Day: September 18, 2022

🎭 A Party So Wild There Were Two | “The Wild Party” (Lippa) at Morgan-Wixson

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The Wild Party (Lippa) (Morgan-Wixson)Boy, this is the weekend for musicals with strong sexual themes, isn’t it.

Back in 1926,  Joseph Moncure March wrote a poem called “The Wild Party”; it was rediscovered by Art Spiegelman in 1994 and subsequently came to the attention of two composers who turned it into a musical. You can see the full poem here; it starts:

Queenie was a blonde and her age stood still
And she danced twice a day in vaudeville.
Grey eyes. Lips like coals aglow.
Her face was a tinted mask of snow.
What hips! What shoulders! What a back she had!
Her legs were built to drive men mad.
And she did. She would skid.
But sooner or later they bored her
Sixteen a year was her order.

The poem was about Queenie, a low life vaudeville blonde and her boyfriend Burrs, a violent, small minded and jealous hoodlum and professional clown who together decide to throw a party. They do and it is a wild one.

As I said, two different composers decided to turn this poem into a musical. The musicals were both titled “The Wild Party”: one was written by Andrew Lippa and premiered in 2000 Off-Broadway; the other was written by Michael John LaChiusa and premiered in 2000 on Broadway. I’ve long had the CDs for both versions. Back in 2010, I was able to see the LaChiusa version at the Malibu Stage Company. Sometime back in 2019 I learned that Morgan-Wixson was planning to do the Lippa version (probably from Daniel Koh, who was the music director of the show). I put it on my calendar. And then COVID happened.

But luckily, Morgan Wixson didn’t let the production work go to waste, and just opened that production of The Wild Party, which I saw this afternoon.

It is interesting how two different artists interpret the same source material. We see this often with Shakespeare, where producers come up with wildly different ways of interpreting or presenting the same words. We see that here as well. Here’s how I described LaChiusa’s version back in 2010:

From there we learn about Queenie, a fading vaudeville chorine, and her misogynist and borderline racist lover Burrs, a vaudeville comic who performs in blackface. They decide to throw a wild party, complete with bathtub gin, debauchery, and everything that makes life worth living. During this party, we meet Queenie and Burrs’ collection of friends: Kate, Queenie’s conniving rival—a dagger-tongued, former chorine and would-be star; Jackie, a cocaine-sniffing bisexual playboy; Eddie, a washed-up boxer; Eddie’s wife, Mae, a ditzy former chorine; Nadine, Mae’s excitable 14 year old niece (who claims to be 16) who wants to break into vaudeville; Phil and Oscar D’Armano, a black brother act; Dolores Montoya, a diva of indeterminate age and infinite life experience; Miss Madeline True, a lesbian actress and nearly famous stripper; Sally, Madeline’s comatose girlfriend; Gold and Goldberg, two vaudeville producers with Broadway ambitions; and Black, Kate’s date and a bargain basement moocher. As the party escalates, we learn the story of each of these characters, and see the debauchery that was the 1920s. We’re treated to adultery, bisexuality, cocaine, drinking, incest, rape. It is a circus on stage, with action taking place on every corner. As the jazz and the gin flow, the orgy starts, and by the end of the evening, the midnight debauchery leads to destroyed lives. Ultimately, in the light of morning, comes the reminder that those who fly high land with a thud, especially when the mask and artificial face we put out to the world is removed.

When we compare this with how Andrew Lippa (Book and Music) approached the material, certain elements have been toned down or changed. There’s no blackface. The racist elements are gone. There’s not quite as much backstory. There’s not the connection between Nadine and Mae, and although she is a minor, her age isn’t made clear. The black brother act is gone, and some of the other characters are less named. Now, admittedly, this could be a decision from the production team. But it is something I noticed comparing the shows.

There’s also the music. Looking at both shows in my iTunes Library, I liked songs from both shows, but seemed to like Lippa’s a little more. Perhaps that’s because they stick in my head. Lippa’s songs seem to be more of a mix of character and scene introduction songs (especially in the first act), and less memorable story songs. But I like the songs, and quite a few from the Lippa version are among my favorites (“An Old Fashioned Love Story”, “The Life of the Party”, “Raise the Roof”).

