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PERIL: NOIRAn Evening of Noir One-Acts Thursday thru Saturday March 15 thru 24 2007 |
crew Production Stage Manager ... Erin Scott Assistant Stage Manager ... Jenn Scuderi Lighting Design ... Gregory Crafts Sound Design ... Erin Scott and Ana Therese Lopez Fight Choreography ... Sean Fitzgerald Graphics and Program Design ...Jenn Scuderi Publicity and Marketing ... Jim Martyka Production Photography ... Lou Briggs |
MY HEAVEN, YOUR HELL
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LOOSE ENDS and ALONG COMES
MARY - from BAD SEED
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The Tolucan Times
Pat Taylor
From the lavish, costly, big theatre hit extravaganzas
to the small, equity waiver houses (99 seats or less) Los Angeles
has become a theatrically creative force to reckon with! There are always those stubborn East Coast snobs, who strongly
believe that we Angelinos pale in comparison to the Big Apple, but I
beg to differ. We do lack a designated, high energy, clumped
together theatre area (a la Broadway) to be sure, just drive a ways,
but when the lights go down, there are some very good and some
horrendously bad productions to be seen in every city. It's a
crapshoot...but no one does a lousy play on purpose! L.A. has become
a bustling hub of small theatre troupes joined by the heartstrings,
passion, talent and dreams that motivate creative souls. Artistic
vision, dedication, and talent explode all around us! I have been
reviewing local theatre for over a decade...and lovin' it! Wicked is
breaking all records at the Pantages, and The Marvelous Wonderettes
at the 99-seat El Portal Forum, has extended its original six-week
run, time and time again (they just celebrated their 100th sold-out
show!). I get exposure to new ideas, concepts, lifestyles,
historical periods and vantage points that enrich and broaden my
overall view of life through theatre. I laugh, cry, reflect (and
yes, sometimes groan at inept productions), and am ever in
respectful awe of those artists who dedicate their lives to their
dreams through the arts. If you never get out to see live theatre,
you are missing a deliciously exciting spice in the stew of life!
WRITE ACT REPERTORY THEATRE: One such theatre group is the
subject of today's review. Formed in 1998, and known for cutting
edge, "trippy" offerings, they suffered a damaging fire in 2005.
Forced to cease productions for over a year, they dug in together
and repaired and re-built their "theatre home." It is a cool and
artsy space, with a free parking lot downstairs (enter it on Carlos
Avenue).
Peril: Noir
HOLLYWOOD – Four unique and brain teasing one-acts, well performed and
directed by company members (presented in a film noir style), this
is an edgy and thought provoking collection. A compelling look at
murder, mystery, mayhem and miscommunication, much is left to
audience interpretation. With intriguing twists and turns…nothing
(just as in life…) is quite as it seems! The first gritty duo is
loosely related, taken from Harry Shannon's full-length play, and
directed with raw realism by Paul Eppelston. "LOOSE ENDS" – To pay off a debt to cutthroat gangster Jimmy Bones, Sean Maloney is forced to help in a brutal murder. As the scene opens (after the fact), Sean (a strong performance by Jim Martyka) spills the story to his local bartender (Jonathan Harrison). Montano (Gregory Crafts), a tough thug, and a mysterious woman, Kate Van de Goor), shockingly thicken the plot. "LONG COMES MARY" – Down on life, Detective Kramer (Jennifer Knighton) is summoned to Death Row by a prisoner she put away for murder. The convict (a chilling Jeremy Fay), hours before his execution, wants to confess some unknown secrets, leaving Kramer shattered by his hidden truths. Rounding out the cast is Julie Belknap as the warden and Kate Van de Goor as Katherine. "FINDERS KEEPERS" - Written cleverly by Hindi Brooks and playfully directed by Bennett Cohon, this fast paced comedy deals with miscommunication. A feuding married couple (Sean Fitzgerald and Susannah Myrvold) and an aging father and his concerned adult daughter (Manny Kleinmuntz and Tchia Casselle) have lost each other in a city park. No one is where they agreed to meet, and all are verbally sparring on cell phones. Very funny! "MY HEAVEN, YOUR HELL" – An eerie story by Lorenzo Buford, directed powerfully by Carlos Martinez. In the strongest, most mind bending scene, we explore the eternal mystery of what just may be "Heaven and Hell," and what fate awaits us in the afterlife. How much does our behavior on Earth shape our destiny after death? Does karma factor in? We meet Jane (a sassy and sensual Lilo Grunwald) in Heaven at the Adjustment Center for New Arrivals. Her familiar interviewer, Henry (a frightening Gregory Crafts), turns out to be a past jilted lover from Jane's sordid life. An accidental happenstance? No way! To tell you anymore would spoil your creepy journey. |
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