Tag: reviews-2020

🎭 Is There A Reason Behind The Intimate Insanity? | The $5 Shakespeare Company @ 6th Act/Theatre 68

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

The $5 Shakespeare Company (6th Act @ Theatre 68)Often, when I have two theatre shows in a weekend, there’s some common theme between them — some sort of connecting through line that I can ruminate on. In this case, that through line is Los Angeles, and some of the unique things that we find in the city. One is the West Adams district, which was the subject of our play on Saturday night. West Adams was also the home of an intimate theatre that, alas, is no more, Chromolume, that used to do remarkable productions held together with love, talent, and I think lots of duct tape. Chromolume made miracles out of a little, and the people kept doing what they were doing for some unknown reason, until their landlord figured they could make more money with a tenant that could pay more.

The play we saw Sunday afternoon, The $5 Shakespeare Company, explores intimate theatre in Los Angeles, This World Premiere from The 6th Act at Theatre 68 in NoHo, written by Matthew Leavitt, tells the story of one of the shoestring companies, The $5 Shakespeare Company, whose mission is to present Shakespeare plays on no budget for $5 in a storefront theatre (implied to be on Theatre Row on Santa Monica Blvd). You’ve all been in these theatres during Fringe: a black box stage and perhaps 50 seats. The action, which reminded me a bit of Noises Off without the full-on farcical elements, alternated between the back-stage story of the company and the on-stage presentation of A Midsummer’s Night Dream (in February). This allowed you to meet all the characters, learn their stories, see both how they were invested in the company and why they were there, as well as seeing the quality of the performance. The Noises Off comparison is apt, as just as in Noises Off, there is deterioration of the relationships backstage as well as the performances to the audience.

I’ll do my best to describe the characters in the story, although alas I was dealing with a slight headache that gave me microbursts of drowsiness beyond my control. The head of the company was Jacob (Adam J. Smith (FB)), an actor who was fired from a sitcom for pushing a camera into a wall in an outburst, now serving as the Artistic Director of the company trying to hold it together and move it forward. Lillian (Liza Seneca (FB)) is another long-time company member, who had aspirations to run the company until Jacob was selected by the membership. She remains because it allows her to play roles that she would never get to normally play. Working closely with Lillian is Elena (Carolina Espiro (⭐FB)), who has been in the business a long time, and is introduced to the audience requiring liquid fortification to go on with the show. She’s also having an affair with Randall (Kenajuan Bentley (FB)), an actor who enjoys his Shakespeare … but also enjoys torturing the understudy in the show, Louis (Luke McClure (FB)). Louis, a recent graduate of RADA … in Riverside CA … thinks he knows everything about theatre professionalism.

Also in the $5 Shakespeare Company is Everett (Emerson Collins (⭐FB)), the stereotypical gay character who longs to play Tatiana. He’s tortured Noel (Jamie Zwick (⭐FB, FB)), the type of actor so proud of his body he takes off his shirt and oils up at the slightest opportunity. The elder actor in the community is Chester (Andy Robinson (FB)), who has basically done it all and seen it all, and is cynical about it all, and wants to play King Lear before he is too old to remember the lines. The two youngest members of the company are Camille (Cindy Nguyen (FB)), whose doesn’t have the greatest amount of talent but whose father is bankrolling the company, and Spencer (Sami Kolko Zwick (FB) at our performance, normally Natalie Lander (⭐FB)) a young actress who is expecting her big break any moment (and who thus must have her cell phone with her at all times … all times).

As you can see, this company captures most of the archetypes of actors in Los Angeles, from the experienced to the not, from the stage professionals to the TV actors. The script is loaded with references that LA natives, and LA folk that love theatre will get. I think there were also quite a few inside references that I didn’t get (being a cybersecurity guy) that others in the audience (who were clearly in the industry) got. But that’s good — that makes this a play that works at all levels.

The play, under the direction of Joel Zwick (FB), moves briskly (90 minutes, no intermission), and the actor capture and are clearly having fun with their character types. I can’t necessarily say they are realistic portrayals, because I think the characters were written to exaggerate the behaviors. Stylistically, they capture well what I expect the backstage of an bare-bones theatre would be like — one shared dressing room for all, with threadbare decor and no privacy for changing except standing behind something. But I think Zwick also does a great job of turning what could be a bunch of stereotypes into a believable family that cares about each other — foibles and all.

Overall, I found the play entertaining and quite funny — and one that even made me laugh out loud (which is rare). The performances were strong, and the story was in essence a love letter to the people that do intimate theatre for rewards that are certainly not monetary, but are more spiritual. I think it is well worth seeing, especially if you (like me) are an audience member that loves the creativity that only small theatres can bring. My wife (who brought the show to my attention) found it rolling-on-the-floor funny. It really was a great show.

I’ve cited the performers before. I’d like to highlight a few that particularly caught my eye. The first was our understudy put-in, Sami Kolko Zwick (FB), who was a delight to watch as Spencer. Also fun to watch was the other young actress, Cindy Nguyen (FB). I really liked Adam J. Smith (FB)’s Jacob — you could just sense the exasperation. I thought Andy Robinson (FB)’s name was familiar, but I never even recognized Gareck in Chester, his portrayal of Chester was that strong. I also enjoyed the easy familiarity of Kenajuan Bentley (FB)’s Randall. But all of the actors were great.

Chris Winfield (FB)’s scenice design was suitably dilapidated for a company doing thing on the cheap, as were Ashphord Jacoway‘s costumes. Nick Neidorf (FB)’s sound design provided the appropriate sound effects. Chu-hsuan Chang‘s lighting design blended into the background, quietly establishing the mood. Other production credits: Nick Neidorf (FB) Composer; David Elzer, DEMAND PR Publicity; Michelle Hanzelova (FB) Graphic Design; MacKenzie Smith Stage Manager; Sami Kolko Zwick (FB) Assistant Director; Megan Donahue (FB) Assistant Stage Manager.

The $5 Shakespeare Company continues at Theatre 68 in NoHo through March 8. Tickets are available through Eventbrite. Discount tickets may be available through Goldstar (which even gets a mention of the show, about the importance of getting a good review on Goldstar).

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Ob. Disclaimer: I am not a trained theatre (or music) critic; I am, however, a regular theatre and music audience member. I’ve been attending live theatre and concerts in Los Angeles since 1972; I’ve been writing up my thoughts on theatre (and the shows I see) since 2004. I do not have theatre training (I’m a computer security specialist), but have learned a lot about theatre over my many years of attending theatre and talking to talented professionals. I pay for all my tickets unless otherwise noted (or I’ll make a donation to the theatre, in lieu of payment). I am not compensated by anyone for doing these writeups in any way, shape, or form. I currently subscribe at 5 Star Theatricals (FB), the Hollywood Pantages (FB), Actors Co-op (FB),  the Soraya/VPAC (FB), and the Musical Theatre Guild (FB). Through my theatre attendance I have made friends with cast, crew, and producers, but I do strive to not let those relationships color my writing (with one exception: when writing up children’s production, I focus on the positive — one gains nothing except bad karma by raking a child over the coals). I believe in telling you about the shows I see to help you form your opinion; it is up to you to determine the weight you give my writeups. Note to publicists or producers reading this: here’s my policy on taking comp tickets. Bottom-Line: Only for things of nominal value, like Fringe.

Upcoming Shows:

Next weekend brings A Body of Water at Actors Co-op (FB) and It Shoulda Been You at Musical Theatre Guild (FB). To top all of that, the fourth weekend brings  The Simon and Garfunkel Story at the Hollywood Pantages (FB), Escape to Margaritaville at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB), and Step Afrika at the Soraya/VPAC (FB) the fourth weekend. Yes, that is the Pantages and the Dolby the same day — that’s what I get for not entering season tickets on my calendar before ticketing a bonus show. The last weekend is open, but I’ll probably find some theatre in Madison WI when I’m out there; alas, I’ll be missing both Nefesh Mountain at Temple Israel of Hollywood and Tom Paxton and the Don Juans at McCabes.

March starts with Passion at Boston Court (FB) the first weekend. The 2nd weekend brings the MRJ Man of the Year dinner (and possibly The Wild Party at Morgan Wixson). The 3rd brings Morris’ Room at Actors Co-op (FB) ; and the last weekend brings Spongebob Squarepants at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB) and the MoTAS/TBH Seder. April is similarly busy: the 1st weekend is Mamma Mia at 5 Star Theatricals (FB); the 2nd is during Pesach and is open (but has Count Basie at the Soraya/VPAC (FB) the Thursday before); the 3rd is Once on This Island at the Ahmanson Theatre; the last is Hamilton at the Hollywood Pantages (FB) (and possibly Hands on a Hardbody at the Charles Stewart Howard Playhouse (FB)), and the first weekend of May is Mean Girls at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB)

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Better-Lemons, Musicals in LA, @ This Stage, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411 or that are sent to me by publicists or the venues themselves. Want to know how to attend lots of live stuff affordably? Take a look at my post on How to attend Live Theatre on a Budget. Want to learn about all the great theatre in Southern California? Read my post on how Los Angeles (and its environs) is the best area for theatre in the Country!

 

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🎭 The Dark Side of Gentrification | “West Adams” @ Skylight Theatre

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

West Adams (Skylight Theatre)Gentrification. Wikipedia defines it as “a process of changing the character of a neighborhood through the influx of more affluent residents and businesses.” Merriam Webster defines it as “a process of changing the character of a neighborhood through the influx of more affluent residents and businesses.” The key factor that these definitions have in common is that affluent residents move in, and the poorer people get pushed out. In the 1960s, this process was called “urban renewal”, and (back then) you saw poorer people get pushed out for businesses and civic monuments — such as Dodger Stadium and the Music Center.

In Los Angeles, there have only been a handful of plays that have explored the subject of gentrification. In This Land, presented by Company of Angels in 2017, the story of gentrification was told by focusing on a single plot of land in Watts, showing how the land passed from family to family: Gabrielino tribal land to the Spanish, from the Spanish to the (white) Americans, from the whites to the blacks, from the blacks to the Hispanics, until the whites started moving back in, gentrifying, pushing out the Hispanics in the name of progress.  That play emphasized the commonalities in the cultures, but it also showed some of the hatred that came when new and different people moved in. The play Remembering Boyle Heights, presented by Casa 0101, presented the history of Boyle Heights — a community that often faced redlining and became a melting pot of immigrants and minorities because it was the only place they could live… and a community that is also seeing its poorer residents being pushed out as the white investors come in with their art galleries and trendy restaurants.

This brings us to West Adams, a new play developed by SkyLab, the resident playwright’s program (directed by Lee Blessing) and written by Penelope Lowder, currently being presented by the Skylight Theatre Company (FB). West Adams explores another gentrification story in Los Angeles, this time in the Historic West Adams community. Once a trendy white community, this community in the post WWII era became increasingly black and hispanic. Recently, it has been a prime area for investors and the folks who chase the trends to move into for the beautiful 1920s houses. If you want an easy example, look at the sitcom The Neighborhood. Based on the houses, this likely takes place in West Adams — and yes, the white couple there, while comically portrayed, are gentrifying the neighborhood.

This play concerns some different couples, perhaps with different motives. Michael Hills (Clayton Farris (⭐FB)) and his wife Jullie Cho Hills (Jenny Soo (FB)) have moved from a crappy Santa Monica apartment to West Adams, and own a bouncy castle business. They operate this business with the help of their friends Edward (Andres M. Bagg) and Sarah Apaza (Allison Blaize (FB)). Michael sponsored Edward for his green card and brought him over from Peru. They are attempting to get their performance of the Star Spangled Banner into the West Adams Block Party (they must audition), and Michael has donated a number of bouncy houses to the party. Then new neighbors move in across the street, renovating the dilapidated house into a palace. The Hills and Apaza’s are happy about this, as they appear to be white and wealthy. Later they learn that the actual buyer is a black ENT with a practice in Beverly Hills, who knows lots of stars. But they are still happy, because these connections mean more visibility and upward mobility.

But when the new family starts being liked more by the neighborhood council, and getting exemptions from the rules, things start to simmer. When a trip to the African American Museum turns into a tirade on the problems with white privilege, they heat up more. And when the Hills and Apaza’s lose the privilege they had, and start to see the neighborhood not wanting the improvements they want to bring… let’s just say that it gets real ugly. Really, really, ugly.

West Adams shows a much darker (if that’s the right word to use) motive behind gentrification: overt racism and classism. In the play, the motives for moving to West Adams is not the overt “buying the best house for the least money” (which is often stated as the reason for gentrification), or the fact that it is “a good investment”, but for the betterment of the neighborhood. This betterment is not defined as making the neighborhood better for the people that live there, and preserving the culture of the people that live there, but rather bringing in the culture that we (i.e., the white gentrifiers) think is the better culture, and pushing out the lower class and poorer minorities that live in these houses (often giving them pennies on the dollars, while making money on the investments). The play posits that, for at least some people, gentrification is just another form of purification — of making portions of the city over into the culture that they think is the better culture.

[ETA: An interesting thought hit me this morning regarding this: When non-whites have moved into traditionally white neighborhoods, this hasn’t been viewed as gentrification and there haven’t been claims that these non-white have been attempting to treat their culture as superior and impose it (in fact, from the white point of view, the opposite has been said: these folks moving in are lowering values). Yet when we have the gentrification situation, the white moving in attempt to impose their values to “improve” the neighborhood. I see some parallels in my head of Christians moving in and imposing Christian values to “improve” societies. What does this say, overall, about the implied privilege, and why that implied privilege leads people to view one culture, religion, or values as superior — when in reality, there is often no such weighting and judging the value of a culture is itself bias. See, this is what plays do — they make you think.]

In presenting this story, West Adams does what theatre is supposed to do: make you think, and make you confront something that makes you uncomfortable. Theatre isn’t always a story with a light and happy ending, with song and dance and laughter in your heart. Sometimes it is the darker stories, such as last week’s The Last Ship about the death of a community when the wealthy shipyard owners close a business for economic reasons, or West Adams where we see the unspoken racism in this country as a factor in gentrification. The shows I’ve cited here from Company of Angels, Casa 0101, and Skylight also do what is very important in Los Angeles: Having theatre that is not only presented in Los Angeles, but is about Los Angeles, and tells stories that make Los Angeles think about its place and what it is doing. West Adams is also a significant show in juxtaposition with the larger story of what is happening in this country under the Trump administration, where white supremacy is increasingly out in the open and accepted by the administration. How would President Trump feel about the family in this story? Would he be giving them the President Medal of Freedom for what they are doing. All these factors make this show something that should really be seen.

