Author: cahwyguy

So, you want to know something about me? Heh. You could visit my AboutMe page, but for those who aren't up to that... Behind that mild-mannered middle-aged computer security geek is a husband (since 1985) and daddy (since 1994) whose into loads of eclectic stuff, such as highways, Judaism, Boardgaming, Musical Theatre, and much more. I write about what I feel like.

🎭 “Believe in Yourself” | The Wiz @ BIH/Pantages

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The Wiz (Broadway in Hollywood)There’s an important lesson that is taught in the musical The Wiz (which we saw last night at Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages Theatre): Believe in Yourself. Dorothy is supposed to learn, while out on the road, that the things she needed to survive and thrive were in herself all the time. She just needed to trust herself and see them. It is a lesson that this pre-Broadway tryout of The Wiz needs to learn: trust the material, and do it justice, and it will bring you home happier than when you left. But if you fail to discover your smarts, your heart, and your courage along the way, you may be stuck in a fantasy land that is more charade than real.

I’m probably one of the dwindling number of folks who saw the original version of The Wiz when it was on the road: it was at the Ahmanson Theatre the summer I graduated from high school. We didn’t have all the original cast, but we had some key folks: Dee Dee Bridgewater, Andre de Shields, Ted Ross. I subsequently got the cast album, and fell in love with it. It had such energy and pop. “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News” had me from that opening piano vamp; it is currently #24 in my Top 50 Most Played Songs out of the 56,000+ songs in my library. “So You Wanted to Meet the Wizard” grabs you from those opening horns and drums, and never lets you go (the recording I linked was from the opening night back in 1975, and you can just hear the energy). Even “Slide Some Oil to Me” has that energy and tempo, drawing heavily on the piano and the horns. The music and lyrics of Charlie Smalls, with some additional authors, combined with the original orchestrations of Harold Wheeler, just stun. Don’t want to go back that far? Listen to the energy of these songs in the somewhat recent live TV version (here’s No Bad News).

Now I’ve never seen the movie. I could never bring myself to transpose this story to New York, or age Dorothy 10+ years to satisfy some diva’s desire for screen time. But even there, the problem was the interpretation (more on that in a minute), not the musical interpretation. Mabel King and “No Bad News” still brings down the house. Even Nipsy Russell’s “Slide Some Oil To Me” isn’t bad.

But my wife and I both had the same comment with respect to the musical interpretation of this pre-Broadway tryout of The Wiz: It was tepid. The music lacked tempo. It lacked energy. It lacked horns and piano (I’m sorry, but one trumpet and one trombone does not a powerful horn section make). It gave the feeling that the director (Schele Williams) and the orchestrator (Joseph Joubert) were going for a Bluesy field, as opposed to the Jive Jazz of the original. It does not work—this show needs to up the tempo if it is going to make it. Of the faster songs in the show, only two got it right: Kyle Ramar Freeman’s performance of the Lion in “Mean Ole Lion” was spot-on; and the ensemble’s energy in “Everybody Rejoice” was great. However, for the slower numbers that were more traditional R&B, the interpretations were great. Nichelle Lewis (Dorothy)’s rendition of “Home” was wonderful, and Melody A. Bett (Aunt Em)’s was great with “The Feeling We Once Had”. Bett’s is a great example: Great on the slow number, but from the opening notes of her rendition of “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News”, you knew the tempo was off. The voice was there. The energy wasn’t.

The director also failed to trust the material. The problem was not the added and material by Amber Ruffin. Those did a great job of updating the characters. No, the problem was the more fundamental changes to the material. Songs were added (or restored) based either on the movie or recent productions (for example, “You Can’t Win”). Songs were rearranged; notably “What Could I Do If I Could Feel”, the Scarecrow’s introduction in the first act, became “We’re Gonna Make It” in the second act. “Wonder, Wonder Why” was added from the 1984 revival. A totally different version of the Tornado Dance was used. I’m not sure it helped. “You Can’t Win” was cut in Detroit in the original Broadway version; it was added back to the movie because it showcased Jackson. The song still isn’t right.

