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Saturday, August 1, 2015

EL GRANDE CIRCUS DE COCA COLA ESTRENO MUNDIAL! EXTENDED-O


EL GRANDE CIRCUS DE COCA COLA  WORLD PREMIERE!

EXTENDED!!   AND ... MOVING TO THE COLONY THEATER IN BURBANK!  OPENS SOON!  

DON'T        MISS           THIS           ONE!

After more than forty years, this hilarious old chestnut has new life.  Written by Ron House (the original Pepe Hernandez) based on the wonderful El Grande De Coca Cola created by Alan Shearman, Diz White, John Neville-Andrews and House, the new version is irrepressible, unfathomable, energetic silliness of the highest order.  The Skylight Theatre is large enough for a full audience to roll in the aisles if need be and the opportunity abounds for a solid two hours.  As flamboyant Maestro Pepe Hernandez (Marcelo Tubert, whose first language was actually Spanish), slaughters with Spanglishish pronouncements and impersonations.  He also offers el coupono por uno dollar off on acting lessons in the Hernandez Technique that he says surpasses Stanislavsky and Strasberg and probably the guy who taught at the Skylight for years, Milton Katselas

Marcelo Tubert as Pepe Hernandez
Pre-show, Consuela (Lila Dupree, who also produces) and her seester, Maria (raven haired Olivia Christina Delgado), charm the audience, calling out celebrities who have attended.  “Helen Mirren” was hustled for possible jobs by Consuela, who passed out her resume to everyone with both of her credits including her phone number. 

Director, Alan Shearman, brings the show quickly to a boil and without pause, the audience is dragged kicking and screaming with laughter through skits and audience participation.  One highlight of the show is a tribute to Napoleon with drummer Juan (Aaron Miller)’s enormous effort to put a gigantic cannon ball into a cannon that fills half of the stage.  On drums Miller, shows a mad passion for rocking the show with abandon.  Worth the price of admission alone!

Multi-talented Paul Baird, as handsome Miguel, has an amazing tale to tell.  Evidently, he arrived at a call back audition for a show being cast adjacent to El Grande.   Knowing nothing about the show, he peeked in to see what was going on having been rejected from the audition that he was late for.  Producer, Lila Dupree, noticed him and invited him in, declaring to Shearman that he might be right for Miguel, who plays piano, is fluent in Spanish and would also play a German knife thrower.  His resume listed his attributes and when he could do the language (El Grande is mostly in Spanish.. ish..), ride a unicycle and play the piano and  accordion as well as capture the silliness of all the characters that House has expanded upon, the show was cast.  The actor, indeed every actor, has endless energy and rocks the two hours of nonstop Circus, including riotous interstitial commercials for El Coca Cola, the sponsor of the show? 

John Iacovelli’s cheesy circus set creates a perfect scene.  Live music created by Baird, fills the space.  There are encounters with Chupacabra (the circus’s wild tiger) who eats a Subaru leaving only a side mirror for Miguel to admire himself in. 

Plans for this show are extensive with a hoped for date in the West End of London on the agenda.  This is a romp that must be experienced.  For a limited time only at the Skylight, El Grande Circus de Coca Cola is an absolute must see for everyone who loves to laugh.  How the cast keeps the energy up is amazing and the tears of joy that return even remembering the evening cannot describe how much fun this production engenders.  Wonderful. It’s just wonderful. 

EL GRANDE CIRCUS DE COCA COLA
By Ron House
Directed by Alan Shearman 
The Skylight Theatre
1817 ½ N. Vermont Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Fridays, Saturdays at 8:30 and Sundays at 3PM
Through SEPTEMBER 20, 2015
Tickets and Information:
Http://skylighttix.com
213 761 7061

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