Category Archives: Theatre

Theatre Review: A TIME TO KILL

Posted on by

In appearance, A Time to Kill seems to reinforce the White savior concept. Despite that element in the narrative, it’s a realistic picture of the prevalent racial power dynamics in the justice system. The time and place of the story help us understand why a White lawyer is necessary to save a Black man’s fate.

1984, Clanton, Mississippi. Tonya Hailey, a ten-year-old Black girl, is savagely raped, tortured, and beaten by Pete Willard (Troy Whitaker) and Billy Ray Cobb (Adam Mattson), two White neo-Confederates driving around town in a pickup truck. The two men are arrested, and after their bond hearing, they’re both gunned down by Carl Lee Hailey (Sherrick O’Quinn), Tonya’s father. With limited economic resources, Carl asks Jake Brigance (Hudson Long), a young White attorney, to represent him in his murder case. After a deep discount, Jake takes the case.

Helping Jake on this legal challenge are Lucien Wilbanks (Michael C. Mahon), a disbarred drunk lawyer, and Ellen Roark (Anica Petrovic), a smart law student who develops a romantic interest in a faithfully married Jake. Lucien suggests using insanity as the basis for his defense. The prosecutor is Rufus Buckley (Mark Stancato), an ambitious District Attorney who hopes to further his political career by winning this case. Presiding this case is Judge Omar Noose (Neil Thompson). As the Ku Klux Klan closes in on Jake to intimidate him and the more resourceful NAACP tries to take over the defense, the loyalty and trust between Carl and Jake is challenged. With his freedom and life on the line, Carl now has to decide whether to stick with Jake or allow the NAACP to represent him.

Despite some inaccuracies of the legal procedures depicted, John Grisham gives A Time to Kill all the necessary ingredients to make it a compelling story. Tom Lazarus executes the play in a riveting depiction of reversals and fights against time. The stage adaptation by Rupert Holmes doesn’t include some of the characters and events mentioned in the book, but the play keeps the hectic and exciting pace of Grisham’s writing. The success of the play, of course, relies on the interpretation of the director. Lazarus keeps the emotions flowing with the twists and turns of a plot which centers around the mutual trust developed between the main characters. With dynamic blocking and solid performances, Lazarus gives this play that sense of urgency and empathy that keeps the audience rooting for the characters. Stancato shines as the aggressive DA. He adds relentless ambition and even charm to his character, a unique duality to his interpretation. O’Quinn depicts the desperation and criticality of a man whose fate hangs by a thread in incredible circumstances. He’s another USC graduate making the rounds in the local theatre scene. As for Long, he carries the story with the conviction of a lawyer facing physical danger and professional risk. He goes to that place where his character experiences vulnerability and the mythic transformation that will determine his utter failure or pivotal success. As a supporting role, Holmes delivers a remarkable performance, expressing the pain and susceptibility of a broken mother and wife in a precarious situation. Her presence and fine acting skills add a magnetic touch to this production. Overall, the cast and the direction energize the play, making it relevant and exciting to watch. It’s a story of survival. It’s a story of power dynamics. And it’s also a story of change.

As a trained attorney and writer, Grisham knows how to play with motivations and emotions, bending the actual legal procedures at times to advance a story, but always with the aim to entertain a wide audience. A defense strategy looking for a non-guilty decision based on insanity would send the defendant to a mental institution, most likely for life. Regardless, Grisham is one of most prolific and successful writers, having sold over 300 million copies of his books. His experience gives him a unique perspective about the legal and not so legal activities that happen in the courtrooms. Raised in Mississippi, he has also seen first hand the complex realities of racial tension and the outcomes of a biased justice system, but also the possibilities and opportunities of a change. In this respect, Lazarus’ production pictures those nuances in an eloquent and entertaining manner. Long nails the compelling closing argument, inviting the jury to challenge their perception on humanity and race, as if invoking a wind of change.

This is a special opportunity for the audience to experience Grisham with excellent casting and direction. It’s a vivid representation of what goes down in the South from the perspective of an insider. Celebrating their 53rd anniversary, The Group Rep and Producer Stevie Stern honor a celebrated author with an appealing production that explores the depths of human brutality and the extraordinary efforts to uphold the law above all.

A Time to Kill

The Group Rep Theatre – Main Stage (First Floor)
10900 Burbank Blvd.
North Hollywood 91601

May 22 – June 28, 2026
Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm; Sundays at 2:00pm

Tickets: thegrouprep.com

Adapted for the stage by award-winning playwright Rupert Holmes. Directed by Tom Lazarus. Produced for the Group Rep by Stevie Stern.

Cast: Patrick Anthony, Reed Michael Campbell, Dominic Ryan Gabriel, Jennifer C. Holmes, Hudson Long, Michael C. Mahon, Adam Mattson, Rosney Mauger, Sherrick O’Quinn, Anica Petrovic, James Lawrence Powell, Steve Rozic, Mark Stancato, Neil Thompson, Sandra Tucker, Troy Whitaker, and Steve Young.

