John Leguizamo and Ghetto Klown Now On the West End

This was taken October 6 at The Montalban, Los Angeles after one riproaring performance of Ghetto Klown, now in London on its international tour.
(photo credit: Ben DeJesus)
review = http://grigware.blogspot.com/2011/10/review-ghetto-klown.html
interview = http://grigwaretalkstheatre.blogspot.com/2011/09/interview-with-john-leguizamo.html

Jerry Sharell & Randall Phillips Together Again

review below!

review - The Mystery of Irma Vep

CRITIC'S PICK

The Mystery of Irma Vep

by Charles Ludlam

directed by Jenny Sullivan

Rubicon Theatre Company, Ventura

through November 6 only

The Mystery of Irma Vep, written by Charles Ludlam in 1984 and a sensation off Broadway and beyond into the 90s, certainly lives up to its subtitle A Penny Dreadful. That's actually a good thing! A Penny Dreadul was a 19th century British fictional publication, usually printed in papers and magazines as a serial (in consecutive installments), aimed at cheap sensationalism. In all its campy style and ludicrousness, Irma Vep aims to thrill, even overkill, tickling one's fancy with its heavy emphasis on vampires, ghosts and werewolves. This perfect for Halloween treat, directed in brilliant, resourceful style by Jenny Sullivan will play on at the Rubicon in Ventura through Sunday November 6 only.

Two actors, Joseph Fuqua and Jamie Torcellini, in an astounding act of courage or lunacy, maybe both, essay eight characters in telling a story that parodies the Victorian era as well as several theatrical pieces and films, with a heavy concentration on Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca. It is a requirement that the two actors in this cross-dressing piece be of the same sex. Lady Enid (Torcellini), an aging actress of the stage is the new second wife of Lord Edgar (Fuqua) of Mandacrest Manor. The first wife Irma, whose portrait hangs over the mantelpiece, met a strange and violent death as did her son Victor, and loyal servant Jane (Fuqua) finds her own creepy, sordid way to pull the rug out from under Enid, who so longs for acceptance as the new lady of the manor. How did Irma die? How much does Jane really know? And what about Nicodemus (Torcellini), the vulnerable nitwit male servant, who must also put up with Jane and her evil ways? Remember Judith Anderson, who was evil personified as Mrs. Danvers in Rebecca...how she deviously plotted to undermine poor Joan Fontaine in her attempt to fit in as Laurence Olivier's second wife? Well, Jane follows in her footsteps, but with many, many more issues and complications. Act II switches scenes from the moors of England to Egypt - what could be more exotic, where we are faced with mummies, ghouls and other elements of darkness?

Fuqua and Torcellini are nothing short of amazing in their portrayal of all the characters. How they make the costume changes so quickly is an astounding feat, not to mention the different accents they utilize and the overall tremendous physicality that the execution of the play demands from them. I still cannot figure out how Torcellini as Nicodemus makes such a fast exit lying face down on the floor; he's literally whisked backwards off the stage as in a gust of wind. Sullivan keeps the pacing up and moving at lightning speed and the entire silly, over-the-top show is sheer heaven, maybe hell....that is the absolute trick or treat! Don't fuss over plot or try to make sense out of something that baffles you; it doesn't matter. Pay close attention to every sight and sound; if you blink your eyes you might miss a devilishly delicious moment.

5 out of 5 stars

CABARET review - Jerry Sharell & Randall Phillips

On Sunday October 30 Sterling's Upstairs at Vitello's presented a unique treat in cabaret with the dual sounds of Broadway's Randall Phillips and pop singer Jerry Sharell in Together Again. Musical direction was by the wonderful Todd Schroeder on piano with Bill Brendle on keyboard, Jack LeCompte on drums, Tim Christensen on bass, and Tony Mandracchia on guitar. 

Sharell and Phillips have been friends since 1981 when they did Let's Put on a Show for three years at the Roxy on Sunset. Both merely children at the time, she just having come off of a successful run as orphan Duffy in Broadway's Annie, the two have remained exceedingly close for 30 years - and this was the cause for celebration in Together Again. Why not when friendship is so terribly dear in this day and age of isolation? And when the two friends have such great vocal instruments like Sharell and Phillips, they send that love cascading over the spotlight. Sharell ingeniously engineered the set list with super arrangements, which included  some Broadway, but mostly great pop songs from the 70s and 80s, little gems that are not heard as much as they should be from Barry Manilow, the Bergmans, Paul Williams, Kenny Loggins, to name a few. Phillips has a terrific range for singing pop tunes, even though her background is the New York stage, and Sharell, in addition to his quite expert way with the world of popular music, knows how to stop a show with the likes of Stephen Sondheim's "Being Alive" from Company. 

