Steven Leigh Morris
NEW REVIEW GO TRACERS
Photo courtesy of the Loft Ensemble
Thirty years after its Los Angeles debut, writer John DiFusco's anti-war drama retains its relevance and power. Written collaboratively in the 1970s by DiFusco and seven other Vietnam vets, and directed by Christina Howard with insight and skill, it portrays the trauma of young military recruits plucked from mainstream American life and thrust — inadequately trained and poorly equipped — into the nightmare of combat. Howard, displaying a metaphysical perspective, stages the production on a deep cavernous proscenium. Prior to curtain, an intense, almost suffocating, scent of incense permeates the theater; meanwhile, for perhaps 20 minutes, the six “trainees” jog in military unison, the rhythms of their booted tread being ominous and haunting. When at last the performers do, individually, speak, it's in a darkness resourcefully illuminated by handheld flashlights; indeed, throughout the play, the lighting design (consultant Tiger Reel) registers as a quintessential element of the spectacle. The talents of Howard's adept ensemble collectively emerge in a sequence depicting the recruits' initial training under the command of an abusive drill sergeant (the terrific Tucker Smallwood) who addresses them as “maggots” while forcing them to undergo arbitrary punitive discipline. Once in Vietnam, the men medicate their brutalized psyches with dope, alcohol and infantile horseplay — understandable given their tasks, which include sorting through body parts to try to match limbs with torsos. While not every component of this production is unimpeachable — the sound design (Howard) and vocal soundtrack, effective in part, can be intrusive — the imaginative production is compelling. Loft Ensemble at L.A. Fringe Theatre, 929 E. Second St., Studio 105, L.A.; Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 6 p.m.; thru June 27, LOFTensemble.com. (213) 680-0392. Loft Ensemble (Deborah Klugman)
For all NEW REVIEWS seen over the weekend, press the More tab directly below
NEW THEATER REVIEWS scheduled for publication June 3, 2010
BORN TO BE ALIVE
Photo by Shaunessy Quinn
“Diminutive actress/writer/burlesque artist/stand-up
comic/fashion model/activist” Selene Luna stars in the story of her
life. L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, Davidson/Valentini Theatre, 1125
N. McCadden Pl., L.A.; opens May 28; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m.;
thru June 27. (323) 860-7302. See Theater Feature on Wednesday.
NEW REVIEW CHASING MONSTERS
Photo by Armando Molina
The eruption of
laughter that opens Gabriel Gomez's drama is one of the few light
moments in what is otherwise a relentlessly bleak tale. Dominic
(Richard Azurdia) is celebrating his pending nuptials at his favorite
bar with his friend Sandra (Deborah Geer), anticipating a happy future.
In the next scene, with a vicious, alcohol fueled argument between
Dominic and his bride-to-be Amy (Carolyn Zeller), the bottom drops out
of the future, and the play. Utilizing an overlay of dreamy flashbacks,
Gomez attempts to provide context to this story of generational family
dysfunction. We learn of Dominic's early dependency on alcohol, his
conflicted relationship with his emotionally unstable mother Vanessa
(Monica Sanchez) and brother (Xavi Moreno), and his confusion and rage
toward his absentee father. Gomez and director Armando Molina show us
what lies behind this family's torments, but fails to eloquently or
convincingly probe underlying causes that address the “why.” More
importantly, he fails to establish emotionally vibrant, credible
connections between these characters, which makes empathy next to
impossible. Dominic becomes nothing more than a hard-luck, loser drunk,
and everyone else just people plagued by nasty problems. Things turn
painfully melodramatic after one character's terminal medical
prognosis, transforming the play into a lugubrious vigil. There's no
argument with the performances, which are uniformly good. Rounding out
the cast is Natalya Oliver. Company of Angels at Son of Semele Theater,
3301 Beverly Blvd.; Los Angeles; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m., Sun. 7 p.m., thru
June. 13. https://www.SonOfSemele.org (Lovell Estell III)
NEW REVIEW CRIMES OF THE HEART
Photo by Henry DiRocco/SCR
The Magrath
sisters are all back home in Hazlehurst, Mississippi, to take care of
another family crisis. Mama hung herself, Granddaddy is in the
hospital, and now Babe's gone and shot her husband. Yes, it's all
funny; and if they didn't laugh, they might never stop crying. There
are some subtle touches that do a Southern girl's heart good in South
Coast Repertory's version of Beth Henley's Pulitzer Prize-winning play:
Chick (Tessa Auberjonois) sucks her finger to prevent any lipstick from
bleeding onto her teeth; Babe (Kate Rylie) mixes two parts sugar to one
part water in her lemonade. Under Warner Shook's direction, though, the
care that Henley took to spin a delicately layered cocoon around the
black-fisted blow of suicide, abuse, mental illness, and racism is
trampled by one-note screeching that drowns out any nuance in the
script. The 1978 play's still relevant–Southern women stuck in the
South resort to desperate measures on a daily basis–but this production
not only rips out its heart, but also its head. Henley's sharp-knifed
social commentary (the sisters pity the “half-Yankee” children of a
townie who married a Northerner) is dulled by an ensemble whose crimes
are bad accents and brittle insouciance, and those Southern stereotypes
suddenly seem true and offensive. South Coast Repertory, 655 Town
Center Dr., Costa Mesa; Sun., Tues., Wed., 7:30 p.m.; Thurs., Fri.,
Sat., 8 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 2:30 p.m.; through June 6. (714) 708-5555
(Rebecca Haithcoat)
NEW REVIEW GO IT AIN'T ALL CONFETTI!
