Roland Rusinek

Even if you have seen many productions of the totally entertaining Broadway musical-comedy HAIRSPRAY, do not miss the larger?than?life production, with its infectious music, show?stopping dance numbers and uplifting story, now at the Norris Theatre on the Palos Verdes Peninsula through May 12. With a talented cast of 28 local triple-threat performers, directed to perfection by Kari Hayter with some of the most demanding and athletic constant choreography by Christopher M. Albrecht, producer Chris Gilbert is to congratulated for bringing one of the best total packages to the stage!

Admittedly, after experiencing South Coast Repertory's potent and captivating new production of SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET, I'm hard pressed to remember the last time I was both this deeply moved and this excitedly riveted by Stephen Sondheim's macabre tale of a murderous barber hell-bent on exacting revenge. A curiously odd but strangely engrossing show peppered generously with dark humor, tragically-romanticized notions, and contrasting serious overtones, SWEENEY TODD's latest iteration in Orange County---now on stage in Costa Mesa through February 16, 2019---is a thrilling, quite distinctive new reinvention, that feels like a fresh pop-up play put on by a traveling Vaudevillian troupe that time-travelled from the past to give us modern audiences a live cautionary reenactment of a Penny Dreadful story that may just be too strange not to be true.

Nearly 40 years ago, Stephen Sondheim's bent-on-revenge barber, Sweeney Todd, sliced his way into the canon of musical theatre. The multi-award-winning Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is next up on the Segerstrom Stage at South Coast Repertory, Jan. 19-Feb. 16. Kent Nicholson directs the production. Tickets are available at www.scr.org.

Lythgoe Family Panto and the Laguna Playhouse present a fun and enjoyable version of Beauty and the Beast for the holidays. The English tradition of Panto, meaning it is an interactive, audience-participating show, is written by Kris Lithgoe, Directed by Sheldon Epps, Choreographed by Mandy Moore, with Musical Direction by Keith Harrison. With that impressive roster, it is a sure-fire evening of silly humor, great production numbers, unexpected songs and a meaningful message perfect for the holiday season.

The cheeky PG-rated fun of British Panto, courtesy of Lythgoe Family Productions, returns for more holiday silliness at Orange County's Laguna Playhouse, this time with BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: A CHRISTMAS ROSE, which continues through December 30, 2018 in Laguna Beach under the direction of Sheldon Epps. Fun, light-hearted, and a much-needed far-from-serious break from reality, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: A CHRISTMAS ROSE is wonderful family treat the whole family can enjoy for the holiday season.

Laguna Playhouse Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham, Executive Director Ellen Richard and Lythgoe Family Panto (LFP) are thrilled to present Ashley Argota ('True Jackson VP,' 'Lab Rats'), Thomas Hobson (Ain't Misbehavin', Recorded in Hollywood), Heath Calvert (Amelie, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), Riley Costello ('Hairspray Live,' Peter Pan and Tinker Bell: A Pirate's Christmas), Andrews Barnicle (Twelve Angry Men,  Fallen Angels), Roland Rusinek (The Phantom of the Opera) and David Engel (Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, La Cage Aux Folles) in Lythgoe Family Panto's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: A CHRISTMAS ROSE.  

Laguna Playhouse Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham, Executive Director Ellen Richard and Lythgoe Family Panto (LFP) are thrilled to announce that Laguna Playhouse favorite Andrew Barnicle (Twelve Angry Men, Fallen Angels) will join Ashley Argota ("True Jackson VP," "Lab Rats"), Thomas Hobson (Ain't Misbehavin', Recorded in Hollywood), Heath Calvert (Amelie, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), Riley Costello ("Hairspray Live," Peter Pan and Tinker Bell: A Pirate's Christmas) Roland Rusinek (The Phantom of the Opera) and David Engel (Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, La Cage Aux Folles) in Lythgoe Family Panto's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: A CHRISTMAS ROSE.

Laguna Playhouse Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham, Executive Director Ellen Richard and Lythgoe Family Panto (LFP) are thrilled to announce that Ashley Argota ("True Jackson VP," "Lab Rats"), Thomas Hobson (Ain't Misbehavin', Recorded in Hollywood), Heath Calvert (Amelie, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), Riley Costello ("Hairspray Live," Peter Pan and Tinker Bell: A Pirate's Christmas) Roland Rusinek (The Phantom of the Opera) and David Engel (Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, La Cage Aux Folles) are set to star in Lythgoe Family Panto's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: A CHRISTMAS ROSE. Written by Kris Lythgoe, directed by Sheldon Epps, choreography by Mandy Moore, musical direction by Keith Harrison and musical supervisor Michael Orland, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: A CHRISTMAS ROSE will begin performances on Wednesday, December 5 and run through December 30, 2018 with a press opening on Friday, December 7 at 7:00pm at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.Casting is led by LFP Producer Becky Lythgoe, and the full cast will be announced at a later date.  

