A report from our far-flung correspondent from up north (Ojai). BY JOHN HANKINS While the film community was handing out Oscar awards somewhere in La La Land on Sunday, February…
REVIEW BY CARY GINELL It's been 80 years since Bessie Smith, the celebrated Empress of the Blues, died a lonely death, after an auto accident on a desolate Mississippi road. Contrary…
BY CARY GINELL Last month I went to a private showcase of music from the musical Hamilton. The showcase was organized by pianist/arranger/singer Justin Ramos, former director of vocal music at Newbury…
REVIEW BY CARY GINELL In See Rock City, the second installment of Arlene Hutton's trilogy about a post-World War II family, aspiring novelist Raleigh Brummett had left for New York…
BY CARY GINELL There are three new events being unveiled at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center Thursday evening: Lit Live, a new local production company, And Lightning Struck, a new…
REVIEW BY CARY GINELL The success of the awkwardly titled Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage depends primarily on whether or not you were a fan of the motion picture…
BY CARY GINELL This fall, the Conejo Players will be celebrating its 60th anniversary, and in anticipation of that momentous occasion, the theater will be hosting a special evening event titled…
BY MARY ZASTROW It’s two days later, and I’ve let my thoughts settle about The King and I. Let me first preface this by saying it is a musical that…
BY CARY GINELL It's time once again for the annual "Vee-Cee" Awards, in which we honor some of the most memorable performances on Ventura County stages over the course of…
BY CARY GINELL As each year comes to a close, we like to look back at some of the highlights of the past year in musical theater and plays in…