"Mlle. God" at AVT

The Ensemble Studio Theatre / LA’s “Mlle. God” by Nicolas Kazan inaugurates a bright new space for theatre in Los Angeles.

EST/LA’s Artistic Director Gates McFadden, best remembered for her role as the alluring Dr. Beverly Crusher on Star Trek: TNG, along with Tim Wright of the Circle X Theatre Company have made a considerable investment to bring quality and challenging theatre to the community. The new Atwater Village Theatre is tucked away in a burgeoning industrial/residential/arts area located on Casitas Avenue between Glendale Avenue and Fletcher Drive in Atwater. Two waiver spaces and a smaller performance space are well appointed and look to become a magnet for the arts in Glendale.

Kazan’s play features the amazing Annika Marks as Lulu, the hot to trot “amoral but naive young woman whose insouciant eroticism inspires lust and violence in those around her.” So says the cut line of the 1929 Louise Brooks film “Pandora’s Box.” The rise and inevitable fall of Lulu is beautifully examined in Kazan’s script based on the Brooks film which was based on a bawdy German play by Franz Wedekind. [German Theatre Scholar Professor Emeritus Kenneth W. Rugg points out that Wedekind was generally known as "Frank". Kazan refers to him as "Franz" in his program notes. In any case, The Lulu Plays are well remembered by Mr. Kazan.] Kazan says in his program notes that Wedekind worked and worked to revise his early 20th Century piece (The Lulu Plays) to meet a social standard that would allow a staged production. It never happened. We are fortunate for Kazan’s vision and that the EST/LA company has dedicated itself to presenting challenging theatre. As McFadden says, “Somebody has to do it.” The playwright, son of director Elia Kazan, speaks in his own unique voice. It is succinct and worthy of an audience.

PR for the show announces “Not for the faint of trousers.” and it’s true. This is an adult piece of theatre. The expert direction of Scott Paulin guides his actors directly through what in less capable hands could become a muddy route. Casting Annika Marks as the irresistible Lulu makes the show. Her absolute dedication to this at once amoral, yet sweet and enticing young woman flows through nuance after nuance while literally flaunting her brazen sexuality in our faces. It’s wonderful, especially the Flash as Lulu turns upstage to torment her artist suitor, Melville, (excellent Keith Szarabajika in the Muses cast… double casting for this show: Muses and Models), who, in his forties, is much too old and too much in love with her for his own good.

Act I "Pleasure" explores how Lulu manipulates and enjoys the men she has seduced. She numbers her prey. Melville is Number Nine. Charles (Andy Lauer), number 36, is, at once enamored with Lulu but has found Harriet (Harvardesque Kim Chueh) whom he intends to marry. We meet other lovers and applicants as the story moves toward what may be an inevitable climax in Act I. Charles’s brother, Trib (Tasso Feldman, trying just a little too hard) arrives and falls to Lulu’s charms. Bright spot in this scene is the appearance of The Prince (almost as naked as Lulu, Kareem Fergusen) who takes stage and flaunts his own brand of seduction.

Act II “Punishment”, turns south as the theatre is, literally, transformed into a dark gray arena. Video again is used to good advantage as Lulu discusses her ‘situation’ which could mean big trouble for her. As she meets her licentious keeper, Lewis (Jon Kellam); her turncoat brother, Kip, (big old Aussie, Will Harris) and another hot suitor, Eleanor (Heather Robinson), Lulu remains the vamp, never apologetic. She is never not her authentic self. With the appearance of The Governor (tough and powerful, John Nielsen) we become afraid for our heroine. It’s all about power, after all. It’s all about how one remains true to one’s self that prevails.

Professional and appropriate sets and lights by Richard Hoover and Production Design by Jason Thompson work beautifully. Director Scott Paulin’s choices are exquisite. Strong acting for the most part. Kazan’s excellent script: provocative and poetic. Two casts: Models and Muses should entice true patrons to see both versions of the show just to compare performances. Annika Marks plays Lulu in both casts.

Mlle. God by Nicholas Kazan
EST/LA
The Atwater Village Theatre
3269 Casitas Avenue
LA, CA 90039
Through March 6, 2011
Thursdays through Sundays
Tickets: 323 644 1929
www.ensemblestudiotheatrela.org
$25.00 Top

FREE Inside the John Anson Ford

Neo Theatre Ensemble opens Inside the Ford with Barbara Lindsey’s quirky comedy, Free. Kurt Boetcher’s seedy motel room set becomes the stage for personal changes as Marshall “Free” Gunther (a very bearded Michael Earl Reid) storms madly in, burrowing under a mattress. “Free” is a floater. He floats. Literally.

His childlike frantic fears stoked by the embarrassment of being different have driven him to distraction as his old pal, handler, colleague, Stoney Madonna (Greg Albanese) tries and tries again to convince Free that they can make a fortune by exploiting Free’s extraordinary talent. All Free wants is to be left alone and to be ‘normal.’ He is not interested in becoming “the stuff that dreams are made of.”

Free is confronted by a loopy woman, Althea (Dagney Kerr), who longs to learn to float. Free’s no teacher and though Althea seems determined to learn and they may even get a little lighter during the scene, which flies all over the room, the ground is still their final resting place.

Patsy (Jane McPherson), the maid who cleans rooms, is a voice of reason and befriends Free (who now insists that he be called by his given name, Marshall). She gets him a job helping with housekeeping at the motel, leaving poor Stoney without a meal ticket.

Properly harnessed, the energy generated in this production would electrify a city block for a week. Director Wendy Worthington’s tight direction is consistent and the cast delivers.

The metaphor of floating may have spiritual ramifications. The actual effect that the audience anticipates pays off and the metamorphosis of Free from an anxious little guy into a new more confident person is not really discussed in the exposition, but there are changes.. the characters do evolve which may be what the whole thing is about.