Photo courtesy of El Portal Theatre
“Rip
Taylor? Isn't he dead?” opined an unkind family member upon learning
that this weekend I was reviewing the new one man show written and
starring Rip Taylor, the legendary comedian and popular culture
“character.” TV viewers of A Certain Age (and older) will doubtless
recall Taylor, an omnipresent fixture of the 1970s, familiar from
countless appearances on game shows like Match Game and Password,
and also a Vegas go-to opening act for stars like Sammy Davis Jr., Judy
Garland, and Eleanor Powell. With his masterfully mugging shtick,
bugging eyes, waggling tongue, and silly one liners, Taylor's style
wasn't for anyone – and it was easy to dismiss his “character” as a
rube. And, yet, as his solo effort (directed by David Galligan) aptly
indicates, any performer who has managed to have as huge career for as
many decades as he has clearly possesses a mighty amount of talent, and
steel willpower. In the opening moments of Galligan's fast moving,
intimate production, Taylor strides onto the stage, clearly somewhat
frail but still every inch the showman. His flapping toupee perches
hilariously askew, as his pointy mustache waves. Next, he whips out a
thick pile of file cards, each containing an individual one liner –
and, in a dizzying display of jaw-dropping gagsmanship, he goes through
every one, over 80 in all, within the first 10 minutes. From there,
Taylor rips off his toupee, tosses it behind him, and switches over to
more serious subject matter (with barely a joke in sight), as he
describes his troubled childhood, his early successes as an MC at the
Atlantic City strip club circuit, his subsequent discovery for the Ed Sullivan Show
while performing at the Catskills, and the gradual honing of his
carefully calculated stage persona, which has been his bread and butter
for over half a century. Many of Taylor's revelations are fairly
surface level, dealing with his interactions with the stars he's come
across – and he often seems so in control over what he's saying, you
could starve to death waiting for any “behind the mask” information
about the performer. Yet, the show is ultimately a compelling
presentation of a life – and it's as much a must see for students and
historians of the comedy of a certain era as it is for folks who just
want to share a warm laugh with a thoroughly amiable performer. El
Portal Theatre, 11206 Waddington Street, North Hollywood. Fri.-Sat., 8
p.m.; Sun., 3 p.m.; thru June 6. www.elportaltheatre.com (866)
811-4111. (Paul Birchall)
NEW REVIEW THE MAIDS
Photo by Armina LaManna
French poet,
playwright, novelist and thief Jean Genet, dubbed a criminal/saint by
Jean-Paul Sartre, was an eternal outsider who embraced themes of
oppression, betrayal, transgression, and opposition to accepted social
values. Here, he tells the bizarre tale of two sisters, Solange (Rachel
Kanouse) and Claire (Nicole Erb) who are employed by Madame (Meagan
English) as maid-servants. Corroded with self-loathing, they bitterly
resent their menial existence, and become enmeshed in an intense
love/hate relationship with each other and with their employer, whom
they hate, envy, adore, and fantasize about murdering. They have
already, via an anonymous letter, sent Madame's lover to jail, and
whenever she is out, they act out sadistic fantasies of murder and
rebellion. Inevitably the end-game is lethal. Director Armina LaManna
begins the piece with Edith Piaf recordings and a choreographic
