Tag: reviews-2010

Meeting of Minds: Episode #8

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Last night was our third theatre performance of the weekend: the latest installment of Steve Allen’s Meeting of Minds at the Steve Allen Theatre. This month was Episode #8, continuing the discussion from Episode #7 on November 24, 2009. Our guests were:

Frederick Douglass (1817-1895)….. Ernie Hudson
Cesare Beccaria (1738-1794)…. Joe Mantegna
Empress Tz’u-Hsi (1835-1908)…. France Nuyen
Marquis de Sade (1740-1814)…. Richard Gilliland
Steve Allen (1921-2000)…. Jack Maxwell

The script had a number of updates from the original 1979 script, which was appropriate as the topic was torture, and alas the US can no longer make the same claims of being on a higher ground. There was also references to health care and the Internet. It was a little surprising that during the discussion of civil rights, however, there wasn’t a reference made to gay rights.

This discussion was much more focused on the use of torture and capital punishment as a deterrant. It also focused on the institution of slavery, and how even today the effects of slavery linger. DeSade had a lot less to say in this episode (which meant less of the very entertaining Richard Gilliland). The primary speakers were Joe Mantegna as Beccaria and Ernie Hudson as Douglass. In fact, Hudson gave an exceptionally strong performance as Douglass, speaking passionately on the injustice of slavery, and how it is morally wrong to permit discrimination to continue and to try to correct the problem slowly and gradually. Will we be saying the same thing in the future about gay rights?

The production also highlighted how little westerners understand China (and if I recall correctly, there were some script excisions about a trip Steve Allen made to China). It explained why the Manchu Dynasty viewed Europeans as barbarians, with the assumption that only the western ways are the right way to do things. I wonder if that attitude persists in China relations today, and whether the cultural divide can be bridged.

This production corrected a number of the problems with Episode #7, and both Nuyen and Hudson could be heard clearly. I also find Maxwell a much more entertaining Allen than Gary Cole. The major problem here was technical: at points, the lights changed to focus on a particular speaker, and the change was just too abrupt. As always, the production was directed by Frank Megna, who did an excellent job working with the actors to bring out the characters.

Dan Lauria, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Vince Lombardi, introduced the program, commenting on how hard it is to write one of these scripts (as he is writing one).

“Meeting of Minds” is now produced monthly by Opening Minds Productions, every third Sunday of every month at 7:00pm at the Steve Allen Theatre in Hollywood. The specifics of the next episode were not announced.

Upcoming Theatre. As for us, what’s upcoming on the theatre calendar? Next weekend takes me to “12 Angry Men” on April 24 (the rest of the family sees it on May 2). May looks to be equally busy, with “Little Shop of Horrors at Cabrillo Music Theatre (May 1), and “12 Angry Men” for Karen and Erin on May 2 @ 2pm (while I get ready for a Games Night at Temple that I’m running). The weekend of May 8 sees Karen and me at the So Cal Ren Faire on Saturday. The weekend of May 15 sees the CDF Conference for Karen and Erin, followed by “The 39 Steps” at the Ahmanson at 8pm. The next weekend takes Erin to the Ren Faire, while we see the May installment of “Meeting of Minds” at the Steve Allen Theatre (May 16). The fourth weekend in May brings the Spring Dance Show at Van Nuys HS (May 20-22). The last weekend in May brings the Bat Mitzvah of a family friend, as well as “The Wedding Singer” at Repertory East Playhouse in Newhall (May 30 @ 2pm). June so far is mostly open, although I’m expecting that we’ll see “South Pacific” at the Ahmanson some weekend that month, and potentially the June “Meeting of Minds”. As for July, the month starts with “In The Heights” at the Pantages on July 3. The next weekend I’m holding upon for the first show of the 2010-2011 Colony season, “Grace & Glorie” (likely July 10). That weekend may also bring “It’s Top Secret”, a musical that is part of the Festival of New American Musicals, running Jun 19-July 18 at the NoHo Arts Center (likely July 11). July will also bring ; “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot” at REP East on July 17 (pending ticketing); a possible July “Meeting of Minds, and “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella” at Cabrillo Music Theatre on July 31 24 (likely moved due to a birthday party).

As always: live theatre is a gift and a unique experience, unlike a movie. It is vitally important in these times that you support your local arts institutions. If you can afford to go to the movies, you can afford to go to theatre. If you need help finding ways, just drop me a note and I’ll teach you some tricks. Lastly, I’ll note 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 Devil of a Show

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Last night, we went to go see our second show in this weekend of three: “Damn Yankees” at Van Nuys High School. Now “Damn Yankees” is not one of those typical high school shows, and it was nice to see it being done.

For those unfamilar with this 1955 show (which starred such folks as Gwen Verdon as Lola and Ray Walston as Applegate)… or its late 1990s revival (with Bebe Neuwirth as Lola and either Victor Garber or Jerry Lewis as Applegate), “Damn Yankees” is a sports-oriented retelling of the Faustian legend. It is set during the 1950s in Washington, D.C., during a time when the New York Yankees dominated Major League Baseball. The story is set in motion when a long-time baseball fan, real estate agent Joe Boyd, offers to sell his soul to see his team, the Washington Senators, win the pennant away from those damn Yankees. Be careful what you say, for the Devil (in the form of Mr. Applegate) shows up and offers Joe the chance to leave his long-suffering baseball widow Meg and become the long-ball hitter the Senators need. Joe agrees, but insists on an escape clause: he can decide the evening before the last game to get out and return to his wife. Applegate waves his hands, and Joe Boyd disappears and young Joe Hardy replaces him. Joe shows up at the Senators locker room, and convinces the manager to add him to the team. Everyone is won over by this man, except for a young reporter who is suspicious. While she investigates his background, Joe begins longing for his wife. Joe’s visits back to his old home get under the skin of Applegate, who plots what he can do to get Joe away from his wife. He sends a skilled homewrecker, Lola, after him, but she fails to seduce him. Applegate decides to switch tactics to ensure Joe’s failure. He releases false information about Joe Hardy’s true identity being “Shifty McCoy”, an escaped criminal and con artist. When Gloria discovers this information, she presses charges, and Joe is forced into court. As the Senators prepare for the final game against the Yankees for the pennant, Joe goes on trial. Joe tells the Applegate he wants out, and Applegate says he has to confirm this at 5 minutes before midnight. But the trial has various delays, and at the magic mark, just as Joe is proven innocent, the delays prevent him from exercising the clause. Joe heads into the final game, but Lola has drugged Applegate, and he doesn’t show until the very end. In order to have the Senators lose (the plan all along, for then there will be loads of suicides and anguish from the fans), Applegate does the only thing he can do: turns Joe back as he is catching the final run. Joe Hardy disappears, and Joe Boyd returns to his wife. Applegate tries to convince Joe Boyd to go back to being Joe Hardy, but the older Joe prefers the love of his wife. I’ll note there’s a longer synopsis (alas, of the 1994 version) on Wikipedia; the primary difference appears to be the setting of the novelty number, “Whos Got The Pain” and the setting for “Two Lost Souls”. Van Nuys appears to have done the 1955 version, with the “Pain” number as part of the Talent Show, and the “Souls” number done in a nightclub.

Van Nuys did a pretty good job with this production—in fact, it was one of the best I have seen them do. This one had some very strong singing and dancing. Of particular note were Quest Sky Zeidler’s Applegate and Glory Smith’s Meg. Both were excellent: well acted and reasonable well sung (note that the Applegate role has never been cast for its singing prowess). Sean Scott was pretty good as Joe Boyd and Joe Hardy—I wasn’t that taken with the older Joe (especially singing), but the younger Joe was very strong and only had a few notes that he had trouble reaching for. Glessida Magaling was also pretty good as Lola: her singing was fine, but dancing for the “Whatever Lola Wants” number was weak. I blame this more on the choreographer than the student; the routine came off as fake-sexy and actually created some laughs. That routine needs to be super sexy, but that’s also difficult and uncomfortable to present with a high-school girl these days. Also particularly strong was Ashylyn Killham as Gloria and Aikiro Tiongson as Vanburen, the coach. Overall, even with the typical problems one sees in a high school production (some voices not 100% able to reach all the notes, a few confused lines, and the questionable choreography), it was a strong and enjoyable performance. Rounding out the cast were Tylor Morris (Lynch), Priscilla Legaspi (Miss Weston), Anjela Tokadjian (Postmaster), Safia Allibhoy (Commissioner), Maria “Alex” Geronilla (Doris), Talia McIlwain (Sister), Rhomas O’Hara (Rocky), Andrew Kim (Henry), Erin Geronimi (Linville), Regine Bautista (Lowe), Matthew Golden (Smokey), Mike Hill (Vernon), Kiran Sanghiran (Welch), and Ariel Kostrewski and Camille Santos in the ensemble. I’ll note that this casting gave the baseball team two women, which created an interesting scene in the discussion before Lola’s big dance (where the women were transformed, and looked more like the other player’s dates),

The set was also unique for Van Nuys: Mr. Tom Kirkpatrick and his stage class constructed a very raked diamond, with various locales (such as Joe’s home, the locker room) rolled up to the side. This made all the action easy to see, but must have been hell (well, so to speak) to dance on. The large orchestra (led by Mr. Robert Eisenhart) was also excellent, and provided great inter-scene music during scenery changes.

Where Van Nuys did have trouble was on the technical side: particularly, lights and sound. In the past this has been very strong, but for this production, something was missing*. The crew’s timing was off (lights did not come on sharply on cue, microphones came on off cue), and there were numerous crackles and static from the microphones. When the sound worked, it was great—but it got worse as the night went on. Other than the timing problems, I thought the lighting was pretty good: there were no real spots and no overuse of the moving lights, but there were some questionable color choices. The tech crew is under the direction of Mr. Marque Coy.
(*: That’s an in-joke for those familiar with the story: My daughter used to be on the technical crew, but was effectively forced off at the beginning of the semester. Hopefully, we’ll see her back on the Van Nuys boards as an actor or stage manager)

The production was directed by Mr. Randy Olea, who did a good job getting the students to bring believable characters out. Choreography was by Anita Morales and was mostly OK, except that they didn’t know how to get Lola to dance right. They really should have brought in Mr. N to at least do her routines—Mr. N is a strong dancer, and could have made Lola’s dances something special. There were no specific credits for make-up and costumes, but I did want to note in particular Quest’s makeup and the costuming in general, which was excellent.

Last night was the final production of “Damn Yankees” at Van Nuys High School.

Upcoming Theatre. As for us, what’s upcoming on the theatre calendar? Tonight brings the April installment of “Meeting of Minds” at the Steve Allen Theatre. Next weekend takes me to “12 Angry Men” on April 24 (the rest of the family sees it on May 2). May looks to be equally busy, with “Little Shop of Horrors at Cabrillo Music Theatre (May 1), and “12 Angry Men” for Karen and Erin on May 2 @ 2pm (while I get ready for a Games Night at Temple that I’m running). The weekend of May 8 sees Karen and me at the So Cal Ren Faire on Saturday. The weekend of May 15 sees the CDF Conference for Karen and Erin, followed by “The 39 Steps” at the Ahmanson at 8pm. The next weekend takes Erin to the Ren Faire, while we see the May installment of “Meeting of Minds” at the Steve Allen Theatre (May 16). The fourth weekend in May brings the Spring Dance Show at Van Nuys HS (May 20-22). The last weekend in May brings the Bat Mitzvah of a family friend, as well as “The Wedding Singer” at Repertory East Playhouse in Newhall (May 30 @ 2pm). June so far is mostly open, although I’m expecting that we’ll see “South Pacific” at the Ahmanson some weekend that month, and potentially the June “Meeting of Minds”. As for July, the month starts with “In The Heights” at the Pantages on July 3. The next weekend I’m holding upon for the first show of the 2010-2011 Colony season, “Grace & Glorie” (likely July 10). That weekend may also bring “It’s Top Secret”, a musical that is part of the Festival of New American Musicals, running Jun 19-July 18 at the NoHo Arts Center (likely July 11). July will also bring ; “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot” at REP East on July 17 (pending ticketing); a possible July “Meeting of Minds, and “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella” at Cabrillo Music Theatre on July 31 24 (likely moved due to a birthday party).

As always: live theatre is a gift and a unique experience, unlike a movie. It is vitally important in these times that you support your local arts institutions. If you can afford to go to the movies, you can afford to go to theatre. If you need help finding ways, just drop me a note and I’ll teach you some tricks. Lastly, I’ll note 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 Bit of French Culture in Beautiful Downtown Burbank

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

When the Pasadena Playhouse closed, my wife and I began to think about what would replace that subscription (because, even if they did come back, their handling of patrons was not worthy of our subscription dollar). We began to think about what other theatres had the right mix of ambiance, size, and quality. Very quickly, our thoughts turned to a mid-size professional theatre in Burbank, the Colony Theatre company. We had seen a number of shows there before (and were impressed), so we started watching for a show to “test them out” again. Last night was that show: “Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris”

Jacques Brel is one of the original “jukebox” musicals, dating back to its debut off-Broadway in 1968 (long before “Ain’t Misbehavin’”). We last saw the musical in one of our first seasons at the Pasadena Playhouse, way back in the summer of 1988 (in fact, it may have been our second season there). I have no real memories of it; the show is simply a collection of Jacques Brel songs, assembled and translated by Eric Blau and Mort Shuman. The show was revived in 2006; the revival trimmed a number of songs and added some. However, although the songs are beautiful and small stories in themselves, there is no particular book. What makes the show is the staging, the actors, and what the director and actors bring to the songs. This is not a show that can depend on a classic book to save it; it is the skill of the performance and the artistic vision.

In both of these areas, the Colony excelled. As we learned at the talkback, the director, Jon Lawrence Rivera, had a vision after reading the lyrics and listening to the music of placing the show in a memorial setting: the first act is at a funeral; the second act is graveside. Not adding any dialogue or lyrics, and simply drawing on the talents of the actors and creative team, he turned the song cycle into a story of sorts—well, if not a story, then he at least established personas for the actors. His accomplice in all of this was the acting team: Eileen Barnett (who we saw in both Kiss of the Spider Woman and Radio Gals), Zachary Ford (who we saw in Camelot at the Playhouse), Gregory Franklin, and Jennifer Shelton. This team had a remarkable talent of bringing the characters to life—they weren’t just singing the songs, they were living them. It is this combination and synergy that makes this show special. Adding to all of this was Brent Crayon, the Musical Director, who took a score that was received in pieces and assembled something great.

