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Life of Pi (Ahmanson/CTG)Astounding.

That was what I turned and said to my wife at the conclusion of Life of Pi, which we just saw at the Ahmanson Theatre. That was an astounding production.

Life of Pi gets to the heart of what makes theatre both special and different from the cinema. The cinema is by definition realistic (unless you are dealing with animation). You see people and things in the real world, and often the conceits of the theatrical worse (such as people that sing their feelings or burst into dancing) just seem odd on the silver screen. Adapting a stage production for film often involves figuring out how transfer the limited stage elements into the real world.

Moving from film to the stage is a harder transition. You have to figure out what elements of the story translate. It is harder to establish settings, and to do transitions. The stage, moreso than any medium, requires imagination. It requires the audience to fill in the details, to translate from the limited physics available to the stage technician to the fully realized image.\

This brings us to Life of Pi.

Now, I’ve never seen the movie upon which this is based (well, that’s not true—I caught about 20 minutes of it, near the end, on TV recently). All I knew was that it was about a tiger and an Indian boy stranded on a boat together. The movie depended on cinema magic: creation of the boat, creation of the animals, creation of the magic. All this was doable for the screen with animation and green screens. Animation makes many things possible on the screen that can’t be done in real life. But how do you move that magic to the stage?

The answer was a combination of puppetry, projection, and choreography. Puppetry created the animals: from butterflies to fish to turtles to hyenas to zebras to giraffes to organatans to goats, and of course, to Richard Parker, a Bengal Tiger. Teams of puppeteers brought these creatures to life. The movement and the images brought the audience about 85% to the point of realism, and the mind filled in the rest. This included scenes like the evisceration of the zebra, which was done through sufficiently suggestive ribbons of red (and none of the wet gore that was seen in the Lt. of Inishmore). The second tool was projection: not just projections of the background, which is now common in theatre. There were projections on to the stage floor, which created the illusion of the ocean and the waves without a single drop of water.  This was combined with an almost poetic choreography that was constantly moving, pacing, flowing, with people raising things up and moving them down. Adding to this, unseen, was the work of the sound designers: the sounds of the ocean, the crack of the bones when the tigers and hyenas ate their prey, the breaths and the huffs of the animals. With all of that, the mind did what it does best: fill in the details with imagination, and the stage came alive thanks to suggestions of realism.

To put it another way: This production got you so engrossed in the story and the magic that you actually believed this was a young man and a tiger on the ocean. You believed there was an injured zebra.

Two comparisons for this show come to mind: The Lion King and Harry Potter and the Cursed ChildThe Lion King brought astounding puppetry to the stage; when it came out, nothing like it had been seen. I’d argue that the puppets in Pi are direct descendants from those in Lion King: More articulation, and even more realistic movement. Harry Potter for the stage magic, and the intense creation of illusion of spaces.

This also means that Pi is a unique theatrical experience. Do not expect to see Life of Pi, at this level, at a regional theatre or on the small stage. This show may be a flash-in-the-pan: Unlikely to be remounted after the original tour. It is not the type of show that will have a long life at all the levels of the theatrical production tree: Jr. to Sr. productions, intimate theatres to regional remounts. This translates to the imperative: See this production.

You’ll notice that while I’ve been talking about the magic, I haven’t been talking that much about the story. I think that’s because, when you separate the story from the magic, there isn’t all that much there. Young man gets shipwrecked, does what he needs to do to survive.  There are philosophical comments about God. There are insights about survival, and about who the dangerous animals are. But the story seems to be less the point in this show. This show is about the journey: the journey from a small zoo in India and the subsequent survival.  You don’t walk out of the theatre astonished by the story of survival; you walk out astounded by the magic on the stage. It there is one drawback here, it is that: the story gets lost in the stagecraft. That’s what you remember from this production.

But, when you think about it, there is a philosophical point being made here. Near the end of the show, Pi is coerced into telling a different version of his survival—one that eschews the stories of the zebras, orangutans, and RIchard Parker for one that involves the cook, another sailor, his mother, and cannibalism. The folks interviewing Pi realize that the two versions of the stories have the same elements: four individuals, with similar plot beat points. They could be viewed as two different visualizations of the same story. The question is then asked: Which version is the better story? Which version do they want to be the story?

Perhaps that is the lesson from Life of Pi: How do we tell our stories, and which versions of the stories do we want to believe? The truth is often harsh and ugly. Perhaps the answer is to see the magic behind the truth.

Speaking of the magic behind the truth: What of the performers behind the stage magic. I’ve already talked about the talents of the puppeteers, who brought the animals to life. Savidu Geevaratne, as Pi, did a remarkable job with the character, bringing him to life and interacting with the puppets. Other characters had a lot less stage time, but I did quite like Sharayo Mahale’s Rani.

One last additional note: This week, CTG announced the One CTG season for 2025-2026. For a “one” season, it sure seemed like two seasons that were not talking to each other. I say this because the addition of the Taper is not coordinated with the Ahmanson subscriptions, and thus, for two of the dates (meaning four shows), the Taper and Ahmanson shows are on the same date and the same time. When this was brought to the attention of CTG subscription services, their response was that we can change the date when the window to change dates opens sometime in July, after all series subscriptions are processed. This is extremely poor care and feeding of subscribers: CTG should present subscribers with tickets that do not have date conflicts: it is their job to resolve the conflict initially if they created it. I’ll say it again: Broadway in Hollywood is an order of magnitude better in care and feeding of subscribers; the Ahmanson is better only in parking and accessibility. In this era where theatres must keep every subscriber, CTG seems to be doing whatever it can to lose its subscriber base. The new season is also “meh” in many ways: With the large number of excellent touring productions that Broadway in Hollywood didn’t choose (Water for Elephants, The Outsiders, Great Gatsby), what does CTG bring in? The Mamma Mia anniversary show. Big Meh. The Ahmanson also has something that BIH doesn’t have: the ability to mount its own productions. CTG could have brought in some of the productions that aren’t touring as remounts: How to Dance in Ohio, or Illinoise. They did this with Here Lies Love. But again, what do we get? A stage version of Paranormal Activity? CTG can do better.

Life of Pi continues at the Ahmanson Theatre through June 1. Tickets are available through the Ahmanson Website. It is well worth seeing for the astounding stage magic.

———

Life of Pi. Based on the novel by Yann Martel, adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti. Directed by Max Webster; tour direction by Ashley Brooke Monroe.

Cast (underlining indicates individuals in the production we saw; greyed-out names indicates folks seemingly not in our show): Savidu Geevaratne Pi, Ensemble; Taha Mandviwala Pi, Toussaint Jeanlouis Cook, Voice of Richard Parker, Richard Parker/Puppeteer, Ensemble; Oge Agulué Cook, Voice of Richard Parker; Jessica Angleskhan Amma, Nurse, Orange Juice; Alan Ariano Mr. Okamoto, Captain, Jai; Pragun Bhardwaj Ensemble; Ben Durocher Cook, Voice of Richard Parker, Richard Parker/Puppeteer; Shiloh Goodin Richard Parker/Puppeteer, Ensemble; Anna Leigh Gortner Richard Parker/Puppeteer, Ensemble; Aaron Haskell Richard Parker/Puppeteer, Ensemble; Jon Hoche Richard Parker/Puppeteer; Rishi Jaiswal Mamaji, Pandit-Ji; Mi Kang Lulu Chen, Mrs. Biology Kumar, Zaida Khan; Intae Kim Puppeteer, Ensemble (Swing); Sharayo Majale Rani; Sinclair Mitchell Admiral Jackson, Russian Sailor, Father Martin; Maya Rangulu Ensemble (Swing); Betsy Rosen Richard Parker/Puppeteer, Ensemble; Anna Vomáĉka Richard Parker/Puppeteer; Sorab Wadia Father; Andrew Wilson Richard Parker/Puppeteer, Ensemble; Swings: Mahnaz Damania; Intae Kim; Maya Rangulu.

Production and Creatives: Tim Hatley Scenic Design, Costume Design; Finn Caldwell Co-Puppet Design, Puppetry/Movement Director; Nick Barnes Co-Puppet Design; Betsy Rosen Assistant Puppetry and Movement Director, Puppet Captain; Jon Hoche U.S. Associate Puppetry & Movement Director, Resident Director; Andrzej Goulding Video and Animation Design; Tim Lutkin Lighting Design; Tim Deiling Lighting Design; Carolyn Downing Sound Design; David Brian Brown Wig Design: Andrew T. Mackay Original Music; Jack Bradley Dramaturgy; Scarlet Wilderink Global Associate Puppetry & Movement Director; ARC Casting; Austin Wong Harper Lift Captain; Toussaint Jeanlouis Fight Captain; Bond Theatrical Tour Booking, Marketing, and Publicity; Katie Cortez Company Manager; Frank Deming II Assoc. Company Manager; Kelsey Tippins Production Stage Manager; Matthew Brooks Stage Manager; Fouad Hassan Asst. Stage Manager; Gentry & Associates General Manager.

♦ ♦ ♦

Administrivia: I am not a professional critic. I’m a cybersecurity professional, a roadgeek who does a highway site and a podcast about California Highways, and someone who loves live performance. I buy all my own tickets, unless explicitly noted otherwise. I do these writeups to share my thoughts on shows with my friends and the community. I encourage you to go to your local theatres and support them (ideally, by purchasing full price tickets, if you can afford to do so). We currently subscribe or have memberships at: Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson TheatreBroadway in Hollywood/Pantages TheatrePasadena Playhouse; The Soraya, and 5-Star Theatricals. We’re looking for the right intimate theatre to subscribe at — it hasn’t been the same since Rep East died (it’s now The Main, and although it does a lot of theatre, it doesn’t have seasons or a resident company), and post-COVID, most 99-seaters aren’t back to doing seasons (or seasons we like). I used to do more detailed writeups; here’s my current approach.

Upcoming ♦ Theatre / ♣ Music / ◊ Other Live Performance – Next 90ish Days (⊕ indicates ticketing is pending).

===> Click Here To Comment <==This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as An Astounding Story of Survival | "Life of Pi" at CTG/Ahmanson by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link to the left. You can sign in with your LJ, DW, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. Note: Subsequent changes made to the post on the blog are not propagated by the SNAP Crossposter; please visit the original post to see the latest version. P.S.: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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44: The Musical (CTG/Kirk Douglas)Political satire musicals are an interesting sub-genre. In my youth, these were often records, such as
The First Family“, “The New First Family” (and I guess even my favorite, Stan Freberg Presents The United States of America would fall into that category). Later, they became local shows or fringe-festival hits. I’m thinking of shows like The Beastly Bombing (which we’ve seen), Clinton: The Musical (which I’ve heard). I’m actually scared to think about what the future Trump musical will be, although I expect quite a few attempts at the upcoming Hollywood Fringe Festival (there were loads in past HFF – Trump Family Special, Transition, Trump in Space, Zombie Clown Trump… you get the idea). I’m talking about this sub-genre because we saw one of its members at the Kirk Douglas Theatre last night: 44: The Musical. This was part of CTG>>FWD, CTG’s fill-in programming at their theatres that are advertised to season ticket holders, but aren’t part of the One CTG season proper.

44: The Musical focuses on the election and first term of Barak Obama, as remembered by Joe Biden (and we all know how reliable Joe’s memory is). This is young Joe, who wants to be seen and be a part of things, but is really in the background. Joe has two areas of interest: Barack’s relationship with Michelle, and Barack’s battle with W.H.A.M. — the society of White Heterosexual Angry Men, led by Mitch McConnel and Ted Cruz, and of which Herman Cain is the required token member to show they don’t discriminate. The songs cover a lot of posturing (and include loads of profanity and sexual talk — this is not a show for kids). Pulling out the posturing, the focus in Obama’s doubts about his ability to succeed, his battles with a Congress determined to stop him, and the hatred and divide in the US that only widened with his election (even though he hoped it would be otherwise). Sad to say, but this show does make the valid point that Trump was a knee-jerk response to Obama’s election as the W.H.A.M. electorate vowed to never again be ruled by a minority, and to do whatever they can to prevent that from happening again.

There are a number of funny bits and some good comic lines: I particularly liked the aside about how the Republicans would never nominate a narcissistic candidate only interested in revenge, or something like that. I also enjoyed the portrayal of Fox News anchors as robotic blond female drones. But there were points where the show dragged on, and the point of the humor was lost.

I will say the show made me realize that while everyone can remember who McCain’s running mate was, no one remembers Mitt Romney’s running mate. You have to look it up (it was Paul Ryan).

Although there were some earworms (and I’ll note the cast album is available for listening but not download, unless you know HTML tricks), the music isn’t particularly memorable nor would it have a long life outside of the show. It works in context, and sounds better on the album than in the theatre because they over-amplified everything, making the bass painful and the lyrics hard to make out. Some songs were changed from the cast album version: notably, “Gay for the N.R.A.” was replaced with “Thoughts and Prayers”; “Just a Boner” was replaced with “M.F.M. (Muthafukin’ McConnell)”; and “Yes We Can” was dropped.

The performances were strong. Some were more focused on the comedy, such as Chad Doreck’s Joe Biden or Larry Cedar’s Mitch McConnell. Others were more focused on the music, such as T.J. Wlkins’ Barack Obama, Shanice’s Michelle Obama, and Summer Nicole Greer’s Voice of the People. But I think that overall the performances were good.

Should you go see it? Well, it would be hard as the rest of the run is sold-out, but let’s talk in the abstract. If the loudness of music bothers you, no. This was just too loud. If it was at a normal volume, then it is worth it for the political humor, if you are in the mood for that. If you have trouble with either side being knocked down a peg or two, then avoid this and wait for The Sound of Music to return to the Pantages.

44: The Musical continues at the Kirk Douglas through March 23. Tickets, if available, would be on the show’s CTG page.

———

44: The Musical. Book, Music, and Lyrics by Eli Bauman. Directed by Eli Bauman. Choreography by Miss James Alsop.

