Tag: rep-east

Vagina. Va-jay-jay. Naughty Bits. Down There. Pussycat. Itsy-Bitsy. Downtown Dining and Entertainment District. Yup. There I was, this afternoon, with 5 other men, surrounded by 75 vaginas, watching a play about vaginas. I felt outnumbered.

You would think, with all the thinking men do about vaginas, that more of us would want to learn about them, to study them in detail, to understand what makes them tick… what makes them happy. But no, the numbers were 75… to 6. Last night, there were 5. Friday night, 3. It seems as much as men want to play with vaginas, they don’t want to think too much about them.

That’s too bad, for the play, “The Vagina Monologues” (by Eve Ensler) isn’t just for women. The Vagina Monologues consists of a series of monologues and other snippets of women talking about their vaginas. Discussions include (thanks to Wikipedia for providing the names): My Vagina Was My Village, a monologue developed from the rape experiences of Bosnian women;  My Angry Vagina, a rant about the injustices today’s world imposes on vaginas; The Little Coochie Snorcher That Could, in which a woman recalls traumatic childhood sexual experiences; I Was Twelve, My Mother Slapped Me, a monologue about menstruation; Reclaiming Cunt, a monologue about the word; The Woman Who Loved to Make Vaginas Happy, a monologue about a sex worker to women; Because He Liked to Look At It, a monologue about how a woman discovered the beauty of her vagina through how a man saw it; I Was There In The Room, a monologue about birth; another monologue about naming body parts and the term vulva; and another about hair. There were snippets about how many women never really look at their vaginas, and how for some it is often a foreign land. Not all available monologues were chosen for this performance — evidently, there is one that describes the experience of women in Iraq and Afghanistan that we didn’t hear. However, this was the current version, as there were topical references (such as trans-vaginal probes).

Being a man, I naturally cannot understand a lot of the relationships and experiences in this piece. I’m not sure men have the same relationship with their little brains. I’m not sure I could imagine men going to a show called “The Penis Monologues”. Hell, even if they retitled it “Dickhead”, I’m not sure they would go. I’m sure men would relate to the questions the monologues asked women about their vaginas: What would your vagina say? What would your vagina wear? What would it smell like? I could imagine men answering that question about their penises. Well, maybe not the last one.

Still, from my point of view, I found this play instructive and insightful. I learned about some aspects of the relationship between women and their genitals that I had never thought about. Alas, there were no pictures :-). Seriously, what I found most interesting was the audience reaction. It was interesting to see where they laughed, when people made verbal acknowledgements of agreement. I don’t know if it was the afternoon crowd, or the generous wine O was pouring, but these women were wild. Something about this show touched a nerve with the women in the audience. There were cheers throughout, and you could sense the strong agreement with the statements made and the sentiments expressed. Further, the actors didn’t just ignore it — they reacted and played with it, amplifying the feelings in the room. This wasn’t just a performance; it was an experience.

The monologues were performed by three strong actors: Jordana Capra (FB), Nykia Exner, and Jessica Kaye Temple (FB). As these were monologues, the performances were on book. Still, the actors did a great job of adding personality and flair to each monologue. What I found even more fun, however, was watching the actors that were not performing the monologues. They were so into the moment — reacting naturally to what was said, expressing emotions, feelings, and joy. It was just great. I don’t know if those were performances coached by the director, or natural reactions from the women to the monologues, but I made the play for me. It was part of what made this a special experience.

The production was directed by Jordana Capra (FB), who was also one of the monologuists. Lighting was designed by the newly-married Tim Christianson/FB. Sound was by Steven “Nanook” Burkholder/FB. Marie-Claire Erdynast/FB was the stage manager.  “The Vagina Monologues” was produced by Jordana Capra (FB), Ovington Michael Owston/FB, and the sleep-deprived Mikee Schwinn/FB (who is a new daddy).

This afternoon was the last performance of “The Vagina Monologues” at REP East. The next production at REP East (FB) is “God of Carnage“, running September 20 through October 18, 2013. Tickets are available through the REP Online Box Office, as well as through Goldstar.

[Ob. Disclaimer: I am not a trained theatre critic; I am, however, a regular theatre audience. I’ve been attending live theatre in Los Angeles since 1972; I’ve been writing up my thoughts on theatre (and the shows I see) since 2004. I do not have theatre training (I’m a computer security specialist), but have learned a lot about theatre over my many years of attending theatre and talking to talented professionals. I pay for all my tickets unless otherwise noted. I believe in telling you about the shows I see to help you form your opinion; it is up to you to determine the weight you give my writeups.]

Upcoming Theatre and Concerts:  I told you our schedule would fill up quickly. Next weekend sees us in Santa Clarita for the Exit 81 production of “The Vagina Monologues” on September 15th at REP East (FB). The fourth weekend in September brings two shows: “bare – A Rock Musical” (FB) at the Hayworth in the Westlake Disttrict on Saturday, and “Carrie That Tune” (great songs from flop musicals) at the Avery Schreiber Playhouse (FB) in North Hollywood on Sunday.  We close September by returning to Santa Clarita and REP East (FB) for “God of Carnage” (September 28). Theatre in October starts on the 5th with “Breath and Imagination” at the Colony Theatre (FB).  The second week of October sees me at the West Coast Premier of “Burnt Street Boys“ at the Third Street Theatre (FB).  The third week of October is being held for the production of “Carrie – The Musical” (FB) by Transfer Theatre, but tickets are not yet on sale. October ends with the Cabrillo Music Theatre (FB) production of “Kiss Me Kate” (October 26). November will start (hopefully) with “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” at Actors Rep of Simi (FB). That will be followed by a visit with Thomas the Tank Engine when we volunteer at OERM over Veterans Day.  The third week will be theatre-ish, as we attend ARTS’s Nottingham Village (FB) (a one-weekend ren-faire-ish market — tickets are now on sale). One of those weekends we’re also likely to see a Trollplayers (FB) production of Steven Schwartz’s “Children of Eden” (which runs November 8-17) [Trollplayers is the community theatre group at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Northridge]. November will conclude with “Play It Again Sam” at REP East (FB) at the end of the month (November 23), and “Miracle on S. Division Street” at the Colony Theatre (FB).  December is mostly open, but should bring “The Little Mermaid” at Nobel Middle School, and “Peter and the Starcatcher” at The Ahmanson Theatre. As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Bitter-Lemons, Musicals in LA and LA Stage Times, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411.

