Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words

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  • SMC Barrett Gallery Hosts Reception for Dumbacher Brothers.

    Grace Smith, SMC|Sep 1, 2017

    The Santa Monica College Pete & Susan Barrett Art Gallery is pleased to present "line-of-site," an exhibition of art by Joseph Dumbacher and John Dumbacher. The exhibition features collaborative creations that transcend the typical categories of sculpture, painting, photography, and drawing. Recent works by the Southern California artists explore the intersection of light and dark to define a space less considered. The exhibition will be open to the public from Tuesday, September 5, to...

  • Sequel to American Graffiti Serves Humor, Reminder of High School Quirks and Oddities

    Ron Irwin, Observer Staff Writer|Jul 27, 2017

    The year is 1958 and the location is Springfield High School or pretty much any high school in Anytown USA and it is senior prom night. The entertainment is being provided by four lovely young ladies calling themselves "The Marvelous Wonderettes." Not just "The Wonderettes" mind you but "The Marvelous Wonderettes." A pleasing plethora of mid 1950's era pop music flows with sweet harmony from the stage as "The Marvelous Wonderettes" Cindy Lou [Kelsey Boze], Suzy [Kelly Klopocinski] Betty Jean [Ka...

  • Forty Years Later: The Buzzcocks Electrify the Roxy Theater in West Hollywood

    Daniel Margolis, Observer Staff Writer|Jul 27, 2017

    Last year, the historic classic rock music festival, "Desert Trip", sold out – twice. And this year, on June 29 and 30 at the Roxy Theater in West Hollywood, so did the Buzzcocks. The Buzzcocks are one of Britain's ground breaking and most influential punk bands. Formed in 1976, the Buzzcocks rose to almost instant fame due to their fusion of pop, funk, and punk rock, their heavy guitar riffs, odd chords with catchy melodies, avant-guard elements, emphasis on the human condition, unbridled e...

  • I'm Too Fat For This Show: Kate Huffman rocks the Fringe Festival

    Ron Irwin, Observer Staff Writer|Jun 19, 2017

    In what is by far the most entertaining one person show I have ever seen anywhere anytime Kate Huffman is knocking it out of the park with her one woman show I'm Too Fat For This Show wrapping up Sunday, June 25th at 4:00 p.m. She tells her story of her long time battle with her OCD eating disorder which, among other unpleasant things forces her to live entirely "by the numbers." Don't understand? Go see the show and you will. It took Kate over two years to develop this show to get it ready to...

  • Amazing Set, Acting Excellent, But Confusing Message

    Ron Irwin, Observer Staff Writer|May 18, 2017

    Imagine a family living on a beautiful farm by a lovely pond in Northern or perhaps Central California. There is a large family home and another smaller home occupied by an immigrant woman and her son who help take care of the property. The father is in charge but he is a bit of a hippie. So when the fabled drought hit him he simply didn't bother to read the letters from the bank. The vineyards had shriveled and the income had fallen sharply and he figured that if the lender had something...

  • Deborah Cox is Nothing Short of Hypnotic in a Great Show That's Better Than Hamilton.

    Ron Irwin, Observer Staff Writer|May 8, 2017

    Experience love, magic, beauty, fear, humor, jealousy, triumph, mystery and nearly every imaginable human emotion along with one of the best vocal performances on earth in the explosive masterpiece of theatre they call "The Bodyguard" currently at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre. From its unprecedented way over the top forever unforgettable beginning to its soft and somewhat melancholy yet spectacularly beautiful conclusion "The Bodyguard" is a show that grabs the audience fully and never let's...

  • Rocky Collins is Making It as an Actor on the Hollywood Stage

    Ron Irwin|May 5, 2017

    I have spent my entire life to some extent in and around the entertainment industry. My dad was a band leader and drummer. When I was only 5 years old I was a model and apparently some level of actor because I once even performed a small role at the prestigious Goodman Theatre in Chicago. In my early teens I spent a couple of weeks with the amazing songstress Jane Morgan at her summer home in Kennebunkport, Maine. But before that I even did a mini magic show before a live audience and got...

  • Poisoned Milk: A powerful performance with the Right Nuance at WeHo's Lounge Theatre

    Ron Irwin, Observer Staff Writer|Apr 29, 2017
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    This tightly written tragic/comedy/drama earned a coveted Pulitzer Prize for Best Drama for its creator David Lindsay-Abaire in 2007. Ten years later it has arrived on a Los Angeles Stage at the warm and cozy Lounge Theatre starring Toni Christopher, Jordana Oberman, Darcy Shean. Michael Yurchak and introducing Rocky Collins. The story begins with a rather convoluted and often hilarious conversation between two sisters during which one sister admits to her sibling that she recently punched...

  • 'Supper' this is one meal you will never forget. With "Red Helen" at the Theatre of Note in Hollywood

    Ron Irwin, Observer Staff Writer|Apr 13, 2017

    Four brothers of an extremely wealthy and privileged family gather in Japan for the marriage of the one brother least likely to marry, that is the one clearly least likely to marry a woman. They have gathered in celebration but almost instantly rancor emerges primarily from the oldest brother who is also clearly a bit of a bully and in a humorous way very much a curmudgeon. He is joined by a younger brother who seems to be essentially the foil of the family and eventually be another brother who...

  • At a British Prep School, A Small Group of Divergent Young People Transformed Rock Forever

    Ron Irwin, Observer Staff Writer|Apr 3, 2017

    The setting is a pleasant British prep school where a small group of divergent young men and women gather to exchange words, dreams and ideas. At first the banter is light, a bit sassy and often funny. Much of the initial conversation centers on the relative merits of moving on to Oxford or Cambridge. There is a new girl on campus that instantly captures the attention of most of the guys. After all she is young, pretty, female and new. There is the obligatory nerd and the grade obsessed girl. Th...

  • When An American soldier in Paris meets a mysterious beautiful young Parisian dancer

    Ron Irwin, Observer Staff Writer|Apr 1, 2017

    It is the Tony Award winning stage version of the 1951 multiple Oscar winning film classic "An American in Paris" and it is nothing short of spectacular. Few moments in history could equal or exceed the overwhelming drama of that time and the end World War Two. More than four bloody years of global horror and anguish had finally come to an end, France had been taken back from the Nazis and the City of Lights, Paris was returning to a spirit of joy, love and happiness absent far too long. In...

  • Abundant Mendacity, Greed, Superficiality and Sexuality as a Dysfunctional Family Connives

    Apr 1, 2017

    'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' launches Anteaus Theatre Company new home. To kick off its brand new and I will say dazzlingly facility in Glendale, California the just completed Kiki & David Gindler Performing Arts Center, the always top performing Antaeus Theatre Company has chosen the Pulitzer Prize winning Tennessee Williams classic "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." You really couldn't ask for a better play, venue or team of truly top flight actors. The story is set in the early 1950's in America's Deep...

  • Rain Pryor Stars in Fried Chicken and Latkes at Braid Theatre in Santa Monica

    Observer Staff|Mar 27, 2017

    Santa Monica, CA (March 16) - Rain Pryor's sold-out solo tour-de-force, Fried Chicken and Latkes, is extended to June 3 at The Braid, home of Jewish Women's Theatre (JWT), 2912 Colorado Ave., #102, Santa Monica. Critics call Fried Chicken and Latkes, a "poignant and hilarious tale," (Jewish Journal), and write, "Diversity, Culture and Laughter Come to Santa Monica" (Santa Monica Daily Press) and "Rain Pryor Embraces the Jewish and African-American Heritages that Make Her Whole" (The Argonaut)....

  • Playing For Change Foundation Announces 10th Anniversary Celebrations

    Zane|Mar 27, 2017

    In the summer of 2007, South Africa was selected as the nation to establish the first Playing For Change Foundation school, launching the vision of globally linked programs uniting the world through the universal language of music. In 2017, the global nonprofit organization celebrates its10th Anniversary by embarking on a slate of activities to advance its mission with the goal of raising $1 million to support free music education programs around the world. The alliance today consists of 14...

  • 'The Snow Geese' a family story in review, written by Sharr White and Directed by David Melville

    Ron Irwin, Observer Staff Writer|Mar 25, 2017

    The story is set in November of 1917. Elizabeth Gaesling [played by Melissa Chalsma] is the recently widowed family matriarch. Her and other family members gather at their hunting lodge for some partying and hunting but there is a lot of stress tearing away at the family fun. Elizabeth is clearly still suffering the loss of her husband, while Duncan Gaesling has joined the military and is preparing to enter the raging bloody World War One and his younger brother Arnold has discovered very...

  • "Uncondemned" at Human Rights Watch Film Club at New Roads School in Santa Monica

    Adam Wolman|Mar 15, 2017

    The award-winning movie The Uncondemned will be featured at a special Human Rights Watch screening Sunday, April 9, 2017. The film will be presented by the Human Rights Watch Film Club at New Roads School at the Herb Alpert Educational Village in Santa Monica. Both a real-life courtroom thriller and a moving human drama, The Uncondemned tells the gripping story of a group of young international lawyers and activists who fought to have rape recognized as a war crime, and the Rwandan women who...

