Jeffrey Scott

The current production presented by the performing arts department at California State University at Channel Islands is the retelling of the tragic hate crime involving an Out student at a Wyoming university, two bigoted young townspeople, and the small town of Laramie that was affected by the incident and has forever been changed.

Before getting to the review, allow me to write in full disclosure: Approximately a?' of my viewing enjoyment of this production was usurped due to the fact that there was an elderly gentleman having issues with his hearing devices and the one-act that developed in trying to assist him. The billowing and flustering and seat-switching that was going on with the 'annoyed and put-off' audience members added with the bumbling and fumbling of the Front Of-House staff that tried to assist him was, to say the least, amazingly distracting. Mind you, I was equally disappointed in the 50'something crowd expressing their irritation as I was with the lack of decorum from the staff. To the FOH staff, may I highly suggest to have a workshop on working with seniors before, during, and after a performance and allow for all scenarios that may come up during their visit. To the 50'something crowd...we will sometime (soon) be the age of that senior gentlemen, may we remember that and put forth the energy of how we wish to be treated during our twilight years. Seniors deserve our utmost respect!

The Ovation-Winning theatre company, Actors Co-op opens up its 28th season with Charles Ludlam's two-person comedy 'The Mystery of Irma Vep - A Penny Dreadful'.

Broadway veteran Scott Waara has made a career of playing heartfelt characters and bringing something personal to each and every part he plays. Currently performing in 3-D Theatricals production of 'Once, The Musical', Waara re-creates the role he has performed (now for the 3rd time) and I had a chance to sit down with him and chat about life, family, and his history with 'Once, The Musical'.

The Skylight Theatre Company continues to provoke and encourage conversation and education. Their latest offering, opening September 21st, is a strong continuation of that tradition.

The Skylight Theatre Company continues to provoke and encourage conversation and education. Their latest offering, opening September 21st, is a strong continuation of that tradition.

Being a child is tough enough, but add an act of racism to your young life while living in a small town and one grows up rather quickly.

'Pippin' is a musical written by Stephen Schwartz and Roger O. Hirson and originally directed by Bob Fosse. It tells the story of the young son of Charlemagne desperately looking for a place to belong.

'All My Sons' is the story of Joe Keller (played by the engaging Mark Belnick), a successful, middle-aged, self-made man who has done a terrible and tragic thing, by framing his business partner for a crime that caused the death of hundreds of servicemen from World War II, and engineering his own exoneration. Now, his son Chris (the charismatic Jack Tynan) is about to marry the partner's daughter (the solid Alexis Boozer Sterling), the incident is revisited, and his lie of a life is unraveled.

I had the pleasure of attending two performances from two opposite ends of the professionalism spectrum. One being a student directed, high school musical (well produced and performed, by the way) and the other a dramady produced by a well-respected theatre company chock-full of industry professionals both onstage and on the artistic side. But what they both had in common was that both of them experienced technical issues and the differences in how each handled said technical issues.

William Shakespeare's comedy 'As You Like It' plays through March 10th at Camarillo Skyway Playhouse.. A story of love and the rocky road to union, reunion, and redemption. Duke Senior (the versatile Mary Comstock) has been banished and her rule usurped by her brother Frederick (the ever- present Chris Clyne). Senior's daughter Rosalind (the prominent and formidable Ryanna Dunn) and Frederick's daughter Celia (the capable Libby Baumgartner) are best friends, and when Frederick suddenly banishes Rosalind, the two women disguise themselves and flee to the Forest of Arden, where the banished duke has taken refuge. Orlando (the stalwart Benjamin Blonigan), with whom Rosalind has fallen in love, also ventures into the forest to escape a villainous brother of his own. In this forest of witty fools, foolish wise men, men who are women in disguise, and people finding their true selves, love will blossom, villainy will be redeemed, and Nature will nurture all.

In this contemporary musical version of the famous (and infamous) 1978 movie adapted from the 1974 Stephen King novel, Carrie: The Musical follows a young woman with telekinetic powers. An outcast at school, where she is bullied viciously for her differences, Carrie (played by the very capable Tianna Cohen) is also lost at home, with a fervently and obsessively religious mother (the powerful Leah Dalrymple) whose love traps her and figuratively and literally wont let her go. When PE teacher Miss Gardner (the vocally strong Jeanette Airen), kind classmate Sue Snell (the poignant Malissa Marlow...who also directs the production), and boyfriend Tommy Ross (Broadway-calibur Noah Canada) reach out to try and help Carrie, it seems that for once, Carrie might have a shot at being accepted. But Chris Hargensen (Choreographer Kena Worthen), the class's most vicious bully along with her whipped boyfriend Billy Nolan (the bleach-blonde Conner Stevens), have other ideas. Pushed to the brink, Carrie's powers threaten to overwhelm her, and destroy everyone around her.

Middle8 proves to be a true original, of a musical.

The Kingsmen Shakespeare Company will kick off its 22nd year with its first staging of 'The Two Noble Kinsmen' under the direction of a newcomer to the festival who has nearly 40 years of experience.