Winter Wonderettes

Winter Wonderettes
The New 60's Holiday Musical!
a kate west review
written & directed by Roger Bean
at El Portal Forum Theatre
5269 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood 91601
running Wed-Sun; EXTENDED through January 5th!
contact www.marvelouswonderettes.com/winter

Good news, or rather marvelous news: The Marvelous Wonderettes, the charming quartet of 1950's and 60's singing girlfriends, are back for a sequel. And just in time to spread some holiday cheer. This time the girls have been hired by Harper's Hardware to provide cute little entertainment for the employee holiday party, only halfway through the performance we all get handed some surprising news (no, you'll just have to wait and see for yourselves). Similar to the original show, "The Marvelous Wonderettes", where the girls sang for their high school prom and then for a special ten year reunion, these Wonderettes also argue and bond over frothy tunes in two acts.

Jill Van Velzer is Cindy Lou, the more promiscuous of the bunch, Misty Cotton is Missy, the now happily married member of the crew, Bets Malone is Suzy, the ever-pregnant, sweetly daft one and Betty Jean, the practical one, is portrayed by the marvelous understudy Lowe Taylor. All girls work together well and harmonize beautifully to such fun numbers as "Santa Baby", "Jingle Bell Rock", "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," "What are you Doing New Year's Eve?", "Winter Wonderland", their favorite high school Chipmunks chant of course and even some international numbers. Writer/Director Roger Bean and Musical Director Brian Baker keep the songs lively and more or less relevant to the story line, in keeping with Wonderettes tradition.

Set Designer Victoria Profitt gives us enormous wrapped boxes, a pretty tree and even some mistletoe. The girls themselves interact with audience members just as mischievously as the last time and once again, be warned about sitting in the front rows. It's all in good fun, however, and awfully entertaining. We feel part of the girls' holiday and what could be more fun than sharing the holiday spirit with a Wonderette? Although both Wonderettes shows have rather thin plots, the fantastic costumes (thank you Ann Closs-Farley) and immense likeability and obvious vocal talent of the girls more than make up for it, especially when we are already in the December mood.

One more word to the wise: due to their immense popularity and cult following, many shows are now sold out. So try to see them now before they head off to their impressive Off-Broadway debut. (But don't worry, if you miss out, you can still buy some "Wonder Wear" on their website). Congratulations girls and Go Chipmunks!

Previous review here: http://www.katewestreviews.com/2007/07/marvelous-wonderettes.html 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!

Cobb

Cobb
a kate west review
by Lee Blessing
directed by Joe Brancato
Trigger Street Productions
at the Falcon Theatre, 4252 Riverside Drive, Burbank 91505
runs September 10 - October 6
contact (818) 955-8101 or www.falcontheatre.com






Lee Blessing (author of "A Walk in the Woods") presents "Cobb", a fictional account of a real legendary baseball player, Ty Cobb, who passed away in 1961. Surrounded by a storm of controversy for most of his life, the irascible Cobb was impossible from Day One. With Kevin Spacey's help (famed actor and head of Trigger Street Productions), Blessing brings his Off-Broadway work to Burbank. With "Cobb", Blessing attempts to inject regret into the way Cobb lived his life, by creating three versions of Cobb, the old, the prime and the young. Played by three different actors, they all interact and try to gain insight into the life of one man. Thrown into the mix is Oscar Charleston, a Homestead Gray player, from the start of the Negro Leagues.

Michael Cullen, Matthew Mabe and Michael Sabation play the three Cobbs, with Cullen being the primary focus, as the oldest most reflective Cobb. Richard Brooks ("Law and Order") is Oscar Charleston, the "black Ty Cobb" who challenges old Cobb in one of his visions, suggesting that had they lived in integrated times, he would have whopped him in any contest. Cobb's realizations about himself center on his realizations that given the chance, he might have done things differently. And of course, the two younger Cobbs pay no attention to the rantings of an old man.

The actors are all strong and Joe Brancato directs with a sure hand. Blessing's writing is good, although some parts drag. Scenic Designer Matthew Maraffi and Costume Designer Daryl A. Stone create a nostalgic atmosphere with projected images of Cobb on the walls and historical baseball uniforms. All in all, "Cobb" is a contemplative piece and fairly interesting, especially if you're a baseball fan. It is rather sad to think that someone so vilified ended up in the Baseball Hall of Fame, friendless and full of regrets. Too little, too late, after such a violent life full of anger and resentment. Not as sharply political and poetically lyrical as "A Walk in the Woods", "Cobb" has some nice moments, though it's not particularly ground breaking.















(left to right: Michael Cullen, Matthew Mabe, Michael Sabatino; photo courtesy Wesley Horton)



















(left to right: Michael Cullen, Richard Brooks; photo courtesy Wesley Horton)











(Charles M. Conlon's famous picture of Cobb stealing third during the 1909 season.) Read more!