Tag Archives: The Broadwater Theatre

Musical Review: It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman!

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Dr. Abner Sedgwick (Cooper McAdoo) has lost the Nobel Prize award 10 times. As revenge against the scientific community, he teams up with Max Mencken (Harry White), a columnist for the Daily Planet. Before they destroy the world with a powerful ray, Superman (Elliot White) has to stop them. Meanwhile, Clark Kent is disappointed that Lois Lane (Emily Jones) pays no attention to him, as she’s infatuated with Superman. Only Sydney Carlton (Jaley Hoyt), Max’s secretary, sees Kent’s possibilities.

This musical has all of the elements to make it a great comedy show. It’s a campy story with characters that bring humor in every scene. With a retro look, the costumes and set designs bring back the memories of the original comic book. However, this Superman is the funny version of the super hero, with all of his weaknesses and strengths.

The Machiavellian tactics used by Dr. Abner Sedgwick to discredit Superman unleash the comedic situations that lead to the final crisis. Superman has to save Metropolis and Lois Lane using his superpowers to defeat Sedgwick and his accomplices.

Even though the first production of this musical didn’t do well on Broadway back in 1966, the silliness of the story and characters make it a great comedy with plenty of entertainment value. For this staging, Directors Harry White and Raphael Berglas hit all the right notes to create a lively performance and give this production a halo of true independent theatre. They bring back the relics of the Cold War to highlight the tension between good and evil and lead the story to its resolution. 

The musical numbers with live music and the comedy create an entertaining show to keep the mysticism of Superman alive. Check out the interview below with the creators of this production:

Superman continues to be a popular superhero. What’s so appealing about this character?

In a world often driven by self-interest and transactional kindness, Superman shines as a beacon of pure, selfless heroism. His unwavering commitment to doing good for its own sake, without seeking reward or recognition, captivates hearts and inspires the soul. With a moral compass forged in truth and justice, and an unyielding desire to protect humanity, Superman embodies the timeless ideal of hope and altruism, reminding us all of the extraordinary power of selfless virtue.

Tell us about the show. How did you put together the musical numbers?

The music in this show is so catchy! We want the melodies and the music at the forefront. The score was written by one of the all time great musical theatre writing teams, Strouse and Adams, and when you’re working with the genius they imbued into the score you don’t have to do much. We also are leaning into the musical comedy aspect of the numbers. This is first and foremost a stage comedy after all, and that’s what makes this take on Superman different than the rest.

What are the main differences between the Superman of the movies versus the Superman of the musical?

That’s an interesting question, because the writers of the musical are the same writers of the first Superman movie, David Newman and Robert Benton. Through certain scenes and songs I think the musical really gives you a deeper look at Superman’s vulnerabilities. There is no kryptonite in the musical, so the bad guys have to fight Superman in a different way. There’s a lot more psychological warfare in the musical.

What are the technical challenges of combining singing and dancing in a musical?

The hardest part of putting together a musical is making sure the singing and dancing has a purpose. Sometimes when you see a musical the singing or dancing comes out of nowhere and can feel unmotivated, leaving the audience feeling disconnected from the story. We tried very hard to make sure that when a character is singing or dancing, it’s because there’s no other way they can express what they’re feeling in that moment.

What are the voice ranges the audience will hear in this musical?

This is golden age musical theatre, so you will hear every voice type! From basses all the way up to sopranos we’ve pretty much got it covered. The style of the music ranges from old Sinatra sounding jazz songs all the way to 50s rock.

How about casting? How did you find the actors?

Finding the right actors is a really difficult process. We have a really reliable group of talented performers in our repertoire at Foster Cat Productions, so we chose who was best for each role from within our ensemble.

How much time did you have to prepare this show, from concept to production?

We’ve been thinking about this show for about a year and a half! We only started rehearsing officially in June, but we had our very first reading in early 2024.

Do you think the LA theatre scene gets enough press?

The LA theatre scene only seems to get press when major Hollywood talent is involved. This is sometimes unfortunate because doing theatre in LA used to be a big way for actors to get discovered in this town. That has sort of diminished over the years, and I certainly wish more people showed interest in the LA theatre scene. But I also think there is some responsibility on the artists to put their hearts into crafting real theatre and not just purely creating showcases for themselves. It’s a complex situation, but as long as there are actors in this town there will be good theatre worthy of press.

What are the challenges and rewards of producing theatre in LA?

The challenge of producing theatre in LA is that it’s not known as a theatre town. Obviously this is Hollywood and the focus is on the screen. However, so many people working in Hollywood started in theatre and have a deep love for theatre. Here in LA we’ve had a lot of big Hollywood talent randomly find their way into our theatre because of the work we choose to do, and that can’t happen anywhere else in the world. We’ve been very thankful for our audiences.

Foster Cat Productions is more than just a name. Tell us about the work you do with the cats.

