The Sunday Conversation: Pianist Mona Golabek holds on to the music

L.A. concert pianist and radio show host Mona Golabek makes her theatrical debut at the Geffen Playhouse in "The Pianist of Willesden Lane,"...

Memorial Day 2012: Five things to do this weekend

Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer and a three-day reprieve in a long list of five-day (or more) workweeks. Here, we round up...

Obama heading to Broadway for fundraiser, with Bill Clinton

When it comes to raising money, the Obama reelection campaign knows it can count on the showbiz community.

Review: Traveling 'Sideways' through wine country -- and life

A weeklong road trip through the Santa Ynez Valley wine country drives two middle-aged buddies to unexpected tests of both their varietal...

Review: 'The Fool and the Red Queen' romp at the Lounge Theatre

“The Fool and the Red Queen,” a world premiere at the Lounge Theatre, is actually two distinct plays – the sixth and...

Michael McKean makes 'break a leg' jokes after breaking leg

The theatrical expression to "break a leg" is a frequently used backstage salute that means "good luck." For Michael McKean, the "Spinal...

Review: 'Nobody Loves You,' but the reality is, they do

Reality TV has plenty to recommend it — even beyond Schadenfreude — but likable characters are not its long suit. “...

Gifts of language continue in 'Cyrano'

Nearly a decade ago, an improbable dream came true for Deaf West Theatre and its founder, Ed Waterstreet. The small, L.A.-based company went...

Review: 'The Children' an inspired take on Medea myth

“To mortal man, how great a scourge is love,” is one of countless ingenious lines that adorn “The Children” at the...

'The Exorcist' play to star Richard Chamberlain, Brooke Shields

The power of Christ has compelled Richard Chamberlain and Brooke Shields to take two of the lead roles in a new stage version of William...

'Slumdog Millionaire' musical in works without Danny Boyle, others

Theater producers love turning movies into musicals, and the energetic, Oscar-winning “Slumdog Millionaire” looks like a good...

James Corden, 'One Man' and a plethora of talent

NEW YORK — James Corden is in the throes of a New York moment. He's in a hit Broadway show, the London import "One Man, Two Guvnors,"...

Review: An erratic 'A Little Night Music' by East West Players

Perpetual anticipation is good for the soul, but it's bad for the art of "A Little Night Music" at the David Henry Hwang Theater. This...

Review: 'Linthead' an evocative Depression-era tale

From director to playwright to cast, many of those participating in “Linthead,” a guest production at Santa Monica Playhouse,...

Review: Striking visuals lift 'Cold Dream Colour' at REDCAT

Visceral expressionism and a prodigious visual beauty coalesced in “Cold Dream Colour,” a dance-theater homage to seminal...

Review: A twist to 'It Is Done' at the Pig 'N Whistle

I was going to refer to “It Is Done,” a play by Alex Goldberg currently running in a back room in Hollywood’s Pig ’N...

South Sudan troupe sees new country's struggle in Shakespeare

LONDON — Posthumus, the protagonist of Shakespeare's "Cymbeline," marched through the Herculean columns of the Globe theater,...

'Bring It On' musical opening on Broadway this summer

Unlike some blockbuster stage musicals that debut on Broadway before hitting the road for a national tour, "Bring It On: The Musical" is...

Influences: Call them inspirations for Elaine Stritch

While getting started for her debut in Culture Monster's Influences column, brassy Broadway veteran Elaine Stritch, 87, wanted to make one...

'End of the Rainbow' with Tracie Bennett opens U.S. tour in L.A.

"End of the Rainbow," the Broadway play about Judy Garland currently running at the Belasco Theatre, will make its Los Angeles debut in 2013...

Skirball Center announces lineup for free summer concert series

Now entering its 16th year, the Skirball Cultural Center's Sunset Concert series has been a reliable source for intriguing sounds from...

Theater review: 'Hands on a Hardbody' is a fun ride

"Hands on a Hardbody," the new musical based on S.R. Bindler's 1997 documentary film about a nutty endurance contest at a Texas auto...

New movies-to-stage fund backs 'Flamingo Kid' musical

Like them or not, Broadway musicals based on movies have become a staple of the New York theater scene. Risk-averse investors see them as...

Review: 'Colony' adds shine to Los Angeles Ballet's 'NextWave LA'

The final bill of Los Angeles Ballet's sixth season, “NextWave LA” is the company's annual new works...

'Downton Abbey' star Dan Stevens cast in Broadway's 'The Heiress'

Dan Stevens, who plays Matthew Crawley in the transatlantic hit television drama "Downton Abbey," will make his Broadway debut...

