Author Archive: Glamour

Theatre Review: These Shining Lives

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A newspaper ad dated November 10, 1918 claimed the following about radium, a  radioactive element used back then in some beauty products: “The tiniest particle of Radium throws off a continuous stream of Energy Rays. An energy never diminishing, never ceasing, day or night, year in, year out. A force a million times more powerful than any other known. Rays of Radium, in fact, energize and revivify any living matter with which they come in contact. They are accepted by the human system as harmoniously as is sunlight by the plant”.

However, in the case of the four female workers employed at the Radium Dial Company back in 1922, radium proved to be a source of ailments that lead to a life of debilitating pain and cancer. Marie Curie, who along with her husband Pierre Curie discovered radium, said this about the toxic element: “There is absolutely no means of destroying the substance once it enters the human body”. Not even with the aspirins prescribed by the doctors who treated those women.

The protagonist is Catherine (Abigail Stewart), a young woman who is excited about her new job at Radium Dial Company. The job consists of painting the markings of the clocks with a mixture of glue, water, green paint, and radium powder, which glows in the dark. It’s an easy job, pays well, and has a great time with her co-workers Pearl (Allison Schlicher), Frances (Shannon Woo), and the bubbly and sharp-tongued Charlotte (Jessica Woehler).

Catherine feels great about contributing to the family income, raising two kids, and having a supportive husband. But there’s a caveat. The women at the factory don’t use any protective barrier when handling the radium, and they are even instructed to point the tips of the brushes with their lips, ingesting, in fact, large amounts of the highly toxic radioactive material.

As expected, their health starts to deteriorate. First is the indelible glowing of their skin. Then it’s the pain in the arms, legs, jaw, and the teeth. Then uncertainty builds up. Then panic sets in. Meanwhile, all the company doctor (Michael Kachingwe) prescribes is aspirin. In cahoots with Mr. Reed (John Colella), the company’s supervisor, the doctor keeps the women in the dark about the known toxicity of radium.

The proximity of the stage allows the audience to appreciate the range of complex emotions displayed by the characters, brilliantly played by the exceptional cast. Stewart immerses herself into her character with intensity, going to dark places, reaching the bottom, where hope is no longer an option. Declining physically and emotionally, the anguish increases knowing that she will leave behind her two young kids and her devastated husband Tom (Isaac Jay), a WWI veteran struggling to cope with the idea of losing the woman who gave him back his faith in God after seeing the horrors of war.

Director Thom Babbes proves to be a crafty director, able to extract the essence of Melanie Marnich‘s script and set up powerful scenes to move the audience. The blocking and the superlative work with his actors shows a director that knows how to blend the vulnerabilities and strengths of the characters to deliver an inspiring story that set a precedent in the history of American worker’s rights.

This play is deep and complex. The upbeat beginning changes to a much darker tone. From there, the exploration of defeat makes way to the resilience of the human spirit, and a poetic ending wraps the rollercoaster of emotions that make this play a poignant and meaningful experience. Fortunately, Babbes and his cast prove to be a pool of skillful professionals that capture in detail the daunting aspects of the ordeal and the fearlessness of the women and their supporters in their fight for justice. This phenomenal production of These Shining Lives is a theatrical gem not to be missed.

These Shining Lives

Actors Co-op’s Crossley Theatre

1760 N. Gower Street

Hollywood, CA 90028

Located on the campus of First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood.

FREE PARKING: On Carlos in the church parking lot with Actors Co-op Parking Signage across from the theatre/church campus.

February 21 – March 30

Friday and Saturday Evenings at 7:30 pm

Sunday Matinees at 2:30 pm

Additional Saturday Matinees March 1 & March 15 at 2:30 pm

Tickets: actorsco-op.org

Written by Melanie Marnich, directed by Thom Babbes and produced by Crystal Yvonne
Jackson.

Cast: John Colella , Isaac Jay, Michael Kachingwe, Allison Schlicher, Abigail Stewart, Jessica Woehler, and Shannon Woo.

Creative team: Julia Hibner (Stage Manager), Kevin Williams (Property Designer), David Marling (Sound Design), A. Jeffrey Schoenberg (Costume Designer), Derrick McDaniel (Lighting Designer), Joel Daavid (Set Designer/Set Construction), Judi Lewin (Wig/Makeup Designer), and Nikki Alday (Assistant Stage Manager).

OCTG Theatre Awards Unveils List of Nominees

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OCTG Theatre Awards Unveils List of Nominees

Productions of “Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical,” “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” “The Mother F*cker with the Hat,” and “Sweeney Todd” Lead the Pack.

March 5, 2025 – Anaheim, California

On Saturday, February 22, 2025, during the OC Theatre Guild’s membership meeting, the nominees for the fourth annual OCTG Theatre Awards were officially announced. The awards ceremony, where winners will be revealed, is scheduled for the evening of Monday, April 28, 2025, at the Samueli Theater at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. Directed by Guild Board Secretary Shinshin Yuder Tsai, this year’s show continues the tradition of celebrating the vibrant and diverse achievements of the theatre community. Tickets will be available at www.octheatreguild.org/octg-awards on March 10, 2025.

Awards Coordinator and Guild Vice-President Kristin Campbell Coyne remarked, “The OCTG Theatre Awards program continues to grow in incredible ways. This year, we’ve seen 121 nominations across 21 categories, with 46 productions submitted for adjudication. The gender-neutral performance categories maintain double the nominees and two winners each.” Twenty organizations participated, with 62 voters from various theatre disciplines determining the results. All votes were audited by accounting firm Numbers South West Inc to ensure accuracy.

