Tag Archives: La Mirada California

Musical Review: ANASTASIA

Posted on by

With a sizzling production, Director and Choreographer Parker Esse brings to La Mirada Theatre the turbulent rise of the Bolsheviks and the tragic fall of the Russian Imperial family, one song at a time.

It was at the beginning of 1917 when the Romanovs were placed under house arrest by the Bolsheviks. A few months later on 17 July, the Imperial family was killed by an execution squad. The musical Anastasia is based on the rumors that circulated at the time about the possible escape of the 17-year-old Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia.

Right before leaving for Paris, Empress Maria (mezzo-soprano Suzanna Guzmán) gives her young granddaughter Anastasia (Elayne Cowden) a music box as a gift. Anastasia stays with her parents and siblings to continue her imperial life in Russia. Years later, however, the revolutionaries storm the palace with violence and capture the Romanovs. As the Bolsheviks start to take control of the country, the rumors of Anastasia escaping the execution of her family start to circulate. Taking advantage of the situation, two con men in Saint Petersburg, Dmitry (Dillon Klena) and Vlad Popov (Peyton Crim) set up a plan to take money from Empress Maria by presenting her a girl impersonating her granddaughter Anastasia. While they audition different girls for the scheme, a street sweeper shows up. Her name is Anya (Lena Ceja), who doesn’t fully remember her childhood due to amnesia. There is something special about this girl, so Dimitry and Vlad decide to take her in, train her in imperial manners and hope for the best. From there, the story takes the three characters to Paris; it’s a  journey with many unknowns and far less certainty.

There are several things that elevate this production. For one, the use of professional ballet dancers. Anton Harrison LaMon stands out as Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake. His posture, flexibility, and strength reveal his professional training in ballet, a dancer that adds a touch of fantasy to the story. These kinds of details show Esse’s ability to add value to a show of this magnitude. The use of props is also a visual asset to this musical. The train scene is highly kinetic with minimal prop movement. The background projection does the trick. Although projectors can be a hit or miss, most of the images used in this production are used effectively to create a three-dimensional space. Together with the columns, the projections add depth, simulating grand and sumptuous interiors.

As for the star of the show, Ceja shines as Anastasia. She is charismatic and full of energy with a versatile vocal range. She also shows a keen ability to convey the various emotional states of the scenes, making her character feel relatable in the mythic world of Anastasia. Likewise, Klena and Crim give their characters the necessary quirkiness to complement the humor and romance of the story. Groundlings-trained Sarah Wolter as Countess Lily is phenomenal as well. Wolter and Crim  show a great deal of chemistry on stage, spicing up their scenes together when rekindling their romance. Richard Bermudez as Gleb Vaganov blends exceptionally well in the story. This character has replaced Rasputin from the 1997 animated film. This creative decision by the creators of the musical adds a political undertone to the context. Ramirez embodies the loyal instrument of the state, but also the heart of a man in love, leading the story to an inflection point.

The music, of course, is crucial to create a great show, and Musical Director Ryan O’Connell takes the audience to a captivating landscape, where folk Russian music and powerful pop numbers capture the history and romance of the transitional period. The numbers in the Neva Club, the ballet, and the palace are examples of a music infused by classical and popular elements, a powerful combination by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, who had the freedom to experiment with more textures that they did when they worked under the studio system for 20th Century Fox. The result is practically a whole new musical work, except for a few songs from the animated film. The costumes also help to tell the story. They’re appealing and spectacular. It’s a journey from the opulent Romanov dynasty style—with Eastern, military, and European royal silhouettes—to the festive and famous La Garçonne style of the roaring twenties in Paris. All of these elements together with the lighting design offer a vibrant and compelling story. All of that put together in three weeks by a dedicated team of creatives. Another win for La Mirada Theatre, a spacious and lively theatre offering spectacular productions to the local scene.

ANASTASIA

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
14900 La Mirada Blvd.
La Mirada, CA 90638

Saturday, June 6 at 8 pm (Press Opening) through Sunday, June 28 at 6:30 pm.

