Tag: reviews-2009

Today’s Installment: “Your ‘Memory’ Is False” or “A Cat House of Good Repute”

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

This afternoon we went to the the last production in the Cabrillo Music Theatre 2008-2009 season, “Cats”. Now, before you start harping on Andrew Lloyd Webber or Cats, let me remind you that your bias is likely based on all the ALW parodies you have seen of either “Cats”, “Phantom”, “Evita”, or “Jesus Christ Superstar”. Those are parodies — not the original productions, and in many cases there are reasons those productions were successful. I should also note that I have seen “Cats” before — many years ago when the original production played the no-longer-existant Shubert Theatre in Century City.

Anyway, back to today’s show… Today we saw “Cats”, but don’t go thinking of “Cats” as a musical. “Cats” is a collection of modern dances set to musicalized poems by T. S. Eliot (“Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats”) [with a few additional lyrics by Sir Trevor Nunn, Richard Stilgoe, and music by Sir Andrew Lloyd-Webber], which have been arranged to provide a very weak thread of connection about selecting a cat to ascend to heaven. This thread is as weak as the connection between songs in musical revues such as “Ain’t Misbehavin’” or “Smokey Joes Cafe”, so if you come looking for plot, as Bob Fosse said at the introduction of his musical “Dancin’” (paraphrased from memory): “Don’t go looking for the plot; this is about the dancing”. If you go into “Cats” viewing it as a dance production set to pleasant music, you’ll be quite happy.

Cabrillo’s production was about the dance. The director/choreographer Dana Solimando, assisted by Billy Johnstone, assembled a remarkable clowder of actors (“clowder” is the group noun for cats) who were strong singers and dancers, and their performances made the show. They were delightful to watch, especially when you would take time to watch the ones in the background, who would have very catlike movements. By the way, it is difficult to tell the cats apart, even with a program. The wiki-page helps. I’ll also note, with respect to the dancing, that one gets a very different perspective depending on where you sit. We sit in the top balcony with binoculars, and thus our focus is much more on the overall image of the ensemble dance, with occasional focus on faces — a very different view than one in the orchestra. Perhaps this is why folks attend multiple times: so you can watch different cat characters from different positions.

As I noted, Cabrillo’s production had remarkably strong dancers, and with one exception, remarkably strong singers. Let me single out a few of our favorites before enumerating the rest of the clowder (boy, I like that word). My personal favorite was Catherine Ricafort as Rumpleteazer, the female half of Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer. She was a delight to watch in her dance and cat movements, and a strong singer with a really expressive face. Now, add to that the fact she is an Industrial and Systems Engineering grad from USC (minor in Musical Theatre), and, well, color me impressed. All the family was impressed with Jo Patrickæ as Mr. Mistoffelees (“The Conjuring Cat”): he was an incredible dancer, doing continual piroettes with leg extensions without travelling. Other notable dancers/singers were Angela Jean as Victoria (the all-white cat who begins the Jellical Ball with her solo dance; Michael Hunter as Rum Tum Tugger, Daniel Smith as Munkustrap (the second-in-command to Old Deuteronomy). In terms of operatic voices, Will Northæ was wonderful as Growltiger in the opera, in addition to his performance as Gus (the Theatre cat) and Bustopher Jones. Jimmer Bolden was a strong Old Deuteronomy (which is more of a singing than dancing role), and Melissa Lyonsæ (the singing voice of Barbie) was remarkable as Grizabella, who gets the hit number “Memory”. About the only weakness was the other singer of that song, Bety Le as Sillabub: her dancing was good, but her voice was a bit too light for the song.

The remainder of the clowder were all great dancers and singers, as well as capturing the cat personas, but they didn’t quite stand out as much. These included Jessica Bernard (Jellylorum/Griddlebone), Ashley Cowl (Demeter), Jamie Joseph (Alonzo), Jupinko (Cassandra), Patrick Loyd (Bill Bailey), Andrew Pearson (Pouncival), Bebby Perino (Plato/Macavity), Colette Peters (Jennyanydots), Anna Schnaitter (Bombalurina), Matthew Dean Stewart (Skimbleshanks), Kelly Tatro (Coricopat), Andrea Taylor (Tantomile), and Estevan Valdes (Mungojerrie/Genghis). Not on stage, but singing in the pit were Chris Dane, Erin Fagundes, John Gaston, Mona King, James W. Lynch, Daniel Rosales, Jessica Stoll, and Katie Young.
[æ denotes members of æ Actors Equity ]

Normally with “Cats” one thing that hits you when you walk into the auditorium is the set. I still have memories of walking into the Century City Shubert and seeing this junkyard set surrounding all of the orchestra seats. The set designer (formally uncredited, but the scenery was provided by the Fullerton CLO and designed by Peter Barbieri, Jr.) didn’t quite have that freedom in the Kavli, but did a remarkable job of creating a functional junkyard set in the space available. Even more remarkable was the work of the Jean-Yves Tessier as the lighting designer. Normally, the lighting design is reasonably conventional, with overuse of spots. But this time Tessier did a remarkable jobs, combining LED lighting in the junk, lights on the stage itself, moving lights with gobos, moving spots on stage… and when the conventional spots were used they were more tightly focused than usual and had softer edges. This lighting design truly contributed to the excellent quality of this production. The sound, by Cabrillo regular Jonathan Burke, was good and clear (there was only one pop) all the way up in the balcony. The costumes (wardrobe design by Christine Gibson, costumes from Stage West Costumes based on the London and Broadway versions) were suitably catlike, and the makeup by Rachel Samuels with wigs by Jacqueline Ruge was excellent. The production manager/prop designer was T. Theresa Scarano, and Darrell J. Clark was technical director. The ever capable and ever delightful Lindsay Martens (youarebonfante) was the Production Stage Manager (and we thank her for visiting with us after the show), assisted by Allie Roy and Emilee Wamble.

The orchestra for “Cats” was excellent, and was under the musical direction of Ilana Eden. It consisted of 16 players, and included flute, tenor sax, soprano sax, clarinet, baritone sax, english horn, oboe, trumpets, piccolo trumpets, flugelhorn, trombone, cello, guitars, electric bass, drums, and multiple keyboards. Kudos go to Darryl Tanikawa and Tanikawa Artists for producing such a great orchestra.

The last performance of “Cats” at Cabrillo Music Theatre is Sunday, August 2. Tickets should be available at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza box office or via Ticketmaster. They may be on Goldstar; I haven’t checked.

I should note that Cabrillo did an interesting partnership this production: profits from the sale of merchandise went to a local animal rescue program, and there was an active pet adoption program going on before the show.

At the performance, Lewis Wilkenfeld, artistic director of Cabrillo, announced the 2009-2010 season of productions (which are all locally produced productions, not tours): “Guys and Dolls”, “The Andrews Brothers”, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”, and “Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella” (and an option for the Christmas show, “White Christmas”). I should note that their prices are very good, including two-for-one balcony tickets: $100 for two tickets to four shows on a Saturday night. You can’t beat that.

Upcoming Theatre: We still have one more show this weekend: “Guys and Dolls” in concert at 8:30pm tomorrow night at the Hollywood Bowl. The cast is steller, featuring Jessica Biel (Sarah Brown), Scott Bakula (Nathan Detroit), Beau Bridges (Arvide Abernathy), Ellen Greene (Miss Adelaide), Brian Stokes Mitchell (Sky Masterson), Ken Page (Nicely-Nicely Johnson), Jason Graae (Benny Southstreet), and Danny Stiles (Rusty Charlie). August 8 brings us back to the Pasadena Playhouse for the musical “Crowns”. We go on vacation shortly after that, but while on vacation we’re seeing “Tinyard Hill” at TheatreWorks in Palo Alto on Sun 8/16 @ 7:30 (Goldstar). Sat 8/22 sees us back at the REP for “Beyond Therapy by Christopher Durang. August closes with the Hollywood Bowl on Saturday 8/29, where we are seeing Liza Minnelli. September brings the High Holy Days (Rosh Hashana is the evening of 9/18 and the morning of 9/19; Yom Kippur is the evening of 9/27 and the day of 9/28). The only theatre ticketed so far in September is “The Hound of the Baskervilles” at the REP on 9/25 @ 8pm. Concertwise, September brings Tom Paxton at McCabes on 9/13. October brings “The Night is a Child” at The Pasadena Playhouse on 10/3 @ 8pm and “Guys and Dolls” at Cabrillo Music Theatre on 10/24 @ 8pm, and should also bring “Parade” at the Mark Taper Forum (HotTix go on sale 9/3; the show runs 9/24 through 11/15). As a reminder, I’m also always looking for interesting productions on Goldstar and LA Stage Tix, so if you have a production to recommend, please do so.

Lastly, remember that a recent study showed that it isn’t possessions that are important — it is shared experiences. So go have one of the best shared experiences there is: go support your local live theatre, and help keep all the people who work at the theatre (from the cast to the technical staff) employed.

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“…nothing’s more determined than a cat on a hot tin roof”

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Last night was yet another night of the heat wave we’ve been having in the Valley. There were hot roofs, and I’m sure the occasional cat was on one. But last night we saw a different type of cat on a different type of roof. We left the valley for the cool of the Palos Verdes Pennisula, and in a beautiful little theatre overlooking the crashing waves, we saw the final performance of the Neighborhood Playhouse‘s production of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof“. The “cat” in the title refers not to a feline friend, but the female of our species, and as for the roof, that’s best explained by this interchange between two of the principle characters in the play:

Brick: Win what? What is the victory of a cat on a hot tin roof?
Maggie: Just staying on it, I guess. As long as she can.

“Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” is a Pulitzer-Prize winning play written by Tennessee Williams. It tells the story of a decaying southern family, the Pollitts. The family patriarch (“Big Daddy”) is dying, and his two children are scrambling to get their piece of the substantial wealth, including 28,000 acres of prime land. Well, his children (his two sons Brick and Gooper) aren’t scrambling, but their wives certainly are. They are going at it like, well, cats. In one corner we have Gooper and Mae, and their five (soon to be six) children, including Dixie, Trixie, and Polly. The children are misbehaved, Mae is scheming and gossiping, and Gooper is exploiting legal angles. However, Gooper and Mae have one significant problem: Big Daddy dislikes them intensely (and Big Daddy is a nasty man). In the other corner we have Brick and Maggie. Brick is, to be blunt, a drunk. He drinks and drinks until he feels the click, which takes him away from the world. He does this to escape the loss of his only true friend, Skipper, who drank himself to death after an affair with Maggie (the depth of the relationship is left unsaid, but there are clear implications of something that was unacceptable in 1955). He also drinks to escape Maggie — it is unclear whether he hates her, but he is clearly indifferent to her. Needless to say, they haven’t been having sex or even been civil to each other. Brick has been been rapidly sinking — as the story starts, he had just broken his ankle jumping hurdles while drunk. But Maggie, eager for the inheritence, has been putting on “the face”: there is nothing wrong, there is no drinking problem, and that there might even be a child on the way.

The central theme of this play is a family destroyed by, as Brick puts it, “mendacity”: in other words, this is a family is given to or characterized by deception or falsehood or divergence from absolute truth. In other words: they lie like dogs. Or is that cats? Anyway: Brink lies to Maggie. Maggie lies to Brick. Maggie lies to Big Daddy. Big Mama lies to Big Daddy. Everyone hides everything, unless, of course, it can be used to hurt. This, of course, means they are a typical American family :-), and perhaps this is why this play has resonated so well over the years to become a classic.

The Neighborhood Playhouse did a pretty good job with the play: they did their usual remarkable job of transforming the Church Fellowship Hall into a decying Southern plantation (kudos on the design go to Andrew Vonderschmitt and the team at Capricorn Design). In this plantation they dropped an amazing team of actors. As Maggie, Kathleen Earlyæ combines beauty with claws, turning on the pleasance on the surface that distracts you from the machinations and scheeming. She had a strong stage presence, and was very believable in the role. As Brick, her husband, Aaron Blakeæ had the movements and the anger down pat, but didn’t give off the aura of functioning alcoholic as much as I would have liked — his aura was more handsome and stupid than handsome, stupid, and drunk. Big Daddy, the main presence in Act II, was played very strongly by Michael Prohaskaæ — he came across as the plantation owner who gets what he wants in the way that he wants it, and was enjoying the power that his believed medical respite gave him (his family had told him the doctors report was clear and it was just a spastic colon). Rounding out the major characters were Mark A. Crossæ as Gooper, who came across as a believable dunderhead; Jennifer L. Davisæ as his pregnant wife Mae, who had the scheming down but moved far too easy for a woman that far along; and Nadya Starræ as Big Mama, Big Daddy’s wife who was estatic and relieved that Big Daddy was going to be well… until he wasn’t. All these characters were clawing for whatever they could get, but in a truly Southern way.

Rounding out the cast in relatively minor roles were Beverly Oliver and E. Fé as Sookey and Lacey, the house staff; Chris O’Connor as Doctor Baugh; Gordon Wellsæ as Reverent Tooker; and Hannah Kreiswirth, Rebecca Jester, and Rachelle Dale as Mae’s “no neck” children, Dixie, Trixie, and Polly. Most of these actors didn’t stand out strongly one way or the other (a good thing, given the smallness of the roles); however, Hannah just didn’t quite seem right in the role, but as the role is so small, it truly is a minor comment.
[æ denotes members of æ Actors Equity ]

On the technical side, I’ve already mentioned the excellent set by Vonderschmitt and his team. The costumes by Nancy Ling did a reasonable job of reflecting the 1950s south, although I was unsure about all the white suits (this wasn’t Miami). The hair design by Michael Aldapa was fine. The lighting design by Christopher Singleton was very naturalistic reflecting the effect of what the outside lighting would be (as Erin would note: lots of amber). There were no spots, scrollers, or moving lights, which worked well. The production was managed by Holly Baker-Kreiswirth (must be Hannah’s mother). Direction was by the artistic director of the Neighborhood Playhouse, Brady Schwind.

This was the last performance of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”.

Dining Notes: We drove down a bit early, and had dinner in this little shopping area near Pacific Coast Highway and P.V. Blvd. We ate at Casa Arigato, which had some very nice sushi (including steamed sushi, which we hadn’t seen before). My only comment was the could have been a bit clearer on the menu: I had a beef bowl, which turned out to have fresh mushrooms in it. These triggered some allergies and a bit of a headache. If we go back, I’ll order something different.

