EMAV Review: LVLT delivers a funny, feel-good Godspell ★★★★

This diverse ensemble of seven talented people hits the mark.

★★★★☆ - Delicious

The interesting thing about John-Michael Tebelak’s book for Godspell is that producers and directors can choose the setting they’d like. For one of the original Las Vegas Little Theater (LVLT) productions (this is the third, to my recollection), LVLT co-founder Jack Bell set the play in an airport. This freedom gives incredible latitude for the creative process. That latitude had not been lost on this team. This is not your father’s (grandfather’s?) Godspell.

Granted, Director Hallie Lyons set this in a church basement, but she took the new lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, who also penned the score, and let loose. This cast is having fun whilst proffering up the parables of Jesus of Nazareth.

Expertly assisted by Choreographer Jessie Miles and Musical Director Susan Easter, there are sight and sound gags everywhere. If you’re able to catch them, you’ll find bits from West Side Story (theatre), Saturday Night Live (television) and Chariots of Fire (film). And, if I’m not mistaken, Mama Mia and Chicago, or maybe Cabaret…or maybe it was Sweet Charity (all Broadway and film). Toss in the original You Bet Your Life with Groucho Marx (television) and you get the picture; the menagerie of characterizations from each cast member is spot on. And funny.

Led by Joel Ruud (Jesus) and Anthony Gomez (John the Baptist/Judas) this diverse ensemble of seven talented people hits the mark.

Ruud and Gomez are both in fine voice; several other in the ensemble also stand out: Jessica Gaylor on the all-familiar “Day by Day,” Keaton Delmar Johns on “All Good Gifts,” and Easter, Gomez, and Johns team up for a gorgeous “On the Willows.” Yet, it’s the entire cast, blending perfectly on “All for the Best” that brought the house down opening night.

That is not to say there aren’t a few minor missteps along the way. In the Prologue (which is occasionally deleted in local productions for some odd reason) segueing into “Tower of Babble” (along with a couple other spots throughout) some sour notes were detected, perhaps due to opening night jitters.

Paul Iwanicki missed an opportunity with “Turn Back, O Man.” Moving center stage with an old stand microphone and a feather boa, going into full-bore drag queen the piece could’ve been a comedic standout. Whether actor or director choice, it was a lost chance to match the humor on display in the overall production.

The set by Ron Lindblom verily shouts church basement, replete with the little raised proscenium stage for the band. Lights by Ginny Adams invoke dozens of parable locales. Here and there, Ruud’s dialogue and lyrics were muffled for some reason, but Mike Olsen’s sound design doesn’t disappoint in the slightest.

You may not leave with salvation but, according to the playwright and lyricist, that’s not the point, anyway. What you will come away with are the tools to guide you through troubled times. You’ll walk out of the theatre thoroughly entertained, feeling good with a smile on your face, and maybe even a little inspired.

When: 8 p.m. Thursday - Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday through July 28

Where: Las Vegas Little Theatre-Mainstage, 3920 Schiff drive

Tickets: $25 (702-362-7996; www.lvlt.org)

Producer: Las Vegas Little Theatre; Director: Hallie Lyons; Musical Director: Susan Easter; Choreographer: Jessie Miles; Set Design: Ron Lindblom; Lighting Design: Ginny Adams; Sound Design: Michael Olsen; Costume Design: Rose Magee; Stage Manager: Cindy Lee Stock

#EatMoreArt #vegastheatre #LVLT #vegasculture

EMAV Review: LVLT's quirky 'Siegel' looks at love through the eyes of a peculiar guy ★★★½

PHOTOS BY: Kris Mayeshiro and KM2CREATIVE

★★★½☆ - Satisfying

Las Vegas Little Theatre dives head first into "The Siegel," Michael Mitnick's, modern- day, yuppie romcom, presented on their main stage through the weekend. Directed by Kyle Jones and Hallie Lyons, it's full of amusing moments, moves at a brisk pace, and has a nice design aesthetic that highlights the millennial perspective. And while the energetic cast has a knack for capturing Mitnick's sarcastic and witty banter, the show feels flat and lacks immediacy, partly because the premise of the story is just very strange.

The title of the 2017 play is a homonym for Anton Chekhov's classic "The Seagull," which Mitnick emulates with themes about love and destiny, though he never manages the subtext needed to flesh out those ideas. At the start we are thrust abruptly into the plot, and it takes a few minutes to get our bearings as we are confronted with a frenetic Ethan Siegel in the living room of the befuddled Ron and Deborah. He has shown up out of the blue to ask for their daughter Alice's hand in marriage, because he loves her and it's the proper thing to do. The problem is, they broke up two years ago and now she lives happily with her boyfriend Nelson, who she slept with before she and Ethan split. Undeterred, he continues his relentless pursuit.

Living with regret, the consequences of the choices we make, and the paths we take is a theme that is touched upon throughout the play. Is Ethan chasing an idealized romantic love that exists only in his imagination so that he can rewrite his own history? The enigmatic, weird Ethan is a difficult role to play. But we all know the guy that actor Jake Taylor brings to life with his portrayal. He's that childlike, hyper dude with zero self-awareness, who has no filter and no concept of the boundaries of another's personal space. But he's cute and poetic with a kooky charm, so we tolerate his shenanigans. While Taylor doesn't always seem comfortable inhabiting Ethan and doesn't find much nuance in the character, his energy is unwavering and he truly embodies that annoying guy we all love to hate.

Alice is Ethan's opposite, and Shana Brouwers captures her pragmatic yet reflective nature and nails the many sarcastic lines that roll off her tongue with ease. A former campaign manager for a candidate who lost a recent presidential election (ahem), Brouwer's regret is palpable as she pines not for Ethan but for what could've been without that failure, which has shaped her identity and outlook on life. We don't get a glimpse of the mutual affinity the two might have shared while a couple until later on, during an intimate dinner and a tipsy walk afterward. And while those scenes are pleasant enough, there really isn't much chemistry there.

The easy-going Nelson at first is unfazed by the appearance of Ethan. Alex Bassett in the part gives the most compelling and complete performance of the show, when Ethan becomes the catalyst for a growing realization that he needs to make a proposal of his own. So while Ethan and Alice are dining he heads on over to the home of Ron, played by Jodi Solbrig, and Deborah, played by Gillen Brey, to do just that. He has a perfectly metered, epic meltdown for one of the funniest and most touching scenes in the show. Bassett and Brey share a nice rapport, and their facial expressions are priceless as she sips wine and throws amused sideways glances at his frustrated, profanity-laced asides. Solbrig and Brey feel like a well-worn couple with their comfortable, back-and-forth banter, and Rose Donahue is sweet in her cameo as computer geek Jordan.

Ron Lindblom's detailed, two-story set design with its six different locations gives the impression of looking at a collage of photos on an Instagram page. There's a clever bit towards the end where Jones and Lyons make excellent use of Alice and her parent's side-by-side living rooms with simultaneous argument scenes and slamming doors that borrow from farce. Ginny Adam's thoughtful lighting design defines and illuminates the mood and relationships of each individual mini set, the annoying text message alerts in Rebecca Sass' sound design add a touch of realism, and Candace Wynants' costumes are apropos for the two different generations and the styles of the characters.

Mitnick doesn't give much clarity into what drives Ethan's audacious behavior. A surprise twist in the denouement only muddles the issue further, and makes him seem even more like a creeper. The one thing that is clear, though, is that Alice chose the right guy.

#EatMoreArt #vegastheatre EatMoreArtVegas.com #bennet #lvlt

As You Like It by William Shakespeare @ LVLT (featuring mask designs by Bex Hanis)

Las Vegas Little Theatre present's Shakespeare's comedy, As You Like It.

As You Like It is one of the great comedy plays by William Shakespeare. Rosalind, the daughter of a banished duke, falls in love with Orlando, the disinherited son of one of the duke's friends. When she is banished from the court by her usurping uncle, Duke Frederick, Rosalind takes on the appearance of a boy, calling herself Ganymede. She travels with her cousin Celia and the jester Touchstone to the Forest of Arden, where her father and his friends live in exile. Themes about life and love, including aging, the natural world, and death are included in the play. New friends are made and families are reunited. Featuring original mask artwork by Las Vegas visual artist, Bex Hanis @bexart (www.thevastcanvas.com).

3/22/2019 - 4/7/2019

Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm Sunday at 2pm

Las Vegas Little Theatre

3920 Schiff Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89103

Tickets

Natalie Senecal- Rosalind Drew Yonemori- Orlando, Corin Stefanie McCue- Celia, Phebe Geo Nikols- Touchstone, Duke Senior, Charles Josh Sigal- Jaques, Adam Brian David Sloan- Oliver, Duke Frederick, Silvius Rana Shlyan- Amiens Thomas Buscaglia- Lord of the Forest, Musician All other roles will be performed by the ensemble members

Production team: T. J. Larsen - Director Bex Harris - Stage Manager Stacia Zinkevich - Props Lighting Designer – Shawn Hackler Music Consultant - Mike Vargovich

#EatMoreArt #vegasculture #vegastheatre #lvlt

The Siegel @ Las Vegas Little Theatre

Las Vegas Little Theatre presents The Seigel by Ethan Siegel is in love. Tonight, he’s going to ask Alice’s parents for permission to marry her. There’s just one hitch. Ethan and Alice broke up two years ago—and she’s in a serious relationship with someone else.

3/8/2019 - 3/24/2019

Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm Sunday at 2pm

One Saturday matinee on March 16 at 2pm

Las Vegas Little Theatre

3920 Schiff Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89103

Tickets

#LVLT #vegastheatre #EatMoreArt #vegasculture #vegasarts

A Doll's House @ LVLT is Valley Recommended

Photo Credit: Kris Mayeshiro @km2creative.com

A Doll's House

By Henrik Ibsen

Directed by Jane Walsh

"...The election of so many women to legislatures around the country brings the play’s ideals front and center. " - Paul Atreides, EAT MORE ART! Vegas

When: 8 p.m. Thursday - Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday through March 3rd.

EXTENDED through March 3rd.

Where: Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3920 Schiff Dr, Las Vegas, Nevada, 89103

Tickets

#ValleyAwards #ValleyRecommended #Theatre #LVLT

EMAV Review: LVLT's Classic Doll’s House is timely

Photos taken by Kris M. Mayeshiro/ km2creative

★★★½☆ - Satisfying

Henrik Ibsen’s drama, “A Doll’s House,” was published and performed in the late 1880s. With the fight for women’s equality still raging today, the election of so many women to legislatures around the country brings the play’s ideals front and center.

The original sparked much controversy and adaptations abound (even a radio version). Using a literal translation by Charlotte Barslund, Frank McGuinness’ 1997 adaptation sticks closely to the original and won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play.

This LVLT production, directed by Jane Walsh, is stylized. It takes on a Dickensian London atmosphere introducing the characters delivering gifts. Actors greet with hugs and kisses, or foul expressions depending upon the relationships yet to play out; dialogue is mouthed, while the children are busy with a period hand-clapping game. Once the gifts (children’s blocks) have been placed on a bookshelf, everyone exits, and the actual play begins.

As Nora, Olivia Hernando flits and twirls and dances around the stage, delivering a laughing, silly, naïve Scarlett O’Hara-type damsel. She’s never in one place for long and very self-absorbed. Hernando retains that even as her transgression(s) are revealed. Only when she’s faced with complete destruction do we see any convincing conflict. The change from woe-is-me to self-determination happens in a sudden realization rather than slowly deriving from a discussion with a family friend. Hernando further muddies the waters as the only actor to deliver dialogue in very precise, stilted enunciation.

Her husband, Torvald, is played effectively by Shane Cullum as he first coddles, then slowly becomes concerned for Nora’s mental welfare as she has trouble with a dance he taught her years before. His hands, then body shakes as he reads of her crimes and realizes what they will do to the family. Subsequently, reading a letter absolving her, Cullum again takes his time in the realization; thought processes expressed slowly as things sink in and his excitement and relief mount.

Marni Montgomery-Blake delivers a steady performance as Kristine Linde, Nora’s childhood friend. Her displeasure with Nora’s selfishness is displayed behind softly delivered words, and she moves with the confidence of a woman who has faced her own difficulties in life and come to terms with needing to provide for herself as well as a desire to care for others.

The villain of the piece comes in the form of one Niles Krogstad, played with finesse by David Ament. He’s subtle when he needs to be and overtly threatening when that ploy doesn’t work except when Krogstad turns his back in a position of weakness.

Like Hernando, Steve Webster plays his character (Dr. Rank) very stylized. His delivery at first is very sing-song in a beautiful tenor, later meshing with the remainder of the cast in a more realistic portrayal.

The nanny (Martha Bowers) and two children (Jack Davison and Lila P. Fisher) round out the cast. The kids are adorable – as kids should be – and their performances are convincing. Bowers has trouble meshing words with physicality, though, when she reveals a troubled background.

Stephanie Daniels has provided beautiful period costumes. She’s given the men silk cravats, a delightful party gown for Nora, and even Rank dons a colorful vest. Raphael Daniels-Devost lights the small stage well. The only thing which sticks out is the bright light shining through the fourth wall window; it comes up and dims out as if days pass within seconds.

The lovely, simple set by Chris Davies evokes the time period and the proper station of a family on the lower rungs of upward mobility.

When taking liberties in stylizing a classic such as this, it would seem permissible when dealing with onstage smoking. The lighting of a cigar would be best left out completely, rather than so unconvincingly mimed.

