INTO THE WOODS at the Ahmanson Theatre

Frances Baum Nicholson – The Daily News Every once in a while there comes an opportunity to experience an extraordinarily rich theatrical performance. Such is the case with the Fiasco Theater production of James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods,” now at the Ahmanson. Read more… Erin Conley – OnStage The cow as white as … Read more

REVOLUTION IN A CATSUIT at the Bootleg Theatre

Deborah Klugman – Stage Raw In Revolution in a Catsuit, directed by Michael Philip Edwards, playwright/lead performer Somi De Souza aims to tackle the problems of ethnic minorities in the entertainment industry — the tendency for directors, casting directors and producers to stereotype people of color and, even more deplorably, cast white actors in minority roles. Read … Read more

THE ENCOUNTER at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts

Terry Morgan  –  Stage Raw  The good thing about experimental theatre is the thrill of something new, the excitement of exploring radical new territory. The downside, of course, is that not every experiment is completely successful, or — even if something valuable is discovered — it may not provide a wholly satisfying piece of theatre. … Read more

LORD OF THE UNDERWORLD’S HOME FOR UNWED MOTHERS at the Skylight Theatre

Neal Weaver  – Stage Raw This is not the first play to deal with the Catholic Church’s former barbarous and hypocritical treatment of unwed mothers, but playwright Louisa Hill gives the subject urgent and harrowing reality. Read more… Now running through May 14

THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF COMEDY (ABRIDGED) at the Falcon Theatre

Frances Baum Nicholson –The Daily Breeze The comic playwriting team of Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor has created several funny send-ups of classics, known as the “Complete (abridged)” plays. The best known is the wildly funny “Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged)” which even had them falling out of their chairs in London. Thus, a chance … Read more

SUPPER at Theatre of NOTE

Deborah Klugman – LA Weekly In the program notes for Supper, Phinneas Kiyomura remarks that his play about four right-wing billionaire brothers is not about the Koch brothers. But you could have fooled me. Read more… Lovell Estell III — Stage Raw The clan on display in Phinneas Kiyomura’s bleak comedy brings to mind that familiar adage of Tolstoy’s … Read more

ADAM AND EVIE at City Garage

Deborah Klugman – LA Weekly While I’m not familiar with all — or even most — of Charles Mee’s work, it’s a safe bet that Adam and Evie, directed by Frédérique Michel at City Garage, is one of his gentler, sweeter plays. Read more… Paul Birchall  – Stage Raw Love is madness, just as it is unique … Read more

THE SIEGEL at South Coast Repertory

Melinda Schupmann – Arts In LA Fresh from the 2016 award winning Cloud 9 at Antaeus Theatre Company, savvy director Casey Stangl takes on a world premiere comedy by Michael Mitnick, designed to examine love and its complications. It has plenty of humor and a bit of food for thought along the way. Read more… Now running through April … Read more

MAN OF LA MANCHA at A Noise Within

Frances Baum Nicholson – San Gabriel Valley Tribune When one first hears that A Noise Within has reset the powerful 1960s musical “Man of La Mancha” in a modern prison in the developing world, it can make one nervous. After all, it is based not only on one of the great works of international literature, but a … Read more