Scene from "The 39 Steps" at Whittier Community Theatre (Photo courtesy of the theatre) The historic Whittier Community Theater, now in its 102nd season, is staging a wonderful rendition of Patrick Barlow’s “The 39 Steps.” Barlow adapted his 2005 play from John Buchan’s 1915 novel and the 1935 Alfred Hitchcock film based on it — but uses only four actors to play dozens of roles in a fast-paced, comedic style. Susan Hunter Eiden directs the tight ensemble on a stage set simply

From left: Sawyer Reece Maier, Abel Miramontes and Paul Burt in Alchemy Theatre Company's "Murder on the Orient Express" (Photo by Katelyn Abaya) All aboard! Present your tickets for a first-class ride through “Murder on the Orient Express,” adapted by Ken Ludwig from Agatha Christie’s 1934 novel of the same name and fantastically presented by Alchemy Theatre Company at the Yorba Linda Cultural Arts Center. World-famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot (superbly played by Ab

From left: Richard Baird and Louis Lotorto in "The Maltese Falcon" at Laguna Playhouse (Photo by Aaron Rumley) Using more contorted similes and metaphors than an English professor teaching romantic poetry to hard-boiled detectives, “The Maltese Falcon” at Laguna Playhouse delivers chuckles with a side of noir. A new commissioned play by Matthew Salazar-Thompson that recently premiered at North Coast Rep, “The Maltese Falcon” sends up Dashiell Hammett’s 1930 novel while remain

From left: Gildart Jackson, Will Block and Adam Poole in "The Shark is Broken" at Laguna Playhouse (Photo by Jason Niedle) If you are even remotely a fan of the 1975 blockbuster movie “Jaws,” you will thoroughly enjoy the play “The Shark is Broken” at Laguna Playhouse, written by Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon about the off-screen dialogue among the movie’s three main actors — Richard Dreyfuss, Roy Scheider and Robert Shaw. Ian Shaw based the play on stories his father Robert shar

If you’ve ever heard Charles Lloyd on saxophone, you know there’s no one else in the world who can make it sing, speak, dance or just tickle like he does. Though Lloyd has performed with different trios and quartets over decades, sometimes on flute or other wind instrument and in different musical genres, his distinctive style always comes through — playful, soulful, surprising, delightful and spiritually transporting. For one night only at the Soka Performing Arts Center on

Andrew Polec (center) with ensemble cast of "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder" at Laguna Playhouse (Photo by Jason Niedle/TETHOS)...

From left: Emma Magbanua, Naya Ramsey-Clarke, Kayley Stallings and Linda Bard in “Spring Awakening” at Chance Theater (Photo by Doug...

This summer’s Festival of Arts annual “Pageant of the Masters” has begun, casting real people into works of art in a series of tableaux...

Michelle Krusiec (Afong Moy) in "The Chinese Lady" at Chance Theater (Photo by Doug Catiller) Written by Lloyd Suh based on a true story,...

From left: Mitra Jouhari (Zari) and Agni Abdi-Bahri (Nazanin) in "Wish You Were Here" at South Coast Repertory (Photo by Robert...

Mandy Foster (Emma) and Jeff Lowe (Mr. Knightley in “Jane Austen’s Emma, The Musical” at Chance Theater (Photo by Benjamin Busch) Some...

Monty Alexander (Photo courtesy SCFTA) Celebrated jazz pianist Monty Alexander is performing for his 80th birthday year on Saturday, Nov....

American playwright and choreographer Larissa FastHorse has added magic fairy dust to the “Peter Pan” musical in its recent Broadway...

The 2022 Broadway revival of “Funny Girl” – its touring production continuing at Segerstrom Center for the Arts through June 9 – has...

From left: Marta Portillo (Alma) and Heather Lee Echeverria (Angel) in "Alma" at Chance Theater (Photo by Doug Catiller) In Benjamin...

From left: Jonathon Lamer, Aubrey Saverino and Sam Mistry in Chance Theater's "Tiny Beautiful Things" (Photo by Francis Gacad) In her...

Ugwana Dlamini as Rafiki in Disney's "The Lion King" national tour (Photo courtesy SCFTA) Disney’s “The Lion King” musical—based on the...

Video by Anita W. Harris for LA Theatrix, with photos by Marty Sohl and footage courtesy SCFTA Public Relations Magical, mystical, and...

Tiler Peck’s ballet program “Turn It Out with Tiler Peck” is finishing up its California tour this weekend to resounding applause at the...

From left: Casey Long (Ed) and Aaron Lipp (Christopher) in Chance Theater's "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" (Photo by...