BroadwayWorld has a first look at Theatre Under The Stars' (TUTS) final Mainstage show of the 49th Season, Guys & Dolls! Carlos Lopez leads the cast as 'Nathan Detroit' with Madison Claire Parks as 'Sarah Brown', Michelle Aravena as 'Adelaide', and Omar Lopez-Cepero as 'Sky Masterson'.

Despite its flaws, it's hard not to enjoy GUYS & DOLLS. The music is infectious, and the characters are memorable. This production isn't perfect, nor is it a rendition of the old classic; some attendees are bound to be startled or surprised by the modern twists. But if you know what you're getting going in, this show is worthy of your time and the ticket price. For families of all ages who want to have fun without a ton of thought, go!

BroadwayWorld has a first look at Theatre Under The Stars' (TUTS) final Mainstage show of the 49th Season, Guys & Dolls! Carlos Lopez leads the cast as 'Nathan Detroit' with Madison Claire Parks as 'Sarah Brown', Michelle Aravena as 'Adelaide', and Omar Lopez-Cepero as 'Sky Masterson'.

BroadwayWorld has a first look at Theatre Under The Stars' (TUTS) final Mainstage show of the 49th Season, Guys & Dolls!

Theatre Under The Stars' (TUTS) introduces the cast of its final Mainstage show of the 49th Season, Guys & Dolls!

Theatre Under The Stars' (TUTS) introduces the cast of its final Mainstage show of the 49th Season, Guys & Dolls!

In 1993 Neil Simon penned his experiences as a young writer for Your Show of Shows on early 50s television in a play entitled Laughter on the 23rd Floor. At that time he was a novice learning from the likes of series star Sid Caesar and fellow-writers Mel Brooks, Larry Gelbart, Carl Reiner, and Selma Diamond among others. The seven member team plus Caesar collaborated on sketch comedy that ran live weekly on NBC. Daily work was hellish with the crazies bringing their personal issues and divergent styles of expression every hour of every day to the writers' room. The sketch material was not only affected by their various personalities clouded by bold ethnic traits but also by the world around them that included the infamous attacks of McCarthyism. In the arts actors, writers, directors and other artists were endangered of being branded a communist and fired from their work. NBC found Your Show of Shows to be too sophisticated and thereby made cuts threatening the show's existence. It was cut back to an hour. In the play Sid Caesar is Max Prince (Pat Towne), an alcoholic and drug addicted tyrant who will stop at nothing to prove his point. He fights NBC; of course, to no avail. Laughter... plays the Garry Marshall Theatre through April 22, brilliantly directed b

A reimagined, revitalized production of Pulitzer Prize and Tony-winning playwright Neil Simon's classic Laughter on the 23rd Floor marks the final production in the nonprofit's 4-Play Inaugural Season. Featuring John Ross Bowie (Speechless, The Big Bang Theory) and directed by Co-Artistic Director of Los Angeles' award-winning Celebration Theatre Michael A. Shepperd, Laughter on the 23rd Floor will play a limited run, March 23 through April 22, 2018.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & McCOY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT present the fifth show of its 2016-2017 season, Davis Gaines starring in his Ovation award-winning role as Don Quixote in MAN OF LA MANCHA, with book by Dale Wasserman, lyrics by Joe Darion, music by Mitch Leigh, musical direction by Jeff Rizzo, choreography by Patti Colombo and directed by Glenn Casale. MAN OF LA MANCHA will preview on Friday, June 2, 2017 (with a press opening on Saturday, June 3) and run through Sunday, June 25, 2017 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.  

As many times as I see Man of La Mancha, I relish the music and high dramatic moments of this classic piece of theatre. Such is the case when the production is top notch, with the perfect actors and highly skilled direction. La Mirada's current revival is top of the line with director Glenn Casale leaving his usual stamp of excellence. The beauty of Man of La Mancha as a musical is that the story is never dated; it lives and breathes in the moment. When it premiered on Broadway in the 1960s it was a winner and now, almost 60 years later, it is just as engrossing. Madness is always fun to play with. What is madness? And...what is normality? There's a fine line between Quijote's crazy behavior and the deceptive politician, say, who defines himself as a seeker of equality. When we see things as they really are, it is too painful, intolerab

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & McCOY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT present the fifth show of its 2016-2017 season, Davis Gaines starring in his Ovation award-winning role as Don Quixote in MAN OF LA MANCHA, with book by Dale Wasserman, lyrics by Joe Darion, music by Mitch Leigh, musical direction by Jeff Rizzo, choreography by Patti Colombo and directed by Glenn Casale. MAN OF LA MANCHA will preview on Friday, June 2, 2017 (with a press opening on Saturday, June 3) and run through Sunday, June 25, 2017 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.

La Mirada Theatre For The Performing Arts & Mccoy Rigby Entertainment present the fifth show of its 2016-2017 season, Davis Gaines starring in his Ovation award-winning role as Don Quixote in MAN OF LA MANCHA, with book by Dale Wasserman, lyrics by Joe Darion, music by Mitch Leigh, musical direction by Jeff Rizzo, choreography by Patti Colombo and directed by Glenn Casale.