interlude that establishes the perverse erotic bond between the
sisters. The actors skillfully and meticulously navigate the shoals of
shifting fantasy and reality. J.C. Gafford provides a handsomely
baroque set, all red velvet, flowers, and ornate porcelain. And Rachel
Sachar designed the costumes, which cleverly dress the sisters in
positive and negative variations on the same uniform. However, Genet is
so subjective and personal that there are no apertures the mind can
slip in through. The Eclectic Company Theatre, 5312 Laurel Canyon
Boulevard, Valley Village; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m., Sun., 7 p.m., and
Thursdays June 17 & 24, 8 p.m., through June 27. (818) 508-3003 or
https://www.eclecticcompanytheatre.org (Neal Weaver)
NEW REVIEW GO ROAD TO SAIGON You don't need
to be a devotee of theater lore to enjoy director Jon Lawrence Rivera's
assemblage of show tunes, pop standards and showbiz anecdotes. (But it
helps.) You don't even need to be familiar with songs from the
blockbuster musical, Miss Saigon, the source of the evening's theme and
reminiscences. (Because none are present.) All you need is an
appreciation of big talents, and Rivera has gathered three of the
biggest. Besides being Filipino-American actresses, Joan Almedilla,
Jennifer Paz and Jenni Selma all cut their musical-theater teeth
playing Miss Saigon's tragic heroine, Kim, on Broadway or in a national
touring company. Their memories of winning the coveted role become the
“book” for what Rivera clearly hoped would have the appeal of a
real-life A Chorus Line. And while the results feel more like
a talky cabaret revue, what's not to like about a trio of powerhouse
singers belting out beloved Broadway favorites under Nathan Wang's
rousing musical direction (musical staging by Kay Cole). Almedilla's
soulful covers of Billy Joel's “New York State of Mind” and Burt
Bacharach and Hal David's “I Say a Little Prayer” are sensational; Paz
proves her mettle on comedy numbers like “Here I Am” from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and “In Short,” from the musical Edges; and Selma sizzles on inspirational anthems like “Don't Rain on My Parade” from Funny Girl,
and Chaka Khan's “Through the Fire,” as well as more wistful ballads
like the Kelly Clarkson hit, “Beautiful Disaster.” East West Players at
the David Henry Hwang Theater, 120 Judge John Aiso St., Little Tokyo;
Wed.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.; thru June 13. (213) 625-7000. (Bill
Raden)
NEW REVIEW ROCKIN' WITH THE AGES II
Photo courtesy of The Whitefire Theatre
Considering
the paucity of employment opportunities for older performers, it's not
surprising that they should band together to create their own show,
cast entirely with singers and dancers over the age of 60. Most
performers are eager for love and approval, but when it becomes too
obvious, as it does here, it gets embarrassing. They've put together a
lively show, consisting largely of show tunes, plus a few evergreen
standards like “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” performed by Susan Lacroix,
Carmelita Pittman, and Bobbi Stamm, and “The Tennessee Waltz,” given a
heart-felt rendition by Sue Smart. “Puttin'on the Ritz” is a lively
tap-dance number, featuring the Razzmatappers and Dennis Wickham. Raffi
Mauro provides a sweetly funny version of “Mr. Cellophane,” and joins
forces with Stamm and Hallie Richman in an antic “Two Ladies,” from Cabaret.
