SCENE IN LA
BY
STEVE ZALL AND SID FISH
February 2014
Romancing your secret sweetheart can be even more fun if you mix in one of these great new shows on the LA scene this month, like:
OPENING
“The Real Thing” In this witty take on love and marriage, a famous playwright finds himself the star of his own real-life drama. What he has written in his latest play seems to be happening in real life, turning his world upside down. Written by Tom Stoppard, and directed by Linda Alznauer, it runs February 1 through March 9 at the Two Roads Theatre in Studio City. For tickets call 323-822-7898.
“China: The Whole Enchilada” is an irreverent comedy musical that condenses the 5,000 year history of China into a 90 minute show performed by three people. One loves China, one is paranoid that China is going to overthrow the world at any moment, and the third keeps getting China confused with Japan. Written by Mark Brown, with music by Paul Mirkovich, and directed by Allison Bibicoff, it runs February 4 through March 12 at the Sacred Fools Theater in Hollywood. For tickets call 310-281-8337 or visit www.sacredfools.org.
“Bunny Bunny - Gilda Radner: A Sort of Romantic Comedy” Beginning with the first time they met behind a potted tree in an early Saturday Night Live meeting, Bunny Bunny is a whirlwind personal journey through the fourteen-year friendship of writer Alan Zweibel and comedienne Gilda Radner. The play pulls us through a memory patchwork of Alan’s hilarious and heartbreaking adventures with his dear Gilda, as their insecurities and demons are eased by their shared talent for laughter. Written by Alan Zweibel, and directed by Dimitri Toscas, it runs February 7 through March 2 at the Falcon Theatre in Burbank. For tickets call 818-955-8101 or visit www.FalconTheatre.com.
“Going to St. Ives” is a gripping psychological drama centering on two women - one the mother of a brutal African dictator, the other an English eye surgeon - brought together by that which is personal. Together they explore the dark moral continent of the greatest good and ultimately share a shocking secret. Written by Lee Blessing, and directed by Linda Kerns, it runs February 7 through March 16 at the ACTORS CO-OP Crossley Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 323-462-8460 or visit www.actorsco-op.org.
“By Jupiter” Hippolyta rules as Queen of the Amazons, where women are warriors and men keep house, raise the kids, and buy new hats. The source of the queen’s power is the girdle of the goddess Diana, in the possession of and worn by Hippolyta. The gods have decreed that Hercules, as one of his assigned Twelve Labors, must relieve Hippolyta of the girdle and spirit it away. Hercules heads for Amazonia in the company of the Greek army, led by Theseus. Hippolyta prepares to do battle with the Greeks, neglecting her lovesick groom Sapiens. She leaves the girdle of power with her sister, soldier supreme Antiope, to protect it. Antiope meets Theseus, and romantic sparks fly. Written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, with music by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, and directed by Miriam Nelson, it runs February 8 through February 16 at the Theatre West in Los Angeles. For tickets call 323-851-7977 or visit www.theatrewest.org.
“Firemen” Set in rural Washington State during the first Iraq war, the world premiere of Tommy Smith’s drama explores an unthinkable love relationship. Written by Tommy Smith, and directed by Chris Fields, it runs February 8 through March 16 at the Atwater Village Theatre in Atwater Village. For tickets call 310-307-3753 or visit www.EchoTheaterCompany.com.
“The Wizard of Oz” Click your heels together and join Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion, Dorothy, and her little dog Toto, as they journey through the magical land of Oz to meet the Wizard and obtain their hearts’ desires. Watch out for the Wicked Witch of the West and her winged monkeys as you rediscover the real story of Oz in this fantastic musical treat for all the entire family. Written by Frank L Baum, with music by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, and directed by Jeremy Sams, it runs February 11 through February 23 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. For tickets call 714-556-2787 or visit www.SCFTA.org.
“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” Six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser. Written by Rachel Sheinkin, with music by William Finn, and directed by Kristin Towers-Rowles, it runs February 14 through March 1 at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood. For tickets call 818-508-4200 or visit www.elportaltheatre.com.
“Going to St. Ives” this compelling two-person drama focusing on the mother of an African dictator and the English ophthalmologist from whom she seeks help for her failing eyesight. But each of these powerful women harbors a hidden agenda that threatens to trigger a bloody chain of events with life-and-death consequences, leaving them both to struggle with the moral dilemma of what separates the personal from the political. Written by Lee Blessing, and directed by Linda Kerns, it runs February 14 through March 16 at the Actors Co-op in Hollywood. For tickets call 323-462-8460 or visit www.ActorsCo-op.org.
“Obama Spy Drama” More than anything, President Obama wants NSA leaker Edward Snowden brought back to the U.S. “Obama Spy Drama” reveals just how he accomplishes that. To help the President, the CIA deploys a powerful new weapon, a pheromone spray guaranteed to make the victim “follow you anywhere”. In the hands of luscious temptress Dania Suarez (an old “friend” from the Secret Service’s Colombian adventures), the elixir will do its trick. But when it overpowers the wrong person, things get complicated. Even though President Obama has chosen not to attend the Sochi Winter Olympics, he will have to go to Russia after all and face Vladimir Putin in a competition of Olympic proportions. But wait—isn’t that President Obama romancing Michelle back in the White House? How can that be, if he’s in Russia? And has Putin fallen in love with Edward Snowden? Written by Nicholas Zill, and directed by Caitlin Hart, it runs February 15 through March 30 at the Acme Comedy Hollywood in Hollywood. For tickets call 626-274-1745 or visit www.acmecomedy.com.
“Pinkalicious” Pinkalicious can't stop eating pink cupcakes despite warnings from her parents. Her pink indulgence lands her at the doctor's office with Pinkititis, an affliction that turns her pink from head to toe—a dream come true for this pink-loving enthusiast. But when her hue goes too far, only Pinkalicious can figure a way out of this predicament. Written by Elizabeth Kann & Victoria Kann, with music by John Gregor, and directed by Kristin Towers-Rowles, it runs February 15 through March 2 at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood. For tickets call 818-508-4200 or visit www.elportaltheatre.com.
“Villon” Murder, mayhem and poetry. An award-winning, visionary playwright brings his unique sensibility to the hair-raising, sometimes violent, and often hilarious exploits of François Villon. Follow the 15th century poet and his gang of bandits, vagabond priests, and swordsmen-courtiers through the treacherous forests of medieval France. Written and directed by Murray Mednick, it runs February 15 through March 23 at the Odyssey Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 310-477-2055 or visit www.PaduaPlaywrights.org.
“The Producers” features fading producer Max Bialystock, who convinces accountant Leo Bloom to partner with him in producing Springtime for Hitler, a guaranteed flop, and then running off with the money they've raised. The humor of the show draws on ridiculous accents, characters of homosexuals and Nazis, and many show business in-jokes. Written by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, with music by Mel Brooks, it runs February 21 through March 2 at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center in Redondo Beach. For tickets call 714-589-2770 or visit www.3dtshows.com.
“Sit” this original play follows Tamara, a young blind girl, as she journeys through a world she cannot see, but choses bravely to explore. Tamara must maneuver around her overprotective father who knows nothing about raising a blind daughter. As she attempts to find her footing, she must decide which outstretched arms to lean on. Her well-meaning teacher and her strong-willed sister both want to help, but is it the help she needs? Can she break away, and what will she discover about herself and the world outside her window? Written and directed by Lindsay Nyman, it runs February 21 through March 2 at the Promenade Playhouse in Santa Monica. For tickets call 310-902-8220 or visit www.creoutreach.org.
“The Trip Back Down” Groupies, trophies and fast, beautiful cars. Is winning all there is? Nick Stabile (Bride of Chucky, Dennis Wilson in ABC’s award-winning TV movie The Beach Boys: An American Family) stars as once-great NASCAR racer Bobby Horvath in a rare revival of the celebrated Broadway drama that kick-started playwright/screenwriter John Bishop’s career. After a near-miss crash-and-burn race on the circuit, past and present collide when Bobby returns home to the small Midwestern town he abandoned for racing. Written by John Bishop, and directed by Terri Hanauer, it runs February 21 through March 29 at the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks. For tickets call 323-960-7712 or visit www.plays411.com/trip.
“Closely Related Keys” In this hard-hitting drama about family conflict and clashing cultures, an African-American attorney is shocked to discover she has an Iraqi half-sister. Written by Wendy Graf, and directed by Shirley Jo Finney, it runs February 22 through March 30 at the Lounge Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 323-960-7774 or visit www.plays411.com/relatedkeys.
“My Name Is Asher Lev” Set in Brooklyn’s Hasidic Jewish Community, a young painter must reconcile his remarkable artistic gifts with the austerity and singular devotion required by his faith. Written by Aaron Posner, adapted from the novel by Chaim Potok, and directed by Stephen Sachs, it runs February 22 through April 19 at the Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 323-663-1525 or visit www.FountainTheatre.com.
CONTINUING
“All Together Now” What if John, Paul, George and Ringo were all still with us today? What if the four of them decided to get together secretly, play through some of the old songs, and see if the magic was still there? The show runs through February 9 at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood. For tickets call 818-508-4200 or visit www.elportaltheatre.com.