This year’s nominees highlight standout productions. Leading the nominations is Chance Theater, recognized for “Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical,” “Sweeney Todd,” and “Alma.” The Wayward Artist also earned multiple nominations for “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” and “The Mother F*cker with the Hat.” Curtis Theatre garnered several nominations for “Once” and “Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life,” which was co-produced with Begins and Ends with ‘A’ Productions. Other companies, including Costa Mesa Playhouse, Yorba Linda Spotlight Players, The Larking House, and J Stage, also showcased their creative excellence with celebrated works.

A detailed list of nominees is included below and can also be found on the Guild’s website.

The OC Theatre Guild launched its awards program in 2020 to celebrate excellence in Orange County theatre. “Every year our volunteer voters see so much incredible work, each season is really a labor of love by them,” said Awards Coordinator and Guild Board Member Katie Chidester. “Between annual applications, training, and numerous production assignments, they put a tremendous amount of work in because they believe in creativity and talent in our region.”

To submit a show for adjudication or apply to become a voter for next year’s OCTG Theatre Awards, visit www.octheatreguild.org/octg-awards.

OC Theatre Guild was founded in 2015 and officially organized in 2019 as a not-for-profit 501(c)3 to serve Orange County’s vital artistic community with a mission to nurture, support, and promote live theatre in greater Orange County. That stated goal is supported by the long-held beliefs of the guild’s founders and leaders that theatre and the performing arts are an essential part of what creates a healthy, passionate, and multicultural society that enriches communities while providing opportunities for personal growth and fulfillment. Through the last several years, the guild has made a commitment to answer the question “What can we do together that we can’t do on our own?”

Since OCTG’s inception, the following individuals and organizations have provided support: Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Amanda DeMaio, CA Relief Program, Capital Group Foundation, Charitable Ventures of OC, Tod White, Craig Tyrl, Matthew Takahashi, Zaradich Law, Facebook, The Walt Disney Company Foundation, Orange County Dept. of Education, The Blackbaud Giving Fund, Amazon, Aja Bell, Jocelyn Buckner, Kristin Cambpell, Sharyn Case, Patrick Chavis, Katherine Chidester, Wendy Colon, Maddi Deckard, Eric Eberwein, Barney Evans, Andrea Freeman, Rob Greenfield, Glenn Griffin, Sara M. Guerrero, Dana Hammer, Laura Hathaway, Michael Hornyak, Tim Hume, Aleksandr Iakovlev, Elizabeth Jouvenat, Scott A. Keister, Tommie Kozlov, Andrea G. La Vela, Rose London, Patrick Mannion, Jill Cary Martin, Candyce Marto-Maedel, Neil Middleton, Michelle Miller-Day, Desiree Nguyen, Cindy ODell, Stephen Peeler, Crystal Phillips, Cheryl Prevor, Christopher Reilly, Gene Rogers, Amber Scott, April Skinner, Chris Sumpter, Richard Stein, Nicolas Thiery, Nicholas Thurkettle, Zeffy Foundation, Debra Wondercheck, Jordan R. Young, Patricia Zantos, Amanda Zarr, and David Zelhart.

LIST OF THIS YEAR’S NOMINEES

Outstanding Production of a Play

  • Alma, Chance Theater

  • The Children, The Wayward Artist

  • Other Desert Cities, Newport Theatre Arts Center

  • The Mother F*cker with the Hat, The Wayward Artist

  • Tiny Beautiful Things, Chance Theater

 

Outstanding Production of a Musical

  • Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Once, Curtis Theatre

  • All Shook Up, Yorba Linda Spotlight Players

  • The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

  • Sweeney Todd, Chance Theater

 

Outstanding Direction of a Play

  • Amanda Hallman, Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life, Curtis Theatre and Begins and Ends with ‘A’ Productions

  • Craig Tyrl, The Children, The Wayward Artist

  • Katie Chidester, Tiny Beautiful Things, Chance Theater

  • Michael Martinez Hamilton, The Mother F*cker with the Hat, The Wayward Artist

  • Sara Guerrero, Alma, Chance Theater

 

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

  • Casey Long, Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Charna Lopez, All Shook Up, Yorba Linda Spotlight Players

  • James Michael McHale, Sweeney Todd, Chance Theater

  • Jonathan Infante, Once, Curtis Theatre

  • Sydney Raquel, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

 

Outstanding Leading Performance in a Play

  • Aubrey Saverino (Sugar), Tiny Beautiful Things, Chance Theater

  • Bobby D. Lux (Lenny), Rumors, Westminster Community Playhouse

  • D.X. Machina (Jackie), The Mother F*cker with the Hat, The Wayward Artist

  • Heather Lee Echeverria (Angel), Alma, Chance Theater

  • Juliet Fischer (Rose), The Children, The Wayward Artist

  • Kalinda Gray (Emilie), Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life, Curtis Theatre and Begins and Ends with ‘A’ Productions

  • Marta Portillo (Alma), Alma, Chance Theater

  • Michelle Pedersen (Catherine Givings), In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play), Costa Mesa Playhouse

  • Rose London (Katherine Brandt), 33 Variations, Costa Mesa Playhouse

  • Ruben Matos (Ralph D.), The Mother F*cker with the Hat, The Wayward Artist

 

Outstanding Leading Performance in a Musical

  • Claire Manson (Cinderella), Into the Woods, Jstage

  • Emma Laird (Girl), Once, Curtis Theatre

  • Jenna Luck (Olive Ostrovsky), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

