"The Merry Wives of Windsor" A great way to brush up your Shakespeare

If you have never seen a Shakespearean production live on-stage, not too worry. The perfect remedy is available to all until September 28, 2008, at San Diego's famous Old Globe Theatre complex located in Balboa Park.



The 2008 company of players is performing, in repertory, three of Shakespeare's works over the Summer in the outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre. This season features: "Romeo & Juliet", arguably the greatest tragic love story in the English speaking world, "All's Well That Ends Well", the story of Helena and Bertram and the testing of a lover's resolve, a testament to tenacity during a time when women were to be seen and not heard, and "The Merry Wives of Windsor", the Bard's paeon to bawdiness, bluster, and the romantic misadventures of his favorite comic character, Sir John Falstaff.

Repertory productions are unique in that they feature actors playing a minor role in one play and then performing as the star character in another. The convention is rewarding for the actors and gratifying for the audience. Case in point, Heather Wood plays Juliet, and then a saloon girl in "Merry Wives". Eric Hoffman plays a merchant in "All's Well", and the lead Sir John Falstaff, in "Merry Wives".

Of the three productions currently on view at the outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre, "The Merry Wives of Windsor", deftly directed with style and flair by Paul Mullins, is the lightest and the most fun for the audience. Elizabethan English theatre was the "people's choice awards" of it's day. It was often rowdy and sometimes randy. If the actors failed to please, they had to dodge objects hurled at the stage. Acting, as a profession during the Bard's time, easily qualified one for hazardous duty pay.

Mullins, in updating the production, moves his cast into an 1880's American Western setting complete with Saloon, dancing girls, and assorted town characters. Part of the fun and enjoyment is listening to that great Shakespearean dialogue coming out the mouths of rough and ready types and never doubting or misunderstanding for a minute what is being said. As a friend confided to me, "Don't miss it, the production's a hoot !"

Eric Hoffman as Sir John Falstaff, plays him as a puffed-up peacock with amorous intentions toward every female who comes within his view. His bluster and braggadacio is full of the sound and fury of comic sexual conquest but always falls just short of victory. Hoffman, however, does his likeable roue portrayal with energy and gusto.

Providing able support are three actors who also know how to talk the talk and walk the walk of farce. Bruce Turk, as the husband of one of the wives Falstaff takes a liking to, is especially adroit in the role of Frank Ford. His timing and moves are classic farce. Katie MacNichol as Mistress Ford, and Celeste Ciulla as Mistress Page, are more than a match for the on-stage shenannigans of Hoffman's Falstaff. And Wynn Harmon, as the French doctor, is another actor who knows his way around a farcical scene when he finds himself in one. As a matter of fact the entire company is a delight to watch. If you go, bring a jacket or a shawl as the night air can be a bit nippy in Balboa Park in September.

On one hand this production may not be your definitive Shakespearean vehicle but on the other hand - loosely paraphrasing Cole Porter - it sure is a fun way to "brush up your Shakespeare". "The Merry Wives of Windsor", "Romeo & Juliet", and "All's Well That Ends Well" perform in rep until September 28th. Contact the Box Office at http://www.theoldglobe.org/

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Review of The Old Globe - "Beethoven As I Knew Him"

The Old Globe Theatre of San Diego continues to offer subscribers and patrons a series of first rate, eclectic productions. Case in point, the world premiere of the current Hershey Felder production "Beethoven, As I Knew Him" now on the main stage.

It's a skillful and studied one-man performance by a master pianist and portraitist who enriches the Beethoven legend, both musically and anecdotally. (Felder also performs as Frederic Chopin and George Gershwin at The Old Globe this June in a series he's entitled The Composer Sonata.)

As Dr. Gerhard von Bruening, one of the characters Felder portrays says, "Mozart was the voice of God, and if that's true, then Beethoven must be the fingers of God." As the irascible genius Beethoven, Felder displays his considerable talent as a concert pianist with sensitive and assured technical renditions of the Pathetique Sonata and the Piano Sonata 14, better known as the Moonlight Sonata.

What makes the performance all the more satisfying is Felder's ability as actor to deliver lines while playing some of the world's best loved classical music. It's a special gift he displays with feeling and relish. It's a 90 minute dazzling tour de force of glorious music and inspired theatre.

As unique a talent as Hershey Felder is - he wrote the text for the show - he doesn't do it all by himself. Without the keen and creative eye of director Joel Zwick ( a seasoned stage, movie and TV director), scenic designer Francois-Pierre Couture, and production designers Andrew Wilder and Christopher Ash, I doubt the culmulative effect of this production would have the impact it does.

We are visually treated to a stage production that makes the most of the performing disciplines: a piano concert, singing, stage acting techniques, along with a multi-media presentation - brilliantly blended with nuanced graphic overlays - and a lighting plot that makes the entire evening a visual and auditory delight.

The night I attended a special treat was in store for the audience. Following the conclusion of the performance, Felder announced from the stage that he would be most happy to entertain questions from the audience. "Please ask whatever you want and I'll try to answer all of your questions. Anything. About Beethoven, the script, anything. It's my pleasure."

With that invitation the questions from the audience flowed to the stage. For the next 30 minutes with grace, charm, and humor - the tools of the consumate professional - he shared his passion for music, the arts, and the need for communication between performer and audience. For those who feel the chasm between performer and audience is often too wide, on this night, they experienced a rare evening of closeness and candor. It's hard to converse with a movie screen or have interesting and insightful discourse with a performer in the midst of 50,000 rock concert fans. But in the world of live theatre everything is possible. That's the beauty and uniqueness of live theatre.

When Hershey Felder performs his "Monsieur Chopin" homage to the great Polish composer from June 11 thru June 22; seats at The Old Globe will be hard to get. Following on the heels of Chopin, Felder's tribute to American music comes in the form "George Gershwin Alone" which he presents June 25 thru June 29; for a limited one week engagement. Over the last ten years, Felder has performed his Gershwin show more than 2300 times all over the world.

Tickets to see his Gershwin tribute also will be very hard to come by. But if you attend you will learn things about Chopin and Gershwin from Hershey Felder you never knew before; I guarantee it! Don't miss either of these shows. You won't be disapointed. Contact The Old Globe box office at http://www.theoldglobe.com/.

Review - "Of Mice and Men", at the Pasadena Playhouse, May 14, 2008

John Steinbeck's 1935 seminal novel and play about shattered dreams still resonates with audiences more than 70 years later. Set against the backdrop of California's migrant worker programs in the 1930's, some of the characters in "Of Mice and Men" may have Anglo names but most of the actors on the stage at The Pasadena Playhouse have Hispanic accents and heritages, save a few, who retain their ethnicity as originally written by one of America's only two Nobel Laureate's in Literature and Theatre (Eugene O'Neill being the other)

Thanks to the inspired vision of Artistic Director Sheldon Epps, and the creative chops of director Paul Lazarus, a fresh new approach to the powerful subject matter of the drama becomes a reality. They say timing in show business is everything; the time for relevancy and understanding the complex issues that surrounded the migrant harvest worker program then is still an issue in the here and now.

The usual complaint from the younger generation ( ages 18 to 35) concerning the world of live theatre is that's it's not relevant for them. Bah, Humbug! The arts have always led the way in drawing attention to compelling social issues and causes in need of redress. Just check the works of Voltaire, Zola, Moliere or Charles Dickens, all of whom had relevancy in their time, and all of whom had their work made into plays; contributing to changes in the social fabric of their times.

Steinbeck's now classic tale of California's itinerant farm workers is set in the San Joaquin Valley during the 1930's. It's the story of George and Lennie who, if judged by today's standards, would probably be labeled as marginal losers. The best way to describe their relationship is that of a caretaker, or parent (George) and his dependent, child (Lennie) a gentle, mentally-challenged giant of a man who has a fatal attraction to soft hair.

George is always looking out for Lennie; protecting him against the world and from himself. He is also aware of Lennie's shortcomings and when the farm dog has a litter of puppies, George warns Lennie to stay away from them. But Lennie's desires get the better of him and he sneaks in to see the pups, and ends up killing one of them.

Tensions mount when ranch hand Curley, newly married to a local girl, imagines every man is making passes at his bored wife. George and especially Lennie become Curley's targets when Curley's wife is seen hanging around the ranch house. Curley's wife is hungry for emotional satisfaction from anyone who will pay attention to her. It's a character flaw that ultimately ends in tragedy

There is so much to recommend in this production. There are so many creative and clever touches by this talented cast. For starters, the portraying of the migrant farm workers, not as displaced "Okies" from the dust bowl of the 1930s, but as hard working human beings is a fresh and welcome take. Lazarus deftly frames his production along the lines of California's Bracero Program then in vogue during the 40's and 50's. It's an inspired idea, and of course, is very historically accurate.

