Theater to See in L.A. This Week, Including Prancing Horses on a Stage the Size of a Football Field

Cavalia

"Cavalia's Odysseo"

The Canadian troupe Cavalia wowed critic Lovell Estell III this week with its equestrian spectacle Cavalia's Odysseo. Good notices also for Diane Glancy's The Bird House at the Autry National Center, and for a revival of Carlos Murillo's Dark Play (or Story for Boys) at the Whitmore-Lindley Theatre. For all the latest New Theater Reviews, and theater listings, see below.

This week's two Theater Features look at a new one-man play by Richard Creese and performed by David Melville for the Independent Shakespeare Company. It's called Solemn Mockeries and studies 18th century forger William-Henry Ireland, who grew to be expert at manufacturing Shakespearean artifacts -- letters, documents and even the complete manuscript of a "lost" play -- all to please his dad. We also reviewed the jukebox musical Divorce Party: The Musical, about a hausfrau whose gay husband walked out on her, and how her friends attended to her recovery.

NEW THEATER REVIEWS: scheduled for Publication March 7, 2013:

GO: THE BIRD HOUSE Cherokee playwright Diane Glancy offers a sad slice of contemporary country life in a small, dusty town in West Texas. Struggling with a dwindling congregation in his (almost) ghost town, evangelical preacher Jonathan (aka Reverend Hawk, played by Choctaw actor Randy Reinholz) and his dependent sisters face eviction from their church home. Glancy crams several related themes into her play, from the bleak fate of the impoverished elderly to the cold-hearted business decisions of the church to the destruction of the environment when government sells out to developers. Glancy compares Reverend Hawk's imminent eviction with the plight of the Native Americans whose lands were taken over forcibly by white settlers. Ellen Dostal is good as Jon's older sister, Clovis, who, following a debilitating stroke, speaks to the audience directly, vividly describing her frustration. Portraying Native American cowboy Rope, Lakota actor Robert Owens-Greygrass gives a passionate and disturbingly vivid speech that illustrates the rape and poisoning of the land and its water by the fracking process. While Glancy offers few solutions for her beleaguered characters, her play stands as a heartfelt indictment of the deplorable predicament many are facing in today's tough economic climate. The play is beautifully staged and directed by Robert Caisley. Native Voices at the Autry National Center, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park; Thurs.-Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2 & 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.; through March 17. (323) 667-2000, theautry.org. (Pauline Adamek)

PICK OF THE WEEK: CAVALIA'S ODYSSEO This vast equestrian spectacle (the stage, the size of a hockey field, encompasses 15,000 square feet) created by Normand Latourelle and directed by Wayne Fowkes, features 67 horses of 11 breeds as well as 45 international human performers, including riders, trainers, acrobats, aerialists, dancers, stilt walkers and musicians. The horses are beautiful, spirited and disciplined, jumping, dancing and performing elaborate feats of equine choreography. The trick riders display courage, reckless physical prowess and panache, and the scenery, projected on a huge screen, take us from the American Southwest to the steppes of Central Asia. The show consists of several episodes, featuring Cossacks, drummers, an equestrian carousel and an African village festival featuring drummers and acrobats. In a startling finale, the stage is flooded with 80,000 gallons of water so horses, riders and acrobats can splash away like mad.The production has a natural appeal for horse lovers, but you don't have to be an aficionado to appreciate the beauty of magnificent galloping horses, working in precision ensembles.The athletic human choreography is by Darren Charles and Alain Gauthier, and the equestrian direction and choreography is by Benjamin Aillaud. The show's compound is large, so walking shoes are recommended. White Big Top, 777 N. Front Street, Burbank; call or check website for schedule; through March 27. (866) 999-8111, cavalia.net (Neal Weaver)

GO: DARK PLAY (OR STORIES FOR BOYS)

Young Actors Ensemble

Playwright Carlos Murillo's engrossingly disturbing drama gives a high-tech twist to the theme of innocence corrupted -- like a quirky mashup of Les Liaisons Dangereuses and the MTV online-dating docudrama Catfish. Nick (Daniel Christopher), a seemingly normal but unbelievably twisted and cynical teenager, creates the fake online persona of ideal babe Rachel (Hannah Drake) and uses it to seduce Adam (Josh Saleh), a sweet innocent who dreams of finding his dream girl. As Adam's love for the mythical "Rachel" grows, Nick's confusion over whether he's just tricking the boy or actually falling in love with him drives him to insinuate himself physically into Adam's life. The chat room and webcam add a contemporary gloss to what is essentially an epistolary tragic romance. However, one of the marvels of the piece is that it deftly shows online romantic obsession from the point of view of the obsessed. As Adam woos Rachel, our real focus is on Nick's feelings, and Christopher's performance offers a nuanced combination of rage, desire, unbridled need and, yes, perversion. Murillo's taut and evocative dialogue erupts with unexpected spurts of bitterness and melancholy, and director Tommy Statler's pitch-perfect rendering captures both the pathology of Nick's mind and the chaos of his immature emotions. Whitmore-Lindley Theater, 11006 Magnolia Blvd., N. Hlywd.; closed. (Paul Birchall)

DIVORCE PARTY: THE MUSICAL Mark Schwartz and Amy Botwinick's jukebox musical about the second chapter in a housewife's life after her husband comes out and leaves her.  Tuesdays-Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 2 & 6 p.m.; Sundays, 1 & 6:30 p.m. Continues through April 14, www.divorcepartythemusical.com. El Portal Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, 818-508-4200, www.elportaltheatre.com. See Stage Feature.

DON JUAN

Steven Sabel

Dustin Lovell

It's difficult to imagine the infamous seducer of women as a swashbuckling Southern gentleman, but director Steven Sabel has pulled it off somewhat, in an adaptation that's not without problems. With a nod to Molière's untidy rendition of the story, Sabel sets the action of the play in the antebellum South (the erratic regional accents and a prominently displayed Confederate flag are the only indicators of this), with Dustin Lovell doing the honors as Don Juan. Upon returning to the town where his beloved Donna Elvire (a fine performance by Michelle Farivar) lives, the honey-tongued scoundrel is targeted for revenge by Donna's brothers (Doug Mattingly, Neil Miller) and woos the lovely Mathurine (Lila Bassior) and Charlotte (Mamie Wilhelm), both of whom he plans to marry. It gets laughs intermittently, but the physical comedy is overworked, the performances are glaringly uneven and Sabel's script is sluggish and overwritten. Archway Theatre, 305 S. Hewitt St., dwntwn.; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.; through March 16. archwayla.com. (Lovell Estell III)

SKETCHES FROM THE NATIONAL LAMPOON

Shaela Cook

L to R: John Milhiser, Henry Dittman, Darrin Revitz, David Haverty, Erin Matthews and Cj Merriman

After a rocky couple of decades -- its most recent CEO was sentenced to 50 years for fraud in December, long before the former gold standard of comedy pimped out its brand with lowbrow gross-outs (see: Van Wilder) -- the company is angling, yet again, for a comeback. Founder Matty Simmons has returned as producer, with a documentary, Broadway musical and other projects in development. But this talent-packed revival of stage and radio sketches directed by Pat Towne only awakens nostalgia for when NL was still cutting-edge, and not for the stale humor itself. Painfully patched over with shiny new references to Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga, the bits take aim at targets that were exposed, if not thoroughly dismantled, long ago. Grandma fetishes and swinger wives barely register in our Dan Savage age. The talent onstage probably could power a weekly show at the Upright Citizens Brigade, but as for the material, the times, they have a-changed. Hayworth Theatre, 2511 Wilshire Blvd., Westlake; Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 3 & 7 p.m.; through March 17. (323) 337-1546, nationallampoon.brownpapertickets.com. (Jenny Lower)

GO: SOLEMN MOCKERIES Richard Creese's play about Shakespeare forger William-Henry Ireland. Presented by Independent Shakespeare Company at Atwater Crossing, 3191 Casitas Ave., Ste. 168, Atwater Village. Sat.-Sun., 4 p.m.; through March 10. See Stage Feature

THERAPY

Jonah Light

L to R: Luis Selgas, Marcie Lynn Ross.

