Hey Melpomene (Theater Blog)

Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle announce nominations for 2011 season

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:04:00 +0000

This year's Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle award ceremony is scheduled to take place March 19 at A Noise Within in Pasadena. The full list of nominees have been released and are as follows:

Production
"9 Circles," Alicia Adams & Jessica Hanna, Bootleg Theater
"Blackbird," Rogue Machine, Theatre/Theater
"House of the Rising Son," Ensemble Studio Theatre—LA, Atwater Village Theatre
"Jerry Springer: The Opera," Chance Theater
"Margo Veil," Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Evidence Room, Odyssey Theatre
"Re-Animator: The Musical," Dean Schramm & Stuart Gordon, Steve Allen Theater
"Small Engine Repair," Rogue Machine, Theatre/Theater
"The Cripple of Inishmaan," Center Theatre Group and Druid and Atlantic Theater Company, Kirk Douglas Theatre
"Way to Heaven," Ron Sossi, Odyssey Theatre

McCulloh Award for Revival
"A Raisin in the Sun," Ebony Repertory Theatre, Nate Holden Performing Arts Center
"Cabaret," Reprise Theatre Company, Freud Playhouse
"Kiss Me, Kate," Reprise Theatre Company, Freud Playhouse
"Peace in Our Time," Antaeus Company, Deaf West Theatre
"The Crucible," Theatre Banshee

Direction
Trevor Biship, "Jerry Springer: The Opera," Chance Theater
Andrew Block, "Small Engine Repair," Rogue Machine at Theatre/Theater
Sean Branney, "The Crucible," Theatre Banshee
Bart DeLorenzo, "Margo Veil," Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Evidence Room at the Odyssey Theatre
Phylicia Rashad, "A Raisin in the Sun," Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center

Writing
Jane Anderson, "The Escort," Geffen Playhouse
David Harrower, "Blackbird," Rogue Machine at Theatre/Theater
John Pollono, "Small Engine Repair," Rogue Machine at Theatre/Theater
Charlayne Woodard, "The Night Watcher," Center Theatre Group at the Kirk Douglas Theatre

Writing (Adaptation)
Dakin Matthews, "The Capulets & the Montagues," Andak Stage Company at NewPlace Studio Theatre
Dennis Paoli, Stuart Gordon & William J. Morris, "Re-Animator: The Musical," Steve Allen Theater

Music Direction
Gregory Nabours, "Falsettos," Third Street Theatre
Michael Paternostro, "Kiss Me, Kate," Reprise Theatre Company at Freud Playhouse
Gerald Sternbach, "The Robber Bridegroom," International City Theatre
Mike Wilkins, "Jerry Springer: The Opera," Chance Theater

Choreography
Karole Armitage, "Hair," Broadway/L.A. at the Pantages Theatre
Andy Blankenbuehler, "Bring It On: The Musical," Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre
Todd Nielsen, "The Robber Bridegroom," International City Theatre
Kelly Todd, "Jerry Springer: The Opera," Chance Theater

Musical Score
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Amanda Green and Tom Kitt, "Bring It On: The Musical," Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre
Mark Nutter, "Re-Animator: The Musical," Steve Allen Theater
Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire, "Shrek: The Musical," DreamWorks Theatricals, Neal Street Productions and Broadway/L.A. at the Pantages Theatre
Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee, "Jerry Springer: The Opera," Chance Theater

Lead Performance
Patrick J. Adams, "9 Circles," Bootleg Theater
Sam Anderson, "Blackbird," Rogue Machine at Theatre/Theater
Gigi Bermingham, "Hermetically Sealed," the Katselas Theatre Company at the Skylight Theatre
Anne Gee Byrd, "All My Sons," Matrix Theatre
L. Scott Caldwell, "A Raisin in the Sun," Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center
Kevin Carroll, "A Raisin in the Sun," Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center
Edi Gathegi, "Superior Donuts," Geffen Playhouse
Lesli Margherita, "Kiss Me, Kate," Reprise Theatre Company at Freud Playhouse
Lisa O’Hare, "Cabaret," Reprise Theatre Company at Freud Playhouse
Maggie Siff, "The Escort," Geffen Playhouse
Norbert Weisser, "Way to Heaven," Odyssey Theatre

Featured Performance
Kenya Alexander, "A Raisin in the Sun," Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center
Anne Gee Byrd, "I Never Sang for My Father," the New American Theatre at the McCadden Theatre
Dermot Crowley, "The Cripple of Inishmaan," Center Theatre Group and Druid and Atlantic Theater Company at the Kirk Douglas Theatre
Deidrie Henry, "A Raisin in the Sun," Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center
Kate Huffman, "100 Saints You Should Know," Elephant Theatre Company
Casey Kramer, "Dolly West’s Kitchen," Theatre Banshee
Ryann Redmond, "Bring It On: The Musical," Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre

Ensemble Performance
"A Raisin in the Sun," Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center
"Jerry Springer: The Opera," Chance Theater
"Margo Veil," The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Evidence Room at the Odyssey Theatre
"The Cripple of Inishmaan," Center Theatre Group and Druid and Atlantic Theater Company at the Kirk Douglas Theatre
"The Crucible," Theatre Banshee

Solo Performance
Tom Dugan, "Nazi Hunter — Simon Wiesenthal," Theatre 40 at the Reuben Cordova Theatre
John Fleck, "Mad Women," the Katselas Theatre Company at the Skylight Theatre
Guy Hollingsworth, "The Expert at the Card Table," Menier Chocolate Factory at the Eli and Edythe Broad Stage
John Leguizamo, "Ghetto Klown," WestBeth Entertainment at the Montálban
Charlayne Woodard, "The Night Watcher," Center Theatre Group at the Kirk Douglas Theatre

Set Design
Cameron Anderson, "A Midsummer Night’s Dream," South Coast Repertory
John Lee Beatty, "Poor Behavior," Center Theatre Group at the Mark Taper Forum
Brian Sidney Bembridge, "The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity," Geffen Playhouse
Michael Ganio, "A Raisin in the Sun," Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center
Richard Hoover, "House of the Rising Son," Ensemble Studio Theatre—LA at the Atwater Village Theatre

Lighting Design
Patrice Besombes, Iris, Cirque du Soleil at Kodak Theatre
Paule Constable, Les Misérables, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre
Jeremy Pivnick, House of the Rising Son, Ensemble Studio Theatre—LA at the Atwater Village Theatre
Brian S. Shevelenko, Jerry Springer: The Opera, Chance Theater

Costume Design
Ann Closs-Farley, "Margo Veil," Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Evidence Room at the Odyssey Theatre
Philippe Guillotel, "Iris," Cirque du Soleil at Kodak Theatre
Tim Hatley, "Shrek: The Musical," DreamWorks Theatricals, Neal Street Productions, and Broadway/L.A. at the Pantages Theatre
Garry Lennon, "Kiss Me, Kate," Reprise Theatre Company at Freud Playhouse

Sound Design
Mikhail Fiksel, "The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity," Geffen Playhouse
Casey Long, "Jerry Springer: The Opera," Chance Theater
Adam Phalen, "9 Circles," Bootleg Theater
John Zalewski, "Margo Veil," The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Evidence Room at the Odyssey Theatre

Specialty
Eric Anderson (fight choreography), "Gospel According to First Squad," the Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble at The Powerhouse Theatre
John Boesche (projection design), "Radiance: The Passion of Marie Curie," Geffen Playhouse
David Combs and Linda Hoag (puppet design), "Monkey Adored, Rogue Machine" at Theatre/Theater
Tony Doublin, John Naulin, John Buechler, Tom Devlin, & Greg McDougall (special effects), "Re-Animator: The Musical," Steve Allen Theater
Shana Carroll, Boris Verkhovsky, Pierre Masse (acrobatic performance design), "Iris," Cirque du Soleil at Kodak Theatre
Peter Nigrini (projection and video design), "The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity," Geffen Playhouse

Unique Theatrical Event: "Standing on Ceremony," Joan Stein and Stuart Ross in association with the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center’s Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center at the Renberg Theatre

And God Created Great Whales at REDCAT

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 01:40:00 +0000

Photo by Caleb Wertenbaker

And God Created Great Whales
Composed and Written by Rinde Eckert

REDCAT
(631 West 2nd Street, Los Angeles 90012)

Date of reviewed performance: January 25, 2012

Cast
Nathan - Rinde Eckert
Olivia - Nora Cole

Originally staged 12 years ago in New York, And God Created Great Whales began a limited run on Wednesday night that lasts only through the weekend. Created, composed, and performed by Rinde Eckert, this suitcase musical highlights Mr. Eckert’s strong vocals, piano and even ukulele skills. Aided onstage by the ethereal Nora Cole, the piece documents the struggle of Nathan, a composer with aggressive memory loss, as he completes his opera about Moby Dick. Amid a sea of post-it notes and antiquated cassette players, Nathan works against time, himself and occasionally his own muse.

Nathan is kept focused by a series of cassette tapes. One to remind himself of how far along he is in his work and what he must do to continue, one to record his thoughts, one to record his music, one to remind him of how his system of reminders works and so on...

Even though it sounds depressing, there are actually moments of funny – particularly early on. There’s some smart-crowd humor in the droll instructions coming from the ever present cassette players and some broad physical comedy in Nathan’s lumbering attempts at dance. As Nathan’s muse, Olivia, Nora Cole works just as hard onstage and is often more captivating. She is Nathan’s cheerleader, taskmaster and the last connection he has to his memories. However, quite late in the play Olivia begins to have her own agenda, desires and feelings – separate from Nathan. This is a bizarre and disruptive moment in the show because she is a product of Nathan’s imagination and her behavior isn’t organic to what’s come before. Frankly, it feels included just to give Ms. Cole her own solo. The song is lovely and Ms. Cole is an amazing singer but the whole scene is out of place.

While the concept is great and the show starts off strong, the songs start to sound the same after awhile and the production loses steam. Mr. Eckert jumps from song to song to song, displaying more of Nathan’s time in Herman Melville’s world than his own. There’s little concentration on the deterioration of the man himself and, thus, the emotional connection the audience expects to have by the finale never materializes.

