Humans are living on Roma Prime, an Earthlike planet orbiting a dying star. Many of them have moved to the Flotilla, a large group of starships that form a nation. One of these starships is forced to land on a foreign planet during a mission. A former member of this starship that was exiled already lives on this planet and is working on wormhole technology to reclaim everything she lost. 

Tiffany Keane Schaefer has written a very creative retelling of The Tempest. Half of this play is very dense with Sci-Fi jargon that is hard to follow. The other half uses less jargon and focuses on the relationships between the characters, which is when the play is at its best. 

The great cast includes Stacey Lind, Izzi King, Blake Hood, Jacob Watson, P-Jay Adams, Hayden Lane-Davis, Janice Rumshlag, Hilary Sanzel, and Sydney Ginter. This performance featured three understudies: Charles Brailovsky as Dax, Erin Bonham as Ariel, and Hayden Lane-Davies as Kai-Lune. 

Cost of a ticket: $30

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Good Value –

Rating Scale: Exceptional > Good Value > Discounted > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Get tickets now for Prospera through February 8th!

Quinn Delaney

There is a mumps outbreak at Eureka Day, an elementary school in Berkely, California. The Executive Committee is trying to decide if they want to change the policy about requiring vaccines. Two of the members have unvaccinated children. They are all trying to be politically correct while looking for the best solution. 

Jonathan Spector has written a very funny and topical play. The pacing is excellent and the laughs and the drama just kept coming. 

At 105 minutes, it would be nice to have an intermission. There are plenty of scene changes where it can be easily added.  Join the Pro-Intermission movement here. 

PJ Powers (Lifespan of a Fact) is hilarious as the leader, who tries his best to make everyone happy. Rebekah Ward is excellent as the anti-vaxxer, who wants her opinion respected. Gabrielle Lott-Rogers (Boulevard of Bold Dreams) is outstanding as the newcomer, who catches on to the group dynamics quickly. Jurgen Hooper is great as the guy who wants to add Trans Racially Adopted to the race drop down in the school’s admission form. Aurora Adachi-Winter is superb as the mother who has some surprises to reveal.

Cost of a ticket: $144 (Front Center Section) to $39 (Value Seats)

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Exceptional (Go with the Value Seats in this small theatre)

Rating Scale: Exceptional > Good Value > Discounted > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Get tickets now for Eureka Day through February 22nd! 

Quinn Delaney

Welcome to the World Famous Comedy Store on Sunset in Hollywood, CA! Tonight’s show is called Keys to the Store. It is hosted by Avery Pearson. It features him playing comedic songs on the keyboards (aka, keys) and key comedians from the LA scene.

Alex Edelman (Just for Us, The Paper)

His father is a cardiologist who creates artificial hearts and nearly won a Nobel Peace Prize. But if you talk to his mother, you’d think he’s an idiot!

Marc Maron (Stick, Maron)

After he and his cat take the same drug, the hope is that they will both not fear being killed by the youngest cat!

Iliza Shlesinger 

She tells a bunch of jokes about how she doesn’t think men should nap.  

Cost of a ticket: $46 plus two drink minimum

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Good Value – (This show was a bit shorter than usual at 90 minutes)

Rating Scale: Exceptional > Good Value > Discounted > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Get tickets now for Keys to the Store on February 20th!

Quinn Delaney

Kate is in southern Germany visiting her Opa, which is the informal German word for grandfather.  During her visit, she asks him a lot of questions about his time as half-Jewish man during World War Two. These scenes are intertwined with flashbacks to Opa as a man in his thirties with his wife and child avoiding the Nazis. 

Christopher Franciosa has written a very compelling and gripping play based loosely on his grandparents’ lives during the holocaust. It explores what someone would do to survive in very extreme circumstances. 

Meghan Lewis is solid as Kate who is determined to discover what her father did during the war. Allan Wasserman (Nobody Wants This) is excellent as Opa, who would much rather forget those times than talk about them. Jeremy Schaye is superb as the young Opa who is doing everything he can for his family. Lilli Passero is splendid as the wife navigating what life throws at her. Lastly, Victor Montez is great as the young SS soldier, whose intentions are well hidden. 

Cost of a ticket: $38.75

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Exceptional Value –

Rating Scale: Exceptional > Good Value > Discounted > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Get tickets now for What Opa Did!

Quinn Delaney

A police inspector comes to the mansion to interview the family about the suicide of a young woman. She first talks to the father and he confirms that the young woman used to work for him, but he fired her after she insisted on getting a raise. She goes on to interview everyone in the family revealing many long-held secrets as she tries to uncover the truth. 

J.B. Priestly has written a thrilling play that is full of twists and mystery. This play from 1946 has truly stood the test of time. 

David Hunt Stafford is superb as the father who is very concerned about his reputation. Katyana Rocker-Cook is excellent as the daughter, who is embarrassed by her actions. Isaac W Jay (Lessons in Chemistry) is fantastic as the daughter’s boyfriend, who does his best to keep secrets. Diana Angelina is great as the mother, who can’t believe the truth that is being revealed. Monty Renfrow is so emotional as the son, who reveals his secrets easily. Lastly, Mouchette van Helsdingen is outstanding as the inspector, who cleverly asks all the right questions at the right time. 

Cost of a ticket: $75

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Good Value

Rating Scale: Exceptional > Good Value > Discounted > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Get tickets now for An Inspector Calls!

Quinn Delaney

Bigg Vinny(Host until January 14)

The guest host is very funny and does a great job as the glue between the acts. 

Dancing

Just like at the Moulin Rouge and La Nouvelle Eve (See our review here), and there is a lot of great sexy topless dancing with an excellent soundtrack (AWOLNATION, Gnarls Barkley, etc.). The dancing by Isabella Guinevere is especially impressive. 

https://open.spotify.com/intl-es/track/6o1l9I0faXJN2iqulHrdCQ?si=8a0b6718727140ae

Andrii Kalashnyk and Bogdan Kalashnyk – Hand to Hand Acrobats

These two men perform some very impressive formations. It begins with one standing right behind the other. They man in front proceeds to lift the other directly above his head using only his hands. This is an amazing feat. Later on, one of the men places one hand on the other’s head and is lifted up. What an amazing display of strength and control! 

Richard Del Canto and Maryi Del Canto

On about a 4 foot wide circular platform, the performers spin up to 45 mph on roller skates. The man picks up the woman and spins her around just by her legs. Then, to increase the intensity, they use a figure 8 device that puts a loop over each of their heads. He then proceeds to spin her around without using his hand in a fantastic finale. The crowd gave them a standing ovation!

Get tickets now for Rouge at the Strat. 

Cost of a ticket: $120 (VIP)

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Good Value (Go with preferred tickets)

Rating Scale: Exceptional > Good Value > Discounted > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Quinn Delaney

Wally Eastwood – Juggler and Host

This man can juggle. I mean, really juggle. He juggles about 4 ping pong balls using his mouth to launch the balls up. It’s insane. Later in the show, he brings out a piano that plays a note whenever he drops a ball onto it. He very impressively plays “Fur Elise” by Beethoven using about 6 balls. It is truly incredible.

Iouri & Gabor – Ultimate Balancing Act

This impressive duo features a lot of incredible balancing positions. In one of them, the man on top uses just one hand on the other’s head to balance himself. The grandest one was when the man on the bottom held the other one upside down with their heads back-to-back, just using their shoulders. It was unbelievable!

Lioz – Comedy Magic Parody 

Lioz tells the audience that he is going to turn a latex glove that has been blown up into Pikachu. He concentrates on it very hard and then just squeezes it in a way that looks just like Pikachu. He then does the same to a turtle and a baby. It’s oh so funny. Later on, he has an audience member pick a gigantic card, then he puts it inside a normal sized card deck. After shuffling the deck, he removes the large card. He then confesses that he cheated, because the card is marked. The audience erupts in laughter as he is clearly making fun of magicians. His full show follows at 830.

Get tickets to see Lioz Master of Delusion now. 

Russ Merlin – Prop Comedian

Russ Merlin begins his show by trying to find four men that are the same height by looking at the seated audience. He successfully finds 3 and the 4th is 6’3”. Not too shabby. He then invites them all on stage. He goes on to put very funny masks on all them and teach them some basic actions to do when he taps them on the shoulder. In essence, he turns them into his puppets and it makes for a very funny show.

Cost of a ticket: $82 (VIP Middle)

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Good Value (Go with the side rear tickets for this small theatre)

Rating Scale: Exceptional > Good Value > Discounted > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Get tickets now for V – The Ultimate Variety Show!

Quinn Delaney

Most of the acts are burlesque dancing by characters from Star Wars such as Princess Lea and C3PO. They also include others on the side such as Jabba the Hut and R2D2. 

There are also hilarious performances such when The Emperor strips completely naked and then rides a Death Star wrecking ball as Miley Cyrus sings. 

Also, Chewbacca dancing to “Fuck Her Gently” with Hans Solo was incredibly funny. 

Get tickets now to The Empire Strips Back! 

Cost of a ticket: $89 (Premium)

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Good Value (Go with the standard tickets for this small theatre)

Rating Scale: Exceptional > Good Value > Discounted > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Quinn Delaney

Victor (Adan Ponce Palma)

Dressed in a big Italian fat man suit, Victor proceeds to spin plates on a table. He starts with just one, but then builds up to an amazing 10 all at once. It’s quite a sight to see! He also helps out with the crossbow performance by Sylvia Syliva. They have been married for over 50 years! 

Richard Del Canto, Maryi Del Canto, and Yocelynne Navas Stefano

This act features three performers. On about a 4-foot-wide circular platform, the performers spin up to 45 mph on roller skates. Then, the man picks up one of the women and spins her around just by her legs. Then, to increase the intensity, they use a figure 8 device that puts a loop over each of their heads. He then proceeds to spin her around without using his hands in a fantastic finale. The crowd gives them a standing ovation!

Get tickets now for WOW – The Vegas Spectacular!

Cost of a ticket: $60 (Back Section) to $136 (Table and Booth Seating)

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Good Value (The back section is recommended for this small theatre)

Rating Scale: Exceptional > Good Value > Discounted > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Quinn Delaney

Early in Mustard Plug’s set, they play “Vampire” from their 2023 album, Where Did All My Friends Go? It’s an extremely catching song that gets everyone dancing along. “You let a vampire into your house!” 

Later on, they play “Why Does It Have To Be So Hard?” This ska song captures a great question simply. “Why can’t things not be easy? / Why do they have to be so hard?”

Towards the end of the night, they play “Brain on Ska”, which was the first song they ever wrote in 1991. They have played it at every single show since then, making this number 2,077, according to the horn section. 

They follow this with “Mr. Smiley”, which results in the biggest circle pit of the night as everyone sings along to their most popular song on Spotify, which has over 14 million streams. 

To end the set, they play “Beer (Song)” from their 1997 album, Evildoers Beware! It features the fantastic sing-a-long: “Woah oh oh oh!”. It’s a great way to end this night of the Skalidays tour!

Cost of a ticket: $34

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Good Value

Rating Scale: Exceptional > Good Value > Discounted > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

See a similar setlist here. 

Quinn Delaney