I should mention that the L.A. Times Hairspray review carries the byline: By James C. Taylor , Special to The Times. That's a name I only see intermittently in the pages of the Times and a proviso that usually leads me to take a grain of salt with whatever appears below it.
It is a pity that the Times has not appointed a rock solid anchor theate critic to its ranks. It's quite a good paper in general, and in other arts areas, its coverage is excellent. There's a team of five film reviewers who cover every film that opens in town, including the tiniest indies that open on one screen and disappear after a week. All five write well and I generally respect the opinions of four of them. (Sorry, Mr. Thomas.) We have in the Times excellent coverage of classical music and pop music, dance and architecture. Though I don't pay close attention to it, its coverage of television fills ample space regularly.
When it comes to theatre, however, it's hit and miss as to what gets reviewed, when, and by whom. Given how much theatre is produced in the L.A. region, it really is a shame.
End of rant.
