Stage Raw

Jersey Boys @ MUSICAL THEATRE WEST

by

F. Kathleen Foley – Stage Raw It’s hard to believe that Frankie Valli, at age 90, is currently on a “farewell tour” scheduled to end this April. Perhaps he’s aging better than Jersey Boys, which despite all the flash and frills, seems timeworn — a tribute to a once stellar act now fading into obscurity. Read … Read more

Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends @ AHMANSON THEATRE

by

Tracey Paleo – Gia On The Move OLD FRIENDS, a musical review of Stephen Sondheim’s greatest hits starring Bernadette Peters opened last night at the Ahmanson Theatre. And what a treat! Read more… Travis Michael Holder – TicketHoldersLA There simply could not be a more fitting living tribute to the brilliance of Sondheim, the most … Read more

Four Women in Red @ VICTORY THEATER CENTER

by

Deborah Klugman  – Stage Raw Modest production values ably frame the narrative. On a small proscenium, production designer Evan Bartoletti makes use of pivoting slats to shift between various interiors. Costumes by Lorna Bowen and set decoration by Delinda Pushtonequa add Native American color and flavor to a story which, whatever the limitations of its … Read more

Macbeth @ A NOISE WITHIN

by

Edward Hong – The Nerds Of Color Andi Chapman’s rendition of Macbeth at A Noise Within is a refreshing work of art with a stunning ensemble cast comprised mostly of Black & global majority actors. Read more… Deborah Klugman  – Stage Raw It’s a compelling way to begin this story of murder and mayhem. There’s … Read more

Bacon @ ROGUE MACHINE

by

F. Kathleen Foley – Stage Raw Clocking in at 80 minutes, this two-hander may be compact in length, but it is dramatically dense in its densely dramatic portrayal of adolescent angst, sexual ambiguity, parental abuse, poverty, and the overwhelming peer pressure that can derail a young life. Read more… Travis Michael Holder – TicketHoldersLA What … Read more

Here Comes the Night @ MOVING ARTS

by

Patrick Chavis – LA Theatre Bites Podcast 8.5 out of 10! Great Show! LA Theatre Bites Recommended! Listen here… F. Kathleen Foley – Stage Raw First produced last July for two nights only as part of the She Arts LA Festival, playwright Lisa Kenner Grissom’s two-hander, Here Comes the Night, has been restaged by Moving Arts with a … Read more

The Brothers Abelson Since 1946 @ ELECTRIC LODGE

by

F. Kathleen Foley – Stage Raw There are apparent weaknesses in the play’s structure: The revelation of the shocking “secret” behind Isaac’s recent retirement is anticlimactic, while the family’s eleventh-hour emotional transition is a shade too pat. However, Danziger’s richly believable characters and crackling dialogue make up for those shortcomings. Read more…