Truth, love, and the potent spirit of Syd Barrett triumph over lies, hatred, and the dull memory of Gustav Husak in Rock'N'Roll, Tom Stoppard's great play about the long era of totalitarian torpor in Czechoslovakia between the Soviet invasion in 1968 and the Velvet Revolution over two decades later. Since its premiere in London in 2006 and on Broadway the following year, Rock'N'Roll has been performed by major companies in cities around the U.S. and the world, but somehow L.A.'s own institutional mainstays neglected to grab this one. Fortunately, though, the always-admirable Open Fist Theatre Company has picked up the slack, and Rock'N'Roll is now playing in L.A. for the first time. more ›

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Here are LAist's theater picks for this weekend: Angel Feathers How’s this for a few laughs: Imagine a play where all the characters, except a daughter visiting from New York City, have cancer. That’s the premise behind writer Greg Suddeth’s new two-act dark comedy premiering this weekend. The Lost Studio. 130 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles. 323.651.5632. Tickets are $20. Opens Friday at 8 pm. Runs Friday and Saturday at 8 and Sundays... more ›

The Sun: I am The Sun. I am always shining. Shine: I'm called Shine, as was my father before me. Sometimes I shine. Sometimes I dont shine. The Sun: I am The Sun. See me shine. Shine: I am a son, called Shine. Can we swear for a second? Okay, here goes... Fucking amazing. Just fucking amazing. Last night's presentation of week 2 in the yearlong 365 Days/365 Plays festival was just that. The... more ›

In our continuing yearlong coverage of 365 Days/365 Plays, we present you with weeks two through four: Week 2: The Open Fist Theatre Company Tuesday, November 21 at 7:45 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. Friday, November 24 at 10:45 p.m. Saturday, November 25 at 6:45 p.m. Week 3: Playwrights’ Arena Wednesday, November 29, 2006, 8 p.m. Lutheran Church of the Master, 10931 Santa Monica, Los Angeles Week 4: The Elephant Asylum Theatre December 5 -... more ›

The nominees for the 2004-2005 Ovation Awards have been announced. You can read the full list here. The Ovations are an annual peer-judged awards ceremony for Los Angeles theatre, and are voted on by represesntatives from the member theatre companies of LA Stage Alliance. more ›

The resilient and acclaimed Open Fist Theatre Company, recently thrust from their home of 15 years in Hollywood, has gallantly taken up residence in a new home at the Powerhouse Theatre in Santa Monica. , by Andrew Bovell, is the last show of their 05-06 season. It is a perfect collaboration, not only between two theatre companies, one with a play and no stage, and another with a space and an empty slot in their season, but also between first-time director Stephen Spinella and his agile, miraculous cast. LAIST saw it last Sunday and enjoyed ourselves immensely. more ›

We feel like we don't see enough local theatre. In particular, local theatre by stage actors instead of the Hollywood plays that are often a showcase for actors hoping to get a TV or a film role. Tomorrow night is an opportunity to get a look at some true stage acting...we think. more ›