If you're struggling to let go of what's holding you back from fully expressing yourself, Improv is…read moreone of the most powerful solutions--and Improv LA is the place to be. The teaching approach is incredibly inspiring. You feel supported every step of the way, and all the teachers in the classes I attended were not only highly professional but also deeply encouraging. Even as a complete beginner, I never felt intimidated or out of place--you truly feel like you belong right away. I'm so grateful I found this school. After completing Level 1, I immediately enrolled in Level 2 and continued all the way through Level 4. I'm proud to say I completed the entire Improv program at Improv LA, and it has been such a transformative journey. I also took Comedy Sketch 101--it was a blast! I came in with no idea what to expect, and by the end, I created a sketch that made the whole class laugh out loud!

Went in hoping improv 101 would provide a unique and new perspective as well as challenge me to do…read moresomething outside of my comfort zone. The classes are excellent, the instructor is knowledgeable and supportive, and I really appreciated the "jerk free" environment that was enforced. So glad I pushed myself to do improv 101.

The Ford may be to The Bowl as a quickie in the elevator is to a rose-petal trail to a big…read morehoneymoon suite bed. The "Cinderella" of venues, it takes the grand, outdoor setting of the Bowl (concrete Jerusalem gates carved into the Hollywood hills) and the intimacy of a backyard party. With 1200 seats (opposed to 17500), you're always under 100 feet from the stage. The seats being steeply raked means you are closer to the stage than the Greek. (The Theater, I mean, not loud, hairy Niko guy next to you). And being tucked into a natural canyon makes the acoustics extra crispy, which made Erasure (10 years ago today) one of my favorite concerts. Side note: I found the 3 tickets on ebay for 99 cents, something that pissed off the guy next to me who paid $200. He Loved to Hate Me. He called me "Biggie Fries" all night, referencing Wendy's Value Meal. Built in 1920 by Christine Wetherill Stevenson, a wealthy heiress who wanted to build a space for her play about he life of Christ "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Calvary". No, it was "Pilgrimage Play" It burnt down in 1929 but rebuilt in 1931 to look like stone, making it feel like an ancient, rediscovered space. Anyway, it only hosted Christ plays (I would have called it "Nailed iT!") until the 1964 separation of church and state opened the venue to all arts. It was named after the county supervisor John Anson Ford, who was a champion of the arts. In the late 80's it was the "West Coast CBGB", hosting Ramones, Social D, X, Chili Peppers and Jane's Addiction. If you need more bands, just use your first three Wordle guesses: Tacos Marry Happy opened for Radio Caulk Barfy. It unveiled a $80 million renovation in 2017, so if it was gorgeous in 2006, I am sure it is Gorgeouser now. In 2019, the LA Phil took over, so now it is the little sister of the Bowl and Disney Concert Hall. In 2020, it had its centennial, marking 100 years since Stevenson first staged a Christ play in that canyon. To celebrate, the partygoers turned wine into pee.

Sometimes, I forget how much entertainment is available in LA, from theaters to museums to outdoor…read moreexcursions and more. I had previously seen advertisements for The Ford LA through various outlets, but I am frequently reminded of my introversion and often avoid driving through LA traffic. However, my wife wanted to check out the The Natural World of Studio Ghibli, and what a night it was! We have seen nearly all of Miyazaki's creations, but this was our first time watching "Howl's Moving Castle" in an outdoor theater. It was lovely! Fresh air, a few butterflies flying across the projector, stars in the night sky, and the iconic backdrop were some highlights to mention. The Ford is as fun as advertised, and I've already begun recommending it to my friends. This place has history, and you can feel it! Additionally, there isn't a bad seat in the house! We sat in Row P, and when I arrived, I took it all in. There's certainly a bit of magic here. The only negative is the parking. It's stacked parking, so you may end up waiting on other visitors to get to their cars before you can even think about moving. Otherwise, we already have plans to return to The Ford Theater!

Mount Analog is a gem of a record shop with a nice curation of records. This spot is located in the…read moreSilver Lake area where street parking will be your best bet. Inside, they have a smaller space but a good amount of products to dig through. Their records are neatly organized and are fairly priced. The staff here are very friendly and welcoming. For my music taste, some cool record finds I stumbled across were Don Toliver, Clara La San, FKA Twigs, Blood Orange, and Tame Impala. I will definitely be back next time I am in the area to browse for more!

This is probably my ideal record store. Some can be overwhelmingly large, others can be padded out…read morewith common releases in poor condition priced in ways that seem intended to take advantage of inexperienced music buyers, but this is a small yet well-stocked shop with incredible, inspiring levels of curation, fair prices, and an atmosphere that speaks to the dedication of the owner. Don't come here for what you'd expect to find everywhere else, come here to discover something you never knew you needed.

