A most remarkable musical play, Salvage, has opened at the Lounge Theatre in Hollywood. First time playwright, Tim Alderson, creates a powerful story of ambition, frustration, love, loss, despair and hope, which is fueled by the music and lyrics of Mark Heard, Pat Terry, Randy VanWarmer, and Alderson himself, and backed by the efforts of … Continue reading “Salvage” at The Lounge Theatre
Without looking at the press release for Colin Speer Crowley’s play, Fifteen Men in a Smoke-Filled Room, I conjured up mental images of political comedy with over-fed men puffing on stogies while they harangue and scheme and plot ways to subvert the republic and line their pockets with filthy lucre. That is not the … Continue reading “Fifteen Men in a Smoke-Filled Room” at Theatre 40
When it comes to the great Pat Kinevane, an Irish national treasure and Olivier Award winner, the word that comes up, after trolling through my mental hard drive, is “incomparable.” I really can’t liken him to any other performer that I know of, and I get around and have done so for decades. A solo … Continue reading “Before” at Odyssey Theatre
Did you know that Iceland was invaded by the British in World War II? Neither did I. Or that the Americans took over later with US Marines stationed there? Or how after December 7, 1941, American Army soldiers took over so the Marines could be redeployed to the Pacific? Why? Because Iceland was smack in … Continue reading “Defenders” at Pandelia’s Canary Yellow Company
A girl I had a yen for in high school was a year older than me. Through persistence, I got her to go with me up to San Francisco to see Lawrence of Arabia. I was greeted at the door by her dad, a short, gentle guy with a kindly demeanor. When he reached out … Continue reading “Eight Nights” at Antaeus Theatre
Just thinking about Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot makes me smile. I have seen a few productions. I even auditioned for the role of Lucky decades ago at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. A friend saw the audition and judged it “dynamite.” The director wasn’t so enthusiastic. Soon thereafter, we packed our bags and headed for … Continue reading “Waiting for Waiting for Godot” at Sacred Fools
Joy and sadness abound in Julia Migenes’ farewell performances now playing at Odyssey Theatre. The joy comes from her effervescent bond with her audience, her easy manner and spontaneity, her wit, and of course her voice, sa voix, with which she can do anything. The catalog of choice French songs she performs with joy, passion, … Continue reading “La Vie en Rose” at Odyssey Theatre
