One Night With Janis Joplin

a kate west review
created, written, directed  by Randy Johnson
starring Mary Bridget Davies
at the Pasadena Playhouse
39 S. El Molino Avenue, Pasadena 91101
call (626) 356-PLAY (7529) or click here (www.pasadenaplayhouse.org)
running March 15 – April 21, 2013

Janis Joplin. Queen of Rock and Roll. Legend. Icon. Tragic figure. The young lady with the smokey bluesy voice. Once you heard it, you never, ever forgot it. She was big, as in larger than life, consuming and sharing music with a vibrant passion. It is hard to define a soulful voice of pain. But Joplin had it. As did Billie Holiday. These were voices that spoke to the deep ache within and moved you out of your head and into a world of feeling. Joplin learned from the best voices: Bessie Smith, Etta James, Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, just to name a few. She destroyed any preconceived notions of female performers and unapologetically put herself smack in the middle of rock and roll history forever. If you never had the luck to hear her in concert, now's your chance.

The Pasadena Playhouse presents "One Night With Janis Joplin", starring Mary Bridget Davies as the volatile and utterly relatable Janis. Accompanied by fine rock and jazz musicians and back-up singers, Davies plays the "live" version of Joplin, up close and personal. Her iconic influences (Smith, James, Simone, Franklin) join her from time to time in the form of Sabrina Elayne Carten, who charges up the stage with dynamic intensity. Talk about playing to the crowd. She'll have you dancing in the aisles.

And then there's Mary Bridget Davies. Don't look for a one-woman show or a straight biography. This is a real and raw version of Janis, giving us a real honest-to-God rock concert, just like in the old days. Davies resurrects the unforgettable Janis, matching her singularly raspy voice  (and clothing) with enormous enthusiasm and tremendous skill. In between (and during) sets, she talks to us, like Janis would, with that iconic growly laugh, telling us that nothing made her feel more alive than being with us, on stage, hearing that spirit-lifting applause. Davies is able to channel the rock star so acutely that for a moment you are transported back to a time where sex, drugs and rock and roll began, way, way back all the way. To the 1960's. Hers is a definitive performance that must not be missed. Not too many shows in Los Angeles need standing ovations (seriously we must stop standing for every single show already) but this one truly does. It demands acknowledgement for the blood, sweat and tears so obviously wrung out (from the past to the present) and given live, just for us. Lucky, lucky us. Randy Johnson is to be commended for his excellent idea of this show, come to life in such big style. You can feel Janis still with us, her presence felt so strongly as Davies sings to the rafters.

No one sang like Janis. She did amazing original music as well as amazing revamping of old music. No one had her kind of broad style either. We all know that Joplin died too young. This performance doesn't speak to that, except to say that Joplin was happiest on stage, singing her heart out, and who can really sustain that depth of need?

"I think I sound like a white chick singing the 'blues'. There was just something about that ache I heard that got me bad. After all, the blues is just a bad woman feeling good." - Janis Joplin (1943-1970)

A sampling of just some of the great classic Joplin songs you will hear:

Bye Bye Baby
Ball and Chain
Piece of My Heart
Me and Bobby McGee
Summertime
Mercedes Benz

Visit here:
www.officialjanis.com

Mary Bridget Davies and Sabrina Elayne Carten in a scene from “One Night With Janis Joplin.” Photo by Janet Macoska. 

Mary Bridget Davies as Janis Joplin. Photo by Jim Cox.

Mary Bridget Davies as Janis Joplin. Photo by Jim Cox. Read more!

American Idiot

a kate west review
music by Green Day; lyrics by Billie Joe Armstrong
book by Billie Joe Armstrong & Michael Mayer
directed by Michael Mayer
musical arrangement by Tom Kitt
choreographed by Steven Hoggett
at the Ahmanson Theatre/Center Theatre Group 
135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles 90012
running March 13 - April 22, 2012
contact  213-628-2772 or  www.centertheatregroup.org 

The popular Bay Area punk band Green Day won the best rock album (Grammy) in 2005 with their smash hit "American Idiot", released the year before. The structure of this innovative album tells a story of an anti-hero, "Jesus of Suburbia", who just wants to make his mark in the world and find out if there is anything worthwhile beyond television and beer. Michael Mayer (Director of the excitingly youthful "Spring Awakenings") strongly felt this would make a great musical and a rockin' collaboration began. Premiering in Berkeley and then later on Broadway, "American Idiot" combined flashy media with "Rent"-like scaffolding, creating a minimalist stage focused mainly on strong music. And now it's finally made it to Hollywood. Yeah for us.

Johnny (Van Hughes) and his pals Will (Jake Epstein) and Tunny (Scott J. Campbell) want more out of life than what they see around them. So they set out to explore possibilities and each of them ends up with a very different life than expected. Will becomes entrenched in Jingletown suburbia, Tunny joins the military and our protagonist Johnny ends up with sex, drugs and rock and roll. And that's pretty much it. It's a simple story, bare bones really, but the music tells you all you need to know about the quintessential American dream quest. The most well-known songs, "American Idiot", "Jesus of Suburbia" and "21 Guns" express the most dramatically powerful pull of youth and angst. When we are young, we are hell bent on knowing what it all means, sometimes to our detriment. The singers are quite strong for the most part, though it was sometimes hard to hear the women (Leslie McDonel and Gabrielle McClinton) in this production (mike check, anyone?)

Choreographer Steven Hoggett matches the in-your-face lyrics with strikingly angry moves, showing the frustration of being trapped in your own worst self. The production follows in the footsteps of louder, less traditional musicals like "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Rent" by giving us a rock concert version of underlying sentimental melodies. There are nice ballads too though, don't worry, such as "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" (no explanation necessary) and "Wake Me Up When September Ends" which enhances the diary entries Johnny provides us. "Extraordinary Girl" even includes some acrobatic moves with Scott J. Campbell and Nicci Claspell.

The difference between this and the afore-mentioned Broadway hits is that this show comes from an existing album, so lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong and Director Michael Mayer had to rearrange different orchestrations (with Tom Kitt) to allow a chorus of voices in on the action. And they do that very well. One nice characterization is the imaginary St. Jimmy (Joshua Kobak) who appears as Johnny's alter ego and embodies uniquely delightful punk, which is the heartbeat of this kind of music. In earlier versions, Armstrong himself appeared in this role and that must have been a real treat for the die hards.

Overall, Green Day's music is killer and makes up for the thin story. In other words, you probably won't remember the plot all that much, but those songs sure will stick with you. The hard-to-miss political elements fit right in with our world today too, hopefully allowing us to question how the next generation will  be affected by our decisions of today. Tell your parents the music is loud, but only because of the need to be heard. Oh and that also there is no intermission.

Get the original album here:


American Idiot Read more!

Edsel and the Time Machine

a kate west review

SGC Entertainment Group & Asian Journal Publications

Directors Fenny G. Pangan & Alvin H. Reyes

Musical Director Sonny Fernando

USC campus, Bovard Auditorium

3551 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90089

(213) 740-4211 or http://edselandthetimemachine.com/

performing July 16, 2011 @7 pm only

"The Golden Boy with the Golden Voice"

Edsel Sotiangco is touted as a gifted young musical prodigy from the Philippines, known as "The Golden Boy with the Golden Voice". He recently deemed to grace USC with his variety show "Edsel and the Time Machine" and some of us will never get those two hours back. A real family affair (Dad's a producer), Edsel tours with friends and relatives, taking the audience back through time with a song from every major decade from the 1930's to the present. This would be the fifth time the show has been mounted. A former child star, Edsel showed amazing potential to be a bonafide pop star and now in his teen years, he's still at it.

The essential "story" is framed around Edsel attempting to find a little meaning in a show he's done countless times before. The mysterious Shadow Man helps Edsel get through a tedious rehearsal by pointing out the origins of musical inspiration. This means we get to see cast members trying out different songs following video clips of unrelated songs from the same eras. That's pretty much it. The talent is uneven, ranging from terrible to good. Some singers (and some musicians) are even occasionally off-key. You'll see a Beatles impersonation and some interesting violin playing mixed in there. All this seems par for the course for the rabid fans who scream with delight each time Edsel appears or hear a song we all recognize (and that would be almost all of them).

Edsel himself spends his time going through the motions of the bare minimum plot. Yes, he has a good voice, but tonight's passion wasn't in it. Some singers got really into it, however. Allyson Cantimbuhan has a nice belty voice singing "I Will Survive". Not the best choice for someone so young and unjaded, but her stage presence makes up for that a bit. Other non-terrible acts include the de Jesus sisters (Toots, Nini, Toni and Zandi) tackling some Broadway tunes ("Aquarius" from HAIR and "One Night Only" from DREAM GIRLS) and Lianna Gutierrez. The back-up dancers do a fine job as well.

Overall, the show is a crowd-pleaser, albeit with a built-in fan base. The tunes are mostly familiar and some come across much better than others. The video tracks aren't all that well organized, lightly touching on the particular eras, but not really introducing the songs performed. If you're not part of the in crowd, you might get bored (again, it's a two hour show) so unless you revel in kitsch and cheese (and some people do and more power to you) you can save that fifty dollars (you heard that right, and some people didn't even get a program once they ran out).

CAST

Junn Aquino, Lianna Gutierrez, Erika Delos Santos, Allyson Cantimbuhan, Henry Pagkalinawan, Jr., Andy Tecson, Glynis Sotiangco, Toots De Jesus, Nini De Jesus, Toni De Jesus, Zandi De Jesus, Fenny Pangan, Al Rapisura

Read more!

U2 Live at the Rose Bowl

a kate west live event watch
Sunday, October 25, 2009

In these tough economic times, who goes to concerts anymore? Plenty of people, based on ticket sales. Well, but you can't and you hate that. But wait, there is a solution, especially for U2 fans. The famous Irishmen are appearing tonight at the Rose Bowl and YOU can watch them in the comfort of your own armchair with beer fridge armrests. Go to YOUTUBE at 8:30 p.m. and catch the legendary musicians in action. And don't drive to Pasadena - talk about serious traffic jams.

Read more!

South Pasadena Transit Authority

a kate west recommendation

What do Entertainment Industry types do to blow off steam? Form a band, of course (and maybe one of them did Production Design on "Angel" and "Dollhouse", my geekdom). Read on from www.spef4kids.com:

1st Annual School-Aid Benefit

On Saturday, September 19 at 8 PM, get ready to sing, dance and "bah bah bah BAH" along as our own local Chicago cover band, South Pasadena Transit Authority, plays a benefit concert in the parking lot of the South Pasadena Music Center with proceeds going to SPEF. By day... they're South Pasadenans like you and me: a film production designer, two writers, an Emmy-winning set decorator (okay South Pasadenans with more Emmys than you and me), a principal, two art directors, a school counselor, a physics teacher and a film location manager. By night, they're horn-blowin', guitar playin', harmony singin' hipsters who aren't ready to put their instruments or passion for music aside just yet. Opening for SPTA will be Cold Feet, a band of local youngsters from Walter Zooi's South Pasadena Music Center and Conservatory's School of Rock program. So come on out, bring your neighbors and enjoy a sensational night of music as local musicians rock it for a great cause. South Pasadena Transit Authority is: Ellen Totleben - Lead Vocals, Nadia Hillman - Back-up Vocals & Percussion, Peter Knight - Guitars, David Ford - Bass Guitar & vocals, Stuart Blatt - Drums & Vocals, Tomas Gaspar - Flute & Saxophones, Kendall Bennett - Trumpet, Paul Kikuchi - Trumpet, Scott Barton - Trombone and Timothy Hillman - Keyboards, guitar & vocals. What: 1st Annual SCHOOL-AID Benefit Concert Where: Parking lot of SP Music Center, 1509 Mission Street Who: South Pasadena Transit Authority & Cold Feet. How Much: $5.00 SPEF donation at the gate.

More Info:
http://southpasadenatoday.com/article.cfm?articleID=18195



Read more!

Spring Awakening

Spring Awakening
a kate west review

directed by Michael Mayer
music by Duncan Sheik
book & lyrics by Steven Sater
based on the book by Frank Wedekind
at the Ahmanson Theatre
Center Theatre Group
135 North Grand Ave, Los Angeles 90012
contact 213-628-2772
www.centertheatregroup.org or
www.springawakening.com
running October 29 - December 7, 2008

The hip multi-Tony-award winning (including Best Musical) "Spring Awakening" comes to Los Angeles at last, straight from Broadway. Likened to be as freshly liberating as Jonathan Larson's rock 'n roll version of "La Boheme" ("Rent") over a decade earlier, the show presents the tragedy of teen angst as universal truth, in any era. Based on the controversial 1800's German play by Frank Wedekind, the story encompasses all that is painful about growing up restricted and inhibited by misguided social morals.

Like the original, "Spring Awakening" the musical is set in 1800's Europe, where boys and girls know very little of each other and their need to express themselves leads them down some dark paths. Accompanied by a fantastic musical score by Duncan Sheik (lyrics by Steven Sater), generational German oppression gives way to pounding rock, eliciting wild cheers from audience members. The seriousness of the dialogue contrasts wonderfully with the free-spirited and raucous musical score, when the actors burst into song, filled with desperate emotional intensity. Abortion, homosexuality, masturbation, rape, suicide and lots and lots of plain old sex and lust are some of the striking issues this piece explores. So prepare yourself for some heavy heartaches (complete with adult language) and leave the young kids at home.

Christy Altomare is the fresh-faced Wendla, who wants to know where babies come from. Her Mother refuses to tell her, feeling that it is not a proper topic for a young lady. Blake Bashoff (most recently on television's "Lost") is the tortured Moritz, who keeps having sex dreams and is humiliated by them. Melchior (Kyle Riabko) is his confidante and classmate, who attempts to help him understand what's happening, while pursuing Wendla. Steffi D is slightly off vocally as Ilse, the runaway, and Martha (Sarah Hunt) confesses dark family secrets in "The Dark I Know Well". The arrogant Hanschen (Andy Mientus) and the innocent Ernst (Ben Moss) explore feelings and Otto (Anthony Lee Medina) lusts after older women. Angela Reed portrays all the adult women and Henry Stram all the adult men and everyone heartily stomps and belts their hearts out.

The music definitely makes the show. Among other thought-provoking gems, the women sing the sweetly lyrical "Mama Who Bore Me" as a plaintive lament over their ignorance of how life works. The school boys sing "The Bitch of Living" (also a popular You Tube video from the 2007 Tony Awards) on the unfairness of adults and school and life. A couple's first sexual experience happens with the beautiful "I Believe" and the ensemble sings "The Song of Purple Summer" to finish the show on a powerful note. Each song is another cry of help from youth stemming directly from the perplexity of censorship. Choreographer Bill T. Jones has the cast leaping and gyrating to the dramatic score, in sync with Michael Mayer's intriguing direction. The cast members often sing out to the audience in lone spotlights and some lucky audience members get to sit directly on stage and witness the excitement close up. A spare set conveys several locations, with a few chairs and a slowly swaying hay loft. Scenic Designer Christine Jones creates a towering stage wall, with eclectic pieces haphazardly strewn about. All this effort in production puts all the focus on the fierceness of feeling.

The overall mood of the piece is bleak indeed, but the strong passion and desire in the actors voices fills us with light. And the majority of the company is strong indeed. Afterward, you might want to sit down with your teenagers and set them straight on a few things. Even in this modern era of openness, they still may have a lot to learn, since, as depicted in the show, it doesn't matter when your adolescence takes place. It's all in the title. And a MUST see.

Get the Soundtrack Here:
Spring Awakening (2006 Original Broadway Cast)

The Original:
Spring's Awakening Read more!

Mike Got Spiked

Mike Got Spiked
a kate west recommendation

Mike Got Spiked is a kick-ass Irish rock band, currently taking the American musical scene by storm. Consisting of Gavin McGuire (lead vocals), Conall McMahon (lead guitar, vocals), Johnny Myles (bass guitar), David Lodge (drums, vocals) and ranging from all over Eastern Ireland (County Meath, Carrickmacross, Castleblayney, Drumconrath and Dublin), they've quickly grown from a local Irish group playing pubs to an international sensation, in just a few short years, and even recently seen at Los Angeles' famous Whiskey A Go-Go on the Sunset Strip.

First formed in June 2002, enchanted critics have labeled MSG "blender music" (mixing jazz, funk, ska, rock, punk, and metal). After debuting their amazing album, "Caveat Emptor", the band claimed influences from Incubus, Ben Folds, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Alice in Chains, Pantera and Slayer, to name a few, and the sound is unmistakeably hip. Their hit "Come Dancing" was featured on Irish television's "The Ex-Files". One can only assume that their irrepressible energy will take them down the path of stardom, faster than you can say "Danny Boy". Fiercely alive and vibrantly raucous, the passion of the band will send you into a joyous rockin' frenzy and you won't be able to resist buying their ultra cool Cd's and t-shirts, available at every concert. Then you can say you knew them when.

