Theatre Review: No Place Like Gandersheim

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).

Theatre Review: The Book of Will

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 TuesdayMay 16WednesdayMay 17; and ThursdayMay 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 JacksonNicole JavierKasey MahaffyTrisha MillerKelvin MoralesAlex MorrisJeremy RabbDeborah 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.

Theatre Review: Matinicus: The Story of Abigail Burgess

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.

Ticketschancetheater.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.

 

Theatre Review: can i touch it?

The NNPN Rolling World Premiere of can i touch it? is presented by Rogue Machine. Written by francisca da silveira. Directed by Gregg T. Daniel. Produced by John Perrin Flynn and Guillermo Cienfuegos.

Shay Solomon (Safiya Fredericks) is trying to save her wig and hair care business from an aggressive plan to buy foreclosed real state by Patron Bank. A 6% mortgage increase has make it difficult to Shay to stay in business, and after being denied a business loan by the same bank, she’s running out of options. To complicate things, her daughter Ruth (Iesha Daniels) is about to start college.

Meanwhile, Shay’s niece, Meeka (Suzen Baraka), is taking care of the shop . Unbeknownst to her, Shay is thinking of selling the business. Once Ruth lets Meeka know about Shay’s intention to sell, Meeka turns to social media to ignite a smear campaign against Patron Bank. The consequences can put pressure on the bank, but can also turn against Shay, as she is trying to be more diplomatic with the bank.

Da silveira uses Black women’s hair as a continuum in the play to emphasize society’s perception of Black women and their subsequent discrimination. After all, hair has been a contentious element in the Black experience in America. Take, for example, a natural Black hairstyle such as the afro. This style has been a symbol of resistance, widely used by the Black Panther Party and figures like Angela Davis. In that case, it’s no longer a fashion statement, it’s an emblem of empowerment. For Shay, being in the business of hair styling and fighting back against a bank that is trying to take it away from her is a summary of what African Americans have endured throughout the years when they try to move up the ladder. But just like the afro style, the characters Shay and Meeka symbolize the resistance and the power of community to survive and thrive despite the adversities.

The play unveils the real motivations behind the gentrification efforts seen in some distressed areas. The script tries to reveal, through a series of questions and answers, the connection between race relations and symbols that have been ingrained in American society since the inception of the country. Director Gregg T. Daniel uses the characters, in this instance the bank employees (Scott Victor Nelson/Suzen Baraka), to represent the disdain and discrimination towards the Black community and the subtle actions taken to block their progress.

There is a reason why braids, locs, twists, and bantu knots have been included in the CROWN Act, a law that prohibits the denial of employment and educational opportunities based on race-based hairstyles. can i touch it? is not only and entertaining stage production; it’s also a sociopolitical commentary on perceptions and racial inequalities.

can i touch it?

ROGUE MACHINE (in the Matrix Theatre)
7657 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046
(Street parking)

Opening: 8pm on Saturday, May 6
Schedule: 8pm Fridays, Saturdays, Mondays, 3pm Sundays through June 11, 2023
Closing: June 11, 2023

Tickets: roguemachinetheatre.org

Written by francisca da silveira. Directed by Gregg T. Daniel. Cast: Safiya Fredericks, Suzen Baraka, Iesha Daniels, and Scott Victor Nelson. Produced by: John Perrin Flynn and Guillermo Cienfuegos. Associate Producer: Mildred Marie Langford. A Rogue Machine Production. Creative Team: Mark Mendelson (Scenic Design), Leigh Allen (Lighting Design), Chris Moscatiello (Sound Design), Wendell Carmichael (Costume and Wig Design), Ashley Crow (Prop Design), Joyce Guy (Movement Design), Lindsay Jenkins (Dramaturge).        

Theatre Review: Las Diosas Subterráneas

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 CarmarenaBrisei GuerreroStefanie IzquierdoErnesto Lecuona, Mercedes Olea and Jonathan Ramos from original ideas by Rocío Carrillo.

Theatre Review: Whittier Boulevard

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 FernándezSal LópezGeoffrey RivasLucy Rodriguez, and José Luis Valenzuela. Directed by Jose Luis Valenzuela. Starring Evelina FernándezSal LópezGeoffrey 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.

