Tag Archives: Acting

Theatre Review: Last Summer at Bluefish Cove

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The Fountain Theatre presents a revival of Last Summer at Bluefish Cove. Written by Jane Chambers. Directed by Hannah Wolf. Produced by The Fountain Theatre.

With a naturalistic and beautiful scenic design by accomplished designer Desma Murphy, The Fountain Theatre celebrates the 40th anniversary of Last Summer at Bluefish Cove at the parking lot next to the theatre. In a unique setup, this production is staged outdoors with headphones to listen to the actors, the music, and the sound effects.

It’s 1974 and Lil (Ann Sonneville) is fishing at Bluefish Cove, a remote community where queer women spend their summers together. Suddenly, Eva (Lindsay LaVanchy), a straight woman who just separated from her husband, arrives in town unaware of the lesbian nature of the community. After a brief interaction, Eva declares that she has rented one of the properties. Lil immediately feels attracted to Eva. Later at a party, Eva gets into an argument with hot-headed Donna (Stephanie Pardi), who is dating Sue (Stasha Surdyke). After learning that the women at the community are lesbians, Eva feels out of place. However, Lil’s mesmerizing personality awakens something new in Eva, something that will change their lives forever. Rae (Ellen D. Williams), Rita (Tamika Katon-Donegal), and swing (Allison Husko) are also part of the close circle of friends staying at Bluefish Cove.

The fascinating script by Jane Chambers presents meaty characters that defy the traditional and limited depiction of queer women in mainstream media. The women in the play exude fascinating layers of strengths, insecurities, and charming characteristics that brings them closer to the audience’s own experiences. One of the characters that excels in the portrayal of true friendship and caring personality is Annie (Noelle Messier), Lil’s best friend. Annie is seating next to Lil when Kitty (Sarah Scott Davis), a gynecologist turned feminist author, delivers some devastating news to Lil.

Kitty, by the way, is a character that somehow reflects the positions of lesbian groups like the Radicalesbians and The Furies Collective, which were a response to the exclusion of lesbians by feminist organizations in the 1970s. At the time, some feminists excluded lesbians from their agendas and labeled them as the “Lavender Menace”, a homophobic term first used by Betty Friedan, president of the National Organization of Women (NOW).

LaVanchy and Sonneville deliver stellar performances portraying the transition from initial resistance to ultimate surrender to their feelings, a contrasting and irresistible situation that creates remarkable drama and magnetic romanticism. Of course, the superb acting and the outstanding success of this staging is a manifestation of the fine direction by Hannah Wolf, who worked from an external approach for this project. The results show what happens when a director pays careful attention to details and creates a poignant and touching production that enhances the already captivating script.   

But this play has even more substance than just a sentimental story. It captures the little known safe heavens where lesbians have retreated for support and reaffirmation of their values. It is also a snapshot of the challenging post-Stonewall times when the LGBT communities were fighting for equality in a society that persistently excluded them from their agendas. These stories need to be told to really comprehend the diversity of the human condition and, hopefully, serve as a channel for mutual respect and understanding. 

Last Summer at Bluefish Cove

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

Performances: June 17 – Aug. 27
• Fridays at 7 p.m.: June 23, 30; July 7, 14, 21, 28; Aug. 4, 11, 18, 25
• Saturdays at 7 p.m.: June 17 (opening), 24; July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; 12, 19, 26 (dark Aug. 5)
• Sundays at 7 p.m.: June 25; July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; 13, 20, 27 (dark Aug. 6)
• Mondays at 7 p.m.: June 26; July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; Aug. 7, 14, 21

Tickets: fountaintheatre.com

Written by Jane Chambers. Directed by Hannah Wolf. Starring Sarah Scott Davis, Allison Husko, Tamika Katon–Donegal, Lindsay LaVanchy, Noelle Messier, Stephanie Pardi, Ann Sonneville, Stasha Surdyke, Ellen D. Williams. Produced by The Fountain Theatre. Creative team: Scenic designer Desma Murphy; lighting designer R. S. Buck, sound designer Andrea Allmond, costume designer Halei Parker, prop master Rebecca Carr and intimacy director Savanah Knechel. The production stage manager is Chloe Willey, and Gina DeLuca is assistant stage manager.

