A Biting Dog is a Must-See

By Patrick Hurley

 

So it turns out relationships can be just like dogs, they can bite you when you least expect it. This parallel, and others, can be seen in IAMA Theater Company’s production of A Dog’s House making its world premiere now through April 26 at the Elephant Theatre.

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Old Wounds Run Deep in Irish Drama

By Patrick Hurley

 

Some wounds never heal. This is the less-than-optimistic core of Corktown ’57, making its world premiere through May 3 at the Odyssey Theatre.

Too Much Tale For This Tiger

By Patrick Hurley

 

The Group Rep is currently presenting the west coast premiere of Tiger By The Tail, which is playing now through April 19 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre.

Pasadena’s Pygmalion: A Creation Worth Falling in Love With

By Patrick Hurley

Written over a hundred years ago, George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, playing now through April 12 at the Pasadena Playhouse, seems unlikely to be a relevant piece of theatre. You might think something so dated can’t be exciting.  You would be wrong. Director Jessica Kubzansky has deftly and sumptuously reimagined the staging of the early 20^th century masterpiece, and has actually brought it into the 21^st century with wit, charm, and a surprising, but resounding spark of feminism.

Stellar Cast and Impressive Visuals Carry the Musical

By Patrick Hurley

 

Nearly forty years after the Brian De Palma film, a failed attempt at Broadway, and a reimagined re-boot, comes a reimagining of the reimagined reboot, based on the Broadway show that was based on the film that was based on the novel by Stephen King. Simply put, Carrie The Musical has arrived.  Again. And it is playing now through April 5th at the La Mirada Theatre.

A Visually Striking Threepenny Opera

By Patrick Hurley

 

Bertolt Brecht’s sweeping critique of capitalism, The Threepenny Opera gets a beautiful staging at A Noise Within. Based on John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera, and boasting music from composer Kurt Weill, the play explores a socialist criticism of capitalist ideals, morality, and corruption in a way only Epic Theater, or more specifically, Bertolt Brecht can.

The American Dream is All Monkey Business for Trevor

By Patrick Hurley

 

The lies we tell ourselves in order to justify our own actions and behaviors is fertile ground for a writer. And Nick Jones’ new play Trevor, presented by Circle X Theatre Co., and playing now April 19, explores this idea to brutally funny effect.

An Engaging if Somewhat Neutral Switzerland

By Patrick Hurley

 

The relationship between artist and subject, creator and creation is often an exploration of the morality of the artist.

A Wonderfully Submersive Day

By Patrick Hurley

Theatre in the 21^st century has such a herculean task laid out in front of it. How does it stay relevant, exciting, new? How can theatre companies introduce a new generation to it?  How does one go about to reinvigorate the medium? The Day Shall Declare It, an installation piece created by Wilderness and presented by Los Angeles Performance Practice, feels like it’s on the right track.  It’s a submersive, site-specific wonder that doesn’t just break the fourth wall, it demolishes it completely. 

The Past is Not at Rest in Dontrell

By Patrick Hurley

The sins of the father visited upon the son, an all too familiar storytelling trope gets a bit of a reimagining in Nathan Alan Davis’s new play Dontrell, Who Kissed The Sea, produced by Lower Depth Theater Ensemble and playing now through March 29 at the Skylight Theatre.