This past Saturday at Zen Sushi, the Los Angeles Guild of Puppetry presented “Puppet Slam 2004,” an off-the-wall show full of creativity, laughs and strings. Talented puppeteers in the show included Matt Brooks, Scott Land and nationally recognized Paul Zaloom, who has won numerous awards, including the prestigious Hand-in-a-Sock Award from Dummies International. Read more...

He’s funny, he’s wacky, and he’s got his hands on a coveted Tony. Fresh from the award-winning Broadway run of the hit musical “Urinetown,” UCLA alumnus and theater director extraordinaire John Rando recently directed Steve Martin’s “The Underpants” at the Geffen Theater, to rave reviews and an all-round rollickin’ good time. Read more...

Living in Los Angeles, UCLA students have come to accept certain stereotypes associated with the city: sun, gangs, traffic and Hollywood. The UCLA Film and Television Archive is trying to smash those stereotypes with their new film series “Los Angeles: Sight Unseen.” “Sight Unseen” is an attempt by the Archive to present films that appeal to L.A. Read more...

Spring, the unofficial season of culture nights, will add another event to its repertoire this weekend with A Night of Cultura production. “The Last American Bar” is the first-ever Chicano/Raza/Latino/Hispanic culture night and will take place at the Northwest Campus Auditorium this Friday and Saturday. Read more...

Despite getting horrible across-the-board reviews, “Van Helsing” is a success. Sure, only 24 percent of national critics gave it a favorable review, according to RottenTomatoes.com, but for most of the people who actually make the decisions in the film industry, the more important number is the $54 million it made at the box office. Read more...

The bright lights of Broadway are flashing. Consider them warning lights. UCLA graduate theater student Jodie Langel’s new tell-all book on the ins and outs of life on Broadway might ultimately celebrate that life ““ as do hundreds of other books already on the shelves. Read more...

Those who ordinarily could care less about Greek mythology may find themselves showing a bit of interest on Friday. Wolfgang Petersen’s much anticipated blockbuster, “Troy,” is based on Homer’s “Iliad,” the epic story of the Trojan War. Read more...