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Lucky Stiff (Actors Co-Op)Actors often keep track of their Broadway Debuts — the first time they were on a Broadway stage. But how much does an actor’s first show represent where they will be going in their career. The answer is: often not much. Unless they get that starring role from the get-go, there are often years of hard ensemble, swing, and understudy roles before the true talent shines through. For every Bebe Neuwirth at the top in Chicago, there’s the same actress in a background role in Sweet Charity.

What about composing teams? How much does their first show say about where they will be going? One can’t say for Rodgers and Hammerstein — they each worked with other composers before their first show, Oklahoma. For Kander and Ebb, did Flora: The Red Menace indicate where they would eventually go? Did Godspell fortell Wicked for Stephen Schwartz? How representative was Saturday Night for Sondheim? Parade for Jerry Herman?

When we look at the key new composing teams from the 1980s, one of the best is Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. They’ve given us such great shows as RagtimeOnce on this IslandSeussical, and Anastasia. Their first produced show was a farcical murder mystery, Lucky Stiff (a production of which recently opened at  Actors Co-op (FB) in Hollywood), based on “The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo” written by Michael Butterworth. The plot is, well, a farce. A hapless shoe salesman (Harry Witherspoon) in England inherits $6 million from his gambler uncle (Tony Hendon) in New Jersey, who he has never met. There’s one condition: he take the corpse on one last vacation to Monte Carlo. If he doesn’t do this, the $6 million will go to the Universal Dog Home in Brooklyn (and Harry hates dogs).  Meanwhile, in Atlantic City, Tony’s lover Rita LaPorta, who shot Tony because she thought he was cheating on him, convinces her dentist brother, Vincent DiRuzzo to go to Monte Carlo with him to get back the $6 million, which she and Tony embezzled from Rita’s gambler husband, to whom she confessed that it was her brother that stole the money and then lost it gambling (and thus, the husband has a contract out on Vinnie). Lastly, the Universal Dog House is watching everything though a field representative, Annabel Glick, because if Tony doesn’t fulfill the terms of the letter, the money goes to them.

That, mind you, is the set up. This is a farce so there is plenty of mistaken identities, doors slamming, distractions, but there’s not a single sardines. There is, however, the requisite character who is blind but for her glasses, which she refuses to wear, a drunken maid, nuns, and Arab sheiks.

However, the focus of this opening treatise is whether this silly fluff of a show was predictive of the team that would give us Ragtime and Once on this Island, Seussical and Man of No Importance, My Favorite Year and Anastasia. I think the answer is … yes. Although a number of songs are silly, there are glimpses of the greatness to come. Especially in numbers like “Times Like This” and “Nice”, the team’s ability to tell tender ballads is fortold. The opening number “Something Funny’s Going On” as well as “Him, Them, It, Her” shows the ability to construct humorous multipart choral numbers. So although the story is a silly farce, it does show the genius yet to come.

Now, as farces go, this is not a tightly crafted as, say, Noises Off. It calls for overacting at times, it creates absurd situations, and has some truly bad lines reflective of the times (“she don’t just can-can, she will-will”). It requires a lot of suspension of disbelief. But it is also very funny, and I think most people will find laugh-out-loud humor in the story. If not, well they will at least appreciate some of the songs.

Lucky Stiff Prodction PhotosIn many ways, the success of a farce depends on the execution of the story. Split second timing, a willingness to go overboard when appropriate, and the ability to play for the joke is critical. For a musical farce, you need to be able to handle the music and choreography as well, which is also tightly timed. Director Stephen Van Dorn (FB) and Choreographer Julie Hall (FB) lead the cast reasonably well in this regard. The movement coordination during the second act chase (“Him, Them, It, Her”) works very well, and the players handle the farcical aspects pretty well (although, at times, they overplay it too much).

In the lead couple positions were Brandon Parrish (FB) as Harry Witherspoon, and Claire Adams (FB) as Annabel Glick. Parrish, who has to be the straight man to much of the humor and craziness going around him, handles the situations with aplomb. He also sings quite well (a side we didn’t see in 33 Variations). Adams, who we last saw as Hero’s target of adoration in Cabrillo’s Forum, handled the humor here as well. She also did a great job with one of my favorite songs in this show, “Times Like These”.

The protagonist … make that catalyst … for this story, Anthony Hendon, is played by Vito Viscuso (FB). I must say that his performance was a bit stiff. (pause for effect) Now that we are past that joke, seriously, Viscuso handled the part of a corpse very well, really only standing and dancing in one number. This is not an indictment of his acting, however, as we saw him in the previous production at Actors Co-Op, Cats Paw, where he was spectacular.

Our comedic second couple, Tony’s lover Rita LaPorta and her brother, Dr. Vincent DiRuzzio, were portrayed by Rory Patterson (FB) and Brian Habicht (FB), respectively. Patterson threw herself in the role wholecloth, playing it broadly for the humor and handling her comic numbers quite well (looking back, almost all of her numbers are comic numbers). Habicht also handled the humor quite well, especially in “The Phone Call” (his call back to his wife) and the closing scenes.

The remaining sole actor named role was David Atkinson (FB)’s Luigi Gaudi, who is a person Harry first meets on the train, and then keeps running into. He plays this well for the comedy.

Rounding out the cast are an ensemble of four, who handle multiple characters each (and are thus credited as Woman 1 and 2, and Man 1 and 2). These versatile players are: Gina D’Acciaro (FB) [Woman 1: Landlady, Miss Thorsby, Nurse, Southern Lady #1, Dancing Portrait, Drunken Maid], Alastair James Murden (FB) [Man 1: Surly Lorry Driver, Solicitor, Prosperous Man on Train, Clothing Salesman, French Emcee, Croupier, Nun, Old Texan]; Selah Victor (FB) [Woman 2: Dominique du Monaco, Spinster, Southern Lady #2, Dancing Roulette Wheel]; and Jose Villarreal (FB) [Man 2: Offstage Telegram Deliverer, Vicious Punk, Mr Loomis the Eye Patient, French Waiter on Train, Stationmaster’s Voice, Bellhop, French Waiter in Club, Dapper Gambler, Leper]. Note that one of our two programs had a slip that the Woman 2’s roles were being split between choreographer Julie Hall (FB) [Spinster, Southern Lady] and producer Catherine Gray (FB) [Dominique], but I don’t know if that applied to our performance. D’Acciaro did a wonderfully over-the-top performance as the requisite drunken maid, and Murden stood out as the emcee. I’m not sure who was playing Dominique (who gets the number “Speaking French”), but whoever did it at our performance handled it quite well, including the intentional overplay on the acting.

Music was under the direction of Taylor Stephenson who was also playing the keyboards behind the scenery (and who we have heard and seen at numerous Chance shows). Joining him were Malila Hollow (FB), also on keyboards and synthesizer, Nic Gonzales/FB on bass, and Jorge Zuniga (FB) on drums.

Finally, turning to the creative and production side: The scenic design by Lex Gernon (FB) worked reasonably well, although there was no good explanation about why the door to #5 was upside down (which was oddly distracting). However, the parachute made up for it. The scenic design was supported by Nicholas Acciani (FB)’s properties, which for the most part worked well. The lighting design by Lisa D. Katz (FB) served to define the mood appropriately and direct attention. On the other hand,  Warren Davis (FB)’s — or the execution thereof — had some problems at our performance, with mics cutting in and out and odd static at times. Vicki Conrad (FB)’s costume design worked well, although some (going with the theme) were a bit on the stereotypical side.  Hair and makeup was by Krys Fehervari (FB). Remining production credits: E. K. Dagenfield (FB) – Dialect Coach; Leticia Gonzalez (FB) – Stage Manager;  James Ledesma (FB) and Derek Copenhaver (FB) – Assistant Stage Managers; Heather Chesley (FB) – Artistic Chairperson, David Elzer/Demand PR (FB) – Publicity; Selah Victor (FB) – Production Manager, and Catherine Gray (FB) – Producer.

Lucky Stiff continues at Actors Co-op (FB) through June 18. Tickets are available through Actors Co-Op; discount tickets may be available through Goldstar. Actor’s Co-Op has announced their summer Actors Co-Op Too! season as well as their 2017-2018 season. I’ve written up my thoughts on their season here; in short – subscribe!

🎩 🎩 🎩

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

Upcoming Shows: May concludes with a production from Write Act Rep (FB) at their new home in North Hollywood, Freeway Dreams, followed by Hello Again at the Chromolume Theatre (FB) [plus my wife is off to the Simi Valley Cajun and Blues Festival (FB) on Sunday, as Big Bad Voodoo Daddy is playing, while I work on the highway pages].

As for June? Three words: Hollywood Fringe Festival (FB). This is the current planned schedule for HFF. Not all is ticketed — we are ticketing in two groups: this weekend (¹), and right after June 1st (²), to split the charges. To see the full Fringe guide, click here.

With respect to the Hollywood Fringe Festival: I’d like to recommend Hello Again, The Songs of Allan Sherman. Linden, the artist, did the show for our synagogue Mens Club back in October, and it was a delight. So good, in fact, that we’re going to see the show again during Fringe. If you want a fun show full of parody music, see this one.

July brings us back to normal theatre (° = pending confirmation). We start with The Voysey Inheritance at Actors Co-op (FB) the first weekend. The second weekend is currently open, but we’re thinking about Animal Farm at Theatricum Botanicum (FB). The third weekend brings Peter Pan at Cabrillo Music Theatre (FB) and Ruthie and Me at  Actors Co-op (FB). The fourth weekend of July has a hold for Motown/Miracle | Harlem/Renaissance from Muse/ique (FB). The last weekend of July brings The Last 5 Years at Actors Co-op (FB).  August will (hopefully) start with Brian Setzer° at the Hollywood Bowl (FB) on August 2, followed by The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB) on the weekend. We may also squeeze in On The Twentieth Century at the Pan-Andreas Theatre in Hollywood from Proof Doubt Closer (FB), as a friend is in the cast. The second weekend of August? What made sitting through The Bodyguard worth it: Hamilton at the Hollywood Pantages (FB). I’m still scheduling September, but so far we have The 39 Steps° at Actors Co-op (FB) and Pacific Overtures at Chromolume Theatre (FB). There’s also the Men of TAS Golf Tournament, if any theatre company reading this wants to donate tickets to our silent auction (hint, hint). More as the schedule fleshes out, of course, but we’re booking all the way out in mid to late 2018 already!

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Better-Lemons, Musicals in LA, @ This Stage, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411 or that are sent to me by publicists or the venues themselves. Note: Lastly, want to know how to attend lots of live stuff affordably? Take a look at my post on How to attend Live Theatre on a Budget.

This entry was originally posted on Observations Along The Road (on cahighways.org) as this entry by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link below; you can sign in with your LJ, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. There are currently comments on the Wordpress blog. PS: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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As I have received some more season announcements (this time, to theatres to which I subscribe), it’s time for another installment of season reviews.

First up, Actors Co-Op (FB), which has announced their 2017-2018 season, as well as this summer’s Co-op Too! series (which is included with subscriptions). Here is Actor’s Co-Op’s next season:

  • The 39 Steps (Sept 22 – Oct 29, 2017).  Adapted by Patrick Barlow from the novel by John Buchan and film by Alfred Hitchcock. And it is with those words, playwright Patrick Barlow has crafted a crazy, over-the-top spy novel-type mystery that will have you laughing and giggling and aha-ing! in your seat. This six-time Tony Award nominee comes to life with flashes of Hitchcock movies, sprinkles of Monty Python humor, and a good dose of romance to boot. We saw this back when it was on tour after winning the Tony at the Ahmanson. It will be interesting to see a small stage production of it.
  •  The Man Who Came To Dinner. (Nov 3 – Dec 17, 2017). By Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman.  Get in the Christmas spirit with this comedy classic of the nightmare holiday guest who never leaves—or so it seems. Ex-convicts in the dining room, penguins in the library, and thousands of cockroaches in the kitchen, are just a few of the fallouts from the visitor who outstayed his welcome. I’ve heard about this show, and heard the musical that was developed from it, but haven’t actually seen this.
  • A Walk In The Woods.  (Feb 9 – Mar 18, 2018).  By Lee Blessing. From beloved playwright Lee Blessing, comes a story of relationship between two arms negotiators and what happens when they step out of the war room and into the woods. A Walk in the Woods, produced in 1988, played on Broadway, and Time magazine called it one of the best dramas to hit the stage that year. I have a recollection of seeing this at the Pasadena Playhouse, but can’t confirm it.
  • A Man for All Seasons. (Apr 13 – May 20, 2018). By Robert Bolt. A man of remarkable integrity, Sir Thomas More placed ethics before power. To stand up to his country’s sovereign authority cost him everything, but today it offers us one of the most inspiring stories ever staged. Although I’ve heard of this play, I haven’t seen it.
  • Violet. (May 11 – June 17, 2018). Music by Jeanine Tesori, Book & Lyrics by Brian Crawley. Beginning in 1964 North Carolina, Violet rides a bus through the segregated South, to a TV evangelist in Oklahoma. She is convinced he can heal her scar, which was the result of a traumatic childhood accident. From American roots to folk to gospel, VIOLET is a powerhouse of music and theatre that will have you tapping your toes, slapping your knees, and wiping your eyes. We saw this as a minimalist Kelrick Productions a couple of years ago at the El Portal; it will be interesting to see how Actor’s Co-Op does it.

A season like this demonstrates why someone subscribes to a theatre: to see shows you might not normally purchase tickets for. Given my druthers, as you probably noticed, I tend to pick musicals. Season subscriptions — back at Rep East, Pasadena Playhouse, or The Colony Theatre in the day, or at Actors Co-Op now, gives the depth to the season to balance my personal breadth. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the season prices are fantastic: $85 for 5 shows for “Early Bird” (in the first three weeks), or $110 for regular subscriptions. Here’s how to subscribe.

Oh, and it turns out the seasons include the Actors Co-op Too! Summer productions… meaning we get three more shows for our subscription dollar. Here are this summer’s shows:

  • The Voysey Inheritance. (June 23 – July 1, 2017). by Harley Granville-Barker, Adapted by David Mamet. Edward Voysey’s highly principled world upturns when he discovers the family business he is inheriting has been defrauding its clients for years. To compound matters, he quickly discovers his, scandal-fearing family knew of the crime but allowed it to continue rather than face the shame of public disclosure. Haven’t seen this; sounds interesting.
  • Ruthie And Me.  (July 14-16, 2017). Book and Lyrics by Karen Westcott, Music by Marylou Dunn. A musical comedy about a love story between a man and a woman, a mother-in-law and daughter-and-law, and a people and their God. Based on the story of Ruth and Naomi. Sounds interesting.
  • The Last Five Years. (July 28 – Aug 5, 2017). Written and Composed by Jason Robert Brown.Jason Robert Brown’s Drama Desk winning musical THE LAST FIVE YEARS ingeniously chronicles the five year-life of a marriage, from meeting to break-up and from break-up to meeting, showing the emotional struggle and deconstruction of a love affair. Seen this far too many times (Pasadena Playhouse, Rep East, ACT San Francisco), but it will be interesting to see yet another take on it.

In many ways, this is like REP’s 81 Series: Short run specialty pies. Should be Good.

***

This brings us to our next season: The Valley Performing Arts Center (FB). They, too, have announced their 2017-2018 season. We typically do a mini-season with them: 5-8 shows out of the entire season. Here is their season, and whether I am likely to ticket:

  • Sat 9/16 | 7PM. AMADEUS LIVE. Richard Kaufman, Conductor. Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. Members of the LA Opera Chorus.
  • Thu 10/12 | 8PM. Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble. Korngold – Sextet for Strings in D Major. Shostakovich – Prelude and Scherzo for String Octet. Mendelssohn – Octet for Strings in Eb Major
  • Sat 10/14 | 8PM. Upright Citizens Brigade All-Stars.
  • Thu 10/19 | 8PM. To Ray with Love, Starring Maceo Parker Featuring The Ray Charles Orchestra & The Raelettes
  • Thu 11/2 | 8PM. Moscow State Symphony Orchestra. Pavel Kogan, Conductor. Dmitry Masleev, Piano. Rachmaninov – The Rock. Tchaikovsky – Piano Concerto No. 1. Scriabin – Symphony No. 2.
  • Sat 11/4 | 8PM. Flamenco Legends by Javier Limón: The Paco de Lucía Project
  • Sat 11/11 | 7PM. DIAVOLO: 25-Year Anniversary Marathon. Signature works from the company’s Past, Present, and Future.
  • Tue 11/14 | 8PM. The Sachal Ensemble. Song of Lahore.
  • Fri 11/17 | 8PM. Bernstein on Stage. John Mauceri, Conductor. New West Symphony .
  • Sat 11/18 | 8PM. iLe. Special Guest Gaby Moreno.
  • Sun 11/19 | 3PM. Imago Theatre. La Belle, Lost in the World of the Automaton
  • Thu 11/30 | 8PM. Anat Cohen Tentet. Musical Director, Oded Lev-Ari
  • Sun 12/3 | 3PM. Hansel & Gretel: A Wickedly Delicious Musical Treat. Musical by Justin Roberts & Ernie Nolan. Fairy Tale by The Grimm Brothers. Animation Director: Micah Chambers-Goldberg. Directed by Michael Matthews.
  • Wed 12/6 | 8PM. Eliot Fisk. J.S. Bach – Cello Suites
  • Fri 12/8 | 8PM. Michael Feinstein Holiday Celebration.
  • Sat 12/9 | 7PM. Fiesta Mexicana: Feliz Navidad.
  • Sun 12/10 3PM. Colburn Orchestra.
  • Sat 12/16 | 8PM. The Klezmatics. Happy Joyous Hanukkah.
  • Fri 1/19 | 8PM. Juan de Marcos and the Afro-Cuban All-Stars with Harold López-Nussa Trio
  • Sun 1/21 | 7:30PM. Leilah Broukhim. Dejando Huellas (Traces).
  • Thu 1/25 | 8PM. Cheech Marin Hosts an Evening of Comedy. 3rd Annual CSUN Alumni Performance.
  • Fri 1/26 | 8PM. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London. Charles Dutoit, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor. Debussy – Petite Suite. Haydn – Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major. Stravinsky – The Firebird.
  • Sat 2/3 | 8PM. KEIGWIN + COMPANY Celebrates Bernstein.
  • Fri 2/9 | 8PM. Step Afrika! Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence.
  • Sun 2/11 | 3PM. MUMMENSCHANZ: you & me.
  • Fri 2/16 | 8PM / Sat 2/17 | 8PM. Cruzar la Cara de la Luna. Featuring Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán.
  • Wed 2/21 | 8PM. Danish String Quartet.
  • Sat 2/24 | 8PM. On the Waterfront, Film with Live Orchestra.
  • Sun 2/25 | 3PM. Dublin Irish Dance. Stepping Out
  • Thu 3/1 | 8PM. Miles Electric Band.
  • Sat 3/3 | 8PM. The Ten Tenors.
  • Sun 3/11 | 3PM. Yamato—The Drummers of Japan. Chousensha – The Challengers.
  • Thu 3/15 | 8PM. Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Joshua Bell, Director & Violin. A New Commission by Edgar Meyer.
  • Sun 3/18 | 3PM. Manual Cinema. The Magic City.
  • Fri 3/23 | 8PM. Billy Porter. The Soul of Richard Rodgers.
  • Thu 3/29 | 8PM. Kathleen Battle. Underground Railroad: A Spiritual Journey.
  • Thu 4/5 | 8PM. The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra.
  • Sat 4/7 | 8PM. Aspen Santa Fe Ballet.
  • Fri 4/13 | 8PM , Sat 4/14 | 3 & 8PM, Sun 4/15 | 3PM | Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific. McCoy Rigby Entertainment & La Mirada Theatre.
  • Wed 4/18 | 8PM, Thu 4/19 | 8PM. Cécile McLorin Salvant.
  • Sat 4/21 | 8PM. ¡La Nueva Cuba! The Next Generation. Roberto Fonseca. Daymé Arocena. Pedrito Martinez Group.
  • Thu 4/26 | 8PM. Amir ElSar’s Two Rivers Ensemble.
  • Sat 4/28 | 3PM. LA Opera presents Great Opera Choruses.
  • Tue 5/1 | 8PM , Wed 5/2 | 8PM. Terence Blanchard. Breathless featuring The E-Collective.
  • Sat 5/5 | 8PM. Quetzal with Mariachi Flor de Toloache.
  • Sat 5/12 | 8PM. An Evening with David Sedaris.

