REVIEW: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO 1964 was a great season for Broadway—it included Funny Girl, Hello Dolly!, Man of the Manchaand Fiddler on the Roof, the revival of which is having its Orange Country debut at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. It’s hard to believe that Fiddler is now fifty-five years old. Yet even so, […]

REVIEW: PETER AND THE STARCATCHER BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO Opening the 2019 season for Domino One Productions is the swashbuckling play with music Peter and the Starcatcher adapted for the stage by Rick Elice. This play tells the story of how an unnamed orphan boy becomes the beloved Peter Pan we all know and love. Starcatcher also […]

REVIEW: MATILDA BY RYAN LUÉVANO Matilda the musical is now on stage at 5-Star Theatricals with a splendid production that’s a treat for the whole family. This British import plays like a delicious British cake—it’s chock full of hilarious physical comedy, witty and charming songs, and storytelling that so perfectly from the across the pond. […]

REVIEW: THE GLASS MENAGERIE BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO For Tennessee Williams, his 1944 autobiographical play, The Glass Menagerie changed his life forever. Upon its premiere in Chicago, then its transfer to Broadway, William’s went on to become one of America’s most beloved playwrights. The motto “write what you know” comes to mind when discussing Menagerie—there are glimpses […]

REVIEW: RAGTIME: THE MUSICAL BY RYAN. M. LUÉVANO The Pasadena Playhouse’s first offering in 2019 is the American musical Ragtime: The Musical with a book by Terrence McNally, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and music by Stephen Flaherty—and what an offering. Ragtime is a big show on so many levels, thematically it deals with immigration, racism, white privilege, women’s […]

REVIEW: COME FROM AWAY  BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO The musical Come from Away is a love letter to humanity, a reminder that when times are tough you can always count on people to help you weather the storm—especially Canadians. The “9/12” musical by Irene Sankoff and David Hein tells the story of what transpired when […]

REVIEW: VALLEY OF THE HEART BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO Proclaimed by president Barack Obama for “bringing Chicano culture to American drama”, playwright Luis Valdez’s (most notably known for Zoot Suit) latest play Valley of the Heart brings both Chicano and Japanese culture to the stage. Based on Valdez’s life experiences as a child growing up […]

REVIEW: DEAR EVAN HANSEN BY RYAN LUÉVANO I remember when, the now six Tony-winning musical, Dear Evan Hansen first appeared on my radar when it inconspicuously opened Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theatre in 2016. Within a short time the musical started creating a profound buzz, followed by winning a profusion of theatre awards. Then just the next […]

REVIEW: TENOR BY NIGHT BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO With shows like Fresh Off the Boat and the recent summer hit Crazy Rich Asians the Asian community is more and more receiving representation in the entertainment industry which is a boon for all minorities. That being said, the recent original musical Tenor by Night that played […]

REVIEW: NATIVE GARDENS BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO Karen Zacarías’ new comedy Native Gardens, now playing at the Pasadena Playhouse, is the perfect fit for this city’s perfectly tailored green lawns and gardening lifestyle that includes the celebrated Tournament of Roses Parade. The play directed by Jason Alexander proves that just how challenging it can be […]