Tag: theatre-2011

Studying the Spaces

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Obsession. It can be a powerful drive, pulling us forward and deeper into an exploration of a subject, sometimes to the point of ignoring our lives failing around us. But working through the obsession can sometimes transform what wasn’t there into something. I’ve been thinking about these themes since last night, when we went to the Ahmanson Theatre downtown to see Jane Fonda in Moisés Kaufman’s “33 Variations”. One has to say it that way: like it or not, Jane Fonda is the centerpiece and the advertised drawing attraction for this production (which in some sense is a shame), and the emphasis is also placed on the playwrite, perhaps to overcome the classic music stigma.

“33 Variations” is, at its heart, a story of obsession, deterioration, and family. On its surface, this is the story of Dr. Katherine Brandt (Jane Fonda) and her obsession to figure out why Ludwig van Beethoven (Zach Grenier) wrote 33 variations of an inconsequential waltz written by Anton Diabelli (Don Amendolia). This wouldn’t be a problem if Dr. Brandt was healthy; however, she is suffering from ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Dr. Brandt wants to go to Bonn, Germany, to study Beethoven’s folios in the Beethoven Archives, but her daughter, Clara Brandt (Samantha Mathis), wants her to stay, afraid that her condition will deteriorate. Katherine, being headstrong, goes, and becomes immersed in the world of Beethoven, Diabelli, and Beethoven’s friend and assitant, Anton Schindler (Grant James Varjas). She’s aided in this research by Dr. Gertrude Ladenburger (Susan Kellermann). As the play progresses, we see Dr. Brandt’s condition worsen, as she moves from a cane to a walker to a wheelchair. Her daughter, together with the Mike Clark (Greg Keller), a nurse who once treated her mother and has fallen in love with Clara, travel to Bonn to take care of her mother. As the story progresses, we keep flashing back and forth between the present day—where Dr. Brandt’s condition is deteriorating—and the past—where Beethoven is steadily going deaf. This brings forward a number of themes: the effects of a need to be more dependent on others, how the progression of a disease can can bring focus, Ultimately, the theme of the play moves from the surface obsession to the power of transformation: how a study of the littlest pieces can bring out beauty, and how we need to treasure each of those little pieces.

As I wrote up the synopsis, I’m exposing what is perhaps the primary weakness of the show: on the surface, this is not a simple plot to describe. It moves back and forth in time. It deals with the progression of the disease. There are multiple threads of multiple relationships to follow. Luckily, the execution and direction (which was by the playwright) draw things together and make the story understandable, and ultimately satisfying. Further, I think the construction of the story is such that the quality could be duplicated with the correct team. However, the construction of the show does parallel the variations themselves: there are times the characters create a fugue with multiple voices speaking at ones occasionally coming together; there are times they are slow and introspective; there are times they use language to waltz with each other; and there’s even a point where they effectively form a mass choir. I think such parallels are more obvious to those familiar with the various forms.

The acting in this is top notch. Let’s deal with the elephant in the room first: Jane Fonda. Whether or not you agree with her politics or her past, she is a powerful, talented, and brave actress. All those aspects come across in this performance. Initially I was unsure how she would do on the stage, and there were moments where she seemed to have line hesitations and odd pauses. But the power and talent come across here, and looking back, that could have been her character. Ms. Fonda does a remarkable job of portraying the ravages of ALS, moving from seemingly health to someone having trouble walking to someone losing the ability to control her muscles and her speech. All of this is in a believable extremely moving performance. The bravery is also on stage—both in a 74-year old actress having the confidence to do partial nudity onstage, and having the confidence to take on the acting challenge of portrying the deterioration that ALS can do to a body. I wouldn’t say that her performance makes the show, for the rest of the cast is excellent, but it certainly moves it up a notch.

The remainder of the cast weren’t slouches either. It’s hard to single particular secondary performances out as they were all so good, but I particularly enjoyed Grenier’s Beethoven and Mathis’ Clara. Grenier just seemed to bring the maestro to life, playing the role with both force and humor. Mathis’ Clara captured the right element of vulnerability and self-doubt, giving the sense of a woman who wasn’t succeeding because she never had the confidence in herself. Also strong was Kellermann as Dr. Ladenburger, providing great flashes of German humor. Varjas’ Schindler and Amendolia’s Diabelli were less well developed as actual people, and came across as a bit of a characterure, but that is more likely an aspect of the book. Keller’s Clark was a well-portrayed young man, unsure of how to build the relationship with Clara and help her deal with the deterioration of the mother. The ensemble, which had non-speaking roles, were Nikki Hyde, Scott Barrow, Caitlin O’Connell, and Yvonne Woods Slaten.
[All actors are members of æ Actors Equity ]

The scenic design by Darek Mclane was interesting. The primary motif was that of an archival room with shelves and shelves of archive boxes, together with movable screens made up of pages of music. Upon these were occasionally projected movements, scenery, and movements (projection design by Jeff Sugg). This worked well. The costumes by Janice Pytel (with additional cosumes by David C. Woolard) were very effective—provacative at points, demure at others, all effectively conveying the character of the person wearing them. They worked well with the hair and wig designs of Charles Lapointe. David Lander’s lighting design was also effective at conveying the mood. Lastly, the sound design by Andre J. Pluess was what a good sound design should be: unnoticable. In fact, I didn’t even see microphones on most of the actors (and we were sitting in the first row).

Of course, music is an integral part of this show. There is an on-stage (well, off on the side) pianist, Diane Walsh, who provides Beethoven’s music. The choreography of the characters was orchestrated by Daniel Pelzig. Linda Marvel and David Lober were the Production Stage Managers, and Melissa M. Spengler and Susie Walsh served as stage managers.

“33 Variations” continues at the Ahmanson Theatre until March 6. Tickets are available through the Ahmanson Box Office. Our production appeared to be mostly sold out, but it also looks like they had the top balcony closed off. Still, $20 Hottix may still be available through Customer Service.