Other highlights of the 80 minute set included: "We're In This Love Together", "Woman in the Moon", a dynamic turn for Phillips, "Almost Like Being In Love"/"This Can't Be Love", "Happy Days Are Here Again"/"Get Happy" and a lovely display of insecurity in "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" for Phillips who had been so used to belting out the eternally optimistic "Tomorrow" from Annie for so long. Sharell pulled out all the stops with Barry Manilow's tour-de-force breakup songs "Somewhere Down the Road"/"This Time". Then there were the delightful medleys like the Bergmans' "The Last Time I Felt Like This" from Same Time Next Year, "You Don't Bring Me Flowers Anymore" and "The Way We Were". The childhood medley had "Imagination", "Neverland", "When You Wish Upon a Star" and "Over the Rainbow". The silly love song medley was the best giving us: "Don't Go Breakin' My Heart", "Love Lift Us Up" from An Officer and a Gentleman, "I Got You Babe", "Somewhere Up There", "Islands in the Stream" and "Guilty", with a few lines of "Beauty and the Beast" thrown in to end the delightfully eclectic mix. For Streisand fans, many of the selections assuredly hit the mark and then some.

Both singers shined brightly alone and together and proved that their 30 year friendship and  professional collaboration has not lost one ounce of its charm and deep feeling. I hope this is the first of many concerts from Jerry Sharell and Randall Phillips. Like great singing duos of the past, Sharell and Phillips... has an unforgettable ring to it. I know I won't forget them!

review - Hairspray

CRITIC'S PICK
Hairspray
book by Mark O'Donnell & Thomas Meehan
music by Marc Shaiman; lyrics by Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman
choreographed by Lee Martino
directed by Larry Raben
Musical Theatre West (MTW)
through November 13

MTW presents a longer lasting Hairspray with more body!

(photo credit: Ken Jacques)


Hairspray, can't get enough of that Hairspray! 60s girls lacquered up their dos - hair, that is, with oodles and oodles of it until their hair was a sticky, gooey mess; well, the musical of the same name has been seen close to a half dozen times in the last several months, and few seem to tire of it...why? It's a stroll down memory lane, it's nostalgia... that is pleasant - even when it's about issues that aren't... like segregation, it's a far cry from the unpleasantness in today's world, so it goes down easier... and, it has all those crazy song and dance tunes of the era...well, an original score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, but one that sounds exactly like the hit tunes of the 60s. Musical Theatre West's (MTW) current production of the now classic Hairspray is about the best there is or has been, bar none! With an evenly spectacular cast, super direction by Larry Raben and stupendous choreography by Lee Martino, its star shines ever so brightly.

Without a flaw to be witnessed, Victoria Morgan (Tracy), Jim J Bullock (her mother Edna), Barry Pearl (her father Wilbur) and the rest of the cast just sparkle. Morgan's role is a hefty one to be sure, no pun intended, and she is definitely up to the tremendous amount of dancing and singing - is she ever off the stage? - that she is called upon to perform. Bullock has never been better, letting all the sweetness inside of him pour out as the caring mother, and Pearl, never funnier, making Wilbur stand out as an interestingly eccentric character, something that Drew Carey failed to do with the role while at the Hollywood Bowl last August. Derek Klena, such a wonderful actor and singer, comes through triple time here, with his dancing totally on a par with the other disciplines. Gwen Stewart as Motormouth is glorious; Tracy Lore, the most naturally witchy Thelma Von Tussle for the record. Praise as well to Todrick D. Hall, a smokin' Seaweed, Erin Watkins as Penny, and Lauren Smolka as Amber. Karla J. Franko is hysterical in not one, not two, but three roles as Prudy, Penny's mom, the girls' gym coach and the warden in the women's prison. She makes each one distinct and is a hoot in the process! Last but never least is David Engel who brings so much color and suave, sophisticated good nature to Corny Collins.

Raben and Martino's work is flawless and the whole show, an ode to the 60s and to those who stood up to make a difference in the way we think and live, is an exuberant, joyous dessert. MTW's Hairspray is ultra clutch, ranking among the best of the crop.

5 out of 5 stars

review - Come Fly Away

RECOMMENDED
Come Fly Away
vocals by Frank Sinatra
conceived, choreographed & directed by Twyla Tharp
Pantages Theatre
through November 6

For those ardent fans of Frank Sinatra, Come Fly Away is a must see. For dance fans who can't wait to watch Dancing with the Stars every week on TV, here's your chance to get out of that armchair and go see some magnificent dancing up close, on a real live stage. Plus there's a big band center stage playing along with Sinatra's recorded vocals so that big brassy sound can be savored live. At the Pantages through November 6 only, yes indeed, Come Fly Away is bound to enchant music and dance lovers of all ages.

At the top of the 75-minute show, several of the dance numbers seem to copy each other and it made me question if I was going to witness any variety in style. It doesn't take long before things pick up with a vengeance. Your eyes will become fixed on not one, not two, not three... but four dance couples - all different in size, shape and with varying degrees of skill, ranging from champion to magnificent. And what catches the attention more than the great intensity of drive and skill is that there's a kind of thematic competition of guy pursuing gal, or vice versa - a kind of ode to sexual attraction and romantic coupling, so inherent, so naturally a part of the music of Mr. Sinatra. Sid (Cody Green) and Babe (Mederdith Miles) - two great dancers - come together, as do Betsy (Ramona Kelley) and Marty (Christoper Vo). Vo and Kelley are so charming, awkward at first as in a very first date, but then a next to perfect blending. Then there are Chanos (Matthew Stockwell Dibble) and Slim (Marielys Molina), not to mention Kate (Ashley Blair Fitzgeraled) and Hank (Anthony Burrell) and a half dozen other members of the ensemble! Things start to really cook, as it becomes a feast for the eyes as well as the ears. Highlights of Sinatra's songs include: "Luck Be a Lady", "Fly Me to the Moon", "You Make Me Feel So Young", "Witchcraft", "That's Life", "Saturday Night Is the Loneliest Night of the Week", "Pick Yourself Up", "Teach Me Tonight", "Let's Face the Music and Dance", "One For My Baby", and of course, "My Way" and "New York, New York". This tour version is presented in one act, but I understand the Broadway show was in two acts replete with a half dozen or so more tunes. This tour package seems ideally suited to Vegas, as the show is slick, smooth entertainment-no thinking required, just sit back, listen, watch and enjoy!

Twyla Tharp's Movin' On to the music of Billy Joel remains my favorite of her shows, but I did enjoy this one.
In short, Sinatra buffs will love the songs; dance aficionados, the dances, and for those young ones unaccustomed to the Chairman of the Board, this is a wonderful opportunity to get acquainted with his smooth, mellow stylings. Come Fly Away until November 6 only!

4 out of 5 stars

Adam Wylie Lends Superlative Support

in The Robber Bridegroom
@ ICT, Long Beach

OMG ... It's Judy Garland!

Based on Judy Garland's original Valley of the Dolls costume by Trevilla, this was designed especially for Peter Mac to wear in the finale of Judy and Company.
review below!

review - The Robber Bridegroom

CRITIC'S PICK
The Robber Bridegroom
book & lyrics by Alfred Uhry
music by Robert Waldman
directed & choreographed by Todd Nielsen
ICT (International City Theatre), Long Beach
through November 6

The musical The Robber Bridegroom was a phenomenal success on Broadway in the mid seventies and catapulted Barry Bostwick and Patti LuPone to Broadway stardom. It was also one of the first hits for writer Alfred Uhry who would later go on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Driving Miss Daisy. Now onstage at ICT, Long Beach, the revival of Bridegroom is fast becoming a smash hit with audiences. But hurry; you only have until November 6!

Rarely revived, the show's success stems from its intimacy with a nine member cast, who tell a story, as in Man of La Mancha, in the simplest, most straight-forward, sincerest way possible. There is no room for star turns. Every member of the ensemble is there to serve the whole. They are called upon to make the physical scene changes and even to create the sound effects, like bird calls and creaking doors. This is Rodney's Landing, Mississippi in 1942 and the Natchez Trace in 1795, so there is a history to be told of the people who came to settle the area over a couple of centuries. On a practically bare stage with a barn, ladder and haystacks, the story unfolds. Clemment Musgrove (Michael Stone Forrest), a wealthy planter, places his trust in Jamie Lockhart (Chad Doreck), a gentleman robber, who deflowers Rosamund (Jamison Lingle), Musgrove's daughter, without knowing who she is. Lockhart is later the given the opportunity to marry her and inherit her father's wealth. Of course, no one is aware that Lockhart is a robber. In fact, Musgrove beseeches Lockhart's aid in hunting down the rapist. Rosamund falls instantly in love with the robber, who covers his face with berry stains to protect his true identity, and when she discovers that he and Lockhart are one and the same, the future seems brighter to her, but, alas, not as far as Lockhart is concerned. Rosamund not only has to contend with Lockhart's unwillingness to see love and marriage compatible, but also with a wicked stepmother Salome (Sue Goodman) whose jealousy of Rosamund goes to extremes. Along the way we meet small conmen Little Harp and Big Harp, merely a head of a robber (Michael Uribes and Tyler Ledon), simple minded Goat (Adam Wylie), his sister Airie and a raven (Tatiana Mac) and Airie and Goat's mother (Teya Patt). They all dance, sing and speak as they move in and out of the audience, often cavorting with and bringing audience onboard to participate in background action, fun uncomplicated stuff like being a tree and holding up some branches.

Picture Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, their wild adventures, cornpone...and corny jokes, rampant silliness and a whole lot of confusion and mistaken identities not unlike a Shakesperean comedy, throw in dancing and some delightful tunes by Robert Waldman, particularly the beautiful "Sleepy Man", and you have a delightfully rustic/ extraordinarily enchanting evening in the theatre.

