THE TAMING OF THE SHREW – Independent Shakespeare Company in Griffith Park

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Steven  Leigh Morris – Stage Raw That David Melville should bring La Dolce Vita into his family-friendly outdoor staging of Shakespeare’s knotty Italian comedy makes sense. Italian comedies of the 1960s are no less dodgy, regarding their sexual politics, than the amused brutality towards a defiant spouse found in Taming of the Shrew’s central story. Independent-minded, embittered Katherine (Melissa … Read more

PATERNUS at Rogue Machine Theatre

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Terry Morgan  –  Stage Raw In addition to the two-show schedule Rogue Machine generally runs, the company also does things such as their late-night “Off The Clock” productions. Daphne Malfitano’s Paternus is the latest entry in this series, and while it’s enjoyable for its strong acting and some good writing, its structure is flawed and it’s too … Read more

DORIS AND ME at the El Portal Theatre

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Les Spindle –  Edge on the Net Thanks to fans of iconic movie star Doris Day, this past April felt like a month-long Day-fest in cyberspace, as postings about the reclusive performer’s unexpected appearance at her 90th birthday celebration flooded social media for several weeks.  Ardent admirers of the beloved film and TV luminary aren’t … Read more

LUIGI at the VS Theatre

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Pauline Adamek  – Stage Raw Louise Munson’s meandering and nostalgic family drama is set in Italy during a summer holiday. Two American siblings touch base with their Italian mother’s parents and brother, discussing poetry and philosophy while drinking and dining, reading, playing board games, singing songs and telling stories. Much of the conversation is in … Read more

A FAMILY AFFAIR at Plummer Park and Kings Road Park, West Hollywood

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Deborah Klugman – Stage Raw Though just about every serious theatergoer in this country has seen a Chekhov play, few have heard of Alexander Ostrovksy, a prolific 19th century Russian playwright and satirist whose first work, A Family Affair, was not only banned from the stage but even prohibited from being discussed in the press. Read more… Now … Read more

SORDID LIVES at the Westchester Playhouse

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Dany Margolies  –  Arts In LA Give Kentwood Players credit for mounting this production. Del Shores’ “Sordid Lives,” at Westchester Playhouse through Aug. 16, focuses on social outcasts who ignite ire, if not disgust and even hatred.  Read more… David C. Nichols – LA Times Pity the survivors of the late Peggy Ingram, whose bizarre demise … Read more

WE WILL ROCK YOU at the Ahmanson Theater

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Neal Weaver  – Arts In LA This show is an exuberant, enthusiastic, unabashed homage to the rock group Queen and its lead singer, the late Freddie Mercury. It is also splashy, a little bit silly, and loud enough to rattle your ribcage, with a rock-concert-style light show that is occasionally blinding. Read more… Sharon Perlmutter  –  … Read more

THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT at the Odyssey Theater

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Margaret Gray – LA Times A divorced couple and their new partners meet for a dinner that shakes up their lives in Peter Lefcourt’s romantic comedy “The Way You Look Tonight,” premiering at the Odyssey Theater under the direction of Terri Hanauer.   Read more… Neal Weaver  – Stage Raw Peter Lefcourt’s romantic comedy takes a wry, … Read more

OTHELLO at San Diego’s Old Globe

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Bob Verini –  Stage Raw A rip-roaring Othello is being offered under the stars at San Diego’s Old Globe, in a fast-paced production full of suspense and action. Of course, many will not approve of the price paid for all this excitement, which includes a decided dearth of poetry and romance; some really hammy acting and barbarous verse-speaking; … Read more

LAY ME DOWN SOFTLY at Theatre Banshee

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Deborah Klugman – Stage Raw In Irish playwright Billy Roche’s family drama, Peadar (John McKenna), a gentle man in a rough and unforgiving world, reminisces to his friend’s daughter, Emer (Kristen Kollender), about his encounter with her mother, Joy. In his story, Joy had just been abandoned by the girl’s callous dad, Theo (Andrew Graves), … Read more