In his day job, playwright-director Jeff Bernhardt earns his bread as a licensed clinical social worker. So one must grant him the benefit of the doubt when it comes to the technical accuracy of the therapeutic issues confronted in this drama about the spillover of the personal into the professional for a trio of conflicted psychological counselors (Lynn Ann Leveridge, Marcie Lynn Ross and Jed Sura). But what might be intriguing on a therapist's couch isn't necessarily so on a stage. There is very little narrative energy in characters spilling their guts about offstage domestic and childhood traumas for two hours. The few sparks that do fly are generated by Luis Selgas, in a nicely restrained performance as a dryly taciturn and bitterly sardonic patient resisting treatment. Bernhardt delivers some clever twists, but his script feels as cluttered with the dramatically irrelevant as is Eloise Ayala's furniture-crammed set. Secret Rose Theatre, 11246 Magnolia Blvd., NoHo; Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 & 7 p.m.; through March 17. (800) 838-3006, brownpapertickets.com/event/322663. (Bill Raden)

VERONICA'S ROOM

The Visceral Company

Patrick Skelton, Karen Kahler, Amelia Gotham and Mark Souza

This 1973 thriller by Ira Levin is less well known than his play Deathtrap, and methinks for good reason. An elderly couple (Karen Kahler, Patrick Skelton) invites a youthful one (Amelia Gotham, Mark Souza) to an old mansion where the former worked as servants for decades. Seeming kindly, they have a strange request: for the girl, Susan, to pose as the much-loved, long-dead sister of their cancer-ridden employer, so the old woman can die happy. Susan naively agrees and soon is propelled into a terrifying nightmare and fears for her life. Camped up, the ludicrous scenario might play well; otherwise, only masterful performances all around could make its silliness palatable. Director Dan Spurgeon deftly coordinates the action within the tiny proscenium, but the ensemble is mired in the melodrama. Production values are appropriate except for Susan's hairdo, which is way too modern for the period. Underground Theater, 1312 Wilton Place, Hlywd.; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; through March 30, thevisceralcompany.com. (Deborah Klugman)

ONGOING SHOWS IN LARGER THEATERS REGIONWIDE:

GO: The Bird House: Cherokee playwright Diane Glancy offers a sad slice of contemporary country life in a small, dusty town in West Texas. Struggling with a dwindling congregation in his (almost) ghost town, evangelical preacher Jonathan (aka Reverend Hawk, played by Choctaw actor Randy Reinholz) and his dependent sisters face eviction from their church home. Glancy crams several related themes into her play, from the bleak fate of the impoverished elderly to the cold-hearted business decisions of the church to the destruction of the environment when government sells out to developers. Glancy compares Reverend Hawk's imminent eviction with the plight of the Native Americans whose lands were taken over forcibly by white settlers. Ellen Dostal is good as Jon's older sister, Clovis, who, following a debilitating stroke, speaks to the audience directly, vividly describing her frustration. Portraying Native American cowboy Rope, Lakota actor Robert Owens-Greygrass gives a passionate and disturbingly vivid speech that illustrates the rape and poisoning of the land and its water by the fracking process. While Glancy offers few solutions for her beleaguered characters, her play stands as a heartfelt indictment of the deplorable predicament many are facing in today's tough economic climate. The play is beautifully staged and directed by Robert Caisley. Native Voices at the Autry National Center, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park; Thurs.-Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2 & 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.; through March 17. (323) 667-2000, theautry.org. (Pauline Adamek)

PICK OF THE WEEK: Cavalia's Odysseo This vast equestrian spectacle (the stage, the size of a football field, encompasses 15,000 square feet) created by Normand Latourelle and directed by Wayne Fowkes, features 67 horses of 10 breeds as well as 45 international human performers, including riders, trainers, acrobats, aerialists, dancers, stilt walkers and musicians. The horses are beautiful, spirited and disciplined, jumping, dancing and performing elaborate feats of equine choreography. The trick riders display courage, reckless physical prowess and panache, and the scenery, projected on a huge screen, take us from the American Southwest to the steppes of Central Asia. The show consists of several episodes, featuring Cossacks, drummers, an equestrian carousel and an African village festival featuring drummers and acrobats. In a startling finale, the stage is flooded with 80,000 gallons of water so horses, riders and acrobats can splash away like mad.The production has a natural appeal for horse lovers, but you don't have to be an aficionado to appreciate the beauty of magnificent galloping horses, working in precision ensembles.The athletic human choreography is by Darren Charles and Alain Gauthier, and the equestrian direction and choreography is by Benjamin Aillaud. The show's compound is large, so walking shoes are recommended. White Big Top, 777 N. Front Street, Burbank; call or check website for schedule; through March 27. (866) 999-8111, cavalia.net (Neal Weaver)

Christmas in Hanoi: Some ghosts wear sweatpants and Harvard hoodies, while others appear shrouded in fog or hunched on human chests like succubi -- but the metaphysical implications of those distinctions remain hazy in Eddie Borey's world premiere, winner of the East West Players Faces of the Future playwriting contest. Directed by Jeff Liu, the family drama examines the legacy of the "American War" through mixed-race siblings -- a stoner, acupuncturist beach bro and his brittle, anesthesiologist sister -- who make a pilgrimage to Vietnam a year after their mother's death. Borey tackles important questions, but their power is obscured by more fundamental concerns over clarity and structure. In striving to metaphorize the country's wounded underbelly, Borey pushes toward a supernatural climax that seems lifted from one of his horror screenplays. Further development by the relatively young Borey may help dimensionalize the characters (Elizabeth Liang's Winnie especially suffers from almost unjust self-righteousness) and season its already rich premise. (Jenny Lower). Wednesdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues through March 10, eastwestplayers.org. David Henry Hwang Theater, 120 Judge John Aiso St., Los Angeles, 213-625-7000.

Divorce Party: The Musical: Mark Schwartz and Amy Botwinick's jukebox musical about the second chapter in a housewife's life after her husband comes out and leaves her.  Tuesdays-Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 2 & 6 p.m.; Sundays, 1 & 6:30 p.m. Continues through April 14, www.divorcepartythemusical.com. El Portal Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, 818-508-4200, www.elportaltheatre.com. See Stage Feature.

