Don Grigware - Page 48

On Sunday, July 21, Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal in North Hollywood presented Gregg Marx and Sharon McNight, Together Again for the First Time. Gregg, a former Emmy-winning soap-opera star turned singer and Sharon, a thirty-five-year show-biz veteran, including Broadway, provided definite contrasts in style and material. That's not always a successful combination for a cabaret show, but in this case it worked.

According to Euclidean geometry, a parallelogram is defined as a quadrilateral with two pairs of parallel sides that are non-intersecting, which means they will never cross. Bruce Norris throws definition to the winds as one of the characters in his blistery new play A Parallelogram, now at the Mark Taper Forum, totally manipulates and reinvents it. It's an off-quilter exploration of life taken to extremes, showing the contradictions, disappointments and overall negativity that living has to offer. The joys expressed are a paltry number. Taking today's technological mode a giant step further, one quite ordinary gadget practically becomes a fifth character in the play: a remote control with magical powers that can instantaneously zap the repetition of an action at will, at least when used by Bee (Marin Ireland) or her older counterpart/conscience (Marylouise Burke). With stunningly skilled direction from Anna D. Shapiro and an excellent cast of four actors, A Parallelogram curiously entertains with vitality, intelligence and a deliciously wicked sense of humor.

Shrek the Musical/book & lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire/music by Jeanine Tesori/directed by David F.M. Vaughn/3D Theatricals at Plummer Auditorium, Fullerton/through August 4/Redondo Beach, Performing Arts Center/August 9-11

Legally Blonde The Musical/book by Heather Hach/music & lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin/directed by Tiffany Engen/Cabrillo Music Theatre/@ Fred Kavli Theatre, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza/through July 28

1993's rarely produced Sunset Boulevard is a flawed, somewhat boring musical play that satisfies best with the casting of an actress of great star quality as Norma Desmond, one whose face could have convincingly lit up a silent film screen. MTW has found its star in Valerie Perri, and under Larry Raben's strong, resourceful staging, Sunset Boulevard is 5-star entertainment.

It is practically impossible not to be pulled into the passionately earthy, very Italian world of fictional film director Guido Contini (David Michael Trevino) in Maury Yeston's 1982 darkly breathtaking musical Nine. Guido's mental turmoil, a series of vivid images that come fiercely plummeting into the recesses of the mind, are staged here in every crook and cranny of the entire space. He's desperately trying to create a screenplay piece by piece and at the same time is playing out, in tormented fashion, various events of his personal life from age 9 to 40. An exceedingly theatrical exhibition, to say the least! Apart from the staging, Yeston's exotic score makes the images come provocatively to life. Known for some pretty terrific singing, DOMA accepts the challenges of Nine and with director Marco Gomez pulling out the stops and letting his skilled cast reach for the stars, this production works on many levels, will entertain you, and even make you muse from time to time.

Sister Act/book by Cheri Steinkellner & Bill Steinkellner/additional material by Douglas Carter Beane/music by Alan Menken/lyrics by Glenn Slater/directed by Jerry Zaks/Pantages Theatre/through July 28 only

Actress/singer Valerie Perri, best known for her role of Eva Peron in Evita, will open as Norma Desmond in MTW's Sunset Boulevard Saturday July 13 in Long Beach. In our chat she discusses the challenges of portraying bigger than life fictional silent movie queen Norma Desmond.

In opera and operetta, the storytelling is completely through music; there are few or no spoken words. Steven Cagan's world premiere Love Songs is a modern day operetta of sorts with a line or two of spoken dialogue here and there, but composed of 99% music. Now through July 28 at the Attic Theatre, Love Songs boasts a profoundly rich score, a wonderfully adept musical cast and superior direction from Kay Cole.

On Sunday July 7, Kritzerland presented its 35th show The British Invasion, music from UK musicals of the 60s and 70s, at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal. I can only say to Bruce Kimmel, 'good show, ole' boy'!

On Tuesday, July 2, Bryan Batt appeared at Rockwell on Vermont in Hollywood in Batt on a Hot Tin Roof. The show may have had nothing to do with Tennessee Williams, as Batt pointed out at the top, but boy oh boy did he SIZZLE.

Internationally known biologist and writer Dr. Ana Isabel O is constantly embarking on new projects. Educated in Europe and a self-taught Victorian patchwork maker since the early 90s, Ordonez has presented her work in France and Luxembourg.

On Sunday June 30 I went to Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal to see Polly Seale do her one woman show, Cougar Mama!, The Sensual Evolution Revolution. Before I get to Ms. Seale, I would like to say that I 'discovered' a new appetizer (or side) to their tasty hamburgers, and that treat is the grilled brussel sprouts, with bacon, feta, and lots of other spices... a delightful taste treat that I never had before. And now for another taste treat!

Georges Feydeau and Maurice Desvallieres wrote the French farce Hotel Paradiso in 1894 to be enjoyed by a French audience. Any translation of it should keep the culture and manners of the people intact as their risque behavior is representative of the Parisian upper class of the time. In Group rep's new production, updated to 1920s Paris, director Drina Durazo has sadly forgotten about the French element, so instead of a rich crepe, what we get is a pancake. She has her actors wonderfully performing the mechanics of farce, but unfortunately, the flavor is American, all the way. But, it's a bold effort for Group rep, and many of the actors do superb work, through August 11.

Like The King and I, Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific is a heartbreaking story told across racial borders and has an elegant score. The look in its rich set design - from the original 2008 Broadway/Lincoln Center revival with an incredible, dreamlike Bali Ha'i in the background, setting the romantic tone for the entire show, adds so much to the current production at Moonlight Amphitheatre.

Funny lady Jo Anne Worley brings her inimitable wacky, zany style of humor, that made her an overnight success in Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In (1967-73), to Welk Resorts in Escondido this week June 26-30. Jo Anne has a warm winning way with her audience; they are the reason she's performing, as she tells us early on in the 90 minute autobiographical set entitled Keep Laughin', replete with clips from Laugh-In and accompanied by wonderful Ron Snyder at the piano. Worley makes a rare appearance at events like Bruce Kimmel's Kritzerland, but seldom does what she calls her 'one-man show'. So, this is a great big treat for all Worley fans.

On Sunday June 23 consummate singer Eileen Barnett brought a new version of her night club show to Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal entitled You Must Believe in Spring with superb musical direction from John Boswell and crisp direction from Kristen Benton Chandler.

On Saturday June 22 and Sunday June 23 at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA) presented Not Entirely Wicked, a salute to the music of Stephen Schwartz with special guests Schwartz and consummate singer Liz Callaway.The show began with plentiful numbers from Pippin and Godspell, but seemed somewhat low on energy and drive, despite several intermittent solos and some visual lighting treats. Thank heavens, Schwartz made an early appearance singing and playing the piano, which included a duet 'Love Song' from Pippin with Callaway. Callaway also essayed a glorious 'West End Avenue' from The Magic Show. Following this section, the chorus segued into a medley of Schwartz's movie hits from Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Beautiful sounds all around! The show was now officially cooking with GAS!

The King and I/music by Richard Rodgers;/book & lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II/based on Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon/directed by Neil Dale/Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theatre/through August 4