The desert’s most intimate and quality Equity theatre CV REP, launched its 6th season with the insightful, drama “The Chosen” adapted by Aaron Posner and the late Chaim Potok, based on Potok’s novel of the same name.

Directed with intelligence and sensitivity by CV REP’s founding artistic director Ron Celona, the poignant coming of-age-story between two young Jewish teenagers and the cultural divide on the part of each father’s religious position is a key element in this thoughtful and heart-warming production.  Celona is an award-wining director with tons of experience, and I believe this may be one of his finest directorial efforts.

The story follows young Reuven Malter (Drew Feldman) and his friend Danny Saunders (Daniel Seigerman) as they grow up the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, in the 1940s.  The action takes place over a period of six years, beginning in 1941 when the two are fifteen years old.  The theatrical convention of a narrator is employed whenever flash-back scenes are required for clarity and to keep the ebb and flow of the text ongoing.  David Natale, opens the play as the adult Reuven; setting the story in motion and acting as our narrator/tour guide throughout the play.  It’s a flawless performance.

Drew Feldman as young Reuven, a mathematics whiz, may be a young actor (23) but his performance speaks volumes for his interpretation of a loyal but conflicted friend when “the rubber meets the road” and it comes time to honoring one’s parental advice versus friendship.  It’s a sensitive and compelling performance.  And the same can be said of Daniel Seigerman’s Danny Saunders’ portrayal.  Danny has a photographic memory and harbors a secret desire to become a psychologist, like his hero Sigmund Freud.  In Danny’s case, the pressure to be and become his own person vs. what his Hasidic, traditionalist “tzadik” father expects – that of following in the tradition that the oldest son must become the congregation’s spiritual leader – has been gnawing at him for two years. It’s a career path Danny does not want to follow. Seigman’s understated performance vs. Feldman’s outgoing portrayal makes their scenes together most compelling, relevant, and entertaining.

Dennis Gersten as David Malter, Reuven’s father, is a marvel of an actor completely in charge of his character who knows and understands how to modulate and orchestrate his delivery of Potok’s powerful imagery and meaningful text with the skill of a Symphony musical conductor. His powerful radio speech endorsing the movement of creating a Jewish state in Palestine is rousing and inspirational which is in contrast to his thoughtful and quiet scholarly demeanor at home with his son.

David Light as Reb Saunders, Danny’s intimidating father delivers an achingly nuanced spot-on portrayal as the religious leader of the Orthodox Hasidic community of Williamsburg Brooklyn.  Light wears his deeply held emotions on his sleeve.  And during his religious instruction sessions with Reuven and Danny as all three read from the Talmud, one gets a peek into the dual personality of an old man leading his traditionally religious community and that of a father raising a son in a very secular and alien culture.  Reb Saunders is opposed even to talk of a permanent homeland for Jews in Palestine; considering such a movement to be heretical.  He goes so far as to forbid his son Danny from seeing or talking to Reuven or his father thus driving a wedge between the two friends.  Their relationship is definitely affected but not their friendship.  One can feel real empathy for the traditionalists and the Reb Saunders’ of this world.  After all, as Kermit says, “It’s not easy being green.”

“The Chosen” swoops into the audience’s heart and neatly captures the essence of Potok’s affecting human message of hope.  Even in a diverse and secular America of 310 million citizens, every culture and every religion has the ability to leave the “old world” of European Jewry behind and blend into the “new world” of America, and still remain true to one’s Jewish traditions.

Celona cleverly blends the melodramatic elements of the story with the realistic and textured narrative threads which offer this outstanding cast the opportunity to shine when their individual moments arrive.  The set created by resident set designer Jimmy Cuomo is a creative marvel of what can be accomplished on a small stage without compromising the dramatic intention of the playwrights, or the personal vision of director Celona.

“The Chosen” is a potently acted impressive piece of work that needs to be seen.  It runs at CV REP, Rancho Mirage, throughNovember 16, 2014.  Don’t Miss it!

If Neil Simon is the playwright with the greatest number of smash comedy plays on Broadway (over 30) Mel Brooks is surely the nuttiest, wackiest, and supremely muli-talented playwright/actor – with huge successes on Broadway from “The Producers” (1968) to “Young Frankenstein” (1974).