“FREE”
by the Neo Ensemble Theatre
at [inside] The Ford Theatre
2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East
Hollywood, CA
Thurs – Sat 8PM
Sundays 2PM and 7PM
Through February 27, 2011
Special Admission rates.. check www.fordtheatres.org
Or call 323 461 3673
$20 Top

NOISES OFF REDUX

For a very limited time audiences will have an opportunity to see ensemble work that shines. A Noise Within revives their own production of Michael Fryan’s Noises Off!
(Stephen Rockwell as Frederick Fellowes as Philip Brent.
Photo by Craig Schwartz)
Noises Off! is an inside look at the workings of a theatrical road company, all drawn together under the aegis of actress / producer Miss Dotty Otley starring as the maid, Mrs. Clackett. (Dotty/Clackett played by the ever energetic ANW mainstay Deborah Strang). Nothing’s On!!!s director, (Geoff Elliott as Lloyd Dallas), is one of those guys who is busy, busy, busy with more than one project at a time, as well as romancing more than one company member at the same time. The first act of Nothing On!!! is in rehearsal at rise. It’s the dress rehearsal, though some actors think it’s the tech as we continue to stop and start with interjections from Dallas. They have only a few hours before opening and then heading out onto the road with their fishy comedy. It’s about sardines! Sort of.

Excellent production values and solid performances combine to make for an evening of fun that will be very meaningful to anyone who has ever been in a play. Garry Lejeune (Mikael Salazar) squires the delicious Brooke Ashton (very sterotypically blonde Abby Craden) into the home of the well to do Philip and Flavia Brent (Stephen Rockwell and Jill Hill) for a quick tryst.

At this point all I can do is praise the rest of the cast and Geoff and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott’s fine tuned direction. Lenne Klingaman’s Poppy the Assistant Stage Manager is delicate and true. Shaun Anthony’s Stage Manager Tim Allgood keeps the pace moving.. and Apollo Dukakis as doughty old Selsdon Mowbray as The Burglar is just wonderful.

One has to keep referring back and forth from the program for the play within the play (Nothing On!!! in Noises Off) to keep the names straight. However, as the mayhem builds, it really doesn’t matter and keeping track of the actual plot becomes inconsequential to the fun and watching the three ring circus of events; missed cues and attempted murder evolve.

A final note to the benefit of A Noise Within’s dedication to excellence is Adam Lillibridge’s amazing set (which the audience must stay through the intermissions to watch the Run Crew: Lillibridge, Bernice Mendez, Katie Elsaesser, Dough Milliron, Stefanie Demetriades and Karla Menjivar transform like clockwork. Twice!

Soojin Lee’s costumes are perfect.

It’s just a fun show.

Playing now through January 30, 2011 ONLY
Fridays at 8PM
Saturdays at 2PM and 8PM
Sundays at 2PM and 7PM
A Noise Within
234 Brand Blvd.
Glendale, Ca 91204
$46 top
call theatre for group rates and discounts
240-0910 x1
Visit www.ANoiseWithin.org

New Season begins with Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams and Ionesco the end of February, 2011.

Noises Off Redux!

The beauty of this forum is that it is... simply.. my personal take on art and theatre in Los Angeles. I have seen four thrilling shows in my life that have made me so happy to be a part of the world of theatre. The Emergence at The Company Theatre on Robertson, Bill Irwin's Regard of Flight at the Pilgrimage (Taper, Too), Henry V at Stratford Upon Avon with Ian Holm and A Noise Within's NOISES OFF.

It's a thrill when a theatre company comes together and works as a finely tuned machine, when performances and book rise to an inspired plain.. that's what art is supposed to do: Inspire Us. That's what ANW's NOISES OFF has done for me.

The show is back for a limited run at the old Masonic Lodge on the corner of Colorado and Brand in Glendale, starting on Friday, January 21st. This link should help you find tickets. It's a short revival. Don't miss it!

http://www.anoisewithin.org/

sheehan

'greedy' at The El Centro Theatre

The Red Dog Squadron is a hearty band of serious actors dedicated to profes-
sional theatre.

Playwright, Karl Gajdusek, has crafted an oddly appealing, but somewhat confusing play. Set in the middle of a 144 day deluge, the audience hears the thunder.. or is it a bowling alley above the theater, as we enter past a zombie (of sorts) (Daddy played by Kyle Hamilton) who sports an empty baby carrier.

His yellow slicker, sunken eyes and depressed demeanor: a mannequin standing sentinel at the entry to the theater. Just before the play begins, Daddy meets Momma (Gemma Levinson) on the stage. They display newspaper headlines to one another that mention a mysterious baby that has been deposited in a local hospital. Another headline mentions 144 days of steady rain.

Kurt Boetcher’s excellent set is a stark contrast of life styles. Stage right is a dingy space with hundreds of books lining the walls, even blocking a door where the father of Louis (Brad Raider), an aspiring inventor and his sister Keira (Maggie Lawson), may still be entombed? We never meet the dad. Kiera is an unwelcome guest in her childhood home. Louis is supported by his butch security guard wife, Janet (the protean Amanda Detmer). Janet tolerates Kiera's visit… barely. Kiera has come up with a scheme to hustle a hundred thousand dollars from an unsuspecting doctor, Paul (Kurt Fuller), using an untraceable email address through a woman she’s met in Russia.

Plot unfolds cinematically with action moving from the dingy home to the crisp modern space where Dr. Paul and his Bosnian wife, Tatiana (Ivana Milicevic) discuss major issues they have. She is determined to have a baby and Paul avoids the issue by saying they just can’t afford to create a family. He’s been suspended from practice because of an unfortunate Good Samaritan move he made some time ago. Kiera's greed and the basic humanity of Paul play out in a scheme that takes some twists and turns that one must pay careful attention to fully appreciate.

An interesting use of a narrow space that divides the book lined walls of Louis and Janet’s home and the doctor’s upscale digs features a rear screen projection that creates interludes that include Paul driving in his car in the rain with a muffled GPS voice instructing him where to turn and other locations where the lives of all five of the main characters meet at one time or another. Momma and Daddy, the zombies in the yellow slickers, function as ghostly parents of the baby who, evidently, dozens of couples want to claim at the hospital where Janet is a security guard. They double as yellow slickered Kabuki koken, efficiently moving props and scenery.

Gajdusek’s script may challenge the audience, but under director James Roday’s mostly steady hand, the actors are all on the same page at the same time. This is a production worth seeing. The influence of the absurdists filters in. Perhaps a bit of Kopit? We never meet the father who has collected Nazi artifacts: his legacy to Louis and Kiera. Over all The Red Dog Squadron deserves an audience up for a challenging evening and ready to confront, perhaps, our own personal issues with greed.

