Tag: pasadena-playhouse

I’d wager a guess that almost everyone is familiar with some aspects of the Cyrano de Bergerac story. Perhaps you know it is is story about a man with a really big nose. Perhaps you know instead the story of someone who was incapable of speaking to the opposite sex, so they get a friend to ghost-write their words for them (without secretly knowing that friend had longing for the same person). Perhaps you recall it turns out badly when the truth is found out. Perhaps you recall a moral from the story: Seeing beyond a person’s appearance to true beauty within. These elements have been excerpted for many stories throughout the years.

Perhaps you’ve seen the movie Roxanne with Steve Martin. That’s based on this story. Perhaps you’ve seen or heard of the musical Calvin Berger. Again, same story.  Perhaps you’ve seen The Truth about Cats and Dogs. Again, same story.

Suffice it to say that we’re all familiar with the outlines and basic tropes of the Cyrano story. But most of us probably haven’t seen the original, or something that hews closely to the original. So I was intrigued when the Pasadena Playhouse announced Cyrano de Bergerac as the first show of their 2024-2025 season. By this point, you should be able to guess where we were last night.

First, a slight digression to a different play, about a slightly more modern historical figure: Alexander Hamilton. I must note that last weekend was our first outing to the theatre since my wife’s knee replacement surgery in August. We went to see Hamilton at the Hollywood Pantages. It was my third time seeing the show; my wife’s fourth. I didn’t have the strong urge to do a full write up, as my notes would align with my first viewing thoughts from 2017. I did have four observations on the show that I posted on FB:

• Burr seems almost Trump-like, with his never taking a stand on something. This parallel comes out really strong in the Election of 1800, where Hamilton, like traditional Republicans today, endorses his long-time opponent Jefferson because it was better to support someone with positions than someone who was just in it for himself.
• I wonder how this show will be done in regional theatres, especially when there is no turntable. The turntable is the key to the choreography that moves the show forward.
• Kudos to the Pantages for being able to change where we were sitting at intermission so my wife could be in her wheelchair, as her new knee was still giving her a lot of pain.
• Is it time to have a revival of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, if only to highlight the dangers of populism. Do our Presidential shows highlight how we view the presidency and the nation, running from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave to Ben Franklin in Paris to 1776 to Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson to Hamilton to Soft Power?

In any case, let’s return to Cyrano.

As I noted above, we’re all familiar with the story tropes of Cyrano de Bergerac. Guy with big nose, who can write really well. Guy who can’t write gets Cyrano to write love letters for him. Girl falls in love with both guys: the outside of one, the inside (not “insides”, which would be yuk) of the other. But I’ll also willing to bet that most of us aren’t familiar with the original play from 1897 by Edmond Rostand, nor the life of the real Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac, upon whom Rostand based his story. I certainly wasn’t. I didn’t know the original was written in lyric poetry; I didn’t know about the military aspects of Cyrano’s story, nor did I recall how it ended. I certainly didn’t know about the real Cyrano and the fact that he was one of the first science fiction authors, having written L’Autre Monde: ou les États et Empires de la Lune (“Comical History of the States and Empires of the Moon“, published posthumously, 1657) and Les États et Empires du Soleil (The States and Empires of the Sun, 1662), which are purportedly classics of early modern science fiction.

To be clear, what we saw last night was not Rostand’s original play. Rostand’s story was freely adapted by Martin Crimp in 2019 for the Playhouse Theatre in London; it is that version that was produced by the Pasadena Playhouse. Crimp’s version keeps almost all of the story elements of the original: the setting in France in the 1600s; the original characters; the lyric poetry; the relationships between the characters. It updates the language; it updates some of the mores to reflect the increasing gender fluidity of the times (although not with the primary characters). One might argue that it updates the style of the lyricism: the rhyming sounds less like pre-French-revolution, and more like today’s hip-hop rhythms.  It also moves the action of the play from the traditional proscenium setting and historical dress to one that interacts with the audience more, and the characters in modern style and dress (while still supposedly in France in the 1600s). It updates references: the play Clorise in Act I becomes Hamlet; the proprietor of the Cafe Ragueneau changes from a man to a woman. There is also plenty of commentary added on gender roles, and the datedness of those roles in early France.

