CNN debate anchor Anderson Cooper was intent on confrontation and stirring up rivalries

The incident that actually coined the phrase "October Surprise" came when Henry Kissinger, Richard Nixon’s National Security Advisor, lied just

And when chemotherapy fails, what’s left—Kryptonite? There’s no easy cure for the cancer that is metastasizing in the Republican Party right

Matt Chait’s Disinherit the Wind opens quite nicely, with a depiction of Bertram Cates (Chait), a neurobiologist giving a lecture

When the topic turns to the worst series ever, one is walking a tightrope of wet tissue.

Here you have reviews of two shows The Princes of Kings Road at the Neutra Institute Museum and Gallery, and Café

Loser! The Tweet Defeat of Donald Trump did not begin with “Liddle’ Bob Corker” and his oh-so-devastating viral tweet: https://twitter.com/SenBobCorker/status/917045348820049920? Wham! Impressive. But

by Ernest Kearney  —  IAMA Theatre Company’s production, "Sinner’s Laundry," at the Lounge Theatre in Hollywood, can be summed up

In the U.S. recently: Pope Francis. Chinese President Xi Jinping. Russian President Vladimir Putin. And a political zombie—yet another threat

I can always appreciate Long Beach's International City Theatre even when I don't necessarily enjoy a particular production. Case in point

"Blue," by filmmaker Charles Huddleston, is not a complex plot. It’s a pretty straightforward morality tale wrapped in the landscape

During Empire Entertainment's famous white party, Lucious reminds Jamal that music is the truth. So Jamal explains his sexual preference

Every campaign has at least one noir moment, when (as in film noir) the protagonist tries to do The Right

When the bar is set as high as writer/director David Hare and thespian extraordinaire Bill Nighy (yes, I am biased)

Well we’re off to the races, Hollywood Fringe 2016 has opened, and here is the first handful of reviews for

I hate writing "bad" reviews for shows. Hate it. Don't get me wrong, I will bring out the ol' file and

Above: The car used as a murder weapon in Charlottesville. This freeze-frame photo is in the Public Domain. “…there are weapons that

Billed as an exploration of music and magic "Incantesimo" relies heavily on the ability of music to take us into

"Comic-Con The Musical" celebrates that Mecca of Nerd-dom, The San Diego Comic-Con International aka Comic-Con. Four magical days every

There have been three truly great social humorists in American history, Mark Twain, Will Rogers and Jon Stewart. The least

Theatre Unleashed, who has employed a sense of intelligence and willingness to push the envelope over the ensuing years,

by Ernest Kearney  —  Imagine if Donald Trump was president for life, that all the TV stations were operated by

In "Andy: The Red-Nosed Warhola," director/adapter Ezra Buzzington has crafted a swift, stylish and oh so entertaining rendering of the

The Hollywood Fringe Festival 2015 has drawn to a close. The following is the Medal Tally for the 57 Shows I attended: 13

The American election season never ends with the election. Not anymore. Nailing the president-elect for reneging on his second-biggest campaign promise

On the hunt for a different sort of dark-doing this Halloween? Look no further than the Echo Theater Company’s production

What do you think? Have your say HERE: #Savetwinpeaks14251

Well Hollywood Fringe 2016 has come to a close and with it comes the last of the Round Ups

"La Razón Blindada," by Argentinean playwright Aristides Vargas, achieves many things on stage; it is disturbing and insightful, but more

Four Chords and a Gun at the Bootleg Theater, which relates the stories of when The Ramones worked with Phil

The Lula Washington Dance Theatre (LWDT) the Los Angeles-based repertoire dance ensemble will perform in a joyous evening of dance,

by Ernest Kearney  — The origins of Taiko drumming in Japan is lost in that vast attic called history, but

Jesus Christ Superstar is a great show. Lyrics by Tim Rice, and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, and for my

Playwright Laurel M. Wetzork has filled Blueprint for Paradise, now playing at the Hudson Theatre, with fascinating tidbits plucked from

It's nearly here

Can the lightening in the bottle that was the essence of the limited special event of True Detective, Season 1

In an isolated study room, set off in a forgotten wing of a cavernous comprehensive school tucked away in a

In “The King’s Language,” writer/director Chris Yejin, has presented the Fringe with an entertaining and intelligent little history lesson of

What does this all mean? A flashy, vulgar celebrity/businessman runs for public office with no prior experience except having run a

By Steve Schlich — A lot of people think of our president as a divider, but last weekend he did

It is not with eyes alone that we read a novel’s passage or play’s scene; we read them through the

Ana Lily Amirpour's intelligent and superbly crafted film A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night is definitely a world view

It opens with a real-life catastrophic event: a meteor the size of a small house hits a small town in

By Ernest Kearney — There is a great deal of talent involved in "Two Fisted Love" at the Odyssey Ensemble

Round One has begun, a first clang! in the bruising prize fight that Donald Trump’s presidency threatens to become. It’s

Victorian era pulp fiction by another name could have been Penny Awful, Penny Number, Penny Blood or Penny Horrible. The

There are a number of events and venues here in L.A. which I maintain are under appreciated. I’m talking about

Admittedly, I'm not a music streaming customer. While I channel some (but not most) of my entertainment through my computer,

The most disappointing feature of Lee Blessing’s succinct if a tad “lite” A Walk in the Woods now gracing the

There were Poirots before him. There will be Poirots to follow. Right now, for over seven hundred and fifty million

The folks who produce Survivor think that they understand tribes. Jeff Probst’s first official duty, on the first episode of every season,

Above: Screen grab from a YouTube video of the 2018 Golden Globes on NBC. There are so many ways to be

by Darwyn Carson — Monopoly, I would wager, was always one of the first go-to games of choice amongst friends

Obama’s had a great couple of weeks politically, but he’s still gone as of January 20, 2017. That leaves a

At one point in the production of Lauren Gunderson's I and You at the Fountain Theatre, the main character's bedroom

Whatever had you Sherlocked from Hello, one thing is not up for debate… we all want the duo back for

Donald Trump knew that he lost the third debate long before it was over. As he seems to know, finally,

In spite of a ferociously inappropriate title, "Two Motherfuckers on a Ledge," running at Asylum @ Studio C during the

In its quintessence, theatre is the bonding of poetry and dance. That is oft forgotten in this age of directors as

by Ernest Kearney - Richard Lucas' award-winning  "Bono and the Edge Waiting for Godomino's," has been remounted and is running

"The more things change the more they stay the same" (Les Guêpes, January 1849) Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr They are ale drinking, rabble-rousers. Musket

Some of the most jaw dropping, chill raising, and yes tear inducing, imagery ever shot makes up BBC America’s prequel

"There are so many sounds I still want to make, so many things I haven't yet done." B.B. King   The summer of

I'm a huge fan of The Voice, let me say that to begin. The elements of the blind auditions that

A friend of mine, (one who knows I’ve just finished a year long project of re-reading the Bible—for the fifth

THE GOLD MEDALS: ANNA IN THE DARKNESS LA LA LA STRADA NELL GWYNNE – A DRAMATICK ESSAYE ON ACTING AND PROSTITUTION SHAKESPEARE'S LAST NIGHT

Okay, a quick side bar. My mother came to Los Angeles in the early '50s as a single parent. She was a

A USEFUL LIFE IN C MAJOR David Wheatley has four degrees in music and composition. He has an impressive background in stage

(Now please, if you can’t make it through this rather long winded harangue of homage, simply scroll to the end

Please believe me when I tell you that Julia Migenes is an amazingly talented performer. She originated the role of Hodel

There is a great deal about Swarm Cell which is commendable

Frankly, I wasn’t planning on writing this review. I saw the show, and well

If you follow economic or political news at all, you know there has been a lot of discussion about our

A lot of attention is being given to that first basket, the “basket of deplorables,” as Mrs. Clinton called it

Just two years ago, documentary filmmaker Asif Kapadia began interviewing Amy Winehouse's family, friends and collaborators in a darkened London

I’m sorry, but the Hitler analogy is at last appropriate. You can hear the original Führer’s hateful nationalism in nearly

Hamid Rahmanian is a film maker and graphic artist who in 2013 undertook to illustrate the Shahnameh.  He has now

Coming Soon!!

