Theater in LA- Page 3
Theater in LA
#50Theater in LA
Posted: 10/1/15 at 8:49pm
3D Theatricals has done some great stuff (RAGTIME, PARADE, DAMN YANKEES) and some great, quality productions of crappy shows (TARZAN). I'm curious to see their ADDAMS FAMILY, as well as next season's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and HELLO DOLLY.
Palos Verdes Performing Arts is putting on a great MARY POPPINS right now. FIRST DATE at La Mirada was cute as well. Plus, the national tour of THE LION KING pulls in to Segerstrom Center next week. I know BAT BOY is coming up at Long Beach Playhouse, but they put out pretty average work. MY FAIR LADY at Musical Theatre West has a lot of promise - they churn out Broadway-quality work usually.
"I saw Pavarotti play Rodolfo on stage and with his girth I thought he was about to eat the whole table at the Cafe Momus." - Dollypop
jbm2
Broadway Star Joined: 3/26/11
#52Theater in LA
Posted: 10/11/15 at 4:10pm
I saw the world premiere musical "We Are The Tigers" at Hudson Backstage Theatre (same place I saw Heathers world premiere 2 years ago with basically original cast with Barett) so I gave it a shot. The story was funny, girly, and cute. I thought the music was so amateur.. it was laughable. "Forever and ever and ever and everrrr" ahaha!
#53Theater in LA
Posted: 10/11/15 at 4:20pm
I recently saw Paper Bullets at the Geffen - Meh - a bit too long.
#54Theater in LA
Posted: 10/11/15 at 6:56pm
Looking forward to see who is cast in OUTSIDE MULLINGER at the Geffen....I am doubting (oh, that was a Shanley pun) that Debra Messing and Brian F O'Byrne will reprise their roles but sounds like a great opportunity for some notable casting. For what it was worth A SOUND OF MUSIC was a bore - very subpar production - albeit with talented performers
Looking forward to ACT OF GOD and curious about BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY and of course the big news is the Orginal Broadway Cast in IF/THEN - which I will check out
Seeing CARRIE in a few weeks
#55Theater in LA
Posted: 10/17/15 at 2:47pm
I saw Annie tour at Pantages Theatre last night. I had the lowest expectations, but this production and cast was amazing! I loved it.
#56Theater in LA
Posted: 10/17/15 at 5:11pm
There's also plenty of great university theatre. UCLA, UCI, and CSUF have great musical theatre programs that put on great shows with inexpensive tickets! I know CSUF just opened "Carrie" this weekend.
"I saw Pavarotti play Rodolfo on stage and with his girth I thought he was about to eat the whole table at the Cafe Momus." - Dollypop
Pauly3
Broadway Star Joined: 12/12/11
#57Theater in LA
Posted: 10/17/15 at 6:13pm
3D Theatricals is currently doing The Addams Family - in Fullerton at Plummer Auditorium through 10/25 and then at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center 10/31 - 11/8.
I caught this last night after never previously having any interest. It was very well done but for a few clunky scene transitions. I was told the sets are the same used for the US tour, and I believe it as the set was quite extensive, especially for a smallish non-profit company. Any real excellence the show exhibits goes to the performers though, as the story isn't much of a story and the music is only OK to good.
As Gomez, Bronson Pinchot was surprisingly very good. It was a surprise at least to me. I had no idea he could sing, and he went well beyond passable. Rachel York plays Morticia, and I liked her a lot. Unfortunately, the role allows for too few bright singing moments. Everyone in the cast was excellent, and if there was a standout, it was Micaela Martinez as Wednesday. Playing a young adult, she played the part very young and eliminated any uneasiness I had in what I remembered about the character in the TV series. Her acting and singing were both excellent. Another nice surprise was an actual 7-foot actor, named Dustin Ceithamer, played Lurch. The way he moved and spoke - or mumbled and grunted was not over-cooked, and he was very likeable. When he sings at the end, you'd think he was lip-synching to a recording of a very good singer. I don't believe that was the case though.
The Addams Family is not a great show, but the performances - all the performances - made for an enjoyable night. 3D Theatricals is putting out quality work, even when the material they're working with isn't that great. With 24 high caliber cast members and 12 musicians in the pit (also high caliber), This The Addams Family production was not "smallish".
Updated On: 10/17/15 at 06:13 PM
Pauly3
Broadway Star Joined: 12/12/11
#58Theater in LA
Posted: 10/26/15 at 10:54pm
Brave Sir Robin2 said: "There's also plenty of great university theatre. UCLA, UCI, and CSUF have great musical theatre programs that put on great shows with inexpensive tickets! I know CSUF just opened "Carrie" this weekend."
Discovering and really liking "Carrie" with the La Mirada (and now LA production), I decided to give CSUF's version a shot. I was impressed by this production as the staging and talent both exceeded my expectations. The technical aspect of the show was extremely well done, with not a single remotely significant flaw - not even an obviously missed mic cue. The band was good but could have been louder, particularly during the destruction. Voices were very well amplified, and sound effects were also extremely well done. All seats are $24, and parking is easy & free. Well worth it!
#59Theater in LA
Posted: 10/27/15 at 1:32pm
GO SEE " Guards at the Taj".. Go knowing nothing like me, and get blown away! It's playing at the Geffen Playhouse until Nov. 15th
jbm2
Broadway Star Joined: 3/26/11
#60Theater in LA
Posted: 10/30/15 at 1:09am
Has anyone seen Breaking Through at Pasadena Playhouse yet?
