Chromolume Theatre returns to the stage after a six-year absence with the Los Angeles premiere of the wonderfully humorous and socially-relevant musical comedy First Date with Book by Austin Winsberg, creative and contemporary Music and Lyrics by Alan Zachary & Michael Weiner, Musical Direction by Jonny Perl who accompanies the cast on keyboards, Choreography by Michael Marchak, and brilliantly Directed by James Esposito. The story centers around blind date newbie Aaron (nerdy yet totally lovable Troy Dailey) who is set up with serial-dater Casey (extraordinary belter Paloma Malfavón) for a casual drink at a busy New York restaurant.
In a delightful and unexpected twist, as the date proceeds inner critics of Casey and Aaron take on a life of their own as other restaurant patrons transform into supportive best friends, manipulative exes, and protective relatives who sing and dance them through ice-breakers, appetizers, and potential relationship land mines. And trust me, there are many! So, can this couple turn what could be a dating disaster into something special before “The Check!” arrives, perhaps even finding “The One”?
The ensemble first appears dressed in all black, then dons colorful pieces of clothing (selected by costume designer Kara McLeod) to transform into imaginary characters trying to manipulate their First Date conversation. A few of the outrageously funny scenes include Casey’s pushy sister Lauren (Natalie Scott), Aaron’s over-bearing traditional Jewish Grandma Ida (Bonnie Joy Sludikoff), his self-absorbed ex-fiancé Allison (petit and perky Rachel Yoffe), his loving but totally career-minded mother (Natalie Scott), and the insightful Waiter (Michael Angel) who sums up the musical’s theme with “I’d Order Love” when asked what’s good on the menu. No doubt, we all would!
But the universal dating experience generating the most laughs occurs when Casey’s gay best friend Reggie (handsome Christopher Baker) calls and leaves her several “Ballout Song” messages, giving her the option to get away from an unwanted First Date. Thankfully she ignores his calls, but we get to hear each of his utterly hysterical voice messages as he acts them out, getting more worried about her safety as the evening progresses. And Baker teams up harmoniously with Kendré Scott performing an ode to Ex-Boyfriends singing their own praises in “Can’t Help But Love Me.” Been there, done that – walked away!
First Date performances run on Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 3 p.m. through December 1 at the Zephyr Theatre, 7456 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles 90046. Street parking only – read signs carefully. Tickets: $40 available in advance at https://chrtheatre.com/fdtickets/ or at the door depending upon availability. Runs 60 minutes, no intermission.
Handspring Puppet Company, who stunned audiences with War Horse and stole hearts with Little Amal walking her way across America, joins Cape Town’s Baxter Theatre to transform Nobel Laureate J.M. Coetzee’s 1983 Booker Prize-winning novel Life & Times of Michael K into a sensational multilayered production using dance, film, evocative music, and exquisite puppetry. This hauntingly beautiful story follows Michael K, a humble man who finds solace in nature on an epic journey through a mythical, civil war-torn landscape in South Africa to deliver his mother to the farm where she was born and be the gardener be was always meant to be.
Director Lara Foot shares, “Coetzee has chosen an inimitable every-man as his novel’s protagonist, an outsider, ostracized not for his social or political circumstances, but because of his facial disfigurement. However, Michael K has the unique ability to find his own version of complete freedom; he will not prescribe to servitude nor politics, and chooses to stay out of any prison-of-war camps” even though he has shelter, food, and clean clothes to wear while there.
At two-thirds the size of an average adult human, Michael K is operated bunraku-style by a team of three talented puppeteers. Craig Leo, the show’s puppet master, shares, “There’s something strange that happens. You have these moments where he just comes alive. It’s when the synchronicity really clicks in between the three puppeteers, and then all of a sudden, you’re holding him and he becomes incredibly light. And he’s suddenly almost moving on his own. Michael is also a magnet for empathy, as puppets are generally, and a portal into the story in a way that no human actor would be.”
