I’ll get to my review of the actual play, (which, spoiler alert, is another winner for this venue,) in a minute. But I must discuss a few auxiliary things first.

There are several wonderful repeat aspects of this Theatre 40 offering, Crossing Delancey. The best is that once again, they’ve produced an excellent show, with an up-to-the-challenge cast. And, as always, Jeff G. Rack has designed a perfect multi-location set, perhaps even outdoing himself.

Jeff G. Rack’s set. Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the one above.

And then, on the negative side, it was freezing in there the day we went. It used to always be very cold in that theatre, (they don’t control the temperature—they’re at the mercy of Beverly Hills High School, which Theatre 40 is enchantingly underneath,) and then in March, the temp was perfect. And now in May, it’s back to freezing again. So I advise to dress in layers. (At intermission, my rarely-bothered friend had to go back to the car to get a coat!)

But the most egregious problem, for at least the third show in a row, is the awful stage lighting. As I’ve said before, the dark lighting makes the audience tired, and it hurts our eyes. The previous play there was an old Agatha Christie mystery, so I can understand a bit why they thought constant darkness was appropriate, even though it was torturous to those of us who were trying to see the presentation. But this one takes place in 1988 New York City, so there’s no need for the stage to be so poorly-lit. In Lighting Design 101, colleges teach us that the most important thing in that field is to design lighting that makes it easy and comfortable for the audience. I guess that Derrick McDaniel, who did the lighting here, was absent that day. If this continues, I may have to start bringing a flashlight to future shows there!

Now back to the happier stuff. Crossing Delancey is a play from 1985, which then became a 1988 movie starring Amy Irving. It features a Jewish girl and her grandmother in New York City at that time, and even though I’m Jewish from Brooklyn, I had never seen either rendition before. I can’t speak for the film, but this play is entertaining. It’s about the grandma fixing-up her granddaughter with a nice Jewish man, through a matchmaker no less. I honestly can’t imagine anything like that happening there in the ’80s, outside of perhaps the Orthodox community, (which I believe is the only way young singles meet each other in that branch of Judaism.) So the premise of the play was a tad odd to me. (Then again, I’ve spent only three months in my life, since I was fifteen, without a boyfriend, so I never had a need for fix-ups, from anybody!)

(L-R) Ari Hagler, Sharron Shayne, and Holly Sidell. Photo by Alyssa K. Liu.

As you can see, I have a few tiny issues with the story; however they have nothing to do with this production—those are all on the original playwright.

But the performances are all first-rate, and it’s a sweet and humorous tale. The whole presentation is fun. I do have to admit that, though I enjoyed it, I didn’t laugh that much, (honestly, perhaps because I was freezing,) but the rest of the audience did. There was a packed house last Sunday, which I believe included a big Jewish group, which is a great idea for a fun activity to do with a bunch of your pals. But I promise you that any ethnicity will appreciate the humor and love story. It translates across religions. My far-from-Jewish friend loved it! And at intermission, I overheard a woman tell her friend, “I adore this show!”

I’ve heard that the movie isn’t that funny, but this version is mined for optimum laughs, which is a good thing. The grandmother is basically a caricature of a Jewish grandmother. I’ve never seen one like that in my life, but Sharron Shayne’s portrayal is amusing, and the audience I saw the show with loved her. Also spot-on is Amy Tolsky as the matchmaker. She’s uber-believable as her hilarious character!

(L-R) Amy Tolsky, Ari Hagler, Sharron Shayne, (in the background,) and Holly Sidell. Photo by Alyssa K. Liu.

One of my favorite things about this production is that there’s real quality music in-between scenes. Several songs are by The Roches, including the old school tune, Come Softly to Me, which was originally done by The Fleetwoods in 1949!