The juxtaposition of the 1600s and the early 2000s is jarring, but suspension of belief quickly kicks in and your brain adapts to the dissonance. At least it does for most people; there were some audience members (such as the older folks sitting in front of us) that didn’t return from intermission.

The Pasadena Playhouse version also dispenses with a lot of props and accoutrements of a traditional Cyrano. I’ve already noted that the costuming is mostly modern, with characters in street clothes, and even the military uniforms being more suggestions of uniforms than anything else. They also dispense with the usual prosthetics; indeed, there is no visible evidence that Cyrano is actually disfigured in any way at all (other than being portrayed by a black actor, but I think that is more color-blind casting than intentional for the story). Could Cyrano’s disfigurement be entirely in his mind? That’s never made clear. The play also starts with the actors out in the audience, seemingly sharing space with the playgoers (which does fit better with the first act, which takes place in a theatre).

When the play started — and especially as I’ve never seen the original Cyrano — I wasn’t sure what to make of it. The poetry was coming fast and furious, and it was hard at times to keep up. But the story and characters quickly drew me in. The dissonance, while initially annoying, disappeared into the background and just became another novel aspect of the story. It was helped by the staging of the story by the Pasadena Playhouse, which was very abstract (which emphasized the timelessness of the story and the disconnect from realism of the presentation).

Now that I’ve seen a near-Cyrano, I understand the tropes a lot better. One can also see why the story became a timeless one, constantly being excepted for new adaptions. The divide between the handsome non-talents and the plain talented will always exist. We always wish that those we are attracted to could see the beauty and talent within us, and not fall for the handsome tasteless Wonder Bread™ standing next to us. But they almost always do, and they are the worse for it. The point of Cyrano is the importance of seeing through the bullshit and finding the truth and the talent.

#insert your election observation here. I know who the handsome tasteless Wonder Bread™ is in this election, and I’m sure you know where I stand.

The leads of the show were strong: Chukwudi Iwuji was a believable poet/soldier as Cyrano, and Rosa Salazar was a beautiful Roxanne. Will Hochman was an appropriately handsome non-poet Christian. I also enjoyed the casting of some of the smaller roles: Kimerly Scott’s Madame Rageuneu was delightful, and I grew to like Aaron Costa Ganis’ Le Bret. But the Baby Boomer in me loved seeing Barry Livingston on stage in the small role of Theatre Owner/Priest. Why? C’mon: Barry was Ernie in the classic My Three Sons,  with his brother Stanley playing his older brother Chip. It’s the little things, folks.

By the time this gets posted, the last (or next to last) performance of Cyrano de Bergerac at the Pasadena Playhouse will have started, as this is the closing weekend. You might still be able to get tickets.  There are shows today at 2pm and 7pm.  It is well worth seeing.

———

Cyrando de Bergerac. Written by Edmond Rostand; freely adapted by Martin Crimp. Directed by Mike Donahue. Cyrano de Bergerac in this adaptation was first performed at the Playhouse Theatre, London, on 27 November 2019.

Cast: Chukwudi Iwuji Cyrano; Rosa Salazar Roxane; Will Hochman Christian; Kimberly Scott Madame Ragueneau; Larry Powell Lignière; Jens Austin Astrup Alastair / Act 3 Soldier; Aaron Costa Ganis Le Bret; E. M. Davis Usher / Denise / Medic; Christine Lin Woman Sent by Roxane / Marie-Louise; Barry Livingston Theatre Owner / Priest; Michael Nathanson De Guiche; Kila Packett Fencing Referee / Sentry; Sawyer Patterson Valvert; Jonathan Slavin Montfleury / Armande; John Garet Stoker Annoying Person.

Creative and Production: Afsoon Pajoufar Scenic Design; Carolyn Mazuca Costume Design; Josh Epstein Lighting Design; Edward Hansen Lighting Design; Veronika Vorel Sound Design; Rachel Lee Flesher Fight Director / Intimacy Coordinator; Christine Adaire Voice / Text Coach; Ryan Bernard Tymensky, CSA Casting; Colleen Danaher Stage Manager; Jessica Keasberry-Vnuk Asst. Stage Manager; Kimberly Sanchez Garrido Asst. Stage Manager.

