"The fallout following AEA President Kate Shindle’s comments on two podcasts continues this week. The specific purpose of these interviews was not, it seems, specifically to discuss the Pro-99 movement – but the topic came up, and Shindle ended up trying to justify Equity’s attempts to shut down equity-waiver." -- by PAUL BIRCHALL
"At the March 14th Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards celebration, it was 'Hit the Wall' that came away the biggest winner, with a veritable slew of honors, including awards for outstanding ensemble, direction (Ken Sawyer), lighting (Matt Richter), supporting performer (Charlotte Gulezian), and lead performer (Matthew Hancock)." -- by PAUL BIRCHALL
"I love how the City of West Hollywood has crafted a partnership with the Fringe, and I only wish that other groups would also step forward to do likewise. Imagine if other entities with bucks promoted diversity by bankrolling fringe productions for other underrepresented groups. If West Hollywood can do it, why can’t other organizations and municipalities?" -- by PAUL BIRCHALL
"I don’t think theater folks have ever been reluctant to engage in profound naval gazing, but nowadays the discussion has become codified and sanctioned. If there is one good thing to have come out of the entire AEA/Pro-99 debacle, it’s this: The folks who live and do their art here are now more united than ever before." -- by PAUL BIRCHALL
"Following Thursday’s opening, Wooster producer Cynthia Hedstrom, director Elizabeth LeCompte and REDCAT artistic director Mark Murphy all expressed bemused bewilderment over the Pinter estate’s preemptive move against the show, which for a company of the Wooster Group’s international preeminence as artists of intelligence and integrity is highly unusual, though not unprecedented … at least from a playwright still living." -- By BILL RADEN
"In an event that has some theater folks scratching their heads, the Wooster Group, the tremendously creative theater troupe hailing from Manhattan’s Lower East Side, has been prohibited by Samuel French from having critics review their production of Harold Pinter’s The Room when it plays this February at Disney Hall’s REDCAT Theater." -- by PAUL BIRCHALL
"Yes, it is the same old story of rising rent causing the exodus of a theater company — except it isn’t quite the same, as Rogue already had been making plans to move on and up to Theater Row. So when MET owner Paul Koslo approached Flynn and offered him a year’s lease at a substantially lower rent, it allowed the company to create an “interim” season before moving to the space on Cahuenga." -- By PAUL BIRCHALL
"One thing folks love at the end of the year is a nice end-of-the-year list, and I am perfectly delighted to look through my “Desk Calendar of Fun” to recall the several comparatively most important stories in Los Angeles in 2015. " -- By PAUL BIRCHALL
"The reason for the get-together was both to make merry and to raise money to support Stage Raw. In the last few weeks of December, Stage Raw critic Myron Meisel generously stepped forward with an offer to match any tax-deductible donation up to $5,000. The site’s bean counters (I think there’s at least one bean who does the counting), reports that we reached the desired total of $10,000. " -- By PAUL BIRCHALL
"The five-theater complex, which includes the Lillian, Asylum and Elephant theaters, had closed in September after the building’s owner completed a deal to sell the property that subsequently fell through." -- By PAUL BIRCHALL