Theater Through a ‘Distorted’ Lens

Imagine a theater performance that takes place entirely in a claustrophobia-inducing, boxlike space, and where the actors barely move, never touch and never make eye contact.  Meanwhile, an eerie film is running in the background.  If this sounds unusual to you –or worse, doesn’t even sound like theater– it means Temporary Distortion is doing something [...]

KCRW: All About the Music

In a time when payola rules, it’s tough to take a radio station seriously when it claims to be “all about the music”– especially in the music industry capital, Los Angeles.  But even jaded industry professionals have to tip their hats to KCRW, one of LA’s longest-running and most respected public radio stations.  Once a [...]

The Most Consistently Hip Club in L.A.

As Angelenos know, the Viper Room on Sunset Boulevard is somewhat of an institution in L.A.  Best known as the place where actor River Phoenix died of a drug overdose, the tiny West Hollywood club has remained on the local radar for the past 15 years.
The Viper Room was founded in 1993 by young nightlife [...]

Quick Culture: Art Minus the Attitude

Art museums have a reputation for being cold, snooty places where you aren’t allowed to touch anything.  It’s no surprise that “normal” people are often intimidated or overwhelmed by the idea of visiting a museum–  unfortunately so, since today’s art world has something for just about everyone to appreciate.
Luckily for L.A. museum patrons, private art [...]

Art in the Fast Lane

Nestled near where the 10 and 405 Freeways meet in Santa Monica is one of L.A.’s preeminent art and cultural centers, aptly named ‘Highways.’  For 25 years, the space has acted as a hub of artistic experimentation, showcasing works of theater, dance, fine art, and multimedia, while earning a name for promoting freedom of expression [...]

Teen Theater Takeover: The Young Artist Project

Putting several highly-creative strangers together and asking them to create a work of art is bound to produce interesting results.  But how to guaranty something even more interesting?  Put several kids together and ask them to create something, to be performed in front of an audience a few weeks later.
For the three years now, Phantom [...]

Get Cooped Up in The Attic

In the land of aspiring actors in pursuit of leading roles in the next blockbuster film, it’s no surprise the abundance of performances and theaters that the City of Angels plays host to. Amidst the clamor of billboard signs and blitzing lights on Hollywood Blvd, to the nomadic traveler visiting LA (or even to the [...]

It Ain’t Over Til the Fat Lady Sings

With esoteric music, foreign languages and complicated audience etiquette, opera can be intimidating to even adventurous event-goers.  Luckily, the L.A. Opera is the perfect place for those with opera anxiety to enjoy the 400-year-old art form for the first time.
Founded in 1986, the L.A. Opera is the four largest opera company in the country.  Its [...]

OC Roller Girls, Do You Derby?

Actor’s Gang WTF?! Festival

Well, yeah, what is exactly wrong with the world? Why the theater needs to face continuously diminishing gifts from longtime donors who’ve seen their wealth shrink drastically in recent months, what happened to the foundation, government and education grants, and how long will it take to get the regular or prospective audience of the [...]