SCENE IN LA
BY
STEVE ZALL AND SID FISH
Make this Easter a memorable one by checking out some of the excellent offerings at our local theatres, including:
OPENING
“Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead” When CB's dog dies from rabies, CB begins to question the existence of an afterlife. His best friend's burnt out; his sister's gone goth; his ex-girlfriend's institutionalized; and his other friends are drunk, but an artistic kid, the target of this group's bullying, gives him peace of mind amid all the drug use, suicide, eating disorders, teen violence, rebellion and sexual identity crises. Written by Bert V. Royal and directed byTravis Donnelly, it runs April 1 through April 17 at the Avery Schreiber Theatre in North Hollywood. For tickets call 323-960-7745 or visit www.plays411.com/dogseesgod.
“Goodbye, Louie….Hello!” A once famous comedian’s career is now over, so he decides to move from his New York apartment to a senior retirement community in Arizona, much to the consternation of his adult daughter and son. Written by Allan Manings and directed by John Gallogly, it runs April 1 through May 8 at Theatre West in Los Angeles. For tickets call 323-851-7977 or visit www.theatrewest.org.
“The Human Voice” A woman is at the end of a long-standing, significant relationship, when her lover leaves her for another woman. Not content to placidly acquiesce and play the meek victim, the first woman makes one last play to recapture her lover, using everything she knows. Written by Jean Cocteau, translated by Anthony Wood, and directed by Dan Bonnell, it runs April 1 through April 24 at the Elephant Space Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 323-960-7863 or visit www.Plays411.com/humanvoice.
“Wait Until Dark” An independent blind woman unwittingly comes into possession of a doll filled with drugs, and then becomes a target for three ex-cons who attempt to retrieve the doll by deceiving her into thinking that her husband is implicated in the crime. A deadly game of cat and mouse ensues leading to a heart-stopping ending. Written by Frederick Knott and directed by David Colwell, it runs April 1 through May 8 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood. For tickets call 818-700-4878 or visit www.thegrouprep.com.
“Daddyo Dies Well” A young man takes a psychedelic Ayahuasca trip at the behest of his hipster stepfather,who is dying, but before he goes, he wants to help his stepson get over his problems. The young man is brought to understand the pulse and power of organic life on earth during his trip that takes him to the mountains and forests of South America. Written by Murray Mednick and directed by Murray Mednick, it runs April 2 through May 22 at the Electric Lodgein Venice. For tickets call 323-960-7724 or visit www.plays411.com.
“Hitchcocked” A cast costumed in the Hitchcockian tradition is the only pre-prepared aspect of the show. Audience suggestions will propel the action throughout the evening as the cast strives to create a completely original story in the style of Alfred Hitchcock's films. Depending on the audience suggestions, performances may have a wide variety of comedic tone from sublime subtle satire to all out psycho insanity. Directed by Patrick Bristow, it runs April 2 throughMay 7 at the Asylum Lab in Hollywood. For tickets call 323-960-7612 or visit www.plays411.com/hitchcocked.
“Summer of Love” is set in 1967 as the countercultural revolution exploded in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco where a young runaway bride arrives on the scene, and learns to make her own kind of music amid the hippies and dropouts populating the Golden Gate Park. This show features music from: The Mamas and the Papas, Sly & the Family Stone, Jefferson Airplane, Blood, Sweat & Tears and many more. Written by Roger Bean and directed by Roger Bean, it runs April 2 through April 17 at the Musical Theatre West in Long Beach. For tickets call 562-856-1999 or visitwww.musical.org.
“Sex, Relationships…and Sometimes Love” This compilation of dramatic, comedic and melodic monologues takes a provocative and insightful look into the lives of contemporary men and women from all walks of life and sexual preferences. Written by Joelle Arqueros and directed by Joelle Arqueros, it runs April 7 through May 12 at the Complex Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 323-769-5566.
“The Bluest Eye” Eleven-year-old Pecola Breedlove wants nothing more than to be loved by her family and schoolmates. Instead, she faces constant ridicule and abuse. She blames her dark skin and prays for blue eyes, sure that love will follow. Written by Toni Morrison, adapted by Lydia R. Diamond, and directed by Janet Miller, it runs April 8through April 24 at the Miles Memorial Playhouse in Santa Monica. For tickets call 714-690-2900 or visitwww.phantomprojects.com.
