Nick Agro
Katie Buenneke – Stage Raw
Gather: Surprising Stories and Other Mischief is an unwieldy title for a theatrical piece. Then again, Gather is an unwieldy theatrical piece. It’s not immediately clear what the piece is, and the answer doesn’t come readily upon further reflection.
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Now running through June 22
Steven Lam
Katie Buenneke – Stage Raw
There is something soothing about the music of ABBA, the 70s Swedish pop group that brought the world such songs as “Dancing Queen,” “Take a Chance on Me,” and, of course, “Mamma Mia!” No matter how out of control the world gets, there’s always ABBA music to ease the soul, and, for the past 20 or so years, there’s been this jukebox musical of their hits to placate the mind.
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Now running through June 16
Deborah Klugman – Stage Raw
In its world premiere, Cory Hinkle’s The End of Beauty runs about two hours, but it’s not until the last 10 minutes that it grips one’s attention. That’s when Silas Weir Mitchell, playing one of the story’s three characters, looks back on the past with acceptance, perplexity and regret.
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Now running through June 18
Aaron Batzdorff
Deborah Klugman – Stage Raw
Deidrie Henry delivers a soulful performance as Billie Holiday in Lady Day at the Emerson Bar and Grill, Lanie Robertson’s 1986 one-act about the late great jazz singer who died prematurely at the age of 44.
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Now running through June 2
Ed Krieger
Lovell Estell III — Stage Raw
If you haven’t seen the 1980 movie Bronco Billy with Clint Eastwood and Sondra Locke (or can’t remember if you did), don’t worry. With a book by Dennis Hackin (who also wrote the novel and the movie’s screenplay), and music and lyrics by Chip Rosenbloom and John Torres, with additional lyrics by Michele Brourman, this world premiere musical version, smartly directed by Hunter Bird, is a heck of a lot funnier and way more enjoyable.
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Ellen Dostal – Musicals in LA
A singing cowboy tries to keep his Wild West show alive despite the cards being stacked against him in Bronco Billy – The Musical, a heartwarming musical comedy loosely based on the 1980 Clint Eastwood film.
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Now running through June 30
John Klopping
Deborah Klugman – Stage Raw
In 2008, the New York Times published an article about a burgeoning new enterprise in India: the establishment of surrogacy clinics catering to couples in need of a woman to bear their child.
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Now running through June 1
Ed Krieger
Terry Morgan - Talkin’ Broadway
To quote an obscure Elizabethan playwright, “we lucky few” have been privileged to enjoy the work of the Troubadour Theater Company for 25 years now. Its trademark — combining a play (often Shakespeare) with the music of a famous artist, then adding its own blend of anarchy and witty topical references (Hello, Game of Thrones Starbucks cup!) — remains a reliable delight.
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Ellen Dostal – Broadway World
In JULIUS WEEZER, Troubadour Theater Company uses its signature wit to turn a Shakespeare classic into a blissfully-alive rocker version of its ancient self, and the result is divine madness. You don’t need to be a Bard lover to have a great time but, if you are, you’ll be impressed by the level of classical talent on stage and the company’s ability to “speak the speech” while tickling your funny bone.
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Now running through May 19
Caught in the Moment Photography
Ellen Dostal – Broadway World
When 3-D Theatricals artistic director T.J. Dawson tells you during the curtain speech to read his program note before THE SECRET GARDEN begins, take him at his word.
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Now running through May 19
Ed Krieger
Terry Morgan - Talkin’ Broadway
It’s always a nice moment when a work of art surprises me in a positive way. It reminds me of one of the reasons I love theater in the first place: the primal pull of story. It’s the delight of seeing something new when one was expecting something else.
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Deborah Klugman – Stage Raw
Daniel’s Husband, written by Michael McKeever and directed by Simon Levy at the Fountain Theatre, starts out decked with light comedy and glib dialogue but midway takes a sharp turn to become relevant and affecting.
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Now running through June 23
Geoffrey Wade Photography
Erin Conley – On Stage & Screen
It is rare to see a play written in 1908 that can be described as feminist, but Diana of Dobson’s, currently playing at Los Angeles’s Antaeus Theatre Company in a rare production, is a delightful surprise.
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Now running through June 2
Tim Sullens
Terry Morgan - Stage Raw
There are at least two pitfalls for “a play of ideas” — that is, the kind of piece that George Bernard Shaw made his name on and that is specifically created to discuss and debate a particular issue. The first pitfall is that this sort of play can be talky and dry, all intellect and no plot, something Shaw was accused of more than once.
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Now running through June 2
Ellen Dostal – Broadway World
When it comes to developing a loyal fan base, Troubadour Theater Company has found the secret: do outstanding work, stay true to your aesthetic, and give the people what they want – a great time at the theater. Artistic Director Matt Walker started the troupe and, with the help of longtime friend and foil, Beth Kennedy, continues to lead his merry band into the great theatrical unknown. Next up for the company is JULIUS WEEZER, which combines Shakespeare’s JULIUS CAESAR and the music of Weezer to tell its tale of political intrigue Troubie style. Today, they talk about what it’s like putting together a new show and why they keep on coming back for more.