Tag: reviews-2009

A Winning Production

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Last night, we went to Cabrillo Music Theatre in Thousand Oaks to see “Guys and Dolls”. Now, it hasn’t been all that long since we last saw Guys and Dolls, having seen the Hollywood Bowl production in early August. Given that, it’s interesting to compare and contrast the two performances… and, not surprisingly, there are places where the stellar Bowl cast did better, and places where the regional Cabrillo cast did better.

As I wrote back in August, it is quite likely you are familiar with Guys and Dolls, but just in case you are not, you can find a full synopsis on Wikipedia. In a nutshell, it tells the story of Nathan Detroit, an inveterate gambling arranger, and his fiancee of 14 years, Miss Adelaide. Nathan is trying to arrange a location for a floating crap game, but needs $1,000 to secure the place. To get the money, he bets another gambler, Sky Masterson, that he will not succeed in taking the lead missionary from the Save Your Soul Mission, Sister Sarah Brown, to Havana Cuba for dinner. In the process of wooing Miss Brown, Sky gives her his marker for at least 1 dozen certified sinners for a midnight prayer meeting. To cover the craps game planning. a date is finally set for Nathan and Miss Adelaide. Sky gets Sarah to Havana, and while he is there the craps game is held… at the mission, without Sky’s knowledge. When they return, Sarah believes Havana was just a subterfuge for the game, and dumps Sky. But Sky must redeem his marker for his dignaty, so he bets the other gamblers for their souls… he wins, and as a result, they must attend the prayer meeting. Doing so forces Nathan to miss his elopement, and Adelaide dumps him… but after a great duet with Sarah, they realize they have to marry their men in order to change them. All of this is told in the mileau of Daymon Runyon’s colorful world and style. “Guys and Dolls” features a book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. I should note that Cabrillo did the stock stage version. The Hollywood Bowl version interpolated an additional song, “Adelaide, Adelaide”, which appears to have come from the movie.

Cabrillo’s production of G&D was excellent — they know how to put on a musical. I was particularly impressed with their Sarah Brown, Jessica Bernard, a local performer who gave a spot-on performance (and was significantly stronger than Jessica Biel). She had a strong singing voice, and acted the role spectacularly. Also strong was the other lead “doll”: Alet Tayloræ as Miss Adelaide. Taylor’s Adelaide wasn’t as nasal as the typical Adelaide (Vivian Blaine, Faith Prince, or Ellen Greene, who was very strong at the Bowl), but Taylor’s Adelaide was a comic gem. The combination of the strong singing and the incredible comedy made her perfect for the role. Also strong was Barry Pearlæ as Nathan Detroit. Pearl’s Nathan didn’t have lanky charm of Scott Bakula or the manic energy of Nathan Lane, but came across as the long-suffering arranger. He was a strong singer, a strong actor, and a strong dancer.

Alas, I regret to say that Jeff Griggsæ as Sky Masterson was weaker, mostly in comparison to Brian Stoakes Mitchell (but then again, anyone compared to BSM is weak). Griggs singing was good and charming. My real problem was with his spoken lines, as they had this odd southern drawl, making me think of Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside in Mame as opposed to the New York Sky of Guys and Dolls. This may have been a larger accent problem: their Harry the Horse had nary a Brooklyn accent; Lt. Branigan had an odd Irish accent that kept going in an out; and Arvide had some accent I couldn’t quite fit in. So although Griggs’ Sky was enjoyable to watch, he didn’t soar as the Bowl performance did.

Turning to the secondary characters, Nova Safo did a good job as Nicely Nicely Johnson. He wasn’t the rotund comic of Stubby Kaye or Ken Page, but he fit the role well and gave a great turn in “Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat”. Paul Zegler was touching as Arvide. Farley Cadena was odd as Gen. Cartwright — she came across as sexier and more playful than one would expect of that role. As for the tertiary characters, they were mostly interchangable with no particular either standouts or problems (well, I should note that I did enjoy Jennifer Foster and Jantre Haskin Christian as they missionaries — they were cute and seemed to be really enjoying their roles): Mike McLean (Benny Southstreet), Danny Blaylock (Big Jule), Jay Weber (Harry the Horse), Ronald Rezac (Lt. Brannigan), David Scales (Rusty Charlie), Jebbel Arce (Rosie), Marc Bastos (Sleepout Sam Levinsky), Paul Berry (Brandy Bottle Bates), Cory Bretsch (The Greek), Johnny Cannizzaro (Joey Biltmore/Johnny One Eye), Heather Castillo (Lulu), Andreas De Rond (Scranton Slim), Jeff Ditto (Frankie Fingers/MC), Jennifer Foster (Agatha), Jantre Haskin Christian (Martha), Kat Liz Kramer (Laverne), Alida Michal (Mimi), Sabrina Miller (Trixie), Clay Stefanki (Society Max), Erica Strong (Betty), Bobby Traversa (Calvin/Willy the Worrier), and Estevan Valdes (Liver Lips Louie).

Turning to the technical side of things… the direction of this production was quite good, but I would expect nothing less from Nick Degruccio. Roger Castellano’s choreography was strong, but was at times done in by the lighting … so, as we’re on the subject … the lighting design by Jared A. Sayeg was mixed. There were scenes were it was quite strong, such as the red lighting during the Havana scene or the use of the gobos, but it was done in by the poor follow spots. These were especially distracting during numbers such as Guys and Dolls or the Gamblers Ballet. The orchestra, under the musical direction of Darryl Archibald, was excellent, and the sound design by Jonathan Burke was easily heard throughout the theatre. Although the sets by T. Theresa Scarano were excellent as always, I was less impressed with Christine Gibson’s costumes. The gamblers in Guys and Dolls need to be colorful, not dressed in browns, blacks, and greys… and the dolls need to be more dolled up than they were. Paul Hadobas, on the other hand, did a good job with the hair and makeup design. The production stage manager was the always exceptional Lindsay Martens, assisted by Allie Roy.

The last performance of “Guys and Dolls” is this evening.

Upcoming Theatre: This evening is the next episode of “Meeting of Minds” Episode #9 (Martin Luther, Plato, Voltaire, Florence Nightingale) at the Steve Allen Theatre. Halloween weekend is currently open, as is the first weekend of November. November 11th (Veterans Day) we’re at a Day Out With Thomas at Orange Empire Railway Museum. The following weekend Erin is going to the TMBG concert at UCLA, while we will attending Havdalah with Peter Yarrow at the American Jewish University. On November 22 at 2pm we return to REP East Playhouse for “M*A*S*H”, followed by the next installment of Meeting of Minds (pending ticketing). Thanksgiving weekend is currently open; however, it might be taken by a shift of our production for the following weekend (“Baby Its You” at the Pasadena Playhouse, December 5 at 8pm… which, by the way, features the actress who played Marie Antoinette), due to the fact I head out the morning after we see it for ACSAC in Hawaii. That same weekend (December 3, 4, 5) also brings “The Taming of the Shrew” at Van Nuys HS — we’ll likely be going to the Friday, December 4 performance. I fly out to Hawaii for ACSAC on 12/5 (hint: registration is now open and we have a great technical program — so come to the conference). While there, I hope to get together one night with shutterbug93 and see some local theatre. I return 12/12 (and, alas, this is why we can’t see Equus at LA Valley College the weekends of 12/3-5 and 10-12). December 20 bring “Mary Poppins” at the Ahmanson. As always, I’m looking for suggestions for good shows to see, especially if they are on Goldstar or LA Stage Tix.

Disclaimer: In light of the upcoming rules, you should know that nobody paid me anything to write this review. In fact, I receive no remuneration for any reviews I write.

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Dancing on their Grave: A Sad Remembrance of How the South Used To Be

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

This afternoon we saw our second production of the weekend, “Parade” at the Mark Taper Forum. This was our second time seeing “Parade” (the first was the Neighborhood Playhouse production in July 2008). It was also our first time in the Mark Taper Forum since their big remodel; our last show in the Taper was “13” in January 2007. So some compare and contrasts are in order.

Let’s start with the Taper itself. The Taper did a complete tear-down and remodel, and the new Taper is beautiful. I don’t think there’s a bad sightline in the house. The front abalone shell wall is still there, but the rest of the foyer looks much more modern. Supposedly the restrooms are much better, but I didn’t visit. You could see the technical improvements in the new soundboards, lighting, and the larger sets. A beautiful theatre.

Now, to the production. As I wrote last time, Parade tells the story of Leo Frank, a Brooklyn-born Jew who moved to Atlanta Georgia in 1913 to marry Lucille Selig and to be supervisor of the National Pencil Company. Leo was like many people today: bright, focused on his work, uncomfortable around other people and trusting only in himself, and just prefering to be left alone with his habits. The play opens on Confederate Memorial Day, and everyone but Leo is celebrating (Leo is asking himself why there is such a celebration for a war that was lost). Leo goes to work to work on his books. A 13 year old white girl stops by his office to collect her pay. Leo doesn’t recognize her, but upon getting her employee number, pays her for the week: $1.20. Later that day, she is found crumpled in the factory basement, dead. Leo and Newt Lee, the night watchman, are brought in as suspects. The governor tells the DA they must have a swift verdict in this case. Not being able to find any evidence for the night watchman, and thinking the hanging of a black man wins few points in George, the DA lets Newt go. That leaves him with the man who must be the culprit: Leo Frank. The DA builds a case of coached stories to convince the jury, including the testimony of Jim Conley, a janitor at the factory who was an escaped convict with violent tendancies. He presents this case, and Leo’s lawyer doesn’t refute it: he just surprises Leo by having him make a statement, and then resting his case. Leo is found Guilty, and sentenced to death That’s the end of Act I. In Act II, the focus moves from Leo to his wife Lucille, who is surprising Leo with her strength and tenacity in defending his innocence. Lucille convinces the governor to commute Leo’s sentence; he does, although it is only to a life sentence. Leo is moved to an undisclosed prison, and Leo and Lucille’s love story grows. However some people in Atlanta are incensed about this “Jew” getting off, and the mob goes to the prison, drags Leo out, and hangs him. They then go off to celebrate Confederate Memorial Day.

The original production was the original Jason Robert Brown and Alfred Uhry. The Taper production was the Donmar Warehouse version. This latter version made some changes in the presentation (JRB’s summary of the changes) and staging. Some aspects of the story were toned down (such as the reporter’s drunkenness, or Lucille’s pregnancy), and the cast was cut down by having characters play multiple roles. A new non-speaking role was added of a ghostly Southern bell that drifts in and out of scenes. These change the tone and focus of the piece to something darker and more focused, especially in the second act. It heightens the antisemitism of the Southerners, and the ghost provides a commentary on the old ways of the South (although that wasn’t clear). The change in tone worked. The doubling of actors, at least how it was done here, didn’t… because it was too hard, at times, to distinguish who was who in what role because the costumes were so similar. If doubling of roles is to be done, there need to be distinct character costumes, or the artiface of calling out the character’s name a few times needs to be inserted to reorient people.

Another aspect of the staging became an interesting commentary on the piece, at least to me. When they buried Mary Phagan, they opened up the floor of the stage, revealing the coffin. After they replaced those panels, the dancing continued apace. It seemed to be a commentary on the proceedings: the southerners of Atlanta dancing on Mary’s grave to lynch a man unjustly who had actually done nothing to Mary. It stuck with me the entire musical.

“Parade” is not a big theatre piece — it is too heavy for an 1200-1600 seat theatre. We last saw “Parade” in an 99-or-less seat theatre, and the intimacy made one feel like they were in the courthouse, and made the piece especially moving. The Taper is around 750 seats, making the proceedings a little less detached and the action broader and less intimate. It didn’t spoil the drama of the piece, but lessened it at little.

Luckily, the acting was pretty good. The leads were T. R. Knight as Leo Frank and Lara Pulver as Lucille Frank. Knight captured the New York nebbish nature of Leo well (I kept thinking Matthew Broderick as I heard his voice), and Pulver had Lucille down pat. Knight’s singing was a little weaker than at the Neighborhood Playhouse, but still strong. Other individual castings were less individually memorable, due to their duel castings, but all were excellent: Brad Anderson (Officer Ivey, Luther Rosser, Guard); Michael Berresse (Governor Slaton, Britt Craig, Mr. Peavy); Will Collyer (Ensemble); Charlotte d’Amboise (Mrs. Phagan, Sally Slaton); Karole Foreman (Ensemble); Davis Gaines (Old Soldier, Judge Roan, Guard); Laura Griffth (Ensemble); P. J. Griffith (Officer Starnes, Tom Watson); Curt Hansen (Young Soldier, Frankie Epps, Guard); Deidrie Henry (Minnie McNight, Angela); Christian Hoff (Hugh Dorsey); Sarah Jayne Jensen (Ensemble); Lisa Livesay (Monteen); Hayley Podschun (Iola Stover); David St. Louis (Newt Lee, Jim Conley, Riley); Rose Sezniak (Lila, Mary Phagan); Phoebe Strole (Essie); Josh Tower (Ensemble); and Robert Yacko (Ensemble).
[All actors are members of æ Actors Equity ]

