Theatre Review: Morning’s at Seven

Posted on June 28, 2023June 28, 2023 by Glamour

The Group Rep presents Morning’s at Seven. Written by Paul Osborn. Directed by Doug Engalla. Produced by Alyson York for the Group Rep.

A dreamy backyard with plenty of trees and grass frames this comedy set in 1928. Cora (Milda Dacys) is married to Theodore (Neil Thompson). For the last forty years, they’ve been living with Aaronetta (Dawn Halloran), a single woman who is Cora’s sister. Cora and Aaronetta’s sister, Ida (Barbara Brownell) lives next door. Both houses are connected by the backyard. Ida is married to Carl (Lloyd Pedersen, Harold and Maude), who suffers sporadic mental spells that make him wonder who he really is and where he stands in life. Ida and Carl have a son, Homer (Jeff Dinnell), who’s still reluctant to propose to Myrtle (Bridget Murray), his fiancée of twelve years. Added to the mix is Esther (Belinda Howell), who is married to David (Stan Mazin) a highly educated and snobbish man.

Carl’s spells are a major concern to the family. He tends to disappear, wondering around the neighborhood. Even more concerning is the fact that Homer is coming home to introduce Myrtle to the family. Making things worse, Cora wants to live with Theodore alone, with Aaronetta out of the picture. She wants to move to a house Carl had reserved for Homer, right when Homer finally proposes to Myrtle and is ready to start a family.

The play is a way back machine that shows how human interactions haven’t changed much. Distrust, jealousy, dreams, yearnings, etc. remain the same. That is the clue that makes this story so compelling. It shows simpler times, but with characters whose attributes travel across generations. Although he wrote it as a light comedy, Paul Osborn, who had an M.A. in psychology and whose father was a Baptist minister, created deeper characters that are dealing with midlife and later-life crises, questioning and searching for the central motivating aims in life while their freedom seems hopelessly elusive.

The scenic design (Mareli Mitchel-Shields) and graphics (Doug Haverty) look cozy and leafy, a perfect frame for the endearing characters and unraveling drama.

Morning’s at Seven

Lonny Chapman Theatre – Main Stage (First Floor)
10900 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood 91601

June 9 – July 16, 2023
Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm; Sundays at 2:00 pm
No Performances Weekend of June 16, 17 and 18.

Tickets: thegrouprep.com

Written by Paul Osborn. Directed by Doug Engalla. Produced by Alyson York for the Group Rep. Cast: Barbara Brownell, Milda Dacys, Jeff Dinnell, Dawn Halloran, Belinda Howell, Stan Mazin, Bridget Murray, Lloyd Pedersen, and Neil Thompson. Creative team: Mareli Mitchel-Shields (Set Design), Robbie Myles (Lighting Design), Michael Mullen (Costume Design), J.C. Gafford (Sound Design), and Doug Haverty (Graphic Design), and Anica Pertovic (Hair and Make-up Design).

Theatre Review: Back Porch

Posted on June 16, 2023June 16, 2023 by Glamour

Bluestem Productions presents the world premiere of Back Porch. Written by Eric Anderson. Directed by Kelie McIver. Produced by David Willis and Kelie McIver.

While the Columbia Pictures movie Picnic was being filmed in a small Kansas town in 1955, another love story was emerging simultaneously. 18-year-old Gary (Isaac W. Jay) is at a stage in his life where he needs to figure out his future, as his sleeping town starts to feel too small for his dreams. And just like in Picnic, an attractive guy arrives in town to shake things up. Bill Holman (Jordan Morgan) is a part of the cast filming Picnic. He works as William Holden’s stunt double. Almost immediately, an attraction starts to develop between Gary and Bill. It is, however, Kansas in 1955.

The other characters are Gary’s widowed father, Barney Opat (Karl Maschek), Gary’s 13-year-old brother, Del Wayne (Cody Lemmon), the Opats’ bachelor boarder, singing teacher Myron Uhrig (Eric Zak), and their neighbor, Millard Goff (Jonathan Fishman, Daddy Issues). Despite their initial excitement for having the Hollywood stars in town, soon puts to test their conservative views. The relationship between Gary and Bill also unveils the limited opportunities the small town has to offer to its residents.

