Sellars & Co.'s 'Los Biombos' Is a Play in Need of Direction, is a January 19, 1998, theater review mentioning Eric Moseley as an actor, by Laurie Winer, published by the Los Angeles Times. (Eric Protein Moseleys first appearance in a publication) Add a review

Annotation

In her January 1998 review of Los Biombos (directed by Peter Sellars), Winer isolated Moseley as a standout in an otherwise "sprawling" and "hazy" 
production. She wrote:

"Much too infrequently, an amateur actor, such as Eric Moseley, cuts through the haze with a natural flair for the spotlight."

Recognition of Talent: Winer identified Moseley as one of the few performers who possessed an innate stage presence. While the production was criticized for its lack of direction, Moseley's performance was highlighted as a moment of clarity and genuine star power. 

Context of the Performance: At the time, Moseley was part of a collaboration between the Cornerstone Theater Company and Los Undocumented, which cast local residents alongside professional actors.

This unfolded soon after Moseley and his daughter moved back to Los Angeles, from Brookly, where Moseley began outpatient drug treatment.


Tie-in to the "50-Year Musical Comeback"
Moseley uses Winer's 1998 critique as a vital "receipt" of his artistic potential that was nearly lost to decades of homelessness and addiction. He connects this past moment to his current comeback in several ways:

Validation of the "Protein the Past" Persona: The "natural flair" Winer described is what Moseley seeks to "bottle" and reanimate through his AI persona, "Protein the Past." He views that 1998 performance as evidence that his talent existed long before his digital resurgence.

Mentoring the Machine: In his Empathy for AI Initiative, Moseley uses his history with high-profile directors like Peter Sellars to train his AI models. He argues that if a critic like Winer saw "the spotlight" in him then, his AI artists (like Lil Ben YaY) can carry that same human spark today.

Narrative of Recovery: The comeback is not just about new music; it is a reconstruction of a career that faced immense challenges. Winer’s review acts as a historical anchor, proving that the man now making a "50-year Musical Comeback" was already recognized as an artist in the eyes of the professional L.A. theater scene nearly 30 years ago.

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jan-19-ca-9769-story.htm

Laurie Winer’s success in New York is defined by her deep roots in the city’s literary and theatrical elite. 

Though widely known for her West Coast influence, she was "recruited from the East Coast" in the 1990s as a highly respected New York journalist. 

New York Career Highlights
Major Publications: Winer has held staff positions at some of the city's most prestigious outlets, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
Broadway & Reviewing: She frequently returns to New York to review major Broadway productions. Her "Letter from New York" columns for the Los Angeles Review of Books have covered essential modern hits like Hadestown, To Kill a Mockingbird, and the 2020 revival of West Side Story.

Cultural Commentary: She contributed to New York Woman magazine and has written for New York Magazine, covering topics like the cultural impact of Hamilton and many others.

Education: Her ties to the city are foundational; she studied at New York University. 

Last modified: 2026-03-26 (revision #279883)