Theatre Review: Pueblo Espíritu

Pueblo Espíritu is presented by Latino Theater Company. Created by Organización Secreta Teatro from Rocío Carrillo’s original idea. Directed by Rocío Carrillo.

Pueblo Espíritu is some kind of A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Mexican style. Deep in the forest, five characters try to survive the Covid pandemic. Distrusting each other, they need to find a way to work together and fight for their lives.

In order to imagine a brighter future, they need to look back and learn from their ancestors. In a world of images, sounds, and rituals, the characters start to reconnect with their natural surroundings. During that process, their animalistic instincts are heightened and the tribal structure starts to shape the relationships among each other. Even though the characters in Pueblo Espíritu live in modern times, their transformation is a vision to the lifestyle of pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican civilizations. 

Rocío Carrillo takes elements from the Chichimeca peoples to recreate the rituals and mythical figures seen in the play. This production relies on music, colors, kinetics, and lighting to tell the story, as there is no dialogue. The result is an enthralling and emotional journey that enraptures the audience from beginning to end. The modulation of intensities throughout the play is a visual language that is rarely seen in theatre. It’s poetic, mysterious, and open to interpretations. In that sense, the relationship with the audience becomes dynamic, never static.

Pueblo Espíritu is a reference to the values that have been lost in the frenetic pace of today’s world. It is a ritual of life and death, an exorcism to clean the soul. It’s an invitation to go back to the basics, to open up our hearts and minds to Mother Earth. In the words of Michael Cretu, it is the return to yourself, the return to innocence. It is a mystic and cathartic experience worth trying.       

Pueblo Espíritu

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

May 3 – May 14

  • Wednesday, May 3 at 8 p.m. (opening night)
  • Thursday, May 4 at 8 p.m.
  • Friday, May 5 at 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, May 6 at 8 p.m.
  • Sunday, May 7 at 4 p.m.

Tickets: latinotheaterco.org

Original idea by Rocío Carrillo. Cast: Beatriz Cabrera, Alejandro Joan CarmarenaBrisei GuerreroStefanie IzquierdoErnesto Lecuona, Mercedes Olea and Jonathan Ramos. Directed by Rocío Carrillo.

Theatre Review: Under the Skin

The West Coast premiere of Under the Skin is presented by International City Theatre. Written by Michael Hollinger. Produced and directed by caryn desai [sic].

Suddenly, your absent father shows up at the door and asks for your kidney. Would you give it to him? Under the Skin delves into organ donation and the hilarious and difficult relationship between Raina (Allison Blaize) and her father Lou (Tony Abatemarco), who never attended any of her birthday parties when she was a kid. During his days as a player, Lou started an alternate family with Marlene (Tanya Alexander), who gave birth to his son Jarrell (Julian Smith). 

Things get more complicated when Raina meets Jarrell and the two start a conversation. Secrets are revealed and relationships may not be what they seem to be. In the meantime, Lou’s kidney failure continue to progress and time is running out to save his life.

Michael Hollinger‘s writting is a combination of tragedy and comedy that is engaging and leaves the audience in a state of wonder as the scenes move forward. The health deterioration Lou experiences later in life forces him to face his own failures as a father and husband. At the same time, this character shows the complexities of life experiences and the power of human connections, whether filial or romantic. The character of Raina shows the lifelong impressions experienced in childhood and the emotional scars left as a result of bad parenting. All of these textures of human interactions are displayed in this play brilliantly.

Director caryn desai [sic] unifies love, compassion, and the power of blood in a cohesive and entertaining manner, building up the intrigue and disbelief throughout the play. Desai manages to lighten up the seriousness of organ donation and add a touch of comedy to the ordeal of waiting for a donor while attempting to fix broken relationships. 

Under the Skin is a delightful story of redemption, love, and forgiveness. It is a story of rich characters and their unusual reactions when they get second chances in life.    

