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Plays
Ancient Greek dramatist Euripides’ play “Iphigenia in Aulis” could seem remote. What have we in common with a father who sacrifices his daughter to the gods in exchange for better weather that will help him wage war? Or is it so far-fetched? How many parents have sacrificed their children to their ideals, for their egos, because of dangerously irrational adherence to misunderstood rules? As Euripides penned the legend, the Greek fleet, under its...
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Entertainment
Since taking its first bows in 1993, David Ives’ “All in the Timing” has enjoyed a robust life on smaller stages everywhere, thanks to the brevity, minimal technical demands and skilled, witty writing of its six one-act plays. Widely regarded as the contemporary master of the short form, Ives wrote most of the plays between 1987 and 1993 before combining them, in anthology fashion, under one title. In Long Beach Playhouse’s new staging, director...
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Theater
Any time someone translates a novel to the stage, there is risk involved. The depth of interior monologue, the detail of setting and character, the convolutions of plot and emotion, even the poetry of language used to provide all of this, are all limited by the confines of the stage and the time frame expected of a standard play. Never is this more true than when dramatizing the works of Charles Dickens. A man who loved theater, his works are in many ways quite theatrical, but they are...
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Community theater
The Torrance Theatre Company is starting its season with an American classic. Arthur Miller’s 1947 hit Broadway drama “All My Sons,” opens in Torrance Sept.16 and runs through Oct. 15. Miller’s Tony Award-winning piece was the second play written by the famous author. It was reportedly his final attempt at making it as a playwright, since his first Broadway play “The Man Who Had...
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Entertainment
The recent “Great American Eclipse” aligned the stars perfectly for International City Theatre. That once-in-a-lifetime event coincided with the opening of “Silent Sky,” a drama that pretty much spends most of its time looking upward at the nighttime skies as its astronomer characters try to unlock the mysteries of the universe. Lauren Gunderson’s play, which premiered at South Coast Repertory in 2011, charts the life and career of Henrietta...
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Entertainment
A political thriller written by Beau Willimon (the creator of Netflix’s “House of Cards”) that’s loosely based on a presidential election campaign continues the season for the Kentwood Players. It’s not about the current political situation. Rather, the play “Farragut North” was inspired by Howard Dean’s 2004 Democratic primary election bid. The play runs Sept.
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Entertainment
A dose of clean comedy, musicals, concerts and even a “spelling bee” highlight the 35th season for Palos Verdes Performing Arts’ Norris Theatre. There will be more than a dozen shows, starting Saturday, Sept. 2 and running through May. “I think it’s exciting because we have a mix of family friendly and edgy (shows). We’re trying to appeal to a lot of different people,” said Julie Moe-Reynolds, executive director of Palos Verdes...
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Theater
While the newly opened blockbuster “Hamilton” is grabbing headlines at the Pantages with its hip-hop music and rap lyrics, the show is far from the only gig in town. Local theaters are offering an exciting new season of shows and performances in the South Bay for a fraction of the astronomical prices for “Hamilton” tickets. And parking is free. The 35th season of Palos Verdes Performing Arts, for example, offers a diverse selection of Broadway musicals,...
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Entertainment
Just as the 2016 film “Hidden Figures” highlighted the accomplishments of female mathematicians who worked for NASA in the 1960s, a Long Beach theater company is also looking at the stars, going back decades further to shine a light on another female space pioneer. International City Theatre closes its season with “Silent Sky,” a new play based on the true story of...
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Theater
Anyone in the vicinity of the Pantages Theatre on Wednesday afternoon got the message, big time: the “Hamilton” juggernaut has hit Southern California. Hours before the monster-hit musical’s official local debut, its creator and Broadway leading man, Lin-Manuel Miranda, sang for a huge, excited crowd in front of the venue in what’s called #Ham4Ham, a ticket lottery and impromptu performance that’s been a regular feature of the show. The line-up for...