Upcoming Theatre: Next weekend is busy: Friday is an alumni Shabbat at Hilltop, and Saturday brings “Cats” at Cabrillo Music Theatre in Thousand Oaks (our last Saturday matinee before our tickets move to Saturday evening), … and Sunday bring “Guys and Dolls” in concert at 8:30pm at the Hollywood Bowl. August 8 brings us back to the Pasadena Playhouse for the musical “Crowns”. We go on vacation shortly after that, but while on vacation we’re seeing “Tinyard Hill” at TheatreWorks in Palo Alto on Sun 8/16 @ 7:30 (Goldstar). Sat 8/22 sees us back at the REP for “Beyond Therapy by Christopher Durang. August closes with the Hollywood Bowl on Saturday 8/29, where we are seeing Liza Minnelli. September brings the High Holy Days (Rosh Hashana is the evening of 9/18 and the morning of 9/19; Yom Kippur is the evening of 9/27 and the day of 9/28). The only theatre ticketed so far in September is “The Hound of the Baskervilles” at the REP on 9/25 @ 8pm. Concertwise, September brings Tom Paxton at McCabes on 9/13. October brings “The Night is a Child” at The Pasadena Playhouse on 10/3 @ 8pm and “Guys and Dolls” at Cabrillo Music Theatre on 10/24 @ 8pm, and should also bring “Parade” at the Mark Taper Forum (HotTix go on sale 9/3; the show runs 9/24 through 11/15). As a reminder, I’m also always looking for interesting productions on Goldstar and LA Stage Tix, so if you have a production to recommend, please do so.

Lastly, remember that a recent study showed that it isn’t possessions that are important — it is shared experiences. So go have one of the best shared experiences there is: go support your local live theatre, and help keep all the people who work at the theatre (from the cast to the technical staff) employed.

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But She Has Such a Pretty Face…

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

If I look back on my life so far, many of the women to whom I have been attracted have been large (and the few that haven’t all have had lovely long brown hair). Well, large is a euphemism. You might say chunky. You might say big-boned. You might say fubsy. Some might even say fat. But I never saw them that way: I saw them as joyful women who had curves, and who accepted themselves for who they were, and were happy in their skin. That happiness just oozes out and is contagious, and really doesn’t depend on size.

I mention this because last night we went out to the Repertory East Playhouse in Saugus (one of our favorite venues) to see Neil Labute‘s play “Fat Pig”. This is part of a series of plays Mr. Labute wrote that look at how society perceives beauty. Other plays include “The Shape of Things” (where an attractive woman makes over a nerdy museum security guard into a heartthrob who falls in love with her, and then reveals that he was just an art project and that she wanted to give him the illusion of love) and the recently closed “reasons to be pretty” (which deals with the reactions that result when a girls face is called “regular”). “Fat Pig” deals with our reactions to larger women in society — which are not pretty. It seems fat is one of the few acceptable characteristics that one can make fun of with impunity; in fact, it seems to be encouraged due to the concern about obesity in society. That behavior wasn’t right when its was done based on skin color or gender. It’s not right when we do it based on sexual orientation. It’s not right when we do it based on size.

“Fat Pig” tells the story of Helen (Joy Nash), a beautiful zaftig (see, another euphemism) woman who is comfortable in her skin and with her size, and who has a joyful personality that bubbles out and infects those around her. One of those is Tom (Shane Stevens), who meets Helen having lunch one day, and rapidly falls for her, not caring about her size. The problem: others do…. especially some coworkers: in particular Carter (Tyler Brooks), Tom’s smart ass friend who loves to ride Tom for whatever, especially the fat girl he is hiding from his friends, and Jeannie (Leslie Connellyæ), the girl Tom once dated. Both Carter and Jeannie keep riding Tom to learn more about the girlfriend he is hiding… and Tom keeps falling more for Helen… but in private. Once Carter and Jeannie discover Helen, they both start picking on Tom for it. Carter makes fun of Tom’s choice by spreading the picture around the office and gossiping about the fat pig he is dating. Jeanne is miffed that Tom dumped her: trading someone was slender for someone who was fat. (My wife put the reason for that best: some men would rather go out with someone who is fat and happy than a skinny bitch). However, as with many Neil Labute’s plays, happiness does not ensure: although Tom and Helen love each other, Tom eventually dumps her because he cannot deal with the pressure of society’s non-acceptance of a young handsome man dating a woman who doesn’t fit society’s definition of beauty (this is a feeling I know well: my mother never accepted my wife, primarily because my wife was larger than the woman she thought I should marry).

The topics raised by this play are good ones: the value of accepting oneself for who you are. The ways that societal pressure can shape the relationships we form, and sometimes lead us to not form relationships just because others view them as unacceptable or non-normative. If you have ever been not accepted by society, or falling in love with someone who isn’t the slender model type, you will understand this play and its power.

This play was superbly acted and performed, and the entire cast is worthy of note. I particularly enjoyed the performance of Joy Nash (tengogozo, blog): she was just so beautiful and joyful and bubbly and comfortable with herself that one couldn’t avoid falling in love with her character (and she turned out to be just as joyful in real life, when we talked to her after the show). Her personal joy just came out in her character. Shane Stevens captured Tom quite well: a milktoast of a man who cannot be honest with himself or his friends, and who isn’t confortable with his feelings or where they take him. Leslie Connelly played the skinny obsessive bitch to a “T”: you hate her character from the moment she starts ragging on Tom for dumping her, and you are scared of her as you see the depth of her obsession. Tyler Brooks gives Carter the perfect asshole air: the friend who is always in your office, making fun of your choices, and teasing you about whatever makes you happy in life — he gets joy from your misery. You remember the type: the asswipe who made your life a living hell in high school. These four (Joy, Shane, Leslie and Tyler) created the perfect ensemble for thise show.
[æ denotes members of æ Actors Equity ]

Turning to the technical: This production was directed by Ovington Michel Owston (assisted by Johnny Schwinn), who creatively uses the small REP space to provide multiple locales, and who did a great job of bringing out the characters in the actors. The sound was by REP-regular Steven “Nanook” Burkholder. Lighting was also by a REP-regular, Tim Christianson, who provided very naturalist lighting, and used a strip light (one of those long lights with three colors alternating) in quite a nice way (I should note that our daughter E volunteered at the REP and helped hang some of those lights). The print and video design was by Mikee Schwinn. The production was stage managed by Justin Larkins.

“Fat Pig” continues at the REP until June 25th. Discount tickets may still be available through Goldstar and LAStageTix, although they go fast. The REP is running a special for friends of season subscribers: Drop our name (Faigin) when you call the box office at 661-288-0000, let them know we recommended the show to you, and you can get half-price tickets!

Upcoming Theatre: Next week still isn’t booked: I’m still waiting for tickets to “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” at the Neighborhood Playhouse, in its last weekend, to show up on Goldstar. August 1st brings “Cats” at Cabrillo Music Theatre (our last Saturday matinee before our tickets move to Saturday evening); the following day brings “Guys and Dolls” in concert at 8:30pm at the Hollywood Bowl. August 8 brings us back to the Pasadena Playhouse for the musical “Crowns”. We go on vacation shortly after that, but we may very well see “Tinyard Hill” at TheatreWorks in Palo Alto on Sun 8/16 @ 7:30 as there are still Goldstar tickets. Sat 8/22 sees us back at the REP for “Beyond Therapy by Christopher Durang. August closes with the Hollywood Bowl on Saturday 8/29, where we are seeing Liza Minnelli. September brings the High Holy Days (Rosh Hashana is the evening of 9/18 and the morning of 9/19; Yom Kippur is the evening of 9/27 and the day of 9/28)–no theatre is currently ticketed for the month, although I’ve put in a request for “The Hound of the Baskervilles” at the REP on 9/25 @ 8pm. September does bring Tom Paxton at McCabes on 9/13. October brings “The Night is a Child” at The Pasadena Playhouse on 10/3 @ 8pm and “Guys and Dolls” at Cabrillo Music Theatre on 10/24 @ 8pm, and should also bring “Parade” at the Mark Taper Forum (HotTix go on sale 9/3; the show runs 9/24 through 11/15). As a reminder, I’m also always looking for interesting productions on Goldstar and LA Stage Tix, so if you have a production to recommend, please do so.

Lastly, remember that a recent study showed that it isn’t possessions that are important — it is shared experiences. So go have one of the best shared experiences there is: go support your local live theatre, and help keep all the people who work at the theatre (from the cast to the technical staff) employed.

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This Is The Show That Goes Like This

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Recently, I’ve been writing about and thinking about high school days. One group that was popular around this time in my circles was a comedy troupe known as Monty Python. Their BBC program (or should that be programme), Monty Python’s Flying Circus, was just hitting PBS in the US at that time, as was their movie, “Monty Python and the Holy Grail (“Monty Python’s Life of Brian” hit while I was in college). We watched those shows and those movies again and again. And again. And again. And again. Eventually we got so we could recite the jokes and scenes in our sleep. You could just say, “the dead parrot sketch”, and folks would know what you meant.

I note this all as background, because today we went to go see “Monty Python’s Spamalot” at the Ahmanson Theatre. As the cover states, Spamalot is “lovingly ripped off” from “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” with the nibbly bits of “Life of Brian” tossed in. The show features book and lyrics by Eric Idle, and music by Eric Idle and John DuPrez, based on a screenplay by Monty Python. The story is roughly that of “Holy Grail”: Arthur gathers his knights together and goes looking for the Grail. You can find a full synopsis in the Wikipedia entry, but suffice it to say that all the favorite and expected Python bits are there: killer bunnies, cow catapults, farting French, gay jokes, cocoanuts, arguments about swallows, the Black Knight, etc. There are also other bits thrown in that are various parodies of the musical theatre biz, from the ethnicity of successful show producers, to parodies of numerous shows and composers. In the end, everyone finds their grails, and the show ends with a group sing-along.

Therein lies the success of the show, and theirin lies the problems. If one is a neophyte to Monty Python, the recycled bits are likely uproareously funny. If one is a rabid Python fanboy or fangirl, the bits are mandatory… and uproareously funny. If you are someone familiar with Python and to whom repeated humor become less laugh-out-loud the more often you hear the joke, the Python bits become checkmarks on a page. However, this is not to say the show isn’t funny: what saves the show is the new material. Although some is weak (the whole notion of Laker Girls as the cheering squad for the Lady of the Lake, the eventual Queen Gueneviere), some of it is spot-on, in particular, “The Song That Goes Like This” (which is a Phantom of the Opera parody), “You Won’t Succeed on Broadway” (which is a parody of “Fiddler”, and arguably a parody of every Mel Brooks musical), and “I’m All Alone”. Other songs, although drawn from the Python canon, are very well executed and enjoyable, in particular “I Am Not Dead Yet” and “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”. Our production had an extremely cute topical number inserted about Sarah Palin to the tune of Frère Jacques. I also enjoyed Patsy’s line near the end, but I won’t give it away. So overall the show is enjoyable, and you walk away humming tunes. I guess that’s the meaning of success… even without Jews.

While I’m still on the subject of the story and presentation, I should also note that I don’t believe this is a show that will have a long future of revivals. I’m not sure the Python-bits are that timeless, and the parodies of other shows will become less funny as time goes on. Rarely do you see the topical humorous reviews such as “New Faces of 1952” or “Parade: A Musical Review” (the one by Jerry Herman) revived, no matter how good the material. Combine that with some of the unique technical projection requirements of this show (which cuts out the high school half life)… and my conclusion is that you should see this tour now. I’m not sure we’ll be seeing it in 2020 (whereas we might see “The Producers”).

Acting-wise, this is the National Touring Company, and is thus a well-oiled acting and dancing machine. Special kudos go to the leads: John O’Hurley as King Arthur, Merle Dandridge as The Lady of the Lake, Jeff Dumas as Patsy, and especially the conductor, Ben Whiteley, who was a very good sport for all the interaction they added to his normally hidden role. Others in the cast, who all performed admirably, were James Beaman (Sir Robin, Guard 1, Brother Maynard); Ben Davis (Sir Dennis Galahad, The Black Knight, Prince Herbert’s Father); Christopher Gurr [who I must note is the first actor to give his twitter feed in the program] (Dennis’s Mother, Ser Bedevere, Concorde); Rick Holmes (Sir Lancelot, The French Taunter, Knight of Ni, Tim the Enchanter); Christopher Sutton (Historian, Not Dead Fred, French Guard, Minstrel, Prince Herbert), Matt Allen (Nun, Killer Rabbi Ensemble); Timothy Connell (Ensemble); Lenny Daniel (Monk, French Guard, Ensemble); Erik Hayden (Sir Not Appearing; Ensemble); Alexa Glover (Ensemble); David Havasi (French Guard, Minstrel, Ensemble); Carissa Lopez (Ensemble); Jennifer Mathie (Ensemble); Tera-Lee Pollin (Ensemble); Darryl Semira (Minstrel, Sir Bors, Ensemble); Vanessa Sonon (Ensemble); Steven Wenslawski (Monk); and Paula Wise (Minstrel, Ensemble). As one can see this is a compact touring cast: players play multiple roles with aplomb.
[All actors are members of æ Actors Equity ]

Turning to the technical side. The production was well directed by Mike Nichols, with choreography by Casey Nicholaw. The sets and costumes (designed by Tim Hatley) are appropriately Python-esque, intentionally non-realistic or humerous at times (such as the bottle dance scene). The lighting by Hugh Vanstone created the necessary mood, but didn’t make me stand up and be amazed, although the projection design by Elaine J. McCarthy was quite good (especially the intermission graphics). These projected graphics were very much in the spirit of Flying Circus. The sound design by Acme Sound Partners was weak: perhaps it was the Ahmanson or the tour, but the sound was muddied and it was difficult to make out the actors clearly. The special effects by Gergory Meeh were very good: I particular enjoyed the chandelier, the conversion of the Black Night, and the hand grenade. Wigs and hair were by David Brian Brown, with makeup by Joseph A. Campayno. The magic consultant (wouldn’t you love that title) was Marshall Magoon. On the music side, musical supervision was by Todd Ellison, with orchestrations by Larry Hochman, music arrangements by Glen Kelly, and music coordination by Michael Keller. The orchestra was conducted by Ben Whitely (who had to put up with a lot), and was reasonably large for the pit size: two keyboard players (tour), with a local group consisting of two woodwinds, a french horn, two trumpets, a trombone, percussion, a third keyboard, guitar, bass, drums, and a violin. The production stage manager was Kenneth J. Davis.