Another interesting “compare and contrast” is with last night’s show, Jagged Little Pill. Both, after all, were based upon popular poetry of the time. Here, The Wild Party really shows the problematic mores of the time: heavy drug use, heavy alcohol use, violence against women, and racism. No apologies. Jagged Little Pill reflects more modern mores: we see the consequence of actions. But in both shows: wild parties have consequences.

One more thing before I launch into the specifics of this production. Morgan-Wixson, alas, does one thing in this production I don’t like: a digital ONLY program, accessed via a QR code. This is horrible for program collectors, it requires use of phone and data, it is harder to read (especially for older patrons), and it provides no archival record. Provide a digital program if you must, but make some small number of printed copies available. They don’t have to be fancy: a simple printed booklet is fine.

Now as they say: on to the show.

The Lippa version of the musical follows the basic trajectory of the poem: Queenie and Burrs are stagnating, and decide to throw a party to bring some excitement back, or to create tension (as Queenie is turned on by violent men). A number of different folks attend the party, but notable is Kate (who wants Burrs for her). Kate brings along Mr. Black and aims him at Queenie. This sets up the tension, which leads to the eventual conclusion. Also notable is Mae and Eddie, for Mae looks a lot like Queenie and Eddie is a washed-up boxer. Guess what happens when Burrs mistakes Mae for Queenie. Yup. Other characters are more ancillary but present — notably Madeline True and Nadine. As the party goes on, the drugs and booze flow. Predictable results. Tempers flare. Guns (and probably other things) go off. Life is left in disarray. Unlike in Jagged Little Pill, it is questionable whether anyone learns anything.

Under the direction of Kristen Towers-Rowles, the production moves pretty well (there was one lag point about 2/3rd through the first act). The story holds your interest. The performers and their characterizations are good, although sometimes that is not always clear to the audience. A few performers, at times, seemed to be staring into the sunset. That could be the actor, or it could be a drugged or stone characterization. Somehow, that needs to be clearer. I found the sound balance a bit off. Some performers (notably Queenie) needed a bit more power in the voice (the performance was good, and the singing was good — it just needed a bit more power). If you see the show, contrast the power of Queenie vs. Kate. This is not to say the performance was bad — in fact, the performance was quite good. WIth a bit more power behind it, it could have been great. The choreography by Michael Marchak (who was also the asst director) was in general good, although there was a bit of going through the motions. This is something I expect will improve further in the run as folks get reacquainted with the movement. I was also particularly taken by the background characters and how they made the party realistic.

The performances were strong. I was particularly struck with Serenity Ariel Robb (Queenie), Mirai (Mae), and Kelsey Weinstein (Nadine). I may have thought Robb’s volume could be a bit stronger, but her performance of the role was outstanding and I enjoyed her singing (it just needed that oomph on some songs). Especially strong — and a knockout at the start of Act II — was Kaitlin Doughty (Kate), and as I love the “Old Fashioned Love Story” number, I enjoyed Emilia Sotelo (Madeline True).  On the male side, Hamilton Davis (Burrs) and Deonte Allen (Mr. Black) were particularly good. Rounding out the cast were:  Iah Bearden-Vrai (U/S Burrs), Katelyn Coon (Ensemble), Krystal Combs (Jackie, U/S Queenie, Dance Captain), Eric Eberle (Max, Fight Captain), Eadric Einbinder (Swing), Javon Ford (U/S Black), Sam Gianfala (Phil), Spencer Johnson (Eddie), Gianna Pira (Swing), Jonathan Saia (Oscar), Roland Vasquez (Ensemble), Holly Weber (Dolores), and Steve Weber (Sam).

Daniel Koh was the music director. The program had no credit for musicians; it was unclear if the music was recorded or the musicians were in the wings. I didn’t see any musicians coming in, but they could have been there before me.

The design department consisted of: Yelena Babinskaya (Scenic Design), Ryan Rowles (Sound Design), Derek Jones (Lighting Design), Michael Mullen (Costume Design), Jon Sparks (Wig Crew), Mia Staraci (Props Master), and numerous support folks.

