ANDY WARHOL’S TOMATO  by Carol Kaufman Segal

            

Andy Warhol was born Andrew Warhola on August 6, 1928, in Pittsburgh, PA.  (He later dropped the a from his last name.)  The play, Andy Warhol’s Tomato by Vince Melocchi is making its World Premiere at the Pacific Resident Theatre in Venice. 

           

The play takes place in the storage room of Bonino’s Bar in Homestead, a city near Pittsburgh, PA in the summer of 1946.  Therefore, we know that Andy Warhol (Derek Chariton) is 18 years old when we see him awakening on the floor after having collapsed outside of the bar where he was rescued by Mario “Bones” Bonino (Keith Stevenson).  Andy accidentally destroys a favorite picture frame of Bonino;s, and in order to make up for the loss, he offers to paint a new outdoor sign for his bar.  This means he will be returning to the storage room until he finishes the painting.

            

Playwright Melocchi develops the two very opposite characters, as they meet on a daily basis, in a way that makes one feel that the storyline is true, one a sensitive artist, the other seemingly a complete opposite rough bar owner.  Watching Chariton’s portrayal of Warhol at that age seems so realistic, that I imagined him exactly as he is characterized on the stage by this marvelous actor. 

           

I could not have expected the sensitive character that Bones so remarkably turns into in his day to day encounter with Andy.  But after all, as we discover, he is not as crass as he appears.  He has secretly been hiding his typewriter and the writing that he has been spending his time developing for some time.  Not even his wife is aware of his extracurricular activity.  Stevenson is outstanding as he portrays this rough but sensitive man.

           

According to Vince Melocchi, the connection that he developed between Andy Warhol and Mario Bonino is due to his perfect knowledge of these two men.  He admits that it is “because in many ways I am both of them, I’m the artist and will always identify with the blue collar man”.  Wonderfully written, superbly performed, well-directed by Dana Jackson, perfect scenic design by Rich Rose, all makes for a production you won’t want to miss.

            

 Andy Warhol’s Tomato plays Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, Sundays at 3 PM, through September 22, at the Pacific Resident Theatre, 703 Venice Blvd., Venice.  Tickets and/or information are available online at pacificresidentheatre.com, or by phone at (310) 822-8392.

           

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED                       

DEREK KLENA by Carol Kaufman Segal

           

Derek Klena is a 28-year old handsome, warm and talented young man who grew up in California.  Now a successful Broadway actor and singer, he came back to Los Angeles for his first LA concert that was presented at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood on August 10. 

            

Derek Klena’s show was an intimate look at his life from his early years in West Covina where he was born and where he first performed locally at the age of 6.  He told about his family life, his childhood, people who helped him in his life and career, and all of his experiences before moving to New York.  All throughout, he interspersed his accounts with songs accompanied by pianist Ben Rouhala and guitarist Emily Rosenfield. 

           

 Derek’s guest star of the evening was Lindsey Mendez who had appeared with him on Broadway in Wicked and Off-Broadway in DogFight.  Their performance together was delightful.  The El Portal was packed for this production.  Derek made the audience feel as though he was speaking to each one personally.  He has a wonderful singing voice, and I hope one day, in the very near future, he will come back to Los Angeles to entertain us in a full Broadway production.

OTHERWISE ENGAGED  by Carol Kaufman Segal

            

Otherwise Engaged, Simon Gray’s play written in the 70’s is the latest offering by the Group Rep Company at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood.  It is set in the living room of Simon Hench’s London flat in 1975.

            

Simon Hench (Michael Robb), a successful publisher, is home alone, his wife having left on a trip to the country.  Obviously he is relishing having time to himself to relax while enjoying a quiet afternoon listening to a recording of Wagner’s Parsifal which seems to stir his emotions.  But fate will not have it so, for as soon as Simon gets comfortable, he is interrupted by Dave (Joseph Marcelo) his bungling tenant. 

          

  Following Dave’s departure, his insecure school teacher brother Stephen (Fox Carney) shows up.  There seems to be no rest for the wicked because, when his brother takes his leave, his friend Jeff (Doug Haverty) an imbibing journalist, arrives with his girlfriend Davina (Kait Haire) who has written a book that she wishes Simon to publish.  She makes it obvious that she will stop at nothing to get him to do so! 

            

His longtime friend Wood (Lee Grober) becomes another infringement upon his privacy.    It seems his fiancé has been cheating on him only to be an additional conquest of Simon’s.  Simon has shown no feelings of any kind to any one of his visitors.  He is numb to anyone but himself.  Last but not least to conflict with Simon’s plan for the day, is the unexpected return home of his wife Beth (Beccy Quinn).  She tells him that she has been having an affair, is pregnant and is leaving him.  As she walks out of his life, one wonders if he thinks or cares about anyone in the world but himself, or wonders if he ever has.

            

Otherwise Engaged is directed by Linda Alznauer.  The actors give fine performances.  Michael Robb is perfect as the insufferable Simon Hench.  Because the play takes place in London, their roles are performed with English accents. At times I found it difficult to understand some in the early part of the production.       

            

Otherwise Engaged plays Saturdays at 4 PM, Sundays at 7 PM, through September 8, Upstairs at the Group Rep, Second Floor of the Lonny Chapman Theatre, 10900 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood.  Tickets and information are available online at www.thegrouprep.com, or by phone at (818) 763-5990.                    

ECHOES THAT REMAIN - A Special Screening for Tisha B’av by Carol Kaufman Segal

            

Echoes That Remain is a documentary that was filmed in 1991 by award winning filmmakers Arnold Swartzman, (director, writer), Rabbi Marvin Heir (writer), and Richard Trank (producer).  In conjunction with the Jewish Holiday of Tisha B’hav, a special screening of Echoes That Remain was held at the Museum of Tolerance on Sunday, August ll.  

