ARCHIVES
May 2010
LOFT AFTER HOURS Featuring Naughty Nancy w/Bartolo Limanskyavic
Naughty Nancy and Bartolo Limanskyavic in a night filled with mischief and mayhem. Featured late night performances by Debbie Cacciatore, Larissa, the ladies of Beyond Lovely, and more.
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October / November 2009
The Why Factor: Proportion Distortion
“The Why Factor” with a “Wow” Factor
October 21st, 2009
By Bonnie Priever
The Why Factor: Proportion Distortion is a collaborative effort of Elizabeth Gordon, Christina Howard (producers) and Sheila Kelley S Factor, as well as the entire writing ensemble of talented women, that began in 2006 as a monologue showcase for women to share experiences through open discussion on body image and sexuality.
In 4 years time, their journey has grown to a staged production, unifying women, bringing out their most vulnerable of moments and ultimate empowerment. As one audience member so poignantly stated, “The characters are so real—each story and situation can easily resonate with each and every woman in some stage in life: dating, marriage, career…”
The play (to wax poetic, in the words of William Shakespeare’s Richard II) is “infused with self and vain conceit as if its flesh which walls about our life were brass impregnable…” The play juxtaposes the world of sex, excitement and libido with the fears, insecurities and trepidations that women of all walks of life face every day.
One of the greatest theatrical touches of The Why Factor is the eponymous voice-over of the therapist questioning each woman’s subconscious, exploring their deepest fears and unlocking their repressed sexuality. Through the masque of sexual innuendo, the women join together and form a bond in a pole dance class (based on the wildly popular Sheila Kelley S Factor classes).
As they all “dance around” their issues, they climb the pole seductively and with exuberant spirit, assuming any form they wish.
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May 2009
The Shape of Things
The Shape Of Things
By Pat Taylor on May 6th, 2009
Tulocan Times
LOS ANGELES- A dark and cutting-edge dramady that intrigued and captured our focused attention from the start… and blew us away with “psyche shock” by the end, this is a min d-bending production! Suspensefully written by Neil LaBute, with true grit and a “heady” concept, it ran onstage in New York and was also a feature film. Somehow I was not familiar with this story… The play opens in an art museum… As a beautiful and defiant graduate art student steps over the boundary ropes, equipped with a can of spray paint, intending to deface a statue, an art museum guard attempts to stop her. She, (Evelyn), a gutsy and free-thinking art purist, objects to the small town’s choice to cover the art statue’s penis with leaves…He, (Adam), an innocent, younger undergrad student and a “by the rules” geek, has more than met his match! They begin a Svengali relationship, as Adam falls hopelessly in love, and Evelyn takes on the methodical mission of totally transforming him. As the love-struck Adam becomes more attractive, fit, confidant and happy, under her manipulative guidance, the “price” of his metamorphosis unfolds. Under the sensually steamy direction of Brett Erickson (in his directorial debut), a quartet of excellent and many layered performances plays out here, taking us on a dark and deceitful journey. The stunning Christina Howard, as Evelyn, is sinfully seductive and explosively exciting, and Cameron Britton, as the blindly smitten Adam, is pure perfection! Two highly-effect ive actors, their shared scenes are captivating! Adam Chambers as Phillip, young Adam’s crass and quirky friend, is devilishly dynamic, and Deborah Baker, Jr., as his sweet girlfriend Jenny, is heart-wrenching. This is a dedicated, closely-knit young ensemble acting troupe. They soon plan to extend their membership in their magical, funky, and expansive loft theatre space in the downtown L.A. Arts District. This was only their second production, following last year’s acclaimed show, “Loft Variety Hour, Featuring Naughty Nancy.” I am a new “fan” of this enthusiastic group, and look forward to seeing/reviewing their future works… Running through May 23rd (Fridays and Saturdays only) at The L.A. Fringe Theatre – 929 E. 2nd St. (entrance on Vignes).
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March 2009
The LOFT Variety Hour Featuring Naughty Nancy
THE LOFT VARIETY HOUR FEATURING NAUGHTY NANCY
By Amy Nicholson on March 11, 2009
LA WEEKLY
Director and emcee Adam Chambers is panicked: His actors are late, his puppets are belligerent, and his star, Naughty Nancy, is in jail. Still, the show must go on, and so it does — with chaotic charm. Chambers recites excerpts from rapper Young Jeezy’s interview with Playboy; a Mexican sandwich tap-dances across the stage. The harried (and fun) nine-person cast swirls through a glow-stick ballet and a Spanish number that shows off their ability to count from uno to diez, and the set sparks to life with 18 marionettes that threaten to upend the evening with TNT, molestation, and an acting lesson hosted by Laurence Olivier’s sofa. With the outraged entrance of Nancy (Christina Howard) — an English prostitute by way of Amsterdam — comes intermission and then a complete derailment of the show’s triumphantly goofy spark, as Nancy seethes and coos through 10 miserable vignettes during which she swills vodka and vents about the lameness of her johns, the perfection of her pedicure, and the pain of her Brazilian wax. Directed by Geoffrey Hillbeck and acted fearlessly by Howard, it’s a great character and a great performance but also a poison chaser to so much joy. L.A. Fringe Theatre, 929 E. Second St., L.A.; Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 5 p.m.; through March 15. (213) 680-0392. A Loft Ensemble production. (Amy Nicholson)
929 East 2nd Street #105 Los Angeles, CA 90012 