Review: Music Carries the Day in The Umbrella Stage Company's HAIRSPRAY
by R. Scott Reedy - May 6, 2026
In most, if not all, other mountings of “Hairspray: The Broadway Musical,” Tracy Turnblad is tucked under her bedcovers when audiences first see the young heroine, ready to show off her high-teased bouffant and let loose with the first notes of the rousing opener, “Good Morning, Baltimore.”
A History of Musicals About Friendship
by Jennifer Ashley Tepper - May 10, 2026
Friendship is nearly always a side element in musicals. From the comic sidekick of the leading character to the backup pals who provide background vocals, friends are part of the fabric of many shows—but rarely are they the main event.
Review: Updated FLOWER DRUM SONG Returns to Los Angeles by East West Players
by Shari Barrett - Apr 29, 2026
Astounding triple-threat talent is on display in big production numbers with attention-grabbing scenic elements by brilliant designers add to the artistic wonder of the entire production helmed by EWP Artistic Director Lily Tung Crystal, choreographed by Janelle Dote Portman, with music direction by Marc Macalintal.
Review: I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU at Bal Blomet
by Patrick Honoré - Jan 5, 2026
Just witnessed @FrederikSteenbrink's electrifying 'I Get a Kick Out of You' concert at Bal Blomet—a masterclass in big band jazz! Cole Porter classics meet original compositions, backed by Paris's finest young talents. From 'Come Fly With Me' to 'New York, New York,' this is timeless swing at its best. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ #JazzParis #BigBand #ColePorter
Review: ELF THE MUSICAL at Broadway In Chicago
by Rachel Weinberg - Dec 4, 2025
Thanks to Buddy the Elf, ELF THE MUSICAL has plenty of holiday cheer. Jack Ducat has large shoes to fill as the beloved film character Buddy, a now adult man raised on the North Pole by Santa (Andrew Hendrick) and his elves— who must then venture into the wilds of New York City to meet his human father. Will Ferrell’s performance in the original 2003 film is embedded in the holiday movie zeitgeist — so it’s a big ask.
Review: WICKED: FOR GOOD at Harkins Theatre and local film houses
by Herbert Paine - Nov 19, 2025
A rare sequel that understands what made part one beloved, sweeping the audience up in a storm of feeling. It gives us what musicals once promised: a world heightened enough to believe that, like Elphaba, emotion itself can fly.
Review: Hugh Jackman Headlines Hollywood Bowl's 2025 Season Opener
by Michael Quintos - Jun 18, 2025
To kick off the official start of its 2025 season, one of the world's most iconic venues, the Hollywood Bowl, welcomed more than 10,000 guests on the evening of June 7, 2025 for its opening night concert 'An Evening With Hugh Jackman,' featuring the celebrated Australian-born stage-and-screen star performing high-energy numbers accompanied by the lush, grandiose sounds of the Hollywood Bowl orchestra under the direction of Principal Conductor Thomas Wilkins, as well as the Senior graduating musicians of the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (YOLA) who joined them on select numbers. A rousing display of talent and energy, Jackman's concert proved once again why this award-winning star is quite a 'showman.'
Review: The Huntington's THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA is Sweepingly Cinematic
by R. Scott Reedy - May 21, 2025
The 1962 feature film “Light in the Piazza” was shot on location at the Piazza della Signoria and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, and the Via Veneto and Roma Ostiense railway station in Rome, making its technicolor splendor a hard act to follow when the story, based on a 1960 novella by Elizabeth Spencer, was developed for the stage in 2003.
Johnny Mathis to Retire From Concerts and Touring
by Josh Sharpe - Mar 27, 2025
Prolific performer Johnny Mathis is retiring from touring and live concerts, with his last performance scheduled for May 18th, 2025, in Engelwood, New Jersey, at the Bergen PAC.
Patrick Wolf To Perform This November At Adler Center
by A.A. Cristi - Mar 19, 2025
English singer-songwriter Patrick Wolf will perform at Adler Hall at New York Society for Ethical Culture on Thursday, November 13 at 8:00PM. Tickets available on Friday, March 21 at 10:00AM.