Author Archive: Glamour

Theatre Review: Whittier Boulevard

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The World Premiere of Whittier Boulevard is presented by Latino Theater Company. Created by Evelina Fernández, Sal López, Geoffrey Rivas, Lucy Rodriguez, and Jose Luis Valenzuela. Directed by Jose Luis Valenzuela.

In a futuristic world, four characters face the predatory policies of a repressive government that deems elderly people a nuance to society. In a controversial action called the Age of Relief Protocol, law enforcement agencies are delegated the responsibility to detain any unmarried person over the age of 75. This discriminatory policy triggers social unrest and the birth of a mysterious insurgent called “Ramone”.

Due to an anonymous tip, Officer Roger Dimas (Geoffrey Rivas, Celestial Events) visits the residency of faded Chicana star Veronica Del Rio (Evelina Fernández, Sleep with the Angels), who is about to turn 75. Roger is greeted by Pilar (Lucy Rodriguez), Veronica’s nurse. Soon, they’re joined by Pablo (Sal López), a senior neighbor and a poet who is in love with Veronica. Roger explains that even though he must enforce the law, he is also troubled by the injustice of the Age of Relief Protocol. As he expresses his admiration for Veronica Del Rio, he also reveals a secret that would get him arrested and prosecuted. The four characters then need to come up with a plan to save both Veronica and Roger from the draconian policies of the totalitarian government.

In the play, seniors are arrested and taken down Whittier Boulevard. This boulevard has been for Chicanos a symbol of their culture, commerce, and lifestyle. It has also been a banner of their activism and resistance in the face of systemic racism and segregation. It’s been a place for cruising and lowriding, but also for historical demonstrations such as the Chicano Moratorium and the Chicano Blowouts. Organizations like M.E.Ch.A and UMAS have used Whittier Boulevard for political activism, and the art collective ASCO used it for artistic expression. It was in Whittier Boulevard during the Chicano Moratorium that artist, author, and educator Harry Gamboa Jr. was anointed editor of the political and arts magazine Regeneración by activist and journalist Francisca Flores. In the play, however, seniors are taken to Whittier Boulevard for more sinister reasons.

The tribulations of Roger and Veronica are a reflection of the struggles that have become a contentious aspect of many in the Latino community. The label “Latino” has been carried as a badge of honor for generations. Latino, an identification that brings a sense of pride. Latino, a label that carries a mark of exclusion and discrimination, a stark difference between first world and third world. As for the character of Veronica, it has a veiled reference to the Dreamers. Her real identity, revealed in extreme and pressing circumstances, give a sense of urgency. As theatre reflects life, Veronica carries the weight of innumerable individuals, lost and saved in political activism with partial results.

A poet, an angel, an officer, and a star in full decline, all trying to save each other. This is the story of generations that lost, won, failed, and succeeded. But the main highlight is their resilience and the willingness to keep on fighting.

Director Jose Luis Valenzuela achieves a fascinating play with notes of Chicano Noir, Latinx Futurism, magic realism, and a cunning infusion of glamour from the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema. The result is a visually stunning production with special emphasis on lighting and projections (lighting designer Pablo Santiago; projection designers Yee Eun Nam and Yuki Izumihara), bathing the characters with a nostalgic vision that honors those that sacrificed their lives for the ones that followed.

Whittier Boulevard

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

Performances: April 29 – May 28
• Thursdays at 8 p.m.: May 11; May 18; May 25
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: May 12; May 19; May 26
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: April 29 (Opening); May 13; May 20; May 27
• Sundays at 4 p.m.: May 14; May 21; May 28
• Monday at 8 p.m.: May 15 ONLY

Tickets: latinotheaterco.org

Created by Evelina Fernández, Sal López, Geoffrey Rivas, Lucy Rodriguez, and José Luis Valenzuela. Directed by Jose Luis Valenzuela. Starring Evelina Fernández, Sal López, Geoffrey Rivas, and Lucy Rodriguez. Produced by Latino Theater Company. Creative team: Original music and sound design by Robert Revell; choreography by Urbanie Lucero; scenic designer François-Pierre Couture; lighting designer Pablo Santiago; projection designers Yee Eun Nam and Yuki Izumihara; and costume designer Naila Aladdin Sanders. The production managers are Nathan Edelman and May Fei.

