Category: concerts

Fidlers Aun Imigrantn | “Fiddler on the Roof” (Yiddish) @ The Soraya

Posted onAuthorcahwyguyLeave a comment

Blame Google Translate if the title is poor: It gave the translation of my title for this post as פידלערס און אימיגראנטן, with the transliteration you see above. Yes, I could call my daughter, the Yiddish scholar. But she has her life; I’ll have her check it the next time we talk.

I’ve been trying to figure out how to write up “Fiddler on the Roof (in Yiddish)“, which we saw yesterday afternoon at the Soraya (Valley Performing Arts Center) on the campus of CSUN. Isn’t is beautiful? (Oh, sorry, dropped into Vin Scully mode. IYKYK).

After all, everyone has seen Fiddler: If not the excellent movie adaptation with Topol, than one of the various Broadway productions (the most recent tour came through here in 2019). If not that, than one of the many many regional productions (I want to say that Moonlight in San Diego did it this summer, for example). What can one say about the story? That it was timeless? That it reflects the Jewish experience that brought many families to America? That it reflects the triumph of love over tradition? That it reflects the battle of tradition against modernity? That it is a story that appeals to all cultures? All that and more.

But that form of deep dive doesn’t seem quite right, because this wasn’t quite a theatre production. It was a concert production. There were no sets. There were no props. There were no real costumes, other than vaguely shtetl-ish clothing. A good portion of the non-singing dialogue was cut, except the minimal necessary to frame the songs and provide context.

Perhaps I should write it up as I do concerts, which is to assess the musicians and perhaps give a set list. The performers here were top notch—perhaps that is because they imported much of the original New York cast. These performers had great voices, and brought honed characterizations to their roles. All were spectacular. I particularly enjoyed Steven Skybell as Tevye, Rachel Zatcoff as Tzeitl, Jennifer Babiak as Golde, and Kirk Geritano as Motl. Additionally, Lauren Jeanne Thomas was great as the Fiddler. But there’s not much to say there.

So I’m going to take as my plot discussion starting point an audience member, who chose to wear a MAGA hat to the production (a subdued grey one, but a MAGA hat nonetheless). There are quite a few parallels and touching-off points in Fiddler to modern times.

There is the whole notion of pogrums and the disappearing of people by the Tzar, simply for their religious views. There is the destruction of poor people’s property by the government. There is suspicion of people, simply because of their religion. Change “religion” to “brown skin”, and you have the current administration. This behavior was wrong in the days of the Tzar; it is wrong now. This play reminds us of that. We should let people live their lives in dignity.

But more importantly: The heart of this play is the immigrant experience. They endure heartbreak and exile, and their hope is immigration to Amerike (America). Would these folks be let in today? No papers. No jobs. No applications for asylum. If they came under this administration, they would be rejected, or hunted down by ICE. Yet it is the Jewish immigrants, and the Irish, and the Italians, and the Germans (like Trump’s grandfather, in matter of fact) that built the previous generation of America. It is the immigrants from Africa, admittedly forced, that built this country. All of these folks came in with an immigration process that was little more than a health check. They made America great.

But the current administration is scared of people that look different than them. Brown skin, a different language. Spanish to them is what Yiddish was when Tevye’s people came over. But this administration wants to stop the entry of people with brown skin, in particular. They fail to recognize that it is the industrious, hard working, smart immigrants that will make the next generation of America’s success. Though at the bottom when they enter, taking menial jobs (sweatshops and fields), they will soon move up and become community leaders. And the folks in the current administration are scared of that. They don’t want to lose their power, their influence, and most importantly, their wealth. This is the same attitude the white leaders had against the Chinese, Italians, Irish, and yes, the Russian Jews, in the early 1990s.

Immigration doesn’t hurt America. Immigration makes America strong. Good folk like Tevye and his family demonstrate that. But the current administration wouldn’t let them in.

Trump needs to see Fiddler. He probably wouldn’t; if he did, he likely wouldn’t have empathy for the shetl. He’d have admiration for the Tzar. And that says everything.

Did I have quibbles with the show? Yes. First and foremost, give us a real program. Digital programs are cost-saving measures that benefit no one. You can’t file them away and go back and remember. You can’t have them easily open to read during the show (especially when there is no signal in the hall). They disappear off of websites, and provide no historical record. Please, please, please, go back to a printed program. Even if it is just two or four pages. Give us something.

The other problem with the show was the audience. Sunday matinee of an old Jewish chestnut means loads of clueless seniors. This means that the elevators were full of slow moving people. People were confused on where to find things. People were arriving late — we had people being seated late almost 30 minutes in. We had people constantly playing with their phones, and turning on the phone lights when they dropped the phones. I know there’s little I can do about this, but I’m a senior now myself, and I can kvetch with the best of them. But seriously: The Soraya could have recognized this and done some earlier announcements to get people moving to their seats earlier; they could also have had the traditional announcement at the start of the show to turn off cell phones and light and sound emitting devices. It would have helped.

My wife noticed that the supertitle translations weren’t exact translations of the Yiddish. Make of that what you will.

Was the Yiddish a problem? No. You could use your knowledge of the show and songs, and let the language wash over you, or you could follow the supertitles. It wasn’t a problem. Those who think Americans can’t handle foreign languages are wrong.

This was a single weekend run of this show. Alas, by the time you read this, you’ve missed it.

Credits

Fiddler on the Roof (in Yiddish). Based on the Sholem Aleichem stories by special permission of Arnold Perl. Book by Joseph Stein. Music by Jerry Bock. Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. Orchestrations by Larry Blank. Originally Produced on the New York Stage by Harold Prince. Original New York Stage Production Directed and Choreographed by Jerome Robbins. Yiddish Translation by Shraga Friedman. Directed by Joel Grey.

Cast: Steven Skybell Tevye; Jennifer Babiak Golde; Rachel Zatcoff Tsaytl; Yael Eden Chanukov Hodl; Rosie Jo Neddy Khave; Kirk Geritano Motl;  Drew Seigla Pertshik;  Griffith Frank Fyedka / Ensemble;  Samuel Druhora Leyzer Volf; Lisa Fishman Yente / Bobe Tsaytl; Bobby Underwood Constable / Ensemble; Carly Post Shprintse / Ensemble; Glenn Rosenblum Rabbi / Ensemble; Jodi Snyder Frume-Sore / Beylke; James Monroe Števko Mendl / Ensemble; Mikhl Yashinsky Nokhem / Mordkhe / Ensemble; John Reed Avrom / Ensemble; Lauren Jeanne Thomas The Fiddler; Michelle Azar Ensemble; Jessica Fishenfeld Ensemble; Michael P. McDonald Ensemble; Rachel Oremland Ensemble; Rachel Policar Ensemble; Bryan Vickery Ensemble; Brooke Wetterhahn Ensemble.

Music Department: Zalmen Mlotek Conductor; Sara Parkins Violin; Caleb Vaughn-Jones Cello; Sara Andon Flute; Dmiti Zisl Slepovitch Reeds; Dan Fornero Trumpet;  Alan Kaplan Trombone; Brian Silverman Guitar / Mandolin; John Sawoski Keyboard; Gee Rabe Accordion; Peter Saleh Percussion; Tim Christensen Bass / Contractor.

Production and Creative: Joel Grey Director; Beowulf Boritt Projection Design; Matthew “Motl” Didner Associate Director; Zalmen Mlotek Music Director / Conductor; Beth Scorzato Stage Manager; Dan Weingarten Lighting Design; Jamibeth Margolis, CSA Original New York Casting; Michael Donovan Los Angeles Casting; Jonathan Quesenberry Rehearsal Pianist; Beowulf Boritt Original Scenic Design Images.

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; The Soraya, and 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).

Share

The Party Before the Storm | “Cabaret” @ 5-Star Theatricals

Posted onAuthorcahwyguyLeave a comment

Caberet (5-Star Theatricals)Have you ever gone to a play or musical thinking that you’ve seen the show before and you know the show. I’m not talking about seeing a movie version of the show and then seeing the stage version. I mean having seen the show on stage before.

I sure thought I had seen Cabaret. I’ve heard multiple cast albums multiple times. I know the synopsis. I know the story. I’ve certainly seen the movie, but the movie is not the stage show as Fosse decided to omit the music from the story portions that do not occur in the Kit-Kat club. In fact, I know I’ve seen Cabaret: it was back in 2011 in a Rep East production. And before that in a 2009 production by the Aerospace Employee Association. But guess what?

This afternoon, we saw an excellent production of Cabaret from 5-Star theatricals, which made me forget that I had seen those other productions — it was that good. It just hit differently. Perhaps it was the different times. In 2009 and 2011, we were still in the rosy days of the Obama administration, and there wasn’t anything chilling on the horizon. Now we’re in the 2nd administration of Der Trumpenfucker, and things are scary indeed. The notions of forced conformity to the ideal, of the death of openness and acceptance, of the threat of a Nazi-like force are all too real.  The times shown in Cabaret  are all too familiar.

There are people who wonder why I subscribe to 5-Star. After all, it is a regional theatre company out in Thousand Oaks. It isn’t an Equity tour; they are mounting their own shows. But I would put the quality of this production up there with any Broadway production, except perhaps excessive sets. It is one of the highest quality 5-Star productions I’ve seen in ages; the strength was amplified by being in the smaller Scherr Forum, which sees under 400 people (as opposed to their normal venue, the Kavli theatre, which is at least 2000 seats).

What made this performance so special, beyond the timeliness? The performances and the production aspects.

Typically, what stands out about a production of Cabaret is the emcee. Think about recent productions, and you think Joel Grey or Alan Cumming or whomever is doing in in the new Broadway production right now. This production had Sean Samuels, who brought a different type of charm and terror to the role than I’ve seen before. It is hard to describe. Strongly handsome, he didn’t play up the gruesome sexuality that Cumming did, or the clownish side of Joel Grey. Perhaps “menacing” is the right word? In any case, his singing and movement was wonderful.

In the main story positions were Emily Goglia as Sally Bowles and Connor Bullock as Clifford Bradshaw. Bullock brought the right level of naivete to the role of Clifford: a writer who is there to observe and gets drawn into the relationships and the politics. Goglia brought a great frantic energy to Bowles. She may have been a bit more polished than some, but she made it work. She had a powerhouse voice, and was just a delight to listen to.

The secondary couple, who drive the real story, were Valerie Perri as Fraulein Schneider and Ron Orbach as Herr Schultz. Both were out of a recent production of Fiddler on the Roof. Both made their characters come alive, and Perri in particular had a wonderful voice for her numbers. You could believe that these two cared about each other.

The last notable perforamnce was Whitney Kathleen Vigil as Fritzie/Kost. Her face in the closing number of Act I, Tomorrow Belongs To Me, was downright scary. You could feel the chill of the times changing.

In terms of production, was stood out in particular for this production was the lighting design by Brandon Baruch. From the shadows to the uplighting, Baruch made the lighting an integral part of establishing a chilling mood when appropriate.

There is one more weekend for this production of Cabaret. Go see it. This is one of the best productions of the show I’ve seen. Tickets are available through the 5-Star Website; or you can go directly to the Ticketmaster site here.

———

Cabaret. Book by Joe Masteroff. Based on the play by John Van Druten and the stories by Christopher Isherwood. Music by John Kander. Lyrics by Fred Ebb. Directed by Michael Matthews. Choreography by Clarice Ordaz.

Cast (æ denotes members of Actors Equity): Sean Samuels Emcee; Emily Gogliaæ Sally Bowles; Valerie Perriæ Fräulein Schneider; Connor Bullock Clifford Bradshaw; Ron Orbachæ Herr Schultz; Jacob Wilson Ernst Ludwig; Whitney Kathleen Vigil Fritzie/Kost; Angeline Mirenda Frenchie, Dance Captain; Rianny Vasquez Helga; Donovan Mendelovitz Hans; Tarrick Walker Victor; Christian Tyler Dorey Herman; Sydelle Aaliyah Bhall Lulu; Christopher Ho Bobby; Amy Smith Texas; Tatiana Monique Alvarez Rosie; Henry Witcher Boy singing “Tomorrow Belongs to Me”. Understudies (off-stage): Madison Miyuki Sprague Sally Bowles; Nick Tubbs Herr Schultz.

Music Department: Gregory Nabours Music Director, Conductor, Piano; Darryl Tanikawa Orchestra Contractor, Clarinet, Tenor Sax; Gary Rautenberg Flute, Piccolo, Alto Flute, Clarinet, Alto Sax; Bill Barrett Trumpet; June Satton Trombone; Cody Cadena Guitar, Banjo; Chris Kimbler Keyboard Synthesizer; Shane Harry Acoustic Double Bass; Dominic Grande Set Drums.

Production and Creative: Brittany Lorin Asst. Choreographer; Cameron J. Turner Production Stage Manager; Olivia Riddle Asst. Stage Manager; Jonathan A. Burke Sound Design; Julia Pinhey Assoc. Sound Design; Isa Underdahl Sound Engineer; Brandon Baruch Lighting Design; Alex Choate Props Designer, Crew Chief; Luis Martinez Hair/Wig and Makeup Designer; Gateway Set Rentals Scenery; The Theatre Company and Valentino’s Costumes; E.K. Dagenfield Production Manager; Jack Allaway Technical Director; Michael Donovan Casting Casting; Elzer/Demand PR Publicity; Fresh Interactive Marketing.

According to Ray (Muse-ique / CTGLA / CTG>>FWD)Cabaret wasn’t the only show we saw this weekend. Saturday saw us at the Mark Taper Forum for the first show in the Muse-ique season.  We’ve seen Muse-ique many times, most notable their production String/Awakening, which explored all things “Strings”: stringed instruments, string theory, string art.  The production we saw Saturday was focused on the musical genius of Ray Charles. The show told the history of Ray Charles and the influences that shaped him.

As the production page is ephemeral, here’s the program:

  • What’d I Say – Ray Charles, arr. Jamey Tate. Brandon Victor Dixon, DC6 Singers Collective, MUSE/IQUE Orchestra
  • ​Take My Hand, Precious Lord – Thomas A. Dorsey, arr. Ronald O’Hannon, Robert Trapp, Dedrick Bonner, DC6 Singers Collective / soloists: Aretha Scruggs, Loren Smith
  • Boogie Woogie Stomp – Albert Ammons, arr. Herman Jackson, Jamey Tate, Michael Valerio, Herman Jackson
  • (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66 – Bobby Troup, arr. Jamey Tate. Brandon Victor Dixon, DC6 Singers Collective, MUSE/IQUE Orchestra
  • St. James Infirmary – American Folk Song, arr. Rob Schaer. DC6 Singers Collective / soloists: Erinn Horton, Nina Kasuya, Loren Smith, MUSE/IQUE Orchestra
  • The Things That I Used to Do – Guitar Slim, arr. Rob Schaer & Zach Yaholkovsky. Brandon Victor Dixon, MUSE/IQUE Orchestra
  • I Got a Woman – Ray Charles & Renald Richard, arr. Matt Rohde. Brandon Victor Dixon, DC6 Singers Collective, MUSE/IQUE Orchestra
  • I Can’t Stop Loving You – Don Gibson, arr. Matt Rohde. Brandon Victor Dixon, DC6 Singers Collective, MUSE/IQUE Orchestra
  • Let the Good Times Roll – Sam Theard & Fleecie Moore, arr. Rob Schaer. Brandon Victor Dixon, MUSE/IQUE Orchestra
  • In the Heat of the Night – Quincy Jones Jr., Marilyn & Alan Bergman, arr. Jamey Tate. Brandon Victor Dixon, DC6 Singers Collective, MUSE/IQUE Orchestra
  • Georgia on My Mind – Hoagy Carmichael & Stuart Gorrell, arr. Michael Valerio. Brandon Victor Dixon, DC6 Singers Collective, MUSE/IQUE Orchestra
  • America the Beautiful – Katharine Lee Bates & Samuel A. Ward, arr. Rob Schaer. Brandon Victor Dixon, DC6 Singers Collective, MUSE/IQUE Orchestra

All in all, it was both an informative and entertaining show. Alas, this was the only weekend the show was presented.

———

Muse/ique Presents According to Ray: Ray Charles’ Message to America. Led by Artistic and Music Director Rachael Worby.

Featured Artists: Brandon Victor Dixon, DC6 Singers Collective.

Muse-ique Orchestra: Armen Anassian, Ashoka Thiagarajan, Lisa Dondlinger, and Marisa Kuney Violin I; Ina Veli, Mina Hong, and Kayvon Sesar Violin II; Shawn Mann and Rodney Wirtz Viola; Juan-Salvador Carrasco and Ismael Guerrero ​Cello; Dylan Hart and Laura Brenes ​Horn; Kirsten Edkins, Pat Posey, and Damon Zick Saxophone; Rob Schaer, Chris Gray, and Sarah Bauza Trumpet; Ryan Dragon, Lori Stuntz, and Byron Sleugh Trombone; Alan Steinberger Organ; Herman Jackson Piano; Michael Abraham Guitar; Michael Valerio ​Bass; Jamey Tate​​ Drums; Brady Steel Orchestra Manager; Caroline Boyce Librarian.

♦ ♦ ♦

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; and 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).

Share

Bluegrass Journeys | Nefesh Mountain @ McCabes

Posted onAuthorcahwyguyLeave a comment

Nefesh Mountain (McCabes)Last night, we went to go see Nefesh Mountain at McCabes in Santa Monica. Normally, I don’t worry about writing up concerts and musical performances, as there typically isn’t much to write about. Sometimes, I’m able to catch or remember the set list, but that’s about it. Last night there was a bit more to write up — enough that I wanted to preserve it in a blog post, as opposed to an ephemeral FB post.

For those unfamiliar, Nefesh Mountain started quite a few years ago as a Jewish Bluegrass group. This attracted my attention, as I like both contemporary Jewish music and bluegrass. They did gigs mostly at synagogues across the country, with songs that mixed quite a bit of Hebrew with the country, and could even be viewed as liturgical at times. We saw them most recently at Temple Judea, but I know they also played at Temple Ramat Zion.

The pandemic period, combined with the Israeli hostage crisis, changed the group. They have pivoted more towards the traditional bluegrass side, with more “Americana” (i.e., electric). There are still Jewish elements in the music and Jewish thought behind the songs. However, there is much less Hebrew. This is more a mainstream bluegrass group these days. A damn good bluegrass group, in fact.

Almost all of the songs in the show were from their new album, Beacons. This album is a mix of bluegrass and Americana, and has some great songs in the mix. It captures well the new direction of the group, with nods towards the individual member histories.

But what I wanted to highlight about last night’s performance was Doni, the lead singer. Her joy and happiness of being on stage was so much fun to watch. She was bouncing and happy, and you could see that she was having the time of her life. The smile and the joy was infectious to watch. You became happy through her happiness, and it was something we all needed.

The music was also spectacular, especially the mandolin and fiddle players, whose names I don’t remember. I did learn about a new artist — Tony Rice — who inspired one of their songs. I’ll need to look into his music.

If you like bluegrass, and Nefesh Mountain comes to your area, go and give them a visit.

♦ ♦ ♦

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; and 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).

Share

🎙 A Staring Contest | “Frankie Avalon” @ The Soraya

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Frankie Avalon (Soraya)Tom Paxton often says about nostalgia that it is OK to look back, as long as you don’t stare.

Thursday night, when we saw Frankie Avalon at the Soraya/VPAC (FB), it felt like it was a staring contest — there was that much nostalgia. Admittedly, Avalon’s long career — dating from the 1950s to today, can lend one to nostalgia. Admittedly, the age of the audience made that nostalgia successful (we were some of the younger folks there). But the show was dripping in nostalgia none-the-less.

I didn’t scribble down a set list, but just get the latest Everly Avalon (i.e., Edan Everly and Frankie Avalon) album “The Good Old Days”, and you’ll have much of the show. I do have a few observations I want to share, however… I’ll note that overall, the show was enjoyable and a trip down memory lane.

  • This show demonstrated the clear difference between a nightclub act and a concert. Contrast this to Mandy Gonzalez a few weeks ago, or even Big Daddy at McCabes. Those were concerts: full song, with perhaps a bit of lead in for each song. This was a clear nightclub act — something that would be at home in any 1960s lounge in Las Vegas. There was a camaraderie with the audience… a looseness, a comfort. There was a playfulness.  Yet, in actually, it was all scripted (something that become clear when you hear the album — same jokes). Songs were rarely the full song, but more snippets.
  • There was loads of looking back. In 1958 I did this… On American Bandstand I did this… Annette and I did this… These famous rock artists and I did that… There was extended clips of his family (and two were part of the band). As I said: staring.
  • One thing that hit me about the show was the … whiteness of it. There was a joke with his music director discussing the musical Grease how in Mexico is was called “Vaseline”. That landed with a thud. There was a song about nostalgia that seemed to be wanting the days of the 1950s all back again. There were tributes to musical artists — all white, many whom covered black singers, with nary a mention of the black artists. I don’t think this was intentional on Avalon’s part. I think it was reflective of the era in which his talent bloomed. But it did demonstrate that his act and his schtick, so to speak, haven’t been updated with the times. There were jokes in his act older than my grandfather. To woke members of the audience, the suspended animation was clear to see … and painfully dated.

But, as I said, musically the show was a load of fun. It was a very fast 90-110 minutes. But don’t go expecting anything newer than “Beauty School Dropout”.

🎭

Ob. Disclaimer: I am not a trained theatre (or music) critic; I am, however, a regular theatre and music audience member. I’ve been attending live theatre and concerts in Los Angeles since 1972; I’ve been writing up my thoughts on theatre (and the shows I see) since 2004. I do not have theatre training (I’m a computer security specialist), but have learned a lot about theatre over my many years of attending theatre and talking to talented professionals. I pay for all my tickets unless otherwise noted (or I’ll make a donation to the theatre, in lieu of payment). I am not compensated by anyone for doing these writeups in any way, shape, or form. I currently subscribe at 5 Star Theatricals (FB), the Hollywood Pantages (FB), Actors Co-op (FB),  the Soraya/VPAC (FB), and the Musical Theatre Guild (FB). Through my theatre attendance I have made friends with cast, crew, and producers, but I do strive to not let those relationships color my writing (with one exception: when writing up children’s production, I focus on the positive — one gains nothing except bad karma by raking a child over the coals). I believe in telling you about the shows I see to help you form your opinion; it is up to you to determine the weight you give my writeups.

Upcoming Shows:

November concludes with Bandstand at Broadway in Thousand Oaks. 

December is getting busy, given that we lose two weekends to ACSAC, and the small theatres are often darker around the holidays. The weekend after ACSAC brings an outing of our new live theatre group at our synagogue to Eight Nights at the Anteaus Theatre Company (FB).  I also have a hold for December 21 for Elf at Canyon Theatre Guild.

Looking to early 2020: most of the January is currently quiet, but the middle of the month is busy, with What The Constitution Means To Me at the Mark Taper Forum, and Frozen at the Hollywood Pantages (FB) the third weekend, and Cirque Éloize at  the Soraya/VPAC (FB) the last weekend. Things start heating up in February, with The Last Ship (with Sting) at the Ahmanson Theatre the first weekend; A Body of Water at Actors Co-op (FB) and It Shoulda Been You at Musical Theatre Guild (FB) the third weekend; and (whew!)  The Simon and Garfunkel Story at the Hollywood Pantages (FB), Escape to Margaritaville at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB), and Step Afrika at the Soraya/VPAC (FB) the fourth weekend. Yes, that is the Pantages and the Dolby the same day — that’s what I get for not entering season tickets on my calendar before ticketing a bonus show. March comes in like a lamb, with the first two weekends (2/29 and 3/7) being quiet… but goes out like a Lion. The 2nd weekend brings the MRJ Man of the Year dinner; the 3rd Morris’ Room at Actors Co-op (FB) ; and the last bringing Spongebob Squarepants at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB) and the MoTAS/TBH Seder. April is similarly busy: the 1st weekend is Mamma Mia at 5 Star Theatricals (FB); the 2nd is during Pesach and is open (but has Count Basie at the Soraya/VPAC (FB) the Thursday before); the 3rd is Once on This Island at the Ahmanson Theatre; the last is Hamilton at the Hollywood Pantages (FB), and the first weekend of May is Mean Girls at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB)

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Better-Lemons, Musicals in LA, @ This Stage, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411 or that are sent to me by publicists or the venues themselves. Want to know how to attend lots of live stuff affordably? Take a look at my post on How to attend Live Theatre on a Budget. Want to learn about all the great theatre in Southern California? Read my post on how Los Angeles (and its environs) is the best area for theatre in the Country!

 

Share

🎸 Stuck in Time | “Big Daddy” @ McCabes

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy1 Comment

Big Daddy @ McCabesI blame Stuart Schaeffer Z”L. It is all his fault. And I miss him every day. He introduced me to them. Well, thinking back, he introduced me to a number of strange things. This was the second of them.

Perhaps I should clarify. I love music of all varieties. Rarely, however, does it fit current pop sensitivities. I particularly like music that is unique. That’s probably why Stuart handed me two albums over 10 years ago. The first was by a satirical bluegrass group called the Austin Lounge Lizards.  I was particularly taken by a parody of the Beach Boys titled “Hey, Little Minivan”. The second was an album that looked suspiciously like “Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club band”. But it wasn’t.

Rather, it was a cover of the entire Sgt. Peppers album by a group called Big Daddy. Big Daddy’s “origin story” (as concocted) was:

While on a USO tour of Southeast Asia in 1959, Big Daddy was captured by Communist forces and held captive until the mid-80’s at which time they were rescued by the CIA  and subsequently returned to the United States. While being held at Camp David for debriefing, they were given sheet music of contemporary hit songs so that they could re·build their repertoire and get back to the only work they knew… making music. Of course, not having heard the evolution of Rock music during the quarter century they spent imprisoned in the jungles of Laos, they arranged and performed these songs the only way they knew how … in the classic styles of the 1950’s.

So, imagine Sgt. Peppers as if it was done by top 1950s artists. Or, my favorite example of theirs: “Baby’s Got Back” in the style of Tom Dooley by the Kingston Trio.

I really do like unique bands. Perhaps that’s why I like Gangstagrass. Bluegrass hip-hop. But I digress.

Both Big Daddy and the Lizards are groups that I have followed over the years. I participated in Big Daddy’s kickstarter for an album of songs from Broadway and the movies. I see the Lizards whenever they are in town (most recently last November). But Big Daddy’s concerts always seemed to be on nights I have theatre tickets.

But not Sunday night. Sunday night they were at McCabes, in all their glory. And we were able to be at the concert.

To give you an idea of the songs they covered, here are the set lists. Alas, I’m not adept enough to identify all the specific styles, and I’m too old to remember which styles went with which songs:

Set 1

  1. Be Bop Baby
  2. Light My Fire (Johnny Cash Style)
  3. Graceland
  4. BIllie Jean
  5. Music of the Night
  6. Ice Ice Baby
  7. Every Breath You Take
  8. When I’m Sixty-Four
  9. A Day in the Life
  10. Uptown Funk
  11. Jump

Set 2

  1. 1959 (1999)
  2. Still Haven’t Found
  3. Like a Virgin
  4. Hotel California
  5. Once in a Life
  6. Little Green Men
  7. Way You Make Me Feel
  8. Help Me Make It
  9. White Rabbit
  10. Money for Nothing
  11. Always on My Mind
  12. All Night Long (Encore)

The band was having real fun with these songs, with costumes and props and mannerisms. It wasn’t just a concert — it was a full-on show. From Johnny Cash in his 100 gallon hat, to three Elvii on stage, to Jose Feliciano, to … All the songs were entertaining. Two of them were new and written by the band: Be Bop Baby and Little Green Men. Both are from an upcoming radio series “Big Daddy, Band Out of Time”.  Little Green Men reminded me of one of the first songs I ever heard at McCabes: Shep Cooke singing “Concert Tour of Mars”.

For those that haven’t been to McCabes: It is a guitar shop in Santa Monica. In the back room, which seats around 100, they do all sorts of concerts.  I’ve been there for Tom Paxton, Noel Paul Stookey, Maria Muldaur, and many other folk artists. If you can see a show there, go. It is a wonderfully intimate space.

I look forward to Big Daddy’s next show, and hopefully the folks at McCabes will one day book the Lizards there as well.

P.S.: There was one additional bonus to the night: I got to meet Mark Evanier, who does the wonderful blog at Newsfromme. I’ve followed Mark for years as we have many similar interests, ranging from theatre to Los Angeles history and ephemera to animation history and especially all things Stan Freberg. It was Mark who helped organize the wonderful tribute to Stan Freberg 5 years ago (which I will never forget). Sometimes it is amazing the great people in Los Angeles.

🎭

Ob. Disclaimer: I am not a trained theatre (or music) critic; I am, however, a regular theatre and music audience member. I’ve been attending live theatre and concerts in Los Angeles since 1972; I’ve been writing up my thoughts on theatre (and the shows I see) since 2004. I do not have theatre training (I’m a computer security specialist), but have learned a lot about theatre over my many years of attending theatre and talking to talented professionals. I pay for all my tickets unless otherwise noted (or I’ll make a donation to the theatre, in lieu of payment). I am not compensated by anyone for doing these writeups in any way, shape, or form. I currently subscribe at 5 Star Theatricals (FB), the Hollywood Pantages (FB), Actors Co-op (FB),  the Soraya/VPAC (FB), and the Musical Theatre Guild (FB). Through my theatre attendance I have made friends with cast, crew, and producers, but I do strive to not let those relationships color my writing (with one exception: when writing up children’s production, I focus on the positive — one gains nothing except bad karma by raking a child over the coals). I believe in telling you about the shows I see to help you form your opinion; it is up to you to determine the weight you give my writeups.

Upcoming Shows:

This weekend brings Summer at the Hollywood Pantages (FB) and The Goodbye Girl at Musical Theatre Guild (FB).  November concludes with Bandstand at Broadway in Thousand Oaks. 

December is getting busy, given that we lose two weekends to ACSAC, and the small theatres are often darker around the holidays. The weekend after ACSAC brings an outing of our new live theatre group at our synagogue to Eight Nights at the Anteaus Theatre Company (FB).  I also have a hold for December 21 for Elf at Canyon Theatre Guild.

Looking to early 2020: most of the January is currently quiet, but the middle of the month is busy, with What The Constitution Means To Me at the Mark Taper Forum, and Frozen at the Hollywood Pantages (FB) the third weekend, and Cirque Éloize at  the Soraya/VPAC (FB) the last weekend. Things start heating up in February, with The Last Ship (with Sting) at the Ahmanson Theatre the first weekend; A Body of Water at Actors Co-op (FB) and It Shoulda Been You at Musical Theatre Guild (FB) the third weekend; and (whew!)  The Simon and Garfunkel Story at the Hollywood Pantages (FB), Escape to Margaritaville at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB), and Step Afrika at the Soraya/VPAC (FB) the fourth weekend. Yes, that is the Pantages and the Dolby the same day — that’s what I get for not entering season tickets on my calendar before ticketing a bonus show. March comes in like a lamb, with the first two weekends (2/29 and 3/7) being quiet… but goes out like a Lion. The 2nd weekend brings the MRJ Man of the Year dinner; the 3rd Morris’ Room at Actors Co-op (FB) ; and the last bringing Spongebob Squarepants at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB) and the MoTAS/TBH Seder. April is similarly busy: the 1st weekend is Mamma Mia at 5 Star Theatricals (FB); the 2nd is during Pesach and is open (but has Count Basie at the Soraya/VPAC (FB) the Thursday before); the 3rd is Once on This Island at the Ahmanson Theatre; the last is Hamilton at the Hollywood Pantages (FB), and the first weekend of May is Mean Girls at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB)

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Better-Lemons, Musicals in LA, @ This Stage, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411 or that are sent to me by publicists or the venues themselves. Want to know how to attend lots of live stuff affordably? Take a look at my post on How to attend Live Theatre on a Budget. Want to learn about all the great theatre in Southern California? Read my post on how Los Angeles (and its environs) is the best area for theatre in the Country!

 

Share

🎭 🎸 Learning About Legends | Surviving Frank Lloyd Wright @ EST/LA ♦ Ruskin / Book Binder @ Blvd Music

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Surviving Frank Lloyd Wright (EST/LA)Saturday was an interesting day. The Hollywood Fringe Festival (FB) hasn’t started yet, so my calendar was empty. My wife was out of town and I wasn’t in the midst of highway page updates, so I didn’t have much to do. I thought about the opening night of  Ready Set Yeti Go at Rogue Machine Theatre (FB), but there were no discount tickets. But then I received some emails about the solution to my problem.

The first was from Ensemble Studio Theatre / Los Angeles (FB) about a “Check-In Reading” for a play they had in development from Tom Lazarus (FB). “Check-In Readings” are no-frills readings of plays under development in the Launchpad 2018-19 Long Term Dramaturgical program. The readings “check-in” on the current status of the play, and allow an audience to give their reactions and make suggestions.

At this reading, the play was “Surviving Frank Lloyd Wright: The Creation of Hollyhock House“. It was described in the email thusly:

The true story of political radical and free love advocate Aline Barnsdall hiring the scandal plagued genius Frank Lloyd Wright to architect a creative utopia. They battle over the design and the out of control budget. Wright hires Rudolph Schindler to supervise construction throwing the future of Hollyhock House in doubt as the aesthetic and sexual triangles play themselves out.

Given that as an ancillary interest to my highway hobby I have a keen interest in the history of Los Angeles, this play caught my eye. So yesterday started out with a jaunt to Atwater Village for the reading.

This was my first time attending one of these readings, and I had a blast. The setup was simple: actors reading from the script, with another actor reading the stage directions. Voice performance, no costumes, allowing one to focus on the script in development. The performers were: Ian Patrick Williams (FB) – Frank Lloyd Wright; Lizzie Peet (FB) – Aline Barnsdall; Ethan Rains (FB) –Rudolph Schindler; Ashley Francis Hoffman (FB) – Maud (Maude Noel, Wright’s 2nd wife); Maura Knowles (FB) – Miss Lang; Jon Sperry (FB) – Norman Bel Geddes; and Stevie Stern (FB) – stage directions.

I’m not going to go into the developmental work needed or any criticisms — those were communicated to the playwright during the discussion afterwards (and were the purpose of this reading). Readings are how plays mature into what you see working on stage, and it is rare for a play to emerge fully formed and perfect (no matter what the author may think). The same is true for government documents :-). So this is more my positive thoughts on the show.

Going in, although I had heard of Frank Lloyd Wright and Barnsdall Park, I didn’t know much more than that. This show was focused on the creation of Hollyhock House. It starts with Aline Barnsdall hiring Frank Lloyd Wright to build an artist’s utopia at the top of Olive Hill, which she had purchased with her inheritance.  Her plan was to build a theatre, housing for staff, and a house for herself and her daughter on the hill. Wright was focused on the house, and kept delaying everything else. The focus of this play was the conflict between the two, and which ones would give first, and what the ultimate result would be.

I was initially confused as to location when this play started, probably because I’ve never been to Barnsdall Park or seen Hollyhock House. The way the characters spoke, I thought the hill was much higher than it was — but that was likely due to the growth of the area around the park obscuring the hill. Still, this play introduced me to a side of Los Angeles that I didn’t know, and made me go and research people I had never heard about (in particiular, Aline Barnsdall). That’s a good thing for a historical play. It helped me learn the personalities of these people. The script caught and held my attention, and I had a blast learning both about the story and the play development process.

The performances were strong. The actors, as this was a reading, had no costumes, no particular directions other than those in the script, and no real rehearsal. As such, you got to see the pure actor’s side: taking the lines on the page and bringing them to life just through voice and minimal movement. They did a great job. I particularly enjoyed the Williams, Peet, and Sperry.

I got such a kick out of this that I plan to attend more readings. If you want to learn about these types of efforts, get on the email lists for the theatres you like. To get on EST/LA’s list, click here.

Rick Ruskin and Roy Book Binder (Blvd Music)The second email I received was from Boulevard Music (FB) about a concert from Rick Ruskin and Roy Bookbinder. I was familiar with Rick Ruskin (FB), having been introduced to him by my uncle through some of his earlier albums. I was unfamiliar with Roy Bookbinder (FB) (sometimes written as Roy Book Binder). Both were expert guitar players, students and friends of the Reverend Gary Davis, with both a blues and humorous guitar style.

As I was less familiar with the songs from these artists (I have four albums from Ruskin, none from Bookbinder), I don’t have a play list. The two were both on stage at the same time, alternating songs and sharing stories. Ruskin did a mix of songs from Davis, himself, and a few covers of popular songs. Bookbinder focused more on the blues, doing songs from Davis, himself, and a few others. What was notable about Bookbinder was his stories. Before — and sometimes during — each song, Bookbinder would tell a rambling story of how the song came to be, stories about characters in the songs, and so forth.

There were a few mentions of Peter, Paul and Mary; I hadn’t realized that “If I Had My Way” was a Davis song and earned him substantial earnings. There was also a story about Mississippi John Hurt.

I enjoyed the music quite a bit, and picked up two albums from each artists. Always support artists at shows by buying merch.

Both had interesting observations about their age. This got me thinking about who the new folk artists are; in other words, who are the youngsters perpetuating the folk tradition. I’m not sure the answers, but I’d like to explore getting music from folk artists who aren’t 15 years older than I am.

🎭

Ob. Disclaimer: I am not a trained theatre (or music) critic; I am, however, a regular theatre and music audience member. I’ve been attending live theatre and concerts in Los Angeles since 1972; I’ve been writing up my thoughts on theatre (and the shows I see) since 2004. I do not have theatre training (I’m a computer security specialist), but have learned a lot about theatre over my many years of attending theatre and talking to talented professionals. I pay for all my tickets unless otherwise noted (or I’ll make a donation to the theatre, in lieu of payment). I am not compensated by anyone for doing these writeups in any way, shape, or form. I currently subscribe at 5 Star Theatricals (FB), the Hollywood Pantages (FB), Actors Co-op (FB), the Ahmanson Theatre (FB) [2018-2019 season], and the Musical Theatre Guild (FB). Through my theatre attendance I have made friends with cast, crew, and producers, but I do strive to not let those relationships color my writing (with one exception: when writing up children’s production, I focus on the positive — one gains nothing except bad karma by raking a child over the coals). I believe in telling you about the shows I see to help you form your opinion; it is up to you to determine the weight you give my writeups.

Upcoming Shows:

Next week, the the Hollywood Fringe Festival (FB) starts. If you are unfamilar with Fringe, there are around 380 shows taking place over the month of June, mostly in the stretch of Santa Monica Blvd between 1 bl W of La Brea to 1 bl E of Vine, but all generally in Hollywood. On a first pass, there were lots I was interested in, 30 I could fit on a calendar, but even less that I could afford. Here is my current Fringe schedule as of the date of this writeup. [Here’s my post with all shows of interest — which also shows my most current HFF19 schedule. Note: unlike my normal policy, offers of comps or discounts are entertained, but I have to be able to work them into the schedule with the limitations noted in my HFF19 post]:

Key: ⊕: Non-Fringe Show/Event; °: Producer/Publicist Arranged Comp or Discount

As for July, it is already filling up. The first weekend of the month is still open. The second weekend brings An Intimate Evening with Kristen Chenowith at,The Hollywood Bowl (FB).  The third weekend of July brings Miss Saigon at the Hollywood Pantages (FB), followed by A Comedy of Errors from Shakespeare by the Sea (FB)/Little Fish Theatre(FB). The last weekend of July brings West Side Story at 5 Star Theatricals (FB). August starts with an alumni Shabbat at camp, and The Play That Goes Wrong at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB). August ends with Mother Road at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (FB), and we might do rush tickets for Alice in Wonderland as well. In between those points, August is mostly open.

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Better-Lemons, Musicals in LA, @ This Stage, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411 or that are sent to me by publicists or the venues themselves. Want to know how to attend lots of live stuff affordably? Take a look at my post on How to attend Live Theatre on a Budget. Want to learn about all the great theatre in Southern California? Read my post on how Los Angeles (and its environs) is the best area for theatre in the Country!

Share

🎶 Pop Stars and Folk Musicians | Lea Salonga and Noel Paul Stookey

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Lea Salonga (Soraya 2019)This week was a week for concerts. The first was Wednesday night, when we saw Lea Salonga (FB) at the Saroya (FB), which was known as the Valley Performing Arts Center at CSUN the last time Ms. Salonga played there in April 2016. If I had to characterize this show, which was the penultimate stop in her The Human Heart tour, it would be: Ballads and Anthems. Unlike back in 2016, where we were treated to a number of upbeat songs, including some songs in her native language, this was primarily slower songs and power songs. The two act show had the following songs:

Act I:

Feeling Good
Go the Distance
Reflection
Fast Car
Drops of Jupiter
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
Part of the Human Heart
I Give My Life for You

Act II:

Another 100 People
In a Very Unusual Way
Story of My Life
Take On Me
Blurred Lines
Burn
A Whole New World
Dead Girl Songs: I Dreamed A Dream / On My Own
Encore: You Will Be Found

Accompanying Ms. Salonga was Larry Yurman (FB) – Piano, Music Director; Kevin Axt (FB) – Bass; Paul Viapiano (FB) – Guitar; and Ray Brinker (FB) – Drums.

Salonga had a great rapport with the audience, telling wonderful stories before most of the songs. Her duet on “A Whole New World” was wonderful. On the whole, it was an enjoyable show, but I did find myself wishing for a few more upbeat numbers. We did support the artist by picking up one CD: The Story of My Life: Live from Manila, with the BYU Chamber Orchestra.

Noel Paul Stookey (McCabes 2019)Our second concert saw us in Santa Monica at McCabes (FB) for a favorite artist of ours: Noel Paul Stookey (FB), who is best known as Paul in Peter Paul and Mary (FB). We last saw Noel Paul in a concert with Peter Yarrow in Thousand Oaks in 2017; our last solo visit with him was 2015 at McCabes. Noel Paul just recently did a concert in Ventura. Paul, and his musical companions, hold a special place in my heart: My first favorite group was PP&M, and folk music was a constant in my life even before there were the tunes from Broadway. McCabes also holds a special place: I remember seeing Shep Cooke (FB) there many many years ago with my uncle, back in the 1980s.

Noel Paul’s repertoire at this two set show was a mix of PP&M tunes and many of Noel Paul’s more recent solo tunes. There were just a few that I had never heard before. Alas, although he teased in the first act that he might do “Impeachable“, he didn’t. But the sentiment was clearly there.

Noel Paul’s sets were (🌟 indicates new songs):

Set 1

Standing on the Shoulders🌟
Not That Kind of Music
Puff the Magic Dragon
Ives🌟
Right Field
The Winner
Imagine (Alternate Version)🌟 / For The Love of It All
Revolution (1 x 1)
Where Have All the Flowers Gone
Love Rules!

Set 2:

Whatshername
Cabin Fever Waltz
Cue The Moon
Love With a Capital “L”🌟
The Wedding Song
One & Many
Jean Claude
America the Beautiful
Blowing in the Wind
In These Times
Encore: If I Had a Hammer

Noel Paul has roots as a comedian, and it shows in how he tells stories before each song. He clearly loves performing at McCabes, which holds a special place with folk musicians. His shows there are extremely enjoyable, and are not to be missed.

🎭

Ob. Disclaimer: I am not a trained theatre (or music) critic; I am, however, a regular theatre and music audience member. I’ve been attending live theatre and concerts in Los Angeles since 1972; I’ve been writing up my thoughts on theatre (and the shows I see) since 2004. I do not have theatre training (I’m a computer security specialist), but have learned a lot about theatre over my many years of attending theatre and talking to talented professionals. I pay for all my tickets unless otherwise noted (or I’ll make a donation to the theatre, in lieu of payment). I am not compensated by anyone for doing these writeups in any way, shape, or form. I currently subscribe at 5 Star Theatricals (FB), the Hollywood Pantages (FB), Actors Co-op (FB), the Ahmanson Theatre (FB) [2018-2019 season], and the Musical Theatre Guild (FB). Through my theatre attendance I have made friends with cast, crew, and producers, but I do strive to not let those relationships color my writing (with one exception: when writing up children’s production, I focus on the positive — one gains nothing except bad karma by raking a child over the coals). I believe in telling you about the shows I see to help you form your opinion; it is up to you to determine the weight you give my writeups.

Upcoming Shows:

This weekend brings one last show for May: Bronco Billy – The Musical at Skylight Theatre (FB).

June, as always, is reserved for the Hollywood Fringe Festival (FB). If you are unfamilar with Fringe, there are around 380 shows taking place over the month of June, mostly in the stretch of Santa Monica Blvd between 1 bl W of La Brea to 1 bl E of Vine, but all generally in Hollywood. On a first pass, there were lots I was interested in, 30 I could fit on a calendar, but even less that I could afford. Here is my current Fringe schedule as of the date of this writeup. [Here’s my post with all shows of interest — which also shows my most current HFF19 schedule. Note: unlike my normal policy, offers of comps or discounts are entertained, but I have to be able to work them into the schedule with the limitations noted in my HFF19 post]:

In terms of non-Fringe theatre (which, yes, does exist): Currently, the first weekend of June is open, although I’m thinking about Ready Set Yeti Go at Rogue Machine Theatre (FB) [if the publicist contacts me or I see it on Goldstar for Saturday]. Fringe previews start the next week. The end of June also brings Indecent at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB) on June 28, just before the busy last weekend of Fringe.

As for July, it is already filling up. The first weekend of the month is still open. The second weekend brings An Intimate Evening with Kristen Chenowith at,The Hollywood Bowl (FB).  The third weekend of July brings Miss Saigon at the Hollywood Pantages (FB), followed by A Comedy of Errors from Shakespeare by the Sea (FB)/Little Fish Theatre(FB). The last weekend of July brings West Side Story at 5 Star Theatricals (FB). August starts with an alumni Shabbat at camp, and The Play That Goes Wrong at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB).

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Better-Lemons, Musicals in LA, @ This Stage, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411 or that are sent to me by publicists or the venues themselves. Want to know how to attend lots of live stuff affordably? Take a look at my post on How to attend Live Theatre on a Budget. Want to learn about all the great theatre in Southern California? Read my post on how Los Angeles (and its environs) is the best area for theatre in the Country!

Share

🎶 My One Band is the One True Band | “Austin Lounge Lizards” @ Boulevard Music

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Austin Lounge Lizards (Boulevard Music)My dear departed friend Stuart Schaeffer did two outstanding things for me, musically: he introduced me to the music of Big Daddy, and he introduced me to the Austin Lounge Lizards. The Lizards are a satirical bluegrass band out of Texas, and their music is just great. Although described as “bluegrass”, they run the range from acapella choral singing to rock and roll, from the aforementioned bluegrass to country, and pretty much everything in between. Their lyrics skewer people and topics, and are cleverly written. Whenever we learn they are coming to town, we do our best to see them (but, alas, they often conflict with prescheduled theatre).

Luckily, although there was a conflict, it was with a subscription show, and we were able to change our tickets to Sunday. So last night we got together with some friends and went down to Boulevard Music in Culver City to see the current incarnation of the Lizards do their show. The Lizards are down to two of the three founding members (Tom Pittmann having retired, but Hank Card and Conrad Diesler are  still there), and have been joined by two original Lizards, Kirk WIlliams and Tim Wilson. For two songs, Corey Simone, who was also a former Lizard and now has a band in the area, joined the group.

To make my life easy, I copied their set list before the show. This show was a little different in that there were a number of non-Lizard rock numbers worked in between the traditional Lizards fare. Here is the set  list, with a few comments. I’ve done my best to get the full names of songs (non-Lizard songs in italics):

  1. Highway Cafe of the Damned
  2. Ashokan Farewell / War Between the States / War
  3. We’ve Been Through Some Crappy Times Before
  4. That God Forsaken Hell-Hole I Call Home
  5. Grunge Song
  6. The Dogs, They Really Miss You / Walking the Dog / Iggy
  7. Boudreaux Was a Nutcase
  8. Black Helicopters
  9. Buenos Dios, Budweiser
  10. Gospel Medley: One True God / Three Sinners / Zen Gospel Singing
  11. (Intermission)
  12. Teenage Immigrant Welfare Mothers on Drugs
  13. Carazon de Goma (new song)
  14. Creep / Shallow End of the Gene Pool / People are Strange
  15. Another Stupid Texas Song
  16. Strange Noises in the Dark
  17. Have You Ever Seen the Rain / Irma / Acid Rain Keeps Falling / Beatle
  18. Jesus Loves Me (But He Doesn’t Like You)
  19. The Chester Nimitz Oriental Garden
  20. The Zombie Song / Monster’s Holiday
  21. Hillbillies in an Haunted House
  22. (curtain call)
  23. Old Blevens
  24. Stop in the Name of Love / Can’t Do / Cornhusker Refugee / My Boyfriend’s Back

I still  think they need to combine “Stupid Texas Song” with “I’m Leaving Texas” from Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public.

Alas, they didn’t do a number of my favorites, but that’s the nature of any show. What’d I miss? Saguaro, The Drugs I Need, Rasputin’s HMO, Go Ahead and Die (a great medley trio there), Industrial Strength Tranquilizers, Bust the High School Students, Big Rio Grande River, Half a Man, and Big Tex’s Girl… for a start.

But still, it was a great show, and you can never get all the songs you want.

***

Ob. Disclaimer: I am not a trained theatre (or music) critic; I am, however, a regular theatre and music audience member. I’ve been attending live theatre and concerts in Los Angeles since 1972; I’ve been writing up my thoughts on theatre (and the shows I see) since 2004. I do not have theatre training (I’m a computer security specialist), but have learned a lot about theatre over my many years of attending theatre and talking to talented professionals. I pay for all my tickets unless otherwise noted. I am not compensated by anyone for doing these writeups in any way, shape, or form. I currently subscribe at 5 Star Theatricals (FB), the Hollywood Pantages (FB), Actors Co-op (FB), and the Ahmanson Theatre (FB). Through my theatre attendance I have made friends with cast, crew, and producers, but I do strive to not let those relationships color my writing (with one exception: when writing up children’s production, I focus on the positive — one gains nothing except bad karma by raking a child over the coals). I believe in telling you about the shows I see to help you form your opinion; it is up to you to determine the weight you give my writeups.

Upcoming Shows:

Today brings She Loves Me at Actors Co-op (FB) a visit to Stitches So Cal.  The second weekend of November is very busy: Dear Even Hansen at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB) and A Bronx Tale at the Hollywood Pantages (FB), as well as A Day Out With Thomas at Orange Empire Railway Museum (OERM) (FB). The third weekend of November brings Beyond Jacobs Ladder from Jewish Woman’s Theatre (FB) at our synagogue on Saturday, and Finks at Rogue Machine Theatre (FB) on Sunday. Thanksgiving weekend has Steambath at the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble (FB) on Saturday and Remembering Boyle Heights at Casa 0101 (FB) in Boyle Heights on Sunday. December starts with the Annual Computer Security Applications Conference (ACSAC), followed by a hold for the Canadian Brass at the Saroya [the venue formerly known as the Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC)] (FB). Then we may travel up to the Bay Area for Tuck Everlasting at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley (FB) (although that is starting to look less likely).

January is much more open, especially after the postponement of Bat Out of Hell at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB). Right now, all there is is a Nefesh Mountain concert at Temple Judea and a hold for the Colburn Orchestra at the Saroya [nee the Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC)] (FB) but the rest of the month is currently open (as few shows run in January due to complicated rehearsals over the holidays). We’ll keep our eyes open. February starts with the Cantor’s Concert at Temple Ahavat Shalom (FB), Hello Dolly at the Hollywood Pantages (FB), and Anna Karenena at Actors Co-op (FB).  There’s also a HOLD for 1776 at the Saroya [nee the Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC)] (FB), and Lizzie at the Chance Theatre, but much of February is also open.

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Better-Lemons, Musicals in LA, @ This Stage, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411 or that are sent to me by publicists or the venues themselves. Note: Lastly, want to know how to attend lots of live stuff affordably? Take a look at my post on How to attend Live Theatre on a Budget.

Share