Will Call Index

Ingrid Wilmot Rates
Southern California Theater
and Restaurants
Call Ingrid at (310) 377-7680

- Absolutely must see
- A wonderful evening of theater
- An excellent evening of theater
- A good show, but not great
- Mediocre, but better than no theater at all
No Stars - Do something else or stay home

The Something Nothing by Fielding Edlow
This contemporary play about three New Yorkers in the year 2000, revolves around two roomies who have very little in common. Liza (Annika Marks), is sensitive and serious and has fallen for a beret-wearing member of her writing class. She has a good job at a television station but her conversation is, like, totally immature, ya know... But, she's so appealing andvulnerable, we can't stop rooting for her. The object of her affection is Sam (Keven Hoffer), a part-time producer for ESPN, the "something nothing" of the title. He does his best with a thankless part of a young man who lacks character and is further short-changed by not having anything provocative to say. For this purpose, we have the loquacious Luna (Jenica Bergere), a sharp and sassy big blonde, who flaunts her dual, indiscrimainate sexuality in the most outrageous manner she can muster, stirring the pot and the plot, according to her whim of the moment. This girl is up for anything, any time, with anybody. Bergere is so perfect in every way, one cannot imagine this role being played by anyone else.Thanks to Larry Clark's brisk direction, the action and reaction, is fast paced and on the mark. The author, Fielding Edlow, teaches creative writing, performs her stand-up comedy routine every Friday at Ultimate Improv in Los Angeles and has an award-winning solo show called Coke-Free J.A.P. among her credits. Her gift for razor sharp wit is apparent in this entertaining play, whose unexpected ending leaves the audience stunned but well served.Lounge Theatre, 6201 Santa Monica Blvd., between Vine and El Centro, Hollywood. Wednesday and Thursday at 8 p.m. $15 (323) 960-7753

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Only five minutes from the theatre, is an undiscovered, little gem of a restaurant, called GRUB, nestled amidst various Hollywood studios. A long time favorite of big machers and worker bees alike, they have only recently begun serving nightly dinners. The two women, Betty and Denise, who run the place know what they're doing and operate the As You Like It Catering Company, as well.Sit on the charming outdoor garden patio or in the quaint, homey interior, with old timey signs and vintage posters, beneath whirring fans. The specialty here is California comfort food. Get started with the complimentary dip, veggie sticks and pretzels. A la carte appetizers from $6.95. Three cheers for the drunkern steak, a sliced filet mignon, tender as a caress, with redskin mashers, sauteed mushrooms and onions, still crisp spinach and a side of their improvement upon mac'n cheese - spicy corn 'n cheese, absolutely great, $21.95. Also tasty and colorfully garnished is the dense crab cake, a biggie, courageously peppered. Ulcer patients: forgedaboutit! It comes surrounded by baby greens scoops of red bell pepper pesto, quacamole and a side of really perfect red cabbage slaw, $16.50. There's a short wine list, try a glass of Brander Sauvignon Blanc from Santa Barbara County, for $8. Good service, nice people.Grub, 911 Seward Street, south of Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. Beer and wine. Lunch and dinner daily, weekend brunch. Parking at Editing Film Center, Romaine and El Centro or street parking. (323) 461-FOOD.

A Number by Caryl Churchill
This tedious, little playlet was written by the woman whose previously seen work at the Odyssey, Top Girls and Far Away, were both excellent. Therefore, the disappointment was even greater. Two fine actors, John Heard and Steve Cell, portray father and son in a discussion of the cloning of human beings - already accomplished. Some family secrets come to light which are neither fascinating nor amusing, throughout multiple scenes taking place on an attractive, masculine living room set, designed by Christopher Kuhl.

Although the intermission-less play runs only seventy minutes, it seems interminable. Didn't a wag once say that, a kiss lasting for thirty seconds is much too short, whereas the same time spent sitting on a red hot stove...well, there you have it. The unenviable task of directing fell to Bart De Lorenzo. The one star goes to the actors for remembering their lines.

Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., West Los Angeles. Wednesday - Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. (No matinees 5/24, 6/14 and 6/21. Additional Wednesday performance at 8 p.m. on 5/20. $25 -$30 (310)477-2055 or wwwodysseytheatre.com -6/21

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: The question that is most often asked of me is "what's your favorite restaurant?" The answer is LA CACHETTE, which is only about a ten minute drive from the theatre. It's spacious and lovely, with flickering candles on tastefully set tables. Chef Jean-Francois Meteignier's food is heavenly and his prices are right up there, too. But worth it. Fresh baguettes and olive tapenade are complimentary and he generally sends out an amuse bouche. On my night, an eggplant caviar mousse that heralded the exquisite delicacies to follow. We shared a calamari salad in an unusual and unusually delicious preparation, bedded on a red bell pepper "cake", $14. Sweetbreads used to be a staple in all French restaurants but have become a rarity. These were unbelievably good, crisp on the outside, buttery within, in a Port wine and mushroom sauce, partnered by four ravioli filled with a Provençale beef daube mixture - brace yourself - $38. Maine Diver scallops with celery root and chips were beautiful. Their orange sauce, served on the side as per request, was sweet enough to double as an after dinner digestif, $33. Plates look like photo ops and service is superb. Fine wines from $13 per glass. Now the bad news: La Cachette is closing in a couple of months and will be used only for private parties. But the good news is that Meteignier will open La Cachette Bistro on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica this August, featuring blanquette de veau, hanger steak, lamb shanks and other bistro items, at more reasonable prices. We wish him Bonne Chance!

La Cachette, 10506 Little Santa Monica Blvd., Century City. Full bar. Valet parking in rear $5.50 (310)470-4992

Dirty Dancing by Eleanor Bergstein
This is a fun musical and an even more terrific "danci-cal". Most of us who saw the movie know it's the summer of 1963, when the girls always wore pretty dresses and guys looked spiffy. The word "grunge" wasn't even looked up in the dictionary.

It takes place at a family resort, where well to do mom (Kaitlin Hopkins) and dad (John Bolger) bring their two daughters, Lisa (Katlyn Carlson) and Baby (Amanda Leigh Cobb). The innocent but nubile Baby promptly falls in love with the hunk-y, blue collar dance instructor Johnny (the Australian star Josef Brown) and you just know that our awkward duckling will end up a graceful swan. It's a nice, little love story with some pleasant songs and music. Musical supervision by Conrad Helfrich. But it's the dancing, choreographed by Kate Champion and her team, that sets this show apart. The entire ensemble creates enough energy to power three Western States. Brown looks fabulous, has all the right moves both vertical and horizontal plus a set of abs lined up like the Ten Commandments. When he starts to dance, the temperature in the house rises twenty degrees.

For the men, there's the spectacular Britta Lazenga, a former member of the Joffrey Ballet, which should never have let her go but, hurrah, we've got her now. She's tall, slender and beautiful, a good actress and the best female dancer I've seen since The Girl In The Yellow Dress in "Dancin'" at the Ahmanson, several seasons ago. Her extensions are mind boggling and when she raises a sexy let past her forehead, you can almost feel the draft.

The production is visually dazzling. On opening night, everything went smoothly, wit h the ever changing sets, designed by Stehen Brimson Lewis, functioning like Swiss clockworks. Projections on a curved backdrop, shift locations and mood so effectively, Lewis and lighting designed Tim Mitchell, should have taken a curtain bow along with the splendid cast. Direction is by James Powell. Bravo! Don't waste another minute and get your tickets NOW.

Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. Tuesday - Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 2 and 8 p.m., Sunday 1 and 6:30 p.m. $25 - $98. (1 800) 982-ARTS or broadwayLA.org - 6/28

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: A short walk from the Pantages is CAFE WA S (sic). It got its name when the owner found a neon sign in a junkyard that said CAFE ALWAYS OPEN but only these seven letters lit up. It's got a popular sidewalk terrace and a tri-level interior, cozy as a parlor, centered around a piano, with red velvet banquettes along the wall. Mellow music tapes drift through the high-ceilinged space. We were there on Mother's Day and had to make do with the brunch menu. A bistro burger of freshly ground tenderloin in a brioche bun, with Brie cheese, prosciutto and a sunny side up quail egg, mind you, $14. There was also a roast beef hash with two sunny side up eggs (regular), some baby greens and a good dressing alongside, same price. Very nice. An order of home made chips is $3. For dinner, they offer steak with frites over spinach, with maitre d'hotel butter for $27, daube de boeuf, a French style organic pot roast in red wine jus and potatoes, $24. Vegetarians can choose Parisian gnocchi with crisp basil and spicy tomato sauce. A "bottomless" carafe of Sycamore Lane house wine, red or white, is $15 per person. In other words, for thirty bucks, you and your companion can sip and savor and sip again until you can just about stagger out. Wines by the bottle go from $35 to $110.

