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Los Angeles
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Dance Review: GRAHAM100–AMERICAN LEGACIES (Martha Graham Dance Company at The Soraya)
A SHOWCASE OF HISTORY, AMERICANISM AND HUMOR And An American Classic, Polished and Gleaming For readers not familiar with the modern dance pioneer Martha Graham, I would sum up her contribution in one word: contractions. No, I’m not referring to pre-birth convulsions; Martha Graham technique, in contrast to ballet, is based on “contraction of the…
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Theater Review: BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA (Odyssey Theatre Ensemble)
A FEATHER IN ARYE GROSS’S CAP Playwright Anna Ouyang Moench uses the setting of a wooded area — beautifully designed at Odyssey Theatre by Mark Guirguis — as the backdrop of this beautiful family drama. The father, John (Arye Gross), is just about equally bound to his liberal and earth-loving principles, his love of bird-watching, and…
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Theater Review: FOLLIES (Musical Theatre Guild)
A FULFILLING FOLLIES One night? I mean, ONE night? Then again, the reunion in Follies we witness takes place on one night as well. And for those at said reunion and those of us lucky enough to be at Musical Theatre Guild‘s staged concert performance of Follies last Sunday, it was a night to remember….
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Highly Recommended Concert: FRAGMENTS 2 (Alisa Weilerstein, cellist; presented by La Jolla Music Society and the San Diego Symphony)
I have been following Alisa Weilerstein for over fifteen years, but until about five ago it was only on recordings and YouTube. Having seen her perform live four times since I can assert that the phenomenal American cellist has attracted attention worldwide because her playing combines a natural virtuosic command and technical precision with impassioned…
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Theater Review: THE TRAVELERS (Latino Theatre Co. & Magic Theatre at the Los Angeles Theater Center)
WHY ARE THE TRAVELERS NOT MOVING? The calendar listings for Luis Alfaro‘s The Travelers, currently playing at the Los Angeles Theatre Center, say “We are all travelers, Brother. Our journeys take place inside.” The trouble is that journeys presented on the stage should not only be inside, but also aesthetical and active and must be treated…
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Recommended Concert: THIS, AND MY HEART: A PORTRAIT OF EMILY DICKINSON AND HER WORLDS THROUGH TEXT AND SONG (Fox Singers of The Verdi Chorus)
It seems that every time Emily Dickinson’s name is mentioned, people have an instant reaction accompanied by a smile. Her poetry has inspired books, films, and plays – and now, the Verdi Chorus is kicking off its 40th anniversary season, by presenting with the Sahm Family Foundation, This, and My Heart, A Portrait of Emily Dickinson and Her Worlds Through Text…
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Opera Interview: ANTHONY LEÒN (Now Appearing in LA Opera’s “Don Giovanni”)
Anthony Leòn, a 27-year-old tenor of American-Cuban and Columbian descent, hails from Riverside, California. His journey into the world of opera is nothing short of remarkable, marked by a childhood infused with musical influences. Leòn’s early connection with music blossomed when, at the tender age of two, he memorized Luciano Pavarotti’s iconic aria “La Donna…
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Concert Review: JAMIE CULLUM (Disney Hall)
JAMIE CULLUM’S TWENTYSOMETHING ALBUM AND DISNEY HALL BOTH TURN TWENTY: WHAT A PARTY Singer-pianist Jamie Cullum made a rare Los Angeles appearance for a recent concert at Disney Hall. Born and raised in England in 1979, he recorded his first album in 1999 and had great success with 2002’s Pointless Nostalgic and particularly 2003’s Twentysomething….
