Sad day for SoCal theater: The Pasadena Playhouse to close

The theatre's website ominously features a donation link labeled "Now is the time..." This appears to be more than mere melodramatic hat-passing.
According to an Associated Press article that was featured in the LA Times and msn.com today, The Pasadena Playhouse is closing on February 7th. According to Stephen Eich, leaders are still trying to find a way to save the historic theatre (it opened in 1917) - but it is in a large amount of debt and has filed for bankruptcy several times in the past.

They do not currently have a plan to reimburse subscribers for what's left of this season and 37 theatre employees will soon be out of work. "Camelot" is currently in production there, having opened January 8th. It appears to be the Playhouse's swan song unless something miraculous happens fairly quickly. If you would like to attend "Camelot" and give the Playhouse a proper good-bye, you can purchase tickets here:
http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase?organ_val=3188&event_val=PLY1&schedule=list

The loss of The Pasadena Playhouse will be a tremendous blow to SoCal culture at large, not just the theater community (who will be feeling the aftershocks for some time). It is a shame and a tragedy but while the pessimist in me is already in mourning, the hidden optimist in me is hoping for a financial windfall from any one of the successful entertainers that have called the Playhouse home.
If you would like to make a donation to The Pasadena Playhouse, you can do so here:
http://www.pasadenaplayhouse.org/

Read the AP article here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35149816/ns/entertainment-arts_books_more/

Above the fray - The Narrow World

Photo from FreshBaked TheatreCompany at Facebook.com

The Narrow World
by Daniel Damiano

The Lex Theatre
(6760 Lexington Avenue, Hollywood 90038)

A production of Fresh Baked Theatre Company

Date of reviewed performance: January 22, 2010

Cast
Harrington - Will McFadden
Mrs. Harrington - Sigi-Blu Zweiban
Pearson - Matt Calloway
Berger - Dan Sykes
Derosa - Michael Hoag
Farber - Kimi Buser
Rivera - TJ Alvarado
Sedansky - Kevin Crawford
Albertson - Cody Goulder
Voice of Newscaster - Angele Dayer

Last night, the Fresh Baked Theatre Company debuted its sophomore production, Daniel Damiano's corporate tragicomedy "The Narrow World," to a packed house. The highly entertaining and well-acted show is an exciting crowd pleaser that left the audience discussing it long after the curtain call.

In this new work (a finalist for the 2008 Y.E.S. festival of new plays sponsored by the University of Kentucky), the actors are suited up as corporate drones - zombie "yes" men - in a day-after-tomorrow scenario that could occur anywhere and everywhere.

It begins with the eternally stalling Berger (Dan Sykes), an inept vice-president unaware that mutiny is on the rise. In a coup instigated by the elevation-seeking Harrington (Will McFadden), Berger is ousted from the company; his dismissal making it impossible to find another job in the dire economic times. After all, these are days in which the unemployed are cast-offs from society, "branded" by their loss of employment and sent to the park to eat twigs and fight for survival amongst the "likes of the lowly." Even in its absurdity, this notion has a sharp sting given our current unemployment numbers.

At first, all is well at The Company. Harrington wastes no time in shaping the office into an elite, productivity machine. Morale and profit are up. The corporate drones, thrilled by their newfound job stability, happily commit to their further zombification. But Harrington's desire for nonstop elevation cannot be satiated and quickly his rules and order melt into tyranny.

The owner of The Company, Albertson (splendidly portrayed by Cody Goulder), is a late-in-life adventurer who squandered his marriage in favor of building his company. He admires Harrington, who appears to be able to master corporate success and a healthy marriage. But Albertson doesn't know the whole story. In truth, there is something Harrington doesn't know either: employee Pearson (Matt Calloway) doesn't care for the new regime and is unwilling to trade family time for increased productivity. He sets a plan in motion to save his job while turning the corporate tides.

