Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Stoneface: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Buster Keaton


The Two Buster Keatons, French Stewart and Joe Fria
Photos by Shaela Cook

Extended: Must close August 26.

Yes, I was blown away by Sacred Fools’ production of Stoneface: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Buster Keaton and it has raced to the top of my list of most recommended theatrical productions to see this summer. From the moment you enter the theater you can feel the undercurrent of anticipation. A film screen sits center stage showing black & white Keaton film clips, effectively re-setting the clock and erasing today’s advanced world of high-tech media. Surrounding it is a detail-rich vintage backstage studio set (the work of Joel Daavid), lit by Jeremy Pivnick (who has outdone himself) with cascading shadows that fade in and out as the light spills across the exposed rigging, props and familiar studio gear.

A piano sits downstage in a small pool of light, awaiting Ryan Johnson, the musical director/pianist who will accompany the play’s action. Live music was so essential to silent films that it was often played on the set during filming to help the actors achieve the right tone of a scene. For Stoneface, Johnson’s live music adds an expressive layer of authenticity that is among the production’s many fine attributes.

Scott Leggett. Photo by Jaime Robledo
In a brilliant opening scene the characters are introduced as if arriving at the stage door on the street, pausing to wave at the crowd and pose for a photograph before crossing behind the film screen and quite literally stepping into the picture. The moment drew gasps from the audience at director Jaime Robledo’s clever device – 3-dimensional live actors becoming B&W silent film footage returning to live-and-in-color actors again…and that’s only the beginning of the imaginative effects you’ll see in this production.

Robledo, stunt/fight choreographer Andrew Amani, and dance choreographer Natasha Norman have crafted sequences that require killer precision. Hilarious chase scenes through free-standing doorways, trampoline runs at breakneck speed, and all manner of physical comedy play out with cunning style and choreographed perfection. One particular chase scene between Keaton (French Stewart in the performance of a lifetime) and his younger self (a sly and dynamic Joe Fria) turns into an ironic soft shoe routine with canes, and later, a boxing match between the pair is classic slapstick.

Events from his personal and professional life are presented like moving snapshots interspersed with fantasy recreations of some of his most well-known film sequences. We see him escape from a straightjacket while institutionalized, confront his old boss Louis B. Mayer (Pat Towne), and marry and divorce his first wife Natalie Talmadge (Tegan Ashton Cohen)…but not before witnessing a hilarious ‘spite marriage’ sequence with the couple tearing each other’s clothes off to a dissonantly altered version of “Ain’t She Sweet.”

He defies a wind storm reminiscent of Steamboat Bill, Jr., and turns down a partnership in United Artists when Charlie Chaplin (Guy Picot) tries to convince him it’s the only way to control their futures. And he plays poker with Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle (Scott Leggett) who poignantly reminds him that, “One day we fill up a screen bigger than anyone, and then we’re gone.” Best of all he and Fatty recreate their famous "one-room house" scene from The Scarecrow. In it, the two comedians ingeniously pass objects back and forth across a table using a complicated system of pulleys, sandbags and exact movements – swinging salt to each other overhead, landing a tomato with a plop on Arbuckle’s fork, and flying a bottle of whiskey out of a closed cabinet and back again, delivering a juicy payoff for what had to be hours of practice to perfect the timing.

Comedy is all about the timing, “set-up, 2 clicks – joke, 3 clicks,” says Keaton, but the arrival of the talkies meant the clicks were taken away, and that played havoc with his ability to time his jokes. He was not a happy man.

Jake Broder and Rena Strober
Photo by Jaime Robledo
While Stoneface does take the audience through the tragic ups and downs of Buster Keaton’s career, at its core its story reflects a deeper truth about the power of love to heal. In many ways it is a love letter - to the brilliance of his films like The General, to the redemptive love between Keaton and his third wife Eleanor Norris (Rena Strober), and even to the legion of fans that celebrate his legacy today.

Playwright Vanessa Claire Stewart (formerly Vanessa Claire Smith) wrote and starred in the award-winning Louis and Keely: Live at the Sahara, which also originated at Sacred Fools before transferring to the Geffen Playhouse several years ago. It was at the Geffen that she first met French Stewart, the man who was to later become her husband and the inspiration for Stoneface. The two hit it off and when he confided that he had given up his lifelong dream to play Buster Keaton due to his age, Vanessa secretly started researching the comedian and subsequently wrote him a part that may well become his signature role. Best known as Harry on the television series 3rd Rock From The Sun, he plays the older Buster Keaton with such physical dexterity and grace that one wonders he’s never been given an opportunity like this before. His motionless face and deep, sad eyes fit the man so perfectly. In many ways Stoneface is also a love letter to their own personal and creative collaboration as well.

The cast is an exceptionally talented group of actors. In addition to those mentioned previously, Erin Parks plays Mae Scriven, the nurse Keaton married while in an alcoholic blackout, Conor Duffy does a double turn as Edward Sedgwick and George Jessel, and Jake Broder gives a fascinating portrayal of producer Joseph Schenk. 

This is one night at the theater you don't want to miss. Stoneface: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Buster Keaton has already been extended and will run through August 5th at Sacred Fools Theater Company, 660 N. Heliotrope, Los Angeles, CA 90004. www.sacredfools.org

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Saturday, June 14, 2014

Review: STONEFACE Gets a New Life at Pasadena Playhouse

L-R: Jake Broder, French Stewart, Tegan Ashton Cohan
and Rena Strober. Photos by Jim Cox.

 Vanessa Claire Stewart’s Stoneface, the Rise and Fall and Rise of Buster Keaton, first produced at Sacred Fools Theatre Company in 2012, finds fresh life in a newly remounted production simply titled Stoneface at Pasadena Playhouse. With a bigger budget, more space in which to play, and clearly enhanced with an eye to continuing its life beyond Los Angeles, it should be set for a rousing success. The behind-the-scenes story of a comic genius whose own human failings caused him much pain throughout his life is the kind of Hollywood drama the public can’t get enough of and beautifully captures the deep sadness that accompanied his great success.

 Two Buster Keatons exist in this tale which is told from the perspective of the older Keaton portrayed with astounding physical eloquence by French Stewart. Joe Fria plays Keaton’s younger self with inspired efficiency appearing like a ghost from the past to accuse, taunt and otherwise facilitate the catharsis of his mature self. This duality stands at the core of the play.

 As scenes jump back and forth in time, we see Keaton’s relationships with his wives: the annoying Mae Scriven (Daisy Eagan), self-centered Natalie Talmadge (Tegan Ashton Cohan) and lovely Eleanor Norris (Rena Strober), the woman who would eventually help Keaton find some quiet joy in his later years. We watch as famous clips are brought to life like the “one-room house” sequence in which he and Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle (Scott Leggett) pass objects back and forth across a table using a complicated system of pulleys, sandbags and exact movements. But mostly we feel for this man, who held a world in the stillness of his face.

 I fell in love with Stoneface at Sacred Fools and as much as I wanted to see it revealed bigger and better in all its glory at the Playhouse, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had gotten lost in translation. Jokes, sight gags, and stage business that had the audience roaring the first time around left theatregoers strangely silent at the Playhouse.

 Though well-executed, there is a draftiness that seems to have taken hold, most obvious in Act I where the actors have become louder, more stylized, and are either working so hard that the drama feels forced or are taking so much time that it kills the humor. In either case, it obstructs the flow and distances the audience. Seated close to the stage you might feel more connected to what they are doing because you can see their eyes but from elsewhere in the theater you’ll miss the subtleties that were so beautifully rendered in its initial outing.

 From a technical standpoint, the production has flourished with set design (Joel Daavid), lighting (Jeremy Pivnick) and video projections (Ben Rock and Anthony Backman) ramping up the vintage visual impact of the early cinematic period. Ryan Johnson plays his original score live as he would have done had this been a silent film set back in the day and Cricket S. Myers’ sound design brings it all together. Costumes by Jessica Olson are period specific and, for the most part functional, however the “spite marriage” sequence felt choreographed by the numbers and encumbered with tear-away clothing that didn’t always give at first tug.

You can tell that this new work has been lovingly created by all involved and, with so much already going for it, one hopes that the company will continue to shape it for a long life ahead. What they learn from its expansion into a larger theater like the Playhouse will certainly help with that success going forward.
Daisy Eagan and French Stewart

L-R:  Jake Broder, Joe Fria (laying), French Stewart, Tegan Ashton Cohan
(background), Scott Leggett and Pat Towne

French Stewart as Buster Keaton
L-R: French Stewart, Rena Strober, Jake Broder and Tegan Ashton Cohan

STONEFACE
June 3 - 29, 2014
Pasadena Playhouse
39 South El Molino Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91101
www.pasadenaplayhouse.org

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Monday, April 30, 2012

Sacred Fools’ STONEFACE To Star French Stewart as Buster Keaton

Sacred Fools Theatre Company presents Stoneface: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Buster Keaton, starring French Stewart as the Buster Keaton we never knew: over-the-hill, alcoholic, and struggling to regain the magic that once made him one of the greatest stars of Hollywood and the silent film era. This original play by Vanessa Stewart uses music, film, and stage to  tell the story of Buster’s past and present, as he struggles to join them together and make peace with perhaps his greatest adversary; himself.

Writer Vanessa Claire Stewart (formerly Vanessa Claire Smith) starred in and penned the multiple award-winning Louis and Keely Live at the Sahara, which had a record-breaking run at the Geffen Playhouse in 2009 after originating at Sacred Fools.

