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| Geoffrey Rivas, Sal López, Lucy Rodriguez Photos by Grettel Cortes Photography |
By Joe Straw
The man to my right, covered in tattoos, unshaven with a long mustache, was wearing what appeared to be a bare sleeved green t-shirt (una camiseta verde) on this theatrical night. To his left side he had two glasses of beer one full and the other half full. (Se tomó dos vasos de cerveza.) Finished at a little after eight, he went out and got another two glasses of beer. He didn’t appear to be happy, never smiled or spoke to anyone, possibly a self-imposed silence, he just drank and waited patiently for the outcome. One imagined he felt that much better when the lights eventually dimmed at twenty minutes after eight in a packed auditorium.
Whittier Boulevard is a great title that conjures up memories, mostly visuals of cruising cars. The second thing that comes to mind is the film Sunset Boulevard with William Holden and Gloria Swanson and their relationship which was never meant to be.
There are no cruising cars in this play (rats) but there are peculiar relationships here and that may be one of many reasons you want to venture out and see this theatrical event.
Latino Theatre Company presents Whittier Boulevard written by Evelina Fernández, Sal Lopez, Geoffrey Rivas, Lucy Rodriguez, and José Luis Valenzuela, directed by José Luis Valenzuela through May 28, 2023.
Veronica (Evelina Fernández) is an aging actress which is never a good thing especially in Hollywood. But it’s even worse now in year of 2042 in Los Angeles where everyone, unattached and turning 75 years of age, are immediately taken from their homes to cruise their last trip down Whittier Boulevard never to be seen or heard from again.
How ghastly!
Today is the day before Veronica’s 75th birthday and Veronica finds herself alone with only the comfort of her non-compliant assistant Pilar (Lucy Rodriguez) to help her in any way possible.
One of the miserable indignities of life as we know it in 2042 is having the police arrive the day before your birthday. Office Roger (Geoffrey Rivas) comes to check on, well let’s just say, prepares Veronica for her trip. But first he needs all the necessary information from Veronica, matching what they have on record. He also notes that he is her biggest fan, knowing everything she has been in.
“..you used to be big.” “I am big it’s the pictures that got small. “ – Sunset Blvd.
Alas, Veronica is not willing to provide Roger that information readily and with any measure of assurance, offering her assistant Pilar instead to help her in her desperate act of deception with fake documents.
But help is on the way, mostly in the help of an acquaintance Pablo (Sal Lopez) who has an answer for her desperation.
The writers Fernández, Lopez, Rivas, Rodriguez, and Valenzuela have managed to create a fun filled night of theatre. It is funnier when dealing with character mishaps and less so when speaking about the injustices of laws passed that has destroyed the fabric of human kindness as we know it. But the play takes a hard look at both sides of the political coin with one being a grim dystopian view of life.
José Luis Valenzuela, the director, offers us a visual sumptuous spectacle with neon lights reflecting suits, and colorful patterns that accentuates the spectacle on stage. Time progression is sometimes slowed to a brevity of thought while the characters, in slow motion, take a moment to catch a breath and regroup for another course of action and that’s what makes the night so special.
Lucy Rodriguez, Evelina Fernández,
and Geoffrey Rivas
Evelina Fernández brings a lot of her own humor to the role standing majestically, her hand crooked with a cigarette in one hand and her left leg extended to complete the pose, part Norman Desmond, “All right, Mr. DeMille I’m ready for my closeup.” and part Miss Havisham with four wedding dresses attached to her being. One supposes four missed opportunities.
Sal Lopez is always funny as Pablo, a sort of mixed-up character with misguided generosities, who wants to do the right thing. Unfortunately, not everyone agrees and isn’t that always the case. Head up, chest out, arms out with palms up, spinning his hands like Bette Davis trying to make his point. Lopez is always infinitely enlightening and funny.
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| Evelina Fernández, Geoffrey Rivas, Lucy Rodriguez and Sal López |
Geoffrey Rivas offers us another look as Roger, the police officer, a malicious specter of the inevitable, and sometimes flamboyant persona, who risks a lot coming out during the night. Roger is aware of the woman he is dealing with and is willing to give her every opportunity to prove him wrong. That’s hard to do when you’re wearing a police uniform and go by the letter of the law. Roger is her biggest fan and wants to give her every opportunity not to be cuffed and then escorted down Whittier Boulevard.
Lucy Rodriguez is Pilar, an assistant to the star but hasn’t the wherewithal to save her client. Pilar stands insensate without a clear direction and focus. Opportunities missed are opportunities yet to be served. In the end we know where she winds up, but we don’t see the steps that got her there and the position she assumed when she reaches her destination. Still, there is some very good work on stage.
Understudies J. Ed Araiza and Dyana Ortelli did not perform the night I was there.
Whittier Boulevard is a visual feast!
The upstairs window is long and rectangular. Enough to let the morning light in and high enough to keep onlookers from peeking in to see a movie star. François-Pierre Couture, Scenic Design, provides us with a setting that is both opulent and claustrophobic depending on the scene.
Naila Aladdin Sanders, Costume Design, fills the stage with remarkable costumes.
Projection Design by Yee Eun Nam and Yuki Izumihara adds so much creative art to the space including photos of people who have given so much to the community.
Other members of this fantastic crew are as follows:
Pablo Santiago – Lighting Design
Robert J. Revell – Sound Design and Composer
Urbanie Lucero – Movement
Chantal Rodriguez, PH.D. – Dramaturg
Alexa Wolfe – Stage Manager
Martha Espinoza – Assistant Stage Manager
May Fei – Assistant Director, Sound Design Consultant
Natalie Shahinyan – Assistant Costume Design
Henry Tran – Assistant Lighting Design
John Zalewski – Sound Design Consultant
Nate Rufus Edelman – Production Manager
The Los Angeles Theatre Center
514 S. Spring Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Email: tickets@thelatc.org
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