BACHELORETTE
Sunday, January 27th, 2008
The night before bride-to-be Becky’s wedding, her maid of honor Regan arrives
at Becky’s hotel suite accompanied by two young women, neither of whom is
particularly close to Becky. In fact, Regan tells Katie and Gena, “Becky has no
friends. She has to invite her myspace friends. I’m surprised she didn’t post a
bulletin.” Rather harsh words to come from Becky’s maid of honor, but that’s
just the start of an often very funny, and sometimes quite shocking glimpse into
the ugliness that can hide behind pretty faces.
(read more)
THRILL ME
Saturday, January 26th, 2008
Over the next two months, Los Angeles theatergoers will have an
unprecedented opportunity to see two very different treatments of one of the
most talked and written about crimes of the past century, with the two shows
playing virtually across the street from each other. One of them is a world
premiere drama written and directed by the Blank’s award winning Daniel
Henning. The other is the L.A. premiere of a Drama Desk and Outer Critics’ Circle
nominated musical. The drama is Dickie And Babe: The True Story Of Leopold
And Loeb, and the musical is Thrill Me: The Leopold & Loeb Story. I’ll be
reviewing the former in mid-February. The latter opened on Saturday at the
Hudson, and under Nick DeGruccio’s impeccable direction, it is likely to be one of
the most talked about, and praised, musicals of 2008.
(read more)
LEADING LADIES
Friday, January 25th, 2008
Playwright Ken Ludwig is a master of the contemporary farce, something that
anyone who has seen his much performed Lend Me A Tenor can attest to.
Another Ludwig gem is Leading Ladies, now getting first-rate treatment by Norris
Center, a gem of a professional theater hidden in beautiful Rolling Hills Estates,
down Palos Verdes way.
(read more)
SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE
Thursday, January 24th, 2008
The future of musical theater is in good hands with talented students like those from USC who have put together a sensational black box production of Sondheim/Lapine’s Sunday In The Park With George, a production which actually surpasses last year’s outstanding Sunday/George at The Chance Theatre in both imagination and originality. This is due in large part to director/set designer Steve Edlund, aided by a fine cast and a star making performance by Natalie Peyser.
(read more)
THE CATHOLIC GIRL’S GUIDE TO LOSING YOUR VIRGINITY
Thursday, January 17th, 2008
24-year-old Lizzy’s boyfriend Steven is on top of her, attempting to entice her
into having sex with him. “If you don’t, you’re going to hell,” he informs her.
“No, really,” he adds. And then, “I mean it.” After all, he continues, “we’ve
been dating for three weeks now. Just relax.” Legs in the air, Lizzy replies,
“I’m not relaxed,” and then explains her real reason for just saying “no.” “I’m
saving myself for marriage,” she tells Steven. “But this is New York,” he
protests. “No one’s going to throw rocks as you.” And then he throws in the
kicker. “I love you!” (This is after three weeks.) And the final assault: “If we
stop now, this could physically harm me.” Literally begging: “Have a heart.
It’s Thanksgiving!”
(read more)
THE COMMON AIR
Wednesday, January 16th, 2008
One superb actor. Six fascinating characters. Ninety minutes of compelling
and thought-provoking drama. This is The Common Air, sure to be
remembered at year’s end as one of the finest solo performances of 2008.
(read more)
A FEMININE ENDING
Saturday, January 12th, 2008
Amanda is a 25-year-old oboist and aspiring symphonic composer, though these
days she’s settled for a mundane job writing jingles that are deliberately
annoying because those are the kind that stick in your head. The oboe, she tells
us in one of her many asides to the audience, is “the Hamlet of musical
instruments.” If played poorly it sounds like a dying duck. If played well, it is the
instrument which best approximates the human voice. It is the oboe which
tunes the entire orchestra, Amanda informs us.
(read more)
WIT
Friday, January 11th, 2008
Margaret Edson’s Pulitzer Prize winning Wit is a play one approaches with a certain
trepidation. Its subject matter is, after all, illness and death. Not a likely candidate
for an “entertaining” evening of theater. Yet somehow, miraculously, Wit is indeed
an entertaining, unexpectedly funny (it has more laughs than many a comedy),
and ultimately transformative evening of theater.
(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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