HUMAN INTEREST STORY by Carol Kaufman Segal

            

Human Interest Story is making its world premier at the Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles.  The play was written by Stephen Sachs, a man of immense talent who is not only a playwright, but a director, a producer, and a Co-Artistic Director of the Fountain Theatre.  He also directed this superb production that features a highly talented cast of men and women.  The play takes on situations that we are very much aware of today, loss of jobs, fake news, and homeless people,

            

Andy Kramer (Rob Nagle) has written columns at The Chronicle for twenty years. When the newspaper is taken over by a new owner he, along with others, is given his last day.  When he happens to run into, a homeless woman in the park, he talks her into letting him write a story about her for his final column in the paper, hoping it will save his job.  She agrees and he writes a fictitious story about a homeless woman using the name “Jane Doe” (performed outstandingly by Tanya Alexander).  In reality, the woman is Betty Frazier who earned a master’s degree and was a teacher before falling on hard times.

           

Andy’s article, about Jane Doe facing a destitute existence and promising to kill herself on July 4 due to a heartless civilization, saves Andy’s job.  Because his article arouses the public, multimillionaire Harold Cain (James Harper), who took over The Chronicle, is quick to give him his job back.

           

“Jane Doe” becomes a phenomenon overnight and is interviewed and seen on television stations throughout the country.  Andy Kramer insists on writing Jane Doe’s speeches.  With the success of his newspaper, Harold Cane finds it a good time to run for Mayor of the city.  All of the characters’ personas become changed over the fallout that has affected them and the country by the story of “Jane Doe”.  Will Jane Doe really commit suicide on July 4^th?  Does Andy Kramer begin to respect her abilities?  And what effect does she have over whether or not Harold Cane wins his bid for the Mayor’s office? 

           

Stephen Sachs has written a most interesting and well-thought-out play.  It certainly is a Human Interest Story.  A superb cast brings realism to the production.   Other cast members include Richard Azurdia, Aleisha Force, Matt Kirkwood, and Tarina Pouncy.

 Human Interest Story plays Fridays at 8 PM, Saturdays at 2 PM and 8 PM, Sundays at 2 PM, and Mondays at 8 PM, through April 5, at The Fountain Theatre, 5060 Fountain Ave., Los Angeles.  Tickets are available online at www.FountainTheatre.com, or by phone at (323) 663-1525.

            HIGHLY RECOMMENDED                                  

REVENGE SONG, A Vampire Cowboys Creation by Carol Kaufman Segal

           

Revenge Song, a Vampire Cowboys Creation, playing at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, is a most unusual, interesting and enjoyable musical extravaganza.  Written by Qui Nguyen and directed by Robert Ross Parker, this world premiere is brought to Los Angeles by New York’s Vampire Cowboys.

The play is based on the true-life story of Julie d’Aubigny, an unusual 17^th century French woman.  It is told with rousing music (Shane Rettig), and vim and vigor from beginning to end.  Emcee Madame De Senneterre (Amy Kim Waschke) begins the tale by introducing Julie, (Margaret Odette) a swordswoman and opera singer on her journey to discover her true self.

At the age of 14, Julie disguises herself as a boy in order to get a job working in the stables owned by Count Louis de Lorraine (Tom Myers).  This is where Julie learns to fence and fight for herself.  When the Count finds out that Julie is a girl, he brings her into his house as a sex slave. Eventually, Julie escapes from the home of the count and meets Albert (Eugene Young) who challenges her to a duel.  Lo and behold, Albert is no challenge for Julie who wounds him, then ends up nursing him back to good health.  They become forever friends, but Albert always has hopes that Julie will become his wife. 

            

Because Julie could never be content as a wife, she continues on her journeys, looking to fulfill her life, often finding herself in unusual/and or dangerous situations such as her first love affair with a woman (Beth Hawkes as Emily), to her mishap at a convent where she causes the convent to burn down.  For this incident, she is sentenced to death but escapes to Paris and becomes an opera singer.  She finds herself challenged to a duel by several men when she is caught kissing a woman at an event.  Needless to say, she beats them all.  This is but a “drop-in-the-bucket” of the fun and laughter you will encounter as you “travel” with Julie throughout this fascinating tale.  Of course, Albert shows up throughout her entire life, trying to convince her to marry him.

The six actors, members of the Vampire Cowboys, are stupendous.  They all play multiple roles, except for Odette who performs the role of Julie.  Moshir Dalal plays Serammes, Gaston and others, while Beth Hawkes Tom Myers, Amy Kin Waschke, and Eugene Young, all play other relevant characters that make up t his stimulating production.

