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Frank Arthur
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Obituary: TRUMPETER/COMPOSER JOHN MCNEIL
TRUMPETER/COMPOSER JOHN MCNEIL MARCH 23, 1948 – SEPTEMBER 27, 2024 John McNeil was a brilliant trumpeter, composer, arranger, educator and producer whose mark on the music world was indelible and whose acerbic sense of humor and dry wit were legendary. McNeil, who built an accomplished and progressive career in jazz despite a genetic disorder that…
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Recommended Theater: ROOM-I-NATION (CAP UCLA’s Nimoy)
Aditya Prakash’s ROOM-i-Nation, an unprecedented adaptation of his 2023 album ISOLASHUN, comes to CAP UCLA’s Nimoy Theater on October 4 & 5, 2024. Drawing from his vibrant Los Angeles upbringing and rich musical education in India, Prakash seamlessly blends the ancient rhythms of Karnatik music with contemporary sounds. His journey of self-discovery, reflected in every note, resonates…
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Highly Recommended Theater: PARENTS IN CHAINS (Developmental Workshop Production at Whitley Theatre in L.A.)
It’s rare to see so many superstars on stage at once. That’s what you’ll get for Parents in Chains, a new comedy by Jay Martel, which will have a developmental workshop production at Hollywood’s Whitley Theatre on Monday, September 30 and Tuesday, October 1 at 8pm. It’s also rare that such a production is open…
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Theater: WAITRESS (La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts)
If the heat in the kitchen is getting you down, you’ll want to head on over to La Mirada Theatre, where the Broadway hit Waitress opens tonight and plays through October 13. Designed by an all-female creative team and featuring Jessie Mueller in its 2016 premiere, it received a Tony nomination for Best Musical (but…
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Theater Review: THE REVOLUTIONISTS (Lamplighters Community Theatre in San Diego)
HEADS. WILL. ROLL. The Revolutionists is feminist history laced with an argument for the value of art in revolution. Playwright Lauren Gunderson (The Book of Will, Silent Sky, Exit, Pursued by a Bear) describes it as a “comedic quartet about four women at the height of the Reign of Terror. Liberté, égalité… sororité.” In Lamplighters Community…
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Broadway & Pre-Broadway: STEPHEN SONDHEIM’S OLD FRIENDS (Ahmanson Theatre, L.A. | Samuel J. Friedman, NY)
A GREAT BIG BROADWAY SHOW Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends, starring Bernadette Peters & Lea Salonga, and directed by Sir Matthew Bourne — side by side with Julia McKenzie — with choreography by Stephen Mear, makes its North American premiere at the Ahmanson Theatre in L.A. from February 8’”March 9, 2025 and then makes its Broadway premiere with Manhattan…
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Theater Review: THE PITCH (Odyssey Theatre Ensemble)
TELEMARKETING SURE IS A PITCH There’s nothing like a fascinating story, and that’s what’s in store with The Pitch, now at the Odyssey Theatre directed by Louie Liberti. If you’ve ever done telemarketing, it can be a cold and brutal business, because — of course — the bottom line is sales, and as we have…
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Theater Opening: THE LIGHTNING THIEF: THE PERCY JACKSON MUSICAL (Otherworld Theatre in Chicago)
HOLY HADES! HERE COME LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE! Otherworld Theatre, North America’s premier fantasy and genre live theatre production company, is bringing The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical to the theatre’s Chicago storefront location July 12–August 18, 2024. This electrifying adaptation of Rick Riordan’s best-selling 2005 young adult novel promises an adventure “worthy of…
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Extras: CARING FOR YOUR PIANO: MAINTENANCE TIPS FOR LONGEVITY
If you’re among the savvy buyers of pianos, you recognize that your piano isn’t merely a beautiful piece of furniture, but a complex and intricately crafted instrument. To safeguard this significant investment and maintain the joy of playing a piano in top condition, regular maintenance is of utmost importance. Proper care not only ensures your…
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Theater Review: POTUS: OR, BEHIND EVERY GREAT DUMBASS ARE SEVEN WOMEN TRYING TO KEEP HIM ALIVE (Geffen)
A TOOTHLESS POTUS Seven women propping up one man at The White House — that’s the premise behind Selena Fillinger’s POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive. The widely produced play, which had its Broadway debut just a little over a year ago, is political but not partisan because its critique of…
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Extras: FROM SPEECH TO SCRIPT: A DEEP DIVE INTO TRANSCRIBING AUDIO TO TEXT
Let’s talk about transcribing audio to text. It’s an important job and one that is challenging, mainly because the content isn’t typically written using standard English. The goal of this post is to give you key things to look for when you are transcribing audio to text, pointing out some of the common problems you…
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Tour Preview: DAVID SEDARIS (Royce Hall at UCLA)
