This week, our critics enjoyed composer and musical director Gregory Nabours' 90-minute musical The Trouble With Words (Coeurage Theatre Company at the Lost Studio) as well as a quartet of one-acts at the Lillian under the collective title Unscreened. This week's Pick goes to Dorothy Fortenberry's world premiere Mommune (above), which "spirits us to a not-too-distant future where women get national
maternity leave and unfit mothers sidestep prison with sentences at
minimum-security re-education centers." For all the latest New Theater Reviews, see below.
This week's Stage Feature takes a look at Nina Raine's play Tribes at the Taper, in which one of the tribe's siblings is deaf. It's a fine family drama, largely about the divide between hearing and listening, though the production raises questions about whether an opulent theater like the Taper is necessarily the best space for a gritty play like Tribes.
THE LATEST NEW REVIEWS: scheduled for publication March 14, 2013:
ALABAMA LUGGAGE The unfortunate thread of sitcom humor running through Buddy Farmer's drama about adult survivors of sexual abuse is but one of the shortcomings plaguing Alabama Baggage, a play that doesn't appear terribly troubled by the notion of narrative coherence. Late one night, titular Alabaman Lucas (Ashley McGee) travels up to a Kentucky cemetery to pay his disrespects to Hal, a recently deceased "pillar of the community." The local sheriff, Ben (Will Blagrove, doing a noteworthy job of trying to bring some grounding to a particularly disjointed character), catches him there with his pants down. His first instinct is to arrest Lucas. His second, evidently, is to spend the rest of the night struggling to hold a thin plot together through wildly unmotivated emotional swings. Theatre Asylum, 6320 Santa Monica Blvd., Hlywd.; Fri.- Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 3 p.m.; through April 14. (323) 960-7711, plays411.com/baggage, theatreasylum-la.com. (Mindy Farabee)
BELZ! THE JEWISH VAUDEVILLE MUSICAL
L to R: Andy Hirsch, Vano Kimmel, Charlie Stabile; Credit: Levon Parian
An ersatz cross between Fiddler on the Roof and Cabaret, writer and director Pavel Cerny's 1979 show enjoyed a successful 1984 run at the now defunct Callboard Theatre. But like the Callboard, the show's best days may be behind it. The story follows aspiring Jewish comedian Hugo Schwartz (Andy Hirsch) from a 1917 shtetl in Galicia (modern Ukraine) to New York. Episodes in Hugo's life are interspersed with cabaret numbers featuring Jewish shtick and songs in Yiddish, Hungarian, Czech and German, accompanied by Ait Fetterolf's live piano. Though the history provides fascinating source material and designer Travis Thi artfully costumes over 50 characters, the timeworn jokes fall flat, the songs are delivered with scant emotion and the ensemble generally lacks the chutzpah necessary to pull off vaudeville material in this jaded age. The frequent blackouts, sudden shifts from humor to pathos and back, and uncomfortably on-the-nose dialogue all limit the effectiveness of both the show's humor and its tender moments. While an older Jewish audience may appreciate the nostalgia the evening conjures, a firmer directorial hand might allow others the same experience. Whitefire Theatre, 13500 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks; Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 3 p.m.; through April 14. (800) 838-3006, brownpapertickets.com/event/276015 (Mayank Keshaviah)
THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS IDSCARIOT Just when you hope that the final nail has been driven into the coffin of the celestial courtroom drama, along comes playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis with a pry bar and this misguided exhumation from 2005. The theological paradoxes at the heart of Guirgis' wide-ranging meditation on pride, divine mercy and the possibility of redemption have all been handled far more adroitly elsewhere (i.e., Michael Tolkin's 1991 film The Rapture). Here, Guirgis employs a Purgatory criminal court (on Caley Bisson's drab set) to debate the fate in the afterlife of the play's titular Christ betrayer (Robert Walters). A prosecutor (Robert Paterno) and defense attorney (Sharon Freedman) grill an assortment of biblical characters and church fathers -- all in archly anachronistic New York City street drag. Apart from a show-stealing cameo by John Gentry as Pontius Pilate, director Patrick Riviere's muddied staging is unable to inject dramatic insight or urgency into Guirgis' tendentious excuse for a Jesuitical catechism class. Victory Theatre Center, 3326 W. Victory Blvd., Burbank; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 4 p.m.; through April 6. (800) 838-3006, brownpapertickets.com/event/314649. (Bill Raden)
PICK OF THE WEEK: MOMMUNE
Dorothy Fortenberry's world premiere, Mommune,
spirits us to a not-too-distant future where women get national
maternity leave and unfit mothers sidestep prison with sentences at
minimum-security re-education centers. Chalk Repertory Company's
site-specific approach transforms a contemporary kids learning center
into one of these cheery gulags and audience members into "pre-parents,"
shepherded through their government-mandated pre-conception counseling
requirements. The failures of these "bad mothers" are real enough;
several are ripped-from-the-headlines accounts of poor parenting. The
distrustful Charlotte (Hilary Ward) arrives at the "mommune" fresh from
her high-stakes lab research, and immediately butts heads with "momtor"
Mrs. Jensen (a regal Ursaline Bryant). Her fellow inmates -- a lesbian
Christian, a former pageant queen and a voluntary mute -- aim to rack up
enough points for "assessment" and eventual reunion with their
children, but Charlotte's antagonism and refusal to follow simple rules
challenges the intended day-spa atmosphere. The actors mine the satire
for laughs, but Larissa Kokernot's deft direction points to the
self-punishing tragedy behind the cult of mommydom. The play's steady
pacing loses focus toward the end, although Fortenberry's setup doesn't
lend itself to easy answers. The cast's engagement with the space is
ingenious, but audiences should be prepared to relocate and stand
through parts of the show. (Jenny Lower). Saturdays, Sundays, 8 p.m.
Continues through April 7, chalkrep.com. Pint Size Kids, 13323 Ventura
Blvd., Sherman Oaks, 310-339-7452, www.pintsizekids.com.
