Don Grigware - Page 68

After three decades, Robert Harling's Steel Magnolias remains a treasure, a cherished tale of the endurance of female friendship. Now on stage at the Rubicon Theatre in Ventura, Magnolias has slick and sturdy direction from Jenny Sullivan and a magnanimous cast, and above all, it stands the test of time.

Witnessing a Justin Tanner play is kind of like watching a soap opera; at one moment you cannot believe what you are hearing and seeing and in the next you'll exclaim, 'I know them!' Whereas Del Shores gives us Southern white trash, Tanner keeps his trash more local; both playwrights have something else in common: a terrific stock company of actors who brilliantly deliver the goods. Tanner's latest play Day Drinkers, now on stage at the Odyssey, is another hysterically zany slice-of-life dramedy that makes us sit up and think about our actions.

On Sunday August 28, actor/singer David Fairchild debuted his show Heart of a Man @ Sterling's Upstairs @ Vitello's. Cabaret is a first for him. It is admirable to make a new start at any age, especially in show biz in LA, so I give Fairchild a hearty round of applause. 'It's never too late' is a motto to be taken seriously, as Fairchild forges ahead not only with the show but also his first CD.

Ennio design and direction by Ennio Marchetto and Sosthen Hennekam Pasadena Playhouse through Sunday August 28 only

Actress/singer Spider Saloff defies description. She has the voice of an angel and an actor look perfectly suited to character. Often compared to Tracy Ullman, it's time she was set apart. Spider Saloff is her very own special creation: a magnificent singer, delightfully versatile actress and warm human being whose inner glow shines through every moment of her one-woman tour-de-force The Roar of the Butterfly.

'I've created a monster!' proclaims Sarah Goldman (Alison Robertson) in James Sherman's audience-pleasing comedy Beau Jest, currently receiving a first-class production at the Glendale Centre Theatre. With fast one-line zingers, the farce is the perfect summer stock vehicle and boasts a sparkling cast under Martin Lang's quickly-paced direction.

Actor/playwright Doug Haverty's latest world premiere play is a slice of life drama about the inner workings of a bank centering around the tellers who comprise the banking team. Entitled Next Window Please, the piece, despite its commendable message during our troubled economic times and its excellent cast and direction, now onstage at the GROUP rep in NoHo, never catches fire theatrically.

David Harrower's spellbinding Blackbird is taut from first line to last, and gives its audience an unexpected emotional ride that is characteristic of only really great theatre. Expertly cast and directed, Blackbird is in another extension at the Rogue Machine, now through September 18.

Fans of Vivien Leigh will not want to miss Rick Foster's Vivien starring beautiful Judith Chapman at the Rogue Machine through September 4. It's passionate, theatrical and thoroughly engaging as Chapman and Leigh connect on more than one plateau.

On Wednesday August 10 thirteen year-old triple threat performer Melody Hollis debuted her one-woman show Melodyland @ Sterling's Upstairs @ Vitello's to a packed house of enthusiastic fans. Produced and directed by Bruce Kimmel, Melodyland is perhaps the only cabaret show for a talented young lady ... that young. However, it's a great idea for such an amazing talent. Hollis can not only sing, dance and patter with the best of them, but she has a certain savoir faire and wisdom that go far beyond her years. And she understands the meaning behind the lyrics of the songs she sings. Not easy, considering she sang Stephen Sondheim's 'Children Will Listen' - has a child ever sung this before? - and an expert rendition of Kander & Ebb's 'A Quiet Thing'. Usually reserved for older people, who have had more experience with love and life, these songs require a rich understanding and interpretation, which, somehow, Hollis was able to supply. Her voice with time will be richer and more beautiful, so I can only imagine how dreamlike these will sound then. It doesn't hurt that your musical director is also your father - the wonderful Steve Hollis, giving the impression that Melody has been superbly trained and nurtured for seven years in the world of musical theatre.

'Great art is the only truth', proclaims fake buster Lionel Percy (Nick Ullett) to Maude Gutman (Jenny O'Hara) in Stephen Sachs' exquisite world premiere Bakersfield Mist, now extended once more at the Fountain Theatre until September 3. Maude's initial truth of thinking her painting a Jackson Pollack original is denied by Percy. But Percy's truth/opinion does not hold water after Maude attempts to make a person out of him. Either of them could be accurate as to the painting's authenticity leaving the above statement the most revered truth of the play.

On Sunday August 7 Jeanne Page made a stylish return to Sterling's Upstairs @ Vitello's for a marvelous evening of standards done her way. This lady has a unique brand of humor that is intoxicating and infuses every song she sings with the true colors they deserve.

Chuck Faerber's world premiere Counter Men, now onstage at the Whitefire Theatre, is peculiarly intriguing with a 14-character cast and just about as many plotlines. On the plus side, it's entertaining - to a point - with a mostly wonderful ensemble. On the negative side, its big picture gets bogged down by too many unnecessary stories. It can work in a soap on TV, but not on a tiny stage.The setting? The rump section of a diner-like restaurant in Glendale - great realistic set design by Davis Campbell - where an odd assortment of men hang out daily: an actor, a screenwriter, and a musician are among the brood. This is a suburb of Hollywood, after all, so it's not unusual for show biz folks to find a second home where they can dish the dirt, kind of like Dupars in Studio City. There are a couple of waitresses who know the men quite well, so, for the most part, what we see is a big extended family, except of course, for those making quick entrances/exits to and from the restroom, one of whom is branded a terrorist. A couple of the men are vets and have conflicting opinions with the younger guys about the war in Iraq. Mackie (Paul Haitkin) has a macho streak and brags about picking up women and videotaping his sexual trysts with them. Carl (Bart Braverman) has some serious issues with cancer. Joyelle (Marion Ramsey), the older and motherly waitress, has a son in Iraq and is in a constant state of anxiety for his safety. Ludy (Vanessa Herrera), the younger waitress, with a black eye and bruises on her arms, is clearly having some problems at home. Teo, a homeless filipino musician, who uses one of the booths to sleep in as well as a studio in which to compose, is attracted to Sackie (Naila Browne), a gal from Glendale's Water and Power, but he's timid about taking the first step to meet her. One of Mackie's conquests, Sheila, a real estate tycoon, gives up the business and eventually becomes a nun (Anna Nicholas). The stories go on and on, endlessly.

A devoted fan of Charles Pierce and his unforgettable Katie Hepburn illusion, I'm forever curious as to what new artists will do with this icon and her astonishing career and life - will they simply steal from others or really endeavor to put their own creative stamp on it? Peter Mac, who has been wowing audiences as Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli for the past few years, is memorable in his world premiere theatrical piece A Date with Kate. How does his Kate stand out? He does have the quaky voice, shaking head and walk down pat; the wig, the turtleneck with over the shoulders red sweater and kaki slacks getup hit the mark, but in the final analysis, what makes it all click? Somehow, someway he is able to create an illusion that is so totally honest that after five minutes, you swear you are in the company of dear Kate. Mac goes for genuine integrity and telling the stories as frankly as Kate herself told them in her autobiography Me, Stories of My Life, and it is this truth and his versatile and inimitable acting talent that win us over. Funny, yes! Heartbreaking, yes! This is not a campy impersonation, but the real thing... as Hepburn herself once said, 'I'm absolutely fascinating!' - and we are no less than completely convinced via the magic of Peter Mac.

Singer Lee Lessack was my choice for Best Cabaret Artist - Male for 2010 for his Chanteur merveilleux. Now he is releasing the CD Chanteur on August 9. He discusses the show and CD in depth in our chat.

Another wonderful evening of song from Kritzerland, Bruce Kimmel's production label, at the Gardenia on Wednesday August 3, this time saluting the music of Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones, and congrats are in as this show marks Kritzerland's 12th consecutive show in its series at the Gardenia! Schmidt and Jones penned The Fantasticks, I Do! I Do!, among the most famous, and less so: 110 In the Shade, Collette Collage, Celebration and even a musical entitled The Bone Room. On hand to perform were musical director John Boswell and special guest Rex Smith, Lauren Rubin, Michaelia Leigh, Will Collyer, Camille Saviola, Michael Hawkins, 13 year-old Melody Hollis and even Guy Haines - I mean, Bruce Kimmel himself - singing. And I'm here to tell you, he didn't sound half bad! Kimmel as always introduced the evening with interesting composer trivia and anecdotes. The music showcased included well known tunes and lesser known or unfamiliar ones. Schmidt and Jones may not have had the popularity of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Lowe, or Kander and Ebb, but one thing is certain they sure did pen some eclectically beautiful songs!

Actress Dee Wallace, best known as the mother of Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore in Steven Spielberg's E.T., is not only an award-winning actress but renowned acting coach and healer. The healing part of her career came out of the needs of her own personal turmoil. She has written three books, the latest called Bright Light. In our chat, she talks about the roots of her healing process and its components, Bright Light and her best loved work onscreen.

Fans of Broadway tenor Sean McDermott are in for a real treat with the release of his latest album You're Not Alone McDermott possesses a distinctly beautiful vocal instrument that can soar to the rafters and beyond on standards like Rodgers' and Hammerstein's 'Younger Than Springtime' or Streisand's 'Piece of Sky' from Yentl. In fact, his previous CDs My Broadway and Piece of Sky concentrated 100% on Broadway/film tunes. You're Not Alone is definitely more contemporary pop, but within the realm of clearly defined musical traditions, boasting mostly original compositions that explore the quest for love and exude the kind of musical style that is ideally suited to McDermott'sd range and bravura delivery.

Ann Hampton Callaway jokes about her Diva of America status in the music world, but it is a well known fact that this lady is a singer's singer. Like Barbara Cook in the world of theatre, although many, many years her junior, Callaway is the top in the world of jazz/pop and all singers flock to hear her perform. Her meticulously clear phrasing, magnificent range, ability to scat and overall great vocal instrument make her a fantastic night club singer and recording artist. In her set at Catalina Jazz Club July 28-31, Callaway had a rather short list of songs, but what she did to enhance each and every tune was nothing less than remarkable.