All stories by Matt Cooper on BroadwayStars

Friday, July 9, 2021

From Shakespeare to 'Golden Girlz' drag: 10 best bets for your weekend by Matt Cooper

Shakespeare in Topanga. Pops in Pasadena. Rosanna Gamson/World Wide dance-theater in DTLA. Your weekend cultural options start here.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 11:36AM
Friday, June 25, 2021

Pride with Elton John and Demi Lovato, plus 9 more best bets for the weekend by Matt Cooper

Soprano Renée Fleming sings in Irvine, the Wallis opens its outdoor stage and Keith David stars in a virtual "Macbeth."

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 02:58PM
Thursday, April 22, 2021

L.A.'s live stage is back this weekend: 24 picks for culture by Matt Cooper

L.A.'s scrappy Pacific Opera Project performs for an outdoor audience at Heritage Square. Streaming this weekend: "Rock of Ages" and an "ER" reunion.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 10:56PM
Thursday, April 1, 2021

17 culture picks: 'Broadway Backwards' with Jim Parsons, Cynthia Erivo, Glenn Close by Matt Cooper

Your weekend watch list also includes a profile of Twyla Tharp, a classic concert by Jessye Norman and an interactive murder mystery set in East L.A.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:59PM
Friday, March 19, 2021

18 culture picks: An operatic salute to RBG and a 'West Wing' reunion by Matt Cooper

Your weekend watch list includes Benjamin Millepied's L.A. Dance Project, the L.A. Phil with chef José Andrés and a Passover music celebration.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 02:30PM
Thursday, March 11, 2021

19 weekend culture picks: Liza turns 75, and Lily Tomlin and Nathan Lane help celebrate by Matt Cooper

Your arts watch list: An operatic "Breaking the Waves," Nowruz comedy night, Invertigo Dance Theatre, bluesman Taj Mahal and a celebration of Thornton Wilder's "Our Town."

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:42PM
Thursday, February 18, 2021

17 culture picks: A modern dance take on 'Romeo and Juliet' and more by Matt Cooper

Streaming this weekend: Matthew Bourne's "Romeo and Juliet," a Skirball conversation with artist Ai Weiwei, and Hammer Museum and L.A. Opera programs.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 10:00PM
Friday, February 5, 2021

19 culture picks, including L.A. Phil benefit with Dudamel, Natalie Portman and Katy Perry by Matt Cooper

Streaming this weekend: sea shanties, border art, Anna Netrebko, Billy Porter and a Zoom talk with the California African American Museum.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 12:29PM
Thursday, January 21, 2021

15 culture picks: Birdland benefit with Leslie Odom Jr., the Broad on Basquiat by Matt Cooper

Randy Rainbow, Wynton Marsalis and Elvis Costello support a storied jazz club. Musical fans are invited to a "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" watch party.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 07:10PM
Saturday, December 12, 2020

The ultimate holiday shows list: 81 'Christmas Carols,' 'Nutcrackers' and more by Matt Cooper

What to watch while celebrating Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year's Eve? Our mega-list hits all the favorites, plus some wildcards.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:53PM
Friday, April 12, 2019

SoCal theater listings, April 14-21: ‘Falsettos,’ ’The Niceties’ and more by Matt Cooper

Capsule reviews are by Charles McNulty (C.M.), Philip Brandes (P.B.), F. Kathleen Foley (F.K.F.), Margaret Gray (M.G.) and Daryl H. Miller (D.H.M.). Openings Tiny Beautiful Things Nia Vardal…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 09:00PM

SoCal dance listings, April 14-21: A salute to Merce Cunningham and more by Matt Cooper

Extra Ancestral A celebration of the African diaspora in L.A. features performers including Viver Brasil Dance Company. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., L.A. Sun., 7 p.m. $…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 09:00PM
Friday, April 5, 2019

SoCal theater listings, April 7-14: Manual Cinema’s ‘Mementos Mori’ and more by Matt Cooper

Capsule reviews are by Charles McNulty (C.M.), Philip Brandes (P.B.), F. Kathleen Foley (F.K.F.), Margaret Gray (M.G.) and Daryl H. Miller (D.H.M.). Openings 15th Annual New Play Reading Fes…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:00PM
Friday, March 22, 2019

SoCal theater listings, March 24-31: ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ and more by Matt Cooper

Capsule reviews are by Charles McNulty (C.M.), Philip Brandes (P.B.), F. Kathleen Foley (F.K.F.), Margaret Gray (M.G.) and Daryl H. Miller (D.H.M.). Openings Carney Magic Magic and comedy wi…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:00PM

SoCal dance listings, March 24-31: Malpaso Dance Company and more by Matt Cooper

The Sleeping Beauty Festival Ballet Theatre offers a full-length, family-friendly staging of the Tchaikovsky classic. Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine. Sun., 2 p.m. $42-$55.…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:00PM
Thursday, March 21, 2019

Broadway national tours: 'Chocolate Factory,' 'Fiddler' and ‘Rent’ are coming in spring by Matt Cooper

A bevy of Broadway musicals will be back on local boards in the coming months, including old favorites like “Fiddler,” “Phantom,” “Les Miz,” “Miss Saigon” and the 20th annive…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:00AM
Friday, March 15, 2019

SoCal theater listings, March 17-24: ‘The Elephant Man,’ ‘Steel Magnolias’ and more by Matt Cooper

