Tag: taper-ahmanson

Memory can be funny thing. When we look back on memories of things we often see just the good. If I was to mention Rogers and Hammerstein to you, and ask you what you remember from their shows, what would it be? The sunniness and light of Oklahoma!? The children singing in Sound of Music? The love story in The King and I or South Pacific? The happy joyous songs?

But guess what: That’s a memory that was engineered by a series of 1950s and 1960s musicals, which had to be cheery and light to sell tickets and get past the approval boards. But what precisely made Rogers and Hammerstein so revolutionary (and, indeed, what Hammerstein started even earlier with Show Boat) was the underlying commentary in their librettos. Sexual violence in Carousel. Racism in South Pacific. The spectre of the Nazis in The Sound of Music. Slavery and oppression of people in The King and I. Rogers and Hammerstein were successful because of their political commentary, and how that commentary was such a change from the brain-dead, saccharine sweet musicals of the 1940s and 1950s.

But our memories have been whitewashed, with an emphasis on the “white”, by the movie musicals and the endless cute revivals of these shows. We go in with an expectation of what the show is — and when that expectation is not met, we are disappointed, angry, and we write off the production as something we don’t like. We are so constrained by our expectations we fail to see the real, underlying text and commentary.

This is clearly playing out in the reaction to the Bard Summerscape production of Oklahoma!, directed by Daniel Fish, currently at the Ahmanson Theatre. The reaction that I’ve seen is that people either love it or hate it. But what they forget is that not a single word has been changed from the original text; not a single song is omitted. All of Richard Rodgers‘ music is there. The book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II is still there. It is still drawn from “Green Grow the Lilacs” by Lynn Riggs. It just is a production that emphasizes the darker nature that has been in the story rather than the expected cheeriness and light. For many, this is not the Oklahoma! they grew up with and knew. It’s not that warm apple pie on the porch; it isn’t Shirley Jones and Gordon McRae, or Florence Henderson, or any of the numerous bubbly blondes that have done the role. But guess what folks? Read the synopsis of the movie musical. It is the same story.

Furthermore, when you look at the story, the same hatreds are there today. The fear of the lower class workers. The justification for self-defense killing when the defendant is well-respected (the only thing that would have made this stronger was if Judd was cast strongly with a minority actor). Just think about the line, made famous by the Monkees’ in “Zilch”, “Nevermind the furthermore, the plea is self-defense” — from the end of Oklahoma!, referring to a self-defense excuse for innocence, ignoring the other facts. That wouldn’t happen to day … would it?

There were also other modern themes. The fear of sexual violence especially when men do not take “no” for an answer. The castigation of women when they want their own sexual agency.  The tendency in some cultures to overprotect women or to sell them to the highest bidder — independent of what the woman might want. Gun violence.

This is all in Oklahoma! folks. It’s there in the movie.

So what does this production do that offends folks so? It strips the veneer from the story to expose this scaffolding. The stage doesn’t open on a cornfield; there is no surrey or farmhouse. There is no action in the fields. This takes place in a modern gymnasium, with bright lights and gopro cameras. There are crockpots of chili, and folks dressed modern. There is a mix of races, gender identities, sizes. This isn’t a whitewashed farm in lily-white Oklahoma. Just setting aside that traditional staging bothers people enough that they shut down.

Then there is the staging. This isn’t realistic, transporting you back to the farm. You have to imagine that based on the story and the performances. There are also times they play with your perception: the smokehouse scene is done in the dark, with just the actors on microphones. There is stark video at times. The dream ballet isn’t this nice gentle ballet, but an acid-rock tinged interpretation of the music with a single dancer abstractly expressing their fears. There are gunshots, and at the end, there is bloodshed. Oh, and the first few rows are a literal splash zone. This isn’t as bad as The Lieutenant of Inishmore, but be prepared.

Lastly, there is the music. One expects Oklahoma! to have this lush full orchestral score. This is a stripped down western ensemble: banjo, guitar, bass, fiddle, cello, accordion, etc. No brass section. No woodwinds. Not what one expects from a show like this.

Think about it this way, folks. Rogers and Hammerstein came upon the scene in 1943. That’s almost 70 years ago. We’ve been taking Shakespeare’s words and using them unchanged in different settings to highlight meaning. That’s all this production is doing. If you can go into this production setting aside your pre-conceived notions of what this show is, and accept the conceit of how the director is trying to emphasize the story and not the schmaltz, you’ll enjoy this. If you can’t set aside your expectations, skip this production and go see a regional production that does it in a traditional manner.

From the above, you may believe this is saying that I liked everything about the show. I didn’t.

First, I wasn’t that enamored of the dream ballet. I understand that was the approach taken in shows in the 1940s and it was convention. But I don’t think the intent comes across well, and especially in the new staging, it was difficult to tease out the meaning. The dance was beautiful, but the symbolism was not conveyed well. The program credits Agnes De Mille‘s original choreography, but I think that’s more contractual because little of that remains. This production features choreography by John Heginbotham. Generally what that was worked well (this wasn’t a heavy dance show, unlike other productions of this title), but the dream ballet just failed me.

Second, echoing last week even more, I hate hate hate digital programs. Both The Pasadena Playhouse and CTG are using the new Performances platform. But this requires an account separate for each theatre (you would think a combined account would work), and you can’t read the program until you create the account (meaning you can’t do things easily during an intermission). Further, the program app is filled with notifications and settings and preferences that just bog things down even worse than a static website. Theatres: The cost of the paper is minuscule compared to the goodwill and memory a printed program provides. Make them shorter if you will, but provide a printed program and make your digital programs easy to navigate.

Lastly, the casting. I thought the mixed race, etc. casting was good, but it could have been better. First, although Sis was wonderful, I would have loved to see the tour continue to push the movement that Ally Stroker started to have more disabled actors on stage. That sends a vital message — especially on tours — both to the folks in the audience and the folks running the theatre. Secondly, the casting of Judd should have been more explicitly minority. Hired hands in that era weren’t white. Making that explicit serves to highlight the racism that underlies the tension in the story of Judd Fry. Was Judd really as threatening as he was made out to be, or was this an expectation or perception built out of prejudice. What we had was good; it could have been great.

