Observations Along The Road... at Dreamwidth

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 Child. The 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.

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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 Theatre; Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages Theatre; Pasadena 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).

• May:  ♦ Spitfire Grill at Actors Co-Op; ♦ A Dolls House, Part 2 at Pasadena Playhouse.
• June: ⊕ ♦ Flower Drum Song at East West Players; ♦ Parade at CTG/Ahmanson; and possibly some Hollywood Fringe Festival shows.
• July: ♦ Hamlet at CTG/Taper; ♦ A Beautiful Noise at BIH/Pantages; ♦ Frozen at 5-Star Theatricals
• August: ♦ Some Like It Hot at BIH/Pantages; ♦ & Juliet at CTG/Ahmanson

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.

I’ve never been a fan of Cats. I don’t mean the little creatures. Those cats are cute and cuddly, although I’m slightly allergic if I’m around them too long (which is why the cat I had was an outdoor cat). I mean cats on stage. After all, they don’t have the greatest of track records, do they?

Let’s start with the Andrew Lloyd Weber musical, which is currently on stage up at Canyon Theatre Guild. This is not my favorite show, although with some it is incredibly popular. To appreciate Cats, you must think of it as a dance show. The music is cute but pastiche-y (ALW is rarely in the top rankings of music and lyrics); it really exists to support and define the style of dance. There is precious little plot. The purpose of Cats is to showcase the dancers. If you go in with that understanding, you can appreciate Cats. With the right cast, it can be a spectacular dance show, as Broadway and countless tours have shown. With the wrong cats (oops, wrong anagram) cast, and the wrong conception, it fails spectacularly (as the movie showed). At the community theatre level (i.e., CTG), finding sufficiently strong dancers, with sufficiently strong choreographers, can be quite difficult. Although I’ve heard some good things about CTG’s production, I don’t like the show strong enough go see it.

Then there are the cats that serve to propel the plot. We saw such a show a few weeks ago in Fake It Until You Make It, where a fight over a cat was the plot element that provided the initial conflict between the two main characters, and kept resurfacing during the story. There were similar cats in the The Lieutenant of Inishmore at the Taper back in 2010; none of these cats at the Taper met a good fate or had a happy ending.

Then there are the cats rarely seen. Last night’s show, Drat! The Cat! at Group Rep, is an example of such a show. That you’ve never heard of the show is no great surprise. It ran for under 10 performances on Broadway in 1965, a victim of low capitalization and a newspaper strike that delayed reviews longer than the show’s pocketbook could sustain. The leads, Elliott Gould and Lesley Anne Warren, were not known as singers and dancers. Its lingering claim to fame was the pop song “He Touched Me”, which Barbra Streisand made into a minor hit for a short bit. A studio cast album was released in 1997 from Bruce Kimmel’s label at the time, and that is how I learned of the show. It was in my group of shows I have heard but never seen.

But this seems to be my year for seeing shows I’ve only heard. From Groundhog Day: The Musical  and Desperate Measures in Long Beach, to Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 at UCLA, to the upcoming Bonnie and Clyde: The Musical at the Rubicon (and many more) — it’s a year for finally understanding the plots of these musicals. So I was very pleased when I learned that Bruce Kimmel was going to produce the rarely seen Drat! The Cat! at Group Rep. I was first in the virtual line to get tickets when they went on sale.

So, last night, guess where I was? Oh, right, I already told you.

Let’s start with the basics. Drat! has lyrics and book by Ira Levin, and music by Milton Schafer. This isn’t the Ira Levin of Rosemary’s Baby or Stepford Wives; it is more the Ira Levin of Deathtrap or No Time for Sergeants. Milton Schafer is less noteworthy (and note that “The Happy Time” cited in the program is NOT the Kander/Ebb property, but an unproduced musical based on the same play). The story, set at the end of the 19^th century, involves the search to capture a cat burglar, named “The Cat”, who has been stealing jewels from the rich and powerful  in society. To capture him, the police turn to the bumbling son of their greatest detective as their last hope. He plans to capture The Cat at an upcoming society party, and enlists the help of the daughter of the the folks throwing the party (although it is more correct to say the daughter convinces him to enlist her). He promptly falls in love with her; she (unsurprisingly) is just using him to have a little fun. But our policeman doesn’t see this, as he is 100% honest and only wants to solve the crime. As this is one of those mystery shows, I won’t unveil the rest of the plot twists.

