Theater to See in L.A. This Week, Including an All-Female Hamlet

THE NEW SITUATION

Joshua M. Bott; Credit: Richard Yniguez

                                                                                                                 In playwright-director Carlo Allen's comedy, when schoolteacher Francisco (Joshua M. Bott) gets pink-slipped, he and his agoraphobic sister, Antonia (Susan M. Flynn), are forced to take out a Craigslist ad looking for boarders. Fortunately, their new lodgers — gay, middle-aged museum docent Constantine (Jordan Preston) and womanizing restaurant manager Rudy (author Allen) — join the siblings to become a close-knit family unit. They all celebrate their friendship by going off to get colonoscopies. And that's the play. Allen is to be commended for crafting a comedy whose characters face issues of reaching middle age. Sadly, though, the play is a dramatically maladroit work — and the halting line readings, unfocused blocking and weird pacing jags of Allen's staging benefit the piece little. Although Flynn's comic timing provides a few moments of artistic craftsmanship, the plodding writing and other cast members' onstage awkwardness doom the piece. Promenade Playhouse, 1404 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 5 p.m.; through Sept. 28. (800) 836-3006, thenewsituation.brownpapertickets.com. (Paul Birchall)

GO: Pericles, Prince of Tyre: William Shakespeare's adventurous tale of Pericles, King Antiochus, and Dionyza, the King's daughter. Directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott. Starting Sept. 14, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sun., Sept. 15, 2 & 7 p.m.; Fri., Sept. 20, 8 p.m.; Sat., Sept. 21, 2 p.m.; Sun., Sept. 22, 2 p.m.; Fri., Oct. 11, 8 p.m.; Sat., Oct. 12, 2 & 8 p.m.; Wed., Oct. 30, 8 p.m.; Thu., Nov. 7, 7:30 p.m.; Sun., Nov. 24, 2 & 7 p.m. Continues through Sept. 28. A Noise Within, 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, 626-356-3100, www.anoisewithin.org. See theater feature.

GO: The Old Settler: John Henry Redwood's bittersweet romantic comedy The Old Settler

is set in 1943 Harlem in the comfy home (a handsome set by Thomas

Brown) of middle-aged sisters Elizabeth (Ruby Hinds) and Quilly (Jolie

Oliver). Elizabeth is dignified and restrained, while her sister is

outspoken and nit-picky. These church-going ladies are often like oil

and water, but there's an unmistakable sisterly love and devotion that

underpins the acrimony. Their bond is tested when Elizabeth decides to

take in as a renter the handsome, ultra-countrified Husband Witherspoon

(John R. Davidson). He's come up from the South looking for his

sweetheart, Lou Bessie (played with sass and attitude by Crystal

Garrett), who is only interested in a good time and the man's money. It

isn't long before Husband and Elizabeth are tenderly eyeing one another.

The story of a May-December romance is an old one, but it receives a

charming and inventive treatment by Redwood, and also offers a sobering

glimpse into the pre-civil rights-era African-American experience. The

outcome is predictable, but this doesn't detract from what is a

thoroughly enjoyable production with emotionally vibrant performances

under the direction of William Stanford Davis. (Lovell Estell III).

Sundays, 3 p.m.; Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m. Continues through Oct. 27.

Pico Playhouse, 10508 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, 310-204-4440,

www.picoplayhouse.com.

GO: One Night in Miami:

Although rooted in a historic event, Kemp Powers' period piece about a

meeting between Sam Cooke, Jim Brown, Malcolm X and Cassius Clay is

less about these gentlemen per se than it is about the struggle of

African-American men in general to deal with the ubiquitous racism that

continually challenges their manhood. The play takes place in a motel

room following Clay's victory over Sonny Liston in 1964. At 22, fresh

off his triumph, the young boxer (Matt Jones) is both less scarred and

less knowing than the others. He's also a recent convert to Islam, which

raises the eyebrows of Cooke (Ty Jones) and Brown (Kevin Daniels) —

both alcohol-imbibing, womanizing, pork chop-loving hedonists. Well

directed by Carl Cofield, the play heats up around the philosophical

divide between Malcolm (Jason Delane) an ideologue and devout Muslim who

scorns the White Establishment, and Cooke, a musician and player in the

music business who's successfully worked the system for his own gain.