Note that some of the shows we may opt not to ticket, if the total gets too high, and we might decide to include some of the shows.

 

This entry was originally posted on Observations Along The Road (on cahighways.org) as this entry by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link below; you can sign in with your LJ, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. There are currently comments on the Wordpress blog. PS: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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Cats Paw (Actors Co-Op)Yesterday, as part of my Aprils Fools “real or fake news” post, I linked to a real news article about planned cuts at the EPA: “The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a new, more detailed plan for laying off 25 percent of its employees and scrapping 56 programs including pesticide safety, water runoff control, and environmental cooperation with Mexico and Canada under the North American Free Trade Agreement.” In response, you could easily see an Eco-Terrorist taking someone hostage to protest these cuts and the damage done under them, especially when you consider that with a more limited budget, the EPA will be forced to make more questionable decisions about the communities in which they spend the little budget they do have. Decisions made by bureaucrats, with lives measured by actuaries and accounts.

Back in 1984, William Mastrosimone wrote a play — Cat’s Paw — about an unusual terrorist, one who is brilliant, articulate and who believes he is right. He updated this play in 2001, right after the 9/11 attacks. It is running until April 30, 2017 at Actors Co-op (FB) in Hollywood, and it is surprisingly relevant today (especially in light of the Trump administration EPA actions). The play tells the story of  an eco-terrorist (Victor) who blamed the EPA for an incident in which the water supply of a town was poisoned. He kidnapped an EPA official (David Darling), and masterminded a suicide bomb attack at the White House in which 12 senators were killed. This terrorist — excuse me, eco-warrior — has a television news reporter (Jessica Lyons) led to his lair by his follower, Cathy, so she can tell the world why he has done what he has done. Victor’s obsession is the destruction of the world’s water supply and, with it, the final destruction of the human race by pollution. When the reporter asks if he feels any guilt about the death of the innocent people, he replies that hundreds of innocent people die every hour because of what mankind is doing to its water supply and do the people responsible feel guilt for this? The cat and mouse game between the young woman reporter and Victor gets more and more tense, leading to a shocking and violent conclusion.

In a very interesting piece about the play in the acting script (reprinted in one theatre’s blog), the author writes:

Information is what enables us to make good decisions in a democracy – right? but the truth is that most of information is repetitive or useless; turn is most of us have a morbid curiosity that needs to be satisfied. By giving in to our need to see mayhem, we give more power to the terrorists. We are all part of the deadly triangulation between the acts of terror, the media coverage, and the viewing.

During her tenure as P.M., Margaret Thatcher advanced a thought that we have not heeded: “Democratic nations must try to find ways to starve the terrorist and the hijacker of oxygen of publicity on which they depend.”

Until we figure out how to stay free and still report the news, terrorist acts will involve two explosions. The primary explosion kills innocent people in the street. The secondary explosion occurs in the viewer’s mind, over and over again, as a neural pathway is created. Ring bell. Bring food. Dog salivate. News is not just reported anymore; it is designed for effect. The story is edited, parts subtracted, associations established with editing in other stories and/or expert opinions or carefully chosen public reaction. The fear we felt when we first saw the event on television can be conjured again and again, at will, in video replay, as news and entertainment slowly merge. Fear is reinforced. Fear makes us malleable, and caught between the act of terror and media coverage, we exist for a time in a state of impaired judgement.

Cat’s Paw connects to a number of ongoing discussions in the world today: What is our responsibility to ensure clean air, clean water, and a safe world to live in? When there are other economic priorities, is it reasonable to cut back on environmental protections (and endanger other innocent lives) out of a need for that money for other economic purposes? Who should make those decisions, and what should be their basis: science, economics, or actuarial science? What is the role of the media in all this — are they dispassionate observers reporting news in a neutral fashion, or are they manipulating what we see to make us feel and believe things? Are they playing up our fears — whether that is a fear of our leaders, or those who oppose them? All relevant questions — all great discussions.

Actors Co-op (FB) production of Cat’s Paw is an intense and gripping presentation of these questions and issues (if not a little heavy handed). It places you in that bunker with David Darling; it allows you to see the sausage-making that is Terrorism, and its manipulation of the story for particular purposes. Is it relevant today? Yes. Does it present a clear answer? No. One would hope that this excellent production raises the questions above for you, and sends you home to discuss and explore the issue further. This is what theatre can do: start a discussion.

Cats Paw (Cast)The Actors Co-op (FB) presentation of Cat’s Paw, tensely directed by Stephen Rothman (FB), stars Sean McHugh (FB) as the eco-warrior Victor and Deborah Marlowe (FB) as the reporter Jessica Lyons, supported by Ivy Beech (FB) as Cathy (one of Victor’s minions) and Vito Viscuso (FB) as David Darling (the hostage). All are strongly believable as their characters: their fears and pains and intent come across strongly. Staged in the small Crossley theatre with audience members on three sides, there are often small moments off on the side that speak to the powerful immersion of these actors in their characters. Just great performances.

Lauren Thompson (FB) was the understudy for Cathy, and was ever-reliable behind the scenes in the box office.

Director Rothman’s vision, realized by the Scenic Design of David Potts, places the audience in the bunker with the Earth Now activists. There are rough tables and chairs, graffiti, and shelves of realistic supplies and realistic weapons (all the work of Property Designer Lori Berg (FB)). The feelings of the bunker are amplified through the lighting design of James Moody (FB) and sound design of Adam R. Macias (FB). All this makes the audience part of the story, and amplifies its impact.  E.B. Brooks (FB)’s costume design also contributed to the feeling that these were real terrorists talking to a real reporter. Other creative and production credits: Collin Bressie (FB) [Fight Director]; Greyson Chadwick (FB) [Producer]; Heather Chesley (FB) [Artistic Chairwoman); Christian Eckels (FB) [Stage Manager]; David Elzer/Demand PR (FB) [Marketing/Publicity]; Selah Victor (FB) [Production Manger].

Cat’s Paw continues at Actors Co-op (FB) through April 30, 2017. Tickets are available through the Actors Co-Op website. Discount tickets may be available through Goldstar. An intense play, very timely, and well-performed.

 🎩 🎩 🎩

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

Upcoming Shows: The evening continued with a concert with Tom Paxton and the DonJuans at McCabes Guitar Shop (FB). Today brings the Colburn Orchestra at the Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC) (FB). The weekend of April 8 brings Kurt Vonnegut’s The Sirens of Titan at Sacred Fools Theatre (FB). Mid-April brings Doc Severinsen and his Big Band at Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC) (FB) on April 13, followed by Animaniacs Live at the La Mirada Performing Arts Center (FB) over the weekend. That will be followed on the penultimate weekend of April with Sister Act at Cabrillo Music Theatre (FB). The last weekend of April has two holds: one for the Renaissance Pleasure Faire, and one for Uncanny Valley at ICT Long Beach (FB) [we’re just waiting on Goldstar]. Lastly, looking to May, the schedule shows that it starts with My Bodyguard at the Hollywood Pantages (FB) the first weekend. It continues with Martha Graham Dance and American Music at the Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC) (FB). The third weekend brings the last show of the Actors Co-op (FB) season, Lucky Stiff, at Actors Co-op (FB). May concludes with Hello Again at the Chromolume Theatre (FB), and hopefully Five Guys Named Moe at Ebony Repertory Theatre (FB).  As for June? Three words: Hollywood Fringe Festival (FB). That, barring something spectacular cropping up, should be the first half of 2017.

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Better-Lemons, Musicals in LA, @ This Stage, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411 or that are sent to me by publicists or the venues themselves. Note: Lastly, want to know how to attend lots of live stuff affordably? Take a look at my post on How to attend Live Theatre on a Budget.

This entry was originally posted on Observations Along The Road (on cahighways.org) as this entry by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link below; you can sign in with your LJ, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. There are currently comments on the Wordpress blog. PS: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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33 Variations (Actors Co-Op)Almost exactly six years ago, we saw Jane Fonda (FB) in the Los Angeles premier of Moisés Kaufman’s  33 Variations. Last night, we saw the play again, this time in a much smaller venue than the cavernous Ahmanson Theatre (FB) — the intimate Actors Co-op (FB) theatre in Hollywood. In the six years between the productions, changes in our life have caused the play to resonate in a different way.

Back in February 2011, I wrote the following description of the play (actor names have been updated to reference the current production):

33 Variations” is, at its heart, a story of obsession, deterioration, and family. On its surface, this is the story of Dr. Katherine Brandt (Nan McNamara (FB)) and her obsession to figure out why Ludwig van Beethoven (Bruce Ladd (FB)) wrote 33 variations of an inconsequential waltz written by Anton Diabelli (Stephen Rockwell (FB)). 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 (Greyson Chadwick (FB)), 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 (John Allee (FB)). She’s aided in this research by Dr. Gertrude Ladenburger (Treva Tegtmeier (FB)). 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 (Brandon Parrish (FB)), 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.

That’s what I wrote then, and it truly is the surface emphasis of the play: noticing the little things, the things that are often expressed in the shadows. For example, Diabelli’s Waltz is originally believed to be inconsequential because it was in the style of popular music of the time — a “beer hall” waltz. The play makes the point that Beethoven was able to see majestic music even in the common popular music of the day, sending the message that there is beauty in everything if one takes the time to look.

Yet something struck me different about the play in this viewing. Since 2011, we’ve had the experience of dealing with a relative (my wife’s mother) who is undergoing another type of deterioration — not neuromuscular as one sees with ALS, but the mental impairment that comes with old age. As such, the relationship portrayed in the show between Clara and her mother (which is paralleled in the relationship between Schindler and Beethoven) touched a different nerve. At the beginning of the play, the relationship was built on old patterns and old expectations. Incidents and expectations colored everything. But by the end of the show the focus had changed to seeing each other for what they really were: for seeing the little things and treasuring the little moments. It also provided insight to the frustrations of the person deteriorating: there is so much they still want to do, so much that time is taking away from them.

Viewing a play is a process of developing variations. The first time you see it, you pick up the surface meaning — the basic enjoyment and message that the playwright wanted you to pick up. You are, in essence, picking up the beer hall waltz. But as you revisit a play, and see it again and again, and study the moments and scenes within the play, you discover the deeper beauty within. You discover hidden meanings and hidden melodies — sometimes, even melodies that the author might not have intended to have in there. The play and its words (which are a form of music) find multiple resonances with us.

Resonances. Multiple messages, multiple voices. A fugue. Near the end of the play, especially as Beethoven is composing a fugue variation, I recalled that there had been a discussion of this play as a fugue. The play takes multiple voices and multiple messages and stories: the relationships between the various characters — Schindler and Beethoven, Schindler and Diabelli, Diabelli and Beethoven, Clara and Katherine, Clara and Mike, Mike and Katherine, Katherine and Gertie, Clara and Gertie, etc. — and harmonizes them together into a fugue of messages, of seeing things in the others. It makes the point of how our lives are a fugue of voices that shape our experiences, and sometimes the deepest message can come from the smallest four notes.

And that’s just the story side. I noticed things on the performance side this time that I hadn’t noticed (or don’t recall noticing) from the Ahmanson days. Partly, this may be due to the size of the venue. Many people believe the best way to see is show is in a gigantic Broadway-size venue, but often that is the worst way — even for those in the Orchestra. Larger venues require large staging and performance, and while that might be good for a large cast musical, it is often poor for a small cast play. As an example of this, I note that the Ahmanson staging included a 4-person non-speaking ensemble. That wasn’t there in this production, which allowed a greater focus on the actors.

Under the direction of Thomas James O’Leary (FB), the performances were top notch. I particularly recall a scene in the first act with Clara (Greyson Chadwick (FB) and Mike (Brandon Parrish (FB)), attending a concert. Their voices were provided by recorded voiceovers, presenting their inner thoughts on a first date. All the meaning was conveyed by the movement and facial expressions of the actors, which were remarkable for their ability to convey the emotion and meaning. There was a similar emoting via facial expression in the scene where Katherine (Nan McNamara (FB)) undergoes some form of scan. There are a series of flashes, each with a different facial expression truly showing the impact of the disease.

I also noticed one other difference from the Ahmanson: sexuality. In my writeup of the Ahmanson production, I noted: “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.” Reading that brought the scene back to me: some of the exam scenes had Fonda topless. For whatever reason — the fact that Actors Co-op is a church-based group, the size of the theatre, the desires of the actors — that level of physical exposure was not done. There were certainly points where it could have been done, but the choice was made not to do it. Guess what: It didn’t hurt the play one bit, raising the question of whether Fonda’s partial nudity was truly necessary in that production, or was just gratuitous titillation to bring in an audience. We are conditioned to expect gratuitous sex and violence in movies and TV; has it reached the level of the Broadway stage? Much as I enjoy the display of flesh, it should serve the story and not be there just to be there. I applaud the director for finding a way to tell the story in a more sensitive but equally moving fashion.

The performances from the entire cast were excellent. McNamara did a great job of portraying her relationship with her daughter, and even better portraying the deterioration that came with ALS. Ladd did similarly with Beethoven’s deterioration with his hearing. As one who suffers from Tinnitus, I could well appreciate Beethoven’s frustration at the bouts of the same. The chemistry between Clara and Mike was good, and you could see an equal chemistry form between Beethoven and his friend Schinder, and between Katherine and the archivist Gertrude. Great performances all around.

Music was provided by the on-stage pianist Dylan Price (FB). Understudies for the production are Christian Edsall (FB) [u/s Anton Schindler] and Tannis Hanson (FB) [u/s Clara]. It looks like the understudies will be on the first weekend in March.

33 Variations SetThe production was elegantly adapted for the small stage. Of the Ahmanson production, I wrote: “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.” This production was unable to do that; instead they used the design of the set you see to the right: four windowed panels with doors between them. These panels could be translucent; the could show archival books. The doors could house projections. On the side were brick walls that slid open to expose archival books; there was also a Murphy bed for one scene behind the books. Credit for this design goes to Nicholas Acciani (FB), who did both the scenic design and the projection design. It was supported by the lighting design of Andrew Schmedake (FB), who used fixtures above to create medical devices and specialized archival lighting. Lori Berg (FB) was the property designer; I particularly noted the actual walkers and powered wheelchairs, as well as all the hand-sewn books. David B. Marling‘s sound design was less focused on amplification and more focused on effects — this was particularly noteworthy during the medical scenes where the illusion of the scanning machinery was created entirely by sound. Vicki Conrad (FB)’s costume design seemed period appropriate to this novice, and (when appropriate) were suitably revealing without being too revealing. Michelle Parrish (FB)’s choreography worked well in the few dance scenes. E. K. Dagenfield (FB)’s efforts as dialect coach were primarily notable in the Tegtmeier’s portrayal of Dr. Gerturde Ladenburger and her clipped accent. Rounding out the credits are: Josie Austin/FB – Assistant Stage Manager, Heather Chesley (FB) – Artistic Chairwoman; David Elzer/Demand PR (FB) – Publicity; Selah Victor (FB) – Production Manager; and Shawna Voragen (FB) – Production Stage Manager. 33 Variations was produced by Thomas Chavira (FB).

33 Variations continues at Actors Co-op (FB) theatre in Hollywood until March 19. Tickets are available through the Actors Co-op Website; discount tickets may be available on Goldstar.

🎩 🎩 🎩

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

Upcoming Shows: The third weekend of February brings Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza (FB) on Friday, February 17, with seeing Allegiance – A New Musical (recorded on Broadway) at the AMC Promenade on Sun 2/19. The last weekend in February brings Finding Neverland at the Hollywood Pantages (FB). March quiets down a bit — at least as currently scheduled — with the MRJ Man of the Year dinner,  Fun Home at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB) at the beginning of the month, and An American in Paris at the Hollywood Pantages (FB) at the end of the month. We may go see Martha, a one-woman play on the life of Martha Graham (a good preparation for our May VPAC show of her dance group), at the Whitefire Theatre (FB) on March 18 — we’re still planning that. April starts with Cats Paw at Actors Co-op (FB) and a concert with Tom Paxton and the DonJuans at McCabes Guitar Shop (FB) (shifting Cats Paws to an afternoon matinee that day). The next day brings the Colburn Orchestra at the Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC) (FB). The next weekend is currently open (and will likely stay that way). Mid-April bringsDoc Severinsen and his Big Band at Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC) (FB) on April 13, followed by Animaniacs Live at the La Mirada Performing Arts Center (FB) over the weekend. That will be followed on the penultimate weekend of April with Sister Act at Cabrillo Music Theatre (FB). Lastly, looking to May, the schedule shows that it starts with My Bodyguard at the Hollywood Pantages (FB) the first weekend. It continues with Martha Graham Dance and American Music at the Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC) (FB). The third weekend brings the last show of the Actors Co-op (FB) season, Lucky Stiff, at Actors Co-op (FB). May concludes with Hello Again at the Chromolume Theatre (FB). As for June? Three words: Hollywood Fringe Festival (FB). That, barring something spectacular cropping up, should be the first half of 2017.

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Better-Lemons, Musicals in LA, @ This Stage, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411 or that are sent to me by publicists or the venues themselves. Note: Lastly, want to know how to attend lots of live stuff affordably? Take a look at my post on How to attend Live Theatre on a Budget.

P.S.: Mostly so I can find it later, here’s my predictions of what will go on tour and where they will end up. The Hollywood Pantages (FB) announced their 2017-2018 season (which was the rest of 2018, after Hamilton took over the last 5 months of 2017) on February 7th. You can find my reaction to it here. Now we just need to see what the Ahmanson Theatre (FB) will do.

This entry was originally posted on Observations Along The Road (on cahighways.org) as this entry by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link below; you can sign in with your LJ, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. There are currently comments on the Wordpress blog. PS: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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Turn of the Screw (Actors Co-Op)actors co-op-userpicThis has been a summer of drawing inferences from very little information. Mail is deleted from Hillary Clinton’s email server, and we create inferences in our head from almost no actual information. Similarly, Donald Trump does not release his tax returns, and we start inferring what is in those returns from very little information. This lack of information engages our imagination, and the explanation we create can be very frightful. Whether it is the truth, however, we may never know. But it scares us nevertheless.

In the theatre, minimal information can manifest itself in many ways. One can have minimal sets and costumes, such as in the recent Our Town at Actor’s Co-Op.  In that production, you had a large cast of actors with minimal set and minimal costumes. It was done that way because that is the direction from the playwright — he wanted the audience to focus on the story and relationships, and not be distracted by other eye candy.  It is what, in essence, made Our Town into Every Town.

Another way that minimal information can manifest itself is through minimal casts. Consider the recent Gutenberg: The Musical we saw in San Diego, or the production of Murder for Two that was at the Geffen in 2015. Both had casts of just two, and required the audience to use their imaginations to establish the multitude of characters portrayed simply through voice and mannerisms. Murder for Two is particularly interesting in this regard: one actor portrayed one main character, and the other actor portrayed every other character.

Letting the audience (or the reader) infer is a long-standing literary and theatrical trick. One classic horror story where this technique is used is Henry James‘ “The Turn of the Screw“, published in 1898. The novella uses imagery and framing and storytelling techniques to only hint at the horror, and to leave it to the reader to come up with their own interpretation of the conclusion. The novella has been adapted into many different forms; last night, we saw Jeffery Hatcher‘s 1997 interpretation of the story at Actors Co-op (FB). Like the novella, this adaptation specifically requires minimal sets (just some stairs), minimal actors (just two), minimal sound effects (just from the actors), and minimal costumes (no costume changes)… and the story conveys minimal information about what happened, what is real or is not, and the whys and wherefores. It is left to the audience to infer.