Turning to the technical side: the sets and costumes (designed by Christopher Oram) were a step above the simple Neighborhood Playhouse set: there was a lower portion representing the street with tables coming on and off representing various, umm, tables. There was an upper area that served as the factory office, court, and dock. Costumes were reflective of the time and worked well. The lighting design was that of the original Donmar production by Neil Austin and was simple with ambers and purples and some harsher white lighting. I particularly like the shrinking square of light over Leo during questioning and the back mural of the Confederacy. The musical director was Tom Murray, who led the 9-piece offstage orchestra. Music and lyrics were by Jason Robert Brown, with orchestrations by David Cullen. Sound design was by Jon Weston, based on the original London sound design by Nick Lidster and Terry Jardine. Wigs and hair were by Carol F. Doran.

The beautiful movements of the show were choreographed by Rob Ashford, assisted by Chris Bailey. The production was directed by Rob Ashford, assisted by Stephen Sposito. The production stage manager was David S. Franklin (who was kind enough to invite my daughter and her technical theatre friends backstage afterwards), assisted by Michelle Blair and Susie Walsh.

“Parade” continues at the Mark Taper Forum until November 15, 2009. Tickets are available through the Center Theatre Group, and may be available through discount sources such as Goldstar or LA Stage Tix (I don’t know for sure). We had Hottix, but I don’t know if they are sold out yet.

Upcoming Theatre: Next weekend we will see two productions: “Guys and Dolls” at Cabrillo Music Theatre on Saturday October 24 @ 8pm, and “Meeting of Minds” Episode #9 (Martin Luther, Plato, Voltaire, Florence Nightingale) at the Steve Allen Theatre on Sunday October 25 @ 8pm. Halloween weekend is currently open, as is the first weekend of November. November 11th (Veterans Day) we’re at a Day Out With Thomas at Orange Empire Railway Museum. The following weekend Erin is going to the TMBG concert at UCLA, while we will attending Havdalah with Peter Yarrow at the American Jewish University. On November 22 at 2pm we return to REP East Playhouse for “M*A*S*H”, followed by the next installment of Meeting of Minds (pending ticketing). Thanksgiving weekend is currently open; however, it might be taken by a shift of our production for the following weekend (“Baby Its You” at the Pasadena Playhouse, December 5 at 8pm… which, by the way, features the actress who played Marie Antoinette), due to the fact I head out the morning after we see it for ACSAC in Hawaii. That same weekend (December 3, 4, 5) also brings “The Taming of the Shrew” at Van Nuys HS — we’ll likely be going to the Friday, December 4 performance. I fly out to Hawaii for ACSAC on 12/5 (hint: registration is now open and we have a great technical program — so come to the conference). While there, I hope to get together one night with shutterbug93 and see some local theatre. I return 12/12 (and, alas, this is why we can’t see Equus at LA Valley College the weekends of 12/3-5 and 10-12). The rest of December is currently open, but I know that sometime in December I’ll be attempting to ticket “Mary Poppins” at the Ahmanson (HotTix were supposed to go on sale 10/23, but may not as per the postscript below). As always, I’m looking for suggestions for good shows to see, especially if they are on Goldstar or LA Stage Tix.

An interesting postscript to the above: There may not be HotTix to “Mary Poppins”. According to my contact in Audience Services at CTG, Disney and Center Theatre Group are in the midst of negotiations for HotTix. Disney is not in favor of having discount tickets and CTG would like to continue the HotTix program for this show. I’m waiting for the final answer on this, but we might be up in the balcony for that one.

Disclaimer: In light of the upcoming rules, you should know that nobody paid me anything to write this review. In fact, I receive no remuneration for any reviews I write.

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Spelling Success

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Last night, we went out to Los Angeles Valley College to see their production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. This was the second LAVC production we’ve seen (the first was Alicen), and yet again I was impressed by the quality of the production. This little community college is doing great stuff, and is a wonderful value for the production one receives. I’ll also note this was our second time seeing Putnam County: we saw it previously in 2007 in the Broadway/LA production at the Wadsworth Theatre with the original cast. This little production, I feel, equalled (if not bettered) the quality of the touring cast. That’s saying quite a bit.

Here’s the synopsis of the story from my previous review. Only the names have been changed to promote the actors 🙂 [Note that, with this being a student production, most links are to Facebooks]

For those not familiar with the show (music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, conceived by Rebecca Feldman), it tells the story of six mitsfits at a local Spelling Bee, and their quest to win the Bee. However, these six aren’t the only participants in the Bee: there are also four audience members drawn at random, who sink or swim on their own. In the first half of the Bee, you clearly know who will win (the cast members) and who will lose — the fun part is learning the back-stories for the competitors, and seeing the crazy introductions the writers have — both for the cast members and the audience participants. Evidently, there are different words given to audience participants each show, with extremely funny definitions (words in this show included “Bottle”, “Hybrid” (which was misspelled!), and a word so long I can’t remember it). The definitions (and the use of the words in a sentence) is hilarious (although many of last night’s guests forgot to ask for both). The second half of the show is the serious competition, with the final five contestants being winnowed down. During this part you learn more about the kids and see how they grow — and what is really inside of them. I should also note that the writers tailor the background schools of the characters to local schools, and have topical and local jokes. Translation: they do their homework.

The six contestants in the Bee are:

  1. Marcy Park (Julia May Wong), an Asian overachiever, who knows five six languages, excells in sports (and everything else), and who is driven to win the bee.
  2. Leaf Coneybear (Wes Schilling), a second-runner up who got to the competition because the kids in front of him had to attend a Bat Mitzvah. Comes from a hippie family, in this show, from Topanga Canyon (hmmm, he was from Topanga Canyon in the 2007 production as well).
  3. William Barfée (Paul Dietz), an eccentric character who spells words before saying them with his “magic foot”, who is allergic to peanuts and everything else, and who is probably like someone you knew in your high school.
  4. Olive Ostrovsky (Alyssa Carter (FB)), an isolated newcomer to the Bee, whose parents seem to be taking out their agressions through her, and so she finds the dictionary a safe place to hide.
  5. Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre (Melanie Wahla), the product of two dads who are pushing her to succeed… however she can.
  6. Chip Tolentino (Iain Gray), last year’s winner, a fearce competitor… until other problems rise up to distract him.

Rounding this out are Rona Lisa Peretti (Cornelia Rinderknecht Eller), the mistress of ceremonies and the #1 realtor in Putnam County; Douglas Panch (Lorin Henner (FB)), the vice-principle serving as judge, and Mitch Mahoney (Antonio “Mookie” Johnson), who is doing his community service by comforting kids when they lose. Also onstage was the conductor/pianist, Patricia Hannifan.

As I said before, I think the LAVC cast was a very strong cast. I have nary a complaint about their performances, even when I compare them in my memory to the Broadway cast. In terms of strong performances, I was particularly taken with Melanie Wahla’s Logainne — she nailed the lisp as well as the character, the energy of Wes Schilling’s Leaf, and the innocence of Allyssa Carter’s Olive. I also really liked Cornelia Eller’s Rona (hell, I still have her business card), and how much she became the character. Perfect, perfect performances.

Some performances surprised me. I initially didn’t like Paul Dietz’s Barfée — it is hard to copy Dan Fogler, and Dietz did not have Fogler’s look. I also initially didn’t like how Dietz did the magic foot and facial expression. However, as the story went on, I became more impressed with him, and grew to like his spin on the role. Similarly, Julia May Wong’s Marcy initially struck me as looking a little old for the character (a complaint I also had with the Broadway cast), but she did a wonderful job on her number (“I speak six languages”) and won me over.

[I should also acknowledge the understudies, Stephanie Pressman and Carlo Maghirang. Although they didn’t go on, it was Stephanie that let me know about the show, and for this I thank her.]

Putnam County is a really fun show, and one I’m surprised doesn’t get done more at the High School level (c’mon, do you think a little song about an erection would raise such a, oh, right). The LAVC production is great fun, and quite affordable ($15 general admission, $10 students and seniors) — and even more so considering the quality that you get).

Turning to the technical side: The production was directed by Cathy Susan Pyles, with musical direction by Patricia Hannifan. Marjorie Vander Hoff served as choreographer, and made effective use of the thrust stage that LAVC utilizes. The scenic design was by the director, Cathy Pyles, and was simple and effective — the scenic design is one of the strengths of this show in that it doesn’t require a lot. Costumes were by Judy Ashton, who captured the original look well. The lighting design was by Pettifogger and used the conventionals and scrollers much better than in their previous production, although one lighting cue was a bit fast. The lighting design assistant was Cullen Pinney. Sound design was by Matthew Strunim. Danielle DeMasters served as stage manager, assisted by Timothy Miller and Nicole Ruiz. The house manager was Janette Jara.

“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” continues at LAVC until October 24, with performance October 15-17 and 22-24 at 8 p.m. (plus a 2 p.m. matinee on October 17) in the Horseshoe Theater. Tickets are $15 for general admission, and $10 for students and seniors. For more information, contact (818) 947-2790 or cathysp@sbcglobal.net. The Horseshoe Theatre is at 5800 Fulton Ave, Valley Glen, CA 91401.

Upcoming Theatre: Our next scheduled theatre is Sunday October 18, when we’re seeing the Donmar workshop version of “Parade” at the Mark Taper Forum. The next weekend will see two productions: “Guys and Dolls” at Cabrillo Music Theatre on Saturday October 24 @ 8pm, and “Meeting of Minds” Episode #9 (Martin Luther, Plato, Voltaire, Florence Nightingale) at the Steve Allen Theatre on Sunday October 25 @ 8pm. Halloween weekend is currently open, as is the first weekend of November. November 11th (Veterans Day) we’re at a Day Out With Thomas at Orange Empire Railway Museum. The following weekend Erin is going to the TMBG concert at UCLA, while we will attending Havdalah with Peter Yarrow at the American Jewish University. On November 22 at 2pm we return to REP East Playhouse for “M*A*S*H”, followed by the next installment of Meeting of Minds (pending ticketing). Thanksgiving weekend is currently open; however, it might be taken by a shift of our production for the following weekend (“Baby Its You” at the Pasadena Playhouse, December 5 at 8pm… which, by the way, features the actress who played Marie Antoinette), due to the fact I head out the morning after we see it for ACSAC in Hawaii. That same weekend (December 3, 4, 5) also brings “The Taming of the Shrew” at Van Nuys HS — we’ll likely be going to the Friday, December 4 performance. I fly out to Hawaii for ACSAC on 12/5 (hint: registration is now open and we have a great technical program — so come to the conference). While there, I hope to get together one night with shutterbug93 and see some local theatre. I return 12/12 (and, alas, this is why we can’t see Equus at LA Valley College the weekends of 12/3-5 and 10-12). The rest of December is currently open, but I know that sometime in December I’ll be attempting to ticket “Mary Poppins” at the Ahmanson (HotTix were supposed to go on sale 10/23, but may not as per the postscript below). As always, I’m looking for suggestions for good shows to see, especially if they are on Goldstar or LA Stage Tix.

An interesting postscript to the above: There may not be HotTix to “Mary Poppins”. According to my contact in Audience Services at CTG, Disney and Center Theatre Group are in the midst of negotiations for HotTix. Disney is not in favor of having discount tickets and CTG would like to continue the HotTix program for this show. I’m waiting for the final answer on this, but we might be up in the balcony for that one.

Disclaimer: In light of the upcoming rules, you should know that nobody paid me anything to write this review. In fact, I receive no remuneration for any reviews I write.

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A General, a Queen, a Theologian, and a Revolutionary Walk Into a Room….

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

I’ve written in the past of my admiration for the Steve Allen series “Meeting of Minds”, where four historical people are brought together for a roundtable discussion. Working Stage Productions has brought back the series as an ongoing series of staged readings. Last night was their third production, episode #3, featuring a discussion between President U.S. Grant (Dan Lauria), Dr. Karl Marx (Ed Asner), Queen Marie Antoinette (Meeghan Holaway), Sir Thomas More (Bruce Davison), and moderated by Steve Allen (Gary Cole). As usual, it was thought provoking and excellent.

