Category Archives: Theatre

The theatre. The theatre. What’s HAPPENED to the theatre?

Dish The Musical – The Gallery Theatre, Anaheim, CA

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Epically hilarious and very clever, this world premiere of an original work is highly recommended and a great escape for a couple of hours. Hope you got a chance to see it! Favorite numbers: Judge Judy Rules (a nice doo-wop song) and Vampires Are Really, Really Hot (hilarious take on how there’s hundreds of vampire shows). The cast did a fantastic job. Really good impersonations (favorites are Whoopi Goldberg and Arnold Schwarzenegger).

Over The River And Through The Woods – Torrance Theatre Company

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A very intriguing discussion about family, generational relationships, expectations and other emotional hockey pucks served up during nice Sunday meals at Grandma’s house…in Hoboken, New Jersey. Talking with one of the actors afterwards (Derek Rubiano), he said something very poignant – that you can take something away from the show no matter where you are in life. And it’s true. I am newly married and took away certain things, but with 6 different back stories to pick from, I imagine anybody can take anything away from this play with very little difficulty. Favorite line (as I vaguely remember it): Emma (one of the grandmothers) talked about how their children and grandchildren had higher expectations from life then they did resulting in a different life…not necessarily better, just different. Very intriguing use of a “pop-up” space, the Torrance Theatre Company found a space for rent in Old Torrance and turned it … Continue reading →

In The Heights – OCPAC

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Very fun story with lots of high energy dance and freestyle lyrics. The story of a neighborhood in Washington Heights that has evolved into a large family unit that protects itself as the rest of the world beats down on it. really enjoyed In The Heights @OCPAC but it occurred to me that it’s @ThatKevinSmith ‘s Clerks with color & on the other side of the Hudson 10:25 PM Aug 7th via Twitter for iPhone

Anything Goes – Laguna Beach High School

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A delightful production of Cole Porter’s musical stone soup (nearly every song in the 1986 version that everyone does is from a different Cole Porter musical; the original Anything Goes is called the Beaumont version and is very rarely done), the kids of Laguna Beach High School do a fantastic job with a high school arts budget (even if it is a south Orange County high school arts budget). Laura grew up learning a lot about boats and apparently the running lights were backwards – the green light is supposed to indicate the starboard (right) side of the ship and the red light is supposed to indicate the port (left) side of the ship. Of course this really doesn’t affect the caliber of the production, but it’s a great conversation piece!

Sweeney Todd – Musical Theatre West

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Phenomenal!!! I walked out of the theatre like. giddy fan boy! This musical is almost tied with Urinetown as the show I’ve seen the most (I’ve seen 5 different productions of Urinetown and now 4 of Sweeney – once with Norman Large (EEEE) at Riverside Community Theatre; once with John Massey Jr directing, musical directing and starring as Sweeney at STAGEStheatre; and once at the Ahmanson with it’s Tony-award winning “artistic” rendition). Does the movie count as the fifth time? ;-D This was hands-down one of the best large stage productions of Sweeney Todd I’ve ever seen. The set design, the lighting, the dancing, the singing, the acting – it’s all absolutely phenomenal. It’s no small wonder that the director (who has been in several productions of Sweeney as The Beadle – including the first National Tour) was able to pull this off, but even today it’s still a masterful … Continue reading →