REVIEW: CABARET BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO To say Cabaret is a well-known musical is an understatement—its tuneful score and chilling story are iconic earning itself a rightful place in the musical theater canon. What is also true is that it’s only produced by theatre companies that have both the means and aptitude to fully realize […]

INTERVIEW: NOVEMBER CHRISTINE BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO Joining the 2018 New York Musical Festival this summer is the new musical Legacy by November Christine. Following in the footsteps of the musical sensation Hamilton, Christine’s musical also uses hip-hop to tell the story of a historical figure, this time 16th century priest Martin Luther. With an all […]

REVIEW: VIOLET BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO Unless you’re a musical theatre aficionado or follow the work of composer the brilliant composer Jeanine Tesori, you may have never heard of the 2014 musical Violet. But just because show’s name isn’t familiar, doesn’t mean that Violet should be overlooked. Violet may not have the sparkle of a […]

REVIEW: ALLEGIANCE BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO The musical Allegiance, which had a short run on Broadway from October 2015 to February 2016, is experiencing it’s Los Angeles premiere by the East West Players and the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center featuring George Takei reprising his original role from the Broadway run. Also reprising their Broadway roles […]

REVIEW: CABARET BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO With just a drum roll and a cymbal crash, the iconic 1966 musical Cabaret, music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and book by Joe Masteroff, begins, luring audiences into the dingy cabaret, the Kit Kat Klub, in 1930s Berlin. Since its opening on Broadway, this eight Tony […]

REVIEW: THE VIEW UPSTAIRS BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO Earlier this month I interviewed Max Vernon, the creator of the new musical The View Upstairs, that’s currently having its West Coast premiere at Celebration Theatre. About his show, Vernon said, “The musical [. . .] contrasts two different eras of gay life, and questions if we’re […]

INTERVIEW: MAX VERNON BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO Step into the French Quarter of New Orleans in the 1970’s with Max Vernon’s new musical The View Upstairs. The new musical premiered the The Lynn Redgrave Theater last spring and will have its West Coast premiere at Celebration Theatre this fall. This heartfelt musical is inspired by attacks against the LGBTQ community […]

INTERVIEW: BONNIE GLEICHER BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO I’ve only met the talented composer/lyricist Bonnie Gleicher once on a Skype session to discuss her ongoing musical The Little Things, and now months later she’s completed her fourth musical Addy & Uno. In addition to Gleicher (music/lyrics), the new musical is a collaboration with Nava R. Silton, Ph.D. (book), […]

REVIEW: HONKY TONK LAUNDRY BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO Jukebox musical aficionado Roger Bean, creator of the worldwide and off-Broadway hit The Marvelous Wonderettes, along with the sequels Wonderettes: Caps & Gowns, Winter Wonderettes, and Wonderettes: Dream On, brings LA audiences Honky Tonk Laundry. In this LA premiere Bean tackles the country western music of some of the […]

REVIEW: ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO As a frequent theatergoer in Los Angeles I’ve sampled many of the cities theater buildings so when I saw that Proof of Doubt Closer Theater company was producing the musical On the Twentieth Century at the Pan Andreas Theater I was curious. I’ve never heard of […]