Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

By Joe Straw

This is a play in which I believe the characters, with all in their moral imperfections, should be thinking about the ultimate conquest, that is of becoming Caesar, Emperor, or King of Rome in whatever form it takes. If each character is not thinking along those lines then something is amiss. - Narrator

This presentation has been work shopped since the beginning of the year and features some exciting performers and some exquisite action on stage. It is a different kind of cast one you would not normally find doing Shakespeare.  

What the heck does this mean?

Well, if you think about it for one minute, it means that Josephina Lopez’s Casa 0101 Theatre company is giving Latino actors the opportunity to grow and stretch their creative beings by performing Shakespeare, which, if you think about it for another minute, have normally been roles reserved for white male actors with traces of an English accent, playing Italians.  Harumph! 

All right, I got that out of the way.

Not so fast, Cassius. 

Casting Latino actors does not happen in Los Angeles where Latino actors would not even be considered to fill the roles of Shakespearean characters. Casting directors forget that Shakespeare is performed all around the world with brown actors from Spain, South America, Mexico, and other Latin American countries. So why is it so odd in Los Angeles with a population of 4 million Latinos, about ½ of the total population, that so few Latinos are cast in any kind of medium in Los Angeles at all much less Shakespeare?

I’ll step down from my soapbox for now.

Casa 0101 Theatre presents Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare through November 16, 2014 directed by Robert Beltran with an all Latino cast in the beautiful renovated downtown Boyle Heights as part of enuentro 2014 A National Theatre Festival.

There are exceptional moments in Robert Beltran’s oeuvre of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.  First, and most importantly, it is easy to follow and easy to understand.  Secondly there are some remarkable performances in this production, which I will get to later. There are also moments that need work, minor improvements, and I will direct my comments to that regard.

First of all life does not begin when an actor, in character, appears on stage for the first time.  That character has a life and the elements of that life accompanies the character.  That life is the backstory the actor brings with him, the history of the character, real or imaginary but creative.

The backstory to the events enfolding on stage is critical.  Without the backstory we lose sight of the actors history with Julius Caesar.  So while reciting the lines, projecting and what not, if we do not see in the presentation of the backstory, we lose historical measures. The actors must bring the history with them the moment before they step on stage and that history guides them in the aftermath with a creative truth.   

Caesar has just returned from Spain after ruthlessly vanquishing the enemies of Italy, which is at this point in time, an inner struggle of Romans against Romans. In Caesar’s eyes, and his eyes alone, he is the supreme ruler of Italy. This is important to know for other events to fall neatly into place.

The play opens on a Roman street celebrating the return of Julius Caesar.  The stage is darkened as the actors take their places with tribunes Flavius (Ray Rios), Marullus (Uvaldo Baltazar), center stage.  Tribunals are there to protect the interest of their citizens.  Following them are certain commoners as they enter in darkness and align themselves on each side of the audience.

(This director’s choice here may be slighted in scope and does not move the play along. If the purpose is to include the audience as citizens then more work needs to be done. Certainly having the players in the audience might help. )

The citizens have come to celebrate Caesar’s victory in Spain while Flavius and Marullus grouse there is no real victory as Italy’s generals are fighting Caesar, and paying a fair price for their treachery, their lives.  All await Caesar, the supreme charismatic leader, who marches into Rome as a military genius. But citizenry believed that Caesar had greater ambition and some do not believe in what he is doing, including Flavius and Marullus who give us a hint as to where events are taking us.

“Wherefore rejoice?  What conquest brings he home?

What tributaries follow him to Rome,

To grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels?” – Marullus

The idea of this celebration after the enemy was vanquished was to have the captured enemy paraded along the streets of Rome while the commoners celebrated with food and drink.

And while the commoners are there, there is no hint of a celebration, no vanquished enemies, because the Romans are fighting each other.  

But that doesn’t stop Caesar’s (Vance Valencia) celebration when he enters he has his wife Calpurnia (Christine Avila) and followers trailing him, most notably Antony (Lauren Ballesteros), Portia (Linda Lopez), Decius (Ray Rios), Cicero (Emmanuel Deleage), Brutus (Rachel Gonzalez), Cassius (Fidel Gomez) and Casca (Danny Mora).   

Caesar throws his weight around, on the feast of Lupercal (February 15^th), and orders Antony to strike Calpurnia with the goat-hide thong to well –

“The barren, touched in this holy chase

Shake off their sterile curse.” – Caesar

This is an embarrassing statement for Caesar to make in front of his barren wife and from the party that accompanies him there is little reaction from those within earshot. Caesar is looking for an heir.  

(As a historical note Calpurina was Caesar’s third wife.  She married Caesar at 16 years of age and would have been 31 years old at this time, 44 BC)

Antony jumps at the opportunity to help Calpurina and if it means striking her with the goat-hide thong in the hopes of her bearing children so be it.   In fact, Antony would bleed for Caesar, but this is hardly noticeable in this moment and on this night.  

But, near them, and in the background the Soothsayer (Miguel Roura) yells something to Caesar.

