Author Archive: Glamour

Theatre Review: Fancy Nancy, The Musical

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Chance Theater presents Fancy Nancy, The Musical. Book & lyrics by Susan DiLallo. Music by Danny Abosch. Music direction by Robyn Manion. Based on the popular “Fancy Nancy” books by Jane O’Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser. Based on original staging by Kelly Todd. Directed by Laura M. Hathaway.

The most fancy Francophile (that’s fancy for a person who loves everything French) is back in Anaheim at the Chance Theater. Joining Nancy (Jillian Batt) on stage are her friends Bree (Juliet Parker), Lionel (Matt Takahashi), Rhonda (Fiona Burrows), Wanda (Alyssa Corella), and of course, her favorite doll Marabelle Lavinia Chandelier. Overseeing the little rascals is Nancy’s mom, Mrs. Clancy (Katelyn Spurgin).

Nancy and Bree get excited about the upcoming school dance titled “Deep Sea Dances”, in which they wish to play the main character of the dance, a fancy mermaid. However, the role goes to another girl. When that girl gets injured and is unable to play the role, Nancy hopes to be the replacement. What happens next will challenge her sense of true friendship, and with the help of her mom, Nancy will learn an important life lesson.

The musical has been played at the Chance Theater since 2015. For the 2024 performance, Director Laura M. Hathaway uses a colorful stage design to highlight Nancy’s fancy world. The lyrics by Susan DiLallo and the music by Danny Abosch set a playful and energetic tone, infusing fun and movement to the play with the catchy songs and the amusing dances. The energy on stage is contagious and the audience—both kids and adults—ends up singing and dancing to the tunes.

The musical is based on the book Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet, one in a series of books about Nancy. The play captures the fantastical world of the six-year-old and her friends. It’s a fun and simple story with a heartfelt message at the center, an ideal excuse to get out of the house and bring the kids to the theatre to experience a live performance of one the most famous and loved characters in recent history.

Fancy Nancy, The Musical

Chance Theater @ Bette Aitken Theater Arts Center on the Cripe Stage
5522 E. La Palma Ave.,
Anaheim, CA 92807

Performances: May 24 – June 9, 2024

Fridays 7 p.m (only May 24), Saturdays at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m., and 6 p.m. & Sundays at 1 p.m., 4 p.m., and 6 p.m.

Tickets: chancetheater.com

Book & lyrics by Susan DiLallo. Music by Danny Abosch. Directed by Laura M. Hathaway. Music direction by Robyn Manion. Based on the popular “Fancy Nancy‘ books by Jane O’Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser. Based on original staging by Kelly Todd. Executive Season Producers: Bette & Wylie Aitken. Associate Season Producers: The Family of Mary Kay Fyda-Mar.

Cast: Jillian Batt/Kristin Cortines (Nancy), Juliet Parker/Zoe Godfrey-Grinage (Bree), Fiona Burrows/Cecily Dowd (Rhonda), Alyssa Corella/Claire Manson (Wanda), Matt Takahashi/Elijah Douglas (Lionel), Katelyn Spurgin/Haley Katherine (Mrs. Clancy).

Creative team: Scenic Designer: Megan Hill. Costume Designer: Christina Marie Perez. Lighting Designer: Masako Tobaru. Stage Manager: Ben Green.

Theatre Review: The Last Five Years

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Sierra Madre Playhouse presents The Last Five Years. Book, lyrics, and music by Jason Robert Brown. Directed by Josh Shaw. Music Director is Joshua Foy.

The last Five Years is the story of Playwright Jason Robert Brown‘s first marriage. The play is so much his personal experience that he was sued by his first wife and the lawsuit had to be settled just before the New York premiere back in 2002. The story is simple, two characters, Cathy (Jackie Bonsignore) and Jamie (Jayde Mitchell) get married. He becomes a successful novelist while Cathy continues to be a struggling actress. His success and her failure take a toll on their marriage and start to drift them apart.

As simple as it might sound, the story travels because relationships are a central part of our lives, so all of us can easily relate to the characters and start feeling for them. Jamie and Cathy sing their story separately except for “A Miracle Would Happen/When You Come Home to Me”, where they sing together. The musical contains 14 songs in total.

Brown used a clever storytelling tool to make the musical even more appealing. Cathy tells the story backwards, beginning the play with “Still Hurting”, a song about the end of their marriage. Jamie, on the other hand, tells the story in chronological order beginning with “Shiksa Goddess”, a song about his happiness find a girl like Cathy. The contrast in emotions of those two first songs sets the tone of the play.