As a show, Drat! is cute and cuddly, but dated.  I don’t mean dated in terms of its setting. It mean is it just a silly story of the type we were seeing on Broadway in the 1950s and early 1960s: a show that was designed to entertain, produce quite a few laughs, have enjoyable music, and have some fun dances. It wasn’t meant to convey or import a major social message. If one finds one — such as the message that you can’t trust the rich because they will steal the jewels from your neck while you aren’t looking while maintaining a smile on their face, and they will corrupt law enforcement from doing their jobs with their money — it is purely by accident and unintentional. This doesn’t make them bad; it just means that they are out of step with many of the newer musicals on Broadway today. They become more of a throwback museum piece, along the lines of the recent Once Upon a Mattress. With the right cast and the right production, they can succeed.

How does GRT’s Drat! succeed in this area? For the most part, quite well.

The leads of the show are outstanding, most notably Sydney DeMaria as Alice Van Guilder. She was the greatest surprise of the show: A wonderful singer, strong in movement, and with outstanding comic chops. Just watch her face, and you’ll see this playful imp coming through. She was having a lot of fun with this role, and it clearly came through in her performance. This is something that I love to see and is something rare on stage. I hope this young lady goes far, and I hope to see more of her performance on stage. Just outstanding. Playing against her was Alec Reusch as Acting Detective Bob Purefoy. Reusch wasn’t at the stratospheric level of DeMaria, but was quite good. He had a very pleasant and strong singing voice, and captured the naivete of his character well. He also had strong comic timing.

Below the leads, the cast was drawn from a mix of GRT regulars and newcomers. The performances were a mix as well: some were particularly strong, and others were entertainingly earnest. I particularly enjoyed Hisato Masuyama (who I swear we’ve seen before at GRT), who has an incredibly strong singing voice and Savannah Mortenson, who also has this incredible voice. Other particularly notable folk from the supporting cast included Constance Mellors and Lloyd Pedersen as Matilda and Lucius Van Guilder, Alice’s parents who played the silliness of their characterizations to the hilt.

A note on the ensemble: Their portrayal of the cops was very much in Keystone Kops style of policemen. Kids these probably have no idea what I’m talking about. Look it up on your favorite search engine. But this is a particularly Mack Sennett style of comedy from the 1920s of the bumbling cop, with the twirling baton. It served the comedy of the story well, and provided support for the dance in the Ballet sequence. The style takes a lot of skill to pull off, and the company did reasonably well with it.

The show was directed by Bruce Kimmel, who is an expert at this sort of thing. He has a lot of fun with these shows (I still remember The Brain from Planet X many many years ago at the Chance, his productions of Los Angeles Now and Then and Levi at LACC, and his recent 70 Girls 70 at GRT), and it comes through in the direction. When one loves a piece show, it shows in the direction. I initially thought some points were a bit overplayed, but then thought back to Ira Levin and the style of comedy seen in Deathtrap, and I came to the conclusion that this was appropriate for the style of comedy. Overall, Kimmel brought out strong performances from the cast.

The dances, primarily by Cheryl Baxter, although I understand that Kimmel staged some of the numbers, were very nice. I was particularly taken by the “Dancing with Alice” number, but I’m a sucker for a good Waltz. “Today is a Day” was also a fun dance number. I’ve already discussed the ballet.

Did I have any quibbles with the production? Yes, but I think overall they were minor. There were costuming problems, likely due to the fact this is a smaller theatre with limited budget. My particular complaint was with the cop costumes. There was this black polyester jacket/cape/something that just didn’t fit with the period right. There was the fact that each cop had different shoes. For a Keystone Kops style to work, they need uniform uniforms, appropriate for the style. The differences were a minor distraction. But this was a production of a small company with limited budgets, so it really is only a minor quibble. In theatres of this size, one gets creative and does the best with the resources on hand, which is what they were doing.

