Tag Archives: The Group Rep Theatre

Theatre Review: The Heidi Chronicles

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Wendy Wasserstein presents a realistic picture of feminism without the rigid perspective often depicted in the media, for better or worse.

Heidi (Amy Earhart) is a baby boomer. She’s also a feminist, joining the activism from the 1960s during Eugene McCarthy’s presidential campaign of ’68. McCarthy opposes the US involvement in the Vietnam war. Concurrently, a women’s liberation movement demanding equal pay and birth control rights is taking place. Professionally, Heidi wants to become an art historian.

Heidi joins a group of women that support each other in their pursuit of female liberation. The play follows the lives of these women through the decades. Wasserstein treats feminism without a Manichaean angle. Rather, she explores the subject matter trying to grasp the gray areas of life, when things like jobs, marriages, and society start to modify ideals. 

The play shows Heidi’s relationship with two men that become important influences in her life. Peter (Hudson Long), a gay doctor, becomes her close friend and supporter, “If we can’t marry, let’s be great friends” they tell each other. Scoop (Alex Scyocurka) an editor who tends to grade everything, becomes her lover and a kind of a subject in her study of male complexities. 

Heidi’s female friends become successful in their careers, some of them working within the male establishment to change the system. But the strength of that hope gets diluted with the passing of time, as they settle down in their careers, get married, and have children. Meanwhile, Heidi stays single and childless, working as an art historian and exploring different romantic relationships.

Director Brent Beerman and the main actors, Earhart, Long, and Scyocurka show Wasserstein’s point of view of looking at feminism as aspirational in the concept state, but a constant struggle as an achievement in real life. Earhart exposes Heidi’s underlying strengths and vulnerabilities. The same applies to Long as Peter and Scyocurka as Scoop. Beerman makes sure to have his three actors highlight the insecurities of the characters and the evasive pursuit of happiness. Costumer Shon LeBlanc does a fantastic job recreating the costumes of the 60s, 70s, and 80s.

The script itself references historical figures of the art, political, and literary worlds. The language and humor are intellectual, limiting a wider reach, feeling more like a niche piece. Regardless, this play is relevant and a reminder that activism is a long run rather than a sprint, with mixed results in the end.     

The Heidi Chronicles

The Group Rep Theatre (Main Stage)
10900 Burbank Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601

July 25 – August 31, 2025
Fridays and Saturdays 8pm; Sundays 2pm

Tickets: thegrouprep.com

Written by Wendy Wasserstein
Directed by Brent Beerman
Produced by Melissa Strauss for The Group Rep.

Cast: Kathi Chaplar (Debbie, Jill, Lisa), Amy Earhart (Heidi), Amy Goldring (April, Betsy, Becky), Hudson Long (Peter), Michelle McGregor (Molly, Fran, Clara, Denise), Maxwell Oliver (Chris, Mark, TV Attendant, Waiter, Ray), Alex Scyocurka (Scoop), and Amy Shaughnessy (Susan).

Creative team: Brent Beerman (Director/Properties Design), Melissa Strauss (Producer/Alternate Stage Manager), Kathi Chaplar (Set Design), Robbie
Miles (Lighting Design), Shon LeBlanc (Costume Design), Krys Fehervari (Wig Design), John Harvey (Sound Design).

Theatre Review: Motel 66

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The Group Rep continues the road trip called Motel 66. This time, seven short plays explore the trepidations and hilarity of the human condition.

As it usually happens on a road trip, peculiar characters are found along the way, some carrying heavy weights of fear and regrets, while others just try to make the most out of life. Each of the seven plays is set in some of the cities connected by the famous Route 66, the stretch of highway going from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California.

The cities depicted in the plays are Flagstaff, Amarillo, Winslow, Hackberry, Wildorado, Barstow, and Albuquerque. The situations are varied and place the characters in challenging existential crises, forcing them to face the realities of life. As the plays show, the human experience is full of drama and humor, and that makes great entertainment for live theatre. Seven writers, seven directors, seven plays, and 19 actors make up this stretch of the road.

Four of the plays tackle dramatic situations. 45 Minutes And Counting, written by Julie Davis and directed by Lisa McGee-Mann deals with compassion and desperation to avoid a mistake that could ruin a marriage. Futures Passed, written by Fox Carney and directed by Todd Andrew Ball features the talents of April Audia and Anica Petrovic; both actresses excel in this strange interaction of two characters that share something special in life. This play is one of the highlights of the show. Wildorado written by Mimi Kmet and directed by Amy Shaughnessy is a trending story about abortion and abortion rights, exploring the tough and devastating decisions that have to be taken. Reunion, written by Kathi Chaplar and directed by Helen O’Brien presents the case of two characters’ reunion, years after a relationship went south. Success, failure, regrets; it’s all there. Still lingering. Still painful.

The three comedies presented are Forget Me Not, written by Denise Downer and directed by Barbara Brownell. A forgetful husband and a forgiving wife take a vacation. How about leaving your wife behind at a gas station in the middle of nowhere? This play features the exceptional Michael Mullen. Unfortunately, his character is too minor and he can’t show his talent. The Tour Guide, written by Phil Olson and directed by Doug Engalla. A 31-year-old takes a trip with his parents, who want him to grow up and move out of their home. He has a blog with no subscribers and no revenue (somehow it rings a bell). To get him out of the house, the parents set up a lie that, at the end, might not be a lie at all—well, it’s open to interpretation. What a creative and fun show. And lastly, Baby Day, written by Brent Beerman and directed by Lee Redmond. Three fans of comics interact with each other. Comic Con, costumes, and bodily fluids create this microcosmos of resistance to adulthood. Another fun situation to entertain your road trip.

