A Street Car Named Desire

A Street Car Named Desire

With images of a charismatic, but mumbling, Marlon Brando and lines like “I have always depended on the kindness of strangers” burned into our minds; A Street Car Named Desire is now engrained as part of our collective theatrical memory. Its most recent reimagining is currently on stage in Ojai.

A Street Car Named Desire was written in 1947 by Tennessee William and opened on Broadway December 3rd of that year. It was met with critical acclaim and was awarded the 1948 Pulitzer Prize for Drama as well as several Tony nominations and winning for Best Actress. It has multiple times been adapted for film and stands as one of the most produced dramatic plays still today.

The well-known story revolves around the lives of Blanche DuBois (Tracey Williams Sutton), Stanley (Ron Feltner), and Stella Kowalski (Vivien Latham). Blanche, the very embodiment of the aging southern belle with delusions of grandeur, comes to visit her sister Stella after losing the family plantation. However, animosity quickly grows between Blanche and Stella’s husband, Stanley, putting them at odds and trapping all three in a violent and contentious battle for respect and control. As the tension builds within the Kowalski apartment where the three struggle to dwell together, Stanley learns of Blanche’s shady past and uses it to try to destroy her. It is a destruction that puts the lives and sanity of all three at risk and brings the audience into a world of hostility, anger, and blue collar frustration. If Miller’s Salesman tell us that there are men leading lives of “quiet desperation,” then Williams’ Street Car asserts that there are woman doing exactly the same thing.

In this production, Blanche, Stanley, and Stella take on a decidedly different feel.  Director Tom Eubanks removes much of the youthful hot-headedness often associated with the play, electing instead to project an image of maturity among the three. In doing so, Eubanks injects a sense of sadness and forlorn entrapment that fruitfully evokes another level of empathy for the trio. Whether or not that was intended in the original penning of the script could be debated. What cannot be argued is that Sutton, Feltner, and Latham acquit themselves well in their roles and combine with Eubanks to offer a new slant on the oft-played characters. Sutton and Latham relate well together, displaying both the closeness and separation experienced between adult sisters. Feltner’s explosive and brutal depiction of Stanley provides well the conflict and volatility the role demands. Likewise, the supporting cast is effective for the most part in their respective roles holding the audience’s attention for the duration of the lengthy three act American epic. The authentic-feeling set and period costumes are efficient in manufacturing the time, place and socioeconomic standing in which the Kowalskis live, and the small theatre in Ojai proves to add a kind of ambiance of its own to the intimate nature of the work.

Justice is, without a doubt, done to both the characters and the script in this production. The pace slows at times during some of the transitions and many of the physical encounters lack the desired crispness, although Eubanks’ able direction and the commitment and talent of the three lead performances carry the show forward to its compelling and dramatic conclusion. This version of Street Car plays well and gives playgoers an opportunity to see a classic work presented with care, dedication, and a kind of theatrical proficiency necessary to tackle such an iconic work. It is not to be missed for local theatre goers!

A Street Car Named Desire runs through Sept. 29th in Ojai at the Art Center Theater http://www.ojaiact.org

Oklahoma!

Oklahoma! opened on Broadway more than seventy years ago, but the iconic Rogers and Hammerstein musical still holds weight with theatergoers of all ages.

The script is dated and simplistic, the music repetitive and hokey, and the characters one-dimensional - and at times, almost inconceivably bland - by our modern standard.  Still, Oklahoma! is buoyed by something that supersedes any of these weaknesses and lifts the oft-told tale up even today as it has for more than half a century.  The well-known characters of Laurey, Curly, Ado Annie, Will, Aunt Eller, and the dark and menacing Jud Fry continue to hold enough genuine feeling on the page to convince theater companies to once again bring them to life in hopes that their audiences will react with the same positive connection to them as they have so many times before.  The most recent company to reanimate this musical battle for love, statehood, and economic accord is the Ventura based Comedy Tonight Productions.

The historical conflict that existed between the western territory cowboys who wanted open range and grazing rights and the ever-growing number of homesteading farmers who flooded the Oklahoma grasslands in the days before statehood serves as the loose background for the play.  In truth, however, it is the common love story between the reluctant to settle down Curly and the civilized and modern Laurey that is at the musical’s heart.  It is their relationship that gives the show its universality and relegates the time, surroundings, and subplots to merely a means to an end, which proves to be a blessing and the key to Oklahoma!’s longevity. Comedy Tonight Production’s successfully delivers that primarily due to the five lead performances.