French Stewart, best known for six seasons on the NBC Emmy-nominated hit 3rd Rock From The Sun, most recently appeared at Sacred Fools Theater in the award-winning production of Watson and Justin Tanner’s Voice Lessons. In 2011, Stewart received three Ovation Award nominations for his work in both plays, and an L.A. Weekly Award nomination for Watson.

Stoneface will also reunite Stewart with Watson director, Jaime Robledo, who won an L.A. Weekly Award and an Ovation Award nomination for the production.

The complete cast will feature:
French Stewart as Buster Keaton
Joe Fria as Young Buster
Scott Leggett as Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle
Erin Parks as Mae Scriven
Tegan Ashton Cohan as Natalie Talmadge
Rena Strober as Eleanor Norris / Norma Talmadge
Jake Broder as Joseph Schenk
Conor Duffy as Edward Sedgwick
Pat Towne as Louis B. Mayer
Guy Picot as Charlie Chaplin

Music is by Ryan Johnson, choreography by Natasha Norman, stunt choreography by Andrew Amani, and projection design is by Ben Rock & Anthony Backman.

Stoneface runs May 25 - June 30, Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm, and Sunday matinees at 2pm Tickets are $25, group rates available; visit www.sacredfools.org or call the box office at 310-281-8337. Sacred Fools Theater is located at 660 N. Heliotrope Dr., Hollywood, CA 90004.

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Thursday, November 14, 2013

Musical News for Thursday November 14, 2013


MUSICALS: The Tony Award-winning musical NEWSIES will play an exclusive 4-week premiere engagement at Hollywood Pantages during the 2014-15 season. NEWSIES is inspired by the real-life ‘Newsboy Strike of 1899,’ when newsboy Kid Blink led a band of orphan and runaway newsies on a two-week-long action against Pulitzer, Hearst and other powerful newspaper publishers. The stage version introduces seven brand-new songs by the original team of Menken and Feldman while keeping many of the beloved songs from the film, including “Carrying the Banner,” “Seize the Day,” “King of New York” and “Santa Fe.” Information regarding engagement dates and how to purchase 2014-2015 season tickets, single tickets and groups will be announced at a later time. For information or to register for advance ticket access notifications, visit www.NEWSIESTheMusical.com/Tour.

The Pasadena Playhouse has announced that STONEFACE, originally part of its 2013-2014 season and then postponed, has been reinstated, with its original star French Stewart in the performance of a lifetime. It is now scheduled to close the Playhouse’s season, June 3 - 29, 2014. Chronicled through the lens of his own silent films, STONEFACE recreates some of Buster Keaton’s most memorable gags live on stage, capturing the legend of a bygone era and telling the tale of the redemption of one of Hollywood’s greatest performers. It follows a successful engagement at Sacred Fools Theatre Company in 2012. Tickets are currently available with a 2013 – 2014 Season purchase; single tickets will be available at a later date. Call 626-356-7529 or by visiting The Pasadena Playhouse box office. For more information, visit www.PasadenaPlayhouse.org.

Move over A Christmas Carol, Christmas is coming to town with 30 Minute Musical’s version of Home Alone starring Tom Lenk. The fast and furious romp features original songs and choreography, and clocks in at a breathtaking 30 minutes (not including time held for laughter). Premiering with Home Alone, is The Holiday Mashup, 30 Minute Musical’s take on a Christmas Special. Selections from Gremlins, Die Hard, Batman Returns, Citizen Kane, Steel Magnolias, and more all get the 30 Minute Musical treatment. Featuring: Chaz Bono, Brooke Seguin, Clayton Farris, JD Barton, Joey Acuna, KC Lindley, Lauren Leigh Barker, Lindsay Wray, Natalie Cook, Preston Lorio, Samantha Scanlan, Sarah Schrieber, Sean Persaud, Todd Masterson, Tom DeTrinis, and Tom Lenk. December 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15 at 8pm at The Hudson Backstage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90038. Tickets: $15 in advance, $20 at the door. For more information go to www.brownpapertickets.com/event/513439.

Macha Theatre presents a revival of Marilyn – My Secret written by Willard Manus and Odalys Nanin, directed and produced by Odalys Nanin. This dramedy with music chronicles the life of Norma Jean from unwanted orphan, to bit player, to sex goddess including the untold story of Marilyn’s affairs with both female and male lovers – from her acting coach to the president of the United States. The show opens Saturday, November 16 at 8pm and runs through December 21. Note: There is Nudity. Cast includes Jennifer Lana Harper and Erin Gavin alternating as Marilyn, Hayley Farrell and Serah Henesey alternating as Lily St. Cyr, Merri Jamison and Lori Allen Thomas alternating as Natasha Lytess/Paula Strasberg, and Sean McCracken as Bobby Kennedy/Verge/MC. Macha Theatre, 1107 N. Kings Road, West Hollywood 90069. Tickets: www.machatheatre.org or (323) 969-7482.

The GLEE Season 5 Christmas episode will air Thursday, December 5 on FOX. Check out this video footage of Rachel (Lea Michele), Kurt (Chris Colfer), and Santana (Naya Rivera) performing “Here Comes Santa Claus” at the Burbank Town Center mall in L.A. on November 7.

 MUSICAL THEATRE WRITERS: The 2014 ASCAP/DreamWorks Musical Theatre Workshop directed by Stephen Schwartz will takes place in Los Angeles February 11, 12, 13, 2014 at DreamWorks Studios. Please submit the following: (Submissions will not be returned): 
* CD of four (4) songs from your musical 
* Lyric sheets for each of the 4 songs 
* A brief description of each song as to its plot placement 
* A brief synopsis of the musical. 
* Biographical information for each composer, lyricist & book writer. 
* Contact information (Email address, phone number, and mailing address) 
Send your package to: 
Michael A. Kerker , ASCAP/DreamWorks Musical Theatre Workshop, ASCAP, 1 Lincoln Plaza, New York, NY 10023. Submissions must be received in the ASCAP office by Tuesday, November 26, 2013. PLEASE NOTE: 
1) Submit 4 songs only. If you send us a full recording, we will only listen to the first 4 songs. 
2) Submissions do not need to be produced in a studio. We are looking for talent and potential, not production values. 
3) If your musical is selected, you will need to present 50 consecutive minutes from the musical at the workshop. The 50-minute selection must include book and songs. 
4) Those who have been accepted to present material in the workshop will receive a phone call by Friday, January 3rd, 2014. 
5) Those who will be invited to audit the workshop will receive an email invitation. 
6) Please do not call to ask if you have been selected. 
QUESTIONS: Call 212-621-6264. Note: The workshop is being held in Los Angeles, but submissions are sent to the New York Address.

AWARDS: The Nederlander Organization and Hollywood Pantages have extended an invitation to high schools in the greater L.A. area to participate in the 3rd Annual Jerry Herman Awards, to be held Sunday June 1, 2014 at Hollywood Pantages in Los Angeles. This is a local celebration dedicated to recognizing, encouraging, and rewarding achievements and excellence in high school musical theatre and the local award ceremony for The National High School Musical Theatre Awards, also known as The Jimmy’s™, which will take place at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway in New York City on Monday June 30, 2014. Every year two students are sent to New York to represent Los Angeles at The Jimmy’s to participate in a week long workshop and compete for the coveted Jimmy Award, named after the owner of the Hollywood Pantages: James M. Nederlander. Authorized High School representatives may still register their musical theatre productions for consideration by visiting www.JerryHermanAwards.com and filling out the participation form. Good luck!

 OPEN HOUSE: LA Stage Alliance is holding an Open House, Saturday, December from 2 - 5pm at its brand new LA Stage Space. This spring, LA Stage Alliance moved its offices from Downtown LA to Atwater Village in order to create LA STAGE Space - a collaborative center for performing artists in Southern California and this is the official opening. There’s a parking lot to the west of the building and ample free street parking. The event is free but RSVPs are encouraged Here. Come celebrate, mingle, snack, and toast. And learn more about LA Stage Space, the Warehouse Co-Op partnership. LA Stage Space, 4200 W. Chevy Chase Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90039.

FUNDRAISERS: Come see the YADA Staff  Benefit Show, Beauty & the Beast on November 22 & 23 at 7:30 pm. All proceeds from ticket sales go toward the YADA scholarship fund, which helps approximately 100 students attend YADA who would otherwise not be able to attend. YADA, 8115 W 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90048. Click Here for tickets or call (323) 655-9233.
A Noise Within announces its annual family-friendly fundraising gala, Fezziwig’s Festive Holiday Tea! Catered by Peggy Dark & The Kitchen for Exploring Foods, this classic British Tea will feature whimsical twists on sweet and savory delights, champagne and, of course, steaming pots of hot tea. The holiday event will also include a live and paddle auction hosted by NBC4’s resident weatherman, Fritz Coleman, followed by a performance of A Noise Within’s original production of A Christmas Carol, based on Charles Dickens’ universal tale of forgiveness. Now in its second year, Fezziwig’s Festive Holiday Tea! will be held inside A Noise Within’s state-of-the-art theatre and will be replete with actors dressed in Fezziwig’s festive costumes, greeting the tea guests. All proceeds from Fezziwig’s Festive Holiday Tea! directly support Classics Live! - ANW’s core education program, which serves more than 12,000 Southern California students each year. Individual adult and youth tickets, as well as adult tables and family tables (for children and adults) are available. Tickets: www.anoisewithin.org/holidaytea.

 Save the Date for STAGE Goes to the Movies, a benefit for AIDS Project Los Angeles, Saturday, May 10, 2014 at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills. S.T.A.G.E. is the longest-running benefit for AIDS worldwide. In its decades-long history, more than 300 stars of Broadway, film, and television have performed music from the Great White Way while raising millions of dollars for HIV/AIDS organizations in the Los Angeles area. This year’s 30th Anniversary Spectacular will present music from the world of cinema performed by an All Star Cast.

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Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Musical News for Wednesday, June 18, 2014

MUSICAL NEWS: Theatres of Vision productions is proud to present Thanks for the Memories: A Musical Tribute to Bob Hope and the USO, featuring toe-tapping, nostalgic and patriotic favorites performed by an all-star cast in true USO tradition. The show will start with the first Bob Hope USO show at March Field (1941) and will progress through his continued shows during wartimes in our rich history: WWII (1941-1945); Korea (1950-1953); Vietnam (1964-1975) and Iraq (1990) engaging the audience with performances from celebrities of the times that historically donated their time and talents to support the troops, just as our cast and production team are today. Thanks for the Memories is directed by Lani Ridley Pedrini and runs for 3 performances on June 28 at 7:30 pm and June 29 at 2:30 pm and 7:30 pm at Sierra Madre Playhouse. Tickets: (626) 355-4318 or www.sierramadreplayhouse.org
Prayer: A Song Cycle opens June 27 at The Eclectic Company. This is an immersive multi-media performance piece about prayer as a conduit of transformation.  Built on a song cycle composed by Sackjo22, and directed by Angela Grillo, this unique cycle of prayers for guidance, relief and gratitude reimagines Evie’s dream of Dorothy Vogel through music, text, video and gesture. June 27 – July 13, 7:30 pm (Dark on July 4. Matinee on Sunday, July 6 at 3:00 pm) at The Eclectic Company Theatre, 5312 Laurel Canyon Blvd. (between Chandler and Magnolia), Valley Village, CA 91607. Tickets: $12, www.eclecticcompanytheatre.org
The Attic Theater & InspireD Productions presents Annie Get Your Gun now through July 6th (no performance on July 4) at the Attic Community Theater, 2834 S. Fairview, Santa Ana, CA 92704. The show is directed by Stephen Reifenstein, choreographed by Kristina Reifenstein and features musical direction by Kyle Short. www.ocact.com
PASADENA STONEFACE DISCOUNT: The Pasadena Playhouse celebrates “Pasadena Day” with a performance of Vanessa Claire Stewart’s STONEFACE on Thursday, June 26. Pasadena residents and employees will have the opportunity to purchase $20 tickets for the 8pm performance and are available in person at the box office, 39 South El Molino Avenue, Pasadena CA 91101, with a valid Pasadena driver's license or employee ID card. www.pasadenaplayhouse.org
TICKETS:Individual tickets to performances during the 2014-2015 season of the Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC) at California State University, Northridge are now on sale. The season will feature 46 different performances from 15 countries that present an eclectic range of Latin, country, jazz, theatre, dance, classical, and entertainment for the whole family. Featured performers include Yo-Yo Ma, the Martha Graham Dance Company, Angélique Kidjo with special guest Red Baraat, Jane Monheit, the Second City 55th Anniversary Tour, Lee Ann Womack, the London Philharmonic Orchestra with conductor Vladmir Jurowski, and the PBS children’s show Dinosaur Train Live. For more information call (818) 677-3000 or visit www.valleyperformingartscenter.org.
EXTENSIONS: Rick Elice & Michael Patrick Walker’s new musical Dog and Pony, directed by Roger Rees and starring Heidi Blickenstaff, Beth Leavel, Eric William Morris, Nicole Parker and Jon Patrick Walker, has been extended through July 6 at The Old Globe in San Diego. Tickets: www.theoldglobe.org

The new comedy review Don’t Leave it all to your Children has been extended through June 29 at the Whitefire Theatre. Written, directed and produced by Saul Ilson, it stars Barbara Minkus,  John Shull, Kit Smythe, and Kenny Ellis. Sundays at 2:00 pm at The Whitefire Theatre, 13500 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA 91423. Reservations: (800) 838-3006 or www.brownpapertickets.com/event/526560
FRINGE SHOWS: Lots to see at the Hollywood Fringe Festival this year so don’t miss it. For all the latest news, reviews and inside info on what to see, go to www.hollywoodfringe.org. The festival runs through June 29!
The Cave: A Folk Opera by Melanie Rose Thomas is a new story inspired by Beauty and the Beast and the Persephone myth told entirely through folk music. Set in an opium den at the turn of the 20th century, Willow sacrifices her life to pay off her father’s debt and goes to work and live in an underground society called The Cave, a decaying, bohemian, stone palace where people leave the grit of the everyday mundane to live a life of pleasure. There are three more performances, June 19, 21 & 23 at Three Clubs Cocktail Lounge, 1123 Vine Street in Hollywood. Tickets: $12 at http://hff14.org/1671.
The world premiere of Fancy: Secrets from my Bootydoir has two more performances on its Hollywood Fringe Festival schedule, June 20 and 26 at Three Clubs in Hollywood. Based on the song “Fancy” by Bobbie Gentry and made famous by Reba McEntire, this Fancy is a sassy, warm, campy lady-drag character who made her debut at the 2013 Fringe and now returns in a new interactive cabaret show that weaves songs, stories, sass, and social media into a fun time for all. Fancy is written and performed by Chris Farah, directed by Kurt Koehler and features musical direction by Jake Anthony. Remaining performances are June 20 and 26. Tickets: $12 at http://hff14.org/1681.
FILM: Pop culture phenomenon A Hard Day’s Night opens nationwide July 4th in a 50th Anniversary Re-Release, with a state of the art digital restoration from the 35mm original camera negative, and new sound mix approved by sound producer Giles Martin. The final result was approved by director Richard Lester, and is in its original theatrical aspect radio of 1.75:1. This exuberant classic will screen in Los Angeles at The Cinefamily, July 4 – 10.



 Just one month after they exploded onto the U.S. scene with their Ed Sullivan appearance, John, Paul, George, and Ringo began working on a project that would bring their revolutionary talent to the big screen. A Hard Day's Night, in which the bandmates play wily, exuberant versions of themselves, captured the astonishing moment when they officially became the singular, irreverent idols of their generation and changed music forever. Directed with raucous, anything-goes verve by Richard Lester, it features a slew of iconic pop anthems, including the title track, “Can't Buy Me Love,” “I Should Have Known Better,” and “If I Fell.” For more info go to http://janusfilms.com/harddaysnight
DANCE: Bellydance Evolution presents Alice in Wonderland Friday, August 1st at 8:30 pm at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood. Founded in 2009 by world renowned choreographer Jillina Carlano, the company presents a revolutionary approach to the art of belly dance, presenting theatrical dance shows with a storyline, much like a ballet. The show features a cast of 20 international artists from diverse backgrounds in Middle Eastern dance and music, break dance, theatrical hip hop, contemporary, tribal and fusion dance, each bringing their own unique vision to the production. Alice in Wonderland takes you on a magical journey filled with spinning mushrooms, dancing caterpillars and a charismatically acrobatic rabbit all set to an original and theatrical soundtrack. Based on Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll, the performance is appropriate for all ages. Tickets: www.fordtheatres.org or (323) 461-3673.
CONCERTS/CABARET: Sing Me Home, an original musical by Amber Romina Cassell (book) and Kristy Hanson (music & lyrics) will offer a preview concert performance at Rockwell Table & Stage on July 13 prior to its appearance at the New York Musical Theatre Festival. The evening will feature performances by Hanson, Mandy Gonzalez, Telly Leung, Dominic Barnes, Julie Garnye, Curt Mega, Kate Pazakis, Kelli Provart, Haviland Stillwell and musical director Angela Parrish and her band. Click Here for the show’s Indiegogo campaign and more information. Tickets for the LA performances will be available shortly.
Fraser Entertainment Group presents another Evening of Classic Broadway, featuring GLEE's Brad Ellis, Terron Brooks, Dan Callaway, Stephen Kramer Glickman, Ashley Fox Linton, Susan Edwards Martin, Louise Marie Cornillez and Ruth Williamson. June 23 at 8:00 pm (doors open at 7), Upstairs at Vitello’s. $15 cover + 2-item minimum. Click Here for tickets.
Sandy Bainum Sings Gershwin in S’Wonderful on Sunday, June 22nd at Sterling’s Upstairs at the Federal. There is no cover charge; just a $10 minimum for food and drink. Sterling’s at The Federal, 5303 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601. Reservations: 818 754-8700.

 Kritzerland Goes Off Broadway on Sunday July 6th at 7:00 pm. The show stars Brennley Brown, Kim Huber, Madison Claire Parks, Jenna Lea Rosen, Sami Staitman, Robert Yacko with special guest Jason Graae and music director John Boswell at the piano. Sterling’s at The Federal. 5303 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601. Reservations: 818 754-8700.
GIRL TALK: An Evening of Cabaret Insight and Song will take place one night only on Thurs., June 26 at The Mermaid Tavern, 1345 E Thousand Oaks Blvd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362. The show will feature Zoe Reed, Jade McGlynn, Kylie Vincent, Laney Panico and Allison Martinez, Joshua Finkel and musical director Ben Ginsberg. Reservations: (805) 777-7418. Doors/Dinner at 6pm and Show at 7:30 pm, out by 9pm. $10 food or drink minimum. Don’t miss this amazing evening of talented Broadway Bound Teens sharing their truth and original cabaret sets with great original specialty numbers they created.

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Monday, March 31, 2014

Musical News for Monday, March 31, 2014

OPENINGS: The full cast has been announced for Pasadena Playhouse production of Vanessa Claire Stewart’s STONFACE. The production, which enjoyed a run in 2012 at Sacred Fools Theatre Company, will play at The Playhouse June 3 - 29, with a press opening on Sunday, June 8. The almost original cast includes French Stewart (Third Rock From The Sun) as Buster Keaton, Jake Broder (Joseph Schenck), Tegan Ashton Cohan (Natalie Talmadge), Conor Duffy (Edward Sedgewick/George Jessel), Joe Fria (Young Buster), Scott Leggett (Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle), Guy Picot (Charlie Chaplin), Rena Strober (Eleanor Norris/Norma Talmadge) and Pat Towne (Louis B. Mayer). Joining them will be Tony Award-winning actress, Daisy Eagan as Mae. STONEFACE is directed by Jaime Robledo, with music by Ryan Johnson, choreography by Natasha Norman, stunt choreography by Andrew Amani, and projection design by Ben Rock & Anthony Backman.

 Chronicled through the lens of his own silent films, STONEFACE recreates some of Buster Keaton’s most memorable gags live on stage, capturing the legend of a bygone era and telling the tale of the redemption of one of Hollywood’s greatest performers. You can read my review of the Sacred Fools production Here. It was a theatre highlight of the year and I highly recommend that you get your tickets now for what is certain to be a terrific version at The Playhouse. The Pasadena Playhouse is located at 39 South El Molino Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101. Tickets (626) 356-7529 or www.PasadenaPlayhouse.org.
Congrats to One More Productions at The GEM Theatre, who has officially reopened after a two-year hiatus caused by a devastating fire. Their next production is VIOLET, the story of a young woman on a quest to find beauty and love after a childhood accident left her scarred. In hopes that a televangelist can heal her, she hops on a Greyhound bus and embarks on the journey of a lifetime. Violet features a hit gospel, rock, country, and rhythm & blues score by Jeanine Tesori (Thoroughly Modern Millie) and Brian Crawley. The show runs April 12 – May 4, Thurs. – Sat. at 8pm and Sun. at 2pm. The new season also includes Evita (June 26 – July 20), Gypsy (Aug. 21 – Sept. 14), Assassins (Oct. 9 – Nov. 2), and The Holiday GEM (Nov. 28 – Dec.21). For tickets and information call (714) 741-9550 x. 225 or visit www.onemoreproductions.com.

 EXTENDED: Wild Songs and Naked Souls has extended through May 18 at T.U Studios in North Hollywood. This world premiere engagement of a new musical revue, conceived and directed by Gloria Gifford, features writings of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Robert Browning, Napoleon Bonaparte, George Sand, Isadora Duncan, Lord Byron, Omar Khayyam, Sei Shonagon and Wanda Gag with music by John Scott and Gloria Gifford. Saturdays at 8:00, Sundays at 7:30. Tickets: (310) 366-5505 or www.tix.com.
CHILDREN’S SHOWS: Creating Arts brings back its one hour mini-musical versions of Snow White and Wizard of Oz in April. The productions incorporate their trademark “flexible fourth-wall” which allows some scenes to be viewed like a “regular” theatrical musical or play with audience members watching the performers on stage, and other scenes experienced interactively, encouraging the audience to participate with the performers in the scene. They are perfect for very young children, the first time patron, or anyone who loves to sing along.

 Snow White, a Pint Size Play for Ages 3 and up, runs April 12 – May 11 (Saturdays 12:00 – 1:00 pm & Sundays 1:00 – 2:00 pm). It combines film and projection with live action and music for a play that pulls you right in, plus blackouts, strobe-lights and fog for special effects. Wizard of Oz, a Mini Musical for Ages 3 and up, runs April 12 – May 11 (Saturdays 2:00 – 3:00 pm & Sundays 3:00 – 4:00 pm). This fun show is a cinematic-theatrical-interactive-musical experience that blends film and screen technology with live action for a unique show that parents and kids will all enjoy. Come boo for the witch, cheer for Dorothy and her friends, sing, dance and interact while introducing your children to a classic. All performances take place at Promenade Playhouse, 1404 3rd St. Promenade, Santa Monica, CA 90401. Tickets ($12.00 for children and  $20.00 for adults) are available  by calling (310) 804-0223 or visiting www.creatingarts.org.

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Monday, March 25, 2013

What's Happening Around Town for March 25, 2013


Lonesome Traveler Returns
Rubicon Theatre Company continues its 15th Anniversary Season with the return of Lonesome Traveler, a musical event that takes audiences on a journey down the rivers and streams of American Folk Music -- from the hills of Appalachia to the nightclubs of San Francisco and New York; from the 1920s to the 1960s. Written and directed by Rubicon’s artistic director James O’Neil, with musical direction by Trevor Wheetman, Lonesome Traveler will run April 24 - May 19, with an opening gala on Saturday, April 27.

 Presented in the style of a concert, it is performed by nine artists who create musical portraits inspired by folk immortals such as Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, The Carter Family, Lead Belly, Cisco Houston, The Almanac Singers, The Weavers, The Kingston Trio, Peter Paul & Mary and others whose music and influence changed American music – and America itself–forever. The company includes Jennifer Leigh Warren, Anthony Manough, Justine Bennett, Brendan (B. Willing) James, Sylvie Davidson, James Webb, Trevor Wheetman, Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper, and Justin Flagg (who plays the title character). All of the artists play multiple instruments and sing. Tickets are available at the box office, located at 1006 E. Main Street (Laurel entrance), online at www.rubicontheatre.org, or by calling  (805) 667-2900.
Complete Cast Announced for GREASE
Cabrillo Music Theatre has announced the rest of its cast for Grease, opening April 12. Joining the previously announced Adrian Zmed as Teen Angel are Natalie MacDonald as Sandy and Michael Cusimano as Danny Zuko. Also featured in the cast are Harley Jay (Kenickie), Katherine Malak (Rizzo), Francesca Barletta (Cha-Cha), Tessa Grady (Frenchy),  Veronica Dunne (Patty Simcox), Claire Bermingham (Marty), Nick Bernardi (Sonny), Travis Dixon (Vince Fontaine), Jon Robert Hall (Johnny Casino), Ryan Quick (Roger), Michele Selin (Miss Lynch), Nicholas Tubbs (Doody), Adam von Almen (Eugene), and Kimmy Zolozabal (Jan). For tickets, visit www.cabrillomusictheatre.com or call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

The Trouble With Words Extends
Coeurage Theatre Company’s The Trouble With Words has extended its run and will now play through April 12. Performances are Friday and Saturday nights at 8pm and Sundays at 7pm a The Lost Studio, 130 S. La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90036. Gregory Nabours’ song cycle explores the relationship people have with words, as well as with each other, as they struggle to connect. In examining how human beings are brought together and pulled apart by words, the songs range from devastating to laugh-out-loud funny. Patrick Pearson directs and Janet Roston is choreographer. Tickets are “pay what you want” and reservations can be made online at https://coeurage.secure.force.com/ticket or by calling (323) 944-2165.

Little Women starring Gail Matthius
Sustaining Sound Theatre Company presents Little Women the Musical April 4 – 21, Thurs, Fri, Sat at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm, at Stage 52. All proceeds go to support Forever Found, an organization dedicated to rescuing young girls from the US Domestic Child Trafficking Trade. SNL alum Gail Matthius stars as Marmee, and Robert Towers (Curious Case of Benjamin Button) will play Mr. Lawrence, along with Rachel Geis (Jo), Kristin Towers-Rowles (Meg), Carly Linehan (Amy), Arnold Livingston-Geis & Andrew Wade (Lauire, Select Perfs), Hannah Provisor & Brooke Johnson (Beth, Select Perfs), Cindy Bullock (Aunt March), Andrew Wade (John Brook), Jason Peter Kennedy (Professor Bhaer), and Emily King Brown (Mrs. Kirk). Click Here for tickets.

Scott Leggett Directs Neverwhere
Sacred Fools Theater is proud to present the west coast premiere of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere, the stage adaptation of Gaiman’s fantastic tale of an unlikely hero’s journey through London Below. When Richard Mayhew stops to care for an injured girl on the street, he is drawn into a nightmare shadow world beneath the city of London, a rogues’ gallery of liars, outcasts and assassins. Richard must brave countless trials, uncover the truth behind a dark conspiracy, and face the indomitable Great Beast in order to survive. 

 Critically acclaimed director Scott Leggett (Forbidden Zone: LIVE in the 6th Dimension, Serial Killers, Beaverquest) will direct Ezra Buzzington, Devereau Chumrau, Donelle Fuller, Julia Griswold, Michael Holmes, Bryan Krasner, Carlos Larkin, Jonathan Kells Phillips, Paula Rhodes, Marz Richards, and Cassandra Vincent in a west coast premiere that features a sprawling original score from award-winning composer Ryan Johnson (Stoneface, Watson, Forbidden Zone: LIVE in the 6th Dimension), and a cavalcade of action from award-winning fight choreographer Andrew Amani (Stoneface, Hearts Like Fists, Watson). Tickets are available at www.sacredfools.org or by calling (310) 281-8337. Sacred Fools Theater, 660 N. Heliotrope, Hollywood, CA 90004. Performances are April 5 – May 11, 2013 Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays 7:00 pm.

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