A decade after taking the world by storm, fans of Hamilton will no longer have to wait for it to come to physical media. Disney has announced a special collector’s edition 4K UHD blu-ray will be available on June 16!
Continue reading “‘Hamilton’ on 4K will Blow Us All Away”
Nocturne Theatre’s Jesus Christ Superstar has not only reinvigorated this classic Andrew Lloyd Webber musical with their astounding production work and talent but through conscious & well thought-out casting decisions, has given it urgent relevancy in the world we live today.
Continue reading “A Los Angeles Theatre Review: ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’”
Tonatiuh plays Molina in the 2025 rendition of Kiss of the Spiderwoman, slated to hit theaters on October 10. We had the opportunity to speak to Tonatiuh about their journey to becoming an actor, one’s birthright to joy, and what this film can teach audiences in light of ongoing ICE raids in the United States.
Continue reading “Tonatiuh of ‘Kiss of the Spiderwoman’ on Becoming an Actor and the Birthright to Joy”
Kiss of the Spider Woman, starring Jennifer Lopez, Diego Luna, and Tonatiuh, is slated to hit theaters on October 10. The two-hour film pays tribute to Hollywood, the film industry, the movie musical, actors, and the idea of celebrity. Highlights from the film include actor Tonatiuh’s performance, Lopez’s dancing, and the use of Technicolor film processing.
Continue reading “NOC Review: Jennifer Lopez, Diego Luna, and Tonatiuh in ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’”
The 78th Tony Awards, hosted by Cynthia Erivo, were held on Sunday, and Maybe Happy Endings swept many of the major categories. As usual, the show included an array of powerful performances, including a number from Real Women Have Curves, but most notably, the 10-year reunion of the original Broadway cast of Hamilton turned the world upside down.
Continue reading “History Had its Eyes on the ‘Hamilton’ Original Broadway Cast Reunion at the Tonys”
Disney is in a pickle. The company that used to be a four-quadrant factory has to survive in a world where nobody is satisfied. The challenge of which results in something of an identity crisis. Do they aim for progress and alienate half the country? Or play it safe? There is no better representation of this confusion than Mark Webb’s Snow White.
Continue reading “NOC Review: ‘Snow White’ is a Half-Baked Hypocritical Hodgepodge”
The 97th Academy Awards are just around the corner, and the film adaptation of Wicked is in the running with 10 nominations; including Best Actress for Cynthia Erivo, Best Supporting Actress for Ariana Grande, and Best Picture.
Continue reading “Jon M. Chu Knows How to Direct Scenes About Being Seen”
In the early days of the internet, online gamers didn’t have the best social reputation. There were plenty of these negative stereotypes of gamers and geeks/nerds back in the day. Geek and gaming culture weren’t seen as popular back then as they are now.
Continue reading “Popular Web Series ‘The Guild’ Becomes a Musical with One-Day Only Performance”
Actor Gerald Ramsey has had quite a year of milestones. After nearly a decade of playing Mufasa in the North American touring production of The Lion King, he bowed out of the Pride Lands back in September. In November, he made his voice acting debut in Moana 2 as Tautai Vasa; the ancestor of Moana who summons her on her new mission to reunite the people of other islands.
Continue reading “Gerald Faitala Ramsey on Voyaging from ‘The Lion King’ to ‘Moana 2’ and Beyond”
Wicked director Jon M. Chu has long been fascinated with the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. Growing up in San Francisco as a child of immigrants, Chu saw the Yellow Brick Road as the path toward the dream, leading to the Wizard, who could fulfill these wishes.
Continue reading “‘Wicked’ Director Jon M. Chu Compares the Wizard’s Popularity to Clickbait”
I was about a week old when I learned there was a staged musical version of the 1996 Disney animated classic The Hunchback of Notre Dame (this still ranks as the best Disney animated film opening of all time, with The Lion King being a close tie) so when I learned that a 99-seat theatre company called CASA 0101 was going to mount their own production of it with a largely Latino cast, I knew I had to check it out.
