Costa Mesa Theater Reviews: Best Shows & Critic Recommendations Page 13

BWW Reviews: THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is a Beautiful Production, Well Worth the Trip from the Coachella Valley and Inland Empire
by Audrey Liebross - August 10, 2015

The new touring production of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, currently playing at the Segerstrom Center in Costa Mesa, is a must-see. The music, costumes, and sets are hauntingly beautiful and the performances are generally superb. Katie Travis, as Christine Daae, is a standout....

BWW Reviews: Slater, Ferguson, Robinson, and Co. Bring Hilarity to SPAMALOT at the Hollywood Bowl
by Michael L. Quintos - August 01, 2015

Definitely one of this current millennium's funniest stage shows, the world-famous Hollywood Bowl certainly chose wisely in its decision to stage the hit musical comedy Monty Python's SPAMALOT as this year's all-star annual summer stage musical spectacular, which was welcomed with plenty of sustaine...

BWW Reviews: A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN is a Night to Remember
by Ellen Dostal - July 31, 2015

Baby boomers don't normally show their approval at the theater by leaping to their feet and giving standing ovations during a performance… unless they happen to be seeing A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN at Pasadena Playhouse. The power of remembrance combined with the powerhouse performances of Mary Bridg...

BWW Reviews: New Compact HAIRSPRAY A Rousing Winner at OC's Chance Theater
by Michael L. Quintos - July 27, 2015

Bravo to Chance Theater for taking on this mainstream hit and making it actually feel like a fresh, awesome little indie. Now playing through August 9, the latest offering from Orange County's bold, award-winning regional theater company is their own 'intimate' theater re-staging of HAIRSPRAY, the 2...

BWW Reviews: 3DT's Eye-Popping TARZAN Musical Swings into the OC Jungle
by Michael L. Quintos - July 24, 2015

OC's award-winning regional theater company 3-D Theatricals' latest effort is a remarkably admirable, visually-stunning iteration of Disney's TARZAN® THE MUSICAL that defiantly dazzles and entertains despite the inherent, unavoidable shortcomings of its licensed source material (a problematic book a...

BWW Reviews: Musical Theatre West Revisits the Glorious Feeling of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN
by Michael L. Quintos - July 24, 2015

As the cliche goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. That is perhaps partly the philosophy behind the rather faithful stage adaptation of the gloriously wonderful movie musical SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, now once again charmingly replicated in a smile-inducing local production at Musical Theatre West that...

BWW Reviews: The Touring Company of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Raises $10,000 for BC/EFA and The Actors Fund with its Magnificent Cabaret in LA.
by Audrey Liebross - July 23, 2015

The touring company of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA performed a magnificent self-produced cabaret titled OSCAR UNMASKED, consisting of performances from Oscar winning songs and scores. In addition, audience members had the chance to bid on three items in a live auction. The cabaret raised about $10,000 ...

BWW Reviews: Shakespeare Orange County Offers a Multicultural ROMEO & JULIET
by Ellen Dostal - July 20, 2015

As an attempt to increase its cultural relevance, involve the community, and expand its audience base, Shakespeare Orange County's ROMEO & JULIET is an admirable venture. Directors Mike Peebler and John Walcutt have integrated several hometown groups to appeal to its neighboring communities: the Vie...

BWW Reviews: Desert Rose's VITAMIN Q is the perfect prescription to fight boredom and generate laughs
by Audrey Liebross - July 06, 2015

VITAMIN Q, a revue comprised of musical numbers by Eric Lane Barnes, now appearing at Desert Rose Playhouse, is hilariously funny and appropriate for gay-friendly audiences from teenagers on up....

BWW Reviews: High-Energy MOTOWN THE MUSICAL Entertains O.C. with Non-Stop Hits
by Michael L. Quintos - June 22, 2015

For nearly three vigorous hours, MOTOWN - THE MUSICAL provides one helluva show. More like a CONCERT rather than your typical book musical, this dazzling, high-octane extravaganza of music and dance is a visual and aural feast that gamely crams in more than 60 hits from the groundbreaking record com...

BWW Previews: FUNNY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE Has Its California Preview at Desert Theatreworks
by Audrey Liebross - June 17, 2015

Desert Theatreworks presents the California premiere of the new romantic comedy FUNNY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE, at the Arthur Newman Theatre, in Palm Desert, beginning June 19, 2015....

BWW Reviews: La Mirada's Jolly MARY POPPINS Is A Charming Delight
by Michael L. Quintos - June 11, 2015

The charming new regional production of the Disney/Cameron Mackintosh musical spectacular MARY POPPINS---currently playing at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts through June 21---has found a lovely, practically perfect Poppins in Hart of Dixie's Brandi Burkhardt, who confidently channels ...

BWW Reviews: Storm the Barricades to See Theatre Royale's Brilliant Production of LES MISERABLES
by Audrey Liebross - June 08, 2015

A brilliant production of LES MISERABLES by Theatre Royale appeared at the Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside. In addition to top-notch performances, the production of LES MIZ features stunning visuals....

BWW Reviews: Clever, Imaginative PETER AND THE STARCATCHER Flies Into South Coast Rep
by Michael L. Quintos - June 02, 2015

Let's first get this very necessary accolade out of the way: South Coast Repertory's brand new production of Rick Elice's PETER AND THE STARCATCHER is, hands down, one of the most enjoyable, most thrilling, and most engagingly imaginative plays I have seen all season---a fitting capper to the Tony A...

BWW Reviews: Adorable ANNIE Returns In (Another) New Tour
by Michael L. Quintos - May 18, 2015

A safe, inoffensive, cutesy crowd-pleaser for the young and the young-at-heart, the brand new non-Equity touring revival of the Broadway classic ANNIE is eager to please and pretty much does so. The show is, by all accounts, a cute if standard-issue charmer, filled with hummable ear-worm music (via ...