I just saw The Phantom of the Opera at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre, and wow--I was absolutely…read moreblown away. The entire production was stunning. From the gorgeous costumes to the seamless scene transitions, every detail was beautifully executed. The set design and overall production quality were truly spectacular, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment. The sound quality was excellent. I could clearly understand everything the actors were saying, even from my seat in the back of the Orchestra section. The live orchestra was phenomenal--the music was absolutely beautiful and added so much emotion and energy to the performance. The theater itself is gorgeous. During intermission, I walked upstairs to take in the entire space, and I was in awe of how beautiful and grand the venue is. It's worth taking a few minutes to explore and appreciate the architecture. I sat in the Orchestra section, Section ZZ, right by the aisle. While the seats were still enjoyable, my view was partially obstructed by the overhang from the upper level. There was also a scene involving the iconic chandelier where I wished I had been seated a bit closer so I could fully appreciate the effect and see more of the theater from that perspective. Intermission was about 20 minutes long, which gave everyone enough time to stretch, explore the theater, and grab refreshments. They offer a full bar, wine, snacks like candy and pretzels, and souvenirs are also available for purchase during intermission. One tip: as soon as intermission begins, head straight to the women's restroom. I was able to get there right away and was first in line. Within minutes, the line became incredibly long! The employees were also incredibly friendly and professional. They did a great job ensuring guests stayed off their phones so the bright screens wouldn't distract others during the performance. I also appreciated that once the show started, late seating was held for approximately the first 10 minutes to minimize disruptions. After that, guests were allowed to enter and exit as needed. Even with the partially obstructed view, the performance was so incredible that it didn't take away from the overall experience. If you're planning to attend, I would recommend sitting a little closer if your budget allows. Regardless, it's an unforgettable experience, and I can't wait to return to the Hollywood Pantages for another show.

I've been many many times, but have not been since before COVID…read more The dress code had def gone down hill. I saw a man with swim trunks, a beer shirt, and running's shoes and then a girl with a crop top and athletic leggings and crocs. Then the bathrooms. They're always a mess at inter Mission but they need all-gender bathrooms. Just a few for those who identity as the opposite sex. I'm all for you doing you, but I don't want to share a public bathroom with a male. Just as I don't want to share gender specific sports. This isn't a club or bar... this is an elegant setting. There's a big difference. Otherwise, the show was great!

Went here on a date night after watching Company Retreat and seeing that a handful of those actors…read morewere alumni from UCB! We go back every other week. All the shows are fantastic. Great crowds.

The people who lined us up and welcomed us into the theater were really nice. This theatre is very…read moresmall. They had to put chairs on the stage to accommodate all of the patrons. I went to a special Show on Juneteenth where all of the performers were Black, and it was hysterically funny. The seats in the theater were comfortable. I recommend seeing a show here.

Great theatre that puts on amazing shows. In the last year. I have seen 4 shows here ( Little Shop…read moreof Horrors, Madam Scrooge, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Full Monty) and they have all been excellent. This is a small, round, intimate theater. There isn't a bad seat in the house. Amazing staff. Everyone is not just friendly, but very outgoing. They offer parking validation at the garage 1 block down on Orange. With validation, parking is $1.

We saw "Soul of New Orleans" Just an amazing show, the…read moresingers out of this world, the singer narrator he was great, all of there story telling was on point! The band the band awesome......The whole show I wanted to get up and dance, I held myself back from doing the Second Line during the "Saints come marching in"(I was sitting in the front row) my wife and I enjoyed every minute of the show! Thank you KPA

I recently just watched a musical here at the Ahmanson Theatre here in Los Angeles…read more I've been here once before many years ago to watch Mary Poppins. I don't live too far away from here but it's always a trek coming down to downtown LA. And the tickets I received is said to park in the music center garage. Parking was $10 and really efficient. It took a while to get our bearings to find out where we could park and what was available. And at the very end, it was actually pretty efficient to get out of there as well. We're on level P6 and we were directed to go down towards the lower level and everything was very efficient to then come back up to the surface.. It's a beautiful venue. It's not huge, but they're able to make great use of the space. We sat in the balcony and got a great view and we were able to see everything fairly well. There are lots of concession stands throughout and you're even able to pre-order drinks and snacks and beverages for the intermission. Overall, it's a great venue, it's even closer to me than the Pantages, where they have a lot of other musicals as well. We caught a great show here too. This is definitely a hidden gem that I'll be excited to come back to again in the future when there are future events. Everything is so well organized and it was a great experience.

Been to Mama Mia with friends last week. Given that events like these easily add up to $200pP…read more(tickets, parking, a drink, no food) for mediocre seats, I was a bit put off by the poor sound. Venue, Ambiance and drink quality and service was as one would expect, but the sound was disappointing - we have seen better in this very venue.

Long overdue review: we have been enjoying Free Shakespeare at the Park for a few years now. It has…read morebecome a must for our family to come, support the arts, and see these stories on stage. Indy Shakes does an incredible job making the stories relatable, easy to follow, and enjoyable. Currently playing Love's Labour's Lost - which was absolutely comedic and so well done. The actors are incredible! The interactions off stage are also fun to watch. We are actually planning to see them in December as well at their theater. Please go see them! Support the arts and make donations!! Take cash, buy their merch, you can even use the QR code to donate. Free Shakespeare at the Park can only stay alive if we continue to support. And truly, they deserve all the donations, praise, and support because what they do is incredible, especially for those who have never been exposed to theater growing up.

I really appreciate Independent Shakespeare Co. for making Shakespeare accessible through free…read moreperformances in Griffith Park, and I admire the ambition of choosing Coriolanus, one of Shakespeare's more challenging plays. Unfortunately, this production didn't connect with me. The cast clearly had potential, but I never felt the actors were fully connected to the text or to one another. Many of the performances felt more like reciting the lines than living them. There was also a great deal of yelling throughout the production, with very little variation in pacing or emotional intensity. Because there were so few quiet moments or pauses, the dramatic scenes lost their impact. I found myself wishing for more restraint and nuance, allowing the language and relationships to carry the emotion. I've seen other outdoor Shakespeare productions, including Shakespeare by the Sea in Lake Tahoe, where the performances felt grounded, emotionally truthful, and deeply engaging. That experience showed me that Shakespeare doesn't need to be loud to be powerful. I hope Independent Shakespeare Co. continues taking on ambitious works like this, and I look forward to seeing future productions. I believe this cast had the talent to create something memorable with more nuanced direction.