The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare

By Joe Straw

I had been after these tickets for months and after each tremendous knock on the door there was no response.  Nothing.  

“Hello?  Joe Straw here.” 

I swear I could almost hear: “Shhh!  He’s out there.  Don’t answer that door!” 

And like Rodney Dangerfield, who gets (got) no respect, I passed the time, out in the cold Santa Monica air, in the rain, with holes in my shoes, waiting patiently for tickets.    

Conspiracies abound.  And waiting in the cold produces irreconcilable thoughts of whys and why not’s.  What was their reason?

The reason must have been the write up for The Merchant of Venice starring F. Murray Abraham.  Could that have been it? It wasn’t that bad (of a review). Was it that bad?  Maybe F. was mad. (Aren’t he and fellow Oscar recipient Dustin, friends?) That’s it.  Maybe the Broads are mad too. Why couldn’t I have said good things about Christen Simon Marabate as Nerissa?

In this town, bad thoughts are forgotten and ill thoughts; spoken to you, flow like water off a duck’s back.  That’s a good thing.  On the other hand, memories linger like a festering sore and some people never forget.   

And then, the call came.  Two tickets, but not together. 

“We’re trying to get you two together.”  (Vanessa and Nina are so wonderful.)

So, we wait.

“Come back at a quarter ‘till.”

We go into the lobby.  This being opening night, the lobby is filled with nicely dressed gentlemen and gentlewomen with big rocks on their fingers.

Then, back to the booth, and lo and behold two tickets together!

The seats are in the balcony, second row from the back.  Still, at The Broad Stage, every seat is a winner and I really can’t wait to see how the Brits do Shakespeare.  Really, after months of waiting, I honestly cannot wait.

Next, a fortunate turn of events. An usher asks if we would like to come down and sit in the second row of the orchestra section.  Quickly I grab my coat and run down the stairs, through nicely dressed ladies (with rocks on their fingers) and greeters in Elizabethan costumes, into the theatre, past another usher and down to the middle section of the second row. 

My date, not beside me now.  I look up and she’s still in the balcony, gathering things, but is on her way down.  

The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage, Dale Franzen—Director, Dustin Hoffman—Chair of the Artistic Advisory Board presents Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare through November 27, 2011 and wonderfully directed by Rebecca Gatward.

Shakespeare by the Brits, bliss.

Comedy of Errors preformed by the Globe Shakespeare Company is like watching a Warner Bros. cartoon performed by a madcap troupe of quick change artists playing multiple roles, who one minute, are one character, and the next second a completely different character.  The characters change from head to toe, except for the face part, which remains fairly constant.  By the end of the play, all of the characters are out of breath, sweat pouring off their bodies, and exhausted from the sheer force of comedy. 

Comedy is not for the weak or infirmed.

To open the show, the actors came though the lobby and down the aisle in costumes accompanied by their own musical instruments.  Multi-tasking. Oh, so this is how they do it in jolly ole England.   

You know The Comedy of Errors but in this write up I think I should talk about the actors and the craft of acting by the British actors. Why rehash a 400-year-old comedy?

Set in the country of Greece (where there’s a comedy of errors going on there, of sorts.) Thus starts the tale of Egeon (Cornelius Booth), a Syracusan who is forbidden in the village of Ephesus. The Duke of Ephesus (Duncan Wisbey) discovers him breaking the law and as such condemns him to die.  (On a personal note:  They’d kill you for anything back then usually in the name of religion, but commerce?)

Fighting for his life, Egeon has a sad story to tell about losing his wife and identical twins in a shipwreck, which now finds him in his current state of unpleasantness.  (There is not a dry eye in the house, except those who have dry eyes.)  The Duke, feeling sorry for Egeon, gives him a day, to raise a ransom, or face an unspeakable execution. Shackled, he goes off to raise the coinage.

Meanwhile Egeon’s sons have survived the shipwreck from long ago and are now in the city. Antipholus of Ephesus and Antipholus of Syracuse (Bill Buckhurst) and their respective slaves Dromio (Fergal McElherron) don’t know the others are in the town of Ephesus.   

Adriana (Laura Rodgers), wife to Antipholus of Ephesus, mistakes Antipholus of Syracuse for her husband.  She drags him off to dinner and asks Dromio to guard the door.  When Adriana’s husband comes home, he is refused entry in his own palace.

First there is a battle of words between Dromio and Antipholus of Ephesus at the revolving door. Then Antipholus of Syracuse falls in love with Luciana (Dana Gartland), Adriana’s sister. 

The revolving door scene is hilarious with actors flying all over the stage. It is one of the many highlights of an evening filled with highlights of mistaken identities, errors in judgments, and futile attempts to collect payment.   

Bill Buckhurst as Antipholus of Syracuse and Ephesus did an admiral job. Dress as a Greek tourist, kind of a geek as the Syracusan, and a man of the world as Antipholus of Ephesus.  His Syracusan seem befuddled while his Ephesus counterpart was angered by his unfortunate’s set of circumstances he finds himself in. Both seemed to suit the character well.  Indeed, the glasses seemed to separate the man from the beast. His performance is hilarious and well executed!

Fergal McElherron as Dromio(s) is a clown with extreme physical gifts.  The Dromio of Ephesus seemed more “rich and bitchy” living in a wealthy enclave and not taking anything from anyone despite the fact he’s a slave. One particularly likes the broken kneecap scene among many others. One also likes his interpretation of an ass, the likes of which I have not witness on this planet.

Cornelius Booth as Egeon was extremely engaging and as he is telling his story of woe one was not convinced this was a comedy in the making, because his interpretation was very dramatic.  Nevertheless, his performance was marvelous.  And as Dr. Pinch he was equally wonderful as a whirling dervish, trying to reach religious estacy, spinning around the room and nearly collapsing from dizziness, while, I suppose he was trying to cast out the devil in Antipholus of Ephesus.   

