(photo credit: Stephanie Noel Garrison)
You know how Game of Thrones has been described as The Sopranos meets Middle Earth and Breaking Bad as Goodbye, Mr. Chips meets Scarface? If I had to play that game with Dancing at Lughnasa, I would say it is Pride and Prejudice meets Angela’s Ashes. Continue Reading
Photo credit: Kerrin Serna
Peter Hilton, Mia Anderson
The Whale will have a full cinematic release in movie theaters in early December 2022. It has already accrued early accolades on the film festival circuit with standing ovations for Brendan Fraser, who plays the lead character. The movie, mainly known by the theatre community, is based on the play produced in the early 2000s and garnered some prestigious theatrical awards. The Costa Mesa Playhouse puts on a whale-sized, powerhouse production of this powerful, dark, and crudely honest story about family, regret, and life. Continue Reading
(Photo credit: Mike Brown)
A British farce is a particular type of comedic play that originated in England. It often centers around an improbable situation causing chaos and distress for the zany characters involved. I’ve always seen it like a cartoon on stage. Under the careful direction of Kathy Paladino & David Rodriguez, the Costa Mesa Playhouse puts on a hilarious and well-executed physical comedy. Costa Mesa’s production of Noises Off is a strong rendition of this modern meta-theatrical farce. Continue Reading
Sammie Moore,Hayley Jackson,Ana Funjimoto
What would typically be backstage is in the front of the stage in this production. The costume rack is set upright in the center of the stage. Red curtains that would typically be in the front are in the back of the stage. Looking at the reversed set, you know this play will be told in a unique way. This show is a gag that goes on for about 90 minutes. The gag is the original performers can’t perform, so the audience is going to watch the stage crew perform the show. Hayley Jackson, the dramaturg, Ana Fujimoto, the lighting assistant, and Sammie Moore, the costume assistant, haphazardly go through condensed versions of Shakespearian classics with minimal regard for accuracy. Continue Reading
The Costa Mesa Playhouse presents Silent Sky. Historical fiction by Lauren Gunderson, Silent Sky imagines the personal and professional life of iconic American astronomer Henrietta Leavitt. Stacked with a charming cast and a starry background that evokes feelings of solemnity, Silent Sky should be considered a competent story but not necessarily entertaining.
It’s been two years since Neil Simon, one of the most well-known playwrights of his generation, passed away. He had a very successful career writing more than 30 different plays, often adapted into feature films. Simon’s plays were famous for being comedic but also dramatic. Before I started a deep dive into theatre, the name Neil Simon was well-known, like Einstein or Mother Teresa. Lost in Yonkers won the Pulitzer prize in 1991, and in a career that resulted in the creation of so many plays, it’s often known as one of the highlights of his career. The Costa Mesa Playhouse has now put on a production of this famous play. Under the precise direction of Wendy Ruth, the charm, the comedy, and the dangerous side of families are well performed almost the entire way through.
