Stage Raw: Sweet Mama String Bean

SWEET MAMA STRING BEAN

Ethel Waters is celebrated in the “two-person, one-woman show” Sweet Mama String Bean: A Celebration of Blues Woman Ethel Waters, opening this weekend at the Fremont Centre Theatre. Check back Tuesday morning for the review. For a list of all shows being reviewed this weekend, press the More tab at the bottom of this page. Photo by Robert Whitehead.

Posting this en-route to New York., where, on Monday, the New York Theatre Workshop is presenting an in-house reading of my new play. Tonight seeing Pinter one-acts The Collection/A Kind of Alaska presented by Atlantic Theatre Company; tomorrow booked in for  Notes From Underground at Baryshnikov Arts Center; Will be taking in the new John Guare play on Sunday and Al Pacino in Merchant of Venice on Tuesday.

For a list of all shows being reviewed over the weekend, press the More tab directly below

Shows being reviewed this weekend:

CINDERELLA Lythgoe Family Productions presents the classic fairy tale, starring Leave It to Beaver's Jerry Mathers. El Portal Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood; opens Nov. 27; Sat., Nov. 27, 7 p.m.; Sun., Nov. 28, 11 a.m., 2 & 7 p.m.; Tues., Nov. 30, 7 p.m.; Tues.-Fri., Sun., 2 & 7 p.m.; Sat., 11 a.m., 3 & 7 p.m.; thru Dec. 19. (818) 508-0281.

COLD LANG SYNE Gregory Blair's New Year's Eve college reunion turned murder. Ruby Theater at the Complex, 6476 Santa Monica Blvd., L.A.; opens Nov. 27; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m.; thru Dec. 31, (No perf Dec. 24.) plays411.com/coldlangsyne. (323) 960-4412.

LAUGHING WITH MY MOUTH WIDE OPEN Gwendoline Yeo's cultural journey from Singapore to America. El Centro Theatre, 804 N. El Centro Ave., L.A.; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m.; thru Dec. 19, brownpapertickets.com/event/120935. (800) 838-3006.

NEXT TO NORMAL Alice Ripley reprises her Broadway role as a bipolar mom in this contemporary musical, book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, music by Tom Kitt. Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., L.A.; opens Nov. 28; Sun., 7 p.m.; Tues.-Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2 & 8 p.m.; Sun., 1 & 6:30 p.m.; thru Jan. 2, centertheatregroup.org/normal. (213) 628-2772.

SCHMUTZIGEN DEUTSCHE KABARETT Zombie Joe's Underground's Berlin-style cabaret. ZJU Theater Group, 4850 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood; Fri., 11 p.m.; thru Dec. 17. (818) 202-4120.

SUMMER IN HELL Miles Brandman's tale of two young cousins' secrets at a family estate. Studio/Stage, 520 N. Western Ave., L.A.; Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; thru Dec. 18, brimmerstreet.org. (213) 290-2782.

SWEET MAMA STRING BEAN: A CELEBRATION OF BLUES WOMAN ETHEL WATERS  ValLimar Jansen and Frank Jansen's “two-person, one-woman show” about African-American performer Ethel Waters. Fremont Centre Theatre, 1000 Fremont Ave., South Pasadena; opens Nov. 26; Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 3 p.m.; thru Dec. 31, fremontcentretheatre.com. (866) 811-4111.

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