BACKSEATS & BATHROOM STALLS

Yup. I did it again. I went to another play last night. The publicist, Patty Onogan, is a friend of mine, and she told me this show was right up the KROQ audience's ally. And she was right! This show is about 5 people who have, well, you know, sex, in backseats and bathroom stalls. A few actually make it to an apartment. I wanted to tell you that so you wouldn't think they were just a bunch of sluts. Nah. They're just very confused, horney people who are pretty good at sex and pretty bad at love and romance. This is a comedy and I have to say I laughed a lot. There were also some really sweet moments in this show, and great acting and truthful dialogue.

http://theguide.latimes.com/silver-lake-echo-park/performing-arts/backseats-bathroom-stalls-event

Thanksgiving rocks!

I've been waiting for Thanksgiving for weeks and weeks and weeks. Part of the reason I wanted it to come was just to be able to sleep in for 4 days. When you get up at 4, sleeping in 'till 8 is the most delicious feeling in the world. I wake up, look at the clock, chuckle, and turn over. ZZZZZZ....... But I also love Thanksgiving because my family and another family always spend Thanksgiving and Christmas together and they're just my favorite people in the world. I don't get to see them nearly enough - we're all so busy and we live all over the place, from south Orange County to Claremont - so these holidays are extra special. And of course, the food. Oh dear Lord - the FOOD. And the wine. And the FOOD!



We had 18 people this year.










This is my Mom and my brother, Bill. Sadly, my younger, hotter sister was home sick this Thanksgiving.

Spring Awakening

Last Thursday night I was had the pleasure of being completely spellbound at the opening of the musical Spring Awakening at The Ahmanson Theater. It's about that tricky time in life where you go from childhood to adulthood and all of the choices you're faced with and all of the confusing things happening to you and your body and your friends. It's also about the struggle between teens and the adults around them who don't really know what's happening to them, or choose to ignore it and hope, somehow, it all magically turns out for the best. In this show, it doesn't. It's racy, it's tragic, it's beautiful.



www.centertheatergroup.com
Runs through December 7th

The Pasadena Playhouse puts my doubts to rest.

You might think a one-woman show about Ann Landers is a terrible idea. I certainly did. But last night I saw the show, and it was, as they say, a delight. I know how that sounds, but I can't really think of a better word, so you're stuck with it. 

Mimi Kennedy, whom you might know as the Dharma's mom for Dharma And Greg stars in The Lady With All The Answers. If you've ever seen or heard Ann Landers, well, let me tell you, she has that woman down pat. 

Did you know Ann Landers knew Lyndon Johnson and a Supreme Court Justice (who's name escapes me) because of her work with the Democratic party? Neither did I. Did you know she was strongly opposed to the Vietnam War and actually managed to get permission to go to the field hospitals in Vietnam during the war to visit the wounded men? Neither did I. She did a ton of stuff I never knew about - really impressive stuff - but I won't tell you anything else because I don't want to ruin the surprises. 

I admit that during the first 15 minutes of the show I thought the whole topic was too slight to warrant a stage play, but I was won over pretty quickly. 

Go, learn a little somethin' somethin', and have a delightful evening!

www.pasadenaplayhouse.org.

The Lady With All The Answers

October 17th - November 23, 2008

What a beautiful bathroom!

As I mentioned in a post about 6 weeks ago, The Mark Taper Theater at The Music Center in downtown L.A. has been completely redone. I raved about the new women's bathroom with 16 stalls, and I wanted to show you a photo. They actually included a bathroom photo in the press kit. They were clearly as impressed with themselves as I was. I tried to load the photo onto this blog, but I didn't know how to change the format. Now I do. And here, people, ta ta da - is the beautiful new bathroom. It brings a tear to my eye.

Phantom!

The Glendale Centre Theater is "America's Family Theater" doncha know. I went there on Friday night with my parents to see Phantom! which is not my favorite musical. Not by a long shot. But my parents are not young and so I try to spend as much time with them as possible, although I admit I have my limits, which is why I turned down their invitation to Medieval Times a couple of weeks ago.

So here's the deal - none of us noticed that the show was called Phantom!, music and lyrics by Maury Leston, not Phantom Of The Opera, music and lyrics by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The dude's name is Maury - how good could this show be???? Well, it turned out to be pretty damned good. The original Phanton is extremely dark, but this version had quite a bit of humor. Don't get me wrong, it still ends badly, but the balance of light and dark made it much more enjoyable for me. And high five for Maury. The songs were really good. This was not a low-rent production. The cast was top notch, the costumes were terrific, and the theater's in the round, so there's really not a bad seat in the house. Shut my mouth!

www.glendalecentretheater.com

The Ex List

I know it's a chick show but I don't care. It's great. The Ex List debuted on CBS at 9pm last week and I loved it. Elizbeth Reaser's the star and she's someone you'd recognize if you watch Grey's Anatomy (another chick show) or a show from a couple of years ago called  Saved about a crazy-ass ambulance driver that starred Tom Everett Scott. I've always thought she was really talented and was so happy she got her own show. I love the characters on the show and the writing's really good. Give it a watch, won't you?

The 10

I'm just gonna throw this out there - I watched a DVD last night that I thought was pretty damned entertaining. I'm a little wary of recommending it after reading a few comments on IMDB because apparently not everyone was as entertained as I was. But that's the risk you take with comedy, right? I hated Stuck On You and Dazed And Confused, but you probably loved it. Inexplicably. 

The 10 is made up of 10 short stories, each based on one of the 10 Commandments. It stars a ton of people, including Paul Rudd, Adam Brody, Oliver Platt, Rob Corddry, Gretchen Moll, Liev Shreiber and Winona Ryder. 

In the commentary, the director's mom says she liked 70% of the movie. I think that's about right. But the stuff that works, really works. Here's a quote to give you an idea of what it's about: 

Duane Rosenblum: Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if I were the one who were ass-raping you every night. 

Dr Glenn Richie: You know, I think you're feeling the energy of our friendship and projecting it into something else that isn't there.

Duane: No Glenn, I'm not....I'm not projecting. I can't look at you without fantasizing about shoving you up against a wall in the laundry room, and punching you in the mouth...And then raping you. Without your consent, of course.

Dr. Glenn Richie: Hey, that's what makes it rape, right?

Rideshare Week Oct. 6-10!

Today I write to you in my official capacity as a Traffic Reporter, which I take very seriously. No, I really do. I'm not kidding. I really do. In fact, this afternoon I went to a luncheon that the California Rideshare people throw every  year for the fine traffic reporters of this city. Oh sure, it's a chance to catch up with people I haven't seen since last year (in the photo are fellow traffic reporters Sioux-z Jessup and Donna Page), eat yummy food at Maggiano's, and give out Golden Pylons,  but it's also a reminder that next week is Rideshare Week.

We really do have some great reporters out there and I got to present Tommy Jaxson, the morning drive traffic reporter at KNX 1070, with his Golden Pylon. Some day, when I'm on vacation, you should tune in and give him a listen. He really does an outstanding job. I, myself, have TWO Golden Pylons. I'm not bragging or anything. I'm just sayin', in case, you know, you were wondering. 

So the bottom line is - if you can, try to rideshare one day next week, or maybe jump on the Metro or the bus to get to work. Or, if all else fails, call in sick to work. That's one less car on the road, right?

p.s. I wish I had shared a ride to the luncheon. I parked in the Farmer's Market parking lot instead of The Grove parking lot, not realizing they charge you differently, and ended up paying $18 for 3 hours of parking. F-me.

9 to 5 is just good fun!

As I was watching 9 to 5, the new musical at The Ahmanson Theater last night, I thought about what a treat it is to be able to sit back and see a show that grabs you and never lets you go until the last note of the last song is played. The show stars Allison Janney (West Wing) who's always wonderful (and who knew she could sing?), and two actresses from The Pantages Theater's production of  Wicked: Stephanie J. Block, who played Elphaba,  and Megan Hilty, who was Glenda. Those two girls can really belt it out, and I swear - if you close your eyes, there are times when Megan Hilty sounds exactly like Dolly Parton, who was in the original movie, and wrote all the songs for this show.  And Charlie Pollock, who plays the crappy boss, Hart, is truly hateable. It's a little jolting in a musical to hear him call the women "bitches" and say "tits" and "shit",  but that's why he's so hateable. Still, the woman in her early '70's sitting next to me was...well... less than amused. 

Do yourself a favor and check out this show - the staging and sets are amazing, on top of the great performances. I promise you, you'll leave happy!

9 to 5 runs through October 19th. www.centertheatergroup.org.

I finally saw a new play!

Sunday night I got to see the new show at The Mark Taper Forum at The Music Center - a revival of The House Of Blue Leaves, which was originally performed in 1971, and I'm so happy I got to see it. It was written by John Guare, who also wrote Six Degrees Of Separation. It's a comedy with a touch of farce, and some crazy-ass nuns who would practically kill to see the Pope and a dude who actually wants to kill the Pope, and another dude who has a crazy wife (actually certifiable) and a girlfriend who has big plans for them as soon as they get rid of the crazy wife. I think this gives you a pretty good idea of what you're in for.

House Of Blue Leaves stars Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm In The Middle) and John Pankow, whom you'd totally recognize if you saw him and Deidrich Bader (The Drew Carey Show) who's great as a big Hollywood director. The show runs through October 19th. www.centertheatergroup.org.

Oh, and before I forget, the Taper has just reopened after being closed for over a year for rennovations, and the ladies bathroom now has 16 stalls. Sweet!

Traitor worth my $13.50!

I was really itching to see a movie over the weekend, (that happens when I go more than two weeks without going to the movies) and ended up seeing Traitor. I'm a huge Don Cheadle fan, and I knew even if the movie proved to be disappointing, Mr. Cheadle would never disappoint me. It turned out to be a really good, unpredictable thriller, and though it certainly has a political point of view, it's not at all overbearing. Big thumbs up from me. On a side note, I saw Traitor at the Sherman Oaks ArcLight, which has a DSW right next door. I ended up buying the cutest pair of shoes after I got out of the movie. Talk about a perfect day!

An actual recommendation!

That's right - I saw a new show this week. It's called Beethoven, As I Knew Him and it just opened at the Geffen Theater in Westwood. It's kind of a cross between a one-man show and a concert, and I have to say, although I'm not into classical music, I found it quite mesmerizing. Hershey Felder, who's a concert pianist, playwright, actor and composer, paints a portrait of Beethoven through the eyes of his father, his best friend, his best friend's son, and of course,  Beethoven himself.  But mostly he plays the piano, and he is amazing. I have to say that knowing more of Beethoven's story - how his deafness affected his relationships, his difficulties with his family, how he died -  helped bring his compositions to life for me. But in all honestly, the best part of the show was that it forced me to learn to scan so I could add a picture to this review. :)  

The show runs through Sunday, October 5th.

www.geffenplayhouse.com

I am not a winner.

Today I walked my blind dog into a pole. Crap.

Stephen King is a cool dude.

Why is Stephen King cool? Because he's a zillionaire and he's written, like, 35 books, and still he took the time to write a book that he hopes will serve as a guide and helping hand to aspiring writers. I haven't finished On Writing, A Memoir Of The Craft yet, but I couldn't wait until the end to tell you about it. (I'm a slow reader.)

I've always harbored a notion that one day I would write a novel - this, in spite of the fact that I can barely muster the energy to write in my website a couple of times a week. But a girl can dream, right? So I picked up Stephen King's book on writing and even if I never do write, I know I'm better off for reading it. And if you love to read, I think you would be, too.

King really believes that if someone is a competent writer, with a lot of hard work and some guidance, they can actually become good writers. Not great - apparently great is what you get while in the womb, but good, and good is pretty good, actually.  There are a lot of good writers who have books in the bookstores. In addition to being super encouraging, King is really specific about the elements of writing, which I love. He talks about dialogue and adverbs and a lot of stuff I should have learned in high school English (which he taught) but apparently didn't. By the way, if you happen to be a fan of Stephen King novels, you'll really dig learning about his writing process and what happened in his life as he was writing various novels. It's really good stuff. And when you're done, I think you'll agree with me - Stephen King is a really cool dude. 

 

In the last few years, Stephen King has been writing columns for Entertainment Weekly. He writes about all kinds of things - music, books, sports. I feel like I've gotten to know the man behind the horror a little bit, and I like him, so I decided to read On Writing, and now I love him. 

The fact that such a prolific writer would want to help other aspiring writers kind of amazes me. He genuinely wants to encourage people to write, and truly believes that "good writing consists of mastering the fundamentals (vocabulary, grammar, the elements of style) and "while it is impossible to make a competent writer out of a bad writer, and while it is equally impossible to make a great writer out of a good one, it is possible, with lots of hard work, dedication, and timely help, to make a good writer out of a competent one." So, if you don't suck, with a lot of hard work, you can actually become good. I think that's pretty encouraging. King is very specific about all the elements that go into writing, as well as what kind of schedule works for him and what might work for you. As a bonus, it's also an autobiography, though an incomplete one, and quite interesting. 

Maybe I'll never be a writer, but I do love to read, and On Writing is giving me a greater understanding and appreciation of what it takes to create a wonderful story. 

The Last &*$&! 10 Pounds!

Like everyone else I know, I've been trying to lose those last 10 pounds for a very long time. A person who was very critical of me would suggest I mean those last 15 pounds, and Spencer Pratt of The Hills would say those last 100 pounds. (quick side note - if you're so inclined, The Hills starts up again tonight. Not sure if I can stomach it.) 

I do all the crap you're supposed to do to lose weight, including keeping a food diary, though I have to admit it's been a little sketchy lately. It's boring to write every mouthful down every day! A couple of weeks ago, though, I found a really helpful website. It's www.livestrong.com. Across the top tool bar there's something called The Daily Plate, and it's great site for keepinjg track of your calories and exercise. One of the things I've discovered since I started using it is that going out and eating two pieces of garlic bread, a salad, a piece of pizza and two glasses of wine may not be ideal for reaching those weight goals. Who knew?

Your final chance to see a great new show!

Closing night for THE NEXT BIG THING, the musical about an '80's garage band that I've been involved with, is this coming Saturday. (cast photo at right) If you haven't seen it yet, do yourself a favor and go this Friday, Saturday or Sunday. I'll be in the show (in a teeny, tiny part) on Friday and Saturday nights, so if you come on one of those nights, be sure to say "hi".  I've seen THE NEXT BIG THING at least 8 or 9 times now, and it's just wonderful. I promise you, you won't be disappointed. It's in Hollywood on Santa Monica Blvd. For all the info and a promo code to get a discount on your tickets, go to www.thenextbigthingmusical.com. See you at the show!

A little grooming goes a long way.

I have two dogs - Liza is a Maltese and Maggie is a Maltese/Poodle mix. Today they went to the groomer. I miss them when they're gone, but I have to admit it's wonderful to have 3 or 4  hours all to myself. No one is barking or peeing or pooing or looking for attention or a lap. These two dogs have helped me get through an awful lot of stuff - including a divorce. And they've seen things no one else has ever seen - like me sitting in front of the TV eating raw cookie dough. (I know what you were thinking I was going to say and shame on you!)

These are their before and after photos. Notice how Liza looks like a Hobo dog before going to the groomer. To be honest, Maggie looks cute either way. There's always one in the crowd. My point is, and this is especially for some of you guys out there - grooming DOES matter. I'm just sayin'.

Check Out The Brown Belt! (and I mean that in the cleanest way)

The week from hell is finally over, and damnit - I got my Brown Belt! Saturday was every bit as bad as I imagined it would be - I left the Valley at 7am with three fellow U.S.S.D. students and we drove down to testing headquarters in El Toro. The test started at 9am and lasted 5 1/2 hours, and it was all done outside in the freakin' sun, in our heavy black uniforms. Brutal. Several people started to get sick and had to sit in the shade and cool off (so weak) and during sparring, one guy threw up. We, of course, all applauded. But no one quit, and when it was finally done, we all had our new belts, and knew we had earned them.  I swear, I almost cried when I got my belt. Probably mostly with relief that if was over. Kia! 

(pictured in the photo - Ally Santa Clara, me and Glenn Birk)

Here Comes The Brown Belt (and it's not what it sounds like)

This is the week from hell for me. If you didn't know, I've been studying Shaolin Kempo at United Studios of Self-defense for the past 4 1/2 years and this Saturday I'm taking my test for Brown Belt. Kia! The test will be at least 6 hours so I've been working on my stamina for the last couple of months -  cutting back on the crack cocaine, etc.  So this week is all about practice, practice, practice. Of course, I didn't practice today because I went to lunch with 5 friends (fellow traffic/news reporters) - from left to right - Jon Bruno, Tori Signal (the blonde on top) Sioux-z Jessup, Dona Dower and me. We went to the Gordon Ramsey At The London West Hollywood.  (You know - the dude from Hell's Kitchen?) The food was great but be warned - we spent $40 just on water. How is that even possible?

Still time to see an awesome show - and ridiculous '80's clothes!

The Next Great Thing was sold out this past Friday (the 25th) so if you're planning on coming to the show, be sure to buy your tickets a day or two prior to the performance. By the way, if ME being in the show on Fridays isn't enough incentive for you to go, it's now an L.A. Times Critic's Choice! Go to www.thenextbigthingmusical.com for tickets and be sure to use the promo code for a discount.

Lisa performs in a new show this summer!

That's right - I'm going to be in a new show called THE NEXT BIG THING starting on Friday, July 19th. My friend, Jeff Favre wrote the book for the garage rock musical, and Missy Gibson and Mike Flanagan of the Indie band Breech wrote the music and lyrics.

THE NEXT BIG THING is about a garage band in 1983 that's looking to find a sound that will take them to the next level, so the songs performed by the band are straight 80's retro pop, while the rest of the songs reflect Breech's edgy style. This definitely isn't the SOUND OF MUSIC, my friends.

In the spirit of total transparency, I have to tell you that when I say I'm "in" it, what I mean is that I'm going to perform on Friday nights only, and by "perform" I mean I'm going to say one paragraph at the very end of the show. The thing is - this is a musical. And I can't sing. The great tragedy of my life. But the show is great, and I wanted to be part of it, and so this is what I'm doing.

THE NEXT GREAT THING runs 5 weeks, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, from July 19th through August 16th, with one matinee at 3pm on Sunday, July 20th. (there are also a couple of previews)

Go to www.thenextbigthingmusical.com for all the info, plus a promo code that will save you $5 off the tickets, and if you come on a Friday night, you'll see me!!!!!!