“The Escort” a high-class call girl escorts us through this titillating tale as members of one liberal family test the limits of their own sexual morality. What happens when social ideals are in direct conflict with personal choices in the bedroom? Laced with sex, bad language and nudity, this sexually charged roller coaster ride asks us how far we will go to prove our open-mindedness. Written by Jane Anderson and directed by Linda Peterson, it runs April 7 through May 8 at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. For tickets call 310-208-5454 or visit www.geffenplayhouse.com.
“Silent Sky” At the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s, a young woman joins a group of human “computers,” charting the stars for an astronomer who has no time for her probing theories. As she measures the light of distant stars, she must also take the measure of her life on Earth, and answer questions of love, family and the hope of heaven. Written by Lauren Gunderson and directed by Anne Justine D’Zmura, it runs April 8 through May 1 on the Segerstrom Stage at the South Coast Repertory Theatre in Costa Mesa. For tickets call 714-708-5555 or visit www.scr.org.
“Veronika Decides to Die” After an attempted suicide leaves her health debilitated, Veronika finds herself living out her final days in a mental institution where the patients may be saner than the world outside. Her exploration of the true meaning of sanity and her fight for liberation reveal the power of love, redemption, self-acceptance and letting go. Written by Paulo Coelho, adapted by Taylor Ashbrook and Beth Ricketson, and directed by Taylor Ashbrook, it runs April 8 through May 15 at the Eclectic Theatre in Valley Village. For tickets call 818-508-3003 or visitwww.eclecticcompanytheatre.org.
“George Gershwin Alone” Hershey Felder brings to life the spirit and talent of the legendary composer and pianist, leading audiences through the fascinating rhythms of Gershwin’s legendary songbook, while telling the tale of his tragically short life. The show incorporates well-known songs such as “The Man I Love” and “Someone to Watch over Me,” selections from An American in Paris and Porgy and Bess, and a complete performance of “Rhapsody in Blue.”Created and performed by Hershey Felder and directed by Joel Zwick, it runs April 12 through May 8 at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena. For tickets call 626-356-7529 or visit www.pasadenaplayhouse.org.
“Rain - A Tribute to the Beatles” Together longer than The Beatles themselves, the performers have mastered every song, gesture and nuance of the legendary foursome, delivering a totally live, note-for-note performance that's as infectious as it is transporting. From the early hits to later classics that The Beatles never got the chance to play live, this adoring tribute will take you back to a time when all you needed was love, and a little help from your friends. Written by Mark Lewis and directed by Mark Lewis, it runs April 12 through April 17 at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 800-982-2787 or visit www.broadwayla.org.
“Tiger Tiger Burning Bright” is about what occurs when dreams become delusions, sometimes through deliberate design, and what it means for a man and a family to live with the truth rather than what seems comfortable. Written by Peter S. Feibleman and directed by Sam Nickens, it runs April 14 through May 22 at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 323-960-7740 or visit www.plays411.com/tiger.
“Completeness” A computer scientist searching for an answer to the elusive Traveling Salesman Problem meets a microbiologist studying protein interactions. Their chance meeting in the library leads to a scientific collaboration that turns romantic, but they soon realize that love is more complex than any scientific problem they’ve ever encountered.Written by Itmar Moses and directed by Pam MacKinnon, it runs April 17 through May 8 at the South Coast Repertory inCosta Mesa. For tickets call 714-708-5555 or visit www.scr.org.
“Burn the Floor” This electrifying Latin and ballroom dance spectacular filled with the fire and passion of live ballroom will feature 20 champion dancers in an energetic theatrical experience, including So You Think You Can Dance alumni Anya Garnis, Pasha Kovalev, Robbie Kmetoni, Janette Manrara, and Karen Hauer. Also featured is Vonzell Solomon, second runner-up in Season Four of American Idol, who is the female vocalist. Written by Harley Medcalf, it runs April 26through May 8 at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 800-982-2787 or visit www.broadwayla.org.
CONTINUING
“Othello” Othello the Moor, dark, mysterious and dangerous, returns victorious from battle against the Ottoman Empire, earning him a grudging respect and acceptance into Venetian society. There, he wins the love of fair Desdemona. With her by his side, there seems to be no battle or prejudice he cannot conquer. On the island of Cyprus, however, with the Ottoman enemy far away, Othello struggles to adjust to life on the homefront as a husband and a leader. Increasingly unsure of himself, he begins to fall prey to gossip, deceit and jealousy. Envious of his commander’s success, a soldier named Iago seeds Othello's insecurities weaving an intricate web of deceptions, turning purity to adultery, honor to disgrace and wedding beds to funeral pyres. Written by William Shakespeare and directed by Phillip Kelly, it runs throughApril 16 at the Powerhouse Theatre in Santa Monica. For tickets visit www.latenesmble.com.
“Jamaica, Farewell” based on a mostly true story about a journey to the USA from Jamaica in the turbulent 1970s of the Manley Era, it’s a hilarious and touching roller coaster ride of suspense, intrigue, seduction, humor and manipulation, of how one woman risked everything in order to fulfill her lifelong dream of starting over in America as an actress. Written by Debra Ehrhardt and directed by Joel Zwick, it runs through April 17 at the Falcon Theatre in Burbank. For tickets call 818-955-8101 or visit www.falcontheatre.com.
“The Devil’s Advocate” The CIA is determined to capture ruthless Panamanian strong man Manuel Noriega. Accused of murder, drug trafficking and corruption, he has sought sanctuary with Vatican emissary Archbishop Jose Sebastian Laboa, but the Archbishop has his own agenda to follow, and a struggle between these two men ensues. Written by Donald Freed and directed by Jose Luis Valenzuela, it runs through April 17 at Los Angeles Theatre Center in Los Angeles. For tickets call 866-811-4111 or visit www.thelatc.org.
“Copenhagen” tells the story of renowned physicist, Warner Heisenberg, who made a strange trip to Copenhagen in 1941 to see his old colleague and friend, Niels Bohr, and his wife, Margrethe. The meeting was fraught with danger and embarrassment, and ended in disaster. Written by Michael Frayn and directed by Lewis Hauser, it runs through April 23 at the Attic Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 323-960-7779 or visit www.plays411.com.
“Endgame” Four characters pass time at the end of everything in this hilariously heartbreaking one-act play, playing out their own games of savage and primal manipulation to pass the time before the inevitable, final outcome. Written bySamuel Beckett and directed by Paul Plunkett, it runs through April 23 at the Sacred Fools Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 310-281-8337 or visit www.sacredfools.org.
“Parade” A musical based on the true story of Leo Frank, a Jewish man who was convicted in 1913 of the brutal rape and murder of a 13-year-old factory worker in Atlanta, Georgia. It is a riveting murder mystery, a gripping courtroom drama, a moving love story, and a searing social commentary. Written by Alfred Uhry and directed by Ben Lupejkis, it runs through April 23 at the Westchester Playhouse in Westchester. For tickets call 310-645-5156 or visitwww.kentwoodplayers.org.
“Rent: The Musical” This revolutionary rock opera tells the story of one year in the life of eight friends living the Bohemian life -- struggling to express themselves through their art and measuring their lives in love. Against the gritty backdrop of New York's East Village, these friends strive for success and acceptance while enduring the obstacles of poverty, illness, and the AIDS epidemic. Written by Jonathan Larson and directed by Jerianne Banson, it runs through April 23 at the Hudson Backstage Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 323-960-7822 or visit www.plays411.com/rent.
“The Mercy Seat” Set on September 12, 2001, less than twenty-four hours after terrorists brought down the World Trade Center, two lovers, Ben and Abby, were supposed to have been working in the Twin Towers on that fateful day, but Ben was playing hooky with Abby, his mistress and boss. Suddenly the two see a new possibility for their future that didn’t exist just a day earlier if Ben doesn’t let his family know he’s alive. Written by Neil Labute and directed by Ron Klier, it runs through April 24 at the [Inside] the Ford Theatre in Hollywood. For tickets call 323-461-3673 or visitwww.FordTheatres.org.
“Firehouse” Based on a true story, honor and loyalty clash with 'doing the right thing' in a South Bronx firehouse when a rookie fireman saves a fellow fireman instead of a 12 year-old girl also in the building, who dies as a result. The community is outraged and comes to a boiling point in this intense drama where race, the code of honor, and love all play a part. Writer by Pedro Antonio Garcia and directed by Bryan Rasmussen, it runs through April 29 at the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks. For tickets call 323-822-7898 or visit www.theatermania.com.
