It’s a gay old time (mostly) this week with three shows dealing with diverse gay-themes…from baseball, to marriage, to killings. As always, please double check directions and availability of seats. Theatre does sell out in L.A…well, sometimes.

Nocturne By Adam Rapp

Tres Stage | 1523 N. La Brea Ave., second floor, L.A. - Map

Human story about dealing with human loss. With the chilling first line, “Fifteen years ago I killed my sister,” the drama unfolds in a one-man show that deconstructs this tragedy. [ Read The Full Story -> ]

A ten year old brings a gun to school. A teacher is threatened. Those are the facts, and in an ideal world, justice would be served to the maximum extent of the law. However, playwright Richard Martin Hirsch (click for interview with Hirsch) sees it differently, and in his new play, The Monkey Jar, he sets out to show where these lines blur into different shades of gray.

The play takes place at a charter school in an affluent part of town. Parental involvement is not just encouraged but a dictated way of life where children are pawns in a game of test scores and accomplishments; where a slight learning disability can mean the difference between an ivy education and a government funded one. As the cliché goes, it is a jungle out there—and it all happens before middle school.

[ Read The Full Story -> ]

Violence in our schools is nothing new. We read about it in the paper almost every day and we see it on our television sets just as often. It has got to the point that even the most innocuous of school items can be perceived as threats, and minor infractions once considered part of growing up become a lingering fixture in a young person’s permanent record.

At a time when there is exploding unrest and violence in schools in this country, THE MONKEY JAR is a timely play addressing the fears of educators who have to deal with conflicting personalities, politically correct behavior and a school’s desire to keep a pristine reputation. When a young student brings a gun to class in a charter public school that has heavy parental involvement, pride in high test scores and an enviable reputation, everyone is panicked. The stakes are enormous. With multiple ethnicities involved - a first year African-American principal; a Japanese-American teacher who is privately gay; and an Asian-American student whose adoptive parents are Jewish – the possibility looms for an explosive situation that could ruin lives and forever tarnish the school’s reputation.

I was able to take a moment and sit down with the playwright to discuss some aspects of his new play–from origins to influences. [ Read The Full Story -> ]

Hamlet
REDCAT at Walt Disney Concert Hall
631 W. 2nd St., L.A.
More info at Redcat

The Wooster Group offers an exciting version of Shakespeare’s classic to L.A., with Scott Shepherd in the title role and music by electroclash duo Fischerspooner. Directed by Elizabeth LeCompte.

Schedule note: Two Sunday performances, Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 10 at 3 p.m.

[ Read The Full Story -> ]

“You cannot have a city that is defined by a beach, two theme parks, and a sign.”

Chuckles and cheers erupted at the “Bringing Broadway Back” Press Conference this morning after Carol Schatz pronounced this truth for the ages. Ms. Schatz is the President and CEO of the Central City Association of Los Angeles and Downtown Center Business Improvement District. I’m assuming her business card folds. At any rate, she was one of many downtown advocates who joined in support of the vision of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and City Council District 14 Representative Jose Huizar to revitalize the “Broadway Corridor” in downtown Los Angeles.

[ Read The Full Story -> ]

“You cannot have a city that is defined by a beach, two theme parks, and a sign.”

Chuckles and cheers erupted at the “Bringing Broadway Back” Press Conference this morning after Carol Schatz pronounced this truth for the ages. Ms. Schatz is the President and CEO of the Central City Association of Los Angeles and Downtown Center Business Improvement District. I’m assuming her business card folds. At any rate, she was one of many downtown advocates who joined in support of the vision of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and City Council District 14 Representative Jose Huizar to revitalize the “Broadway Corridor” in downtown Los Angeles.

[ Read The Full Story -> ]

I’ve always enjoyed the intrinsic pleasure that comes from a good bargain. Some people call me cheap, I call myself committed to a good sale. It really has less to do with the money, than it does with knowing that you got it for less than what your friend paid. I know there are others out there that feel the same. Right?

Your Friend: I saw Wicked last night. Third row.

You: Me too. First row.

Your Friend: Cool. Pretty expensive tickets, huh?

You: Not really. I paid $25.

Your Friend: What?? I paid $120!

Well, I’m sure it would go something like that. I know. I’ve done it. Yes, each and every time a big Broadway show comes to L.A. I’m right there looking for the cheapest way to see it. Sometimes it’s worth the cheap price (Rent, Doubt) other times it’s not (Mamma Mia!, A Light in the Piazza.) I’m offering some tips on seeing these shows for cheap. If you know any more, be sure to let me know. I’m always looking for bargains.

[ Read The Full Story -> ]

The weekend is coming up and there are quite a few shows opening up. This is partial list of shows opening today and tomorrow. Check back on Friday for an update on shows opening up through the rest of the weekend. As always, please call forward and check for directions and prices.

Sunday in the Park With George - Musical Theatre Repertory at USC

Stephen Sondheim/James Lapine Pulitzer Prize winning musical based on the life of 19th century French artist Georges Seurat.
Jan. 24 - Jan. 27, Sundays: 2 p.m., Thursdays: 8 p.m., Fridays: 8 p.m., Saturdays: 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.
Price: Free.
Email: uscmtr@gmail.com
Box office: 213-500-3225.

[ Read The Full Story -> ]

Sometimes the shows with the big bucks aren’t necessarily worth the money you spend. For the casual theatergoer, a night out can set you back a few dollars. That’s not even factoring dinner before and drinks after the show. So, it’s understandable that anyone would stop and ask, “But is it any good?” before shelling out a small fortune for the hottest show in town. Fortunately, there are some really good shows to check out this weekend that won’t set you back much. In fact, for just about the same price of admission to, say, The Arclight, you could be sitting front row at one of the many 49-seat theatres in Los Angeles (considering that front row seats at bigger venues can range anywhere from $80-150 per ticket.)

So, this weekend, be adventurous and check out some of L.A.s smaller theatres. Who knows? You might come across a gem…or not. And even if you don’t, financially, it can’t be any different than if you would have gone to see the latest installment of the Saw or Scary Movie franchises. At least you’ll be able to treat your date to dinner and drinks.

I’ve listed a few places to check out this weekend. Prices range from $10-25 per ticket.

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V-Day: Antioch University 2008 Presents a benefit performance of: The Vagina Monologues. The benefit will take place February 22nd at 8 pm and February 23rd at 7 pm located 400 Corporate Pointe Culver City 90230. To purchase tickets please visit: brownpapertickets.com. Organized by the Universities Student Action Network, the play is directed, produced and acted out by students. All proceeds will go to two Non-Profit Organizations working to stop the violence towards women and children.

The statistics are frightening: every year the number of women sexually or physically abused grows exponentially. Mass rape is a common war tool designed to destroy entire communities by destroying their women.

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I’m providing even more information on Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd for the simple reason that, well, I think this is America’s finest contribution to musical theatre. To be honest, though, it really is everywhere—from the giant poster on Santa Monica Blvd. and Highland Avenue to the multitude of posters lining the bus stops all over the greater Los Angeles area (I really don’t venture anywhere outside of L.A. unless I have to.) On top of that, Stephen Sondheim will be making a rare appearance at UCLA in March and the re-envisioned Broadway revival will be making a pit stop in downtown around that same time. So, for all those Angelinos looking to reacquaint themselves with the demon barber, or for the new fans that can’t get enough of it, mark your calendars!

Until them, let me break down the three versions now available:

[ Read The Full Story -> ]

How does one in good conscience turn a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about the difficult early 20th century lives of black women in particular and black people in general into a musical about love? Oprah Winfrey’s production of The Color Purple, which is currently at the Ahmanson Theatre, attempts to do just that. The fact that Oprah is able to sleep at night, basking in the glory of the musical’s success while ignoring its larger implications, is disturbing, but not surprising.

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