(Sadly and ironically, both these men would be dead within a year.)

Powers' perspicacious script gives the performers plenty to work with,

and they make the most of it, bouncing off each other with savvy, skill

and humor. Delane is excellent as an understated Malcolm, struggling to

master not only his passions but his well-founded fear that his life is

in danger. A charismatic Jones augments an intense portrayal with his

gifted singing voice. Giovanni Adams and Jason E. Kelley add menace and

levity as Malcolm's bodyguards. (Deborah Klugman). Fridays, Saturdays, 8

p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m. Continues through Sept. 15. Rogue Machine

Theatre, 5041 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, 855-585-5185,

www.roguemachinetheatre.com.

Open House:

An audacious real estate salesman needs to sell an overpriced house

during an off season. Enter a seductive, mysterious woman new to

California who senses that something wrong has happened in the house, in

writer Shem Bitterman's third dramatic production at the Skylight

Theater. See Stage feature: https://www.laweekly.com/2013-08-01/stage/shem-bitterman-open-house/full/.

Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues through Sept. 22.

Skylight Theater, 1816 1/2 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, 323-666-2202.

Ordinary Days:

A comedic musical by Adam Gwon, directed by Angel Creeks. Four young

New Yorkers' lives intersect as they search for fulfillment, happiness,

love and cabs. Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m. Continues

through Sept. 29. Victory Theatre Center, 3326 W. Victory Blvd.,

Burbank, 818-841-4404, www.thevictorytheatrecenter.org.

GO: Pericles, Prince of Tyre:

William Shakespeare's adventurous tale of Pericles, King Antiochus, and

Dionyza, the King's daughter. Directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott.

Starting Sept. 14, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sun., Sept. 15, 2 & 7 p.m.;

Fri., Sept. 20, 8 p.m.; Sat., Sept. 21, 2 p.m.; Sun., Sept. 22, 2 p.m.;

Fri., Oct. 11, 8 p.m.; Sat., Oct. 12, 2 & 8 p.m.; Wed., Oct. 30, 8

p.m.; Thu., Nov. 7, 7:30 p.m.; Sun., Nov. 24, 2 & 7 p.m. Continues

through Sept. 28. A Noise Within, 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena,

626-356-3100, www.anoisewithin.org. See theater feature.

GO: POINT BREAK LIVE!:

Creating a raucous, rocked-out party atmosphere by blasting preshow

music (think “Welcome to the Jungle” at ear-splitting volume), the

hilarious spoof show Point Break Live! offers super-soaked

excitement in a grungy Hollywood nightclub setting. What do we mean by

“soaked”? Let's just say you'd be wise to take them up on the $2 ponchos

for sale before the show. The low-tech, seat-of-the-pants, interactive

presentation of an abbreviated version of Kathryn Bigelow's slightly

corny 1991 cop surf drama is further camped up by a fun-loving cast. The

actor playing the central role of Johnny Utah — memorably portrayed

onscreen by Keanu Reeves in his “Woah, dude” stoner phase — is

recruited from among the dozen or so audience members who audition on

the spot and are rated by the audience. The rookie performer then goes

on to utter dialogue aided by cue cards. (Too bad opening night's guy

was virtually illiterate and inexplicably prone to channeling Forrest

Gump.) Utah's volatile detective partner, Pappas, is well played by Tom

Fugedi, though he would benefit from a bit more crazy Gary Busey and a

bit less Chris Farley in his performance. Tobias Jelinek is excellent as

the bizarrely spiritual crime boss/surfer guru Bodhi. The plastic

ponchos offer protection from the barrage of water spray, blood

splatters and — uh — other bodily fluids. Stupid fun. Booze available.

(Pauline Adamek). Sundays, 7:30 p.m. Continues through Sept. 29.

Dragonfly, 6510 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, 323-466-6111,

www.thedragonfly.com.

The Pokémusical:

Winner of the 2013 Hollywood Fringe Festival's “Best Fringe Festival

Musical Award,” this original satire follows the first journey of Ash,

Misty, Brock, Pikachu and the rest of the crew from the original games

as they traverse Kanto, this time with added song and dance. Book and

Lyrics by Alex Syiek. Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 11:59 p.m. Continues

through Sept. 28. Elephant Stages, 6322 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles.

R II: A new production of Shakespeare's Richard II,

conceived, adapted and directed by Jessica Kubzansky to be bare and

raw, performed by only three actors. Starting Sept. 14, Saturdays, 8

p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m.; Wed., Oct. 2, 8 p.m.; Wed., Oct. 9, 8 p.m.

Continues through Oct. 13. Boston Court, 70 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena,

626-683-6883, www.bostoncourt.com.

GO: The Rainmaker:

A con-man/drifter walks into a small town, usually in the Midwest, and

seduces a vulnerable local female. He not only seduces her, he awakens

her to her true self and potential, which the opinions of others — her

family and society — have been suffocating. Oh, brother. Get the broom

and sweep off the cobwebs. In lesser hands than director Jack Heller's,

watching The Rainmaker would be like trudging through a slightly

dank, primeval marsh without rubber boots — the kind of experience

where you might say, “Well, isn't this historic and curious. Where can I

dry my socks?” The production is saved in part by its linchpin, Tanna

Frederick's droll, rat-smart Lizzie. With subtlety and composure that

often belies the text, she knows who she is and what she wants. Though

the play is over-written, Frederick's performance lies so entrenched

beneath the lines, it's as though she absorbs the play's excesses so

that they don't even show. Her terrific performance is not enough to

turn the play into a classic, but it does provide enough of an emotional

pull to reveal the reasons why it keeps getting staged. (Steven Leigh

Morris). Fridays, Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.; Sundays, 5 p.m. Continues

through Sept. 29. Edgemar Center for the Arts, 2437 Main St., Santa

Monica, 310-399-3666, www.edgemarcenter.org.

GO:Rapture, Blister, Burn:

The West Coast premiere of this new comedy, in which feminism's foibles

are challenged among three generations of women. The ladies share their

raucous and refreshing approaches to navigating work, love and family.

Written by Gina Gionfriddo, directed by Peter DuBois. See Stage feature:

https://www.laweekly.com/2013-08-29/stage/rapture-blister-burn-feminism/full/.

Tuesdays-Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 3 & 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 & 7

p.m. Continues through Sept. 22. Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Ave.,

Los Angeles, 310-208-5454, www.geffenplayhouse.com.

Ready for the Storm:

Written, directed, produced by and starring Randall Gray, founder of —

wait for it — Stages of Gray Theatre, this world-premiere jukebox

musical invites comparisons to another outsized vanity project: Tommy

Wiseau's so-bad-it's-good film The Room. However, this misguided

effort is unlikely to achieve similar cult status. When successful

musician Bobby (Mike Callahan) and actress Jenn (Debbie Kagy) quarrel on

their wedding day, Jenn threatens to walk. There the plot ceases, and

their insufferable waffling proceeds against a karaoke soundtrack of

ballads, pop songs and Broadway hits heavily weighted toward Wildhorn

and Cuden's Jekyll & Hyde. No specificity shapes the set,

inexplicably adorned with cast publicity stills, or the characters —

“Mom” (Lisa LaBella) never merits a first name, even from the man (Gray)

who claims to love her. Despite earnest performances and decent vocals

from the young stars (Kagy's voice is better than the script deserves),

nothing short of a total rewrite can salvage this show. (Jenny Lower).

Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m. Continues through Sept. 14, stagesofgray.com.

Stages of Gray, 299 N. Altadena Drive, Pasadena, www.stagesofgray.com.

