Starmites An Intergalactic Musical – Music and Lyrics by Barry Keating – Book by Stuart Ross & Barry Keating

By Joe Straw

It’s been a long time since I’ve had so much fun in the theatre.  Just the thought of letting “it all go”, sit back, and be entertained.   I came with no preconceived idea of the show or what it was all about and I have to say its has been awhile since I’ve been totally surprised seeing something this enjoyable.    

Starmites, An Intergalactic Musical, was a dramatic revelation of a show from start to finish.  The musical was completely polished and wonderful from beginning to end. The audience loved it, the songs were delightful, the voices were strong, and the characters were amazing. And there were puppets galore! 

This is a show to bring all kids ages 6 to 66. And it’s all here presented by the Ensemble Theatre Company (etc) in Santa Monica at the Miles Memorial Playhouse through May 9^th 2010. 

Brilliantly directed and choreographed by Steve Edlund and produced by Parmer Fuller & Narcissa Vanderlip.

This story takes us to a land, not very far from here.  Lonely Eleanor (Natalie Storrs) sits on the floor in her room reading her comic book Starmites and wishing she were a superhero girl.  Unbeknownst to her, she awakens a powerful force in the universe, Shak Graa (Matthew McFarland). (That’s what you get for hard wishful thinking.)

The darker side, her mother (Jen Reiter) barges into the room and wants the comic books out of the house! (You would think that some moms just get it, but no.)  She thinks Eleanor’s fantasy life is taking her on a path toward lonely desperation.   Little does she realize that her sweet cuddly daughter has a power awakening in her being and those powers are unfolding dramatic events in the universe.  

Namely, the Starmites lead by Space Punk (Donald Webber, Jr.), Herbie Harrison (Michael Joyce), Ack Ack Ackerman (Thomas Krottinger), and Dazzle Razzledorf (Jonah Priour) zip to earth and discover Eleanor has the power to save them and the universe. They whisk her away to another galaxies to find “The Cruelty”, a powerful musical instrument before it falls into the hands of Shak Graa.  

And in inner space there is a wonderful number “Afraid of the Dark” which takes Eleanor and the Starmites on an unforgettable journey.  This number, very imaginative, seems to propel the entire musical into intergalactic space. 

But, in the confusion and in the dark the Starmites are run off by the attack of The Banshees, a quartet of hungry man-eating puppets. Maligna (Marisa Esposito), Shotzi (Riana Nelson), Canibelle (Jessica Perlman), and Balbraka (Raquel Sandler), all with incredible voices and voracious appetites for men. They are lead by Diva (also Jen Reiter) in a great hip swinging number It’s hard to be a Diva! 

Diva has a daughter Bizarbara (also Natalie Storrs) and as all mothers do, wants her married and out of the house!  She has plans of getting her married to Space Punk. (I suppose if you were desperate you would give your daughter to a guy with the name Space Punk, seriously.)

But Space Punk is not so bad and besides he’s off somewhere falling in love with Eleanor as each professes their love in a wonderful number Love Duet.

Neverthless, all is not happy in Loveville.  The Diva and the Banshees capture Space Punk.  The Diva uses her intergalactic force to pawn off her daughter to Space Punk.  Space Punk agrees then changes his mind and I’ll say no more.

Everyone gets his or her chance to showcase his or her vocal prowess and each succeeds magnificently. Webber as Space Punk was magnificent as was Storrs. The Banshees were a powerful team and each has a moment in the sun (castle) Esposito, Nelson, Perlman and Sandler all gave outstanding performances.

Reiter as Diva was remarkable.  Her Diva hips sashaying her around the stage using her Diva hair and Diva lips for punk-u-ation all in the matter of controlling the universe and her daughter. 

The Starmites Joyce, Krottinger, Priour each had their moments on stage and aside from all the chest banging in the first number showed a piazza during the course of the show. McFarland is quite funny as Shak Graa.

Musical Director Michael Alfera did a tremendous job as well as his band mates Chris Myers and Chris Payne, and they also had a lot of talent to play along with.

Jessica Dalva created the wonderful puppets on stage www.jessicadalva.com - an amazing artist in her own right.

