Category Archives: Theatre

Theatre Review: Kiss of the Spider Woman

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kiss of the Spider Woman

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

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

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

Tickets: www.anoisewithin.org

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

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

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

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

Theatre Review: Picnic

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Odyssey Theatre Ensemble presents a revival of Picnic, a play written by Pulitzer Prize winner William Inge. Directed by multiple award winner John Farmanesh–Bocca. Produced by Beth Hogan in association with Isabel and Harvey Kibel.

John Farmanesh-Bocca set his version of William Inge‘s Picnic a little bit later than the original play. He transfers the story to the 1960s, at the beginning of America’s involvement in Vietnam. This period exemplified the dreams and frustrations that run deep in a country still healing from the consequences of World War II. Within this environment, we find Madge Owens (Mattie Harris Lowe), who is in a relationship with wealthy Alan Seymour (Ahkei Togun). Madge, however, finds herself dissatisfied, yearning for more. It is in that setting of rural communities of necessity that the rest of the characters interact and listen to each other’s problems and aspirations.

A sudden disruption occurs when the attractive drifter and Alan’s friend Hal Carter (Monti Washington) arrives in town, charming the women with his looks and demeanor. Caught in the middle of emotions, Madge also falls for him. Hal’s condition as an underdog is even more compelling to Madge, who is so smitten with him that she contemplates the possibility of leaving behind her family and breaking up with Alan to run away with Hal. 

Another character representing rural America and the aspirations of a better life is Madge’s younger sister, Millie (Symphony Canady), who has artistic inclinations and wants to try new opportunities in New York. Also in the picture is Rosemary Sydney (a fantastic Sydney A. Mason). She’s a schoolteacher who’s desperate to get married and finds storekeeper Howard Bevan (Derrick Parker) her perfect match, specially after a night of drinking and dancing.

The rest of the characters are Madge and Millie’s mother, Flo Owens (Yolanda Snowball), neighbor Mrs. Helen Potts (Rosemary Thomas), Bomber (Rogelio Douglas III), Rosemary’s fellow schoolteachers Irma Kronkite (Erika L. Holmes) and Christine Schoenwalder (Caitlin O’Grady).

The play contains hints of romance, humor, sexual awakening, and historical significance. The characters’ traits are a rich tapestry of the American experience. The characters could be Black, White, Latinos, or Asians and still resonate with the same impact. 

Picnic is a sublime painting of the American heartland, a meaningful play with a ray of hope in the face of emptiness. The direction and the cast give a refreshing and meaningful rendition to William Inge’s exceptional script; a story set in a small Kansas town on a Labor Day picnic that says so much of what America was and what it has become, for better or worse.   

Picnic

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

Performances: March 25 – May 28
• Wednesdays at 8 p.m.: May 10*, May 17 ONLY
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: April 28**, May 19**, May 26 ONLY
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: March 25 (Opening), April 1, April 8, April 15, April 22, April 29, May 6, May 13, May 20, May 27
• Sundays at 2 p.m.: April 2, April 9, April 16, April 23, April 30, May 7, May 14, May 21, May 28
• Mondays at 8 p.m.: April 17*, April 24, May 8 ONLY
*Post-performance discussions on Monday, April 17 and Wednesday, May 10
**Wine Nights on Friday, April 28 and Friday, May 19 complimentary wine and snacks and after the show.

Tickets: odysseytheatre.com

Written by William Inge. Directed by John Farmanesh-Bocca. Starring Symphony Canady, Rogelio Douglas III, Mattie Harris Lowe, Erika Holmes, Sydney A. Mason, Caitlin O’Grady, Derrick Parker, Yolanda Snowball, Rosemary Thomas, Ahkei Togun, and Monti Washington. Produced by Beth Hogan for the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble in association with Isabel and Harvey Kibel. Presented by the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, Ron Sossi Artistic Director.

Creative team includes set designer Frederica Nascimento, lighting designer Chu-Hsuan Chang and costume designer Mylette Nora. Farmanesh-Bocca co-designs sound with Jeff Gardner and (posthumously) Adam Phelan, and co-choreographs alongside Briana Price. The stage manager is Terrance Stewart.

