The Geffen Playhouse of Los Angeles is a first-tier Regional theatre with a distinguished track record of delivering quality theatre and entertainment.  Unfortunately, however, one doesn’t hit a Home Run every time up at bat, and that certainly is the case with the premise-challenged “The Gift”, written by Australian playwright Joanna Murray-Smith.  Despite its valiant and talented cast, this 90 minute, four-hander, could have accomplished all it had to say in twenty minutes.

One of the problems with the piece, at least for me, is that Murray-Smith, and possibly director Maria Aitken, are not sure what kind of story “The Gift” is supposed to be and what the play is trying to convey.  At first the audience is lulled into a George and Martha, Honey and Nick” square-off ala Edward Albee’s master work “Who’s Afraid ofVirginia Woolf”.  Just when we figure where we’re going Murray-Smith veers off in another direction.  Now we’re being treated to a cautionary tale of a generational divide in mores and culture.

The story revolves around two couples that meet at a tropical vacation resort.  The older couple, from California, is played by the consummate performers Cathy Baker as Sadie, and Chris Mulkey as Ed (as a plot point: Ed can’t swim).   Sadie and Ed have decided to give their troubled marriage a shot in the tropics as a way of re-charging their fading passion for one another.  The attractive younger couple played by Jaime Ray Newman as Chloe, and James Van Der Beek as Martin, are both creative, self-absorbed types from New York.   She is a writer and he is a conceptual design artist.  They find themselves at the resort as a result of having won a raffle.

Alcohol-fueled conversations that go on for what seems like hours send the story in one direction and then into another.  There’s a heck of a lot of talking going on, but very little new ground is being broken.  It appears we’re going to be witnesses to an East Coast vs. the “Left Coast” values contest.  But, there is always the unexpected in life, and even in the theatre, with which to contend.  The ambiguous title of the play offers a ray of hope that later on the audience might be in for something new or challenging.  Instead, the playwright delivers a predictable “the mixture as before” prescription and the opportunity for a credible plot, believable characters, and plausible dialogue comes too late in these dreary proceedings despite an onstage hurricane effect.  The air came out of the balloon early on with no way to re-inflate it.

It’s a shame to waste the talent and effort of four first-rate performers, all of whom have solid credits in stage, screen, and TV.  They’re working hard up there on the stage, but to no avail.  The audience has been checking their watches for some time.

The technical credits for the production are a different matter.  The scenic design by Derek McLane, is spare, but appealing in its California look and feel. The lighting design by Peter Kaczorowski compliments the efforts of media designer Howard Werner who creates a veritable on-stage hurricane with projection overlays and lighting support.

“The Gift” runs through March 10th.  For tickets and reservations call the Geffen box office at 310-208-5454 or go online at www.geffenplayhouse.com.

The American theatre-going public loves musicals more than dramas and comedies by a large margin, no doubt about that.  I would guess that the ratio preference of musicals over other genres over the last twenty years is about 5 to1.  That’s quite a disparity. When   the choice of producing musicals over dramas or comedies comes up, the reply from the producer’s is always the same. It’s about money.  Musicals may be costly but they bring in audiences.  The box office receipts help offset the costs of the production, and the cycle begins all over again.

Cabaret Theatre West, now in its third season, is one producing organization that has found that the “cabaret styled” entertainment production is a winning formula.  They just get better doing one entertaining and dazzling show after another.  Thanks in part to a solid creative team and to talented casts that know how entertain with style and pizzazz.

What’s not to like when it comes to bringing Broadway to Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley.  “On Broadway”, the dazzling cabaret show produced by Jane Treacy and Dr. Audrey Reed, that launched the 2013 season was a super show that featured songs and dance numbers from some of Broadway’s most successful musical productions.  The cast of ten singer/dancers blew audiences away night after night.

The production featured more than fifty songs and dance numbers from musicals by Stephen Sondheim, Stephen Schwartz, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and highlighted some of America’s favorite songs from the 1970’s, 80s, 90s and 2000’s.

The highly talented cast of singer/actor/dancers each had several numbers that featured their particular specialty or favorite song to sing.  It’s hard to single out this cast of skilled performers.  Suffice it to say that the cast in alphabetical order were all terrific, and include: Erik Bradley (the high-octane singer dancer, “Ballad of Sweeney Todd)), John Farrare (tenor, “Bring Him Home”), Sarah Hagar (soprano “What I Did for Love”) Danny Hansen (a wonderful choreographer and singing partner to Hagar), Elaine Hayhurst (she of the gorgeous legs, “Evita”), Chyka Jackson (beautiful rendition of “I Don’t Know How to Love Him”), Vicki Knight (wonderful rendition of “As If We Never Said Goodbye, from “Sunset Blvd.”, Kaley Smith and Cliff Plummer (a gorgeous duet from “Phantom of the Opera”), and Ethan Waters (the 13 year-old- going- on- 30 acting and singing phenom).  The entire production was directed and orchestrated, along with musical direction, by Cliff Plummer.   Special kudos also go to the nine musician orchestra led by Steven Smith and to Visual Effects Designer Leanna Bonamici.  The gorgeous costumes although not credited, deserve special mention, and are an integral part of the entire production.

 If you missed this production, shame on you.  It was one of the best shows in the Valley.  But, not too worry… you can attend Cabaret Theatre West’s upcoming show “It’s All About Love” which opens February 22, 2013 at the Indian Wells Theatre, in Palm Desert.

“It’s All About Love”, says it all.  Everyone loves a love song, and Broadway has been producing shows for years where love is always in the air.  Make sure you get your tickets and reservations early.  Call 760-568-0024 or visit www.CabareTheatreWest.com.