And God Created Great Whales runs through January 28th at 8:30pm with an additional performance on January 29th at 3:00pm. Tickets runs between $20-$25 (Students $16) and can be purchased at the box office or through REDCAT's website. For more information, the box office can be reached at 213-237-2800.

Directed by David Schweizer
Produced by Susan Endrizzi Morris
Lighting Design by John Torres
Costume Design by Clint Ramos
Production Stage Manager: Scott Pegg

Troilus & Cressida at The Whitmore-Lindley Theatre

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:25:00 +0000

Photo by Rob Cunliffe

Troilus & Cressida
Written by William Shakespeare

The Whitmore-Lindley Theatre
(110006 Magnolia Boulevard, North Hollywood 91601)

Date of reviewed performance: January 14, 2012

Cast
Diomedes - Adam Schroeder
Thersites - Gus Krieger
Helenus, Ensemble, Thersites U/S - Sean Faye
Cassandra - Kate O'Toole
Troilus - Alex Parker
Hector - Napoleon Tavale
Patroclus - Frederik Hamel
Achilles - Matt Calloway
Paris - Jesse James Thomas
Cressida - Taylor Fisher
Agamemnon - Andrew Herrera
Ulysses - Thomas Bigley
Menelaus - Eddie Castuera
Aeneas - Timothy Portnoy
Nestor - John Moskal
Ajax - Dylan Vigus
Andromache - Dana DeRuyck
Helen - Eliza Kiss
Pandarus - Jacques Freydont
Ensemble, Cressida U/S - Christina MacKinnon

The Porters of Hellsgate have chosen the rarely staged Troilus & Cressida as its sixth season opener. This Shakespearean tragedy is often characterized as a problem play because of its inability to fit perfectly into the same boxes as the Bard’s other works and because of the rather unsatisfying ending to the love story of the title characters.

The play takes place as Troy and Greece go to war over Helen, the lovely launcher of countless ships. As back-story, Helen, wife to Menelaus (a Greek), has been abducted by Prince Paris (son of the king of Troy) because of her tremendous beauty. Greece demands her return, but Helen has fallen in love with Paris and refuses to leave. As the play opens, seven years of warfare have gone by and there has been death on both sides. Troilus, a brother to Paris, soon falls in love with Cressida, the daughter of Calchus, a priest who has deserted Troy for the Greeks. Cressida's uncle Pandarus arranges the lovers’ union in the midst of the war.

In an effort to stem further bloodshed, Hector, another brother to Paris and Troilus, challenges the Greeks to send their best man to fight him. This is Achilles, but he is too proud and refuses. They send Ajax in his stead. The fight is a draw as Hector refuses to kill Ajax, his cousin. Eventually, Achilles gives in and agrees to fight Hector, setting up the major battle.

Meanwhile, Agamemnon, the general commander of the Greeks, strikes a deal to exchange a prisoner of war for Cressida, summarily ending her new love affair with Troilus. She and Troilus exchange tokens of each others love and promise to be true as she is taken to her father by Diomedes. Later, Troilus witnesses Cressida agreeing to be Diomedes' mistress and, enraged, vows to defeat him.

Gus Krieger is the standout in this production. He portrays the creepy and repugnant Thersites, a Greek slave and Shakespeare's designated fool. He is sharp-tongued, sarcastic and cruel but completely on point with his observations. Mr. Krieger owns the stage at every entrance and his snarky asides make willing accomplices of the audience.

Other highlights are Eliza Kiss as Helen, Napoleon Tavale as Hector and Matt Calloway as Achilles. Mr. Tavale and Mr. Calloway each cap off formidable performances with a battle sequence containing the most exciting fight choreography you’ll see in a production of Shakespeare. Ms. Kiss is perfectly cast as the luminous Helen of Troy, navigating waters from burdened figurehead to giddy lover with a delicate grace and charm.

The play has an abrupt ending, some unanswered questions and characters with whom it is difficult to sympathize. Yet The Porters have handled “the problem play” with aplomb, making Troilus & Cressida the newest notch in their lengthy list of successes.

Troilus & Cressida runs Friday and Saturday nights at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm now through February 19, 2012. Tickets are $20 cash only at the door ($15 for students/seniors). Reservations may be made through Bown Paper Tickets, by phone (818-325-2055) or email (PortersOf Hellsgate@gmail.com).

Directed by Charles Pasternak
Produced by Nick Neidorf, Alex Parker, Thomas Bigley, Gus Krieger, Charles Pasternak
Original music by Nick Neidorf
Costume Designer: Jessica Pasternak
Lighting Design by Sterling Hall
Sound Design by Nick Neidorf
Fight Choreography by Charles Pasternak

The Most Fun Funeral at Westside Comedy Theater

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:21:00 +0000

The Most Fun Funeral
Written by Anne Brashier

Westside Comedy Theater
(1323-A 3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica 90401)

Date of reviewed performance: January 11, 2012

Cast
Anne Brashier

For two nights Anne Brashier remounted her one-woman show (seen most recently at the 2011 Hollywood Fringe Festival) in an quiet little alleyway comedy club that butts up against the buskers and bustle of the 3^rd Street Promenade. If the venue itself is a study in contradiction, I imagine the bubbly Ms. Brashier felt right at home as she took the stage as the Spectre of Death.

The Most Fun Funeral wears the costume of a game show, hosted by a Death who could just as easily be your Avon lady. With the help of audience interaction, the purpose of Death’s game is to award life’s final moment to a lucky “contestant”. In truth, the contestant is really who this play is about - and Death’s show is far from fun and games. Bit by bit, old wounds break open - and ultimately it is the Reaper who must face the music.

Ms. Brashier is engaging and peppy as Death. She’s great at involving the audience and, on this night, the whole house was with her every step of the way. On occasion she takes a break from the Reaper long enough to play another character, Ophelia (who, one speculates, is far more autobiographical in nature). Watching Ms. Brashier’s characters transition is mesmerizing. It is in the angry, vulnerable Ophelia that she shows her chops as an actress.

The Most Fun Funeral is a tragicomedy stew. It is touching and fun (and funny!). It also needs some fine-tuning. Its main flaw is that the game show set up loses steam once the established story is clearly about Ophelia. I’ll not spoil the ending by going into detail about it here, but (as clever as it is in tying everything together) it leaves the audience a bit bewildered and unsure if the performance is over. Some of that may also be due to the brevity of the piece – at just over 40 minutes long, it feels like it’s over just as it’s beginning.

It’s an intriguing concept with entertaining pieces, performed by a talented actress. It has not yet tapped its full potential, but the promise is definitely there.

The Most Fun Funeral has ended its brief Los Angeles re-staging. For more information about the show and where you may see her next, please visit Ms. Brashier's website: http://annebrashier.com/

Directed by Rendel Leatherman
Produced by Anne Brashier

Bob Cratchit & Mr. Tightwad at Secret Rose Theatre

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:27:00 +0000

Photo by David Sprague

Bob Cratchit & Mr. Tightwad
Book, Music & Lyrics by Katrina Wood

Based on "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens

Secret Rose Theatre
(11246 Magnolia Boulevard, North Hollywood)

Date of reviewed performance: December 10, 2011

Cast
Ebenezer Scrooge - Chas Mitchell
Bob Cratchit - Foster Walker
Nell - Emily Bridges
Marley's Ghost - Jim Cox
Ghost of Christmas Past, Mr. Fezzywig - Billy Giampaolo
Ghost of Christmas Past, Norman the Ragpicker - Robert Keasler
Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, Mrs. Fezziwig - Jennifer Potell
Tiny Tim, Young Ebenezer Scrooge - Zachary Rice
Ghost of Christmas Present, Gladys the Ragpicker - Athena Rose
Mrs. Cratchit - Claudia Wit

Charles Dickens's classic fable has been “re-imagined” dozens, if not hundreds, of times over the years by everyone from church congregations to the Muppets. Every holiday season for the past 100 years, you can be sure that someone has promised a twist on the story of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge and his overnight change of heart. So it is with this new musical version penned and produced by Katrina Wood. However, the promised “twists” in this incarnation are either barely identifiable or ridiculously absurd. Even the most familiar elements of the show fall somewhere between cringe-worthy and just plain dull.

The mostly-in-period production is narrated by Bob Cratchit (Foster Walker) and he promises us early on that though we’ve heard the tale many times, this time we’ll be getting his point of view. It turns out that Cratchit’s point of view is exactly like everyone else’s except that his “Ghost of Christmas Present” is inexplicably an 80’s punk rock chick from Liverpool (Athena Rose). The only other difference from this and every other “Christmas Carol” you’ve ever seen is that it is full of new music written specifically for this production. The songs aren’t great or memorable; many vocals are labored or difficult to hear period over the canned music.

The cast performs as if they are aware the show isn’t ready to be up yet. Claudia Wit is the lone stand-out with her solo late in the play as the angry and vengeful Mrs. Cratchit. Her focused and powerful rendering of a woman coming unhinged is the perfect illustration of what is missing from the rest of the show. Dickens was writing about loneliness, cruelty, torment and the power of redemption. It’s a message that gets lost amidst attempts at being clever here.

Bob Cratchit & Mr. Tightwad runs Frdays at 7:30pm December 16, 23 and 30, Saturday at 3:00pm December 17, Saturdays at 2:00pm December 24 and 31, Saturday at 7:30pm December 17, Sunday at 11:00am and 3:00pm December 18 and Thursdays at 7:30pm on December 22 and 29. Tickets are $20 (Seniors $15, Children under 13 $12). Tickets may be purchased at the door or online at www.cratchitmusical.com. For reservations and additional information call 800-838-3006.