But the problem with the trust in the material goes beyond just the music—it goes to the story. As it was so long ago, I reviewed the synopsis of the original Broadway version. The original stage show set aside many of the “additions” that came in the 1939 movie, and hewed closer to the original L. Frank Baum material. William F. Brown (the original book writer, adapting the Baum material and not the movie), preserved many of the things from the book that never made it to the movie: Munchkin land was blue, Glinda’s land was red, the land of the Winkie’s was yellow, and the Emerald City was only green because you were required to wear green glasses upon entry. But here, the director’s vision muddled things around. Instead of the Munchkins, we got a New Orleans style wake for Evamean, the Wicked Witch of the East… and we get both Addaperle and Glinda. Instead of an opening with both Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, we get just Em (and with a pre-prise of “Soon as I Get Home”). We get a tepid tornado. We get a strange scene with the poppies (which had a different way of resolution in the original). We get drastic cuts in the battle with the witch in the second half. We get a completely different resolution with the Wiz in the second act, and how the characters learn that they always had the attributes they were seeking. We get the WInkies in bright multicolored T-shirts, vs the yellow that is the tradition of Winkie-land.

In some ways, it is as if the director was cutting things to save costs, reduce the scenery required for the road, and perhaps reduce the cast size. The orchestra was certainly cut back from the size it was in the 1970s. There are ways to work within a budget. Skimping in the wrong places is not one of them.

This production is on the road to Broadway. I think it opens there in April 2024. Fixing the tempo of the songs is something that is doable, and is something that I hope they listen to the reviewers and fix. Fixing the changes they made to the story is a lot harder, and probably can’t be done. Are these story changes enough to torpedo the show? They will be problematic for purists like me who love the original. But I do think the story changes won’t be noticed by younger audiences, who remember only the movie (which was little like the original stage production), or the live TV production (which was only broadcast twice).

Some of the other production aspects were, to lack a better term, workable. The choreography by Jaquel Knight was good and pleasant to watch; but it rarely wowed or went above and beyond. The set design was clearly built to fit the touring life well, but there was still the over-dependence on projections. Projections at times can simplify things and lower costs, but they can also make it harder for subsequent regional life of a show.

To be clear: I’m not saying this was a bad show. It was very enjoyable. But it could have been so much more. It just had under-developed heart, brain, and courage. But there were many pieces that did work.

First and foremost, the cast was spectacular. Nichelle Lewis was a knockout as Dorothy: she got the characterizations down pat, and boy could that girl sing. From her opening pre-prise to the closing note of “Home”, she grabbed you. Her companions on the road were equally strong, most notably Kyle Ramar Freeman’s Lion; but Avery Wilson’s Scarecrow and Phillip Johnson Richardson’s Tinman were also great. Although the tempo was wrong, the singing and characterizations in “Slide Some Oil To Me” were great. Melody A. Betts’ opening number as Aunt Em (“The Feeling We Once Had”) was a perfect characterization; her voice was great in “No Bad News”, even if the tempo was off. Wayne Brady was strong as the Wiz, especially in “Y’all Got It” (although he didn’t quite have the energy in “Meet the Wizard”). Deborah Cox’s Glinda did spectacular with “Believe in Yourself”. So the talent and casting was spot-on.

Also strong was the costuming: The bright colors popped in numerous sequences, but even more notable was the opening number. It was costumed to make everyone appear to be black and white, making the transition to color work. I can’t recall if the original did this. It was certainly a takeoff of the technicolor transition of the original, but this one works. Notably, unlike the movie, when Dorothy returns to Kansas for the closing scene, the color has returned to the landscape.

The additional humorous material added by Amber Ruffin worked well. This show has many laugh out loud moments, and has much more humor than did the original.

So, let’s get to ultimate question: Should you see this? If you want to get a sense of what the original 1975 version was like, I’d say to watch the Live TV version (skip the movie: I still think the transition to New York and a 24 year old schoolteacher was wrong wrong wrong). However, if you want to see some remarkable performances and a … different … take on the material (more bluesy, less in-your-face up tempo jazz), this is worth seeing. Hell, it’s worth seeing just to see the star-to-be that is Nichelle Lewis. That girl is going to go far. It’s also worth seeing for Kyle Ramar Freeman’s lion.

