Friday, November 21, 2014
Happy Holidays from MUSICALS in LA
MUSICALS IN LA will be on Holiday Hiatus through December 4th.
Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.
Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.
The reading is directed and choreographed by Daniel A. Smith, with musical direction by Bill Brown and is produced by Michael Betts and David Lamoureux. The cast includes Leslie Stevens (Rita Racine), Jeff Edgerton (Bill Kelly), Gabriel Kalomas (Mick Hamilton), Tracy Lore (Shelby Stevens), Jeffrey Landman, Madison Claire Parks, Jeffery Christopher Todd, Marc Montminy, Jennifer Strattan, Allison Sheppard, Peter Becket Kuhl, Kirklyn Robinson, Sarah Meals, Caitlyn Calfas, Zack Crocker, Mike Starr, Bren Thor Johnson, Marisa Field, Katy Tabb, Rachel Davis, Hannah Simmons, and Richard Bulda.For tickets or more information, call (562) 856-1999 x 4 or visit www.musical.org.
For over a decade, the Latino Theater Company has annually presented this holiday gift to the City of Los Angeles, in association with the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. This dazzling spectacle was adapted for the stage by founding company member and resident playwright Evelina Fernandez from the mid-16th Century text The Nican Mopohua. The production is directed by Latino Theater Company’s artistic director Jose Luis Valenzuela. Original music is composed and performed by Alfredo Lopez Mondragon, with original indigenous music composed and performed by Martin Espino. General admission is FREE to the public (all are welcome to attend) and reserved seating is available for $35. Tickets are available online at www.thelatc.org or by calling (866) 811-4111. The performances will take place at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, 555 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA 90012. Goodwill donations are encouraged. The show is presented in Spanish with English supertitles.
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Review: La Jolla Playhouse's The Hunchback of Notre Dame
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| Michael Arden as Quasimodo |
No matter what anyone says, you’d be a fool if you believed that the La Jolla Playhouse production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame wasn’t headed for Broadway. Produced by special arrangement with Disney Theatricals in association with Paper Mill Playhouse, with a powerhouse creative team that includes Alan Menken (music), Stephen Schwartz (lyrics), Peter Parnell (book) and Scott Schwartz (director); an incredibly talented cast of veteran Broadway actors; and a spectacular production design that transports the audience to 15th century Paris in all its massive glory, the deck is heavily weighted in its favor.
The lush music will give you chills (literally) with the sheer volume and resonance of its voices; a credit to the San Diego choral ensemble, Sacra/Profana who becomes part of the very walls of this Notre Dame. Their gorgeous waves of sound in “The Bells of Notre Dame” beckon you into the story and continue to lead you through to the tragic end. The power they add to the experience is thrilling.
Without a doubt, expectations are high for this latest marriage of modern day Disney storytelling and medieval Gothic Romance. Elements of both Victor Hugo’s epic novel and Disney’s animated film of The Hunchback of Notre Dame are part of this story that has found new life as a stage musical. But while the animated version played to the kiddies, this production is wrought from the passions of its four leading characters and those are not always G-rated.
The lush music will give you chills (literally) with the sheer volume and resonance of its voices; a credit to the San Diego choral ensemble, Sacra/Profana who becomes part of the very walls of this Notre Dame. Their gorgeous waves of sound in “The Bells of Notre Dame” beckon you into the story and continue to lead you through to the tragic end. The power they add to the experience is thrilling.
Without a doubt, expectations are high for this latest marriage of modern day Disney storytelling and medieval Gothic Romance. Elements of both Victor Hugo’s epic novel and Disney’s animated film of The Hunchback of Notre Dame are part of this story that has found new life as a stage musical. But while the animated version played to the kiddies, this production is wrought from the passions of its four leading characters and those are not always G-rated.
