Theatre ReviewsTheatre Reviews (209)
Reviews for North Hollywood Theatres, Burbank Theatres and shows now playing in Los Angeles and Hollywood theatres. Theatres include: Los Angeles Valley College, J.E.T. Studios, El Portal Theatre, Actors Forum Theatre, Madrid Theatre, ZJU, and many more.
An inattentive mother who gave birth to three daughters from three different fathers should not expect to be remembered fondly after her death. In "Seatbelts Required," Kimberly Demmary's new play, currently at the Actors Workout Studio, the three half-sisters, who gather in the deceased's home following the funeral , take turns over the next two hours assailing their mother, fighting among themselves, crying, drinking beer in Act One and Tequila in Act Two, and revealing a few shocking secrets.
Love. Lust. Betrayal. Murder! Zombie Joe's Underground's world premiere production of Vanessa Cate's 1940's Film noir-inspired thriller about a relentless private eye's search for the killer of Hollywood's leading lady and the psychological web of deceit he uncovers.
Red Hot Patriot - The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins
Written by Cathy WayneGeffen Playhouse presents The West Coast Premiere of
RED HOT PATRIOT:
The Kick Ass Wit of Molly Ivins
Directed by David Esbjornson
Written by Margaret and Allison Engel
Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous. Run, don’t walk to the Geffen Playhouse production of Red Hot Patriot: The Kick Ass Wit of Molly Ivins who has been brought to life by the two-time Tony and Oscar nominee, talented and extraordinary Kathleen Turner and directed by David Esbjornson.
Grigware Picks The Eddon Awards 2011: The Best in LA Theatre
Written by Don GrigwareThe Best in LA Theatre for 2011
(alphabetical listings)
(artists performing outside LA may be included in performance categories)
TOP PRODUCTIONS
Bakersfield Mist - Fountain Theatre
Cabaret - Reprise Theatre Co
Caught - Zephyr Theatre
The Cripple of Inishman - Kirk Douglas Theatre
Danny and the Deep Blue Sea- Crown City Theatre
Entertaining Mr. Sloane - The Actors Company
Falsettos - Third Street Theatre
Fela - Ahmanson Theatre
God of Carnage - Ahmanson Theatre
Hairspray - MTW (Musical Theatre West)
Having It All - NoHo Arts Center
I Never Sang For My Father - The New American Theatre
Peace in Our Time - Antaeus Company
Pursued by Happiness - Road Theatre Company
Year Zero - Colony Theatre
MOST PROMISING NEW MUSICAL
My Fairytale - PCPA Theatrefest, Solvang
MOST PROMISING NEW PLAY
The Color of Rose - Theatre 40
BEST ENSEMBLE CASTS: PLAY
The Cripple of Inishman - Kirk Douglas Theatre
Entertaining Mr. Sloane - The Actors Company
God of Carnage - Ahmanson Theatre
Poor Behavior - Mark Taper Forum
Peace in Our Time - Antaeus Company
BEST ENSEMBLE CASTS: MUSICAL
Falsettos - Third Street Theatre
Hairspray - MTW
Having It All - NoHo Arts Center
I'm Just Wild About Harry - Crown City Theatre
BEST LEAD PERFORMANCES
Sam Anderson/Corryn Cummins - Blackbird @ Rogue Machine
Philip Baker Hall/Anne Gee Byrd - I Never Sang For My Father @ The New American Theatre
Judith Chapman - Vivien @ Rogue Machine
Gary Cole/Edi Gathegi - Superior Donuts @ Geffen Playhouse
Emrhys Cooper/Olivia d'Abo - Entertaining Mr. Sloane @ The Actors Company
Alaman Diadhiou - Twist @ Pasadena Playhouse
Rebekah Dunn - Don't Hug Me I'm Pregnant @ Secret Rose Theatre
Jane Fonda - 33 Variations @ Ahmanson Theatre
Marcia Gay Harden - God of Carnage @ Ahmanson Theatre
Juliet Landau/Matthew J. Williamson- Danny and the Deep Blue Sea @ Crown City Theatre
Hal Linden - On Golden Pond @ Colony Theatre
Lesli Margherita/Tom Hewitt - Kiss Me Kate @ Reprise Theatre Company
Sandy Martin - A House Not Meant To Stand @ Fountain Theatre
Tadhg Murphy - The Cripple of Inishman @ Kirk Douglas Theatre
Sahr Ngaujah - Fela @ Ahmanson Theatre
Jenny O'Hara/Nick Ullett - Bakersfield Mist @ Fountain Theatre
Lisa O'Hare/Bryce Ryness - Cabaret @ Reprise Theatre Company
Annie Potts - AfterMath @ Matrix Theatre
