From top: Nicholas Clary (Alexander) and Andrew Byron (Aristotle) in Alex Lyras's "Aristotle/Alexander" at Company of Angels (Photo...

From left: David Nevell (Carney) and Kasey Mahaffy (Alfie) in "A Man of No Importance" at A Noise Within (Photo by Craig Schwartz)...

From left: Teagle F. Bougere (James Baldwin) and Eric T. Miller (William F. Buckley, Jr.) in "Debate: Baldwin vs. Buckley" at Ebony...

This review was originally published in the Long Beach Post, a nonprofit news organization, on May 1, 2025. Bruce Nozick in...

DeWanda Wise (Sade) in "Furlough's Paradise" at Geffen Playhouse (Photo by Jeff Lorch) Stories about African American women often explore...

From left: James T. Lawson II (David Baldwin), Julio Hanson (James Baldwin), Raquel Rosser (Maya Angelou) and Nick Gillie (Miles Davis)...

Jeanne Syquia (Jane) in A Noise Within's "Jane Eyre" (Photo by Craig Schwartz) Whether or not you are a fan of Charlotte Brontë’s 1847...

From left: Hugh Bonneville (Uncle Vanya) and Melanie Field (Sonya) in Shakespeare Theatre Company's "Uncle Vanya" (Photo by DJ Corey...

Isaac Cruz (Manny) in "Adobe Punk: A Punk Rehearsal in Real Time" at Margo Albert Theatre (Photo by Rob Aft) "Adobe Punk: A Punk...

Scene from Rogue Artist Ensemble's "Schlitzie: Alive and Inside" (Photo by Bryce Darlington) Artists and storytellers love to look back...

From left: Joe Ngo (Chum), Abraham Kim (Rom), Kelsey Angel Baehrens (Sothea), Jane Lui (Pou) and Tim Liu (Leng) in East West Players'...

Maegan Mandarino describes her new solo show “Big Hair: A Rad and Wild Love Affair”   as “a musical dramedy about the short-lived love...

Brandon Gill (Booth) in "Topdog/Underdog" at Pasadena Playhouse (Photo by Jeff Lorch) What if your family legacy is fraught with...

From left: David DeSantos (Orsino) and Liza Seneca (Viola) in "Twelfth Night" at Antaeus Theatre Company (Photo by Geoffrey Wade) The...

Actor Brandon Delsid (Photo by Lei Phillips) Actor Brandon Delsid grew up in Fresno but has his sights set on Broadway and beyond....

Ellie Roddy as Roxie in the national tour of "Chicago" (Photo by Jeremy Daniel) For a girl from Orlando, Florida, playing Roxie Hart in...

This interview was originally published in the Long Beach Post , a nonprofit news organization, on March 6, 2025. Branford Marsalis. Photo by Palma Kolansky. The Branford Marsalis Quartet is set to perform for one night only at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts on March 13. I had the privilege of speaking with Mr. Marsalis in advance of the event. Marsalis is widely regarded as jazz royalty and a master musician, his career extending into classical music recordings

From top: Chad Doreck (Joe Biden), T.J. Wilkins (Barack Obama) and Jenna Pastuszek (Hillary Clinton) in "44" at the Kirk Douglas Theatre...

Photo courtesy of Wisteria Theater “Avenue Q,” the hilarious and raunchy puppet hit musical, seems just as relevant today as at its...

From left: Julanne Chidi Hill (Lady Macbeth) and Kamal Bolden (Macbeth) in A Noise Within's "Macbeth" (Photo by Craig Schwartz) Imagine...