Las Summer at Bluefish Cove poster
A scene from Last Summer at Bluefish Cove
A scene from Last Summer at Bluefish Cove

Theatre Review: Macbeth

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Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum kicks off its 50th anniversary with the tragedy play Macbeth. Written by William Shakespeare. Directed by Ellen Geer.

Macbeth, is it just a dream? Is Macbeth the witches’ dream? Are the witches Macbeth’s dream? Could the witches be an externalization of Macbeth’s character? Or, maybe even Lady Macbeth’s ambitions?

The debate is intense among scholars to decipher what the witches really represent in the play. As for their characteristics in Ellen Geer‘s production, the rituals and the behavior exhibited by the three witches and Hecate seem to infer that they were Scottish, and consequently, continental witches rather than local ones. In Shakespeare’s times, British witches were believed to be more interested in petty things and not having much control of magical powers. Continental witches, on the other hand, were perceived as more powerful and able to control the destiny of people, thus being able to foretell and influence Macbeth and Banquo’s future.

It is important to note that the Protestant King James VI, who survived several murder attempts, some attributed to the North Berwick witches, wrote Daemonologie, three books and a pamphlet about demonology and witchcraft. King James called the witches of his time “slaves of the Devil” and encouraged witch hunting during his reign. It is believed that Shakespeare wrote Macbeth as a tribute to King James, who became the royal patron of Shakespeare’s theatre company. The supernatural, the historical and contemporaneous perception on witchcraft, and the duality of paganism and Christianity influenced and inspired some of the passages in Macbeth.

Director Ellen Geer’s production renders a faithful representation of the play’s emblems that surround the story and give Macbeth the uncanny anxiety that leads him to madness and his ultimate demise. The apparitions, the moving grove, and the Weird Sisters’ rituals are depicted in visually stunning detail to emphasize the decaying mental state of the protagonist and the fatal consequences of his actions.

Both Max Lawrence and Willow Geer transcend in their roles of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth respectively. They keenly illustrate the initial attempt to support each other, but also their mutual devastation as a result- of their own excessive ambitions. Geer excels in her interpretation of the ambitious and oftentimes comedic leading lady, a sublime depiction of power lust and self-destruction. 

The stage, with a natural canyon ravine as its background, allows a dynamic performance. Actors enter and exit from all directions to give the audience an engaging experience. The costumes, lighting, and a touch of special effects frame this captivating story of kings, witches, good, evil, murder, and hope. Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum is a magnificent place to stage The Scottish play, a 400-year-old magical tragedy that continues to intrigue and fascinate audiences of all ages.

Macbeth

Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum
1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd.
Topanga CA 90290
(midway between Pacific Coast Highway and the Ventura Freeway)

June 10–September 23 (see link below for dates and times)

Tickets: theatricum.com

Written by William Shakespeare. Directed by Ellen Geer. Starring Max Lawrence in the title role; Willow Geer as Lady M; Aaron Hendry as Macduff; Claire Simba as Lady Macduff; Cavin (CR) Mohrhardt as Malcolm; Franc Ross as Duncan and the Porter; Taylor Jackson Ross as Hecate; Steven C. Fisher as Ross; and Jeff Wiesen as Banquo. Also in the cast are Marc Antonio Pritchett as Old Siward and Andy Stokan as the doctor. Presented by Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum. Creative team: Assistant Director Claire Simba; Fight Choreographer Cavin (CR) Mohrhardt; Stage Manager Kim Cameron; Assistant Stage Manager Ian Geatz; Costume Designer Tracy Wahl; Original Music Marshall McDaniel & Ellen Geer; Sound Designer Charles Glaudini; Lighting Designer Zachary Moore; Properties Master Alexander Sheldon; Wardrobe Supervisor Beth Eslick.

 

Macbeth poster
A scene from Macbeth
A scene from Macbeth
A scene from Macbeth

Theatre Review: Grown Up Orphan Annie

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Grown Up Orphan Annie will be running during the Hollywood Fringe Festival. Written and performed by Katherine Bourne Taylor. Produced by DJ Taylor.

