All stories by Charles McNulty on BroadwayStars

Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Pulitzer Prize-winning 'Fairview' comes in a little cloudy in its L.A. premiere at Rogue Machine by Charles McNulty

Jackie Sibblies Drury's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama "Fairview" receives its L.A. premiere at the Matrix in a Rogue Machine production directed by Oz Scott.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:00AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Machines replacing workers? What could go wrong? The Actors' Gang revives 'The Adding Machine' by Charles McNulty

Elmer Rice's "The Adding Machine," an expressionist classic on automation and worker insecurity, speaks directly to an age in which livelihoods are threatened by AI innovation.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 09:00AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, March 17, 2026

'Dragon Mama,' part two of Sara Porkalob's epic Filipina American family saga, reels us in for more by Charles McNulty

Writer-performer Sara Porkalob continues her Dragon Cycle trilogy with the Los Angeles premiere of "Dragon Mama," the second installment of the family epic centered on Filipina mothers takin…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:00AM[SHARE]
Thursday, March 12, 2026

Daniel Radcliffe goes interactive for 'Every Brilliant Thing' on Broadway by Charles McNulty

Daniel Radcliffe stars in the Broadway premiere of 'Every Brilliant Thing,' an interactive performance piece written by Duncan MacMillan and Jonny Donahoe that meditates on what makes life w…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 11:00PM[SHARE]
Thursday, February 26, 2026

The women are triumphant in 'Richard III,' A Noise Within's well-timed portrait of a tyrant by Charles McNulty

A Noise Within in Pasadena presents Shakespeare's 'Richard III' in a revival directed by Guillermo Cienguegos that stars Ann Noble as the tyrannical king.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 02:01PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, February 25, 2026

Katie Holmes wages sexual warfare in energized new 'Hedda Gabler' adaptation by Charles McNulty

In a new version of Henrik Ibsen's 'Hedda Gabler' by Erin Cressida Wilson, Katie Holmes stars in a taut, modern production at San Diego's Old Globe directed by Barry Edelstein.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:00AM[SHARE]
Friday, February 20, 2026

David Byrne's Imelda Marcos musical 'Here Lies Love" gets a thoughtful makeover at the Taper by Charles McNulty

David Byrne and Fatboy Slim's 'Here Lies Love' about the rise and fall of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos has its Los Angeles premiere at the Mark Taper Forum under the direction of Snehal Desai.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 12:09PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, February 18, 2026

Jefferson Mays' complex portrayal of Salieri ignites new revival of 'Amadeus' at Pasadena Playhouse by Charles McNulty

Tony winner Jefferson Mays stars in a new revival of Peter Shaffer's 'Amadeus,' directed by Tony-winner Darko Tresnjak, at Pasadena Playhouse.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:00AM[SHARE]
Saturday, February 14, 2026

Sylvia Plath haunts 'Sylvia Sylvia Sylvia,' an ambitious but shapeless new work, at Geffen Playhouse by Charles McNulty

The Geffen Playhouse presents the world premiere of Beth Hyland's 'Sylvia Sylvia Sylvia,' directed by Jo Bonney.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:00AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, February 3, 2026

Jason Alexander and Stephen Sondheim's 'Sweeney Todd' proves to be a bloody good match in La Mirada by Charles McNulty

Jason Alexander directs 'Sweeney Todd,' Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's masterpiece, in a revival at La Mirada Theatre starring Will Swenson and Lesli Margherita.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:00AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Justin Tanner plunges into family trauma in his solo show 'My Son the Playwright' at Rogue Machine by Charles McNulty

Playwright Justin Tanner stars in his new solo show, 'My Son the Playwright,' which is having its world premiere in a Rogue Machine production, directed by Lisa James.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:00AM[SHARE]
Sunday, January 25, 2026

Eddie Izzard's breakneck solo 'Hamlet' opts for cracking good storytelling over subtlety by Charles McNulty

Wry, gender-fluid British comedian Eddie Izzard's solo 'Hamlet,' adapted by Mark Izzard and directed by Selina Cadell, arrives at the Montalbán Theatre for the touring production's Los An…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 02:08PM[SHARE]
Saturday, January 17, 2026

Patrick Page finds Shakespeare's villains disturbingly human in 'All the Devils Are Here' by Charles McNulty

Patrick Page's traveling lecture-solo show reanimates Shakespeare's villains in master class presentation at BroadStage.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:00AM[SHARE]
Friday, January 9, 2026

'The Notebook: The Musical' isn't transcendent, but it locates some wisdom in its transformation to the stage by Charles McNulty

The musical adaptation of "The Notebook," Nicholas Sparks' romantic novel that was turned into a 2004 film starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, undergoes some transformation at the Holl…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:00AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, December 17, 2025

Director Cameron Watson, the newly named leader of Skylight Theatre Company, brings the human touch by Charles McNulty

Cameron Watson, one of L.A. best stage directors, has been appointed artistic director of Skylight Theatre Company, where his well-received production of 'Heisenberg' is nearing the end of …

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 12:50PM[SHARE]
Monday, December 15, 2025