By now, you’re probably wondering what the story is. You can read a synopsis of the original novella here. Here’s the setup; I won’t disclose the ending:  An unnamed narrator tells the story of a former governess whom he claims to have known.  The story begins when the young governess is hired by a man who has become responsible for his young nephew and niece after the deaths of their parents. He lives mainly in London and is uninterested in raising the children. The older boy, Miles, is attending a boarding school, while his younger sister, Flora, is living at their parent’s estate, Bly, in Essex. Flora is currently being cared for by Mrs. Grose, the housekeeper. Miles and Flora’s uncle, the governess’ new employer, gives her full charge of the children and explicitly states that she is not to bother him with communications of any sort. The governess travels to Bly and begins her duties. Miles soon returns from school for the summer just after a letter arrives from the headmaster stating that he has been expelled for an unspeakable reason. Miles never speaks of the matter, and the governess is hesitant to raise the issue. The girl, Flora, does not speak and has not spoken since the death of her parents. Soon thereafter, around the grounds of the estate, the governess begins to see the figures of a man and woman whom she does not recognize. These figures come and go at will without ever being seen or challenged by other members of the household, and the governess does not know what to make of them. She learns from Mrs. Grose that her predecessor, Miss Jessel, and another employee, Peter Quint, had a sexual relationship. Before their deaths, Jessel and Quint spent much of their time with Flora and Miles… and from there, well, you’ll either need to read the story or go see the play. I recommend the latter.

This lack of information leads the audience to fill in the pieces. It is up to them to determine, for example, if Quint and Jessel are real, are ghosts, or are just figments of an imagination. They get to infer exactly what it is that Miles did, and what drove Flora not to speak. There are hints, but no pre-determined explanation. This may be difficult for some audience members who have been raised on being spoon-fed a plot, but it is a great thought exercise. It also makes for wonderful car discussion as you drive home from the play with the people you shared the experience with.

Turn of the Screw (Production Photo)In such a presentation, the real power of the storytelling is in the director and the actors. It is their responsibility to become the various characters through voice and mannerisms, to make the audience imagine the locales and the space within. This is difficult in a traditional proscenium arch theatre (i.e., your typical stage); it is even harder in a “theatre in the round” such as the Crossley space at Actors Co-Op. Luckily, the director, Robertson Dean, and the actors, Natalie Hope MacMillan (FB) and Isaac Wade (FB) were up to the task.  MacMillan played the Governess, and Wade played every other character — the narrator, the employer, Mrs. Grose, Miles, and Quint. MacMillan’s Governess was an interesting exploration of discovery: she started out artificially confident, and learned how to channel that confidence into an attitude of authority, until (as is common) past trauma came out to change her. Wade was her equal — if not more — easily moving from the detached employer to the concerned housekeeper to the childish boy, portraying them all with different stances and voices and such. The director, Dean, as we learned during the talkback, gave them time and leeway to explore and develop their characters, and to figure out how to move and express the relationships in a space with no props as references.

Speaking of these minimal aspects: Ellen Lenbergs (FB) developed what little scenic design there was, and David B. Marling similarly developed the minimal sound design. The lighting design by Jean-Yves Tessier (FB) was similarly minimal: some uplights on the floor, some whites and blues from above. The costumes by Jenny Foldenauer (FB) were similarly stark: an austere head to toe black dress for MacMillan, and a dark-brown suit and waist-coat for Wade. The real scenic designer — beyond the director — was the dialect coach, E. K. Dagenfield (FB). Rounding out the production credits are Nicholas Acciani (FB) (Stage Manager); Heather Chesley (FB) (Artistic Chair); David Elzer (FB) (Marketing / Publicist); and Selah Victor (FB) [Production Manager]. The Turn of the Screw was produced by Rory Patterson (FB).

The Turn of the Screw continues at Actors Co-op (FB) through November 20, 2016. Tickets are available through the Actor’s Co-op Website. Discount tickets may be available through Goldstar or LA Stage Tix.  This is an interesting mystery/horror play, and worth seeing.

* * *

Ob. Disclaimer: I am not a trained theatre critic; I am, however, a regular theatre audience member. I’ve been attending live theatre and concerts in Los Angeles since 1972; I’ve been writing up my thoughts on theatre (and the shows I see) since 2004. I do not have theatre training (I’m a computer security specialist), but have learned a lot about theatre over my many years of attending theatre and talking to talented professionals. I pay for all my tickets unless otherwise noted. I am not compensated by anyone for doing these writeups in any way, shape, or form. I currently subscribe at Cabrillo Music Theatre (FB), the  Hollywood Pantages (FB), Actors Co-op (FB), the Chromolume Theatre (FB) in the West Adams district, and a mini-subscription at the Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC) (FB).  The Chromolume 2017 season looks particularly good: Zanna Don’t (Tim Acito, January 13 – February 5), Hello Again (Michael John LaChiusa, May 5- May 28), and Pacific Overtures (Stephen Sondheim, September 15 – October 8) — all for only $60). Past subscriptions have included  The Colony Theatre (FB) (which went dormant in 2016), and Repertory East Playhouse (“REP”) (FB) in Newhall (which entered radio silence in 2016). Through my theatre attendance I have made friends with cast, crew, and producers, but I do strive to not let those relationships color my writing (with one exception: when writing up children’s production, I focus on the positive — one gains nothing except bad karma by raking a child over the coals).  I believe in telling you about the shows I see to help you form your opinion; it is up to you to determine the weight you give my writeups.

Upcoming Shows:  The last weekend of October brings Linden Waddell’s Hello Again, The Songs of Allen Sherman at Temple Ahavat Shalom (a joint fundraiser for MoTAS and Sisterhood).

Allan Sherman Tribute Show at TASInterrupting this recap for a word from a sponsor: Linden Waddell’s Hello Again, The Songs of Allen Sherman at Temple Ahavat Shalom is open to the community, and is a joint fundraiser for MoTAS and Sisterhood. Please tell your friends about it. I’m Past President of MoTAS, and I really want this to be a success. Click on the flyer to the right for more information. It should be a really funny night.

November starts with another Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC) (FB): Culture Clash’s Vote or Die Laughing. The following weekend brings Hedwig and the Angry Inch at  the Hollywood Pantages (FB) and the Nottingham Festival (FB). We then lose a weekend as we travel to Palo Alto for a Bar Mitzvah. The third weekend of November brings Funny Girl, a Conundrum Theatre Company (FB) guest production at  The Colony Theatre (FB) and a Day Out With Thomas at Orange Empire Railway Museum (FB) [excuse me, “Southern California Railway Museum”]. November concludes with a HOLD date for Little Women at the Chance Theatre (FB) in Anaheim. The last month of the year will include Into the Woods at Nobel Middle School, the CSUN Jazz Band at the Annual Computer Security Applications Conference (ACSAC), Amalie at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB), The King and I at the Hollywood Pantages (FB); an unspecified movie on Christmas day; and a return to our New Years Eve Gaming Party.

Turning to 2017, January currently is quiet, with just a single hold date for Zanna Don’t at the Chromolume Theatre (FB). February 2017 gets back to being busy: with a hold for Zoot Suit at the Mark Taper Forum (FB) the first weekend. The second weekend brings 33 Variations at Actors Co-op (FB). The third weekend has a hold for the WGI Winter Regionals. The last weekend in February brings Finding Neverland at the Hollywood Pantages (FB). March quiets down a bit — at least as currently scheduled — with Fun Home at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB) at the beginning of the month, and An American in Paris at the Hollywood Pantages (FB) at the end of the month.

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Bitter-Lemons, Musicals in LA, @ This Stage, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411 or that are sent to me by publicists or the venues themselves. Note: Although we can’t make it, I also recommend the 10th Anniversary Production of The Brain from Planet X at LACC. Lastly, want to know how to attend lots of live stuff affordably? Take a look at my post on How to attend Live Theatre on a Budget.

This entry was originally posted on Observations Along The Road (on cahighways.org) as this entry by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link below; you can sign in with your LJ, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. There are currently comments on the Wordpress blog. PS: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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Our Town (Actors Co-Op)actors co-op-userpicI’m often asked how I pick the shows that we see. The answer is that there are two sources. First, I get all sorts of announcements of shows, and from there I pick the ones I want to see for various reasons. The problem with that, of course, is that I never get forced into something I might not go to see otherwise. For that, I depend on my subscriptions. I find theatres whose quality I like and who tend to have a programming mix that I like, and that are affordable (that’s a big factor), and I subscribe there. In the past, that has included The Colony Theatre (FB) in Burbank and Repertory East Playhouse (“REP”) (FB) in Newhall. I grew to look forward not only to the shows there, but the people that I would see when I went there. Alas, both of those theatres have gone dormant, and I’ve been hunting around for replacements. Over the past few months, I’ve selected two: Actors Co-op (FB) in Hollywood and the Chromolume Theatre (FB) in the West Adams district.  Both had strong seasons, produce high quality work, and had great pricing for their seasons. Last night was our first show as a new subscriber at Actors Co-op (FB). It looks like I chose right.

Actors Co-op chose as the first show of their 25th season a classic — but one that I can’t recall seeing in an extremely long time: Our Town, by Thornton Wilder. Even if you’ve never seen Our Town, you think you’ve seen Our Town, because the conceit and basic staging of Our Town is so well known. You know that it is a minimalist play (no real sets, often non-specific costumes). You know that it takes place in Grovers Corners NH. You know that there is a Stage Manager that narrates and directs the action. And thats…. about all you remember. Oh, and you like remember you studied it in High School English class.

Your memory, such as it is, would be correct. Our Town is all of those things. It is a three-act, somewhat metaphysical play about approximately 15 years in the life of Grover’s Corners. The first act presents a typical day (including a birth); the second focuses on love and marriage; and the third on what happens when we reach the end of our lives.  The play focuses on the lives of two families: the Gibbs and the Webbs. Dr. Gibbs is the town doctor, and Mr. Webb is the publisher of the town paper. Both families have been in the town seemingly since its founding. The focus of the play is the children of these families: George Gibbs and Emily Webb. As you might have figured out by now: the first act introduces us to all the characters in the town and establishes the relationships, the second focuses on the marriage of George and Emily, and the last act deals with death and its aftereffects.

The traditional question asked of Our Town is what is the meaning of the Stage Manager? Is the Stage Manager intended to be God? Is it meant to imply that there is someone or something directing our lives for some purpose. I’m not going to attempt to answer those questions. To me, the Stage Manager is simply a story-telling device: a way to move the plot-line forward and explain when something is a flash-back or a pop-up explanatory bubble. Don’t let the stage manager phase you.

