Theatre Review: Blood at the Root

Open Fist Theatre Company presents Blood at the Root. Written by Dominique Morisseau. Directed by Michael A. Shepperd. Co-artistic directors Martha Demson, James Fowler and Amanda Weier produce for Open Fist Theatre Company.

Dominique Morisseau based her play on the true story of the “Jena Six”, a 2006 incident in Jena, Louisiana. Blood at the Root shows how volatile interracial relationships can be and how intolerance can quickly escalate into physical violence. In a hot autumn day, Raylynn (Nychelle Hawk)is at her high school and decides to sit under an oak tree in an area reserved for White students. The next day, 3 nooses are hanging from that same tree. Those actions trigger a series of events including beatings, arrests, and criminal charges. The way the school and the justice system reacted to these actions ignited the already fraught relationship between the White and Black communities.

The tense environment is specially challenging to three of the characters. Raylynn feels attracted to Colin (Jeremy Reiter ll), a White student who gets beat up by Raylynn’s brother DeAndre (Nicholas Heard). Raylynn is now at a crossroads. She wants to keep a good relationship with Colin, who has confided to her that he is gay, but she also needs to ask him to drop the charges against DeAndre so he doesn’t get sentenced. It is also hard for Colin to show compassion towards Raylynn when he has been a victim of discrimination for being gay.

For Raylynn’s friend, Asha (Caroline Rose), she is confused as what to do. She is White, but when her parents divorced, she went to live with her dad and new wife, a Black woman. Asha found happiness with her Black cousins and feels so much at home with them that she calls herself Black. However, her “Blackness” is put to test when she is asked by Raylynn to support the Black students’ protests after the nooses incident.

The complexity of experiences and identity growing up in a divided society is also exemplified in the characters of Toria (Grace Soens) and Justin (Azeem Vecchio, A Midsummer Night’s Dream). Justin is the Editor-in-Chief of the school’s newspaper. He is Black, but refuses to take sides with his fellow Black students in the protests. On the other hand, Toria is one of the reporters. She is White and is eager to seek racial justice through her journalism. Toria and Justin butt heads when it comes to take sides. Justin’s case is interesting in the sense that it takes a toll on a person’s identity growing up in a racist environment. When incidents of racism happen, would you stay silent to avoid confrontation with the other party? Or would you stand up to racists, even if that aggravates friends or acquaintances?

Asha is challenged by Raylynn. Justin is challenged by Toria. Colin is challenged by Raylynn. The community is challenged by intolerance. The play delves into history, but history repeats itself. And here we are, with a story that seems taken not from the past but from the present. 

Michael A. Shepperd creates a stunning and dramatic production with choreography, music, and endearing performances that explore the intricacies of intolerance, racism, friendship, and justice. Scenic designer Joel Daavid and lighting designer Gavan Wyrick add an impressive effect to the scenery, creating visually stunning elements to heighten the conflict, the danger, and the drama depicted in the script. This is a high-caliber staging that moves, inspires, and makes us think of how much progress we have achieved in our search for justice and tolerance. 

Blood at the Root

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

Sept. 9 – Oct. 28
Fridays at 8 p.m.: Sept. 22; Sept. 29; Oct. 6; Oct. 13; Oct. 20; Oct. 27
Saturdays at 8 p.m.: Sept. 9 (Opening Night); Sept. 16; Sept. 23; Sept. 30; Oct. 14; Oct. 21; Oct. 28 (dark Oct. 7)
Sundays at 3 p.m.: Sept. 17; Oct. 1; Oct. 15 (no matinees on Sept. 10; Sept. 24; Oct. 8; Oct. 22
Sundays at 7 p.m.: Sept. 24; Oct. 8; Oct. 22 (no evening performances on Sept. 17; Oct. 1; Oct. 15)
Monday at 8 p.m.: Oct. 9 ONLY

Ticketsopenfist.org

Written by Dominique Morisseau. Directed by Michael A. Shepperd. Starring Malik BaileyDeandra BernardoEmma BrunoNychelle Hawk, Nicholas HeardJeremy Reiter IICaroline RoseJack David SharpeGrace SoensAmber Tiara, and Azeem Vecchio. Presented by Open Fist Theatre Company, Martha Demson, artistic director. Creative team: Scenic designer Joel Daavid; lighting designer Gavan Wyrick; sound designer Marc Antonio Pritchett; costume designer Mylette Nora; and chorographer Yusuf Nasir, promises a visually and emotionally immersive experience. The assistant director is Debba Rofheart, and the production stage manager is John Dimitri. Co-artistic directors Martha DemsonJames Fowler and Amanda Weier produce for Open Fist Theatre Company.

 

Theatre Review: Walking in Space

Theatre West presents the world premiere of Walking in Space. Written by Garry Michael Kluger. Directed by Arden Teresa Lewis. Meg Lin produces for Theatre West.

