Album Review: ‘Sit Still, Look Pretty’

Daya is trying to be the new Lorde. The 17-year-old pop artist sounds just as dream-like as the “Royals” singer, and Daya’s debut studio album “Sit Still, Look Pretty” appeals to the same group of wannabe edgy mainstream listeners. Both her titular song and April 2015 hit “Hide Away” promise an album of original, ethereal […]

Two UCLA alumni headline as Kristoff in live production of ‘Frozen’

Nine UCLA alumni joined the cast of “Frozen – Live at the Hyperion,” performing as Elsa, Olaf, Hans, Kristoff or the ensemble. The live adaptation of the 2013 Disney animated film “Frozen” currently plays three times a day at Disney California Adventure after opening in May. Each week, the Daily Bruin will share alumni’s experiences working at the Happiest Place on Earth. […]

‘Barbecue’ sears off media misrepresentations of American families

“Barbecue” skewers racial stereotypes, addiction and typical representations of the American family and sears them to their very core. The delightfully crass comedy, showing at the Geffen Playhouse until Oct. 16, cleverly addresses false representations of the normal, politically correct American family portrayed in the media. The play oscillates between a black and a white […]

Alum couple weaves set for dance, puppet show ‘Strings Attached’

Set and prop designers Lisa Lechuga and Evan Bartoletti spent the past three years pulling strings to bring their latest piece to life. Alumni Lechuga and Bartoletti founded Lechetti Art & Design, a scenic design company that specializes in creating sets for theater and live events. The two share a 12-year professional partnership, combining their […]

Photo: The Lumineers perform at Hollywood Bowl

For its first time at the Hollywood Bowl, The Lumineers played its hit song “Ho Hey” and finished with “Stubborn Love.” The band consists of Wesley Schultz, Jeremiah Fraites and Neyla Pekarek. Schultz, lead vocalist and guitarist, wrote the hook for the band’s folk ballad “Ophelia.” Fraites, drummer and pianist, formed the group in 2002 with Schultz […]

Theater meets psychiatry in play about mental illness and ‘Friends’

Joseph Mango knows friends can be the best therapy – and Phoebe, Joey, Rachel, Ross, Chandler and Monica are the best therapists. Mango, a senior public administrative analyst for the UCLA Center for Health Services and Society, penned a play called “The One With Friends,” about a struggling Los Angeles actor who meets a writer […]

Alumna earns Emmy nomination for casting ‘Roots’

Forty-three UCLA staff members and alumni were involved in projects nominated for the 2016 Emmy awards in 16 different categories. Over the course of four weeks, the A&E staff will feature some of these UCLA-affiliated nominees and their projects. Victoria Thomas knew she wouldn’t find her show’s leading man in Los Angeles. Thomas didn’t want […]