I Love Mac

Mac
a kate west favorite





So I went to the Mac store yesterday, having made an appointment with a "Genius". We met at the Genuis Bar and he advised me on where to get a new battery, at a place cheaper than any Mac store. Very Macys/Gimbles MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET of them. Cute experience. And all free!

Try it sometime!

And don't get me started on IPods - they SO rock. Everything about Macs is so user friendly, forget about the "hipness", that's just icing on the cake. (MUST you always try to make it so hard for us Microsoft?)

More Mac Love:

[The First Mac]


[John Hodgson as PC and Justin Long as Mac]

Latest ads here: http://www.apple.com/getamac/ads


And the classic Minesweeper game coming soon to a theater near you!

The Feud:
Pirates of Silicon Valley Read more!

The Marvelous Wonderettes

a kate west review
El Portal Forum Theatre,
5269 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood 91601
running through November 2007 – Extended!
contact http://www.marvelouswonderettes.com/














If you like pop melodies from the 1950’s and 60’s, you’ll love “The Marvelous Wonderettes”, an adorable and vivacious musical romp; it may not be big on plot, but it’s good family fun.

Cindy Lou, Betty Jean, Missy and Suzy are a quartet of singers who are the main entertainment at Springfield High School’s 1958 Senior Prom. They bicker and gossip constantly and in between sing crowd pleasers like ” Lollipop,” “Mr. Sandman,” “All I Have to Do is Dream,” “It’s in His Kiss,” “Mr. Lee,” “It’s My Party,” “Leader of the Pack” and “Respect,” to name but a few hummable melodies.

Scenic Designer Kurt Boetcher provides us with a colorful high school gymnasium, with streamers and refreshments and Costume Designer Sharell Martin dresses the girls in fun pastel dresses – 50’s style in the first act and 60’s in the second, both decades a visual delight. There is also some audience participation as one of the girls falls for Mr. Lee, a hapless male victim who will be serenaded on stage (beware the front row). We also get to “vote” for the Prom Queen.

The show itself showcases these four talented singers, in both the 1958 prom and in their 1968 ten year reunion. Solving all conflicts by the end, the girls end up as fast friends, just as they started out. Kristen Chandler is Cindy Lou, the informal leader and boyfriend-stealer of the group. Julie Dixon Jackson is Betty Jean (”B.J.), the headstrong and practical one. During this matinee performance, two understudies, Kara Shaw as Missy and Lowe Taylor as Suzy, round out the group. Each of them is a fine singer, Taylor belting and rocking out and Chandler crooning as sweet as any veteran folk singer. They all blend together very well in harmony, choreography and chemistry alike.Director Roger Bean (also the writer) uses the space well, placing his singers in various spotlight moments, well illuminated by Lighting Designer Jeremy Pivnick. Both offstage and on, it is obviously a well-rehearsed and professional show.

The plot is rather weak, however. Most of the scenes rivet around song lyrics and don’t delve too deeply into complex relationships. The girls have crushes, argue, pout and make up and that’s pretty much it. The show is really about scrumptious and nostalgic visuals, not any kind of story or morality. The talent is wonderful though and awfully fun so it’s a worthwhile evening. Make sure you check out the small details too, the various high school trophies in the lobby as well as the yummy candy. It’s almost like revisiting your own prom, if you happen to be of that particular era.

Up Next: THE WINTER WONDERETTES -
Get tickets now for the new holiday musical show!

CONGRATULATIONS CHIPMUNKS! THE WONDERETTES TAKE ON BROADWAY!
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-19133-LA-Performing-Arts-Examiner~y2009m11d17-Congratulations-Wonderettes
Read more!

Quarterlife

Quarterlife Trailer

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a kate west reflection

"Quarterlife" is the latest offering by Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick (of the poignantly talky shows "thirtysomething", "Once and Again" and "My So-Called Life"). But rather than premiere it on television, they're taking the modern route by posting it on the Internet and more specifically, everyone's main source of networking, MySpace.com. A natural incarnation of the blog frenzy among our youth, "Quarterlife" depicts the angst we all experienced fresh out of college, when we were liberally over-educated but working in a coffee shop. It should speak volumes to anyone of a certain generation.

As in their other projects, Herskovitz/Zwick gives us lots of dialogue, little action and mucho reflection. It can be a little boring (and certainly whiny) in parts, although you may also find it hits all too close to home. To paraphrase cast member Laura Carson, "Quarterlife is the twenty-something's identity crisis. In other words, Life."

Series Directed by:
Marshall Herskovitz (2 episodes, 2007)

Series Writing Credits:
Devon Gummersall (2 episodes, 2007)
Marshall Herskovitz (2 episodes, 2007)
Edward Zwick (unknown episodes)

Series Cast:
Bitsie Tulloch ... Dylan / ... (5 episodes, 2007)
Mike Faiola ... Eric (4 episodes, 2007)
Scott M. Foster (1 episode, 2007)
David Walton ... Danny (unknown episodes)
Michelle Lombardo ... Debra (unknown episodes)
Maite Schwartz ... Lisa (unknown episodes)
Barret Swatek ... Brittany (unknown episodes)
Kevin Christy ... Andy (unknown episodes)
Barbara Williams ... Maggie (unknown episodes)
Jill E. Alexander ... Mary (unknown episodes, 2007)
Adam Bobrow ... Young Man (unknown episodes, 2007)
Lolita Davidovich ... Mindy Krieger (unknown episodes, 2007)
Emily Happe ... Intern (unknown episodes, 2007)
George Ketsios ... Richard (unknown episodes, 2007)
James Kiriyama-Lem ... Husband (unknown episodes, 2007)
Rodrigo Lopresti ... Claude Sabbatier (unknown episodes, 2007)
Bree Turner ... Carly (unknown episodes, 2007)
Laura Carson ... Editor (unknown episodes)
Will Tiao ... Editor (unknown episodes)

www.quarterlife.com
www.myspace.com


More Herskovitz/Zwick:
thirtysomething

Once and Again Seasons 1 & 2 Bundle DVD Set

My So-Called Life - The Complete Series (w/ Book) Read more!

Support Our Writers












a kate west recommendation


www.unitedhollywood.com
www.wga.org


Read more!

Cliff Todd

Cliff Todd Sings
a kate west favorite


Cliff Todd is a phenomenal local singer who just happens to do a spectacular Frank Sinatra and an uncanny Bobby Darin. He's sung just about everywhere, including local musicals, rave parties and karaoke bars, gaining him a pretty fabulous local cult following here in L.A., and rightly so! He's got the smooth mannerisms and suave moves of many of the famous Rat Packers and can dazzle crowds with even more fun impersonations. Remember, you saw him here first. If only we could go back in time and place him at the old Sands Hotel. Ah well, he'll just have to find another smashing way to take Vegas by storm. Be sure to keep an eye out.

Catch him on My Space: http://www.myspace.com/clifftodd and then compare for yourself (below). As always, Cliff does it his way, so come fly with him now, before he gets too booked up.


The Legends:
The Legendary Bobby Darin

The Old Guard:
The Rat Pack Live at the Sands

The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection: Live & Swingin (CD & DVD) Read more!