Cast (æ indicates Actors Equity): T. J. Wilkins Barack Obama; Shanice Michelle Obama; Chad Doreckæ Joe Biden; Larry Cedaræ Mitch McConnell; Marquell Edward Clayton Brother Abe Lincoln; Summer Nicole Greer Voice of the People; Jane Papageorgeæ Sarah Palin; Jenna Pastuszek Hillary Clinton; Dino Shorté Herman Cain; Jeff Sumneræ Lindsey Graham, Coexist Lady; Michael Uribesæ Ted Cruz. Understudies: Celeste Butleræ u/s Michelle Obama and Voice of the People; Ally Dixon u/s Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin; Scott Kruse u/s  Joe Biden, Mitch McConnell, Ted Cruz, and Lindsey Graham.

Music Department; Anthony “Brew” Brewster Musical Director / Music Co-Producer, Keyboards; Conrad Bauer Guitar; Corey Cofield Bass; Phillip “Fish” Fisher Drums; Greg Raymond Keyboards.

Production and Creative: Julie Himede, Avigail Gutfeld, and Yellow Studio Scenic Design; Nathan W. Scheuer Lighting and Projection Design; Haley Meeker Costume Designer; Valerie Klarich Costume Consultant; Jonathan Burke Sound Design; Jud Nester Content Producer; Mike Emerson Graphic and Video Design; Bridget Rooney Production Stage Manager; Cassy Sottile Asst. Stage Manager; Johnny Rice Assoc. Choreographer; Sightline Productions Production Management; Situation Interactive Digital Advertising; Vic Cairl Marketing Strategist; DR Theatrical Manager General Manager; Eli Bauman Lead Producer; Monica Saunders-Weinberg Lead Producer; Steve McKeever Consulting Producer; Conrad Bauer Assoc. ProducerAnthony “Brew” Brewster Music Co-Producer; Shanice & Kerry Gordy Co-Producer.

♦ ♦ ♦

Administrivia: I am not a professional critic. I’m a cybersecurity professional, a roadgeek who does a highway site and a podcast about California Highways, and someone who loves live performance. I buy all my own tickets, unless explicitly noted otherwise. I do these writeups to share my thoughts on shows with my friends and the community. I encourage you to go to your local theatres and support them (ideally, by purchasing full price tickets, if you can afford to do so). We currently subscribe or have memberships at: Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson TheatreBroadway in Hollywood/Pantages TheatrePasadena Playhouse; and 5-Star Theatricals. We’re looking for the right intimate theatre to subscribe at — it hasn’t been the same since Rep East died (it’s now The Main, and although it does a lot of theatre, it doesn’t have seasons or a resident company), and post-COVID, most 99-seaters aren’t back to doing seasons (or seasons we like). I used to do more detailed writeups; here’s my current approach.

Upcoming ♦ Theatre / ♣ Music / ◊ Other Live Performance – Next 90ish Days (⊕ indicates ticketing is pending).

===> Click Here To Comment <==This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as M.F. Obama, F. U. Ted Cruz | "44: The Musical" @ CTG/Kirk Douglas by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link to the left. You can sign in with your LJ, DW, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. Note: Subsequent changes made to the post on the blog are not propagated by the SNAP Crossposter; please visit the original post to see the latest version. P.S.: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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Fake It Until You Make It (CTG/Mark Taper Forum)A few years ago, the Center Theatre Group was about to produce its first commission of a piece by a Native American playwright, as part of a season celebrating diverse voices and authors. But an internal financial crisis happened,  and the show was cancelled while the theatre regrouped. It finally made it to the stage a year or two later… but by then, the administration in Washington changed, giving a bunch of different meanings to the play (for example, the line “She put a MAGA sticker on my Telsa” has a completely different meaning now than it did two years ago). Reviewers looking at the show now seem to be focused on how the Trumpian lens changes things. We saw the show yesterday, and I came away thinking something different.

The show, if you haven’t figured it out by now, is Fake It Until You Make It‘, written by Larissa Fasthorse. The last performance is today; it then moves to the Arena Stage in Washington DC, where I’m sure it will have a different reception under this administration than it would under Biden. But then again, they may not see it at all as the Trump folks don’t strike me as the type that cares about theatre.

At its broadest, Fake It tells the story of a number of non-profits that work with the Native American communities. One is run by a young Native American woman, Wynona. The other is run by a non-Native (i.e., White) woman. These organizations share a small space with two other organizations, one some form a legal-aid group run by Grace, and the other support Native American Two-Spirit folks, run by Krys. In order to be eligible for a government grant, the organizations require Native American involvement, so River is hiring a Native American co-director, and River mistakes Winona’s white boyfriend, Theo, as this Native American applicant, Mark. Add to this a custody battle over a pussycat and loads of bad blood between Winona and River, and the situation is set.

The setup of the story makes this clear: It is a farce. There is mistaken identity, sexual innuendo aplenty, lots of timing games and slamming of doors. I could easily imagine making a farce afternoon of it, pairing this show with Noises Off currently playing at the Geffen. When viewed as a farce or even as a sitcom, this is very very funny. In fact, one could see this easily optioned into a sitcom: it could likely entertain episode storytelling in this suite of offices quite well.

As noted above, there are aspects of the show that just haven’t aged well as we’ve entered in an error that abhors DEI and diversity. Government grants such as the ones in this show that support underserved communities are gone. Requirements for diversity in hiring are gone. The premise has become dated; for some, that destroys the humor of the piece. I disagree, but I do see the impact. As I noted above, the line from River about Wynona putting a MAGA sticker on her Tesla has a completely different meaning now. Back then, having a Tesla was virtue signaling for progressives; now, Teslas are seen as support for Elon Musk, who is an arm of the Trump administration and a clear Nazi supporter. That’s a 180° change in meaning.

There are some notions in the piece that are quite thought provoking: primarily, the notion expressed by Grace of “race-shifting”. She takes the notion of gender identity and extends it to the notion of racial identity. Grace’s argument is: If one can “identify” as male or female based on what the brain feels, as opposed to what is physically present, then why not extend that to race? Why can’t a white person who considers themselves culturally black “identify” as a black person? Why can’t someone identify as “Native American”? One might argue that this is ad-absurdum pro-Conservative or MAGA argument attempting to show how silly the idea of Gender identity is. After all, they made fun of trans folks by talking about folks identifying as cats or dogs.  But, on the other hand, it is an equally valid complaint against the progressive side: the same folks who argue for self-determined gender identity refuse to accept it for racial identities. [Meanwhile, we Jews laugh: Anyone can convert into Judaism.] But it is a serious thought question: Why are “trans” notions accepted for gender and not race? That question is at the heart of this play. Unfortunately, it isn’t resolved or even dealt with deeply; it is played more for laughs. But, then again, cross-dressing started out as a play for laughs.

There are other issues brought up as well. Wynona doesn’t want to marry Theo because she is Native American and he is white, and she wants to preserve the genetics of her tribe. The government wants Native American involvement in the operations of these non-profits because it believes that a 100% white run organizations won’t work in the interests of Native Americans. There is lots of talk of the colonization of Native American lands by white people, and the need for reparations. All interesting issues, and all playing into the swirling argument about what DEI is, and whether DEI is good … and, from the MAGA point of view, whether DEI has actually been discriminatory for the white community.

When one strips away the racial aspects of this story, it devolves rather quickly into the sitcom tropes: mistaken identity, sexual jokes. In some ways, I’m not sure this play knows what it wants to be. Is it a sitcom/farce? Is it a commentary on the idea of “trans” and gender identity? Is it a commentary on DEI and an over-emphasis on race and race requirements? What does it say that a Native-American playwright is the one bringing up these issues, which are arguably not all that progressive? All good questions; none are answered by this play.

Oh, and of course the last question: How will this play in the early days of the Trump 47 administration? Will any of his cronies go see this, and how will it land with their mindset. Will the reception be different in MAGA Washington DC from progressive Los Angeles CA?

Normally, the next question would be: Should go to see it? On the surface, the answer is easy. The show closes today, and by the time this review hits, you might be able to catch the last matinee or evening show, but that’s it. Then its off to DC. But were it staying, should you see it? I think so. It is a very funny show, and raises quite a few interesting questions (and I never even talked about the running joke with the pussy).

OK, I will. What is it with CTG and their animosity towards cats? First, there was The Lieutenant of Inishmore at the Taper back in 2010 (with a remarkable cast, looking back: Zoe Perry and Chris Pine). Inishmore revolved around a bloody fight over a cat. Then we have Fake It, which again has at its heart a fight over an unseen cat. If I were a feral cat anywhere near the Taper, I’d keep far far away. That place is feckin’ dangerous for pussys.

In any case, Fake It Until You Make It was quite funny, and quite thought provoking. I found it well worth seeing.

———

Fake It Until You Make It. Written by Larissa FastHorse. Directed by Michael John Garcés.

Cast: Noah Bean Theo; Eric Stanton Betts Mark; Julie Bowen River; Tonantzin Carmelo Wynona; Brandon Delsid Krys; Dakota Ray Hebert Grace. Understudies: Aleisha Force u/s River; Burgandi Trejo Phoenix u/s Wynona, u/s Grace; Kenny Ramos u/s Krys, u/s Mark; Josh Bywater u/s Theo.

Production and Creative: Sara Ryung Clement Set Designer; E. B. Brooks Costume Designer; Tom Ontiveros Lighting Designer; John Nobori Sound Designer; Janell Turley Wig, Hair, and Make-Up Designer; Edgar Landa Fight Director; Kim WIlliams Casting; David S. Franklin Production Stage Manager; Miriam E. Mendoza Stage Manager; Jessa Calderon (https://www.jessacalderon.com/) Mural Art – Searching the Galaxy; River Garza (https://www.rivergarza.com/) Mural Art – Sky Coyote and The Angelino; Marlena Myles (https://marlenamyl.es/) Mural Art  – Unči Makhá’s Shawl.

Favorite Minor Credit: Indigenious Direction Indigeneity Trainings and Consultations.

♦ ♦ ♦

Administrivia: I am not a professional critic. I’m a cybersecurity professional, a roadgeek who does a highway site and a podcast about California Highways, and someone who loves live performance. I buy all my own tickets, unless explicitly noted otherwise. I do these writeups to share my thoughts on shows with my friends and the community. I encourage you to go to your local theatres and support them (ideally, by purchasing full price tickets, if you can afford to do so). We currently subscribe or have memberships at: Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson TheatreBroadway in Hollywood/Pantages TheatrePasadena Playhouse; and 5-Star Theatricals. We’re looking for the right intimate theatre to subscribe at — it hasn’t been the same since Rep East died (it’s now The Main, and although it does a lot of theatre, it doesn’t have seasons or a resident company), and post-COVID, most 99-seaters aren’t back to doing seasons (or seasons we like). I used to do more detailed writeups; here’s my current approach.

Upcoming ♦ Theatre / ♣ Music / ◊ Other Live Performance – Next 90ish Days (⊕ indicates ticketing is pending).

===> Click Here To Comment <==This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as Picking Up the Punch Lines | "Fake It Until You Make It" @ CTG/Mark Taper by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link to the left. You can sign in with your LJ, DW, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. Note: Subsequent changes made to the post on the blog are not propagated by the SNAP Crossposter; please visit the original post to see the latest version. P.S.: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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Sondheim's Old Friends (CTG/Ahmanson)It’s been a while, hasn’t it. I’ve missed being in a large dark space in a central part of town, putting my cares away for 2-3 hours of entertainment. Our last theatre was back in December. We saw one concern in January that wasn’t worth writing up (Suzie Hansen Latin Jazz Band), and the other show was cancelled due to the Eaton Fire. But the drought has ended and we’ve got theatre or other activities pretty steady into mid-to-late April. One of those activities is worth mentioning before I get into this: The California Science and Engineering Fair.  It is now independent from the California Science Center, and the plans are to return to an in-person fair at Cal Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks on Sunday, April 13 (yes, the first day of Passover). We need judges. If you might be qualified, you can either sign up or add yourself to the list to be notified at the Judges page. If you’re not local, I might be able to find sleeping space, and you’ll be invited to our seder).

Back to the theatre: Our first show of 2025 was a delight: A concertish lightly staged presentation of the music of Stephen Sondheim that opened in London shortly after his passing (he was involved in its creation), with a spectacular assemblage of talent. Music was drawn from many of Sondheim’s shows (but not all), and most of the songs were some of the better known ones from his catalog. I do applaud the inclusion of a bit of one song from Roadshow (Bounce), but it was a bit disappointing that some elements of the catalog were omitted in favor of the popular. If this was to have been the final compilation show of Sondheim, remembering the shining bits of the less successful shows would have been good. The shows represented in this included: CompanyFunny Thing…Forum, A Little Night Music, Passion, Roadshow, Dick TracyInto the Woods, Sweeney ToddSunday in the Park with GeorgeWest Side StoryGypsyFolliesThe Mad ShowMerrily We Roll Along.

Most of the pieces worked well. There were a few very minor disappointments. I think the choreography wasn’t the most spectacular—I don’t like choreography that is too specific in mirroring the lyrics. It seems lazy to me. I can tolerate a little, but here it became noticeable, and that’s distracting. I didn’t like the presentation of “Buddy’s Blues” with only Jason playing both parts. It hurt the humor of that piece, and one of the other co-starts could easily have been added to the number. I also didn’t like the pastiche at the start of “Broadway Baby”, although it was toned down from the version on the London recording. It just didn’t land right.

Other numbers were spectacular. Beth’s “The Ladies Who Lunch” was spectacular. Bonnie’s “I’m Still Here” was wonderful. The interplay between Kyle and Kevin in “Agony” was a lot of fun. Bernadette’s take on “I Know Things Now/Bound” was quite a bit of fun. Lea did a powerful take on “Everything’s Coming Up Roses”. Beth and Gavin were great in “The Little Things You Do Together”.

I’m using first names above, because that’s how they are referring to folks in the program. The main “stars” of the show were Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga. They were in and out of numbers in both acts, and generally they were strong (although at points Bernadette’s voice was showing its age, especially at the end of “Losing My Mind”). You should know that Bernadette’s take on “You Gotta Get a Gimmick” (she was Miss Mazeppa) was great: she’s at the age where the portrayal of a tired burlesque artist, dependent on a gimmick, fits well. I’ve seen her throughout her career: My first exposure to her was in Mack & Mabel at the LACLO at the Dorothy Chandler in the mid 1970s; she’s now in the Liza-era: a true American artist icon. Salonga, who we last saw in a concert at the Soraya a few years ago, was wonderful as always.

