THE RECEPTIONIST
Saturday, August 22nd, 2009
A middle-aged man in a business suit sits alone on the edge of a blackened stage, illuminated by a sole spot, and quietly describes the humane way to kill a fish which has been wounded by the fisherman’s hook in such a way that it cannot be thrown back into the water to carry on its submarine life. He then comments somewhat ambiguously, albeit ominously, about “people who don’t like what we do to people over there.”
(read more)
BREAKING AND ENTERING
Wednesday, August 19th, 2009RECOMMENDED
A legendary one-hit-wonder novelist receives an unwelcome late night visit from his “biggest fan” in Colin Mitchell’s Breaking And Entering, a very dark comedy now in its world premiere production at Beverly Hills’ Theatre 40 under the able direction of Mark L. Taylor.
BACH AT LEIPZIG
Thursday, July 2nd, 2009
The year is 1722 and some of the finest musicians of the age have descended on Leipzig, Germany, in hopes of succeeding Johann Kuhnau as organist of the Thomaskirche. Since no early 18th Century musician can achieve success without the patronage of the nobility or the church, a post like Kuhnau’s is one worth fighting for, even if this means lying, scheming, and double-crossing to obtain it.
(read more)
THE VOYSEY INHERITANCE
Wednesday, July 1st, 2009
FINANCIER BILKS CLIENTS OF INVESTMENTS
FORTUNES LOST IN FINANCIAL SCANDAL
Sound familiar? Could these headlines be referring to convicted felon Bernie Madoff?
Actually, not.
(read more)
THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE
Saturday, June 27th, 2009
“Thoroughly modern” Millie Dillmount began her journey to Santa Monica’s Morgan-Wixson Theatre back in 1967 when Julie Andrews brought her to life on the silver screen. Thirty-five years later, Millie made her Broadway debut—with new songs by Jeanine Tesori and Dick Scanlan and a lead performance by Sutton Foster that was one of the six Tony awards won by this Best Musical of 2002. (Richard Morris and Scanlan also won the Tony for the show’s book.) A year later came the National Tour, which stopped at the Ahmanson, and in 2006 Millie made her L.A. regional theater debut at Musical Theatre West in Long Beach. Now, it’s Santa Monica Theatre Guild’s turn to bring Millie to musical life (under Anne Gesling’s capable direction), and if the opening night audience’s enthusiastic reaction is any indication of a show’s success, then Thoroughly Modern Millie is likely to be a summer crowd-pleaser.
(read more)
FARRAGUT NORTH
Thursday, June 25th, 2009
Farragut North is the Washington D.C. subway stop where political has-beens debark to do the only thing left for them in the world of politics—boring, thankless consultant jobs. It’s also the title of Beau Willimon’s exciting, riveting new play about the behind-the-scenes maneuverings (and back-stabbings) of a Presidential primary campaign, a 2008 off-Broadway production now transferred to the Geffen Playhouse for its West Coast Premiere.
(read more)
THE MIRACLE WORKER
Friday, May 22nd, 2009
Helen Keller. Annie Sullivan.
Few Americans can hear these names without recalling William Gibson’s Tony-winning The Miracle Worker. It’s been fifty years since the now classic biodrama debuted on Broadway, so long ago that to today’s theatergoers, it seems scarcely possible that there was a time before this extraordinary true story became part of our consciousness. Few are those who have not seen either the Oscar-winning 1962 film or its two TV remakes (Patty Duke won the Oscar (and Tony) for playing Helen and the Emmy for playing Annie) or one of its countless school or community theater productions. Major professional revivals are less common, though, all the more reason to greet Joel Daavid’s powerful new production with excitement.
(read more)
INCORRUPTIBLE
Wednesday, May 6th, 2009
Can you imagine anything more improbable than a screwball comedy set in a monastery in 13th Century Europe? Wacky, zany, and madcap are not adjectives one would normally use to describe what Wikipedia refers to as “a period of cultural decline or societal collapse that took place in Western Europe between the fall of Rome and the eventual recovery of learning.” And yet Michael Hollinger’s Incorruptible is indeed a wacky, zany, madcap romp which takes place in 1250 France. I saw Incorruptible at the Colony Theatre in 2001—and loved it—and I am delighted to report that Theatre 40 has put together an equally rib-tickling production—now available for your delectation.
(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.
COPYRIGHT 2026 STEVEN STANLEY :: DESIGN BY