Cornelius Booth also played the saucy maid with bright red lipstick stirring batter in the kitchen.  But as she was stirring the batter, she was staring at me. (Or so it appeared.) I diverted my eyes, looked back, and she was still staring at me!  I looked away, and then back again, deep dark red puckering lips and eyes staring.  Uncomfortable now.  Sweating, profusely, still staring.  She (he) moved off the stage.  Thank you.

Sometimes comedy can be uncomfortable.

Duncan Wisbey did a nice job playing the Duke and Angelo. There is a moment on stage where he is caught being both characters. It was a delightful moment. It is amazing what the placement of a hat can accomplish when moving from one character to another. Also, there was a magnificent moment when Wisbey changed characters on stage into the Duke. This was a grand moment that worked to perfection.

Emma Pallant as Abbess/Courtesan has a very unique look, dark foreboding, very large eyes and a very nice comic timing. But she can be serious and commanding as the Abbess when the role requires her to be, or not to be. (Pun intended.)

Sophie Scott as Merchants/Soldier/jailer did a very nice job. She also played a very mean clarinet. (That means “good” in America.)

Laura Rodgers as Adriana is a joy to watch and pleasing to the eye.  Her demands are not so much she would be considered a demanding wife.  Nor is her jealousy so much to provoke her into crimes of passion against her sister (Only going as far as tearing a page out of a book.).  Still, giving that extra push into unchartered comedic territories would only add to an already fine performance.

Dana Garland as Luciana kind of fit into that geek mold.  One is not really sure her characterization as a bibliophage really worked in the complete erroneous scheme of things.  Nevertheless, she and Antipholus of Syracuse made a perfect match.  They were, by all accounts, made for each other but their relationship never took off either one way or another and playing a little too hard to get and letting her hair down in the end was a little too late.  Still, she did some marvelous work on stage.

Overall the acting was brilliant.  They all seemed to realize the errors of their ways, which make The Comedy of Errors so delightful, so engaging, and so mesmerizing.

Rebecca Gatward, the director, does a marvelous job in putting this all together and having the actors run at full speed during the course of the evening. There are a lot of marvelous actions on stage and off to keep the action going. When actors were far stage right or far stage left they had instruments to produce sound effects to the action on stage.  This is what I love about the craft of acting and the spirit of directing, all for one and all for the common good.

The Set Design by Liz Cooke reminded me of a beach cabana perched on a loading dock and gave Ephesus the feel of a tourist destination.  It also served as the home of Antipholus of Ephesus.  Ms. Cooke was also the Costume Designer.  These are two jobs marvelously done and something you don’t see much of here in Los Angeles.

Run to see this production.

Run fast.  Run long.  Run deep.  

310-434-3200

www.thebroadstage.com

1310 11th Street, Santa Monica, CA  90401

The Romance of Magno Rubio – by Lonnie Carter

By Joe Straw

He sat there. Quietly.  A small boy in the audience watching every motion, every song, not giving an inch to any distractions, glued to the performance on stage.  Tears poured onto his tiny cheeks and sobs were heard.  How could men treat other men this way? So small he held on to the back of a seat and cried and cried watching his father.  It was touching to see a small boy, with so much heart, loving his father doing what he does best.  * 

The Romance of Magno Rubio by Lonnie Carter and directed by Bernardo Bernardo at the Ford Theatre is absolutely wonderful!  In all my many years in theatre I have not seen anything like this.  It is a terrific show from the moment the actors appear on stage to the moment they leave.  This show is magnificent and inspiring!  It will also break your heart. Run to see this production!

Lonnie Carter’s Obie Award winning play comes to Los Angeles for a limited engagement through December 11^th, 2011 and is performed in both English and Tagalog.  The show is presented by PAE Live! in association with Good Shepherd Ambulance Company. (What?  Good Shepherd Ambulance Company? This is a story in and of itself!)

The Romance of Mango Rubio is a romance that takes place in the heart of a “Filipino boy, Four foot six inches tall.  Dark as a coconut.  Head small on a body like a turtle’s.”

Mango Rubio (Jon Jon Briones), a small Filipino man, works harvesting crops in the 1930’s California.  He has come to America, like other Manongs, wanting to live the American dream only to discover life is not so easy here.  He was allowed to immigrate as a “national” since the United States colonized the Philippines.  Like Chinese and Japanese immigrants, he cannot own property or marry a Caucasian woman. 

Mango Rubio is a migrant worker, living under terrible conditions.  He is filthy from head to toe but lives an infectious life of optimism, curiosity, and love.  From a Lonely Hearts magazine, Mango Rubio falls hopelessly in love with Clarabelle (Elizabeth Rainey).  It is a love that knows no boundaries even though she is all the way in Arkansas.   

He enlists a friend, Claro (Erick Esteban), a 2^nd grade graduate to write letters to his girlfriend but Claro want too much money. So Rubio asks his college-educated friend, Nick (Giovanni Ortega), to read and write letters to the love of his life, Clarabelle.

Nick does so but when they get the letters come back from Clarabelle, Nick thinks she is up to no good. 

“Western Union me. ASAP.” – Clarabelle

Clarabelle wants only his money.  But Mango Rubio is so hopelessly in love he works harder to support her ailing dad, sick brother, and anyone else dying in Clarabelle’s letters. Try as they might no one can convince Mango Rubio that all is not right with Clarabelle.

But Magno Rubio is blinded by love and the thought that, one day, this six foot two inch bundle of woman, Clarabelle, will join him in holy matrimony.  The men have a grand time telling him that Clarabelle will eat him alive.

Jon Jon Briones as Magno Rubio is one of the finest actors you will see bar none. His physicality and characterization is second to none.  He has an incredible voice and his movements on stage make you want to stand up and cheer. He takes great joy in going after and achieving his objective one hardly believes he is doing it all in rhyme.  This is one of the finest performances I’ve seen all year.

Eymard Cabling as Atoy had a very nice personality on stage and that personality becomes very infectious.  But we didn’t get a clear idea of his objective and seem to be one of the boys without a clear path.  Still, this was a very nice job.

