SCENE IN LA
BY
STEVE ZALL AND SID FISH
Don’t let the Easter Bunny distract you from the horde of new shows to see this month, such as:
“The Blvd” a struggling actor gets caught in a drag queen’s web of deceit and desire as she attempts a comeback in a screen bio of drag legend, until he gets a part in the movie and she gets the boot, then he falls for the screenwriter, while the German valet takes to drinking and dressing up as Baby Jane Hudson. Written by Danny De La Paz and Joseph Castel, and directed by Danny De La Paz, it runs through April 18 at the Macha Theatre in West Hollywood. For tickets call 323-960-1055 or visit www.plays411.com/theblvd
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“An American Tract” a nurse’s assistant moves with her two boys into an inherited home in an exclusive all-white planned community where she feels pressure to keep up with her wealthy neighbors, while they are planning ways to undermine her attempts. Written by Barbara White Morgan and directed by Richard Elkins, it runs through April 25 at Theatre Theater in Los Angeles. For tickets call 800-838-3006 or visit www.brownpapertickets.com.
“Liberty Inn: The Musical” is a full-length musical comedy about a Hessian Captain who hates women, and a wily landlady who tries to tame him, set in post-colonial America and featuring 22 original songs. Written by Dakin Matthews and directed by Anne McNaughton, it runs through April 25 at the NewPlace Studio Theatre in North Hollywood. For tickets call 866-811-4111 or visit www.Andak.org.
“Sweet Sue” a greeting card artist questions her future and her talent, until her son’s roommate drops in on her and they start a relationship. Written by A.R. Gurney and directed by Ernest A. Figueroa, it runs through April 25 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood. For tickets call 818-700-4878 or visit www.thegrouprep.com.
“The Charm of Making” examines the conflict of religion vs. human nature through the eyes of the last living members of an old Southern family, as they struggle with the past of their dead relatives and their present as family and individuals. Written By Timothy Mcneil and directed by Milton Justice, it runs through April 25 at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 323-960-7735 or visit www.Plays411.com/thecharm.
“The Language Archive” a brilliant linguist has a communication problem with his wife, who is about to leave him, and with his assistant, who can’t bring herself to leave him. Written by Julia Cho and directed by Mark Brokaw, it runs through April 25 at the Folino Theatre Center in Costa Mesa. For tickets call 714-708-5555 or visit www.scr.org.
“Buffalo Hole” from his outpost 30 miles from nowhere in Foxholm, North Dakota, a man waits the arrival of his family to say their last goodbyes to a father, who has been a little less than “fatherly,” but between vicious dog bites, a mother who arrives 60 and pregnant, a sissy brother who won’t leave and a sister who’s road hard and put away wet, his secret is about to be revealed. Written by Robert Riechel Jr. and directed by Zeke Rettman, it runs through May 1 at the Arena Stage Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 323-960-4443 or visit www.plays411.com/buffalohole.
“The Blue Room” sexual encounters within serious drama to farce-like fantasies tease the senses with expectations of fulfillment as each episode offers a kaleidoscope of searing passion in sex, love, and heartbreak in a daisy chain of relationships which seems to scrutinize morals and class ideology of the human mating rituals. Written by David Hare and directed by Elina de Santos, it runs through May 2 at the Odyssey Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 310-477-2055 or visit www.plays411.net/blueroom.
“Survival Exercise” a successful older executive struggles for position with the new kid on the block, while an older female office worker competes against a younger woman for what they think they need in order to live a “a real life,” and to top it off, all of them are or have been romantically entangled with one another. Written by Dan Ponturo and directed by Duane Daniels, it runs April 2 through May 2 at The Elephant Space Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 323-960-7776 or visit www.plays411.com/survival.
“Pot! The Musical” our heroine has some brownies to take to her church gathering, but her boyfriend and his pal have a plate of their own agriculturally enhanced brownies that they plan to take to the Pot Fest in the park, and the plates get switched. Written by Diane Shinozaki and directed by Keith Wright, it runs April 2 through May 8 at The Electric Lodge in Venice. For tickets call 800-838-3006 or visit www.potthemusical.com.
“Squabbles” Newlyweds are enjoying themselves in their tiny cramped apartment until, due to unfortunate circumstances, the bride’s father and the groom’s mother must move in with them. Written by Marshall Kemp and directed by Mario DiGregorio, it runs April 8 through May 15 at the Glendale Centre Theatre in Glendale. For tickets call 818-244-8481 or visit www.glendalecentretheatre.com.
“Langston & Nicolas” is a dramatic recreation of the extraordinary friendship between literary figures Langston Hughes, the originator of jazz poetry, and Nicolas Guillen, the poet laureate of Cuba. Written by Bernardo Solano and directed by Nancy Cheryll Davis, it runs April 9 through May 2 at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 213-624-4796 or visit www.townestreet.org.
“The Unserious Chekhov” the cast and crew of a failing and critically-panned production of The Cherry Orchard hope to exorcise the all-too serious ghost of Stanislavski from their show by performing an evening of Chekhov's most wickedly comedic works and satires, including The Bear, Before the Eclipse, Dirty Tragedians and Leprous Playwrights and two world premieres of the translations for On the Main Road and the unfinished The Night Before the Trial. Translated by George Malko and directed by Erin Scott, Andrew Moore, Pamela Moore and Gregory Crafts, it runs April 9 through May 8 at The Sherry Theatre in North Hollywood. For tickets call 818-849-4039 or visit www.theatreunleashed.com.
“Acting: The First Six Lessons” depicts dialogues between a wise, experienced acting teacher and a pretty but raw young actress at the start of her career, starting out with more enthusiasm than skill but finally taking possession of her true gifts, in command of her craft and poised to succeed in acting and in life. Adapted by Beau Bridges and Emily Bridges, written by Richard Boleslavsky and directed by Charlie Mount, it runs April 9 through May 16 at Theatre West in Los Angeles. For tickets call 323-851-7977 or visit www.theatrewest.org.
“Bizzzy!” is a musical about a mother with two children whose husband died a year ago in a plane crash, trying to deal with raising two teenagers on her own, who is forced to move out of her house and into the apartment building she manages, then receives a notice from the IRS that she owes thousands of dollars in back taxes, but finally runs into an old high school sweetheart. Written by Rolland Jacks and directed by John Lewis, it runs April 9 through May 16 at the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks. For tickets call 323-960-7612 or visit www.plays411.com/bizzzy.
“Turkey Day” on Thanksgiving a gathered family discovers that Mom and Dad actually split up long ago, a young boy’s true parentage is called into question, the house nearly burns down, one of them grabs a knife and begins to wield it, another is possessed with prophecies of destruction, while another appears to die, resurrect and embark upon a reign of terror. Written by Jeff Folschinsky and directed by Taylor Ashbrook, it runs April 9 through May 16 at The Eclectic Company Theatre in Valley Village. For tickets call 818-508-3003 or visit www.eclecticcompanytheatre.org.
“Alter Ego” is a fresh, candidly funny and sometimes poignant look at relationships, fidelity, monogamy, addiction and everything else that takes place between the upper thighs and the lower waist. Written by Jimmy Lyons and directed by Audrey Moore and Leila Vatan, it runs April 10 through April 25 at The Beverly Hills Playhouse in Beverly Hills. For tickets call 310-358-9936 or visit www.katselastheatre.org.
“The Life And Times Of A. Einstein” is about a day in the life of the famous scientist, as seen through the eyes of his secretary, chauffeur and bodyguard, who shields him from the press, keeps him on time for appointments, runs his household, and tries unsuccessfully to hide her passion and feelings for him. Written by Kres Mersky and directed by Paul Gersten, it runs April 10 through May 16 at Theatre West in Los Angeles. For tickets call 323-851-7977 or visitwww.theatrewest.org.
“Doctor Cerberus” Doctor Cerberus rises from the mist in “Nightmare Theatre,” but a 13-year-old boy emerges as the season’s most appealing anti-hero. Written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and directed by Bart DeLorenzo, it runs April 11 through May 2 at the Julianne Argyros Stage at the Folino Theatre Center in Costa Mesa. For tickets call 714-708-5555.
“$trip” Is about a naïve young girl fresh off the bus from the Midwest who comes to Hollywood to seek fame and fortune but has to support herself in the meantime and so she takes a job as an erotic dancer where she meets an array of characters who work there. Written and directed by George Damian, it runs April 12 through May 18 at The Good Hurt in Los Angeles. For tickets call 800-838-3006 or visit www.striptheplay.com.
“How I Learned to Drive” focuses on a young girl between the ages of 11 and 18 as she becomes a young woman of considerable potential, who learns how to drive with the help of her uncle, but develops romantic feelings for him in the process. Written by Paula Vogel and directed by Steve Jarrard, it runs April 16 through May 9 at The Raven Playhouse in North Hollywood. For tickets call 323-860-6569 or visit www.collaborativeartistsensemble.com.
“The Marvelous Wonderettes” four girls with hopes and dreams as big as their crinoline skirts sing together at the 1958 Springfield High School prom, featuring classic song favorites “Lollipop,” “Dream Lover,” “Lipstick on Your Collar,” “Secret Love,” “Mr. Sandman,” and many more. Conceived and directed by Roger Bean, it runs April 17 through May 2 at the Carpenter Center in Long Beach. For tickets call 562-856-1999 or visit www.musical.org.
“Cannibals” a support group of 40-somethings struggling to find love, acceptance and callbacks, hatches a plan to jump-start their careers, and learn the true meaning of hopes, dreams, fear, and cute shoes. Written by R. J. Colleary and directed by Kathleen Rubin, it runs April 17 through May 23 at the Zephyr Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 323-960-7745 or visit www.plays411.com/cannibals.
“Chicago” is the story of a housewife and nightclub dancer who maliciously murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her, and to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, by hiring Chicago's slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today's tabloids. Written by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse and directed by Walter Bobbie, it runs April 20 through May 9 at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 800-982-2787 or visitwww.broadwayla.org.
“Dreamgirls” tells the rags-to-riches story of a 1960s Motown girl group and the triumphs and tribulations that come with fame and fortune, and features the unforgettable hits "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," "One Night Only" and "Listen." Written by Tom Eyen, it runs April 21 through May 2 at the Segerstrom Hall in the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa. For tickets call 714-556-2787 or visit www.ocpac.org.
So get your Easter bonnet, with all the trimmings on it, and go to see a show right now before it’s too late!
