Ellen Dostal – BroadwayWorld When writer/director Stan Lai has an idea for a new play, people take notice. He is the most celebrated Chinese language playwright and director in the world and his body of work – which to date includes 35 original plays – has redefined how we think about the art form itself. … Read more
Margaret Gray – LA Times Ask theater director Jo Bonney to describe playwright José Rivera’s new work — “The Untranslatable Secrets of Nikki Corona,” a world premiere that begins previews Tuesday at the Geffen Playhouse — and Bonney hesitates. Is it comedy? “Here’s the tricky thing,” Bonney says. “It’s about death, but that sounds so … Read more
We are sad to report that longtime Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle member Shirle Gottlieb passed away on May 6th. Shirle had been a freelance art and theater writer, reviewer, and critic for over 25 years – ever since she completed her Interdisciplinary Masters Degree at California State University, Long Beach. What began quite by … Read more
Margaret Gray – LA Times Will Von Vogt, who plays the endearingly neurotic gay protagonist of Joshua Harmon’s play “Significant Other” at the Geffen Playhouse, brings so much to the role — not least his big, blue eyes, quicksilver comic timing and eloquent dance moves — that L.A. audiences can’t help wondering where he’s been … Read more
Margaret Gray – LA Times It’s intermission during Quiara Alegría Hudes’ “Water by the Spoonful,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning centerpiece of her Elliot trilogy of plays portraying the experiences of a Marine during and after the Iraq war. It’s interesting, a tall young man says, how each actor in each play puts his stamp on the … Read more
Margaret Gray – LA Times Joe Morton, best known these days as Rowan “Papa” Pope, Olivia Pope’s fiercely protective father on the ABC series “Scandal,” is in the posh Founders Room of the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills. It’s where next month he will open “Turn Me Loose,” a play … Read more
Don Shirley – LA Observed “Hamilton” was one of the great cultural achievements of the Obama years. The president nurtured its growth by hosting a 2009 performance of the show’s titular song in the White House, before the rest of the musical was even written. Then, after “Hamilton” had opened to widespread acclaim in New … Read more
Don Shirley – LA Observed …..there should be an eager audience for “Remote L.A.,” Center Theatre Group’s engrossing headset-guided walk through parts of LA’s primary urban hub, in the vicinity of CTG’s own downtown headquarters.
Don Shirley – LA Observed January 21 was a great day for immersive theater in Los Angeles. I’m referring to one event you probably know about, the Women’s March. But I’m also writing about “fellowship” – which you probably don’t know about. The former attracted the masses; the latter has a maximum capacity of 42 for … Read more
This past weekend several critics from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circlecollaborated the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts for our third joint LADCC/Wallis Student Reporter Event. Approximately 12 students, ranging in age between 12-18, came to the Wallis this past weekend to participate in this special event. Critics Dany Margolies, Katie Buenneke and Jonas Schwartz spent the … Read more