Monday, December 27, 2021

Original Broadway ‘West Side Story’ actor Harvey Evans dies at 80 by Mark Kennedy- Associated Press

Harvey Evans, an actor, singer and dancer who had a knack for landing roles in the original Broadway productions of such classics as “West Side Story,” “Follies,” “Hello, Dolly!”…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 09:30AM
Monday, July 12, 2021

3 L.A. artists are among the first winners of $5 million Latinx Artist Fellowship program by Jessica Gelt

The U.S. Latinx Art Forum, with support from the Andrew W. Mellon and Ford foundations, awards $50,000 each to 15 artists.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:31PM
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
Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Catherine Opie's plan to help UCLA art students graduate with way less debt by Deborah Vankin

Artist Catherine Opie, incoming chair of UCLA's art department, steps back from her role at MOCA and will fundraise for student scholarships instead.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 12:00PM

Review: Disney Hall breathes back to life, courtesy of Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra by Mark Swed

The first notes heard again in the long-quieted Disney Hall were a slow, soft upward harp arpeggio, each pitch a haunting, crystalline moment.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 12:00PM
Monday, June 28, 2021

Echo Theater at 25: How Chris Fields gave L.A. a place for offbeat plays to thrive by Charles McNulty

Artistic director Chris Fields spills the secrets of Echo Theater Company's success as it marks a milestone anniversary with 25 alumni performing 25 monologues by 25 alumni playwrights.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 09:44PM

Review: In 'Tevye in New York!' at the Wallis, 'Fiddler' fiddles once again by Charles McNulty

Tom Dugan stars in this new show, which imagines the lives of the characters from "Fiddler on the Roof" after they move to America.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 09:44PM
Friday, June 25, 2021

Review: Killer cast, talented creatives. What went wrong with 'Off Broadway'? by Charles McNulty

Torrey Townsend's streaming play, presented by Jeremy O. Harris, takes aim at the systemic racism, sexism and hypocrisy in theater.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 07:52PM

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

Opera gets a TV makeover: How 'Desert In' blew up an old art form for the 'Insecure' generation by Catherine Womack

Binge-worthy TV? Must-see opera? Queer art film? Yes, yes, yes, say "Insecure" writer christopher oscar peña, composer Ellen Reid and director James Darrah.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 02:58PM
Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Commentary: 'The Music Man' is the wrong Broadway revival for this crucial moment by Ashley Lee

Even with Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster on stage, 'The Music Man' still celebrates a scheming white man in a sanitized America.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 09:49PM
Monday, June 21, 2021

The Industry, L.A.'s groundbreaking opera company, casts new leaders by Jessica Gelt

The experimental opera company behind 'Sweet Land,' 'Hopscotch' and 'Invisible Cities' turns the artistic director position into a cooperative.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 09:14PM

Review: L.A. theater is back with a boundary-breaking 'Octoroon' outdoors at the Fountain by Charles McNulty

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' celebrated 'An Octoroon' has its Los Angeles premiere at the Fountain Theatre's new outdoor stage.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 03:47PM
Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Coming to an L.A. stage: Proof we're in a golden age of American playwriting by Charles McNulty

Forget musicals. The time is now for the American play, and 'An Octoroon' is just one of many groundbreaking works by women and writers of color.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 09:28PM

For these 5 L.A. community groups, a $50-million windfall from MacKenzie Scott by Makeda Easter

The billionaire philanthropist donated $2.7 billion to 286 arts, educational and social justice organizations. Here are some of the SoCal recipients.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 09:28PM
Saturday, June 12, 2021

How 'In the Heights' pulled off its most moving, ambitious musical number of all by Ashley Lee

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jon M. Chu, Olga Merediz and others break down 'Pacienda y Fe,' the immigrant ballet sure to give viewers a 'big gasp moment.'