Upcoming Theatre, Concerts, and Dance: This evening may bring a free improvised musical done by Interact Theatre Company as part of their Reading Series at the NoHo Arts Center. February closes with “Moonlight and Magnolias” at The Colony Theatre on February 26. March is also busy. It begins with Evita at Van Nuys HS on Thursday, March 3 (to see one of the two actresses playing Eva Peron), followed by a Noel Paul Stookey concert at McCabes on March 4. Saturday March 5 is the MRJ Regional Man of the Year dinner at TBH, and Sunday brings “Nunsensations” at the Lyric Theatre in Hollywood. Saturday March 12 sees us back at Van Nuys to see the other actress playing Eva Peron in “Evita”, at Van Nuys High School. Sunday, March 13 is “The Cradle Will Rock” at the Blank Theatre. The weekend of March 19 is currently open, but I’m planning on ticketing “Having It All” at the NoHo Arts Center, once that date shows up on Goldstar. Lastly, March 26 brings “The Diary of Anne Frank” at Repertory East. April will bring the Renaissance Faire on the weekend of April 9. April 16 brings “The Producers” at Cabrillo Music Theatre. April 23rd, which is during Pesach, brings the last show of the current Colony season, “The All Night Strut” at the Colony Theatre. The last weekend of April is being held open (i.e., pending ticketing) for Brian Stokes Mitchell at the new Valley Performing Arts Center. May is just starting to shape up, with the first weekend being held for “God of Carnage” at the Ahmanson Theatre (pending Hottix) and “Cabaret” at REP East on May 28.

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Get Those Lighters Out

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Tom Paxton likes to say that, with respect to nostalgia, it is OK to look back as long as you don’t stare. I’m not sure if there was a staring contest going on last night at the Pantages when we saw “Rock of Ages”. This show, which came off as a cross between a traditional musical and a late-1980s rock concert, came complete with a segment of the audience wearing 1980s hair and clothes, and waving their lighters (well, OK, cell phones) at any opportunity.

At its heart, “Rock of Ages” is a jukebox musical. There is no original score; instead, the musical features a collection of classic “Glam Rock” songs by Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Steve Perry, Poison, White Snake, and Asia (groups that I must admit, to my daughter’s dismay, I never listened to back in the day). This means these songs fall into “recent nostalgia”, as opposed to the “ancient nostalgia” of jukebox musicals with 1950s and 1960s era music.This means, of course, that the music is in the audience’s vernacular, and they must (of course) sing along. It’s like a rock show where the band is playing all the audience’s favorites. Add to this the fact the musical is playing not that far from the Sunset Strip where many of these bands played, and as I said, out come the lighters.

But “Rock of Ages” is more than a collection of songs: it is a traditional book musical. The book author, Chris D’arienzo, took these songs and weaved them into a love story about Drew, an aspiring rocker, and Sherrie, a girl from the midwest who comes out to the Sunset Strip to find her dreams. It does this by telling the story of the The Bourbon Room, owned by Dennis Dupree, a former rocker who gave the band Arsenal its start. Drew works there, and after he falls for Sherrie, gets her hired as a waitress in the club. All this is commented upon continuously by Lonnie, the sound guy and narrator. Meanwhile, German developers, Hertz and his son Franz, convince the city’s Mayor to abandon the lifestyle of the Sunset Strip and introduce “clean living” into the area. This angers the hippie-era City Planner, Regina. When Dennis learns that part of the plan involves demolishing The Bourbon Room, he believes the club can generate more money by having rock star Stacee Jaxx and his band Arsenal, who recently announced their break-up, perform their last show at The Bourbon. He calls Stacee and convinces him to play the band’s last show in the club where he began. Meanwhile, Drew starts writing lyrics to express his love for Sherrie, but makes the mistake on a date of indicating they are just friends. So, when Jaxx comes to the club to give an interview, Sherrie is immediately smitten with him… with predictable results. Drew plays in the club and displays enough musical ability that Dennis asks him to open for Stacee and Arsenal. Jaxx gets Sherrie fired before the concert begins, and Jaxx’s guitarist realizes what Stacee did and knocks him out. A record producer in the club suggests Drew take over for Stacee, and then offers him a contract, which he accepts. Sherrie seeks comfort from Drew after she is fired, but having seen her go into the men’s room with Stacee, he dismisses her. Sherrie ends up working for Justice, the owner of the nearby Venus Club which Justice prefers to call a gentleman’s club. This leaves everyone alone… a perfect place to end the act.

As Act II starts, demolition has begun. Franz falls for Regina (who is protesting the demolition). Dennis and Lonny join the fight with little success. Drew’s glam rocker image has failed, and so the producer is reshaping it into a boy band, while Sherrie is learning how things work at the Venus Club. Sherrie and Drew argue and Sherrie admits that she loved Drew, but he said they were friends. They part ways more troubled by these new revelations. Meanwhile, Stacee arrives at the Venus Club and is pleased to see Sherrie. After being forced to give him a lapdance, she beats him up while dancing. Drew arrives to admit his feelings to her, but becomes angry when he sees the two in a suggestive position and storms off. Regina continues her protest, and convinces Franz to stand up to his father if he does not believe in his father’s vision. He does and admits his love for Regina. Dennis and Lonny, upset at the loss of The Bourbon Room, also suggest they had feelings for each other. Sherrie leaves the Venus Club after the scene with Drew. Everyone is in turmoil as they attempt move on with their lives. Drew, now a pizza delivery boy, realizes none of his dreams have come true- he still isn’t a rock star, and Sherrie is leaving on a midnight train. Lonny arrives to tell him to make his own destiny; that it’s up to him to get the girl. He decides to go after Sherrie. He reaches her in time and they realize their love has survived all their trials and reconcile.
[Note: Story synopsis drawn from Wikipedia]

Convoluted story, yes. But who comes to this for the story—you come for the music and to (hold up your fingers appropriately with rock and roll devil horns and scream) roooooock. What makes the story work is not the story but the humor behind it. This musical knows it is a musical, and Lonnie, acting as the narrator, breaks the fourth wall all the time to mention it. He starts by indicating that a good musical needs a love story; he does it at the end of act one indicating that the act must end with everyone in disarray. At the end, he discards the book entirely. The musical is playful and self-indulgent and just breaks the conventions. This draws in the audiences and just makes the evening fun.

I think a large part of the credit for this should go to the director, Kristin Hanggi. She brings out the fun in the cast, and as the cast has fun with the show, the audience eats it up. The cast is having the time of their life up on stage; the band is rocking away, and the audience is in for the joyous ride.

The cast is no slouch either. Although for many the draw is Constantine Maroulis as Drew, my favorite was Patrick Lewallen as Lonny. He brings the right tone to the overall evening: he lets the audience realize that the glam rock era was a parody of itself when happening the first time, and has just the right touch of sardonic humor to make him the perfect narrator. Lewallen plays this to perfection, and pretty much steals the scenes whenever he is on. But I’m sure you want to know about the leads: Constantine Maroulis as Drew and Rebecca Faulkenberry as Sherri. Both are very strong and have a great charm about them, in addition to being strong singers and rockers. These two are fun to watch—I particularly enjoyed the goofiness that Maroulis expressed, and the power of Faulkenberry.