Creative team: Tom Lazarus (Set Design), Noemi Barrera (Lighting Design), Shon LeBlanc (Costume Design), Avi Kipper (Sound Design), Alex Salkin (Property Master), Doug Haverty (Graphic Design), Lee Redmond (Set Build Foreman).

Theatre Review: SANCTUARY CITY

Posted on by

Taking from her own experiences as an immigrant, Martyna Majok‘s play exposes two characters in the immigration experience: The winners and losers, and the profound feelings in between.

B (Spike Pulice) is in high school. Both him and his mom are undocumented. His classmate G (Vicky Yvonne) is also undocumented, but gains citizenship through her mom. Due to the body marks left by the physical abuse of her mom’s boyfriend, G has to miss several days of school. To escape the abuse, G stays at B’s apartment occasionally. Afraid of getting arrested and deported, B’s mom decides to go back to her home country, asking B if he wants to go with her, or stay behind by himself.

Set in the early 2000s, right after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, B and G live in Newark, New Jersey, a city that has experienced a dramatic racial shift over the past 70 years. During that period, the White population shrank from 82% to 22%. The African American population grew from 17% to 48% during the same period. Even though there are not specific numbers for Latino residents during the 1950s, city census records showed that a small number of Latinos were living in Newark at the time. In contrast, the census from 2020 shows that the Latino or Hispanic population grew exponentially to around 36%, the majority of them from Puerto Rico, Ecuador, and Dominican Republic. These figures are significant to have a better picture of the city’s racial composition, although Majok does not disclose the race of the characters.

Navigating the anti-immigrant paranoia unleashed after 9/11 and the challenges of their personal lives, B and G grow closer together. They support each other in their darkest times. They even come up with a plan to get B his papers. What seems like an unbreakable bond, however, changes drastically once G gets her citizenship and decides to go to college in Boston on a scholarship. While B tries to stay in school, he also has to work to make ends meet. Time and distance do their thing, and feeling left behind, B explores other options, until he is forced to make a final decision.

Director Oánh Nguyễn keeps the incredible kinetics of the first part of the play, micro scenes where the actors keep moving around in a pretty much empty stage. The pacing builds up the tension, and one can imagine the intense work needed to remember all the scenes with the blocking and dialogue involved. It’s an extraordinary display of coordination and memory. During the second part, the pacing subsides and the play takes a more traditional approach. This creates a space that frames the resonance of the message. At this point, Henry (Jonathan Keyes) is introduced, creating new layers to the story, adding hope, stress, and pushing the main character over the edge.

The three actors shine in this play. Portraying such a delicate subject matter in a meaningful way, takes commitment and skills. The actors gravitate effortlessly towards the complex feelings of fear, fulfillment of dreams, and the cruelty of hard decisions. Pulice and Yvonne build up the emotional connection between the characters one scene at a time in the first part. This creates a more dramatic effect during the second part, making their fallout more painful. Keyes, in turn, is fantastic as the third wheel, a sophisticated character that might change B’s destiny. They’re a cohesive cast that make the characters credible and interesting.

With his extensive directorial experience, Nguyễn achieves a phenomenal production. The blocking and the work with his actors align fluidly with Majok’s rawness depiction of lives holding on to the American Dream. This staging is gripping and moving. It’s confrontational and conversational. You might fight it or come to terms with it, but the play represents the hopes, fears, and broken dreams of entire generations.

Talking about his great-grandfather’s migration from Ireland to America, Conan O’Brien said that sometimes it takes an entire lifetime just to get things started for the next generation to succeed. Sanctuary City shows that first generation, struggling to achieve that success. Some people make it, some people don’t. The winner takes it all, the loser has to fall, as the song goes. Will B achieve his dream, or will he get lost in the shadows?

Sanctuary City

Chance Theater @ Bette Aitken theater arts Center on the Fyda-Mar Stage
5522 E. La Palma Ave.
Anaheim, CA 92807

May 9 through May 31, 2026
Fridays at 8PM, Saturdays at 3PM & 8PM, and Sundays at 3PM

Tickets: chancetheater.com

Written by Martyna Majok
Directed by Oánh Nguyễn

Cast: Spike Pulice as B, Vicky Yvonne as G, and Jonathan Keyes as Henry.

Creative team: Scenic & Costume Designers – Mio Okada-Nunez and Fred Kinney, Lighting & Sound Designer – Andrew Hungerford, Stage Manager – Jordyn Nieblas-Galvan, Dramaturg – Jasmine Sunoo-Flanders, Assistant Director, Intimacy Coordinator, & Casting Director – Shinshin Yuder Tsai.

Theatre Review: EXIT THE KING

Posted on by

It could be an ecological alarm, or a chronicle of the despotic ways of the Nicolae Ceaușescus of the world, but at the end, Exit the King feels like an intimate reflection of the intriguing process of death.

It’s official. The King (Henri Lubatti) is going to die soon. Very soon, By the end of the play, his second wife (Joy DeMichelle) announces it so cold-heartedly. His second wife (Erika Soto), prone to partying and drinking, is devastated. The doctor (Ralph Cole Jr) knows of the King’s fate, and has no hesitation in telling him the truth. The King is not only dying, he is also losing grip on his kingdom. Nobody follows his orders, not even Alexa. His guard (Lynn Robert Berg) and servant (KT Vogt) are a reflection of the decaying kingdom.

Born in 1909, Playwright Eugène Ionesco grew up in a picturesque French village full of bloom and light. This landscape contrasted dramatically with the grimness and brutality of WWI, WWII, the Holocaust, and other tragic events of the first half of the 20th century To highlight that contrast and absurdity cleverly, Director Michael Michetti utilizes a clowning format that blends tragedy and comedy, two elements that bring out the eccentricities of the characters and the symbols they represent.

Each of the actors in this production make great use of physical comedy. This is a group of experienced actors that nail every beat. Lubatti, as the lead actor, is simply extraordinary. His ability to portray comedic arrogance, goofiness, and how he exteriorizes his inner transformation is one of a kind. Soto continues to add to her already impressive collection of great performances at A Noise Within. Her timing and physical comedy skills are at full display here, showing off the kind of talent that comes out of USC. The contribution of  DeMichelle, Cole Jr., Vogt, and Berg to the comedy and flamboyance of their characters defines the success of this production.

The clowning artifice implemented by Michetti in this production exemplifies the effective duality of the clown. The initial comedy that offers buffoonery and apparent superficiality progresses to a deeper philosophical tone; one that invites the audience to confront the reality that the end of life is an inevitable force of nature, whether we are royals or simple peasants. The King, with all of the power he once flaunted, is forced to face an abrupt change, both in terms of physical power and spiritual awakening. Within those depths, Ionesco delves into rebirth, transmigration, immutability, and the eternality of the Self.

The play, with its absurdity and symbology, is paired craftily with an austere and gloomy scenic design by Tesshi Nakagawa. The medieval and gothic design offers a dramatic contrast with the impressive lighting by Jared A. Sayeg. The visual representation of Bardo is striking; artistry that you can only experience in person. The costume design and makeup by Angela Balogh Calin and Tony Valdés respectively add a quirky touch to the playfulness and oddity of the characters.

Losing one’s kingdom might be hard, but facing death might be even harder, especially if your ex-wife and doctor keep reminding you of that. Despite the support and sexiness of his second wife, the King has to make some choices, sooner rather than later, as he doesn’t have much time. Will the crumbling world beneath his feet teach this arrogant King a lesson?

Exit the King

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

Performances May 9 – May 31:
• Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7: 30 p.m. / Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. (no Saturday matinee on May 9)

Tickets: anoisewithin.org

• Written by Eugène Ionesco
• Translated by Donald Watson
• Directed by Michael Michetti
• Starring Lynn Robert Berg, Ralph Cole Jr., Joy DeMichelle, Henri Lubatti, Erika Soto, KT Vogt
• Presented by A Noise Within, Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott, producing artistic directors

Creative team: Clowning consultant Matt Walker; scenic designer Tesshi Nakagawa; costume designer Angela Balogh Calin; lighting designer Jared A. Sayeg; sound designer Jeff Gardner; wig and makeup designer Tony Valdés; properties designer Stephen Taylor; and dramaturg Miranda Johnson-Haddad. The assistant director is Marco Rivera, and the production stage manager is Hope Matthews, assisted by Morgan McDonald.

Theatre Review: STUCK

Posted on by

With so much talk about mental health nowadays, a story like Stuck couldn’t be more timely. Playwright Jessica Goldberg captures the boredom, hopelessness, and lives left behind in small town America.

Lula (Mary-Clare Bone) and Margaritah (Michaela Leon) are close friends working a dead-end job at a video store in Middletown. Without much of a future before their eyes, all they can do is play games, drink beer, and smoke some colitas. Margaritah was married and had a baby called Olive, but her husband left them for someone else. Lula is single and on a dry spell. But suddenly, the stillness of their lives seem to change.

A strange guy comes into the video store, looking for a particular movie. His name is Jorge (Sebastian Senatore). He’s from Argentina, a peronista and a player. He invites Margaritah to go out on a date. She accepts and they end up having sex. Lula, in turn, hooks up with Charlie (Joshua Loren), the dad of one of her classmates. Just to paint a grimmer picture to Lula’s life, she also has an alcoholic mother (Stephanie Schultz) who refuses to go out; all she does is drink and watch TV. Unable to address the underlying issues affecting their lives, Margaritah and Lula are heading into a spiral of desperate actions to turn their lives around.

The play has some absurdist characteristics, like the peronista character Jorge, with the violent and revolutionary fame associated with them. and the little people that Margaritah and Lula claim to live inside them, people that have become evil according to Margaritah. These elements expand on the core themes of the story, exposing the lingering danger and mental health issues affecting the environment in which the characters live. Goldberg’s writing is exceptional in creating layers and connecting them cleverly.

