Theater Digest

Misbehaving men: SIX, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, KING AND I, plus Under the Skin, Coleman ’72, A New Brain, 44, Whittier Boulevard

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Don Shirley – Angeles Stage Before a jury held Donald Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming E. Jean Carroll and awarded her $5 million, Trump claimed in a deposition that male “stars” have grabbed and groped women for “millions of years” — “unfortunately or fortunately.” Leaving that unfortunate “fortunately” aside, the musicals that currently … Read more

A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC at Pasadena Playhouse

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Harker Jones – BroadwayWorld. Despite the sex comedy aspects of the show, a vein of melancholy runs throughout it, much of it being told through the lens of regret. This isn’t encapsulated any better than in Desirée’s lament “Send in the Clowns,” which is hopeless and hopeful and remorseful and accepting and existential all bound … Read more

1776 at the Ahmanson Theatre

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Katie Buenneke – Theater Digest. I would not, normally, choose to be watching the musical 1776. Just thinking about it brings back memories of watching the movie in my US history class, junior year of high school, with Abigail Adams wistfully singing about saltpeter to Mr. Feeny. It did not work for me then, when … Read more

AVA: THE SECRET CONVERSATIONS at Geffen Playhouse

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Jonas Schwartz – Theatermania Ava: The Secret Conversations, written by and starring Elizabeth McGovern, looks at the life of golden-age movie star Ava Gardner. But oddly, it focuses more on a periphery character, a sycophantic hack writer. This might come as a disappointment to those who want to spend time with Gardner rather than this … Read more

UNRIVALED at Boston Court Pasadena

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Patrick Chavis – LA Theatre Bites. Boston Court and Playwrights’ Arena Present: Unrivaled @ Boston Court Pasadena – 7.5 out of 10 – Above Average! More… Katie Buenneke – Theater Digest Sei Shōnagon (Chelsea Yakura-Kurtz) wrote The Pillow Book, an assemblage of musings that entertained not just her fellow ladies-in-waiting in the court of Empress … Read more

THE TEMPEST by Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles and After Hours Theatre Company

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Martίn Hernández – Stage Raw. While inundating storms may have receded recently, another one is brewing over at the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles which has partnered with After Hours Theatre Company for a sumptuous “immersive” co-production of William Shakespeare’s tale of revenge, love, and compassion. After boarding the “King’s Ship” on its journey from … Read more

TWILIGHT: LOS ANGELES, 1992 at the Mark Taper Forum

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Dana Martin – Stage Raw. Center Theatre Group meets the moment with Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992, conceived, written and revised by Anna Deavere Smith. The original production premiered on Broadway in April, 1994. Smith wrote it as a solo piece, which she developed from hundreds of interviews following the 1992 L.A. uprising. This updated version has expanded … Read more

THE LONELY FEW at Geffen Playhouse

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Patrick Chavis – LA Theatre Bites. World Premiere: The Lonely Few @ Geffen Playhouse – 8 out of 10 – Good Show! LA Theatre Bites Recommended! More… Jonas Schwartz-Owen – Theatermania The Lonely Few, a world premiere rock musical at the Geffen Playhouse, does away with conventional narrative. It immerses its audience in rock clubs and then … Read more

LOVE AND INFORMATION at Antaeus Theatre Company

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Katie Buenneke – Theatre Digest. Through some unlucky combination of script, direction, cast, set design, and video design, this felt more like sitting through a scene study class than a professional play. Somehow, I hadn’t seen a play by Caryl Churchill before, but I’m in no rush to see another. Read more… Patrick Chavis – LA … Read more

CALVIN BERGER at the Colony Theatre

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Rob Stevens – Haines His Way. Edmond Rostand wrote his classic romantic comedy Cyrano de Bergerac in 1897. According to Wikipedia, the original French play has been translated at least 16 times since then… The latest version to play locally is the 2006 musical Calvin Berger with book, music & lyrics all by Barry Wyner, currently playing at Burbank’s … Read more