Toni Stone

a kate west review
Toni Stone

by Lydia R. Diamond
directed by Pam MacKinnon  | choreographed by Camille A. Brown

American Consevartory Theater  |  A coproduction with Arena Stage

405 Geary Street , San Francisco, CA
415.749.2228 | tickets@act-sf.org
Mar 5–29, 2020

Please note: Because of the recent outbreak (we all know the one), many theaters have been forced to shut down, but some of them are offering video links for patrons to watch in the safety of their shelter-in-place homes. Thankfully, this play can be viewed by either contacting A.C.T. to obtain a pay-as-you-can video link, or going directly to BroadwayHD. Either way, better hurry, since this option is only good until April 5. 

Toni Stone (according to wikipedia), born Marcenia Lyle Stone in Bluefield, West Virginia, was the first of three women to play professional baseball, as a part of the Negro League. The American Conservatory Theater covers her stint with the 1950's Indianapolis Clowns in their recent production of "Toni Stone", a west coast premiere.

Dawn Ursula is a strong, outspoken, force of nature as Toni Stone, who had to have been a force to reckon herself, in order to compete as a female in a man's world of sports, as well as a black player in a white owner's universe. Lydia Diamond's casual writing style perfectly captures the easy way athletes have related to each other since sports was invented. This team especially needs their comradery as they confront the racism and sexism of the time (much of which is still sadly relevant in our own society).  Director Pam MacKinnon and Choreographer Camille Brown present a smooth, entertaining and vibrant tale of a little known part of sports history. It's funny, poignant, and real. The dialogue, the staging, the game - all poetry.

The rest of the ensemble, Daniel J. Bryant, JaBen Early, Kenn E. Head, Marquis D. Gibson, Rodney Earl Jackson, Jr., Sean-Maurice Lynch, Ray Shell, and Jarrod Smith, match Ursula quite well, stepping in and out of various characters from Stone's life (male and female). In fact, the strength of the troupe shows us how necessary it would be for teammates to support each other, then and now.

The show is a delight from beginning to end, and a wonderful distraction from our current situation, while spotlighting what we still need to work in our world. Hope we get to do so soon. In the meantime, keep playing ball (at home).

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Modern Exposure

a kate west reflection





What IS it with our modern generation and everyone's constant need to over share? I know I sound old when I say this, but back in my day, we never told each other every single detail of our lives. None of this minute-to-minute update of life's minutia, sexual exploits, bathroom habits, every single damn thing each of us is thinking every single second. I don't need to know all that and neither does the rest of the world. What happened to privacy, decorum, tact and just plain class? Kids these days demand screaming attention in order to validate their existence and are uncomfortable with the more reserved. Isn't one of life's mysteries the actual mystery? And do I even have to complain about people on their cellphones? Private is now public apparently. Maybe this is an American problem and Europeans are grown ups and Americans are children. I often think so.

In any case, no wonder we exalt celebrities and people get famous simply for being famous and not for contributing significantly to society. We are fascinated with the fishbowl culture of needing to know everything about their private lives. Is it because it makes us feel better or are we just nosy? Believe it or not, I know next to nothing about several nameless super celebs apparently in the news lately - I don't watch FOX News or read PEOPLE and am told that I can't help knowing about it since that knowledge is everywhere, but honest to God, since I'm not looking for it or talking about it, I've missed it. Hooray for me.

Granted I watch too much television (but at least not the commercials). So I need to get back to reading. And avoiding the fishbowl. Yes, I will keep blogging (oh hush)!

p.s. And while I'm in the mood, can I once again complain about television characters mentioning other television characters from shows on the same network? Tacky boo. Oh and is it just me, or is it enough already with self-congratulating, self-absorbed Hollywooders and their insider everything (Oscars especially)? Ugh.

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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!

TIVO (and Netflix)

a kate west reflection







TIVO is a wonderful technological gift. A gift and a curse. On the one hand, it gets rid of all those pesky commercials you'll never have to watch again, but on the other, it's extremely addictive. I thought I would end up spending less time in front of the t.v. but now I actually end up spending more, because you can watch a recorded program while you're taping another and then watch that one after. It never ends. And since my genes are prone to addiction, this is exactly the kind of modern escapism I would indeed succumb to.

For those cave dwellers amongst you, TIVO is a DVR system you hook up to your cable box allowing you to record programs which you can fast forward through later. It's a fun toy for sure. But are we now becoming even more disconnected, especially car dwelling Angelenos? Especially for certain people (who, me?) who subscribe to cable, TIVO and Netflix (a brilliant mail-in DVD rental program). Who ever needs to leave the house then?

Remember reading? Sigh. And we wonder why I'm still single ....

Change your life too!
www.tivo.com
www.netflix.com Read more!

The Velvet Hammer Burlesque

The Velvet Hammer Burlesque presents “Illuminata”
a night of rhapsody & abandon
a kate west review
created, produced & directed by Michelle Carr
at The Avalon Theater
1739 N. Vine Street, Hollywood, (323) 466-0270
and The Great American Music Hall
859 O’Farrell Street, San Francisco
playing California in April
Contact www.velvethammerburlesque.com for upcoming tour information!!!

Straight from the glamour and glitz of the 1930’s and 40’s cabaret-style floor shows comes the outrageously (and naked!) modern version by the Velvet Hammer Burlesque. Their latest effort is “Illuminata,” is a three-hour-full extravaganza of scrumptiously and scandalously costumed Hollywood allure and style.

The brainchild of Michelle Carr, the show features comics Bill Chott, Laura Kightlinger, Jeremy Kramer, Blaine Capatch and Dave Cox, with varied levels of comedic talent. Mr. Uncertain is a middling retro piano player who can also be seen at Hollywood’s Parlour Club. Lord Millionaire and his Arhythmacrats bring the house down with their rousting band and the delightful Velvet Hammer chorus girls come on between acts to dance their way into creating a retro fan’s heaven.

Miss Astrid, the one-eyed German dominatrix is the Mistress of Ceremonies, sparring raunchily with the audience between numbers. She does need to pick up the pace as her sexual innuendos tend to drag on. As each act is brand new, there are no real costume changes so her stalling technique is a bit perplexing.

But then of course, there are the strippers, each girl act more spectacular than the next. The many fantastic numbers include Dorothy Gale being accosted by flying monkeys, two flamenco dancers stripping each other, a sex robot being created and there are many ball gowns and designer dresses which all come off slowly and in other cases furiously, inspiring wolf whistles from the audience. This is a show that is even better the more you drink, and at the Avalon Theater, there is ample opportunity.

With names like Scarlette Fever, Aurora Borealis and Venus de Mille you could not ask for better entertainment. There is even a vivaciously sexy little person in the show named Bobby Pinz as well as twin maids called the Poubelle Twins. Very exciting and well worth the steep price of $30. So take a trip back to ludicrous vaudeville and bawdy burlesque and enjoy yourself!

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The Parlour Club

The Parlour Club
a kate west recommendation

7702 Santa Monica Blvd., Russian Quarter, West Hollywood
(323) 650-7968, every Friday, 10 p.m. – 2 a.m.

$5 for 21 and over; www.parlourclub.com.

Come back in time to revel in incredible 1920’s Jazz music, dance and fun cabaret style. Yes, it’s true. Show up late Friday night at the Parlour Club and the crazy cats there will reveal their secret of time travel in the amazingly bright and sassy show, “Bricktops.” Starring such sparkling entertainers as Mr. Uncertain (see below) and Vaginal Davis, plus DJ Bernice Bobserhair spinning les hot jazz nuggets and Tin Pan Alley favorites, the show features a group of talented cross-gender sprites who will make you believe in being young again.

Everyone dresses up 1920’s, so girls, be sure to go vintage shopping ahead of time and get those long strands of pearls and yummy fringe flapper dresses and guys, get those scrumptious era hats and come Charleston with the regulars. Fair warning - a poor, lost, wandering tourist may feel stuck in a time warp in his modern era blue jeans. Everyone, regardless of attire, will have the time of their lives.

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Walt Disney and Disneyland

Disneyland
a kate west reflection







When I first moved to Los Angeles, the first thing I did was visit Disneyland to see if it was every bit as magically wonderful as I remembered from my teenage years. It helped that I actually worked for Disney and could get into the park free. My brother and I used to visit my Aunt down here every Spring when we lived in the Bay Area and we usually took that mandatory trip to the Magic Kingdom so I couldn't wait to go every chance I had. And it was even better than I thought it'd be.

First of all, if you work for Disney, you get to start work at the Disney University in the studio lot during orientation (and all you jaded cynics can stop reading here). Yes it's cheesy (was that a mouse joke?), but if you're a Disney fan, it's also delightful. I know people refer to Disney as "Mauswitz" and worse, but at the time, I really bought into it and it's easy to do since you're surrounded daily by like-minded people. True, Disney can be intimidatingly strict, but they have a mighty product to protect and their legal department is fiercely loyal to that cause. As they should be. Besides, what other corporation has a department called Imagineering (where they plan and build for the theme parks)?

Secondly, you really get to know the inner workings of Disney and all about Walt's history, etc. And it's all fascinating. From the first Oscar-winning Animated film, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" to the "Lion King", they've consistently been the best in their genre. Their success in animation eventually led to launching a theme park, something radically different from a boardwalk amusement locale. Whatever you may think of him today, Walt was a true visionary and wanted Disneyland to be something special and you can't deny that in that respect, he succeeded beyond expectation. You can't tell me our generation wasn't riveted by "The Mickey Mouse Club" or "The Wonderful World of Disney" on television every week.

Every ride is practically a cinematic experience and although the park has been through a lot of for-better-or-worse changes (like the ludicrous political correct attempt at messing with the Pirates of the Caribbean), it's still one of the most visited places in the entire world and children are still drawn to it like little consumer magnets. If you have any remote memories of liking Disney, you will thrive there, whether during a delightful stroll down Main Street USA or passing through the gates of Sleeping Beauty Castle. Your imagination will spark and there is room for every age, from Fantasyland's gentle rides for the very young to Tomorrowland's speedy rides for the braver and older kids. Adults will be happy everywhere (except maybe colorfully noisy Toon Town - that's a ten minute visit, tops). If you have only a short time, don't miss Indiana Jones, the Pirates, the Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain and maybe a few smaller rides. Don't bother with California Adventure since a mere few miles away you can see the real thing. But Downtown Disney is fairly diverting.

Nothing beats the original park though (or the even more developed Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida) and during the summer you get some pretty spectacular shows that may have you believing in Pixie Dust again. Work with me, you have to WANT to believe in it, which is the key to any happiness in life, right?

Backstage at the Park:
Walt Disney Treasures - Disneyland - Secrets, Stories & Magic

The Whole Alphabet:
Disney A to Z: The Official Encyclopedia (Third Edition)

The Nine Old Men:
Walt Disney's Nine Old Men and the Art of Animation Read more!