GO: The Gift: In this provocative comedy-drama, Australian writer Joanna Murray-Smith tells a tale of two married couples who meet at an upscale tropical resort. Sadie (Kathy Baker) and Ed (Chris Mulkey) are rich, square Angelenos: He's a smugly successful tool manufacturer, but they are childless, and she's feeling disenchanted about their marriage. Chloe (Jaime Ray Newman) and Martin (James Van Der Beek) are young, idealistic and very much in love. He's a dedicated conceptual artist, she's a serious arts writer. The dissimilarities of the two couples prove a source of fascination: Each feels the other has something they lack. They become inseparable. When Ed is washed overboard in a boating accident, Martin leaps in and rescues him. Ed feels he owes his life to Martin, and wants to give him something in return. He asks Martin what the gift should be, and the answer proves both shocking and unnerving. Murray-Smith finds rich comedy and abundant sharp one-liners in the earlier scenes, but the later revelations are less persuasive. Director Maria Aitken elicits strong performances from her cast, but the chic minimalist set by Derek McLane emphasizes a pervasive unreality. (Neal Weaver) Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Avenue, Wstwd.; Tues.-Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 3 & 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 & 7 p.m.; through March 10. (310) 208-5454, geffenplayhouse.com.

I'll Be Back Before Midnight: The tone of Peter Colley's thriller hews closer to the telegraphed setups of a slasher film than to the psychological terror of Hitchcock. Though widely produced and even adapted into a 1992 made-for-TV movie, the script has had persistent issues throughout its history: a thin premise, vaguely sketched characters and hackneyed gags, leaving a few chilling thrills to hold the piece together. Those thrills hit the mark when they do arrive, enhanced by both the foreboding upstage space in Stephen Gifford's set and Drew Dalzell's hair-raising sound design. Playing out those thrills are Greg (Tyler Pierce, whose chiseled physique hardly suggests "bookish scientist") and his wife, Jan (Joanna Strapp, who delivers quite a blood-curdling scream), who have come to the country to repair their marriage. Their whiskey-loving neighbor, George (Ron Orbach), and Greg's incestually creepy sister, Laura (Kate Maher), drop in, and mayhem ensues. The actors are strong and have done good work around town, but their talents and Colley and David Rose's direction aren't enough to disguise the holes in the writing. (Mayank Keshaviah). Sundays, 2 p.m.; Thursdays, Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 3 & 8 p.m. Continues through March 17. Colony Theatre, 555 N. Third St., Burbank, 818-558-7000, www.colonytheatre.org.

Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth: The legendary boxer's one-man show. Fri., March 8, 8 p.m.; Sat., March 9, 8 p.m.; Sun., March 10, 7 p.m., $32-$514. Pantages Theater, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, 800-982-2787, www.broadwayla.org.

One Night With Janis Joplin: Musical tribute to the rock legend, created, written and directed by Randy Johnson. Sundays, 2 & 7 p.m.; Tuesdays-Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 4 & 8 p.m. Continues through April 11. Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena, 626-356-PLAY, www.pasadenaplayhouse.org.

Panama Hattie: Four performances of Cole Porter's 1940 musical, benefiting the Betty Garrett Musical Comedy Workshop. Sat., March 9, 8 p.m.; Sun., March 10, 2 p.m. Theatre West, 3333 Cahuenga Blvd. W., Los Angeles, 323-851-7977, www.theatrewest.org.

Red: Staged reading of John Logan's play, presented by L.A. Theatre Works. Thu., March 14, 8 p.m.; Fri., March 15, 8 p.m.; Sat., March 16, 3 & 8 p.m.; Sun., March 17, 4 & 7:30 p.m., www.latw.org. James Bridges Theater, 1409 Melnitz Hall, Westwood, 310-206-8365.

Sunday Night Solo Series: February 10: Lee Meriwether in The Women of Spoon River; February 17: Jim Beaver in Sidekick; Kres Mersky in Isadora Duncan: A Unique Recital; Abbott Alexander in The Nameless One; Dina Morrone in The Italian in Me; Anthony Gruppuso in The Face Behind the Face, Behind the Face; April 7: Steve Nevil in As Always, Jimmy Stewart. Sun., March 10, 7:30 p.m.; Sun., March 17, 7:30 p.m.; Sun., March 24, 7:30 p.m.; Sun., April 7, 7:30 p.m. Theatre West, 3333 Cahuenga Blvd. W., Los Angeles, 323-851-7977, www.theatrewest.org.

Tribes: Nina Raine's story of a deaf boy. Starting March 10, Sun., March 10, 7 p.m.; Tuesdays-Fridays, 8 p.m.; Sat., March 16, 2:30 & 8 p.m.; Sun., March 17, 1 & 6:30 p.m. Continues through April 14. Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, 213-628-2772.

ONGOING SHOWS IN SMALLER THEATERS SITUATED IN HOLLYWOOD, WEST HOLLYWOOD AND THE DOWNTOWN AREAS:

GO: Absolutely Filthy: Just 'cause I have a ton of dirt on me doesn't make me a monster," says The Mess (playwright Brendan Hunt), the adult incarnation of Pig Pen from the Peanuts comics, who is now a homeless man, in Absolutely Filthy. His desire to be more than an "accumulation of [his] sins" drives the story of a reunion of the old gang after the demise of Charlie Brown (played by Scott Golden, credited as The Deceased -- the characters are given abstract names for legal reasons). Hunt's exploration of the dysfunction of these familiar characters all grown up is darkly hilarious. Through a series of flashbacks, prompted by their arrivals at the church to pay their respects, The Mess' journey to his present state is revealed. While the cast is solid across the board, Hunt truly steals the show, and not just because he keeps his "cloud of dust," a Hula Hoop, in constant motion the entire time he's onstage (a feat in itself!). His clever writing, comic timing and use of understatement to tremendous effect allow Hunt to weave sociopolitical commentary, gross-out humor and insightful observations into engaging and entertaining rants. Director Jeremy Aldridge deftly manages a massive cast, making great use of Stephanie Kerley Schwartz's set, itself an inventive homage to homelessness with its junk-themed design. Standouts in the cast include an out-of-the-closet Schroeder (Curt Bonnem as The Pop Star), hard-ass sports agent Lucy (Anna Douglas as The Big Sister) and recovering alcoholic judge Franklin (KJ Middlebrooks as His Honor). It seems that the Fools' late-night series Serial Killers, where this show originated, has once again yielded comedy gold. (Mayank Keshaviah). Fri., March 8, 8 p.m.; Sat., March 9, 8 p.m.; Sun., March 10, 7 p.m., $20. Sacred Fools Theater, 660 N. Heliotrope Drive, Los Angeles, 310-281-8337, www.sacredfools.org.

The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs: There are several moments late in Alex Lyras' fascinating performance of Mike Daisey's controversial monologue when Lyras drops the mask of his nameless, first-person investigative narrator and directly pleads for the evening's truth claims as Alex Lyras, actor. The asides are as tantalizing as they are telling. Because experiencing Lyras and director Robert McCaskill's staging of Daisey's Michael Moore-esque mix of polemics and sardonic reportage is to feel weirdly double-distanced from the actuality of its subject -- the harshly impoverished working conditions of Apple's Chinese iPhone and iPad plants. Despite Lyras' persuasive delivery, the show never quite shakes the penumbra of question marks raised by Daisey's own admitted fabrications of his reporting trip to China (said material since excised). The force of each incendiary revelation and Tim Arnold's accompanying photojournalistic video projections somehow feels diminished unaccompanied by a fact-checking footnote that goes beyond the piece's now bitterly ironic emotive linchpin, Lyras as Daisey declaring, "Trust me! I was there." (Bill Raden). Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Continues through April 10, 800-838-3006, agonyecstasy.brownpapertickets.com. Theatre Asylum, 6320 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, www.theatreasylum-la.com.