Both Jay and Morgan do a great job getting into their characters to show the nuances of a young and uncertain romance in the midst of a judgmental environment. Although the first half of the play feels a bit slow, the second part picks up steam and keeps the audience engaged. A story within a story, the play is a snippet of an era considered a time of affluence, community, and unity, but also a time in which Americans had little patience with divergent views, including attitudes towards same-sex relationships. Back Porch is, in the words of Director Kelie McIver, a love letter to William Inge, the writter of Picnic and a closeted playwright and novelist who fell into a deep depression and died of suicide in 1973.

Back Porch

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

June 2 – July 9:
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: June 2 (opening night); June 16; June 23; June 30; July 7
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: June 17; June 24; July 1; July 8
• Sundays at 4 p.m.: June 18; June 25; July 2; July 9

Tickets: onstage411.com

Written by Eric Anderson. Directed by Kelie McIver. Starring Jonathan Fishman, Isaac W. Jay, Cody Lemmon, Karl Maschek, Jordan Morgan, Eric Zak. Produced by David Willis and Kelie McIver. Presented by Bluestem Productions. Creative team: Set designer Kenny Klimak, lighting designer Carol Doehring, sound designer Cinthia Nava, costume designer Molly Martin, hair designer Judi Lewin, stunt/fight choreographer Brett Elliott and intimacy director Amanda Rose Villarreal. The stage manager is Margaret Magula.

Theatre Review: Home Front

Posted on January 19, 2023January 19, 2023 by Glamour

The West Coast premiere of Home Front is presented by The Victory Theatre Center. The play is by Tony® Award-winning playwright Warren Leight. The director is Maria Gobetti.

As the US soldiers come back victorious from World War II, a new world of justice and equality is in the horizon. But as Lt. James Aurelius Walker (C.J. Lindsey) and Annie Overton (Austin Highsmith Garces) will soon find out, institutions and some sectors of society are not catching up with the times. Specially when it comes to accepting an interracial marriage.

The story depicted in Home Front is set in the 1940s, a time when segregation was rampant, specially in the South. In an effort to project a more inclusive image, the government decided to try something unusual at the time. The Navy—one of the most fervent bastions of segregation—started a controversial program to train African Americans as officers. The first group was known as the Golden Thirteen, 13 Black enlistees that were subjected to mistreatment and ridicule by their White superiors and peers. The training program was more of a publicity strategy to show the world that America could be the gold standard for democracy and equality. Our protagonist, Lt. James Walker, is a fictional member of the Golden Thirteen.

The night James and Annie meet, the country is in full celebration of the victory over the Axis powers. The future looks bright and hopeful. Their consequent romantic relationship however, unveils that America is still a victim of its past, a legacy that has turned its institutions and citizens into a voracious current that destroys everything on its path, one life at a time. And yet, in the middle of that maelstrom, we find people with a kind heart that are willing to give a hand to those in need. Edward Glimmer (Jonathan Slavin), is the injured veteran neighbor who does everything he can to reassure Annie and help James in a time when he needed it the most.

The story is an exploration not only of racism but also of discrimination. James suffers racism for being Black. But Edward is equally mistreated, even by James, for being gay. Annie, a white woman, is the unfortunate collateral victim of institutional racism and the frustration that comes with it. She is punished by her employer for marrying a Black man and she is on the receiving end when James releases his growing frustrations, all while raising their baby girl.

Interracial marriages were so unusual at the time that Annie confides to Edward that after looking at her baby girl, who has James’ Black features, a White lady asked Annie if she was raped. Those pernicious attitudes were also inflicted on Black veterans. While visiting his relatives in the South, James gets arrested and charged for an incident where he fired his gun. This situation, a clear example of institutional racism, will deliver a blow to the relationship between James and Annie. Even Edward’s noble intentions will fuel James’ bitterness, taking a tremendous tall on his emotional and mental state.

The three actors offer majestic performances. Jonathan Slavin does a phenomenal job as the understanding and charming neighbor who is always there in the most challenging times to offer his help, even willing to sacrifice his dignity for the people he loves. He feels at home delivering humor-relief lines that brighten the dark matter of the material. Austin Highsmith Garces is a fascinating and experienced actress that gives us a convincing portrayal of an unprejudiced woman willing to take risks. Her performance shows the nuances of a woman who is trying to navigate the challenging territories of love, motherhood, and broken dreams. C.J. Lindsey goes deep into the psychological state of a man who is constantly subjected to the systematic racism that degrades his worth as a human being. His acting skills are at full display when he externalizes his internal demons. The explosion of an implosion, a devastating image of utter defeat. The fine direction of Maria Gobetti is palpable in the powerful scenes where the palette of emotions create a gripping and relatable theatre experience.