Jenny Powers - A Dangerous Beauty @ Pasadena Playhouse
Deborah Puette - Caught @ Zephyr Theatre
Ignacio Serricchio/Curt Bonnem - Kowalski @ Two Roads Theatre
Gwen Van Dam - The Trip to Bountiful @ Group rep
BEST FEATURED PERFORMANCES
Meredith Bishop/Daniel Taylor - AfterMath @ Matrix Theatre
Larry Cedar/Sybyl Walker - Travels with My Aunt @ Colony Theatre
Bert Emmett - Don't Hug Me I'm Pregnant @ Secret Rose Theatre
Coby Getzug - Spring Awakening @ Pantages Theatre
Mary Gordon-Murray - Cabaret @ Reprise Theatre Company
Sasha Higgins - Kowalski @ Two Roads Theatre
Richard Jenik/Amanda Kaschak - Caught @ Zephyr Theatre
Carl Johnson - Wonderlust @ Theatre of Note
Danielle Kennedy - Day Drinkers @ Odyssey Theatre
Alice Lunsford - Hollywood Arms @ Kentwood Players
Virginia Newcomb/Lisa Richards - A House Not Meant To Stand @ Fountain Theatre
Kelli Provart/Jenna Koker-Jones - The Wedding Singer @ MTW
Bryce Ryness/Megan McGinnis - A Dangerous Beauty @ Pasadena Playhouse
Tom Sloan/Dee Ann Newkirk - I Never Sang For My Father @ The New American Theatre
Erik Stein/Sam Zeller - My Fairytale @ PCPA Theatrefest, Solvang
Amy Tolsky - Spider's Web @ Theatre 40 & I Love Lucy @ Greenway Court Theatre
Carole Ita White - The Prisoner of Second Avenue @ El Portal Mainstage
Adam Wylie - The Robber Bridegroom @ ICT (International City Theatre), Long Beach
Gina Yates - The Trip to Bountiful @ Group rep
UNFORGETTABLE COMEDY DUO PERFORMANCES
Jason Alexander and Gina Hecht in The Prisoner of Second Avenue @ El Portal Mainstage
Geoff Elliott and Deborah Strang in The Chairs @ A Noise Within, Glendale
Joseph Fuqua and Jamie Torcellini in The Mystery of Irma Vep @ Rubicon Theatre, Ventura
Paul C. Vogt and Kevin Blake in Laurel and Hardy @ Falcon Theatre
BEST SOLO SHOW: MALE
John Leguizamo - Ghetto Klown - The Montalban
BEST SOLO SHOWS: FEMALE
Spider Saloff - The Roar of the Butterfly @ Celebration Theatre
Jennifer Leigh Warren - Diamonds Are Forever: The Songs of Dame Shirley Bassey @ The Renberg Theatre
BEST CABARET ARTISTS: MALE
Steven Brinberg - Simply Barbra @ M Bar
Jason Graae - Perfect Hermany @ Sterling's Upstairs @ Vitello's
Peter Mac - Becoming Judy @ The Gardenia
BEST CABARET ARTISTS: FEMALE
Ann Hampton Callaway @ Catalina Jazz Club
Dangerous Curves ( Lisa Smith, Karen Michaels, Margaret Menzies) @ Sterling's
Maxine Lapiduss @ Sterling's
Freda Payne @ Catalina Jazz Club
MOST UNIQUE CABARET/VARIETY SHOW
Melodyland - Melody Hollis @ Sterling's
BEST SEASONAL SHOWS
A Christmas WestSide Story - The Troubadour Theatre Co @ The Falcon Theatre
The Gayest Christmas Pageant Ever @ Avery Schreiber Theatre
Mrs. Scrooge The Musical @ Highways, Santa Monica
SPECTACLE
Iris - Cirque du Soleil's unique show for Hollywood @ Kodak Theatre
SPECIAL NOD TO A THEATRE
Glendale Centre Theatre for
1776
Seven Brides For Seven Brothers
STAR-MAKING PERFORMERS
Emrhys Cooper
Juliet Landau
Peter Mac
BEST CDs
from Kritzerland:
Perfect Hermany
Melodyland
The People in the Picture
&
from Rhino:
Seasons Greetings
A Jersey Boys Christmas
Hi Mom, guess what? I finally made it to the Land of Oz!
BANANAS! A Day in the Life of Josephine Baker
Written by Nancy BianconiBANANAS! A Day in the Life of Josephine Baker is an award-winning, one-woman tour-de-force play based on the extraordinary life of international star and civil rights freedom fighter, Josephine Baker. Drama, comedy and music recount Baker's "rise from the slums of East St. Louis to the grand stages of Europe."
For those who prefer theatre with a message, this is your play; for those who prefer a screamingly funny time, you've also come to the right place - Joe Marshall's The Gayest Christmas Pageant Ever! is now making its West Coast premiere at the Avery Schreiber Theatre. Yes, it's sacrilegious, irreverent, so no one is spared, yet it's a play with a whole lot of tolerance and love for everyone. With a tightly-knit cast and meticulous direction from Paul Storiale, this Christmas Pageant should run annually for many years to come.
The Group Rep presents
MY THREE ANGELS
Written by Sam & Bella Spewack
Directed by Larry Eisenberg
Producers for the Group Rep: Laura Coker & Troy Whitaker
Three convicts are not your usual stars of a holiday play. The newest offering from the Group Rep at the Lonny Chapman Theatre, is the wonderful family comedy MY THREE ANGELS, and is set in a penal colony on tropical French Guyana in 1910. But by plays end we might just think of these three as Wise Men, rather than convicts.
It is Christmas Eve in the failing General Store of mild-mannered Felix and Emilie Ducatel. Felix (Doug Haverty), Emilie (Julia Silverman) and their beautiful daughter, Marie Louise (Kelsi Zahl) are awaiting the arrival of the deleterious and venomous Henri Trochard (well played by Chris Winfield), who could very easily be compared to Ebenezer Scrooge, and Henri’s nephew Paul (Daniel Sykes) who is “supposedly” in love with the beautiful daughter. Henri swindled Felix out of his business in France years earlier and is coming to cast the final blow to the Ducatel family and take over the General Store.
Enter the Three Wise Men, err three convicts on loan to Felix from the Island’s penal colony to fix the roof of his General Store. All three are warmhearted and passionate believers in justice, even though two are in prison for murder, and the other, an accountant fiddled with this company’s books. They are the center of this fun play, and supply support to the distressed Ducatel family. Joseph, superbly performed by Lloyd Pedersen who shines bringing amazing comedic breath and life to the role, Jules played by the wonderful Robert Gallo, and Alfred performed by the talented and capable Garrett Marshall are three terrific convicts. Both Hersha Parady as Madame Parole and Max Bunzel as the Lieutenant are capable in the roles and round out the cast.
Competently directed by Larry Eisenberg, with another amazing set design by Chris Winfield, fabulous costumes by Angela Eads, lighting design by Jazmin Lopez, all enhance the aesthetically beautiful Production Design of the entire play.
MY THREE ANGELS is a terrific addition to your Holiday theatre calendar. In the end, the convicts redeem themselves as real life angels to the grateful family. Come and catch some of the Christmas Holiday spirit at the Group Rep.
Enjoy!!!!
Cast: Robert Gallo, Doug Haverty, Garrett Marshall, Hersha Parady, Lloyd Pedersen, Julia Silverman, Daniel Sykes, Chris Winfield, and Kelsi Zahl; with Max Bunzel or Sterling Hall, or Michael Harrison (various cameo dates as the Lieutenant).
Director: Larry Eisenberg
Producer for the Group Rep: Laura Coker & Troy Whitaker
Set Design: Chris Winfield
Lighting Design: Jazmin Lopez
Sound Design: Steve Shaw
Costume Design: Angela Eads
Assistant Director: Linda Alznauer
Public Relations: Nora Feldman
Graphic Design: art & soul design
Program: Kady Douglas
Lonny Chapman Theatre
10900 Burbank Boulevard
North Hollywood, CA 91601
Ticket Purchase / Schedule / Information: www.thegrouprep.com or 818.700.4878
Performances: December 9, 2011 – January 15, 2012
Plays: Friday and Saturday at 8pm
Sunday at 2pm (December 25 at 7pm & January 1 at 7pm)
Tickets: $15 - $22
Parking: Ample street parking and early-bird lot parking available
A Christmas Westside Story
written & directed by Matt Walker
The Troubies @ the Falcon
through January 15
With such memorable Christmas shows before it like It's a Stevie Wonderful Life, Santa Claus Is Comin' to MOTOWN and Frosty the Snow Manilow, A Christmas Westside Story joins the ranks of the Troubies' very, very best. Why? Because everyone's now classic film favorite A Christmas Story blends perfectly with everyone's favorite music from Westside Story. Both entail the pangs of growing up. What better base for drama? And both depict violence - Westside Story on a bigger scale, but there's assuredly more than a glimmer of it in A Christmas Story.
Bob Cratchit & Mr. Tightwad @ The Secret Rose
Sorry to say, this adaptation (Katrina Wood) of Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol is a major disappointment. The performance was sluggish - at least on the afternoon I attended, and there are no real redeeming qualities for the changes made to the script. If you are attempting to present the story from a different perspective, fine, do that, but make sure there is a reason and that it is completely clear. To add contemporary characters to delight a younger generation - like a rock 'n roll Goth Girl for the Ghost of Christmas Present (nice work from Athena Rose) within the traditional Victorian setting makes no sense. Even having Bob Cratchit narrate doesn't change or enhance anything. The music is OK, but hardly memorable; it needs more buoyancy and hope. I kept asking myself "What's the new twist on this?" The small plot elements changed would be better off left as Dickens wrote them.
On the plus side there's a very enjoyable performance by Foster Walker as Cratchit. His aggressive personality is rather engaging, and the slight conversion to a Scrooge-like nature at play's end is fun to watch. It's a pleasure to see the vibrantly talented Emily Bridges, but she is quite wasted as Nell. Some nice work from the ensemble and excellent staging, but an overall unstimulating presentation that may turn off ardent fans of Charles Dickens.
3 out of 5 stars
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