“Spamalot” continues at the Ahmanson until 9/2. Based on the audience we had, you should still be able to get tickets: if not Hottix, then student rush tickets (a large portion of both the mezzanine and balcony were empty, and you could see their fill patterns and where the price line changes). I’d recommend seeing it — I’m not sure this will be a regular tour once it is gone. There are some special $49/seat offers (limited days, mention code GRAIL), there may be $20 HotTix available, and rush tickets should be available).

At the show, the Ahmanson handed out their program for the remainder of the season. In this economy, they are playing it safe with all tours: “August: Osage County” (9/8 – 10/18/2009); “Mary Poppins” (11/13/2009 – 1/10/2010); “Dreamgirls” (2/24 – 4/4/2010), and “South Pacific” (6/29-8/22/2010). I’ll probably see a bunch of these, but I’ll do HotTix. It’s not that adventurous a season, but I can understand why they won’t risk a new musical, given the number of seats they have to fill. I’ll note that the economy also shows in their new payment option: you can now get season tickets with a two-part credit card payment. Translation: the theatre is hurting — more than ever, you need to support it by attending a show.

Dining Notes: We took advantage of the Sunday morning to do a dim-sum run to Empress Pavillion. Yum.

Upcoming Theatre: We’re doing our part of support local theatre: we attend regularly! Next weekend will find us in Saugus, where on Saturday July 18 @ 8pm we’re seeing Neal LaBute’s “Fat Pig” at Repertory East Playhouse (drop our name when you call the box office at 661-288-0000, and you can get half-price tickets!). July 25/26 is currently open, although waiting for tickets to “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” at the Neighborhood Playhouse, in its last weekend, to show up on Goldstar. August 1st brings “Cats” at Cabrillo Music Theatre (our last Saturday matinee before our tickets move to Saturday evening); the following day brings “Guys and Dolls” in concert at 8:30pm at the Hollywood Bowl. August 8 brings us back to the Pasadena Playhouse for the musical “Crowns”. We have some vacation after that, but Saturday 8/29 finds us again at the Hollywood Bowl to see Liza Minnelli. Upcoming shows will also include “Hound of the Baskervilles” at Rep East, “Parade” at the Mark Taper Forum, “M*A*S*H” at Rep East, and productions at the Pasadena Playhouse and Cabrillo Music Theatre, as well as the Tom Paxton concert at McCabes. As a reminder, I’m also always looking for interesting productions on Goldstar and LA Stage Tix, so if you have a production to recommend, please do so.

Lastly, remember that a recent study showed that it isn’t possessions that are important — it is shared experiences. So go have one of the best shared experiences there is: go support your local live theatre, and help keep all the people who work at the theatre (from the cast to the technical staff) employed.

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A Touching and Uplifting Journey

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

We’re a theatrical house. We go to much more live theatre than filmed cinema. Right now, we’ve doubled our film count from last year, taking advantage of the 4th of July weekend to finally go see “Up.” Wow. I’m touched. I’m impressed. I’m uplifted.

For those who haven’t taken the time to read reviews or search the web, you can find a summary of the story from Wikipedia. If even that is too much trouble, “Up” basically tells the story of the life of Carl Fredrickson: how he meets and falls in love with the little girl adventurer Ellie; how they grow together and how he promises that one day they will go to Paradise Falls; how life intrudes, and she dies before reaching there; how Carl fulfills that promise… and goes on an adventure of his own… and finds a new lease on life. During that adventure, Carl meets and learns to care for Russell, a Wilderness Scout earning his merit badge for helping the elderly. Assisted by the talking-dog Dug and the bird Kevin, they battle the adventurer Charles Muntz, the man responsible for inspiring the young Carl and Ellie… and the man who would be responsible for Carl breaking a promise.

Normally, I’d start off a film review by commenting on the cinematography — something I’ve grown to notice when I see a film because I’m so used to theatre. Guess what? I didn’t notice the cinematography or the camera angles in “Up”. That’s a good thing: it means the story overtook the artifice that film creates. Actually, I should take that back: it means the camera angles and positioning were so well chosen they served to enhance the story silently, rather than calling attention to themselves. That’s what good sound design does in the theatre, and that’s what proper cinematography does in film.

“Up” reflects the maturation of Pixar as a studio. Their first foreys were clearly children’s films: Toy Story, A Bugs Life, Monsters Inc., The Incredibles. These were successful because Pixar learned early on that story is what makes a movie (something live theatre has learned: music can’t save a show with a bad book). The stories that Pixar tells over time have become richer and deeper. In “Up”, Pixar tells what I believe is their most touching and most adult story: it is a story of what age does to a person, and what keeps a person going. At its heart, “Up” is a story about Love.

Nowhere is that seen better than in the opening sequence: the almost 10 minute segment where the life of Carl and Elle is told wordlessly. Yes, Wall-E was wordless, but this is a much more touching wordlessness. Kids may not realize what they are seeing, but adults will see their first romance and its playfullness. They will see how love forms and matures into a relationship. They will see how that relationship deepens to the point where words are not necessary, and how the bonds with one’s lover can transcend their death. We can see why Carl does what he does: the unthinking attack on the mailbox is an attack on the relationship, and how moving the house to Paradise Falls allows Carl to keep Ellie alive for him, to share the adventure. We also see how Carl moves Ellie’s spirit to Russell, and how that rejuvination of spirit rejuvinates Carl. If you can keep your eyes dry through this movie, you’re better than I. I truly believe the depth of the acting and the emotions conjured up by the animators would make this a worthy Best Picture candidate.

Pixar excels at characterization, and nowhere is it demonstrated better than this movie. In addition to the touching characterization of Carl (voiced by Ed Asner, the personification of grouchy (and when, oh when, will they release Lou Grant on DVD)), we have the eagerness and naivete of Russell (voiced by newcomer Jordan Nagai). But Russell isn’t just the eager scout — we learn the reason for that eagerness in pieces over the movie: it is Russell’s quest for approval from a father figure. Dug, the dog (voiced by Bob Peterson), captures a dog’s eagerness to please… and their ADHD (both the words “Squirrel” and “Ball” have new meanings). We see wonderful wordless characterization of Kevin, the tropical bird. About the only characture in the picture is Charles F. Muntz (voiced by Christopher Plummer): we know the surface reason for his maniacal desire to capture the bird, but not the real reason why he feels it is acceptable to disappear for a lifetime to go after it.

Surprisingly, I think “Up” would be a great product for Disney to musicalize. There is so much emotion in this film it cries out to be expressed in music. The scenery wouldn’t be that hard to realize, and the story would be timeless. This could be the first Pixar-to-Broadway transition. Disney Theatricals, can you hear me?

As with any Pixar film, there are also the small moments that delight. There’s the mailbox. The chairs for Carl and Emma. The knocks at the doors. John Ratzenberger having a small voice part (he’s been in every Pixar movie, it seems). There are the animation wonders: the clouds, Carl’s beard, the broken plates, the balloons. This is just a remarkable and touching film. Go see it. It will raise you up.

“Up” was preceded by a Pixar short: “Partly Cloudy”, a cute little piece about clouds making babies of various types, and delivering them by stork. It was imaginative, but predictibly episodic.