Ivan Kane's Cafe Wa s, 1521 N. Vine, north of Sunset, Hollywood. Full bar. Reduced validated parking in Sunset/Vine Garage. Valet parking available after 6 p.m., $10. Open daily from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., Satuday and Sunday brunch. (323)466-5400.

Theatre Lovers Note: Highly recommended and currently also showing at the Odyssey is "The Accomplices" by Bernard Weinraub. It's a true story set in wartime Europe, of one man's attempt to save millions of Jews from the gas chamber. This wonderful lay is a Fountain Theatre guest production, which I saw a couple of years ago. Don't miss this one. Performances are Thursday -Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. (323)663-1525 - 6/14

Wait, there's more:Voice Lessons at the Zephyr Theatre on Melrose in Hollywood has been extended until June 7th. A very entertaining play. (323) 428-7711. For more details, check out my review.

No Way to Treat a Lady by Douglas J. Cohen
One should look upon this musical as a springtime diversion whose talented cast transcends the material. A serial killer is on the loose in New York City but it's no whodunnit. We know the villain a few minutes into the first act, a fellow, frustrated actor that he is, masquerades as assorted characters and has the most fun doing it. He wants to get his name into the New York Times' headlines and outshine his late, famous but unloving stage star mother. As Kit, the killer, who needs fame like the air he breathes, the boyish Jack Noseworthy is, well, a killer. He is a quick-change artist, masters multiple accents, has a fine voice and hoofs a little, too. Playing Detective Morris Brummell, luke warm on his trail, Kevin Simon,so well remembered in the Colony hits The Nerd, Rounding Third among others, seems a l bit out of his element. His attractive leading lady Sarah (Erica Piccininni) sings many, many ballads in a strong voice and has good stage presence. But both of them are left in the dust by the antics of Heather Lee, who gets to demonstrate her versatility each time she changes her wig. You may not approve of the stereotypical Jewish mother but she's the one who gets all the laughs. She also vamps her way through a torrid dance number, with the nimble Noseworthy and amuses as a grieving widow. The book, music and lyrics by Douglas J. Cohen, based on a novel by William Goldmark, provides a few good lines, some nice, if not memorable tunes, performed by a live band which never drowns out the discretely milked voices. The all purpose set by Sibyl Wickersheimer facilitates the plays continuity, directed by West Hyler and Shelley Butler. But I have to say, that after a couple of hours one wishes somebody would yell "Is there a moyel or a rabbi in the house, to leave the essentials but trim the excess?!!

The Colony Theatre, 555 North Third Street at Cypress, Burbank. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 and 7 p.m. $37 - $42. Student and senior rates available. (818)558-7000 ext. 15 or www.colonytheatre.org

Additional performances April 25 and May 2 at 3 p.m,. and May 7 and 14 at 8 p.m. Free parking in mall garage, next to the theatre. - 5/17

Pre-Theatre Dining Suggestion: You can't get much closer than P.F. CHANG'S , on the street level of the Burbank Town Center. Park your car, work your way through the mall and get ready to chow down on some Chinese food. It takes more than two to tango through a multi-flavored Chinese dinner but you can order more than you can consume because there's always Mr. Doggie Bag. In my earlier career as a food editor, I published a little trick for reheating it: Put the room temperature leftovers into PAM-spritzed, ovenproof bowl, cover and place into a pan filled with about a half inch of water. If a little more sauce is needed, rinse the cartons with a bit of water and pour over the food. Give it a stir and pop it into a pre-heated 325 degree oven for about twenty minutes. Meanwhile, thinly slice, on the diagonal, some green onions, about one stalk per dish and mix in just before serving. The same can be accomplished with slivered pea pods, celery or carrots - it's the crispness you want, to give each dish that fresh, just wok'd taste. Note: remove any cooked pea pods beforehand - nothing can revive them.

P.F's lettuce wrapped chicken is a great starter, $7. Most entrees go from $12 to $15. Confucius say: to savor variety, order meat, fish or seafood, chicken and vegetables to mix and share. Good choices are chicken in black bean sauce, Mongolian beef with green scallion ends and the delicate, Cantonese scallops with pea pods. The only weakling on our night was the most expensive, huge prawns in lemongrass and garlic noodles, over-grilled and tough as rope, $16.95. There are plenty of spicy offerings for fire breathers, noodle dishes, combo dinners and more. Good service. Food snobs have been known to turn up their noses at what they call Americanized Chinese fare but checking out the crowded, pretty room, beneath the full moon disc light fixtures, you see lots of smiling , chopstick-wielding customers. The "ancient", curved, Oriental screen over the bar may have been Made in Taiwan just a few years ago - but who cares?!

P.F Chang's China Bistro, Burbank Town Center, 201 E. Magnolia Blvd.., Burbank (818) 391-1070.

Voice Lessons by Justin Tanner
If you're a fan of Justin Tanner's work and you are, if you've seen any of his plays (Pot Mom, Party Mix etc.)and, as a theatre devotee, you undoubtedly love Laurie Metcalf, a consummate artist who conquers every role she accepts, don't hesitate a moment to reserve your ticket to this world premiere comedy. Anybody else who needs a good laugh these days, should do the same.

Virginia (Metcalf), is an adrenalin-pumped woman of more ambition than talent, determined to make it to the top of the charts as a singer. Tanner's forte is the creation of earthy, slightly deranged folks, as personified by Virginia, or Ginny, as she prefers. Here she is, with an overload of turquoise eye shadow and fingernails to match, appearing in an array of get-ups that say more about her than her passport. Let's give it up for the (unnamed) costume designer! She manages to inveigle Nate (French Stewart), a vocal coach with a classic case of anal retention, to give her singing lessons. But stay tuned, we get to know this man much, much better in the play's home stretch. Maile Flanagan is Sheryl, Nate's unlikely love interest. A little potato of a woman who shows lots of courage and then some and, for art's sake, leaves her vanity in the wings. This trio does a marvelous job, has us in the palms of their hands throughout the short, intermission-less play and leaves us wanting more. Under the co-direction of the playwright and Bart de Lorenzo, the action never slows down. A dozen or so scenes unfold in rapid succession, the dialogue peppered with "Tannerisms". An evening at the theatre doesn't get more entertaining than this.

Zephyr Theatre, 7456 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood. Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 7 p.m. $25. (323)428-7711. Valet parking at Antonio's Restaurant three doors west or, for other parking arrangements, see Pre-Theatre Dining Suggestion below. - 5/17

Pre-Theatre Dining Suggestion: It takes a VILLAGE IDIOT to supply the perfect pre-show meal and not just because it's within walking distance, just a block east. Long time Los Angeles residents remember this location as the former Chianti, a romantic, expensive, candle-lit Italian restaurant.. It's now a noisy, fun brew pub, only the western brick wall remains. Chef Andrew Lakin, formerly of Gjelina's in Venice, gives a stirring performance in the kitchen, way beyond pub grub. But you can have that, too plus the popular pub burger $12. No bread is served but they have starters like mussels steamed in ale with "mops", croutons to mop up the juices, $15. Entrees are listed for simpletons: Four Legs like steak, $26 for a New York cut; Two Legs as in chicken, $20. We went for No Legs, crisply cornmeal-breaded catfish, incredibly fluffy and mild, over a bed of sauteed tomatoes, mustard greens and black eyed peas,intermingled with little cubes of spicy Texas sausage. A melange so tasty, we asked for a spoon so not a morsel could escape, $16, Equally delectable is the barramundi, similar to seabass, a nice, thick slice. It is also well bedded, upon sprouted broccoli (I know it as broccoli rabe), brothy chickpeas and tomatoes, the fish topped with chermoula, a Moroccan type of pesto of minced fresh mint, parsley and smoked paprika, $22. All's well that ends well with a slice of Grand Marnier cake, a sponge cake moistened but not drowned in the liqueur, garnished with thin sliced rounds of kumquats to bring out the orange-y flavor and a dollop of whipped cream, $7. Village Idiot, 7383 Melrose Avenue at Martel, Los Angeles. Open daily from 11 a.m to 2 a.m. Wine from $9 per glass. Full bar. No reservations but owner Lindsay Kennedy authorizes you to valet part for $5 and retrieve your car aprés theatre. (323) 655-3331

Mauritius by Theresa Rebeck
There's a common thread of passion that's almost a life force, among collectors, whether it's fine art, first editions or, as in this award-winning play, stamps. If you have ever collected anything, your heart will beat more rapidly in empathy, during the entire performance.