Directed by Trace Oakley
Executive Producers: Katrina Wood and Art Wood
Artistic Producer: Barney D. Neeley
Musicial Director: Art Wood
Art Director: Aaron Glazer
Choreography by Colette Brandenburg
Stage Managers: Molly Hale, Joel Johnson and Stephanie Brown
Costume Designer: Taylor Moten

Crumble (Lay Me Down, Justin Timberlake) at Sacred Fools Theater

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 06:01:00 +0000

Crumble (Lay Me Down, Justin Timberlake)
by Sheila Callaghan

Sacred Fools Theater
(660 N. Heliotrope Drive Los Angeles 90004)

Date of reviewed performance: November 18, 2011

Cast
The Apartment - Brendan Hunt
Mother - Carrie Keranen
Janice - Kate Wronowski
Father, Justin Timberlake, Harrison Ford - John Halbach
Barbara - Alyssa Preston

A one-act play lasting just over an hour, Crumble draws a portrait of a mother and daughter‘s fragmented relationship and mental state in the wake of a tragedy; their deteriorating home serving as a less-than-subtle reflection of their lives. And while the ladies can only see the differences between themselves, the audience is let in on something the two have in common: fantasy relationships with male celebrities. Enter Justin Timberlake.

Crumble fits as much offbeat oddity as it can into one act. The set is built with slatted walls, draped plastic and torn wallpaper. Imaginary celebrity love interests notwithstanding, we have a girl exiting her tweens (Kate Wronowski) who is more interested in bombs than in boys, a mother (Carrie Keranen) with a cooking addiction and an aunt (Alyssa Preston) who compensates for the chip on her shoulder by hoarding cats.

Then there is the Apartment (Brendan Hunt). The Apartment languidly recounts his favorite things about his previous lady tenants one moment and warns the audience that he is about to take necessary (and fatal) action against his current residents the next. The Apartment is caring and creepy, desperate for companionship yet sociopathic. But what The Apartment wants most is to thrive – and it is this desperation for healing and wholeness that is the play’s overreaching theme.

The women have arrived at their fractured state as a result of losing the husband/father. The reveal of the hows and whys of such loss is the meat of the mother and daughter’s plot so you’ll get no spoilers here. The Apartment however, with a discernable goal and obstacle, is the only character in the play with a satisfying story arc. None of the characters in this play really do anything, but at least The Apartment tries. The rest of the show is quirky for quirkiness’s sake, which is fun and entertaining at first, but becomes disappointing when the realization hits that nothing is going anywhere.

Crumble (Lay Me Down, Justin Timberlake) runs Fridays and Saturdays now through December 17th at 8pm. There is also one remaining Sunday performance on December 18 at 7pm. Tickets are $20 General Admission (Students/Seniors $16). For reservations or additional information, please call 310.281.8337 or visit their website.

Directed by Jeremy Aluma
Set Design by Staci Walters
Lighting Design by Doug Gabrielle
Sound Design by Daniel Hoal
Costume Design by Chrisy Hauptman
Props Design by Lisa Anne Nicolai

Who's Your Daddy? at The Victory Theatre Center

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 07:42:00 +0000

Photo by: Nancy Savan

Who's Your Daddy?
by Johnny O'Callaghan

The Victory Theatre Center
The Little Victory
(3326 W. Victory Boulevard, Burbank 91501)

Date of reviewed performance: November 13, 2011

Cast
Johnny O'Callaghan

Overseas adoption is a controversial topic on multiple levels. For every glamorous adoption success by the likes of Madonna and the Jolie-Pitts, there are hundreds of heartbreaking failures. This is the account of an adoption journey where most of the traversed ground lay somewhere in the middle. Who’s Your Daddy?, a one-man show written and performed by Johnny O’ Callaghan, is based on the artist’s own, true story about the nine-month long odyssey he endured while adopting his son from

Uganda

Invited by a friend to travel to Africa to film a documentary about House of Hope Orphanage, Johnny O’Callaghan quickly falls in love with the children, particularly with a boy by the name of Benson who has a birthmark in the shape of Johnny’s home country of Ireland. Once he decides to adopt the boy, the challenges of navigating the Ugandan legal system and American foreign adoption begin, sending Johnny on a series of expensive goose chases.

While O’Callaghan (best known to SyFy viewers as “Niam” on Stargate Atlantis) ably leads the audience along the physical plot points on the perils of African adoption, the real story is about O’Callaghan himself. A man who has lived his life with equal parts spontaneity and selfishness transforms into the very model of focus and sacrifice.

O’Callaghan presents his show storyteller style, briefly becoming each character he encounters and often providing the audience with both sides of a conversation – which can sometimes be confusing to follow as the characters enter and exit from scenes in rapid succession. But he makes great use of the stage (and occasionally the audience) with simple set pieces that are versatile enough to be literally representative of setting or practically invisible as need be.

His performance is sincere and deeply personal. Six years after his metamorphosis into fatherhood, Who’s Your Daddy? is evidence that the most meaningful journeys in life are those without destinations.

Who's Your Daddy? runs now through December 18th, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 4:00pm. Tickets range from $24 to $34 dollars at the box office or you can buy them in advance through The Victory Theatre Center's website. Reservations can also be made over the phone by calling 818-841-5421.

Directed by Tom Ormeny
Produced by Maria Gobetti & Georganne Aldrich Heller
Set Design by Lucan Melkonian
Lighting Design by Carol Doehring
Sound Design by Rob Corn

The Romance of Magno Rubio at [Inside] the Ford

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 04:02:00 +0000

The Romance of Magno Rubio
by Lonnie Carter

[Inside] the Ford
(2580 Cahuenga Boulevard East, Hollywood 90068)

A production of PAE Live!

Date of reviewed performance: November 4, 2011

Cast
Prudencio - Antoine Reynaldo Diel
Magno Rubio - Jon Jon Briones
Atoy - Eymard Cabling
Claro - Erick Esteban
Nick - Giovanni Ortega
Clarabelle - Elizabeth Rainey
Narrator - Muni Zano
Guitar - Vincent Reyes

The Romance of Magno Rubio now in performances in English and Tagalog at the Ford Theater, is adapted from a mid-century short story by the Filipino-American writer Carlos Bulosan.

Set in 1930’s California, it centers on a fantasy love affair imagined by Magno Rubio, a hard-working, illiterate romantic. He is innocent and foolish. He is loved, protected and regularly taken advantage of by his fellow Filipino migrant workers. He is hope and idealism in the face of oppression.

This is a memory play, narrated in storyteller form by an elder version of Nick, who Magno Rubio knows as a college bound, intellectual bunkhouse mate. The elder Nick recounts aiding Magno in courting a woman from Arkansas, Clarabelle, whose picture Magno saw in a lonely hearts magazine but never met. With the help of Nick’s ability to craft words, Magno embarks on a swiftly escalating romance through the mail. With his meek earnings he buys her gifts. She demands cash and he eagerly complies. In return she sends a picture, a lock of hair and more demands. He is living an expensive delusion but is so happy in it that even his friends stop short of telling him the truth.

This is a fun and entertaining show; the play is broken up periodically by farm workers serving as chorus and comedy relief, segments of the show are spoken in Tagalog and there are some amusingly inventive dance and fight sequences. One of the show's stand-out moments comes during a slow-motion fistfight between Claro and Magno. Much of the dialogue is spoken in repetitive rhyme, supporting the fanciful storytelling mechanism put into motion by the narrator. The dialogue itself can be heavy-handed, particularly towards the end of the show, when the playwright suddenly feels as though he needs to make a political point.

The casting is superb. Giovanni Ortega's Nick is charmingly sincere in his letter-writing interactions with Magno. Erick Esteban displays some keen comic timing as Claro, who becomes a rival to Magno for Clarabelle’s attention only to cause trouble. Jon Jon Briones is terrific as the title character, exuding joy and positivity in the face of all things, even rejection and heartbreak.

The Romance of Magno Rubio runs now through December 11th. Performances on Thursdays and Fridays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm are in English. Performances on Saturdays at 3pm and 8pm are in Tagalog. Tickets are $25 General Admission (Seniors/Students $12). For reservations, call 323-461-3673 or visit www.FordTheatres.org.

Directed by Bernardo Bernardo
Produced by Ed Ramolete, Paul Policarpio and Ted I. Benito
Choreography by Peter de Guzman
Fight Choreography by Felix Roiles
Sound Design by Rani de Leon
Music Director: Anthony "Gelo" Francisco
Stage Manager: Jaclyn Kalkhurst
Lighting Designer: Gerry Gregory Linsangan
Costume Design by Dori Quan
Set Design by Akeime Mitterlehner
Makeup by Joel Sabastian
Hair by Norman Salao

Double Falsehood at Actors Circle Theatre

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 02:03:00 +0000

Double Falsehood
by William Shakespeare and John Fletcher
adapted by Lewis Theobald

Actors Circle Theatre
(7313 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood 90046)

A production of Coeurage Theatre Company.

Date of reviewed performance: October 29, 2011

Cast
Valorie Curry
Amin El Gamal
Nicole Farmer
Dennis Gersten
Jeremy Lelliott
Sammi Smith
Peter Weidman
Alexander Wells
Michael Yurchak

In 1727, playwright Lewis Theobald authored a play entitled Double Falsehood; or, The Distrest Lovers. Theobald claimed that his worked was based on three previously lost manuscripts of an unnamed play by William Shakespeare and John Fletcher. It is known that Shakespeare and Fletcher did in fact write such a play (theirs was entitled Cardenio and is believed to be based on a passage from Don Quixote). After a couple of centuries of skepticism, criticism and accusations, the editors at Arden Shakespeare concluded that there was enough evidence to support at least partial authorship by William Shakespeare and so Double Falsehood was officially included in the canon of Shakespeare’s works. This decision has been met with skepticism, criticism and accusations anew, and the debate over Double Falsehood’s true authorship lives on.

Coeurage Theatre Company now invites you to decide for yourself.

As much as everyone loves to solve mysteries and debate conspiracy, the plot and many of the characters in this play are immediately recognizable from every other piece Shakespeare wrote. While the supporters use this fact as proof of the master’s hand, detractors use it as evidence of sloppy plagiarism. Further, while the use of iambic pentameter definitely gives the play a Shakespearean feel, much of the script is filled with excessively wordy sentences that fit uncomfortably in the mouths of its actors - which brings us to the main problem in Coeurage’s production.