SONGS OF BILITIS
Aryiel Hartman (center) as "Bilitis"; Credit: Chelsea Sutton
French writer Pierre Louys titillated literary circles with erotic lesbian poems that he claimed were the writings of an ancient Greek courtesan. Adapted from Louys' 1891 book, this multi-media piece centers on Pierre (Christopher Rivas), a self-indulgent libertine (Louys' alter-ego?) who guzzles liquor, imbibes drugs and loves to screw his tantalizing Algerian mistress (Estela Garcia). Their sex life decelerates, however, after Pierre begins to obsess over an imaginary woman, Bilitis (Aryiel Hartman), and her carnal journey from innocent to whore. Both Rivas and Garcia are terrific as the hapless debauchee and his earthy seductress, respectively, and so long as the play loiters in Pierre's here and now, it's fun to watch. But each time Katie Polebaum's script ventures into Pierre's imagination, the production loses steam. Director Sean T. Calweti marshals some fanciful stagecraft, but it never quite coheres, nor does it compensate for a sophomoric narrative and innocuous characters. Matt Hill's fantastic videography lights up the stage; it's a feast for the eyes and deserves a better story.Rogue Artists Ensemble at Bootleg Theater, 2200 Beverly Blvd., Westlake; Fri.-Sat. 7:30 p.m.; through March 30. (213) 389-3856, bootlegtheater.org. (Deborah Klugman)
GO TRIBES Nina Raine's story of a deaf boy. Tuesdays-Fridays, 8 p.m.; Sat., March
16, 2:30 & 8 p.m.; Sun., March 17, 1 & 6:30 p.m. Continues
through April 14. Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles,
213-628-2772. See Stage Feature
GO THE TROUBLE WITH WORDS
Aimee Karlin; Credit: Laura Crow
Composer and musical director Gregory Nabours' 90-minute musical is smart, sexy, funny and heartbreaking, with 18 appealing songs (five of them new for this production). Presented as the opening number, the title tune is catchy enough to hook you in immediately. The attractive and searingly talented cast of six -- Julianne Donelle, Aimee Karlin, Jamie Mills, Chris Roque, Ryan Wagner and Robert Wallace -- sings and dances their way through a thematically connected song cycle. The show dispenses with the typical musical storyline. Rather, it adroitly explores the complexities of communication in a contemporary urban world, examining issues of isolation, romance and sexual attraction. "Gotta Get Laid" is crude and hilariously forthright, while "The Busiest Corner in Town," a song about feeling alone in a bustling city, features Karlin's heart-wrenching solo backed by pretty themes on piano, strings, flute and acoustic guitar. The six equally accomplished musicians (also onstage, and led by Nabours on piano) perform everything from tender, plaintive ballads to rock-infused numbers to jazz and tango-flavored tunes. Janet Roston's choreography is sublime. The theater company does not charge for admission -- you can pay what you wish at the end of the show. And trust me, after you see The Trouble With Words, you'll be happy to open your wallet. Coeurage Theatre Company at Lost Studio, 130 S. La Brea Ave., Hancock Park; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m.; through March 31. (323) 944-2165, coeurage.secureforce.com/ticket (Pauline Adamek)
UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS AND THE TRUE NATURE OF LOVE Canadian playwright Brad Fraser's dated dramedy about love, sex and murder among some forlorn adults is a bloodless mingling of B-movie swill, psycho thriller and soft porn. While a serial killer butchers the women of Edmonton, David (Thomas Nyman) and his roomie Candy (Sydney Davis) seek a change from their moribund love lives. David eventually falls for the naïve Kane (Gordon James Jr.), and Candy, after receiving some delightful cunnilingus, gets involved with a lesbian (Phaedra DeLeigh) and, later, a handsome bartender (Eduardo Castro). The aimless bed-jumping is complicated by David's troubled friend Bernie (Mike Hennessey) -- who has a strange habit of showing up at David's door at all hours of the night soaked in blood -- and a prostitute with psychic powers (Martina Njoku) who eventually makes a startling revelation about the identity of the killer. It's all dreadfully wearisome and mundane, the more so because of Johnny Cole's ponderous direction and mediocre cast performances. Chromolume Theatre, 5429 W. Washington Blvd., Mid-City; Fri.-Sat., 8 pm.; Sun. 2:30 p.m.; through March 17. (800) 838-3006, brownpapertickets.com/event/348075. (Lovell Estell III)
GO UNSCREENED Four writers are represented in this evening of short plays: In Laura & Sebastian, written and directed by Daria Polatin, Sebastian (Joshua Leonard), in an effort to prove he can be spontaneous, takes Laura (Brooke Bloom), whom he has just met, to his family's cabin in the woods -- but his plans go awry when he finds his randy brother (John Forest) shtupping his girlfriend, Bliss (Kelli Garner), on the dining room table. Mallory Westfall's Tree House Apocalypse, directed by Anna Christopher, deals with Alexis (Lindsay Pearce), who, amid apocalyptic events, takes refuge in her childhood tree house, only to find it occupied by a strange young man (Chris Starr). The tense Two Clean Rooms, written and directed by Will Wissler Graham, is set in the Vietnam War era and focuses on a young officer (Robert Baker) who's accused of homosexuality, and is relentlessly hounded by a fanatical, semi-psychotic interrogating officer (Nate Corddry). The funny His Girl, written by Corinne Kingsbury and directed by Colin Campbell, examines the plight of a man (a hilariously flustered Spencer Garrett) with a penchant for S&M, who arranges a tryst with a prostitute (Lindsay Kraft) who proves to be someone he knows all too well. It's hilariously cynical, despite a last-minute turn toward sentimentality. Graham's play seems a bit dated, though it's engrossing enough, while the other plays are amusing but slight. Presented by Black Sheep Management & Productions & Firefly: Theatre and Film at The Lillian Theatre, 1076 Lillian Way, Hlywd.; Sat.-Mon., 8 p.m.; through March 24. (800) 838-3006, UnscreenedLA.com (Neal Weaver)
ONGOING SHOWS IN LARGER THEATERS REGION-WIDE:
GO: The Bird House: Cherokee playwright Diane Glancy offers a sad slice of contemporary country life in a small, dusty town in West Texas. Struggling with a dwindling congregation in his (almost) ghost town, evangelical preacher Jonathan (aka Reverend Hawk, played by Choctaw actor Randy Reinholz) and his dependent sisters face eviction from their church home. Glancy crams several related themes into her play, from the bleak fate of the impoverished elderly to the cold-hearted business decisions of the church to the destruction of the environment when government sells out to developers. Glancy compares Reverend Hawk's imminent eviction with the plight of the Native Americans whose lands were taken over forcibly by white settlers. Ellen Dostal is good as Jon's older sister, Clovis, who, following a debilitating stroke, speaks to the audience directly, vividly describing her frustration. Portraying Native American cowboy Rope, Lakota actor Robert Owens-Greygrass gives a passionate and disturbingly vivid speech that illustrates the rape and poisoning of the land and its water by the fracking process. While Glancy offers few solutions for her beleaguered characters, her play stands as a heartfelt indictment of the deplorable predicament many are facing in today's tough economic climate. The play is beautifully staged and directed by Robert Caisley. (Pauline Adamek). Thursdays, Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 2 & 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues through March 17. Autry National Center, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, 323-667-2000, www.theautry.org.
Catch Me If You Can: Broadway musical based on the 2002 film about infamous con artist Frank W. Abagnale Jr. Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 2 & 8 p.m.; Sundays, 1 & 6:30 p.m. Continues through March 24. Pantages Theater, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, 800-982-2787, www.broadwayla.org.
Divorce Party: The Musical: Mark Schwartz's jukebox musical -- a sort of fun, sometimes embarrassing and frequently excruciating spectacle -- gives new lyrics (by Jay Falzone) to oldie hits. "Gay, oh: He's so gay-oh, your husband's so gay," set to "Day-O" or an exegesis on pubic-hair styles, set to the title song of the musical Hair. Based on Dr. Amy Botwinick's book Congratulations on Your Divorce: The Road to Finding Your Happily Ever After, this is a saucy, phallus-obsessed satire of all things attached to women's single life today, from pubic-hair chic to sex toys to the reframing of divorce from something associated with failure and shame to something associated with freedom and opportunity. Because our 50 percent divorce rate serves up way more failure than any society wishes to embrace, change the meaning of the D-word to something uplifting, as this musical does, and you're doing your part to end human misery -- that's the underlying philosophy here. Divorce Party: The Musical aims to be both a lampoon of social stereotypes and a confessional about getting through. (Steven Leigh Morris). Tuesdays-Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 2 & 6 p.m.; Sundays, 1 & 6:30 p.m. Continues through April 14, divorcepartythemusical.com. El Portal Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, 818-508-4200, www.elportaltheatre.com. See Stage Feature.
End of the Rainbow: Judy Garland (Tracie Bennett) prepares her latest comeback, circa 1968, in Peter Quilter's drama. Starting March 20, Tuesdays-Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 2 & 8 p.m.; Sundays, 1 & 6:30 p.m. Continues through April 21. Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, 213-628-2772, www.centertheatregroup.org.
Eurydice: Written by Sarah Ruhl, directed by Geoff Elliott. Sat., March 16, 8 p.m.; Sat., March 23, 2 & 8 p.m.; Sun., April 14, 2 & 7 p.m.; Fri., April 19, 8 p.m.; Sat., April 27, 2 & 8 p.m.; Sun., April 28, 2 p.m.; Thu., May 9, 8 p.m.; Fri., May 10, 8 p.m.; Sat., May 18, 8 p.m.; Sun., May 19, 2 p.m. A Noise Within, 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, 626-356-3100, www.anoisewithin.org.
I'll Be Back Before Midnight: The tone of Peter Colley's thriller hews closer to the telegraphed setups of a slasher film than to the psychological terror of Hitchcock. Though widely produced and even adapted into a 1992 made-for-TV movie, the script has had persistent issues throughout its history: a thin premise, vaguely sketched characters and hackneyed gags, leaving a few chilling thrills to hold the piece together. Those thrills hit the mark when they do arrive, enhanced by both the foreboding upstage space in Stephen Gifford's set and Drew Dalzell's hair-raising sound design. Playing out those thrills are Greg (Tyler Pierce, whose chiseled physique hardly suggests "bookish scientist") and his wife, Jan (Joanna Strapp, who delivers quite a blood-curdling scream), who have come to the country to repair their marriage. Their whiskey-loving neighbor, George (Ron Orbach), and Greg's incestually creepy sister, Laura (Kate Maher), drop in, and mayhem ensues. The actors are strong and have done good work around town, but their talents and Colley and David Rose's direction aren't enough to disguise the holes in the writing. (Mayank Keshaviah). Sundays, 2 p.m.; Thursdays, Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 3 & 8 p.m. Continues through March 17. Colony Theatre, 555 N. Third St., Burbank, 818-558-7000, www.colonytheatre.org.