Favorite Credit: John Garet Stoker Annoying Person.  Can you imagine putting that on your resume?

♦ ♦ ♦

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):

• October: ♦ Little Shop of Horrors at 5-Star Theatricals; ♦ Kimberly Akimbo at Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages.
• November: ♦ American Idiot  at CTG/Taper; ♦ Back to the Future: The Musical at Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages; possibly ♦ Fiddler on the Roof ⊕ at La Mirada PAC; ♦ La Cage Aux Folles at Pasadena Playhouse; possibly Santa Claus Conquers the Martians ⊕ at Maverick Theatre
• December: ♦ Wicked at Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages; ♦ Once Upon a Mattress at CTG/Ahmanson;

On the Theatrical Horizon:

Bruce Kimmel will be bringing the rarely done Drat! The Cat! to Lonny Chapman’s Group Rep in March 2025.

Some will argue that the true first Broadway “jukebox” musical was Ain’t Misbahavin’ back in 1978. It was certainly the first one I saw, back when I was 19 in Los Angeles (at the Aquarius Theatre, later Nick on Sunset). It celebrated the music of Fats Waller, and brought syncopated jazz to a new audience. This was followed by other jukebox musical celebrating seminal black artists, such as the music of Duke Ellington in 1981’s Sophisticated Ladies; and the music of Louis Jordan in FIve Guys Named Moe in 1992 (and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention The Louis Armstrong Musical which begins previews on Broadway in October 2024). 1991 was a particularly interesting year, as it saw the premiers of Five Guys Named Moe in London’s West End, and a musical celebrating the music of Jelly Roll Morton at the CTG’s Mark Taper Forum, Jelly’s Last Jam. I mention this all because although I’ve long had the cast album to Jelly’s Last Jam in my collection, I had never seen the show—that is, until last night, when I saw the show at the Pasadena Playhouse as part of their ongoing Great American Musicals series.

Jelly’s Last Jam purports to tell the story of Jelly Roll Morton; it does this through the device of opening the show with Jelly’s death, and having to retell history to “The Chimney Man” in order to justify where he will end up. Throughout the show, the Chimney Man attempts to get Morton to admit the truth, but Morton prefers his story … until the end. Morton’s story emphasizes his origin from a Creole family (which is true), how his origin led him to look down on what he viewed as dark music, and how he viewed himself as the inventor of Jazz. The latter is really a claim made by Morton, and many believe that it posthumously  damaged his reputation. It roughly covers his history, starting with his living with mother’s parents and later being kicked out for playing piano in a bordello; his time in New Orleans; his time in Chicago and environs, where he meets Anita; his time in New York, and his ending in Los Angeles.

The musical book does correctly capture the attitudes of the times, where lighter-skin blacks with less African backgrounds (such as the French Creoles) viewed themselves as above those taken from Africa. Those attitudes (and the accompanying language) feel off today. This book has also problems when viewed in the light of misogyny and the treatment of women: what was acceptable in the 1910s and 1920s is much less acceptable 100 years later. This, and the darker nature of the story, make the book a bit more problematic today. It won some performance-based Tonys back in the 1990s, but would it be received the same today. It is important when watching this show to remember that Morton was the product of his times, even as uncomfortable as they are today. We can’t chance the past.

Then again, perhaps we can change the past. As with many musicals, Jelly’s Last Jam  conflates many facts and rearranges things. In getting ready to write this up, I did some internet research on Morton, and although the general timeline matches up with the musical, the people often do not. The musical implies he met Anita outside of Chicago and later started a club. Rather, he was with her in Los Angeles, and wasn’t later involved with her. There wasn’t a Jack the Bear who was mentioned at the biographical level, although he did mention Jack the Bear in the Alan Lomax interviews (which also weren’t mention). They fudged with how he died (he was actually knifed in a club in Washington DC, giving him lung problems. Those later took him down in Los Angeles. There are more discrepancies. The bottom line is that this musical shouldn’t be taken as authoritative history. What it does capture accurately is the character of Jelly Roll Morton: his outsize ego, his talent, his pride, his racism towards other blacks, and the chips on his shoulders.