Coeurage brings us a talented and experienced cast, clad in street clothes and taking their entrances and exits on a bare stage. What is obvious is that director Kirsten Kuiken desires focus to be on the dialogue; on the words. Unfortunately, as far as Shakespeare goes, this is clumsy dialogue that lauds quantity over quality. Talented actors who regularly turn in fine performances in other shows are here left stumbling through sentences as difficult for the audience to understand as they are for the actors to say.

In the 200+ years that Double Falsehood has been available, this is the first time it’s been presented on stage on the West Coast, despite there being several companies in Los Angeles alone dedicated to producing only Shakespeare season after season. While it was a daring choice for Coeurage (a young company that more often produces original material) it appears this play’s absence was for good reason.

Double Falsehood is entering its final weekend, with its remaining performances November 4th-6th at 8:00pm. As custom for Coeurage Theatre Compnay, tickets are "pay-what-you-want" at the door or you can reserve them in advance through their website.

Directed by Kirsten Kuiken
Lighting Design by Michelle Stann
Sound Design by Joe Calarco
Costume and Hair Design by Erik McEwen
Scenic Design by Jenna Pletcher
Fight Choreography by TJ Marchbank
Dramaturgy by Lawrence Peters

Miss Julie at Stella Adler

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 09:09:00 +0000

Miss Julie
by August Strindberg

Stella Adler
Studio C Theatre
(6773 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood)

A production of Tomfoolery Productions

Date of reviewed performance: October 21, 2011

Cast
Miss Julie - Yaitza Rivera
Jean - Alain Villeneuve
Kristin - Laetitia Mariani

Though the action of Miss Julie occurs within the walls of the kitchen, one always has a feeling of life going on outside the room. Indeed, the two most important events in the play occur offstage in spaces spoken of but unseen. It is the weight of the judgment and scorn awaiting the characters on the other side of every doorway that sells this story, described as a “naturalistic tragedy” by its author.

As the lights go up, we meet the inhabitants of the kitchen: Jean, the butler, and Kristin, a cook. At first introduction, Jean (Alain Villeneuve) appears a tired but loyal servant the lord of the house, a loving partner to Kristin, and one whose faults are as charming as they are innocuous. He pours himself a glass of wine in honor of the Midsummer festivities; the night is too special to merely drink beer. Meanwhile Kristin (Laetitia Mariani) is hard at work cooking and cleaning for the party happening just outside of the kitchen walls. But she too has a spark of mischief and she isn’t shy to steal away from her chores to sneak a playful moment with Jean.

When Miss Julie (Yaitza Rivera) enters in her party dress, her immaturity and sense of entitlement create tension in the crowded little room. Almost immediately she begins the less-than-subtle seduction of Jean. Kristin grudgingly ignores it, knowing that it’s not her place to speak and that it’s not Jean’s place to give in. But Miss Julie is the daughter of Jean’s employer, giving her power over him. It is a position she relishes. But when the tables turn and Jean’s reluctance turns into submission and then aggression, the entire notion of how power is perceived and manipulated comes into question.

The performance is an hour and a half in length – with the first act closing at barely thirty minutes. The show wastes no time getting right into the meat of the story but it may require a good ear to keep up as a couple of the actors sport fairly thick accents.

The performances are all solid if somewhat unconventional. In a role that is sometimes neglected, Miss Mariani turns in a strong, proud portrait of Kristin. She endures indignities and humiliations without shrinking away or seeking her own revenge, making her a surprise heroine by story’s end.

Ms. Rivera and Mr. Villeneuve have an age disparity that might not be as noticeable if they each played their characters as the ages intended instead of their own. Miss Julie, when the characters are more evenly matched, is about power between the classes and the sexes – and how each causes the other to shift in balance. In this production, Miss Julie appears and behaves so much younger than Jean that it is more akin to watching a sociopath orchestrate and execute a near-perfect crime. It creates a much different play – it is interesting and quite powerful in its own way – but far removed from the dissertation on power August Strindberg had in mind.

Miss Julie runs now through December 4th, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm and 7pm. Tickets are $20 (Students/Seniors $10). For reservations, call 323-465-4446 or reserve online: www.plays411.com/missjulie .

Directed by Stan Harrington
Produced by Rochelle Rossman
Set Design by Alain Villeneuve
Lighting Design by Paige Selene Luke
Sound Design by Andrew Slabinski
Costume Design by Lisa Burke
Booth: Declan Laird

The Maidens Prayer at Atwood Village Theater

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:06:00 +0000

The Maidens Prayer
by Nicky Silver

Atwater Village Theater
(3269 Casitas Avenue, Atwater Village 90039)

A production of Phoenix Rising Theater Company

Date of reviewed performance: October 8, 2011

Cast
Paul - Ray Paolantonio
Libby - Adeye Sahran
Cynthia - Annie Lynne Melchor
Taylor - John Ruby
Andrew - Eric Davenport

At its foundation, The Maiden's Prayer is a mild variation on playwright Nicky Silver’s theme of well-heeled family dysfunction. Those who are familiar with Silver’s work (i.e., Pterodactyls and Raised in Captivity) will recognize the elements of addiction, prostitution and loss but may be surprised by the subdued characters and humor.

While there are plenty of laughs The Maiden's Prayer is a sad story rooted in deeply flawed relationships. The play opens during a wedding reception. Bride Cynthia (Annie Lynne Melchor) is in her element as the center of attention and she’s happily looking forward to having a beautiful baby with her beautiful husband. Groom Taylor (John Ruby) is happy in love and has agreed (at Cynthia’s urging) to live above his means in his childhood home. But the house is also home to Taylor’s ghosts, and memories of his parents’ unhappy marriage lurk in every shadow. Cynthia’s SOB (sister-of-the-bride), Libby (Adeye Sahran), isn’t happy at all, certain that Cynthia’s only interest in Taylor stems from Libby’s own love for him. Then there is Paul (Ray Paolantonio). Taylor’s lifelong friend and yet not Taylor’s best man (Cynthia insisted a distant cousin take the role), Paul puts on the face of the happy and well-adjusted but in truth he is also smitten with Taylor and has long resigned his feelings to the unrequited variety. As relief from this Gordian Knot, there is a character named Andrew (Eric Davenport) who represents one of Paul’s many one night stands. Popping in and out of scenes, Andrew exists primarily for comic relief and to remind us what Nicky Silver plays are usually like.

The casting is brilliant for this production; all of the actors deliver memorable performances. Director Stephan Wolfert does a great job keeping the overlapping scenes moving at a comfortable pace. He takes a creative approach at suggesting new settings while characters are on the move, resulting in minimum distraction during scene changes.

Ms. Sahran, for whom Rising Phoenix Theater Company is the brainchild, creates the role of Libby with various levels of sad resolve and frantic energy. Her tendency to dissolve into desperation is a constant reminder of the more destructive aspects of her character which bubble beneath her considerable charm. Ms. Melchor gives the controlling Cynthia a beaming, beauty queen polish over her inherent mean spiritedness.

Mr. Paolantanio also brings an interesting duality to the show’s central role of Paul, but rather than trying to mask one trait with another, he has successfully merged, without pretension, into a spoiled man-child. He begins and ends the play by remembering his first encounter with Taylor, at age 6. It isn’t difficult to see that six year old still present, pouting when he doesn’t get his way and casting aside friends who won’t play by his rules.

Eric Davenport has the most fun of anyone on stage as Andrew. He plays the Bloomingdale’s salesman with such eager boyishness that the audience is giggling before he even opens his mouth. Andrew is the only character who remains outside of the show’s sticky love web and, interestingly, he also appears to be the only character that shows real change by the play’s end.

This is the inaugural show of Rising Phoenix Theatre Company. They are an exciting young company with big ambitions, and this production provides a great opportunity to support local theater from the ground floor.

The Maidens Prayer runs now through November 13th, Thursday-Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm and 7pm. Tickets are in the $20 range and can be purchased in advance through Brown Paper Tickets.

Directed by Stephan Wolfert
Produced by Karen Harris & Adeye Sahran
Set Design by Randy Brumbaugh
Lighting Design by Jeremy Pivnick
Sound Design by Janna R. Lopez Raven
Costume Design by Anne Underwood
Hair & Makeup Design by Kathryn Linington
Stage Manager - Kajal Ardestrani

The Artificial Jungle at The Lounge Theatre

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 22:01:00 +0000

The Artificial Jungle
by Charles Ludlam

The Lounge Theatre
(6201 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles 90038)

A production of Buzzworks Theatre Company

Date of reviewed performance: October 8, 2011

Cast
Frankie Spinelli - Brad David Reed
Chester Nurdiger - Rich Hutchman
Roxanne Nurdiger - Bernadette Sullivan
Mrs. Nurdiger - Michael Halpin
Zachary Slade - Michael Loomis

The Artificial Jungle is playwright Charles Ludlam's effort at mixing ''Double Indemnity,'' ''The Postman Always Rings Twice'' and ''Little Shop of Horrors'' into one twisted little brew. But expect more camp than suspense.

All of the action takes place inside a tiny pet shop in lower Manhattan (“when there were still neighborhoods”), where the Nurdiger family lives and works. Proprietor Chester Nurdiger (Rich Hutchman) is a mostly well-meaning doofus whose main fault appears to be greed. He’s married to Roxanne (Bernadette Sullivan), a low-rent vixen on the make (think “Jersey Shore”’s Snookie cast on a daytime soap opera). Roxanne is unhappy in her life and sees an exit sign in sleazy drifter Zach Slade (Michael Loomis). Roxanne and Zach hatch a plan to kill Chester and feed him to the store’s piranhas, but they must do it without drawing the suspicion of Chester’s best friend and neighborhood beat cop, Frankie Spinelli (Brad David Reed), or Mrs. Nerdiger – Chester’s mother (Michael Halpin) - who also lives at the store.