The supporting co-stars were no slouches. I’ve already highlighted some, such as Bonnie Langford, Beth Leavel, Gavin Lee, and Kevin Earley. There were also some who are lesser known, but were equally special. Notable here were Jasmine Forsberg and Maria Wirries. Jasmine’s voice was great, and her face was just fun to watch (and she was great in “On The Steps to the Palace”). Maria had a powerhouse voice that was featured in a number of the songs. It looks like we might have seen Jasmine before: She was in the First National Tour of Six.

The production was lightly staged. There were a few props to suggest the scenes, and a few additional to the costumes to suggest the characters, but it wasn’t extensive. It was sufficient.

This was a wonderful show, and a great way to get back to the theatre. Strong performances. Great songs. Go see it.

Sondheim’s Old Friends continues at the Ahmanson Theatre through March 9, 2025. Tickets are available through the CTG website. Discount tickets may be avalable through TodayTix.

———

Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends. Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim*. Devised by Cameron Mackintosh. Choreography by Stephen Mear. Direction and Musical Staging by Matthew Bourne. Side by Side with Julia McKenzie.

Cast: Starring Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga. Co-starring: Jacob Dickey, Kevin Earley, Jasmine Forsberg, Kate Jennings Grant, Bonnie Langford, Beth Leavel, Gavin Lee, Jason Pennycooke, Joanna Riding, Jeremy Secomb, Kyle Selig, Maria Wirries, and Daniel Yearwood. Co-star alternates: Paige Faure, Alexa Lopez, Greg Mills, Peter Neureuther. Mr. Producer voiced by Cameron Mackintosh.

Music Department: Jonathan Tunick Original Orchestrations*; Stephen Metcalfe Musical Arrangements; Alfonso Casado Trigo, Stephen Brooker Musical Supervision; Annbritt duChateau Music Director; Danny Percefull Assoc. Music Director/Keyboard 1; Brett Rowe Keyboard 2; Tristan Cappel Woodwind 1; Joe Stone Woodwind 2; Rusty Higgins Woodwind 3; Danielle Ondarza Horn; Dan Fornero Trumpet 1; James Ford Trumpet 2; Alan Kaplan Trombone; Alex Bailey Drums/Percussion; Jen Choi Fischer Violin; David Mergen Cello; Kevin Axt Bass; Robert Payne Contractor; Brad Gardner Keyboard 2 Sub.
—————-
*Sunday in the Park with George: Michael Starobin Orchestrations; A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum: Sid Ramin & Irwin Kostal OrchestrationsWest Side Story: Sid Ramin & Irwin Kostal Orchestrations, Leonard Bernstein MusicGypsy: Sid Ramin & Robert Ginzler Orchestrations, Jule Styne MusicThe Mad Show: Mary Rogers Music.

Production and Creatives: Matt Kinley Scenic Design; Jill Parker Costume Design; Warren Letton Lighting Design; Mick Potter Sound Design; George Reeve Projection Design; Stefan Musch Wig, Hair, and Makeup Design; Jo Morris Assoc. Choreographer; Nikki Woollaston Assoc. Director; Paige Faure Dance Captain; David Lober Production Stage Manager; Michelle Blair Stage Manager; Anna Belle Gilbert Stage Manager; The TRC Company Casting; Edward Nelson Company Manager; What if We Productions Production Management.

Favorite Minor Credit: Viva la Visa Visa ServicesThis has no relationship to credit cards, but to coordinating international travel for creatives. This is likely to become more of an issue thanks to the new administration’s focus on immigration and isolationism.

♦ ♦ ♦

Administrivia: I am not a professional critic. I’m a cybersecurity professional, a roadgeek who does a highway site and a podcast about California Highways, and someone who loves live performance. I buy all my own tickets, unless explicitly noted otherwise. I do these writeups to share my thoughts on shows with my friends and the community. I encourage you to go to your local theatres and support them (ideally, by purchasing full price tickets, if you can afford to do so). We currently subscribe or have memberships at: Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson TheatreBroadway in Hollywood/Pantages TheatrePasadena Playhouse; and 5-Star Theatricals. We’re looking for the right intimate theatre to subscribe at — it hasn’t been the same since Rep East died (it’s now The Main, and although it does a lot of theatre, it doesn’t have seasons or a resident company), and post-COVID, most 99-seaters aren’t back to doing seasons (or seasons we like). I used to do more detailed writeups; here’s my current approach.

Upcoming ♦ Theatre / ♣ Music / ◊ Other Live Performance – Next 90ish Days (⊕ indicates ticketing is pending).

===> Click Here To Comment <==This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as Celebrating a Talent | "Sondheim's Old Friends" @ CTGLA/Ahmanson by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link to the left. You can sign in with your LJ, DW, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. Note: Subsequent changes made to the post on the blog are not propagated by the SNAP Crossposter; please visit the original post to see the latest version. P.S.: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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Once Upon a Mattress (CTG/Ahmanson)Two words: Sutton Foster

Sutton Foster is a comic gem and an outstanding theatre artists, and her energy, enthusiasm, and playfulness make this production of Once Upon a Mattress spectacular, and something you must go see (if you like comedy) before it closes shop next week. Go, buy your tickets, I’ll wait.

(taps feet)

Got them? Great.

Now to explain. Last night, we saw Sutton Foster in the aforementioned Once Upon a Mattress at the Ahmanson. For those unfamiliar with the show, Mattress is a lightweight musical from the late 1950s with music by Mary Rodgers and lyrics by Marshall Barer, with a book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer. It basically is a retelling of Andersen’s “The Princess and the Pea”. Nothing deep here.

The original production was notable for who it launched into the world: Carol Burnett. Burnett was the lead, and her comic chops made the show. She mugged, she played, she sang, and she demonstrated the wide array of talents she possessed. Back in 1996 a revival was attempted with Sarah Jessica Parker in the lead, but Parker is not the comic that Burnett is, and it didn’t do quite a well.  I’ll note that I last saw Mattress back in 2012 at Cabrillo Music Theatre with local talent Bets Malone, who was great in the role.

A year or two ago, someone had the bright idea to cast Sutton Foster as Princess Winnifred for an Encores production. I think this was between her time in The Music Man (where she got entangled with her current paramour, Wolverine) and her time in Sweeney Todd. Foster is well known on the Broadway stage for her dancing and comic timing (demonstrated many years ago in Thoroughly Modern Millie). But comic timing is not the same as being a comic. Here, she is a comic.

Sutton Foster is clearly having fun with the role, and milking every moment for comic potential. About halfway into the first act, there’s a scene where she’s eating some grapes. She stretches it. She plays with it. Without saying a word, she makes it incredibly funny. At other points, she has staring contests with other actors, just to see if they can remain in character. She flops, she falls. She is clearly having the greatest amount of fun with this role, and when an actor enjoys their role, it is projected to the audience. I wrote about that last week when talking about Olivia Valli as Elphaba in Wicked. When an actor loves a role and the role loves them back, it shows and the magic happens.

Watch Foster closely. Her face. Her movements. Her reactions. Bring binoculars. It’s priceless.

And the thing is: It’s not just Foster having fun. Her partner in crime, Michael Urie, has equal fun as Prince Dauntless. Just watch him attempt to work the steps. Watch his reaction and faces. Watch his comic falls. He’s having equal fun. Then there is Daniel Breaker as the Jester. From the moment he starts the show, he is playing with the audience. He’s clearly in on the joke, and he wants you to realize this isn’t your serious show: this is fun.

It goes on that way throughout the cast: Ana Gasteyer creates an over the top shrew of a Queen, but with her own jokes as well. Kevin Del Aguila as the Wizard has fun with the role and the flash paper. David Patrick Kelly makes the most of the King’s pantomime (in the original production, they had cast an actor that couldn’t sing, and so they made the King’s role silent) — and he was played by the great Jack Gilford).  Even the second story pair: Ben Davis as Sir Harry and Oyoyo Joi as Lady Larkin know how to play for the laughs.

This is a funny funny show. You want serious? Go up the street and see Wicked. Find a production of A Christmas Carol. This production will send you into the new year smiling.

Tickets are available through the Center Theatre Group website page on the show here. It closes on Jan 5. So get your tickets now.

———

Once Upon a Mattress. Book by Jay ThompsonMarshall Barer, and Dean Fuller. Music by Mary Rodgers. Lyrics by Marshall Barer. Adapted by Amy Sherman-Palladino. Directed by Lear deBessonet. Choreographed by Lorin Latarro.

Cast: Sutton Foster Princess Winnifred; Michael Urie Prince Dauntless; Ana Gasteyer Queen Aggravain; Kevin Del Aguila Wizard; Daniel Breaker Jester; Ben Davis Sir Harry; Oyoyo Joi Lady Larkin; David Patrick Kelly King Sextimus the Silent; Daniel Beeman Ensemble; Wendi Bergamini Lady Rowena, Nightingale of Samarkand, Ensemble, Asst. Dance Captain; Taylor Marie Daniel Princess #10, Ensemble; Cicily Daniels Ensemble; Amanda Lamotte Prologue Puppeteer, Princess #12, Ensemble; Michael Olaribigme Ensemble; Destinee Rea Princess #11, Ensemble; Adam Roberts Ensemble; Jeffrey Schecter Ensemble; Matt Wall Ensemble; Daniel Wright Ensemble; Richard Riaz Yoder “Very Soft Shoes” Dance Soloist, Ensemble. Swings: Sheldon Henry, Sarah Michele Lindsey Dance Captain, Matthew Steffens.

Music Department: Bruce Coughlin Orchestrator; Mary-Mitchell Campbell Music Supervisor; Annbritt duChateau Music Director, Conductor; Chris Kong Assoc. Conductor, Keyboard 1; Brad Gradner Keyboard 2; Sal Lozano Reed 1; Glen Berger Reed 2; John Mitchell Reed 3; Dan Fornero Trumpet 1; James Ford Trumpet 2; Wendell Kelly Trombone; Jen Choi Fischer Violin 1; Grace Oh Violin 2; Adrianne Pope Violin 3; Bryan Gonzalez Viola; David Mergan Cello 1; Ira Glansbeek Cello 2; Will Johnson Bass; Robert Payne Contractor; Kimberlee Wertz Music Coordinator; Randy Cohen Keyboard/Synthesizer Programmer; Josh Clayton and Adam Beskind Music Copying.

Production and Creative: David Zinn Scenic Design; Andrea Hood Costume Design; Justin Townsend Lighting Design; Kai Harada Sound Design; J. Jared Janas Hair, Wig, Makeup Design; Skylar Fox Physical Comedy & Effects; Martavius Parrish Assoc. Director; Juniper Street Productions Production Management; The Telsey Office Casting; Cody Renard Richard Production Stage Manager; Jhanaë K-C Bonnick Stage Manager; Angela M. Griggs Asst Stage Manager; Megan Curren General Manager; Dylan Glen Assoc General Manager; Brian Decaluwe Company Manager; Ray Metmore/JR Goodman Production Props Supervisor.

Favorite Minor Credit: Sutton Foster Custom Crochet Crowns

♦ ♦ ♦

Administrivia: I am not a professional critic. I’m a cybersecurity professional, a roadgeek who does a highway site and a podcast about California Highways, and someone who loves live performance. I buy all my own tickets, unless explicitly noted otherwise. I do these writeups to share my thoughts on shows with my friends and the community. I encourage you to go to your local theatres and support them (ideally, by purchasing full price tickets, if you can afford to do so). We currently subscribe or have memberships at: Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson TheatreBroadway in Hollywood/Pantages TheatrePasadena Playhouse; and 5-Star Theatricals. We’re looking for the right intimate theatre to subscribe at — it hasn’t been the same since Rep East died (it’s now The Main, and although it does a lot of theatre, it doesn’t have seasons or a resident company), and post-COVID, most 99-seaters aren’t back to doing seasons (or seasons we like). I used to do more detailed writeups; here’s my current approach.

Upcoming ♦ Theatre / ♣ Music / ◊ Other Live Performance – Next 90ish Days (⊕ indicates ticketing is pending). We’re a bit light on theatre while my wife is recuperating from her knee replacement.

===> Click Here To Comment <==This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as Anything For a Laugh | "Once Upon a Mattress" @ CTG/Ahmanson by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link to the left. You can sign in with your LJ, DW, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. Note: Subsequent changes made to the post on the blog are not propagated by the SNAP Crossposter; please visit the original post to see the latest version. P.S.: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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American Idiot (CTG/Taper/Deaf West)Time, and the perspective that it gives.

On two-show days, I like to think if there is any theme connecting the shows. For yesterday, the theme turned out to be the perspective of time. As I said: We had two shows yesterday (something I like to avoid), due to the poor subscriber service at CTG, which didn’t tell us the Taper dates until 3 weeks before the show. As a result, we had a 2:30pm Matinee of American Idiot at the Mark Taper Forum (on the same day the Wicked movie was having its 7:00pm premiere at the Dorothy Chandler), and an 8:00pm performance of Back to the Future: The Musical at Broadway in Hollywood (Pantages).

What connect American Idiot and BTTF? The answer is time.

We’ll delve into the perspective of time for BTTF in the next writeup. But for American Idiot the perspective of time really leads to a different interpretation of the piece. The original album was written in 2004, at the height of the Iraq war, with the Bush administration in office. As Wikipedia notes: “The album expresses the disillusionment and dissent of a generation that came of age in a period shaped by tumultuous events such as 9/11 and the Iraq War.”. It was turned into a musical that hit Broadway during the Obama administration. We saw it in a traditional tour presentation at the Ahmanson in 2012. It was hard to fathom the plot from that presentation, other than “Alienation. Anti-war. Love. Perils of war. Perils of drugs. Perils of relationships.”

But time changes perspective. Seeing American Idiot just a few days after the election of Donald Trump to a second, discontinguous term, brings new meaning to the piece. Suddenly the words about a hateful America, an America where the media is lying to us, an America that creates disillusionist view hits home.  The nihilism. The rage. It captured the anger from both sides.

The new presentation aided this view distinctly. The Deaf West approach had the lead performers signing, with “voice of” performers parallel to them singing the words, and (most importantly) all lyrics projected. You could actually understand the words, and see the poetry of Billy Joel Armstrong shine through.

