Mark Taper Forum

Theater Issue 2013: Why Be a Playwright in L.A.?

Theater to See in L.A. This Week, Including a Pycho-Sexual Boxing Match

Pycho-sexual spectacles got nods from our critics this week, including Illyrian Players' Lord Blackberry's Apocalypse and our Pick of the Week, Tender Napalm. Nice reviews also for Doma Theatre Company's Dreamgirls at the MET, Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice at A Noise Within, Latino Theatre Company's Melacho ... More >>

Theater to See in L.A. This Week, Including Prancing Horses on a Stage the Size of a Football Field

The Canadian troupe Cavalia wowed critic Lovell Estell III this week with its equestrian spectacle Cavalia's Odysseo. Good notices also for Diane Glancy's The Bird House at the Autry National Center, and for a revival of Carlos Murillo's Dark Play (or Story for Boys) at the Whitmore-Lindley The ... More >>

Kate Burton and Michael Ritchie: L.A.'s Theater Power Couple Keeps the Drama Onstage

*Check out our entire 2013 Couples Issue here Kate Burton and Michael Ritchie spend a quarter of their time living in different cities, a situation that can be difficult for any couple. But they feel it shows the strength of their relationship. Besides, for the first few days of each trip, they can ... 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 >>

10 Most Memorable L.A. Theater Moments of 2012

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 >>

Theater to See in L.A. This Week, Including Jeff Goldblum as a Writing Teacher

Starting this week, we will now include our listings of all ongoing shows, below the new reviews, to help make it easier for you to decide which shows to see this week.The writing of neurologist Oliver Sacks has inspired a new work at Theatre @ Boston Court in Pasadena -- Kathryn Walat's Creation. S ... More >>

Iranian Actress Sheila Vand's Path to Argo Ran Through UCLA and Experimental Steampunk

Say the word "starlet" in polite conversation and risk conjuring up an image of Lindsey Lohan's mug shot or Amanda Bynes toking up in traffic. For aspiring young actresses in the thick of it, however, the indignities that pile up tend to be less tabloid-ready -- pointless general meetings, indiffere ... More >>

Athol Fugard's The Blue Iris at the Fountain Theatre

Say the word "starlet" in polite conversation and risk conjuring up an image of Lindsey Lohan's mug shot or Amanda Bynes toking up in traffic. For aspiring young actresses in the thick of it, however, the indignities that pile up tend to be less tabloid-ready -- pointless general meetings, indiffere ... More >>

American Idol Meets the Museum

The Hammer's Mohn Award is a grand experiment in art-world democracy

A String of GOs in This Week's New Theater Reviews, Plus a Best of Fringe Award

The third annual Hollywood Fringe festival is now history, and this L.A. Weekly best of award goes to Eric Davis' demonic Red Bastard. Also check out this week's stage feature on Theatricum Botanicum's production of Shaw's The Heartbreak House, and Guy Zimmerman's The Black Glass. Our critics were ... More >>

10 Best Cheap Bastard Things to Do in L.A.

(Note: An earlier version of this post said that parking at the Getty was free after 5 p.m. It used to be free, but is actually now $10, a new policy implemented in Nov. 2011) Are you the person who secretly doesn't put down enough cash for the check, leaving all your friends to scramble to cover i ... More >>

Morris Panych's Vigil

Olympia Dukakis goofs around with death

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: Fairy Tale Theatre: 18 & Over

NEW THEATER REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on Circle Mirror Transformation and Me, As a PenguinCOMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSPUZZLER​Padraic Duffy's noir drama of East German Spies opens this weekend at Sacred Fools Theater Company. Photo by C.M. GonzalezFAIRY TALE THEATRE: 18 & OVERJ. Michael Feldman's ... More >>

Stage Raw: NET Microfest L.A.

NEW THEATER REVIEWSStage FEATURE on Randy Newman's Harps and Angels, and NET's L.A. Micro-festUPTOWN DOWNTOWN​Leslie Uggams stars in her bio-cabaret at the Pasadena Playhouse. For a review of this and all shows seen over the weekend, press the More tab at the bottom of this page. Photo by Jim CoxN ... 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: 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: Two Plays by Yukio Mishima

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSCURRENT STAGE FEATURE on KING LEAR​NEW REVIEW GO TWO PLAYS BY YUKIO MISHIMA ​Photo by Yukata Takeuchi Perhaps most notorious in the West for his sensational, 1970 suicide by seppuku, controversial poet-novelist Yukio Mishima was also a pl ... More >>

Stage Raw: This Weekend's Review Assignments

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSCURRENT STAGE FEATURE on KING LEAR​ ​Check back on Monday for a review of Thurgood, starring Lawrence Fishburne as the legendary attorney and Supreme Court justice. Photo by Carol RoseggFor a complete list of all shows being reviewed over the ... 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: Wuthering "Heights"

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSCURRENT STAGE FEATURE ON THE HOLLYWOOD FRINGEWUTHERING "HEIGHTS"​Lin-Manuel Miranda stars in his own Broadway hit, In The Heights, now at the Pantages. Photo by Joan Marcus "Wuthering" actually means windy not withering. Though the former is preval ... More >>

Stage Raw: Nightmare Alley

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSCURRENT STAGE FEATURE ON THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD and THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARONIGHTMARE ALLEY ​The Geffen Playhouse gives Jonathan Brielle's new musical, based on William Lindsay Gresham's novel, a lavish production (which opened to the press ... More >>

Stage Raw: LADCC Winners

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on gay politics in Halam Iran and Salam Shalom THE 31ST ANNUAL L.A. WEEKLY THEATER AWARDS coming March 29! Nominees RSVP now to (310) 574-7208. Public tickets available at http://laweekly.comTHE 41ST ANNUAL LOS ANGELES DRAMA CRITICS CIRCLE AWAR ... 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 >>

Theater Reviews: The Ballad of Emmett Till, Dual Citizens, The Subject Was Roses

Also, Wit, Calliope Rose, Barbra’s Wedding and more

Stage Raw: "Wit," and other New Reviews

 COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW REVIEWSTHEATER FEATURES ON NORTH ATLANTIC AND ED HARRIS THE 31ST ANNUAL L.A. WEEKLY THEATER AWARDSNEW REVIEW GO WIT ​Photo courtesy of Actors' Co-opPlaywright Margaret Edson won the Pulitzer Prize for this intense drama  about an English poetry pro ... More >>

Stage Raw: More Awards Fallout

 COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW REVIEWSTHEATER FEATURES ON NORTH ATLANTIC AND ED HARRIS THE 31ST ANNUAL L.A. WEEKLY THEATER AWARDSMORE AWARDS FALLOUTAmidst his gracious email received earlier this week, French Stewart stands up for more talent neglected by L.A. Weekly Awards committee. I quo ... 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: 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 >>

Theater Reviews: La Posada Magica, Women Behind Bars, Peep This

Also, Palestine, New Mexico, A Very Merry Happy Kosher Christmas and 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 >>

Stage Raw: New Golden Age of British Theater?

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on Bill Cain's Equivocation and Burglars of Hamm's Land of the Tigers NEW GOLDEN AGE OF BRITISH THEATRE In today's The Guardian, Mark Lawson writes at some length on a new Golden Age of British theater. Among the more salient quotatio ... 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: Rachel Rosenthal at 83

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSLATEST NEW REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on Poland, where theater is hipRACHEL ROSENTHAL AT 83 ​The Rachel Rosenthal Company (founded in 1989) is throwing a fundraiser to help celebrate the performance artist's 83rd birthday, past achievements and the upcoming publication o ... 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 >>

Theater Reviews: How Katrina Plays, Mom’s the Word, Elections and Erections, To Kill a Mockingbird

Also, Secrets of a Soccer Mom, All’s Well That Ends Well, The Illusion, and more

Stage Raw: Pieter-Dirk Uys and Charlize Theron at UCLA

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSLATEST NEW REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on Annette Bening in Medea at UCLAINTERVIEW with Medea's director, Lenka Udovicki, and UCLA's David SeftonPIETER-DIRK UYS AND CHARLIZE THERON AT UCLA​One of Uys' belles, giving a "blow job" to the ashes of her late Nazi husband. Photo b ... More >>

Best of L.A.: Places

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSLATEST NEW REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on Annette Bening in Medea at UCLAINTERVIEW with Medea's director, Lenka Udovicki, and UCLA's David SeftonPIETER-DIRK UYS AND CHARLIZE THERON AT UCLA​One of Uys' belles, giving a "blow job" to the ashes of her late Nazi husband. Photo b ... More >>

The School of Night

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSLATEST NEW REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on Annette Bening in Medea at UCLAINTERVIEW with Medea's director, Lenka Udovicki, and UCLA's David SeftonPIETER-DIRK UYS AND CHARLIZE THERON AT UCLA​One of Uys' belles, giving a "blow job" to the ashes of her late Nazi husband. Photo b ... More >>

The L.A. Times’ Drama-Critic Drama

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSLATEST NEW REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on Annette Bening in Medea at UCLAINTERVIEW with Medea's director, Lenka Udovicki, and UCLA's David SeftonPIETER-DIRK UYS AND CHARLIZE THERON AT UCLA​One of Uys' belles, giving a "blow job" to the ashes of her late Nazi husband. Photo b ... More >>

Giving Conservatives Moore Nightmares

Robert Greenwald talks about his journey from TV nice guy to nemesis of the right-wing