This is a story of two idealists, but their ideals could not be more different. Through a series of menacing standoffs, linguistic gymnastics and the despair that comes with trapped infinity, Mr. Damiano sets up a battle for dominance between matched corporate drones who would each be offended by such a definition. Director Daniel Armas stages it well, as a fast-paced verbal two-step through unrelenting, circuitous gamesmanship.

Will McFadden is fantastic as Harrington, whom he plays with a manic intensity that is as clever as it is amusing. Other standout performances include Matt Calloway, who is heartbreaking in his sensitivity as Pearson, Cody Goulder who looks likes he's having the time of his life playing Albertson and Dan Sykes whose impressive range bookends the show.

My best advice to you is get out and see this show. Don't miss your opportunity to experience this well-written, original play performed by such a talented cast. In these economic times, it's more than worth the price of admission.

The Narrow World runs through February 7th (Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm, Sundays at 3:00pm). Tickets are $15 General Admission ($13 for students and seniors). For reservations, please call 602-689-7714 or email freshbakedtheatrecompany@gmail.com.

Directed by Daniel Armas
Produced by Daniel Armas, Matt Calloway and Cody Goulder
Set Design and Props by Cody Goulder and Marisa Rojas
Set Design and Crew by Daniel Armas, Richard Armas, Vicki Armas, Cody Goulder and Liam Toner
Lighting Design by Matt Calloway
Sound Design and Recording by TJ Alvarado, Arik Garcia and Marisa Rojas
Publicity and Art Design by Matt Calloway and Heath Carroll
Light Board Operation by Marisa Rojas
Sound Board Operation by Adrian Lam
Flyer Design by Christian Fabricante and Brian Shun

The Narrow World:

Oy vey! - Palestine, New Mexico

                                       

Palestine, New Mexico

by Richard Montoya

Mark Taper Forum

(135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles; at the Music Center)

A production of Culture Clash for Center Theatre Group

Date of reviewed performance: January 21, 2010

Cast

Captain Catherine Siller - Kirsten Potter

Bronson - Ric Salinas

Top Hat - Richard Montoya

Farmer - Herbert Siguenza

Maria 15 - Geraldine Keams

Chief Birdsong - Russell Means

Dacotah, Girl in Blue Dress - Julia Jones

Ghost of Birdsong, Suarez - Justin Rain

Star Man - Kalani Queypo

Mountain -  Brandon Oakes

Sally 30/30 - LaVonne Rae Andrews

Broke Arrow - Robert Owens-Greygrass

La Megadeath - Michelle Diaz

This world premiere production from a company aptly named Culture Clash comes to a close this Sunday at the Mark Taper Forum.  This is an imperfect show and there are more minuses than pluses, so we'll start with the later.

Far and away, the best thing about this show is the set. Impressive red rocks, cactus and a dusty desert wraps around the thrust stage all the way down to the auditorium floor. It's an exciting scene to be met by when you first enter the theater - seemingly so full of promise of a stimulating night of theater. It is my wildest hope that one day this set will get to be used for just such a night.

Another plus is the casting. There are many fine actors, some of whom are recognizable from other projects, doing the best they can with what they're given. Unfortunately, what they're given isn't much. While there are a few isolated moments that work as intended, most of the time the cast is left trying sell farcical one-liners weaved amongst the kind of melodramatic dialogue most often seen on Lifetime. The result is pretty much what one would expect.

Kirsten Potter appears as a shell-shocked Captain Siller - a woman who is used to having guns pointed at her and has never thought of backing down from a mission. The mission this time is to solve the mystery of the death of Ray Birdsong, a soldier in her unit killed in Afghanistan. An official investigation makes accusations of treason, but Siller has her doubts and journeys to the New Mexico reservation Birdsong hails from to find the truth. If only the truth were simpler to see! Capt. Siller and the audience are quickly led through a confusing tale that includes rival reservations, Conquistadors, infidelity, Jewish slaves, Evangelical Christians, hidden menorahs, celestial meetings, tribal matriarchs, peyote hallucinations and letters from the dead told in such a confusing fashion that it requires a full explanation by the Chief in the final scene to learn what anything has to do with anything else.