The richness of the writing is translated into action effectively by the sharp direction of Amanda Bird. Her use of acting, lighting, stage design, and blocking is a titillating dramatization of the serious problems decimating our communities today: Depression, addiction, lack of opportunities, and mental health issues.

The lighting, created by Bird, creates depth and atmosphere, in cadence with the story and the characters. Any theatre student and professional designer should look at this production to see how to use your lights to create atmosphere and transitions as an aid in your storytelling. 

Also worth noting is the use of music. In one of the scenes between Lula and Charlie, Willie Nelson’s “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground” is played in the background. Subtle, but so powerful. Once you make the connection, the song has so much meaning, if you understand the lyrics and the connection to this story. The use of dirt, spread all over the stage, is also a symbolic and meaningful element, essential to the title and context of the play.

The acting, of course, is what brings the text alive. Schultz, as the alcoholic mom, exposes in visceral scenes the hopelessness of her character, ensuring the transmigration of her utter defeat to her daughter. Loren does his part as the cold and calculating older womanizer who sees the opportunity to take advantage of a woman as young as his daughter. Bird makes the smart decision of pairing up experienced thespians like Loren and Schultz with emerging talent as Bone, Leon, and Senatore. These three young actors show their commitment and dedication to the craft. They’re a new generation cutting their teeth in meaty and challenging plays like this one. Leon’s performance is brave and convincing, dissecting the complex layers of her character, showing her devastating journey to the bottom of the barrel.

By the way, as young as they are, Bone and Leon are the founders of Opia Theatre Company, a collective of playwrights, actors, and designers. They’re co-producers of this play. Amanda Bird, Founder and Artistic Director, along with Lynne Mannino, Co-Founder and Director of Development, are the creative forces behind The Nest, a nonprofit theater company and artist resource in Los Angeles, providing education, outreach, and resources to the artistic community.

Stuck is a poignant and relevant story. It’s thoughtful and fun at the same time. It has that raw and intimate feel that leaves a lasting impression. Make sure to check it out before it’s gone.  

STUCK

Noisy Nest
148 S. Doheny Dr
Beverly Hills, 90211

Performance Dates: 05/08 – 05/23 at 8:00pm. (Thursdays-Saturdays).
Understudy performances: 05/15, 05/21

Tickets: thenestla.org/stuck

Written by: Jessica Goldberg
Directed by: Amanda Bird
Produced by: Opia Theatre Company, The Nest.

Cast: Mary-Clare Bone, Michaela Leon, Joshua Loren, Sebastian Senatore, Stephanie Schultz, Understudies: Olivia Garrity, Jemma Williamson, Devin Reeve, Tomas Francois, Rin Olsson.

Creative team: Set Design – Amanda Bird & Ashley Murray, Lead Builder – Ashley Murray, Sound Design – Jacob Rubino, Wardrobe + Prop Master – Amanda Bird, Intimacy Choreographer – Holly Hubbel, Graphic Design – Mary-Clare Bone, Stage Manager – Norah Triebitz.

Theatre Review: CLARA VS. INFINITY

Posted on by

Does the universe have a limit, or is it a mass of stuff expanding in perpetuity? If you divide the circumference of a circle by its diameter, what do you get? Welcome to Pi and the world of irrational numbers. Welcome to Clara vs. Infinity.

With her mom’s credit card and some heartaches in her pocket, Clara takes a leap into the unknown, traveling by herself from Boston to Washington DC to compete in a Pi Recitation Bee. Coping with the complicated relationship with her father and his eventual suicide, Clara embarks on a bus trip to Washington with the intention to win the 10k prize to the person who can recite the most numbers of Pi. After all, she can recite more than 500. But would that be enough to win? Furthermore, can she do it without her mom finding out about the risky trip?

Similar to a road movie, the story involves a journey that is both physical and emotional. Sneaking out of the house, Clara pushes the limits, risking her own safety to help her overworked mom. The trip allows Clara to discover her weaknesses and strengths. The trip then becomes a personal development endeavor. Even though she is only a 12-year-old girl, the experience forces Clara to grow and come in contact with the world that is beyond her home.

Talking to his students, a Harvard Business School professor once said “look at the numbers, they will talk to you”. On a deeply personal level, the numbers also talk to Clara. As she reflects on the wonders of the universe, the numbers help her explore the concept of infinity. As curiosity and sadness sets in, the numbers become her companion to understand the world around her and make sense of her own life.

Meeting creepy, quirky, and friendly characters along the way, the trip turns into a passage of life, a transformation, and a deeper connection to her mom, and movingly enough, to her deceased dad.

It’s a deep, compelling, and intelligent script. Playwright Zack Rocklin-Waltch understands the concept of myth in a way that clicks with the audience brilliantly. It’s an examination of grief, self-discovery, and coming to terms with our own shortcomings. As painful as it might be, however, the whole ordeal turns into a worthwhile experience. I could’ve missed the pain, but I’d have had to miss the dance, as Garth Brooks sings in “The Dance”.

The script is paired with a superb direction by Jamie Gallo. Her actors are free to search deep into the motivations of the characters to find their inner truth. The blocking and the music are captivating. Gallo’s attention to detail is also evident in the set design (Kate Schaaf). And how about the costume design (Olivia Dakin)? It’s one of the first things you notice when the play is about to start. All of these details show how much love you put into a production. Kudos to the producers Bianca Akbiyik and Marie Bland for putting this play together so professionally.

The cast offer a deeply moving and enthralling performance that leaves a lasting impression. Kaylani Gaudart as Clara and Nikki McKenzie as mom are simply magnetic. Audrey Forman, seen before in Gloria at the Chance Theater, continues to deliver exciting performances, and this time she excels again as the wife with an internal disappointment that is affecting her life with her husband (Seth Gunawardena). Nina Romero, trained in Second City, is fantastic as well; her characterization adds a lot of flavor to the play. The whole cast is phenomenal; true artists creating moving poetry on stage.

Clara vs. Infinity is a deeply moving gem. Just like in the surrounding stores, it’s a rare find, so make sure not to miss it. One more weekend, your last chance.

Clara vs. Infinity

Zephyr Theatre
7456 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90046

April 10 – 26
Fridays 8 PM. Saturdays 3:30 PM and 8 PM. Sundays 2 PM.

Tickets: eightballtheatre.org/events

Written by Zack Rocklin-Waltch. Director: Jamie Gallo. Producers: Bianca Akbiyik & Marie Bland. Dramaturg: Sun Jin.

Cast: Kaylani Gaudart, Luke Dimyan, Collette McCurdy, Alex Nimrod, Audrey Forman, Kameron Brown, Nina Romeo, Seth Gunawardena, Quaz Degraft, Nikki McKenzie, and Matthew Bridges.

Creative team: Scenic Designer: Kate Schaaf, Costume Designer: Olivia Dakin, Lighting Designer: Cristo Montañez, Sound Designer: Konner Syed, Prop Designer: Dominique Jakowec, Composer: Julia Moss, Projection Designer: MC Macadar, Hair & Makeup Artist: Olivia Forman.

Theatre Review: THE BAPTIST WITCHES OF SHELBYVILLE

Posted on by

Portraying a blend of the ideological remnants of the Jim Crow Laws and current socioeconomic conditions of the Black Belt, The Baptist Witches of Shelbyville tells the story of five generations of women living under the same roof; weed, booze, and dark secrets included.

Lucinda (Mamie Gummer) comes to Shelbyville to visit her family for a July 4th holiday. A great vacation with even greater surprises. Her grandma (Juliana Liscio) is bedridden with dementia. Her sister Birdie (Julie Shavers) is dating a felon who went to prison accused of murder. Kitty (Ashley Ward) disapproves of the relationship because the man is black. Mama Moon (Gigi Bermingham) is a devoted Christian who shoots rats in the middle of the night and tries to keep the family’s sanity, in the name of Jesus. Lottie (Angelie Simone) has premonitory dreams, usually leading to someone in the family getting pregnant.

In this play, Shavers examines the challenges of regions that have been left behind. Birdie works in a factory that seems to be the culprit of her lung medical condition. The story also delves into the issues of mental health and the failures of the healthcare system, specially for underprivileged Americans. 

Taking even a closer look, the story explores the internal mechanisms of perennial racism in the South. The man Birdie is dating is Black, out of prison, and an overall idea of danger and distrust for Kitty. Although it seems stereotypical, the recurrent mention of negative connotations attributed to this racial group is a reminder of the persistent image entrenched in American society.

Through the characters, Shavers exemplifies the challenges of the Southern region. Poverty, regardless of racial composition, is persistent, curtailing a positive forecast for future generations. Low educational attainment for the working class and a tendency to rely on one’s Christian faith instead to navigate life, a common staple of the Bible Belt, is also a recurring theme in the story.

Although the delivery feels at times inorganic, causing some of the jokes to land flat, the overall production is an entertaining experience. The dialogue is sharp and the comedy is a creative way to lift up the spirit of the dark subject matter instilled in the core of the play.

Director Daniel O’Brien uses the limited space effectively, adding movement to the play with the use of props and blocking, including the fight scene. These elements provide physical comedy and three dimensions to the brilliant script.

After 18 years of running the Whitefire Theatre, Artistic Director Bryan Rasmussen continues to show his good taste in finding engaging productions, bringing significant value to the local scene. Having produced over 500 shows and more than 50 world premieres, not to mention surviving the brutal pandemic, Rasmussen has been a force of nature, promoting and nurturing the pool of talent that make up the resilient theatre community of Los Angeles. 

