Tag: theatre-2013

The Complications of Airline Timetables

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Boeing Boeing at REP EastListen, children, and gather around while I tell you a story of the past. No, not the exodus from Egypt. That’s Monday night. Today’s story concerns a different type of transportation. You see, once upon a time there were these things called “timetables”. They covered all forms of transportation: buses, railroads, and airplanes. In fact, there was a special book published called the Official Airline Guide, that had the timetables for every flight by a commercial airline. In the days before personal computers, this is how you determined what flights were where. Schedules were very static, and tended not to change all that much unless new aircraft were introduced. In fact, one could build a life around the schedules.

Last night, at Repertory East Playhouse (FB), we saw the 1965 French farce “Boeing Boeing“, written by Marc Camoletti, revised by Francis Evans, and translated by Beverley Cross . “Boeing Boeing” is the story of a man who has built his life around timetables — in this case, airline timetables. This man — Bernard — is living and working in Paris, and is engaged to three women, all flight attendants. Fiancee #1 is Janet, a Pan-Am stewardess flying across the Atlantic regularly. Fiancee #2 is Jaqueline, an Air France stewardess regularly flying to the Middle East. Fiancee #3 is Judith, a Luftansa stewardess. Helping Bernard manage all of this is his long suffering maid, Bertha. For a number of years, Bernard successfully manages this juggling act. However, the balls all start to get confused just as Bernard’s long time friend, Robert, comes to visit and stay for a few days. Why? Pan Am has moved to a faster variant of the Boeing 707, one that produces almost 3,000 lbs more thrust… and is moving Janet to the route.  Air France is also upgrading aircraft, and is moving Jacqueline to the new Caravelle jet. The net effect of all of this is that Bernard’s timetables are ruined. After seeing Janet off to New York, and while having lunch with Jacqueline, Judith shows up to Bernard’s apartment early — and has a changed assignment where she can stay three days. This is the first in a series of timetable changes that leaves all three girls going in and out of the apartment, where juggling occurs only thanks to the help of Bertha and Robert. I won’t spoil the details of the farce, but suffice it to say it is very fast and funny.

My first thought upon seeing this was synchronicity with other recent shows. Just last week we saw “Catch Me If You Can“, a story with a large emphasis on tall, leggy, Pan-Am stewardesses. Two weeks ago we saw “Company“, a story about a man named Robert who is juggling three girlfriends and who wants to get married, if he can ever figure out why he wants to get married. There are themes in both of these plays common with our main character: someone who is pretending to be something he is not, someone who wants to find love, but doesn’t have the strength to settle for just one until life decides to get involve and force him to consider the choices he has made. However, this is probably too much analysis. After all, the original story was clearly defined as farce, not something this is intended to have deep meaning or to resonate in various ways.

From what I understand (as I haven’t seen them), the original play (and subsequent movie) treated Bernard and Robert straight. Both were more sophisticated characters (in the movie, Bernard and Robert were Tony Curtis and the suave, not comic, Jerry Lewis, respectively), letting the farce and the situation provide the humor. At REP, the director, Christopher Chase (FB), took the story in a more physical direction — much of the humor came from physical comedy and physical reactions of the two primary male leads (Macleish Day* (FB) as Bernard and Nick Ruth/FB as Robert) and the long-suffering Bertha (Nikki Jacobs (FB)). I was initially unsure about Day’s Bernard — I didn’t think he had the looks to be the playboy type (but often that seems to be the case in farces). However, Day won me over with his physical comedy, which was spectacular. His long-limbed rubbery body reminded me of Jim Carry in the early days, and worked very well with the direction that Chris Chase took this comedy. Ruth’s Robert was more a reactive partner-in-crime: facilitating the subterfuge, thinking quick and reacting as the situation rapidly goes south. A third comic gem as Jacob’s Bertha, who reminded me of a sardonic Nancy Walker (in writing this up, I discovered that the role of Bertha in the past has been played by Rhea Perelman and Christine Baranski). Jacob’s comic timing and experience served her well in this role, and also permitted her to find the funny as various things happened due to the nature of live theatre.

Serving as both the beauties of the story, as well as catalysts for the action in the story, are the three flight attendants. The first one we meet is Melanie Wahla* (FB) as the American, Janet (Wahla also helped with costumes and the set development).  I was initially unsure about Wahla, simply because she didn’t have the Pan-Am stewardess look I saw the previous week in “Catch Me If You Can“. However, Wahla won me over and shone in the second act with great comic timing and agressiveness. On the other hand, I instantly fell in love with the look of the Air France attendant, Jacqueline, played by Alana Marie Cheuvront (Etsy) (FB); I could easily see why Bernard would want to marry her. Cheuvront was also strong both comically and emotionally, and had a wonderful French je ne sais quoi. Lastly, as our Luftansa attendant, Judith, was portrayed by Carole Catanzaro (FB). Catanzaro had the stewardess look: long, leggy, powerful. But Catanzaro’s Judith didn’t just project beauty; she also projected the strong Germanic power needed for a German attendant — that “you will do what I say… or else” attitude that proved a great instigator for the comic side of the story.

In short, the REP nailed it on casting yet again. (* indicates members of Actors Equity).

Production-wise, “Boeing-Boeing” had the usual excellent job by the REP regular team. The scenic painting and design were by Ovington Michael Owston/FB, Mikee Schwinn/FB, Melanie Wahla* (FB), and Christopher Chase (FB). Lighting was by Tim Christianson/FB, and Steven “Nanook” Burkholder/FB handled the sound with his usual expertise. Costumes were by Melanie Wahla* (FB), and Christopher Chase (FB), with additional costumes from Tonya Nelson of NSA Costumes. According to the program, Christina Aguilar/FB was the production stage manager and Levanna Atkinson-Williams (FB) was the stage manger; however, at the production we were at, Mikee Schwinn/FB and his brother Johnny/FB were ably holding down the fort.

“Boeing Boeing” continues at REP East Playhouse until April 13. If you friend REP East on Facebook, you can often learn of discount tickets (and how to get discount drinks from the Hydeaway Lounge).  Tickets are available through the REP Online Box Office or through Goldstar.