 

Picnic poster
Picnic
A scene from Picnic
Picnic. Sydney A. Mason and Derrick Parker. Photo by Jenny Graham.
A scene from Picnic
Picnic. Monti Washington and Mattie Harris Lowe. Photo by Jenny Graham.
A scene from Picnic
Picnic. Ahkei Togun, Monti Washington, Symphony Canady, and Rosemary Thomas. Photo by Jenny Graham.

Theatre Review: The Thin Place

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The Echo Theater Company presents the California Premiere of The Thin Place. Written by Lucas Hnath. Directed by Abigail Deser. Produced by Chris Fields and Chelsea Spirito.

Eerie experiences continue to happen to Hilda (Caitlin Zambito). First, it was the death of her grandma, then it was the sudden disappearance of her mom. Adding more mystery to her life, Hilda befriends the enigmatic Linda (Janet Greaves), a psychic who seem to be the link between this world and the afterlife.

As Hilda continues to ponder possible clues to her mom’s whereabouts, Linda’s source of income and the powerful connections she has achieved as a psychic become more intriguing and build up the suspense of the story. 

Lucas Hnath (A Doll’s House, Part 2, A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney) continues to write exceptional stories with outstanding female voices. Hilda has shades of fragility, determination, and curiosity that lead her to take a leap into the unknown. The dynamic relationship between Hilda and Linda permeates the story with a sense of wonder all the way till the end.

Hnath includes two additional characters, Jerry (Justin Huen) and Sylvia (Corbett Tuck) that question and validate Linda and Hilda’s motivations and circumstances. These two characters appear almost out of the blue, but become pivotal accessories to move the story forward and shape the contradictions of Linda’s personality.

Director Abigail Deser worked with the actors for two months and achieved extraordinary results. Her work captures the play’s mysticism vividly, bringing the audience closer to the fine line between light and darkness, the place where the material world meets the supernatural realm. To enhance the unnerving nature of the play, Deser and scenic designer Amanda Knehans use innovative lighting (lighting design by Matt Richter, Hayden Kirschbaum) and sound (sound design by Alysha Grace Bermudez) to add an aura of mystery and esotericism to the stage.        

Hnath’s play is a gem. It’s a mystical journey to a region known as The Thin Place, a space where our senses of wonder, bliss, and silent euphoria are awaken. As Hilda and Linda reveal in the play, this space, real or imaginary, emanates from the noble desire to stay in touch with the loved ones we have lost, if only we hear the message with the third eye.  

The Thin Place

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

Performances: March 18 – April 24
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: March 24, March 31, April 7, April 14, April 21
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: March 18 (opening night), March 25, April 1, April 8, April 15, April 22
• Sundays at 4 p.m.: March 26, April 2, April 9, April 16, April 23
• Mondays at 8 p.m.: March 27, April 3, April 10, April 17, April 24

Tickets: echotheatercompany.com

Written by Lucas Hnath. Directed by Abigail Dreser. Starring Janet Greaves, Justin Huen, Corbett Tuck, Caitlin Zambito. Presented by The Echo Theater Company, Chris Fields artistic director. Creative team: Scenic design by Abigail Deser and Amanda Knehans, lighting design by Matt Richter, sound design by Alysha Grace Bermudez and costume design by Dianne K Graebner. The associate producer is Chelsea Spirito, and the production stage manager is Irene Lee. Chris Fields and Kelly Beech produce for the Echo Theater Company.

The Thin Place poster
A scene from The Thin Place
A scene from The Thin Place
A scene from The Thin Place

Theatre Review: Let Me In

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Let Me In is produced by DSE Productions and Theatre Planners. Written and directed by Brynn Thayer.

Red Casey (Rachael Meyers) is desperate trying to get Bobby Hawk (Bryan McKinley) out of the room to attend a funeral. That’s when veteran NYPD cop Hamilton Steele III (Jorge Garcia) shows up to investigate the commotion. From there, the characters start exposing facets of their lives and personalities that turn out quite surprising at the end. 

Playwright and Director Brynn Thayer sets the story in New York, a metropolis like many other that can accentuate the overwhelming effects of loneliness, depression, and anxiety, some of the feelings that are shaping the lives of the three characters. Bobby just lost his fiancée in a tragic car accident. That same day, she decided to cancel the wedding. To complicate things, he has been having an affair with Red for quite some time, triggering a sense of guilt on both of them in unexpected ways. As they explore their feelings, they start to question the validity of their relationship. 