“greedy”
Red Dog Squadron at The El Centro
804 El Centro Avenue
Hollywood, CA
Plays Thursday – Sunday through January 29, 2011
www.Reddogsquadron.com
$20.00

Save Barnsdall Rally

Slightly off topic.. There is a crisis at the LA Municipal Art Gallery in Barnsdall Park in Hollywood. The City of LA has the facility on what is called a RFP (request for proposals) in an attempt to privatize the gallery and facilities, making it no longer Municipal. One City Councilman has called the necessary budget, less than two million dollars, 'budget dust.' It is important that the egalitarian access to this venue remain municipal. If you write to Councilman Tom LaBonge or Eric Garcetti simply asking for the Barnsdall Art Park to be taken off the RFP list, that will be a huge help. See below for a scheduled rally in support of keeping Barnsdall Municipal. Please copy and post where you can.. the voices of the people must be heard and this is a terrific way to lift them up. Thanks! Happy New Year!

Media. Newspapers.Bloggers and Film crew. Rally on Steps of City Hall.
Barnsdall Alliance Rally.
200 North Spring street @ 10.00 a.m Wednesday January 5,2011.
Barnsdall off the RFP list!! Other related issues as well......
Happy New Year 2011!!

Neil LaBute benefit for Vs. Theatre Company

LaBute is a well known film director/playwright. This is an opportunity to be up close and personal with him. His reputation is wide spread and it seems that 'candor' may be his middle name. Support local theatre and rub elbows with some of the movers and shakers in Los Angeles. Please tell them that onstagelosangeles sent you. Happy New Year!

“An Evening With Neil LaBute”
January 15^th at the Howard Fine Acting Studio.

LOS ANGELES – December 30, 2010 –Vs. Theatre Company, which will produce the Los Angeles premiere of Neil LaBute’s The Mercy Seat at [Inside] the Ford this spring, hosts “An Evening With Neil LaBute” on January 15. The acclaimed playwright and filmmaker will take questions from the audience in a discussion moderated by theater director/acting coach Howard Fine.

“An Evening With Neil LaBute” will take place on January 15 at 7 pm at the Howard Fine Acting Studio, 1445 N. Las Palmas Ave, Hollywood, CA 90028. Tickets are $75 in advance and $95 at the door, and include food and drink. A limited number of VIP tickets are available for $125, which includes priority seating and a pre-event reception with Mr. LaBute. Ticket proceeds will benefit the non-profit Vs. Theatre Company, with a portion of each ticket donated to 9/11 Health Now. For more information and to purchase tickets, call 800-838-3006 or go to www.vstheatre.org. 21+ only.

"greedy" at the El Centro

The Little El Centro Theatre has been active in Hollywood for longer than I can remember: I first saw shows there in the seventies. The work there has ranged the gamut from musical previews to the beginnings of Torch Song Trilogy (the first act was called The International Stud). I don't know the Red Dog Squadron, but certainly applaud this kind of "going for it" attitude that this show may deliver. I'm unsure I'll have time to review it, but this may be one to support. The price is right. If anyone who is knowledgeable about theatre sees this show and would like to submit a review, let Lucy Pollak, Red Dog's publicity rep know and I'll consider it.

Happy New Year! See more theatre in 2011.. By the way.. A Noise Within in Glendale will reprise NOISES OFF! in January. It's an amazing romp.

RED DOG SQUADRON kicks off 2011
with West Coast premiere of "greedy"

James Roday directs Amanda Detmer, Kurt Fuller,
Peter Mackenzie, Ivana Milicevic, Brad Raider
and Roday's 'psych' co-star Maggie Lawson
in Karl Gajdusek's edgy comedy

"The more you have, the more greedy you become, you know. And all this crisis is the product of greed. Greed is the dominant value today in the world. And as long as that persists, well, we are done."
– Chilean economist Manfred Max-Neef in an interview with Democracy Now’s Amy Goodman

WHAT:
greedy – the West Coast premiere of Karl Gajdusek's edgy and very dark comedy. Five people struggle with greed, hope, desire and integrity in the wake of an emailed plea for money that promises big returns. Is it a scam or a golden opportunity? James Roday directs a cast that includes Amanda Detmer, Kurt Fuller, Peter Mackenzie, Ivana Milicevic, Brad Raider, and Roday’s co-star on USA Network’s psych, Maggie Lawson.

WHO:
Written by Karl Gajdusek
Directed by James Roday
Starring Amanda Detmer, Kurt Fuller, Peter Mackenzie, Ivana Milicevic, Brad Raider and Maggie Lawson
Presented by RED DOG SQUADRON, James Roday and Brad Raider, Artistic Directors

WHEN:
Previews: January 6 & 7
Performance Schedule: January 8 through January 29
Thursdays @ 8 pm: Jan. 6 (preview), 13, 20, 27
Fridays @ 8 pm: Jan. 7 (preview), 14, 21, 28
Saturdays @ 8 pm: Jan. 8 (opening), 15, 22, 29
Sundays @ 8pm: Jan. 9, 16, 23

WHERE:
El Centro Theatre
804 N. El Centro Ave
Hollywood, CA 90038

HOW:
www.reddogsquadron.com

TICKETS: $20.00

THE PLAYHOUSE RISES

It is my goal to be an honest critic and at the same time... as much as possible... a booster of theatre in Los Angeles. Personal stuff has me not attending some openings, but I hope to keep readers informed about what's going on that I'm told about. This is pretty exciting, as it was The Pasadena Playhouse / Patty Onagan Publicity who first treated me as a true member of the press. So.. this good news from Patty, I want to share with you and, if you are inclined, make a contribution to the Playhouse. It's a regal old gal... that place. Sure hope they come up with ways to please their basic audience and also move forward with edgy and interesting theatre in the years to come. The upcoming Dangerous Beauty musical will be interesting to say the least. Rent the movie to get the gist and then attend the show if you're as curious as I am.

Here's the current info on The Playhouse courtesy of Patty Onagan:

THE PASADENA PLAYHOUSE RAISES $2 MILLION AND
LAUNCHES NEW "FUND THE FUTURE" CAMPAIGN


PASADENA, CA (December 9, 2010) – The Pasadena Playhouse (Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director and Stephen Eich, Executive Director) proudly announced today that they raised $2 million, which was a challenge inspired by anonymous donors’ $1 million matching grant. The theatre continues fundraising efforts with a new $2 million campaign named Fund the Future. The new monies raised will support opportunities for the Playhouse’s advancements including expansion of the next generation of theatre audiences.