David Norona as George, the world-weary realist and protector of Lennie, delivers a finely crafted performance brimming with ambivalence; doubt, optimism, and compassion. Al Espinosa, brilliantly portrays the gentle, child-like giant Lennie. His every move, gesture and hand positioning is right on the money. From the leonine head and wonderfully expressive eyes and face, Espinosa captures the heart and soul of Lennie, to say nothing of the audience.

Joshua Bitton's Curley, the paranoid husband who imagines everyone making passes at his wife, is an accident waiting to happen, and happen it does. Thomas Kopache, as Candy the old worker who sacrificed his hand for the farm, evokes sympathy when it comes to the fate of his long time pet. Alex Mendoza as Slim, Gino Montesinos as Carlson, Sol Castillo as Whit, Josh Clark as The Boss, and Curtis C. as Crooks, the black stablehand who is ostracized from the rest and sleeps in the barn, are solid performances. The role of Curley's wife is played by Madison Dunaway, who plays her as more of a lost soul trying to escape her suffocating life with Curley than as a femme fatale as portrayed in the 1937 movie.

When the movie was released in 1937, a young Betty Field portrayed Curley's wife with such conviction, she incurred the wrath of America's movie-going female population who refused to accept that she was just an actor playing a role. As a result, she was never quite able to shed the memory of that character as far as movie fans were concerned and her career sort of sputtered into lesser character roles. It was a case of doing one's role too convincingly.

I have seen this play performed many times, and the characters were always played as Anglos, not local people of color, except for the character of Crooks. By having the characters played by Hispanic actors, who from time to time, sprinkle their dialogue with Spanish words and expressions, enriches the performance and doesn't alter the dramatic intention of Steinbeck's master work a wit. It plays ! And on more than one level, too. And it comes at a time when this story needs to be seen by new generations.

If young people are looking for relevance in today's society, they need look no further that this thought-provoking play now on the stage of The Pasadena Playhouse. It's a wonderful production. It runs until June 8th. Don't miss it. Contact the box office at 626-356-7529.

Review - "Thanks For The Memories" at La Quinta Playhouse, CA

The question of whether a playwright can successfully blend two creative art forms, in this case radio and live theatre, into a winning evening of entertainment becomes a bit of a no-brainer in the case of "Thanks For The Memories" by local Coachella Valley playwright and director/ critic/journalist Gary Walker. Walker's paean to old-time radio which was recently produced at the La Quinta Playhouse, in La Quinta, CA is a loving testament to an art form that, I'm sorry to say, is long gone from the American entertainment scene.

Radio dramas, comedies, and soaps were the standards of home entertainment long before TV or the internet was invented. In the 1930s and 40s the writers, actors, and producers relied on the imagination of the listeners to "see and feel" the story that was taking place in their kitchens or living rooms every day and night. Radio was an important member of every family. It provided news, entertainment, and necessary information - like the next day's weather report or which cereal or laundry soap to purchase on the way home from work that night.

Walker's story is set in 1959 and revolves around the people and characters of radio station KRUM, Portland, Oregon, as they go through their last day on the air. The station which refused to change its format, is closing due to a changing listenership, low ratings, and the vagaries that plague any small market owner-operated radio station or business. As the audience, we see the actors at their mikes reading their character dialogue in the radio show within the play. We also get to know the station personnel and how each reacts to KRUM radio's final show. Walker is no stranger to the genre of old time radio. His Saturday Radio Matinee productions begins its fourth season in the Coachella Valley in October of this year.

Comparisons are odious at best, but one can't help being reminded of Garrison Keillor's homage to rural midwest life in Lake Wobegone, Minnesota, via his long time radio show "Prairie Home Companion". It was a staple on Public radio stations across America for over 25 years. However, in Walker's Oregon, the characters are just as irrascible, just as rural, just as whimsical, and just as interesting as any characters Keillor dreamed up. Walker, who also directs the production, has created a true ensemble of talented actors. One of the unique aspects of "Thanks For The Memories" is that every performer is, or was, a member of one or more of the country's professional unions, including two performers who actually performed on various radio shows of that era.

