Once

















Once

a kate west recommendation

"Once" is a quiet little independent film that defied expectations and became a hit at the Sundance Film Festival. Starring two movie unknowns, Glen Hansard (lead singer of "The Frames") and Markéta Irglová, it quickly became one of the year's best films and perhaps one of the best music films in decades.

Hansard, while a gifted musician (already on board with the project), is no actor and Director John Carney had to beg him to be in the movie after Cillian Murphy ("Breakfast on Pluto", "Batman Begins") dropped out. With no budget and no leads, things looked dire until somehow everything started magically pulling together. Irglová claims to be no actor either and while both Hansard and Irglová were initially nervous about carrying a film, between their collective vast musical ability and director support, they did an amazingly beautiful and very real job of bringing the characters to life (which just goes to show you how "real" real people can be).

The story concerns two seemingly dissimilar people who slowly come to realize their profound similarities. A Czech immigrant (Irglová) encounters Hansard as a street musician in Dublin and they strike up a friendship. Both are reeling from relationship troubles and find that they also have in common a great love and ear for music. By helping each other explore that, they also change themselves irrevocably.

What stems from that, must be seen and definitely heard to be believed. The music is fantastic and the emotions rich. It is a must-see for anyone loving romance, music, hope and joy. Don't you dare miss it. Update: CONGRATULATIONS on winning the BEST SONG OSCAR! Y'all deserve it.


Directed by John Carney
Produced by Martina Niland
Written by John Carney
Starring Glen Hansard
Markéta Irglová
Music by Glen Hansard
Markéta Irglová
Interference
Cinematography Tim Fleming
Editing by Paul Mullen


Songs:
  1. Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová: "Falling Slowly" (Hansard/Irglová)
  2. Irglová and Hansard: "If You Want Me" (Irglová)
  3. Hansard: "Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy"
  4. Hansard and Irglová: "When Your Mind's Made Up"
  5. Hansard and Irglová: "Lies" – (Hansard/Irglová)
  6. Interference: "Gold" (Fergus O'Farrell)
  7. Irglová: "The Hill" (Irglová)
  8. Hansard: "Fallen from the Sky"
  9. Hansard: "Leave"
  10. Hansard: "Trying to Pull Myself Away"
  11. Hansard: "All the Way Down"
  12. Hansard and Irglová: "Once"
  13. Hansard: "Say It to Me Now"
Music:
Once

Movie:
Once

Read more!

Sock Puppet Showgirls

Harvey Finklestein's
Sock Puppet Showgirls
a kate west review
directed by John and Stephanie Shaterian
a West Coast Premiere
at Theatre Asylum
6320 Santa Monica Blvd, LA 90038





contact (800) 838-2006 or www.brownpapertickets.com
Fridays 11 p.m.; tix $15; EXTENDED TO DECEMBER 21
www.harveyfinklestein.com / www.myspace.com/harveyfinklestein

What could possibly be worse than your friend making you watch the dreadfully campy and overdone Paul Verhoven movie "Showgirls"? Secretly realizing that it's actually a good bad and that it has since gained a phenomenal cult following. And that you love it. For those of you delighting in spectacularly failed Hollywood projects, you'll WANT to see it, again - and again and again, too. And what's even better than that kind of bad? A "Showgirls" sock puppet version!

Yes, it's true, sock puppets recreate the horrendous cinematic fiasco, thanks to Harvey Finklestein's outrageous production. Directors John and Stephanie Shaterian (married, with puppets) ensure that the actors aren't the stars here, the sock puppets are. If you don't know the story, here's the synopsis direct from a show program: "An angry girl escapes to Las Vegas to become a dancer. After all the fucking and bad acting she ends up having to leave Las Vegas because she hurts a bitch and opens a can of whoop ass on a celebrity, and because she is a whore, and they don't allow whores in Las Vegas." With that enticement, how can you say no?

Dorien Davies portrays adorable sock puppet Nomi (Elizabeth Berkley in the film), the wide-eyed skank who becomes a successful dancer in Vegas and then gives it all up again. Davies has emotional and improvisational range in voice alone, matched by Lowe Taylor playing Crystal (Gina Gershon in the film), the experienced sock puppet dancer who shows Nomi the ropes, only to have her turn against her at the end. Both Davies and Taylor are in top form, strongly steering the scenes forward and improvising their little hearts out. They are truly the heart and strength of the show. You'll love Davies' plaintive wail, "I am not a whore!"

