🎭 Four Men Walk Into a Studio | “Million Dollar Quartet” @ 5-Star

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Million Dollar Quartet (5-Star Theatricals)This afternoon, we trudged out to Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza to see the 5-Star Theatricals production of Million Dollar Quartet. Now this isn’t a new show to us: We saw the national tour back in June 2012 when it was at the Pantages. My opinion of the show itself really hasn’t changed: it is a good jukebox show constructed around a real-life incident, and it has appeals to those who grew up on that music. More on that in a minute.

About the show itself: For those unfamiliar, he’s how I described it back in 2012 (any updates are due to links moving):

[…]let’s start instead with the real history, summarized by Sun Records: According to Sun, the jam session seems to have happened by pure chance. Perkins, who by this time had already met success with “Blue Suede Shoes,” had come into the studios that day, accompanied by his brothers Clayton and Jay and by drummer W.S. Holland, their aim being to cut some new material, including a revamped version of an old blues song, “Matchbox.” Sam Phillips, the owner of Sun Records, had brought in his latest acquisition, singer and piano man extraordinaire, Jerry Lee Lewis, still unknown outside Memphis, to play the piano on the Perkins session. Sometime in the early afternoon, Elvis Presley, a former Sun artist himself, but now at RCA, dropped in to pay a casual visit accompanied by a girlfriend, Marilyn Evans. He was, at the time, the biggest name in show business. After chatting with Philips in the control room, Presley listened to the playback of the Perkins’ session, which he pronounced to be good. Then he went into the studio and some time later the jam session began. Phillips left the tapes running in order to “capture the moment” as a souvenir and for posterity. At some point during the session, Sun artist Johnny Cash, who had also enjoyed a few hits on the country charts, popped in (Cash claimed he was the first to arrive at Sun Studio that day). The event was captured by well known photograph of Elvis Presley seated at the piano surrounded by Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash. The session tapes have been released on CD.

That’s what we know happened. Around this story a musical was constructed. The basic plot elements added by book writers Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux revolved around the following: (1) At the end of 1955, Phillips sold Presley’s contract to RCA to prevent Sun Records from going bankrupt; now RCA wanted to buy Phillips and the studio to get someone who knew how to work with Elvis; (2) Cash had been increasingly absent from the studio, and Phillips wanted to lure him back by presenting him with a 3-year contract; (3) the tension between Perkins, who had written “Blue Suede Shoes”, and Elvis, who made it a hit on the Ed Sullivan Show, and (4) Perkins, who was trying to find his next hit, and the just-hired Jerry Lee Lewis, a brash young upstart trying to prove himself. The songs chosen were some (but not all) of the ones from the original session, plus a number of well-known hits that may have come a little later. This isn’t a true story.

This also isn’t an impersonator show. You want that, go to Vegas. The actors in this show have hints of the mannerisms of the original artists, but are not going for exact impersonations or impressions. They have hits of the vocal quality. What they do have is the musical skills, which combined with the hints makes you see them as the artists.  This is the contribution of the original concept and direction by Floyd Mutrix.

So what makes or breaks this show is the quality of the music talent, as there is no other orchestra. Luckily, 5-Star cast reasonably strong, both in vocal and musical quality. We thought the strongest musical talent was Garrett Forestal Jerry Lee Lewis on piano and Benny Lipson Jay Perkins on bass. They were remarkable. Also strong musically were Will Riddle Carl Perkins on Electric Guitar, and Lonn Hayes Fluke on drums. We were a little less sure about the acoustic guitar work of LJ Benet Elvis Presley and Peter Oyloe Johnny Cash.  It was good, but not as remarkable as the others.

Vocally, the singing cast was strong, most notably the four leads mentioned above as well as Summer Nicole Greer Dyanne (who was a composite for Marilyn Evans). Having listened to all of the original artists, I think they leads captured the vocal characteristics well. Oyloe (Cash) could have used a bit more gravitas in his voice, but this was the younger Cash and that hadn’t fully developed yet. The remaining lead cast member, Adam Poole Sam Phillips really didn’t do any noticeable singing, but gave a strong performance providing narration and stringing the show together.