Whittier Boulevard poster
An image of Whittier Boulevard
An image of Whittier Boulevard
An image of Whittier Boulevard

Theatre Review: Pueblo Espíritu

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Pueblo Espíritu is presented by Latino Theater Company. Created by Organización Secreta Teatro from Rocío Carrillo’s original idea. Directed by Rocío Carrillo.

Pueblo Espíritu is some kind of A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Mexican style. Deep in the forest, five characters try to survive the Covid pandemic. Distrusting each other, they need to find a way to work together and fight for their lives.

In order to imagine a brighter future, they need to look back and learn from their ancestors. In a world of images, sounds, and rituals, the characters start to reconnect with their natural surroundings. During that process, their animalistic instincts are heightened and the tribal structure starts to shape the relationships among each other. Even though the characters in Pueblo Espíritu live in modern times, their transformation is a vision to the lifestyle of pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican civilizations. 

Rocío Carrillo takes elements from the Chichimeca peoples to recreate the rituals and mythical figures seen in the play. This production relies on music, colors, kinetics, and lighting to tell the story, as there is no dialogue. The result is an enthralling and emotional journey that enraptures the audience from beginning to end. The modulation of intensities throughout the play is a visual language that is rarely seen in theatre. It’s poetic, mysterious, and open to interpretations. In that sense, the relationship with the audience becomes dynamic, never static.

Pueblo Espíritu is a reference to the values that have been lost in the frenetic pace of today’s world. It is a ritual of life and death, an exorcism to clean the soul. It’s an invitation to go back to the basics, to open up our hearts and minds to Mother Earth. In the words of Michael Cretu, it is the return to yourself, the return to innocence. It is a mystic and cathartic experience worth trying.       

Pueblo Espíritu

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

May 3 – May 14

  • Wednesday, May 3 at 8 p.m. (opening night)
  • Thursday, May 4 at 8 p.m.
  • Friday, May 5 at 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, May 6 at 8 p.m.
  • Sunday, May 7 at 4 p.m.

Tickets: latinotheaterco.org

Original idea by Rocío Carrillo. Cast: Beatriz Cabrera, Alejandro Joan Carmarena, Brisei Guerrero, Stefanie Izquierdo, Ernesto Lecuona, Mercedes Olea and Jonathan Ramos. Directed by Rocío Carrillo.

Pueblo Espíritu poster
An image from Pueblo Espíritu
An image from Pueblo Espíritu

Theatre Review: Under the Skin

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The West Coast premiere of Under the Skin is presented by International City Theatre. Written by Michael Hollinger. Produced and directed by caryn desai [sic].

Suddenly, your absent father shows up at the door and asks for your kidney. Would you give it to him? Under the Skin delves into organ donation and the hilarious and difficult relationship between Raina (Allison Blaize) and her father Lou (Tony Abatemarco), who never attended any of her birthday parties when she was a kid. During his days as a player, Lou started an alternate family with Marlene (Tanya Alexander), who gave birth to his son Jarrell (Julian Smith). 

Things get more complicated when Raina meets Jarrell and the two start a conversation. Secrets are revealed and relationships may not be what they seem to be. In the meantime, Lou’s kidney failure continue to progress and time is running out to save his life.

Michael Hollinger‘s writting is a combination of tragedy and comedy that is engaging and leaves the audience in a state of wonder as the scenes move forward. The health deterioration Lou experiences later in life forces him to face his own failures as a father and husband. At the same time, this character shows the complexities of life experiences and the power of human connections, whether filial or romantic. The character of Raina shows the lifelong impressions experienced in childhood and the emotional scars left as a result of bad parenting. All of these textures of human interactions are displayed in this play brilliantly.

Director caryn desai [sic] unifies love, compassion, and the power of blood in a cohesive and entertaining manner, building up the intrigue and disbelief throughout the play. Desai manages to lighten up the seriousness of organ donation and add a touch of comedy to the ordeal of waiting for a donor while attempting to fix broken relationships. 

Under the Skin is a delightful story of redemption, love, and forgiveness. It is a story of rich characters and their unusual reactions when they get second chances in life.    