Hamilton seems to be the person that brings some kind of stability to the situation. He is decided to do something significant one day before his retirement. His personality gains the trust of Bobby and Red so much that they decide to attend Bobby’s fiancée funeral, leaving Hamilton to watch over the apartment.  

The story is a dark comedy that touches upon several topics such as isolation, loss, guilt, and the urgent need of human connection. However, the play also compels to identify the signs of depression and its underlying core issues to avoid devastating consequences.

Thayer selected three experienced actors that bring a superb performance that makes this play a pleasure to watch. Their timing and chemistry create a dynamic story that navigates fluently between comedy and tragedy. The set design (Joel Daavid, Set Designer) shows the careful attention to detail placed on this production; the objects, the textures, and the balcony give a vibrant touch to the story.

Let Me In

Theatre 68 Arts Complex – The Rosalie
5112 Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601

Written and Directed by Brynn Thayer. Starring Jorge Garcia, Bryan McKinley, and Rachael Meyers. Produced by Misha Riley for Theatre Planners. Presented by DSE Productions.

Performances: Feb. 25–April 2
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: Feb. 25 (Opening); March 18; March 25; April 1
• Sundays at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.: March 19; March 26; April 2

Tickets: www.theatre68artscomplex.com

Creative team for Let Me In includes scenic designer Joel Daavid, lighting designer Gavan Wyrick, sound designer Joseph “Sloe” Slawinski and costume designer Mylette Nora. The production stage manager is Angelica Estevez.

 

 

Let Me In poster
A scene from Let Me In
A scene from Let Me In
A scene from Let Me In

Theatre Review: La Egoista

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Skylight Theatre Company Presents the West Coast Premiere of La Egoista. Written by Erlina Ortiz. Directed by Dr. Daphnie Sicre. Produced by Gary Grossman for Skylight Theatre Company. Associate Producer is Tyree Marshall.

Almost like a sinister coincidence, La Egoista opened up a few days before the tragic event in Germany. Of course, the comparisons will be inevitable and they might trigger strong reactions both positive and negative to the story. But the main focus on Erlina Ortiz‘s play is the challenging balance of following one’s dreams and finding the time to take care of a family member in need.

Josefina (Lys Perez) is a rising stand-up comic, always on the move, trying to book more gigs. Her sister Betsaida (Chanel Castañeda) suffers from a debilitating medical condition that requires spending time at the hospital. One of the conflicts of their relationship is the fact that Betsaida is a Jehova’s Witness. Josefina left the religion and the house to pursue her own dreams while her mom was sick, something that comes up as they argue about family responsibilities. The passing of their mom and Betsaida’s condition become stressful experiences that can either strengthen or weaken their relationship.   

Dr. Sicre delivers a creative and less passive play that turns experimental at times, allowing the audience to participate and become more invested in the characters and story. On Friday, this worked out as a hilarious scene in itself. Another interesting aspect of the play is the set (Scenic Design: Stephen Gifford), the downstage is the stage where Josefina performs, while the center upstage becomes the hospital and the sisters’ house. The puppets (Puppet Design: Christine Papalexis) are turned into characters in various scenes and serve as comedic elements as well. The cross-cutting scene highlights the contrasting personalities and realities of Josefina and Betsaida, a hint of the inevitable drifting away from each other.

The character of Josefina drives most of the story and Perez shows her comedic and dramatic skills on every scene, delivering a touching portrayal of hope in the face of uncertainty.

La Egoista

Skylight Theatre
1816 1⁄2 North Vermont Ave.
Los Angeles, CA. 90027

March 4 – April 9

Opening: 8:30pm Saturday, March 4, 2023
Schedule: 8:30pm Fridays, Saturdays, 3:00pm Sundays, 7:30pm Mondays
(No performance on Monday, March 6)
Closing: April 9, 2023

Tickets: skylighttix.org

Written by Erlina Ortiz. Directed by Dr. Daphnie Sicre. Produced by Gary Grossman for Skylight Theatre Company. Associate Producer: Tyree Marshall. Cast: Chanel Castañeda and Lys Perez.

