CANNED PEACHES IN SYRUP
Thursday, October 11th, 2007
Seeing a show at the Furious Theatre in Pasadena is a virtual guarantee of a
brilliantly acted and staged production. Dámaso Rodriguez and his furiously
fearless band of thespians invariably pick edgy and topical pieces of writing
which they bring to vivid life upstairs at the Pasadena Playhouse, and Canned
Peaches in Syrup is no exception. Set in the not so distant future, in a world
where food and water are so scarce that half the remaining inhabitants of our
planet have turned to cannibalism to survive, Canned Peaches is, as they say,
as topical as today’s headlines. It’s also an outrageously funny comedy, and a
love story a la Romeo and Juliet to boot.
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SWIMMING TO THE MOON
Thursday, October 4th, 2007NOT RECOMMENDED
The Beatles’ hit “When I’m 64” came out in 1967, the same year that Jim
Morrison recorded the most famous Doors hit, “Light my Fire.” Interestingly, had
he not died under mysterious circumstances in 1971 (at the age of 27), Jim
Morrison would be turning 64 this year.
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THE ROOM
Friday, September 28th, 2007
Twentieth century history comes vividly to life in Michael Franco’s fascinating
(and informative) world premiere drama, The Room.
(read more)
A DELICATE BALANCE
Thursday, September 27th, 2007
Ventura’s esteemed Rubicon Theatre Company follows its cute and funny
world premiere of Bad Apples with a quite memorable indeed revival of
Edward Albee’s Pulitzer Prize winning musings on the nature of family and
friendship, A Delicate Balance. The title refers to the delicate balance
maintained by a suburban WASP couple in their marriage and home life. This
Rubicon production is a perfect example of theatrical balance; everything,
performances, direction, and design have come together to create about
as fine a production of Albee’s contemporary classic as can be imagined.
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THE GAS HOUSE
Wednesday, September 26th, 2007
What begins as a solo performance by a recently fired talk radio “shock jock”
who was “paid to be a jerk” soon turns into an affecting two person play about
a doomed romantic relationship in Sacred Fools’ West Coast Premiere of William
Donnelly’s The Gas House.
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THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO
Friday, September 21st, 2007NOT RECOMMENDED
The Sight Unseen Theatre Group is one of my favorite local companies. Their
Quarterlife made my “Best of” lists for World Premiere Play, Intimate Theater Play,
and Ensemble. A Year Without Spring, directed by Andy Mitton, was another
fine world premiere drama, with outstanding performances (particularly by Eric
Bloom and Michael Laurino). Then, in a complete turnabout, Sight Unseen put
on a musical, Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins, with AYWS director Mitton wearing
a much different hat, as musical director, Quarterlife star Clark Freeman in the
band, and sets and lighting co-designed by Sam Roberts. Once again, a Sight
Unseen production made my “Best of” list, this time for Intimate Theater
Musical, Now, Roberts, Freeman, and Mitton have combined forces again for
yet another challenge, that of fashioning a 99-seat theater production of
Alexandre Dumas’ classic adventure novel The Count of Monte Cristo, adapted
for the stage and directed by Roberts.
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DURANGO
Wednesday, September 19th, 2007
Durango begins on a bare stage, with just a chair and guitar far right. A
young man wearing shorts and a t-shirt enters, sits, picks up the guitar and,
beginning to strum, sings a sadly nostalgic song. “Main Street isn’t busy much
anymore. A neon girl dressed up with nowhere to go.” He seems to be
recalling the past, a past which we begin in the next scene to discover.
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AND NEITHER HAVE I WINGS TO FLY
Friday, September 14th, 2007
Ann Noble’s heartwarming And Neither Have I Wings to Fly feels like a theater classic that’s been around forever. Hard to believe it’s a fairly recent play which is only now getting its Southern California premiere, in an absolutely gorgeous production at the Road Theatre, directed by award winning Scott Cummins.
(read more)
Since 2007, Steven Stanley's StageSceneLA.com has spotlighted the best in Southern California theater via reviews, interviews, and its annual StageSceneLA Scenies.
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