THE CATHOLIC GIRL’S GUIDE TO LOSING YOUR VIRGINITY

posted on January 17th, 2008 at 9:20 PM by Steven Stanley


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)

posted in Comedy, West Side/Beverly HIlls, WOW!

THE COMMON AIR

posted on January 16th, 2008 at 8:26 PM by Steven Stanley


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)

posted in Drama, Los Angeles, Solo Performance, WOW!

KERR PACKAGE

posted on January 13th, 2008 at 8:25 PM by Steven Stanley

NOT RECOMMENDED

Kerr Package is a program of one-acts by Kerr Seth Lordygan, the best of which is
entitled List, directed by Kevin Fabian. In it, a married couple, Georgie and
Rendell, make a list of celebrities they give each other permission to sleep with.
Georgie’s list includes Steve Carell and George Clooney, while Rendell selects
Catherine Zeta-Jones, Charlize Theron, and a fictitious rock star named Lana
Lenore.  When Rendell happens to meet the sexy (and available) Lana, he
makes good on their agreement, only to find that Georgie cannot forgive him.
List moves quickly and cinematically from scene to scene, makes good points
about the differences between the ways men and women regard love and sex,
and could easily be expanded into a full-length one act or even two act play.
Kylie Delre and Kevin Blake are excellent actors who give believable
performances as Rendell and Georgie, and Rachel Castillo has the right sexy
looks and “whatever” attitude to bring Lana to sultry life.  Mason Halberg and
Bob Simpson also score in supporting roles, and share a great “surprise!” moment.
(read more)

posted in Drama, North Hollywood, Not Recommended

A FEMININE ENDING

posted on January 12th, 2008 at 8:18 PM by Steven Stanley


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)

posted in Drama, Orange County, WOW!

WIT

posted on January 11th, 2008 at 8:15 PM by Steven Stanley


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)

posted in Drama, North Hollywood, WOW!

WICKED

posted on January 10th, 2008 at 8:12 PM by Steven Stanley


After nearly a year in Hollywood, the Broadway phenomenon that is Wicked
continues to fill all 2700 seats of the Pantages with no end in sight … and no
wonder.  Few musicals can rival Wicked in terms of song, romance, color,
spectacle, and heart.
(read more)

posted in Hollywood/West Hollywood, Musical, WOW!

NU-QUEER WINTER

posted on January 9th, 2008 at 8:07 PM by Steven Stanley

RECOMMENDED

Sketch comedy has become a popular late night/weeknight addition to our
local small theater scene. Now gay and lesbian theatergoers have their very
own sketch troupe, the funny gang of eight who call themselves The Gay
Mafia. Their latest hour of outrageous skits is cleverly entitled Nu-Queer Winter,
and while not at the level of Saturday Night Live and Mad TV, these out
performers have put together a fun 60 minutes of comedic (and very adult)
entertainment.
(read more)

posted in Comedy, Hollywood/West Hollywood, Recommended

EDGE

posted on January 6th, 2008 at 8:01 PM by Steven Stanley


Sylvia Plath is at her desk, facing away, deep in concentration, as the audience
enters the theater.  She remains so for perhaps ten minutes until the lights dim, she
turns to us, and it is Angelica Torn whose face we see, and whose voice announces
“This is the last day of my life.” For the next two hours plus, we are  reminded again
and again that today, February 11, 1963, is the day that Sylvia Plath will take her
own life.
(read more)

posted in Drama, Solo Performance, West Side/Beverly HIlls, WOW!

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