For better or worse, the writing holds no reverance for anyone. Native Americans, the military, Jews and Christians are all equal fodder for jokes that you've likely heard before. The worst part is the laughter that's required from the audience to merely keep the evening from becoming more uncomfortable that it already is.
 
The script is slapdash; entire scenes and characters exist solely for a funny moment that is never tied back to any of the play's many plot points. In an effort to be timely and relevant, there are jokes about Silver Lake, LACC and Tiger Woods which are completely out of place in this setting. The finale of the play makes a plea for peace, instructs us that our differences are merely taught to us and tells us that we can live together if we make an effort to get to know each other for who we really are. The tragedy is that this message is muffled by the ridiculousness that precedes and surrounds it, making it difficult for an audience to hear.

Palestine, New Mexico wraps up its run this weekend. You can still catch it between now and January 24th at 8 p.m. tonight (Friday), 2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday, and 1:00 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Ticket prices range from $20 to $65. For reservations, call (213) 628-2772 or visit http://www.centertheatregroup.org/.

Directed by Lisa Peterson

Costume Design by Christopher Acebo

Lighting and Projection Design by Alexander V. Nichols

Scenic Design by Rachel Hauck

Original Music and Sound Design by Paul James Prendergast

Fight Direction by Steve Rankin

Stage Management by Elle Ahgabala

Production Stage Management by Susie Walsh

Palestine, New Mexico:

Stop. Look. Listen. - Bad Connections?

Photo from www.thepeoplestheater.com
Bad Connections?
by Michael Levesque

The People's Theater
at Bravo Cucina (upstairs)
(1319 3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica 90401)

A production of The People's Theater

Date of reviewed performance: January 20, 2010

Cast
Paul Cosentino

One actor. Ninety minutes. More than half a dozen characters. That is the frame in which Paul Cosentino works in this new, original play by Michael Levesque.

The play's opening character is a guru, which Mr. Cosentino plays in such a charming, genial manner that you find yourself obeying his instructions before remembering that he's not actually talking to you. From there, we embark on a circuitous journey made up of what initally seems to be random characters included primarily due to their differences. But these characters have more to say than even they are aware. By the end Mr. Cosentino has given us birth, death and (most importantly) relationships built on an intricate series of made and missed connections.

He has a fantastic ability to move effortlessly between characters, which is most impressive when the characters appear in dialogue together in the same scenes. Early scenes, which allow the audience to get to know the characters as they have a series of telephone conversations, feel like detours until you realize that you are constantly being fed clues to the main story. If there are moments in the dialogue that feel contrived for the sake of throwing in a few one-liners, they are nevertheless rewarding. One thing that the characters have in common is humor through self-deprecation; the laughter comes often and in unexpected places.

This is a new play, which is still being workshopped to some extent. To that end, there is a talk-back session between Mr. Cosentino, director Dana Koellner and the audience for a few minutes directly following the performance. If you can stay for this, please do as it's fascinating to learn about the process of both the writer and actor in refining a work as well as hearing from other audience members about their own impressions of specific scenes.

Bad Connections? is an exclusive engagement limited to performances on January 20 and 21st. Tickets are $10 cash at the door ($15 for first row). The ticket price does not include dinner. For reservations, please visit http://www.thepeoplestheater.com/ .

If you are unable to make it out tonight for this very limited run please make note for March 3,4, 10 &11th, when The People's Theater will be producing Italian American Reconciliation also at Bravo Cucina.

Directed by Dana Koellner

Bad Connections?:

An entrance somewhere else - Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

Art provided by The Porters of Hellsgate

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
by Tom Stoppard

The Flight Theatre
(The Complex, 6476 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood 90038)

A production of The Porters of Hellsgate

Date of reviewed performance: January 15, 2010

Cast
Hamlet - Charles Pasternak
Rosencrantz - Thomas Bigley
Guildenstern - Gus Krieger
Claudius - Jack Leahy
Gertrude - Maja Miletich
Polonius - Jamey Hecht
Ophelia - Taylor Fisher
Horatio - Eddie Castuera
English Ambassador, Lucianus - Nicholas Neidorf
Fortinbras, Alfred - Kevin Kelley
Hecuba - Christina McKinnon
Player Queen - Angele Dayer
Player King - Mark Nager
1st Player - Micah Cover

“Every exit is an entrance somewhere else” according to Tom Stoppard and there may never be a more meta line ever written. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, which can best be described as "Hamlet through-the-looking-glass," is currently being produced concurrently with Hamlet by The Porters of Hellsgate.

The play answers the question of where characters go once they are out of the audience's view. The title characters spend a great deal of the play waiting in the proverbial wings, as it were, and they pass the time by posing existential questions at speeds that will make your head spin. The dialogue is as weighty as it is funny, leaving the audience simultaneously confused, informed and entertained.

We have the basic Hamlet story: The prince is morose due to his conniving uncle who has killed his father  and bedded his mother - but this time it is told from the point of view of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, school friends of Hamlet's who are minor characters in Shakespeare's version of events. Shakespeare’s version does make cameo appearances here and there, which helps to keep the momentum of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's plight moving forward.

Director Charles Pasternak's staging crams entrances and exits all over the theater. The scenic design is identical to The Porters production of Hamlet, so it is a treat to watch the actors make completely different uses out of the same space in sister-scenes. Of course it will help a great deal to have just watched their production of Hamlet. The company uses the same actors to play the same roles in both productions (with the exception of the role of Gertrude). Charles Pasternak, Jack Leahy and Maja Miletich (as Hamlet, Claudius and Gertrude, respectively) really play up their skewed characterizations in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's point of view, which is something you may not fully appreciate if you haven't seen them play these same characters faithfully in Shakespeare's version.

As Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Thomas Bigley and Gus Krieger have near-perfect rhythm. Bigley turns in a great performance as a nervous and twitchy Rosencrantz. Krieger's charasmatic Guildenstern seems to have picked up some affectations from the Johnny Depp School of Acting, but he's thoroughly entertaining and is certainly an actor to keep an eye out for in the future.

There were a few lighting hiccups at the performance I attended. They primarily occurred at the end of scenes and, unfortunately, also at the very end of the show which took away from the power in the final scene. Hopefully, it is a mere bug in the system that they will be able to work out before the next show.

Hamlet and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead will be alternating days (Hamlet on Thursdays and Saturdays, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern on Fridays and Sundays) through Saturday, February 13. Tickets are $20 general admission ($15 for students/seniors/AEA). Patrons purchasing tickets to both shows at once will recieve a discount. For reservations, call 951-262-3030 or contact them at portersofhellsgate@gmail.com.

Directed by Charles Pasternak
Costume Design by Jessica Pasternak
Lighting Design by Daniel Keck
Scenic Design by Thomas Bigley
Stage Management by Brian Schrock
House Management by Jessica Pasternak

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead:

FREE - Theatre West's New Works Festival

Come see a weekend of readings of new plays for FREE! These are plays that are a product of Theatre West's 2009 Writers Workshop. The schedule is as follows:

Thursday, January 14, 2010 at 8PM
GRANDMA GOOD by Arden Teresa Lewis
Directed by Charlie Mount

Friday, January 15, 2010 at 8PM
TWO GENTLEMEN FROM MANHATTAN by P.G. Sturges
Directed by Stu Berg

Saturday, January 16, 2010 at 8PM
ABANDON by Chris DiGovanni
Directed by Deborah LaVine

Sunday, January 17, 20100 at 12PM
WHAT ARE FRIENDS FOR? by Victoria Vidal
Directed by John Gallogly

Sunday, January 17, 2010 at 3PM
THERE IS A SEASON by Doug Haverty
Directed by John Gallogly

 
 
Theatre West
3333 Cahuenga Boulevard West
Los Angeles, CA 90068
323-851-7977 (Box office)

This play is the thing - Hamlet

Art provided by The Porters of Hellsgate

Hamlet
by William Shakespeare

The Flight Theatre
(The Complex, 6476 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood 90038)

A production of The Porters of Hellsgate

Date of reviewed performance: January 9, 2010

Cast
Hamlet - Charles Pasternak
Rosencrantz - Thomas Bigley
Guildenstern - Gus Krieger
Claudius, Ghost - Jack Leahy
Gertrude - Jessica Temple
Polonius - Jamey Hecht
Laertes - Alex Parker
Ophelia - Taylor Fisher
Voltemand, Gentlewoman, Player Queen - Angele Dayer
Cornelius, Osric, 2nd Gravedigger, Sailor, Hecuba - Christina McKinnon
Horatio - Eddie Castuera
Marcellus, Priest, English Ambassador, Lucianus - Nicholas Neidorf
Barnardo, 1st Gravedigger, Norwegian Captain, Player King - Mark Nager
Francisco, Fortinbras - Kevin Kelley
1st Player - Micah Cover

The Porters of Hellsgate begin their fourth season with the ambitious pairing of Hamlet and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead performed in repertoire. For those unfamiliar, The Porters of Hellsgate are a young company who mount most of their productions in the Hollywood and North Hollywood area. They are an exciting company to watch grow because their earnest commitment to produce Shakespeare's work faithfully results in an ongoing education for the company as well as its audience in the most wonderfully surprising ways.

This production of Hamlet is one of the most exciting that I've seen in recent years. The staging and use of space is inspired and Thomas Bigley's direction is quite remarkable. Bigley has managed to take one of Shakespeare's most well-known plays and arrange it so that there are moments of surprise and delight even for one who has seen this play performed many, many times. This a production that moves so well and with such energy that you don't even have to be a Shakespeare fan to thoroughly enjoy the magic that happens here, and Bigley is largely to thank for that.

Another person you can thank for that is the actor in title role (and co-founder of The Porters of Hellsgate), Charles Pasternak. Pasternak does amazing work as the melancholy prince, interlacing fits of mania, method and manipulation seamlessly at break-neck speeds. His delivery of one of Shakespeare's most oft-quoted soliloquies is so full of energy and revelation it is as if no one has ever uttered those words before.

There are several other stand-out performances here as well, which is further evidence of how this company continues to grow in their craft. Jack Leahy is impressive doing double-duty as Claudius and one of the spookiest incarnations of the Ghost that I can remember. Eddie Castuera does a wonderful job as Horatio; this is an actor who gets better and better with every production and I'm excited to see what's next for him. Polonius is given a fresh and inspired re-tooling via Jamey Hecht's whimsical portrayal. The delicate Ophelia is simply lovely as played by Taylor Fisher.

One of my favorite things about this show is its costumes. Jessica Pasternak's costume design mixes modern suit pieces with Renaissance era-inspired accents and modifications. The result is the feel of period costuming while keeping the characters in them relatable and identifiable. What's even more impressive is how the pieces are mixed and matched for every character, making each costume its own unique, interesting work.  The fantastic costumes hightlighed by the dramatic lighting (designed by Daniel Keck) help give this show a professional-looking polish.

If you're a Shakespeare fan, then go see this production - a wonderful treat is in store for you. If you've never been able to enjoy Shakespeare because you've found the language difficult, then go - this is a production with enough ease and energy to keep you from getting lost. This show really is a must-see. By all means, go!

Hamlet and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead will be alternating days (Hamlet on Thursdays and Saturdays, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern on Fridays and Sundays) through Saturday, February 13. Tickets are $20 general admission ($15 for students/seniors/AEA). Patrons purchasing tickets to both shows at once will recieve a discount. For reservations, call 951-262-3030 or contact them at  portersofhellsgate@gmail.com.

Directed by Thomas Bigley
Costume Design by Jessica Pasternak
Lighting Design by Daniel Keck
Scenic Design by Thomas Bigley
Stage Management by Brian Schrock
House Management by Jessica Pasternak

Hamlet: