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Tony Frankel
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Original Broadway Cast Recording: KPOP (Single Release: “SUPER STAR” | OBC Album releases May 8)
NEW TRACK FEATURES VOCALS BY KPOP ICON LUNA & COMPANY LISTEN HERE WATCH THE VIDEO PREORDER & PRESAVE THE ALBUM HERE Well, we all know it happens. For whatever reasons, a show flops on Broadway, yet leaves behind a magical score. I suppose the producers imagined throngs of KPOP lovers would keep the show running for…
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Off-Off-Broadway Review: THE ART OF KILLIN’ IT (Future Proof in East Williamsburg)
LETTER FROM ONE INDUSTRY INSIDER TO ANOTHER Hullo Mick. Lady Antoinette here. Boy, I gotta thank you for inviting me to Jordon Waters and Stephanie Marrow‘s label influencer/release party the other night. I got your text that you weren’t feeling well (read: too much coke and booze) and couldn’t show up. Normally, I detest these…
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Off-Broadway Review: ENDGAME (Irish Repertory; Extended to April 16, 2023)
IT WOULD BE ABSURD TO MISS THIS THEATER In Endgame, the end of the world is upon us. But so, too, is the end of Ciarán O’Reilly’s superlative production at Irish Rep, which has been extended to — and must close — April 16, 2023. Four characters inhabit a squalid little room where the blind and…
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Recommended Book: GIVE MY REGARDS TO NOWHERE (Richard Engling, Polarity Ensemble Books)
BACKSTAGE COMEDIC CAPERS Chicago “storefront” theaters have produced some of the most amazing productions that I have ever seen. Usually started by a ragtag group of friends or a brave individual to experiment and produce works on a budget, some companies move forward to Actors’ Equity status (Steppenwolf, Steep), or have a great run only…
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Highly Recommended Cabaret: LILLIAS WHITE WITH SETH RUDETSKY (The Wallis in Beverly Hills)
GET YOURSELF SOME HAPPY So, which Lillias White is your favorite? Is it the bluesy, searching, achy soul singer? The sassy sweetheart of standards? The darling diva of Broadway showtunes? The infectious raging gospel optimism? Well, you get all that and more when she appears with SiriusXM Radio star Seth Rudetsky, on Thursday, March 30, 2023,…
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Highly Recommended Opera: THE MAGIC FLUTE, AKA #SUPERFLUTE (Pacific Opera Project at El Portal)
I TELL-A YOU, IS-A MAGIC! It’s a-me, Mario! And I’m-a tell you that Pacific Opera Project’s revival of The Magic Flute AKA #Superflute has a-gotta be seen to believe. Josh-a da Shaw take-a Mozart’s famous opera-a and-a turn it into a 90s’ Super-a Mario Bros videogame, and it-a work-a so well dat it’a come back-a…
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Theater Review: FOR THE LOVE OF A GLOVE (Carl Sagan & Ann Druyan Theater, Center For Inquiry West)
OFF TO NEVERLAND! It is common knowledge in the theater world that the most difficult show to create is a musical. The second is a parody. But both together?And yet, success has arrived in Los Angeles with For the Love of a Glove: An Unauthorized Musical Fable About Michael Jackson’s Life As Told By His…
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Theater Review: CARDENIO (City Garage, Santa Monica)
HERE’S ANOTHER PLAY THAT SHOULD BE LOST A muddled, misjudged attempt to resurrect “Shakespeare’s lost play” that collapses under amateur acting, confused direction, and a baffling lack of theatrical intent. In Cardenio, now playing at City Garage, a character states in Latin, “De gustibus non disputandum est,” which means “There’s no accounting for taste.” Well,…
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Highly Recommended Album and Cabaret: RICKIE LEE JONES (“Pieces of Treasure” at Birdland)
The mood is jazz. The icon is Rickie Lee Jones. The voice just keeps getting better. Rickie Lee Jones’s latest album Pieces of Treasure is a reunion with her lifelong friend, legendary producer Russ Titelman, who co-produced Jones’ star-making albums Rickie Lee Jones and the seminal Pirates. Reminiscent of her iconic POP! POP!, Pieces of Treasure – an album devoted…
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Highly Recommended Cabaret: LARRY OWENS’ SONDHEIMIA (Pasadena Playhouse)
SONDHEIMIA: IT’S A STATE OF MIND In this curated concert, musical theater actor Larry Owens explores time, love, and ambition through the music and lyrics of Stephen Sondheim, with music director Josh Kight on piano. Words are the name of the game with Owens’ spectacular Sondheimia, which recently played Carnegie Hall. The preternaturally gifted performer…
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Highly Recommended: RRR Fan CelebRRRation LIVE (Theater at the Ace Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles)
