Critics

Non-Registered Critics: Bonnie Priever

(38) reviews

Bonnie Priever currently has her own theatre blog, "Red Curtain Up." No stranger to the world of theatre and film reviews, Bonnie has contributed many an article for prestigious publications, such as Campus Circle; Splash Magazine; and the Tolucan Times. Most recently, she was the musical theatre correspondent for Examiner.com; a nationwide website with 1000+ readership.

Mar

Too Much Sun

Director (Bart DeLorenzo) and his fabulous cast and crew have put this gem of a production together at the stellar Odyssey Theatre, where the bar is as high as Mount Olympus… Go see it; you will be well rewarded!

The Old Man and The Old Moon

The stunning combination of catchy bluegrass music; shadow puppetry magic; and slapstick physical comedy, along with an adorable shaggy dog who steals our hearts, makes for a winning theatrical experience for the entire family.

Witness Uganda

This is a production not to miss, perfectly set in an intimate space that can’t help but draw one in to the urgent, uttermost message of the story.

Family Secrets

It’s in people’s nature to be tellers, and these magnificent storytellers weave magic into each vignette told. Knowing that all these stories are true, I love it even more, as the audience goes from laughter to tears in a split second.

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol

The audience is transformed, along with Scrooge himself, from a world of darkness, despair and burden into a realm of glistening light and affirmation of hope.

Cal in Camo

This play showcases the talents of three actors, certainly among L.A.’s best, with a remarkable range of emotion, exuding natural chemistry and the ability to reveal how precious life truly is, at the end of the day. With shades of the great writers , such as DH Lawrence’s characters with tortured souls, or Edward Albee’s characters in Zoo Story, and Sam Shepard’s themes (i.e. Buried Child); “Cal in Camo” intersperses light banter with gut wrenching scenes, with intense, almost volatile, violent scenes coming to a forefront.

DOUBLE PLAY

The crowd watching this play will surely be tempted to “go wild,” and break out with a song of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.”

Steambath

The amazing thing about this production is that the producers wanted to update this already controversial story, adding up to date, modern dialogue reflecting the crazy, Trumpian times we live in! Yet, happily they still left much of the the original material intact, as Friedman’s world is not so different than ours, and cleverly includes ad libs about Kavanaugh and the Supreme Court fiasco, all so germane and powerful.

UK Underdog

Steve Spiro gives a heartfelt and heartbreaking performance, and his story is one that will stay with me for a long time, for a myriad of reasons.

*On a side note, all proceeds from the production will benefit Shelter Transport Animal Rescue Team, and other selected animal charities and anti-bullying groups, both causes near and dear to Steve Spiro’s heart.

Broadway Bound

Director Howard Teichman does an impeccable job in taking the audience down ‘memory lane,’ in a polished production, replete with authentic period costumes (Shon Le Blanc); and detailed set design (Kurtis Bedford ).

Infidel

…the Whitefire keeps up to its stellar reputation of presenting the most cutting edge of theatre productions and timely, often taboo topics, what I fondly refer to as “the HBO of stage”.

26 PEBBLES

Very few plays have yet delved into this sensitive subject ( possibly, only “Come From Away,”) on Broadway, and director Jules Aaron and writer Eric Ulloa are to be commended on bringing this story to stage. …the evidence is a stunning production, worthy of the fine work consistently emanating from Theatre 40. This show will certainly invoke the necessary discussion and dialogue that we in America need to have. See “26 Pebbles,” and be richly rewarded.

Jews, Christians, and Screwing Stalin

“Jews, Christians And Stealing Stalin,” is a beautifully constructed play, written by Mark Lonow and Jo Anne Astrow, and directed by Mark Lonow, and is in essence, a light comedy about dark secrets; kitchen table Jewish humor, just as we face the holiest day of the calendar, Yom Kippur, the day of Atonement. …Amidst all the chaos and conflicts, will there finally be resolution? Come see for yourself… at the Matrix Theatre. LA theatre-goers are lucky indeed to have such a production in town!

Outlaw

Christie’s way with words and such visual metaphors is a highlight of his performance, as the audience can literally envision every scenario he portrays.

You in Midair

All of the elements that went into making this most professional production are dazzling, especially direction by Julie Akers, lighting by Katelan Braymer, and sound design by Phil Johnson. This show is definitely among best of the Fringe ‘18.

RUMORS

The fun of this farce is seeing firsthand how the characters stumble on their original stories, and how the plot slowly yet ever so surely unravels. What keeps everything together is the cohesive cast and their superb chemistry and performances.

Hershey Felder: Beethoven

Hershey Felder, yet again, does a masterful job in bringing to life the treasured work of a universally beloved composer and genius… The show is a perfect example of theatrical storytelling, with each musical piece, almost a jigsaw puzzle piece, a concise telling of Beethoven’s childhood to adulthood story.

THE BOOK THAT I’M GOING TO WRITE, BY JUDY GARLAND

Obviously what a one person show about Judy garland needs is a strong performer… this show is blessed with powerhouse Jason Powell

GLORIA

In each progressing monologue, Melinda Grace’s confidence soars and star appeal shines bright… This show ensures a whimsical, yet gritty look at life, love, and the travails of a working actor on the big city.

Long Day’s Journey Into Night

It’s very hard to fail at “Long Day’s Journey Into Night”; the monologues, being some of the most compelling in American literature. That said, this production, which didn’t cut any lines, but clocks in at 3 hours and 25 minutes, is a model for how to efficiently stage such a masterpiece. There is also a lot of subtle, yet effective foreshadowing throughout the show. As the foghorn sounds, and darkness descends, the mood changes, as the family wallows in its despair, credit to lighting director extraordinaire, Peter Mumford. Add to this, dialogue and poetry of epic Shakespearean nature, and you have the quintessential tragic drama of its era, and actually timeless… If you want to experience theatrical history, in a production that will be long remembered, this is it.