The entire ensemble is marvelous under Todd Nielsen's sharp direction, but I must mention a couple of standouts. Adam Wylie as Goat is astounding in so many ways. He not only plays the eccentricities of the character down to the smallest possible detail, but dances and sings so hauntingly the Act I finale chase and seduction. Goodman has a spectacular singing voice and Uribes and Ledon steal every moment of their comedic scenes. Stephen Gifford does a splendid job with scenic design and Kim DeShazo as well with period costumes.

Bravo!

5 out of 5 stars

(photo credit: Carlos Delgado)

review - Danny and the Deep Blue Sea

CRITIC'S PICK

Danny and the Deep Blue Sea

by John Patrick Shanley

directed by John McNaughton

Crown City Theatre

through December 18

If you mention you're from the Bronx, eyelids rise, as one has come to expect to see the lowest of lowlife. John Patrick Shanley's early one-act Danny and the Deep Blue Sea (The Apache Dance) presents Roberta (Juliet Landau) and Danny (Matthew J. Williamson), two savory characters with rage, hatred and violence oozing from every pore. Two extremely unhappy individuals who want to be left alone, when forced to communicate - well, you get the picture; things can only get better. Shanley's lyrical, spiritual parable of salvation comes totally unexpected. One never envisions the outcome that slowly unfolds, and under John McNaughton's stellar direction and with magnetic performances from its two actors, Shanley's play could not be in more adept hands.

As with Eugene O'Neill's A Moon for the Misbegotten, two lonely people, who seem to deserve each other - as no one else has or could tolerate that much of them, come together, at first with repulsion but that does lead to an ultimate purification of body and soul. Roberta changes Danny from a block-headed street fighter to a man, one who can actually see and appreciate beauty and want to spend the rest of his life surrounded by it. It's hard to believe, that such a drastic transformation could or would happen to two misfits. Shanley, true divergent spirit that he is, loves to make the impossible happen - remember his later screenplay for Moonstruck? What could happen under a full moon to convert a beast into a man, or was it the other way around?...well, it's pretty much the same picture in Danny, except that Moonstruck has much more humor. Danny's gravely serious mood stems from the fact that Roberta's sense of self-worth is as low as Danny's. Once she manages to lift him into the realm of humanity, it is then up to him to forgive her for her sins - almost in Christlike fashion, and to lift her up to his newfound level. If it sounds super complicated, the symbolism is really quite easy going with Shanley's fluid dialogue and both characters, despite their flaws, very appealing. Comedic or not, they do have appeal. Like victims of circumstance they ache for the moon and the nearby ocean, and all of the love and freedom these natural forms represent. Their simple act of touching each other gently is oh so satisfying to watch; its power is overwhelming...and Shanley's words to accompany it all, make for a minor feast.

McNaughton keeps a consistently rapid pace, but, since this is realism, he does allow individual moments of intense anger to come suddenly and naturally. Landau and Williamson are simply sensational. She, an individually striking beauty exudes such tremendous vulnerability and he, strong and with visceral bluntness like a Stanley Kowalski, shows equal ability to convey a remarkable sense of innocence, like when he admires the doll on her bedside and proclaims that he would like to be the bride in white. Talk about one extreme to the other, and Williamson as Danny essays it with such beautiful tenderness. 

Shanley's display of contradictory behavior throughout, as seen in both characters, is what truly makes this play so engaging and thrilling. The moment to moment struggles over pain and gradual triumphant joys make it a truly great theatrical experience.

5 out of 5 stars

review - Judy and Company

CRITIC'S PICK

Who is Peter Mac? Calling himself a tribute artist Mac dons the dresses of Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, Peggy Lee, Tallulah Bankhead and Kate Hepburn, to name a few, and through each character, he exudes a dose of charm, a splash of sweetness, a whole lot of warmth, intelligence and a superabundance of humor ... all of which add up to one glowing personality, one creative force of nature, one uniquely infectious style, one dynamic talent that is ... Peter Mac. If you don't believe me, go see for yourselves! Mac unquestionably puts on one helluva satisfying show. It's cabaret, but much, much more. There's singing, there are amusing anecdotes and even a scene or two that make for ... a truly spectacular evening of theatre. It could be on any stage, but October 21, 22 it just so happened to be at the Gardenia in Hollywood.

October's show, as it's a monthly engagement, brought us Judy and Company with all of the aforementioned ladies of screen, theatre and TV sharing top billing. Garland opened with a bevy of her hits including, "Almost Like Being in Love", "This Can't Be Love", "The Man That Got Away", "You Made Me Love You", "For Me and My Gal", "The Trolley Song" and "By Myself" from the film I Could Go On Singing. Garland was in rare form, never missing a beat, even getting in a little dig about "Man" losing the Oscar for Best Song from A Star Is Born to "Three Coins in the Fountain". Next came Miss Tallulah Bankhead SINGING an outrageous "Too Old to Die Young" and "Como te gusta mi pinga...", with Spanish making the obscenity sound acceptable, actually quite delicious. Jokes came flying out of her trashy mouth "Like Mary Magdalene I wanted to get stoned, but this is ridiculous". Following Tallu came a hilariously, talk about stoned, Peggy Lee who gave her all to "Is That All There Is?" and the politically incorrect "Manana". Lee's synthetic blonde wig gave Mac some great dish lines. Then, like a tornado from QVC, in flew the one and only Liza Minnelli - ablaze in red sequins - giving us not two but three numbers "The World Goes Round", "Cabaret", and "Maybe This Time" with quite an interesting anecdote about how the former was a trunk song for Kaye Ballard, which went nowhere for her, so Kander and Ebb pulled it out for Liza to great success. The final guest was Kate Hepburn who treated us to her inimitable rendition of "Coco" and "The Glory of Love" honoring her Spence.

Judy returned for the finale in the dress designed for her by Trevilla for Valley of the Dolls (see top photo), which of course she never did, but ended up stealing the elaborate pants suit and wearing in many concert gigs. Judy ended with the song written for her for the Dolls film "I'll Plant My Own Tree", and closed with "Over the Rainbow" and "After You've Gone".

There was hardly a false move from Mac throughout. I adored his aged, drugged out Peggy Lee, and his Hepburn has gotten better and better. His Liza was deliciously vibrant... and Judy, to say the least, was impeccably performed. Mac is one fantastic entertainer who will return to the Gardenia Thanksgiving weekend as himself with holiday songs in a show called Home and in December for four performances (15-18) with The Judy Garland Christmas Show, which he promises will be extra, extra special with guest stars galore, including, I'm told, an appearance by Miss Bea Arthur. Don't miss it!

review - Noel Coward's Peace in Our Time

CRITIC'S PICK
Peace in Our Time
by Noel Coward
new adaptation by Barry Creyton
directed by Casey Stangl
through December 11
@ Antaeus Company

double casts
visit for schedule:
www.antaeus.org

Noel Coward's genius lives on through Barry Creyton's new adaptation world premiere of Peace in Our Time currently on stage at the Antaeus Company in NoHo. As you step across the stage to your seat, crossing the wooden floor of the pub that forms the decor (incredible set by Tom Buderwitz) for the drama with music set from 1940-1945 London, you feel an instant connection to the place and time. The small screen above the stage intermittently shows black and white newsreel footage of the period and sets the various changes in scene.

With the addition of nine of Coward's lesser-known songs to this adaptation, the play takes on a richer texture exposing the intense spirit and raw nerve of the Brits who whilst in the midst of Nazi occupation, formed their own resistance groups that fought for the nation's freedom. The story is deeply personal as the pub's owners' (Josh Clark, Eve Gordon) son Stevie (Brian Tichnell), thought to be dead, returns home to disclose that he is a member of the resistance. Two others who frequent the bar (Philip Proctor, Anna Mathias) have a son Billy (John Francis O'Brien) who escapes the camps and becomes another member of the group. Stevie's sister Doris (Abby Wilde) is caught by Albrecht Richter (Rob Nagle), arrested, tortured and killed, and this heinous crime sets off a courageous act of revenge which brings peace to the families, just as Allied troups land in 1945 to bring an end to the war.

Casey Stangl provides top-notch direction of a sterling cast (double) from top to bottom. On the day I attended, other outstanding cast members not mentioned earlier include: Bill Brochtrup, Ann Noble, Melinda Peterson, Mark Doerr and Rebecca Mozo. In this kind of atmosphere play, it's all for one and one for all. You can feel the intensity of spirit of the characters as they live and breathe through this most perilous time in their history thanks to a miraculous ensemble.

Bravo, bravo, bravo to a sensational production, yet another triumph for the Antaeus Company.

5 out of 5 stars

review - Jane Fonda in the Court of Public Opinion

                                                                                


RECOMMENDED
Jane Fonda in the Court of Public Opinion
written & co-directed by Terry Jastrow
co-directed by Michelle Danner
Edgemar Center for the Arts, Santa Monica
through December 4

Like it or not, Jane Fonda, as political activist, helped stop the Viet Nam War. Whether she thwarted our winning is of a lesser priority than her goal to stop the killing. Many vets remain purists and hate the fact that her intervention that led to her nickname 'Hanoi Jane' made them look bad, when they were there to fight and believed in what they had been trained to do. Before Fonda and Robert DeNiro were to start filming Stanley and Iris in Connecticut in 1988, 13 years after the war ended, a contingent of veterans opposed her working there. Upholding her rights, Fonda met with them for what turned out to be an embittered discussion at an Episcopal Church in Waterbury on June 18 of that year. With fictional dialogue by Terry Jastrow and backed by actual screen footage of Fonda and news coverage of the period, Jastrow's play Jane Fonda in the Court of Public Opinion becomes riveting drama at the Edgemar Center for the Arts. Riveting due to tight direction from Terry Jastrow, his script that presents both sides of the argument evenly... and a dynamite ensemble of actors led by Anne Archer as Fonda.

Rather than copy Fonda - an impossible task - Archer lets her own stunning integrity work for her. Although she spent hours listening to Fonda on tape to perfect the vocal inflections and cadences, her own conviction suffices to put the message out there for all to hear and mull over. The rest of the cast are equally outstanding. They include Steve Voldseth as Rev John, Don Swayze as Don Simpson, who despite the loss of a leg, believes in moving on, Ben Shields, James Giordano, Robert Foster, Terrence Beasor, Mark Gadbois, and Jonathan Kells Phillips, who proves that in spite of intelligence, a soldier is a soldier and winning, the top priority. Chauntae Pink completes the great ensemble as a TV reporter.

Effective set by Chris Stone makes one feel claustrophobic, so that in the heat of the argument it's unbearable, with no where to hide, either stay and face facts or get out. Jastrow makes terrific use of the video screen by interspersing with his dialogue actual news broadcasts and videos of Fonda in action. This makes it all seem so much more real.

In the final analysis, the play asks that you decide. Anyone who has lived through this period in history and walks away from the play without measuring the waste of money and time the war entailed, and without thinking how needless it was that millions of lives were lost on both sides is like the soldiers who went blindly into combat convinced that by killing the enemy they were making America a better country. It wasn't their fault, they just accepted and trusted without questioning. Fonda questioned. Yes, she made mistakes, but has more than atoned since then. Personally, I lived through the era, came close to being drafted, but fortunately was not called. If I had been, I probably would have gone without objection. But not because I wanted to. I'm on the side of those who stand up and fight for what is right. I wish I had had the balls one vet accuses Fonda of having. Now fears are fewer and I value apologies and believe in moving forward in peaceful harmony, without malice. I can stand apart, forgive the compulsive means and appreciate the end, the bigger picture, that much better.

Jane Fonda in the Court of Public Opinion is thought-provoking theatre that makes us think about past mistakes. Jane Fonda, in spite of her flaws, stuck her neck out. She cared...Sadly, now, when we need a hero/heroine the most, who is her equal?... 

Does anybody care? 

4 out of 5 stars

review - Five Beauties

RECOMMENDED

The New American Theatre presents Five Beauties, 5 one-acts by Tennessee Williams.
Five Beauties is extended to November 20, playing Sunday eves at 7 pm beginning October 23rd. This extension is in rep with their new production of  William Hoffman's award-winning 80s play A-Is, set to open November 5.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Five Beauties, now in its extension at the New American Theatre housed at the McCadden Place Theatre in Hollywood, is a collection of five rarely produced one-acts by Tennessee Williams. They all seem to have addiction as a central theme, with the one exception Moony's Kid Don't Cry (Elina de Santos), that depicts the hardship of newly marrieds. It is a harsh and realistic look at how one man's (Alex Monti Fox) ideals do not help to keep himself, wife (Jade Sealey) and infant son together during rough economic times.

Green Eyes (directed by Mark Bringelson) has a soldier on leave (Brendan Brandt), his horny wife (Courtney Munch) and an odd conflict that ensues when the young husband awakens in a hotel room to find his wife lying next to him, bruised and beaten from a sexual encounter the night before... that he claims did not involve himself. This is a very curious and intriguing play which questions the deceptions of the two at play and illustrates the extremes taken to satisfy sexual appetites.

The Lady of Larkspur Lotion (directed by Bjorn Johnson) may have been the basis for Vieux Carre, a later Williams full length play about a hotel full of artististic lodgers, alcoholics and dreamers, bordering on  insanity, as is typical of many Williams' plays. Actors here are Cameron Myer, Mona Lee Wylde and John Copeland.

My single objection to The Traveling Companion (directed by Ron Klier) (photo, top) is its incompleteness. I wanted more to happen between the writer (Tom Groenwald) and the young stud (Byron Field), but it's definitely a case of where less may be more. The writer could be Tennessee Williams himself in his later years, relying on the kindness of strangers and picking up every Tom, Dick and Harry he could, to service his never-ending needs.

The finale Auto-Da-Fe (directed by Jack Stehlin) concerns a strict mother/son relationship (Bibi Tinsley and Anthony Cran) a la Amanda/Tom in Glass Menagerie only this time the son Eloi is a pervert and his mother is trying to get him to trust his faith to change his ways. The boy has plans of his own to bring about purification/cleansing on a much grander scale.

The acting and direction of all these pieces is outstanding, and the staging efficiently executed. It's always grande to see Tennessee Williams mounted, especially in this100th anniversary year.
visit:
http://www.circustheatricals.com/
4 out of 5 stars

Hollywood Revisited in Bellflower

(top photo, from left to right: Julie Burke, James Spada, Elisa Surmont, Joshua Finkel, DG, Greg Schreiner)
(bottom photo, left to right: DG, Greg Schreiner, James Spada)
(photo credit: Maria Niemela)
review below!

review - Hollywood Revisited / A Tribute in Costume and Song

CRITIC'S PICK

Hollywood Revisited

famous edith head dress for bette davis and all about eve

Where has all the Hollywood glamour of yesteryear gone? Thanks to the resourcefulness of producer, narrator and pianist Greg Schreiner,  the revue Hollywood Revisited brings it all back, at least for a few fleeting moments. Revisited has become a resoundingly popular success with audiences over the past few years. On Sunday October 9, the show performed a concert at the Bellflower Civic Auditorium, just one of its many local gigs. The show performs not only in SoCal but all over the country as well as on Crystal Cruises.  Schreiner, who has collected more than 350 original costumes from Hollywood films over the last decades, showcases the costumes in quite a novel way. Singers/dancers model them while engaging the audience in songs from the Golden Age of Cinema.

First, there is a film photo projected on a large screen onstage, Schreiner talks about the film and its stars and tells an anecdote about the costume the star is wearing. For example, there is a photo of Tony Curtis from Spartacus. Cinemascope came in in the 50s and with it, as Schreiner tells us, big budget epic films like The Ten Commandments. Joshua Finkel comes out in a toga worn by Curtis in Spartacus and sings Sondheim's "Lovely" from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Finkel has a lot of fun as, bare-chested, he struts about a la Hercules, flexing his muscles to the delight of ladies in the audience. Lovely Elisa Surmont wears Edith Head's design for Bette Davis in All About Eve - the famous Fasten Your Seat Belts dress - and sings "But Alive" from Applause, the Broadway musical of All About Eve. Before her entrance, Schreiner tells the story of how Davis was a last-minute replacement for Claudette Colbert in Eve and many of Head's dresses were too big for the petite star. So Schreiner's setup story and the onscreen photo serve as an enticement to actually seeing the costumes live...it's nothing short of breathtaking, and the musical arrangements for the songs are often delightfully amusing and campy to watch, especially as performed by the talented Finkel, Surmont and Jill Burke.

Other musical highlights of the show include: "The Impossible Dream", "When You've Got It, Flaunt It", "Baubles, Bangles and Beads", "My Heart Belongs to Daddy", "Million Dollar Baby", "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", "Hit Me with a Hot Note", "Cry Me a River" and "That's Entertainment". Finkel has a field day with his The Flintstones costume in leopard as well as one worn by Arnold S. in the remake of Around the World in Eighty Days. Jill Burke has many truly fine moments, especially wearing Liza Minnelli's red gown from New York, New York, and wearing Cher's gold dress and Mitzi Gaynor's flashy cape with ruffled collar, both designed by Bob Mackie. Surmont camps up Carmen Miranda, Jeanette McDonald and Marilyn Monroe, whose gorgeous dress for "Happy Birthday Mr. President" eluded Schreiner, but he did manage to purchase its replica from The Women of Camelot in 2001. Schreiner not only accompanies splendidly on piano throughout but wears a couple of over-the-top dazzling costumes himself including a cape worn by Barbra Streisand on her concert tour, and a gold lame outfit for George Hamilton in Zorro the Gay Blade.

greg schreiner

christopher reeve played by joshua finkel

fred and ginger as played by finkel and jill burke

This is a uniquely entertaining evening not to be missed. Visit Hollywood Revisited in a city near you, and in the meantime,

go to: www.hollywoodrevisited.com

5 out of 5 stars



































UPCOMING DATES:

This Saturday October 15 at 8pm at the Towers at Laguna Woods Village

• Directions: The Towers at Laguna Woods Village
• Contact us at info@hollywoodrevisited.com
• Or contact 949 597 4278 for info and tickets

 Friday November 4 at 4pm The Covington in Aliso Viejo

• (949) 389-8500
  The Covington

 Saturday November 12 at 1pm (luncheon at 12:15) "Fall Reflections" event

• Benefit for The Assistance League of the San Fernando Valley at the Marriott Warner Center in Woodland Hills
• For tickets and info
• http://sanfernandovalley.assistanceleague.org/contact.cfm

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  _  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 
2012:

THE FILM AND THEATER CRUISE ABOARD CRYSTAL CRUISES

APRIL/MAY 2012

We're headlining on the Crystal Cruises' 2012 Film and Theater Cruise LA-Panama Canal to NYC aboard the Crystal Serenity in late April and early May

 

Call Deborah Demming at Frosch Travel and mention Hollywood Revisited to receive a special discount package and lots of additional perks.

deborah.demming@frosch.com

818 936 2000 x 229

 

Also on board during our 2012 cruise will be

• Tippi Hedren 
• Kate Burton and her husband, Center Theater Group artistic director Michael Ritchie
• Broadway star Karen Morrow who will be appearing with us in Hollywood Revisited.

Also fun entertainers onboard

• Susan Claassen as Edith Head doing her show A Conversation with Edith Head
• The LA Gay Men's Chorus

 

Anne Archer to Portray Jane Fonda at Edgemar

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/10/prweb8856184.htm

Southern Comforts Opens at Falcon Theatre October 14

Here's my review of Michael Learned and Granville Van Dusen from last March when they performed the play in Long Beach at ICT.
http://grigware.blogspot.com/2011/03/review-southern-comforts.html

CABARET news

Jason Graae directs Pat Whiteman @ Show at Barre on Sunday October 16.

Judy & Company - Peter Mac at the Gardenia CANCELLED

Due to illness, Peter Mac will reschedule the performances to a later date.

news - Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None at Group rep

directed by guest director Shira Dubrovner

runs until November 13!

review - Ghetto Klown

RECOMMENDED
Ghetto Klown
written by and starring John Leguizamo
directed by Fisher Stevens
The Montalban
through October 16

 

When does a one person show click into high gear? Only when the actor in question is up to it. Such is certainly the case with Johnny Legz or John Leguizamo in his autobiographical Ghetto Klown. Klown treats more of Leguizamo's career than Freak, for example, but does trace as well the repercussions the career has had on his personal life. Now at The Montalban, funnyman Leguizamo is a must see. Why?

First, to quote himself, he's hyper. The magic lies in his use of every shred of his wound-up, wired charisma to portray this crazy, fast-paced life; it would be impossible to conceive Leguizamo any other way. He moves like the wind and you'll never be bored. Secondly, he proclaims his story a cautionary tale: take what I say and do, or have done, and carefully consider my choices, as they may not work for you. There is something valuable to be learned from a person's mistakes; each individual must judge for himself. Thirdly, Method actor Leguizamo does not lie. What you get is an energetic, bordering on crazed, no-holds-barred monologue that is recklessly, fearlessly funny, and even if slightly exaggerated, it comes from the horse's mouth; it is his truth. Legs has so much vitality, it feels like a marathon race just to keep up with him. But, if you really tune in keenly, you'll surely enjoy and profit.

There's mucho, muchisimo to like here. I particularly loved the dancing to the sounds of the 60s, 70s and 80s. He really gets down and is still in great shape, looking far younger than 47. And then, there's the way he refers to each geographical location with a body part or social disease, like Thailand as the VD Epicenter of the world, or the Penis of Manhattan. Born in 1964 of parents who had left Bogota, Colombia and migrated to New York, Leguizamo tells a ghetto boy's story, how he was arrested as a teen for grabbing the microphone from the controller's booth of the subway station and talking loudly and obscenely over it - whether he knew it  or not, he was already starting his acting career; his years with aging acting coach Sylvia Myrtle; his time with Lee Strasberg and his gigs in early films. His voices of Brian DePalma, Al Pacino, his dad and grandpa, Myrtle and everyone else are right on target and hilarious. And the stories about his early impressions of making it based on meritocracy, then the hard-knock facts about learning the ropes through the destructive rather than creative pitfalls of TV and movies - Miami Vice, Casualties of War: how Sean Penn slapped the bejesus out of him in every take and then the scene ended up on the cutting room floor, about prima donna Steven Segal and Executive Decision ... and then, the piece de resistance: Al Pacino telling him to stop acting in their scene in Carlito's Way - all a laugh riot!

It was a heartache for Leguizamo the boy never to have had a father's love and then to be chastised by his father as a man for telling their true story onstage. "Thank you for fucking me up and making me the man I am." This was his unhappiness, his compromise at the end of his father's life. But to share his unhappiness on stage and be the clown that he was often told not to be, that is who John Leguizamo was and is and in the end there is exultation, as he takes pride and joy in being that crazy lovable creature.

Director Fisher Stevens keeps the pacing up, although I'm sure Leguizamo is 99% responsible, and set design by Happy Massee, lighting design by Jennifer Schriever and projections by Aaron Gonzalez add greatly to the piece which has the unmistakable look, smell and taste of Jackson Heights and other barrios of New York. If iconic comic Lenny Bruce were still alive, he'd be a John Leguizamo fan.

This is a raw, bold, tell it like it is, let it all hang loose theatrical experience like no other. What you see from Legz on film is a hint of magnetic; onstage ... an explosion of a complexly creative comic genius.

4 out of 5 stars

(leave the little ones at home due to foul, obscene language and sexual inuendos)

http://grigwaretalkstheatre.blogspot.com/2011/09/interview-with-john-leguizamo.html