The synopsis can be summed up in one sentence. It centers around two half sisters who each lay claim to the inheritance of a relative's stamp collection which contains two flawed, therefore rare and extremely valuable examples issued in Mauritius, a tiny island in the Indian Ocean, off Madagascar, in 1847. What that sentence doesn't say, is that it is a wonderfully entertaining work, superbly cast and fascinating in its character development. Kirsten Kollender plays Jackie, a spunky, young woman who is deeply troubled by debt and self doubt. Her older half sibling Mary (Monette Magrath), feels she is entitled to this memento of her childhood bond with the late collector, her grandfather. They are both first rate as their attempt at civilized behavior quickly goes south. Equally excellent are Ray Abruzzo as Sterling, a low life cash cow who is used to getting what he wants and whose desire for possession veers on sexual conquest and Chris L. Mckenna, as a sleazy middleman who refuses to be eliminated. He can turn on the charm or act like a thug with the speed of a chameleon. As the expert philatelist in whose store the transaction is scheduled to transpire, John Billingsley sports the disheveled look of a science professor and flawlessly maintains a superior air over the needy/greedy deal makers. There is not one wrong move or misplaced gesture by the gifted cast, under the impeccable direction of Jessica Kubzansky. Sound (John Zalewski), lighting (Jaimy Lee Smith), the revolving set (Tom Buderwitz) and costumes (Maggie Moran) are dead on. Prolific Theresa Rebeck, one of my favorite contemporary playwrights, proves, once again, her talent for lively dialogue, kaleidoscopic subjects and exciting plot structure. See this show!

Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S El Molino, Pasadena. Tuesday - Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 4 and 8 p.m., Sunday 2 and 7 p.m. (dark April 7, 8 and 15 at 8 p.m. but one added matinee at 2 p.m. on Wednesday April 15). $32 - $67 (626)356-7529 or www.pasadenaplayhouse.org. -4/26

Pre-Theatre Dining Suggestion: Park and walk a few steps to ROY'S, on the corner of El Molino and Colorado Boulevard and your taste-buds land in the Islands, the domain of celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi's Hawaiian fusion cuisine. The restaurant is beautiful, not a note of kitsch in the decor. It's large but cleverly sectioned, with smart light fixtures and an enthusiastic staff. Prices quite high but they're apparently doing excellent business. A plate of edamame beans in the shell is complimentary. Put them in your mouth whole to savor the seasonings, and extricate the little beans with your teeth. Nothing to it. There are meat and poultry dishes but concentrate on the seafood because these are the happiest fish out of water you'll ever enjoy. Roy's signature seared ahi with wasabi sauce and a little mound of Japanese baby greens mixed with crisp slaw, is available as an appetizer for $13.50, so you could start off by sharing that. I highly recommend both the scallops $27.95 and the B.L.T. halibut $28.95. The king size scallops, perfectly seared, come with aside of cous cous, garnished with paper thin cucumber rounds. The menu lists them as being "glazed with plum wine" which I consider a nice digestif but too sweet for shell fish. They smilingly offered to substitute another sauce which resembled a lobster bisque, the ideal pairing. My compliments to their flexible resident chef, Chris George. The Scottish halibut is heavenly. The "B" is in the form of bacon crumbles, the "L" is braised lettuce and the "T" are green tomatoes, all of which form a saucy bed for this delectable, good size piece of fish in a puddle of light, yet intensely flavored, mushroom fumée. The menu is rife with innovative dishes, including a (relative) bargain prix fixe dinner, three courses including dessert for $35. I plan a return visit as soon as my piggy bank fills up again. Fine wines from $9 per glass.

Roy's Pasadena, 641 E. Colorado Blvd,Pasadena. Full bar. Closed Monday. (626) 356-4066.

The Bird and Mr. Banks by Keith Huff

Enjoying a successful run and extended yet again, this somewhat macabre play is worth your time because of Sam Anderson in the title role. Banks is a meek accountant with a fascination with ornithology and the sort of mean streak that...well, let's just say, you don't want to cross this man. Anderson plays it as a kind of lovable lunatic, riveting to watch, as his eyes gleam or darken, his chin tightens or slacks, his entire body quivers with rage or slouches in subservience. He takes into his gothic abode another lost soul, a pregnant and unmarried Irish secretary, Annie, the pretty, blonde Jenny Kern ( a dead ringer for Meg Ryan) , and they attempt to nurse along a baby bird, prematurely out of its nest. Kern is convincing in her less demanding role but she sounds fresh off the boat from County Cork and I found her brogue often difficult to understand. Chet Grissom in multiple parts as a philandering boss, a jailer, etc., is very good. Ably directed by Mark St. Amant , the plot takes ever unexpected turns in a play that mirrors the vagaries of human nature. The Road Theatre's habitually brilliant sets are in a place, designed by Desma Murphy, with superb lighting by Derrick McDaniel and sound by David B. Marting.

The Road Theatre Company, Lankershim Arts Center
5108 Lamkershim Blvd. North Hollywood
Friday and Saturday 8 P.M. Sunday 2 P.M. $30.00
Street Parking (always a challenge in NoHo, so come early).
(866) 811-4111 or www.roadtheatre.org -5/2

Pre-Theatre Dining Suggestion: It's only a five minute drive to MAXIMILLIAN'S but it's like a trip to Mittel Europa in the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Past a garden with bubbling fountain is a multi-room residence, tables festively set with pristine, white, linen and a European staff to serve you. Don't miss Chef Laszlo's Wiener Schnitzel, one of the best in town at $19.95. (You'd shell out double at Spago). Comes with potatoes and red cabbage. Crisp skinned duck is a treat, meaty and without a trace of grease, plum mousse on the side, same price. There are three versions of gulyas: veal with spaetzle $18.95, Transylvania style with pork and sauerkraut $16.95 and beef (filet mignon) $19.95. Connoisseurs of echt-Austrian cuisine will recognize such rarities hereabouts, as tafelspitz a la Hotel Sacher $16.95 and Viennese style fillet of sole with home made, dilled tartar sauce and potato salad $19.95. And the Hungarian specialties will make your gypsy blood boil-whether you have any, or not. Viennese and Hungarian pastries are world renowned, so say "Auf Wiedersehn" with a slice of chestnut torte, so light, it couldn't possibly have a single calorie, or throw caution to the wind with purée aux marrons, ribbons of chestnut purée mingled with whipped cream. Desserts are $7 and $8, wine per glass from $7.

Maximilian's, 11330 Eddington Street off Tujunga, North Hollywood. Beer and wine. Parking lot plus ample street parking. Closed Monday. (818) 760-1300.

Time Stands Still by Donald Margulies
Playwright Donald Margulies (Collected Stories, Sight Unseen, Dinner with Friends), has a lot to say and he says it so well. His characters are contemporary individuals whose dialogue is always natural rather than theatrical. Here he has written a play that examines our relationship not only with each other, but with the world around us.