Eddie Beasley, Jonathan Caplan and Andy Wolf (this night's understudy) round out the cast just fine, playing sleazy agents, managers and even the stereotypical gay choreographer (Patrick Bristow in the film). Cardboard car cutouts and metal poles also help direct the imagination to recall the movie. Not for the faint of heart, this show goes all out, uncensored and to the raunchiest extreme: i.e. it's a late night show for a reason, no kids allowed!

It's a little surreal to see the occasional hand pop out and at the same time hilarious to watch the sock puppet dance numbers (of which there all several), although one does get weary of certain repeated humor, such as the stereotypical gay choreographer. It's a fun, short show however, and the funniest bits are hearing actual lines from the movie, written by the over-hyped screenwriter Joe Eszterhas himself. Yes, it's dumb, but really, isn't the movie is to blame for that? At least this way, we can let naked cotton puppets shock us for the evening, a definite improvement over the movie.

Don't miss the Classic Original:
Showgirls (Fully Exposed Edition)
Read more!

Tin Man

Tin Man
a Sci-fi Channel Mini Series
a kate west review





The Sci-fi Channel "Tin Man" six hour mini series is an odd and very loose adaptation of L. Frank Baum's "Wizard of Oz" stories. An unfortunate cross between "Mad Max" and "Battlestar Galactica", it fails as both a uniquely interesting adaptation and as an original piece.

The movie concerns a girl named D.G. (named after ancestor Dorothy Gale) who accidentally discovers she is heir to a throne in the alternate dimension, the Outer Zone, or the O.Z. (yes, like the trendy O.C.). Zooey Deschanel plays the waitress-turned-princess alternating between stoicism and wide-eyed surprise, her two main looks apparently. Her childhood dreams of magic turn out to be real memories and her parents turn out to be robots placed by her real mother in order to take care of her and to shield her from her evil older sister, Azkadellia (Kathleen Robertson), whose body is taken over by a witch (Karin Konoval). She's got to get to Central City to find the Mystic Man (Richard Dreyfus). Along the way she meets up with Glitch (Alan Cumming), a former royal aide whose brain has been viciously removed. They in turn rescue a man in an iron prison suit named Cain (Neal McDonough) or the Tin Man, since he used to be an officer of the law. Last but not least, is the fluffy and timid creature named Raw (Raoul Trujillo).

Many adventures ensue, while Azkadellia's Gestapo-like Longcoats pursue the gang relentlessly, especially Zero (Callum Keith Rennie), the main person responsible for torturing the Tin Man's family and forcing him to watch from behind his metal hell. They even run into a shape shifter from DG's past who turns into a dog. She used to call him Toto, when she couldn't say Tutor (Blu Mankuma). The filmmakers make some bizarre choices, including having Azkadelia's flying monkeys literally spring from her tattooed chest. The Mystic Man proves to be a disappointment, as he is addicted to the vapors and a help to no one. The gang ultimately save their universe from destruction and the original royal family is restored. But it simply isn't an engaging enough interpretation and the look itself is drab and apocalyptic depressing.

The problem with the movie is not that it detracts from the Judy Garland film, as that in itself was an adaptation, but that it adds nothing to the original Oz books. There is no real new dimension or illumination and while there is nothing inherently wrong with making alternate endings or variations of beloved characters (Shakespeare did it, after all), this doesn't quite cut it. And it can be done quite well, as demonstrated in both the hit novel and musical "Wicked". But in this case, "Tin Man" makes little impression on the Oz universe. So you can save the room on your TIVO.

Created by
Craig Van Sickle
Steven Long Mitchell
Directed by
Nick Willing

Starring
Zooey Deschanel
Neal McDonough
Alan Cumming
Raoul Trujillo
Kathleen Robertson
Richard Dreyfuss
Blu Mankuma
Callum Keith Rennie

Composer
Simon Boswell

Alternatives:
The Annotated Wizard of Oz (Centennial Edition)

The Wizard of Oz (Three-Disc Collector's Edition)
Read more!

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

Add to My Profile | More Videos

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!