The Wiz continues at Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages Theatre through March 3, 2024. I understand the run is close to sold out, but tickets may be available through the BiH Website. Note that Broadway in Hollywood will be announcing their 2024-2025 season on February 23; it is at that time that autorenew subscribers (like me) will have a chance to purchase tickets for the return of Hamilton (over the summer) and Wicked (December 2024). I have guesses as to which shows will show up based on what I know is touring. If I had to guess, I’m sure & Juliet, Shucked, Some Like It Hot, New York New York and Back to the Future will show up, although one of those could end up at the Ahmanson. The revival of Sweeny Todd might to to the Pantages, although it seems more like an Ahmanson show; Life of Pi is certainly more of an Ahmanson show. I’m not sure where Kimberly Akimbo or A Beautiful Noise will end up. The former is a toss up; the latter is more Pantages material but it all depends on the other shows they pick. So, yes, I’m looking forward to the announcement.

 ———

The Wiz. Book by William F. Brown, Music and Lyrics by Charlie Smalls. Adaopted from “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum. Additional Material for this production by Amber Ruffin. Directed by Schele Williams; Choreography by Jaquel Knight.

Cast (∈ denotes ensemble): Nichelle Lewis Dorothy; Avery Wilson Scarecrow; Phillip Johnson Richardson Tinman; Melody A. Betts Aunt Em / Evillene; Wayne Brady The Wiz; Deborah Cox Glinda; Maya Bowles ∈; Shayla Alayre Caldwell ∈; Jay Copeland ∈; Allyson Kay Daniel Addaperle, ∈; Judith Franklin ∈; Collin Heyward ∈; Amber Jackson ∈, Dance Captain; Olivia “Melo. J” Jackson ∈; Christina Jones ∈; Polanco Jones Jr ∈; Kolby Kindle ∈; Mariah Lyttle ∈; Kareem Marsh ∈; Anthony Murphy ∈; Cristina Raé ∈; Avilon Trust Tate ∈; Keenan D. Washington ∈. Swings and Standbys: Michael Samarie George Swing; Matthew Sims Jr. Swing; Timothy Wilson Swing; Alan Mingo Jr. The Wiz – Standby.

Production and Creative Team: Joseph Joubert Music Supervision, Orchestrations, Music Arrangements; Allen René Louis Vocal Arrangements, Music Arrangements; Adam Blackstone Dance Music Arranger; Hannah Beachler Scenic Design; Sharen Davis Costume Design; Ryan J. O’Gara Lighting Design; Jon Weston Sound Design; Daniel Brodie Projection Design; Charles G. Lapointe Hair and Wig Design; Kirk Cambridge-Del Pesche Makeup Design; Tara Rubin Casting Casting Director; Paul Byssainthe Jr. Music Director; Kathy Fabian Production Properties Supervisor; Michael Aarons Music Coordinator; Tavia Rivée Jefferson Assoc. Director; Anthony “Kanec” Carr Assoc. Choreographer; Candace Brown Asst. Choreographer; Ralph Stan Lee Production Stage Manager; Heather Hogan Stage Manager; David S. Cohen Asst. Stage Manager; Foresight Theatrical General Manager.

Orchestra (≡ indicates local): Paul Byssainthe Jr Conductor/Keyboard 1; Darryl G. Ivey Asst Conductor/Keyboard 2; Trevor Holder Drums; Sean Franz ≡ Reed 1 (Flute / Piccolo / Clarinet / Oboe / English Horn / Alto Sax / Tenor Sax); Ken Fisher ≡ Reed 2 (Tenor Sax / Clarinet / Bari Sax / Bassoon / Bass Clarinet); Katie Faraudo ≡ French Horn; Aaron Smith ≡ Trumpet / Flugelhorn; Nick Daley ≡ Trombone / Bass Trombone; Linda Taylor ≡ Guitar (Electric / Nylon & Steel String Acoustic); Chris Thigpen ≡ Bass (Electric / Acoustic); Danny Taylor ≡ Percussion; Dolores Duran ≡ Keyboard Sub; Eric Heinly ≡ Orchestra Contractor; Michael Aarons and M2Music Music Coordinator; Anja Wood Assoc. Music Coordinator.

 ♦ ♦ ♦

Administrivia: I am not a professional critic. I’m a cybersecurity professional, a roadgeek who does a highway site and a podcast about California Highways, and someone who loves live performance. I buy all my own tickets, unless explicitly noted otherwise. I do these writeups to share my thoughts on shows with my friends and the community. I encourage you to go to your local theatres and support them (ideally, by purchasing full price tickets, if you can afford to do so). We currently subscribe or have memberships at: Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre; Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages Theatre; Pasadena Playhouse; Geffen Playhouse (Mini-Subscription); 5-Star Theatricals. We’re looking for the right intimate theatre to subscribe at — it hasn’t been the same since Rep East died (it’s now The Main, and although it does a lot of theatre, it doesn’t have seasons or a resident company), and post-COVID, most 99-seaters aren’t back to doing seasons (or seasons we like). I used to do more detailed writeups; here’s my current approach.

