home state of Elon, North Carolina. We are indeed happy that th...

On Friday August 15 singer/actress Rebecca Spencer made her Los Angles concert debut with Fair Warning at Upstairs at Vitello's with her long-time collaborator Philip Fortenberry as musical director, also making his LA debut....

Sandy Simona is an Interdisciplinary, Multimedia Artist & Storyteller who grew up on both sides of the George Washington Bridge. Now based in Los Angeles, Simona has created LOST IN LVOV, an emotional solo performance-storytelling-love letter inspired by the most private, immigration stories of her ...

Guiding a group of harmonious singers and a kick-ass band in their re-creation of past Motown hits, producer/director Michael Yorkell has transformed The Laguna Playhouse into a lively Las Vegas lounge....

Charlie 'Bird' Parker's belief that "music is like a fire to warm your hands on" and a "joyful noise" is currently being celebrated in BIRD LIVES! at the Chromolume Theatre at the Attic starring Montae Russell as the jazz icon. Written by Willard Manus and directed by Tommy Hicks, the play continue...

From December 1986 to September 1988, Jason Alexander, the actor best known for his role as George Costanza for nine seasons on the television series Seinfeld, played older brother Stanley in the original Gene Saks production of BROADWAY BOUND on Broadway. It's a play that he loves dearly, calling i...

What a wonder is love in the hands of a writer like Shakespeare. Through comedy, tragedy, sonnet and poem, the way he captures lovers and their essence is pure magic. In MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, bringing that magic to life rests largely with its leading man and lady, and when a company gets the pairi...

It is always great when a theatrical event meets your expectations. It is even better when it exceeds them. TOP ROCK at The Hard Rock Hotel Palm Springs did just that. Live It Up Production's TOP ROCK rivals the best production show on the Las Vegas strip with a tremendously talented and charismatic...

'Up, Up and Away' is not only the signature tune of the Fifth Dimension but it expressed the overall uplifting feeling Saturday night when the group made a rare Los Angeles concert appearance at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills. Their positive energy made the entire audience want to fly right alon...

Neil LaBute is known for writing abrasive plays, in which aggression often leads to violence. And the characters are not criminals but ordinary people who find themselves reacting differently when placed in extreme circumstances. It could happen to anyone. Take Bash for example. In his latest work r...

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S THE TEMPEST, the last of his romantic comedies, was written in 1610 and published in 1623. This great romantic comedy has it all: danger, intrigue, politics, revenge, a mighty sorcerer, and his beautiful daughter who falls deeply in love at first sight with the handsome prince...