Theater Reviews: Burn This, Manish Boy, Bright Ideas

I’M AN ACTOR, THEY DON’T GET IT Written and directed by Tiffany Black, this two-hour production is supported by a talented cast and just enough good writing and variety to make it enjoyable. The 30-plus vignettes are themed around the hardships, struggles and triumphs of young thespians who come to Hollywood with a dream. Black’s writing is a matter of feast or famine. Some pieces are bland and insipid, such as “Family Support,” in which Danette Wilson engages in a predictable phone conversation with a mother who isn’t crazy about her daughter’s career choice; or “Coaches with Creds,” in which Tyler Lueck grouses about acting coaches. But most of the writing is sharp, witty and imaginative and highlights the often perilous, cutthroat road taken by those who want to make it in Tinseltown. Kyoko Okazaki is a hoot as a sensuous ad lady in “Living Headshot,” while Jasmine Hughes is equally impressive as a Jamaican gal who has her own ideas about stardom in “Passport Performer.” Some of the skits feature dancing, singing and some nifty tap dancing. Considering the small stage, Black does a remarkable job marshaling the sizable cast. The Tre Stage Theater, 1523 N. La Brea Ave., L.A.; Fri., 8 p.m.; thru Sept. 18. black.tiffany@gmail.com. (Lovell Estell III)

JULIUS CAESAR One must give director Ellen Geer credit for at least attempting to add some tragic ballast to the usual mix of Bard-lite romances and comedies that typically monopolize summer Shakespeare stages. That said, Geer turns in a curiously staid and colorless revival of what is ostensibly an Elizabethan version of a high-octane political thriller. Given that the political arena in this case is a Republican Rome riven by the rising dictatorship of Julius Caesar (Carl Palmer), the thrills should be of the rhetorical, persuasive kind, as the anti-Caesarean conspirator Cassius (Melora Marshall) sets about turning the conscience of the noble, putatively pro-Caesarean Brutus (Mike Peebler). With Marshall’s singularly strident Cassius (in some gender-bent casting that is as close to a staging concept as this production comes), however, there is little to distinguish the fawning manipulator who plays on Brutus’ patriotism and vanity in Act I from the petty and corrupt quarreler to whom Brutus finds himself joined in Act IV. The missing contrast proves fatal to Peebler’s performance, reducing Brutus from a man ensnared by his sense of honor to the most gullible Roman of them all. Aaron Hendry delivers a suitably athletic and ruthless Marc Antony, making the famed “Friends, Romans, countrymen ...” funeral oration the evening’s showstopper, while Alan Blumenfeld’s robust Casca and Susan Angelo’s ambition-inflected Portia both provide noteworthy support. Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga; Sun., Sept. 6, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., 4 p.m.; thru September 26. (310) 455-3723. (Bill Raden)

Getting Out 12

Ian Flanders

Julius Caesar

Michael Lamont

Visiting Mr. Green

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• Eric Coble
• Sandra Ross
• Tiffany Black
• Brian Stanton
• Theater Reviews

MANISH BOY Writer-actor-comedian Ralph Harris is a clever writer, and a very funny man. His eloquent and affectionate portrait of his feisty 94-year-old grandfather is a comic gem, strongly rooted in reality: This is not merely standup comedy but fine, richly detailed acting through which he conjures his African-American family. He also presents sketches of his “devil dad” father, and a drug-saturated uncle. But there’s a disconnect between his individual sketches and the framing device he chose. He begins his tale with a phone call from a girlfriend of 20 years ago, informing him that she thinks her son is his child. She wants him to return to Philadelphia to take a DNA test. He must face the possibility that he has a 20-year-old son. He comes to South Philly, and his mother’s basement, where he dredges up memories of his past. The possible son is a red herring, not organically connected to his other stories, so the performance seems contrived. This is unfortunate because, though his best material is really wonderful, the shape of this production, broken up by many unnecessary blackouts, is awkward and distracting. Director Mark E. Swinton serves Harris well when he leaves him free to perform his character portraits, but he allows too many distractions to impede the flow. Stella Adler Theatre, 6773 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; Wed., 8 p.m.; thru October 7. (323) 960-1056. www.plays411.com/manishboy. (Neal Weaver)

VISITING MR. GREEN If you’re Jewish — or grew up in New York or another American urban metropolis — you’ve probably met the kind of cantankerous old codger depicted in playwright Jeff Baron’s sometimes heartwarming but mostly preachy and predictable message play. Mr. Green (Jack Axelrod) is a grieving 86-year-old widower and an observant Jew. He doesn’t get out much, nor does he care to. Into his life comes a young, gay man named Ross (Antonie Knoppers), assigned to the community-service task of assisting Mr. Green after he nearly ran him over with his car. Initially unfriendly, Green warms to Ross after learning that he’s Jewish, too (“Why didn’t you say so in the first place?”) — but soon turns away in disgust when Ross informs him of his homosexuality. The rest of this somewhat contrived and dated (think 1970s, though the play premiered in 1996) plot follows the coming together of these two individuals, as Ross pours out his soul and Mr. Green reveals the existence of a long-estranged daughter. One problem with this polarized setup is Green’s unworldly attitudes: He doesn’t understand the word gay and thinks American Express is a train. This might be credible coming from an immigrant but hardly from a native-born former shop owner, which Green is. (That Ross doesn’t know from where his grandparents emigrated also seems a stretch.) Under David Rose’s direction, Knoppers grows believably impassioned; Axelrod, on opening night, created a convincing bigot, but his performance needs more shading and nuance. Colony Studio Theater, 555 N. Third St., Burbank; Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m.; Sun., 3 p.m.; thru Sept. 20. (818) 558-7000. (Deborah Klugman)

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