#61Theater in LA
Posted: 10/30/15 at 1:25pm
If you guys wanna try something different, "Not Phantom - The Musical" just started performances on Wednesday nights at the Cicada Club in Downtown LA. They have a prix-fixe dinner option or just $20 tickets. It's a very funny parody on all things Andrew Lloyd Webber and tickets are available at notphantomthemusical.com :)
"I saw Pavarotti play Rodolfo on stage and with his girth I thought he was about to eat the whole table at the Cafe Momus." - Dollypop
#62Theater in LA
Posted: 10/30/15 at 11:31pm
For anyone heading out here to the Palm Springs area, we have some top-notch companies. The Coachella Valley Repertory is premiering a new play, "Happy Hour," starring Gavin MacLeod, tonight. They generally do amazing stuff.
Vernon Gersch, I had exactly the opposite view of the touring "Sound of Music" from yours. I thought the production was well-staged and generally enjoyable, but a key member of the cast wasn't very good -- the actor playing Maria.
Audrey, the Phantom Phanatic, who nonetheless would rather be Jean Valjean, who knew how to make lemonade out of lemons.
#63Theater in LA
Posted: 11/2/15 at 9:56pm
Last night, I saw Guards at the Taj at the Geffen for the 2nd time -- the first time having been partially ruined by the rock music blaring through the walls from These Paper Bullets next door. (Fortunately, I bought both performances at more than half-price savings, so I figure I'm good.) Also, I made sure to sit front row center this time to get the full, bloody impact. :)
Really glad I got to see it again without the sonic distractions. There's so much philosophical & emotional depth to it that I think is difficult to pick up the first time. The staging was brilliant, and the performances...? Wow! You can add Raffi Barsoumian & Ramiz Monsef to my list of "Dynamic Duos" (which includes the recent performances of Patrick Heusinger & Charlie Hofheimer in BENT, and Curt Hansen & Ryder Bach in GIRLFRIEND).
Props to the Geffen for putting on this superlative production (which is, to say the least, well outside the comfort zone of many of their patrons).
mailhandler777
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/15/15
#64Theater in LA
Posted: 11/3/15 at 6:02am
jbm2 said: "Has anyone seen Breaking Through at Pasadena Playhouse yet?"
I'm seeing it on the the 14th. I'm flying out from the east coast. I'm a huge Ali Luff fan. I'm also extremely happy that Constantine left and Matt Magnusson took over as Scorpio. Not a Conny fan by any means and thought I was going to have to cringe through another one of his performances.
Hi, I'm Val. Formerly DefyGravity777(I believe)
jbm2
Broadway Star Joined: 3/26/11
#65Theater in LA
Posted: 11/4/15 at 2:42am
Heading to LA next week and will only have time for two shows. Which two do I see??
jbm2
Broadway Star Joined: 3/26/11
#66Theater in LA
Posted: 11/4/15 at 2:42am
Heading to LA next week and will only have time for two shows. Which two do I see??
jbm2
Broadway Star Joined: 3/26/11
#67Theater in LA
Posted: 11/6/15 at 2:01am
For those of you that have seen "Guards of Taj" .... Would it be appropriate for a 15 year old to see?
#69Theater in LA
Posted: 11/6/15 at 1:15pm
jbm2 said: "For those of you that have seen "Guards of Taj" .... Would it be appropriate for a 15 year old to see? "
Depends on the 15 year old. (Cop out answer.) If "Guards" was a film, it would definitely be rated R.
It gets pretty damn dark, but it's also highly stylized with dollops of black comedy, flights of fancy, and philosophical ponderings. Think "Waiting for Godot" crossed with "Lieutenant of Inishmore".
Updated On: 11/6/15 at 01:15 PM
#70Theater in LA
Posted: 11/6/15 at 6:57pm
JoseLee_ said: "I don't. Sticking to just those theatres: there's something to see almost every week. I couldn't/don't want waste time or money. The longest time I go without seeing a show from those theatres is probably at most, 2 weeks. I have a schedule of shows I'm seeing from all those theatres and there is more than 50 shows from now to July next year.
"
Fine, It's your money. But I've been bored far more often at the Mark Taper than at the Odyssey or Noises Off.
jbm2
Broadway Star Joined: 3/26/11
#72Theater in LA
Posted: 11/10/15 at 11:34pm
Is anyone familiar with Bootleg theater?
Wondering about their production "Wood Boy Fog Fish"
#73Theater in LA
Posted: 11/24/15 at 3:31pm
Ahmanson Theatre replaced Titanic with Grey Gardens starring Rachel York and Betty Buckley jul2-aug14
Wildcard
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/21/06
#74Theater in LA
Posted: 12/10/15 at 1:26pm
Saw "Guys and Dolls" at the Wallis last night, directed by Mary Zimmerman. I was at first apprehensive at seeing this show with minimal sets but the Oregon Shakespeare Festival production was still highly enjoyable. The set was more than just a black box and they worked well given the confines of the Wallis Theater. In some ways, it was still better than some of the minimalist designs we have on Broadway now. The cast was very good and offered different but apt interpretations of characters we're all too familiar with. Given the lack of strings in the orchestra, the music had a jazz-infused orchestration to it which strangely worked. While I would have preferred seeing "Guys and Dolls" in the grandiose stagings of the past with the fuller orchestra, this was not a bad night at the theater.
Videos