“The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart” The story centers the main character Prudiencia Hart, and is staged with an interactive and inventive sense of fun. An uptight academic, Prudencia sets off to attend a conference in Kelso, in the Scottish Borders. As the snow begins to fall, little does she know who or what awaits her there. Delivered in a riotous romp of rhyming couplets, devilish encounters and wild karaoke – Prudencia’s dream-like journey of self-discovery unfolds among and around the audience. Written by David Greig, and directed by Wils Wilson, it runs through February 9 at the Edye Second Space at The Eli & Edy Broad Stage in Santa Monica. For tickets call 310-434-3200 or visit www.thebroadstage.com.
“The Twilight of Schlomo” Richard’s troubled past is catching up to him. A former not-quite-successful stand-up comic, he faces a deep mid-life crisis as his distant stepdaughter arrives unexpectedly with shocking news, and his neighbors reveal dangerous secrets through his thin apartment walls. As those around him threaten his solitude, Richard uses weed , blow, and acidic humor as armor, wrestling with his own personal truths and discovering who he still wants to be. Written by Timothy McNeil, and directed by David Fofi, it runs through February 9 at the Elephant Space Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 323-960-4442 or visit www.plays411.com/schlomo.
“The Producers” features fading producer Max Bialystock, who convinces accountant Leo Bloom to partner with him in producing Springtime for Hitler, a guaranteed flop, and then running off with the money they've raised. The humor of the show draws on ridiculous accents, characters of homosexuals and Nazis, and many show business in-jokes. Written by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, with music by Mel Brooks, it runs through February 16 at the Plummer Auditorium in Fullerton. For tickets call 714-589-2770 or visit www.3dtshows.com.
“A Cat Named Mercy” a dark comedy about in which a Latina Licensed Vocational Nurse at a nursing home gets her hours cut and becomes an uninsured part-time employee who is in desperate need of an emergency operation. With the help of a cat she names Mercy, she is divinely guided to do the unthinkable to save her life. Written by Josefina Lopez, and directed by Hector Rodriguez, it runs through February 23 at the Casa 0101 Theater in Boyle Heights. For tickets call 323-263-7684 or visit www.casa0101.org.
“Se Llama Cristina” A man and woman wake up in a strange apartment surrounded by drug paraphernalia and an empty crib. They must piece together who they are, and were, and where that baby might be, all while trying to create a new future for themselves. A gritty, poetic look at the uncertainty of life and our desperate need for belonging, Se Llama Cristina asks if it's possible to rise above your circumstances to make a better life. Written by Octavio Solis, and directed by Robert Castro, it runs through February 23 at the Theatre @ Boston Court in Pasadena. For tickets call 626-683-6883 or visit www.BostonCourt.org.
“Night Watch” Elaine Wheeler is beautiful, rich, and sleepless. She has a husband she loves, and a home festooned with the paintings of modern masters in the Kips Bay section of Manhattan. She has wealth and beauty, so what is contributing to her unease? She observes one corpse, and then another in the building opposite her home. When two police detectives are called in to investigate, they can find not a shred of evidence, and the bodies are missing. But Elaine insists that she saw what she saw. Her husband, her best friend, and her maid become concerned for her sanity. A famed psychiatrist is called in, and plans are made for Elaine to be sent to an exclusive sanitarium in Switzerland. Meanwhile, will the killer strike again? Is Elaine’s life in deadly danger? Who is responsible for bloody acts of terror? Written by Lucille Fletcher, and directed by Bruce Gray, it runs through February 24 at the Theatre 40, in the Reuben Cordoba Theatre in Beverly Hills. For tickets call 310-364-0535 or visit www.theatre40.org.
“Bill & Joan” 1951. Mexico City. Writer William S. Burroughs awakes to find himself in jail, being questioned about the shooting of his wife Joan Vollmer. Their drunken game of “William Tell” went horribly wrong, and now the Mexican detectives are probing Burroughs’ heroin-hazed, tortured mind for the truth. Filled with Burroughs’ hallmark vulgarity, voracious wit, and provocative characters, this is a phantasmagorical journey in search of what truly happened on that night when a speed freak and a junkie walked into a metaphorical bar, but only one walked out. Written by Jon Bastian, and directed by Diana Wyenn, it runs through March 1 at the Sacred Fools Theater in Los Angeles. For tickets call 310-281-8337 or visit www.sacredfools.org.
Cupid draw back your bow, and let your arrow go, straight to my lover’s heart for me!
