|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
StageSceneLA.com's
RECOMMENDATIONS AND WOW!'S
(Click on the title to read the full length review.)
|
|
|
|
Click here to find out why so many productions get a WOW!
|
|
|
|
IN THE MOOD FOR A DRAMA?
|
|
|
|
WOW!
THE BROWNING VERSION
Terrence Rattigan’s The Browning Version packs every bit the emotional wallop now as it did when it was first staged in 1948, especially as performed by an all-around stellar cast in Pacific Resident Theater’s pitch-perfect revival under the impeccable direction of Marilyn Fox. Bruce French is absolutely believable as stodgy, stiff-shirted classics teacher Andrew Crocker-Harris. Sally Smythe wisely resists the temptation to play Millie Crocker-Harris as a villainess. Justin Preston gives high school student Taplow sweetness, sincerity, and good-natured sense of humor. For a play written over sixty years ago, The Browning Version seems not a tad dated, especially in a production as perfectly staged as this one. In the gifted hands of its cast and director, this subtly acidic take on Goodbye Mr. Chips is contemporary-classic theater at its finest.
|
|
|
|
WOW!
THE COLUMBINE PROJECT
The Columbine Project, Paul Storiale’s meticulously researched docudrama about the Columbine High School massacre of 1999 has returned, minus an hour of the original three-hour running time and with a new cast that comes close to matching the excellence of the original ensemble. Despite the cuts, virtually all of the most memorable scenes from the first production remain. The play moves backwards and forwards in time, introducing us to Eric and Dylan’s teachers, classmates, and other Coloradans whose lives were changed forever on that April day. Bryan Fox and Kevin Day do excellent, frightening work as Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold and Colin Bates makes an indelible impression as a boy coming to grips with his sexuality in a hostile environment. The Columbine Project is an important reminder that what has happened before can happen again.
|
|
|
|
Recommended
THE DIVINERS
The first act of The Diviners is so good, so real, and so unique in its depiction of a time and place that its second act ends up a letdown. Still, there are ample reasons to see this well acted, beautifully designed, and sensitively and skillfully directed (by T.L. Kolman) production, the greatest of which is Rob Herring’s absolutely stunning work as Buddy, the diviner of the play’s title. Among the excellent cast, Nathan Graham Smith makes an impressive Los Angeles theater debut as ex-preacher C.C. and Reed Armstrong does memorable work as Buddy’s father. Act One had me loving The Diviners, Act Two had me still liking it, but wishing the first act’s promise had been fulfilled. Still, this production is worth seeing for Herring’s devastating work, its solid supporting performances, and for the glimpse back in time that it offers.
|
|
|
|
WOW!
OEDIPUS EL REY
Luis Alfaro’s Oedipus El Rey is out-and-out brilliant theater, even for theatergoers whose tastes run, as mine do, more toward the traditional. Though Alfaro has taken the ancient Greek legend and transported it to present day Latino L.A., Oedipus El Rey is still very much a Greek tragedy. With Alfaro’s often poetic words spoken by an absolutely superb ensemble under the brilliant direction of Jon Lawrence Rivera, Oedipus El Rey is simply theater at its finest, “experimental” or not. Justin Huen is an absolutely stunning Oedipus and Marlene Forte matches him every step of the way as his mother/lover. The play’s five-inmate coro greco’s work together is a marvel of precision and power. As for Robert Oriol’s sound design (which includes his pulsating original music), it is truly in a class by itself, upping the drama and suspense at every turn.
|
|
|
|
WOW!
SIDHE
Ann Noble’s gripping psychological-political-supernatural suspense drama gets its world premiere at The Road Theatre. The more Sidhe’s mysteries deepen, the more the audience is drawn into the world playwright Noble has created. Sidhe is never anything less than spellbinding, directed masterfully by Darin Anthony and performed by a masterful cast in a world created by a masterful design team. Sidhe’s four actors (Rob Nagle, Noble, Patrick Joseph Rieger, Jeanne Syquia) couldn’t be better. Scenic designer Stephen Gifford once again outdoes himself with one of the most deliberately grubby sets in memory, run-down bar on the left and even seedier apartment on the right. Lighting designer Christie Wright and designer David B. Marling join forces to make the invisible sidhe seem very real and present. This is theater at its most original and riveting.
|
|
|
|
WOW!
WIT
Margaret Edson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Wit returns to L.A. in a production that simply could not be better. Over the course of her aggressive eight-month cancer treatment, Vivian Bearing experiences a hell most of us can scarcely imagine, nor would we want to. If Wit forces us to do just that, it does so with so much humor, heart, and yes, wit, proving to be a truly inspirational, and often laugh-out-loud funny ninety minutes of theater. Marianne Savell has directed with the sensitivity and attention to character development that only an actor can bring to the role of director, and it shows in the rich, textured performances she has elicited, most especially from Nan McNamara as Vivian. Supporting performances couldn’t be better. !n hands as gifted as those who have put together this Actors Co-op production, Wit once again triumphs.
|
|
|
|
IN THE MOOD FOR A COMEDY/DRAMA?
|
|
|
|
WOW!
COUSIN BETTE
Who would ever have thought that a 164-year-old French novel would provide the basis for the juiciest, funniest, most twisted 3-act, 3-hour family saga since August Osage County? But that’s precisely what Jeffrey Hatcher’s delicious adaptation of Balzac’s Cousin Bette has turned out to be, particularly under the brilliant direction of Jeanie Hackett and as performed by her superb troupe of actors. Where Hatcher adds his own touches to Balzac’s original is in the sly humor that makes Cousin Bette one of the funniest melodramas ever, not one of its laughs unintentional. It helps that Hackett has directed her sensational cast to play it absolutely straight, with nary a hint of overacting. There’s not a weak link in the ensemble reviewed here (with the ever surprising Nike Doukas as Bette), nor would I imagine, are there in the alternate cast.
|
|
|
|
WOW!
JUST 45 MINUTES FROM BROADWAY
Start with quite possibly the most gorgeous set ever designed for a 99-seat theater, add to that an intelligent, witty script which reads like a 21st Century version of Kaufman and Ferber’s The Royal Family, cast it with some of L.A.’s finest stage and screen talent—and the result is Henry Jaglom’s Just 45 Minutes From Broadway, one of the best new plays I’ve reviewed here. Jaglom’s characters are three-dimensional, flawed, noble, and both loveable and mildly irritating the way real families are. There are laughs aplenty, but just as many moments of dramatic conflict, the kind no family is without and especially not one in the business called show. Each and every cast member does memorable work here under Gary Imhoff’s excellent, nuanced direction … and the production’s amazing set is surely one of the most magnificent ever designed by Joel Daavid.
|
|
|
|
Recommended
MEN OF TORTUGA
Men Of Tortuga gets its West Coast Premiere production by Pasadena’s Furious Theatre Company. Jason Wells’ comedic thriller scores points for its crackling dialog and darkly comedic moments. As with every Furious production I’ve seen, acting, direction (by Alexis Chamow), and production design are top-drawer. Wells’ script too has many exciting, amusing moments, but its apparently intentional ambiguity proves its biggest enemy. On the plus side, Alan Brooks, Dana J. Kelly, Jr., Michael Matthys, Robert Pescovitz, and William Salyers all deliver rich, juicy performances. Sound designer Doug Newell’s background score is a dramatic blend of martial and suspense themes. Confused I may have been, but not bored. All in all, I’d give the play a B+. If I’d been able to explain to my guest what had been going on, or he to me, it would have scored a solid A.
|
|
|
|
Recommended
WIREHEAD
Matthew Benjamin and Logan Brown’s world premiere comedy thriller Wirehead imagines a not-so-distant future in which formerly average, everyday humans have literally been wired to think and perform at breakneck speed. Though the play maintains Echo Theater Company’s high standards of acting, directing, and design, a problematic script prevents it from attaining the all-around excellence that made 2008’s Body Politic one of the best dramatic productions of the year. On the plus side, director Larry Biederman does imaginative, dynamic work and Jeremy Maxwell and Marc Rose both give intense, committed performances. Besides the production’s crackerjack acting, its design too, all shades of white and gray, makes Wirehead worth a look-see. Audience members more fond than I am of the sci-fi, futuristic fantasy genre may take to Wirehead more than I did.
|
|
|
|
IN THE MOOD FOR A COMEDY?
|
|
|
|
WOW!
A BIG GAY NORTH HOLLYWOOD WEDDING
Run, don't walk, to see A Big Gay North Hollywood Wedding! With ceremony held at NoHo's Saint Matthews Church followed by a reception at the theater next door, this Big Gay Wedding is two hours of interactive hilarity and a show not to be missed! Trust me. You'll be wanting to go back again and again with friends in tow. A gifted band of actors/improv whizzes get into character from the moment the first guests/audience members arrive, greeting them in front of the church, escorting them to their seats, and treating them to a myriad of dramatic/comedic vignettes before, during, and after the ceremony and throughout the reception. Expect to play your own part in this interactive celebration, and don’t be shy about getting up and boogying. You might even catch the wedding boutonniere! A Big Gay North Hollywood Wedding is a smashing good time!
|
|
|
Recommended
CAVE QUEST
Despite its rather improbable premise (a young Asian American wants to teach the world to “find inner peace” by means of a $49.99 video game), West Liang’s quicksilver lead performance and some striking design work go a considerable ways toward making East West Players’ World Premiere of Les Thomas’ Cave Quest a fairly entertaining evening of theater. Despite the script’s shortcomings, Kim Miyori does quite good work as Padma, a Buddhist nun from Fresno ensconced in a cave atop the Himalayas. With director Diane Rodriguez’s lengthy credits, it’s a good bet that she has done her utmost here, aided by her talented cast. Scenic designer extraordinaire John Iacovelli’s Himalayan cave is so impressive that it even looks cold. Close your eyes and just listento John Zalewski’s sound design and you’ll swear a blizzard is raging around you.
|
|
|
|
WOW!
ESCANABA IN DA MOONLIGHT
Jeff Daniels affectionately skewers the natives of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (aka the Yoopers) in his hit comedy Escanaba In Da Moonlight. As an authentic Yooper might put it, “Dis is some funny show, and dat’s da trute.” Under Gia Jordahl’s sparkling direction, a comedically gifted cast make Daniel’s quirky script come to life in surprisingly coherent (and hilarious) fashion. Dan Adams, Rendon Ramsey, Chris Mock, and Geoffrey Varga disappear completely into their Yooper personas. The same can be said for the wonderful John Charles Meyer as Jimmer, with an extra pat on the back for simply being able to say lines like “Shush shrivin’ m’shelf upsha shamp, swhen alla sha shudden, m’shevyshookashi” and sound as if it were the most natural, intelligible thing on earth. In Yooper dialect, this production gets a “WAH!” Does that mean WOW!? Youbetcha!
|
|
|
|
WOW!
THE GLASS MENDACITY
The Glass Mendacity is a hilarious, spot-on Tennessee Williams spoof which combines the characters and plot threads of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, A Streetcar Named Desire, and The Glass Menagerie into one outrageous soufflé. Those completely unfamiliar with the Williams oeuvre may miss a good number of the jokes, but for Tennessee aficionados like this reviewer, The Glass Mendacity is likely to prove irresistible. The cast assembled by the Ark Theatre Company is all-around terrific, and the straighter they play it, the more laughs they get. Credit director Andrew Crusse for keeping his actors on the same page, and hilarious as all get-out. Mendacity may be a sin, but The Glass Mendacity is sinful only in the number of laughs it provokes. Way up in Dead Gay Playwrights’ Heaven, Tennessee Williams is surely doubled over in mirth.
|
|
|
|
WOW!
SHAKESPEARE UNSCRIPTED
The talented folks of Impro Theatre and Combined Artform (aka the best improv actors in town) are back with Shakespeare UnScripted, two acts of improvised madness and merriment. As always, nothing is prepared in advance, the troupe using only a single audience suggestion to set the evening’s plot in motion. Part of the fun is hearing what unique turns of phrase the improv actors will come up with, gems like “a bollywogger of a sleep” and “I see some wooing is a-happening here.” Each Shakespeare UnScripted play develops entirely from scratch, a hilariously imaginative and drolly performed bit of stage magic brought to life by the improv geniuses of Impro Theatre. Kudos to directors Brian Lohmann and Dan O’Connor. Shakespeare UnScripted is so much fun, you’ll likely want to return again with friends in tow. Methinks the Bard himself would approve.
|
|
|
|
WOW!
STAGE DOOR
Stage Door and Open Fist Theatre are a match made in Broadway (or should that be Hollywood?) heaven. Like Kaufman and Ferber’s The Royal Family, their Stage Door is a love letter to the theater. It’s also filled with highly quotable bons mots, many with Tinseltown as their target. The cast of 25 all have done their homework for this production. Under Barbara Schofield’s assured and visually-varied direction, Stage Door features numerous memorable performances, especially Amanda Weier, Kim Swennen, Judith Scarpione, Rebecca Rosenak Phelps, Stephanie Erb, Matt Roe and Arthur Hanket. A sensational set by James Spencer, too. With over 75 productions opening in January alone, I almost missed Stage Door. Thank goodness I didn’t. I would have hated not to have seen this rarely staged 1930s gem, presented here in all its big-cast, big-stage splendor
|
|
|
|
WOW!
WHY TORTURE IS WRONG, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM
Christopher Durang’s absurdist screwball war-on-terror romantic farce gets its West Coast Premiere. Bush and Cheney fans may not find themselves enamored of Durang’s latest—but then again who knows? This solidly left-leaning reviewer lapped up every one of the playwright’s one-liners, and the majority of last night’s audience appeared to be laughing along with me—often and a lot. Daniel Henning has directed Why Torture Is Wrong… with zip and flair. The pacing is fast and furious and the performances sparkle. As dark as Why Torture Is Wrong … can get (and that’s pretty dark indeed), playwright Durang ultimately proves himself a romantic of the first order. Delightfully original, Why Torture Is Wrong… is just what doctor ordered for Huffington Post readers in the mood for an fresh-from-the-headlines evening of theater … and gazillion laughs to boot.
|
|
|
|
IN THE MOOD FOR A MUSICAL?
|
|
|
|
WOW!
BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS THE GINGER MUSICAL
It’s hard to imagine a better production of “The Ginger Musical” than the one just opened at International City Theatre. ICT has opted for the original six-actor version, and for a number of reasons, smaller makes for a better show than its big-cast big-stage counterpart. For one thing, the ICT production gives the four-member ensemble supporting Anna Aimee White’s Ginger and Heather Lee as Ginger’s mother Lela the chance to show off their triple threats in a variety of contexts and roles. For another, since Backwards In High Heels is a “memory musical,” told as the reminiscences of its star, a single, gorgeous art deco set by Stephen Gifford is all that’s needed here, lit to showy perfection by Jared A. Sayeg. All this has been brought together with imagination and flair by director caryn desai to make for two hours of Hollywood glamour and magic.
|
|
|
|
WOW!