You want a clear example. Just look at the opening number, and think about it in the context of Trump, how the media seemed so numb to Trump’s lies and incoherence:

Don’t wanna be an American idiot
Don’t want a nation under the new media
And can you hear the sound of hysteria?
The subliminal mindfuck America

Welcome to a new kind of tension
All across the alien nation
Where everything isn’t meant to be okay
In television dreams of tomorrow

We’re not the ones who’re meant to follow
For that’s enough to argue
Well, maybe I’m the faggot, America
I’m not a part of a redneck agenda
Now everybody, do the propaganda
And sing along to the age of paranoia

Although this was written in the era Bush, anti-Al Quaida sentiment, It truly takes on a different perspective in this era of Trump, this era of hatred, this era of paranoia about immigrants. Time changes our perspective of musical theatre pieces. Some become less relevant and dated. Some find new meaning. There was a reason that Chicago failed when it first opened, and then hit it big in the era of OJ and the celebrity killer. American Idiot is written for the anger and the era of Donald Trump

(Oh, and Back to the Future? Think about how the time change impacts Marty’s perception of his parents. More on that in the next writeup)

It is clear that the impact of Green Day’s album has grown, and is more relevant now than in 2004 when it was first released. I also tend to love the music from it. Instead of being the angry dissonance I expect from punk rock, Green Day brings wonderful melodies beneath the loud; melodies that stick in your head and drive you.

The staging here is also unique. As I noted above, this is a co-production between Deaf-West and CTG.  Deaf/signing actors are the leads, with “voice of” actors trailing behind them. Words are projected on stage, making it easy to understand what is being said. There is poetry of movement, poetry of hands, that go together with the poetry of the words.

Is American Idiot perfect? No. As is pretty much true for any rock album turned into a stage show, there is little connective tissue. There is little expository dialogue. As such, the characters never quite jell as distinct people. They never acquire personalities. You lose the story in the music; the music evokes feelings much more than the performances. As a result, you sit back and let the music wash over you; you read the lyrics, and let the performance supplement all that is evoked by the music and lyrics. This isn’t traditional theatre.

There are remarkable performances from the leads (and we had a number of folks swinging in at our performance). There are remarkable performances from the band, and not just musical ones (watch the folks on the violins).

One other discordant note — not performance related. CTG has gone to a new ticketing system, and it is problematic. The old system allowed you to download your tickets to Apple Wallet, or text them to your phone. The new system supposedly allows download to Apple Wallet (although it never gave me the option on an Android phone). But there is no text option anymore, nor the ability to use Google Wallet. Ticketmaster (which BIH uses) has its flaws, but it at least understands that folks use both Android and Apple. If you are an Android user, you’re stuck using data to go to the CTG website. Poor form. On the plus side, CTG excelled where it always excels: accessibility and parking. The new subscriber parking vouchers worked great, and the Taper was able to accommodate a last-minute need for a seat with legroom so my wife could stretch her leg.

The CTG/Deaf West production of American Idiot is well worth seeing. Alas, by the time you read this it may be too late: the last performances were to be today, but it has been extended one weeknow closing on November 16. You can get tickets here. More information on the show here.

Finally: Nobody Likes You / Everyone Left You / They’re All Out Without You / Having Fun

———

Green Day’s American Idiot. Music by Green Day. Lyrics by Billie Joe Armstrong. Book by Billie Joe Amstrong and Michael Mayer. Directed by Snehal Desai. Choreography by Jennifer Weber.

Cast (All performers are ӕ Actors Equity; underscored performers indicate performers at our performance): Daniel Durant / Giovanni Maucere Johnny; Milo Manheim Voice of Johnny; Otis Jones IV Will; James Olivas Voice of Will; Landen Gonzales Tunny; Brady Fritz / Patrick Ortiz Voice of Tunny; Ali Fumiko Whitney Heather; Mars Storm Ruckner Whatsername; Ty Taylor St Jimmy; Kaia T. Fitzgerald Extraordinary Girl; Jerusha Cavazos / Monika Peña Voice of Extraordinary Girl; Will Branner Favorite Son; Monika Peña / Mia Sempertegui Alysha; Steven-Adam Agdeppa Ensemble, Lark Detweiler Ensemble, Josué Martinez Ensemble, Angel Theory Ensemble; Patrick Ortiz Ensemble/Swing, Mia Sempertegui Ensemble/Swing; Giovanni Maucere Swing.

Music Departments: Tom Kitt Music Arrangements and Orchestrations; David O Music Supervisor, Conductor, Keyboard, Accordion; Justin Smith Guitar 1; Ben Covello Guitar 2, Assoc. Conductor; Carlos Rivera Bass; Alex Bailey Drums; Nicole Garcia Violin; Nikki Shorts Viola; Michelle Rearick Cello; Robert Payne Music Contractor.

Production and Creatives: Takeshi Kata Scenic Design; Lena Sands Costume Design; Karyn D. Lawrence Lighting Design; David Murakami Projection Design; Sheila Dorn Wig, Hair, and Makeup Design; Beth Lipari Casting Director; DJ Kurs Deaf West Theatre Artistic Director; Jeff Perri Deaf West Theatre Managing Director; Colin Analco ASL Choreographer; Amelia Hensley Assoc ASL Choreographer; David S. Franklin Production Stage Manager; Michelle Blair Stage Manager; Sue Karutz Stage Manager; Coproduction of Deaf West Theatre and Center Theatre Group.

Favorite Minor Credit: TBD Loctition. Loctition is the maintenance of dreadlocks. Learn something new every day.

♦ ♦ ♦

Administrivia: I am not a professional critic. I’m a cybersecurity professional, a roadgeek who does a highway site and a podcast about California Highways, and someone who loves live performance. I buy all my own tickets, unless explicitly noted otherwise. I do these writeups to share my thoughts on shows with my friends and the community. I encourage you to go to your local theatres and support them (ideally, by purchasing full price tickets, if you can afford to do so). We currently subscribe or have memberships at: Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson TheatreBroadway in Hollywood/Pantages TheatrePasadena Playhouse; and 5-Star Theatricals. We’re looking for the right intimate theatre to subscribe at — it hasn’t been the same since Rep East died (it’s now The Main, and although it does a lot of theatre, it doesn’t have seasons or a resident company), and post-COVID, most 99-seaters aren’t back to doing seasons (or seasons we like). I used to do more detailed writeups; here’s my current approach.

Upcoming ♦ Theatre / ♣ Music / ◊ Other Live Performance – Next 90ish Days (⊕ indicates ticketing is pending). We’re a bit light on theatre while my wife is recuperating from her knee replacement.

 

 

===> Click Here To Comment <==This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as Give Me Novacaine | "American Idiot" @ CTG/Mark Taper Forum by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link to the left. You can sign in with your LJ, DW, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. Note: Subsequent changes made to the post on the blog are not propagated by the SNAP Crossposter; please visit the original post to see the latest version. P.S.: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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Clue (CTG/Ahmanson)I’ve always preferred Sleuth. For those unfamiliar, Sleuth is a card game that has a gem deck with all variations of (Red, Blue, Yellow, Green × Single, Pairs, Clusters × Diamonds, Pearls, Opals). One card is removed in secret, and the rest are dealt to the players. Players then take turns asking limited question (How many opals do you have? How many green diamonds?) to try to determine the missing gems. Parker Brothers had a similar game in the classic Clue. I’ve always preferred Sleuth because the mechanics were cleaner.

But there’s one key difference between the games. Someone was clever enough to figure out how create a story and subsequent screenplay for Clue. No one has ever figured out how to do that for Sleuth (the 1972 Sleuth movie has nothing to do with the game). The Clue movie was a success, with a stellar cast and a long life (although, for some reason, my mind always goes to Murder by Death, which you never see anymore). So it wasn’t a surprise that Clue would be adapted for the legitimate stage, especially given the trend in the 1980s and 1990s of trying to milk every dime out of corporate intellectual property (Disney was the expert in this, but game companies also got into the act). It was a bit more of a surprise that the Center Theatre Group would select it for the Ahmanson season, as it wasn’t a classic play nor a musical. But they did, likely because the selection of tours was slim post-COVID. Their choice was our win, as we saw the show yesterday afternoon.

Note that I said this was NOT a musical. There are multiple adaptations, both from the board game itself and from the movie itself. One such adaptation is Clue The Musical, which has gotten mixed reviews. This IS NOT Clue the Musical. This is a non-musical adaptation of the movie that started at the Cleveland Playhouse and Bucks County Playhouse.

The high-level plot is pretty simple: SIx characters are invited to Boddy Mansion on a dark and stormy night. They are given the classic Clue aliases, and the mansion has all of the requisite Clue rooms. They are welcomed to the mansion by butler Wadsworth. They have no idea why they were invited, until Mr. Boddy shows up. He explains the game, how they are all being blackmailed, and gives them all gives of the traditional Clue weapons. He informs them they have to kill the butler to end the blackmail, but before they can do that, the lights go down and then up, and Mr. Boddy is now dead. The game begins, as the six suspects: Colonel Mustard, Mrs. White, Mrs. Peacock, Mr. Green, Professor Plum, and Miss Scarlet, together with the butler Wadsworth and the maid Yvette need to figure out who committed the murders. Explaining the subsequent twists and turns would give away the story.

The story is played for the comedy, with the requisite (perhaps overdone) melodramatic sound punctuations. There is the usual overplay and silliness (such as running in place to fake movement). There is a lot of slapstick. There is a lot of stupid jokes. There are the expected misdirections and close calls. But the show isn’t stupid itself: it is just a fun diversion (and especially good on a hot Saturday afternoon). It is the perfect summer trifle. Light, tasty, and sweet, but it won’t ruin your appetite.

The characterizations are not deep; in fact, they are often broadly stereotypical and overdrawn. Think melodrama, and you come close. There is minimal backstory on the characters, other than the reasons for the blackmail, and there is really no character growth. That’s because this really is a board game: the actual characters don’t matter to the story; the characters only matter to the humor. This is really a summer comedy.

The performances are very strong—in particular, Mark Price as Wadsworth, who switches from deadpan to deft comedy timing (including physical comedy). His recap of the story at the end is great. Timing from the cast is strong. It was a fun show.

This isn’t a particularly deep show, and it isn’t a classic. But I think it will have a long life: It doesn’t have complicated projections or graphics. It requires a complex stage build, but that’s doable. It has no orchestra, only music cues that can be rented. It has a limited cast. It is easily done at the regional or school level. It isn’t offensive. It is as if the show was calculated for the road and regional life, as opposed to a Broadway run. And you know what? That’s OK. There area many shows like that that (the Nunsense musicals are a great example). Their life is in their licensing.

One complaint: Sound. This is a show where you really need to hear the words, and at least up in the Mezzanine, the sound was very muddy and you had to strain to hear. This is a tour sound problem, as opposed to a facility problem. The tour setup team needs to take a bit more care in checking the facility out when they move the show in.

But if you want a fun show, with some slapstick and silliness, this is the show for you. It is a great summer show.

———

Clue: Live on Stage! Based on the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn. Written by Sandy Rustin. Additional material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price. Based on the Paramount Pictures Motion Picture based on the Parker Brothers Hasbro board game Clue. Directed by Casey Hushion.

Cast: Mariah Burks Cook, and others; Mohn Treacy Egan Colonel Mustard; Michelle Elaine Miss Scarlet; Joanna Glushak Mrs. Peacock; Tari Kelly Mrs. White; Mark Price Wadsworth; John Shartzer Mr. Green; Jonathan Spivey Professor Plum; Alex Syiek Mr. Boddy and others; Teddy Trice The Cop and others; Elisabeth Yancey Yvette. Understudies: Greg Balla Fight Captain; Aliason Ewing; Mary McNulty; James Taylor Odom.

Production and Creative: Lee Savage Set Design; Jen Caprio Costume Design; Ryan O’Gara Lighting Design; Jeff Human Sound Design; J. Jared Janas Hair, Wig, & Makeup Design; Michael Holland Original Music and Music Supervision; Robert Westley Fight Director; Steve Bebout Assoc. Director; Pearson Casting CSA CDG Casting; Bond Theatrical Tour Booking, Marketing, & Publicity; Port City Technical Production Management; Margot Whitney Production Stage Manager; Emily Kritzman 1st Asst. Stage Manager; Maria Bella Divittorio 2nd Asst. Stage Manager; Berrit Keller Substitute Asst. Stage Manager; Sarah E. T. Jackson Substitute Asst. Stage Manager; Suzanne Prueter Company Manager.

Favorite Small Print Credit: Nothing particularly stands out.

♦ ♦ ♦

Administrivia: I am not a professional critic. I’m a cybersecurity professional, a roadgeek who does a highway site and a podcast about California Highways, and someone who loves live performance. I buy all my own tickets, unless explicitly noted otherwise. I do these writeups to share my thoughts on shows with my friends and the community. I encourage you to go to your local theatres and support them (ideally, by purchasing full price tickets, if you can afford to do so). We currently subscribe or have memberships at: Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson TheatreBroadway in Hollywood/Pantages TheatrePasadena Playhouse; and 5-Star Theatricals. We’re looking for the right intimate theatre to subscribe at — it hasn’t been the same since Rep East died (it’s now The Main, and although it does a lot of theatre, it doesn’t have seasons or a resident company), and post-COVID, most 99-seaters aren’t back to doing seasons (or seasons we like). I used to do more detailed writeups; here’s my current approach.

Upcoming ♦ Theatre / ♣ Music / ◊ Other Live Performance – Next 90ish Days (⊕ indicates ticketing is pending):

On the Theatrical Horizon:

Patrick Page will be bringing All the Devils Are Here to the Broad Stage in Santa Monica in April 2025. Looks interesting.

