Zoot Suit Enjoys Revival at Taper after Forty Years

Seventy-five years ago a murder was committed in Los Angeles in an area known as the ‘Sleepy Lagoon reservoir’. Four young Latino men were charged with the crime of murder, and the ensuing, highly controversial trial introduced a new word into the main-stream American lexicon – “Pachuco”.

In 1977, playwright/director Luis Valdez, brought his play “Zoot Suit” to Gordon Davidson, the Artistic Director of the Mark Taper Forum with the hope that one of the country’s most prestigious Regional Theatres would produce his controversial story of social injustice and police brutality toward Latino’s in the city of Angels. And he wanted to do it with a cast of mostly Latino performers.



Demian Bichir in the revival of “Zoot Suit.” All photos by Craig Schwartz.

Not only did Davidson agree to produce the play, he helped guide it through development stages giving director Valdez full support and resources of the Mark Taper Forum. Davidson’s belief and Valdez’s powerful play helped change the creative theatrical climate of Los Angeles. Not only did it open the door of diversity in casting, it made edgier and non-traditional subject matter plays acceptable; solidifying the reputation of the Mark Taper Forum as a welcoming place for new work by America’s emerging playwrights.

The Taper’s revival musical production, now onstage of “Zoot Suit”, is faithful to Valdez’s original story. This production has had a little tweaking by playwright-director Valdez here and there. I saw the original production in 1978, starring Edward James Olmos as the narrator/guide El Pachuco, It was an astonishing performance and production. Actors Daniel Valdez who portrays Henrique Reyna and Rose Portillo who plays Delores Reyna in the 2017 production, were both in the original 1978 show. Daniel Valdez is also the Music Director for the 2017 production.

The power of Valdez’s story and the potent dialogue of the original show is still intact and still affecting. The stage is splashed in colorful costumes of Costume Designer Ann Closs-Farley, especially in her Pachuco costumes sported by Henry and El Pachuco right down to the long single feathers in their hats and their three foot long pocket chains. The cultural heat and moves of the barrio dancers under the direction choreographer Maria Torres heightens the excitement and energy of the entire production.



L-R: Jeanine Mason, Daniel Valdez, Rose Portillo and Tiffany Dupont in the revival of “Zoot Suit.”

Christopher Acebo’s spacious set provides all the room required by director Valdez to bring his 1940’s musical of barrio life along with five songs composed by the late great Lalo Guerrero. Guerrero was considered to be the father of Chicano music. “Zoot Suit” also features the music of Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Felipe Valdes Leal, Daniel Valdez, and Jorge Negrete.

Even though the story is based on actual events, there are echoes of gang warfare moments from “West Side Story” and a taste of family warfare as in “Romeo and Juliet”. Alas, it would appear this tired old world hasn’t learned very much from our forebears when it comes to tolerance and understanding. As a theatrical piece, however, “Zoot Suit” still has the goods to move an audience emotionally and intellectually to appreciate our diversity by listening to our better angels; thanks to the skill of this outstanding cast of 25 solid, actors, led by a mesmerizing Demian Bischir, as El Pachuco, ‘a messenger’ who embodies both good and bad spirits.



L-R (Bottom row): (Tiffany Dupont, partially obscured), Jeanine Mason, Demian Bichir, Matias Ponce, Daniel Valdez and Rose Portillo; (top row) Evan Strand, Fiona Cheung, Mariela Arteaga and Holly Hyman in the revival of “Zoot Suit.”

Matias Ponce as Henry Reyna, delivers a potent performance of a cynical man when it comes to his view of society, and rightly so. He is brutalized both by his culture in the barrios, and in the treatment of his brothers by the ‘gringos’ who control the power levers in his world. While viewing the police vs. the pachuco scenes, I felt the obvious bias of the justice system could have been toned down a bit. We get it and seeing it through the lens of 40 years later, too much cruelty can be off-putting to some, regardless of its veracity. Many times, less can make a more powerful and convincing statement.

Henry’s one bright spot in life is his love for his girlfriend Della, appealingly played by Jeanine Mason. When the rumble in the Sleepy Lagoon area goes sideways and a rival gang member is killed, Henry, and his three compadres are caught up and sacrificed on the expediency alter of political and police department agendas. Then as now, instilling fear (in “Zoot Suit” it’s the ‘Pachuco’ gangs), is a useful tool and a necessary component in maintaining control by governments worldwide.