Giovanni Ortega was engaging as Nick.  He is the collective conscious of the men. There was a reason this college-educated man decides to skip college and work with the migrant workers.  His thoughts are his own but that doesn’t exclude him from mentally recording the farm workers actions and deeds if for a purpose he doesn’t yet understand. Still, somebody has to tell their story and it might as well be him. This was a very fine performance by a very engaging actor.

Muni Zano as the Narrator was not as sharp as he could have been.  The words did not come easily this night and it was unfortunate to see this in a program that was incredible.  Perhaps it was an off night, or possibly he was thinking in Tagalog. Oo!

Ed Ramolete played Prudencio.  Antoine Reynaldo Diel usually plays this role, but for whatever reason, he was not available.  Ramolete had two days to fill the role.  This is almost an impossible task.  Ramolete had the lines in pots, in his hat, in boxes, on cards, anything that could help him remember the spoken words.  (Think Marlon Brando in the Godfather.) This was unfortunate for a play of this caliber.  Still, Ramolete had a good look for the role and the lines he did remember worked very effectively.

Erik Esteban as Claro was very ambitious in character and deeds.  He thought that he was better than the other guys because he got as far as the second grade.  His words, loved by the men, were his weapons against Rubio.  Still, he had a little bit of the devil in him in trying to steal from his friends before he ran away.

Elizabeth Rainey as Clarabelle was marvelous in the role.  There are many layers to her performance.  Her captivating physical life turns the small space she occupies into a dream.  A come hither dream at that. Her love only goes as far as the last dollar bill, or the last reception to a Western Union receipt.  This was a marvelous job and a wonderful performance.  

Vincent Reyes played wonderful guitar in the show and the rest of the music was just inspiring.

Bernardo Bernardo, the director, gave us a wonderful interpretation of the play.  It is the work of a true master of the craft of storytelling.  This was just a wonderful production and just what we need to liven the spirits this holiday season.

Lonnie Carter, the writer, did a marvelous job.  He uses clever word play and rhymes to move the story along.  One would think the actors were speaking dialogue.  The singing of Philippine love songs make you want to stand and cheer for all of the actors on stage.

Ed Ramolete did a wonderful job as the producer despite problems he had filling in for a missing actor.

Additional lyrics and text were by Ralph Pena and The World Premiere of a New Tagalog Translation Ang Romansa Ni Magno Rubio was done by Bernardo Bernardo.

Frederick A. Edwards plays Nick, Anthony “Gelo” Francisco plays Claro, and Jet Montelibano plays Atoy in the Tagalog versions, which will be performed on Saturdays.  Please check the listings.

The Set Design by Akeime Mitterlehner was very well done.  Felix Roiles as the Martial Arts Choreographer did an incredible job moving the actors in a wonderful fight scene.

Dori Quan as the Costume Designer did an incredible job.   The costumes transported you back to another time and place.  Just a wonderful job.  

Inside the Ford has plenty of free parking and is a great venue for theatre!

Run to see this production.


* The boy is the son of Jon Jon Briones who plays the lead role of Magno Rubio.

www.fordtheatres.org

323-461-3673

Jerker – Written by Robert Chesley

By Joe Straw

The journey to theatre can take one into unchartered territories, real or imagined.  Either way it’s a journey worth taking.  

Space 916 is a theatre to which I have not had the pleasure.  Off-the-beaten path, it is in the middle of Hollywood but hidden south of Santa Monica Boulevard.  There is no sign from the street and the space is slightly tucked away off Formosa. 

It is dark. There is very little street lighting or it just seemed dark.  I wasn’t sure I was in the right place and there is this “thing” in the back of my mind saying: “Provocative theatre has this setting. Provocative theatre is like this. ”

The night was colder than usual after a day of rain.  

As I pull into the parking lot, there is a man with tattoos, outside, smoking a cigarette wearing unbuttoned cut off jeans, a jock strap underneath, and slightly exposing his backside as I drive by to park. It is cold, freezing cold! Fifty-five degrees Southern California cold!  And yet he’s out there, wearing no shirt, bouncing up and down and smoking a cigarette.

This must be the place.

I park on the other side of the building, still not sure if I’m in the right place.  A quick call to Jason, I am. And as I walk inside the theatre, there’s a delightful young Asian woman in a completely unexpected sterile box office setting. She is courteous but tells me that I am in the wrong theatre.  “Jerker is next door.”  She politely says with a smile.  

I walk next door.  The door is locked but opens slightly as someone slips around and tapes a sign on the door, which in bold letters says, “Jerker”. “We’ll be opening the doors in about 15 minutes.”  Slam! It’s cold.  Nowhere to go but next door to the other lobby and sit in the warmth.

Jason Moyer presents the 25^th Anniversary Production of Jerker written by Robert Chesley, directed by Glenn Kessler, and produced by Jason Moyer at Space 916, through November 20^th, at 916 Formosa Avenue in Hollywood.  

The first thing one notices, when entering the Space 916, are the underwear-clad men sitting on couches, reading.  Too dark to see what they are reading they look up, give you a blank stare, and turn back to their book. Can they actually read in this light?   

Space 916 is a nice space.  It is very spacious, plenty of seats and a very wide staging area. 

As far as the set is concerned there is no Set Designer listed in the credits.  A bed and some furniture are at far stage right and another apartment setup is at far stage left.  The apartments are great distances from each other.  (More on this later.)

Briefly, the story is about the lives of two men Bert (Gregory Allen) and JR (Glenn Kessler) who enjoy having phone sex in the beautiful setting of 1980’s San Francisco, California.    The title of the play is actually Jerker or the Helping Hand:  A Pornographic Elegy with Redeeming Social Value and a Hymn to the Queer Men of San Francisco in Twenty Telephone Calls, Many of them Dirty.  

JR (not his real name) has gotten Bert’s phone number.  It’s on a scratch sheet of paper, sitting on his bedside table, and it has been lying there for a while.  Fondling himself isn’t cutting it anymore and he is eager to call the number.  He knows what he likes in Bert. There was an attraction.  Why can’t he get himself to call?  Would Bert reciprocate in the games JR wants to play?

