latest reviews/news/photos

review - Art

2012-01-28T23:34:00.000-08:00

CRITIC'S PICK
Art
by Yasmina Reza
directed by David Lee
@ Pasadena Playhouse
through February 19

As I watched Yasmina Reza's fine play Art for the fourth time, now in an excellent production at the Pasadena Playhouse directed by David Lee, I realized that seeds for her God of Carnage were firmly planted in Art. The male friends mention the term deconstruction several times, referring to the changes in modern art, but what we witness is a deconstruction of their friendship to the very core, as they leash out at each other in a primal beastly nature as do the two couples in the later Carnage. Reza was definitely thinking with more civility when she wrote Art, nevertheless, as the trio of friends make a supreme effort to forgive and get back to the comaraderie they once experienced. Forgiveness/togetherness in Art; savage isolation in Carnage. At present, relationships, depending on their urgency, still very much count in our daily lives, so we strive to keep them alive; others we dismiss for lack of importance or maybe because we simply do not like to be in the company of these other people, but, in spite of polite gestures, it cannot be denied that society, sadly, is little by little most assuredly approaching the state of negativity/nihilism expressed in Carnage. Reza's brilliant observations keep coming full speed as the prolific playwright shows every sign of accumulating a body of work that delves right into the depths of the human condition.

David Lee and a terrific cast bring out the human and inhuman touches to perfection in this newest rendition of Art. And Tom Buderwitz's tremendous museum-like set design of a multitude of modernistic empty canvases does much to emphasize Reza's themes. The overpowering set with the three actors in the center foreground shows how this is but one example of the effects of dehumanization within the giant macrocosm. In Carnage the vast set was red, like blood, for carnage; here it is a shade of grey, more neutral, less severe, more pacifistic but just as powerful. Streaks of grey are also sprinkled on the white canvas purchased by Serge, lending it, at least through his eyes, a sense of color. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and dermatologist Serge (Michael O'Keefe) has the right to his opinion, to respect the art for what it means to him. Engineer Mark (Bradley Whitford) is his arrogant friend who hates what he sees, insists on imposing his pessimism on Serge and thus begins the debate about what constitutes good art. Serge has paid a whopping $200,000 for a practically blank canvas, and Mark is quick to point out what he calls Serge's lack of taste. Ivan (Roger Bart), who works in a more menial capacity in stationery, likes the art piece, but according to Mark, Ivan is a spineless, neurotic suck-up with no sense of intelligence. This is the crux of the argument between the three friends that ends up almost destroying their bonds.

All three actors play their divergent sides to the letter. Whitford's Mark is obnoxious and unbearable at every turn as Bart portrays Ivan as a sensitive, whimpering mess who cannot take criticism very well, but neither can Mark for that matter. Referee O'Keefe brings out the intelligence in Serge, who believes in weighing things honestly and accepting every human being for who he truly is. But he is not without his faults either, and is not afraid to criticize Ivan's tardiness and Mark's wife Paula's incessantly bad habits, to make his points. Bart is, as ever, very, very funny, and only he could get away with trying to unravel a scarf which has gotten caught in the crevices of his jacket, practically upstaging the other two as they passionately argue a point. Whether it's director Lee's or actor Bart's idea, it's a screamingly funny moment and works to show in part just how insignificant and silly all this useless fighting actually is.

This is a wonderfully intelligent and charming evening of theatre that one can see again and again, mainly due to Reza's ingenious playfulness with words. But each time the different actors bring new meaning, new nuances to the work, and this cast could not be finer, as they work their art on Art.

5 out of 5 stars

review - El Nogalar

2012-01-28T23:28:00.000-08:00

CRITIC'S PICK
El Nogalar
by Tanya Saracho
directed by Laurie Woolery
Fountain Theatre
through March 11

Tanya Saracho's El Nogalar means The Pecan Orchard in English, so its similarity to Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard rings a bell even before one sees the play. There are differences between the two, of course. Saracho has taken out most of Chekhov's male characters and leaves but one: Lopez (Justin Huen) - Lopakhin in Cherry Orchard - the grandson of servants who has risen to sudden power and wealth through Mexico's drug cartel. It's not the Russian aristocratic middle class who have lost out to the rising lower class as in Chekhov, where the bank forecloses on the Ranevsky estate, but the Mexican drug dynasty that has contaminated all Mexican citizens, allowing the poor to usurp control and money - Saracho calls it new money, Facebook money. Now in a splendidly directed and acted production at the Fountain Theatre, this West Coast premiere sizzles with earthy passion and sensuality.

It is amazing that Saracho felt the Latin connection as she studied Chekhov's plays. She saw in his female characters the whining, complaining nature of Latin women and felt it would translate perfectly to an adaptation taking place in Modern day Mexico. One thinks of Chekhov's Three Sisters or Federico Garcia Lorca's Casa de Bernarda Alba as Dunia (Sabina Zuniga Varela), Valeria (Isabelle Ortega), Anita (Diana Romo) and Maite (Yetta Gottesman) complain about their losses, long for a better life, or a return to the former one, and seeth with passion, three of them attracted to the same man, Memo or Guillermo Lopez (Huen). As in Chekhov, Maite and her daughters lose Hacienda Los Nogales amd are left in despair, both penniless and homeless. The servants Lopez and Dunia triumph, also as in Chekhov, but in this play in an openly sensual, much anticipated intertwining. The sexual tension in El Nogalar is so akin to Garcia Lorca and is most definitely Spanish, and beautifully, poetically expressed by Saracho's fine writing, which provides more layers than just the obvious restructuring of the class system.

Under Woolery's detailed direction, the ensemble pull out full fledged passionate work. Maite, though the mother, is still beautiful, as described by Lopez, and Gottesman is perfectly cast. She brings a true sense of Latin pride and vengefulness to the character. Ortega is a standout as Valeria. She makes us witness her deep-seated pain, sexual repression and longing from the very beginning. Valera as Dunia is also a standout. Hers is a tricky character to play, as she feigns loyalty with a burgeoning sense of new-found freedom beneath. We sense her possible come-uppence as she strives to speak better English and to utilize the Internet. Valera makes her a sensually smart cookie. Huen is appropriately confused as Lopez, remembering past simplicity and unsure of his new command, and Romo as Anita exudes to the letter the spoiled whining little rich girl, who was forced to ride in 'economy class'. Frederica Nascimento's remarkable set design is a starkly decorated and sparsely lit former Spanish mans - with the stage floor opening to a pit beneath used in one scene for barbecuing a goat, made vivid with great lighting effects by Lonnie Rafael Alcaraz - and Garry Lennon's costumes suit each character, as in the plain look for Valeria, but the vibrant red party dress for Maite.