Scenic Design: Stephen Gifford. Lighting Design: Karyn Lawrence. Costume Design: Mylette Nora. Sound Design: Cristian Amigo. Prop Design: Michael O’Hara. Puppet Design: Christine Papalexis.

 

La Egoista poster
A scene from La Egoista
A scene from La Egoista
A scene from La Egoista

Theatre Review: Happy Birthday McKenna

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The world premiere of Happy Birthday McKenna opened up on March 3 at the Hudson Backstage Theatre. Written and directed by Steve Silverman. Produced by Steve Silverman and Kathleen O’Grady.

Family is an essential building block of society. Family is the place to instill values that will last forever. Family is a powerful nucleus that determines the development of individuals and the way they will function in the world. And then there is McKenna’s family, a hodgepodge of secrets, insecurities, and bad relationships. 

The play starts with Ray (Michael Dempsey) and Carolyn (Heather L. Tyler) getting everything ready for the 3 year old surprise birthday party for Carolyn’s niece, McKenna, a mischievous girl that has already caused some physical harm to a few family members. Arriving to the party are Carolyn’s siblings, Tommy (Ben Holtzmuller) and his husband Parker (Colbert Alembert), Deb (Tracey Rooney), Ed (Ryan Woods) and his girlfriend Julie (Stakiah Lynn Washington), and Martin (Karl T. Wright) with his second wife Lucille (Sara Ballantine). Martin was married to Barbara, the sibling’s mom. Barbara passed away and is buried in Chicago and now Tommy wants to take her remains with him to Santa Barbara. Tommy’s intentions trigger a series of recriminations among the siblings and Martin, requiring Irene’s (Mari Weiss) urgent intervention.

Tommy’s goal becomes a conflicting element that drives much of the play. His intentions will not only exhume their mom, but also the secrets that will have a profound effect on the lives of the other siblings. All of that in a party for a 3 year old girl who is not even present. McKenna’s parents, Ed and Julie, decided to leave her with Julie’s mom.  

Revelation after revelation, the story becomes a hilarious melange of buried secrets, family bonds, and failed relationships, all while the characters experience the inexorable passage of time. The dark comedy nature of the script and the brilliant performances of the actors create a fascinating collage of conflict, emotion, and entertainment. This is an example of Steve Silverman’s capacity to deliver an extraordinary theatre experience. His skills as a writer and director are evident in the rich characterization achieved in this remarkable play.

Happy Birthday McKenna

Hudson Backstage Theatre
6539 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA  90038
Valet Parking 

Fri, Mar 03 – Sun, Mar 26
Fri, Sat 8pm
Sun 7pm

Tickets: hbmtheplay.com 

Written and directed by Steve Silverman. Produced by Steve Silverman and Kathleen. O’Grady. Cast: Colbert Alembert, Sara Ballantine, Michael Dempsey, Ben Holtzmuller, Vanessa Marshall (“Irene” – 3/24, 3/25, 3/26), Tanya Perez (“Irene” – 3/17, 3/18, 3/19), Sigi Ravet (”Deb” – 3/17 – 3/26), Tracey Rooney (“Deb” – 3/2 – 3/11), Faith Salie (“Irene” – 3/10, 3/11), Heather L. Tyler, Stakiah Lynn Washington, Marie Weiss (“Irene” – 3/2, 3/3, 3/4, 3/5), Dylan Wittrock (“Tommy” – 3/17 – 3/26), Ryan Woods, and Karl T. Wright. Stephanie Alecia Rose, Assistant Director. Victoria Hoffman, Casting Director. 

 

Happy Birthday McKenna poster
Happy Birthday McKenna
A scene from Happy Birthday McKenna
Happy Birthday McKenna. Cast. Photo by Steve Silverman.
A scene from Happy Birthday McKenna
Happy Birthday McKenna. Michael Dempsey and Heather L. Tyler. Photo by Steve Silverman.
A scene from Happy Birthday McKenna
Happy Birthday McKenna. Karl T. Wright, Sara Ballantine, Mari Weiss, Stakiah Lynn Washington, and Ryan Woods. Photo by Steve Silverman.

Theatre Review: Love and Information

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Antaeus Theatre Company presents Love and Information. Written by Caryl Churchill. Directed by Emily Chase.

