“A BEAUTIFUL NOISE”: A NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL SALUTE.

Several, or should I say eons ago, very good friends took me to see Neil Diamond perform in concert at the old Sports Arena on Midway. What can I say. It was mesmerizing, awesome and spellbinding. We had seats close enough to almost touch him. 

In my collection of CD’s (I know), I have at least three of his, with all the songs I heard recently at the Civic Center, brought to us by Broadway San Diego, “The Neil Diamond Musical: A Beautiful Noise”.  And what a beautiful sound it was. 

Nick Fradiani and Robert Westenberg

With direction by Michael Mayer, and book by Anthony McCarten, the story  is framed and unfolds in a therapist’s office as we meet  an older version of Diamond (Robert Westenberg) with his ‘doctor’, (Lisa Renee Pitts ) who practically has to drag information out of him. 

While the information he shares with her takes too long, we do learn about Diamond’s past, his Jewish roots, (“Brooklyn Roads”), where he grew up and lived with his immigrant parents and brother. (“America”). 

Hannah Jewel Kohn and Nick Fradiani

The twenty or so musical compositions sung perfectly by Nick Fradiani took us through this jukebox musical for over two hours starting out at a bar called Bitter End Coffeehouse to signing a contract with the mob to finally hitting the big time and going on tour, to concerts in almost every country, to meeting the then President, to his two marriages after leaving pregnant wife #1 and marrying  Marcia Murphy (Hannah Jewel Kohn) whom he met at the Coffeehouse). 

They stayed together for a little over ten years. “Love on The Rocks” and “You Don’t bring Me Flowers” (the one he did a duo with Barbara Streisand) We know it’s over for them when Kohn sings “Forever In Blue Jeans”. 

Nick Fradiani and backup singers

Sounding amazingly like Diamond himself with Nick Fradiani, the house came to a roaring frenzy,  standing and waving as he sang one of his most famous “Sweet Caroline”. In the show it refers to his seeing a picture on a magazine cover as his inspiration, but yours truly heard (and who knows) the he wrote “Sweet Caroline” as a tribute to  John F Kennedy’s daughter, Caroline. You decide.

‘Beautiful Noise’ refers to his ensemble dancers and backup singers including Cooper Clack, Chris Marsh Clark, Deirdre Dunkin, Ginger Hurley, Spencer Donovan Jones, Ellen McGihon, Tabitha Moruthane, Tasheim Ramsey Pack, Jeilani Rhone-Collins and J’Kobe Wallace with choreography by Steven Hoggett.

The backup band above the action is led by Conductor James Olmstead, and Fradiani’s glitzy costumes  are by Emilio Sosa with lighting by Kevin Adams and sound design by Jessica Paz, wigs and makeup by Luc  Verschuern. 

But in the end, we also learn of a lonely and depressed man/child (“I Am… I Said”, “Solitary Man”, “Shilo” ( his imaginary friend), “Hello Again”, “Longfellow Serenade”, “September Morn”, “Play Me”, “Holly Holy”, “Soon You’ll be a Woman”. 

“Soolaimmon”,  “Kentucky Woman”, Cracklin Rose”, Red Red Wine”, “Song Sung Blue” all fall into the category of lovely, bouncy and crowd pleasing, especially with Nick Fradiani sounding so much like Neil Diamond, down to the lowest of lows to those that reach their highest peaks. 

I’m all in. 

Sadly, we learn from the program notes that Diamond, now in his eighties,

suffers from Parkinson’s Disease and will not be playing at concerts. But that cannot stop his music from coming to us. 

Enjoy.

See you at the theatre.

 

When: 7:30 p.m. May 29; 8 p.m. May 30; 2 and 8 p.m. May 31; 1 and 6:30 PM through June 1st.

Where: San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., downtown

Tickets: $51 – $231

Online: broadwaysd.com/upcoming-events/a-beautiful-noise

 

“MERRY ME” A RUN AWAY SEX FARCE AT DIVERSIONARY.

Did you ever go to a play expecting one thing and half way through realized it was something altogether different? 

When I attended “Merry Me” written by Hansol Jung and directed by Vanessa Stalling, at Diversionary Theatre, San Diego’s oldest LGBTQIA (SINCE 1986)  Theatre on Park Blvd,  I kept thinking, “What the F”!

Agamemnon? The Trojan Battle? Tony Kushner? Shakespeare?

Greek Mythology left my gray matter after college more than 50 years ago. But just to follow the dots, we do meet an Agamemnon family… only after Tony Kushner’s Angel (Michael Amira Temple) introduces us to them… and later on she has much more to say. 

Then there are the Memnon’s: General Aga Memnon (Troy Tinker Elliot almost a cartoon like character), Mrs. Sappho Memnon (Mak Shealy), Mrs. Clytemnestra Memnon (Jacquelyn Ritz) and    Private Willy Memnon (Coleman Ray Clark). Others include Dr. Jess O’Nope  (Andréa Agosto), the psychologist, they say who was married over 40 times and Lieutenant Shane Horn ( Winnie Beasley).

All the merry’s  in “Merry Me”  take place on an  unnamed island during the Trojan conflict in an Army Camp where there is a major power failure. Communication from one part of the base to another is done the old fashioned way; cups and a wire. 

Moving along, it seems that Lieutenant Horn was just released from the brig after serving time for seducing Clytemnestra, the General's wife.  

Horne wants to sign her therapist friend Dr. Jess O’Nope ( a very convincing Agosto) in a plot to pretend to have had conversion therapy to become heterosexual in order to satisfy all the soldier’s wives on the base. 

In the meantime, Willy Memnon (sweet and bewildered, the object of everyone’s jokes and straight) has married Sapph. When she meets Shane, all bets are off between herself and Willy. What to do

In this 90 min rom com where everyone gets to have their merry’s, do you think there is an underlying message here when Kushner’s Angel tells Jess to kill half of the human race (read men) with a hatchet. 

For this reviewer “Merry Me” is more of a runaway sex farce that goes off the charts so far it almost sinks from the weight of its own smugness. Between Greek Mythology, Shakespeare, pop culture, Tony Kushner, and, according to director Vanessa Stalling, “our struggles to find true satisfaction”,  I must say, it just was not my cup of tea.  

While the acting overall is wonderful, especially Michael Amira Temple’s angel) and the sets (Mathys Herbert), lighting design (Annelise Salazar) costumes design, (Clair Peterson) and sound designer/composer (Padre Crisafulli) are all in keeping with the play, it just did not resonate with me.

But that shouldn't stop you from seeing it. 

See you at the theatre.

When: Runs through June 15th. 7 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays

Where: Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd., University Heights

Tickets: $11.50-$61.50

Photo: Talon Reed Cooper

Info: 619-220-0097

Online: diversionary.org

 

“JAJA’S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING” : A POWERFUL COMEDY... TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.

 As someone who owned a hair salon with my daughter for over thirty years, Jaja’s African Hair braiding Salon is a world apart and a mile different. 

Kicking off the la jolly playhouses 42nd season by mounting  Ghanaian-American Playwright Jocelyn Bioh’s award winning comedy Jaja’s African Hair braiding” (she also wrote “The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Nighttime”) as directed by Whitney White, hits all the right notes of joy, fear and expectation, especially in today’s climate of immigration paranoia and dread of deportation. 

Jaja’s salon is located in Harlem where most of the  women working there are West African immigrants with the exception of Jaja’s daughter Marie (Jordan Rice) who is a Dreamer. 

Victorie Charles and cast

The customers all consider Jaja’s a sacred and safe place where they can come sometimes, for the whole day, and when they leave, feel special oft times looking  like a new person with braids cascading down their backs. 

As for the ‘stylists’’ they come with  different personalities, from different countries, backgrounds and accents. They worry about being deported, but mostly, they work long hours in Jaja’s making a living to make ends meet. 

Set on a ghastly  hot summer day in 2019, Jaja’s daughter, high school graduate Marie, is running the salon as her mother is getting primped for her wedding day which  happens to be this particular day. 

Tiffany Renee Johnson, Bisserat Tseggai, Jordan Rice and Aisha Sougou

Not everyone in the salon, including Marie, is thrilled about Jaja’s choice of a new husband whom they do not trust (and for good reason which will be revealed, but no spoilers here). Jaja hopes that with this wedding she will be able to get her green card, her daughter can attend any college of her choice and deportation would be a thing of the past.

In the meantime , customers come and go, all with their own stories especially one wanting to look like  Beyoncé. 

The stylists work their fingers to the bone turning the customers’ hair from dowdy to cornrows, to jumbo box braids to cornrows to micro braids.

Tiffany Renee Johnson and Claudia Logan

Over the course of the day, this eclectic group of braiders laugh, dance, argue about which customers belong to who, watch African TV soaps, deal with jewelry hawkers peddling their wares, chide the skilled Aminata (Tiffany Renee Johnson), for giving her hard earned money to her lazy, out of work husband. And the beat goes on. 

To the letter, there isn’t a weak link in the ensemble which includes…stunning Jaja (Victorie Charles) who makes a brief but eye popping entranced in her wedding gown, Bea (Claudia Logan), Ndidi (Aisha Sougou) , Onye Eme- Akwari who plays several male roles and stylist Miriam ( Bisserat Tseggai), whose client (Mia Ellis) is a journalist.  Miriam is the only stylist whose story we hear about. 

Obie award winner and director, Whitney white, keeps the pace on the fast track, missing nary a beat. From braiding to sparring to dancing to having affection for one another, Jaja’s in Harlem is the place to be. 

David Zinn’s colorful set design is authentic looking from cans of hairspray on the shelves to two hanging tv sets to roll about chairs, mirrors on the walls and individual bags of hair looking like they are waiting to be braided.

Claudia Logan and Melanie Brezill, Jordan Rice in background

I couldn’t help but be blown away by Dede Ayite’s richly colored costumes( she became the first black woman to win a tony award for best costume design in a play) and Nikiya Mathis’ wig and hair design with Jiyoun Chang’s lighting.

Aisha Sougou (left) and Melanie Brezill

All of these women call America ‘home’ but in today’s world, they are outsiders. For Jaja and her followers, sadly, deportation is staring them in the eyes. 

Enjoy.

See you at the theatre.

When: Runs through June 15. 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 1 and 7 p.m. Sundays

Where: La Jolla Playhouse,  Mandell Weiss Theatre, 

2910 La Jolla Village Drive, UC San Diego.

Photo: Rich Soublet II)

Tickets: $30-$90

Info: 858-550-1010

Online: lajollaplayhouse.org

“THE COUNTER” OFFERS UP A CUP OF JOE AND FRIENDSHIP AT MOXIE THEATRE.

 I Once Read That “A Friend Is Someone Who Likes You.”  

What makes A Good Friend? Someone who listens? Someone you’ve known for a long time? Someone with whom you have a history? 

I can count on my one hand the number of good friends with whom I could share my inner most secrets. (One passed two years ago) 

In Moxie’s latest play, “The Counter” by Meghan Kennedy, Katie (a steadfast, rich and staunch Kate Rose Reynolds) and Paul (steady and sympathetic  as he goes Mark Stevens) see each other six days a week at the local diner where Katie is behind the counter and Paul, the customer, sits at “The Counter”. 

Paul comes in each morning at about six am and has his first an/ or second cup of coffee of the day while Kate fusses around in back of the counter filling napkin holders, making coffee, cleaning off counters, wrapping silverware in napkins Etc. 

At first the conversation is about as serious as how much ice is on the ground. (they live somewhere up up N.Y. State.)

This goes on for about two years until Paul breaks the ice and wants to become ‘friends’, real friends that share secrets.  

He has a favor to ask of her.

Mark Stevens and Kate Rose Reynolds

Paul is in a funk. He’s had it with his life: Been there, done that. He has lived in this town all his life; was a firefighter, was in the Peace Corps, is a recovering alcoholic, had a secret love affair with one of the town’s well known citizens and is ready to be done with it all.

Kate, on the other hand, moved to this icy town just two years ago. She’s running away from something/someone and is a bit hesitant to share this with Paul. But Paul wants to share secrets. You tell me yours and I’ll tell you mine.  Eventually the friendship and trust grows and an unlikely alliance forms. 

She’s been running away from an embarrassing romantic moment  and has saved twenty seven voice messages from her boyfriend. She has not answered any of them and refused to for some time. Paul wants her to drop some poison into his coffee some morning but doesn’t want to know when. 

Mark Stevens and Kate Rose Reynolds

In a series of short scenes and blackouts, director Desireé Clarke Miller slowly moves the story forward as we see the loneliness in each character develop, sad as it may be. 

Kate refuses to drop a lethal dose of poison as Paul asks, but both she and Paul listen to the messages on Kate’s phone. He encourages her to return the calls while  she wants no part of poisoning Him. “Do it yourself” she retorts. 

While all this is going on, Peg (Kara Tuckfield), Paul’s old flame and town Doctor comes into the coffee shop before Paul on the pretense of getting some coffee cake. When Kate sees the two of them together, she understands the deepness of their relationship and understands Paul’s pain. 

