Tag: rep-east

After last night’s production, I turned to my wife and said, “You know, you can just tell that those two guys are really good friends.” What’s interesting is that I was talking not only about the two lead characters in the play, but the actors playing them as well. If you hadn’t deduced it yet, I might as well reveal that I was talking not only about the two fictional best-buds, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, but two real-life best-buds, Mikee Schwinn/FB and Ovington Michael Owston (“O”)/FB. These latter two are not only the co-artistic directors at Repertory East Playhouse in Saugus, but played the former two in REP’s excellent production of “Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure“.

We’ve seen Sherlock Holmes at the REP before. Back in 2009, REP did “Hound of the Baskervilles“, which stared REP regulars Michael Levine and Kyle Kulish/FB as the sleuth and his assistant. I wrote back then that Levine and Kulish “captured the nature of these well-known characters well: the precision of Holmes, the familiarity and warmth of Watson.” I didn’t observe, however, that it captured the deep underlying friendship between the two men. That is something that Mikee and “O” caught, because it exists in real life. I’ll also note that we’ve seen this story before: way back in 2006, the Pasadena Playhouse did a production of “Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure“ (which restored my faith in the Pasadena Playhouse, coming as it did after the disastrous production “As U Lyk It“). That production didn’t stick in my mind (although aspects of the story itself did, especially at the end); this is quite likely because the Playhouse had actors (Mark Capri as Sherlock Holmes; Victor Talmadge as Dr. John Hamish Watson)  playing friends, not friends playing out their friendship on stage. I emphasize this friendship aspect because if you know “O” and Mikee, you think of them as a pair, just as you think of Holmes/Watson as a pair. Both pairs complement each other, seemingly would go through think and thin for each other, and have a deep affection for each other. This was the dream casting, and it paid off.

“Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure” is based on the famous Sherlock Holmes story “A Scandal in Bohemia” intertwined with the story in “The Adventure of the Final Problem“. The play is based on the original 1899 play that adapted these stories by William Gillette and Arthur Conan Doyle. This adaptation was written by Steven Dietz, and was originally presented by the Arizona Theatre Company (whose 2006 world premiere production ran concurrently with the Pasadena Playhouse production). Sherlock Holmes is a powerful literary creation: The detective buddies have been the inspiration for numerous procedural detective stories (to me, the best example is Monk), and are currently a hot property on TV (where a new adaptation, Elementary, just premiered).

“Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure” opens with the announcement that Sherlock Holmes is dead. The story of that death is then related by Dr. Watson, beginning with the time that Holmes called Watson to his study to perform the necessary exposition, uh, I mean, beginning with the time that Holmes directed Watson to sneak into his study by the back door to observe being seen. Holmes was on the verge of the capture of his nemesis, Professor Moriarty, and needed to hide on the continent for a week while the police prepared to do the capture. Before this could occur, however, the future King of Bohemia enters. He needs Holmes to retrieve a romantic photograph of the king with Irene Adler, a famous opera singer. A note has been sent to the King, threatening to release the photograph on the eve of his marriage. Holmes agrees to take the case, and as they say, “the game is afoot”. Before long, we are deeply involved not only with Holmes and Watson, the King, and Miss Adler, but with Moriarty and his gang: James Larrabee, his sister Madge, and the henchman Sid Prince. After a series of adventures, the action ends up at Reichenbach Falls, where Holmes and Moriarty struggle… and neither is ever heard from again.

As noted before, this is a combination of two stories. The portions of the story concerning Moriarty, escaping to the continent, and the adventure at Reichenbach Falls is drawn from “The Final Problem“. The story involving the King of Bohemia, Irene Adler, and the photograph is drawn from “A Scandal in Bohemia“. Certain aspects of the story are the invention of the playwright — in particular, the implied romance/affection between Holmes and Adler. This has troubled many Holmes-purists, for Holmes is portrayed in the books as having little interest in women. For the non-purists, however, the combination of the stories and the hint of the relationship work well and help drive the story to its conclusion. In general, I think that audiences (trained as they have been by TV and the police procedural) will find the story enjoyable — Holmes and Watson were the CSI of their day, using observational evidence to solve crimes.

“SH: TFA” is ostensibly a melodrama. In the hands of the wrong director, the melodramatic aspects can be overdone. Luckily, first-time director and regular REP stage manager Christina Gonzalez/FB (assisted by Kimbyrly M. Valis (FB)) did a great job of keeping the characters grounded and somewhat realistic. In this task, I’m sure she was also aided and mentored by her leads, who have directed many a REP show. It will be interesting to watch Christina grow as a director, as I’m sure we’ll see her directing at REP again.

I’ve already mentioned the leads, Mikee Schwinn (FB) as Sherlock Holmes and Ovington Michael Owston (FB) as Dr. Watson. These two, who are friends in real life, translated that friendship to the stage. Mikee did a great job of capturing Holmes’ observational skills and mannerisms, and “O” provided wonderful support as Watson. Their female foil was portrayed by Tiffany Michelle (FB) as Irene Adler. The actress conveyed not only the beauty required for the role, but the steely calculated demeanor of a consummate player (likely drawing on her poker playing experience).

The criminal team was led by Douglas Rory Milliron (FB) as Professor Moriarty. Milliron’s Moriarty had a bit of a steampunk feel to him, and was well-played and appropriate malevolent. As James Larrabee, William Reinbold (FB) was suitably convincing, although his role was written a tad more melodramatic. His sister, Madge, was portrayed by Pamela Portnoy (FB). She seemed a bit off as the maid (perhaps because she wasn’t a maid), but did great in her later scenes as the evil sister. Lastly, as the safecracker and all-around thug, character actor Brent Christiansen (FB) seemed to be having fun with the role. It is interesting to note that Christiansen is the only actor who was in the previous Sherlock Holmes outing back in 2009. Rounding out the cast was J. T. Centonze (FB) in various small roles (Policeman, Father Murphy, Swiss Man).