Under the Skin

International City Theatre
Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center
330 East Seaside Way
Long Beach, CA 90802

Performances: April 28-May 14
• Thursdays at 8 p.m.: May 4, May 11
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: April 28 (Opening Night), May 5, May 12
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: April 29, May 6, May 13
• Sundays at 2 p.m.: April 30, May 7, May 14

Tickets: ictlongbeach.org

Written by Michael Hollinger. Directed by caryn desai. Starring Tony Abatemarco, Tanya Alexander, Allison Blaize, and Julian Smith. Produced by caryn desai [sic]. Presented by International City Theatre.

Creative team: Set designer Timothy Mueller, lighting designer Donna Ruzika, costume designer Kim DeShazo, sound designer Dave Mickey, and prop designer Patty Briles. Casting is by Michael Donovan, CSA and Richie Ferris, CSA. The production stage manager is John Freeland, Jr.

 

Under the Skin poster
A scene from Under the Skin
A scene from Under the Skin
A scene from Under the Skin

Theatre Review: The Laramie Project

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The Laramie Project is presented by The Group Rep. Written by Moises Kaufman, Ms. Leigh Fondakowski, and the Tectonic Theater Project. Directed by Kathleen Delaney. Produced by Bill Fitzhugh and Danica Waitley.

The Laramie Project is a production in the form of documentary theatre, based on the more than 200 interviews that Kaufman, Fondakowski, and members of the Tectonic Theater Project conducted after the tragic death of Matthew Shepard in 1998.

Shepard was a gay student at the University of Wyoming, located in Laramie, Wyoming. On the night of October 6, 1998, Shepard left the Fireside Lounge with Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson. McKinney and Henderson took Shepard to a rural area where they beat, tortured, and tied him to a fence and left him to die in near-freezing temperatures. Eighteen hours later, still alive and in a coma, Shepard was found by cyclist Aaron Kreifels. Shepard died six days after the attack on October 12, 1998. He was 21 years old.

This play is a collection of statements from the people that knew Shepard and his attackers, McKinney and Henderson. The interviews pick up the diversity of opinions from the community of Laramie. While some people denounced the attack and demanded justice, others believed that Shepard deserved the ordeal because of his homosexuality. Some of those beliefs were heavily influenced by religion, which played an important role in the life of this relatively small community.

The Laramie Project is in itself a social study that reveals how education, religion, and job opportunities may affect the attitudes towards the LGBT community. The characters demonstrate the contradiction of rural and conservative America. There is the bartender who liked Matthew and didn’t care about his sexual preferences. The doctor, who felt sorry for both the victim and the perpetrator when he treated both of them the same day at the same hospital. Then, there are the religious leaders. Some of them demanding justice for Shepard, some demanding leniency for McKinney and Henderson.

If anything positive came out of this incident, is the fact that some members of the LGBT community had the opportunity to express themselves and claim their rightful place in society. Other consequences of The Laramie Project is the influence of this play in other documentary mediums such as film and reality TV. The play has been staged in more than 300 productions around the world and had a very successful Off-Broadway run. The writers and directors continue to inspire conversations and drive changes in minds, hearts, and legislation around the world for generations to come. The writing shows the initial shock experienced by the people of Laramie after learning about the attack. But it also shows the disturbing shift of opinions once the religious conservatism kicked in, sympathizing with the attackers and approving of their heinous act.

Director Kathleen Delaney uses a large production of 11 fine actors to play several roles, all portraying the wide variety of points of view related to this case. Delaney blocks her actors to create a continuous sense of movement that reflects the frenetic pace of the events, specially the media coverage of the critical days that preceded Shepard’s death and the controversial trial that followed.

The play also feels like a time of introspection. A time to reflect on what went terrible wrong and what actions to take to avoid the recurrence of such a barbaric act. The continuous staging of this production is a symbolic candlelight vigil to honor Shepard’s memory and the values and convictions he represented.

The Laramie Project

The Group Rep at the Lonny Chapman Theatre – First floor
10900 Burbank Blvd
N. Hollywood, CA 91601

April 14 – May 21
Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM, Sundays at 2PM
After the Matinee Talkback with cast and staff 4/23 & 4/30.