The beloved character Annie (Katherine Bourne Taylor) is now grown up and some details about her life are now disclosed. Being the adopted daughter of Daddy Warbucks created some moral conflicts on the young girl, and now she needs to come to terms with her new reality as a grown up, living the lifestyle of a celebrity. After the death of Daddy Warbucks and the dog Sandy, Annie starts searching for a new sidekick. Unfortunately, she is mislead to believe that Keiko the orca can be her new friend. Unbeknownst to her, Keiko died years ago, creating a new disappointment in her life.

The picaresque style of Harold Gray‘s Little Orphan Annie comic strip continues in this new solo performance. Taylor develops a series of adventures to find new friends and a new sidekick, all of this with an ambientalista undertone, trying to save the planet from the billionaires of the world.

The show is interactive, creating very funny situations with the participation of the audience, specially the first half of the play. The show was workshopped with the innovative Elysian Theatre, and Taylor will be taking her solo performance to the Edinburgh Fringe after the Hollywood run. As part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival, Grown Up Orphan Annie will be playing during the month of June.

Grown Up Orphan Annie

The Broadwater (Studio)

1078 Lillian Way

Los Angeles, CA 90038

Sat June 10th at 3:30 PM

Fri June 16th at 10:30 PM

Thurs June 22nd at 8 PM

Tickets: hollywoodfringe.org/projects/9585

Written and performed by Katherine Bourne Taylor. Workshopped with The Elysian Theater’s Very In Progress Programming. Original Music by Gabriella Hirsch. “Hard Drive Daddy” Music by Katie Greer. Produced by DJ Taylor.

 

Grown Up Orphan Annie poster
Grown Up Orphan Annie
A scene from Grown Up Orphan Annie

Theatre Review: Holy Waters

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The Hollywood Fringe Festival is in full swing and this time we are reviewing Holy Waters, written by Eleanor Vigneault and directed by Augusta Mariano.

A daughter (Eleanor Vigneault) is on the phone getting fired when she receives the surprising visit of her mom (Anita Barone). With no job, no boyfriend, and only a toy as a companion, the daughter doesn’t seem to have much of a future. The mom decides to take her daughter on a road trip and figure out their relationship along the way, with the help of some whisky, of course.

Vigneault explores the complexities of a mother-daughter relationship and the hardships of a household with limited income that pushes the tolerance of the family members to the limit. As they travel together, the contrasts and similarities between the two become more evident, for better or worse.

Vigneault and Barone excel in their roles in this heartfelt and exceptionally hilarious play. The seriousness of their fragility and religious undertones is offset by the continuous comedic lines that they deliver so naturally. Director Augusta Mariano uses of the limited space creatively. Even though is a small stage, Mariano moves the action around, using every inch of the available space.

The writing, directing, and acting make Holy Waters a rare find this festival season. It’s a snippet of the talent working creatively in intimate theatres; a showcase of the potential in the thriving LA theatre scene.

Holy Waters

Actors Company (The Little Theater)

916 N. Formosa Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90046

Opening: Sunday 6/4 @ 4pm
Friday 6/9 @ 8:30pm
Saturday 6/10 @ 12:30pm & 11:30pm
Closing: Sunday 6/11 @ 6:30pm

Tickets: hollywoodfringe.org/projects/9929

Written by Eleanor Vigneault. Directed by Augusta Mariano. Starring Anita Barone and Eleanor Vigneault. Creative team: Stage Manager Maddy Glave, Sound Design Jeremy Robinson, Set Design Mike Mariano, Board Op Ezra Fisher.

 

Holy Waters poster
A scene from Holy Waters
A scene from Holy Waters

Theatre Review: Cabaret

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Altadena Music Theatre presents Cabaret. Written by Joe Masteroff, based off the play by John Van Druten and The Berlin Stories of Christopher Isherwood. Directed by Oliver Azcarate and Sarah Azcarate. Produced by Sarah Azcarate.

The girls and boys at the Kit Kat Klub are back, this time at the historic Charles S. Farnsworth Amphitheater in Altadena. The story is based on the lives of the residents of Berlin in the late 1920s and the characters that work in a cabaret, one of the defining features of the Jazz Age. Known as a symbol of spending, decadence, and hedonism, the cabaret was a place where customers could eat, drink, watch a show, and dance the night away. Once the strict rules of the monarchy were over, the newly found freedom allowed Germans to express themselves liberally, and what better place to show that relaxed attitude than the cabaret. Straights, gays, lesbians, and transvestites partied together in these places, where sex and politics were the main topics. Many of  the patrons, however, were aware that this extravagance was artificial and temporary.

Cliff Bradshaw (Michael Thomas Grant), a young American writer, arrives in Berlin to write a novel. He meets Ernst Ludwig (Sean York), a Nazi and black market operator who offers him a job bringing contraband from Paris. Ernst tells Cliff of a place to stay, a boarding house run by Fraulein Schneider (Ursula Gueringer), who is the love object of Herr Schultz (Craig Wright), a Jewish fruit vendor. Another resident of the house is Fraulein Kost (Skye Marie Sena), a friendly character that keeps bringing sailors and other men to her room, much to the disapproval of Schneider. Cliff then meets Kit Kat Klub singer Sally Bowles (Emily Lopez) and both fall in love with each other. Meanwhile, everything is business as usual at the burlesque theatre Kit Kat Klub. The enigmatic Master of Ceremonies (Cruz St. James) and the dancers deliver performances that reflect the liberal atmosphere of the city and the fiercely experimental nature of the avant garde.

This production features some young talent worth noting. Cruz St. James has a dazzling stage presence that is magnetic and hints stardom at every move. Not only is he a fantastic singer and dancer, he also delivers a powerful and emotional performance that captures so vividly the height and demise of an era. Lopez, Grant, Wright, and Gueringer depict masterfully the debauchery, hopes, and somber panorama of a society that is witnessing the contrast between the cultural renaissance during the Weimar Republic and the chimeric expectations of Nazism.

Directors Oliver Azcarate, Sarah Azcarate, and choreographer Melissa Schade have achieved a phenomenal production that allows the actors/dancers to shine and deliver high-energy performances. The costumes are sexy and flamboyant, an accurate picture of the extravagant lifestyle of the times. Cabaret is barely their second production, but they demonstrate their commitment to offer entertaining and high-quality shows. 

Music Director Chris Wade and his band are the cherry on top, offering a vibrant and spectacular musical performance that keeps the energy flow all across the show, with Wade becoming a character on his own in a passionate display of feeling and charisma.

Make sure to bring warm clothes and seat as close as you can to the stage, this will enhance your experience. Let yourself be enchanted by the decadence, dance, and music of the magical atmosphere of the bawdy Kit Kat Klub.         

Cabaret

Charles S. Farnsworth Amphitheater

568 Mount Curve Ave. East

Altadena, CA 91001

May 25th – June 4th

Tickets: eventbrite.com/e/cabaret-tickets

Book by Joe Masteroff. Directed by Oliver Azcarate and Sarah Azcarate. Produced by Sarah Azcarate. Cast: Emily Lopez and Cruz St James starring as Sally Bowles and the Emcee. Television’s Michael Thomas Grant playing the role of Cliff Bradshaw. Altadena locals Craig Wright and Ursula Gueringer as Herr Schultz and Fraulein Schneider, Skye Marie Sena as Fraulein Kost and Sean York as Ernst Ludwig. Joining us at the Kit Kat Klub dancers are Lindy Jones, Molly Fowler, Abigail Loucks, Jacqueline Dennis, Bimei Flores, Jeannette Sharp Oakes, Zachariah Griffin, Avery Bass, Cole Elliot and Sebastian Twohey-Jacobs. Creative team: Choreographed by Melissa Schade and music direction by Chris Wade.

Cabaret poster
A scene from Cabaret
A scene from Cabaret

Theatre Review: No Place Like Gandersheim

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Skylight Theatre Company’s 40th season celebrates the World Premiere of No Place Like Gandersheim. Written by Elizabeth Dement. Directed by Randee Trabitz. Produced by Gary Grossman for Skylight Theatre Company. Associate Producer: Tyree Marshall.

Roz (Jamey Hood) has written a sex comedy to be performed by the nuns at her abbey. Mother Superior Berga (Shannon Holt) and nun Madlen (Lauren Gaw) are excited about their performance. It’s their opportunity to experience something they cannot do in real life. It is now time to present the play to the Roman Emperor. How will he react?

