Mandell Weiss Forum

by Ron Bierman - June 13, 2026

Jihye Lee’s 13-piece big band opened its second of two sets at The JAI in La Jolla with an original she called “Why Is That.” She explained the title in a 2024 Jazz Times interview. “I started out writing a simple blues tune, but it didn’t go well. … Why Is That? Why can’t I do that?�...

by ErinMarie Reiter - June 07, 2026

If you think lying on your dating profile is a modern invention, “The Most Happy Fella” is here to remind you that catfishing has existed for generations. Fortunately, North Coast Repertory Theatre's production has something even more timeless than romantic deception: a glorious score sung by an...

by ErinMarie Reiter - June 06, 2026

“The Monsters” delivers thrilling fight sequences, but its greatest strength lies in the family story at its center. Whether you're an MMA fan or not, the play's emotional punches land with equal force. ...

by ErinMarie Reiter - June 06, 2026

“The Hombres” is a thoughtful examination of friendship, masculinity, and the surprising ways personal growth can occur in the unlikeliest of places. ...

by ErinMarie Reiter - June 01, 2026

Funny and heartfelt, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee' is a delightful reminder that sometimes the biggest victories have nothing to do with trophies—or correctly spelling 'schadenfreude.'...

by ErinMarie Reiter - May 31, 2026

There are some shows that feel untouchable, which is why it takes a certain amount of courage or lunacy to approach a beloved musical and decide to reinvent it. Co-directors Sherri Eden Barber and Coleman Ray Clark do exactly that, taking some big swings with Diversionary Theatre's production of REN...

by ErinMarie Reiter - May 22, 2026

“Kim’s Convenience,” now playing at The Old Globe through June 14, delivers a warm and funny portrait of family, community, and the complicated push and pull between tradition and change....

by ErinMarie Reiter - May 20, 2026

“Seussical the Musical” at San Diego Musical Theatre thorugh June 7th, is colorful chaos in its most delightful form, an energetic, sentimental, and joyfully silly production that embraces the heart and whimsy of Dr. Seuss’s beloved worlds....

by ErinMarie Reiter - May 19, 2026

“Purpose”, now playing at La Jolla Playhouse through June 7, is a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play that takes one messy, snowed-in family weekend and turns it into something hilariously chaotic, emotionally sharp, and painfully recognizable....

by ErinMarie Reiter - May 16, 2026

Fear not if you have not seen “Hamlet” in a while; “A Room in the Castle” at Moxie Theatre does not require in-depth knowledge of it to be enjoyed, and it is sharp, funny, devastating, and ultimately empowering in ways Shakespeare rarely allows his women to be....