Theater Reviews

Marco Ramirez's The Royale and Theatre Movement Bazaar's Hot Cat Make Old Stories New

Theater to See in L.A. This Week, Including an Unusual Look at Motherhood

This week, our critics enjoyed composer and musical director Gregory Nabours' 90-minute musical The Trouble With Words (Coeurage Theatre Company at the Unknown Theatre) as well as a quartet of one-acts at the Lillian under the collective title Unscreened. This week's Pick goes to Dorothy Fortenberry ... 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 >>

Stephen Sondheim's New Book Look, I Made a Hat Unloads on Theater Critics With Both Barrels. Here's Where He's Wrong

​ If you thought the week's top story had anything to do with mass protests on the streets of Cairo or the collapse of the deficit-reduction "super committee" in the halls of Congress, consider yourselves members of that misguided majority who inhabit what has wryly been called "the real world ... More >>

Gil Cates dies at 77

Craig SchwartzA Noise Within cuts open a new path in Pasadena​GIL CATES DIES: The Geffen Playhouse's artistic director, and Academy Awards producer, was found in a UCLA parking lot Monday night, having died of natural causes. More on this story to come. A Noise Within opened it's new Pasadena digs ... More >>

Reviews of A Widow of No Importance; The Vault: Unlocked; The Stories of Isaac Leib Peretz; and more . . .

Hector Cruz Salvador"The Vault: Unlocked"​"The gentrification of downtown Los Angeles is a sinister metamorphosis engineered by spoiled hipsters and well-heeled land grabbers in this whodunit parody by the Latino Theatre Company," writes Amy Lyons about The Vault: Unlocked, at Los Angeles Theatre ... More >>

Stage Raw: 100 Saints You Should Know

NEW THEATER REVIEWSStage FEATURE on Juan and JohnSven Ellirand100 Saints You Should Know​Robert Reimer's Sotto Voce (Zombie Joe's Underground), Elizabeth Meriwether's The Mistakes Madeline Made (Lounge Theatre)  and Kate Fodor's 100 Saints You Should Know (Elephant Stages) landed on this wee ... More >>

Stage Raw: 4 Clowns Is (Are) Back

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWS and THIS WEEK'S OPENINGS   Stage FEATURE on Rajiv Joseph's The Monster at the Door Cameron McIntyre4 CLOWNS​Jeremy Aluma's show, 4 Clowns which caused a stir at last year's Hollywood Fringe, re-opened over the weekend at Sacred Fools Th ... More >>

Rajiv Joseph's The Monster at the Door

Stage Raw: Aaron Sorkin's First Stage Play

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGS NEW THEATER REVIEWS Stage FEATURE on The Chinese Massacre and House of the Rising Son ​Maia MadisonAaron Sorkin's first stage play, Hidden in This Picture, is reviewed by Amy Nicholson; Neal Weaver was taken with the collection of theater-celeb-scribed gay-theme ... More >>

Stage Raw: Juno and the Paycock

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSStage FEATURE on God of Carnage and The Merchant of Venice​Photo by Ron Sossi Writes Paul Birchall of Sean O'Casey's play at the Odyssey, "This staging of O'Casey's play artfully mixes blarney and despair in almost equal measure." Mayank Keshaviah e ... More >>

Stage Raw: I Never Sang for My Father

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGS (are back!)NEW THEATER REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on The Escort and Fetish​"If the aim of naturalism in theater is the pitch perfect rendering of reality, then Cameron Watson's urbane staging of Robert Anderson's 1968 drama scores, " writes Deborah Klugman in this week's r ... More >>

Stage Raw: The Crucible

New Theater ReviewsTheater Awards ReportTheater Awards Slide-Show by Timothy Norris​Photo by Byron Turk is from Theatre Banshee's production of The Crucible, which critic Amy Lyons argues is a powerful manifestation of our culture of fear; Bill Raden was less impressed with Lauren Gunderson's new ... More >>

Stage Raw: LAWEES on Monday

NEW THEATER REVIEWSStage FEATURE on L.A. theater's moment of truth this coming summerStage FEATURE on Norm Foster's The Motor Trade, and Thornton Wilder's Our TownL.A. WEEKLY THEATER AWARDS NOMINEESLAWEES ON MONDAY The 32nd annual L.A. Weekly Theater Awards take place on Monday night. Doors open at ... More >>

Stage Raw: Eccentricites of a Nightingale

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on Free $$$ and TrioL.A. WEEKLY THEATER AWARDS NOMINEESNEW REVIEW GO THE ECCENTRICITIES OF A NIGHTINGALE ​Photo by Craig Schwartz It's New Year's Eve in Tennessee Williams' drama, and Alma Winemiller is enchanted by the crisp snaps ... More >>