The production team consisted of: Emily Ellis (Production Stage Manager), Ethan Kuwata (Asst. Stage Manager), Emilia Ray (Intimacy Director), Amanda Noriko Newman (Fight Choreographer), and various artists, builders, and back of house folks who are listed in the program.

The Wild Party continues at the Morgan-Wixson in Santa Monica through October 9. I think this is well worth seeing — it is entertaining, it is a good exploration of a similar time in history, and it shows how mores have changed. Tickets are available through the MW Box Office, and discount tickets may be available through Goldstar.

Lastly, note I posted this without the usual heavy linking. That might come later.

❧

Ob. Disclaimer: I am not a trained theatre (or music) critic; I am, however, a regular theatre and music audience member (modulo the COVID break). 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 Actors Co-op (FB), 5 Star Theatricals (FB), Broadway in Hollywood (FB), the Ahmanson Theatre (FB), and we have a membership at The Pasadena Playhouse (FB). We were subscribing at the Musical Theatre Guild (FB) prior to COVID; they have not yet resumed productions. We have also been subscribers at the Soraya/VPAC (FB), although we are waiting a year before we pick that up again. 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. Note to publicists or producers reading this: here’s my policy on taking comp tickets. Bottom-Line: Only for things of nominal value, like Fringe.

Upcoming Shows:

For right now, we’re pretty much sticking with shows that come as part of our subscriptions or are of interest through our memberships. Looking ahead for the remainder of 2022:, the remaining September show is Daniel Fish’s interpretation of Oklahoma at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB). October will bring Sanctuary City at the The Pasadena Playhouse  (FB), Ghosts at the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, The Addams Family at 5 Star Theatricals (FB), and To Kill a Mockingbird at Broadway in Hollywood (FB). November brings 2:22 – A Ghost Story at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB). Lastly, December will bring Annie at Broadway in Hollywood (FB).

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Better-Lemons, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, On Stage 411 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 (although I know it is outdated and need to update it). 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 (again, I need to review this for the post-COVID theatre landscape)!

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🎭 You Attend, You Learn | “Jagged Little Pill” @ Broadway in Hollywood

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Jagged Little Pill (Pantages/Broadway in Hollywood)Expectations are funny things. Sometimes, someone else expectation can screw up your life. You may be expected to be the perfect mother, the perfect student, the perfect sibling, the perfect minority. The pressure of those expectations can sometimes be overwhelming, and can push you into paths you never expect.

Expectations can often color what you expect as well. When I first learned about the Alanis Morissette jukebox musical, I expected this heavy rock musical, especially with the name “Jagged Little Pill”. I’m an older fart (in my 60s) — my taste in music runs a broad gamut, from Broadway cast albums to folk to classic rock to bluegrass to celtic to dixieland to big band to … well, as you can see, a wide variety. But I had never knowingly listened to Morissette. Her classic album was not part of my vernacular. And although, thanks to the Tony nomination, I had listened to this cast album ahead of time, it hadn’t overpowered the expectation regarding this show. Going in, I was expecting this really hard rock, extremely dark and pulsating show … emphasizing the “jagged” nature of the title. Little did I know that the emphasis was more on the “pill”, as in “Mother’s Little Helper”. Little did I know that the title really referenced a pre-chorus (“Swallow it down (what a jagged little pill) / It feels so good (swimming in your stomach)”) to a key point in this show: “You live, you learn / You love, you learn / You cry, you learn / You lose, you learn / You bleed, you learn / You scream, you learn”.

Jagged Little Pill is a show that both didn’t meet my expectations, and yet exceeded my expectations.

One more digression before I describe the show … or perhaps it is more of a question: Why do we go to theatre (especially with what it costs these days)? Is it for mindless entertainment? We certainly get that with spectacles like Moulin Rouge, which at the heart of it is all flash and pizazz but no real substance or story. We certainly get that with the movies-to-stage pipeline, which bring familiarity and songs but not much new. But the really successful shows are those that make you think — that touch a raw nerve. That could be the struggles of our nation’s birth, as in Hamilton, or it can issue like sexuality as in the recent The Prom or Spring Awakening. Do we go for the comfortable, or do we go because the purpose of theatre is just to make us uncomfortable, to hold up that mirror, to make us think. (and we’ll revisit this again next week when we see Daniel Fish‘s interpretation of Oklahoma at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB) next week).