We got our name from our love of fostering cats and kittens. The members of our company are dedicated to animal welfare! We partner with Best Friends Animal Society occasionally to raise money and awareness for stray cats and dogs throughout the greater LA area. Our artistic team has fostered over 30 cats and kittens and counting!

 
It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman!

The Broadwater
1076 Lillian Way
Los Angeles, CA 90038

Fri, Aug 01 – Sun, Aug 10
Fri and Sat 8pm
Sunday 3pm

Tickets: onstage411.com/newsite/boxoffice

Music by Charles Strouse
Lyrics by Lee Adams
Book by David Newman and Robert Benton
(Based Upon the Comic Strip “SUPERMAN”)

Directed by Harry White and Raphael Berglas.

Cast: Elliot White, Emily Jones, Harry White, Cooper McAdoo, Jaley Hoyt, Julia McCammon, Troy Barboza, Will Fulginiti, Jena Ziomek, and Raphael Berglas.

Band: Ron Barnett in piano and Randy Fox in drums.

Creative team: Kim Iosue (Stager Manager), Matthew Steward (Lighting/Sound Design).

Fringe Review: Venus in Fur

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An audition takes an interesting turn in Venus in Fur, a power exchange masterclass with splashes of foot worshipping and diabolic feminism.

Thomas Novachek (Bryan McKinley) is adapting Venus in Furs, the famous novella by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch. Thomas is exhausted from auditioning mediocre actresses all day. He is about to leave when Wanda Jordan (Rachael Meyers) storms into the audition room, late, and without an appointment. Thomas refuses to audition Wanda. She refuses to leave. A perfect recipe for a chemical reaction.

Playwright David Ives delves into the psychological aspects of female domination and male submission, taking from the original Sacher-Masoch’s novella and giving an updated meaning to the story and the characters. Using an unpredictable female character, Ives develops a mirror image of Wanda von Dunajew, but with a twist. Ives’ Wanda is apparently less cultivated. However, as the story unfolds, this updated Wanda becomes more of an enigmatic figure with an increasingly darker side.

The dynamics between the two characters intensify as they continue to read the script. Thomas’ initial hesitation gives way to an unexpected attraction. Wanda might seem to lack sophistication, but when she gets into character, she becomes a devilish sadist, an irresistible goddess. Too much for poor Thomas to resist.

Ives’ play is witty and fast-paced. Meyers and McKinley get the best out of the dialogue, exploring brilliantly the sexual tension and the surrender to one’s primal desires, a mystic and powerful element of the BDSM experience. Venus in Fur is another win for Meyers and McKinley, a couple recently seen in Let Me In, a dark comedy play about grief.

With a basic stage design, Director Amir Korangy achieves an attractive and professional production, a serious contender for this year’s awards. Korangy’s creativity sets a high bar for the rest of the productions; a reminder that all you need is a great script, solid performances, and excellent direction to stage a great show.

Pain and degradation are more fun when you add to the mix a mysterious woman, a susceptible man, and an invocation to Aphrodite, with unexpected consequences.

Venus in Fur

The Broadwater (Main Stage)
1076 Lillian Way
Los Angeles, CA 90038

Saturday, June 7, 2025, at 8:30 PM.

Sunday, June 15, 2025, at 10:30 PM.

Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at 6:30 PM.

Tickets: hollywoodfringe.org/projects/11657?tab=tickets

Written by David Ives

Directed by Amir Korangy

Produced by Rachael Meyers and Bryan McKinley

Cast: Rachael Meyers and Bryan McKinley

Fringe Review: Grape Culture

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Grape Culture. Written by Toni Nagy and Sarah Buckner. Produced by Mike Blaha of Fringe Management and Lee Costello.

One of the reasons theatre has survived for more than 2,000 years is the fact that this artistic expression reflects society in all of its beauty and ugliness. In Grape Culture, performers Toni Nagy and Sarah Buckner take the audience out of their comfort zone to explore the struggles of coping with rape in a society that stills puts the blame on the victims.

From sexual remarks to a little girl to harassment in the workplace, this play conveys the uncomfortable situations faced by many women as a result of society’s objectification and ownership of the female body. In some instances, the non-consensual ownership of the body is exercised in medical settings, like when sedated women are used to practice gynecological procedures by medical students.

The stage serves as a platform to emphasize the fact that women own their bodies, and only them can use and manage them as they please. Whether is sex or medical procedures, the woman should be in control to avoid sexual abuse, even in relationships with sexual partners. The key is consent.

Even though the show presents the traumas generated by rape, one positive element is finding the way to heal. For Nagy and Buckner, this can be achieved by somatics and sharing the experiences with the audience to break the cycle of complicit silence. Grape Culture is an effort to dig deep and find the root cause of the toxic attitudes that promote and celebrate abuse.

One of the messages that comes across is that when women expose their bodies, it is not a permit to use them for exploitation, it might be just a way to regain ownership and the narrative about their bodies and womanhood.

For this radical, funny, and entertaining show, Nagy and Buckner use tap, modern dance, film, comedy, and storytelling to represent the challenges of being a woman and the opportunities to heal and find peace. The material might be uneasy for some, but shows like this one present an opportunity to start a meaningful and empathetic conversation.

Grape Culture

Broadwater (Second Stage)
6320 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90038

Dates:

Monday June 17 2024, 6:30 PM

Friday June 21 2024, 9:00 PM

Wednesday June 26 2024, 9:30 PM

Saturday June 29 2024, 5:00 PM

Sunday June 30 2024, 12:30 PM

Tickets: hollywoodfringe.org/projects/10853

Written and performed by Toni Nagy and Sarah Buckner. Produced by Mike Blaha of Fringe Management and Lee Costello.

Theatre Review: TINY LITTLE TOWN, a new musical

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TINY LITTLE TOWN, a new musical is presented by Theatre Movement Bazaar. Book by Richard Alger and Tina Kronis. Lyrics by Richard Alger. Music composition by Wes Myers. Adapted from The Inspector General By Nikolai Gogol. Direction and Choreography by Tina Kronis. Produced by Theatre Movement Bazaar. Associate Producer Justin Okin.

Major Rasmussen (Kasper Svendsen) has a tiny little problem. A General Inspector has been sent from Washington to audit the city and its officials. Will the Inspector find out about the rampant corruption going on in this American tiny little town? After all, it’s the 70. Yes, the same period of the Watergate scandal during Nixon’s presidency. Major Rasmussen has also taken a few bribes here and there, and now he needs to find a way to cover up his corruption and that of his city officials.

With little time to clean up his record, the Major has no other choice but to do what he does best: Bribe. The only problem is that he ends up bribing the wrong person. As the story unfolds, the city officials and some of the citizens are duped into the trickeries of Konner (Nikhil Pai), the mysterious visitor they take as the Inspector. With a Rico Suave swagger, Konner even manages to impress Anna Rasmussen (Paula Rebelo, Do You Feel Anger), the Major’s wife, and Maria Rasmussen (Ishika Muchhal), the Major’s daughter. As a captivating subplot, Konner’s assistant, Joseph (Nick Apostolina), and Rasmussen’s secretary, Jackie (Prisca Kim), start to develop a romantic relationship in the middle of all the chaos. Due to their shenanigans, the citizens and officials of this town will be forced to face the consequences of their actions, creating the situations that make this play a timeless study of crooked characters with a comedic bent.

The play is a musical that uses physical comedy to keep the action fast-paced and interesting. The direction and choreography by Tina Kronis is a phenomenal display of craftsmanship. The musical numbers are highly kinetic, combining music and comedy perfectly. The commedia dell’arte style in the performances, the set design, and the Eastern European music, make it feel like a topsy-turvy dream, an exaggerated and alluring image of our reality. And that’s the beauty of physical theatre; it’s an artistic and deviant vision of the world around us.

Theatre Movement Bazaar achieves an outstanding theatrical version of the satirical play written by Nikolai Gogol in 1836. One of the many great elements of this staging is the casting. Actors that can sing, dance, and deliver excellent comedy at the same time are not easy to find. Richard Alger and Tina Kronis have put together an extraordinary production that will be a successful hit without a doubt. It’s a gem. Right in the heart of Hollywood.

TINY LITTLE TOWN, a new musical

The Broadwater Theatre Main Stage
1078 Lillian Way
Los Angeles, CA 90038

Feb 1 – 18, Thurs – Sat @ 7:30pm, Sat and Sun @ 2:30pm

Tickets: theatremovementbazaar.ludus.com

Book by Richard Alger and Tina Kronis. Lyrics by Richard Alger. Music composition by Wes Myers. Adapted from The Inspector General By Nikola Gogol. Direction and Choreography by Tina Kronis. Produced by Theatre Movement Bazaar. Associate Producer Justin Okin. Cast: Nick Apostolina, Joey Aquino, Mark Doerr, Prisca Kim, Ishika Muchhal, Jesse Myers, Isaiah Noriega, Lamont Oakley, Nikhil Pai, Paula Rebelo, Kasper Svendsen, and Eddie Vona. Creative team: Aaron Francis (Technical Director), John Zalewski (Sound Design), Lechetti Design (Scenic Design), Aaron Francis and Johnny Montage (Lighting Design), Anna Kupershmidt (Production Stage Manager), Ellen McCartney (Costume Designer) Yuanyuan Liang (Assistant Costume Designer). 

A scene from TINY LITTLE TOWN, a new musical
A scene from TINY LITTLE TOWN, a new musical
A scene from TINY LITTLE TOWN, a new musical