And while we’re at it let’s throw in the movies “Blazing Saddles”, (1974) “High Anxiety”, his spoof of the Alfred Hitchcock’s suspense thriller “Pyscho” (1977), and dozens of movies and TV shows. Brooks and Simon were prodigious writers in their heyday. The likes we’ll probably not see again. Besides, we’re in a different time period, in a different culture, with different priorities.

Kudos to the Palm Canyon Theatre for reviving one of Brook’ classic tales turned into a bawdy farce/musical, where director Steve Fisher faithfully recreates all of Brooks’ sly and witty innuendos and asides concerning, then current, TV show references, celebrities of the day and some of their foibles, which in short, makes the libretto a hoot. Brooks, Fisher, and the cast don’t miss anything in this hilarious over-the-top production.

The story, such as it is, based on the Mary Shelley horror novel “Frankenstein”, is so dense and well known it defies reducing it to a couple of sentences. However, to give the uninitiated a sense of what takes place on the stage, don’t over analyze it. It’s Transylvania, as Mel Brooks envisions it. Need I say more? Just accept and enjoy the silliness and fun of it all.

“Young Frankenstein” boasts a talented cast of twenty-one performers, actors, singers, and dancers who understand the regimen involved when playing in a farce. Commitment along with 100% dedication and belief in the characters they’re playing is what makes the entire production work, no matter how silly the on stage action is. When they believe it, we believe it.

Making sure we do, indeed, believe it, Fisher has assembled a solid cast of principal stars which include: Ben Reece as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, Tom Warrick as the wily and madcap Igor, Katie Pavao as Inga, the nurse assistant to Dr. Frankenstein who sports, not only a lovely voice, but a most convincing German accent, and a real flair for comedy/farce, Denise Carey as the beautiful, long-legged and glamorous Elizabeth Benning, J.Stegar Thompson as “the Monster, has the voice of an angel, forget the monster label; and comic timing to boot, Bobbi Eakes as Frau Blucher scores as the quirky, loyal Housekeeper to Dr. Frankenstein, Terry Huber as the blind hermit, Stephen Blackwell as Inspector Kemp, and David Steen as Ziggy, deliver the zany, comedic goods necessary for musical comedy farce.

Funny as the production is, every musical needs its ensemble performers and the technical support people necessary to pull off the on stage shenanigans. The Palm Canyon Theatre’s resident Set Design wizard J.W. Layne has his multi-set locations large enough to accommodate singers and dancers and their routines, including tap; choreographed by resident Choreographer Heidi Hapner. In addition, Layne has a few special effects to dazzle the audience. However, I overheard a couple of patrons mention during the intermission, there was too much atmospheric smoke for the first three rows. The effect, however, produced minor throat discomfort. Jennifer Stowe’s costumes are functional and visually striking, especially those worn by Denise Carey and Katy Pavao. The “movable humps” in Igor’s costume always get a laugh.

“Young Frankenstein” runs at the Palm Canyon Theatre in Palm Springs through November 2nd. For reservations and ticket information call the box office at 760-323-5123.

Ello, the new social-media site that exploded last month, has raised $5.5 million through investors and says a charter that was recently signed by the company’s executives will see to it that users will continue to be offered an ad-free experience.

After initially guaranteeing users a social media site devoid of paid content and other adverts, Ello’s execs say new measures will make sure that their promise stays in place: the company has not only managed to increase its funding more than ten-times over from an original $450,000, but has also made its founders and investors alike sign a charter prohibiting Ello from selling user data or ads.

“We’re really creating a way to enshrine Ello, legally, as what we intend it to be,” Ello CEO Paul Budnitz told Wired this week. “The bottom line is we’re not going to sell out and no one can make us sell out.”

In a statement dated October 20, the signees of the agreement explain their reasoning:

“Ello’s explosive growth over the last few months proves that there is a hunger to connect with friends and see beautiful things — without being manipulated by ad salesmen, boosted posts and computer algorithms that don’t always have our best interests at heart. On an ad-driven social network, the advertiser is the customer and you’re the product that’s bought and sold,” the memo reads in part.

“To assure in the strongest possible way that Ello stays focused on its mission to be a different kind of social network, Ello has converted to a State of Delaware Public Benefit Corporation,” or PBC, it continues, meaning “Ello is legally obligated to take its impact on society into account in every decision in makes.”

Specifically, the charter says that Ello can never sell user-specific data to a third-party or enter into an agreement to display paid ads on behalf of a third-party; additionally, a caveat is included that prohibits any future owners or investors at Ello from doing the same in the event of an acquisition or asset transfer.

