Memo To LA Theater Lovers

[Frankly Rich]

When I lived in New York, I liked taking the chance on a small Off-Off-Broadway play, because one could be amply rewarded. This is what happened to me on Saturday night in LA. I had received an email from theatermania.com touting a play called One In The Chamber. It was receiving rave reviews, yet they had to offer a 50% off coupon! So, for $12.50 plus $3.50 service charge, I saw the play at the Lounge Theater on Santa Monica Boulevard.

 

It's 75 minutes long, without intermission, and boy does it crackle. The acting is just superb. There are 5 roles, and by the end it was impossible to see these people as other than the characters they play- they were that good.

 

The show is about a family being visited by a social worker. The 16 year old son was on parole for killing his 9 year old brother six years ago, when he was 10. He may be released from parole, depending on how the social worker's visit goes. So what we get is each individual acting his or her emotions of loss following the death of the brother/son. It's just superb, or did I say that? Use the code MANIA to get 50% off at

https://www.plays411.net/newsite/boxoffice/cart.asp?show_id=3869&skin_show_id=&orgin=guest You can thank me after you see it!

 

Today I saw Broadway Bound, directed by Jason Alexander at the Odyssey Theater on the West side. Of course I had seen it on Broadway with Mathew Broderick, and today's Eugene, even though he did a fine job, lacked the charisma of young Mathew. Yet all the actors did well, and it is a nice set. It just didn't impress me as much as One in The Chamber.

 

One in the Chamber: Runs

Sat, Jul 12 – Sun, Sep 07

Friday and Saturdays @8pm

Sundays @7pm

 

Broadway Bound through September 28th

http://www.odysseytheatre.com/

[Frankly Rich]

As an aside, I noted that neither show started on time. The Lounge holds about 75 people, all of whom were in place at 8 pm, yet the show didn't start until 8:10.

The Odyssey was worse. It's a bit larger than the Lounge, but still, all were seated by 2, yet it didn't start until 2:15- no explanation or apology. The people running the Lounge were nicer than the people running Odyssey, ictm.

[Frankly Rich]

I directed my thread to LA theater lovers, and neither of them responded!

[actor61]

I directed my thread to LA theater lovers, and neither of them responded!

 

Having been an actor in L.A. and an audience member in L.A., I'll respond - I have nothing good to say about theatre in L.A. I have worked in the big houses in full Equity productions and I have worked in the small waiver houses where I paid THEM. L.A. audiences, no matter the theatre, are always late and subsequently, no show starts on time. I cannot tell you the number of times I have stood behind the curtain after places have been called and waited 10 and 15 minutes for people to be seated so that the show can start. People say it's because of traffic and I have one answer to that: Leave earlier. If I can get there on time, so can you.

 

In the live theatre (and even worse in the movie theatres), L.A. audiences love to talk, eat, talk some more, eat, drink, slurp, talk some more, text, answer phone calls, talk, eat and talk some more. They also like to leave early. We used to call our curtain calls 'bowing to the butts" because at the end of the show, at least 50% of the audience is heading up the aisles, thinking that if they get to their cars sooner, they'll get out the parking lot easier. Yeah. Right.

 

I'm leaving L.A. for good in October. I've had enough of the traffic, the people, the traffic and the people. Did I mention the traffic and the people? I've been here since 1977 and this city has become a cesspool.

 

I'd love to hear from other actors in L.A. and if their impressions and experiences have been the same. There is some awfully good work being done here, and I have seen some wondrous productions of exciting new works and reinventions of known works with superb actors but it is all undervalued and undermined by the rude, inattentive behavior of the audiences. A while back there was a thread concerning an actor who went ballistic during a local production of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof". I know the actor and it was really out of the ordinary behavior for him but I understand perfectly what goaded him into taking action. There have been occasions when I've wanted to jump off the stage and scream into somebody's face "Knock if off! We're working here!" Alas, I never had the guts. My fantasy is that some day I'll be onstage and I'll see someone texting and I'll rip the phone out of his/her hand and crush it underfoot. I'm not a Patti Lupone fan but I found respect for her when I saw the You Tube video of her stopping "Rose's Turn" to berate someone who was taking picture. I sat in front of that mumbling, "You go, girlfriend! Kick the fucker out!"

[+ WilliamM]

Actor61, I remembered that you played Kurt in one of the first tours of "The Sound of Music" with Florence Henderson, if my memory is correct. If so, could you talk a little about the difference between touring in 1961 and today. I realize that if you toured with Florence Henderson, Rodgers & Hammerstein would have been sure to do everything right.

 

(Note: Hammerstein died in August 1960, so change it to Rodgers and Hammerstain, Inc., & some people may not know that Hammerstein's home in Bucks County, PA is now a bed & breakfast)

[Frankly Rich]

I did point out that in both shows I attended, the audience was in their seats on time. It was the theater that delayed. I agree on LA traffic, but wouldn't that cover another thread? As would acting with Florence Henderson... We have plenty of space for more threads, but I still hope someone sees One In The Chamber and comments on it.