Tickets: thegrouprep.com

Written by Moises Kaufman, Ms. Leigh Fondakowski, and The Tectonic Theater Project. Directed by Kathleen Delaney. Produced by Bill Fitzhugh and Danica Waitley. Cast: Landon Beatty, Paul Cady, Roslyn Cohn, Julie Davis, Marc Antonio Pritchett. Stephen Rockwell, Jackie Shearn, Margaret Rose Staedler, Cathy Diane Tomlin, Amelia Vargas and Kay Vermeil. Creative team: Mareli Mitchel-Shields (Set Designer), Tor Brown (Lighting/Projection Designer), Michael Mullen (Costume Designer), and Marc Antonio Pritchett (Sound Designer).

The Laramie Project poster
A scene from The Laramie Project
A scene from The Laramie Project

News Release: Stars Kristina Wong and Charisma Carpenter Cast in “HOLD YOU SO TIGHT”

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Stage and screen phenoms Kristina Wong (Sweatshop Overlord – LA Times “Must See” / NY Times “Critic’s Pick”) and Charisma Carpenter (Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Angel) come together in an AI comfort Film as final casting was announced for Eric Rudnick’s new short film, HOLD YOU SO TIGHT.

“Kristina Wong’s stage show Sweatshop Overlord was at the Kirk Douglas Theatre when I was working on the script for Hold You So Tight,” says director Eric Rudnick. “She’s authentic, charming, and hilarious, and she’ll soon be showing up regularly on TV and in films. Charisma Carpenter is a great actor with an iconic presence, and given the Sci-Fi and fantasy themes involved in the roles she’s most known for, I immediately knew that she would be perfect for this film.”

Additional talent in the film includes Steve Chiotakis (Edward R. Murrow Award for writing, “Best Radio Anchor in Southern California” and “Best Feature” – LA Press Club; “Best Anchor and Reporter” – AP Honoree), multi-award winner Kareem Ferguson (Watching O.J – EST/LA, HBO series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Netflix/Ryan Murphy series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story), and Tamika Katon-Donegal (Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike; TV: Adam Ruins Everything, How to Get Away With Murder, and recurring on Side Hustle).

HOLD YOU SO TIGHT tells the story of a modern-day personal challenge as an uncommon hero comes to the rescue. In the parking lot of a Los Angeles motel, a young woman is on the brink of a nervous breakdown. Although her current teletherapy session is not going well, she’s parked herself, maybe for the first time, in just the right spot.

A life-changing new treatment, administered by two men, comes highly recommended from a trusted college friend. HOLD YOU SO TIGHT is the business that the men operate, providing hugs that are specifically calibrated to each customer’s needs. The embrace is delivered by a custom-made robot, traveling the country with this clandestine company.

As our heroine reaches the door to Room 11, she is near the end of her very frayed rope. What happens next is a synchronistic phenomenon between technology and humanity – perhaps the place we’ve all been searching for since the dawn of time.

Director Rudnick described the project’s genesis while revealing, “After being absolutely floored when I met this robot on a TV pilot that I was producing, I knew that there had to be a story about its intricate technology and the connection to us. I needed to see this idea that was in my head and wanted an audience to feel what I felt, so I figured I could pull together the resources for a short film.”

Shooting is scheduled to begin this month in Los Angeles.

Photos Courtesy Kristina Wong and Charisma Carpenter

For more information: https://www.filmindependent.org/programs/fiscal-sponsorship/hold-you-so-tight/

Image of Kristina Wong
Image of Charisma Carpenter

Theatre Review: Michaela’s Fluent Aphasia

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As part of the MFA Dramatic Writing Year 3 New Works Festival, the USC School of Dramatic Arts presents Michaela’s Fluent Aphasia. Written by Christina Carrafiell. Directed by John DeMita.

Michaela (Maddy Curry, BA Theatre, Acting Em., Junior) has a brain tumor and is about to get a surgery that will be performed by her doctor boyfriend Will (Micha Schnider, BA Theatre, Acting Em., Sophomore). The day of the surgery, Michaela sees Julia (Lexi Minetree, BA Theatre/BA Public Relations, Junior) suffering some sort of asthma or anxiety attack. From there, the story becomes the journey of Michaela’s recovery from a condition called fluent aphasia, caused by the brain surgery to remove the tumor. Another character of the story is Theo (Ben Crane, BA Theatre, Acting Em., First Year), Julia’s boyfriend, a sculptor and speech therapist.

Flashbacks introduce the conflict in the story. In an instant of female intuition, or distrust, Julia senses a potential romance between Theo and Michaela. This worsens when Theo becomes Michaela’s speech therapist. Despite the situation, Michaela and Julia become close friends, finding common ground in their interests of music and poetry. Julia is a musician and Michaela likes to write poetry.

Christina Carrafiell gives her female characters the backgrounds that explain their distinguishing traits, specially their penchant for dependency. In the case of Michaela, there are revelations that question even the legality of the relationship between her and Will. It is probably that mutual inclination to depend on others that take the relationship between Julia and Michaela to another level. In the extremely challenging journey to recovery, Michaela will learn not only to speak coherently again, but also to search deep in her heart where the real love is. In the play’s resolution, Julia will need to make a critical decision. Michaela is in the right path to recover from the brain damage, but will she be left heart broken?

Director John DeMita explores the script using language, poetry, music, and romance to bring Carrafiell’s vision to life. It is a production presented in an entertaining and dynamic form. The flashbacks present details that are crucial to understand the dynamic relationships between the characters. The four actors show their potential, delivering nuanced and convincing performances. The USC School of Dramatic Arts continues to show its commitment to prepare students to succeed in the entertainment industry, connecting students with real audiences and industry professionals.

Christina Carrafiell is a British-American playwright. Her first play, A Fragile Lift, was performed to sell-out audiences at the Chelsea Theatre in London when she was just 17. It was then selected for a run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, with Scottish newspapers calling it “original” and “impressive” (The Scotsman). Christina continued writing as an undergrad at Yale, where she was featured in Zack Calhoon’s celebrated ‘people you should know‘ blog. She then won a scholarship to do an MFA in Playwriting at USC School of Dramatic Arts, where she is currently in her third and final year. Her TV script Surfer Girl reached the quarter finals of the 2021 WeScreenplay TV Writing Competition.

Michaela’s Fluent Aphasia

McClintock Theatre
1010 W Jefferson Blvd (University of Southern California)
Los Angeles, CA 90089
Dates:
Thursday, April 20, at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 22, at 8 p.m.
Tuesday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m
Written by Christina Carrafiell. Directed by John DeMita. Starring Ben Crane, Maddy Curry, Lexi Minetree, and Micah Schneider. Creative team: Scenic Design by Takeshi Kata and Maya Channer ( BFA Design, Sophomore), Costume Design by Juliet Black (BFA Design, Sophomore), Lighting and Projection Design by G. Austin Allen, Sound Design by Alma Reyes-Thomas, Stage Manager Yaesol Jeong, Technical Director Dominic Vacca (BFA Technical Direction, Senior).

Theatre Review: Battlesong of Boudica

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Battlesong of Boudica is presented by The School of Night. Written and directed by Christopher William Johnson. 

Year 61 AD in Britannia. A revenge battle is about to tremble the feared and powerful Imperial Roman army. After the death of the wealthy Icenian king Prasutagus (Daniel Adomian), who named his two daughters and the Roman emperor as co-heir to his kingdom, the Romans ignored his will and took over his possessions. When the Roman procurator Decianus (Brad C. Light) shows up at the kings’s estate to take inventory, he ordered to flog Prasutagus’s widow Boudica (Jen Albert) and sexually assaulted his two daughters, Brenda (Allegra Rodriguez Shivers) and Kerma (Lucy Schmidt). 

That mistreatment triggers Boudica’s thirst for revenge. She decides to train her daughters for war and incites the Celtic tribes to revolt against the formidable Roman army. Historical details about this event are mentioned in Book 14 of The Annals, a history of the Roman Empire from the years AD 14-68 by Roman historian and senator Tacitus.

As Boudica and her troops continue the destruction of the Roman settlements Camulodunum, Londinium, and Verulamium, the Roman general Paulinus (Christopher  Neiman), in a military campaign against the druids in the island of Mona, decides to regroup the 14th Legion and fight Boudica’s army in an epic an bloody battle.

