Ed Hutchinson

A beautiful snapshot into the variety that ballet provides.

Raising the roof together in support of Taylor Mac: A 24-Decade History of Popular Music were actors Matt Bomer, Janie Bryant, Carrie Brownstein, and Andy Richter, with Ace Hotel Group Chief Brand Officer Kelly Sawdon and CAP UCLA Executive and Artistic Director Kristy Edmunds at The Theatre at Ace Hotel DTLA.

Meet Sam. He is an amazing 8th grader who has an inoperable brain tumor. Sam is making a difference in this world by raising money for Project Violet at Fred Hutchinson, a non-profit foundation that works to find cures for pediatric brain tumors.

Balanchine choreographed 425 works over the course of 60-plus years, and his works are considered masterpieces and performed by ballet companies all over the world. So you can image how thrilled I was to find out Los Angeles Ballet was going to present BALANCHINE: MASTER OF THE DANCE as their final selection of their 2016/2017 season. In it, three of his most outstanding ballet choreographies are presented: Divertimento No. 15 featuring music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Prodigal Son with music by Sergei Prokofiev; and Who Cares? with music by George Gershwin, adapted and orchestrated by Hershy Kay.

I first heard about Kurt Weill's final musical masterpiece, LOST IN THE STARS, when I was studying his body of work during my senior year at CSUN. It was at a time, such as now, when society was being torn apart by opposing political forces, protests filled the streets, and racial inequality was being challenged in the wake of Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination. And I have been waiting since then to see a production of the "musical tragedy" which opened on Broadway in 1949, just one year prior to Weill's death at age 50, at a time when segregation was still rampant in America. I am thrilled to report my wish came true last weekend at UCLA's Royce Hall when the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, in partnership with CAP UCLA, presented the first Los Angeles performance since the 1950s of LOST IN THE STARS.

LA Ballet returns the essential holiday tradition of THE NUTCRACKER ballet to hometown audiences during the month of December, including venues in Glendale, Hollywood, Westwood and Redondo Beach. This production is the perfect introduction to classic ballet for the whole family as there are many children of all ages in the cast, all students of Los Angeles Ballet School. And given the number of touring companies bringing productions to Los Angeles, it's nice to be able to support a hometown ballet company where many of the featured dancers were born in our area.

The 2015-16 Janet and Mark L. Goldenson Broadway Musical Concert Series at Rubicon Theatre Company concludes with a concert presentation of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG.

The 2015-16 Janet and Mark L. Goldenson Broadway Musical Concert Series at Rubicon Theatre Company concludes with a concert presentation of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG.

LA Ballet's upcoming 2016/2017 Season launches their second decade and embraces the full-length classical ballets, the Balanchine repertoire that so revolutionized the dance world, and the commitment to identify, nurture and present both emerging and world-renowned choreographers. Co-Artistic Directors Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary have announced the next season includes two full-length story ballets, the family-friendly comic ballet "Coppelia" and the holiday favorite "The Nutcracker" and two mixed bill programs, "Modernists /Directors' Choice" and "Balanchine/Master of the Dance." The upcoming season will also reintroduce pre-performance discussions, hosted by Christensen and Neary and their guests (at select performances).

Set to Tchaikovsky's sweeping score, the success of SWAN LAKE depends on its Odette/Odile, the sweetly vulnerable white swan/cunningly malevolent black swan. On the Los Angeles Ballet's 2014/2015 season opening night, the miraculous Allynne Noelle captivated with fragile, fluttering arms and superb footwork of the white swan to perfection. Ulrik Birkkjaer's Prince Siegfried lifts appeared so fluid, you would think Noelle was as light as a feather.

Seattle Chocolate Company, known for carefully-crafted chocolate, unveiled its Valentine's Day 2014 collection with both dark and milk chocolate offerings. With a rich assortment of gluten-free and kosher truffle boxes, gift baskets and bars, the new line is perfect for marking a blossoming romance, thanking that tried-and-true best friend and honoring everyone in between.

Local performer Jerick Hoffer, winner of the hit reality TV show 'RuPaul's Drag Race' as drag alter ego Jinkx Monsoon and co-star of the critically acclaimed off-Broadway sleeper hit The Vaudevillians, return to Seattle through December 22 for an encore performance of Hedwig and the Angry Inch at the historic Moore Theatre, a co-production of Balagan Theatre and Seattle Theatre Group. Following the December 18th performance, Hoffer partnered with Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to host an exclusive VIP after party, Cabaret for a Cause: A Jinkx Monsoon partnership with Fred Hutch to end HIV. All proceeds raised from this exclusive event benefit HIV/AIDS research at the Hutch. Check out a photo from the check presentation below!

Local performer Jerick Hoffer, winner of the hit reality TV show "RuPaul's Drag Race" as drag alter ego Jinkx Monsoon and co-star of the critically acclaimed off-Broadway sleeper hit The Vaudevillians, returns to Seattle December 17-22 for an encore performance ofHedwig and the Angry Inch at the historic Moore Theatre, a co-production of Balagan Theatre and Seattle Theatre Group. Tickets are on sale now at www.stgpresents.org or (877) 784-4849.

As demand continues to build for whole-ingredient premium chocolate, jcoco (pronounced "jay cocoa") is widening its distribution into the Rocky Mountain region. With exquisite mouthfeel, inspired flavor infusions and perfectly-portioned sizing, jcoco is a new, award-winning line of premium chocolate from Seattle Chocolate Company. The line, which includes a delicious array of seven milk, white and dark chocolate bars, can now be found in Whole Foods Markets throughout Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Kansas.

Continuing this year's growth momentum, Seattle Chocolate Company is expanding their signature chocolate truffle bar line and increasing retail availability for their specialty chocolates along the West Coast. Two new milk and dark chocolate flavors Total Toffee and Salted Almond have been added to the Seattle Chocolates truffle bar collection, and more than 40 Whole Foods Markets, Powell's Sweet Shoppes and Nugget Market locations throughout the Northern California region have been added to the popular line's growing retail footprint.

Dreaming in Color, a three-dimensional environmental installation by Leni Schwendinger Light Projects, Ltd. along Kreielsheimer Promenade adjacent to Marion Oliver McCaw Hall at Seattle Center, takes on a teal colored hue during September in recognition and celebration of National Ovarian Cancer Awareness month.

The Music Center will partner with Los Angeles Ballet to present that company's productions of Agon and Rubies this evening, July 6 at 7:30 pm, free to the public. Both have music by Igor Stravinsky and choreography by George Balanchine. This free event, under the stars in Grand Park and open to everyone, is part of the broad array of free public events The Music Center is presenting at Grand Park. The event is a one of a kind opportunity to spread a blanket, bring a picnic basket, and enjoy ballet in a whole new way.

South Puget Sound's Resident Professional Theatre, Centerstage is up to something big, really big, billions-and-billions-of-stars BIG. On September 25th Centerstage Theatre will present a world premiere musical, Carl Sagan's CONTACT.

South Puget Sound's Resident Professional Theatre, Centerstage is up to something big, really big, billions-and-billions-of-stars BIG. On September 25th Centerstage Theatre will present a world premiere musical, Carl Sagan's CONTACT.