  • Jocelyn A. Brown (Mrs. Lovett), Sweeney Todd, Chance Theater

  • Laura Hart (Mrs. Lovett), Sweeney Todd, Cabrillo Playhouse

  • Mallory Kerwin (Paulette), Legally Blonde, No Square Theatre

  • Mandy Foster (Emma Woodhouse), Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Micah Nicholson (William Barfee), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

  • Naomi Groleau (Natalie/Ed), All Shook Up, Yorba Linda Spotlight Players

  • Tom Avery (Hedwig), Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Chance Theater

 

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Play

  • Branda Lock (Gloria/Nan), Gloria, Chance Theater

  • Erik Scilley (Lorin), Gloria, Chance Theater

  • Griffin Glenn (Mike Clark), 33 Variations, Costa Mesa Playhouse

  • Jonathon Lamer (Letter Writer #1), Tiny Beautiful Things, Chance Theater

  • Marta Portillo (Victoria), The Mother F*cker with the Hat, The Wayward Artist

  • Neil Switzer (Ernie), Rumors, Westminster Community Playhouse

  • Oscar Emmanuel Fabela (Cousin Julio), The Mother F*cker with the Hat, The Wayward Artist

  • Peter Hilton (Tilden), Buried Child, Costa Mesa Playhouse

  • Psalms Salazar (Veronica), The Mother F*cker with the Hat, The Wayward Artist

  • Will Martella (Dean/Devin), Gloria, Chance Theater

 

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical

  • Angel Correa (Vice Principal Douglas Panch), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

  • Blake Rhiner (Frank Churchill), Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Carolyn Lupin (Rona Lisa Peretti), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

  • Clayton Michael Walker (Leaf Coneybear), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

  • Cynthia C. Espinoza (Mrs. Elton), Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Haven Hanson (Lumiere), Beauty and the Beast,  Jstage

  • Jeff Lowe (George Knightley), Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Laura M. Hathaway (Beggar Woman), Sweeney Todd, Chance Theater

  • Luc Clopton (Robert Martin), Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Sadie Alexander (Harriet Smith), Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

 

Outstanding Ensemble in a Play

  • Other Desert Cities, Newport Theatre Arts Center

  • Gloria, Chance Theater

  • The Mother F*cker with the Hat, The Wayward Artist

  • Rumors, Westminster Community Playhouse

  • 33 Variations, Costa Mesa Playhouse

 

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical

  • Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Once, Curtis Theatre

  • All Shook Up, Yorba Linda Spotlight Players

  • The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

  • Sweeney Todd, Chance Theater

 

Outstanding Costume Design

  • Bruce Goodrich, Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Christopher Aceves, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

  • Haven Hanson, Beauty and the Beast,  Jstage

  • Marci Alberti, The Mother F*cker with the Hat, The Wayward Artist

  • Tom Phillips & Larry Watts, In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play), Costa Mesa Playhouse

 

Outstanding Lighting Design

  • Axiom Cutler, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

  • Heather Harless, Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life, Curtis Theatre and Begins and Ends With ‘A’ Productions

  • Kara Ramlow, Alma, Chance Theater

  • Kris Kataoka, Once, Curtis Theatre

  • Masako Tobaru, Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

 

Outstanding Scenic Design

  • Christopher Scott Murillo, Alma, Chance Theater

  • Jon Gaw, Once, Curtis Theatre

  • Kristin Campbell Coyne, Tiny Beautiful Things, Chance Theater

  • Michael Serna, Killer Joe, Costa Mesa Playhouse

  • Teddy Pagee, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

 

Outstanding Sound Design

  • Eric Backus, Gloria, Chance Theater

  • James Markoski, Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Lia Weed, Sweeney Todd, Chance Theater

  • Melanie Falcón, Alma, Chance Theater

  • Thor Fay, Once, Curtis Theatre

 

Outstanding Choreography

  • Charna Lopez, All Shook Up, Yorba Linda Spotlight Players

  • Jennifer Kornswiet, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

  • Kelsie Blackwell, Once, Curtis Theatre

  • Mo Goodfellow, Sweeney Todd, Chance Theater

  • Sabrina Harper, Alice by Heart, No Square Theatre

 

Outstanding Music Direction

  • Christopher W. Smith, All Shook Up, Yorba Linda Spotlight Players

  • Jennifer Schniepp, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

  • Lex Leigh, Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Lex Leigh, Sweeney Todd, Chance Theater

  • Patrick Copeland, Once, Curtis Theatre

 

Outstanding Projection Design

  • Jonathan Infante, Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life, Curtis Theatre and Begins and Ends With ‘A’ Productions

  • Kristin Campbell Coyne and James Markoski, Jane Austen’s Emma, the Musical, Chance Theater

  • Nick Santiago, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Chance Theater

  • Nick Santiago, Sweeney Todd, Chance Theater

  • Victoria Serra, 33 Variations, Costa Mesa Playhouse

 

Outstanding Prop Design

  • Amanda Hallman and Colin Lawrence, Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life, Curtis Theatre and Begins and Ends With ‘A’ Productions, Properties Designer

  • Bebe Herrera, Sweeney Todd, Chance Theater, Props Director

  • Bonnie-Lyn Montano, The Mother F*cker with the Hat, The Wayward Artist, Properties Designer

  • Jim Lowe & Kelsey Lowe, Puffs, Alchemy Theatre Company, Props Master

  • Joe Lauderdale, The Children, The Wayward Artist, Properties Designer

 