This wonderful Nogalar, with Spanish and Spanglish phrases sprinkled throughout - that definitely do not impede listeners' comprehension - has a rich poetic hue, as with, to quote but one of many metaphors, 'the locusts raping the trees' of the orchard to describe the cartel taking control. It is beautifully written and executed by an outstanding director and cast. A truly great evening of theatre!

5 out of 5 stars

review- Judy Garland in Concert in the All New Peter Mac Showroom in WeHo

2012-01-27T23:32:00.000-08:00

Some great things are already happening at the very beginning of 2012. Peter Mac now has his very own showroom inside the French Market Place on Santa Monica Boulevard in the heart of WeHo called the French Quarter Restaurant Showroom. The room seats 65 and has the warm atmosphere of a small Vegas-like show palace but with a definitely distinctive Hollywood air, as portraits of the greatest Hollywood stars surround you. Opening night was Friday, January 27; the show was simply amazing, and the room was SRO. It was very exciting with Mac in top form, giving it his all, as the crowd hung on every word/note. I am so pleased that this terrific tribute artist is finally starting to get the attention he so richly deserves. Winning two Eddon Awards for Best Cabaret Artist-Male and Star Making Performer, Mac should be ranked among the best in his field, which includes the likes of Charles Pierce, Jim Bailey, Jimmy James and Steven Brinberg. He has a great singing instrument, is very funny and charismatic - and what amazing acting chops! Just when your sides are splitting as Judy Garland tells a riproaringly riotous anecdote about Noel Coward, you suddenly find yourself moved to tears, when Garland talks about the price a celebrity pays, her insecurities, but always triumphing over them and coming back a winner. This a great opening show with the promise of a sensational year ahead for Mac and his new venue.

Highlights of the evening include all the Garland favorites: "When You're Smiling", "Zing Went the Strings", "The Man That Got Away", "You Made Me Love You", "For Me and My Gal", "The Trolley Song", "Swanee" and of course "Over the Rainbow" and "I Will Come Back". Atypical Garland include: Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" and from Dreamgirls "I Am Changing"...and from Ballroom "50% of Him", a song that Garland should have sung, but one unfortunately that got away due to her much too early demise. In fact, next month Songs That Got Away will be on tap as Mac's monthly featured show. The incomparable Bryan Miller serves as musical director at the piano and as occasional narrator.

Plays Fridays and Saturdays weekly, and every 3-4 weeks there'll be a brand new show.
Remember:
the French Quarter Restaurant Showroom inside the French Market Place @ 7985 Santa Monica Boulevard. Make reservations early, as most shows are selling out fast. Great show and have dinner first! The French Quarter is known for their truly superb cuisine.
visit:
www.FriendofJudy.com

Peter Mac Knocks 'Em Dead at the French Quarter

2012-01-27T23:18:00.000-08:00

peter's new showroom inside the french quarter

judy with author james spada

review above!

peter's award from me proudly displayed

review - Clybourne Park

2012-01-26T08:56:00.001-08:00

CRITIC'S PICK
Clybourne Park
by Bruce Norris
directed by Pam MacKinnon
Mark Taper Forum
through February 26

Bruce Norris deservedly won the 2011 Pulitzer for his brilliant study of human nature Clybourne Park, which picks up where Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun leaves off. Now at the Mark Taper Forum, Park's director Pam MacKinnon holds tight reins over an outstanding ensemble, all of whom play two roles as the play shifts in two acts from 1959 to 2009, Chicago.

The bridge between the two plays A Raisin in the Sun (now playing at the Kirk Douglas Theatre) and Clybourne Park is the character Karl Lindner (Jeremy Shamos here), a Rotarian and supposed pillar of the community. In Raisin Karl tries to convince the Younger family, who are black, not to move to Clybourne Park, an all-white residential community. In Park he attempts to dissuade the Stoller family (Frank Wood and Christina Kirk) from selling their house to the Youngers. He offers the Youngers money to stay put. It's a selfish reason on the part of the whole community. In 1959 if blacks moved into a white residential area, the property value would quickly depreciate, causing the majority of the other whites to move out, pure and simple. Neither family listens. The Stollers move on as do the Youngers. The waters are tested on Clybourne Street, and the Youngers face an historically long struggle for survival and recognition.

Norris portrays 1959 to the letter, showing how neighbors trusted one another, but keeping their true feelings about race under wraps. The Stollers, who are in the process of leaving Clybourne Park permanently, have their own personal tragedy to deal with. Their son after returning from the Korean War committed suicide and father Russ (Wood) has not adequately dealt with the loss. Strong Bev (Kirk) does her ingratiating best to cope and make everyone around her happy, including maid Francine (Crystal A. Dickinson), who in 1959 within her station as a black woman would never dare publicly speak her mind about her bosses' attitudes or actions. When Karl enters and puts a damper on the Stollers' move out of Clybourne Street, by explaining his reasons, all hell breaks loose, tempers rage and Russ comes out of his stuper to defend his family against the prevailing racial injustice. Act One could be classified a drama with comedic undertones, but Act Two, fifty years later, is definitely more of a comedy, as the changing mores have allowed much more freedom of speech, especially for the black couple (Dickinson and Damon Gupton) who try to defend their ancestors' struggle to get and maintain a sense of power and prestige in the changing neighborhood. They are no longer afraid to speak their minds, so when white couple Steve and Lindsey (Shamos and Annie Parisse), who are about to move into Clybourne Park, informally bring up their casual friendly associations with blacks and Steve starts telling racial jokes, he has no idea what a spark he has lit. His behavior strikes a nerve with Lena, the young black woman played by Dickinson, and the air is filled once more with an uncomfortable barrage of tense racial accusations. So, as Norris points out in the play, yes, indeed from 1959 to 2009, there have been some positive changes but human nature, unfortunately, remains unchanged.

