logo

DEC
08
0

Review: The Gift of Magi

unnamedReview

Getting the public to accept a new Christmas play or musical is a difficult task, given that the holiday itself is based on long-standing traditions that are hard to crack. But the creators of The Gift of the Magi, which made its world premiere at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts last night, hope to do just that, and have come a long way since hatching their brainchild a decade ago.

Read more...
  3941 Hits
3941 Hits
SEP
30
0

Review: 9 to 5

intro-19 to 5 Returns to the Live Stage
Review
Country music superstar Dolly Parton reached a new level of success after starring in the 1980 hit comedy film 9 to 5. Several decades later, Parton decided to transform the popular story into a musical, but when the show made its Broadway debut in April 2009, it received mixed reviews. Despite being nominated for several different awards, including four Tonys, 9 to 5 had a fleeting run on the live stage, closing just five months after opening night. The public barely had enough time to acknowledge its existence, and yet, community theatres have continued to put on their own productions of 9 to 5, which has prevented the quirky, dated musical from becoming completely forgotten.
Read more...
  3880 Hits
3880 Hits
SEP
13
0

Review: Conviction

ConvictionJTanner 130
Review
Rubicon's "Conviction" is Riveting Drama
"My faith in him is all he has left," says Leigh Hodges of her husband Tom, an upstanding, respected high school English and drama teacher who has been accused of having an illicit affair with a 15-year-old female drama student. This is the crux of Carey Crim's riveting play, Conviction, which shows how a comfortable life and a happy marriage can be easily destroyed.
Read more...
  4529 Hits
4529 Hits
SEP
04
0

Review: Guys & Dolls

CROP 1-Ryan Driscoll Nicely Nicely Griffin Hughes Benny Southstreet Kelly Green Nathan Detroit
Review
First-time director Christopher Mahr showed great promise on Friday, August 22nd when his production of Guys and Dolls opened at the charming High Street Arts Center in Moorpark. This wildly entertaining version of Frank Loesser's classic musical brought great joy and laughter to everyone in attendance. The cast was an especial knockout, featuring a powerful ensemble and several memorable leads.
Read more...
  4180 Hits
4180 Hits
AUG
30
0

Review: The Diary of Anne Frank

14874457847 3824ed2316 k
Review
The stage play The Diary of Anne Frank, which made its debut at the Conejo Players Theatre last night, is not just a living testament of the horrors of the Holocaust, but a moving celebration of the human spirit. With all the barbaric and monstrous acts against humanity that took place during this period, Anne Frank's diary, on which the play is based, was one of many works of art that transcended the devastating events during World War II. The original play was written by two screenwriters, Francis Goodrich and Albert Hackett in 1955, three years after the publication of the diary. Although it was warmly received, Goodrich and Hackett's play was later criticized for sanitizing Anne's work, removing passages dealing with Anne's sexuality and her pride in her Jewishness. In 1997, Wendy Kesselman restored these elements in a revised edition that elevated it from an impassioned, but flawed "feel-good" story about survival to a highly textured, emotionally rich portrayal of a remarkable young woman and seven other refugees at the most perilous time in human history.
Read more...
  3782 Hits
3782 Hits
AUG
16
0

Review: A Glimpse at Godspell

GodspellReview
After facing an unfortunate power outage that resulted in a canceled performance on August 1st, the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center reopened its doors on Friday, August 8th to present audiences with its most current production, Godspell. Based on a series of parables from the Bible, this contemporary rock musical achieves in incorporating various religious tales with a modern twist.

Read more...
  3631 Hits
3631 Hits
JUL
27
0

Review: Title and Deed

Lovett3 - Photo By Joan MarcusReview
"What was THAT all about?" Those were the words that went through my head upon leaving the Rubicon Theatre Company, after witnessing esteemed Irish actor Conor Lovett's performance of Will Eno's one-man play, Title and Deed last night. I wasn't totally shocked and confused by what I had just seen. I had done my homework on this show, as I do with all shows I see, and discovered that Eno is a Brooklyn-based playwright who is more popular in Europe than he is in the U.S. and has created a variety of controversial plays.
Read more...
  4682 Hits
4682 Hits