Back to the acting team for a paragraph, because they were so special. Although it is hard to pick a favorite, I just couldn’t take my eyes off of Ms. Shelton, who was just so expressive and playful in her character. She also had a remarkable voice and an obvious sense of humor and physical timing, which came across well in the song “Timid Freida”. Less physical but almost more emotional was Ms. Barnett, especially in songs such as “Marieke” and “Sons Of” (which is actually the song from which “Seasons in the Sun” derives—see, you have heard Brel). Turning to the men, Mr. Ford was another remarkable singer and performer, being especially notable in “Madeleine” and “Next”. Lastly, Mr. Franklin (who represented the older man) was great in numbers such as “Funeral Tango” and “Jackie”. Lastly, I’ll note that even the music director got into the singing act (and did quite a good job of it), joining with the other men in the number “The Middle Class”.

Turning to the technical side, there was good and bad. The scenic design by John H. Binkley was simple but effective: a coffin and chairs in Act I; fewer chairs and a grave site in Act II, surrounded by surrealistic metal trees. The lighting design by Adam Blumenthal was also simple: Colored lights, few spots, and effective color on the cyclorama (with an effective gobo splash). I noticed some moving mirrors, but couldn’t identify how they were being used. The costumes (by Dianne K. Graebner) were non-detractive, which in a show like this is what you want, as there is no particular period. They came across as appropriate mourning wear, with Mr. Ford’s being slightly military (although I was unsure whether the arm rank matched the shoulder rank). The sound design was by Cricket S. Myers who normally does excellent stuff (so I’m sure the actual design was good), but there were some setting and balance, as well as sound cue problems, that were noticable. We asked about this at the talkback, and it appeared to be due to settings not being reestablished during the week. Hopefully, that was just an anamoly for our show. Set dressing was by MacAndME. Crystal M. Munson was the Production Stage Manager. The casting director was Patricia Cullen.

As I noted before, the musical direction was by Brent Crayon, who coordinated the five member band (Brent Crayon, Piano; Cris Mello, Guitars; Jeff Novack, Bass; Oliver Steinberg, Bass; and Emiliano Almeida, Drums). Supplementing them was Zachary Ford on the accordian.

The artistic director of the Colony Theatre is Barbara Beckley, who did something I love to see: got up before the show, welcomed the audience, described the upcoming season, and made the place feel like a family. This is important to me as a patron: it is something the Pasadena Playhouse did under Lars Hansen and Susan Dietz, and something that was lost under Sheldon Epps.

As I noted at the start of this review: We went in trying to decide whether to subscribe, and we made the decision to become Colony Subscribers last night. This gives me the right to promote their upcoming season :-): “Grace & Glorie” by Tom Ziegler, June 9-July 18, 2010; “Free Man of Color” by Charles Smith, August 11-September 12, 2010; “Bell, Book, and Candle” by John Van Druten, October 20-November 21, 2010; “Moonlight and Magnolias” by Ron Hutchinson, February 2-March 6, 2011; and “The All Night Strut!”, conceived by Fran Charnas, March 30-May 1, 2011. You can get information on each of the shows here, or visit here for the PDF brochure. After the increasingly high prices at the Playhouse ($815 for the 7 show season, plus upwards of $5-$8 for parking), I was pleased by the subscription prices. Looking at the middle tier, the total tickets were $300 for 5 Saturday night performances (top tier would be only $50 more). That’s much much more reasonable, plus there is free parking at the theatre.

“Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris” continues at the Colony Theatre until May 9, 2010. Tickets are available through the Colony, and are often available via Goldstar or LA Stage Tix.

Upcoming Theatre. As for us, what’s upcoming on the theatre calendar? Tonight brings “Damn Yankees” at Van Nuys HS; with the April installment of “Meeting of Minds” at the Steve Allen Theatre on Sunday. The following weekend takes me to “12 Angry Men” on April 24 (the rest of the family sees it on May 2). May looks to be equally busy, with “Little Shop of Horrors at Cabrillo Music Theatre (May 1), and “12 Angry Men” for Karen and Erin on May 2 @ 2pm (while I get ready for a Games Night at Temple that I’m running). The weekend of May 8 sees Karen and me at the So Cal Ren Faire on Saturday. The weekend of May 15 sees the CDF Conference for Karen and Erin, followed by “The 39 Steps” at the Ahmanson at 8pm. The next weekend takes Erin to the Ren Faire, while we see the May installment of “Meeting of Minds” at the Steve Allen Theatre (May 16). The fourth weekend in May brings the Spring Dance Show at Van Nuys HS (May 20-22). The last weekend in May brings the Bat Mitzvah of a family friend, as well as “The Wedding Singer” at Repertory East Playhouse in Newhall (May 30 @ 2pm). June so far is mostly open, although I’m expecting that we’ll see “South Pacific” at the Ahmanson some weekend that month, and potentially the June “Meeting of Minds”. As for July, the month starts with “In The Heights” at the Pantages on July 3. The next weekend I’m holding upon for the first show of the 2010-2011 Colony season, “Grace & Glorie” (likely July 10). That weekend may also bring “It’s Top Secret”, a musical that is part of the Festival of New American Musicals, running Jun 19-July 18 at the NoHo Arts Center (likely July 11). July will also bring ; “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot” at REP East on July 17 (pending ticketing); a possible July “Meeting of Minds, and “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella” at Cabrillo Music Theatre on July 31 24 (likely moved due to a birthday party).

As always: live theatre is a gift and a unique experience, unlike a movie. It is vitally important in these times that you support your local arts institutions. If you can afford to go to the movies, you can afford to go to theatre. If you need help finding ways, just drop me a note and I’ll teach you some tricks. Lastly, I’ll note that nobody paid me anything to write this review. In fact, I receive no remuneration for any reviews I write.

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It Depends On Your Point of View

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Last night, our theatre-going resumed again, when we attended the first preview performance of “See What I Wanna See” at The Blank Theatre in Hollywood (Erin wasn’t with us; she was at the 3rd performance of “Damn Yankees” at Van Nuys HS). “See What I Wanna See” (henceforth, SWIWS) is a musical written (i.e., words and music) by Michael John LaChiusa, based on the stories of Rynosuke Akutagawa as translated by Takashi Kojima. As described on The Blank’s website, it is a musical “about lust, greed, murder, faith, and redemption based on three short stories that unfold like a Japanese screen painting. In Kesa and Morito, set in medieval Japan, two lovers sing of the ecstasy and torment of their affair. R Shomon, set in 1951 New York City, follows the investigation of a crime of passion and the witnesses’ contradicting versions of the event. Gloryday, set in present day New York, presents a priest during a crisis of faith after a terrible tragedy strikes the city.” But that description does’t really tell you want you want to know about this story.

Each act of SWIWS presents 1½ stories. The first act begins with the story of Kesa and Morito told from Kesa’s point of view. Kesa and Morito were lovers having an extramarital affair, but each has decided to end it: he by strangling her, her by stabbing him. This opening story closes with a freeze of the two about to kill each other. The remainder of Act 1 is the story “R Shoman”, which is a telling of a story that occured after the premiere of the movie Rashomon (but the “a” fell off the marquee). “R Shoman” concerns a murder in Central Park, and comes across as a very dark SVU story told in a series of police interviews. The gist of the story is that the thief saw the husband and wife leaving Rashoman, and fell in lust with the wife. He followed them to a bar where she danced and he got the husband drunk. He convinced the couple to go with him to Central Park to dig up some hidden money, where later the theater’s janitor found the husband dead. But who killed the husband? The thief? The wife? The husband himself (we hear his story through The Medium)? The janitor? Each sings and describes what they did that night, and the audience is left to decide.

Act 2 also begins with the story of Kesa and Morito; this time the story is told from Morito’s point of view. Again, it closes with the freeze, creating the question: Who killed who? It is never actually stated: it depends on how you look at it. The remainder of Act II is the story “Glory Days”, which tells the story of a disillusioned priest in New York shortly after 9/11 (although the incident is never named). Although originally having a strong calling, he has lost his belief in God. He posts a sign in Central Park indicating a miracle will happen in three days as a joke, and sits back and watches the hysteria form (which to his mind demonstrates that religion is hokum). We see how the coming “miracle” affects others, including a CPA who has given everything up, an actress who has lost everything, a reporter questioning his beliefs, and even the priest’s Aunt Monica, who never believed, but who is now dying. When the time for the miracle comes, something happens, and we see that those who were expecting the miracle were transformed… but not by the miracle… and the priest is transformed back into believing and resuming his calling. So did a miracle happen?

The basic theme through out these stories is that of point of view and perception; that, in the words of the title, you see what you want to see. So in the first act, each party interpreted what happened differently and saw themselves as the killer. In the second act, each party had a different perception of the miracle. We all perceive our realities differently, and with these different perceptions, can truth and experience actually be objective?

This was an interesting play and an interesting musical. Although I had heard the music before, this really helped place it in context. The music is atypical (which is typical for LaChiusa), ranging from some very jazzy and upbeat numbers (such as Glory Days or See What I Wanna See ) to some very dark sungthrough stories. These leave you down by the end of the first act, but lift you up by the end of the second. Quite a good and interesting musical.

The musical was performed by a cast of five extremely talented players: Lesli Margheritaæ (Kesa, The Wife, An Actress); Doug Carpenteræ (Morito, The Theif, A Reporter); Jason Graaeæ (The Janitor, The Priest); æ; Perry Ojedaæ (The Husband, A CPA); and Suzan Solomonæ (The Medium, Aunt Monica). Of these, my favorites were Carpenter and Graae. Doug Carpenter (who we have seen previously in “Life Could Be A Dream” across the street at the Hudson) was a supurb singer and a menacing actor, and just fun to watch. Jason Graae (who we have also seen previously in “The Grand Tour” at The Colony in Burbank) just gave mesmerizing and colorful performances, especially as the priest in Act II. As I say sometimes, he inhabited the characters, which is what you want to have happen. I was also impressed with Lesli Margherita, who was a very good singer.
[æ denotes members of æ Actors Equity ]

The staging of the show was simple and effective (set design was by Ginnie Ann Held). The first act had a simple table and some Japanese screens. The second was a smaller table. But this was enough: the cast (under the excellent direction of Daniel Henning) made you see what you needed to see. The lighting (design by Jeremy Pivnick) made use of a number of gobos (projections) to create various scenic areas such as windows or the park, and used a number of mirrored moving lights to provide spots and draw attention. There was one minor problem with the lighting: the scrollers in the second act were loud when they changed colors. Costumes (by Dana Peterson) and hair design (by Butch Belo) were excellent—in particular, the wife’s dress in the first act and the CPA’s destroyed suit in the second. The music was provided by a very effective 5-piece on-stage band, under the musical direction of David O. Stage management was by Ramon Valdez, assisted by Michael Geniac. The production was directed by Daniel Henning, assisted by June Carryl. SWIWS was produced by Stacy Reed, Jon VanMiddlesworth, and Noah Wyle; Michelle Appezzato, Daniel C. Garcia, Jen Husczaq, Stephen Moffatt, and Sam Rowley were associate producers.

“See What I Wanna See” continues at The Blank’s Second Stage until May 23. Tickets are available through The Blank; discount tickets are usually available through Goldstar and LA Stage Tix.

Upcoming Theatre. As for us, what’s upcoming on the theatre calendar? Next weekend brings three productions: “Jacques Brel is Alive and Living in Paris” at the Colony Theatre on Friday, April 16; “Damn Yankees” at Van Nuys HS on April 17, and the April installment of “Meeting of Minds” at the Steve Allen Theatre on April 18. The following weekend takes me to “12 Angry Men” on April 24 (the rest of the family sees it on May 2). May looks to be equally busy, with “Little Shop of Horrors at Cabrillo Music Theatre (May 1), and “12 Angry Men” for Karen and Erin on May 2 @ 2pm (while I get ready for a Games Night at Temple that I’m running). The weekend of May 8 sees Karen and me at the So Cal Ren Faire on Saturday. The weekend of May 15 sees the CDF Conference for Karen and Erin, followed by “The 39 Steps” at the Ahmanson at 8pm. The next weekend takes Erin to the Ren Faire, while we see the May installment of “Meeting of Minds” at the Steve Allen Theatre (May 16). The fourth weekend in May brings the Spring Dance Show at Van Nuys HS (May 20-22). The last weekend in May brings the Bat Mitzvah of a family friend, as well as “The Wedding Singer” at Repertory East Playhouse in Newhall (May 30 @ 2pm). June so far is mostly open, although I’m expecting that we’ll see “South Pacific” at the Ahmanson some weekend that month, and potentially the June “Meeting of Minds”. Also of interest is “It’s Top Secret”, a musical that is part of the Festival of New American Musicals, running Jun 19-July 18 at the NoHo Arts Center. July brings “In The Heights” at the Pantages on July 3; “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot” at REP East on July 10 (pending ticketing); a possible July “Meeting of Minds, and “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella” at Cabrillo Music Theatre on July 31.

As always: live theatre is a gift and a unique experience, unlike a movie. It is vitally important in these times that you support your local arts institutions. If you can afford to go to the movies, you can afford to go to theatre. If you need help finding ways, just drop me a note and I’ll teach you some tricks. Lastly, I’ll note that nobody paid me anything to write this review. In fact, I receive no remuneration for any reviews I write.

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Learning to Love a Crotchety Old Man

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Growing old. It’s such a delightful time. The kids are grown and out of the house, and you can be as crochety as you want. Or, if you were always crochety, you can be even more so. I’m sure we all know old folks like this (we might even be them): the old man, crochety and ready to help you put your foot in your mouth and chew vigorousy; the old woman, sweetness and light, baking cookies. Such a typical picture. But pretty? That depends.