In the jail and courtroom sequences Brian Abraham as George Shearer and Tiffany Dupont as Alice Bloomfield, Henry’s attorneys respectively, display their frustration in fighting a system where one can easily compare barrio life to the old Jim Crow rules of down south before the Civil Rights movement became law.

This triumphant production has been taken to the hearts of 2017 audiences, as was the 1978 production. It has been extended three times to accommodate the clamor for tickets.

“Zoot Suit”, at the Ahmanson Theatre, now runs through April 2, 2017. Don’t Miss It!

-- Jack Lyons

Poignant Tony-winning Musical "Fun Home" Comes to Ahmanson

The ‘boys’ won Tony Awards in the 80s with such gay-themed shows as “Torch Song Trilogy and nabbed another with the musical “La Cage aux Folles “(1983), and yet another, with the blockbuster musical hit “Kinky Boots” in 2013; all from the creative brain of Harvey Fierstein. Now it’s the ‘girls’ turn in the first decade of the 21st century to begin collecting Tony Awards. First and foremost is the success of the 2015 Tony Award winner “Fun Home”, based on the graphic novel by Alison Bechdel, with music by Jeanine Tesori and lyrics and book by Lisa Kron.



Kate Shindle as ‘Alison’ and Robert Petkoff as ‘Bruce’ in Fun Home. All photos by Joan Marcus.

The musical’s national tour production, now on the stage of The Ahmanson Theatre, is an eye-opening and somewhat of a ground-breaking production, in that it tells the story of a gay young woman’s sexual awakening in a troubled Pennsylvania family. American families have been dealing with gay children not knowing how to “come out” to their parents or society in general, for years. For me, “Fun Home” should be required reading or viewing for all parents, relatives, and education professionals who interact with students. I’m no health professional or an academic, but it appears to me that “Fun Home”, comes across as a pretty good vehicle for a ‘Sexual Identity Course 101’, help aid.



Abby Corrigan as ‘Medium Alison’ and Karen Eilbacher as ‘Joan’

The intriguing and compelling story, brilliantly directed by Sam Gold, becomes all the more revealing when everyone has an opportunity to view, up close and personal (even in a theatre setting) the emotions of young people who do not understand what is happening inside their bodies, and who only know that they feel estranged, in some way, from society. The biggest fear of course, is the fear of rejection and stigmatization on the part of their parents and friends. Without some guidance that is a very scary prospect indeed.

Director Gold cleverly employs cinema techniques in the telling of the “Fun Home” story. Through flashbacks and flash-forwards, Kate Shindle narrates for the audience the character of Alison (Alison Bechdal’s alter-ego). We see her at various stages in her life: Small Alison, an elementary student wonderfully played and sung by Alessandra Baldacchino, and Medium Alison, an astonishing Abby Corrigan, as a high-school senior entering college, who, when she meets classmate Joan (played by Karen Eilbacher), she falls head over heels and has an epiphany as to her sexuality.

L-R: Alessandra Baldacchino as ‘Small Alison’, Pierson Salvador as ‘Christian’ and Lennon Nate Hammond as ‘John’

When Alison in flashback discusses her home life growing up, we meet her Father Bruce, (Robert Petkoff in a finely judged performance), a closeted gay man who loves his wife Helen (steadfastly and knowingly played by Susan Moniz) and his three children: Alison, John (Lennon Nate Hammond) and Christian (Pierson Salvador), but handyman Roy (Robert Hager) also has Bruce’s attention. The story that takes place on the Ahmanson stage, and I’m guessing here, is probably not that much different from what takes place in the homes of families all over the world.

Despite the emotional content of the story, “Fun Home”, is after all, a winning musical with singing and dancing, and lots of light comedy moments. The beauty of the production lies in the compelling and poignant performances of the cast. The opening night audience was definitely on the wavelength of Alison Bechdel, Jeanine Tesori, and Lisa Kron. Every nuanced scene and innuendo that the straight audience couldn’t decode, brought knowing smiles and on-the-nose laughter from those in the audience as having ‘been there, done that’ too.

