Gil Kaan - Page 32

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, as well as, it's first move from its historical address, BOB BAKER'S NUTCRACKER will play at the Pasadena Playhouse's Carrie Hamilton Theatre from November 24 through December 30, 2018. Who better to learn about the Bob Baker Marionette Theater than from its current director, the late Bob Baker's right-hand man Alex Evans? I got the chance to pull some interesting facts of the Theater from Alex.

Performance artist extraordinaire John Fleck owns the Odyssey Theatre stage with his one-man Gothic horror piece BLACKTOP HIGHWAY. Framed as a screenplay being shot through the camera lens of a movie director, Fleck makes maximum and inventive use of his talent for animal mimicry, pre-recorded vignettes and real-time videos paired with miniature props and puppetry. Randee Trabitz ably directs Fleck through his high-energy, fast-talking dialogue between Fleck and Fleck himself, in a multitude of characters.

Already in previews at the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater of the Geffen Playhouse, HUGHIE & KRAPP'S LAST TAPE (by Eugene O'Neill & Samuel Beckett, respectively), a double bill starring Brian Dennehy, will open November 14, 2018. I had the chance to chat with director Steven Robman, a frequent collaborator of Brian, as he was driving to a mid-day appointment.

For The Record returns to The Wallis with their holiday show LOVE ACTUALLY LIVE December 4th through 31st. Headliners for this multi-media concert (backed by a 15-piece orchestra) include Rumer Willis, Steve Kazee, Kelley Jakle, Rex Smith and B. Slade. LOVE ACTUALLY LIVE's music supervisor and arranger Jesse Vargas offered up some of his infrequent down time to most graciously share his history with FTR, as well as, his encompassing musical expertise with me.

Chico's Angels, Los Angeles cult favorite Latina drag queens, will be celebrating their Quinceanera with their Hawaiian episode CHICO'S ANGELS 5: WAIKIKI CHICAS at The Colony Theater November 15 through 18, 2018. Angels Kay Sedia, Frieda Laye, Chita Parol will be escorted and protected by their ever-present Bossman. We had the opportunity to chat with Bossman a.k.a Alejandro Patino between his CHICO's rehearsals and his film festival hopping for his indie film Papa Chulo.

Tony Award-winner Jefferson Mays (and his many characters) will grace the Gil Cates Theatre stage of the Geffen Playhouse for his one-man adaptation of Charles Dickens' A CHRISTMAS CAROL, already in previews, with opening night set for November 7, 2018. I had the chance to pick Jefferson's witty mind for some very fun answers to my semi-serious inquiries.

Southern California's Verdi Chorus will cap off their 35th anniversary season with their Fall 2018 concert PASSIONE! OPERA! The two performances at the First United Methodist Church in Santa Monica on November 10 and 11 will feature four guest artists: soprano Julie Makerov, mezzo soprano Janelle DeStefano, tenor Todd Wilander and baritone Gabriel Manro. I had the chance to quiz two-time Grammy Award-winning baritone Gabriel Manro on his love for singing, the technical aspects of singing opera vs. musical theatre and his recent onstage proposal.

Luis Valdez' VALLEY OF THE HEART, currently at the Mark Taper Forum, vividly depicts the tale of two immigrant families (the Yamaguchis and the Montaños), both caught up in the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor in the 1940s. Friends before the war, their oldest children, Teruko "Thelma" Yamaguchi and Ben Montaños, had secretly fallen in love. I had the chance to question Melanie Arii Mah (who's playing Teruko) on her history with HEART, as well as, her personal family accounts during this tragic historical time.

With drumming chops more lethal than most drummers one-third of his age, Greg Kanaga holds court with his bandmates Matthew Loren Cohen and Larry Treadwell making kick-ass music for The Groundlings Friday/Saturday night shows (Next Friday/Saturday night show GROUNDLINGS MIX TAPE opens November 2, 2018). It was only a matter of time before I caught up with Greg to pick his musical brain, as I had already interviewed Matthew and Larry earlier.

Zoo Company's artistic director, writer/performer Daniel Sugimoto will world premiere his latest creative endeavor MY DATE WITH DEATH - A MUSICAL ROMANCE for a limited run beginning November 10, 2018 at the Miles Memorial Playhouse. We had the chance to delve deep into Daniel's creative mind to learn of some of his creative processes.

Playwright/actress Ann Noble, a well-known staple of the Los Angeles theatre scene, will next be exhibiting her acting talents in the joint world premiere of Jami Brandli's BLISS (OR EMILY POST IS DEAD!) opening at the Atwater Village Theatre November 3, 2018. We had the chance to catch Ann between her many multi-tasking efforts of acting, writing and teaching incarcerated youths.

Kate Pazakis, executive producer of the UNAUTHORIZED MUSICAL PARODY OF series, continues her successful streak of hysterical musical parodies of cinematic pop favorites with THE UNAUTHORIZED MUSICAL PARODY OF STRANGER THINGS. Pazakis' most witty script cleverly utilizes pop songs to advance the narrative of the Netflix cult phenom Stranger Things. Nathan Moore expertly directs his cast of enthusiastic triple-threats at a rousing, non-stop pace with only enough time for deserved applause to die down before the next song or comedy bit tickles your funny bones. 

Lillian Hellman's THE LITTLE FOXES receives a stunning, STUNNING mounting by the always dependable Antaeus Theatre Company. Helmed with much precision by director Cameron Watson, the two-and-a-half-hour, two-intermission, three-act simply whizzes by, packed with Hellman's wonderful words coming out of the most capable troupe of actors, all.

Center Theatre Group will world premiere Eliza Clark's new comedy QUACK at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. Already in previews (with opening set for October 28, 2018), QUACK ever so timely illustrates the vulnerability of an adoring public eager to follow, without question, the advice of TV personality Dr. Irving Baer. I had the opportunity to throw a few questions out to Jackie Chung, a Center Theatre Group alumni who plays the talk show guru's nurse Kelly.

East West Players solidly mounts the Los Angeles premiere of playwright Qui Nguyen's VIETGONE. With a sturdy cast of five talented performers, complemented greatly by the vividly vibrant projection designs of Kaitlyn Pietras and Jason H. Thompson; many individual moments of heart-string tugging pathos score a bulls-eye. Jennifer Chang ably directs her committed cast as they span locations from Vietnam to Arkansas to California, from the 1970s to the 2010s.

Door Number 3's world premiere of Philip Ridley's RADIANT VERMIN receives a strong mounting with Tim True expertly directing his very talented cast in a quick-paced tale of greed and its consequences. Britt Harris and Kapil Talwalkar bring their all in virtuoso performances as Jill and Ollie, breaking the fourth wall to describe, in great detail, the happenings between first learning of the dream home offer to the present with their newborn Benji celebrating his first birthday.

DEAR EVAN HANSEN, the winner of six Tony Awards (including Best Musical) makes its second stop of its 23-city national tour at the Ahmanson Theatre with opening night set for October 19, 2018. I had the opportunity to sit down with two of the leads of DEAR EVAN HANSEN. I joined Ben Levi Ross (Evan Hansen) and Jessica Phillips (Heidi Hansen) in the expansive Founders' Room of the Ahmanson Theatre for a private interview.

Stand-up comedy stalwart Paul Rodriguez will be taking on the role of God in the revival of Bruce Jay Friedman's cult-classic STEAMBATH opening October 20, 2018 at the Odyssey Theatre. I had the chance to illicit a few serious answers from this funny man amongst his very comical responses.

The Playwrights' Arena's world premiere of playwright Donald Jolly's BABY EYES presents a volatile, in-your-face telling of Gio, a diminutive teenage boy surviving bullies and homophobia in 1950's Baltimore. Jon Lawrence Rivera expertly directs his talented cast at a fast, smooth pace. Rudy Martinez totally inhabits the pivotal role of the elfin Gio who spends his days at school running from a gang of bullies and his evenings avoiding his demanding racist father Sal (a commanding Ted Monte).

The Groundlings kill it again with their current laugh-packed Friday & Saturday night show GROUNDLINGS HALLOWEEN SHOW, mining chuckles and guffaws with their seriously funny (and sometimes funny serious) sketches written and performed by a cast at the top of their comedy game. Deanna Oliver most deftly directs her talented troupe bringing out their comic timing, some dramatic readings, a little well-hoofed group choreography and even a gymnastic rocker performance.