Upcoming ♦ Theatre / ♣ Music / ◊ Other Live Performance – Next 90ish Days (⊕ indicates ticketing is pending):

On the Theatrical Horizon:

Morgan-Wixson Theatre in Santa Monica has announced their Mainstage 2024 Season, and it includes Bat Boy the Musical running Sept 28 through October 18. We saw Bat Boy back when CSUN did it in 2014; it is a wonderful musical about how a society treats outsiders. Conundrum Theatre Company will be doing Urinetown The Musical in mid to late March 2024 at the Broadwater; this is a great musical, but we can’t fit it into the schedule (nor does my wife care to see it again). However, if you haven’t seen it, it is worth seeing. I also just learned about a theatre company in Fullerton, Maverick Theater. They are doing Evil Dead: The Musical , which is a hoot if you’ve never seen it (we’ve seen it twice). They also have some interesting other stuff on their season, and we might drive down for Santa Claus Vs The Martians in November.

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🎭 Nostalgia is a Funny Thing | “Wonderettes/Dream On” @ Canyon Theatre Guild

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The Marvelous Wonderettes - Dream On (Canyon Theatre Guild)Roger Bean has made an industry out of nostalgia. In a series of “off-broadway” level musicals (i.e., musicals designed for a smaller cast, fewer sets, and more intimate venues), he had built upon a desire to look back on what were perceived as simpler times viewed through the haze of nostalgia. Examples include The Andrews Brothers (which we saw back in 2010 at Cabrillo/5-Star), Life Could Be a Dream (which we saw at the Hudson Mainstage back in 2009), and The Marvelous Wonderettes (which we saw back in 2006 at the El Portal).  This type of show has a musical lineage stretching back to Forever Plaid (which we first saw back in 1991 at the Pasadena Playhouse, and then again in 2006 at Cabrillo, and again in 2014 at Cabrillo). And, just like with Plaid and the follow-on Plaid shows, Bean has found a forumula that works, crafting multiple follow-ons to the Wonderettes line: The Marvelous Wonderettes – Cap and Gowns,  and The Marvelous Wonderettes – Dream On. This last show has made its way to Santa Clarita, and is currently being presented by the Canyon Theatre Guild.

Dream On continues the story of the Wonderettes, who we first meet at 1958 at their graduation. This musical places them at a teacher’s retirement celebration in 1969, and a 20th class regionin in 1978. This allows the show to revisit the music of the late 1960s and the 1970s. Those dates are interesting, when viewed from the present day (2024). I’ve written about this before, but you’re talking a 66 year difference to 1958; 55 years to 1969; and 46 years to 1978. If you think about it, that’s like someone in the mid 1970s being nostalgic for the music of the 1910s, 1920s, and 1930s. The 50s first started being popular in the late 1970s, the difference was less — perhaps 30 years. That would mean right now, the “kids” should be nostalgic for the late 1990s. Actually, that’s starting, and the recent musical MJ, just at the Pantages, is an example of that. Classic rock stations have already shifted their time window to the right. I wonder how long the music of the Wonderette’s series will be popular, and how long audiences will still understand the references. This may not bode well for musicals like Grease.

One more quick note about the 1950 through 1970s. This period is often viewed through rose-colored glasses, often created by TV sitcoms or filtered remembrances of childhood. It is viewed as a simpler and better time, when streets were safe, and it was a white bread world. Emphasis on the white. That, of course, isn’t true when you look at the reality. There were race riots and financial strife, and life for many wasn’t what is portrayed in the media. But the rosy view of memory is strong, and certain politicians these days try to take advantage of it, without recognizing the positive ways our society has improved. Enough of that soapbox, but for those interested, I’ll refer folks to my ballot recommendations for the upcoming California March Primary election. You can make a difference to keep us moving forward by voting. In terms of this show, there are just mere hints of the changes that were coming, mostly in terms of the emerging women’s movement of the late 1970s.