I had some other minor quibbles. Some of the performers gave off a sense of “pasted on smile”. Smiles come off better when they come naturally from within (and we saw this with the lead, who was a joy to watch). Some of the ensemble had a “Smile, June, Smile” smile. Hopefully, over time, the joy of performing will bring the more natural smile. Performers have this unique skill which they probably don’t even realize they have: they can inhabit and become another character, and take joy in that character. I’m an engineer who has done cybersecurity for 40 years, and I don’t have the skill and ability to do that: I deal with the real world. I wish I had the ability to do what they do, but I don’t. My joy comes from watching their joy in performing. I’m happiest when I see that joy come through naturally, and the audience can tell.

Another quibble: Compare the splash credit page (the opening page of the program with the two QR codes) with the bios of the creative staff in the program. A number of folks are missing from the bios: notably, the stage manager, sound designer, and lighting designer. At this level of theatre, folks aren’t paid much. Having the bios is very important for these folks to get known and recognized, and they deserve that minimal spotlight.

But these are truly minor quibbles. Overall, this production of Drat! The Cat! is quite fun, and it is a chance to see a rarely produced gem. If you get the chance, visit GRT to see Drat! The Cat! and learn what Broadway missed thanks to a newspaper strike. Someone should encourage Encores to see this: it could fit will with the shows they do. Further, I encourage GRT to keep doing shows like this: Revisiting shows that either failed or missed originally, or have been forgotten. Everyone seems to revive the same shows (why, oh why, is The Sound of Music on tour yet again). It’s nice to see something that we haven’t seen in ages. Perhaps it is time for that revival of I Love My Wife?

Drat! The Cat! continues at GRT through April 27, 2025. Tickets are available through the Group Rep website.

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Drat! The Cat!  Book and lyrics by Ira Levin. Music by Milton Schafer. Directed by Bruce Kimmel. Choreography by Cheryl Baxter.

Cast (^æ indicates Actors Equity): Sydney DeMaria Alice Van Guilder; Alex Reusch Bob Purefoy; April Audia^æ Mrs. Kate Purefoy; Lee Grober Mayor; Doug Haverty Superintendent of Police Pincer; Constance Mellors^æ Mrs. Matilda Van Guilder; Lloyd Pedersen^æ Roger Purefoy (Former Chief of Detectives), Lucius Van Guilder; Rob Schaumann Chief of Police Mallet; Ben Anderson Ensemble, Patrolman; Riley Croman Ensemble, Delmonico’s Chanteuse, Dance Captain; Lareen Faye Ensemble, Robbery Patron; Amy Golding Ensemble, Opera Soloist; Angie Lin Ensemble; Hisato Masuyama^æ Ensemble, Butler; Savannah Mortenson Ensemble, Patrolwoman, Maid; Maxwell Oliver Ensemble; Nicole Slatin Ensemble; Melissa Strauss Ensemble, The Dowager; Steven Young Ensemble, Doctor, Judge.

Music Department: Gerald Sternbach Music Direction, Piano; Tim Christensen Bass; Paul Cotton Flute/Clarinet; Tom Marino Trumpet; Craig Pilo Percussion.

Production and Creative: Audrey Szot Scenic Design; Shon Le Blanc Costume Design; Echo Brejcha Lighting Design; John Harvey Sound Design; Robbie Myles Lighting Consultant; Terrie Collins-Grant Props Design; Krys Fehervari Wig Design, Hair and Make Up; Cynthia Payo Asst. Director; Cathy D. Tomlin Sound Mixing; Denise Downer Marketing; Kristin Stancato Online Marketing; Nora Feldman Publicist; Maxwell Petrie Stage Manager; Koushik 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 Theatre; Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages Theatre; Pasadena 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).