Is drug addiction a moral failure or a brain disease? A debatable topic for sure. Current scientific studies are underway to have a better understanding of the brain circuits involved in rewards, stress, and self-control, and the environmental factors—family, school, and neighborhood—that might lead or predispose a person to addiction. In Walking in Space, playwright Garry Michael Kluger goes back to 1972 and takes from his own family history to present a story, part real, part fiction, where the collateral damage of addiction weighs on four siblings who are left alone to deal with their mom’s abuse of Placidyl, a sedative-hypnotic medication prescribed to treat insomnia.

In the story, Lori (Liv Denevi), a 17-year-old, is in charge of taking care of her mom Francine (Kathie Barnes), a divorcée who has become addicted to barbiturates. To check on their mom after a fall, the other three siblings come to visit. The oldest is Patti (Mary Elisabeth Somers), a young woman who is trying to keep her professional and love life afloat while still looking after her mom and younger siblings. Next in line is Kirby (Cecil Jennings), a recent grad who is at risk of losing his new job due to his mom’s addiction. There is also Matthew (Hogan Mason), a college sophomore who has a special connection with Francine and is the one that talks her into going to the hospital to treat her addiction problem. Also in the picture is Dr. Jerome Collar (David Mingrino), the family physician who comes up with the recovery plan. And lastly, there’s Keith (Andrew Cereghino), a medical resident who is trying to convince Patti to stay together once and for all.

Even though it deals with harsh realities, the play presents the thorny issue of addiction with a good dose of humor. Director Arden Teresa Lewis allows the characters to explore their most vulnerable spots and find places to build up the strength to thrive under negative circumstances. In this case, humor, as light as it might seem at times, is a critical mechanism to survive.

Through Francine’s exposition, we learn that her upbringing was a difficult one, forced to grow up very early to become a housewife. A different era, a different mindset. It is here where the environments play a decisive role in predisposing someone to a life of addiction. For Francine, drugs became an escape from her world of limited possibilities. Again and again, escape seems to be a determining factor to fall into the downward spiral of addiction. In Kluger’s own words, “it’s always the same, no matter the drugs”. The underlying issues are always the same.

As more families face the daunting challenges of drug addiction, Kluger tells us that it is OK to feel tired, frustrated, emotionally drained, and hopeless. As the characters show, whether an intervention is successful or not, sometimes family members feel guilty, leading them to think that they’re not doing enough to save the loved one. And that is one of the most valuable takeaways from Walking in Space: It is OK to feel that way. It is part of the recovery and healing process. Patience and sacrifice are just part of the game.   

The result of Kluger and Lewis’ work with the actors is an entertaining and touching production that gives a sense of hope for whoever is dealing with similar issues. No matter how difficult the situation might be, there’s always something positive that comes out of such a dark place. In the case of the four siblings, the ordeal they been put through makes them grow more united and builds their strengths to face life as adults. Their interdependency creates an unbreakable bond that transcends their mom’s addiction. They know that they have each other’s back, no matter the issue, no matter the distance. At the end, “it was just us.” 

Walking in Space

Theatre West
3333 Cahuenga Blvd. West
Los Angeles, CA 90068
(across the street from Universal CityWalk, between Barham and Lankershim)

September 8 – October 8:
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: Sept. 8, Sept. 15, Sept. 22, Sept. 29*; Oct. 6
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: Sept. 16, Sept. 23, Sept. 30; Oct. 7
• Sundays at 2 p.m.: , Sept. 17, Sept. 24, Oct. 1**; Oct. 8
*ASL interpreted performance on Friday, Sept. 29 at 8 p.m.
**Sensory-friendly performance on Sunday, Oct. 1 at 2 p.m.

Ticketstheatrewest.org

Written by Garry Michael Kluger. Directed by Arden Teresa Lewis. Starring Kathie BarnesAndrew CereghinoLiv DeneviCecil JenningsHogan MasonDavid Mingrino, and Mary Elisabeth Somers. Presented by Theatre West. Creative team: Scenic designer Ernest McDaniel and lighting designer Malcolm Wilson. In addition to directing, Lewis takes on costume design. The assistant director is Amelia Vargas and the production stage manager is Dillon MountMeg Lin produces for Theatre West. Walking in Space is supported by the L.A. County Department of Arts and Culture as part of Creative Recovery L.A., an initiative funded by the American Rescue Plan.

 

              

Theatre Review: A Slight Ache

A Slight Ache is presented by Dance On Productions in association with Linda Toliver and Gary Guidinger. Written by Harold Pinter. Directed by Jack Heller.

An apparent peaceful morning is disrupted by a wasp and a match seller. Flora (Susan Priver, Harold and Maude) is sitting with her husband Edward (Henry Olek) when a wasp decides to approach their table while they’re breakfasting in the garden. The dynamics of their relationship becomes more evident as they try to figure out how to get rid of the insect. But Edward’s biggest concern is not the wasp. Rather, it’s the disconcerting presence of an old match seller (Shelly Kurtz) who has been loitering by the gate of their home for days. Flora and Edward decide to invite the man into their home to find out who he really is.

One of most iconic elements of this play is the speechless nature of the match seller. He doesn’t utter a single world during the whole play. Yet, like in music, in Harold Pinter‘s plays, silence is as important as dialogue. In this absurdist piece, the match seller reflects not a character, but an image, an inner fear or an aspirational idea of a man, depending on who you ask. For Edward, the match seller is the unstoppable marching of time, the reflection of what Edward will become in just a few more years. Edward knows that his body is deteriorating, turning him into a frail remnant of what he once was. He is holding on for dear life to what he believes will sustain him through the dreadful ageing process, his mental capacities, as if detaching his mind from his decaying body. Edward went from writing about “the Belgian Congo” to a more philosophical and contemplative topic; he’s now writing an essay on “space and time”. This is probably a symbol of inwardness, an unconscious attempt to find the meaning of life at the last stages of his existence. 

Flora sees the match seller as the man Edward could have been. In Pinter’s style, the speechless man is used as an instrument to allow the exposition of the other characters. In one of the scenes, Flora tells the match seller of the time she was raped. She also tries to explore the possibilities of the match seller as a companion, expressing her sexual frustrations and implying the lack of sexual activity with Edward. These are examples of Pinter’s use of the absurd to portray not just characters, but concepts that reflected the lives of the English society in a time of rapid changes, specially the representation of classes when England was recuperating from the difficult economic misfortunes of previous decades. 

One of the highlights of Jack Heller‘s production is the collaboration with his actors to work from an internal approach, exploring the richly psychological aspects of this brilliant play. The actors dig deep into the fears, desires, and frustrations of the characters to bring a refreshing new look at one of Pinter’s earlier plays, one that delves into the often complex relationships among mind, body, and society at large. Even though Pinter wrote A Slight Ache in 1958 at a specific period in England, the fears of becoming irrelevant and the painful process of aging are topics that are timeless and universal.

In addition to the excellent acting and directing, the scenic design (Jeff G. Rack) and costumes (Michael Mullen) combine in great detail the past and the present. Flora and Edward sport a refined look in their privileged 50s home setting while the match seller wears clothes that remind us of the very familiar sight in our streets nowadays. A clever commentary on classes back in Pinter’s England and a contrast that persists in our America today.

A Slight Ache

A visiting production at the
Odyssey Theatre
2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90025 

Performances: August 26 – October 1
• Thursdays at 8 p.m.: Sept. 14; Sept. 21; Sept. 28
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: Sept. 8; Sept. 15; Sept. 22; Sept. 29
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: Aug. 26 (opening); Sept. 9; Sept. 16; Sept. 23; Sept. 30
• Sundays at 2 p.m.: Sept. 10; Sept. 17; Sept. 24; Oct. 1

Ticketsodysseytheatre.com

Written by Harold Pinter. Directed by Jack Heller. Starring Shelly KurtzHenry OlekSusan Priver. Presented by Dance On Productions in association with Linda Toliver and Gary Guidinger. Creative team: Scenic designer Jeff G. Rack, lighting designer Ellen Monocroussos, sound designer Christopher Moscatiello, costume designer Michael Mullen and graphic designer Kiff Scholl. The production stage manager is Sarah Dawn Lowry.

Theatre Review: Exit Wounds

International City Theatre presents the world premiere of Exit Wounds. Written by Wendy Graf. Directed by caryn desai [sic]. Produced by caryn desai [sic].

Linda Sadowski (Suanne Spoke) saw her family disintegrate as a consequence of a heinous crime committed by one of her sons. Rejection by the general public, death threats, and a devastating sense of guilt torn the family apart. The husband and the son left, leaving Linda with deep emotional and psychological scars to handle by herself. Over the years, Linda becomes a hoarder, living in a depressive and disorganized place, a manifestation of Linda’s internal devastation.

25 years later, her surviving son Matt (Michael Polak), finally shows up to visit her. He informs her that his dad passed away last year. He also tells her that he has a daughter and a son she hasn’t met yet. Linda informs Matt that she had breast cancer. The fact that they didn’t know about each other’s lives shows how disconnected they have been living from each other all these years. However, Matt know needs Linda more than ever. His son Danny (Hayden Kharrazi) is showing a disturbing behavior that seems too similar to the one exhibited by Linda’s deceased son. Her intervention is critical, as it can prevent the same tragedy that shattered their lives 25 years ago.

In Wendy Graf‘s Exit Wounds, the fascination with guns and missing the early signs of internal conflicts can lead to catastrophe. The eeriness of this play is the familiarity of the story. Again and again, we see it and hear it in the news. Another day, another tragedy, another missed sign of trouble. Graf dissects the emotional and psychological effects of a mass shooting tragedy from the point of view of the family’s perpetrator, not the victims. As controversial as this might sound, the reality is that such tragedies also leave a perpetual scar on the relatives of the perpetrator, a fact not covered by the media usually. In Exit Wounds, it’s up to the audience to sympathize or demonize the family in question. Were the parents careless? Were they aware of the signs? Do they deserve the suffering? Should we feel pity for them? One interesting question is: What can institutions like schools and courts do to help concerned parents with their troubled kids?