The Baptist Witches of Shelbyville

Whitefire Theatre
13500 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

Tickets: whitefire.stagey.net/projects

Opening: Saturday, March 28, 2026
Schedule: 8pm on March 28, April 3, 4, 11, 17, 18, 25
Closing: April 25, 2026 

Written by Julie Shavers. Directed by Daniel O’Brien. Produced by Black Rocking Chair.

Cast: Gigi Bermingham, Mamie Gummer, Julie Shavers, Angelie Simone, and Ashley Ward.

Creative team: Sound and Video Design by David Zuckerman, Lighting Design by Derek McDaniel, Production Design by Carmen Ziller, Original Music by Cameron Clarke, and Fight Choreography by Ned Mochel.

Theatre Review: DEATH OF A SALESMAN

Posted on by

The American Dream, an aspirational state captured in the Declaration of Independence, gets a reality check in Arthur Miller‘s Death of a Salesman. In a superlative performance, A Noise Within delivers a moving and powerful production to remember.

Willy Loman (Geoff Elliott) has to travel 700 miles to try to make a sale. Empty-handed and exhausted, he comes back home to his supporting wife Linda (Deborah Strang) and his two sons Biff (David Kepner) and Happy (Ian Littleworth), who don’t seem to understand the depression of a defeated man on the brink of a mental breakdown. Biff feels he has lost his North Star, unsure whether to stay in New York or move West. Happy encourages him to start a business together selling sporting goods.

Willy’s only friend is his neighbor Charley (Bert Emmett), who lends him money on a regular basis. Charley’s son Bernard (Kasey Mahaffy) is now a successful lawyer. Bernard and Biff went to school together. Bernard made it to the top, Biff drifted away after failing math in high school despite a promising football career, unable to get into college.

Old, tired, and with a troubling mental instability, Willy tries to negotiate with his boss Howard (Michael Uribes) a local position in New York to avoid the long sale trips. He even asks for less money. Instead, Howard fires Willy on the spot, dismissing Willy’s 34 years of service. Depressed, hopeless, and with memories tormenting him, Willy is pushed to the limit.

Even though Arthur Miller wrote Death of a Salesman in 1949, almost 80 years ago, he saw something in the system, implying that the American Dream wasn’t for everyone. Willy is not just a human character, it’s a representation of the failed ethos of America’s aspiration to be the land of opportunities for all. Director Julia Rodriguez–Elliott ensures to capture the very essence of the symbolic representation of the play. It’s a masterful example of how to lead a story to an emotional and captivating finale, reverberating the message in a powerful and meaningful way. The result is an audience rooting for Willy and feeling the pain of his broken dreams. We get it, Willy’s failures have seeped through to reach our current generations; the American Dream looks like the horizon, it’s there, but out of reach.

Elliott is magnificent in this role. He embodies the nuances of a character whose life is moving towards a dead-end street. The last stretch of his life is a blend of reality and flashes of the past, talking to his deceased brother Ben (David Nevell). It’s a meaty role, a challenge that only actors of Elliot’s caliber can pull off. He offers a vivid representation of utter defeat, holding on to the hope of reconnecting with his son.

The supporting cast add excellence to this staging. As usual, Mahaffy delivers a quirky and entertaining character, peppering the play with some comedic relief to counter the tragic nature of the play. The whole cast turns into a cohesive presentation that makes justice to this masterpiece. Strang’s performance is touching as the devoted companion who offers reassurance and loyalty, defending Willy’s dignity to the very last moment. Likewise, Littleworth and Kepner give their characters depth, showing the difficulties of trying to reconnect with a delusional father. Elliot and Kepner give us a heartwarming scene that highlights a silent pain haunting Willy for a long time.

The lighting by Ken Booth turns the stage into an emotional canvas, illuminating both the characters and the impressive scenic design by Frederica Nascimento. These artistic elements show the attention to detail and the dedication of A Noise Within to offer an exceptional visual experience.

Do yourself a favor and witness what artistic excellence is all about. That’s the beauty of live theatre, no cell phones, no cameras, just the now and the enduring vision of long-lasting memories.

Death of a Salesman

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

Performances March 28 – April 19:
• Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7: 30 p.m. / Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. (no Saturday matinee on March 28)

Tickets: anoisewithin.org

Written by Arthur Miller. Directed by Julia Rodriguez–Elliott. Presented by A Noise Within, Geoff Elliot and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott, producing artistic directors.

Starring Jacob Cherry, Geoff Elliott, Bert Emmett, Rachel K. Han, David Kepner, Ian Littleworth, Kasey Mahaffy, Cassandra Marie Murphy, David Nevell, Dominique Razón, Deborah Strang, Michael Uribes.

Creative team: Scenic designer Frederica Nascimento; costume designer Angela Balogh Calin; lighting designer Ken Booth; sound designer and composer Robert Oriol; wig and make up designer Tony Valdés; properties designer Stephen Taylor; fight choreographer Kenneth R. Merckx, Jr.; dialect coach Andrea Odinov; intimacy coordinator Sasha Smith; and dramaturg Miranda Johnson-Haddad. The production stage manager is Angela Sonner, assisted by Samantha Millette.

