SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS

posted on October 28th, 2007 at 9:37 PM by Steven Stanley


Cabrillo Music Theatre begins its 2007-8 season with a tunefully winning production of
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.   7Brides47Bros is of course best known as the 1954
MGM musical classic, which starred Howard Keel as Adam, a mountain man in
search of a wife, and Jane Powell as Milly, who accepted his proposal not knowing
that there were six more manly men at the homestead. Debby Boone undertook
the role of Milly in the short lived (opened on Thursday, closed on Sunday) 1982
Broadway production, which has since become a regional theater favorite (recently
staged by Fullerton CLO).  Though perhaps not deserving of a loooooong Broadway
run, 7Brides47Bros is still a far more enjoyable experience than its brief Broadway stay
would indicate, and Cabrillo, blessed with about as fine a leading man and lady as
the show could boast and an ensemble more than up to the challenges of John
Charron’s Michael Kidd inspired choreography, has a winner on its hands.
(read more)

posted in Musical, Ventura County, WOW!

DOUBT

posted on October 27th, 2007 at 9:35 PM by Steven Stanley


Doubt, by John Patrick Shanley, had the notable distinction of having its West
Coast Premiere at the Pasadena Playhouse take place simultaneously with its
Broadway debut in the spring of 2005.  I found the Playhouse production quite
thrilling, despite a shaky Linda Hunt in the role of Sister Aloysius, the same role
which won Cherry Jones the Tony. Last year at the Ahmanson, I got to see why
Jones had scored just about every award imaginable for her “force of nature”
performance. 
(read more)

posted in Drama, Orange County, WOW!

CITY KID THE MUSICAL

posted on October 26th, 2007 at 9:31 PM by Steven Stanley


City Kid The Musical is two hours of virtually non-stop singing and dancing, a music 
video come to life, featuring a tunefully accessible score and inventive 
choreography, performed by a sensational young cast and backed up by the best 
band in town.
(read more)

posted in Hollywood/West Hollywood, Musical, WOW!

LOVE LIKE BLUE

posted on October 25th, 2007 at 9:27 PM by Steven Stanley


In Act 1, three relationships break up.  In Act 2, the same six individuals begin anew,
but with different partners. A clever “why hasn’t that been done before?” premise,
skillfully executed in Kristen Lasarian’s world premiere play Love Like Blue.
(read more)

posted in Drama, San Fernando Valley, WOW!

CASEY GARRITANO

posted on October 25th, 2007 at 3:25 PM by Steven Stanley

(read more)

posted in Interview

THE QUALITY OF LIFE

posted on October 23rd, 2007 at 9:24 PM by Steven Stanley


When I see a production as beautifully written, directed, and performed as The
Quality of Life, I thank my lucky stars that I live in Los Angeles (well, in
Alhambra, actually, but who’s splitting hairs?). Where else could I be treated
to internationally known film and TV vets like Scott Bakula, Dennis Boutsikaris,
Laurie Metcalf, and JoBeth Williams returning to their stage roots, an award-
winning writer/director like Jane Anderson with serious film/TV/stage credits,
and a design team as fine as the one assembled at the Geffen for this
production?
(read more)

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

ANON

posted on October 21st, 2007 at 9:19 PM by Steven Stanley


Kate Robin’s provocative new play Anon begins as a light romantic comedy 
and soon develops into something a good deal more weighty. Trip (Blayne 
Weaver) and Allison (Kit Pongetti) meet cute when animal psychologist Allison 
makes a house call at Trip’s apartment because his cat (named Cat) has 
been peeing in all the wrong places. She advises him to talk to Cat, confide in 
her, buy her more toys, keep her litter box tidy (with a metal scooper), and by 
all means give her a less generic name.  Her $200 fee paid, Allison accepts Trip’
s impulsive invitation to dine with him (Chinese take-out) and the evening 
ends with a bout of passionate lovemaking.
(read more)

posted in Drama, Los Angeles, WOW!

“MASTER HAROLD” … and the boys

posted on October 20th, 2007 at 9:16 PM by Steven Stanley


The Colony Theatre Company’s last production, Trying, proved to be its biggest and
most critically acclaimed hit in years, and has scored an impressive 8 Ovation
nominations—in every category for which it was eligible. A decidedly tough act to
follow, but follow it they have, with a superb and supremely moving production of
Athol Fugard’s “Master Harold” … and the boys.
(read more)

posted in Burbank/Glendale, Drama, WOW!

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