Still, there it lays, the number, the first jump into a fantasy that could go completely wrong. JR needs something.  It is a desire for human contact, sex, phone sex, and then to fall into a state of kef and slumber.  Excitedly, he punches the phone number.

JR calls Bert but there’s a slight problem, Bert doesn’t want to jump in and play.  In fact he is very matter of fact and very business like. Has JR done something wrong? No, Bert wants a little build up, which he eventually gets. JR gets what he needs, hangs up the phone, and goes to sleep.

The conversation continues on another day but this time Bert wants to play his own game which really turns JR on.  It is the big brother and little brother game, and this seems to be JR’s favorite.  In fact as the play continues he calls Bert, Big Brother as a term of affection.   

Through the various phone calls, they play out their fantasies which include the other members of the cast: Corey Adam, Gregory Barnett, Ben Cuevas, Parnell D. Marcano and Sammy Murriam playing various roles in various sexual situations.

There are a few things we learn through their conversations.  We learn JR is a veteran of some branch of the military and is now a historian.  Bert is a businessman, a three-piece suit type. After sex we get a glimpse of their lives and their relationship grows after numerous tête-à-têtes.

But why is their relationship just phone sex?  Why are they stuck in their rooms?

There is a problem.  Bert is very emotional at times and there is something wrong with his demeanor.  JR tries to find out but is rebuked.

The two men can never come together.  They cannot approach each other.  JR sees Bert on occasion but wants to keep this relationship anonymous. Besides at this point in Bert’s life, the phone sex seems to be enough for him.  And there is a reason that Bert does not pursue JR that remains a mystery until the final conclusion. 

The phone conversations continue until JR can no longer reach Bert.

Glenn Kessler as JR is not shy about anything. This is a demanding role and requires complete nudity and a lot of masturbation.  Still, as the character, there is a lot of work to be done.  For instance, there are crutches in the room.  He uses them once. One supposes it is a character trait and is a reason that keeps him anchored in his apartment.  One believes it is critical to see this the moment he steps onto the stage.  His first movement gives the audience a reason for him being there and not going out.  It affirms the character and makes the story come to life. Also, he tells Bert that he is a historian but aside from the typewriter, there is nothing in his character that suggests he is working in, on or around his profession.  Still, some good work, but Kessler needs a little more focus on his objective and character first and then worry about the erections later.

Gregory Allen as Bert did a fine job. Allen connected to his counterpart in a number of ways, through the phone, and (eh hem) other ways.  But, in order for him to help JR, and despite his illness, he needs to play the game, better, longer, faster, and with a fanatical fantasy desire.   Still, this was a very demanding role and a very nice job.

Corey Adam Affron and Sammy Murrian were two of the younger men in the ensemble.  They played out the fantasies of the older men who on the phone in conversation.

Gregory Barnett and Ben Cuevas played a brutal scene in the forest, a kind of master-slave-bondage fantasy. It was very brutal and hard to watch at times.

Parnell D. Marcano has a very nice singing voice and was very sympathetic as the friend dying of AIDS.  Marcano is no stranger to the stage and was very capable in a demanding role.

This play presents interesting acting challenges.  The concentration requires the actor to be “spot on” and in the moment.  He must be focused on the relationship.  And then (on top of all things) he is required to have an erection (simulated or not) and orgasm (simulated or not). And after each phone call the actor must move the relationship forward. 

The physical challenges, over an hour and a half, and twenty phone conversation requires youth and to a large degree, a stamina of sorts.

One would like to speak to the technical difficulties of the performance.  The phone conversations were sent through a speaker system and had a very nice effect.  But, upon closer inspection, the conversation did not match the movements on stage, facial and vocal.  Crying seems to be coming from the speakers when there was no crying on stage and visa versa. So there was pantomime going on.  And when the speakers were turned off there was some acting going on.  This was a little disconcerting but not too terribly bad.

I’m not convinced the director, Glenn Kessler, can also be in his own production. There is too much to do when focusing on a character.  Too much is at stake when a person is trying to do two jobs at once. Moments need to be carefully scrutinized and made precise. The characters have objectives that need to be played out.  We, as audience members need to see the relationship change during the course of the play.  Also, we need to feel that JR has lost a very important person in his life and this loss has a dramatic effect on him. 

Secondly, the actors were so far apart; it was like watching a Ping-Pong match. Back and forth most of the night long. My suggestion would be to move the beds right next to each other center stage, headboard to headboard, or side to side. This would focus the concentration center stage where the entire phone interaction would take place.  (And yes, there was a lot of action going on.)

Robert Chesley died from AIDS in 1990 at the young age of forty-seven.

There is a lot of nudity in this play, full frontal, full backtal, sidle, and dimensional.  If that is to your liking come.  And please bring someone you know that will enjoy theatre like you’ve never seen. 

www.jerker25.com 

Hope: Part II of a Mexican Trilogy – by Evelina Fernandez

By Joe Straw

Growing up in a military family, there were seven of us in all, mother, father, two sisters, two brothers, and me. Unfortunately, my father was always on army maneuvers, even when there weren’t any maneuvers.  Gone most of the time, his true attention was to the art of deception.  And this deception included having children with multiple women on various continents while my mother was giving birth to, and caring for, the five of us. Once the truth came out, the marriage didn’t last and the family disintegrated.   

Many things are lost when a couple divorces.  There is a loss of stability, a loss of wealth, and a loss of the simple things like putting enough food on the table.  It is an overwhelming situation where hope is buried in the cavernous recesses of our dreams.  

But, hope is a matter of perspective.  And I’ve come to the conclusion that not everyone hopes for the same thing. Marriage starts with raging optimism.  But then come the children: what’s best for them, disagreements, infidelities, and of a broken trust that starts a downward spiral that one can only hope to recover.  