Melancholia: Written by Latino Theater Lab, directed by Jose Luis Valenzuela. Presented by the Latino Theater Company. Starting March 16, Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m. Continues through April 6. Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, www.thelatc.org.
GO: Odysseo: Tuesdays-Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 3 & 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues through March 31, $34.50-$149.50. Under the Big Top/Downtown Burbank, 777 N. Front St., Burbank, 866-999-8111, www.cavalia.net.
One Night With Janis Joplin: Musical tribute to the rock legend, created, written and directed by Randy Johnson. Sundays, 2 & 7 p.m.; Tuesdays-Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 4 & 8 p.m. Continues through April 11. Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena, 626-356-PLAY, www.pasadenaplayhouse.org.
Red: Staged reading of John Logan's play, presented by L.A. Theatre Works. Fri., March 15, 8 p.m.; Sat., March 16, 3 & 8 p.m.; Sun., March 17, 4 & 7:30 p.m., latw.org. James Bridges Theater, 1409 Melnitz Hall, Westwood, 310-206-8365.
Shamrock-N-Roll at the Playhouse: Community concert event celebrating Saint Patrick's Day and the opening of One Night With Janis Joplin, with performances by Dread Zeppelin, Cerny Brothers, Shillaly Brothers, Aquarius, and the Cherry Boom Boom dancers. Sun., March 17, 1-10 p.m. Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena, 626-356-PLAY, www.pasadenaplayhouse.org.
Tribes:
Nina Raine's story of a deaf boy. Tuesdays-Fridays, 8 p.m.; Sat., March
16, 2:30 & 8 p.m.; Sun., March 17, 1 & 6:30 p.m. Continues
through April 14. Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles,
213-628-2772. See Stage Feature
ONGOING SHOWS IN SMALLER THEATERS SITUATED IN HOLLYWOOD, WEST HOLLYWOOD AND THE DOWNTOWN AREAS:
The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs:
There are several moments late in Alex Lyras' fascinating performance
of Mike Daisey's controversial monologue when Lyras drops the mask of
his nameless, first-person investigative narrator and directly pleads
for the evening's truth claims as Alex Lyras, actor. The asides are as
tantalizing as they are telling. Because experiencing Lyras and director
Robert McCaskill's staging of Daisey's Michael Moore-esque mix of
polemics and sardonic reportage is to feel weirdly double-distanced from
the actuality of its subject -- the harshly impoverished working
conditions of Apple's Chinese iPhone and iPad plants. Despite Lyras'
persuasive delivery, the show never quite shakes the penumbra of
question marks raised by Daisey's own admitted fabrications of his
reporting trip to China (said material since excised). The force of each
incendiary revelation and Tim Arnold's accompanying photojournalistic
video projections somehow feels diminished unaccompanied by a
fact-checking footnote that goes beyond the piece's now bitterly ironic
emotive linchpin, Lyras as Daisey declaring, "Trust me! I was there."
(Bill Raden). Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Continues through April 10,
800-838-3006, agonyecstasy.brownpapertickets.com. Theatre Asylum, 6320
Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, www.theatreasylum-la.com.
Alabama Baggage:
The unfortunate thread of sitcom humor running through Buddy Farmer's
drama about adult survivors of sexual abuse is but one of the
shortcomings plaguing Alabama Baggage, a play that doesn't appear
terribly troubled by the notion of narrative coherence. Late one night,
titular Alabaman Lucas (Ashley McGee) travels up to a Kentucky cemetery
to pay his disrespects to Hal, a recently deceased "pillar of the
community." The local sheriff, Ben (Will Blagrove, doing a noteworthy
job of trying to bring some grounding to a particularly disjointed
character), catches him there with his pants down. His first instinct is
to arrest Lucas. His second, evidently, is to spend the rest of the
night struggling to hold a thin plot together through wildly unmotivated
emotional swings. (Mindy Farabee). Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays,
3 p.m. Continues through April 14, 323-960-7711, plays411.com/baggage.
Theatre Asylum, 6320 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles,
GO: Complete:
Playwright Andrea Kuchlewska combines unlikely ingredients in her
comedy: an est-like training program for self-realization, the
art/science of linguistics and a stormy love affair involving a pair of
obsessive linguists. Eve (Meredith Bishop) and Micah (Scott Kruse) may
be experts in the arts of language, but that doesn't mean they can
communicate. He has been trying for ages to tell her that he loves her,
but she refuses to acknowledge that anything but love of language unites
them -- and she never stops talking. In desperation, he signs up for a
course with "take control of your life" guru Jack (Scott Victor Nelson)
in the hopes that it will enable him to confess his love. But Eve has an
intense love-hate relationship with the program, so it becomes one more
obstacle. Also present is a little girl named Evie (Tess Oswalt), who
may or may not be a childhood incarnation of Eve. The play is always
interesting and fun to watch, and director Jennifer Chambers keeps the
comedy in the forefront, but the insistently nonlinear structure
sometimes proves distracting. Credibility also is an issue. Eve is such a
fanatic, intellectual bully and egocentric blabbermouth that one
wonders why Micah bothers. (Neal Weaver). Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.;
Sundays, 2 & 7 p.m. Continues through March 23,
plays411.com/complete. Matrix Theatre, 7657 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles,
323-852-1445, www.matrixtheatre.com.
Dirty Filthy Love Story: There are two stars in Rob Mersola's new comedy, Dirty Filthy Love Story.
The first is David Mauer and Hazel Kuang's set. In a coup de theatre,
the entire back wall of what looks like a cardboard-cutout living room
drops forward and slams to the ground, revealing the home to be the
garbage-bag, stacked-boxes and strewn-clothes rat's nest of the play's
hoarder-protagonist, Ashley (Jennifer Pollono). The other star is Joshua
Bitton's understated performance as the mentally challenged garbage man
Hal, hired by Ashley's next-door neighbor Benny (Burl Moseley) to clean
the trash from her side yard so he can sell his home. The sexually
charged romance between Hal and Ashley grows increasingly macabre,
homicidal and strained, and the play's main joke really turns on the
passionate, nihilistic attraction between them. Pollono and Moseley were
too screechy at the performance reviewed, under Elina de Santos'
absorbing, sitcom-style direction. And I couldn't understand why, in one
scene, Benny would fail to defend himself against the lovers, who have
targeted him for death. After all, they've already struck him with a
frying pan that's now sitting in front of him on the couch. But when he
regains consciousness, rather than pick up the weapon, he merely rants
about his plight. Such details can be worked out. This is a world
premiere, after all. Mainly, though, the play is about its premise and
nothing more. With transitional songs referring to a world under siege
by garbage, this is a work that could actually be about something.
Either it needs to be as thin as farce, or reconsidered more deeply.
(Steven Leigh Morris). Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 8 & 10 p.m.;
Sundays, 7 p.m. Continues through March 24. Skylight Theater, 1816 1/2
N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, 323-666-2202.
Don Juan:
It's difficult to imagine the infamous seducer of women as a
swashbuckling Southern gentleman, but director Steven Sabel has pulled
it off somewhat, in an adaptation that's not without problems. With a
nod to Molière's untidy rendition of the story, Sabel sets the action of
the play in the antebellum South (the erratic regional accents and a
prominently displayed Confederate flag are the only indicators of this),
with Dustin Lovell doing the honors as Don Juan. Upon returning to the
town where his beloved Donna Elvire (a fine performance by Michelle
Farivar) lives, the honey-tongued scoundrel is targeted for revenge by
Donna's brothers (Doug Mattingly, Neil Miller) and woos the lovely
Mathurine (Lila Bassior) and Charlotte (Mamie Wilhelm), both of whom he
plans to marry. It gets laughs intermittently, but the physical comedy
is overworked, the performances are glaringly uneven and Sabel's script
is sluggish and overwritten. (Lovell Estell III). Fridays, Saturdays, 8
p.m. Continues through March 16. Archway Studio/Theatre, 305 S. Hewitt
St., Los Angeles, 213-237-9933, www.archwayla.com.