It’s a heart-wrenching story, told by transforming a wooden puppet into a truly believable human. It’s extraordinary how quickly your own emotions flow into those of the puppet; his heartache, loneliness, desire to find love, struggle to survive alone in the wilderness, need to find enough to eat and a safe place to sleep while on his journey to honor his beloved mother. And all along his journey, incredible scenic elements transform into truly realistic environments where Michael experiences his life thanks to Handspring Puppet Company’s creative team of adaptors, puppet directors, designers and makers: Patrick Curtis (set design) Kyle Shepherd (original music composition), Joshua Cutts (lighting), Fiona McPherson and Barrett de Kock (directors of photography and film), Yoav Dagan (videography and editing), Kirsti Cumming (projection design), Phyllis Midlane (costumes) and Simon Kohler (sound design), under the direction of Lara Foot (adaptor, writer, director),
The impressive South African cast who portray several of the puppet characters and the many human characters Michael K meets on his journey, includes theatre legends Susan Danford, Andrew Buckland, Faniswa Yisa, Roshina Ratnam, Carlo Daniels, Markus Schabbing, Billy Langa, Marty Kintu and Nolufefe Ntshuntshe along with puppet master Craig Leo.
Life & Times of Michael K had five performances last weekend in the Bram Goldsmith Theater at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills 90210. To learn more about Handspring Puppet Company and future tour dates, visit https://www.handspringpuppet.com/ For more information about upcoming programming at The Wallis, visit https://TheWallis.org/ or call 310.746.4000.
Based on the play by Jean Poiret, blessed with an outrageously hilarious book by Harvey Fierstein and fabulous music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, La Cage Aux Folles centers around two gay men who own and appear in a high class drag club in St. Tropez. All goes well until their 20-year-old son reveals he plans to marry the daughter of the biggest anti-LGBQT senator in Washington D.C., who he has invited to dinner to meet their upcoming in-laws.
The highlight of the production is handsome Cheyenne Jackson who portrays Georges as he allows the humor inherent in the script to shine on its own without pushing it for laughs, especially during his solos “Song the Sand” and “Look Over There,” a beautiful tribute to the love he shares with Albin, the always flamboyant drag queen (Kevin Cahoon) in the club’s “Les Cagelles” troupe. However, their scenes together as a couple expressing their feelings for each other are lovely and honestly romantic.
But director Sam Pinkleton has made a big mistake by playing the humor very broadly so the already over-the-top characters are played as caricatures rather than real people who say funny things unintentionally. For instance, when Albin first attempts to “dress like a man” to meet his future in-laws, rather than donning a tailored suit, thanks to costume designer David Reynoso he comes out dressed like Dana Carvey in Wayne’s World. I fail to understand why Albin would think that get-up was high-class, other than just milking the situation for laughs. He then changes to become “his son’s aunt” dressed like Auntie Em in the Wizard of Oz, again not the high-society parent needed to impress his future in-laws. And unfortunately, there was no chemistry between Ryan J. Haddad as their son and his intended bride Anne (Shannon Purser), while scenic design by David Zinn (think palm trees and flamingoes) makes the club seem low-class and tacky.
I did enjoy Nicole Parker as Anne’s straightlaced mother taking on the comical persona of a drag queen during “Cocktail Counterpoint” as she literally thumbed her nose at her husband Edouard (Michael McDonald) while dancing on top of the tables after enjoying more than a few drinks! Granted Reynoso’s outrageously colorful drag costumes with wig and hair design by Alberto “Albee” Alvarado are beautifully laughable during the large “Les Cagelles” numbers. However, it would have been nice to occasionally see them dressed to the nines as believable women, not just circus clowns.
Music Director and keyboardist Darryl Archibald on keyboard conducts the 8-piece band with enthusiasm and energy. But why wasn’t the fabulous anthem “The Best of Times” performed as an audience sing-a-long? I certainly missed the opportunity to unite with the cast and audience for those few minutes, especially given how conservative politicians continue to wage their relentless campaign against transgender rights.
But even given all my concerns, the Tony Award-winning musical La Cage Aux Folles is still worth seeing for its entertainment value alone. Performances continue through December 15 (dark Mondays) at the Pasadena Playhouse, 39 South El Molino Avenue, Pasadena 91101. Tickets start at $44, available at pasadenaplayhouse.org, by phone at 626-356-7529, and at the box office.