Love and Information is like a social media session, lots of information to digest at once. However, that might’ve been Churchill’s intention when she wrote the play, to express the difficulty of processing the avalanche of information to which our brains get exposed in modern days.

This is a fragmented play in which all actors play different characters in different scenes. Churchill’s play is a mosaic of human experiences, relationships with other humans, and our relationship with technology. Within that mayhem, we see multiple short scenes where characters misinterpret information, connect with others, and get lost in virtual worlds. Another topic in the play is memory. The endearing memories of family moments, remembering relatives, places, and events. But also the lack of memory, due to dementia, Alzheimer’s, or both, and the devastating effects on the loved ones. 

The play also shows the intrinsic need of human connection despite the advances in technology. There is a scene where an older woman is telling a story to two young children. That scene shows one of the most ancient forms known to humans to share and pass along wisdom and information from generation to generation: Storytelling. The situations depicted in the scenes are references to the various aspects of the human experience since the very beginning, our relationship with the universe, the need of intimacy, and the search for love. 

The cyan shades (Frederica Nascimento, scenic design) give a dreamy and mystic aura to the set and the projections (Ly Eisenstein, projection design) are used creatively to represent the modern use of screens as communication devices and to show the frenetic processing of information within our brains. 

The eight actors deliver outstanding performances using movement and dialogue to enhance the meaning of the play. And of course, the brilliant direction by Emily Chase, whose cast choices and organization of the scenes and blocking achieve a powerful and emotional performance.          

Love and Information

Written by Caryl Churchill. Directed Emily Chase. Starring John Apicella, Anne Gee Byrd Everybody, Darius De La Cruz, Kwana Martinez, Kevin Matsumoto, Erin Pineda, Lloyd Roberson II Hamlet, and Zoe Yale. Presented by Antaeus Theatre Company.

Kiki & David Gindler Performing Arts Center
110 East Broadway
Glendale, CA 91205
(between N. Brand Blvd. and Artsakh Ave.)

Performances: March 3 – April 3
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: March 3 (Opening), March 10, March 17, March 24, March 31
• Saturdays at 2 p.m.: March 11, March 18, March 25, April 1 (no matinee on March 4)
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: March 4, March 11, March 18, March 25, April 1
• Sundays at 2 p.m.: Feb. 26 (preview), March 5, March 12, March 19, March 26, April 2
• Mondays at 8 p.m.: March 13, March 20, March 27, April 3 (dark March 6)

Tickets: antaeus.org

Creative team: Scenic designer Frederica Nascimento, costume designer Angela Balogh Calin, lighting designer Christine Ferriter, sound designer John Zalewski, projection designer Ly Eisenstein, and properties designer Katie Iannitello. Carly DW Bones is the intimacy director, Kaite Brandt is the assistant director, Jess Osorio is the assistant stage manager, and Karen Osborne is the production stage manager.

Love and Information poster
A scene from Love and Information
A scene from Love and Information
A scene from Love and Information

Theatre Review: The Lifespan of a Fact

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The Fountain Theatre presents the West Coast premiere of the Broadway hit play, The Lifespan of a Fact, written by Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell, and Gordon Farrell. Directed by Simon Levy.

What is fake news? Where do journalists draw a line between facts and a good story? In The Lifespan of a Fact, Jim Fingal (Jonah Robinson) is a young intern who has to fact check the essay written by famous author John D’Agata (Ron Bottitta, Wakings!). The essay is the the story of a young men who jumped to his death from a building in Las Vegas. The editor, Emily Penrose (Inger Tudor) needs to have the essay ready for publishing within a few days. 

Fingal, a Harvard graduate, is overtly meticulous and starts to find a handful of inaccuracies in D’Agata’s essay. What happens next is a series of hilarious situations that show Fingal’s obsession with minute details and D’Agata’s tendency to twist the facts to fit his rhythm. 

The play focuses on the competitive world of journalism, where the accuracy of information might be a suggestion and not the rule. Penrose expresses the pressure from investors, advertisers, and the diminishing readership in general as a determining factor to approve stories on her magazine. Penrose and D’Agata are characters that capture the complicated relationship between the interests of the owners of the media and the ethics of a journalist.

