So my new bestie, the intelligent Gigi, and I went to the new Ruskin Theatre in Santa Monica the other night to see this one-week-old play, and we could not have had a more yin-and-yang theatre experience.

Photo of Santa Monica Airport by Gitanjalie Misra.

We loved the venue, and that entire location, but felt quite the opposite about the play, Blue Kiss.

So let’s do the positives first. If you don’t know, the Ruskin Group Theatre is smack dab in the middle of the…Santa Monica Airport!!! That’s why I love it so much. I’ve always found that place fascinating, so I was thrilled to introduce it to Gigi, who concurred. She had never been there before!

The good news continues with the theatre being so accessible. All the parking is free and only a few steps from the entrance. The lobby personnel could not have been more pleasant and accommodating. We learned there are actually two new theatres in that same upgraded space; Blue Kiss is playing in the smaller sixty-seat one. (The old one right next door to the premises is now closed.)

The theatre was packed on Saturday night, which made us feel that we were in the right place.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

And the best news of the night is that the entire south side of the airport, which includes the Ruskin, the Museum of Flying, and the restaurant, (which was totally happening that night,) is staying put when the other side, with the hangars and planes, gets torn down in early 2029 to become a park! Finding-out the total plan really cheered me up because I had thought that the entire charming area would be gone.

So we went into the play with the happiest of attitudes. But we came out feeling, as Gigi so aptly put it, “heavy.” Not only is the story a bummer, nothing about the production is very good. The audience we saw Blue Kiss with just slunk out of there the second it was over, which signifies the opposite of an uplifting or enriching theatre experience. (At the previous handful of plays I recently reviewed, everyone had such a good time that they all hung around for a long time after, happily chatting away. And two of the plays were dramas about murder! But they were so good that they garnered those positive feelings among the audience.)

Suffice my description to say that Blue Kiss has just two actors, (playing an SAT tutor and his new female student,) there are sooo many holes in the script, and it takes forever to get to what the supposed intrigue is.

Carolina Rodriguez and Casey Morris. Photo by Amelia Mulkey, as is the one at the top of this review.

Mercifully, it’s only eighty minutes long. But it feels much longer. I kept checking the time. We both said that it seemed about three times longer. Gigi said it “dragged,” which is kinder than how I would have put it, so I’ll leave it at that.

There is a surprise (or two) along the way, but it takes forever to get to them. The slow pace is maddening. We both kept wondering what the narrative is supposed to be about.

The two actors do something so annoying—they say a line and then it feels like they silently tell each other, “your turn,” as opposed to having a natural conversation. And the writing makes no sense in several places, such as having the guy go to the off-stage kitchen to make tea, when there is absolutely no reason for his absence in the main room. And then, after he’s been out there for a few minutes and comes back on stage, he tells the girl that he has to go start the water. So what was he doing to make the tea for those two minutes in the kitchen if he wasn’t heating up the water??? How else do you make tea, no matter what method you use to heat it up?

And I could not for the life of me figure-out why the girl needs dirty hair for her character. From the second she entered, I kept thinking that would have something to do with the mystery I felt had to be coming, (like that she’s a homeless person, and not even a student,) but it’s never explained.

The set. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Another head-scratcher is that when the student, whom the tutor had never met, rings his bell, he quickly hides a picture of him with his brother. Why would he do that?! I assumed that the photo was of his girlfriend, and maybe the girl at the door was really an online date or escort whom he didn’t want to know about his relationship. (Those scenarios might have been more interesting, actually.)

And what is up with the title? I feel like they’re trying to do what Glass Menagerie did with the term “blue roses” for “pleurosis,” (which is an incorrect term for “pleurisy.”) As Blue Kiss plodded on (and on,) I began to wonder what the title means. And then we find-out that once, long ago, the tutor’s kid brother had thought that the name “Lucas” was “blue kiss,” but that child-specific error doesn’t really mean anything to the story.

But there is some good news coming down the road for the Ruskin’s new Arts Center. It will host outdoor music events this summer. And, in that unique location, they should be special!

Blue Kiss running through May 17, 2026
Ruskin Group Theatre, Audre Stage
2800 Airport Avenue, Santa Monica
(310) 397-3244 www.ruskingrouptheatre.com

I love when Theatre 40 in Beverly Hills does Agatha Christie plays! Judging by the appreciative audience my friend and I were a part of, I have a feeling everyone does!

I also love anything written by Agatha Christie, and no one does her plays better than Theatre 40! I’m always grateful to the producers for bringing her work to us.

(L-R) Todd Andrew Ball, Lee Grober, Diane Linder, David Hunt Stafford, and Katyana Rocker-Cook. Photo by Gabriel Tejeda-Benitez, as is the one above.

In this case, I had never even heard of The Unexpected Guest before! (I was just relieved to discover that it is not about me.) I looked it up when I got home from seeing it, and it turns out there’s never been an American or British movie of it, which explains my nescience. So this is an absolutely wonderful experience that this theatre is affording us, and I’m heavily suggesting that you drop whatever else you’re planning to do this weekend, and go see it because it’s the last weekend for this intriguing offering. (I’m so sorry to be telling you about it so late in the run, but I hadn’t had the time to see it until this past weekend myself.) I have only one quarrel with the production, and that is the lighting, but I will tell you about that in a little bit. First I must tell you of all the positives.

The acting of the entire nine-person cast is spot-on; we know exactly what each person’s character is. And that makes it so much more difficult to figure out who the killer is, which is so fun. My pals and I kept changing who we thought it was! And there’s a lot of humor throughout, as well, which is always a bonus in a whodunit.

Riley Introcaso and Katyana Rocker-Cook. Photo by Gabriel Tejeda-Benitez.

As good as all the actors are, I must say that the action really picked up for me when Riley Introcaso, as the deceased man’s emotionally-disturbed (to put it mildly) brother, Jan, came on, with his tons-of-energy character. I have a feeling some may think he’s a tad over the top, but as a former teacher, I’ve definitely seen kids like this before. Actually, Riley and Nick Trafton, as the police sergeant, are my two faves, and no—not because they’re young guys, but rather due to that they made me laugh the most.

Lee Grober, as the “unexpected guest” himself, is the impetus for all the action, and then the glue that holds it together; he does so admirably. And I must also give a shout-out to Eve Sigall, the grande dame of the cast, who plays the mother of the deceased man so realistically that, at one point, I thought she was coughing as herself, instead of as the sickly character! I almost ran up to the stage with a bottle of water for her!

On the technical side, Jeff G. Rack’s set is perfect, as always; it really sets the mood right from the get-go. The second the lights come on, (well, a tiny bit of light, actually,) we feel familiar with the location. By the way, I absolutely detest dead animal heads on any wall, but in this case, since the murder victim had been a big hunter, they were semi-necessary to the story. So I just tried not to look up that far.

Diane Linder and Eve Sigall. Photo by Gabriel Tejeda-Benitez.

Now, here’s the only negative in the entire presentation, not just for me, but also for the several people I spoke with. And it’s a big one. I understand that shows like to design the stage lighting to set the scene the way they envision it. Heck, even I studied lighting in college, (and dated my professor, to boot, so I knew the art even better,) so I appreciate the effort, but this is theater, not real life, and we want to see the actors, not notice the lighting, especially in a bad light! (See what I did there?)

The lighting in the first half hour or so of The Unexpected Guest is soooo dark that my friend said it was hurting her eyes and putting her to sleep. And that’s exactly what I was going through, as well. Of course, Theatre 40 is not the only theater that is guilty of this, so all venues have to stop all the uncomfortable “artistic” lighting. They need to think of the eye health and comfort of the audience members. We beg of them.