Dreamgirls:
Presented by Doma Theatre Company. Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays,
3 p.m. Continues through April 14, domatheatre.com. The Met Theatre,
1089 N. Oxford Ave., Los Angeles, 323-957-1152, www.themettheatre.com.
GO: A Family Thing:
The screwed-up clan on display in Gary Lennon's densely bleak comedy
gives new resonance to Tolstoy's renowned adage about how every unhappy
family is unhappy in its own way. Turmoil and pain are woven into the
DNA of the three Burns brothers of Hell's Kitchen. The oldest, Frank
(Saverio Guerra), is a coke addict with a volcanic temper, no job and a
wife (Andrea Grano) he despises. Baby brother Sean (Sean Wing) is a gay
TV writer, who is first seen preparing to commit suicide off the
Brooklyn Bridge; he's stopped by a passerby (Darryl Stephens), who later
becomes his lover. Just out of prison, Jim (Johnny Messner), a hulky,
tattooed mass of bully-boy attitude and wrath, has vowed to kill Sean
because he's gay and Frank because he thinks he snitched him out to the
cops. Working it out is what this bunch is ultimately forced to do and,
notwithstanding the unpleasant circumstances, it's a load of laughs to
watch. Lennon can write funny; he is also a virtuoso of gritty,
in-your-face dialogue, and his well-crafted script gives PC niceties the
heave-ho. These are engaging, splendidly flawed characters, and the
cast turn in vigorous, entertaining performances under Chris Fields'
savvy direction. (Lovell Estell III). Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.;
Sundays, 7 p.m. Continues through March 17, 877-369-9112,
EchoTheaterCompany.com. Stage 52 Theatre, 5299 W. Washington Blvd., Los
Angeles.
GO: Hattie ... What I Need You to Know:
Before there was a Sidney Poitier, a Denzel Washington, a Morgan
Freeman or a Halle Berry, there was Hattie McDaniel. In the engaging
bio-musical Hattie ... What I Need to Know, Vickilyn Reynolds
honors the life of this extraordinary entertainer, who in 1940 became
the first African-American to win an Oscar with her performance as Mammy
in Gone With the Wind. Fittingly, the show opens with a video of
that historic evening, after which Reynolds (who bears a noticeable
resemblance to McDaniel) appears onstage and, for two hours, does a
beguiling job of bringing McDaniel to life. Reynolds' script covers a
lot of ground and could use some tightening, and at times her loose,
conversational style distracts and meanders. Still, she and director
Byron Nora succeed in making McDaniel's story an entertaining
experience, recounting her early days singing in a gospel choir;
difficulties with her overprotective parents; a string of unhappy
marriages; struggles with racism in and outside of Hollywood; and her
slow, determined rise to success, which ultimately placed her in the
friendly company of stars like Clark Gable, Mae West, Bing Crosby and
Marlene Dietrich. As interesting as this all is, the real payoff is
hearing Reynolds sing the selection of jazz, blues and gospel songs with
commanding artistry and passion. Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3
p.m. Continues through April 14, 323-960-5774. Hudson Backstage
Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, 323-856-4252, www.hudsontheatre.com.
Sketches From the National Lampoon:
After a rocky couple of decades -- its most recent CEO was sentenced to
50 years for fraud in December, long before the former gold standard of
comedy pimped out its brand with lowbrow gross-outs (see: Van Wilder)
-- the company is angling, yet again, for a comeback. Founder Matty
Simmons has returned as producer, with a documentary, Broadway musical
and other projects in development. But this talent-packed revival of
stage and radio sketches directed by Pat Towne only awakens nostalgia
for when NL was still cutting-edge, and not for the stale humor itself.
Painfully patched over with shiny new references to Justin Bieber and
Lady Gaga, the bits take aim at targets that were exposed, if not
thoroughly dismantled, long ago. Grandma fetishes and swinger wives
barely register in our Dan Savage age. The talent onstage probably could
power a weekly show at the Upright Citizens Brigade, but as for the
material, the times, they have a-changed. (Jenny Lower).
Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 & 7 p.m. Continues through
March 17, 323-337-1546, nationallampoon.com. Hayworth Theatre, 2511
Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, www.thehayworth.com.
How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse:
It would take a cultural philosopher to adequately explain why zombies
have so profoundly resonated with audiences at this historical moment.
One does not, however, need to be a Gilles Deleuze to understand its
baroque potential for satire. Which is to say that anyone with even a
passing acquaintance with the genre rules laid down by George Romero
will find a lot to like in director Patrick Bristow's amiable,
Americanized version of this improv-derived British fringe import by Ben
Muir, Jess Napthine, David Ash and Lee Cooper. Bristow is zombiologist
Dr. Bobert Dougash. Jayne Entwistle, Mario Vernazza and Chris Sheets are
his seminar's panel of conspicuously underqualified experts, who take
very seriously the ludicrous prospect of surviving a fictional,
species-exterminating epidemic. Bristow expertly leads the crew through
some clever wordplay routines worthy of Abbott & Costello, padded
out with some genial barbs directed at audience targets of opportunity.
(Bill Raden). Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 7 p.m. Continues through April
27, combinedartform.com. Theatre Asylum, 6320 Santa Monica Blvd., Los
Angeles, 323-962-1632, www.theatreasylum-la.com.
I Wanna Be Loved: Stories of Dinah Washington, Queen of the Blues: Barbara Morrison is
Dinah Washington! Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 4 p.m. Continues
through March 31. Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center, 4305 Degnan
Blvd. Ste. 101, Los Angeles, 323-296-2272, www.barbaramorrisonpac.com.
PICK OF THE WEEK: Mommune: Dorothy Fortenberry's world premiere, Mommune,
spirits us to a not-too-distant future where women get national
maternity leave and unfit mothers sidestep prison with sentences at
minimum-security re-education centers. Chalk Repertory Company's
site-specific approach transforms a contemporary kids learning center
into one of these cheery gulags and audience members into "pre-parents,"
shepherded through their government-mandated pre-conception counseling
requirements. The failures of these "bad mothers" are real enough;
several are ripped-from-the-headlines accounts of poor parenting. The
distrustful Charlotte (Hilary Ward) arrives at the "mommune" fresh from
her high-stakes lab research, and immediately butts heads with "momtor"
Mrs. Jensen (a regal Ursaline Bryant). Her fellow inmates -- a lesbian
Christian, a former pageant queen and a voluntary mute -- aim to rack up
enough points for "assessment" and eventual reunion with their
children, but Charlotte's antagonism and refusal to follow simple rules
challenges the intended day-spa atmosphere. The actors mine the satire
for laughs, but Larissa Kokernot's deft direction points to the
self-punishing tragedy behind the cult of mommydom. The play's steady
pacing loses focus toward the end, although Fortenberry's setup doesn't
lend itself to easy answers. The cast's engagement with the space is
ingenious, but audiences should be prepared to relocate and stand
through parts of the show. (Jenny Lower). Saturdays, Sundays, 8 p.m.
Continues through April 7, chalkrep.com. Pint Size Kids, 13323 Ventura
Blvd., Sherman Oaks, 310-339-7452, www.pintsizekids.com.
Oh, Yes She Did! From Slave-Ship to Space-Ship: Black Women Pioneers of America:
Writer-performer Sandy Brown pays passionate homage to eight famous
African-American women in an energetic solo performance that would
benefit from the input of an experienced director. Carefully researched,
and aptly costumed for each period, her dramatic renditions inform us
about 18th-century poet Phillis Wheatley, Underground Railroad conductor
Harriet Tubman, civil rights activist Rosa Parks and acclaimed cabaret
entertainer Josephine Baker, among others. Brown sings and dances well
and delivers her lines with presence. But the end result can be
characterized as detailed impersonations of historical figures rather
than emotionally in-depth portrayals with the feel of authenticity. The
most successful segment is her depiction of soul singer Billie Holiday, a
hard-luck individual who criticized the status quo and was incarcerated
for drug use. Brown's focused monologue, and her singing, nab the
essence of this woman's torment. With its song-and-dance numbers, her
take on Baker also entertains. (Deborah Klugman). Saturdays, 2 &
7:30 p.m.; Sundays, 2 & 6:30 p.m.; Thursdays, Fridays, 7:30 p.m.