Director Gold’s staging of his three ‘Alisons’ is somewhat analogous to cinema’s ‘dream mode’, in that the characters can see themselves in a scene or sequence while the action in the story unfolds. It’s very effective and helps the audience to keep track of all the moving parts in the production in perspective.

Gold’s creative team led by Scenic Designer David Zinn, who also designed the Costumes delivers the goods in both disciplines. The Lighting Design is created by Ben Stanton and the Sound Design by Kai Harada, along with Hair and Wig Designer Rick Caroto, complete the team. Music director Micha Young, along with Orchestrations by John Clancy and Music Coordination by Antoine Silverman and a nine-person orchestra, put the finishing touches on this splendid and entertaining production.

“Fun Home” performs at The Ahmanson Theatre and runs through April 1, 2017.​

-- Jack Lyons

North Coast Repertory's "The Illusion" Offers Romance, Intrigue and Magic

John Herzog and Kandis Chappell in
"The Illusion". All photos by Aaron Rumley

Tony Kushner, one of the country’s premiere intellectual playwrights is an award-winning dramatist who is best known for his monumental Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning, two-part epic “Angels in America”. In that play, he tackled the worldwide Aids epidemic.

In the current North Coast Repertory Theatre production he switches 180 degrees to translate and adapt 17th century French playwright Pierre Corneille’s “L’IIlusion Comique” into a delicious and superbly acted French soufflé of a comedy/farce called “The Illusion”.

French comedy/farces have not fared well with American audiences over the years. Even the great comedy playwright Moliere couldn’t win over American audiences. European society with its rigid rules of the ‘master-servant relationship’, a key component in French comedy and farce, never resonated with the independent, rugged, ‘self-made man’ image that is the hallmark of American society.

North Coast Repertory Theatre Artistic Director David Ellenstein, however, does indeed understand the rules of French farce; having acted in ‘The Illusion” himself some twenty years ago. He has orchestrated his flawless cast of comedy farceurs in a way that plays to their strengths. All the elements of theatre that deal with romance, intrigue, love, yearning, insight, and magic, plus a little sword play thrown in for good measure, are embodied in this splendidly performed production.

The tale in short, follows a clueless but contrite father, Pridamant, a lawyer of Avignon, nicely played by John Herzog, who is seeking news of his prodigal son from the sorceress Alcandre (wryly and cleverly played by Kandis Chappell). In her cave setting (wonderfully realized by resident set design wizard - no pun intended) Marty Burnett, Alcandre conjures three episodes for Pridamant from his young son’s life. Inexplicably, each scene finds the son in a slightly different world where names change and allegiances shift. Pridamant watches, sometime confused and sometime aware, but only when the strange tale reaches its conclusion does he learn the ultimate truth about his son. Sorry, but no more spoiler alerts here. You’ll just have to come and see for yourself.

In comedy/farce, there are always pretty girls who tempt the men and then immediately fall in love in their search for excitement and romance. “The Illusion” is no exception. Two women play three different characters in the three conjured scenes. Sharon Rietkert, portrays upper-class Meliba, Isabelle, and Hippolyta. I have fond memories of her sultry femme fatale role in “Gun Metal Blues” at NCRT and her memorable portrayal of Elinor Dashwood, in “Sense and Sensibility” at The Old Globe in 2015.

Christina L. Flynn, Michael Polak, and
Sharon Reitkerk in "The Illusion"

The servant/companion roles in the conjured scenes of Elicia, Lyse, and Clarina, are winningly played by a pert Christina L. Flynn, along with a twinkling smile that also displays her classic training, timing, and delivery in comedy/farce. Ms. Rietkerk and Ms. Flynn are easy on the eyes and a delight to watch as they work their magic on the audience.

The gentlemen in the production also get to strut their stuff. Michael Polak, as Clindor, the son of Pridamant in scene one, and Calisto, in scene two, and Theogenes, in scene three, plays a suitor who gets the girl in all three scenes. Lucky fella.

The bumbling buffoon character Matamore who is decked out in a costume fit for a Cardinal Richelieu guardsman is wittily played by energetic farceur Andrew Ableson. Every 17th century comedy/farce has to have one character who is the comedy relief. Fortunately, for us, Mr. Ableson is that character.

