Deborah Klugman – Stage Raw African-Americans figured prominently in American horseracing in the mid 19th century. Many trainers were slaves who worked on farms in the South, taking care of the horses for their owners. Some slaves also became jockeys, earning money (that they were able to keep for themselves) by auctioning off their riding skills … Read more
Erin Conley – On Stage & Screen Are there any opening notes in musical theater more iconic and instantly recognizable than those of West Side Story? No matter the iteration, the story and music are classic enough to have endured the test of time, resulting in a rare musical where you can hear a ripple … Read more
Dany Margolies – The Daily Breeze What’s it like being a high-level presidential campaigner? You know, one of the folks who tell candidates what to say and how to say it. They ain’t no lilies of the field. The long hours are grueling, and oh do they spin. Read more… Rob Stevens – Haines His Way … Read more
Deborah Klugman – Stage Raw Writer/performer Terry Maratos’s solo show about an angry addled man and his struggles with his family is chockful of the broad caricature and shtick-laden narrative that I normally find grating. But Goonie is a rare exception. Read more… Now running through May 5
Neal Weaver – Stage Raw Modern dancer and choreographer Martha Graham has become an almost mythical figure. She was remarkably prolific, creating 181 dances over the course of her career and dancing into her 70s (though sometimes she lurched a bit during her later years). Read more… Now running through May 28
Jonas Schwartz – TheaterMania It is one of the age-old theater questions: Can a performance rise the level of a so-so script, adding depth missing from the dialogue and characterizations? Broadway actor Matt McGrath proves the answer can be yes in The Legend of Georgia McBride, a comedy, now playing at the Geffen, about drag queens in … Read more
Terry Morgan – Stage Raw One of the most intriguing uses of art is a conversation between an acknowledged masterpiece from the past and a current artist commenting upon it or adding to it in some way. Of course, this doesn’t always work, but when it does, the results are often fascinating. Such is the case with Lucas Hnath’s A … Read more
Deborah Klugman – Capital & Main In John Strand’s play, The Originalist, the late Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia (Edward Gero) is presented as a lovable curmudgeon — rather like the tough, gruff but charismatic professor you might have had back in your university days. To appreciate the character, and the play, you need to … Read more
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
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