Michelle Williams finds the modern spiritual essence of Anna Christie at St. Ann's Warehouse by Charles McNulty

Michelle Williams stars in a revival of Eugene O'Neill's 'Anna Christie' at St. Ann's Warehouse, staged by her husband Thomas Kail, who directed 'Hamilton'

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 04:52PM[SHARE]

'Ben Platt: Live at the Ahmanson' is the holiday gift you need to give yourself by Charles McNulty

In an elegant concert directed by Michael Arden, Ben Platt performs a mix of his solo recordings, Broadway favorites, American songbook treasures and pop surprises.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 12:20PM[SHARE]
Friday, December 12, 2025

'Stereophonic' at the Pantages can't hit Broadway's high notes by Charles McNulty

The Hollywood Pantages presents the L.A. premiere of David Adjmi's Tony-winning play 'Stereophonic.' The work, which includes original music by Will Butler, exposes the behind-the-scenes dra…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:00AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, December 9, 2025

The best theater of 2025 by Charles McNulty

Theater critic Charles McNulty selects his top productions in Los Angeles, including "Furlough's Paradise" at the Geffen Playhouse, "& Juliet" at the Ahmanson Theatre, "The Night of the …

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:00AM[SHARE]
Monday, December 8, 2025

Characters are breaking the fourth wall to confront and galvanize audiences by Charles McNulty

Direct-address, an old playwriting technique, has been retooled by a new crop of playwrights (Bess Wohl, Jordan Tannahill, Douglas Lyons) to lend new immediacy to drama.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:00AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, December 3, 2025

A Broadway star is born: June Squibb takes the lead at 96 by Charles McNulty

June Squibb, busier than ever at 96, stars in the Broadway premiere of 'Marjorie Prime.' She also plays the title character in the film 'Eleanor the Great,' released earlier this fall.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:00AM[SHARE]
Sunday, November 30, 2025

Appreciation: Tom Stoppard reinvigorated the comedy of ideas by Charles McNulty

An appreciation of playwright Tom Stoppard, known for such plays as "Rosencrants and Guildenstern are Dead," "Travesties," "The Real Thing" and the trilogy "The Coast of Utopia"

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 04:11PM[SHARE]
Friday, November 21, 2025

With women's rights under fire, the musical 'Suffs' is right on time by Charles McNulty

Shaina Taub's 'Suffs,' which won Tony Awards for best book and score, has its Los Angeles premiere at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:00AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, November 19, 2025

'Working Girl,' the musical, is a crude knockoff of '80s music and style (and the original movie) by Charles McNulty

In the world premiere musical adaptation of 'Working Girl,' Cyndi Lauper and Theresa Rebeck rely heavily on '80s nostalgia in a production directed by Christopher Ashley that cheapens the Mi…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 02:57PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, November 18, 2025

La Jolla Playhouse names Tony-nominated director Jessica Stone as next artistic director by Charles McNulty

Jessica Stone, who was nominated for her direction of the Broadway musicals 'Kimberly Akimbo' and 'Water for Elephants,' was appointed to succeed Christopher Ashley as the next artistic dire…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 03:00PM[SHARE]

'Paranormal Activity' at the Ahmanson is truly scary. And it may be the year's best staged production by Charles McNulty

Based on the Paramount Pictures horror movie franchise, 'Paranormal Activity,' written by Levi Holloway, mixes the supernatural with the everyday to terrifying effect.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:00AM[SHARE]
Thursday, November 13, 2025

Mark Strong and Lesley Manville power Robert Icke's sleek remake of 'Oedipus' on Broadway by Charles McNulty

Writer-director Robert Icke's modern retelling of 'Oedipus' opens on Broadway, with Mark Strong and Lesley Manville reprising their acclaimed London performances.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 11:59PM[SHARE]
Sunday, November 9, 2025

Kristin Chenoweth goes all out to rescue 'The Queen of Versailles' from Broadway foreclosure by Charles McNulty

Tony-winner Michael Arden directs the Broadway premiere of the musical adaptation of the 2012 documentary film 'The Queen of Versailles," which unites the show's star, Kristin Chenoweth with…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 11:59PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, November 5, 2025

What price do immigrants pay when they come to America? A new play offers an answer by Charles McNulty

South Coast Rep presents Lloyd Suh's "The Heart Sellers," a two-hander set in the wake of the Immigration and Nationality Act, in a production directed by Jennifer Chang that takes a histori…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:00AM[SHARE]
Saturday, November 1, 2025

The power of August Wilson's best play, 'Joe Turner's Come and Gone,' lives on at A Noise Within by Charles McNulty

Gregg T. Daniel directs a fine production of August Wilson's 'Joe Turner's Come and Gone" at A Noise Within, as part of an ongoing reexamination of the playwright's 10-play cycle.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:00AM[SHARE]
Saturday, October 25, 2025

A father's grief for his son killed in a school shooting makes a heart-wrenching case for gun reform by Charles McNulty

In 'Guac,' Manuel Oliver, the father of a young man killed in the 2018 Parkland shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, tells the story of his son's life and the overwhelming impac…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:00AM[SHARE]

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