“Thay say’st thou to me now?  speak

once again.” – Caesar

“Beware of the ides of March.” – Soothsayer

“He is a dreamer; let us leave him:  pass.” – Caesar

Caesar leaves and it is here Brutus and his brother-in-law Cassius, the soldier, convinces the pragmatic stoic Senator to join him to save Italy as they now know it.  Away from them, in the throngs of the Roman citizens, Brutus hears the cries from the populace wanting Caesar to take the wreath, or throne we later learn offered by Antony, and place it on his head. 

(But in actually the populace do not want him to be king and they fear Caesar will take ultimate power and destroy Rome’s way of life.)

Naytheless, Brutus is very curious.

“Another general shout!

I do believe that these applauses are

For some new honours that are heap’ed on Caesar.” – Brutus

Brutus blood boils and Cassius will not let up.

“Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world.

Like a colossus, and we petty men

Walk under his huge legs and peep about

To find ourselves dishonourable graves.

Men at some time are masters of their fates:

The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,

But in ourselves, that we are underlings.” – Cassius

(The Romans at that time hated kings and being good republicans meant warring and destroying a way of life, kingdoms that did not sit well with the Romans.)

Caesar was in a predicament because he wanted to reform the government, which was, in effect, unworkable and the only way to do that, after his Spanish triumph, was to become a dictator for life, by decree. This would only be a temporary solution in route to a kingdom for which Caesar heirs would benefit.

Cassius was not having any part of that, and there was already something in the works, but they needed someone of Brutus’s reputation to implement the job.

Caesar enters to find Cassius and Brutus in a shadowy discussion.

“Youd Cassius has a lean and hungry look;

He thinks too much:  such men are dangerous.” – Caesar

Cassius has not completely convinced Brutus.  Brutus seeks more information from Casca about what went on from the crowd.  Casca, it would seem, is on the side of the Republicans, says that Caesar refused the crown three times from Antony and then fell with the sleeping sickness. Casca mocks Caesar’s dilemma with a virtuous complacency.  

To help implement the conspiracy Cassius asks Casca to dine with him. It is here that Cassius says that Brutus, well three parts of him, is on board.

“O, he sits high in all the people’s hearts;

And that which would appear offence in us,

His countenance, like richest alchemy,

Will change to virtue and to worthiness.” – Casca

In the ominous thundering night before the ides of March (March 15) Brutus is still not on board.  The skies burn and spew forth a notion of impending doom.

Casca meets with Cassius about the urgency of the assassination.

“Indeed, they say the senators tomorrow

Mean to establish Caesar as a king;

And he shall wear his crown by sea and land,

In every place save here in Italy. - Casca

Calpurnia, a pale ghostly figure, incessantly warns of her husband of darker days and in particular this day.

But Decius comes to take Caesar to the senate.  And Caesar says he will not go because of his Calpurnia’s dreams.  Caesar describes the dream but Decius says otherwise.

“This dream is all amiss interpreted;

It was a vision fair and fortunate; - Decius

Caesar falls for it and runs to the Capitol to be crowned king and that’s where events start to change.

A funny thing happened when watching the performances, all of the performers at one point suddenly turned into Robert Beltran, slightly miniature versions of the man himself, the movements on stage, the looks, the square jaw, the characters with the rapacious beaks.  That’s never happened to me before and possibly I recognize it as Beltran’s strong influence.   

Christine Avila provided a tremendous amount of life to Calpurnia, one in which she brings a great historical background to the character.  It is a wonderful characterization with a dramatic devotion to Caesar.

Lauren Ballesteros does some fine work as Antony.  But, the character needs an undying attentiveness to the will of Caesar, which was not apparent, as well as a life of a authoritative military figure. The pinnacle of Antony’s life is the “Friend, Romans, Countryman” speech, and Antony finally seals his doom with “This was the noblest Roman of all:” with Octavius looking on no less. Relaxing and work on breathing are the order of the day as Ballesteros is heard taking in air between each line of dialogue.  (Hopefully, it’s not that “thing” that going around.)  Ballesteros has some very fine moments.

Uvaldo Baltazar plays Marullus, Messala, Metellus and 4 Citizen. Marullus needs more of a purpose.  Marullus is a man who needs to convince to citizens that all is not right with Rome and when that fails he has his own way of protesting which we do not see.  

Emmanuel Deleage plays Cinna The Poet, Cicero, Artemidorous and Citizen and gives us some fine characterization in each of the characters.

Evan Garcia is satisfying as Titinius, Lucillius, Antony’s Servant, Publius, Cobbler and 3^rd Citizen and overall creates some satisfying characters with his vocal strengths.  

Fidel Gomez is Cassius and is instrumental in convincing his brother in law Brutus to join the rebellion and to assassinate Caesar all for the good of the republic. Cassius words are used to persuade.  He is the germ of an idea, to right Rome, where things are wrong. His fatal flaw is giving Brutus his power and then trying to rule from the back of the chariot. Gomez conveys Cassius as a man, convincing with anger rather than persuasion, and for a purpose one is not sure. Cassius is instrumental in putting the pieces of the conspirator’s puzzle together leaving no stone unturned to get Caesar to the right place.