Alabama Baggage: World premiere of Buddy Farmer's drama. Starting March 9, Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m. Continues through April 14, 323-960-7711, plays411.com/baggage. Theatre Asylum, 6320 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, www.theatreasylum-la.com.

Bitch Trouble: Stories About Friendship: Written and performed by Alice Johnson Boher. Wed., March 13, 8 p.m.; Wed., April 10, 8 p.m.; Wed., May 8, 8 p.m.; Wed., June 12, 8 p.m.; Wed., July 10, 8 p.m., brownpapertickets.com/event/316188. Cavern Club Theater, 1920 Hyperion Ave., Los Angeles, 323-969-2530, www.cavernclubtheater.com.

GO: Complete: Playwright Andrea Kuchlewska combines unlikely ingredients in her comedy: an est-like training program for self-realization, the art/science of linguistics and a stormy love affair involving a pair of obsessive linguists. Eve (Meredith Bishop) and Micah (Scott Kruse) may be experts in the arts of language, but that doesn't mean they can communicate. He has been trying for ages to tell her that he loves her, but she refuses to acknowledge that anything but love of language unites them -- and she never stops talking. In desperation, he signs up for a course with "take control of your life" guru Jack (Scott Victor Nelson) in the hopes that it will enable him to confess his love. But Eve has an intense love-hate relationship with the program, so it becomes one more obstacle. Also present is a little girl named Evie (Tess Oswalt), who may or may not be a childhood incarnation of Eve. The play is always interesting and fun to watch, and director Jennifer Chambers keeps the comedy in the forefront, but the insistently nonlinear structure sometimes proves distracting. Credibility also is an issue. Eve is such a fanatic, intellectual bully and egocentric blabbermouth that one wonders why Micah bothers. (Neal Weaver). Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 & 7 p.m. Continues through March 23, plays411.com/complete. Matrix Theatre, 7657 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, 323-852-1445, www.matrixtheatre.com.

Daynaland: Dayna Dooley's solo show. Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m. Continues through March 10, 323-960-5772, daynalandtheshow.com. Stella Adler Theatre, 6773 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, www.stellaadler-la.com.

Dirty Filthy Love Story: There are two stars in Rob Mersola's new comedy, Dirty Filthy Love Story. The first is David Mauer and Hazel Kuang's set. In a coup de theatre, the entire back wall of what looks like a cardboard-cutout living room drops forward and slams to the ground, revealing the home to be the garbage-bag, stacked-boxes and strewn-clothes rat's nest of the play's hoarder-protagonist, Ashley (Jennifer Pollono). The other star is Joshua Bitton's understated performance as the mentally challenged garbage man Hal, hired by Ashley's next-door neighbor Benny (Burl Moseley) to clean the trash from her side yard so he can sell his home. The sexually charged romance between Hal and Ashley grows increasingly macabre, homicidal and strained, and the play's main joke really turns on the passionate, nihilistic attraction between them. Pollono and Moseley were too screechy at the performance reviewed, under Elina de Santos' absorbing, sitcom-style direction. And I couldn't understand why, in one scene, Benny would fail to defend himself against the lovers, who have targeted him for death. After all, they've already struck him with a frying pan that's now sitting in front of him on the couch. But when he regains consciousness, rather than pick up the weapon, he merely rants about his plight. Such details can be worked out. This is a world premiere, after all. Mainly, though, the play is about its premise and nothing more. With transitional songs referring to a world under siege by garbage, this is a work that could actually be about something. Either it needs to be as thin as farce, or reconsidered more deeply. (Steven Leigh Morris). Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 8 & 10 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Continues through March 24. Skylight Theater, 1816 1/2 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, 323-666-2202.

Don Juan:

Steven Sabel

Dustin Lovell

It's difficult to imagine the infamous seducer of women as a swashbuckling Southern gentleman, but director Steven Sabel has pulled it off somewhat, in an adaptation that's not without problems. With a nod to Molière's untidy rendition of the story, Sabel sets the action of the play in the antebellum South (the erratic regional accents and a prominently displayed Confederate flag are the only indicators of this), with Dustin Lovell doing the honors as Don Juan. Upon returning to the town where his beloved Donna Elvire (a fine performance by Michelle Farivar) lives, the honey-tongued scoundrel is targeted for revenge by Donna's brothers (Doug Mattingly, Neil Miller) and woos the lovely Mathurine (Lila Bassior) and Charlotte (Mamie Wilhelm), both of whom he plans to marry. It gets laughs intermittently, but the physical comedy is overworked, the performances are glaringly uneven and Sabel's script is sluggish and overwritten. Archway Theatre, 305 S. Hewitt St., dwntwn.; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.; through March 16. www.archwayla.com. (Lovell Estell III)

Dreamgirls: Presented by Doma Theatre Company. Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m. Continues through April 14, domatheatre.com. The Met Theatre, 1089 N. Oxford Ave., Los Angeles, 323-957-1152, www.themettheatre.com.

GO: A Family Thing: The screwed-up clan on display in Gary Lennon's densely bleak comedy gives new resonance to Tolstoy's renowned adage about how every unhappy
family is unhappy in its own way. Turmoil and pain are woven into the DNA of the three Burns brothers of Hell's Kitchen. The oldest, Frank (Saverio Guerra), is a coke addict with a volcanic temper, no job and a wife (Andrea Grano) he despises. Baby brother Sean (Sean Wing) is a gay TV writer, who is first seen preparing to commit suicide off the Brooklyn Bridge; he's stopped by a passerby (Darryl Stephens), who later becomes his lover. Just out of prison, Jim (Johnny Messner), a hulky, tattooed mass of bully-boy attitude and wrath, has vowed to kill Sean because he's gay and Frank because he thinks he snitched him out to the cops. Working it out is what this bunch is ultimately forced to do and, notwithstanding the unpleasant circumstances, it's a load of laughs to watch. Lennon can write funny; he is also a virtuoso of gritty, in-your-face dialogue, and his well-crafted script gives PC niceties the heave-ho. These are engaging, splendidly flawed characters, and the cast turn in vigorous, entertaining performances under Chris Fields' savvy direction. (Lovell Estell III). Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Continues through March 17, 877-369-9112, www.EchoTheaterCompany.com. Stage 52 Theatre, 5299 W. Washington Blvd., Los Angeles.


