Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Stunning Costumes, Sets Embellish ‘The Lion King’

The stand-out actors were Timon and Pumba (played by Tony Freeman and John E Brady), the three hyenas (played by Martina Sykes, Forest VanDyke, and Robbie Swift), and Rafiki the medicine woman baboon (played by Gugwana Dlamini, who also added some powerful African vocals and can be heard on the original movie soundtrack as well).  Judging by the audience’s roars at curtain call, there was consensus on these stand-out performances.  [Sandi Masori]

Stunning Costumes, Sets Embellish ‘The Lion King’ Read More »

Sandi Masori, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Playwright Myla Lichtman-Fields Scoring in Los Angeles & London

The prolific San Diego County playwright, Myla Lichtman-Fields, will be traveling to Los Angeles next month, and then to London, England in November to see performances of two of her 16 published plays that have gone global through lulu.com. [Eileen Wingard]

Playwright Myla Lichtman-Fields Scoring in Los Angeles & London Read More »

California, Eileen Wingard, International, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Love Stories Reenacted at the Hive

The staged reading of A Play for Tu B’Av, presented at the Hive at Leichtag Commons, Sunday evening, August 14, proved to be a delightful theatrical journey into six variants of love between two people. Five of the couples were from the San Diego Jewish Community and those of us familiar with the community were able to identify them, even though, in Ali Viterbi’s play, they remained nameless. The story of the sixth couple, whose love story wove seamlessly among the other tales, was based on the Biblical account of Jacob and Rachel.  [Eileen Wingard]

Love Stories Reenacted at the Hive Read More »

Eileen Wingard, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

‘The Mechanicals’ Features Summer Camp Nostalgia

By Eva Trieger CARLSBAD, California — Who doesn’t wax nostalgic for those halcyon days of summer camp? Even if there are snakes in the lake or bug juice or pit toilets, there is nothing that connotes summer vacation like a stint at a summer camp, replete with singalongs, poison ivy, and mosquito bites. New Village

‘The Mechanicals’ Features Summer Camp Nostalgia Read More »

Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Amid World Premiere in San Diego, ‘The Remarkable Mister Holmes’ Looks Broadway-Bound

By Eva Trieger What do you get when you combine the brilliance of actor/director/lyricist/playwright, Omri Schein with the actor/artistic director/heart of North Coast Repertory Theatre, David Ellenstein, with the “incredibly talented and joyously spirited cast” of The Remarkable Mister Holmes? A witty, delightful musical that is most assuredly Broadway-bound following this world premiere. Four years

Amid World Premiere in San Diego, ‘The Remarkable Mister Holmes’ Looks Broadway-Bound Read More »

Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

‘As You Like It’ Brings a Rare Treat to Life

By Eva Trieger SAN DIEGO — In 1621,  a tragedy befell England’s Fortune Theatre as it caught fire. However, just two years later, it rose from the ashes, but the actors became known as the Poor Companions. Award-winning actor, director, and producer Richard Baird took on the mantle of Artistic Director of Poor Players Theatre

‘As You Like It’ Brings a Rare Treat to Life Read More »

Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

There’s a New Pretty Woman in Town — And It’s a Musical

By Sandi Masori SAN DIEGO — Most people recognize the title Pretty Woman from the 1990 film starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. Or they may know the song by Roy Orbison. But there’s a new Pretty Woman in town, and it’s a musical! Based on the movie, this Broadway adaptation at the San Diego

There’s a New Pretty Woman in Town — And It’s a Musical Read More »

San Diego County, Sandi Masori, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

The Saga of a Boy with a Congenitally Broken Heart

Congenital heart disease is not rare and affects 1 in 110 babies with varying degrees of severity. Treatment options offered to Sarah and Matt Hammitt were compassionate care, a full heart transplant, or three surgeries intended to extend Bowen’s life. A documentary, feature-length film, Bowen’s Heart, reveals the challenges, fears, and hopes of Bowen, his three siblings, and his parents. The Hammitt family and the co-directors of the film, Lexi and Zach Read, sought to develop awareness, empathy and support for families living with chronic illness. Their goal was most certainly achieved. [Eva Trieger]

The Saga of a Boy with a Congenitally Broken Heart Read More »

Eva Trieger, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

‘Lempicka’ Boldly Tackles a Climate of Upheaval

By Eva Trieger LA JOLLA, California — Artistic Director Christopher Ashley hit the nail squarely on the head when he compared our current climate of “upheaval” to the era in which La Jolla Playhouse’s latest show, Lempicka, is set. He juxtaposed “Russia’s war of aggression on Ukraine, and our own domestic threats to LGBTQ+ rights

‘Lempicka’ Boldly Tackles a Climate of Upheaval Read More »

Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

‘Leonard Bernstein’s New York’ Comes to San Diego

By Eva Trieger CARLSBAD, California — When it comes to ushering in summer, nobody does it better than New Village Arts. Once more, a fine June evening in the bucolic Carlsbad Flower Fields, paired with two of the area’s multi-talented actors, and familiar show tunes that never go out of style! That is definitely a

‘Leonard Bernstein’s New York’ Comes to San Diego Read More »

Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

‘Women of Valor’ Portrays Another 6 Outstanding Women

By Eileen Wingard LA JOLLA, California — This year’s rendition of Women of Valor was celebrated with six beautifully conceived scripts, written by Ali Veiterbi, who also directed the production, Sarah Price Keating, Becca Myers, and Todd Salovey, Director of the Lipinsky Jewish Arts Festival (JFest). The performances took place Thursday June 9, at the

‘Women of Valor’ Portrays Another 6 Outstanding Women Read More »

Eileen Wingard, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

5 Minute Plays Delightfully Kick Off Summer Theater Season

By Eva Trieger LA JOLLA, California — Last night an eager and appreciative audience gathered for the 7th Annual 5 Minute Play Festival. Thanks to COVID-19, the program had been put on hold since 2020. Normally a slate of ten plays is selected from the over 80 submissions. This year, to include some of those

5 Minute Plays Delightfully Kick Off Summer Theater Season Read More »

Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast