PUTTIN’ ON THE FRITZ
Wednesday, January 30th, 2008NOT RECOMMENDED
Puttin’ On The Fritz, now playing off-nights at Sacred Fools, is a pair of new one-
acts which premiered at the Fritz Blitz of New Plays at San Diego’s Fritz Theater.
(read more)
BACHELORETTE
Sunday, January 27th, 2008
The night before bride-to-be Becky’s wedding, her maid of honor Regan arrives
at Becky’s hotel suite accompanied by two young women, neither of whom is
particularly close to Becky. In fact, Regan tells Katie and Gena, “Becky has no
friends. She has to invite her myspace friends. I’m surprised she didn’t post a
bulletin.” Rather harsh words to come from Becky’s maid of honor, but that’s
just the start of an often very funny, and sometimes quite shocking glimpse into
the ugliness that can hide behind pretty faces.
(read more)
THRILL ME
Saturday, January 26th, 2008
Over the next two months, Los Angeles theatergoers will have an
unprecedented opportunity to see two very different treatments of one of the
most talked and written about crimes of the past century, with the two shows
playing virtually across the street from each other. One of them is a world
premiere drama written and directed by the Blank’s award winning Daniel
Henning. The other is the L.A. premiere of a Drama Desk and Outer Critics’ Circle
nominated musical. The drama is Dickie And Babe: The True Story Of Leopold
And Loeb, and the musical is Thrill Me: The Leopold & Loeb Story. I’ll be
reviewing the former in mid-February. The latter opened on Saturday at the
Hudson, and under Nick DeGruccio’s impeccable direction, it is likely to be one of
the most talked about, and praised, musicals of 2008.
(read more)
HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH
Sunday, January 20th, 2008RECOMMENDED
Hedwig And The Angry Inch is back in L.A. in a bravura star turn by Chuck
DiMaria.
(read more)
WICKED
Thursday, January 10th, 2008
After nearly a year in Hollywood, the Broadway phenomenon that is Wicked
continues to fill all 2700 seats of the Pantages with no end in sight … and no
wonder. Few musicals can rival Wicked in terms of song, romance, color,
spectacle, and heart.
(read more)
NU-QUEER WINTER
Wednesday, January 9th, 2008RECOMMENDED
Sketch comedy has become a popular late night/weeknight addition to our
local small theater scene. Now gay and lesbian theatergoers have their very
own sketch troupe, the funny gang of eight who call themselves The Gay
Mafia. Their latest hour of outrageous skits is cleverly entitled Nu-Queer Winter,
and while not at the level of Saturday Night Live and Mad TV, these out
performers have put together a fun 60 minutes of comedic (and very adult)
entertainment.
(read more)
AS MUCH AS YOU CAN
Friday, January 4th, 2008
The Celebration Theatre is in good hands this month with As Much As You Can,
a contemporary twist on the Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner genre, written by
Paul Oakley Stovall. Under Krissy Vanderwarker’s excellent direction, As Much As
You Can becomes a funny, heart-warming, and ultimately very moving slice of
contemporary African American life.
(read more)
THE PIECES OF ME
Saturday, December 22nd, 2007
It’s a thrill to “discover” talented performers and watch them as their careers
take flight. I first saw Andrew Chappelle in a high school production of Grease in
2004. Not just any high school; this was LACHSA, the Los Angeles County High
School for the Arts, where some of the most talented kids in the L.A. area
prepare for future careers in showbiz. The cast of Grease included Corbin Bleu,
who has since gone on to teen stardom as one of the High School Musical kids.
More importantly, Grease also starred Andrew Chappelle, a young man whose
own Broadway fame is just a few years away. Chappelle riveted audiences the
following year in his scene-stealing performance as James Thunder Early in
Dreamgirls. Following his 2005 graduation, Andrew headed off to CCM, the
University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, a school whose
Broadway/TV star alumni include Vicki Lewis, Randy Harrison, and Faith Prince,
among many others.
(read more)
Since 2007, Steven Stanley's StageSceneLA.com has spotlighted the best in Southern California theater via reviews, interviews, and its annual StageSceneLA Scenies.
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