Chris Bell

Theater to See in L.A. This Week, Including Family Strife and Sexual Taboos in Machu Picchu, Texas

Family trauma drama Machu Picchu, Texas (pictured above) grabs our Pick of the Week this week. Good reviews also for Noel Coward's Fallen Angels at the Pasadena Playhouse and David Henry Hwang's Chinglish at South Coast Rep. For all New Theater Reviews, and this weekend's comprehensive listing ... More >>

Theater to See in L.A. This Week, Including Jane Kaczmarek in The Snake Can

Kathryn Graf's new comedy about women slipping into middle-age, The Snake Can, is this week's pick of the week. Also a nod for Cathy Rigby reprising her decades-long performance in Peter Pan. See below for all the latest New Theater Reviews, and this week's comprehensive stage listings. Also, two s ... More >>

Theater to See in L.A. This Week, Including Dostoevsky's Notes From Underground

Nods this week for Laguna Playhouse's production of Neil Simon's Chapter Two and Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground at Zombie Joe's Underground in North Hollywood. For the latest new reviews and comprehensive stage listings, see below. Tanna Frederick and Robert Standley star in N. Richard Nash's T ... More >>

Theater to See in L.A. This Week, Including a Solo Show About Pioneering Actress Hattie McDaniel

Our critic Lovell Estell was entranced by Vickilyn Reynolds' performance in a show based on the life of Hattie McDaniel, Hattie -- What I Need You To Know. For all the latest New Theater Reviews, and comprehensive stage listings, see below.This week's Stage Feature takes a look a three shows th ... More >>

The God Particle Complex

Theater to See in L.A. This Week, Including Sherlock's Last Case

No new reviews this week, but these will return at the same time next week, as the new theater season gets underway. See below for complete listings of shows to see this week.In this week's stage feature, we asked our stable of critics what they most dread and anticipate when being assigned a s ... More >>

Jon Hamm and Adam Scott Host Sandy Benefit, With Performances by Aziz Ansari, Sarah Silverman and More

See also: *Dick Jokes for Jesus at Comedy Bang Bang's Nativity Pageant *10 Best Standup Comedy Shows in L.A. *5 Best Comedy Shows in L.A. This Week "Ladies, please prepare your vaginas," announced actor/comedian Aziz Ansari Monday night at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles, introducing masters of ... More >>

Stage Raw: LADCC Awards and Quiz3

NEW THEATER REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE ON PUZZLER AND ADDING MACHINE: A MUSICALCOMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSLOS ANGELES DRAMA CRITICS CIRCLE ANNOUNCES NOMINATIONS FOR ACHIEVEMENTS DURING 2010 The 42nd annual ceremony takes place on Monday, March 14 at Burbank's Colony Theatre. Details will be posted at ... More >>

Top 10 Solo Projects by Guest Blogger Big Search, a.k.a. Matt Popieluch of Foreign Born and Fool's Gold (Also: an Exclusive New Big Search Song)

Matt Popieluch (Big Search, Foreign Born, Fool's Gold) writes on his favorite solo projects.​Guest blogger Matt Popieluch is not only the lead singer in Foreign Born and riddim guitarist for Fool's Gold, but an "artist gone rogue" in his own right. He's celebrating the release of the debut alb ... More >>

BREAKING: Big Star's Alex Chilton Dead at 59

We just received confirmation of this. More forthcoming. UPDATE: From the Memphis Commercial Appeal paper, from Chilton's beloved hometown: Pop hitmaker, cult hero, and Memphis rock iconoclast Alex Chilton has died. The singer and guitarist, best known as a member of '60s pop-soul act the Box Top ... More >>

Stage Raw: Trauma Dolls

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWS This week's cover story on Pee-wee Herman; this week's Stage feature on An Oak TreeTRAUMA DOLLS ​Photo courtesy of Highways Next Friday and Saturday, January 29 and 30, at 8:30 p.m. Highways presents (Un)Concrete Musique, a trio of of multimedia m ... More >>

Stage Raw: The Future Belongs to Us?