The Artificial Jungle is funny in a television sit-com sort of way. The humor is in its over-the-top parody style, with Ms. Sullivan’s melodramatic line deliveries and Mr. Halpin’s hammy performance in drag getting most of the laughs. At a little more than an hour and a half in length (including intermission) the show moves quickly, wasting little time setting up scenarios. The characters dive head-long into half-cooked mayhem and then thrash about in the absurdity that ensues. There is a murder (a given), a scandal (of course), a non-talking talking parrot (what?), rats in heat (eww…) and a stroke that is reminiscent of a dance recital. If you enjoy Mel Brooks-style genre spoofs or if “Murder By Death” ranks among your favorite films, then this is the show for you.

The Artificial Jungle runs on Friday and Saturday nights at 8pm and Sunday matinees at 2pm now though Novembe 6th. Tickets are $25 through plays411 or you can make reservations by calling (323) 960-7863.

Directed by Randee Trabitz
Produced by Deborah Reed
Set Design by Keith Mitchell
Costume Design by Royce Herron
Lighting Design by Derrick McDaniel
Sound Design by Mark Wheaton and Weba Garretson
Stage Manager: Peter Staloch

"I Love Lucy" Live on Stage at the Greenway Court Theatre

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 05:59:00 +0000

"I Love Lucy" Live on Stage
Adapted for stage and new material by Kim Flagg & Rick Sparks

(Original episodes "The Benefit" and "Lucy Has Her Examined" written by Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll Jr.)

Greenway Court Theatre
(544 N. Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles 90036)

Date of reviewed performance: October 1, 2011

Cast
Fred Mertz - Bill Chott
Lucy Ricardo - Sirena Irwin
Ethel Mertz - Lisa Joffrey
Ricky Ricardo - Bill Mendieta
Ensemble, King Katt Walsh - Tom Christensen
Ensemble, William Parker - Gregory Franklin
Ensemble, Makeup Girl - Kerri-Anne Lavin
Ensemble, Eye Doctor - Ed Martin
Ensemble, Dorothy Day Spokesperson, Speedy - Denise Moses
Ensemble, Prize Girl - Cynthia Sciacca
Ensemble, Dinah Beach - Gina Torrecilla
Host, Ensemble - Mark Christopher Tracy
Audience Member - Amy Tolsky

Band
Piano and Musical Director - Wayne Moore
Keyboard - Andy Belling
Trumpet - Jonathan Bradley
Guitar - Ivor Francis
Bass and Conga - Ken Francis
Drums and Conga - Adam Halitzka
Saxophone - David Olivas

“I Love Lucy” is once again live and in color. The new musical stage show mimics the “live studio audience” experience of a taping of the beloved ‘50’s series, creating a fun and entertaining tribute.

The show begins as the impressive Mark Christopher Tracy appears onstage in his role as “host” or, as he would be known in today’s lexicon “the warm-up guy.” Mr. Tracy’s warm voice and engaging personality is what sells this trip back in time. He exudes such enthusiastic professionalism the audience is ready to believe anything he tells them. As cameras roll about and ready themselves around him, our cheery host explains that on this day the “I Love Lucy” show will be taping two back-to-back episodes. After pointing out the applause signs and introducing us to our stars, the lights in the audience dim. On stage we see a very familiar living room: a kitchen off to the right, a fireplace to the far left and the entrance straight upstage. Yes, you know the one. And before you know it, we are in the midst of a classic “I Love Lucy” episode called ‘The Benefit.’

Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel deliver familiar lines (if you’re a fan of the show) and ham it up in all the right places, but don’t think for a second that these are just four actors doing good impressions. Ricky Ricardo may be one of the most mimicked characters in television but Bill Medieta is playing Ricky Ricardo, and that is a huge difference. Mr. Medieta becomes so Ricardo completely that watching him interact with Lucy and his orchestra feels like visiting an old friend. Likewise, Sirena Irwin does a marvelous job portraying Lucille-playing-Lucy, the most impressive moment coming when she shifts back and forth between the two during retakes. Bill Chott plays a less cranky and more fun Fred Mertz while Ethel is presented pitch perfect by Lisa Joffrey.

Amazingly, that’s not even the half of it. Every fade to commercial break is met with a live commercial performance by the incredibly talented ensemble, who tap dance to alka-seltzer, expound on the wonders of brylcreem and encourage the audience to road trip in their Chevrolet. Then there’s the “Ricky Ricardo Orchestra.” Ricky’s full band inhabits the Tropicana stage live and in person, turning an already memorable show into a phenomenal musical experience.

This show is fun stacked on top of fun stacked on top of fun. Fans of the classic show will be in absolute heaven, but even the most casual of viewers will have a great time. If this production is as successful as it should be, there will be a tour in its future. Don’t wait that long to see it; check it out soon, before it gets its legs.

"I Love Lucy" Live on Stage runs now through December 30th, Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 3pm and 8pm and Sundays at 7pm. Beginning October 26th, there will also be Wednesday and Thursday performances at 8pm. Tickets are $34 through www.ilovelucylive.com or by calling 800-595-4TIX.

Staged & Directed by Rick Sparks
Producers: Kim Flagg and Hyra George
Executive Producers: David George and Stephen Kahn
Musical Direction and Arrangements by Wayne Moore
Original Music and Recordings by Peitor Angell
Set Design by Aaron Henderson
Costume Design by Shon LeBlanc
Wig/Makeup Design by Byron J. Batista
Lighting Design by Jeremy Pivnick
Sound Design by Cricket S .Myers

Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris at The MET Theatre

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 16:14:00 +0000

Photo by Lemuel H. Thornton III

Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
Music and Lyrics by Jacques Brel

The MET Theatre
Mainstage
(1089 N. Oxford Avenue, Los Angeles 90029)

A production of Doma Theatre Co.

Date of reviewed performance: September 30, 2011

Cast
Grandmother - AnnaLisa Erickson
Son - Jon Paul Burkhart
Daughter-In-Law - Kristin Towers-Rowles
Sister to Daughter-In-Law - Josie Yount
Granddaughter - Mary Mather
Fiance to Granddaughter - Keith Barletta
Brother to Daughter-In-Law - Tim Miller
Girlfriend to Brother - Angela Todaro
Guest Performers - M.A. Gomez, Roxanne Schreiber

Having passed in 1978 at the age of 49, Jacques Brel is no longer alive nor well nor, sadly, living in Paris. His songs, however, continue to thrive - and the English versions (by Eric Blau and Mort Shuman) presented in this musical revue have been insuring Brel’s immortality since its premiere in 1968.

Hallie Baran, the director of this limited engagement piece from Doma Theatre Co., recognizes that one of the things that made Brel's music so popular is that his voice is a unique, clear product of the 1960's. There are songs of wars (old and new ) mixed with hymns of family, love and loss in changing times. Brel’s music is both hip and nostalgic, which Ms. Baran wisely takes advantage of by placing the revue in the attic of a rather hip grandmother and letting the articles her family uncovers there inspire the songs.

Ms. Baran has also changed the traditional casting of four performers to an ensemble of ten. Eight cast members inhabit a stage filled with pieces of discarded furniture, souvenirs and vaguely labeled boxes of bric-a-brac. They take turns singing of shortcomings (their own and the world’s), lost loves and the finality which waits for us all. But they also sing of the good times, commitment and hope. Two guest performers appear for isolated solos. They go unseen by the family but their presence is certainly felt.

The doubling up of performers in this production means that the roles some of them play are unclear. Those who are identifiable, however, are strong. AnnaLisa Erickson is vivacious as a cynical grandmother who is spiteful but nurturing in a way that perfectly reflects the show’s 1960’s roots. Kristin Towers-Rowles’s character of the daughter-in-law is an unhappy, bitter soul longing for love but finding herself eternally unsatisfied. Ms. Towers-Rowles's pure, powerful performance of the melancholy "I Loved," sets up her character early in the evening for the woebegone theme she will continually revisit. Mary Mather plays her daughter (for credits’ sake, the granddaughter), on the verge of moving away and beginning her adult life; representing youth, hope and the enviable blank page.

Jon Paul Burkhart, a commanding presence on stage, sings his most rousing songs in the first act. “Alone,” “Mathilde” and “Next” could not be more different from each other in theme and content, but Mr. Burkhart delivers each with tremendous passion, energy and charm. Mr. Burkhart’s character of the son is shockingly well-adjusted, owning up to all of his faults (and those of his wife and his marriage) yet charging forward with optimism and love, damning it all.

The production's most enchanting performer is Josie Yount, whose character is the embodiment of grief and love lost. While she does a fantastic job with the upbeat memory tune “Jacky” in the first act, Ms. Yount’s ethereal interpretations of “Fanette” and “You’re Not Alone" create moving and memorable moments that will stay with you long past the evening’s performance.

Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris is in its final weekend, with performances at 8pm on Saturday, October 1st and at 3pm on Sunday, October 2nd. Tickets are $30 GA ($34.99 for VIP) and can be purchased in advance through plays411.com.

Directed by Hallie Baran
Produced by Mike Abramson
Musical Direction by Kelly Dodson
Choreography by Angela Todaro
Stage Manager: Stacey Cortez
Lighting Design by Cullen Pinney
Sound Design by Joseph Montiel

Making Love Over There at Theatre Asylum

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 22:08:00 +0000

Making Love Over There
by Tom Dugdale

Theatre Asylum
(6320 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles 90038)

A production of Lonesome No More! Theatre

Date of reviewed performance: September 29, 2011

Cast
Zoe Chao
Patrick Riley

Do you remember playing dress-up as a kid? There is a mad joy that comes from busting out impromptu characters made of hand-me-downs, pieces of old Halloween costumes and your mom's floppy hat...feverishly playing out a scene with your sibling/cousin/neighbor before just as quickly losing interest, discarding your hero, and bundling into the next exciting persona. And so it is with the latest offering from Lonesome No More! Theatre.

Making Love Over There is a playful romp through love's family photo album. With every ounce of the energy and abandon one would expect to see from children at recess, Zoe Chao and Patrick Riley slide in and out of at least a dozen characters and costumes in just under an hour. The work is made up of a series of stand-alone vignettes, each in a different place and time. The characters' ongoing search for love therein is met with song, scorn, dance, disdain and periodic ambivalence. Highlights of the show come from the beautiful (the lovely Chao blissfully enjoying a single growing flower; a tense moment at a lonely train station) and the absurd (Chao and Riley in animal costumes dancing to Toto's 'Africa').