A CARNIVAL OF SEDARIS AT UCLA For those unfamiliar with David Sedaris’s work, he is a prolific writer, mostly of satire and non-fiction. Many of his stories revolve around his personal life and family, though — as with any great writer, and by his own admission — he does tend to embellish. His latest book,…
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New York Theatre: 1st IRISH FESTIVAL (Origin Theatre Company)
GET YOUR IRISH New York’s Origin Theatre Company is bringing you a three-week celebration (Jan. 11-31, 2021) of contemporary Irish culture with its 13th Annual 1st Irish Festival, the world’s only festival dedicated to showcasing the work of contemporary Irish writers. There are 20 virtual events, which include: Filmed theatrical productions from some of the…
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Concert Preview: (AT) HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS (SFGMC)
HUNDREDS OF MEN COMING TO YOUR HOME CHRISTMAS EVE Since 1990, San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (SFGMC) has made its annual event Home for the Holidays a tradition usually held at San Francisco’s iconic Castro Theatre. It was among many other things that I was so sad to miss this year. But nothing keeps these…
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Theater/Film: MUSICAL COMEDY WHORE! (Breaking Glass)
EXTRA! EXTRA! MUSICAL COMEDY WHORE CAUGHT ON FILM! David Pevsner’s solo musical show Musical Comedy Whore! is about sex, love : and musicals. Whether acting in stage hits When Pigs Fly and Fucking Men, or co-writing Naked Boys Singing — and in his work as an erotic model — Pevsner has never shied away from sensitive, risqué,…
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Music Preview: BEETHOVEN, THE PANDEMIC + THE POWER OF CONNECTION (Rob Kapilow at Kaufman Music Center)
ROB KAPILOW’S WHAT MAKES IT GREAT? “BEETHOVEN, THE PANDEMIC + THE POWER OF CONNECTION” Appassionata Sonata with pianist Orli Shaham, Sept. 21 Kreutzer Sonata with violinist Jesse Mills + pianist Rieko Aizawa, Oct. 5 Archduke Trio with Horszowski Trio, Nov. 9 Dynamic and engaging online performances take listeners inside iconic musical masterpieces. Together with acclaimed soloists and ensembles,…
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Theater Preview: WRITER THEATRE’S 2020/21 SEASON (Chicago)
WRITERS READY AND RARIN’ TO GO Chicago’s amazing company, Writers Theatre, has announced its 2020/21 Season with a new adaptive producing model, one committed to remaining flexible and responsive to current events and that allows the them to welcome patrons back when the time is right. Productions will be confirmed and dates will be announced…
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Theater Preview: ASK THE VOID (Theatre of the Electric Mouth)
GO AHEAD…ASK Theatre of the Electric Mouth (ThEM) — a newly formed theatre collective — will release its first audio drama, Ask the Void, on September 15, 2020, landing on on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. With an absurdist lens somewhere between Eugene Ionesco and Tim and Eric, Ask the Void imagines a world…
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Film Feature: 2020 SCREENCRAFT FILM FUND
SCREENCRAFT’S 2020 FILM FUND READY FOR APPLICANTS; DIVERSITY AWARD ADDED THIS YEAR Leading screenplay discovery and development organization, ScreenCraft, and Santa Monica-based media financier BondIt Media Capital, announced that submissions for the 2020 ScreenCraft Film Fund program are now open. The fifth annual fund supports emerging filmmakers worldwide with production grants to help complete their…
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Concert Preview: MUSIC OF THE KNIGHTS: THE SONGS OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER, ELTON JOHN & PAUL MCCARTNEY (Rubicon Theatre at Ventura Fairgrounds)
THREE KNIGHTS OUT Rubicon presents the last program in its concert series at the Ventura Fairgrounds September 7-9, 2020. The event, a cross between a live concert and drive-in, will celebrate with Music of the Knights: The Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Elton John and Paul McCartney. Ted Neeley will brings his rock wail to “Gethsemane”…
Theater Review: AN ARK (The Shed)
by Gregory Fletcher | January 21, 2026
in New York, Theater, VirtualTheater Review: GREEN CORRIDORS (Trap Door Theatre in Chicago)
by Croydon Fernandes | January 20, 2026
in Chicago, TheaterTheater Review: KID GLOVES (Skylight Theatre)
by Ernest Kearney | January 20, 2026
in Los Angeles, TheaterMusic Review: THE LOVESTRUCK BALLADEERS (Birdland Theater)
by Rob Lester | January 20, 2026
in Cabaret, Music, New YorkTheater Review: ASSASSINS (Revolution Stage)
by Stan Jenson | January 20, 2026
in Palm Springs
(Coachella Valley), TheaterTheater Review: OCTET (Studio Theatre in DC)
by Barbara Papendorp | January 20, 2026
in D.C.
(Maryland / Virginia), TheaterMADDEN: MORE THAN A LEGEND
by Susan Hall | January 20, 2026
in Extras, FilmDance Preview: GRAHAM100 (Martha Graham Dance Company International Tour in Chicago)
by Mitchell Oldham | January 19, 2026
in Chicago, Dance, International, ToursTheatre Review: GOING BACHARACH: THE SONGS OF AN ICON (Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater)
by Rob Lester | January 19, 2026
in New York, Theater



















