Category Archives: Theatre

The theatre. The theatre. What’s HAPPENED to the theatre?

1940’s Radio Hour – Irvine Valley College

*starts choking on cough drop* They destroyed it. This was probably the worst college production I’ve seen to date. Which is unfortunate when you actually know people in the cast….because at some point you know you’re going to have to talk to them. My biggest problem is that the show is supposed to be a radio broadcast in the 1940’s (gee, hence the title?)…and there is no way on God’s green earth that what we saw was capable of going over the air in any manner of acclaim. There was enough dead air to bring a corpse back to life, there were people 20 ft from a mike thinking they were being heard loud and clear, there was foley going on 30 ft from the mike…it was disastrous…absolutely nothing like the show I saw growing up. Mic troubles. I didn’t care about the main character’s arc. Johnny the singer was … Continue reading →

Silk Stockings – MTW

Delightful! Based on the short story Ninotchka by Melchior Lengyel, adapted into a film of the same name (with Greta Garbo) and later adapted to a Broadway musical with music by Cole Porter (his last Broadway musical) and later adapted to film with Cyd Charrise and Fred Astaire (in his last dancing role), this is actually a reworking of the movie musical placing it in the 60’s to capitalize on US/USSR relations at the height of the Cold War. Having seen the other film versions, it is still a delightful story that stays delightfully true to it’s source material while still being relevant and romantic. Starring Stuart Pankin as one of the Russian Arts Commisars. I didn’t recognize his name at first either, but his voice and face made me go wait a second….then I realized he was in Honey We Shrunk Ourselves as Wayne Szalinski’s brother Gordon and he … Continue reading →

Wicked – Pantages

Took the Metro up to Hollywood and Vine because the Pantages teamed up with Metro to offer discount tickets on Tuesday night performances. We stand in a line thinking it’s the box office line. I go forward to investigate while Laura saves our place in line, and I find out that there’s no line for the box office. When I get back, Laura had learned that the line was for the Wicked Lottery, which picked half a dozen names and sold front row tickets that you can’t buy any other way. After the lottery they offer half off tickets. Laura suggests that we wait and I reluctantly agree. We get all the way through the line and fill out one lottery ticket for each of us. They make an announcement that you need cash on hand if you win, so we ask where the nearest ATM is (there’s one in … Continue reading →

Noises Off – CSU Fullerton

I begin this review with the caveat of what I expect from CSUF: incredible stagecraft and better than average college acting. The reason I state that first is because only one of those expectations was met for the closing matinée performance…the stagecraft. The characters were well developed and their delivery was very much enjoyed, but their pace was ABYSSMAL! They were dragging out pauses because apparently a previous (pre-dominantly high school) audience laughed at adult situations that are only amusing to virgin pre-pubescent boys, so the actors fell into the habit of pausing unnecessarily. This is a trap that I personally have been warned of in past performances, and it is inexplicable that the director (or stage manager) neglected to warn the actors to keep the pace of the show moving. Thus there were many amusing moments in the show, but the overall performance was marred by an additional half … Continue reading →

Nine – GoldenWest College

The musical adaptation of Federico Fellini’s “8 1/2” is wonderfully pulled off by the capable and talented cast and crew. Rarely produced it was a treat to be able to see it, especially when the understudy (Tony Torrico) gets his chance to shine as Guido Contini, a filmaker with as many lovers as creative ideas.