Rachel Gonzalez is Brutus and also does a fine job. Brutus is the instrument of others desires.  Brutus is the last holdout not recognizing this should be done, until Brutus is finally captured in their web of ruin.  In reality Brutus has gotten into matters way over his head.  And when he takes control he makes one bad decision after another rebuking Cassius every step of the way. But there is more to be had with the relationship between Brutus and Cassius, how they work and fight to provide a more perfect republic.  Brutus, in effect, is not smart and very stoic in the decision making process.  One would like to see Gonzalez offer a slightly different approach to liven the character, live the mistakes made, and move to a better position.  Also, nothing is made of Brutus’ cryptesthesia, that chthonia moment of the apparition of Julius Caesar, the prediction of Philippi, and then the reaction from that terrible moment.  Still there is a lot of good work here from which Gonzalez could add.

Jasmin Iraheta is Lucius, a servant to Brutus, and is fine in the role.

Karlo Ishibashi is Octavius, the sickly nephew to Julius Caesar, who comes to ultimately take the crown.  Ishibashi has an outstanding presence on stage.  In the end we know Octavius, the scrupulous one, seeks power. He plays his thoughts closely to his chest until the time is right.

Angel Lizarraga is Caesar’s Servant, Popillius, Octavius Servant, Messenger and Carpenter.

Linda Lopez is Portia and try as she might she is not getting anywhere with Brutus. Lopez does a nice job but there is more to the physical makeup to the character.  Portia makes light of being a woman but she knows there is something wrong with Brutus.  Finding the ways to get the information from him with a grander physical life would help the character.

Danny Mora is Casca and does a remarkable job.  There is a lot of humor in the role and Mora captures it in exciting fashion. Perhaps, in other roles, I have underestimated this actor.

Miguel Roura is excellent as the Soothsayer.  (Funny but I always think the Soothsayer is blind.  Not sure where I got that.) Roura also plays Ligarius and Volumnius.

Ray Rios does a fine job as Decius.  He is the man who job it is to convince Caesar to come to the Senate chambers despite Caesar’s and his Calpurnia’s objection and he does so in grand fashion.

Moises Rodriguez is 2^nd Citizen, Cinna, The Conspirator, Poet and Strato.

Mario Valdez is Trebonius, Lepidus and Citizen, is dark a foreboding, and has his moments.  

Vance Valencia is Caesar, a fine Caesar at that, full of life, strength, and optimism, a baleful sneer for those surrounding him.  Caesar is always on guard, the eyes darting back and forth, searching for the treasonous soul who would wish him harm, excepting Antony. Valencia brings the historical history of Caesar to life.  He is a man who has killed many including the relatives of Brutus and Cassius. And he has killed many men to get to his position in life.  

Ted Lange IV will play Cassius November 7, 8, 14, 15, and 16^th but did not perform the night I was there. 

Jeremian Ocanas is an understudy.

Robert Beltran, the director, offers us a wonderful look at the play.  This is a new and different kind of Julius Caesar, and it is slightly truncated but overall a very satisfying night of theatre. I attended the near opening night of the show and I suspect by the time  you run to see it, the play will have settled into a remarkable show.

The characters have little problems convincing others to join their ranks but when they are in the processing of convincing they are shouting as though beating a nail that will not go in. It is an unconquerable obstinacy unless there is recognition that someone’s mind has been changed during the process.     

Some moments could have worked to better effect, the assassination for one in which the blood spews forth from a motionless Caesar, but could have been produced on a standing writhing Caesar.  This journey of Julius Caesar would do better to riddle itself with obstacles and conflict in this moment.  (The poetic reality is that the dagger does not so easily enter when obstructed by bone.) (With a little help of some Velcro and dramatic movement from the actors the blood spewing forth begs for a heightened dramatic action.) There is only a movement to conclusion with only the slightest of deferential action - rather than the extreme dramatic expression of death Julius Caesar needs.

Josefina Lopez, Casa 0101 Founding Artistic Director, has done another wonderful job of bringing Julius Caesar to life here in Boyle Heights.

Abel Alvarado is the Costume Designer.

Christina Carrillo is the Stage Manager.

Sylvia Cortez is the Social Media Manager.

Mark Kraus is the Webmaster

Sohail e. Najafi is the Technical Director.

And, as always, Ed Krieger, does a wonderful job as the Production Photographer and who always manages to find a lot of life in the production stills.

Steve Moyer Public Relations is the Press Representative.

Cesar Retana-Holguin is the Set Designer.

Vincent Sanchez is the Sound Programmer.

Jorge Villanueva is the Light Board Operator.

Angel Perez is the Set Builder.

Run!  Run!  And take someone who likes to say Hail Caesar all of the time.

