Down the Rabbit Hole ... and Beyond

By Les Spindle

For me, reflecting on a year of L.A. theater tends to be a matter of fondly remembering the high points and trying like hell to banish the low points from memory. It seems more productive-and less mean-spirited to celebrate the victories rather than rubbing salt into the wounds for shows that failed to deliver the goods. The 2006 theater year offered an abundant share of solid pleasures scattered amid vehicles that almost drowned in their own hype or respectable failures that reached for something beyond their grasp. With 20 or more productions typically opening per week in the greater-L.A. area, it's impossible for anyone to say they've seen everything, much less that they even caught everything worth seeing. I did see more than 150, and singling out 10 worthy of special recognition made for elimination rounds at least as tough as those in your average reality-TV show. Nonetheless, following are my personal choices for the cream-of-the-crop achievements of 2006, in preferential order.

1. Rabbit Hole—Geffen Playhouse's West Coast premiere of this shattering Broadway play by David Lindsay-Abaire was a welcome revisit to the “well-made” domestic drama, a la Arthur Miller or Lillian Hellman, which almost seems to be a lost art. The story of how an American family is torn apart and tries to put itself together following the tragic death of the young son was a milestone in the growth of a major American playwright. Director Carolyn Cantor and a masterful cast brought this poignant work to life in a gripping and unforgettable rendition.

2. Zorba—I admit it: I'm a Kander and Ebb freak from way back. Heck, I even love the corny Lauren Bacall vehicle, Woman of the Year, due to its delightful score. Though the Broadway-bound K&E (and Rupert Holmes) effort Curtains proved less than marvelous at the Ahmanson, Reprise! Broadway's Best provided consolation for K&E addicts with this glorious revival of a neglected gem from the legendary duo's illustrious canon. Marc Kudisch and Judy Kaye in the leads, musical director Gerald Sternbach lending his magical touch to the rousing score, Dan Mojica's zesty choreography and ace director David Lee parlayed this big-fat-Greek-musical into the best tuner of the season.

3. Play it Cool—Librettist Larry Dean Harris and composer Mark Winkler melded a fascinating story of gay-bar life in pre-Stonewall days with select jazz numbers from Winkler's trunk (penned by a coterie of fine lyricists), and assembled a crackerjack cast. The result was the Celebration Theatre's most entertaining original musical since 2001's Pinafore!

4. Season of Shores—Why pick a favorite? Del Shores' revivals of the best of the bunch from his gold-mine of locally premiered plays—Sordid Lives, Southern Baptist Sissies and Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife—featuring his incomparable rep players, reminded us anew why Shores remains one of L.A.'s bona-fide theatrical treasures.

5. A Touch of the Poet—Glendale's renowned classical theater company, A Noise Within, took a lesser-known Eugene O'Neill drama and lavished TLC on the project. Pristine performances, impeccable production values and Michael Murray's tasteful direction resulted in an alternately amusing and heartbreaking excursion into quintessential O'Neill terrain.

6. I Have Before Me a Remarkable Document Given to Me By a Young Lady from Rwanda—Sonja Linden's surprisingly funny relationship story, with the horrendous Rwanda massacre as the backdrop, blends tragedy and wry character humor in a life-affirming play with a strong emotional impact. The Colony Theatre's staging, powered by David Rose's direction and the performances of Erica Tazel and Louis Lotorto, is among the veteran company's most memorable offerings.

7. In the Continuum—Writer-performer Danai Gurira and Nikkole Salter's award-winning off-Broadway drama arrived at the Kirk Douglas Theatre virtually intact, with original director Robert O'Hara at the helm. Charting the challenges of two African-American women—one in South Central L.A., the other in Africa—to fight oppression at all levels, and the ravages of AIDS, it was an artful and indelible experience.

8. One Way Ticket to Hell—There's always room for first-rate camp among my favorites, and no other show this year offered as much off-the-wall, insane fun as this wicked sendup of 1950's B-flicks. Librettist-lyricist Drew Taylor, composer Robert Cioffi, choreographer Josh Prince, director Richard Hochberg and a stellar cast and design team all deserve accolades. One-way ticket to off-Broadway?

9. Thoroughly Modern Millie—Yes, I know. You saw the national tour at the Ahmanson two years ago. Well guess what? The venerable Musical Theatre West in Long Beach offered a superior staging. This Tony-winning tuner is a big improvement over the 1967 Julie Andrews film that spawned it, and the MTW production was one fan-tabulous hoot. Special salute to director/choreographer Troy Magino and Kate Farhner, an irresistible pixie, who sparkled as the plucky titular heroine.

10. The Marvelous Wonderettes—This featherweight confection is so light it threatens to float away into the Santa Ana winds. But anchoring it are writer-director Roger Bean's charming book, Janet Miller's to-die-for choreography, evergreen top-10 tunes from the 1950s and '60s, delicious pastel production values, and far from least, the effervescent talents of the Wonderette cuties—Kirsten Chandler, Kim Huber, Julie Dixon Jackson, and Bets Malone.