Ms. Chao and Mr. Riley are talented, charismatic actors/vocalists who wear each new character as comfortably as a pair of old tennis shoes. The vignettes are smartly written; balancing the quirky and stylized without succumbing to pretense. In what is quickly becoming Lonesome No More!'s signature style (and one of several excellent choices in direction by Tom Dugdale), all aspects and areas of the stage and aisles are fair game for the actors to play; creating an informal, intimate feel to the show.

Making Love Over There is as thoroughly entertaining as it is shamelessly optimistic. In the interest of full disclosure, this is a company on which I'm developing a little crush...

Making Love Over There concludes its run tonight and tomorrow night with performances at 8pm. Admission is $15 at the door.

Directed by Tom Dugdale
Producer: Meghan McCauley
Stage Manager: Dana Murphy
Costumes by: Lee Montgomery
Pianist: Tom Dugdale

Bechnya at The Hudson Theatres

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 05:53:00 +0000

Bechnya
by Saviana Stanescu

The Hudson Theatres
Mainstage
(6539 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood 90038)

Date of reviewed performance: September 24, 2011

Cast
Shari - Svetlana Iva
Vicky - Maria Bobeva
Leslie - Jon Mack
Alex - Bryan Lay

The title of Saviana Stanescu's new play, Bechnya, refers to a fictional Eastern European country that could just as easily be the actual countries of Bosnia or the Czech Republic. However, all of the "live" action in this multi-media piece takes place in the United States.

At its heart, Bechnya is a meditation on the ambivalence that surrounds the foreign adoption of children in war-torn Eastern European countries. However, it is wrapped in the skin of a disturbed Bechnyan woman gunning for the sister who was, decades earlier, hand-picked over her for a better life. Crowded among stereotypes, threats, accusations and begging, the intended message of this work gets shouted down.

The play opens with demands and pleading as Shari (Svetlana Iva) marches a barefoot Vicky (Maria Bobeva) out onto a snow-covered rooftop at gunpoint. We quickly learn that Shari has been stalking Vicky for some time, but it is a while before their childhood connection comes to light. The revelation comes in fragments via video footage of American parents in an orphanage in Bechnya ready to purchase their new daughter. We learn that Shari was the child not picked on this day, nor picked ever, and that she is determined to find that luckier girl and make her pay.

The main fault of this production is that it tries too hard to do too much. Believing it is not enough to set Shari against Vicky in one scenario, they do it twice. Believing it is not enough to have two actresses screaming at each other for two hours about privilege versus need, they throw in a video montage of various U.S. presidents giving speeches at or near Eastern Europe (which, inexplicably, also features Benjamin Netanyahu). They want us to despise the unsanitary conditions the unchosen children are left to grow up in, but they also want us to despise the deep-pocketed, small-minded Westerners who remove some of those children from said neglect. The unintentional moral of the story is that if you are adopted you grow up to be wealthy and vapid and if you are left behind you grow up to be psychotic.

The actors here all do their best with some lackluster material, but there's only so much one can do with repeating the same handful of lines over and over again.

Foreign adoption of children in impoverished countries is a serious issue that deserves a hard look, but this is a production that needs to refocus.

Bechnya will continue through October 22nd, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM. Tickets are $25 Thursdays and Fridays, $30 Saturday. For reservations, call (323) 960-7721 or online at plays411.com.

Directed and Produced by Atanas Kolev

Costume Design by Denitsa Bliznakova

Sound Engineering by Vladamir Novkoff

Lighting Design by Steven Pope

The Vault: Unlocked at The Los Angeles Theatre Center

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 16:39:00 +0000

Photo by Hector Cruz Salvador

Brenda Banda (l.), Sam Golzari, Esperanza America Ibarra,
Vicki Syal, Aaron Garcia.

The Vault: Unlocked
Created by The Vault Ensemble

The Los Angeles Theatre Center
Theatre 4
(514 S. Spring Street, Los Angeles 90013)

A production of The Latino Theater Company.

Date of reviewed performance: September 22, 2011

Cast
Brenda Banda
Stephen Buchanan
Aaron Garcia
Sam Golzari
Fidel Gomez
Esperanza America Ibarra
Theodore Lange IV
Jasmine Orpilla
Vicki Syal

A wealthy real estate developer is found dead at the foot of a downtown LA high-rise. This is the jump point for The Vault Ensemble’s latest offering: a who-shot-JR? thread binding a collection of raunchy stories presented cabaret/sketch style.

Allegedly based on tragic true stories from locals about the hipster-fication of Downtown, The Vault focuses most of the finger pointing on themselves with a plethora of winks and nods. Yes, they have met the enemy and it is them. The work is part criticism and part apology covered by a layer of straight-up bragging. But as the target audience for this piece is the very same crowd, all of the in-jokes and swagger are met with laughter, cheering, gasps and (most hilariously) knowing, self-incriminating groans.

The Vault Ensemble is made up of an incredibly talented cast who work so well together that their chemistry is as exciting to watch as anything else. Even simple tasks like setting and striking props come off looking like performance art. Brenda Banda, Theodore Lange IV, Esperanza America Ibarrra and Vicki Syal are simply hilarious; all creating memorable, stand-out characters. Stephen Buchanan, Fidel Gomez and Aaron Garcia (who also direct) each have great, dramatic moments. Sam Golzari and Jasmine Orpilla are total stars, whom you should run out and see now so you can say “I knew them when…”.

This show is full of music and laughs, but be warned that it’s also full of adult language and sexual content. So leave the kids at home, grab yourself a double chai latte and go. If you’re a hipster, you’ll laugh with them; if you’re not, you’ll laugh at them. But you will definitely laugh.

The Vault: Unlocked runs now through October 8th, Thursdays through Saturdays at 9:00pm in Theatre 4 of The Los Angeles Theatre Center. Tickets are $20 (Students/Seniors $15) at the door or in advance through Ovation. For reservations and more information, call 866-811-4111.

Directed by Aron Garcia and Fidel Gomez
Musical Director: Jasmine Orpilla
Scenic and Lighting Design by Francois Pierre-Couture
Costume Design by Yoshino Miyazato
Sound Design by Alyssa Ishii
Technical Director: Wayne Nakasone
Stage Manager: Jessica Aguilar

Now Playing....

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 19:34:00 +0000

What Happened in Mayville? 2 - A production of the Loft ensemble. Written by Christina Joy Howard and directed by Adam Chambers.

"This one act horror play takes place on an early morning in the week before Christmas. Emily is working the front desk when Tyler, one of the local town misfits, stops by to flirt and visit. What starts as a normal morning turns into something else when a mysterious man in a suit enters and everything changes. Various other denizens of the town are drawn in and events begin to spiral out of control."

WHEN:

Saturdays at 9pm and Sundays 8pm, now through Oct 30, 2011.

WHERE:

LOFT ensemble

929 E. 2nd St. Studio 105

Los Angeles, CA 90012

(Corner of 2nd St. and Vignes, Entrance is on Vignes)

HOW MUCH:

$20 general admission. Reservations may be made by calling: (213) 680-0392

__________________________________________________

A Doll House – Calista Flockhart, Gregory Itzin and JoBeth Williams record Henrik Ibsen’s classic drama at at L.A. Theatre Works. Directed by Rosalind Ayres.

"Nora Helmer has a delicious secret that saved her husband's life, but if he finds out what she's done, it might destroy their marriage. Blackmail and innocence, love and hypocrisy collide in A Doll House, one of the most celebrated plays in theater history. All performances will be recorded to air on L.A. Theatre Works' syndicated radio theater series, which broadcasts weekly in Southern California on 89.3 KPCC every Saturday from 10 pm to midnight. L.A. Theatre Works can also be heard on the following stations (check local listings for broadcast times): 89.7 WGBH, Boston; 91.5 FM WBEZ, Chicago; 94.9 KUOW, Seattle; 94.1 KPFA, Berkeley; 91.1 KRCB, North Bay (San Francisco); and in over 100 markets nationwide. and can be streamed on demand at www.latw.org."

WHEN:
Thursday, September 22 @ 8 pm
Friday, September 23 @ 8 pm
Saturday, September 24 @ 3 pm & 8 pm
Sunday, September 25 @ 2 pm & 7 pm

WHERE:James Bridges Theater
UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television
235 Charles E. Young Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90095
(enter UCLA from Hilgard just south of Sunset Blvd.; park in Lot 3 on the lower level)

HOW MUCH:$15-$49 in advance by calling 310-827-0889 or visiting www.latw.org

__________________________________________________

COMING SOON.....

Peace In Our Time – Written by Noel Coward and directed by Casey Stangl.

"The U.S. premiere of Noël Coward’s drama poses a most intriguing and terrifying question: What if the Nazis had successfully invaded and occupied Britain? Set in a London Pub during the 1940s, this new adaptation by Antaeus company member Barry Creyton incorporates 9 of Coward’s lesser-known songs."

WHEN:
Oct. 20 – Dec. 11, 2011

WHERE:
THE ANTAEUS COMPANY@ Deaf West Theatre
5112 Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood CA 91601
(one block south of Magnolia; free parking available in Citibank lot on Lankershim Blvd. South of Otsego St.)

TICKETS:
Thursdays and Fridays: $30
Saturdays and Sundays: $34
(818) 506-1983 or www.Antaeus.org

Raised in Captivity at The Renegade Theatre

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 20:29:00 +0000

Photo by Tony Maesto

Raised in Captivity

by Nicky Silver

The Renegade Theatre

(1514 N. Gardner Street, Los Angeles 90046)

A production of The Renegade Theatre Group

Date of reviewed performance: August 27, 2011

Cast

Sebastian - Alejandro Romero

Dylan, Roger - Marco Dapper

Bernadette - Krystal Kennedy

Kip - Anthony Trexler

Hillary, Miranda - Betina Mustain

The Renegade Theatre Company is an amalgamation of acting school and independent theatre group, helmed by teacher and actor Chick Vennera. Nicky Silver's dark, quirky comedy Raised in Captivity is a brave choice for a cast populated by students, and in this production they more than rise to the challenge.