Lili Fuller, costumer Designer, has everyone in intergalactic costumes.  The space stockings were quite nice; the jump suits a little less not nice. www.boomkatdance.org

Edlund, the director, has done a wonderful job.  The set makes it almost impossible to see they are in the various places in the program with the exception of the bedroom; innerspace, Shriekwood Forest, Great Hall of Castle Nemesis, Castle Mortuary and the Chamber of Psychosorcery, but this is only a small quibble.  And why quibble?

This show had a long history of getting to Broadway but it did in 1989, and was nominated on 6 Tony awards.

My six year old said she could not get the musical out of her head the next morning.  A true testament to a great show!           

Live longer, think clearer, go see this show and have some intergalactic ridiculous fun!

The Playboy of the Western World by John Millington Synge

By Joe Straw

“I just riz the loy and let fall the edge of it on the ridge of his skull...”

Christopher Mahon (Michael A. Newcomer) killed a man. Not just a man but a close member of his family, his father Old Mahon (Geoff Elliott).

Quietly perpetrated in a potato field with the midmorning fog acting as a shield.  And silently committed near County Mayo, Ireland. The crime was a senseless and cowardly act.  The blade of the loy finding it’s mark, in the center of the skull, striking his father dead almost immediately.

And plowing away from the death scene, Christopher left his father, left him there for the stray dogs, in the middle of a blood soaked field, never asking himself the question: Why?

The Playboy of the Western World by John Millington Synge and directed by the indefatigable Geoff Elliott now playing in repertory at A Noise Within Theatre (ANW) in Glendale California is a fascinating comedic look at a play that caused theatre-goers to riot in 1907. 

One can only imagine being there, at that time, and being caught up in the riotous spectacle. 

But as the story goes, a man is dead, not much they can do about that. Go to the wake, bury him, and move on. But the insatiable appetite of the remaining characters yearns for the truth and it is, in this play, their raison d’etre.   Each of them, with their own macabre sense of justice wants to find out why Christopher Mahon killed his father. 

In a local pub Pegeen Mike (Lindsay Gould), Shawn Keogh (Brian Hostenske) speaks of getting married. Shawn is a bit of a wimp and not much of a man that a woman with a strong constitution would want to marry.

Pegeen’s father Michael James Flaherty (Apollo Dukakis) and his two friends Philly Cullen (William Dennis Hunt) and Jimmy Farrell come in for a moment in route to a wake. It is an activity they participate in regularly because there are libations and food for the night.

Christopher Mahon struggles into the bar, a shadow of his former self, filled with guilt and remorse and suddenly this unkempt stranger intrigues all.  When they find out that he has committed a crime they want all the frightening details. Finding himself in a position of power Christopher offers the minutiae of his crime at another time.  For now he is offered a place to stay and a job at the bar.

And now having a real man in the bar, Pegeen throws Shawn out and the playboy of the western world spends the night.

Not much happens in a small town without everyone knowing everything and such is the case as Sara Tansey (Rebecca Mason-Wygal) Honor Blake (Alicia Bruckman) and Susan Brady (Caitlyn Tella) who bring gifts to honor him. The Widow Quin (Jill Hill), a murderer herself, is intrigued with Christopher and wants the story and wants him as well.   And together they pry the narrative from his blood soaked memories.  

Only, there’s a problem, Christopher’s father is alive and he comes to make the sniveling Christopher pay for his crime. Christopher hides behind the door and his secret is out. And so is his manliness to all of those whom have come to know him. Therefore, he must make good on his pledge. 

Newcomer and Gould as Christopher and Pegeen respectively create an interesting relationship on stage.  Whether it is a love relationship is open to discussion. A lively discussion at that! Pegeen stuffs straw into a sack of her future husband with little regard of love in mind.  Christopher eats her food without taking delight in her or her way. There is a scene of them together where little takes place and the relationship is not further developed.

Hill as the Widow Quinn wants Christopher but takes very few physical steps to make that a reality.

Hunt as Philly is absolutely fantastic. His entrance in the second act is an aspiration to those working in that craft. 

Dukakis as Michael is a workhorse on the ANW stage, successful from one production to the next and delightful to watch.

Hostenske as Shawn was quite good. Its tough love being unloved but nevertheless a fine job.

Venable as Jimmy was also fine but not really sure what he wanted.

Mason-Wygal, Bruckman and Tella were very good in their roles but don’t know if they ever saw anything in the hearty leftovers  (Shawn).

Maxwell Schneller, as the peasant, was unassuming as all peasants should be. 