Reservations:  323-263-7684

Email:  tickets@casa0101.org

Online:  www.casa0101.org

Affluence by Steven Peterson

By Joe Straw

I’m sorry if this offends.  I had to do it this way. After all, this is a blog, and you know it’s all about growing.   – Narrator

“Robert Woodley, Jr. (Lloyd Pedersen) and Jean Woodley (Rhonda Lord) have been residing there since God knows when.  No, well, since they got married, twenty somethin’ years ago.  He didn’t make his money, the way his father did, and they were given the house by his father and his mother, Namoo (Nan Tepper) - funny name.

“And, funny, I can’t remember the father’s name.  He was about a decent as a fellow could be though.   

“Robert Jr.’s folks moved down the road a piece, as they say in the south, into a little poke of a place, a little poke filled with money.   And Robert, Jr., with his job at the bank, made waves wanting to establish the family as someone with affluence.

 Affluence – Noun - abundance of money, property, and other material goods; riches; wealth – Dictionary.com

“Things were going fine until they had their son, Arthird (Justin Huff), well that’s what everyone called him.  His real name is Robert III, carrying down the legacy, if there was one to carry down, ‘cause, truth be told, I doubt there’s going to be a IV. He’s kind of slow, and there’s no female prospects on any kind of horizon you can think of, land, sea or air, if you cared to think about it, which I don’t. About the only thing he can do is play with them video games.  He hardly looks up to talk to you when you pass him on the street.

“Arthird is only there to annoy his sister, Beanie (Ilona Kulinska). They call her Beanie because one, no one remembers her name, folks included, and b, that’s what Arthird called her when she came home from the hospital: ‘She looks like a bean.’ Cute.

“But I know it’s really Barbara.

“In any case, Beanie is graduating high school and wants to go to a very nice college and waiting for that very letter of acceptance on this Boxing Day.  That’s the day after Christmas, in case you didn’t know. She’s kind of stuck up and never says hi to you at Starbucks, especially when she’s with her stuck up friends. That’s what money ‘ill do to you.

“I’ve smelled trouble in that house for some time now. Robert, Jr. lost his job, no wait a minute; I think the Feds came in and took his bank away, is what I think.  

“Namoo moved back in after her husband died.  I’ll still can’t remember his name. She’s been feeling ill for some time now and just got out of rehab or assisted living where I heard Jean, her daughter-in-law, got in trouble stealing her pain medication, or the medication that was in the assisted living space.  In fact, there’s a lawsuit against Jean and I don’t know but I hear they will settle or she will go to jail.  But you know, white folks don’t go to jail.  Ha, ha, ha.

“Would you push up the glasses on my nose?  My hands are all tied up. Scratch, right there. Thanks.

“Jean claims she’s all innocent and Robert, Jr. says their legal bills will be astronomical. They may have to sell the house, lose their affluence, and live like normal people, like you and me.  Ha. Ha. Ha.

“In the meantime Jean, who suffers from severe migraines, has to stay out of drug trouble. Lawsuit.  I seen her with a frozen bag of corn slapped to the side of her head from the window.  That’s the funniest looking thing but, bless her heart, she can’t help it she’s in so much pain.

“Because of the lawsuit, Jean cannot help her mother-in-law with her pain medications.  For that, they have hired Inez (Christine Uhebe) who lives with them taking care of Namoo and other things around the house. Probably folding laundry like I’m doing now.

“And one other thing, Inez takes care of is that big lug, Arthird. There’s something about love being said there but I don’t believe it.  She’s one of them “illegals”.   And I don’t see anything good coming out of that.  Scandalous.

“One last thing, I don’t know if this is true or not, because of the change in the tax law, Namoo has to die before New Years Day if they are to save the inheritance tax money they would otherwise pay out, and she ain’t looking too healthy right now.  It wouldn’t surprise me if something terrible would befall on her, by accident, before the year’s up.

“That’s about all I know.”

“ I’ll give you my card.  If you have more information please don’t hesitate to call.”

“Hmmm, what do I call you? Agent, detective, Mr.?”

“Any title will do.”

Affluence by Steven Peterson is/was extremely tantalizing.  This wonderful new comedy, winner of The Beverly Hills Theatre Guild’s 2013 Julie Harris Playwrighting Award, is a fantastic play that has unfortunately closed October 20, 2014 at Theatre 40 in Beverly Hills.   

Larry Eisenberg, the director, has gathered one of the finest ensembles of the year. One can only marvel at listening to the private conversations of characters, the day after Christmas, mind you, who whisper and conspire to dastardly deeds?  The superior actors leave you breathless as you move from one intense moment to the next.  This is a testament to the Eisenberg’s skillful direction in one of his finest works to date – one in which intimacy, from this venue, plays an important role.    

This show was wonderfully Produced by David Hunt Stafford.  And the celebration begins when one enters the theatre and appreciates Jeff G. Rack’s Set Design, which is marvelous and sets the tone for this particular point in time – Boxing Day 2010.  

Lloyd Pedersen plays Robert, Jr. and is wonderful in the role.  Robert has lost his job and has little prospect of getting another because of his age. He hopes someone dies before midnight so there will not be huge lost in estate taxes, which kick in after midnight.  Ultimately, the character is a scoundrel – only hoping for the best, meaning the best for him, including having his sights on the help.  It is because of his seditious wants that he incites the members of the household to do his bidding.

Rhonda Lord is brilliant as Jean.  Jean has a lot of problems and one of them is her addiction to pain medication, which has gotten her into a lot of trouble, as well as her family.  Jean is ruthless, kind, despicable, loving, and in a lot of pain.  She stops at nothing to get what she wants.  Lord is an actress with impeccable skills and truth on stage.  There is a supreme naturalism to her work as she glides effortlessly from one moment to the next for which you cannot take your eyes off her for one single moment.  

Justin Huff is exceptional as Arthird. There is more to this character than meets the eye. Arthird still lives at home and has no job prospects. He is a sad lot. Despite the fact he has his head in video games, things in life come naturally to him, like the help.  He keeps that relationship under wraps until he is caught.  And when he is caught, he tries to hide the relationship until he feels the time is right to release the information, what with grandma dying upstairs, and the lawsuit, and the people who are in pain throughout the house. Huff’s relationships with his sister and grandmother are impeccable but one hopes for a stronger bond with his mother and father. Still it is a fantastic role and one in which Huff fills with exceptional viva.

Ilona Kulinska, who plays Beanie, is an exceptional actress. She has a natural charm that translates well to the stage.  Beanie hopes to get into the college of her choice and because of her family’s influence, she believes she is entitled.  She is the smartest sibling and the hopes of her family rides on her getting into a reputable school.  Also, Beanie is a bit of a pest about getting things the way she wants while there are other pressing family problems that need to be addressed. This is a wonderful role for Kulinska who excels in dramatic fashion.

Nan Tepper has a wonderful role in Namoo and does a great job with the role.  She is perfect for this role and one hopes that, in the theatrical sense, she “breaks a leg” during the course of the run.  One hopes that after the run she is still in one piece.  But kidding aside, she was marvelous.

Christine Uhebe is Inez and is perfect for the role.  There is a lot going on with Inez.  She has to fight off the dad, fight off the mother, take care of the grandmother, and please the son, and then keep it all under her hat. That’s a heavy load to carry but Uhebe carries the roll in remarkable style. The scene with the “patches”, done with so much sincerity and naturalism had me on the edge of my seat.

Richard Garner as plays Arthird but did not perform on the night I was there.

Larry Eisenberg, the director, does an excellent job.  This is the finest work I have seen from him to date. There is a moment, near the end, where a voice calls down from upstairs, which requires impeccable timing and was probably missed on this night and maybe requires a little misdirection so that we are absolutely not sure who is calling from upstairs.    

Steven Peterson, the writer, has written a magnificent play with the grand theme of affluence, caring for the aging, and of the unparalleled perfidy of those left in charge all in the name of keeping a certain lifestyle.

Instead of a “Who done it?” it’s more like a who’s going to do it?”  As all of the characters have a steak in the game of affluence. 

While the characters in this play are all part of the fait accompli, they are just not all moving in that direction or at the same pace.  This makes the play all the more enjoyable.  Not on the surface, but underneath, each person is striving for a favorable resolution to their own personal problems caring little for how that gets resolved.  Some characters are more despicable than the others.  Robert Jr. pleasantly throws out the ideas without having the audacity to be a physical partner to his thoughts of crime.   The others are silent but secretly willing to physically implement his ideas into action. At the end of the first act, they watch silently as Jean slowly dials 911. And one can only look to see if the children are really innocent bystanders.  Arthrid dancing with the grandmother seems like an innocent thing, at first glance. But, looking back, maybe that act was helping things along.

One of the interesting things about the ending is that the children don’t come to a resolution.  They are missing from the final conclusion from a reaction we desperately need  (I need.)  Certainly one needs a reaction of how things fell in their favor, or did not fall in their favor at all. That’s just me.  I need a little more closure.

But this takes nothing away from the show, which I thought was marvelous.

Michele Young did a marvelous job as the Costume Designer.   

Ric Zimmerman Lighting Design cast a very somber mood for this comedy but one which worked tragically well, all things considered. 

Other members of this marvelous crew are as follows:

Vesna Tolomanoska – Assistant Director

Don Solosan – Stage Manager

Joseph “Sloe” Slawinski – Sound Design

Michele Bernath – Dance Choreographer

Tanya Wilkins – Fight Choreographer

If you ever get a chance to see a production of this play – Run! Run! Run! – And take someone nearer to God than thee.

www.theatre40.org

You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown - Based on the Comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz – Book, Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lipps

Holland Noel

(Charlie Brown sat in a director’s chair in A Charlie Brown Christmas.  I will do the same here, as a particular character, a reviewer.)

The actors were great, all had powerful voices, the characterizations were spot on, and the musical numbers were fantastic.

But I sat there, in the chair, in the empty theatre, feeling empty. I know, I shouldn’t feel like that, but I did.  Empty.

I had trouble sitting quietly, during the performance, a few feet away, as a former director, feeling a little helpless. But didn’t anyone get the visual cues from me?  The fact that I was writing feverishly in the front row, taking notes, didn’t resonate with the actors playing the characters on stage.  

That the actors should have been more stage left? Rather than stage right? Downstage, when matters were best settled upstage?   That the kite would have been better blue, than red? 

Didn’t anyone see how alone I felt?  Wasn’t pulling my hair out enough of a visual cue?  Was I the only one seeing it the way it should have been?

Why, in a world of incredible actors, was I the only one feeling that it needed focus? 

(And one last thing, I don’t identify with Charlie Brown, I don’t.  I said it and I’m not ashamed.) - Narrator

I’ve heard about You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown The Musical over the years from people who made polite remarks about the show and never saying a bad thing about it.

“Snoopy was great!”

“You have to go for Snoopy alone.”

“And the best part was Snoopy! “

“Snoopy cracked me up!”

“Snoopy is as funny as all get out.”

Snoopy was probably the best thing about the cartoons I saw on TV growing up and watched during the holiday seasons, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. 

As a child, I poured over Peanuts comic books, and the daily comic strips. I noticed that in the earlier version of the comic strip the characters were badly drawn. There wasn’t a lot of character development in those cells but they were funny.     

And in all these years, I had never seen the musical about Charlie Brown and wasn’t it about time I got over to the theatre to see it?   For gosh sakes!

Later, after seeing it, my daughter asked me if kids or adults played the characters. 

“Adults.  Why?” 

“Why?  Cause it’s better with kids.” 

Kids know everything and I see her point.  The kids in the comic strip are speaking and acting like adults, even Snoopy, which, makes it comical.   But in this case it was the adults acting as kids, acting like adults.

Sustaining Sound Theatre Company and Chromolume Theatre present You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Revised 1999) based on the comic strip, Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz, Book, Music and Lyrics by Clark Gesner, additional dialogue by Michael Mayer and additional Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lippa through November 2, 2014.   

The cast of characters were there: Charlie (Holland Noel), Lucy (Dorothy Blue), Sally (Kristin Towers-Rowles), Linus (Richie Ferris), Schroeder (John Deveraux), and Snoopy (Matt Steele).  All were superior in voice and skills.  

The great musical numbers in this show are Choreographed by Samantha Whidbey.  The Kite by Charlie Brown was one of my favorites because there is so much emotional life in that song.  Rabbit Chasing with Sally and Snoopy, and My New Philosophy with Sally and Schroeder. The Doctor Is In with Lucy and Charlie gives us the true sense of what Charlie Brown and Lucy are all about.

This production is a scaled down version of the show, in a very small intimate theatre, and one that is good for kids as well as adults, but in truth, this is a grand experience for young adults.  

This particular version of the show directed by Cate Caplin came off, not as a comic strip with songs but rather, as vignettes (in the same vein of “Laugh In” for those who remember back in the day). Actors would come in, say their piece, or sing a song, and then leave.  Continuity, or a strong through line, was difficult to discern during the course of this show. 

We have come to know the relationships between characters over the years and those relationships could have been better, and strongly defined.  This is a call for a minor adjustment for my own idiosyncratic reasons.  Learn the songs, the movements, remember and define the relationships, and how it all fits to arrive to the pièce de résistance.

L - R Front: Dorothy Blue, Kristin Towers-Rowles
Second Row: Richie Ferris, John Deveraux
Third Row:  Holland Noel, Matt Steele

Holland Noel, as Charlie Brown has a great presence on stage and some wonderful moments. But we never really get a sense that he’s a blockhead, whether he thinks that or the others do. Even in this musical, we need the sense that he has overcome his adversities in the end and is thought of as a good man, because that is what the show is about.  

Dorothy Blue is wonderful to watch as Lucy van Pelt, has a very nice voice, and I love the blue dress. Lucy is worldly; at least that’s what she thinks of her self. A little more development of that character trait and purpose would go a long way. She doesn’t want anyone smarter than she is and she will go out of her way to confuse people like her brother Linus in the song Little Know Facts.  Also Lucy has a crush on Schroeder but we don’t see that at all.

John Deveraux as Schroeder has an excellent voice and a marvelous way on stage. But there is more to be had in this character and his mannerisms as he moves about on stage. There must be a stronger relationship to Charlie Brown and also his muse, Lucy van Pelt, to give the character a little more humph. 

Richie Ferris plays Linus van Pelt.  This tall statuesque actor has a powerful voice and does well on stage. So tall that he whips his security blanket on to the lights high above him. In this musical review, Ferris should strengthen his relationship with Charlie Brown, his best friend, and Sally so that we know where he stands with both of those characters. And I always thought that Linus was the smartest one of the group, if so I did not see this in Ferris’ performance.

Matt Steele plays Snoopy and does so marvelously as he moans, slithers, slides, and dances all around the stage. And yes, “Snoopy cracked me up.”

Kristin Towers-Rowles plays Sally Brown and has a lovely voice.  Also, this Sally Brown is an interesting characterization of pushing her chest out, trying to find answers to her questions, and wondering why the world is conspiring against her.  (Art never deserves a “C”, from any teacher, any time.)  Finding ways to make Sally’s relationship with Linus stronger would be a good thing—she does love him and defining that physical relationship would add to an already remarkable performance.

Other members of the cast who serve as understudies that did not perform on stage the night I was there were Trevor Coran, Rachel Geis, Carly Linehan, Andreas Pantazis, and Michael Uribes. 

Robert Towers & Ryan Rowles produced the show.

Colorful Scenic Design was by Erik Austin.  The Lighting Designer was Will North Cleckler.

Costumes by Shon LeBlanc & Melissa Pritchell helped with the characterization and was nicely done.

I was particularly impressed by the sound coming from Charlie Brown’s empty mailbox, Sound Design by Kenny Leforte.

The Choreographer/Stage Manager was Samantha Whidby.

And making the songs sound so delightful was by Musical Director Jeff Bonhiver, who was also on the keyboard, while Tyler Smith played the drums.

Other members of the crew are as follows:

Publicity – Mike Abramson

House Manager – Elliott J. Lawrence

Co-Artistic Directors – Kristin Towers-Rowles & Rebekah Hellerman

Run!  And take some kids that love free expression and speak their minds.   

The Chromolume Theatre @ The Attic

5429 West Washington Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90016

(Between Carmona Ave & Hauser Blvd.)

Reservations:  323-205-1617 or purchasing online.

http://www.crtheatre.com/charliebrown.html  

www.crtheatre.com

“You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown” is presented through special arrangement with Tams-Witmark Music Library, Inc., and proceeds from this production will be sent to Free Arts For Abused Children, a Los Angeles based non-profit organization whose mission is to provide healing and empowerment to victims of child abuse and neglect through creative and innovative arts programming. More information may be found at www.freearts.org.

Low Hanging Fruit by Robin Bradford

By Joe Straw

Our land is littered with our own homegrown “Green Zones”.  These zones are inhabited with our nation’s forgotten veterans, living homeless, and in squalid conditions.  

I’m not sure what it was.  “It” being this sudden release of feelings, the tears streaming down my cheeks during the dance number at the beginning of the second act.  Maybe, it was the joy of life that people experience, in a place, where moments before, the thought of happiness was impossible to imagine. 

Or maybe it was that wonderful feeling one gets when watching human beings having a magnificent time, knowing that their life will not get any better than this moment.   – Narrator

Low Hanging Fruit by Robin Bradford and directed by Lee Sankowich is a very satisfying night of theatre.   On the surface, this may sound like faint praise but I enjoyed every minute of this show.  The writing, the acting, and the direction worked on many levels.

Aside from a great night of theatre, there’s more work to be done, not a lot, but more. I’ll have some notes later.

Zephyr Theatre presents the World Premiere of Low Hanging Fruit written by Robin Bradford, directed and produced by Lee Sankowich through October 26, 2014.

Canyon (Christina Wren) has a very lovely voice as she plucks the guitar, an amateur busker looking for change.  Don’t ask questions, if you like the music, just toss the money in the case, and leave.  

But Tito (Ben Cain) is not the kind of man that she wants throwing money into her case one bill at a time.  He stares looking at her nubile body extrapolating the earning dollars of her flesh. Good-looking Tito is worldly, a pimp who operates on the sleazy side, a licentious doctrine embossed on his business card if you will, and not someone this 14-year-old can trust.  And, he ain’t leaving. So Canyon throws her guitar into the case and moves on.

Maya (Lola Anthony) has a voice, wants a voice, a loud whispering Latina (Puerto Rican?) voice from Brooklyn that wants the world to know that she is back, tears flowing, that she is struggling, and is fighting to climb out of the mental hole that was the war, struggling hard, fighting the good fight that her father was never able to overcome.

“Daddy killed himself in Vietnam

 - the last shot, in his mouth -

31 years after he came home.” - Maya

Alice (Cheri Lynne VandenHeuvel) is contently sitting in her ratty old chair, knitting, and just watching over things. In her chair, she is a queen - something about her – watching over her subjects and being very motherly in this queendom of a homeless encampment called the Taj Mahal in downtown Los Angeles.    She takes pride in handling the money, which is in a roll, hidden away in her bag.  

Maya, through with poetry for now, walks in, dressed in military fatigues, and for the moment looking every bit the strong military woman, the boot steps give it away, the khakis a further explanation of where she has been, and where she is going. Muscles bulging in places she didn’t know she had.   

But in walks Cory (Terasa Sciortino), long stringing hair covered by a cap, with her new found friend Canyon, the 14-year-old transient that Cory has taken a liking to.  Cory leans a certain way and Canyon is way too cute to let her go.  Aware of her age, Cory sees her as someone from the streets to protect. The trouble is that she is fourteen years old, living on the streets, and has a questionable runaway story.  

But Alice doesn’t like Canyon’s story and wants her out especially after she learns her age.  Police don’t mind this camp now for the time being but Canyon brings too many problems into their lives and Alice doesn’t want any part of that mess.  

Yolanda (Chanda Hartman), finally waking from a night of who knows what, crawls out of the tent by the fence wearing a bright red dress as if ready to party.  Straightening out her blond wig just to get herself in some kind of order, she doesn’t give a fig about Canyon, but she is looking for some extra money, selling herself to keep the girls fed around this camp and a little something extra for her drug habit.  

And that’s when Tito comes to get her.  It’s business as usual when he comes for Yolanda, but out of the corner of his eye, he sees Canyon and wants her to come his way. The women run Tito out of the camp because they are all they got.  

The question for the time being is: “Does Canyon stay or go?” Alice sends Cory off to get a burger while the rest vote.  

Robin Bradford, the writer, has written an exquisite play that tells us a lot about what is going on with the women that we send to war.  And these women fight a battle on two fronts, the enemy and with our very own.   Coming home after being discharged, they have very little to show for it, except for those big emotional scars of war, harassment, and rape.  

The characters in this play provide each other with a base of support because they are all stuck.  They are not able to find the answers to their feelings, which are:  I can’t get better and I don’t know where to begin. We get the message, loud and clear.  

The minor issue with this play is that we see the support they provide each other but do not see how they move in a direction to get out. Defining the characters’ objectives, and their dreams in the context of the play would help to iron out those few problems.  And after defining the path of the characters, we need to see if they get there or not. That path needs clarity and strength.

Also, as a practical concern, the social order of the camp is not reminiscent of any military order I’ve witnessed during my lifetime (growing up in military family) and one would hope that would be better defined in future rewrites.

Still this is a wonderful play that I hope that Ms Bradford would continue to work on.

Lee Sankowich, the director and producer, does an excellent job of putting this all together. There is an undeniable truth to his direction, the uncluttered naturalism, all that all are guided in creating multidimensional characters, with all of this managing to convey a convincing truth.   The aesthetic impression of the night rings an important truth that carries one well into the darkened night.  

Christina Wren is fantastic as Canyon. Wren is perfectly suited for the 14-year-old role because of her diminutive size and youthful appearance. There is an underlying strength that could be added to this character. That the character is not fully developed is evident as she changes suddenly, without warning, and without the backstory needed. Little hints would help so that we know where the character is going.

Ben Cain does a respectable job as Tito. But there’s more to this character, another level, possibly three. Is he there to annoy the ladies and be a pimp?  There’s not much there. This works fine for television but a greater sense of self and character development would only add to a performance that was good, but could have been better. Tito operates like the men in the military and I think the women see this.

Lola Anthony plays Maya with an inherent strength in her character. Maya is the one character with dreams enough get out of this place.  Her Latina roots give her a focus and it’s a wonder that she is in this camp because she clearly is the one with a sharp head on her shoulders. But why does she stay? Is she getting material for her writing?  She is obviously looking, trying to find a way, to get out. Anthony does an exceptional job, finding the core of the character, and taking that character home. It is a marvelous performance.

Cheri Lynne VandenHeuvel (that’s a long name) fits comfortably with the role of Alice, a wily, feisty; take no prisoner type of character.  She obviously wants to lead but finds it depressing that none of the other girls want to follow.  She is in fact a sergeant with no privates. This is a character that lacks a strong objective and one is not sure where this character is going.   Could self-doubt about leading effectively be one of the reasons she remains in the camp?

Terasa Sciortino as Cory has the look of someone who has been living in the camp for sometime. With her hair, the cap, and the overall look, she has the appearance of someone who has lived in her clothes for the duration of her time there.  This character carries more baggage but can’t find a way to get her being out of this situation. She is the most conflicted character on stage but really needs to search for a way out whether she gets there or not.  There’s more to be had from this character, the necklace she wears, the garden she keeps, and the demons that come to her in the night - that strangles her like the macabre necklace around her throat.   

Chanda Hartman is exceptional as Yolanda.  Hartman has a very nice presence on stage.  The question for me was:  Why is this character there?  Aside from getting money for the group, she doesn’t have a purpose. She is the Yin to the Yang, the opposite extreme to what these ladies are not but part of the collective.   Prostitution, drugs, drink, and any other vice - you name it, she does it.  But she plays an important part in the service of the group and should find physical ways to get the group to move on.  

Heather Taylor also plays Canyon as well but did not perform the night I was there.  

Margie Mintz served as Co-Producer of this lovely production.

Other members of the crew are as follows:

Giulio Perrone – Set Designer

Rebecca Raines – Lighting Designer

Wendell C. Carmichael – Costume Designer

Norman Kern – Sound Designer

Katherine S. Hunt – Prop Designer

Racquel Lehrman, Theatre Planners – Marketing Manager

Victoria Watson, Theatre Planners – Assoc. Marketing Manager

Nora Feldman – Publicist

Lupe Lucero – Stage Manager

As a side note, the Veterans Administration is able to help women who were honorably discharged from the service.  But women, like the ones in the play, are afraid to go because of the services are not specific to their needs.  The VA is slowly making inroads with outreach programs to contact women, and to provide housing and support services through social workers and peer support.

Run!  Run!  And take a military woman who has served this country with honor and dignity.  

Buy Tickets/Info:  Please visit www.plays411.com/low  or 323-960-7788

Where:  The Zephyr Theatre is located at 7456 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood 90046