Michael Quintos - Page 4

Featuring dynamic choreography from director Casey Nicholaw and new songs from Fey's hubby Jeff Richmond and lyricist Nell Benjamin, this stage adaptation of the cult hit movie (that will also soon be re-adapted into a movie musical) admirably recreates its quote-heavy 'fetch'-ness and anthropological commentary for the social media age.

Endearing and earnest, MTW’s new production of 9 TO 5 - THE MUSICAL---which continues performances at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach through February 26---is a pleasing musical comedy (adapted from the hit film) filled with hilarious dialogue, outrageous silliness, and, of course, really catchy tunes via Dolly Parton.

Now having its California premiere at OC's Chance Theater in Anaheim through February 26, RIDE THE CYCLONE is a must-see, wonderfully odd, yet endearingly touching musical comedy that feels like a thoughtfully bonkers hybrid of The Breakfast Club and It's A Wonderful Life, with room for a dollop of Tim Burton-esque quirkiness.

After its pandemic-delayed pause, the first national tour of FROZEN THE MUSICAL has finally arrived at OC's Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa playing thru February 19, 2023. A not-perfect but still enjoyable adaptation, the show, for the most part, is a creative and entertaining triumph of clever innovation and progressive storytelling.

Despite outdated, cringe-inducing tropes, McCoy Rigby Entertainment's new production of this ubiquitous rock-and-roll stage musical---now on stage at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts through February 12---manages to still entertain thanks mostly to the superb musical numbers energetically performed by its talented cast.

While many of the well-meaning narrative tweaks and modernized additions do seem slightly forced and somewhat at odds with the story's original innocence, for the most part, this revised CINDERELLA is a genuinely entertaining, effectively escapist musical filled with joy and magic. MTW's production continues through December 18 in Long Beach.

Broadway fan favorite Jessica Vosk's solo cabaret debut at Segerstrom Center for the Arts---which opened Thursday, November 17, 2022 and continues for two additional shows through Saturday, November 19---is, quite possibly, the most enjoyable cabaret concert this reviewer has experienced at the Center's lovely and intimate Samueli Theatre.

Loosely adapted from Baz Luhrmann's 1999 hit movie, the campy, sensory overload that is the Tony Award-winning stage adaptation of MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL---now playing at OC's Segerstrom Center for the Arts through November 27, 2022---is an entertaining pop-music-tinged feast for the senses.

Undeniably compelling but also, at times, comfortably predictable, Aaron Sorkin's A FEW GOOD MEN is, for all intents and purposes, really a showcase for enthralling live acting performances. The McCoy Rigby Entertainment production continues at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts through November 20, 2022.

A truly fun-filled, ecstatically-performed iteration of this classic musical, MTW's Broadway-caliber production (now on stage at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center through October 30) is a definite must-see. The production's trio of terrific leads---Lesli Margherita, Jeff Skowron, and James Olivas---are themselves reason enough to see it.

Beautifully acted (and sung) by an exquisite ensemble of gifted actors, South Coast Repertory's production of NINA SIMONE: FOUR WOMEN is a thoughtful, gut-wrenching play---punctuated with spectacular musical performances---that dives deep into the soul-baring creative process of an artist hoping to craft a seminal work of musical art, and to ensure to have that art say something profound.

Now that the initial FOMO-induced, must-see hype of its early years has quieted down, is revisiting HAMILTON again in the room where it happens still live up to the hype in 2022? The answer, at least for myself, while witnessing the recent Opening Night performance in Costa Mesa is a very resounding YES.

Overall--especially in this tighter, revised version lifted from London’s West End production that’s much zippier than the original--there is no denying that YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN is a witty, super funny, and genuinely enjoyable musical comedy that earns plenty of laughs and smiles along the way.

An enchanting, deeply resonant, and wholly entertaining reimagining of a classic Greek myth, HADESTOWN---now on stage at Orange County's Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, CA through August 21, 2022---is a beautifully layered piece of imaginative theater that stirs as it entertains and is easily the best touring production this season.

Featuring a superb performance from Emmy-winning improv king Wayne Brady as Lola, this new Hollywood Bowl production of KINKY BOOTS---which continues with two more performances July 9-10---marks the triumphant return of the annual summer musical to the world famous venue, armed with a very timely pro-queer, 'be who you wanna be' message that we all need to hear again, especially now.

Fresh from its three-week stop at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, the first national tour of PRETTY WOMAN - THE MUSICAL---based on that hit 1990 movie about a Hollywood hooker who finds true love---has made the short drive to OC's Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa for a two-week engagement ending July 17, 2022.

Endearingly inspirational and beautifully performed, COME FROM AWAY---as experienced in this relaunched post-lockdown tour now playing at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa through June 26, 2022---certainly proves itself worthy of repeat visits. At its core, the show is a hopeful, positive reminder that unconditional kindness does still exist in our world, even if evidence of such behavior is harder to find these days.

Exuding pure joy, blissful camaraderie, and high-energy theatrics, this exuberantly performed new SoCal production of IN THE HEIGHTS—continuing through June 26, 2022 at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts—feels like such an emotionally amped-up, escapist antidote to the divided times we currently must live with in our daily lives.  

What did our critic think of Tootsie in Costa Mesa? Despite a still problematic central premise, the non-equity national tour of the stage adaptation of TOOTSIE---now playing at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa through June 12, 2022---is, for the most part, a funny but flawed musical sprinkled with lots of funny lines, rapid-fire humor, and amusing shenanigans.

Funny, outrageous, and surprisingly thought-provoking beneath all its biting sarcasm, Mike Lew's reverberating satire TIGER STYLE!---now on stage at OC's South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa through June 5, 2022---shines a light on the merits of a controversial parenting style and whether it results in happy, well-rounded adults (um, likely not).