Winston Churchill in his 1908 book “My African Journey” said Uganda is the Pearl of Africa. After watching Witness Uganda at The Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts, I declare this musical is a sparking diamond onstage. The energy and music reminds me of the award-winning 90s rock musical RENT. Instead of watching impoverished young…
Category: Jill’s Theatre Reviews
Hollywood’s HELLO, DOLLY! is a Show Stopper
Walking up to the front of the Hollywood Pantages Theatre, I noticed a sparkly tiara and bouquet of red roses with petals scattered around Carol Channing’s star. Channing who passed away on January 15, 2019 was the quintessential Dolly Gallagher Levi in the musical “Hello, Dolly!” She brought Dolly to life over 5,000 times. I…
Lin-Manuel Miranda & his father Luis
Sitting center stage at the Geffen Playhouse, Broadway sensation and Hamilton creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda and his father Luis A. Miranda Jr., enlightened the audience for 90 minutes about theatre, Puerto Rico and Lin-Manuel’s new movie role in Mary Poppins with moderator Soledad O’Brien. Together this father and son team are very entertaining. O’Brien:…
Go See Valley of the Heart at the Mark Taper Forum
As the front doors opened at the Mark Taper Forum, three Japanese style drummers led the audience into the theatre to see Luis Valdez’s newest stage production Valley of the Heart. Sitting in my seat, I looked down admiring John Iacovelli’s exquisite wood floor stage displaying rays of sun, and a mesmerizing thin blue line…
Dear Evan Hansen
It was a star studded opening night at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles as I spotted Nia Vardalos, Producer Stacey Mindich, book writer Steve Levenson, and music creators Benj Pasek & Justin PaulKaty Perry and her entourage take their seats right before the house lights clicked to black. Scenic designer David Korins (Hamilton) symmetrical…
Let Everyone Eat Cake
Walking into the smaller Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater inside the Geffen Playhouse, I admired Peter Hickok’s set for The Cake. It was so detailed that I thought I was walking into a soundstage to watch a taping of the Cake Wars baking show. The Tiffany blue walls and bright pink bakery counter were pleasing to…
BLACK! at the Zephyr Theatre
Sitting in the Zephyr Theatre to watch a touching one man show by British playwright, actor and storyteller Michael Washington Brown, I felt as if I was attending a Black Studies class at a local college. With a simple set, this multimedia experience is enhanced with images and music as Brown examines race from a…
Hershey Felder Unveils Beethoven at The Wallis
My review was featured in OnStage Blog – http://www.onstageblog.com/reviews/2018/7/30/review-hershey-felder-unveils-beethoven. At the age of nine while attempting to play one of Beethoven’s most recognized and beloved piece’s Fur Elise, Hershey Felder developed an interest in one of the world’s greatest composers. Not only is Felder a brilliant actor, concert pianist, storyteller, he also is a historian. Right…
Theatre Review: You in Midair
Sitting in the Lounge Theatre in Hollywood, an older gentleman and two young girls sitting in the front row, step onstage to make an announcement. The man is Benson Schaeffer, the father of Rebecca Shaeffer and the girls are her cousins. Benson informs us he is the husband of the performer, and father of…
