Stage Raw: Marry Me A Little

The latest NEW THEATER REVIEWS are embedded in this week's COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGS; also, see this week's THEATER FEATURE on Kevin King's The Idea Man

MARRY ME A LITTLE/THE LAST FIVE YEARS

Marry Me a Little Photo by Michael Lamont

NEW REVIEW MARRY ME A LITTLE & THE LAST FIVE YEARS For Marry Me A Little, Craig Lucas and Norman Rene constructed a wisp of a plot to incorporate 16 existing Stephen Sondheim songs. In it, two New Yorkers, a Man (Mike Dalager) and a Woman (Jennifer Hubilla) each spends a lonely Saturday night at home. Since one set serves for both apartments, we see both obliviously pursuing their solitary lives within a single space. Director Jules Aaron seems to distrust the original concept, allowing them to be aware and interact, so the thematic loneliness is nullified. The result resembles a musical revue, or an over-produced concert.  The Last Five Years, written/composed by Jason Robert Brown, and directed by Jon Lawrence Rivera, depicts, in 14 songs, the dissolution of a relationship, seen from opposite perspectives by writer Jamie (Michael K. Lee) and Cathy (Jennifer Paz): he sees their relationship chronologically, while she views it retrospectively, leaving us to piece together the fractured tale. The performers are all capable, but only Lee brings needed dynamism. Since one play concerns a relationship that never happens, and the other depicts a deteriorating one, they make for a grim evening, though the opening night audience seemed enthusiastic. East West Players at the David Henry Hwang Theatre, 129 Judge John Aiso Street, Los Angeles; Wed.-Sat., 8 p.m., Sun., 2 p.m., thru June 21; (213) 625-7000 or  http://www.eastwestplayers.org. (Neal Weaver)

For a list of plays being reviewed over the weekend, and more local stage happenings, press the Continue Reading tab directly below
Check back here Monday after noon for new reviews of: Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo at the Kirk Douglas; Dirty Dancing at the Pantages; Come Back Little Horny at the Lost Studio; El Ogrito (The Ogreling) at 24th Street Theater; F Yourself: An Evening with Famke Roumstead at Bang Comedy Theatre; I'll Give you Something to Cry About presented by the Katselas Theater Company at the Beverly Hills Playhouse; Ochre and Onyx: The Langston Hughes Project presented by the Watts Village Theater at the L.A. Design Center; Setup and Punch at the Blank Theatre Company; and Ten to Life presented by Lodestone Theatre Ensemble at CTG Burbank

HURRICANE IN SANTA MONICA

Shiek Mahmud-Bey appears as Rubin "Hurricane" Carter in  Timothy Nolan's play (also featuring Tod Engle) in the L.A. debut of The Way Out -- a story based on the life of the middle-weight boxer who was acquitted and released after serving a 20-year sentence for a triple homicide in New Jersey. Promenade Playhouse, 1404 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica. May 15-16, 8 p.m.; May 17, 3 & 7 p.m. (323) 960-4412 or http://plays411.com/thewayout

HEPBURNG SINGS!

Kevin Dulude portrays the shaky-voiced legend this weekend only in a one-man/woman show downtown at the Playhouse Theatre Players, 600 Moulton Avenue (corner of 1900 North Main & Moulton, in the Brewery Art Colony). May 15-17, Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 3 p.m. (323) 227-5410. More info here.