Bonsignore shows her soprano skills and delivers a magnetic performance. She is able to portray the nuances of a woman in love and the devastating crash that comes after a stagnant career and marital failure. Her voice effectively communicates the emotional states of excitement and sadness, the two ironic elements of her character.

As for Mitchell, his voice sounds full and rich, matching the attributes of his character. He blends with ease the transition from an optimistic novelist to a man consumed in his own success, unable to resist the temptations of fame.

The music direction by Joshua Foy is fantastic. The musicians bring an air of romanticism and fill the stage with a magical score that transmits the ebbs and flows of an intense relationship. Director Josh Shaw put together an excellent group of artists dedicated to their craft who deliver a fascinating production in the iconic Sierra Mare Playhouse. This musical with relatable topics engages and entertains to make it an excellent experience in an intimate theater. Due to the length of the run, the show is double cast. Margaret Berkowitz and Jackie Bonsignore play Cathy and Jayde Mitchell and Bryan Mittelstadt play Jamie. Bonsignore and Mitchell performed on Saturday May 25, the day we attended to review the play.

The Last Five Years

Sierra Madre Playhouse
87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard
Sierra Madre, CA 91024

May 17 – June 16, 2024 (see Sierra Madre Playhouse’s website for full schedule)

Tickets: sierramadreplayhouse.org

Book, lyrics, and music by Jason Robert Brown. Directed by Josh Shaw. Music Director is Joshua Foy.

Cast (double cast): Cathy: Margaret Berkowitz. Cathy: Jackie Bonsignore. Jamie: Jayde Mitchell. Jamie: Bryan Mittelstadt.

Musicians: Jon Lee Keenan (Bass), Jessica Chen (Violin), Alexander Elliott Miller (Guitar), Betsy Rettig (Cello 2), and Derek Stein (Cello 1).

Creative team: Set/Props: Josh Shaw. Costume Design: Hailey Springer. Lighting Design: Grace Berry. Stage Manager: Bri Westad. Assistant Stage Manager: Carolyn Wasson. Substitute Stage Manager: Colton Bassett.

Audio Theater Recording of Journey’s End

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NEWS RELEASE

Audio theater recording of riveting World War I drama
‘Journey’s End’ now available from L.A. Theatre Works 

LOS ANGELES (May 22, 2024) — The newest audio theater recording from L.A. Theatre Works is a powerful rendition of Journey’s End, the groundbreaking 1928 World War I drama by R.C. Sherriff. Adapted and directed by Martin Jarvis OBE and featuring an all-British cast of distinguished actors, Journey’s End is now available for digital download for $4.99 at latw.org.

Set in 1918 near the end of the war, Journey’s End charts the overpowering tension and claustrophobia in the British trenches over the course of four days, as a group of officers await an expected German attack. Based on Sherriff’s personal experience, the play is considered to be one of the best examples in modern dramatic literature of the true horror and tragedy of war.

“R.C. Sherriff was one of Britain’s great playwrights, and Journey’s End is one of the greatest war plays,” says Jarvis. “It may be set during World War I, but it’s clearly about the experience of war for all time, any time. About a group of soldiers in a horrific situation and how they deal with it, revealing every aspect of human nature including fear, huge courage, crippling cowardice, heroism and, maybe most important, humor. The play is surprisingly funny. The characters are British, but they could be Ukrainian, Palestinian, Israeli. It’s universal.”

Jack Cutmore–Scott stars as the young Captain Stanhope, doing his best to hold it together for his men. When the even younger Lieutenant Raleigh (Josh Cole), a former childhood friend of Stanhope’s, joins the company, he finds the older boy he used to worship changed almost beyond recognition. Also in the cast are James Callis, Tobias Echeverria, Adam Godley, Ian Ogilvy, Darren Richardson, Simon Templeman and Matthew Wolf.

When the play premiered at London’s Apollo Theatre in 1928, it starred a very young Laurence Olivier as Stanhope. In 2017, it was adapted into a film starring Sam Claflin.

L.A. Theatre Works stands apart in its approach to making great theater widely accessible and affordable, bringing audio recordings of plays into homes and classrooms of millions of theater lovers, teachers and students each year. The company’s syndicated audio theater series broadcasts weekly on public radio stations across the U.S. (locally, in Southern California, on KPFK 90.7 FM); can be downloaded as a podcast via Apple Podcasts, NPR One, or wherever you get your podcasts; and can be streamed on demand at latw.org. The L.A. Theatre Works catalog of nearly 600 recorded plays is the largest archive of its kind in the world. AudioFile magazine calls L.A. Theatre Works productions “the gold standard for fine audio theater recordings.”

To download a digital copy of Journey’s End, go to latw.org.

Black Bastard

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“BLACK BASTARD”

Takes Audiences on a Poetic, Comedic Odyssey of Identity

A humorous, heartfelt solo performance set in 1990s Houston. Playing over ten characters, Gentry explores themes of identity, masculinity, and self-discovery through a coming-of-age tale filled with nostalgic references and artful techniques.

WHO: Written and Performed by Jon Joseph Gentry. Directed by Shinelle Azoroh.

WHERE: Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre (5636 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038)

PERFORMANCES
June 6th at 7pm
June 19th at 8:30pm
June 30th at 4pm

TICKETS: $20 at https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/7367.
Ages 18+, 55 minutes.

Theatre Review: Mix-Mix: The Filipino Adventures of a German Jewish Boy

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Latino Theater Company and Playwrights’ Arena present epic Mix-Mix: The Filipino Adventures of a German Jewish Boy. Written by Boni B. Alvarez. Directed by Jon Lawrence Rivera. Lead producer Olga Garay–English. Produced by Latino Theater Company and Playwrights’ Arena.

Thanks to the generosity of president Manuel L. Quezon, 1,300 European Jews entered the Philippines as refugees during WWII. By issuing Proclamation No. 173 on August 21, 1937, President Quezon encouraged Filipinos to welcome the refugees and instructed government officials to assist them.

Mix-Mix: The Filipino Adventures of a German Jewish Boy tells the story of Rudolph “Rudy” J. Preiss (Casey J. Adler), one of the German Jew refugees that lived in the Philippines. As one of those ironies of life, the Preiss family escapes the Nazi persecution in Germany only to find another persecution in the Philippines, this time in the hands of the brutal Japanese army. Along with his father Isaac (Mark Doerr), his mother Lena (Jill Remez, Deathtrap), and others, Rudy had to run to the mountains and hide from the Japanese.

The story is told from the perspective of a young Rudy and his two Filipino friends Zar (Alexis Camins) and Mousie (Angelita Esperanza), all around the same age. In the middle of the jungle and surviving bombardments, the three kids symbolize the union of the Jewish and Filipino cultures.

To depict the walking through the mountains, Playwright Boni B. Alvarez and Director Jon Lawrence Rivera used dance movements. To depict Mousie’s frustration after the death of her mother Dorna (Myra Cris Ocenar), a choreographed martial arts sequence ensues between Mousie and her father Ramil (Kennedy Kabasares). Other creative elements used to tell the story are projection for the flashbacks and lighting effects for the rain and the bombardments.

Rudy tells stories to his Filipino friends to recount his life back in Germany, his life in the Philippines as a chaperone to movie star Paloma Palma (Giselle “G” Tongi), and his dream of becoming an engineer in America attending MIT.

The performances feel a bit overacted at times, but in general, the play is entertaining and has moving moments that reveal how humans need each other to survive. Rudy and his friends become adults under extreme circumstances, and telling stories to each other is one of the ways to keep their sanity and innocence intact. One of the highlights of the play is the Jewish and Catholic prayers and their comforting effect when everything else seems lost. In general, the pacing of the play and the comedy keep the audience engaged till the end.

As a side note, the real Rudy left Germany at age 9 and left the Philippines at age 19 to study at MIT in the US. His parents stayed in the Philippines for 30 years.

The Los Angeles Theatre Center
514 S. Spring Street
Los Angeles CA 90013

Performances: May 18–June 16
• Thursdays at 8 p.m.: May 30; June 6; June 13
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: May 24; May 31; June 7; June 14
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: May 18 (opening); May 25; June 1; June 8; June 15
• Sundays at 4 p.m.: May 26; June 2; June 9; June 16

Tickets: latinotheaterco.org

Written by Boni B. Alvarez. Directed by Jon Lawrence Rivera. Lead producer Olga Garay–English. Produced by Latino Theater Company and Playwrights’ Arena.

Cast: Casey J. Adler, Alexis Camins, Mark Doerr, Angelita Esperanza, Kennedy Kabasares, Myra Cris Ocenar, Jill Remez, Giselle “G” Tongi, Mark McClain Wilson.

Creative team: Choreography by Reggie Lee and fight choreography by Alvin Catacutan. The scenic designer is Christopher Scott Murillo; lighting design is by Azra King-Abadi; sound design is by Jesse Mandapat; video design is by Nick Santiago; costume design is by Mylette Nora; and the prop master is Lily Bartenstein. The stage management team includes production stage manager Letitia Chang, assistant stage manager Sam Pribyl and wardrobe assistant Manee Leija.

Psycho Beach Party

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WHAT: Psycho Beach Party

Written by Charles Busch
Directed by Tom DeTrinis and Ryan Bergmann
Produced by Brett Aune and Steven Luff
Associate Producers:  Brian Nesbitt and Sami Klein
Presented by HorseChart Theatre Company

DESCRIPTION: Surf’s up and murder’s afoot, as Psycho Beach Party mashes up ’50s psychodramas and ’60s surfer flicks into a truly madcap comedy. Think Gidget meets Mommie Dearest, meets John Waters! It’s 1962 and teenage tomboy Chicklet Forrest desperately wants to be a part of the surfer crowd on Malibu Beach. One thing getting in her way, however, is her unfortunate tendency towards multiple personalities, including a dim checkout girl, an elderly radio talk show hostess, a male model named Steve, and the accounting firm of Edelman and Edelman. And her most dangerous alter ego — sexually voracious vixen Ann Bowman — has nothing less than world domination on her mind! Mischief, madness and the passionate pursuit of the perfect wave (and the perfect man) come crashing over the heads of the audience as beach blankets and Hitchcockian psychological suspense thrillers are tossed around in this rollicking, zany comedy.

WHERE: Matrix Theatre

7657 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046
(Street parking)
WHEN: Previews 7pm on 6/12, 6/13
The show starts at 7pm but the fun starts at 6pm!
Opening: 7pm Friday, June 14, 2024
Schedule: 7pm Thursdays – Sundays
(added performance on Monday, July 1; no performance on Thursday, July 4).
Closing: Sunday, July 7, 2024

HOW: Reservations https://horsechart.ludus.com

More information: (323) 496-3390

HOW MUCH: Previews $30

General Seating: $45
Seniors: $35
Pay-What-You-Can: June 20, July 1 ($10+)

Odyssey adds 3 p.m. matinee for ‘Stalin’s Master Class’

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Already extended through June 2, Odyssey announces
added 3 p.m. matinee for ‘Stalin’s Master Class’ on June 1
 

WHAT:
Due to demand, Odyssey Theatre Ensemble has added an extra matinee performance, at 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 1, to closing weekend of Stalin’s Master Class, the company’s hit production of a wildly comic, music-filled drama by British playwright David Pownall. Politics collide with art when “Father of the People” Joseph Stalin and Soviet cultural minister Andrei Zhdanov summon composers Sergei Prokofiev and Dmitri Shostakovich to the Kremlin for a vodka-fueled “music lesson.” Can artistic expression be forced to conform to political ideology?

“STAGE RAW TOP 10… RECOMMENDED” — Stage Raw

“INTELLECTUALLY DELICIOUS” — Broadway World

“THOUGHT PROVOKING… A SUPERB ENSEMBLE CAST.” —Splash Magazines

“THE ACTING IS SUPERB” — People’s World

“EXTREMELY TIMELY” — Hollywood Progressive

“ENTERTAINING” — Glamgical

“MAGNETIC” — The Hollywood Times

“COMPELLING…INTRIGUING” — LA Theatrix

“A FIRST-RATE CAST” — Larchmont Chronic

“DELIVERS” — The Tvolution

WHO:
• Written by David Pownall
• Directed by Ron Sossi
• Music Direction by Nisha Sue Arunasalam
• Starring John Kayton, Randy Lowell, Jan Munroe, Ilia Volok
• Produced by Beth Hogan
• Presented by the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, Ron Sossi Artistic Director, in association with Isabel and Harvey Kibel

WHEN:
Remaining performances:
• Fridays at 8 p.m. (wine nights**): May 24 and May 31
• Saturday at 3 p.m.: June 1 ONLY
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: May 25 and June 1
• Sundays at 2 p.m.: May 26 and June 2
*There will be a post-performance discussion on Wednesday, May 15
**Wine Night Fridays: Enjoy complimentary wine and snacks following all Friday night performances.

WHERE:
Odyssey Theatre
2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90025

TICKET PRICES:
• Wednesday, Saturdays and Sundays: $20–$40
• Fridays: Pay-What-You-Can (reservations open online and at the door starting at 5:30 p.m.)