In the play, D’Agata’s essay is a metaphor of spin and cherry picking, tactics used to make the story more appealing. In a larger context, those tactics are used by governments and corporations to influence public opinion and advance their own interests. In a society where freedom of speech is paramount, the information relayed to the public can be easily manipulated to deceive or serve particular agendas. Rafael Correa, the former president of Ecuador, once said: “Since the invention of the printing press, the freedom of the press is dictated by the will of the owner of the printing press”. The characters in the play portray that conflictive triangle of freedom of speech, media business interests, and journalism as an elemental tenet of truth.

The Lifespan of a Fact is a captivating play that makes us take a closer look at the avalanche of information to which we are exposed. Media interests, personal opinions, personal experiences, and ethics are all displayed on stage in an entertaining and thought-provoking theatrical experience.               

The Lifespan of a Fact

The Fountain Theatre
5060 Fountain Ave.
Los Angeles CA 90029
(Fountain at Normandie)

Performances: February 18 – April 2
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: March 3; March 10; March 17; March 24; March 31
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: Feb. 18 (opening); March 4; March 11; March 18; March 25; April 1
• Sundays at 2 p.m.: March 5; March 12; March 19; March 26; April 2
• Mondays at 8 p.m.: March 6; March 20; March 27 (dark March 13)

Tickets: fountaintheatre.com

Written by Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell, and Gordon Farrell. Based on the book by John D’Agata and Jim Fingal. Directed by Simon Levy. Starring Ron Bottitta, Jonah Robinson, and Inger Tudor. Presented by The Fountain Theatre.

The creative team includes scenic designer Joel Daavid, lighting designer Alison Brummer, sound designer Marc Antonio Pritchett, costume designer Michael Mullen, video designer Nicholas Santiago and properties designer Joyce Hutter. The production stage manager is Hannah Raymond. Stephen Sachs and James Bennett produce for the Fountain Theatre.

 

The Lifespan of a Fact poster
A scene from The Lifespan of a Fact
A scene from The Lifespan of a Fact
A scene from The Lifespan of a Fact

Theatre Review: Picasso at the Lapin Agile

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Ruskin Group Theatre presents Picasso at the Lapin Agile. Written by Steve Martin. Directed by Amelia Mulkey. Produced by John Ruskin and Michael R. Myers.

Despite the torrential rain, Picasso at the Lapin Agile opened on Friday at the Ruskin Group Theatre to a full house. Steve Martin‘s story is set in 1904 at the Parisian cabaret Lapin Agile, a famous spot for some of the most influential people at the time. Two of the frequent patrons were Pablo Picasso (Isaac J. Cruz) and Albert Einstein (Ryan Stiffelman). The play revolves around the processes the artist and the scientist used to generate their brilliant ideas.

In 1904 a young Einstein was already writing a book about special relativity, a subject not quite well understood, even by scientists. During that period, Picasso was also a regular at the Lapin Agile and he was about to produce Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, a controversial masterpiece of Cubism that de-idealized the Renaissance’s tradition of the human figure. Both of them were broke and not very well known yet, but they were on the verge of transforming the fields of art and science in an extraordinary manner.

Both young men were working on trying to explain space and time like no one else had done it before. Einstein’s theory of relativity unified space and time as one entity. Picasso’s Cubism presented subjects from different perspectives at once, giving the illusion of a broken glass and achieving to project the subjects in a wider context. In that extraordinary effort, Einstein and Picasso developed similar processes to explain the same concept. They sketched images in their heads to visualize different sources of information to put them together and render their respective theories, making the world around people less static and more kinetic.

Picasso at the Lapin Agile is a fascinating look at the time when these two geniuses would meet to exchange ideas, oftentimes perplexing their audiences with their observations, and in the case of Picasso, with his womanizing tendencies. In the play, Picasso is seen with two of his lovers, Suzanne (Ashley Barrett) and Germaine (Amy Motta, Farragut North), who is also the girlfriend of the bartender, Freddy (J. Teddy Garces). The other characters are Gaston (Fred Deni), a French gentleman, Sagot (Jack Merrill), Picasso’s art dealer, Charles Dabernow Schmendiman (Hudson Long), an inventor, and a visitor from the future (Jackson Glenn), an Elvis Presley with fancy shoes.