• March: ✡ MoTAS/MoTBH Mens Seder at TAS
• April:  ◊ Ren Faire (Southern); ✡ First Night of Passover; ⌬ California Science and Engineering Fair; ♦ All The Devils Are Here at the Broad;
• May:  ♦Bonnie and Clyde: The Musical at Rubicon Theatre; ♦ Life of Pi at CTG/Ahmanson; ⊕ ♦ Spitfire Grill at Actors Co-Op; ♦ A Dolls House, Part 2 at Pasadena Playhouse.
• June: ⊕ ♦ Flower Drum Song at East West Players; ♦ Parade at CTG/Ahmanson; and possibly some Hollywood Fringe Festival shows.

This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as Likeable Cats on Stage | "Drat! The Cat!" @ Group Rep 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.

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.

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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 Doreck^æ Joe Biden; Larry Cedar^æ Mitch McConnell; Marquell Edward Clayton Brother Abe Lincoln; Summer Nicole Greer Voice of the People; Jane Papageorge^æ Sarah Palin; Jenna Pastuszek Hillary Clinton; Dino Shorté Herman Cain; Jeff Sumner^æ Lindsey Graham, Coexist Lady; Michael Uribes^æ Ted Cruz. Understudies: Celeste Butler^æ 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. Producer; Anthony “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 Theatre; Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages Theatre; Pasadena 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).

• March: ♣ Broadway Classics at Santa Clarita Symphony; ♣ Musique/Ray Charles at CTG/Taper; ♦ Cabaret at 5-Star Theatricals; ♦ Drat the Cat at Group Rep; ✡ MoTAS/MoTBH Mens Seder at TAS
• April:  ◊ Ren Faire (Southern); ✡ First Night of Passover; ⌬ California Science and Engineering Fair; ♦ All The Devils Are Here at the Broad;
• May:  ♦Bonnie and Clyde: The Musical at Rubicon Theatre; ♦ Life of Pi at CTG/Ahmanson; ⊕ ♦ Spitfire Grill at Actors Co-Op; ♦ A Dolls House, Part 2 at Pasadena Playhouse.
• June: ⊕ ♦ Flower Drum Song at East West Players; ♦ Parade at CTG/Ahmanson; and possibly some Hollywood Fringe Festival shows.

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.

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 Theatre; Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages Theatre; Pasadena 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).

• March: ✡ MOTAS Poker Tournament at TAS; ♦ Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 at UCLA TFT; ♦ 44 at CTG/Kirk Douglas; ♣ Broadway Classics at Santa Clarita Symphony; ♣ Musique/Ray Charles at CTG/Taper; ♦ Cabaret at 5-Star Theatricals; ♦ Drat the Cat at Group Rep; ✡ MoTAS/MoTBH Mens Seder at TAS
• April:  ◊ Ren Faire (Southern); ✡ First Night of Passover; ⌬ California Science and Engineering Fair; ♦ All The Devils Are Here at the Broad;
• May:  ♦Bonnie and Clyde: The Musical at Rubicon Theatre; ♦ Life of Pi at CTG/Ahmanson; ⊕ ♦ Spitfire Grill at Actors Co-Op; ♦ A Dolls House, Part 2 at Pasadena Playhouse.
• June: ⊕ ♦ Flower Drum Song at East West Players; ♦ Parade at CTG/Ahmanson; and possibly some Hollywood Fringe Festival shows.

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.

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I collect music. In the area of cast albums and musicals, that includes all the Tony nominated shows, as well as other off-Broadway or regional cast albums that catch my eye for some reason. That could be reviews, that could be the artists involved, or that could be the description of the show. For whatever reason, I add them to my musical library, and then hope that someday they will show up on the stages of Southern California. When they do, I’ll travel near or far to see them. In the “near” category we have Lonny Chapman’s Group Rep in North Hollywood, which recently did “70 Girls 70” and will be doing “Drat! The Cat!”. Favorite destinations in the “far” category include the Chance Theatre in the Anaheim Hills, and International City Theatre in Long Beach, both of which are very prone to to these rarities. At Chance, I’ve seen shows like “Lizzie“, “James and the Giant Peach“, “Little Women“, “Dogfight“, “Triassic Parq“, “Lysistrata Jones“, “The Brain from Planet X“, and many more. At ICT, I’ve seen such gems as “Loving Repeating“, “The Robber Bridegroom“, and “A Year with Frog and Toad“.  We’re coming up on Tony season — who knows what off-Broadway gems I might mix into the Tony acquisitions.

Back in 2018, one of those gems I acquired was the cast album from an Off-Broadway musical titled “Desparate Measures“.  I didn’t know much about the show other than what I gleaned from the cast album. In the old west, a young man was about to be hung for killing someone. His only chance to survive was clemency from the Governor. The Governor would only grant that if the the young man’s sister, who had entered a convent and was now a novitiate (i.e., a real sister) would sleep with the Governor and give up her chastity for one night. So they figure up a solution. The saloon gal, who is in love with the young man, will be substituted in the dark for the sister. The Governor will be satisfied, and the brother will go free. What could go wrong?

The plot sounded funny. I liked the music. So when ICT Long Beach announced a production as the first show in their 2025 season, I grabbed tickets (surprisingly, a lot didn’t — even after blocking off a good half of the auditorium, the audience was only half full — and this was the 2^nd regular performance). Last night, we explored our way down to the theatre, picking up gluten free goodies in Redondo Beach, and once we reached Long Beaach, finding more Nambe at a thrift shop, discovering a great bookstore, a wonderful antique mall,  and a tasty Peruvian restaurant along the way.

As for the show: I never realized that the show was an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure. This is one of the plays that I haven’t seen. Desperate Measures was a loose adaptation: keeping some basic plot points and adapting some characters, reducing the number of players, and changing the setting. It did keep the conceit of having all dialogue be in rhyme (I can’t attest that it was iambic pentameter, but it could be). Isabella became Susanna/Sister Mary Jo; Claudio became Johnny Blood; Angelo is sort-of the Governor; the Duke is sort-of the Sheriff; Mariana is sort-of Bella. Other characters are someone discarded, and a number of subplots, such as the prisoner substitution and pregnancies, are discarded. It does end, of course, as all Shakespeare comedies do, with multiple weddings.

Don’t go expecting a deep show. This is a Shakespeare comedy — a sitcom of the Elizabethan era. You want deep, go to the CTG production of Hamlet later this year. This is a silly comedy. It is funny. It is entertaining. It is stupid and telegraphed at points. But it is also well worth seeing, especially in these times where we all need a laugh.

One thing that sets this production apart are the performances. They are extremely strong, with special notes for Gabbie Adner as Susanna/Sister Mary Jo and Daniel A. Stevens as Sheriff Martin Green. Adner has a lovely soprano voice that reminded me at times of Susan Egan; she excelled at comedy and nailed the songs. I really enjoyed her voice and the personality she brought to it. Stevens was her equal as the Sheriff, again with a beautiful and strong voice, and a masterful hand at the comedy.

The remainder of the cast was no slouch either: Madison Miyuki Sprague was strong in voice and performance at Bella Rose; more importantly, she seemed to be having a lot of fun with the role. We’ve seen both Christopher Karbo (Governor) and Jason Whitton (Father Morse) in 5-Star’s The Sound of Music. Karbo seemed to be great as the villain of the piece; he should be careful not to get type-cast. Lastly, Aaron Gibbs was strong as Johnny Blood, although he needs to do a slightly better job covering tattoos — they always seem to take me out of the suspension of disbelief when I see them on an actor, as they change that person from a character on the stage to the real person behind the character. I know they are part of the canvas of the current generation, so I just do my best to ignore them. The good thing is that they do not detract from his great performance.

The set of the show was simple, yet well executed. ICT has more of a thrust stage (although the side wings were closed off), similar to The Colony Theatre, with no fly space. The design used this well, with traditional set pieces suggestive of the old west.

Should you see this show? If you are in the mood for a silly comedy, yes. This is a great antidote for the dark times around us, and even manages to get in a few political jabs along the way. The songs, while not masterpieces, are generally entertaining. We really enjoyed the show.

Desperate Measures continues through March 9, 2025 at ICT Long Beach. Tickets are available through the ICT Box Office. Parking is $15.

———

Desperate Measures. Book and Lyrics by Peter Kellogg; Music by David Friedman. Directed and Choreographed by Todd Nielsen.

Cast (^æ indicates Actors Equity): Gabbie Adler Susanna / Sister Mary Jo; Aaron Gibbs Johnny Blood; Christopher Karbo Governor; Madison Miyuki Sprague Bella Rose; Daniel A. Stevens^æ Sheriff Martin Green; Jason Whitton Father Morse.

Music Department: Daniel Gary Busby Music Director, Keyboards; Michael Higgins Guitar / Banjo / Mandolin; Joe Buzzelli Violin / Fiddle; David Hancock Turner Orchestrations; David Friedman Vocal Arrangements.

Production and Creative: Destiny Manewal Resident Scenic Designer; Harold Kast Resident Technical Director; Donna Ruzika Lighting Designer; Kim DeShazo Resident Costume Designer; Anthony Gagliardi Resident Hair and Wig Designer; Dave Mickey Sound Designer; Patty and Gordon Briles Resident Property Designers; Danna R. Parsons^æ Production Stage Manager; Evin Salak Asst. Stage Manager; Linda Miller House Manager; Lucy Pollak Publicist; Michael Donovan Casting Casting; caryn desai 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 Theatre; Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages Theatre; Pasadena 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).

• March: ♦ Top Dog/Underdog at Pasadena Playhouse; ♣ Nefesh Mountain at McCabes; ♦ Fake It Until You Make It at CTG/Taper; ✡ MRJ Man of the Year Dinner at Temple Beth Tikvah (Fullerton); ✡ MOTAS Poker Tournament at TAS; ♦ Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 at UCLA TFT; ♦ 44 at CTG/Kirk Douglas; ♣ Musique/Ray Charles at CTG/Taper; ♦ Cabaret at 5-Star Theatricals; ♦ Drat the Cat at Group Rep; ✡ MoTAS/MoTBH Mens Seder at TAS
• April:  ◊ Ren Faire (Southern); ✡ First Night of Passover; ⌬ California Science and Engineering Fair; ♦ All The Devils Are Here at the Broad;
• May: ♦ Life of Pi at CTG/Ahmanson; ⊕ ♦ Spitfire Grill at Actors Co-Op; ♦ A Dolls House, Part 2 at Pasadena Playhouse.
• June: ⊕ ♦ Flower Drum Song at East West Players; ♦ Parade at CTG/Ahmanson; and possibly some Hollywood Fringe Festival shows.

This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as Timeless Measures | "Desperate Measures" @ ICT Long Beach 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.

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: Company, Funny Thing…Forum, A Little Night Music, Passion, Roadshow, Dick Tracy, Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, West Side Story, Gypsy, Follies, The Mad Show, Merrily 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 Orchestrations; West Side Story: Sid Ramin & Irwin Kostal Orchestrations, Leonard Bernstein Music; Gypsy: Sid Ramin & Robert Ginzler Orchestrations, Jule Styne Music; The 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 Services. This 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 Theatre; Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages Theatre; Pasadena 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).

• February: ♦ Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at BIH/Pantages; ♦ Desperate Measures at ICT Long Beach
• March: ♦ Top Dog/Underdog at Pasadena Playhouse; ♣ Nefesh Mountain at McCabes; ♦ Fake It Until You Make It at CTG/Taper; ✡ MRJ Man of the Year Dinner at Temple Beth Tikvah (Fullerton); ✡ MOTAS Poker Tournament at TAS; ♦ Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 at UCLA TFT; ♦ 44 at CTG/Kirk Douglas; ♣ Musique/Ray Charles at CTG/Taper; ♦ Cabaret at 5-Star Theatricals; ♦ Drat the Cat at Group Rep; ✡ MoTAS/MoTBH Mens Seder at TAS
• April:  ◊ Ren Faire (Southern); ✡ First Night of Passover; ⌬ California Science and Engineering Fair; ♦ All The Devils Are Here at the Broad;
• May: ♦ Life of Pi at CTG/Ahmanson; ⊕ ♦ Spitfire Grill at Actors Co-Op.

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.