Sarah (Ann Gunn) is a photographer who has been wounded in body and soul, while on assignment in a war torn country. She arrives home to a loft in New York (scenic design by John Lee Beatty), to be nursed back to health by her journalist boyfriend James (David Harbour) who, as her collaborator and lover, longs to embrace a more normal family life, away from the constant dangers of their professions. They are both haunted by the horrors of death and destruction which he has chronicled in print and she has captured on film - thus making time stand still. Their magazine photo editor (the likable Robin Thomas), pays them a visit, bringing along his young fiance Mandy (Alicia Silverstone). Theirs is not exactly a May/December but more of an April/October romance. He has warmth and A self-deprecating sense of humor, she is starry-eyed over what she perceives as the couple's glamorous , adventurous life, traveling the world. She echoes the feeling of so many of us who see only the thrills and excitement in the job of others, rather than the harrowing routine and deprivations. Silverstone is delightful in her transformation from sex kitten to little mother superior. I thought the role of James was originally announced for Michael Shannon, who perhaps dropped out after he was nominated for an Oscar in Revolutionary Road. But he could not have improved upon the work of David Harbour, who brings both strength and vulnerability to the part of a man who suffered a clear case of post traumatic stress. The strawberry blonde Ann Gunn is absolutely outstanding as a sensuous, fascinating woman who lets her work define her as a person. This is a strong, multi-layered play, skillfully directed by Daniel Sullivan, constantly absorbing and highly recommended.

Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Avenue, Westwood. Tuesday - Thursday 7:30 p.m., Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 4 and 8:30 p.m., Sunday 2 and 7 p.m. $45 - $79. Parking in adjoining garage $7.50 but there is a lot on Le Conte at Broxton for $5. (310) 208-5454. -3/15

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: How long has it been since you had dinner at a charming French maman et papa restaurant, where you will be welcomed by the chef/owner like a rich relative about to make a will? SOLEIL is just such a place. The ceiling is a night sky with moon and stars but le soleil comes up on a side mural. The room is as friendly as a sunny day and there's a heated sidewalk terrace. The sliced baguette is fresh and crisp, service a joy. Appetizers from $6.95 for cheese fondue to $10.95 for shrimps Soleil. Entree prices are in the comfort zone, mostly around $18, with a top price of $24.95. For an extra $1.50, you can enjoy a cup of soup or a salad of tossed baby greens in a light and lovely vinaigrette. Wine by the glass from $6.50. Boeuf Bourguignonne is a classic that's become something of a rarity. Cubes of beef, long simmered in a red wine sauce, studded with peas and carrots. The flavor here is slightly different from the French version to which you may be accustomed. This one has a Canadian accent but is properly robust and tasty. They also put their own spin on blanquette (usually de veau} made with veal . Theirs has chicken and shrimp but is excellent, in a basil infused, light cream sauce. Both come with choice of potato and are $17.50 each. Other options are braised lamb shank, grilled salmon, steaks, duck etc. It's about a ten minute drive to the Geffen and if you notify them of your curtain time, they'll accommodate you toute de suite. Almost pleasant dining experience with a loyal, local clientele that insures its success.

Soleil, 1384 Westwood Blvd., south of Wilshire, Westwood. Wine and beer. Saturday and Sunday brunch. The odds of street parking are on a par with wining the lottery but there's one hour validated at Borders. (if you make a purchase, they
give you four hours free). Closed Monday (310)441-5384.

Taking Steps by Alan Ayckbourne
Playwright Ayckbourne has been dubbed the British Neil Simon, which automatically means lots of yuks and good entertainment. That's precisely what this production offers.

Under the astute direction of both Allan Miller and Ron Sossi, six actors cavort with relish up and down a three story English manor. The style in which they negotiate the steps will have you chuckling throughout. The first act is particularly funny, as we meet Mrs. Crabbe (melanie Lora), a frustrated ballerina impatient to opt out of her marriage and her brother Mark (Andy Hoff), a lovable loser,both letter perfect. Kate Rylie acquits herself nicely in the supporting role of Kitty, Marks's free-spirited girlfriend. As the clueless husband Roland Crabbe, Marty Ryan gives a consummate performance as a wealthy manufacturer for whom every occasion calls for a drink, no matter what the hour. Reminded me of an old boyfriend who always said, "it's five o'clock SOMEwhere..."
As his solicitor Tristram, the hilarious, ever cheerful Jonathan Runyon, is a lawyer with the soul of an apprentice bookkeeper and you won't be able to take your eyes off the inimitable Bernard White, as a wily real estate agent desperately trying to make a sale. His physical comedy and ever changing facial expressions are priceless. Act II sorts out all the complications and merry mix-ups in a light hearted denouement but the strength of this play lies in the talented cast and the colorful characters they inhabit.

Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S.Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. Thursday - Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p,m. except February 2nd, which has a 7 pm performance. Special performances also on Wednesday February 4, 11 and 18 at 8 p.m. No Sunday matinee February 22nd. $25 - $30. Senior and student rush $5 off, except Saturday night. Attendant parking in front. (310)477-2955 or www.odysseytheatre.com. - 3/22

Pre-Theatre Dining Suggestion: Nor more than seven minutes from the Odyssey,is CAFE DAHAB, advertising Mediterranean cuisine which, we all know,is a euphemism for Iranian food. And very good, too. They didn't spend much money on a high priced interior decorator but it's very clean and there's a softly lit, more attractive room adjoining, but you can't drink any alcohol there. Therefore, we sat in the plain section where a glass of house Chardonnay is $6.95. We nibbled on the complimentary pickled turnips and the tiny Mediterranean olives (watch out for the pits), and on an order of babaganoujh,the excellent eggplant dip, with hot pita bread $5.95. They have the usual skewers and you can enjoy three of those in the combo, chicken, shishkebab and kufta (sausage shaped, ground meat), all delicious with seasoned rice, hummus, little cups of garlic sauce and tahini plus cabbage salad. We found the latter to have a really sharp, tart bite, so we played chef and folded in some hummus, with good results $18.95. There are also some more exotic specialties including kobda, thinly sliced calf's liver sauteed with onions and tomatoes, which was divine, $10.50. If there's another liver lover out there, you, too, will be ecstatic. And, if you have a sweet tooth,check out the elaborate dessert menu from $4.95 for rice pudding to $6.50 for chocolate truffle mousse cake. Very nice service and a sidewalk terrace for hookah pipers.

Cafe Dahab and Hookah Lounge, 1640 Sawtelle Blvd., near Santa Monica Blvd., around the corner from the Nuart, West Los Angeles. Beer and wine. Street parking. (310)444-0969.

Fata Morgana by Ernest Vajda
So well received by audiences and critics, this European classic has been extended once again. The title, Fata Morgana, is derived from a mirage supposedly seen occasionally, on the Hungarian plains called Puszda. It takes place in the nineteen hundreds, on a bourgeois family's estate in the provinces, near Budapest, where studious, sixteen year old George (the adorable Michael Hanson), is deflowered by Mathilde (the luscious Ursula Brooke), a flirtatious married woman,ten years his senior. I'm not giving anything away here, because seduction is in the air the moment our young man lays eyes upon the beautiful unexpected visitor from the big city.

The large ensemble cast is more than up to the task. Sarah Brooks is the doting mother, Tony Pasqualini is the strict but ultimately understanding father and Irene Roseen, as the sharp-tongued, gossipy, free-loading cousin Rosalie, are standouts. Scott Conte, the cuckolded husband Gabriel, a fast talking lawyer, deserves special mention and Penny Stephanie Safranek as the put-upon maid Katherine, has an unforgettable cameo in the last act. A side from some screaming teenagers, smaller roles of assorted cousins and servants all add to the proceedings which, in my opinion, could easily have been summed up in two, rather than three acts. The heart of the story is, after all, the touching, paprika-scented romance between an older woman and a younger man. The rest is pleasant but almost incidental. Direction is by Marilyn Fox, set design is credited to Robert Broadfoot. The lovely period costumes are by Audrey Eisner,who has Mathilde dressed in revealing, diaphanous evening gowns early in the morning and traveling by train but with such a gorgeous figure, who'd complain? This is a vintage Valentine that never goes out of style.

Pacific Resident Theatre, 703 Venice Boulevard, four blocks west of Lincoln, Venice. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 3 p.m. $20 - $25. Adjacent parking lot. (310) 822-8392 or wwwPacificResidentTheatre,com. =2/22

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: A stone's throw away is A K RESTAURANT & BAR but you won't want to throw any because the food here is first class and the place is stunningly attractive. Decor is contemporary but cozy, softly lit, with the most unusual, horizontal fireplace embedded in an enameled brick wall. There's a glass partitioned bar area in the rear and a secluded patio in front. I'd like to campaign for more prominent signage. If it weren't for the valet stand, you'd never discover A K on a dark winter night, behind its protective wall of bamboo greenery.