This brings us back to Jagged Little Pill. First and foremost: Discard your expectations. This is not hard rock like American Idiot or Hedwig. This is more angsty ballads. As for the show itself: yes, it is dark. I’d characterize it best as a blender mix of Spring Awakening and Next To Normal. The subject matter touches on a number of triggery areas: drug abuse, rape and sexual assault, how we react to such assault, expectations on children, teen sex, gender issues. If these are triggers to you, be prepared. But the show handles them in a somewhat SFW combined with in-your-face manner. I didn’t find it too strong, but others might.

The show tells the story of the Healy family: super-mom Mary Jane, workaholic dad Steve, overachiever child Nick, and adopted minority child Frankie. Just from that description, what could go wrong. We learn over the course of the show the jagged little pill that this facade covers. This is told through the use of the Alanis Morissette‘s catalog, primarily her album Jagged Little Pill (Glen Ballard also worked on the music, the book was by Diablo Cody, and additional music was by Michael Farrell and Guy Sigsworth).  I don’t want to give too much away of the plot, but given the warnings and the description of the family, you should be able to figure out the eventual arc.

This brings us to the first assessment: story and music. I should note that this assessment is tempered a bit by poor sound, which I’m going to blame on the touring company as I know that BIH can get it right. Especially during the musical numbers, the lyrics were muddied (perhaps folks were mic-ed bad, or perhaps speakers were misaimed or mistuned). I could hear dialogue just fine. Now, if you’re younger and you’ve memorized these songs, that probably didn’t matter. But if you’re an old fart, it made the lyrics inaccessible with just snippet here and there. You get the sense but not the specifics. My advice: Try getting the headsets for the hard of hearing. You’ll probably get better sound.

That said: I found the story engrossing and relatable. There were things in this story that hit home for me, and I’m sure others as well. No family is perfect, and this showed how our experiences shape us. Not just the successes, but especially the failures. Where we fail. Where others fail. The Jewish High Holy days are coming up, and this is something I’ll be thinking about: how can I learn from my failures. This show raises those questions. That’s a good thing.

The show also touches on a number of hot topics today: sexuality and gender; sexual assault, consent, and who you believe; the current opioid epidemic; and what pressure does to us. That it raises these questions and provokes discussion places this head over heels a spectacular like Moulin Rouge. For story and subject along, this is a must see.

Now we have the next assessment: vision and execution. Diane Paulus‘s original direction, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui‘s original movement and choreography do a good job of bringing out the emotion. Place and mood is does through either projections or screens as opposed to traditional fly-scrims. This works well to immerse you in the story.

The last assessment is performance. Here I’d like to note a number of standouts. Heidi Blickenstaff (Mary Jane Healy) amazes me with her voice and her emotion. She conveys a wide range here, with a voice that handles both rock and soft well. Those who have been following her career know this well, from her first foreys with [Title of Show] to her performance in Freaky Friday. Her performance is remarkable. Also strong is Lauren Chanel (Frankie Healy), who really brings that character to life. Jade McLeod (Jo) is remarkable in “You Oughta Know”, and Allison Sheppard (Bella) does a wonderful job of leading the company in “No” (which should be a watchphrase for today: What part of “no” do you not understand). For the guys, I was really taken by Chris Hoch (Steve Healy), who reminded me a lot of the dad in Next to Normal. Dillon Klena (Nick Healy) was also strong.

Rounding out the performance credits with ensemble and smaller parts: Lee H. Alexander (Doctor, Ensemble), Delaney Brown (Denise, Ensemble), Maya J. Christian (Swing), Jada Simone Clark (Barista, Ensemble), Lani Corson (Jill, Teacher, Ensemble), Claire Crause (Swing, Dance Captain), Sean Doherty (Swing), Rishi Golani (Phoenix, Ensemble), Jason Goldston (Andrew, Ensemble), Zach Hess (Ensemble), Cydney Kutcipal (Ensemble), Jordan Leigh McCaskill (Pharmacist, Therapist, Ensemble), Alana Pollard (Ensemble), Daniel Thimm (Drug Dealer, Ensemble), Kei Tsuruharatani (Ensemble), Jena VanElslander (Courtney, Ensemble), and Charles P. Way (Swing/Asst. Dance Captain).