  • Santa Monica's Prestigious Artlab to Present Cameron Lee's Debut Art Show, "Flores Fatales"

    Christine Peake|Mar 13, 2017

    Renowned artist Cameron Lee and husband Rigel Cable (Rigel Gemini) have collaborated on their first creative project, "Flores Fatales". Inspired by the striking and wide-ranging beauty of flowers, Flores Fatales celebrates human beauty, natural wonder, and elements of dangerous allure. The two parts in this queer creative duo are Cameron, a visual artist, and Rigel, a social media influencer who goes by @RigelGemini on Instagram. Flores Fatales will open at artLAB Salon in Santa Monica on...

  • 'Disinherit the Wind' Where science and spirituality meet at the Complex [Ruby Theatre], 6476 Santa Monica

    Ron Irwin, Observer Staff Writer|Mar 11, 2017

    The show begins in a University lecture hall where Professor Bertram Cates is presenting an abundance of details about the biological and physical structure of the human body. Compelling are these details of DNA and cell formation and other fascinating facts about physical life and they are made even more impressive as actual scientific video is projected on a very large screen as the good professor explains to the assembled class also known as theatre audience in this instance exactly what it...

  • 'Finding Neverland' the joys of eternal youth at the Pantages Theater

    Ron Irwin, Observer Staff Writer|Feb 26, 2017

    We all know about Neverland right? It is that happy mystical place where we can all be children forever. Some might call it Congress while others will take a happier road and revel in the pure joy of imagination and the distinct possibility that there is a place where truly anything can happen. So when playwright J. M. Barrie [Billy Harrigan Tighe] gets a severe case of writer's block he goes off in pursuit of inspiration and happens upon Neverland. His adventure is sparked as he comes upon...

  • 'The Princess and the Frog' great fun – ribbit.

    Ron Irwin, Observer Staff Writer|Feb 16, 2017

    Let's get straight to the point here; this is a must see show for children ages 1 day to I'd say around 95 years or so. But, yeah the younger crowd will appreciate it the most. The show opens with a magical fairy Hyacinth. She is a very pleasant and loving fairy and not all that happy when the Prince arrives on scene unwilling to help deliver food to the needy. Oops! Seems that gets the Prince transformed into a frog but there are ways to return to full Prince status. That action invokes a...

  • Artists Support Art for Empowerment Local nonprofit hosts art auction ArtWorks for Healing

    Colleen OMara|Feb 14, 2017

    Venice, CA- February 9, 2017- Inspired by the power of art, a diverse group of artists and curators have joined together for ArtWorks for Healing, a unique art auction and exhibition to raise funds for A Window Between Worlds' arts programs. The cocktail reception will take place on Thursday, March 2, 2017, 7-10pm at Arena 1 Gallery (3026 Airport Ave, Santa Monica, 90405). This exhibition will be on display starting Friday, February 24; online bidding will also begin February 24 and end the...

  • 'War Stories' is a play about love. At the Workout Studio in North Hollywood

    Ron Irwin|Feb 12, 2017

    Currently at the intimate yet charming theatre known as Actors Workout Studio this intriguing slice of theatrical life they call “War Stories” is in fact a complex and sometimes weird tale of evolving relationships and ultimately true love. Only four actors are involved and each begins with a monologue that sets up the general premise of the show. Each character is unique and the interplay between the two men and two women becomes the core of the story and it is a story that absolutely eve...

  • Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution Sets a High Standard of Excellence

    Ron Irwin, Observer Staff Writer|Feb 3, 2017

    The Group Rep has a long and glorious history of presenting shows in the highest of theatrical quality proving time and again the truth which is it is the quality of the performance and not the size of the venue that matters most. The Group Rep consistently delivers but with its current offering of Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution it has set an even higher standard of excellence. The story set in post-World War Two England begins in the Chambers of a notable Barrister Sir Wilfrid...

  • Chain Reaction Sculpture Undergoes Renovation in front of SM Courthouse

    Observer Staff|Dec 14, 2016
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    Chain Reaction is a peace monument and public art sculpture composed of a metal framework of stainless steel and fiberglass surrounded by concrete, depicting a mushroom cloud created by a nuclear explosion. The much loved and much hated work is finally undergoing renovation across the street from a US Military think tank. Designed by LA Times editorial cartoonist Paul Conrad and built by Peter M. Carlson, the 5.5-ton, 26-foot high sculpture was installed in 1991 adjacent to the Santa Monica...

  • Irving Berlin's "White Christmas: The Musical" Brings Holiday Joy at the Pantages Through Dec. 4

    Ron Irwin, Observer Staff Writer|Dec 7, 2016

    Well here we are at that magically time of year when Thanksgiving is a warm memory and Christmas is straight ahead. And here in Southern California that means that most of the trees still have leaves, flowers are still very much in bloom and generally we only need a sweater or light jacket to venture outdoors. Yet we can still relate to those magical words: I'm dreaming of a White Christmas, just like the ones I used to know Where the tree tops glisten and children listen To hear sleigh bells...

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