Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Original Cast of LIFE COULD BE A DREAM plays La Mirada Theatre
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| Original Cast of Life Could Be a Dream Photo credit: Michael Lamont |
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment are thrilled to present Life Could Be a Dream, written and directed by Roger Bean (The Marvelous Wonderettes), with musical direction by Michael Paternostro, choreography by Lee Martino and featuring the original cast who performed in both the Hudson Theatre and Laguna Playhouse productions. That’s Doug Carpenter as Skip, Ryan Castellino as Wally, Jim Holdridge as Eugene, Daniel Tatar as Denny and Jessica Keenan Wynn as Lois.
From the “marvelous” mind of creator Roger Bean, comes another trip to Springfield where we meet the “Crooning Crabcakes,” the boy group banned from the Springfield High School prom which made it possible for The Marvelous Wonderettes to perform there. Now in an era before “American Idol,” and “Star Search,” the guys get one more chance at fame and fortune as Denny and his friend Eugene form a singing group so they can enter and win the local radio contest on Big Whopper Radio and realize their dreams of making it to the big time!
With the help of their best friend Wally and their new friend Skip, this is the best quartet of singers since, well, you know who! Trouble comes in the form of Lois, who arrives to help put some polish on the group but who also broke Eugene's heart many years before. As Eugene falls apart, Skip, Wally and Denny fall in love - and hilarity and heartaches ensue.
Featuring such classic songs as “Stay” (Just a Little Bit Longer),” “Runaround Sue,” “The Great Pretender,” “Tears On My Pillow,” “Unchained Melody,” “Earth Angel,” “The Glory of Love,” and of course the title song, Life Could Be a Dream is another musical trip down memory lane that will leave you laughing, singing and cheering - let’s hear it for the boys!
Show dates are October 28 - November 20, 2011. Click Here for tickets and more information.
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Labels: la mirada theatre
The Pantages invites you to COME FLY AWAY
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| Original Broadway Company Photo credit: Joan Marcus |
The new Broadway musical, Come Fly Away, conceived, choreographed, and directed by Tony Award-winner Twyla Tharp and featuring vocals by Frank Sinatra, will makes its Los Angeles premiere at the Pantages Theatre October 25 - November 6, 2011.
The score combines classic and newly discovered vocal performances from the Sinatra archives along with signature arrangements by Nelson Riddle, Billy May, Quincy Jones as well as brand new charts for this fresh innovative musical.
Come Fly Away follows four couples as they fall in and out of love during one song and dance filled evening at a crowded nightclub. Blending the legendary vocals of Frank Sinatra with a live on-stage big band and 15 of the world's finest dancers, Come Fly Away weaves an unparalleled hit parade of classics, including "Fly Me To The Moon," "My Way," and "That's Life," into a soaring musical fantasy of romance and seduction.
Tickets may be purchased online Here or by phone at 1-800-982-ARTS(2787).
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Saturday, September 24, 2011
Step Right Up to the CARNEVIL at Sacred Fools
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| Katy Tang, Jeff Sumner and James Lynch |
Horror films have spawned a number of musical stage versions in Los Angeles recently and developed a following with mainstream audiences as well as die-hard horror fans. Re-Animator the Musical and Head: The Brain That Wouldn’t Die Musical, as well as several productions of the classic Little Shop of Horrors have all offered their own interpretations of the genre; the former two reaching far into blood, guts and campy humor while the latter kept its feet planted in its comedic dark noir roots.
Now Sacred Fools is exploring the other end of the spectrum with a dramatic take on the horror genre in its new musical CarnEvil: A Gothic Rock Horror Musical by Michael Teoli and Joe Fria. The original story is a musical nightmare of sorts, both unsettling and highly addictive at the same time, with plenty of psychological stimulation to draw you completely into this tattered world, and enough comic elements to offer relief from its underlying intensity. And as always, the Fools throw themselves into the darkness with everything they've got.
CarnEvil finds ex-con Danny Farinelli (James Lynch) returning to his parents’ carnival after a four-year absence only to find that the traveling show has fallen on hard times. His parents are no longer alive and the carnival is being run by his abusive cousin Abner (Joey Bybee) who warns Danny that he should stay away. But once a carnie, always a carnie, and Danny finds that he cannot escape the family secret and its hypnotic pull no matter how hard he tries. As Danny takes over managing the side show, a chance meeting with the mysterious Craven Moon (Jeff Sumner) shows him a way to restore it to its former glory, though it comes with a costly price.
Teoli’s progressive rock influences hover throughout and the score is an elaborate mix of sounds that reflect the dark psychology and seduction in the story. He has a way with a screaming rock ballad like “Pain” that sticks with you and Sumner’s gutsy vocals turn the deeply visceral song into one of the horror highlights of the show, blood and all. I found myself holding my breath as I watched and though it certainly is perverse, it’s also a song I was humming as I left the theatre. Days later its emotional and haunting melody is one I can still remember.
In bright contrast are songs like Danny’s “Side Show” that capture a 1960’s HAIR-like hippie-fest vibe. Here is where the carnival springs to life, all color and movement, as staged by director/choreographer Janet Roston and featuring a bewitching set of misfit dancers; Erica Lyn Peña, Ceasar F. Barajas, Amanda Gamel and Anton Garsola.
David Haverty narrates the story as Albert the Wolf Boy with a friendly, likeable quality and shows that he can deliver a self-deprecating song like “Freak!” with vaudevillian flair. Natascha Corrigan is Serena Farinelli, Danny’s cousin, and at the outset the most normal of this nefarious group of characters. She, too, has a skin-crawling rocker number that is a raging showstopper, and Liza Baron and Whitney Avalon play the sexy Van Winkle sisters; conjoined twins who sing and move in seductive harmony as part of Moon’s posse.
Teoli conducts a killer band that includes Christian Regul (and Teoli) on keyboards, Jonathan Hurley and German Schauss on guitar, Ryan Leach on bass and Jose Perez on drums. Lots of crazy sounds coming from their direction so listen for all the nuances.
Lumbering platforms that take too many hands to move do slow down the action but the set design creatively uses the full space, including the catwalk. It also features some fantastic vintage artwork. Devil Baby, Otter Boy, Gator Man and the Fire Eater have never looked better on the freak show posters. And did you notice that the ferris wheel graphic of the CarnEvil poster also doubles as a circular saw? Chilling. Completing the picture of this gothic carnival world is Hunter Wells’ darkly distinctive costume design that has its own surprises as well.
Sacred Fools' fearlessness has shown through once again with this bold, audacious work. CarnEvil's unique combination of attributes is tailor-made for the irreverent company and it's begun to draw a wide audience from among its extended goth/horror families. One can already see that a cult following is imminent.
CarnEvil will run through October 22 at Sacred Fools, 660 N. Heliotrope Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90004. Click Here for tickets or call 310- 281-8337.
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Labels: sacred fools
The Real Love to be rebroadcast September 26
The Real Love, a new musical that brought together some of the biggest names of Hollywood and Broadway onstage at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium will be re-broadcast on Supreme Master Television in twelve parts, beginning Monday, September 26, with multi-language subtitles.
The musical is inspired by the life of Supreme Master Ching Hai, a world-renowned spiritual leader, humanitarian, bestselling author, poet and artist, with songs based on her poems set to music by a constellation of eminent composers: Bill Conti, Al Kasha, Doug Katsaros, Don Pippin, and David Shire. Pippin also wrote the opening song, “The Real Love,” featuring guest stars Betty Buckley, Filippa Giordano, Shirley Jones, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish, Faith Rivera, Tom Schmid, and Lynne Wintersteller.
The Real Love stars award-winning actress Joanna Ampil (Les Misérables), Daisy Eagan (The Secret Garden), Cady Huffman (The Producers), Adam Pascal (Rent), Robert Torti (Starlight Express), Shirley Jones and Dick Van Patten. With songs and dances that ranged from tap to disco to Indian, it is a breathtaking journey from Europe to Asia with the 37 guest stars and cast members, accompanied by a full 21-piece orchestra.
Hosts for the evening are Ed Begley, Jr., Grant Aleksander, Kristin Bauer, Elaine Hendrix, and Hayley Marie Norman.
Click Here for a preview of the show.
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Sterling's Upstairs at Vitello's Presents Nathan Shrake in Taking the Wheel
Nathan Shrake will make his cabaret concert debut on Sunday, September 25 at Sterling’s Upstairs at Vitello’s. His show, Taking the Wheel, features musical direction by Dan Houze, with guest stars Judy Mora and Disney’s Dapper Dans.
Nathan is an experienced musical theatre performer originally from St. Paul, Minnesota now residing in Los Angeles. Having performed in over 25 musical theatre productions including High School Musical, Rocky Horror Show, The Sound of Music, and Urinetown. Nathan has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Jodi Benson, Patti Austin, John Lloyd Young (Jersey Boys), Sherie Rene Scott (The Little Mermaid) and Broadway musical director Jerry Sternbach. You can currently see him singing Tenor as a Dapper Dan at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA.
Dinner seating is between 5:30 and 6:00 pm. Showtime: 7:00 – 8:00 pm. 4349 Tujunga Avenue, Studio City, CA 91604. Valet parking is available. Dress is cocktail attire or upscale casual. Click Here for more information.
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Labels: sterling's
Monday, September 19, 2011
2011 LA Stage Ovation Awards Nominess
The most nominations for a single production went to Reprise Theatre Company’s Kiss Me Kate (14), Center Theatre Group’s Venice (11), Troubadour Theater Company’s A Wither’s Tale (10), Ebony Repertory Theatre’s A Raisin in the Sun (8) and Demand Productions’ Having It All (7).
Click Here for a complete list of nominees.
The 2011 Ovation Awards ceremony will take place on Monday, November 14 at the Orpheum Theatre, 842 South Broadway, Downtown. Click Here for more information.
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Thursday, September 15, 2011
Falsettos: An Auspicious Debut for Third Street Theatre
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| Third Street Theatre's cast of Falsettos Photos: Yenka Honig |
The first American version of Webster’s Dictionary written in 1828 defined the word “family” as “the collective body of persons who live in one house and under one head or manager; a household, including parents, children and servants, and as the case may be, lodgers or boarders.” Over time the word has evolved, as the current edition of Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary proves, with family now ranging from a similar description of the original, to “a group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation.”
For Marvin, the neurotic central character in William Finn and James Lapine’s Falsettos, family is complicated, and his obsession with making family work creates endless opportunities for humor and pain within the achingly human story.
As he tells the audience at the beginning of the show, he’s divorced his wife, who is now dating his psychiatrist, left his child, and run off with a new boyfriend…but he still wants to have a tight-knit family. Can you say conflict? Marvin’s got his work cut out for him. It’s going to require immense amounts of patience, understanding, and a whole lot of therapy to help him get over his guilt while creating a new kind of family, but that’s the trick of it. As life throws him one curve after another, he learns that no matter what you call it, family endures, love really does hold us together, and growing up is a necessary step in becoming a father.
The Tony Award-winning musical is made up of two one-acts, March of the Falsettos set in 1979, and Falsettoland set two years later in 1981, and is actually parts two and three of a trio of musicals that began with the earlier installment In Trousers. It is currently the freshman outing of the Third Street Theatre in West Hollywood and I am thrilled to say it is a most enjoyable production.
You can’t go wrong with Finn’s music & lyrics, which alternate between laugh-out-loud songs like “Four Jews in a Room Bitching,” and “The Baseball Game” (so funny I won’t spoil the lyrics here), to beautiful lyrical ballads like “What More Can I Say?” If you’ve seen The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, one of his later musicals, you know that Finn has a way of articulating a person’s thoughts that provide a payoff you often don’t see coming with lyrics that make you laugh out loud and think, “did he really just say that?” And that’s priceless.
Director Richard Israel mines the material for all its worth and creates a vivid, energetic, powerfully cathartic commentary on some very important issues. His dynamic cast delivers solid performances all the way down the line, from Jesse Einstein as the neurotic, troubled Marvin to Richard Hellstern, who plays his lover, Whizzer. Hellstern has a beautiful voice and a way with a melodic line that makes you wish he would just keep singing. The two have quite an onstage connection and watching them wind their way through a touching romance via dramatic detours of dysfunction is endlessly entertaining.
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| Richard Hellstern and Jesse Einstein |
One of the most compelling turns in the story occurs when Whizzer collapses in Act II while playing racquetball with Marvin; a scene made all the more poignant because it hearkens back to an earlier game that showed Whizzer in impeccable physical shape. It is a reflection of the times when the AIDS epidemic of the 70’s and 80’s was beginning to come out of the shadows and make the news on a daily basis. People were dying every day and even the doctors felt helpless to understand what was happening. For Marvin, it becomes the catalyst to grow up and step out of the fantasy life of falsettoland.
Lani Shipman is lovely and real as Marvin’s wife Trina. Blindsided by her husband’s confession she seeks answers from Mendel (Chip Phillips), a quirky therapist who dispenses insight with a smile but is actually the most wacko person in the bunch. Shipman’s matter-of-fact treatment of her hysterical breakdown song highlights her comedic timing par excellence and Phillips has so much fun with everything he does that you will too. And he does it with great pipes.
Major Curda plays Trina and Marvin’s ten-year-old son Jason, caught in the middle of the mess his father has created. His very funny dilemmas include worrying whether he will turn out to be “homo” like his father, agonizing over which girl to ask to his bar mitzvah, and trying to figure out how to hit that baseball – and he’s equally as wonderful in the serious moments. Add to the mix a couple of lesbians next door; Kim Reed as Dr. Charlotte and Wendy Rosoff as Cordelia, who designs and sings about her “nouvelle bar mitzvah cuisine,” and the outstanding cast is complete.
Musical direction on a sung-through show is one heck of a job and Gregory Nabours brings a level of musicality to Falsettos that keenly enhances its inherent riches. He also leads the terrific trio of musicians on keyboards. Joining him are Brian Cannady on percussion and Brian Morales on reeds.
John Todd adds plenty of bright, clever and twisted choreography that is also best left a surprise so as not to spoil any of the humor. Suffice it to say that the characters may tell the story in song, but they deliver the subtext through dance – and it is a delight. The beautiful lighting design is by Lisa Katz, with Kurt Boetcher providing set design, Jessica Olson costume design and Ric Perez-Selsky sound design.
Falsettos is an auspicious debut for Third Street Theatre eloquently examining themes as timely today as thirty years ago. It reminds us that it is the people we count as family that have the most impact on our lives. We make mistakes. We do the wrong things. And still, if we are lucky, they are there to help see us through the growing pains of life, plying the wounds with large doses of humor and generous amounts of love. In the end that adds up to a life well-lived, and in this case, a musical well done.
Falsettos runs through October 16 at Third Street Theatre, 8115 West 3rd Street, Los Angeles, 90048. Click Here for tickets and more information.
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Labels: third street theatre
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Big Voice Musical Documentary and Santa Monica High School
All it takes is one teacher to make a difference in a student's life. For that reason I am, and always will be, eternally grateful to the teachers that shaped my life and taught me to believe in myself. See what one teacher in Santa Monica is doing to further music and inspire his students.Big Voice is a musical feature documentary about Santa Monica High School's hugely committed choir director and his students. By capturing the extraordinary accomplishments of this public school program, Big Voice demonstrates the possibility of excellent public education and even more specifically the value of arts education within our public schools.
During these challenging times when the media has it's focus on all the problems we're facing, let's celebrate what's right with the world, to shed light on the beauty of the human spirit, to inspire youth to aspire to achieve their dreams, even when it feels impossible.
Big Voice will follow Mr. Huls and his teenage students interweaving interviews and concerts with ‘slices of life’ footage. It will explore what it means to be a teenager facing an unknown future, and an accomplished artist creating great art in the context of a public school. In addition, this visually stunning documentary will include original songs created for and by the students with the assistance of Grammy-winning artists.
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ICT Announces Cast and Creative Team for The Robber Bridegroom
A rare revival of The Robber Bridegroom, with book and lyrics by Alfred Uhry and music by Robert Waldman, opens at International City Theatre on October 14. Low-priced previews take place on October 11, 12 and 13.
Based on the 1942 Eudora Welty novella, The Robber Bridegroom is a comic, adult fairy tale that’s loaded with symbolism, innuendo and double entendre. It’s the story of a charming gentleman bandit, the rich plantation owner’s daughter he loves, the wicked, sex-starved stepmother who wants her dead, and an evil thief who carries his brother’s head around in a trunk – all set to an infectious Broadway/bluegrass score.
Todd Nielsen directs the ICT production, and Gerald Sternbach is musical director. Chad Doreck (Off-Broadway’s Altar Boyz) stars as Jaime Lockhart with Jamison Lingle (a recent graduate of the Ray Bolger Musical Theater Program at UCLA) as Rosamund.
Also in the cast are six-time Helen Hayes Award nominee Michael Stone Forrest (ICT’s When Garbo Talks), Sue Goodman (Broadway: Les Miserables, The Mystery of Edwin Drood), Tyler Ledon (recently graduated from the musical theater program at the University of Northern Colorado), Tatiana Mac (Hollywood Bowl: Hairspray), Teya Patt (ICT’s When Garbo Talks), Michael Uribes (Boston Court: Oedipus El Rey), and Adam Wylie (Pantages: Wicked).
The Robber Bridegroom is produced by caryn desai [sic] and runs October 12 – November 6. Opening night tickets on October 14 include a reception with the actors following the performance.
International City Theatre is located in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center, 300 E. Ocean Blvd. in Long Beach. Click Here for reservations and information or call 562-436-4610.
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Labels: international city theatre
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Frenchie Davis to MC New York's Finest at the Ford Amphitheatre
Frenchie Davis, star of NBC’s The Voice, will act as Mistress of Ceremonies for New York’s Finest: The Leading Men of Broadway on Friday, September 16 at 8:30pm at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre. Produced by Chris Isaacson Presents, this one-night-only concert event will star (in alphabetical order) David Burnham, Brandon Victor Dixon, Chad Kimball, Levi Kreis, and Ace Young. Sam Harris will direct, and the music director is Brent Crayon.
Click Here for more information.
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Monday, September 12, 2011
San Diego Musical Theatre opens season with JOSEPH
Joseph is a colorful tale that will take you through biblical Egypt in a hilarious telling of the story of Joseph and his jealous brothers. It spans musical styles from calypso to rock to disco to Bollywood, and includes a cast of 25, a youth choir of 18, and a full orchestra.
The cast will feature Eric Kunze as Joseph, Bethany Slomka as the Narrator, Josh Adamson as Levi-Pharaoh, Ed Hollingsworth as Jacob/Potiphar, Raul Avina as Issachar/Baker, Johnny Fletcher as Simeon, Reggie Hutchins as Gad/Butler, Luke H. Jacobs as Naphtali, Jimmy Keith Latimer, Jr. as Judah , Mike Motroni as Asher, Shaun Tuazon as Benjamin, Tyler Vess as Dan, Dan Windham as Rueben, Zachary Scott Wolfe as Zebulon and Joy Allen, Cassie Bowman, Mollie Esau, Meagan Flint, Elise Harvey, Lauren King, Joanna Louise, Katie McConaughy, Sabrina Olivieri, Juliana Rotta and Melissa Ryan as the Wives.
Previews begin Friday, September 23 and the show will run through Sunday, October 9 at the Lyceum Theatre at Horton Plaza. Opening night is set for Saturday, September 24. Click Here for ticket information.
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Labels: san diego musical theatre
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Seven Brides For Seven Brothers up next for Glendale Centre Theatre
Glendale Centre Theatre continues its 2011 season with Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, playing September 29 - November 19. Robert Marra helms the production, which is produced by Tim and Brenda Dietlein, and features choreography by Lee Martino and musical direction by Steven Applegate.The highly entertaining musical is written by Lawrence Kasha and David Landay (book), Johnny Mercer (lyrics), and Gene de Paul (music), with additional songs and lyrics by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn.
Set in Oregon's mountain territory, circa. 1850, and based upon the 1954 Academy Award nominated film musical of the same name, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is the story of Adam Pontipee (Jason Webb), the eldest of seven brothers, who goes to town to get a wife and convinces a young woman named Milly (Jennifer Johnson Webb) to marry him the same day. They return to Adam's backwoods home, only for Milly to discover that the remaining six brothers also live in the log cabin. Milly sets out to reform the ill-mannered siblings, who are anxious to find wives of their own; while Adam develops an inspired solution to appease his brothers' loneliness...kidnap the women they want!
The Glendale Centre Theatre is located at 324 N. Orange St., Glendale, CA 91203. Click Here for ticket reservations and information or call 818-244-8481.
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Guided Consideration of a Lamentable Deed
Building an audience is a monumental task for any theatre company, and for small companies whose resources are even more limited, it is critical. The key to success becomes using their strengths and thinking out of the “black” box, to appeal to an audience that will come back show after show because they had a really good time. NEED THEATER is proving they can design an evening to keep them engaged with their new play, Guided Consideration of a Lamentable Deed.They have produced not only a thought-provoking play by Frank Basloe, dealing with one young man’s woefully absent conscience, but an evening of entertainment that extends before and after the show as well, effectively making Café Club Fais Do-Do a complete one-stop destination.
It begins with free keg beer for everyone before the play, lending a casual, collegiate feel to the night. Then after the show you can stay for the live indie music curated by cARTel and The Peanut Gllery Creative Unit. Music is different each weekend and the night I attending the after-party featured Hip Hop.
As for the play directed by Dylan Southard, its story will make you wonder what college students are learning during their school days on today’s campuses. Certainly not all students have such difficulty sorting out right from wrong as Tim (Ben Kurland) does but this college boy’s moral compass is sorely lacking. The night before his college graduation he goes on a drinking bender and commits a lamentable deed, having sex with an unconscious co-ed, and then spends the ensuing two hours agonizing over what he should do about it while she’s still passed out in his bed.
Our guide is Mattie Hawkinson, who, as the title suggests, serves to guide the audience through the story, alternately commenting on the action and translating the inner dialogue of the characters. Hawkinson, who “exists for the purpose of journey enhancement” fields the run-on stream of consciousness with a straight ahead delivery that is down to earth and effective, however the playwright’s use of the device is inconsistent.
In a series of mostly one-off scenes, Tim consults a mixed bag of characters with problems of their own that includes, among others, two very funny Jewish stoners (Edward Kiniry-Ostro and Terence Leclere) who offer advice based on the Talmud, his philosophic ex-roommate Darren (Ian Forester), a closeted security guard (Ronald Conner) and flirty co-ed Lily (Shiela Karls) bent on having him, a pair of lesbians who don’t agree (Abigail Eiland and Bridgette Campbell), and a professor (Kiff Scholl), his wife Marianne (Isabelle Ortega) and mistress (Rachel Germaine) that becomes its own ugly situation. Enlightenment may not come from their advice, but their ponderings do provide a commentary on the dysfunctional state of society today.
They say that once you cross a line you can never go back, though in this case, not much really happens to Tim as a result of his actions. He will still graduate and go forth into the financial world of Morgan Stanley where he will presumably find success handling other people’s money. Perhaps it’s the irony of that sad fact underneath all the other superficial trappings that is most disconcerting in Basloe’s play.
Guided Consideration of a Lamentable Deed runs through October 15 at Café Club Fais Do-Do, 5257 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015. Click Here for ticket information or call 323-795-2215.
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Friday, September 9, 2011
Michael Teoli Fuses Genres in CARNEVIL: A Gothic Horror Rock Musical
Teoli says, “At the time I started writing CarnEvil I was involved in the L.A. Goth community and I would frequent clubs like Malediction Society and Release the Bats. I really felt at home in that world with the music and the people and that aesthetic. I’ve also always been a big horror buff and loved carnivals, and as a film and theatre composer I really wanted to bring all these worlds together.”
“We’re putting a new spin on the genres,” he explains. “There have been horror-related musicals before but they usually lean toward the comedy horror or camp side, and we’ve made a conscious choice not to go in that direction. CarnEvil has its share of laughs, but it’s a much darker world; more along the lines of Wes Craven or Dario Argento or Tobe Hooper. We’re keeping that fear in the mix and in order to make it work it really has to have a different musical sound than you’d expect. You’ll hear a lot of my influences, everything from the Beatles to Pink Floyd to Audioslave, so the music falls somewhere between progressive rock and a more electronic dark wave sound.”
"Pain" from CarnEvil
CarnEvil was born in 2009 in the Sacred Fools’ popular late-night Serial Killers series where writers bring in short episodes of a piece and the audience votes at the end of the night which pieces will be” killed off” and which will continue on to the next week. Teoli found it to be a stimulating environment within which to develop his musical.
“Serial Killers is a really great outlet to workshop new ideas and new work. You can do any kind of material you want but 95% of what’s done is comedic, and I really wanted to do something that wasn’t. It still has comedy in it but the story was darker. It’s about discovering and accepting who we are, the dark secrets we have, and how that darkness affects those around us.
We ran five weeks and started to attract a following because the material was so different. The challenge for me was how fast I had to write because we were basically doing a new mini rock opera every week. Not only did I write a new story and music and rehearsed it with the actors, but I also recorded all the tracks that we’d be singing to as well."
Following Serial Killers, Brandon Clark, one of the show’s current producers and a Sacred Fools company member, offered Teoli a slot in their “Summer Camp” series so Teoli expanded it and found that his audience kept getting bigger. It was right after this concert that he began working with his current bookwriter, Joe Fria, on further development of the show.
“Joe is a good friend of mine and played the role of Danny in both the Serial Killers episodes and CarnEvil in Concert, and he also shared a love of musicals and horror movies so it was a perfect match. Together we’ve completely rewritten it for this current Sacred Fools production. It’s very different than the original show. It still has some of the original characters and some of the music remains but the actual story is very different. Joe and I started working on it right after the concert in 2009 so it’s actually been a two year process with many drafts and revisions.