===> Click Here To Comment <==This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as The Game's Afoot | "Clue: Live on Stage" @ CTG/Ahmanson by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link to the left. You can sign in with your LJ, DW, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. Note: Subsequent changes made to the post on the blog are not propagated by the SNAP Crossposter; please visit the original post to see the latest version. P.S.: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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A Strange Loop (Ahmanson)Back when I was in college, an interesting tome was circulating in the UCLA Computer Club: Gödel, Escher, Bach, by Douglas Hofstader. In this book, through these three individuals, Hofstadter explored self-reference, mathematics, music, and what would be come to be known as Artificial Intelligence. The book won the Pulitzer, but most folks (including me) read it once or twice, and put it up on the shelf. I mention this book because evidently one of the notions in the book was something called “A Strange Loop”. Hofstader, in a preface to an anniversary edition, stated that one of the questions GEB attempted to answer was “What is a self, and how can a self come out of stuff that is as selfless as a stone or a puddle?” Hofstader expounded on this in a later book, noting “In the end, we are self-perceiving, self-inventing, locked-in mirages that are little miracles of self-reference.” This self-reference was the “Strange Loop”: How our individual concept of self is build from the self-reference of our parents and our environment.  Amazon summarized it as follows: “I Am a Strange Loop argues that the key to understanding selves and consciousness is the “strange loop”-a special kind of abstract feedback loop inhabiting our brains. The most central and complex symbol in your brain is the one called “I.” The “I” is the nexus in our brain, one of many symbols seeming to have free will and to have gained the paradoxical ability to push particles around, rather than the reverse. How can a mysterious abstraction be real-or is our “I” merely a convenient fiction? ”

I mention this all because today we saw the musical A Strange Loop at the Ahmanson: a musical about a man writing a musical about a man writing a musical called A Strange Loop; said musical being a self introspective musical about the big, black, queer, gay man writing a musical about a big, black, queer, gay man and the self-reference that shaped his life. I’ll note from the outset that this is not a musical for everyone, and we did have some audience members leave during the show not to return. That’s not because this musical is bad. But rather, this musical is in your face about being fat, about being queer, about being black, about being black and queer, about big black queer folks have sex in their buttholes, about racism in the gay community. It is a perfect musical for Pride Month. However, it is not a good musical if you are a white straight musical theatre person expecting Hello Dolly or their last musical Funny Girl. Oh, and it is inappropriate for children and early teens.

But my wife and I are weird. Yes, we’re white and straight, and we’re old, but we’re also accepting. As they put it in the musical Bare: God don’t make no trash. We’ll love you and accept you however, whatever, whoever you are, and whoever you love. [Well, we’re not quite sure if you’re a Trump supporter—you need other strong redeeming qualities. There are some lines, after all.]

Back to A Strange LoopWhat is this show about? That’s a good question. On the surface, it is as I said: A story about a big black queer man (Usher) writing a musical about a big black queer man writing a musical. But more so, the show is about how that man’s thoughts (which are portrayed by a group of six actors) shape the man and the show he is writing. This includes his self-loathing; his relationship with his parents and their very “Christian” and anti-Gay attitudes; his views on the shape of the black gay community and white gays vs black gays; about the issues with his inner white girl. It is a story about his screwed up sex drive, and how leads to mental self harm. It is about how his segment of the black community views Tyler Perry, and how Perry targets a particular segment of the black community (“chitlin’ circuit”). It is how Usher deals with viewing himself as a race traitor, and deals with his blackness. Essentially, it is a lot of self-introspection. I saw one critique of this show referring to it as a “woke identity” musical (and hating it). I guess it is “woke identity” and that is why Conservatives would walk out. But to me, the issue is less “woke” and more “identity”. This is a very explicit self-introspective musical of what it is like to be a big black queer man, who doesn’t particularly like himself, what he has become, or his skin.

So where does this all go? By the end of the musical, I won’t say that Usher is happy. But at least he has come to understand himself, and more importantly, to accept himself and to know where he came from. He’s able to finish his musical.

The music in the show is compelling and driven. It is explicit. At times it is strong and driving. But it has a good message. However, none of the songs will really have a life outside the context of this musical. This is likely to become a specialty piece (alas, probably dragged out during Pride Month by gay theatre groups), not a piece that will be regularly revived by community and regional theatres. In the gay theatre pantheon of shows, you’ll be more likely to get La Cage Aux Folles or Fun Home than this show.

The performances were very strong. We had the alternative for Usher (Alvas Green Jr), and he did wonderfully (although he had some mic problems that made him hard to hear). The thoughts behind him were astounding—watch how they are playful and amplify what they are saying through movement and expression. This isn’t a strong dance musical; it is more movement that amplifies expression.

On the scenic side, this was simple. Usher up front; nooks for the thoughts, and occasional different scenes. Not a lot of projections.

So, let’s address the big question: Should you see this? First and foremost, this isn’t a bad show. It certainly isn’t Girl From the North Country. But this is not a musical for everyone. If you are not comfortable with in-your-face queerness, in-your-face sex, in-your-face blackness, or explicit language, then stay home. If you aren’t willing to explore an honest look at segments of the black community, I’d stay home. If you’re looking for a more traditional black musical, go up the street and see Jelly’s Last Jam at the Pasadena Playhouse. Yet even that musical explores issues of self-doubt and bias in the black community (although in that case, it is Creoles looking down on Plantation Blacks, and Be-Bop Jazz looking down on N’Oleans Jazz).

If you’ve gotten through the above: Congratulations. You should go see A Strange Loop. It is a wonderful exploration of blackness and queerness. I think our dear friend Karen P. would have loved this musical. The music is fun, and I think it has a thought provoking message. Further, if you understand the Hosftader reference, you’ll see how the self-reference here can apply to anyone, seeing how the biases and doubts from our parents and society shape us, and how we need to move past them to break the strange loop.

———

A Strange Loop. Book, Music, and Lyrics by Michael R. Jackson. Directed by Stephen Brackett. Choreography by Raja Feather Kelly

Cast: Malachi McCaskill alternating with Alvis Green Jr. Usher; Tarra Conner Jones Thought 1; J. Cameron Barnett Thought 2; Avionce Hoyles Thought 3; John-Andrew Morrison Thought 4; Jordan Barbour Thought 5; Carlis Shane Clark Thought 6. Understudies: Dave J. Abrams u/s Thoughts 2/3; Angela Alise u/s Thought 1; Albert Hodge u/s Thought 4; Tristan J. Shuler u/s Thoughts 5/6.

Music Department: Sean Kana Conductor / Keys 1; David Moschler Keys 2 / Guitar / AMD; Willy Yanez Guitar; Alex Bailey Drums; Jennifer Leitham Bass; Sal Lozano Reeds; Tory Dexter and Chris Horvath Keys 2/ Guitar Sub; Robert Payne ContractorDavid Moschler Assoc Music Director.

Production and Creative: Arnulfo Maldonado Scenic Designer; Montana Levi Blanco Costume Designer; Jen Schriever Lighting Design; Drew Levy Sound Design; Cookie Jordan Wigs, Hair, and Makeup Design; Chelsea Pace Intimacy Coordinator; The Tesley Company / Destinly Lilly CSA Casting; Katie Craddock Casting; Hailah Harper-Malevaux Assoc. Director; Candace Taylor Assoc. Choreographer; Dave J. Abrams Dance Captain; Aaron Tacy Assoc Lighting Designer; Edmond O’Neal Production Stage Manager; Camella Coopilton Asst. Stage Manager; Julia Formanek Asst. Stage Manager. No tour managers are listed, so this does not appear to be a touring production. Favorite staff credits: Kyla Eveillard Lactation; Dr. Cathia Walters Psychologist.

♦ ♦ ♦

Administrivia: I am not a professional critic. I’m a cybersecurity professional, a roadgeek who does a highway site and a podcast about California Highways, and someone who loves live performance. I buy all my own tickets, unless explicitly noted otherwise. I do these writeups to share my thoughts on shows with my friends and the community. I encourage you to go to your local theatres and support them (ideally, by purchasing full price tickets, if you can afford to do so). We currently subscribe or have memberships at: Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson TheatreBroadway in Hollywood/Pantages TheatrePasadena Playhouse; and 5-Star Theatricals. We’re looking for the right intimate theatre to subscribe at — it hasn’t been the same since Rep East died (it’s now The Main, and although it does a lot of theatre, it doesn’t have seasons or a resident company), and post-COVID, most 99-seaters aren’t back to doing seasons (or seasons we like). I used to do more detailed writeups; here’s my current approach.

Upcoming ♦ Theatre / ♣ Music / ◊ Other Live Performance – Next 90ish Days (⊕ indicates ticketing is pending):

On the Theatrical Horizon:

Season renewals time: Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson TheatreBroadway in Hollywood/Pantages Theatre; and Pasadena Playhouse are all renewed. We’re looking to see what Chromolume Theatre (which is returning) and Canyon Theatre Guild are planning. Other than that, Jason Alexander will be doing Fiddler on the Roof , directed by Lonny Price, at La Mirada in November.

===> Click Here To Comment <==This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as A Strange (but Good) Show | "A Strange Loop" @ CTG/Ahmanson by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link to the left. You can sign in with your LJ, DW, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. Note: Subsequent changes made to the post on the blog are not propagated by the SNAP Crossposter; please visit the original post to see the latest version. P.S.: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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Funny Girl @ AhmansonSome musicals get revived again and again and again. Certainly this is true of classics from Sondheim (cough, Gypsy, cough Sweeney Todd) and of course, Rogers and Hammerstein (cough, Sound of Music). But some shows are so tied to a particular artist that they are very hard to revive. You’re unlikely to see a revival of the Tony-award winning The Magic Show for that very reason—no one can duplicate Doug Henning. For the longest time, Funny Girl was in that category. Funny Girl put Barbra Streisand on the map. The songs “People” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade” create her voice in your head. They thought Funny Girl couldn’t be done without Streisand.

I certainly thought so back in 2016, when we saw a very rare production of Funny Girl at the Colony Theatre (the inaugural production, in fact, of Conundrum Theatre Company). Back then, I wrote: “There was talk of a Broadway revival starting at the Ahmanson a few years ago, but that petered out. There was a [2016] West End revisical that was well received; it is unknown if it is coming across the pond.” It never did.

Finally, in 2022, a revival opened with Beanie Feldstein in the lead. It did so so, and there was loads of backstage issues. Many wanted Lea Michele (of Glee fame) for the lead, but she was unavailable. She had done a number of songs during Glee. Evenually, Michele replaced Feldstein, and the show went on to success, and then went on tour. The tour has hit Los Angeles, and we saw it today.

One advantage of having seen a show somewhat recently is that I don’t need to rewrite the synopsis: I can past what I wrote before (presses Control-V):

As the show itself hasn’t been around much since the 1960s, you likely are unaware of its plot other than it starred Barbra Streisand. Funny Girl tells a highly fictionalized version of comedienne Fanny Brice’s romance and marriage to gambler Nicky Arnstein. It does this by presenting Brice on a stage awaiting Arnstein’s release from prison. The bulk of the show is a flashback telling of the story, returning to the present at the end. It begins with Brice’s first appears at the Keeney Theatre. It shows her first meeting with Arnstein, her transfer to the Ziegfield Follies, her subsequent marriage, and then the failure thereof. In some ways, this foreshadows the story Streisand would play again in her movie A Star is Born. She rises in  fame, eclipses him, and his ego and traditional male roles doom everything. You can read a much more detailed synopsis on the Wikipedia page.

However, this is a very fictionalized version of Brice’s story. She wasn’t the innocent when she married him (he was her second marriage); they actually lived together for six years before getting married. He had been to jail before the marriage, and actually sponged off of her for the entire thing. His jail stints were longer, and her performance history was quite differently. But in the theatre, the story becomes the reality; the truth of the story be damned.

In any case, the book is what it is (although Harvey Fierstein — who loves to doctor shows — doctored the West End version). It has its structural problems — the first act is far too long; the second doesn’t have the energy of the first. It was troubled in development, and like Mack and Mabel, does not end happily ever after. It is also a star vehicle, and requires a fairly unique mix of talent to be successful. Most actresses cannot carry it off. It requires a mix of physical comedy, comedic presence, dance, a belting voice, and the correct ethnicity. This is not a Kelli O’Hara show. It was ultimately built for Streisand, and there are few like her.

You’ll note I made a comparison to Mack and Mabel there. Mack and Mabel, which came after Funny Girl, has similar problems but with the genders reversed. You have a very funny very ethnic girl who builds a career off of comedy, and a love relationship is formed with a significant man (in this case, Mabel Normand and Mack Sennett). The relationship is doomed, and the second act gets bogged down in that doom and gloom. However, the score is glorious (it is viewed as one of Jerry Herman’s best); the book doomed the show. Funny Girl has similar structural problems: It is built around a famous ethnic comedian, who gets involved with a man that is no good for her. The second act gets bogged down in doom and gloom when he embezzles and loses his money and is exposed for the fraud he is. Like Mack Sennett, she never stops loving him, but the show ends on a down note. Subsequent productions have tried to fix the book, but it has never quite worked.

So, setting the problematic book aside, the performances are what make or break the show. In the original productions, these shows made Barbra Streisand and Bernadette Peters into stars. They elevated their leading men, Omar Sharif and Robert Preston. Once things settled down, the 2022 revival had similar stars: Lea Michele as Fanny Brice, Ramin Karimloo as Nick Arnstein, and Tovah Feldshuh as Mrs. Brice. But tours seldom get the stars. In Los Angeles, we have Katerina McCrimmon as Finny Brice, Melissa Manchester as Mrs. Brice, Stephen Mark Lukas as Nick Arnstein, and Izaiah Montaque Harris as Eddie Ryan. If you’re going “Who?”, you’re probably not alone.

Luckily, they cast well. McCrimmon knocked it out of the park: She had the voice, she has the comic timing, she could play up the pathos—she was the entire package. Manchester, whom you may know more as a singer/songwriter, brought the right ethnic and comedy to the part. Lukas had the required suaveness and a lovely voice. And boy, could Harris tap up a storm. About the only “alas” is that the actors behind the Brices weren’t Jewish. So rest assured you’ll be entertained by the performances, and McCrimmon was spectacular on “People” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade”.

A few additional notes. This production, more than most, shows the old stage technique of scenes that are there to allow the scenery to be changed behind a curtain. I can’t remember how Conundrum handled those scenes, but they stood out in this production. I also think the lighting design was a bit weak: in particular, they overused the proscenium arch lighting in such a way that it became distracting.

So, should you see this production? I think so. You’re not going to see a lot of regional revivals of this show (although I may be proven wrong). If you want to see what made Streisand a star, this is your chance.

Funny Girl runs at the Ahmanson Theatre through April 28, 2024. Tickets are available through the Ahmanson Box office; discount tickets may be available through TodayTix.

P.S.: We know we’re back to regular theatregoing. For the first time since COVID, we were at a Red Bucket performance for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. We gave. You can give too.

———

Funny Girl. Music by Jule Styne; Lyrics by Bob Merrill; Book by Isobel Lennart from an original story by Miss Lennart. Revised book by Harvey Fierstein. Special Material by Margaret Styne. Originally produced for the Broadway Stage by Ray Stark. Original NY production supervised by Jerome Robbins. Original production directed by Garson Kanin. Original production orchestrated by Ralph Burns.

Cast (strikethrough indicates folks not in our performance): Katerina McCrimmon Fanny Brice; Melissa Manchester Mrs. Brice; Stephen Mark Lukas Nick Arnstein; Izaiah Montaque Harris Eddie Ryan; Walter Coppage Florenz Ziegfeld; Leah Platt Emma, Mrs. Nadler; Cindy Chang Mrs Meeker; Eileen T’Kaye Mrs. Strakosh; David Foley Jr Tom Keeney, Actor; Lamont Brown Ensemble, Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat Man; Kate E. Cook Ensemble, Virginia; Julia Grondin Ensemble, Bubbles; Jackson Grove Ensemble, Piano Player, Tenor, Porter, Cornet Man; Alex Hartman Ensemble, Vera; Dot Kelly Ensemble, Maude; Ryan Lambert Ensemble, John, Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat Man; Kathy Liu Ensemble; Meghan Manning Ensemble; Sami Murphy Ensemble, Mimsey; Jordon Taylor Ensemble, Polly; Rodney Thompson Ensemble, Cornet Man; Sean Thompson Ensemble, Paul, Porter, Bartender, Mr. Renaldi; Swings: Vinny Andaloro; Brian Charles Moore Dance Captain; Emily Anne Nester;  Annaliese Wilbur Asst Dance Captain. Understudies and alternates: Hannah Shankman u/s Fanny Brice. At our performance: Vinny Andaloro Ensemble, Cornet Man; Brian Charles Moore Ensemble, Paul, Mr. Renaldi; Emily Anne Nester Ensemble, Maude.

Orchestra (◊ indicates local): Elaine Davidson Music Director / Conductor / Keyboards; Christian Regul Assoc Conductor / Keyboards; Mark E. Oates Trumpet/Flugel; Tansie Mayer Reeds; Sam Kurzontkowski Bass; Paul Hannah Drums / Percussion; ◊ Jen Choi Fischer Violin; ◊ Grace Oh Violin / Viola; ◊ David Mergen Cello; ◊ Dan Fornero Trumpet 2; ◊ Wendell Kelly Trombone; ◊ Laura Brenes French Horn 1; ◊ Sal Lozano Reeds 2; ◊ Glen Berger Reeds 3; ◊ William Johnson Bass; ◊ Robert Payne Contractor; ◊ Brad Gardner Keyboard Sub 2; Kimberlee Wertz Music Coordinator; Emily Grishman, Adriana Grace, and Alden Terry Music Copying; Phij Adams Music Technology; Randy Cohen Synthesizer Technician; Abel Garrida Music Dept. Assistant.

Production and Creative: Directed by Michael Mayer; Choreography by Ellenore Scott. Other production and creative: Ayodele Casel Tap Choreography; David Zinn Scenic Design; Susan Hilferty Costume Design; Kevin Adams Lighting Design; Brian Ronan Co-Sound Design; Cody Spencer Co-Sound Design; Chris Walker Orchestrations; Alan Williams Dance, Vocal, and Incidental Music Arrangements; David Dabbon Additional Arrangements; Carme Dean Additional Arrangements; Luc Verschuren for Campbell Young Associates Wig and Hair Designer; Jim Carnahan CSA Casting; Jason Thinger CSA Casting; Ray Wetmore & JR Goodman Production Props; Johanna McKeon Assoc Director; Jeffrey Gugliotti Assoc Choreographer; Torya Beard Asst. Director; Dre Torres Asst. Tap Choreographer; Jovon E. Shuck Production Stage Manager; Mariah Young Stage Manager; Rachael Wilkin Asst. Stage Manager; Justin A. Sweeney Company Manager; Ryan Mayfield Assoc Company Manager; Gentry & Associates General Management.

♦ ♦ ♦

Administrivia: I am not a professional critic. I’m a cybersecurity professional, a roadgeek who does a highway site and a podcast about California Highways, and someone who loves live performance. I buy all my own tickets, unless explicitly noted otherwise. I do these writeups to share my thoughts on shows with my friends and the community. I encourage you to go to your local theatres and support them (ideally, by purchasing full price tickets, if you can afford to do so). We currently subscribe or have memberships at: Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson TheatreBroadway in Hollywood/Pantages TheatrePasadena PlayhouseGeffen Playhouse (Mini-Subscription); 5-Star Theatricals. We’re looking for the right intimate theatre to subscribe at — it hasn’t been the same since Rep East died (it’s now The Main, and although it does a lot of theatre, it doesn’t have seasons or a resident company), and post-COVID, most 99-seaters aren’t back to doing seasons (or seasons we like). I used to do more detailed writeups; here’s my current approach.

Upcoming ♦ Theatre / ♣ Music / ◊ Other Live Performance – Next 90ish Days (⊕ indicates ticketing is pending):

On the Theatrical Horizon:

Morgan-Wixson Theatre in Santa Monica has announced their Mainstage 2024 Season, and it includes Bat Boy the Musical running Sept 28 through October 18. We saw Bat Boy back when CSUN did it in 2014; it is a wonderful musical about how a society treats outsiders. I also just learned about a theatre company in Fullerton, Maverick Theater. They are doing Evil Dead: The Musical , which is a hoot if you’ve never seen it (we’ve seen it twice). They also have some interesting other stuff on their season, and we might drive down for Santa Claus Vs The Martians in November.

===> Click Here To Comment <==This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as 🎭 Mack and Mabel, by a Nose | "Funny Girl" @ Ahmanson by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link to the left. You can sign in with your LJ, DW, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. Note: Subsequent changes made to the post on the blog are not propagated by the SNAP Crossposter; please visit the original post to see the latest version. P.S.: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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Matthew Bourne's Romeo + Juliet (Ahmanson)When the 2023-2024 Ahmanson season was announced, I saw the inclusion of Matthew Bourne’s Romeo + Juliet and thought: Ugh. Ballet. I had seen his Cinderella back in 2019, and had a very mixed reaction. About that Cinderella, I wrote: ” I found it difficult to get into the story of Cinderella, and I identify who the myriad of characters were. The dance itself was beautiful, and the dancers were highly skilled, and much emotion was conveyed. But what who did what? I wasn’t always sure. Which of the Pilot’s friends was Tom and which was Dick — I have absolutely no idea. In fact, other than seeing the characters as their “role” (pilot, stepmother, child), I couldn’t tell you who was which name. Although there was theatricality, the notion of conveying more than the gist of the story to the audience was lost.”

Given this experience, I went into the 2024 Romeo + Juliet very apprehensive. I’m not a ballet or dance fan, and Bourne didn’t work for me last time. I’m pleased to say that this time I was pleasantly surprised. The music had energy; the dancing was entertaining; and I roughly knew who people were. I say roughly, because unless you are really familiar with the characters in Shakespeare’s story, you would be hard-pressed to tell a Mercutio from a Balthasar, a Dorcas from a Lavinia, or a Sebastian from a Fabian. Romeo and Juliet, on the other hand, you can identify. So you just watch the dance.

So, setting aside identification of which ancillary character was which, the story was great. Bourne resets the action to some sort of Juvenile Hall or Facility in the future–seemingly some sort of prison with guards and such. But there does seem to be some way for parents to check their children into the facility, so perhaps it isn’t quiet a jail. It’s harder to identify the factions in the story. There is one clear bad guy (he’s the one in black with the tattoo), but the motives of the others in the facility are less clear. I’d say you can’t tell the families apart without a program, but the program doesn’t help here. So I think if you want to really understand the story being told, you would be best to brush up your Shakespeare before seeing the show; or lacking that, at least read the Cliff Notes.

The staging was interesting. The Juvie Hall was imagined as a white tiled facility, with a railing above, stairs on the side, and gated entrances for boys and girls. it was white. The costuming was white. The lights were white. This made the few characters who were not in white–the Reverend, the Senator, the Governor–really stand out. If you see this, I encourage you to watch the reflections and the shadows on the stage, which were as beautiful as the dancers themselves.

The dancing was energetic, with moves that were much more modern dance than traditional ballet. There was humor at times, and some of the dancers even smiled :-). Looking back without any notes, it is hard to recall any specific moves, only the overall visual effect. Suffice it to say it was unique enough to draw my interest and keep my interest. Rarely did I find myself looking elsewhere in the auditorium or getting drowsy.

In summary, this changed my opinion of ballet. I still find it hard to get into the story, and believe you need to really understand the story well beforehand to understand the dance. However, with the right music and staging, appreciating the beauty of the dance itself is easy. This show had the right music and staging to make the dance really enjoyable.

Matthew Bourne’s Romeo + Juliet continues at the Ahmanson through February 25, 2024. Tickets are available through the CTG website.

Matthew Bourne’s Romeo + Juliet . Directed and Choreographed by Matthew Bourne. Music by Terry Davies based on the original score by Sergei Prokofiew. Cast at this performance:  Jackson Fisch Romeo ; Hannah Kremer Juliet; Adam Galbraith Tybalt; Cameron Flynn Mercutio; Leonardo McCorkindale Balthasar; Euan Garrett Benvolio; Daisy May Kemp Rev. Bernadette Laurence, Brie Montague, Nurse; Paris Fitzpatrick Senator Montague, Guard, Orderly; Anya Ferdinand Frenchie; Eleanor McGrath Dorcas; Tasha Chu Magdalen, Governor Escalus; Blue Makwana Lavinia; Kate Lyons Morgan; Kurumi Kamayachi Martha; Matthew Amos Edmund; Eve Ngbokota Lennox; Louis Harris Sebastian; Dylan Jones Fabian; Lyra Treglown Faith. Production and Creatives: Bryony Pennington Dance Captain; Lez Brotherston Set and Costume Design; Paule Constable Lighting Design; Paul Groothuis Sound Design; Terry Davies Orchestrator; Sergei Prokofiev Composer; Etta Murfitt New Adventures Assoc. Artistic Director; Arielle Smith Assoc. Choreographer; Neil Westmoreland New Adventures Resident Artistic Assoc.; Alan Vincent New Adventures Resident Director; Daisy May Kemp New Adventures Asst. Resident Director; Duncan Parker Stage Manager; Ian Wheatstone Company Manager.

 ♦ ♦ ♦

Administrivia: I am not a professional critic. I’m a cybersecurity professional, a roadgeek who does a highway site and a podcast about California Highways, and someone who loves live performance. I buy all my own tickets, unless explicitly noted otherwise. I do these writeups to share my thoughts on shows with my friends and the community. I encourage you to go to your local theatres and support them (ideally, by purchasing full price tickets, if you can afford to do so). We currently subscribe or have memberships at: Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson TheatreBroadway in Hollywood/Pantages TheatrePasadena PlayhouseGeffen Playhouse (Mini-Subscription); 5-Star Theatricals. We’re looking for the right intimate theatre to subscribe at — it hasn’t been the same since Rep East died (it’s now The Main, and although it does a lot of theatre, it doesn’t have seasons or a resident company), and post-COVID, most 99-seaters aren’t back to doing seasons (or seasons we like). I used to do more detailed writeups; here’s my current approach.

Upcoming Theatre – Next 90ish Days:

On the Theatrical Horizon:

There are a few shows for which announcements have crossed my transom that may be of interest: The CSUN Theatre Department in Northridge will be doing the Spongebob Musical in April 2024. We really wanted to see this when it was on tour in 2020, but the tour was killed by COVID; we did drive up to Woodland CA to see a friend in a community theatre production of it. It is a great show about science and climate denial. Charles Stewart Howard Playhouse in Woodland Hills will be doing Hands on a Hardbody in May 2024. CSH announced this back in 2020, but it was killed by COVID; I’m glad to see it will be back (and with a friend in the cast, even). Morgan-Wixson Theatre in Santa Monica has announced their Mainstage 2024 Season, and it includes Bat Boy the Musical running Sept 28 through October 18. We saw Bat Boy back when CSUN did it in 2014; it is a wonderful musical about how a society treats outsiders. Conundrum Theatre Company will be doing Urinetown The Musical in mid to late March 2024 at the Broadwater; this is a great musical, but we can’t fit it into the schedule (nor does my wife care to see it again). However, if you haven’t seen it, it is worth seeing. I also just learned about a theatre company in Fullerton, Maverick Theater. They are doing Evil Dead: The Musical , which is a hoot if you’ve never seen it (we’ve seen it twice). They also have some interesting other stuff on their season, and we might drive down for Santa Claus Vs The Martians in November.

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If you noticed, I haven’t been writing theatre reviews of late. My last full review was of Ghosts at the Odyssey Theatre, back in October 2022; there was an explanation why in a post from May 2023. This may be changing — watch for a post before the end of the year. But last night we saw A Christmas Story at the Ahmanson Theatre, and it is just crying out in my head for some … observations. This won’t be a full writeup.

So what did I think of A Christmas Story (book by Joseph Robinette, Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, based on the motion picture of the same name)? Suffice it to say that I saw this simply because it was part of the Ahmanson season, and once was enough for me. The performances were good, and there were a number of laugh out loud moments, but ultimately it wasn’t timeless. Perhaps this is because I’m not Christian and the nostalgic Christmas has no special place in my heart. But I think there are a number of deeper problems with the show as a whole that I wish to opine about.