A better question is what is the meaning of the play: what is the point Wilder wanted you to think about as you left the play. After all, a good play not only entertains, but makes you think. This play won the Pulitzer Prize, so it must be more than just simple mindless entertainment. But for the first two acts, there is no point being made. It is just the story of lives going on. The kicker in this play is the last act — particularly the time that a newly-deceased gets the opportunity to go back and watch a day in their life. At that point, they significance and message of the play kicks in, and the meaning of the first two acts comes clear: We go through our days focused on living our lives and our business and our concerns, and we miss all the people and what is happening around us. Now, mind you, Wilder was writing this play in 1938 about a town at the turn of the 20th century, when life was significantly slower. Consider our lives today, with our faces focused on tiny-little screens, traveling at faster speeds and communicating with orders of magnitudes more even faster. If they were missing what was happening in life back then, how much more are we missing now. At this point, the rationale behind Actor’s Co-op choice of the first play of the season becomes clear: in the 25 years since they started, we’re missing what is going on around us. Perhaps we need to slow down, and, oh, I don’t know, take in a play?

Our Town Publicity PhotosBut in the act of observing what is going on around us, we need to observe the changes in society that we might have missed. Actor’s Co-op amplified the ability to observe this by utilizing diverse casting. This not only included diversity in the racial and ethnic dimensions, but the casting of a female Stage Manager in a role traditionally cast as male. They also chose to cast a differently-abled actor as part of the ensemble, demonstrating how in the modern world, being disabled does not mean one cannot be on stage (something we also saw last week at Hunchback). In doing so, however, they highlighted a problematic aspect of Wilder’s presentation. Observe the list of churches that Wilder lists: all are variants of Christianity. Nothing else is in the town. Observe the ethnic makeup described in the first act: Slavs and a few others, and observe that “Polish Town” is far away, on the other side of the tracks. Those Eastern European immigrants — they are kept away from the main town folk. Observe woman’s roles, and what they are expected to do … and behave … and not behave. This play is clearly a product of its time, and the diversity we see on stage would not have, could not have, and did not exist in towns such as Grover’s Corners. Grover’s Corners would see no Muslims or Jews. It wouldn’t see blacks or asians. It wouldn’t talk about its disabled. It wouldn’t tolerate intermarriage. Although not visible from the cast, it wouldn’t tolerate orientation or gender diversity. Observing this aspect of the play makes us, the audience, observe how far we have come in just a little over 100 years. We may not be all the way there yet, but our slow change has been significant, and by putting us back in our past, we can clearly see what we couldn’t see at the time. That’s the second, perhaps more important message, of this play.

As I said, the casting and performance were excellent, and it is difficult to single people out. In the leading position was Crystal Jackson/FB as the Stage Manager. She handled the role well, providing believable direction of the actions as well as some wonderful facial expressions and reactions.

The Gibb family was portrayed by R.J. Farrington (FB) as Mrs. Gibbs, David Atkinson (FB) as Dr. Gibbs, James Simenc (FB) as George Gibbs, and Isabella Magas/TW as Rebecca Gibbs. This was a very diverse family — a combination that likely would not have existed in those days :-). All performed strongly; particularly notable was Farrington’s Mrs. Gibbs and Simenc’s George. Again, both went well beyond the words they were speaking to creatively portray their characters through expression and movement.

The Webb family was portrayed by Heather Chesley (FB) as Mrs. Webb, Richard Soto (FB) as Mr. Webb, Eva Abramian (FB) as Emily Webb, and Joseph Arujo/IG as Wally Webb. Again, strong performances here, with the highlights being Chesley’s Mrs. Webb and Abramian’s Emily, and Soto’s discussion with George Webb shortly before the wedding.

Additionally, while preparing this writeup, I discovered the actual age and experience of both Simenc (George Gibbs) and Abramian (Emily Webb). Both had me convinced they were high-school students, so again…. well-played.

Rounding out the cast were: Gunnar Sizemore (FB) [Joe Crowell / Si Crowell]; Tim Hodgin (FB) [Howie Newsome]; Christopher Salazar (FB) [Professor Willard / Simon Stimson]; Deanna Hudgens (FB) [Woman in the Balcony / Dead Woman]; Michael Worden (FB) [Belligerent Man / Joe Stoddard / Constable Warren]; Deborah Marlowe (FB) [Lady in a Box / Mrs. Soames]; Vanessa Benavante (FB) [Sara Craig], Shannon Dieriex (FB) [Choir Member]. Christian T. Chan portrays Willard / Stimson October 7 through 23. Musical accompaniment was provided by Eden Livingood (FB) on Violin, and Jean-Paul Barjon (FB) on Cello.

The production was directed by Richard Israel (FB), whose work we have seen many times — mostly in musicals. Here he was doing a play — and a play with no scenery or real props, at that. Israel is to be applauding for how well he has the actors pantomime as if the props were there, which is combined by excellent sound effects (one might even say Foley Effects). This creates the illusion of existance of a wide variety of props and set pieces, from screen doors to lawnmowers to dishes to glasses to… well, you name it. See the show, and you’ll be similarly amazed.

Turning to the creative and production credits: Rich Rose (FB) was the scenic designer (such as it was).  In all seriousness, the scenic design was simple: white chairs, white tables, simple ladders, and such. Sound design was more significant, and Cameron Combe (FB)’s design worked well, providing the sound effects that the cast was unable to produce (he likely also consulted on the other sound effects). Lisa D. Katz (FB)’s lighting design supported everything, serving to focus the audience’s attention to the appropriate portions of the stage and amplifying the mood.  Vicki Conrad (FB)’s costume design was modern and definitely not period, but as long as it is not outrageous, almost anything works for this particular show. Rounding out the production credits: Heather Chesley (FB) [Artistic Chair); David Elzer (FB) (Marketing / Publicist); Amanda Rountree/FB [the real Stage Manager]; Lauren Thompson (FB) [Producer]; Selah Victor (FB) [Production Manager]; Anthony Zediker (FB) [Composer].

Our Town continues at Actor’s Co-op through October 23. Tickets are available through the Actor’s Co-op Website. Discount tickets may be available through Goldstar or LA Stage Tix. This is a classic show well worth seeing.

* * *

Ob. Disclaimer: I am not a trained theatre critic; I am, however, a regular theatre audience member. I’ve been attending live theatre and concerts in Los Angeles since 1972; I’ve been writing up my thoughts on theatre (and the shows I see) since 2004. I do not have theatre training (I’m a computer security specialist), but have learned a lot about theatre over my many years of attending theatre and talking to talented professionals. I pay for all my tickets unless otherwise noted. I am not compensated by anyone for doing these writeups in any way, shape, or form. I currently subscribe at Cabrillo Music Theatre (FB), the  Hollywood Pantages (FB), Actors Co-op (FB), the Chromolume Theatre (FB) in the West Adams district, and a mini-subscription at the Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC) (FB).  The Chromolume 2017 season looks particularly good: Zanna Don’t (Tim Acito, January 13 – February 5), Hello Again (Michael John LaChiusa, May 5- May 28), and Pacific Overtures (Stephen Sondheim, September 15 – October 8) — all for only $60). Past subscriptions have included  The Colony Theatre (FB) (which went dormant in 2016), and Repertory East Playhouse (“REP”) (FB) in Newhall (which entered radio silence in 2016). Through my theatre attendance I have made friends with cast, crew, and producers, but I do strive to not let those relationships color my writing (with one exception: when writing up children’s production, I focus on the positive — one gains nothing except bad karma by raking a child over the coals).  I believe in telling you about the shows I see to help you form your opinion; it is up to you to determine the weight you give my writeups.

Upcoming Shows:  Next weekend has another Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC) (FB) event: this time for Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. The third weekend has yet another VPAC event: An Evening with Kelli O’Hara on Friday, as well as tickets for Evita at Cabrillo Music Theatre (FB) on Saturday. The following weekend brings Turn of the Screw at Actors Co-op (FB) on October 22 and the new Tumbleweed Festival (FB) on October 23. The last weekend of October brings Linden Waddell’s Hello Again, The Songs of Allen Sherman at Temple Ahavat Shalom (a joint fundraiser for MoTAS and Sisterhood).

Allan Sherman Tribute Show at TASInterrupting this recap for a word from a sponsor: Linden Waddell’s Hello Again, The Songs of Allen Sherman at Temple Ahavat Shalom is open to the community, and is a joint fundraiser for MoTAS and Sisterhood. Please tell your friends about it. I’m Past President of MoTAS, and I really want this to be a success. Click on the flyer to the right for more information. It should be a really funny night.

Oh, and if that wasn’t enough, October is also the North Hollywood Fringe Festival (FB), although I doubt if we’ll have time for any shows. November will bring Hedwig and the Angry Inch at  the Hollywood Pantages (FB); a Day Out With Thomas at Orange Empire Railway Museum (FB) [excuse me, “Southern California Railway Museum”]; the Nottingham Festival (FB); and possibly Little Women at the Chance Theatre (FB) in Anaheim. We still have some open weekends in there I may book. We close out the year, in December, with the CSUN Jazz Band at the Annual Computer Security Applications Conference (ACSAC), Amalie at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB), The King and I at the Hollywood Pantages (FB); an unspecified movie on Christmas day; and a return to our New Years Eve Gaming Party.

As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Bitter-Lemons, Musicals in LA, @ This Stage, Footlights, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411 or that are sent to me by publicists or the venues themselves. Note: Although we can’t make it, I also recommend the 10th Anniversary Production of The Brain from Planet X at LACC. See here for the Indiegogo. Lastly, want to know how to attend lots of live stuff affordably? Take a look at my post on How to attend Live Theatre on a Budget.

This entry was originally posted on Observations Along The Road (on cahighways.org) as this entry by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link below; you can sign in with your LJ, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. There are currently comments on the Wordpress blog. PS: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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The Baker's Wife (Actors Co-Op)userpic=theatre_musicalsMusicals are interesting beasts. Some get to be very well known through success on Broadway — either by the awards they win, the tours they produce, their financial success, or their performances at the Tonys. Some (especially parody musicals) get to be well known through their off-Broadway success and their cast recordings. Some just produce great cast recordings and stay small and popular in the regional markets. Then there’s that fourth class: the class that becomes well known precisely because of their failure; their creation stories having become the stuff of legend. These musicals get revived more as curiosity pieces. Occasionally, the revival overcomes whatever the reason was for the original failure; sometimes these revivals go on to great success.