I particularly like the ending where we see Dan (Wood) discovering Russ' son's letter in a trunk that had been buried out under the myrtle tree in the backyard in 1959. We see Bev (Kirk) and the son Kenneth (Brendan Griffin) in the shadows behind as he writes the letter the very night he would take his own life. Kenneth was so willing to die for the racial atrocities he unwillingly committed as a soldier, so with Norris passing the letter from one generation to the next, we ask "Will this really affect changes in the way people think about others?" Maybe not enough, but it certainly cannot hurt. It's a good gesture and another poignant reminder of past actions influencing the present.

Director MacKinnon ingeniously guides 7 actors, who essay all the roles in both time periods. The entire ensemble is wonderfully sharp and on target including Dickinson, Shamos, Kirk, Wood, Parisse, Gupton and special praise to Brendan Griffin who also plays a quiet minister in Act One and an equally reserved gay man, with a terrific comedic retort in Act Two, as well as son Ken at play's end. Daniel Ostling has designed a great set - that during intermission receives just the right touches of change from the passage of time, and Ilona Somogyi, appropriate costumes to show changing trends from the 50s to present day.

Bruce Norris' thought provoking Clybourne Park is Broadway bound and should continue to shake up audiences from coast to coast with its hard-hitting comments and witticisms as it realistically depicts the ugly, undying racism that continues to plague our country's existence.

5 out of 5 stars

review - Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson Immortal World Tour

2012-01-24T14:26:00.000-08:00

RECOMMENDED
Michael Jackson The Immortal
World Tour
@ Staples Center
Friday, Saturday, Sunday January 27, 28, 29/ August 14, 15

The King of Pop is getting a dazzling tribute in one of the most atypical Cirque du Soleil shows. Atypical, because there's less aerials and acrobatics and a lot more dancing, which makes sense if you're going to do right by Michael Jackson. With multi- rear projection screens, a live band and backup singers to enhance Jackson's own prerecorded sounds, and pyrotechnics galore, Michael Jackson The Immortal, especially for Jackson fans, comes ecstatically alive.

Jackson's life is seen through big screen images of him as the cute little boy with the Jackson Five onward through "Thriller", "Beat It", "Man In the Mirror" and other classic hits, returning in the end once again to the little Michael singing "I'll Be There". After all, Jackson never stopped being a child, as, according to his credo, he continually Believed, Dreamed and flashed a never-ending sense of Hope. And it was the child in him that never stopped...stops performing. At one point, it is eerie when the lights come down and there is a long silence. One almost senses his presence, and for an instant, I expected him to pop up out of nowhere ... the crowd was pushed to the brink with some shouting "We love you Michael". As performers walk through the audience holding red glowing hearts, nothing could symbolize his spirit better, a spirit that is indeed eternal.

Highlights of the evening in song, dance and Cirque feats include: in the opening a spectacular Mime who becomes infused with Jackson's spirit, a wonderful look at Never Land and "Childhood" (photo above), "Dancing Machine" with welders flying and swinging on motorized cables, a lovely quiet "Ben" showing Michael's love of the animal kingdom, "Dangerous" with a sexy female acrobat performing an exotic pole dance, an exciting Act I finale with "Thriller" executed in a cemetery, "Human Nature" with aerialists wearing some of the most beautiful multi-colored lit costumes imaginable representing the various constellations, a lovely straps duo on "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", a terrific "Beat It" with life-sized glove and loafers so associated with Michael's attire, and a spectacular fusion of music, dance and acrobatics in a mega mix of "Can You Feel It", "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough", "Billie Jean" and "Black or White".

I prefer a typical Cirque show like Iris or Ovo, but cannot deny the excitement generated by Michael Jackson The Immortal, which I'm told is similar to Cirque's now famous tribute to Elvis. Great show which brought the entire house to its feet to sing and sway to the sounds of one of the greatest musical superstars of all time - Michael Jackson, who, indeed, will live forever! Don't miss Michael Jackson The Immortal at the Staples Center this Friday, Saturday, Sunday January 27-29 only!

4 out of 5 stars

http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/michael-jackson-tour/tickets.aspx

review - Hunger: In Bed with Roy Cohn

2012-01-20T11:56:00.000-08:00

RECOMMENDED (with reservations)
Hunger: In Bed with Roy Cohn
by Joan Beber
directed by Jules Aaron
Odyssey Theatre
through March 11

Playwright Joan Beber's concept of Roy Cohn in her intriguingly nightmarish Hunger: In Bed with Roy Cohn, now onstage at the Odyssey Theatre, comes off a self-indulgent, spoiled, gluttonous, untrusting child monster, which certainly does not add up to a positive view of his humanity. In Angels in America, as I was too young to know the real Cohn in the McCarthy era, I saw Al Pacino's hard-edged, evil-to-the-core interpretation of the man. Barry Pearl's in Hunger, yes is more childlike, whimpering, whining, but if Beber truly wants us to witness a good side to bad, she has not succeeded. I despise the lying, bigoted, hateful man just as much as I did before, reality or fantasy. On the positive side, director Jules Aaron has ingeniously staged the over-the-top entertainment with a marvelous cast. Hunger will run through March 11.

Pearl, always a dandy actor, carries of the crazed, confused man/child to perfection. Interestingly enough, this is a play, but with music, and he and the others dance and sing to Kay Cole's snappy choreography. The numbers do not further the plot, as in a musical, but rather are incorporated to add comments or character traits. And indeed they do, but scenes are so short and choppy, and character entrances and exits so abrupt, it truly appears to be a psychedelic nightmare and many of the characters, cartoonish. Cohn is in a huge queen sized bed center stage with his toy froggie and other indulgences around him like half-empty plates of tuna sandwiches - his favorite, but this is the after-life and Cohn is in Purgatory, where he is awaiting God's decision to rise up to Heaven or fall into the depths of Hell. Although he died in '86, it's present time, as Barbara Walters mentions The View and other current fads are alluded to. A haunting bell tolls every once in a while as if to summon him, but nothing results from it, so the merriment goes on. There's his overly protective mother Dora, with whom he lived until her death in 1969, played out convincingly by Cheryl David and his maid/nanny/girl toy Lizette, played with sparkling effervescence and conviction by Presciliana Esparolini, who caters to his every whim. Then there's a younger version of himself - this may be the only real innocent Roy, who is open to other, more positive life choices - played wonderfully, especially in dance, by handsome Jeffrey Scott Parsons. Roy's supposed homosexual lover G. David Schine is essayed with fervor by Tom Galup; long time friend Barbara Walters is played with self-assured aplomb by Liza de Weerd; Ronald Reagan is given a very amusing portrait of political ignorance by David Sessions and then there's Julius Rosenberg, played with fortitude by Jon Levenson, who seems to alternate as Roy's enemy/friend - Roy betrayed his confidence as the prosecuting attorney, but, Oh my, both being Jews, they could have been such buddies! Beber adds such questionable complexity to this role. The whole ensemble work beautifully separately and together under Aaron's bright, upbeat pacing to make the crazy entertainment work at its optimum best. Even though the people are not three-dimensional, they do amuse. John Iacovelli's set is at once garrish and lush, not such a bad place to be as one awaits his fate.

Great direction and great cast provide a fascinating fresh look at an old demon. Even if the bad boy Cohn stays irritating and rotten - does he really go to heaven in the end?/ that's right, this is only a fantasy! - he's still somewhat amusing to watch.

3/5 stars

news: RAIN - New Entertainment Gay Bar Opens in SC

2012-01-19T22:27:00.000-08:00

waiter - elijah

waiter - gary

San Fernando Valley residents are eagerly anticipating the February 3, 2012, opening of the Valley’s first upscale gay nightclub, Rain Nightclub, in Studio City. For years, residents of the Valley (who comprise at least 20% of the total population of Los Angeles) have driven “over the hill” to West Hollywood to find world class restaurants and night life; but not anymore. “Rain is the first true destination for the gay community in the Valley,” boasts club owners Maurice Safizadeh and Mathieu McBee. Mathieu, whose 24 years of bartending experience have taken him from Los Angeles to New Orleans, through the Midwest and across Europe, is excited to step out from behind the bar to bring a new look to gay nightlife in the Valley.

Rain will give bar-goers fresh entertainment seven nights per week from some of Southern California’s top promoters and tastemakers, including Candis Cayne (ABC’s “Dirty Sexy Money”), TJ Espinoza (Britney Spears World Tour; Beso Hollywood), Paul Nicholls (Hype Popstarz), Andrew Gruver (The Abbey), DJ Drew G (Dirty Pop), Dan De Leon and the creators of Girl Bar & Neon Blackout. Patrons will enjoy everything from drag shows, musicals and acoustic sets, to 80s, 90s and top 40 hits and electronic dance music. Rain features a custom, state-of-the-art video and sound system designed by renowned nightclub impresario Maurice Safizadeh (who created Prince and the Revolution hang-out and Sting’s favorite Hollywood hot-spot Spice Lounge). In addition to its entertainment, Rain features a world class Cuban-inspired tasting menu born from a collaboration between celebrated chefs Raphael Gamon (Cher’s longtime private chef; PrivateChef.com), and Joey Santos (Celebrity Chef and owner of WellDoneCatering.com).

Rain Nightclub (www.facebook.com/rainonventura) is located at 12215 Ventura Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 91604, adjacent to the famed Chin Chin Chinese Restaurant. Ample parking is provided in the complex. Rain will be open nightly at 5pm for cocktails, food, and entertainment. Happy hour specials will be available seven days a week until 10pm.

Exciting Our Town at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica

2012-01-19T00:48:00.000-08:00

congratulating Helen Hunt on her exciting performance as the stage manager

anne gee byrd, always a dandy actress is about to reopen all my sons

great party at Zengo in Santa Monica
review below!

review - Cirque du Soleil's Ovo

2012-01-17T13:59:00.000-08:00

RECOMMENDED
Cirque du Soleil's Ovo
@ the Santa Monica Pier
through March 20

The brilliance of Cirque du Soleil never diminishes. Perhaps one of the most ingenious productions right now is at the Kodak Theatre permanently - Iris, with its all encompassing homage to Hollywood, movie capital of the world. Ovo, in its North American premiere at the Santa Monica Pier now through March 20 is perhaps not up to Iris, but it does provide some pretty dazzling highlights in its attempt to give a glimpse at a wold usually not associated with entertainment, at least from human perspective, the world of insects. Most of us hate bugs, but once you've witnessed the color Cirque brings to the insect world, you may value them just a bit more highly than before.

Insects, like humans, work and play but, unlike humans, have a very methodical and consistent way of executing their moves...and together as a community, as one. We do our best work alone, and even when we do work in teams, it may take a lot longer to get the specific chore accomplished. Watch writer/director/choreographer Deborah Colker's challenge to get all of the performers onstage for the opening "Wake of the community" and then at closing for "Banquet", but she does it astoundingly well; the community work efficienty together, but take note of how each performer as a different insect negotiates a variety of distinct gestures/movements, characteristic of his type. Caterpillars, ants, cockroaches, etc. are each unique. It's quite amazing to see the performers carry off the individual physicality!

Highlights of the evening include: the hand balancing of the Dragonfly performed so smoothly by Volodymyr Hrynchenko, the incredible foot juggling of the Ants, the straps duo or Butterflies: Svitlana Kashevarova and Dmytro Orel, the ingenious Firefly Tony Frebourg who can keep up to five objects floating in mid air and then coming back to rest without a single spill, the beautiful Creatura Lee Brearley who resembles a slinky in her flowing moves, ever so agile. There were some problems with the Scarabs Volant or Flying Act opening night. One artist fell into the net and it seemed that the act should have been longer with more daring flights than actually performed. In Act II the Spiderman Li Wei is awesome as he stays atop a unicycle whilst balancing on the slackwire; the Legs sequence with only gorgeous legs appearing from the circular holes on the stage is entrancing, and the Crickets bounding off the trampoline onto various parts of the wall must be seen to be believed. The Secret Love Comedy sequence with Michelle Matlock as Lady Bug, Joseph Collard as Master Flipo and Barthelemy Glumineau as the Foreigner who brings Ovo into the community and falls for Lady Bug is one hysterical routine that includes lots of great audience participation. The musicians or Cockroaches are all terrific with the music a delicious variety of samba and other outstanding Latin uptempo beats. Gringo Cardia's fabulous set with its amazingly detailed back wall and Liz Vandal's vibrant costumes are simply divine. These are some of the best costumes ever in a Cirque show.

Overall, despite some repetitive sets, a slow first act without much comedic interplay - it all comes in the second act - and a faltering first act finale, the show is vibrantly colorful and fun. It may not be Cirque's best show, but it is, after all, still Cirque du Soleil and definitely worth a visit!