Under the Skin

International City Theatre
Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center
330 East Seaside Way
Long Beach, CA 90802

Performances: April 28-May 14
• Thursdays at 8 p.m.: May 4, May 11
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: April 28 (Opening Night), May 5, May 12
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: April 29, May 6, May 13
• Sundays at 2 p.m.: April 30, May 7, May 14

Tickets: ictlongbeach.org

Written by Michael Hollinger. Directed by caryn desai. Starring Tony AbatemarcoTanya AlexanderAllison Blaize, and Julian Smith. Produced by caryn desai [sic]. Presented by International City Theatre.

Creative team: Set designer Timothy Mueller, lighting designer Donna Ruzika, costume designer Kim DeShazo, sound designer Dave Mickey, and prop designer Patty Briles. Casting is by Michael DonovanCSA and Richie FerrisCSA. The production stage manager is John Freeland, Jr.

 

Theatre Review: The Laramie Project

The Laramie Project is presented by The Group Rep. Written by Moises Kaufman, Ms. Leigh Fondakowski, and the Tectonic Theater Project. Directed by Kathleen Delaney. Produced by Bill Fitzhugh and Danica Waitley.

The Laramie Project is a production in the form of documentary theatre, based on the more than 200 interviews that Kaufman, Fondakowski, and members of the Tectonic Theater Project conducted after the tragic death of Matthew Shepard in 1998.

Shepard was a gay student at the University of Wyoming, located in Laramie, Wyoming. On the night of October 6, 1998, Shepard left the Fireside Lounge with Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson. McKinney and Henderson took Shepard to a rural area where they beat, tortured, and tied him to a fence and left him to die in near-freezing temperatures. Eighteen hours later, still alive and in a coma, Shepard was found by cyclist Aaron Kreifels. Shepard died six days after the attack on October 12, 1998. He was 21 years old.

This play is a collection of statements from the people that knew Shepard and his attackers, McKinney and Henderson. The interviews pick up the diversity of opinions from the community of Laramie. While some people denounced the attack and demanded justice, others believed that Shepard deserved the ordeal because of his homosexuality. Some of those beliefs were heavily influenced by religion, which played an important role in the life of this relatively small community.

The Laramie Project is in itself a social study that reveals how education, religion, and job opportunities may affect the attitudes towards the LGBT community. The characters demonstrate the contradiction of rural and conservative America. There is the bartender who liked Matthew and didn’t care about his sexual preferences. The doctor, who felt sorry for both the victim and the perpetrator when he treated both of them the same day at the same hospital. Then, there are the religious leaders. Some of them demanding justice for Shepard, some demanding leniency for McKinney and Henderson.

If anything positive came out of this incident, is the fact that some members of the LGBT community had the opportunity to express themselves and claim their rightful place in society. Other consequences of The Laramie Project is the influence of this play in other documentary mediums such as film and reality TV. The play has been staged in more than 300 productions around the world and had a very successful Off-Broadway run. The writers and directors continue to inspire conversations and drive changes in minds, hearts, and legislation around the world for generations to come. The writing shows the initial shock experienced by the people of Laramie after learning about the attack. But it also shows the disturbing shift of opinions once the religious conservatism kicked in, sympathizing with the attackers and approving of their heinous act.

Director Kathleen Delaney uses a large production of 11 fine actors to play several roles, all portraying the wide variety of points of view related to this case. Delaney blocks her actors to create a continuous sense of movement that reflects the frenetic pace of the events, specially the media coverage of the critical days that preceded Shepard’s death and the controversial trial that followed.

The play also feels like a time of introspection. A time to reflect on what went terrible wrong and what actions to take to avoid the recurrence of such a barbaric act. The continuous staging of this production is a symbolic candlelight vigil to honor Shepard’s memory and the values and convictions he represented.

The Laramie Project

The Group Rep at the Lonny Chapman Theatre – First floor
10900 Burbank Blvd
N. Hollywood, CA 91601

April 14 – May 21
Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM, Sundays at 2PM
After the Matinee Talkback with cast and staff 4/23 & 4/30.