Revenge Song:  A Vampire Cowboy’s Creation plays Tuesday through Fridays at 8 PM Saturdays at 3 PM and 8 PM, and Sundays at 2 PM and 7 PM, through March 8, in the Gil Gates Theatre at the Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Ave., Los Angeles.  Tickets are available online at www.geffenplayhouse.org, by phone at (310) 208-5454, or at the Geffen Playhouse box office.

            HIGHLY RECOMMENDED        

IN MY MIND’S EYE by Carol Kaufman Segal      

            

In My Mind’s Eye, written by Lonny Chapman’s Artistic Director, Doug Haverty, is being presented by the Group Rep, the first presentation of their 46^th season, at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood.  This play is a revival that was the first full-length play produced years ago in the Lonny Chapman Theatre.  It became an award-winning play and is every bit as meaningful, thought-provoking and compelling as it was then.  The play was inspired by true events, and is based on a legally-blind female public school teacher who was Haverty’s teacher when he was in the 7^th grade.

           

Patty is a young precocious school girl (played by very talented 14-year old Peyton Kirkner) who is legally blind, though she can see a bit through one eye at an extremely close range.  She happens to meet an elderly man, Calhoon (Lloyd Pedersen) who has a bit of trouble walking, and when he falls in her front yard, she befriends him.  Patty’s mother, Mrs. Lola Henderson (Maria Kress) finds him visiting with Patty when she arrives home.

           

Patty and Calhoon are both lonely people, and though he is 78 years old, they discover camaraderie with one another.  Patty and Calhoon form a very close friendship.  Her mother finds him visiting Patty each day that she arrives home and this causes her a great deal of concern.  Due to her apprehension, Lola can be too overbearing with Patty that often creates tension between mother and daughter.         

           

Eventually Lola makes arrangements to transfer Patty to a public school after discussing it with Miss Hester (Clara Rodriguez), dean of the school.  When Miss Hester meets Patty, she is impressed with her and agrees to allow her to attend the 9^th grade class where she acclimates to fully.

            

The time has passed and grown-up Patty, using the name Trish (Kait Haire), is beginning a new position as a public school teacher where she meets Hugo, (Bobby Slaski) an English teacher next door to her room.  They develop a friendship that grows into a romantic affair and Lola voices her concern that, once again, creates tension between mother and daughter.  But Trish, more independent now than in past years, no longer feels the hold that her mother once held over her.  Happily, she and Hugo become man and wife.            

           

Bruce Kimmel did a sterling job as director of this exceptional cast and the play, having been written years ago, shows no signs of being outdated in any way.  There are human beings today that, undoubtedly, have characteristics that could match those we see in this production.  It is normal, I presume, for a parent of a child with special needs to become overly stringent in their lives.

           

In My Mind’s Eye plays Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM, Sunday’s at 2 PM through March 15, at the Lonny Chapman Theatre, 10900 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood.  Tickets are available online at www.theGrouPrep.com, or for reservations and information, call (818) 763-5990.

            

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

VOLTA (Cirque du Soleil) by Carol Kaufman Segal

           

I have thrilled over every Cirque Du Soleil production that I have seen over the years.   Their latest show, Volta, is its 15^th Big Top performance to visit Los Angeles, and its 22^nd show presented here.  I happen to especially enjoy Volta for its theme, music, acts and performers.

           

Written and directed by Bastien Alexandre with Jean Guibert as the director of creation, Volta presents outstanding acrobatics accompanied by thrilling music composed and directed by Anthony Gonzales (from electronic group M83).  You can see this extravaganza under the Big Top at Dodger Stadium.

            

The performances are inspired by street-sports; feats performed by aerialists, acrobat and trampoline artists who perform unbelievable achievements with jumping ropes, on roller skates, with bicycles, or simply their own human bodies, sometimes seemingly flying through the air,.  The breathtaking accomplishments, throughout the show, are astounding.  Bicyclists fly from a high structure as they spin their bicycles in the air.  A lovely woman performs a ballet suspended at the top of the tent by her hair. There are unique accomplishments by all of the performers that will take your breath away. 

A story ties all of the performances together while accompanied by the outstanding music, dazzling costumes by Zaldy Goco, and a cast of forty-six men and women from fourteen countries that include  the United States, Canada, Finland, United Kingdom, Brazil, Uruguay, Japan, Russia, China, South Africa, Switzerland, Australia, Slovakia, and Poland.

            

Volta will perform under the Big Top at Dodger Stadium in Los Angles through March 8, 2020 and at the OC Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa beginning March 18 through April 19, 2020.  Tickets are available online at cirquedusoleil.com/volta, or by calling (877) 924-7783.

            

 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED