Reviews

as Milt in Laughter on the 23rd Floor

"Louis Lotorto as Milt, a scene stealer if there ever was one, sets the tone for the craziness that follows, and his comedy timing is flawless."

"This superb cast of talented comedians and farceurs is filled with first rate actors – all at the top of their game – resulting in a brilliant ensemble effort."
- Lyons' Views, News and Reviews Read Full Review

"This is an all-star cast and these consummate comic pros bring enormous verve, humor and impeccable timing to the production."
- Pat Launer, www.jazz88.org Read Full Review

as Venticello #2 in Amadeus

". . .Christian Barillas and Louis Lotorto were most amusing as the Venticelli, without hamming it up."
- The Orange County Register Read Full Review

"The most challenging supporting roles-and perhaps the most thankless-are Salieri's 'venticelli,' the two 'little winds' (Christian Barillas and Louis Lotorto)….their proclamations, almost always adagios of alternating sentences or even single words in length, are always delivered with the perfect synchronization Shaffer requires.."
- Random Lengths News Read Full Review

as Ace Dolan/Charles Valliere in Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Great Nome Gold Rush

". . . There’s also a shifty gold-chaser named Ace Dolan on hand, and actor Louis Lotorto gets the show’s best laughs in that role with his lovably groan-worthy puns along the lines of “All roads lead to Nome.”. . . "

- The San Diego Union-Tribune Read Full Review

"A terrific Louis Lotorto performs double duty as Ace Dolan and as Charles Valliere the piano player."

-DesertLocalNews.com Read Full Review

as Alfie in One Man,Two Guvnors

"...and just about anything involving SoCal theater treasure Louis Lotorto as a pacemaker-dependent octogenarian waiter named Alfie deserves a standing ovation."

- stagescenela.com Read Full Review

". . . Deserving a special mention is Louis Lotorto as Alfie, an elderly waiter on rubbery legs who hasn’t found out yet that he might be eligible for a happy retirement. . . "
- CulturalWeekly.com Read Full Review

"The supporting cast is uniformly excellent, with special mention to .... and Louis Lotorto's Alfie, a pacemaker-wearing, deaf and addled servant who does his best Tim Conway as the butt of most of the pratfalls and door collisions."
- OCWeekly.com Read Full Review

"Even the smaller roles are comedic showcases – notably Louis Lotorto’s Alfie, a feeble, doddering, wheezing old waiter at a seaside hotel."
- OCRegister.com Read Full Review

"...and 87-year-old Alfie (scene-stealer Louis Lotorto), whose slow, shaky balance is furthered hindered by a rather temperamental pace-maker that threatens every subtle move he makes. Talk about comedy choreography!"

- broadwayworld.com Read Full Review

as Clown #1 in The 39 Steps

"The cast are all talented comedians, voice actors and quick-change artists with crackerjack timing and seemingly inexhaustible energy...

...As Man #1, Louis A. Lotorto is a master of accents and Charlie Chaplin-like movement as a Nazi spy, Scottish lady innkeeper and many more. This is his fifth production of “39 Steps” and his experience with the material shows."
-The San Diego Union-Tribune Read Full Review

as Leo in Chapter Two

". . . quartet of virtuoso actors. . . As Leo Schneider, Lotorto showed he was capable of pranks and pratfalls without being afraid to present the onlooker with an intimate inner view of his character's conflicts and insecurities, which are painfully reminiscent of an old Italian painting of a martyr whose intestines are being unwound on a reel. His depiction of Leo's failings and deficiencies was genuine and candid, always honest and always appealing." - broadwayworld.com Read Full Review

"Louis Lotorto, as George’s brother Leo, is a consummate actor who infuses the part with realistic gestures and East Coast energy that keeps his performance consistently exciting." ". . . Mhari Sandoval and Louis Lotorto give excellent support with their vivid comic portrayals."

- www.sandiegoreader.com Read Full Review

as Venticello #1 in Amadeus

" . . . and two wonderful performances by Justin Stark and Louis Lotorto as the Venticelli . . . "

- BroadwayWorld.com Read Full Review

as Clown #2 in The 39 Steps

". . . The production abounds with slapstick that borders on magic and humor that melds seamlessly into hilarity. . .Kenny Landmon and Louis Lotorto were staggering in their many, many characters. . ."

- www.huffingtonpost.com Read Full Review

". . . a cast of four who have dead-on comic timing."

- www.examiner.com Read Full Review

"The quartet of actors, though each possesses manifold and prestigious credits, works as a longtime team, evidencing either very long hours of rehearsal or very smart work by all."

