MAY 19, 20: PARLORPALOOZA - A PLETHORA OF PERFORMERS, PROCEEDS GO TO CHARITY, PAY WHAT YOU CAN ADMISSION

From Jeannine Frank's newsletter email:

Dear Parlor Performance Patrons, Friends & Family,

I hope you'll join me for two extraordinary nights of comedy, cabaret and solo theatre this coming Monday and Tuesday. I planned these evenings at the suggestion of some east coast performing arts presenters who promised to fly to LA if I put together my best line-up of artists whose work addresses the themes of Globalization, Immigration and Environment.

All the performers (and I as producer) are donating their time and talent, and all proceeds will be given to disaster relief organizations. You can come for any contribution -- $1 to $1,000! No questions asked, everything helps -- and the evening is always better when there's a full house!

We have 30 seats available for Monday and 50 for Tuesday -- each night is different! Please let your friends -- especially those who frequently entertain and/or plan fundraisers and special events. Take a look at the descriptions below -- I can't imagine you'd want to miss this!

Looking forward to seeing you at Steinway Hall,
Jeannine

Parlor Performances' Parlor-Palooza 2008 -- Mon. & Tues.!
8 Mini-performances nightly * Each night different!
Comedy, Cabaret, Solo Theatre & much more!
All profits to go to disaster relief organizations!
Jeannine Frank * (310) 476-6735 * Jeannine@FrankEntertainment.com
May 19,20: 7:30pm at Steinway Hall in West Los Angeles, below Fields Pianos.

Proceeds benefit disaster relief organizations! I'll have envelopes for Doctors Without Borders, UNICEF , Operation USA & Jewish World Watch -- you decide where your money goes! (Please pay cash for contibutions $20 or less - checks OK for $25 or more.)

Parlor Performances' Big Spring Showcases! 8 mini-performances nightly by comedians, cabaret artists, solo & historical shows -- all addressing themes of Immigration, Globalization & Environment!

Featured artists will include:

The Sultans of Satire (Mid-East comic relief!) - 3 different Sultans nightly!
"Sultans of Satire" features an impressive line-up of some of today's most talented comedians of Middle Eastern descent-more than a dozen men and women of Arab, Israeil, Iranian, Armenian, Greek & Turkish heritage. Sultans shows can range from 3 to 8 comedians. http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001uobtXHBdSuquK3XAeHl_8zY-Uzd3BWdZKTV7WA8VFh5EADYAyJ8jenSR_L4Vq8jAQKFTVQYRdBfQI5zrwhJjTahQ-hxY1HvLfyDxHPw5g-OOG8Yc2v5xkw==

World's wittiest bass player/songwriter/singer Jay Leonhart
"Add Jay Leonhart to the small, very exclusive list of jazz humorists... ...Oscar Brown Jr., Dave Frishberg and Bob Dorough..." Don Heckman, LA Times The show begins with Leonhart attempting to give the audience its bass lesson, but sensing that maybe the audience is not so devoted to bass viol studies, his "lesson" quickly and skillfully turns into a series of funny and touching songs and vignettes about life, with or without a bass in tow. http://www.jayleonhart.com/

Award-winning monologist Jude Narita
Excerpts from Narita's award-winning dramatic and humorous one-woman plays about Asian and Asian American women celebrating our differences, while illuminating the universal similarities of us all. Narita's women are breaking stereotypes, creating true identity, surviving war, surviving internment, cherishing family, and holding onto their dreams for the future. http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001uobtXHBdSuqMk2kL3l6IytzQuLnKK-fn_3qviTrgchXE6gCikltxhIJ2bjmnQgQ6lmcD6s-Sqg1A5G3IA2txoO8kbBOVlK6ZqcBcgUXSOS06mVvjC4WCbQ==

Social satirist Darryl Henriques
"Henriques reminds me of all three Marx Brothers rolled into one." LA Times ** "...Henriques is"...an amalgam of Lenny Bruce, Paul Krassner and Robin Williams: social commentary mixed with off-the-wall fantasies andphilosophical speculations, and a razor sharp wit." SF Chronicle

