The Agony that is Watching “The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs”

With genius and popularity there always seems to be negativity and usually arrogance. No one embodies this more than Steve Jobs. He has been the star of much praise and ridicule, for no one has changed the world while being such a bully more than Jobs. So it should not really come as a surprise that Jobs and the practices of his legacy, Apple, is now being performed as a one man show which is currently appearing in Hollywood at the Theatre Asylum. “The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs” was actually created by Mike Daisey in New York over a year ago. Daisey is an avid technology geek and therefore a huge Apple fan. However his view of Apple was changed when he visited Foxconn in Shenzhen where pretty much everything we Americans buy is made.
Daisey created a monologue that combines the rise of Apple and a brief bio of its mastermind with the horrors that is Foxconn and how they are able to mass produce 50% of the worlds electronics including many Apple products.

Daisey was highly criticized for his performance of his monologue in New York because of some embellishments that he added to his story. Now, the monologue has been tweaked and has been published online for public use. Alex Lyras has taken this piece and decided to perform it as his own in a one man show platform.
After experiencing this bio/rant being performed by Lyras acting as Daisey, I can say that it is not very effective. It feels more like a presentation at a conference, yet in reality it is an acting piece. Lyras doesn’t help the impact of his performance any with the various missed slideshow cues and awkward spotlight changes. As a simple, but long winded one man show there should be a little more rehearsal, for if you are going to be in someone’s face telling them that what they spend most of their life doing is supporting sweat shops and suicides, then you better be very precise.

Overall this is not really a night of theater. It is a night of soap-boxing, and a poor one at that. I will say that it did make me think and the slide show format is powerful. Using pictures of the workers who make the iPhones and MacBooks by hand and the story of the Foxconn employee suicide rate, did make me stop and ponder about what else is happening around the world. Because of this, I do think Daisey’s words should be heard, however I think they might be more suited to a book than a night of theater. But then again, I am typing this on my iPad mini and editing it on my iMac, so perhaps I am the wrong person to ask.

–Mickala Jauregui

“The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs” plays Wednesday nights at Theatre Asylum until April 20th.

A Little Night of Theatre: Feb. 20th – 24th

“The Snake Can” – Runs Till Mar. 2nd – Odyssey Theatre – West Los Angeles
My Night Musing

**PICK OF THE WEEK – A MUST SEE**
“Walking the Tightrope” – Runs Till Mar. 30th – 24th Street Theatre – Downtown
My Night Musing

“A Family Thing” – Runs Till Mar. 17th – Stage 52 – Los Angeles
My Night Musing

“Complete” – Runs Till Mar. 30th – The Matrix Theatre – Los Angeles
Night Musing Coming Soon

“The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs” – Runs Wednesdays Till Apr. 10th – Theatre Asylum – Hollywood
Night Musing Coming Soon

The Echo Theater Company Tackles World Premiere of “A Family Thing”

In life there are many uncertainties, yet one certainty that many people turn to is family. Something many people assume everyone has. However, in today’s society it is very common to have a dysfunctional or completely non-functioning family. The Echo Theater Company presents such a family in the World Premiere of Gary Lennon’s “A Family Thing”. The three Burns brothers maneuver their way through life the best they can, after being partially raised by a drug addicted hooker of a mother and a murderous father. Two of the three follow in the footsteps lain before them, Jim (Johnny Messner) is fresh out of jail and has it out for his boozing, snorting, hooker loving older brother Frank (Saverio Guerra) who let him down so many years before. Both brothers are at a complete loss as to what to do with the youngest brother Sean (Sean Wing) who is a homosexual with an African American boyfriend.

 

This racist, unconventional, abandoned “family” struggles through their reunion after years of not speaking. They are forced to face each others problems while finding that most of them stem from the same reason: a lack of understanding and a feeling of never really being loved. This play is vulgar, a bit slow paced at times and overall contains very strong subject matter. Dealing with homosexuality, drug, alcohol and sex addiction, the cobwebs of one’s past, the uneasiness of new relationships, the heartache of old ones and the reality of death. There is a lot of heavy material in this play that it guarantees to be a conversation starter.

This piece is brutal and it grabs you by the collar and makes you pay attention. In order to do this it needs the right actors, which Echo has. A bevy of young talent from the stage, small and big screens, these performers are no strangers to a daunting script. Wing brings heart and despair to the youngest brother Sean in his search for understanding life. His interactions with his new found life coach/boyfriend Joe (Darryl Stephens) are truthful and touching. Stephens is equally as impressive in his attempts at understanding his new attraction and the family he comes from. Messner is frightening and yet there is something about his portrayal of Jim that leaves the audience feeling that there is something more than meets the eye to the jail-hardened middle brother. Guerra is the weakest link of the three brothers with his portrayal of the drowning eldest, Frank. Though you feel the desperation thriving deep in his character, Guerra often swallows his lines and it is ultimately hard to understand most of what he says.

The direction of this play is only slightly flawed. Chris Fields has taken this huge new piece of work and has made it his own creation. Certain scenes drag on too long, and some could probably be cut altogether. However, there is a lot to be thought of when one sees this play. It has a great story and one that many people will find they relate to. There are many back stories and several story lines, which at times can be hard to follow but the true arc of the play is family or lack there of and that is something anyone can understand. So as long as you are not offended easily and you want to strike a few chords within you, then head down to Stage 52 and delve deep into the reality of “A Family Thing”.

–Mickala Jauregui

“A Family Thing” plays at Stage 52 until March 17th.

A Little Night of Theatre: February 14th – 17th

**PICK OF THE WEEK – A MUST SEE**
“Around the World in 80 Days” – Last Weekend! – International City Theatre – Long Beach
My Night Musing

“Pick of the Vine” – Last Weekend! – Little Fish Theatre – San Pedro
My Night Musing

“The Snake Can” – Runs Till Mar. 2nd – Odyssey Theatre – West Los Angeles
My Night Musing

“Walking the Tightrope” – Runs Till Mar. 30th – 24th Street Theatre – Downtown
My Night Musing

“A Family Thing: – Runs Till Mar. 17th– Stage 52 – Los Angeles
Night Musing Coming Soon

24th Street Theatre is “Walking the Tightrope” with Their Thought Provoking Productions for Children

24th Street Theatre is all about community, reaching out to help others and providing a chance to see a high quality, thought engaging production to those who may not normally have that opportunity. They want to reach anyone and everyone they can but this season their main focus is the children. With their new LAb24, 24th Street Theatre is working on touching young audiences and introducing them with theatre that will teach them, inspire them and make them think. This is not your typical children’s theatre, it is a conversation starter for both minds of young and old. They want to approach subjects that can sometimes be hard to discuss and they are doing just that with their current production Walking the Tightrope. Written as a lyric poem by English playwright Mike Kenny, there were no stage directions of any kind when 24th Street first looked at this production, however with the superb direction by Debbie Devine, they have crossed that hurdle elegantly and perhaps even perfectly.

Walking the Tightrope is the story of Esme (Paige Lindsey White), a little girl who visits her Granddad Stan (Mark Bramhall) and Nana every year at the end of Summer. This year however, Nana is nowhere to be found. This story deals not only with the mountainous task of explaining death to a child but also how one must go on after the loss of someone they have spent most of their life with. Granddad Stan tires of Esme’s questioning and yet he cannot tell her the truth, so he tells her that Nana has joined the circus, fulfilling a lifelong dream of hers to be a tightrope walker.

This story is beautifully told in every aspect. Keith Mitchell has designed the set poignantly, by draping a circus tent around the set of Granddad’s house. It is simple yet at the same time it helps to tell the story, by having that fantasy of the circus always looming over the characters. The circus theme is played out even more with the onset music provided by Michael Redfield, who provides an exquisite background soundtrack from an upright piano on the side of the stage.

Adding to the production’s powerful presentation is Devine’s brilliant idea of having Nana’s memory always looming in the background as a silent, melancholy clown, played to heartbreaking perfection by Tony Duran. Duran’s character walks quietly around the stage never seen by the other characters. Watching over them as they go through the same motions they always did every year. Helping to point out where things were that only Nana had known, he is the spirit of Nana and it is tragic and yet beautiful at the same time. This play would not be as moving as it is if White’s performance as the young Esme wasn’t as convincing as it is. Though an adult herself, she embodies the mindset and mannerisms of a little girl and it never once bothers you that she is well beyond the young years that Esma is supposed to be. Your heart breaks with hers as she ventures through her holiday without Nana and her interaction with Granddad are sweet and yet torturous. Bramhall’s Granddad is lost and heartbroken at the loss of his lifelong partner. The way he muddles through everyday forced to remember that Nana is gone with Esme’s numerous questions, makes it feel real and taps into every fear we all have about death and losing those closest to us. When Esme finds Nana’s glasses in the couch, it is everything you can do not jump up and hug Bramhall forgetting almost all together that you are watching a work of fiction.