John Greenleaf as The Amanuensis, the mute servant to the sorceress Alcandre in scene one, also portrays Geronte, the unsympathetic and harsh father of Isabelle in scene two and as an actor, Mr. Greenleaf could easily draw boos from any audience for his cruel treatment of his daughter if this play were an old fashion melodrama. Ah, the world so dearly loves theatrical villains, and so do the actors portraying them. Paul Turbiak, also plays the characters of Pleribo, Adraste, and Prince Florilame, a rival of Clindor, Calista, and Theogenes. It may sound confusing in words, but it makes perfect sense when viewed by an audience.

John Greenleaf, Kandis Chappell
and John Herzog in "The Illusion"

In the technical department, Marty Burnett’s production design that is set in a cave and other locations, is up to his usual high standards, along with Matthew Novotny’s lighting design that lend both a properly eerie mood when called for by the action in each of the play’s various locations. These two creative professionals continue to amaze me as to how cleverly they solve the challenges that “Illusion” director Ellenstein and visiting directors require when staging a production at North Coast Repertory Theatre.

The sleek, and at times, rich costume designs by Elisa Benzoni are eye catching and pitch-perfect for the time period. The costume for the character of Matamore, for example, looks as if it just came from the MGM costume department. Melanie Chen is the sound designer, and the realistic sword fighting scene is courtesy of actor Michael Polak.

“The Illusion” is a highly entertaining production which performs at North Coast Rep Theatre, Solana Beach, and runs through March 19, 2017.

-- Jack Lyons

TECHNOLOGY’S ANSWER TO AGING IS ON STAGE AT NORTH COAST REPERTORY THEATRE

Steve Froelich, Dee Maaske, Elaine Rivkin and
Greg North star in North Coast Rep's "Marjorie Prime"

The power that are in words are the keys to understanding​;​ ​w​ith clarity comes hope, and a great many more feelings, all merging into a larger​,​ life-affirming force ​that becomes the tools of writers, playwrights, actors, technicians, and the creative artisans who move us to feel human.

When we’re in their thrall, these creative artists motivate us to be more introspective​,​ to sooth​e​ and comfort those grieving souls around us​,​ and to assist those less fortunate. They heighten our memories that are so essential to life. These are but a few of the gifts that the live theatre experience celebrates. Here’s another… we’re the only species that has the ability to smile, which then leads to laughter​,​ a staple of most theatrical experiences.

North Coast Repertory Theatre’s San Diego Premiere production of “Marjorie Prime” by playwright Jordan Harrison is deftly directed by Matthew Wiener. The drama incorporates all of the necessary components that ‘words and technology’ can muster and then transforms the totality into a superb, satisfying futuristic look at the technologically robotic​-​driven world of tomorrow that is actually here today.

The story playwright Harrison presents is a tale set in the not-to​o​-distant future in which artificial intelligence is used to treat dementia and depression in the forms of “primes”- ‘humanoid’ lifelike robots that speak with patients in the form of lost loved ones and provide companionship for the lonely. They are basically programmed as memory machines to sell to the elderly as a way of easing the frustration of elderly people fighting the effects of dementia. Marjorie’s prime is modeled to look and talk like her dead husband Walter, at age thirty. I know, but the idea is not as disquieting as it sounds. It’s actually fascinating when seen on a stage.

Marjorie, who is 85 in the play, is winningly played by Dee Maaske, who brings the ​perfect ​quality of a bored, tough, old woman who still has issues to discuss with her daughter Tess (played by Elaine Rivkin). Marjorie’s decided she’s not quite ready to join her husband Walter just yet.  It’s a wonderfully focused performance by Ms. Maaske.

Dee Maaske and Elaine Rivkin play mother and daughter
in North Coast Rep's "Marjorie Prime"

Ms. Rivkin’s Tess is a bit of a Freudian delight when it comes to the love-hate, mother-daughter relationship.  At times, Tess feels guilty, yet irritated​;​ then she’s concerned and caring ​about Marjorie​'​s ​condition​. ​S​he feels her husband Jon​,​ (nicely portrayed by Greg North) as the peacemaker​,​ always seems to side with Marjorie. Ms. Rivkin turns in a nicely nuanced performance.

Jon is the glue that keeps the entire family together. He’s the son-in-law that delights every mother.  He’s kind, caring, understanding, and he really listens to both his wife and his mother-in-law. Mr. North has stage presence, and although a big man, he brings a warm quality with energy to his character​. I​t too is a winning performance.