The second tier leads also had their standouts. My favorite was Casey Tuma as Regina, but then again, I tend to like the look and vibe of that character. Tuma was a strong singer and comic actress, and she worked well in the traditional comic second couple role. Paired with her was Travis Walker as Franz. Walker also had strong comic timing and moves. I also enjoyed Nick Cordero as Dennis Dupree, as he reminded me of some folks I know who are survivors of that era, still doing music, still hanging in there (yes, Marque, I’m thinking of you). Rounding out the second tier leads were MiG Ayesa (Stacee Jaxx), Teresa Stanley (Justice/Mother), and Bret Tuomi (Hertz). Rounding out the cast were Angela Brydon (Waitress #1, Ensemble), Joey Calveri (Joey Primo, Ensemble), Lindsay Janisse (Young Groupie, Dance Captain), Sean Jenness (Ensemble, Male Booth Singer), Holly Laurent (Swing), Lauralyn McClelland (Constance, Ensemble), Rashad Naylor (Mayor, Ensemble), Josh Sassanella (Swing), Erika Shannon (Swing), and J. Michael Zygo (Swing).
[All actors are members of æ Actors Equity ]

Of course, what makes this show is the music, which was arranged and supervised by Ethan Popp and David Gibbs. This is one of the few shows where the band gets the kudos they deserve, getting their playoff with the theatre still dark and the audience in their seats (OK, standing and rocking out) as they do. Popp also served as musical supervisor and orchestrator. John Miller was Music Coordinator. Brandon Ethridge was Music Director. Rounding out the musical credits were: Randy Cohen (Syntheizer Programmer), Chris Cicchino (Guitar 1), Alan Childs (Drums), Jonathan Skibic (Bass), Brandon Ethridge (Keyboard/Conductor), and David Gibbs (Guitar 2). That the music was good is no surprise looking at the rock credentials of these folks.

Dance is a large part of rock. Kelly Devine (assisted by Robert Tatad) kept the cast moving with appropriate moves that were always entertainment, and only showed a hint of ballet :-).

Turning to the technical, there were a few problems. As usual, this was due to the mishmash that occurs between the standard technical setup established by the technical artists when the tour starts and the unfortunate buildings they are booked in (cough, Pantages, cough). So as usual, at the Pantages, the sound was a bit muddied (although with the volume, that probably didn’t matter much), and from where we sat, scenic elements designed for a wider stage blocked more important scenic elements. Still, I think the technical folks did the best with what they had. Leading the pack was the lighting design of Jason Lyons, which made extensive use of moving lights and LED strips to give a great rock concert feel while still using colors effectively to create mood. The sound by Peter Hylenski was suitably loud, but had difficulty with the odd angles of the Pantages. The costumes by Gregory Gale and hairstylings of Tom Watson were suitably 1980s. The set design by Beowulf Boritt evoked the Sunset Strip, but the Angelyene billboard did a wonderful job of blocking the ability to see the projection designs of Zak Borovay from the side of the theatre. Makeup was by Angelina Avallone, with Phoenix Entertainment serving as Technical Supervisor.

Rounding out the credits: Michael Danek (Production Stage Manager); Francesca Russell (Stage Manager), Michael G. Morales (Assistant Stage Manager). Adam John Hunter was Associate Director and Production Supervisor). Telsey+Company CSA did the casting. I’d list the producers, but there were more producers then there are urchins in a production of Oliver!.

“Rock of Ages” continues at the Pantages until February 27th. It is worth seeing, but note that Pantages ticket prices are high, and you are likely only to find discounts for mid-week. Although you can purchase tickets online, my advice is to go to the box office to avoid the surcharges. “Rock of Ages” is worth seeing if you are of the age where the music has meaning to you. You’ll enjoy the concert and enjoy the in-jokes in the story.

Upcoming Theatre, Concerts, and Dance: As for us, our next show is a non-musical, for we go downtown to the Ahmanson Theatre this evening for “33 Variations. Tomorrow evening may be a free improvised musical done by Interact Theatre Company as part of their Reading Series at the NoHo Arts Center. February closes with “Moonlight and Magnolias” at The Colony Theatre on February 26. March is also busy. It begins with Evita at Van Nuys HS on Thursday, March 3 (to see one of the two actresses playing Eva Peron), followed by a Noel Paul Stookey concert at McCabes on March 4. Saturday March 5 is the MRJ Regional Man of the Year dinner at TBH, and Sunday brings “Nunsensations” at the Lyric Theatre in Hollywood. Saturday March 12 sees us back at Van Nuys to see the other actress playing Eva Peron in “Evita”, at Van Nuys High School. Sunday, March 13 is “The Cradle Will Rock” at the Blank Theatre. The weekend of March 19 is currently open, but I’m planning on ticketing “Having It All” at the NoHo Arts Center, once that date shows up on Goldstar. Lastly, March 26 brings “The Diary of Anne Frank” at Repertory East. April will bring the Renaissance Faire on the weekend of April 9. April 16 brings “The Producers” at Cabrillo Music Theatre. April 23rd, which is during Pesach, brings the last show of the current Colony season, “The All Night Strut” at the Colony Theatre. The last weekend of April is being held open (i.e., pending ticketing) for Brian Stokes Mitchell at the new Valley Performing Arts Center. May is just starting to shape up, with the first weekend being held for “God of Carnage” at the Ahmanson Theatre (pending Hottix) and “Cabaret” at REP East on May 28.

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A Life That Adds Up To Zero

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Is life futile? This is a question I faced this afternoon when we went to the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble in West Los Angeles to see the West Coast premiere of “Adding Machine: The Musical“. This musical is based on a 1923 play by Elmer Rice that explores the dehumanization of man and the meaning of life. A few years ago, Joshua Schmidt (original music, liberetto) and Jason Loewith (liberetto) turned it into a musical with odd atonal music. I had picked up the album a few years ago, and I wanted to see the musical to see if I could further figure out the musical.

“Adding Machine” tells the story of Mr. Zero, an accountant working in a business for 25 years adding numbers. Married to a shrew of a wife who harangues him at any opportunity, his sole hope is a promotion to the front office. His coworkers are equally drones, except for Daisy, who secretly has a crush on him. On his 25th anniversary at work, Mr. Zero’s supervisor calls him in to the office, and tells him he is being replaced by an adding machine. In response, Mr. Zero kills his boss, coldly and indifferently. As he expects, he is arrested and sentenced to death. As he his having his last meal (ham and eggs), his wife visits him, initially reminding him of the good times, but then haranguing him again when she learns of Daisy. He is electrocuted, and goes to some form of purgatory called Elysian Fields. There he learns he is not to be judged… he just waits. He also discovers Daisy, who has committed suicide by gas explosion to be with him. They discover their love, but Mr. Zero cannot accept that she committed suicide for him. He takes solice in adding numbers on an adding machine. At the end of the musical, Shrdlu (perhaps God, perhaps his angel) informs Mr. Zero it is time to go back: his soul has been washed and is ready to be recycled. Mr. Zero asks if this has happened before, and Shrdlu informs him that it has–over and over and over again. The depressing part is that Mr. Zero always ends up a slave in a worthless life. In the final scene, Mr. Zero crosses back, and Shrdlu indicates how he hates his job.

Let’s address what I didn’t like first: the music is odd and dissonant. There were only one or two melodic pieces. This fits the existential nature of the play well, but it wasn’t music that drew me in. The story was also an odd one, with a slightly depressing ending. It certainly doesn’t qualify as an uplifting musical. Still, the execution was interesting, and I have a better understanding of the story for it.

What was uplifting was the acting. Particularly strong was Clifford Mortsæ as Mr. Zero. Morts brought to life an aging downtrodden man for whom life was drugery; when he was to be replaced by a machine you could see how it was the last strawn. Christine Hornæ, as Daisy, was also very strong, capturing the loveliness and loving nature of that character well. She also had a beautiful singing voice in one of the few melodic numbers. The third actor I want to highlight was Kelly Lesteræ as Mrs. Zero. Although a small
role, she captured the shrew aspects well. Rounding out the cast were Alan Abelewæ (Boxx, Fixer, Charles), Rob Herringæ (Shrdlu). In the chorus, playing multiple unnamed characters, were Travis Leland, Greta McAnany, Nick Tubbs, and Mandy WIlson.
[æ denotes members of æ Actors Equity ]

Turning to the technical aspects: The set of this production was relatively simple: platforms, desks, jails, ledger books, and a stand-up bed for the opening scene. Drop fabrics symbolized Elysian Fields. The overall color scheme was grey. This design was by Charles Erven, and fit the story quite well. Props were by Katherine S. Hunt. The lighting was harsh — again, this fit the story well — and was designed by Adam Blumenthal. The costumes did an excellent job of amplifying the grey dronish atmosphere (although they weren’t period, but I don’t fully expect that given the existential nature of the piece), and were designed by Katheryn Poppen. Makeup and hair design was by Catherine Joseph. Sound design was by Rosalyn Rice. Choreography was by Natalie Labellarte, and was more focused on movement than dance. The orchestra was directed by Alan Patrick Kenny, who led the three piece orchestra (Kenny on piano, Chris Myers on keyboard, and Scott Director on percussion).

The production was directed by Ron Sossi, assisted by Sabrina Lloyd. Jennifer Palumbo was Production Stage Manager.

“Adding Machine: The Musical” continues at the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble until March 13th. Tickets are available online or through the Odyssey box office. Note that there are $15 hottix at curtain time, plus you should be able to find discounts on Goldstar. If you’re looking for a conventional musical, you probably won’t like this. If you are looking to be challenged about dehumanization and life, this is worth seeing.

Upcoming Theatre, Concerts, and Dance: Next weekend is another with two shows: “Rock of Ages at The Pantages Theatre on February 19, and “33 Variations at the Ahmanson Theatre for February 20. February closes with “Moonlight and Magnolias” at The Colony Theatre on February 26. March is also busy. It begins with a Noel Paul Stookey concert at McCabes on March 4. March 5 is the MRJ Regional Man of the Year dinner at TBH. The first two weekends of March are also the Spring Musical, “Evita”, at Van Nuys High School; we’re likely going on Saturday, March 12. Sunday, March 13 is “The Cradle Will Rock” at the Blank Theatre. The weekend of March 19 is currently open, but that probably won’t last for long. Lastly, March 26 brings “The Diary of Anne Frank” at Repertory East. April will bring the Renaissance Faire, “The Producers” at Cabrillo Music Theatre, “The All Night Strut” at the Colony Theatre, and (pending ticketing) Brian Stokes Mitchell at the new Valley Performing Arts Center.

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Still Marvellous After So Many Years

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Back in 2006, we saw a little show at the El Portal Theatre called “The Marvellous Wonderettes”. We were enthralled by it then, and so were audiences. Since then, the show went on to have a long run at the El Portal, went to New York, ran Off-Broadway for over a year… and eventually made its way back to Thousand Oaks, where it became the second production in Cabrillo Music Theatre’s 2010-2011 season. We saw it last night, and I’m pleased to say it remains marvellous, and the upsizing of the show hasn’t hurt it one bit.

Here’s how I summarized the story back in 2006: “The Marvelous Wonderettes is initially set in 1958, and bears many similiarites to Forever Plaid. Both musicals tell the stories of harmonizing groups: girl groups in Wonderettes, boy groups in Plaid. Both groups have distinct characters, and do popular songs from the era. Plaid, however, is clear fantasy: it focuses on a group that was permitted to come back after death for one last show. The plot in Wonderettes is much stronger. The show focues on the lives and loves of the Wonderettes: Cindy Lou (Kirsten Chandler*), Missy (Kim Huber*), Betty Jean (Julie Dixon Jackson*), and Suzy (Bets Malone*). Act I opens on the Wonderettes as they are the featured entertainment at the 1958 Springfield Prom. You learn about their lives, loves, and distinct personalities during the act. Act II is 10 years later, at the high school reunion. Here you learn how the story turned out, together with the power of friendship. You can get a good idea of the characters in the show by visiting the show’s MySpace account.”