BROADS! THE MUSICAL
Life begins at 65 for Elaine, Louise, Myra and Nilda, aka The Broads, of South Florida’s Millennium Manor. Joe Symon and Jennie Fahn’s original musical imagines one of their glitzy annual variety shows, and audiences at the El Portal are the invited guests. Jules Aaron directs with affection and grace, bringing out the best in his four stellar performers, and if the gals find themselves the butt of jokes, these ladies (Ivonne Coll, Leslie Easterbrook, June Gable, and Barbara Niles) still have life aplenty inside them, and can serve as inspirations to audience members half their age. With luck and positive word-of-mouth, The Broads could turn out to be the El Portal’s biggest hit since The Marvelous Wonderettes. Performed with panache and pizazze, it’s easily the best show in town for the over-65 set, and for Golden Girls fans of any age.
|
|
|
|
WOW!
DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS
Director Richard Israel works his magic on Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and the result is a production which comes miraculously close to matching the Broadway original in every way but size. Stellar lead performances, standout supporting turns, an all-around splendid ensemble, spiffy choreography, top-notch musical direction, and a first-rate design make the arrival of an intimate Dirty Rotten Scoundrels a great big theatrical event. As Laurence, Chip Phillips makes an auspicious Los Angeles theater debut, Matt Wolpe is simply phenomenal as Freddy, and Kelly Lohman is an all-around terrific Christine. This is must-see theater, and not only for musical comedy aficionados. With its cheeky tone and outrageously funny dialog, lyrics, and plot twists, DRS is likely to appeal even to those who claim to hate musicals. This one may well make them eat their hats.
|
|
|
|
WOW!
KISS ME KATE
Under Tom Robinson’s snappy direction, and with choreography by Tom Knowles performed by an all-around terrific cast, Kiss Me Kate proves yet another winner for America’s oldest continuously running theater-in-the-round. All this comes magically together on the GCT stage, beginning with some terrific work by Dink O’Neal and Donna Cherry. Joey Elrose is a song-and-dance charmer and Alli McGinnis is a treat from start to finish. Dean Ricca and Shawn Cahill milk every laugh from their Guys And Dolls-ready gangsters. Kate Ponzio and Clayton Farris both get their center-stage moments to shine. Kudos to musical director Steven Applegate. Once again, Glendale Centre Theatre has come up with a musical comedy winner, one certain to please both its older subscribers as well as younger audience members who’ve come to cheer on family and friends.
|
|
|
|
WOW!
LIFE COULD BE A DREAM
(Several of the roles have been recast since this review.)
Life Could Be A Dream’s cute, nostalgic plotline exists mainly to introduce some of the late-50s’ biggest “Doo-Wop” hits (including “Sh-Boom,” “The Wanderer,” “The Great Pretender,” and “Duke Of Earl,” to name just a few) and to spotlight five of the most talented and charismatic triple threats in town. Doug Carpenter, Ryan Castellino, Jim Holdridge, Daniel Tatar, and Jessica Keenan Wynn all give sensational performances in roles cleverly written and adroitly directed by The Marvelous Wonderettes creator Roger Bean. Credit the cast’s gorgeous four and five-part harmonies to master musical director Michael Paternostro and their suave (and sometimes deliberately not-so-suave) moves to master choreographer Lee Martino. Rave reviews and enthusiastic word-of-mouth should guarantee full houses and standing ovations for months to come.
|
|
|
WOW!
THE STORY OF MY LIFE
The Story Of My Life makes it four hits in a row for Chad Borden, Nick DeGruccio, and Havok Theatre Company. Since the show’s seventeen songs occupy about three-quarters of its funny, touching, thought-provoking ninety minutes, it’s fortunate indeed that Neil Bartram has written a melodic, even memorable score. Whatever qualms I may have about Brian Hill’s book’s seeming desire to “play to Peoria” cannot prevent me from raving about the show’s Los Angeles Premiere. DeGruccio draws pitch-perfect performances from his two leads—all in all, another stellar job from one of L.A.’s true theater gems. Borden and Robert J. Townsend harmonize to perfection and make it easy to believe that Alvin and Thomas have been friends for life. Bring Kleenex to wipe your eyes, and a cell phone to call your loved ones with. You’ll likely find yourself needing both.
|
|
|
