John Iacovelli News

Add Martin McDonagh's THE CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN to the already lengthy resume of stellar productions that the always dependable Antaeus Theatre Company manages to assemble on their stage. Steven Robman sure-handedly directs his talented Irish-brogued ensemble of seven (The Fripple Frapples cast of the double castings) at a quick, smooth pace; vividly illustrating McDonagh's smart, witty and brutal tale based on the real-life filming of the 1934 documentary Man of Aran. Buried in the 'news' the town gossip Johnnypateenmike spreads, the arrival of a film crew from America looking to make a movie on the neighboring Inishmore piques everyone's interest.

Life is changing for Frank and Stella. On the day of Frank's retirement party, this once loving and simple couple find themselves pulled in different directions as the winds of change blow through Joy, Illinois.

Nearly 40 years ago, Stephen Sondheim's bent-on-revenge barber, Sweeney Todd, sliced his way into the canon of musical theatre. The multi-award-winning Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is next up on the Segerstrom Stage at South Coast Repertory, Jan. 19-Feb. 16. Kent Nicholson directs the production. Tickets are available at www.scr.org.

Dreams are in short supply on the island of Inishmaan, especially for Billy Claven, orphaned and crippled since birth. Antaeus Theatre Company presents The Cripple of Inishmaan, a darkly comic Irish yarn by master storyteller Martin McDonagh. Steven Robman directs a partner-cast ensemble for a Jan. 24 and Jan. 25 opening (one opening night for each cast) at the Kiki & David Gindler Performing Arts Center in Glendale, where performances continue through March 11. Low-priced previews begin Jan. 17.

For playwright, director and El Teatro Campesino founder Luis Valdez, who was born in Delano, CA as the second of ten children born to migrant farm worker parents who made a living picking whatever crop was in season, Cupertino will always be known for the rich land that once grew an abundance of crops and fruits trees during the time he lived in the area shortly after World War II. His latest play, the phenomenal VALLEY OF THE HEART at the Mark Taper Forum through December 9, 2018, uses California history as a jumping-off point to tell an important story about the fight to maintain dignity, identity, family and faith in the once-fertile farmland that is now known as the Silicon Valley.

Center Theatre Group will offer Spanish-language translations of the 8 p.m. performance of Luis Valdez's "Valley of the Heart" on Friday, December 7 at the Mark Taper Forum. Each show will be performed in English with Spanish translations running simultaneously on open caption screens. Audience members wishing to view the open captions should request to be seated in the captioning area when purchasing tickets.

Center Theatre Group's production of 'Valley of the Heart' celerbated its opening night! See photos from the event below.

Currently in previews, Center Theatre Group's production of "Valley of the Heart" will open on November 7 at 8 p.m. at the Mark Taper Forum. Written and directed by Luis Valdez ("Zoot Suit") and presented in association with El Teatro Campesino, the production will run through December 9, 2018.

Lillian Hellman's THE LITTLE FOXES receives a stunning, STUNNING mounting by the always dependable Antaeus Theatre Company. Helmed with much precision by director Cameron Watson, the two-and-a-half-hour, two-intermission, three-act simply whizzes by, packed with Hellman's wonderful words coming out of the most capable troupe of actors, all.

Performances for Center Theatre Group's production of "Valley of the Heart" will begin on October 30 at the Mark Taper Forum. Written and directed by Luis Valdez ("Zoot Suit") and presented in association with El Teatro Campesino, the production will run through December 9, 2018. The opening will be on Wednesday, November 7 at 8 p.m.

Rehearsals have begun for Center Theatre Group's production of "Valley of the Heart," which is written and directed by Luis Valdez ("Zoot Suit"). Presented in association with El Teatro Campesino, the production will play at the Mark Taper Forum October 30 through December 9, 2018. The opening will be on Wednesday, November 7.

Center Theatre Group has announced the cast for "Valley of the Heart," which is written and directed by Luis Valdez ("Zoot Suit"). Presented in association with El Teatro Campesino, the production will play at the Mark Taper Forum October 30 through December 9, 2018. The opening will be on Wednesday, November 7.

Syracuse Stage's Artistic Director Robert Hupp once again provides local audiences with a perfectly paced, perfectly cast, and the perfect escape from the outside world theatrical experience. His production of Michael Frayn's hilarious farce Noises Off showcases the impeccable comedic skills of veteran actors, a breathtaking and detailed set by John Iacovelli, impressive comedic stunt work coordinated by D. C. Wright, and of course the brilliant writing.

The 44th Summer Mainstage Season at the Hangar Theatre closes with Xanadu, an Ancient Greek Roller-Skating Disco Musical, directed and choreographed by Devanand Janki.

The 2018 Stage Raw Theater Awards celebrate excellence on the Los Angeles stages in venues of 99-seats or under. This fourth annual edition included productions that opened between January 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018. Stage Raw is a community funded professional journalism website that was created in response to the decline of arts coverage in local mainstream and alternative media.The Awards ceremony was held Monday night, August 20, at Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles, hosted by Coeurage Theatre Company, and co-directed by Jer Adrianne Lelliott, Thaddeus Shafer and Lauren Ludwig. Winners notated in red below.

The LA Phil pays tribute to the experimental and deeply influential Fluxus movement of the 1960s and 1970s with a season-long program of performances and events at Walt Disney Concert Hall and venues throughout Los Angeles, beginning October 14, 2018. An international, anti-establishment movement whose practitioners included artists, composers, designers, and architects, as well as economists, mathematicians, ballet dancers, and others, Fluxus aimed to collapse what it considered the false wall between art and life by emphasizing artistic process over finished product. In a survey curated by American conductor and composer Christopher Rountree, in collaboration with the Getty Research Institute, the often-humorous, frequently challenging music and performances of Fluxus will be featured in a combination of concerts, symposia, and other live events, as well as surprise installations and performances throughout the 2018/19 Centennial season.

A special screening of Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone 3D (1983) and a unique tribute to three of the original creative collaborators will conclude the Art Directors Guild (ADG) Film Society's 2018 screening series at the Egyptian Theater on Sunday, August 5 at 5:30 pm.

The 2018 Stage Raw Theater Awards celebrate excellence on the Los Angeles stages in venues of 99-seats or under. This fourth annual edition includes productions that opened between January 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018.

The 2018 Stage Raw Theater Awards celebrate excellence on the Los Angeles stages in venues of 99-seats or under. This fourth annual edition includes productions that opened between January 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018.

Jen Silverman's THE ROOMMATE, now playing in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre, offers audiences a veritable master class in acting via Sandra Marquez and Ora Jones. Under the direction of Phylicia Rashad, Marquez and Jones have a touching and natural onstage rapport. The material of Silverman's play itself, however, does not exactly match the high bar of the performers. In fact, THE ROOMMATE feels rather uneven; the play dangles loose threads in front of the audience, introducing some major themes but never quite bringing any of them to fruition.