Diversionary’s “Irma Vep” … FROM MESHUGAS TO MADNESS

 It’s ironic that when yours truly ventures out into the real world, it would be one of the first shows I’ve seen since the pandemic and the last show of 2022 for Diversionary: “The Mystery Of Irma Vep”. In fact, it’s the first time I saw the new restructured lobby of the theatre and the much spoken of new and comfortable seats. What a grand time I had watching two superlative actors, playing eight characters in Charles Ludlam’s “The Mystery Of Irma Vep."

LHJ and BB

No one can accuse Charles Ludlam of not being different. I say that not to malign the man, but in praise of the man. Anyone who can come up with the ideas he has come up, which are truly genius (as he has been called by some), comes off as a little loopy. His works are camp ‘representations of traditional work’ and his ‘gender bending performances as Camille or Maria Callas among others, are legendary’.

The Mystery of Irma Vep: ‘A penny dreadful’, now in production at Diversionary on Park Blvd. through Dec. 24th is a Gothic thriller starring Bryan Banville and Luke Harvey Jacobs dressed in drag playing no less than eight (it seemed like more) different characters acting out, clearly, Ludlam’s Vampire (wink, wink) thriller.

There are werewolves, howling wolves, vampires, ghosts and mummies thrown into the mix to scare the wits out of us. And sometimes they do come as a surprise in this great production. There is also a throw away limb or two, an oil painting (of the now deceased Irma Vep) that bleeds out of one eye, a series of squeaks, shrills, storms that rage and a combination of automated and self -inflicted props that work and some that don’t work among other things. (Evan Eason)

Most movie buffs will see it as both a satire and a farce poking fun at the Victorian melodrama vaguely resembling Alfred Hitchcock’s 1940 film version of Daphne du Maurier’s romantic novel, ‘Rebecca’ with all roads leading to Mandacrest and surroundings. 

Charles Ludlam was an American actor, director and playwright, born in 1943, Early on he was out of the closet and never shunned away from the negative reviews of the mainstream theatre critics who accused him of founding a theatre as ‘gay theatre for a cult audience’. 

He founded the Ridiculous Theatrical Company where he was able to showcase his talent for the gothic yet more serious side of his nature. Even though he taught and staged productions at NYU, Conn. College for Women and Yale (commedia dell’arte) and won four Obie Awards, the last two before his death due to complications from having the HIV infection, he is generally remembered by his most popular play “The Mystery of Irma Vep.”

It opened in 1984 off-off Broadway in New York’s Greenwich Village produced by Ludlam’s company, Ridiculous Theatre Company.  Ludlam was Lady Enid and others and his partner Everett Quinton was Lord Edgar. It went on to win a Special Drama Desk Award (cast and crew) and the two performers won the 1985 Obie Award for Ensemble Performance. It’s a rapid-change tour de force style that might leave you breathless even before the end of Act I. 

The story takes place in the 1880’s at the home of Egyptologist Lord Edgar Hillcrest (BB) who has just arrived home with his new wife Lady Enid (Luke Harvey Jacobs). Staring down at them in the living quarters of the Hillcrest mansion is a portrait of the former Lady of the house, Lady Irma Vep (anagram for vampire). 

Luke Harvey Jacobs as Lady Enid

His long time housekeeper, Jane (BB) does not like the intrusion one bit and has no intention of making the new Lady at ease. Then there is Nicodemus (LHJ) the one legged (his other is wooden) groundskeeper/ swineherd who has a long history with both the family and Jane. Each has their secret and both know all the family secrets of those living, past and present, at the estate!

The actors go back and forth alternating their (not necessarily in order) characters with amazingly speedy costume (Brooke Kesler) and dialogue changes to move the story forward. While the plot, if you will, to uncover what really happened to Irma Vep rambles (it’s a bit too long after the initial setup) along the lines of a whodunit mystery, with the obvious staring us in the face.

Bryan Banville as Jane Twisden and others

It’s campy throughout taking us from the cliffs of Hillcrest to Egypt and mummies, to buried treasures to unleashed sarcophaguses and back to the Hillcrest estate where we hope Lady Enid and Lord Edgar will live happily ever after. Matthew Herman designed the utilitarian set that worked beautifully for this production.

Between directors Matt M. Morrow and Allison Spratt Pearce and along with an  assortment of stage-hands, chaos is made to look like organized mayhem. With the theatre’s wide stage every seat in the theatre is a good one. Needless to say, almost every inch of the stage, with the two making use of the isles (or not) in the theatre,  no one ever knew whose lap either one of them might land, was utilized.

LHJ and BB

That said nothing could detract from the talent of both LHJ, a big guy, who inhabits the Lady Enid role as easily as the hunchbacked, limping and disheveled Nicodemus. He is a hoot with his miraculous fast costume changes. When he comes on as Lady Enid with his perfectly coiffed updo’s (Peter Herman) in frilly gowns, flowing, feminine sleep attire in one scene, and as the resurrected Egyptian mummy appearing and walking away from the sarcophagus in Act II, you just want to howl (pardon the pun) out loud. Timing, they say is everything in farce, and they’ve got it down pat.   