The Group Rep is building a valuable collection of stories, connecting cities and characters in a string of plays that serve as an opportunity for creatives to expose their talents and giving the audience a chance to see multiple stories in one production.

Motel 66

Upstairs at The Group Rep Theatre
10900 Burbank Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601

June 5 – July 13, 2025

Thursdays at 7:00pm
Saturdays at 4:00pm
Sundays at 7:00pm

Tickets: thegrouprep.com

Cast: Ben Anderson, April Audia, Brent Beerman, Stephanie Colet, David Downs, Lee Grober, Jessica Kent, Angie Lin, Sam Logan, Melissa Lugo, Savannah Mortensen, Michael Mullen, Judy Nazemetz,  Seong Park, Lloyd Pedersen, Anica Petrovic, Ramona Reeves, Danny Salay, Rachel Speth, Neil Thompson, Troy Whitaker, and Sylvie Wiley.

Musical Review: Drat! The Cat!

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There’s a cat lady in the play. No, not that kind of lady. This one likes to steal diamonds for fun. To make it worse, the cop who is supposed to catch her, falls head over heels for her. He’s the softie and she’s the tough cookie. It’s so bad that he ends up handcuffed, not the other way around. Not a good thing for the New York Police Department.

It seems as if the play was brought to this side of the country by a turtle. Sixty years later, Drat! The Cat! has finally arrived on the West Coast. The original play premiered on Broadway in 1965. It starred Lesley Ann Warren and Elliot Gould, who was married to Barbara Streisand at the time. And now, The Group Rep is staging this fun musical at the Lonny Chapman Theatre for a one month run.

This new production features two sensational rising stars: Sydney DeMaria as Alice Van Guilder, the audacious catgirl, and Alec Reusch as Bob Purefoy, the naive cop falling madly in love. With a fantastic supporting cast, an excellent band directed by Gerald Sternbach, and a dynamic choreography by Cheryl Baxter, Director Bruce Kimmel stages a vibrant performance that infuses new life to this hidden gem. 

Encouraged by his dying father (Lloyd Pedersen), police officer Bob Purefoy is tasked with finding the thief who has been stealing the diamonds of New York’s high society in the 1890s. Bob is committed to finding the burglar. But he is no match to the cunning Alice, a woman ahead of her time. She wants to be a career woman and get diamonds in her own way, without the help of any man. To achieve that and hide her identity, she uses a catgirl costume, striking at posh events and stealing the diamonds without leaving traces behind. When visiting Alice’s parents to arrange the police operation to find and capture the diamond burglar, Bob meets Alice, unaware that she is the burglar. As they talk, she touches him, and it becomes love at first touch. Poor Bob is hooked and his tribulations begin.   

One of the best decisions by The Group Rep is the casting of the protagonists. The mischievous characteristics of Alice Van Guilder are vivaciously played by DeMaria, who acts with such naturality that her leading performance shapes the narrative of the play and heightens the audience engagement, something that only truly committed thespians can do. DeMaria’s soprano voice, movement, and acting makes this catgirl a rich and exciting character to watch. She shows off her captivating voice in “Wild and Reckless” and “I Like Him”, her two solo music numbers. 

As for Reusch, a tenor, he’s fascinating with his rendition of “She Touched Me”, the song made famous by Barbara Streisand. Reusch is excellent at portraying Bob Purefoy’s conflicting spirit, fighting the dichotomy between law enforcement and uncontrollable infatuation. His awkwardness and naiveness make his character highly likeable and relatable. Reusch and DeMaria develop a convincing chemistry on stage, adding an aura of romanticism and playfulness.       

The connection with the play is not new to Kimmel. In 1997, he produced a new version of the play’s score and he interacted with Playwright Ira Levin and Composer Milton Schafer. Unfortunately, Levin and Schafer are no longer around to see this new production. But this is a special commitment by Kimmel, and he is now able to stage the play at the Lonny Chapman Theatre.

To enhance the production even more, Costume Designer Shon Le Blanc uses an impressive array of period costumes that offer an attractive visual element that shows the careful attention to detail, which is always a demonstration of the level of commitment by the production team.

This is a rare opportunity to see the talent of Ira Levin as a musicals writer. Combined with the fine musical taste of Milton Schafer, Drat! The Cat! is a fantastic display of dance, comedy, and music.        

Drat! The Cat!

The Group Rep Theatre
10900 Burbank Blvd.
North Hollywood 91601

March 21 through April 27
Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm. Sundays at 2pm

Tickets: thegrouprep.com

Book & Lyrics by Ira Levin. Music by Milton Schafer. Directed by Bruce Kimmel. Musical Director Gerald Sternbach. Produced by Koushik Chattopadhyay for The Group Rep.

Cast: Ben Anderson (Patrolman & Ensemble), April Audia (Kate Purefoy), Riley Croman (Ensemble), Sydney DeMaria (Alice Van Guilder), Lareen Faye (Ensemble), Amy Goldring (Ensemble), Lee Grober (Mayor), Doug Haverty (Pincer), Angie Lin (Ensemble), Constance Mellors (Matilda Van Guilder), Hisato Masuyama (Butler & Ensemble), Savanna Mortenson (Maid/Ensemble), Maxwell Oliver (Ensemble), Lloyd Pedersen (Lucius Van Guilder & Roger), Alec Reusch (Bob Purefoy), Rob Schaumann (Mallet), Melissa Strauss (Dowager & Ensemble), Nicole Slatin (Ensemble) and Steve Young (Judge & Ensemble).