Lastly, an it is in some sense a spoiler, there is reference to rape in this show, and of possibly false #MeToo like accusations being weaponized. If that is a sensitive subject for your, be forewarned. The N-word is also used once.

Under the direction of Michael A. Shepperd (FB), the family is quickly believable and their behavior makes sense. This feels not like a stereotypical group, but a group you could imagine being friends with. In other words, Shepperd does a great job of making them be (insert emphasis and pauses) just (pause) like (pause) you. In doing so, he makes us confront whether this form of racism and behavior is within us. Shepperd does a great job of working with the actors and crafting a presentation that is believable, and that flies by in a short 85 minutes. About the only thing I didn’t like was the mechanical choreography between scenes.

I’ve mentioned the cast above (unlike my usual approach), but I’d like to highlight how much I liked them and how well they worked as an emsemble. I read one review that liked the story but didn’t think the cast had jelled. They saw it opening night, which is perhaps not the best time to see a show. I saw it a week after opening, and the cast has really jelled into believable and likable couples. This makes the ugly in the latter half of the play even more shocking. All of the cast — Clayton Farris (⭐FB), Jenny Soo (FB), Andres M. Bagg and Allison Blaize (FB) — are just great.

Turning to the production and creative side. Stephen Gifford (FB)’s set design presents the basic front room of a house, in which all the action takes place. This design works well with the direction to believably create the new family’s house across the street. This imaginative solution is aided by the inventive sound design of Jesse Madapat, which creates the moving trucks and the parties sonicly placed behind the audience. David Murakami (FB)’s projection design augments the location providing movement and maps between the scenes. Mylette Nora‘s costume design seemed appropriate up-scale for the aspirations of these couples, and Donny Jackson‘s lighting design established time and mood well. Rounding out the production credits: Michael O’Hara (FB) Props; Michael Teoli (FB) Original Music; Judith Borne Publicist; Guillermo Perez Graphic Design; Raul Clayton Staggs Casting; Garrett Crouch Rehearsal Stage Manager; Christopher Hoffman Production Stage Manager; Jen Albert Fight Coordinator; Amy Pelch Associate Producer; Andrew Brian Carter Assistant Director; Gary Grossman and Michael Kearns Producers.

West Adams continues at the Skylight Theatre Company (FB) in Los Feliz through March 8. Tickets are available through the Skyline box office; discount tickets may be available through Goldstar. If you are a student of Los Angeles or the impacts of gentrification — or just like good theatre — go see this.

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Ob. Disclaimer: I am not a trained theatre (or music) critic; I am, however, a regular theatre and music audience member. I’ve been attending live theatre and concerts in Los Angeles since 1972; I’ve been writing up my thoughts on theatre (and the shows I see) since 2004. I do not have theatre training (I’m a computer security specialist), but have learned a lot about theatre over my many years of attending theatre and talking to talented professionals. I pay for all my tickets unless otherwise noted (or I’ll make a donation to the theatre, in lieu of payment). I am not compensated by anyone for doing these writeups in any way, shape, or form. I currently subscribe at 5 Star Theatricals (FB), the Hollywood Pantages (FB), Actors Co-op (FB),  the Soraya/VPAC (FB), and the Musical Theatre Guild (FB). Through my theatre attendance I have made friends with cast, crew, and producers, but I do strive to not let those relationships color my writing (with one exception: when writing up children’s production, I focus on the positive — one gains nothing except bad karma by raking a child over the coals). I believe in telling you about the shows I see to help you form your opinion; it is up to you to determine the weight you give my writeups.

Upcoming Shows:

Today brought the $5 Shakespeare Company from The Sixth Act (FB) at Theatre 68 — writeup coming up in a day or three. The third weekend brings A Body of Water at Actors Co-op (FB) and It Shoulda Been You at Musical Theatre Guild (FB). To top all of that, the fourth weekend brings  The Simon and Garfunkel Story at the Hollywood Pantages (FB), Escape to Margaritaville at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB), and Step Afrika at the Soraya/VPAC (FB) the fourth weekend. Yes, that is the Pantages and the Dolby the same day — that’s what I get for not entering season tickets on my calendar before ticketing a bonus show. The last weekend is open, but I’ll probably find some theatre in Madison WI when I’m out there; alas, I’ll be missing both Nefesh Mountain at Temple Israel of Hollywood and Tom Paxton and the Don Juans at McCabes.

March starts with Passion at Boston Court (FB) the first weekend. The 2nd weekend brings the MRJ Man of the Year dinner (and possibly The Wild Party at Morgan Wixson). The 3rd brings Morris’ Room at Actors Co-op (FB) ; and the last weekend brings Spongebob Squarepants at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB) and the MoTAS/TBH Seder. April is similarly busy: the 1st weekend is Mamma Mia at 5 Star Theatricals (FB); the 2nd is during Pesach and is open (but has Count Basie at the Soraya/VPAC (FB) the Thursday before); the 3rd is Once on This Island at the Ahmanson Theatre; the last is Hamilton at the Hollywood Pantages (FB) (and possibly Hands on a Hardbody at the Charles Stewart Howard Playhouse (FB)), and the first weekend of May is Mean Girls at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB)

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Better-Lemons, Musicals in LA, @ This Stage, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411 or that are sent to me by publicists or the venues themselves. Want to know how to attend lots of live stuff affordably? Take a look at my post on How to attend Live Theatre on a Budget. Want to learn about all the great theatre in Southern California? Read my post on how Los Angeles (and its environs) is the best area for theatre in the Country!

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🎭 A Pipefitter’s Dream | “The Last Ship” @ Ahmanson Theatre

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

The Last Ship (Ahmanson Theatre)Last Saturday night, we saw the musical The Last Ship at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB), with music and lyrics by Sting (FB), and new book by Lorne Campbell, based on the original book by John Logan and Brian Yorkey. Since then, I’ve been trying to figure out how to write up this puzzler of a show (and, to be honest, I’ve been trying to find the time to finish the writeup, once started — crazy week).

The Last Ship tells the story of a shipyard in Wallsend UK, and the workers who work in the yard. They’ve built many ships over the generations, passing jobs down from father to son. They see them sail off, and wonder about the next job. They are about 90% done with the current ship when the owner comes in and says they cannot find a buyer for it. They are going to dismantle it for scrap. He wants to stop work, higher a smaller number of workers for less pay for less skilled work. He will then close the yard. The workers, naturally, are against this for a number of reasons: they build ships, they don’t take them apart; the good pay is going away; the jobs are going away. At the heart of the matter is the question: What are they without the shipyard, and what is the meaning of their lives without the building of a ship?

At this point, the leaders of the workers what to have a strike. But it is soon discovered that doesn’t make a difference and their hand is forced: The company that owned them is being dissolved, and a new entity is purchasing the yard to dismantle the ship and close it. So who is there to strike against?

Parallel to this is the story of Gideon Fletcher, the son of one of the shipbuilders. He doesn’t want to inherit the tradition. After his father is injured in an industrial accident, he decides to leave for Her Majesties Navy. He doesn’t just leave his family, he leaves his girl Meg. But he promises he’ll be back soon. Seventeen years later he returns and tries to rekindle the relationship. There are two things standing in the way: the whole 17 year thing, and the fact that he left Meg “in the family way” — and now has a daughter. This daughter, Ellen, wants to go off with her rock band to London, which her mom doesn’t want.

These stories come together in the resolution of the shipyard story, when the shop foreman (Jackie White) and the shop steward (BIlly Thompson) decide they are going to occupy the shipyard, and complete the last ship. This is after Jackie White breaks the news to his wife that he has mesothelioma and will die soon (and does). Gideon decides his destiny is to captain the ship down the slip, and so he (predictably) sails off into the sunset … with Meg … and the casket of Jackie White … on the ship Utopia.

This show, famously, has been a pet project of Sting (who has lots of pet projects). It is quasi-autobiographical — Sting grew up in such a working class community. The show failed on Broadway, where it played 29 previews and 109 performances. It was subsequently retooled for the UK and Toronto, and the retooled and rewritten version is what is going on tour, starting with this production in Los Angeles. From what I’m given to understand, the story was retooled to focus a bit more on the women standing by their men. Originally, a priest character was the one who encouraged them to finish the ship, and Meg had to decide between her current husband and Gideon. Those aspects of the plot have gone away, The abandoned daughter is intended to be the representation of Sting, and after protest, Gideon and Meg allow her to go to find her destiny.

I could stop here, and just go on to the performances. But the show demands more analysis. But what to say?

This isn’t one of those great shows that you’ll see again and again (unless you are a Sting fan). But it’s not a disaster either. It’s … problematic. The accents, initially, are hard to get used to. But you do. The score is good, if a bit of a downer at times. Still, there are songs that are quite energetic, with a bit of a feel of Once.  But the story is also a bit of a downer. In a musical, you often want a happy ending. Yes, the guy gets the girl, but the main focus of the story, the shipbuilders, are in for a sorrier lot. Once that last ship sails, their way of life sails away as well. It’s a commentary on our times: the yards in the other countries can build it faster and cheaper (who knows about better, but faster and cheaper are what matters). And so, the jobs go away, as they have in so many industries. As they say in Urinetown: who wants to be told their way of life is unsustainable. This play does that, but the music isn’t as pretty.

Then there is the union aspect of the show. This is why my wife liked the show — she comes from a family of union organizers and rabble-rousers. But the union story has been told before — look at the backstory in Billy Elliott, for example, for a strike that was around the same time and ended equally poorly.  We see unions at the center of Pins and Needles, of The Pajama Game, and in other shows. The union fight is a good story and an honorable story. You want the laborers and the unions to win. But their fight, in this case, is a pipe dream. Who knows if it isn’t a dream in total: the ship is, after all, called Utopia. Give me a union fight where the union wins it, and makes life better for the workers. Give me Norma Jean: The Musical. That’s what we need these days: stories that show the value of the union.

As for the love story at the center of it: You never really know if there is love there at all, or just a different form of a sense of duty. Would Gideon have stayed with Meg without the question of Ellen? The setup of their relationship isn’t as strong as it could be. You don’t become invested in their story. In many ways, I think that the Gideon/Meg story could be easily jettisoned without impacting the main story that is being told. After all, the earworm you walk away with is not any love song between Gideon and Meg, but “the only life we’ve known is in the shipyard.” But then again, where would the future Sting-but-not-Sting be in the show if that happened?

In the end, am I glad I saw the show? Yes (and not only because I discovered that the Mezzanine seats in the Ahmanson aren’t bad at all). The music has grown on me, and now I understand the story. Perhaps some years down the road a revival of the show may figure out how to adjust the stories to strengthen it. It wasn’t bad. Just not great. It is clearly moving in the right direction.

That said, when you look at the performance side independent of the material, there are strong performances indeed. Under the direction of Lorne Campbell, the characters come off real and believable. The actors inhabit the characters, as you can see by watching the characters that are in the background. The performances evoke real emotion, and the conception and execution make space believably multiple spaces.

In the 🌟 “Star” position, billing-wise, is Sting (FB) Jackie White. We all know Sting can sing well, and because he wrote the music he knows the intent of the author. But he also handles the dramatic side strongly. In particular, his scenes with his wife, Peggy (Jackie Morrison) after he finally goes to the doctor are extremely touching. It is also interesting to note that Sting, being the “star”, actually doesn’t get the bulk of the song — or in fact any real solos. He has some touching featured moments in “Shipyard” and “Last Ship”, and a great duet with Morrison, but that’s about it.

In the real lead positions are the love interests: Frances McNamee (FB) Meg Dawson and Oliver Savile (FB, IG) Gideon Fletcher. Both are strong singers, and inhabit their characters well and believably. McNamee has a wonderful song in “If You Ever See Me Talking to a Sailor” and “August Winds”, and Savile does a great job on “When the Pubilist Learned to Dance” and “Dead Mans Boots”.  I’m less sure whether they capture the spark that needs to be between the characters — is the love believable in “What Say You Meg”, although McNamee captures the anger and bathos quite well. As their daughter, Sophie Reid (IG, FB) Ellen Dawson captures the teen anger quite well, and does a great job with her songs, especially “All This Time”.

Other notable performers are Jackie Morrison Peggy White, the wife of Sting’s character, and Joe Caffrey (FB) Billy Thompson, the shop steward. Both give strong and touching performances and sing well. Caffrey gets her moment to shine in “Women at the Gate”, and Caffrey gets to shing in “Underground River”.

Rounding out the cast were Tom Parsons (IG) Adrian Sanderson (normally played by Marc Akinfolarin (FB)); Matt Corner (IG) Davey Harrison; Susan Fay (FB) Maureen Summerson; Orla Gormley (FB, IG) Mrs. Dees; Annie Grace Baroness Tynedale; Oliver Kearney Kev Dickinson; Sean Kearns (FB) Freddy Newlands, Old Joe Fletcher, Ferryman; David Muscat (⭐FB, FB) Thomas Ashburner; James Berkery (IG) Eric Ford (normally Tom Parsons); Joseph Peacock (IG) Young Gideon; Hannah Richardson Cathleen Fleming, and Jade Sophia Vertannes (IG) Young Meg. James Berkery and Jullia Locascio were the understudies. It is in this ensemble that the power of the women is shown, especially with all the numbers that put the women front and center. There are quite a few numbers that do this explicitly, from “If You Ever See Me Talking to a Sailor”, to “Mrs. Dees’ Rant”, and ending with the strong women of “Women at the Gate”. I should note the strong performance of Gormley as Mrs. Dees in the rant that opens Act II (although for a minute I expected it to be an oddly times BC/EFA appeal)

PS to artists writing their bios for a program: Please proof your links, and if you link to a website, make sure it is working. At least half of the Instagram links in the bios were bad or went to someone elses page. This is especially true if you are repeating letters in your Instagram handle (Jave Vertannes is an example of this: there is a difference between @jadesophia_ (in the program) and @jadeesophia_ (the actual handle, with two “e”s) or don’t proof (there is a difference between thom.parsons.com (in the program) and thom-parsons.com (the actual URL). You put the links there so folks can find you. They should work.