GO: Rebecca's Gamble:

Issues of science, medical ethics and criminal law propel Art Shulman

and Robert Begam's provocative courtroom drama. Director Rick Walters

has transformed this small venue into a courtroom interior surrounded by

audience members, some of whom render a verdict at play's end. The

site-specific setting is used to good effect. The accused, Dr. Rebecca

Adler (Diane Linder), is charged with murder for her part in the cryonic

disposal of her terminally ill patient. Counsel for the defense is Joe

Purcell (Randy Vasquez), while the state is represented by Scott Novak

(Jerry Weil), with Judge Dale Fox (Henry Holden) presiding. The format

follows the procedures of a real court proceeding: Witnesses are called,

testimony is given, cross-examination is allowed and a verdict is

rendered. There are even a number of emotional outbursts, which are a

bit overworked. The compelling thing about this thoughtfully written

script is that it explores in detail some topical scientific, ethical

and legal subjects that are easily grasped. Cast performances, on

balance, are quite good, notwithstanding a few glaring instances of

botched lines. (Lovell Estell III). Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m.

Continues through Oct. 6. Theatrecraft Playhouse, 7505 1/2 Sunset Blvd.,

Los Angeles, 323-876-1100.

GO: Red:

John Logan's Tony-winning play looks at the life and work of abstract

expressionist painter Mark Rothko, a soldier in the art wars of the 20th

century who helped to kill cubism and surrealism. In the play's now,

circa 1958-59, Rothko (Tony Abatemarco) is feeling threatened by the new

generation of Pop artists, including Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein and

Andy Warhol, who seem bent on killing abstract expressionism. When

Rothko receives a fat commission to paint a series of murals for the

Four Seasons restaurant in New York City's Seagram Building, he hires an

assistant, Ken (Patrick Stafford), whom he works like a dog and treats

with arrogance and irascibility — but also educates along the way.

Their impassioned debate covers a multitude of ideas, including the

artist's need for a broad cultural background, the conflict (or

symbiosis) between the Dionysian and the Apollonian, and Rothko's

lifelong battle against depression. Director caryn desai provides an

impeccable production on JR Bruce's soaring set, and she's splendidly

served by her actors: Abatemarco eloquently captures Rothko's humor as

well as his fervor, while Stafford provides an indelible sketch of the

young man who's transformed by their association from shy nebbish to

militant challenger of the Master. (Neal Weaver). Fridays, 8 p.m.;

Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues through Sept. 15, $38-$45.

International City Theatre, Long Beach Performing Arts Center, 300 E.

Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, 562-436-4610, www.ictlongbeach.org.

Robert E. Lee: Shades of Gray:

A one-man dramatic portrait of one of U.S. history's most enigmatic

figures. Written by and starring Los Angeles Drama Critics' Circle

Award-winner Tom Dugan. Sundays, 2 p.m.; Wednesdays, 2 & 7 p.m.;

Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 2 p.m. Continues through Sept.

29. Rubicon Theatre Company, 1006 E. Main St., Ventura, 805-667-2900.

Rockstar:

A new musical featuring the music of the great pianist Franz Liszt and

others, written and performed by Hershey Felder and directed by Trevor

Hay. Starting Sept. 17, Tuesdays-Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 2

p.m.; Sundays, 2 & 7 p.m.; Thu., Sept. 26, 2 p.m. Continues through

Sept. 29. Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach,

949-497-2787, www.lagunaplayhouse.com.

Rodney King:

New light is shed on the man whose famous question “Can we all get

along?” continues to resonate 21 years after it was first posed to a

riot-torn Los Angeles in 1992. Created and performed by Roger Guenveur

Smith. Wed., Sept. 18, 8 p.m.; Sat., Sept. 21, 7 p.m.; Sun., Sept. 22,

6:30 p.m.; Thu., Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., Sept. 28, 7 p.m.; Sun.,

Sept. 29, 4 p.m.; Thu., Oct. 3, 8 p.m.; Fri., Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m.; Sat.,

Oct. 5, 7 p.m.; Sun., Oct. 6, 1 p.m. Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820

Washington Blvd., Culver City, 213-628-2772, www.centertheatregroup.org.