Battlesong of Boudica depicts some of the war elements employed at the time. Boudica invokes the Icenic war goddess Andraste, releasing a hare as a divination technique. The play also shows the dances used by the Icenic warriors to boost their morale. Writer and director Christopher William Johnson uses chants, dances, spoken verse, and energetic action to depict the intensity of the violent battles carried out during the Imperial Rome. Some of the themes presented are colonialism, sexism, revolution, and multiculturalism, topics that continue to be relevant today.

Actress Jen Albert is the co-founder of The School of Night and an award-winning fight choreographer. She delivers a passionate and intense performance, portraying the painful and epic life of Boudica, one of the most iconic female figures in war history. Christopher Neiman also excels at his portrayal of the vicious and fearless Roman general Paulinus, carrying the weight of the unstoppable march of the most powerful empire of the time.

Battlesong of Boudica is a unique and primal saga with highly energetic stage fights that entertain all the way till the end. Be prepare for a night of exciting action and strong emotions in this moving Celtic heroic achievement. 

 Battlesong of Boudica

The Hudson Backstage 

6539 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90038

Sunday at 7 p.m.: April 9 (Opening)

Sundays at 3 p.m.: April 16, April 23, April 30

Monday at 8 p.m.: April 10 Pay-What-You-Can

Fridays at 8 p.m.: April 14, April 21, April 28

Saturdays at 8 p.m.: April 15, April 22, April 29

Tickets: https://school-of-night.ticketleap.com/battlesong-of-boudica/get-there/

Written, Directed, Production Design by Christopher William Johnson • Fights Choreographed and Produced by Jen Albert • Starring Daniel Adomian, Jen Albert, Tom Block, Colin A Borden, Payton Cella, Sara Gorsky, Brad C. Light, Chloe Madriaga, Chrisopher Neiman, Tristan Rewald, Lacey Rosewall, Lucy Schmidt, Allegra Rodriguez Shivers, Jack TenBarge, Jesse James Thomas, Frank Tirimacco, Dan Wingard • Presented by The School of Night. The creative team for Battlesong of Boudica includes lighting designer Aiden de Jong, Linda Muggeridge is costume designer, Ryan Beveridge is the composer and sound designer. Kate Coleman is the dance choreographer and Andrew Leman is the graphic designer. The stage manager is Michelle Elizabeth Vasquez.

 

Theatre Review: The Pilot Who Crashed the Party

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The world premiere of The Pilot Who Crashed the Party is presented by Public Works Improvisational Theatre Foundation in association with Paul Sand Projects. Written and directed by Tony Award winning actor and Second City alum Paul Sand. Produced by Amanda Weier.

Sally (Jacqueline Wright) is celebrating her 50th birthday in her house up in the mountains in a stormy night when a small plane crashes into her house. The pilot (Sol Mason) manages to enter the house, but does not remember who he is, puzzling the party guests. The night then becomes a mystery when everyone tries to figure out the party crasher. The partygoers are Laura (Claudia Ferri), Ilo (Francis C. Edemobi), (Debra Lane), Daniel (Lee Boek), and the evening’s musicians (Yennie Lam on violin and Chris Rorrer on cello).

After consulting a medical book as a quick reference, the guests decide not to let the pilot sleep so he doesn’t fall into a coma. One by one, they take turns to keep him awake.  They all seem to like the pilot, except Daniel, who thinks the pilot is an intruder with bad intentions. When it’s Sally’s turn to care for the pilot, things heat up and take a new direction. 

Even though the play’s pacing in the first act feels a bit slow at times, it’s Jacqueline Wright’s sassy and hilarious performance that drives a great deal of the play’s action and comedy. Her voice and body language are a combination of classic Hollywood with femme fatale, a suitable complement to the mysterious feel of the play.

The second act is where the action really happens. Sally’s relationship with the mysterious pilot and the way Daniel snaps trigger the most memorable scenes of the play. The lighting and projections (lighting designer Azra King-Abadi, projection designer Fritz Davis) add striking elements to the action throughout the play. Paul Sand presents a story with overtones of mystery and passion with a sense of wonder. It’s up to the audience to deduce the ending. 