The wine list is heavily loaded with French vintages and you have to be heavily loaded, as well. Glasses from $10 to $20,bottles from $40 to $250, although our Cabernet Franc, Domaine de Rocfontaine for $40, wasn't half bad. Starters from $9 (onion soup) to $10 (lobster risotto), include imaginative salads. We ordered the wild mushroom croustade with pancetta and mesclun $13, but got mesclun with apples and roquefort $11, instead. This restaurant is rather noisy and service was otherwise flawless.

"Natural certified meat and organic poultry" $24 to $34, some Scandinavian flavors like gravlax and Swedish meatballs from Chef Andersson's Nordic heritage are on the menu but we zero'd in on the "sustainable natural seafood" section. Flat, crispy skate with capers and wilted spinach $28, succulent scallops with eggplant and tahini dressing $29, Arctic char with succotash and horseradish butter, same price, were all excellent and artistically plated. The weakest sister turned out to be the Lake Superior white fish with grilled veggies, $27. If you can't make up your mind among the various side dishes, go for the wonderful spinach and goat cheese kufta $9. Next time, I promise to say off those fresh, crunchy rolls and save room for dessert,perhaps the dark chocolate ganache cake with ice cream, $9. And, I'm willing to bet that this is the liveliest, hottest A.K. you've ever encountered....

A.K. Restaurant & Bar, 1633 Abbot Kinney Blvd., near Venice Blvd., Venice. Beer and Wine. Valet parking $5. Closed Monday. (310) 392-6644.

Lovers of Zarzuela, Alert!!

A zarzuela is a Spanish operetta - and our own L.A, Opera Maestro Domingo's favorite form of musical theatre.

The most popular and far and away the most famous of the genre, LUISA FERNANDA by Federico Moreno Torroba, is coming to town. It has an exciting story and brilliant, lively melodies. Traveling from Spain is the composer's son, Federico Moreno Torroba Lareggia, to conduct the orchestra. The cast includes Teresa Carlos Oliva, Gabriel Reoyo-Pazos and Vincent Solbes. It will be sung in Spanish with English supertitles.Ricardo Montalban Theatre, 1615 Vince Street, Hollywood. February 19 and 20 at 8 p.m., February 21 At 3 and 8 p.m. $50 - $75. Seniors $25 - $37, students $20 - $30. (323)960-1057 or www.luisafernanda.org.

The Little Dog Laughed by Douglas Carter Beane
The Kirk Douglas Theatre finally has a show I can heartily recommend as a "must see", with the original New York cast in a Tony nominated play. Mitchell (Brian Henderson), a successful, attractive actor, is in denial about his fluctuating sexual preference. To complicate matters, he has ordered up to his Manhattan hotel room, a male prostitute named Alex (Johnny Galecki), with whom he forges a strange bond. And that's really all I want to disclose now. As a New York hustler who is very much in demand, Galecki makes his L.A, stage debut, a little man who, with his nebbish physique and hair that looks as though it hasn't been washed since Labor Day, would never make it as a toy boy in this town, I can tell you. When he's not plying his trade, he also services his girlfriend Ellen, the wonderfully world weary, pragmatic Zoe Lister-Jones.

The show unequivocally, belongs to Julie White as Diane, Mirchell's diabolical agent. When she struts on stage in her black patent leather Jimmy Choos, you know this is a woman to be reckoned with. She engages us in a bitchy monologue and continues to share her innermost thought in all successive scenes. Actually, she's devious, ruthless and manipulative - and you'll absolutely love her - even before she comes up with a practical solution to a dilemma that would baffle a biblical sage. It's one of those "the snake has all the lines" parts any actress would kill, or at least, maim for. She walked off with assorted East Coast awards (Tony, Obie, Drama Desk) and unless all the Los Angeles drama critics are asleep, she'll surely be a contender. Beane has written unfailingly witty, acerbic dialogue that energizes the audience to the rafters, with an attention grabbing plot and complex characters. Scott Ellis' tight direction adds to the play's cohesiveness and the set design by Allen Moyer is brilliant. Don't wait another minute to get tickets to this one.

Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820 Washington Blvd.,Culver City. Wednesday - Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 2 & 8 p.m., Sunday 6:30 p.m. $25 - $65 (213)628-2772. Free parking in garage beneath City Hall after 6 p.m. -12/21

Pre-Theatre Dining Suggestion: If you go for chic and trendy, AKASHA is for you. Besides, it's within walking distance of the theatre, has great atmosphere and good food. Enormous,illuminated, lantern-type mobiles waft from the ceiling and happy noises from lively diners fill the cavernous room. Good wines by the glass, including some unusual selections like a first class Gruener Veltliner from Austria, Kamptal,vintage 2006, $10. Entrees, salmon Indian style $25, Flatiron steak same price, short ribs $29. For a leisurely evening, there's a prix-fixe for $36. Sharing small plates is, for me, the best pre-show fun. Shrimp masala sit on little, crisp rice rounds and are daubed with mint raita, terrific, $12. The Niman Ranch lamb sliders are tasty, $11. Oven roasted, curried cauliflower scented with cumin and turmeric is yummy, $8. The seared albacore lettuce wrap's presentation is spectacular but the fish is so thinly sliced, you could read the menu through it. By the time you cradle it in the butter lettuce leaves, add the sprouts and carrot slivers plus the chopped cashews, you can't even taste it, Furthermore the chili dressing, mercifully served on the side, is ninety percent sugar and ten percent spice. I'd pass on that one and save your $12. On a previous visit, I enjoyed their top notch turkey burger, a sublime mixture of olives, jalapeños, onions and organic turkey, $16 with home made pickles. In fact, everything here is organic, healthy, sustainable etc., the whole green scene. Publicity-savvy owner-chef Akasha Richmond has garnered more press than Paris Hilton, lately. The restaurant has been nominated for the Most Promising Newcomer Award by the Southern California Restaurant Writers Association.

Akasha, 9543 Culver Blvd. corner Watseka , Culver City. Full bar. Breakfast Monday through Saturday. Weekday lunch,, dinner nightly. Two hours free parking in garage on Watseka. (310)845-1700.

Bob's Holiday Office Party by Rob Elk and Joe Keyes
The Christmas Party is back! The following is a re-print of last year's review, at a new venue.

My guess is you've been to a few office parties in your day, but none as crazy or, for that matter, as noisy as this drink-a-thon. It's the annual happening at Neuterburg, a small town in a fly-over state, hosted by the local insurance agent (co-authors Rob Elk). Attendees include the sheriff (co-authors Joe Keyes),not exactly the embodiment of law 'n order, the Johnson triplets, a trio of corn-fed ladies and Marty (lanky Craig Anton), a man whose accident record would drive any insurance man to drink, but who needs an excuse here? Into the party pops Carol (the inimitable Ann Randolph), looking like an escaped lunatic but she strums a mean guitar and sings a funny ditty. She subsequently doubles as the town pump who spreads her arms and legs at the drop of a beer can. Also celebrating are the mayor, a man of dubious sexual orientation and his frustrated wife. The surprise guest is a fellow called Stinky in high school, the kid everyone hated, who returns with an agenda of his own. This show is the cure for any saccharine holiday event you've ever had to endure and is in its 13th year in Los Angeles. It has and has become a cult classic whose loyal audience has almost as good a time as the hilarious cast.

Zephyr Theatre, 7456 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 7 p.m. (added performance on Thursday, December 18th, at 8 p.m. $20. Valet parking at Antonio's Mexican Restaurant, two doors west. (No wheel chair access for this production). (323) 960-7735 or www.plays411.com/bobs From 12/05 to 12/21

The Lady with all the Answers by David Rambo
Dear Ann Landers,
It was nice visiting with you in your swank Lake Shore apartment,designed by Gary Wissman and to see you looking just like the picture over your column,Dianne Feinstein coiffure, and all. And what a kick to listen to some of the letters your millions of readers sent your way. And,of course, your answers,so homespun and cleverly worded, with the comforting brain infusion of lost of chocolate bonbons. Those leg raises and waist twists you do,sure help to keep your weight down. Must try these at home.