"We are thrilled by the outpouring of generous gifts. So many sources have been willing to join forces by quickly and actively displaying their support in helping to reach the $2 million that we raised," said Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director of The Pasadena Playhouse. "The evidence of this extraordinary community backing reconfirms what I always say, 'People care about this theatre.' It is the commitment from our board and our supporters, that ensures us that we have a strong and exciting future and that The Pasadena Playhouse remains the vital and important theatre that it has always been."

Michele Dedeaux Engemann, Chairman of the Board of The Pasadena Playhouse said, "When we met the $1 million pledge, the Board knew immediately that we still needed to have an aggressive fundraising campaign to continue our ongoing efforts to reach our goals. We are thrilled with what we have accomplished since July of this year and are wholeheartedly dedicated to take on our new Fund the Future campaign."

Stephen Eich, Executive Director of The Pasadena Playhouse added, "The unanimous endorsement of this campaign from the Board and staff to raise $2 million tangibly represents our continued commitment to the Playhouse being the premier theatre of Southern California and an important part of the national theatrical scene.”

Contributions for "Fund the Future" can be made online at www.PasadenaPlayhouse.org; by calling 626-921-1156; or by mailing a gift to Fund the Future, Pasadena Playhouse, 600 N. Rosemead Boulevard., Pasadena, CA 91107.

Free Theatre

Apologies to loyal readers. Hope to be out to new theatre productions soon.
Meanwhile, here's an opportunity to see some free theatre.. One night only. Debra Deliso is a talented director whom I've known for many years. If you are free on 12/11/10, please head up to Pasadena for her show. See below. Guest reviews for this show are welcome.

//////////


Dear Theatre Friends!

You are cordially invited to an evening of rich theatre stories! This Saturday night at Throop Hall in Pasadena I am hosting an "Evening of Solo Performances." Kaleidoscope Theatre Company is co-producing. 7:00 curtain, admission free, refreshments too! Please click on the link below to read about the beautiful line up of talent!
Hope to see you!
Debra Deliso

http://kaleidoscopetheater.org/solo..htm

Throop Hall
300 S. Los Robles
Free parking in Throop Church lot
Pasadena, CA 91101
7:00 p.m. December 11, 2010

BILLIONS FOR BILLIAM Guest Reviews

L to R: Michael Moynahan, Michael Sheehan and another guy

Guest Reviews: Billions for Billiam at the Moose Lodge, Glendale, CA 11/15/10.
Over a hundred friends and supporters filled the funky Glendale Moose Lodge to raise "Billions" for Billiam: William Quinn Barrett.

As a side note, the Moose are looking for a few good members: men and WOMEN! who may become a driving force to lift the spirits of the community by making this fantastically funky facility a venue for Variety Artists, musical events, comedy and a magnet for not only vaudevillians, but people who want to serve the community. To that end, on Friday, December 3, 2010, from 7:30 -11:00PM Moose Lodge #641 will hold an Open House at the Lodge: 357 Arden Avenue (2 blocks north of the 134 Freeway), located between Pacific and Central in Glendale, CA 91203. It's a wonderfully funky venue that deserves to be put to full use. New membership is the answer.

This review from Judy Kory in a letter to her sister, Stephanie, in Hawaii:

"I just got back from one of the most incredible evenings of my life, a benefit show and raffle for William (aka "Billly") Barrett. All these friends of William showed up to perform, sit in the audience roaring with laughter, eat healthy, homemade snacks, give generously for donated crafts and prizes such as: crocheted fools' cap 'n bells (mine) romantic, sexy clothing by Barbara Butcher; certificate for an hour with a psychologist; beauty products; yoga lessons; paintings; cds; antique memorabilia, sports event tickets; toys and much more.

The show!! OMG...all these faire folk and variety artists!
I'm sleepy so I'll describe just a few: the Flying Morgans' amazingly twisted contortionist/acrobatic act; Mitchel Young Evans' newly classic clown/mime; the 3 rapidly juggling, drumming, Mums; a sensational Mat Plendl and his amazing hula hoops; Christina, the sexy diva, singing and flirting with a nervous guy from the audience, who turned out to "eat" razor blades and gracefully dance; funny, dueling pianists, Jeff and Sandey; Hilary Carlip, with straight face, juggling while warbling a torch song ; Cock and Feathers singing and "signing" a song that touched us, romantically, I mean; Amanda Barrett (William’s beautiful daughter) of the Ditty Bops, sang a song her father wrote, Dreaming Away;
J Paul Moore as "Alfie" and his wry legerdemain; The Briton Ensemble singing their popular Renaissance song "co-written" by Paul McCartney and James Hendricks; and Molly Morgan's exquisite belly dance enticing people to rush up and put money wherever they could in her costume, while she kept on dancing and enticing.

I had so much fun selling raffle tickets, and sharing hugs with older, familiar faces while making friends with new ones. It was a privilege to be at this special night: this reunion of old friends. It was amazing to be in a ballroom full of professionals, who are also a unique, extended family, performing with love, with and for one of our own.

I was too young to see Vaudeville, but I saw the Real Thing tonight."

Guest reviewer Judy Kory

Judy Kory

Artist, storyteller, performer, teacher,

Family member of the original Renaissance Pleasure Faires

and Instant Theatre

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

And this from Daniel (Rover) Singer, director of The Briton Ensemble…

Review: Boffo Benefit for Billiam by Rover
"William's Billionaire Bash"

"Ever have that dream where everyone you know is gathered at a Moose Lodge in Glendale, California, watching you perform a vaudeville act you hadn’t done in decades? Or was it actually November 15, 2010? It was, in fact, a massive undertaking to celebrate the love we feel for the legendary William/Billy/Billiam Q. Barrett. Dozens of donated and somewhat eccentric raffle items—pet massage, anyone? His family and friends turned up in astonishing numbers on a Monday evening; and since so many of them are performers, a lavish variety show dominated the evening. Presented in typically slapdash fashion, the epic show lasted till nearly midnight, as a stream of astonishing variety acts took the stage in tribute to Mr. Barrett, whose long career as a hippy clown has brought joy to countless billions of hippy clowns around the world. By the end of the evening we were knee-deep in juggling clubs, rubber chickens, razor blades, ukuleles and hula hoops, with nary a dry seat in the house. Most astonishing—to this observer, anyway—was the astounding agelessness of these supposedly aging friends, who all seem as buoyantly youthful as ever. As a group our spirits are eternally ageless. Congrats and thanks to the scores of participants, and to Billiam, we say, long life and good health. –Rover"

Guest Reviewer: Daniel "Rover" Singer is the founder of the Reduced Shakespeare Company, a former production designer at Walt Disney Imagineering, and a professional bohemian.