There is one tiny situation with the cast that confused me a bit. I don’t know why they chose to have a real actor sitting there deceased for so long because we never see the front of him. What if the guy needs to sneeze or cough? They could’ve just had a blowup doll in a wig. Because he’s an actor, I kept thinking that the character was going to wind-up being alive, which made me not pay enough attention to the rest of that first very important scene. So don’t make the same mistake when you see it.

The lovely set. Photo by Karen Salkin.

As to Theatre 40 itself, I always tell everyone that it’s the easiest cultural experience in this entire city! The location is in the least busy part of Beverly Hills, there’s free underground parking just a few steps from the entrance, it has good sightlines on all three sides, a nice staff, and the most affordable snacks in town! And it was good to see so many young people there this time, such as my new besties, Natasha and Matthew, especially on a beautiful Sunday afternoon! And everyone was having a wonderful time.

So I recommend that you go there yourself this weekend, and enjoy The Unexpected Guest while you have this chance.

The Unexpected Guest running through April 19, 2026
Theatre 40  241 S. Moreno Drive,  Beverly Hills
310-364-0535 www.theatre40.org

Many years ago, I was a big fan of the very outgoing French Olympics-medalist figure skater, Philippe Candeloro. So when I met him through a mutual friend, and we club-hopped all night, I was surprised that he was so quiet. And then, at 2AM, he asked if we could stop into a French restaurant to see the owner and staff he knew, and after he talked with them in their mother tongue for about only twenty minutes, he was a new man! He became the bubbly personality I had always seen on TV.

That one night taught me a major lesson about language and what it means to everyone in the world to be able to claim their identity by speaking their native one. I reflect on that experience quite often, actually.

(L-R) Ava Lalezarzadeh, Babak Tafti, Marjan Neshat, and Pooya Mohseni. Photo by Kevin Parry, as is the one above.

So I was happy to discover that the Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony-nominated play, English, now playing at the Wallis, is sharing that same sentiment in this high-quality show direct from Broadway. It stars four-fifths of that original cast—Ava Lalezaradeh, Pooya Mohseni, and Tony-nominated actresses Tala Ashe and Marjan Nashat—along with new guy Babak Tafti.

To be completely honest, despite me having been a teacher, and my parents being English and Speech teachers, (so language has always been a big part of my being,) I was hesitant to see anything that might be serious these days. As most people I know are, I’m upset enough by what is happening in Iran right now, in real life, that I didn’t know if my mind could handle a fictional tale set in that country. However, because English is playing at the Wallis, my favorite theatre, (which has never disappointed me,) I knew that I shouldn’t miss it. And neither should you. (And I was glad to see a longer-running show from them, which they used to do quite often, as opposed to their recent mainly one-to-three night events.)

On the surface, English is a character study of the lives of five semi-strangers, with lots of humor. Digging deeper, it’s really a very thought-provoking piece on how language affects people’s lives, which is a universal experience. And it’s perhaps more relevant now than when it began in New York a few years ago due to the lunatic in the White House who is threatening Iran that their “whole civilization will die!”

As hard as this will be for me to do, I’m going to try to review the excellent play and performances I witnessed on Opening Night of English, and leave politics out of it. After I cool down for a moment. (And, in a separate column this Friday, I will be featuring some personal reflections that the scenario brought up for me, including a more in-depth look at that first night with Philippe that I referenced at the top of this review, and my own experience in a “Spanish only” class. Not fun. For anyone! You’ve never heard Spanish, French, and Latin till you hear them spoken with a Brooklyn accent! Shockingly, a play that takes place in Iran reminded me of more events in my own little very American life than any other entertainment ever has!)

Tala Ashe and Marjan Neshat. Photo by Kevin Parry.

The hour-and-forty-four minute (with no intermission) play is set in a classroom in Iran in 2008, and features the teacher and four disparate adult students who are studying for a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL.) Each character’s reason for being there is different and equally interesting, as are the actors who play them. My favorite, (and perhaps everyone’s because she’s the funniest,) is Tala as Elham, the girl who hopes to move to Australia and become a doctor. The character would be my bestie in real life.

I’ve known Iranian people since I was a teenager, and never thought that their accents made them lesser. Actually, it was quite the opposite—I thought the first guy I knew at URI was a Prince because of the lovely way he spoke! So it’s hard for me to really feel what these people in the play would be going through almost twenty years ago. But the script and actors sell the situations.

The playwright, Sanaz Toossi, implements a very clever device to help the audience along the way. During class, the students are supposed to speak English only, (it’s even declared in big letters on the whiteboard at the front of the classroom, so that the audience knows it, as well,) but as in all foreign language classes everywhere, the learners can’t help but to revert back to their own tongue every now and then. So, to let us non-Farsi speakers in on the distinction, when the characters speak English, they have thick Iranian accents, and when they are speaking Farsi, they actors speak in unaccented English. It took me a second to realize what was happening—I thought that Ava, the young actress, had just gotten nervous because it was the opening, and forgot to use her accent for the play!  But after that first minute, it worked beautifully.

Ava Lalezarzadeh, using Ricky Martin for Show & Tell. Photo by Kevin Parry.

As good as the presentation is, I have to admit that there are three issues I did not understand. Firstly, I don’t get why at least two of the students indicate that they need to pass that test. If reasons were given along the way, I missed them. I believe that in the U.S., English as a Second Language, (ESL,) classes are just for the students’ own reasons, and are not required for anything official. (I’ve been asked to teach those classes myself, but I’ve always been afraid that I talk too fast for anyone to follow. Even native English speakers have trouble with my speed on occasion.)

The second one, (which my friend Marc absolutely cannot let go,) is that one of the students doesn’t show up again about halfway through, and none of us know why. We were really hoping that it would be explained by the end, but it does not. And I hate having it left up to our own interpretations, especially since Marc calls me with a new theory every few hours!

Lastly, in the final scene, Elham is in the classroom alone, drawing on the board, when Marjan, the teacher, comes in, and tells Elham that her classroom is across the hall, and says her own new one is comprised of young students. And then Elham admits she did pass the test, with flying colors, so why is she still there, when her plan was to go to Australia to study medicine? And even if she decided to stay put in Iran, what is she still doing in the school and why a new class? We thought that perhaps she was teaching it, but wouldn’t Marjan have known that she was doing so? I’m so confused.

But none of that takes away from the excellence of the play, which is interesting throughout. Even though English does get a tad lengthy for just one act, I never checked the time. So I suggest you just go with the flow and enjoy it.

This is the front of the cube that’s in the middle of the dark stage before the show begins. Then it turns to reveal the classroom. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Marsha Ginsberg’s set is basically a giant cube in the middle of the stage; it’s just one classroom, with the outside visible in a couple of scenes in front of it. To make it more interesting, the whole thing moves a bit from scene to scene, so every section of the audience gets a different angle each time. I liked that usage, except for one giant column on one of the corners which obstructs some audience members’ views of the actor speaking on occasion. If that post is necessary to hold up the set, okay, but otherwise I think that future productions should lose it.

However, also on the technical side, the interstitial music is perfect. It really adds to it, as does the sporadic background music.

And I love that Ricky Martin’s song, She Bangs, even makes an appearance! So does a bit of the popular film Notting Hill. You’ll just have to see for yourselves how it all fits into English, which I strongly suggest that you do in these last two weeks of its limited run at the Wallis. I hope it gives all of us a better understanding of the power of language. (And please look at the back of the promo flyer on offer at the theatre—one side is written all in Farsi, which boggled my mind when I noticed how gorgeous that writing is!)

English running through April 26, 2026
Wallis Annenberg Theater For The Performing Arts
9390 N. Santa Monica Boulevard Beverly Hills
310-746-4000 www.thewallis.org

Besides that this new play is really good, (and you have only one weekend left to see it,) I had the best overall time at the Electric Lodge Theater in Venice this past Sunday. So did the many audience members whom my New Best Friends and I kept running into after the show as we partied on famous Abbot Kinney Boulevard, just one block away.

Jessie Warner and Heidi Sulzman. Photo by Gus Frank, as is the one above.

More on all that fun later on, but first I must laud this entertaining short play, (it’s only seventy-six minutes, including an intermission!,) which is inspired by an interesting true tale; I suggest you research it after you see the show because it’s fascinating! (In a macabre way.)

All you really need to know about the premise of The Best Boarding House in Delaware is that it takes place in a boarding house in Delaware. (Duh—to both.) The year is 1983, and it begins with a visit from a resident’s niece who plans to move her aunt out of there. Knowing more than that might ruin it for you. I wish I had gone in with no knowledge of the plot because I feel that shows are always more interesting if you discover the journey for yourself.

And there are a few well-done surprises along the way. Even though I knew they might be possibilities, they still got me. My seat-mate said that my reactions to them were the best thing he’s ever seen in a theatre, so you know they really worked!

I don’t know how to classify the story. The Best Boarding House in Delaware is mainly a drama, but with a lot of humor, (which makes it basically a dramedy,) and it could alternatively be called a thriller or psychological drama or dark comedy. You’re just going to have to decide for yourselves.

Heidi Sulzman and Leigh Taylor-Young. Photo by Gus Frank.

Truth be told, I had opted to see the play only because Emmy-winning veteran actress Leigh Taylor-Young is in the four-female cast. I had never seen her work before, but, as she’s been uber-famous for just about my whole life, and I had actually met her a bunch of times a few decades ago, I really wanted to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to finally see her act. I believe she had just about retired some years ago, so this show was very lucky to have convinced her to return to the stage.

And let me tell you—that woman is still gorgeous! It’s unbelievable. I spoke with her after the show, (I’ll tell you about that in a few minutes, as well,) so I saw her up-close, and I promise you—Leigh looks at least twenty years younger than she is. Maybe even thirty years younger! And I’d kill to have her body. Which made me actually consider giving her a bad review, out of jealousy!

But I can’t even joke about that because Leigh is absolutely perfect in the role of the kindest, sweetest, most supportive woman one could ever imagine. Leigh’s character, Fiona, is the one resident in the titular senior boarding house. Every note in her performance rings true.

As for the rest of the cast, Heidi Sulzman, who does the heavy lifting as DeeDee, (or is it “Didi?”—there are no programs,) the old woman who owns and runs the boarding house, really sells her character, with no melodrama involved. That makes the action so real, (which as I said before, is!)

Michelle Gardner. Photo by Gus Frank.

Also real is Michelle Gardner as Shannon, the niece of the resident she’s come to take to her own home. She makes the most of her comedic lines.

The final cast member is Jessie Warner, who plays the judge in a “Best Small Business” contest that DeeDee enters. Not only is she excellent in her role, but I love her hair. Trust me, I’m going to try to copy it because when I let my hair be wavy, it doesn’t look anything like the gorgeousness of hers!

Michael Fitzgerald’s cluttered-by-design set is spot-on; I’m sure it took a lot of work. (Or maybe he just studied my living room. Can I sue?)

The set. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Writer/director Marja-Lewis Ryan did a great job with the entire production. And on a side note, her darling boyfriend, Joseph, really helped me with a crazy phone problem that night, and literally saved the day for me! Actually, everyone who works there was very pleasant.

Perhaps that pleasantness is why the venue was packed…on Easter! And I wore no make-up because I thought I’d be the only one in the audience on such a big holiday. That audience fullness is a testament to how good the play is; it must be creating quite the buzz. I hope I’m adding to it with this review because I’m highly recommending The Best Boarding House in Delaware.

But, a warning, though—it gets freezing in that theatre, so I advise you to bring layers. If I had had a blanket I would’ve been happy. The guy next to me told me at intermission that when I put my sweatshirt on, he knew I was cold. (As was he! Along with at least half the assemblage.) Then when I put the hoodie up, he knew I was even colder. But when I put a mask on my face with no one coughing around us, he knew that I was freezing! I’m glad that someone knew I was using a face mask solely for warmth.  And just to let you know for future reference, it works.

Now here’s my Leigh Taylor-Young story: A few decades ago, Leigh was roommates with my friend, Paul Ryan, in a big beautiful house in BelAir. I met Paul when I was doing my TV show, and he asked me to join his improv group. From there, a few of us became the Laugh Factory Players. So I was over at that house quite a bit. I actually think I was there more than Leigh! But anyhow, because she was so good in this play, I decided to stay to see her afterwards, and she was as gracious as she is beautiful. So I’m glad we reconnected for a moment.

And as to my opening declaration of fun, this is what happened: The entire assemblage loved the show so much that everyone stuck around the lobby and entrance for a long while afterwards. We discussed what we had seen, took photos for each other, and greeted the amiable cast. A couple of guys even offered to help me find my car, which was possibly lost in the unfamiliar-to-me Venice neighborhood! When I finally left and walked to the corner, a lovely duo approached me to inquire about the notes I was taking during the show. We had such a good convo, (they had come to see Leigh, as well,) that we walked right over to Abbot Kinney and…they took me to dinner!!! We had the best time. (At least I did—they may be blocking me forever!) It hit me that in these days of life being more and more like Dateline, I’m amazed that we all trusted a stranger, especially after seeing the chilling The Best Boarding House in Delaware! But that’s what the show brought out in us all—a fun time! (And whether they want to be or not, Gigi and Sumit are now My New Best Friends. And they’re the first brother and sister pair upon whom I’ve ever bestowed that title, so I hope they cherish it for the brief time they’ll hold it; many others are vying for it at all times, so I have to switch it up when someone new deserves it. But someone will have to go far to beat-out these two.)

Now go see the play this last weekend! You’ll be glad you did.

The Best Boarding House in Delaware running through April 11, 2025
The Electric Lodge Theater
1416 Electric Ave., Venice
thebestboardinghouseindelaware.eventbrite.com

First things first—this play is absolutely hilarious!!! Go see it! Dot, dash, end of story.

Well, not really the end of the story because you might like to know a bit more about Kim’s Convenience, the comedy that just opened at the Ahmanson Theatre in downtown LA earlier this week.

(L–R) Brandon McKnight, Ins Choi, and Kelly Seo. Photo by Dahlia Katz, as is the one above.

On top of the humor, Kim’s Convenience is a very worthwhile and high-quality production. It began as a play in Canada in 2011, and then became the basis for an eponymous five-season sitcom in that country. That CBC TV series later went on to Netflix, (which means that we can see it in the States.) But…I had never even heard of it before I learned about this new production at the Ahmanson! That may be because, although Mr. X and I have two television systems, (featuring about a thousand channels, including all of the streaming ones,) I’m strictly a network girl.

So, in case you join me in my nescience, let me tell you the premise of the play. A Korean immigrant couple, the Kims, own a convenience store in Toronto. And they have two grown children—a son and daughter. And we’re seeing one significant day in their basic lives. In that brief time, they take us on quite the journey. Not only is it a laugh riot, but it gets pretty emotional in a few spots. And all of that in only seventy-five minutes!!! (The program says it’s ninety minutes, but I clocked it at seventy-five.)

