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Fabulous Final Interview

July 15, 2023

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by Valerie Summers Final Interview, now playing at the intimate Pico Playhouse, is by far the best drama I have seen in a very long time.   Featuring two main characters, a big shot head of a large company and an interviewee, an apparently bumbling, insecure guy who is not making a very good impression. […]

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Hershey Felder Wows Audience as Claude Debussey

December 18, 2019

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by Valerie Summers The multi-talented Hershey Felder filled the house on opening night at The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills.  Multi-talented is an understatement when describing this brilliant actor, playwright, composer, virtuoso pianist, set designer, singer and storyteller who possesses an impressive and intimate knowledge of the personal history of […]

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A Christmas Carole King at the El Portal

December 16, 2019

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by Valerie Summers The best recipe for fun filled holiday entertainment calls for a mixture of Charles Dickens’ traditional and beloved A Christmas Carol spiced with contemporary comments about the world we live in. Mix in the musical genius of Carole King.  Stir thoroughly with a colorful, talented group of actors, singers and dancers who […]

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I Dig Rock and Roll Music …a trip down memory lane

September 13, 2018

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by Valerie Summers Six exceptionally multi- talented performers, both singers and musicians, brought the house down with their renditions of the songs of stars of Rock and Roll as well as some of their own compositions. The energy flowing between the stage and the audience was palpable as the musicians encouraged participation with singing along […]

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Screwball Comedy at Theatre 40

July 21, 2018

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by Valerie Summers Just opened, one of the funniest comedies of the year…Screwball Comedy, at Theatre 40 in Beverly Hills.  The packed house was roaring with laughter as the tale of a wanna be reporter who  is assigned to interview the newspaper’s owner’s son regarding his pending marriage gets her chance.  Set in the 1930’s, […]

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The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited

June 2, 2018

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by Valerie Summers Now, more than ever, this beautifully organized exhibition tells the story of one of the most creative artists of our time…the unique Jim Henson.  He took puppetry to a whole new level with his creations which not only made us laugh but sent a strong message about differences and getting along…most appropriate  […]

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Something Rotten!….and Hilarious

November 22, 2017

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Josh Grisetti and Rob McClure with the cast of Something Rotten! Photo: Jeremy Daniel by Valerie Summers In all my years of attending theatrical productions, last night, at the opening of Something Rotten! at the Ahmanson Theatre, I witnessed a first…a standing ovation in the midst of the performance.  Multi-award winning brothers Karey Kirkpatrick and […]

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Honky Tonk Fun

August 14, 2017

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by Valerie Summers The Los Angeles premiere of Honkey Tonk Laundry at the Hudson Mainstage Theatre makes for an evening bursting with the talent of its two stars, Bets Malone and Misty Cotton.  Displaying the kind of friendship like Thelma and Louise, these two women get back at the men who done them wrong supporting […]

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Cave Temples of Dunhuang

May 10, 2016

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By Valerie Summers More than 20 years ago, I traveled the Silk Road across China.  I was stunned by the many exotic sights but the one that captured my heart was my visit to the Mogao cave temples, Buddhist Art on China’s Silk Road…unforgettable. Situated near the town of Dunhuang at the edge of the […]

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New Terminal 2 at LAX

February 3, 2016

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by Valerie Summers At long last, Los Angeles International Airport has unveiled a new and greatly improved Terminal 2 with an updated look and a plethora of new amenities.  Sustainable design is a key component of the improvements which incorporate new technology including lighting and decreased water consumption.  Passengers will enjoy major upgrades to the […]

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Authentic Greek Yogurt Specialty Eatery

July 28, 2014

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by Valerie Summers Strolling through Beverly Hills last night, I happened across a new yogurt shop and decided to check it out.  This is a yogurt eatery unlike any I have patronized before.  Very upscale and well worth the cost of a delicious authentic Greek  frozen yogurt — a choice of of four creamy flavors […]

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Facts and Fiction of Route 66 at the Autry

June 6, 2014

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by Valerie Summers U.S. Highway Route 66 is both a physical road and a romantic notion much of which is both confirmed and dispelled in the current do not miss exhibition at the Autry National Center of the American West. This is not a “fluff” presentation as portrayed in TV shows of days gone by […]

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LAX International Superstar

May 10, 2014

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by Valerie Summers Having recently briefly visited the newly transformed Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX, I had the good fortune to return for a closer look.  The  stunning 150,000 square foot Great Hall creates an impressive send off to passengers traveling abroad.  It’s a shoppers paradise with world class shopping at the mega duty […]

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Valley Star Glows Brightly

May 5, 2014

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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 […]

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