Music was provided by an onstage orchestra led by (🌴 indicates local) Matt Doebler (Conductor, Keyboard) and consisting of the following additional folk: Christopher Hanford II (Guitar 1), David Manning (Guitar 2), Jennifer Giammanco (Bass), Lucy Ritter (Percussion), 🌴 Nicole Garcia (Violin (Concertmaster)), 🌴 Rhea Hosanny (Viola), 🌴 Michelle Elliot Rearick (Cello), and 🌴 Brian LaFontaine (Guitar Sub). Rounding out the music department was: David Manning (Asst. Conductor), Michael Aarons (Music Coordinator), Emily Grishman (Music Preparation), Randy Cohen (Keyboard Programming), and 🌴 Eric Heinly (Music Contractor). Tom Kitt provided music supervision, arrangements, and orchestrations.

The design team consisted of: Riccardo Hernández (Scenic Design), Emily Rebholz (Costume Design), Justin Townsend (Lighting Design), Jonathan Deans (Sound Design), Lucy Mackinnon (Video Design), and J. Jared Janas (Wig, Hair, and Makeup Design).

Rounding out the production team with tour and other support were: Pascale Florestal (Assoc. Director), Marc Kimelman (Assoc. Choreographer), Yeman Brown (Asst. Choreographer), Ira Mont (Production Supervising Stage Manager), Justin Myhre (Production Stage Manager), Jenn Gallo (Stage Manager), and Ashani Smith (Asst. Stage Manager). It is interesting that an Intimacy Coordinator was not listed.

I’ll note: For this writeup, I have not done my usual hyperlinking of artists. I may go back and fill that in. Not doing it saves a lot of time.

Jagged Little Pill continues at Broadway in Hollywood through October 2. Tickets are available through the BIH Website. Discount tickets may be available through Goldstar.

❧

Ob. Disclaimer: I am not a trained theatre (or music) critic; I am, however, a regular theatre and music audience member (modulo the COVID break). 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 Actors Co-op (FB), 5 Star Theatricals (FB), Broadway in Hollywood (FB), the Ahmanson Theatre (FB), and we have a membership at The Pasadena Playhouse (FB). We were subscribing at the Musical Theatre Guild (FB) prior to COVID; they have not yet resumed productions. We have also been subscribers at the Soraya/VPAC (FB), although we are waiting a year before we pick that up again. 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. Note to publicists or producers reading this: here’s my policy on taking comp tickets. Bottom-Line: Only for things of nominal value, like Fringe.

Upcoming Shows:

For right now, we’re pretty much sticking with shows that come as part of our subscriptions or are of interest through our memberships. Looking ahead for the remainder of 2022:, the remaining September shows are Andrew Lippa’s version of The Wild Party at the Morgan Wixson Theatre, and Oklahoma at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB). October will bring Sanctuary City at the The Pasadena Playhouse (FB), Ghosts at the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, The Addams Family at 5 Star Theatricals (FB), and To Kill a Mockingbird at Broadway in Hollywood (FB). November brings 2:22 – A Ghost Story at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB). Lastly, December will bring Annie at Broadway in Hollywood (FB).

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Better-Lemons, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, On Stage 411 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 (although I know it is outdated and need to update it). 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 (again, I need to review this for the post-COVID theatre landscape)!

 

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🎭 Summer Short Takes: “The Prom” / “If I Forget”

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For some reason, this summer I haven’t had the urge or the drive to write my normal full-up theatre reviews. Quite likely, it is burnout from caregiving; whatever the reason, the urge wasn’t there. But we’re entering into the Fall theatre season, and this weekend starts a series of 8 shows in a row. So I need to get the summer shows out of the way. So here are some quick takes, and I’m probably not going to go through and do the heavy linking thing (unless I go back and do it).