Continues through March 24. Theatre/Theater, 5041 W. Pico Blvd., Los
Angeles, 323-422-6361, www.theatretheater.net.
On the Spectrum:
Ken LaZebnik's "not your (neuro)typical love story." Starting March 16,
Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues through April
28. Fountain Theatre, 5060 Fountain Ave., Los Angeles, 323-663-1525,
Orange Flower Water:
Craig Wright's adultery drama. Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays, 8 p.m.
Continues through April 20. Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre And Acting
Conservatory, 5636 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, 323-463-7378,
Round Rock:
Written and directed by Aaron Kozak, produced by Theatre Unleashed.
Starting March 21, Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m. Continues through April
27. Studio Stage, 520 N. Western Ave., Los Angeles, 323-463-3900,
GO: Sexsting:
Playwright Doris Baizley consulted with defense attorney Anne Raffanti
before writing this revealing one-act about a law-enforcement officer
who realizes that the man he wants to entrap is not that different from
himself. Estranged from his family, stressed-out FBI agent Richard Roe
(Gregory Itzin) labors on a sting operation, visiting online chat rooms
and posing as a young girl to provoke the interest of possible sex
offenders. His latest assignment targets none-too-bright, middle-aged
John (JD Cullum), who likes fishing and country music and whose marital
sex life has stalled. But while John nurtures baneful fantasies about
young teens, he does exercise self-control, trying hard to stay "just
friends" with (he believes) the young female person he's met online. At
his superior's insistence, however, Richard continues to entice John
with revealing photos and pleas for them to meet -- all so the FBI can
score an arrest. Baizley's setup is somewhat simplistic, but Itzin is
riveting as a scrupulous man forced to act against his conscience.
Cullum communicates smarminess and vulnerability, but his demeanor
suggests he's talking to someone directly rather than communicating by
email -- a fine point but one that nonetheless diminishes his
credibility. Jim Holmes directs. (Deborah Klugman). Fridays, Saturdays, 8
p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Continues through April 14, 702-582-8587,
katselastheatre.com. Skylight Theater, 1816 1/2 N. Vermont Ave., Los
Angeles.
Something to Crow About:
The Bob Baker Marionettes' musical "Day on the Farm." Saturdays,
Sundays, 2:30 p.m.; Tuesdays-Fridays, 10:30 a.m. Bob Baker Marionette
Theater, 1345 W. First St., Los Angeles, 213-250-9995,
Songs of Bilitis:
French writer Pierre Louys titillated literary circles with erotic
lesbian poems that he claimed were the writings of an ancient Greek
courtesan. Adapted from Louys' 1891 book, this multimedia piece centers
on Pierre (Christopher Rivas), a self-indulgent libertine (Louys'
alter-ego?) who guzzles liquor, imbibes drugs and loves to screw his
tantalizing Algerian mistress (Estela Garcia). Their sex life
decelerates, however, after Pierre begins to obsess over an imaginary
woman, Bilitis (Aryiel Hartman), and her carnal journey from innocent to
whore. Both Rivas and Garcia are terrific as the hapless debauchee and
his earthy seductress, respectively, and so long as the play loiters in
Pierre's here and now, it's fun to watch. But each time Katie Polebaum's
script ventures into Pierre's imagination, the production loses steam.
Director Sean T. Calweti marshals some fanciful stagecraft, but it never
quite coheres, nor does it compensate for a sophomoric narrative and
innocuous characters. Matt Hill's fantastic videography lights up the
stage; it's a feast for the eyes and deserves a better story. (Deborah
Klugman). Fridays, Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. Continues through March 30.
Bootleg Theater, 2200 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, 213-389-3856,
Southern Gothic Novel: The Aberdeen Mississippi Sex-Slave Incident:
Carson McCullers wrote that the essence of the Southern Gothic is a
"fusion of anguish and farce that acts on the reader with an almost
physical force." McCullers, of course, meant "high" Southern Gothic.
This 17-character, late-night literary burlesque by solo
performer/writer Frank Blocker aims somewhat lower. Any anguish here
stems from the risibly purpled prose of the apocryphal potboiler he
enacts, a heavy-breathing Dixie whodunit straight off the checkout of a
Piggly Wiggly called The Reigns of Aberdeen. Its farcicality has
less to do with its hackneyed plot or ludicrous caricature of small-town
Mississippi than it does with the sheer physical dexterity of Blocker's
quick-change characterizations. And though the satire tends to err on
the side of the overly broad, whenever Blocker zeroes in on his target
-- such as his "June Bug" chapter's incisively funny, extended parody of
Steinbeckian portentousness --- the results are priceless. (Bill
Raden). Fridays, Saturdays, 11 p.m. Continues through March 30,
thevisceralcompany.com. Underground Theatre, 1312-1314 N. Wilton Place,
Los Angeles, 323-251-1154, www.undergroundtheater.com.
Sunday Night Solo Series: February 10: Lee Meriwether in The Women of Spoon River; February 17: Jim Beaver in Sidekick; Kres Mersky in Isadora Duncan: A Unique Recital; Abbott Alexander in The Nameless One; Dina Morrone in The Italian in Me; Anthony Gruppuso in The Face Behind the Face, Behind the Face; April 7: Steve Nevil in As Always, Jimmy Stewart.
Sun., March 17, 7:30 p.m.; Sun., March 24, 7:30 p.m.; Sun., April 7,
7:30 p.m. Theatre West, 3333 Cahuenga Blvd. W., Los Angeles,
323-851-7977, www.theatrewest.org.
Tender Napalm:
Written by Philip Ridley, directed by Edward Edwards. Fridays,
Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues through March 31,
tendernapalm.com. Six 01 Studio, 601 S. Anderson St., Los Angeles.
Terminator Too Judgment Play: Interactive sci-fi spoof, from the folks who brought you Point Break Live!.
Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. Continues through March 30,
brownpapertickets.com/event/306759. Dragonfly, 6510 Santa Monica Blvd.,
Los Angeles, 323-466-6111, www.thedragonfly.com.
To Be Young, Gifted and Black:
Robert Nemiroff has taken some excerpts from diaries, political
speeches and letters written by his former wife, Lorraine Hansberry, and
combined them with scenes from her plays to assemble a sketch of the
life, work and intelligence of this important and idealistic American
playwright. To Be Young, Gifted and Black, however, is not a
play. Rather, it is a series of staged monologues and duologues, with
the cast of eight each taking their turn in a spotlight on simple
risers. The subject matter is worthy and intellectual, and some of the
excerpts are impassioned and impactful. It's largely serious with a few
comedic observations sprinkled throughout, yet the staging and general
tone of the evening are dull and slow. Additionally, ill-timed and
sluggish lighting cues, along with perplexingly random sound effects,
drag the show's length to two and a half hours. The cast all give fine
if restrained performances, with some singing beautifully. Greyson
Chadwick shines in a handful of dramatic and emotional scenes. (Pauline
Adamek). Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2:30 p.m.; Sat., March 16,
2:30 p.m. Continues through March 17. Actors Co-op, 1760 N. Gower St.,
Los Angeles, 323-462-8460, www.actorsco-op.org.
Trainspotting:
Irvine Welsh's novel, adapted for the stage by Harry Gibson. Fridays,
Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Continues through April 13,
323-960-7785, plays411.com/trainspotting. Elephant Stages, 6322 Santa
Monica Blvd., Los Angeles.
Tomorrow:
Skylight Theatre Company, Rogue Machine, and York Theatre Royal present
Donald Freed's new play. Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m.
Continues through April 21, 702-582-8587, ktcla.com. Skylight Theater,
1816 1/2 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles.
GO: The Trouble With Words:
Composer and musical director Gregory Nabours' 90-minute musical is
smart, sexy, funny and heartbreaking, with 18 appealing songs (five of
them new for this production). Presented as the opening number, the
title tune is catchy enough to hook you in immediately. The attractive
and searingly talented cast of six -- Julianne Donelle, Aimee Karlin,
Jamie Mills, Chris Roque, Ryan Wagner and Robert Wallace -- sings and
dances their way through a thematically connected song cycle. The show
dispenses with the typical musical storyline. Rather, it adroitly
explores the complexities of communication in a contemporary urban
world, examining issues of isolation, romance and sexual attraction.