There’s a lot of clever repartee in the Crossing Delancey script. In one scene, the girl is late to a date with the pickle man, (because she was on an earlier date with someone else,) and she asks the guy, “Don’t you want to know why I’m late?,” to which he replies, “Will it make me happy to know?” She answers, “No.” So he says, “Then why should I ask for unhappiness?” I love that. (But how is he Jewish—we all want reasons to complain!) (Wait a second—something similar once happened to me when I was teen! One of my suitors had stopped by my house when I wasn’t home, so I asked him later if it was for a good reason, and he answered no. So I told him that I didn’t want to hear it then. But it’s haunted me ever since, even though I already had a new boyfriend. What could he have possibly wanted?)

I must say that at first, the story didn’t ring true that she could suddenly be attracted to this guy, even after they kiss. But then I remembered the true tale of a friend of mine, not as far back in the day as this play, but definitely many years ago. She was dating a guy named Mike; he was attractive enough, but she was not attracted to him—he was just one of her several suitors. Then one day, she was in her car, talking to Mike through her open window, when he asked, “Are you ever going to kiss me?!” And then, before she could answer, he leaned down, grabbed her face, and threw the mac on her! Telling me about it, she said, “Kah, I almost had a heart attack!” I asked, “That bad?,” to which she answered, “No! Now I’m in love with him!!!” And they’re married now! So I guess a kiss can do that for some people.

Holly Sidell and Matt Landig. Photo by Alyssa K. Liu.

In case you’re not aware of this, Theatre 40 is the most affordable experience, especially for the quality they give you. The shows are always excellent, (well, once they get a good lighting designer, they will be again,) it’s sooo comfortable in there, it’s incredibly easy to get to, and all the parking is free! And right outside the underground entrance! And very cleverly, because the wannabe paramour in this show is a pickle man, they serve complimentary pickle slices at intermission! All those reasons, coupled with yet another good production, are why you need to see Crossing Delancey.

Crossing Delancey running through June 21, 2026
Theatre 40  241 S. Moreno Drive,  Beverly Hills
310-364-0535 www.theatre40.org

Three years ago, I saw Ain’t Misbehavin’ at the same location as I did this past weekend—the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center—and produced by the same company—Ebony Rep. I loved it then and I loved it again now! It’s a very limited run, so do not miss it! Very sadly for us Angelenos, there are only eight more performances!

(L-R) Chester Gregory, Marty Austin Lamar, Connie Jackson, Natalie Wachen, and Ledisi. Photo by Craig Schwartz, as is the one at the top of this review.

Because the production was perfect last time, I was happy to discover that almost nothing about the presentation, (once again directed by Wren T. Brown and choreographed by Dominique Kelley,) had changed, save for two new performers and one new musician.

The extremely talented cast is made up of returning artists Marty Austin Lamar, Connie Jackson, and Natalie Wachen, along with new members of the quintet, Chester Gregory and Grammy-award winner Ledisi, who will be appearing on Broadway in the Fall in the new musical Wanted, which is based on a true story of Black twin sisters who became outlaws in 1893. (I have got to see this one—it sounds like a movie I did years ago, Brothers in Arms, about a gang of Black outlaws in that same period! Don’t ask. But, yes, my character does get killed.)

Chester Gregory and Marty Austin Lamar. Photo by Craig Schwartz.

All five performers are beyond excellent, but my personal fave was Chester Gregory. When I saw him in Dreamgirls at the Ahmanson sixteen years ago, (wow—for both of us!,) I wrote, “The person who stole the show for me, though, was Chester Gregory as James Thunder Early.” And, with his nutty dance moves, especially in The Viper’s Drag, (aka The Reefer Song,) he did the same here.

The show itself, which won the 1978 Tony award for Best Musical, is wonderful. Ain’t Misbehavin’ is a “revue,” so there’s no story to it—it’s simply fabulous music and singing, with very clever movement and occasional special choreography, and gorgeous voices from the five-person cast!

It features the music of Fats Waller, along with songs by other composers and lyricists that were popularized by Fats. (He wrote the music for the classic title tune, of course.) On the way to the theatre on Saturday night, my friend Lisa told me that she’s not a fan of that genre of music, but wanted to go just to spend time with me. (Smart girl!) However, she wound-up loving the show! How’s that for an endorsement?!

