Lyons' Views and Reviews

A POST-TONY PEEK AT NEW YORK'S LIVE THEATRE SCENE

2009-06-29T18:02:00.000-07:00

The Tony TV Show always elevates the adrenalin level and increases the desire to take a quick trip to the "Big Apple" and Shubert Alley to check out some of the award-winning shows. I must confess, however, that I had the urge to check out the 2009 Broadway season before the TV show aired this June; besides it's always easier to get tickets to shows before the Tony buzz begins. Once the winners are announced the box office lines get longer and tickets get tougher to obtain. But, alas my desire didn't turn into action until after the telecast.

With that scenario in mind, I recently returned from a whirlwind trip of four plays in three days. The beautiful wife (an actor and director in her own right) along with two other actor/director friends agreed to see four shows. Two comedies, one drama, and one musical. With so many shows currently running on or off Broadway, the problem becomes not one of choice, but one of consensus between four friends with varied theatrical interests.

All of us wanted to see "God of Carnage", the new Yasmina Reza smash hit at the Bernard Jacobs Theatre. Great! However, the three newly-awarded Tony's made the possiblity of not getting seats in our allotted three-day time frame a major reality. Where there is a will, however, there is a way. We saw it at the 2 pm matinee, and followed it up with "Mary Stuart" at The Broadhurst Theatre for their 8 pm curtain.

When Angela Lansbury, the 84-year old acting legend treads the boards, one simply has to see her perform her comedy magic. Noel Coward's "Blithe Spirit" is the vehicle, Madame Arcati is the role, and the Sam S. Shubert is the theatre. Co-starring Rupert Everett, Jayne Atkinson, Christine Ebersole, Simon Jones, Deborah Rush, and Susan Louise O'Connor, "Blithe Spirit" is an ensemble audience delight, and won Lansbury her fifth Tony award for this performance.

The last show we saw before flying back to Southern California was a new Tony winning musical "Next to Normal", starring Alice Ripley and J. Robert Spence at The Booth Theatre. It's a powerful story that examines a dysfunctional family headed by a bi-polar mother. Ripley's tour de force turn as Diana, earned a Tony for her highly nuanced performance.

Those are the shows: "God of Carnage", "Mary Stuart", "Blithe Spirit", and "Next to Normal". Four different vehicles. All were Tony nominated for either production, direction, or performing. My Report Card follows :

"God of Carnage" - Three Tony Wins - Play

How can one not enjoy a play that boasts four star actors performing at the top of their game, in a deliciously wicked and scathing comedy of contemporary American life, written by one of the world's leading playwrights, and brilliantly directed by a Tony-winning director? Simply stated, one can't.

Reza, a previous Tony winner for "Art," teams up successfully again with translator Christopher Hampton himself a Tony winning playwright and Oscar winning screenwriter kicking the script possibilities up a notch. When Jeff Daniels, Hope Davis, James Gandolfini, and Marcia Gay Harden (who won her Tony for this performance) get together on stage, serious comedy magic happens. And let's not forget Matthew Warchus, the Tony-winning director who orchestrates and directs the talented quartet on stage.

The story is set in America, but has, I'm sure, taken place all over the world - it's a universal story for anyone who has ever had kids. Schoolyard bullies are everywhere. In our story, the son of Gandolfini and Harden has a broken tooth after a dust-up with the son of Daniels and Davis.

The parents agree to meet for a discussion and apologies in the apartment of Harden and Gandolfini. At first, Daniels and Davis, offer token apologies, but chance remarks by both couples after a few rounds of drinks, rankle each other and set in motion a series of comedy recriminations and accusations, which escalate to proportions neither couple anticipates, or can control. The on-stage chemistry of the four stars result in a blisteringly funny 90 minute comedy (it's performed without an intermission) of highly sophisticated and salty dialogue that illuminates a great deal about American life in the 21st century.

With such a high powered cast, the chances of keeping these four particular actors together for an extended run might prove difficult. However, my insider contacts say ( caution: rumors abound in the theatre), this cast, after a brief hiatus over the summer, might reassemble in the Fall for another run, and that's got to be great news for theatre audiences in New York.

"Mary Stuart" One Tony Win for Costume Design - Play

18th century playwright Friedrich Schiller took two historical characters, Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Stuart, Queen of the Scots - who never met in real life - and brought them together, face to face, and gave them politics, philosophy, and the concept of the Divine Right of Kings to discuss with one another. Should be pretty dramatic and downright interesting to get the two monarch's points of view, right?

Schiller's "Mary Stuart", currently at The Booth Theatre with a new adaptation by Peter Oswald, challenges our credulity and interest level right from the get-go with a dreary script making for an evening of heavy dramatic sledding. The uninspired script plods along crippling the efforts of its two talented stars Janet McTeer as Mary and Harriet Walter as Elizabeth.

In Oswald's hands, the material failed to engage me. Elizabeth, Henry VIII's daughter with Anne Boleyn, didn't rule for 45 years by being uninformed and reticent. And Mary Stuart, Elizabeth's cousin, although locked up in prison for 19 years, still manages to instill fear in Elizabeth's court. Sounds like we have some interesting ground for dramatic confrontation, intrigue, and empathy. Why then does this production fail to generate any interest in what happens on stage? Granted, the stage setting is bleak, and if all we see is a bare stage with a brick wall that extends the full width of the stage, with the exception of a downstage cot, a chair, and a trunk, then it's only natural to expect the actors to bring this play to life. Even a 10 minute, onstage rain effect, endured by Maria Tucci and Janet McTeer (in bare feet), couldn't save this show.

And what also is puzzling, at least to me, is the rationale behind the decision to dress the women in Elizabethan costumes and the men in black, modern day dress. Instead of clarity with the decision, the audience gets the feeling that maybe we're missing something important. I don't think so.

Plays that fail to engage the audience in the on-stage action can usually be traced back to the director. In this case, however, we have a multi-talented stage and movie director in Phyllida Lloyd. Anyone who can generate the pyrotechnics and energy seen in the movie "Mamma Mia" (which Lloyd directed) should be able to infuse at least a modicum of drama and tension into a stage production involving two of history's most well known queens. Alas, it was not one of England's finest hours - at least not in New York City.

"Blithe Spirit" One Tony Win - Play

"Blithe Spirit" is one of Noel Coward's most endearing and entertaining plays that illuminates the era of upper class English society. I've seen many productions of this old chestnut, but not with likes of Angela Lansbury as the dotty medium, Madame Arcati. The story is a light hearted piece of fluff that exposes the foilbles and silliness of English life, lived by few but believed by many, thanks to Hollywood, to be the model of traditional upper class British society.

In the loving hands of Sir Noel, his characters are easy to relate to, fun to watch and enjoy. Charles Condomine, the epitome of a Coward leading man, is played with flair and style by a dashing Rupert Everett. The story revolves around a group of Charles' dinner guests and the harmless local medium, Madame Arcati, played to the hilt by Lansbury in her Tony winning turn. She is a stage-savvy, delightful star to watch as she "plays" not only to the on-stage actors, but to the loving audience who greeted her entrance with thunderous applause. She's a true acting legend and the audience knows it.

The entire cast is solid and performs in true ensemble fashion. Jayne Atkinson as Ruth, Charles' second wife is especially appealing. Christine Ebersole plays Elvira, the first Mrs. Condomine whom Madame Arcati inadvertently "summons up" at the evening seance. She is as beguiling as she is beautiful. Everett as Charles, the only person able to see and hear his dead wife, delivers a hilarious , frustrated, visual comedy performance replete with Coward zingers and witty dialogue.

Additional able support comes in the form of Simon Jones, Deborah Rush, and Susan Louise O'Connor (the latter, an actor in a very small role, delivers a comic gem of a performance). However, a great deal of the credit for this sparkling production goes to Michael Blakemore, a director of great experience and many awards. He adds so many clever directorial touches, making this production a visual delight as well as a gift for the ears - at least to these worn-out old ears - that constantly long for actors who can speak the language with clarity and still articulate the playwright's ideas. Coward was a master of the witty barb coupled with veddy brittle and British dialogue. How I miss the old boy both as an actor and a playwright.

By the way, "Blithe Spirit"may have developed additional longevity or "legs" with Angela Lansbury's Tony Win. If you find yourself in New York City in the near future, be sure to catch a performance. You won't be disappointed.

"Next to Normal" Three Tony Wins - Musical

How does one make a musical, and a rock musical at that, out of a story involving a bi-polar mother in a dysfunctional family ? Not quietly, that's for sure. The newest Tony winning musical "Next to Normal" is written and composed by the team of Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey. Together they have crafted a story that I believe is best told within the musical genre. I don't think the show would have been as compelling if it were performed as a straight dialogue drama. It's a story of today's families and how they cope with life in 21st century America, and it's brilliantly performed by a cast of six very talented singer/actors. Music is the medium of relativity in the world of the young. They listen to it, they understand it, and they embrace it. Hey, all of you over 40s types, get on board!

Alice Ripley richly deserves her Tony for her performance as Diana, the bi-polar mother desperately trying to hold herself and her family together in the face of overwhelming odds. J. Robert Spence is excellent as Dan, Diana's unwitting enabler-husband, in a role that is as difficult as it is sympathetic.

The evening I saw the production the program noted that the role of Natalie was to be played by understudy Meghann Fahy. I'm sure there were disappointed audience members who went expecting to see Tony nominated Jennifer Damiano perform the role. However, at the end of the show, the audience came away singing the praises (no pun intended) of Miss Fahy who treated one and all to a flawless performance as Natalie. It was an understudy's dream moment.
This entire cast has energy to burn and high-octane performances by Adam Chandler-Berat as Henry, Louis Hobson as Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine, and Kyle Dean Massey as Gabe, underscore the vision and skill of director Michael Greif. "Next to Normal" is not an easy show to export either. You need six very talented singer/actors to make the show work. The provinces and the community theatre circuit, therfore, won't be doing it for awhile. So you had better come to New York to see it. It's worth the effort, I guarantee it.

That's my post-Tony report as a Southern California critic/reviewer who covered just a small slice of New York theatre fare in June. As Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director, of the Pasadena Playhouse reminded me, "Jack, one can never go theatre-hungry in New York City". He's absolutely right !

Review: The Old Globe Theatre Production of "Since Africa" at the Copley Theatre

2009-02-15T23:41:00.000-08:00

What is it about the continent of Africa that produces such passionate feelings and enduring love affairs with its natural beauty and history ? Where does the power to seduce and enthrall visitors come from ? These are but two of many questions explored in "Since Africa", the current Old Globe production in the James S. Copley Arena Stage in Balboa Park.

Africa has been coveted by western culture for centuries, from Julius Caesar to all the European colonial powers, to the USA. Bowed, but never really conquered, Africa has survived because it has a tale to tell, the story of a continent, a land of diverse people and a culture of tradition. The question becomes: How do you best tell that complex story ?

"Since Africa" by Mia McCullough, wisely decides to "take baby steps" in trying to examine and understand the African experience from a western point of view. McCullough's play under the inspired direction of Seema Sueko, takes the many ingredients that make its people so interesting with their different cultures, traditions, music and myths and distills the mixture into a two-hour play; one that an audience can get its head around.

The idea for the play came out of a newspaper article concerning the plight of "the lost orphans of the Sudan", a by-product of the internecine African wars of the last twenty years. So many African nations have been devastated by wars, disease, and genocide it was inevitable that a legacy of thousands of war casualities and thousands of orphaned children would be the result.

"Since Africa" revolves around a recently widowed socialite (Linda Gehringer) and her daughter (Ashley Clements) who volunteer to help a "Lost Boy of the Sudan" relocate to a major American city (Chicago). The African refugee, Ater Dahl (Warren Miller), tries to leave his past behind and forge a new life in America but finds he is mystified by American ideas of art, ritual, and family. To help in his transition, Reggie Hudson (Willie Carpenter), an African/American Catholic Church Deaon, tries to become the bridge and broker between Ater and his two American women sponsors. As the women get to know the young man and his fellow immigrants, their notions about Africa and their own experience of loss are transformed forever.

As a way of setting the tone of the play to follow, director Seema Sueko introduces at the outset, the intriguing character "The Nameless One" (Kristin D. Carpenter). She doesn't speak a word of dialogue, but is intriniscally important in understanding the play. She is the spirit of Africa who is always present whenever the play's characters are on-stage. It's a wonderful movement and dance performance to watch as she interprets the ever-present drums. It's also a brilliant directorial stroke by Sueko that not only enhances the play with the presence of The Nameless One, but is a clever way to have that character serve as a "silent interpreter" for the audience.

The entire cast led by Linda Gehringer as Diane, and Warren Miller as Ater are right on the money. Kristin Carpenter as "the Nameless One" almost steals the show, but not quite. The audience the night I saw the show rose for a well deserved standing ovation for the entire company. If I had any reservations about the play, it would be that a couple of long speeches might be trimmed a bit. As far as technical credits go, Paul Peterson, the sound designer at the Old Globe, brings his usual magic to the proceedings in the Copley. The drums and sound effects are such an integral part of the evening I can't imagine the play succeeding without them.