HOW:
OdysseyTheatre.com
(310) 477-2055 ext. 2

The Spy Who Went Into Rehab

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WHAT: “The Spy Who Went Into Rehab”

Playwright: Gregg Ostrin
Director: Cyndy Fujikawa
Presented by Pacific Resident Theatre

Graphic SPY.pngDESCRIPTION: What happens when a James Bond-like spy gets sent to rehab because of his drinking, gambling, womanizing and anger issues? A comedic look at how an outdated male relic who still embodies toxic masculinity learns to think differently, courtesy of a colorful group of “woke,” self-aware recovering addicts. His journey to enlightenment gets derailed, however, when his archenemy shows up for a final confrontation.

WHERE: Pacific Resident Theatre

703 Venice Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291
Street parking or small free lot in back: https://pacificresidenttheatre.org/18272-2/

WHEN:

Opening: 8pm on Friday, June 7, 2024
Schedule: 8pm Fridays, Saturdays; 3pm Sundays
Closing: July 7, 2024

HOW: Reservations online: https://pacificresidenttheatre.org/

Phone: (310) 822-8392

HOW MUCH: Tickets $35

55+ Discount $25; Student Discount $12;
$12 Student rush offered at door.

Facebook: PacificResidentTheatre / X: @PacificResThtr / Instagram: @pacificresidenttheatre

Grape Culture

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“GRAPE CULTURE”

Unmasking the Ugly Truth!

In a tragicomedy unveiling grape culture, comedian and internet sensation Toni Nagy joins forces with performance artist Sarah Buckner. Together, they expose the insidious dominance without consent, peeling away the predatory programming suffocating society. Through comedy, dance, film, storytelling, and clowning, they thrust audiences into a raw exploration of trauma. Integral to the narrative are evocative songs that propel the story forward, weaving together moments of introspection and revelation. Rejecting rationalization, they assert that feeling, not thinking, is the path to healing. With irreverent humor, they unveil the unsettling reality: grape culture isn’t just a part of our culture, it is our culture, challenging viewers to confront uncomfortable truths.

“In this show, we’re not just discussing isolated tragedies; we’re delving into the pervasive nature of rape culture—a phenomenon that affects us all,” asserts Toni. “Many assume it’s an issue that doesn’t directly touch them, but this production exposes how deeply ingrained rapey consciousness permeates society. We’re not here to assign blame but to unveil the power dynamics enabling rape culture’s persistence. Society accepts discussing most crimes openly, yet mentioning ‘rape’ often silences rooms. Victims face discomfort, distrust, and blame when they speak out, while perpetrators are also burdened by silence. By avoiding direct conversation, we perpetuate secrecy and hinder healing. Sweeping rape culture under the rug or relying on high-profile arrests won’t suffice. To heal collectively, we must openly confront rape culture from all angles. This show challenges us all to participate in the dialogue and acknowledges that we’re all part of the solution. Pun intended!”

WHO: Starring: Toni Nagy and Sarah Buckner. Produced by Fringe Management.

WHERE: Broadwater (Second Stage), 6320 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90038

WHEN:

Monday June 17 2024, 6:30 PM

Friday June 21 2024, 9:00 PM

Wednesday June 26 2024, 9:30 PM

Saturday June 29 2024, 5:00 PM

Sunday June 30 2024, 12:30 PM

ADMISSION PRICE: $ 15.00

TICKET LINK:  The Hollywood Fringe Festival – grape culture

Appropriate for ages 16+
Running time: 60 minutes

Nora and Jim

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WHAT: Theater Performance: NORA AND JIM

DESCRIPTION: “Nora and Jim” by Nora Connolly delves into the passionate romance between James Joyce and Nora Barnacle. Set in 1904, it chronicles their daring elopement from Dublin, embarking on a journey that shaped literary history. Dermot Kiernan, graces the stage with traditional Irish melodies, evoking the era’s ambiance. His live piano performances punctuate pivotal moments. From the opening number to the final monologue, Kiernan’s music enhances the emotional depth of the narrative, making “Nora and Jim” an unforgettable exploration of love, longing, and literary genius.

WHO: Written by Nora Connolly. Directed by Ronan Wilmot. Starring Lisa Dobbyn and Johnny O’Callaghan. Special Musical Guest Dermot Kiernan. Presented by The Irish Sea, in association with the Contemporary Irish Arts Center, Los Angeles (CIACLA) with ongoing guidance and support from Kevin Cronin and Dublin Theatre Productions.

WHERE: The Glendale Room – 127 Artsakh Avenue, Glendale 91206

WHEN: June 6th,7th, 8th,13th, 14th, 15th @ 8:00PM

TICKETS: $25.00 Home | NoraAnd Jim

Admission:18+. The show runs 55 minutes.