Big ensemble numbers include “Hey, Big Spender,” “Money, Money,” and a
raunchy “Cell Block Tango.” With such a huge cast, it's impossible to
single out individual performers, but most are able and thoroughly
professional. One wishes some younger performers could see them and be
reminded that with a little old-fashioned projection, one can be heard
loud and clear without relying on body microphones. Whitefire Theatre,
13500 Ventura Boulevard, Sherman Oaks; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m., matinees
Wed., Thurs., & Sun., 2 p.m. Produced by The Pink Lady and Senior
Star Power Productions. (818) 606-6679 or
mailto:PinkLady7@earthlink.net (Neal Weaver)
NEW REVIEW SKYLIGHT
Photo by Paul Skipper
Along with his works Plenty and The Secret Rapture,
David Hare's 1995 drama is one of his “Big Lady” plays, in which a
strong willed female protagonist is ultimately hoisted by the petard of
her own glittering ideals. In this case, the woman in question is
sensitive Kyra (Erin Shaver), who has broken up with her former
restaurant tycoon lover Tom (Stuart W. Howard), after his wife found
out about their affair. Kyra, now punishing herself by living in a
frosty flat in an unfashionable part of London, where she ekes out a
living teaching inner city schoolkids, is unexpectedly visited by Tom,
who, now that his wife has died of cancer, is eager to rekindle their
flame. The romantic sparks start to sputter, though, when the piece
sidelines into a fiery debate about the principles and flaws of
Capitalism and Liberalism, which, frankly, is Hare's real concern. It's
possible that in a few weeks director Ken Meseroll's stodgy production
of the seething drama will gel to reflect the play's subtle emotional
shifts and nuances in a more involving way. At this point, though,
Meseroll's staging is merely workmanlike with flat line readings and
stiff blocking, while also missing the psychological edge and layering
implied by Hare's delicate, yet fiercely intelligent script. Shaver
offers a likable, if emotionally restrained turn as Kyra, while Howard
is nicely oily and pompous as Tom. However, it's hard to believe for a
moment that the pair would have had an affair. In addition, the
performers are often so hamstrung by their attempts to wrestle with the
British dialect, you almost wish they had jettisoned it entirely. Set
designer Joel Daavid crafts a beautifully detailed, warm, and intimate
living room set which nevertheless feels utterly at odds with the
frigid description of the location in the play itself. Fremont Centre
Theatre, 1000 Fremont Ave, South Pasadena; Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 3
p.m.; thru June 20. (866) 811-4111. (Paul Birchall)
NEW REVIEW GO TRACERS
Photo courtesy of the Loft Ensemble
Thirty years after its Los Angeles debut, writer John DiFusco's
anti-war drama retains its relevance and power. Written collaboratively
in the 1970s by DiFusco and seven other Vietnam vets, and directed by
Christina Howard with insight and skill, it portrays the trauma of
young military recruits plucked from mainstream American life and
thrust — inadequately trained and poorly equipped — into the
nightmare of combat. Howard, displaying a metaphysical perspective,
stages the production on a deep cavernous proscenium. Prior to curtain,
an intense, almost suffocating, scent of incense permeates the theater;
meanwhile, for perhaps 20 minutes, the six “trainees” jog in military
unison, the rhythms of their booted tread being ominous and haunting.
When at last the performers do, individually, speak, it's in a darkness
resourcefully illuminated by handheld flashlights; indeed, throughout
the play, the lighting design (consultant Tiger Reel) registers as a
quintessential element of the spectacle. The talents of Howard's adept
ensemble collectively emerge in a sequence depicting the recruits'
initial training under the command of an abusive drill sergeant (the
terrific Tucker Smallwood) who addresses them as “maggots” while
forcing them to undergo arbitrary punitive discipline. Once in Vietnam,
the men medicate their brutalized psyches with dope, alcohol and
infantile horseplay — understandable given their tasks, which include
sorting through body parts to try to match limbs with torsos. While not
every component of this production is unimpeachable — the sound design
(Howard) and vocal soundtrack, effective in part, can be intrusive —
the imaginative production is compelling. Loft Ensemble at L.A. Fringe
Theatre, 929 E. Second St., Studio 105, L.A.; Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 6
p.m.; thru June 27, LOFTensemble.com. (213) 680-0392. A (Deborah
Klugman)
NEW REVIEWA TYRANT'S TALE Pared down to 80 minutes, writer-director Lisa Wolpe's breakneck adaptation of The Winter's Tale
opens with a fatal temper tantrum. King Leontes (Scott McRae) believes
his wife (Heidi Rose Robbins) is hugely pregnant with the child of his
friend — and now, sworn enemy — Polixenes (Andrew Heffernan). In
short order, the king has banished or doomed nearly his entire court,
though before she's hauled off and declared dead, Robbins, whose
character is weak from torture and tall with dignity, commands the
stage with a killer last speech. Miraculously, Apollo will set this
right, but en route, the actors rush, shout and muddy their lines with
neeedless accents, and risk losing the audience in so doing. In such a
taut tragedy, Wolpe could easily cut the scene of comic relief between
a shepherd (McRae) and his idiot son (David Glasser) and amp up the
heat, especially in the steamy dance of love between a prince (Glasser)
and a secret princess (Laura Covelli). With tweaks, this very likable
staging could be a pocket-sized success. Miles Memorial Playhouse, 1130
Lincoln Blvd., Santa Monica; Thurs.-Sun..; thru June 27,
brownpapertickets.com. (800) 838-3006. (Amy Nicholson)
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