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| Ciara Renée as Esmeralda (center) and the cast of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Photos by Kevin Berne |
Archdeacon Frollo (Patrick Page) hides his lascivious desire for the gypsy Esmeralda (Ciara Renée) behind the pious robes of the church espousing sacred principles while pursuing her at every turn. The deformed bell-ringer Quasimodo (Michael Arden) loves her from afar for the kindness she has shown him in an otherwise cruel world, and Captain Phoebus (Andrew Samonsky) is ready to give up his gallivanting ways to save Esmeralda’s life, even if the cost is his own. The villain, the innocent, the beauty, and the hero; in less studied hands these characters could easily remain two-dimensional like their cartoon counterparts but, in this rendering, a level of human frailty shows through that makes them much more complex.
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| Patrick Page as Frollo |
Page’s commanding voice and towering presence are tailor-made for Frollo’s singular brand of oppression yet he also gives us a man torn by love of family, duty to the church, and the shame of his own lustful appetite. Renée is gloriously fiery as the object of everyone’s attention. She sings like an angel and dances with Romany brilliance but this Disney heroine remains an outcast in a world that will never give her a chance to rise above her station.
Arden’s arresting physical transformation into the hunchback Quasimodo is done in full view of the audience. The exposed moment is surprisingly emotional and his heartbreaking performance is richly nuanced to create both monster and man in one. Vocally, the role is a demanding one and Arden turns the soaring melodies into heartfelt longings that stir the soul. It is a performance of a lifetime.
Alexander Dodge’s recreation of Notre Dame’s lofty bell tower dominates the stage while Howell Binkley’s lighting design spills moonlight and shadows to dramatically enhance the storytelling. Dodge uses whimsical accents for his scenic design that can be moved on and off easily to represent the city below. Where Quasimodo’s world is all shadows and secrets, the Festival of Fools in the streets of Paris, and the Court of Miracles, are full of color and life.
There is a great deal about this Hunchback that feels right and audiences are responding by filling the house to capacity night after night. I like the darker tone of the story and the way the production design favors that vision. Still, I got the sense that not everything has landed in the right place yet. Exposition is delivered as third-person narration that shortcuts the back story and helps explain the major shifts in location but I grew tired of it after a while. I wanted to see the story rather than hear about it. And though the score is gorgeous, its movie musical songs sometimes feel out of character against the more dramatic sound of the choral passages. Maybe that contrast is meant to highlight the chasm between classes but there were times that its distinctive Disney sound still pulled me out of the action.
But no matter, this Hunchback is quite wonderful and will surely resonate with those in search of a moving story. Go, if you can still get tickets, especially if you love beautiful music and passionate performances.
THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME
Oct. 26 - Dec. 14, 2014
La Jolla Playhouse
Located on the UCSD Campus via the Revelle Entrance
2910 La Jolla Village Drive
La Jolla, CA 92037
Tickets: (858) 550-1010 or
www.lajollaplayhouse.org
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Labels: la jolla playhouse
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
The Old Globe Tree Lighting Kicks off The Grinch's Holiday Season
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| Nicole La Fond and her twin sister Natalie help The Grinch (Burke Moses) light the tree. Photos by Bob Ross. |
The ninth annual Old Globe Christmas Tree Lighting kicked off the holiday season in conjunction with San Diego’s favorite holiday musical, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Designed by Grinch scenic designer John Lee Beatty, the unique tree will be located in the center of the Globe Plaza for the run of the show. This free, fun family event featured a special live performance by members of The Grinch cast and a delightful holiday snowfall on the Globe's Copley Plaza.
Five-year-old Nicole La Fond was the winner of the “Santa for a Day” contest, and she and her twin sister, Natalie, helped The Grinch light the tree in front of thousands. She was drawn as the winner after creating a drawing expressing what the holidays mean to her. She and her family received a VIP Family Four-Pack to attend the 4:30 p.m. performance of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! and, directly after the show, took part in the Tree Lighting.
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Monday, November 17, 2014
HOLIDAY MUSICAL NEWS for Monday, November 17, 2014
At the Grove Theatre in Upland, get ready for The Snow Queen - A Frosty, Fractured Fable (A British-style Holiday Panto), written By Dale Sandlin with music & lyrics by Steve Apostolina, Nov. 28 & 29 at 7:29 pm and Nov. 30 at 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm. Snow Queen is a musical excursion of the Snow Queen who meets the Widow Twanky, played by Christofer Sands. The battle begins when Twanky’s son is taken to fix a magic mirror for the evil Queen. This interactive Christmas Show is sure to please both parents and kids, from “boos” and snowballs to the fun lyrics and live music. The Grove Theatre is located at 276 E. Ninth Street, Upland, CA 91786. Tickets: (909) 920-4343 or www.grovetheatre.com.
TELEVISION: Want to star in a music video alongside the cast of NBC’s Peter Pan Live!, singer/songwriter Alex G., and other surprise guests? Dance your heart out to a brand new rendition of the Peter Pan classic, “I Won’t Grow Up” created by DJ Tay James. Watch Alex G.’s message to fans about the opportunity above and submit your video at www.peterpanmashup.com. Submission ends on November 18, 2014 at 11:59 pm PST. Remember to tune in to the live broadcast of Peter Pan Live! on Thursday, December 4 at 8/7c.
Kritzerland at Sterling’s Upstairs at The Federal presents Happy Holidays! The Annual Kritzerland Holiday Show, Sunday, Dec. 7 at 7:00 pm. Performers include Paige Befeler, Roger Befeler, Brennley Brown, Kim Huber, Madison Claire Parks, Sami Staitman, and Robert Yacko with special guest Jason Graae and music director James Lent. Reservations: 818 754-8700. Doors open at 5:30pm. Show starts at 7:00 pm. Sterling’s at The Federal, 5303 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601.
The Los Angeles Master Chorale adds a generous dash of yuletide cheer with a matinee performance of its popular Festival of Carols, on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2:00 pm at Walt Disney Concert Hall. The concert features new arrangements of cherished Christmas carols sung to savory perfection by 100 members of the Chorale under artistic director Grant Gershon’s baton. Pianist Lisa Edwards and organist John West, who performs on Disney Hall’s iconic pipe organ, add delightful sonic flourish to the concert. The program also features the live performance premiere of Eric Whitacre’s Glow, part of the Grammy Award-winning composer’s innovative “Virtual Choir” series, a global phenomenon in which singers from around the world record themselves singing one of his choral works and upload their videos online, which are synchronized and combined into a single performance. Tickets: (213) 972-7282, or www.lamc.org.
Los Angeles Children’s Chorus presents its popular annual Winter Concert celebrating American song on Dec. 7 (7:30 pm) & 14 (7:00 pm) at Pasadena Presbyterian Church. The program features works by a number of eminent American composers, including Let every breath, a round in the shape note tradition by William Billings, considered the country’s first choral composer; Aaron Copland’s popular Ching-a-ring Chaw; A Christmas Carol by Charles Ives, one of the nation’s first composers to gain international acclaim; and Knee Play 5 from legendary minimalist composer Philip Glass’s groundbreaking 1967 opera “Einstein on the Beach,” universally hailed as one of the greatest artistic achievements of the 20th century. LACC also spotlights works by several Los Angeles-based composers, Nick Strimple’s A Christmas Lullaby, Wayne Bisbee’s A Cuckoo Flew Out of the Wood, David Montoya’s I Heard a Bird Sing, and L’Dor vador by former cantor Meir Finkelstein, among them. Tickets: (626) 793-4231 or visit www.lachildrenschorus.org. Pasadena Presbyterian Church is located at 585 East Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101.
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Friday, November 14, 2014
First Look: MEMPHIS at Cabrillo Music Theatre
Cabrillo Music Theatre kicks off its 2014-15 season with Memphis, opening tonight and running through November 23. From the underground dance clubs of 1950s Memphis, Tennessee, Memphis is the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical that bursts off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs, and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love setting its story of tolerance and the pursuit of happiness to a classic rock beat. Robert W. Schneider directs. Get your tickets now! For more information go to www.cabrillomusictheatre.com.Click Here for discounted tickets.
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| Lakeisha Renee Houston, Todd Abramson and the ensemble of Memphis. Photos by Ed Krieger |
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| The Beale Street Ensemble |
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| Todd Abramson (top) and the Beale Street Ensemble |
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| Lakeisha Renee Houston and Todd Abramson |
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| Lakeisha Renee Houston and Todd Abramson |
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| Keith Jefferson, Lakeisha Renee Houston, and the Beale Street Ensemble |
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| Todd Abramson and Linda Kerns |
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| Lakeisha Renee Houston and Ensemble |
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First Look: Chromolume Theatre's PUTTING IT TOGETHER
Chromolume Theatre Company opens its latest production, Putting It Together, a musical revue showcasing the award-winning songs of Stephen Sondheim. The show takes place at a Hollywood movie premiere party in the home of the producer/director and his trophy wife leading lady. A composer and his date, a wanna-be starlet, along with an up-and-coming screenwriter, spend the evening reflecting on the illusions and desires of relationships intertwined amidst life “in the biz” in Hollywood. Nov. 14 - Dec. 21. Tickets: (323) 205-1617 or www.crtheatre.com. |
| L-R: Kurt Andrew Hansen, Kristin Towers-Rowles, Mike Irizarry, Rachel Hirshee, and Chris Kerrigan. |
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| Kristin Towers-Rowles and Rachel Hirshee |
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| Kurt Andrew Hansen, Rachel Hirshee and Chris Kerrigan |
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| Kristin Towers-Rowles and Kurt Andrew Hansen |
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First Look: Kentwood Players' INTO THE WOODS
Kentwood Players presents Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into the Woods Nov. 14 – Dec. 20 at the Westchester Playhouse. Tickets: (310) 645-5156 or www.kentwoodplayers.org. During the run, the company will hold its second annual Kentwood Kares Coat Drive, collecting new and gently used coats, jackets and sweaters to be donated to the Union Rescue Mission located in downtown Los Angele. The mission provides emergency and long term services to men, women and children trying to escape living on Skid Row. Founded in 1891, the Union Rescue Mission is the oldest mission of its kind in the City of the Angels. |
| L-R: Heather Barnett (Cinderella), Jon Sparks (Cinderella's Prince), Amy Coles (The Baker's Wife) and Terry Delegeane (The Baker). Photos by Gypsy Foster |
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| Alicia Reynolds (Rapunzel) and Elizabeth Bouton (The Witch) |
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| Heather Barnett |
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| Heather Barnett and Jon Sparks |
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| Carly Linehan (Little Red Ridinghood) and Terry Deleageane (The Wolf) |
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Labels: kentwood players
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Review: CTGSC's The Roar of the Greaspaint - The Smell of the Crowd
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| L-R: Alec Medlock and Sean Smith. Photos by Sherry Linn |
Typically, Children’s Theatre Group of Southern California produces shows that feature its young company members who range in age from 8 to 18. Participants in CTGSC’s long-established and well-respected educational program learn the craft of theatre and then put their skills to use by auditioning for mainstage musicals like Godspell, Jr. and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. I had the pleasure of seeing both of those shows previously and they were charming, upbeat, and engaging productions; the kind that put a smile on your face and make you glad you made the effort to go to the theater.
This time around they tackle something with a little more bite and a lot more social awareness – Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley’s The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd. It’s the second of the duo’s three major collaboration, sandwiched between Stop the World I Want To Get Off and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and the one least familiar. It isn’t often produced, which makes it an interesting choice for a company like this.
Adult actors take on the leading roles but the chorus of Urchins (Lola Michelle Brown, Tess Cooley, Alexa Druyanoff, Langdon Janos, Vera Wheatley) and The Kid (Liam Daniels), are played by the youths. These street kids act as a singing and dancing Greek chorus, always watching the main action and jumping into play when a song calls them forth. They are considerably younger than the original teens who played the roles on Broadway, which gives the piece an interesting twist. Their hopeful smiles and bright-eyed optimism underscore the disparity between the haves and have nots in a way I found extremely intriguing. Kay Cole, who co-directs (with Bonnie Hellman) and does the delightful musical staging, was one of the original Urchins on Broadway. Cole and Hellman handle the story’s unpleasantries with finesse.
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| [L-R] Front: Lola Michele Brown and Vera Wheatley. Rear: Tess Cooley, Liam Daniels, Alec Medlock, Alexa Druyanoff, and Langdon James |
Roar of the Greasepaint is an allegorical tale in which two British blokes, Cocky (Alec Medlock) and Sir (Sean Smith), are stuck on an eternal merry-go-round, playing the game of life – literally. Sir always wins and Cocky always loses. That’s because in this game Sir calls all the shots, making the rules and changing them whenever he pleases. His art of manipulation is so well conceived that poor Cocky doesn’t even realize Sir never actually plays the game himself. All he does is set up the rules so that Cocky can never win a round, and thus, can never gain control of the game.
Medlock and Smith are a well matched pair of cultural emblems. Medlock embodies the optimism of the lower class with all its good humor and innocence while Smith’s haughtiness reflects the character of an entitled upper class. Bricusse & Newley’s score favors the common man with their best and most recognizable songs going to Cocky. Medlock’s joy is infectious on the uplifting “A Wonderful Day Like Today,” and there is a genuine camaraderie between him and the urchins, whose cherubic, soot-stained faces beam as they sing and dance alongside him. He is strongest in these upbeat moments, a song and dance man with a Vaudevillian flair for comedy and a self-deprecating charm.
Two other songs will be particularly recognizable: the emotional “Who Can I Turn To?” which has been sung by everyone from Tony Bennett to Sammy Davis, Jr., and one of my favorites, “Feelin’ Good,” recorded by both Nina Simone and Michael Bublé.
Two other songs will be particularly recognizable: the emotional “Who Can I Turn To?” which has been sung by everyone from Tony Bennett to Sammy Davis, Jr., and one of my favorites, “Feelin’ Good,” recorded by both Nina Simone and Michael Bublé.
Medlock handles the songs nicely, though he has more control over his mid-range than high notes. The sing-song pattern of Smith’s speaking voice becomes appropriately irritating adding a pomposity to Sir that makes it even easier to sympathize with the likable Medlock. Each time he plays the game, it is with a different motivation. First it’s for food, then a job, love, and finally, once he sees an outside player win at the game, to get revenge on Sir.
The dream girl Cocky fancies is Caitlin Gallogly, a waif who ends up being another of Sir’s pawns used to control Cocky. Gallogly keeps it simple, making her brief appearance in the show a moving addition to Cocky’s plight. Her singing is a sheer delight, and the delicacy of her soprano lines float hypnotically over the audience creating a beautiful effect. Scenes with two additional characters who arrive in the second act, The Stranger (Marc Antonio Pritchett) and The Bully (Phil Biedron) become turning points for Cocky as the game starts to spin out of control.
CTGSC steps up its game with this latest production. It offers its young actors and its audience an opportunity for growth by stimulating the kind of critical thinking that only a socially-conscious work of art can. I found myself smiling at their cheerful confidence with the material, inspired by the company’s pluck, and impressed with their desire to stretch beyond what they have tackled previously. This is a successful expression of CTGSC’s bigger commitment and an enjoyable experience from beginning to end.
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| Alec Medlock and Caitlin Gallogly |
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| L-R: Sean Smith, Marc Antonio Pritchett, and Alec Medlock |
THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT, THE SMELL OF THE CROWD
November 1 - 23, 2014
Children’s Theatre Goup of Southern California at
The Eclectic Company Theatre
5312 Laurel Canyon Blvd.
Valley Village, CA 91607
Tickets: $15 (818) 508-3003 or
www.eclecticcompanytheatre.org
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Labels: ctgsc, eclectic company