Steve Allen wrote these scripts in the 1960s, and they were first produced for television in the 1970s. Thus, they contain some very slightly dated dialogue that is more emphasized in this particular episode than others, such as the references to Henry Kissinger as Secretary of State or the intense hatred for Karl Marx (which was very much a product of the Cold War). Still, this episode does have some topics that resonate today, such as the attempts by the United States to intervene in the affairs of other countries in order to promote democracy. This is highlighted when Karl Marx points out that it is difficult to argue for democracy when the problems of world hunger and world poverty are not being solved. Could this apply to the situation in the Middle East? Could the reason that the US is not embraced be that the US values haven’t improved the quality of life? These discussions make you (at least) think about the issue, and how we can work better to make the world a better place.

Still, the main focus of this episode is not Karl Marx — in this episode, he serves more as historian and adjunct moderator than civil agitator. His story, as well as that of Sir Thomas, comes out in Episode #4. This episode focuses more on the lives of U.S. Grant and especially Marie Antoinette and the philosphy behind the French Revolution. As such, the theme is more the disconnect of the nobility, how rulers can distance themselves from the rules, and ultimately, how civil wars are savage. It also emphasizes how the danger can come from either side: Antoinette was beheaded by the left-wing, and More by the right-wing.

In terms of acting and theatricality, this was a staged reading. Scripts were on stage, costumes and makeup were simple and suggestive (Grant’s uniform, Antoinette’s dress and hair). There were the occasional line hesitations (mostly from Gary Cole). Still, some superb theatricality shone through. I was particularly taken by Ed Asner, who conveyed Marx’s disgust with a number of the responses with simple facial gestures and movements, going above and beyond the script to establish the character. Meeghan Holaway also did an excellent job with Antoinette, especially in the scenes where she talked about her imprisonment and the revolution — she gave a good sense of non-chalance about the pesentry, and was truly moved to tears when talking about the life and death of King Louis. She also had a lovely French accent (unlike Asner, who didn’t attempt a Prussian accent, or Davison, who didn’t have an English accent). It was a bit disconcerting when she took off her wig (something that doesn’t happen in the original), but I guess it was wobbling and she thought it better to take it off and retain control. As Grant, Lauria provided some excellent gruff and bravado (as one would expect), but also conveyed his tender side well. Great performances.

Technically, the show was simple. A table, some chairs, some water on the table. The production was directed by Frank Megna; no other technical credits were provided in the program. Lighting was simple, and the program was recorded. I do have one technical comment. At the first episode we saw, a representative from Working Stage got up and introduced the program, indicated what they were trying to do with the revival, and (of course) requested that beeping devices be disabled. That wasn’t done at this performance, and I missed it. I think that bringing back this introduction would be a good thing for the series overall (and, of course, would goad those that forgot to silence their cells).

Another minor complaint, which I’m sure is due to scheduling, but never explained: For seasons 1, 2, and 3, there were two episodes with each set of four. We see the first, but never the second. It might be better to do these productions as a two-act show with each episode being an act, as opposed to the seeming approach of eventually doing the second episode. That, at least, would provide more even coverage to the four historical characters.

According to the program, the next episode in “Meeting of Minds” will be episode #9, featuring Martin Luther (Mark Moses), Plato (Harold Gould), Voltaire (Ray Abruzzo), Florence Nightengale, and Steve Allen (Gary Cole). It will be Sunday, October 25 at 7pm, presumably at the Steve Allen Theatre. The ticket page is not yet up.

Upcoming Theatre: Our next scheduled theatre is Sunday October 18, when we’re seeing the Donmar workshop version of “Parade” at the Mark Taper Forum. The next weekend will see two productions: “Guys and Dolls” at Cabrillo Music Theatre on Saturday October 24 @ 8pm, and (pending ticketing) “Meeting of Minds” Episode #9 (Martin Luther, Plato, Voltaire, Florence Nightengale) at the Steve Allen Theatre on Sunday October 25 @ 8pm. Halloween weekend is currently open. The following weekend is currently blocked off for “A Day Out With Thomas” at Orange Empire Railway Museum (although we may do it Veterans Day instead). The following weekend Erin is going to the TMBG concert at UCLA, while we will attending Havdalah with Peter Yarrow at the American Jewish University. On November 22 at 2pm we return to REP East Playhouse for “M*A*S*H”. Thanksgiving weekend is currently open; however, it might be taken by a shift of our production for the following weekend (“Baby Its You” at the Pasadena Playhouse, December 5 at 8pm… which, by the way, features the actress who played Marie Antoinette), due to the fact I head out the morning after we see it for ACSAC in Hawaii. That same weekend (December 3, 4, 5) also brings “The Taming of the Shrew” at Van Nuys HS — we’ll likely be going to the Friday, December 4 performance. The rest of December is currently open, but I know that sometime in December I’ll be attempting to ticket “Mary Poppins” at the Ahmanson (HotTix were supposed to go on sale 10/23, but may not as per the postscript below). As always, I’m looking for suggestions for good shows to see, especially if they are on Goldstar or LA Stage Tix.

An interesting postscript to the above: There may not be HotTix to “Mary Poppins”. According to my contact in Audience Services at CTG, Disney and Center Theatre Group are in the midst of negotiations for HotTix. Disney is not in favor of having discount tickets and CTG would like to continue the HotTix program for this show. I’m waiting for the final answer on this, but we might be up in the balcony for that one.

Disclaimer: In light of the upcoming rules, you should know that nobody paid me anything to write this review. In fact, I receive no remuneration for any reviews I write.

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“As you value your life or your reason keep away from the moor”

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Although it may not be safe to cross the moor at night, it certainly is safe to cross the hills ringing the San Fernando Valley, and to venture north to Saugus to see “Hound of the Baskervilles” at the Reperatory East Playhouse. That’s what we did last night, and we certainly weren’t disappointed. You might even say it was “Elementary”.

“The Hound of the Baskervilles” is a classic Sherlock Holmes mystery, first published in 1901 in The Strand magazine. It was written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle right after “The Final Adventure”, which we saw dramatized at The Pasadena Playhouse in June 2006. It was adapted for the stage by F. Andrew Leslie. The story deals with the curse of the Baskerville family and the fiendish killer-hound that stalks its members. As the action begins Sir Charles Baskerville has died under mysterious circumstances, and his nephew and heir, the young Sir Henry, has been threatened even before his arrival at Baskerville Hall. A friend of the family and former colleague of Dr. Watson, Lady Agatha Mortimer, enlists the aid of Sherlock Holmes to protect Sir Henry from the supernatural hound and find the real killer. This leads to a series of events that build steadily in menace and suspense involving the staff of Bakerville Hall (Mr. and Mrs. Barrymore, Perkins) and the families living in and around the Moor (Kathy and Jack Stapleton, Laura Lyons). Hard pressed to protect his charge, and to fathom the strange mishaps which beset him, Dr. Watson is much relieved when Holmes himself appears to trap the diabolical killer who stalks Sir Henry and to unravel the fascinating mystery which accounts for his evil actions.