ARRRE YOU RRREADY FOR THIS CELEBRRRATION?! Anyone who hasn’t watched RRR yet, do yourself a favor and see this masterpiece. Sure it’s available streaming, but the best way to watch this audacious, mind-blowing, original, fun-filled picture — think Slumdog Millionaire, Bollywood, Bruce Lee blockbuster, Gone with the Wind epic — is on the big screen…
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Music Review: YUJA WANG & LANG LANG (LA Phil)
The Los Angeles Philharmonic hosted two of the most proficient and popular concert pianists this week, both of whom proved why they are considered top-tier. In an exhaustive exhibition of Rachmaninoff — four piano concertos and the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini — superstar pianist Yuja Wang joined Gustavo Dudamel for a two-weekend set…
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Highly Recommended Theater: GREY GARDENS (Musical Theatre Guild at The Alex in Glendale: One Night Only, Monday February 27)
MUSICAL THEATRE GUILD GOES DARK (WELL, GREY) WITH THE STUNNING MUSICAL, GREY GARDENS One Night Only: Monday, February 27 at 7:30pm The 2006 Broadway musical version of the cult 1975 Maysles Brothers’ documentary Grey Gardens is a dream come true for its fans. And if you want to see this musical — as eccentric as…
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Extras / Film: Breaking the Stigma: CBD’s Emergence in the Entertainment Industry
Breaking the Stigma: CBD’s Emergence in the Entertainment Industry In recent years, more and more entertainment industry creatives have embraced CBD products to aid in creating their work. By ditching the stigma associated with wellness products, these professionals are pointing towards a more accepting norm of caring for one’s well-being with natural remedies. Whether seeking…
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Theater Review: MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (A Noise Within in Pasadena)
SWINGTIME SHAKESPEARE Everyone will make much ado about Guillermo Cienfuego‘s delightful take on Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, which opened last weekend at A Noise Within. This comedy has it all: sparring partners, deceit, mistaken identities, many overheard conversations, love, and my favorite comedic character in all of Shakespeare: Dogberry, a pompous, scattered constable who…
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Art Recommendation: NJIDEKA AKUNYILI CROSBY (The Hilton Als Series at The Huntington)
As spring approaches, it’s a wonderful time to walk about Huntington’s Botanical Gardens. You should also check out the fascinating exhibition that I saw at The Met: Inspiring Walt Disney: The Animation of French Decorative Arts. And starting today, Huntington’s Art Museum will display a selection of five works by Nigerian-born, Los Angeles-based artist Njideka…
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Extras / Theater: FIVE DAYS OF BROADWAY CAMP (Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa)
BROADWAY SUMMER CAMP IS COMING June 19–23 | Students ages 11–13June 26–30 | Students ages 14–19 As a participant in Segerstrom Center for the Arts’ Five Days of Broadway camp, students of all experience levels from ages 11-19 are coached in musical…
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Highly Recommended: THE CLAYTON-HAMILTON JAZZ ORCHESTRA with SAMARA JOY (The Soraya)
THIS CONCERT WILL BE ONE FOR THE BOOKS, AND WILL BE LIVESTREAMED FOR ONLY $19 While Ms. Joy had to cancel her original date of Feb. 11, and the March 26 show now sold out, don’t despair. You can still see her, as The Soraya is offering a livestream for only 19 bucks (get tickets…
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Highly Recommended Theater: TRIAL IN THE DELTA: THE MURDER OF EMMETT TILL (Collaboraction at The DuSable Museum in Chicago)
REAL LIFE TRANSCRIPT MAKES FOR RIVETING THEATER Collaboraction Theatre‘s Emmy-winning teleplay, Trial in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till, is back at The DuSable Museum as a live, interactive, fully-produced stage production. It opened last night and runs through Feb. 19, 2023. Trial in the Delta is a live, interactive reenactment of what actually…
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Broadway Extension: LEOPOLDSTADT (Joshua Malina Joins Cast on March 14, 2023; Show Extends to July 2,)
As the Broadway sensation continues to extend its run (tickets available through July 2, 2023), actors Arty Froushan, David Krumholtz, Caissie Levy, and Tedra Millan will be leaving Leopoldstadt Sunday March 12. Beginning Tuesday, March 14, it’s great news that the terrific Joshua Malina (The West Wing) will take over the role of Hermann. Dave Register (Harry Potter and the…
Theater Review: MEN OF SOUL (Black Ensemble Theater / Chicago)
by Mitchell Oldham | July 1, 2026
in Chicago, TheaterWHY A BOX OFFICE HIT CAN STILL LOSE MONEY
by Leslie Rosenberg | July 1, 2026
in Extras, FilmTheater Preview: PROOF (El Portal Theatre / North Hollywood)
by pwsadmin | June 30, 2026
in Los Angeles, Theater
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