There's a dazzling new retelling of Euripides' The Bacchae playing at
the Celebration Theater which I highly recommend. Allain Rochel's all
male (dare I call it gay?) reimagining of the Greek classic has been
superbly directed by Michael Matthews, whose unique vision comes
vividly to life thanks especially to arguably the finest combination of
music, choreography, sound, lighting, set, and costume design in
recent memory. Kudos to Ryan Poulson, Marvin L.B. Tunney, Cricket
Myers, Tim Swiss, Kurt Boetcher, and Marjorie Baer.

The Bacchae themeselves have been transformed into five of the
hottest young male actors you'll see slithering, writhing, slinking,
jumping, and dancing on stage in any theater in town. These are
more than just pretty faces and hot bods (though they are all that).
Colbert Alember, Todd Kubrak, Mario Simone, Ryan Spahn, and
Michael Taylor Gray are fine actors totally committed to the
demands of their roles.

As a fan and proponent of "natural acting," I find it challenging to
evaluate actors in classical roles, but the the ensemble here seems
more than up to the task. Bobby Reed, Daryl Keith Roach, Michael A.
Shepperd, Bob Simpson, and Mike Tauzin all acquit themselves
admirably, with special kudos to the towering Sheppard and the
agonized Tauzin, a new actor in town and one to watch. (And
Simpson adds another notch to his belt after his star turns in The Last
Five Years, Into the Woods, Never in my Lifetime, and of course Blake
Da Musical!)

Though it may help to like Greek tragedies and/or be gay to
thoroughly respond to this production of The Bacchae, I think that
anyone who loves good theater will find much to rave about. Go!
JANUARY 18, 2007, CELEBRATION THEATER, WEST HOLLYWOOD.

--Steven Stanley