Susannah Hall News

Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities and Executive Producer James A. Blackman III proudly opens their 20th Anniversary Season with Bock & Harnick's beautiful love story, She Loves Me. Performances begin on Wednesday February 16 (with a gala press opening on Saturday February 19) and will run through Sunday March 6 at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center.

Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities and Executive Producer James A. Blackman III proudly opens their 20th Anniversary Season with Bock & Harnick's beautiful love story, She Loves Me. Performances begin on Wednesday February 16 (with a gala press opening on Saturday February 19) and will run through Sunday March 6 at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center.

Winter Wonderettes, written & directed by Roger Bean musical arrangements by Brian Baker, Moulton Theatre, Laguna Playhouse, through December 30.

LAGUNA BEACH, CA-With the holidays upon us, the arrival of aptly-themed shows also permeate the theatrical landscape. And like tinsel, egg-nog and Santa, perennial traditions are still what most people crave, especially in these unknowing, unstable times. Hummable, familiar holiday tunes are always a crowd-pleaser, so it's no surprise that WINTER WONDERETTES (now playing at the Laguna Playhouse through December 30) delivers a pleasantly cheerful, though altogether a routine, by-the-numbers, jukebox musical. Tied neatly with a pretty bow, the show is packaged precisely to induce just the right amount of laughs and to entertain enough to fill its audience with yuletide giddiness, without bombarding us with pesky heavy themes or intrusive thought-provoking lessons. Much like the show that preceded it, the holiday-themed sequel to Roger Bean's off-Broadway hit The Marvelous Wonderettes is cute, adorable, cheery and exactly the kind of safe, holiday entertainment that is as tried and true as its music. It is by no means a groundbreaking piece of theater, but judging from the laughter and ovations bestowed by its opening night audience, this show certainly entertains.

Marc Kudisch and Judy Kaye have signed on to headline the Reprise! Broadway's Best staged concert production of the Kander and Ebb musical Zorba from May 2nd through 14th at the UCLA Freud Playhouse