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Highly Recommended Dance: TURN IT OUT WITH TILER PECK AND FRIENDS (Tour)
YOU’LL DIG THIS SHOW A BUSHEL AND A PECK The California native and phenom Tiler  Peck is the toast of New York City, a prima ballerina for New York City Ballet, and now a producer and director and choreographer and teacher. Time Spell choreographed by Michelle Dorrance, Jillian Meyers, and Tiler Peck (Luis Luque, Luque Photography)…
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Theater Review: THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME (Chance Theatre)
AN AMAZING INCIDENT Meet Christopher Francis Boone, a wannabe bloodhound who has significant social, behavioral and communication challenges; we assume the unnamed disorder is on the autism spectrum, but this magnificent play isn’t about his mental challenges, nor is Christopher’s neurodivergent condition even mentioned. The British teen ’” the unlikely hero of Mark Haddon’s best-selling novel…
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Highly Recommended Dance: BODYTRAFFIC (2023/24 Season Launch at The Wallis in Beverly Hills)
HERE’S L.A. TRAFFIC YOU’LL LOVE: BODYTRAFFIC L.A.’s amazing dance company BODYTRAFFIC returns to The Wallis‘s gorgeous Bram Goldsmith Theater in Beverly Hills this weekend with a two-night engagement of four outstanding works that will prove why this L.A.-based contemporary company has continually taken the dance world by storm, easily surpassing LA Dance Project as our…
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Theater Review: MEASURE STILL FOR MEASURE (Boston Court Pasadena)
#METOO FOR MEASURE I can’t imagine the work that writer/director Jessica Kubzansky put into the world premiere of her immersive, hybrid-theater, play-within-a-play Measure STILL for Measure. The logistics alone! At Boston Court Pasadena, where Kubzansky is artistic director, utilized are the 99-seat Main Stage, the dressing rooms (seen via video), the lobby, the parking lot,…
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Film Screenings: ACADEMY MUSEUM OF MOTION PICTURES (Screenings and Programs October 2023)
JOHN WATERS SCREENINGS ARE JUST THE BEGINNING A treasure trove of film screams into October at the Academy Museum (programs below). In the meantime, this Saturday, September 30, 2023, the Academy Museum celebrates its two-year anniversary by offering FREE ADMISSION to all guests! Advanced reservations are encouraged, and walk-up tickets will also be available.The anniversary…
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Recommended Theater: INHERIT THE WIND (Pasadena Playhouse)
A LEGAL DRAMA OF EPIC PROPORTIONS The casting for Pasadena Playhouse’s fresh take on Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee’s powerful drama Inherit the Wind has been announced. Playing November 1-26, 2023, with official opening on Sunday November 5 at 5pm. For this new production, audience members will be a part of the action with…
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Opera Review: DON GIOVANNI (Los Angeles Opera)
A DON GIOVANNI FOR THE #METOO ERA Mozart‘s Don Giovanni — which opened last night at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion — is considered a masterpiece due to its exceptional musical composition, complex characters, well-crafted dramatic structure, emotional depth, cultural relevance, enduring themes, and its influence on subsequent operatic works. Its ability to engage audiences both…
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HIGHLY Recommended Jazz Concert: DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER & BILL CHARLAP (Royce Hall, UCLA)
Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Charlap Fri, Sep 22 at 8 pm Royce Hall at UCLA When the extraordinary, multifaceted jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater and masterful jazz pianist Bill Charlap come together on stage, expect the inimitable musical chemistry borne of opposites attracting. Presented by CAP UCLA, join the musical conversation this Friday, September…
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Concert / Opera Review: LISE DAVIDSEN (West Coast Debut at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica)
A NIGHT OF HIGH ANTICIPATION MET BY DISAPPOINTMENT The arrival of dramatic soprano Lise Davidsen on the West Coast was nothing short of a highly anticipated musical event. Davidsen, reminiscent of the iconic Wagnerian opera singers of bygone eras, stands at an imposing 6 feet 2 inches, hailing from Norway, and possesses a voice so…
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Jazz Concert Review: BUDDY GUY & CHRISTONE “KINGFISH” INGRAM (The Hollywood Bowl)
BLUES NIGHT AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL On a Wednesday night, the Hollywood Bowl showcased two giants of the blues, representing its storied past and its potential future. Buddy Guy, the last of the veteran greats, was the main attraction while Christone Ingram (known as Kingfish) showed that the blues will not run out of gas…
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Theater Review: ALADDIN (National Tour)
DR. STAGELOVE or: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING DISNEY’S REMAKES WILL BOMB Huzzah! As if by magic carpet, Aladdin’”the stage musical’”has flown into the City of Angels for a two-week stint at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre. Based on Disney’s 1992 animated film, this touring production of the 2011 Broadway musical is a bold, colorful…
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Theater News: TARELL ALVIN MCCRANEY NAMED ARTISTIC DIRECTOR FOR GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE
In 2010, I witnessed the work of playwright Terrell Alvin McCraney for the first time. I knew immediately that his would prove to be an important voice in the theater. Since that fateful day I reviewed Marcus at A.C.T. ’” his third of the trilogy The Brother/Sister Plays beginning with The Brothers Size and In…
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