.

BILLIONS FOR BILLIAM

For folks who love Variety Shows.. the opportunity to see some terrific performers all to the benefit of an old friend, William Barrett (whom we called Billy for fifty years) is at hand.

Featured acts include Amanda Barrett (Ditty Bops), The Mums; Cock and Feathers!
When: Monday, November 15, 2010 is the date.
6:30 is the time (show at 8PM)
Where: Moose Lodge #641 357 Arden Avenue (between Pacific and Central) two blocks north of the 134 Freeway in Glendale 91203

$20.00 at the door. All donations are welcome.
No Host Bar / munchies..
Fantastic raffle items will be given away at the intermission

Why? To the Benefit of William for his incurred and mounting medical bills. Cancer is no fun, but the show will be!

Check Billions for Billiam on Facebook for more information.

See you there?

Great Great Expectations

Another Classic at A Noise Within

Deborah Strang as Miss Havisham

Kurt Boetcher’s stark bare bones set allows Neil Bartlett’s imaginative adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations to unfold boldly and melodramatically at A Noise Within. Highly theatrical from first light we meet Pip (Jason Dechert) seated in a graveyard: the stage floor laid out with simple lozenges of gray: an apt launching pad from which to narrate his orphan’s story. Moments into his narration, Pip is attacked by Magwich (Daniel Reichert), an escaped prisoner and forced to bring him food and a file to release him from his chains. Though captured soon after, Magwich takes the rap for the theft of the tools and food, protecting Pip because he had acted honorably. This kindness, as we all recall from reading the story, is repaid much later in Pip’s personal journey.

Dickens never told a short story. Or, if he did, it must have been a long one. However, Bartlett’s adaptation nicely moved along by Geoff and Julia Rodriguez-Elliotts tight direction unspools the episodes of Pip’s tale apace. It is a signature of the Elliotts, perhaps, that some things are rushed a little from time to time, especially when we meet Mrs. Joe, Jill Hill, who has always subscribed to the adage that to spare the rod is to spoil the child. Hill’s banshee of a Mrs. Joe is not a tolerant sister, though her more patient husband, (ANW founder Geoff Elliott), Mr. Joe, the blacksmith, who punctuates some scenes with ringing hammer blows, is certainly more kind.

Pip is trundled off to meet Miss Havisham, an at once vivacious and eccentric jilted bride, nicely limned by ANW mainstay, Deborah Strang. Angela Balogh Calin’s costumes are appropriate throughout; especially with Havisham's tattered wedding dress which reflects her moldering wedding cake, now in shambles years after she was abandoned at the alter. Havisham has raised the beautiful Estella (Jaimi Paige) to break mens' hearts. Estella delights in tormenting poor ignorant Pip, leading him on and slapping him down while calling him “Boy.” Which, of course, draws the callow kid to her fall in love with her anyway.

Pip’s adventures continue by his being sent back to apprentice with Mr. Joe. He's then informed that he’s the recipient of a fortune that will enable him to go to London to learn to become a gentleman. This includes episodes with the talented cast doubling and a fine ensemble of supernumeraries who are crisp and dedicated: Darby Bricker, Elizabeth Fabie, Kurt Quinn and Taylor Jackson Ross who move props and literally become part of the scenery.

Mitchell Edmonds may have the most fun trebling as Mr. Pumblechook/Sarah Pocket and Bentley Drummle. The romance that Dickens has with names is equal to the fun that he has with the drama of the orphan and his adventures. The beauty of this production is that the lengthy tome with all its twists and turns pares down nicely to two acts in two hours with a cast who play the story with gusto. Jill Hill does double duty playing the complete opposite from her feisty Mrs. Joe, the pretty Biddy, who marries Mr. Joe after Mrs. Joe’s demise. Kurt Quinn plays Wemmick. Stephen Rockwell doubles as Herbert Pocket and Compeyson.

In the end, we see Pip, back where he’s started: in the graveyard where his parents and siblings lie. He again meets Estella, now more demure.. age has not been so kind and her killer attitude is dimmed, a reunion that we probably could see coming from the get go. Together at last.

///

A curtain speech before the show announced that a generous benefactor (not Magwich) has come forth to offer A Noise Within a one million dollar matching fund to help complete the expensive process of installing actual plumbing and such in the new ANW Theater in Pasadena. Glendale’s loss is certainly Pasadena’s gain and though this fine company will be twenty minutes further away, they’ll be in a brand new home where Pasadena will embrace them and will also embrace audiences with parking and a more tolerant atmosphere for the Arts. Opportunities for naming things, from the entire lobby to a porcelain throne, are available. As I don’t have to be objective, I very much admire this hearty troupe. I encourage you to see their season of plays and to dig into your pocket, shallow or deep and help to complete the new space in Pasadena in time for the Fall 2011 Opening there.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS
A Noise Within
234 S. Brand Ave.
Glendale, CA 91204

Through December 19, 2010
$46.00 Top
818 240 0910 x 1 for tickets
www.anoisewithin.org for donations and information

P.S. Mark your calendars for a reprise of my personal favorite, NOISES OFF! January 21 – 30, 2011

Merry Wives of Windsor

Merry Wives! Indeed! (Serena Evans and Sarah Woodward)

Applause! How many different and indifferent kinds of applause must there be? Gratuitous? Polite? Appreciative? Thunderous? The ovation! To hear British actors handle the language and the attitude of William Shakespeare is truly a feast. If you haven’t been to The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, this would be the time, if you can get a ticket. The beauty of the 499 seat space is that even from the back row one is still in intimate contact with the action on the stage. This company, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, on tour from London, plays wonderfully at The Broad because every word can be heard; every gesture, nuance, tick and eye roll is available.

Director Christopher Luscombe is credited with this new production designed especially for The Broad. Scene design by Janet Bird (who also did period costumes) presents on a severely raked stage, a double turntable holds a two story structure, the roof of which supports a five piece orchestra with what appear to be authentic Renaissance musical instruments. Nigel Hess's compositions are grand and the musicians seem to really be having a good time! Through out the play, they supply incidental music and sounds as well as just hang over the balcony from time to time enjoying the goings on.