We’ve focused in on the psychological horror in the story and we’re really happy with where the story has gone. There are a lot of moving parts to it. We have an animator working on a scene. There’s a scene where everyone is in a drum circle so we have a percussion coach. We’re creating puppets and we also have magic. Handsome Jack from the Magic Castle is our magic consultant and he’s been working with some of our cast members. The blood element is really fun too. What I’ve seen is pretty impressive.”
Teoli’s director/choreographer for CarnEvil is Janet Roston, who is also no stranger to his style of storytelling. They worked together previously on his darkly comedic Tonya and Nancy: The Rock Opera, about Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan. “We’ve done two stints in Boston and we literally just got back from doing it at A.R.T. in Boston and the next day we went into the first CarnEvil rehearsal so it’s been a little crazy.”
Not bad for a guy whose grandfather was a concert violinist, which might explain Teoli’ s own diverse musical interests. “I’ve always been into orchestral music and my grandfather was a concert master for a local orchestra. I knew for a fact that music would be my job and my life when I was in seventh grade and I became unhealthily obsessed with the Beatles. There was no question after that. I graduated from Berklee College of Music with a degree in contemporary writing and production and then moved to Los Angeles to pursue writing for film and theatre.”
It isn’t unusual at all then that Teoli would choose to mix genres with CarnEvil. “I feel like a lot of people who wouldn’t normally go see a musical would really like this show because it is different. And I especially hope the Goth and horror communities get a chance to see it because it is so influenced by them and my time with them. I really want to do justice to that aesthetic.”
CarnEvil: A Gothic Horror Rock Musical stars James Lynch as Danny, a young man with a troubled past who returns to his family's carnival after a long absence and finds himself thrust into the darkness he tried to leave behind. An unspeakable horror is released, and he must face long-kept secrets in order to save everything he cares about from destruction.
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Labels: sacred fools
Thursday, September 8, 2011
The Vault: Unlocked - Based on True Los Angeles Stories
When a prominent real estate developer ends up dead, a tapestry of stories is discovered immersed deep in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles. From the mouths, eyes and ears of business owners, loft dwellers, baristas, food vendors and street people, an intricate world unfolds, prompting the question: Who killed Ron Dillinger?
Based on the true stories of downtown residents.
According to musical director Jasmine Orpilla, “The Vault is a rebellious, genre-bending theatre and musical performance art ensemble. Continually inspired by local L.A. and global real-life happenings, this multi-cultural and interdisciplinary ensemble creates an unpredictably fast-paced experience where no issue is taboo…except for our mothers.”
Part theatre, part performance art, part cabaret, The Vault’s multi-ethnic composition reflects the diversity of its immediate surroundings and conveys a youthful sensibility that establishes it as Downtown’s Own.
The cast of The Vault: Unlocked includes Brenda Banda, Stephen Buchanan, Aaron Garcia, Sam Golzari, Fidel Gomez, Esperanza America Ibarra, Theodore Lange IV, Jasmine Orpilla and Vicki Syal.
The 9:00 pm show runs 1 hour 10 minutes and is suggested for audiences age 16 and older based on some adult language and theatrical violence.
LATC is located at 514 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013. Click Here for tickets.
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Labels: latc
Morgan-Wixson presents The Story of Frog Belly Rat Bone
Morgan-Wixson Theatre Youth Education/Entertainment Series (YES) presents The Story of Frog Belly Rat Bone, a guest production by Rogue Artist Assemble September 24 - October 9, 2011. It is based on the book written and illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering and adapted for the stage by Emily Coalson with Rogue Artists Ensemble.
In Cementland lives a very special Boy with a singular wish to find a treasure. Amidst heaping piles of greasy toaster ovens, broken TVs, and wet smelly socks, he discovers a rusty old box promising wondrous riches, but all he finds inside the box are tiny grey specks. Even his new friends Rat, Rabbit, and Fruit Fly don't know how to make treasure out of specks. Frustrated, the Boy leaves the box and the treasure unprotected. Thieves come in the night and the Boy builds a monster called Frog Belly Rat Bone to scare them away. Frog Belly protects the specks, and in doing so teaches all the friends a very valuable lesson.
Using their signature Hyper-theatrical style combining puppetry, music, video projections, and innovative prop design, the award-winning Rogue Artists Ensemble brings this popular book's lovable characters and quirky aesthetic to life on stage.
Performances are Saturdays and Sundays at 11:00 am at Morgan-Wixson Theatre, 2627 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405. Click Here for reservations or call 310-828-7519.
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Labels: morgan-wixson
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
NoHo ACE presents That's Amore! An American Italian Songbook
The NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHo ACE) presents That’s Amore! An American Italian Songbook, written by Gilmore Rizzo, with musical direction by Bryan Miller and directed by Ginny McMath opening September 16th.
This musical autobiographical revue starring Gilmore Rizzo is filled with fun music, laughs, and stories about a boy growing up in an Italian-American household when music was king and so was the food! Gilmore is cousin to both legendary American-Italian singer Bobby Darin and American-Italian Jazz Flugelhorn player Chuck Mangione.
That's Amore! features some of the best-loved songs from the last 50 years by some of the best singers like, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Perry Como, Connie Francis, and more. Backed up by The Three Goombahs: Paul Katz, Tod Macofsky, and Perry Gentry - That’s Amore! is an evening of great harmonies, funny stories, and heartwarming memories from Gilmore's childhood about growing up in a family that really loved their music and their pasta.
The show will open on Friday, September 16 and runs through Sunday October 23 at the NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd. in North Hollywood. Click Here for tickets or 818-508-7101 x 6.
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Labels: noho ace
TSARINA receives world premiere at The Grove Theatre
The book, music and lyrics were written and composed by Upland resident, Deborah Johnson, known At The Grove for her piano and vocal performances in Double Grande. Additional music and lyrics, “How Did We Get Here” by Wayland Pickard, co-star of Double Grande. The musical is directed and co-choreographed by Joshua Finkel.
The cast will feature Kelly Derouin as Alexandra and Patrick Dillon Curry as Nicholas, along with Cindy Clark, Brian Brown, Michael Torrenueva, Deborah Lederer, Dain August, Robert Moon, Valerie Lohman, Nicholas Sloan, Amy Segal, Aaron Lyons, Laura Anderson, Gabrielle Gutierrez, Tina Nguyen, Jobob Taeleifi, and Kelsey Coleman.
TSARINA will run September 16 - 25. Click Here for tickets or call the box office at 909-920-4343.
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Labels: the grove theatre
Saturday, September 3, 2011
DOMA Theater Company's Passion
I wonder then what he would say about DOMA Theater Company’s decision to break up the musical into two acts. Selling refreshments is standard operating procedure at a theatre’s intermission and the bartender even had his bio in the program (?), but in this instance, all it did was compromise what sexual tension the ensemble had built before being dropped at the break. I would have asked the two gentlemen sitting next to me for their opinion but sadly I could not, as they didn't return after intermission.
Set in 19th century Italy and based on Ettore Scola’s film Passione d'Amore, it follows the romantic entanglements of Giorgio (Nathaniel Reynolds), a young army caption, his beautiful but married mistress Clara (Melissa Cook), and Fosca (Lindsay Zana), the sickly cousin of his superior officer (Duane Allen Thomas).
At the top of the show, Giorgio and Clara are found in the throes of a highly-charged bedroom scene singing of the happiness they’ve found in each other’s arms. It is a seduction begun from a glance in the park that they now cannot live without, but when she learns he is being sent to a post outside the city she is devastated. Though a long distance affair is not what she had in mind, they agree to continue their erotic liaison though a series of passionate letters.
Once at his new post, the isolated and somewhat out of place soldier slowly befriends the unfortunate Fosca, who turns him into the object of her obsessive desire. “You and I are different,” she says. “They hear drums - we hear music.” Though sympathetic to her situation, he feels no attraction in return. The tragic events that take place in the story lead Giorgio to eventually understand the repercussions of a love realized too late.
Reynolds and Cook are easily up to the vocal and emotional demands of their roles but Zana’s performance could have been much more potent with a stronger directorial hand. Sondheim has fashioned a dramatically haunting score and Lapine has laid out a psychological journey that director Marco Gomez seemed not to understand, his staging lacking finesse at almost every turn. Thomas is well cast as the Colonel, and both he and Corinne DeVries have lovely voices and several nice dramatic turns, but others among the ensemble were unable to be understood and clearly uncomfortable onstage. What a missed opportunity.
DOMA Theater Company’s Passion runs through September 11 at the MET Theatre in Hollywood. Click Here for tickets and more information.
Photo: Nathaniel Reynolds and Melissa Cook
Credit: J. Hawke
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