Review: THE WIZARD OF OZ Drops Into Musical Theatre West in Long Beach
Delightfully charming but also now slightly dated, MTW's expectedly family-friendly, colorfully saturated production is indeed a lovely, mostly entertaining stage recreation of the movie classic. But curiously, at times, the show feels subdued and tamed-down, and in dire need of an extra jolt of energy to match the story’s wildly madcap, campy premise.
BWW Review: YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN Is Alive and Puttin' On the Ritz at 3D Theatricals
Young Frankenstein/book by Mel Brooks & Thomas Meehan/music & lyrics by Mel Brooks/original direction recreated by David Lamoureux/original choreography recreated by Daniel Smith/musical director: Corey Hirsch/3-D Theatricals at Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center/through October 15/October 20-29 at Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts I revert to childhood when I see a Mel Brooks movie or show. The sillier the better: the sight gags, the double entendres, the more the merrier. The New Mel Brooks Musical, Young Frankenstein is a real rip-roaring hoot of a show from start to finish as produced by 3-D Theatricals with a great cast and zippy fast-paced direction and fine staging from David Lamoureux, recreating the original of Susan Stroman and Daniel Smith recreating her choreography.
3-D Theatricals of Los Angeles Opens 9th Southern California Season with YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
3-D Theatricals (3DT) rings in its 2017-1018 season at both the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center (RBPAC) and the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts (CCPA) with Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein, a musical comedy from the Broadway creative team of the 12-time Tony Award winning smash hit The Producers. The production, with music and lyrics by Brooks and a book by Thomas Meehan, is a hilariously tuneful show based on the 1974 smash hit film Young Frankenstein which was a wickedly inspired re-imagining of the Mary Shelley classic from the comic genius of Mel Brooks. David Lamoureux directs with Corey Hirsch serving as Musical Director and Daniel Smith as Choreographer. Dino Nicandros* stars as Frederick Frankenstein with Danny Blaylock as The Monster , Julia Aks as Inga , Erik Scott Romney as Igor/Victor Frankenstein , Tracy Rowe Mutz* as Frau Blucher , Ashley Fox Linton* as Elizabeth , and Richard Gould* as Inspector Kemp/Hermit . *Denotes members of Actors Equity Association.
Review: 3-D Theatricals SPAMALOT Brings Stunning Broadway Caliber Production to Local Audiences
When Monty Python's Flying Circus first premiered on television in 1969, few could have imagined how influential the program would become thanks to the inventive minds of its six main collaborators Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. Known for their surreal slapstick humor which satirized the over-politeness perceived to be the epitome of British culture, the series spawned multiple films, some stage performances, and the outrageously hysterical musical SPAMALOT, mostly based off the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and some of the television show's more memorable skits. The original 2005 Broadway production was nominated for 14 Tony Awards, including the scenery and costumes currently being used in the thoroughly entertaining 3-D Theatricals musical comedy extravaganza from August 4 - 13 at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center and August 18 - 27, 2017 at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts.
BWW Reviews: No One Loses in This 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
Talk about quirkiness and how it can be used to its best advantage in a musical! The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is terribly funny in a smart, slick, offbeat manner with prize worthy characterizations of lively eclectic people.It may be a tad long like the actual spelling out of words (that are not to be believed!)yet the exaggeration and contestants' varied reactions give rise to some great comic moments...and I love the audience involvement! Some of the contestants are picked from the audience and their ad-libs lend one.of.a.kind hilarity. The unpredictability in denouement is another big plus in the overall enjoyment of the show. It's like a real contest.