Orange County Theatre Reviews

Musical, Review, Top Hat 8 Repertory, Tustin, Uncategorized Comments Off on Top Hat 8 Repertory: Heathers The Musical in Tustin – Review |

Top Hat 8 Repertory: Heathers The Musical in Tustin – Review

Written by Patrick Chavis 

Before there were Mean Girls–a movie in the early 2000’s about a three-girl clique of popular girls dominating their high school with pretty looks, attitude, and cruel gags, there was a much darker, less comical movie in the early ’90s called Heathers–a movie about a three-girl clique dominating their high school with pretty looks, attitude and cruel gags. A musical version of Heather’s was created much later, and while it maintains some of the darkness of the original film, it goes in a much more fun and comical direction.   Top Hat 8 Repertory’s version of Heathers High School Edition is done completely with high schoolers.   While technically flawed in certain sections, the performance from much of the cast, coupled with the movement thought up by the director and perfect live band accompaniment, makes this production of Heathers a great first showing for anyone.   Continue Reading

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Broadway in the Park, Musical, Review, Tustin, Uncategorized Comments Off on Broadway in the Park presents : Beauty and the Beast @ Peppertree Park in Tustin – Review |

Broadway in the Park presents : Beauty and the Beast @ Peppertree Park in Tustin – Review

Written by Alina Mae Wilson 

In a departure from what has traditionally been for many years a space to revisit older classics less known by the youth, Peppertree Park is now hosting Disney’s popular musical Beauty and the Beast.   Presented by the Tustin Area Council for the Fine Arts and the Chance Theater, this production is engaging and extremely well-performed but also more exhausting than one might expect. Continue Reading

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Fiddler on the Roof @ Aldergate Church in Tustin – Review

Written by Patrick Chavis 

Family, tradition, and moral values –no matter what culture or religion you subscribe to –these things are important. They appear in the Bible, the Torah, the Quran, and many more religious and cultural traditions worldwide. The stories may be different, but many lessons are very similar. Aldergate Church in Tustin, California –a Methodist church by association — putting on the most famous Jewish musical of all time demonstrates their belief in this concept. Some may say it’s odd, but Aldergate doesn’t think so. 

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Photo Courtesy: Aldergate Church

A little history: Fiddler on the Roof was at one time the longest-running show to hit Broadway for quite a while. Fiddler’s long reign on the tremendous white way lasted until Grease came along. When Fiddler first came out, many people thought the production might be too Jewish for a mainstream audience and not Jewish enough for a Jewish one. Both were wrong –like any well-written story —Fiddler straddled the line of appealing to all demographics while staying true to its Jewish roots. The musical is based on a novel written in the 1800s about a Jewish dairyman named Tevye who has six troublesome daughters. Continue Reading

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Little Chapel of Errors, Holds You With Spirit : Hair @ The Mysterium Theatre in Santa Ana – Review

hair1Written by Alina Mae Wilson 

Tonight I had my first experience with Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical at the Mysterium Theater in Santa Ana.

Yes, that is correct, my first time seeing this iconic musical known for naked-singing hippies, and I chose to see it in a little chapel. There were multiple technical problems,  but the zeal of the people on stage balanced it out a bit.   Continue Reading

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