As for the previews we had:

  • G-Force. Tells the story of a guinea pig spy team put out to pasture in a pet story. Lots of poop jokes. Kids may like it, but I think it is too slight for adult. Then again, look at the business “Transformers” is doing.
  • Paper Heart. This looks to be a touching movie about a girl who doesn’t know what love is… finding love under the cameras. It has that independent feel, and might be worth seeing.
  • Shorts. A movie about kids, imagination, and wishing. I might watch it on Showtime, but the preview didn’t draw me in.
  • Fame. From the first notes, I was taken back to when I saw the original Fame in 1980. Seems to be roughly the same story, with updated music. I’ll remember the name.
  • The Princess and the Frog. Disney’s forey back into what looks like hand-drawn animation (but likely isn’t) — a welcome change if done right from the computer drawn stuff. This is also Disney’s first black princess. What will make or break this production is the story and the music: if the story is great and the music is integrated, it will succeed. If the music is background and the story exists to market the characters, it will fail. I’m encouraged by the trailer, but want to see the reviews first.

Upcoming Movies

This year is bringing a surfeit of interesting movies, so we may end up needing a full hand to count what we will be seeing. Our next cinematic trip will be for the new Harry Potter movie (opens 7/15).There are also two musicals of interest: the musical remake of Nine (opens 11/25), and the remaking of Fame (opens 9/25). Although I expect “The Princess and the Frog” (opens 12/11) to be good, I doubt we’ll see it in theatres unless it is our Christmas Day movie. Lastly, there’s a new biopic out on “The Boys: The Sherman Brothers Story” (opened 5/22) (Disney’s well-known composer lyricists) that looks interesting, but we’ll probably catch that on the pay channels.

Coming next week: On Sunday, we’re off to Finland the Ahmanson to see “Spamalot”. Until then, as they say, the balcony is closed.

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A Musical Sampling That Was Quite Filling

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

This afternoon I was feeling a bit better (all the coughing seems to be gone, and I have a bit more energy back), and so joined the rest of the family for the “Mini Musical Fest” at the Secret Rose Theatre in North Hollywood. I made it through allright, although I’ve got a slight headache, which I attribute to the heat and the high pressure system (it was about 100°F in NoHo; it’s hotter outside here). But you’re not reading this post for that information… you want to know about the show.

The “Mini Musical Fest” was a series of six short musicals, each between 10 to 15 minutes, mostly with distinct casts, directors, composers, lyricists, tech crews, etc. I think there was one actress overlap and one lyricist overlap. It was an interesting way to do a program, and I was suprised at the depth in some of the productions. In general, there were minimal sets and costumes, and there was a shared standard set of lighting. In many ways, it was like one of those sampling buffets: you got to see whose work you liked and whose you didn’t, and weren’t stuck in a 3 hour production that was interminable. Luckily, most of these mini-musicals were quite good, and the weakest of the bunch only dropped to the good level. All productions were produced by Mike Rademaekers.

Musical The First: The Red Bouquet. This musical told the story of what appeared to be a former couple (Daniel and Alice) in a restaurant. After some casual discussion where the Claude the waiter (Kelly J. Roberts) keeps interrupting (and Daniel (Trevor Lissauer) assumes he is gay), they have a fight and he leaves, leaving Alice (Julia Gregory) to realize she only has one reliable thing: nothing. This was reasonably interesting and showed some emotional depth. Only Lissauer and Gregory sang, and they had quite nice voices. The story has music, book, and lyrics by Joshua Fardon, and was directed by Wynn Marlow.

Musical The Second: Change of Plans. This very enjoyable musical told the story of Jimmy (Jordan T. Maxwell), a former enterpreneur, who is about to move in with his girlfriend, Katherine (Kristin Chiles) and go to work for her father. While packing his old place, he discovers his old college journal, and through a series of scenes with his friend, Ethan (Ross Merrick), rediscovers what he wants out of life. I really enjoyed this mini-musical — the acting and the singing was great, and the story was touching and funny. This musical featured music, book, and lyrics by Michael Gordon Shapiro. The costumes and scenery were designed by Elicia Woerle. It was directed by Derrel Maury, and was co-produced by Kevin Elliot.

Musical The Third: More Precious Than Diamonds. This musical told the story of a Julie (Fay Gauthier), who by her 40th birthday had given up on ever finding a man who would put a ring on her finger. So she goes with her friend, Michelle (Deborah Ping) to Tiffany’s to buy herself a ring. Of course, the salesman (Marco Antonio Aguilar) who shows her an $88,900 ring falls for her, while the security guard (Steve Walby) watches on. This was a cute and funny musical, and the two leads were very engaging and sang quite well. This musical was written by Stephanie Hutchinson, and directed by Jonathan Levit. Steve Walby also served as stage manager.

Musical The Fourth: The Queen and the Dragon. This was less a musical and more a mini-opera. It takes place in ancient greek times, and tells the story of Queen Cassandra (Christina Linton), who has just reached her age of majority and has been annointed by Hera (Deborah Dey). She can now choose her suitor, and she wants Adon (DeReau K. Farrar). But Adon loves another… Jason (Miguel Vargas), Hera’s son. The law prohibits such unions, unless Cassandra changes the law. Cassandra, not knowing that, directs Zeno (Paul Wong) to create a love potion, which requires obtaining the blood of the Red Dragon, which usually ends up fatal for the person sent. This was a quite well sung and acted mini-opera, and most of the singers were quite strong (Linton, while beautiful, could have been a bit stronger). Of course, its story was timely and went in the direction one would predict, but that wasn’t a problem. The mini-opera featued a libretto by Jan Michael Alejandro and Jonathan Price, with music by Jonathan Price. Musical direction was by Gordon Glor. The production was directed by Kirk Smith.

Musical The Fifth: Something Not Real. This tells the story of two couples (Bill (Dan Wingard) and Mary (Julia Gregory), and Frank (Dan Wiley) and Annie (Rebecca Larsen) [or it could have been Bill & Annie and Frank & Mary]). The men, who were brothers, seem to be going through problematic times. One is out of work. When a former co-worker, Dickey (Derek Houck) arrives, trouble ensues. I found this the weakest of the stories: not due to the acting or the music, which was fine, but due to the muddled story that left me confused as to what was going on. This musical also had music, book and lyrics by Joshua Fardon and was directed by Wynn Marlow — the same as the first musical.

Musical the Sixth: Myjovi El Musical. This musical tells the story of Carlos Carlos (Christopher Showerman), inventor of the MyJovi energy drink. While celebrating his birthday with his girlfriend Jovina (Christina Jones) and the employees of MyJovi (Patrizia Medrano, Aisha Renee or Abby Bollenbacher (the program wasn’t clear which one we had at this performance), and Lisa Vachon, who had multiple chorus roles) and while receiving an award from the Mayor of East LA (Carla Marie), he receives a cease and desist order. This order comes from the shyster Kir Du Soleil (Ian Federgreen) on behalf of the singer Ben Jovi (Jeff van Hoy). In two mini-acts, we see how Carlos recovers the right to produce his drink. In some ways, they saved the best for last: this had an enjoyable and strong chorus, innovative sets, audience interaction, and strong and charismatic leads… and some silliness. I enjoyed it quite a bit. This musical featured music, book, and lyrics by Jan Michael Alejandro, with choreography by Jebbel Arce. It was directed by Rachel Myles.

The “Mini Musical Fest” continues at the Secret Rose Theatre through July 5. Tickets are available online through Brown Paper Tickets or through Goldstar Events.