Tickets: lamiradatheatre.com

Book by TERRENCE McNALLY. Music by STEPHEN FLAHERTY. Lyrics by LYNN AHRENS. Inspired by the Twentieth Century Fox Motion Picture, by special arrangement with Buena Vista Theatrical. From the Play by MARCELLE MAURETTE as adapted by GUY BOLTON.

Musical Direction by RYAN O’CONNELL
Direction and Choreography by PARKER ESSE

Cast: Lena Ceja, Dillon Klena, Peyton Crim, Richard Bermudez, Sarah Wolter, Suzanna Guzmán, Annabelle Bergold, and Elayne Cowden. The Ensemble will feature Sofia Aniceto, Tucker Knowlton Boyes, Wes Dameron, Lauren Decierdo, Michael Deni, Christopher Ho, Anton Harrison LaMon, Tayler Mettra, Shanon Mari Mills, Natalie Palmgren, Rasha Willes-Samaha, Kyle Vaughn, and Toni Elizabeth White. The Swings will be Michael Laverde and Sabrina Marielle.

Creative team: Lighting Design by Jennifer Edwards; Sound Design by Josh Bessom; Projections Design by Aaron Rhyne; Costume Coordinator is Adam Ramirez; Hair/Wig Design by Kaitlin Yagen; Properties Supervisor by Kevin Williams. The Casting Director is Julia Flores. The Production Stage Manager is Julian Olive.

Musical Review: MEAN GIRLS – THE MUSICAL

Posted on by

With a spectacular display of dance, singing, and scenic design, Director Dana Solimando delivers a vibrant production to revive the super-size drama at North Shore High School, including Regina’s bubble butt. 
 
First things first. If you watched the movie, the cast of this musical might look a bit older than high schoolers, but that might only be a matter of perception. Once the music hits the stage, the suspension of disbelief is automatically triggered, and the fine performances will take over your senses. 
 
As you might recall, high school is an exciting journey into adulthood, full of discoveries and dreadful experiences. Regina George (Adrianna Ross Lyons), of course, makes it even more challenging. With her larger-than-life personality, she triggers admiration, fear, or resentment, or a combination of the three, just ask Gretchen Wieners (Sarah-Anne Martinez) and Karen Smith (Grace Fluharty). The trio known as The Plastics are full of surprises, and soon enough, naive Cady Heron (Katie Roche) falls under their spell. 
 
In 2004, the movie Mean Girls became an instant hit. Its creator, Tina Fey, trained in The Second City in Chicago, nailed it when she described the drama that unfolds in high school. No surprise here; the story is a relatable narrative that continues to speak directly to the audience. With such a legacy in their hands, the directors of the musical have the challenge to translate the magic of the story into a spectacle, bringing together a group of singers, dancers, and actors, not to mention the critical aspect of live music. 
 
Solimando delivers on every single one of those areas. The singers. All of the main characters excel in their interpretations. Lyons as Regina, is simply fantastic. With her refined belting technique, she embodies a real queen bee, perfect for her character. Impressive and magnetic. The dancers. Individually and as a group, the cast put on a great show. The kinetics bring a lively rendition of the musical numbers. The big stage allows for ample room to move chairs and tables around, giving the cast a chance to tap, breakdance, and show the different dancing styles to energize the show. 
 
As for acting, they all give their best. It’s worth noting that Solimando gives Gavin Leahy enough room to explore his character as Damian Hubbard. His range is wider here than in the movie, and that’s a great thing, as Leahy has superb acting skills. Both Roche and Lyons are phenomenal triple threats. Lyons as the aggressive, entitled, and controlling evil Plastic. Roche shows her experience as a performer in musicals. Her transformation from naive to Plastic blends organically, delivering a convincing display of talent. 
 
There is only one instance that breaks the consistency. When Cady gets drunk and talks to Aaron (Eric Myrick), she starts with a slurred speech, then suddenly changes to a normal speech, then back to slurred. This threw off the scene a bit, although the overall scene came out funny with a great musical number in between. 
 