Director caryn desai [sic] creates a space with great attention to detail that feels dark and congested, externalizing Linda’s interior mess. Desai leads her three actors to build up the tension as the story unfolds. The initial comedic spin of the characters gives way to a much somber subject matter, leading to an emotional and moving display of guilt and sorrow, with a ray of hope at the end of the tunnel. Exit Wounds is a story that presents three generations that are trying to find redemption from a tragic past. It’s also timely, touching, and a meaningful conversation starter to find solutions for an urgent matter.

Exit Wounds

INTERNATIONAL CITY THEATRE
Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center
330 East Seaside Way
Long Beach, CA 90802

Performances: August 25 – September 10
• Thursdays at 8 p.m.: Aug. 31, Sept. 7
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: Aug. 25 (Opening Night), Sept. 1, Sept. 8
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: Sept. 2, Sept. 9
• Sundays at 2 p.m.: Sept. 3, Sept. 10

Ticketsictlongbeach.org

Written by Wendy Graf. Directed by caryn desai [sic]. Starring Hayden Kharrazi, Michael Polak and Suanne Spoke. Produced by caryn desai [sic]. Presented by International City Theatre. Creative team:  set designer Yuri Okahana-Benson, lighting designer Donna Ruzika, costume designer Kim DeShazo, sound designer Dave Mickey and prop designer Patty Briles. Casting is by Michael DonovanCSA and Richie FerrisCSA. The production stage manager is Letitia Chang.

Theatre Review: Heroes of the Fourth Turning

Rogue Machine presents the Southern California premiere of Heroes of the Fourth Turning. Written by Will Arbery. Directed by Guillermo Cienfuegos. Produced by Justin Okin and John Perrin Flynn.

Playwright Will Arbery explores deep and philosophical questions in a play with intense dialogue and honest points of view that might diverge from the politically correct message of the mainstream media. The characters in the play show some existential crises that expose their vulnerabilities and lead them to question their positions and commitments as conservative White Catholics. Will they reinforce their positions, or will they try to merge with a world that is leaning more towards inclusion and acceptance?

In Heroes of the Fourth Turning, four young conservatives gather to celebrate Gina (Roxanne Hart), the new president of their Catholic college. Justin (Stephen Tyler Howell) appears self-confident at first. However, by the end of the play, is evident that he is as confused and afraid as the rest. He believes in the Benedict Option, in the safety of seclusion to avoid temptations. He seems more resolute to stay within his bubble of conservatism, contrary to Kevin (Samuel Garnett), who is exploring the possibility of moving to New York to face the temptations of an urban setting to test his commitment to his faith, although one temptation he hasn’t been able to resist is alcohol.

For Emily (Emily James), living with a painful disease is a form of perpetual sacrifice, The Eucharist, the presentation of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Maybe something worthy can come out of that pain. Like many artists may agree, beautiful art can be created out of sheer misery. The pain has made her more empathetic for sure, but it has taken a toll on her faith and perception of life. A breaking point seems to be building up.

Teresa (Evangeline Edwards), a fan of Steve Bannon and supporter of Donald Trump, is a determined and hardcore conservative who proclaims that a war is around the corner and White Catholics need to be ready to fight, instilling fear to an already ambivalent Kevin. In her eyes, is a war instigated by liberals to demonize and destroy White America. She is a firm believer of the controversial Fourth Turning, a Strauss-Howe generational theory with four mood eras, or turnings: High, Awakening, Unraveling, and Crisis. Teresa might be perceived as just a racist conservative pundit, but through her lines, she is pursuing something else: “You call us racist, we’ll call you racist. You call us white, we’ll call you black…But you stop doing that,…we’ll stop too.” What she proposes is a forum to exchange opinions, “a republic of ideas,” something more Hegelian: Thesis, antithesis, and synthesis. Maybe with a little bit of cocaine on the side.

Gina on the other hand, lies somewhere in the middle. As time went by, she has changed positions and is now a moderate conservative. She regrets supporting Pat Buchanan in the past and despises Donald Trump. She is considered a leader to the four young conservatives meeting tonight, but clashes with Teresa, who is left surprised and confused with Gina’s moderate conservatism.

Guillermo Cienfuegos continues to deliver impactful productions in his successful directorial endeavors. In Heroes of the Fourth Turning, he turns a script with heavy dialogue into a funny, entertaining, and highly engaging play with a fantastic selection of actors that achieve masterly performances. The five thespians create characters with actions, reactions, and vulnerabilities that bring to life the cleverness and depth of Arbery’s writting.   

