Backstage review of "Rudolph the Red Hosed Reindeer"

Rudolph the Red-Hosed Reindeer

by Neal Weaver

Dec 20, 2006

There’s no need for a Grinch in this screwy musical by David Cerda and Scott Lamberty: Christmas Town is a police state and Santa Claus (Danny Lopes) a tyrant who has driven Mrs. Claus (Marina Mouhibian) to drink. When one of the reindeer wives (Etienne Eckert) has the temerity to criticize Santa, she’s whisked away to be reprogrammed as a Stepford Doe.

And intolerance is rampant. Santa’s reindeer are decidedly homophobic, so when Mr. and Mrs. Donner (Jerry Pappas and Lori Evans Taylor) produce a fawn named Rudolph (Eric Bunton) with a taste for wearing women’s clothes, it’s a scandal to be kept under wraps—till he turns up in ruffled panties and red fishnets. At the other end of the spectrum, Santa’s Elves (Brett Hren, Florian Klein, Mark Schaefer, and Brett Nelson) are hedonistic gay gym bunnies, with no sympathy for the square in their midst, Herbie (Jeffrey Christopher Todd), who doesn’t do drugs, doesn’t go in for casual sex, and—gasp!—doesn’t go to the gym.

Inevitably the two outcasts, Rudolph and Herbie, join forces for a series of adventures that introduce them to doughty lesbian prospector Yukon Cornelia (Madelynn Fattibene) and a towering transvestite known as the Abominable Drag Beast (Mark Landres). They also make a flying visit to the Island of Misfit Toys, where they discover Trailer-Trash Barbie (Shelby Kyle), the Half-Naked Cowboy (Hren), and Charlie-in-the-Box (Nelson). And, oh, yes, there’s a reindeer named Clarice (Stephanie Turner) who falls for Rudolph. (Rudolph quickly reminds us that most cross-dressers are straight.)

It’s all pretty silly, the plot doesn’t make much sense, and the musical numbers are more spirited than memorable, but director Richard Israel and a talented cast keep it lively, fast-paced, and amusing, with noteworthy performances by Todd, Nelson, Fattibene, Turner, and Hren, on Chris Bell’s picture-book set.

Presented by TheSpyAnts Theatre Company at the Elephant Theatre, 6322 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. Thu.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 7 p.m. Nov. 24-Jan. 13. (323) 860-8766.

"The Reunion" featured on "YourLA"

The Reunion was recently featured on KNBC Channel 4's YourLA, and in case you didn't catch it, here it is:

Backstage review for "The Reunion"

Backstage West - Michael Holder

THE REUNION: Everything Changes. Everything Stays The Same
at the Howard Fine Theater. CRITIC'S PICK

With confessed deference to Tamara, in which the audience followed actors from room to room and hoped to unearth as many story points on their individual journeys as possible, The Spy Ants has brazenly taken the concept and moved it from an Italian villa in the 1920's onto the grounds of the fictional Woodrow Wilson HIgh School circa 1994. The audience once more becomes part of the action, asked to attend the 10th reunion of the Wilson Warriors Class of '84, and spy on the students who had the cajones to once again face their incredibly messed-up classmates, folks with enough residual damage to keep a psychiatrist in teeoff fees for years.

Even the "class clown" who became a shrink (Ryan Churchill) isn't immune to the wreckage; indeed he's creating more. As he confesses his date (Lana Underwood) is also his 19 year old patient, he finds time to surrepitiously distribute a new, unapproved drug guaranteed to make girls get jiggy and spread rumors from an unbalanced classmate (Dawn Merkel) about who was doing what to whom the night of the graduation party while one poor kid turned crispy in a boathouse fire. Director-writers Darcy Halsey and Danny Parker do an impressive job keeping the audience hopping as they tag behind the certifiable students and suitably war faculty members, winding the characters' stories together masterfully and adding a few surprises, such as having Johnny Cochrane (Kim Estes) present as the secret lover of one lusty attendee (Jenny Vilim), the former girlfriend of the football star (Linc Hand,) crippled in another grad night "accident."

The cast is golden, all members brilliant at making their characters real despite the need to keep them talking and moving at once. But like Tamara,the problem with becoming a fly on the wall of this facinatingly dysfunctional gathering is that there's not time to unravel the mysteries in one evening. After the understandable minor clunks of opening night smooth out a bit, this is one production worth a second, third, or even fourth look. And that big red star next to algebra on the back of your program/report card lets you do just that at a discount.

Tolucan Times review for "The Reunion"

Tolucan Times - Pat Taylor

The Reunion: Everything Changes. Everyone Stays the Same

HOLLYWOOD - If you're ready for a wildly different theatrical hoot, this is the one for you! Performed and penned in the style of Tamara, which ran in Hollywood for 10 years, it is an entertaining, involving journey that really tweaks your mind. Cleverly written and directed with great imagination, by Darcy Halsey and Danny Parker, with plenty of juicy input from their troupe (the SpyAnts) this talented cast of 20 actors is all terrific! In this inventive audience interactive piece, we are guests at a volatile and revealing 10-year class reunion party in 1994. We voyeuristically peer in on these characters' dirty little secrets, passions and progress (both past and present) in individual group scenes, following them through the school and quad, on foot. Like the proverbial fly on the wall, we quietly study a multitude of in your face, explosive and emotional skeletons, as old classmates bare their souls. We drink wine and enjoy munchies from the party table all evening, and the intimate stories we are privy to depend on which characters we chose to follow. Sounds a bit confusing, I know, but it soon all falls into place.

At intermission, openly chat with other audience members or separate from your own friends during the play and compare notes later to catch up on the scenes you missed. It is a brain teasing blast! Too many complex scenes to describe them, and besides, that would spoil your fun! The ticket price (including food and libation) is $20 the first time, $10 the second return, and $5 thereafter, as long as you bring a full paying, unsuspecting newcomer. Many come back again to follow different ones.

Kudos to the entire cast: They are Eric Bunton, Ryan Churchill, Natalie Compagno, Kim Estes, Addi Gaash, Gretchen Gaboury, Darcy Halsey, Linc Hand, Brett Hren, Tammy Kaitz, Shelby Kyle, Melissa Lee, Danny Parker, Dawn Merkel, Marina Mouhibian, Jerry Pappas, Stasia Patwell, Hal Perry, Lana Underwood, and Jenny Vilim This is a naughty, bawdy, fun filled, unique and worthy production! Turn up in the outdoor quad 7:30ish for a drink, a snack, and a chance to read over the program and "class rules." It really helps in your overall experience!

Running through Aug. 5 (possibly longer) at the Howard Fine Theatre, 1445 N. Las Palmas in Hollywood. Call (323) 860-8786.