Theater Reviews: 2 Pianos 4 Hands, Coming Home, Cirque Berzerk

Also, Godspell, The Wasps and more

Comments (0) By L.A. Weekly Theater Critics Tuesday, Jun 23 2009

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GO INSIDE OUT For the majority, gender seems like one of life’s givens, as genetically determined and as biologically apparent as blue eyes or big feet. The truth of the matter, as Jody Vaclav points out in her thoughtfully written, one-woman memoir, is that acting like a girl or a boy is just that — acting. It’s a role most of us take for granted, though meticulously maintain, with only minor neurotic consequences. The psychic disaster that results when one’s inner gender doesn’t fit with one’s outer genitalia is both Vaclav’s subject and the story of the first 35 years of her life spent as Joe Vaclav. Born a boy amid the mountains and manly virtues of Colorado, Vaclav wryly recounts her struggles to live up to the conservative standards of Western machismo all the while harboring the unutterable secret that “he” was not who she pretended to be. She mostly pulled it off, settling into an amicable marriage and a job as field engineer for a power company, but her perpetual inner torment eventually grew into a suicidal despair and finally a determination to change. And while that decision led to sex-reassignment surgery, Vaclav’s narrative is one of journey rather than destination. It’s a bumpy ride to be sure (director Kathleen Rubin’s staging could be tighter) but one that Vaclav makes with humor, irony and remarkable courage. Actors Circle Theatre, 7313 Santa Monica Blvd., L.A.; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; through July 11. (310) 306-6298. (Bill Raden)

LITTLE BLACK VEIL The first half-hour of writer-director David Lebarron’s comedy musical is a lot of fun. After that, the ride gets really rocky. The play follows a raucous troupe of drag queens attempting to recover from the death of their beloved “queen bee,” Cherise. Among those affected are Billy (Tony Melson), who left the group earlier and Philip (understudy Derrick Reed). The production showcases the talents of Abby Travis, whose fine music and lyrics aren’t complemented by a similar quality of singing and dancing by the ensemble. But the biggest problem here is a mishmash of a plot. Tossed in for good measure, or so it seems, is a bit of romantic intrigue involving Billy and his lover, Ramon (DT Matias), who, for some strange reason, doesn’t accept Billy’s need to go drag. There’s also an even stranger hook-up between Philip and Jan (Yolanda Banos), who loves her man but can’t accept his need to wear dresses. Both hint at a focus on weightier issues of sexual identity but fall short of credulity. The explosion of bathos that wraps things up is not surprising. Kudos to Christy M. Hauptman for her wonderfully gaudy, Technicolor costumes. Ruby Theater at the Complex., 6476 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood; Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun. 2 p.m., through July 5. (800) 838-3006. (Lovell Estell III)

Courtesy of Stinger Productions

The Wasps

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SECRET ROSE MINI MUSICAL FEST Five short one-act musicals comprise this fest, with a sixth to be added on June 25. “The Red Bouquet,” by Joshua Fardon, directed by Wynn Marlow, concerns a mismatched couple (Trevor Lissauer and Rebecca Larsen) and their long-suffering waiter (Kelly J. Roberts). In Michael Gordon Shapiro’s “Change of Plans,” directed by Kevin Elliott, a would-be free spirit (Jordan T. Maxwell) balks when his bossy fiancé attempts to domesticate him. Jonathan Levit directs Stephanie Hutchinson’s “More Precious Than Diamonds,” in which a woman (Fay Gauthier) despairs of ever being given a diamond ring, and decides to buy one for herself. These three minimusicals are slight but amusing. The other two are more mixed. Fardon’s “Something Not Real,” directed by Marlow, is more ambitious but less focused, centering on marital angst among urbanites (Dan Wingard, Dan Wiley, Larsen, Carrie Frymer and Derek Houck). Jan Michael Alejandro’s plot-heavy “Myjovi El Musical,” directed by Rachel Myles, concerns an energy-drink manufacturer (Greg Haskins) who is sued by a rock musician named Ben Jovi (Jeff van Hoy) and his lawyer Kirk du Soleil. It’s awkwardly constructed and slackly directed, but rock music and Jebbel Arce’s goofy choreography are crowd-pleasers. Secret Rose Theatre, 11246 Magnolia Boulevard, North Hollywood; Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.; through July 5. (No show July 4.) (877) 620-7673 or www.secretrose.com. (Neal Weaver)

GO 2 PIANOS 4 HANDS Playwrights Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt have created an amusing play with music about two aspiring piano students. Prodigy isn’t the right word to describe either Ted (Jeffrey Rockwell) or Richard (Roy Abramsohn) because mastery of classical music does not come easily to either preteen boy. Instead, we’re treated to piano teachers (all played by Rockwell and Abramsohn) who delight in humiliating their moderately talented students, which is where much of the comedy comes in. (There are also some funny bits of physical comedy involving piano benches.) While failure to practice brings parental displeasure, the two boys have a unique relationship: One year they’re competing together in a contest; the next year, competing against each other. As the boys grow older, the two take interest in pop tunes, much to the dismay of their classical instructors. Both apply to conservatories, Ted to classical, and Richard to jazz. After both are summarily dismissed, the play tracks their respective plunges into artistic oblivion. Director Tom Frey elicits excellent performances from Rockwell and Abramsohn, so much so that we forget we’re watching adults playing children, and Jeremy Pivnick’s subtle lighting design adds texture to the staging. Colony Theatre, 555 N. Third St., Burbank; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 & 7 p.m.; through July 26. (818) 558-7000. (Sandra Ross)