REVEW: THE FANTASTICKS BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO The Fantasticks, music by Harvey Schmidt and lyrics by Tom Jones, as endured the test of time as the world’s longest-running musical; however the musical itself has not necessarily kept up with the times . . .until now. Under the direction of Seema Sueko and with the collaboration […]

REVIEW: MUTUAL PHILANTHROPY BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO It’s a shame that people don’t attend more plays than they do movies or sporting events because Karen Rizzo’s new play Mutual Philanthropy is a work that everyone should experience. The premise of her play is simple: two couples from different socioeconomic backgrounds have dinner together—that’s it. However, […]

REVIEW: NEXT TO NORMAL BY RYAN M. LUEVANO In 2008 the concept of the musical Next To Normal about a mother who struggles with inflaming bipolar disorder and the effects that her illness has on her family was experimental to say the least. Yet after years of workshops the Next To Normal found its way to […]

REVIEW: MAESTRO BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO The name Leonard Bernstein may not be a household name today, but 40 years ago it was acclaimed and known worldwide. Bernstein was a true Renaissance man as an accomplished conductor, pianist, author, educator, librettist, television star, and the composer of symphonies, iconic film scores and American musical classics. […]

REVIEW: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS  BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO The 80s musical Little Shop of Horrors, which these days is widely performed in high school, community theatres and colleges across the country, has been given a fresh reimaging by The B Productions at the NoHo Arts Center. Director Brianna McDonnell sets this show in the […]

REVIEW: BLUEPRINT FOR PARADISE BY RYAN M LUÉVANO It’s frightening when a work of fiction bears an all too familiar resemblance to what’s happening in our current society, this is the case of Laurel M. Wetzork’s new play Blueprint for Paradise. In this electrifying play, based on true events, we see the story about a […]

REVIEW: HELLO DOLLY BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO 3D Theatricals proves that the musical Hello Dolly is still going strong long after the original Broadway production opened at the St. James Theatre over fifty years ago. Here the musical is reinvigorated with fresh and imaginative contemporary productions values and a stellar cast that bring this Jerry […]

REVIEW: RECORDED IN HOLLYWOOD BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO The name John Dolphin is far from a household name and what he did is just as obscure, yet when this mere blip of history is brought to the stage as in Recorded in Hollywood, the dots of past and present ultimately connect—if only for the show’s duration. The musical, […]

REVIEW: LIBERTY A MONUMENTAL NEW MUSICAL BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO Liberty A Monumental New Musical tells a delightful story of this iconic monument that’s a symbol of American freedom with a reverence for history, but doesn’t quite reach the top in terms of dramatic artistry and compelling storytelling. However, the musical does give Americans and […]

REVIEW: DREAMLAND BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO Another L.A. born musical has recently surfaced at the NoHo Arts Center for a brief weekend run. The musical, Dreamland by John Francis Smith (Emmy Award winner as head writer and co-executive producer of Young and the Restless) and his daughter Asia Ray Smith, tells the story of an […]