Unlike the horrid Girl From The North Country a few weeks ago, the book problems don’t bring down this show. They just weaken it a bit; they are offset by the tremendous performances in the show. The singing and dancing here are remarkable, especially the tap work of John Clarence Stewart (Jelly Roll Morton) and Doran Butler (Young Jelly/Ensemble).  There was also a trio ensemble (the Hunnies) that was remarkable; in fact, the ensemble was quite strong in terms of overall song and dance. The talent of Jasmine Amy Rogers (Anita) should not be overlooked—I particularly enjoyed her humor and attitude in the bedroom scenes with Jelly Roll. Cress Williams made a strong Chimney Sweep.

The staging and set clearly showed the time and funds that the Pasadena Playhouse put into this. Danny Feldman emphasized, in his opening statement, how much the Playhouse puts into locally mounting and casting these musicals (and how tickets don’t come near to covering the cost). It shows here. This was a spectacular staging, especially in how it was used to establish locale. The only real problems were the downlights into the audience: the moving light made it really hard to read the programs.

We left the show with conflicting views about Jelly Roll Morton the person, and a new appreciation for the music of Jelly Roll Morton. This show is well worth seeing, especially as it is not frequently mounted. Tickets are available through the Pasadena Playhouse, discount tickets may be available through TodayTix. The show runs through June 23, 2024.

———

Jelly’s Last Jam. Book by George C. Wolfe. Music by Jelly Roll Morton. Lyrics by Susan Birkenhead. Musical adaptation and additional music composed by Luther Henderson. Directed by Kent Gash. Choreography by Dell Howlett. Produced on Broadway by Margo Lion and Pamela Koslow. Jelly’s Last Jam premiered at the Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, California, in March 1991. Directed by Wolfe, Obba Babatunde played Jelly Roll.

Cast:  John Clarence Stewart Jelly Roll Morton; Cress Williams Chimney Man; Jasmine Amy Rogers Anita; Wilkie Ferguson III Jack the Bear; Karole Foreman Gran Mimi / Ensemble; Eric B. Anthony Three Finger Jake / Ensemble; Doran Butler Young Jelly / Ensemble; Chante Carmel Ensemble; Cyd Charisse Glover-Hill Hunnie; Summer Nicole Greer Miss Mamie; Janaya Mahealani Jones Hunnie; Grasan Kingsberry Buddy Bolden / Ensemble; Amber Liekhus Ensemble; Davon Rashawn Ensemble; Joe Aaron Reid Foot-In-Yo-Ass Sam / Ensemble; Naomi C. Walley Hunnie; Hannah Yosef Too Tight Nora / Ensemble.

Music Department: Darryl Archibald Music Director / Conductor; Abdul Hamid Royal Assoc. Music Director / Piano; Rickey Woodard Reed 1 (Alto Sax / Tenor Sax / Flute); Louis Taylor Reed 2 (Tenor Sax / Clarinet / Bass Clarinet); Frank Fontaine Reed 3 (Clarinet); Aaron Smith and Fernando Pullum Trumpet / Flugelhorn; Bobby Murray Trombone / Tuba; Peter Cho Banjo; Jonathan Richards Bass; Dominic Anzalone Drums / Percussion; Eric Heinly Music Contractor; Tan Onwimon Music Assistant; Brent Crayon Rehearsal Pianist.

Production and Creative:  Edward E. Haynes Jr. Scenic Design; Samantha C. Jones Costume Design; Rui Rita Lighting Design; Danny Erdberg Sound Design; Ursula Kwong Brown Sound Design; Shelia Down Wig Design; Joy DeMichelle Intimacy Coordinator; Cyd Charisse Glover-Hill Asst. Choreographer / Dance Captain; lark hackshaw Stage Manager; David S. Franklin Asst. Stage Manager; Miriam E. Mendoza Asst. Stage Manager; Jessica Keasberry-Vnuk Asst. Stage Manager; Ryan Bernard Tymensky CSA RBT Casting;

♦ ♦ ♦

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):