4/5 stars

review - Our Town

2012-01-17T13:50:00.000-08:00

CRITIC'S PICK
Our Town
by Thornton Wilder
directed by David Cromer
@ The Broad Stage, Santa Monica
through February 12

Thornton Wilder's classic Our Town has been a part of my American cultural mindset since high school, practically all my life. And, of course, being a New Englander, it is not very hard to put myself into Grover's Corners, New Hampshire, even though the time period for the play 1901-1913 is about 30 + years before my existence. People are people and daily life was pretty much the same; things didn't really start changing - except for cars replacing horse and buggy - until the middle of the 20th century. Now in this spaced out, high tech, faster-than-the-speed-of-light world we live in, it's nice to look back and see how it once was and reflect on what it maybe should be. On the Broad stage through February 12 only, David Cromer's fascinating staging puts his audience smack dab in the middle of the town and makes us believe we have time-traveled back to this simpler but just as psychologically complicated era. How inexpensive things cost, how people trusted one another, and how they amused themselves by reading, attending choir practice or actually conversing with one another instead of being glued to the TV set or sidetracked by other low quality, insignificant perversions! But there were some who just could not cope, like Mr. Stimson, the alcoholic choir director, who ended up committing suicide. We've all known people like him, so the play is timeless. And somehow contemporary dress for the actors is not a hindrance to our accepting who and where they are, as it makes them like us, as we all fit together into one big macrocosm.

I could go on and on. I see my mother in Mrs. Gibbs and Mrs. Webb. She worked her fingers to the bone. She didn't long to go to Paris, like Mrs. Gibbs, but she certainly longed for something beyond the confines of the kitchen and her daily chores around the house caring for me and my father. Nonetheless, she did her job with little complaining and brought me up to be respectful of others - something that is sorely missing from many in this current generation.

Let's be specific about Cromer's unusual staging. It is in the three-quarter and the Broad stage is arranged almost as if it were a gymnasium with bleacher-type seating - here on three sides instead of two, and 99% of the action takes place on the floor with, as usual, a minimum of props. Some action is also played out cinematically, from one end of the auditorium to the other, as actors move - walk, run, whatever is required in the scene - around in a circle behind the first row of seats, to give the effect of moving about the streets of the town. The choir scene in Act I is in the balcony, so some audience must swivel in their seats in order to see it. Interesting, pulling us into the action, making us feel part of Grover's Corners - and for the most part, it works exceedingly well. The only difficulty is sometimes hearing the actors. If you sit center, it is difficult to hear what occurs at the back end of the stage, where the Webb kitchen is set up. If you are sitting on the sides facing the Webb kitchen, it will be hard to hear what transpires in the Gibbs' kitchen, or at the wedding ceremony in Act II, which is front and center, at the opposite end. The actors could be miked, I suppose, but that would ruin the effect of the play as written. It would further complicate the simplicity of the early 1900s.Wilder might turn over in his grave! Anyway, I admire this novel, exciting execution and what it is attempting to do, so the slight straining to hear at certain times did not take away my appreciation of the overall evening.

The cast are all top notch. Helen Hunt may be one the first female stage managers, but her straight-forward, intelligent, impersonal, no-nonsense approach to it works admirably. Lori Myers as Mrs. Gibbs is wonderfully edgy, functioning at top speed, as she keeps her longings locked inside. One scream for daughter Rebecca to come downstairs to breakfast is enough for us to sense just how tense she really is. Equally affecting is Kati Brazda as Mrs. Webb. Both execute the workaholic housewife syndrome to the letter. Jennifer Grace as Emily and James McMenamin as George are terrific especially in playing out the awkward stages of their early courtship in Act II. Jeff Still as Doc Gibbs, Tim Curtis as Editor Webb, Matthew Kimbrough as Constable Warren, Coby Getzug as Joe Crowell Jr. and the rest of the ensemble are in sync.

Despite the aforementioned acoustical problems, the overall production is worthy of immense praise. One line that Hunt speaks in Act III will stick with me forever: "Aren't they waitin' for the eternal part in them to come out clear?" We all want that special light from within to shine forever. Thornton Wilder tapped into humanity then, now and most likely for all eternity - and of this fine production, he would be proud.

5 out of 5 stars

for tix and info, visit:

www.thebroadstage.com

review - second Sunday January 15 of LA's Next Great Stage Star 2012

2012-01-15T20:50:00.000-08:00

l to r: melody goodell, carrie st. louis, chelsea emma franko, demaree hill, josie yount

l to r: tyler hodges, david michael laffey, dg, tyson pyles, tyler shceef

l to r: katrina lauren mcgraw, lauren leigh barker, jessica withers

musical director james lent

On Sunday January 15 producers Michael Sterling and Tony Monsour presented the second week of the annual six-week competition LA's Next Great Stage Star 2012, now in its sixth knockout year. Twenty contestants are competing (12 of them are pictured above) for the title which will be announced at the end of the finale on February 12.

Four men from the world of show business in LA - record producer Bruce Kimmel, MTW's director Steven Glaudini, Candlelight Dinner Theatre's artistic director John Lalonde and theatrical agent Steven Dry served as judges on the 15th. Michael Sterling was the sterling host introducing and speaking with each contestant and Tanya Possick choreographed a delightful opening number "Together" from Gypsy featuring all twenty contestants. Musical director James Lent accompanied brilliantly at the piano throughout the two and a half hour set.

Highlights of the afternoon - all songs from 1940s - 70s Broadway - from the ladies: Lauren Leigh Barker's intriguing "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" from Pal Joey, a sweet "Where Is Love?" from Oliver by Demaree Hill, Josie Yount's unusual "You're Not Alone", Justine Huxley's "What More Do I Need?" from Sondheim's Saturday Nite and Katrina Lauren McGraw's amazing rendition of the showstopper "Can't Help Lovin' That Man" from Showboat. From the men: a great "Luck Be a Lady" by David Michael Laffey, Scott Reardon's terrific "Everybody Says Don't" from Anyone Can Whistle, Harrison Meloeny's beautiful "Never Never Land" from Peter Pan, Brett McMahon's exquisite tenor with "On the Street Where You Live" from My Fair Lady and Tyson Pyles' delightful "She Loves Me".

