May 2008 Archives

I might, but I didn't, and am glad I refrained for a few reasons.

Readers of this space will recall that I sometimes bring/drag J-Blue the future theater critic (aka Jeremy Henerson) along with me on my reviewing assignments, and then calculate how long it takes him to fall asleep (hey, half of one act of culture is better than nothing, no?).

I went to the opening of "A Chorus Line" last night (review appears tomorrow at LA.com), and had thought/debated/agonized over whether to take him along. I hadn't brought J-Blue to a play in recent months whether because he had lots of school testing or because there was nothing that I thought was strictly in his 9 year old wheelhouse.

"A Chorus Line" was a borderline one. I was about the same age when my parents took me and my brother to NY for the first time, and we saw that show. Of course they also had the soundtrack, and they prepped us on what we were going to see, theater etiquette, etc. It was, as I say, one of my first visits to the theater of any import, and, frankly, I barely remember a damned thing about the experience.

I certainly don't/didn't remember how much talk and down time there is between all the hoofin.' As a 10 year old, I likely wouldn't have picked up on the sexual content, the gay characters, etc. Come to think of it, maybe I too might have fallen asleep. (Have to ask the folks about that).

I this case, I think I chose wisely. I suspect J-Blue would have begun his snooze even more rapidly than he normally does. I was running late, so I didn't notice whether there were any other noticeably young audience members present.

Still...

The other night, I was on the phone with the mother of one of J-Blues friends who is also 9. Per her mother, this young lady apparently devours musical theater: be it "Wicked," "The Lion King" or anything Disney. J-Blue clearly prefers movies, but he's a work in progress. I figure if I take him to enough of these things, he'll grow to have fun at least some of them time.

Maybe I'm delusional.

But to my original question, how old do you need to be for the "Line"? Anyone?

Please send replies courtesy of neglectful@whatkindofalousyparentkeepshiskidsoutafterninepm.com.

It's almost buried in the new season announcement for Costa Mesa's South Coast Repertory: the season closing production of Shakespeare's "King Lear" to be directed by Tony award winner Daniel Sullivan who periodically returns to the Southland (typically SCR or occasionally San Diego's Old Globe) to do a Bard play.

Sullivan helmed last season's "Hamlet" at SCR with Hamish Linklater. The scuttlebutt is that the Valley's own resident Shakespeare expert, Dakin Matthews, (last seen in "The History Boys") might be the man tabbed to scale the Everest that is Lear. Hopefully whoever does get the part won't pull an Ian McKellen (remember the RSC visit back in October) and will keep his pants on.

Also coming up at SCR:

"An Italian Straw Hat" : new musical by John Strand and Dennis McCarthy about a bridegroom trying to save his wedding in turn-of-the-century New York. (Sept. 5-Oct. 5, 08)

"The Heiress": Based on the Henry James novel Washington Square about a spinster and her father. Cherry Jones scored a hit with this play on Broadway and on tour, and SCR has often staged her hit vehicles for their favorite company members (A la "Doubt")
(Oct. 17-Nov. 16)

"Noises Off": Michael Frayn farce. Do we really need to see this revived again? Apparently so.

"Lear": (May 15-June 14, 09)

A TBA World premiere (April 3-May 3)
On the smaller Julianne Argyros stage:

"Dead Man's Cell Phone:" SoCal premiere of a new play by Sarah Ruhl directed by Bart DeLorenzo. A comedy about a woman who continually answers, yep, a dead man's cell phone. Mary Louise Parker played in on Broadway. (Sept. 21-Oct. 12)

"You, Nero": new play by Amy Freed about an effort by the Roman emperor to commission a play. Sharon Ott directs (Jan. 4-25, 2009)

"Goldfish": comedy by John Kolvenbach about "love lost and found" (March 15-April 5).

It wouldn't be an SCR season, of course, without the returns of "A Christmas Carol (Nov. 29-Dec. 27) and "La Posada Magica," (Dec. 11-23.)

Check out www.scr.org for more info.

Just got a press release announcing the extension -- by two weeks -- of Tim Dang's re-imagined staging of "Pippin" at East West Players.

Bully for EWP, of course, which cites great word of mouth, buzz, whatever you want to call it for the reason behind extension. Since the Little Tokyo-based Asian American company typically runs barely five weeks, it's cool that more folks who are interested can have some time to get out and see the Hip Hop-ery, anime, etc. that Dang and Co. have fashioned out of Stephen Schwartz and Roger O. Hirson's musical.

I said "who are interested." I didn't particularly care for this "Pippin" (gave it two stars), finding it decidedly un-enhanced by the changes and rather amateurishly performed. Looking at EWP's website, www.eastwestplayers.org, I find that I appear to be somewhat alone in my lack of esteem. My colleagues at Citybeat, the L.A. Times and L.A. Weeky are blurbed, quoted, etc. with "Go!"

So it goes.

The one person's opinion I would really like to have collected Stephen Schwartz himself who I happened to be seated next to at the opening night of "Pippin" a week or so back. Now, because I was reviewing, and because I don't really know the man, I couldn't exactly turn to him and say, "So what do you think?" because what's the man going to say?

I snuck a glance or two and found that Schwartz's applause following each song seemed to ebb as the evening drew on until he wasn't applauding at all. I'm not necessarily reading anything into this; maybe the man harbors his ovations. It didn't look like he wasn't enjoying himself.

regardless, "Pippin" plays on through June 22. Tickets: purchases (213) 625-7000 or visit www.eastwestplayers.org.