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Alisa Hayashida
Alisa Hayashida is an arts and culture columnist and critic for South Pasadenan News, covering the greater Pasadena Metro area and Los Angeles Metro area. She is a valuable arts advocate in South Pasadena, with an extensive background in theatre arts. She has been a proud South Pasadenan for over 27 years.
Music Center Spotlight Winner, Holly Lacey of South Pasadena
Holly Lacey, a rising senior at South Pasadena High School, has won the prestigious Music Center Spotlight Competition in the classical instrumental category. “It was a dream come true,” Lacey tells us. “Especially for...
4th of July Pancake Breakfast South Pasadena | Fire Station Hosts the Kiwanis Club...
Hundreds of South Pasadenans came out bright and early for the much anticipated and beloved tradition of the Kiwanis Club Pancake Breakfast on 4th of July. Held at the iconic South Pasadena Firehouse, revelers...
H@ppy F@ggot | A Gen X Love Story
Scot Zeller recently found himself in a small theatre sitting next to a very young, out and proud person that he found fascinating. He introduced himself and his husband to which the young stranger...
“Tiny Father” Tackles Big Problems | Mike Lew’s new play at Geffen Playhouse
It’s 2am in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit when we meet Daniel, the new father of a very sick baby, born prematurely at 24 weeks, just as he meets Caroline, the no-nonsense nurse who...
SPHS Graduation 2024 | “Don’t Wave No Goodbye”
As the strains of pomp and circumstance rang out, played by the SPHS orchestra led for a final time by Howard Crawford, the South Pasadena High School Class of 2024 filed onto Roosevelt field...
HAY FEVER | A Wacky Weekend in the Country
A delightful afternoon tea of witty banter and British madcap shenanigans await you at the South Pasadena Theatre Workshop production of “Hay Fever”, Noel Coward’s 1925 play that he wrote in three days at...
Movies in the Park 2024 | Summer in South Pasadena
The South Pasadena Community Services Department will host three dates of Movies in the Park this summer. Admission is free and patrons are encouraged to bring their picnics, blankets, and lawn chairs with family...
JELLY’S LAST JAM Electrifies the Pasadena Playhouse
It’s 1941 and jazz pioneer Jelly Roll Morton has died and is lying on a gurney at the Los Angeles County Coroner. He wakes up and is greeted by the mysterious “Chimney Man” who...
A Subversive Delight Awaits You at A Noise Within’s MISALLIANCE
What I love about A Noise Within is that they consistently bring us lushly designed, beautifully produced classical works that, more often than not, are rarely mounted in the greater LA area. We are...
The Last Five Years deconstructs a Marriage | theatre review
A young woman is alone and bereft in her New York apartment, packing her things as she sings of the sad and bewildering end of her marriage. Meanwhile a young man is effusively singing...
Wine & Song | A Backyard Hootenanny
We are fortunate to have an amazing amount of talent right here in the Nine Ten Thirty zip code and this Wednesday our local Wine & Song becomes a backyard hootenanny Chez Colerick at...
Final Wine & Song at Lost Parrot Cafe | Wednesday May 22
This Wednesday, May 22, 2024 marks the final Wine & Song of its Lost Parrot Cafe residency. What a terrific run of incredible shows at a great, local venue! The following week will be...
The Wonder and Mystery of “The Body’s Midnight” at Boston Court
It’s the beginning of summer in California when we meet Anne as she contemplates a lime. She’s thinking of the tree in her backyard that it came from, unable to decipher exactly when it...
Wine & Song at Lost Parrot Cafe | Trailand Eltzroth, Jeff Berkley & Paula...
Let's keep the music rockin', post Eclectic Music Festival. Come on out to Wine & Song at Lost Parrot Cafe Wednesday evening at 7pm. The food is great, the wine is flowing, and the...
BRIGHT STAR has a Powerful Story to Tell
The ebullient, young cast of Bright Star, at South Pasadena High School, leaves it all on the stage and sings their earnest hearts out in this tender, Americana bluegrass tale of young love, unbearable...