"Gotta Get Laid" is crude and hilariously forthright, while "The Busiest
Corner in Town," a song about feeling alone in a bustling city,
features Karlin's heart-wrenching solo backed by pretty themes on piano,
strings, flute and acoustic guitar. The six equally accomplished
musicians (also onstage, and led by Nabours on piano) perform everything
from tender, plaintive ballads to rock-infused numbers to jazz and
tango-flavored tunes. Janet Royston's choreography is sublime. The
theater company does not charge for admission -- you can pay what you
wish at the end of the show. And trust me, after you see The Trouble With Words,
you'll be happy to open your wallet. (Pauline Adamek). Fridays,
Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Continues through March 31,
323-944-2165. Lost Studio, 130 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles.
Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love:
Canadian playwright Brad Fraser's dated dramedy about love, sex and
murder among some forlorn adults is a bloodless mingling of B-movie
swill, psycho thriller and soft porn. While a serial killer butchers the
women of Edmonton, David (Thomas Nyman) and his roomie Candy (Sydney
Davis) seek a change from their moribund love lives. David eventually
falls for the naïve Kane (Gordon James Jr.), and Candy, after receiving
some delightful cunnilingus, gets involved with a lesbian (Phaedra
DeLeigh) and, later, a handsome bartender (Eduardo Castro). The aimless
bed-jumping is complicated by David's troubled friend Bernie (Mike
Hennessey) -- who has a strange habit of showing up at David's door at
all hours of the night soaked in blood -- and a prostitute with psychic
powers (Martina Njoku) who eventually makes a startling revelation about
the identity of the killer. It's all dreadfully wearisome and mundane,
the more so because of Johnny Cole's ponderous direction and mediocre
cast performances. (Lovell Estell III). Fri., March 15, 8 p.m.; Sat.,
March 16, 8 p.m.; Sun., March 17, 2:30 p.m., 800-838-3006. Chromolume
Theatre, 5429 W. Washington Blvd., Los Angeles,
www.chromolume-theatre.com.
GO: Unscreened: Four writers are represented in this evening of short plays: In Laura & Sebastian,
written and directed by Daria Polatin, Sebastian (Joshua Leonard), in
an effort to prove he can be spontaneous, takes Laura (Brooke Bloom),
whom he has just met, to his family's cabin in the woods -- but his
plans go awry when he finds his randy brother (John Forest) shtupping
his girlfriend, Bliss (Kelli Garner), on the dining room table. Mallory
Westfall's Tree House Apocalypse, directed by Anna Christopher,
deals with Alexis (Lindsay Pearce), who, amid apocalyptic events, takes
refuge in her childhood tree house, only to find it occupied by a
strange young man (Chris Starr). The tense Two Clean Rooms,
written and directed by Will Wissler Graham, is set in the Vietnam War
era and focuses on a young officer (Robert Baker) who's accused of
homosexuality, and is relentlessly hounded by a fanatical,
semi-psychotic interrogating officer (Nate Corddry). The funny His Girl,
written by Corinne Kingsbury and directed by Colin Campbell, examines
the plight of a man (a hilariously flustered Spencer Garrett) with a
penchant for S&M, who arranges a tryst with a prostitute (Lindsay
Kraft) who proves to be someone he knows all too well. It's hilariously
cynical, despite a last-minute turn toward sentimentality. Graham's play
seems a bit dated, though it's engrossing enough, while the other plays
are amusing but slight. (Neal Weaver). Mondays, Saturdays, Sundays, 8
p.m. Continues through March 24, 800-838-3006, unscreenedla.com.
Elephant Stages, Lillian Theatre, 1076 Lillian Way, Los Angeles.
Valentine's Triage:
Frank Strausser's Valentine's Day play set in an emergency room.
Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 2 & 8 p.m. Continues through March 31,
TheBlank.com. The Blank Theatre, 6500 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles,
323-661-9827, www.theblank.com.
Veronica's Room: This 1973 thriller by Ira Levin is less well known than his play Deathtrap,
and methinks for good reason. An elderly couple (Karen Kahler, Patrick
Skelton) invites a youthful one (Amelia Gotham, Mark Souza) to an old
mansion where the former worked as servants for decades. Seeming kindly,
they have a strange request: for the girl, Susan, to pose as the
much-loved, long-dead sister of their cancer-ridden employer, so the old
woman can die happy. Susan naively agrees and soon is propelled into a
terrifying nightmare and fears for her life. Camped up, the ludicrous
scenario might play well; otherwise, only masterful performances all
around could make its silliness palatable. Director Dan Spurgeon deftly
coordinates the action within the tiny proscenium, but the ensemble is
mired in the melodrama. Production values are appropriate except for
Susan's hairdo, which is way too modern for the period. (Deborah
Klugman). Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m. Continues through March 30,
thevisceralcompany.com. Underground Theatre, 1312-1314 N. Wilton Place,
Los Angeles, 323-251-1154, www.undergroundtheater.com.
GO: Walking the Tightrope:
Given that so many examples of children's theater are simply appalling
-- the equivalent of Muffin the Puppet singing "Sharing Is Caring and
Obey your Parents" or some such rubbish -- what a pleasure it is to see a
work, aimed at a young audience, that possesses both intellectual heft
and genuinely involving emotion. Playwright Mike Kenny's drama Walking the Tightrope
is about grief, but the handling of the subject is deft and nuanced,
while also being told from a child's point of view. The play takes place
in a British seaside town, circa 1950s, as little girl Esme (a
beautifully gamine but not obnoxious Paige Lindsay White) arrives for
her annual visit to her grandparents. She discovers that her grandmother
is nowhere to be found and her sad grandfather (Mark Bramhall) fibs
that she has gone to join the circus, a lie that Esme quickly realizes
is meant to keep the old man from accepting the truth himself about his
wife's passing. Richly evocative, director Debbie Devine's heartfelt
production is touching and truthful without descending into mawkish
sentimentality. Bramhall's crusty, grieving granddad and White's
thoughtfully perky Esme are great together. Tony Duran also delivers a
standout turn, as the ghostly presence of the grandmother's spirit.
(Paul Birchall). Saturdays, 2 & 7:30 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues
through March 30. 24th Street Theater, 1117 W. 24th St., Los Angeles,
213-745-6516, www.24thstreet.org.
GO: What May Fall: In Peter Gil-Sheridan's thought-provoking drama What May Fall,
a man plummets to his death from a Minnesota skyscraper. It's a
terrible event (particularly for the poor fellow), but the random
incident becomes the inciting incident for a meditation on how death
affects us all. Death, of course, is everywhere and can happen anytime
-- but our reaction to it is often unpredictable. For uptight business
executive Mack (Nicholas S. Williams), the man's death forces him to
confront the desire of his pregnant schoolteacher wife, Jo (Alana
Dietze), to abort their possibly disabled child. For Mack's executive
assistant, Mercy (a delightfully nebbishy Christopher Neiman), the death
provides the impetus to take control over the art he wants to create.
And for Arthur (Brad C. Light), a window washer who was the closest
witness to the accident, the death throws up a mix of survivor's guilt
and terror over the randomness of mortality. Gil-Sheridan's crisp
dialogue-driven characters are interconnected in ways that may seem a
tad coincidental, but director Mary Jo DuPrey's intimate staging
artfully brings to mind the mood of ensemble films by Robert Altman.
Performers subtly craft characters grappling with flaws, who change
following the death -- and often not in the way one expects.
Particularly effective turns are offered by Williams as an engagingly
uptight (and somewhat tortured) business executive, by Neiman as a
frustrated and bitter assistant and by Dietze as a brittle wife. (Paul
Birchall). Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Continues
through March 23, $25, brownpapertickets.com/event/328606. Theatre of
NOTE, 1517 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles, 323-856-8611,
Wolves:
Steve Yockey's psychological drama. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.;
Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues through May 5. Celebration Theatre, 7051-B
Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, 323-957-1884,
ONGOING SHOWS IN SMALLER THEATERS SITUATED IN THE VALLEYS:
The Baby Project:
Book by Lori Jaroslow, music by Fonda Feingold and Noriko Olling,
lyrics by Fonda Feingold and Lori Jaroslow. Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.;
Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues through March 17, roadtheatre.org. NoHo Senior
Arts Colony, 10747 Magnolia Blvd., Los Angeles.