           

Narrated by Martin Landau and Miriam Margolyes, it is a documentary rich in its portrayal of Eastern European Jewry before the Holocaust.  The film shows hundreds of rare archival photos and never before seen film footage taken in former Jewish communities in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, and Romania. 

           

The production team spent over a year researching archives around the world, collecting film and photographs to aid in dramatizing the early years of the Jewish people in those countries.  Important to the film are a series of images created by Roman Vishniac, the famed photo biographer of Eastern Europe shtetl life.

            

This film generated a very special feeling of emotions for me as my father’s entire family, including all close relatives were born and lived in Poland before coming  to the United States in mass in 1912 (thanks to their foresight).  I felt I was watching all about them and their lives in the days before they left.

            

Echos That Remain has been shown in theaters and film festivals in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia and has been the recipient of numerous awards.  We, who saw this screening at the Museum of Tolerance, were fortunate enough to have a question and answer session with the three afore mentioned filmmakers.  I definitely recommend this film for everyone.  Watch for the opportunity to see it sometime, somewhere, as I am certain it will be shown over and over again for years to come.

LOOSE KNIT by Carol Kaufman Segal

            Often friends, who enjoy the same hobbies such as quilting, sewing, or knitting, find joy in meeting together to pursue their friendships along with their creative talent.   This is the scenario of Theresa Rebeck’s comedy Loose Knit playing at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood.

            The play takes place in the early 90’s in New York City where a group of ladies meet in each other’s apartments once-a-week to socialize as they pursue their hobby of knitting.  (Set design by Chris Winfield)  They include Liz (Marie Broderick), Liz’s sister Lily (Stephanie Colet), Margie (Julie Davis), Gina (Lisa McGee Mann), and Paula (Cathy Diane Tomlin).  Knitting, it appears, is secondary to just having each other for friendship and support against the problems that haunt them in their lives.  And problems they do have!

            Lily is married to Bob (Doug Haverty).  Does she have a problem!  Why, because Bob is having an affair with Lily’s sister Liz!  Wow!  Do Liz and Bob have a problem!  I can’t imagine which one is suffering the most, but I would suspect it would be Lily.  Paula is a psychologist having problems of her own trying to find herself (maybe in need of one herself).  Margie simply wants a man in her life, and Gina is falling apart because she just lost her job. 

            Yes, these women need solace, and it may mean more than sitting and knitting with one another.  Enter Miles (Todd Andrew Ball), a brash egotistical self-made millionaire who ends up dating three of the women, first with Margie, then Paula, and last, but not least, with Liz.  Could he be the solution to any one of their calamities?  All three end up in the same over-priced sushi restaurant with Miles who turns out to be a rather obnoxious date that sits and takes notes while in the company of the women throughout the entire evening.

            How did it happen that all three of these ladies ended up on a date with the same man?  Lily happens to be the one who knows Miles very well and somehow arranged these dates in hopes that it would help them see their problems in a different light and bring some closure to them.  Does her tactic work?  Wait and see for yourself.  This is an unusual comedy you won’t want to miss.

            Theresa Rebeck has written an extraordinary play that is very funny while, at the same time, quite witty.  Under the astute direction of L. Flint Esquerra, every cast member makes the audience feel their angst, while at the same time, comedy persists.

            Loose Knit plays Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM, and Sundays at 2 PM, through September 8, at the Lonny Chapman Theatre, 10900 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood.     For information or for tickets, go online at www.thegrouprep.com, or call (818) 763-5990.                      

            HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

                                   

THE PRODUCERS by Carol Kaufman Segal

The Produccers, playing at the LexTheatre in Hollywood, is extinding through August 26, 2019.
See review
dated July 9, 2019.

WEST SIDE STORY by Carol Kaufman Segal

            

West Side Story is a musical with book by Arthur Laurents, Music by Leonard Bernstein, and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.  The original Broadway production was conceived, directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins and produced by Robert E. Griffith and Harold Prince.    It was adapted into a film in 1961 and won ten Academy Awards.   The story is a modern creation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

           

 A wonderful production of West Side Story, playing at the Kavli Theatre in the Thousand Oaks Art Plaza, features a sterling cast of singers, dancers, musicians, and actors.  The story takes place in an upper west side neighborhood of New York City in the mid 1950’s where two teen-aged gangs rival for control of the streets. 

            

The Jets are American boys whose leader is Riff (Aleks Pevec).  Riff’s best friend is Tony (Brandon Keith Rogers) who once was a member alongside him and the rest of the gang.  The Sharks are Puerto Rican boys whose leader is Bernardo (Patrick Ortiz).  At a neighborhood dance, Tony meets Maria (Giselle Torris), Bernardo’s sister, and they fall in love.  This does not sit well with Bernardo and he makes it known, even though Tony, no longer a member of the Jets, tries to show him he has nothing against him or his friends.  This does not placate Bernardo at all.  This is a love story caught in a sordid social situation of intolerance and hate.            

            

As Tony’s and Maria’s love deepens, the story is augmented by outstanding voices, the beautiful  memorable songs, the wonderful dance scenes, and the all together phenomenal cast.  The musical is impeccably directed by Larry Raben, the wonderful dance scenes are choreographed by Karl Warden, and the musical direction is by Jeff Rizzo.  .

           

West Side Story is playing Friday at 8 PM, Saturday at 2 PM and 8 PM, and Sunday, Aug. 4, the final show, at 1 PM, at the Kavli Theatre in the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd, Thousand Oaks.  Tickets are available online at www.5startheatricals.com, or by phone at (800)745-3000.  For further information, call (800) 449-2787.

            

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED