I have not posted an update since the end of 2007 because (in addition to being consumed by my work on the Obama '08 campaign) there was not much new theater worth mentioning in the first five months of 2008. A January trip to New York included another visit to "August: Osage County" (which was again great) and an interesting, if flawed musical premiere, "Next To Normal" at Second Stage. An April trip to New York yielded a disappointing "Gypsy," (Patti LuPone = unmitigated scenery chewing), an overwrought "Macbeth," and interesting but cold new musical entitled "Adding Machine."
Don't even get me started on theatrical drought that Los Angeles was proving to be in '08. At least until early May. The drought ended with a moving and well cast reading of "Goldfish," a new play by John Kolvenbach that was featured as part of South Coast Rep's 2008 Pacific Playwrights Festival. It has been announced as one of next season's plays at SCR, one which I will definitely see again. The next day I was fortunate to catch La Jolla Playhouse's outstanding production of Moises Kaufman's new play "33 Variations," which featured an amazing performance by Jayne Atkinson as an ailing Beethoven scholar. If this play makes it to Broadway (and it deserves to), I think it would be a success both commercially and critically. (Note: my immense respect for the works of Richard Greenberg will prevent me from telling you what I thought about his odd new play entitled "The Injured Party" at South Coast Rep.)
Today, I saw yet another fine work at the Theatre @ Boston Court in Pasadena in the form of "1001" by Jason Grote. I was totally entranced by this unique and challenging work that at first confuses and then slowly reveals itself and its timely and probing themes. I left the theater wanting to see the show again, which I hope to do before it closes on June 8. As this is the only show recommended in this post that is still playing in Los Angeles, I recommend this show above all others I have seen that are playing in LA at this time.
I will be back to New York in a few weeks to see "South Pacific," "Sunday In The Park With George," "Saved," and "Passing Strange" (again). My report will follow that trip, which I hope will provide further candidates for my Recommendation list on the right side of this blog.