There is no doubt, whatsoever, that Mia McCullough is a playwright I want to hear more from, and I'll wager she has a lot more to say about a lot of different things, not just Africa. It's a terrific production and one not to be missed. "Since Africa" performs at The Old Globe Theatre complex through March 8th. Tickets are available by calling 619-234-5623, or online at www.theoldglobe.org

San Diego's Old Globe Theatre Satire Unsheaths Its Claws In "The Women"

2008-09-26T08:35:00.000-07:00

When it comes to tough infighting, the tough really get going. Hey, I'm not talking the NFL here, I'm talking the female of the species, you know, women, the gentle sex. Well not in The Old Globe's production of Clare Boothe Luce's "bitchy" snarlfest comedy "The Women", directed by new sheriff in town Artistic Director, Darko Tresnjak.

The play written in 1936 by one of America's former Ambassador's was a breakthrough show for its time. Early reviews from the New York papers opined that almost every woman in the audience could identify with at least one character on stage that night at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. It became a popular guessing game trying to match Luce's Manhattan socialite friends with the onstage characters. And the subject matter of the satire has always held a certain fascination for men, as well. I guess it's our way of peeking into that mysterious and uncharted country known as "the community of women" - without being accused of misogyny.

Although, the currently released movie version now on screens across the country has been less than a blockbuster hit, the stage production at the Old Globe hits its mark with authority. This revival sparkles and shines under the clever and stylish hand of Darko Tresnjak who guides his talented cast of fifteen women, who portray more than 40 characters, through their paces with flair and split-second comedy timing.

"The Women" focuses on Mary Haines, a nice, but blissfully unaware Manhattan socialite and her circle of female friends who gossip and judge everyone by the number of affairs and dalliances taking place. They're shallow, they're petty, they're catty, they're vindictive, and they're very funny - thanks to some very clever and witty dialogue by playwright Luce. There are no men in the cast. We are merely the objects of those witty barbs.

Kate Baldwin as Mary, is wholesome and smart, but vulnerable to betrayal by her unseen husband Stephen. Baldwin nicely underplays Mary (not an easy task as "plot parts" are usually the toughest and most thankless of roles from the actor's perspective). Heather Ayers plays the deliciously wicked Sylvia, with such zest one keeps hoping someone will give her a smack upside the head. They do.

Kathleen McElfresh as Crystal, the predatory shop girl who steals Mary's husband; Nancy Anderson, as Miriam one of Mary's inner circle of friends; Amanda Naughton as Nancy; Linda Gehringer as Mary's Mother; Amy Hohn as Edith, and Blair Ross who plays no less than six roles and gets to shine as the Nurse explaining the goings on in the Haines' household to Maggie the Cook, offer solid ensemble support.

And then there is Broadway veteran Ruth Williamson as the Countess de Lage. She is worth the price of admission alone. Here's a lady who knows her way around a farcical role. She delivers her Countess portrayal with such gusto and relish, we get the sense she'll be the marrying kind 'til she gets it right and that could take quite some time. "Ah, L'amour, L'amour!"

The icing on this fast paced comedy cake, from a visual point of view, is the gorgeous and glamourous 1930's costumes created by Anna R. Oliver and the super Art Decco set designed by David P. Gondon. Those are two key technical elements that allow Tresnjak and his cast the freedom they need to create their magic, and when they're in sync voila!, you have the recipe for one terrific show. "The Women" runs through October 26, 2008. Contact the theatre by going online at http://www.theoldglobe.org/ .

Review of "Vanities" at The Pasadena Playhouse

2008-09-14T20:07:00.000-07:00

Artistic Director Shelden Epps is begining to fall into a comfortable rut. His shows have a penchant for going to Broadway. Lucky fella.

"Vanities", the snappy and sparkling new musical at the Pasadena Playhouse, directed with bounce by Judith Ivey, is allegedly on its way to Broadway. At least, that was the buzz in the lobby during the previews. If what is onstage now is any yardstick for reserving seats on "the great white way", then this show is definitely headin' East.

Jack Heifner, the playwright of the original play "Vanities", a highly successful Off-Broadway show which ran for 1785 performances, has had to fend off producers and directors over the years who wanted to update and/or rework the piece into something Heifner said made no sense. Thank you, but no thank you.

Fast-forward to thirty-five years later. A mutual friend introduces young composer/lyricist David Kirshenbaum to Heifner. It's been said that when creative artists get together, "artistic chemical reactions" often take place. It's a little like seeds; when they're watered, they begin to germinate and things begin to sprout. In the case of Heifner and Kirshenbaum, both agreed that the "Vanities" ground was ripe for change and new growth. Voila!, a musical version was in the works.

It may not be quite the same as when the older Oscar Hammerstein II began his collaboration with the younger Richard Rodgers, but the analogy has a nice ring to it. Once they agreed to collaborate and actually write a musical version of Heifner's play it became a year and a half odyssey working with director Judith Ivey, whom they had earlier signed to direct the play, to finally get the book, lyrics, music, and cast to the version now on the stage at the Playhouse. The wait was more than well worth it!

Epps, in his program notes, talks about his season of plays at the Playhouse celebrating women and the roles they've played in theatre over the years. Well in this production the three actors, who age over three decades, validate the Artistic Director's prose and his prediction about this new musical production, "Vanities".

Lauren Kennedy, Sarah Stiles, and Anneliese van der Pol star as the characters Mary(the Bohemian), JoAnne(the Traditionalist), and Kathy(the Organizer). It's the story of three close girlfriends whom we follow from their high school graduation into adulthood, and eventually into middle age - a period covering over three decades. Under the solid direction of Ivey, and the musical staging of Dan Knechtges, Kennedy, Stiles, and van der Pol invest great energy, verve, and flair into their performances. Right from the get-go, with their screams and squeals of teenage excitement, I wondered how they would handle the onstage maturing process required to follow them over the thirty years of the story.

The concern was soon put to rest and became a non-issue as the three actors revel in the challenge their characters find themselves in. Their problems and concerns become ours as well. Although male problems and situations are not quite the same with Mary, Joanne, and Kathy, there is enough relevancy to connect the musical's emotional dots.

The book by Heifner provides a solid foundation for Kirshenbaum to build his music and lyrics on. The changes in each character are strongly supported by Kirshenbaum's lyrics which contain both the excitement and the disappointment experienced by the three friends. And as in life, the people in the musical move in different directions and venture through varying stages and life passages; eventually coming full circle with themselves and each other. (I have a niece who sounds achingly like Stiles' Joanne. Talk about resonating, and on-the-nosey performances)

But hey, let's remember, this is a musical after all. It's upbeat. But it does have doses of sobering reality which I believe gives the production its power to entertain as well as the ability to touch the emotional core of the audience. Visually, it's a delight. It's bright, snappy, and played with such energy by Kennedy, Stiles, and van der Pol, I have no doubt these actors and characters will charm even those hardened cynics east of the Hudson River.

"Vanities" performs at the Playhouse until September 28th. Call the Box Office at 626-356-7529 for tickets and information.

"The Merry Wives of Windsor" A great way to brush up your Shakespeare

2008-08-27T21:46:00.000-07:00

If you have never seen a Shakespearean production live on-stage, not too worry. The perfect remedy is available to all until September 28, 2008, at San Diego's famous Old Globe Theatre complex located in Balboa Park.

The 2008 company of players is performing, in repertory, three of Shakespeare's works over the Summer in the outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre. This season features: "Romeo & Juliet", arguably the greatest tragic love story in the English speaking world, "All's Well That Ends Well", the story of Helena and Bertram and the testing of a lover's resolve, a testament to tenacity during a time when women were to be seen and not heard, and "The Merry Wives of Windsor", the Bard's paeon to bawdiness, bluster, and the romantic misadventures of his favorite comic character, Sir John Falstaff.

Repertory productions are unique in that they feature actors playing a minor role in one play and then performing as the star character in another. The convention is rewarding for the actors and gratifying for the audience. Case in point, Heather Wood plays Juliet, and then a saloon girl in "Merry Wives". Eric Hoffman plays a merchant in "All's Well", and the lead Sir John Falstaff, in "Merry Wives".

Of the three productions currently on view at the outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre, "The Merry Wives of Windsor", deftly directed with style and flair by Paul Mullins, is the lightest and the most fun for the audience. Elizabethan English theatre was the "people's choice awards" of it's day. It was often rowdy and sometimes randy. If the actors failed to please, they had to dodge objects hurled at the stage. Acting, as a profession during the Bard's time, easily qualified one for hazardous duty pay.

Mullins, in updating the production, moves his cast into an 1880's American Western setting complete with Saloon, dancing girls, and assorted town characters. Part of the fun and enjoyment is listening to that great Shakespearean dialogue coming out the mouths of rough and ready types and never doubting or misunderstanding for a minute what is being said. As a friend confided to me, "Don't miss it, the production's a hoot !"

Eric Hoffman as Sir John Falstaff, plays him as a puffed-up peacock with amorous intentions toward every female who comes within his view. His bluster and braggadacio is full of the sound and fury of comic sexual conquest but always falls just short of victory. Hoffman, however, does his likeable roue portrayal with energy and gusto.

Providing able support are three actors who also know how to talk the talk and walk the walk of farce. Bruce Turk, as the husband of one of the wives Falstaff takes a liking to, is especially adroit in the role of Frank Ford. His timing and moves are classic farce. Katie MacNichol as Mistress Ford, and Celeste Ciulla as Mistress Page, are more than a match for the on-stage shenannigans of Hoffman's Falstaff. And Wynn Harmon, as the French doctor, is another actor who knows his way around a farcical scene when he finds himself in one. As a matter of fact the entire company is a delight to watch. If you go, bring a jacket or a shawl as the night air can be a bit nippy in Balboa Park in September.

On one hand this production may not be your definitive Shakespearean vehicle but on the other hand - loosely paraphrasing Cole Porter - it sure is a fun way to "brush up your Shakespeare". "The Merry Wives of Windsor", "Romeo & Juliet", and "All's Well That Ends Well" perform in rep until September 28th. Contact the Box Office at http://www.theoldglobe.org/

(more)

Review of The Old Globe - "Beethoven As I Knew Him"

2008-05-25T17:23:00.000-07:00

The Old Globe Theatre of San Diego continues to offer subscribers and patrons a series of first rate, eclectic productions. Case in point, the world premiere of the current Hershey Felder production "Beethoven, As I Knew Him" now on the main stage.

It's a skillful and studied one-man performance by a master pianist and portraitist who enriches the Beethoven legend, both musically and anecdotally. (Felder also performs as Frederic Chopin and George Gershwin at The Old Globe this June in a series he's entitled The Composer Sonata.)

As Dr. Gerhard von Bruening, one of the characters Felder portrays says, "Mozart was the voice of God, and if that's true, then Beethoven must be the fingers of God." As the irascible genius Beethoven, Felder displays his considerable talent as a concert pianist with sensitive and assured technical renditions of the Pathetique Sonata and the Piano Sonata 14, better known as the Moonlight Sonata.

What makes the performance all the more satisfying is Felder's ability as actor to deliver lines while playing some of the world's best loved classical music. It's a special gift he displays with feeling and relish. It's a 90 minute dazzling tour de force of glorious music and inspired theatre.

As unique a talent as Hershey Felder is - he wrote the text for the show - he doesn't do it all by himself. Without the keen and creative eye of director Joel Zwick ( a seasoned stage, movie and TV director), scenic designer Francois-Pierre Couture, and production designers Andrew Wilder and Christopher Ash, I doubt the culmulative effect of this production would have the impact it does.

We are visually treated to a stage production that makes the most of the performing disciplines: a piano concert, singing, stage acting techniques, along with a multi-media presentation - brilliantly blended with nuanced graphic overlays - and a lighting plot that makes the entire evening a visual and auditory delight.

The night I attended a special treat was in store for the audience. Following the conclusion of the performance, Felder announced from the stage that he would be most happy to entertain questions from the audience. "Please ask whatever you want and I'll try to answer all of your questions. Anything. About Beethoven, the script, anything. It's my pleasure."

With that invitation the questions from the audience flowed to the stage. For the next 30 minutes with grace, charm, and humor - the tools of the consumate professional - he shared his passion for music, the arts, and the need for communication between performer and audience. For those who feel the chasm between performer and audience is often too wide, on this night, they experienced a rare evening of closeness and candor. It's hard to converse with a movie screen or have interesting and insightful discourse with a performer in the midst of 50,000 rock concert fans. But in the world of live theatre everything is possible. That's the beauty and uniqueness of live theatre.

When Hershey Felder performs his "Monsieur Chopin" homage to the great Polish composer from June 11 thru June 22; seats at The Old Globe will be hard to get. Following on the heels of Chopin, Felder's tribute to American music comes in the form "George Gershwin Alone" which he presents June 25 thru June 29; for a limited one week engagement. Over the last ten years, Felder has performed his Gershwin show more than 2300 times all over the world.

Tickets to see his Gershwin tribute also will be very hard to come by. But if you attend you will learn things about Chopin and Gershwin from Hershey Felder you never knew before; I guarantee it! Don't miss either of these shows. You won't be disapointed. Contact The Old Globe box office at http://www.theoldglobe.com/.

Review - "Of Mice and Men", at the Pasadena Playhouse, May 14, 2008

2008-05-17T15:34:00.000-07:00

John Steinbeck's 1935 seminal novel and play about shattered dreams still resonates with audiences more than 70 years later. Set against the backdrop of California's migrant worker programs in the 1930's, some of the characters in "Of Mice and Men" may have Anglo names but most of the actors on the stage at The Pasadena Playhouse have Hispanic accents and heritages, save a few, who retain their ethnicity as originally written by one of America's only two Nobel Laureate's in Literature and Theatre (Eugene O'Neill being the other)

Thanks to the inspired vision of Artistic Director Sheldon Epps, and the creative chops of director Paul Lazarus, a fresh new approach to the powerful subject matter of the drama becomes a reality. They say timing in show business is everything; the time for relevancy and understanding the complex issues that surrounded the migrant harvest worker program then is still an issue in the here and now.

The usual complaint from the younger generation ( ages 18 to 35) concerning the world of live theatre is that's it's not relevant for them. Bah, Humbug! The arts have always led the way in drawing attention to compelling social issues and causes in need of redress. Just check the works of Voltaire, Zola, Moliere or Charles Dickens, all of whom had relevancy in their time, and all of whom had their work made into plays; contributing to changes in the social fabric of their times.

Steinbeck's now classic tale of California's itinerant farm workers is set in the San Joaquin Valley during the 1930's. It's the story of George and Lennie who, if judged by today's standards, would probably be labeled as marginal losers. The best way to describe their relationship is that of a caretaker, or parent (George) and his dependent, child (Lennie) a gentle, mentally-challenged giant of a man who has a fatal attraction to soft hair.

George is always looking out for Lennie; protecting him against the world and from himself. He is also aware of Lennie's shortcomings and when the farm dog has a litter of puppies, George warns Lennie to stay away from them. But Lennie's desires get the better of him and he sneaks in to see the pups, and ends up killing one of them.

Tensions mount when ranch hand Curley, newly married to a local girl, imagines every man is making passes at his bored wife. George and especially Lennie become Curley's targets when Curley's wife is seen hanging around the ranch house. Curley's wife is hungry for emotional satisfaction from anyone who will pay attention to her. It's a character flaw that ultimately ends in tragedy

There is so much to recommend in this production. There are so many creative and clever touches by this talented cast. For starters, the portraying of the migrant farm workers, not as displaced "Okies" from the dust bowl of the 1930s, but as hard working human beings is a fresh and welcome take. Lazarus deftly frames his production along the lines of California's Bracero Program then in vogue during the 40's and 50's. It's an inspired idea, and of course, is very historically accurate.

David Norona as George, the world-weary realist and protector of Lennie, delivers a finely crafted performance brimming with ambivalence; doubt, optimism, and compassion. Al Espinosa, brilliantly portrays the gentle, child-like giant Lennie. His every move, gesture and hand positioning is right on the money. From the leonine head and wonderfully expressive eyes and face, Espinosa captures the heart and soul of Lennie, to say nothing of the audience.

Joshua Bitton's Curley, the paranoid husband who imagines everyone making passes at his wife, is an accident waiting to happen, and happen it does. Thomas Kopache, as Candy the old worker who sacrificed his hand for the farm, evokes sympathy when it comes to the fate of his long time pet. Alex Mendoza as Slim, Gino Montesinos as Carlson, Sol Castillo as Whit, Josh Clark as The Boss, and Curtis C. as Crooks, the black stablehand who is ostracized from the rest and sleeps in the barn, are solid performances. The role of Curley's wife is played by Madison Dunaway, who plays her as more of a lost soul trying to escape her suffocating life with Curley than as a femme fatale as portrayed in the 1937 movie.

When the movie was released in 1937, a young Betty Field portrayed Curley's wife with such conviction, she incurred the wrath of America's movie-going female population who refused to accept that she was just an actor playing a role. As a result, she was never quite able to shed the memory of that character as far as movie fans were concerned and her career sort of sputtered into lesser character roles. It was a case of doing one's role too convincingly.

I have seen this play performed many times, and the characters were always played as Anglos, not local people of color, except for the character of Crooks. By having the characters played by Hispanic actors, who from time to time, sprinkle their dialogue with Spanish words and expressions, enriches the performance and doesn't alter the dramatic intention of Steinbeck's master work a wit. It plays ! And on more than one level, too. And it comes at a time when this story needs to be seen by new generations.

If young people are looking for relevance in today's society, they need look no further that this thought-provoking play now on the stage of The Pasadena Playhouse. It's a wonderful production. It runs until June 8th. Don't miss it. Contact the box office at 626-356-7529.

Review - "Thanks For The Memories" at La Quinta Playhouse, CA

2008-04-27T14:19:00.000-07:00

The question of whether a playwright can successfully blend two creative art forms, in this case radio and live theatre, into a winning evening of entertainment becomes a bit of a no-brainer in the case of "Thanks For The Memories" by local Coachella Valley playwright and director/ critic/journalist Gary Walker. Walker's paean to old-time radio which was recently produced at the La Quinta Playhouse, in La Quinta, CA is a loving testament to an art form that, I'm sorry to say, is long gone from the American entertainment scene.

Radio dramas, comedies, and soaps were the standards of home entertainment long before TV or the internet was invented. In the 1930s and 40s the writers, actors, and producers relied on the imagination of the listeners to "see and feel" the story that was taking place in their kitchens or living rooms every day and night. Radio was an important member of every family. It provided news, entertainment, and necessary information - like the next day's weather report or which cereal or laundry soap to purchase on the way home from work that night.

Walker's story is set in 1959 and revolves around the people and characters of radio station KRUM, Portland, Oregon, as they go through their last day on the air. The station which refused to change its format, is closing due to a changing listenership, low ratings, and the vagaries that plague any small market owner-operated radio station or business. As the audience, we see the actors at their mikes reading their character dialogue in the radio show within the play. We also get to know the station personnel and how each reacts to KRUM radio's final show. Walker is no stranger to the genre of old time radio. His Saturday Radio Matinee productions begins its fourth season in the Coachella Valley in October of this year.

Comparisons are odious at best, but one can't help being reminded of Garrison Keillor's homage to rural midwest life in Lake Wobegone, Minnesota, via his long time radio show "Prairie Home Companion". It was a staple on Public radio stations across America for over 25 years. However, in Walker's Oregon, the characters are just as irrascible, just as rural, just as whimsical, and just as interesting as any characters Keillor dreamed up. Walker, who also directs the production, has created a true ensemble of talented actors. One of the unique aspects of "Thanks For The Memories" is that every performer is, or was, a member of one or more of the country's professional unions, including two performers who actually performed on various radio shows of that era.

The cast features local piano and jazz-singing legend Yve Evans as Millie Farmer, the music director of the station. Former movie and TV actress Patsy Garrett plays Mavis Krum, the owner-operator who must close down her radio station and pink slip her friends and employees of many years. Real life announcer Don Martin plays Wendell Chiles, the local boy who got his announcing start at KRUM and then moved on to the big time. John Rayner, a retired New York actor, and now a playwright in his own right, portrays the cumudgeonly Claiborne Calhoun, while Shep Sanders, a Chicago native, who performed in radio serials and also in movies and TV with Steve McQueen and John Wayne, plays Chick Little the station engineer. Broadway star, actor/singer Donna Theodore, who still can be heard and seen performing concerts and one-woman shows in the desert and Los Angeles, plays Georgia May the former wife of Wendell Chiles who still has feelings for him but won't admit it, and Wayne Tibbetts, an actor/director/dancer who plays Milo Manning, "the man of a hundred voices" - which kinda says it all about his character and role in the show. Every small radio station in America in those days had a "Milo Manning" stashed somehere in a back room who was on call 24/7.

It was a sweet slice of nostalgia that was lovingly performed and produced by a professional cast and looked it. No matter the actors were mostly retired. If you closed your eyes from time to time, they sounded pretty young, or at whatever age your imagination wanted them to be. That was the beauty of radio. It was the ultimate anonymity trip - and if you were an older actor it got even better - you didn't have to memorize your lines anymore. Ahh, the good old days of radio.

Baghdad Comes To California

2008-04-20T13:05:00.000-07:00

If one motors up twenty miles north from Palm Springs to Joshua Tree, California, it looks and feels like just annother sunny spring day in Paradise - until that is, you enter the High Desert Cultural Center Blak Box Theatre.

Once inside, you find yourself in an alien environment. You are visually and audially transported to the middle east. Once the haunting call to prayers by an unseen muzzein diminishs and the echos of the street sounds fade throughout the theatre, the audience hears the powerful roar of Huey helicopters approaching. The roar is deafening and disorienting as it surrounds the audience capturing our senses and our imaginations - we and the players in the production - are now about to experience "Another Day In Baghdad".

The current play at the Joshua Tree theatre is a diary of sorts, written by retired Iraq War veteran Major David A. Tucker II. The story is told from the point of view of the troops in the field. It is their stories and their experiences we witness - without the benefit of Washington "spin doctors" or media bias. Program notes inform us that all the weapons, uniforms, and gear employed buy the actors in the production is authentic.

The plot, such as it is, follows a squad of Army reservists from the time they board their aircraft and deploy to Baghdad, to the time the when they return home from that tour of duty a year later.

Along the way the audience is exposed to the realities of war and to the decisions and choices that must be made when an Army is engaged in all aspects of war. Forget John Wayne and Hollywood war movies. This is not your grandfather's war story. This is now. This is the story of a conflict and the dilemma confronting the young men and women of America today. The dilemma is the need to serve, to obey, and do "the right thing" and still be true to oneself in a 21st Century Army. That's a tough job for the under 30 group. But, it's an even tougher assignemnt for the older professional soldiers who must lead them.

"Another Day In Baghdad" is co-directed by New York professional actor and playwright Ron House, and actor/director Rebecca Havely. This directing duo puts their creative heads together in a clever and imaginative way; resulting in a taut, compelling drama that is devoid of "anti-war" or "pro-war" positions and polemics which is so popular with today's newspapers, TV, radio, and Washington insiders and pundits.

There is a human interest aspect to the production that's worth mentioning. When director House cast Greg Crabill, a real-life naval Commander and military doctor in the role of the Commander in the play, he didn't forsee the possibilty of his leading actor being called up and deployed to Afganistan, which of course, is exactly what occured just three weeks before the opening. House then had to make a few artistic decisions. First, in the interests of time, he stepped into the role himself. Second, he asked Havely to co-direct to keep everything on an even keel.

The cast of fifteen, three of whom have never acted before, aquit themselves most convincingly, right down to the three small children's roles. Standouts are: Corbett Brattin, as the Top Sargeant. Sherry Powell as the arab translator, Manuel Rincon, as Mustafa, Abe Daniels, as the Lt. Colonel, Jeff Wood, as Sgt. Calloway, Amanda Villalobos in dual roles of Fong and an arab protester, Steven Hernandez, as Peters, ( his conflicted and embittered speech at the end sums up, I imagine, what a great many veterans in his situation must feel. It is delivered with passion and poignancy and heard by the audience with compassion and understanding. ), and leading the production with a most convincing and solid acting job is Ron House, as the Major and Commander.

The High Desert Cultural Center in Joshua Tree, only a stone's throw away from the Marine Corps Base at TwentyNine Palms, is to be commended for presenting what could have been construed as too controversial a subject matter to present to its patrons. Any play dealing with a hot button issue, such as the on-going Iraq war situation could become a hard sell to the community. The hi-desert area is proud of its label as "military country". To their credit both the residents and military base personnel have responded to the play and it's thought provoking message in the proper light. It's a production that deserves to be seen no matter your personal political position.

"Another Day In Baghdad" plays Fridays, at 8 pm, Saturdays at 7 pm with Sunday Matinees at 2 pm until Sunday, April 27th. Call the box office at 366-3777 for tickets and reservations.

Role of the Critic / Role of the Audience ... As I See It

2008-04-15T21:46:00.000-07:00

My dear anonymous letter writers, if you think it is so easy to be a critic, so difficult to be a poet or a painter or film experimenter, may I suggest you try both? You may discover why there are so few critics, so many poets.