The first show we saw in August was The Prom at the Ahmanson Theatre. Let me start out by saying that The Prom is one of those few shows that I would have no qualms about seeing multiple times — it was that good and I loved the message that much.

The Prom tells the story of a bunch of narcissistic Broadway actors. When their show crashes and burns on opening night and they get ravaged in the press, they decide that to rehabilitate their image they need to do something that looks like they care about someone else. They stumble upon the story of a lesbian teen in Indiana who was denied the ability to go to the Prom. So they get on the bus (with a touring company of Godspell) and go out to save the day.

As they say next, predictable hilarity ensues.

However, what could be a train-wreck sitcom concept actually works out, and the story ends up being a quite touching one about acceptance. One of my favorite songs is “Love Thy Neighbor”, about how so many Christians seem to cherry pick what the Bible says, ignoring other prohibitions that aren’t convenience, and forgetting the most important message — how they turn a message of love into a cudgel of hate.

That’s a message that is so true today. This was a really enjoyable musical, and it left us with a smile on our face.

The touring company cast was strong, especially the performances of the leads: Kaden Kearney (Emma), Kalyn West (Alyssa), Courtney Balan (Dee Dee Allen), Patrick Wetzel (Barry Glickman), Emily Borromeo (Angie Dickenson), and Bud Weber (Trent Oliver).

Rounding out the company was: Sinclair Mitchell (Mr. Hawkins), Ashanti J’aria (Mrs. Greene), Shavey Brown (Sheldon Saperstein), Gabrielle Beckford (Ensemble), Ashley Bruce (Ensemble), Maurice Dawkins (Ensemble), Jordan De Leon (Swing, Ensemble at our performance), James Caleb Grice (Ensemble), Megan Grosso (Ensemble), Marie Gutierrez (Ensemble), Chloe Rae Kehm (Ensemble), Braden Allen King (Ensemble), Brandon J. Large (Ensemble, Aug 9-14), Daniel May (Ensemble, Aug 16-Sep 11), Christopher McCrewell (Ensemble), Alexa Magro (Ensemble), Adriana Negron (Ensemble), Marcus Phillips (Ensemble), Lexie Plath (Swing, Co-Dance Captain), Zoë Brooke Reed (Ensemble), Thad Turner Wilson (Ensemble), and Josh Zacher (Ensemble, Co-Dance Captain).

Music was provided by an orchestra consisting of: Dean Balan (Conductor, Keyboard 1), Randi Ellen Rudolph (Assoc. Conductor, Keyboard 2), Ricky Roshell (Reed 1), Erika Friedman (Reed 2), Rob Slowik (Lead Trumpet), John Replogle (Trumpet), Stephen Flakus (Guitars and Banjo), Crissy Martinez (Acoustic & Electric Bass, Librarian), Derek Stoltenberg (Drums & Percussion), Glen Berger (Woodwind 1), 🌴 Keith Fiddmont (Woodwind 2); 🌴 Dan Fornero (Trumpet 1), 🌴 James Ford (Trumpet 2). The rest of the music department was: Robert Payne (L.A. Contractor); Howard Joines (Music Coordinator); Kay-Houston Music/Anne Kaye, Doug Houston (Music Copying); Jim Abbot (Synthesizer Programming); Chris Petti (Abletron Programming); Mary-Mitchell Campbell (Music Supervisor, Vocal Arrangements), Larry Hochman (Orchestrations); John Clancy (Additional Orchestrations); Glen Kelly (Music Arrangements).

The show was written by Bob Martin (Book), Chad Beguelin (Book & Lyrics), and Matthew Sklar (Music, Vocal Arrangements), based on an original concept by Jack Viertel. It was directed and Casey Nicolaw.

The design department consisted of: Scott Pask (Scenic Design), Ann Roth (Costume Design), Matthew Pachtman (Costume Design), Natasha Katz (Lighting Design), Brian Ronan (Sound Design), Josh Marquette (Hair Design), and Milagros Medina-Cerdeira (Makeup Design).