The cast features local piano and jazz-singing legend Yve Evans as Millie Farmer, the music director of the station. Former movie and TV actress Patsy Garrett plays Mavis Krum, the owner-operator who must close down her radio station and pink slip her friends and employees of many years. Real life announcer Don Martin plays Wendell Chiles, the local boy who got his announcing start at KRUM and then moved on to the big time. John Rayner, a retired New York actor, and now a playwright in his own right, portrays the cumudgeonly Claiborne Calhoun, while Shep Sanders, a Chicago native, who performed in radio serials and also in movies and TV with Steve McQueen and John Wayne, plays Chick Little the station engineer. Broadway star, actor/singer Donna Theodore, who still can be heard and seen performing concerts and one-woman shows in the desert and Los Angeles, plays Georgia May the former wife of Wendell Chiles who still has feelings for him but won't admit it, and Wayne Tibbetts, an actor/director/dancer who plays Milo Manning, "the man of a hundred voices" - which kinda says it all about his character and role in the show. Every small radio station in America in those days had a "Milo Manning" stashed somehere in a back room who was on call 24/7.

It was a sweet slice of nostalgia that was lovingly performed and produced by a professional cast and looked it. No matter the actors were mostly retired. If you closed your eyes from time to time, they sounded pretty young, or at whatever age your imagination wanted them to be. That was the beauty of radio. It was the ultimate anonymity trip - and if you were an older actor it got even better - you didn't have to memorize your lines anymore. Ahh, the good old days of radio.

Baghdad Comes To California

If one motors up twenty miles north from Palm Springs to Joshua Tree, California, it looks and feels like just annother sunny spring day in Paradise - until that is, you enter the High Desert Cultural Center Blak Box Theatre.

Once inside, you find yourself in an alien environment. You are visually and audially transported to the middle east. Once the haunting call to prayers by an unseen muzzein diminishs and the echos of the street sounds fade throughout the theatre, the audience hears the powerful roar of Huey helicopters approaching. The roar is deafening and disorienting as it surrounds the audience capturing our senses and our imaginations - we and the players in the production - are now about to experience "Another Day In Baghdad".

The current play at the Joshua Tree theatre is a diary of sorts, written by retired Iraq War veteran Major David A. Tucker II. The story is told from the point of view of the troops in the field. It is their stories and their experiences we witness - without the benefit of Washington "spin doctors" or media bias. Program notes inform us that all the weapons, uniforms, and gear employed buy the actors in the production is authentic.

The plot, such as it is, follows a squad of Army reservists from the time they board their aircraft and deploy to Baghdad, to the time the when they return home from that tour of duty a year later.

Along the way the audience is exposed to the realities of war and to the decisions and choices that must be made when an Army is engaged in all aspects of war. Forget John Wayne and Hollywood war movies. This is not your grandfather's war story. This is now. This is the story of a conflict and the dilemma confronting the young men and women of America today. The dilemma is the need to serve, to obey, and do "the right thing" and still be true to oneself in a 21st Century Army. That's a tough job for the under 30 group. But, it's an even tougher assignemnt for the older professional soldiers who must lead them.

"Another Day In Baghdad" is co-directed by New York professional actor and playwright Ron House, and actor/director Rebecca Havely. This directing duo puts their creative heads together in a clever and imaginative way; resulting in a taut, compelling drama that is devoid of "anti-war" or "pro-war" positions and polemics which is so popular with today's newspapers, TV, radio, and Washington insiders and pundits.

There is a human interest aspect to the production that's worth mentioning. When director House cast Greg Crabill, a real-life naval Commander and military doctor in the role of the Commander in the play, he didn't forsee the possibilty of his leading actor being called up and deployed to Afganistan, which of course, is exactly what occured just three weeks before the opening. House then had to make a few artistic decisions. First, in the interests of time, he stepped into the role himself. Second, he asked Havely to co-direct to keep everything on an even keel.

The cast of fifteen, three of whom have never acted before, aquit themselves most convincingly, right down to the three small children's roles. Standouts are: Corbett Brattin, as the Top Sargeant. Sherry Powell as the arab translator, Manuel Rincon, as Mustafa, Abe Daniels, as the Lt. Colonel, Jeff Wood, as Sgt. Calloway, Amanda Villalobos in dual roles of Fong and an arab protester, Steven Hernandez, as Peters, ( his conflicted and embittered speech at the end sums up, I imagine, what a great many veterans in his situation must feel. It is delivered with passion and poignancy and heard by the audience with compassion and understanding. ), and leading the production with a most convincing and solid acting job is Ron House, as the Major and Commander.

The High Desert Cultural Center in Joshua Tree, only a stone's throw away from the Marine Corps Base at TwentyNine Palms, is to be commended for presenting what could have been construed as too controversial a subject matter to present to its patrons. Any play dealing with a hot button issue, such as the on-going Iraq war situation could become a hard sell to the community. The hi-desert area is proud of its label as "military country". To their credit both the residents and military base personnel have responded to the play and it's thought provoking message in the proper light. It's a production that deserves to be seen no matter your personal political position.

"Another Day In Baghdad" plays Fridays, at 8 pm, Saturdays at 7 pm with Sunday Matinees at 2 pm until Sunday, April 27th. Call the box office at 366-3777 for tickets and reservations.

Role of the Critic / Role of the Audience ... As I See It

My dear anonymous letter writers, if you think it is so easy to be a critic, so difficult to be a poet or a painter or film experimenter, may I suggest you try both? You may discover why there are so few critics, so many poets.

- Pauline Kael, "I Lost It at the Movies"

Most people believe the role of a critic/reviewer is an easy one. However, that role is often misunderstood. I agree with Ms. Kael who hit the proverbial nail on the head. Being a critic/reviewer isn't easy or very popular. For starters, both audiences and reviewers alike are there to enjoy the production. The audience has the expectation they are going to see a play, show, or movie that meets a certain personal acceptance and enjoyment level. The reviewer goes hoping to see his or her expectation level exceeded. No one goes to the theatre thinking "I'm not going to like what I'm about to see."

A positive attitude on the part of the audience can actually enhance the enjoyment of the impending performance or it can soften the blow of disappointment when the play fails to live up to the hype or expectation. In the case of those audience members who went looking for more and came away disappointed, all they can do is shrug, grumble about the play saying it stunk, and then tell their friends to forget about going to see it. Those that enjoyed the experience, however, become the bearers of great news and music to the ears of the performers, to say nothing of anxious theatre producers looking for that mega hit and long lines at the box office.

Nothing speaks as loud as "word of mouth" praise; it's the most powerful validation and best form of advertising one can receive. Performers are in the business of performing in front of audiences and the more the merrier!

For critics, we don't have the luxury of dismissing the entire evening with a shrug and then go home to the comfort of a loving family or loyal pet. We are at performances to observe, evaluate, and report on the experience of the evening for the benefit of those not in attendance.

A popular held belief by the public is that critic/reviewers go to see plays or movies hoping they are bad so they can write witty and clever reviews denigrating the actors, the director, and the other technical elements; and by so doing, elevate their own importance. Nothing could be further from the truth, at least, not by the reviewers and critics I've known. To a person, we all wish that every production we review will be worthy of the audience's hard earned dollar outlay and applause.

In our effort to assist both audience and theatre producers and performers, we like to think we can make a contribution by offering a professional and experienced independent eye to the proceedings; someone who can be relied upon to offer a fair and honest evaluation of what went on at the theatre that night.

Sometimes the review disappoints those we know in the production. But friendships with performers have to take a back seat when it comes to maintaining standards and credibility with readers or listeners. One doesn't have to be cruel or mean-spirited. One doesn't "kick the chorus girl" just because the star sings off key. We just try to be as professional as one can when doing the job.

I have been attending plays for over 50 years and have been writing reviews and critiques for more than 40 years. I have been an actor, writer, producer, director, and a passionate supporter of live theatre and movies since I can remember. I'm a member of several professional unions and can honestly state I am eager to see all creative endeavors not only succeed, but flourish and thrive. I'm married to an actress who also directs, so all forms of creative art are a very important component in our lives. I would like that component to become important in the lives of others, as well.

My role as a critic/reviewer is to report what is presented on the stage at the performance I attend. Good, bad or indifferent, I always look to see if the performers achieved what they set out to do. What are they trying to accomplish and how successfully have they done it ? That's the main criteria and measuring stick I use. Imagination, innovation, and the marshalling of the available technical elements is also a major factor, as is the vision of the director. Sometimes these elements are MIA and the critic is faced with a review that is not going to please the producing organization.

I always try to be positive in my criticism, offering a suggestion or two where appropriate, which might help shore up an unsteady scene or moment. Remember: it's easy to criticize a problem area but one should also be prepared to offer solutions to fix it as well. I also take into consideration the disparity between the professional actor working along side the non-professional performer in the same production. It doesn't happen very often in most of the cities where I review, but it does take place every now and then.

Your role as the audience is to attend live theatre and be open to new experiences and allow the performers to write on the blank slate each of us brings to the theatre that evening. When the performers capture lightning in a bottle, and the theatre gods smile down on the stage, it can be a magical moment indeed, and an evening one remembers for years. So enjoy and savor your next theatrical experience.

Pasadena Playhouse, "Mask" Review

Southern California is fast becoming the hotbed of theatrical world premieres and with good reason. The home town producing companies have the raw goods - the actors, writers, directors, and musicical talents - necessary to craft and turn out first rate entertainment fare. After all, Hollywood isn't called the entertainment capitol of the world for nothing. We're loaded and we're eager to share and export the home grown product to New York or London. Last week it was the world premiere of "Dancing in the Dark" at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre. This week it's another world premiere at the venerable Pasadena Playhouse.

Case in point is "Mask," the new musical at the Pasadena Playhouse that opened March 12. Based on a true Southern California story, "Mask" was first introduced to the world as a 1985 movie starring Cher and Eric Stoltz. It's the story of Roy "Rocky" Dennis, a determined-to-be-normal teenager afflicted with craniodiaphyseal dysplasia ( a one in twenty-two million statistic) an extremely rare disorder known as "lionitis" due to the disfiguring cranial enlargements it causes. It's also the story of Rocky's loving but highly unorthodox mother Rusty Dennis, and her unending battle with society to treat her son as "normal". It was a very compelling movie.

The stage musical written by Anna Hamilton Phelan (original screenwriter of the movie) has come up with a fresh new take on her orginal story, adding new plot points and sharpening her focus to further illuminate the Rocky and Rusty stories. Abetting Phelan in the music and lyric departments is the great songwriting team of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. With two-time Tony Award winning director Richard Maltby, Jr. at the helm, the production's success rating, as the saying goes in LA, is a slam-dunk.

Forget about a "downer medical disease subject matter" as the source material for a musical. This show has more highs than lows by a long shot. For some, the sight of "bikers" on stage or in movies is a turn-off. Pity, because one only needs to wait to get past the built-in predjudice of anything or anyone different from ourselves. Once past that point, the story then goes deeper and deals with more resonant issues, those with which we can all relate - the search for identity, the need to love and the need to be loved, the need to belong It's the power of family, whether biological or extended, that helps us get through tough times. For Rusty and Rocky their family is a tight knit biker club that offers support and some poignant moments as the story of Rocky and Rusty unfolds.

Many musicals rely on the libretto to carry the day while the lyrics and music are just along for the ride. In "Mask", it's the lyrics which move the story forward, lending understanding to what the characters are saying on stage.

Michelle Duffy portrays Rusty Dennis, the rough-around-the-edges conflicted mother whose drug problems keep getting in the way of her relationship with 15 year old son Rocky, wonderfully played by Allen E. Read. The chemistry between Duffy and Read is what makes this story so watchable. They confront one another, they console one another, they support each other, but each must do it in their own way. And that's what makes "Mask" resonate with the audience. Read's Rocky is a testament to the guts and the optimism of youth. He makes Rocky an intelligent worthwhile human being, albeit one who will leave the world far too early, but one who leaves his mark on those he touched.

Duffy deftly manuevers the tricky waters of protective motherhood and a drug dependency for support when the world closes in on her. It's in those moments that Rocky suffers the most; but it's in those moments that the audience empathizes the most. The first act closing number "Look at You" is a dynamite number that is staged by Maltby with power and imagination.

Excellent support is provided by Greg Evigan as Gar, a former lover of Rusty, who turns up at a biker reunion and re-enters her life offering to mentor Rocky, ending up a reluctant but willing "father-figure" in the process. Michael Lanning, as the biker leader Dozer, is a bear of a man who exudes rough authority but shows his human side as well. Sarah Glendening and Shannon Mari Mills are the two women in Rocky's life at varying stages.

And what a joy to hear live musicians in the pit for a musical show even if it's just keyboards, bass, drums, and guitars. They're under the able diretion of Joseph Church, but I sure do miss that brass section - ah well.

The Pasadena Playhouse under Artistic Director Shelden Epps continues to present interesting, and important productions to audiences of Southern California. I'm happy to see full houses again at one of the country's top regional theatrical venues. Don't let the subject matter turn you off. It's a terrific production.