Turning to the technical side: This production marked the debut of a new set designer for the REP, Brian Annis (FB). The style was a little different from what we have seen before, but worked very well in establishing the scenes and locations. Gag props were developed by Kevin Lunt/FB. Costumes were designed by Tonya Nelson/FB of No Strings Attached Costumes (FB), and were fabricated by Tonya Nelson/FB, Rachel Nelson/FB, and Kevin Lunt/FB. They were effective, although those expecting to see a lot of deerstalker caps and Calabash pipes will be disappointed. Make-up and hair was by Rachel Nelson/FB. The lighting was by REP regular Tim Christianson/FB: it was effective and served to frame the mood well. Sound design was by another REP regular, Steven “Nanook” Burkholder/FB. The production stage managers were Vicki Lightner/FB and Johnny Schwinn/FB (who cleans up real well :-)).

“Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure” continues at REP East until October 20. It is well worth seeing. Tickets are available through the REP Online Box Office and via Goldstar Events. It is also worth friending REP on Facebook, so you can learn when shows are selling out.

REP has announced their 2013 season, and big changes are in store. Gone are the two summer “81 series” short-run production, to be replaced by a second full-run summer musical. The 2013 season, pending rights approval, is: “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee“, “Boeing Boeing“, “To Kill a Mockingbird“, “God of Carnage“, “9 to 5: The Musical“, and “Play it Again, Sam“. This is a wonderful season, with productions that are perfect for the REP (Spelling Bee and Carnage, in particular) and others that make you wonder how the REP will pull it off (9 to 5, especially if you saw the execution on the Ahmanson’s stage). It should be great.

While we are talking about seasons, a short sidebar on season subscriptions. I realized last night why I like the three theatres where we do subscribe, and why we have chosen to subscribe there. It comes down to one word: family. REP is like family: “O”, Mikee, Johnny, and everyone at REP don’t treat their subscribers as simple patrons: they are family and friends, and you look forward to seeing them. At the Colony, Barbara Beckley is out there greeting everyone, introducing the shows, and creating that sense of family. Out at Cabrillo, Lewis Wilkenfeld (and Carole Nussbaum before him) do the same thing: they introduce the shows, they greet the audience and become part of your life. You want to help family, to support family, and you feel guilty discounting family. At many other theatres — the Ahmanson, the Pantages, and the Playhouse under Sheldon Epps — you are a patron. You don’t know the staff and the artistic directors. You are a cog in the wheel, not part of the family. Using discounts at these theatres doesn’t feel wrong; you’re not cheating family. This is a lesson that all theatres need to learn: make your patrons part of your family, and they will be there for you.

Upcoming Theatre and Concerts:  October brings some traveling for family with the bat-mitzvah of a cousin in Fresno, and Karen will be travelling for the Pacific International Quilt Festival in Santa Clara. Still, what’s a month without theatre, so… October will start out with “The Fantasticks“ at Theatre West on 10/6. That will be followed by “American Fiesta” at the Colony Theatre on 10/13, “The Book of Mormon” at Broadway LA/The Pantages on 10/27, and “1776” at Cabrillo Music Theatre on 10/28. Continuing the look ahead: November will bring “Moonlight and Magnolias” at REP East, which is booked for the end of the month. It may also bring “Seminar” at The Ahmanson Theatre (still undecided on ticketing; another possibility is “Ruddigore” at the Sierra Madre Playhouse) and may bring a concert performance of Raul Esparza at VPAC, especially if Erin flies in for it (he’s singing on her birthday). Non-theatrically, it will also bring “Day Out with Thomas” at OERM (certainly on some or all of Veterans Day weekend – November 10-11). Lastly, to close out the year, December has nothing formally scheduled (other than ACSAC), but will likely bring “Anything Goes” at the Ahmanson, and may bring “Judy Collins” at VPAC. Starting the look into 2013. Currently nothing is scheduled for January, but that’s sure to change as REP announces its dates for the 2013 season. 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. 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: My Name is Barbra, Two (Barbra Streisand): “No More Songs for Me”

Relationships are hard, and finding the perfect relationship is even harder. We start searching early, and keep on looking and looking. Even when we find a good one, we keep thinking it is dying and we need to more to keep it alive. These notions are at the heart of “Playdates“, a recent play (premiered in 2010) by Sam Wolfson, co-author of “Jewtopia“. The current production of Playdates is at REP East Playhouse in Saugus, which is where we saw the penultimate performance last night. REP, as usual, did an excellent job with the production–which is no surprise. In fact, researching this writeup, I learned that the playwright, Sam Wolfson was so impressed by the first REP take on Jewtopia that he asked them to mount this production personally.

As I indicated earlier, Playdates is a story of relationships and the search for a good relationship. This, at its heart, is the same quest that we saw in Jewtopia, although the approach taken is very different (but equally funny). As the story opens, we meet Sam and Stacey, two 5 year olds on the playground. Even at this age, these two are looking for a relationship that will last more than two hours. They hit it off, and soon Sam has asked Stacey to be his girlfriend. Through a number of scenes we see the arc of the relationship: the tentative start, the growth, the period of learning about each other, the breakup, and the reunion. This is also shown through a wonderful video montage of the growth of the relationship (made even more impressive when you realized that it was specific to the Sam and Stacey in this performance — for the Sam of the last two performances of the show was the understudy). Although expressed in kids terms, many of the jokes and humorous insights have adult resonance that are wonderful. After this is another video montage showing that time has passed (using a wonderful sequence of morphs of Charlie Sheen — always a sage when it comes to relationships). The final scene in Act I shows how this quest has affected Sam as he grew up: he has become “Dr. Love” — a love expert who advises others on their relationships while still hurting from Stacey dumping him at age 5. The “Dr. Love” scene is hilarious and touching and a wonderful commentary on how our youthful relationships shape the adult we become.

In Act II, we are introduced to another couple: Mike and Katie. Mike and Katie have been married for 5 years, and are afraid that the honeymoon period has departed from their relationship. This is demonstrated in the hilarious first two scenes, starting with an elaborate bathroom ballet where they do all sorts of bathroom activities unselfconsciously together — a dance that any long-married couple will both completely understand and find completely absurd…. followed by a post-bathroom bedroom sequence where they realize they haven’t had sex, and attempt to do the deed. To address the problem, they call (who else) Dr. Love, who advises them to do various things to bring back the Honeymoon Period. This includes actually talking to each other, where the seed of an idea of having a threesome is borne. So they go to TGI Fridays to pick up the third, and… well you can guess where it goes from there. Let’s just say that Dr. Love comes back into the picture to save the day, but not in the way you expect. By the end of the production, we learn that an ideal relationship is not necessarily the “Honeymoon” phase, but the phase where you are both loving and comfortable with each other.

In general, this is a very cute take on the story (and very well told). There were a few portions of scenes that could be tightened a little (mostly in Act II, where there was a little bit of cringe-worthy dialogue in the threesome scenes), but overall these didn’t detract from what was a really wonderful and funny show. Looking back, I even think this is a show that could be turned into a small, off-Broadway level musical with simple but cute music (Marcy and Zina would be perfect). The direction at the REP (by Michael C. Kelly) was natural and relaxed, and gave the impression (without being overdone) that these actors were the people who they were playing.

The performances were also top-notch, made even more impressive when you realize that the actor playing Sam at our performance, Nathan T. Inzerillo (FB),  was the understudy, who had only had a little rehearsal and was only doing our show (Friday) and the last performance (Saturday – tonight). Nathan’s characterization of the 5-yo Sam was spot on, and I think many of the men in the audience could see themselves in Nathan’s everyboy. I don’t know what the original actor (Ryan Calberg) was like, but I just loved Nathan in the role. I also found it impressive that you didn’t realize Nathan was an understudy — all the video montages, book covers, and such were made to feature Nathan’s face. That attention to detail is one of the things that makes REP such a wonderful theatre.

As I said, Nathan was great as Sam. Playing off of Nathan was Katie Hall (FB), who was wonderful both as a playful 5-yo girl as well as a grown-up woman. You could tell she was just having fun with the role; it seemed to fit her well.

The other couple, Mike and Katie (who we meet in the second act) were portrayed by Wes Murphy (FB) and Heidi Appe (FB), respectively. These two created a wonderfully believable couple–realistic and loving and playful and hesitant and just a delight to watch. As I noted above, they were particularly wonderful in the bathroom ballet and the subsequent bedroom scene, where they comic timing abilities were brought to the fore — but they were just wonderful on stage.

Rounding out the cast, in various smaller roles, were Kyra Schwartz (FB) (Lisa, Miss Preston, Woman Caller, Wendy), Dennis Hadley (FB) (Timmy, Bill, Jeff), and Dan Fowble (FB) (Paul Pruett, Gym Coach, Walter). Schwartz and Hadley deserve a special mention for their great comic roles as Wendy and Jeff in Act II when they talk about their approach to marriage. It was a joy to watch.

Technically, the production was at the usual “81 series” level, which means there wasn’t as full blown set as is seen in the main production. Still, the set and props (by Mikee Schwinn/FB (set) and Kyra Schwartz (FB) / Christina Gonzalez/FB (props) were effective, especially the wonderful bathroom and bed set pieces in Act II. Augmenting these all were Mikee’s wonderful videos that served both a storytelling devices as well as set establishment tools. Lighting was by REP regular Tim Christianson/FB, assisted by Tom Lund (who also served as stage manager). Sound was by the always-excellent Steven “Nanook” Burkholder. Playdates was produced by Ovington Michael Owston and Mikee Schwinn.

The last performance of Playdates is tonight at 8pm at REP East. The performance may be sold out, but you can see if space is available by calling REP at (661) 288-0000 or purchasing your tickets online. This is also the last performance ever in the “81 Series”; O informed me that starting next season, all performances will be “mainstage” performance. This is wonderful, and shows how REP has grown in reputation and attendence in the community.

Upcoming Theatre and Concerts: Tomorrow night sees us at the theatre again — specifically, we’re seeing “Blame It On Beckett” at the Colony Theatre in Burbank. The next weekend sees me in the Westlake District for “Silence: The Musical” at the Hayworth Theatre. This is a musical version of Silence of the Lambs, and is supposedly quite funny. The following weekend brings “Xanadu–The Musical” at DOMA; I’ve heard the music, and again this is a great parody. The penultimate weekend in September takes us to the Celebration Theatre in Hollywood for the musical Justin Love. The month ends with  “Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure” at REP East on September 29. October brings some traveling for family with the bat-mitzvah of a cousin in Fresno, and Karen will be travelling for the Pacific International Quilt Festival in Santa Clara. It may also see us in Berkeley for UCB Homecoming.   Still, what’s a month without theatre, so October will also bring “American Fiesta” at the Colony Theatre, “The Book of Mormon” at Broadway LA/The Pantages, and “1776” at Cabrillo Music Theatre. Continuing the look ahead: November will bring “Moonlight and Magnolias” at REP East, which is booked for the end of the month. It may also bring “Seminar” at The Ahmanson Theatre (still undecided on ticketing) and may bring a concert performance of Raul Esparza at VPAC, especially if Erin flies in for it (he’s singing on her birthday). Non-theatrically, it will also bring “Day Out with Thomas” at OERM (certainly on some or all of Veterans Day weekend – November 10-11). Lastly, to close out the year, December has nothing formally scheduled (other than ACSAC), but will likely bring “Anything Goes” at the Ahmanson, and may bring “Judy Collins” at VPAC. 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 Very Best of the Drifters (The Drifters): On Broadway

In 1998, University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard was brutally murdered. Why did this happen? The general concensus today is that it was a hate crime: it occurred primarily because Matthew was gay, and his attackers hated gays. The attack galvanized attention on hate crimes against gays, and resulted in slow but steady progress to deter such crimes. It also caught the attention of noted playwright  Moisés Kaufman and the members of the Tectonic Theater Project, who went to the town to explore the incident. This resulted in the play “The Laramie Project“, which we saw last night at REP East Playhouse.

Going in, all I really knew was that Laramie Project was about the Matthew Shepard murder. This might make you think that it was a straightforward reenactment of the incident that night and its aftermath. It isn’t. In many ways, Laramie Project is a documentary on stage; a reenactment not of the murder, but of the creation of the play.

The Laramie Project is the result of a series of interviews that Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre members made over the course of several visits to Laramie over the period of a year, combined with research the project did into the transcripts of the events: statements made at the hospital, police reports, trial transcripts, and other statements. This is exactly how the play is presented: it begins with the company explaining the project and starting the first interview with one of the investigators of the murder. Throughout the course of the play, you see the interviews with townspeople, from other students at the University, his advisors, the investigating officers, clergy in the town, other townspeople, people at the bar where he was last seen, etc. You also see the reactions of the members of the theatre project to what they were hearing. Through this series of interviews, you learn not only about the specifics of the murder itself (which is never reenacted), but the circumstances and attitudes that led up to the murder, as well as the town’s reaction to the murder, and how the murder changed the town forever.

The project leaves you questioning that reaction. For the most part, you see how the murder increased the tolerance in the town (although, as the director, Christopher Chase, notes in the program, “… We are taught to strive for ‘tolerance’, but this play urges you to instead seek ‘acceptance’. The negativity inherent in ‘tolerance’ (‘I can hate you as long as I don’t act on it’) can be as disgusting as violence itself.”). Did the murder result in increased acceptance? That’s a harder question to answer. Certainly, for a number of town people it did; but as the play itself notes, Wyoming never passed hate crime legislation. It didn’t result in Wyoming, the stated “equality state”, moving to the forefront of Gay Rights. In fact, the Wikipedia page on Shepard notes that it wasn’t until 2009, under President Barack Obama, fully 10 years after the crime itself, that actual hate crime legislation was passed in Congress itself.

In many ways, the play reminds us that we have far to go to get ‘acceptance’. The play reports how Fred Phelps protested the trial with anti-gay rhetoric, and how Romaine Patterson, a lesbian student at UW organized counter protests with a crew of “angels” to hide the hate. Unfortunately, Phelps is remains visible and active today, and hatred and intolerance of gays occurs far too often still (if you don’t believe me, read the comments on any article related to gay marriage or gays in the military). Still we’ve seen acceptance grow slowly, as witnessed by the slow but steady acceptance of gay marriage and positive portrayals of gays.

A good example of this was seen in the audience itself. While attending the play, I met a member of a Lutheran Church in Santa Clarita who was there because she had heard there might be protests against the play (Santa Clarita is much more conservative than Los Angeles proper). She was there to protest the protesters. There was also another church group there all wearing shirts that said “God Loves Everyone” (with the “Everyone” in rainbow colors). This is a demonstration of acceptance; this is a demonstration of the importance of plays such as this (and the importance of theatre to bring the message to the community).

Director Christopher Chase did an excellent job with this property. We’ve seen Chase before — ages ago — when he was in the excellent production of Hair at CSUN (and which was recently revived under Chase’s direction in Hollywood). The property is a difficult one, with a team of a dozen actors portraying over 60 different characters, from Kaufman and members of the theatre project to students, townspeople, officials, media, and such. Each character needs to be distinct so the story doesn’t get confused. Chase handled well drawing these distinctive voices out of the ensemble, and keeping the motion fluid so that the character changes were not distracting.

The acting ensemble was also strong. The portrayal of so many characters makes it difficult to single out particular actors — essentially, all were excellent and did a great job of creating distinct and different characters, and also because it is difficult to map the actors to characters after the fact. The ensemble consisted of Michael Bruce, Eileen Mary Butler*, Julie Henderson, Nathan T. Inzerillo, Kyle Kulish*, Vicki Lightner, Tom Lund, Doris Martin*, Tiffany Oliver, Conner Pratt, Christina Rideout*, and Paul Strickland. Characters that were particularly memorable (and thus, the actors portraying them deserve kudos) were Romaine Patterson, Rebecca Killiker, Aaron Kreifels, Doc O’Connor, Jon Peacock, Jedadiah Shultz, Zubaida Ula, Reggie Fluty, and the project members. I also need to credit the actors for their ability to become so many different characters, and create so many distinct characterizations, in such a short period of time. I saw this best demonstrated in the character of Andrew Gomez (who I think was performed by Nathan) who became latino before our eyes. Remarkable performances all.

On the technical side, the team was the tried and true excellent REP team, featuring an excellent sound design by Steven “Nanook” Burkholder (with great ambient sounds), an effective lighting design by Tim Christianson, set design by Ovington Michael Owston and Christopher Chase, stage management (as well as scenic painting and props) by Madison Orgil, with additional props and costumes by Christina Gonzalez.

“The Laramie Project” continues at REP East for two more weeks, closing on July 28. You can get tickets from the REP Online Box Office or through Goldstar. Their next production is “Playdates” by Sam Wolfson, running August 17 through September 1. REP is currently in the process of picking their next season — I’ve seen the names of some of the shows that are the leading candidates (cough, God of Carnage, cough), and it looks to be an exciting season. For those that don’t know where the REP is … it is in Newhall, CA, which is freeway close in Santa Clarita. It is one of my favorite 99-and-under seat theatres, and I have yet to see a bad production there. Do give it a try.

Upcoming Theatre and Concerts: Next weekend is my wife’s birthday weekend, and she has selected two shows: Friday night  we’re seeing “Fluffy Bunnies in a Field of Daisies” at the Arena Stage; Saturday we’re going to CSUN to see the OperaWorks production of “Non-Boring Original Opera“, which is an improvised original 3-act opera weaving well-known arias and improvised dialogue into a new storyline. (if you would like to meet us at these shows and wish her Happy Birthday, please join us).  The last weekend in July brings “Meet Me In St. Louis” at Cabrillo Music Theatre. August has a bit less, as we’re going to have some vacation days and will be taking Erin to start UC Berkeley. We’ve only got one show scheduled: “Play Dates” at REP East. As an aside: we will be vacationing in Palm Springs, so if anyone knows of live theatre going on there in August, let me know. In September theatre activity resumes, beginning with “Blame It On Beckett” at the Colony Theatre on September 1 and “Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure” at REP East on September 29. I”m also looking into “Silence: The Musical” at the Hayworth Theatre, which starts September 8 and runs through December, and “Xanadu” at DOMA, which starts September 7 and runs for about 3 weeks. October brings some traveling for family: the Cal Parents Weekend at UCB (tentative), and the bat-mitzvah of a cousin in Fresno. It will also bring “American Fiesta” at the Colony Theatre, “The Book of Mormon” at Broadway LA/The Pantages, and “1776” at Cabrillo Music Theatre. Continuing the look ahead: November will bring “Moonlight and Magnolias” at REP East, which is booked for the end of the month. It may also bring “Seminar” at The Ahmanson Theatre (still undecided on ticketing) and a concert performance of Raul Esparza at VPAC, especially if Erin flies in for it (he’s singing on her birthday). Non-theatrically, it will also bring “Day Out with Thomas” at OERM (certainly on some or all of Veterans Day weekend – November 10-11-12). Lastly, to close out the year, December has nothing formally scheduled (other than ACSAC), but will likely bring “Anything Goes” at the Ahmanson, and may bring “Judy Collins” at VPAC. 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: TV Themes (Various Artists): Quantum Leap

Most of the time, when you see trailer parks, you don’t stop in. You drive on past, oblivious to the goings-on inside. We’ll I’ve got a trailer park that is worth visiting–“Armadillo Acres”, in Starke FL. Now, to make your life a little easier, you can find “Armadillo Acres” in old-town Newhall, right next to a Mexican restaurant.

Perhaps I should explain. “Armadillo Acres” is the fictional setting for “The Great American Trailer Park Musical“, on-stage at REP East Playhouse in Newhall until June 16. In presenting this show, the REP has transformed itself into a trailer park: Pabst Blue Ribbon, tacky accents, tacky dress, and tacky demeanor. It has done this to support a show that itself it tacky, but is also incredibly funny, well performed, and a delight to watch. This show is a hoot–a load of fun performed as only REP can do it.

“The Great American Trailer Park Musical” (book by Betsy Kelso, with music and lyrics by David Nehls) can be enjoyed on two levels. On the top (or should I say “over the top”), it is a celebration of all things Trailer Park and “White Trash”: from the Trailer Park culture itself, with its pregnancy and messy relationships and borderline incest and tackyness, to how that culture is portrayed on television, advertising, QVC, and such. But deeper inside, GATPM is a love story–a story about a couple whose relationship has persevered for over 20 years, and the relationships of those around them with the men in their life. Of course, they don’t quite present it in those words, and the relationships (especially if you’ve seen Jerry Springer or Sally Jesse) may not be what you expect.

At its heart, GATPM is the story of Jeannie Garstecki (Kristen Heitman) and Norbert Garstecki (Jeremiah Lowder): two high school sweethearts (the math nerd (she) and the football jock (he)) who have been together 20 years. After a traumatic incident at the beauty salon, Jeannie became agoraphobic, and hasn’t set foot outside of her trailer for almost 20 years. It is their anniversary, and she has promised Norbert she’ll go outside and he can take her somewhere special–the Ice Capades! This basic story is introduced to us (and carried on throughout the show) by the trailer park equivalent of a greek chorus: the trailer park owner, Betty Burnside (Leslie Berra)–a tall, well-worn gal who has seen everything, especially in this park; “Lin” (Lori D’itri)–short for Linoleum, whose husband is on death row in the Florida Penitentiary; and “Pickles” (Beth Ann Sweezer)–a young woman who wants a baby so bad she has continual hysterical pregnancies. Into this mix is thrown Pippi (Shannon Bouknight), a stripper on the run from her psychotic boyfriend Duke (Luke Barnett). Pippi moves into the trailer park to hide, and Norbert has a wife who has been unavailable for 20 years. You can figure out the rest. Let’s just say that the story plays out with humor both small and large, amplified by stereotypical “white trash” behaviors, and magnified by the hilarious videos projects on screens on the side and the clever music and lyrics.

All of the performances in this production were excellent and each actor has their moment to shine. I walked out of this production going: these guys were perfect–they could sing, they could act, and most importantly, they were having fun on stage and conveying that fun to the audience. There are a few performances and moments I want to highlight. The first is Beth Ann Sweezer as “Pickles”. Sweezer has a smile and a bubbly personality that light up the stage, and was just a joy to watch in every scene she was in. Your eyes were drawn to her as a result (and not just because of the pregnancy belly), and she made the show fun. She also had great comic timing, which was especially demonstrated in her scenes as Tina from Oklahoma City. The second highlight to me was Kristen Heitman. Initially, she didn’t fit my image of Jeannie, but she won me over with her perkiness–and more importantly, her singing voice. She truly shined in numbers such as “Owner of My Heart”, “Panic”, “But He’s Mine”, and particularly “Flushed Down The Pipes” (which had the most hilarious accompanying video I’ve seen in ages). The third highlight was Shannon Bouknight as Pippi. Again, she was having fun with her role (and especially that pole dance!), but man, could this young woman sing. This was highlighted in many of the numbers with Jeannie (such as “But He’s Mine” and “Panic”). Lastly, as Norbert, Jeremiah Lowder, exhibited a gentle charm that was infectious.

The show was directed by Mark Kaplan, who did a wonderful job of bringing out the inner “white trash” of his actors, and making the production come across as natural and fun. Choreography was by Stephen Bailey and was effective for the REP space. Vocal direction was by Leslie Berra. The music was prerecorded (the REP doesn’t really have space for an orchestra, let alone an onstage band), and was not credited in the program.

The production aspects of the show equaled the acting quality. Much credit goes to the regular REP team. Jeff Hyde was back with a spectacular set design that put four trailers on the small stage, utilizing a turntable and other tricks to also provide inside views of the two of them. Art Direction (which likely means helping Jeff with the numerous design and props) were the REP artistic directors, Ovington Michael Owston and Mikee Schwinn. These three transformed the entire REP facility and did a great job of setting the stage. As an aside: this is one thing I love about the REP–the show isn’t just on the stage… for they transform their lobby and bar into a parallel area whose them echoes what is on the stage. The costumes (by Claudia Alexopoulos) and wigs (by Jennifer Alexopoulos) were period-appropriate and (especially for the wigs) appropriately tacky. The sound design by Steven “Nanook” Burkholder was a step above his normal work, with on-actor mics (something one rarely sees at the REP) and appropriate sound effects. The videos (by Jeremiah Lowder and Mikee Schwinn) were period-perfect clips from advertising and TV shows, and augmented the action perfectly. The lighting by Tim Christianson was effective and unobtrusive, and did a great job of setting the scene. Vicki Lightner was stage manager, assisted by Christina Gonzalez.

“The Great American Trailer Park Musical” continues through June 16 at the REP. Tickets are available through the REP Online Box Office. Go see it; you’ll have a wonderful time, and never look at trailer parks the same. Following Trailer Park at the REP are the two shows in the more mature “81 series”: “The Laramie Project” (running July 13-July 28) and “Playdates” (running August 17-September 1).

Upcoming Theatre, Concerts, and Dance: May will end with the production of “Seussical” at Nobel Middle School. I wanted to see “Follies” at the Ahmanson, but that doesn’t look like it will work out. June is more open, but does feature both “Addams Family” and “Million Dollar Quartet” at the Pantages, as well as the Palisades High School mega-picnic and the Wilshire Blvd Temple Camps 60th Anniversary. July features “The Savannah Disputation” at the Colony, “The Laramie Project” at REP East, and “Meet Me In St. Louis” at Cabrillo. August is more open, but will bring “Memphis” at the Pantages and “Playdates” at REP East.  As always, open dates are subject to be filled in with productions that have yet to appear on the RADAR of Goldstar or LA Stage Alliance.

Music: Greatest Hits I & II (Linda Ronstadt): Desparado

War is Hell. War is also a wonderful microcosm of life: a place to mix drama and comedy, to show how stress can bring out the best in a man, or how the strain can crack a man in half. Perhaps this is why playwrights often turn to a war setting to construct their stories. We’ve seen this many times, from pieces such as “M*A*S*H“, which tempers the absurdity of war with the spice of drama, to numerous World War II and earlier dramas. War dramas are on my mind, as we saw a World War I war drama last night at REP East: “Journey’s End” by R. C. Sherriff.

“Journey’s End” tells the story of four days (18 March 1918 to 21 March 1918) in in the officers’ dugout of a British Army infantry company in the trenches at Saint-Quentin, Aisne towards the end of the World War I. As the story opens, we meet Captain Hardy and Lieutenant Osborne, an older man and public school master, who has come to relieve him. Hardy jokes about the behaviour of Captain Stanhope, who has turned to alcohol in order to cope with the stress which the war has caused him. While Hardy jokes, Osborne defends Stanhope and describes him as “the best company commander we’ve got”. Other characters we rapidly meet are Private Mason, a servant cook, who does what he can with the ingredients he gets; Second Lieutenant Trotter, a rotund soldier who likes his food but cannot stand the war; and Second Lieutenant Hibbert, who is constantly complaining of neuralgia (Capt. Stanhope believes this is so that he can be sent home instead of continuing fighting). We also meet the newest officer: Second Lieutenant Raleigh. Raleigh a young and naive, who knew had a personal friendship with Stanhope from before the war at school. Raleigh requested to be sent to Stanhope’s company, and looks up to Stanhope–a form of hero worship that Stanhope believes he does not deserve. Other characters we meet over the course of the play include the Colonel, who is in charge of the entire operation, and the Sergeant Major, the senior enlisted officer. This set of officers has a duty period of six days at the front, although Stanhope personally refuses to be relieved and has been on the front for much longer.

The story starts out somewhat comedic as we get to know the characters. We see how Raleigh worships Stanhope and doesn’t see the flaws. We see how Stanhope cares for his men and is doing his hardest to appear strong for them in order that they remain strong. We see how Osborne serves as a father figure, providing wisdom and advice to all the men. The first few days are during a quiet period, when the watches are boring and every thing seems to be in a form of stasis. This changes shortly before the end of Act I, where it is learned that the Germans will be doing a major attack on Thursday morning. The British command has decided that they only way they can learn the strength of that attack is to send a raid into the British camp. The various officers are discussed, and ultimately, Capt. Osborne is chosen to lead the raid, with 2Lt. Raleigh selected to actually run in and grab a German soldier and bring him back to the British camp. The second act focuses on the raid itself… its consequences… and the German attack itself. You can read a more detailed synopsis on the Wikipedia page–I don’t want to spoil all the details

The director, Ovington Michael Owston, does a wonderful job of bringing this war to life. We believe that these actors are indeed soldiers, and that we have a window into the real bunker (this is aided by the wonderful technical aspects–more on that later). You can see the exhaustion mixed with the determination to be a good example in Stanhope, the youthful eagerness of Raleigh, the paternal strength of Osborne, the internal fear in Hibbit, the loyalty in the sergeant major, and sense that the Private is not a cook (but not a soldier either), but is doing the best with what he has. In fact, the only minor complaints I have came only after I read the Wikipedia synopsis: preserving the original three act structure (there was an act break after the first scene) would have addressed what seemed to be an overly long first act, and the original end to the second act–if there had been a way to do it in the confines of the REP–would have made the ending even stronger.

The acting in this production was excellent–but we’ve come to expect no less at the REP (* indicates Actors Equity members). In the lead positions were Reid Gormly as Capt. Stanhope, Daniel Lench* as Capt. Stanhope, and Stephen Bailey as 2Lt. Raleigh. Gormly does a great job with Stanhope: you can see the vulnerability behind the strength of the officer; you can understand why he has turned to alcohol (and large amounts thereof) to deal with the stress of leadership. Gormly is proving his versatility as part of the REP team: we saw him previously as the lead, Benjamin Braddock, in the recent production of The Graduate. Lench is already officer material and just grows in his ability to portray leaders both paternal and demented: we’ve seen him as both Col. Blake in M*A*S*H and Ltc. Jessep in A Few Good Men. Bailey is new to the REP, but gives off a wonderful youthful optimism that is a delight to watch. You can see that this fresh-out doesn’t know the horror and the risks of war, and doesn’t understand the risks. This bravery makes the ending of the play even more poignant.

In the supporting positions were Nathan T. Inzerillo as 2Lt. Trotter, Tom Lund as 2Lt. Hibbert, and Kyle Kulish as Private Mason. Kulish was enjoyable to watch in all of his scenes–the dutiful cook who knew nothing about cooking and was doing his best. Lund was particularly good in his scenes with Gormly’s Stanhope, particularly in the scenes where Stanhope helps Lund’s charater, Hibbert, overcome his fear of going back on the line. In tertiary positions were Harry Bennett* as the Colonel and Jeff Hyde as the Sergeant Major. I particularly enjoyed Hyde’s characterization of the Sergeant Major and the little Scottish touches. Rounding out the cast were Michael Levine as Captain Hardy, and Connor Pratt as a German Solider.

This was one show in particular where I noticed the technical touches much more than usual. “O”, in addition to directing, did the set design, and he did a great job of turning the black box of the REP into a dugout in Europe with a wooden substructure, diggings and a general sense of being underground. Steven “Nanook” Burkholder’s sound was even stronger than usual, with a wonderful continuous barrage of snipers and bombs and such that constantly evoked the war. This was echoed by Tim Christianson’s strong lighting which not only gave the foxhole feel, but illustrated the bombs bursting and the ever changing conditions. Rounding this out were the period costumes from Tonya and Rachel Nelson of NSA Costumes. Christina Gonzalez served as Stage Manager and Prop Mistress, and Mikee Schwinn provided art direction. “O” and Mikee also served as the producers.

When one goes to the REP, one learns that the lobby is often an extension of the show. This show was no exception. The staff at the REP turned the lobby into a museum of American military actions since WWI, using materials on loan from cast members and their families, as well as others. It did an excellent job of setting the mood.

“Journey’s End” continues at REP East through April 14. You can get tickets through the REP Online Box Office, and they are often found on Goldstar. The next show in the REP season is “The Great American Trailer Park Musical“, which “contains tacky outfits, bad wigs, crude language, adultery, strippers, road kill, electrocution, and spray cheese”. GATPM runs from May 11 through June 16.

Upcoming Theatre, Concerts, and Dance: March concludes with Tom Paxton in concert at McCabes on 3/31. April will bring “Billy Elliot” at the Pantages, the Southern California Renaissance Faire, “Once Upon a Mattress” at Cabrillo, and “Dames at Sea” at the Colony.  It may also bring the new production of “Working” at The Production Company in Hollywood (haven’t seen the show in years, opens 3/16); the new small-theatre production of “Spring Awakening” by Over The Moon Productions at the Arena Stage (curious to see this in a small production, runs 3/14-4/22); and possibly “The Heiress” at the Pasadena Playhouse (heard it on LA Theatre Works and it sounds good). May will bring “The Great American Trailer Park Musical” at REP East, the senior dance show at Van Nuys HS, and may bring “Follies” at the Ahmanson, and the Spring Railfestival at Orange Empire Railway Museum. It also brings my daughter’s HS graduation. As always, open dates are subject to be filled in with productions that have yet to appear on the RADAR of Goldstar or LA Stage Alliance.

Music: We Shall Overcome (Pete Seeger): Who Killed Norma Jean?

Last July, as part of its “81 Series”, Rep East Playhouse presented a little play that proved immensely popular (it sold out its entire run before it even opened): “Jewtopia“. It was so successful that REP brought it back as the first show of their 2012 season. As season subscribers, this presented us with the opportunity to see it again. Back when I purchased our subscription I had scheduled last night for the show, and so we went (alas, this meant I had to miss a 1970s era 50th anniversary high school party scheduled a few weeks ago). I’m actually glad I went–REP (as usual) did a great job with the show; it is rare to find a comedy that is as funny the second time around, and this show was.

Jewtopia tells the story of Chris and Adam, two young single men in their 30s, looking for love. Chris, more formally Chris O’Connell, a non-Jew, wants to find a good Jewish girl to marry so he never has to make a decision again… but the Jewish girls are uninterested in him because he’s a goy. His best friend, Adam Lipschitz, has the opposite problem: he’s more interested in shiksas (non-Jewish girls), but has the family pressure to find a Jewish girl to marry, so he needs to find one he likes. So these two make a pact: Adam will teach Chris how to be Jewish so that he can get the Jewish girl he wants, while Chris will introduce Adam to Jewtopia, the land of Jewish girls, and teach him how to attract a Jewish girl who will finally say “yes, yes, oh yes”. The rest of the play is the story of that question: Chris and his journey to convince the family of Alison Cohen that he is Jewish-enought for their daughter… and Adam and his journey through 155 Jdate dates to find a Jewish girl that he likes. Along the way, every (and I mean every) stereotype of Jewish families is exposed, ripped asunder, and exaggerated for humor and amusement (as examples, Jews never own tools, and if we do, we don’t know where they are or how to use them; Jews always are complaining about one medical problem or another, etc.). Essentially, Jewtopia is a series of comic sketches highlighting what it means to be culturally Jewish. The traits they highlight may be exaggerated, but they are there and are touched upon out of a sense of love, not mocking. They quest they describe is true. I remember it from my college days, as well as from talking to my friends. If you are Jewish, you’ll enjoy this play and see yourself. If you are not Jewish… well, bring a Jewish friend to explain things to you.

REP could have taken the easy approach: used the same cast and sets from the July production. They didn’t. The only holdovers from July were the directors and three actors (who were in smaller roles). This was essentially a new production, and the freshness elevated it from a retread. It also provided the show with a lot of energy, surely helped by the hefty-helping of local references tossed into the script.

Leading the cast were Michael Hanna as Adam Lipschitz and Joe Roselund as Chris O’Connell. Of these two, I found Roseland slightly stronger. Both were comfortable in and having fun with their roles, and they brought that energy to the stage. Rounding out the cast, in various smaller roles, were: Liza Baron^æ (Crazy Girls/Jill), Barry Agin (Rabbi Schlomo), Laura Lanoil (Marcy Cohen), Bonnie He (Rachel Kahn/Nurse), Darel Roberts (Dennis Lipschitz), Laurie Morgan (Arlene Lipschitz), and Michael Levine (Grandpa Irving). Bonne He and Darel Roberts were reprising their roles; He in particular was having quite a bit of fun in her various characters. Michael Levine was reprising half of his original role, and one gets the sense that playing a dirty old man comes quite easily to him :-). Liza Baron was  quite good in her various characters–I particularly enjoyed her personification of “Firetushy”.
[^æ denotes members of  Actors Equity ]

The production was directed by Marlowe Weisman, assisted by Bill Quinn. The new set was designed by Ovington Michael Owston (who is also Artistic Director and a producer of the production) and worked well. Costumes and props were by Lisa Melcombe-Weisman and Christina Gonzalez (who was also stage manager). Steven “Nanook” Burkholder was the sound designer (and I applaud his choice of music — I’d love to get a track list). Tim Christianson did lighting design. Mikee Schwinn designed the program and videos, and was also a producer.

The run of “Jewtopia” concludes next weekend, February 25. Tickets may be available through the REP Online Box office. Next up at the REP is “Journey’s End”. Set in the trenches at Saint-Quentin, Aisne, in 1918 towards the end of the First World War, Journey’s End gives a glimpse into the experiences of the officers of a British Army infantry company in World War I. The entire story plays out in the officers’ dugout over four days from 18 March 1918 to 21 March 1918. Journey’s End runs from March 16-April 14.

Upcoming Theatre, Concerts, and Dance: Later today we’re in Sierra Madre for “On The Twentieth Century” at the Sierra Madre Playhouse. February concludes with “Old Wicked Songs” at the Colony Theatre. March is equally busy, beginning with “How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying” at Van Nuys High School (March 2-3 and 8-10; we’re likely going on 3/2), and Bernadette Peters in concert at the Valley Performing Arts Center on March 3. March should also bring “American Idiot” at the Ahmanson, and “Journey’s End” at REP East. March will conclude with Tom Paxton in concert at McCabes on 3/31. Continuing the look ahead, April will bring “Billy Elliot” at the Pantages, the Southern California Renaissance Faire, “Once Upon a Mattress” at Cabrillo, and “Dames at Sea” at the Colony.  May will bring “The Great American Trailer Park Musical” at REP East, the senior dance show at Van Nuys HS, and may bring “Heiress” at the Pasadena Playhouse, “Follies” at the Ahmanson, and the Spring Railfestival at Orange Empire Railway Museum. As always, open dates are subject to be filled in with productions that have yet to appear on the RADAR of Goldstar or LA Stage Alliance.

Music: The Tap Dance Kid (1984 Original Broadway Cast): Overture