THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE at the Geffen Playhouse

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

THE ORIGINALIST at the Pasadena Playhouse

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

A WRINKLE IN TIME at the Sierra Madre Playhouse

Dany Margolies – The Daily Breeze Imaginative direction, striking designs and two vivid performances bring the thrilling journey of Madeleine L’Engle’s science-fantasy novel “A Wrinkle in Time” to life onstage at Sierra Madre Playhouse. Read more… Now running through April 22

AH WILDERNESS at A Noise Within

Frances Baum Nicholson – The Daily Breeze When one thinks of Eugene O’Neill, one thinks of wrenchingly serious plays, but “Ah, Wilderness” gives him a chance to explore the comparative innocence of a life he wished he could have lived. Read more… Jonas Schwartz –  TheaterMania Ah, Wilderness! is a tender memory piece about a family … Read more

COLLECTIVE RAGE at The Theatre at Boston Court

Deborah Klugman – Stage Raw Collective Rage, whose poster features a gal with soft eyes, a flexed bicep and a clenched fist, is subtitled “a play in 5 boops” because all five characters are named Betty Boop, after the cartoon figure conceived by Max Fleischer in 1930. Read more… Frances Baum Nicholson – The Daily Breeze … Read more

FUN HOME at the Ahmanson Theatre

Erin Conley – OnStage Don’t be misled by the sight of three adorable children bouncing around and singing “come to the fun home.” In this case, ‘fun’ is short for ‘funeral,’ and while little about the tragic tale could actually be described as fun, it can certainly be described as some of the very best … Read more

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND at Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts

Dany Margolies – The Daily Breeze The visuals are gorgeous in 3–D Theatricals’ production of the infrequently produced “Once on This Island.” Costuming, lighting, choreography — everything that appeals to the eye gets a lavish treatment in this lively….. Read more… Rob Stevens – Haines His Way Once on This Island is a little gem of … Read more