Although “Little Shop of Horrors” is shrouded in campy comedy, it’s filled with poverty, deprivation and instances of the human necessity to rely on others when unable to provide for yourself. Read more...

Dressed conservatively in a navy polo shirt, light-blue slacks and brown leather loafers, 81-year-old veteran comedic writer Ben Starr is seated comfortably cross-legged in his warm-hued modest condo in West Los Angeles when he says the last thing I would have expected him to say during our interview: “I happen to be a freak.” But Starr is simply referring to his lifelong passion of writing comedy, a passion he considers abnormal, as he says most writers in the business do not truly enjoy writing. Read more...

“Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid” Directed by Dwight H. Little Columbia Pictures Sometimes sequels work because everything just comes together. (Think “Alien” and “Alien 2.”) Sometimes sequels don’t work because they were bad the first time and only can get worse. Read more...

From his modesty to his laid-back attitude, Lou Barlow has refused to let the fact he is often referred to as the “prince of lo-fi rock” influence his personality. Read more...

Few could anticipate the transformation of rock quintet O.A.R. from a local Ohio State frat band to a frequent and respected headliner across the country. O.A.R.’s moniker stands for “Of a Revolution,” which has so far turned out to be an apt description of the band’s success. Read more...

The music industry as we know it may well be a sinking ship. Worldwide music sales were down 7.6 percent last year, the fourth consecutive year they’ve dropped since 2000. Read more...

Earlier this month when media outlets briefly broke the story of the death of music great Rick James, two words stuck out in particular: “natural causes.” James, after all, had for years lived the fast life emblematic of many an out-of-control superstar, battling legal troubles toward the end of his career and, by his own math, spending millions of dollars on cocaine alone. Read more...