I mention this because last night we went to REP East in Newhall to see their latest production, “On Golden Pond”. Most of us know this story from the classic 1981 film by Mark Rydell starring Henry Fonda, Katherine Hepburn, and Jane Fonda, but the property was originally a 1979 play by Ernest Thompson. The play takes place at a fictional location (Golden Pond) in Maine, where Norman and Ethel Thayer have a summer cottage they visit every year. The play takes place during their 48th visit in 1979, and takes place over the summer. It starts in May, when the couple arrive and open the cottage. We see how Ethel is full of life, but Norman is crotchety and feeling his mortality. By June, they have settled into the cottage. Norman is looking for a job, but it is clear he is losing his faculties and is starting to have what we now know is Altzheimers. We learn about the locals, including Charlie Martin, who brings news that their daughter, Chelsea, will be arriving later that summer with her boyfriend. In July, Chelsea arrives with her boyfriend Bill and his 14-year-old son, Billy. We learn about the love between mother and daughter, but the tension between Norman and Chelsea. Ethel convinces Norman to let the boy, Billy, stay with them while Chelsea and Bill go to Europe. Act 2 opens in August, where Billy and Norman have become fishing buddies. Chelsea returns, and reveals that she and Bill got married in Brussels, while going on and on about the past. Ethel grows impatient with this, especially with Chelsea’s dispute with her father. After a butting of heads, Chelsea and her father reconcile to an extent. The last scene of the play takes place in September as Norman and Ethel are closing up the cottage. Chelsea calls and invites her parents to visit her in California. Ethel is eager, but Norman is reluctant to go… until he realizes he can spend time with Billy.

Reading this, I think you can see why the movie was cast so perfectly. Pulling this off requires the right mix of young and old, of sweetness and crotchety. Luckily, the REP continued its trend of casting well. In the lead positions were Michael Levine (a REP regular) and Nancy B. Berggren (a REP newcomer). Michael played the old and crotchety very well, which (if you’ve ever met him) is truly playing against his normal character. Nancy embodied the grandmother role, making you want to try her tollhouse cookies. These were two you just enjoyed watching. The daughter, Chelsea, was portrayed by Therese Lentz, who had the character fire to stand up to Norman, but at times you could see her for the vulnerable little girl that she was. Billy, her soon-to-be step-son, was played by Zachary Kemper. Rounding out the cast were Chuck Franklin as Bill Ray and Brantley M. Dunaway as Charlie Martin. I want to mention Brantley in particular, for although Charlie is a small role, he played it in an interesting manner, coming across as almost slightly Asbergers, unable to control his outburst and seemingly uncomfortable socially. I don’t know if the character was written that way, or whether that was a director’s choice.

Rick Culbertson wrote recently about the difference between good and bad theatre, and quality and cheap theatre. He talked about the perception of 99-seat theatre as being cheap. “On Golden Pond” demonstrated that this need not be the case: although an 81-seat theatre, the REP’s technical quality was excellent as always, thanks to the supurb technical team of Jeff Hyde (Set Designer), Tim Christianson (Lighting Designer), Steven “Nanook” Burkholder (Sound Designer), and Paula Soltero (Costumes). The set was beautifully dressed, playing the part of a rustic cabin with 48 years of momentos; the lighting was effective and not overdone, conveying the mood well; the sound effects were appropriate and timely (including the railroad in the background :-)); and the costumes captured Maine-style well.

The production was directed by Barry Kemper and Bonnie Bennett-Millner, who did a wonderful job of bringing these characters to life and moving them effectively on stage. The production stage manager was Johnny Schwinn. The production was produced by O. Michael Owston and Mikee Schwinn (who is in the last throws of bachelorhood, getting married within the month).

“On Golden Pond” continues at REP East in Newhall until April 10, 2010. Tickets are available from the REP East Box Office (or by calling (661) 288-0000), or through Goldstar Events. The next REP East production is “12 Angry Men”, running from April 23 through May 2, 2010.

Upcoming Theatre. As for us, what’s upcoming on the theatre calendar? This evening brings another installment of “Meeting of Minds” — this will be the second episode with Karl Marx (Ed Asner), Sir Thomas More (Bruce Davison), Queen Marie Antoinette (Meeghan Holaway), and President US Grant (Dan Lauria). You can get a peak of the episode by listening to an interview with Asner and Lauria about the show. The last weekend of March has no theatre, but is still busy: there’s a Games Day on March 27, and Rick Recht is doing a free concert at TAS on March 28. April brings more of interest, starting with “Jacques Brel is Alive and Living in Paris” at the Colony Theatre on Friday, April 16; “Damn Yankees” at Van Nuys HS on April 17, and the April installment of “Meeting of Minds” at the Steve Allen Theatre on April 18. The following weekend takes me to “12 Angry Men” on April 24 (the rest of the family sees it on May 2). May looks to be equally busy, with “Little Shop of Horrors at Cabrillo Music Theatre (May 1), and “12 Angry Men” for Karen and Erin on May 2 @ 2pm (while I get ready for a Games Night at Temple that I’m running). The weekend of May 8 sees Karen and me at the So Cal Ren Faire on Saturday, with “See What I Wanna See” at the Blank (likely May 9, pending ticketing). The weekend of May 15 sees the CDF Conference for Karen and Erin, followed by “The 39 Steps” at the Ahmanson (likely May 15, evening, pending ticketing). The next weekend takes Erin to the Ren Faire, while we see the May installment of “Meeting of Minds” at the Steve Allen Theatre (May 16). The fourth weekend in May brings the Spring Dance Show at Van Nuys HS (May 20-22). The last weekend in May brings the Bat Mitzvah of a family friend, as well as “The Wedding Singer” at Repertory East Playhouse in Newhall (May 30 @ 2pm).

As always: live theatre is a gift and a unique experience, unlike a movie. It is vitally important in these times that you support your local arts institutions. If you can afford to go to the movies, you can afford to go to theatre. If you need help finding ways, just drop me a note and I’ll teach you some tricks. Lastly, I’ll note that nobody paid me anything to write this review. In fact, I receive no remuneration for any reviews I write.

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The Beauty of Dance

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

There are certain performing arts that I regularly attend: musicals, plays, and the occasional popular music concert (such as Big Bad Voodoo Daddy). There are other genres with which I have much less familiarity: chamber music, ballet, classical concerts, and modern dance. I mention this because the rest of the family does enjoy those other forms, and so I’ll be broadening my ticket purchasing from time to time. Last night was one such time, when we went to the Alex Theatre in Glendale to see “Celebrate Dance 2010”.

“Celebrate Dance” is an annual event (now in its 5th year). Produced by Jamie Nichols, “Celebrate Dance” brings together nine local dance companies handpicked to provide a mix of styles. There’s an article on the production from the Los Angeles Times here. The production has won numerous dance awards.

But, of course, those are the opinions of the dance critics. I’m not well schooled in the language of dance. I don’t know the names of the ballet moves; the only choreography I know is what I see in musicals. So what did I pick up from this show?

Some general observations first. Being a theatre person, I’m more geared to stories on stage. Thus, for those presentations that had a discernable story, I found myself relating to them easier. If I could find the storyline, then even without words, it was more my style. But as the evening wore on, I began to realize that dance is dance, and theatre is theatre. One needs to look at dance—especially modern dance&mdance;as one looks at artworks in a museum. The story is secondary: what is important is the feeling imparted and the emotions conveyed. This is a very different way of looking at stage performance, and perhaps explains why the two audiences are a bit separate. Lastly, in general, I was really impressed by the strenght and power of some of these dances. This wasn’t artsy movement: this was powerful musculature and strength. The dancing I saw could rival in raw muscular power any sports performance.

The first performance in Act I was “Always Remember, Never Forget” by Visions Dance Theatre. This was a more conventional story-based piece: It started with a couple dancing, demonstrating their love. He goes off to war, fights, and is killed. The body returns, and she mourns at the grave. This was a good first piece: pretty, but with a story that makes the program initially accessable. The duet was danced by Bradley Beakes and Sara Vincent, and the other dancers were Cole Clemens, Cassie Cole, Jewel Davis, Bobby Neal, and Andrew Sawiles. Artistic director and choreographer: Macarena Gandarillas. Costumes by Abel Zeballos. Set design: Fred Kinney. Lighting Design: Eileen Cooley.

The second performance was “Found” by Josie Walsh’s Myokyo. I think this was the one my daughter liked, with two dancers in white. I’m not remembering it that well, so alas it wasn’t one of the ones that stuck in my head. Dancers: Heather Phillips and Donte Phillips. Artistic director and choreographer: Josie Walsh. Lighting design: Eileen Cooley.

The third performance was “Flowers That Pick Themselves” by the Rhetoracle Dance Company. This performance was bunch of dancers, primarily in white, seemingly addicted to knives and cutting. What struck me more about this performance was the dancers themselves: instead of the usual stick-thin modern ballet dancers, these young women had curves, and the lead was positively rubenesque. It was a very beautiful performance. Dancers: Bri Allard, Jill Dean, Ashley Grimes, Jia Huang, Rochelle Mapes, Sam Marcella, Courtney Ozovek. Artistic direction, choreography, and costume design: Nate Hodges. Set design: Lynn Hodges. Lighting design: Eileen Cooley.

The fourth performance was “Expansions” by Jazzantiqua Dance and Music Ensemble. I must confess this particular performance didn’t grab me, but it was one my daughter liked. It was more modern jazz dancing, but I don’t recall much more. Dancers: Terrica Banks, Bernard Brown, Keisha Clark-Booth, Teresa Harrison, Yvonne Johnson, Kacy Keys, Shari Rhone, Maurice Watson. Artistic direction and choreography: Pat Taylor. Costume design: Sam Loyola. Lighting design: Eileen Cooley.

The last performance in Act I was “The Cage” by Motiontribe. This was one of my favorite pieces. It consisted of two dancers: a woman inside a rolling iron cage, and a man outside. It told of their love through powerful motion: these two balanced in postions that required significant strength. It was just amazing how they used that cage to support their bodies and tell the story. Dancers: Fabienne Levenson and Ben Sayles. Artistic direction and choreography by Marie de la Palme. Costumes by Fabienne Levenson. Set design by Brock Cilley. Lighting design: Eileen Cooley.

Act II started with “Drift” by the Bare Dance Company. This was a pretty piece consisting of two male dancers and two female dancers working on top of a square of white fabric, demonstrating how relationships weave in an out. Alas, I was distracted by a spark of dark on one of the white costumes, which turned out to be torn crotch seam. This demonstrates the importance of why costumes must be right: wrong costumes can distract the audience. Still, the dance was pretty. Dancers: Jessie Agdeppa, Efrén Corado, Jessie Hartley, Chad Van Ramshorst. Artistic direction, choreography, and costumes by Mike Esperanza. Lighting design: Eileen Cooley.

Second up was “Joie de Vivre”, by Ptero Dance Theatre. It was during this number I began to see dance more as art than as theatre: the costumes combined with the movement to create beauty, and the joy came across in that movement without need for a storyline. Dancers: Molly Brictson, Louie Cornejo, Miko Doi-Smith, Briana Masson, Paula Persent, Eva Weiland. Artistic direction and choreography by Paula Present. Costume design by Shannon Harris and Paula Present. Lighting design: Eileen Cooley.

The penultimate performance was “My Breath Comes Differently” by Body Current Dance. This performance was interesting for its lighting: The dancers were lit from the front of the stage creating large shadows in the back, turning the four dancers into as many as eight, amplifying the moves, creating interesting effects. I moved from watching the dancers themselves to watching the shadows, and it was quite interesting. Dancers: Kimberley Hannah, Belinda Lutes, Andrew Palomares, Emma Storey. Artistic director and choreography: Lorin Johnson. Costumes by Liz Pelster. Lighting design: Eileen Cooley.

The last performance was also the most spectacular: “Guiding Rings” by Catch Me Bird Dance Theatre. There were two distinct parts to this performance: an on-the-ground celebration of love, including slowly fluttering confetti from the sky… followed by an aerial ballet on rings in the sky, danced in silhouette, amplifying the sensuality of the dancers and their movement. This one, just like “The Cage”, was sheer beauty and power and was a spectacular close. This was danced by C. Derrick Jones and Nehara Kalav, who also choreographed and served as artistic directors, as well as designing the set. C. Derrick Jones designed the aerial rigging, with the aerial sculpture design by Adam Olson Davis. The video was by Annika Kay. Lighting design: Eileen Cooley.

“Celebrate Dance 2010” was a one-night performance. I’m sure we’ll be attending more dance throughout the year.

Upcoming Theatre. As for us, what’s upcoming on the theatre calendar? Next weekend brings “On Golden Pond” at REP East on Saturday night @ 8pm (this was rescheduled from March 14 due to Lauren’s memorial service), with Sunday bringing another installment of “Meeting of Minds” — this will be the second episode with Karl Marx (Ed Asner), Sir Thomas More (Bruce Davison), Queen Marie Antoinette (Meeghan Holaway), and President US Grant (Dan Lauria). The last weekend of March has no theatre, but is still busy: there’s a Games Day on March 27, and Rick Recht is doing a free concert at TAS on March 28. April brings more of potential interest, including “Jacques Brel is Alive and Living in Paris” at the Colony Theatre (tickets pending, likely April 10 or April 16), “Damn Yankees” at Van Nuys HS (tickets pending, April 15-17), the April installment of “Meeting of Minds” at the Steve Allen Theatre on April 18, “12 Angry Men” at REP East (April 24 @ 8pm, although Erin may have to see the May 2 Sunday Matinee due to AP Stats Camp). May looks to be equally busy, with “Little Shop of Horrors at Cabrillo Music Theatre (May 1), “See What I Wanna See” at the Blank (likely May 9), “The 39 Steps” at the Ahmanson (likely May 15, evening), the May installment of “Meeting of Minds” at the Steve Allen Theatre (May 16), the Spring Dance Show at Van Nuys HS (May 20-22), and “The Wedding Singer” at Repertory East Playhouse in Newhall (May 30 @ 2pm). May will also bring the annual visit to the Southern California Ren Faire, although it looks like we’re going to have to divide and conquer: we’re like to go on Saturday May 8, and ellipticcurve, Erin, and one of Erin’s friends will go on Sunday, May 16 (we can’t do it that day due to “Meeting of Minds”, but it puts it after all of Erin’s AP exams).

As always: live theatre is a gift and a unique experience, unlike a movie. It is vitally important in these times that you support your local arts institutions. If you can afford to go to the movies, you can afford to go to theatre. If you need help finding ways, just drop me a note and I’ll teach you some tricks. Lastly, I’ll note that nobody paid me anything to write this review. In fact, I receive no remuneration for any reviews I write.

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Let Me Tell You A Story About Alvin…

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

This has been a very emotional week, as one of our best friends, Lauren Uroff, died Tuesday morning. Given this, I was unsure what emotional roller-coaster would result when we attended “The Story of My Life at the Havok Theatre Company last night (the non-refundable, non-exchangable tickets had been purchased long before Lauren went into the hospital). This is because “The Story of My Life” is a unique musical: a simple two-man musical about friendship and how it touches our lives. I’m pleased to say that the musical was beautiful, and provided (at least for me) a wonderfully cathartic moment.

“The Story of My Life” tells the story of the friendship of Thomas and Alvin, who met in first grade. It starts out right after Alvin had died by jumping off a bridge, and his friend Thomas, now a famous writer, has the obligation to write Alvin’s eulogy. Thomas is blocked and can’t come up with anything, and so Alvin appears in his head, urging him to write what he knows, and that a eulogy is simply a series of stories, with a tearjerker at the end. But Thomas is still blocked, trying to figure out where this childhood friendship went wrong. So Alvin starts pulling books off the bookshelves of Thomas’ mind, sharing the stories. We start with their meeting, where their teacher Mrs. Remington introduced them: Thomas dressed as Clarence the angel from “It’s a Wonderful Life”, and Alvin dressed as the ghost of his dead mother. We see them grow up: picking the magical book from Alvin’s father’s bookstore that turns Tom into a writer; the Christmas’ where they make snow angels and watch “It’s a Wonderful Life”; Tom’s application to college; Tom’s distancing himself from Alvin (and his subsequently becoming blocked). In the end, we see how this distancing affects Tom’s ability as a writer (for his stories turn out to be expressions of his adventures with Alvin), and the reconciliation of the friendship in Tom’s mind.

“It’s a Wonderful Life” is a recurrent theme in this musical, and perhaps is a bit heavy-handed. It shows up repeatedly: from Clarance the angel, to everyone saying “Everytime a bell rings…” whenever the door bells ring, to Alvin being compared to George Bailey (who sets aside his own life to attend to another’s responsibility, and thus never leaves town), and ultimately, to the parallel in Alvin’s death… and perhaps the reason behind the death. It didn’t bother me, but I can see where others might find it heavy… but then again, I’ve seen people who model their lives around movies. It simply shows the power of the media and metaphor in our life.

On a personal level, this musical was very touching, for it had its parallels in the story and the ultimate theme. The musical takes place surrounded by books and writing: either in a real bookstore, or in the bookstore of Tom’s mind. Lauren was a lover of books, and she had a collection of books at home that could rival a small book store. But more importantly, it touched upon the theme of the butterfly and how it can impact the world: the beating of its wings create currents that move the wind along… and people touch other people in ways that can change their lives in major ways… and perhaps that is our purpose in the world. It also emphasizes that we should remember the people we love not through the physical things that they leave us, but with the stories about them and how they touched our lives. The most fitting eulogy begins with “Let me tell you a story about my friend”. It teaches us to treasure the stories of our lives, and to treasure the people with whom we share them.

This production starred two actors we have seen before: Robert J. Townsend (who we saw as the lead in CMT’s “Jekyll and Hyde”, and who we’ve been seeing at CMT going as far back as “Anything Goes”) as Thomas Weaver, and Chad Borden (who we saw in Havok’s “Kiss of the Spider Woman”) as Alvin Kelby. Both were strong singers and actors, who made you believe in their friendship and love for each other. They were just fun to watch, inhabiting their characters (which is something I love to see in actors). This came from a mix of the skill of these actors, as well as the creative direction of Nick DeGruccio (whose work we have also seen many times).
[All actors are members of æ Actors Equity ]

The book behind “The Story of My Life” is by Brian Hill, who received a 2009 Drama Desk Award nomination for the book. The music and lyrics were by Neil Bartram, who also received 2009 Drama Desk Award nominations for Outstanding Music and Outstanding Lyrics. The show opened on Broadway in 2009 but closed in a week: this is not a show for a large Broadway house, but is perfect in the smaller venues (such as the 99-seat Lillian Theatre used by Havok for this production). As noted above, I found the book very touching, and the music and lyrics beautiful — especially those of “The Butterfly”, which will now always make me think of Lauren. Don’t believe me? Go on: read the lyrics for that song. I’ll wait for you to get back. Was I right? Just beautiful. There is just so much meaning in the lines:

“You’re a butterfly my friend,
Powerful and strong
And I’m grateful for the way
You’ve always hurried me along.
When you flap your wings to stretch yourself
It might seem small to you
But you change the world
With everything you do.”

Technically, the production was beautiful. The set (designed by Tom Buderwitz) consisted of rows upon rows of bookshelves and books, covered with books and papers in shades of grey and black (collected through the hard work of one of our favorite stage managers), with a bridge across the back. It was gently lit (in a lovely lighting design by Steve Young) through mood expressing colors via overhead leikos and lighting behind the bookshelves. The sound (design by Drew Dalzell, who teaches at CalArts) was clear and clean. The music was provided by a three-piece ensemble hidden behind the stage conducted by Michael Paternostro, consisting of a piano, reed, and cello. The show was produced by Havok Theatre Company, with Kathleen Parker and Jodi Carlisle as associate producers.

The production stage manager was the “ever capable”™ Lindsay “Leroy” Martens (youarebonfante), who we know from all her work at Cabrillo. I’m giving Lindsay special mention because we were finally able to talk to her this season (we really can’t see her after evening shows at Cabrillo), and because she took the time to talk to our daughter about her work in technical theatre (and we are sure they will be able to work together in the future). She is just a really good person. I did, however, forget to ask her about “Leroy” :-). I also note it was wonderful seeing shutterbug93 at the show, and to get to meet and talk to Chad and Robert (and their families) after the show.

“The Story of My Life” continues at The Havok Theatre through April 4, 2010. Tickets are available through Havok’s secure website, as well as through Goldstar Events and LAStageTix (but both of these are likely to sell out—the show is that good). This is a show well worth seeing.