Belz! The Jewish Vaudeville Musical: An ersatz cross between Fiddler on the Roof and Cabaret,
writer and director Pavel Cerny's 1979 show enjoyed a successful 1984
run at the now defunct Callboard Theatre. But like the Callboard, the
show's best days may be behind it. The story follows aspiring Jewish
comedian Hugo Schwartz (Andy Hirsch) from a 1917 shtetl in Galicia
(modern Ukraine) to New York. Episodes in Hugo's life are interspersed
with cabaret numbers featuring Jewish shtick and songs in Yiddish,
Hungarian, Czech and German, accompanied by Ait Fetterolf's live piano.
Though the history provides fascinating source material and designer
Travis Thi artfully costumes over 50 characters, the timeworn jokes fall
flat, the songs are delivered with scant emotion and the ensemble
generally lacks the chutzpah necessary to pull off vaudeville material
in this jaded age. The frequent blackouts, sudden shifts from humor to
pathos and back, and uncomfortably on-the-nose dialogue all limit the
effectiveness of both the show's humor and its tender moments. While an
older Jewish audience may appreciate the nostalgia the evening conjures,
a firmer directorial hand might allow others the same experience.
(Mayank Keshaviah). Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m.
Continues through April 14, brownpapertickets.com/event/276015.
Whitefire Theater, 13500 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, 818-990-2324,
www.whitefiretheatre.com.
Benched:
Richard Broadhurst's play about a depressed elderly man rescued from
the brink of suicide by a solicitous angel of death strives to be wise
and poignant but comes off as sappy and conventional. Planning to poison
himself while sitting on his favorite park bench, Max (Eddie Jones)
gets rattled when he finds it occupied by a laid-back guy named Randall
(John Towey), who refuses to move. The two cross verbal swords, after
which Randall reveals his celestial status and launches a campaign to
persuade Max to live out his natural lifespan. The plot meanders through
a series of capricious coincidences that undercut the story's internal
logic. Meanwhile, details about Max's life and what has driven him to
this desperate point are sparse, so the performers must fill in the
gaps. Jones is disappointingly one-note in displaying anger and
depression, while Towey has yet to develop an interesting persona. Anita
Khanzadian directs. (Deborah Klugman). Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.;
Sundays, 3 p.m. Continues through March 24, interactla.org. Avery
Schreiber Theater, 11050 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood, 818-766-9100.
Coming to America: Transformations:
Written and performed by Stephanie Satie. Sun., March 17, 3 p.m.; Mon.,
March 18, 7 p.m., 866-811-4111. Fremont Centre Theatre, 1000 Fremont
Ave., South Pasadena, www.fremontcentretheatre.com.
Company:
Stephen Sondheim composed the lyrics and score to his innovative
"concept musical" in 1970, with book by George Furth. For a comedy
musical about love, it proves resolutely unromantic and honest. And,
surprisingly, its acerbic wit and laserlike scrutiny of marriage, dating
and relationships does not feel at all dated. Director Albert Marr's
incorporation of cellphones and Facebook effortlessly adds a
contemporary feel. The loose story centers on Robert (a charismatic Ben
Rovner), a handsome, single, mid-30s New Yorker surrounded by
well-meaning but smug married friends. Their cheerful efforts to push
him toward joining their club are undermined by their conjugal lives,
which are fundamentally flawed or dysfunctional. The ensemble's vocal
skills are good but not stellar, though Julie Black sings brilliantly as
funky girlfriend Marta. Also impressive is musical director William A.
Reilly's furious piano and synth live accompaniment. Despite some
appealing performances, this company's average Company barely
matches Sondheim's marvelous material. (Pauline Adamek).
Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m. Continues through March 30,
crowncitytheatre.com. Crown City Theatre, 11031 Camarillo St., North
Hollywood, 818-605-5685, www.crowncitytheatre.com.
Doctor, Doctor!:
Writer-director Randall Gray recklessly defies all the rules of
dramaturgy -- and not in a good way. He sets his play in a combined
medical practice that features a psychiatrist and former Nazi torturer
(Mark Colbenson), his seemingly psychotic secretary (Wendy Rostker), a
surgeon who faints at the sight of blood (Rick Lee), a dementedly
sadistic dentist (manic Jon Christie) and a song-belting secretary who
wins the lottery (Sara Jane Williams). The plot, such as it is, is a
series of tenuously related incidents. Gray has turned the piece into a
pseudo-musical by inserting, seemingly at random, some current hits and
old chestnuts, including "I Will Survive," "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best
Friend" and "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha, Ha!" The mostly young
and dedicated cast give their all to overcome inept script and
direction. But ultimately it's just bad community theater. (Neal
Weaver). Fridays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m.; Saturdays, 1 & 8 p.m.
Continues through March 24. Stages of Gray, 299 N. Altadena Drive,
Pasadena, www.stagesofgray.com.
Giving Up Is Hard to Do:
The best moments in Annie Abbott's one-woman show center on the
intimate and raw details surrounding her mastectomy and subsequent
decision to forgo reconstructive surgery. Her tempered grief, and her
insecurity as she later dives, one-breasted, into the online dating
pool, create sharply funny and poignant scenes, which later include
breaking into acting, the sudden death of her lumberjack-sized husband
and her older daughter's epileptic seizures. Abbott is a likable
storyteller who never lapses into self-pity, but she ventures into a
market glutted with one-person shows. The presentation -- combining an
unclear framing device, an oddly artificial present-tense narrative and
overly animated staging, directed by Joel Zwick (My Big Fat Greek Wedding)
-- at times feels forced. For a cozy chat over a cup of coffee, I can
think of few better companions than Abbott, but this show may find
limited appeal. (Jenny Lower). Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 4
p.m. Continues through March 17. Victory Theatre Center, 3326 W. Victory
Blvd., Burbank, 818-841-4404, www.thevictorytheatrecenter.org.
Golden Girls Live: An All Male Parody: Performed at a gay bar, this show is ideal for people who are ardent fans of sitcom The Golden Girls
-- and who also may have had a few drinks. Four male performers in drag
enact a "lost episode" in which Dorothy's husband has died and the
three other Girls fly in from Miami to lend her support. On one recent
evening, a few performers were slow on their lines. While the riffs and
gags didn't seem especially funny, the audience laughed heartily.
(Deborah Klugman). Thursdays, Fridays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues
through March 17. Oil Can Harry's, 11502 Ventura Blvd., Studio City,
818-760-9749, www.oilcanharrysla.com.
Mrs. Warren's Profession:
George Bernard Shaw's 1893 classic. Thursdays, Fridays, 8 p.m.;
Saturdays, 2 & 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues through April 21.
The Antaeus Company and Antaeus Academy, 5112 Lankershim Blvd., North
Hollywood.
My Big Gay Italian Wedding:
Italian gay boy Anthony (Nick Losorelli) finally gets up the nerve to
propose to his hunky, Polish boyfriend, Andrew (Josh Saleh), and tell
his conservative parents, Angela (Mary Cavaliere) and Joseph (Robert
Gallo), that he wants a big, traditional Italian wedding. They react
with consternation -- "First Obama, now this!" -- but eventually come
around. But Angela consents to the wedding only if Andrew's mother flies
in from Florida for the occasion. When she refuses, Anthony's black
friend, Rodney (Ronaldo Cox), agrees to impersonate her, in a blond wig.
The farcical proceedings culminate in a wedding ceremony of (barely)
controlled chaos, with two rival best men, feuding lesbian bridesmaids, a
drunken Rodney and a flamboyant gay wedding planner (Matt Hudacs), all
ending in traditional Italian dances. Both Anthony Wilkinson's script
and Paul Storiale's direction tend toward the broad and obvious, but the
enthusiastic audience didn't seem to mind. theatreunleashed.com. (Neal
Weaver). Fri., March 15, 8 p.m.; Sat., March 16, 8 p.m. Whitmore-Lindley
Theatre Center, 11006 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood, 818-761-0704.
Nuttin' but Hutton:
Musical tribute to the songs of Betty Hutton. Sundays, 3 p.m.;
Thursdays, Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 2 & 8 p.m. Continues through
April 28. NOHO ARTS CENTER - 11136 Magnolia Blvd in North Hollywood.
(800) 595-4849, www.nuttinbuthutton.com
Play On!:
Rick Abbot's comedy about a theater group trying to stage a play.
Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Continues through March 24,
abovethecurvetheatre.com. Actors Workout Studio, 4735 Lankershim Blvd.,
North Hollywood, 818-506-3903, www.actorsworkout.com.
GO: Smoke and Mirrors:
If you've forgotten the childlike joy and sublime wonderment of seeing
magic performed, Albie Selznick's theatrical show is an enchanting
reminder. The accomplished actor-magician puts on a bewildering tour de
force that has more "how did he do that" flashes than can be counted.
The show also has a personal element, as Selznick recounts his long path
to becoming a master magician, starting when he lost his father at the
age of 9 and used magic to escape reality, and then as a means of
challenging and overcoming his fears. He knows how to work the crowd,
and uses members of the audience in a number of his routines. Toward
show's end, he swallows some razors (kids, don't try this), then
regurgitates them on a long string, and wows with a demonstration of
fire eating and juggling some wicked-looking knives. Other amazing
moments are the eerie conjuring of doves out of nowhere and a
mind-blowing exhibition of midair suspension. Like all good magicians,
Selznick has highly capable assistants -- Brandy, Kyle, Tina and Daniel
-- who dazzle with their own magic in a stylish preshow. Paul Millet
directs. (Lovell Estell III). Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2
p.m. Continues through April 28, 800-595-4849, smokeandmirrorsmagic.com.
Lankershim Arts Center, 5108 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood,
Therapy:
In his day job, playwright-director Jeff Bernhardt earns his bread as a
licensed clinical social worker. So one must grant him the benefit of
the doubt when it comes to the technical accuracy of the therapeutic
issues confronted in this drama about the spillover of the personal into
the professional for a trio of conflicted psychological counselors
(Lynn Ann Leveridge, Marcie Lynn Ross and Jed Sura). But what might be
intriguing on a therapist's couch isn't necessarily so on a stage. There
is very little narrative energy in characters spilling their guts about
offstage domestic and childhood traumas for two hours. The few sparks
that do fly are generated by Luis Selgas, in a nicely restrained
performance as a dryly taciturn and bitterly sardonic patient resisting
treatment. Bernhardt delivers some clever twists, but his script feels
as cluttered with the dramatically irrelevant as is Eloise Ayala's
furniture-crammed set. (Bill Raden). Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m.
Continues through March 17, 800-838-3006,
brownpapertickets.com/event/322663. Secret Rose Theater, 11246 Magnolia
Blvd., North Hollywood, www.secretrose.com.
Urban Death:
Zombie Joe's Underground's horror stories. Saturdays, 11 p.m. Continues
through April 27. Zombie Joe's Underground Theatre, 4850 Lankershim
Blvd., North Hollywood, 818-202-4120, zombiejoes.homestead.com.
ONGOING SHOWS IN SMALLER THEATERS SITUATED ON THE WESTSIDE AND IN BEACH TOWNS:
GO: Caged:
Not long ago, people regarded as exotic or subhuman were tossed into
cages for the viewing pleasure of the American public. Such was the
dreadful fate of Congo pygmy Ota Benga, who was displayed with monkeys
at the Bronx Zoo in 1906. In Charles Duncombe's world-premiere drama, Caged,
Megan Kim and R.J. Jones are naked, snatched-from-the-jungle "noble
savages," who, confined in a cage stocked with toys, convincingly
channel primitive angst, lethargically striding about, communicating and
reacting with grunts and violent upsurges and hitting each other
playfully. Extended commentary about the exhibit is provided by a keeper
(Katrina Nelson) and an interviewer (Leah Harf), whose theories and
statements of facts are a bladed mix of the outrageously comical and
idiotic. But it's the cavalcade of spectators and their assorted
hang-ups that provide the wallop of humor and irony here: a boy with his
parents wanting to see tricks; a man meeting another man for a blowjob;
several couples in distress, mirroring the plight of the captives; a
lonely woman seeking affection; an elderly woman with a huge ax to
grind. The contrasts and the heavy-handed subtext are striking -- and
unsettling. Though not overly dramatic, Duncombe's smartly written
script is delightfully provocative and insightful. Performances are
sharply calibrated under Frederique Michel's direction.(Lovell Estell
III). Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 4 p.m. Continues through
March 24. City Garage at Bergamot Station Arts Center, 2525 Michigan
Ave., Santa Monica, 310-453-9939, www.citygarage.org.
Chapter Two:
Neil Simon's romantic comedy. Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Wed., March
20, 8 p.m.; Thu., March 21, 8 p.m.; Sun., March 24, 2 p.m.; Thu., April
4, 8 p.m. Continues through April 6. Little Fish Theatre, 777 Centre
St., San Pedro, 310-512-6030, www.littlefishtheatre.org.
GO: A Heap of Livin':
In Elliot Schoenman's evocative family drama, Lawrence Pressman plays
iconic folk singer "Ramblin'" Harry Roe, whose impeccable, 1960s
left-wing credentials include marching with Dr. King, singing with Pete
Seeger and protesting at Kent State. Now elderly and frail, sustained
mainly by his memories of the good old days, Harry's a crotchety penance
to his two long-suffering daughters. Older daughter Pearl (a
marvelously brittle Didi Conn) has served daddy like a drudge through
his declining years, while younger daughter Eden (Jayne Brook) has fled
across the country to avoid having anything to do with her neglectful
papa. On the eve of a massive tribute concert set to honor Ramblin'
Harry, the sisters confront their varying degrees of resentment and
rage. Schoenman's play is functionally a drama about children
confronting the role of being caregivers for an increasingly
recalcitrant elder, but the piece also thoughtfully encompasses a debate
on the regrets of children forced to live in a genius parent's shadow.
Although Schoenman's dialogue occasionally veers awkwardly into the
realm of soapy melodrama, director Mark L. Taylor's production crackles
with heartfelt emotion. Brook's prissy Eden and Conn's rumpled,
increasingly bitter Pearl are great turns, but they ultimately orbit
Pressman's powerful portrayal of a steely, idealistic artist. (Paul
Birchall). Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues
through March 17, inkwelltheater.com. Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda
Blvd., Los Angeles, 310-477-2055, www.odysseytheatre.com.
GO: Paradise: A Divine Bluegrass Musical Comedy:
Music and book by Bill Robertson, Tom Sage and Cliff Wagner. Directed
by Dan Bonnell. See Stage feature. Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2
p.m. Continues through March 30. Ruskin Group Theater, 3000 Airport,
Santa Monica, 310-397-3244, www.ruskingrouptheatre.com. See Stage Feature
GO: The Rainmaker:
A con-man/drifter walks into a small town, usually in the Midwest, and
seduces a vulnerable local female. He not only seduces her, he awakens
her to her true self and potential, which the opinions of others -- her
family and society -- have been suffocating. Oh, brother. Get the broom
and sweep off the cobwebs. In lesser hands than director Jack Heller's,
watching The Rainmaker would be like trudging through a slightly
dank, primeval marsh without rubber boots -- the kind of experience
where you might say, "Well, isn't this historic and curious. Where can I
dry my socks?" The production is saved in part by its linchpin, Tanna
Frederick's droll, rat-smart Lizzie. With subtlety and composure that
often belies the text, she knows who she is and what she wants. Though
the play is over-written, Frederick's performance lies so entrenched
beneath the lines, it's as though she absorbs the play's excesses so
that they don't even show. Her terrific performance is not enough to
turn the play into a classic, but it does provide enough of an emotional
pull to reveal the reasons why it keeps getting staged. (Steven Leigh
Morris). Fridays, Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.; Sundays, 5 p.m. Continues
through May 19. Edgemar Center for the Arts, 2437 Main St., Santa
Monica, 310-399-3666, www.edgemarcenter.org. See Stage Feature.
Remembrance:
Written by Graham Reid, directed by Tim Byron Owen. Starting March 21,
Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues through April 21.
Theatre 40 at the Reuben Cordova Theater, 241 Moreno, Beverly Hills,
310-364-0535, www.theatre40.org.
See Rock City:
Arlene Hutton's study of young married life in 1940s rural Kentucky.
Sun., March 17, 2 p.m.; Fri., March 22, 8 p.m.; Sat., March 23, 8 p.m.;
Wed., March 27, 8 p.m.; Thu., March 28, 8 p.m. Little Fish Theatre, 777
Centre St., San Pedro, 310-512-6030, www.littlefishtheatre.org.
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