Banville, who is spot on perfect as prissy Jane and ‘I haven’t got a clue of what’s going on in my mansion’s Lord Edgar, he never flinches.  As Jane she/he is steely and menacing, just the opposite of the clueless Lord Edgar. (In another life Banville has appeared in many musicals, and if you’ve never heard him sing, make haste to the next musical he’s in.)

The whole setup is too funny to miss...

And I love Farce, don’t you agree?

Dates: Through Dec. 24

Organization: Diversionary Theatre

Phone: 619 220 0097

Production Type: Farce/Tour de force 

Where: 4545 Park Blvd., University Heights

Ticket Prices: Start at $20.00

Web: diversionary.org

Photo: Peggy Ryan

Moxie’s “The Children” Puts Us In A Post-Apocalyptic Quandary

Catalina Maynard, Vanessa Dinning, Neil McDonald

 Imagine being checked out by a Geiger counter to measure the amount of radiation in your body? It will happen, just as we are being scanned by wands to alert if any weapons are on us. If we continue poo pooing climate change and gun control laws can the same fate hit us as the three characters in Lucy Kirkwood's "The Children"? 

Former nuclear scientists, /engineers’ husband and wife, Robin (Neil McDonald) and Hazel (Vanessa Dinning) are living in a small cottage on the British coast not far from a nuclear reactor where the inconceivable happened; a tsunami upended the reactor killing almost everything in its wake. It’s now six months after the disaster and they are dealing with the aftermath when they get a visit from an old friend and former colleague, Rose, (Catalina Maynard).

Catalina Maynard

Playwright Lucy Kirkwood’s 2016 play is based on an actual happening. The event that served as the inspiration for the play was the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan. Kirkwood moves the action to England where director Kim Strassburger and Dinning (whose accent comes natural coming from somewhere in UK) have the speech patterns down to a science. That’s the good news, bad news for these weary ears, aids and all. Yours truly had a few problems catching all the talk-over dialogue combined with the accents but surely, the point was not missed.

The play dishes out large quantities of what and how we prepare for future generations to survive/ live healthy lives/ grow to adults without major medical problems and how politics and the importance of environment control fit into the picture. The playwright pretty much doesn’t leave any stone unturned. With lots of after show talk, Kirkwood opens the door even wider for next gen to take action. 

With about one hundred minutes of give and take in this no intermission production we see all three actors peel layers and layers of back and forth, give and take exposing who they really are. They are not just two dimensional characters. When Rose comes to ‘visit’ Hazel and Robin one gets the impression it’s a normal visit until we learn Hazel and Rose have not seen each other in over thirty years. It takes lots of dialogue before we learn the purpose of her visit. She’s just returned from the states and has a favor to ask both of them. 

Neil McDonald

For the most part it’s friendly dialogue; catching up. They talk about children, Roses experiences in the states, etc. Rose has no children nor has she ever been married. When Robin comes in riding a tricycle, seemingly in a happy mood, the tension between Rose and Robin takes a while to drop to sea level by the time the truth of their relationship is revealed. Add McDonald’s Robin into the mix and this trio is headed down uncharted paths. McDonald is a study all unto himself. While assuming a cool veneer as he tries to soothe Hazel by taking care of her cows left at their farm by lying to her. He goes to the ranch  every day, according to her, to take care of them. Once again, more layers reveal just the opposite. But nothing gets by the affable and oft times impressive Hazel while she prepares salad for lunch. 

Dinning’s Hazel is more than a keen observer, as nothing gets by her at once noticing that Rose is all too familiar with the setup of her house. They all act as if nothing is happening while the banter between the three cuts and bruises to the core talking over one another, ignore each other, blame each other and barely listen. Finally, Maynard’s Rose, who is about as up -tight as a drum compared to Dinning’s relaxed, yoga mother, who prefers healthy foods to the alternative, tells her former cohorts, why she’s there. 

Vanessa Dinning

Simply put, she is reaching out to former employees of the reactor to go back and make it right, putting them all at risk. What to do? That is the question. There is the quandary, the Catch 22. Do we do what’s right for our children and their futures or do we serve our communities to the dangers they entail once again? 

Director Kim Strassburger with assist from Sandy Campbell have put together a top notch trio of excellent actors to bring these questions to the fore.  Who you think you see see isn’t necessarily who is uncovered. As mentioned before, layer upon layer of what and who they are, is revealed by plays end and everyone’s entitled to their own opinion. 

All three have their chance to shine throughout. Dinning, a natural pleasant, no nonsense mother hen is just what her part calls for; loving, caring, devoted and it looks like she makes one hell of a salad.

Vanessa Dinning, Neil McDonald , Catalina Maynard

Catalina Maynard is perfect as the up tight former lover/ friend who can’t seem to find a comfortable space in her friend’s company. As for McDonald, bringing up the rear, Kirkwood’s play would be desperately missing an important piece. Beneath that concerned façade something malicious is at work.

For this San Diego Premier, Mae Ann Ross designed the sets, Ally Wood, the lighting design, Carmen Amon, the costumes, Gabby Stryker, stage manager, Julie Lorenz, set and of course the Moxie staff for making it all happen.

For our future and our children's future, I highly recommend it.

Dates: Through Dec. 4th

Organization: Moxie Theatre

Phone: 858 598 7620

Production Type: Dark Comedy

Where: 6663 El Cajon Blvd., Suite N San Diego, Ca. 92115

Ticket Prices: $25.00 to $50.00

Web: moxietheatre.com

Photo: Daren Scott

“Hamilton” Returns To Civic With More Bounce to The Ounce

The last time “Hamilton”, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s ode to the first Sec. of the Treasury, was in San Diego at the Civic Theatre, was in 2018, only three years after it premiered on Broadway. 

Then as now, the hip hoppin’, jazz, blues, rap centric, R&B mega hit “Hamilton, Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and eleven Tony Awards including Best Musical, the life and times of Alexander Hamilton comes full circle for over two hours in Miranda’s historical unfolding of America’s beginnings. 

Cast of Hamilton

This national tour of “Hamilton” through Nov. 30th with last minute changes in casting (due to Coved and other illnesses) almost or most of those performing on opening night were understudies. Did it make a difference? If you went with the flow of the audience reaction, the answer would be 'no'. If you ask moi, it could have been a stronger show as some of the voices were not up to par and the orchestra had a tendency to drown out some of the lyrics, which make up the backbone of the historical happenings.  Along with the amazing dancing under choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler, the entire cast performed “with more bounce to the ounce” and a youthful energy than I recall.

Inspired by the 2004 biography "Alexander Hamilton" by historian Ron Chernow, “Hamilton: An American Musical” with music, lyrics and book by Miranda, the story traces the life of one America’s Founding Fathers: Alexander Hamilton, statesman, Secretary of the Treasury, and author of economic policies under George Washington. His personal history was that of an immigrant from the Caribbean, born ‘out of wedlock’ and brought to New York as a teenager to pursue his education. He became a representative to the Congress of the Confederate and, his likeness appears on our U.S. $10.00 bill. 

 

As his his back -story plays out in the musical. Miranda puts a new face on the young patriot who steadfastly pushed his way into the making of a country as a vulnerable patriot writing a majority of articles and or essays called the Federalist Papers defending the ratification to the U.S. Constitution. 

 

With a cast as colorful (read multi ethnic), and somewhat as diverse as our founding fathers. Alexander Hamilton is played by Deaundré Woods (again understudy) and took on the role as a much younger and less pushy, but none -the -less, keeping up his rivalry with Aaron Burr. When he isn’t going face to face to face with his nemesis (“I’m Not Throwin' Away My Shot”) Burr, played with consistency by Ellis C Dawson III, he nailed it in a huge production number….”The Room Where It Happened”). He tests the waters by supporting the revolution to break away from the Mother -Land. And who shows up?  Monarch King George III, played with scrumptious wit and snooty arrogance by Alex Larson (“You’ll Be Back”).

Even though the women in most bios of the founding fathers get short -changed, Hamilton was as much a romantic and a rogue that he almost threw away his marriage while engaging in an outside affair. Early on he met and married, the love of his life, one of the Schuyler Sisters, Angelica “I’ll never forget the first time I saw your face”,  (Charlotte Mary Wen”) who introduced him to her sister Eliza (Morgan Anita Wood) at the Winters Ball. 

 

The women in his life played a large part in the outcome of  his home life and his wandering  eye, and Miranda, equal opportunity master that he is, gives the women some of the most compelling lyrics and music with which to express themselves. (“The Shuyler Sisters”, “Wrek”, “Helpless”, “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story.”)

On the battlefield and in the planning of the revolution, Hamilton won the respect of George Washington (the full voiced Tré Frazier… “Right Hand Man”) much to the chagrin, consternation, and I might add jealousy of Burr. As long as Washington stayed in power, Hamilton was protected from his enemies. 

 

The minute Washington stepped down after the battle and independence a reality, with the help of the Marquis de Lafayette (Paris Nix who also plays the dandy Thomas Jefferson to perfection), Hamilton was open game and Burr was clearly out to break the man. Unfortunately, Burr’s claim to fame was that he shot and killed Alexander Hamilton. (“It’s Quiet Uptown”).   

 

Paris Nix as Thomas Jefferson

Once again, the large cast with precision choreography is in a category by itself with some beautiful and muscle bound bodies making this spectacular another reason to be there. 

 

With outstanding conducting by Julian Reeve’s, musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, some too loud sound design by  Nevin Steinberg’s  yet deftly directed by Thomas Kail, outfitted by Paul Tazewell, and with Howell Binkley’s dazzling lighting, and David Korins scenic design, you might want to sign up for the lottery where tickets are about $10.00

Back door deals, political rivalries and back -stabbing never seem to end. Not then, not now.

Through Nov. 20

Organization: BroadwaySD.com

Production Type:  Musical

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

Ticket Prices: Prices Vary

Web: ticketmaster.com

Photo: Joan Marcus

“Into The Breeches” More Than A WWII Backstage Comedy.

                       

                               

George Brant’s 2018 comedy, set in 1942, now showing at The North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach, is as much a backstage comedy as it is a lesson on how far we as a society have or have not come on accepting changing social issues as the country changes.

But as an audience member looking in on the comings and goings of a group of female players taking it upon themselves to keep their favorite theatre in Providence, Rhode Island open during war time, when most of the men were off at war it's another story. Things get off to a rocky start when the, long on tooth ingénue, Celeste Fielding, (Katie MacNichol) comes to theatre and finds her fellow competitor Maggie in charge. To say that Celeste trusts Maggie as far as she could throw her would be an understatement, but the show goes on in spite of the potential pitfalls, like board president Ellsworth Snow (James Newcomb). 

James Newcomb, Rosemarie Chandler, Mikaela Macias, Geno Carr
Taylor Henderson, Katie MacNichol, Melanie Lora and Shana Wride

The plays scheduled for this particular season are mostly roles for men… Shakespeare’s Kings Henry IV and V combined. That could prove a potential pitfall for the all-volunteer women ensemble. So, says Ellsworth Snow. More on him later.

For the last 26 years The Oberon Theatre in Providence R.I. has been putting on plays by Shakespeare entertaining their neighbors in Woonsocket and Pawtucket. But… this year most of the men are overseas fighting a war. Maggie Dalton’s (Melanie Lora) husband Andrew always directed. This year, he sends Maggie to R.I.., blessings and all to direct in his place. 

Rejected to fight in this war, Stewart Lasker (Geno Carr) the stage manager is classified as Swish (Look it up). Alongside Stewart is African American Ida Green (Taylor Henderson) the company’s costume designer, who is not allowed to act or give blood, because of the color of her skin. (true). That reduces a potential cast of over thirty parts to about five playing as many parts as costumes allow (Renetta Lloyd and Roz Lehman). All who come to audition are women, lest we forget.   

In case you hadn’t guessed, the women take on the men’s roles, ergo, the breeches. And just as a tease… in one of the funniest scenes in the show, they learn to walk like men. At Celeste’s suggestion, Ida brings out enough bean bags attached to a harness of sorts for each of the women to wear, to simulate (Ahem the men’s business) so the women can feel what it’s like to walk like a man. It’s silly little scenes like these that get a good laugh from the audience, and there are many like that. 

Take for example Ellsworth Snow (James Newcomb) president of the Theatre Board, who refuses to pay the women for playing the men’s roles. (Yes, the men got paid but the women did not. (What say you to that ladies?) Ellsworth’s wife Winifred (the perfect pitch comic Shana Wride) convinces him to put up the cash as she persuades him to give in to every other want the group needs. Oddly matched, the two are the perfect foils for all that takes place on stage and off stage. (Set by Marty Burnett)

Both Mikaela Macias and Rosemarie Chandler as June Bennett and Grace Richards come to audition and seem to have some basic knowledge of Shakespeare so they are hired on a dime. Both have husbands serving overseas. By the time the show is ready and everyone in places and “Lights up” - Curtain Time, all is well. 

Geno Carr

Under the deft direction of Diana Van Fossen and of course with playwright Brant fairly new play,  a new world of first’s plays out in front of us. How naïve we all were about gender equality. Even today women make less for doing the same job as men. If we aren’t aware of this fact today, we’ve been hiding under a rock.  But I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you that the race issue was brought home to me in my own neighborhood before I was a teen, and anti-Semitism, the same. 

While “Into The Breeches” started a bit slow and could have been cut a bit, it brought home more than a behind the scenes comedy; it hit home in places we thought we had overcome. On the other hand, it is a tribute to all those involved in theatre, paying homage to everyone who ever stood in front of an audience and gave it their all, as do those in the cast of “Into The Breeches:.

Cast 

We still have a lot more work to do.

Credit to Peter Herman for the 40’s style hairdos and wigs, Sound Design and Production, Ryan Ford, Lighting Design, Matt Novotny, Prop Designs Cindy Rumley, and Christopher M. Williams, Stage Manager. 

See you at the theatre.

Enjoy.

Dates: Through Nov. 13

Organization: North Coast Repertory Theatre

Phone: 858 481 1055

Production Type: Comedy

Where: 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach

Ticket Prices: $54.00 -$65.00

Web: northcoastrep.oeg

Photo: Aaron Rumley

“Into The Breeches” More Than A WWII Backstage Comedy.

George Brant’s 2018 comedy, set in 1942, now showing at The North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach, is as much a backstage comedy as it is a lesson on how far we as a society have or have  not come on accepting changing social issues as the country changes.

But as an audience member looking in on the comings and goings of a group of female players taking it upon themselves to keep their favorite theatre in Providence, Rhode Island open during war time, when most of the men were off at war it's another story. Things get off to a rocky start when the, long on tooth ingénue, Celeste Fielding, (Katie MacNichol) comes to theatre and finds her fellow competitor Maggie in charge. To say that Celeste trusts Maggie as far as she could throw her would be an understatement, but the show goes on in spite of the potential pitfalls, like board president Ellsworth Snow (James Newcomb). 

The plays scheduled for this particular season are mostly roles for men… Shakespeare’s Kings Henry IV and V combined. That could prove a potential pitfall for the all-volunteer women ensemble. So, says Ellsworth Snow. More on him later.

Geno Carr

For the last 26 years The Oberon Theatre in Providence R.I. has been putting on plays by Shakespeare entertaining their neighbors in Woonsocket and Pawtucket. But… this year most of the men are overseas fighting a war. Maggie Dalton’s (Melanie Lora) husband Andrew always directed. This year, he sends Maggie to R.I.., blessings and all to direct in his place. 

Rejected to fight in this war, Stewart Lasker (Geno Carr) the stage manager is classified as Swish (Look it up). Alongside Stewart is African American Ida Green (Taylor Henderson) the company’s costume designer, who is not allowed to act or give blood, because of the color of her skin. (true). That reduces a potential cast of over thirty parts to about five playing as many parts as costumes allow (Renetta Lloyd and Roz Lehman). All who come to audition are women, lest we forget.  

In case you hadn’t guessed, the women take on the men’s roles, ergo, the breeches. And just as a tease… in one of the funniest scenes in the show, they learn to walk like men. At Celeste’s suggestion, Ida brings out enough bean bags attached to a harness of sorts for each of the women to wear, to simulate (Ahem the men’s business) so the women can feel what it’s like to walk like a man. It’s silly little scenes like these that get a good laugh from the audience, and there are many like that. 

Take for example Ellsworth Snow (James Newcomb) president of the Theatre Board, who refuses to pay the women for playing the men’s roles. (Yes, the men got paid but the women did not. (What say you to that ladies?) Ellsworth’s wife Winifred (the perfect pitch comic Shana Wride) convinces him to put up the cash as she persuades him to give in to every other want the group needs. Oddly matched, the two are the perfect foils for all that takes place on stage and off stage. (Set by Marty Burnett)

Both Mikaela Macias and Rosemarie Chandler as June Bennett and Grace Richards come to audition and seem to have some basic knowledge of Shakespeare so they are hired on a dime. Both have husbands serving overseas. By the time the show is ready and everyone in places and “Lights up” - Curtain Time, all is well. 

Under the deft direction of Diana Van Fossen and of course with playwright Brant fairly new play,  a new world of first’s plays out in front of us. How naïve we all were about gender equality. Even today women make less for doing the same job as men. If we aren’t aware of this fact today, we’ve been hiding under a rock.  But I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you that the race issue was brought home to me in my own neighborhood before I was a teen, and anti-Semitism, the same. 

While “Into The Breeches” started a bit slow and could have been cut a bit, it brought home more than a behind the scenes comedy; it hit home in places we thought we had overcome. On the other hand, it is a tribute to all those involved in theatre, paying homage to everyone who ever stood in front of an audience and gave it their all, as do those in the cast of “Into The Breeches:.

We still have a lot more work to do.

Credit to Peter Herman for the 40’s style hairdos and wigs, Sound Design and Production, Ryan Ford, Lighting Design, Matt Novotny, Prop Designs Cindy Rumley, and Christopher M. Williams, Stage Manager. 

See you at the theatre.

Enjoy.

Dates: Through Nov. 13

Organization: North Coast Repertory Theatre

Phone: 858 481 1055

Production Type: Comedy

Where: 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach

Ticket Prices: $54.00 -$65.00

Web: northcoastrep.oeg

Photo: Aaron Rumley

 

“First Date”: OnStage’s Funny, Frenetic and Physically Demanding Musical, Is A Must See.

 

First dates, or as some might call them, blind dates may not be for everyone but in these times where theatre might be our only escape from the mishagas of the real world, it’s a winner; a diversion or better yet, an alternative from the news and with the possibly of finding your one and only. What’s to lose? (If only)

 

Don’t mistake. For Aaron (Benjamin Monts) it’s pretty real and quite traumatizing. Shy, at best. Nerdy, to say the least. And left standing under the Chuppah alone, he had lots of baggage to unfold before putting himself out there. As Mr. Everyman, most shy and unassuming can identify.

 

Benjamin Monts, Andrew Gutierrez, Kylie Young and Shelby Beltram

 

 

On the other hand, Casey (Kylie Young) is an old hand at first/blind dates and makes no bones about it. But that, it is.  She won’t commit. She’s more of a free agent; somewhat of a bohemian, hip and at first glance, quite the opposite of Aaron but likeable in her own way. 

