NEW MUSICAL, LITTLE BLACK DRESS, CELEBRATES LIFE'S GREAT MOMENTS WITH LAUGHTER, TEARS AND RAUNCH

Jennette Cronk, Jenna Cormey, Clint Hromsco,
Danielle Trzcinski in "Little Black Dress The Musical"
Photos by Rebecca McNicholas 

IMHO, "Little Black Dress The Musical" (aka LBD), is a show that is perfect for GNOs and fans of raunchy improv humor. A combination of original songs, audience participation, improv and a smidgen of drama, the brand new musical is in search of a wider audience in its initial tour.

Written by predominantly women, the show hits the mark on many topics that will resonate with women of all ages, and even some men. From first kiss, to first sexual encounter, job interviews, proposals and eventually funerals, the LBD has played an important part of many lives.

In a nutshell, the story centers on best friends Dee (Danielle Trzcinski) and Mandy (Jennette Cronk) who at age 13 pledge to be BFFs for life and to take a dream trip to "Paree!" when they grow up. When Dee's mom (Jenna Cormey) takes the girls to a boutique to find dresses for their upcoming school dance, they are introduced to and fall in love with the LBD.

Jennette Cronk as Mandy and Danielle Trzcinski
as Dee in "Little Black Dress The Musical"

The rest of the show covers the progression of time where the two womens' futures diverge, but they hang on to their friendship despite many setbacks. Dee marries Mark (Clint Hromsco) and has a baby girl Madison, while Mandy remains defiantly single as she forges her own path in life.

There are times in the show where the actors call on audience members to share their own memories of first kisses and bachelorette parties, which leads to some unexpected shenanigans. The night I went, one woman was so startlingly raunchy that the performers struggled to keep a straight face during the "A Night You'll Never Forget" number. There is always a risk in improvised segments, as they can often slow a show down, but again the ladies (and gentleman) had it under semi-control. LOL.

Danielle Trzcinski as Dee
in "Little Black Dress The
Musical"

The set is simple (perfect for road shows and local theater companies), the LBDs could have been a tad more stylish, and some of the choreography and staging was a little dodgy, but overall it charmed the audience who gave the performers a rousing, well-deserved ovation at evening's end. Both Trzcinski and Cronk are powerful singers, while Hromsco and Cormey both do quadruple duty in the show and always hit the comic bullseye.

Kudos to all the talented folks who brought "Little Black Dress The Musical" to life including creators Amanda Barker, Natalie Tenenbaum, Danielle Trzcinski and Christopher Bond who also directed.

"Little Black Dress The Musical" is at Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City until December 15 only, so if you suffer from FOMO, hustle on down and buy your seats ASAP at www.centertheatregroup.org.

-- Lisa Lyons

LOVE ACTUALLY LIVE, A SPARKLING MUSICAL GIFT FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Rex Smith (center) and the cast of "Love Actually LIVE"
All photos by Kevin Parry

Next to "It's a Wonderful Life," one of the most beloved Christmas big screen films is "Love Actually", directed by Richard Curtis, that counts down the drama-filled weeks leading up to Christmas in the lives of five separate yet intertwined Londoners. The show is back after last year's sellout run at the Wallis Annenberg Theatre in Beverly Hills, and is now playing there through December 29.

In the tradition of the live sing-along nights at the Hollywood Bowl, "Love Actually LIVE" is a multi-media concert experience where the film and live action seamlessly intertwine throughout the London setting. The result is a satisfying trip down memory lane for the audience and the opening night theatergoers responded with wild enthusiasm.

John Battagliese as David
in "Love Actually LIVE"

To briefly recap, the families and friends whose lives we enter are David, the newly elected Prime Minister of London and his working class assistant Natalie; recently widowed Daniel and his adorable stepson Sam; newlyweds Peter and Juliet and his lovelorn best friend Mark; lonely editor Sarah and her erstwhile crush Karl; Sarah's cynical boss Harry and his wife Karen who suspects he is having an affair with sexy Mia; Billy Mack, a faded rock star angling for a comeback with the support of his long-suffering manager Joe; and jilted author Jamie, who is writing his newest book in France, and his beautiful Portuguese housekeeper Aurelia who speaks no English.

Original songs as well as featured numbers from the movie soundtrack are presented on a gorgeous set with a 10-foot-high decorated Christmas tree at center and two side areas where scenes are played out. There is a fantastic live orchestra that plays both onstage and, at some points, in the auditorium that adds to the evening's festivities.

The number of talented singers on stage is awe-inspiring and you'd be hard pressed to single them out, but I'll try. Several performers from last year's production are back including heartthrob recording artist Rex Smith (Billy Mack), Tomasina Abate (Karen), and Doug Kreeger (Harry), are among those who give solid performances.

Carrie Manolakos as Natalie
in "Love Actually LIVE"

Powerful women's voices soar into the rafters including standouts Carrie Manolakos (Natalie), Gabriella Carrillo (Aurelia), Aubrie Sellers (Sarah) and Nayah Damasen as Joanna, Sam's secret crush in the school band.

The men are also well-represented by Smith (who still looks damn fine in his gold lame shorts and Santa hat), young Levi Smith (Sam), James Byous (Mark), John Battagliese (David), Jon Robert Hall (Daniel), Declan Bennett (Jamie) and Rogelio Douglas, Jr. (Peter) who blew the top off the theater with his reinvented, gospel-inspired version of "White Christmas."

Ruby Lewis and Rogelio Douglas, Jr in
"Love Actually LIVE"

Huge kudos to the behind the scenes team who created a warm and welcoming world at the Wallis. They include director and adapter Anderson Davis, music supervisor Jesse Vargas, vocal designer AnnMarie Milazzo, musical stager Sumie Maeda, scenic designer Matthew Steinbrenner, lighting designer Michael Berger, sound designer Ben Soldate, costume designer Steve Mazurek, video designer Aaron Rhyne and the fantastic 15-piece orchestra.

Levi Smith as Sam in "Love Actually LIVE"

The show is basically family friendly, although be warned there are some naked body parts and suggestive actions in the filmed sequences, so maybe not great for kids under 10...just sayin'.

For fans of the film, this is a perfect kickoff for the holiday season. If you have never seen the film, shame on you! Many in the audience left the theater vowing to go home and watch the original film, so a whole new generation of "Love Actually" fans is in the making.

Tickets prices are $39-$125 (subject to change) and can be purchased by calling 310-746-4000 or visiting www.TheWallis.org/Love.

-- Lisa Lyons