The Pilot Who Crashed the Party

Broadwater Theatre Main Stage
6320 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90038

April 8 – May 7:
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: April 14, April 21, April 28, May 5
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: April 8 (Opening), April 15, April 22, April 29, May 6
• Sundays at 3 p.m.: April 16, April 23, April 30, May 7

Tickets: www.onstage411.com/Pilot

Written and Directed by Paul Sand. Starring Marcia Lynn Anthony, Lee Boek, Francis C. Edemobi, Claudia Ferri, Debra Lane, Sol Mason, Jacqueline Wright. Musicians: Yennie Lam (violin) and Chris Rorrer (cello). Produced by Amanda Weier. Presented by Public Works Improvisational Theatre Foundation in association with Paul Sand Projects. The creative team includes scenic designer Jeff G. Rack; costume designer Linda Muggeridge; lighting designer Azra King-Abadi; sound designer Shoshana Kuttner; and projection designer Fritz Davis. The assistant director is Alex Hogy, and the production stage manager is Anna Kupershmidt.

 

 

The Pilot Who Crashed the Party poster
A scene from The Pilot Who Crashed the Party
A scene from The Pilot Who Crashed the Party
A scene from The Pilot Who Crashed the Party

Theatre Review: Blue

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The World Premiere of Blue is presented by Rogue Machine. Written by June Carryl. Directed by Michael Matthews. Produced by Sara Fenton, Kila Kitu, Mildred Langford, Tarina Pouncy, and Betsy Zajko. A Rogue Machine Production.

As some police officers were seen participating in the events in the Capitol on January 6, 2021, writer June Carryl asks if there is a link between those events and some instances of police brutality. In Blue, police sergeant Sully (John Colella), who is White, is facing criminal charges in the killing of a Black veteran who was stopped for expired tags. Interrogating Sully about the incident is detective Parker (Julanne Chidi Hill), who is Black. We soon find out that they’ve known each other for a long time, but the initial friendly interaction starts to take a turn for the worst.

Sully and Parker’s husband were police partners, something that holds its own secrets and becomes crucial in the way Sully and Parker think of each other. Sully was also one of the cops seen participating in the Capitol riot on January 2021. A picture of his involvement in that incident is now being used to determine his bias towards the killing of the Black veteran. Once Parker asks more questions about the events that led to the shooting of the veteran, Sully discloses more details that start to reveal his real motivations and perhaps even his predisposition for violence and racism. 

The interaction between Sully and Parker is somehow a metaphor of the relationship between Blacks and Whites in America in a larger scale, friendly at times, but distrustful and sometimes even violent in other instances. One thing that stands out in Blue is the fact that negative emotions seem to be always close to the surface in a latent state, ready to explode at the first provocation. In the case of the two characters, their apparent close and friendly relationship didn’t erase the resentment that has existed for hundreds of years between both races.

Sully sees himself as a patriot, betrayed by society for upholding the law as a citizen and police officer. Parker sees herself as a victim of a system that still treats her as a second class citizen. Carryl’s script is sharp and painful, but as close to reality as it can be. Colella and Hill’s visceral performances will trigger strong emotions that, despite their vicious nature, feel cathartic at the end. Director Michael Matthews achieves of all of this with just a light, a table, and two chairs. The set is arranged as an interrogation room; it is a closed and suffocating space, “like a pressure cooker” in the words of Matthews. Blue is an unfiltered view of what lies under the surface of apparent civilized relationships. It is an impactful image that needs to be analyzed on our path to mutual understanding.  

Blue

ROGUE MACHINE (The Henry Murray Stage upstairs at the Matrix Theatre)
7657 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046. Street parking

Opening at 8pm on Friday, April 7, 2023
Schedule: 8pm Fridays, Saturdays, Mondays, 3pm Sundays
Closing: May 14, 2023

Tickets: roguemachinetheatre.org

Written by June Carryl. Directed by Michael Matthews. Cast: John Colella and Julanne Chidi Hill. Produced by Sara Fenton, Kila Kitu, Mildred Langford, Tarina Pouncy, and Betsy Zajko. A Rogue Machine Production. Creative team: Joe McClean and Dane Bowman (Production Design), Chris Moscatiello (Sound Design).

Blue poster
A scene from Blue
A scene from Blue
A scene from Blue

Theatre Review: Kiss of the Spider Woman

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A Noise Within presents the adaptation of Kiss of the Spider Woman. Written by Manuel Puig. Translated by Allan Baker. Directed by Michael Michetti.