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:33AM
Friday, June 11, 2021

'In the Heights' is the rare Latino blockbuster. Three Times writers on what that means by Suzy Exposito, Carolina A. Miranda, Daniel Hernandez

Bodega coffee and raps about gentrification — we reflect on everything riding on Lin-Manuel Miranda's cultural unicorn

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 04:44PM
Thursday, June 10, 2021

Why 'In the Heights' made these 5 major changes to the story by Ashley Lee

Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes explain the reasons behind the musical's biggest tweaks from the stage to the screen.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:14PM

Commentary: Center Theatre Group needs more than a new leader. It needs to blow up the status quo by Charles McNulty

Michael Ritchie is stepping down as artistic director of L.A.'s most important theater company. What can his replacement — or replacements — do differently?

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:14PM

Michael Ritchie will retire from Center Theatre Group and 'make space' for a new voice by Jessica Gelt

After 17 years leading L.A.'s most important theater company, and after last year's racial reckoning, Michael Ritchie says it's time to pass the torch.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:13PM
Tuesday, June 8, 2021

Review: L.A. Opera is first in the U.S. to return to its home stage. Emotions flow by Mark Swed

Tremendous singing propels L.A. Opera's return to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Stravinsky's tough, timely "Oedipus Rex."

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 05:47AM
Friday, June 4, 2021

How Philip Glass turns the circus into opera that's magical and profound by Mark Swed

Philip Glass' new 'Circus Days and Nights' is the latest example of the composer's operas proving to be a prime source of experimentation during the pandemic.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 10:23PM
Thursday, June 3, 2021

With 'In the Heights,' Jon M. Chu disrupts the movie musical. Here's how he did it by Ashley Lee

Why Lin-Manuel Miranda says Chu was right to direct "In the Heights" and the circuitous journey the "Crazy Rich Asians" helmer took to the musical remix.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:30PM

Review: Why the fun kids' musical from Geffen Playhouse made this mom cry (in a good way) by Jessica Gelt

The Geffen Playhouse's new virtual musical for kids, "The Door You Never Saw Before," deals with pandemic themes in a tender, charming way.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 03:05PM

How Disney Hall will reopen this month with a LACO concert (Hint: Vaccination required) by Deborah Vankin

Walt Disney Concert Hall welcomes audiences at long last with a June 26 Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra concert. Here's how it will work.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 03:05PM
Wednesday, June 2, 2021

This is what reopening looks like at the Music Center in DTLA: joyful dancing by Jessica Gelt

Live performance returns to the Music Center, and being a face in the crowd rarely feels this good. A dispatch from the scene.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 08:25AM
Tuesday, June 1, 2021

HBO's newest vision of Mideast peace shows how film and TV misunderstand the crisis by Lorraine Ali

"Oslo" chronicles the negotiations that led to the 1993 Peace Accords. But it can't bring itself to examine what started the conflict in the first place.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:59PM
Sunday, May 30, 2021

Gustavo Dudamel and Frank Gehry give YOLA's new Inglewood concert hall a sound check by Mark Swed

We listen in on the first acoustical test of the new Beckmen YOLA Center in Inglewood, which promises to be revolutionary.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 04:44PM
Friday, May 28, 2021

The sexual misconduct allegations rocking L.A.'s largest LGBTQ theater company by Jessica Gelt

Michael A. Shepperd, artistic director of Celebration Theatre, was fired after allegations of sexual misconduct. What he and his accusers tell The Times.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 04:01PM
Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Tonys rip up the awards-show playbook with a streaming-only ceremony on Paramount+ by Aida Ylanan

A date finally has been announced for the much-delayed 2020 Tony Awards. But watching it will require a Paramount+ account.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 09:40PM
Tuesday, May 25, 2021

Black people hold just 30 of 570 board seats at L.A.'s top arts groups by Deborah Vankin, Makeda Easter

After a year of racial reckoning, an L.A. Times survey shows the quest for equity at museums, theaters and music companies has a long way to go.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 07:55PM

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