Southern California Guide

by Valerie Summers The Old West burst into life capturing the story of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance now playing at the Rubicon Theatre. Written by Jethro Compton and adapted from the short story by Dorothy Marie Johnson, the action packed play follows the short story much more closely than did John Ford’s legendary […]

by Valerie Summers Although the Valley Performing Arts Center opened three years ago, my first visit occurred recently when I headed over to the San Fernando Valley for a performance featuring the great jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis.   Situated on the southeast corner of  the California State University, Northridge campus, the stunning  glass walled landmark […]

by Valerie Summers Multi-talented does not begin to describe  Daniel Beaty, star of The Tallest Tree in the Forest which just opened at the Mark Taper Forum at the Los Angeles Music Center.  In this one-man show, Beaty artfully and believably portrays the life story Paul Robeson but embellishes the tale with more than a […]

In the charming, rustic open-air Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga, I was deeply touched by the story of the aftermath of the 1988 crash of Pam Am 103 over Lockerbie Scotland, the first of what would become many senseless acts of terrorism.  Inspired by a true story, The Women of Lockerbie, by Deborah Brevoort, […]

A human cast of more than 40 in addition to a cast of amazing life-sized equine puppets brought what was originally described as a children’s book to life on the Ahmanson stage of the Los Angeles Music Center.  The author, Michael Morpurgo disagrees.  He feels that the tale set during World War I in England […]

Shades of Gray — no not that book — it’s a new one man play written and performed by Tom Dugan — Robert E. Lee- Shades of Gray at Theatre 40 in Beverly Hills.  Mr. Dugan, whose critically acclaimed one-man play, Nazi-Hunter — Simon Wiesenthal, is back bringing to life another perhaps misunderstood historical figure […]

Five very talented actresses, well chosen not only for their voices but also their persona, make the story, Having It All,  that much more believable.   The scene is the waiting room at JFK airport where five strangers from various walks of life initially trapped together due to delay after delay, become intimate friends.  A […]