Warren Leight fictionalizes documented historical events and transports the audience to a dangerous and euphoric world where high hopes and ideals get a reality check. The play is a window to a critical past that captures in unnerving detail the pungency of racism. It is a cautionary tale that shows how things would look like if we continue to move backwards. But it is also an ode to those who, against all odds, continue to fight, continue to believe.

Home Front

Written by Warren Leight. Directed by Maria Gobetti. Starring Austin Highsmith Garces, C.J. Lindsey, and Jonathan Slavin. Produced by Tom Ormeny, Maria Gobetti, and Evan Bartoletti. Presented by The Victory Theatre Center. Creative team: Set designer Evan Bartoletti, lighting designer Benedict Conran, sound designer Noah Andrade, video designer Jermaine Alexander, costume designer Carin Jacobs, dramaturg Gail Bryson, graphic designer Jennifer Logan, and photographer Tim Sullens. The stage manager is Cody Hathcock.

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

Performances: Jan. 13 – Feb. 12
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: Jan. 20; Jan. 27; Feb. 3; Feb. 10
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: Jan. 21; Jan. 28; Feb. 4; Feb. 11
• Sundays at 4 p.m.: Jan. 22; Jan. 29; Feb. 5; Feb. 12

Tickets: www.thevictorytheatrecenter.org

Theatre Review: Warrior Queen Anahit the Brave

Posted on November 8, 2022November 8, 2022 by Glamour

Imagine Theatre presents the world premiere of Warrior Queen Anahit the Brave, written and directed by Armina LaManna.

Anahit (Ani Marderosian), a peasant girl, is drawing water with her two friends Nairi (Christianne Holly Santiago) and Maral (Sophia Vitello) when Prince Vachagan (Nathan Mohebbi) walks by with his friend Arman (Kyle Caldwell). As Prince Vachagan starts to flirt with Anahit, she tells him to learn to work with his hands if he wants to court her. The Prince then promises he will learn to weave rugs to show her that his intentions are serious. He learns to weave and marries Anahit, taking the throne. But their happiness is disrupted with the news that men keep disappearing throughout the kingdom. The antagonist in the story is the demon Apep (Alistair McKenzie, Theatre Review: The Merry Wives of Windsor, Theatre Review: Trouble the Water), the villain responsible of the mysterious disappearances. Queen Anahit and King Vachagan are now faced with the necessity of making critical decisions that will determine the fate of the kingdom and rescue the men that have been kidnapped to return them to their families.

The play is based on Ghazaros Aghayan’s 1881 fable “Anahit”. It is a classical tale of good versus evil, geared towards a young audience. Keeping children’s attention is a monumental challenge nowadays, but this production succeeds in entertaining the kids throughout the whole play. The costumes, the traditional dances, the humor, and the music (Apep is a rapper too), grabs the young audience’s attention and the interactive nature of the play makes it even more engaging. There are also sword fights and technical elements that contribute to the success of the play. The scenic and projection designer Tom Buderwitz and lighting designer Josh Epstein create a visual palette that is a boost to the senses and build up the crescendo of the story.

Armina LaManna and Ani Marderosian are able to catch the attention of a young audience and to deliver a positive and reaffirming message to young girls, all of this while bringing some of the history of Armenia to the American Armenian diaspora of Los Angeles.

Warrior Queen Anahit the Brave

Written and Directed by Armina LaManna. Original Music by Shahen Hagobian. Puppet Design and Fabrication by Douglas Wright. Starring Kyle Caldwell, Ani Marderosian, Alistair McKenzie, Nathan Mohebbi, Christianne Holly Santiago, Sophia Vitello. Presented by Imagine Theatre. Creative team: Master puppet designer and fabricator Douglas Wright; scenic and projection designer Tom Buderwitz; lighting designer Josh Epstein; sound designer Joseph “Sloe” Slawinski; costume designer Dianne K. Graebner; and properties designer Jenine MacDonald. The musical director is Elizabeth Curtin, and the production stage manager is Elna Kordjian. Produced by Laura Hill and Gabrieal Griego.

Colony Theatre
555 N 3rd St.
Burbank CA 91502
(in Burbank Town Center)

November 5 – November 18
Opening: Saturday, November 5 at 7 p.m.
Friday, November 11 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, November 12 at 7 p.m.
Sunday, November 13 at 4 p.m.
Friday, November 18 at 7 p.m.

Tickets: imaginetheatreca.org