The songs span 1922 to 1943. About half are well-known, with the rest being lesser-known tunes that are fun surprises. There’s a perfect mix of serious and comic songs, upbeat ones and ballads, and a few with creative dance moves.  (The performers themselves are also a great assortment of voices, physicalities, and personalities.)

The whole Ain’t Misbehavin’ cast during the fun curtain calls. Photo by Karen Salkin.

In addition to the title tune, there are classics such as The Joint Is Jumpin’, Honeysuckle Rose, and I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter, an experience I’ve actually lived. (The next lyric after the title is, “And make believe it came from you.” I actually used to do that exact thing as Mr. X in our first few years together! I was in charge of sending all the Christmas presents to his co-stars, and he told me to send myself what I wanted, as well. But I always made the “greetings” to me things like, “My dearest darling, I love you with all my heart!” And signed his name to them! And then kept the cards that arrived, in case I ever needed proof! Which I always do.)

The Ain’t Misbehavin’ Opening Night audience went nuts for all the numbers, especially the couple that we participated in, (such as the hilarious Fat and Greasy,) but there were two obvious hits of the night. First was the hilarious Your Feet’s Too Big, sung by amazingly light-on-his-feet Marty Austin Lamar. I love that song, possibly because that is something no one can ever say about me. (A masseuse once started laughing when she got to my feet, and explained that her mirth was due to my “cute little cartoon toes!”)

The audience went absolutely berserk for the musical’s very serious penultimate number, Black and Blue. The lyrics about racism are so powerful, and this cast really sold their meaning, in five-part harmony, to boot.

The on-stage band. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Since the show is all music, I must also give props to the on-stage musicians: Musical Director William Foster McDaniel on piano, along with returnees Land Richards, Keith Fiddmont, and Fernando Pullum, and newbie Weldon Scott. After the prolonged standing ovation from the very appreciative Opening Night audience, the classy among us even stayed until the band finished playing so we could applaud them on their own.

And I was happy to see the same set as in 2023, which was the last one designed by the late John Iacovelli. The setting of Ain’t Misbehavin’ is a cocktail party in a brownstone in Harlem during the Harlem Renaissance, and that’s exactly what we saw on stage. I actually can attest to how perfect the set is because I was lucky enough to see one real such place in New York when a friend inherited it from very old relatives who had kept it exactly as is. I could feel all that history coming from the stage.

The late John Iacovelli’s final set. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Lastly, I must give two auxiliary shout-outs: Ebony Rep has come up with the most beautiful and impressive programs ever! They’re true keepsakes. And the theatre itself has the most perfect sightlines. Even a man rocking a big hat did not annoy me! (Much.)

To sum-up, this latest rendition of Ain’t Misbehavin’ is an uber-worthwhile evening (or afternoon) of theatre. So I highly recommend it to everyone. And remember, there are only eight more performances, so do not drag your feet, “too big” or otherwise, on this one!

Ain’t Misbehavin’ running through June 8, 2026
Nate Holden Performing Arts Center

4718 West Washington Boulevard Los Angeles
323-964-9766 www.ebonyrep.org   

The packed assemblage on Opening Night of the classic musical, Brigadoon, at the Pasadena Playhouse, was the absolutely most appreciative audience ever! It was wonderful to be a tiny part of it. And it was great to see that the crowd wasn’t made-up of only people who one might expect to enjoy a show from 1947—we were very diverse in terms of age and career. I personally knew guests who were over forty years apart in age, including actors, singers, lawyers, teachers, accountants, etc. It was the most fun pre-show mingling.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

It did surprise me a bit that there were sooooo many people who appeared to be fans of the old school Lerner and Lowe musical. I’ve referenced Brigadoon in at least a handful of previous columns, (as I sometimes do in life,) and I felt like I was the only person who had ever even heard of the show before! And, actually, even though I had seen just about every classic musical by the time I was eight, (mostly in summer productions, and thanks to my very cultured New York parents,) I had seen only the Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse film version of this one.

Karen Salkin and Nina Herzog enjoying the photo op on the Pasadena Playhouse patio. Photo by Julia Manis.

But I guess the Pasadena Playhouse crowd is a classy one because absolutely everyone was into it, as well they should be. I usually feel alone in my love of old musicals; it often seems to me that the Hamilton and Hell’s Kitchen crowds have sort-of shunned that era of Broadway shows. They are dated, but classics still. So everything about Opening Night made me happy, (including getting to finally try Pie ’N Burger food, courtesy of their truck, with lovely personnel, on-site at the afterparty!)

For those of you who know nothing about Brigadoon, (and prefer that I do all the research for you,) the title is the name of a mysterious village in Scotland. And the kicker is that…it appears for just one day every hundred years! (I know.) The logistics of that situation have hurt my brain my entire life, wondering how the inhabitants get food, meds, etc. But I’ve got to let it go because it’s a fictional tale. And, actually, the residents go to sleep after one long day, and when they wake-up, it’s just another day to them. They’re not allowed to interact with the outside world, (think of M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village a bit,) so they have no concept of a century having passed. (They know that it did because of some deal that an elder had made back in the day—my friend Nina and I missed the explanation because the person behind us was heavily coughing on us through that entire monologue, and we didn’t have masks! So our minds were elsewhere right then.) And then two guys from New York happen upon Brigadoon on that one day, and one falls in love with a woman from this village. And most of the action plays out in just that one day!

Betsy Morgan and Max von Essen. Photo by Jeff Lorch, as is the one at the top of this review.

The fantasy scenario is secondary to the lovely music, though. Brigadoon features songs with which many people may be familiar, even without realizing from whence they came, especially Heather on the Hill and Almost Like Being in Love. I can’t believe how many lyrics I still know. So how many times did my parents play that album when I was growing up?

Caring more about dance than any other art, I have to first laud the two fabulous individual dances in the show. The director, Katie Spelman, also did all the excellent choreography. Broadway’s original choreographer, the late great Agnes DeMille, (who received a big credit in the program,) would be proud of her.

I was so happy to see Kylie Victoria Edwards’ very balletic “love” number in the first act, (in the middle of the song Come To Me, Bend To Me.) It’s beautiful. And then Jessica Lee Keller’s uber-powerful “grief dance” in Act II is a stunner. Nina was so taken with the latter that I’m sharing her feelings about it: “One of the most impactful moments was a dance performed by a character described as being so consumed by grief over the death of her family that she had stopped speaking.Through extraordinary, innovative contemporary ballet—while releasing the most guttural, heartbreaking wail—she expressed what words could not. Tears streamed down my face. Grief is so close to the surface, and to see it danced through music was truly spectacular.” Yeah, what she said. I think most of the audience felt the same way.

Kylie Victoria Edwards and Daniel Yearwood. Photo by Jeff Lorch.

As to the music, it was lovely to hear all these aforementioned songs, which I’ve been enjoying since I was a little kid, sung so beautifully. And major props to the wonderful musicians, whose full sound was a joy. At the curtain call, the orchestra was revealed to be on the back of the stage, and they received thunderous applause. It was also interesting that at times, musicians playing flute, violin, cello, and some form of drum, were front and center, worked into the happy scenes.

The twenty-two person multi-talented cast did justice to the group numbers. The voice of Max von Essen, the male lead, got to me the most. Since I don’t read my theatre programs before the performances, I had not realized that I saw Max in Falsettos seven years ago, so I honestly did not expect that gorgeous singing voice to come out of him.

But as far as speaking voices go, you will find none better than that of Happy Anderson, the very funny male sidekick. I’ve never heard stage dialogue so clearly before!

Happy Anderson in the center. Photo by Jeff Lorch.

That brings me to something for which I must give kudos to just about the entire cast—they did convincing Scottish accents, with all but the barmaid being understandable. That’s quite the accomplishment for whoever the dialect coach is. (I couldn’t find a program credit for that helper.)

A nice surprise was six-time Emmy winner for Cagney and Lacey, Tyne Daly, as the grown-up who seems to be in charge of the village. (In the original show, the character is the male schoolmaster; I’m not sure exactly what her job is in this rendition.) The experience of seeing Tyne up there came full circle for me—the only other time I had seen her on stage was when I was a tiny child watching her in a summer stock production! (Yes, I do have one of those memories. It serves me well, but it can get lonely at times.)

The Pasadena Playhouse has the perfect size stage for this show, and Jason Sherwood did a superb job with the sets. And I appreciated the very subtle flicker of the over-the-proscenium lanterns from time to time.

Tyne Daly. Photo by Jeff Lorch.

Early on, before I even knew that this was a new adaptation of Brigadoon, I made a note that “the dialogue must have been heavily rewritten.” As entertaining as the new script is, I think I would have preferred to hear the original dialogue. Since the nutty story stayed intact in this production, I would have liked to know exactly what people considered to be amusing repartee back in the dark ages of the 1940s!

As much as I always roll my eyes at the hard-to-believe love story in Brigadoon, I actually know that it is possible because…I fell in love with Mr. X at first sight, without even meeting him! (That came the next night. And, much to his relief, I have never sung about my feelings.) I also fell in love with Los Angeles at that same time, and, even as a teenager, knew it would all seem like a dream when I went home in a couple of weeks. (I even told my mother back then that it would feel like Brigadoon!) So I did give up my entire New York life, (family, friends, boyfriend, college,) to stay here to stalk get to know Mr. X, with no knowledge of how to take care of my sheltered self. But, of course, it didn’t all happen in one day. (And, although being together for about a hundred years now, when asked how he fell in love with me, Mr. X claims he’ll “let [me] know when it happens.” Can you see why I love the guy?)

Photo by Jeff Lorch.

You know I appreciate when an entertainment makes me think of something heavier, such as this world-applicable observation that Brigadoon’s timeline reminded me of. So I’m sharing how I came to the conclusion that time is different for each person. The briefest description is this: My friend Alicia was always late. I do mean always. On a busy day, we stopped at her house between events to heat-up chicken fingers for her kids, and quickly change outfits. The whole thing felt like it was taking no more than a half hour. But, as we left the house again, I looked at my watch, and it was…four hours later!!! I could not fathom how that happened. Another time, my friend Mitch took me to dinner before a Clippers game. I had never been to that restaurant before, so I had to study the menu, ask questions, (have ya met me?,) decide together what we wanted, have my slow self eat it all, get the specially-spiced nuts at the end of the meal, (which I ate, and savored, one at a time.) Then he paid the bill and I went to the ladies room, the whole while feeling terrible that we were going to miss the National Anthem and the start of the game because that entire shebang felt like it was taking two or three fabulous hours. But, from walking in to exiting, it turned-out to have been only…forty-five minutes! No lie.

So there’s my proof of the time and space continuum, which is why that hundred-years Brigadoon story doesn’t bother me as much as most irrational tales do. It doesn’t matter to the villagers what year it is—it just seems like the next day to them. How do they even have a calendar? The older people there must have been born before time was even calculated! (All that math is sooo confusing, even to my perfect-math-score-on-the-SATs self!)

Now that I’ve made your heads spin as much as mine, just go see this beautiful musical while the Pasadena Playhouse is offering the incredible opportunity. Just like Brigadoon itself, the chance may not present itself for another hundred years!

Brigadoon running through June 14, 2026
Pasadena Playhouse 39 South El Molino Avenue, Pasadena
626-356-7529 www.pasadenaplayhouse.org

I have to be honest and tell you right upfront that this review might be partially affected by the fact that it was soooo freezing in the Odyssey Theatre on the Opening Night of Hymn that it was very hard to pay as much attention to the play as I always do. I’m pretty sure that the production is good, but my brain was half-frozen the entire time. Seriously, I kept eyeing a blanket that’s part of the set decorations, and wondering if I could run fast enough to grab it off the stage without being seen. (Strangely, that part of the set is never even used, although there are several items on it in addition to the blankets!)

Chuma Gault and Jason Delane. Photo by Cooper Bates, as is the one above.

The basic premise of Hymn, (which is revealed pretty early on in the hour and a half, so I’m not ruining anything for you,) is that a pair of fifty-year-old men discover that they’re half-brothers. They share a recently-deceased *father, but with very different upbringings. And the relationship grows from there. With ancestry-tracing kits being so popular these days, (not that these two sibs used any,) Hymn is a tale for everyone. (I always wish I would find a secret sibling, especially a long-lost twin. No joke.) *[Note: My analytical mind wonders if the title Hymn has a dual meaning. “Hymn,” of course, because the brothers meet in a church after the “legitimate” one has given the eulogy for their father, but also the play on words “him” because their entire newfound kinship is based on him—their sire. Just sayin’. Now I wish I was still in college to write a paper on it!]

Hymn began its life in London five years ago. I love British accents, which these actors—Jason Delane as Benny and Chuma Gault as Gil—do convincingly. But I don’t understand why the action could not have been moved to America for the run here. I’m just about positive that both actors are American, and it could be set anywhere in this country. The characters’ experience is universal. I kept waiting for London to figure into the story, but it never did, so that was a bit distracting. (I’ve since found-out that the play has been performed elsewhere in the States several times, all with the men being American. So now I really wonder why the Odyssey chose to make it unneccesarily British.)

Chuma Gault and Jason Delane. Photo by Cooper Bates.

The show opens with two monologues, and then the action finally gets going when the men meet. In all honesty, I’m not very interested in plays with only two characters, but Jason and Chuma do such a good job that I barely noticed it was a two-hander. And my friend Marc said that when they were talking to unseen characters, (such as a waitress and one’s son,) he totally believed it, so that added some depth.

Both actors are Black, (I can’t say African-American here, in case they are actually British,) so one might assume that the play is about the Black experience. But, I see it as simply a human experience. I feel that Hymn could also be performed by any two people of the same age, preferably around fifty, with no regard to race or gender. However, it’s good the way it is. So just go on the journey with them.

Chuma Gault and Jason Delane in the “Dump and Run Room.” (This just hit me–is there a dramatic reason the actors are always on their one side? I guess I DO have to go back to college to write this paper!) Photo by Cooper Bates.

Hymn is basically a serious play, with several good laughs along the way. My favorite bit of mirth is when the bros are going through boxes containing some of Benny’s nostalgic old items, (such as always-comedic M.C. Hammer pants,) in what I’m assuming is an attic, and Gil labels the area a “dump and run room.” That’s exactly what I’ve turned every room in my house into, so I totally identified. And now I finally have a fun name for what I’ve done to my place! I’ll thank playwright Lolita Chakrabarti for those bon mots every time I go through my own junk treasures.

By the way—Ms. Chakrabarti is the genius who adapted the novel Life of Pi into the gorgeous many-awards-winning play. So on that past success alone, although far from the spectacular production that Life of Pi is, you know that Hymn is a good one.

The entirety of Hymn is performed on one small set, but it manages to demonstrate about a half dozen different locations. Strangely, though, they never use that one area that’s set-up with those aforementioned coveted (by me) blankets, a portable piano, a chair, a stool, and some books. (So I could have borrowed a blanket! Or both.)

The set. Note the folded blankets next to that portable piano and chair on the upper right side. Photo by Karen Salkin.

As short as it is, Hymn would benefit from having about ten minutes cut. There are at least two monologues that could be much briefer or perhaps not there at all. We get the gist of each scene without it getting as wordy as it does. To me, the fun scene in that dump and run room is the only one that should remain totally intact.

But still, the show is a worthwhile one. Just remember to bring a parka!

Hymn running through June 14, 2026

Odyssey Theatre
2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd. WLA
310-477-2055 www.odysseytheatre.com

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