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGS NEW THEATER REVIEWS This week's stage features on Ben Bradley's Murder and The Princess and the FrogTHEATRE OF NOTE MARATHON ​ Fire-eater Julia Prud'homme Photo by Kiff Scholl Theatre of NOTE presents its 15th annual Performance Marathon this coming Saturday, Jan. ... More >>

Stage Raw: Outrageous Fortune

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSThis week's stage features on The Best of '09 and The Best of the Decade.OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE Theatre Development Fund has just published its findings on "the life and times of the American play" in a comprehensive analysis (by Todd London with Ben Pesner, and Zannie Gir ... More >>

Blood Drops Keep Falling on My Head: Debbie McMahon's Grand Guignolers

Stage Raw: The Female of the Species

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSTHIS WEEK'S STAGE FEATURE on Palestine, New MexicoFEMALE OF THE SPECIES The Geffen Playhouse just announced that Anette Bening will star in Joanna Murray-Smith's comedy, The Female of the Species along with David Arquette, Mirielle Enos, Merritt Weve ... More >>

ABSINTHE, OPIUM, AND MAGIC; GAY APPAREL: A CHRISTMAS CAROL, THE HOUSE OF BESARAB

Also, Pandora, Wacademia, the Santaland Diaries, Stated Income and more

Absinthe, Opium, & Magic: 1920s Shanghai

Stage Raw: Film

FILM is this week's Pick of the Week. Photo by Darrett Sanders Failing Better The Absurdists' convention Local playwright Patrick McGowan's new play, Film, has no right to be as good as it is. The central character is the late theater director Alan Schneider (Bill Robens) -- known for stagi ... More >>

Stage Raw: Candida

CANDIDA Candida at the Colony Theatre is this week's Pick. Photo by Michael Lamont. At your fingertips: The 30th Annual L.A. Weekly Theater Awards NOMINEES.Tickets for nominee's guests and for the general public can now be purchased via  http://tinyurl.com/theaterawardsReviewed this we ... More >>

Stage Raw: Phil Newby

PHIL NEWBY A memorial service was held at Sacred Fools Theatre on Sunday for that company's young and beloved actor who was found in his apartment last week. More on Phil to come in the print edition one week week from Thursday. At your fingertips: This week's Theater Feature on Jim Leonard' ... More >>

Stage Raw: Monsters and Prodigies

Reviewed this week: Pippin at the Mark Taper Forum; Jack Chandlers' new comedy-mystery, Murder on the Bounding Main, at Sierra Madre Playhouse; a dance-rock fusion, Vibrating Sun, at Unknown Theatre; Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble's staging fof Macbeth; Echo One-Act Festival at Stage 52; Furious Th ... More >>

Stage Raw: Unpronouncable

THEATER AWARDS UPDATE Here is the complete list of NOMINEES for the 30th annual L.A. Weekly Theater Awards, being held Monday, March 30 at the El Rey. Admission for nominees is free; nominee RSVPs are now being accepted at (310) 574-7208. Tickets for guests and members of the public go on sale ... More >>

Stage Raw: The Biggest Thank You Ever Given

The Biggest Thank You Ever Given I'm thunderstruck and deeply moved by the outpouring and quality of your appreciations to me in your emails and in the comments to Friday's posting on the elimination of the L.A. Weekly's Theater Editor position. What a privilege: to read all that, to have served ... More >>

Stage Raw: Arts Freeze

ARTS FREEZE FOR THE HOLIDAYS In a cost-cutting measure, the Los Angeles Unified School District has frozen district funds until the state legislature returns to Sacramento in January to sort out the State budget gridlock. Arts for L.A. has been quick to point out that the freeze includes existin ... More >>

Stage Raw: New Troupes on the Block

NEW TROUPES ON THE BLOCK Under the umbrella of Cornerstone Theatre Company, a new company called Teatro Jornalero Sin Fronteras (Day Laborer Theater Without Borders) launches at the Hollywood Community Job Center, 5669 De Longpre Avenue; December 20 at noon. The 15-member troupe will voice the s ... More >>

A Grand Guignol Children's Show

Theater Reviews: My Trip Down the Pink Carpet, Scrooge Must Die!

Plus, A Grand Guignol Children's Show, A Chicago Christmas Carol and more

Stage Raw: Your Source for Free and Discount Theater Tickets

FREE AND DISCOUNT THEATER TICKETS RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW Plays411 is offering FREE & Discount Tickets: You only pay $3.50 Service Fee, or Half-off where indicated. Advance Reservations only: Go to: plays411.com, then select the show, use Promo Code: "LETMEIN" (unless otherwise instructed ... More >>

Stage Raw: Leslie Jordan's Trip Down the Pink Carpet

This Week's Theater Pick Leslie Jordan's Autobiographical Trip Down the Pink Carpet If a zest for life is infectious, there's probably no more delightful a carrier than Leslie Jordan. A diminutive stage, film, Emmy Award-winning TV actor, and fugitive from the Bible Belt, Jordan regales us ... More >>

Music Picks

For Feb. 17 - 23

Music Books We’ve Been Reading . . .

Essential Reading

Provided by the United States Government

Double Trouble

Tom DeLay and his bid to buy the Texas Legislature

The 22nd Annual L.A. Weekly Theater Awards Nominations

Big Easy Star

Alex Chilton’s song of the South

Briefly Noted

An evening of tiny plays about big headaches