- www.dailybreeze.com Read Full Review

"Louis Lotorto and Kenny Landmon play the two Clowns who portray everything from spies to Scottish Innkeepers to murky bogs. The two men have a remarkable ease of movement, allowing them to change characters onstage with the switch of a hat or a coat. At one point, there is a change from an investigator in his trench coat to the old lady Scottish Innkeeper with a split second change(Lotorto). And on the train, the two Clowns morph back and forth from passengers to the conductor and train station newspaper barker.
It's an amazing piece of theater, performed brilliantly by Lotorto and Landmon."
- broadwayworld.com Read Full Review

"Actors Louis Lotorto and Kenny Landmon play most of the other numerous characters in “The 39 Steps,” and they present another kind of mystery altogether: How do they pull it off?
Availing themselves of a smattering of accents, postures and costume changes, the actors portray not only people but also the weather, the sets, the sound effects, the scene-changers and the prop people.
The versatility, physicality and timing of all four actors are astonishing, given that some scenes require split-second transformations."
- www.palosverdesnews.com Read Full Review

as Robert in Don't Dress For Dinner

". . . Louis Lotorto is in top-notch form all play long. He proves with ease that he can be funny whether it’s a take, a line delivery, a look, a pause, an anything. His physical slapstick accompanied with strong timing for bits shines throughout the show. His act 2 monologue of explaining the entire debacle garners much deserved applause and respect that he could even deliver a mouthful with such clarity and hilarity.

- The Road to 1,000/Marc Gonzales Read Full Review

". . . Louis Lotorto gives a marvelous performance as Robert, the duplicitous friend. He must walk a fine line in his attempt to cover for Bernard while hiding his own treachery. He panics and sputters as he reacts to his impossible situation. At the end, when things must be sorted out, Lotorto’s character offers a pressured and inventive explanation that is a tour de force. . ."

- The Union Democrat Read Full Review

as Clown # 1 in The 39 Steps

"SoCal favorite Louis Lotorto and Scenie-winning character actor has vanished into roles as varied as The Glass Menagerie’s Tom Wingfield and Wait Until Dark’s Mike Talman. It should come as no surprise then that this acting chameleon proves the perfect choice to disappear inside character after character after character (in a number of instances making split-second back-and-forth transformations with nothing but a change of hat), and prove himself as masterful at comedy as he is at drama."

-StageSceneLA Read Full Review

as Felix in The Odd Couple

"In order for any interpretation of The Odd Couple to work, there needs to be strong chemistry between the two main leads. Fortunately, the stars of North Coast Repertory Theatre’s production of Neil Simon’s legendary comedy have that in spades.

. . .Lotorto arguably plays a much more difficult role as Felix. While he is the second main actor, Lotorto only appears for a few minutes in Act I, but quickly builds empathy with his hilariously sad sack interpretation. In Act II, his unbearably uncomfortable reactions to situations that are out of his control at times made my cheeks hurt from laughing so much. . .

. . .Thompson and Lotorto’s strong teamwork makes The Odd Couple a fun night of entertainment. I hope that this isn’t the last time that these wonderfully well-matched performers work together in San Diego."

- Sandiegostory.com Read Full Review

as Lloyd Dallas in Noises Off

". . . a wonderfully exasperated performance by Louis Lotorto . . ."

- The Daily Breeze Read Full Review

as Jim in Blame It On Beckett

"Lotorto is spot-on as Foley, at once irredeemably cantankerous and sweetly lovable. . . .Lotorto and Goss are particularly flawless in their scenes together, two veteran performers who possess a well-oiled comic timing that recalls such talents as Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd."
-backstage.com Read Full Review

"Lotorto is, not to say this lightly, a gift to the theater. Not for one second does he force the comedy. We laugh heartily for the truths in his character, not for any actorly antics. And because Lotorto has been so truthful onstage, we hurt for Jim’s hurt."
-ArtsInLA.com Read Full Review

"Louis Lotorto, the stand-out of the show"
-L.A. Times Read Full Review

"A special comment about the performance by Louis Lotorto: It was so real and satisfying that one could almost believe that he moonlights during the day as a real dramaturge. Do not miss this production."
-NohoArtsDistrict.org Read Full Review
"A Colony favorite, Blame It On Beckett makes it an even half-dozen Colony appearances for unofficial resident chameleon Lotorto, once again disappearing into a character. . . "
-StageSceneLA Read Full Review

as Clown #2 in The 39 Steps

"A great deal of the fun in this production can be put down to the antics of Christopher Shaw and Louis Lotorto, who run wild in their multiple roles as everything from Scottish innkeepers to German spies. One mad slapstick sequence spills pell-mell into another as these two wonderful clowns explore every nuance in a superbly fertile script."
- The Santa Barbara Independent Read Full Review

as Etienne in The Ladies Man

"In broadly comic style, Lotorto is at once lecherous and sarcastically officious."
- The Union Democrat Read Full Review

"You won’t recognize Louis Lotorto from his appearance as Starbuck in “The Rainmaker,” even if you saw that Sierra Rep winner earlier this year. As, I believe, a testament to an actor’s performance, barely a mannerism or affectation hints at that previous role, and as Etienne, Lotorto is a riot of bodily contortions and linguistic playfulness. His and Kelley’s scenes when the master and servant conspire are quick, witty and adorably punctuated."
- Sierra Lodestar Read Full Review

as Starbuck in The Rainmaker

". . .a first-rate production. . ."

". . .outstanding cast. . .superbly acted. . ."

"Louis Lotorto does an excellent job in the boisterous and larger than life role of Bill Starbuck. For a man who makes his living deceiving people, Starbuck proves to be surprisingly self-aware and sensitive to others. Lotorto ably captures these nuances."

- Union Democrat Read Full Review

as Dorian in OPUS

"Lotorto is excellent as the wayward Dorian."

- Ventura County Star Read Full Review

as Bradley in Buried Child

"Louis Lotorto is both chilling and amusing as Bradley."

- Ventura County Star Read Full Review

as Charlie in The Foreigner

"Louis Lotorto as Charlie is hilariously perfect with a myriad of facial and body movements to capture your heart."
- Kedar Adour Reviews   Read Full Review
". . .deftly played by Louis Lotorto. . . skillfully takes the character from timid to jovial to heroic."
     - Metroactive.com Read Full Review

". . .Lotorto bounces around the stage like a kitten with a ball of string. The rubber-limbed actor strikes just the right balance between sheepish and mischievous. . ." - San Jose Mercury News

multiple roles in Almost, Maine

"The ensemble: Caroline Kinsolving, Louis Lotorto, Donald Sage Mackay and Dee Ann Newkirk are sensational under director David Rose’s expertise."

-Grigwaretalkstheatre.com Read Full Review

as Ross in Bright Ideas

"Louis Lotorto(as Ross), an obnoxiously doting preschool Dad, is so sunny and shallow, you just may want to slap him."

   - The L.A. Times   Read Full Review

". . .the five-member cast performs magic."

". . .Lotorto is a kick in the pants."

". . .Corwin, Lotorto, and McConough play multiple parts. . . each of them is outstanding."

     - Long Beach Gazette Read Full Review

as Leslie in Taking Steps

"Lotorto is spot-on without ever overstepping."
- TheaterTimes.org Read Full Review

". . .and once again Lotorto disappears into a role and plays it to perfection."
- StageSceneLA Read Full Review

as Simon in I Have Here . .Young Lady From Rwanda

"Lotorto. . in a cerebral yet sympathetic portrayal that is effectively downplayed - the perfect counterpoint to the play's charged emotional content."

   - The L.A. Times   Read Full Review

"Louis Lotorto turns Simon into a sympathetic and richly nuanced character. (He) combines just the right elements of humor and compassion for us to feel completely in his corner."

   - CurtainUp.com Read Full Review

as Tom in The Glass Menagerie

"As Williams' surrogate Tom Wingfield, an inspired Louis Lotorto invests the present Tom's monologues and the past Tom's conflicts with great truthfulness and heartbreaking affect."

- The L.A.Times Read Full Review

as Dr. Watson in Sherlock's Last Case

". . .enabling second banana Watson (Louis Lotorto) to commit grand theatrical larceny and walk off with the show. . ."

"Lotorto, skillfully directed by David Rose, builds the episode beautifully, beginning with low-key menace and expressing increasing satisfaction while strapping Holmes to a La Frontenac chair and spelling out his grisly goal. When Watson says, "How you enjoy lording it over your bumbly, slow-witted, treacle-minded aide-de-camp ... your selfless, fawning, ever-faithful Boswell," the speech, and Lotorto's multidimensional delivery of it, constitute crackling theatre."
- Variety Read Full Review

as Oscar + others in Indoor/Outdoor

"Lotorto seems to have studied the art of quick changes from Siegfried and Roy."

- BackStage Read Full Review

as Camille in A Flea In Her Ear

". . .The production is particularly fortunate to be possessed of that sine qua non of successful farce, Louis Lotorto, aided in great measure by his mastery of physical comedy. . . "
- Backstage West (Critic's Pick) Read Full Review
". . .stellar production. . .near perfect. . ."
- L.A. Times (Critic's Choice) Read Full Review
"But for scene-stealing pleasure, look no further than Louis Lotorto's fall down funny, Camille, scripted as having a cleft palate."
- Burbank Leader Read Full Review
". . .It's far and away the best farce I've seen in a long time, and certainly the best ever at A Noise Within, with the much-noted Louis Lotorto giving his speech-impeded flunky more shades than would seem possible. . ."
- The Wicked Stage Blogspot Read Full Review

as Worms in The Ladies of the Camellias

"The gentlemen—Louis Lotorto as Gustave-Hippolite Worms, Marcelo Tubert as Flavio Andò—are a joy, each subsuming himself to his diva in his own madly entertaining way."
- BackStage.com Read Full Review

". . . Marcelo Tubert and Louis Lotorto render the most richly comical turns of the evening. . . "

- L.A. Times Read Full Review

as Vince in Buried Child

"The part of grandson Vince was beefed up in the 1995 rewrite, but Louis Lotorto's performance doesn't need the extra lines to make Vince compelling."

- The L.A.Times Read Full Review

"Louis Lotorto makes his presence known as a volatile, on-the-edge grandson Vince."

- BackStage Read Full Review