One of these “notable failure” musicals was Steven Schwartz (music and lyrics) and Joseph Stein (book)’s “The Baker’s Wife“, based off the movie ” La Femme du Boulanger“. Schwartz was coming off the successes of Godspell and Pippin; Stein was the book writer of Fiddler on the Roof. They developed Baker’s Wife and did a tour of the US with Topol and Carole Demas, who were eventually replaced by Paul Sorvino and Patti LuPone as the leads. The show played Los Angeles in May 1976 (alas, I didn’t see it (or if I did, I don’t remember it) — I was still in high school at the time, and not part of my parent’s LACLO subscription), and the Kennedy Center in November 1976. But the producer’s pulled it before Broadway, with never a good explanation. A studio cast album was made with some excerpts that preserved about 60% of the score; thank’s to this, awareness of the show never died. This album was primarily excerpts; it didn’t give the full score, and was not necessarily in order. But there were some songs that still became staples; most notably, “Meadowlark“. The show became, like Bock/Harnick’s She Loves Me, a show more appreciated because of its score than people having seen the show. Attempts to remount the show would happen occasionally, but it has never made it to Broadway. Last night we saw one such revival at The Actor’s Co-Op (FB) in Hollywood. I’m very glad we did.

The story is a fable, with an unstated moral. It is 1935 in a very small rural village in Provence, France. This is a village where nothing ever changes beyond the occasionally birth and deaths. There are quarrels — but they are never resolved. The bickering provides too much entertainment. The married men (Claude and Barnaby) bicker and put down their wives (Denise and Hortense, respectively), partially because they are pointedly not speaking with each other.  Doumergue bickers with Pierre because Pierre’s oak tree shades the sun from Antoine’s spinach. The priest (M. Le Cure) argues with the town teacher (M. Martine) for his embrace of logic and reason, and with the mayor (M. Marquis) for his embrace of passion with his three “neices”, Nicole, Inez, and Simone). The town drunk, Antoine, argues with everyone, and unmarried Therese watches on disapprovingly. The town is eagerly awaiting the arrival of their new baker: their previously one having died 7 weeks ago, having not arranged for a replacement in advance. Eventually, the baker (Aimable Castagnet) arrives, with his significantly younger and lovely wife, Genevieve. The town cannot understand why the two are together, but loves the resulting bread. One of Marquis’ men, his handyman Dominique, becomes smitten with Genevieve. With the help of his friend Philippe, he woos her and eventually convinces her to leave her husband, the baker. When she does, the baker initially doesn’t believe her — she has gone off to visit her mother. But with her gone, he can’t bake — and the town suffers. He goes on a drunk, and the men try to convince him he is better off without a wife. But he doesn’t believe them, so they organize to hunt for her. Most of the men don’t find her, but eventually she is found and convinced to come back. In the process, the various bickering in the town starts to resolve itself. She returns, and the baker refuses to hear her confession, telling her she has just gone to her mother. The baker’s cat Pom Pom, who had also run away, returned: the baker publicly scolds the cat summarizing everything the wife has done, but forgives her… and she forgives him, and the town has bread again.

I probably didn’t do this synopsis justice — you can also find one on Wikipedia, at MTI, or at the Guide to Musical Theatre … or you could read the libretto.

Watching the show, I tried to figure out how and why it failed. Initially, I thought it might just be a predictable plot. After all, from the minute you mean Genevieve, you know she is going to leave, and that it will destroy the Baker. Very predictable. Very unpleasant. But the show by the end redeemed itself and gave across a good message.

For a time, I thought it might have been Schwartz’ equivalent of Cy Coleman’s Welcome to the Club.  The way the men treat their wives is abhorrent, and the attitude towards woman (especially in the song “The Word’s Luckiest Man”) is horrible. It seemed to be a commentary from the authors about woman, and thus doomed to failure just like Coleman’s Welcome to the Club. Club was an extremely bitter musical about divorce and divorce jail. But as the show went on, this attitude turned around. Women started standing up for themselves, and there began to be reconciliation.

Eventually, I decided the problems was more the time and place of the show. This is not a show for a very large Broadway house, yet with the cast size it needs such a house for financial success. It was best in a small to mid-size house. The story — focusing on love and forgiveness — may also not have fit well in the cynical 1970s when the country was in the mood for neither. This show could come back with a successful production, if handled right.

So how, in the end, do I assess the story? I think ultimately this show is about love, and how love grows and does its magic when it moves from selfish to selfless love. Consider that the villagers learn how to move past their quarreling only when they move from their selfish focus to a selfless focus of finding Genevieve. Genevieve is initially with the Baker to get away from an affair with a married man; she separates easily when thinking only of herself and her pleasures. She finds real love and happiness when she comes back to the relationship and discovers the selfless love of being there for the Baker. The Baker finds the long-term love he needs through forgiveness (which, by definition, is putting someone else before you). The show also demonstrates the power of forgiveness and understanding, and of actually listening. Great messages.

One additional note: This musical makes one other statement about baked goods: they taste better when they are baked with love.

In short, I went in expecting to find a weak book was what doomed this show, and came out loving the underlying story.

I think part of the success is attributable to the director, Richard Israel (FB). Israel has a knack for coming up with great treatments of musicals that are either not well known or problematic. I loved his approaches on local versions of shows such as The Burnt Part BoysBig, AssassainsHaving It AllOnce Upon a Mattress, Kiss Me Kate, Falsettos, or an intimate version of Gypsy.   Israel handled the small space well, transitioning from the cafe to the bakery easily. I also noticed what I guess were the little touches: the expression on a face in the background, the reaction of a town member to a statement. The body language. As I’ve noted many times, I’m not an actor and have never been on a stage without a Powerpoint behind me. I have trouble separating where the actor’s experience ends and the director’s guidance starts. But I just have the sense here of a strong collaborative effort: Israel bringing ideas and vision, and working with the actors to realize them. However, the division, it worked well.

In a musical, the choreography and movement goes along closely with the direction. Julie Hall (FB), the choreographer, worked the small space well. This show doesn’t have a lot of large production numbers, but the ones they had worked well — I particularly enjoyed the movement and dance in “Bread”, “Mercie Madame”, and “The World’s Luckiest Man”.

In the lead acting positions were Greg Baldwin (FB) [Aimable Castagnet] and Chelle Denton (FB) [Genevieve Castagnet]. Baldwin’s Baker was a great everyman — middle aged, average looks, an easygoing personality. Denton’s Genevieve, in contrast, was a knockout. She didn’t have the build of the typical starting actress, but had a lovely and touching form and face — and particularly smile — that just made you melt. You agreed with the townspeople: how could this lovely thing end up with the everyman? In pondering this, I thought about my post yesterday, with an article on how it is life experiences that shape what people find attractive. Denton’s Genevieve was a woman who didn’t know what love was, and how it was distinguished from attraction and lust. Baldwin’s Baker was safe, and that safety was what was attractive. Genevieve brought this across well in her two key songs: “Meadowlark” in the Act I and “Where is the Warmth?” in Act II. In the first, she makes the decision to run off — to have the pleasure while she could, not thinking about the consequences; in the second, she sings of the realization that the physical may provide the heat but not the warmth of safety. Denton’s ability to convey this through the songs we create. The Baker, Aimable, was less of a solo singing role, although he did impart his message well in “If I Have to Live Alone” — he’d been alone before, and the memory of a love is sometime enough. What was best about Baldwin’s Aimable was his face and reaction, best seen in his reactions to “The World’s Luckiest Man” and “Feminine Companionship”… and in his final monologue as part of the Finale. Sitcom cinematographers understand this: humor often comes from the reaction; Baldwin had his reactions down pat.

The earworm of the show belongs to Treva Tegtmeire (FB)’s Denise. In addition to getting to sing the lovely ballad “Chanson” that keeps repeating throughout the show, Tegtmeiere has some great reaction shots as the wife of Jeffrey Markle (FB)’s Claude, particularly when Markle makes some of his more offensive lines about his wife.

Nick Echols (FB)’s Dominique has the right handsome looks to be attractive to Genevieve, and demonstrated he had a lovely singing voice in his “Serenade”, as well as in “Proud Lady”. It was nice to see Echols again — it is always great when we see actors from Repertory East Playhouse [REP] (FB) in Newhall (we saw Nick in Avenue Q back in January 2015) getting wonderful exposure to the rest of the LA Theatre community.

The remainder of the townspeople generally formed an ensemble that makes it difficult to single out any particular characters. Difficult, but not impossible. Jeffrey Markle (FB)’s Claude was not only Denise’s husband, but in a perpetual argument with Michael Worden (FB)’s Barnaby. The two portrayed this argument well — you truly believed they weren’t talking to each other for reasons they didn’t understand (which made the second act transformation work well). Worden was also strong in his interaction with Tracey Bunka’s Hortense — his wife. Worden’s Barnaby continually wouldn’t let her speak; Bunka captured the frustration quite well, which served her second act transition. Another arguing pair were Brian Dyer (FB)’s Pierre and Michael Riney (FB)’s Dourmergue. For these two, the argument was over spinach and trees, and it also came off believable (supporting their second act transition). Brandon Parrish (FB)’s Antoine was also notable in his comic portrayals of a headstrong man with no filter: I particularly enjoyed his “cuckold” imagery.

The Teacher, Kelly Brighton (FB) [M. Martine] had an interesting look and facial expression that drew the eye, and handled the rationality of the role well. Contrasting and conflicting with him was Tim Hodgin (FB)’s priest, M. LeCure, who gave off the correct amount of self-righteous authority and religious babble (and whose pronouncements were particularly interesting considering this came from the author of Godspell). The third element in opposition of M. Martine and M. LeCure was the hedonistic M. le Marquis (which the program lists as being portrayed by two actors: Christopher Maikish (FB) and Stephen Van Dorn (FB) — so I have no idea who we saw). Maikish or VanDorn was fun to watch with the role — it was clear he was having fun with the teasing and the presentation of that point of view. His “nieces” (where a niece is defined as the daughter of a brother, and aren’t all men brothers?) were Lindsey Schuberth (FB) [Simone], Greyson Chadwick (FB) [Inez], and Rachel Hirshee (FB) [Nicole]. These roles were written more as eye candy — and as such, I expected a little more unison is movement and action for some reason. They were provided the opportunity to break out of the undifferentiated eye candy in the song “Feminine Companionship” — which they did quite well — and in the scene where it was just the women. As Therese, Natalie Hope MacMillan (FB) was the town spinster, with predictable reactions to all that was going on. Lastly, Larray Grimes (FB) portrayed Philippe, Domininique’s friend and guitar player for Chanson.