The production team consisted of: Casey Hushion (Assoc. Director), John Macinnis (Assoc. Choreographer), Kelsey Tippins (Production Stage Manager), Ben Shipley (Stage Manager), Kyle Dannahey (Asst. Stage Manager).

The tour departed the Ahmanson on Sept. 11, 2022 and has gone on to another city. Go see it if you can.

The second show we saw in August was If I Forget at the Fountain Theatre. This show, alas, succumbed to a common trend these days: A single page information sheet with a QR code for the program. Folks: QR codes for programs are ephemeral — they go away when you redesign the website or when the site. After that, what then? You, shall we say, forget. There should always be printed (or printable) full programs for archival purposes and people’s collections. The only thing worse is a bespoke interface that requires logins — which is what the Pasadena Playhouse and CTG does. Luckily, they provide printed programs.

If I Forget wasn’t initially in our plans. But the show featured the son of the former education director at our synagogue in the cast, which brought it onto our RADAR when I received the press release. I asked our Live Theatre group at our synagogue if they were interested in the show — and a large group was. Arrangements were put in place, and we went down as a group to see the show.

The piece itself was pretty interesting. I was afraid — especially from the title — that it would be a dark show about the Holocaust. Although there was a dark scene or two regarding that, it wasn’t the focus of the show. It really was more of a family drama, and about the clash of values from different family members. The family members also held various secrets, all of which came to a head when the question of selling the family business came to the fore.

The resulting show had some very humorous moments, likely due to the influence of the director, Jason Alexander. I found it a pretty enjoyable show.

Performances were strong. I had strong and good memories of the performance of Leo Marks (Michael Fisher)  and Samantha Klein (Sharon Fisher). Rounding out the cast were Síle Bermingham (Ellen Manning), Caribay Franke (Abby Fisher), Matt Gottlieb (Lou Fisher), Valerie Perri (Holly Fisher), Jerry Weil (Howard Kilberg), and Jacob Zelonky (Joey Oren). Evidently, the role of Abby Fisher was added by Alexander to tie things together better; I think it worked well.

The production was written by Steven Levenson, and directed by Jason Alexander.

The scenic team was Sarah Krainin (Scenic Design), Donny Jackson (Lighting Design), Cricket S. Myers (Sound Design), A. Jeffrey Schoenberg (Costume Design), Katelyn M. Lopez (Prop Design).

Rounding out the production team were: Allison Bibicoff (Asst. Director & Dance Composition), Shawna Voragen (Production Stage Manager), Lexie Secrist (Asst. Stage Manager), and Scott Tuomey (Technical Director).

The show was to close in September, but was extended to December 18. It resumes, after a hiatus, on October 28. Tickets are available through the Fountain Theatre.

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Ob. Disclaimer: I am not a trained theatre (or music) critic; I am, however, a regular theatre and music audience member (modulo the COVID break). 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 Actors Co-op (FB), 5 Star Theatricals (FB), Broadway in Hollywood (FB), the Ahmanson Theatre (FB), and we have a membership at The Pasadena Playhouse (FB). We were subscribing at the Musical Theatre Guild (FB) prior to COVID; they have not yet resumed productions. We have also been subscribers at the Soraya/VPAC (FB), although we are waiting a year before we pick that up again. 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. Note to publicists or producers reading this: here’s my policy on taking comp tickets. Bottom-Line: Only for things of nominal value, like Fringe.

Upcoming Shows:

For right now, we’re pretty much sticking with shows that come as part of our subscriptions or are of interest through our memberships. Looking ahead for the remainder of 2022:, September brings Jagged Little Pill at Broadway in Hollywood (FB), Andrew Lippa’s version of The Wild Party at the Morgan Wixson Theatre, and Oklahoma at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB). October will bring Sanctuary City at the The Pasadena Playhouse (FB), Ghosts at the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, The Addams Family at 5 Star Theatricals (FB), and To Kill a Mockingbird at Broadway in Hollywood (FB). November brings 2:22 – A Ghost Story at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB). Lastly, December will bring Annie at Broadway in Hollywood (FB).

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Better-Lemons, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, On Stage 411 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 (although I know it is outdated and need to update it). 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 (again, I need to review this for the post-COVID theatre landscape)!

 

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