“Small Engine Repair” This darkly comic drama charts three working class friends in Manchester, New Hampshire as they reunite for an evening of drinking, fighting and reminiscing. A stunning revelation quickly shifts the course of action, while testing the friendships and instigating a dangerous confrontation. Written by John Pollono and directed by Andrew Block, it runs through April 30 at the Rogue Machine in Los Angeles. For tickets call 855-585-5185 or visitwww.roguemachinetheatre.com.
“The Golden Gays” What happens when four nut-jobs all see the same Therapist about their obsession with The Golden Girls? Well if the Therapist has her own obsession with Florence from The Jefferson’s, the answer is easy: Move to Miami and live your life as a Golden Girl. Written by John Trapper and directed by Sean Riley, it runs through May 1 at the Meta Theatre in Los Angeles. For tickets call 323-960-7779 or visit www.plays411.com.
“Oh, Momma! & Obama” While President Obama is busy dealing with the Nation’s issues, his family and friends are busy with their own agendas wreaking havoc and mayhem on those they dislike. Written by Derek Jeremiah Reid, Kenneth McLeod and Nicholas Zill and directed by Ian Gary, it runs through May 1 at the Fremont Centre Theatre in South Pasadena. For tickets call 866-811-4111 or visit www.fremontcentretheatre.com.
“Rockin’ With the Ages 3” A neighborhood bar called Le Club Roc is in dire straits when a banker tries to foreclose on the establishment to demolish it in favor of a huge redevelopment. But this is the spot where a group of dedicated senior citizens congregates, the landmark where the old gang gathers, and the patrons won’t let that happen. Their plan to save the place involves singing and dancing to hits from the ‘60s and the ‘70s while the club’s waitress distracts the banker. All of the performers in this cast are over 60 years old. Written by Bill Reid and Mark Rodriguez and directed by Bill Reid, it runs through May 1 at the Victory Theatre in Burbank. For tickets call 818-606-6679 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
“Big River” This timeless classic musical sweeps us down the mighty Mississippi river as the irrepressible Huck Finn helps his friend Jim, a slave, escape to freedom. Their adventures along the way are hilarious, suspenseful and heartwarming. Written by Mark Twain, book by William Hauptman, music by Roger Miller, and directed by Orlando Alexander, it runs through May 7 at the Glendale Centre Theatre in Glendale. For tickets call 818-244-8481 or visitwww.glendalecentretheatre.com.
“Come Sundown” In a time of hyper-expanding population and development, two clever young attorneys set out to defend their community against interlopers. Even a law degree cannot prepare them for the mysterious spiritual journey that they are about to embark upon. Written by Anthony F. Cronin and directed by Karen Landry, it runs through May 14 at the Ruskin Group Theatre in Santa Monica. For tickets call 310-397-3244 or visit www.ruskingrouptheatre.com.
“Prisoner of Second Avenue” A corporate executive in charge of layoffs finds himself laid off as well, so his wife takes a job to tide them over, but she too is sacked. Noisy neighbors, a burglary, and the death of his psychiatrist, soon cause him a nervous breakdown. Written by Neil Simon and directed by Kiff Scholl, it runs through May 29 at the GTC Burbank in Burbank. For tickets call 323-960-7862 or visit www.plays411.com/prisoner.
“Standing on Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays” created to raise money and awareness in support of marriage equality, this funny, provocative evening of new plays brings together some of America’s most acclaimed and award-winning playwrights coming together to make a difference in this urgent political, civil rights issue of marriage equality throughout the United States; resulting in this new and engaging theatrical event. Written by Jordan Harrison, Jeffrey Hatcher, Moises Kaufman, Neil LaBute, Wendy MacLeod, Kathy Najimy, Jose Rivera, Paul Rudnick and Doug Wright, and directed by Brian Shnipper, it runs through June 20 at the Largo at the Coronet in West Hollywood. For tickets call 310-855-0350 or visit www.StandingOnCeremony.net.
Don’t be an April fool! Grab your friends and family, then hop on down as quick as you can go to see a show today. Happy Easter!