The Royal Family:

The work's the thing in George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber's gentle 1927

spoof of the Barrymore dynasty, which forms the centerpiece of

Theatricum Botanicum's 40th-anniversary season. The venerable,

oak-nestled venue's own founding family fills in as the board-treading

Cavendish clan. Artistic director Ellen Geer slings Downton Abbey-worthy

zingers as dowager Fanny, while sister Melora Marshall and daughter

Willow Geer carry the torch as the next generations of theatrical

luminaries. All three women nail the benign entitlement and cozy

security that comes from knowing you're an institution, but the dated

material may be more thrilling for its cast than the audience. More

compelling than the distant Barrymores is the play's exploration of

pursuing the creative life at the cost of domestic and personal

stability. Director Susan Angelo wisely avoids interfering with her

cast's marvelous instincts, but a tighter rein would keep us from

sharing Marshall's bewilderment when the madcap pace proves too

frenetic. (Jenny Lower). Sun., Sept. 15, 3:30 p.m.; Sat., Sept. 21, 4

p.m.; Sat., Sept. 28, 4 p.m. Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N.

Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga, 310-455-3723, theatricum.com.

GO: A Short Stay at Carranor: Anticipating a reunion with her married former childhood sweetheart, Irene (1955 Miss America and Barnaby Jones

actress Lee Meriwether) enlists daughter Shelby (Corinne Shor) to ferry

her to the family's lakeside cabin, Carranor. The septuagenarian

divorcee dreads Chet (Don Moss) will break off their budding emotional

affair, while her righteous offspring bristles at a presumed seduction

that could leave her mother bereft. Reality, it turns out, proffers a

more complicated synthesis. Meriwether's performance offers the best

reason to see this production: Her stately grace brings dignity to a

portrayal that feels both effortless and fully realized. As her

conflicted paramour, Moss has the tougher battle but achieves a

remarkable degree of sympathy. The staging's major flaw is the

unerringly wrong-footed Shelby, who alienates even her husband with her

grating presence and relentless harping. Ultimately the hard-working but

miscast Shor can't salvage the character from its structural problems:

Shelby is supposed to be a dogmatic liberal, but her particular brand of

rigidity plays as distinctly more red-state. Yet the narrative resists

simplistic moralizing, and for a certain theatergoer may offer a

refreshing take on life's final analysis. John Gallogly's direction

trades the saccharine for the bittersweet, while Jeff Rack's cozy set

complements the December courtship. (Jenny Lower). Fridays, Saturdays, 8

p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues through Sept. 29. Theatre West, 3333

Cahuenga Blvd. W., Los Angeles, 323-851-7977, www.theatrewest.org.

Something to Crow About:

The Bob Baker Marionettes' musical “Day on the Farm.” Saturdays,

Sundays, 2:30 p.m.; Tuesdays-Fridays, 10:30 a.m. Bob Baker Marionette

Theater, 1345 W. First St., Los Angeles, 213-250-9995,

www.bobbakermarionettes.com.

GO: Spumoni!:

Like the titular Italian dessert, this compilation of three one-act

comedies features three different flavors. In the solo piece “Booby

Prize,” writer-performer Lizzie Czerner brings a Tracey Ullman-like

flamboyance to the tale of a woman cursed and blessed with a very buxom

figure, which brings her both ridicule and lascivious short-term

attention but no long-term relationships — until she discovers that

there's a place in the world for busty women with low self-esteem.

Rebekah Walendzak directs. “Daddy Didn't Die, Did He?” is set at the

funeral of a Southern patriarch, and features writer-actors Will

Matthews and Casey Christensen playing a gaggle of predatory, mercenary

characters, including the deceased's scatterbrained widow, his three

competitive children, his Southern-belle housekeeper and a frantic

funeral director. The actors juggle multiple roles with speed and

versatility, aided by director Jeffrey Addiss. Another solo piece,

Keaton Talmadge's “Define: dif-fer-ent,” is about a straight woman who's

thoroughly disconcerted to find herself attracted to a lesbian — until

she discovers that gay relations can be as disillusioning as straight

ones. Talmadge (who inherited her first name from grandfather Buster

Keaton) is a hip, skillful and attractive performer, ably shepherded by

director Kelleia Sheerin. (Neal Weaver). Fridays, Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.

Continues through Sept. 21, plays411.com/spumoni. The Complex, 6476

Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, 323-465-0383, www.complexhollywood.com.