Playwright Elizabeth Dement explores the historical role of women in different periods. As a time-warping journey story, Roz experiences the frustrations of living in a male-dominated society. Roz lives as a nun in medieval Germany, as a successful Hollywood TV writer in the present, and as an aspiring writer pitching a project in the future to 75-year-old Vita (Charrell Mack), who thanks to advanced treatments, looks way younger than her real age.

In all of the three periods, Roz is supported by other women. However, that support is also limited. In the case of Mallory, a funny and superb Shannon Holt, her position as the head of the studio is contingent to hitting all the quadrants to satisfy the investors and advertisers. As Roz’s show is hitting only one of the quadrants, Mallory decides to cancel it. It is in Hollywood as a TV writer that Roz also experiences another aspect of womanhood. She is the mother of Thea, her teenage daughter. The play presents the challenges of parenthood, specially for working writers, who live with the constant anxiety of getting their shows canceled in very short notices.

The stage design and the lighting create a fantastic mood that enhances the time periods depicted in the story. Director Randee Trabitz translates the script into a hilarious and touching production that presents the reality and the frustrations that women have suffered throughout history. At the end, Dement and Trabitz ask the question: Has anything changed for women?

No Place Like Gandersheim

Skylight Theatre
1816 1⁄2 North Vermont Ave.
Los Angeles, CA. 90027
Parking information: https://skylighttheatre.org/plan-your-visit/

Opening: 8:30pm Saturday, May 20, 2023
Schedule: 8:30pm Saturdays, 3:00pm Sundays, 7:30pm Mondays
(No performance on Monday, May 22 & Monday, May 29)
Closing: June 25, 2023

Tickets: skylighttix.org

Written by Elizabeth Dement. Directed by Randee Trabitz. Produced by Gary Grossman for Skylight Theatre Company. Associate Producer: Tyree Marshall. Cast: Lauren Gaw, Shannon Holt, Jamey Hood, Charrell Mack. Creative Team: DeAnne Millias (Scenic Design), Shannon Barondeau (Lighting/Video Design), Mylette Nora (Costume Design), Alma Reyes-Thomas (Sound Design), Joyce Hutter (Properties Manager), Victoria Hoffman (Casting), Cedes Sifuentes (Production Manager).

No Place Like Gandersheim poster
A scene from No Place Like Gandersheim
A scene from No Place Like Gandersheim

Theatre Review: The Book of Will

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A Noise Within presents The Book of Will. Written by Lauren Gunderson. Directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott and Geoff Elliott. The Producing Sponsors are Terri Murray and Patricia Hoppe.

It is incredible to think that the literary legacy of William Shakespeare could’ve been lost if it hadn’t been for the dedication of the playwright’s closest friends and associates. Two fellow actors and members of Shakespeare’s theatrical company the King’s Men, Henry Condell (Jeremy Rabb, Animal Farm) and John Heminges (Geoff Elliott Animal Farm, Metamorphoses), worked tirelessly to put together Shakespeare’s collection of plays and poetry in a high-end format known as a folio, a broadsheet folded once to make serious tomes or luxury books. Previously, most of Shakespeare’s plays were printed in quartos, a smaller and cheaper format.

According to Professor Linda Woodbridge, up to 90% of plays written in Shakespeare’s days didn’t survive, they just perished without trace. Many of those plays were performed, but never printed. Thus, the importance of ensuring Shakespeare’s legacy by printing the First Folio, a cultural capital for the subsequent generations to enjoy.

The First Folio contains 36 of Shakespeare’s plays and some short poems. Even though all of the details of the whole process to get the folio done are not fully known, Lauren Gunderson imagines what it was like to undertake such an expensive and arduous task. In the play, a jealous Ben Johnson (played on Friday by an extraordinary Alex Morris) finally agrees to write two poems in the Folio’s preface to honor Shakespeare’s talent. Money, of course, was a factor to make it almost impossible to publish the book. Throughout the process, Elizabeth (Trisha Miller, Metamorphoses, Animal Farm) Alice, (Nicole Javier, Metamorphoses, Animal Farm), and Rebecca (Deborah Strang, Animal Farm) encourage Condell and Heminges to keep going when everything seems lost.

