Jonas Schwartz – Theatermania Ultimately, this comedy is not up to par with the Old Globe’s usual standards — a work that’s already on the regional track but doesn’t add much to a season’s lineup. It’s unclear what was afoot in choosing this unremarkable play. Read more…
Jonas Schwartz – Theatermania Get down to San Diego for this extravaganza at La Jolla Playhouse. Sasha Velour is THE artist amongst artists. Read more…
Anita W. Harris – LA Theatrix “The Brothers Size” is ultimately the mesmerizing story of two very different brothers, each learning to make space for the other in a world that threatens to crowd in on their love, despite – or perhaps because of – their protective circle. Read more… F. Kathleen Foley – Stage … Read more
Jonas Schwartz – Theatermania Jon Robin Baitz’s The Substance of Fire could be a sincere one-act about two people ruled by rage who make themselves vulnerable to each other. Unfortunately in this production, the second act is shackled to a first act that feels like warmed-over Succession, which exists only to give context and ends … Read more
Jonas Schwartz – Theatermania Tiny Father engrosses its audience by focusing on the human aspects of our over-complicated medical industry. Instead of offering a soapbox speech, this West Coast premiere at the Geffen is a complicated, sensitive tale of two people trying to make the best of difficult circumstances. Read more…
Katie Buenneke – Stage Raw This is a unique production, where the sum of the parts may be greater than the show itself. There’s a lot to like about most of the elements of Jelly’s Last Jam, especially for anyone who enjoys hearing and seeing jazz performed at a high level, but Jelly Roll Morton’s … Read more
Jonas Schwartz – Theatermania Reefer Madness, The Musical has risen from the grave in the city where it first slayed for over 18 record-breaking months. Director and choreographer Spencer Liff and a stellar cast make this revival at the Reefer Den in Hollywood a winner, delivering an intoxicating high as potent as the original. Read … Read more
Patrick Chavis – The Orange Curtain Review Galilee, 34, doesn’t explore anything new or controversial about the long and arduous creation of the Bible, which has not been discussed about the best-selling book of all time for decades. Still, Eleanor Burgess’s comedic setup and this incredible cast of actors succeed in bringing some of these … Read more
Travis Michael Holder – TicketHoldersLA So what makes this old funny girl funnier than ever before? Simply put, Katerina McCrimmon is absolutely the best Fanny Brice I’ve ever seen—and I’m old enough to have seen the original star-making turn by Babs herself before the film version cleaned her up a tad. Evoking Edith Piaf with … Read more
Jonas Schwartz – Theatermania Craig Lucas’s play Prelude to a Kiss is a fairy tale about the nature of true love and the insignificance of physical beauty. Now, Lucas, along with co-lyricist Sean Hartley and composer and co-lyricist Daniel Messé, has created a musicalized version that is making its world premiere at South Coast Repertory, … Read more