Brainy, Dry-witted stand-up Betsy Salkind
Comedian, writer & founding member of TERRORIST BRIDESMAIDS (4 comediennes determined to get a 2nd use out of those dresses), alumna of improv troup GUILTY CHILDREN, Salkind was staff writer for ROSEANNE and has appeared on the Tonight Show w/ Jay Leno. She graduated MIT with Master's from Sloan School of Management (thesis title: Can't You Take A Joke? A Study of Sexual Harassment Among Peers.) Preferring the security of the arts, she left her career w/ the Federal Reserve Bank to become a comedian. http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0010wzWZFWNc-CXYOkx4JwDrC6TCvP-SMtPOIonhXoOEhYmV4PZJdi5i9VuF7EpOfCgSR-rSCyXTMWT2FVyf0E7oNh1_DyckkU-ZYCMpX_HQui8utAULh0lFg==

Fred Blanco's Stories of Cesar Chavez
This one man theatrical presentation depicts the life and times of Cesar E. Chavez, one of the most inspirational and influential civil rights leaders of our time. The play offers a compelling look at the man and his struggle for equality through the eight various characters brought to life on stage. http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6nryhncab.0.mfisyicab.grcdqicab.51&ts=S0343&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.storiesofcesarchavez.com%2F

Vicki Juditz (think Sarah Vowell!) hilarious, hard-hitting new show on Going Green!
"a born storyteller... what sets her writing, and her performance, apart is her sense of humor, and an eye for the incongruous and ridiculous." L.A. Times * Frequently compared to Sarah Vowell and David Sedaris, Juditz is an Ovation Award winner (LA's Tony equivalent). "Juditz employs empathy and a self-deprecating humor that lay bare the foibles and tragedy of the human condition, causing us to reflect on our own moral choices." LA Weekly * New works feature hilarious and poignant pieces on "going green" and gun control.

Stephanie Satie's Coming to America; Refugees
"an intimate, affecting solo meditation on political and cultural persecution." Los Angeles Times "Coming to America" presents a portrait gallery of 8 women whose lives have been transformed first, by extraordinary events in their country of birth, and then by their response to America. This piece includes women from Afghanistan, Iraq, Armenia, Cambodia, El Salvador, India, Iran, Russia and the former Yugoslavia. http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=6nryhncab.0.qfisyicab.grcdqicab.51&ts=S0343&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.refugeestheplay.com%2F

ParlorPalooza. Steinway Hall, Fields Pianos 12121 W. Pico Bl. (1 door w. of Bundy, Level P2). Park free! RSVP to Jeannine Frank, (310) 476-6735 or Jeannine@FrankEntertainment.com

MAY IN LA: GETTY'S "EMERGENCE", GEFFEN'S "EMERGENCY"

Being wordsmiths with a word jones, we couldn't resist two current events that are not only high caliber but highly similar in venue name and work title: Emergence at the Getty and Emergency at the Geffen.

Bill Viola's Emergence is at the Getty Center until June 15th. Getty Museum - 1200 Getty Center Drive - Los Angeles (Brentwood area) - Bill Viola's video installation Emergence (source: Metromix).

Meanwhile, at the Geffen Playhouse, the one man show Emergency is having its West Coast Premiere and runs until May 25th. Award-winning artist Daniel Beaty portrays a cast of 40 characters who all respond to a stunning phenomenon. A slave ship rises out of the Hudson River in front of the Statue of Liberty sending the nation into a whirlwind of emotion and exploration in this solo tour de force featuring slam poetry, multi-character transformation and song. In his critically acclaimed one-man show, Beaty takes us on our own 400-year journey in order to see a clear picture of where we stand now. Through the character's various testimonies on identity and personal freedom, Emergency weaves a stirring commentary on modern black life. Performance Schedule: Tuesday – Thursday: 7:30 pm, Friday: 8:00 pm, Saturday: 4:00 pm & 8:30pm, Sunday: 2:00 pm & 7:00pm. Ticket Price $35.00-$74.00. (source: Geffen Playhouse website).

EVENT REPORT: RUTLEMANIA ROCKS HOLLYWOOD, WITH ALL FOUR RUTLES ATTENDING MULTIMEDIA SHOW STARRING THE (PRE-)FAB FOUR

by Don Rose

(March 16, 2008 - Hollywood, CA) It is safe to say that Chuck Berry was the first Poet Laureate of Rock and Roll. Once the torch passed to a new generation, Lennon and McCartney and Dylan became the Poet Laureates of rock's reinvention. But when one considers the realm of rock satire and homage, The LA Report hereby nominates Neil Innes as the Poet Laureate of Parody Pop. His talents as songwriter were on full display tonight at the Ricardo Montalban Theatre, where the second of five "RUTLEMANIA" shows played to a packed audience (including all four original Rutles) tapping toes to the tunes of Innes, as played with perfection by Beatle tribute band The Fab Four (billed as The PRE-Fab Four for the five shows taking place this week).

I know what you're thinking. A simulation of a satirization? Yes, and it works. The combination of film/video footage projected behind the live band makes for a potent mix. The visual clips are composed of segments from the original 1978 film "All You Need is Cash" plus the "Rutles 2" sequel, featuring interview snippets with many stars, including Paul Simon, Garry Shandling, John Belushi (as Rutle manager Ron Decline, modeled on post-Epstein Beatle manager Allen Klein), Gilda Radner, and in the clip that got the greatest applause, George Harrison as a silver haired newsman interviewing Rutle Corps rep Michael Palin as the Rutle office gets robbed blind behind them. All of this is blended seamlessly with, and enhances the effect of, Neil's superbly crafted music. The Fab Four, who already have the Beatles down, prove they have mastered the Rutle song catalog as well. The show is in two parts: the Early Days (early-60s--2-minute-tunes--lovable-moptops--pre-1967ish), then intermission, then the Later Days (psychedelia, dropping tea, marriages, film flops and breakup).

The songs in "Rutlemania" include hits from the original album (we especially love "Cheese and Onions" and "Piggy in the Middle"), plus gems from the Rutle sequel song set "Archaeology" -- released in the 90's to coincide with The Beatles' own "Anthology" series. The "Archaeology" album (produced by Martin Lewis, who was at tonight's show along with original Rutles Innes, Eric Idle ("Dirk") - who devised and directed Rutlemania, Ricky Fataar ("Stig") and John Halsey ("Barry")) is, like the first record, filled with melodic masterpieces that combine witty imagery, catchy riffs and whiffs of Beatleness into a magical medley of music. Some Rutle songs sound very close to Beatle originals (example: "Get Up and Go" is about 80 percent "Get Back") while others can take some time to tease out the Beatle genetics, but all share great craftmanship and a love of pop hooks that please the ear while stimulating the mind with clever lyrics. Just the Rutle title "Blue Suede Shubert" encapsulates how perfect the parody is. The title combines/tweaks Beatle influences "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Roll Over Beethoven" -- but the actual song is not a mere mashing up of two classics. Instead, Innes fashioned a fresh, fun new tune that uses the verbal pun as an imaginative starting point for a solid rocker.

After the show, I had a chance to chat with Mr. Innes -- the Lennonesque Ron Nasty in the original Rutles and the mastermind behind their tunes -- who displayed a great deal of warmth, English charm and a genuine love of the Rutle phenomenon. I asked if he wrote the Rutle songs with the Beatles firmly in mind from the start, or whether he tried to create great pop tunes and then massage them into Beatlesque form. He said it was the latter approach, that the Beatleness was shaped mainly in the songs' post-production phase. Neil also wanted to encourage everyone to come and see the remaining shows, expressing a strong desire for the show to continue for a longer run -- and we at The LA Report have to agree, five shows seems way too short. Hopefully, if the crowds continue as packed and enthusiastic as tonight's, the show will indeed be extended.

Hail Brittania, and Rutlemania!

Rutlemania, at the Ricardo Montalban Theatre, starring The Fab Four. Not the Rutles (a fab band that satirized The Beatles), but an incredible simulation. The Fab Four (a Beatles tribute band in "real" life) becomes The PRE-Fab Four for five nights of live Rutle classics. The LA Report recommends it as a Best Bet. Remaining Dates: March 19 at 8 pm; March 20 at 8 pm; and March 21 at 8 pm. Location: Vine Street, just south of Hollywood Blvd. Official poster with more info at www.rutles.org/tributeconcert.html. Tickets available at www.ticketweb.com. Related Rutle event: March 17 at the Egyptian; more information at www.modsandrockers.com.

Photo: Original Rutle Neil Innes ("Ron Nasty") and Don Rose (Editor in Chief of The LA Report).

MAR. 5-9: JACKIE MASON: THE ULTIMATE JEW – The Farewell Performances at the Wadsworth Theatre

The reigning king of one-man shows on the Broadway stage, Jackie Mason brings his farewell tour to Los Angeles for the last stop prior to opening in New York. It's Jackie's 9th one-man comedy tour de force, entitled JACKIE MASON: THE ULTIMATE JEW – The Farewell Performances. This week, West LA's wonderful Wadsworth will be the epicenter of Jewish humor as mirthmaker Mason's monologue makes March merry for 5 performances only.

About JACKIE MASON: THE ULTIMATE JEW - The Farewell Performances

Jackie will once again be skewering public figures and interpreting current events with his unique brand of side-splitting hilarity. If it's in the news, it's in the show. "I am excited about getting back to what I do best and what my audience likes best," said Mason. "I am writing new jokes every day and soon I'll be telling them every night. Just me ... one Jew talking and that's it."

Sounds like Mr. Mason's new show could have been subtitled The Return of the King of Comedy. The show runs March 5 - 9, 2008. Running Time: 90 Minutes. Parental Advisory: for mature audiences.

About Jackie Mason

Jackie Mason is widely regarded as one of the greatest standup comics of all time. His one-man shows have garnered him a Tony, a Grammy, an Emmy, and awards from the Drama Desk to the Outer Critics Circle. For more information on Jackie Mason, please visit his website at jackiemason.com.

For more info on Jackie Mason's performances in LA, see broadwayla.org. Useful links: Box-office - Directions - Special Needs. Location: WADSWORTH THEATRE on the grounds of the Veteran's Administration, 11301 Wilshire Blvd, Bldg. 226, Los Angeles 90073 (1/4 mile west of the 405 Freeway).

Performance Schedule: Wednesday - Saturday 8pm, Sunday 3pm. Prices: VIP (Center Orchestra A-M) $103, Orchestra NN - XX $78, Center Balcony (A-F) $78, Side Front Balcony $53, Center Rear Balcony $53, Side Rear Balcony / Orchestra YY $28. Tickets: Online: www.BroadwayLA.org ; Charge by Phone: 213-365-3500 or 714-740-7878; In person: All Ticketmaster Outlets, Wadsworth Theatre Box Office (open Monday-Friday 9am-5pm), Pantages Theatre Box Office (available daily noon-5pm). Groups of 15+ please call Nederlander Group Sales West toll-free at 866-755-3075.

JAN. 25-26: MARTIN SHORT & JASON ALEXANDER STAR IN READING OF NEIL SIMON'S THE ODD COUPLE

	Wadsworth Theatre - 11301 Wilshire Blvd. - Los Angeles, CA
	Maps
	8:00 PM
	$37 - $197
	TICKETS
	Reprise! Broadway's Best
	Event Page
	2 Performances Only! January 25 - 26, 2008 Martin Short and Jason Alexander reunite for the first time since they appeared in the Los Angeles production of the hit musical The Producers. Their appearance in what is perhaps Broadway's best known comedy marks one of the few times that 2 well-known stars have appeared on an LA stage in the show. The Odd Couple is a special event of the Reprise! 2007-2008 season. Tickets may be purchased online, by phone at 213-365-3500, or by visiting a Ticketmaster outlet -- and at the Wadsworth Box Office located on Wilshire Blvd just west of the 405 freeway, on the Veterans Administration grounds in West LA.

Reprise! Broadway's Best
Reprise! celebrates the greatest of America's artistic legacies - Musical Theatre. Each year Reprise! brings together an extraordinary collection of performers, directors, choreographers and designers to create an ongoing home for musical theatre in Los Angeles. We have consistently attracted among the finest performers in the musical theatre world, as well as the entertainment world, and our productions have garnered rave reviews, national attention and incredible audience appreciation.

EVENT REPORT: ACTS OF LOVE - CELEBRITY READINGS AT THE GEFFEN TO HELP AUTISM SPEAKS

Acts of Love: A Celebration of Children at the Geffen Playhouse
Event Report by Don Rose

(October 15, 2007: Westwood, Los Angeles, CA) Acts of Love was a one-night only celebration of children in the words of those who love them, with inspiring celebrity readings and musical performances to raise money for autism (specifically, the organization Autism Speaks, which has merged with Cure Autism Now) . The fifth-annual Acts of Love show took place at the Geffen Playhouse in Westwood, California, and like last year, dazzled everyone in attendance with its range of emotional expression, from the heights of joy to the depths of tragedy and everything in between -- through readings as well as marvelous music (featuring a trio of "Dreamgirls"-esque singers who sounded practically perfect and served as the perfect counterpoint to the numerous tales being read onstage).

Each of the dozen performers (including Michael McKean, James Franco, Wendie Malick, Dermot Mulroney, Annette O’Toole, Steven Tobolowsky) took turns reading from selected works, penned by thinkers and writers ranging from Sigmund Freud to Maya Angelou to Martin Luther King to Charles Darwin to king of the one-liners Henny Youngman ("What is a home without children? Quiet."). Some, like Henny's fine line, were short and sweet; other readings were long, and some were emotional roller coasters. Yet nearly every piece did the same thing: move your mind as well as your soul. There were tales of autistic children, of non-afflicted kids, of parents dealing with their offspring, of kids themselves writing about their experiences (including one autistic child who is now an accomplished writer). If I had to summarize the evening in one word (and that's hard for me to ever do), it would be "magic."

After each piece read by one of the performers, narrator Don LaFontaine read the name of who wrote the just-performed work -- a difficult task, due to the almost-instant applause each reading generated by the audience. (You know Don as the voice announcer for nearly every big film commercial; so famous is Don in the VO world that he recently starred in a Geico commercial that pokes fun at his stereotypical voiceover scripts and style.)

After the near-100 minute performance, and a standing ovation, everyone gathered in the lobby and courtyard for fine wine, delectable treats from local Westwood eatery Napa Valley Grille, and drinks courtesy of Stockholm Kristall Vodka. Celebrity guests we spotted, in addition to the night's stars, included Lea Thompson and Katherine Kramer (singer, writer and daughter of legendary director Stanley Kramer).

ABOUT ACTS OF LOVE

Acts of Love is a WordTheatre Production. Created, produced and directed by Cedering Fox. Associate Producer and Dramaturge: Mila Pesko. Proceeds from this event benefited Cure Autism Now and Autism Speaks. Previous Acts of Love events have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for autism research. For more information about Acts of Love, e-mail actsoflove@cureautismnow.org or call (888) 8-AUTISM.

Upcoming Autism Speaks Event News

Internationally acclaimed, three-time Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Seal will perform live in a one-time-only music and skating production, “The Music of Seal on Ice,'' with a portion of the proceeds of ticket sales to benefit Autism Speaks. The special show, featuring a cast that includes Olympic gold medalists Kristi Yamaguchi and Brian Boitano, will take place on December 18, 2007 at 7 p.m. at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., and will be televised nationwide on NBC from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. EST on New Year's Day. Advance tickets can be purchased from Ticketmaster via presale (password: ROSE) until 10 a.m., October 19.

Seal will perform several of his hits live while a cast of Olympic and other world-class skaters interpret his music on the ice. In addition to Yamaguchi and Boitano, other scheduled participants are six-time U.S. Champion and World Champion Todd Eldredge and three-time U.S. Champion and two-time World Bronze Medalist Michael Weiss. Five dollars from every ticket sold for “The Music of Seal on Ice'' will benefit Autism Speaks.

“The passion and heart that is the trademark of Seal's award-winning music clearly goes way beyond his musical talent," said Alison Singer, Executive Vice President of Autism Speaks. "We cannot express our gratitude enough to Seal, NBC, and Disson Skating, not only for helping us raise vital funds to support autism research, but also for shining a bright light on the autism epidemic that now affects 1 in 150 people."

Stephen Disson, whose company, Disson Skating -- along with Comcast Spectacor -- produces ten nationally televised shows a year on NBC, has a personal connection with Autism Speaks. His stepson has autism. “This show will be extra special to me because I know the music of Seal and the skating will be spectacular, but also this will be the first time we're using one of our skating television productions to benefit a worthy cause as well,'' Disson said.

ABOUT AUTISM

Autism is a complex brain disorder that inhibits a person's ability to communicate and develop social relationships, and is often accompanied by extreme behavioral challenges. Autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed in one in 150 children in the United States, affecting four times as many boys as girls. The diagnosis of autism has increased tenfold in the last decade. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called autism a national public health crisis whose cause and cure remain unknown.

ABOUT AUTISM SPEAKS

Autism Speaks is dedicated to increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders, to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and cure for autism, and to advocating for the needs of affected families. It was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright, the grandparents of a child with autism. Bob Wright is Vice Chairman, General Electric, and served as chief executive officer of NBC for more than twenty years. Autism Speaks has merged with both the National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR) and Cure Autism Now (CAN), bringing together the nation's three leading autism advocacy organizations.

To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit www.autismspeaks.org