Upcoming Theatre. As for us, what’s upcoming on the theatre calendar? Next Saturday night (March 13) brings “Celebrate Dance 2010” at the Alex Theatre in Glendale. The following weekend brings “On Golden Pond” at REP East on Saturday night @ 8pm (this was rescheduled from March 14 due to Lauren’s memorial service), with Sunday bringing another installment of “Meeting of Minds” — this will be the second episode with Karl Marx (Ed Asner), Sir Thomas More (Bruce Davison), Queen Marie Antoinette (Meeghan Holaway), and President US Grant (Dan Lauria). The last weekend of March has no theatre, but is still busy: there’s a Games Day on March 27, and Rick Recht is doing a free concert at TAS on March 28. April brings more of potential interest, including “Jacques Brel is Alive and Living in Paris” at the Colony Theatre (tickets pending, likely April 10 or April 16), “Damn Yankees” at Van Nuys HS (tickets pending, April 15-17), the April installment of “Meeting of Minds” at the Steve Allen Theatre on April 18, “12 Angry Men” at REP East (April 24 @ 8pm, although Erin may have to see the May 2 Sunday Matinee due to AP Stats Camp). May looks to be equally busy, with “Little Shop of Horrors at Cabrillo Music Theatre (May 1), “See What I Wanna See” at the Blank (likely May 9), “The 39 Steps” at the Ahmanson (likely May 15, evening), the May installment of “Meeting of Minds” at the Steve Allen Theatre (May 16), the Spring Dance Show at Van Nuys HS (May 20-22), and “The Wedding Singer” at Repertory East Playhouse in Newhall (May 30 @ 2pm). May will also bring the annual visit to the Southern California Ren Faire, although it looks like we’re going to have to divide and conquer: we’re like to go on Saturday May 8, and ellipticcurve, Erin, and one of Erin’s friends will go on Sunday, May 16 (we can’t do it that day due to “Meeting of Minds”, but it puts it after all of Erin’s AP exams).

As always: live theatre is a gift and a unique experience, unlike a movie. It is vitally important in these times that you support your local arts institutions. If you can afford to go to the movies, you can afford to go to theatre. If you need help finding ways, just drop me a note and I’ll teach you some tricks. Lastly, I’ll note that nobody paid me anything to write this review. In fact, I receive no remuneration for any reviews I write.

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Welcome to Another Meeting of Minds (Episode #23)

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Rounding out our busy theatre weekend was the February production of “Meeting of Minds” (MoM). I thought I would take a few minutes at lunch to write up my review. As a reminder, for those unfamilar with MoM, it was an innovative PBS program developed by Steve Allen that brought together four (three in the last season) historical figures for a round-table discussion on a variety of topics. Extensively researched, it is both entertaining and educational. These programs were only available for a short time on videotape, and have never been released on DVD. Late last year, the good folks at Working Stage productions—in particular, Dan Lauria, Bob Ladendorf and Diana Ljungaeus brought back MoM as a staged reading. Their goal is to not only produce these programs in Hollywood, but to perform at colleges, high schools, universitites and other educational or cultural venues, with name actors. With respect to the Hollywood production, they are now a regular schedule of the third Sunday every month at 7pm at the Steve Allen Theatre.

Last night’s episode was #23 (the penultimate episode aired on PBS), and featured Gary Cole as Steve Allen, Ian Buchanan as Oliver Cromwell, James Handy as Daniel O’Connell, and Penny Peyser as Catherine the Great. Yet again, this was an excellent actor mix — one of the strongest.

Let’s look at each of them. The most remarkable was Penny Peyser, who was a last minute substitute for Jean Smart (who had a death in the family). With only five days to look at the script, Peyser gave a spirited performance as Catherine—playful, lusty, knowledgable. You could see why men were attracted to her (and yes, they did mention the horse–which she said wasn’t true). As O’Connell, Handy was typically Irish: arrogant at times, playful, proud of his heritage. As Cromwell, Buchanan was the opposite: the stern Puritan who felt he was in the right because God gave him victories, and that what he did was ordained. He had no quarter for the monarchy or those who supported the monarchy. Gary Cole was his typical self: Allen wrote these pieces with his moderator role as everyman, asking the knowingly stupid questions or making the knowingly stupid remark to promote dialogue. As an example, Cromwell was played on to “God Save The Queen”. This was done obstensibly as the British National Anthem, but was more to immediately bring out Cromwell’s stubborness and hatred of all things connected to the monarchy. As I recall from the scripts, the second half of this episode is quite interesting.

[ETA 2/23/10: Today I had a discussion with one of the producers about extending season tickets, and I pointed her to these reviews. She reminded me I totally forgot to mention the director, Frank Megna. She’s right, of course. Partially that is because I was writing the review quickly at work, and partially that is because the directing was transparent (in other words, I wasn’t consciously aware of the direction, which if you think about it, is a good thing… directing is like sound engineering: it works best when you don’t even realize what it is doing). I decided to add this addendum to remind me for the next show.]

One other note: Last night, Dan Lauria provided a report on the larger mission related to MoM. He indicated they have already had one production at UC Riverside, in a room of 400, and were sold out quickly. The administration indicated they could have done multiple nights. They have a new brochure out on the program with contact information, so if you ware interested in learning about MoM and scheduling a production, contact Diana or Bob via info (at) workingstage.com. If you want phone numbers, drop me a note.

“Meeting of Minds” is now produced approximately monthly by Opening Minds Productions. Meeting of Minds is the third Sunday of every month at 7:00pm at the Steve Allen Theatre in Hollywood. The next episode (March 21 @ 7pm) will be Episode #4, featuring President U.S. Grant (Dan Lauria), Dr. Karl Marx (Ed Asner), Queen Marie Antoinette (Meeghan Holaway), and Sir Thomas More (Bruce Davison), with Steve Allen (Gary Cole) as the moderator.

Upcoming Theatre. As for us, what’s upcoming on the theatre calendar? Next weekend is open, and may remain that way as we’re seeing our congregation’s Purim Schpeil on Sunday evening. March starts with “The Story of My Life” at the Havok Theatre on March 6 @ 8pm (where we’ll be joined by shutterbug93). March 13 brings “Celebrate Dance 2010” at the Alex Theatre in Glendale; followed the next day by “On Golden Pond” at REP East. March 21 will be another installment of “Meeting of Minds” — this will be the second episode with Karl Marx (Ed Asner), Sir Thomas More (Bruce Davison), Queen Marie Antoinette (Meeghan Holaway), and President US Grant (Dan Lauria). April brings more of potential interest, most currently pending ticketing, including “Jacques Brel is Alive and Living in Paris” at the Colony Theatre (likely April 10 or April 16), “Damn Yankees” at Van Nuys HS (April 15-17), the April installment of “Meeting of Minds” at the Steve Allen Theatre on April 18, “12 Angry Men” at REP East (likely April 24), and the So Cal Ren Faire (either April 25 or May 16). May looks to be equally busy, with “Little Shop of Horrors at Cabrillo Music Theatre (May 1), “See What I Wanna See” at the Blank (likely May 9), “The 39 Steps” at the Ahmanson (likely May 15), the May installment of “Meeting of Minds” at the Steve Allen Theatre (May 16), the Spring Dance Show at Van Nuys HS (May 20-22), and “The Wedding Singer” at Repertory East Playhouse in Newhall (likely May 30).

As always: live theatre is a gift and a unique experience, unlike a movie. It is vitally important in these times that you support your local arts institutions. If you can afford to go to the movies, you can afford to go to theatre. If you need help finding ways, just drop me a note and I’ll teach you some tricks. Lastly, I’ll note that nobody paid me anything to write this review. In fact, I receive no remuneration for any reviews I write.

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