The other ten contestants, with equally wonderful singing voices include: James Blashaw, Taylor Courtney, Chelsea Emma Franko, Melody Goodell, Tyler Hodges, Monica Quinn, Tyler Shceef, Carrie St. Louis, Adrienne Storrs and Jessica Withers. There's tremendous talent here, and it is difficult to judge at the moment just who will win, but it would not surprise me in the slightest if Katrina Lauren McGraw and Tyson Pyles make it into the top five. Only time will tell, as the saying goes. I look forward to returning for the finale on February 12 when the 20 contestants will be reduced to a group of five, from which the winner will be chosen.
Stay tuned for the exciting results!

review - Fruit Fly

2012-01-12T10:15:00.000-08:00

CRITIC'S PICK
Fruit Fly
written by & starring Leslie Jordan
directed by David Galligan
@ the Celebration Theatre
through February 18

The name Leslie Jordan is synonymous with funny, so if you want to laugh - and I mean a lot, get yourselves down to the Celebration Theatre to see the latest installment in Jordan's autobiographical plays entitled Fruit Fly through February 18. Like the man himself, it's saucy, sassy and simply sensational.

Fruit Fly describes the early years of Jordan's life, growing
up with his mother, father, twin sisters and grandma in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Of course, there's a big emphasis on the puberty years and how he segued into doing drag for the first time at 17. At the top, Jordan poses the question "Do gay men really become their mothers?" Miss Peggy Ann, as we can see in his mom's photo, was beautiful from a very early age. Jordan uses projections on a background screen to guide him through his monologue, and there are many pictures of Peggy Ann - when she was courted by his handsome dad on through the time much later on when she accompanied him and 2000 other gay men on a cruise and became the honorary Queen of queens. His childhood was ideal; he had a golden family. But, after his dad, a soldier in the army, died in a plane crash, he started to take growth hormones, and as a result, found himself giving over excessively to sexual urges, all of which led him into the darker side of local night life and eventually to alcohol and drugs. His substance abuse is more the subject of his earlier show Like a Dog on Linoleum; Fruit Fly shows his introduction to Miss Odessa and her whore house where he started partying in drag with Kitty Litter and Lilly White, two other very young drag queens. The positive relationship with his mom suffered during these years, and it wasn't until much later that she became reconciled to his lifestyle. He ends up answering "Do gay men really become their mothers?" by saying he would be honored to be like Peggy Ann, who, when she was asked if she was a fag hag, retorted "I hate that term; I prefer fruit fly", and thus the title of the show, an ode to his mother. A nice show with a lovely message.

Jordan's monologue never slows down except when necessary, like to mourn the loss of his father when he was only 11. It moves forward in a consistently positive, comedic way and he, with expert staging from master director David Galligan, is in constant motion 99% of the time, whether walking, posing, sashaying, or just doing whatever strikes his fancy at the moment. If you are familiar with the man primarily from TV, you must see Leslie Jordan onstage to fully appreciate all of this talented lunacy. He's one-of-a-kind, having the time of his life, and we just cannot get enough of him.

5 out of 5 stars

review - Who's Your Daddy?

2012-01-12T10:08:00.000-08:00

CRITIC'S PICK
Who's Your Daddy?
written & performed by Johnny O'Callaghan
directed by Tom Ormeny
@ the Little Victory, Burbank
extended through February 19

When you look at the photo of Johnny O'Callaghan on the poster of Who's Your Daddy? and repeat the title aloud to yourself, all sorts of filthy images come to mind. Is this the tasteless untold story left out of Priscilla Queen of the Desert? Thank heavens, no, and the play does not live down to any negative imagery. This is, in fact, a true story, presented via a rare feat of storytelling that is at once enlightening, thoroughly enjoyable and clean...well, almost, for a reformed gigolo.

O'Callaghan is an Irish lad, in case you couldn't guess, and to tell this story - that takes us from Hollywood to Uganda and back, and then back and forth once more - with any degree of success, it requires a gargantuan sense of humor. Irish are known for their tall tales, so a bit of an exaggeration here and there is welcomed, especially when dealing with the social and political conditions of the impoverished Uganda, not totally unfamiliar to a man growing up poor in Ireland. O'Callaghan, apart from being a truly fine actor, is alluring, sexy and most of all, grounded, genuine in his love of living. Who else would put up so patiently with all the red tape - some apparent and some not - in adopting a child across international and interracial barriers? Playing himself and a bevy of other characters both male and female, his step by step, inch by inch detailed descriptions of the adventures in becoming little Benson's guardian/da are precious and not to be missed. Tom Ormeny's direction has great pacing and Lukan Melkonian's exotic looking flats help to stretch the imagination to new vistas, but it is O'Callaghan that makes all the pieces fit into place ingeniously.

Don't miss this playful gem!
5 out of 5 stars

review - Red Hot Patriot

2012-01-12T09:58:00.000-08:00

RECOMMENDED
Red Hot Patriot
written by Margaret Engel & Allison Engel
directed by David Esbjornson
@ the Geffen Playhouse
through February 12

What sheer bliss when an actor and role are made for each other! Such is the case with Kathleen Turner and now deceased journalist Molly Ivins, known for never holding back on what she thought about the political machine and the men who run it. In her eyes they were morons, pure and simple. Now in all-out frank and devilishly entertaining look at Ivins' take on Houston, Texas and the world, Margaret and Allison Engel's Red Hot Patriot docks securely at the Geffen until February 12, directed with razor-sharp precision by David Esbjornson and boasting a fast and furious performance from Turner.

Ivins' keen eye had an unabashed, infectious humor. Referring to a senator from the Lege (legislature), she quipped, "If his IQ slips any lower, we'll have to water him twice daily". And she renamed the second George Bush Shrub. These are but two examples of Ivins' piquant wit put forth in the Engels' script, which covers quite an ample territory during the course of the 75 minute seemingly stream.of.consciousness expose. It's a panorama of events and characters from the end of the Viet Nam War all the way through the 70s, 80s, 90s to the Iraq War, not including the Obama administration, as Ivins died at 62 from the effects of breast cancer in 2007. Let's say she has a little to say about a lot of people/things onstage, but that little amount is enough to give a clear perspective of what made the marverick tick. Born the daughter of a general, Ivins never faced off with her dad, but instead conveyed rebelliousness through her journalistic critiques. The play's premise, in fact, sets Ivins composing a story about her famous father, as a means of putting closure on her personal feelings and to forgive him, but before she can finish and find catharsis, he abruptly succumbs. More pain and frustration and then cancer, but she never willingly gave in, cajoling her public to carry on her intent, to stand up for what they believe in to make our country thrive.