Fiction it may be, but this story is one we can all relate to. We all have to deal with death and by bringing in the idea of the circus Kenny and 24th Street are making it accessible to children. They want to start a conversation. So if you think this is a topic your child needs to start learning about, then this is the prefect conversation starter. If you don’t have children or do not want to bring them then still go see it. Walking the Tightrope is a phenomenal piece of theatre, and by the fact that there was not a dry eye in the house when I saw it, I am not the only one who thinks so.

–Mickala Jauregui

Walking the Tightrope plays Saturdays through March 30th.

A Little Night of Theater: February 7th- February 10th

Here at ALittleNightMusing, I have decided to make it as easy as possible to go enjoy some great local theatre in and around Los Angeles. Every Tuesday I will post what is playing that weekend.

Think of this as your one stop shop, find out what’s playing and if it’s any good!

“The Magistrate” – Feb 9th Only – James Bridge Theatre – UCLA

“Pick of the Vine” – Runs Till Feb. 16th – Little Fish Theatre – San Pedro
My Night Musing

“Around the World in 80 Days” – Runs Till Feb. 17th – International City Theatre – Long Beach
My Night Musing

“The Snake Can” – Runs Till Mar. 2nd – Odyssey Theatre – West Los Angeles
My Night Musing

“Walking the Tightrope” – Runs Till Mar. 30th – 24th Street Theatre – Downtown
Night Musing Coming Soon

5 Actors go “Around the World in 80 Days” with 39 Different Characters

A rich time-obsessed Englishman, Phileas Fogg, takes a challenge he is sure he will win, while everyone else deems it impossible. He grabs his French servant and embarks on the most absurd, well put together and exceptionally funny stage adaptation of “Around the World in 80 Days”, now playing at International City Theatre in Long Beach. This well-renown Jules Verne novel is now a play by Mark Brown, and it features a true farce of an adventure as Fogg sets out to prove that a person can in fact travel around the world in 80 days. This production is filled with more quick changes than you have ever seen before and on opening night they nailed every single one of them. However, be at peace, for these performers are well trained in improve and if anything does go wrong, such as facial hair falling off during a scene, they take it and run, working it right into the hilarity that is the context of the play.

Full of somersaults, slap stick, prat falls and everything that has been in the theatre since Vaudeville, this play has something for everyone. Each actor, except for Jud V. Williford who plays the venturing Fogg, plays a dozen roles at least and they act all of them superbly, with absolute no overlap of expression, gestures or accents, which there are dozens. Each actor is so phenomenal that I must highlight all five of them, which is something I do not normally do.
Williford plays the straight man to the entire cast. His Fogg is direct, concentrated, determined and he never lets any of the highly absurd situations dissuade him from his plans. Michael Uribes cartwheels his way into your heart with his rendition of Fogg’s servant as well as other whacky loveable characters. Brian Stanton has mastered the art of stair pratfalls and though he features it throughout the play it never gets old, he keeps it fresh, which is a real talent. Mark Gagliardi is one of the most versatile character actors around. He plays multiple characters within two minutes of each other and never misses a step. The lone female of the cast, Melina Porto is perfection. From her long faced Chaplin-esque butler, to her enchanting Indian princess. The entire cast is superb and their stellar talent alone makes it worth seeing this show.

To rein in a cast of this talent is a feat in itself,  but the staging of this play is just as important as the level of acting you must find. Director Allison Bibicoff has taken this madness of a play and presented it to its full potential. Bibicoff obviously has a talent for directing and her presentation of this play could very well be remembered throughout the year and be in the running for many “Best of” lists. I don’t say this much, but this production is a MUST SEE. So head down to Long Beach and thank me later.

“Around the World in 80 Days” plays through February 17th.

–Mickala Jauregui

“The Snake Can” Springs into its World Premiere at a Snail’s Pace

That strange, yet always dreadful toy/prank that jumps out at your unsuspecting soul and explodes in your face. It launches a range of emotions including anger disappointment and slight pleasure, because someone has cared enough to prank you. “The Snake Can” a new play by Kathryn Graf, now in its world premiere at the Odyssey Theatre in West Los Angeles, takes it name from this classic gag and covers many of the same emotions one feels when they open such a can.

The play stars Jane Kaczmarek from “Malcolm in the Middle” as one of three middle aged women facing the loneliness and unsureness that comes with relationships or lack there of. Kaczmarek and co-star Sharon Sharth bring depth and truly realistic emotion to their characters and their journeys. You can see them as real people just trying to keep afloat in the rough waters that is life. The men in the play are all rather enjoyable and complement their female counterparts well.
Where this play loses spark is in the direction and perhaps the writing. It is hard to tell the true nature of this play because the tempo was rather slow and the staging very awkward. The themes and characters in this play are charming and worth exploring, but there seems to be a missing link somewhere. The stage is a decent size and they use all of it, even though many of the scenes are very intimate and would probably benefit from a smaller setting. Director Steven Robman seems to be a little widescreen minded in his staging, which is a great distraction in this particular theatre and with this particular piece.
During the past year I have noticed a newer fad of staging. Where the actors no longer just play to the audience but they truly face their fellow actors and play to them. I have liked most of what I have seen of this method, however it can turn deadly at times, which it did during this play. A one point Sharth stood with her back to the audience and if anyone was sitting in the vicinity (which I was) their view would be completely blocked of anything except her back. This did not add anything but it did in deed subtract from my overall experience of seeing the play.
Overall “The Snake Can” has its moments and since there are four more weekends in its run, there is still the possibility of upgrading to being a rather enjoyable play. It provides a few chuckles and a few touching thoughts and with a little tweaking of staging and faster pace it could do so much more. It is a great idea of a play, but in its current state it is not too much more than just an idea.

“The Snake Can” runs at The Odyssey Theatre in West Los Angeles Thurs-Sun through February 24th.

–Mickala Jauregui

DOMA’s “Avenue Q” Extends its Run

Looking for a great show to take your friends to over the Holidays, well then this is it! If you want to see something a little more risque than the usual Holiday show then rush over to the MET Theatre and check out their smash hit production of Avenue Q. Due to popular demand the DOMA Theatre Co. has extended the run by almost two months. Read my original review of the production here and see just why it is one not to miss!

Now Playing through February 3rd.

Fridays @ 8 pm: Nov 30; Dec 7, 14, 21; Jan. 4, 11, 18, 25; Feb. 1 (dark Dec. 28)
Saturdays @ 8 pm: Dec 1, 8, 15, 22; Jan. 5, 12, 19, 26; Feb. 2 (dark Dec. 29)
Sundays @ 3 pm: Dec 2, 9, 16, 23; Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27; Feb. 3 (dark Dec. 30)
Sundays @ 7:30 pm: Dec 2, 9 and 16 only

The Odyssey’s Newest Experiment Definitely Leaves You in the Dark

You walk into the dimly lit Odyssey Theatre and find your seat with the help of the flashlight bearing usher and you wait. The lights dim to blackness and don’t come back up for ninety minutes. During this extremely long blank voyage we are treated to a symphony of sounds, plays, poems, radio dramas and more. “More Dark” is the second in a pair of works entitled “Theatre in the Dark”, a series of short plays done in total darkness conceived by Ron Sossi and Sally Essex-Lopresti. The idea is to enhance the senses, bring a new understanding to work you may or may not be familiar with. In the end, though a fascinating idea, it is not one easily understood or enjoyed.
The first fifteen minutes of this experience are intriguing. The actor’s voices come at you from various points throughout the theatre, moving away from you, next to, behind you and in front of you. With a mix of recorded voices, live voices, background horns and whistles, along with music, you are definitely taken through a journey of sound.

During the first half hour there is a rendition of the Edgar Allen Poe poem, “Tell-Tale Heart”. It is an eerie poem that has always creeped me out. Here it is told in complete darkness except for a minuscule use of light as the speaker opens a door to peer into the room of his victim. It brings this poem to life and it was eerie to the core, true to Poe’s intent. Beyond that and the brief excerpt from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream the rest of the evening left me uncomfortable and sleepy.
About eighty minutes into the piece they shine a horridly bright spotlight on the entire audience in a cruel attempt to simulate the light many people talk about seeing in near death experiences. The only emotion this experiment made me feel was pain. Perhaps this was a metaphor, perhaps we were supposed to take something away from this unusual sensory experience, but all I walked away with was spots in my eyes and a massive headache paired with ringing in my over stimulated ears.

I will give props to the performers of this interesting piece. It cannot be easy to get a character across without the use of facial expressions, costumes and sets.In fact I think the actors did a great job and I am utterly fascinated with their clothesline system of getting across the stage. However the enthusiasm of the cast alone is not something that can save this production.

I am all for experimental theatre ~ try something new, get your voice out there. However, in order for that experiment to be successful it should probably be enjoyable or moving in a positive way. Otherwise you are not going to get the reactions out of your audience that you are hoping for. All in all this newest creation from the Odyssey is not for everyone and not to my personal liking. However, if you like trying new things and want to experience something completely different then head to West L.A. For either “Dark” or “More Dark” playing in repertory through December 16th.