Continue reading “A Los Angeles Theatre Review: ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’”
I don’t care if this statement isn’t going to be… popular. Since we’re living in a time where more than half the country voted for an elected official/convicted felon trying to use people of color as a scapegoat to elevate his platform and retain the pitiful amount of “power” he has, I’d say a movie like Wicked could not come out at a better moment.
Continue reading “NOC Review: ‘Wicked’ is the Movie We Need In These Wicked Times”
There are many superlatives that best describe Michelle Yeoh: Legendary. Iconic. Stunning. Talented. Brilliant. And, now… Triple Threat.
Continue reading “‘Wicked’ Star Michelle Yeoh is Ready to Have Her Voice Heard”
The Green Day album American Idiot was one of the most influential rock albums that affected our lives in ways too numerous to count. Considering the album structure, it also wasn’t a surprise that it easily converted into a musical that has been a riveting Tony and GRAMMY award-winning success since 2009.
Continue reading “A Los Angeles Theatre Review: ‘American Idiot’”
Arthur Fleck is back! And this time, he’s not alone. He’s bringing the one and only Harleen Quinzel (aka “Lee” in this version) with him! Joker: Folie à Deux is dancing its way in theaters tonight. And we were given the opportunity to view the film with a very special Q&A from director Todd Phillips and co-writer Scott Silver!
Continue reading “‘Joker’ Director Todd Phillips and Co-Writer Scott Silver on ‘Folie à Deux’”
In a pleasantly surprising move, Lady Gaga revealed this week that she would release a Harley Quinn-themed concept album to accompany the imminent opening of Joker: Folie à Deux.
Continue reading “Lady Gaga Drops ‘Harlequin’ Because Comics-Themed Concept Albums are Cool”
The moment the credits rolled on Joker: Folie à Deux, the tangible sound of stunned silence filled the theater. It wasn’t unexpected. Minutes before the film screened, we were told by director Todd Phillips that early screenings of the film ended with many saying they needed to process it. There’s so much to unpack from the sequel to the 2019 Oscar-winner, that such a reaction is completely warranted.
Continue reading “NOC Review: ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ is a Flawed Work of Fine Art”
Wicked: Part One is almost here! As one of the year’s most anticipated films, Universal released a new trailer, giving audiences a glimpse into the lives of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) and their magical friendship, which eventually turned into what we know from L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz.
Continue reading “New ‘Wicked’ Trailer Captures More of Elphaba and Glinda’s Magical Friendship”
In 2019, the whole world met Arthur Fleck, a down-on-his-luck clown who would come to be known to everyone as Joker. The DC Elseworlds film took audiences by storm, dancing its way to $1B at the box office and a Best Picture nomination (not to mention a Best Actor win for Joaquin Phoenix). But now Arthur is back in Joker: Folie à Deux, and this time, he’s not alone anymore.
Continue reading “The Whole World Smiles (and Sings) in the New ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Trailer”
The 77th annual Tony Awards premiered last night on June 16, 2024 at Lincoln’s Center David H. Koch Theater, hosted by Ariana DeBose. What a night full of performances from Broadway’s hottest shows this season and first time Tony award nominees and winners!
Continue reading “The 2024 Tony Awards Winners”
Last year, Disney made a surprising announcement that their oceanic animated musical Moana would be developed into a live-action film. It would celebrate the islands, communities, and traditions of Pacific Islanders as seen through the eyes of a young woman eager to chart her own path by sailing the ocean.
Continue reading “Disney’s Finds its Live-Action ‘Moana’ in Catherine Laga‘aia”
I’m always wary when there’s any production lauded with so much critical praise and attention that I lower my expectations significantly, especially when they come straight from Broadway (I can’t help it, I’m fiercely proud of my local Los Angeles theatre community and the talents they offer).
Continue reading “A Los Angeles Theatre Review: ‘A Strange Loop’”
Director Jon M. Chu has always been amazing at bringing musicals to life on the big screen. With the release of the new Wicked trailer, it seems he may have done it again!
Continue reading “‘Wicked’ Official Trailer Asks the Question: Are People Born Wicked?”