Capsule reviews are by Charles McNulty (C.M.), Philip Brandes (P.B.), F. Kathleen Foley (F.K.F.), Margaret Gray (M.G.) and Daryl H. Miller (D.H.M.). Openings ABBA Mania Tribute show celebrat…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 09:00PM
Thursday, March 14, 2019

Weekend Picks, March 14-17: Leslie Odom Jr. with Pacific Symphony, Batsheva Dance Company at Royce Hall and more by Matt Cooper

Leslie Odom Jr. is belting out show tunes with Pacific Symphony, Ohad Naharin’s Batsheva Dance Company comes to UCLA, and Los Angeles Master Chorale performs two distinctly different requi…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 02:00PM
Friday, March 8, 2019

SoCal theater listings, March 10-17: ‘The Wolves’ at Echo Theater Company and more by Matt Cooper

Capsule reviews are by Charles McNulty (C.M.), Philip Brandes (P.B.), F. Kathleen Foley (F.K.F.), Margaret Gray (M.G.) and Daryl H. Miller (D.H.M.). Openings Fan-Favorite One Act Plays Selec…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 07:00PM
Friday, March 1, 2019

SoCal theater listings, March 3-10: ‘Disney’s Aladdin’ at Segerstrom and more by Matt Cooper

Capsule reviews are by Charles McNulty (C.M.), Philip Brandes (P.B.), F. Kathleen Foley (F.K.F.), Margaret Gray (M.G.) and Daryl H. Miller (D.H.M.). Openings Cemetery of Tortured Souls Decea…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:00PM

SoCal dance listings, March 3-10: Jessica Lang Dance at Pepperdine and more by Matt Cooper

Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella The choreographer re-imagines the Prokofiev ballet based on the classic fairy tale as a romantic fable set in London during WWII. Ahmanson Theater, 135 N. Grand…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:00PM
Friday, February 22, 2019

SoCal theater listings, Feb. 24-March 3: Nancy Ma’s ‘Home’ at LATC and more by Matt Cooper

Capsule reviews are by Charles McNulty (C.M.), Philip Brandes (P.B.), F. Kathleen Foley (F.K.F.), Margaret Gray (M.G.) and Daryl H. Miller (D.H.M.). Openings Blues in the Night Musical revue…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:00PM

SoCal classical music listings, Feb. 24-March 3: Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra with Matthias Pintscher and more by Matt Cooper

Bachanalia Pianist Orli Shaham and members of Pacific Symphony offer a program that includes the world premiere of David Robertson’s arrangement for piano and string quartet of Bach’s Go…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:00PM
Thursday, February 21, 2019

Weekend Picks: Chekhov like you haven’t seen before, L.A. Opera’s ‘The Loser’ and more by Matt Cooper

Weekend picks for the final weekend of February include Christiane Jatahy’s theater-meets-film work titles “What if They Went to Moscow?” and David Lang’s one-man opera, “The Loser…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 09:20PM
Friday, February 15, 2019

SoCal theater listings, Feb. 17-24: ‘The Bourgeois Gentleman’ at City Garage and more by Matt Cooper

Capsule reviews are by Charles McNulty (C.M.), Philip Brandes (P.B.), F. Kathleen Foley (F.K.F.), Margaret Gray (M.G.) and Daryl H. Miller (D.H.M.). Openings The Obsession of Calvin Klein Ry…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:00PM
Friday, February 8, 2019

SoCal theater listings, Feb. 10-17: ‘Smart Love’ at Pacific Resident Theatre and more by Matt Cooper

Capsule reviews are by Philip Brandes (P.B.), F. Kathleen Foley (F.K.F.) and Daryl H. Miller (D.H.M.). Openings Antony & Cleopatra Harry Hamlin and Joely Fisher star in a staged reading of S…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:00PM
Friday, February 1, 2019

SoCal theater listings, Feb. 3-10: The MLK drama ‘Mountaintop,’ Davis Gaines in ‘Oliver!’ and more by Matt Cooper

Capsule reviews are by Philip Brandes (P.B.) and Daryl H. Miller (D.H.M.). Openings All About Valentina The L.A. native, drag artist and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” regular sings, lip-syncs, …

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:00PM
Friday, January 25, 2019

SoCal theater listings, Jan. 27-Feb. 3: August Wilson’s ‘Two Trains Running,’ the Wooster Group at REDCAT and more by Matt Cooper

Capsule reviews are by Charles McNulty (C.M.), Philip Brandes (P.B.), F. Kathleen Foley (F.K.F.), Margaret Gray (M.G.) and Daryl H. Miller (D.H.M.). Openings Charo and John Davidson The guit…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:00PM
Thursday, January 24, 2019

Weekend Picks: ‘Hello, Dolly!’ with Betty Buckley, Four Larks’ ‘Katabasis’ at the Getty Villa and more by Matt Cooper

What to do this weekend? Our picks include the national tour of the Tony-winning revival of “Hello, Dolly!” and the immersive theater company Four Larks’ mystical journey to the underw…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 01:00PM
Friday, January 18, 2019

SoCal theater openings, Jan. 20-27: ‘Paradise’ at the Odyssey Theatre and more by Matt Cooper

Capsule reviews are by Philip Brandes (P.B.) and Daryl H. Miller (D.H.M.). Openings Company Creation Festival This showcase featuring unconventional new works by various ensembles continues;…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:00PM

SoCal classical music listings, Jan. 20-27: The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and more by Matt Cooper

The Black Cat Long Beach Opera and Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra perform the U.S. premiere of this reimagining of the Edgar Allan Poe terror tale. The Beverly O’Neill Theater, 300 E. O…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:00PM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards