Keanu Reeves

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 >>

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 Japanese War Brides Musical Tea, With Music

A musical about World War II war brides, Tea, With Music, for which the author, Velina Hasu Houston, has added songs and music for this production, is our Pick of the Week. For all new theater reviews, see below. This week's stage fature looks a couple of plays aiming to be light fare: Micha ... More >>

Stage Raw: LA Weekly Fringe Award Winner

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSStage FEATURE on Salome and J.M. Barrie at PRTCuriousjosh.comThe Burning Opera​The Burning Opera: How to Survive the Apocalypse, created by Mark Nicols and Erik Davis, and being performed at Syrup Loft downtown, is among the productions being revie ... More >>

Stage Raw: Theatrification and Broadway 100

COMPREHENSVIE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on Tim Crouch's The Author, and the Belarus Free Theatre L.A. WEEKLY THEATER AWARDS NOMINEESTHEATRIFICATION AND BROADWAY 100 ​Broadway and the Vaudeville circuit began in Los Angeles 100 years ago, in the downtown Historical Theater Di ... More >>

Stage Raw: Camino Real

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE ON THE BREAK OF NOON, AND CRACK WHORE GALORE -- LIVE!NEW PARTNERS ​CalArts teams up with the Theater @ Boston Court to present CAMINO REAL  (reviewed here on Tuesday) at the Pasadena theater. Photo by Ed Krieger. Another new pa ... More >>

Stage Raw: Furious Theatre Company and Pasadena Playhouse part ways

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE ON SPIDER-MAN, ON BROADWAYFURIOUS AND PASADENA PLAYHOUSE PART WAYSFor reasons having to do with Pasadena Playhouse's needs to lease its second space, The Carrie Hamilton Theater, and the need of Furious Theatre Company for a space with h ... More >>

Stage Raw: Loveland

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSTheater Feature on La Razon Blindada and A Wolf Inside the Fence and NEW REVIEW GO LOVELAND ​Photo by Leland Auslender What a rare experience it is, when a character that's as maniacal, sexually overheated and as transparently off the rails as a ... More >>

Stage Raw: Circle X and Bootleg Hook Up to Read Plays

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSTheater FEATURE on John StepplingCIRCLE X AND BOOTLEG HOOK UP TO READ PLAYS Circle X Theatre Company and Bootleg are joining forces to present a series of Monday night readings of new works, starting September 13, at the Bootleg venue. Playwrights s ... More >>

Stage Raw: James Gammon Memorial

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on Opus, at the Fountain Theatre MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR JAMES GAMMON: Sunday, August 22, 2 p.m. at the MET Theatre, 1089 N. Oxford Avenue in Hollywood. RSVP here Check back Monday night for reviews of: BOY'S LIFE, Howard Korder's 1988 ba ... More >>

Stage Raw: Summer Festivities

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on [title of show] and Dani GirlSUMMER FESTIVITIES Open Fist Theater Company launches its annual Fist Look Festival this weekend, with The Existents, a rock musical by Douglas Crawford and Jason Wooten, music and lyrics by Ty Taylor. T ... More >>

Stage Raw: Brewsie & Willie

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE ON LINDA PURL'S FESTIVALBREWSIE AND WILLIE ​Poor Dog Group's adaptation of Gertrude Stein's novella, is among the productions being reviewed this week. Photo by Scott Grolier Check back here on Monday night for reviews of THE BAKER'S ... More >>

Stage Raw: Unknown Future, Theater on Seward Closes Its Doors

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on Lieutenant of Inishmore and A Tale Told by an IdiotAN UNKNOWN FUTURE: Theater on Seward Closes its Doors John Fleck performs tonight (Thursday), 8 p.m. with his sardonic one-man comedy about Trader Joe's (and points beyond), Side E ... More >>

Stage Raw: Pasadena Playhouse Emerges from Bankruptcy

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSCURRENT STAGE FEATURE on KING LEARCAPTURED AURAL PHANTASY THEATER ​CAPT presents a special event tonight (Friday) night, Hooray for Hollywood Extravaganza, celebrating the legends of Our Fair City, In a style mixing radio and vaudeville. The Galler ... More >>

Stage Raw: The Other Festivals

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSCurrent STAGE FEATURE on Anton Chekhov's 150th Birthday BashTHE OTHER FESTIVALS Running concurrently with the Hollywood Fringe (June 17-27) is Arts Olympus (June 17-20) on board the Queen Mary in Long Beach. AO includes a contemporary Russian exhib ... More >>

Stage Raw: Lease Subsidy Program Gets Another Lease

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSCURRENT FEATURE ON BORN TO BE ALIVE and THE WOMEN OF BREWSTER PLACELEASE SUBSIDY PROGRAM GETS ANOTHER LEASE A recommendation by L.A.'s Chief Administrative Officer Miguel Santana to restructure (eliminate) the city's Lease Subsidy Program for non- ... More >>

Stage Raw: L.A. Theater Aesthetic?

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on The Event and Kharmful Charms of Daniil Kharms THE 31ST ANNUAL L.A. WEEKLY THEATER AWARDSGROUNDLINGS SHOWCASE SHOWDOWN ​is one of almost a dozen new productions being reviewed this weekend. For the complete slate, hit the More tab at the ... More >>

Stage Raw: Getting Our Fringe On

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWS This week's Theater Feature on Camelot and Baal. GETTING OUR FRINGE ON I've heard it said at numerous receptions and parties that the reason L.A. has so much bad theater is because it has so much bad theater - that less would be more. Fringe Fe ... 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: 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 >>

Movie Reviews: Ninja Assassin, Old Dogs, The Sun

Also, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, The End of Poverty? and more

Stage Raw: ZAR

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSTHEATER NEW REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on producer Sir Cameron MackintoshStage Raw: ZAR Theatre ZAR from Wroclaw, Poland has been in Southern California for over a week, conducting workshops of their choral-physical technique at UC Irvine and UCLA. Their Tryptich opens next w ... More >>

Stage Raw: Impacted Wednesday

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSTHEATER NEW REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on Charles Duncombe's The Trojan Women and Julie Hebert's TreeIMPACTED WEDNESDAY​ Equivocation: Photo by Michael Lamont Three big openings on Wednesday: The  U.S. premiere of TR Warszawa's T.E.O.R.E.M.A.T. (Polish director Grzego ... More >>

Stage Raw: Does Your Acting Career Have That Sinking Feeling?

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on Rachel Rosenthal at 83DOES YOUR ACTING CAREER HAVE THAT SINKING FEELING?​Captain Smith looks out over oceans of opportunity There's still hope of a rescue! Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, seeks an actor to play the Titani ... More >>

Stage Raw: Getting Intimate With Michael Kearns

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on Rachel Rosenthal at 83MICHAEL KEARNS GETS INTIMATE​L.A. Weekly's 2007 "Queen of the Angels" Michael Kearns performs his solo performance piece, Intimacies, at the drkrm Gallery and Performance Space in Eagle Rock, 2121 San Fernando ... More >>

Stage Raw: L.A. shows NYC-bound

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSLATEST THEATER REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on Leonard Nimoy and Company of AngelsL.A. SHOWS HEADING EAST ​SoulArt Productions presentation of Alex Lyras' The Common Air - a nominee in last year's L.A. Weekly Theatre Awards solo performance award for its 2008 run at the Asylu ... More >>

Over the Weekend: Flight of the Conchords, Gary Busey at Point Break Live!, Dazed and Confused at Hollywood Forever Cemetery and more

There's nothing more depressing than the end of a long holiday weekend (except the hangover, of course, which is why you should try this remedy). In addition to the WTFBBQs and beach parties, we caught Flight of the Conchords at the Greek, hung out with Gary Busey at Point Break Live!, and inhaled s ... More >>

Stage Raw: The Rehearsal

AT YOUR FINGERTIPS, THIS COMING WEEK'S COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSAlso, this week's INTERVIEW with playwright Richard GreenbergTHE REHEARSAL is this week's Theater PickThe Rehearsal Photo by Craig SchwartzNEW REVIEW THEATER PICK In French dramatist Jean Anouilh's scintillating 1958 play, The Re ... More >>

Stage Raw: The Seafarer

AT YOUR FINGERTIPS, THIS WEEK'S COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGS  NEW REVIEW: THE SEAFARER at the Geffen PlayhouseJohn Mahoney and Andrew Connolly in The Seafarer Photo by Michael LamontNEW REVIEW GO THE SEAFARER If you're seeking innovation in the theater, look elsewhere. Conor McPherson's I ... More >>

Stage Raw: Photograph 51

THE 30TH ANNUAL L.A. WEEKLY AWARDS, HOSTED BY JAKE BRODER AND VANESSA CLAIRE SMITH (OF LOUIS & KEELY: LIVE AT THE SAHARA) IS HAPPENING  AT THE EL REY ONE WEEK FROM TODAY, MONDAY NIGHT MARCH 30. DOORS OPEN AT 6:30 P.M.,  AND NO IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO RSVP OR BUY TICKETS.BRODER AND SMITH ... More >>

Stage Raw: Grease

L.A.DRAMA CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS TONIGHT AT EL PORTALL.A. WEEKLY THEATER AWARDS TWO WEEKS FROM TONIGHT AT THE EL REYPURCHASE TICKETS TO THE 30TH ANNUAL L.A. WEEKLY THEATER AWARDS ON MARCH 30TH; HERE ARE THE NOMINEES GREASE at the PantagesGrease Photo by Joan MarcusNEW REVIEW GREASE Born of NBC's re ... More >>

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: 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 >>

Can You Keanu? Point Break Live! Returns to Hollywood

It was a sad day for adrenaline junkies back in September when the cast and crew of theater production Point Break Live! announced it was packing up its surfboards and ex-presidents masks to head for Las Vegas after nearly a year of sold out shows in Los Angeles.  Lucky for us, Point Break Live ... More >>

Festive! All! Celebrating Lobsters, Cheese, Downtown, Abbot Kinney and Valley Film

What to do in L.A., September 26-October 2

Stage Raw

Please see below for comprehensive theater listings that replicate the global format found in the print edition, compiled by Derek Thomas. This new stage blog -- to be posted once a week -- is till in the works, Suggestions are welcome. A memorial service hosted by Madelaine Shaner was held at t ... More >>

Movie Reviews: Bra Boys, Super High Me, Alexandra

Also, Young @ Heart, Remember the Daze and more

Will Smith: The Stuff of Legend

Infectious

Movie Reviews: Badland, Divine Intervention, Forfeit, He Was a Quiet Man

Also: The Sasquatch Gang, Sex and Breakfast, Yiddish Theater: A Love Story

Theater Reviews: Lost Angeles, Point Break, This Lime Tree Bower

Also this week's pick, The Wreck of the Unfathomable

The More the Murkier

The Matrix recycled

Chemical Me

A mostly legal cocktail

Martial Artist

Yuen Wo-Ping, action cinema’s puppet master

Letters