The five-person cast—Kelly Seo, Brandon McKnight, Esther Chung, and Ryan Jinn, led by the playwright, Ins Choi, as Mr. Kim—is excellent. My favorite was actually Brandon, who plays a trio of characters, and makes them so distinct that I wasn’t sure if they were all the same actor! Or maybe triplets.

Kelly Seo and Brandon McKnight. Photo by Dahlia Katz.

There’s a section in the middle of the play where the father explains to the daughter how to tell who will steal from a store. I thought I was going to need oxygen from laughing so much.

To get serious for a moment, I know that there are many societal aspects to this play, but I don’t feel qualified to discuss them. All I know about Korea these days is their superior skincare! However, in theatre in general, I feel that there’s a dearth of stories about Asian immigrants, especially funny ones. And, not to get political here, but with all the evil being perpetrated by ICE, I’m extra-happy to see an all-minority-characters show. I really didn’t even think about any of that while I was chuckling, (and crying,) my butt off, so I’m suggesting that you, too, just enjoy the performance, and leave the analysis until later.

There’s actually so much interesting history to Kim’s Convenience, both the inspiration behind it and the several productions themselves. But since my thoughts here are a review of the current production, and not a term paper, I heavily suggest you research it all for yourselves if you’re curious.

However, I do have to add one tiny memory of my own that this show happily brought to the surface. (Of course I do! Have you met me?) It’s that my great-uncle Aaron owned the General Store in Penn’s Neck, New Jersey, when I was a kid. My family and I visited only once a year, but it made such a major impression on me. (Obvi!) I still know where so many items were stocked, especially the chocolate milk. He always told us to take anything we wanted!!! He made us the most delicious fresh sandwiches for lunch, and we just snacked away all day. I cannot even convey how magical it was.

Most of the set of Kim’s Convenience. Photo by Karen Salkin.

So when I saw the set for Kim’s Convenience, I wanted to jump right up on the stage and help myself again! I can confirm from that long-ago experience, (and from my current little neighborhood market that we all get a kick out of,) that this is a very authentic, perfect set. (I’m still wondering if the boxes and bags are filled, or if the set designer, Joanna You, was able to get all those food companies to send them empty boxes.) I also admired the clever way a church was indicated for one scene, (aided by Nicole Eun-Ju Bell’s colorful projections and Wen-Ling Liao’s lighting design,) without having to move anything around.

Esther Chung and Ryan Jinn in the scene at a church. Photo by Dahlia Katz.

On another little personal note, I enjoyed hearing mention of different streets and areas in Toronto because Mr. X and I have spent a lot of time in that city over the years. Whenever he’s starred in plays or musicals there, I’ve used most of my free time to shop all over town, so trust me when I tell you I know that city. And love it!

One last thought on the Opening Night of Kim’s Convenience at the Ahmanson, of something I really appreciated. There was more upbeat pre-show buzz there than ever! The place was absolutely humming with happiness! I bumped into people I had never seen at a theatre before, too. It was all really wonderful.

The entire evening reminded me of a valuable lesson Mr. X taught me years ago. We used to be regulars at very private weekly industry screenings, always of a famous current film. As most “important” movies are, the ones we saw there were somewhat heavy. Then after Toy Story 2, he pointed-out to me that, unlike the usual quick exits everyone made, the entire assemblage was hanging around, conversing very exuberantly with each other. I had not been a part of anything like that since then, until Kim’s Convenience opening night. Audience members were still in both lobbies for at least another half hour, chatting and smiling away!!! In all my years of attending the shows there, I have rarely seen that phenomenon. That’s what a wonderful play will do for you.

So it looks like now I’ll have to watch Netflix. Or better yet, just pay another visit to the Ahmanson in the next month. I hope to see you all there!

Kim’s Convenience running through April 19, 2026
Ahmanson Theatre  135 N. Grand Avenue
213-972-4400  www.centertheatregroup.org

If you can get to SoCal in the next two weeks, do not miss this one!!! Actually, make it a point to be here for this show!

I had seen the National Tour of The Play That Goes Wrong at the Ahmanson Theatre in downtown LA in 2019, and, as much as I appreciated it then, let me tell you—this production from 5 Star Theatricals is even better! Much better, in fact. This more intimate theatre in the Bank of America Performing Arts Center in Thousand Oaks is the perfect venue for all the mayhem that ensues.

(L-R, in window) Adam Hagenbuch, Gabi Manoukian, and Timothy Willard, with Lyndsi LaRose lying in it. And Justin Michael Wilcox and John Shartzer off to the right. Photo by Veronica Slavin., as is the one above.

The entire audience I saw it with was hysterical the whole time, especially a young girl to the side of me, who was laughing so hard I thought she was going to have a heart attack! I love being amongst people who are sooo enjoying what is being offered.

The basic plot of The Play That Goes Wrong is that the (fictional) Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society is staging an old-timey murder mystery, and that is the play that goes wrong. But the whodunit is not the point. The fast-paced craziness and absolute brilliance of every little bit, every little line is the point. It’s all so nutty, in a good way.

There are more sight gags than I’ve ever seen anywhere before! And the comedy is full of non-stop surprises; there’s no time to catch your breath before another one pops right up. The British creators of The Play That Goes Wrong—Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields—really thought of everything. I would have loved to be in that writers’ room with them to see how they did it!

(L-R) Travis Joe Dixon, Mark Gagliardi, Justin Michael Wilcox, and Gabi Manoukian. Photo by Veronica Slavin.

The play began on stage in England in 2012, and has been running ever since! Wow. (It’s also been running in New York since 2017.) And I say very deservedly so. Although I figure that they must have to change cast members quite often because I imagine that the intense physicality of every single role must take its toll. (And this 5 Star Theatricals cast is doing two shows on the Saturdays! They must each lose ten pounds a performance! Hmm—maybe I should look into getting a role in it next time.)

That’s the background of this fabulous play; now let’s get to the magnificence of this 5 Star Theatricals production of it:

Even though absolutely every aspect of this presentation is impeccable, the best part of the show for me is John Shartzer, who plays Cecil, the brother of the murder victim, (and later a gardener.) Any entertainment would be lucky to secure his talents. This is the third time I’ve seen him in a show, (in Clue at the Ahmanson in 2024, and as the Scarecrow in a holiday panto right here in this venue in December,) and once again, I have to single him out. Not only is he sooo “Gumby-esque,” (as I’ve written before, ) but his comic timing could not be better. Even his subtle facial expressions are perfection, and make it to the back of the room.

(L-R) John Shartzer, Justin Michael Wilcox, and Mark Gagliardi. Photo by Veronica Slavin.

Next comes the set, which is a character unto itself, so it needs to be exact and spot-on for all the hi-jinks. I assume that means that it cannot ever be redesigned for new renditions, so I give major kudos to the original set designing genius in England, (whoever he or she might be,) along with this scenic designer, Cody Tellis Rutledge, (whose set for this play has been used by several other companies around the country,) and local Props Designer, Alex Choate. Not even one tiny item can be out of place or not up to speed.

The third highlight for me is the out-of-the-blue shenanigans of Adam Hagenbuch near the end of the play. I don’t want to spoil the surprise, which made many of us scream, (yup, with yours truly leading the way,) but if you’re sitting not too close, (or are just a lover of body beauty, as I am,) be sure to have your binoculars ready for some incredible visuals! I absolutely do not remember this bit of fun when I saw the National Tour, and trust me, I would have remembered it!!!

(L-R) Lyndsi LaRose, Adam Hagenbuch, and Gabi Manoukian. Photo by Veronica Slavin.

The Play That Goes Wrong is the perfect ensemble piece, and to that end, really everyone in it is wonderful, including the stage crew, who do much of the work. There’s not a weak one in the bunch. The heaviest lifting is done by Mark Gagliardi, as the brother of an engaged woman, a role he handles with aplomb. I adored Mark as the Lion in the aforementioned panto in December, (and even met him at their afterparty because he admired my crazy Christmas sweater,) so I was happy to witness his good work once again.

I must also laud the theatre’s personnel—everyone was lovely, from the guy in the easy Box Office to the security bag checkers to the amiable venue manager to the ushers. That’s always a bonus.

So I say, for all reasons, (especially forgetting your own troubles, and those of this entire country, for the night,) go see The Play That Goes Wrong. Mr. X laughed hard when I just told him about it!

The set on a monitor in the lobby, which helps know when to take our seats for this one. Photo by Karen Salkin.

And by all means, bring the kids because they should love all this expert silliness. I also suggest that you get into your seats early for the subtle pre-curtain mischief. For example, one of the guys who acts as an usher, Justin Michael Wilcox, is actually in the show! My friend, Roz, and I talked to him for a bit, (Justin was still saying he’s the usher, of course,) and she was discussing Slow Horses star Gary Oldman. Roz asked if he was familiar with Gary’s work. Justin answered something to the effect of, “Of course! We were considering him for the lead—either Gary or Whoopi Goldberg.” Clever. That’s when I knew for sure he was not really an usher.

But hurry—it’s playing for just two more weekends! I wish the run would be longer because that is a lot of work for so few performances, but that’s how limited runs work. So, as I stated at the top, do not miss this one!!!

The Play That Goes Wrong running through March 29, 2026

Bank of America Performing Arts Center–Scherr Forum
2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks

805-449-2787  www.5startheatricals.com

I had a really good experience last weekend, planned by someone other than myself for once! A couple of friends took me to a play that they heard was getting a lot of buzz. It was playing at my favorite theater complex in Hollywood, The Hudson, which has three theatres in one corner building, with a central cafe that serves even hot dogs!!! (But we had just come from dinner, so those franks will have to wait until next time.)

The Hudson cafe.

The play was Dad’s Leg, which is billed as a dark comedy, and that was its closing weekend. It wasn’t my cup of tea, but it was definitely that of others because it appeared totally sold-out to me, and I heard that was how the entire run had gone, which, trust me, is far from the norm for LA’s smaller venues.

I was sitting on the aisle right below that pole, and Al Pacino was sitting directly across the aisle from me!

I’m also aware that the audience was often full of heavy hitters. I had heard that Amy Adams, James Franco, and Austin Butler had been to see it earlier, but I hit the jackpot because right across the small aisle from me was none other than…Al Pacino!!! I could not believe it. Even though Mr. X had done a movie with him, I had never seen the guy so up-close and personal before. That was quite the coup for a small theatre. (I heard later that the actors did not even know he would be there, so he must have really wanted to see the play!) And yes, I am sick that I did not take a quick snap of him, but I just could not intrude on the guy like that, even surreptitiously.

(L-R) Rain Spencer, Ted Monte, and Emily Althaus. Photo by Austin Ciezko, as is the one at the top of this page.

Dad’s Leg was presented in the Hudson’s Mainstage Theatre. It takes place over two hours of real time in a hospital someplace in America. The action picked up for me when Ted Monte came onto the scene, as the dad with the leg in question. Actually, he didn’t make an entrance—he was already on stage, lying in the hospital bed. And he was lying there the entire time the audience was entering! And he continued to do so for the first hour of the play! And let me tell you, that man did not move a muscle for that duration. Believe me when I tell you that stillness is an art. Think of it—if you’ve ever had an MRI, especially a brain one, and they tell you you have to lie completely still for twenty minutes, how hard is it to do just that???

Rain Spencer and Alexa.

My teenage friend, Alexa, told me that she wanted to see the play because she’s a fan of the TV series The Summer I Turned Pretty, (which, for me, I hope will be this coming one!,) and one of the stars of it, Rain Spencer, was in this three character play. Alexa really enjoyed seeing Rain work in person.

She played one of two dysfunctional sisters, with Emily Althaus playing the other. There’s even a catfight in there, which is really hard to do in front of a live audience, with neither of them getting hurt, (that we noticed, anyway,) to boot. I was interested to see these characters because I have an estranged sister, as well. But our issues are far from what these two have—one of the characters is a promiscuous religious fanatic while the other is just a bitter married woman. And, for varying reasons, they both want to be the one to possess their father’s soon-to-be-amputated leg. (One of these days, I’ll do one of my YouTube vids about an insane episode involving my sister’s evil husband, Satan! It’s definitely worse than anything in this play. But it makes for a funny story, so that’s always a positive for me.)

Having-out after the play were a couple of actors I recognized from TV shows I liked: Neal Bledsoe (with the gray hair,) and Derek Richardson (on the right.)

Also a positive was the audience that night—you know how many shows I’ve reviewed for years now, and I’m pretty sure that I’ve never seen a more attractive and hip audience in my life! It was definitely my kind of crowd. I was happy to just be amongst all that coolness. Two really cute young girls produced this show, so that might be why it was populated by all those Hollywood hipsters. (And I mean that in the best way.)

After the play, I noticed even more actors, with whose work I’m a tad familiar, milling about, (one or two I had even reviewed over the years,) and I discovered that the Hudson also occasionally hosts acting workshops, and some of those thespians were attending one that night. The scene was all so interesting. And soooo Hollywood! I actually really enjoyed that whole atmosphere.

Eddie and Zeke Rettman.

Also enjoyable was meeting the Hudson’s uber-personable owner, Zeke Rettman, and his handsome teen son, Eddie. The kid spoke so well on a variety of subjects, so you know that impressed me.

All in all, it was a good night at the Hudson. As it always is.

Now, for more fun, I’ll be doing my best to live-tweet the Oscars on Sunday. (@MajorCelebrity.) But, with sooo many arrivals shows, (some of which are on opposite the March Madness Selection Show, so you know I’ll be extra crazy that day,) I already know that I won’t be able to keep up with it all. I expect to feel like Lucy and the chocolate factory, so please bear with me for a bit. And what I don’t get around to tweeting live on that platform, I’ll include in my full Oscars review next week. May the most deserving people win. (But they most likely will not.)

I’ll get to my review of the Broadway musical version of The Notebook in a minute, but first I must tell you about the absolutely fabulous time that my friend Roz and I had at Costa Mesa’s wonderful Segerstrom Center for the Arts, (and surrounding area,) earlier this week. So to everyone in Los Angeles who thinks that that region of SoCal is a bit far to go to enjoy cultural activities, I’m here to tell you otherwise. And to Orange County peeps who think you must come up here for quality entertainment, you need to think again because you have this three-theatre campus right in your own backyard!

Photo by Karen Salkin.

I had missed The Notebook, The Musical when it was playing in Hollywood a few weeks ago, so when I realized that the National Tour was moving to Segerstrom Hall, Roz and I happily declared, “Day trip!” But getting there, (a straight shot on the 405,) was actually a breeze. I didn’t even have to pack all the wardrobe, purses, and outerwear that I did, like I was going to the Arctic for a week! That was crazy. (But have you met me???)

We went down there early to explore the amazing South Coast Plaza supreme shopping structure. I had read that it’s the “Rodeo Drive of Orange County,” but I could not imagine the luxury we would find…in a mall! I’ve honestly never seen anything like that before! And I’m a big mall aficionado. (When Mr. X was doing a play in Alberta, Canada several years back, I tagged along and spent three hours a night at the West Edmonton Mall, and still never got it all done…in two months! True story.)

And then we did something I rarely do—have a bite to eat at a Happy Hour! I’ve never seen Roz enjoy a meal as much. It was so relaxing, as was this entire adventure.

South Coast Plaza is directly across from the Segerstrom Center, and there’s a bridge you can walk over between the two, but we chose to just drive across and equally-easily park right at the Center, which we discovered consists of a trio of theaters. It’s all so attractive and inviting.

Inside South Coast Plaza. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Segerstrom Hall itself is a beautiful theatre, as I found-out during my initial visit there a little over a year ago, to see ABT’s stunning The Nutcracker. (I believe they present that ballet every year; here’s the link to my review, so that you can remember to see it this December: itsnotaboutme.tv/news/dance-american-ballet-theatres-the-nutcracker.) And most of the audience members were dressed really nicely, which you know I love.

The most amazing aspect of the whole evening to us was that the place was packed on what my mother would refer to as “a plain little Tuesday night!” That’s a testament to the Segerstrom and its patrons.

Now, as to The Notebook, The Musical itself, we’re glad we saw it. As a native New Yorker, I’m always extremely thankful to get to see legit Broadway productions out here, and I wholly appreciate the few venues who afford us those opportunities. I like to see all shows for myself, whether or not I wind-up being a fan.

Sharon Catherine Brown and Beau Gravitte.
Photo by Roger Mastroianni, as is the one at the top of this review.

So, in this case, neither Roz nor I loved The Notebook, The Musical, with her deeming it to be “flat.” We had both, of course, seen the 2004 movie that the show is based on, which starred Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, James Garner, and Gena Rowlands, and were touched by it. But, in an attempt to make this musical bigger than the lowkey sweet love story in the book and film, the writers lost a lot of the pathos that marked it.

I suggest you look up the plot before you see this show, but I’m happy to help-out the few of you who are not familiar with The Notebook. The basic narrative is that an old man reads a love story to an old woman with dementia in a nursing home. And we see the tale of the young couple unfold as he reads. The movie has a surprise near the end, which is what makes it special, but since so many people have seen it, or read the novel on which it’s based, that surprise almost-end wouldn’t work in a stage piece. (It’s that the woman the old man is reading to is actually his dementia-stricken wife, and the journey is their own; she wrote it when she started losing her memory.) And at the very end, they both die holding hands, which is the way we all wish to go, isn’t it? (Except for the lunatics who murder their spouses, of course. I think I watch too much Dateline!) I now know that the deaths happen in the musical, as well, but I didn’t notice it that night amongst the entire cast coming on stage to sing the finale. But my nescience of that situation really didn’t matter to the big picture.

The three iterations of Noah and Allie. (Silly me thought the couple on the bed was just sleeping!) Photo by Roger Mastroianni.

I do have to make note of something that did bother me a bit, but, surprisingly, I got over it pretty quickly this time, which I’ve since learned some others, (especially online,) have not. It’s what’s referred to as “colorblind casting.” Being a proponent of civil rights since I was a little girl, I so appreciate that all deserving actors, regardless of race, age, sexual identity, height, weight, whatever, get more roles these days than ever before. But it’s just very confusing for the audience when shows are cast that way because, when it involves main characters, as it does in The Notebook, we don’t know whether or not that’s part of the story. In this case, the couple, Noah and Allie, are portrayed as an interracial duo. So it looks like that’s an important part of the plot, when it’s not at all. The musical takes place in the 1960s and ’70s, and let me tell you, as one half of an interracial couple some years after that, even in our liberal cities of New York and Los Angeles, my boyfriend and I were shunned all over the place. Interracial dating was mostly unaccepted back then, and, in the ’60s and ‘70s, it definitely would not have been in the South, where the musical appears to be set. (The setting is at least South-adjacent because the program doesn’t specify exact location of the action—it simply states “A coastal town in the Mid-Atlantic.”) So the races of the people involved, (including the girl’s interracial parents, who would have gotten together in the 1940s!,) would have been a major issue in their love story. And that’s where the confusion could come in for people seeing it. (I’ve read that the situation was even more baffling on Broadway—both younger Allies were black while the Older Allie was white! And it was reversed for the guys—the younger Noahs were white with the Older Noah being black. I had to research that info for myself, several times, actually, to make sure it was true.)

On a related side note, I once reviewed a play where the main character was a teen-age girl, whose age was mentioned several times in the show. But she was being played by a woman who was close to sixty! It made the whole show pretty puzzling; we could not concentrate on anything else we were seeing. It turned-out that the actress was also producing it so she could play the role herself. But it was just an awful execution of the script.

The three “Allie”s: (L-R) Chloë Cheers, Alysha Deslorieux, and Sharon Catherine Brown. Photo by Roger Mastroianni.

The casting aside, there are some positives to The Notebook, The Musical. Roz really appreciated what she deemed to be “creative lighting” because there are tall skinny “sticks” of light coming down from above.  She said, “The lighting was a fascinating character for me.”  (I, on the other hand, thought that it was way too dark, in general, which a lot of lighting designers seem to think they have to do to fit the mood of the theme. But it’s a show, not real life—I want to be able to see it!)

We both took note of how easily the set moved from one scene to the next.

And seeing three iterations of the couple, (Young, Middle, and Older,) as opposed to the film’s duo of them, is interesting. It makes the passage of time clear to the entire audience, since they don’t have to rely on subtle changes to characters’ appearances to figure-out which decade they’re observing in each scene. And seeing all three males or females doing a song or scene together as one entity is sort-of powerful.

The three “Noah”s: (L-R) Kyle Mangold, Beau Gravitte, and Ken Wulf Clark. Photo by Roger Mastroianni.

The brightest spot in the cast for me is Connor Richardson as a very funny physical therapist at the healthcare facility. My fellow audience members and I really perked-up every time he came on.

The entire cast sings well. I most enjoyed Ken Wulf Clark’s, (as the Middle Noah,) lovely Broadway-esque voice.

But the songs themselves leave a lot to be desired. They all sound the same, with not one memorable ditty in the bunch.

One weird issue is that the program lists a choreographer, but there’s no dancing in the show! At one point, the girl teaches the guy one basic step, (akin to one, two, cha cha cha,) but no expert is needed for that. I don’t get that credit at all.

I have three final thoughts on Segerstrom Hall itself. First up is that I love that the show started on time there! Trust me, that’s far from the norm in theatres these days.

Segerstrom Center.

Next is one tiny word of advice: Dress in layers, including one heavy one, because it’s pretty cold in there; I had some air blowing right on me. I even put on a mask, not because of germs, but to warm-up my face!

My last thought is my favorite—there is one thing I have never seen done anywhere else, which totally impressed me. And that is that, both in the restrooms, and more importantly, on stands on the way out of Segerstrom Hall, are…tissue boxes! Just in case any audience members cry at what is considered a tearjerker. What a thoughtful touch!  It’s just another reason I plan to be a regular there from now on.

The Notebook, The Musical running February 8, 2026
Segerstrom Center for the Arts—Segerstrom Hall
600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
714-556-2787 www.scfta.org

Everyone in America needs to see this play right now, but only those in SoCal will have the privilege for the next four weekends. It’s the World Premiere of What Opa Did, in partnership with the Holocaust Museum LA.

Meghan Lewis and Allan Wasserman. Photo by Demian Tejeda-Benitez.

In the more than a decade that I’ve been reviewing plays at Theatre 40 in Beverly Hills, this is the heaviest show I’ve ever seen them do. (For reference, their next two shows are an Agatha Christie mystery, which is one of their specialties, followed by a play version of a famous old movie rom-com.) But What Opa Did is perhaps also their most important, especially at this time in our history.

I wrote the following in my very first review at this theatre, eleven years ago, where the subject of that play, Blonde Poison, was also the Holocaust: “In all honesty, if I had known the topic of this dramatic […] play beforehand, […] I wouldn’t have gone.” And then explained that sentiment a bit further on, writing, “Being Jewish myself, […], I try to avoid all shows, films, plays, and stories about this horrible period of history. It’s just way too painful for me. But I feel that every now and then all of us need to be reminded of it, so having this play be staged right here in Beverly Hills is very important, not just to Jews, but to everyone.” Very sadly, all of that holds even more true today!

I’ve never understood how the Holocaust was allowed to happen in the first place, and why it took so long to stop the pure evil of Hitler. And devastatingly, with our country’s Orange Hitler, now I get it. There was nowhere safe for Jews to go in several European countries during World War II, and I can’t believe that it’s happening again in our own cities, for so many ethnic groups.

The basic plot of What Opa Did is that Kate, a middle-aged American woman, (Meghan Lewis,) is visiting her elderly Grandfather, (Allan Wasserman,) in his native Germany, (where “Opa” means” “Grandpa.”) What seems like just a normal, innocent familial get-together turns-out to be so much more than that. We learn of his younger, (Jeremy Schaye,) life with his wife and baby during the Holocaust. And the drama goes from there.

Meghan Lewis and Allan Wasserman. Photo by Demian Tejeda-Benitez.

The interesting tale is written by Christopher Franciosa and well-directed by James Paradise. It could have been a tricky proposition to go back and forth in time, especially on the same living room/dining room set, (designed by the prolific Jeff G. Rack, of course,) but the story is really pretty easy to follow. And they don’t even have to change the props from scene to scene! Well-done by all. (However, in all honesty, those not-changed-through-the-decades props can get a tad confusing. And the description of the scenes in the program is even more so! So do not read them. You can easily figure them out as they go along. Just know that the scenes between the woman and her grandfather take place in 1990. It’s written that way so that Opa is still alive after being a young man during World War II; that date also explains no cell phones, which we’re so used to in shows now.)

There are a few weaknesses in the script, but they really don’t matter much. An example is that the woman, who is mentioned as currently living in Brooklyn, is dealing with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, which is in LA. And this is in 1990! As someone who went back and forth between those two cities quite often at that time, (and always, actually,) I can tell you that, in those days of little technology and very expensive long distance phone call rates, that would be a strange occurrence.

The action is occasionally a tad slow, but it’s still riveting. I never once checked the time. Even at intermission!!! I highly recommend What Opa Did to everyone, old and young, Jewish and not, American, German, whatever.

Victor Montez and Lilli Passero. Photo by Demian Tejeda-Benitez.

The five actors are all excellent and very believable. My friend and I most admired the work of Lilli Passero, as the young half-Jewish wife. But it’s a tad disturbing to me that the young Nazi, played by Victor Montez, is so good-looking! I was torn between hating him and admiring his looks. But that’s most likely what the wife in the script goes through, as well, even though we both hate him more than anything.

The lovely classical music between scenes is appropriate, and a welcome touch.

Much of the script resonated with me in different ways, besides being filled with hatred against the Nazis. For example, Opa asks Kate, “What are you?,” to see if she answers, “Jewish,” or something else to describe herself upon meeting a stranger. That brought back fond memories for me of what two of my friends used to answer to that query. In our dance club days, my friend Michelle, who was 100% Jewish and the best dancer, was always hit on by guys of color, who then asked her what she was. (Which was rude to begin with.) They were really asking her if she’s black or white because, in all honesty, it was hard to tell with her. And she would very calmly and definitively answer, “American,” which shut their questions down. (But even I was never really sure!) And my young fake nephew, Ronnie, who is biracial, got that same question all the time…as a kid! And from complete strangers!!! Again, rude. But he was so beautiful and exotic that people really did want to know. But being smarter than everyone, he would always go into a whole big megillah about every ethnicity he had heard of in his big family, and even included me in it, by claiming that he was also “a little Jewish.” Which he definitely was not. But I totally loved it. All that is to say that the question from the Opa to his granddaughter really did ring true for me. (And, in case you’re curious, no one has ever asked me! Even my looks are an open book.)

Lilli Passero and Jeremy Schaye. Photo by Demian Tejeda-Benitez.

I’m Jewish, and smart, (if I do say so myself,) but What Opa Did showed me that I’m nescient about a lot of my tribe’s  history, such as the creation of Israel, so I was glad to be apprised of some of it here. I didn’t even know that “Opa” means “Grandpa” in German! (My Jewish roots are more Russian, and I know lots of Yiddish words, but not German or Hebrew. As the play points out in a way, there are Jews and there are Jews.)

Now, here’s my one big issue with the production. I understand and appreciate what they are going for with all the dark lighting, but I absolutely hated it. I’m sure it’s designed to accommodate the depressing story, but this is a show—we want to be able to see it! And comfortably. My eyes were hurting the whole time. And in such an intimate theatre, I actually had to use binoculars, from just three rows back, to see the actors’ faces well enough. This venue is very popular with seniors, most likely because of the quality productions and overwhelming ease of experience, and I’m sure that they would like the stage to have a bit more light, as well. I actually heard a few audience members grumble about the darkness on stage at intermission. Just sayin’.

By the way, if playwright Christopher Franciosa’s last name seems familiar to you, yes, he is the son of ’50s -’70s handsome man movie and TV star, Tony Franciosa. So I was left scratching my head over why an Italian guy like that would write a script like this one. It turns-out that his mother is Jewish, and she and her family lived through the Holocaust! Who knew? (On a side note—Italian men and Jewish girls make the best couples. Of course they do, because that’s what Mr. X and I are!)

The What Opa Did set. Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the one of the lobby display at the top of this review.

What Opa Did reminded me that I’m always still a little scared of Germany, even after all these decades. Way back in the ‘90s, when the world was actually far less scary than it is now, a friend of mine told me that he always goes to Germany to buy his BMWs. He said they fly their customers out there, put them up, charge about half the price of what they would pay here, and then ship the car back to LA for them. I thought that was a wonderful concept, and I told the non-Jewish Mr. X that I wanted to do the same thing. He was aghast at that idea, and told me that I should never go to Germany because I’m Jewish. And I realized that he was correct—I’d probably be very upset and on edge there the whole time.

As I definitely was while watching this play. But in this instance, I was feeling all those emotions in a good way. I was enjoying the excellence of the production, and the narrative made me more determined than ever to help America get back to better times.

Go see it!!!

What Opa Did running through February 15, 2026
Theatre 40  241 S. Moreno Drive,  Beverly Hills
3
10-364-0535 www.theatre40.org

If you see only one show this holiday season, I highly recommend that you make it The Wonderful Winter of Oz at Bank of America Performing Arts Center in Thousand Oaks.  It’s fun for all ages.

(L-R) John Schartze, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, Douglas Ladnier, and Mark Gagliardi. Photo by Josh Kaplan, as is the one above.

It’s yet another fabulous “panto” from Kris and Becky Lythgoe. (He wrote it and she directed it—what a couple!) I’ve seen almost all of their pantos through the years, (this was my ninth one!,) but I hadn’t been to one since before the pandemic, so, of course, I haven’t told you about them for that long, which means it’s now time for a refresher course in the concept. A “panto” is a tradition from England, which is usually performed around the holidays. Each show is based on a well-known fairy tale or other kind of popular classic story, (such as The Wizard of Oz of this one,) but it’s not the exact story. It includes many elements, including singing, dancing, a very colorful basic set, modern popular songs, clever and somewhat silly references, (in this case, to old sitcoms,) and lots of audience participation—we all love loudly booing the villain. And if done right, as it always is with the Lythgoes, it’s tons of fun.

The lovely Lythgoe family–Kris, Leo, and Becky–on opening night of The Wonderful Winter of Oz. Photo by Karen Salkin.

More on the story in a minute, but first I must tell you about this incredible cast. The Wonderful Winter of Oz is led by a few actors with whom many audiences may be familiar, having seem them on popular TV shows: Tamyra Gray, who plays the good witch Glinda here, was a finalist on the very first American Idol, John O’Hurley had a recurring role, (as “J. Peterman,”) on Seinfeld, and Aubrey Anderson-Emmons played Lily on Modern Family. That’s a lot of star power. (More on each one a bit later.)

They are all excellent, but Nicole Parker absolutely steals the show as the Wicked Witch of the West. This is the third time that I’ve been lucky enough to see her work recently. She was excellent in La Cage aux Folles at the Pasadena Playhouse a year ago, she was even better last month at Peter Pan Goes Wrong at the La Mirada Theatre, and in this one, she proves that she’s the most talented female on the stage today! She augments her acting performance here with two other bits that are just incredible! One is that she does a few impressions of famous people. As someone who’s done a couple of episodes of a sitcom with Ellen Degeneres back in the day, I can verify that Nicole’s impression of her is spot-on. And then she asks an audience member about themself, and…makes-up an impromptu rhyme about them right away! It’s truly jaw-dropping.

Add to all that the trio of guys playing Dorothy’s new pals on the way to Oz. I loved all three—Mark Gagliardi as Lion, Douglas Ladnier as Tin Man, John Shartzer as Scarecrow—their humor and personalities cannot be beat! Mark and Douglas were new to me, but I had singled-out John in Clue at the Ahmanson last year, for being “Gumby-esque,” which he demonstrates again here. His phenomenal moves when he’s freed from his scarecrow stand are something I wish I could see over and over. And he and Mark are adorbs with the children they interview during that bit in the show, (which I’ll tell you about in a minute.)

(L-R) Douglas Ladnier, Mark Gagliardi, John Schartzer, Nicole Parker, and Aubrey Anderson-Emmons. Photo by Josh Kaplan.

Getting back to the TV personalities, it was a tad shocking to see Aubrey all grown up now. She does a great job of anchoring the action, and she brings a quiet confidence to the pivotal role of Dorothy. And John’s singing of Rainbow Connection in Act II is charming.

But the one who made me cry is Tamyra. I was surprised by that myself, but when she sang I Believe in You and Me in the first act, I just welled-up. And she got even better for me when I met her at the after-party—that girl has zero wrinkles! No lie. Not even one. She looks the same as she did on American Idol, which was over twenty-five years ago! I told her that she should have her own skincare line. She seriously looks twenty years younger than she is. I’m not exaggerating even one little bit. I’ve never seen anything like it.

And she has an absolutely adorable little daughter, whom I met in the Ladies Room at intermission. I was rocking my famous Christmas fireplace sweater, and the little girl kept pointing it out to her auntie, saying, “Look at her cute shirt!” And she was correct about it! I had no idea she was Tamyra’s daughter, but I was already a fan because she’s smart as a whip!

And let’s not forget Toto—he’s actually played by a real dog for much of the show! Fun.

Tamyra Gray and Nicole Parker. Photo by Josh Kaplan.

In the middle of the first act, my most discerning theater-going friend, Nina2, leaned over to me and whispered, “The choreography and dancing are really good!” I agree—choreographers Becca Sweitzer and Camal Pugh did an excellent job with all the hip and happening dance numbers.

The dancers are all great, seriously, but I could not keep my eyes off Sydney Kinney. She’s just about the most enthusiastic dancer I’ve ever seen. (And not in the famous nutty Bob Banas Nitty Gritty way!) That girl brings it!

This is a musical, after all, so I must make mention of the darling Musical Director, Jesse Vargas, who I got to know a bit at the afterparty, and now want to make my New Best Friend. With his very many credits, he and I have sooo much to continue discussing!

As to the story itself, Kris Lythgoe re-wrote almost the entire script since I first saw this same panto from him seven years ago. I love that he works the narrative to suit his actors’ abilities.

I also adored the many fabulous and vibrant ever-changing projections and the colorful munchkin costumes. All the visuals were mouthwatering to me, especially to see them so close-up in that theatre.

(L-R) Douglas Ladnier, John Schartzer, Mark Gagliardi, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, and John O’Hurley. Photo by Josh Kaplan.

Speaking of that theatre, Thousand Oaks’ Scherr Forum at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center is the perfect venue for this panto! This is the fourth theatre at which I’ve seen a Lythgoe Family Panto, and it just might be the best one! They make use of more than just the stage, which is fun. The intimate space allows the actors to really bring the audience into the action. And into each other! I’ve never talked to more strangers in my life at any entertainment! Everyone seemed to be bonding over something or someone in the show.

The Wonderful Winter of Oz is billed as an “interactive experience,” and it really is. We’re told to boo the Witch, and help warn the characters about lurking dangers, such as the notorious Flying Monkeys. And we all get to do the sing-along near the end. And, as is de rigueur for a panto, several audience members get involved in other fun ways as the show goes along.

I do have to give you one amusing warning, though: If you just had your hair done, or are wearing suede or leather, make sure you don’t sit in the last few rows of the front section of the orchestra. Just sayin’. Trust me on this one.

As always with a Lythgoe Family Panto, there are some fun extras with this show. I suggest getting to the theatre a half hour early because there are pre-show holiday-themed activities that are free to everyone! Also, the parents of up to ten children (aged four-twelve) per performance can purchase a Golden Ticket for their child to be one of the kids to go on stage near the end and be interviewed by one of the funny performers, and then “lead” the Jingle Bells sing-along. And exit with a goodie bag, to boot! (I just may disguise myself as a kid with pigtails and a lollipop when I inevitably see it again!!!)

The opening night curtain call. Photo by Karen Salkin.

I was privileged to be invited to the opening night afterparty, at the Crown and Anchor, which was just perfect for a panto celebration because it’s a British pub. They weren’t serving afternoon tea, of course, but the crowd was very happy with fish & chips and sausage rolls. That fare is not my cup of tea, (see what I did there?,) so I didn’t indulge, but I was actually happy to not partake in the food because that gave me more time to congratulate everyone on the superb job they did! And wish them all well for the rest of the run.

So I recommend that everyone in SoCal, (and even beyond,) get over toThousand Oaks in the next two weeks because The Wonderful Winter of Oz is not to be missed! With or without the kiddoes.

The Wonderful Winter of Oz running through December 28, 2025
Bank of America Performing Arts Center–Scherr Forum
2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks

805-449-2787 www.TOpanto.com