Geoff Elliot does yeoman work as the director and as a performer, Old Mahon. His voice is his strong asset and his physicality very demonstrative.  Geoff Elliot’s strength lies in his tenacity.  He has this uncanny and amazing ability to create incredible and lively crowds scenes. 

The Playboy of the Western World is full of life and joy and despite a few minor problems this production will only pick up steam during the course of its run.

Superb Scenic Design by Stephen Gifford and wonderful Costume Design by Soojin Lee. Dialect Coach by Nike Doukas in this Ireland setting was wonderful.

The grit on all of the characters seemed all too real. Can someone please take a moment to clean something on their being?

www.anoisewithin.org

Awake and Sing! By Clifford Odets

By Joe Straw

Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust; Isaiah – 26:19

Awake and Sing! is a brilliant play by Clifford Odets now playing in repertory at A Noise Within Theatre in Glendale, California and directed by Andrew J. Traisters. 

Opening up in full familial glory, Awake and Sing! is a look into a forgotten time capsule and finding interesting artifacts. In the capsule is a figurine of a strong matriarchal figure and attached below her are the emasculate men in her family, all-cowering beneath her and grasping her robe.  

A family starts first as an idea, a dream of happiness, and thoughts of a blood relation that is unbreakable.

And then something happens.  Age mostly.  The children turn into adults and they have these strange ideas about love and happiness and living at home until they are thirty! Later, the Marxist grandparent moves in and eventually everyone is living under one roof.  Throw in a one-legged war veteran boarder and you’ve got countless conflicts under one roof. 

But, most of all, Awake and Sing! is a story of a Jewish middle class family struggling for life, in the Bronx no less.  

Bessie Berger (Deborah Strang) and Myron Berger (Joel Swetow) are living in a household that is forever stuck in the middle class. They struggle with their two grown children Hennie Berger (Molly Leland) and Ralph Berger (Adam Silver). Living with them is Bessie’s father Jacob (Len Lesser) and a boarder Moe Axelrod (Daniel Reichert). 

As you can imagine things are a bit crowded and everyone is kind of set in their ways but more so is Bessie who controls the household with an iron fist. Myron, her nebbish husband follows her around like their dog, Tootsie.

Jacob has discovered that his grandson Ralph is in love and has dreams of developing his relationship because “She’s like French words!”  Ralph wants to keep the relationship low keyed because “Mom’s not letting my sixteen bucks out of the house…”

Hennie is getting long in the tooth for the day (25 years old and getting younger everyday) and her parents can’t wait to give her to “anyone” who just asks. And then they discover that Hennie is pregnant.

“It’s like a play on the stage…” her crying heartbroken father says.

Bessie, taking matter into her own hands, orders Myron: “Tomorrow night bring Sam Feinschreiber for supper.”

But nobody really likes Feinschreiber (Daivd Lengel) and Bessie is willing to give Hennie to anyone who asks, like Moe who just came back into the room.

“Why don’t you, Moe? An old friend of the family like you.  It would be a blessing on all of us.” 

Moe’s got this idea that Hennie would not want  “A guy with one leg – it gives her the heebie-jeebies.”  Nevertheless, Moe Axelrod has his sights on Hennie throughout the play.

Bessie, always concerned about money invites her rich brother Morty (Alan Blumfield) for dinner. Jacob gives Morty his insurance policy made out to Ralph.  But Morty and Bessie, in another level of family, conspire to keep the money themselves in case something should happen to Jacob.

They all struggle for a piece of the pie and money seems to be an overriding concern to all of them.  

Alan Waserman as Schlosser has the thankless role of not being in the family and German to boot.

Lengel as Sam with a strong voice and powerful accent was fantastic! Lengel plays “second fiddle” to no one.

Silver as Ralph was equally good.  Ralph is always talking about tap dancing but never does a dance step on stage, I found that odd.

Leland, as Hennie, was excellent, but showing too much of her work on stage, without getting the desired results. The relationship with her grandfather was not as strong as it should have been.  And her relationship with Moe needs strengthening as if Moe had something to do with Hennie’s pregnancy.

Reichert, as Moe, was fantastic. (But, the notes in the play said he’s killed two men from extra marital affairs, did not see any of this in the character.)   It was difficult to determine what his relationship to the family was when he first rang the doorbell. Smooth exterior with a rough inner life, shyster and not taking anything from anyone, especially Bessie.

