[Press Release] Philippines Relief Benefit — Pasadena Playhouse

Wednesday, December 18, 2013 at 7:30 pm

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A RELIEF BENEFIT FOR THE PHILIPPINES AT THE PASADENA PLAYHOUSE

A Relief Benefit Concert for the Philippines at The Pasadena Playhouse, a one-night-only event, will take place on Wednesday, December 18 at 7:30pm. Proceeds will support the American Red Cross' Typhoon Appeal and its efforts to assist overseas as the people of the Philippines begin to recover and rebuild.

Diverting Nostalgia — Pasadena Playhouse's 'Twelve Angry Men'

"It's not Shakespeare, but...": the euphemism most often heard when someone's praising a text, while simultaneously admitting it's flawed. With Twelve Angry Men, nearing the end of its well-acted run Pasadena Playhouse, it's definitely not Shakespeare, as Reginald Rose's sexagenarian text has not aged well.

[Press Release] Four Clowns Jr. Premieres 'Somewhere Like Earth'

Laughter has long been considered the language of the soul and Four Clowns Jr. has embodied this message in their productions That Beautiful Laugh, a show that spoke to children and adults alike through laughter and a slew of touchingly funny vignettes, and Robin Hood, a hilarious clown-inspired adventure, which marked the company’s most prestigious collaboration to date with South Coast Repertory. Now, in its latest endeavor Somewhere Like Earth, Four Clowns Jr. plans to feed the soul, not just with laughter, but with learning as well.

Preeminence 2.0 — Theatre @ Boston Court's 'R II'

Now THIS is an #adaptation 2 #remember!

Brilliantly envisioned and executed by director Jessica Kubzansky, RII [The Life and Death of King Richard the Second] at @BostonCourt is a powerfully innovative, undeniably successful renovation of Shakespeare's classic text.

Mindbending Hilariousness — Imprō Theatre's 'Twilight Zone UnScripted'

Often the most exciting part of live theater is that moment when the house lights fade. During those few seconds in the dark, anything is possible. Will the show be good? even great? will I feign the sudden onset of a terminal disease and scramble for the door? This wonderful anxiety is compounded exponentially at an Impō Theatre production; for not even the players onstage, nor the crew in the booth, know what is going to unfold. Why? There is no script to follow. No characters assigned until each player steps on stage and is introduced by a cast mate. "Dad, what are you doing here! I thought you were dead." And... go!

Charming Morsel — Rialto Community Players' 'Aria's'

Rare indeed are productions of world-premiere, original plays in the Inland Empire. Most of the dozens of under-99 theaters 'round about those parts are content with the mounting the usual, played out commercial fluffiness year after year, with the dim hope of snagging some of the ever-dwindling playgoer demographic. (Not many culture lovin' hippies in them there hills.) 

Gripping Dream — South Coast Rep's 'Death of a Salesman'

Pulitzer-Prize, Tony Award winning South Coast Repertory Theater, OC's shining jewel, one of the nation's top five regional theaters, begins its 50th anniversary season strong, with a gorgeously designed take on Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. Ably directed by SCR Artistic Director Marc Masterson, Salesman is a rabbit punch of a drama exploring the soul-wrenching self-destruction of Willy Loman, who (seemingly) failed in his attempt to achieve the "American dream."

[Announcement] LA Bitter Lemons' 'Operation: LemonHeadMeter' Kicks Off

* All content shamelessly pilfered from Bitter Lemons' Kickstarter page.

Help Los Angeles' most popular theater site, Bitter Lemons, create a user-review aggregator system known as the LemonHeadMeter.*

We've built a solid readership over the last five years, at least doubling our audience every year of our existence, accomplished purely on the strength of our voice, our hard work and our fearlessness. We thank you for helping us make that happen.

Dazzling Obfuscation — Ophelia's Jump's 'Clybourne Park'

Like the King's Men during the Plague, nomadic upstart troupe Ophelia's Jump is currently touring the upper-west side of his majesty's Inland Empire. Their latest presentation is a noteworthy rendition of Bruce Norris's Clybourne Park, performing at the beautifully renovated Fruechte Performing Arts Center at Claremont High School.

[Interview] Jim Parrack talks 'Hatful of Rain' at Sherry Theater

Jim Parrack's artistic passions are many. Widely known as the endearing Hoyt Fortenberry from HBO's True Blood, Jim has produced, written, and directed for both the screen and stage. And, yes, he's every bit as amiable and genuine as you'd expect. Jim took a moment on the July 4th holiday to discuss 120 Productions' A Hatful of Rain, premiering this weekend at The Sherry Theater in North Hollywood.

How did you become involved with Hatful?

I came to LA to study acting in 2001. This was one of the plays that stuck out to me in acting school. Over the years, I wanted to workshop pieces of it in class, but I could never decide which of the two brothers I wanted to play. Earlier this year my wife, Ciera — who plays Celia Pope in the play — said, 'I'm tired of waiting around for you. I'm going to take these two actors we know and do [Hatful].' Then I said, 'Well, I'll direct it then.' So, this production's been a long time coming. It's one of my favorites.

[Fringe] Week 2 of Hollywood Fringe Festival 2013 Reviews

Another week, another bevy of 2013 Hollywood Fringe shows. Some great, some not so much...

[Fringe] Week 1 of Hollywood Fringe Festival 2013 Reviews

Anyone who says there isn't amazing, life-changing theater at the 2013 Hollywood Fringe Festival must be seeing the wrong shows...

Pleasant Memories — Pasadena Playhouse's 'Sleepless in Seattle - The Musical'

For twenty years, Sleepless in Seattle has been synonymous with romantic comedy. The movie even squeaked into AFI's all-time top 10 list; though I'd wager the majority of people in an impromptu survey would say "Sleepless" first, when asked to name a rom-com. Just the mention of the title sends fans into sighing, pearl-clutching swoons. Under the pressure of such hype, and after nearly a decade in development limbo, original story author Jeff Arch, director Sheldon Epps, and the production team at Pasadena Playhouse have mounted a mostly entertaining, often funny musical version of the beloved modern classic.

Astonishing Revelation — Antaeus Company's 'The Crucible' (Putnam Cast)

The Anateus Company, recently voted one of LA's best 99-seat theaters, proves itself with an intense production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible. Adroitly though not flawlessly directed by Armin Shimerman and Geoffrey Wade, the stellar ("Putnam"*) cast creates a visceral, in-yo-face version of Miller's enduring classic.

For Darkness' Sake — Theatre 68's 'Crumble'

Anchored by impressive technical design, Shelly Callaghan's surreal play Crumble (Lay Me Down Justin Timberlake) once again arises to disturbing life at Los Angeles' 68 Cent Crew Theatre Company. Like a meth-addled nightmare, Crumble shows the worst of what grief can do to an already dysfunctional family. Callaghan's is a world where the only (temporary) solace comes from pop icons crawling out of the walls. Where a failed murder-suicide attempt on Christmas morning actually mends the torn familial bonds. Find that absurd? non sequitur? contradictory to reality? Good, that's the point: to leave the audience haunted, uncomfortable, embroiled in darkness for no discernible reason. Théâtre de la Cruauté at its best.

Heart-Rending Treasure — 'The Baby Dance' at Lounge Theatre, Hollywood

In his "Poor Theatre" treatise, Grotowski spoke of the power of true theatre — live performances so real, so rapturous, they couldn't be matched by the onslaught of the multibillion dollar entertainment combine. Nowhere is the Machine more visible than in LA/Hollywood; and right here, in the womb of it all, at the Lounge Theatre on Santa Monica Blvd., is the living embodiment of Grotowski's greatest hopes. Jane Anderson's The Baby Dance, expertly directed by David Johann Kim, starring a matchless cast of LA theater vets, is the kind of art that transcends time, place, and budget constraints to clutch your soul and remind you why theatre was invented.

Technically Marvelous — A Noise Within's 'Eurydice'

Even as they penned their fantastical, supernatural tales, could the ancient Greek mythologizers have ever envisioned their work being translated and performed thousands of years later? on the other side of the globe? with state-of-the-art lighting and digital projections? I dunno. But what I can say for certain is that A Noise Within's production of Sarah Ruhl's acclaimed Eurydice is a hauntingly beautiful, impressive technological accomplishment.

Deep, Dark Journey — South Coast Repertory's 'The Whale'

Directed by company co-founder Martin Benson, South Coast Repertory's powerful left-coast premiere of Samuel D. Hunter’s The Whale is a dark, allegorical plunge into the chasm of human regret, where the pressure of past wrongs and present despair crushes like miles of ocean above the Mariana.