The scenic design by Stephen Gifford and the costume coordination by Adam Ramirez deserve special mention. Along with the lighting design by Steven Young and projections design by David Murakami, the creative team frames the stage with fascinating visuals that elevate the value of the production. Add the live music directed by Anthony Zediker and you get the whole package. The projections have a comics look and that work very well with the teenage theme of the story. In other instances, the projections look sparkling vivid, full of color, becoming a character on their own. In other productions, the use of projections diminishes the visuals, looking cheap as a lazy way to replace a creative scene design. Not here, the projections are artistic and well-integrated into the story, adding quality and vibrance to the scenes. 
 
This rendition of Mean Girls is spectacular with quality all around. It’s a big win for Solimando and La Mirada Theatre, and we hope they receive awards this year for this production. Don’t miss this musical, you won’t regret it. 
 
Mean Girls – The Musical 
 
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts 
14900 La Mirada Blvd. 
La Mirada, CA 90638 
 
Tickets: lamiradatheatre.com 
 
Book by Tina Fey. Music by Jeff Richmond. Lyrics by Nell Benjamin. Musical Direction by Anthony Zediker. Directed and Choreographed by Dana Solimando. 
 
Cast: Katie Roche, Adrianna Rose Lyons, Sarah-Anne Martinez, Grace Fluharty, McKenna Michael, Gavin Leahy, Eric Myrick, Shailen Patel Braun, Daryl C. Brown, Daniel Dawson, and Gwen Hollander. The Ensemble will feature (in alphabetical order) Sabrina Astengo, Alyssa Anne Austin, Eugene Boyd, Augusto Guardado, Brandon Halvorsen, Emmy J. Lane, Jenna Luck, Keturah McIntyre, Caroline Moulios, Barbara Ann Reed, Eric Renna, and Clayton Michael Walker.  The Swings will be Kevin Corte and Bailey Renee Miller. 
 
Creative team: Scenic Design by Stephen Gifford; Lighting Design by Steven Young; Sound Design by Josh Bessom; Projections Design by David Murakami; Costume Coordinator is Adam Ramirez; Hair/Wig Design by Kaitlin Yagen; Properties Design by Kevin Williams. 

Dana Solimando on Directing Mean Girls – The Musical

Posted on by

Mean Girls – The Musical, directed by Dana Solimando, opened up last week at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts. The Plastics, The Outcasts, and those memorable high school years are on full display, not to mention the salacious rivalry between the naive Cady Heron and the narcissist Regina George.

Dana Solimando is a performer, choreographer, and director. As a performer, she has been featured in Broadway shows such as Cats, Swing! and Peter Pan among others. And now, as a director, she is bringing the spirit of Mean Girls back to life at La Mirada Theatre. We talked to Dana about the show and its important message to the younger generations. Below is our interview with this multifaceted artist.

What was your reaction when you first saw Mean Girls back in 2004?

When Mean Girls came out in 2004, I had just had my son, so I was deep in new mom mode…I remember just thinking it was hilarious. My stepdaughter, who was about 8, was completely obsessed with it. Watching it now, with my kids in their 20’s and after having lived through their high school years, it feels very different. I still love the humor, but now I really see the layers- the complexity of those relationships and the very real pressures behind it all.

How was your own personal experience in high school?

Between sixth and ninth grade, I hadn’t quite grown into myself yet… I was very awkward and gangly. My High School experience was the mid 80’s and could have been right out of a John Hughes movie. It was New York state packed with girls with huge hair and Italian’s driving Iroc Z-28’s. I also had my very own Mean Girls experience…my best friend that I grew up with developed much faster than me… in the 8th grade, she looked like she was in her mid 20’s.  She was getting hit on by older boys and grown men, while I looked like a Gelfling from the movie The Dark Crystal. Dealing with her own challenges of fitting in, she gravitated toward new found friends and popularity. I remember very distinctly her ignoring me in the hallways at school. She had been my best friend since kindergarten and I just couldn’t understand it. It felt so traumatic at the time. Everything feels so heightened, when you are in high school. I remember crying a lot that summer. The relationship eventually healed, and we are still close friends to this day, but that summer definitely left an impression.  I ultimately found my place in high school as a more art focused student, and over time gained a level of social visibility. Experiencing such contrasting dynamics gave me a unique perspective on different groups and how they interact.

Tina Fey is a staple in American comedy. How does it feel to work on her material?

It’s an honor…Tina Fey is legendary. She and I are the same age, so her references hit home. Watching Mean Girls and her work over the years, it always felt really relatable- like we were exposed to the same Gen X source material.

With so much emphasis on mental health nowadays, what is the most relevant message of Mean Girls?
Mean Girls has always been relevant, but the story resonates now more now than ever.

It captures the pressures of social identity during adolescence, which has only intensified with social media. I love how the new version dives deeper into the negative effects social media has on our children.

As a parent, I saw firsthand how that constant access and comparison affected my kids’ mental health. High school is already emotionally complex, and now those dynamics are amplified and follow students everywhere. The message of Mean Girls is that we are all human, we all have insecurities, get hurt, and sometimes end up hurting others. No one is perfect. I love that the show encourages and celebrates uniqueness, but also has a message of forgiveness at the end.

You are also the choreographer. Did that make it easier to work with the cast?

Yes and no. With tight timelines, it can be really effective to divide and conquer between a director and choreographer, and I’ve really valued those collaborations. At the same time, I’ve found that when I’m guiding both elements, it allows for a particularly cohesive creative process. I can connect the storytelling and movement from the beginning, which helps everything feel unified when working with the cast. That said, I also really value collaboration within that structure…I worked closely with my associate director/choreographer Rodrigo Varandas on this project, who helped me develop and refine ideas in the room, so it still feels like a shared creative process while maintaining a clear, cohesive vision.

Being a director means that you have to wear many hats. What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Hands down the most rewarding part of the job is when you start to see the actors connect to their characters and really fly- when they begin to take ownership of their roles and the work starts to take on a life of its own. There’s a point in the process where you realize it’s no longer yours. It doesn’t belong to you in that same way anymore…which is a great thing. You have to allow the production to evolve beyond your direct influence. And that moment, when everything starts coming together and the piece breathes on its own, is incredibly exciting and deeply rewarding.

When did you find out you wanted to be a director?

Funny story…many years ago, right after performing in Swing! on Broadway and on tour, I was hired to perform in a regional premiere and assist the choreographer. A few days before rehearsals started, there was an issue with the creative team and I was asked to take over the project. Then, just a few months later, it happened again on the national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar. I was brought on as the assistant choreographer, and the night before rehearsals began, I was told the choreographer had to leave due to a family emergency. The producer asked if I could step in. I said yes…then immediately realized just how big the job really was!

Those two experiences launched my career earlier than I ever expected. Over time, the shift into directing really grew out of how I approach choreography. I’ve always rooted movement in storytelling-I can’t create steps until I know what I’m trying to say. Eventually, I realized I wasn’t just thinking about choreography anymore I was thinking about the entire piece…the characters, the arc, the world of the show. That’s when it clicked that I was drawn to directing

For musicals, do you prefer to work with “triple threats”?

Yes-absolutely. Ideally, I love working with triple threats. When actors have an awareness of how to use their body, voice, and storytelling instincts all together, it brings a real efficiency to the work, especially in musical theatre. That said, not every role requires the same skill set, and sometimes casting an actor who is strongest in performance and character work is exactly the right choice for the piece. For me, it’s always about assembling the right combination of artists to serve the story best.

Any message you would like to share with the audience that will be attending the performance of Mean Girls?

Yes! Come for the laughs, but don’t be surprised if you also see a little bit of yourself up there. The show is fun and wildly entertaining… and then it reminds you that we’re all a little messy, vulnerable, and completely human.

Mean Girls – The Musical
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
14900 La Mirada Boulevard
La Mirada, CA 90638
Tickets and information: lamiradatheatre.com