Whether the characters’ intentions are to create another AFA or a new Orania, that is an open question. But what’s interesting here is that the characters argue and debate, weakening and strengthening their faith. Mainly, it’s a story where White Catholics express their concerns and explore the strategies for their future to ensure their survival. It’s a safe place to nurture their common values while attempting to elevate their consciousness and love to greater heights. Maybe, at the end, they’ll all be able to reach the summit and be united as one. For everything that rises must converge. 

Heroes of the Fourth Turning

ROGUE MACHINE (in the Matrix Theatre)
7657 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046
(Street parking)

Opening: 8pm on Saturday, August 19, 2023
Schedule: 8pm Fridays, Saturdays, Mondays, 3pm Sundays
Closing: October 2, 2023

Ticketshttps://www.roguemachinetheatre.org/

Written by Will Arbery. Directed by Guillermo Cienfuegos. Cast: Roxanne Hart, Evangeline Edwards, Samuel Garnett, Stephen Tyler Howell, and Emily James. Creative team: Stephanie Kerley Schwartz (Scenic Design), Dan Weingarten (Lighting Design), Chris Moscatiello (Sound Design), Christine Cover Ferro (Costume Design), John Perrin Flynn (Dramaturg), Victoria Hoffman (Casting Director). Produced by: Justin Okin, John Perrin Flynn. A Rogue Machine Production.

Theatre Review: A View from the Bridge

Ruskin Group Theatre presents A View from the Bridge. Written by Arthur Miller. Directed by Mike Reilly. Produced by John Ruskin and Michael Myers.

The political turmoil that proceeded WWII, the abolition of the monarchy, the early establishment of the republic, and an Italian economy in ruins, fomented a massive immigration of Italians to the US during the 1950s. More than 600,000 Italian immigrants, many of them from the impoverished south, entered the United States, mainly through the ports of New York. For some dockyard owners, this meant cheap labor, as some of these immigrants had to work as longshoremen to pay the human traffickers that brought them to the US illegally. These immigrants usually stayed in the homes of fellow Italians, whether family members or people from their own native villages, creating thriving Italian communities where they supported each other.

Arthur Miller used these conditions as the background for his critically acclaimed play A view from the Bridge. The story is narrated by Alfieri (Sal Viscuso), raised in Italy and now working as an American lawyer. Eddie (Ray Abruzzo) lives with his wife Beatrice (Kim Chase) and his orphaned niece Catherine (Aurora Leonard). The three leave in an Italian community in Brooklyn, New York, where Eddie works on the docks. Beatrice is a housewife and 17-year-old Catherine goes to school. Soon after, Beatrice’s young cousins Marco (Jesse Janzen) and Rodolpho (Brandon Lill) arrive from Italy, fleeing poverty and the lack of job opportunities in Sicily. In the case of Marco, he is coming to the the US to send money to his wife, who is caring for their sick child. Both Marco and Rodolpho come to the US illegally. Catherine and Rodolpho fall in love, causing Eddie’s rage, as he has developed a secret sexual desire for Catherine. From there, everything goes downhill.  

This play captures two critical societal changes in America during the post war booms. One is the number of women entering the workforce after WWII, shifting the power balance and the family dynamics, where the masculine figure was no longer the only financial support in the household. By finding a job as a stenographer, Catherine represents that new reality, somehow challenging Eddie’s position as the only provider for the family. He initially objects to the idea, but is ultimately persuaded by Beatrice to allow Catherine to accept the job. 

The second change observed in the play is the image of the new man, more sensitive and less rigid, represented by Rodolpho, a guy who is outgoing, likes to sing, and dresses with a sense of fashion, characteristics that were considered more feminine at the time, but which captured Catherine’s attention since the very beginning. That “new man” challenged the traditional image of the alpha male and triggered Eddie’s jealousy to the point of trying to convince Catherine that Rodolpho was gay, not suitable for her. In reality, Eddie is sensing that he is a symbol of failing masculinity, losing interest in his wife, and being consumed by his inappropriate attraction to his niece. He is resisting the change of times and refuses to accept that his figure is being replaced by a new generation of men, represented by Marco, but specially by Rodolpho. 

As for the Alfieri, he tries to be the voice of reason, advising Eddie to change his ways. However, Alfieri knows that Eddie is beyond the point of no return, like a train going at full speed, about to cause a wreck, but unable to stop it.

Mike Reilly pays attention to fine details to make this production a memorable staging of such an iconic play. The blocking divides the stage in two sections, the family’s house in one and the streets and Alfieri’s office in the other, making the scenic design and the lighting more versatile. Four creative elements contribute to immerse the audience into the story. The chiaroscuro lighting by Edward Salas recreates the unnerving danger of both the streets and the main character, as if warning the audience of an impending tragedy. Salas also does the sound design, using a background music that is perfect for the film noir nature of the play. The scenic design by Stephanie Kerley Schwartz also adds to the overall feel of the story, creating a dramatic contrast in textures and colors. Michael Mullen‘s costumes offer details of the lives and traits of each character, demonstrating the attention to details of the director.    