However, the show did have one major problem: The audience. This afternoon matinee was about 40% full, and that is after closing the balcony and moving the mezzanine subscribers to the back of the orchestra. A company cannot survive with audiences like that. We were talking about 5-Star’s season choices: Million Dollar Quartet, Sound of Music, and Little Shop of Horrors. All of these are shows aimed at folks who were in their teens or later in the 1950s and 1960s. That audience is dying, and with shows like this you’re not going to draw in the kids. I’m at the tail end of that generation (my teen years were in the 1970s), and even I think we need to move past the classic rock being the 1950s and 1960s. That’s like someone of my age being nostalgic for the 1910s.

Regional theatre companies must get past the classics of the 1960s and 1950s “Golden Age” of theatre; they must get past jukebox shows that harken back to the 1950s and 1960s (the recent Wonderettes – Dream On being a good example of that). These theatres need to be bringing in the latest “near Broadway” and recently released to regional theatres that they can. They need to partner and experiment with shows on their way to Broadway with sounds of the 1990s and later. For companies to survive, they need to be bringing in new audiences, and younger audiences. Don’t keep doing the shows that have been done to death; don’t keep bringing in jukebox shows that only the senior citizens will appreciate.

To sum things up: 5-Stars production of Million Dollar Quartet was excellent, and if you like the music of Jerry Lee Lewis, early Johnny Cash, early Elvis Presley, and Carl Perkins, you’re in for a wonderful jam session. But I question the skew of the 5-Star season, and encourage theatres planning their seasons to think about what will bring in younger new subscribers that are needed to thrive, not just the older seniors who (like the companies) are just existing.

Lastly: The TO Civic Arts Plaza isn’t helping. They are now charging $15 for parking. For that facility and location, it’s a ridiculous prices that will also turn away people. The Ahmanson downtown is $9. The Pantages is $25 or more, but that’s a much more space limited area using private garages. A price of $9-$10 would be much more appropriate. Further, the security at T.O. is excessive given the risk. It’s stronger than at the Pantages or the Ahmanson, for a much lower threat target. Again, this creates friction for patrons—something a struggling theatre company does not need.

Million Dollar Quartet plays for one more weekend, closing March 24, 2024. Tickets are available through 5-Star Theatricals, and possibly your favorite discount joints.

———

Cast: LJ Benet Elvis Presley ; Garrett Forestal Jerry Lee Lewis; Summer Nicole Greer Dyanne; Lonn Hayes Fluke; Benny Lipson Jay Perkins; Peter Oyloe Johnny Cash; Adam Poole Sam Phillips; Will Riddle Carl Perkins.

Production and Creative: Book by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux. Original Concept and Direction by Floyd Mutrux. Direction by Tim Seib. No credit for Choreography. Other production credits: David Lamoureux Music Director/Conductor; Brandon Baruch Lighting Design; Jonathan A. Burke Sound Design; Alex Choate Props Design; Tuacahn Costume Rentals Costume Design; Derek McLane Original Scenic Design; Gail Garon and Chris Steele Wardrobe Supervisors; Phil Gold Production Stage Manager; Cameron J. Turner Stage Manager; David Elzer/Demand/PR Press Representative; Fresh Interactive Marketing.

♦ ♦ ♦

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

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

On the Theatrical Horizon:

Morgan-Wixson Theatre in Santa Monica has announced their Mainstage 2024 Season, and it includes Bat Boy the Musical running Sept 28 through October 18. We saw Bat Boy back when CSUN did it in 2014; it is a wonderful musical about how a society treats outsiders. I also just learned about a theatre company in Fullerton, Maverick Theater. They are doing Evil Dead: The Musical , which is a hoot if you’ve never seen it (we’ve seen it twice). They also have some interesting other stuff on their season, and we might drive down for Santa Claus Vs The Martians in November.

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🎭 Family Dynamics | “One of the Good Ones” @ Pasadena Playhouse

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One of the Good Ones (Pasadena Playhouse)As the World Premiere of the new play One of the Good Ones (which we saw Saturday night at the Pasadena Playhouse) started, I was cringing. The dialogue and interactions of a white woman overplaying an encounter with a Hispanic worker was just.. uhhhhh. With that opening, I’m sure you’re expecting me to say that this play was completely cringe-worthy, a trainwreck.

But, no, that was my opinion of their last show, Kate.

One of the Good Ones is harder to characterize. At time, there was dialogue that was completely cringeworthy. At other times, the show was hilariously funny. The thought that kept coming to my mind was that this really was an extended situation comedy. Many of today’s sitcoms are like that. I’ll be watching The Neighborhood or even Abbott Elementary and there will be dialogue and situations that are completely cringeworthy—the “this is stupid and I want to turn this off” level. But then the show redeems itself.

This is that sort of a comedy, which with its length (80 minutes, no intermission) is very much an extended sitcom. This isn’t a theatrical classic. It is just a funny evening in front of the TV. In fact, thinking about this even more, I could see this being a real sitcom. The family presented here is set up and established and could result in many very funny story lines. TV executives down the freeway in Burbank (home to NBC, ABC, and a little down the road, CBS Radford): Are you listening?

So here’s the setup. Father, Enrique (Carlos Gomez) is a slightly hot-headed Cuban American, 2nd generation. Mother, Ilana (Lana Parrilla) is a Mexican-Puerto Rican American, also 2nd generation,  who does not speak Spanish. Daughter, Yoli (Isabella Gomez) is bringing home her boyfriend … make that serious boyfriend … make that very serious boyfriend, Marcos (Nico Greetham). So you’ve got intergenerational conflict, and parents who don’t accept their daughter growing up. And Marcos is claimed to be Mexican… after all he was born in Mexico City.

But then the secrets and truths start to come out, and the meat of the comedy comes out as well. I don’t want to spoil the jokes, but some of them are a bit predictable. Some I didn’t see coming at all. And yes, there were cringeworthy moments, such as the aforementioned opening where the mother, who doesn’t speak Spanish, completely over reacts to a Hispanic delivery person.

As I said: A sitcom. Actually, it would be a great sitcom, once the ensemble settled into the family that sitcom ensembles do.

Should you see this? I’d ask: Do you like sitcoms? If you do: If you (like me) find shows like The Neighborhood funny, go for it. I think you would enjoy this.

I should note that this play—just like some sitcoms—actually makes some deeper points in all of its comedy. In this case, the point is made about the problem with the whole American “Melting Pot” model. For all of the broad ethnic groups, our significant cultural and ethnic past as we melt into the larger group: Italians and Irish and English and … become “White”; “Mexicans” and “Spanish” and “Cubans” and … become “Latinx” (and there are some good jokes about that). Many different African and Caribbean and …. heritages become “Black”; Japanese and Chinese and Korean and …. become “Asian”. We lose the value of those identities. They then get further subsumed when we become the lump label “American”. Further, is what makes you your label dependent on your heritage or where you were born? Is a son of English and German immigrants, born in Mexico and speaking fluent Spanish, Mexican? These are deep and relevant questions today, and they are buried in the humor of this play.

But this isn’t new for a sitcom. Archie Bunker was making us think as he was making us laugh, and as he was saying things that were very cringeworthy. It’s an honored sitcom tradition. It isn’t the days of Leave It to Beaver  or Ozzie and Harriet anymore.

One of the Good Ones continues at the Pasadena Playhouse until April 7. Tickets are available through the Pasadena Playhouse website; they may also be available through the usual discount outlets.

One note for completeness: Last weekend we saw the folk music group Emma’s Revolution at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Long Beach. Great show, but I don’t always write up concerts. Here is their future show schedule.

———

Cast: Lana Parrilla Ilana; Carlos Gomez Enrique; Isabella Gomez Yoli; Nico Greetham Marcos; Santino Jimenez Pedro. Understudies: Abel Garcia, Anna LaMadrid.

Production and Creative Credits: Written by Gloria Calderón Kellett. Directed by Kimberly Senior. Other credits: Tanya Orellana Scenic Design; Denitsa Bliznakova Costume Design; Jaymi Lee Smith Lighting Design; Jeff Gardner & Andrea Allmond Sound Design; Rachel Lee Flesher Fight & Intimacy Coordinator; Ryan Bernard Tymensky CSA Casting; David S. Franklin Stage Manager; Brad Enlow Technical Direction / Production Supervisor; Davidson & Choy Publicity Press Representative; Jenny Slattery Associate Producer; Miriam E. Mendoza Asst. Stage Manager.

♦ ♦ ♦

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

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

On the Theatrical Horizon:

Morgan-Wixson Theatre in Santa Monica has announced their Mainstage 2024 Season, and it includes Bat Boy the Musical running Sept 28 through October 18. We saw Bat Boy back when CSUN did it in 2014; it is a wonderful musical about how a society treats outsiders. I also just learned about a theatre company in Fullerton, Maverick Theater. They are doing Evil Dead: The Musical , which is a hoot if you’ve never seen it (we’ve seen it twice). They also have some interesting other stuff on their season, and we might drive down for Santa Claus Vs The Martians in November.

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🛣 Changes to the California Highway Website covering Jan-Feb 2024

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It’s time for the first highway page update for 2024. This has been a relatively quiet period (as the last headline post demonstrated). But still, there’s a bunch of interesting stuff here. So, as always, “ready, set, discuss”. Next up: Starting to write Season 3 of the podcast.

This update covers January and February 2024, and perhaps some of March 2024, depending on how long it takes me to finish the last little bits. Before we dive into the updates to the California Highways site, an update on the California Highways: Route by Route podcast. As always, you can keep up with the show at the podcast’s forever home at https://www.caroutebyroute.org , the show’s page on Spotify for Podcasters, or you can subscribe through your favorite podcaster or via the RSS feeds (CARxR, Spotify for Podcasters) . The following episodes have been posted since the last update:

  • January | CA RxR 2.06: Route 1: Pacifica and San Francisco. Episode 2.06 of California Highways: Route by Route continues our exploration of Route 1 by exploring everything about Route 1 from Pacifica, just N of the Tom Lantos Tunnels near Montara (in San Mateo Couny) to and through San Francisco up to the Golden Gate Bridge. This includes communities such as Pacifica, Daly City, and of course, San Francisco. As always, we go over the history of this segment of the route, the history of the route through various communities , the freeway plans, discuss relinquishments, names, and some current plans (although there’s not much in the relinquishment or plans area). As part of the freeway plans in the area, we include a discussion of the freeway revolt and some broader plans for San Francisco. (Spotify for Podcasters)
  • January | CA RxR 2.07: Route 1ish: Golden Gate Bridge. Episode 2.07 of California Highways: Route by Route continues our exploration of Route 1 by exploring an interesting gap in the route: The Golden Gate Bridge (GGB). The GGB is not part of the state highway system, and thus (from the point of view of the state) not part of either Route 1 or US 101. It is part of US 101 per AASHTO, and is run by its own district. We’ll cover what was there before the bridge, the construction of the bridge, and current projects along the bridge (such as the singing bridge retrofit, the suicide barrier, and the earthquake retrofit. We’ll also discuss how one pays tolls on the bridge. (Spotify for Podcasters)
  • February | CA RxR 2.08: Route 1: Marin and …. Episode 2.08 of California Highways: Route by Route continues our exploration of Route 1. We’ve now crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, and are continuing north from the Marin Headlands, up along the coast through Sausalito and Marin, Muir Beach and Stinson Beach, Point Reyes, Bodega Bay, Jenner and Fort Ross until we reach the Marin Headlands. As always, we’ll cover the history of the route, and some current projects along the route (Spotify for Podcasters).
  • February | CA RxR 2.09: Route 1: The Redwood Forest. Episode 2.09 of California Highways: Route by Route continues our exploration of Route 1, as we complete discussing present-day Route 1 in Medocino County from Gualala to Leggett and current Route 1’s end at US 101. Along the way, we’ll discuss the communities of Gualala, Point Arena, Albion, Mendocino, Fort Bragg, Westport and Rockport, and Leggett. As always, we’ll cover the history of the route, and some current projects along the route. (Spotify for Podcasters)

Turning to the updates to the California Highways pages: Updates were made to the following highways, based on my reading of the (virtual) papers and my research for the podcast in January and February 2024 (which are posted to the roadgeeking category at the “Observations Along The Road” and to the California Highways Facebook group) as well as any backed up email changes. I also reviewed the the AAroads forum (Ꜳ). This resulted in changes on the following routes, with credit as indicated [my research(ℱ), contributions of information or leads (via direct mail or ꜲRoads) from bing101(2), Tom Fearer(3), Will Poundstone(4): Route 1(ℱ,4), I-5(3), US 6(3), I-8(ℱ,3), I-10(ℱ), I-15(ℱ), Route 14(4), Route 17(ℱ), Route 23(ℱ), Route 25(ℱ), Route 33(4), Route 37(ℱ), Route 40 [S Postmiles] (3), Route 41(ℱ), Route 46(ℱ), Route 58(ℱ,3), US 66(3), US 80(3), Route 92(4), Route 99(ℱ,3), Route 101(ℱ,2), Route 110(ℱ), Route 126(ℱ), Route 128(3), Route 134(3), Route 152(ℱ), Route 156(ℱ), Route 163(3), Route 166(ℱ), Route 170(4), I-580(ℱ,2), I-710(ℱ).
(Source: private email through 3/3/2024, Highway headline posts through the February 2024 Headline post, AARoads through 3/3/2024)

Updated the Links pages to reflect the return of ORoads: The Roads of Oregon, and its companion sites the Beaver State Blog and the Beaver State Wiki. Additionally, capture the movement of All Things NC to Gribblenation, and the NCRoads Annex at VA Highways. Added a link to the CSUN Maps library to the Maps page. Added a section to the Maps page about other research tools. Yeah, it doesn’t fit with maps, but it doesn’t really fit anywhere else either, and the maps are also used for research. Added links to the Caltrans Library Digital Collection, the California Digital Newspaper Collection, and the San Jose Public Library: CA Dept. of Highways (CALTRANS) Right of Way Assessment (h/t kurumi) to the Useful Research Tools page.

Reviewed the Draft 2024 SHOPP, The goal was to identify new projects that would be of interest to the highway pages. Continuing projects should already be in the pages if they are of interest. Note that Caltrans now has a wonderful interactive project page making it easy to find a project. Hmmm, I should probably add that to the front page of the site. * rummages around *. Oh, it’s already in the FAQ! Caltrans also has an interactive SHOPP dashboard. I added that to the FAQ, under how Caltrans spends its money. Per the 2024 Draft SHOPP: “The 2024 SHOPP is comprised of a portfolio of 617 projects (197 new and 420 “carryover” projects from the 2022 SHOPP), spanning the four fiscal years 2024-25 through 2027-28. More than half of these projects focus on condition improvements across four primary asset classes (i.e., pavement, bridge, drainage, and Transportation Management Systems) (TMS), supporting Caltrans’s progress in meeting the required 2027 performance targets set forth by the Commission and outlined in SB 1.” This review resulted in updates to the following routes: Route 1, Route 13, Route 14, Route 49, Route 72, Route 84, US 101, Route 113, Route 120, Route 126, Route 299, US 395.

Ponly Express Trail SignAdded some links for the National Pony Express Trail. This impacted the following routes: Route 24, US 50, I-80, Route 88, Route 89, I-680, I-780.

Made more updates to pages based on podcast research: Route 2, Route 99, Route 138, LRN 59.

Reviewed the Pending Legislation page, based on the California Legislature site, for bills through 2023-12-25. As usual, I recommend to every Californian that they visit the legislative website regularly and see what their legis-critters are doing. As many people are unfamiliar with how the legislature operates (and why there are so many “non-substantive changes” and “gut and amend” bills), I’ve added the legislative calendar (updated for 2024) to the end of the Pending Legislation page. Mostly, this was new bills being introduced; however, two naming resolutions passed in January:

  • SCR 59 (Ochoa Bogh) Senator Bob Dutton Memorial Overcrossing.Designates the overcrossing on State Route 210 at Archibald Avenue (~ SBD 5.889) in the City of Rancho Cucamonga as the “Senator Bob Dutton Memorial Overcrossing”.

    01/18/24    Chaptered by Secretary of State. Res. Chapter 1, Statutes of 2024.

  • SCR 74 (Nguyen) Officer Jon Coutchie Memorial Bridge.Designates the Aliso Creek Bridge, Bridge № 55-0003, on Route 1, in the County of Orange, at post mile 6.49, as the “Officer Jon Coutchie Memorial Bridge”.

    01/18/24    Chaptered by Secretary of State. Res. Chapter 2, Statutes of 2024.

Reviewed the online agenda of the California Coastal Commission. There was no meeting in January; in February, there were no items of interest for the highway pages.

I checked California Transportation Commission page for the results of the December 2023 meeting of the California Transportation Commission. As always, note that I tend not to track items that do not impact these pages — i.e., pavement rehabilitation or replacement, landscaping, drainage, culverts, roadside facilities, charging stations, or other things that do not impact the routing or history, unless they are really significant. As such, the following items were of interest:

Read More …

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🛣 Headlines About California Highways – February 2024

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Did you leap today? It is, after all, a leap year and today’s the leap day. A perfect day for a headline post. For those unfamiliar, this post generally contains headlines about California Highways that I’ve seen over the last month. It also serves as fodder for the updates to my California Highways site, so there are also other pages and things I’ve seen that I wanted to remember for the site updates. Lastly, the post also includes some things that I think would be of peripheral interest to my highway-obsessed highway-interested readers. Speaking of the California Highways site: I’ve been busy working on updates, and all I have left is incorporation of this headline posts and checking the AARoads Pacific Southwest Forum.

So what has happened in February with me? Well, I received my sample ballot, which means I did my five-part deep dive analysis: I—State and National Offices (excluding judges); II—County and City (Los Angeles) Local Offices (excluding judges); III—Local and State Measures (nee Propositions); IV—Judicial Offices (County and State); and V—Summary. We also saw a few shows: The Wiz at the Pantages; The Marvelous Wonderettes: Dream On at Canyon Theatre Guild; and Matthew Bournes’ Romeo + Juliet at the Ahmanson Theatre.

California Highways: Route by Route logoThe podcast continues apace. Two more episodes dropped in February, and I’ve got more recording to schedule with Tom. Season 2 scripts are done; I’ll start writing Season 3, covering Routes 3 through 7, once I’m past the highway page updates. Episode 2.07 prompted a friend at Caltrans to offer to do an interview to talk about Fastrak and tolling in California; we’ll coordinate that as a bonus episode. Please tell your friends about the podcast, “like”, “♥”, or “favorite” it, and give it a rating in your favorite podcatcher. Yes, the sound quality of the episodes does get better — we were learning. As always, you can keep up with the show at the podcast’s forever home at https://www.caroutebyroute.org , the show’s page on Spotify for Podcasters, or you can subscribe through your favorite podcatching app or via the RSS feeds (CARxR, Spotify for Podcasters) . The following episodes have been posted this month:

  • CA RxR 2.08: Route 1: Marin and …. Episode 2.08 of California Highways: Route by Route continues our exploration of Route 1. We’ve now crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, and are continuing north from the Marin Headlands, up along the coast through Sausalito and Marin, Muir Beach and Stinson Beach, Point Reyes, Bodega Bay, Jenner and Fort Ross until we reach the Marin Headlands. As always, we’ll cover the history of the route, and some current projects along the route.  (Spotify for Podcasters)
  • CA RxR 2.09: Route 1: The Redwood Forest. Episode 2.09 of California Highways: Route by Route continues our exploration of Route 1, as we complete discussing present-day Route 1 in Mendocino County from Gualala to Leggett and current Route 1’s end at US 101. Along the way, we’ll discuss the communities of Gualala, Point Arena, Albion, Mendocino, Fort Bragg, Westport and Rockport, and Leggett. As always, we’ll cover the history of the route, and some current projects along the route. (Spotify for Podcasters)

Looking forward, episode 2.10 will conclude the exploration of Route 1 by exploring a former portion of Sign Route 1: The Lost Coast. This will focus on what is now Route 208 and Route 211. The season will conclude with two episodes on Route 2: One on the flatlands from Santa Monica to Glendale; and one on the mountain segments along the Angeles Crest Highway.

Well, you should now be up to date. Here are the headlines that I found about California’s highways for February. Note that there aren’t as many this month: There are fewer major projects of interest, as I tend not to note resurfacings or most storm repairs that are fixed by the time I do the end of the month post.

Key

[Ħ Historical information | ＄ Paywalls, ＄＄ really obnoxious paywalls, and ∅ other annoying restrictions. I’m no longer going to list the paper names, as I’m including them in the headlines now. Note: For ＄ paywalls, sometimes the only way is incognito mode, grabbing the text before the paywall shows, and pasting into an editor. See this article for more tips on bypassing paywalls. 🎧 indicates an primarily audio article. 🎥 indicates a primarily video article. ]

Highway Headlines

  • News Flash • Funding Approved for Highway 49 Evacuation Rout. (Nevada County) The California Transportation Commission (CTC) has approved a project to widen Highway 49 between Ponderosa Pines Way just north of Alta Sierra to Wolf Road in Grass Valley. The $101.5 million project includes the addition of shoulders and a center two-way left turn, which will allow safer operations for vehicles entering and exiting the highway. The improvements will also reduce wildfire evacuation times if the need arises. The commission approved the project at its December meeting; no timeline has been set yet as to when construction will begin Supervisor Ed Scofield serves as chairman of the Nevada County Transportation Commission, who submitted the project for funding in coordination with Caltrans District 3.
  • ＄Fight over I-15 express lanes exposes rift between freeway widening and California climate, pollution goals. (Los Angeles Times) Express lanes on eight miles of the truck-choked Interstate 15 will break ground this year and, officials promise, speed up commuters’ slog through the Inland Empire’s ever-growing sprawl of warehouses, subdivisions and polluted air. But its contentious approval by the California Transportation Commission last month exposed a deepening rift in the state between its climate goals and the list of freeway widening projects that some say are gliding through without scrutiny and threatening the health of the people who live near them. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is now looking into allegations that the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority and the California Department of Transportation may have misled it about the potential environmental harm the project could cause communities that breathe in some of the nation’s worst air. Both say the project was vetted thoroughly and is sound.
  • Metro Releases New Lower 710 Freeway Proposal; Agency Still Plans to Widen 710, Doesn’t Rule Out Residential Demolitions. (Streetsblog Los Angeles) Remember when community pressure killed Metro and Caltrans’ planned $6+ billion widening of the lower 710 Freeway? That was less than two years ago. Metro and Caltrans canceled their plans to demolish hundreds of homes, apartment buildings, and businesses in Black and Latino neighborhoods. At the time, Metro proclaimed it had turned over a new leaf, and was now centering equity and supporting multimodal transportation, and that Metro home demolitions for freeway expansion were a thing of the past. This week, Metro is back with a new proposal to widen the lower 710 Freeway. But wait, there’s some lipstick on this pig! In truth, it’s not as bad as the mega-widening that Metro was hell-bent on a couple years ago, but there’s still harmful freeway widening.
  • Caltrans announces completion of environmental documents for Highway 37 work. (The Bay Link Blog) Caltrans announced on Friday the completion of environmental documents needed to begin design work on the SR-37 Flood Reduction Project in Marin County. The Fairfield Daily Republic reported on the Highway 37 issue in its Friday edition(link is external). Caltrans also announced that several new agencies are joining the short- and long-term efforts to improve the 21-mile corridor that runs between Vallejo and Novato. The Resilient SR-37 Partnership agencies include Caltrans, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the Transportation Authority of Marin, Napa Valley Transportation Authority, Solano Transportation Authority, Sonoma County Transportation Authority and Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit District (SMART).
  • Richmond-San Rafael Bridge managers reexamine westbound lane options. (Marin Independent Journal) Bay Area transportation planners are taking another look at what it would take to open the westbound shoulder of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge for commuter traffic. The emergency and maintenance lane on the bridge’s upper deck was converted into a bicycle and pedestrian path that is protected by a moveable barrier in 2019 for a four-year trial period. The controversial path remains open pending a final report that could determine the fate of the test project. Critics, mostly commuters and their employers, say traffic is worse than ever, while supporters maintain the path is a successful multimodal connection between the North Bay and the East Bay.
  • Slide on Highway 1 in Big Sur moves closure north of Paul’s Slide. (KSBW) A new slide along Highway 1 in Big Sur has moved the highway closure further north of Paul’s Slide. According to Caltrans, the slide happened near Big Creek Bridge, located 45 miles south of Carmel-by-the-Sea. The highway was already closed at Paul’s Slide, where damage from the 2023 storms forced Caltrans to reroute Highway 1 away from the cliff. There is no estimated time for reopening this new slide on Highway 1.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 ———

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

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

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

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

 ♦ ♦ ♦

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

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

On the Theatrical Horizon:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 ♦ ♦ ♦

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

Upcoming Theatre – Next 90ish Days:

On the Theatrical Horizon:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This part covers all the judgeships on the ballot:

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

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