Dany Margolies – The Daily Breeze For a fun evening with more than a few laughs, “The Nerd” hits the spot, playing through January at the Norris Theatre on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Though written in the early 1980s, Larry Shue’s comedy hasn’t aged badly, except for an era-specific reference or two. That’s because Shue’s … Read more
Deborah Klugman – LA Weekly In concept, Stephen Sachs’ Dream Catcher at the Fountain Theatre is a timely play. Directed by Cameron Watson, it details a clash between a young engineer involved in designing a solar-energy plant that would help combat global warming, and a poorly educated Native American woman who objects to the project because it … Read more
Neal Weaver – Stage Raw Many writers — including playwrights — seem to feel they can broaden the scope or deepen the penetration of their works by linking their efforts to major — often traumatic — events in the real world. When it works, the results can be gratifying. But unless the writer in question … Read more
Dany Margolies – The Daily Breeze Three of the four names in the title of Christopher Durang’s “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” sound familiar, right? The three are characters in classic Russian playwright Anton Chekhov’s plays. Spike? Not so much. Read more… Now running through February 14.
2016 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards The critics of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle are pleased to announce the date and location of our annual awards ceremony. The ceremony and accompanying fete celebrate excellence in theater seen in Los Angeles in 2015. This year the event will take place on March 14, 2016. It will … Read more
Pauline Adamek – Stage Raw Singer, songwriter and Tony-nominated Broadway star, Sam Harris has enjoyed a vivid and successful career. His autobiography, “HAM: Slices of a Life” (published in January 2014 by Simon & Schuster), is a collection of personal essays that describe his conflicted early days growing up gay, musically gifted and ferociously ambitious … Read more
Paul Birchall – Stage Raw Those of us raised in Jewish families will recall (with a mix of fear and affection) that larger-than-life figure known as the Jewish Grandmother, a towering being known for her boundless love and her connection to a past now lost in the murky fogs of time. Read more… Now running through … Read more
Paul Birchall – Stage Raw Sometimes all a play really needs is two characters and some genuine emotion. Set in 1930s Berlin, playwright Janet Schlapkohl’s evocative two-hander tells of a pair of identical twin sisters (played by bona fide identical twins Elizabeth Hinkler and Emily Hinkler) beset by troubles as the Nazis rise in power … Read more
Deborah Klugman – Stage Raw In Tom Cavanaugh’s implausible melodrama, the unsettled lives of a family of women grow more turbulent when their former breadwinner shows up after seven years in prison. Read more… Now running through February 28.
Jonas Schwartz – Arts In LA The concept framing Long Beach Opera’s Candide, of life as a first rehearsal, is apt. We’re given little stage direction and then blindly stumble through this world. So the title character—after discovering that life is tragic, cruel, and random—learns that the best one can do to survive is to find … Read more