Movement in this show isn’t choreographed (as there is no choreographer), but there is a movement director (Lucy Hind) and an associate movement director (James Berkery).  There were points in the show where I was watching the actors and going “that was clearly a ballet move”, so that movement types weren’t as believably seamlessly integrated in the story as they could be. But in general, the movement was more along the lines of Irish dance or folk dance than a traditional dance, to my eyes.

Music was provided by a small on-stage band, under the musical direction of Richard John (LI). The orchestra consisted of: Richard John (LI) Musical Director, Keyboards; Mick McAuley (🎼FB) Melodeon; Ben Butler (🎼FB, FB) Guitar; Scott Goldbaum (FB) Guitar; Kaveh Rastegar (🎼FB, FB) Acoustic Bass; Nathaniel Laguzza (FB) Drums/Percussion; Molly Rogers (🎼FB, FB) Violin. Other musical credits: Rob Mathes (🎼FB) Music Supervisor and Orchestrator; Sam Sommerfeld Associate Musical Director;  Encompass Music Partners (FB) Music Contractor.

Finally, turning to the production and creative side. Overall designer 59 Productions deserves lots of credit for the outstanding scenic design which combined a roughly steel-ish structural set with scrims and projection surfaces to create an incredibly malleable set piece that could transform from a shipyard to a church to a pub to a house to a … you name it, just with some seamless projections and the dropping of a scrim or three. It was astounding to watch the transformations, and they gave a wonderful sense of space. This was augmented by the lighting designs of Matt Daw, which highlighted the sense of time and mood. Molly Einchcomb (TW)’s costumes, supervised by Verity Sadler (FB), seemed appropriate for the characters. Sebastian Frost‘s sound design worked reasonably well, although the accents were initially muddied in the mezzanine. Other production credits:  Jullia Locascio Associate Director;  Bethan Clark of Rc-Annie Ltd Fight Director; Helen Jane Simmons (FB) Voice Coach; Beth Eden Casting Director, US Tour; Selma Dimitrijevic Dramaturg; Russ Spencer Company Stage Manager; Maggie Swing Production Stage Manager; Lorraine Kearin (FB) Deputy Stage Manager; Christian Bawtree Assistant Stage Manager; Broadway Booking Office NYC Tour Booking, Engagement Management, Press & Marketing; PW Productions General Management; Pemberley Productions General Management; Iain Gillie (FB) Associate Producer; Ivan MacTaggart Associate Producer; Karl Sydow Producer.

When I started writing this review, you had two weeks to see The Last Ship at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB). You now only have one. Tickets are available through the Ahmanson box office. Discount tickets may be available through Goldstar or TodayTix. While not a perfect show, the music is beautiful and the show moderately interesting. I enjoyed it.

🎭

Ob. Disclaimer: I am not a trained theatre (or music) critic; I am, however, a regular theatre and music audience member. I’ve been attending live theatre and concerts in Los Angeles since 1972; I’ve been writing up my thoughts on theatre (and the shows I see) since 2004. I do not have theatre training (I’m a computer security specialist), but have learned a lot about theatre over my many years of attending theatre and talking to talented professionals. I pay for all my tickets unless otherwise noted (or I’ll make a donation to the theatre, in lieu of payment). I am not compensated by anyone for doing these writeups in any way, shape, or form. I currently subscribe at 5 Star Theatricals (FB), the Hollywood Pantages (FB), Actors Co-op (FB),  the Soraya/VPAC (FB), and the Musical Theatre Guild (FB). Through my theatre attendance I have made friends with cast, crew, and producers, but I do strive to not let those relationships color my writing (with one exception: when writing up children’s production, I focus on the positive — one gains nothing except bad karma by raking a child over the coals). I believe in telling you about the shows I see to help you form your opinion; it is up to you to determine the weight you give my writeups.

Upcoming Shows:

This weekend brings West Adams at Skylight Theatre (FB) on Saturday, and the $5 Shakespeare Company from The Sixth Act (FB) at Theatre 68 on Sunday. The third weekend brings A Body of Water at Actors Co-op (FB) and It Shoulda Been You at Musical Theatre Guild (FB). To top all of that, the fourth weekend brings  The Simon and Garfunkel Story at the Hollywood Pantages (FB), Escape to Margaritaville at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB), and Step Afrika at the Soraya/VPAC (FB) the fourth weekend. Yes, that is the Pantages and the Dolby the same day — that’s what I get for not entering season tickets on my calendar before ticketing a bonus show. The last weekend is open, but I’ll probably find some theatre in Madison WI when I’m out there; alas, I’ll be missing both Nefesh Mountain at Temple Israel of Hollywood and Tom Paxton and the Don Juans at McCabes.

March starts with Passion at Boston Court (FB) the first weekend. The 2nd weekend brings the MRJ Man of the Year dinner (and possibly The Wild Party at Morgan Wixson). The 3rd brings Morris’ Room at Actors Co-op (FB) ; and the last weekend brings Spongebob Squarepants at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB) and the MoTAS/TBH Seder. April is similarly busy: the 1st weekend is Mamma Mia at 5 Star Theatricals (FB); the 2nd is during Pesach and is open (but has Count Basie at the Soraya/VPAC (FB) the Thursday before); the 3rd is Once on This Island at the Ahmanson Theatre; the last is Hamilton at the Hollywood Pantages (FB) (and possibly Hands on a Hardbody at the Charles Stewart Howard Playhouse (FB)), and the first weekend of May is Mean Girls at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB)

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Better-Lemons, Musicals in LA, @ This Stage, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411 or that are sent to me by publicists or the venues themselves. Want to know how to attend lots of live stuff affordably? Take a look at my post on How to attend Live Theatre on a Budget. Want to learn about all the great theatre in Southern California? Read my post on how Los Angeles (and its environs) is the best area for theatre in the Country!

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🎭 Melting Hearts | “Frozen” @ Hollywood Pantages

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Frozen (Hollywood Pantages)Q: So, when Elsa gets hungry in that Ice Palace™ of hers, what does she eat?

A:  Frozen foods.

Are we going out on that joke? No, we’ll do an overdue writeup of a Disney™ animated movie turned into a stage musical first. Will that help? Not much, no.

OK, Stan Freberg aside: Yes, we saw Frozen at the Hollywood Pantages (FB) last Sunday, and this writeup is way way overdue. But it has been a busy busy week in the evenings (which is when I have time to do the writeups), and its not as if this writeup would do much to change the trajectory of this musical, which has its expected popularity with particular audience segments.

The way I’m starting this writeup makes it appear that this was a bad musical. It wasn’t at all. It was essentially the Disney musical on stage, with some adaptations to better fit the limitations of a real, non-animated world. The story was musical to begin with, so there wasn’t the question of whether this should be musicalized. It is clear that Disney intended for this to eventually move to the stage with the structure of the story and songs. The larger question of whether this needed to be on the stage is a different one: is it making an important point or message that isn’t being made elsewhere, or is this a profit calculation. I do think this falls into the latter category — this isn’t a Dear Evan Hansen, Come From Away, or Hamilton. It is clearly motivated by profit and parents, as evidenced by the length of its sit-down run at the Pantages.