- Pauline Kael, "I Lost It at the Movies"

Most people believe the role of a critic/reviewer is an easy one. However, that role is often misunderstood. I agree with Ms. Kael who hit the proverbial nail on the head. Being a critic/reviewer isn't easy or very popular. For starters, both audiences and reviewers alike are there to enjoy the production. The audience has the expectation they are going to see a play, show, or movie that meets a certain personal acceptance and enjoyment level. The reviewer goes hoping to see his or her expectation level exceeded. No one goes to the theatre thinking "I'm not going to like what I'm about to see."

A positive attitude on the part of the audience can actually enhance the enjoyment of the impending performance or it can soften the blow of disappointment when the play fails to live up to the hype or expectation. In the case of those audience members who went looking for more and came away disappointed, all they can do is shrug, grumble about the play saying it stunk, and then tell their friends to forget about going to see it. Those that enjoyed the experience, however, become the bearers of great news and music to the ears of the performers, to say nothing of anxious theatre producers looking for that mega hit and long lines at the box office.

Nothing speaks as loud as "word of mouth" praise; it's the most powerful validation and best form of advertising one can receive. Performers are in the business of performing in front of audiences and the more the merrier!

For critics, we don't have the luxury of dismissing the entire evening with a shrug and then go home to the comfort of a loving family or loyal pet. We are at performances to observe, evaluate, and report on the experience of the evening for the benefit of those not in attendance.

A popular held belief by the public is that critic/reviewers go to see plays or movies hoping they are bad so they can write witty and clever reviews denigrating the actors, the director, and the other technical elements; and by so doing, elevate their own importance. Nothing could be further from the truth, at least, not by the reviewers and critics I've known. To a person, we all wish that every production we review will be worthy of the audience's hard earned dollar outlay and applause.

In our effort to assist both audience and theatre producers and performers, we like to think we can make a contribution by offering a professional and experienced independent eye to the proceedings; someone who can be relied upon to offer a fair and honest evaluation of what went on at the theatre that night.

Sometimes the review disappoints those we know in the production. But friendships with performers have to take a back seat when it comes to maintaining standards and credibility with readers or listeners. One doesn't have to be cruel or mean-spirited. One doesn't "kick the chorus girl" just because the star sings off key. We just try to be as professional as one can when doing the job.

I have been attending plays for over 50 years and have been writing reviews and critiques for more than 40 years. I have been an actor, writer, producer, director, and a passionate supporter of live theatre and movies since I can remember. I'm a member of several professional unions and can honestly state I am eager to see all creative endeavors not only succeed, but flourish and thrive. I'm married to an actress who also directs, so all forms of creative art are a very important component in our lives. I would like that component to become important in the lives of others, as well.

My role as a critic/reviewer is to report what is presented on the stage at the performance I attend. Good, bad or indifferent, I always look to see if the performers achieved what they set out to do. What are they trying to accomplish and how successfully have they done it ? That's the main criteria and measuring stick I use. Imagination, innovation, and the marshalling of the available technical elements is also a major factor, as is the vision of the director. Sometimes these elements are MIA and the critic is faced with a review that is not going to please the producing organization.

I always try to be positive in my criticism, offering a suggestion or two where appropriate, which might help shore up an unsteady scene or moment. Remember: it's easy to criticize a problem area but one should also be prepared to offer solutions to fix it as well. I also take into consideration the disparity between the professional actor working along side the non-professional performer in the same production. It doesn't happen very often in most of the cities where I review, but it does take place every now and then.

Your role as the audience is to attend live theatre and be open to new experiences and allow the performers to write on the blank slate each of us brings to the theatre that evening. When the performers capture lightning in a bottle, and the theatre gods smile down on the stage, it can be a magical moment indeed, and an evening one remembers for years. So enjoy and savor your next theatrical experience.

Pasadena Playhouse, "Mask" Review

2008-03-23T12:24:00.000-07:00

Southern California is fast becoming the hotbed of theatrical world premieres and with good reason. The home town producing companies have the raw goods - the actors, writers, directors, and musicical talents - necessary to craft and turn out first rate entertainment fare. After all, Hollywood isn't called the entertainment capitol of the world for nothing. We're loaded and we're eager to share and export the home grown product to New York or London. Last week it was the world premiere of "Dancing in the Dark" at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre. This week it's another world premiere at the venerable Pasadena Playhouse.

Case in point is "Mask," the new musical at the Pasadena Playhouse that opened March 12. Based on a true Southern California story, "Mask" was first introduced to the world as a 1985 movie starring Cher and Eric Stoltz. It's the story of Roy "Rocky" Dennis, a determined-to-be-normal teenager afflicted with craniodiaphyseal dysplasia ( a one in twenty-two million statistic) an extremely rare disorder known as "lionitis" due to the disfiguring cranial enlargements it causes. It's also the story of Rocky's loving but highly unorthodox mother Rusty Dennis, and her unending battle with society to treat her son as "normal". It was a very compelling movie.

The stage musical written by Anna Hamilton Phelan (original screenwriter of the movie) has come up with a fresh new take on her orginal story, adding new plot points and sharpening her focus to further illuminate the Rocky and Rusty stories. Abetting Phelan in the music and lyric departments is the great songwriting team of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. With two-time Tony Award winning director Richard Maltby, Jr. at the helm, the production's success rating, as the saying goes in LA, is a slam-dunk.

Forget about a "downer medical disease subject matter" as the source material for a musical. This show has more highs than lows by a long shot. For some, the sight of "bikers" on stage or in movies is a turn-off. Pity, because one only needs to wait to get past the built-in predjudice of anything or anyone different from ourselves. Once past that point, the story then goes deeper and deals with more resonant issues, those with which we can all relate - the search for identity, the need to love and the need to be loved, the need to belong It's the power of family, whether biological or extended, that helps us get through tough times. For Rusty and Rocky their family is a tight knit biker club that offers support and some poignant moments as the story of Rocky and Rusty unfolds.

Many musicals rely on the libretto to carry the day while the lyrics and music are just along for the ride. In "Mask", it's the lyrics which move the story forward, lending understanding to what the characters are saying on stage.

Michelle Duffy portrays Rusty Dennis, the rough-around-the-edges conflicted mother whose drug problems keep getting in the way of her relationship with 15 year old son Rocky, wonderfully played by Allen E. Read. The chemistry between Duffy and Read is what makes this story so watchable. They confront one another, they console one another, they support each other, but each must do it in their own way. And that's what makes "Mask" resonate with the audience. Read's Rocky is a testament to the guts and the optimism of youth. He makes Rocky an intelligent worthwhile human being, albeit one who will leave the world far too early, but one who leaves his mark on those he touched.

Duffy deftly manuevers the tricky waters of protective motherhood and a drug dependency for support when the world closes in on her. It's in those moments that Rocky suffers the most; but it's in those moments that the audience empathizes the most. The first act closing number "Look at You" is a dynamite number that is staged by Maltby with power and imagination.

Excellent support is provided by Greg Evigan as Gar, a former lover of Rusty, who turns up at a biker reunion and re-enters her life offering to mentor Rocky, ending up a reluctant but willing "father-figure" in the process. Michael Lanning, as the biker leader Dozer, is a bear of a man who exudes rough authority but shows his human side as well. Sarah Glendening and Shannon Mari Mills are the two women in Rocky's life at varying stages.

And what a joy to hear live musicians in the pit for a musical show even if it's just keyboards, bass, drums, and guitars. They're under the able diretion of Joseph Church, but I sure do miss that brass section - ah well.

The Pasadena Playhouse under Artistic Director Shelden Epps continues to present interesting, and important productions to audiences of Southern California. I'm happy to see full houses again at one of the country's top regional theatrical venues. Don't let the subject matter turn you off. It's a terrific production.

"Dancing in the Dark" at The Old Globe Theatre review

2008-03-15T14:24:00.000-07:00

Pop the champagne corks! Get the reservations at Sardi's for the cast party now. "Dancing in the Dark," the new musical at The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego's Balboa Park doesn't need any tryout time to work out any kinks before heading to Broadway. Why? Because there aren't any kinks in it. It's ready to move, right now, lock, stock, and barrel with the currrent company in particular to "the Great White Way."

The production I saw on Thursday, March 13, 2008 was a New York hit in the making. The story of the show within the show is the brainchild of playwright Douglas Carter Beane. It's really a bit of an inspired piece of show business alchemy in that Beane takes the story guts from the old Fred Astaire/Cyd Charisse, 1953 MGM movie called "The Band Wagon", then infuses it with new plot points and dialogue and then adds the elements and conventions normally considered the province of the stage with the result being a brand new show that combines the best of both worlds.

With music by Arthur Schwartz and lyrics by Howard Dietz, Beane had fifty percent of writing a book musical resolved. Next came the creative spark for which he is known, the taking of material from one medium and mixing it with another. This is precisely what he did for the 2007 stage musical "Xanadu," garnering a Tony nomination in the process.

As Beane saw it the problem with the movie "The Band Wagon" was that it lacked a satisfactory ending. In stage-speak language, that means it didn't have a second act. And plays and musicals without a second act close very quickly in a profit-driven city like New York.

Ahh, but Beane enjoyed a long standing friendship with Hollywood scriptwriters Betty Comden and Adolph Green, both of whom were veteran Broadway insiders. Show business friendships often have a way of trumping business decisions. And before she passed on, Comden gave her copy of the original shooting script of "The Band Wagon" to Beane for reference and free use to incorporate her script into any project he might come up with. What a boon!

One doesn't give such an opportunity to a clever and theatre savvy fellow like Douglas Carter Beane and expect the project to fail. Following the usual writer "blood, sweat, and tears" process, we finally arrive at the finished product - a book musical and a show that is ready to cast, go into rehearsals - "for more blood, sweat, and tears" - and then open to a world premiere at The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego.

The story of "Dancing in the Dark", simply put, revolves around Tony Hunter (Scott Bakula), a Hollywood star with a career on the wane, and Jeffery Cordova (Patrick Page), a Shakespearean actor-manager with a taste for high art. Together they team up with a diverse assortment of theatrical personalities to create a brand new musical, which then heads to the road and the "tryout circuit" before opening on Broadway.

Heading the solid cast of "Dancing in the Dark" is Scott Bakula, a Golden Globe winner and five-time Emmy nominee. He sings, he dances, he acts, and he sells the product. Bakula, may be best known as a TV star (Quantum Leap) but he certainly knows his way around a stage. He's smooth and confidant as Tony Hunter (the role played by Fred Astaire in the movie).

In the pivotal role of Jeffery Cordova, the shallow and self-absorbed Shakespearean actor and wannabe director who inadvertently, almost torpedo's the endeavor, is Robert Page. Page sports an impeccable British accent and displays a flair for the dramatic that's reminiscent of the late great Noel Coward. We know where Jeffrey's coming from, but Page makes him such a likable rascal, we end up rooting for him as well.

Beth Leavel 2007 Tony winner ("The Drowzy Chaperone") and Broadway actor Adam Heller, team up as the roman a clef writing team of Lily and Lester Martin (think Betty Comden and Adolph Green). They have some of the best and cleverest lines in the show, which Leavel delivers with style and a comic delivery worthy of another Tony win. Their musical number "The Pitch" stopped the show for almost five minutes as the two stars had to wait for the applause to subside - and still remain in character - to deliver additional dialogue. It was a sublime moment.

In the glamorous role of Gaby, created by Cyd Charisse in the movie, beautiful and talented dancer, singer, actor, Mara Davi lights up the stage with a sensitive and compelling performance. In a "ballet number" Davi and Sebastian La Cause, playing Paul Byrd, head ballet director, along with the ballet chorus members, stage one of the sexiest ensemble dance sequences seen on this or any stage in a long, long time. It seemed like many in the audience stopped breathing during the scene. You could hear a pin drop at 100 feet. Dancers, take a bow.

The famous "Triplets" number from the movie is also in the show. Bakula, Leavel and Heller cleverly recreate the movie scene, but they do it sitting on small chairs with several swivel legs with blankets surrounding them. It's very inventive and funny and the audience laps it up.
The signature scene and final number, "Dancing in the Dark", affords costumer designer David Woolard to display his beautiful creations; highlighted by the mood-enhancing lighting designs of Ken Billington.

All of the above is made possible by Gary Griffin who directs this production with a silky, seamless, and unobtrusive touch. It's a joy to watch the skill of Griffin at work. He's a creative artist in complete control of the formidble technical arsenal available at The Old Globe. I saw his production of "The Color Purple" at the Ahmanson in Los Angeles a couple of months ago and liked what I saw there as well.

I believe it's a fair assumption to say, I liked this production very much. If there is anything, however, that might need some thought on the way to Broadway, I humbly submit a suggestion. Consider trimming the show a bit. It runs 2:40 mintues with a 15 minute intermission. But then I digress to nit pick.

"Dancing in the Dark" runs until April 13. Don't miss it! For reservations and ticket information call Globe Ticket Services at 619-231-1941 or go online at http://www.theoldglobe.org/.