Estranged siblings Sebastian (Alejandro Romero) and Bernadette (Krystal Kennedy) awkwardly reconnect at their mother’s funeral. Sebastian left home at 16 to pursue a life in New York as a writer, but now primarily lives on credit cards. The cynical and bitter Bernadette is married to a rather submissive dentist and is prone to emotional outbursts. Despite (or because of) Bernadett's neurosis, she invites Sebastian to come stay with her and her husband. Sebastian turns her down and flees to New York to meet with his therapist, whom he immediately fires. The therapist (Betina Mustain), does not take the dismissal very well and has an emotional breakdown in her office. Sebastian again flees and the therapist begins a journey of self-mutilation as punishment for being a bad... well, everything.

As complicated as all of that sounds, it is only the beginning: Shortly after the funeral, Bernadette's dentist husband, Kip (Anthony Trexler), announces he's quitting dentistry to learn to paint. Sebastian reveals he's in love with his pen pal, who is also a convicted murderer (Marco Dapper). Sebastian's therapist oddly moves into Bernadette and Kip's house. And the less-than-nurturing Bernadette has a baby. This is a play that moves at break-neck speed, with a dozen different subplots moving in a dozen different directions. But despite (or because of) the glut of plot points, the ending relies on a series of bizarre confessions and out of left field, ridiculous resolutions to tie the story up.

That's not to say it isn't entertaining, because it really is. Ultimately, the theme is that of alienation, and each character illustrates this in his own over-the-top way. And despite (or because of) the blood, the bitterness and the ever-present specter of death, it is also very funny. Paradox is the very center of this work.

All of the actors in this show are immensely talented. Krystal Kennedy and Anthony Trexler take turns stealing scenes from each other. Betina Mustain does such a tremendous job doing double duty as the troubled psychologist and the embodiment Sebastian and Bernadette's mother, that for a moment I wasn't wholly sure it was the same actress. Marco Dapper is impressive as a talking head vision of Sebastian's pen pal/convict/love interest, but his charisma and engaging stage presence are most apparent in a scene where he plays Roger, a male escort. Alejandro Romero, who stars in and directs this piece, delivers the show's most subdued performance. He has such a different tone that, periodically, it feels as though his character wandered in from another play. This is likely the result of the glitch in directing oneself. While the difference is at times distracting, it can also be viewed as another (perhaps unintentional) layer in Nicky Silver's discourse on distance.

Raised in Captivity runs now through September 18th on Saturdays (8:00pm) and Sundays (6:00pm). Tickets are $20 at the door or in advance through plays411. For reservations, call 323-960-7792.

Directed by Alejandro Romero

Lighting Design by Mark Rogers

Stage Managers: Brianna Wibeto and Kirsten Atkinson

Costumes by Tracie Leapheart

Make-up by Samantha Marie

Passion at The Met Theatre

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 18:07:00 +0000

Passion
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by James Lapine

Met Theatre (Mainstage)
(1089 N. Oxford Avenue, Los Angeles 90029)

A production of Doma Theatre

Date of reviewed performance: August 26, 2011

Cast
Fosca - Lindsay Zana
Clara - Melissa Cook
Giorgio - Nathaniel Reynolds
Doctor Tambourri - Sean McSweeney
Colonel Ricci - Duane Allen Thomas
Fosca's Mother, Mistress, Torasso - Corinne DeVries
Private Augenti - Timothy Miller
Sergeant Lombardi - Edgar Edgerly
Ludovic - Vincent Aniceto

The title of Stephen Sondheim's Passion is a bit of a misnomer. It would have been more apt to title it Obsession or Mental Illness. It is a chamber opera about a stalker. It is dark, uncomfortable and, at times, simply bizarre.

Within this piece, Sondheim attempts to define what love is and isn't. I’m not certain he’s ultimately successful at either, as actual love fails to appear in this production. Lust, romance, the aforementioned obsession and illness – all yes. But not love. Not really.

The Mainstage at the Met Theatre is an interesting space because it is larger than most independent theatres in Los Angeles but still tiny by musical theater standards. The relative intimacy of this venue serves such a disturbing show well; as our heroine shows complete disregard for the personal space of the object of her affection, the audience feels assaulted as well.

As the stage lights come up, Giorgio (Nathaniel Reynolds) and Clara (Melissa Cook) are in a lovers’ embrace, singing about their happiness with each other, despite having only been together a short time. We quickly learn, however, that Giorgio is a military man and has been given orders to ship out immediately. The two swear undying love for each other and promise to keep their passion alive via daily letters. Almost immediately upon arriving at his post, Giorgio hears about his commander’s sickly cousin, Fosca (Lindsay Zana) who lives at the encampment. Giorgio kindly offers to loan her his books to read, thus setting Fosca off on a frightening tear. She is convinced the two are different from everyone else (“they hear drums, we hear music”) and obsessively sets about trying to force Giorgio to love her. She is not subtle about it. Giorgio first politely resists, then carefully explains and finally becomes very angry. Fosca, undeterred, follows him to dinner, follows him within the encampment and follows him to Milan; all the while pleading her case between fits of hysteria.

Lindsay Zana has a remarkable voice and is impressive as the famously deranged Fosca. The show, however, belongs to Mr. Reynold's Giorgio. Nathaniel Reynolds, seen most recently in Santa Monica Theater Guild’s “Oklahoma!," portays the accomplished military captain Giorgio as one whose strength is apparent through sincerity and chivalry rather than macho displays. He maintains a stiff military posture and is often rigid; but when he breaks protocol to reason with Fosca, person-to-person, the sympathy he merits is amazing.

Melissa Cook's Clara is also a force to be reckoned with. While she initially comes across as a beautiful and loyal lover (the very template of a young idealist seen many times before), Ms. Cook quickly engages in an emotional burlesque, revealing Clara at the end to be strong, manipulative and ultimately pragmatic.

Passion isn't perfect. The ending of the show leaves audiences unsatisfied, and that has been the case since its Broadway debut in 1994. There is something just under the surface of the text that asks to be explored and never is.

Imperfections with the material notwithstanding, all three principal actors in Doma Theatre's production have powerful voices that ably carry the show throughout its twisted ride. The ability among the supporting players varies, but their vocal chops are more than adequate. Corinne DeVries deserves a special mention for her entertaining portrayal of a lone female servant amongst the soldiers, as well as her costume quick-changes and brief, memorable solos in each of her other two roles in the show.

Passion is presented on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 3:00pm now through September 11, 2011. Tickets are $30 (VIP tables $40 per patron) at the door or in advance through plays411.

Directed by Marco Gomez
Musical Director: Brian Michael
Choreography by Angela Todaro
Stage Manager: JC Chavez
Costume Design by Brandy Jacobs
Technical Director: Jason Henderson
Property Manager: Hallie Baran
Lighting Design by Cullen Pinney
Sound Design by Jose Montiel

Dancing at Lughnasa at Dorie Theatre (The Complex)

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 19:12:00 +0000

Photo by Rick Frederick
(L to R) ZackaRya Santoro and Molly Leland

Dancing at Lughnasa
by Brian Friel

Dorie Theatre (at The Complex)
(6476 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles 90038)

A production of Chrysalis Stage

Date of reviewed performance: August 19, 2011

Cast
Michael Mundy - Gino Costabile
Christina Mundy - Molly Leland
Maggie Mundy - Andrea Gwynnel Morgan
Agnes Mundy - Suzy Harbulak
Rose Mundy - Helen McElwain
Kate Mundy - Gwendolyn Lewis
Gerry Evans - ZackaRya Santoro
Jack Mundy - Donal O'Sullivan

Brian Friel's Dancing at Lughnasa, directed by Aaron Morgan for Chrysalis Stage, is a bittersweet memory play narrated by an adult Michael Mundy (Gino Costabile) detailing the summer of 1936, and the harvest-time Festival of Lughnasa. It is the last summer his mother and four aunts will spend together at their home in Ballybeg, a fictional town in rural Donegal, Ireland.

Michael’s recollection reveals the lives of the five Mundy sisters, Kate, Maggie, Agnes, Rose, and Michael’s mother, Christina, all spinsters who have formed a co-dependent support network for each other. The eldest, Kate (Gwendolyn Lewis), acts a stern mother figure to her adult sisters, never reluctant to speak her mind and put each in their place. Times are tough for the household and getting tougher. Kate is a schoolteacher and is the family’s main provider; Agnes (Suzy Harbulak) and Rose (Helen McElwain) earn a small amount of money by knitting gloves. The industrial age is at hand and the family is aware they are confined to an age that has passed and that the future will not welcome them.

There are also two important men in the sisters’ world. First is their older brother Jack (Donal O’Sullivan), a priest who has returned to Ballybeg from Africa after working as a missionary for twenty-five years. Suffering from malaria, he has become disoriented and frail. The other is Gerry Evans (ZackaRya Santoro), Michael’s absentee father and non-stop hustler. His annual visits are peppered with unfulfilled promises of prosperity and marriage to Christina (Molly Leland).

Dancing at Lughnasa is a modern-day classic and the writing is outstanding. Chrysalis Stage is faithful to Brian Friel’s remarkable script and has mounted an engaging and moving production. Especially impressive is the set design, which defines the small, crowded world of our characters while giving them an interesting space in which to play.

Aaron Morgan has also assembled a tremendous cast. There isn't a single weak performance in this production. Gwendolyn Lewis is wonderful as the prim and proper, rules-bound Kate. Andrea Gwynnel Morgan beautifully captures the sparkling humor and joyful resiliency of the Wild Woodbine addict Maggie. Molly Leland is touching as Christina and does a lovely job of conveying the emotions tied to the vagabond charmer (excellent ZackaRya Santoro) who abandoned her and re-abandons her over and over again.

Chrysalis Stage has presented an astounding piece of theater. GO. Bring your siblings, bring your handkerchiefs, but GO. It is not a production to be missed.

