The much-maligned Spider-man production has been chugging along to fairly well-packed houses at the Foxwoods Theatre on Broadway.  It will allegedly require a very long run for its investors to recoup their investment, but curiosity alone seems to be driving ongoing interest and ticket purchases.

We were in London in the summer of 2009 and the city was overtly curious if the forthcoming Michael Jackson near-residency at the O2 Arena would indeed be the King of Pop’s return to form after a 12 year hiatus. Health issues and stories of creative challenges in the rehearsals caused folks to gasp when the initial run was extended to 50 dates (and a three year world tour). No company would insure the tour past the first ten shows.

I am pleased to continue to honor of the best of the best in Los Angeles theatre over the past 12 months. Congratulations — and supreme thanks — to everyone who brought a much-needed infusion of art to our town this year despite all odds!

Des McAnuff has risen to the ranks of an esteemed genius in the theatre world.  His productions with the LaJolla Playhouse have led to a bevy of artistic and financial successes.  His latest effort is headed back to Broadway in the spring.

Joining the workforce fulltime last January as an instructor in the acting department of the New York Film Academy’s west coast campus on the backlot at Universal Studios has cost me dearly over the last 12 months as a theatre artist and as an incessant theatregoer.