Thank you for pouring your heart out over the faithlessness of your husband Jules, who dumped you for a younger woman. Many of us can relate to that and to your sibling rivalry with your twin, who became the even more popular "Dear Abby", a gal whose motto must have been,"anything you can do,I can do better". If truth be told, she did. Dear Ann Landers, how did that feel? It would have been interesting to find out how you two Friedman sisters got along in your early years,long before you both became advice columnists to the world. What was the reaction of your parents when she married a rich man and you, a poor student? There's so much more that was left unsaid but still,our little chat, even if somewhat superficial, was a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours.

Sincerely,

A Pasadena Playhouse Fan

The Lady with all the Answers is directed by Brendon Fox, at the Pasadena Playhouse, 39 El Molino Avenue, Pasadena. Tuesday - Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 4 and 8 p.m., Sunday 2 and 7 p.m.$25 - $65 (626)356-PLAY or www.Pasadenaplayhouse.org. - 11/23

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Park, walk to Colorado Boulevard, turn left and a few doors down is LA FIESTA GRANDE, a lively Mexican restaurant and cantina. This cheerful place is so popular, we were lucky to find an empty table in the adjoining room. The chips are fresh and warm,the salsa has just the right bite. In spite of the crowd, service was smiling and fairly prompt. There's a taco bar and the Margaritas are big enough to float a flotilla. Menu prices are reasonable, with all the South of the Border favorites well represented. I can recommend the red snapper Vera Cruz, a nice piece of fresh fish either grilled or poached, loaded with tomatoes, onions, sliced,green olives, capers and bell peppers for $13.95. Shrimp mojo de ajo, butterflied and generously garlicked, are a good choice, if you don't mind a fragrant good night kiss later. A half dozen of these beauties are $14.95. Both dishes come with Mexican rice and refried beans. A full glass of house wine is $4. So have yourself a grande fiesta for poquito dinero!

La Fiesta Grande, 624 E.Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Full bar. Live music on weekends. (626) 795-5577.

Halo by Josh MacDonald
Christmas is approaching just as a small town in Nova Scotia becomes the center of attention when the figure of Jesus mysteriously appears on the wall of the parking lot belonging to the Tom Horton Coffee Shop. The resulting invasion becomes a regular Canadian Woodstock, complete with live T V coverage. Is there going to be a miracle? You bet! Business at the previously sleepy shop is now booming,to say nothing of the souvenir merchandising angles in view of all those praying tourists. The minimum wage coffee and doughnut dispenser Casey Quinn (Frances Manzo), becomes a reluctant overnight celebrity. She's frequently skeptical, always horny and definitely full of pep. Her hockey jock of a boyfriend (Glen Brackenridge), is heavily in training, gullibly devout and too pious for petting. There's a serious sub-plot involving a farmer (David Hunt Stafford) and his two daughters, the long absent, visiting Lizzie( Emily Button) and Meg, the younger, who is comatose. All of the above, in fact the entire cast,including a Catholic priest called J.J. (the acrobatic John T. Cogan), acquit themselves admirably and there's a little singing and dancing to lighten things up. Direction is by Bruce Grey. The playwright also seems to strive for some light-heartedness but the story is so overloaded with religion, the good folks in the audience may not feel like going worshipping for the rest of the season. Then again, this might just be your cup of holy water.

Reuben Cordova Theatre, Theatre 40 on the campus of Beverly Hills High School, 241 Moreno Drive, (off Little Santa Monica Blvd.), Beverly Hills. Monday - Saturday 8 p.m. Sunday 2 p.m. Performance dates: October 18, 19, 22, 23, 27, 28 and 31 (plays in repertory with Push) $22 (310 364-0535 or www.theatre40.org - 11/6

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: So close to the theatre, you could actually walk, is RONI'S, frequented by young, hip Beverly Hill dwellers, a cozy, casual place with a brick wall, another filled with photos of celebrities known and unknown and three, (count 'em) three T.V.s. Looking at the prices, you won't believe you're in the high rent district. Most entrees are under $15, except for the Asian salmon, which is $16.95 and very good.
Roni's secret recipe Cheeseburger Meatloaf is a killer, perfectly seasoned, with oven roasted, fresh vegetables and good, lumpy, home-style mashed potatoes, $13.95. Do not order the carne asada steak. My jaw still hurts from trying to masticate that number. They cheerfully (honestly) replaced it with a Cajun chicken breast, very nice, moist and, of course, tender, $11.95. Also recommended from a previous visit is the chicken breast piccata. There's an adequate wine list, per glass from $7. Friendly staff, sidewalk tables.

Roni's 9911 Little Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Street parking. Beer and wine. (310) 772-0044.

Razorback by John Pollono
Never a dull moment in the Goretti household. Sewer-mouthed dad Dean (Richard Fancy) is a very sick man but you'd never know it. He's tough as nails, was formerly known as Dino, a hood,whose sordid past comes back to haunt him. He,his petite, new wife Sandy (Suzanne Ford) and college-age son D.J. (Edward Tournier), a nice kid with an intellectual bent, are surprised by the arrival of dad's boozy,buxom blonde ex-wife Ruth (Laura Gardner) and son Rocco (Jack Maxwell), who brings along his loyal and very pregnant Puerto Rican girlfriend Rhianna (Melissa Paladino). Family secrets and old resentments raise their ugly heads, foul language continues to spew out like an over-flowing toilet but the dark humor of the situation will win you over. Into this powder keg come two gun-toting, vendetta-seeking ruffians, Leftie (Ron Bottitta) and Lonnie (Patrick Flanagan) and the ensuing bloody brawl serves to sepArate the winners from the losers. The entire ensemble is terrific. All the actors inhabit their colorful characters as though assigned in casting heaven, the earthy dialogue is screamingly funny and the attractive set designed by Stephen Giffford,takes the story effortlessly from room to room. Director Elena de Santos keeps the action moving as just the right pace.

Rogue Machine Company at Theatre Theatre,5041 Pico Blvd (two blocks west of La Brea),Los Angeles. Thursday - Saturday 8 p.m. Sunday 7 p.m. $25 senior and student discounts available. (323)960-7736 or www.roguemachinetheatre.com Valet parking $6. - 11/2

Pre-Performance DiningSuggestion: Walk a block west of the theatre to WI JAMMIN, a funky, little joint that serves fantastic Jamaican food at ridiculously low prices. There's a giantJamican flag mural and a poster of Bob Marley on the wall, a few green plants and Caribbean rhythms on tape. You order at the counter but are served at table. If this suits you, you won't be disappointed.
Wehad the curried goat, the best I've had his side of Montego Bay but brace yourself for lots of bones,$9.95 small portion, $13 for large. Same price for oxtails, jerk chicken, fried chicken etc. Also scrumptious is the chicken brown stew, only $8.95 for small, $10.95 large. Entrees come with what they call rice and peas, actually beans, or steamed rice, with choice of salad or cabbage. The salad is fine but the chopped cabbage is the one to get. Plates are garnished with fried platanos, for a change not at all greasy. Ninety percent of their business seems to be take-out and it's a friendly spot that sells homemade juices but lets you bring your own bottle without corkage charge. We plan to bring along our own bottle opener and wine glasses next time.

Wi Jammin, 5103 Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles B.Y.O.B. (323)965-9808 (Closed Monday)

The Pavilion by Craig Wright
High School reunions can be such a hoot. The nerd who became a rock star, the class clown is now the CEO of a global concern or the dumb blonde who hasn't changed at all. Endless possibilities. It would be nice to say that this is one f those fascinating stories. What we have here, instead, is a narrator (Chris Smith), who spouts metaphysical platitudes that add nothing but keep interfering with the flow of the play. It boils down to Kari, misnamed Kathi in the program (Kristin Chiles) who became pregnant by her senior year sweetheart Peter(Tim Hamalen) but who abandoned her in her hour of need. She is now unhappily married and one dimensional, that is, angry throughout the firs act. He became a psychiatrist, is weak-voiced, wimpy and regrets having been such a cad. Their inter-action is constantly interrupted by a bevy of old pals and celebrants, all played by our very talented narrator (Smith), with the aid of wigs, gowns, false mustaches - he even manages to clomp around in high heels a lot steadier than some women I've seen.

