End of 2006 Wrap-up on THEATRE

LEGITIMATE THEATRE WAS VERY EXCITING IN 2006 BOTH IN L.A. AND N.Y. Let’s hope the New Year continues to bring us great theatre.
An unusual and fun event takes place at the Mark Taper on Friday, January 12th at 8. Join the block party! Meet the talented kids of the new musical, “13” at Neighborhood Night. It’s expensive but what a treat! The $85 buck tariff includes terrific seating, private post show reception with appetizers, and refreshments of all sorts and wine for adults. Meet and greet the kids of the delightful new musical “13”, which deals with kids in middle school facing the leap from childhood entering the scary teens. For more info and to order, ph: C. Raul Espinoza at 213-972-7513.
Be sure to get your tickets early to see Kathleen Turner and Bill Irwin in Edward Albee’s Tony Award-winning “WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF coming to the Ahmanson in February. The same for the incredible WICKED coming to the Pantages.
Essa-Pekka Salonen premieres his GREEN UMBRELLA-ON LOCATION with soprano Dawn Upshaw at the Disney Concert Hall on the 9th,12,13 and 14th. The Colburn Celebrity Series has beautiful concerts this month.
“DOGEATERS,” based on the best-selling novel will be at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City with previews starting the 14th. Set in 1982 Manila with a portrait of Filipino life as a volatile and wondrous exciting time in Filipino history.
The Pasadena Playhouse presents the second trilogy (after DOUBT); of John Patrick Shanley’s DEFIANCE, starting the 12th.
LEGENDS (and they are) with the incomparable Joan Collins and Linda Evans at the Wilshire in Beverly Hills for just 2 weeks (Jan.16-28th). This is a must see.
Disney’s amazing THE LION KING is back at the Pantages only through the 7th. Be sure to take the family for this fabulous treat before then.
Carrie Fisher continues on at the Geffen Playhouse in her very successful WISHFUL DRINKING. She would come over to play with my son Marc when they were little. Momma Debbie drove over to pick her up when it was time to go. David Mamet’s SPEED THE PLOW follows the end of the month.

SONDHEIM’S musical masterpiece, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE celebrates its 10th anniversary at UCLA’S Freud Playhouse January 31st with Jason Alexander directing an all-star cast.
LOTS OF GREAT SMALL THEATRE PRODUCTIONS: A wonderful New Year’s Eve treat is: THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES at the El Portal in North Hollywood, What a fun way to ring in 2007! Also, AUDITION! THE MUSICAL at the Santa Monica Playhouse is great fun with former child star Evelyn Rudie, who co-wrote the book, music and lyrics, leads the talented ensemble in song. It’s staged by hubby Chris DeCarlo.
Be sure to look for WOMEN OF LOCKERBIE, at the Actors’ Gang’s new home. The Ivy Substation in Culver City. Starts next month.
An exciting World premiere, SPLINTERED SOUL is opening at the Odyssey on Sepulveda on the 12th. After WWII, San Francisco became a safe harbor for survivors of. the Nazi regime. A group of morally starved refugees seeking to define their existence in tidy post-war America with survival being the ultimate strategy. Bonds are formed between strangers and one man’s soul splinters to right what has been wronged. With a splendid ensemble cast. I highly recommend this.
The Coast Theatre in West Hollywood presents the off-Broadway award-winning CONFESSIONS OF A MORMON BOY, written and performed by Steven Fales. A young newly discovered gay man went from being a moden Mormon boy in Utah to a high priced call boy in NYC and his struggles to reclaim himself and his “Donny Osmond smile.”
SAFETY, by British playwright Chris Thorpe is at the McCadden Place in Hollywood. A renowned war photographer on the front lines capturing pain and suffering, to the point of neglecting his own family is preparing for a retrospective of his works at a London gallery. Having dinner with a friend who saved the life of the photog’s daughter, whom he barely knows, brought him back to the realities of real life.
THIS IS IT FOR NOW. MORE LATER IN 2007. IN THE MEANTIME, HAPPINESSS AND PEACE. LOVE YA ALL. HARRIETTE

End of 2006 Wrap-up on FILMS

I can’t believe that 2006 is almost over. What a fast year this has been! For me anyway, with the year starting in pain, then the hip surgery and the recovery and it’s almost 2007. WOW!
It’s also been a bad year for films up until lately when the best of the best is upon us for the Holidays and for Oscar® consideration. Some are already out. Have you seen any of them?
I can’t even pick my ten favorites because I don’t think there were ten. I can post the ten worst here, but who really cares? I do.. I really disliked Mel Gibson’s APOCALYPTO, of the Mayan civilization. I thought it pretentious, phony and told nothing of the incredible Mayan culture – only war and violence. I liked BABEL because it integrated three incidents from three different parts of the world and all involved children with wonderful performances by Brad Pitt and Gael García Bernal.
Another is THE GOOD GERMAN, shot in black and white and taking place in 1945 Germany. Stars George Clooney with Toby Maguire and Cate Blanchett (she’s all over the screens this season). THE QUEEN and DREAMGIRLS were wonderful with great performances. The foreign films that captured my head and heart; Pedro Almadovar’s VOLVER from Spain and LIVES OF OTHERS from Germany (this will have a wide opening in February but just showed for Academy® qualification). THE ITALIAN, about illegal adoption in Russia and, DAYS OF GLORY, where four North African men enlist in the French army in WWII to liberate France from Nazi oppression and French discrimination. This film is instrumental in assisting the French Government to assist African soldiers with back payments of army pensions frozen in the ‘60s after the colonies gained their independence.
Two feel good films, THE HOLIDAY, and THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS.
Al Gore’s documentary, THE INCONVENIENT TRUTH, about global warming was wonderful and I hope it gets nominated, it deserves to be, and, BOBBY, Emelio Estevez’s star-heavy ensemble drama about the assassination of Robert Kennedy at our Ambassador Hotel..
Some interesting films out early in ’07, MISS POTTER with Renée Zellweger polishing up her British accent again to play Beatrix Potter. The animated feature fable of a satirical “Cinderella” is HAPPILY N’EVER AFTER with the voices of Sigourney Weaver, Sara Michelle Geller and Freddie Prinze Jr. SERAHIM FALLS has Liam Neeson and Pierce Brosnan hiding their Irish accents as former Civil War soldiers holding a grudge in 1868 Nevada. And, BREAKING AND ENTERING starring Jude Law whose London architectural offices are burglarized by a Bosnian boy. In pursuit, he becomes involved with the boy’s Mom (Juliette Binoche). Robin Wright Penn also stars.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL! LOVE YOU! PEACE!