Now, the cast has changed (of that 2006 cast, only Bets Malone was in this production). And who uses MySpace anymore (although the page is still there)? But the story is the same, and the girls still have the same distinct personalities. Further, the Cabrillo cast has just added experience with the Wonderettes, with Bets Malone as Suzy (Bets has been doing the role since the first workshops), Beth Malone as Betty Jean (Beth has been involved since the Hermosa Beach production, and played the role in the Off-Broadway production), Misty Cotton as Misty (Misty was also in the Off-Broadway production, as well as Laguna and Sacramento), and (substituting, alas, for Darcie Roberts), Leslie Spencer as Cindy Lou (Leslie has been in Wonderettes since Laguna Playhouse days, and was also in the North Hollywood production, as well as Off-Broadway). In short, these girls have been doing the roles for so long it is in their blood, and they just have fun with the roles and become the characters. Combine that with the fact they are all excellent actresses aside (all are regulars in the LA theatre community, and we have seen all them numerous times in too many other productions to name), and you have a show that is just, well, Marvellous. In other words, although these girls could do the show in their sleep, they put their heart and soul into their performances, and everyone has fun as a result.
[All actors are members of æ Actors Equity ]

My big worry when I heard about the Cabrillo production was how the upsizing would work. When we first saw the show, it was in a small 99-seat theatre. This time we were in the over-thousand seat Kavli. Guess what? It works. The set is larger and looks more like a high school gymnasium, thanks to the wonderful scenic design of Michael Carnahan (set), Bobby Pearce (costumes), and Mark Travis Hoyer (wigs/hair design) from the Musical Theatre West production. Roger Bean remains as the director (he created the show), and (combined with Bets Malone as Associate Director) has successfully retained the audience participation aspects, if not expanded them (with Betty Jean coming all the way up to the Mezzaine to interact with the audience during the prom queen vote, including climbing over railings). The larger venue also allows for significantly fancier lighting (I haven’t seen such a use of gobos in a while), building upon the Off-Broadway lighting design of Jeremy Pivnick, and for the original and off-Broadway choreographer of the show, Janet Miller, to expand her work. The musical side was also strong, with the off-Broadway musical director and orchestrator, Michael Borth, leading the five-player Cabrillo Music Theatre orchestra. In short: this is a show that works wherever it is done: small cabaret-size theatre or large Broadway house. With actors and a creative team like this, the superlatives are not enough.

The local team also deserves some kudos. Allie Roy returned as Production Stage Manager, assisted by Jessica Standifer, and they kept control of the craziness well. Lewis Wilkenfeld is Cabrillo’s Artistic Director. I also want to specifically mention someone who I normally don’t mention: Carole Nussbaum, executive director of Cabrillo. I hadn’t realized the extent of her work (other than her creative on-stage introductions of each show) until I read a great VC Star article on her, which highlighted all of her hard work at keeping Cabrillo solvent and successful. In today’s financial and fiscal environment, where theatres are failing left, center, and right, that’s a hard job, and Cabrillo, under Carole’s leadership, has figured out not only how to do it, but how to do good for the community at the same time.

This afternoon is the last performance of Wonderettes at Cabrillo. You can get tickets online, but you’ll likely do better just going to the box office before the show. You can get buy-one-get-one-free Mezzanine tickets by mentioning “VALENTINE” when you book.

Upcoming Theatre, Concerts, and Dance: Today brings the second show of the weekend: “Adding Machine: The Musical at The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble on February 13. Next weekend is another with two shows: “Rock of Ages at The Pantages Theatre on February 19, and “33 Variations at the Ahmanson Theatre for February 20. February closes with “Moonlight and Magnolias” at The Colony Theatre on February 26. March is also busy. It begins with a Noel Paul Stookey concert at McCabes on March 4. March 5 is the MRJ Regional Man of the Year dinner at TBH. The first two weekends of March are also the Spring Musical, “Evita”, at Van Nuys High School; we’re likely going on Saturday, March 12. Sunday, March 13 is “The Cradle Will Rock” at the Blank Theatre. The weekend of March 19 is currently open, but that probably won’t last for long. Lastly, March 26 brings “The Diary of Anne Frank” at Repertory East. April will bring the Renaissance Faire, “The Producers” at Cabrillo Music Theatre, “The All Night Strut” at the Colony Theatre, and (pending ticketing) Brian Stokes Mitchell at the new Valley Performing Arts Center.

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Bad Reviews are So Fun

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

The New York Times gave up waiting for Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark to open. Quoth Ben Brantley: ““Spider-Man” is not only the most expensive musical ever to hit Broadway; it may also rank among the worst.” In fact, it has gotten so bad that “Spiderman: The Music” has become the punch line of many a joke.

ETA: The LA Times also ripped Spidey a new one:

What sinks the show, however, has nothing to do with glitches in the special effects. To revise a handy little political catch phrase, “It’s the storytelling, stupid.” And on that front, the failure rests squarely on Taymor’s run-amok direction.

This is, after all, her vision, and it’s a vision that has been indulged with too many resources, artistic and financial. The production, lacking the clarity that’s born out of tough choices, adds when it should subtract, accelerates when it should slow down. Taymor’s inventive staging of “The Lion King” was a victory for the craft and commerce of theater alike. But the investors of “Spider-Man” have inadvertently bankrolled an artistic form of megalomania.

ETAA: Here’s a nice summary of all the reviews from the LA Times:

To give you a sense of the general critical reaction, here’s a list of some of the words that reviewers are using to describe the much-delayed, $65 million Broadway production: “incoherent,” “a mess,” “endless,” “a turkey,” “sheer ineptitude” and “contender for worst musical ever.”

Of course, the reviews won’t stop the audience. But hopefully they will actually allow the producers to do some repairs before the show officially opens.

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Beauty that Beguiles and Charms

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

A dangerous beauty has arrived at the Pasadena Playhouse, and indeed, both dangerous and beautiful she is. At her heart is a story of freedom and education. I’m referring, of course, to the new musical “Dangerous Beauty” at the Pasadena Playhouse, which started previews on February 1 with an official opening of February 13 (we went last night). It was written by Jeannine Dominy, who wrote the screenplay for the 1998 movie of the same name, based on the book “The Honest Courtesan” by Margaret F. Rosenthal. Music was by Michele Brourman, and the lyrics were by Amanda McBroom.

“Dangerous Beauty” tells the story of Veronica Franco, a real-life celebrated courtesan/poet of 16th century Venice. Veronica is an adventurous, intelligent, literate young woman in Venice, in a society filled with church leaders, senators, and of course, a collection of courtesans. While getting ready to solemnize the marriage of her friend, Beatrice Vernier to an elder nobleman, she runs into Beatrice’s brother, Marco Venier. Soon they have fallen in love, to the dismay of Marco’s father, Senator Peitro Venier, who remembers that Veronica’s mother, Paola Franco, was once a courtesan herself. He betrothes Marco to a nobleman’s daughter from Rome, Guilia de Lezze, for the value of the marriage in cementing alliances. This forces Marco to break it off with Veronica. As Veronica’s family is penniless, Veronica turns to her mothers profession as a courtesan—a highly paid, cultured prostitute like her mother and grandmother before her. At first Veronica is repelled by the idea, but once she discovers that courtesans are allowed access to libraries and education, she tentatively embraces the idea. Veronica quickly gains a reputation as a top courtesan, impressing the powerful men of Venice with her beauty, wit, and compassion. Marco finds it difficult to adjust to his new wife, who is a straight-laced church woman and is nothing like Veronica. He becomes jealous as she takes his friends and relatives as lovers. After Marco’s cousin Maffio, a poor bard who was once publicly upstaged by Veronica, attacks her, Marco rushes to her aid. They rekindle their romance and Veronica stops seeing clients. War breaks out between the Muslims in Turkey (Ottoman Empire) and Venice, and the city appeals to France for aid. Veronica is directed by the Senator to seduces the king of France and secures a military alliance. She does this to save the city, and Marco becomes despondent that she has broken her promise of fidelity. Veronica points out that she sacrificed their love for the good of the city, while he only did it to protect his family’s political standing, and Marco leaves for war angry. While the Senators are fighting at sea, a plague hits the city. Religious zealots take the war and plague as punishment for the city’s moral degradation, and the courtesans and rounded up and put on trial. Veronica is summoned to appear before the Inquisition on charges of witchcraft and refuses to name her clients. When it appears that she will be executed, she is urged to confess. But Veronica stands on the truth, and Marco publicly shames the Venetian ministers and senators into standing. The Inquisitor drops the charges of witchcraft, and Marco and Veronica reconcile.

I went into this musical completely unfamiliar with the story. I was expecting a dull, period musical with slow music. I was wrong. Through the course of this musical, I grew to care about these characters and to understand the society. A fair amount of this credit goes to the underlying story and book, but the director, Sheryl Kaller deserves some as well, for taking this complicated story and presenting it in a sensical fashion. Kaller drew from her ensemble some wonderful performances, with incredible layers and nuances (for example, the background movements of the other courtesans). It was just a spectacular to watch. The music has a much more modern and driving beat—you can hear a number of the songs from the show from the Dangerous Beauty website.

Of course, it didn’t hurt that I fell in love with the cast. Let’s start with the first tier. In the lead positions were Jenny Powers as Veronica Franco and James Snyder as Marco Venier. Powers has a smile that could melt the world—it is so beautiful. She brought charm and wit and a playfullness to the role that made her a pure delight to watch on stage. Combine this with a wonderful singing voice (if you’ve heard the cast album of Loving Repeating, she was Alice B Toklas), and I just melted. Her lover in the show, James Snyder, also had a wonderful playful stage presence, and an equally strong singing voice. There’s joy for either gender to watch in this show! These two were having fun, and it showed.

That doesn’t mean the rest of the top tier were slackers. I was particulary smitten by Megan McGinnis as Beatrice Venier—again, the combination of a beautiful face, great acting, and a wonderful singing voice won me over. Equally strong were Michael Rupert as Domenico Venier, Bryce Ryness as Maffio Veniter, and Laila Robins as Paola Franco. All were strong singers and actors, who truly brought their roles to life.

In the second tier are the characters we didn’t get to know as well through the story. This included John Antony as Marco’s father, Senator Pietro Venier and Morgan Weed as Guilia de Lezze, the cold church-devoted new wife of Marco Venier. It also included the various noblemen of Venice: Michael Baker (Bishop Della Torre); Marcus Choi (Minister Andrea Tron); Nigel Columbus (Ramberti), Joe Mandragona (Tintoretto), and Matthew Tyler (Grand Inquisitor).

The collected courtesans were harder to tell apart, but did a beautiful job with their dancing and singing. All were wonderful to watch; I was particularly smitten with Angel Reda (Imperia), Jessica Lee Keller (Elenda), Katherine Malak (Marina), and Jessica Vosk (Olympia). Rounding out the courtesans were Iresol Cardona (Livia), Meg Gillentine (Diana), and Angela Wildflower Polk (Angela).
[All actors are members of æ Actors Equity ]

The musical and movement of this show was also a thing of beauty. As I noted before, the music was by Michele Brourman with lyrics by Amanda McBroom. The orchestrations by Burce Coughlin brought the music to life, aided by the excellent musical direction of Fred Lassen, who conducted the 9 piece orchestra. Additional arrangements were by Ben Butler, with vocal design by Annmarie Milazzo. One minor music comments (perhaps due to the fact we saw a preview): it would be nice to have an energetic reprise during the curtain call (perhaps “Desire”), permitting a playout and providing an opportunity to showcase the orchestra for the audience. Turning to the movement side, Benoit-Swan Pouffer was effective and very ballet-like in style—the movements certainly were not either modern rock or tap. But they were effective and interesting to watch. Fight design was by Brian Danner.

The technical design of the production was excellent, befitting what we’ve come to expect from the Pasadena Playhouse. The set by Tom Buderwitz was excellent (we’ve seen his work before at numerous venues): he built a replica of a 16th century Venice on the Playhouse stage, which fit perfectly with the existing frescos in the facility. The lighting by Russell H. Champa made extensive use of moving lights and gobos, and did a wonderful job of conveying mood and intent. The sound by Jon Weston was clear and crisp. The costumes by Soyon An were a mix of period and pop, and included elegant masks and gowns, as well as fighting gear. Rounding out the technical and production staff were: Angela Sidlow (Company Manager), Gary Wissman (Production Supervisor), Joe Witt (Stage Manager), Mary Michele Miner (Stage Manager), and Joe Langworth (Associate Director). “Dangerous Beauty” was produced by Sara Katz, Susan Dieta, and Tara Smith. Ann E. Wareham was associate producer.

On the drive home from the Playhouse, our thoughts turned to whether we would be renewing our subscription. Part of the problem was that the Pasadena Playhouse had gotten very expensive—on the order of $400 per subscription for 6 shows (contrast this with $180 for the Colony and approx. $120 for REP East). Based on mission, we felt the Playhouse was competing with the Geffen, La Jolla Playhouse, and the Rubicon, presenting a mix of rediscovered older gems and new work (as opposed to the tours of the Ahamanson or Pantages, musical revivals of La Mirada or Cabrillo, or American dramatic fare of Colony or REP East). New work does justify a slightly higher subscription price (ETA: As does a company that uses 100% Equity actors, for that incurs higher costs), but not where the Playhouse was. We might consider resubscribing if the post-bankruptcy economics permits the Playhouse to return to reasonable subscription rates.

Dangerous Beauty continues at The Pasadena Playhouse through March 6, 2011. Tickets may be purchased through the Playhouse; I do believe I’ve seen some weekday productions up on Goldstar.

Upcoming Theatre, Concerts, and Dance: Next weekend brings two shows: “The Marvelous Wonderettes at Cabrillo Music Theatre on February 12, and “Adding Machine: The Musical at The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble on February 13. The third weekend of February is another with two shows: “Rock of Ages at The Pantages Theatre on February 19, and “33 Variations at the Ahmanson Theatre for February 20. February closes with “Moonlight and Magnolias” at The Colony Theatre on February 26. March is also busy. It begins with a Noel Paul Stookey concert at McCabes on March 4. March 5 is the MRJ Regional Man of the Year dinner at TBH. The first two weekends of March are also the Spring Musical, “Evita”, at Van Nuys High School; we’re likely going on Saturday, March 12. Sunday, March 13 is “The Cradle Will Rock” at the Blank Theatre. The weekend of March 19 is currently open, but that probably won’t last for long. Lastly, March 26 brings “The Diary of Anne Frank” at Repertory East. April will bring the Renaissance Faire, “The Producers” at Cabrillo Music Theatre, “The All Night Strut” at the Colony Theatre, and (pending ticketing) Brian Stokes Mitchell at the new Valley Performing Arts Center.

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An Unsatisfying Relationship

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Frankie and Johnnie were lovers
Lordy oh how they did love
They swore to be true to each other
Just as true as the stars above
He was her man but he’s doing her wrong

Thanks to this famous song, the duo of Frankie and Johnny are in the ranks of famous lovers. I’ve been thinking about this since last night, when we saw the first play in the REP East 2001 season, “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune”. This play focuses on a waitress named Frankie and a short-order cook named Johnny—two lonely, middle-aged people whose first date ends with them tumbling into bed. Johnny is certain he has found his soul mate in Frankie. She, on the other hand, is far more cautious and disinclined to jump to conclusions. As the night unfolds, they slowly begin to reveal themselves to each other as they take tentative steps towards the possible start of a new relationship.

That’s actually the best description of the entire plot, which is part of the problem with this play. Terrence McNally has written a two-character study, permitting us to learn about the two characters in depth, but not really bringing them to any satisfying conclusion or demonstrating any significant growth in the two characters. The most growth is seen in Frankie, who initially wanted an overnight fling with a coworker who left before dawn, but who (seemingly) became open to the notion of the relationship. Johnny is harder to piece together: you don’t know if he was there for the sex, if he really was in love, or if he was just desparate to have a relationship again. I couldn’t see growth in his character in the play.

Ultimately, this piece left me unsatisfied. I never could fathom a reason to care about these people, and I never got to the point where I cared what happened next to them. I lay the fault on this upon the writer, which is more surprising given some of Terrance McNalley’s other creations, such as “Kiss of the Spider Woman”, “Ragtime”, “The Full Monty”, “The Rink”, or “Man of No Importance”. But that happens sometimes with theatre: what doesn’t touch one person may affect another deeply. So I do encourage you to see the story and share your experiences. Perhaps you have an insight on the story that I have missed. I did reread the review in the Santa Clarita paper: it noted the quality of the acting, and indicated that he did grow to care about the people, even through the “filibuster of dialogue and fits and starts and sex and cooking and burns and sex and ripping off of emotional scabs”. So this really may be a YMMV story.

The REP production of “Frankie and Johnny” was reasonably good, although I think Jeff Alan-Lee, who played Johnny, was off last night, for he had numerous seeming line-misstarts and hesitations. Of course, that could also have been how he was playing the character, for Alan-Lee’s Johnny came off as slightly Aspergers and ADHD, drifting from subject to “oh squirrel” and seemingly not understanding how to interact with people and how relationships work. I liked Sasha Carrera better: her Frankie came off as vulnerable, wanting a relationship but scared of one, and unsure if Johnny was sincere or a psycho… or both. She was fun to watch.
[All actors are members of æ Actors Equity ]

The production was directed by David Colwell, who did a good job in working with his actors to portray the neuroses of these two people, and for skillfully moving them so as not to expose something not normally exposed in Santa Clarita (for the two actors start the play naked—yes, this is for mature audiences).

The production team was mostly REP regulars, who did their usual excellent job: Steven “Nanook” Burkholder on sound, Tim Christianson on lights, and Jeff Hyde on sets. Vicki Lightner was stage manager. “Frankie and Johnny” was produced by Ovington Michael Owston and Mikee Schwinn.

I’m not sure this was the best opening production for the season—it really belonged as part of the REP’s “81 Series” for more mature audiences. But I also understand it was a last minute replacement for “Moonlight and Magnolias”, which had to be pulled due to a conflicting production at the Colony Theatre that was licensed first. I am looking forward to the remainder of the REP season: “The Diary of Anne Frank”, “Cabaret”, “Jewtopia”, “Doubt”, “Laughter on the 23rd Floor”, and “The Graduate”.

“Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune” continues at REP East until February 19, 2011. Tickets are available via the REP Box Office; discount tickets may be available via Goldstar or LA Stage Tix.

Upcoming Theatre, Concerts, and Dance: Tonight brings the first 2011 production for The Pasadena Playhouse, “Dangerous Beauty”. It will be interesting to see what the Playhouse does with this new period musical. Next weekend also brings two shows: “The Marvelous Wonderettes at Cabrillo Music Theatre on February 12, and “Adding Machine: The Musical at The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble on February 13. The third weekend of February is another with two shows: “Rock of Ages at The Pantages Theatre on February 19, and “33 Variations at the Ahmanson Theatre for February 20. February closes with “Moonlight and Magnolias” at The Colony Theatre on February 26. March is also busy. It begins with a Noel Paul Stookey concert at McCabes on March 4. March 5 is the MRJ Regional Man of the Year dinner at TBH. The first two weekends of March are also the Spring Musical, “Evita”, at Van Nuys High School; we’re likely going on Saturday, March 12. Sunday, March 13 is “The Cradle Will Rock” at the Blank Theatre. The weekend of March 19 is currently open, but that probably won’t last for long. Lastly, March 26 brings “The Diary of Anne Frank” at Repertory East. April will bring the Renaissance Faire, “The Producers” at Cabrillo Music Theatre, “The All Night Strut” at the Colony Theatre, and (pending ticketing) Brian Stokes Mitchell at the new Valley Performing Arts Center.

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My Review Informs You Informs My Review as You Inform My Review

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Last night, we went to see “Loving Repeating: A Musical of Gertrude Stein” at ICT Long Beach. That is to say, it was in Long Beach that we saw “Loving Repeating at ICT. For the fact is, ICT is doing this wonderful presentation of “Loving Repeating, a musical about Gertrude Stein with music by Stephen Flaherty. Yes, it was in Long Beach, and it was Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas, and it was a musical, and it was done by ICT. For in the repeating was the story, and the story, which was about loving, was in the repeating.

Confused yet?

“Loving Repeating is a musical about Gertrude Stein, and it reflects the writing and speaking style of Gertrude Stein, which tended to emphasize the repeating. It was adapted from the writings and works of Gertrude Stein by Frank Galati, and all the words and the lyrics of the musical are by Gertrude Stein. The music is by Stephen Flaherty, and is reminiscent of other works of his such as “Ragtime”, “Seussical”, and “Once on This Island”; that is to say it sounds like Flaherty but is uniquely Stein. The repetition makes the music soothing (for as Noel Paul Stookey once noted, repetition is present as a calming influence) and beautiful. The effect of all of this is to make any scene or segment difficult to understand. Let me clarify by quoting some of the lyrics of the song I’m currently listening to:

They were both gay there
and both working there then
They were in a way
both gay there
Where there were many
cultivating something.
They were were both regular
in being gay there.

or

My wife has a cow as now
My wife has a cow
A love story
My wife has a cow
has a cow as now
A love story
Having, having a cow
A love story
And having a cow now
My wife has a cow
and now
My wife has a cow!!

If you are confused, you’re not alone. “Loving Repeating” is a very strange and beautiful musical, and many in the audience walked away not understanding it at all. But the answer is actually in the pieces and the repetition, and in all the hints about cubism in the art design. This is a musical best approached as a Picasso painting (and Picasso was a contemporary of Stein): you can’t look at it closely and descern a story or a through line, but if you step back and look at the performance as a whole, you come away with the sense of the story, which is the story of Gertrude Stein and her search to find the nature of everyone, how everyone has being and loves and couples, in myriad ways, again and again, repeating the loving. (Yes, the repetition style does start to take over your brain, why do you ask?). This approach to looking at the musical is hinted at early on, when Old and Young Gertrude say: “I began to get enormously interested in hearing how everyone always said the same thing over and over again over and over again with infinite variations but over and over again until finally if you listened with great intensity you could hear it rise and fall and tell that all there was inside them, not so much by the actual words they said or the thoughts they had but the movement of their thoughts and the words enlessly the same and endlessly different.”

It is the movement of these thoughts and words that tells the love story of Stein and Toklas, Husband and Wife in a time where two women were not husband and wife, but these two were. The story begins with their meeting, and though incomprehensible lyric operas and lyrics we see the love grow, with the musical ending with Alice alone, as Stein has passed away. But there is never an explicit telling of their story: it comes through the musical as a sense, not explicit words. Perhaps this is the effect of the music, which is so lyric and beautiful you are instantly lulled into this sense of floating and relaxing. For those who are Ahrens and Flaherty fans, I do recommend the CD.

The production of “Loving Repeating” at ICT was beautifully staged and executed, under the firm directoral hand of caryn desai (sic). The cast featured five women and three men, of which only three were named roles: Old Gertrude, Young Gertrude, and Alice. The rest flowed in an out (as the music flowed), building the pieces of the story around the narrative of the Gertrudes, conducted by the director and the choreography of Heather Castillo.

The acting talent was excellent, conveying the joy of the music and the love that existed between everyone. The older Gertrude Stein was played by Cheryl Davidæ, who provided the basic narrative thread of the story. The younger Gertrude Stein, who did more of the singing, was Shannon Warneæ. We have seen Warne before as Geneveve in the Pasadena Playhouse’s Camelot and as Millie in Cabrillo’s Seven Brides; she has a wonderful singing voice and stage personality. Alice B. Toklas was portrayed by Melissa Lyons Caldrettiæ (who we also saw before at Cabrillo in both Cats and Peter Pan). The mixture of Warne’s and Caldretti’s voices was just magic. Rounding out the cast were Carly Bracco (a graduate of Thousand Oaks High) [Woman #1], Allison Eberly [Woman #2], Leland Burnett [Man #1], Jay Donnell [Man #2], and Tyler Milliron [Man #3]. This ensemble danced and moved well, and the voices blended to perfection. They were just a joy to watch.
[æ denotes members of æ Actors Equity ]

Turning to the technical: Kurt Boetcher designed the simple but beautiful set, which featured branches forming a heart in the background, and a stage platform with modernistic paintings on the ground. The costumes by Kim DeShazo were reflective of the period (the late 1800s and early 1900s), with a wonderful cubist dancing cow. Gordon and Patty Briles, the resident property designers, did a beautiful job of constructing the stage and providing the few props used. The lighting design by Donna Ruzika effectively conveyed the mood of the piece. The sound design by Joseph Slawinski started out clear and strong, but there were odd periods of echo-i-ness in the sound and static, indicating there was some form of transitory problem that was distracting.

The musical team was led by Darryl Archibald, who led the five piece band.

“Loving Repeating” continues at ICT Long Beach through February 13. At the performance we were at, there were lots of empy seats in the Loge. ICT has been putting some performances on Goldstar. Get them if you can; if not, full price isn’t all that bad. But if you like pretty music and don’t mind a story that doesn’t gel in your head until the end—if you enjoy floating on the music and watching beautiful staging, go see it. I’ve got the feeling that this is a musical that grows as you see it more and listen to it more.

Dining Notes: Normally, finding good dining and good parking in downtown Long Beach is a pain. We found the answer. The Long Beach Cafe at 615 Ocean, about 5 minutes from the theatre, has free parking in its own lot. When you combine this with incredibly tasty food and plentiful portions, and you have a winner. We’ll be back.

Upcoming Theatre, Concerts, and Dance: February starts with “Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune” at Repertory East on February 4 (which got a great review), and “Dangerous Beauty” at The Pasadena Playhouse on February 5. The next weekend also brings two shows: “The Marvelous Wonderettes at Cabrillo Music Theatre on February 12, and “Adding Machine: The Musical at The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble on February 13. The third weekend of February is another with two shows: “Rock of Ages at The Pantages Theatre on February 19, and “33 Variations at the Ahmanson Theatre for February 20. February closes with “Moonlight and Magnolias” at The Colony Theatre on February 26. March is also busy. It begins with a Noel Paul Stookey concert at McCabes on March 4. March 5 is the MRJ Regional Man of the Year dinner at TBH. The first two weekends of March are also the Spring Musical, “Evita”, at Van Nuys High School; we’re likely going on Saturday, March 12. Sunday, March 13 is “The Cradle Will Rock” at the Blank Theatre. The weekend of March 19 is currently open, but that probably won’t last for long. Lastly, March 26 brings “The Diary of Anne Frank” at Repertory East. April will bring the Renaissance Faire, “The Producers” at Cabrillo Music Theatre, “The All Night Strut” at the Colony Theatre, and (pending ticketing) Brian Stokes Mitchell at the new Valley Performing Arts Center.

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