Deborah Klugman – Stage Raw Running an economical 72 minutes (including an intermission) The Best Boarding House in Delaware, which the playwright also directs, is a fun ride that has potential to go further than it does. Ryan opts for an inky comedy that is short, sweet, and powered by the comedic acting chops of … Read more
Edward Hong – The Nerds Of Color Though Kim’s Convenience, now having its run at Center Theatre Group, is enjoyable in its many funny and touching moments, Ins Choi’s 2011 play is very much outdated in its necessity to showcase Korean identity & culture that is completely catered to white people. Despite a well rounded … Read more
Ed Rampell – Hollywood Progressive Pinter’s slyly subversive 30-ish minute piece does to those veddy British drawing room plays what The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s Leatherface does to human beings. Although I hasten to add that this is not to say that Party Time is a horror production per se, but rather that it Pinteresquely piquantly … Read more
Ed Rampell – Hollywood Progressive As The Wall Street Journal reports “Jeff Bezos is in early talks to raise $100 billion for a new fund that would buy up manufacturing companies and seek to use AI technology to accelerate their path to automation,” which would likely trigger an avalanche of mass unemployment, and right on … Read more
Edward Hong – The Nerds Of Color Hamid Rahmanian‘s Song of the North, now currently playing at Pasadena Playhouse, is an extraordinary multimedia production that is a marvel for all ages to enjoy. Utilizing shadow puppetry (483 puppets!!) and projected animation with immense success to reimagine the Iranian epic Shahnameh, the joy and magic found … Read more
F. Kathleen Foley – Stage Raw If slapstick is your thing, then The Play That Goes Wrong, now at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center in Thousand Oaks through March 29, may be exactly your ticket. Read more…
Martín Hernández – Stage Raw MacLean’s ham-fisted lyrics focus on the theme of individualized female empowerment through therapy and self-reflection rather than on Hildegard’s work with women’s communities. Nonetheless, Beatrice Casagran’s thoughtful direction and mis en scene, in tandem with the exceptional vocal work of the cast, makes for a production that is visually and … Read more
Edward Hong – The Nerds Of Color There are many incredible ingredients at work with the Los Angeles premiere of Jackie Sibblies Drury’s 2019 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Fairview, now playing at Rogue Machine Theatre: a crackling ensemble cast, an intriguing and twisty premise, and a thrilling direction by Oz Scott. But despite these elements present, … Read more
Ed Rampell – Hollywood Progressive Right on cue, as the mad wannabe-pharaoh unleashes yet another cataclysmic war in the Middle East, LA Opera’s first operatic production of 2026 is about upheaval and regime change in that part of the world. Innovative minimalist composer Philip Glass’ “Akhnaten” is a lavish aural luau and visual feast that … Read more
Ed Rampell – Hollywood Progressive “the best play about the making of a real-life movie in stage history is Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon’s ‘The Shark is Broken.’” This dramatization of the making of “Jaws” is simply a must-see for movie history buffs. Read more…