Chris Chatman News

Live theater has not been killed off by the pandemic; it came roaring back Monday night during the inaugural OC Theatre Guild Awards ceremony at the Samueli Theater at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, which was nearly filled to capacity.

Dancing, singing, bad-guy-catching nuns? You can't go wrong with that combination! Based on the 1992 movie starring Whoopi Goldberg, Sister Act the musical is a feel-good, rousing testament to the power of sisterhood set in 70's funk, soul and disco.

The 67th Music Circus season continues with the feel-good musical comedy Sister Act, featuring an infectious score by Tony and Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken. Based on the hit 1992 film, this musical will fill the round stage with saintly sisters for the first time in Music Circus history. Performances of Sister Act are Tuesday, August 22 through Sunday, August 27 at the Wells Fargo Pavilion.

After auditioning performers in New York City, Los Angeles and Sacramento, California Musical Theatre has confirmed casting for all five shows in the 67th Music Circus season. The cast is loaded with Broadway veterans-some of whom are making their Music Circus debuts-Tony Award nominees, and audience favorites from previous Music Circus productions.

L.A.'s live music venue, Rockwell Table & Stage in Los Feliz, continues its ongoing line-up show, An Evening of Classic Broadway, today, November 15th at 8PM.

L.A.'s live music venue, Rockwell Table & Stage in Los Feliz, continues its ongoing line-up show, An Evening of Classic Broadway, on Tuesday, November 15th at 8PM.

On October 14 and 15, Prospect Theater will be filled with the joyous sounds of a live big band, and 80s songs that defined your life. Take On Me will send audiences back to the 1950's New Orleans in this musical revue featuring four couples struggling with the highs and lows of love! All told with 80's pop hit, the four couples promise a swinging good time "all night long."

On October 14 and 15, Prospect Theater will be filled with the joyous sounds of a live big band, and 80s songs that defined your life. Take On Me will send audiences back to the 1950's New Orleans in this musical revue featuring four couples struggling with the highs and lows of love! All told with 80's pop hit, the four couples promise a swinging good time "all night long."

Prospect Theatre's inaugural production, Bradley Bredeweg's ingenious rock musical  ROMEO & JULIET: LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD, VOLUME 2, simply WOWS with its cast of triple-threat performers singing the hell out of cleverly-chosen pop songs while many times dancing up a storm. Creator Bredeweg tightly directs his high-energy troupe with a fast, smooth pace.

Hollywood's newest venue, Prospect Theatre, will revive Hollywood with an avant-garde take on theatre, music and fine-dining. ABC's 'The Fosters' Creator Bradley Bredeweg will premier his revamped rock musical, 'Romeo & Juliet: Love is a Battlefield Volume 2' and Executive Chef Kyle Schutte will kick-off opening weekend today, July 1, and Saturday, July 2 at 8 p.m. at 1643 Cosmo St.

Hollywood's newest venue, Prospect Theatre, will revive Hollywood with an avant-garde take on theatre, music and fine-dining. ABC's 'The Fosters' Creator Bradley Bredeweg will premier his revamped rock musical, 'Romeo & Juliet: Love is a Battlefield Volume 2' and Executive Chef Kyle Schutte will kick-off opening weekend today, July 1, and Saturday, July 2 at 8 p.m. at 1643 Cosmo St.

Hollywood's newest venue, Prospect Theatre, will revive Hollywood with an avant-garde take on theatre, music and fine-dining. ABC's 'The Fosters' Creator Bradley Bredeweg will premier his revamped rock musical, 'Romeo & Juliet: Love is a Battlefield Volume 2' and Executive Chef Kyle Schutte will kick-off opening weekend on Friday, July 1, and Saturday, July 2 at 8 p.m. at 1643 Cosmo St.

Dude Hang on to your undies...and your beverage! Rockwell Table & Stage crosses the line with its outrageous Unauthorized Musical Parody of The Big Lebowski, an American cult classic, running Thursday and Friday nights, though the end of this 2016 summer. Grab your tickets before they go missing, now on sale at: www.rockwell-la.com

Emma Hunton (Wicked, Next to Normal, Spring Awakening) recently took to the Rockwell stage, performing songs ranging from Fleetwood Mac's 'Go Your Own Way' to Radiohead's 'Creep.' Guest stars included Glee's Lindsay Pearce and Dear John Hughes' Michael Thomas Grant. Grant is currently performing alongside Hunton in 'The Unauthorized Musical Parody of Clueless,' playing now through October 2nd at Rockwell Table and Stage. Hunton honored her Broadway roots with a performance of Spring Awakening's 'Touch Me.'

Cast members of the national tour of Sister Act: The Musical have a new tradition: #SIC, or Sunday Intermission Covers! Every Sunday during the show's 15-minute intermission, cast members rush backstage to perform a quick cover of one of their favorite songs. This week, it's Pharrell Williams' 'Happy', featuring Charles Barksdale (TJ), Tad Wilson (Joey), Chris Chatman (Pablo), and more (some unexpected). Check it out below!

Cast members of the national tour of Sister Act: The Musical have a new tradition: #SIC, or Sunday Intermission Covers! Every Sunday during the show's 15-minute intermission, cast members rush backstage to perform a quick cover of one of their favorite songs. This week, it's Katy Perry/Snoop Dogg's 'California Gurls', featuring Ashley Moniz, Chris Cooke, Tad Wilson, Natalie Storrs, Stephanie Hayslip, Micaela Martinez, and Chris Chatman.

There is so much heart and soul to be found in In The Heights, the Tony Award-winning musical now onstage at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, that you cannot help but fall in love with every character in the piece, so vibrantly created by Lin-Manuel Miranda (who did the music and lyrics; with a book by Quiara Alegria Hudes).

In The Heights, now playing at the Durham Performing Arts Center through February 27, may very well be one of the most charming, deliriously feel-good musicals ever written. The story is universal. A community must come together to find the true meaning of family or be torn apart. The music is fresh and dynamic, while reflecting the rhythms of past generations. The fascinating choreography is an eclectic mix of modern, hip-hop, and salsa. In The Heights is so full of love and joy that even the hardest hearts will melt by the final number. This is a musical masterpiece that must be seen!

In The Heights, now playing at the Durham Performing Arts Center through February 27, may very well be one of the most charming, deliriously feel-good musicals ever written. The story is universal. A community must come together to find the true meaning of family or be torn apart. The music is fresh and dynamic, while reflecting the rhythms of past generations. The fascinating choreography is an eclectic mix of modern, hip-hop, and salsa. In The Heights is so full of love and joy that even the hardest hearts will melt by the final number. This is a musical masterpiece that must be seen!

The 5th Avenue Theatre continues its celebration and love of the American Musical with the National Tour of one of the freshest new shows to come along in awhile, "In the Heights". And while the tour of this fresh show seemed to come across a bit stale, the show still demonstrates that good new musical theater is out there and doesn't need to be based on a movie.