Whether in Lecumberri or Villa Devoto prison, the real people that suffered the state racism by the dictatorships in Latin America are well represented in Kiss of the Spider Woman. 

Molina (Ed F. Martin), a gay man accused of corruption of minors, shares a prison cell with Valentin (Adrián González), a Marxist political prisoner. Molina spends the time retelling film noir classics and impersonating their female protagonists. Despite his machismo, Valentin listens to Molina attentively.   

Set during the height of Argentina’s military regime, Molina and Valentin are symbols of duality, oppression/liberation, masculine/feminine, public/intimate. They challenge the state’s intention to own and control people’s minds and bodies through intimidation. During the play, we hear background noises of torture. Outside, the brutality of the Argentinian repressive regime. Inside, the freedom to dream and live new experiences.

Valentin changes throughout the story, from a world of ideals to change the world to the cruel reality of life in a prison cell, torture and depression included. As Valentin starts to loose hope under those circumstances of extreme desolation, raw emotions bring his defense barriers down, exposing his deepest fears: The fear to fail, the fear to die, the fear to love. Once liberated, Molina becomes the protagonist, in real life, of one of the heroines of his movies, an ultimate expression of sacrificial love.

Martin and González are extraordinary in portraying the frustrations and hopes of a whole generation that the characters represent. They bring to the stage rich and complex textures of psychological and emotional endurance and transformations, taking the audience to uncharted territories with humor, wit, and sensuality. Director Michael Michetti shows his brilliant directorial skills using a simple but effective scenic and lighting design (scenic designer Tesshi Nakagawa; lighting designer Jared A. Sayeg), allowing the dialogue to drive most of the play. A voice-over is used for the additional characters and to relate Molina and Valentin’s fate. 

The last scene in the play is a poetic picture. As Molina walks away to his freedom, the walls of the prison cell start to drift away from Valentin, who stays behind, alone. It is the beginning of a painful physical separation, but the seal of an everlasting spiritual connection.

Kiss of the Spider Woman

A Noise Within
3352 E Foothill Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91107

Performances April 1–April 23
• Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.: April 6, April 13; April 20
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: April 7**, April 14**; April 21**
• Saturdays at 2 p.m.: April 8, April 15; April 22 (no matinee on April 1)
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: April 1 (Opening Night); April 8***, April 15; April 22
• Sundays at 2 p.m.: April 2; April 9**, April 16; April 23

**Post-performance conversations with the artists every Friday and on Sunday, April 9.
***Join the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles for a performance of pieces inspired by Kiss of the Spider Woman before the 8 p.m. show on Saturday, April 8.
An INsiders Discussion Group will be held on Tuesday, April 18, from 6 p.m.–8 p.m. on Zoom ($38 per individual or $45 per household).
There will be one student matinee at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 19. Interested educators should email education@anoisewithin.org.

Tickets: www.anoisewithin.org

Adult content: recommended for mature audiences ages 18 and up.

Adapted for the stage by Manuel Puig from his novel “El beso de la mujer araña”. Translated from the Spanish by Allan Baker. Directed by Michael Michetti. Starring Adrián González and Ed F. Martin. Presented by A Noise Within, Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott, producing artistic directors.

Creative team: The A Noise Within production will feature an original, tango-inspired score by composer Alex Mansour. Scenic designer Tesshi Nakagawa; lighting designer Jared A. Sayeg; sound designer Robert Oriol; costume designer Carolyn Mazuca; properties designer Stephen Taylor; dramaturg Dr. Miranda Johnson–Haddad; intimacy director Carly DW Bones; and casting director Victoria Hoffman. The assistant stage manager is Karin Naono, and the production stage manager is Lucy Houlihan.

A scene from Kiss of the Spider Woman
Kiss of the Spider Woman. Ed F. Martin and Adrián González. Photo by Craig Schwartz.
A scene from Kiss of the Spider Woman
Kiss of the Spider Woman. Ed F. Martin and Adrián González. Photo by Craig Schwartz.
A scene from Kiss of the Spider Woman
Kiss of the Spider Woman. Ed F. Martin and Adrián González. Photo by Craig Schwartz.
Kiss of the Spider Woman poster
Kiss of the Spider Woman