"Broken Fences, Steven Simoncic’s smart, entertaining and illuminating addition to the subgenre, receives a deft and sensitive production at the Road on Magnolia: it’s an exemplary social issue play that, while neither difficult nor complex, clearly evidences a deep appreciation for the difficulties of complex situations." -- by MYRON MEISEL
Robert Lawrence Nelson’s melodrama about two lonely people finding a connection disappoints on almost all fronts. While the performances from the two leads — Julie Dolan as Samantha and Chad Addison as Toby — are solid, with both actors plumbing some complicated emotional depths, the production as a whole fails to ignite. That’s because its sodden storyline lands like a wet blanket.
An Act of God Reviewed by Neal Weaver The Ahmanson Theatre Through March 13 RECOMMENDED
Altman’s Last Stand Reviewed by Neal Weaver at the Zephyr Theatre Through March 13 RECOMMENDED Franz Altman (Michael Laskin), the protagonist of playwright Charles Dennis’s deft solo drama, is an elderly Viennese Jew born just before the turn of the 20th century. Now nearly 100 years old, he owns a second-hand store called King Solomon’s Treasures, located in mid-town Manhattan, circa 1990.
"'They say theater never dies. But that’s not true, it really does die,' Morris warned. 'Our theater audiences are aging Caucasians, and they’re dying.' Morris reaffirmed the importance of cultivating diversity on L.A. stages to acknowledge and reflect a more diverse audience, as well as being proactive in bringing in new generations." -- By VANESSA CATE
