Mia Bonadonna

Lauren Smerkanich's masterfully crafted, thoroughly enjoyable drama, Amongst the Trees, is making rounds throughout the city as part of cARTel's Living Room Tour. The produciton features exceptional writing, direction, and performance in a unique, unpretentious, and welcoming atmosphere.

Retro family drama Hope, Part II of a Mexican Trilogy, is playing at Los Angeles Theatre Center. Falling somewhere between Hairspray, West Side Story, and The Wonder Years,, Hope depicts the interpersonal relationships of the Garcia family as they are impacted by the major political events of 1962.

Geoffrey Nauffts' dramatic tear-jerker, Next Fall brings the emotional crux of the Gay Rights Movement to the Geffen Playhouse. Presenting homophobic family dynamics, tragic endings, and a realistic religious debate that tackles the incongruities and salves of faith, the play features charged performances, careful direction, and a bold script.

Roger Guenveur Smith's energetic one-man biopic, Juan and John, is at Los Angeles Theatre Center. The show transverses the Civil Rights Movement, local Los Angeles history, and the relationship between baseball legends John Roseboro and Juan Marichal following their on-field fight in 1965.

Ted Ryan's urban-cowboy drama, Pulling Leather, is currently playing at Actors Forum Theatre in North Hollywood. The plot follows a good-natured competitive rodeo rider through a low point in his career as he uncovers a dark family secret and falls in love.

RJ Colleary's underdog drama, Addition by Subtraction, is currently playing at El Centro Theatre. The plot follows a misunderstood and unlikely avenger as he attempts deliverance through vigilante tactics. Addition by Subtraction lacks originality but does feature capable performers, emotionally charged monologues, and a thoughtful set.

Jamie Morris and Brooks Braselman in 'Mommie Queerest' (photo by Mitch Soileau). Jamie Morris' hilarious drag homage to Joan Crawford, Mommie Queerest, is back in Los Angeles once last time to round out a nationwide tour of the show. This reviewer has had the guilty pleasure of seeing this stage adaptation of Mommie Dearest twice before — and just like the film, this play gets better with every viewing. The production is a well-balanced...

Based on the true stories of Downtown residents, the slightly seedy and deeply hilarious gentrification fable "The Vault: (Unlocked)" is currently playing at Los Angeles Theatre Center (LATC). Vault Ensemble pokes fun at the hipster colonization of Downtown Los Angeles, bundling social commentary on redevelopment and loss of urban culture into an edgy farce with musical influences.

A stunning rendition of the ancient anti-war classic, Trojan Women (After Euripides), is playing at Getty Villa. The 2,426 year-old play depicts the brutal aftermath of the mythological Trojan War through dishonor, rape, infanticide, mass murder, enslavement, urban decimation, and despair.

Under the direction of Ronnie Clark, Ghost Road Company's experimental play Stranger Things brings a purgatorial graphic novel to life through a stark pencil-sketch landscape, multimedia effects, and strong performances. Impressionist music, steely drawings, and austere characters transform grim abstractions into a conceptual drama where the art itself slowly siphons off individuals members of a creepy family.

Falling somewhere between the low humor of Fast Times at Ridgemont High and the high morality of Charles Dickens, Frank Basloe's Guided Consideration of a Lamentable Deed follows an otherworldly guide through an ethical and redemptive journey on the eve of a college graduation.

July is National Parks & Recreation Month, and all month long LAist will be featuring a hand-selected park a day to showcase just a few of the wonderful recreation spaces--big or small--in the Los Angeles area.