St. Jude:

Written and performed by Luis Alfaro and directed by Robert Egan,

Alfaro faces his father's stroke and a flood of family memories with

poignant clarity and gentle humor. Sat., Sept. 14, 8 p.m.; Sun., Sept.

15, 8 p.m.; Thu., Sept. 19, 8 p.m.; Fri., Sept. 20, 8 p.m.; Sat., Sept.

21, 4 p.m.; Tue., Sept. 24, 8 p.m.; Thu., Sept. 26, 9 p.m.; Sat., Sept.

28, 8:30 p.m.; Sun., Sept. 29, 1 p.m.; Tue., Oct. 1, 8 p.m.; Fri., Oct.

4, 9 p.m.; Sat., Oct. 5, 4 p.m.; Sun., Oct. 6, 7 p.m. Kirk Douglas

Theatre, 9820 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 213-628-2772,

www.centertheatregroup.org.

Steel Magnolias:

Robert Harling's classic southern comedy-drama about Truvy's beauty

parlor and the women who regularly gather there. Wednesdays-Saturdays, 8

p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues through Oct. 6. East West Players, 120

N. Judge John Aiso St., Los Angeles, 213-625-7000,

www.eastwestplayers.org.

GO: The Taming of the Shrew: The slapstick, or batacchio,

which originated in the commedia dell'arte of 16th-century Italy, is a

wooden device used to create a loud, smacking sound. So it seems fitting

that in staging Shakespeare's contemporaneous tale of a headstrong

woman who finally meets her match, director Ellen Geer plays its

physical comedy to the hilt, incorporating slide whistles, drums and

other noisemaking devices to punctuate the onstage pratfalls, fisticuffs

and acrobatics. The choice is mostly effective, but it's Geer's

vivacious staging of the battle between Katharina (a hilariously

histrionic Willow Geer) and Petruchio (a charmingly macho Aaron Hendry)

that makes the show. Their terrifically torrential tango is complemented

by Petruchio's servant, Grumio (Melora Marshall), who delivers

perfectly pitched Shakespearean asides and wordplay, showcasing both

sides of the “wise fool.” The remaining cast members, clad in Val

Miller's gorgeous period costumes, admirably execute their roles as

well. The play's conclusion, with its seeming support for the patriarchy

(or is it to be merely taken as farce?) is a bit jarring. Nonetheless,

this wonderful, sylvan hideaway, where 40 years ago its namesake founder

created a haven for artists, retains its rustic charm and remains an

excellent setting for a night of Shakespeare. (Mayank Keshaviah). Fri.,

Sept. 13, 8 p.m.; Sat., Sept. 21, 8 p.m.; Sun., Sept. 29, 3:30 p.m. Will

Geer Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga,

310-455-3723, theatricum.com.

Tone Clusters:

A drama by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Joyce Carol Oates, about an

ordinary husband and wife who find themselves trapped under nightmarish

attention when their son is arrested as the alleged killer of a

neighborhood girl. The playwright will be present on opening night for a

panel discussion after the performance. Thu., Sept. 19, 8 p.m.; Thu.,

Sept. 26, 8 p.m.; Fri., Oct. 4, 8 p.m.; Sat., Oct. 12, 8 p.m. Will Geer

Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga,

310-455-3723, www.theatricum.com/index.html.

Twilight Zone Unscripted:

There is good reason for live improv's reputation as the high-wire

balancing act of comedy. But even the Flying Wallendas can have an off

night. And in the case of Impro Theatre's long-form send-up of Rod

Serling's 1960s sci-fi anthology classic, “off” can prove very deadly

indeed. Directed by Jo McGinley and Stephen Kearin, the Impro troupers

(who on this evening included Lisa Fredrickson, Brian Michael Jones,

Brian Lohmann, Nick Massouh, Michele Spears, Floyd VanBuskirk and

director McGinley) ad-lib four half-hour episodes from audience

suggestions, replete with spot-on riffs of the series' signature Serling

monologues. MVPs VanBuskirk, Fredrickson and Lohman each managed to

knock at least one of their teammates' uninspired curves high into the

stands. In between, however, the proceedings were a pointed reminder of

why the outer limits of an improvised sketch remains four minutes: In

live comedy, laughless seconds can seem like dog years to an

uncaptivated audience. (Bill Raden). Wednesdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.;

Sundays, 4 p.m. Continues through Sept. 29,

falcontheatre.com/twilight_zone_unscripted.html. Falcon Theatre, 4252

Riverside Drive, Burbank, 818-955-8101, www.falcontheatre.com.

WaveFest:

A theater festival comprised of three “waves” of short plays over six

weekends, centered on the theme “Go West.” The plays will explore

stories of the Westside and Southern California through the lens of

history, neighborhood, culture, myths, and the entertainment industry.

For a complete schedule and line up visit SantaMonicaRep.org. Sat.,

Sept. 14; Sun., Sept. 15; Sat., Sept. 21; Sun., Sept. 22; Sat., Sept.

28; Sun., Sept. 29; Fri., Oct. 4; Sun., Oct. 6; Sat., Oct. 12; Sun.,

Oct. 13, www.SantaMonicaRep.org. Church in Ocean Park, 235 Hill St.,

Santa Monica, 310-399-1631, www.churchop.org.

What Doesn't Kill You: An Evening of One-Act Plays:

Each of two average, kitchen-sink tragedies, with some levity

throughout, take as their focus the troubled relationship between adult

daughters and their wayward, alcoholic parents. In You'll Just Love My Dad,

written by Stephanie Jones and Peter Schuyler, an old homeless guy

breaks into a home and starts snooping around before running himself a

bath. When Jennifer (Bree Pavey) arrives home, it doesn't take her long

to work out who's responsible, even though she hasn't seen her father,

Duke (Wayne Baldwin), for seven years. When her sister Cheryl (April

Morrow) shows up, babbling with excitement, the pair clashes on how to

deal with dear old annoying Dad. Pavey handles the play's slightly wacky

tone by maintaining a nice balance between hysteria and exasperated

resignation. Pavey also stars in — and scripted — It Feels Like Her,

the second, more in-depth study of a daughter who has given up on her

alcoholic mother. Stephanie Jones is great as the flawed parent,

especially in a tearful, confessional monologue. Barbera Ann Howard

convincingly portrays frail old Grammy. Cameron Hastings Britton is also

good in two roles. (Note: one-hour dinner break between the one-acts.)

(Pauline Adamek). Saturdays, 7 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Continues through

Sept. 15. Loft Ensemble, 929 E. Second St. No. 105, Los Angeles,

213-680-0392, www.loftensemble.com.

What Kind of God?:

The world premiere of a new play by KPCC morning radio host Steve

Julian, which explores the price paid by victims of the Catholic Church

sex abuse scandal. Starting Sept. 14, Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.;

Sundays, 3 p.m. Continues through Oct. 20. Elephant Stages, Lillian

Theatre, 1076 Lillian Way, Los Angeles.

The Wizard of Oz:

Follow the yellow brick road to the Pantages for this fun, timeless

classic. This new production includes all the original songs plus new

music by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Tue., Sept. 17, 7:30 p.m.;

Wed., Sept. 18, 7:30 p.m.; Thu., Sept. 19, 7:30 p.m.; Fri., Sept. 20, 8

p.m.; Sat., Sept. 21, 2 & 8 p.m.; Sun., Sept. 22, 1 & 6:30 p.m.;

Tue., Sept. 24, 7:30 p.m.; Wed., Sept. 25, 7:30 p.m.; Thu., Sept. 26,

7:30 p.m.; Fri., Sept. 27, 8 p.m.; Sat., Sept. 28, 2 & 8 p.m.; Sun.,

Sept. 29, 1 & 6:30 p.m.; Tue., Oct. 1, 7:30 p.m.; Wed., Oct. 2,

7:30 p.m.; Thu., Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m.; Fri., Oct. 4, 8 p.m.; Sat., Oct. 5, 2

& 8 p.m.; Sun., Oct. 6, 1 & 6:30 p.m. Pantages Theater, 6233

Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, 800-982-2787, www.hollywoodpantages.com.