Though direction muddies at times, Walsh brings it all round full-circle with the curtain call as actors carry on the blocks (which slowly left), to be replaced on the shelf.

Though the play is 131-years old, it’s timely, rapidly selling out as the 2017 sequel “A Doll’s House, Part 2,” written by Lucas Hnath, will be presented as part of the Mainstage series May 3-19.

What: A Doll’s House

When: 8 p.m. Thursday - Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday through February 24

Where: Las Vegas Little Theatre-Fischer Black Box, 3920 Schiff drive

Tickets: $14 - $16 (702-362-7996; www.lvlt.org)

Producer: Las Vegas Little Theatre; Director: Jane Walsh; Set Design: Chris Davies; Lighting Design: Raphael Daniels-Devost; Sound Design: Joey Jevne; Costume Design: Stephanie Daniels; Stage Manager: Cassidy Bonifacio

#Theatre #Review #LVLT #Atreides #EatMoreArt #vegastheatre #vegasculture

A Doll's House at Las Vegas Little Theatre

LVLT presents A Doll's House, by Henrik Ibsen - a powerful play which challenges the norm of a male dominated society and seeks to show life as it really is as vibrant young housewife Nora wakes to feelings of self-awareness for the first time in her life. Join us later this season for A Doll’s House, Part 2 on the LVLT Mainstage May 3 – 19, 2019.

A Doll's House

2/8/2019 - 2/24/2019

Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm Sunday at 2pm

Las Vegas Little Theatre

3920 Schiff Drive, Las Vegas, NV, 89103

Tickets

#EatMoreArt #vegasculture #vegastheatre #Theatre #LVLT #Listing

EMAV Review: Outcast miscreants kill in LVLT's 'Assassins' ★★★★½

Photo Credis: Kris Mayeshiro @km2creative.com

★★★★½ - Delicious

Stephen Sondheim’s musicals have entertained and fascinated for years. With few exceptions, if it’s a Sondheim show it’s a hit. His lyrics always carefully move the story arc and build character at the same time, his music is always deeply layered and usually difficult to sing. “Assassins,” with a book by John Weidman (based on an idea by Charles Gilbert) is rather more of a revue than a typical musical, and a dark-comedy vaudeville one at that.

For its original run, previews sold out indicating the draw of a Sondheim work but Frank Rich noted in his NY Times review, “Assassins will have to fire with sharper aim and fewer blanks if it is to shoot to kill.” Yet, the show, reworked, has been a staple around the globe and won both the Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for Best Revival of a Musical in 2004.

Currently kicking off 2019 at Las Vegas Little Theatre (LVLT), directors Walter Niejadlik and Gillen Brey have assembled quite a talented onstage ensemble. From all appearances, the entire production team came together as an ensemble, as well. From Ron Linblom’s wondrous two-story set to Candice Wynant’s superb costume choices for each required period everything melds into a perfected melody. Even the sound design by Mike Olsen lends credence with an Emma Goldman (played with finesse by Tiffany DeStenfano) speech with a microphone effect that cuts in and out.

Backed by a 13-piece orchestra under the direction of Toby McEvoy, 17 new and familiar faces grace the stage giving voice to Sondheim’s notes. There are some standout performances, as there always are in any given production.

April Sauline as the Balladeer ties the vignettes together and finds the heart behind the comedic. Two newcomers to the LVLT stage, Stephan Maeder playing the lovelorn John Hinckley and Lucy Angelo giving life to oddball Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, combine their voices for a beautiful “Unworthy of Your Love.” Maeder brings a hang-dog attitude to his portrayal of Hinckley and actually makes one begin to feel sorry for him.

Though Angelo’s high range hit a few flat squeakers in the solo portions, her portrayal throughout the show was thoroughly engaging. In scenes with Halle Lyons, as Sara Jane Moore, both Angelo and Lyons made a great pair of failed presidential killers. Lyons has a wonderful time as Moore, the verbal timing and physical comedy rolls easily.

Another newcomer, Meric Barkey Lewis Pittman immediately grabs attention with a deep rich baritone even in speaking. His statesman-like portrayal of Leon Czolgosz brought a dignity to the man who killed William McKinley, yet the sense of his social awkwardness is always there.

The failed attempt on Richard Nixon’s life is brought hilariously to life by Jacob Moore. Though Moore doesn’t get a solo or duet to sing he provides a steady, complete drunken, beer-swilling Samuel Byck to life in a pair of solo scenes.

The ensemble numbers are well staged and choreographed, scene changes are smooth and rapid. Nothing feels out of place, each beat of the show hits on target.

You might wonder how a show about killers and would-be killers of presidents could be funny. But “Assassins” is a political sideshow spanning the centuries, from Lincoln to Reagan, as noted in the ensemble-performance of “Another National Anthem,” bringing outcast miscreants together to humorous effect, and this production hits the right notes.

When: 8 p.m. Thursday - Saturday;

2 p.m. Sunday ( additional 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan 26)

Through February 3

Where: Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3920 Schiff drive

Tickets: $22 - $25 (702-362-7996; www.lvlt.org)

Producer: Las Vegas Little Theatre; Directors: Walter Niejadlik, Gillen Brey; Musical Director: Toby McEvoy; Choreographer: April Sauline; Set Design: Ron Lindblom; Lighting Design: Ginny Adams; Sound Design: Mike Olsen; Costume Design: Candice Wynants; Wig Design: Betty Sullivan-Cleary; Stage Manager: Cindy Lee Stock; Running Crew: Ernest Medina, Chris von Uebbing

#Theatre #vegastheatre #EatMoreArt #Review #Atreides #LVLT

Assassins @ LVLT is Valley Recommended

Photo Credit: Kris Mayeshiro @km2creative.com

Assassins

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Book by Joe Weidman

Directed by Walter Niejadlik

"...A political sideshow spanning the centuries " - Paul Atreides, EAT MORE ART! Vegas

When: 8 p.m. Thursday - Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday (additional show 2 p.m. Saturday, January 26)

Through February 3.

Where: Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3920 Schiff Dr, Las Vegas, Nevada, 89103

Tickets

#ValleyAwards #ValleyRecommended #Theatre #LVLT

Assassins, the Musical @ LVLT

Bold, original, disturbing and alarmingly funny, Assassins by Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman lays bare the lives of nine individuals who assassinated or tried to assassinate the President of the United States, in a historical musical that explores the dark side of the American Dream. Directed by Walter Niejadlik and Gillen Brey.

1/18/2019 - 2/3/2019

Thursday, Friday, and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm One Saturday matinee on December 8 at 2pm

Las Vegas Little Theatre

3920 Schiff Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89103

Tickets

Cast: SARA JANE MOORE - Hallie Lyons LEON CZOLGOSZ - Meric Barkey Lewis Pittman SAMUEL BYCK - Jacob Moore JOHN WILKES BOOTH - Glenn Heath LYNETTE "SQUEAKY" FROMME - Lucy Angelo JOHN HINCKLEY - Stephan Maeder BALLADEER - April Sauline LEE HARVEY OSWALD - Michael Blair GIUSEPPE ZANGARA - Jake Taylor CHARLES GUITEAU - Matt Fisher PROPRIETOR - Steve McMillan EMMA GOLDMAN - Tiffany DeStefano DAVID HEROLD - Tristan Kettavong ENSEMBLE - Marissa McCoy, Melissa Riezler, Chris Hahn Production team: DIRECTORS: Walter Niejadlik and Gillen Brey MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Toby McEvoy CHOREOGRPHER: April Sauline SET DESIGN: Ron Lindblom LIGHTING DESIGN: Ginny Adams SOUND DESIGN: Mike Olsen COSTUMES: Candice Wynants STAGE MANAGER: Cindy Lee Stock

#Listing #Theatre #LVLT

The Las Night of Ballyhoo @ LVLT is Valley Recommended

The Las Night of Ballyhoo

by Alfred Uhry

Directed by Rob Kastil

"if you want some good laughs instead of schmaltz, look no further than LVLT’s 'The Last Night of Ballyhoo.'" - Paul Atreides, EAT MORE ART! Vegas

When: 8 p.m. Thursday - Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday (additional 2 p.m. Saturday, December 8)

Through December 16

Where: Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3920 Schiff Dr, Las Vegas, Nevada, 89103

Tickets

#ValleyAwards #ValleyRecommended #Theatre #LVLT

EMAV Review: A ball at LVLT's 'Ballyhoo' ★★★★½

★★★★½ - Delicious

“The Last Night of Ballyhoo,” Alfred Uhry's 1997 Tony Award-winning play, takes a solid look at anti-semitism in the South. The action is centered around the Atlanta Jewish community's annual Ballyhoo Ball (a Jewish cotillion) during the excitement surrounding the 1939 premiere of “Gone with the Wind” and the breaking out of World War II in Europe.

Directed by Rob Kastil for Las Vegas Little Theatre (LVLT), the production wisely mines the humor and slips in the right amount of poignancy in all the right places. This is really an ensemble piece and Kastil has treated it as such with quite a capable cast. After an initial stumbling over a couple of missed lines and despite stepping on laughs, this cast grabs the reins and gallops along without missing a beat.

Scene breaks are numerous but the pacing never suffers because of them, thanks to an excellent Running Crew. And, thanks to Mike Olsen’s very appropriate sound design, the music at first retains the moment then transitions us smoothly into the next scene.

Marty Weaver delivers a steady Adolph Freitag, the patriarch of the clan. Weaver represents the calming influence to each imagined catastrophe in a houseful of women worried about invitations to the Ballyhoo Ball and marriage proposals from the right men. He’s always in the moment and his timing is on point.

Act Two introduces us to Peachy Weil played with obnoxious delight by Michael Blair. His antics, both physical and vocal, bring laughter even with a running gag because Blair so easily and convincingly slips from one emotion to another.

Throughout, Shane Cullum, Dani Andino, and Mary Claire Owen keep pace and deliver perfect support. Cullum takes the brash Joe Farkas and grounds him; Andino plays Reba Freitag with great droll humor; and Owen brings needed understated softness to the educated Sunny Freitag.

The widowed Boo Levy is a whirlwind of activity and has more to say than any situation requires. Teresa Fullerton dives into the character with her usual verve. She’s a dervish of activity. In those moments she isn’t directly involved, Fullerton stays facially in the scene but, instead of some worried fidgeting or hand-wringing, her hands plunge stiff-armed to her sides.

As her daughter, Lala Levy, Stephanie McCue lands some good lines with Scarlet O’Hara over-the-top drama to good effect. McCue has the Southern Belle antics down pat almost as if she’s channeling Vivian Leigh. At times it gets to be a bit too much but she delivers the final line of Act 1 with sheer perfection.

Production values are all top-notch. The set, designed by Ron Lindblom, is a glorious depiction of a large Atlanta home on Haversham Road (a real Atlanta street). Ginny Adams’ lighting genuinely bathes the set; Stephanie Daniels’ costumes are on point for the period and Lala’s Ballyhoo gown is a showstopper.

If you’re looking for something heartwarming that isn’t yet another version of “A Christmas Carol,” if you want some good laughs instead of schmaltz, look no further than LVLT’s “The Last Night of Ballyhoo.”

What: The Last Night of Ballyhoo

When: 8 p.m. Thursday - Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday through December 16

2 p.m. Saturday, December 8

Where: Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3920 Schiff drive

Tickets: $22 - $25 (702-362-7996; www.lvlt.org)

Producer: Las Vegas Little Theatre; Director: Rob Kastil; Set Design: Ron Lindblom; Lighting Design: Ginny Adams; Sound Design: Mike Olsen; Costume Design: Stephanie Daniels; Wig Design: Betty Sullivan-Cleary; Stage Managers: Brie Marielle, Jeremy Williams; Running Crew: Audrey Bernal, Chris Davies, Michael Ferruzza, Ernest Medina, John Pattison

#Theatre #Review #LVLT #Atreides

Desdemona, A Play About A Handkerchief @ LVLT is Valley Recommended

Desdemona, A Play About A Handkerchief

by Paula Vogel

Directed by Stacia Zinkevich

"Reimagined women of this Shakespeare's tragedy"

When: 8 p.m. Friday – Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday through Nov 25

Where: Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3920 Schiff Dr, Las Vegas, Nevada, 89103

Tickets

#ValleyAwards #ValleyRecommended #Theatre #LVLT

Falsetto's @ LVLT is Valley Recommended

FALSETTO'S, THE MUSICAL

Music and Lyrics by William Finn Book by William Finn and James Lapine

Directed by Walter Niejadlik & Gillen Brey

"...The cast transitions into poignancy well, bit by bit, tugging on one heartstring at a time." - PAUL ATREIDES, EAT MORE ART! VEGAS

Read our review here.

When: 8 p.m. Thursday - Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday through Sept 30

Where: Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3920 Schiff Drive, Las Vegas, NV

Tickets: $20 - $25

702-362-7996

Tickets

#ValleyAwards #ValleyRecommended #Theatre #LVLT

EMAV Review: 'Falsettos' tugs the heartstrings at LVLT

★★★★½ - Delicious

Las Vegas Little Theatre continues it’s 41st season with “Falsettos,” book by William Finn and James Lapine, and music and lyrics by William Finn. The 2017 production garnered a Tony nomination for Best Revival (Musical).

The thing about this is, it’s dated yet still relevant today with its themes of sexual confusion, love, and the questions of what constitutes a family. Directed by Walter Niejadlik and Gillen Brey, this production finds those marks and hits them pretty much on target.

The show isn’t a musical in the normal sense – it’s more like “Phantom of the Opera” or “Les Miserable” in that there are very few spoken lines. Niejadlik and Brey have cast some gorgeous voices. There isn’t a single (adult) cast member whose vocal acuity doesn’t mesmerize. It’s also a nod to their skill as directors that the four-piece band, led by Toby McEvoy, doesn’t (for the most part) overpower the voices.

Led by Aron Shanley in the role of Marvin the play starts with a bang. Shanley’s tenor is delightful. His attempts to modulate volume are an issue at times; he doesn’t quite get over the musicians or other cast members when he should have the lead lyric. Shanley also has a problem with remaining in the moment. Overall, he appears a bit uncomfortable, not sure of what to do with himself.

Joe Hynes plays Mandel with a great comedic timing and flair. His antics keep the energy high and he relates to the other characters even when standing on the sidelines. If you’ve ever heard that an actor can make you laugh or cry with a simple expression or nod of the head, Hynes does it with panache.

Meeting him point for point is Melissa Riesler in the role of Trina, the discarded wife. Her “Breaking Down” is a wonder to behold. Riesler uses every bit of her physical and emotional instrument; she’s funny, she’s heartbreaking, she’s pouring everything into the lyric and she hits the back row with all of it.

Keith Dotson is wonderful. He plays Whizzer with style and grace; we’re never left to wonder what he’s feeling beneath the words. His delivery and expression on “Games I Play” is stunning.

Young Jake Fagone plays Jason, the confused son Marvin leaves behind. He’s got a lot of stage presence here and gives a credible performance. Demyia Browning and Amanda Collins fill out the cast, showing up in Act Two as the lesbian neighbors, filled with support and concern for everyone.

Ron Lindblom never fails to amaze. Using the main theme, his set is crafted using giant block letters to spell LOVE which break apart to form the various furniture pieces to define spaces. Coupled with Ginny Adams’ lights, the production glows.

Something to bear in mind, though. “Falsettos” begins with comedy but Act Two finds it sliding further and further into drama, yet the cast transitions into poignancy well, bit by bit, tugging on one heartstring at a time.

What: Falsettos

When: 8 p.m. Thursday - Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday through Nov 4

2 pm Saturday, Oct 27

Where: Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3920 Schiff drive

Tickets: $22 - $25 (702-362-7996; lvlt.org)

Producer: Las Vegas Little Theatre; Directors: Walter Niejadlik, Gillen Brey; Musical Director: Toby McEvoy; Choreographer: April Sauline; Set Design: Ron Lindblom; Lighting Design: Ginny Adams; Sound Design: Mike Olsen; Costume Design: Candice Wynants; Stage Manager: Cindy Lee Stock

Photo courtesy of KM2 Creative

#LVLT #Theatre #Listing #Atreides #Review

EMAV Review: Knickers get knotted during LVLT's bawdy 'Underpants'

★★★☆☆ - Satisfying

The play "The Underpants," now showing on Las Vegas Little Theatre's main stage, is like an Henrik Ibsen drama and a bedroom farce all rolled into one. Adapted in 2002 by Steve Martin from Carl Sternheim's 1911 play "Die Hose," which is a satire of the bourgeoisie, it covers a lot of ground thematically but without really going anywhere. And while it's full of double entendres, witty banter, and thoughtful musing, the plot revolves around female subjugation and sexual objectification, which in LVLT's presentation evokes both laughter and dismay.

The setting is Dusseldorf Germany in 1910, a time when married women were considered the property of their husbands. As the show opens, a shocking incident has just occurred. Young housewife Louise's bloomers fell down as she stood tippy-toe trying to see the King in his parade, and her uptight husband Theo fears his reputation will be ruined by those who witnessed the event. But the two randy gentlemen who did happen to see it--the poet Versati and the barber Cohen--have something entirely different in mind. Titillated, they arrive separately at the couple's doorstep in order to rent a spare room in their flat, hoping to seduce Louise and get into her pants. And busybody neighbor Gertrude is more than happy to help.

Since the actors' experience levels are varied, director Chris Davies keeps the performances on the understated side so there's not excessive mugging. But the physical bits could use more choreography and the difficult relationship between Theo, played by James Raven Malpino, and Louise, played by Mary Claire Owen, needs to be fleshed out. While on the page Theo views their marriage as a business arrangement, it would be nice to have some connection between the two no matter how slight, so we can believe he has her best interests at heart.

As Louise, Owen resembles a delicate, porcelain doll with her pretty floral dress and cheerful nature. Her movements and mannerisms don't always fit the era, but there's a nice moment when she's alone onstage and strips down to her corset in anticipation of a romantic interlude with Versati. She strikes a series of awkward, sensuous poses she hopes might impress him, and creates a neat effect that is like a vignette from a silent movie. Her charming innocence stirs our protective instincts.

Which makes it harder to accept Theo's incessant harping about her place in their marriage and of her wifely duties. While the pragmatic fellow is written to be rigid and Malpino embodies that aspect without a doubt, he plays the part with such focused seriousness that it's hard to relate to him. A touch of tongue- in-cheek bombastry might soften the stinging words of the humorless guy.

Yet one of the best scenes of the show features Malpino as Theo and Glenn Heath as the wannabe-poet extraordinaire Versati debating the merits of their different philosophies of life. Is it better to conform dutifully to the state through endless hard work, or to live freely as an artist with a passion for beauty? There's a stark contrast between the two and the answer might lie somewhere in the middle, but the delightful Heath relishes each line with such bravado that he easily convinces us a bohemian life is the way to go.

Ernest Medina is endearing as the neurotic hypochondriac Cohen. He and Owen share a chemistry in their scenes together and his funny, deadpan stories get some of the biggest laughs of the night. The sassy Shana Brouwers shows the wheels turning in the mind of the scheming Gertrude with her funny expressions and wildly tapping fingers, while Rob Kastil provides subtle buffoonery as the frigid Klinglehoff and Dan Worthington is appropriately regal in a cameo as the King.

The set design by Ron Lindblom captures the period with detailed pieces and with warm, earthy colors, as does the light design of Ginny Adams; the sound design by Davies and Heath creates a rich atmosphere through the music of Richard Wagner; and Rose Scarborough's costumes are lovely, especially the women's dresses and Louise's yellow one in particular, with its whimsical Bavarian touches of pom pom fringe and zig zag trim.

LVLT's bawdy presentation of "The Underpants" is entertaining and amusing, but its inherent sexism might get your knickers in a twist.

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Stupid F*cking Bird @ LVLT is Valley Recommended

STUPID F*CKING BIRD

By Aaron Posner

Directed by Maxim Lardent

A satirical spin on a theatrical classic.

When: 8 p.m. Thursday - Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday through Sept 30

Where: Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3920 Schiff drive

Tickets: $20 - $25

702-362-7996

Tickets

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The Underpants @ LVLT

The renowned comic actor and author provides a wild hilarious satire adapted from the classic German play about Louise and Theo Maskes, a couple whose conservative existence is shattered when Louise's bloomers fall down in public. Though she pulls them up quickly, he thinks the incident will cost him his job as a government clerk. Louise's momentary display does not result in the feared scandal, but it does attract two infatuated men, each of whom wants to rent the spare room in the Maskes' home. 9/7-23/2018 Thursday, Friday, Saturdays @ 8pm Sundays @ 2pm Sat Matinee 9/15/18 @2pm

Las Vegas Little Theatre

3920 Schiff Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89117

lvlt.org

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LVLT 2018 - 2019 Season Preview

LVLT offers a FREE Preview of our 2018-19 Shows to introduce our slate of plays. Local actors will perform short scenes and numbers from all of the plays and musicals you can see at LVLT in the 2018-2019 season. You can pick and choose which you’d like to see, or decide they’re all wonderful selections and get season tickets for a much lower price, or even decide that if you want to see them all but can’t figure out when and get a Flex Pass! The readings will be from LVLT’s Mainstage season of The Underpants, Falsettos, One Night in Ballyhoo, Assassins, The Siegel, and A Doll's House, Part 2. The Fischer Black Box season readings are from Stupid Fu@king Bird, Desdemona- A play about a Handkerchief, A Doll's House, and As You Like It.

Saturday August 4 at 8pm and Sunday August 5 at 2pm The preview will be on the Mainstage located at 3920 Schiff Drive, Las Vegas, NV. To purchase season, individual, or Flex Pass tickets, visit our website at www.LVLT.org or contact the Box Office at (702) 362-7996 during regular box office hours (Mondays 4pm – 8pm, Wednesdays and Fridays 10am – 1pm, and Saturdays 9am – 12pm).

www.LVLT.org

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Ruthless! The Musical @ LVLT is Valley Recommended

RUTHLESS! THE MUSICAL

Book and lyrics by Joel Paley

Music by Marvin Laird

Directed by Rob Kastil

"This show is campy and outrageous, and it works. ★★★★½ - Delicious" - Paul Atreides, EAT MORE ART VEGAS

When: 8 p.m. Thursday - Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday through July 29

Where: Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3920 Schiff drive

Tickets: $20 - $25

702-362-7996

Tickets

#ValleyAwards #ValleyRecommended #Theatre #LVLT