RESUME & REVIEWS

"Richard Israel’s astoundingly staged production brings the kind of joy that is at once fun-filled and heartwarming … Israel proves once again just how meticulously ingenious a director he really is."

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VIOLET
"Among musical theatre circles, director Richard Israel has a well-deserved reputation for crafting memorable performances by bringing out the rich subtleties in a script and cultivating endless nuances of character. The result is an exquisite audience experience that satisfies on every level. VIOLET ... is his finest work to date."
BROADWAY WORLD HOT LIST

 

WEST SIDE STORY
"A definitive production of a landmark show.  Richard Israel's superlative staging fully realizes the tension and fascinatingly complex dynamic ... the tension is downright palpable."
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

 

AVENUE Q
"Director Richard Israel's charming local production of the Tony Award-winning musical proves that the show plays brilliantly on a small, intimate stage. A fast-paced staging that's rich with youthful energy."
L.A. WEEKLY


"Richard Israel’s staging is perfection!  Unity is at the art of Avenue Q, and this amazing ensemble work at lightning speed producing unbelievably gratifying results.  A great, great, completely lovable adult entertainment that will have you jumping for joy, Avenue Q is the place for you." 
BROADWAY WORLD 

FLOYD COLLINS
"I can’t stop thinking about La Mirada Theatre’s revival of “Floyd Collins" ...  This offbeat creation, with its horrifying subject matter and dissonant, soaring, bluegrass-inflected music, returns to affecting life in director Richard Israel’s irresistibly intimate staging."
LA TIMES CRITIC'S CHOICE


"A splendid, beautiful, always-smart staging of an often grim story … expertly translated here into an unforgettable theatrical experience."
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

 

110 IN THE SHADE
"Director Richard Israel brings it all into focus with simple elegance and an attention to detail that maximizes the strengths of his company … A charming production of this beautiful musical that will wrap you up in its magical spell as the final moments resolve."
BROADWAY WORLD

 

THE BAKER'S WIFE
"The production is a wonder of its own.  Impeccably cast and fluidly staged, it bears the unmistakable trademark touch of director Richard Israel, who has amply demonstrated how his instincts for the beloved genre spring from deep in his bones.  Israel understands how a show needs to move, visually and verbally, and despite the constrictions of space, applies all the polish needed to realize the best values within the material."  
L.A. WEEKLY

ANITA BRYANT DIED FOR YOUR SINS
"Wonderfully funny and deeply moving ... When this richly evocative material is matched with director Richard Israel’s crisp and flavorful staging, the result is scintillating entertainment."
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

 

RENT
"A slick staging that’s large in scale and scope yet which serves Larson’s intent of offering an intimate look at himself and his contemporaries. Director Richard Israel gleans polished, often exciting musical theater work from all eight principals and solid backing from the eight-person ensemble."
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

 

GYPSY
"GYPSY is directed by Richard Israel, and he has created a production that should not be missed ... this GYPSY will entertain you, move you and remind you why this is one of the great musicals of the 20th century."
L.A. EXAMINER

 

FALSETTOS
“FALSETTOS is pitch-perfect … a superbly staged revival … Director Israel and his precision ensemble hit all the right dramatic and musical beats … funny, sad and powerful.”
L.A. TIMES CRITIC'S CHOICE