PORTOLA YOUNG AUDIENCES

by Amanda Callas - March 25, 2025

BIG HAIR: A Rad and Wild Love Affair is a thoughtful, poignant, laugh out loud funny one woman show, a bittersweet slice of nostalgia and a heartfelt homage to the gorgeous, offbeat love story between iconic comics Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner. ...

by Michael Quintos - March 21, 2025

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from experiencing RENT - IN CONCERT—a symphony orchestra-backed concert version of Jonathan Larson's iconic musical which recently played to a full-capacity crowd for a one-night-only performance on March 15, 2025 at OC's Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa—is t...

by Harker Jones - March 19, 2025

Scott Thompson and Fred Barton plumbed legendary composer Harold Arlen’s catalog to create the dazzling world premiere jukebox musical ONE FOR MY BABY playing now at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood....

by Andrew Child - March 10, 2025

Whether thanks to Cavanagh’s approach or director Shawna Lucey’s reinventions, the opera never seems to warrant excuse or apology. Justin Austin and Anthony León never miss a chance for silliness, strutting about the stage with ridiculous levels of machismo to match their preposterous mustache disgu...

by Michael Quintos - March 10, 2025

For his debut OC cabaret engagement, Broadway actor Claybourne Elder—who recently played Andy in the Tony Award-winning 2021 revival of Stephen Sondheim's (mostly) gender-bent COMPANY—brought his witty charm and sublime musicality to Segerstrom Center for the Arts' Samueli Theater for three performa...

by Amanda Callas - March 10, 2025

Founded in 1968, Honey Cone is like drinking sunshine. The debut of iconic girl group Honey Cone at the famed Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood on Oscars Night was unforgettable magic. Next up on their live tour is Oscar's in Palm Springs on April 11....

by Andrew Child - March 10, 2025

It is evident that Christ and Stole have been performing this show for a while: it is a well-oiled machine. Though still playful with each other, Christ tees up punchlines and gags perfectly which Stole is always able to nail home....

by Harker Jones - March 04, 2025

BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL is smart, silly, and full of heart. Its expansive and inclusive ideas are not preached, they are sown. And it is another home run from the ever-reliable Open Fist Theatre Company....

by Andrew Child - March 04, 2025

John Cameron Mitchell’s cabaret show exhibited his demented, impish persona through a series of high-energy numbers. Of course, the crowd was most invested in his renditions of songs from Hedwig and the Angry Inch....

by Michael Quintos - March 03, 2025

Fresh off her final set of performances in the L.A. transfer of the new Broadway revival of ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, the two-time Tony Award winning stage and screen star recently returned to Orange County, CA for a one-night-only sold out concert at the Irvine Barclay Theatre accompanied by music dire...