Upcoming Theatre: We have no theatre over July 4th weekend, although we may go see “Up”. Sunday, July 12 @ 1pm we’re off to Finland the Ahmanson to see “Spamalot”. Saturday July 18 @ 8pm is “Fat Pig” at Repertory East Playhouse. July 25/26 is currently open, although I’m considering “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” at the Neighborhood Playhouse, in its last weekend. August 1st brings “Cats” at Cabrillo Music Theatre (our last Saturday matinee before our tickets move to Saturday evening), and then we rush to Chatsworth to catch the bus to the Hollywood Bowl to see the 8:30pm performance of the “Guys and Dolls” concert. August 8 brings us back to the Pasadena Playhouse for the musical “Crowns”. We have some vacation after that, but Saturday 8/29 finds us again at the Hollywood Bowl to see Liza Minnelli. As a reminder, I’m also always looking for interesting productions on Goldstar and LA Stage Tix, so if you have a production to recommend, please do so.

Lastly, remember that a recent study showed that it isn’t possessions that are important — it is shared experiences. So go have one of the best shared experiences there is: go support your local live theatre, and help keep all the people who work at the theatre (from the cast to the technical staff) employed.

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Creatively Insane

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

As a Father’s Day afternoon treat, the family made this a double-theatre weekend and took in the second performance of a new musical, “Insanity”, at the North Hollywood Arts Center. “Insanity” (music and lyrics by Scott DeTurk, book and additional lyrics by James J. Mellon, based on a concept by Larry Russo) primarily tells the story of Zarek Saxton, a director of slasher movies who is exasperating Ramsey Hawking, studio liasion, with the time he is taking on his current slasher pic, starring Katelyn Keenan. Zarek, you see, has this new vision for the picture, something that will “change the world”. One night, in New Orleans, after partaking in a psychedelic something, he is found naked and in a fetal position, talking strange. Sensing his opportunity to get Zarek off the movie due to an insanity clause in the contract, Zarek is shipped back to a vanity psych clinic in Malibu for a 72-hour psychiatric hold. Hawking presses the hospital psychiatrists (Dr. Megan Goodman and Dr. Hudson) to figure out a way to find him insane before the 72 hours are up. But this patient is a difficult one for Dr. Goodman, as it brings back memories of her crazy actor ex-husband, as well as her daughter who died at age 3 (these two facts come out slowly during the piece). While at the clinic, we see the interactions between Zarek and the other patients: Peter, Monica, Virginia, Raymond, Rex Reynolds, and Hughie. We also learn the real story behind Zarek’s state, courtesy of his brother, Matt. Will Zarek remain at the clinic past the 72 hour hold, or will his “Insanity” take him into a new creative direction… and what will be the effect of this experience on Dr. Goodman, who relates the experience, and her demons from the past?

The storytelling rough edges were remarkably few for the second performance of a new musical. It took a while to figure out the demons of Dr. Goodman (although they made sense as they came out), and as she told the story one began to wonder if this was really her story, or Zarek’s. As for the basis of the story itself, it was an interesting cross between “Next to Normal” and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, although with a very different ending. One might wonder, based on the ending, how much of the directorial staff in Hollywood is really sane… and if they are not, whether we could tell it. Along the way, we meet some very interesting characters: a gay young man who can’t come out to his unaccepting parents; an opera singer withdrawn into herself; a nympho-starlet fighting the demons in her head; an ex-Shakespearian actor; a man who thinks he is Jesus; and a man who believes he is carrying an alien baby. As Zarek sings, “You Couldn’t Write This Shit”, meaning the craziness life can bring you is weirder than anything a Hollywood writer can come up with.

The cast for this production was very strong. In the lead roles were Kevin Baileyæ as Zarek Saxton and Dana Melleræ as Megan Goodman. Both were strong singers and dancers, and I particularly enjoyed the contrast of the manic insanity of Bailey contrasted to the stoic scientist of Meller. Bob Morriseyæ, as Ramsey Hawking, was a good dancer but seemed to have trouble being heard — I don’t know if this was his projection or a technical problem with the opera (hanging) microphones. As Katelyn Keenan, the star, Sabrina Miller portrayed the appropriate air of bubblehead actress whose brains were mostly in her chest. The remaining hospital staff were Tara Lynn Orræ as Dr. Hudson and Curtis C.æ as Freddie, the Attendent (Curtis also played Ovacu, the Shaman). Lastly, Zarek’s straightlaced brother, Matt, was played by Jonathan Zenzæ.

Rounding out the cast were the patients in the clinic: Peter (Victor Warrenæ), who thought he was Jesus; Monica (Cat Davisæ), the nympho starlet; Virginia (Clarissa Park), the opera singer; Alex Robert Holmesæ, the homosexual; Rex Reynolds (Brad Blaisdellæ), the Shakespearian actor; and Hughie (Arthur Ross), who is an alien baby incubator. Of the patients, I particularly enjoyed Blaisdell and Davis, as well as Holmes. All gave realy interesting portrayals of their characters.
[æ denotes members of æ Actors Equity ]

Turning to the technical… the stage (design by Laura Fine Hawkes) was a multilevel structure, with simple props (by Janet Fontaine) that established the space: tables, chairs, cameras. Providing more location establishment were the costumes by Curtis Jackson: these clearly distinguished the sane from the patients and the doctors from the actors. The sound design by Jonathan Zenz was having problems: actors weren’t miced, but the opera mics weren’t picking things up clearly. The lighting design by Luke Moyer was remarkable in its use of projected images and colors; spotlights were done with moving lights and moving mirror lights, but the actors had difficulty coordinating with the programming. Hair and make-up were by Rique. The production stage manager was Karesa McElheny. Bobby Nafarrete served as musical director for the unseen band, and choreography was by Suzanne Carlton. The production was directed by James J. Mellon.

“Insanity” continues at the North Hollywood Arts Center until August 9, 2009. Tickets are available from the theatre. Discount tickets are available through Goldstar Events and LaStageTix.

Upcoming Theatre: The next two weekends are currently unscheduled, although I am exploring the Mini-Musical Festival at the Secret Rose Theatre. Sunday, July 12 @ 1pm brings “Spamalot” at the Ahmanson. Saturday July 18 @ 8pm is “Fat Pig” at Repertory East Playhouse. July 25/26 is currently open, although I’m considering “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” at the Neighborhood Playhouse, in its last weekend. August 1st brings “Cats” at Cabrillo Music Theatre (our last Saturday matinee before our tickets move to Saturday evening). Lastly, August 8 brings us back to the Pasadena Playhouse for the musical “Crowns”. Tuesday gf_guruilla plans to go to the Bowl to ticket the the “Guys and Dolls” concert at the Hollywood Bowl (7/31-8/2/09) and Liza Minelli at the Hollywood Bowl (8/28-8/29/09). Lastly, I’m also always looking for interesting productions on Goldstar and LA Stage Tix, so if you have a production to recommend, please do so.

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Do Not Stand Idly By When Observing The Greed Of Those Close To You…

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Last night, we went out to Pasadena to see the Pasadena Playhouse production of “The Little Foxes”. By we I refer to myself and nsshere, gf_guruilla having been felled by a headache a few hours earlier. It was a delightful father-daughter evening: my daughter is quite the remarkable young woman.