That, by the way, doesn’t make this a bad musical. It is just not one of lasting social importance. But it is revolutionary, in its own way, for a Disney musical. You have princesses wearing pants, for example. But more importantly, you have a princess story where the goal is NOT the princess getting the prince. In fact, the prince is a cad. The true love in this story is the one between the sisters. It is that “true loves kiss” that moves the story forward (and sorry for the spoiler if you haven’t seen the movie). There are some who believe that this story even has a lesbian subtext. I don’t see that — neither sister seems to express a strong sexual desire towards anyone, so this could be asexual at best. But it is a strong story based on the sibling bond, and that’s something you don’t see in Disney that often. That could be one reason why shows like Frozen and Wicked have such a strong following from young women: they center on relationships between women that are/love each other as sisters, and that aren’t centered around the men on the periphery. That’s a message of female empowerment, something that is decidedly not the Disney of Yore.

The stage production is also a technical marvel. First and foremost is the puppetry. There are two primary puppets: Sven (the reindeer) and Olaf (the snowman). Sven is marvelous, with no real hint that there is a human actor inside. Realistic movements, playful, believable. Not at all a cartoon. Olaf, on the other hand, is intentionally cartoonish. You can see the human moving him behind him. But the attachments are such that Olaf really comes to life, and is an equally believable characters. Second and, umm, duomost, is the magic. This is a combination of projection, LED manipulation, stage magic, flying effects. They create Arendale, but more importantly, they create the ice effects and the magical ice palace. They create the magic costume transformations. This magic will make this production memorable for the youth in attendance, and may go a long way to creating lifetime theatre lovers. That’s the good thing. What’s bad? Think regional and smaller productions of this. This will be licensed at some point, and there will be regional and smaller productions of this. How will they reproduce the puppetry and stage magic, within limited budgets? That remains to be seen. Hopefully, the Disney juggernaut has planned ahead for those situations. I’m curious how the productions of Frozen Jr. handle this?

The songs are generally those of the movie, with some substitutions based on the changes in the story — primarily involving how the hidden folk that raised Kristof are presented and integrated in the story. More notably, in terms of music, this is NOT the production that is on Broadway. A new song has been integrated into Act II: “I Can’t Lose You”, which does a great job of showing and emphasizing the sisterly bond between Anna and Elsa. This helps center the story, and foreshadows the conclusion much better. This is as good a place as any to note that the music and lyrics are by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, with a book by Jennifer Lee, who also wrote the Disney animated film, which was directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee.

Under the direction of Michael Grandage, aided by Adrian Sarple Associate Director, the cast does a great job of bringing life to their characters and making them much more than cartoons. They seem to be having a lot of fun with these roles. The director also did a great job of keeping the story moving and presenting it in a way that is entertaining to the clear audience and keeps them entranced. This is especially true with his use of the younger characters, who have to entertain while the required story exposition and setup occurs.

The performances were strong. In the lead positions at our show were Caelan Creaser (FB) as Elsa and Caroline Innerbichler (FB) as Anna. Creaser was the understudy for the role, stepping in for Caroline Bowman (⭐FB, FB). Creaser did a great job with a wonderful voice and movement, and a personality that suited the character. I phrase it that way because Elsa, as a character is an Ice Princess — she is an embodiment of a frozen personality, cold and hiding any warmth inside. Creaser did that well, only showing the required moments of warmth when interacting with her sister. Innerbichler, as the warmer sister Anna, was remarkable. Warm and playful and delightful and (dare I say it) cute and exuding joy. Innerbichler captured that all, as well as playing well with both Hans and Kristof, in addition to her sister. Top that off with a wonderful singing voice.

Beyond the princesses, the other part of the main character group are the characters that travel with Anna to find Elsa: Kristof, Sven the Reindeer, and Olaf the Snowman. At our performance, these characters were brought to life by Mason Reeves (FB) Kristof, Evan Strand (⭐FB) Sven, and F. Michael Haynie (FB) Olaf. Due to the physical demands of the role, Even gets the Sunday evening we saw (as well as Wed, Thus matinee, Fri, Sat matinee); Collin Baja gets the other performances. This is good because I got to learn about Evan on his recent West of Broadway podcast interview; Mason Reeves also has an interview on the same podcast. All of these folks were particular strong — especially when you consider their youth. Reeves, IIRC, is a rising senior at University of Michigan. He does a wonderful job with Kristof, bringing loads of personality of fun, as well as a strong singing voice to the character. You don’t get to see anything of Strand beneath the puppet, but he does a great job of bringing the puppet to life and imbuing it with a personality and a character and believability. Haynie’s Olaf is more cartoonish, but he has loads of fun with the character which is transmitted to the audience.

In the second tier are some notable recurring actors. The cutest ones of the bunch are (again, at our performance) Arwen Monzon-Sanders Young Anna W, Th-Mat, Fri, Sat-Mat, Sun-Eve and Jaiden Klein Young Elsa W, Th-Mat, Fri, Sat-Mat, Sun-Eve. They alternate with Stella R. Cobb Young Anna T, W-Mat, Th, Sat-Eve, Sun-Mat and Alyssa Kim Young Elsa T, W-Mat, Th, Sat-Eve, Sun-Mat. Monzon-Sanders (and presumably Cobb) also have notable roles in the ensemble for “Fixer Upper”. These young girls were so cute and playful, especially Monzon-Sanders. They just seemed to be loving their time in front of the audience. They sing and move well, and are just fun to watch. Further, I’m sure that their presence makes the show have a stronger connection to the children in the audience.

The other main characters are perhaps the villains of the story: Austin Colby (FB) Hans of the Southern Isles and Jeremy Morse (FB) Weselton.  Colby, who is in real life married to the actress that normally plays Elsa, does a wonderful duplicitous job of being the charmer that Anna falls in love with, and later the cad that refuses her “loves true kiss” and leaves her to freeze to death. His is strong at capturing the duality of the character. Morse’s character, on the other hand, is much more comically drawn, along the lines of a Hedley Lamarr in Blazing Saddles. But Morse captures the aspect of that character well.

The remainder of the cast serves as the ensemble, with a few folks moving up to featured positions for a moment or two. Note that, due to Caelan Creaser (FB)’s move to Elsa for our show, swing Natalie Wisdom swung into the ensemble and into the featured role of the head handmaiden. The ensemble at our show consisted of the following folk (featured roles noted): C. K. Edwards (FB); Michael Everett (FB); Berklea Going; Michael Allan Haggerty (⭐FB, FB); Tyler Jimenez Pabbie; Hannah Jewel Kohn (FB); Marina Kondo (FB) Queen Iduna; Nika Lindsay (FB); Tatyana Lubov (FB); Adrianna Rose Lyons (⭐FB, FB); Kelly Methven (⭐FB, FB); Michael Milkanin (FB) Bishop, Oaken; Kyle Lamar Mitchell (FB) King Agnarr; Naomi Rodgers (FB); Daniel Switzer (⭐FB, FB); Zach Trimmer (FB); Brit West (FB) Bulda; and Natalie Wisdom (FB) Head Handmaiden.