SPARC 15th Year Celebration Inaugurates New Permanent Home
Members of the South Pasadena Arts Council, along with city officials and South Pasadenan arts advocates gathered at the site of SPARC’s new gallery and permanent home at the Fremont Centre Theatre building at...
Wine & Song at Lost Parrot Cafe | James Kirby, Aireene & Marty Wednesday...
Join Brad Colerick and the gang this Wednesday April 24 at 7pm for this week's Wine & Song featuring James Kirby, Aireene Espiritu and Marty Axelrod. Heading into Eclectic Music Festival, let's get the...
SPHS Drama Ready to bring an Uplifting BRIGHT STAR to South Pasadena
South Pasadena High School Drama Department has done quite a list of terrific, big and splashy musical theatre comedies for the spring show, usually in contrast to the more thought-provoking, smaller pieces they do...
Staggering Performances in King Hedley II at A Noise Within
It’s Reagan-era 1980’s in the working class Hill District of Pittsburgh when a young, African-American man, King, returns home after seven years in prison for murder. Home is the house he was raised in...
KAIROS Asks if We’d Like to Live Forever | East West Players
Gina and David are two young professionals in their early thirties who are having a meet-cute after they’ve had a fender bender. They start out upset with each other and the situation, but as...
FAT HAM Serves up a Ghost at the Cookout | Geffen Playhouse
UPDATE: Extended through May 11, 2024
James Ijames’ 2022 Pulitzer Prize winning and Tony nominated play, “Fat Ham”, is now playing at the Geffen Playhouse in an intoxicating and deliriously funny production helmed by director...
Funny Girl | Eileen T’Kaye is Mrs. Strakosh at the Ahmanson
After a prolific 45+ year acting and producing career, Eileen T’Kaye is on her first Broadway National Tour, as Mrs. Strakosh in Funny Girl, now playing in her hometown of Los Angeles at the...
Wine & Song at Lost Parrot Cafe | Teresa James, Clayton Chaney & Philip...
Join Brad Colerick at Lost Parrot Cafe on Wednesday April 3 at 7pm as he welcomes Teresa James and her band, The Rhythm Tramps, as well as Clayton Chaney and Philip Glenn.
Texas-bred keyboardist Teresa...
Fire Chief Paul Riddle Says Goodbye to South Pasadena After 32 Years
I’m sitting in the South Pasadena Firehouse living room with Fire Chief Paul Riddle. It’s a place he’s called home for almost 33 years. Riddle is the 17th Fire Chief in the 116 year...
Eclectic Preview Party Gets Things Ready to Rock
Did you catch that hailstorm on Sunday afternoon? It came in the middle of the Eclectic Preview Party that was held at The Daily in South Pasadena and threatened to upstage the speaker at...
We Meet The Parents in “One of The Good Ones” at Pasadena Playhouse
We meet Ilana Gomez when the doorbell rings at her impossibly chic and grand Pasadena home – it’s the flower delivery man bearing a very large bouquet that, Ilana awkwardly explains in painfully broken...
Eclectic Preview Party! Keep the Music Free!
The Eclectic Friends of the Arts and the South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce invites the community to shake it up at the highly anticipated Eclectic Preview Party. This is one of the biggest fundraisers...
Wine & Song at Lost Parrot Cafe | Wednesdays
"I had a big dose of FOMO from missing out on the magic last Wednesday at the Lost Parrot," said Wine & Song producer, Brad Colerick. "Thanks to David Plenn for guest hosting. I'll...
Free-For-All Museum Day is Coming to LA
Calling all art lovers! LA's Free-For-All Museum day is back! On Saturday, March 23, over 30 local museums across Southern California will offer FREE general admission as part of the "Museums Free-for-all."
"With museums from...
Lunar New Year Celebrated with South Pasadena Senior Community
The South Pasadena Chinese American Club once again provided the food and entertainment at the much loved Lunar New Year celebration for South Pasadena's senior citizens at the War Memorial Building, hosted by the...