The characters of Condell, Heminges, and Richard Burbage (Frederick Stuart, Much Ado About Nothing) reference Shakespeare’s phrases in many of their conversations, a sign of their deep admiration for the playwright’s witty poetry and the close relationship they all enjoyed as fellow actors. To make the story even more appealing, the secondary character Ralph Crane (a fascinating Kasey Mahaffy, Metamorphoses) delivers outstanding comedy to the play to keep things amusing as the Folio starts to take shape.

The set design and lighting are stunning. Scenic designer Frederica Nascimento and lighting designer Ken Booth play with soft, directional, and natural colors and textures that add an emotional atmosphere to the ample stage, and in the case of the props, give co-Directors Julia Rodriguez-Elliott and Geoff Elliott plenty of space to have the actors move around the stage freely.

The Book of Will is a celebration of one of the greatest writers of all time, the Swan of Avon, William Shakespeare. And just like Shakespeare’s plays, putting together the Folio becomes an experience of loss, dedication, and a sacrificial love for such a noble expression called theatre. The survival King’s Men understand that although a performance is a sizzling and titillating experience, it is ephemeral by nature. A book, on the other hand, can transcend centuries and generations.

The Book of Will

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

Performances May 13–June 7
• Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.: May 25; June 1 (dark May 18)
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: May 26**; June 2**
• Saturdays at 2 p.m.: May 27; June 3
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: May 13 (Opening Night); May 20; May 27; June 3
• Sundays at 2 p.m.: May 28; June 4
**Post-performance conversations with the artists every Friday (except the preview) and on Sunday, May 21 (included in ticket price).

An INsiders Discussion Group will be held on Tuesday, May 16, from 6 p.m.–8 p.m. on Zoom ($38 per individual or $45 per household).

There will be three student matinees at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 16; Wednesday, May 17; and Thursday, May 18. Interested educators should email education@anoisewithin.org.

Tickets: www.anoisewithin.org

Written by Lauren Gunderson. Directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott and Geoff Elliott. Starring Geoff Elliott, Stanley Andrew Jackson, Nicole Javier, Kasey Mahaffy, Trisha Miller, Kelvin Morales, Alex Morris, Jeremy Rabb, Deborah Strang, and Frederick Stuart. Producing Sponsors Terri Murray and Patricia Hoppe. Sponsored by Kathy and Jim Drummy. Presented by A Noise Within, Geoff Elliot and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott, producing artistic directors. Creative team: Scenic designer Frederica Nascimento; lighting designer Ken Booth; sound designer Robert Oriol; video designer Nicholas Santiago; costume designer Angela Balogh Calin; wig and make up designer Shelia Dorn; dialect coach Andrea Odinov; and dramaturg Miranda Johnson-Haddad. The rehearsal stage manager is Deena Tovar.

The Book of Will poster
A scene from The Book of Will
A scene from The Book of Will
A scene from The Book of Will

Theatre Review: Matinicus: The Story of Abigail Burgess

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Chance Theater presents the World Premiere of Matinicus: The Story of Abigail Burgess. Written by Jenny Connell Davis. Directed by Katie Chidester. Produced by Rachelle Menaker & Eddie Schuller.

When Abigail Burgess (Aubrey Saverino) arrives at Matinicus with her father Samuel and the rest of the family to work on the lighthouse, she realizes that boredom and isolation will be her companion for a very long time. In addition, as Matinicus Rock Light is a windswept and treeless rock surrounded by water, supplies must be brought in from the mainland at intervals in order to survive for months.  

At one point, a group of sailors stop at Matinicus to rest and eat. They stay for a while with Abigail’s family. When they leave, Samuel realizes that the sailors consumed most of the family’s food supplies. The ship that was scheduled to bring in more supplies to the family does not show up for its September delivery. Samuel has no other choice but to leave the family behind to buy food and oil for the lighthouse in order to survive the approaching winter. Before leaving, Samuel puts Abigail in charge of the lighthouse and the family. Right after he leaves, a storm approaches and now Abigail has to find a way to save the family from a deadly natural disaster.

Playwright Jenny Connell Davis includes details to show the internal conflicts of a family that faces the unknown in an isolated environment. The character of Abigail shows her own internal conflicts, facing the challenges of growing up in a small place as Matinicus with limited opportunities and much more responsibilities.

Actress Aubrey Saverino and Director Katie Chidester deliver a fascinating production, aided with excellent lighting and sound effects, that builds up the emotions in a crescendo that is engaging and entertaining. Saverino is an experienced thespian that skillfully navigates the nuances of a rich character, gestating the emblematic figure of a real-life hero. Her deliverance captures the lifestyles, frustrations, and ultimately, the hopes of a bygone era.          

Matinicus: The Story of Abigail Burgess

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

May 13 – June 4, 2023; Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3 p.m. & 8 p.m., Sundays at 3 p.m.

Tickets: chancetheater.com

Written by Jenny Connell Davis. Directed by Katie Chidester. Starring Aubrey Saverino. Rachelle Menaker & Eddie Schuller are Executive Producers for this production. Bette & Wylie Aitken are producers for the entire 2023 Season and The Family of Mary Kay Fyda-Mar are this season’s associate producers. Creative team: Cris Quick, Scenic, Lighting, and Costume Designer. Oscar Garcia, Sound Designer. Jordan Jones, Stage Manager. Jenny Jacobs, Dramaturg. Bebe Herrera, Props Master.

 

Matinicus poster
A scene from Matinicus
Matinicus
A scene from Matinicus

Theatre Review: Las Diosas Subterráneas

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Latino Theater Company presents Las Diosas Subterráneas, created by Mexico City’s interdisciplinary and experimental ensemble Organización Secreta Teatro. Directed by Rocío Carrillo.

Greek Mythology and Mexican reality converge in Las Diosas Subterráneas. The tale of Demeter, Persephone, and Hades blends with the disturbing reality of the disappeared women in Mexico. Organización Secreta Teatro (Pueblo Espíritu), under the direction of Rocío Carrillo, brings to the stage the character Luz García, a young woman representing the countless cases of women kidnapped, abused, and killed in one of the darkest episodes of recent Mexican history. According to the Mexican Institute of Human Rights and Democracy, the number of disappearances of women, girls, and teenagers has tripled in the last six years. In many of those cases, families have to live with the demoralizing anxiety of not knowing the fate of their daughters, wives, sisters, etc.

The play delves into the cases where tips, whether from authorities or anonymous, have led some families to organize groups to dig remote areas, hoping to find the remains of the women that have been abducted and killed. In one of the scenes, a father is faced with the pressing urgency to keep searching for her daughter while still having to provide for the rest of the family. Yes, the search efforts take time, and for poor families, this could mean having to stop working, adding more pressure to the already distressed economy of the household.

Machismo, sex trafficking, drug trade, and inaction from the authorities are some of the factors that contribute to the elevated number of unresolved cases. But the play goes even further than that. It presents the relationship between the traditional attitudes toward women and the final destination of these female victims. The allegory to the witch-hunt is a vivid representation of how women are still seen in the eyes of a machista society—women themselves incite their abduction, rape, and killing, just for wearing revealing clothes, a flirty demeanor, or just for being perceived as a threat to men’s authority.

Through the intricate blend of mythology, colors, dance, and drama, the actors portray the desperation and the pain inflicted on the most vulnerable sectors of society. It also reflects these families clinging on to a ray of hope, as slim as it might be, to find their women alive.

Las Diosas Subterráneas presents these facts with a sense of urgency. Indifference is becoming a part of the problem. While society keeps going on with their lives, there are thousands of families still searching. Still digging. Still crying. “Vivas se las llevaron, vivas las queremos!” They took them alive, we want them back alive! 

Las Diosas Subterráneas

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

Saturday, May 13 at 8 p.m.

Sunday, May 14 at 4 p.m.

Director Rocío Carrillo. Created collectively by ensemble members Beatriz Cabrera, Alejandro Joan Carmarena, Brisei Guerrero, Stefanie Izquierdo, Ernesto Lecuona, Mercedes Olea and Jonathan Ramos from original ideas by Rocío Carrillo.

Las Diosas Subterráneas poster
A scene from Las Diosas Subterráneas
A scene from Las Diosas Subterráneas

Theatre Review: Whittier Boulevard

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Whittier Boulevard

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

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

Tickets: latinotheaterco.org

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

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