A Chorus Line – OCPAC

Zach reminded me of Robin Williams and Alan Tudyk. It is also my opinion that he would look good with the thin beard. The humor of Val’s lines and physicality was somewhat hindered by her unnecessary Lina-Lamont-esque accent. This is yet another example of the unfortunate tendency to play the broad comedy instead of aiming for subtle humor (has intellectual comedy died?!?!?!?!?!?). Cassie performed extraordinarily well despite being ill and rather heroically managed to keep her coughing to a minimum. While forewarned that there was no real guitar and that necessary “licks” were synthesized, I found the absence less annoying than anticipated (beyond the opening number). The fact that the lack of a real guitar didn’t glare out of any other numbers (to me, a non-musicians) is a testament to the phenomenal orchestrations of Marvin Hamlisch. Not to say the show should always be done sans (or synthed) guitar – … Continue reading →

The Marvelous Wonderettes – Laguna Beach Playhouse

Parking was a nightmare because the Pageant of the Masters was happening. Wheee…. This is a really enjoyable jukebox musical featuring hit songs from the 50’s and 60’s by Andrew Bean (The Andrews Brothers and lots more). My godmother Janet Miller is the original choreography (she’s in New York right now helping the show open off Broadway) and I first saw the show in it’s extended initial run at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood, and enjoyed it very much, especially since it was a small space. While it translates well to the larger Laguna stage, I think a black box setting works better. No, I’m not baised! The costumes changed, but they were still nice throwbacks to the 50’s and 60’s. Cast featured original cast members Bets Malone and Julia Dixon-Jackson and newcomer Misty Cotton (from Sideshow at the Colony Theatre with Jackson and Spitfire Grill at Laguna … Continue reading →

The Past Month In Entertainment

My Fair Lady It had the understudy London Mary Poppins as Eliza Doolittle, Marni Nixon as Henry Higgins’ mother and an enthusiastic, Step-In-Time-esque version of With A Little Bit of Luck. Watching this version, it was a stark realization of how much you don’t want to like Alfred Doolittle, but you still end up laughing at his antics…or at least I did…. The lighting was really dim, the set was very impressive and pretty (high arches that you could see stars through!), Henry Higgins was too damn quiet….but still a production worth seeing. Wedding Singer I hadn’t seen the movie before seeing the musical, but it was quite a treat seeing the caliber of performance. No wonder – it’s from the California Conservatory of the Arts (David Green’s post-OCHSA academy of the performing arts). Great 80’s music and lots of comedy. Then, having seen the movie (yay Netflix!), it was … Continue reading →

Groucho: A Life In Revue – OnStage Playhouse

They may call themselves a community theatre, but the performances are nothing less than Broadway. The show, co-authored by Groucho’s oldest son Arthur, takes place in the memories of Julius “Groucho” Marx as he guides through the up-and-down cycle that was his career in show business. One definite highlight of the show was the directorial choice to split Chico and Harpo into separate actors. This allowed tender moments and lots of comedy. Harpo does the famous knife-dropping act from “Animal Crackers” and does an entire charades bit with Chico. Chico does incredibly well, playing all his own music!!!!!at old women gallerylingerie stockings glamournj glory holeshorny mature women for datingpersonal wife swapscary animalsadult personal web sitesathlete cockbdsm cumfrench fistingcleveland ohio zooadult personals indiai gave my first handjobsecretary sex videopetite porn starsshit swappetite teens sexlatin teensanal prolapsecelebrity nipscitalopram delayed ejaculationblonde handjobsbdsm cumlatin teensenormous busty animedating advice for older adultschild penis enlargementadult watersportsmature … Continue reading →

An Evening With Groucho – Curtis Theatre

A very enjoyable show which is more like the Mark Twain show, where you just get to spend a couple of hours with the legendary figure than a biography, although there are biographical elements to the show.Frank Ferrante has been portraying Groucho for many years and does a very excellent job. He was the original portrayer of Groucho in the biographical play written by Arthur Marx, Groucho’s son. Plenty of audience interaction, lots of song and prancing about stage and generally a really great time. Some of the highlights? Sending one of the ushers (whose name happened to be Shirley Temple) to get a cup of coffee for a guy in the front row and getting a Starbucks bottled frappachino. Picking a member of the audience and painting the mustache and eyebrows on him and giving him a cigar. One couple in the audience. You two make a lovely couple? … Continue reading →