Palestine, New Mexico

Palestine, New Mexico
Tuesday, December 15, 2009 8pm
Mark Taper Forum, LA

This production is the latest from a group known as the Culture Clash. This is the third or fourth production of theirs that I've seen. The first was very enjoyable and educational about the land around Dodger Stadium and the drama surrounding how the city of Los Angeles took possession of it to build the famous ball-house. The most recent production was about a family where the sons went in different directions morally and how the father dealt with it. Very heavy drama.
This is about an area in New Mexico where the author is claiming that jewish people came to live and kept it secret that they were jewish. There's an element about the war we're in in the middle east and they tried to be topical and comedic at moments, but overall the show really isn't very good. The acting is fine, even impressive at times, but the writing and the concept just leave something to be desired.
Skip it.

Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins
Thursday, December 10, 8pm
Ahmanson Theatre, LA

This was the second time that I've seen this musical. The first time was on Broadway the year it came out. Luckily, the original leads are in this touring production. The disappointing part came with the modifications that they understandably had to make to the physical set. On Broadway the whole house sank down when the scene was upstairs in the children's bedroom. It was very impressive. The touring company has to take this set to every theatre that they'll be performing in, so it's self-standing and less awe-inspiring than the original.

The show is very fun, on the whole. The dilemma will come with it's inevitable comparison to 'Wicked'. Unfortunately, they weren't able to modify the well-known story like the 'Wicked' creative team did. The musical feels compartmentalized into scenes that don't relate. The shifts are abrupt rather than organic. I suppose it's fine if your target audience is very young.

I would recommend this show, but bring along a child. They'll really love it!

The Full Monty

The Full Monty

October 23, 2009 8pm

Riverside Community College, CA

The last time I saw a production at this theatre, it was Man of La Mancha and my friend's boyfriend had a role in the show. Last night I saw The Full Monty because my friend's friend had a role in the show.

Both productions have been just below par in this touted 'Off Broadway Series' production. This show only ran for one weekend and there were some huge distractions. Most importantly the vocal quality of some of the actors/actresses left quite a bit to be desired. Not just a scoop or a bit off pitch at times. Every time there was harmony required of any kind the cast just couldn't get it together. Luckily my friend's friend brought the house down in his role of 'Horse'. He is a dynamic personality and this role was perfect for him.

I can't imagine seeing this show without knowing someone in the cast. The quality was just not high enough to recommend it if you aren't personally invested in someone who is on stage. There were quite a few people who walked out once they figured out what the premise was. They did inform my friend when she bought the tickets that the show was rated 'R'. I would imagine that a lot of older people come to this theatre for a cheap evening of live entertainment. Well, the old saying is still true...you get what you pay for.

Evita

Evita

Thursday, October 15, 2009 7:30pm

Azusa Pacific Univ., CA

Finally saw a live production of Evita. Have the Cast Recording and saw the movie with Madonna when it came out and loved it.

It was a very enjoyable evening. While still a college theatre, APU consistently puts on good productions with quality music at the forefront of every musical. The girl who played Evita was wonderful. She had a gorgeous voice and put everything she had into the role. The same can be said for the actor who played her husband, Pres. Peron. The two of them were definitely the high part of this show. The actor who played Che was good, he danced well, but he was a bit sharp at times.

There was an overall sound of yelling the songs that the whole cast had. They most likely were instructed to give it that tone, but all it did was make everything sound the same.

I would recommend any production at APU. They have a nice facility and their shows are exceptionally well done college performances.

Parade

Parade

Tuesday, October 6, 2009 8pm

Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles

This show was amazing!! I'm so glad to finally see this musical by Jason Robert Brown. What a wonderful composer.
All I had heard about this was that it starred TR Knight from 'Grey's Anatomy'. Turns out he has an extensive Broadway resume. I was surprised to find out that Christine d'Amboise and Christian Hoff and Michael Beresse were also in this show. These are big Broadway stars who've recently starred in 'A Chorus Line' & 'Jersey Boys'. The talent in this production is absolutely top notch. A new face that completely blew me away was Laura Pulver. She's done a lot of stage work in the UK apparently and her voice is absolutely amazing.
This production is Broadway ready right now. Someone take this cast to NYC!!
If you're in LA, go see this show!!

August: Osage County

August: Osage County
Thursday, September 24, 2009 7:30 pm
Ahmanson Theatre, LA

This is an amazing play. Big laughs that turn into big tears. Truly tragic story about a family in Oklahoma. The actress that originated the role of the matriarch won the Tony award for best actress in a play in 2008 I believe. After she won she left the show and Estelle Parsons entered. She's the mother from the Rosanne sitcom. Apparently she's an amazing veteran performer and I was there the first night she did this role in New York....I'm pretty sure it was her first performance.
Now it's over a year later, she's still doing this part and is now on tour with the play. Her performance has completely transformed. She really owns this role now and takes much more risks with the moments when she is supposed to be high on pills.
The rest of the cast is amazing as well. It really is an ensemble performance. Three and a half hour long play with two intermissions. Be prepared for an intense evening.

Oleanna

Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles
Tuesday, June 10, 2009

This is apparently an older play by David Mamet. It starred Julia Stiles and Bill Pullman. She had been performing the role in London with a different actor and they brought the production here.
Mamet has a distinct voice in his plays. The characters hem and haw a lot and when they finally complete a sentence it's this big revelation of information. It does build suspense, but after a while it does become a bit tiring.
There are actually three characters in the this play. The playbill only lists two, but the director (or whomever came up with the idea) decided that the window blinds going up and down were a good way to pass the time while the actors go off stage and change their clothes. There is a loud buzzing while the blinds move and during the second scene one of them stayed up while the rest lowered. Is that supposed to happen? Is something wrong with the blinds? It wouldn't surprise me a bit to find that the blinds raising and lowering were all in the script and orchestrated by Mamet himself.

The actors did an amazing job. The play takes us through this transformation in these characters lives. Julia really takes her character through this journey in, not just a physical way with her body movements, but with her thought process and perspective. You see her desperation and emotion in the first act. Then how she's empowered and transformed throughout the rest of the

story. Bill's character takes the opposite journey and begins with confidence and presence and by the end of the play is just defeated. This picture is of Julia Stiles and Aaron Eckhart who played the Bill Pullman role in London.

I would recommend this production. The acting is top notch and the story is compelling.

Still coming back...??

Well, now it's June 2009. 3 months since the last post. Life has been crazy but I'm trying to stay positive.
It's only two weeks until I go back to NYC. Only six shows this trip, but only five nights and I'm not missing a Sunday.
I'm not going to make any promises about posting...

Coming Back...

I just saw another friend of mine start a blog and it reminded me of this place. This place that I was once so diligent about keeping up to date with the shows that I go to and my impressions and thoughts about them. This place that I haven't been to in over a year.
Of course I haven't stopped going to the theatre. I still see everything at the Ahmanson, Mark Taper, Kirk Douglas, Geffen Playhouse, the Old Globe (San Diego), and a few other places here and there. In fact in a recent trip to the Old Globe I saw two wonderful productions. 'Six Degrees of Seperation' with Karen Ziemba from Curtains and 'Since Africa' which was an amazing story. I still take a yearly trip to NYC to see what's on the Great White Way. Last year I even went twice, once during the summer and once over Christmas vacation. It was so fun!! Not sure if I can afford to do that every year. There's gotta be a cheaper way to do NYC....hmmm....perhaps I could mooch off Russ or the Idestrom's....hmmmm.
Anyway, I'm going to come back to this place. This place of remembrance of experiences and emotions. I think it'll do me good.