“We really cannot be forced by our investors to break the basic principles,” Budnitz, the CEO, said to Betabeat.

Already the charter has garnered the signatures of venture capitalists from three firms that recently agreed to back Ello as the company continues to try and take on social media giants like Facebook. According to Wired, the new $5.5 million raised by Ello’s Series A funding round was made possible thanks to contributions from the Foundry Group, Techstars’Bullet Time Ventures and FreshTracks Capital.

“Foundry Group is completely supportive of the Ello mission,” the Colorado-based investors said in a statement. “We’ll either build a business that doesn’t rely on third party advertising or the selling of user data or we won’t build a business. Our belief is that there are products and features that Ello can develop that users will be willing to pay for. While the price points may be low, as part of a much larger ecosystem with millions of users, will provide an economic model for the company which supports the business and our investment.”

“Signing the Ello charter was a no-brainer for us as investors,” added Techstars managing partner Mark Solon said in a statement. “We believe in the mission, and the (B corp status) further enforces the manifesto and Ello’s vision to never market their users to third parties.”

In under two months, Ello has acquired 1 million members up from less than 100 and, according to Wired, an additional 3 million are waiting to join. Previously, the site has been billed as being thje “Anti-Facebook” because of the stark contrast between its own stated policies and that of the social networking behemoth that relies on ads.

At last, a thinking person’s play about the vexing concepts and issues concerning the philosophy of science versus the philosophy of faith in today’s society.  It wasn’t much of an issue, say, 5000 years ago.  Then again, there wasn’t much of a scientific community or advocates to challenge the established order.  But, today it’s a much different kettle of fish.

Playwright Mark St. Germain has crafted “Freud’s Last Session” – brilliantly staged and directed by North Coast Rep Theatre artistic director David Ellenstein – in order to bring together, one afternoon in 1940, two of the 20th century’s most influential writers and thinkers in a head to head spirited discussion.

The story in short, is set in WW II England, during the Blitz of London and revolves around a fictional meeting between Sigmund Freud and novelist C.S. Lewis.  Near the end of his life, Freud has one final visitor, C.S. Lewis, the writer and former atheist now a convert to Roman Catholicism who is soon to publish “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”.  The two men are a contrast in styles.  Freud (wonderfully played by Michael Santo) is irascible, highly opinionated, prickly and suffering from painful mouth cancer.  Lewis (an introspective, low key Bruce Turk) is a glass-half-full, sunny outlook sort of a fellow and is unflappable most of the time.  The result of their meeting is a lively debate touching on love, religion, politics and life in its many iterations.

Of course, the most spirited exchanges between polar-opposite philosophies inevitably boil down to either politics or religion or both as in our modern-day society. Despite one’s position on the issues, it’s a stimulating, thought-provoking, amusing, and engaging evening of theatre.  And it all takes place in about 85 minutes.

Director Ellenstein’s entertaining production has two extremely talented actors in Santo and Turk, plus an erudite, richly-textured, intelligent premise and script from playwright St. Germain with which to have fun, as well as to tantalize his sophisticated theatre audience.  Freud relishes his exchanges with Lewis occasionally punctuating his comments with “thank God”, at the end of sentences, which always get a laugh from the engaged and savvy audience.  When pressed by Lewis, Freud replies, “It’s an old habit I’ve been trying to overcome for years”.  The genuine mutual respect the characters have for one another is apparent from the outset, and the fluidity of their performances have Ellenstein’s creative fingerprints all over them.

The format is an old one.  Two famous characters come together to discuss and/or debate their philosophically held public and personal opinions.  Its “fight-night” in the theatre, between two highly educated and refined gentlemen, but without the rancor or “the win-at-any-cost” street-fighter tactics that pass today for civilized discourse.  Words have power and are meaningful in St. Germain’s and Ellenstein’s highly literate and entertaining production, and surprise of surprises, there isn’t one “f-bomb” hurled from the stage into the audience (emerging playwrights please take note. Buy a thesaurus and apply generously to your dialogue).

St. Germain, Ellenstein, Santo, and Turk, are the main reasons this splendid production resonates with the audience.  However, a great deal of the success of North County Rep Theatre productions rests on the creative shoulders of its talented production staff led by Resident scenic designer Marty Burnett, who provides the actors in this production a pitch-perfect rendering of  Sigmund Freud’s Vienna home before Freud and his daughter Anna escaped from Austria to England. Its mahogany walls and built-in bookshelves lined with stacks of books, tables, and Freud’s large desk set the tone from the moment the audience walk in.  It’s my belief that a great set has a lot to do with inspiring a talented cast.

Lighting designer Matt Novotny’s atmospheric lighting plot provides just the right amount of light to see the wonderfully spot-on period-perfect costumes of Alina Bokovikova from Santo’s classic black pinstripe, to Turk’s wartime clothes-rationing look. Turk looks as if he just stepped away from his teaching position at London University to meet Freud; complete with brown shoes and socks with a gray jacket, blue sweater, a light green, slender knotted tie and the ubiquitous trench coat, in the event it rains (It usually did when I lived there).  Props design and stage dressing by Benjamin Cole enhance the overall look and feel of this impressive production which is definitely a triumph for North Coast Rep.

“Freud’s Last Session” at North County Rep runs through November 9, 2014.

Sometime the only way to communicate controversial or ambiguous ideas is to employ the theatrical conventions of comedy and satire as the messenger of enlightenment.

In the Geffen Playhouse’s current production “The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens, and Count Leo Tolstoy: Discord”, written by Scott Carter and directed by Matt August, three of history’s great thinker/writers come together in a blisteringly funny battle of wits to explain their divergently held opinions.

Playwright Carter said that the story had been incubating in his mind for over two decades.  He just needed an Epiphany to bring clarity and the direction needed to turn his thoughts into a theatrical script.  With the help of friend and director Matt August, the property has been turned into a clever amalgamation of theories, ideas and opinions, some of which, reveal the private thoughts and lives of Carter’s three characters: Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens, and Count Leo Tolstoy.  Each character representing a different century in which each lived. The production is reminiscent of, and a takeoff on, the old Steve Allen TV show “Meeting of Minds” back in the late 70’s.  It worked then and it works once again.

Los Angeles is primarily a movie and TV town, so it comes as no surprise that the cast portraying the three individuals of the play’s title have that sort of bent.  So was the opening night audience.  It was sprinkled with lots of actors and industry types.

Director August begins the evening revealing a completely dazzlingly white stage, with one door, which after a beat or two opens, and allows 18th century Thomas Jefferson, the man of logic and reason, portrayed in full Jeffersonian costume, by Larry Cedar to enter. Then the door locks shut. Cedar bewilderingly glances about to assess his situation and location (the logician).  Then quickly realizes he is a prisoner of sorts but doesn’t understand why, and then becomes the narrator, tour guide, and the man of reason during this 85 minute adventure in words and ideas.

When the door opens a second time Charles Dickens (David Melville), the 18th century novelist and wordsmith walks in and quickly comes to the party as Jefferson explains we’re here to be judged by some tribunal of sorts. Dickens in full theatrical delivery flamboyantly demands to be allowed to leave.  When nothing happens the 17th century sits down with the 18th century and both wait for the 20th century figure to arrive.  When the door opens Count Leo Tolstoy (Armin Shimerman) enters complaining in full-throated, heavily accented Russian, his displeasure at his treatment. With all three participants present and introduced, the trio for the evening’s entertainment agree to defend their divergent opinions.

The discourse or “discord” as the title implies, is spirited and heated at times as each tries to convince other of the error of his position.  What these three historical figures do have in common, however, is that each has written his own version of the Bible by which to believe and to live his life.  It should come as no surprise to learn that all three historical figures in real life didn’t follow their own advice during their lifetimes.

Playwright Carter’s premise is rich in promise and entertainment value, however lurking just beneath the surface of the narrative text is a touch of the didactic approach as a way of engaging and imparting the information necessary to enjoy the splendid performances of Cedar, Melville, and Shimerman.  Nevertheless, the audience can still come away with a stimulating evening of comedy and satire in the theatre, thanks to director August and his creative team led by scenic designer Takeshi Kata whose stark, spare hospital-like operating theatre room, sans the medical trappings, is visually arresting, and sets the tone for what is to follow. The lights by designer Luke Moyer, complement the costumes designed by Ann Closs-Farely, along with projections by designer Jeffrey Elias Teeter, and sound support by designer Cricket S. Myers, make for a seamless production.

Ambiguous endings from playwrights and screenwriters are all the rage these days.  So it’s okay to dream up your own ending.  Whether you do or don’t, you’ll still enjoy this production.

“The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens, and Count Leo Tolstoy: Discord” at the Geffen Playhouse runs through November 23, 2014.