Stage Raw: Groundlings Singles Cruise

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSStage FEATURE on Re-Animator the Musical and AlcesteL.A. WEEKLY THEATER AWARDS NOMINEESNEW REVIEW GO GROUNDLINGS SINGLES CRUISE ​Photo by Shawn Bishop Sketches by the Groundlings' "A" cast of master improv artists reliably fall into three catego ... More >>

Stage Raw: The Sonneteer

NEW THEATER REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE ANNOUNCING THEATER AWARDS NOMINEESNEW REVIEW GO THE SONNETEER ​Photo by Katie Pomerantz Nick Salamone's play examines the ways in which homophobia, guilt, self-delusion and hypocrisy cause the gradual disintegration of the Cardamones, a first-generation Italian-A ... More >>

Stage Raw: Alceste

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE ON THE BREAK OF NOON, AND CRACK WHORE GALORE -- LIVE!NEW REVIEW GO ALCESTE ​ Photo by Nicholas SayaanEuripides' version of a Greek myth serves as ground zero for playwright B. Walker Sampson's surreal comedy about the otherworldly ... More >>

Stage Raw: Robert Ellenstein memorial on Monday

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWS and OPENINGS THIS WEEKSTAGE FEATURE on three plays in NYCROBERT ELLENSTEIN REMEMBERED​A memorial service for Robert Ellenstein has been set for Monday, December 5, 2 p.m. at Theatre West, 3333 Cahuenga Blvd. West, Los Angeles 90068. Ellenstein was ... 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: Roccopella

NEW THEATER REVIEWSStage FEATURE on Watson (Sacred Fools) and Futura (Boston Court)COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW REVIEW GO ROCCOPELLA ​ Embellished with funky MTV-inspired videos, writer/solo performer George Spielvogel's goofy good-natured comedy sports an array of ditzy characters who sha ... More >>

Stage Raw: The Train Driver

NEW THEATER REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on Leap of Faith and God's FavoriteNEW REVIEW GO THE TRAIN DRIVER ​ Photo by Ed Krieger South African playwright Athol Fugard's plays have dealt with the havoc wrought in his country by Apartheid, but his more recent works also often possess the feel of a ghos ... More >>

Stage Raw: Waiting for Lefty

NEW THEATER REVIEWSTheater FEATURE on Neighbors, at the MatrixNEW REVIEW GO WAITING FOR LEFTY ​Photo by Thomas MikuszThis dynamic 1935 one-act launched the career of playwright Clifford Odets, became an important social document, and solidified the reputation of the Group Theatre. Seeing it now, ... More >>

Stage Raw: James Gammon, Co-Founder of Hollywood's MET Theatre, Dead at 70

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on Lieutenant of Inishmore JAMES GAMMON DEAD AT 70James Gammon, actor and producer, died July 16 in Costa Mesa, died July 16 of complications from cancer of the adrenal glands and liver. Gammon co-founded the MET Theatre in Hollywoo ... More >>

Stage Raw: A Memory of What Might Have Been

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSCurrent STAGE FEATURE on Anton Chekhov's 150th Birthday BashNEW REVIEW GO  A MEMORY OF WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ​ Photo courtesy of Zombie Joe's Underground George Bernard Shaw wrote that "men and women are made by their own fancies in the image ... More >>

Stage Raw: The Mystery Plays

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSTHIS WEEK'S STAGE FEATURE ON THE L.A. WEEKLY THEATER AWARDSNEW REVIEW GO THE MYSTERY PLAYS ​Photo by Dlugolecki Photography Though its title alludes to the Biblical pageants of Medieval Europe, playwright Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa's 2002 pair of sup ... More >>

Stage Raw: A Rubicon Family Christmas

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSNEW THEATER REVIEWSTHIS WEEK'S STAGE FEATURE on Palestine, New MexicoNEW REVIEW GO A RUBICON FAMILY CHRISTMAS ​Though Andy Williams and his fancy sweaters are nowhere to be seen, the Rubicon company misses little else this corny Christmas delight. Not a word of spoken ... More >>

Stage Raw: Purgatorio

COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSLATEST NEW REVIEWSSTAGE FEATURE on Crime and Punishment and The Conquest of the South PoleNEW REVIEW GO PURGATORIO ​Photo Courtesy of Societas Raffaello Sanzio "He longs to make a film" the New York Times reported last year about Italian stage director/set-lighting-a ... More >>