Jacobs’s (Lesser) relationship with Ralph, his grandson, is quite nice and all the more hurtful when Ralph turns on him. 

Blumenfeld as Uncle Morty liked holding the purse strings and will do anything to help his sister, Bessie. Nicely done!

Myron: Where you going, little Red Riding Hood?

Hennie:  Nobody knows, Peter Rabbit.

Swetow, as Myron, in such a defining moment in this play. Anyone who’s had a daughter will be touched by that moment.

Strang as Bessie manages to figuratively strangle those around her.  Manipulative and charming she believes she is the source of all that is right and if it isn’t right, she’s going to make it right because that what she does.

This is a play that requires strong relationships and Andrew Traister, the director, manages to pull it off.  It’s easy to see that lives are changed in a moment and Traister guides us there with ease.     

And I couldn't help but think that a little more humor would liven things up a little bit.

First produced in 1935 and directed by Harold Clurman, this was part of The Group Theatre’s production that stunned audiences into submission with their craft, their writer (Odets), and their realistic style of acting.  

The Group Theatre left a legacy that is still looked upon to this day with envy and deep respect much like A Noise Within, which, in and of itself, is a grand theatrical organization and shows playing here and now will be talked about for years to come.

http://www.anoisewithin.org

No-No Boy by Ken Narasaki

By Joe Straw

Wow!  No-No Boy is a wonderful new play by Ken Narasaki and directed by Alberto Isaac! Poetic and thought provoking this world premiere play is adapted from the novel by John Okada. Now playing March 26 – April 18, 2010 at the beautiful Miles Memorial Playhouse in Santa Monica, California.

No-No Boy is a title given to Japanese Americans when they answered “no” to the following two questions:

“Are you willing to serve in the armed forces for the United States on combat duty wherever ordered?”

“Will you swear unqualified allegiance to the United States of America and faithfully defend the United States from any or all attack by foreign or domestic forces, and forswear any form of allegiance or obedience to the Japanese emperor, to any other foreign government, power or organization.”

These questions, part of the 1943 Leave Clearance Applications Form, administered to interned Japanese Americans, were confusing.  The first one suggested the prisoner was volunteering for the draft.   The second implied the American citizen had already sworn allegiance to the Japanese emperor.

A no answer got the Japanese American out of the internment camp and into federal prison.

This is a play about the re-integration of the former prisoner Ichiro (Robert Wu) who has returned home in 1946 to resume a normal family life.  

But the road back home has changed starting with Eto (Chris Tashima) who discovers Ichiro is a no-no boy and welcomes him back into society by spitting on him. 

Ichiro walks into the back of the grocery store where he is warmly met by his Pa (Sab Shimono). Later, his Ma (Sharon Omi) greets him in true Japanese form. His brother Taro (Jared Asato), there also, is resentful of his brother and believes him to be a coward.  

The home picture has gotten a little bleak when Ichiro discovers his Ma is delusional; believing the Japanese have won the war and a ship will come for them any moment to take them away.  

Realizing reintroduction will not be an easy task, Ichiro finds a like-minded friend Freddie (John Miyasaki, March 26, April 12^th and Mike Hagiwara, April 16 – 18) who has also answered in the negative.  Freddie has found refuge with a woman in 2A (Emily Kuroda) who takes this man, as is, with no prejudices or discrimination for answering no. 

Ichiro and Freddie go to a bar where they meet Kenji (Greg Watanabe). The wounds from the war eat at Kenji and thoughts of tearing Ichiro head off for being a no-no boy still gnaws in the pit of his stomach. But Kenji, remembering the war, has the capacity of forgive.  And setting all differences aside, Kenji takes him to his former lover, Emi (Keiko Agena).   They spend the night and Ichiro, who reminds Emi of her husband, sleeps with Emi.

There are moments in this play that defy gravity.  Those moments feel like the play will soar and take you on one very exciting ride.   And yet the momentum stops suddenly and you are left standing like a prisoner behind the wire.

For example, Ichiro’s return home does not seem like a grand homecoming, internally or externally. Certainly, he must find some joy in coming home after being away for two years.  Also, Ichiro’s demeanor lacked an inner conflict that would have helped his physical life. That conflict being, “Did I make the wrong choice in saying no”.  He must always question until he is satisfied that he finds the answer.  

Secondly, Emi’s introduction to Ichiro, feels very flat.  Emi doesn’t react to Ichiro’s likeness to her husband and when they finally get to bed there is no excitement as though they have done this for years. Minor adjustments in the action will only strengthen the play.

After all, what are the characters searching for?  What do they want?  Significant simple answers to complex conflicting problems will guide them toward the truth.  Imaginative choices will propel the action.

Overall, this is a fantastic cast with some very nice performances despite a few problems. 

Sab Shimono as Pa was just excellent.  It was wonderful to see him telling stories with Japanese art projected on the wall.

Greg Watanabe was the heart of the show.  He seemed to have an inner truth that guided his performance. Flawless execution. Nicely done! 

Keiko Agena gave the show tenderness, as did Emily Kuroda warmth.  Ken Narasaki, in a small role and with the best Japanese accent, was wonderful.

Robert Wu, a fine performer, is not as focused as he should be starting with his 70’s style haircut.  There are many levels still yet to conquer not an impossible task given his range.

Sharon Omi as Ma started out fine. She takes pride that she is Japanese and that pride takes her to a tragic place from which she does not recover.  For example, she waits breathlessly, looking over the horizon for the Japanese ship to take her back to Japan.  She must be terribly heartbroken when they tell her the ship will never come.   

Ken Narasaki, the writer, has taken the novel and made it into a very pleasurable play. While there is no Japanese spoken here there is a sense of ingrained culture embedded in this play.  This makes the play all the more enjoyable.

Aaron Pagel choreographed the fight scenes, nicely done.

Alberto Isaac, the director, did a fine job.  The death scenes were poetic.  The opening is quite fantastic!  Go see this play!  If not for the historical significance to ask yourself the question, “What could the American Government have been thinking to put our citizens in internment camps?”

Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

By Joe Straw

The rain was pouring like proverbial cats and dogs. Visibility down to zero and traffic moving along like an old cat on his last journey. And yet, the journey had its remarkable end, A Noise Within Theatre (ANW) in Glendale, California to see Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare.

Outside, in the cold wet air, darkness prevailed. There appeared to be no one at ANW and upon further inspection, coming closer, only two drench souls were visible.

Were we there on the wrong night? No. The box office lights were on. And shortly thereafter a ticket being entered the room.

When entering ANW a calm prevails, the feeling is a welcoming warmth that permeates your entire soul. The warmth ness lifts you up the long flight of stairs. (And stairs never seemed so easy.) There you discover a packed house of eager theatergoers. Surely, by the look of things, this must be one of the most remarkable theatre companies in Los Angeles.

Much Ado About Nothing directed by Michael W. Murray is a grand production. Set in the town of Messina, circa 1890’s this production is a costumed spectacle, with intelligent women and bewildered young men. Where the gorgeous dancers in beautiful masks scoff at harmony. And the shadows play on puzzled hearts as the night serves as a cloak for confused lovers. And in this darkness there is mischief, mirth, conniving peculiarities, and love. And oh, this is so much fun!

Beatrice (Torri Higginson) and Benedick (JD Cullum) are not in love, or so they say, in a way (to each other).

Hero (Lindsay Gould) and Claudio (Brandon Hearnsberger) are madly in love with each other but young love questions the other’s true feelings. Or so they say. (In a way.)

Leonato (Apollo Dukakis) has invited the Prince, Don Pedro (Patrick O’Connell) along with his consorts Benedick, Claudio, Don John (Stephen Rockwell), Borachio (Steve Weingartner) and Conrade (Shaun Anthony) for a stay at his villa.

They frolic in the company of each other while enjoying the word play of man versus woman. They also try to find love.

But there’s always a catch in love. Don Pedro’s brother, Don John, not satisfied with his role in life, wants to create mischief and will stop at nothing to make the lovers life miserable. His games are serious, a yearning to destroy young love for reasons that are not entirely clear. Jealously may be his motive but revenge is certainly his drug of choice. And to top that off he’s pure evil.

And when things start to get really serious in the second act, friends are pitted against each other and lovers are destroyed. But fear not, this is a comedy and things must work out in the end. (Or so they say.)

Prose aside, the makeup of the audience, has this blogger perplexed. It’s not like any other audience you see in town. One can only imagine that students of the craft flock to see how imaginative things can be on stage. To study and learn the art of the craft and be entertained, all at the same time is a wonderful thing.

Cullum is an amazing actor. As Benedict he commands the stage. Coy when he wants to be, hilarious at times, and dramatic when the action calls for it.

Higginson’s Beatrice is just as commanding. Lovely when she wants to be, funny when appropriate, and oh so serious at times.

O’Connell’s Don Pedro gave a masterful performance. He grew in stature as the night wore on. Just an amazing performance!

Mark Bramhall as Dogberry gave a performance of a lifetime. He is an actor in the moment and hilarious. Certainly a performance to watch, study and steal from. His imaginative choices kept all eyes on him and his next move.

This was a wonderfully cast also featuring Peter Larney as Balthasar, Mitchell Edmonds as Verges, Alicia Bruckman, Maxwell Schneller and Peter Larney as Members of the Watch, Abigail Caro as Margaret, Heather Grace as Sarah, Jonathon Lamer as Father Francis, and Hugh Mason as Antonio.

Michael W. Murray, as the director, does a magnificent job. He is very creative, and imaginative as he moves the actors delicately across the stage and even sometimes have them groveling on the floor. This is a very funny production and easy to understand.

Soojin Lee as the costume designer does a marvelous job. Check out her amazing work on www.soojinlee.com.

Julia Rodriguez-Elliott choreographs a couple of dance numbers, which were just incredible and thought provoking. Well worth the price of admission.

Not sure how ANW (Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott) does it, but do it, they do. One hit show after the next! And the craft is nothing short of excellent! Los Angeles deserves A Noise Within. Run to see this production and support this excellent theatre.

ANW is breaking ground on a new facility in Pasadena. Please go to their website at www.anoisewithin.org and support the theatre and it’s move.

Li’l Abner – Based on characters created by Al Capp

Book by Norman Panama and Melvin Frank

Lyrics by Johnny Mercer

Music by Gen de Paul

By Joe Straw

Li’l Abner, the musical, based on the characters created by Al Capp is presented by the Kentwood Players at the Westchester Playhouse through April 17, 2010. It is directed by Victoria Miller and produced by Susan Goldman Weisbarth.

Li’l Abner has something for everyone. Playing to sold out houses allows the Kentwood Players at the Westchester Playhouse to bring forth one production after another.

This 1956 Broadway musical is satire as was Andy Capp’s cartoon strip. And some of the ideas presented on stage make one quiver when one thinks of what the government was up to in those days. (For one: all the of the above air nuclear detonations in Nevada sending radioactive fallout all across the United States.)

That hilarity aside, this is a funny romp through countrified Dogpatch USA which has been declared “the most unnecessary town in the USA” by Senator Jack S. Phogbound (Ira Gewant) and because of that it is set to be nuked to the cheers of the town folk.

In the meantime, Mammy Yokum (Margie Bates) has been giving Li’l Abner (Derek Rubiano) Yokumberry Tonic. She has been feeding him his entire life. This makes him strong and handsome. (Couldn’t have it any other way, strong and ugly doesn’t work.) The tonic’s side effect makes Li’l Abner uninterested in sex. (Think Viagra in reverse and without the sinus headache.)

But, Daisy Mae (Meredith Sweeny) wants Li’l Abner and aims to claim him on Sadie Hawkins day. Appassionata von Climax (Minerva Schott) has other ideas and also wants Li’l Abner but for nefarious monetary and political reasons.

Daisy brings Stupefyin’ Jones (Janice Garcia) to help her nab Li’l Abner while von Climax hires Evil Eye Fleagle (Drew Fitzsimmons) to distract the men.

The men in town take part in the Yokumberry Tonic experiment to make them strong and good-looking. But after taking part in the experiment they wish for the day when they could once again be ugly and virile.

With all the men folk gone except Pappy Yokum (Jeff Asch), the women folk, lead by Daisy Mae make plans to get their men from the experiment laboratory, but there’s a catch, Daisy Mae needs muscle. She tells Earthquake McGoon (Marco Antonio Garcia) she needs him and if he helps her she will marry him.

Kentwood Players has managed to get some very fine performers for this production most notably Jeff Asch (Pappy), Leigh Golden (Moonbeam McSwine), Bruce Schroffel (General Bullmoose) Ira Gewant (Senator Jack S. Phogbound) Janice Garcia (Stupefyin’ Jones), and Meredith M. Sweeney (Daisy Mae).

This is a huge cast featuring Greg Abbott (Marryin’ Sam), Marcy Agreen (Wife), Nick Alspaugh (Government Man), Dylan Bailey (Government Man), Margie Bates (Mammy), Jordan Bland (Available Jones), Crystal Boyer (Ensemble), Kaitlan Brasuell (Wife), Sheldon Cohen (Clem Scragg), Diane Dooley (Esemble), Ron “Adam” Dunberger (Dr. Rasmussen), Dave Fulton (Alf Scragg), Marco Antonio Garcia (Earthquake McGoon), Slater Ross Garcia (Secretary), Greg Hardash (Secretary), Emma Hatton (Scarlet), Heidi Johnson (Wife), Mike La Stelley (Romeo Scraggs), Franesca Palermo (Wife), Dash Porter (Hairless Joe), Derek Rubiano (Abner), Robyn Rothstein (Ensemble) Valerie Ruel (Ensemble) Minerva Schott (Appassionata Von Climax), and Max Heldring Stormes (Mayor Dan’l Dawgmeat).

Victoria Miller, director and choreographer, has taken a cast the size of Laurence of Arabia, and has molded into a very workable production.

Dave Boyer, Musical Director, does a great job with his eight piece orchestra: Greg Lee on trombone, Anibal Seminario, sax and clarinet, Mark Shapiro, lead bass, Steve Fry, acoustic bass, Paul Alford, electric bass, Arthur Garrison, percussion, and Perry Shields also on percussion.

Hats off to the hardest working community theatre in the nation!

Westchester Playhouse

310-645-5156 for resvervations

Tales of An Urban Indian by Darrell Dennis

By Joe Straw

Tales of an Urban Indian written and performed by Darrell Dennis and directed by Herbie Barnes at the beautiful Autry Museum is a fascinating story of an adolescent boy growing up Native and trying to find his place in the world.

Darrell Dennis as Simon Douglas is from British Columbia, Canada and manages to paint a pretty picture of a not so pretty story. Dennis is engaging, funny, and filled with an indescribable life force. It is a fascinating play, with engaging sympathetic characters.

But, the focus of this play seems to be on the makeup of the characters and not the journey. And this particular journey is moderately convoluted and not focused on a specific objective. If there is an overall objective, it is subtle.

It’s not enough to get in a car; the traveler needs to know where they are going and then, the traveler needs to let go of the wheel and let imaginations soar. (Figuratively speaking, of course)

The images of these people conjured by Dennis reflects his take on family and friends: all impersonations with Barnes stamp of approval. They are unique, in their own right, but strangely (and I’ve been thinking about this for some time) very similar to any impoverished community.

Maybe this is what Barnes, the director, had in mind. There are the boys; pulling leaches off their bodies, looking to get laid, questioning their sexuality, and looking to get drunk, crashing their cars, and finally looking to get high.

If a character in any play needs to be shown the way, that character is Douglas. He needs a mentor; if you will, to give focus to his life, but he doesn’t have it in him, the ability to accept help nor is he willing to accept all that is offered him. He doesn’t learn from the tragedies around him but forges ahead on a path to near death and destruction.

They are all specific characterization, very inventive and sympathetic. When each one dies, a stone is placed in memory of the fallen. (Note: The stones were placed on stage that was not visible to a lot of the audience.)

It’s hard to have sympathy for a character that continuously gets himself into so much trouble and mostly of his own doing. He digs a hole so deep it’s hard to see the opening and almost impossible for him to climb out. Still, if that’s your thing, seeing someone fall so low that you feel on top of a mountain, then this play is for you!

Dennis has created characters from his life that are specific, inventive and sympathetic. And when they leave this earth a stone is placed in memory. It is a powerful testament to memory and the characters that make up his life.

Listen to the remarkable Sound Design by Matthew Hubbs. Go to the Autry. See another perspective of life. Bring someone you care about and talk about the play. Enjoy and count your blessings.

Brandon Oakes is the understudy. Recently seen in Palestine, NM. (The blog is below.)

As always, Randy Reinholz and Jean Bruce Scott, have done a remarkable job as executive producers in their 10^th season of bringing Native Voices at the Autry.

The parking is FREE and there is a Native American basket display in the museum part of the complex.

And everyone is friendly! Go!

March 13 – 28^th.

The Autry

4700 Western Heritage Way

Los Angeles, CA 90027-1462

www.theautry.org.