Theater Digest - April 16, 2023
New thoughts on the national tour of 1776 at the Ahmanson.
Hello theater lovers! I’m Katie, and I see a lot of theater! Currently, I’m seeing 0-2 shows a week, depending on my schedule.
I come bearing good news for southern California folks—you can currently buy tickets starting at $20 to a bunch of current and future shows in Los Angeles and Orange counties through a new TodayTix/Goldstar initiative called LA Theatre Week. (This is not #spon; I don’t receive anything if you purchase any tickets through that link, but you will receive tickets to a show that I hope you’ll enjoy!)
I do my best to include the Covid protocol for in-person shows, but things change rapidly, so if you decide to see something, please double check what the protocol are before you arrive at the theater!
As a rule, I won't be talking about any Disney/Fox/Hulu shows. Since this newsletter is geared towards people in the entertainment industry, there's a good chance I won't like a show that you or someone you know was involved in. I'm sure that you/your friend put a lot of effort into your/their work! I've been in a few shows, I know how much work goes into putting on a show. But just as you're entitled to dislike TV shows your friends worked on, I'm allowed to dislike theater you/your friends may have worked on. I try not to be vindictive, but I also do make it clear when I don't think a show is worth the price of a ticket or the time spent watching it.
I won't be writing much/any synopsis in these blurbs, but feel free to check out other reviews for synopses! Or just check out other reviews in general! Keep theater journalism alive & well!
Each week, I'll remove everything that’s closed, and put ** next to anything that’s new!
Worth Seeing:
Unrivaled at Boston Court in Pasadena [LA]. I was probably predisposed to like this world premiere play (co-produced by Playwrights Arena) about two poets who lived and wrote in Japan a thousand years ago because I had studied them in college, but I quite enjoyed this! Sei Shōnagon (Chelsea Yakura-Kurtz) wrote The Pillow Book, an assemblage of musings that entertained not just her fellow ladies-in-waiting in the court of Empress Teishi (Cindy Nguyen), but also the society at large, while her contemporary Murasaki Shikibu (Katie Kitani) wrote the epic, populist The Tale of Genji. Playwright Rosie Narasaki imagines what their relationships might have been, and does so in a contemporary, vibrant voice. Nguyen especially shines as the ebullient Empress, and Yakura-Kurtz and Kitani draw sharp contrasts while deploying sharper tongues. I love stories about female friendships, fraught or not, and this delivered that for me.
Closes April 23 in Pasadena.
Covid protocol: Indoor venue. Masks required.
Mac King Comedy Magic Show at Excalibur [Vegas]. I think I first heard of Mac King when I was interviewing Derek Hughes for LA Weekly a while ago, but I never had a chance to see him until my most recent trip to Vegas. This is likely due to the show’s unusual schedule—you can only see it at 3pm, Tuesdays through Saturdays, in the same theater where the Thunder From Down Under perform in the evenings. I’m glad I finally saw him! His show is so fun, and even though I could see through some of his tricks, King is such a wonderful performer, I didn’t mind. He’s had a resident Vegas act for over 20 years, so everything is meticulously rehearsed, but his stage banter keeps the show feeling fresh.
Open-ended run in Las Vegas.
Covid protocol: Indoor venue.
Six on tour, in Las Vegas, on Broadway [NY], and on the West End [London]. I’ve been wanting to see Six for a few years now, and contented myself with listening to the West End cast recording many, many times (the show recently won Best Score at the 2022 Tony Awards). The show is an 80 minute pop concert by King Henry VIII’s wives, singing for your empathy. Each woman has a different perspective on her marriage and why it ended (only half of them survived their marriages). The songs are so catchy and fun and clever, and you can tell the cast are having a blast singing them. For most of the show, I had the widest grin on my face—it’s a joy to watch something fun, performed at a really high level. The show also packs an emotional punch in the back half, which lands. I brought my history nerd dad with me to the show, and he liked it a lot too; it’s the rare pop musical that works just as well for a Beyonce or Ariana Grande fan as it does for the types of people who sought out and enjoyed The Lehman Trilogy. Which isn’t to say that that’s a Venn diagram of two distinct circles—people contain multitudes! But you know what I’m saying. To stereotype, it’s a show both teen girls and their erudite fathers will enjoy. Six is a delight of a show, the perfect pick for when you want a fun night out at the theater.
Open-ended runs on Broadway and the West End. Closes in Vegas May 7. Coming to the Pantages in May, and Segerstrom in Orange County in June.
NY & London Covid protocol: Indoor venue. Masks encouraged.
Magic Mike Live in Las Vegas and London [Vegas/London]. Both of these shows are quite fun, and the show’s writers (none officially credited, but they seem to be Channing Tatum & Lyndsay Hailey) have done a great job of creating a non-sleazy environment and a relatable guide in the emcee. The choreography (by Alison Faulk, Teresa Espinosa, and Luke Broadlick) is also astounding. There are some differences between the Vegas and London stagings, with each being tailored to both the different performance spaces and the casts, and I have to admit, I didn’t love the emcee I saw in London (and the British audience was also pretty rude, talking throughout the show), but all in all, it’s an entertaining and empowering night.
Open-ended run in Vegas and London.
Vegas Covid protocol: Indoor venue with close proximity to (unmasked, vaccinated) performers. Proof of vaccination or recent (within 72 hours) negative test required. Masks required at all times.
London Covid protocol: Indoor venue with close proximity to (unmasked) performers. Unclear if proof of vaccination or negative test is required. Unclear if masks are required.
The Lehman Trilogy on the West End (reviewed at the Ahmanson in 2022, with a different cast). I’ll admit, the premise of this show does not sound enticing: a three hour and 20 minute biographical exploration of the original Lehman brothers, who founded the eponymous firm, and their descendants, from the 1840s through the 2008 financial crisis. It sounds like a show that’s perfect for the types of people (men?) who like to read historical biographies for fun, and while it is that, it is also engaging for people who just love a well-told story. And this story certainly is well told! Based on a (five hour) Italian play by Stefano Massini and adapted into English and condensed by Ben Power, The Lehman Trilogy is engaging. The production is directed by Sam Mendes, who directed the initial three productions in London, as well as the Broadway version, which closed in January before coming here. Adam Godley and Simon Russell Beale, who play the youngest and eldest brothers, respectively, have been with the show since the first London production in 2018, and their comfort with the text shows. Howard W. Overshown is new to the cast in Los Angeles, and fits in quite nicely. It’s an interesting choice to have those three actors play all the roles, including the brothers’ wives and children, but it’s easy to follow which character an actor is at a given time as all three voice both their own dialogue and the omniscient third person narration (it sounds odd as a concept, but works well). The first two acts, which, combined, span around 80 years, are quite strong, but the third act, which takes the narrative from the Great Depression to 2008, feels rushed, and introduces some strange dramatic devices that I didn’t think quite worked. The text also seems to go out of its way to say that the company’s downfall had nothing to do with any of the Lehmans, who were greedy, but not too greedy, according to the authorial voice. Still, the show is a treat to watch, since everyone involved is at the top of their game.
Closes May 20 in London.
Covid protocol: Indoor venue. Masks encouraged.
A Mixed Bag:
**1776 at the Ahmanson [LA]. I would not, normally, choose to be watching the musical 1776. Just thinking about it brings back memories of watching the movie in my US history class, junior year of high school, with Abigail Adams wistfully singing about saltpeter to Mr. Feeny. It did not work for me then, when American patriotism only felt poisonous in relation to the Iraq war, and red white and blue evoked Obama’s “Hope” campaign posters rather than MAGA caps and an insurrection at the Capital, but I suppose this is as close at it will come to working for me now. The cast is exceedingly strong across the board, especially Liz Mikel as Benjamin Franklin, and Brooke Simpson as the courier. This production, directed by Diane Paulus and Jeffrey L. Page, features actors from many backgrounds and has no men in the cast, which is a welcome inversion from the white, primarily male characters in the show. Still, while the intentions behind the revival are admirable, for me, it was hard to overcome the legacies these men wrought. The second act addresses this, both in the text and staging, but it’s still a show and a production that holds Thomas Jefferson up as a romantic hero, but that’s a troubling depiction for anyone with even a passing familiarity with the details of Sally Hemings’ life. Though the show features a large ensemble, the stage itself feels too stripped down, especially in the cavernous Ahmanson; Scott Pask’s scenic design primarily consists of two curtains, where impressive projections (by David Bengali) appear, and some furniture pieces. I don’t know that it’s a show I’d say you need to rush out and see, but if it’s something you already have tickets to, perhaps because it’s in your season subscription, it’s worth your time.
Closes May 7 in Los Angeles.
Covid protocol: Indoor venue. Masks encouraged.
Mad Apple at New York New York [Vegas]. This is Las Vegas’ newest Cirque du Soleil show, and it’s a departure from other Cirque shows you may have seen. Most notably, the people on stage use words! Not just to sing, or give the house rules, but there is a stand-up comedian, Harrison Greenbaum, who does a set, mid-show. This show, which is in a small theater (every seat is a good seat, except perhaps for the ones on stage, which are $25), is more of a variety show with lots of audience interaction, though there are still astonishing acrobatic acts. Those stereotypical Cirque moments are where the show really shines; the rest, while skillfully done, doesn’t feel as polished as I’ve come to expect from Cirque’s resident shows.
Open-ended run in Las Vegas.
Covid protocol: Indoor venue. Masks mocked by the stand-up comedian.
Hadestown on tour and on Broadway [NY]. Keen readers and/or longtime subscribers might notice I’ve moved this up from “Not Worth It” to “A Mixed Bag.” As much as it is possible for one to be objectively right or wrong about art, I am likely objectively wrong about Hadestown. Subjectively, though, I don’t love it as much as everyone else I know does. I stand by what I previously wrote about the show, but after a second viewing with a different cast, I’ll admit that when the songs are good, they soar. The touring ensemble is outstanding, and Nathan Koci’s music direction makes the good songs simultaneously lush and crisp. But I’m still troubled by the songs that are too high or too low for male voices, particularly Orpheus’ “Epic” and its reprises, and Hades’ “Hey, Little Songbird,” respectively. Acting moments that I chalked up to quirks of Reeve Carney’s performance I now realize are blocking choices, presumably from director Rachel Chavkin, that come across as affected, even on Nicholas Barasch, playing the same role. I’m also troubled in a way I’m not quite capable of articulating to see Levi Kreis play Hermes, a role that seemed expressly written for André De Shields. That’s not to say that no one else can play the role, and Kreis is a phenomenal performer, but dialogue and mannerisms in De Shields’s performance make me feel uneasy in Kreis’. Even on a second viewing, despite familiarity with the myths of Orpheus & Eurydice and Hades & Persephone, I still struggle to follow the plot, which feels piecemeal to me. But perhaps my mind is preternaturally disposed to wander during this show. Most of these quibbles are to say, feel free to disregard me, since many many people love this show and I am a lone voice of dissent! (But if you also didn’t love the show, know you’re not alone!)
Open-ended run in NY.
NY Covid protocol: Indoor venue. Masks encouraged.
& Juliet on Broadway [NY]. This is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet from Juliet’s perspective, set to a catalogue of songs written by Swedish pop maestro Max Martin, including “Teenage Dream,” “I Want It That Way,” and “Since U Been Gone.” If you’re the kind of person who looks at the track listing and has sung at least 75% of the songs in the show at karaoke, you’ll probably love & Juliet. It’s very fun, but, much like a Max Martin song, it falls apart the more you try and think about it (indeed, it’s cringeworthy to hear a professional actress sing, with perfect diction, “Now that I’ve become who I really are”). The cast’s accents are an incomprehensible melange, and I’m personally not a fan of the Tumblr-meets-Ed Hardy aesthetic the show has going on (it’s certainly… a choice), but it’s the kind of show that makes it easy to forget your troubles. I did feel that the way it addressed the non-binary character in the script was pretty clueless (i.e. continually using lyrics with female pronouns to describe a character who is trying to make clear that they’re neither male nor female), and overall, the creative team is regrettably not representative of the characters they’re showcasing on stage.
Open-ended run on Broadway.
Covid protocol: Indoor venue. Masks encouraged.
The Play That Goes Wrong off-Broadway and on the West End [NY/London]. There are some really funny moments in this show, but it's too long, even at two hours, including intermission. I wish it had been 80 minutes, sans intermission.
Open-ended runs in New York and London.
My review for Stage Raw here.
London Covid protocol: Indoor venue. Unclear if proof of vaccination or negative test is required. Masks not required.
NY Covid protocol: Indoor venue. Proof of full vaccination (but not booster) required for patrons 12 and up. Masks required at all times.
Not worth it:
The Lonely Few at the Geffen in Los Angeles [LA]. I had high hopes for this world premiere musical, which is nearly sold out, but I was significantly let down. It’s about two musicians (Lila, played by Lauren Patten, in her first role since winning a Tony for Jagged Little Pill, and Amy, played by Ciara Renée) who fall in love, but little about the show works. Rachel Bonds’ book doesn’t build a relationship between the two central characters in a way that invites emotional investment, and the plot points feel abrupt, unmotivated, and pat. Zoe Sarnak’s music is fine, but not particularly memorable, and the show overall feels more like a play with music than a musical (all but three of the show’s 19 songs are diegetic, with the first non-diegetic song arriving at the end of the first act). Damon Daunno and Helen J Shen are compelling in the supporting roles of Dylan and JJ, respectively, Lila’s bandmates. Dylan, who abandoned his pregnant girlfriend to tour with Lila as Amy’s opening act, and JJ, a precocious 17 year-old who is awed by Amy’s success, are more compelling characters than Lila and Amy, and after my friend suggested that the show should actually be about them, I couldn’t help but agree. Adam Honoré’s lighting design is gorgeous, but relies on lots of atmospheric haze. I was initially impressed by the realism of Nick Kourtides’ sound design, but the concert songs, particularly those performed by Lila’s band, the titular Lonely Few, were so loud that my eardrums hurt, so I needed to put in earplugs (thankfully, I always have a pair of concert earplugs with me, and the Geffen provides foam earplugs in the lobby).
Closes April 30 in Los Angeles.
Covid protocol: Indoor venue. Masks encouraged.
Oklahoma! on the West End (reviewed at the Ahmanson in 2022). I had previously had this production as “a mixed bag” when I saw it in New York in 2019, but I cared for it less at the Ahmanson. Director Daniel Fish’s staging came across this time, to me, as pseudo-intellectual and facile, landing on surface-level interpretations of subtext that were often at odds with the text itself. I genuinely wondered if Fish even likes Oklahoma!, because this staging seems ripe with disdain for the show. If he doesn’t like it, then why has he gone to such trouble to stage it multiple times over the course of many years? I appreciate that Fish is interrogating one of Broadway’s Golden Age musicals, and I wish more directors would do so, but this interpretation is confounding and unpleasant, and I can’t recommend it.
Open-ended run in London.
Covid protocol: Indoor venue. Masks encouraged.
On my radar:
Kimberly Akimbo on Broadway
Funny Girl on Broadway
Back to the Future on the West End
ABBA Voyage in London
Cabaret on the West End
Dancin’ on Broadway
White Girl in Danger off-Broadway
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