Dancing at Lughnasa will continue through August 28th on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 7:00pm. Tickets are $20 (Students $12/Seniors $15) at the door. You may reserve seats in advance by calling 323-960-7711 or writing boxoffice@chrysalisstage.com.

In September, Dancing at Lughnasa will move to the Vic Lopez Auditorium ("Little Vic" Backstage, 6700 Whittier Avenue, Whittier, CA). For more information about those showtimes, please visit their website.

Directed by Aaron Morgan
Stage Manager: Ashley Boehne Ehlers
House Manager: Paola Rodriguez
Costumes by Andrea Morgan and Courtney Sutton
Props Master: Courtney Sutton
Choreography by Veronica Lutz
Scenic Design by Aaron Morgan

This at Kirk Douglas Theatre

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 16:57:00 +0000

This

Written by Melissa James Gibson

Kirk Douglas Theatre

(9820 Washington Boulevard, Culver City 90232)

A production of Center Theatre Group

Date of reviewed performance: August 14, 2011

Cast

Jane - Saffron Burrows

Marrell - Eisa Davis

Tom - Darren Pettie

Allen - Glenn Fitzgerald

Jean-Pierre - Gilles Marini

In Melissa James Gibson’s award – winning play This, four friends thirty-something, decidedly middle-class

friends are all coping with life changing struggles. Jane's (Saffron Burrows) husband has died, leaving her to raise a school-age daughter alone. Marrell (Eisa Davis) and Tom (Darren Pettie), are new parents in a troubled and failing marriage. The single and “annoying” Alan (Glenn Fitzgerald) is having an identity crisis and feels his journey so far has been a life wasted.

During a dinner party, a made-up game goes hilariously and horribly wrong, sending Jane scurrying home. Later, when Tom checks in on her, he reveals his long-buried feelings for her; which she is not so much surprised by as bewildered to have to suddenly deal with. Feelings are acted on, and Jane must decide whether to keep her indiscretions a secret or confess all and try to save her dearest friendship with Marrell. In the midst of it all, Marrell has introduced Jean-Pierre (Gilles Marini) into their group. He is a French “doctor-without-borders” and Marrell is hoping for a love connection with the forelorn Jane, though she's more than a little attracted to him herself.

Jean-Pierre is an outcast to the group in the most literal sense, but in some way each of the friends is an outcast in their own minds. They all met in college, but Tom was a groundskeeper there, not a student. Jane is a sort of stick-in-the-mud who doesn’t like games (or anything, really), is always on edge and resents being handled delicately by her friends, even though it’s the only way to handle her. Marrell is a jazz singer who had a baby to try to fix her marriage, is now exacerbated by it all but doesn’t feel she has a right to complain. Alan has a perfect memory, which he has segued into a career as a guest on talk shows, but he treats his gift like a circus act and longs to do something more meaningful.

Overall, the acting and direction are very good. Glenn Fitzgerald completely owns his character and is a master of line delivery, making his performance the more entertaining of the evening. The only criticism in casting is that Saffron Burrows doesn't play a very likeable Jane. This is unfortunate as it leaves the audience without a reason to try and empathize with her.

The complex, jumbled set, which is constantly transforming from Tom and Marrell's loft apartment to Jane’s apartment or a nightclub, is practically a character all its own. Every piece of it moves and every nook and cranny is filled with accumulated clutter of life. It's a metaphor for not only the play, but for life itself.

This runs through August 28th, with performances at 8pm Monday-Saturday, with an additional 2pm matinee performance on Saturday. On Sunday, the show times are 1pm and 6:30pm. Tickets can be purchased in advance by visiting their website.

Directed by Daniel Aukin

Scenic Design by Louisa Thompson

Costume Design by Jessica Pabst

Lighing Design by Matt Frey

Original Sound Design by Matt Tierney

The Merchant of Venice at The Whitmore-Lindley Theatre

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 04:47:00 +0000

The Merchant of Venice

Written by William Shakespeare

The Whitmore-Lindley Theatre

(11006 Magnolia Boulevard, North Hollywood 91601)

A production of The Porters of Hellsgate

Date of reviewed performance: August 13, 2011

Cast

The Prince of Arragon - Daniel Armas

Salerio - Cynthia Beckert

Nerissa - Kelly Cretti

Tubal/Old Gobbo - Bert Emmett

Launcelot Gobbo - Sean Faye

Gratiano - Barry Finnegan

The Duke of Venice - David Ghilardi

Leonardo/Stefano - Sterling Hall

Servant to Portia - Melissa Harkness

Shylock - Gus Krieger

The Prince of Morocco - Doug Milliron

Solanio - Kate O'Toole

Antonio - Alex Parker

Jessica - Elisa Richter

Lorenzo - Dan Sykes

Portia - Liza de Weerd

Bassanio - Brian Weiss

The Porters Of Hellsgate have chosen one of Shakespeare's most controversial plays as their latest offering in this, their fifth season. It's a play that contains so much antisemitism Adolf Hitler used it as a source of propaganda. It's play where the heroes we are to root for brandish Christianity as a weapon. But The Porters, who have never shied from a challenge, take the Bard's text head-on without flinching. Thomas Bigley has helmed a brave production and possibly The Porters' best to date.

What is updated is the setting. This interpretation opens in 1961 on the floor of the Venice Stock Exchange. Antonio (Alex Parker) makes a deal to borrow three thousand ducats from Shylock (Gus Krieger), a Jewish lender. Antonio needs the money for his friend Bassanio (Brian Weiss) who is planning to travel to Belmont to woo Portia (Liza de Weerd), a wealthy heiress. Shylock hates Antonio because of Antonio's blatant antisemitism and because Antonio lends money at zero interest, hurting Shylock's business. Shylock lends Antonio the funds on promise of bond that, should the loan fail to be repaid in due time, Antonio must pay the debt with a pound of his own flesh.

In standard Shakespearean style, there are also a few love stories going on: Portia is sorting through her many wooers by way of a riddle-based game of her late father's concoction. Her maid Nerissa (Kelly Cretti), is courted by Gratiano (Barry Finnegan), a member of Bassanio’s entourage; Shylock’s daughter Jessica (Elisa Richter), runs away with young lothario Lorenzo (Dan Sykes) (also of Team Bassanio).

A talented cast is a given with Porters' productions and this is no different. Brian Weiss and Alex Parker's terrific performances are the engine of this production. Their intimate interactions and subtle exchanges are a constant reminder of how money defines not only their relationship to each other but to every other character in the play. Gus Krieger’s Shylock is a mesmerizing combination of angry victim and vengeful miser. Kelly Cretti is delightful as the sophisticated and protective Nerissa, the lady-in-waiting to Portia. Melissa Harkness is an audience favorite as Portia's animated and excitable servant. Doug Milliron and Daniel Armas also earn their share of laughs as a couple of the heiress's less worthy suitors.

The 1960's costuming is brilliant, creating dashing leading men and smartly feminine heroines. Also period-specific are the songs chosen to fill the dark time during scene changes. "Big Bad John" and others feel like an 'America's Top 40" of 1961 and make you want to update your iTunes.

The Merchant of Venice runs now through September 18th on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm, Sundays at 2:00pm. Tickets are $20 ($15 for students/seniors) at the door or in advance through Brown Paper Tickets.

Directed by Thomas Bigley
Costume Design by Jessica Pasternak
Sound Design and Composition by Nicholas Neidorf
Lighting Design by Sterling Hall
Scenic Design by Thomas Bigley
Stage Manager: Nicholas Neidorf

Fear Factor: Canine Edition at Theatre Asylum

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 04:02:00 +0000

Fear Factor: Canine Edition
Written and Performed by John Grady

Theatre Asylum
(6320 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles 90038)

Date of reviewed performance: August 6, 2011

Don't let the title fool you. No one at this show is going to be locked in a meat freezer with Rottweilers or be forced to dine on Alpo. Instead, expect a powerful and poignant glimpse into the life of John Grady as he recollects the loss of his only love: Abby, a Bernese Mountain Dog.

Despite the sadness that one expects when saying farewell to a cherished pet (and do bring Kleenex, there will be tears), there are many lighter, truly funny moments along the way. Mr. Grady guides the audience with expert storytelling skill on a road populated with relationships gone south, doggie yoga, community outreach and reality TV. And, as on any journey, there are complex intersections to cross (the dog or the girl?) and new roads to explore. When the saga does arrive at its inevitable destination, the audience feels every ounce of the weight and conflict as Abby's loyal owner.

Fear Factor: Canine Edition is a fantastic one-person piece that will touch everyone who sees it, regardless of whether they are a pet owner. It's well written, amazingly performed and completely genuine. It is a MUST see, in every respect.

Fear Factor: Canine Edition has no further performances currently planned for the Los Angeles area, but will begin a run at the Edmonton Fringe Festival in Alberta, Canada August 11-21. Should you find yourself in the area, tickets can be purchased here.

Arts for LA introduces SPACE FINDER

noreply@blogger.com (Melpomene) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 19:15:00 +0000

Arts for LA is excited to share this new resource, SpaceFinderLA.org. The site provides a long-awaited service for our arts and cultural community, enabling artists and organizations to seek and post information about venues countywide. Please feel free to to distribute the information below to your friends & networks.

SpaceFinderLA has arrived!

“Where can I find a good rehearsal space?”
“I need to a ‘wow’ location for our fundraiser.”
“Where can I go to record songs?

SpaceFinderLA.org is the go-to Web site that can answer these kinds of questions. There are venues all over LA County that spark and serve the creative imagination but trying to find the right one can sometimes seem impossible. SpaceFinderLA – Creative Places for Creative People – offers the ability to search by dozens of criteria and an inventory of over 300 venues and growing! This service is free for both renters and seekers!

Please take a few minutes to test drive this new resource for yourself.

If you have a space to rent, list it! It takes only a few minutes and it’s free.

If you know colleagues with spaces to rent and/or space needs, please forward this info to them.

The success of this program relies on you. If you have comments or questions about SpaceFinderLA, please contact at LA STAGE Alliance at info@lastagealliance.com or call 213.614.0556. Your feedback and comments will help to make the site stronger and more useful to the LA County arts community.