The cast was uniformly strong. Hunter Hoffman, filling in for Sean Grandillo (Curley McLain) had a lovely voice and a good rapport with Sasha Hutchings (Laurey Williams). Hutchings was also strong, bringing a great internal fire and independence to Laurey (especially in Act II). Sis (Ado Annie) brought a unique take to the role — again, a load of energy and fire and spunk that played well off of both Hennessy Winkler (Will Parker) and Benj Mirman (Ali Hakim). Christopher Bannow (Judd Fry) was suitably menacing and had a good singing voice, but I’m not sure he conveyed the depth of fear that justified the end. Barbara Walsh (Aunt Eller) was a modern Ma Kettle midwestern non-nonsense broad, but brought some interesting sexual tension to the role I hadn’t noticed before. I also also smitten with Hannah Solow (Gertie Cummings): a character I had never noticed much in the story before, but she brought some unique characterizations and playfulness to the role.

Rounding out the main cast were: Ugo Chukwu (Cord Elam), Mitch Tebo (Andrew Carnes), Mauricio Lozano (Mike), and Jordan Wynn (Lead Dancer). Understudies in various roles were: Gillian Hassert (u/s Aunt Eller, Gertie Cummings), Cameron Anika Hill (u/s Laurey Williams, Lead Dancer, Cord, Mike), Minga Prather (Alternate Lead Dancer, Asst. Stage Manager), Scott Redmond (u/s Ali Hakim, Curly McLain, Cord Elam, Mike, Will Parker), and Gwynne Wood (u/s Laurey Williams, Ado Annie).

Music was provided by an on-stage orchestra led by Andy Collopy (Conductor, Accordion, Drums), and consisting of Dominic Lamorte (Assoc. Conductor, Upright Bass), Rick Snell (Mandolin, Electric Guitar), Josh Kaler (Pedal Steel, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar), Justin Hiltner (Banjo), 🌴 Olivia Breidenthal (Violin), Caleb Vaughn-Jones (Cello), and occasionally, the fellow playing Curley (Hunter Hoffman, at our performance) on Guitar. Other members of the music department were: Daniel Kluger (Arrangements and Orchestrations), Nathan Koci (Music Supervision and Additional Vocal Arrangements), John Miller (Music Coordinator), Anixter Rice Music Services (Music Preparation), Robert Payne (🌴 Los Angeles Contractor). I did appreciate the fact that the orchestra joined the cast in the bows at the end of the show.

The design team consisted of: Laura Jellinek (Set Design), Terese Wadden (Costume Designer), Scott Zielinski (Lighting Designer), Drew Levy (Sound Designer), Joshua Thorson (Projection Designer), and Jeremy Chernick (Special Effects Design). I mentioned the set design before: very stark gym vibe, wooden floor, no fly scrims or anything like that. Lighting was equally harsh: either all on, green, or red. I couldn’t judge sound too well, as I’m healing from ear surgery that muffled things (my wife said it was clear). I do want to note the show’s attitude on guns, which were all around the stage. They made clear from the onset that these were prop guns, could not fire live ammo, and there was indeed no live ammo in the theatre at all. Further, they partnered with Gun Neutral, an initiative that takes donations for each visible gun on stage to fight gun violence and fund STEM grants.

Rounding out the production team were Taylor Williams CSA (Casting), Eszter Zádor (Stage Manager), Mikhaela Mahony (Assoc. Director), Jordan Fein (Assoc. Director), Daniel Kells (Production Stage Manager), Minga Prather (Asst. Stage Manager), and SB Production Services (Technical Supervisor).

Oklahoma! continues at the Ahmanson Theatre through October 16. Tickets are available through the Ahmanson box office. Discount tickets may be available through Goldstar, as well as through TodayTix. If you can set aside your expectations for a traditional, sickly-sweet production of Oklahoma!, this is well worth seeing.

❧

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

Upcoming Shows:

For right now, we’re pretty much sticking with shows that come as part of our subscriptions or are of interest through our memberships. Looking ahead for the remainder of 2022:, October will bring Sanctuary City at the The Pasadena Playhouse  (FB), Ghosts at the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, The Addams Family at 5 Star Theatricals (FB), and To Kill a Mockingbird at Broadway in Hollywood (FB). November brings 2:22 – A Ghost Story at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB). Lastly, December will bring Annie at Broadway in Hollywood (FB).

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Better-Lemons, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, On Stage 411 or that are sent to me by publicists or the venues themselves. Want to know how to attend lots of live stuff affordably? Take a look at my post on How to attend Live Theatre on a Budget (although I know it is outdated and need to update it). Want to learn about all the great theatre in Southern California? Read my post on how Los Angeles (and its environs) is the best area for theatre in the Country (again, I need to review this for the post-COVID theatre landscape)!

One of my wife’s favorite shows is Come From Away. We first saw it at the Ahmanson back in 2018. She loves the music, she loves the message, she loves the humor. So when it appeared as a bonus show in the Ahmanson 2020-2021 season, we planned to go. Then COVID hit. Luckily, it was in the reworked Ahmanson 2021-2022 season  We saw it last night. The magic is still there.

Seeing a show for a second time is much easier for me. This is especially true when about 70% of the cast and orchestra are the same. I can just point you to the previous writeup, and provide a few updates.

The story is unchanged. For those unfamiliar, this is the story of the community of Gander Newfoundland, which doubled in size when 9/11 occurred and planes from all over the world were diverted there. Come From Away (CFA) is the story of the people of Gander, and the people on the planes. It is a remarkably uplifting story that leaves you feeling good.

[And just like last time we saw this, it is paired with Dear Even Hansen (DEH). Last time, DEH is before; this time it follows. DEH, although popular, is much more problematic. CFA is centered around a tragedy, and how people find hope and family in it. DEH is centered around a lie, and how the hope from that lie eventually comes crashing down. I much prefer CFA.

The cast is essentially the same as the 2018 touring company. Here’s a paste of my cast list then, with changes noted:

• Kevin Carolan (★FB, FB, TW) — Claude, and others
• Harter Clingman (FB) — Oz, and others
• Nick Duckart (FB) — Kevin J., Ali, and others
• Chamblee Ferguson (FB) — Nick, Doug, and others*
• Becky Gulsvig (★FB, TW)  Marika Aubrey (★FB, TW, IG) — Beverly Annette, and others. [Marika was a swing in 2018]
• Julie Johnson (FB) — Beulah and others
• Christine Toy Johnson (★FB, TW) — Diane and others
• James Earl Jones II — Bob and others
• Megan McGinnis (★FB, TW) Sharone Sayegh (★FB, TW, IG) — Bonnie and others
• Andrew Samonsky (FB, TW) Jeremy Woodard (IG) — Keven T., Garth, and others
• Danielle K. Thomas (FB) — Hannah and others
• Emily Walton (FB) Julia Knitel (IG) — Janice and others

*: At our performance, we had Kilty Reidy (IG, TW) swinging into this role.

Swings were: Jenny Ashman (IG, TW); Julie Garnyé (★FB, TW); Marika Aubrey (★FB, TW) [Moved to Principal]; Jane Bunting (FB), Amelia Cormak (IG), Adam Halpin (TW), Michael Brian Dunn (FB), and Aaron Michael Ray (FB, TW), Kilty Reidy (IG, TW), and Brandon Springman (IG, TW).

As you can see, the bulk of the cast was the same. Performances were excellent from the ensemble.

Much of the on-stage orchestra was the same as well. Again, here’s a diff from 2018:

The band consisted of: Cynthia Kortman Westphal (FB) Cameron Moncur [Music Director, Conductor, Keyboard, Accordion, Harmonium]; Isaac Alderson (FB) [Whistles, Irish Flute, Uilleann Pipes]; Kiana June Weber (★FB) [Fiddle]; Adam Stoler (FB) Billy Bivona (IG, FB) [Electric / Acoustic Guitar]; Matt Wong (FB) Martin Howley (IG) [Acoustic Guitar, Mandolins, Bouzouki]; Max Calkin (FB) Sean Rubin (FB) [Electric / Acoustic Bass]; Steve Holloway (FB) [Bodhran, Percussion]; and Ben Morrow (FB) [Drums / Percussion].

As with the actors, much of the band is the same. However, I’d say that this time the band has gotten stronger. I hadn’t realized last time that Kiana June Weber (★FB) was part of one of my favorite Celtic groups: Gaelic Storm. She’s married to orchestra-mate Martin Howley (IG), who is new for 2022 and is one of the long-time members of the Celtic band We Banjo 3 — another favorite group.  Isaac Alderson (FB) is also part of the Celtic music scene, being part of the band The Yanks. Steve Holloway (FB) also plays on loads of Celtic albums. So this touring band has loads of Celtic talent, which they show off during numbers such as “Screech In” and the jam session after the final bows. This is one of those rare shows when I can say that you should see the show not only for the great story and great performances, but for the rocking Celtic band!

Production, design, and the supporting team (stage mangers) are unchanged from 2018.

Come From Away  is at  the Ahmanson Theatre (FB) for only one more week (it closes June 12). Go see it — you’ll be uplifted by this show, and will love the music. Tickets are available through the Ahmanson Box Office. Discount tickets may be available through Goldstar.

❧

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

Upcoming Shows:

For right now, we’re pretty much sticking with shows that come as part of our subscriptions or are of interest through our memberships. That may change later in 2022. The remainder of June sees Pretty Woman at Broadway in Hollywood (FB), as well as Tom Paxon at McCabes. I thought we might make the Hollywood Fringe Festival , but with my ear problems and Karen being in a wheelchair — plus fuel costs — we’re missing it this year. July brings Moulin Rouge at Broadway in Hollywood (FB) [Pantages], Dear Evan Hansen at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB), Newsies at 5 Star Theatricals (FB), and Freestyle Love Supreme back at The Pasadena Playhouse (FB). August is quieter, with just The Prom at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB). Lastly (for this look ahead), September brings Oklahoma the Ahmanson Theatre (FB) and Jagged Little Pill at Broadway in Hollywood (FB), although they are on the same day so I’ll be shifting one show. September may also bring Andrew Lippa’s version of The Wild Party at the Morgan Wixson Theatre. This was a show I had been planning to see before the COVID shutdown, so I’m putting it in the “part of our subscriptions” list. There may also be some Hollywood Bowl stuff, depending on how my wife is doing.

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Better-Lemons, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, On Stage 411 or that are sent to me by publicists or the venues themselves. Want to know how to attend lots of live stuff affordably? Take a look at my post on How to attend Live Theatre on a Budget (although I know it is outdated and need to update it). Want to learn about all the great theatre in Southern California? Read my post on how Los Angeles (and its environs) is the best area for theatre in the Country (again, I need to review this for the post-COVID theatre landscape)!

 

There has been a trend in the theatre of late to — shall we say — play it safe. Revive that remarkably successful old chestnut with a bit name star (never mind the problematic undertone)^*. Take that very successful movie property and bring it to the stage and hope that people come out of nostalgia^**. Although these often make money (especially on tour, playing to the crowds in Podunk USA), they often aren’t the best musicals. The best productions are often original stories or stories adapted from unexpected sources. Their originality wins the audience over: they get to see something they’ve never seen before, instead of the same old same old.
*: e.g., Music Man. **: e.g., Tootsie, Pretty Woman, Beetlejuice, Mrs. Doubtfire, …

Hadestown, which we saw last Sunday at  the Ahmanson Theatre (FB), is one of those original shows. It is based on the Greek myths of Orpheus and Eurydice, which is connected to the story of Hades and Persephone. It featured music, lyrics, and book by a non-theatre artist: Anaïs Mitchell; after a few staged performances, she released the music as a song concept album in 2010, and it was workshopped and grew from there.  The music style is not your typical Broadway musical: it is bluesy and jazzy and has that hit of New Orleans to it. It is a seedy bar joint, at times joyous and at times dark. It is light and dark. It is, well, Persephone and Hades.

The basic myth is this: Persephone was the daughter of Demeter, the Goddess of nature. She is the bringer of spring and summer, the bringer of the bounty of the Earth.  Hades is King of the Underworld. Hades fell in love with Persephone and kidnapped her (although this isn’t in the play). They fall in love and marry, and agree that for six months out of the year she will live with him in the Underworld. During that time we have fall and winter. She returns for six months, bringing Spring and Summer. But Hades is a jealous and possessive man, and doesn’t want her away from him. He starts keeping her longer and longer, with predictable effect  in the world above.

Orpheus was the son of Apollo and the muse Calliope. He had a gift of song and writing. He is guided by Hermes, who has the responsibility of conducting souls to the Underground. Hermes takes Orpheus under his wing. Orpheus is writing a song; a song so powerful it will bring Persephone back to the upper world, and bring back spring. Enter Eurydice, a woman of grace, who is tired of the endless winter. Orpheus falls in love with Eurydice, and she falls in love with his melodies. This is especially true when Persephone returns. But she always must return, and when she does, Eurydice despairs (especially as Orpheus ignores her as he writes his song). She is enticed by Hades to go to the Underworld (and pay the price those who take the trip must take). When Orpheus learns of this, he travels to the Underworld to rescue her.

That’s the basic story (sans the ending). As staged, there are layers upon layers of metaphor. The most obvious one is the intimation of climate change: we have been destroying the world by driving away Spring, and we must take action to bring it back. I also detected allegories of anti-immigrant phobia, concerns about poverty making the world ugly, and even intimations of Trump and his wall, although this long predates Trump. What would you think when you hear lines like: Why do we build the wall? We build the wall to keep us free, we build the wall to keep out the enemy, the enemy is poverty. There are the workers, who toil and toil and never get anywhere — until they decide to hear each other and come together. There are deep messages in this show, folks.

As I noted earlier, the music is different than most shows. There are truly joyous songs. There are haunting songs. There are dark and scary songs. There are earworms (“Way down, Hadestown, Way down under the ground”) or “Now That the Chips Are Down”. I’ve picked up three versions of the music to this show: the concept album, the off-Broadway version, and the Broadway version. All are excellent and slightly different.

The direction of the show is also atypical. The show was developed with and directed by Rachel Chavkin. Chavkin is best known for Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, which is another very different musical. This is a different theatre sensibility, and is unlike the typical fare one sees on the stage. I can imagine the impact of the show would be much greater in a smaller venue, but touring theatres are not small venues (and don’t work well on the thrust stage, eliminating the Taper from consideration).

The performances were also strong. Let’s start with the glue that holds the show together, provides the exposition, and moves the story along: Hermes (Levi Kreis). Let’s start off by saying that Kreis is not Andre de Shields, who won a Tony for this role. de Shields is one of a kind, and you can’t duplicate that. But Kreis works well and brings a different take to the role. More soul, and less Wiz. I enjoyed his voice and his interactions, and he was fun to watch off on the side in the small moments.

The protagonist couple, who are the center of the story, is Orpheus (Nicholas Barasch) and Eurydice (normally Morgan Siobhan Green, but…).  I say “but….” because we had a substitution at our show (which started late, so I’m guessing there was a last minute substitution). We had Sydney Parra as Eurydice, who swung up from her normal role as a worker. Barasch had a beautiful lilting high tenor (at least I think that’s the right term), and expressed a lovely naivete and lightness of character. As for Parra, you would never have known she was an understudy. She deftly handled the role. She captured a lovely tenuousness and had a great voice; it was also interesting to see her come to life in the underworld. I also applaud her for not bowing to convention on stage — she was distinctly herself, and it was great to see her self confidence. Those who saw her performance will know what I’m referencing.

Our other couple were Persephone (Kimberly Marable) and Hades (Kevyn Morrow).  Again, don’t expect the Broadway actors to be cloned — no one can clone Patrick Page. But Morrow does have the baratone, but not quite the malevolence. Marable is clearly a jazz singer by trade, and she brings that joy and light to her performance. Again, these actors  embody the archetypes of their Greek counterparts: Morrow is dark, Marable is light and joy.

Directing the action somewhat and guiding things along are the three Fates: Belen Moyano, Bex Odorisio, and Shea Renne. They sang beautifully, and even brought some instruments to the stage (accordion, fiddle).

Rounding out the production was the worker’s chorus. As we had some swings, I’m indicating the performers we saw by putting the names in bold, normal swings are indicated with ^§: Lindsey Hailes, Chibueze Ihuoma, Will Mann, Sydney Parra, Jamari Johnson Williams, Tyla Collier^§, Ian Coulter-Buford^§, Alex Lugo^§, Eddie Noel Rodriguez^§, J. Antonio Rodriguez^§.  In other words: Out of the normal five workers, three were swings. You would have never known from the performances we saw, which were all strong. I particularly noticed the chorus in the scenes Underground: Why We Build the Wall, or the various chants.

Also on stage — essentially as part of the performers — were the musicians: Nathan Koci Conductor/Piano; Jacob Yates Cello / Asst. Conductor; Maria Im Violin; Michiko Egger Guitar; Audrey Ochoa Trombone / Glockenspiel; Calvin Jones Double Bass; and Anthony Ty Johnson Drums / Percussion. Of these folks, I’d like to single out Ochoa on Trombone. She was playful on stage and brought some wonderful jazz licks to the piece. But this entire ensemble was just great.

Before we turn to the scenic and other production aspects, let’s finish off the music and the movement. The production was choreographed by David Neumann, with help from Katie Rose McLaughlin Associate Director / Choreographer.  The movement was very jazz oriented and fit the piece well; this wasn’t your typical chorus line. Rounding out the music team was Liam Robinson Music Supervisor and Vocal Arrangements; Michael Chorney Arrangements and Orchestrations; Todd Sickafoose Arrangements and Orchestrations; Nathan Koci Music Director.  Note that none of the music team are your typical Broadway music types. Assisting in the direction was Chika V. Ike Associate Director.

