Harry Houdini

Oz the Great and Powerful Is Neither of Those Things

Theater to See in L.A. This Week, Including a Mesmerizing Child's-Eye View of Grief, Walking the Tightrope

Child-like views delighted our critics this week, with Mike Kenney's Walking the Tightrope at the 24th Street Theatre taking Pick of the Week, and a nod to Albie Selznick's magic show Smoke and Mirrors at the Lankershim Arts Center in North Hollywood. There's also a recommendation for an adult comed ... More >>

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 >>

As the Magic Castle Celebrates 50 Years, Its Founder and Historian Reflect on the Mansion and Its Ghosts

As a performer and a writer for such 1950s TV shows as Truth or Consequences, 81-year-old Milt Larsen is a natural frontman. He cheerfully admits, "To spend 50 years lying about this place just came naturally to me. If I don't know the history, I'll just make up something." He's talking about the Ma ... 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 >>

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 >>

Twelve Tales of Sexual Mortification

Angelenos cough up their most embarrassing sexual moments, and a whole lot of blood, puke and piss

Charlie Gets Out: Gender-Bending Performer Braves His 'Hood (VIDEO)

Sam Slovick​Charlie Romero is a small, exotic island just off the east coast of Echo Park, nestled in a sea of tidy bungalows in East L.A. "I'm a hot mess," Charlie confesses. He's wearing a candy-striped, polyester-blend tank top and capri pants. The compact three-room home he occupies wit ... More >>

L.A.'s Best Cocktails

Our 55 favorites and where to find them

Stefan Bucher's Medals for Broken Hearts (And Other Dubious Love Achievements)

​Have you ever suffered because of love? Stefan Bucher thinks you deserve a medal. In fact, you ought to be able to get one for all kinds of love-related achievements. Bucher (who is known for his drawings of monsters) recently wrote and illustrated a book about it. It's called You Deserve A ... More >>

Henry Rollins Column: Rollins on Komodo Dragons (They Blow His Mind!), Deerhoof and Orange Republicans

Maura LanahanOur eminent columnist, Mr. Henry Rollins!​[The one and only Henry Rollins contirbutes a weekly column and far-reaching reportage to the music section of the LA Weekly. Look for your weekly Henry Rollins fix right here on West Coast Sound every Monday and make sure to tune in to He ... More >>

Music Picks: Amy Kuney, Whispertown, the Civil Wars, Jake Bellows, Plan B

Also, Thom Bresh, Pictureplane, James Intveld and others

Music Picks: Liz Pappademas, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Mad Professor, Bill Frisell

Also, Taylor Swift, Los Tres, Saint Motel, David Allan Coe and others

Rock Picks: Warped Tour, Pop Levi, Valient Thorr

Also, Previously on Lost, Raphael Saadiq, Liz Pappademas

Rock Picks: R.E.M., Von Bondies, Ladytron

And other May 22-29 shows

Our Favorite Shows and Artifacts

Art to live for

Gallery Listings

For the week of November 9 - 15

Rock Picks: Julieta Venegas, White Stripes, Spectrum

For the week of September 13 – 20

Art Openings

For the week of November 30 - December 6

OK Go Dress Me

Getting off the jeans-and-T-shirt treadmill

Welcome to The Grand Illusion

The Prestige plumbs the depths of magic and loss

Criminals of the Heart

Road kills and clerical errors

Rock Magicians

Former members of the Pixies and Possum Dixon have a little punk up their sleeves

Art vs. Science

Matthew Barney’s a bore; the Hubble Space Telescope’s a blast

¿Por Qué?

The works of Paco Ignacio Taibo II offer a one-man walking tour of Mexican history