 

But that’s not all there is to the Austin Winsberg (Book), Alan Zachary & Michael Weiner (Music & Lyrics) musical. If it was just the two, it would have been boy meets girl on first date, after a few drinks and an exchange of niceties and so long, it’s been nice to know you.

 

But the creators of “Blind Date” that premiered on Broadway in 2013 still resonates today with a super energetic cast of seven, five popping on the stage singing of all that could go wrong on a first date, somewhat like a Greek Chorus oft times family members, (past and present) and friends supporting each in their efforts, taking on a life of their own in real time.  

 

Enrique Arana and Andrew Gutierrez

 

When Aaron walks into the ‘Grub Spot’, their meeting place, it is pretty evident that he has been set up for a blind date. He’s nervous and looks uncomfortable. The local bartender (Enrique Arana, who plays several characters as do the rest) takes him under his wing and with a few changes turns his look from uptight to casual (tie off, untucked shirt and open collar). She on the other hand, has the confidence of one who’s been there before (“First Impression”).

 

Supporting cast along with Monts and Young (who stepped into the role following Adelaida Martinez departure) includes Sheby Beltran, Jaden Guerrero, Andrew Gutierrez, Enrique Arana and Emily Candia who are all excellent making director Kevin “Blax” Burroughs, whose timing is impeccable, job look easy.

 

Jaden Guerrero and Shelby Beltran

 

Both Monts and Young have this push me pull you thing going. Just when one seems settled, someone from their outside world comes and shows another revealing characteristic, like when Aaron reveals he is Jewish (“The Girl for You”) and Casey’s priest (Enrique Arana) makes an appearance, and Shelby Beltran the talented runaway bride. It does get complicated after a while but its so damn funny, even this a skeptic couldn’t help but lol.

 

Director Kevin “Blax” Burroughs is also credited as musical director, lighting designer and choreographer. Now that’s talent. Benjamin Goniea on keys is also Music Director. Roy Jenking is on Bass and Preston Lange is on drums. Costume design credits go to Brad Dubois, sound mixer. Remus Harrington and Set design, Reiko Huffman.

 

For some fun and, perhaps comparisons, “Blind Date” should be your cup o’ tea.

 

 

Dates: Through Nov. 6

 

Organization: OnStage Playhouse,

 

Phone: (619) 422-7787

Production Type: Musical Comedy

Where: 291 3rd Ave, Chula Vista 91910

 

Ticket Prices: Adult $25, Senior / Military / Educator $22, Student / Under30 $15

 

Web: www.onstageplayhouse.org

 

Photo: Daren Scott

 

 

“Lempicka…A New Musical” At La Jolla Playhouse, An Arousing Tribute to Tamara de Lempicka!

 Robust rumors are circulating that “Lempicka A New Musical” is already scheduled for a Broadway run. With book, lyrics and original concept by Carson Kreitzer, book and music by Matt Gould choreography by Raja Feather Kelly and directed by Rachel Chavkin, it is currently at the La Jolla Playhouse through July 24th making its West Coast Premiere.

It made its world premiere in the Williamstown Theatre Festival in 2018.  While stopping here for its second showing, after a Covid delay, it is hoped with some cuts and possible improvements to the lyrics, before going to The Great White Way it will improve the outcome. 

Tamara de Lempicka’s story begins and ends in L.A.  and segues back to her early life in Warsaw at the beginning of the rise of Bolshevism, to her first marriage in 1917 in St Petersburg to a wealthy Polish lawyer. Tadeusz Lempicki. They lived like royalty until their world was turned upside down. Her husband was arrested by the secret police. Giving her jewelry to them was not enough to free him. They wanted her. 

Eden Espinosa as Lempicka

Once free they left with their daughter, Kizette whom she called her niece so she wouldn’t be considered old enough to have a daughter, to Paris. There she scrubbed floors to keep the family going while Tadeusz looked and looked finally landing a job at the bank doing menial work. It was in Paris that she pursued her painting on a serious level studying with a hard assed domineering teacher, Filippo Marinetti who called her a ‘difficult woman’. 

Before she made her way to her own studio, she was encouraged by wealthy Baron, who later became her second husband, (Victor C. Chan) to keep on painting. From there, at the suggestion of her sister and with help from the Baron, Lempicka decided to become a serious painter. She went on to Académie de la Grande Chaumiere. Now she was fully engaged with Marinetti (George Abud is excellent and almost steals the show with his brilliant singing and acting) as her teacher, the same one who called her ‘that difficult woman’.

Andrew Samonsky and Eden Espinosa

 Nothing much has changed since most hard -nosed men can’t tolerate strong women. Make no mistake, Tamara Lempicka was a very strong willed woman and that’s what makes her so interesting. That and the fact that she found women as seductive as men and openly had affairs with both. Her relationship with her prostitute muse Rafaella, who frequently posed nude for Lempicka, while they carried on their affair was nothing less than blasphemous to her husband, who was also having affairs outside the marriage. Go figure. 

Not long after she gained notoriety for her works in Art Deco forms, the rich and famous Parisians were buying her works for hefty prices.  Once again, her world was turned upside down with the rise of anti-Semitism (she never forgot her Jewish roots) and a Nazi takeover. It was at this point in her life and career that she had to make haste and flee to America where we learn she had residences in both New York and Beverly Hills. 

One can’t accuse Tamara de Lempicka of having a dull life. While some of her story might be exaggerated, the production at The La Jolla Playhouse leaves no stone unturned from Riccardo Hernandez fast revolving sets offset by Bradley King’s fluorescent angular lighting, to Anita Yavich’s stunning and bold costume designs (with the exception of Eden Espinosa’s Lempicka who pretty much wore the same costume and hair style (Tom Watson) from almost beginning to end.

Eden Espinosa and Amber Iman

Choreographer Raja Feather Kelly showed us some pretty different types of dance, oft times sexual in nature but for the most part seemed like an exercise in movement. However, Peter Negrini’s projections brought us back to reality with scenes from Germany’s rising influence.

Matt Gould’s score under the baton of Charity Wicks ten piece orchestra is loud, frenetic and with a fast moving beat with no real ballads that make a connection to the time, was disappointing. Carson Kreitzer lyrics are pedestrian, redundant and don’t really add much to the overall story. They are never developed into anything that holds the story together.  

One or two bluesy numbers sung by Rafaela an extremely talented and beautiful Amber Iman and another of Lempicka’s female amours Suzy Solidor (Natalie Joy Johnson) who owned the all-female club, until it was destroyed by the Fascists, were out right on track. 

The acting is exemplary by each and every character in the show with Espinosa at the center of this very long production running at three hours, is talented. Amber Iman's Rafaela is fascinating as she seems to be the only one in Lempicka’s world to have power over her (“Stillness”), at least at times. Andrew Samonsky’s Tadeusz Lempicki her husband, has no character development. For the fact that his good looks can carry him for a while, he’s mostly just there.

Amber Iman

For her part, Jordan Tyson as Kizette, Tempicka’s daughter is allowed to age beautifully on stage from a young child to a devoted daughter and tell all (to her father) to a dedicated daughter to her mother after her return to Beverly Hills. 

Director Rachel Chavkin is to be applauded for pulling this stunning musical and story off to the degree that Broadway audiences will find it as timely a musical for the ages as did the audiences in La Jolla. With a tweak here and a tweak there, it's a go!

Dates: Through July 14th

Organization: The La Jolla Playhouse

Phone: 858 550 1010

Production Type: Musical

Where: Mandell Weiss Theatre, 2910 La Jolla Village Drive 

Ticket Prices: $25.00 -$95.00 

Web: lajollaplayhouse.org

Photo: Matthew Murphy and Rich Soublet II, La Jolla Playhouse

“Freestyle Love Supreme” Opens Three Weeks of Improv, / Hip Hop and Rap at The Old Globe.

(from left) Kaila Mullady, Jay C. Ellis, Andrew Bancroft, and Morgan Reilly

 Many, many years ago there used to be an Improv Club in San Diego. I used to go often to see various comedians do their acts, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was an evening of fun, friendship and getting to see some pretty well known and awesome stars. 

Jack Lemon once said that ‘dying is easy, comedy is hard’.  So, if you happen to find yourself at The Old Globe any one of these days through July 10th to see “Freestyle Love Supreme”, don’t think you walked in a ready made scripted Hip Hop /Rap celebration. All of what you will be seeing is performed by a group of musician/ actors in non- stop motion doing their thing. That 'thing' is Improv taken to the nth degree. 

The idea was conceived in 2003 by Anthony Veneziale, Thomas Kail and Lin-Manuel Miranda. (Yes, that Lin-Manuel Miranda). Now well beyond their college days, the group has morphed into this Tony award winning show now on tour around the country. 

On the way into the theatre patrons were asked to write words on a slip of paper and drop them into a bucket. Why, you ask? Well it seems that some of the words chosen for opening night’s presentation were taken from that bucket and voila a story is created by any one of the performers on stage that night. 

Opening night cast.

According to those in the know, different actors appear on different dates. On opening night Jelly Donut or Andrew Bancroft acted as host. Others that I can remember and did enjoy was singer Morgan ‘Hummingbird’ Reilly who riffed on ‘Seasoned Croutons’. Because every audience will react differently to what’s going on on stage making each performance different, I hope they do that one again.

Two stories that came from the audience was the one about a young boy coming face to face with a cougar while at his older brother’s birthday party in the mountains with his family. The funniest was when an audience member revealed that he had driven two hours from Riverside County to San Diego to meet up with his first date. They met at the Globe that night. That garnered a lot of laughs from the audience (he packed an overnight case...just in case) and the young man looked perfectly at ease. 

The cast had a ball rapping and improving about the story and they were good. Oft times one word could take up no less that fifteen minutes to make the round robin of every cast member having their say on the same word or set of circumstances. Some of the takes went on way too long, but you be the judge. The show is 80 minutes or so with no intermission. 

