Exclusive interviews with Rita Rudner & Charles Shaughness and the creatives of ACT 3 now playing @ The Laguna Playhouse
January 6 – 31, 2016
Laguna Playhouse Youth Theatre Presents : Romeo & Juliet @ The Laguna Playhouse in Laguna Beach – Review
Written by Erin Tobin
The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is one of William Shakespeare’s most popular works. It has been performed, retold and parodied countless times. Even someone who can’t stand the Bard is very familiar with the tale. And, if for some reason you’re not, there’s a handy summary –complete with hints and spoilers –at the beginning of the play. It goes something like this. The offspring of two warring families find themselves deeply in love, but the animosity between their families means things aren’t going to turn out well. It is a tale of love, swordplay, vengeance, confusing dialogue, and it was recently produced by the Laguna Playhouse Youth Theatre.
AMB Theatre Podcast #36 presented by OCR – I’m Still Getting My Act Together…and Taking it on the Road @ The Laguna Playhouse in Laguna Beach – Podcast
Photograph by ED KRIEGER
Tune in every Friday to http://www.kuci.org/or if you’re in the areas of Santa Ana, Irvine or Tustin turn your radio receiver to 88.9FM @ 4pm – 5pm for the AMB Theatre show in partnership with the Orange Curtain Review.
October 7 – November 1, 2015
HALLOWEEN PERFORMANCE OF EARBUD THEATER: LIVE – News
Join EARBUD THEATER and On The Edge Theatre Productions at the Laguna Hills Community Center for a special Halloween event!
Since 2012, Earbud Theater (www.earbudtheater.com) has been creating strange sonic tales of monsters, aliens, and the terror that might be under your own roof for podcast listeners around the world, winning multiple awards along the way for helping to revive the tradition of the radio play an iTunes century. Continue Reading
Mystery Workers – Murder for Two @ Laguna Playhouse in Laguna Beach – Review
Written by Daniella Litvak
Mystery writer Arthur Whitney was fatally shot at his surprise birthday party. Who did it?
Photo Courtesy: JIM COX
The Whitney mansion is filled with suspects, and it is up to Officer Marcus to find the murderer.
While Marcus is preoccupied with finding out who did the deed, the question I want answered is “how.” How is Murder For Two not a disaster? It’s a murder mystery, a musical, and a comedy which features only two actors (Kyle Branzel and Ian Lowe). One of these actors plays the role of every single suspect, and also plays the piano, which is practically the sole source of musical accompaniment. This should be the textbook definition of an overwrought, gimmicky show with too many ideas. Yet somehow it works.
The writing is clever, entertaining, and self-deprecating. Like most comedies it has its share of bad puns, bawdy jokes and subverted rhymes. But most of it is remedied with catchy songs and fun acting. The song “Protocol Says” was stuck in my head during the entire car ride home.
The actors burst onto the stage, and they never let up. Lowe does a wonderful job demonstrating how neurotic Marcus and the suspects are, while retaining his down on his luck everyman qualities. Branzel impresses with the variety of distinct characters he plays. For the most part there aren’t any costume differences among the different roles, so the audience is dependent on his diction and body language to determine which character he is playing. Thanks to Branzel’s performance, I was able to easily identify the characters. Branzel and Lowe have great chemistry. They need to be complimented on their musicianship too. Some of the best moments in the show come from just watching their passive aggressive piano duets.
Like all good mysteries, the audience is kept on its toes. Sure Murder For Two gleefully confesses to both killing characters and the genre of musical theatre in general, but this show is alive.
8.3/10
Side note : I was thinking that the set reminded of me of the rooms in Clue, I noticed some interesting items displayed on set’s shelves: a candlestick, knife, lead pipe, revolver, rope and wrench. There are plenty other visual gags.
April 22nd – May 17th
