LADCC Critics 
Godspell Jr. by John Michael Tebelak and Stephen Schwartz. Pauline Adamek – ArtsBeatLA There’s nothing quite like the pure spirit and shining, happy faces of talented young teens and kids. Provided with a suitable vehicle, namely Godspell, Jr., the vibrant energy of this mostly female, mostly eight-grader cast of eight kids provides a great night of musical entertainment. Fittingly, the … Read more
Bad Apples by Jim Leonard. Terry Morgan – LAist.com Circle X Theatre Co. has been one of the best theatre companies in Los Angeles for fifteen years now. One thing the company has never lacked for is ambition, and this admirable quality is on display in their current world premiere, Bad Apples. It’s a musical concerning the Abu … Read more
The Doctor’s Dilemma by George Bernard Shaw. Pauline Adamek – LA Weekly George Bernard Shaw’s turn-of-the-century play is a platform for his diatribe against doctors. Shaw’s passionate distrust and satirical takedown of the medical profession is wrapped up in a slightly dull, five-act drama that’s enlivened by mildly comedic undercurrents and interesting discussions on contemporary morality. Read more…
Seminar by Theresa Rebeck. Hoyt Hilsman – The Huffington Post Plays about writers and writing present major challenges for both audiences and playwrights. Because writing is such an internal process, full of grinding frustration and occasional exhilaration, it is a tough subject to portray on stage. Playwright and film/TV writer Theresa Rebeck makes a valiant but flawed assault on … Read more
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. Melinda Schupmann – ArtsInLA.com Many consider Dame Agatha Christie the finest mystery writer of all time. Whether you agree, it can certainly be said that her work And Then There Were None has been one of the most successful play adaptations from a mystery novel to date. A clever … Read more
You Can’t Take It With You by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. Dany Margolies – ArtsInLA.comThe family at the heart of this George S. Kaufman–Moss Hart play is so cheerful, non-critical, and forgiving, it’s obviously sheer fantasy. It’s certainly unusual on stages so often filled with alcoholism, abuse, manipulation, and self-loathing. The Vanderhofs and Sycamores and their hangers-on live for … Read more
The Turn of the Screw by Jeffrey Hatcher. Dany Margolies – ArtsInLA.com To attend this production, one should be able to see in the dark. To best enjoy this production, one should probably be at least a little afraid of the dark. Read more…
Creation by Kathryn Walat. Dany Margolies – ArtsInLA.comThe premise is promising, but the sum of this Kathryn Walatscript feels unoriginal and uninspiring. However, it gets much tender care from director Michael Michetti and his design team, and the quartet of actors steps up in all seriousness to deliver lines that might flop from the mouths of lesser performers. Read more…
Mad Women by John Fleck and Catch 23: Broken Negatives by Karen Finley Shirle Gottlieb – Gazette Newspapers It all happened twenty-two years ago, but people are still buzzing about the notorious case of the “NEA 4.” To be more precise: Due to pressure in 1990 from Jesse Helms, Dana Rohrabacher, and the religious-right, grants already given to Karen Finley, John … Read more
Fraternity by Jeff Stetson. Pauline Adamek – LA Weekly Jeff Stetson’s all-male political drama Fraternity, written 25 years ago, has a prescient power to it. Set in Birmingham, Ala., the storyline presents a prosperous group of black men, members of a private gentleman’s club, and the tragic history that shaped each of their lives. A shocking bombing of the … Read more