Latino Theater Company Celebrates 41st Season with World Premiere: The Storyteller of East LA
The plot of this story, as the title says, is set in East Los Angeles, with Mercedes (Lucy Rodriguez), a 90-year-old woman with dementia. Her health is declining and practically bed-bound; her youngest daughter, Grace (Zilah Mendoza), is the caretaker with the help of day and nighttime caregivers. When the ICE raids become more frequent and closer, the night person quits, leaving Grace in a more stressful and frustrated state, considering moving Mercedes into an assisted facility.
“Real Women Have Curves” Returns to its Theatrical Origin and Home at Casa 0101 in Boyle Heights
Real Women Have Curves, by Josefina López, who wrote the piece at the tender age of 18 in the late eighties, was inspired by her own story, which has since morphed into a full-length movie starring America Ferrera in the early 2000s and a Broadway debut in 2025.
This year, the work comes back home to its origin and where it all began at Casa 0101 in Boyle Heights.
Loud Fridge Theatre Group Kicks Off “Loud Bridge” Program and Fourth Mainstage Season with
Airness by Chelsea Marcantel revolves around air guitar competitions, from local to national to international. I always mention on here that theatre is both memory and learning. I did not know that air guitar competitions were a thing. Like, a real thing. Now I do, lol.
“Matt & Ben” Delivers a Twisted, Self-Aware Satire of White Male Privilege
The plot takes place in Ben Affleck’s apartment as he (Alejandra Villanueva) is trying to do a screen adaptation of J.D. Salinger’s classic novel, The Catcher in the Rye. Matt (Maya Sofia Enciso) wants to help his best friend, but has other priorities like an important callback. In between silly exchanges and pizza eating, the script for Good Will Hunting falls from the ceiling. After they read it and see its golden potential, they get excited and decide to produce it. But what about the casting? Who is going to play Will Hunting?
Cygnet Theatre’s Production of The Lehman Trilogy
The story of three Bavarian Jewish brothers who came to Montgomery, Alabama, in the late 1800s with nothing and gradually built an empire that would last almost 200 years, ending in shattering fashion.
A running time of three hours and forty minutes with two intermissions, ‘Trilogy features Jacob Caltrider as Mayer Lehman; Steven Lone as Emmanuel Lehman; and Bruce Turk as Henry Lehman. Massini’s work is well-crafted, and each act covers important periods in history
Interviews From Another Zero: YouTube Edition
She talks about Broadway, Hollywood, films, TV sitcoms, and studying to become a Chaman. It was a lovely interview.
“The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity” at Oceanside Theatre Company
Macedonio Guerra (Fredy Gomez Cruz) comes from a Puerto Rican family in Brooklyn. As a kid him and his two brothers watched wrestling on TV while mimicking the moves and playing with their action figures. He grows up to do the real thing as “The Mace”. The thing is, “Eko,” the promoter (Dallas McLaughlin), is a super white guy who only cares about money and winning money. Mace not only understands the business side of wrestling, but the art itself. Still, he is there to make the star Chad Deity (Wrekless Watson) continue to shine (and make that money).
Roustabouts’ Latest Production: “An Act of God”
The 100-minute, no intermission piece goes by at a fast, fun pace. I appreciated the combination of the original script, the declaration of their fandom for The Big Bang Theory/jingle included (for obvious reasons), the added local intro mentioning Sam is a Craig Noel Award winner, and the interaction with the audience. This last one is even more fun because each performance will be different depending on the vibe and audience reactions, as Sam uses it as a comedic sprinkle. I do not think I have seen a show that I have not liked with Ginn, as she brings the spark and oomph in the performance.
Shhhh, The Class has Begun
The Mercy Seat by Neil LaBute, written in 2002, is one of the earliest theatrical treatments of the horrendous event. As I said before, theatre is memory, and what better way to discuss than through the stage. Set on September 12 in a nice Manhattan loft, Ben (Aleksander D’Avignon) is sitting on the couch, speechless. The first scene, literally, visually, and createvely, starts with a bang as Ginger Chody’s lighting, mixed with contouring shadows and a bright orange, sets the mood, along with Jaden Guerrero’s sound, which, per usual, sets the mood in a precise and corresponding manner.
Engagement and Community
Let me elaborate when I say the performing arts are not for everybody. Well, nothing can be for everybody. Is From Another Zero for everybody? Is Taylor Swift for everybody? Is JLo? (I will get to her as well). This is a root issue in America, and when I say America, I mean from Greenland to Patagonia, with poor funding for schools, cuts to arts, theatre programs, and so on.
Silly Noir Fun Takes Flight in the World Premiere of “The Maltese Falcon” at North Coast Repertory Theatre
The world premiere adaptation of The Maltese Falconat North Coast Repertory Theatre proves that classic film noir can also be delightfully silly. Playwright Matthew Salazar – Thompson offers an ingenious theatrical take on Dashiell Hammett’s legendary detective story, and director Todd Nielsen leans fully into the comedy, creating a playful production filled with audience interaction, clever staging, and plenty of laughs.
Sentimientos y Salud Mental a Flor de Piel
San Diego theatre brings such an array of emotions; for me, these past couple of years have been more intense. Probably because I am getting older (and wiser?), so things linger, and resonate differently. In the case of Backyard Renaissance’s first production of 2026, Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, it definitely hit different this time.