The scene observing the starry sky is a clever reference to Einstein’s concept of cosmology. The lighting effects (Edward Salas, Lighting and Sound Design) were an excellent touch to this production. The set and costumes (Ryan Wilson, Scenic Design, Michael Mullen, Costume Design) were also phenomenal visual elements, rich in details to represent the Parisian atmosphere of the period.

Picasso at the Lapin Agile is an appreciation of the value and the contributions of art and science in our society. Amelia Mulkey‘s direction captures the essence of the dialogue and the space: The desire of a new generation to break from the past and explore new possibilities based on revolutionary ideas. The staging transports the audience to a bustling place where colorful characters debated about life, love, and the hopes of a better future.

Picasso at the Lapin Agile
Written by: Steve Martin. Directed by: Amelia Mulkey. Produced by: John Ruskin and Michael R. Myers. Presented by: Ruskin Group Theatre. Starring: Ashley Barrett, Isaac J. Cruz, Fred Deni, J. Teddy Garces, Jackson Glenn, Hudson Long, Jack Merrill, Amy Motta, and Ryan Stiffelman.

Ruskin Group Theatre
3000 Airport Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(Ample free parking)

Opening: 8pm on Friday, February 24 with reception to follow
Schedule: 8pm Fridays and Saturdays, 2pm on Sundays
Closing: April 2, 2023

Creative Team: Ryan Wilson (Scenic Design), Edward Salas (Lighting and Sound Design), Michael Mullen (Costume Design), Paul Ruddy (Casting), Nicole Millar (Production Stage Manager).

Tickets: www.ruskingrouptheatre.com

 

Picasso at the Lapin Agile poster
Picasso at the Lapin Agile
A scene from Picasso at the Lapin Agile
Picasso at the Lapin Agile. J Teddy Garces, Amy Motta, Jackson Glenn.
A scene from Picasso at the Lapin Agile
Picasso at the Lapin Agile. Cast.
A scene from Picasso at the Lapin Agile
Picasso at the Lapin Agile. Ryan Stiffelman and Isaac J Cruz.

Theatre Review: LOVE…or Best Offer

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The Group Rep presents the world premiere of LOVE…or Best Offer, written by Phil
Olson, winner of the Robert J. Pickering Award for Playwriting Excellence. Director: Doug Engalla. Producer: Aly York.

If online dating is already challenging, imagine dating at an older age, when divorces, kids, and emotional scars have taken a toll on our lives. Despite all of that, the protagonists in LOVE…or Best Offer make looking for love an exciting game worth trying.

The characters show the insecurities that older people face when trying to start a romantic relationship all over again in a digital world. In addition, trying to replace someone else while dealing with grown-up kids might be more complicated than expected.

The play takes us on an emotional trip to the lives of Cheryl (Stephanie Colet) and Stan (Doug Haverty) and their respective friends Lori (Kathleen Delaney) and Dave (Marc Antonio Pritchett). Stan, a millionaire, needs to find someone who won’t go after his money. Cheryl wants a stable guy who is not a weirdo, like a serial killer or a foot fetish aficionado.

Once Lori and Dave set them up for an online session, Cheryl and Stan start a series of Zoom meetings that will test their willingness to lower their guards and give themselves another chance at love. Their challenge will be to overcome insecurities, misunderstandings, and the fear of vulnerability that comes with falling in love. 

The play is well written with great character development. Phil Olson adds elements that make the play more dynamic by including characters that inflict stress to the protagonists, like Cheryl’s son and Stan’s ex-wife. Those characters are never seen, only referenced, but they contribute conflict and resolution to the story. The four actors have an amusing sense of comedy that is infectious and engage the audience from beginning to end, a perfect gift for the month of love.  

LOVE…or Best Offer

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

Free street parking. The Upstairs is not handicapped
accessible.

February 18 – March 19, 2023

Saturdays at 4:00
pm.  Sundays at 7:00 pm. Talkback Saturdays after matinees Feb 18 and Feb 25.

Tickets: thegrouprep.com

Written by Phil Olson. Director: Doug Engalla. Producer: Aly York. Starring: Doug Haverty, Stephanie Colet, Kathleen Delaney, and Marc Antonio Pritchett.

 

LOVE...or Best Offer poster
A scene from LOVE...or Best Offer
A scene from LOVE...or Best Offer
A scene from LOVE...or Best Offer