Ticketsthegrouprep.com

Written by Moises Kaufman, Ms. Leigh Fondakowski, and The Tectonic Theater Project. Directed by Kathleen Delaney. Produced by Bill Fitzhugh and Danica Waitley. Cast: Landon Beatty, Paul Cady, Roslyn Cohn, Julie Davis, Marc Antonio Pritchett. Stephen Rockwell, Jackie Shearn, Margaret Rose Staedler, Cathy Diane Tomlin, Amelia Vargas and Kay Vermeil. Creative team: Mareli Mitchel-Shields (Set Designer), Tor Brown (Lighting/Projection Designer), Michael Mullen (Costume Designer), and Marc Antonio Pritchett (Sound Designer).

Theatre Review: Michaela’s Fluent Aphasia

As part of the MFA Dramatic Writing Year 3 New Works Festival, the USC School of Dramatic Arts presents Michaela’s Fluent Aphasia. Written by Christina Carrafiell. Directed by John DeMita.

Michaela (Maddy Curry, BA Theatre, Acting Em., Junior) has a brain tumor and is about to get a surgery that will be performed by her doctor boyfriend Will (Micha Schnider, BA Theatre, Acting Em., Sophomore). The day of the surgery, Michaela sees Julia (Lexi Minetree, BA Theatre/BA Public Relations, Junior) suffering some sort of asthma or anxiety attack. From there, the story becomes the journey of Michaela’s recovery from a condition called fluent aphasia, caused by the brain surgery to remove the tumor. Another character of the story is Theo (Ben Crane, BA Theatre, Acting Em., First Year), Julia’s boyfriend, a sculptor and speech therapist.

Flashbacks introduce the conflict in the story. In an instant of female intuition, or distrust, Julia senses a potential romance between Theo and Michaela. This worsens when Theo becomes Michaela’s speech therapist. Despite the situation, Michaela and Julia become close friends, finding common ground in their interests of music and poetry. Julia is a musician and Michaela likes to write poetry.

Christina Carrafiell gives her female characters the backgrounds that explain their distinguishing traits, specially their penchant for dependency. In the case of Michaela, there are revelations that question even the legality of the relationship between her and Will. It is probably that mutual inclination to depend on others that take the relationship between Julia and Michaela to another level. In the extremely challenging journey to recovery, Michaela will learn not only to speak coherently again, but also to search deep in her heart where the real love is. In the play’s resolution, Julia will need to make a critical decision. Michaela is in the right path to recover from the brain damage, but will she be left heart broken?

Director John DeMita explores the script using language, poetry, music, and romance to bring Carrafiell’s vision to life. It is a production presented in an entertaining and dynamic form. The flashbacks present details that are crucial to understand the dynamic relationships between the characters. The four actors show their potential, delivering nuanced and convincing performances. The USC School of Dramatic Arts continues to show its commitment to prepare students to succeed in the entertainment industry, connecting students with real audiences and industry professionals.

Christina Carrafiell is a British-American playwright. Her first play, A Fragile Lift, was performed to sell-out audiences at the Chelsea Theatre in London when she was just 17. It was then selected for a run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, with Scottish newspapers calling it “original” and “impressive” (The Scotsman). Christina continued writing as an undergrad at Yale, where she was featured in Zack Calhoon’s celebrated ‘people you should know‘ blog. She then won a scholarship to do an MFA in Playwriting at USC School of Dramatic Arts, where she is currently in her third and final year. Her TV script Surfer Girl reached the quarter finals of the 2021 WeScreenplay TV Writing Competition.

Michaela’s Fluent Aphasia

McClintock Theatre
1010 W Jefferson Blvd (University of Southern California)
Los Angeles, CA 90089
Dates:
Thursday, April 20, at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 22, at 8 p.m.
Tuesday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m
Written by Christina Carrafiell. Directed by John DeMita. Starring Ben Crane, Maddy Curry, Lexi Minetree, and Micah Schneider. Creative team: Scenic Design by Takeshi Kata and Maya Channer ( BFA Design, Sophomore), Costume Design by Juliet Black (BFA Design, Sophomore), Lighting and Projection Design by G. Austin Allen, Sound Design by Alma Reyes-Thomas, Stage Manager Yaesol Jeong, Technical Director Dominic Vacca (BFA Technical Direction, Senior).