Curtain Call

Little Fish Ends an Era with a “Pick of the Vine” that Harvests New Beginnings

Every January, Little Fish Theatre opens the year with a staging of new short plays culled from hundreds of submissions.…

2 years ago

Little Fish Theatre Forced to Leave the Only Pond They’ve Ever Known

In 2002, Little Fish Theatre were little more than hatchlings when they transformed an industrial space into what would become…

2 years ago

“Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play” Ably Celebrates Remembrance of Things Loved

As a dedicated fan of The Simpsons (Seasons 1–6, anyway — the only ones that count), I’ve long been intrigued…

2 years ago

Maybe It’s Just Me, but Steve Martin’s “Meteor Sky” Is Unfunny as Can Be

In a landmark psychology experiment known as the Asch Line Study, a test subject sits in a room with 11…

2 years ago

“Frankenstein 1930” Is More Melodrama Than Mary Shelley

Don’t ask me to explain the title of Frankenstein 1930. Yes, it’s based on the 1931 film. But 1930? There’s…

2 years ago

“Seminar” Marries Nice Writing to Excellent Acting

Nominally, Theresa Rebeck’s Seminar is about writing, with four young New Yorkers paying $5,000 apiece for a 10-week seminar with…

2 years ago

“The Motherfucker with the Hat” Wickedly Funny, Superbly Acted

Perhaps no Long Beach theatre company is more unpredictable than its oldest, Long Beach Playhouse. I’ve been reviewing them for…

2 years ago

Stage Adaptation of “Misery” Isn’t — and Was Never Going to Be — the Film

Misery, William Goldman’s theatrical adaptation of his screenplay of the Stephen King novel, is not the most unavoidably static script…

2 years ago

Spirit Trumps Visual Shortcomings in “The Wizard of Oz”

The Wizard of Oz is the most famous of them all, and its legendary art direction makes it a dicey…

2 years ago

Curtain Call: Everything Comes Together in Brilliant An American in Paris

It’s not so much that the dancing in director/choreographer Jeffry Denman’s An American in Paris is vigorous, elegant, clever, and…

2 years ago