REVIEW: VALLEY OF THE HEART BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO Proclaimed by president Barack Obama for “bringing Chicano culture to American drama”, playwright Luis Valdez’s (most notably known for Zoot Suit) latest play Valley of the Heart brings both Chicano and Japanese culture to the stage. Based on Valdez’s life experiences as a child growing up […]

REVIEW: DEAR EVAN HANSEN BY RYAN LUÉVANO I remember when, the now six Tony-winning musical, Dear Evan Hansen first appeared on my radar when it inconspicuously opened Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theatre in 2016. Within a short time the musical started creating a profound buzz, followed by winning a profusion of theatre awards. Then just the next […]

REVIEW: TENOR BY NIGHT BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO With shows like Fresh Off the Boat and the recent summer hit Crazy Rich Asians the Asian community is more and more receiving representation in the entertainment industry which is a boon for all minorities. That being said, the recent original musical Tenor by Night that played […]

REVIEW: NATIVE GARDENS BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO Karen Zacarías’ new comedy Native Gardens, now playing at the Pasadena Playhouse, is the perfect fit for this city’s perfectly tailored green lawns and gardening lifestyle that includes the celebrated Tournament of Roses Parade. The play directed by Jason Alexander proves that just how challenging it can be […]

REVIEW: MUTT HOUSE BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO Singing and dancing canines are taking stage at the Kirk Douglass Theatre this month in the original musical Mutt House. This world premiere musical about dogs is created and written by Tony Cookson with music and lyrics by John Daniel, Tony Cookson, Robb Curtis Brown, and David O. The show features 18 […]

REVIEW: SWEET CHARITY BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO The theatre company formerly known as Reprise! (now Reprise 2.0) is back and better than ever serving up a sensational presentation of the classic musical Sweet Charity. For their inaugural season the resurrected theatre company has partnered with the UCLA School of Theatre, Film, and Television’s Department of […]

REVIEW: STAND DOWN THE MARCH BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO In the profusion of the over 100 works in the “ensemble theatre” category at this year’s Hollywood Fringe Festival, Naomi Brodkin’s play Stand Down the March is a diamond in the rough. The play was commissioned by Next Theatre of Evanston in 2011 and went on […]

REVIEW: WHITE PEOPLE DRINKING BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO Joining the ranks of the over 100 ensemble theater pieces in this year’s Hollywood Fringe Festival the new play White People Drinking by Daniel Sugimoto is one you should add to your must-see list. The premise of the play is simple: a billionaire and his wife have […]

REVIEW: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNEST  BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO Immersive theatre is on the rise all over the world, and now LA’s 413 Project Theater makes its contribution with a sophisticated experience that combines high tea dinner with a performance of Oscar Wilde’s beloved comic masterpiece The Importance of Being Earnest. There are no […]

REVIEW: CABARET BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO To say Cabaret is a well-known musical is an understatement—its tuneful score and chilling story are iconic earning itself a rightful place in the musical theater canon. What is also true is that it’s only produced by theatre companies that have both the means and aptitude to fully realize […]