In this production, staged at the Poinsettia Pavilion in the city of Ventura, Curly (Noah Skultety) and Laurey (Dawn Notagiacomo) appropriately convey the needed romance and further bring out some pleasant, subtle tones of the relationship that allow the show to flourish as the audience-pleasing piece that it should be.  Additional well-played performances by Tamarah Ashton-Coombs as Aunt Eller, Jeff Berg as Will, Becca Lawson as Annie, and most notably by Damian Gravino in the role of Jud Fry add to the enjoyment.  The choreography by Rudy Larrazolo is effective and executed respectably well by the young dancers in the cast.  The costumes covey well the time and feel of the show, and support the capable and more seasoned actors in the leading roles. Additional credit should be given to the cast as a whole for giving the performance what it needs to entertain audiences who come knowing exactly what they want from the show.

The Poinsettia Pavilion while charming as a community hall is, without a doubt, an odd venue for a big musical standard like Oklahoma!. With no in house lighting or sound capabilities and a seating configuration similar to that of a converted high school cafeteria, the cast was faced with certain insurmountable obstacles.  The general lack of direction for the work, woeful fight choreography, and an uneven musical feel further hampered the presentation and most likely limited the cast’s ability to reach their full potential.  However, the age-old tale of a man coming of age and settling down for the love of a good woman remains intact, and audiences will find gratification and satisfaction in the story and the characters as well as the familiar music and some very fine performances.

The selection of Oklahoma! may be a bit of a toothless choice for a thriving and artistic city such as the beautiful Ventura California.  However, as an educational and community based endeavor the show is a nice fit providing one has the talent to deliver upon the audiences long standing expectations.  This cast does exactly that.

END OF THE RAINBOW

END OF THE RAINBOW

With bold and compelling performances, the Ahmanson Theatre’s production of End of the Rainbow succeeds on some levels, but surprisingly lacks in others.

Penned with a primary focus on the dark and heartrending final years in the tragic life of Judy Garland (Tracie Bennett), End of the Rainbow is a show that should be steeped with drama and inherent intrigue. A mega star of stage, screen, and the social circuit in Hollywood’s golden age, Garland’s private life was marred by drug addiction, failed relationships, misplaced passions, mental illness, and perhaps worst of all, her once in a generation talent, which was that the root of all. She was the stuff dreams are made of and, sadly, became subject to all the trappings that surround someone of such a unique and marketable endowment.

Set amongst all the constant drama of Garland’s turbulent life, End of the Rainbow strives to convey what the leading lady’s life became as the bright lights began to dim. The show wisely attempts to capitalize on what is undeniably one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful and devastatingly resilient lives that Hollywood has ever known. With that in mind, the show opens near the end of Judy’s life, with her stardom firmly established, as the veteran performer enters her hotel room and immediately complains of how small it is. Over the course of the next two and a half hours, we follow her along the first stops of her final tour and watch as she struggles with the pressures of her addiction and eventually descends into a Marilyn Monroe-styled demise. Much like Monroe’s place in glamour, Garland’s life has left her immortalized as a one-named star, the very mention of which conjures up iconic visions of songs, smiles, and stardust in a way that no other musical theatre idol can.

With a subject like that, End of the Rainbow should be one of the most dramatic and high-energy projects going. Unfortunately, there is a disconnect between the woman Judy Garland was and this production’s ability to deliver that to its audiences.

Doing her best to bridge that divide is the delightful, energetic, and flat out spellbinding Tracie Bennett as Judy Garland. Bennett’s performance is so powerful that one must be in considerable awe that she is able to deliver such commitment, devotion, and focus each night. The fact that she is able to do so is a credit to the director (Terry Johnson), the support she receives from seasoned fellow cast members, and the creation of an authentic and convincing theatrical world that aptly shows how Garland ended up where she did. Equally noteworthy is Michael Cumpsty in the role of Anthony, whose earnest honesty adds greatly to the considerable spectacle that unfolded in true Ahmanson fashion.

The lighting by Christopher Akerlind glows with independent beauty and sets well the ambiance needed for the show. Likewise, the set by William Dudley is thoughtfully conceived and a versatile asset to the show. The costuming, also by Dudley, fit well the era and characters, adding to the style of the technically strong production. Directing the show with a sure hand typical of the venue, Johnson expertly crafts the overall fluidity of the piece and builds on the strong performances in the well-cast work. Occasionally lacking the fearlessness that one desires so much in any project even remotely associated with the Garland name, Johnson seems to opt for the tried and true choices, which are both a strength and a weakness for this production. Much of what seems to be missing is due to a script that is almost encyclopedic in nature, floating aimlessly above the subject in a way that Garland avoided in every performance she delivered. Author Peter Quilter misses the humanity and favors the broad view of his subject’s trials. Quilter delivers well a basic portrait, but seems only to sideswipe the head-on collision that Garland was in everything that she did. All out was the way she lived on screen, on stage, and in life, and we would like to see her that way in memory as well. The gripping performances and theatrical atmosphere at play in End of the Rainbow make the show a fascinating actors’ showcase. However, the lack of internal involvement in the tornado that was the fascinating Judy Garland leaves something to be desired. That said, while safe and simple in some respects, the production will appeal to many due to the technical and performance expertise and a core subject that is magnetic, no matter where you sit in the rainbow of theatre audiences.

End of the Rainbow runs at the Ahmanson from March 21st until April 21st. Please visit http://www.centertheatregroup.org for tickets or more info.

THE LAST FIVE YEARS

The Elite Theatre Company has left its former digs in downtown Oxnard and has moved to a luxurious new space at the Fisherman’s Wharf just across town. It is a big move for the little company that reaps sizable rewards on stage and off.

The spacious building on the harbor is indeed an inviting location for theatergoers. The seating is comfortable, although there is no doubt that the view from the first three rows is preferable (and future productions would benefit by a reduction of ancillary noise coming from the parking lot and the obviously unbroken-in wooden stage). Making up for such growing pains is the friendly staff and the small town charm of the company that remains intact. In truth, the new space feels tailor-made for their current offering by contemporary musical wunderkind author and composer Jason Robert Brown.

The Last Five Years, Brown’s semi-autobiographical musical, is so close to his own life story that the author was forced to rework his original version under threat of legal action from his former wife. The final draft that emerged has played to great acclaim in New York and is currently slated to be adapted into a feature film later this year. As the title suggests, the show covers a five-year time span and focuses on the red-hot love and eventually frigid arctic crevasse that forms between Cathy (Rena Petrello alternating with Stephanie Mieko Cohen) and Jamie (Kyle Caldwell).The Last Five Years is a prime example of Brown’s progressive and fearless musical appetite that is also exemplified by his other mega-hit works Parade and Songs for a New World.
The Last Five Years spins the tale of Cathy, a talented and frustrated aspiring actress, over the course of her tumultuous relationship with Jamie, a young author on a meteoric rise to the top of the bestseller list. Embracing Brown’s obvious desire to play against expectations, Elite Theatre Company audiences enter the theatre to find Cathy already on stage and bathed in a blue tinted light as she sleeps alone in her bed. Over the course of the 90-minute one act play, Jamie and Cathy’s story is told, moving backwards from her perspective and in traditional beginning to end fashion from Jamie’s point of view. It is a choice that exhibits not only Brown’s musical and structural genius, but also his ambition to innovate and reinvigorate the musical theatre genre. His efforts toward those ends create a potent and challenging work that is filled with heartbreak, humor, and above all, an undeniable humanity that confounds the traditional image of musical theatre and its place in American culture.

Once the audience is seated and the lights dim, we see Cathy awaken in great pain, having discovered that her husband Jamie has left her, leaving behind only a note and his wedding ring. As Cathy sings one of the show’s most enduring numbers, Still Hurting, her mind drifts back to a time five years ago when she first met the brilliant and volatile Jamie. Each song provides an intimate glimpse of a couple that you truly root for to find happiness, despite knowing that they never will. Reaching a romantic climax during The Next Ten Minutes (one of the show’s only two duets), the end of the story finds Cathy back at the beginning of their relationship and Jamie writing a Dear Jane letter before leaving Cathy alone as we first found her. It is a bold venture for any theatre company, but due to a powerful script and a plethora of talent, this production succeeds as one of the most compelling and dynamic pieces of theatre presented locally.

Petrello soars as the tough but vulnerable Cathy with a tangible emotional depth and vocals that glide from lips to ear with grace and ease. Caldwell’s resounding rock voice endows Jamie with youthful exuberance, countered with a dark maturity, as he finds himself unable to stop the distance from growing between himself and his bride. Each are at their best in the show’s final number that culminates in a haunting ending reminiscent of a music box slowly winding down, taking them from their hope-filled first kiss to the painful vacancy left as Jamie exits their apartment for the last time. Director Andrew James nimbly crafts a cyclical illustration, filled with beauty and metaphor, adding substance and fun to Jamie and Cathy’s love affair. James also collaborates with Steve Grumette on the strong lighting design and most effectively with Akira Dann on the mobile set that delivers representational tables, chairs, and the like throughout the show. The color palette of the set, along with its imaginative working mechanics, are indicative of the care and creativity lavished on this highly stylized production. Likewise, costumes and the minimal prop usage are appropriate and aid in delivering a clean, sleek view of this touching portrait of love and loss.

Pianist David Gorospe tackles well the difficult score and plays non-stop for the entirety of the show and pre-show. Although there is a lack of accompanying instruments, the strong vocals and fluid pace of this production along with Gorospe’s energetic playing proficiently fills the gap. Marilyn Anderson‘s musical direction captures the layered fabric of Brown’s complicated musical demands and appropriately marries the show’s sound to the close quarters of the previously untried space. Ultimately, Brown’s truly original script and score, supported by a strong artistic vision and ample amounts of talent, make The Last Five Years at the Elite Theatre Company a must see for local audiences.

The Last Five Years runs through March 30th at the Elite Theatre Company www.elitetheatre.org

Food Confessions

The pithy fun and silly nature of Food Confessions currently on stage at the Rubicon offers an ample serving of easy-to-view entertainment and is worth biting into.

Lighthearted and abbreviated nights out are getting harder and harder to find. In this era of the three hour, three part, cinematic adventure and the epic, sprawling theatrical spectacles designed to compete with such film trilogies, we have become trapped in a cycle of entertainment that demands a massive commitment of our hearts, minds, and even more precious, our time. However, the Rubicon’s current offering, Food Confessions, is a pleasant departure from other such all-consuming productions.

Food Confessions is a one act play made up of short, skit-like vignettes, and served up a la a five course meal of entertainment. The performers, all clothed in black, play multiple characters and differentiate each persona with the addition of accoutrement befitting each new character. Author/performer Nancy Nufer provides a script that demands high energy performances in order to succeed and she gets that and then some from Dan Gunther and Kara Revel. Gunther’s able handling and delineation of numerous characters was a delight and Kara Revel provided craft charisma and continuity with her recurring role as the Mac and Cheese Girl. The able ensemble works well together and, during the show, remain onstage regardless of scene involvement. When not engaged in the story, the actors become a sort of living background in the style of east coast readers’ theatre. Jenny Sullivan’s direction quickens the pace and keeps the entertainment quirky and fun. The technical elements are what we have come to expect from the Rubicon over recent years, with lights and sound that befit the space. Like the strong lighting design, the whimsical, cartoonish set accentuated the comic tone of the show as well as the desired feel for the evening.

The interludes of the show were a highlight, as the actors repeatedly came together to sing a well-known song with altered lyrics that focused the subject on a different food item for each tune. The friendly audience eagerly devoured these cutesy transitions, and the levity of the show benefited from the rhythmic through line. Family fun was had by all and the simple and enjoyable nature of the show made for a nice appetizer to what is sure to be an exciting season for the Rubicon this year.

Food Confessions runs at the Rubicon in Ventura until Feb 24th. http://www.rubicontheatre.org/

BY THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH

One -time Ojai resident Thornton Wilder’s epic commentary on the cyclical nature of life, love, sex and war is now on stage at the Ojai Art Center Theater. By the Skin of Our Teeth stands along with Our Town and The Match Maker in achieving for Wilder a theatrical triumph trifecta of audience acceptance, historical acclaim, and time-tested relevance. This production ultimately does justice to the goal of its homegrown author and is an ambitious and well-chosen piece for this quaint, but respected, out of the way theatre.

By the Skin of our Teeth is generally considered Wilder’s third or fourth best known work, although it is widely recognized as his most intellectual and avant garde. The show was one of Wilder’s three Pulitzer Prize-winning works and derived directly from his foyer into absurdist and existential theatrical experimentation. Likewise, the text exemplifies Wilder’s own inner conflict with the trends of his time and shows a deep-seeded desire to comment, not only on universal themes, but also on the author’s state of being. Lacking all of the sweetness of his much beloved Our Town, By the Skin of Our Teeth muses on the pointlessness of the human endeavor with biblical proportion and epic storytelling grandeur. The story relates the many adventures of a family aptly bearing the name Antrobus (From the Greek term meaning human). Led by their patriarch George Antrobus (Ron Feltner), the family exists within the play over five thousand years from the Stone Age to the modern day. Over the centuries, the audience sees them as they deal with climate change, war, and the occasional extramarital affair. Yet, somehow, they always escape by the skin of their teeth. Each time we see them, they are about to face and overcome a great danger, only to be left in the end without resolution and again finding themselves in the same circumstance in which they started.

Director Richard Kuhlman muddles the first act considerably with an inconsistent mix of steam punk and satirically representational costumes. It is a mistake that is further compounded by mumbled lines and a seeming lack of character commitment and clarity at the onset. Kuhlman, however, redeems himself well in the second and third acts and the cast settles in, giving the show a stronger rhythm and through line that carries the show to a satisfying conclusion. Though the pace is at times sacrificed for spectacle, the three hour show proves to be an entertaining rendition of this difficult work and aptly delivers Wilder’s desired message for the piece.

The cast works well as a group with strong performances coming from Feltner as well as the youthful David Stewart in the role of the younger Antrobus, Henry. Adding to the ensemble are fine characterizations by Julia Wilson, Laura Ring, Zuzka Sabata, and Ezra Eells and Brittany Danyel in energetic bit roles. The set design by Neva Williams is effective and compliments well the strong lighting design by Steve Grumette that is particularly well-conceived in the apocalyptic third act.

All in all, this production of By the Skin of Our Teeth should be embraced by Ojai residents not only for its theatrical significance and performance value, but also for highlighting the work of an iconic author with local ties. One would think that a work of Wilder or another locally connected author could easily be included in every season at Ojai ACT to further accentuate the area’s strong artistic heritage.

By the Skin of Our Teeth runs through February 24th in Ojai. www.ojaiact.org (805) 640-8797.

Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus

The Holiday season is upon us and the likes of It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol, the many seasonal family favorites that mark the time, are at hand. The Ojai Art Center Theatre’s production of Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus is a pleasant addition to the mix.

With two parts tradition and one part adaption, this classic tale of faith, hope, and Christmas magic is one that caters to local families looking for a Christmas production appropriate for all ages. The century-old tale is based on the actual events set in action by eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon. In this version, young Virginia (Sophie Massey) struggles with the realities of immigrant life in early America. Her father, James O’Hanlon (David Rogge), has lost his job under unfair circumstances, and with no prospects for employment, the family’s Christmas hopes appear bleak. However, with innocent wisdom, the young Virgina seeks help from the source most trusted by her father, the irrefutable New York Sun. In an effort to get a clear answer, she pens a letter to Sun’s the revered editor, Edward P. Mittchell (Bill Spellman) who assigns the piece to the alcoholic and now suicidal once great reporter Frank P. Church (Frank James Malle). Church struggles with his response to the letter, and in the process of writing his historic reply, faces and ultimately overcomes his own demons as well. In real life as well as in the play Church’s words take on a meaning and importance far greater than the sum of their parts. They become an iconic commentary on the human spirit and the true meaning of Christmas.

This production has a decidedly family feel; the story is simple and the characters typical of the holiday genre. Its strengths lie in the dependability of the much desired happy ending and the overall commitment to telling the tale in a way that equally reaches all members of the audience on some level. The family dynamic is most well played with Rogge delivering a compelling leading performance and pairing well with the charming Chelsea Vivian cast opposite him as his wife, Evie O’Hanlon . Rogge and Vivian along with the youthful energy of Massey form a genuine familial bond in which the audience can fully invest. Other strong performances are given by Spellman who succeeds in developing an engaging character as well as a tangible bond with the audience, along with Malle, Karson Kern, Sierra Taylor and Joyce McWilliams in the supporting but endearing role of Mrs. Goldstein.

Director Brossy Reina proficiently crafts a touching story making use of a minimal but effective set that insinuates well the time period. The pacing at times slows, but well-conceived sound and lighting designs combined with impressive well staged fight sequences keep you involved and vested. The costumes stand out for their authenticity and feel, as does the well placed use of a live kitten to warm the hearts. At times, out of control moustaches border on comical and iffy accents occasionally mar otherwise efficient scenes. The choppy script fails to capitalize on the overall potential of the story, occasionally stifling the dialogue and limiting the flow of theatrical performance, but is sufficient to deliver the appealing message. The overall product remains valuable and the positive aspects of the project hold true.

In all, the show rests on the backs of capable leading performers and resourceful supporting elements to make for a delightful and moving family-friendly production.

http://www.ojaiact.com/ through Dec.16th