“The Little Foxes” was written by Lillian Hellman back in 1939. It is part of the Pasadena Playhouse’s season subtitled “Women: The Heart and Soul of the Theatre”. It takes places on an Alabama plantation around 1900. Wikipedia synopsizes the play as follows: The focus is on Southern aristocrat Regina Hubbard Giddens, who struggles for wealth and freedom within the confines of an early 20th century society where a father considered only sons as legal heirs. As a result, her avaricious brothers Benjamin and Oscar are independently wealthy, while she must rely upon her sickly husband Horace for financial support. Having married his much-maligned, alcoholic wife Birdie solely to acquire her family’s plantation and its cotton fields, Oscar now wants to join forces with Benjamin to construct a cotton mill. They approach their sister with their need for an additional $75,000 to invest in the project. Oscar initially proposes a marriage between his son Leo and Regina’s daughter Alexandra – first cousins – as a means of getting Horace’s money, but Horace and Alexandra are repulsed by the suggestion. When Regina asks Horace outright for the money, he refuses, so Leo is pressured into stealing Horace’s railroad bonds from the family business. In order to acquire a larger share in the mill from her brothers, Regina threatens to report the theft to the police. In retaliation, Horace says he will claim he gave Leo the bonds as a loan, thereby cutting Regina out of the deal completely. When he suffers a heart attack, she makes no effort to give him his medicine, and he dies, having tried to climb the stairs for the help of Regina’s maid, without anyone knowing his plan. Regina makes use of this in blackmailing her brothers. The price she ultimately pays for her evil is the loss of Alexandra’s love and respect. What is more, Benjamin suggests that he could, in turn, blackmail Regina, commenting it that he found it odd that her husband had died on the stairs.

One of the central focuses of the play is greed, and this is emphasized by the imagery in the Playhouse product, from the money-themed production logo, to the intense green of Regina’s dress. There is also an imagery of decay, both in the set (set in a southern mansion that had seen better days, and which was opened to the back to expose the decaying brick and foundations), as well as in the behavior of the principles, especially that of Birdie Hubbard, once a fine southern lady degenerated into alcoholism and escape. But the emphasis of the play, and one that remains timely today, is in the notion that just as it is wrong to be greedy and exploit others, it is equally wrong to silently let others do it as well. In this case, it is the greed of the Hubbard siblings: Ben, Oscar, and Regina. It is seen in their desire for money, their desire for things, and their desire to exploit others. It is made clear this is why Oscar married Birdie: not out of love, but to acquire her cotton plantation. It is why Regina married Horace: not out of love, but of wanting the things that come from a successful husband. It is seen in the unethical behavior of Oscar in exploiting workers, in Leo in stealing the bonds, and Ben in wanting to exploit his sister. But the positive characters in the play do not have that greed. Horace, Regina’s husband, wants to be away from it all and ethically run his bank. Birdie, when asked what she wanted had she money, dreamed of restoration of the southern aristocratic lifestyle and her plantation of the old days. Alexandra, Regina and Horace’s daughter, just wanted her father. The notion of not-standing-by is emphasized in the end of the story, where Regina kills Horace by standing and doing nothing in his time of need… out of her greed, for had he lived, he would have revised his will. She successfully exploits her greed to extort her brother, but her daughter cannot stand by and profit from it, and indicates she will leave the greed behind.

Under the direction of Damaso Rodriguez, this was a powerfully staged and acted play. In the lead, as Regina Hubbard Giddens, was Kelly McGillis, who developed a wonderful personification of a strong, greedy woman. As portrayed by McGillis, the greed is so strong it comes out angry and forceful: this is a woman you don’t cross lightly. Her husband, Horace Giddens (Geoff Pierson) is unseen in the first act, being away for his health in Baltimore. In the second act we meet him: a much calmer but strong character who stands up against his wife… and for what he believes is right for those whom he cares about: his 17yo daughter Alexandra (Rachel Sondag) and his long-time black housekeeper, Addie (Yvette Cason). Pierson’s portrayal of Giddens is as an affable, but dying man; you feel sorry he wasn’t in better health. The second member of the Hubbard trio is Oscar Hubbard (Marc Singer), an angry exploitive man (who I think was a bit overplayed by Singer), eager to take whatever he can get. He takes from his wife, Birdie (Julia Duffy), driving her to drink (as demonstrated in an excellent scene in the second act). He passes on his greed to his son, Leo (Shawn Lee), encourages him to steal, and engineers to have his son marry his first cousin Alexandra, in order to keep any money in the family. The last Hubbard family member is Benjamin Hubbard (Steve Vinovich), a seemingly affible man who engineered the entire scheme, but who exerts firm control on everything (or tries to). Never married, he exhudes the confidence that all will be his, or in his family, at the end. Rounding out the cast where Cleavant Derricks as Cal, Regina and Horace Giddens driver/butler, and William Marshall (Tom Schmid), the man going in with the Hubbards to build a cotton mill on the plantation. This was just a very powerful and talented acting ensemble, although (as I noted above) I though Singer’s character was a little overplayed.
[All actors are members of æ Actors Equity ]

Technically, the Playhouse did their usual excellent production. The stage (designed by Gary Wissmann) consisted of the drawing room and dining room of a southern mansion, with the decay of its foundations visible (serving as a metaphor for the larger story). The costumes by Mary Vogt (who, I should note, did the Pushing Daisies pie-lette) also reflected the characters: Regina’s emerald green dress reflected her greed and jelousy; Birdie’s dress had seen better days; and the businessmen (Benjamin, Oscar, and Leo) were all business in matching suits). The sound design by Michael Hooker) was notable not for any amplification problems but for the way, in the second act, it amplified the drama through well-timed thunder. The lighting design by Dan Jenkins establishes the warmth or coolness of the acts: the first act is warm and sunny, in light yellow and white; the second act is cold and foreboding, in shades of purple. The actor’s southern dialects were coached by Joel Goldes, and the excellent casting was by Michael Donovan. The production was stage-managed by long-time Playhouse stage manager Lea Chazin (her 44th show!), assisted by Hethyr Verhoef.

“The Little Foxes” continues at the Pasadena Playhouse through June 28, 2009. Tickets are available from the Pasadena Playhouse. Discount tickets are available through Goldstar Events and LA Stage Tix.

Upcoming Theatre: Later this afternoon we are seeing the new musical “Insanity” at the North Hollywood Arts Center. The following two weekends are currently unscheduled, although I am exploring the Mini-Musical Festival at the Secret Rose Theatre. Sunday, July 12 @ 1pm brings “Spamalot” at the Ahmanson. Saturday July 18 @ 8pm is “Fat Pig” at Repertory East Playhouse. July 25/26 is currently open, although I’m considering “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” at the Neighborhood Playhouse, in its last weekend. August 1st brings “Cats” at Cabrillo Music Theatre (our last Saturday matinee before our tickets move to Saturday evening). Lastly, August 8 brings us back to the Pasadena Playhouse for the musical “Crowns”. Tuesday gf_guruilla plans to go to the Bowl to ticket the the “Guys and Dolls” concert at the Hollywood Bowl (7/31-8/2/09) and Liza Minelli at the Hollywood Bowl (8/28-8/29/09). Lastly, I’m also always looking for interesting productions on Goldstar and LA Stage Tix, so if you have a production to recommend, please do so.

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