Stage Raw: Pericles Redux

 THEATER LISTINGSNEW REVIEW THEATER PICK PERICLES REDUXPhoto courtesy of Not Man Apart ProductionsScholars have long discussed whether Shakespeare wrote  the entirety of Pericles, Prince of Tyre or collaborated with another writer. (Given the play's convoluted elements, most commentators ... More >>

Stage Raw: Pilgrimage

The latest NEW THEATER REVIEWS are embedded in this coming week's COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSFor local productions scheduled to be reviewed this weekend, press the Continue Reading tab at the bottom of this section.PILGRIMAGELurching towards oblivion? Sculpture on Swidnicska Street, Wroclaw Po ... More >>

Stage Raw: Angels in Poland

The latest NEW THEATER REVIEWS are embedded in this coming week's COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGS; Also, see this week's  THEATER FEATURE on Oleanna at the TaperANGELS IN POLANDMadonna and child in Wroclaw, Poland, where L.A.'s theater directors are making a strong showing as "core participan ... More >>

Stage Raw: Groundlings Enchanted Forest

The latest NEW THEATER REVIEWS are embedded within this week's COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGS; also, see this week's THEATER FEATURE on Elephant Man at Andak Stage CompanyGROUNDLINGS ENCHANTED FOREST Groundlings Enchanted Forest is one of 11 plays being reviewed this week. Photo courtesy of The G ... More >>

Stage Raw: The Post-Play Discussion

AT YOUR FINGERTIPS, THIS WEEK'S COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGS(THE LATEST NEW REVIEWS ARE EMBEDDED WITHIN THE LISTINGS)Also, this week's INTERVIEW with playwright Richard GreenbergFOOD FOR HEARTBURN: THE POST PLAY DISCUSSIONAfter watching the opening night production of Vern Thiessen's Apple at Th ... More >>

Stage Raw: L.A. Marathons

THIS WEEK'S COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSAlso at your fingertips, the latest NEW THEATER REVIEWS, and our REPORT of Monday night's 30th annual L.A. Weekly Awards.Rosalind Productions' staging of Shaw's Misalliance continues at the Odyssey. Photo by Christopher MoscatielloCheck back here Monday afte ... More >>

Stage Raw: Frost/Nixon

PURCHASE TICKETS TO THE 30TH ANNUAL L.A. WEEKLY THEATER AWARDS ON MARCH 30TH AT THE EL REY; HERE ARE THE NOMINEES FROST/NIXON Alan Cox and Stacy Keach in Frost/Nixon Photo by Carol RoseggAfter Stacy Keach as Nixon in Frost/Nixon, which opened last night at the Ahmanson, finished a late night pho ... More >>

Stage Raw: Bridezilla Strikes Back

BRIDEZILLA STRIKES BACK! Ed Krieger NEW REVIEW In August of 2002, Cynthia Silver, a struggling actress, was informed by her wedding "event designer" that a British film company, September Films was creating a "documentary series" called "Manhattan Brides," that followed couples through the pre ... More >>

Stage Raw: The Wallowa Project

Theatre Movement Bazaar's Model Behavior; i.e., The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, opens this weekend at 24th Street Theatre, and is being reviewed this weekend. Photo courtesy of CalArts Photography Check back here on Monday afternoon for that review, plus reviews of the West Coast ... More >>

Stage Raw: L.A. Stage Alliance Approaches L.A. Weekly

L.A. Stage Alliance Approaches L.A. Weekly over job cut News of L.A. Weekly's elimination of its Theatre Editor staff position, which I held until Wednesday -- as well as that of film critic Ella Taylor -- spread across the city last Friday, in a swirl of arts staff layoffs that also included Th ... More >>

Stage Raw: Apollo Rising

APOLLO RISING      It's a vision thing. From a workshop production of Nancy Keystone's Apollo. Photo by Efram Delgadillo, Jr. L.A.'s loss is Portland's gain. Those with any memory of local theater will remember A.S.K. Theater Projects and its thrilling work with new play develop ... More >>

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 >>

For Some Reviewers, the Party's the Thing

Critics at the trough

Theater Listings

For the week of Nov. 23-29

Theater Listings

For the Week of Nov. 23-29

Face Off

After all these years, David Henry Hwang finally sees himself

Theater Listings

For February 10 -16, 2006

Theater Listings

For February 3 - 9, 2006

Theater Listings

Western Lit’s Greatest Hits

Grendel takes the stage

You Can’t Take It With You

A fable of heroic ambiguity