Theatre Review: SEX, LIES, AND HAROLD PINTER

Posted on by

This production features two plays, Party Time and The Lover. With their experience and fine acting skills, Susan Priver and Ron Bottitta steal the show.

Harold Pinter had the ability to describe the world with quirky characters in surreal and absurd environments. One example of this is Party Time, where the characters exhibit total indifference to the outside world while exalting the comfort of a private health club. The setting is an exclusive party by members of London’s high society. Their disregard to the street protests indicates how they see the world around them and the privilege of their social status.

The interaction that underlines the moral debacle of this group is the arguments between Terry (Paul Marius) and his wife Dusty (Michelle Ghatan). Terry berates Dusty when she raises her concerns about her brother Jimmy (John Coady), who seems to be one of the protestors. Pinter does not fully explain what is happening outside in the streets, but it seems that there is some kind of anarchy going around.

For this play, the acting looks a bit flat, there are some instances where the cast tried to spark some interest, but for the most part, it fell short. With the variety of characters and unusual sociopolitical undertones, this staging can stress the implied tension and menace in the text more significantly.

Priver and Bottitta, on the other hand, delivered a fantastic performance, exploring the nuances of a couple that engage in extramarital affairs with full consent, at least, apparently. Richard is seen leaving his house while asking Sarah if her lover is coming home to spend time with her. As time goes by, however, Richard seems conflicted about Sarah’s romantic liaisons. Despite this concern, the characters build up the sexual tension, raising the temperature in every scene.

And if the affairs alone make the situation look risqué, the bongos and leather jacket make whole cheating feel transgressive. As soon as Richard strikes the bongos, Sarah goes into trance, like a cobra swaying at the sound of an enchanting flute. The sexual response is sensual and funny, spicing up the resolution of the play. Director Jack Heller uses the blocking to heighten the comedic effect. He moves the actors around to create kinetics, livening up the story and the characters; a masterful use of space and movement. If you add Priver and Bottitta’s stage experience, you get a delightful spectacle to honor the whimsicality of Pinter’s writing.

Sex, Lies, and Harold Pinter
Party Time and The Lover

A Visiting Production at the
Odyssey Theatre
2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90025

March 20 – April 26
Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. / Sundays at 3 p.m.

Tickets: odysseytheatre.com

Written by Harold Pinter. Directed by Jack Heller. Produced by Brian Foyster and Christina Hart. Presented as a Visiting Production at the Odyssey Theatre.
Starring Ron Bottitta, John Coady, Larry Eisenberg, Michelle Ghatan, Brenda James, Isaac W. Jay, Paul Marius, Michelle McGregor, Christopher Louis Parker, Susan Priver, Mouchette Van Helsdingen.

Creative team: Scenic designer Joel Daavid, lighting designer Gavan Wyrick, sound designer Christopher Moscatiello, costume designer Shon LeBlanc, and properties designer Sofia Alejandra Gonzalez. The stage manager is Valeria Ruuva.

Theatre Review: THE MEOWING NUNS

Posted on by

Nuns just wanna have fun. But in the Middle Ages, that wasn’t supposed to be an option. Shackleton Theatrics brings to the stage a story that has been surrounded by mystery throughout centuries. The medieval event took place in a French covenant, where nuns started to meow, causing complaints and concerns from the surrounding communities. 

The British Journal of Psychiatry lists some instances of sociogenic illness across different places and centuries. The root cause of many of these cases is the isolation and extreme conditions in which the subjects are expected to live. The strict lifestyle imposed in some religious orders have caused the outburst of strange behaviors. Although not enough details exist of the meowing nuns, this case has sparked rumors that the meowing was a manifestation of satanic possession. Playwright Park Lytle, however, has his own interpretation. 

Director Hunter Mahmoud Abal sets the tone of the play from the beginning. The atmosphere is dark, mysterious, and the chanting adds an air of mysticism to the space. What comes next is an exploration into the system of beliefs deeply entrenched in the Middle Ages. 

Only three nuns remain in the covenant. Sister Sara (Savannah Coyne), Sister Adrienne (Eva Claire Hendricks), and Sister Genevieve (Alexandra Tejada) pray, dance, and meow loudly around the figure of the late Mother Vivienne (Josephine Nunez). Is this just fun, or demonic possession? To find out, Count Giraud (Christopher Martin) sends Father Raoul (Christopher Martin) and Brother Thomas (Karo Dzghalian) to the covenant.

During their trip, both men experience revelations and Father Raoul sets the forest on fire. Lytle uses symbols like the wolf and the sheep to imply the relationship between the church/state and subjects, and to a larger degree, the past and current dynamics between men and women. Lytle’s take on this historical event revolves around the imposition of will by men over women, whether by means of diplomacy or straight out violence. It comes down to the fact that despots don’t need to explain their tyrannical ways.