The scenic design was interesting. A New Orleans type blues pub was at the center (with a small turntable); on the sides were the musicians and high-boy tables. On a balcony in the back was space for Hades and Persephone to watch. There was a circular staircase, and the back opened to be a train. This tour design was by Rachel Hauck Scenic Design. It was supported by the other design aspects: Michael Krass Costume Design; Bradley King Lighting Design; Nevin Steinberg Sound Design; Jessica Paz Sound Design; and Jennifer Mullins Hair Design. All these pieces combine to establish the mood and the characters well.  Rounding out the production team were: Ken Cerniglia Dramaturg; Stewart/Whitley Casting; Joel Rosen Production Stage Manager; Annelise Castleberry Stage Manager; Zachry J. Bailey Assistant Stage Manager; Denny Daniello Company Manager; Aurora Productions Production Management.

Hadestown is well worth seeing; we thoroughly enjoyed it.  It continues at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB) through May 29, 2022. Tickets are available through the Ahmanson box office. Discount tickets may be available through Goldstar or through TodayTix.

❧

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

Upcoming Shows:

For right now, we’re pretty much sticking with shows that come as part of our subscriptions or are of interest through our memberships. That may change later in 2022. Looking further into 2022: We’re done with our May shows. June will see Come From Away at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB) and Pretty Woman at Broadway in Hollywood (FB), as well as Tom Paxon at McCabes plus as much of the Hollywood Fringe Festival as we have the energy for. July brings Moulin Rouge at Broadway in Hollywood (FB) [Pantages], Dear Evan Hansen at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB), Newsies at 5 Star Theatricals (FB), and Freestyle Love Supreme back at The Pasadena Playhouse (FB). August is quieter, with just The Prom at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB). Lastly (for this look ahead), September brings Oklahoma the Ahmanson Theatre (FB) and Jagged Little Pill at Broadway in Hollywood (FB), although they are on the same day so I’ll be shifting one show. September may also bring Andrew Lippa’s version of The Wild Party at the Morgan Wixson Theatre. This was a show I had been planning to see before the COVID shutdown, so I’m putting it in the “part of our subscriptions” list. There may also be some Hollywood Bowl stuff, depending on how my wife is doing.

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Better-Lemons, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, On Stage 411 or that are sent to me by publicists or the venues themselves. Want to know how to attend lots of live stuff affordably? Take a look at my post on How to attend Live Theatre on a Budget (although I know it is outdated and need to update it). Want to learn about all the great theatre in Southern California? Read my post on how Los Angeles (and its environs) is the best area for theatre in the Country (again, I need to review this for the post-COVID theatre landscape)!

Well, that was unexpected.

Yesterday, we went to go see The Lehman Trilogy at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB). Unlike the musicals we see (where I generally know the music and perhaps the plot ahead of time), I knew nothing about this show other than the awards it had won. I was expecting, perhaps, a conventional play that focused heavily of the fall of Lehman Brothers: that is, focusing on the circumstances that led to the fall. I thought it might be similar to Enron, the play that told the downfall of Enron. It wasn’t.

I also expected, perhaps because it is the current trend in the theatre, a play that was pretty realistic in its staging and presentation. Conventional sets, multiple locations, good old flying scenery.

Instead, I got a play that I wanted to recommend to my synagogue’s live theatre group; a play that was very Jewish in content. I got a play that had a single modernistic advanced office set, with the basic props being tables, (transparent) white boards, and loads of moving boxes. I got three actors portraying a multitude of characters.

This wasn’t at all what I expected. Yet I was engrossed in the story from the minute that it started, and the 3 hour 20 minute running time (3 acts, 2 15-minute intermissions) just flew by.

The Lehman Trilogy, with story by Stefano Massini adapted by Ben Power, tells the story of the Lehman Brothers Investment Bank, from the origin to the fall. The first act (“Three Brothers”) focuses on the first going into the second generation, beginning with the establishing of first a fabric store (and then a cotton trading concern) by three brothers in Montgomery Alabama: Henry Lehman (Simon Russell Beale), Emanuel Lehman (Howard W. Overshown), and Mayer Lehman  (Adam Godley). The family emigrated from Bavaria to find a better world before the Civil War — a common path for Jews at the time (my family was similar, coming from Eastern Europe to Tennessee). Throughout this act, the Judaism was emphasized, and how it dictated their behaviors, how they celebrated, how the cycle the governed their lives was Jewish, and how they sat Shiva and closed their business for a week when one of the brothers died.  This act also shows the origins of the financial firm, moving from selling cotton goods to selling the raw cotton from the south to the north, and finding profit in being the middleman. This continued as the family started the move to New York, and the branching into other commodities such as coffee. It was also when we saw the first foreys into Lehman Brothers being a bank.

The second act (“Fathers and Sons”) focuses on the next generation, where we get to meet Emanuel’s son Philip Lehman and Mayer’s son, Herbert Lehman. We get a deep exploration of the relationship of each son with their father, and in turn we get introduced to the next generation, Robert “Bobbie” Lehman, Philip’s son. We see the commodity traders start to broaden the investment portfolio, and become more of an investment bank. We also see them move further from Judaism — it is explicitly noted they move into Reform (mistakenly called “Reformed” — tsk, tsk), and mourning periods become shorter. The emphasis is that this is the American generation, bringing American values and American greed. The move away from investments that can be seen and touched and traded becomes increasingly foreign to the older generations. Values are lost.\

The last act (“The Immortal”) focuses on the last generation of Lehman to run the bank, Bobbie Lehman. It also focuses on how times were changing in the 1950s and 1960s, and how increasingly modern ideas were reshaping banking. This included an upstart trading division run by Lewis Glucksman, a new Presidency under Pete Peterson, and the successor, Richard Fuld. It is in this act we see the loss of the family from the leadership, and perhaps the loss of the family values and the Jewish values. But the actual end comes very abruptly with only a few minutes focusing on how the company was divided up, and then went bankrupt. It doesn’t provide a lot of understanding of the fall, other than the notion that things went off the rails when the family left.

The storytelling was done in an interesting way. The actors, in addition to performing a multitude of characters, also served to narrate the story. There’s a lot of exposition in this one, folks. This is very much a “tell you the story”, vs “show you the story” form of play. The set was simple: a modern office, desks, lamps, loads of moving boxes that were stacked and restacked to form things, and clear Plexiglas walls used as whiteboards. It was effective, although the ceiling of the set limited sightlines from the balcony seats (where we were).

The performances themselves were very strong. Beale, Godley, and Overshown captured all their different characters well, and really brought acting to the fore in how one actor can be multiple people.

So what is the verdict? First, this show is definitely worth seeing. The story is engrossing, and you learn things about the Lehman family you probably never knew. The performances are strong and the staging is amazing. However, you do walk about wondering if the fall of the firm was ever adequately explained. But perhaps that’s the point: to stimulate that discussion, as opposed to whacking you over the head with a moral.

Rounding out the cast were: Aaron Krohn Janitor, Mayer Lehman Standby; Tony Carlin Henry Lehman Standby; R. J. Foster Emanuel Lehman Standby; and the individuals whose sole job is to be extras in the closing scene (I hope they have something fun to do while they are waiting): EJ Assi, Mark Jacob Chaitin, Lee Cohen, Sumeet Dang, Sabah El-Amin, Bo Foxworth, John Massey, Jalon Matthews, Elaine Rivkin, Scott Roberts, Kyla Schoer, Sean Smith, Heather L. Tyler, and Tom Waters.

Music was provided by Rebekah Bruce and Em Goldman Pianists.

The production was directed by Sam Mendes Director assisted by Zoé Ford Burnett Associate Director and Rory McGregor Assistant Director. Movement was coordinated by Polly Bennett. The design team was Es Devlin Scenic Design; Katrina Lindsay Costume Design; Luke Halls Video Design; Jon Clark Lighting Design; Nick Powell Composer and Sound Design; Dominic Bilkey Co Sound Design; and Candida Caldicot Music Director.  I’ve already commented on the scenic design; I’ll note additionally that a number of design elements were not visible from the balcony due to the “ceiling” of the office. There’s no need for that ceiling dramatically; it is a flaw of the scenic design. I also want to note the sound design: there were excellent sound effects throughout the show. Rounding out the production team: Wendy Spon CDG Casting; Jim Carnahan CSA Casting; Aurora Productions Production Management; Jim Leaver UK Production Manager; David Lober Production Stage Manager; Cynthia Cahill Stage Manager; Danielle Ranno Stage Manager Megan Curren Associate General Manager; and Deirdre Murphy Company Manager. I always make a point of crediting the COVID Safety Team: Uriel Trepman Covid Safety Manager – The Lehman Trilogy; Niki Armato Facilities Asst./COVID Compliance Officer; and Nicki Heskin Temporary COVID Communications Manager.

The Lehman Trilogy continues at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB) through April 10. Tickets are available through the Ahmanson Theatre; discount tickets may be available through Goldstar or through TodayTix.

❧

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

Upcoming Shows:

For right now, we’re pretty much sticking with shows that come as part of our subscriptions or are of interest through our memberships. That may change later in 2022. As for the remainder of the first half of 2022: Next up in March Trayf at the Geffen Playhouse (with the TAS Live Theatre group). April brings Ann at The Pasadena Playhouse (FB), the Southern California Renaissance Faire; and Tootsie at Broadway in Hollywood (FB). May brings Hadestown at at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB). June will see Come From Away at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB) and Pretty Woman at Broadway in Hollywood (FB), plus as much of the Hollywood Fringe Festival as we have the energy for.

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Better-Lemons, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, On Stage 411 or that are sent to me by publicists or the venues themselves. Want to know how to attend lots of live stuff affordably? Take a look at my post on How to attend Live Theatre on a Budget (although I know it is outdated and need to update it). Want to learn about all the great theatre in Southern California? Read my post on how Los Angeles (and its environs) is the best area for theatre in the Country (again, I need to review this for the post-COVID theatre landscape)!

Men dressing as women on the theatrical stage. Originally, it wasn’t funny at all. Only men could be actors, so women’s parts were were simply played, seriously, by men. But eventually that theatrical contrivance went by the wayside, and men dressing as women became a focal point for humor. The prime example of that which comes to mind is the musical Sugar, based on the movie Some Like It Hot. But there are numerous other cases, from plays like Charley’s Aunt, to the drag sequences in shows currently on the state such as My Fair Lady or even the newer musicals Tootsie and Mrs Doubtfire. These are all men dressing as women in order to get laughs. But where it might have been funny in the past when mores were a bit different, today it isn’t funny. I’ll repeat for the producers in the back: men dressing as women just to bring on the funny is not funny.

But in 1983, a new musical hit the stage: La Cage Aux Folles (based on the 1973 play). It showcased two men as leads, and featured a man dressing as a women as an alter-ego. Za Za: what we now know as drag performance thanks to the queen extraordinaire, Ru Paul. Although this musical (penned by a gay man) did play on the men-dressing-as-woman schtick, it also introduced an anthem that resonates to this day:

I am what I am
I am my own special creation.
So come take a look,
Give me the hook or the ovation.
It’s my world that I want to take a little pride in,
My world, and it’s not a place I have to hide in.
Life’s not worth a damn,
‘Til you can say, “Hey world, I am what I am.”

I am what I am,
I don’t want praise, I don’t want pity.
I bang my own drum,
Some think it’s noise, I think it’s pretty.
And so what, if I love each feather and each spangle,
Why not try to see things from a diff’rent angle?
Your life is a sham ’til you can shout out loud
I am what I am!

I am what I am
And what I am needs no excuses.
I deal my own deck
Sometimes the ace, sometimes the deuces.
There’s one life, and there’s no return and no deposit;
One life, so it’s time to open up your closet.
Life’s not worth a damn ’til you can say,
“Hey world, I am what I am!”

The anthem of “Be who you are, be true to yourself” is a theme that echoes throughout modern musicals, from stories like Billy Elliot to Kinky Boots to The Prom. This is also an anthem that also is echoed in the show we saw yesterday afternoon at  the Ahmanson Theatre (FB): Everyone’s Talking About Jamie.

As a digression: There is also one more branch to the man dressing as woman theme: True trans- and queer characters. These are much harder to treat realistically on the stage, but it has been done. Arguably, Hedwig and the Angry Inch (with a genderqueer lead) is in that canon, as are the secondary characters in Head Over Heels, which we saw recently at the Pasadena Playhouse. Also notable are some of the characters in Bring It On — The Musical, although the gay/queer friend stereotype is a bit problematic. There should be a Bechdel Test equivalent for gay sidekick characters. But I digress from the digression…

Everyone’s Talking About Jamie is based on a documentary film about Jamie Campbell on the BBC called Jamie: Drag Queen at 16. Jamie, who came out at a young age, lived in a lower-to-middle class town in England wanted to attend his prom … dressed as a girl. As with Billy Elliot, he battled the entrenched bigotry in the town but eventually won. Unsurprisingly, the one review of the LA production I read characterized the production as Kinky Boots and Billy Elliot put through a blender. The British producers of the show saw the documentary, and saw a musical in it. The result was Everyone’s Talking About Jamie, which became a production on London’s West End, and then subsequently did a UK tour and it making its American debut at the Ahmanson.  The show features music, book, and lyrics by Dan Gillespie Sells Music and Orchestrations and Tom Macrae Book and Lyrics, based on an idea by Jonathan Butterell Director and Co-Writer, inspired by aformentioned Firecracker documentary. The musical was also filmed and is available on Amazon Prime, for those that can’t make it to LA.

So what is the story in Jamie. A lot of it is establishing the situation. Jamie is in Year 11 (US equivalent: 12th grade), and in a career assignment class. He wants to be a drag queen, but his teacher dismisses the idea and shows that his testing predicts he’ll be a forklift driver. Others in the class get similarly dismal prospects. It is in this setting that we meet the rest of the class, including his best friend, Pritti Pasha. Pritti, who excels at maths and wants to be a doctor, is told she’ll only be a secretary. Her path, in many ways, is “B” story that echoes the main journey of Jamie.

Another digression: Notable in this show is a reasonable portrayal of Muslim character in the form of his classmates, Pritti Pasha and Fatimah. The production shows them as realistic people who are just like other teens within their religious confines (as opposed to stereotypes). It also shows the hatred they face and have to battle in the real world.

The establishment of the story continues as we meet Jamie’s mom, Margaret and her best friend Ray. They are encouraging Jamie to live his dreams, and even get him red high heel shoes to wear. We also learn that his father wants nothing to do with him, but his mum is hiding that from him. We see Jamie decide that he wants to bring the drag side of his persona out, encouraged by Pritti. He goes to a drag shop to buy a dress, and meets a former drag queen, Hugo (who was previously the famous Loco Chanelle). Hugo gets Jamie his first dress, and arranges a drag show for Jamie. Encourage, Jamie invites his school. You can guess what happens.

Most of his friend are supportive, but there are those who aren’t The second act of the show deals with this, and the importance of finding and being true to yourself. It has some of the strongest ballads in the show, including “It Means Beautiful” and “He’s My Boy”. The ending, of course, is predetermined: Jamie eventually goes to the prom, in a dress, and finds his drag self.

Prior to the show, I had gotten the album of the West End production, and liked the music. I didn’t, however, know the story. Having now seen the production, a few observations. I’ll note that we weren’t sitting in our usual vantage point: we were off on the side in the handicapped seating (due to my wife’s recent injury). More on that in a minute.

First, the negatives. This is very much a West End production, with heavy accents, fast speech, and UK-specific terminology. This gets lost on the American audience, even with a QR code pointer that doesn’t work to explain the slang. It was made worse by being in the handicapped seats: the crispness of the lyrics and words at that location wasn’t to usual Ahmanson standards. There was a similar problem with the audio of the orchestra — for a while, I thought the orchestra might be pre-recorded, but a list of musicians in the program indicated that wasn’t the case. They were revealed to be on-stage at the end of the show, so it was just poor amplification or our location.

Now, the positives. There were some very strong performances, which I’ll get to as I talk about the actors. I did like the overall message of the show, and I also really enjoyed the secondary characters — perhaps even more so than the main character. The character of Margaret New, Jamie’s mom, was a realistic presentation of a mom that wanted everything for her son, despite the flaws and the difficulties. Her anthem in the second act, “He’s My Boy”, stole the show. Also remarkable was the character of Pritti. It was nice to see a stage portrayal that normalized the Muslim faith and showed the similarities instead of emphasizing the differences. Far too often in America we are presented with the image that the only acceptable faith to have strong religious practices is Christianity; faithful adherents of non-Christian faiths are often played stereotypically. I see this far too often with Jews on stage — ask yourself the last time you saw an Orthodox Jew portrayed as a real person. Pritti was a real teen: she had aspirations, she had desires, but she also was fine living within her faith boundaries. This was made clear both when she indicated she was wearing the hijab not because religion told her to, but because she wanted to. It was her. She also didn’t treat being called a virgin as an insult: she was proud of who she was. It was her character that gave Jamie’s character the strength to be true to himself. As such, both Margaret and Pritti really stole the show.

Another remarkable character was Hugo (Loco Chanelle). He provided the essential difference between drag and trans (which clearly a large number of people do not understand). He made clear that drag is putting on a persona — an alter-ego as a way to truly express a character. It isn’t trans (where your brain sees you as a different gender than your body), nor is it cross dressing (where you aren’t becoming a different persona — you’re yourself, but just enjoying to wear opposite gender clothing). Hugo, in his own way, encouraged Jamie to find his true voice.

The other characters — his school mates, the other drag queens — were drawn much more superficially. They had just the characteristics needed to move the story (Dean – bigotry and bullying; Miss Hedge — administrative rigidity; his dad — rejection) but not much more.

The main secondary characters, however, emphasize that the real story in Jamie wasn’t Jamie’s journey. Yes, he was the main character … but for all the effort, you never see his drag persona on stage. Only glimpses. But where you see the real acceptance of themselves is in Hugo, Margaret, and Pritti. It is their journey that fleshes out this story and makes it something that everyone can see themselves it. It isn’t just drag queens, gays, and trans-folk that need to be true to yourself despite what the world is telling you to be. That’s the message here.

So would I recommend this. If you’re in Los Angeles and are up to being in a large indoor theatre for 3 hours, yes. The theatre was perhaps half full, and companies cannot come back without full audiences. We need to demonstrate that theatre is safe. So wear your N95 mask, get your vaccine and booster shot (which will be required), and go to the theatre. But if you can’t: watch this on Amazon Prime.

One last night, before I go to the individuals: 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Kudos to the Ahmanson Theatre for their handicapped services. My wife is temporarily in a wheelchair due to a fall, and is non-weight bearing on her leg until at least March. The Ahmanson made it easy. She called ahead of time, and I had already arranged for wheelchair accessible box seats (in the balcony, vs. the mezzanine, but one does what one can with the seats available). CTG had someone meet us at valet parking (which was only $9). They helped her get to our seats and run the vaccine proof gauntlet. They were there with her walker to help her to the restroom. They helped us back to the car. They made this easy.

So let’s turn to the individual performances:

In the lead position was Layton Williams Jamie New. Williams captured Jamie well and moved well. Whether he was believable as his drag persona Mimi is unknown, as we never really see him as Mimi. But he sang beautifully and seemed to be having quite a bit of fun with the role.

My favorite two performers, if you haven’t figured it out by now, were Melissa Jacques Margaret New and Hiba Elchikhe Pritti Pasha. Jacques just brought down the house with her number “He’s My Boy” as well as “If I Met Myself Again”. Elchikhe’s “It Means Beautiful” was haunting. I thought both performances were strong.

The other strong back character was a dual role by a single actor: Roy Haylock Hugo  and his alter ego, Bianca Del Rio Loco Chanelle.  We really get to know more about Hugo than we do Del Rio — we just see her briefly as near the drag show. But Haylock brings a reality to Hugo that allows you to see what drag is: an escape from a harsh world, a world where the glitter and the glamour allows one to become something better, something more. That’s an amazing transformation to see. Haylock does a wonderful job in “The Legend of Loco Chanelle”

Among the tertiary characters, there are few standouts. Shabna Gulati Ray provides some good comic moments as Margaret’s best friend; similarly, the three drag queens Leon Craig Sandra Bollock, James Gillan Tray Sophisticay, and David O’Reilly Laika Virgin provide comic relief as they give advice to Jamie. George Sampson Dean Paxton and Cameron Johnson Jamie’s Dad are the catalysts for the conflict: the former as the bully who hates gays, drag queens, and foreigners; the latter as a father who is disappointed in what his son turned out to be. The last standout was Gillian Ford Miss Hedge, who portrayed the inflexible schoolteacher and administrator who didn’t believe in Jamie or his right to be himself in this town.  Rounding out the cast were Richard Appiah-Sarpong Cy; Zion Battles Levi; Kazmin Borrer Vicki; Ryan Hughes Mickey; Jodie Knight Fatimah; Harriet Payne Bex; Talia Palamathanan Becca; and Adam Taylor Sayid. Swings (who are vitally important in these days of COVID) are: Rachel Seirian, Simeon Beckett, and Emma Robotham-Hunt. Adam Taylor was the understudy for Jamie.

Wow. That’s the first time I’ve done an actor list without a single reference to AboutTheArtists. This is a 100% imported cast.

Less imported was the on-stage but hidden band (🌴 indicates local; 👑 indicates UK): 👑 Theo Jamieson Musical Supervisor /Director; 👑 Gareth Lieske (FB) Guitars and Cover MD; Dan Hall Bass Guitar and Bass Synth; 🌴 Keith Fiddmont Tenor Sax; 🌴 James Ford III Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Piccolo; 👑 Ali Van Ryne Drums; 👑 Matthew West Percussion. Rounding out the music department was: Dan Gillespie Sells Music and Orchestrations; 🌴 Robert Payne Contractor.

Turning to the production and design team. The production was directed by Jonathan Butterell and choreographed by Katie Prince. Supporting them were Cameron Johnson Resident Director; Simeon Beckett Dance Captain; and Emma Robotham-Hunt Asst. Dance Captain. The direction was good in that the characters were believable as who they were. The dances were strong but not particularly memorable.

The design was interesting. There were three major set pieces: a collection of desks that could be moved around and lighted, almost reminding me of the set of A Christmas Carol; a piece that opened up to provide the New’s apartment (which seemed remarkably easy to move), and a back piece that used projects to provide place –which worked so-so, as the coloring (or should I say colouring) often swallowed the projections. This was all designed by the team of: Anna Fleischle Designer; Lucy Carter Lighting Designer; Luke Halls Video Designer; and executed by Patrick Molony Production Manager. The sound design by Paul Groothuis was generally good, but could use a bit more oomph in the crispness department. Rounding out the production team was: Will Burton CDG Casting Director; Maggie Swing US Production Stage Manager. I’m not listing producers or the tour info. I do, however, give credit to the COVID teamwhich is not enumerated for the tour. On the CTG side, this is Niki Armato Facilities Assistant / COVID Compliance Officer; and a large team of supporting COVID compliance officers: Chase Anderson-Shaw, Monica Greene, Dean Grosbard, Henry Kelly, and Denise Reynoso.

Everyone’s Talking About Jamie continues at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB), COVID permitting, until February 20. Tickets are available through the CTG website. Discount tickets may be available through Goldstar or TodayTix.

❧

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

Upcoming Shows:

For right now, we’re pretty much sticking with shows that come as part of our subscriptions or are of interest through our memberships. That may change later in 2022. Looking at the first half of 2022: February brings Something Rotten at 5 Star Theatricals (FB) and Marvin’s Room at Actors Co-op (FB). March brings The Lehman Trilogy at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB), Trayf at the Geffen Playhouse (with the TAS Live Theatre group); and Ann at The Pasadena Playhouse (FB). April brings the Southern California Renaissance Faire; and Tootsie at Broadway in Hollywood (FB). May brings Hadestown at at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB). June will see Come From Away at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB) and Pretty Woman at Broadway in Hollywood (FB), plus as much of the Hollywood Fringe Festival as we have the energy for.

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Better-Lemons, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, On Stage 411 or that are sent to me by publicists or the venues themselves. Want to know how to attend lots of live stuff affordably? Take a look at my post on How to attend Live Theatre on a Budget (although I know it is outdated and need to update it). Want to learn about all the great theatre in Southern California? Read my post on how Los Angeles (and its environs) is the best area for theatre in the Country (again, I need to review this for the post-COVID theatre landscape)!