  • As noted, I’m not a Christmas person, and generally not a Christmas musical person. My favorite is still A Mulholland Christmas Carol, which I saw back in December 2012. More recently, I really enjoyed the version of A Christmas Carol that the Ahmanson did back in December 2021 with Bradley Whitford. But most Christmas musicals I can take or leave, and most fall into the leave category. White Christmas and Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas (soon at Broadway in Hollywood) — I’m looking at you. There are various reasons for this indifference, but it generally falls down to the fact that nostalgia falls flat with me. This harkening back to snow, and hearth, and gifts, and the magic of Christmas pass evokes little. It seems to miss the point of the holiday.
  • There is one modern Christmas musical I do like: Elf, which I last saw at the Canyon Theatre Guild in December 2019, and is currently running there through Dec 23 2023Elf is filled with joy and exuberance; and it has memorable and hummable songs that you can enjoy hearing out of the context of the story. It is a movie that called out for musicalization; there were elements of the story where you could easily see the characters bursting out into song. I contrast that with A Christmas Story, where you ask yourself: Why? The movie itself was fine as a nostalgia piece, but the scenes and incidents didn’t cry out “make me a musical”. In many ways, the Christmas Story musical was more a series of vignettes than a significant story with a through line, and characters that grew and changed over the story. I’ll gladly see Elf again; for A Christmas Story, once was enough.
  • Another problem with A Christmas Story: The Musical is its setting. The audience for which 1940s Indiana has any meaning is rapidly dying away. Literally. The adults in the 1940s are dead; the kids from the 1940s will be within the next 5-10 years. The time and places, and the memories from this story will be increasingly foreign to Gen X, Y, and Z. What are department stores? I thought Santas were in shopping malls, and toys were at Walmart? What are these mail-in contests? There is just increasingly little that will invoke memories. That will limit the stage life of this musical, which will be propped up by endless showings of the musical. Other Christmas stories of this time period: It’s a Wonderful Life  or White Christmas, have more staying power because they don’t play on nostalgia (and let’s not mention Here’s Love, which is just a musicalized Miracle on 34th Street).
  • Additionally, there is the issue of the object at the center of A Christmas Story: The Musical: A gun, specifically a Red Ryder BB Gun. which you can still get today. Only in America would you have a musical celebrating a gun; perhaps that makes this musical play better in those parts of America that yearn for a return to 1950s America, 1950s values, and a culture where guns are a part of life. Yes, we know phrases like that are dog whistles today, and I’m sure those notions weren’t in the mind of Jean Shepard when he wrote the original short stories, or in the minds of the movie makers. Yet themes get perverted by our times — and I feel this theme won’t resonate long term with the youth of today.
  • The musical captures all the major stories and points of the movie: all those scenes you remember. But with the musical, you ask yourself: Why was this included? What do these scenes due to advance the story or grow the characters? Story-wise, you could drop the flagpole scene, or all the hullaballoo about “A Major Award”, and the story would progress equally well. Again, this shows why this was not a movie that called out to be a musical; or if it was to become one, it needed radical rethinking to build it into a proper musical book of its own. Buddy the Elf had a journey. DId Ralphie?
  • This is not to say the show was bad. There were some laugh out loud moments — in particular, the dogs (Reba and Jethro) with the turkey. The tap numbers were spectacular (and special kudos to Addalie Burns for the tap specialty.  I enjoyed the Christmas dinner scene. The performances were strong, and it looks like the show (which is a tour) cast locally (although the “tour” seemingly had only one stop, and appears to be a remounting of the 2021 tour for Los Angeles). I noticed quite a few local cast, with draws from past 5-Star Theatrical, MTW, McCoy Rigby, Actors Co-Op, and such productions.  But it was ultimately “donuts for dinner” (a phrase from [Title of Show], referring to something that seems like a good idea at the time, but is filled with sugar and in the end leaves you hungry).

Should you go see A Christmas Story: The Musical? I think it depends on your views on Christmas, and Christmas nostalgia for Christmas in 1940s white-break America — the land of Hallmark and Great American TV Movies. Once was enough for me.

Don’t be surprised if I have thoughts next week, when we see MJ – The Musical. Going in: I can easily see why one would want to build a jukebox musical out of the MIchael Jackson catalog. But given Jackson’s personal history, I find the notion of the biographical approach (and one that really only presents the good) to be puzzling. He’s gone, and the funds support his kids, and the song rights holders (i.e., Sony, if I recall correctly), so it is less cringe-worthy than buying a new Bill Cosby album, but still… Next week, we shall see.

You can also expect a post before the end of the year regarding theatre reviews going forward. Yes, I’ve been attending theatre through 2022 and 2023 — just not writing about it. The old-style reviews took just too much work (even this one took a couple of hours). I’m debating picking up the review mantle again, but they won’t be as detailed. At least that’s the intent, but who knows with the way I write.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Upcoming Shows:

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

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

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For some reason, this summer I haven’t had the urge or the drive to write my normal full-up theatre reviews. Quite likely, it is burnout from caregiving; whatever the reason, the urge wasn’t there. But we’re entering into the Fall theatre season, and this weekend starts a series of 8 shows in a row. So I need to get the summer shows out of the way. So here are some quick takes, and I’m probably not going to go through and do the heavy linking thing (unless I go back and do it).


The first show we saw in August was The Prom at the Ahmanson Theatre. Let me start out by saying that The Prom is one of those few shows that I would have no qualms about seeing multiple times — it was that good and I loved the message that much.

The Prom tells the story of a bunch of narcissistic Broadway actors. When their show crashes and burns on opening night and they get ravaged in the press, they decide that to rehabilitate their image they need to do something that looks like they care about someone else. They stumble upon the story of a lesbian teen in Indiana who was denied the ability to go to the Prom. So they get on the bus (with a touring company of Godspell) and go out to save the day.

As they say next, predictable hilarity ensues.

However, what could be a train-wreck sitcom concept actually works out, and the story ends up being a quite touching one about acceptance. One of my favorite songs is “Love Thy Neighbor”, about how so many Christians seem to cherry pick what the Bible says, ignoring other prohibitions that aren’t convenience, and forgetting the most important message — how they turn a message of love into a cudgel of hate.

That’s a message that is so true today. This was a really enjoyable musical, and it left us with a smile on our face.

The touring company cast was strong, especially the performances of the leads: Kaden Kearney (Emma), Kalyn West (Alyssa), Courtney Balan (Dee Dee Allen), Patrick Wetzel (Barry Glickman), Emily Borromeo (Angie Dickenson), and Bud Weber (Trent Oliver).

Rounding out the company was: Sinclair Mitchell (Mr. Hawkins), Ashanti J’aria (Mrs. Greene), Shavey Brown (Sheldon Saperstein), Gabrielle Beckford (Ensemble), Ashley Bruce (Ensemble), Maurice Dawkins (Ensemble), Jordan De Leon (Swing, Ensemble at our performance), James Caleb Grice (Ensemble), Megan Grosso (Ensemble), Marie Gutierrez (Ensemble), Chloe Rae Kehm (Ensemble), Braden Allen King (Ensemble), Brandon J. Large (Ensemble, Aug 9-14), Daniel May (Ensemble, Aug 16-Sep 11), Christopher McCrewell (Ensemble), Alexa Magro (Ensemble), Adriana Negron (Ensemble), Marcus Phillips (Ensemble), Lexie Plath (Swing, Co-Dance Captain), Zoë Brooke Reed (Ensemble), Thad Turner Wilson (Ensemble), and Josh Zacher (Ensemble, Co-Dance Captain).

Music was provided by an orchestra consisting of: Dean Balan (Conductor, Keyboard 1), Randi Ellen Rudolph (Assoc. Conductor, Keyboard 2), Ricky Roshell (Reed 1), Erika Friedman (Reed 2), Rob Slowik (Lead Trumpet), John Replogle (Trumpet), Stephen Flakus (Guitars and Banjo), Crissy Martinez (Acoustic & Electric Bass, Librarian), Derek Stoltenberg (Drums & Percussion), Glen Berger (Woodwind 1), Keith Fiddmont (Woodwind 2); Dan Fornero (Trumpet 1), James Ford (Trumpet 2). The rest of the music department was: Robert Payne (L.A. Contractor); Howard Joines (Music Coordinator); Kay-Houston Music/Anne Kaye, Doug Houston (Music Copying); Jim Abbot (Synthesizer Programming); Chris Petti (Abletron Programming); Mary-Mitchell Campbell (Music Supervisor, Vocal Arrangements), Larry Hochman (Orchestrations); John Clancy (Additional Orchestrations); Glen Kelly (Music Arrangements).

The show was written by Bob Martin (Book), Chad Beguelin (Book & Lyrics), and Matthew Sklar (Music, Vocal Arrangements), based on an original concept by Jack Viertel. It was directed and Casey Nicolaw.

The design department consisted of: Scott Pask (Scenic Design), Ann Roth (Costume Design), Matthew Pachtman (Costume Design), Natasha Katz (Lighting Design), Brian Ronan (Sound Design), Josh Marquette (Hair Design), and Milagros Median-Cerdeira (Makeup Design).

The production team consisted of: Casey Hushion (Assoc. Director), John Macinnis (Assoc. Choreographer), Kelsey Tippins (Production Stage Manager), Ben Shipley (Stage Manager), Kyle Dannahey (Asst. Stage Manager).

The tour departed the Ahmanson on Sept. 11, 2022 and has gone on to another city. Go see it if you can.


The second show we saw in August was If I Forget at the Fountain Theatre. This show, alas, succumbed to a common trend these days: A single page information sheet with a QR code for the program. Folks: QR codes for programs are ephemeral — they go away when you redesign the website or when the site. After that, what then? You, shall we say, forget. There should always be printed (or printable) full programs for archival purposes and people’s collections. The only thing worse is a bespoke interface that requires logins — which is what the Pasadena Playhouse and CTG does. Luckily, they provide printed programs.

If I Forget wasn’t initially in our plans. But the show featured the son of the former education director at our synagogue in the cast, which brought it onto our RADAR when I received the press release. I asked our Live Theatre group at our synagogue if they were interested in the show — and a large group was. Arrangements were put in place, and we went down as a group to see the show.

The piece itself was pretty interesting. I was afraid — especially from the title — that it would be a dark show about the Holocaust. Although there was a dark scene or two regarding that, it wasn’t the focus of the show. It really was more of a family drama, and about the clash of values from different family members. The family members also held various secrets, all of which came to a head when the question of selling the family business came to the fore.

The resulting show had some very humorous moments, likely due to the influence of the director, Jason Alexander. I found it a pretty enjoyable show.

Peformances were strong. I had strong and good memories of the performance of Leo Marks (Michael Fisher)  and Samantha Klein (Sharon Fisher). Rounding out the cast were Síle Bermingham (Ellen Manning), Caribay Franke (Abby Fisher), Matt Gottlieb (Lou Fisher), Valerie Perri (Holly Fisher), Jerry Weil (Howard Kilberg), and Jacob Zelonky (Joey Oren). Evidently, the role of Abby Fisher was added by Alexander to tie things together better; I think it worked well.

The production was written by Steven Levenson, and directed by Jason Alexander.

The scenic team was Sarah Krainin (Scenic Design), Donny Jackson (Lighting Design), Cricket S. Myers (Sound Design), A. Jeffrey Schoenberg (Costume Design), Katelyn M. Lopez (Prop Design).

Rounding out the production team were: Allison Bibicoff (Asst. Director & Dance Composition), Shawna Voragen (Production Stage Manager), Lexie Secrist (Asst. Stage Manager), and Scott Tuomey (Technical Director).

The show was to close in September, but was extended to December 18. It resumes, after a hiatus, on October 28. Tickets are available through the Fountain Theatre.

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

Upcoming Shows:

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

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

 

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This has been a busy but strange summer. The combination of my Cholesteatoma, getting the podcast off the ground, working on the highway pages, and taking care of my wife has left my weekends pretty full. I’ve seen a bunch of shows over the end of June and into July, but haven’t had the time to do the full write ups of the show (in case you didn’t know, each writeup — including all the linking to the people involved — takes 3-4 hours). So I decided, while I was on vacation this week, to do some shorter write ups of the shows. These will get across my general impressions of the shows and perhaps highlight a performer or three, but they won’t list all of the folks involved. I’ll try to include a link to the programs for the shows, which these days are often online.

So, with that said, let’s begin:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Upcoming Shows:

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

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

 

===> Click Here To Comment <==This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as 🎭 Returning to the Rock | "Come From Away" @ Ahmanson Theatre by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link to the left. You can sign in with your LJ, DW, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. Note: Subsequent changes made to the post on the blog are not propagated by the SNAP Crossposter; please visit the original post to see the latest version. P.S.: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Upcoming Shows:

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

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

===> Click Here To Comment <==This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as 🎭 The Road to Hell is Quite Entertaining | "Hadestown" @ Ahmanson by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link to the left. You can sign in with your LJ, DW, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. Note: Subsequent changes made to the post on the blog are not propagated by the SNAP Crossposter; please visit the original post to see the latest version. P.S.: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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Back in mid-February 2022, I posted my predictions for Broadway in Hollywood (FB) (Pantages) and the Ahmanson Theatre (FB) seasons. BIH just made their announcement, so how did I do?

For the record, here’s what I wrote for Broadway in Hollywood:

  • Mean Girls. This was postponed from 2020.
  • Six.
  • Beetlejuice.
  • Tina – The Musical.
  • Ain’t Too Proud. This started out at the Ahmanson and went to Broadway. It is likely not to repeat at the Ahmanson — they want to reach a different subscriber base.
  • Wicked. On tour, currently at the Segerstrom. A likely retread that performs well and can do an extended sit-down at the Pantages.
  • Girl from the North Country (although this could end up at the Ahmanson)
  • Aladdin The Musical. This is a “newly imagined” version, and could be a draw.
  • Maybes:
    • The new equity tours of either Annie or Hairspray. Both are older, both done regionally, but both might be crowd draws.
    • The Cher Show. The tour was postponed, but it might come back.
    • The Spongebob Musical. One can always hope.
    • MJ The Musical. This was just announced (3/21) as going on tour in 2023. It is the type of show that would be at the Pantages, but I think the announcement is too late for the 2023 season. But one never knows; it might make it in.

What did we get?

I got the first four right on the button:

In my maybe list, the two retreads ended up being in the season:

  • The new equity tours of either Annie or Hairspray. Both are older, both done regionally, but both might be crowd draws.

Two of the shows I thought for the Ahmanson are coming into BIH instead:

I didn’t see a remounting of The Lion King; I wasn’t even aware they were still on tour. The Playbill article on current and upcoming tours indicates the Lion King tour ends in October 2022, and the BIH announcement indicates it is coming in 2023.

So where does this leave the other traditional touring house: The Ahmanson. There’s a push at CTG for more diversity and there’s a new managing director, so there could be some changes in direction. CTG/Ahmanson also does more local stuff, and stuff moving up. So what will we see from the Ahmanson? Here’s the revised prediction.

Ahmanson Theatre

The Ahmanson Theatre, in Downtown LA,  is a large venue that in the past has programmed both National tours, shows it has locally produced or produced pre-tours, or select touring productions from elsewhere, such as the West End. It has smaller capacity than the Pantages/Dolby, can accommodate mid-size runs but not long sit downs. There has been a recent strong push for diversity and local productions at CTG, and there is new artistic leadership, so I expect to see more diverse playwrights and local productions as opposed to only the tours we’ve seen of late.

My prediction:

    • To Kill a Mockingbird (Tour). This was postponed from 2021.
    • 1776 (Musical). This was postponed from 2021.
    • Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. This could be a local mounting as a tour hasn’t been announced, but there has been a sister production at the Curran in SF. This isn’t a formal tour, so it would require a local mounting of the show — which means it would require the Ahmanson, as Broadway in Hollywood doesn’t locally mount stuff.
    • Jagged Little Pill. This just seems a bit more like an Ahmanson show.
    • Girl from the North Country
    • MJ: The Musical
    • Diversity author slot.
    • Pre-Broadway or West-End Musical

I still believe that Ain’t Too Proud will NOT come back to the Ahmanson, but I could be wrong. The Ahmanson did bring back both Dear Evan Hansen and Come From Away, which they presented before. Other tours are shows that are retready enough they don’t fit CTG, such as Aladdin The Musical or Wicked, and although a new production of 9 to 5: The Musical is going on tour, I don’t think it would be a sufficient draw for CTG.  I still don’t think Emojiland: The Musical  will end up at the Ahmanson either.

And still no Spongebob Musical. But one can always hope.

===> Click Here To Comment <==This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as 🎭 Update: Prognostications for the 2023 Pantages/Ahmanson Seasons by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link to the left. You can sign in with your LJ, DW, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. Note: Subsequent changes made to the post on the blog are not propagated by the SNAP Crossposter; please visit the original post to see the latest version. P.S.: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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The Lehman Trilogy (Ahmanson)Well, that was unexpected.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Music was provided by Rebekah Bruce and Em Goldman Pianists.

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

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

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

Upcoming Shows:

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

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

===> Click Here To Comment <==This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as 🎭 That Last Step is a Doozy | "The Lehman Trilogy" @ Ahmanson by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link to the left. You can sign in with your LJ, DW, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. Note: Subsequent changes made to the post on the blog are not propagated by the SNAP Crossposter; please visit the original post to see the latest version. P.S.: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So let’s turn to the individual performances:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Upcoming Shows:

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

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

 

===> Click Here To Comment <==This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as 🎭 I Am What I Am, I Am My Own Special Creation | Everybody's Talking About Jamie @ Ahmanson by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link to the left. You can sign in with your LJ, DW, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. Note: Subsequent changes made to the post on the blog are not propagated by the SNAP Crossposter; please visit the original post to see the latest version. P.S.: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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A Christmas Carol (Ahmanson Theatre)Charles McNulty said he might be cast as the Scrooge of Drama Critics, and I’ll gladly cast him as such. How he let a technical problem at his performance mar his enjoyment of this delightful version of A Christmas Carol at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB) is beyond me. “Bah Humbug” to you sir; this is a very Happy Christmas Carol indeed.

Now, I’m a Jewish boy. I’m not a big fan of the heavy emphasis that Christmas gets (I tend to agree with Stan Freberg’s Green Chri$tma$). I used to be tired of A Christmas Carol; indeed, some versions are very tiresome. My favorite production of the story is still A Mulholland Christmas Carol (which needs to be brought back), and I’m partial to the audio version of the Christmas Carol concert by Alisa Houser and Bob Christianson. It was that version from which I learned the fuller version of the story; previously, it was just remembered snippets from the various TV movie versions.

So what about the version of A Christmas Carol that is currently playing at the Ahmanson. The Old Vic production that was on Broadway just before the pandemic shut everything down. The one where Jack Thorne adapted Charles Dickens‘ version of the story (although Mr. Dickens doesn’t get a credit in the program — the man needs a new agent). The one that was originally conceived and directed by Matthew Warchus. The one that won 5 Tony Award in the Tony Award Season with an Asterisk. You know, that Christmas Carol.

Well, despite what McNulty said, I enjoyed it quite a bit.  The stage craft was astounding, the performances delightful. At was at times dark, at times joyous, and at times laugh out loud funny. This wasn’t one of those dour versions of the story, where the actors are tired and the story comes across the same. The actors behind this production were clearly having fun with the story, and that fun came through in the performances. They, in the words of the play, had Christmas in their hearts.

Thorne took some liberties with the story. He played up the roles of Fan and Belle, bringing them much more into the latter parts of the story than is traditional. He dropped some elements that still remain in my head: the dances at Fezziwigs, the children that accompany the Ghost of Christmas Present. He gave a face to the Ghost of Christmas Future when it was just a spectre before (which made for better theatre). He made Scrooge’s father a more pivotal figure, perhaps to provide more of a backstory. He brought the party to the Cratchett’s in a way I haven’t seen before. But you know what? It worked. I remarked to my daughter afterwards that A Christmas Carol is a lot like a Passover Seder. There are elements that absolutely must be in the story, and there is a trajectory to the main characters that must achieve the same resolution. But the surrounding elements can be adjusted slightly, and symbols can be adapted, to emphasize points relevant to the audience. That’s what this Carol did: the emphasize was a clear message that although the past can shape our behavior, it is we who have the free will to change our destiny. We can choose joy and caring about others; or we can only care about ourselves and what is in it for (as Paul Stookey might say), “Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee”.

Although this adaptation was done before the pandemic, that message—the importance of caring about others and doing things to make their lives better, and not being self-centered—clearly resonates even more in the first production at the Ahmanson after COVID. As Bradley Whitford notes at the ending bows, this production is possible thanks to those who listened, cared about others, and took the steps necessary to make theatre safe again. That means they go their shots. What better way to have Christmas in your heart, and carry Jesus’ message about caring for the least, than making sure you protect them by getting vaccinated.  It’s a great gift, and it’s free as well. Scrooge would approve.

This production also has some wonderful localized humor. After Scrooge’s transformation, when he’s gathering food for the eventual feast, the writers throw in a number of local references and lots of ad-libbing. It’s delightful, and brings the audience in on the action. There are a number of other wonderfully immersive elements, from the actors tossing fruit to the audience before the show, to the lighting of the piece, to the snow in the theatre, to the actors showing up not just around the orchestra level, but up in the Mezzanine and the Balcony. It’s hard not to walk out of this production with a smile on your face (well, unless your Charles McNulty).

Would I recommend this production? Wholeheartedly yes.  It was a load of fun.

One thing that made this production special is that it is clear that the actors are enjoying themselves, and are having fun with their role. No where is that seen better than with the lead, Bradley Whitford Ebenezer Scrooge . Typically, Scrooge comes across as dour. Whitford starts out that way, but there’s a glimmer of something mischievous in him. Not in the way he is with money, but in the quick-witted responses he makes. It is clear he finds himself funny, even if no one else does. The other thing I noted about Whitford is how he disappeared into his character. I watched the recent Annie Live! on NBC, and everyone was praising Ann Dowd‘s performance as Charlotte Rae as Mrs. Garret. But when I saw it, I kept seeing mannerisms that made me think of Aunt Lydia.  Bradley Whitford is also in Handmaid’s Tale, but there was no trace of Commander Lawrence in his portray of Scrooge. Whitford was a believable Scrooge.

Another notable performance—and one I was looking forward to—was that of Alex Newell Ghost of Christmas Present / Mrs. Fezziwig.* Newell has a wonderful voice, and they got the opportunity to use it at various points in the program. But what made Newell’s performance wasn’t the singing—it was their smile. From the opening playfulness with the audience to the end, whenever Newell would smile the world would light up in joy. That joy fed back into the performance, with Newell being a wonderful Ghost of Christmas Present, as well as numerous other characters. They were having loads of fun, and it showed.
*: Newell used he/him in the program, but has indicated they don’t really have a preference. They are gender non-conforming, and has indicated that people should use whatever is comforatable. My mind says she/her, so I’m going with they/them as a middle ground.

Also notable was Kate Burton Ghost of Christmas Past. She had a bit more of a reserved role with an odd face mask, although she seemed to loosen up in the post-transformation sequences.

Completing the ghosts, the adaptation placed Glory Yepassis-Zembrou Little Fan as the voice of the Ghost of Christmas Future. This changed worked in the revised story, and she made a believable sister to Scrooge.

The other characters, although having named roles, served more as a supporting ensemble to the leads: Chante Carmel Mrs. Cratchit; Dashiell Eaves Bob Cratchit; Brandon Gill Fred; Evan Harrington Fezziwig; Chris Hoch Father / Marley; Sarah Hunt Belle; Alex Nee Ferdy / Nicholas; Cade Robertson Tiny Tim; Brett Ryback George; Harry Thornton Young Ebenezer; Grace Yoo Jess. Sebastian Ortiz Alternating as Tiny Tim. Standbys were Andrew Mayer and Celia Mei Rubin. Some notes on the supporting ensemble: Gill was actually up near us in the Mezzanine during the food gathering sequence, and he was fun to watch as he reacted to Whitford’s seeming ad-libs. I liked Hunt’s Belle, who had a nice inner spirit, and Hoch had a spectacular voice. Cade Robertson was incredibly cute as Tiny Tim; more notable is that the casting notice specifically cast disabled performer in the Tiny Tim role. Representation is everything, especially when you’re blessing everyone.

Although this wasn’t a musical, there was a fair amount of music. This was  mix of background and mood setting instrumentals, traditional Christmas music with some modified arrangements, and some new pieces composed and orchestrated by Christopher Nightingale. Music was provided by a mix of on-stage and off-stage performer, a number of whom were part of the acting ensemble (🎻). The musician team consisted of Remy Kurs Music Director / Keyboard; Alonso Pirio Assoc. Music Director; 🎻 Evan Harrington  Drum; 🎻 Brett Ryback  Whistles / Accordion; Hillary Smith Cello; 🎻 Harry Thornton  Cello / Bass; Mona Tian Violin; Micah Wright Clarinet / Bass Clarinet / Whistles; 🎻 Grace Yoo Ukulele. The rest of the music staff consisted of Howard Jones Music Coordinator; Emily Grishman Music Preparation Music Copying; Paul Staroba Music Supervision; Randy Cohen / Randy Cohen Keyboards Synthesizer Technician.

Turning to the production side: The performance was originally directed by Matthew Warchus; with Thomas Caruso being responsible for tour direction.  Lizzi Gee coordinated the movement. A few thoughts on the production design. This cast consisted of about 40% veterans of the Broadway production, and the rest who were new to the show for Los Angeles and a few other cities. The director did a great job of making this a unified team, and bringing out remarkable performances in the Los Angeles local team (who do a lot of work for cameras, not large rooms of people). Additionally, although A Christmas Carol may be technically a straight play, there is lots of movement and choreography, and Gee made it poetic and seamless and delightful to watch.

The most remarkable aspect of the production, however, was on the stagecraft side. Let’s start with what hits you when you walk to your seats: Hugh Vanstone‘s lighting design. Thousands of lanterns throughout the theatre; lanterns that you learn are programmed and not just mere lights (and so credit should go to Craig Steizenmuller US Assoc Lighting Designer; Sam Waddington UK Assoc Lighting Designer; Joe Beumer Asst Lighting Designer, and the Moving Light programmers Alyssa Eilbott and Mo Epps). Combine this with the other remarkable lighting that sets the mood, and you’ll be blown away (and this includes lighting the audience at times). The second remarkable aspect of the program is the sound design.  Rob Howell‘s set is simple: a basic wooden cross, some boxes that can be moved around, and four doorframes that rise up and down. It is Simon Baker‘s sound design that brings this to life. The actors pretend to open the door; and the sound makes it real. They slam the door; sound makes it real. The sound becomes the props, and you see the difference between the imagination that stagecraft can create vs the realism that film demands. The remainder of the scene was set by Rob Howell‘s costumes and the work of the team from Campbell Young Associates Wigs, Hair, & Makeup Design.  The principle designers were augmented by Michael Carnahan US Assoc Scenic Designer; Nancy A. Palmatier US Assoc Costume Designer; Andrew Wade Voice and Dialect Director; and Kathy Fabian / Propstar LLC Props Supervisor.

Rounding out the production team were: Jim Carnahan CSA Casting; Jason Thinger Casting; David S. Franklin Production Stage Manager; Michelle Blair Stage Manager; Amy Ramsdell Stage Manager; Showtown Theatricals General Manager; Aurora Productions Production Management.  I always give credit to the COVID Safety Teams, for without their work we would not be in the theatre. On the A Christmas Carol side, this was Swif Testing / Jeff Whiting COVID-19 Management; Sheree Devereaux COVID-19 Officer; and Krystal Nelson COVID-19 Medical Technician. On the CTG side, this is Niki Armato Facilities Assistant / COVID Compliance Officer; and a large team of supporting COVID compliance officers: Chase Anderson-Shaw, Monica Greene, Dean Grosbard, Henry Kelly, and Denise Reynoso.

A Christmas Carol continues at the Ahmanson Theatre (FB) through January 1, 2022. Tickets are available through the Ahmanson box office; discount tickets may be available through Goldstar.

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

Upcoming Shows:

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

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

===> Click Here To Comment <==This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as 🎭 No Humbugs For This New Interpretation of an Old Story | "A Christmas Carol" @ Ahmanson by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link to the left. You can sign in with your LJ, DW, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. Note: Subsequent changes made to the post on the blog are not propagated by the SNAP Crossposter; please visit the original post to see the latest version. P.S.: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

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