Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Tuesday, August 29, 2006 7:30pm
Orange County Performing Arts Center, Costa Mesa

Ummmm.....I went and saw this again. I think this makes three times to this show....four if you count standing outside the stage door on Broadway and getting signatures.
It was great every time.

Nighthawks

Nighthawks
Sunday, August 27, 2006 8:00pm
Kirk Douglas Theatre, Los Angeles

This was a show that was written based on the famous painting of that diner. It's an interesting idea, but it didn't draw you in as an audience member. I don't recall really caring about these characters and what was happening to them. In fact I can't even remember what happened to these random people during the coarse of the show. It seems that they ended up right where they started....which was probably the point, but it just wasn't great.

Water & Power

Water & Power
Saturday, August 26, 2006 2:30pm
Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles

It's been too long since I've seen this show. It's now December as I'm writing this and has been about four months since I've seen it. I do think that this group is quite innovative and unique. They did a production in the past about Caeser Chavez and the area around Dodger Stadium that I thought was quite well done. It's called Chavez Ravine.

This story was about a father with two sons. One became very successful and was involved in the city's politics while the other was a policeman who had crossed the line. They are very good actors and extremely professional. I truly enjoyed the afternoon performance and remember thinking that these guys are making their own way in the world. Not waiting for the industry to find them, but writing and creating their own vehicles to perform and be successful.

Here's a summary I found online:
Water and Power deals with a gripping story of a hard working Chicano father who has been working with DWP nicknames and his twin sons are named as Water & Power. The hard phase of life emboldens them enough to take the world by its hidden reins. Father is confident enough that he will be a great man and who will help to shape the city of Los Angeles. There can be no power without one of the most important things on the planet water and without water there will be no power. After some years his beloved son Water is seen as an ambitious state senator. His second son Power is a top-ranking lieutenant with the LAPD. Now the play takes its most dramatic turn as both the brothers will soon find themselves at totally different ends of an abuse of power city scandal that is followed by the biggest crisis.

Curtains

Curtains
Friday, August 25, 2006 8pm
Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles

I went again to this production. I really enjoyed it, even though the people on BroadwayWorld.com were very negative. There was a bit of drama when David Hyde Pierce was riding the scenery and the harness for him went at a different speed than the set piece. His head got caught and they had to stop the show and get him down. It was a little scary, but then it only delayed the show for about 10 minutes.
Debra Monk was amazing. She made the whole show worthwhile. I just loved it. Hopefully it will make it to Broadway and have a good successful run.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Thursday, August 24, 2006 8pm
Pantages Theatre, Los Angeles

This was such a fun show!! I had seen it in San Diego when it was on it's way to Broadway. Then, when I was in NYC, I grabbed a few playbills and stood outside the stage door and got signatures of the OBC. I didn't see it on Broadway though. Then tonight I saw it here in LA. It was great. John Lithgow was a better character than the replacement, but Norbert Leo Butz was amazing. I'm trying to remember, but I think my friend Carolyn went with me to this show. We had great seats in the Mezzanine and ate very well before the show. If you missed seeing this show, then you need to buy the recording. It's so much fun!!

Celine Dion

Celine Dion
Friday, August 18, 2006 8:30pm
Ceaser's Palace, Las Vegas

A friend and I went to Vegas for the exclusive reason to see Barry Manilow in concert. Well, then he proceeded to need some sort of operation and cancelled the performances that we had tickets to. DAMILOW!!
So, at the last second we walked up to the theatre where Celine does her show and bought balcony seats. As we walked in one of the ushers knew me...I have no idea from where, but he stopped me and said I was the first person that he knew from California that he's seen out in Vegas. To this day I have no idea who this kid was. Anyway, they didn't have us go up the the balcony, instead they sat us on the floor level towards the back. It was great!!
My friend hadn't seen the concert before, so it was a fun night, but still depressing since we were all revved up for Barry.
Whatever.

A Chorus Line

A Chorus Line
Thursday, August 3, 2006 8pm
Curran Theatre, San Francisco

This was a first for me. I just kicked myself so much when I learned that Wicked had a pre-Broadway run in San Francisco that I've been keeping my eye out for other shows doing their run at this relatively close city. So, since I'm off for the summer, I decided to hop in my car and drive up to the Curran to check out A Chorus Line before it heads to Broadway. I'm so glad that I did. It was a thoroughly wonderful experience. I got to the city quite early, so I parked my car and hung out at a Starbucks and then just sat in a hotel for a while and watched the people. That can be the most entertaining thing.
The show itself was just beautiful. There were some little things that were distracting. I wanted the "I Can Do That" number to be more impressive, there were a few singers that weren't quite up to par with the rest of the cast, and the lead, Charlotte D'Ambroise ran a hair sharp during her big solo song and dance. Other than that it was a great show. Most of the cast stepped right into these huge parts with no problem.
This revival is really a second run of the original, from what I can tell. There's no major re-vamping of the show like they usually do when they're bringing back a musical. Hopefully this production will have a good long run and afford people to see this landmark theatrical production on stage, as it was originally envisioned.
The movie that they made of this show is just not worth the $3.99 it would cost to rent it. Maybe if you have Netflix you could throw it on your list, but I wouldn't bother. Especially if you have any plans to see this production. The movie will ruin the experience for you.