Dany Margolies – The Daily Breeze Three great characters of classic dramatic literature don’t exactly appear in Christopher Durang’s tender comedy “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.” But they inspire the personalities and circumstances of the play, and show us what’s in a name, in this production from Long Beach’s International City Theatre. Read more… … Read more
Margaret Gray – LA Times The first time Derek DelGaudio performed at the Geffen Playhouse — in the 2012 show “Nothing to Hide,” which he created with co-star Helder Guimarães and director Neil Patrick Harris — DelGaudio ended up staying longer than expected: The magic act, originally slotted for a one-month run, packed the house for 18 weeks. Read more… … Read more
Myron Meisel – Stage Raw Moments before heading out to witness Alan Mandell’s staging of Endgame at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, just before sundown, I lit my first yahrtzeit candle to commemorate the first anniversary on the ancient lunar calendar of the death of my father. Leaving it to burn in my absence permitted me to approach Samuel Beckett’s … Read more
Dany Margolies – The Daily Breeze Lee Blessing’s 1987 play “A Walk in the Woods” makes two points. In war, there is no winning, says Blessing. And in life, each of us chooses whether to live in hope or to live without it. Read more… Now running through May 22.
Dany Margolies – The Daily Breeze Ultra-prolific English playwright Alan Ayckbourn has a silly side. But his characters very much seem like real-life people, even while their circumstances are comically heightened or even outrageous. Read more… Now running through May 21.
Dany Margolies – The Daily Breeze Tradition is a cornerstone of civilization. It tells us what our forebears have found essential to life, lets us know what’s expected of us and gives us a framework for raising our children. But if our children never tried something new, we’d still be living in caves. … Read more
Dany Margolies – The Daily Breeze One actor dropped his moustache, another dropped his lines. It doesn’t matter whether these were opening-night fumbles or thoroughly rehearsed comedy bits. In Around the World in 80 Days at Long Beach Playhouse, they only add to the fun. Read more… Now running through May 7.
Dany Margolies – The Daily Breeze “Anybody can take their clothes off. But to do it on a stage, with thousands and thousands of people looking at you? That takes something.” Read more… Now running through May 8.
Dany Margolies – The Daily Breeze Mix mobsters, doctrinarians, disco and polyester, and the last thing this farrago should produce is a story about finding one’s blissful true self. But somehow the musical “Sister Act” does just that, particularly in the hands of Musical Theatre West, under Michael Matthews’ direction. Read more… Shirle Gottlieb – … Read more
Pauline Adamek – ArtsBeatLA There are numerous delights to be found in A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder — the raucously hilarious musical play that opened last night at the Ahmanson Theatre. The ingenious and lavish puppet theater-like set, designed by Alexander Dodge; the gorgeously detailed period costumes, designed by Linda Cho; the clever book and … Read more