by tony reverditto
TICK, TICK . . .BOOM
This innovative musical is written by American composer
Jonathan Larson, who won a Pulitzer and a Tony for his mu-
sical Rent. Tick, Tick . . .Boom tells the story of an aspiring
composer named Jon, who lives in New York City in 1990. He
is worried about making the wrong career choice, that of be-
ing part of the performing arts. The story is autobiographi-
cal; Larson had been trying to establish himself in theatre
since the early 1980s. The show bears some similarities
to Company written by Larson’s idol, Stephen Sondheim and he began to perform the piece as a solo
work in 1990. After his death in 1996, it was produced as a three-actor piece off-Broadway in 2001, then in
London and the West Side in 2005. Runs: January 15 - February 20 at Theatre Out-The Empire Theatre, 202
N. Broadway in Santa Ana’s Artist Village. Tickets 714.826.8700 or Theatreout.com
GEORGE GERSHWIN ALONE
January, 2010 seems to be a month filled with One-Man
shows. In this case, the internationally acclaimed Hershey
Felder personifies one of the finest American composers and
renders an intimate portrait of the incomparable musical
legend, George Gershwin. He wrote most of his vocal and the-
atrical works, including more than a dozen Broadway shows,
in collaboration with his elder brother, lyricist Ira Gershwin.
This multi-award-winning production of George Gershwin
Alone is a musical event which ignites an entirely new inside perspective of the historic composer’s early
background, personal life and artistic genius. With sold-out performances around the globe, this musical
sensation comes with many surprises that are not to be missed! January 12 - February 21. Laguna Play-
KEVIN SPIRTAS – NIGHT & DAYS
house, 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. Tickets: 949.497.ARTS (2787) or lagunaplayhouse.com
The Broadway star and Days of Our Lives hunk
celebrates his journey from New York to Hol-
lywood with a tour-de-force performance of
Broadway and pop standards. The Cabaret Series
100% HAPPY 88% OF THE TIME is very popular and consistently sells out and this
Written and performed by Beth Lapides, best known as the performance will be no exception. The Carpenter
creator of the ground-breaking Un-Cabaret workshops and Center stage has transformed itself into an inti-
shows. Lapides is a self-proclaimed “astonishingly innova- mate floor show in which the audience is on stage
tive, multi-talented artist, comedian, actress, writer, teacher, enjoying at a ring side table. This performance can
lecturer, visual artist, TV and radio personality, and well, a be purchased with or without dinner. Two nights
yoga practioner”—you get the idea! But comedy is her first only, Wednesday, January 20 and Thursday, Janu-
love and Beth comes to the Renberg for a special, one-night- ary 21 with dinner/beverage service at 6-6:45 p.m.
only performance of her new solo show. She deftly connects and performance at 7:00 p.m. Richard & Karen
the spiritual frontier with cutting-edge science and “a dash of woo-woo to slide around on the slippery Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 Atherton
slope of our rapidly changing times”. January 9 at 8:00 p.m. only! Gay & Lesbian Center, The Renberg The- Street, Long Beach. Tickets: 562.985.7000 or
atre, 1125 N. McCadden Pl. Los Angeles. Tickets: 323.860.7302 or lagaycenter.org carpenterarts.org
ORDINARY DAYS
On the flipside of the legendary Gershwin, there is a promising star plucked
from the new breed of composers in America, Adam Gwon. He is a recent winner
of the Fred Ebb Award for Excellence in Musical Theater Songwriting. He has hit
the boards running with Ordinary Days in the U.S.A. and the U.K., causing critics to
sit up and take notice of his fast-paced and lyrical form. From the bustling streets
to quiet rooftops, four young New Yorkers try to find their way. In the process
each becomes intricately connected through a series of funny and fortuitous
events, proving that even “ordinary days” can be simply “extraordinary”. Previews:
January 3 - 7. Runs: January 8– 24. South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Center Drive,
Costa Mesa. Tickets: 714.708.5555 or SCR.org
January 2010 | RAGE monthly 13
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