What better actress to portray Ivins than the impassioned Turner. With her husky vocal tones deeper and friskier than ever, she sweeps gleefully through the evening relishing every second. At play's end, she reaches out in Ivins' fervent manner for others to wave the baton, which is unnecessary. Everyone, or most, are hanging on to every word, arduously in her camp. Producers take note: not to put down Matthew Van Oss as the office assistant, who makes three or four entrances mainly to move furniture, but adding another character to the play, especially one with no dialogue, seems futile in these trying economic times. John Arnone's basic set design is greatly enhanced by the background screen upon which a mulitude of slides and photos of Ivins' life are shown. Nice touch that the real Ivins is there and not Ms. Turner, as the two bear quite a physical resemblance.

A theatrical treat, particularly for those who love listening to and doling out political jibes ... and for Kathleen Turner fans, who know a great actress when they see one!

4 out of 5 stars

2012-01-11T11:12:00.000-08:00

I was thrilled in December that NoHo Arts District asked me to be the subject of an interview. "They like me, they really like me"...please, I don't want to sound like Sally Field, but when you get older, it's nice to see that people care. To check out the interview...follow this link:
http://www.nohoartsdistrict.com/index.php/north-hollywood-news/item/948-meet-theatre-reviewerdon-grigware

news - Peter Mac In New Venue January 27

2012-01-10T08:54:00.000-08:00

Maureen McGovern Makes Splashy Debut in PS Follies New Show

2012-01-07T22:08:00.000-08:00

This lady remains one of our truly great singers!
review below!

A Return to Iris @ the Kodak Theatre

2012-01-05T23:12:00.000-08:00

The Atherton Twins continue to be brilliant and are warm friendly guys in person. From the UK they are champion gymnasts and Iris is their second show in the US for Cirque du Soleil. Iris' split second timing throughout - whether it be acrobatics or comedy - is amazing. The show is every bit as thrilling as you would expect a spectacle to be - and certainly contains a pack of surprises. Iris will close January 22 to enable the Kodak to prepare for the Oscars, to be telecast from there in late February, and then reopen the middle of March. Danny Elfman's score is lush and perfectly haunting for this wild menagerie of acts.
more soon!

news - BANANAS: A Day in the Life of Josephine Baker

2012-01-03T10:18:00.000-08:00

reopens January 6, 2012 and plays until February 29 on select dates.

J.E.T. Studios 5126 Lankershim Boulevard, NoHo 91601

(818) 358-3453

review - PS Follies Hot! Hot! Hot!

2012-01-03T10:16:00.000-08:00

Incredible to believe but the Palm Springs Follies is in its 21st season with an all new production called Hot!Hot!Hot! Equally unbelievable is the fact that I have seen and reviewed 10 of these shows since 2005, which means I've returned sometimes twice in one season. I'm really hooked on the Follies. You know why? It's one-of-a-kind. There's nothing like it anywhere. It has beautiful ladies - and none under 60. It has stunning gentlemen - the youngest ... 58 years young. These folks can dance and sing and lead the parade as if they were still in their prime. Well, I guess they are, and age, like the saying goes, is just a state of mind, especially if you look that good. Their music includes the good old standards of the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s-songs that they truly know how to sing, because they grew up listening to and singing them. And of course, those glorious costumes are simply gorgeous to look at! The performers, the music, the costumes - is that enough? Hell, yes!

Hot!Hot!Hot!, tributing summer music madness of the 50s and 60s, hardly falls short of its colorful apparel in lovely shades of orange, pink and purple. And the blue/green sequin outfits in Act II for the dance tribute are to die for (tiny peek in photo below). The blue sequined baseball uniforms for a tap sequence in honor of America's greatest pastime at the end of Act I ain't too shabby either to the strains of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and "Shoeless Joe from Hannibal Mo". Praise to Joan Palethorpe for her resourceful staging and choreography.

proud mary

Guest star Maureen McGovern is truly one of our greatest singers with an instrument that has been compared to a Stradivarius. What a range! The voice soars on "Over the Rainbow" and then gets down and gritty with "Blues in the Night". It's such passionate artistry, you could listen for hours, so bring her CDs home with you! She's there through March 10: don't miss her! Ventriloquist Brad Cummings and his mini dinosaur Rex are back again due to popular demand. Pre-hysterical!! These two acts certainly contribute to making this edition of the Follies live up to its title Hot!Hot!Hot!

maureen mcgovern

Follies creator Riff Markowitz' stand-up comedy - no matter how many times I have heard the same jokes about Palm Springs being a haven for gays and the aged ... "You all come here eventually ... to die!" - remains a dependable laughfest. His inimitable way with audience members is uniquely entertaining. Hot!Hot!Hot! is a great show. Will I be back next season? You'd better believe it!

Visit:

www.psfollies.com for tix and further info, as show plays through May 20!

review - Baby Doll

2012-01-03T10:11:00.000-08:00

RECOMMENDED
Baby Doll
by Tennessee Williams
directed & designed by Joel Daavid
Lillian Theatre
extended through January 22

(Tennessee Williams' 27 Wagons Full of Cotton, retitled Baby Doll onscreen
@ the Lillian Theatre. I first saw this play in the 70s on Broadway with none other than ... 2011's Kennedy Center honoree Meryl Streep as Flora. Needless to say, she was brilliant (Tony Nomination), and I instantly predicted future stardom for the then practically unknown actress.)

It is common knowledge that a movie director's vision shapes the outcome of a film, meaning that irregardless of the quality of the actors' performances, film is most assuredly the director's medium. Now in translating Tennessee Williams' screenplay Baby Doll to the stage, Joel Daavid is proof positive that the director is in control. Starting as the one-act 27 Wagons Full of Cotten, when adapted into the film Baby Doll, director Elia Kazan made the atmosphere of place just as important a character as Archie, Flora and Silva. Daavid is determined with his amazingly ample and mood perfect stage set to transport the audience into the delapidated world of Tiger Tail, Miss of the late 50s, and cinematically, he does just that. Using an ensemble of actors who play townsfolk to double as ghosts around Archie's run-down homestead is Daavid's original perspective, not a part of Kazan's movie. Some may question the stylized manner in which these characters move around within an otherwise gritty, realistic play, but one thing is for sure: Daavid's re-envisioning does create an undeniably eerie mood that enhances the uncertainty of destiny so apparent at the play's core. The themes of Where to go? and what to do?

echo, reverberate throughout.

About to turn 20, Baby Doll Meighan (Lulu Brud) is burning for sexual contact, but not with her husband of two years, overweight, bigoted, conniving Archie Lee (Tony Gatto). Instead, without declaring it outright, she prefers the attentions of vengeful Sicilian Silva Vacarro (Ronnie Marmo), whose cotton gin has been destroyed by arson. Archie Lee, whose business had been failing due to Silva's more modernized equipment committed the crime and expects Baby Doll to lie and protect him. Silva suspects Archie and seduces Baby Doll in order to get her to sign an affidavit that attests to Archie's guilt. Also on the premises is dotty Aunt Rose (Jacque Lynn Colton) who, appropriately named, finds solace living in a rose-colored trance. As in most Williams' works, there is one hopeless character, usually female, who distorts the mundane, kitchen-sink environment; in Baby Doll it is Aunt Rose.

Under Daavid's strong hand, the acting is top notch. Brud make Baby Doll her own sensuous, naive yet resourceful creature. Gatto is like a raging bull as Archie and Marmo has never been better as the slick spiteful Vacarro. His seduction of Baby Doll is slow, smooth and enticing. Colton as Aunt Rose is a scene stealer. From her first beat on stage, she creates a unique portrait of this daffy soul who would rather pick flowers, eat chocolates, or sing to amuse herself than face the reality of her pitiful existence.

Daavid's Baby Doll puts a slightly different spin on Williams' portrait of a decadent, crime-ridden Southern town by adding colorful strokes that never diminish the original intent. This is definitely worth your time.

4 out of 5 stars

http://www.elephanttheatrecompany.com/season4.php

review - Sam Harris & Friends

2011-12-31T19:59:00.000-08:00

Sam Harris has perfected a pretty good stand-up act over the years. He loves to expound on everything from show business and Liza Minnelli ... to surgeries and artificial body parts ... to dieting and even whine about how a toddler can radically alter one's comfortable lifestyle...he's into sharing news, issues, trends, gossip...take his New Year's resolutions over the course of three years: "Don't look back!...Don't look!...Don't." In there somewhere is a valuable lesson on how to downsize. Wait a minute, does all this jabber need a point? Even if he says absolutely nothing, Harris' greatest talent is to entertain, to put on a show. And that he blessedly does. As witnessed by Saturday evening's joyful Sam Harris & Friends on the El Portal Mainstage, boy oh boy, he can also still SING! So can all of his guests: Tony winner Levi Kreis, David Burnham, Todd Schroeder and Olivier/Ovation winner Lesli Margherita. It's been a while since I've seen this much overwhelmingly glorious talent assembled on one stage.

The format was songs, patter, songs by Harris, followed by a guest spot, and at the end of the 2+ hour show, which included a 20 minute intermission, everyone got together onstage for a countdown to midnight, "Auld Lang Syne", and as in New York's Finest, The Leading Men of Broadway, which Harris directed last September at the Ford, everyone sat informally semicircle and shared feelings through songs. Highlights included, from Harris: a rousing "I'm Still Here" and "If I Could Change the World", a beautiful "I Love You More"dedicated to his little boy, followed by a hilarious 360 degree comedic turn by Margherita singing "Children" a Jackie Hoffman parody advocating an intense dislike of little tykes. There followed a sizzling, dueling duet of "Stormy Weather" between Harris and Margherita. Levi Kreis shined on "Hallelujah, I Just Love Her So" at the piano a la Jerry Lee Lewis, who he played to a Tony Award as Best Featured Actor in 2010's Million Dollar Quartet, then a personally haunting rendition of "Not While I'm Around" from Sweeney Todd. What versatility and quiet charisma! Todd Schroeder, who accompanied throughout the show except when Kreis sat at the piano, offered a delightful "I Feel Mischievous" at the top of Act II, followed by David Burnham's electric appearance with a soaring "Feeling Good" and the lesser known "Run Away with Me" from The Unauthorized Biography of Samantha Brown. Burnham and Kreis brought down the house with a duet they also performed at the Ford "For Good" from Wicked; Margherita shared a remarkably offbeat "Rainbow Connection" and Harris, a lovely "Over the Rainbow". They closed fervently with "Fly Away". Harris also glowed with a magnificent "Swanee" in recognition of Al Jolson, whom he will essay in a Broadway-bound musical in 2012, "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and the rarely heard "Everyone's Gone to the Moon", following his hilarious reading of an otherwise shocking list of happenings culled from 2011's news headlines. He also paid hommage to Liza and their show together Schmoolie Minoolie with a fun parody of "Razzle Dazzle" from Chicago.

What a fantastically memorable evening of comedy and song from all 5 performers! Praise as well to Pegge Forrest and Jay Irwin who did a bangup job producing the evening that included two shows, refreshments, as well as hats and favors and dancing after the second show. Bravo!

Sam Harris & Friends at the El Portal a Great Way to Spend New Year's Eve

2011-12-31T19:56:00.000-08:00

Tony Winner Levi Kreis

star Harris looking svelte having lost 25 pounds

lesli margherita, sam harris, me and levi kreis; not pictured david burnham & todd schroeder

review above!

re Year End List for 2011

2011-12-30T18:45:00.000-08:00

I've been sharing my list for the last couple of years with BWW, and I am increasingly amazed at all the comments from people who read my reviews and opinions. Healthy that some agree and some disagree. This year more than one person mentioned at least a half dozen plays and performances I should have seen, stating that they belong on every list. I wish I had had the time to see them all.
Let me make one thing clear: I am a one-man band. I see 4/5 plays a week every week throughout the year, but with all the theatre in LA, I am only seeing a small percentage. It would take 10-12 reviewers to cover everything that is out there. I wish I could see more, but it's impossible.
One thing that does make me truly happy is that there exists in LA a serious passion for good theatre, in spite of what New Yorkers think. Yes, world, LA does have good theatre - some great... and some truly wonderful talent, and more and more people are recognizing that and standing up to share their views. Bravo!
I'm so proud to be a small part of it.

Happy New Year!
http://grigwarereviews.blogspot.com/2011/12/grigware-picks-eddon-awards-2011-best.html