Dee Maaske and Steve Froelich in North
Coast Rep's "Marjorie Prime"

Walter the Prime, as played by Steve Froelich, is a study in discipline and stamina.  He portrays Walter at age 30. He must be always be engaged with the onstage action but must be presented to the audience, not as a robotic, monotone voiced machine, but a warm, smiling, pleasant, engaging memory of Walter.  He sits, he stands and walks like a perfect facsimile of Walter. Like his fellow actors​,​ Mr. Froelich also delivers a fine performance.

Greg North, Steve Froelich, Elaine Rivkin and
Dee Maaske in North Coast Rep's "Marjorie Prime"

The real beauty of this highly skilled production lies in the fabulous ensemble performances of the cast.

In the technical department​,​ led by director Wiener, Set Designer Marty Burnett has created a slick-looking, futuristic set with cleans lines and a muted color palette. The projection designs on each side of the set give the scene changes an ethereal look and is an inspired touch. Matt Novotny’s light design compliments the set and the costumes of Elisa Benzoni. Melanie Chen’s sound design and Andrea Gutierrez’s props and Peter Herman’s Wig designs complete the technical team.

North Coast Repertory Theatre has another triumph on its hands with its sublime production of “Marjorie Prime”.  The stellar production runs through February 5, 2017.

-- Jack Lyons

SEDUCTION, REVENGE, BETRAYAL ON STAGE AT SAN DIEGO'S NEW FORTUNE THEATRE

Jessica John Gerke and Richard Baird star as the
sexual gameplayers in "Les Liaisons Dangereuses"
at San Diego Rep. All photos by Daren Scott. 

Academy Award-winning screenwriter and playwright Christopher Hampton struck gold with his cleverly re-imagined 1988 movie (based on his hugely successful 1985 play) sex-fueled adaptation of the 1782 novel “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, It’s been a popular and a favorite play for regional and community theatres ever since.

“Les Liaisons Dangereuses” which opened last Friday, January 13th, at San Diego Rep Theatre’s Lyceum Space stage, is the third production from the young New Fortune Theatre Company co-founded by Richard Baird and Amanda Schaar.

It’s a gorgeously costumed, engaging romp in sexual intrigues that caused scandals when performed in 18th and 19th century France and raised eyebrows in randy Restoration England as well.

The play centers around two ex-lovers: Le Vicomte de Valmont (Richard Baird) and La Marquise de Merteuil (Jessica John Gerke) who scheme to ruin the reputation of an innocent young aristocrat Cecile de Volanges (Gentry Roth). The Marquise is seeking revenge for a betrayal by a former lover. Valmont, king of the libertines, goes along with the scheme because he’s in love with himself as a stud and lives to bed any and all attractive woman within his reach.

Gentry Roth and Richard Baird in
"Les Liaisons Dangereuses"

Together they devise a series of seductions and manipulations but soon realize that their intricate plan for each to seduce a victim is more than they bargained for, and this latest game plan and their targets may be their most dangerous by far. There are twists and turns by all of the players in this game of passion, emotion and consequences, which in Act One, “almost plays like a Restoration comedy”, according to director/actor Baird. In Act Two, however, the dangerous game of love gets more serious.

Conor Sullivan and Jessica John Gerke in
"Les Liaisons Dangereuses"

Mr. Baird scores in a wonderfully nuanced performance balancing Valmont’s predatory tendencies while at same time bringing a lightness and a debonair approach of supreme confidence that is entertaining and less off-putting. Ms. Gerke as the Marquise Merteuil has the stunning polished look of a woman who understands the power of her beauty and experience, and knows how use it to dazzle and lure men to her bed. Both Valmont and the Marquise are formidable players in the game of seduction.

Richard Baird and Amanda Schaar in
"Les Liaisons Dangereuses"

Amanda Schaar as Madame de Tourvel delivers a finely judged performance that begins as a pawn in the seduction scheme, but becomes the true love of Valmont at the play’s end. Their scenes together are both sexy and poignant, underscoring the redemptive power of true love.

The supporting cast is a director’s dream, a true ensemble cast who stay in the moment and who are fully engaged include Connor Sullivan as Le Chevalier Danceny, the young boy toy of the Marquise, Gentry Roth as Cecile de Volanges, the young and virginal daughter of the clueless Madame Volanges, played by Terril Miller. Dagmar Fields as Valmont’s Aunt, Taylor Henderson as Emilie, Justin Lang as Azolan, Valmont’s valet, and Neil McDonald as the Major Domo. Crystal Brandan and Christopher Torborg complete the cast.

Dagmar Fields, Jessica John Gerke and
Richard Baird in "Les Liaisons Dangereuses"

“Les Liaisons Dangereuses” is a splendid production chock full of terrific performances, where smart and clever directorial touches abounded at the opening preview that I attended.

The cast members who are charged with striking of the set pieces and props at each performance accomplish it in a measured manner to the accompaniment of French drawing room music; a nice touch that has the creative fingerprints of co-directors Kaitlin O’Neal and Richard Baird all over it.

Richard Baird and Conor Sullivan in
"Les Liaisons Dangereuses"

The gorgeous costume designs of Howard Schmitt sparkle in the lighting design of A.J. Paulin. The clever Set Design by Guillo Perrone is not only functional for the actors, it allows for the large expanse required for the dueling scene in Act Two. Thanks to Fight Choreographer J. Tyler Jones, a believable tense sequence of the duelists is nicely accomplished.

The New Fortune Theatre has a first rate, stellar production on its hands that you won’t want to miss. For reservations and ticket information call Lyceum Events at 619-544-1000, or go online for tickets at www.lyceumevents.org.

“Les Liaisons Dangereuses” runs through January 28, 2017.

-- Jack Lyons

AMALIE – LIGHT AS A SOUFFLE MUSICAL VISITS LA PRE-BROADWAY

Adam Chanler-Berat and Phillipa Soo star in "Amelie"

"Amalie", the new musical based on the film of the same name, is like a French macaron – deliciously light with a sweet filling. When the show premiered last year at Berkeley Rep, it was still finding its soft center. The book is by Craig Lucas, award-winning playwright (Prelude to a Kiss) with music by Daniel Messe and lyrics by Nathan Tysen and Messe. But with the addition of “Hamilton” leading lady Philippa Soo as the gamine star, along with a strong ensemble cast directed by Pam McKinnon, this current production at the Ahmanson is now heading for a Broadway engagement in Spring 2017.

Will audiences there be as taken with this whimsical tale of a shy girl who discovers her path in life is to lead others to happiness? If the opening night audience at the Ahmanson is any indication, the show should charm the pantalons off Broadway theatre-goers.

The show calls to mind the musical “Matilda” in its use of colorful sets, eccentric costumes and exaggerated characters, and also includes a delightfully sassy little girl (Savvy Crawford) as the young Amelie who re-appears to converse with her older self at key moments in the show.

Phillipa Soo, Savvy Crawford in "Amelie"

For those who may have forgotten the plot of the 2001 film, which made a star of Audrey Tatou, Amelie is an only child born to a detached physician father (played by Manoel Felciano) and a schoolteacher mother (played by Alison Cimmet) who are unprepared to deal with this imaginative and gifted daughter.

Papa only touches Amelie during her annual physical exam and, when her heart races with excitement, he concludes she has a heart condition and must be closely monitored. They are so protective that she ends up home schooled and grows up unable to form deep emotional connections to others. Even her pet goldfish Fluffy (Paul Whitty) must be given up for her health’s sake.

Phillipa Soo, Adam Chanler-Berat in "Amelie"

After her devout mother’s untimely and ironic death, and her father’s retreat to the serenity of his garden and its denizens, Amelie learns to take care of herself and eventually moves to the big city: Paris. She finds a small apartment with an eccentric retired painter (Tony Sheldon) and soon finds work at a local café owned by ex-circus artist Suzanne (Harriet D. Foy), where she listens and learns about the longings of her co-workers and others; it is also there she discovers her true calling in life – to bring happy endings to the people she meets.

A chance encounter with Nino (an appealing Adam Chanler-Berat) at a metro station photo booth affects her in a most personal way - she is instantly smitten with this young man whose hobby is collecting discarded photos from the booth and turning them into collages. Despite the meet cute, the path to love is not smooth; it takes the good part of the 90-minute show to finally give these two soul mates their own happy ending.

The hardworking ensemble of "Amelie"

The talented supporting actors play multiple roles and kudos to each of them for creating unforgettable characters. The ensemble is completed by David Andino, Randy Blair, Heath Calvert, and Maria-Christina Oliveras.

The technical wizardry involved is so inventive that it almost proved distracting to some audience members, who spent so much time trying to figure out “how they did that”, often missing the action on stage.

Bringing the magic to glorious Technicolor life are scenic and costume designer David Zinn, co-lighting design by Jane Cox and Mark Barton, sound design by Kai Harada, wig design by Charles G. LaPointe and production design by Peter Nigrini.

The live orchestra sounds great under the direction of Kimberly Grigsby and the fast-paced and amusing musical numbers are staged and choreographed by Sam Pinkleton.

One inherent problem with the show is that the main character of Amelie is somewhat of a cipher. Things happen to her but we never really understand her deeper motivations, as she is always the instigator of cascading events. Perhaps one more solo number where Amelie can reveal what lives in the depth of her heart would flesh her out more. Philippa Soo has a lovely soprano voice and a bubbly energy in this star turn; with a little extra push, she could erase all memories of Audrey Tatou’s portrayal and make this Amelie her own.

Amelie is at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles until January 15. Come and wish the production “Bon Voyage” on its trip to Broadway.

-- Lisa Lyons

CLOSING OUT 2016 WITH THREE MOVIE – MINI REVIEWS

As the year 2016 comes closer to becoming the year 2017, it may be a good time to sample three genres that that hopefully scored with its fan base, perhaps luring new fans that the writers, producers, and directors have been trying to reach and seduce.

America’s movie going public has definitely undergone changing demographics over the last ten years to a point where films and their stories are less linear and less narrative-driven.  Now more emphasis is placed on warp-speed visuals, CGI actions sequences, along with ear-splitting sound tracks and dialogue delivered in mumbled, whispered tones by the actors, and I’m guessing here, in order to give the impression of danger, urgency, or menace, that is, if we’re talking thriller, drama, mystery, or action genres.

A great number of films released today are apparently not being produced as a way of enlightening their viewers through understanding the spoken dialogue, or the clarity of story points, or communicating to the viewers in general. They’re meant to be merely chewing gum for the eyes and ears.  And people wonder why no one reads books or newspapers anymore.  We’ve been dumbing down our society for years to the point that critical thinking and challenging the status quo is for fuddy-duddies, and bygone generations.  Which brings us to the three films I’ve seen this week.  All three films are in general release. In no particular order they are: “Allied”, “Arrival” and “The Accountant”.

“Allied” is an old fashion WW II espionage thriller starring Hollywood power actors Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard. Pitt plays Canadian RAF Wing Commander and Intelligence Officer Max Vatan who has been sent to Casablanca, French Morocco on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Once there he meets up with French resistance fighter Marianne Beausejour played by Marion Cotillard, and the two spies plan their mission to assassinate the German Ambassador. Max and Marianne grow closer to one another as they plot the details of their mission and end up falling for each other.

Successfully accomplishing their mission and their escape, Max asks Marianne to come back to London with him so they can marry and have a life after the war living in England. After a year they have a daughter Anna, and then, one morning Max is ordered to report to his superiors where he is confronted with the knowledge that Marianne may be a German double agent. If true, he must execute her himself or face the gallows as a traitor.Talk about being on the horns of a dilemma.

“Allied”, written by Steven Knight and directed by Robert Zemeckis has two huge stars in Pitt and Cotillard who heat up the screen in their love scenes, but director Zemeckis, despite some wonderful camera magic by cinematographer Don Burgess, fails to breathe any life into his film. It lacks energy and pacing, which is not only glacial, at times, it also fails to engage from the get-go. However, the special effects are first rate. This is definitely not a remake of the 1943 Bogart/Bergman classic romantic drama “Casablanca”. That story written by the Epstein brothers and Howard Koch in 1943, hit the Oscar jackpot when it came to WW II romantic movie dramas, and it is still considered the gold standard of WW II romantic dramas. “Allied”, as a wartime espionage story however, is a different kettle of fish.
Rating:  Two and a half stars out of five.

“Arrival”, the 2016 Sci-Fi film starring Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker, is an intelligent, sophisticated, film and story premise about aliens visiting planet Earth. Instead of a film about alien abduction, “Arrival” is a film about alien visitation and the attempt to communicate with one another that is front and center in Canadian director Denis Villenueve’s intriguing film. Some viewers probably will compare it as a sort of a modern take on “Close Encounters of a Third Kind”, without the music and harmonic clues being offered by the extraterrestrials in an effort to communicate with humans. But “Arrival” is more than just that. It’s a thinking person’s sci-fi movie that leaves its viewers musing about the ‘what if’ factors.

When a movie’s premise is strong and plausible, no matter the time period or setting in which it’s placed, the more universally accepted it becomes by the viewers. The story of “Arrival” revolves around linguistics professor Louise Banks, wonderfully and sensitively played by Amy Adams who is called upon by the U.S. Government to assist in translating alien communications from 12 spaceships that have simultaneously landed in 12 countries around the globe. (Adams is being touted as a short-list candidate for 2016’s Best Lead Female nomination and a possible win at the upcoming 89th Oscar ceremony to be held on February 26, 2017).

Adams is believable and tender in the home and family sequences, yet firm, level-headed, and strong in the sequences when dealing with the military and the politicians who are very quick to jump to conclusions about the 12 alien space ships that have simultaneously landed in their various countries.

Jeremy Renner plays Ian Donnelly, a military theoretical physicist whom the government has assigned to assist Louise in her urgent pursuit to communicate with the aliens before the other 12 nations decide to attack their space ships. It’s a bit of a thankless role because of Adams’ potent performance, but Renner solidly soldiers on and, in the end, marries the beautiful redheaded Adams to then raise their own family.

Forest Whitaker as Colonel G.T. Weber, the senior military officer in charge of the assignment, delivers a nice performance as the harried, sympathetic, but dedicated military officer who must carry out his orders.

My suggestion to potential viewers is to pay attention to the story for the answers to the questions you are thinking about while viewing it. The movie is non-linear. It goes back and forth, but the underlying message of hope and shared understanding that one gleans from the movie are well worth the effort.

“Arrival”, written by Eric Heissere, is auteur director Villeneuve’s baby, and like any father, he makes sure that you like his family. The technical credits shine, especially the camera work of cinematographer Bradford Young. This film will definitely be part of the Oscar mix come February 2017.
Rating: Four stars out of five.

“The Accountant”  a 2016 action thriller directed by Gavin O’Connor and written by Bill Debuque, stars Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K.Simons, John Bernthal, John Lithgow, Jeffery Tambor and Cynthia Addai-Robinson. The film is a typical martial arts, high body-count popcorn flick that has more than enough blood and collateral damage to satisfy even the most jaded of millennials who attend movies today.

The story is not only simplistic, but really strains one’s credulity. We’re expected to buy into a film about one Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck), a high-functioning autistic mathematics savant, and an accountant to shady corporate clients who need Christian to ‘uncook’ their books to fend off the U.S. Treasury Department from performing those pesky tax audits. In between clients, Christian gets to reduce the bad guy population via AK-14 weapons that appear to shoot thousands of rounds of ammo in a few seconds. It’s like thumbing through a comic book in order to follow the story line with such obvious cardboard characters.

Like most of these action films, the story gets overly complicated in making sure the viewers get lots of narrative threads and action scenes in the hope that we don’t realize how weak and thin the story really is.“The Accountant” is a formulaic plot film with few surprises that waste the talents of Affleck, who is a fine actor that deserves better material. Simmons, an Oscar winner for his riveting performance in 2015's “Whiplash”, also deserves better. Kendrick plays a character who wouldn’t be missed if she wasn’t in the script. The film also gives the appearance of solid actors, like Lithgow and Tambor, performing as a favor to the producers. However, the villain (as usual) gets the-over-the-top plum role; in this case, that plum falls to John Bernthal as Brax, Christian’s young brother who gets to chew the scenery.

All action movies need the services of many creative people. One creative professional that all action films definitely require, beside the director, is a cinematographer who knows how to deliver the magic to the screen. Seamus Mc Garvey is that man for “The Accountant”. Rating: Two stars out of five.

All three films can be seen in a movie Cineplex near you. Happy Holidays!

-- Jack Lyons