Frizzy!

a kate west reflection













I have Latina hair. Meaning it's thick and curly, yeah I know, lucky me, right, but ALSO very susceptible to frizz. It's a dumb thing to complain about, especially in this day and age, and of course people with straight hair want curly, and people with curly want straight, blah, blah, blah. But what people with straight hair don't understand is that the price of curly hair is FRIZZ. There is nothing simple you can do about it either, so I resort to lots and lots of Frizz Ease gel and to wearing my hair in a ponytail and hat for several hours after I wash it. We'd all like to look like we just stepped out of a salon, but either we rush home and fix it back to the way we like it or we don't wash our hair for days, trying to keep it professional. We're never happy. But it is just hair, after all, and not Hurricane Katrina. Still it's nice to find someone who really understands curly hair.

Speaking of salons, Sweet 9 on Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles offers pretty reasonable rates on haircuts and manicures, plus they have a day spa and a tearoom. It's eclectic design and very mod cozy. So if your hair is driving you crazy at least you'll have a fun place to escape to. Visit them the next time you're in the area. Need something to read there? Check out Latina Magazine, a hot and trendy look at being a modern Latina. Fun recipes, musical artists, dating advice, inspirational stories and more. Latina chica style, of course. And for some Food Network Hispanic chica insights, watch sassy Miami foodie Ingrid Hoffmann on "Simply Delicioso" (www.delicioso.com). We are a minority fast becoming a majority in Los Angeles, so you may want to brush up on the cultura.

And with those plugs, now you can be thankful that if all you have to worry about is hair, you're probably in a pretty good place. I know, it's Los Angeles, we are all fashion conscious here from time to time and we'd all like to be skinny flappers from the twenties. If wishes were horses. Happy Thanksgiving.



Sweet 9 info at www.sweet9.com
or look them up on My Space.






Oh and try the Chantell Boutique at 7309 Melrose. Cutest little outfits for a non-Melrose price. Store owner Ashley also sells across the street at Paper Doll. She's a doll herself.


(Celebrities spotted here: Adam Sandler, Mya, Gwen Stefani and Lindsay Lohan).

Latina Magazine
www.latina.com



(Julie Andrews being a fashionable flapper in "Thoroughly Modern Millie") Read more!

Bees and Raptors

a kate west reflection





Bees are the next apocalyptic symbol it seems. When they go, we go, according to everyone from Al Gore to Bill Maher. A source of the only food which never goes bad, bees make precious honey - still good after twenty years when stored properly, or so I hear. And can cure almost any ailment, in my humble opinion. Something about cell phones stresses them out. Already sensitive to environmental disturbances, queens and workers won't return to their hives when cell phones abound. There have been any number of causes throughout the eras; this is just the one we are most directly responsible for. That and horrible new pesticides. Oops.

Obviously it's terribly important for pollination to occur on a regular basis so flowers can reproduce and animals get to keep eating. Bees are nice and even kind of cool. That is, they don't sting unless provoked, and after that, they die. Unlike nasty old wasps, which can sting you repeatedly, and are less cute and furry. So leave them alone already. By the way, a good spiritual read, if you're in the mood, is Sue Monk Kidd's excellent "The Secret Life of Bees" (see below).

6o Minutes spot here:


Speaking of cool, falconry is one of the oldest hunting sports there is. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has repeatedly touted falconry as a noble pursuit, one that ultimately allows you to commune with nature, and to finally understand true synergy with the environment. You will learn respect for your bird, or raptor, as they call them, and the bird will respect you and decide to fly back to you each time. Or not. It's really up to him/her. Fascinating. It takes years to train a falcon and to trust that each of you has each other's best interest at heart. Combine that with archery and you may just get yourself knighted.

You can actually try it (next time you're in Ireland, that is) : http://www.ashford.ie/index.html OR http://www.newgrangefalconry.com

Learn More:
Beekeeping for Dummies

The Encyclopedia of Falconry

The Secret Life of Bees
Read more!

Puppet Up












Puppet Up
a kate west recommendation
at Avalon Hollywood
1735 N Vine St., Hollywood , CA 90028
Saturday, September 29nd & Saturday, October 20th
8:00 PM (doors open 7:00 PM)
contact www.puppetup.com or www.avalonhollywood.com
(Pictured: Patrick Bristow, Brian Henson and Friends)

The Jim Henson Company has been entertaining audiences, adult and children alike, for about fifty years now. Not one to rest on his laurels, Brian Henson (son of the late Jim Henson), has moved on from his internationally popular muppets (currently the property of the Walt Disney Company). His newest creation, "Puppet Up", combines live performers with puppets in a completely innovative way. You won't see familiar characters from "The Muppet Show", but you will see a lot of fun brand new characters like talking hot dogs. It must indeed be seen to be believed.