In eighty minutes, or so the characters in “The Counter” go from unknown to we almost know them. Kennedy barely scratches the surface of these two vulnerable 'friends', and while in this reviewer's mind it's still a leap of faith for such an encounter to happen, stranger things do happen.  

Julie Lorenz’ set design makes it look realistic with working coffee machine and all the accoutrements necessary for a working restaurant. Colby Freel’s lighting design sets the atmosphere for time passing.  

The play does tell us that it is it is a sad commentary on lost communication between people who don’t really talk but text. 

It’s a sad commentary on where we are as a society afraid to make new friends we can trust.  

And it’s a sad commentary when our feelings are hushed and empathy is lost. 

Be Patient. The play is about eighty minutes long; time enough for reflection.

See you at the theatre.

When: 7 P.M. Thursdays; 8 P.M. Fridays And Saturdays; 2 P.M. Sundays. Through June 1st.

Where: Moxie Theatre, 6663 El Cajon Blvd., Ste. N, Rolando

Tickets: $20-$48

Phone: 858-598-7620

Photo: Moxie Theatre

Online: Moxietheatre.Com

“HOUSE OF INDIA”

 The Old Globe in Balboa Park is presenting Deepak Kumar’s world premiere “House of India” on the Sheryl and Harvey White Stage through June 8th. 

It’s been a trend of late the use food, mostly ethnic, as the base of many plays. “House Of India” is that and much more. Based on the playwright’s own experiences of visiting his families favorite Indian Restaurant in Michigan when he was young, he set about putting pen to paper and ergo… “House Of India”.

Kumar moved his story to a strip mall in Ohio, where once it was a thriving business. But no more.

Built with the sweat, tears and dreams of Ananya’s (Mahira Kakkar) late husband, the two emigrated from India to open their (his) dream restaurant. Unfortunately, his life was cut short, leaving Ananya, her daughter, Vaidehi ( Supriya Ganesh) and their Thai friend, Jacob (Tommy Bo), who did the cooking with Ananya’s recipes, to carry on. For a time, the restaurant was bustling. 

Declining customers and sales gave way to Jacob suggesting integrating the Indian food with other foods (Indian Tacos?) to bring in more customers. That fell on deaf ears to both mother and daughter; absolutely not!

In the middle of this give and take, Ananya’s son Vikram (Deven Kolluri) shows up to supposedly write about the family restaurant. In case you ask, he’s on assignment, or so we are led to believe.

Supriya Ganesh, Tommy Bo, Mahira Kakkar, Deven Kolluri(back to us)

Now the whole mishpacha go round and round about the fate of the restaurant. But “House Of India” is more than that.  When the restaurant is vandalized, that was the last straw. Jacob suggests they make the restaurant into a fast food place and change the name; get rid of everything as it was, and go for broke, things don't break even for Jacob but he is determined.  

The acting is beyond wonderful; it’s sincere, heartfelt, realistic, and authentic.  At the core is Mahira Kakkar’s Ananya. Like most Moms, what she says, goes, much to the chagrin of Jacob. Jacob, on the other hand wants to make a big deal of the fact that the restaurant was vandalized; more like a hate crime. Naturally Ananya is beside herself with anger. 

Both she and Vaidehi (Supriya Ganesh) are vehemently opposed. Vaidehi has been working another job to help keep the restaurant afloat and has too much invested to let it go. She too is a star in her own right.

Deven Kolluri’s Vikram feels like an ‘also ran’ and needs more development if his character stays in the play. Tommy Bo is bursting with energy hard to capture. The question is, 'does he get his way?' You have to follow the dots in this surprising dramady. 

The playwright touches on immigration, (how this country was made on the backs of immigrants) racial violence, hate crimes, assimilation, family ties and priorities. (No spoilers here) but pay attention to Ananya’s last words.

Director Zi Alikhan lets the action flow at its own pace. 

Credit Chika Shimizu for set design, Cha See, lighting, Fan Zhang sound, and Rodrigo Muñoz, costumes. 

With a few small revisions here and there, this world premiere dramady should go places. 

Enjoy.

See you at the theatre.

When:  Opens May 15 and runs through June 8th. 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays; 8 p.m. Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays

Where: Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, The Old Globe, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park, San Diego

Photo: Rich Soublet II

Tickets: $41 and up

Phone: 619-234-5623

Online: theoldglobe.org