Abal’s direction blends effectively the mysticism of the script with dark and surreal visuals. This is matched with outstanding performances. Zeusso is simply magnetic. He displays the viciousness, coldness, and troubledness required to make his character a controversial figure in the story. The cast demonstrates their conviction, upping the game with their convincing performances.

This production is a unique experience. It’s a great example of how artists create something meaningful and provocative with limited resources. This is independent theatre  done with passion and determination. Once you have the talent, everything else falls into place on its own. This is a medieval story with modern undertones, treated with an edgy infusion of great acting and creative visuals. Should we use the term off-Hollywood for this kind of independent gems?

The Meowing Nuns

The Whitmore Theatre
1106 Magnolia Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601

March 6-7, 13-14 at 8:00 PM.
March 8 at 2:00 PM

Tickets: shackletontheatrics.com

Written by Park Lytle
Directed by Hunter Mahmoud Abal
Produced by Park Lytle, presented by Shackleton Theatrics

Cast: Karo Dzghalian, Savannah Coyne, Eva Claire Hendricks, Alexandra Tejada, David Zeusso, Christopher Martin, and Josephine Nunez.

Creative team: Stage Manager Abbs Stoiber, Production Manager Sam Millette, Scenic Designer Grace Hlavacek, Costume Designer Ashley Kae Snyder, Lighting Designer W. Alejandro Melendez, and Sound Designer Jonathan Flikkie.

Theatre Review: THE PRICE

Posted on by

In a staging that recreates the lives of four characters in the late 1960s, Elina de Santos honors the fascinating world of Arthur Miller, one of the greatest playwrights of the last century.

In the attic of a Manhattan Brownstone, Victor Franz (Scott Jackson), a police sergeant near retirement, waits for Gregory Solomon (Richard Fancy), an antique dealer who will appraise the furniture left behind by Victor’s father. Esther (Dana Dewes), Victor’s wife, is getting anxious about the prospects of their lives after retirement. The most controversial figure in the story is Walter (Jason Huber), Victor’s brother. They haven’t seen each other in nearly 20 years. Gregory sets the price, Victor takes the deal, Esther thinks the price is too low, and Walter shows up to reveal unknown facts about their father.

For such an extensive dialogue-driven play, the four actors deliver powerful performances that extract the core of Artur Miller‘s exploration on personal sacrifice and missed opportunities. Jackson conveys the insecurities of a character that is facing a leap into the unknown as he prepares to retire with no specific goal in mind. He plays his character with conviction and exteriorizes his conflictive state of mind, especially after learning from Walter that their father wasn’t all that broke after all.

Fancy is also fantastic as the octogenarian Solomon, a thoughtful and charismatic man who is good at valuing antiques, but even better at valuing life. Fancy’s pacing, delivering, and speech make his character thoughtful and likeable, a sort of performer jiggling wisdom and diplomacy with a hint of sorrow after a tragic experience in his life.

Huber as the distant and troubled brother delivers a relevant performance as well. His character creates tension, and heightens the complexities of familial relationships and the challenges of overcoming resentments that have dragged on for several years. Similarly, Dewes creates a memorable Esther, expressing the frustrations of a wife who perceives her husband as an indecisive man who sees his life slipping away, pulling her along to an uncertain future. Dewes does a great job transforming the initial resentment into a supportive stance, siding with Victor, showing that after all, their bond is unbreakable.

The Price is an exploration of sacrifice and an attempt to mend broken relationships. Finely directed by de Santos, this production displays the conflicts and motivations of the characters in a manner that feels contemporary and real. Her stage directions and her work with Rich Rose to recreate the attic full of furniture makes this production a visually rich experience for the audience, and keeps the engagement continuous with the humor and excellent performances by the cast. This is another outstanding production under the leadership of Pacific Resident Theatre‘s Artistic Director Marilyn Fox, who demonstrates, once again, her great taste in choosing meaningful and prestigious works for the LA theatre scene.

The Price

Pacific Resident Theatre
703 Venice Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291

Opening at 8pm Saturday, February 28, 2026
Schedule: 8pm Thursdays – Saturdays; 3pm Sundays
Added 3pm matinee on Saturday March 14; no performance on Friday, March 27, April 3.
Closing: Sunday, April 12.

Tickets: pacificresidenttheatre.org

Playwright: Arthur Miller
Director: Elina de Santos
Executive Producer: Marilyn Fox
Associate Producers: Rita Obermeyer, Jody Fasanella
Presented by Pacific Resident Theatre

Cast: Dana Dewes (as Esther Franz); Richard Fancy (as Gregory Solomon), Jason Huber (as Walter Franz); Scott Jackson (as Victor Franz).

Creative team: TEAM: Rich Rose (Scenic Design), Leigh Allen (Lighting Design), Chris Moscatiello (Sound Design), Keilani Gleave (Costume Design), Kenzie Caulfield (Props Supervisor), Pietro Saibene (Production Coordinator), Ben Wendel (Stage Manager).