Review: 'Psy' performance in Irvine has moments of comic inspiration but has trouble focusing

"Psy," the new acrobatic trifle from Montreal's the Seven Fingers of the Hand, leaps off the shrink's couch for an evening of humorous...

Review: Beauty secrets of 'Sleeping Ugly' at Santa Monica Playhouse

A basket for "Donations" blocked the refreshment table at the opening-night reception for Arnold Schulman's "Sleeping Ugly." The Santa...

Charlie Chaplin musical to open in September on Broadway

A new biographical Charlie Chaplin musical that began in 2010 at the La Jolla Playhouse has set an opening day for Broadway.

Review: 'Copy' at Theatre of NOTE is a daffy original

It’s doubtful that locals will see anything quite like “Copy” at Theatre of NOTE anytime soon. Padraic Duffy’s...

Review: 'Follies' is a source of heartache and razzmatazz

There's so much to praise in the blissful Broadway revival of "Follies," which opened Wednesday at the Ahmanson Theatre on the heels of...

Tom Hanks could make Broadway debut in Nora Ephron play

Tom Hanks is in discussions to make his Broadway debut in a play written by his frequent screen collaborator Nora Ephron. The New York...

'How to Succeed,' starring Nick Jonas, to close on Broadway

The Broadway revival of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" will end its run at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre in New York on...

Barbara Bain remains 'Love Struck' when it comes to theater

To baby boomers, Barbara Bain is best known for the two TV series she did with her ex-husband, Martin Landau: "Mission: Impossible," for...

An edgy opera company gives it a go in Los Angeles

With the sound of brass instruments coming from above, scenes of wreckage on the floor and an array of abstract sculpture in between, this...

Broadway musical 'Leap of Faith' to close on Sunday

"Leap of Faith," the Broadway musical that had its world premiere in 2010 in Los Angeles at the Ahmanson Theatre, will close its doors...

Twisted Sister's Dee Snider sings a new (show) tune in 'Broadway'

It seems a career path has emerged for rockers looking to transition gracefully into musical maturity once the amplifiers have stopped...

It's 'Star Wars' Day and the theater world has fun on Twitter

Nathan Lane, Brian Dennehy in 'Iceman Cometh': What did critics think?

A revival of Eugene O'Neill's great American drama "The Iceman Cometh," about the dangers and delusions of addiction, opened Thursday in...

Joseph Gordon-Levitt looking at 'Little Shop of Horrors' remake

Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Warner Bros. are in talks for a movie remake of "Little Shop of Horrors"  -- with the help of...

Review: Political, personal foibles propel 'The Fix' at ICT

It's understandable that International City Theatre would want to snag the West Coast premiere of "The Fix" in this election year. John...

George Clooney, Brad Pitt reading of '8' comes to CD and download

Life has been extended for the star-studded reading of the play "8." Dustin Lance Black's  dramatization of the legal fight against...

It's all about the women in 'Follies'

Though the 1971 Stephen Sondheim-James Goldman musical "Follies" puts male-female relationships under a microscope with its probing...

Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner may play married pair on Broadway

Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner could be the latest A-listers hitting the boards.

Influences: Who touched Tony Bennett's heart?

It's hard to fathom that Tony Bennett hasn't been here forever, smiling broadly in a tux and singing "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." But...

'Magic/Bird' to finish its Broadway run May 12

"Magic/Bird" -- the Broadway production for those basketball fans who watched those great Lakers and Celtics games from the '80s and...

Ballet documentary 'First Position' entertains, uplifts

Since nearly every dance-related film and television project in this century has involved a contest or competition, however bogus, it was...

Tony nominations 2012: Surprises and snubs

NEW YORK --  “Clybourne Park,” Angela Lansbury and a play about a dysfunctional family were among those overlooked when...

Tony Awards 2012: 'Once,' 'Porgy and Bess' among top nominees

NEW YORK -- The Tony Awards spread the love around Tuesday morning, bestowing multiple top nominations on the musicals "Follies," "Once" and...

Review: Richard Chamberlain, Heather Tom riveting in 'The Heiress'

At the peak of Richard Chamberlain’s thrillingly malevolent performance in “The Heiress,” the audience at the Pasadena...

Review: Rita Rudner hams it up in 'Tickled Pink' world premiere

Comedian Rita Rudner has always known how to tickle an audience -- and the same is mostly true of her slight but sugar-sweet new play,...