Dreamy, Beautiful Fun — Rancho Cucamonga Community Theatre's 'The Fantasticks'

The Fantasticks, Tom Jones's 1960 musical mashup of Shakespeare's Midsummer and Romeo & Juliet, springs to new, fun-filled life at Rancho Cucamonga Community Theatre. Beautifully envisioned and executed by director Dimyana Pelev and RCCT's crackerjack production team, we are transported into the romantic, chimerical world of a gigantic music box. Mute sprites Ayssa Good and Olivia Spirz crank an over-sized key, the box top flies away, sparking the gorgeous live piano and harp music (by Ronda Rubio and Celia Chan Valerio), breathing life into the trinket's resident figurines.

Fresh on da Scene — Inland Valley Repertory's 'Born Yesterday'

Why is it that political plays always seem timely? Perhaps it's because nothing in the American political landscape has changed during the last century. Or, at least, not enough's changed to make plays like Inland Valley Repertory Theatre's earnest production of Garson Kanin's Born Yesterday seem old school. Fact is, after our last particularly vicious political season, much of Kanin's sexagenarian text is as chord-striking as ever.

Spontaneous, Hilarious Romance — Impro Theatre's 'Jane Austen UnScripted'

There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort. 
~ Jane Austen

All due respect, Ms. Austen would've never written this had she seen Imprō Theatre lampoon her innovative oeuvre. Not that this is a raunchy Comedy Central roast or screwball Wayans movie. The ingenious Imprō company has nothing but respect for their source material. What they create anew night-after-night is a tasteful, cultured, theatrical marvel; a hilarious ad-libbed homage sure to leave you awe-inspired and sore from laughter.

Sparkling Verbal Symphony — The Theatre @ Boston Court's 'Cassiopeia'

What's the average distance between two airline seats? An inch? Less if you're on the fluffy side. Or maybe it's a couple feet, at most, in the not-paying-your-fair-share section. Either way, that distance is infinitesimally small compared to the imaginary chasms we create between ourselves and strangers, acquaintances, even friends and family members. Vast distances separating us, based on reasons as shallow as skin tone. Excuses as intangible as thoughts themselves. Speaking of thoughts, did you know a good dose of static shock can be 50,000 volts, while a memory is little more than 1/10 of a single volt? To what should we give more credence?

A Classic Tribute — Candlelight Pavilion's 'Sound of Music'

Confession time: I'm an anti-musical-ite. Given the choice to spend a few hours watching a straight play or a musical, I'd reject the musical about 96.5% of the time. However, despite such a blatant bias, I have a second confession: Candlelight Pavilion's production of the classic musical "The Sound of Music" was quite entertaining.

My biggest problem with "Sound of Music" in particular — to be fair, it's not the show's fault, just everyone else's — is that the songs are sooo played out. It should have been difficult to refrain from cringing as each song started. What with years of hearing people incessantly belting "The hills are alive," or whichever single chorus line they remember. Then there's the endless TV ads sampling Rodgers and Hammerstein. (How many insurance or lasagna commercials have you heard set to the same endless loop of "These are a few of my favorite things"? Honestly.) 

But, again, not the show's fault. And especially not the fault of talented director Douglas Austin or his beautifully voiced cast. About two notes into the opening number I ditched my baggage and surrendered to the great dinner theater ride.

80's "Nerd" is Like Totally Radical

Chino Community Theatre raises the roof with their righteous, eighties-infused production of Larry Shue's "The Nerd." In fact, dude, they blow the roof completely off. Sporting a mostly tubular cast, directed by bodacious CCT stalwart, Toni Lynd, "Nerd" is a gnarly, uproarious delight.

After the techno pop fades, we are introduced to unassuming birthday boy Willum (Ken Lay at his finest) and his unrequited love, Tansy (Stephanie Grimley), a teased-hair tease leaving for Washington, D.C. to be a weather girl. Actually, tease, is unfair. She was trying to not be a bimbette. Tansy actually totally loves Willum, but she doesn't want to lead him on before she books it to her dream job. At least, that's what we can deduce from the dialog... Nevertheless, Lay handles the emotional heavy-lifting like a boss.