Professionally trained puppeteers work their magic live on stage, based on audience suggestions. It's improv, with puppets. Audiences can watch the behind-the-scenes mechanics as the actors manipulate the puppets and then glance over at the monitors to see the puppets in action. Patrick Bristow (of "Ellen", "Show Girls" and main company Groundlings fame) is their suave and fearless leader, deftly directing the action, and sassing the audience into giving good improvisational fodder. It's billed as adult fare, since one cannot control the nature of improv and who knows, you may even be lucky enough to see these adorable puppets go blue. A cute, furry, little puppy dog swearing like a sailor? Delightfully delicious. But leave the kids at home.

The troupe is smart, talented, quick-witted and highly entertaining. Each show is definitely a must-see. But hurry, they sell out fast!

The Company:
BRIAN HENSON (Executive Producer, Performer)
PATRICK BRISTOW (Stage Show Director/Host)
Julianne Buescher (Performer)
Tyler Bunch (Performer)
Leslie Carrara-Rudolph (Performer)
Ted Michaels (Performer)
Drew Massey (Performer)
Paul Rugg (Performer)
Allan Trautman (Performer)
Victor Yerrid (Performer)

For Nostalgia Purposes:
The Muppet Show - Season One (Special Edition) Read more!

Mad Men









a kate west review


AMC's hit new show "Mad Men" dazzles audiences with its vibrantly realistic depiction of 1960's cutthroat advertising world on Madison Avenue. The company in question, Sterling-Cooper, takes heavyweight clients, like airlines, to new heights, so to speak, with clever ad campaigns. Gorgeously fun retro sets and costumes balance out the darker sexist/racist world of male salesmanship. Everyone smokes and drinks heavily and nothing is ever politically correct. Pure delight. After a few episodes of the new sensation, however, things get a bit repetitive.

Jon Hamm is Don Drake, the main character, cheating on his wife and trying to work his way up the corporate ladder. The rest of the staff are more or less of the same moral fiber - most of them are materialistic, concerned only with appearances and everyone wants to be the big wig. The danger in portraying unsympathetic characters is that after a while, you stop caring about what happens to them, even watching their just downfalls.

Still, the actors are quite strong, and the peek into an era gone by quite fascinating. So it’s good for a least one season. Give it a try and if you grew up then, you'll find the no-holds-barred nostalgic reminiscing oddly comforting. That's the way it was, folks.

Created by
Matthew Weiner

Starring
Jon Hamm
Elisabeth Moss
Vincent Kartheiser
January Jones
Christina Hendricks
Bryan Batt
Michael Gladis
Aaron Staton
Rich Sommer
John Slattery
Mark Moses


Get it on DVD:
Mad Men - Season One Read more!

Local Heroes

















A Sneak Preview Of The All New
The Return of Local Heroes

This Thursday October 18th
9:30pm
McCadden Theatre in Hollywood
lacomedyfest.com


Directed by Karen Maruyama

Come See...
The glory of Avi in a different pair of tights
Travis with monk-hair
Sami the rapist

Kenny makin' shit up
Alex as a big ole pussy
& Dorien with her bum in your face

This Time It's Brillianter

myspace.com/localheroes6

Read more!

Avenue Q

Avenue Q
a kate west review
music & lyrics by Robert Lopez
and Jeff Marx
directed by Jason Moore
choreographed by Ken Roberson
at the Ahmanson Theatre
Center Theatre Group
135 North Grand Ave, Los Angeles 90012
playing September 6 - October 14, 2007
contact 213-628-2772 or www.centertheatregroup.org

Winner of the 2004 Tony Award for Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book, adroitly clever "Avenue Q" is an inside look at the lives of the people on Avenue Q (supposedly in New York), of their loves, quarrels, hopes and dreams, just like in any other neighborhood, except some of them are puppets. You read that right. Like in Sesame Street, only the adult version. Direct from Broadway and Las Vegas, Los Angeles finally hosts the wildly popular show at the Ahmanson Theatre.

It all starts with Princeton (puppeted by Robert McClure) strolling into Avenue Q singing "What Do You Do with a B.A. in English?" What IS he going to do with his life now? Turns out he and the rest of the neighborhood aren't as happy as they could be ("It Sucks to Be Me" and "Purpose"). Princeton rents an apartment from former child star Gary Coleman (Carla Renata) and befriends a lovely little Monster named Kate (puppeted by Kelli Sawyer). They start dating after a few bumpy starts, such as Kate reprimanding Princeton that not all Monsters are related ("Everyone's a Little Bit Racist"). Their courtship is fairly standard ("Mix Tape", "You Can Be as Loud as the Hell You Want - When You're Makin' Love") but Princeton dumps her when he thinks she's getting in the way of him finding his ever-important and elusive purpose.

Meanwhile, roommates Rod and Nicky (puppeted by Robert McClure and Christian Anderson) struggle with their relationship when Nicky suspects Rod of being gay ("If You Were Gay") who vehemently denies it ("My Girlfriend, Who Lives in Canada"). Rod eventually kicks Nicky out, who ends up homeless and begging on the street ("The Money Song"). Asian stereotype Christmas Eve (Angela Ai) marries wanna-be comedian Brian (Cole Porter) and doles out sympathy and advice to everyone. Trekkie Monster (Christian Anderson) whacks off in his apartment ("The Internet Is For Porn") and life goes on. It all turns out alright, more or less. No give aways here; go see the show.

Interspersed with video monitors that show childlike animated lessons geared toward us cynical grownups, Director Jason Moore coordinates actors and puppets alike into show-stopping musical numbers by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx (original creator). The actors are incredibly versatile, jumping from character to person to character again, some of them even doubling up on puppets (including ensemble players Minglie Chen, Maggie Lakis, Seth Rettberg and Danielle K. Thomas). Special fun is Kelli Sawyer's scandalously voluptuous Lucy the Slut, who seduces Princeton, ends up in the hospital and then finds God, turning her into Lucy the Virgin. Costume Designer Mirena Rada fits actors and puppets with equally appropriate dressing and Rick Lyon's puppets themselves are divine. And Scenic Designer Anna Louizos' cute little set is straight out of your favorite childhood televion show.

Musical highlights include Rob and Nicky's elaborate fog-filled dream sequence ("Fantasies Come True"), Princeton dancing with singing moving boxes ("Purpose") and "Schadenfreude" (the German expression meaning delighting in the misfortunate of others) which Nicky sings joyfully with Gary Coleman. Robert McClure handles his main characters deftly, as does Kelli Sawyer who sings sweetly or sultry, depending on which adorable puppet she's wearing. The whole cast does a perfectly amazing job. You'll notice some obvious Jim Henson and Sesame Street influences, like Rod and Nicky looking suspiciously like Bert and Ernie and Trekkie Monster, the masturbator with a distinctly computer nerd like name.

Generation X-ers will love remembering our struggles as twenty-somethings in tiny New York apartments, barely a step up from "Rent's" East Village Bohemians (Broadway's mega-hit modern update on "La Boheme"). The songs are funny, upbeat and memorable and it's absolute great fun to see puppets acting like real people, having sex (and in all kinds of positions too!), getting drunk, getting cold feet (you'll love Princeton's visually hysterical nightmare sweats on committment) and doing everything else demonstrating human weakness. At least according to the cheering audiences every night. Just remember to leave the kids at home.

"Avenue Q" has not been authorized or approved in any manner by the Jim Henson Company or Sesame Workshop, which have no responsibility for its content."

The Broadway Soundtrack:
Avenue Q (2003 Original Broadway Cast) Read more!

Legally Blonde The Musical

















Legally Blonde The Musical
a kate west review
directed/choreographed by Jerry Mitchell
(Beth McCarthy Miller - Television)
music/lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin
book by Heather Hach; novel by Amanda Brown & MGM
MTV Broadcast at the Palace Theatre
1564 Broadway, New York, NY
contact 212-307-4100 or 800-755-4000
www.legallyblondethemusical.com

How often do you get a sneak peek at a currently running Broadway show? MTV offered viewers that very chance this weekend by broadcasting the full length "Legally Blonde The Musical" straight from the New York stage. It's a pretty cute show for free, considering top running Broadway shows can run you about a hundred bucks easy.

The show follows the Reese Witherspoon movie hit fairly closely, with Laura Bell Bundy in the lead as Elle Woods, the Malibu barbie doll who gets accepted into Harvard Law School, surprising everyone, even herself. She's there chasing her ex-finance Warner Huntington III (Richard H. Blake) who dumped her for being blonde ("Serious"). With the support of her faithful sorority sisters ("Omigod You Guys", "What You Want"), she decides to get serious and apply herself, completely trading coasts and attitudes. Challenges abound, including impressing the tough Professor Callahan (Michael Rupert) by managing to get into his exclusive intern program. The ultimate discovery is a profound belief in herself, of course, resulting in forgetting about her snobby ivy league ex, taking up with a new lawyer hottie, Emmett Forrest (Christian Borle) and finally earning the respect of her peers, even becoming class valedictorian. She even defies her Professor when he proves to be fallible. An inspiration to little blondes everywhere.

Bundy and Borle make a cute couple and have some nice numbers together ("Chip On My Shoulder", "Take It Like A Man" and "Legally Blonde"). Fun standouts include Elle's spacey hairdresser (Orfeh) who makes the part her own, in spite of the popularity of Jennifer Coolidge's crazy fun movie character. With Elle's help, she lands her sexy UPS man, Kyle (real life husband Andy Karl) and recovers her beloved bulldog Rufus from her evil ex boyfriend. Elle is highly sympathetic as she has her own beloved Bruiser, a stylish chihuahua, and dog loving romantics have to stick together. Completing the feminine circle of strength is the spunky Greek chorus, comprised of the Delta Nu sisters (the energetic trio of Annaleigh Ashford, Asmeret Ghebromichael and Tracy Jai Edwards) who appear occasionally to give Elle some helpful advice. Elle also meets a tired stereotypical Birkenstock lesbian Enid (the solid Natalie Joy Johnson) at Harvard.

Devoted fans of the movie will also notice certain deviations, such as some brilliant ideas coming from the man, Emmett, rather than Elle herself, or a bizarre courtroom scene where the Judge (Amber Efé ) orders everyone to the bathroom crime scene in order to rat out a suspicious hair perm, following the outing of the gay pool boy Nikos played by Manual Herrera ("There! Right There!"). Elle prevails in the end, and exonerates her fitness idol Brooke Wyndham (Nikki Snelson), on trial for allegedly killing her millionaire husband. Thank God for Greek sisterhood. The first act is stronger than the second act, which seems to get a little off track, especially in those odd moments.

Director Jerry Mitchell does a fine job choreographing the group numbers, especially Elle's Harvard "essay", a brassy drum majorette number ("The Harvard Variations"). David Rockwell's set designs are pink, colorful fun, as are Gregg Barnes' Malibu-inspired preppy costumes. Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin provide a punchy musical score, but it doesn't really stick in your head.

The overall show is harmless frothy fluff, cute if you like that sort of thing. Fun eye candy for free, but a bit of a steep price, unless your teenage daughter won't speak to you otherwise. Judging from the MTV audience, it's a hit with the young crowd, so you might want to brush up on your teen speak, or just send the babysitter. Or you can stay home and rent the movie again with some microwave popcorn. Oh, and special kudos to animal wrangler William Berloni - those dogs are adorable.

The Soundtrack:
Legally Blonde (2007 Original Broadway Cast)

The Movie:
Legally Blonde Read more!

SNL

a kate west reflection



















Kristen Wiig in ELLE's September Issue

Saturday Night Live ain't what it used to be. I suppose it's always appealed to adolescents and since early SNL happened when I was pretty young, that's probably why it appealed to me. Or maybe it's pure nostalgia. (Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Joe Piscopo, Garret Morris, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtain, Steve Martin and the late greats Phil Hartman and Jim Belushi!) But lately, it just seems that every year sends the SNL train wreck careening more downhill. But that's just me.

The highlight of the past couple of seasons though, is the relative newcomer Groundling Kristen Wiig (www.groundlings.com) whose original characters like her distracted Target Lady, spacey Aunt Linda, or her brilliant impressions of Judy Garland and Megan Mullaly are real stand outs. Even her half of the A-Holes (”You look like a rabbit”) is initially less tedious, though Saturday Night Live's insistence on placing recurring obnoxious characters in the same scenes, but with different backgrounds, may drive you mad (remember "It's Pat?).

Gratned, SNL has an impressive alumni list like Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, Chris Rock, Molly Shannon, Chris Kattan, Tracy Morgan, Jimmy Fallon, Jon Lovitz, Julia Sweeney, David Spade, Cheri Oteri, Will Ferrell, to name but a few. Such is it's allure that two recent televion shows tried to depict it's inner workings: the sadly failed "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" and the more successful "30 Rock" (with recent SNL graduate Tina Fey). And the man upstairs, the odd man in charge, Lorne Michaels, a character himself, continues to reap the benefits of his monolithic hit.

It's wonderful that so many went on to have great careers, and that SNL has not only a cult following, but a fairly hefty mainstream appeal as well. Still, it's harder to watch the older you get. So Thank God for teenagers. Then again, who knows what will happen now what with the upcoming Hollywood writer's strike. Hopefully, they'll run some classic reruns, rather than churn out more clunkers. I won't be watching. But I will honk for the strikers. Peace.

Current Repertory Players
Fred Armisen (2002-present)
Will Forte (2002-present)
Bill Hader (2005-present)
Darrell Hammond (1995-present)
Seth Meyers (2001-present)
Amy Poehler (2001-present)
Maya Rudolph (2000-present)
Andy Samberg (2005-present)
Jason Sudeikis (2005-present)
Kenan Thompson (2003-present)
Kristen Wiig (2005-present)


Remembering the Classics:
Saturday Night Live - The Complete First Season

Saturday Night Live - The Complete Second Season

The Real Classics:
Laurel & Hardy (Sons of the Desert/The Music Box/Another Fine Mess/Busy Bodies/County Hospital)

The Abbott and Costello Show Featuring "Who's on First?" "Don Juan Costello" & "Two Tens for a Five"

The George Burns & Gracie Allen Collection

Best of Jack Benny

The Dick Van Dyke Show - Season One (5 Disc Box Set)

I Love Lucy: The Complete Series

The Carol Burnett Show - Collector's Edition Vols 1-5 Read more!

SMILE!

Smile!
a kate west reflection





It's a mystery as to this country's obsession with each other's outward happiness. Have you ever gotten the impossibly irritating "Smile!" admonition from a stranger? And how many of you are female - do men even get that question? Probably not as often as women, if ever, since we are sugar and spice and everything nice and supposed to be pleasantly innocuous.

So is it really any of your business what my inner state is? Are you that insecure that you need me to validate you that way - through a smile? I know you think it's a friendly gesture, but it has a more sinister intent, subconscious or no. You want me to make you feel comfortable. And that's not my job. Please, worry about yourself and your own inner state, no need to infringe on mine. I'm fine, or not, but either way, I'll handle it, thank you. Read more!

The Assassination of Jesse James

The Assassination of
Jesse James
by the Coward Robert Ford
a kate west review












The latest version of the Jesse James story is told in the remarkable film by Andrew Dominik, "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford". Narrated by Hugh Ross, with spots of sepia tones and vintage 1880's lenses, the film depicts the legendary outlaw in his final years.

Brad Pitt is the lead, portraying James as the calculatingly cold killer that he was, but with a haunting awareness of his own weaknesses. Casey Affleck (yes, Ben's little brother) gives an outstanding performance as Robert Ford, the man responsible for ending Jesse's life. Focusing less on the James/Younger brothers famous gang exploits, the film explores the aftermath, when the paranoia and disillusionment set in. It is a less glamorous look at the real inner world of the coarse and hardened men of the old west. Jesse James killed a lot of men in his time, and while he justified it to himself in his lifetime, it was never a noble affair, but often rather a petty reaction to life's inevitable obstacles.

Brad Pitt portrays James as the still wiley and alert man of infamy, with the dread of the modern mob boss. The scenes in which characters await his arrival are the most filled with fear and trepidation. As each suspected betrayer is gunned down, weeping and begging for mercy, the two Ford brothers become more and more nervous that James will discover their involvement with the authorities. One scene in particular shows Pitt slowly stirring his coffee, reading the newspaper, which everyone knows full well to be incriminating. The camera shows his hand stop stirring, then running his finger down the lines of print, leaving us in an agony of suspense.

The entire movie is told in bits of suspended anticipation and in character contemplation. In spite of it's length (two hours and 40 minutes), the movie keeps an appropriate pace, revealing each rich suspenseful moment, beat by beat. Pitt is wonderful as the icy cold James, someone you don't want visiting you in the middle of the night, someone with eyes in the back of his head. And Affleck outdoes himself as the nervous hero worshipper, forced to betray his idol, never making eye contact and justifying his cowardice for the rest of his short life. Sam Rockwell is also good as his brother Charley Ford and Sam Shepard makes a commanding appearance as Frank James. Every actor turns in a profound performance, from Paul Schneider and Jeremy Renner (the two initial Judas Iscariots) to Mary Louise Parker (as Jesse's wife Zee) and Zooey Deschanel (Ford's lover).

By the time we reach the final scene, where Jesse goes to hang a picture and Ford shoots him in the back, we've come to know these characters, for better or for worse. Although most of us know the history and expect the outcome, we still feel a pang for a fallen legend, deeply flawed though he might be. Perhaps, as is hinted in the movie, Jesse was ready for his execution, having wearied of his own inner conflict. And it is an unexpected bonus to be able to get to know Ford, so often painted as a cowardly villain, who may have been just as human as the rest of us.

The movie is ultimately about death, both that of James and Ford, one somber, yet exploited, the other virtually forgotten almost the moment it happens. It is also about vilifying and idolizing the wrong kind of hero. It is also much more than your standard western and a movie you will have a hard time letting go of.



The Book:
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

The Film:


Directed by Andrew Dominik
Produced by Ridley Scott
(Executive Producer)

Jules Daly
Brad Pitt
Dede Gardner
David Valdes


Novel by:
Ron Hansen
Screenplay by:
Andrew Dominik

Starring

Brad Pitt
(Jesse James)
September 5, 1847April 3, 1882
Casey Affleck
(Robert Ford)

Mary-Louise Parker
(Zee James)
Sam Shepard
(Frank James)
Sam Rockwell
(Charley Ford)
Paul Schenider
(Dick Liddel)
Jeremy Renner
(Wood Hite)
Zooey Deschanel
(Dorothy Evans)

Music by Nick Cave
Warren Ellis
Cinematography Roger Deakins
Editing by Dylan Tichenor
Michael Kahn
Read more!

1408

1408 by Stephen King
a kate west review






The short story "1408" by Stephen King (in his collection "Everything's Eventual") is possibly one of the scariest stories ever written. The recent movie with John Cusack is not at all the scariest horror film. Or even close.

The only similarities are that Mike Enslin (John Cusack), a writer specializing in the supernatural, insists on staying in Room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel, a notorious haunted room. And that he thinks he's seen it all, and has the jaded cynicism of a once-profound writer to prove it, one who's now reduced to base sensationalism. The hotel manager (Samuel Jackson) tires vainly to dissuade him. The movie then deviates into a self-indulgent personal tragic loss for the main character and much of what happens in Room 1408 really does appear to be in his head. And it's not very interesting. So enough about the movie.

The original story on the other hand, is a creepy, bone-chilling account of a truly evil room. It's not haunted, it's evil, and whoever stays there, or even cleans there, is always in danger of going mad. The cleaning women get headaches, the past tenants commit suicide and God knows what else happens behind that sinister door. Do adding up the numbers spell thirteen? You bet they do. The written imagery is startlingly descriptive and eerie and you want to scream for Mike to get the hell out of there before his mind goes, which starts to happen surprisingly fast. Strangely foreign guttural tones over the telephone, slimy bed covers, moving walls and bad people in paintings flow together in a confused jumble, adding to the discordance. It really is a hell of a room.

Stephen King is truly a master storyteller, prolific in the deepest sense of the horror genre. No one else can be as accessible as he can, while at the same time going to a complete grotesque extreme. And he creates clearly relatable characters, a refined technique over several decades. This is one of his finest, close to "The Mist" or even some of his longer novels. So if you haven't given him a try, and enjoy a good read, get started now. But leave on the lights.

Directed by Mikael Håfström
Produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura

Written by Scott Alexander
(writer)
Matt Greenberg
(writer)
Larry Karaszewski (writer)
Stephen King (short story)

Starring

John Cusack
(Mike Enslin)
Samuel L. Jackson
Mary McCormack
Jasmine Jessica Anthony
Tony Shalhoub

Music by Gabriel Yared
Cinematography Benoît Delhomme


The Short Story Collection:
Everything's Eventual : 14 Dark Tales

Read more!