We always enjoy going to REP East productions. The primary reason is that they do such an excellent job, especially given the fact that they are an 81 seat black box theatre, off the main beaten theatre path, and do not charge an outrageous price for their tickets. That was certainly the case at this production. In fact, I was hard pressed to think of a single flaw in this production (the only ones that come to mind are perhaps one line hesitation, and I wasn’t crazy about the style of a character’s shoes… and if that’s the best this professional problem finder can find, they did damn good). I’m not even sure the great Sherlock Holmes himself would have found major problems in this product. I think this is because of the second reason we go to the REP: they care. They care about their audiences (and they REP people are like family), they care about their actors (selecting, training, and rehearsing them well), and they care about the material (selecting good material and ensuring it is presented it right). This theatre is a hidden gem; well worth the drive to Santa Clarita.

As noted above, the cast of this product was excellent. The lead investigators were the very precise Michael Levine as Sherlock Holmes as Kyle Kulishæ as the very rotund Dr. Watson. Both captured the nature of these well-known characters well: the precision of Holmes, the familiarity and warmth of Watson. Todd Larsenæ was Sir Henry Baskerville, and did a great job of capturing the youth and naivete of the man, as well as fear as the hound got closer. Sir Henry’s love interest, Kathy Stapleton (Amber Van Loon) — a REP regular — captured the relaxed youth and beauty of the character well, with some wonderful flashes of anger when dealing with her brother, Jack Stapleton (Jaimie Callahanæ). The remaining moor residents that we met (as opposed to mere mentions) were Lady Agatha Mortimer (Alysan Marie Aachen) and Laura Lyons (Carolyn Morseæ), both of whom were great. Lastly, the staff of Baskerville Hall (Donna Marie Sergi (Perkins), Janice Christensen (Mrs. Barrymore), and Brent Christensen (Barrymore)) did an excellent job of supporting the action, in particular Mr. Christensen apparent menace as Mr. Barrymore. Reviewing the program, I note he teaches drama at Hart HS in Newhall — his students must be very lucky. Wouldn’t it be great if he were at Van Nuys?

The set of the show, which was an elegant drawing room at Baskerville Hall, was well designed by Jeff Hyde. The costumes by Lynn McQuown were good, although Holmes wasn’t in his traditional Deerstalker cap. The lighting by Tim Christianson was excellent as usual, and the sound by Steven “Nanook” Burkholder was appropriately menacing. These are all REP regulars, and they are a key part for the technical excellence of this place. The production was directed by Joe Miele, and Johnny Schwinn served as Stage Manager.

“The Hound of the Baskervilles” continues at REP East until October 17th; tickets are available through the REP Online Box Office or call (661) 288-0000. The final show of the 2009 season will be “M*A*S*H”, running November 13th through December 12th. Earlier this week, the REP announced their 2010 (MMX) season, and it looks to be spectacular. No dates yet, but the productions are: “Lost in Yonkers” (Neil Simon); “On Golden Pond” (Ernest Thmpson); “12 Angry Men” (Reginald Rose); “The Wedding Singer” (book by Ehad Beguelin and Tim Herlity, music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Ehad Beguelin), “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot” (Stephen Adly Guirgis); “Sideman” (Warren Leight); “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” (Robert Louis Stevenson, adapted by Jeffrey Flatcher), and “Amadeus” (Peter Shaffer). These are all excellent selections (and O promised that Wedding Singer will happen this year), and I’m looking forward to the entire season. I’ll also note that this is sort-of a scoop: they don’t have the 2010 season listed yet on their website, so you read it here first.

Upcoming Theatre: As for us, our next show is this Monday, October 5, when we go out to the Steve Allen Theatre for the next installment of “Steve Allen’s Meeting of Minds” (Episode 3: Marie Antoinette, Karl Marx, U.S. Grant, and Thomas More) at the Steve Allen Theatre (ticket info). We’re still debating whether to go see Groovelily doing a concert version of “Sleeping Beauty Wakes” at the Largo on October 7th at 9pm — we want to see the show, but it starts very late and I work the next day. No theatre is currently scheduled for the weekend of October 10, but I’m open to suggestions. Sunday October 18 we’re seeing the Donmar workshop version of “Parade” at the Mark Taper Forum, and the month of October closes with “Guys and Dolls” at Cabrillo Music Theatre. Halloween weekend is currently open. The following weekend is currently blocked off for “A Day Out With Thomas” at Orange Empire Railway Museum (although we may do it Veterans Day instead). The following weekend Erin is going to the TMBG concert at UCLA, while we will attending Havdalah with Peter Yarrow at the American Jewish University. On November 22 at 2pm we return to REP East Playhouse for “M*A*S*H”. Thanksgiving weekend is currently open; however, it might be taken by a shift of our production for the following weekend(“Baby Its You” at the Pasadena Playhouse, December 5 at 8pm), due to the fact I head out the morning after we see it for ACSAC in Hawaii. That same weekend (December 3, 4, 5) also brings “The Taming of the Shrew” at Van Nuys HS — we’ll likely be going to the Friday, December 4 performance. The rest of December is currently open, but I know that sometime in December I’ll be attempting to ticket “Mary Poppins” at the Ahmanson. There will also likely be additional episodes of “Meeting of Minds”. As always, I’m looking for suggestions for good shows to see, especially if they are on Goldstar or LA Stage Tix.

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Television Reviews: ABC Family Sitcoms

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

As I eat my lunch today, I’m thinking about the sitcoms I watched last night on ABC (this is a follow-on to last week’s review). Some worked, some didn’t. Some improved, some didn’t. I’d like to share my musings, and hear your opinions.

  • “Hank” is a new sitcom starring Kelsey Grammer as a downsized executive moving back to small town Virginia. The various reviews of it I read yesterday (example) didn’t like it, primarily because they found it predictable, and hated the traditional sitcom style with a laugh track. I disagree. I liked the traditional style (I actually abhor the new “documentary” style of shows like “The Office”, which I find hard to watch). I also found the writing reasonable. At points it was predictable, but not at the level of painfully predictable (e.g., the level where you walk away because you know it will be bad). I enjoyed it, and will try it again next week.
  • “The Middle” portrays Patricia Heaton as an overstressed housewife in Indiana (which they claim is the middle of the US) dealing with the usual dumb husband and obnoxious teens. No laugh track. I also found this humerous, and think it has the potential to last as the characters are well drawn and played well. It also has some clever approaches to presentation, and isn’t afraid to portray the series star in a less-than-flattering light, if it brings out a laugh. Again, this is a watch again.
  • “Modern Family”. This was the 2nd episode of this sitcom: I watched it last week, and didn’t like how the characters were stereotyped. I liked it even less this week. This one had painful predictability: father gets son bike, cautions son to take care of it, walks along street and sees similar bike leaning against lightpole, unlocked. Father decided to teach son lesson. While taking that bike home, gets waylaid by pretty woman locked out of her house. Leans bike against tree while helping her… you can see where this goes as well as I. Other incidents were similarly badly played. I hope this one gets replaced.
  • “Cougertown”. This was also the 2nd episode of this sitcom, and was actually an improvement over the 1st. Aspects of the “crude” were toned down, and the supporting characters were built up to a usuable level. The situational humor was good, and it explored the issues of older mother dating in a much less painful manner than does “Old Christine” on CBS, which I find painful to watch. I’ll try this one again.

For some reason this year, I’m not enticed to watch new dramas. Perhaps it is because I don’t want more hour-long shows on the TIVO, perhaps I’m less in the mood for dramas. I am curious what new shows this season you are watching, or what returning shows you think are either improving or declining.

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Samba Your Way To Redemption

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

When we think of horrific events like Columbine, where someone snaps and kills a number of people and then kills themselves, we often think of the families of the victims of the initial attack. We never think about the family of the shooter. Exploring this aspect of the aftermath of a horrific crime is the subject of Charles Randolph-Wright’s latest play, “The Night is a Child”, which we saw last night at the Pasadena Playhouse.

“The Night is a Child” tells the story of the Easton family in the aftermath of a horrific event. The primary focus is on the matriarch of the family, Harriet Easton (JoBeth Williamsæ), whose son, Michael, committed such a horrific crime. It also explores the aftermath of the incident on Michael’s siblings: his twin Brian Easton (Tyler Pierceæ, who also plays Michael) and his older sister Jane Easton-Whitcomb (Monette Magrathæ). What did Michael do? We don’t start to find out until the end of the first act, so perhaps I won’t tell you yet.

When the play opens, we find Harriet seemingly on a dream vacation to Rio De Janero, Brazil, a place she has always wanted to visit after being inspired by the samba-like stylings of Sergio Mendes and Brazil 66. Bia (Sybyl Walkeræ), a local woman she sees on the beach recommends that she change hotels to one in Ipanema, which she does. Meanwhile, we learn that back in Boston, her family (Jane and Brian) are frantically searching for her… while dealing with the recognition they face as the siblings of Michael Easton. As the action switches back and forth between Brazil and Boston, we learn more about these people and the nature of Michael’s crime. In Boston, we learn how Jane and Brian have been coping with the incident: Brian has become a full-on alcoholic, drinking to forget, and Jane has claimed to compartmenalize the issue, burying away any thoughts of her brother. In Brazil the story plays out in a different way. Bia has urged Harriet to a particular hotel, where the manager, Joel (Maceo Oliveræ) finds her a room. Both Bia and Joel attempt to encourage Harriet to let loose, to samba, to free herself from whatever tormets her, and live carefree the Brazilian way. But Harriet is increasingly drawn to visions of Michael that talk to her, seemingly brought on whenever a group of candomble (Brazilian voodoo) priests pass by on the beach. By the end of the first act, Brian and Jane have discovered their mother is in Brazil, and Harriet has decided she must visit a candomble ceremony to talk to Michael and to learn why he did what he did: going into a preschool in their neighborhood and methodically shooting the teachers, each child, his ex-wife, and then himself.

In the second act, we see Jane and Brian in Brazil, learning about the country from Henrique (Armando McClain). We also see Harriet visiting the candomble ceremony… and the post-ceremony aftermath where she runs into Jane and Brian. We don’t find the answer to “Why?”, but we do see how Brazil leads to the redemption and recovery of the Easton family. This occurs as we learn more of Bia’s secrets, including that she studied in Boston to be a doctor, and her brother (who turns out to be Joel) never let her go from being his little sister. I won’t spoil all her secrets, other than to note that by the end of the play, the Easton family has let go of any guilt they may have had regarding Michael, and are hopefully moving on to better lives.

The way this story is told makes the second act critical. During the first act, as things switch back and forth, I found myself getting confused as to who Michael was and why it affected his family so. Even by the end of the first act, when you learn of the attack, you just know that some form of redemption will occur (because the dramatic nature of the play demands that character growth). You can’t see how it will fully happen. The second act brings it all together. The redemption occurs, and the unanticipated twists and turns make the ride worthwhile.

This play is unlike Randolph-Wright’s previous plays that we have seen at the Pasadena Playhouse, “Blue” and “Cuttin’ Up”, which explored aspects of the African-American experience. This play was more a commentary on the stereotypes regarding racial minorities in the United States. There’s a point where Bia and Harriet are discussing her experiences in Boston, and how Bia was always viewed as someone’s maid, as opposed to a medical student. Bia also comments on the fact that all the attention in America is seemingly on the crimes of the ghetto, but that the horrific criminals — the ones that snap and do these shooting crimes — often come from the privileged neighborhoods and the best homes. These are significant aspects of the stereotyping of the African-American experience, to be sure, but are not the main commentary of the play.

The play was extremely well acted by the entire ensemble. JoBeth Williams did a wonderful job of portraying the initially confused Harriet in love with Brazil, being confused by her visions of Michael, who was repressed and couldn’t let go. Monette Magrath played uptight very well, which made her relaxing and coming loose on the Ipanema beach even more of a surprise. Tyler Pierce captured Brian’s drunken stupor very well, and also showed some remarkable insights in his recovery. On the Brazilian side, Sybyl Walker embodied Bia’s freedom and joy and spirit and love, while Maceo Oliver was the model of the Brazilian host. All the cast seemed to be having fun with the roles and the commentaries they were making.
[æ denotes members of æ Actors Equity ]

The production was directed by Sheldon Epps, artistic director of the Playhouse. This direction was the subject of some scrutiny, for as it is common to have black director direct plays about the black experience to gain authenticity, this was a black director focusing on the white experience. This resulted in an article in the LA Times exploring whether black directors should direct white plays. I’m pleased to say that Sheldon did an excellent job on this production, building the characters well and letting us see the author’s words echoed in the movement and nuances of the action.

Turning to the technical side, the scenic design by Yael Pardess was simple, consisting of plain backdrops and a few benches. The sets were really constructed through the lighting design of Lap Chi Chu and the projection design of Jason H. Thompson. The latter was the star of the scenery, using images to establish the locale of each scene. It was, however, also the source of one of my complaints about the program: the fan on the projector was loud, distracting from the action on the stage and making the theatre far too warm. Maggie Morgan costumed the characters well, with clothing selections that echoed the character’s personality: Harriet frumpy and a bit stuck in the past; Jane uptight; Brian sloppy; Bia carefree and joyous; and Joel relaxed and calm. This was echoed in the movement of the characters as well, likely due to the work of Doriana Sanchez as movement consultant. The various dialects from dialect coach Joel Goldes were satisfactory: the Brazilian dialects were much stronger than the Boston ones. Casting was by Michael Donovan. The projection was under the stage management of Jill Gold, assisted by Hethyr Verhoef.

“The Night is a Child” continues at the Pasadena Playhouse through September 27.

Upcoming Theatre: We’re in the last quarter of the year, and we’re coming down the home stretch for 2009 theatre. Next Saturday night we’re seeing “Sherlock Holmes’ The Hound of the Baskervilles” at REP East Playhouse. That will be followed on Monday 10/5 with the next installment of “Steve Allen’s Meeting of Minds” (Episode 3: Marie Antoinette, Karl Marx, U.S. Grant, and Thomas More) at the Steve Allen Theatre (ticket info). No theatre is currently scheduled for the weekend of 10/10, but I’m open to suggestions. Sunday 10/18 we’re seeing the Donmar workshop version of “Parade” at the Mark Taper Forum, and the month of October closes with “Guys and Dolls” at Cabrillo Music Theatre. Halloween weekend is currently open. The following weekend is currently blocked off for “A Day Out With Thomas” at Orange Empire Railway Museum. The following weekend Erin is going to the TMBG concert at UCLA, while we will attending Havdalah with Peter Yarrow at the American Jewish University. The weekend of 11/21 I’m holding open for “M*A*S*H” at REP East Playhouse, although I haven’t confirmed the particulars with Mikee yet. Thanksgiving weekend is currently open; however, it might be taking by a shift of our production for the following weekend (“Baby Its You” at the Pasadena Playhouse), due to the fact I head out on 12/6 for ACSAC in Hawaii. The rest of December is currently open, but I know that sometime in December I’ll be attempting to ticket “Mary Poppins” at the Ahmanson. There will also likely be additional episodes of “Meeting of Minds”. As always, I’m looking for suggestions for good shows to see, especially if they are on Goldstar or LA Stage Tix.

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Television Reviews: Modern Family, Cougertown, The Jay Leno Show

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Last night, I didn’t feel like futzing around on the Internet, so I watched the premieres of the new situation comedies on ABC. These have been hailed as saviours of the sitcom form, a return to the sitcoms of yore. That they are not. All morning these reviews have been brewing in my head, so I figured I’d take time at lunch to share with you my impressions:

Modern Family, which stars Ed O’Neill and a bunch of folks I didn’t recognizes, uses the documentary style that I detest. At least it doesn’t keep shaking the camera for effect, as other fake documentaries do, but it has periodic interviews with the characters. The premise appears to be to present three families that someone should relate to: a “normal” family of a mother, father, and three cute but annoying children; an older man married to a much younger woman with a son from a previous marriage; and two gay men adopting a Vietnamese baby. The kicker is that they are all related somehow. The problem with this show is it fell to rapidly into cliches: the old man can’t get up, the mother is overprotective of her daughter, the dad wants to be friends with the kids and thus can’t be an effective parent, one of the gay men loves overdrawn scenes and is slightly effeminate. As such, it was rarely laugh-out-loud funny (the current bests for laugh-out-loud funny are Big Bang Theory, Two-and-a-Half Men, and occasionally, How I Met Your Mother). Although the premise could be workable, the writing needs significant improvement for this to survive. However, I do have to say that at least the humor didn’t drop to the level of the crude.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Cougertown, which stars Courtney Cox as a 40-year old divorcee and single-mom looking for a man, while her ex-husband, who seemingly lives two doors down, gets as many young babes as he wants. Supposedly, this is a comedy that today’s older viewers should relate to, but in reality is a view of a pathetic divorcee on the prowl. Hasn’t that already been mined to death in The New Adventures of Old Christine? This episode started with Cox stepping out of her shower and examining her wrinkles, the flab of her belly, and her otherwise sagging body. Not a good start. It also featured an assistant who put up signs advertising Cox’s clevage that jr. high boys supposedly stole to lust over, her bringing a man home from a bar on the first date, having sex three times, and then giving him a BJ while her son walks in on them… well, you get the idea. Now, I’m not a prude by any means, but I don’t find this funny, nor do I find it appropriate for a supposed family comedy. Pathetic is really the word, but I’m so drawn to this train wreck I might just watch it next week to see if it gets worse. Again, the fault is bad writing – a writing team raised on the crude only recognizes the crude as funny.

Speaking of funny, I’d like to talk about one more show: The Jay Leno Show. I’ve actually watched this every night it has been on — it is wonderful to go to sleep to. Perhaps that is a joke NBC should use. Anyway, again the premise for this is reasonable: a low-cost funny show using known talent. The problem, again, is the writing. The quality of Jay’s writing team has gone down since his Tonight Show days (which raises Writers Strike questions, as he claimed he was writing his material then, and it was funny… it isn’t now). The monologue isn’t funny, and is striking me as mean and derogatory. I have no problem with him making fun of the administration, but the humor seems to be something I’d see on Fox News these days. It is also a lot cruder… even cruder than he was during his 11:30p stint. That’s a problem for middle-america acceptance. I understand his ratings have gone way down from the first week, and I think the monologue is a main reason. NBC will probably stick with him for a few months, simply because the show is so cheap to produce and they would have to pay his contract anyway… but if his writing team does not improve, I’ll go back to watching the news.

On the plus side, at least the new season of Heroes seems to be starting off well…

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