Outstanding Fight Direction

  • David Rodriguez, Killer Joe, Costa Mesa Playhouse, Fight Director

  • Martin Noyes, Alma, Chance Theater, Fight Director

  • Matthew M. Hayashi, Abyss, The Larking House, Fight Director

 

Outstanding Wig/Hair Design

  • Adriana Rodriguez Burciaga, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Larking House, Hair Designer

  • Cliff Senior, In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play), Costa Mesa Playhouse, Wig Designer

  • Jeff Weeks, A Doll’s House, Part 2, STAGEStheatre, Wig and Hair Designer

 

Notable Outstanding Achievement

  • Adriana Rodriguez Burciaga, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Larking House, Makeup Designer

  • Craig Holland, Birdbrain, The Wayward Artist, Playwright

  • Eric Eberwein, Peace Be With You, The Wayward Artist, Playwright

  • Genevieve Kauper, Abyss, The Larking House, Makeup Designer

  • Sarah Leonard, Into the Woods,  Jstage, Puppet Designer

‘One Jewish Boy’ at Atwater Village Theatre

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West Coast premiere of ‘One Jewish Boy’ will
open Echo Theater Company’s 2025 season

LOS ANGELES (February 10, 2025) — Navigating any relationship is difficult enough. What happens when you factor in politics and rising prejudice? Echo Theater Company presents the West Coast premiere of One Jewish Boy by British playwright Stephen Laughton, a biting, bittersweet story of two young people in love confronted with the world’s unpredictable cruelty. Echo artistic director Chris Fields directs the six-week run at Atwater Village Theatre (replacing the previously announced production of Flight). Performances take place March 22 through April 28, with three Pay-What-You-Want previews are set for March 19, March 20 and March 21.

A love story set over a decade, One Jewish Boy stars Zeke Goodman, last seen at the Echo in Hooded, or Being Black for Dummies, as Jesse, a nice Jewish boy from North London. Jesse falls hopelessly for Alex, a young woman of mixed race played by Sharae Foxie, whose credits include the Sundance award-winning crime comedy I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore. The love between Jesse and Alex is real, pure and absolute — but Jesse has never been able to shake off the memory of a traumatic event that changed him forever. Can the fear of hatred be worse than the hate itself?

“These two people are crazy for each other, but their relationship is threatened by internalized hate,” says Fields. “How do you stay in love in a world that is thrusting its malevolence at us? The theme of this play is how to hold on to love.”

WHAT:
Echo Theater Company presents the West Coast premiere of One Jewish Boy, a funny, biting, bittersweet story about two young people in love who are faced with the world’s unpredictable cruelty. Jesse, a nice Jewish boy from North London, falls hopelessly for Alex, a young woman of mixed race. Navigating any relationship is difficult enough. What happens when you factor in politics and rising prejudices?

WHO:
• Written by Stephen Laughton
• Directed by Chris Fields
• Starring Sharae Foxie and Zeke Goodman
• Presented by The Echo Theater Company, Chris Fields artistic director

WHEN:
March 19 through April 28
• Previews: March 19–March 21: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m.
• Performances: March 22–April 28: Fridays and Mondays at 8 p.m. / Saturdays at 7 p.m. / Sundays at 4 p.m. plus three Thursdays at 8 p.m.: April 10, April 17, April 24

WHERE:
Echo Theater Company
Atwater Village Theatre
3269 Casitas Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90039

PARKING:
FREE in the Atwater Crossing (AXT) lot one block south of the theater.

TICKET PRICES:
• Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays: $38
• Thursdays: $20
• Mondays and Previews: Pay–What–You–Want

HOW:
www.EchoTheaterCompany.com
(747) 350-8066

THESE SHINING LIVES at the Actors Co-op Crossley Theatre

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The award-winning Actors Co-op Theatre Company is proud to present

THESE SHINING LIVES
Written by Melanie Marnich, directed by Thom Babbes and produced by Crystal Yvonne Jackson.
In These Shining Lives, women in the 1920s are thrilled to earn high wages doing the delicate work of painting iridescent dials on watch faces in a factory in the Midwest. Catherine, a mother of twins, eagerly joins the workforce, but as she grows older, she and her coworkers discover that they all suffer from radium poisoning. Despite their deteriorating health, they courageously take action against the watch company.

THESE SHINING LIVES
February 21 – March 30, 2025
Fridays and Saturdays 7:30pm, Sundays at 2:30 pm
Additional Saturday Matinees March 1 and March 15 at 2:30pm
Tickets: Adults: $35, Seniors (60 & over) $30, Students w/ ID: $25.00, Union Members:
$25.00. Student Rush Tickets available Friday Nights (except opening nights), Group Rates, and Season Subscriptions are available. For ticket information visit www.actorsco-op.org or call the box office at (323) 462-8460.
Actors Co-op Crossley Theatre is located at 1760 N. Gower Street, Hollywood 90028 (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood). Free Lot Parking on Carlos.

CRAZY MAMA at Rubicon Theatre Company

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Rubicon Theatre Company of Ventura Presents

the World Premiere Drama

CRAZY MAMA

A True Story of Love & Madness

By Sharon Scott Williams

March 26th – April 6th, 2025

Starring Acclaimed Stage & Screen Actress Linda Purl

Directed by Golden Globe Nominee Anson Williams

March 6, 2025 (Ventura, CA) – RUBICON THEATRE, Ventura County’s premier professional not-for-profit theatre company, committed to providing entertainment, enrichment and educational opportunities for local residents and visitors, continues its blockbuster 2024/2025 Dare to Dream Season with the World Premiere of CRAZY MAMA: A TRUE STORY OF LOVE & MADNESS, written by Ojai resident SHARON SCOTT WILLIAMS. This deeply personal, darkly funny, and profoundly moving solo play will run March 26 – April 6, 2025, at Rubicon’s intimate Karyn Jackson Theatre, 1006 E. Main Street, located in Ventura’s Downtown Cultural District. The production is directed by Golden Globe nominee ANSON WILLIAMS (“Happy Days” and “Melrose Place”/”Beverly Hills 90210” as director), and stars celebrated stage and screen actress LINDA PURL (“Happy Days”, “Matlock,” “The Office,” “Homeland,” “True Blood”). Purl returns to Rubicon for her ninth production with the company, calling the theatre her “West Coast artistic home.” This one-woman, 16-character, tour-de-force is about a daughter’s decades-long dream of saving her mother from the soul-crushing grip of mental illness. A testament to the steely resilience of the human heart and the enduring nature of hope, Crazy Mama will leave audiences breathless, moved, and inspired.

MARCH 26 – APRIL 6 (Low-Priced Previews Mar. 26 – 28/Press Opening Mar. 29)

 
Perf. Schedule: Wed. at 2 and 7 p.m., Thurs. at 7 p.m., Fri. at 7 p.m., Sat. at 2 and 7 p.m., Sun at 2 p.m. 
 
Prices: $25 – $84.50 (price includes $5 processing fee); Discounts for Subscribers, Students, Military and Equity
Tickets: (805) 667-2900 www.rubicontheatre.org  
Rubicon Theatre Company is located in The Karyn Jackson Theatre at 1006 E. Main Street in Ventura’s
Downtown Cultural District.
For more information about Rubicon Theatre Company, or to purchase tickets, call (805) 667-2900 or go to
www.rubicontheatre.org.
Supported in part by the SHERI AND LES BILLER FAMILY FOUNDATION
 
Acclaimed actress Linda Purl plays 16 characters in this tour-de-force about a young girl’s decades-long dream of saving her mother from the soul-crushing grip of mental illness. Laced with humor and pathos, Crazy Mama is a true story inspired by Ojai resident Sharon Scott Williams’ award-winning memoir, directed by veteran stage and television director and producer Anson Williams. A testament to the steely resilience of the human heart and the enduring nature of hope, Crazy Mama will leave you breathless, moved, and profoundly inspired. 

CABARET at Scherr Forum Theatre at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center

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5-STAR THEATRICALS
Presents the First Show of its 2025 Season…
CABARET
Book by Joe Masteroff
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Based on the play by John Van Druten and the stories of Christopher Isherwood
Musical Direction by Gregory Nabours
Choreography by Clarice Ordaz
Directed by Michael Matthews

“In Here, Life is Beautiful…” beginning Friday, March 14 in the
Scherr Forum Theatre at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center!

OPENS: FRIDAY, MARCH 14 at 7:30pm (press opening) and runs through
SUNDAY, MARCH 30 at 1:00pm
Performances are Thursdays & Fridays at 7:30pm; Saturdays at 1:00pm and
7:30pm; Sundays at 1:00pm
BANK OF AMERICA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER –
SCHERR FORUM THEATRE
2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd, in Thousand Oaks
Tickets range from $68 – $95
For tickets, please call (805) 449-2787.
For theatre information, call (805) 449-ARTS (2787) or buy online at
www.5startheatricals.com.
Student, Senior and Group discounts are available.

Musical Review: Bat Boy: The Musical

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A boy with pointy ears and fangs found in a cave, a seductive mother mourning her kids, and a disturbing case of sexual abuse by a colony of bats. Hey, the story comes from a supermarket tabloid, what can you expect?

If that’s not bizarre enough, the story has been turned into a musical. But do not expect a production with the vampiric and Gothic looks of Tim Burton’s style. Director Pat Towne chooses a more vanilla approach to present the story. The color palette leans more towards the pastel tones, moving away from the dark colors usually associated with horror or mystery themes. The choices in this case bring out the comedic aspect of the play. The hilarity is present even in the most dramatic scenes.

Ron (Isaac Council), Rick (Ethan Remez–Cott), and Ruthie (Sandra Kate Burck) are exploring a cave when they find Bat Boy (Ben Raanan), hiding in the shadows. Bat Boy bites Ruthie, who is taken to the hospital. Meanwhile, Ron and Rick take Bat Boy to Dr. Parker (Scott Mosenson), the local veterinarian. Moved by compassion, Meredith (Robyn Roth), Dr. Parker’s wife, takes Bat Boy under her wing and teaches him English, how to dress, and how to behave politely. She also gives him a name: Edgar. As for Shelley (Bethany Koulias), Dr. Parker’s teenage daughter, she feels disgusted by Edgar’s appearance and screams. But just like King Kong, Beauty and the Beast, and The Shape of Water, the pretty girl and the monster fall in love with each other. Shelley and Edgar let sexual instincts take over, without realizing the tragedies that lie ahead.

Even though the story might not be that compelling—all it’s a fantastical tale—the director and his actors make sure to deliver a visceral comedy with hints of humanism and compassion. At the end, the production proves to be a decadent display of dark humor, presenting themes of religion, discrimination, and ferality in humans.

The musical numbers lighten the darkness of the topics depicted in the play. The music is rather poppy, something similar to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”, a pop song mocking the horror genre. In Bat Boy: The Musical, not only the horror genre is mocked, religion and society at large are also targeted.

For example, the gathering for the revival, a celebration to renew Christian devotion, is an opportunity for the residents of the small town to practice some good Christian heart and accept Edgar without any fear, ending his punishing ostracism. Encouraged by the benevolent Reverend Hightower (Chima Rok), the residents seem to finally accept Edgar into the community.

However, a jealous Dr. Parker turns the residents against Edgar, blaming him for the death of Ruthie. In a strange form of “baby envy”, Dr. Parker can’t stand the fact that his wife Meredith is now paying more attention to Edgar. In a fit of rage, Dr. Parker kills Ruthie with a lethal injection, blaming Edgar’s biting as the cause of her death. Long story short, the Christian revival turns into a fight, a renewed call to kill Edgar, and the killing of Rick by Dr. Parker. Yes, two and counting for him. Adding bizarreness to the scene is the dramatic, almost orgasmic mourning of Rick and Ruthie’s mom, Mrs. Taylor (Rebecca Larsen), who demands the immediate killing of Edgar. Revival of Christian values? Not so much. It’s so chaotic that even the Reverend takes flight, but not without his lectern.

The set. Minimalist. The attention here is the excellent acting and the sensationalist story. The lighting. The contrast and the hues add mood and intensity to the story, highlighting the emotional state of the characters. The special effects show the creativity of the team to impact the comedy of the play. Even the gang bang by the bats is hilarious.

Towne brings the absurdity of Weekly World News to the stage in mesmerizing fashion. His cast and creative team achieve a one-of-a-kind production, with excellent live music to energize the ambiance in every musical number. This musical is a testament that even tragedies can be highly entertaining. Add bats and fangs to the mixture and you have a hybrid of Batman and Dracula. And that’s a proven win.

Bat Boy: The Musical

Atwater Village Theatre
3269 Casitas Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90039
• FREE parking in the ATX (Atwater Crossing) lot one block south of the theater.

• Performances: March 1 through April 6:
• Click here to view the performance schedule, which varies throughout the run.

Tickets: openfist.org

Book by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming. Music and Lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe. Directed by Pat Towne. Amanda Weier and Christian Lebano co-produce for Open Fist Theatre Company. Presented by Open Fist Theatre Company, Martha Demson, artistic director.

Cast: Ben Raanan, Sandra Kate Burck, Isaac Council, Hutchins Foster, Carmella Jenkins, Bethany Koulias, Michael Lanahan, Rebecca Larsen, Amir Levi, Scott Mosenson, Ethan Remez–Cott,  Ziare Rene, Beth Robbins, Chima Rok, Robyn Roth and Grace Soens.

Creative team: Scenic designer Brad Bentz; lighting designer Brandon Baruch; sound designer Christopher Moscatiello and mixer Alex Hix; costume designer Michael Mullen; and graphic designer D. Morris. The production stage manager is John Dimitri.

THE BAND:
Mike Flick – Bass
Jim Miller -Drums
Sean Paxton – Keyboards
Kevin Tiernan – Guitar

Theatre Review: Four Women in Red

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During the 90s and 00s, the world centered their attention on the hundreds of women murdered in Ciudad Juárez, right on the U.S.-Mexico border. However, there is less media attention on a similar situation that has been altering the lives of many families here in America.

Playwright Laura Shamas exposes the traumatic ordeal of the families who navigate the bureaucracy and indifference of the authorities when Native American women go missing. During the opening scene, four women are sitting at the Sheriff’s office, waiting for news about their loved ones. Lynda (Carolyn Dunn) and her daughter Jo (Harriette Feliz) have reported the disappearance of Sara, Lynda’s daughter. Sadie (Zoey Reyes) is expecting news about her former girlfriend, Becky, who went missing recently. And Marie’s (Jehnean Washington) niece and a cousin are also missing.

From there, the exposition of the characters tells us that Sadie still cares about Becky. Marie has a a podcast, and Lynda is also very concern about the safety of her daughter Jo, a young woman who is also at risk of being kidnapped and murdered. The women complaint about the so-called “man camps”, the temporary housing units set up by oil companies near Native American reservations. The workers living in these man camps are rarely prosecuted if they commit crimes against Native women. But there’s more than just man camps that are troubling for these women. In the case of Lynda’s missing daughter, there is something far more sinister and complicated, something that involves international organized crime.

Left pretty much alone by the authorities, the four women decide to take matters into their own hands. With some leads, they collaborate with other women to organize search expeditions. These expeditions are similar to the ones undertaken by the families of the missing women of Juárez and Mexico in general, where more than 60 collectives of relatives have found multiple bodies of murdered people, originally reported as missing.

The four women in the play try to help each other, but under duress, even the best intentions are put to the test and their unity is soon replaced by distrust and resentment. Lynda and Jo receive some news from the Sheriff’s office, but they need to keep it to themselves. Unable to share the news with Sadie and Marie, their relationships start to crumble. The conflict and emotions are effectively used by Harrison to display the disruption of human behavior when faced by uncertainty.

Director Jeanette Harrison uses the limited elements available—The Victory is an intimate theatre, so there’s not much space for props or set design, although there a few creative set changes in between—to convey the different scenarios in the script, the search missions being the most challenging scenes to stage.

Harrison and her thespians are able to recreate the tension, drama, and anxiety depicted in Shamas’ story to magnify the epidemic of violence and murder afflicting the Native communities. The play references some laws that have been enacted to protect the Native women and enhance their safety. One of those laws is Savana’s Act, passed in 2020, aimed at improving the government’s response to missing or murdered Indigenous people. This law was enacted after the murder of Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, a pregnant member of the Spirit Lake Tribe who was killed when her baby was ripped from her womb. Savana died, but her baby girl survived miraculously and is now living with her father.

Underfunding, discrimination, indifference, and lack of media attention are some of the reasons why people don’t know much about the missing and murdered cases of Indigenous women. To complicate things even further, when searching and solving cases of missing Native women, authorities and families have to navigate the intricacies of federal government, state government, and tribal government, a jurisdictional maze that causes many cases to just fall into oblivion.

Four Women in Red is a powerful story that contributes to raise awareness of this critical issue. The four actresses deliver a moving message of empathy and solidarity in a time of need. It’s a play that has to be seen to really understand the nature and urgency of the situation. And hopefully, like in the case of Marie’s podcast, this play can help spread the word and call for action.

Four Women in Red

The Victory Theatre Centre
3326 W Victory Blvd
Burbank, CA 91505

Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. / Sundays at 4 p.m.
• Previews: Feb. 8 and Feb. 9
• Performances: Feb. 14 (International Day of Action for #MMIW) through March 23

Tickets: https://thevictorytheatrecenter.org/

Written by Laura Shamas (Chickasaw Nation). Directed by Jeanette Harrison (Onondaga). Produced by Maria Gobetti and Evan Bartoletti. Presented by The Victory Theatre Center.

Starring Carolyn Dunn (Tunica-Choctaw/Biloxi, Mvskoke), Harriette Feliz (Chumash), Zoey Reyes (Dinéh and Chicana), Jehnean Washington (Yuchi, Seminole and Shoshone)

Creative team: Costume designer Lorna Bowen (Muscogee Creek Nation, Seminole and Cherokee); lighting designer Grayson Basina (Ojibwe); production designer Evan Bartoletti; sound designer Jose Medrano Velazquez; graphic designer Nipinet Landsem (Ojibwe and Michif, descendant of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and a citizen of the Manitoba Métis Federation); dramaturg Gail Bryson; and photographer Tim Sullens. The associate producer is Lisa Lokelani Lechuga and the stage manager is Ngan Ho-Lemoine.

Theatre Review: Tick, Tick… BOOM!

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When to quit? When to keep fighting? Luc Clopton shines as Jon, the struggling artist pursuing a career in musical theatre in Jonathan Larson‘s Tick, Tick… BOOM!

Director H. Adam Harris has a script and three actors to create a full production. Throughout the play, he demonstrates a special talent to make his actors radiate the excitement of big dreams and the unnerving desperation of unrealized success. The three actors show their mastery in singing, dancing, and acting, delivering a dazzling performance to remember.

Clopton digs deep into Jon’s insecurities, making the audience feel the anguish of a latent failure that would shatter his dreams into pieces. As music and singing are instruments to express and amplify the hopes and insecurities of the human race, Clopton hits all the notes to display the conflicting emotions inside an artist who feels his success so close, but so far at the same time. As for Lena Ceja as Susan and Mario Houle as Michael, their performances exhibit the richness of Larson’s skills to elevate the main character, giving him the encouragement and the challenges needed to develop the drama and get the audience emotionally invested. Ceja is exceptionally lively, adding dynamism to her character. An actress ready to take a protagonist role on stage.

Harris succeeds in building the crescendo to reach the pivotal scenes where Susan tells Jon she’s leaving and Michael reveals he’s dying. Those circumstances push Jon to the limit and forces him to make a decision. This is a master class on getting the audience drawn into the story and invested in the characters. By the time Jon sings “Why”, the audience is already fully immersed in Jon’s struggles, rooting for him. A consolidation of the great work of writer, director, and actor.

Much of the success of this production is the direction. Harris connects all the elements to create a seamless flow, giving the three characters the necessary richness to form a solid case to make them interesting and likable.

The play is moving for a variety of reasons. The story travels. People feel easily identified with the characters. Jon is happy pursuing his dreams, but the elusive success keeps haunting him so much that he’s on the brink of giving up. Susan is a supporting girlfriend, but she’s also getting older and wants to settle down. Although Michael gives up his acting dreams, he is a great friend to Jon, always there for him to help him and encourage him to keep fighting. But as it happens often, life can be a cruel irony. Theatre reflecting life.

Although the themes of fighting for a dream and losing someone dear make this story highly relatable, it’s Harris’ direction what ensures that the artistic elements are finely calibrated to capture the emotions, anxieties, and hopes of the characters, mirroring the captivating integration of song and story as written so effectively in Larson’s poignant script. This production is another example of the Chance Theater’s commitment to bring meaningful and exceptional stories to the stage.

Tick, Tick… BOOM!

CHANCE THEATER
Bette Aitken theater arts Center on the Cripe Stage
5522 E La Palma Ave
Anaheim, CA 92807

Opening Night: Saturday, February 1 at 8 p.m.
Performances: January 24 – February 23, 2025
Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. & Sundays at 3 p.m.

Tickets: chancetheater.com

Book, Music & Lyrics by Jonathan Larson
Script Consultation by David Auburn
Vocal Arrangements and Orchestrations by Stephen Oremus

Direction by H. Adam Harris, with music direction by Lex Leigh and choreography by Niko
Montelibano
Executive Producers are Susan Bowman & Freddie Greenfield and Steven & Louise Koch

Cast: Luc Clopton as Jon. Lena Ceja as Susan. Mario Houle as Michael.

Creative team: Scenic Designers Fred Kinney and Mio Okada. Costume Designer Bruce Goodrich. Lighting Designer Jacqueline Malenke. Sound Designer Hunter Moody. Stage Manager Jordan Jones. Dramaturg and Assistant Director Jane Broderson. Sound Engineer James Markoski.  Assistant Director Aaron Lipp. Intimacy Coordinator Shinshin Yuder Tsai.