The Latino Theater Company presents Hope: Part II of a Mexican Trilogy written by Evelina Fernandez and directed by Jose Luis Valenzuela.  Hope is a wonderful musical with the very difficult themes of infidelity, unwanted pregnancy, attempted suicide, and spousal and child abuse.

Hope is a grand exploration of Mexican American life.  And yes, all American families are now and have always included Latinos.

There is a lot to love about this musical, starting with the set by Scenic Designer Francois-Pierre Couture.   The set is a 1960’s version of a family home in Phoenix, AZ.  It is, in fact, a structure one would find out in the desert with three windows looking out into the expanse of despair.  Blinds open to colorful rooms of life and shut quickly when moments escalate out of control.  

Projected off the walls of the house are images of life in the sixties.  These are the unfocused video images of a time not quite remembered, but eventually fully realized as the time comes back into focus.  And shadows of daily life are also projected on the walls displaying family secrets of brutal beatings, too brutal to show to sympathetic viewers.  

And through the horror of kept family secrets there are the surrounded whispers of infidelity, of hunger, desperation, and the need to grab the one “thing” that give them what they desire, hope.

Briefly the story is about a Mexican American family living in Phoenix, Arizona. The mother, Elena (Dyana Ortelli), is trying to keep a handle on her four teenage children, who for the most part are as good as teenagers can be, but a bit unruly.  

Gina (Esperanza Ibarra), the oldest teenager, is the “mean” sister who doesn’t smile and chases her siblings around with her shoe. She is also the smartest, and takes great pride in knowing a multitude of facts.  

Betty (Olivia Delgado) is an idealist with a highly active imagination. She places and receives calls from President John F. Kennedy and Fidel Castro and believes she is helping to save the world.

The boys are Johnny (Keith McDonald) and Bobby (Dru Davis).  Johnny is a would-be ladies man and gets along with his father while Bobby, the youngest, has little in common with his father.  And being the baby of the family, Bobby is doted on by his mother.

Carlos (Geoffrey Rivas), the father, is gone for extended periods of time.  He comes back only to plead forgiveness for his misgiving but denies being unfaithful.  And he also comes back to beat his children when they say the slightest disrespectful remark.

While Carlos is away, Elena is seeing a friend Enrique (Sal Lopez) and through him tries to understand the ways of men.  But it’s not difficult to see that Enrique wants to be a part of Elena’s life.

Meanwhile Rudy (Sam Golzari) has taken a liking to Gina.  He tells her that he wants to be her boyfriend.  Gina sees nothing coming from this or any relationship and she can barely put up with him.  Still, he conveniences her to be his boyfriend for “two weeks”. Just enough time before he goes into the army.  Just enough time for, what?

Dad comes home just in time to beg forgiveness and then start in on his brutal campaign of beatings, which sets the ball in motion for the multitude of tragic events that follow.

The book of Hope is interspersed with the wonderful music of the sixties sung beautifully by this strong cast of singers and actors. Wow! I think I’ve hit the jackpot here.  This is a dream-of-a-show from which I do not want to be awakened.  Jose Luis Valuenza, the director, has gathered some remarkable actors for this musical, all who have very strong voices. 

The show includes the songs, Dedicated to the One I Love, Love Hurts, Mister Sandman, Piel Panela, Please Mr. Postman, Rico Vacilon, Shout, You’ll Love a Good Thing.

Geoffrey Rivas as Carlos does a wonderful job as the philandering husband. And, as the character, he tries his best to pull it all together but in the end, the lies catch up to him. Without the focus of family on his mind, he is a lost man.  This was a very enjoyable performance, despite the despicability factor.

Dyana Ortelli as Elena does a very nice job in the role of the long-suffering wife. It is easy to get caught up in somebody else’s dream and not realizing his dream is not worth living. As the character she is as faithful as faithful can be but there must be an opening, a glimpse, to show us she is ready to jump ship.  Her plan, nonexistent when the play starts, must be executed during the course of the show.  And it is a plan we must see, her hope.

Sal Lopez as Enrique (or Kiki), compadre to Elena and Carlos, does a wonderful job in a very nice role.  Silently he slips around as a friend to the family while in his heart he longs for the woman of his dreams.  His love for her overflows like the tap on the beer bottle that brings the foam rising over the top and onto the floor.  His emotional wants bring them closer together, step by step, like a little dance, until the dance gets out of hand.

Esperanza America Ibarra as Gina is absolutely wonderful in this role. She is very sympathetic as the older sister who has helped raising her brothers and sister.  And as the older sister, she is smart, loving, and full of spunk.  Still, having to look after the miscreants that are her siblings, wear on her.  And seeing her mother, do the unthinkable with another man, causes her to go places no one wants to go. This is a very heartfelt performance that will be remembered for sometime to come.   

Sam Golzari as Rudy also gave a wonderful performance as the boyfriend to Gina. His moments on stage rang true and there was a lot of depth to his character. His love for Gina had no bounds and that love was very visible on stage.  Finding a way to be physically closer to Gina in the letter-writing scene would only add to an already wonderful performance.

Dru Davis as Bobby has a phenomenal voice and was very sympathetic as the young son that has little in common with his father.  He takes great pride in standing up to his father no matter the cost. And this is actually a role where you want to hear more singing from Davis. His voice is that magnificent!

Olivia Cristina Delgado as Betty was very cute and did a marvelous job. One really appreciates the on-stage relationships that she creates with both JFK and Fidel Castro.

Keith McDonald as Johnny is a typical teenage boy, unfocused. He spends his current life thinking what girls are thinking about him and how they would be oh-so-lucky to have him. That aside, it is a role that could grow, including making the relationships stronger on stage, not paying so much attention to the fourth wall, and paying more attention to others on stage.  Finding a significant objective would help.  Still, it is only a small quibble to a very nice performance.

Jose Luis Valenzuela, the director, has created a visually exciting show. It moves at a very nice pace and is remarkable in purpose.  This is a family on the verge of collapse.  And it is a musical about love, loss of love, and making right out of what is so very wrong.  Everything one could hope for in a musical extravaganza.  There are moments that could be revisited, tightened on the topic of hope. For example: a dream of hope in another state should propel them off the stage into the new land of opportunity so that we as audience member can’t wait to see “Faith” and “Charity”.   Still, overall, this was a wonderful show!

There is a truth, a sincerity, that lives and breaths Evelina Fernandez’s words. She has written a show that is marvelous in it’s own right.  She takes us back to a period most of us remember and she does it with a sense of style and grace.  She introduces us to a family that must suffer the through the indignities of separation, divorce, and the breakup of a family.  But with the family in pain they march on, and with heads held high they look westward, to California, for their inspiration, and their hope.

Ben Crippin Taylor was the Musical Director of the show and did a very nice job.  I loved the music!

The Movement Coordinator was Urbanie Lucero and the Costume Design credit goes to Raquel Barreto.  Cameron Mock did the Lighting Design and John Zalewski did the Sound Design.

Run to see this production.  Bring a friend who has problems understanding the lives of ordinary Mexican Americans and Latinos.

www.thelatc.org.

La Muerte Viva Written by Tony Dominguez

By Joe Straw

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL DECEMBER. FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO WWW.LAMUERTEVIVE.COM

La Muerte Viva written and directed by Tony Dominguez playing at the beautiful Million Dollar Theatre at 307 South Broadway is a lot of fun.

After tomorrow the dead will disappear until next year.  If you want to go, go tomorrow on Saturday November 5, 2011. Parking is nearby and relatively inexpensive.

There are lovely ladies to greet you at the door and they will make you feel right at home.  In fact everyone will make you feel at home.

When you walk into the beautiful Million Dollar Theatre you realize at one time or another people, lots of people, came here to watch movies.  On this particular night the venue was set for another type of extravaganza.  

Billed as “Where Rock Opera Meets Cabaret” starring the band El Gavachillo (featuring Wil-Dog of Ozomatli) y su Banda, The Wise Guys, and Santos de Los Angeles & his Player Saint Orchestra.  And if you love brass (and I do) you’ll love the music in this show.

And to liven things up a bit Rudy Champagne also brought us a bit of burlesque.

The best thing I can describe about this production is, it is a production of controlled chaos. Things are not always perfect, but things do get done.

The first thing you notice when entering the orchestra section are the Tony Dominguez’s wonderful paper mache puppets on stage, the second the music, and the third a little bit of acting.  Just a little bit mind you.

And just as a small critique Dominguez needs to keep the action moving on stage to keep it livelier.  I’m sure things will be tightened for tomorrow night.  And one hopes the sound problems (the microphones) will be fixed.

Overall, this was a lot of fun.

L to R Hiedi Bear, Norma Jean and Don Phill

You will hear some of the finest brass players in showgirls costume on the planet, Hiedi Bear and Norma Jean!

L to R Hiedi Bear and Norma Jean

Support the arts and have a great time.  

Betrayed – Story: George Packer

By Joe Straw

I’m a little confused by this title and slightly betrayed.  (Only slightly.)  The press notes indicates it’s “written by George Packer” but the program says something slightly different, “Story:  George Packer”.

Whitmore Eclectic presents Betrayed – Story:  George Packer, directed by Andrew Verderame, at the Lyric Theatre in Hollywood through November 13, 2011 is a wonderful production with fantastic performances.   

It is about a subject matter that, to this day, I do not understand:  The invasion of Iraq, the loss of American and Iraqi lives, and the idea that the American taxpayers are and have been footing this bill.  (Let’s see if my political leanings can get me into trouble.)

This show is brutally honest with graphic videos and sound design, by Aliah Whitmore, and is not for the squeamish. As James Whitmore, Jr. introduces the show he says that if you’re offended, “Don’t look.” 

Self-censorship is protected under the First Amendment.

Adnan (Pasha Bocarie) is a man who doesn’t fit in. His day-to-day existence was selling cigarettes on Mutanabi Street in old Baghdad and it was a life he was reluctant to live.  With the overthrow of Saddam Hussein he has thoughts of redirecting the focus of his life without morbid thoughts of thanatopsis.

Adnan has a rendezvous with his friend Laith (Peter Sabri) in a hotel.  It has taken both of them days to get there.  

Sadly, Laith is living on the edge.  He has been getting threatening calls and wants to leave the country.  But an unsuccessful attempt to cross the border results in his fake passport being confiscated.  His objective is to reach Bill Prescott (Andrew Patton), a state Department official, and an old friend from their Green Zone days, and have him arrange his way out.   He can’t do this without the help from his friend, Adnan.

Thus begins a series of flashback where Adnan and Laith reminiscence about how they got to this point in their lives.  Starting with how they came to work for the State Department. 

With Laith it is interpreting for a soldier Jason (Robert Fabiani) and his unit.  But Adnan goes directly to the Green Zone to apply for a job.  As he is there he runs into Intisar (Aliah Whitmore) who is also applying for a position.

After Adnan is accepted, he is taken to a Regional Security Officer (Dustin Seavey) who interrogates him using the modern up-to-date, inadmissible-in-court, lie detector.

In the meantime Prescott accepts Intisar.  Adnan goes back to have lunch with Laith and tells him he has secured Laith an interview.

All three are issued yellow badges and are sworn in by the RSO who instructs them on the finer points of the Green Zone and the Red Zone.

“What is the Red Zone?” – Intisar

“The Red Zone…it’s what’s outside the Green Zone.” – RSO

“You mean – Iraq?” – Intisar

“Congratulations and welcome to the American mission in Baghdad.” – RSO

The three become working friends and discuss their dreams of the future in five years but things start going awry.  Intisar makes a big mistake by agreeing to appear on non-stop TV news feeds to Iraq and Washington.

The Iraqis are also becoming suspicious of this trio.  Our three heroes approach Prescott to get green badges because they feel their lives are in danger waiting in the streets to get into the compound.   The SRO denies their request for and when this happens Intisar is gun down in the streets of Baghdad.

Next time, Adnan and Laith go directly to the Ambassador (Craig Braun) to get green badges because they feel their lives are in danger. Again, the SRO denies their request.

Prescott is so fed up he asks Adnan and Laith to take him to a restaurant, somewhere in Baghdad.  They do so and while they are there he asks Laith to find an Iraqi leaders to open a dialogue. 

“What we hear is they refuse to talk to the occupiers.” – Prescott

“Some of them want to.  There are differences within them.  But they need a channel.” – Laith

“… O.K. Open up a back channel and we’ll see what happens.” – Prescott 

Laith does so and this mistake gets him into a lot of trouble.

This story highlights the differences between men and women, Americans and Iraqis, and finally Shia and Sunni with seemingly no resolution on the conflicts either now or in the near future. Setting all this aside this is a very fine cast and exceptional performances all around. 

Pasha Bocarie as Adnan is excellent. There is a very nice truth to his craft.  It is understated and not overly emotional as the character seeks a path that is different than his counterpart.  Adnan is a man who wants to continue to live in Iraq.  He has no thoughts of leaving, and he will do what is necessary to survive.  His performance was marvelous.

Peter Sabri as Laith was also excellent.  He is an actor who is always in the moment and feels his emotion moments to his core.    As Laith, he follows a path that leads him to make a lot of mistakes.  His overriding trust in his fellow human being, be they American or Iraqi, gets him into a lot of trouble.  Which is why he is fighting for his life.  Still, Sabri needs to recognize his mistakes and make more of the moments that give creation to his downward spiral.  This will only add to an already very terrific performance.

Andrew Patton as Prescott was marvelous.  Last seen in Moby Dick Rehearsed this role was a chameleon-like transformation in character.  And as the character, he is a man out of place, out of his time and element. Try as he might he cannot overcome that which is his inept government.  But, guilty by association, this must included his own ineptitude caused by his own actions of which he is unaware.  First, he throws Intisar in front of a camera feed that goes out to who knows where, publicly displaying her image.  Secondly, he sends Laith out to try to find the enemy unaware of havoc he is creating.   Although he is unmindful of all of the problems he has caused, in the end, he wants to make good and it is this force of rightness that sends him out frantically trying to save his friends.  This was a job well done. 

Aliah Whitmore as Intisar delivers an exceptional performance complete with Iraqi accent.  As the character she fights against the inequality of women in her country.  This gets her into a lot of trouble, which she is not able to overcome.  Still she fights for what is right even if it means paying the ultimate price. 

Dustin Seavey plays the Regional Security Officer who does his job efficiently, possibly a little too efficiently.   It’s a nice job for a humorless role.  This trick to the role (and yes, there are tricks) is to find the moment that is going to give the character the human touch rather than just seeing “the machine” that is his job.  Still, this was a very good performance.

Craig Braun as the Ambassador (October 13-14) was slightly nervous on this particular night.  It was a nice performance that needed the “thing” that makes him the Ambassador.  Tim Dezarn was not playing the Ambassador the night I was there.

Robert Fabiani as the Soldier Jason did a nice job as a person who is overwhelmed with his job.  His nerves are frayed the longer he stays in Iraq.  He has come to the point where he does not trust anyone, even friends.  And will just as soon rifle butt you in the head if you look at him the wrong way.  This is a solid performance by a wonderful actor.

Haaz Sleiman did an admirable job as the Dialect Coach and was the Dishdasha Man and Correspondent number one.

Max Siam was the Cursing Man and Eggplant Face (Abu Abbas).

Andrew Verderame, the director, has done a marvelous job with this show. His actors were exceptional and the direction was exceptional and overall very enjoyable. While most plays tell a story using a narrative and the narrative is a specific period of time, George Packard’s play/story focuses on the use of flashback.  Not my favorite way of telling a story in most mediums but not impossible to pull off if the life and death moments out of the hotel room pull us in to the dramatic moments into the hotel room.

Maybe it was opening weekend, or something else, but the action seemed to start and stop the moment we go back into the hotel.  Also, we as an audience need to consider what is behind the hotel room door and should not forget that at any single moment someone may come in and take the characters away, for good.  Focus on a time element with life or death as the dramatic conclusion.  We should never forget that someone is coming for them and it is only a question of when.

Just as an aside, the program to the play is an outstanding comic book like program.  No credit is given to the person, or persons responsible for this wonderful program.  It says a lot about the commitment Whitmore Eclectic pays to the actors, director and the rest of the staff. 

Go!  This is a very good show about a powerful subject matter.  And take a Marine with you, he or she may have something more to say.  

www.whitmoreeclectic.com

Dusk Rings A Bell by Stephen Belber

By Joe Straw

When chaotic events surround me in Los Angeles, I take a moment, close my eyes, and go to a place of my youth.  I concentrate on a distant memory, lying under a shady maple tree, listening to a mockingbird repeat my every whistle.  There is the silent sound of a nearby stream where small frogs “bleep” before jumping into tranquil waters.  I stare up at mellifluous white clouds floating by and listen as my cat, Mouse, paddles her way to me. I use this sense memory to relax, to let go, and hope that when I open my eyes, life around me will be less tumultuous.

Dusk Rings a Bell by Stephen Belber and directed by Daniel Henning playing at The Blank Theatre in Hollywood is brilliant!  Belber’s words are a song of past remembrances, of missed opportunities, and of one soft kiss.  This is the story of two souls who come together after twenty-five years apart.   

Never have I been so moved, so touched, by the lyrical beauty of Belber’s words.  This play is so simple, so beautiful, and so picturesque.  But, as simple as it appears, it is highly complex and filled with so many levels. One may look back on this play time and time again to absorb its full meaning.  

There has been only a few times where emotions have overcome me.  And on this particular night, I was not the only one.  In the intimate house of The Blank Theatre, uncontrollable sobs were heard throughout.   Gentlemen were wiping their eyes and women were sobbing.  And this was only after the first few moments of the play!

This play touches emotions deep within you and sweeps you away into the unchartered territories of your soul.

Molly (Thea Gill), age 39, is an executive at CNN.  She is bright and articulate, and is open to opportunities by legal means or otherwise.  Recently divorced, she embarks upon a journey to visit a place and find a letter she wrote to herself 25 years earlier. 

She speaks of herself as a stuttering child and has the fortitude to quit, cold turkey.  It is that moment of motivation that gives her the ability to succeed later in life.  She speaks reverentially of a time spent with her parents in a Delaware bungalow and of a special kiss long ago that has remained with her.  

Ray (Josh Randall) is a guy who does guy things.  He does not appear bright.  He likes the outdoors and is the caretaker of a cabin in Bethany Beach, Delaware. He describes a hawk devouring a rat in a tree and thought it was cool.  He speaks of kissing a particular girl and thinking what life had been like if he had gotten into her pants.  It’s the grand glorious musings of a not too bright testosterone filled gardener.  Still his words have a kindness about them.  

Molly parks her car, finds the place, and breaks into the bungalow.  She finds the letter folded in a neat triangle in the attic, exactly where she had placed it 25 years ago. Her thoughts overcome her as slowly opens the triangle, shivering as she reads the letter to her adult self.   

And at the end of the letter she asks herself the question: “Are you happy?” 

She turns the letter over and discovers that someone has written the word,  “No”. 

A short time later Ray discovers her in a bungalow.  The criminal elements of the scene are laid out. He traps her into confessing her crime.  He wants money for the broken window.

“I’ll pay for it.  How much is it?” - Molly

“Eighty dollars.” - Ray

“I only have sixty.” - Molly

“I’ll take it.” – Ray

After paying him, she tries to leave, but he stands too close to let her pass. He stands close enough to inhale her and does not move. She tells him that her friends are waiting for her near the car.  He’s not buying the story and after a few tense sexually charged moments let’s her pass.

And as Molly escapes, she asks his name. “Ray”, he tells.  Eyes wide open, the curiosity seeker believes he is the boy she had a relationship with 25 years earlier.  (The kiss.)

There is a “thing” Ray does with his eyes brows.  The deeper the references, the closer the eyebrows get. In a state of anoesis, try as he might he’s not remembering any of it, the kiss, the moment, the excitement of spending time together.  His vacuous stare is not giving anything away. Nothing rings a bell.

Or does it?  He is so engrossed in the possibility this might be the “one” he shuts down not wanting to give one single thing away. But then, he succumbs to her charms, her insistencies, and her desire to get to the truth only known to both of them.  

But their story has a tragic middle as Ray tells Molly that he has spent time in prison, ten years, for the death of a gay student.  He tells her that he didn’t kill him, he was just around, when his friend repeatedly hit him.  They were drunk and went off and had pizza afterwards (for twenty-five minutes!) before anyone notified the police.

Molly is mortified, angry, afraid and disgusted, and leaves immediately.  She comes back days or weeks later to get more of the details of the tragic night.   They spend time together talking about the night of the murder. She has a physical relationship with him and then… (I can’t give this away.)

Their differences are night and day, possibly the reason for the title, “Dusk Rings A Bell.”

The appeal of this play is an inherent desire to take sides once information is released.  Moving back and forth between each character is a wonderful game.  When one character shows their perspective you immediately have sympathy and empathy for that person. When they are in dialogue and reveal information you can decide whose side you are on, if there is a side you wish to choose.

Age plays a different game.  The games become more complicated and nuanced the older we become. Intentions and objectives become as intricate as a fully realized chess game, by masters.

Receiving and sharing information about life’s ups and downs has its consequences. In any case, one comes away from this sensory extravaganza a better person.  More informed by the complexities of life and discussions of what is real and what is held back.

Josh Randall as Ray does a remarkable job of giving this man so many layers.  There is this empty-headed stare, which is mostly of out self-preservation. He is in actuality an intelligent man who doesn’t want to reveal too much information because he knows that doing so could destroy a beautiful relationship. Still, he does.  Randall gives us every day of his life as he treads the lonely road of due diligence to make amends for the wrong he has committed. And he walks a foggy path hoping to get to a clearing.  This is a remarkable role for this actor who lives and breathes this one mistake.  The mistake is written on his sleeves, stamped on his forehead, inside his inner being and it is a job well done.

Thea Gill as Molly is remarkable as well.  She has a gift off telling a story and making us see the small particulars.  She explores a lifecycle that has come full circle and she comes back expecting something magical to happen.  Expecting her knight in shinning armor.  One believes she works for CNN and has the high profile job that demands the truth in whatever form she can get. So after she gets this information why does she come back?  It is the reason that makes this remarkable actress so intriguing, so watchable, and questioning her every move. This is just a wonderful performance.  

Daniel Henning does a brilliant job putting all of this together.  It is a wonderful achievement and his finest work.  It is terrific storytelling at its best and mesmerizing in its subtle details.  

Stephen Belber, the writer, has written a terrific play. It’s all about the words and the words lead you to remarkable places. Belber’s words are so depressingly beautiful – it’s enough to make you stop punching the keys on your computer, throw down your pen, and walk away.  Or, on the flip side, an inspiration to keep scratching the hard thoughts on stone tablets.

The producers of this show are Matthew Graber, Daniel Henning and Noah Wyle.

Kurt Boetcher, the Set Designer has done a fabulous job creating a beachfront with which our characters can do their magic. The set is a muted color cream color that works as the place and tells us that not all human emotions are black and white.

Costume Design by Michael Mullen worked effectively. Stephanette Smith was the Lighting Designer on this wonderful show. 

The Sound Design by Warren Davis really helps in giving the audience that extra sensory experience of sound heard by the characters and the audience. 

The Job of Casting by Scott David and Erica Silverman was tremendous and shows they know the craft intimately. 

Kristen Lee Kelley plays Molly and Jarret Wright plays Ray in understudy roles.

Run to see this production! Take a long lost lover, hold hands in the dark, sit back and enjoy.

www.theblank.com