Upcoming Theatre and Concerts:   March ends with “End of the Rainbow” at the Ahmanson on March 30. April has less theatre — so far, only one show is scheduled. The first weekend of April is open. The next weekend brings with the Southern California Renaissance Faire.  Following that is “Grease” at Cabrillo Music Theatre, and April concludes with a winetasting at Temple Ahavat Shalom. May is busy in a different sense, with two concerts — Elton John in Las Vegas on May 4, and (tentative) Michael Feinstein at VPAC on May 11. May also brings “Falling for Make Believe” at The Colony Theatre and “To Kill a Mockingbird” at REP East. Lastly, continuing the look ahead, June will bring (tenative) “The Scottsboro Boys” at the Ahmanson Theatre, “Priscilla – Queen of the Desert” at the Pantages, and (tentative) Sweet Charity“ at DOMA. July is currently more open, with “9 to 5 – The Musical” at REP East in the middle of the month, and “Legally Blonde – The Musical” at Cabrillo at the end of the month. August is currently completely open due to vacation planning and the potential Nottingham Faire. I’m also keeping my eyes open as the various theatres start making their 2013 season announcements. Lastly, what few dates we do have open may be filled by productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411, or discussed in the various LA Stage Blogs I read (I particularly recommend Musicals in LA and LA Stage Times).

Music: The Captain & The Kid (Elton John): “Old 67”

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All Is Not What It Appears To Be

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Catch Me If You Can (Pantages)userpic=broadwaylaLast weekend, I wrote a rant about an editorial in Footlights denigrating the “blog critic” while promoting the professional critic. No where is that dichotomy more jarring than in the reaction to the show we saw yesterday afternoon, “Catch Me If You Can” at the Pantages.

“Catch Me If You Can” tells the story of Frank Abagnale, Jr., a notorious con-man, later turned FBI-consultant. It is based on the film of the same name. The musical simplifies the story somewhat (especially in the latter parts of the story). It also presents it in an odd fashion — as if it was a 1960s variety show (think Dean Martin) with loads of leggy dance girls, combined with a film-noir detective story.

The basic story itself concerns Frank Abagnale, Jr., the son of a con-man married to a French beauty he met during World War II. The families motto is, essentially, survive however you can, and that people look at the package and the impression, not the truth. As his father’s life crumbles around him, Frank learns to use this to his advantage, impersonating teachers and other leaders. When his parents divorce, he runs off to New York City and starts a life forging checks. He morphs from this life to a forged identity as a Pan Am pilot. This brings him to the attention of the FBI, particularly Agent Carl Hanratty, who start to chase him. They come close a few times, but Frank impersonates his way out of the encounters. Frank continues to morph, impersonating a doctor in Atlanta. Here he falls in love with a nurse, and to her family, pretends to be a lawyer. It is here that the FBI catches up to him… but his skills are such that the FBI ends up hiring him to advise on the very crimes he committed.

The reaction of critics to this piece has been mostly negative. The LA Times critic felt that the story was really asking the question, “How awesome would it be if the Rockettes dressed up in stewardess outfits? And, less fetishistically, perhaps, how cool would it be if Don Draper sang and danced?”. They essentially trash the show: “The show is structured so awkwardly — within a wincingly gag-filled book credited, incredibly, to Terrence McNally — that the songwriters can’t catch too much blame: There’s not a tune in the show that advances the story rather than just reiterating what we’ve heard in dialogue moments before.” They deplore its sexism: “We could reasonably say there is real sexism— not just a spoof of period sexism — in the way stewardesses are portrayed as pilot-hungry nymphs, and nurses as doctor devourers. Yet you hesitate to look a gift chorus line in the mouth, when these are the production numbers that jolt the enterprise to the life to which it constantly and frenetically aspires.” It’s not just the Times that is raking the show over the coals. Neon Tommy states: “The show itself is pretty mediocre. The score, by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (“Hairspray,” “Smash”) is mostly uninspired and bland, though there are a fems gems, such as “Live In Living Color,” “Jet Set,” and “Goodbye.” Terrence McNally’s book is full of cringe-inducing bad jokes, and barely propels the story along. Further hampering the show are the distractingly garish projections and the show’s objectionable treatment of every single one of its female characters.” Examiner.com states: “Narratively and construction-wise, “Catch Me” is enough of a wet noodle that a powder keg of a central performance – any powder keg would do – might help distract viewers from realizing that this is 2.5 hours of not much there there. Besides the dancing and the leggy girls, that is.” The Hollywood Reporter states: “This impersonation of a Broadway musical initially convinces but eventually, inevitably, is revealed as ersatz. ”

In the article I mentioned last week, Peter Finlayson stated “But a true critic offers us insights that prompt us to come to a personal reflective choice, which is the fundamental core of theatre.” He stated that a good critic “will create a conversation about the play”, noting that they will “give us insight into whether the creative energies of a show were effective in presenting the final product.”. In many ways, this is like a judge at a Drum Corps competition. They focus on the technical aspects of a show: the construction, the nuances of performance. But this isn’t what the audience cares about: the audience cares about the General Effect caption, with performance and selection of material often taking a second position. They go to the theatre to escape, not to think. This is why many vapid movies succeed at the box office.

Your “peer reviewers” — the blog critics called “hacks” by Mr. Finlayson — provide an assessment of that General Effect caption first and foremost. In terms of General Effect, “Catch Me If You Can” succeeds. It has a strong brassy score that is fun, lots of dancing by performers who are enjoying what they are doing, with an orchestra that it top-notch. The performances of the actors are making the best of the material they are given. You walk out of this show humming the music, having enjoyed the past couple of hours. General Effective-wise, this is a win.

Yet the comments of the critics hold as well. There is a lot of sexism on the stage, but that’s viewing a presentation of an historical period through modern sensibilities. I was born in the 1960s, and the 1960s were sexist. If you watched Dean Martin or similar variety shows, you had equally leggy sexism, although not quite as integrated in the casting. I had no problems with the presentation through the eyes of a variety show. It reflected how the lead character, Frank Abagnale Jr, saw his life: a series of skits, where he assumed a variety of characters while doing a glamorous song and dance. Where the story-telling broke down was in the second half, where there tone abruptly changed to noir, and the focus of the story-telling voice switched from Frank to Agent Hanratty. We went from strong and brassy to ballads. Perhaps this paralleled the breakdown of Frank’s life, but it was jarring. These, in my opinion, are valid criticisms of Terrence McNally‘s book. As for the music (by Marc Shaiman) and lyrics (by Shaiman and Scott Wittman), I found it very enjoyable with a nice variety of styles. But then again, I’m enjoying the music they are writing for Smash as well.

What contributes to the winning general effect — and what elevates this show beyond the simple book — is the cast. Gone are the days when tours contained the same performers as the original production. That happened in the 1960s and 1970s when LA was more of a draw, and theatre performers wanted to come her. Today, it would be a surprise to get Norbert Leo Butz, Aaron Tevit, or Tom Wopat on a tour. We’ve got a lot of younger actors in training; actors who are willing not only to do the show in Los Angeles, but in Peoria and other small cities. Luckily, the folks at Joy Dewing Casting and Troika Entertainment assembled a strong ensemble for “Catch Me If You Can“.

In the lead positions were Stephen Anthony as Frank Abagnale, Jr. and Merritt David Janes as Agent Carl Hanratty. Both initially struck me as the wrong age — they seemed to be too young for the roles they were portraying. However, their performance won me over: they were having fun with their roles, and it showed. They made their roles work and work convincingly — which is the mark of a good actor. Although I would have truly enjoyed the originals, it is performances that make the show, not the original actor. They were also very strong singers and did great with the songs that they had. Most importantly, they played off of each other well. Anthony was particularly surprising — for someone so young, he was just wonderful.

In the second tier positions were Dominic Fortuna as Frank Abagnale, Sr., Caitlin Maloney as Paula (Abagnale), and Aubrey Mae Davis as Brenda. Fortuna did a great job of channeling Tom Wopat — with a similar voice and style, and played off well against Anthony’s Jr. Even more impressive was Aubrey Davis’s performance. She was just having so much fun with the role it was infectuous and made her stand out and catch your eye. Combine that fun with a remarkable singing voice… and you ended up with an actor that I look forward to seeing more of in the future. Maloney’s role was much smaller, but she handled her numbers well.

Rounding out the ensemble and other positions were (additional roles noted in (); understudy positions and swings not noted): Esther M. Antoine, Amanda Braun, Amy Burgmaier (Carol Strong, Principal Owings, Bank Teller, Skyway Man Stewardess), Taylor Collins, Vanessa Dunleavy, Michael Graceffa, Colleen Hayes, Mary Claire King, Ben Laxton (Agent Dollar), Trevor Leaderbrand, Travis Mitchell (Agent Branton), Derrick Parks (Agent Cod), Casey Renee Rogers (Cheryl Ann), Daniel J. Self,  Allyson Tolbert (Doctor’s Orders), Nadia Vynnytsky, and D. Scott Withers (Roger Strong, Pan Am Executive, Dr. Wanamaker). Swings were Ashley Chasteen (Dance Captain) and Bradley Allan Zarr. All actors are members of Actors Equity.

Also onstage with the actors was the Catch Me If You Can orchestra, under the musical direction of Matthew Smedal assisted by Elaine Davidson. In addition to these two, the orchestra consisted of Stephen Boudreau (Keyboard), Dick Mitchell (Reeds), John Yoakum (Reeds), Adam Schroeder (Reeds), John Fumo (Trumpets), Larry Hall (Trumpet), Andy Martin (Trombone), Paul Viapiano (Guitar), Clifton Kellem (Bass), Christian Dionne (Drums), Dave Witham (Keys Sub), Christian Dionne (Band Tech). Talitha Fehr of TL Music International was the Music Coordinator.  Music supervision was by Larry Blank.

“Catch Me If You Can” was originally directed by Jack O’Brien; Matt Lenz was the associate director. Choreography was by Jerry Mitchell; Nick Kenkel was the associate choreographer. Not being a skilled critic, I found it hard to identify what the directors uniquely brought to this, but the overall production seemed to work well – so whatever they did, they must have done right. I did enjoy the choreography — the choreographers and the dance captains did a great job of making the best of the shortened space they had of the tour stage (the orchestra took up much of the depth, standardizing the stage depth and movement for the tour).

The production was very simple — or complex — from the scenic side. Dominating the scenery was a gigantic LCD project wall designed by Bob Bonniol.  This wall offered an ever-changing background that established location and mood. Some reviewers found it distracting — I found it clean and crisp and much better than common projection systems. The physical scenic design was by David Rockwell, which included the orchestra setting, the various flys, and the few set pieces and props. The costumes, by William Ivey Long, were very effective at not only establishing the time and place, but for showing off the physical talents of the dancers (i.e., they highlighted the legs very well). The sound, by Peter McBoyle, was unobtrusive and blended in quite well. The lighting, by Kenneth Posner, consisted primarily of moving lights and worked well to illustrate the movements and set the mood. Geoffrey Quart was the technical supervisor.    Donavan Dolan was the production stage manager.

“Catch Me If You Can” continues at the Pantages through March 24, 2013. Tickets are available through the Pantages website.

Upcoming Theatre and Concerts:   Next weekend takes us back to Newhall and the REP for “Boeing Boeing” at REP East on March 23. March ends with “End of the Rainbow” at the Ahmanson on March 30. April has less theatre — so far, only one show is scheduled. The first weekend of April is open. The next weekend brings with the Southern California Renaissance Faire.  Following that is “Grease” at Cabrillo Music Theatre, and April concludes with a winetasting at Temple Ahavat Shalom. May is busy in a different sense, with two concerts — Elton John in Las Vegas on May 4, and (tentative) Michael Feinstein at VPAC on May 11. May also brings “Falling for Make Believe” at The Colony Theatre and “To Kill a Mockingbird” at REP East. Lastly, continuing the look ahead, June will bring (tenative) “The Scottsboro Boys” at the Ahmanson Theatre, “Priscilla – Queen of the Desert” at the Pantages, and (tentative) Sweet Charity“ at DOMA. July is currently more open, with “9 to 5 – The Musical” at REP East in the middle of the month, and “Legally Blonde – The Musical” at Cabrillo at the end of the month. August is currently completely open due to vacation planning and the potential Nottingham Faire. I’m also keeping my eyes open as the various theatres start making their 2013 season announcements. Lastly, what few dates we do have open may be filled by productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411, or discussed in the various LA Stage Blogs I read (I particularly recommend Musicals in LA and LA Stage Times).

Music: Fairport Chronicles (Fairport Convention): “Tam Lin”

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Assessing the Ahmanson Season

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userpic=ahmansonOn Wednesday, the Ahmanson Theatre announced their 2013-2014 season. As I do with other major theatres, I thought I would share with you, over lunch, my plans regarding the announced shows:

  • “The Sunshine Boys“ (Oct. 2 to Nov. 3). The Savoy Theatre production of the Neil Simon comedy, with Danny DeVito and Richard Griffiths. Maybe.
  • “Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty“ (Nov. 21 to Dec. 1). Bonus show – the theatrical presentation of the ballet being presented at the Music Center. Perhaps, although I’m not a big ballet fan.
  • “Peter and the Starcatcher“ (Dec. 4 to Jan. 12). The national tour of the Broadway play with music. Casting not yet announced. Yes.
  • “Harmony” (March 12, 2014 to April 13, 2014). A new musical written by Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman. The show is inspired by the real-life story of the Comedian Harmonists, a group of young singers who rose to fame in Germany before World War II. (ETA: LA Stage Blog noted “a half-Jewish singing group in German during the Third Reich”, so this could be interesting). It has been in development for over 15 years, with prior productions in La Jolla (1997) and Atlanta (earlier in 2013). Maybe.
  • The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess“ (April 23, 2014 to June 1, 2014). I last saw Porgy and Bess in the 1970s when the Houston Grand Opera brought it to Los Angeles. This production got some mixed reviews for how it restaged things, so I’m not chomping at the bit for it. Maybe.
  • “The Last Confession“ (June 11, 2014 to July 6, 2014). Bonus show – part of the Taper season but presented at the Ahmanson. A Vatican drama. Uninterested.
  • “We Will Rock You“ (July 16, 2014 to Aug. 24). The long-running London musical created by Ben Elton that uses the music of the rock group Queen. Uninterested.

So, where do you think I’m going wrong. Are any of these “must sees” that I misjudged?

Music: The Singing Nun (Soeur Sourire): “Plume De Radis”

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Entertainment News to Chew On: Music Spending, Carrie in Los Angeles, Veronica Mars

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Staring at the collected links today while eating my salad over lunch identified two distinct themes. The first brings together a number of entertainment items of interest:

  • Money for Music. Some interesting numbers out of SXSW 2013 provide a picture of entertainment spending: Serious music fans spend over $442/year on music. Specifically, Neilsen has identified three core consumer categories. The “aficionado” is willing to spend more than $422 per year on music, concerts and artist merch, and does so via sites such as iTunes, Amazon and indie outlets. The “digital fan” was determined to spend about $363 per year and views a smartphone or tablet as the entertainment hub. Finally, the “big box” fan shops at mass retailers, is partial to pop and country and spends, on average, $196 per year on music. Those who can be classified as music fans account for nearly 75% of all music spending in the U.S. The bad news? The most avid of fans in Nielsen’s sampling of 4,000 consumers downloaded the most tracks for free, approximately 30 in a year. What’s more, those classified as “music fans” account for just 40% of the music-buying public in America. Based on these numbers, I’m in the aficionado group — about 3-4 times per year, I’ll do a $100+ music buy — usually a mix of used CDs, new CDs, LPs, and digital music. I go to lots of concerts and musicals during the year, but don’t buy that much merch. I also listen to my music — I’ll note my Music playlist on the iPod is at 30,888 tracks, and nearly two-thirds of those tracks have been listened to at least 8 times.
  • Blood on the Stage. This is some exciting news. Playbill has announced that the Transfer Theatre Company will be mounting a production of the musical “Carrie” this fall. Transfer Theatre Company is what used to be known as the Neighborhood Theatre of Palos Verdes. In that guise, we saw truly excellent productions of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and “Parade” (the latter even better than what the Mark Taper Forum did). So I’m really excited about TTC’s production of Carrie. The original production was a notorious flop; the revival redeemed the musical’s reputation, and I can’t wait to see what TTC will do with it.
  • Veronica Mars Lives. Now I’m not into TV that much, except for a few guilty pleasures (cough, Dallas, cough, Survivor, cough, Smash). But I have been having fun with Kickstarter lately, so an article in EW about the brief UPN/CW series “Veronica Mars” being revived for a movie was interesting. Why? Because the only way it will happen is if a $2 million, 30-day Kickstarter succeeds. I’ve seen Kickstarter used for lots of things — cast albums, theatre productions, and some specialized movie projects, but this is the first time I’ve seen it for a major-market product with a major studio. It is also a gigantic amount they need to raise. It will be interesting to see if they can do it. [Note: In less than a day, they’ve raised over $800,000; if this pace continues, reaching $2,000,000 is clearly possible.] [ETA: In less than 8 hours, they are up to 1.84 million. I expect them to reach their goal in under 24 hours. Amazing!] [ETAA: They made it, in less than a day. Expect to see funding efforts for movies like this again.]

Music: The Wedding Singer (Original Broadway Cast): “If I Told You”

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What is a Theatre Critic, and What is “IT” Good For?

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userpic=fountain-penLast night when we went to the theatre, the latest Footlights had an article by Peter Finlayson, their editor-in-chief, on theatre critics, and what they are good for (despite the grammatically and acronym-ally incorrect title). In this article he talks about the impacts of critics on the theatre, and notes their importance for the artistic community. He talks about the education of critics — “At the height of the professions, critics were persons of significant background and understanding on the topic of their specialties. Much education and a lot of practice gave weight to their ponderings…”. He notes that a good critic will “give us insight into whether the creative energies of a show were effective in presenting the final product.”

I have no disagreement on the role of a good critic. I think good theatre critics are vital to the artistic landscape, and they should be providing criticism throughout the region they serve.

He then, however, decides to go on a rant against those who talk about theatre on the Internet:

With the advent of the internet, the opportunity for self-publishing via blogs or other posts give virtually every Tom, Dick, Harry and Sally the opportunity to claim the right of posting an opinion. Simply because someone has this new forum to post their opinion does not necessarily give credence to that opinion.

Sadly, much of what is now being written about shows is done out of self-interest. In some cases some reviews are nothing but self-promotion. In other cases, a self styled writer will create a blog, call themselves a critic, and hence get complimentary admission to shows in the hopes, or in some cases the assurance, of a good review.

While some consider this a democratization of the arts, and support the idea with the argument that we are more interested in peer review than in an expert’s opinion, the fact of the matter is that we may be influenced by friends assuming we have similar tastes. But a true critic offers us insights that prompt us to come to a personal reflective choice, which is the fundamental core of theatre.

In Los Angeles, with more than 1500 plays opening every year, the odds of getting a review for a production are often very low. Hence the opportunity for amateurs, or to be blunt, hacks, is heightened. The want of publicity overrides the common sense of credentials.

Say what?!?! Everyone who is not a credentialed critic is a “hack” and their opinion should be dismissed. Thems are fightin’ words, mister.

I do my blog for me, to improve my writing skills, and to share my observations with the world. I don’t charge people to read what I write; I don’t have advertising because I don’t do this to make money. I happen to love theatre, and enjoy sharing that love with the world. For this I’m labelled a “hack” and told I offer no insight, that there is no value in my words. I disagree.

First, let me make something clear. I never label what I write as “theatre criticism” or even “reviews” (although I do have a review tag, solely to separate them from other forms of observations). They are write-ups of shows that I attend with my observations on the show. My blog is not a theatre blog; it is a blog of observations. Further, I pay for every ticket of every show I attend (except for one show where a friend gave me a ticket because she couldn’t attend). Some are at theatres to which I subscribe; some are tickets I get through Goldstar, Hottix, and other similar programs. But there is no “pay for play” here. Just as with where I work, my integrity and independent opinion is vitally important to me. So please, Mr. Finlasyon, do not lump all bloggers who write about theatre together.

Second, I write my observations up to share an audience members point of view. I’m a computer scientist by trade (specializing in computer security), and a highway hobbist by choice. I’ve been attending live theatre in Los Angeles since “The Rothschilds” in 1972 at the LA Civic Light Opera. I’ve learned a little bit along the way (and I’d love to learn more about theatrical criticism and the craft). I’ll share with people what I like — and what I dislike — with the ultimate goal of getting people to try live theatre and develop their own opinions.  I believe live theatre is unique — there’s something magical about seeing someone on stage, and every performance is different (unlike film).

Further, I don’t believe sharing of opinions should be restricted to trained critics, although they are certainly part of the mix. Producers such as Ken Davenport have recognized the importance of word-of-mouth in the life or death of a show, and we should be encouraging people to talk and share about the shows they are seeing. A number of theatres are recognizing this — while they ask that phones be turned off during the show, they are encouraging patrons to share their experiences during intermissions and after the show. Sites such as Goldstar are encouraging patrons to share their opinions of the show, and these opinions often help convince people to attend shows.

This is vital publicity. Often I learn about interesting shows to attend from the many Los Angeles theatre blogs I read, such as Musicals in LA, the LA Stage Blog, and blogs from theatre friends. Are these all written by professional critics? I doubt it.

What is important is transparency. We should know the credentials of those who write. I make no pretensions on my websites that I am a professional theatre critic; the people that post on Goldstar are clearly not professional critics. As for many of the people who write for the papers — who knows their credentials. Some have been doing it for years, but based on their opinions, I don’t often respect what they have to say. They might have a degree, but it might not be worth the paper it is printed on. Then there are other people out there who do have theatre websites whose writeups are treated as criticism but are clearly not critics. They appear to have a large impact — but is it worth it.

In the end, whatever you read about a show should be recognized as the opinion of the person who wrote it, and nothing more. They may be able to provide you with insights about the show, or they may just say “I liked it!”. You should read it and form your own opinion, recognizing that many shows that critics have disliked have often been embraced by audiences — or have found greater appreciation further down the road from the initial production.

I’d also like to encourage the so-called critics to broaden where they go. We attend theatre in far flung locations in Southern California — from Thousand Oaks (Cabrillo Music Theatre) to the Anaheim Hills (Chance Theatre), from Newhall/Santa Clarita (Repertory East Playhouse) to Burbank (Colony), from Woodland Hills (Valley West) to Sierra Madre (Sierra Madre Playhouse). The professional critics never seem to want to venture out of the safe zone of West Los Angeles, Hollywood, North Hollywood, Burbank/Pasadena, and DTLA. They occasionally go to Chance (Anaheim Hills) and Sierra Madre, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a criticism of a Thousand Oaks show from anything other than the VC Star, or a REP show from anything other than the Santa Clarita Signal. (In fact, usually the only far-flung shows I tend to see are those mentioned in Footlights… hmmm….). If you are a professional, you have an obligation to cover all of Southern California. Not every show from every theatre, but you should sample all the theatres attempting to put on professional productions (as opposed to the amateur regional productions).

So, in closing, Mr Finlasyon, this insulted “hack” thinks there should be a place for both professional critics and lay observers. This “hack” thinks it is important to share the love of theatre. I think you should recognize this instead of dismissing the theatre lovers who feel the urge to share that love. Your editorial makes me think a lot less of your publication, in that it doesn’t value the opinion of all of its audience. I’ll still attend Southern California theatre, because I think Southern California has the best and most vibrant theatre community in the world (and yes, I even think we’re better than that city in the east).

Music: Pops Britannia (John Williams and the Boston Pops Orchestra): “Scotland The Brave”

 

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What ‘Cha Want To Get Married For?

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Company - At Crown City Theatreuserpic=theatre_ticketsGetting out of your comfort zone. This is something I’ve been discussing with my daughter of late, as she (a History major) has been taking an Astronomy class. This is also something most of us do in life when we get into a relationship and take a leap of faith when we commit to a lifetime relationship when we get married. Getting our of his comfort zone is the question ultimately faced by the lead character, Robert, in that classic Stephen Sondheim / George Furth musical-comedy “Company“, which we saw last night at the Crown City Theatre in North Hollywood. In short, this is an excellent production of the musical, and is well worth going to.

Before I go on, I’d like to note that this is a write-up, it is not a review. I am not a trained theatre critic, and I pay to attend every show I go to, just like most other audience members. I share my opinions on the shows I see with my friends, because I believe the best way to grow live theatre is to spread the word. This is in response to an editorial by Peter Finlayson on Footlights that was in our program, lambasting the “hacks” (untrained critics) who post their opinions about shows in blogs. I’ll have a separate post on that later, but that editorial served to insult this “hack”.

Luckily, the show more than made up for that insult. For those not familiar with it, “Company” is one of those seminal musicals (Sondheim has a lot of those). When it premiered in 1970, it was a flop. Critics and audiences at the time did not appreciate or connect with its music and found its books confusing. The music was Sondheim at his best: a mix of dissonance, clever patter numbers, tender numbers, and exceedingly complex numbers that served to illuminate the characters, as opposed to being an integral part of the plot or moving story forward. George Furth’s book was not necessarily linear, presenting a series of vignettes about marriage and relationships. It also made a point that did not necessarily sit well.

Given this structure for the story, describing it is difficult. “Company” is really the story of Robert (Bobby). Bobby is turning 35, and all of his married friends want him to get married. These friends — Joanne and Larry, Peter and Susan, Harry and Sarah, David and Jenny, and Paul and Amy — all believe that being married is the desirable state, and that by 35 one should be married. As for Bobby… well, he wants to get married, but not really, well he’s unsure. Through a series of scenes we see how Bobby views the marriages of his friends, as well as Bobby’s relationships with the single girls in his life. All of these propel Bobby into a deeper understanding of why he might want to get married, and what marriage really is. Sondheim has indicated this is one of those musicals where he had trouble getting just the right song for the ending, and the one he chose, “Being Alive”, worked well to capture the final point being made.

The director, Albert Alarr (FB), updated the story slightly, incorporating modern communication devices and modern dances. These updates worked very well, especially during the opening where Bobby is simultaneously playing a video game while dealing with email, messages, phone calls, texts, and chats from his married friends. Alarr also did an excellent job in bringing out the characters from the actors — one of the things I was impressed with in this production is how well performed it was. That’s a sign of a director in synergy with his acting ensemble. This was just a well well performed performance.

It was also great to see this musical up-close in a small venue. I’ve begun to realize that many “Broadway” musicals shine when given the small treatment — when the creative energy is used to make the big show up close and personal. I’ve seen this in the under-99 seat version of Gypsy, and it truly shows in this small theatre production of Company. The performances amplify — you get a close-up sense of the people and the couples, and the small space makes the show even more New-York-ish than a large gigantic stage would do.

Let’s now look at the cast and the couples, and in doing so, I’ll highlight two of my favorite performances; the rest I’ll hit as I go through the cast. [* indicates members of Actors Equity or one of the other 4A unions for actors]

In the lead position was Ben Rovner* (FB) as Robert. Rovner’s Robert was comfortable and accessible, and just seemed like the type of person you would like to be around — a good friend always there when you need him. You could see why these couples liked him and wanted him to be what they perceived as happy. Rovner’s signing voice was delightful, shining in numerous numbers such as “Marry Me a Little” and “Being Alive”, and he danced wonderfully.

Moving from the lead to one of the smaller roles, equally impressive was Julia Black*’s Marta. Marta is one of the girlfriends of Bobby, and is the lead singer for  “Another Hundred People”. Black impressed me in two ways. First, she had a wonderfully powerful singing voice that you could hear in the background of a number of songs, and which shone in “Another Hundred People”. Further, she had a wonderfully expressive face that reacted to the story going on around her — again, this was seen in “Another Hundred People”, as well as in the interplay with Peter and Susan, the married couple who divorced but are still living together for the children. She was also a standout in “You Could Drive a Person Crazy”.

In the Broadway original, one of the standouts was Elaine Stritch as Joanne. In the production, Joanne was played by Sonja Alarr* (FB), playing off of her stage husband Larry (Mike Hagiwara* (FB)). Both were excellent. Alarr’s Joanne wasn’t quite as hard and cynical as the original, but came across as a lovely older lady with a sardonic view of life and an incredible capacity for alcohol. Her two main numbers — “The Little Things You Do Together” and the “Ladies Who Lunch” were just great. Hagiwara was one of the best male performers on the stage, with a great voice and wonderful movement.

During Joanne’s first number, we meet the couple of Harry (James Calvert* (FB)) and Sarah (Libby Baker* (FB)). The two worked well together, and Baker had a very lovely singing voice.

The couple of Amy and Paul were portrayed by Amy Albert* (FB) and Christopher Davis Carlisle* (FB). Albert’s Amy was spectacular, and I was blown away by her comic timing, expressions, and vocal capacity during “Not Getting Married”. Carlisle shown less in the singing and more in the reactions during the same number.

Peter (Zeffin Quinn Hollis* (FB)) and Susan (Lena Gwendolyn Hill* (FB)) were mentioned earlier — they are a married couple who decided the best way to preserve their relationship was divorce.  I was unsure about Hill’s Southern portrayal at the beginning, but it ended up working quite well and both performers were fun to watch.

The last couple is David (Jon Hand* (FB)) and Jenny (Beatrice Crosbie* (FB)). Both were a delight to watch, especially in the pot scene where seeing Jenny high was a treat.

Rounding out the cast were Robert’s other two girlfriends — and the remaining parts of the trio for “You Could Drive a Person Crazy”. April, the flight attendant, was played by Emma Degerstedt* (FB). She was spectacular in “Barcelona” and “Drive a Person Crazy”, with a delightful look and wonderful comic timing. The other remaining girlfriend was Kathy (Katy O’Donnell* (FB)).

As I indicated at the beginning, the entire cast was fun to watch, and the large number of people conveyed the New York feel quite well. Also working well was the set design by Jack Forrestel (FB), which integrated well with the props from Joanne McGee (FB) and the projections by Zeffin Quinn Hollis*(FB) to turn the long black-box Crown City space into an effective New York apartment. It is this creativity that shows small theatre at its best — these things are easy to do when you have lots of fly and wing space, but when you are limited and you make it work it is just remarkable. The lighting design by Anna Cecelia Martin worked well to convey the mood, and the sound design by Mark Duggar/FB worked well to provide that ambient noise of New York well. The costumes by Tanya Apuya (FB) worked very well, especially the lovely outfits for all the female characters.  Serving as music director (and on the piano) was William A. Reilly/FB, and the delightful choreography was by John Todd/FB. Gary Lamb/FB was the Technical Director, and Kimberly Bullock/FB was the production stage manager.

“Company” continues at Crown City Theatre at least through the end of March. Tickets are available through Brown Paper Tickets, and note that shows seem to be selling out.

Upcoming Theatre and Concerts:   Next weekend takes us to the Pantages and Hollywood for  “Catch Me If You Can”on March 16. The fourth week of March brings “Boeing Boeing” at REP East on March 23, and March ends with “End of the Rainbow” at the Ahmanson on March 30. April has less theatre — so far, only one show is scheduled. The first weekend of April is open. The next weekend brings with the Southern California Renaissance Faire.  Following that is “Grease” at Cabrillo Music Theatre, and April concludes with a winetasting at Temple Ahavat Shalom. May is busy in a different sense, with two concerts — Elton John in Las Vegas on May 4, and (tentative) Michael Feinstein at VPAC on May 11. May also brings “Falling for Make Believe” at The Colony Theatre and “To Kill a Mockingbird” at REP East. Lastly, continuing the look ahead, June will bring (tenative) “The Scottsboro Boys” at the Ahmanson Theatre, “Priscilla – Queen of the Desert” at the Pantages, and (tentative) Sweet Charity“ at DOMA. We were originally planning on the Western Corps Connection at the end of the month, but their collection of corps this year is poor. I’m also keeping my eyes open as the various theatres start making their 2013 season announcements. Lastly, what few dates we do have open may be filled by productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411, or discussed in the various LA Stage Blogs I read (I particularly recommend Musicals in LA and LA Stage Times).

Music: NEO: New, Emerging…Outstanding! (Concert Cast) (Darius De Haas): “Field Flowers (Based On Text By Thomas Campbell)”

 

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Don’t Go Down Into The Quarry In The Middle of the Night

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back-before-midnightuserpic=colonySomethings are easy to do in the theatre: musicals, comedy, drama, and even mysteries. Somethings are a lot harder to do, and to do right. Thrillers are one such genre. Thrillers are different than mysteries: thrillers need to make you jump in your seat occasionally, and that element of surprise is hard to achieve with live actors. Luckily, the current comedy/thriller “I’ll Be Back Before Midnight” at the Colony Theatre in Burbank does it, and does it well. How do we know this? We saw it last night.

“I’ll Be Back Before Midnight“, written by Peter Colley, takes place in an old isolated farmhouse (where else would such a story take place… c’mon). The setup is as follows: Greg Sanderson, a PhD student studying stone tools, has rented a farmhouse near an isolated quarry where he is doing field research with his father-in-law. He bring his wife, Jan, to the farmhouse for some rest — and to rejuvenate their relationship, after Jan has been released from the hospital after a massive depressive incident. This incident occurred after Greg’s mother died, and Laura, Greg’s sister, returned into Greg’s life. Unbeknowst to Jan, Greg has also invited Laura to the farmhouse; this is a problem as Jan has an intense hatred and distrust of Laura. The last element in this mix is George Willowby, from whom Jan has rented the house. Shortly after Jan and Greg arrive, George comes over to check on the house… and tells Jan of the history of the house. This includes the fact that he bought the house for his son, who never lived there choosing instead to go live in the city. He also indicates the house is haunted, dating back to when a young bride was murdered in the living room by a crazed deformed man who broke in through a window. Since then, there are ghostly heartbeats heard when the crazed man is about, and blood seeps up from the floorboards whenever a murder has been committed. But Jan doesn’t need to worry; he’s provided them with a loaded shotgun.

There. You have all the ingredients you need. A haunted farmhouse. Ghosts, murders, and isolation. A nervous wife. A hated sister. A man in the middle. A jolly old neighbor to provide the needed exposition, and a little comic relief. Mix and stir well, and add some darkness to the mix. You end up with a delightful thriller….

….which I must add was well executed by the Colony Theatre. This is the type of piece that the Colony does very well — a character-driven piece that their scenic designer can have fun with. They can establish the atmosphere, pick great actors, provide good direction, and the result is wonderous (as evidenced by the fact that the run has been extended). In this case, the direction is so good because it is being done by someone who knows the piece very very well — because he wrote it. Under the direction of Peter Colley and David Rose, the suspense is maintained well and surprises are not telegraphed. The characters seem realistic (well, I’m not sure the farmer would drink that much). It all works very well.

The acting team is also very talented. As the mentally-nervous wife, Jan, Joanna Strapp does a great job of conveying the tenuous stability of her mental state, combined with coolness and cleverness. She is just fun to watch. Playing off her is Tyler Pierce as her husband, Greg. Pierce, as Greg, portrays the man trying to please two masters quite well: he seemingly wants his wife to recover and have their marriage be what it once was, but he also seemingly wants to maintain a strong relationship with his sister, Laura. Laura was played by Kate Maher, who does a very good job of portraying (to be blunt) a controlling bitch of a sister who does not believe her brother’s wife is good enough for him. The last actor in the mix is Ron Orbach, playing the farmer next door, George Willowby. We last saw Orbach many many years ago (in the late 1980s) at the Pasadena Playhouse; it was great to see him again. Orbach brought the humor to the ensemble wonderfully, and provided some surprising aspects near the end of the story.
[All actors are members of Actors Equity]

Turning to the technical side: Stephen Gifford‘s scenic design was excellent as always: he recreated a wonderfully rustic farmhouse on the Colony stage, assisted with properties from Colony regular MacAndME. My only problem with the design is that there were too many rock tools around if this was a new rental by Greg. Lighting was by Colony regular Luke Moyer, and it did a great job of establishing the mood. The sound, by Drew Dalzell, was very effective, although the pre-show and intermission sounds were a little loud.  The costumes by Dianne K. Graebner worked well. Leesa Freed served as the Production Stage Manager.

“I’ll Be Back Before Midnight” was supposed to close tonight, but it has been extended through March 17. Go see it, you’ll be at the edge of your seats while having a blast. Tickets are available through the Colony website. The Colony also reported that they have sufficient funds to mount their next production, “Falling for Make Believe“ , a musical building on the songbook of Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers. This runs April 24 – May 19, 2013, and you can also buy tickets through the Colony website. Alas, the Colony has not yet been able to commit to the 2013-2014 season. I’ve suggested that they do a Kickstarter, but they seem to prefer older fundraising models. Let’s hope they make it.

Upcoming Theatre and Concerts:   Next weekend sees us in North Hollywood for “Company” at the Crown City Theatre. The third week of March takes us to the Pantages and Hollywood for  “Catch Me If You Can”on March 16. The fourth week of March brings “Boeing Boeing” at REP East on March 23, and ends with “End of the Rainbow” at the Ahmanson on March 30. April has less theatre — so far, only one show is scheduled. The first weekend of April is open. The next weekend brings with the Southern California Renaissance Faire.  Following that is “Grease” at Cabrillo Music Theatre, and April concludes with a winetasting at Temple Ahavat Shalom. May is busy in a different sense, with two concerts — Elton John in Las Vegas on May 4, and (tentative) Michael Feinstein at VPAC on May 11. May also brings “Falling for Make Believe” at The Colony Theatre and “To Kill a Mockingbird” at REP East. Lastly, continuing the look ahead, June will bring (tenative) “The Scottsboro Boys” at the Ahmanson Theatre, “Priscilla – Queen of the Desert” at the Pantages, and (tentative) Sweet Charity“ at DOMA. We were originally planning on the Western Corps Connection at the end of the month, but their collection of corps this year is poor. I’m also keeping my eyes open as the various theatres start making their 2013 season announcements. Lastly, what few dates we do have open may be filled by productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411, or discussed in the various LA Stage Blogs I read (I particularly recommend Musicals in LA and LA Stage Times).

Music: Country — After All These Years (Chet Atkins): “I Can Hear Kentucky Calling Me”

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Growing Old is a Bitch

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The Snake Canuserpic=dramamasksIt’s hard to be middle-aged. It’s even harder if you’re middle-aged and female and looking for love. Well, at least that’s the premise of Kathryn Graf‘s new play, “The Snake Can“, which we saw last night at The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble in West Los Angeles.

“The Snake Can” tells the story of three women, all in their early 50s: Nina, an artist, who recently separated from her husband Paul; Meg, who is twice divorced; and Harriet, a writer, widowed 7 years ago after a number of years of a loving marriage. All are navigating the rocky relationship waters, attempting to find both themselves and relationships in the modern world. The play concerns this questions. Each of the women’s story is somewhat separate, except where the women get together to talk to each other about their relationship problems. Harriet, a homemaker and stay-at-home mom from the suburbs, has finally decided to go after new relationships, and is doing it through a website called matchmaking.luv (ummm, yes… it seems authors don’t always understand the domain naming system). She has met a man named Stephen, and has to overcome both his past and his reluctance to commit. This past, mind you, includes a number of bisexual years that included a man named Brad. Nina is less navigating dating than navigating separating from her long-time actor husband, Paul. She’s had her bootie calls, but is flinging herself into her art (literally) more than dating. Meg, who is perhaps the smartest of them all, has had a series of relationships but nothing seems to work. All three seem to love to drown their sorrows with copious amounts of wine (hmmm, they would fit really great into Cougartown). By the time the play ends, all have learned something about themselves, and have found some sense of closure in their relationships.

The direction by Steven Robman is smart, and the situations presented by the women draw you into the story well. As for being realistic — well that I’m unsure of, but then again, I haven’t dealt with the dating scene since the 1980s! If anything, they gave me the sense of being a little too earnest, and the resulting story had a bit of a sitcom feel to it. That could also be the side effect of having to squeeze all the character growth and driving situations into 120 minutes. The types of women portrayed did feel right, and I’ve certainly seen men like that before. One got the sense that these were people who wanted the relationship for the comfort of the relationship, not particularly for anything physical. The play also resonated well with the older middle-aged audience found in the theatre today. All in all, it was an enjoyable evening.

Much of this came from the performances of the acting team. In the lead positions were Diane Cary* as Nina, Jane Kaczmarek* as Harriet, and Sharon Sharth* was Meg. All came off as realistic, and I particularly enjoyed the performances of Sharth and Kaczmarek. Sharth, as Meg, as beautiful and accessible, and exuded a wonderful air of confidence. Kaczmarek, as Harriet, gave off the suburban wife vibe well, although drinking a bit much (I hope that was stage alcohol, or those actresses might need a driver at the end of an evening). Cary was a little bit colder as Nina, but I also enjoyed her character.

In the two main male roles were Paul Lieber as Paul and James Lancaster* as Stephen. Lieber’s Paul struck me as a bit of a looser Malcolm McDowell, but that could be a look thing. You could tell from Lieber’s performance that this was a man having trouble navigating the relationship waters as well. He wanted to be with his wife, who no longer wanted him, and really didn’t want to date. He just wanted the comfort of what he had. Lancaster’s Stephen was different — a character who wanted a relationship with a women and who had been bisexual in the past, who could never seem to make relationships of either type work in the long run. He was scared of having relationships work, and portrayed this quite well.  Rounding out the male cast was Joel Polis* as the boyfriend Jake and Stephen’s former lover, Brad.
[*: Member of Actors Equity]

Turning to the technical: The set, which was designed by Jeffery P. Eisenmann, worked reasonably well. The apartment side of the set worked well, although the textures on the wall interfered with the excellent projections of Hana S. Kim. The props by Lorely Trinidad worked well. The set was well lit by Adam Blumenthal, and the sound design and sound effects of Cricket S. Myers were (umm) effective. The costumes of Miguel Montalvo were appropriate to my eye and conveyed the period well. Liana Dillaway was the Production Stage Manager, assisted by Priscilla Miranda. “The Snake Can” was produced by Racquel Lehrman.

“The Snake Can” continues at The Odyssey Theatre until March 2. Tickets are available through the Odyssey; discount tickets may be available through LA Stage Tix. It is worth seeing. Upcoming productions at The Odyssey include “Rank” by Robert Massey (3/23 – 5/12) and “Annapurna” (by Sharr White). Other productions listed that intrigue me include “Ionescopade: A Musical Vaudeville“, built around th eplays, playlets, and poetry of Eugene Ionesco (6/8 – 7/28/2013); an all-female casting of “Hamlet” featuring Charlayne Woodard as Gertrude (8/17 – 10/13/13), and a “Waiting for Godot”-esque play called “Old Clown Wanted” about three out-of-work circus clowns marking time in a deserted office.

Dining Notes: As we were on the Westside and had just hit Record Surplus (where we scored with loads of music, including a French-cast-album of Hair), we decided to explore nearby restaurants. We ended up at an excellent Oaxacan Mexican restaurant on Santa Monica called Monte Alban. Yummy and different. We’ll be back.

Upcoming Theatre and Concerts:   March starts with “I’ll Be Back Before Midnight” at the Colony. The following weekend sees us in North Hollywood for “Company” at the Crown City Theatre. The third week of March takes us to the Pantages and Hollywood for  “Catch Me If You Can”on March 16. The fourth week of March brings “Boeing Boeing” at REP East on March 23, and ends with “End of the Rainbow” at the Ahmanson on March 30. April has less theatre — so far, only one show is scheduled. The first weekend of April is open. The next weekend brings with the Southern California Renaissance Faire.  Following that is “Grease” at Cabrillo Music Theatre, and April concludes with a winetasting at Temple Ahavat Shalom. May is busy in a different sense, with two concerts — Elton John in Las Vegas on May 4, and (tentative) Michael Feinstein at VPAC on May 11. May also brings “Falling for Make Believe” at The Colony Theatre and “To Kill a Mockingbird” at REP East. Lastly, continuing the look ahead, June will bring (tenative) “The Scottsboro Boys” at the Ahmanson Theatre, “Priscilla – Queen of the Desert” at the Pantages, (tentative) Sweet Charity“ at DOMA, and the Western Corps Connection at the end of the month. I’m also keeping my eyes open as the various theatres start making their 2013 season announcements. Lastly, what few dates we do have open may be filled by productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411, or discussed in the various LA Stage Blogs I read (I particularly recommend Musicals in LA and LA Stage Times).

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