The selection of actors is another reason to see this production. Abruzzo’s projection on stage is commanding and magnetic. The transition from protective father figure to a man fully consumed in his own tragedy is a performance to be remembered. Chase, Leonard, Lill, Janzen, and Viscuso, all turn Miller’s characters into vivid representations of the symbols and concepts that the playwright wanted to portray in this masterpiece. The outstanding ovation at the end of the play is a reflection of their moving performances. This production elevates the significance and poignancy of Arthur Miller, one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century.      

A View from the Bridge

Ruskin Group Theatre
3000 Airport Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90405
 
Aug 18 – Oct 8, 2023
Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM. Sundays at 2 PM.
 
 
Written by Arthur Miller. Directed by Mike Reilley. Starring: Ray Abruzzo, Kim Chase, Aurora Leonard, Brandon Lill, Jesse Janzen, Sal Viscuso, Kevin Alain, Jamie Daniels, Aaron Marshall, Nicole Millar, and Jeff Prater. Produced by John Ruskin and Michael Myers. Presented by Ruskin Group Theatre. Creative team: Stephanie Kerley Schwartz (Scenic Design), Edward Salas (Lighting and Sound Design), Michael Mullen (Costume Design), Mary Unruh (Dialect & Speech Coach), Paul Ruddy (Casting), and Nicole Millar (Stage Manager).
 

Theatre Review: A Bella Incarceration

The Echo Theater Company presents the world premiere of A Bella Incarceration. Conceived, written, directed, and performed by Ann Noble. Produced by Chris Fields and Kelly Beech for the Echo Theater Company.

An enclosure representing a jail cell, an inmate uniform, and a pink clown nose is all it takes to tell the story of Bella (Ann Noble), a woman who has been incarcerated for an act of civil disobedience. Once in jail, she asks why people commit rebellious acts to stand up to injustice and abuse. To understand the motivations, Bella has imaginary conversations with women she admires. She talks to journalist Nellie Bly and anarchists Dorothy Day and Emma Goldman.

The fact that Bella is a clown makes sense for the kind of material covered in the story. Clowns have an anarchic spirit, are funny, and in some instances, they display a contradictory sadness that is impossible to resist. Bella goes through all of those emotions and experiences before, during, and probably after her incarceration. 

In real life, Ann Noble is also a prison chaplain. Her own stories combined with the ones of those serving time in prison are the basis of the play. The confinement, loneliness, and psychological traumas can break you, make you stronger, or a combination of the two. A Bella Incarceration leaves room for the audience to imagine what was the end of the story. Noble provides some of the details, but the resolution is an audience’s exercise. The play is somehow a soliloquy and a narrative to explore and validate Bella’s motivations and actions. The play is deep, funny, and an opportunity to shed light on the marginalized and disenfranchised.       

A Bella Incarceration

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

Performances: July 25 – Aug. 22:
• Tuesdays at 8 p.m.: Aug. 8, Aug. 15, Aug. 22

Tickets: echotheatercompany

Conceived, written, directed, and performed by Ann Noble. Production Design by Ann Loud. Presented by The Echo Theater Company, Chris Fields artistic director.

 

Theatre Review: Rent

Chance Theater presents the Pulitzer Prize winning musical Rent. Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jonathan Larson. Directed by Matthew McCray. Music directed by Lex Leigh. Choreographed by Mo Goodfellow.

One of the most iconic stories to reflect the lives of struggling artists, Rent adds another dramatic layer when some of the characters have to survive in a big metropolis like New York while grappling with HIV at the same time. Without a doubt, this is a moving musical that continues to inspire audiences every single time. For anyone who has seen the progression of the disease from HIV to AIDS and the devastating consequences, Rent is a significant portrayal of the hardships and the uncertainty of the heartbreaking ordeal, specially in the early waves of the epidemic.

The inability to predict for sure if HIV will progress to AIDS is like a ticking bomb that may go off at any time, taking a physical and mental toll on those with the disease and their loved ones. Jonathan Larson observed those challenges and imagined a universe where a very diverse group of people comes together to build a community to fight the AIDS stigma and find love along the way. Within that amalgam of personalities, a special character with HIV, Angel (Adam Leiva), irradiates kindness and the ability to teach and share love, even after his death of AIDS. He navigates the adversities with a positive attitude until the very last moment.

Some of the topics in the play are discrimination, poverty, living the moment, survival mechanisms, the sense of community, drug addiction, and the inability of the characters to stop it. For Roger (Gavin Cole), Mimi’s (Lena Ceja) heroin addiction and an HIV condition prolongs the agony of an impending disaster. Roger knows that falling for Mimi means that, at one point, he will be left alone once again—his former girlfriend committed suicide after learning that she was HIV positive and had infected Roger.

But beyond her addiction, Mimi has depth. Perhaps as a consequence of her HIV condition and accepting her fate, she encourages Roger to forget about his anticipatory anxiety and live the moment without worrying about the past or the future. No religion, no heavens, no hell, only us.

There are fifteen characters in Director Matthew McCray‘s production, each one with their own story and motivations. There is Roger’s roommate, Mark (Luc Clopton), a filmmaker who was dumped by his girlfriend. Together with Roger, Mark struggle to stay warm in their cold apartment. We also see Joanne (Frankie Ripley), a lesbian lawyer, Maureen (Lily Targett), a bisexual performer and Joanne’s girlfriend, Tom (JoeJoe McKinney), a gay anarchist with AIDS and Angel’s partner, and Benjamin (Christopher D. Baker), Mark and Roger’s landlord. All of the characters have important roles and a story to tell. They all contribute to build a cohesive community and bond even more after Angel’s death. But it is Roger the center of attention. His depressive state at the beginning, his initial resistance to a new relationship with Mimi, and his willingness to open up his heart make it the most transformative character of the play. Throughout the story, Roger is silent, loud, visible, invisible. He is myth, life, death, tragedy, hope. He is America. He touches the bottom and rises like a phoenix. At the end, he still believes in love.

Scenic Designer Joe Holbrook captures the grittiness and the underground vibes of the script in a fascinating manner. The colors and textures create a contrast that reflect the spirit of the story. The color palette of the lighting (Zach Moore, Lighting Designer) is also an element to highlight. Reds, whites, ambers, purples, and blues are all used masterfully to evoke emotions and intensities, as if dancing rhythmically to the palpitations of the characters. McCray had a talented group of artisans and performers to honor and elevate the legacy of Larson in the always difficult world of musicals. This particular production of Rent shows that a talented director can make a revival as fresh and exciting as the original one.

The story is raw, passionate, energetic, and a testament of the powerful effect of human connections. It’s a picture of the rough and excruciating road to the entertainment industry. It is also a homage to the ones that lost the battle, to the ones that are still trying, to the ones that never ever give up. 

Rent

Chance Theater
Bette Aitken Theater Arts Center
5522 E La Palma Ave.
Anaheim, CA 92807

Dates: — 

Ticketschancetheater.com

Book, Music, & Lyrics by Jonathan Larson. Directed by Matthew McCray. Music directed by Lex Leigh. Choreographed by Mo Goodfellow. Executive Producers Linda and Tod White. Season Producers Bette & Wylie Aitken. Associate Producers Rachelle Menaker & Eddie Schuller. Associate Producer Laurie Smits Staude. Associate Season Producers Family of Mary Kay Fyda-Mar. Cast: Luc Clopton, Gavin Cole, Lena Ceja, JoeJoe McKinney, Adam Leiva, Lily Targett, Frankie Ripley, Christopher D. Baker, Jack Thomas Aitken, Micah K. Blanks, Ayani Dorsey, Autumn Kirkpatrick, Patrick McCormick, Mikey Miro, and Gemma Pedersen. Creative team: Lighting Designer Joe Holbrook, Costume Designer Bradley Allen Lock, Projection Designer Nick Santiago, Lighting Designer Zach Moore, and Sound Designer Dave Mickey
 
      

Theatre Review: Crabs in a Bucket

The Echo Theater Company presents the World Premiere of Crabs in a Bucket. Written by Bernardo Cubría. Directed by Alana Dietze. Produced by Chris Fields and Kelly Beech.

The play starts with Amargo (Xochitl Romero) and Pootz (Anna LaMadrid) contemplating the misery of their lives as two aging crabs in a bucket. From there, the conversation turns to memories of better times and the pathetic state of their current situation, a downward spiral of apathy and hopelessness. With the arrival of Beb (Jordan Hull), a younger and more positive crab, the bitterness reaches another level. Things get even more insane when Mamon (Michael Sturgis) falls back into the bucket after getting out and enjoying the outside for a while. It is now time to re-evaluate their current existence and see if real change is a possibility or just a deceptive chimera.

The play has a universal appeal that allows the story to travel. The subjugation of our lives to deeply ingrained feelings of inferiority can lead us to sabotage ourselves when opportunities come knocking. Even worse, that mentality can lead us to bitter not only our lives, but also the lives of the people around us, whether they’re colleagues, friends, or family members. In the case of Amargo, she once was the joker of the group until life passed her by and her hopes and expectations didn’t materialize. As part of her inner circle, she makes sure Pootz doesn’t go any further than the interior of the bucket, pulling her back if Pootz tries to reach the top to get out.

The surprising character is Mamon, who got out, but ends up falling back into the bucket. This could be interpreted perhaps as a case of insecurity. Mamon got out and enjoyed higher levels in life, but felt inferior, incapable, or thought that he didn’t deserve any success in life. This crab mentality infused with Social Constructionism rules the lives of the crabs in the bucket. What might be seen as an exclusive characteristic of a particular racial group, the reality is that this crab mentality exists in many different groups. The world of entertainment could be an example of such behavior. The success of others sabotages our own success, making us feel bitter, frustrated, and left behind. A perfect recipe to rip the happiness out of our lives. In the play, however, Beb brings the opposite. Her naiveness makes her believe that it is still possible to escape the bucket if they help each other.

The four actors offer a compelling and hilarious performance that exalt the brilliant script. The ingenuity of both the writing (Bernardo Cubría, Revenge Porn or The Story of a Body) and the direction (Alana Dietze) creates a combination that delivers a play that feels relatable and devastatingly human.

Crabs in a Bucket

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

Performances: July 15 – August 21
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: July 21, July 28, Aug. 4, Aug. 11, Aug. 18
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: July 15 (opening night), July 22, July 29, Aug. 5, Aug. 12, Aug. 19
• Sundays at 4 p.m.: July 23, July 30, Aug. 6, Aug. 13, Aug. 20
• Mondays at 8 p.m.: July 24, July 31, Aug. 7, Aug. 14, Aug. 21

Ticketsechotheatercompany.com

Written by Bernardo Cubría. Directed by Alana Dietze. Starring Jordan HullAnna LaMadridXochitl RomeroMichael Sturgis. Presented by The Echo Theater CompanyChris Fields artistic director. Creative team: Scenic designer Amanda Knehans; lighting designer Azra KingAbadi; sound designer Jeff Gardner; costume designer Lou Cranch; composer Arian Saleh; fight choreographer Ahmed Best; movement coach Tristan Waldron; and clowning consultant Julia Davis. The production stage manager is Irene Lee and Troy LeighAnne Johnson is associate producer.

 

Theatre Review: Garden of Alla

Theatre West presents Garden of Alla. Written and performed by Romy Nordlinger. Directed by Lorca Peress. Produced by Anne Leyden and Benjamin Scuglia (Behind the Bar Productions) in association with Theatre West and Georganne Aldrich Heller.

Considered a trailblazer, Alla Nazimova left her mark in Hollywood as a performer of humble beginnings. She rose to fame as an actress, made tons of money, and lost most of it along the way. Romy Nordlinger created this solo show to feature one of the most enigmatic figures to ever act in Hollywood. Nordlinger starts by narrating Nazimova’s difficult beginnings during the last period of the Imperial Russia. Her dad was an abusive alcoholic who once broke her arm and subjected Nazimova and her mom to constant verbal and physical abuse. After her parents divorced, her dad forbade Nazimova to ever mention her mom again, traumatizing her for life. After living for a while in foster homes, she fell upon hard times and had to resort to prostitution to survive. Fleeing antisemitism and pogroms, Nazimova left for America, where she became a successful theatre actress.

When she moved to Hollywood, she became one of the highest paid actresses, allowing her to live a flamboyant lifestyle. She purchased a piece of land that became known as the Garden of Alla, a place where the party never ended. During the Prohibition era, alcohol was readily available at Garden of Alla, not to mention all the drugs that came after. The biggest Hollywood stars of the time partied hard in the lush fields of the mansion, some of them even lived there, preceding the Chateau Marmont’s model.

Salacious stories of sexual debauchery and unrestricted consumption of drugs and alcohol sometimes overmined a characteristic of the Garden of Alla. This place was considered a safe heaven for Lavender Hollywood at a time when the LGBT communities had no public support and being outed meant the end of someone’s career. Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, Rudolph Valentino, and Nazimova’s closeted husband, Charles Bryant, were all part of the Garden’s scene where they enjoyed sexual liberation, a luxury not permitted in the conservative American society of the time.

It was her marriage to Bryant that devastated Nazimova’s career. When the press published the convoluted case of their marriage, her career took a nosedive and she could not regained the stardom she once had. She went back to theatre and participated in small roles on the screen, but it was clear that her career was pretty much over. That’s the story presented by Nordlinger, who uses background video to show some of the images of the iconic Sapphic Hollywood star. A sensational performer of the characters created by Henrik Ibsen, August Strindberg, Anton Chekhov, and Pearl Buck, she also became a muse for talented playwrights such as Tennessee Williams and Eugene O’Neill. Garden of Alla is a piece of history that pays tribute to one of the most admired stage and screen actresses of the time, a genuine effort to rescue Alla Nazimova’s legacy from oblivion.

Garden of Alla

Theatre West
3333 Cahuenga Blvd. West
Los Angeles, CA 90068
(across the street from Universal CityWalk, between Barham and Lankershim)

July 7 – July 23
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: July 7, July 14, July 21
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: July 15*, July 22
• Sundays at 2 p.m.: July 16, July 23
*Screenings of Nazimova’s Salomé” (1923) and Camille” (1921) follow the performances on Saturday, July 8 and Saturday, July 15 respectively (included in the ticket price; separate admission $5).

Ticketstheatrewest.org

Written and Performed by Romy Nordlinger. Directed by Lorca Peress. Video Design by Adam Jesse Burns. Score and Sound Design by Nick T. Moore. Produced by Anne Leyden and Benjamin Scuglia (Behind the Bar Productions) in association with Theatre West and Georganne Aldrich Heller. Presented by Theatre West.