All stories by JAMES HEBERT on BroadwayStars

Friday, April 29, 2016

Old Globe unveils a wide-ranging season by James Hebert

The Old Globe’s just-announced 2016-17 season may boast two world premieres and the return of a huge entertainment name who’s becoming something like the theater’s unofficial resident …

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 06:19PM
Thursday, April 28, 2016

Quick tip: Wagner New Play Festival by James Hebert

Five brand-new works by graduate students in the University of California San Diego’s renowned playwriting program will unfold in the latest Wagner New Play Festival — the first since th…

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 05:23PM
Monday, April 25, 2016

Ion’s ‘Jesus’ anything but reverent by James Hebert

Wayne Lemon’s caustic seriocomedy “Jesus Hates Me,” now getting a committed if over-the-top local premiere at Ion Theatre, is shot through with a sense of the oppressive and judgmental…

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 06:37AM
Thursday, April 21, 2016

Quick tip: Talking ‘Camp David’ by James Hebert

As the Globe gets ready to stage Lawrence Wright’s fact-based play “Camp David” (which begins performances May 13), artistic director Barry Edelstein sits down for a chat with the Puli…

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 06:54PM
Wednesday, April 20, 2016

‘Bright Star’ earns Drama League noms by James Hebert

The 2016 New York theater-awards season has officially kicked off with today’s announcement of nominations for the Drama League Awards. And while it’s looking like an uncharacteristicall…

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 09:48PM
Tuesday, April 19, 2016

‘Rapture’ looks at women’s complex choices by James Hebert

Gina Gionfriddo’s latest play to hit San Diego takes its name from a hard-charging song by Hole called “Use Once and Destroy,” on which Courtney Love sings: “Take your rapture bliste…

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 08:29PM

'Hamilton' picks up the Pulitzer by James Hebert

Broadway musical lands 2016 prize in drama

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 08:29PM
Saturday, April 16, 2016

Old Globe plans Bard birthday bash by James Hebert

Free Shakespeare events set for next Saturday in Balboa Park

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 02:13PM

‘Constellations’ stirs the head and heart by James Hebert

In the certifiably weird world of quantum physics, there’s a maxim that says nothing actually happens until someone is there to observe it. (And yes, I’m grossly oversimplifying here; ph…

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 02:13PM
Friday, April 15, 2016

Play dramatizes a dinner to remember by James Hebert

Anne-Charlotte Hanes Harvey was chatting with her dad at the family farmhouse south of Stockholm, Sweden, one day when he happened to mention that, by the way, he had once dined with Marlene…

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 03:38PM
Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Quick tip: Dating games in ‘Skin Deep’ by James Hebert

Jon Lonoff’s 2003 off-Broadway comedy centers on Maureen, a dental hygienist and woman of substance who finds herself on a blind date with a highly unfiltered guy named Joe.

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 03:05PM
Sunday, April 10, 2016

‘Constellations’ examines the time of our lives by James Hebert

Even for a play about parallel universes, “Constellations” bears some striking parallels to the lives of the people who are putting up its West Coast premiere at the Old Globe Theatre.

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 09:06PM
Sunday, April 3, 2016

Old Globe’s atmospheric ‘Rain’ fascinates by James Hebert

The Old Globe’s world-premiere musical “Rain,” with a rich and distinctively textured score by Michael John LaChiusa, stays faithful to writer W. Somerset Maugham’s idea of the fine …

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 09:01AM
Friday, April 1, 2016

Quick tip: ‘Big River’ rolls again by James Hebert

In 1985, the musical adaptation of Mark Twain’s epic “Huckleberry Finn” saga became the first show to go from La Jolla Playhouse to Broadway. Now “Big River” comes home again (or c…

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 05:04PM
Wednesday, March 30, 2016

It's 'Rain' vs. 'Rain' on San Diego stages by James Hebert

Check out our guide to two very different musicals with the same name.