Music direction was provided Jake Anthony (FB), who also conducted the on-stage band and played piano. Rachel Fastenow (FB) was next to him on flute and recorder, with Shaun Valentine (FB) on the other side on percussion (which included drums, washboards, triangles and bells). On the other side of the stage were Jay Rubottom (FB) on bass and Brian Manchen (FB) on accordian. About my only musical complaint is something out of control of the musicians: the volume on the flute tended to overwhelm the voices on stage, particularly Chelle Denton’s. As you can’t lower the volume of the flute, Denton needs to work on upping her volume at tad.

Finally, we turn to the technical and miscellaneous credits. The scenic design of Rich Rose (FB) worked well: tables in front to establish the place of the cafe, some sliding panels with French town scenes,  and the back with the bakery tables and bakery prices (in French ₣). These integrated with the properties of Hanna Mitchell/FB well. I’ll note that the properties include a lot of different styles of bread — if they are using actual bread, they must go through a fair amount of it! The sound of Warren Davis (FB) worked well — there wasn’t any amplification, but I did notice occasional background noises.  Bill E. Kickbush‘s lighting design worked well to establish mood and mostly blended in; however, the LED lights facing the audience at the back were overly noticeable. Wendell C. Carmichael/FB‘s costumes combined with Krys Fehervari (FB)’s hair and makeup design to create a believable town of the era; Chelle Denton’s dress was particularly lovely.  Rounding out the credits were: Heather Chesley (FB) [Artistic Chairperson], David Elzer/Demand PR (FB) [Publicity]; Kate Harmon/FB [Stage Manager]; Rory Patterson (FB) [Production Manager]; Michael D. H. Phillips/FB [Assistant Director]; Hanna Mitchell/FB [Assistant Stage Manager]; and Kimi Walker (FB) [Producer].

One additional note: This production has available for purchase as snacks the typical soda, water, chips, and candy. This is a missed opportunity. This show makes the audience hungry for fresh baked goodies for purchase. They could make some funds easily by having available for sale some fresh tarts, sweet-stuffed croissants, and brioche.

The Baker’s Wife continues at The Actor’s Co-Op (FB) in Hollywood through October 25, 2015. More information on the Actors Co-Op Page. Tickets are available online. It is sold out on Goldstar; discount tickets are no longer available through LA Stage Tix. What this says are: most shows are sold out, so get your tickets now while you can.

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

Upcoming Shows: October was being held for the NoHo Fringe Festival (FB); they’ve finally announced some shows but nothing yet is of interest. Given their delays, I started booking weekends with non-fringe shows. Next weekend brings “The Best of Enemies” at The Colony Theatre (FB). The third weekend of October takes us to Thousand Oaks for “Damn Yankees” at Cabrillo Music Theatre (FB). The fourth weekend of October brings “Uncle Vanya” at Antaeus Theatre Company (FB) in North Hollywood. Halloween weekend sees me at CSUN for Urinetown, and then both of us out in Simi Valley for “The Addams Family” at the Simi Cultural Arts Center (Simi Actors Rep Theatre (FB)). The following weekend sees us back in Simi for the Nottingham Festival (FB) on November 7. We then go out to Perris for “A Day Out with Thomas” at Orange Empire Railway Museum (FB) on November 11 (I can’t skip seeing my buddy Thomas and his friend Percy). The bookings for November conclude with Deathtrap at REP East (FB) on November 14; the rest of the month is currently open. December brings “Humble Boy” at The Colony Theatre (FB) the first weekend, followed by a mid-week stint as a producer, when we present The Nigerian Spam Scam Scam as the dinner entertainment at the Annual Computer Security Applications Conference (ACSAC). December also has dates held for “The Bridges of Madison County” at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB) and “If/Then” at the Pantages (FB). There are also a few other interesting productions I’m keeping my eyes open for. The first is the Fall show at The Blank Theatre (FB), “Something Truly Monstrous”, sounds wonderful — however, it runs through November 8, so squeezing it in would mean a double weekend. The show at the Kirk Douglas Theatre (FB) also sounds like an interesting exploration of clutter —  but “The Object Lesson” only runs through October 4, and I’m not sure we can squeeze it in. As always, I’m keeping my eyes open for interesting productions mentioned on sites such as Bitter-Lemons, and Musicals in LA, as well as productions I see on Goldstar, LA Stage Tix, Plays411.

This entry was originally posted on Observations Along The Road (on cahighways.org) as this entry by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link below; you can sign in with your LJ, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. There are currently comments on the Wordpress blog. PS: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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This afternoon we went out to the Actors Co-Op at the Crossley Theatre in Hollywood (MySpace) to see a Tony-award winning musical from 1969: “1776”. Before I go into the show, I’d like to describe the theatre and its company. The Crossley Theatres are located on the large campus of First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, and is the first Christian-based professional theatre company in the US that operates under a c0ntract with Actors Equity (I’ll note we’ve been to one other Church-based theatre company — ELATE Lincoln Steadman Theatre (where we saw “Songs for a New World”)). They’ve been around for 16 years, and did a remarkable job. It is an interesting company. I also note that we met shutterbug93 at the show — it is always a delight to see her when she is in town (her review).

On to the play itself. “1776” was produced on Broadway in 1969 and feature a book by Peter Stone (who did a number of other plays), and music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards (his only musical). It tells the story of what would normally not be viewed as a musical event: the events surrounding the Continental Congress’s Declaration of Independence. The lead character is John Adams, firebrand delegate from Mass., who is attempting to convince Congress to vote for independence. With his ally Benjamin Franklin, he convinces Thomas Jefferson to write the declaration, and then works to convince the other delegations, suffering moments of despondence along the way. The only female roles are that of Abigail Adams, which whom John has discussions in his head, and Martha Jefferson, who serves to eliminate some (uhh) “writers block” that Thomas Jefferson has. The play, although quite long (just under 3 hours), has delightful music, although it is not evenly spaced — there are along stretches of mainly dialog, making this much more a “play with music”. There are also points where the anti-war nature of the play comes through, especially in the song “Mama, Look Sharp” about the horrors of battle.

Actors Co-Op, for the most part, did a good job of the play with the resources they had. The principal lead was Bruce Ladd* as John Adams. Ladd did a very good job with the acting side of the role, creating a believable character with the requisite commitment. I felt his singing, at points, could have been a little bit stronger, but was certainly good. Larry Lederman, as Benjamin Franklin, also inhabited the character, and had a strong singing voice. The third member of our leading trio, Ben Hensley, was the strongest — great singing voice, great acting.

Turning to the two women in the cast: Leslie Spencer Smith was a strong Abigail Adams, with a delightful singing voice and good characterization. Also good was Erika Whalen* as Martha Jefferson. Although she only had one scene, I enjoyed her playfullness and vitality (although her singing could have been a tad stronger).

Looking at the rest of the Continental Congress and their aides, there are a few particular standouts. Stephen Van Dorn did a remarkable job as Edward Rutledge, especially on the song “Molasses to Rum”. Alson strong was Matt Lutz* as the courier, especially in “Momma Look Sharp”, the last number in Act 1. I also liked Michael Downing’s performace as John Dickinson, especially in one of my favorite songs, “Cool Considerate Men”. The last person I would like to single out is Don Robb as Stephen Hopkins, who was just fun to watch. Rounding out the cast was Tad Atkinson (Reverend John Witherspoon), Ryan Beringer (Josiah Bartlett), Gary Clemmer* (John Hancock), Rick Marcus (Andrew McNair), Stephen Folds (Roger Sherman), Greg Martin (Samuel Chase), Tim Farmer* (Caesar Rodney), Jim Keily (James Wilson), Mark Kinsey Stephenson (Richard Henry Lee), Carl Moebus (Dr. Lyman Hall), Michael Mulligan (Thomas McKean), David Nadeau (Leather Apron/Painter), Markus Parker (Philip Livingston), David Scales (George Read), Brian Sparrow (Joseph Hewes), Ronnie Steadman (Charles Thomson) and Gary Steelman (Lewis Morris).

Turning to the technical side. The music was directed by Johanna Kent, leading a four-piece ensemble (keyboard, piano, violin, and drums). I felt that this wasn’t enough for the show (it probably needed double that for the right sound), but was likely all they could fit in the space. The scenery was excellent for the space, consisting of the main congress room with adjustable lighting and two side areas for the outside scenes — Stephen Gifford is to be commended for his use of the space, Lisa D. Katz for her lighting, and Lori Berg for her props. Sound design was by Cricket S. Myers. The costumes by A. Jeffrey Schoenberg seemed reasonably period. Stage management was by Doirean Heldt assisted by Amanda Bell. Choreography was by Allison Bibicoff, who made excellent use of the small space. The production was directed by Richard Israel. The artistic directors for Actors Co-op are Micha Kobayashi and Mark Kinsey Stephenson, and the producing director is Paul Stuart Graham.

“1776” continues at Actors Co-Op until March 16, 2008.

As for us, the next show on the theatre calendar is likely one of the productions of Grease at Van Nuys High the weekend of March 6-8, although I may get tickets for something one of the remaining weekends in February (I’m keeping my eyes on a production of “Assassins”). Also sometime in March will be “W;t” at REP East (it runs 3/7 through 4/5). March 15 brings “Jekyll & Hyde” at Cabrillo Music Theatre, followed the next day by “Sweeney Todd” at the Ahmanson. That’s our current 1Q08 in theatre, as we know it now.

This entry was originally posted on Observations Along The Road (on cahighways.org) as this entry by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link below; you can sign in with your LJ, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. There are currently comments on the Wordpress blog. PS: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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