• June: ♦ A Strange Loop at CTG/Ahamanson Theatre; ♦ Mrs. Doubtfire at Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages; ♦ Come Blow Your Horn at Canyon Theatre Guild; ♦ Radium Girls at Stage Left Productions (Surprise AZ).
• July: ♦ Peter Pan at Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages; ♦ The Sound of Music at 5-Star Theatricals;
• August: ♦ Clue at CTG/Ahamanson Theatre; ♦ Company at Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages; ♣ Postmodern Jukebox at The Magnolia, El Cajon.
• September: ♦ Hamilton at Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages; Cyrano de Bergerac ⊕ at Pasadena Playhouse;
• October: ♦ American Idiot ⊕ at CTG/Taper; ♦ Little Shop of Horrors at 5-Star Theatricals; ♦ Kimberly Akimbo at Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages.

On the Theatrical Horizon:

Season renewals are in process: Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre; Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages Theatre; and Pasadena Playhouse are all renewed. We’re looking to see what Chromolume Theatre (which is returning) and Canyon Theatre Guild are planning. Other than that, Jason Alexander will be doing Fiddler on the Roof , directed by Lonny Price, at La Mirada in November.

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

———

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

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

♦ ♦ ♦

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

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

• March: ♦ One of the Good Ones at the Pasadena Playhouse; ♦ Million Dollar Quartet at 5-Star Theatricals; ♦ Chicago at Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages; ♣ Go Jazz Big Band at The Main; ♦ Fat Ham at Geffen Playhouse.
• April: ♦ Funny Girl at CTG/Ahamanson Theatre; ‍◊ Renaissance Pleasure Faire; Xanadu at Canyon Theatre Guild; ♦ Spongebob Squarepants – The Musical at CSUN Theatre; ♣ Gordon Goodwin and the Big Phat Band at BofA/Kavli Theatre in Thousand Oaks. Possible: ♦ Head over Heels – The Musical at Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center – COC.
• May: ♦ Hands on a Hardbody at Charles Stewart Howard Playhouse; ♦ Girl from the North Country at Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages; ♦ The Play That Goes Wrong at Canyon Theatre Guild (⊕)
• June: ♦ Jelly’s Last Jam at the Pasadena Playhouse; ♦ A Strange Loop at CTG/Ahamanson Theatre; ♦ Mrs. Doubtfire at Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages; ♦ You Can’t Take It With You (⊕) at Group Rep; and potentially some ♦ Hollywood Fringe Festival shows, although June is pretty well booked already.

On the Theatrical Horizon:

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

Color me unimpressed. Color me confused.

I guess I should have been warned when Kate’s name was everywhere around the theatre, and her image was everywhere, and she was posing the lobby wanting people to ignore her. Her image was all over the men’s room, ferrchristssake. Then there’s her “Statement from the Artist”, which includes this: “The theatre requires a sacred corporal exchange – a sense-based modality of transference that demands physical presence.” WTF?

This was an exercise in a person wanting to be on display, who was seemingly in love with her own image.

On display she was, for 85 long minutes.

Perhaps I wasn’t her audience. Perhaps I just don’t get her humor. There were folks in the audience laughing uproariously. I laughed about 3 times, overall. She reminded me of Conan O’Brien, someone else who I don’t find funny at all. She was all exaggerated facial expressions, self-examination, and pointless dialogue. It is a form of humor I don’t understand.

The NY Times wrote of this show, when it was in New York,

Impatient, stylized, cerebral, Berlant’s comedy has never been for all markets. Nearly a decade ago, my colleague, Jason Zinoman, an early champion, described her as “not to everyone’s taste.” Marc Maron, on a recent episode of the WTF podcast, introduced her this way: “She’s an odd presence. But funny.” Her comedy resembles an infinite recursion, a hall of mirrors in which the reflections rarely flatter.

Note: The NY Times link is one of my “Gift Article” links, so you can read the whole thing. It does a good job of explaining what she is doing, although not everything mentioned is in the Pasadena Playhouse lobby. As they put it:

…she is a comic for all the girls out there who think too much… The confessional solo is a hallowed form downtown; Berlant desecrates it from every side. She plays with its creeds the way that a cat might toy with a mouse — teasing, batting, swiping, mauling. […] how you respond to “Kate” may have to do with how much you enjoy seeing theatrical tropes savaged. … The accents, the miming, the assumption of multiple characters, the buildup to some terrible trauma, all are satirized here.

So I understand now what she was trying to do. It still didn’t land with this audience goer. Listening to some of the folks as we left, we weren’t alone. Yet there were others for who it landed in a way they understood. I just don’t get what they saw.

But there are many things in this world I don’t get. #include <political-reference>

Kate certainly wasn’t for this theatregoer, who tends to prefer traditional stuff. I’m not a standup comedy person (I don’t go to comedy clubs).  I’m not into the avant guard or overly expressionistic comedy. I just don’t know what to make of this, other than it wasn’t something I liked, or would care to see again. Sometimes, theatre hits it out of the park. Sometimes, they get a base hit. Sometimes, they swing and miss, and swing and miss, and swing and miss, and ….

If Kate Berlant and her style is your thing, enjoy. We didn’t.

One additional note: The program for Kate is a similarly narcissistic, with her picture plastered everywhere. Hell, her show starts with the projected background showing links to her Amazon series, and showing her IMDB credits. But the creative team bios? Those are relegated to a QR code. That’s really poor form; a trend I don’t like. Websites go away or are reorganized away; printed program are a record of shows forever. I pay for my tickets; I should get a program with bios. There’s an Equity logo on this show; Equity shouldn’t put up with this. As a side note: The code takes you to https://pasadenaplayhouse.ihub.app/c/kate/feed?postTypeId=whatsNew .

Second note to the Pasadena Playhouse: That’s the other problem with QR codes: You have no idea where you are going — and unless you have your scanner set up to not automatically take you there, they are a cybersecurity nightmare. Well, even if you do, they are, because you can’t assess whether is a website is safe based on a URL alone. You also disenfranchise your audience (in that it is difficult to scan a QR code that is embedded within an online program) , and QR code programs encourage audiences to play with their phones during a show. Traditional printed programs, please.

Warning: There is an intense strobe light sequence in this show. Be forewarned if you insist on going to this show, and you are at all sensitive.

Kate. Runs until February 11. Tickets available through the Pasadena Playhouse, and likely through your favorite discount source.

Cast: Kate Berlant (Kate).

Above the Line Production: Kate Berlant (Writer); Bo Burnham (Director)

Below the Line Production and Creatives: Dots (Scenic Design); Amith Chandrashaker (Lighting Design); Palmer Hefferan (Sound Design); Lindsay Jones (Stage Manager); Brad Enlow (Technical Director / Production Supervisor); Davidson & Choy Publicity (Press), David S. Franklin (Asst. Stage Manager).

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

Upcoming Theatre – Next 90ish Days:

• January: POTUS, or Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive at the Geffen Playhouse; Sukkot at Sixth Act/Skylight Theatre.
• February: Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet at CTG/Ahmanson; Marvelous Wonderettes – Dream On at Canyon Theatre Guild; The Wiz at Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages.
• March: One of the Good Ones at the Pasadena Playhouse; Million Dollar Quartet at 5-Star Theatricals; Chicago at Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages; Fat Ham at Geffen Playhouse.
• April: Funny Girl at CTG/Ahamanson Theatre; Renaissance Pleasure Faire; Xanadu (🎫 Pending) at Canyon Theatre Guild; Gordon Goodwin and the Big Phat Band at BofA/Kavli Theatre in TO.

 

What does the word “sanctuary” mean to you?

Perhaps you come at the word from the religious sense: it is a place with holy relics where you worship. If so, you might think the play Sanctuary City, which we saw last night at the Pasadena Playhouse, is about a city filled with churches, mosques, and synagogues. You would be wrong.

Another meaning of the term refers to a safe space — a space were you are protected and safe from those who might do you harm. Recall from The Hunchback of Notre Dame that Quasimodo seeks sanctuary in the Sanctuary, as a church is viewed as hallowed ground where the clergy will protect you. We often see religious institutions treated in this manner: those who reside there are protected by a higher power.

More recently — and especially during the Trump administration — the notion of a “Sanctuary City” arose. This was a city where undocumented immigrants were safe. If the police encountered them, they wouldn’t be asked immigration status or reported to ICE. They were safe — for varying values of safe.

People find sanctuary — safe space — in many places. As noted above, some find it in church. Some find it in laws — and law enforcement that officially might not see things. Some find it in relationships: your house is a sanctuary where you are loved and feel safe.

Sanctuary City, by Martyna Majok, directed by Zi Alikhan, explores the notion of sanctuary in many ways (although never in the way the title of the play might lead you to believe). This is a one act play that has two distinct acts (and, in some ways, it really could use that intermission). I should also note that this takes place in 2006, after 9/11, and long before DACA or the other changes that came about during the Obama administration.

During the first half — which takes place in an abstract metal structure that could be the bones of a house, we meet a boy (B) and a girl (G). These two have been friends since they were toddlers, ever since their families brought them across the border in various fashions for a better life in America. G’s mother is now with an abusive guy, and so G finds sanctuary with B — constantly coming over and crashing with him.  B’s mother plans to return to Mexico before they catch her, and B can come along or not. She’s fine leaving him in American — and he wants to stay because that’s where his life is. The first act is told in a distinctly non-linear fashion, with flashes between timelines that fill in the details of the story. We do learn, by the end of the first half, that G’s mother has been secretly studying to be naturalized, and has gotten her naturalization papers — and before G turned 18, meaning G was a citizen as well. G comes up with a plan to save B by marrying him, and they prepare for the eventual ICE questioning. G also gets accepted to a university in Boston.

The second half is three years later, and abandons that abstract house for a realistic apartment. Three years in, B and G’s plans are on the rocks, called off by … well, let’s just say there is a reason that B never truly “slept with” G during those earlier years. There is now a love triangle, wherein we meet B’s lover, Henry (a pre-law American). It is within the tensions created by this triangle that the other aspects of sanctuary — safety — come into play. G has come to realize that if she marries B, she isn’t safe if they are ever found out, but there is Henry in the equation. B has to decide between the safety with respect to ICE, vs safety with respect to love. And Henry — who can’t marry B at this time because of the law — is stuck in the middle. How this all resolves is the focus of the second half.

This is a story that drew me in. Initially, it was the question of who these people were, and what was their story. The non-linear flash device used is a novel story telling approach, and you quickly saw the strong friendship and figured out the backstory. You wanted them to become more, yet they never quite did. The second half was fascinating, raising all sort of ethical and legal questions. Some of the situations portrayed in this play are no longer a concern (but then again, may be a concern again, given the current Supreme Court). Some, such as the question about undocumented immigrants and what to do about children who were raised as American (but who aren’t Americans), still remain. It was a really interesting, entertaining, and still relevant play. It makes you think, as you leave the theatre, what makes you truly feel safe — and what are you willing to do and give up to get that safety?

The performances were strong. Ana Nicolle Chavez (G) was believable as the teen dealing with an abusive step parent, seeking sanctuary in the home of her friend. Miles Fower (B) was believable as her friend. The two had strong chemistry together, and you could see them capturing well the tension in the relationship. The third point in the triangle was Kanoa Goo (Henry). He was believable as someone who loved B, and there was a strong tension shown with G who was on the verge of taking B away from him.

Chika Shimizu (Scenic Designer) created an interesting scenic design. The first half was a very abstract metal structure, which combined with Solomon Weisbard (Lighting Designer)‘s lighting allowed the non-linear story telling to occur. The second half was a more conventional design of an interior of an apartment. John Nobori (Sound Design) established the mood and place through appropriate ambient sounds; the actors amplification was sufficient for my currently degraded ears. Jojo Siu (Costume Designer) rounded out the design team.

The remainder of the production team consisted of Amanda Rose Villarreal (Intimacy Coordinator), Brad Enlow (Playhouse Technical Director/Production Supervisor), Brandon Hong Cheng (Stage Manager), and Lydia Runge (Asst. Stage Manager). Casting was by The Telsey Office.

Sanctuary City continues at the Pasadena Playhouse through October 9. Tickets are available through the Pasadena Playhouse box office, and they even have a free ticket initiative for those who cannot afford it. Discount tickets are available through Goldstar, and it also appears there is a GroupOn.

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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:, the rest of October will bring 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)!