Richard Israel News

The Full Monty/book by Terrence McNally/music & lyrics by David Yazbek/choreography by John Todd/directed by Richard Israel/Third Street Theatre/through October 14

Third Street Theatre announces its second production in L.A.'s newest 99-seat Equity Waiver house, the Tony award-winning musical THE FULL MONTY, with book by Terrence McNally, music and lyrics by David Yazbek, choreography by John Todd, musical direction by Johanna Kent and direction by Richard Israel. THE FULL MONTY will open tonight, September 7 and run through Sunday, October 14 at the THIRD STREET THEATRE, 8115 W. Third Street in West Hollywood.

Third Street Theatre announces its second production in L.A.'s newest 99-seat Equity Waiver house, the Tony award-winning musical THE FULL MONTY, with book by Terrence McNally, music and lyrics by David Yazbek, choreography by John Todd, musical direction by Johanna Kent and direction by Richard Israel. THE FULL MONTY will open on Friday, September 7 and run through Sunday, October 14 at the THIRD STREET THEATRE, 8115 W. Third Street in West Hollywood.

Musical Theatre West's latest top-notch production is the hilarious regional premiere of the Tony-winning musical Monty Python's SPAMALOT. Full of silly humor and absurdist gags that will have you laughing throughout the show, the show continues at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach through July 15. One of the most amusing shows MTW has ever mounted, it features a stellar ensemble cast led by Davis Gaines and Tami Tappan Damiano.

Musical Theatre West closes its 59th consecutive season with the Tony Award-winning Best Musical, MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT. MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT opened this week and will run through July 15, 2012. Get a look at opening night below!

Some Like It Hot meets Twelfth Night in Ken Ludwig's delightful madcap comedy, Leading Ladies. Richard Israel directs a four-week run, tonight, June 8 through July 1, at International City Theatre in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center.

Some Like It Hot meets Twelfth Night in Ken Ludwig's delightful madcap comedy, Leading Ladies. Richard Israel directs a four-week run, June 8 through July 1, at International City Theatre in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center. Low-priced previews take place on Tuesday, June 5; Wednesday, June 6; and Thursday, June 7.

Upon the conclusion of six weeks of intense competition which began January 8, nearly a thousand patrons supported 20 of Southern California's newest and most dynamic, young musical theatre performers in LA's Next Great Stage Star 2012 at Sterling's Upstairs at Vitello's in Studio City, CA.

Will a small pea hidden below twenty mattresses cause the Princess a sleepless night? Will the Evil Queen keep two lovebirds apart? These and other questions get answered in Cabrillo Music Theatre's all-new production of the fairy tale musical, ONCE UPON A MATTRESS.

LA's Next Great Stage Star™ 2012 bows to the New Year beginning Sunday, January 8th at Sterling's Upstairs at Vitello's, the most critically acclaimed, award-winning supper club of its kind in Los Angeles.

LA's Next Great Stage Star™ 2012 bows to the New Year beginning Sunday, January 8th at Sterling's Upstairs at Vitello's, the most critically acclaimed, award-winning supper club of its kind in Los Angeles.

West Coast Ensemble's smash-hit critically-acclaimed production of GYPSY, with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Arthur Laurents, musical direction by Johanna Kent, choreography by John Todd and directed by Richard Israel, will close on Sunday, July 31 at the Theatre of Arts Arena Stage, 1625 N. Las Palmas Avenue in Hollywood.

The award-winning Musical Theatre Guild, a company of professional performers who present concert-staged readings of seldom seen musicals, will continue its 15th season with Kurt Weill and Ogden Nash's 1943 rare classic ONE TOUCH OF VENUS.

The award-winning Musical Theatre Guild, a company of professional performers who present concert-staged readings of seldom seen musicals, will continue its 15th season with Kurt Weill and Ogden Nash's 1943 rare classic ONE TOUCH OF VENUS.

Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities and Executive Producer James A. Blackman III proudly closes their 19th season with Walton Jones' musical holiday tribute to the swing era.

Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities and Executive Producer James A. Blackman III proudly closes their 19th season with Walton Jones' musical holiday tribute to the swing era.

Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities and Executive Producer James A. Blackman III proudly closes their 19th season with Walton Jones' musical holiday tribute to the swing era.

However, in the case of The Children Theatre Group of Southern California's current production of The Pajama Game, housed in North Hollywood's Electic Company Theatre, this critic has as much enthusiasm and adoration for this troupe of child actors as any adulating relative. This production of Pajama Game is as good, and in several cases BETTER, than any other put on by a "fully grown" theatre group. To say that it is as good as one on the professional level would not be accurate, because this is professional. Everything from the costumes, to the choreography, to the caliber of talent is top-notch.

LONG BEACH, CA-There was once a simpler time in America, specifically at the turn of the 20th century, when hope and tradition were the norm and the promise of progress was tangible in the age of new mechanized machinery. That antiquated era of traditional family dynamics is the setting for MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, playing through November 15 at Long Beach's Musical Theatre West. Set within the proper backdrop of the Missouri Landscape as its citizens prepare for the arrival of the 1904 World's Fair, this family-friendly musical has charm, sweetness, and abundance of 'old-fashioned-ness' that it wears proudly on its sleeve with no amount of irony or a winking acknowledgment of its current modern audience. The show is filled with appeal but lacks the kind of edge or 'wow' factor that is so much more present in material that succeeded it. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's not exactly it's best asset either.