Other swings were: Dustin Layton (FB), Ralph Meitzler (FB), and Jessie Peltier (FB). Natalie Wisdom (FB) is also a swing, but swung into the ensemble for this performance.

On-stage movement was choreographed by Rob Ashford; aided by Sarah O’Gleby (FB) and Charlie Williams (FB) Associate Choreographers. In general, it was enjoyable, but not that much of the choreography sticks out in the mind a week after the performance … except for two numbers. The “Hygge” number was cute for its well-placed use of body-suits and humor, and the “Fixer Upper” number also had memorable and cute movement from the ensemble. Supporting the movement was Dustin Layton (FB) Dance Captain and Jessie Peltier (FB) Assistant Dance Captain and Fight Captain.

The music was under the direction of Faith Seetoo (FB) Music Director, Conductor. The Frozen orchestra consisted of (🌴 indicates local): Cathy Venable (FB) Assoc. Conductor; Nancy Whelan (FB) Keyboard 1; Josh Cullen (FB) Keyboard 2; 🌴 Jeff Driskill (FB) Flute / Piccolo / Clarinet / Alto Sax / Soprano Sax; 🌴 Richard Mitchell Oboe / English Horn / Flute / Clarinet / Tenor Sax; 🌴 John Fumo (FB) and Aaron Smith (FB) Trumpet / Flugelhorn; 🌴 Charlie Morillas (FB) Trombone; 🌴 Laura Brenes (FB) French Horn; 🌴 Dan Lutz (FB) Bass / Electric Bass; 🌴 Chris Jago (FB) Drums / Percussion. Other music support: Michael Keller and Michael Aarons Music Coordinators; Anixter Rice Music Service (FB) Music Preparation; 🌴 Eric Heinly (FB) Orchestra Contractor; Dave Metzger Orchestrations; Chris Montan Executive Music Producer; and Stephen Oremus Music Supervision and Arrangements. In general, the music was strong, although I feel for the musicians having to deal with all of that theatrical fog rolling into the pit.

Finally, we turn to the production and creative side. I’ve already commented on the artistry of Michael Curry‘s puppet design for Sven and Olaf. Also worthy of mention is Christopher Oram‘s Scenic and Costume Design work in establishing the kingdom and its environs in an effective way for the tour, and for creating the beautiful costumes. This combined with the work of Natasha Katz Lighting Design, Finn Ross Video Design, and Jeremy Chernick Special Effects Design to create the stage magic that makes everything work and astonish the audience. Additional creative and production credits: Peter Hylenski Sound Design; David Brian Brown Hair Design; Anne Ford-Coates (FB) Makeup Design; David Chase Additional Dance Arranger; Christoph Buskies Electronic Music Programming; Telsey + Company Casting; Aurora Productions Production Management; Clifford Schwartz (FB) Senior Production Supervisor; Lisa Dawn Cave Production Supervisor; Melissa Chacón Production Stage Manager; Patricia L. Grabb Stage Manager; Theron Alexander Assistant Stage Manager; Brae Singleton Assistant Stage Manager; and Neuro Tour Physical Therapy. This was a production of Disney Theatrical Productions.

Frozen continues at the Hollywood Pantages (FB) through February 2. Tickets are available through the Pantages box office; discount tickets are sold out in Goldstar, but may be available through TodayTix.

🎭

Ob. Disclaimer: I am not a trained theatre (or music) critic; I am, however, a regular theatre and music audience member. I’ve been attending live theatre and concerts in Los Angeles since 1972; I’ve been writing up my thoughts on theatre (and the shows I see) since 2004. I do not have theatre training (I’m a computer security specialist), but have learned a lot about theatre over my many years of attending theatre and talking to talented professionals. I pay for all my tickets unless otherwise noted (or I’ll make a donation to the theatre, in lieu of payment). I am not compensated by anyone for doing these writeups in any way, shape, or form. I currently subscribe at 5 Star Theatricals (FB), the Hollywood Pantages (FB), Actors Co-op (FB),  the Soraya/VPAC (FB), and the Musical Theatre Guild (FB). Through my theatre attendance I have made friends with cast, crew, and producers, but I do strive to not let those relationships color my writing (with one exception: when writing up children’s production, I focus on the positive — one gains nothing except bad karma by raking a child over the coals). I believe in telling you about the shows I see to help you form your opinion; it is up to you to determine the weight you give my writeups.

Upcoming Shows:

Tomorrow brings our last production for January: Cirque Éloize at  the Soraya/VPAC (FB).

Things heat up in February, with The Last Ship (with Sting) at the Ahmanson Theatre the first weekend. The second weekend brings West Adams at Skylight Theatre (FB) on Saturday, and the $5 Shakespeare Company from The Sixth Act (FB) at Theatre 68 on Sunday. The third weekend brings A Body of Water at Actors Co-op (FB) and It Shoulda Been You at Musical Theatre Guild (FB). To top all of that, the fourth weekend brings  The Simon and Garfunkel Story at the Hollywood Pantages (FB), Escape to Margaritaville at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB), and Step Afrika at the Soraya/VPAC (FB) the fourth weekend. Yes, that is the Pantages and the Dolby the same day — that’s what I get for not entering season tickets on my calendar before ticketing a bonus show. The last weekend is open, but I’ll probably find some theatre in Madison WI when I’m out there; alas, I’ll be missing both Nefesh Mountain at Temple Israel of Hollywood and Tom Paxton and the Don Juans at McCabes.

March starts with Passion at Boston Court (FB) the first weekend. The 2nd weekend brings the MRJ Man of the Year dinner (and possibly The Wild Party at Morgan Wixson). The 3rd brings Morris’ Room at Actors Co-op (FB) ; and the last weekend brings Spongebob Squarepants at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB) and the MoTAS/TBH Seder. April is similarly busy: the 1st weekend is Mamma Mia at 5 Star Theatricals (FB); the 2nd is during Pesach and is open (but has Count Basie at the Soraya/VPAC (FB) the Thursday before); the 3rd is Once on This Island at the Ahmanson Theatre; the last is Hamilton at the Hollywood Pantages (FB) (and possibly Hands on a Hardbody at the Charles Stewart Howard Playhouse (FB)), and the first weekend of May is Mean Girls at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB)

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Better-Lemons, Musicals in LA, @ This Stage, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411 or that are sent to me by publicists or the venues themselves. Want to know how to attend lots of live stuff affordably? Take a look at my post on How to attend Live Theatre on a Budget. Want to learn about all the great theatre in Southern California? Read my post on how Los Angeles (and its environs) is the best area for theatre in the Country!

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🎭 Understanding Your Rights | “What the Constitution Means to Me” @ Taper/CTG

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

What the Constitution Means to Me @ TaperAnd with a return to Jr. High Debating Club, our theatrical year starts off with a bang, and a reminder of why this year is so important. The fundamentals of our nation are at stake, and this play reminds us why we must get out there and march and vote to protect our hard fought rights.

But back to Jr. High first. When I was in 8th and 9th grade, I was in Mrs. WIlliams Debate Club, and I actually enjoyed debating. Researching the premise, establishing your position, defending your thoughts. It was wonderful mental exercise and training.

The production currently at the Mark Taper Forum, What the Constitution Means to Me, is centered around the debate that is at the heart of America. It presents the real story of the play’s author, Heidi Schreck (FB), represented here by Maria Dizzia (FB). It essentially has three acts. In the first, Shreck goes back to her days as a 15 year-old doing American Legion debates for college funds, talking about what the constitution means to her. This includes digression into areas of interest to her, such as what the constitution says about womens rights and Native American rights. The second part brings us the story of the current Shreck, her family history of violence against women and abortion, and what the constitution says about that. In the third and last part, Shreck debates a 15-year old student about whether to keep or rewrite the constitution. The production was directed by Oliver Butler.

In trying to decide how to write this up, I read McNulty’s review in the LA Times. For the general opinion on the production, I agree with McNulty:

Let me preface this review of Heidi Schreck’s “What the Constitution Means to Me” with a strong plea to every man, woman and mature teenager in the Los Angeles area to see this play, which opened Friday at the Mark Taper Forum.

At a time when the Constitution is being assailed by those who have sworn an oath to defend it, this buoyant and often-stirring civics lesson is the theatrical curriculum Americans desperately need now.

As much a play as a performance piece, “What the Constitution Means to Me” reveals with courageous poignancy the way our nation’s founding legal document intersects with the choices, opportunities, relationships and destinies of those who have had to fight for their foothold in our imperfect democracy.

I agree with McNulty’s assessment of Shreck and the subject matter. Caution is required for those who have experienced sexual violence: there is reference to it in the play, and it could be triggery for some. But, alas, how our constitutions protects or fails to protect those subject to violence should be even more reason for people to vote.

You also get a present from this production: A pocket copy of the constitution courtesy of the ACLU. Read it. It’s scary at times. For example, it only refers to the President as “he”. Could this be used by originalists to argue that women can’t be President. This is why we so need the ERA to pass. It also shows that the President could shut down Congress with a declaration of an emergency. I wouldn’t put it past this President to do so if he couldn’t get his way — again, reason to vote.

This play demonstrates that the constitution is personal, and affects everyone one of us. It is why we must fight to defend it against those who would abuse it or make it a travesty.

As I said, I agree with McNulty’s assessment of the play, and of Dizzia’s performance. They did make a change in the play for the tour: about two-thirds into the play, the artifice of Dizzia’s playing Shreck is abandoned, and she is herself, sharing some of her story and what the constitution means to her. McNulty also covers well the fellow who plays the American Legion representative (and himself): Mike Iveson (TW). McNulty also covers the student debater who performs Wed, Fri, Sat matinee, and Sunday evening, Rosdely Ciprian.

However, Rosdely’s not the only student. Tues, Thurs, Sat evening, and Sunday matinee we get a local student, Jocelyn Shek (FB). That’s who we had, and we were impressed with the young woman and her debating style. For a stage-novice, she shows the poise and quick thinking that debate training gives one.

Understudies are Jessica Savage (FB) and Gabriel Marin.

The set design is a simple representation of the American Legion hall, designed by Rachel Hauck. The costume design of Michael Krass was similarly simple. There wasn’t that much for the lighting (Jen Schriever) and sound design (Sinan Refik Zafar) to do other than simply work, and that they did well. Other production credits: Sarah Lunnie Dramaturg; Tatiana Pandiani Assoc Director; Taylor Williams CSA Casting; Nicole Olson Production Stage Manager; Terri K. Kohler Stage Manager; Michael Camp Company Manager; Bethany Weinstein Stewert Production Management; MEP and 321 Theatrical Management General Management.

What the Constitution Means to Me continues at the Mark Taper Forum/Center Theatre Group through February 28. Tickets are available through the CTG box office; discount tickets may be available on Goldstar or on TodayTix. This is a show every American — or anyone wanting to understand the Constitution — should see

🎭

Ob. Disclaimer: I am not a trained theatre (or music) critic; I am, however, a regular theatre and music audience member. I’ve been attending live theatre and concerts in Los Angeles since 1972; I’ve been writing up my thoughts on theatre (and the shows I see) since 2004. I do not have theatre training (I’m a computer security specialist), but have learned a lot about theatre over my many years of attending theatre and talking to talented professionals. I pay for all my tickets unless otherwise noted (or I’ll make a donation to the theatre, in lieu of payment). I am not compensated by anyone for doing these writeups in any way, shape, or form. I currently subscribe at 5 Star Theatricals (FB), the Hollywood Pantages (FB), Actors Co-op (FB),  the Soraya/VPAC (FB), and the Musical Theatre Guild (FB). Through my theatre attendance I have made friends with cast, crew, and producers, but I do strive to not let those relationships color my writing (with one exception: when writing up children’s production, I focus on the positive — one gains nothing except bad karma by raking a child over the coals). I believe in telling you about the shows I see to help you form your opinion; it is up to you to determine the weight you give my writeups.

Upcoming Shows:

This evening brings our second show of the weekend: Frozen at the Hollywood Pantages (FB). We then get busy. The last weekend of January brings Cirque Éloize at  the Soraya/VPAC (FB).

Things heat up in February, with The Last Ship (with Sting) at the Ahmanson Theatre the first weekend. The second weekend brings West Adams at Skylight Theatre (FB) on Saturday, and the $5 Shakespeare Company from The Sixth Act (FB) at Theatre 68 on Sunday. The third weekend brings A Body of Water at Actors Co-op (FB) and It Shoulda Been You at Musical Theatre Guild (FB). To top all of that, the fourth weekend brings  The Simon and Garfunkel Story at the Hollywood Pantages (FB), Escape to Margaritaville at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB), and Step Afrika at the Soraya/VPAC (FB) the fourth weekend. Yes, that is the Pantages and the Dolby the same day — that’s what I get for not entering season tickets on my calendar before ticketing a bonus show. The last weekend is open, but I’ll probably find some theatre in Madison WI when I’m out there; alas, I’ll be missing both Nefesh Mountain at Temple Israel of Hollywood and Tom Paxton and the Don Juans at McCabes.

March starts with Passion at Boston Court (FB) the first weekend. The 2nd weekend brings the MRJ Man of the Year dinner (and possibly The Wild Party at Morgan Wixson). The 3rd brings Morris’ Room at Actors Co-op (FB) ; and the last weekend brings Spongebob Squarepants at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB) and the MoTAS/TBH Seder. April is similarly busy: the 1st weekend is Mamma Mia at 5 Star Theatricals (FB); the 2nd is during Pesach and is open (but has Count Basie at the Soraya/VPAC (FB) the Thursday before); the 3rd is Once on This Island at the Ahmanson Theatre; the last is Hamilton at the Hollywood Pantages (FB) (and possibly Hands on a Hardbody at the Charles Stewart Howard Playhouse (FB)), and the first weekend of May is Mean Girls at the Dolby Theatre/Broadway in LA (FB)

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Better-Lemons, Musicals in LA, @ This Stage, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411 or that are sent to me by publicists or the venues themselves. Want to know how to attend lots of live stuff affordably? Take a look at my post on How to attend Live Theatre on a Budget. Want to learn about all the great theatre in Southern California? Read my post on how Los Angeles (and its environs) is the best area for theatre in the Country!

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