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 10:18PM
Monday, March 28, 2016

Tony-winner Harris returning to Playhouse by James Hebert

A Tony Award-winning La Jolla Playhouse returnee and several top local actors are part of the just-announced cast for the theater’s world-premiere play “Hollywood.” The season-opening …

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 08:36PM
Sunday, March 27, 2016

‘Rain’ a full-immersion experience at Old Globe by James Hebert

A name like “Rain” can come off as deeply metaphorical, stirring ideas of stormy emotions, looming danger, maybe the release of pent-up longings and passions. And then there’s that mat…

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 08:07AM
Friday, March 25, 2016

Old Globe staging ‘October Sky’ musical by James Hebert

The Old Globe Theatre has had its head in the heavens lately, what with the world premiere of Steve Martin and Edie Brickell’s “Bright Star” (which just opened on Broadway) and upcomin…

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 08:14PM
Thursday, March 24, 2016

Broadway turns eyes to ‘Bright Star’ by James Hebert

A year and a half after its world premiere at the Old Globe Theatre, the Steve Martin/Edie Brickell musical “Bright Star” rises on Broadway tonight. The show, which debuted at the Globe …

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 02:34PM

John Leguizamo begins teaching his 'Latin History for Dummies' by James Hebert

John Leguizamo is just about unstoppable. Also, at this moment anyway, just about unintelligible.The perpetually kinetic performer-playwright is calling from New York with a request to push …

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 02:34PM

NVA’s new season an all-American affair by James Hebert

New Village Arts Theatre is taking cues from this very lively election year to roll out a season lineup it’s billing as “The American Experience.” The 2016-17 season, the Carlsbad comp…

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 07:34AM
Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Glittery, gritty ‘Rocky’ sparkles at Cygnet by James Hebert

At the moviehouse, shouting lines at the screen is just part of the “Rocky Horror” experience. In live theater, “Rocky” talks back — comically, provocatively and with a whole lot o…

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 10:38PM

Beatles ode ‘Rain’ is back in season by James Hebert

First things first: Don’t get caught in the wrong “Rain.” This week, the Old Globe Theatre begins performances of its world-premiere musical by that name. But over at the Balboa Theatr…

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 10:38PM
Friday, March 18, 2016

Q&A: John Leguizamo’s new Playhouse show by James Hebert

John Leguizamo’s new La Jolla Playhouse solo show is called “Latin History for Dummies,” and it’s a mashup of history, comedy and its creator’s singular strain of playful provocati…

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 08:24PM

Spring Arts: Top Theater Picks by James Hebert

Our spring theater picks start off with a new musical that seems tailor-made for these El Niño-ized times, and wrap with a couple of sunny, song-filled shows that will take us right to the …

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 08:24PM

Eden Espinosa ready for ‘Rain’ by James Hebert

Eden Espinosa is a New Yorker now, but the singer-actor and Broadway veteran grew up as a Southern California gal. In all her many childhood trips from the family home in Anaheim to San Dieg…

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 08:24PM

Barbarin bringing big voice to ‘Big River’ by James Hebert

If you’ve witnessed Bryan Barbarin onstage in one of the two dozen or so shows he has done at Lamb’s Players and other local companies, you won’t soon forget his rich, resonant, rattle…

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 08:24PM
Thursday, March 17, 2016

Viterbi donates $5 million to Old Globe by James Hebert

The Old Globe Theatre is announcing it has received a $5 million gift from Qualcomm co-founder Andrew Viterbi to support the theater’s artistic mission. The donation creates the Erna Finci…

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 11:23PM
Monday, March 14, 2016

Old Globe announces ‘Constellations’ stars by James Hebert

The Old Globe Theatre’s local premiere of the Nick Payne play “Constellations” will be populated by a pair of stars from Broadway and London’s West End. The Globe has announced that …

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 09:55PM

‘Miracle Worker’ finds moments of insight, inspiration by James Hebert

A long, lightless silence pierced by eerie, distant echoes: That’s how Lamb’s Players Theatre’s “The Miracle Worker” grippingly (and fittingly) begins. And a luminous moment of ins…

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 09:55PM
Sunday, March 13, 2016

Latest tour shows there’s no play like ‘Oz’ by James Hebert

The touring show that hits the San Diego Civic Theatre this week is one example of the enduring fascination with and affection for the “Oz” saga. The musical, which premiered on London�…

SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune at 07:25PM

All that Chat

2024-2025 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 05, 2024: Home - Todd Haimes Theatre
Jul 11, 2024: Oh, Mary! - Lyceum Theatre
Jul 30, 2024: Job - Hayes Theater
Sep 12, 2024: The Roommate - Booth Theatre
Nov 14, 2024: Tammy Faye - Palace Theatre
Dec 12, 2024: Cult of Love - Hayes Theater
Dec 19, 2024: Gypsy - Majestic Theatre
Mar 17, 2025: Purpose - Hayes Theater
Apr 01, 2025: Glengarry Glen Ross
Apr 10, 2025: Smash - Imperial Theatre
TBA: Titanic