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The Magnificent Dunbar Hotel by Levy Lee Simon
L - R - Kem Saunders, Dwain A. Perry, Jah Shams - Photos Tomoko MatsushitaBy Joe StrawStill, the Dunbar Hotel stands, the white stone fenestration around the windows and entryways are welcoming, while...
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Bob’s Holiday Christmas Party
L - R Rob Elk and Pat O'Brien - Photo Ed KriegerBy Joe StrawI’ve got a list of things to do or see for the holidays. Let’s see It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol (Alastair Sims), The Homecoming,...
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Piñata Dreams by Josefina Lopez
By Joe StrawWatching Piñata Dreams by Josefina Lopez is like revisiting movies. There are similarities to The Wizard of Oz with the theme of getting back home, to Pinocchio where the piñata boy become...
View ArticleThe Last Straw Award 2014
By Joe StrawSome of these productions were not supposed to be that good, the actors were unknown, the talent in the small houses are suspect, and the stages were small and run down. And I keep hearing...
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Proof by David Auburn
L Chris Marquette - Amanda Brooks By Joe StrawMy recent circumstances have me in contact with a number of Ph.D. students who answer both “yes” and “no” in response to a question, all in the same...
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Clean Start – by Kathy Fischer & Josefina López
By Joe StrawNormally, there’s a sizeable crowd at Casa 0101, but on this particular night, there were oodlesof patrons. In fact, the lobby was almost bursting shoulder-to-shoulder, and suddenly, in...
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Annie, Jr. Music by Charles Strouse, Lyrics by Martin Charnin, Book by Thomas...
Photos: Andy CoonBy Joe StrawThe kids work hard while their cerebral mass tries to keep up.They work to focus. Small minds racing all over the place, hither and yon, but physically coming together as...
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Hellman v. McCarthy By Brian Richard Mori
By Joe Straw“Is he just a left-winger? Is that his problem?” – President Richard Nixon“I guess so.” – H.R. Haldeman“Is he Jewish?” – Nixon “I don’t know; doesn’t look it.” – H.R. Haldeman“We’ve...
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finding Nick by Nicholas Guest
Nicholas Guest - Photo Ed KreigerBy Joe StrawI told my 11-year-old daughter that I met an actor who was in “Frozen”. Her face turned a bright pink, her eyes got really big, her mouth formed a circular...
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A Chorus Line – Music by Marvin Hamlisch, Lyrics by Edward Kleban, Book by...
By Joe StrawIn the late seventies, right after finishing college in Tennessee, I came to Hollywood and found work as the doorman at the Pantages Theatre. How I got there, I’m not quite sure. One of...
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Virgin by Alyson Renaldo
Alyson Renaldo - Photo: Kristin LauBy Joe StrawThe Santa Monica Playhouse is celebrating its 50thanniversary! Wow! Presently, the theatre is an intimate house for eclectic one-person shows: Stogie...
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Chavez Ravine an L.A. Revival – by Culture Clash
L - Herbert Siguenza, Richard Montoya, Sabina Zuniga Varela, and Ric SalinasBy Joe StrawThe sea of Latino patrons were visiting this night, Friday February 27, 2015. Crossing the street, I was...
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D’ Lo: D’FunQT (defunct) by D’Lo
D' Lo - Photos by Ken SawyerBy Joe StrawLos Angeles LGBT Center’s Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center presents D’Lo D’FunQT A dedication to Queer and Trans Lives of Color written and performed...
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The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
James O'Halloran and Amanda CorreiaBy Joe StrawSometimes, I want to see actors - on a bare stage - in just a black box theatre. I hunger for the thespian to bring the place, to live in the space, to...
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The Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side by Derek Ahonen
L - Adams Brooks, Heather MerthensBy Joe StrawThere was a time I couldn’t find my keys, well at least, not right away. The morning ritual of getting out the door became a long and drawn out process,...
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Generation Sex by Liza Ann Acosta, Rocio Alvarez, Arielle Julia Brown, Jasmin...
Abigail Vega (l.), Elizabeth Nungaray, Pili Valdes, Kelley Williams, Khanisha Foster - Photo Joy SequinaBy Joe StrawYipes, there are a lot of writers on this show, and all women. Good thing because I...
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Oh My God by Anat Gov
Mike Burstyn - Photos by Michael LamontBy Joe Straw “Lo he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.” – Job – The Book of Job, Chapter 9:11 – The Holy Bible – The...
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63 Trillion by John Bunzel
By Joe StrawMoney is the foulest thing that lithers between your outstretched members. And the smell, although not sickening, severely coats your olfactory organs. It is filthy, go ahead, take a...
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Light Sensitive by Jim Geoghan
Preston Acuff By Joe StrawI watched this marvelous play envisioning it as set in Chicago knowing full well that Hells Kitchen is in Manhattan. What confused me, well, the first thing, it was dark with...
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The Woodsman by Steven Fechter
Tim Cummings and Joey Nicole ThomasBy Joe StrawTim Cummings came out at curtain call, a slow methodical walk, and took his bow. He grasped the hand of his fellow actors, and with no smile, he bowed...
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