Back when I was in college, I saw a amusing movie starring Dolly Parton called “9 to 5“. Back in 2008, I saw “9 to 5” again — this time as a full-on, Broadway-bound musical at the Ahmanson. Five years later, I’m seeing “9 to 5” for a third time — this time in a creative production by our favorite under-81 seat playhouse in Newhall. The first had the story in the context of the time; the second had the razzle dazzle flash of Broadway; and the third stripped that back to show the musical for what it was. In this case, it showed it as a story bound in the 1970s, but with some powerhouse performances that overcame the story limitations.

One advantage of having seen the show before is that I don’t have to rewrite the synopsis — I can cut and paste. So, all together now, Control-C, Control-V:

For those unfamiliar with the movie, 9 to 5 tells the story of a mid-1970s office that produces, well, we’re never told quite what. There is the typical 1970s male chauvinist sexist pig boss, Franklin Hart (Dabney Coleman in the movie), who makes life a living hell for his buxom country assistant, Doralee Rhodes (played by Dolly Parton in the movie), his efficient head secretary Violet Newstead (Lily Tomlin in the movie), and the new hire, Judy Bernly (Jane Fonda in the movie). Fed up, one night they smoke pot and fantasize about how they would do him in. The next day, they almost mistakenly do it. While attempting to clean up the mess, they kidnap him and hold him prisoner in his house. They then take over running the company in his stead, improving efficiency… until he escapes. In the end, good defeats bad, and everyone gets what they deserve.

The musical version simply expands upon the bones created by the movie. This isn’t a surprise, as it features a book by Patricia Resnick, author of the original screenplay, and music and lyrics by Dolly Parton. The musical book hones very closely to the original screenplay, keeping almost all of the major movie incidents intact (including the fantasy sequences). It does provide some additional expansion on the home lives of Doralee, Judy, and Violet. The music includes the well-known theme song together with newer songs by Parton (which do have the distinctive Parton voice).

When we saw the show at the Ahmanson, it was on its way to Broadway. This meant, as I said above, that there was lots of razzle and dazzle. It was a technical marvel, with a full-size LCD backstage providing projection, multiple hydraulic elements moving major pieces up and down, numerous flying units (including Franklin Hart!), and loads of moving lights and scrims. That can’t be done in an 81-seat black box. What we got instead was creativity. The set featured a large turntable (I couldn’t tell if it was human or motor powered) that allowed alternation between the executive office set and the bedroom. There were a number of roll-able desk units that could be placed in front of this, together with couches and benches. The cast didn’t have a large backing ensemble. The costumes did a great job of reminding one of the 1970s, and at points were quite funny. This was particularly true in the aforementioned fantasy sequences, which featured a large number of Disney-esque costumes and quick costume changes. These forms of creativity are one thing I really enjoy about under-99 seat intimate theatre. It is why the recent Man of No Importance worked well, and why so many big Broadway flops work so much better at the intimate level. Razzle and dazzle does not a show make — it is performance.

Was the show perfect? No. There were a few things I found, for lack of a better word, “cheesy”. The first was the voice-overs by Dolly Parton at the beginning and end. I understand these were probably required by the licensing contract, but I hope in the future they can be replaced by an actor actually saying the lines (most likely, the actor playing Doralee). As it is now, the voice-overs bring it too much Dolly and do not let the show stand on its own. The other cheesy thing was the mustaches on a few of the actors.  They looked a bit like ’70s porn mustaches. Then again, this was a ’70s office. Maybe they were moonlighting 🙂 In any case, that’s not a major problem.

There were, however, four things that elevated this production to spectacular: the three lead actresses and the main supporting actress. The voices and performances of these three were spectacular, and not to be missed. My favorite was Sarah Krieg (FB) as Judy Bernly (the role originated by Jane Fonda in the movie and Stephanie J. Block on Broadway) . Unlike Jane and Stephanie, who were skinny mousey types, Sarah (who we recently saw as Rona in Spelling Bee) was a plus size powerhouse. This is a different look for Judy, but it worked quite well. Sarah has a remarkable singing and performance presence, which was powerfully shown during a number of numbers — in particular, “Get Out and Stay Out” and “The Dance of Death”. Equally strong was Erin Rivlin (FB) as Violet Newstead (the role originated by Lily Tomlin in the movie, and Allison Janney on Broadway). Erin also brought a different look to the role, but one that I liked. A powerful performer, Erin went beyond Janney to have a powerful singing voice as well (we’ve seen her do this at REP before, most recently in Trailer Park Musical). Erin was just delightful in “Potion Notion”, “Around Here”, and “Change It”. In the third lead position (which was more of a primary lead in the movie) was Gin Treadwell-Eng/FB as Doralee Rhodes (the role originated by Dolly Parton in the movie and Megan Hilty on Broadway). Gin moved the role away a bit from a Dolly-clone, as she couldn’t quite duplicate Dolly’s ummm, proportions. But Gin kept the country, and more importantly, had a strong country performance voice that made her performance a delight to watch. Spectacular numbers from Gin included “Shine Like the Sun”, “Cowgirls Revenge”, and “Backwoods Barbie”. Lastly, the surprising supporting performance came from Sarah Lang/FB. Knowing the character, one would think the performance was simply comic relief. But Sarah blew away the house with her performance in “Heart to Hart” — it was nerd-girl sexy and just… wow. From how the actress looked, you would never have expected that big voice to be in her.

The four women just discussed were the performances that grabbed and shook you. A number of other performance were also worthy of some specific mention. As Franklin Hart Jr., Billy Davis/FB gave a good portrayal of the lying, cheating, sexist, male pig. Also strong was K. C. Lindley/FB as Joe, the love interest for Violet. Lastly, as Margaret, Jane Arnett (FB) was so convincingly soused I was thinking we would need to call her a cab to get home; I didn’t want to see her tab at the Hydeaway Lounge! Rounding out the cast were Julie Berlin/FB (Kathy), Curtis Crawford/FB (Intern), Jim Crawford/FB (Dwayne), George D. Cummings/FB (Dick/Doctor/Tinsworthy), Liam Johnson (Josh), Donna Marie Sergi (FB) (Maria), Melissa Strauss (FB) (Missy), Beth Sweezer (Candy Striper), and Don Sweezer/FB (Bob Enright). I’ll also note that this was (a) one of the largest casts I’ve seen at REP in a while, and (b) there were a lot more CTG actors than we usually see at a REP show.

The production was directed by Leslie Berra/FB, a past Goldie award winner at CTG (which likely explains (b) above).  Leslie did a great job of making what is a massive production work in intimate quarters. She also, it appears, did it while keeping the fun in the show, for the actors seemed to be having a delightful time. She was assisted by Nancy Alterman (FB) as Choreographer, who came up with some very creative dance moves for the limited space.

At this point, I would normally credit the musicians. Alas, REP had to use pre-recorded music. I harbor a secret hope that one day REP can move to non-recorded musicians, but they just don’t have the space. Perhaps one day they can do a musical that has the musicians on the stage. Pump Boys and Dinettes? The Robber Bridgegroom? Golden Boy of the Blue Ridge? A Mulholland Christmas Carol?

Turning now to the technical. The clever and inventive set was designed by Jeff Hyde, Madi Orgill/FB (who also did the scenic design and paiting), and Mikee Schwinn/FB. Lighting was designed by the newly-married Tim Christianson/FB (Mazel Tov, Tim!). Sound was by Steven “Nanook” Burkholder/FB. The great costumes (especially in the fantasy sequences) were designed by Janet McAnany/FB. The resident stage manager is Christina Aguilar/FB. Amanda Grace Williams/FB was the production stage manager, assisted by Taylor Kozlowski/FB. As always, it is always fun to see the stage management and stage hands dancing in the hall just before the start of Act 2 :-). The show was produced by Mikee Schwinn/FB and Ovington Michael Owston/FB.

“9 to 5 – The Musical” continues at Repertory East Playhouse through August 17th. Tickets are available through the REP Online Box Office or through Goldstar. The show is well worth seeing. REP has also announced two one-weekend shows: “Wake Up and Smell The Coffee” by Eric Bogosian on August 29-31, and The Vagina Monologues” by Eve Ensler on September 13-15.

REP has also provided a preliminary announcement of their 2014 season — their 10th anniversary. No dates as yet. The shows selected are: “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change“, “Biloxi Blues” (Neil Simon), “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof“, “Return to Forbidden Planet“, “The Great Gatsby“, and “A  Few Good Men“.

Upcoming Theatre and Concerts:  Next weekend sees us back in Newhall for “9 to 5 – The Musical” at REP East (FB) on July 14. The following weekend is open for my wife’s birthday [ETA: I’ll be doing the So Cal Games Day on Saturday, and we’re going to the Renegrade Craft Faire for Karen’s Bday on Sunday].  , and the The end of July brings “Legally Blonde – The Musical” at Cabrillo Music Theatre (FB) and (hopefully)  OperaWorks at CSUN (FB) on Sunday (now ticketed). August starts with Nine at DOMA Theatre Ensemble (FB). It may also bring “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?”  at the Santa Clarita Regional Theatre — this is a new Roger Bean show that sounds interesting [ETA: On the other hand, there is “The Apple Tree” at ELATE/Lincoln Stegman]. Otherwise, August is currently completely open due to vacation planning, although we may see a show at the Lawrence Welk Resort in Escondido at the end of the month (depending on price), or at another venue in San Diego. September may bring Sarah Ruhl’s “In The Next Room or The Vibrator Play“ at the Production Company/Secret Rose (FB) and “Blue Man Group” at the Hollywood Bowl. The middle of the month may bring “The Vagina Monologues” at REP East (FB), and the end definitely sees us back at REP East (FB) for “God of Carnage” (September 28). October 5th brings “Breath and Imagination” at the Colony Theatre (FB), as well as October is mostly open, but should bring the Cabrillo Music Theatre (FB) production of “Kiss Me Kate” at the end of the month (October 26). November will start (hopefully) with “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” at Actors Rep of Simi (FB), as well as ARTS’s Nottingham Village (FB) (a one-weekend ren-faire-ish market — tickets are now on sale). November will conclude with “Play It Again Sam” at REP East (FB) at the end of the month (November 23), and “Miracle on S. Division Street” at the Colony Theatre (FB).  The fall should also bring a production of “Carrie – The Musical” (FB) by Transfer Theatre, but the specific dates have not been announced. We also still haven’t heard anything as to whether the Colony Theatre (FB) will have a 2013-2014 season. As always, I’m keeping my eyes open as the various theatres start making their 2013/2014 season announcements. Lastly, what few dates we do have open may be filled by productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411, or discussed in the various LA Stage Blogs I read (I particularly recommend Musicals in LA and LA Stage Times).

Last night, we went to go see “To Kill a Mockingbird” at REP East Playhouse in Santa Clarita. I actually hadn’t encountered the story before (I had never read the book or seen the movie, surprisingly), and was very moved by the story. This morning, as I was trying to figure out how to write this up, the unifying theme hit me: Justice. While watching “To Kill a Mockingbird“, I kept thinking about another “trial” production we’ve seen: Parade, by Jason Robert Brown. That also tells the story of justice denied, even though the real facts were clear. It also ties to the production we are seeing this evening, Scottsboro Boys, which again tells the story of a minority in the south that saw justice denied.

Monday is Memorial Day, when we thank those who defend this country and its values. We often view this in a military fashion, but one of the key defenders of this country is the legal system. The legal system’s drawback is that it deals with people — and people lie and are affected by their prejudices. In all three cases I mentioned, lying and prejudice play big factors: people lying about what the accused has done for their own personal reasons (usually as a result of prejudice), and people letting prejudice against others color their view of the evidence.

Perhaps you’re not familiar with the story of To Kill a Mockingbird. Basically, it is the story of Atticus Finch and his family in Macon Alabama in the 1930s. Finch, a white lawyer, has been assigned to defend Tom Robinson, who has been accused of beating and raping a young white woman in the community. This angers many in the community. The play deals with both the community’s reaction to the case, as well as the specific trial. This is seen primarily through they eyes of Atticus’ children, Scout and Jem, and the expository narrations of Miss Maudie. You can find the plot summary here. I heard that the ages of the children were different than in the story, although the ages do agree with the Wikipedia summary.

The direction of the play, by Mark Kaplan/FB and Mikee Schwinn/FB, was simple and effective. It made great use of the limitations of the REP East stage (a black box) — I’m always amazed at how REP is so creative in its storytelling. The directors helped the actors make these characters into people. You felt that the children were children; the neighbors were neighborly; and … well, it was just right and seamless.

Of course, the fact that there were great performances didn’t hurt. In the lead position was Daniel Lench* (FB) as Atticus Finch. Daniel is a REP regular, and he is wonderous in anything he is in. I particular remember his performances as Antonio Salieri in Amadeus and as Lt. Col Jessep in A Few Good Men. This was another one of Daniel’s signature leads — I can’t say enough about how well he captured Atticus Finch. I truly wish the Ovation folks would deign to go a little further north than they are used to see this moving performance.

In the second lead position was a new find: Lori Hernandez as Jean Louise “Scout” Finch. New to REP, she was just riveting and childlike. You didn’t see this girl acting; you saw her as Atticus’ daughter in the deep south. Basically, her performance made the piece authentic and relate-able, and make this much more than a simple courtroom drama.

There were a number of other great performances worth mentioning from the supporting cast. Georgan George (FB) was Miss Maudie, and she did a wonderful job of providing the necessary exposition and commentary. As Jeremy “Jem” Finch, Liam Johnson was a wonderful older brother to Scout and helped establish the children as real. Brent Christiansen (FB), as Bob Ewell, was wonderful as the villain of the piece, with a convincing performance as a mad drunken bigot. Also notable was Macleish Day* (FB) in the multiple roles of Nathan Radley, Boo Radley, and Mr. Gilmer. Day, who we recently saw in Boeing, Boeing, was not only effective as the prosecution lawyer, but in the end as the simple Boo Radley. Quite a transformation. Lastly, I enjoyed Frank Rock (FB)’s portrayal of the Sheriff, Heck Tate.

Rounding out this large cast (especially for the REP) was Barry Agin (FB) (Walter Cunningham I / Link Deas), Eileen Mary Butler* (FB) (Mrs. Dubois / Miss Eula May), Shane Cambria (FB) (Charles “Dill” Baker Harris / Walter Cunningham II), Malinda Farrington* (FB) (Miss Stephanie), R J Farrington* (FB) (Calpurnia), Alli Kelly (FB) (Mayella Ewell), Austen Parros (FB) (Reverend Sykes), Chris Reese* (FB) (Tom Robinson), and P J Waggaman (FB) (Judge John Taylor).

The scenic design for the production was by Mikee Schwinn/FB, with lighting by the resident lighting designer Tim Christianson/FB and sound by the the resident sound designer, Steven “Nanook” Burkholder/FB. The lighting was particularly effective for this production. Costumes were designed by Tonya Nelson of NSA Costumes. The production stage manager was Marie-Claire Erdynast/FB, and the resident stage manager is Christina Aguilar/FB. Mikee Schwinn/FB is the artistic director (congrats on the promotion to full artistic director, Mikee), and Ovington Michael Owston/FB “O” is the executive director of REP East (congrats on your new title, “O”).

“To Kill A Mockingbird” continues at REP East through June 16. Go see it. Tickets are available through the REP Online Box office; they are often available through Goldstar, and last minute specials are available through the REP’s Facebook page.

Upcoming Theatre and Concerts:   Today brings  The Scottsboro Boys” at the Ahmanson Theatre. June brings “Priscilla – Queen of the Desert” at the Pantages. June will also bring a Maria Muldaur concert at McCabes.  I’m also considering Rent at the Hudson Theatres or A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts in Thousand Oaks. July is currently more open, with “9 to 5 – The Musical” at REP East in the middle of the month, and “Legally Blonde – The Musical” at Cabrillo at the end of the month. August is currently completely open due to vacation planning. I’m also keeping my eyes open as the various theatres start making their 2013 season announcements. Lastly, what few dates we do have open may be filled by productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411, or discussed in the various LA Stage Blogs I read (I particularly recommend Musicals in LA and LA Stage Times).

Music: Portraits – The Best of Amanda McBroom (Amanda McBroom): “Amanda”

Listen, children, and gather around while I tell you a story of the past. No, not the exodus from Egypt. That’s Monday night. Today’s story concerns a different type of transportation. You see, once upon a time there were these things called “timetables”. They covered all forms of transportation: buses, railroads, and airplanes. In fact, there was a special book published called the Official Airline Guide, that had the timetables for every flight by a commercial airline. In the days before personal computers, this is how you determined what flights were where. Schedules were very static, and tended not to change all that much unless new aircraft were introduced. In fact, one could build a life around the schedules.

Last night, at Repertory East Playhouse (FB), we saw the 1965 French farce “Boeing Boeing“, written by Marc Camoletti, revised by Francis Evans, and translated by Beverley Cross . “Boeing Boeing” is the story of a man who has built his life around timetables — in this case, airline timetables. This man — Bernard — is living and working in Paris, and is engaged to three women, all flight attendants. Fiancee #1 is Janet, a Pan-Am stewardess flying across the Atlantic regularly. Fiancee #2 is Jaqueline, an Air France stewardess regularly flying to the Middle East. Fiancee #3 is Judith, a Luftansa stewardess. Helping Bernard manage all of this is his long suffering maid, Bertha. For a number of years, Bernard successfully manages this juggling act. However, the balls all start to get confused just as Bernard’s long time friend, Robert, comes to visit and stay for a few days. Why? Pan Am has moved to a faster variant of the Boeing 707, one that produces almost 3,000 lbs more thrust… and is moving Janet to the route.  Air France is also upgrading aircraft, and is moving Jacqueline to the new Caravelle jet. The net effect of all of this is that Bernard’s timetables are ruined. After seeing Janet off to New York, and while having lunch with Jacqueline, Judith shows up to Bernard’s apartment early — and has a changed assignment where she can stay three days. This is the first in a series of timetable changes that leaves all three girls going in and out of the apartment, where juggling occurs only thanks to the help of Bertha and Robert. I won’t spoil the details of the farce, but suffice it to say it is very fast and funny.

My first thought upon seeing this was synchronicity with other recent shows. Just last week we saw “Catch Me If You Can“, a story with a large emphasis on tall, leggy, Pan-Am stewardesses. Two weeks ago we saw “Company“, a story about a man named Robert who is juggling three girlfriends and who wants to get married, if he can ever figure out why he wants to get married. There are themes in both of these plays common with our main character: someone who is pretending to be something he is not, someone who wants to find love, but doesn’t have the strength to settle for just one until life decides to get involve and force him to consider the choices he has made. However, this is probably too much analysis. After all, the original story was clearly defined as farce, not something this is intended to have deep meaning or to resonate in various ways.

From what I understand (as I haven’t seen them), the original play (and subsequent movie) treated Bernard and Robert straight. Both were more sophisticated characters (in the movie, Bernard and Robert were Tony Curtis and the suave, not comic, Jerry Lewis, respectively), letting the farce and the situation provide the humor. At REP, the director, Christopher Chase (FB), took the story in a more physical direction — much of the humor came from physical comedy and physical reactions of the two primary male leads (Macleish Day* (FB) as Bernard and Nick Ruth/FB as Robert) and the long-suffering Bertha (Nikki Jacobs (FB)). I was initially unsure about Day’s Bernard — I didn’t think he had the looks to be the playboy type (but often that seems to be the case in farces). However, Day won me over with his physical comedy, which was spectacular. His long-limbed rubbery body reminded me of Jim Carry in the early days, and worked very well with the direction that Chris Chase took this comedy. Ruth’s Robert was more a reactive partner-in-crime: facilitating the subterfuge, thinking quick and reacting as the situation rapidly goes south. A third comic gem as Jacob’s Bertha, who reminded me of a sardonic Nancy Walker (in writing this up, I discovered that the role of Bertha in the past has been played by Rhea Perelman and Christine Baranski). Jacob’s comic timing and experience served her well in this role, and also permitted her to find the funny as various things happened due to the nature of live theatre.

Serving as both the beauties of the story, as well as catalysts for the action in the story, are the three flight attendants. The first one we meet is Melanie Wahla* (FB) as the American, Janet (Wahla also helped with costumes and the set development).  I was initially unsure about Wahla, simply because she didn’t have the Pan-Am stewardess look I saw the previous week in “Catch Me If You Can“. However, Wahla won me over and shone in the second act with great comic timing and agressiveness. On the other hand, I instantly fell in love with the look of the Air France attendant, Jacqueline, played by Alana Marie Cheuvront (Etsy) (FB); I could easily see why Bernard would want to marry her. Cheuvront was also strong both comically and emotionally, and had a wonderful French je ne sais quoi. Lastly, as our Luftansa attendant, Judith, was portrayed by Carole Catanzaro (FB). Catanzaro had the stewardess look: long, leggy, powerful. But Catanzaro’s Judith didn’t just project beauty; she also projected the strong Germanic power needed for a German attendant — that “you will do what I say… or else” attitude that proved a great instigator for the comic side of the story.

In short, the REP nailed it on casting yet again. (* indicates members of Actors Equity).

Production-wise, “Boeing-Boeing” had the usual excellent job by the REP regular team. The scenic painting and design were by Ovington Michael Owston/FB, Mikee Schwinn/FB, Melanie Wahla* (FB), and Christopher Chase (FB). Lighting was by Tim Christianson/FB, and Steven “Nanook” Burkholder/FB handled the sound with his usual expertise. Costumes were by Melanie Wahla* (FB), and Christopher Chase (FB), with additional costumes from Tonya Nelson of NSA Costumes. According to the program, Christina Aguilar/FB was the production stage manager and Levanna Atkinson-Williams (FB) was the stage manger; however, at the production we were at, Mikee Schwinn/FB and his brother Johnny/FB were ably holding down the fort.

“Boeing Boeing” continues at REP East Playhouse until April 13. If you friend REP East on Facebook, you can often learn of discount tickets (and how to get discount drinks from the Hydeaway Lounge).  Tickets are available through the REP Online Box Office or through Goldstar.

Upcoming Theatre and Concerts:   March ends with “End of the Rainbow” at the Ahmanson on March 30. April has less theatre — so far, only one show is scheduled. The first weekend of April is open. The next weekend brings with the Southern California Renaissance Faire.  Following that is “Grease” at Cabrillo Music Theatre, and April concludes with a winetasting at Temple Ahavat Shalom. May is busy in a different sense, with two concerts — Elton John in Las Vegas on May 4, and (tentative) Michael Feinstein at VPAC on May 11. May also brings “Falling for Make Believe” at The Colony Theatre and “To Kill a Mockingbird” at REP East. Lastly, continuing the look ahead, June will bring (tenative) “The Scottsboro Boys” at the Ahmanson Theatre, “Priscilla – Queen of the Desert” at the Pantages, and (tentative) Sweet Charity“ at DOMA. July is currently more open, with “9 to 5 – The Musical” at REP East in the middle of the month, and “Legally Blonde – The Musical” at Cabrillo at the end of the month. August is currently completely open due to vacation planning and the potential Nottingham Faire. I’m also keeping my eyes open as the various theatres start making their 2013 season announcements. Lastly, what few dates we do have open may be filled by productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411, or discussed in the various LA Stage Blogs I read (I particularly recommend Musicals in LA and LA Stage Times).

Music: The Captain & The Kid (Elton John): “Old 67”

Can you give me a definition?

To bring back, to revisit.

Can you use it in a sentence?

“Bobby, there used to be ducks on the mantle but they’re gone. Shit. Now I’m going to have to redux it.”

Last night we went to the “Parent-Teacher Conference” (i.e., “adults-only”) version of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” at REP East. As we were just there on Saturday night, I’m not going to do a full re-review. Rather, I’m just going to give a few additional observations:

• We were sitting in a different location in the audience, which afforded a good view of the cast on the bleachers. It was quite interesting to watch them and their reactions to the other spellers.
• The adults-only version wasn’t that risque, or perhaps we’re just not shocked by that much. A few cuss words thrown around, a number of sexual terms given to people to spell, and some mildly adult definitions and introductions. Then again, to go to a more “adult” (skin) version would have been creepy — after all, the spellers are supposed to be in elementary school… and this isn’t Carson.
• What was more interesting, however, was the reaction of the other students when the sexual terms came out. They were totally confused by the words. Good playing there.
• I did notice that some of the song references to India were changed to refer to Tom Cruise and Scientology. This created in me the totally odd thought: What if the REP mounted “A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant“. Yes, there is such a musical — I even have the cast album!
• My wife was particularly enamored of Jason J. Lewis (FB) [Mitch Mahoney]’s vocal performance at this production — he was in particuarly fine form. We also enjoyed meeting and talking to Jason and his lovely wife Annie Ramsey Lewis/FB [Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre] after the show. Jason recommended we look into Glendale Center Theatre (which is near a great used bookstore). We haven’t been there before, but I’ll add them to my Goldstar watch list.

As I’ve noted before, this is a great production — one you should really go see if you can figure out how to get to Santa Clarita. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee continues through February 23 at REP East Playhouse. Tickets are available through the REP Online Box Office, and are usually available on Goldstar.

Upcoming Theatre and Concerts:   This weekend, on February 9, is “Backbeat” at the Ahmanson. February 16 brings “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” at Cabrillo Music Theatre on Saturday, and “Run for your Wife” at Canyon Theatre Guild on Sunday. The last weekend of February is “The Snake Can” at the Odyssey Theatre (based on an ad that caught Karen’s eye in the latest Footlights). Karen (but not me) will be seeing “When You’re In Love The Whole World is Jewish” at the Greenway Court Theatre on Feburary 21. March starts with “I’ll Be Back Before Midnight” at the Colony. After a break for Fogcon (although I may do something here), theatre picks up with “Catch Me If You Can” at Broadway LA/Pantages on March 16 and “Boeing Boeing” at REP East on March 23. March may also bring “End of the Rainbow” at the Ahmanson, most likely on March 30. April will bring the Southern California Renaissance Faire , “Grease” at Cabrillo Music Theatre, and a winetasting at Temple Ahavat Shalom. May is also busy, with two concerts — Elton John in Las Vegas on May 4, and (tentative) Michael Feinstein at VPAC on May 11. May may also bring “Falling for Make Believe” at The Colony Theatre, “To Kill a Mockingbird” at REP East. Lastly, continuing the look ahead, June will bring (tenative) “The Scottsboro Boys” at the Ahmanson Theatre, “Priscilla – Queen of the Desert” at the Pantages, (tentative) Sweet Charity“ at DOMA, and the Western Corps Connection at the end of the month. I’m also keeping my eyes open as the various theatres start making their 2013 season announcements. Lastly, what few dates we do have open may be filled by productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411, or discussed in the various LA Stage Blogs I read (I particularly recommend Musicals in LA and LA Stage Times).

There are some shows you never get tired of seeing (and others for which one performance is more than enough). One of the shows high on my repeat list is “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (although you think by now is would be past number 25–I think although they can spell, they can’t do math!), which we saw last night at the Repertory East Playhouse in Newhall, CA. This is our third time seeing the show: the first was in 2007 with the original Broadway cast at the Wadsworth Theatre; the second was in 2009 at LA Valley College with a student cast. I’m pleased to say the REP cast was equal to if not better than both those casts. REP also made some interesting casting choices which made you look at the show a little differently.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, conceived by Rebecca Feldman), tells the story of six mitsfits at a local Spelling Bee, and their quest to win the Bee. However, these six aren’t the only participants in the Bee: there are also four audience members drawn at random (based on interviews held before the show), who sink or swim on their own. In the first half of the Bee, you clearly know who will win (the cast members) and who will lose — the fun part is learning the back-stories for the competitors, and seeing the crazy introductions the writers have — both for the cast members and the audience participants. The words given to the audience participants differ every show, and the audience members are encouraged to play along by asking for definitions and sentence use. The resulting answers are often some of the funniest moments in the show. The second half of the show is the serious competition, with the final five contestants being winnowed down. During this part you learn more about the kids and see how they grow — and what is really inside of them.

The six real contestants in the Bee are:

1. Marcy Park, an overachiever, who knows five six languages, excels in sports (and everything else), and who is driven to win the bee.
2. Leaf Coneybear, a second-runner up who got to the competition because the kids in front of him had to attend a Bat Mitzvah. Comes from a hippie family, in this show, from Topanga Canyon (hmmm, he was from Topanga Canyon in the 2007 production as well).
3. William Barfée, an eccentric character who spells words before saying them with his “magic foot”, who is allergic to peanuts and everything else, and who is probably like someone you knew in your high school.
4. Olive Ostrovsky, an isolated newcomer to the Bee, whose parents seem to be taking out their agressions through her, and so she finds the dictionary a safe place to hide.
5. Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, the product of two dads who are pushing her to succeed… however she can.
6. Chip Tolentino, last year’s winner, a fierce competitor… until other problems rise up to distract him.

Rounding this out are Rona Lisa Peretti, the mistress of ceremonies and the #1 realtor in Putnam County; Douglas Panch , the vice-principle serving as judge, and Mitch Mahoney, who is doing his community service by comforting kids when they lose. The story itself is the competition of the Spelling Bee and the interaction of the contestants, working its way up to the final winner.

What makes Putnam County succeed or fail is its cast (well, and the direction, but I still have trouble separating direction from performance). REP’s cast was excellent; they didn’t have that long-in-the-tooth problem that the Broadway cast had, and were still able to bring youthful exuberance to the production. As I noted before, the director (Mark Kaplan/FB) made some interesting casting choices that injected a little difference into the show — in a good way. So let’s meet the team:

As Marcy Park, Kelly Bader/FB was a departure from the typical casting. Normally, Marcy is cast with an Asian actress, bringing out the stereotypical over-achieving Asian. Bader gave off a more parochial schoolgirl vibe, making her more the blonde overachiever you hate. This make you look at the role and the character quite differently. Bader’s performance was strong, especially her movement and dance.

As Leaf Coneybear, Lucas Moore/FB brought a wonderful spirit and energy to an offbeat character. He struck me as that slight-autistic or Aspberger’s kid you  knew in school — in his own world and quite happy there, but with a magical power to excel in selected areas. He also did a great job of portraying one of Logainne’s two dads. He was a delight to watch.

As William Barfée, Kevin Rhedin/FB did a wonderful job.  Every Barfée I’ve seen has been very different. The original, Dan Fogler, had this manic energy to the character. At LAVC, Paul Dietz brought a different vibe with a look and foot I initially didn’t like. Rhedin’s Barfée was a disheveled outcast focused on winning, but you could see that inside the character was a scared boy. Rhedin did a great job of portraying the transformation that came over Barfée when he was able to spell a word without the foot: you could see a visible confidence grow. This is great acting.

As Olive Ostrovsky, Mary Grace Wilson/FB was perhaps my favorite performer in the piece. A strong singer, a beautiful face, and great movement and comic timing made Wilson just a delight to watch. You could see, in her performance, that there was a very strong girl under the initially unsure character. Wilson is evidently in a relationship with Rhedin, and brought a wonderful chemistry and unspoken connection between Wilson’s Ostrovsky and Rhedin’s Barfée.

As Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, Annie Ramsey Lewis/FB brought a bunch of fun to the role. I was initially unsure about Lewis, as the speech impediment of the character was a bit strong, making it hard to understand what she was saying. But her performance was great, saying in character, with the impediment, not only through the spoken parts but through the sung parts as well. Again, fun to watch, but in a different way. She was also part of the other couple in the cast, although I didn’t notice any unspoken interplay with her spouse.

As the last student, Chip Tolentino, K. C. Lindley/FB conveyed the Boy Scout notion of wanting to be the best well, which made it all the more effective when he lost. I was a bit worried, however, at the start of Act II when he was lobbying candy at the audience; it gave a different meaning to “you could put an eye out with that thing!”.

Rounding out the cast were Sarah Krieg (FB) as Rona Perretti, Richard Van Slyke (FB) as Douglas Panch, and Jason J. Lewis (FB) as Mitch Mahoney. Krieg was amazing (and not for being the first cast member so far to actually have her own webpage). Normally Rona is a role you don’t notice that much, but Krieg had such a wonderful singing voice and presence that you were just drawn to her performance. Well done! Van Slyke’s performance has Panch was the typical VP you never liked, which worked well. I’ve always wondered about that character’s backstory. Lastly, as Mitch Mahoney, Jason Lewis (the other Lewis in the cast) was a departure from the traditional Mahoney casting. Traditionally, Mahoney is cast as black to build upon the stereotype of the menacing black ex-con. Lewis’s Mahoney was more hoodlum; a powerful angry man you wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley. This brought a different vibe to the character, but worked well.

In addition to Mark Kaplan/FB‘s direction, Leslie Berra (FB) served as vocal coach and assistant director. Berra deserves compliments–the singing of this cast was excellent. Nancy Alterman provided the choreography, which was effective in the small space. The music for the show was pre-recorded; alas, the REP does not have sufficient space for live music in productions.

Turning to the technical. There was no specific credit for the scenic design, although Madi Orgill/FB, Mikee Schwinn/FB, and Ovington Michael Owston/FB constructed the set. The set was a more cartoon-ish gym (as opposed to the realistic gym of the Wadsworth or the suggestive gym of LAVC), but it worked quite well. Tim Christianson/FB did the effective lighting design, and Steven “Nanook” Burkholder/FB handled the sound with his usual expertise. Christina Aguilar/FB was the theatre manager and stage manger, with Marie-Claire Erdynast/FB serving as the assistant stage manager (it was fun to watch her dancing to the music as she set and cleaned up for each act).

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee continues through February 23 at REP East Playhouse. Tickets are available through the REP Online Box Office, and are usually available on Goldstar. Note that REP shows often sell out quickly, and that there will be a special “parent-teacher conference” performance (adult-only) on Thursday, February 7.  REP has announced their 2013 season, and it is a good one: Putnam County (Jan 25-Feb 23), Boeing, Boeing (Mar 15-Apr 13), To Kill a Mockingbird (May 10-Jun 15), 9 to 5–The Musical (Jul 12-Aug 17), God of Carnage (Sep 20-Oct 19), and Woody Allen’s “Play It Again Sam” (Nov 15-Dec 14). Subscriptions start at $110, and are well worth it — especially for the family you get as part of the deal, as the REP staff, cast, and crew are truly a wonderful family to be a part of. Click here to learn more about REP Season Tickets.

Dining Note: Dinner was at Spumoni‘s, where I had an Italian Sausage pasta dish. After all, what better way to celebrate Groundhog Day than be eating ground hog. (We go out on that joke) (No, we do reprise of song, that help) (But not much).

Upcoming Theatre and Concerts:   Our next theatre is at the REP again, when we have a scheduled parent-student conference for the adult-only version of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee on February 7. Next weekend, on February 9, is “Backbeat” at the Ahmanson. February 16 brings “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” at Cabrillo Music Theatre, and the last weekend of February is “The Snake Can” at the Odyssey Theatre (based on an ad that caught Karen’s eye in the latest Footlights). Karen (but not me) will be seeing “When You’re In Love The Whole World is Jewish” at the Greenway Court Theatre on Feburary 21. March starts with “I’ll Be Back Before Midnight” at the Colony. After a break for Fogcon (although I may do something here), theatre picks up with “Catch Me If You Can” at Broadway LA/Pantages on March 16 and “Boeing Boeing” at REP East on March 23. March may also bring “End of the Rainbow” at the Ahmanson, most likely on March 30. April will bring the Southern California Renaissance Faire , “Grease” at Cabrillo Music Theatre, and a winetasting at Temple Ahavat Shalom. May is also busy, with two concerts — Elton John in Las Vegas on May 4, and (tentative) Michael Feinstein at VPAC on May 11. May may also bring “Falling for Make Believe” at The Colony Theatre, “To Kill a Mockingbird” at REP East. Lastly, continuing the look ahead, June will bring (tenative) “The Scottsboro Boys” at the Ahmanson Theatre, “Priscilla – Queen of the Desert” at the Pantages, (tentative) Sweet Charity“ at DOMA, and the Western Corps Connection at the end of the month. I’m also keeping my eyes open as the various theatres start making their 2013 season announcements. Lastly, what few dates we do have open may be filled by productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411, or discussed in the various LA Stage Blogs I read (I particularly recommend Musicals in LA and LA Stage Times).

In 1936, Margaret Mitchell published her first and only novel, a sprawling 1000+ page story of an unlikeable heroine, her love for another woman’s husband, and her use and discarding of men. This heroine, in reality, cared only for herself and her survival, and took whatever means were necessary to ensure it. After selling millions of copies, Hollywood optioned the story and took three years to turn it into a movie, only to find the screenplay a horrible mess. A week into the shooting, production was shut down while the producer, one of the studio’s best screenwriters, and the new director shut themselves in a room for a week to rewrite the screenplay.

The story of that week is the story told in  Ron Hutchinson’s play “Moonlight and Magnolias“, which we saw last night at Repertory East Playhouse in Newhall, CA. We’ve seen the play before; it was done in February 2011 at The Colony Theatre. Let me summarize the plot for you:

As the story begins, it is 1939. Producer David O. Selznick has shut down production of his new epic, Gone with the Wind, because the screenplay just doesn’t work. He sends a car for famed screenwriter Ben Hecht and convinces him to spend a week rewriting the screenplay. There’s only one problem: Hecht has never read the novel. Selznick also pulls director Victor Fleming from the set of The Wizard of Oz and had him brought to his office. Fleming has read the book. Locking the two men in his office, and subsisting only on bananas and peanuts, the three men labor over five days to fashion a screenplay. This is done by Selznick and Fleming acting out the story, and Hecht writing it. Supporting them in this endeavor is Miss Poppenghul, Selznick’s secretary.

During the manic week of writing, various themes about the novel and Hollywood itself are exposed. Many believe the novel is unfilmable — to that point, there hadn’t been a successful Civil War movie, and the novel is sympathetic to the way of the South, presents Klan members in Klan outfits, has a woman shooting a Union soldier and slapping a slave. All these facts are argued about during the development of the screenplay. Also argued is Selnick’s motivation for doing the picture — acceptance in Hollywood as more than just “a Jew” or “Louis B. Mayer’s son-in-law”. This brings up the whole notion of Jews never being accepted as Americans — they were viewed as Jews first. Of course, we’ve moved beyond that today–today we would never think an American religious community would put loyalty to religion above loyalty to country.

As I’ve seen a previous production of the story, a natural comparison is how the two productions compare. Both were good, but I tended to find the REP version stronger. The week told in the story is crazy and slapstick, as one would expect from sleep deprivation.  REP played up that slapstick aspect. This was made clear from the start. Unlike the Colony’s production, the REP’s director, Brad Sergi, chose to frame the show with filmed pieces that established the context of the time and truly set the stage. The opening film piece firmly planted the story in Hollywood, introduced the players, and included some Three Stooges footage that highlighted slapstick moviemaking. Some of the same slapstick moves then occurred during the play itself. At the end of the play, another film piece used clips fromGone With The Windto show the  story as filmed… followed by a bit more Stooges. For Sergi, the heart of this story was the slapstick craziness, and he brought it out well.

One of the things that set this production apart was the excellent acting team. The leads were all REP regulars, and worked together well. As David Selznick, Nathan T. Inzerillo  captured the studio executive well, leading the story along to get it written while balancing the demands of his actors and his famous heritage. Particularly good was Barry Agin as Ben Hecht. Agin was great as the screenwriter, rumpled and passionate about the value of the writer to the story. As Victor Fleming, Michael Collins was playful and exhausting (his portrayal of Prissy is not to be missed) and just a delight to watch. Also delightful to watch was Nikki Jacobs as Miss Poppenghul. Although a small party, her interplay with Selznick was a joy to watch. The fact that, in real life, she is married to the actor portraying Selznick brought an unspoken twinkle to the interplay. This was one of those plays where you could tell the actors were just having a lot of fun with their roles.

On the technical side, the production was excellent. Jeff Hyde returned to do the set design, and it was up to Jeff’s usual impeccable standards. Research, props and set decor were provided by Marlowe and Lisa Weisman. Lighting was by Tim Christianson, and worked well. Sound design was by Steven “Nanook” Burkholder. The excellent film montages were by Brad Sergi and Rich Tamayo, supported by TVP Studios. Costumes were by Lynn McQuown. The REP’s Artistic Directors, Ovington Michael Owston and Mikee Schwinn served not only as the producers but as the stage managers as well (as the regular REP stage manager was off on her honeymoon).

“Moonlight and Magnolias” continues at REP East Playhouse through December 16, 2012. Tickets are available through the REP East Online Box Office or by calling (661) 288-0000. Tickets may also be available through Goldstar. If you friend REP East on Facebook, you can also learn of special deals on the show.

REP has also announced their 2013 season, which features one fewer show than 2012, but longer runs for the shows that are being done. Specific dates haven’t been announced, but the shows are: “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”, “Boeing Boeing“, “To Kill a Mockingbird“, “God of Carnage“, “9 to 5: The Musical“, and “Woody Allen’s Play It Again Sam“. Subscription forms should be available shortly; subscription prices start at $110.00.

Upcoming Theatre and Concerts:  The beginning of December is lost to ACSAC in Orlando. You are coming to the conference, aren’t you? In terms of theatre, mid-December sees us at the Colony for “The Morini Strand” on 12/15 . I’m also hoping to book “Anything Goes” at the Ahmanson for December 22, and may book Other Desert Cities at the Taper on December 29. December will also bring another concert: “Judy Collins” at VPAC on December 21. As for 2013, nothing is currently scheduled for January. Late January or early February should bring the first play of the REP season, “Putnam County Spelling Bee“.  I’m also looking into the just announced production of Triassic Parq–The Musical at the Chance Theatre in Orange County.  It is there just after my birthday, so it sounds like a great 53rd party. February brings “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” at Cabrillo Music Theatre and “I’ll Be Back Before Midnight” at the Colony. It may also bring “Backbeat” at the Ahmanson. March will likely bring “Catch Me If You Can” at Broadway LA/Pantages (single tickets go on sale today). I’m also keeping my eyes open as the various theatres start making their 2013 season announcements. Lastly, what few dates we do have open may be filled by productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411, or discussed in the various LA Stage Blogs I read (I particularly recommend Musicals in LA and LA Stage Times).