WHAT MIGHT THIS BE RORSCHACH AT THE SKYLIGHT WORLD PREMIERE

What is a perfect play?  Do you have one?  I go back to Saroyan's The Time of Your Life.. The film with James Cagney and productions over the years.  To me..  it is all the stuff that keeps the audience informed and engaged.

Kelly Younger's World Premiere of   Rorschach was cast by Victoria Hoffman.  I had a moment to re-connect with her before the curtain and wanted to share her credit at the top of this critique because she and the director, Cameron Watson,  found their terrific cast and molded them into their characters in such a way that  the cast did their jobs with aplomb.     

Really.. 

When a theatre piece as complicated as this play is on many levels comes together with the combined skills of the text, the theme (lots of love) and substance, that's an accomplishment.   If any Art moves us.. draws us in ..or repels us?  Then the art is successful.  This play.. evidently a favorite for Mr. Watson for almost twenty years!! Has all the elements that .. when met.. create the bond between the audience and the story.  

The Story? 
Is it vital that you see this story?  Yes!   

 

Why see this show??   Well you may ask.  At tender moments in this production.. the silence may echo a sniffle.  Will I cop to a sniffle?  More than one time.. and the laughs are clever and to the credit of the big three: the Cast, the Director and the Playwright.. the Laughs are out loud . .

An Ink Blot??   What might this be?

Unlike the TAT (Thematic Apperception Test) that aids psychologists to probe the minds of clients.. Recognizable images in amorphous situtions,  Rorschach's Ink Blots provide a deeper dive, that, with trained skill can ferret out the subtle stuff that brought the client to counseling in the first place.

Based on heavy research, Kelly  Younger  builds a scenario on the appparent failure of Hermann Rorshach to be recognized for his often maligned theory.    Born in 1884..  Rorshach  (Mitch Ross)  came to science from art. A Swiss, Rorschach was convinced his 'way' could be ground breaking. He meets Emil (Paul Culos)  and.. The Magical Reality of the relationship of  each and all of the characters becomes central to the work of modern day PhD candidate Justin  (Elija McNally).  We meet Justin in a lecture hall. That's where we also meet Aimee (Carolina Rodriguez).  And, then. the magical coincidences.  They are manipulative and funny and warm and fill the check list of life and conflict and  the Hope of resolution and redemption. The story  unfolds in the most expert way that drama.. to me.. is supposed to unfold.

We meet the 'actor'  Olive (like the tree) Linzi Fenix and Dana (Tessa Hersh)  who bring another aspect of how Love finds a Way to the adventure.

Jared Sayeg's amazing tech and Tesshi Nakagawa's set are awe inspiring in spite of  some sight line issuess .. blame the  rake of the Skylight seating..   

'Twas ever thus.. and if, in time.. The Skylight adjusts their seating so that the seeing the whole play is more available to everyone.. that could be a wonderful improvement..  

Regardless, the tech transports us in wonderful ways.  Magic.

Six characters..  seven or eight if you count the sound and visuals..and the director's  invisible hand...  as the story unfolds a pace; we come to love and/or appreciate every single one.  

The  most dear and tender moments are genuine. The magical reality works. The device of Coming Together is superb. 

Cameraon Watson's first curtain speech..  as Artistic Director of the Skylight ..and.. I'm not big on curtain speeches.. was filled with the joy of what can be accomplished when like minds opt to make Important Art. 

I am not prone to gush about much of anything, But, Watson's magnetic and genuine Love of Theatre in his first curtain speech was so from the heart that if this was church, I'd convert.

Meanwhile.. 

What is Theatre supposed to do?  Inform? 

Excite? Involve?  Take us in and send us out full of feeling?  All of these.  And, it is so much fun to  be on board for this World Premiere that may be a revolutionary ride for  The Small Stage in the City of Los Angeles.  Bravo.  

CAST

•  Tessa Claire Hersh as Dana
•  Paul Culos as Emil
•  Linzi Fenix as Olive
•  Elijah McNally as Justin 
• Carolina Rodriguez as Aimee
• Mitch Ross as Hermann
  

.

CREW

Cameron Watson, Artistic Director; 

Nona Chiang, Executive Director; Christian Skinner and Cedes Sifuentes, Associate Producers). 

Director: Cameron Watson
Produced by Mason McCulley;

Scenic design by Tesshi Nakagawa

Lighting design by Jared Sayeg;

 Sound design by Jeff Gardner

Costume design by Kate Bergh;

Projection design by NicholasSantiago; 

Scenic painting by Angelene Storey;  Production stagemanager Letitia Chang.  

RORSCHACH

A World Premiere

By  Kelly Younger

Directed by Cameron Watson

Skylight Theatre 

(1816 1/2 N. Vermont Ave., Los Feliz, 

Los Angeles, CA 90027

• Friday and Saturday at 8:00 PM
• Sunday at 2:00 PM 
  
• Through November 22, 2026
• Parking is difficult. Uber or other transportation advised
  

THE PETERSON SHOW at The Echo

 

The Peterson Show at The Echo in Atwater is a mixed bag of strong acting and a somewhat confusing script that turns on what has happened in the world of black sit com television over the years.  

In the talk back there was  a brief reference to the show 'Martin" and in the body of the play a scene where a spiked soft drink factored in.

Kudos to the set.

Truly professional with two large video monitors that factor in.   

Some of the dialogue was a little tough to understand, but the physical and emotional  dedication of the actors to the story, worked for me.

The unavoidable reference to Bill Cosby and the dominating voice of Mr. Peterson (never on stage)  brings the story home.. but..  but.. but...

We start in present day and after the act break wind up in the olden days.. and then..  we are .. to me .. all over the place.

Boosting the work of Chris Fields and the Echo Theatre Company is a goal. 

Dedicated cast and a terrific set with strong direction makes up a bit for the writing which left me a bit confused.

At The Atwater Village  Complex.//

The 

Most

Difficult

part of writing a reiew is the nuts and bolts of names and such.  As I was a guest at this performance.. I cut to the chase and post this link to the Echo for you to find out about the basics.. Support Local Theatre!

 

https://www.echotheatercompany.com/

 

If that does't highlight.. please copy and paste 

respectfully submitted

Michael Sheehan

onstagelosangeles