La Jolla Playhouse Hosts West Coast Premiere of Pulitzer Prize Winner, "Primary Trust"

A Raw and Moving Performance that Makes This Play One of the Best of the Playhouse Season Yet

A Blog View by Alejandra Enciso-Dardashti

James Urbaniak, Caleb Eberhardt, and James Udom in La Jolla Playhouse’s West Coast premiere production of PRIMARY TRUST; photo by Rich Soublet II.

In television, especially in the live newscasts or -Saturday Night Live- the "cold-open" is often used at the top. La Jolla Playhouse's latest production Primary Trust, starts with a form of cold-open with the house lights on and Kenneth the lead, played by Caleb Eberhardt, starts narrating the story. Keneth lives in the small town of Cranberry, New York, is a loner, 38, and has worked at a bookstore for the past 20 years. A true creature of habit, after work he goes to happy hour every day with his best friend Bert (James Udom) at his favorite, Wally's Tiki Bar and they drink mai tais. Sometimes, more than they can count. Keneth meets Corrina (Rebecca S’manga Frank) a new waitress at Wally's amid sudden changes coming to his life. Getting out of his comfort zone or more of in survival mode, Keneth navigates these new stages while dealing with childhood trauma and going through the motions with the help of his friends and bosses played by James Urbaniak.

Caleb Eberhardt and Rebecca S’manga Frank in PRIMARY TRUST; photo by Knud Adams.

Marsha Ginsburg's clever set design was similar to David Rockwell's design for Sasha Velour's show, using scaled or miniature buildings to illustrate the town. Ginsburg also uses a run-down carpet for the town floor and everything happening around Kenneth, like meetings with his boss, his shifts at work, and so on. The frames around the buildings have dry, brown grass, so this aspect with the design's lack of color and the carpet evokes the routine accompanied by the hollowness in this man's life. It might not be very colorful but it is detailed as there is a church where candles can be seen on the inside and they go on and off which was super cute. Wally's has a lit-up sign that also goes on and off. Masha Tsimring's lighting is matte with winter colors like gray, and blue, contrasting at times with yellows and oranges that set the tone and feeling of the scenes. 

Mikaal Sulaiman's sound design not only coats the scenes and has everyone's lines come through, but it is also an indicator as Luke Wygodny is a silent musician who plays guitar, keyboard, and cello during the performance, with a bell that is rung to pace/mark what-ifs and shifts to what is happening. Sophia Choi's costume design matches the set as most characters wear earthy colors that hint at the season and the feel. One character wears a more colorful wardrobe fitting the storytelling and making sense.

Written by Eboni Booth, this play is one of the best of The Playhouse's season. Booth dives into the life of an older adult who grew up in the foster care system, checking the reactions and -apparently-, the coping mechanisms, balancing the story out with good people and hard-earned success while not making it feel like a fairytale. It is raw and moving. 

Caleb Eberhardt's performance is endearing. Through Knud Adams's direction, Kenneth's feelings and process are revealed organically. It could not have been done any other way as changing the rhythm would have been too much to handle. James Urbaniak's portrayal of Kenneth's two bosses is harmonious, funny, and authentic. Everyone should have a boss like Clay or Sam and Urbaniak captures that. Rebecca S’manga Frank's as Corrina brings freshness to the scenes, variety, and fun to the different servers she plays for Wally's. James Udom rounds out the catharsis in this story by sprinkling stage charm within the events. 

This play won the Pulitzer Prize for a reason. It could be triggering for some people but, at the same time, it is brought with such delicacy and care, that it is all worth it in the end. A full-on time of release and reflection at the theatre. 

Currently playing until October 20th. For more information please CLICK HERE. 

Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen Come Back to The Globe with the West Coast Premiere of "Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors"

 One Clever Act Full of Wit and Hysterical Performances

A Blog View by Alejandra Enciso-Dardashti

(Clockwise from left) Drew Droege, George Krissa, Linda Mugleston, Gizel Jiménez, and Brady Dalton Richards in
Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors.Photo by Jim Cox.

The creative duo of Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen are back at The Globe to bring the laughs with another comedic adaptation of a classic. The seductive, plotting Dracula debuts in Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors. Based on Irish author Bram Stoker's gothic horror novel, this piece is a 90-minute, no-intermission, set of laughs that captures the essential. 

Like its predecessors Crime and Punishment and Ebenezer Scrooge’s BIG San Diego Christmas Show, 'Dracula has a cast of five actors that play various roles at a dynamic pace. Real estate agent Harker (Brady Dalton Richards)  is finalizing another sale with Count Dracula (George Krissa). As Harker shares his new engagement with Lucy (Gizel Jiménez) while showing her picture, the Count obsesses and plots to meet her at no expense. During their engagement party, Dracula meets Lucy's father, Dr. Westfeldt (Linda Mugleston), and her sister Mina (Drew Droege) who swoons over the Count. The Fangy character's plans fail and Mina falls ill. Dr. Westfeldt employs Van Helsing's (also Drew Droege) services to help with Mina's condition which is getting worse. Lucy desperate for her sister's recovery joins a search with the doctors and Harker to be faced with truths and a sight that will change her relationship and upcoming marriage. 

The comedic ability of each actor in this production is sky-high. Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen's writing is witty and naughty-naughty, surprising audiences continuously with funny innuendos, producing ongoing laughter. Drew Droege as both Mina and Van Helsing is hysterically funny, the wigs used for both characters definitely add to the comedic effect with Mina using tight red curls while Dr. Van Helsing in a German air, has buns with braids in the back in the form of a pretzel. Linda Mugleston as Lucy's father and his crazy patient Renfield, again, with great wigs that truly accentuated the character and contributed to the role switch even on stage making the laughs go, and go. At the same time, audiences clapped celebrating those sharp performances. Tijana Bjelajac's scenic design blends black with purple and indigo to have that musty, old, scary manner effect hand in hand with Rob Denton's lighting design that not only brought the stage to life but also lit signs and laser-type effects that came from the sides of the house. Tristan Raines's costume design is attractive and fabulous using corsets, lace, corduroy, and even denim to land those fierce looks that, in George Krissa's case, also showed well-toned flesh, an added appeal by Greenberg and Rosen's pen that was playful and did work with the setting. Krissa understood the task and, aside from probably being one of the most attractive Draculas on a theatre stage, his performance was playful and prompted many laughs. Gizel Jiménez (love that she includes the accent in her last name) is sweet as she is corky and does play a "secondary" role that she too gets the most out of histrionically and clicking with Brady Dalton Richards as the loving and fragile Harker who also has a mad wardrobe design that marks a shift in the character all the way to the hairstyle. 

Gizel Jiménez as Lucy and Drew Droege as Mina in Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors. Photo by Jim Cox.

Plays in the round are tricky because it all depends on location, sometimes the actor's back is to one side while something is happening particularly there, and so on. Gordon Greenberg's direction took care of that aspect and had the cast go round and round to catch all angles of the space. It was noticed and appreciated. 

Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors embraces the adaptation mode keeping the essential aspects of the popular novel while adding fun, clever comedy that makes the play fun and light. This is a complete effort that involves well-trained actors who can pivot on the spot, careful direction, and fitting stage and costume design as well as the wigs. I did not find if there was a wig designer but those pieces definitely are a key factor in this. Go see for yourself and enjoy -several-, ahem -many- good laughs.

Currently playing until November 3. For more information click HERE.

"Everybody is clever nowadays", LAMB'S PLAYERS debuts "The Importance of Being Earnest" On the Coronado Stage

This is their Third Oscar Wilde Production

A Blog View by Alejandra Enciso-Dardashti

The Importance of Being Earnest. Photo LAMB'S Players Theatre

It never ceases to amaze me the afterlife classic works have and, the behind-the-scenes while they were being created and debuted. Irish playwright and poet, Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest is one of his career highlights, and at the same time, what was happening BTS during 'Earnest's debut, was a downfall, starting with his imprisonment and then being exiled to France. Yet, good work grants karma, and this play has been produced over and over since it premiered in 1895. After 129 years, that's not bad.

LAMB'S Players in Coronado continues its season with Earnest', following two young British men, Algernon (Michael Lewis Cusimano) and Jack (Brian Mackey), who flow through life with the name Earnest. The name seems fitting and apparently carries some weight in these men's love interests: Gwendolen (Rachael VanWormer), Algernon's cousin, and Cecily (Lauren King Thompson), Jack's ward. Society's standards are high and Gwendolen's mother, Lady Bracknell (David McBean), will not have these shenanigans. 

The Importance of Being Earnest. Photo LAMB'S Players Theatre

In this comedy of errors, late 1800s rom-com, the men fall into their own traps while the women -apparently- do too. Kerry Meads's direction sets a good balance between the two sides while the comedy goes in parallel having a solid, amusing, fun, play. Sean Fanning's set design is snazzy and functional, transforming into three different settings while the scenes occur, complemented by Ben Read and Patrick Duffy's sound design, adding oomph to the moment.

With this play being a period piece and in London, Jeanne Reith did a wonderful job with the costumes as the dresses for the women are beautiful using taffeta in blue, peach, and light colors with matching hats, coquette clutches and, -diaries-. The men's wardrobe is complete with suits, ties, and vests; the wardrobe winners are shoes with different colors and styles like booties and chairmans. 

The cast is engaging and funny. The dynamic between Rachael and Lauren is a good time as both bring sass and comedic faces. King Thompson glances at the audience for an added giggle and VanWormer even rolls her r's to emphasize which is hilarious. David McBean as the society-driven, concerned mother/authority, Lady Bracknell /Aunt Augusta, is a delight with her continuous conclusions, giving master side eye and chopping words at the end of a sentence to deepen the intention. McBean knows comedy and this portrayal confirmed it once again. 

I love the variety actors are bringing to the stage this year like Brian Mackey who I saw at the top of the year with LAMB's "Outside Mullingar" as the feisty yet shy, eternal bachelor Anthony Reilly, to then incarnate father/son Andrey and Bolkonsky in Cygnet's "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" to now Jack a.k.a Earnest. Mackey delivers comedy in this role in a stern and collected way that meshes well with the plot. Also giving variety, Michael Lewis Cusimano who performed an amazing Anatole in 'Comet this year, gives sneaky and trickster, "Bunburying" as the massive snacker Algie, entertaining Aunt Augusta's requests as well as Cecily's. Geno Carr, John Rosen, Brian Salmons, and Deborah Gilmour Smyth are also in the cast with smaller roles but that did not come in the way of a good, solid time on the boards as Carr and Rosen definitely bring the chuckles playing Merriman, and Lane. Gilmour Smith as Miss Prism is playful and has good chemistry with Brian Salmons as Chasuble. 

LAMB'S has added another good one to the stage. Well cast with good direction and a jolly good time.

The Importance of Being Earnest is currently playing until November 10th. For more information please click HERE.

In This Era of Crime Podcast-Binging, Who Does not Love a Good Murder Mystery?

Murder on the Orient Express, one of Agatha Christie's top ten novels comes to the Old Globe Stage with an Adaptation by Ken Ludwig

A Blog View by Alejandra Enciso-Dardashti

The cast of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. Photo by Jim Cox.

The Old Globe continues its season presenting one of Agatha Christie's top ten novels, Murder on the Orient Express. Written in 1934, the novel was adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig and debuted in 2020 at Asolo Rep. The show is now gracing the opposite coast in San Diego at the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage.

During a train trip from Istambul to London, in the first class cars, Samuel Ratchett (Matthew Patrick Quinn) an American man, is murdered in his compartment. A famous detective and one of two of Agatha Christie's main characters, Hercule Poirot (Andrew Sellon), also travels on the train and starts investigating before another killing occurs. The group of travelers on this trip is made up of several personalities like the owner of the train, Monsieur Bou (David Breitbarth), Princess Dragomiroff (Karole Foreman) who is accompanied by Greta Ohlsson (Sophia Oberg), Colonel Arbuthnot (Sam Ashdown) and Mary Debenham (Helen Joo Lee), a former commoner and doctor, now turned countess by marriage, Countess Andrenyi (Ariella Kvashny), the serial divorcee Helen Hubbard (Mylinda Hull) who is obnoxiously loud and has an attraction for the train conductor Michel (Rajesh Bose), and Ratchett's assistant, Hector MacQueen (Marquis D. Gibson).

Andrew Sellon as Hercule Poirot in Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. Photo by Jim Cox.

There is a snowstorm and the trip encounters a delay. Poirot recruits the passengers to assist with the clues but there are too many, and it is not adding up. Until it all makes sense...

The design for this production is stunningly beautiful. Greg Emetaz's projections serve as the introduction to the visuals with a black and white film that takes the upper part of the stage followed by JAX Messenger's lighting signaling a narration that fades into the play splendidly. The enchantment does not stop there as the Orient Express appears on stage to unfold and show the inside, which rotates to reveal different parts of the train. Paul Tate dePoo III's scenic design is a true work of art. Not only does it complement the stage, but it is also realistic. Up to the point where the audience feels like another passenger. Peter Amster's direction meshes the projections and the set with the actor's blocking so there is also movement, looking and feeling like a running train. All nicely accentuated by Matthew Parker's sound design with Gregg Coffin's composition. Tracy Dorman's costume design is flawless showing all the detail of that period with gloves, stockings, feathers, and coats, uplifting the frame.

The cast is wonderful in interpreting each of the character's bold personalities. The performance is clean with a sophisticated air that becomes a thrill while trying to solve the murder. Sam Ashdown is intense as the Colonel, while Helen Joo Lee is sweet, yet mysterious as Mary. Ariella Kvashny shows different histrionic sides well and a cute interaction between the countess and the detective. It is great to see Karole Foreman on the Globe stage after her rendition of Billie Holiday in Cygnet's production of Lady Day At Emerson's Bar & Grill. Foreman, as the impatient Princess Dragomiroff is fun and definitely brings out the laughs along with Greta and her wholesome personality. Rajesh Bose as the conductor also has his comedic moments and is sweet like Hector MacQueen in his role as the Marquis. David Breitbarth is stoic as the train mogul Monsieur Bou, and Andrew Sellon is incredibly charming as Hercule Poirot. Even though every actor has their moment and they use it well, Mylinda Hull as the noisy, nosy, loud Helen Hubbard, steals the show with a non-stop hilarious performance.

Murder on the Orient Express is a beautiful production with stunning visuals and solid performances. The camaraderie off stage with the audience also gets going as everyone is trying to figure out the clues along with the detective making it a full evening (or afternoon) out at the theatre.  

Currently playing until October 20. For more information, please click HERE. 

After Almost a Decade, "Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show" -Time Warps- back to Cygnet Theatre

Good Direction and Rythm Dressed in Fun, Sexy Wardrobe

A Blog View by Alejandra Enciso-Dardashti

Nathan Madden and the cast of Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show. Photo Karli Cadel.

I must confess to being one of the said "virgins" the Criminologist (Linda Libby) mocks at the top of 'Rocky Horror. And yes, like many who encounter this show for the first time, it is certainly dynamic and unique as there are two fronts during the performance: the show itself, and the audience (a lot of them in cosplay) heckling, mimicking the lines, singing, and dancing along. It is for sure, a round experience. This is true, solid, fandom.

Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show premiered at the Royal Court Theatre in 1973. Interestingly, the Broadway production debuted in 1975 and had only 45 performances after previews. The musical pays tribute to B-rated science fiction and horror movies following newly engaged couple, Brad (Drew Bradford) and Janet (Audrey Deubig), as their car gets a flat tire in the middle of a rainy night. They wander to seek help and stumble upon Dr. Frank N. Furter’s (Nathan Madden) castle. The mad scientist has been hard at work creating Rocky (Josh Bradford), a buff, hot, blond, young man that is almost perfect. Frank N. Furter's crew, made up of Columbia (Jasmine January), Riff Raff (Allen Lucky Weaver), and Magenta (Shanyeyah White) tend to the couple and once the doctor catches wind, a wild night unravels through song, dance, and seduction. 

Andrew Hull's elaborate, two-floor set design gives the perfect creepy, dark, lab/castle vibe along with Blake McCarty's projections and Chris Rynne's lighting delivering fluorescent greens, and reds that dressed the stage while also lighting up the audience -literally and figuratively-. Sean Murray who played the doctor in Cygnet's 2016 production, now directs the campy show that does not disappoint as it is fun and entertaining. Nathan Madden is fantastic as Frank N. Furter with an energetic, naughty personality that interacts with the audience, flowing through the whole theatre space while rocking Jennifer Brawn Gittings's hot, sexy costume design complete with garters, stockings, thongs, leather, and of course, stilettos. Plenty of stilettos in all sizes and colors (I salivated). 

Nathan Madden in Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show. Photo Karli Cadel.

The cast is an absolute hoot having great chemistry and delivering crowd-favorite, iconic songs like The Time Warp, Sweet Transvestite, and I Can Make You a Man, amongst others, under the music direction of Patrick Marion. Drew Bradford and Audrey Deubig as the "naive" couple, give superb cheese and laughs with good pace and movement along the stage. Josh Bradford as the wide-eyed, buff, brute Rocky and Allen Lucky Weaver as Riff Raff pump the scenes with agility and humor. Jasmine January as Columbia brought the tap-sequence satire, high-pitched, inquisitive manner showing another histrionic side that worked and meshed with her castmates. Shanyeyah White came with the sass and the vocals as Magenta; and, Jacob Caltrider, the only returning cast member from the 2016 production, as Dr. Scott (also playing Eddie in my performance) is awesome, mastering that wheelchair with a spot-on interpretation along with impressive vocals.

After experiencing 'Rocky, I could see why there is an intense, hardcore fandom and, why it could be overwhelming to the newbies as many different reactions and interactions are happening fast. Murray's direction lends air to the song and the dance so each thing can be its own and enjoyed at their time. The best choreography is the one that seems easy, and Luke H. Jacobs accomplished that by having the cast go up and down the stage and the house, looking flawless while interacting with the audience. Linda Libby as the narrator, is a masterful audience-heckler handler with fast comebacks and corky winks.

Thanks to Cygnet, I am no longer a Rocky' virgin and can now dance to The Time Warp. 

Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show is currently playing until November 2. For more information please click HERE.