There is a feeling of comfort and good will in all the company. Sir John Falstaff (complete and unfaltering Christopher Benjamin with credits going back to television’s The Prisoner) takes stage with all the bluster one could hope for. His randy gambols, especially ambitious for a man past sixty, extend to hustling two married ladies at the same time. Most wonderful Mistress Page (joyful Serena Evans) and Mistress Ford (equally conspiratorial Sarah Woodward) receive identical letters of intent from Falstaff and decide to trick him and embarrass him for his hubris.

To condense the plot would be a chore. Suffice it to say that outstanding performances by all the cast, especially Mistress Quickly (Sue Wallace) and completely silly Frank Ford (Andrew Havill) are like (insert your own ‘Breath of Fresh Air’ analogy here!). It’s simply fun and a romp. The language and the story are told with great good humor as evidenced in the final dance with the audience clapping in time and applauding concurrently. Huzzah! and Bravo! were heard at the curtain call.

When writing a rave, I have to slow myself down a little and not sound like a ringer. I invited a director friend of mine who is past presiding patriarch of the Finger Wagging Naysayers. He’s full of knowledge about theatre. He’s written books! He’s directed more shows than he can remember. I really wanted to share this play with him, but he lives what might be an hour’s drive away and it was raining, so he didn’t want to drive all the way to Santa Monica for ‘bad Shakespeare.’ That he would have been huffing and laughing and pointing, as he does when something good happens on stage is a given. That I was unable to coax him to Santa Monica is a shame. I told him I’d try to get the next show to just come and play under the tree in his backyard. He thought that was a good idea!

So… if you have theatre friends who love to hear Shakespeare recited and presented with great joy, find a way to get them to The Broad.

There are only seven more performances. Evening performances start at 7:30 PM. Call the number below or check the web site for specifics.


Merry Wives of Windsor
Through October 24, 2010
The Broad Stage
1310 11th Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Tickets start at $47.00
310 434 3412
www.thebroadstage.com

FDR at The Playhouse

Ed Asner as FDR
Photo Courtesy of The Theatre Guild

The Pasadena Playhouse rises from the ashes with Ed Asner’s tribute to the 32nd President of the United States: Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In FDR, based on the 1958 play by Dore Schary, "Sunrise at Campobello," Asner takes the story past the original ending of the play to its sad conclusion as Roosevelt, having won his fourth term as President, succumbed to a massive cerebral hemorrhage while in retreat in Warm Springs, Georgia in 1945. Asner, a popular staple with television audiences with his long run as Lou Grant on the "Mary Tyler Moore Show" and the follow-up CBS hit "Lou Grant," now at the age of 80 wants us all to know that age is only a number and talent is as talent does. To tackle a tour de force like this, one hundred minutes of pure exposition through monologue, at any time of life is a major challenge for any actor. Asner is, however, not just any actor. This actor knows his stuff.

From the rise of the curtain that re-opens the Playhouse… well there is no curtain, uncredited scenic design presents a simple three area set that gives the story simple spaces to delineate time and locale, which works well. As Asner struggles from FDR’s wheel chair to canes, having told the story of how he awakened one day at the age of 40 unable to move a muscle and how he regained some movement, it’s clear that the actor has no intention of giving the audience an imitation of the President. To the contrary, even with a wispy hair piece, it’s still Ed, the familiar curmudgeon in demeanor and voice whom recent audiences enjoyed as the voice for Mr. Fredrickson in the Pixar hit, “UP.” Asner, unlike Ralph Bellamy, who played the part in the Broadway production of "Campobello," and subsequently in the film of the same name who successfully duplicated FDR’s voice and attitude… Asner simply allows the spirit of the President access. The actor steps out of the way and the words and tone of the President unfold.

As our country balances on the verge of social change, as it did when FDR took office and with his leadership found a way back to sanity, this memoir… a sort of love letter to the President, is apt and moving. FDR embodied all that is good in a political figure and Asner shares it with good humor. Having been accused of being overly thrifty, even a “penny pincher”, FDR tells the story of a poker game at the White House where, among others, a young army officer, Dwight Eisenhower, was in attendance. At the end of the evening, it turned that Roosevelt owed Eisenhower twenty dollars. When he paid the officer, Eisenhower asked him to autograph the bill for him. “Are you going to keep it,” asked the President? “Of course,” said Eisenhower. “Well, hell, then, give me back that twenty and I’ll write you a check!”

The Playhouse is open for business and this show should draw an audience.
Go prepared to listen.

FDR starring Ed Asner
Pasadena Playhouse
39 S. El Molino
Pasadena, CA
626 356 7529
Through November 7, 2010
$59.00 Top
$15.00 Rush one hour before the curtain
check www.pasadenaplayhouse.org for dates and times

IMPROBABLE FARCE! PRACTICAL FUN!

(l-r) Scott Lowell (Charles Condomine) and Abby Craden (Elvira Condomine)

PHOTO CREDIT: Craig Schwartz

To be more British than Noel Coward would be a challenge if we are to believe the goings on in the Condomine household in Kent created by Coward in his 1941 epic, Blithe Spirit. The Condomines are ever so almost upper class. They have a household staff. The only one we really meet, Edith, the galumphing maid, played by the wonderful Alison Elliott (Geoff and Julia’s daughter) steals the show with every entrance and exit. Her parents must be proud. To carry on about Alison’s grace note to the play serves a double purpose. First, it may be Edith who represents us common folk and secondly, through her less than delicate business, she may subtly represent how we may feel about all of this pip pip folderol. Elliott’s work is practically all physical and worth the price of admission alone. She is also the most believable character in the show.

Though director Damaso Rodriguez has his cast well in hand, one note that some other ANW directors have yet to take and Rodriguez has not understood, however, is that the six or so feet upstage from the apron may be visible to anyone in an empty house, but for the audience sitting above the fourth row in the center section of the theater, it’s impossible to see action on the floor! But, I’m ahead of myself.

Charles Condomine (enthusiastic Scott Lowell) is a successful novelist doing research for a new book. He has invited the quirky medium, Madame Arcati (erratic Jane Macfie) to the home he shares with his second wife, the lovely Ruth (lovely, indeed, Jill Van Velzer). Charles’ first wife, Elvira (campy and vampy Abby Craden) has been dead for seven years. The current Condomines have been happily married for five. The banter as the couple awaits the arrival of Arcati is oh so Coward: Light and airy, cocktails and cigarettes. Edith announces visitors Dr. and Mrs. Bradman (blustery Gibby Brand and ever sweet Jacque Lynn Colton) who settle in for what may be a silly evening of summoning up spirits, Blithe and otherwise. The good doctor is a skeptic and then some.

Arcati’s arrival and the ensuing shenanigans summon Elvira back from the dead. Of course, only Charles can see her and the upshot is that it takes a while to understand that not only is Elvira back, but she’s very interested in having Charles join her. The romp that follows is typical high standard ANW fare with crisp performances (passing some lapses with Macfie who, from time to time, seems to be waiting her turn) culminating with surprises that should come as no surprise.

Coward’s snappy patter and oblique references to sex are charming and witty. The play, written in 1941 takes place in ’36, but makes no mention of any of the turmoil in Europe that had begun there then or the major world issues in ‘41. It’s a light romp which personifies what Coward said of himself, “I am England and England is me.” We hear his voice and experience these Brits through the eyes of a talented young man who spent his life extolling the virtues of his native land in theatre, film and music. Clever and fun, Blithe Spirit moves apace with an excellent scenic design by Kurt Boetcher, period costumes by E.B. Brooks and lights by James P. Taylor. Entre act music by Doug Newell has the feeling of the twenties and permeates the room.

Geoff Elliott’s curtain speech repeated opportunities for donors to contribute to the company’s expected new space in Pasadena next fall. Naming opportunities for donors for everything from seats to bathrooms are available. Donations are tax deductible and tours of the new space may be arranged for donors by calling the company at the number below.

BLITHE SPIRIT
A Noise Within
Brand Blvd.
Glendale, CA 91204
Tickets 818 240 0910 x1
www.anoisewithin.org
$46 top
In Repertory with Measure for Measure
and Great Expectations (opening October 23, 2010)
Blithe Spirit closes on December 5, 2010

Barnsdall Art Park / LA MUNICIPAL Art Gallery

Dear Mr. Garcetti,

I was impressed with your brief participation at the Barnsdall Gallery Theater last night. I was not impressed with the evening. Whoever was in charge of the questions filtered out the tough ones.

Here are some questions that I submitted that were not answered by the panel.

1. Why were employees of LAMAG not invited to the panel? Their lives are the most at stake including Nancy, in the wheel chair.

2. Is the annual budget of the City of LA actually $7Billion? (I'd like to know what the budget is, please.)

3. Is the budget for all the Municipal Arts Centers actually less than $1.5Million? (I'd like to know the actual budget, please.)

4. Is the actual budget for LAMAG $380,000.00?

5. What can ordinary interested citizens do to stop this RFP thing and help?

If you really believe that Olive Hill holds the "beating heart" of the arts in Los Angeles (I tend to agree), then it seems like pulling the plug on the space as a MUNICIPAL resource is suicide.

I didn't submit questions asking about the CAD's budget and the salaries of the staff. I understand that Olga Garay supervises a staff of seventeen. I wonder.. and will you tell me.. what her salary is?

With the recent uproar about the million wasted dollars on GPS devices for parking officers cars and the scandal of corrupt city officials in Bell ripping off the citizens there, it seems to me that some accountability should be forthcoming.

If Meg Whitman spends $120Million out of her own pocket to run for Governor while Bill and Melinda Gates funnel billions into their personal causes, certainly the City of Los Angeles must find ways to not let Arts Centers slip from municipal hands.

This bed tax thing is silly. And, your reputation regarding it for funding the Arts has been brought into question. I hope you are a true supporter, especially of the LAMAG and will be pro-active in finding the funding to keep it MUNICIPAL.

Finally. One solution for funds might be a simple two mill levy earmarked for the DCA and the Arts Centers on groceries and restaurant meals purchased in the City. As Los Angeles approaches or maybe passes a population of Ten Million residents, you can do the math.. but let's say that each of the ten million folks buys only two dollars worth of food a day. that's twenty million spent in the City in one day.. a miniscule levy of two mills would bring in $40,000 a day, over a million dollars a month: $12Million, plus annually.. Even for an average family spending as much as $500 a month, the donation would be one dollar!

My lowball estimate of the amount of food bought and consumed would solve the Arts Problem almost immediately.

This is all food for thought. Naysayers can come up with all kinds of reasons why any idea won't work. Pennies for the arts is certainly not what the City deserves.. make all the excuses you want about the economy and such, but if the 'heart' to which you referred is further and further stifled, then our society cannot help but deteriorate.

I refer you to an interesting book by Malcolm Gladwell. The Tipping Point discusses how trends take hold and how they affect society. On Page 141 in Chapter Four THE POWER OF CONTEXT Gladwell discusses how simple attention to maintaining a neighborhood can make a huge difference. The "Broken Window Theory" has to do with how attitudes of people change in an orderly environment. Broken windows make us feel that no one cares about a building, but where the environment is cared for, attitudes change. The correlation is that when the Arts are cared for, the citizenry gains the benefit, either directly by participation, or vicariously in the positive ripples that emanate from the source: music, dance, theatre, fine art, movies, etc...

Do the math on a two mill levy. No one would notice unless they bought a thousand dollars worth of food at one time.. and then.. their fair share would be a whopping two bucks!

Let's make LA a thriving center for culture and the people who..mostly unselfishly.. create cared for spaces in the City.

Michael Sheehan

MEASURE FOR MEASURE at ANW

Measure for Measure is not one of Shakespeare’s more frequently produced plays and maybe rightly so. That A Noise Within takes chances and comes out with consistently good productions is testament to the company.

Robertson Dean photo credit Craig Schwartz

The issue with the play is that it’s essentially all exposition. To critique the Bard is risky and indeed there are moments in the piece that are bright and wonderful. The politics of the Bard’s time may have influenced him, but as I never have claimed to be a scholar, though sounding like one would really help in this case, the issues in this play resonate a bit with the times we live in. The Duke of Vienna (Robertson Dean) has lost his grip on the city and opts to take a break from his administrative duties, hitting the road, so to speak in his executive helicopter, leaving the disposition of the city to his cousin, Angelo, a righteous cleric (Geoff Elliott). Yes. It’s modern dress.

Cleaning up Vienna becomes a radical proposition. As we find our own society lumbered with paranoia and the broad strokes of enforcing the letter of the law becomes the tail wagging the dog, Angelo in his pious wisdom, decides that the death penalty for immoral behavior will curb the deterioration of Viennese Society. Unfortunate, Claudio (William Patrick Riley) in love with and father to Julietta’s (Courtney Kocak) expected child, is brought to bear and in one of the most enjoyable moments in the play is hauled before the Duke’s appointee by Elbow, (well limned by Michael Faulkner) a constable. Word play with the sincere but out of sync Elbow garners laughs as Claudio is hauled off to await his execution.

Claudio’s sister, Isabella (Karron Graves), a novice just entering the convent, is called upon to plead for Claudio’s life. Madness of lust overcomes the heretofore righteous Angelo who says he’ll commute Claudio’s sentence if Isabella will yield to his charms. Herein lies a moral issue. Meanwhile, The Duke returns to Vienna in disguise to observe while unobserved how Vienna does. The plot is a little fuzzy, but it’s Shakespeare, after all, and if you read the play and/or the synopsis before you take the plunge, it’ll be all that much more enjoyable. I enjoyed the laughs the most. Elbow’s upside down speeches and Barnardine’s (Thomas Moses in lots of hair) refusal to be executed because he’s been drinking all night are hilarious.

ANW’s founders, Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez- Elliott's direction keep the words flowing, sometimes so quickly that the intention of the text gets lost. Stage pictures are efficient in Stephen W. Gifford’s high tech set though some far downstage action is impossible to see from above the fourth or fifth row. Julie Keen’s modern dress costumes work in the solemn modern setting. Elizabeth Harper’s lighting is dramatic. Doug Newell’s sound design serves as a strong foundation for the production. As with large cast shows, some of the supernumeraries are a bit self conscious, but spears (rifles) must be carried and these young actors will mature in time.

Whatever moral lesson Shakespeare intends to teach is in here somewhere. It all works out, as most of Shakespeare’s plays do... one way or another. All’s well and ends.

Measure for Measure
In Repertory with Blithe Spirit and Great Expectations

A Noise Within
234 S. Brand Blvd.
Glendale, CA 91204
Through Sunday December 5, 2010
Tickets $46 Top
818 240 0910 x1
www.AnoiseWithin.org

DYING IS EASY...

The Matrix Theatre has a reputation for well tuned productions and Nick Ullett’s “Dying is Easy, Comedy is Hard” is no exception. Ullett, a cancer survivor, came to the United States in 1964 with the promise of stardom. With his comedy partner, Tony Hendra, the duo worked clubs in New York as well as playing The Ed Sullivan Show in the sixties. Ullett opens the show with a somewhat bizarre bit, directing off stage chickens all clucking like anything. For what follows, the story of his forty-odd years in Show Business and dealing with the terrors of battling cancer, it’s just weird. Ullett’s delivery and timing took some warming up, but as a raconteur, singer and musician, he is sincere and charming.

Issues with projections on an upstage screen make them a little hard to see. It may have been a technical glitch. Possibly changing the lighting (which is a simple adjustment from the existing lights for the current Matrix show, NEIGHBORS) should be easy and make the projected images pop to illustrate the parts of the story he wants to emphasize.

The ninety minute show moves smoothly from Nick’s early stories of opening for Lenny Bruce at the Bitter End and watching him get hauled away for obscenities, funny interaction with Ed Sullivan trying to do a comedy bit, through four wives and two major bouts with the big C. Now in his sixties, Ullett (gullet without the ‘g’ thank you very much!) knows himself and plies his trade in a way that can only get better as the show matures. Lisa James’ direction is simple and straight forward. The possibility of a stage assistant might double Nick’s budget but the few costume changes he makes might go more smoothly with a little help. I’d lose the chickens, but maybe keep the tux.

Ullett’s closing song on the piano is a stitch and an apt climax to learning about his life… so far. This is a good way to spend a Monday evening.

Plays Mondays Only through October 25th
The Matrix Theatre
7657 Melrose
Hollywood, CA 90046
Tickets $15.00
323 852 1445
www.MatrixTheatre.com

Bargain Theatre in Glendale

This from A Noise Within. An opportunity to see quality theatre at a bargain price.. Pay What You Can. These shows have not opened yet. Reviews will appear here soon.

A Noise Within, the critically acclaimed classical repertory theatre company, announces "Pay What You Can" dates for two of its fall 2010 productions, Shakespeare's stirring classic MEASURE FOR MEASURE and Noel Coward?s timeless comedic gem BLITHE SPIRIT.

"Pay What You Can" dates, which allow patrons to purchase tickets for what they can afford, are Thursday, September 23, 2010, for Measure for Measure and Thursday, October 7, 2010 for Blithe Spirit. Both performances begin at 8 p.m.

"Pay What You Can" tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis based on availability, with a limit of two per person. Tickets must be purchased in person at the box office (234 South Brand Boulevard), after 2 p.m. on the day of the performance with cash only. ($10 minimum suggested).

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE?S MEASURE FOR MEASURE, which opens Saturday, September 25 and closes Sunday, December 5, 2010 (previews begin Saturday, September 18), is one of two productions directed this season by Michael Murray. In this intricately woven play, the Duke of Vienna recognizes that through his neglect, society has become a rotted den of iniquity, so he transfers his authority to Angelo, by all accounts an unblemished, morally uncompromising servant of God. But Angelo's irresistible sexual attraction to Isabella, a novice nun seeking pardon for her condemned brother, transforms saint to beast. Penned centuries ago, Shakespeare?s timeless case study of lethal hypocrisy remains relevant today. The production is part of Shakespeare for a New Generation, a national initiative sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts in cooperation with Arts Midwest.

BLITHE SPIRIT by NOEL COWARD opens at A Noise Within Saturday, October 9 and closes Friday, December 17, 2010 (previews begin Saturday, October 2). Damaso Rodriguez directs Coward?s masterpiece, a quintessential ensemble work, in which novelist Charles Condomine and his wife Ruth get more than they bargained for when an after-dinner seance led by local spiritualist/eccentric Madame Arcati produces an uninvited guest from the great beyond to crash the party, prompting a delightfully cosmic clash of personalities both worldly and otherwise. In this glittering comedy of the soul that ponders the eternal essence of what it is to be in a relationship, Coward?s mastery of comedy is on display with extraordinary wit, talent for crafting an exquisite story and sense of timing.

A NOISE WITHIN is located at 234 South Brand Boulevard, Glendale, CA 91204. To purchase tickets or for a full season brochure, call 818-240-0910 x1 or visit www.anoisewithin.org.