Singles:

1	All You Need	2:55
2	Whiskey For Me Tae	2:21

Mike Got Spiked videos:

1. 5 Second Heaven
   
2. All You Need
   
3. Aversion
4. To Have You Here

1. Live acoustic performance of speechless on Stim TV in Oxnard, CA. February 2007
2. Live acoustic performance of speechless on NTV in Kearney, NE. November 2007

Touring America in 2009!

WHISKEY A-GO-GO
8901 Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90069
310-652-4202
GET HERE EARLY.
On stage 8pm. Tickets $12 advance, $15 at the door.
www.whiskyagogo.com

From their very own blog:

Ireland got real small, real fast for mike got spiked, who bagged themselves a top 30 single and international five-star reviews for debut album Caveat Emptor within a couple of years of their formation in late 2002.

America beckoned for the schizo-rock four-piece, and a slot on the 2005 Vans Warped Tour alongside the likes of My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy and The Dillinger Escape Plan strengthened their conviction.

Subsequent support slots with Anthrax, Head Automatica, Biffy Clyro and Kerbdog showed them they were well able to take on the best in the business, and so began an 18-month American odyssey that took in 42 states, 130,000 miles and more than 300 shows.

Now based full-time in the USA, they are signed to Los Angeles management company Associated Talent Management, who also boasts the likes of The Dead Kennedys on their roster.

Relentless touring, record sales topping 11,000 units, hundreds of thousands of MySpace plays and a top 10 slot on the Warped Tour's official download chart have predictably helped the band turn the heads of record labels.

But rather than put out on the first date, the band is still flirting outrageously with the labels hovering nearby, having turned down a couple of deals last year.

Having finally parked the van for a couple of months to write their second album - slated for release by 2009's end - the band members are now preparing themselves for an all-out assault on minds and ears in the US and beyond.


Give a listen:
www.mikegotspiked.com and www.myspace.com/mikegotspiked


Hear them live:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rq-H8IMxYAo
&
http://www.flashrock.com/tv/video/786/MIKE-GOT-SPIKED-Rock-Experimental-Alternative

Read more!

Improv Everywhere

Improv Everywhere
a kate west reflection

This group, created by Charlie Todd in August 2001, brings chaotic joy to New Yorkers by creating "missions" of improv where they fake and trick their way around the city. For instance, giving a perfect stranger an impromptu birthday party, faking a suicide jump off a three-foot ledge and storming a BEST BUY store with everyone dressed in blue and tan, just like the employees. At best, they make people smile and at worst they humiliate, depending on your perspective, I suppose.

Their ultimate coup was becoming a screaming mob of fans for an unknown band called Ghosts of Pasha. Timed exactly, they filtered into a virtually empty performance space and gave the band "their best gig ever", dancing and quoting lyrics and begging for cds. Of course the musicians were overwhelmed and later confused and rather hurt. But time goes by and based on the band responses below, no harm was done so although it may initially have seemed rather cruel, everyone had a good time. So memorable an evening, Ira Glass picked it up for "This American Life" on NPR.

This type of guerilla theater is fun and funny when you're in your twenties, but a little more annoying the older you get. But then again, I'm irritated by a lot of things, from Burning Man (www.burningman.com) to SUVs, so it's definitely not my thing. Still they're not (seriously) harming anyone and even if people get upset, they either get over or they don't, but at the very least they will never forget their encounter with a brief bizarre left turn in life. We've obviously got bigger problems in the world.

www.improveverywhere.com


Band Responses:
Best Gig Ever: Band Response
Published on November 1, 2004 in Missions.

“I don’t know about you, but I feel like I have one life to live, and I choose to forever believe in what I felt that night. It’s my memory, and just because I was told it wasn’t real, doesn’t mean it didn’t feel real TO ME. What do I care just as long as I had a GREAT TIME?”

-Chris Partyka, GOP

It didn’t take long for Ghosts of Pasha (GOP) to figure out what had happened to them. We figured GOP would find the site sooner or later. A simple Google search of their own name would surely lead them to it eventually.

As it turns out, they found the site only a few hours after it was posted. Someone on our mailing list must have forwarded the link on to the band. It seems some of the members of GOP are from the New York / New Jersey area originally, and a few friends of IE are also friends of GOP. Small world.

A few days later GOP frontman Milo Finch emailed us a complete mission report from all four band members. Enjoy!

AGENT MILO FINCH (Vocals, Keys, Guitar)
As I drove home from the “best gig ever” the night was so aptly summed up by our guitar player when he said, “that was as creepy and unsettling as watching someone get hit in the back of the head with a pool cue and their eye popping out and rolling into the corner pocket.”

So you could imagine our relief from the strange felling when we found out what had really happened.

I was very hung over when I showed up to that show that night and really didn’t even feel like playing. But once we got into the swing of things is was business as usual for the band.

I couldn’t really see the crowd because of the lights in my eyes, so I never had a chance to see the fake tattoos and t-shirts. That would have been a big tip off to something being extremely wrong with the scene.

I have since been sent reeling into a paranoia questioning every person that I see. I even wrestled my waitress to the ground the other day because she seemed to be a little over zealous while taking my order.

I just want to say one thing to the “fans” that showed up that night: You know and I know that when the onstage tea bag happened you all rushed the stage out of pure rock and roll frenzy.

We rocked the place that night and you know it.

Thanks for a great night. I hope by the end of it all we really won you over as some true fans. Hope to see you again at one of our upcoming NYC shows.

This whole thing proves that all you need to do is put a few screaming fans in front of the Ghosts of Pasha and it won’t be long before we whip our cocks out and rock out.

Thanks -mf-

AGENT E-ZMONEY (AKAthecop) FROM THE GOP SQUAD (Drums)
I thought it was great, just when we needed people to come out to a show, you guys came through.

I knew something was up right away I wasn’t “caught unawares”.

I could tell there was some acting going on.

Chicken fighting? Fake tattoo? Come on! It was our second gig in NYC :}

Plus, have you ever been to a rock show in NYC? From the simple fact that you weren’t standing there staring with your arms folded raised a red flag.

I just moved out of the city a couple of months ago.

Who knows, maybe we know some of the same people!!! (wink,wink) Spread the word–we are. Check out this week’s issue of STEPPING OUT, I think you will find it interesting

See you all at Sin-’e For the GLASTA OF PASHA show 8:00pm

over and out
agent E-z-money, GOP

Congrats to Improv Everywhere!

AGENT BRAD (Bass)
I don’t really care. I play the bass.
Ghosts of Pasha/Rock Beat!!!!
I go into the club.

Thanks B

AGENT PARTYKA (Guitar)
First of all let me say that I had a great time and I have no negative feelings about this. This is also not the first time this has happened…We played a show a few months ago in Vermont where there were 100+ people chanting pasha,(really! it was so much fun..) and they were just as rowdy as you guys…you weren’t half as drunk as they were though…at least that I know of.. We just love to play and get really into it always…it just seemed unlikely that people in nyc, even though were from there(and our website at one point was #14 on gosites.com)..would know lyrics to songs that aren’t on the net…fortunately we were in the spirit of things and we aren’t jaded enough yet that we would stop the show and ask if it was a joke…we didn’t do it at our first 100+ show in Vermont and we would never stop a show anyway…its just too much fun.. Second, let me assure anyone reading the guestbook for improv everywhere that no one from this band would ever write in and be angry about this. Milo and I have backgrounds in theatre…you’d probably find if you hung out with us that we’re alot alike..*(except for that guy agent V, whom I heard really loves the band PHISH)

So any negative stuff you read there is not from us. Everyone seemed very nice. Its too bad that I’m very stage shy normally and never look at the crowd. Eho knows how excited I would have been if I saw makeshift ghosts of pasha tees. I might have even made eye contact with someone.

I read that someone posting in your guestbook was upset at you guys. That’s kind of stupid. We will take any exposure willingly given to us and we are very grateful to have been punk’d by the likes of you cats. Like I’ve already mentioned, we are all solid people and were strong enough to see this for what it is, which is a rocking good time had by all that just happened to start as a joke. We don’t care. I play because I love to, and we were feeding off of it and it made for a great show. So, everyone wins! I’ll close by saying this: Wouldn’t be great if there really were an outlet for Indie rockers and Hipsters to scream out their suppressed rage…football game style? Wouldn’t it be great if Indie rockers and hipsters could forget feeling self-conscious and just go “bat-shit?” I motion that we voluntarily vent our quiet Indie rock angst when we go see our favorite bands…fuck what everyone around thinks…just yell! Just dance! I don’t know about you, but I feel like I have one life to live, and I choose to forever believe in what I felt that night…it’s my memory, and just because I was told it wasn’t real, doesn’t mean it didn’t feel real TO ME. What do I care just as long as I had a GREAT TIME, and thanks to your improv troupe, I really did…Because honestly even though I would have pounded those songs out and still put my heart into it to 3 people like I always do. It was nice to trade energy with an adoring crowd, albeit a “fake” one…

Thanks, Chris

THANKS AGAIN TO IMPROVEVERYWHERE FOR THE GREAT CROWD!!!!
-FROM ALL THE MEMBERS OF GOP-

Agent Chris Partyka also posted the following in the Improv Everywhere guestbook:

You guys should make t-shirts and other memorabilia. I’d really like a t-shirt or a sticker that says something like “I’ve been punk’d by Improv Everywhere”. You guys are talented. I wish I wasn’t so shy when I play and that I looked up more. I don’t really have any memories to share with my band mates about it. I just played off of Milo’s reactions to you guys and stuck to that the whole time. Milo definitely has alot of specific moments he’s talked about. I think you guys helped show me that I shouldn’t shoe gaze so much. The point is though, our fire and energy originally comes from us, and then added in is whatever is going on around us filtered through Milo and our perceptions. What happened at Merc was perfect, intrinsically.

Ghosts of Pasha updated their website with a link to our report:

Improv Everywhere wishes Ghosts of Pasha the best of luck in all of their upcoming gigs. Be sure to visit their website to download their newest mp3’s and find out about their upcoming gigs. Long live GOP!

EPILOGUE:

The remaining two members of Ghosts of Pasha play the IE 5th Anniversary Show nearly two years after this mission. Read more!

Fleetwood Macbeth

“Fleetwood Mac,” by the Troubadour Theater Company
a kate west review
now playing at the Matrix Theatre, 7657 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood (800) 595-4849
February 19 – March 28, 2004

In Shakespearean time, theater was a bawdy, entertaining, interactive affair and audience members participated in their own raucous evening out. Shakespeare would have loved the Troubadour Theater Company. Troupe leader Matt Walker heads a company of professional improvisers, musicians and actors in a theater company that holds nothing sacred.

Their latest effort, “Fleetwood Macbeth,” stays true to their familiar style of wacky, irreverent fun. Set to the music of Fleetwood Mac, it is the classic story of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.” From the beginning of the play, we know this will be a very different experience as some of the actors mingle with the audience before the show and the pull some “volunteers” on stage. Latecomers are greeted with a house-lights-up joyous song and the actors talk to us throughout the entire play.

Morgan Rustler as Macbeth and Matt Walker as Banquo take us through the entire story, jumping from traditional Shakespearean soliloquies to pop culture references such as mega singer Janet Jackson’s recent Super Bowl faux pas. Choreographer Michelle Anne Johnson dazzles us with fabulous numbers, including many acrobatic feats and Musical Director Andre P. Holmes accents the show with his rockin’ band. Meanwhile, the actors sing familiar Fleetwood Mac hits such as “Don’t Stop.” Lisa Valenzuela is an especially strong singer as Lady Macbeth and the crew of witches, led by Beth Kennedy as Hectate, are a delightful chorus of talented singers and dancers. Matt Walker’s direction is tightly controlled, yet still allows for improv and nice rapport with the audience. Costume Designer Sharon McCunigle creates a combination of modern and olden Scottish wear and most of the actors sport crazy huge rubber feet.

For those who can’t remember their high school lit class, “Macbeth” is inspired by the witches and his wife to murder King Duncan (Travis Clark) and take his place. Violence begets violence and he murders his friend Banquo to prevent his rise to the throne and then slaughter the entire family of his rival Macduff (portrayed East Los Angeles “homie” style by Guillermo D. Robles). He is ultimately and justly defeated by Macduff and heir to the throne, Prince Malcolm (deliciously foppishly played by Guilford Adams). Lady Macbeth dies and Macbeth himself is killed, all of his blood lust having left him with nothing but anguish and disturbing hallucinations.

The dramatic moments in this production, especially Macbeth’s speeches, could have been heightened in order to better contrast the troupe’s zaniness. As a whole however, it is a rewardingly juicy show, highlighting lowbrow humor and a finely toned ensemble. Tremendous fun and definitely recommended.

Macbeth (Folger Shakespeare Library) Read more!