The movie Jurassic Park removed an intriguing side plot from Michael Crichton’s novel of the same name, that I think applies directly

The 25th Annual (Silver Anniversary) Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival (LAWTF) has a roster of distinguished artists who will co-host four days

1897. The Glorious Century, a period of unprecedented peace across all Europe was at a close. As that gilded, moribund age

Dry Land by Ruby Rae Spiegel drew its inspiration from a 2012 article in The New Republic concerning the assault

In "The Sacred Beasts" for Hollywood Fringe 2017, writer/director Chris Wollman has mined a particularly rich vein of historical gold

"Kinsherf’s Coat" harkens back to one of the Sixties most lamentable losses – “The Happening," which was was an indiscernible

• With the title, Out, Damned Spot, you probably would've expected the sixth episode to keenly focus on eldest son

A one-woman-show on Barack Obama’s mother

I’m wondering how I will suit up for the coming debates. No need to choose. I’ll don wings and a

Katori Hall’s The Mountaintop won the 2010 British Olivier Award for Best New Play. In 2011 it opened in New York

The peaceful dawning has come and gone. This day is like a long breath of air that has been held

I love Shakespeare. Straight up. If I could cook him down I'd probably be mainlining the Bard. Any Shakespeare junkie has a

VOICES According to the program notes, voiceover artist Carla Delaney wrote this one woman show as a birthday gift to herself,

This production has it all. 'Kurios – Cabinet of Curiosities' is running now through March 26 at Lone Star

What strikes one—when inspecting television’s hugest failures—is the large percentage of those which are remakes and retooling’s. Now with the right

Long-awaited "Game of Thrones'" Season Seven—winner of 12 Emmy's just last September, remember— is no longer coming. It's Here: July

Hollywood Fringe 2016 is better than ever and continues on for two more weeks: dance, artistry, plays. There's also plenty

Michael Ondaatje’s eponymous 2011 novel grants romance and intrigue to the lowliest dining area on a ship—The Cat’s Table. There

No, not that race card. But some candidate will play it before the election. Promise. I mean the horse race card.

Schadenfreude [shahd-n-froi-duh] noun. Satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else’s misfortune. Serve it up ice cold! Tribal Council finally arrived. Two of ’em.

The GOP field presidential candidates held a noisy war drum circle on December 15

Political Survivor: USA. This show plays almost continuously, with an ever-changing cast, on many shows and many networks. I discovered the

Okay

When Stephen Colbert coined the word "truthiness" in 2005, he meant "

"Stringmates" by Amanda Noriko Newman takes its core concept from the Asian legend of the “Red String of Fate,” the

“Clip Show” A clip show is primarily a creature inhabiting the realm of television. Basically it denotes a particular episode, sometimes called

by Ernest Kearney — Ice at the 24th Street Theatre is really a matter of  “All the King’s horses and

Forgive the projection, but are producer/writers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss attempting to 1) let us down easy by forecasting

In Part I, we celebrated two dazzling effects of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s landmark musical Hamilton: with his theatrical retelling of our

It's been nearly two years since The Reichenbach Fall and the deadly confrontation between Sherlock and his psycho-nemesis Moriarty, wherein

I initially reviewed John Posey’s one man show, Father, Son & Holy Coach when it played at the Whitefire Theatre

I’m a big mouth white guy of Irish descent who, most likely, has ancestral ties to former President Barrack Obama,

Director/writer/set designer Donovan Glover won the 1991 UCLA Best-New-Play-of-the-Year Award for this work and at times "Just Like Life" certainly

For Daniel Holden, danger lurks not just behind shadows, but in the harsh light of day; often prancing down the

By Ernest Kearney  —  In my opinion, Long Beach’s International City Theatre artistic director, caryn desai has a genius for

Say it ain’t so

"It was like the eve of a battle; the hearts beat, the eyes laughed, and they felt that the life

At 11:30 on New Year’s Eve, a friend asked me what actual “new” things would come in 2016. The political

Think of a row of dominos as scenes in a film. The first domino strikes the one before it; the

Let's imagine one could take a heaping jigger of Citizen Kane, another of Blade Runner, pour in a dash of

It is always a pity when a show falls through the cracks, and with 375 Fringe 2017 shows that is

Back in the days of the Soviet Union, there were two official newspapers: Pravda (“The Truth”) and Izvestiya (“The News”). A

Monday night, January 30, is Acorn TV night with the premiere of another Agatha Christie reinvention. Based on one of

"Ascent" features the talents of dancer Adam Kerbel and Taiko drummer Shih-Wei Willie Wu in a fusion piece that displays

In the hands of the right actors "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare," by playwrights Adam Long, Daniel Singer and

Conceived, written and produced by Linden Waddell — who also performs, with Miller directing — Hello Again! The Songs of

Now we know. The Game's Episode 5 delivered—as promised—the identity of The Mole. Clever writing, this, from series creator Toby

Friday, June 5 we will discover what it means to be "reborn" as a "Sensate." That's the day Netflix unveils

When I first heard news of a weekly series set in hip hop and R&B music industry with a predominately

"If you want to live, come with me – and keep in harmony" Yes, I troll Netflix, the cable channels, and

The train metaphor was spot-on when Trump was unstoppable. And it would be easy to call what’s happening now a

Full disclosure: I am not a fan of the shows of playwright Peter Lefcourt and director Terri Hanauer. Their prior productions,

Is anyone still criticizing quarterback Colin Kaepernick for kneeling during the national anthem? “Some people say” that his actions are

"Silent Sky" in its final weekend at Long Beach's International City Theatre, is a well-crafted feel-good evening in the theatre. 

I wanted "Zombie Clown Trump" (Surprise! It's a musical), so badly, to be great.  But if wishes were horses….

Here you have reviews of two shows The Princes of Kings Road at the Neutra Institute Museum and Gallery, and Café

"The Tomb" by Ed Sharrow (at the Complex Theatre during Fringe 2017) is an encapsulated tale of Anthony the Great,

For me, the internet can be like standing in line at the supermarket. Oh, those tabloids! My eye is also

The last time the Tap Overload Company came to the Hollywood Fringe, my review of their show "Office Beat" was

The family that fights together stays together—or at least becomes more tolerant of each other—could be the subtitle for Episode

We've all heard it. Someone channel surfing tosses the remote aside and says: "Over a hundred channels and nothing's on

With hardly an exception the American Experience historical programs are gems. That the dumb heads in congress have succeeded in

The Goodwill store outlets are a treasure trove for the adventurous DVD hunter. After extended practice I can breeze through the

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsYJyVEUaC4 So Leslie Gore is crying because someone messed with her party? She’s clearly not a 2016 Republican. The sound you hear out

We're back on the boat deck filled with potential Survivor contestants, waiting to see who will commit by jumping into

This 10th episode delivers a surprising Didn't-See-That-Coming moment: Just when it seemed that Jamal is all set to step up to

You don’t have to be paying rapt attention to the 50-inch rectangular flat screen hanging above the fireplace or the

Photo above is from Creative Commons: “hacker army 2.0” by Rodrigo Paoletti is licensed under CC BY 2.0

I can’t tell if Donald Trump is brilliant or an idiot—and maybe he’s both. On Monday, August 8th, he trotted

The surest way to appreciate Steven Berkoff’s Hairy Ape now playing at the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble is to have acquaintance

Imagine a petting zoo where Caffè Latte is served. Or imagine you’re in the mood to find a cat to

Is Hillary honest? Does she lie? That seems an odd issue for the Trump camp to obsess about, considering the

I expected President Drumpf to embarrass himself—and us by proxy—when he went abroad last month. He did not disappoint, so

Flamenco is exceptional. Nowhere is grace found infused with such power, nor the sorrow and the joy of the human condition expressed

Do you know his favorite Karaoke song? I do. And he sings it with me. The man, the legend talks

A HORSE WITH A VIEW Last year Christopher Piehler delighted audiences with Reserve Champion, an autobiographical tale of how as a

The 2014 Pulitzer prize-winning drama, “Water by the Spoonful,” at the Mark Taper Forum through March 11, is Act II

People are funny. In the way we keep making the same mistakes. Even when we're conscious of our tendency to run

In the real world April means springtime and showers. In HBO time, it means winter is coming. In the land

"Bono and the Edge Waiting for Godomino's" by writer/director Richard Lucas approaches being the ultimate Hollywood Fringe Festival offering.

From Space.com: Overall, dark energy is thought to contribute 73 percent of all the mass and energy in the universe. Another 23

…and tracks it all over our political kitchen floor! Not that the place was spotless to begin… This edition was supposed

"Do You: Migration of the Monarchs" is a dazzling concept conveyed in a visually rich language, not a play as

As I write this, it’s just a few days until the crucial Wisconsin primary, and the impossible is seemingly in

The Hollywood Fringe Festival is a premier example of a thriving Los Angelean creative arts scene. Modeled after the famed Edinburgh

As casual as can be, Julia Migenes strolls on the nearly bare stage at the Odyssey Ensemble Theatre. The only

Both Alton Sterling and Philando Castile told the officer who shot them, “I have a gun.” They may have thought

I hate writing bad reviews. Honest. I’d rather write glowing reviews, pouring forth accolades and singing praises to high heaven. I truly would. Now

Wake up you princes of Westeros. Stay alert you Mother of Dragons. Justice is sweet. Justified vengeance is better. HBO released

At the top of where the Angel’s Flight Trolley once deposited its riders (and hopefully will again one day), nestled

Whether a Bill Nighy fan or a David Hare follower, tune in to PBS, Masterpiece Contemporary, for Part II of

A man brings his guitar and a cooler out to the beach, and as he faces the setting sun tries

By Ernest Kearney — Premise-wise "Small Mouth Sounds," by Playwright Bess Wohl, has a lot of potential. The highly touted

Wow. That’s about the most apropos comment across the board on Squeeze My Cans, Cathy Schenkelberg’s riveting, heart wrenching and ultimately

Above: July 18, 2017 MSNBC screen grab. At you thought he couldn’t look stupider! Let’s be truthful about the reason that

The Hollywood Fringe Festival 2015: Final Tallies & Reviews HOUSE OF RABBITS CHARIVARI IN VOYEURVILLE (Platinum Medal) House of Rabbits Charivari in

It is odd to admire the seed but fault the fruit. But Brittanie Richardson’s solo show "Art and Abolition" has

A few weeks back, Molly Ball wrote in the Washington Post about the 2016 Presidential Campaign’s “…rich irony that America's

Sarah Manning is the key. She is brave, brash and ballsy. It’s one or a combination of these traits that

Check out this "Game of Thrones" location video focusing on Iceland and Spain; just luscious

An advisor to Donald Trump recently explained the candidate’s multiple (and conflicting) positions on most issues with: Words don’t matter. Wow,

It was rather fitting that on the night of the first presidential debate I found myself sitting in the audience,

At 100% full on energy the entire night, Garth Brooks IS the ultimate entertainer. From the moment he takes the

"My Janis," at The New Collective during Fringe 2017, is not actually a play. It is a moment

Seven years prior to American Idol breaking out on Fox to become one of the most successful and talked about

The Superhero and his Charming Wife purports to be “inspired by archetypes and dreams” presented in the style of “an

Well, I suspected I was going to like "Finally, Some Privacy" Aimee Levey’s one woman show, for Fringe 2017, when

Next Fall by Geoffrey Nauffts is a stunningly sincere and heartfelt drama that is sure to move any audience. That may

Game of Thrones Season 5 is coming. It's time to prepare. Take a look to see glimpses of interactions

OMG Moments on Empire • An unexpected gift, a single red rose, is dropped at the entrance to Cookie's swank apartment

ShoWorks Entertainment has traveled from South Africa to stage two offerings at the Fringe, both written by South African playwright

Last year (2014) The Honorable Woman snagged two TVolution Honors: the Bravest and the Best Freshman Drama of the summer. A creative

Placas: The Most Dangerous Tattoo has only a week left on its limited run at Casa 0101 in Boyle Heights,

Memories from a long ago hit spark flames between Lucious and Cookie and ignite the passionate encounter we've been waiting

In "The Girl who Jumped off the Hollywood Sign" written and performed by Joanne Hartstone, under the direction of Vince

Welcome to Springtime TV Madness: Sarah Manning faces off against manic Castor Clone Rudy (Ari Millen) aka "Scarface." Watch "The Weight of this

by Ernest Kearney — The world premiere of "Jackie Unveiled" by award-winning playwright Tom Dugan has been extended at the

Actually, “muttered” does no justice to the chanting and booing that echoed like city noise down an abandoned alleyway as

The tunes in "Save Me a Spot" were both charming and moving, and wisely limited to ten in number.

I love speaking to a kindred soul whose passions are rooted in another field different from mine. It always fascinates

The Hollywood Fringe Festival's Week One Diary—Part III is all about the Bard who is nicely represented this year with a

For a complete medal tally for all 60 viewed by this contributor see click HERE.  Below is a The TVolution

Walking Dead, Season Five

What do the New Players Bring to the Game?

Not only will I tip my hat to The Coeurage Theatre Company, but if you don't tip your hat as

This is a thank you to Colin Johnson my stage manager on My Alamo War. Colin helped set the stage,

In the words of an FTWD character: “When civilization ends, it ends fast.” That’s Right. I love The Walking Dead. The discovery that I

What’s so embarrassing for me (an old white man) about watching an old white presidential candidate say—almost indignantly—“Well

Beheadings– Fratricide - Infidelity - Parricide – Rebellion - The swain of Avon – And toe tapping ditties. One must admire the chutzpa Michael Shaw Fisher displays

We are all Donald Trump now. In 1963, JFK went to the Berlin wall and said, “Ich bin ein Berliner” (I

by Ernest Kearney — The Australian Theatre Company's "Grey Nomad" by Dan Lee is the tale of Helen (Ros Gentle)