Full disclosure: Hip Hop and Rap are not my most favorite forms of entertainment. The words come too fast for me to get one rap before the next is out, if you get my drift. My brain doesn’t absorb what my ears scramble to hear. As the rest of the audience clapping beyond loud might say; “Not their problem”.

 “Freestyle Love Supreme” has been around for over twenty years, so what do I know. Twenty years or so ago I might have felt differently, but folks, there you have it. If you enjoy this type of entertainment, go for it. I can tell you that from the audience reaction and participation, they were out of their seats with excitement. 

(from left) Morgan Reilly, Kaila Mullady (back), Anthony Veneziale, and Jay C. Ellis. 

Everything about the look of the production is hi tech. Nevin Steinberg is credited for the sound. Beowulf Boritt, scenic. Jeff Croiter, lighting. Lisa Zanni, costumes and Thomas Kail, directed. 

If you are so inclined, give it try for something very different. 

Dates: Through July 10

Organization: The Old Globe 

Phone: 619-234-5623 

Production Type: Hip-Hop /Improve

Where: 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park

Ticket Prices: From $52.00

Web: theoldglobe.org

Photo: Joan Marcus

“The Outgoing Tide” At North Coast Rep. Is Bittersweet And Heartfelt

 72 year old Gunner Concannon has a sure fire plan, all thought out in detail, to end his life and leave his family well off. Peg, his wife of fifty years (give or take) has other plans for Gunner. Her plan is to keep him safe and cared for as his dementia gets worse. Brochures of nursing homes are all over the house. Gunner will have none of it. “It’s like a roach motel, ya check in but ya don’t check out.”

Their fifty (give or take) year old son Jack is in the middle with his own tsuris to deal with. He’s in the throws of a divorce and the conflict between his parents has put him in an untenable family situation. It’s not exactly like walking on eggshells but at times it feels just like that especially when both parents tell him things they don’t want the other to know this or that. It’s kind of a running joke. 

Gunner loves throwing stones into the ocean to see how many times they skip over the water. (I did that as a kid as well only in a lake.) He loves fishing on the beach of his now permanent home on Chesapeake Bay just a walk away from everything he loves and knows, or not.  

Andrew Barnicle and Leo Marks

One thing he does not love and that’s that the idea that he be sent off to a nursing home for people with Alzheimer’s.  His wife Peg seems to think would be good for him; it has a pool; a gym and you have your own apartment. Of course, that’s when you are healthy.  But then there is A Wing…The hospital part.” It’s so depressing”. 

The tides along Chesapeake Bay are as predictable as Gunner is unpredictable; but it wasn’t always that way with Gunner. Oh, sure he always loved a good joke (PC or not,) his television likes included episodes of Cops”, he never could relate to his 50 year old son Jack, in fact when we first meet Jack along the shores of the Bay where Gunner is fishing, there is no acknowledgement of a relationship between father and son. It’s like a stranger happened along. 

Linda Gehringer

And when he tried to watch one of his shows on TV (he even put new batteries in the clicker) and it didn’t work he was convinced the TV was broken until Peg told him it was the Microwave he was pointing at. Or when he came out into the kitchen without his trousers. But ask him something that happened fifty or so years ago, he’s on top of it. 

Bruce Graham’s “The Outgoing Tide” is a bitter -sweet and yes significant play about family, about promises, and end of life issues; no holds barred. It is beautifully performed by a strong cast of three and deftly directed by Nike Doukas.  Oft times not an easy to digest topic especially when Gunner and Peg, whose love affair has always been on solid ground, is at crossroads with how and what decisions must be made.  

Seasoned cast members Andrew Barnicle and Linda Gehringer fit into the roles of Gunner and Peg like hand and glove, complementing each other and showing affection throughout. Neither role is an easy task albeit the topic, a red hot one these days and both are up to the task of convincing us they are in the middle of it.

Linda Gehringer and Leo Marks

Leo Marks has the difficult role of referee, son, father (back home in the burbs of Philly he has an incorrigible son who won’t even bathe) and his EX has not signed the divorce papers. But he hangs in there for his parents, like it or not, and things do manage to come full circle for the family but not without a lot of compromise, hugs, sobbing and resolve.  

Marty Burnett’s set is spot on with cat tails and sprigs of greenery oft seen along the waters off the Atlantic. Another high five for Burnett, Matt Novotny’s lighting, again is spot on, Elsa Benzoni’s costumes, casual beach wear and Aaron Rumley’s sound design has us actually hearing the sounds of the tide. Well done all around.

Andrew Barnicle and Linda Gehringer

Hats off the North Coast Rep. for bringing another great production to our fair city. 

Two thumbs up.

Dates: Through July 3rd

Organization: North Coast Repertory Theatre

Phone: 858 481 1055

Production Type: Family Drama

Where: 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach, Ca. 92075

Ticket Prices: Start $60.00

Web: northcoastrep.org

Photo: Aaron Rumley