THEATRE news, REVIEWs,
& interviews
ROCK OF AGES at San Diego Musical Theatre
San Diego Musical Theatre’s 'Rock of Ages' is a delightfully ridiculous blast of ’80s hair-band camp filled with talented performers, big vocals, energetic choreography, a live band, and enough rock ’n’ roll to make the audience feel like they have accidentally wandered onto the Sunset Strip in 1987.
GUYS AND DOLLS at Moonlight Stage
This 'Guys and Dolls' makes one thing very clear: at Moonlight, the audience wins.
WE WILL ROCK YOU at New Village Arts
In many ways, I am the target audience for We Will Rock You. I love Queen, I love theatre, and I love me some questionably bad sci-fi plotting. And yet, even I found myself wondering how much I was willing to overlook for the sake of the music.
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING at The Old Globe
'Much Ado About Nothing' is funny, energetic, musical, and remarkably approachable. Is it a millennial fever dream?Maybe, but everyone was having a great time.
DIVE BAR TIME MACHINE at Blindspot Collective
'Dive Bar Time Machine' is about love, joy, community, and the simple pleasure of being in a room together. Come ready to have fun; after all, sometimes the best time machine is a great song.
“HA HA HA HA HA HA HA” at La Jolla Playhouse
“Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha” at the La Jolla Playhouse presents a uniquely bespoke performance to every audience, making it nearly impossible to summarize, but wonderfully easy to watch bloom in front of your eyes. It's weird, and that’s wonderful.
CYRANO at The Old Globe
Funny, charming, and quietly heartbreaking, CYRANO at The Old Globe reminds us that the greatest obstacle to love is often believing we're unworthy of it.
THE FAMILY ALBUM at La Jolla Playhouse
“The Family Album”, the moving and wonderfully entertaining world premiere musical at La Jolla Playhouse, reminds us that while every family's story is unique, family dysfunction is a language everyone speaks.
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS at Broadway San Diego
When 'Water for Elephants' embraces the magic of the circus—the impossible made possible through acrobatics, illusion, movement, and extraordinary puppetry—it is absolutely captivating.
ISAAC'S EYE at OnStage Playhouse
Like the prism at the center of Newton's famous experiments, 'Isaac's Eye' at OnStage Playhouse refracts history into something far more colorful than a simple biography.
NORTH BY NORTHWEST at The Old Globe
The Old Globe’s North American premiere of “North by Northwest” succeeds by bringing something many of these adaptations lack: a finely tuned sense of style and panache.
BOY MY GREATNESS at Loud Fridge Theatre Group
Loud Fridge Theatre Group's “Boy My Greatness” is tender, funny, heartbreaking, and ultimately a moving celebration of the artists who dare to tell stories that challenge the world around them.
ADULT STORYTIME: A CAREGIVER’S GUIDE TO THE BLUES at OnWord Theatre
“Adult Storytime: A Caregiver's Guide to the Blues” isn't designed to make audiences cry (though you may). Instead, it celebrates resilience, connection, and the extraordinary care people extend to one another every day.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE at The Old Globe
This beautifully acted and thoughtfully staged “Measure for Measure” proves there is plenty worth measuring here.
HAIRSPRAY at New Village Arts
With so many artists making their New Village Arts debuts in this 'Hairspray,' there is a palpable sense of excitement and discovery throughout the evening, complementing the musical's themes of young people finding their voices and stepping into the spotlight.
THE MOST HAPPY FELLA at North Coast Repertory Theatre
If you think lying on your dating profile is a modern invention, “The Most Happy Fella” is here to remind you that catfishing has existed for generations. Fortunately, North Coast Repertory Theatre's production has something even more timeless than romantic deception: a glorious score sung by an excellent cast.
THE MONSTERS at La Jolla Playhouse
“The Monsters” delivers thrilling fight sequences, but its greatest strength lies in the family story at its center. Whether you're an MMA fan or not, the play's emotional punches land with equal force.
THE HOMBRES at The Old Globe
“The Hombres” is a thoughtful examination of friendship, masculinity, and the surprising ways personal growth can occur in the unlikeliest of places.
THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE at Oceanside Theatre Company
Funny and heartfelt, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee' is a delightful reminder that sometimes the biggest victories have nothing to do with trophies—or correctly spelling 'schadenfreude.'
KIM'S CONVENIENCE at The Old Globe
“Kim’s Convenience,” now playing at The Old Globe through June 14, delivers a warm and funny portrait of family, community, and the complicated push and pull between tradition and change.