Theatre Review: Evanston Salt Costs Climbing

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With its mixture of reality, fiction, and loose ends, Evanston is not an easy play to stage. However, under the brilliant direction of Guillermo Cienfuegos and a talented cast, Will Arbery‘s characters come to life to offer an amusing story about…salt and technology.

There is, of course, more than just salt and technology. Basil (Hugo Armstrong) and Peter (Michael Redfield) work in the Department of Public Works, salting the roads during snow season in the city of Evanston, Illinois. Peter seems depressed and thinks about death constantly. Basil is from Greece. He has a secret that bothers him a lot. Their boss is Jane (Lesley Fera). Basil and Jane are engaging in some sexual shenanigans.  Jane has a 31-year-old daughter, Jane Jr. (Kaia Gerber), who is insecure and suicidal. Basil talks about a lady in a purple hat who appears at times during the play. The story sounds simple and straightforward, until it doesn’t.

The scenes then turn topsy-turvy, jumping from reality to the surreal. And that’s where our imagination kicks in. The minimal exposition of the characters and their existential crises converge to make some kind of sense, but it’s up to the audience to connect the dots and find the explanation of the mayhem seen on stage. And that might be the value of this play. It seems as if Arbery didn’t just write a play to hypnotize the audience. Arbery wants the spectator to collaborate with him to write the story together. The relationship then becomes a clash between writer and audience. As an agent provocateur, Arbery shakes the spectators to get them out of their comfort zone and allow them to construct the drama and find the solution of the story. The dramatic elements are scattered around in an open form, and it’s the audience who solves the puzzle. An amusing challenge to say the least.

The play could’ve been flat and boring as an experimental piece. Fortunately, Cienfuegos excites the elements and the characters become a spectacular display of dysfunctional personalities on the verge of self-destruction, with plenty of drama and comedy in between to engage and entertain. To heighten the experience, Scenic Designer Mark Mendelson uses a variety of elements and effects to convey the snowy surroundings and the fantastical allusions described in the play.

One can imagine that the director and actors had to work a bit harder to find the motivations that drive the story and the characters. This is because the play looks like an open story, somehow like Luis Buñuel‘s films and Edward Albee‘s plays, with absurdist situations and strange characters with no apparent direction. But with his usual magic touch, Cienfuegos takes the script and turns it into a dynamic expression that uses physical and verbal comedy as a vehicle to express the abstract truths of the story and infuse the characters with a thrilling aura of surrealism to compliment Arbery’s fantasy-reality dualism.

One of the themes in the play is the advancement of technology and the displacement of certain jobs. As a new technology with heated roads threatens Basil and Peter’s jobs, Jane tries to save their jobs, although she gets a better position for herself. Not much hope for Basil and Peter, but that’s how the story goes, at times reflecting our pressing reality, such as AI, a threat for some, an opportunity for others.

In a series of scenes, Arbery gives his characters some kind of backstory to justify their actions. Those revelations however, are not detailed enough to project Peter and Basil as fully developed characters. This might be intentional to force the audience to fill in the blanks in that exercise of solving the puzzle together.

To emphasize the absurdist tone of the play, Arbery adds a strange case of entity fusionism. Basil tells Peter of a dream where he and his grandma experience a close encounter with each other. The description is shocking and surreal, a symbolic instance similar to the one experienced by Montero in Carlos Fuentes‘ fantastical novel Aura, a bit different, but using sexuality as a projection of grander themes.

One aspect that makes this production an exciting experience is the superb acting. The four thespians play their parts with passion and give the characters a suspenseful sense of despair and hope, always holding on for dear life. Armstrong, Redfield, and Fera are a display of talented stage experience, contributing to create emotional, dysfunctional, and engaging performances to make this complex story work. As for Gerber, she exhibits depth and commitment to the craft. She has a commanding stage presence, moving easily between drama and comedy, delivering her lines with conviction and offering a moving performance, hinting even a career in music? She’s a rising stage star and a refreshing addition to the theatre scene.

In trying to define Evanston, we can say that the play features themes of new technology, guilt, insecurities, suicidal tendencies, human relationships, and a whole lot of salt. But it is the audience who build, define, and find the beauty in the abstract world of Will Arbery.

Evanston Salt Costs Climbing

Rogue Machine (in the Matrix Theatre)
7657 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90046

Opening: 8pm on Saturday, January 25, 2025
Schedule: 8pm Fridays, Saturdays, Mondays; 3pm Sundays
(No performances on Monday January 27, February 10)
Closing: March 9, 2025

Tickets: roguemachinetheatre.org

Written by Will Arbery. Directed by Guillermo Cienfuegos. Assistant Director: Hall McCurdy. Produced by Justin Okin. Associate Producer: Athena Saxon. A Rogue Machine Production.

Cast: Hugo Armstrong as Basil. Lesley Fera as Jane Maiworm. Kaia Gerber as Jane Jr. Michael Redfield as Peter.

Creative team: Mark Mendelson (Scenic Design), Dan Weingarten (Lighting Design), Chris Moscatiello (Sound Design), Christine Cover Ferro (Costume Design), Jenine MacDonald (Prop Design), Michelle Hanzelova-Bierbauer (Projection Design), Victoria Hoffman (Casting), Myrna Gawryn (Movement Director/Intimacy Coordinator), Rachel Ann Manheimer (Stage Manager), Grant Gerrard (Technical Director).