GO: Hattie ... What I Need You to Know: Before there was a Sidney Poitier, a Denzel Washington, a Morgan Freeman or a Halle Berry, there was Hattie McDaniel. In the engaging bio-musical Hattie ... What I Need to Know, Vickilyn Reynolds honors the life of this extraordinary entertainer, who in 1940 became the first African-American to win an Oscar with her performance as Mammy in Gone With the Wind. Fittingly, the show opens with a video of that historic evening, after which Reynolds (who bears a noticeable resemblance to McDaniel) appears onstage and, for two hours, does a beguiling job of bringing McDaniel to life. Reynolds' script covers a lot of ground and could use some tightening, and at times her loose, conversational style distracts and meanders. Still, she and director Byron Nora succeed in making McDaniel's story an entertaining experience, recounting her early days singing in a gospel choir; difficulties with her overprotective parents; a string of unhappy marriages; struggles with racism in and outside of Hollywood; and her slow, determined rise to success, which ultimately placed her in the friendly company of stars like Clark Gable, Mae West, Bing Crosby and Marlene Dietrich. As interesting as this all is, the real payoff is hearing Reynolds sing the selection of jazz, blues and gospel songs with commanding artistry and passion. Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m. Continues through April 14, 323-960-5774. Hudson Backstage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, 323-856-4252, www.hudsontheatre.com.

How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse: It would take a cultural philosopher to adequately explain why zombies have so profoundly resonated with audiences at this historical moment. One does not, however, need to be a Gilles Deleuze to understand its baroque potential for satire. Which is to say that anyone with even a passing acquaintance with the genre rules laid down by George Romero will find a lot to like in director Patrick Bristow's amiable, Americanized version of this improv-derived British fringe import by Ben Muir, Jess Napthine, David Ash and Lee Cooper. Bristow is zombiologist Dr. Bobert Dougash. Jayne Entwistle, Mario Vernazza and Chris Sheets are his seminar's panel of conspicuously underqualified experts, who take very seriously the ludicrous prospect of surviving a fictional, species-exterminating epidemic. Bristow expertly leads the crew through some clever wordplay routines worthy of Abbott & Costello, padded out with some genial barbs directed at audience targets of opportunity. (Bill Raden). Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 7 p.m. Continues through April 27, combinedartform.com. Theatre Asylum, 6320 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, 323-962-1632, www.theatreasylum-la.com.

I Don't Have to Show You No Stinking Badges: It comes as something of a surprise that this Casa 0101 production is L.A.'s first revival of Luis Valdez's wryly transgressive interrogation of Hollywood's jaundiced representation of Mexican-Americans. After all, the play had its 1986 premiere in a lavish production at LATC, and the industry's history of pandering to prejudice has hardly improved. That said, though director Hector Rodriguez adds some original sardonic touches, his staging never quite rises to the level of formal sophistication demanded by the text. Act 1, which introduces Monterey Park power couple Connie (Carmelita Maldonado) and Buddy Villa (Daniel E. Mora), isn't supposed to play with the banality of an insipid TV sitcom, it's meant to burlesque it. Things improve in Act 2 when the play's angry energy -- nicely articulated by Alex Valdivia as the Villas' Harvard-dropout son -- is finally unleashed in Valdez's hallucinatory, feverishly funny pastiche of movie genre tropes. (Bill Raden). Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 5 p.m. Continues through March 10. Casa 0101, 2009 E. First St., Los Angeles, 323-263-7684, www.casa0101.org.

I Wanna Be Loved: Stories of Dinah Washington, Queen of the Blues: Barbara Morrison is Dinah Washington! Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 4 p.m. Continues through March 31. Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center, 4305 Degnan Blvd. Ste. 101, Los Angeles, 323-296-2272, www.barbaramorrisonpac.com.

Keena Unbranded: The Solo Experience: Keena Ferguson's one-woman show. Thu., March 14, 8 p.m.; Fri., March 15, 8 p.m.; Thu., March 21, 8 p.m.; Fri., March 22, 8 p.m., www.keenaferguson.com. Elephant Stages, Lillian Theatre, 1076 Lillian Way, Los Angeles.

LoveSick: Written and directed by Larissa Wise. Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Continues through March 10. Loft Ensemble, 929 E. Second St. No. 105, Los Angeles, 213-680-0392, www.loftensemble.com.

Melancholia: Written by The Latino Theater Lab. Starting March 14, Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m. Continues through April 6. Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, www.thelatc.org.

Oh, Yes She Did! From Slave-Ship to Space-Ship: Black Women Pioneers of America: Writer-performer Sandy Brown pays passionate homage to eight famous African-American women in an energetic solo performance that would benefit from the input of an experienced director. Carefully researched, and aptly costumed for each period, her dramatic renditions inform us about 18th-century poet Phillis Wheatley, Underground Railroad conductor Harriet Tubman, civil rights activist Rosa Parks and acclaimed cabaret entertainer Josephine Baker, among others. Brown sings and dances well and delivers her lines with presence. But the end result can be characterized as detailed impersonations of historical figures rather than emotionally in-depth portrayals with the feel of authenticity. The most successful segment is her depiction of soul singer Billie Holiday, a hard-luck individual who criticized the status quo and was incarcerated for drug use. Brown's focused monologue, and her singing, nab the essence of this woman's torment. With its song-and-dance numbers, her take on Baker also entertains. (Deborah Klugman). Saturdays, 2 & 7:30 p.m.; Sundays, 2 & 6:30 p.m.; Thursdays, Fridays, 7:30 p.m. Continues through March 24. Theatre/Theater, 5041 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, 323-422-6361, www.theatretheater.net.

GO: Sexsting: Playwright Doris Baizley consulted with defense attorney Anne Raffanti before writing this revealing one-act about a law-enforcement officer who realizes that the man he wants to entrap is not that different from himself. Estranged from his family, stressed-out FBI agent Richard Roe (Gregory Itzin) labors on a sting operation, visiting online chat rooms and posing as a young girl to provoke the interest of possible sex offenders. His latest assignment targets none-too-bright, middle-aged John (JD Cullum), who likes fishing and country music and whose marital sex life has stalled. But while John nurtures baneful fantasies about young teens, he does exercise self-control, trying hard to stay "just friends" with (he believes) the young female person he's met online. At his superior's insistence, however, Richard continues to entice John with revealing photos and pleas for them to meet -- all so the FBI can score an arrest. Baizley's setup is somewhat simplistic, but Itzin is riveting as a scrupulous man forced to act against his conscience. Cullum communicates smarminess and vulnerability, but his demeanor suggests he's talking to someone directly rather than communicating by email -- a fine point but one that nonetheless diminishes his credibility. Jim Holmes directs. (Deborah Klugman). Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Continues through April 14, 702-582-8587, www.katselastheatre.com. Skylight Theater, 1816 1/2 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles.

Sixty Miles to Silver Lake: Dan LeFranc's emotion-tinged drama attempts to explore the thorny relationship between a father and son struggling for connection after an ugly divorce. It takes place in Ky's (Wes Whitehead) Volvo as he travels to Silver Lake for a weekend along with son Denny (Daniel David Stewart). It's the chemistry between Ky's rough edges but soft heart and Denny's boyish innocence and vulnerability that provides emotional heft, not the play's beggarly thin plotline. The father spends much time plying his son for info about his ex-wife's shopping habits, love life, motherly peculiarities and shortfalls; there is also a lot of pointless talk about soccer and a great deal of puerile wisecracking The dearth of substance in much of the dialogue is telling early on. Some jarring moments impart the distinct sense that the time frame of this ride is not what it seems, but this bracketing artifice is mainly clunky and confusing. Performances under Becca Wolff's direction are satisfactory. (Lovell Estell III). Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Continues through March 10, 859-893-5376. Lounge Theatre, 6201 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, 323-469-9988.

Sketches From the National Lampoon:

Shaela Cook

L to R: John Milhiser, Henry Dittman, Darrin Revitz, David Haverty, Erin Matthews and Cj Merriman

After a rocky couple of decades -- its most recent CEO was sentenced to 50 years for fraud in December, long before the former gold standard of comedy pimped out its brand with lowbrow gross-outs (see: Van Wilder) -- the company is angling, yet again, for a comeback. Founder Matty Simmons has returned as producer, with a documentary, Broadway musical and other projects in development. But this talent-packed revival of stage and radio sketches directed by Pat Towne only awakens nostalgia for when NL was still cutting-edge, and not for the stale humor itself. Painfully patched over with shiny new references to Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga, the bits take aim at targets that were exposed, if not thoroughly dismantled, long ago. Grandma fetishes and swinger wives barely register in our Dan Savage age. The talent onstage probably could power a weekly show at the Upright Citizens Brigade, but as for the material, the times, they have a-changed. Hayworth Theatre, 2511 Wilshire Blvd., Westlake; Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 3 & 7 p.m.; through March 17. (323) 337-1546, www.nationallampoon.brownpapertickets.com. (Jenny Lower)

GO: Solemn Mockeries: Richard Creese's play about Shakespeare forger William-Henry Ireland. Presented by Independent Shakespeare Company at Atwater Crossing, 3191 Casitas Ave., Ste. 168, Atwater Village. Sat.-Sun., 4 p.m.; through March 10. See Stage Feature

Tomorrow: Skylight Theatre Company, Rogue Machine, and York Theatre Royal present Donald Freed's new play. Starting March 9, Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues through April 21, 702-582-8587, www.ktcla.com. Skylight Theater, 1816 1/2 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles.

Something to Crow About: The Bob Baker Marionettes' musical "Day on the Farm." Saturdays, Sundays, 2:30 p.m.; Tuesdays-Fridays, 10:30 a.m. Bob Baker Marionette Theater, 1345 W. First St., Los Angeles, 213-250-9995, www.bobbakermarionettes.com.

Songs of Bilitis: Erotic psychological thriller based on the novel by Pierre Louÿs, adapted for the stage by Katie Polebaum with Rogue Artists Ensemble. Fridays, Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. Continues through March 30. Bootleg Theater, 2200 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, 213-389-3856, www.bootlegtheater.org.

Southern Gothic Novel: The Aberdeen Mississippi Sex-Slave Incident: Carson McCullers wrote that the essence of the Southern Gothic is a "fusion of anguish and farce that acts on the reader with an almost physical force." McCullers, of course, meant "high" Southern Gothic. This 17-character, late-night literary burlesque by solo performer/writer Frank Blocker aims somewhat lower. Any anguish here stems from the risibly purpled prose of the apocryphal potboiler he enacts, a heavy-breathing Dixie whodunit straight off the checkout of a Piggly Wiggly called The Reigns of Aberdeen. Its farcicality has less to do with its hackneyed plot or ludicrous caricature of small-town Mississippi than it does with the sheer physical dexterity of Blocker's quick-change characterizations. And though the satire tends to err on the side of the overly broad, whenever Blocker zeroes in on his target -- such as his "June Bug" chapter's incisively funny, extended parody of Steinbeckian portentousness -- the results are priceless. (Bill Raden). Fridays, Saturdays, 11 p.m. Continues through March 30, thevisceralcompany.com. Underground Theatre, 1312-1314 N. Wilton Place, Los Angeles, 323-251-1154, www.undergroundtheater.com.

Tender Napalm: Written by Philip Ridley, directed by Edward Edwards. Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues through March 31, tendernapalm.com. Six 01 Studio, 601 S. Anderson St., Los Angeles.

Terminator Too Judgment Play: Interactive sci-fi spoof, from the folks who brought you Point Break Live!. Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. Continues through March 30, brownpapertickets.com/event/306759. Dragonfly, 6510 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, 323-466-6111, www.thedragonfly.com.

To Be Young, Gifted and Black: Robert Nemiroff has taken some excerpts from diaries, political speeches and letters written by his former wife, Lorraine Hansberry, and combined them with scenes from her plays to assemble a sketch of the life, work and intelligence of this important and idealistic American playwright. To Be Young, Gifted and Black, however, is not a play. Rather, it is a series of staged monologues and duologues, with the cast of eight each taking their turn in a spotlight on simple risers. The subject matter is worthy and intellectual, and some of the excerpts are impassioned and impactful. It's largely serious with a few comedic observations sprinkled throughout, yet the staging and general tone of the evening are dull and slow. Additionally, ill-timed and sluggish lighting cues, along with perplexingly random sound effects, drag the show's length to two and a half hours. The cast all give fine if restrained performances, with some singing beautifully. Greyson Chadwick shines in a handful of dramatic and emotional scenes. (Pauline Adamek). Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2:30 p.m.; Sat., March 16, 2:30 p.m. Continues through March 17. Actors Co-op, 1760 N. Gower St., Los Angeles, 323-462-8460, www.actorsco-op.org.

Trainspotting: Irvine Welsh's novel, adapted for the stage by Harry Gibson. Starting March 9, Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Continues through April 13, 323-960-7785, www.plays411.com/trainspotting. Elephant Stages, 6322 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles.

The Trouble With Words: Gregory Nabours' song cycle, with choreography by Janet Roston. Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Continues through March 31, 323-944-2165. Lost Studio, 130 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles.

Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love: Brad Fraser's "swinging" story, set in 1989 Edmonton, Alberta. Presented by Rise Above Theatre Movement. Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 2:30 & 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2:30 & 6:30 p.m. Continues through March 10, 800-838-3006, chromolume-theatre.com. The Attic Theatre and Film Center, 5429 W. Washington Blvd., Los Angeles, www.attictheatre.org.

Unscreened: Four world-premiere short plays by Will Wissler Graham, Corinne Kingsbury, Daria Polatin, and Mallory Westfall. Mondays, Saturdays, Sundays, 8 p.m. Continues through March 24, 800-838-3006, unscreenedla.com. Elephant Stages, Lillian Theatre, 1076 Lillian Way, Los Angeles.

Valentine's Triage: Frank Strausser's Valentine's Day play set in an emergency room. Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 2 & 8 p.m. Continues through March 31, TheBlank.com. The Blank Theatre, 6500 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, 323-661-9827, www.theblank.com.

Veronica's Room:

The Visceral Company

Patrick Skelton, Karen Kahler, Amelia Gotham and Mark Souza

This 1973 thriller by Ira Levin is less well known than his play Deathtrap, and methinks for good reason. An elderly couple (Karen Kahler, Patrick Skelton) invites a youthful one (Amelia Gotham, Mark Souza) to an old mansion where the former worked as servants for decades. Seeming kindly, they have a strange request: for the girl, Susan, to pose as the much-loved, long-dead sister of their cancer-ridden employer, so the old woman can die happy. Susan naively agrees and soon is propelled into a terrifying nightmare and fears for her life. Camped up, the ludicrous scenario might play well; otherwise, only masterful performances all around could make its silliness palatable. Director Dan Spurgeon deftly coordinates the action within the tiny proscenium, but the ensemble is mired in the melodrama. Production values are appropriate except for Susan's hairdo, which is way too modern for the period. Underground Theater, 1312 Wilton Place, Hlywd.; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; through March 30, thevisceralcompany.com. (Deborah Klugman)

Von Bach: Plenty of writers have mined the comedic vault of the Frankenstein tale to great effect. With his comedy Von Bach, writer Owen Hammer manages to send up both the countless horror classics the story begat as well as the parodies, in his own reimagining of Shelley's myth. Modern screenwriter Minna McPheeters (Maia Peters) is impassioned to script the definitive film based on a mad scientist but comes up against a venal producer, Hilary (Summer Stevens), and a litigious heir, Conner (David Wilcox). Worse, she runs into the reanimated corpse of the guy on whom all these movies are based -- Dr. Von Bach himself (a suitably Lurch-like JR Reed). Hilarious and well-crafted short film segments nicely mask the numerous scene changes and flashbacks. Unfortunately, the high caliber of the cinematic bits soon begins to outshine the complex story that's unfolding somewhat prosaically onstage. Hammer, however, strikes a poignant note by having Von Bach reference an Emerson quote: When you commit a crime, "The world is made of glass." (Pauline Adamek). Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m. Continues through March 10, 866-811-4111. Fremont Centre Theatre, 1000 Fremont Ave., South Pasadena, www.fremontcentretheatre.com.

GO: Walking the Tightrope: Given that so many examples of children's theater are simply appalling -- the equivalent of Muffin the Puppet singing "Sharing Is Caring and Obey your Parents" or some such rubbish -- what a pleasure it is to see a work, aimed at a young audience, that possesses both intellectual heft and genuinely involving emotion. Playwright Mike Kenny's drama Walking the Tightrope is about grief, but the handling of the subject is deft and nuanced, while also being told from a child's point of view. The play takes place in a British seaside town, circa 1950s, as little girl Esme (a beautifully gamine but not obnoxious Paige Lindsay White) arrives for her annual visit to her grandparents. She discovers that her grandmother is nowhere to be found and her sad grandfather (Mark Bramhall) fibs that she has gone to join the circus, a lie that Esme quickly realizes is meant to keep the old man from accepting the truth himself about his wife's passing. Richly evocative, director Debbie Devine's heartfelt production is touching and truthful without descending into mawkish sentimentality. Bramhall's crusty, grieving granddad and White's thoughtfully perky Esme are great together. Tony Duran also delivers a standout turn, as the ghostly presence of the grandmother's spirit. (Paul Birchall). Saturdays, 2 & 7:30 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues through March 30. 24th Street Theater, 1117 W. 24th St., Los Angeles, 213-745-6516, www.24thstreet.org.

GO: What May Fall: In Peter Gil-Sheridan's thought-provoking drama What May Fall, a man plummets to his death from a Minnesota skyscraper. It's a terrible event (particularly for the poor fellow), but the random incident becomes the inciting incident for a meditation on how death affects us all. Death, of course, is everywhere and can happen anytime -- but our reaction to it is often unpredictable. For uptight business executive Mack (Nicholas S. Williams), the man's death forces him to confront the desire of his pregnant schoolteacher wife, Jo (Alana Dietze), to abort their possibly disabled child. For Mack's executive assistant, Mercy (a delightfully nebbishy Christopher Neiman), the death provides the impetus to take control over the art he wants to create. And for Arthur (Brad C. Light), a window washer who was the closest witness to the accident, the death throws up a mix of survivor's guilt and terror over the randomness of mortality. Gil-Sheridan's crisp dialogue-driven characters are interconnected in ways that may seem a tad coincidental, but director Mary Jo DuPrey's intimate staging artfully brings to mind the mood of ensemble films by Robert Altman. Performers subtly craft characters grappling with flaws, who change following the death -- and often not in the way one expects. Particularly effective turns are offered by Williams as an engagingly uptight (and somewhat tortured) business executive, by Neiman as a frustrated and bitter assistant and by Dietze as a brittle wife. (Paul Birchall). Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Continues through March 23, $25, www.brownpapertickets.com/event/328606. Theatre of NOTE, 1517 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles, 323-856-8611, www.theatreofnote.com.

GO: When You're in Love, The Whole World Is Jewish: World premiere of Bob Booker's comedy/musical revue, directed by Jason Alexander. See Stage feature. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Continues through March 10, worldisjewishtheplay.com. Greenway Court Theater, 544 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, 323-655-7679, www.greenwayarts.org. See Theater Feature.

Wolves: Steve Yockey's psychological drama. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues through May 5. Celebration Theatre, 7051-B Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, 323-957-1884, www.celebrationtheatre.com.

ONGOING SHOWS IN SMALLER THEATERS SITUATED IN THE VALLEYS:

And the World Goes 'Round: Kander and Ebb musical revue, featuring "Cabaret," "Maybe this Time," "All That Jazz," "New York, New York" and more Broadway hits. Fridays,
Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m. Continues through March 10. North Hollywood Performing Arts Center (NoHoPAC), 11020 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood, 818-763-0086.

The Baby Project: Book by Lori Jaroslow, music by Fonda Feingold and Noriko Olling,
lyrics by Fonda Feingold and Lori Jaroslow. Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues through March 17, www.roadtheatre.org. NoHo Senior Arts Colony, 10747 Magnolia Blvd., Los Angeles.

Belz! The Jewish Vaudeville Musical: Written and directed by Pavel Cerny, with English lyrics by Charles Kondek. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m. Continues through
April 14, brownpapertickets.com/event/276015. Whitefire Theater, 13500 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, 818-990-2324, www.whitefiretheatre.com.

Benched: Richard Broadhurst's play about a depressed elderly man rescued from the brink of suicide by a solicitous angel of death strives to be wise and poignant but comes off as sappy and conventional. Planning to poison himself while sitting on his favorite park bench, Max (Eddie Jones) gets rattled when he finds it occupied by a laid-back guy named Randall (John Towey), who refuses to move. The two cross verbal swords, after which Randall reveals his celestial status and launches a campaign to persuade Max to live out his natural lifespan. The plot meanders through a series of capricious coincidences that undercut the story's internal
logic. Meanwhile, details about Max's life and what has driven him to this desperate point are sparse, so the performers must fill in the gaps. Jones is disappointingly one-note in displaying anger and depression, while Towey has yet to develop an interesting persona. Anita Khanzadian directs. (Deborah Klugman). Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m. Continues through March 24, www.interactla.org. Avery Schreiber Theater, 11050 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood, 818-766-9100.

Company: Stephen Sondheim composed the lyrics and score to his innovative "concept musical" in 1970, with book by George Furth. For a comedy musical about love, it proves resolutely unromantic and honest. And,surprisingly, its acerbic wit and laserlike scrutiny of marriage, dating and relationships does not feel at all dated. Director Albert Marr's incorporation of cellphones and Facebook effortlessly adds a contemporary feel. The loose story centers on Robert (a charismatic Ben Rovner), a handsome, single, mid-30s New Yorker surrounded by well-meaning but smug married friends. Their cheerful efforts to push him toward joining their club are undermined by their conjugal lives, which are fundamentally flawed or dysfunctional. The ensemble's vocal skills are good but not stellar, though Julie Black sings brilliantly as funky girlfriend Marta. Also impressive is musical director William A. Reilly's furious piano and synth live accompaniment. Despite some appealing performances, this company's average Company barely matches Sondheim's marvelous material. (Pauline Adamek). Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m. Continues through March 30, crowncitytheatre.com. Crown City Theatre, 11031 Camarillo St., North Hollywood, 818-605-5685, www.crowncitytheatre.com.

GO: Dark Play (Or Story for Boys)

Young Actors Ensemble

Playwright Carlos Murillo's engrossingly disturbing drama gives a high-tech twist to the theme of innocence corrupted -- like a quirky mashup of Les Liaisons Dangereuses and the MTV online-dating docudrama Catfish. Nick (Daniel Christopher), a seemingly normal but unbelievably twisted and cynical teenager, creates the fake online persona of ideal babe Rachel (Hannah Drake) and uses it to seduce Adam (Josh Saleh), a sweet innocent who dreams of finding his dream girl. As Adam's love for the mythical "Rachel" grows, Nick's confusion over whether he's just tricking the boy or actually falling in love with him drives him to insinuate himself physically into Adam's life. The chat room and webcam add a contemporary gloss to what is essentially an epistolary tragic romance. However, one of the marvels of the piece is that it deftly shows online romantic obsession from the point of view of the obsessed. As Adam woos Rachel, our real focus is on Nick's feelings, and Christopher's performance offers a nuanced combination of rage, desire, unbridled need and, yes, perversion. Murillo's taut and evocative dialogue erupts with unexpected spurts of bitterness and melancholy, and director Tommy Statler's pitch-perfect rendering captures both the pathology of Nick's mind and the chaos of his immature emotions. Whitmore-Lindley Theater, 11006 Magnolia Blvd., N. Hlywd.; closed. (Paul Birchall)

ONGOING PERFORMANCES IN SMALLER THEATERS SITUATED ON THE WESTSIDE AND IN BEACH TOWNS:

GO: Caged: Not long ago, people regarded as exotic or subhuman were tossed into cages for the viewing pleasure of the American public. Such was the dreadful fate of Congo pygmy Ota Benga, who was displayed with monkeys at the Bronx Zoo in 1906. In Charles Duncombe's world-premiere drama, Caged,Megan Kim and R.J. Jones are naked, snatched-from-the-jungle "noble savages," who, confined in a cage stocked with toys, convincingly channel primitive angst, lethargically striding about, communicating and reacting with grunts and violent upsurges and hitting each other playfully. Extended commentary about the exhibit is provided by a keeper (Katrina Nelson) and an interviewer (Leah Harf), whose theories and
statements of facts are a bladed mix of the outrageously comical and idiotic. But it's the cavalcade of spectators and their assorted hang-ups that provide the wallop of humor and irony here: a boy with his parents wanting to see tricks; a man meeting another man for a blowjob;several couples in distress, mirroring the plight of the captives; a lonely woman seeking affection; an elderly woman with a huge ax to grind. The contrasts and the heavy-handed subtext are striking -- and unsettling. Though not overly dramatic, Duncombe's smartly written script is delightfully provocative and insightful. Performances are sharply calibrated under Frederique Michel's direction.(Lovell Estell III). Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 4 p.m. Continues through March 24. City Garage at Bergamot Station Arts Center, 2525 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica, 310-453-9939, www.citygarage.org.

Chapter Two: Neil Simon's romantic comedy. Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Wed., March 20, 8 p.m.; Thu., March 21, 8 p.m.; Sun., March 24, 2 p.m.; Thu., April 4, 8 p.m. Continues through April 6. Little Fish Theatre, 777 Centre St., San Pedro, 310-512-6030, www.littlefishtheatre.org.

GO: A Heap of Livin': In Elliot Schoenman's evocative family drama, Lawrence Pressman plays iconic folk singer "Ramblin'" Harry Roe, whose impeccable, 1960s left-wing credentials include marching with Dr. King, singing with Pete Seeger and protesting at Kent State. Now elderly and frail, sustained mainly by his memories of the good old days, Harry's a crotchety penance to his two long-suffering daughters. Older daughter Pearl (a marvelously brittle Didi Conn) has served daddy like a drudge through his declining years, while younger daughter Eden (Jayne Brook) has fled across the country to avoid having anything to do with her neglectful papa. On the eve of a massive tribute concert set to honor Ramblin'
Harry, the sisters confront their varying degrees of resentment and rage. Schoenman's play is functionally a drama about children confronting the role of being caregivers for an increasingly
recalcitrant elder, but the piece also thoughtfully encompasses a debate on the regrets of children forced to live in a genius parent's shadow. Although Schoenman's dialogue occasionally veers awkwardly into the realm of soapy melodrama, director Mark L. Taylor's production crackles with heartfelt emotion. Brook's prissy Eden and Conn's rumpled,
increasingly bitter Pearl are great turns, but they ultimately orbit Pressman's powerful portrayal of a steely, idealistic artist. (Paul Birchall). Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues through March 17, inkwelltheater.com. Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda
Blvd., Los Angeles, 310-477-2055, www.odysseytheatre.com.

GO: Paradise: A Divine Bluegrass Musical Comedy: Music and book by Bill Robertson, Tom Sage and Cliff Wagner. Directed by Dan Bonnell. See Stage feature. Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Continues through March 30. Ruskin Group Theater, 3000 Airport,
Santa Monica, 310-397-3244, www.ruskingrouptheatre.com. See Theater Feature

GO: The Rainmaker: A con-man/drifter walks into a small town, usually in the Midwest, and
seduces a vulnerable local female. He not only seduces her, he awakens her to her true self and potential, which the opinions of others -- her family and society -- have been suffocating. Oh, brother. Get the broom and sweep off the cobwebs. In lesser hands than director Jack Heller's, watching The Rainmaker would be like trudging through a slightly dank, primeval marsh without rubber boots -- the kind of experience where you might say, "Well, isn't this historic and curious. Where can I dry my socks?" The production is saved in part by its linchpin, Tanna Frederick's droll, rat-smart Lizzie. With subtlety and composure that
often belies the text, she knows who she is and what she wants. Though the play is over-written, Frederick's performance lies so entrenched beneath the lines, it's as though she absorbs the play's excesses so that they don't even show. Her terrific performance is not enough to turn the play into a classic, but it does provide enough of an emotional pull to reveal the reasons why it keeps getting staged. (Steven Leigh Morris). Fridays, Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.; Sundays, 5 p.m. Continues through May 19. Edgemar Center for the Arts, 2437 Main St., Santa Monica, 310-399-3666, www.edgemarcenter.org.

See Rock City: Arlene Hutton's study of young married life in 1940s rural Kentucky. Wed., March 13, 8 p.m.; Thu., March 14, 8 p.m.; Sun., March 17, 2 p.m.; Fri., March 22, 8 p.m.; Sat., March 23, 8 p.m.; Wed., March 27, 8 p.m.; Thu., March 28, 8 p.m. Little Fish Theatre, 777 Centre St., San Pedro, 310-512-6030, www.littlefishtheatre.org.