The show itself was very entertaining, with a strong mixture of songs from the late 1960s and 1970s. The songs were less the rock of the era (nary a Beatles tune in the mix), but more the ones for which girl-group harmony was a good fit. Less Rolling Stones, more Fifth Dimension, if you get my drift. The story was the tried-and-true Wonderettes’ story of what is happening in their lives and loves, with the usual intergroup sniping. It is here that you see the work involved in writing, and how the book writer had to make the story fit the names in the songs (as such, the “Mr. Lee” and “Johnny” referenced as husbands/boyfriends harkens back to the mothership production, and the songs in that show that referenced a Mr. Lee and a Johnny as love interest. There are a few additional such fittings in this show, such as a reference to “angel face”.

One of the best parts of the show was the audience participation. At various points in the show, audience members are brought (unsuspectingly) to the stage as characters in the show; notably Miss McPherson in the first act. Some play along; some don’t. Our McPherson was more shocked than taking on the role of a teacher, but it was interesting to watch her reaction. There were similar events in the second half. Notably, they tried to recruit me to be the father-in-law of one of the characters. I declined; it was a good thing because they then had the character dance The Hustle on stage. I didn’t dance the Hustle when it was popular in the 1970s; don’t expect me to do it now! Still, the audience interaction was well played and hilarious.

The performances from the four ladies forming the Wonderettes were very strong. I was particularly impressed by Kelly Miyake Cindy Lou Huffington and Zoë Bryant Betty Jean Reynolds, who were both really strong singers. It was also great to see Jill Scott again; we haven’t seen her since 2014 and the days of Rep East Playhouse (they closed in 2015; the space is now The Main). But all the singers were great. If there was one shortcoming, it was the use of recorded music. However, that was understandable—CTG is a community theatre, and live orchestras are expensive in Southern California. The show was directed by another RepEast alumna, Leslie Berra, who flew in from all the work she does in Nashville TN. She did a great job of bringing out the individual characterizations well.

The Marvelous Wonderettes — Dream On. Written and Created by Roger Bean. Vocal and Musical Arrangements by Michael Borth. Cast: Zoë Bryant Betty Jean Reynolds, Kelly Miyake Cindy Lou Huffington, Jill Scott Missy Lee, Sarah Stoddard Suzy Stevens. Production and Creative Team: Leslie Berra Director; Nancy Alterman Choreography; Mo Davis Asst. Director; Ingrid Boydston Addl Choreography; Leslie Berra Vocal Direction; John Alexopolous Co-Set Designer; Douglas Holiday Co-Set Designer; Scarlett Lang Lighting Designer; Leslie Berra Costume Design; Maria Falasca Costume Assistant; Michael T. Smith Lighting Designer Mentor; Mo Davis Stage Manager.

The Marvelous Wonderettes — Dream On continues at Canyon Theatre Guild through Feb. 24. Tickets are available through the CTG Website; they may be available through discount sites such as Goldstar or TodayTix.

 ♦ ♦ ♦

Administrivia: I am not a professional critic. I’m a cybersecurity professional, a roadgeek who does a highway site and a podcast about California Highways, and someone who loves live performance. I buy all my own tickets, unless explicitly noted otherwise. I do these writeups to share my thoughts on shows with my friends and the community. I encourage you to go to your local theatres and support them (ideally, by purchasing full price tickets, if you can afford to do so). We currently subscribe or have memberships at: Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre; Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages Theatre; Pasadena Playhouse; Geffen Playhouse (Mini-Subscription); 5-Star Theatricals. We’re looking for the right intimate theatre to subscribe at — it hasn’t been the same since Rep East died (it’s now The Main, and although it does a lot of theatre, it doesn’t have seasons or a resident company), and post-COVID, most 99-seaters aren’t back to doing seasons (or seasons we like). I used to do more detailed writeups; here’s my current approach.

Upcoming Theatre – Next 90ish Days:

On the Theatrical Horizon:

There are a few shows for which announcements have crossed my transom that may be of interest: The CSUN Theatre Department in Northridge will be doing the Spongebob Musical in April 2024. We really wanted to see this when it was on tour in 2020, but the tour was killed by COVID; we did drive up to Woodland CA to see a friend in a community theatre production of it. It is a great show about science and climate denial. Charles Stewart Howard Playhouse in Woodland Hills will be doing Hands on a Hardbody in May 2024. CSH announced this back in 2020, but it was killed by COVID; I’m glad to see it will be back (and with another RepEast alumna in the cast, even). Morgan-Wixson Theatre in Santa Monica has announced their Mainstage 2024 Season, and it includes Bat Boy the Musical running Sept 28 through October 18. We saw Bat Boy back when CSUN did it in 2014; it is a wonderful musical about how a society treats outsiders. Conundrum Theatre Company will be doing Urinetown The Musical in mid to late March 2024 at the Broadwater; this is a great musical, but we can’t fit it into the schedule (nor does my wife care to see it again). However, if you haven’t seen it, it is worth seeing. I also just learned about a theatre company in Fullerton, Maverick Theater. They are doing Evil Dead: The Musical , which is a hoot if you’ve never seen it (we’ve seen it twice). They also have some interesting other stuff on their season, and we might drive down for Santa Claus Vs The Martians in November.

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🗳️ Mar 2024 Primary Election Ballot Analysis (V): Summary

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Here in California (and in Los Angeles in particular), we have an election coming up. You know what that means: Every election, I do a detailed ballot analysis of my sample ballot. This is where I examine each candidate and share my conclusions, and invite you to convince me to vote for the other jerk.  Because this is a long ballot, I’m splitting this analysis into a few chunks (note: links may not be available until all segments are posted):

  1. State and National Offices (excluding judges)
  2. County and City (Los Angeles) Local Offices (excluding judges)
  3. Local and State Measures (nee Propositions)
  4. Judicial Offices (County and State)
  5. Summary

This part provides a summary of my ballot analysis results. Please read the full explanation of why I chose who I chose in the links above. Note: This summary is presented in the order of the Sample Ballot.

Read More …

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🗳️ Mar 2024 Primary Election Ballot Analysis (IV): Judicial Offices

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Here in California (and in Los Angeles in particular), we have an election coming up. You know what that means: Every election, I do a detailed ballot analysis of my sample ballot. This is where I examine each candidate and share my conclusions, and invite you to convince me to vote for the other jerk.  Because this is a long ballot, I’m splitting this analysis into a few chunks (note: links may not be available until all segments are posted):

  1. State and National Offices (excluding judges)
  2. County and City (Los Angeles) Local Offices (excluding judges)
  3. Local and State Measures (nee Propositions)
  4. Judicial Offices (County and State)
  5. Summary

Note: This analysis is NOT presented in the same order as the Sample Ballot (the ballot order makes no sense). I’ve attempted instead to present things in more logical order.

This part covers all the judgeships on the ballot:

  • Judge of the Superior Court: Office № 12 ❦ № 39 ❦ № 48 ❦ № 93 ❦  № 97 ❦  № 115 ❦  № 124 ❦  № 130 ❦ № 135 ❦ № 137

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🗳️ Mar 2024 Primary Election Ballot Analysis (III): Local and State Measures

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Here in California (and in Los Angeles in particular), we have an election coming up. You know what that means: Every election, I do a detailed ballot analysis of my sample ballot. This is where I examine each candidate and share my conclusions, and invite you to convince me to vote for the other jerk.  Because this is a long ballot, I’m splitting this analysis into a few chunks (note: links may not be available until all segments are posted):

  1. State and National Offices (excluding judges)
  2. County and City (Los Angeles) Local Offices (excluding judges)
  3. Local and State Measures (nee Propositions)
  4. Judicial Offices (County and State)
  5. Summary

Note: This analysis is NOT presented in the same order as the Sample Ballot (the ballot order makes no sense). I’ve attempted instead to present things in more logical order.

This part covers the State and Local Measures

  • State Measures: Measure 1
  • Los Angeles City Measures: Measure HLA

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🗳️ Mar 2024 Primary Election Ballot Analysis (II): County and City (L.A.) Local Offices

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Here in California (and in Los Angeles in particular), we have an election coming up. You know what that means: Every election, I do a detailed ballot analysis of my sample ballot. This is where I examine each candidate and share my conclusions, and invite you to convince me to vote for the other jerk.  Because this is a long ballot, I’m splitting this analysis into a few chunks (note: links may not be available until all segments are posted):

  1. State and National Offices (excluding judges)
  2. County and City (Los Angeles) Local Offices (excluding judges)
  3. Local and State Measures (nee Propositions)
  4. Judicial Offices (County and State)
  5. Summary

Note: This analysis is NOT presented in the same order as the Sample Ballot (the ballot order makes no sense). I’ve attempted instead to present things in more logical order.

This part covers the Local Offices (excluding US Congress and State Assembly)

  • County of Los Angeles: District Attorney
  • City of Los Angeles: City Council 12th District
  • LA Unified School District: Board of Education 3rd District
  • Democratic County Central Committee: 40th Assembly District

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🗳️ Mar 2024 Primary Election Ballot Analysis (I): Intro + State/National Offices

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Here in California (and in Los Angeles in particular), we have an election coming up. You know what that means: Every election, I do a detailed ballot analysis of my sample ballot. This is where I examine each candidate and share my conclusions, and invite you to convince me to vote for the other jerk.  Because this is a long ballot, I’m splitting this analysis into a few chunks (note: links may not be available until all segments are posted):

  1. State and National Offices (excluding judges)
  2. County and City (Los Angeles) Local Offices (excluding judges)
  3. Local and State Measures (nee Propositions)
  4. Judicial Offices (County and State)
  5. Summary

Note: This analysis is NOT presented in the same order as the Sample Ballot (the ballot order makes no sense). I’ve attempted instead to present things in more logical order.

This part covers the State and National Offices (i.e., the President and Congress):

  • Federal: President ❦ US Senate (two elections) ❦ US Representative, 32nd District
  • State: State Senator 27th District State Assembly ❦  40th District ❦ Board of Equalization, 3rd District ❦ Supt. of Public Instruction

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🎭🩰 An Unexpected Love Story | “Bourne’s Romeo + Juliet” @ Ahmanson

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Matthew Bourne's Romeo + Juliet (Ahmanson)When the 2023-2024 Ahmanson season was announced, I saw the inclusion of Matthew Bourne’s Romeo + Juliet and thought: Ugh. Ballet. I had seen his Cinderella back in 2019, and had a very mixed reaction. About that Cinderella, I wrote: ” I found it difficult to get into the story of Cinderella, and I identify who the myriad of characters were. The dance itself was beautiful, and the dancers were highly skilled, and much emotion was conveyed. But what who did what? I wasn’t always sure. Which of the Pilot’s friends was Tom and which was Dick — I have absolutely no idea. In fact, other than seeing the characters as their “role” (pilot, stepmother, child), I couldn’t tell you who was which name. Although there was theatricality, the notion of conveying more than the gist of the story to the audience was lost.”

Given this experience, I went into the 2024 Romeo + Juliet very apprehensive. I’m not a ballet or dance fan, and Bourne didn’t work for me last time. I’m pleased to say that this time I was pleasantly surprised. The music had energy; the dancing was entertaining; and I roughly knew who people were. I say roughly, because unless you are really familiar with the characters in Shakespeare’s story, you would be hard-pressed to tell a Mercutio from a Balthasar, a Dorcas from a Lavinia, or a Sebastian from a Fabian. Romeo and Juliet, on the other hand, you can identify. So you just watch the dance.

So, setting aside identification of which ancillary character was which, the story was great. Bourne resets the action to some sort of Juvenile Hall or Facility in the future–seemingly some sort of prison with guards and such. But there does seem to be some way for parents to check their children into the facility, so perhaps it isn’t quiet a jail. It’s harder to identify the factions in the story. There is one clear bad guy (he’s the one in black with the tattoo), but the motives of the others in the facility are less clear. I’d say you can’t tell the families apart without a program, but the program doesn’t help here. So I think if you want to really understand the story being told, you would be best to brush up your Shakespeare before seeing the show; or lacking that, at least read the Cliff Notes.

The staging was interesting. The Juvie Hall was imagined as a white tiled facility, with a railing above, stairs on the side, and gated entrances for boys and girls. it was white. The costuming was white. The lights were white. This made the few characters who were not in white–the Reverend, the Senator, the Governor–really stand out. If you see this, I encourage you to watch the reflections and the shadows on the stage, which were as beautiful as the dancers themselves.

The dancing was energetic, with moves that were much more modern dance than traditional ballet. There was humor at times, and some of the dancers even smiled :-). Looking back without any notes, it is hard to recall any specific moves, only the overall visual effect. Suffice it to say it was unique enough to draw my interest and keep my interest. Rarely did I find myself looking elsewhere in the auditorium or getting drowsy.

In summary, this changed my opinion of ballet. I still find it hard to get into the story, and believe you need to really understand the story well beforehand to understand the dance. However, with the right music and staging, appreciating the beauty of the dance itself is easy. This show had the right music and staging to make the dance really enjoyable.

Matthew Bourne’s Romeo + Juliet continues at the Ahmanson through February 25, 2024. Tickets are available through the CTG website.

Matthew Bourne’s Romeo + Juliet . Directed and Choreographed by Matthew Bourne. Music by Terry Davies based on the original score by Sergei Prokofiew. Cast at this performance:  Jackson Fisch Romeo ; Hannah Kremer Juliet; Adam Galbraith Tybalt; Cameron Flynn Mercutio; Leonardo McCorkindale Balthasar; Euan Garrett Benvolio; Daisy May Kemp Rev. Bernadette Laurence, Brie Montague, Nurse; Paris Fitzpatrick Senator Montague, Guard, Orderly; Anya Ferdinand Frenchie; Eleanor McGrath Dorcas; Tasha Chu Magdalen, Governor Escalus; Blue Makwana Lavinia; Kate Lyons Morgan; Kurumi Kamayachi Martha; Matthew Amos Edmund; Eve Ngbokota Lennox; Louis Harris Sebastian; Dylan Jones Fabian; Lyra Treglown Faith. Production and Creatives: Bryony Pennington Dance Captain; Lez Brotherston Set and Costume Design; Paule Constable Lighting Design; Paul Groothuis Sound Design; Terry Davies Orchestrator; Sergei Prokofiev Composer; Etta Murfitt New Adventures Assoc. Artistic Director; Arielle Smith Assoc. Choreographer; Neil Westmoreland New Adventures Resident Artistic Assoc.; Alan Vincent New Adventures Resident Director; Daisy May Kemp New Adventures Asst. Resident Director; Duncan Parker Stage Manager; Ian Wheatstone Company Manager.

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Administrivia: I am not a professional critic. I’m a cybersecurity professional, a roadgeek who does a highway site and a podcast about California Highways, and someone who loves live performance. I buy all my own tickets, unless explicitly noted otherwise. I do these writeups to share my thoughts on shows with my friends and the community. I encourage you to go to your local theatres and support them (ideally, by purchasing full price tickets, if you can afford to do so). We currently subscribe or have memberships at: Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre; Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages Theatre; Pasadena Playhouse; Geffen Playhouse (Mini-Subscription); 5-Star Theatricals. We’re looking for the right intimate theatre to subscribe at — it hasn’t been the same since Rep East died (it’s now The Main, and although it does a lot of theatre, it doesn’t have seasons or a resident company), and post-COVID, most 99-seaters aren’t back to doing seasons (or seasons we like). I used to do more detailed writeups; here’s my current approach.

Upcoming Theatre – Next 90ish Days:

On the Theatrical Horizon:

There are a few shows for which announcements have crossed my transom that may be of interest: The CSUN Theatre Department in Northridge will be doing the Spongebob Musical in April 2024. We really wanted to see this when it was on tour in 2020, but the tour was killed by COVID; we did drive up to Woodland CA to see a friend in a community theatre production of it. It is a great show about science and climate denial. Charles Stewart Howard Playhouse in Woodland Hills will be doing Hands on a Hardbody in May 2024. CSH announced this back in 2020, but it was killed by COVID; I’m glad to see it will be back (and with a friend in the cast, even). Morgan-Wixson Theatre in Santa Monica has announced their Mainstage 2024 Season, and it includes Bat Boy the Musical running Sept 28 through October 18. We saw Bat Boy back when CSUN did it in 2014; it is a wonderful musical about how a society treats outsiders. Conundrum Theatre Company will be doing Urinetown The Musical in mid to late March 2024 at the Broadwater; this is a great musical, but we can’t fit it into the schedule (nor does my wife care to see it again). However, if you haven’t seen it, it is worth seeing. I also just learned about a theatre company in Fullerton, Maverick Theater. They are doing Evil Dead: The Musical , which is a hoot if you’ve never seen it (we’ve seen it twice). They also have some interesting other stuff on their season, and we might drive down for Santa Claus Vs The Martians in November.

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