The second act fares much better and is worthy of this prolific playwright, whose Orange Flower Water, a cohesive, beautifully written work was seen locally at the Victory in Burbank and here at the Lyric Theatre. At last, the former lovers are alone under the stars, have a chance to communicate and the play becomes the story of two people who are trying to rediscover each other. The director is Obren Milanovic.

Lyric Theatre, 520 N. :a Brea Avenue near Melrose, Los Angeles. Thursday - Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 3 p.m. $20. Street parking. (323)939-9220. - 10/5

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Across the street, a few steps north is CUBE, a small, sharp looking restaurant with a sidewalk terrace. The service is most accommodating and the food, by Chef Erin Eastland, a delight. We scored the best table in the house, in a corner surrounded by shelves filled with jars of delicacies, although I felt a little inadequate among all that "extra virgin" olive oil. We ordered four small plates. Tuna carpaccio topped with marinated fennel strands (we asked them to hold the apple) $12, an onion tart with frisée salad $10, a warm farro (grain) sAlad with heirloom tomatoes, hazelnuts and shaved pecorino cheese $12, a toasted crostini dotted with bits of duck confit and arugula salad $12, all most delectable and light enough t leave room for a black truffle oil infused, moist chocolate cake $8. You can BYOB without corkage charge.

Cube, 615 N. La Brea Avenue, opposite the Regent Movie Theatre, No alcohol. Valet parking $5 (323)939-1148.

San Francisco Opera
Simon Boccanegra by Giuseppe Verdi
Grand opera doesn't get much better than tis! The early Verdi work, first presented in 1857 when Verdi was still a relatively young man, regrettably is only rarely performed, compared to, say, La Traviata. It requires a stellar cast and San Francisco Opera delivers. In the title role Dimitri Hvorostovsky, the devastatingly handsome, silver-haired Russian, displays an excellent voice and admirable range, as the former buccaneer elected to the powerful post of Doge of Genoa. He plays it with great dignity. One local critic praises his vocal skills but adds that "he seems at times adrift". May I say that I would love to be "adrift" with this man...

Soprano Ana Maria Martinez, who repeats the role of Amelia only once more, on September 17th, sang magnificently. Her high tessitura has a silvery quality and she can float a pianissimo with the best of them. And I heard Lucine Amara in '60, Kiri Te Kanawa in '75 and Margaret Price in 1980 in this same house. The opening night diva Barbara Frittoli, returns on all other dates. Another outstanding performance was delivered by the Ukranian basso Vitalij Kowaljov as Fiesco, Boccanegra's life-long enemy. Maestro Donald Runnicles conducted sympathetically but for Fiesco's major aria "il lacerato spirito", the tempi of Kowaljow's sonorous tones seemed unusually slow. As the villain Paolo, Patrick Carfizzi, an American bass-baritone, got off to a rather weak start but regained his vocal powers soon there after. The always reliable tenor Marcus Haddock, as the love interest ?abriele, sang robustly and cut quite a dashing figure. In the smaller role of Pietro, we have Kenneth Kellogg, a current Adler Fellow with the Company, whose dashing stage presence and vocal prowess portend a promising career.

The orchestra was in very good form, doing justice to Verdi's exquisite score. The San Francisco Opera Çhorus soared. As for the story, it's got everything. Political intrigue, poisoning, kidnapping, romance, more newly discovered identities than in a Gilbert & Sullivan libretto, a tender father/daughter relationship so beloved bythe composer, which leads to a melodious duet and, of course, a touching death scene. I won't bore you with the synopsis other than to opine that these people led very complicated lives. We now have supertitles which explain everything. If you want t know more, there's apres-opera lecture fifty-five minutes before curtain. Sets by Marchael Yeargan are simple but effective. The opera, with a prologue, two acts and four scenes, with one intermission, lasts three hours. But, you know what they say about "time flies..."

San Francisco War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Avenue at Grove Street, San Francisco. 9/17 7:30 p.m., 9/21 2p.m., 9/24 7:30 p.m., 9/27 8p.m. $15 - $290. STanding room $10 cash, on sale from 10 a.m. on day of performance. Parking in nearby gArages. Public transport available, for info visit www.bart.gov or www.sfmuni.com. Opera tickets: (415)8643339 or www.sfopera.com. =9/27

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Just behind the Opera House, on the corner of Franklin is JARDINIERE, one of San Francisco's best - if not THE best restaurant. If you're on a budget, you can stop reading right here because you are going to drop beaucoup bucks. But the place is lovely, two stories of gastronomic paradise, service is superb and the food will have you smacking your lips (politely!) for days to come. There's a fine wine list. A glass of Gruener Veltliner, a full-bodied white wine from Austria is $10. There's a prix-fixed, multi-course offering, but I wouldn't, before a three hour sit. The appetizer of our choice, scallops, golden brown on top, five delicious bites, $24. Or, a salad of heirloom tomAtoes, roasted mini-peppers, cheese etc., also wonderful. Shortribs have become a hot restaurant item, probably because none of us wants to spend hours over the hot stove anymore. Traci de Jardin;s are exemplary. Fork tender, in a light broth rather than the usual thick gravy, topped with a few sprigs of greens. Some fresh veggies would have been nice for $36 but they do offer complimentary, after-dinner migniardises, tiny meringue babies filled with hazelnut cream. They also have a dessert sampler for $17 and you don't have to worry about being able to finish it. A few dinky cookies, A truffle ball, a yummy bite of opera torte, a couple of fruit jellies and a nice, little pot of the finest crême brulée topped with whipped cream. If you don't mind the splurge, this is a memorable experience and you can conveniently valet your car for $12 and pick it up after the opera.

Jardiniere, 300 Grove Street, San Francisco. Full bar. (415) 861-5555.

Vanities. Book by Jack Heifner, Music and Lyrics by David Kirshenbaum
We see just three vanity tables on the otherwise bare stage but the high energy kicks in as soon as the girls, Mary (Lauren Kennedy), Joanne (Elizabeth Brackenbury, an understudy on my night) and Kathy (Anneliese von der Dol) appear and start primping. All three of them are terminally peppy, practice their cheerleading and dish about their boyfriends. It's 1963 in Dallas, Texas, a time of relative innocence, when getting to first or second base had nothing t do with baseball and bosoms were still enhanced with falsies. As the play develops, we get to watch them grow up and eventually become mAture women. The story is essentially an ode to friendship. Even though not all of them end up leading the life they envisioned for themselves in high school, their bond is lasting and truly warms the heart. The book, by the author of the original 1976 stage play, has amusing dialogue. The music, performed by a live band in the pit is peppy though monochromatic, with a couple of wistful tunes thrown in. Acoustics are excellent so you can appreciate the lyrics, also penned by Kirshenbaum. All three actresses are good looking, have nice voices and their dancing is a pleasure to watch as well, including the understudy's. The staging is fabulous, sets designed by Anna Louizos are bright and beautiful, whether we're in a college dorm or in a sophisticated Manhattan penthouse. Aiding the visuals are the costumes by Joseph Aulisi, which define the period that spans nearly three decades. Special kudos to the uncredited coiffeur of over a dozen wigs which convey not only the changing mood but the developing character of the protagonists. Directed by Judith Ivey, the intermission-less play glides by and never flags. If you love musicals, you'll have a wonderful time.

Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino, Pasadena. Tuesday - Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 4 and 8 p.m., Sunday 2 and 7 p.m. $61 - $76. (626)356-PLAY or www.Pasadenaplayhouse.org - 9/28

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Walk up to Colorado Boulevard, turn east to the Arcade Lane and here's SACHI SUSHI, facing Yahaira, the nuevo Latino place I've frequently mentioned, which, by the way, is now open nighty for dinner. Sachi is the oldest sushi restaurant in Pasadena and they know what they're doing. The menu is a photo album in Technicolor, of all sorts of Japanese food arrangements but you, being smart and frugal, will turn to the last page. It's printed on yellow paper and is filled with their 20th anniversary specials. There's an albacore sashimi salad, with shredded romaine and carrot garnish for $5.95. Yakitori is not on the menu but we were in the mood and they prepared us a portion, three skewers of chicken, mushrooms and onions for only $4.95. You also must have the baked scallops, which are sensational, with a few California rolls tucked in there. The price - $12.95 - now that's "special". It came with a mound of wasabi but didn't need any, instead with used it, mixed with soy, for the tuna sashimi. We shared the whole thing and I suggest you do the same. Ample for two. Hot sake is reasonable as well, $3 small, $6 large. Service is attentive and now comes the bonus, You can park for free while dining and enjoying the play. They will validate. Enter on Green Street, between El Molino and Oak Knoll. You're just across the street when you exit the show.

Sachi Sushi, 696 E. Colorado Blvd., PasAdena (626)578-1877. Closed Sunday.

Wonder of the World by David Lindsay-Abaire
This playwright is a master of whimsy (not a word about him in the program) but having seen his earlier Fuddy Meers at the Colony Theatre in 2006, I've become a fan. He creates the most outlandish characters and situations and this wacky, wonderful play is no exception. Cass Harris )Brittney Kalmbach), a pretty, young woman, gets the seven year itch after discovering her husband's (Stephen Peirick) rather strange sexual fixation and, as the play opens, is seen furiously packing to run away and start living the life she's always dreamed of. She's made a list of things to to do and see, among them, a trip to Niagra Falls (in the most realistically produced scene you'll ever experience). Along the way, she joins up with Lois (Geraldine Fuentes), a suicidal tippler, is stalked by a couple of amateur private eyes (Frank Farmer and Daryl Hogue) and is romanced by Captain Mike (Bill Wolsky). Director Holly Baker-Kreisworth keeps the action fast and furious, scene changes are cleverly accomplished and the actors go through their paces with extraordinary skill. Special mention is due Margaret Schugt in multiple rolls, including the costumes waitress in various theme restaurants. This is a hilariously funny show, especially if a little lunacy is your cup of tea, so quaff heartily and enjoy!

Little Fish Theatre, 777 Centre Street at 8th, San Pedro. Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday 8/24, 9/7 and 9/14 at 7 p.m. Thrusday 9/11 and 9/18 at 8 p.m. $22, seniors and students $20. (310) 512-6030 or www.littlefishtheatre.org. Entrance and parking lot in rear.

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Just two blocks away is BEACH CITY GRILL, a fun, funky, little place. They have dubbed themselves "an uncommon restaurant)." The themes is colorful Caribbean, beach casual rules. There are lots of specials on the white board, but always available on thei regular menue is the Marengue Cuban style pork, tender, boneless shreds, lean as a surfer dude, in the center, a mound of deliciously flavored rice, alongside, black beans and platanos, all for $14.95. Same price for their Beach City shrimp in a tomato-white wine sauce, scented with fresh basil, choice of pasta or rice. There's a gumbo for $13.95, a Jamaican combo platter for $17.95 and plenty in between. they're famous for their desserts, homemade bread pudding, assorted pies and the chocolate decadence (lobotomy), a pudding-like affair with a generous topping f whipped cream, the real thing, not shot from guns, $6.50.

Beach City Grill, 376 W. Sixth St., San Pedro. B.Y.O.B. Street parking (310) 833-6345. Reservations for five or more only.

Pen by David Marshall Grant
A particularly well cast play, set in the Nixon Era, which explores various subjects - divorce, maternal tyranny, psychosomatic disabilities plus some plot twists, not all of them credible but dramatically effective.

Jill Remez, a shrill shrew of a mother you love to hate, is brilliant. Her mood swings are deadly and her behavior is unpredictable. As her son, Dennis Bendersky, a young man caught in a spider's web of torment, who desperately tries to escape from a house that's not a home, shines in an intensely grip[ping performance. If, in his later life, he emerges as a total failure, he can certainly blame it all on mamma. Robert Mackenzie is the estranged husband attempting to make a new life for himself and as an absentee father, he still tries to bond wit his son. He has our complete sympathy and is thoroughly credible in the role. Directed with a sure hand by Jeff G. Rack, the story keeps our interest through both the turmoil and the momentary calm periods.

Theatre 40. Reuben Cordova TheAtre, Beverly Hills High School, 241 Moreno Drive, Beverly Hills. July 16 at 8 p.m., July 17 at 2 p.m.; July 18, 19,20,21,25,26, 29 and 30 at 8 p.m., July 31 at 3 p.m. (Plays in repertory with Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers. $20 - @22. Free pArking in adjoining garage. (310)346-0535 or www.theatre40.org. - 7/31

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Less than five minutes away is SILK, which doesn't look like any Thai restaurant in MY neighborhood. It has Beverly Hills elegance, silk cushions, silk covered menus and exotic wall hangings, but not Beverly Hills prices. And the food is wonderful. Larb. a spicy salad with rice powder onions and fresh basil, can be had with chicken, pork or beef for $7.95 and makes a nice starter to share. Now try the Pad Woon Sen, glass noodles mingled with fresh tomatoes, chicken, beef or tofu for $7.95, with shrimp or scallops for $10.95. Prik King, chicken, beef or tofu sauteed with red curry sauce, is another hot number but they cAn tone down everything to your own S.Q. (spice quotient). It also has fresh, crisp string beans and superb flavor, $7.95 with chicken, beef or tofu, $10.95 with shrimp or scallops. Service is excellent and you can bring your own wine.

Silk, 9907 1/2 Little Santa Monica Boulevard. (310) 553-1011. BYOB no corkage charge. Street parking can be tight but it's close enough to walk (about two blocks). Closed Sunday

Serious Foodie alert! On Saturday September 27th, Wolfgang Puck and Barbara Lazaroff are hosting their annual AMERICAN FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL, a truly sensational affair, held outdoors at Universal's Back Lot. Flying in from all over the country are celebrity chefs like Dean Fearing, Michael Mina, Paul Prudhomme, Jimmy Schmidt and Lydia Shire. Plus our own stars, Lee Hefter (Spago), Joachim Splichal (Patina). Nancy Silverton (Mozza) and dozens of others. The jovial Puck Himself circulates prodigiously, chatting up the nibbling and sipping crowd. AT least sixty-five guest vintners will be on hand, ready to keep your glass filled and you can expect to sample tidbits of the calibers of caviar, Kobe beef, lobster and abalone.

In order to savor this extravaganza, you have to not only be a devout foodie but also a well-heeled one. Tickets are sky-high but proceeds go to a good cause, St. Vincent;s Meals on Wheels, which supplies food for the elderly and house-bound. Related festivities are scheduled for Friday September 26th At the Pacific Design Center and Íunday the 28th at Spago,Beverly Hills.

American Food & Wine Festival, Universal Studios Back Lot, 3900 Lankershim Blve., Universal City. September 27, 2008, 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Outdoors, casual dress. Free parking. Must be 21 years of age. $300 in advance, $350 at the door. Tickets and info: (310)574-3663 or www.awff.org.

Summertime Freebie: All Around the Southland, there's music under the stars. Most of the concerts,unfortunately, happen on the same night - Thursday. One of the least publicized series is the CULVER CITY MUSIC FESTIVAL in the courtyard of City Hall. Zydeco tunes are on schedule July 24th, followed by the group Venice, classic rock and vocals. The Iguanas from New Orleans play Mardi Gras Music, Tex-Mex And Latin/Caribbean sounds on August 7th. On the 14th, it's Bluegrass with the Infamous Stringbusters. It all ends with a double bill on August 28th, with appearances by The Ruthie Foster Band, with gospel, roots and folk music with whose music you may be familiar from the Austin City Limits programs on PBS as well as the duo Baldorf & Stanley, featuring acoustic rock and pop.

Culver City City Hall, 9770 Culver Blvd. at Duquesne, Culver City. Every Thursday at 7 p.m. Free. Complimentary parking in underground garage, enter on Duquesne. Info: (310)253-5716 or www.culvercitymusic.org. Chairs provided but you could bring cushions.

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: There are dozens of restaurants in this neighborhood but the most fun is to come early, spread out a blanket or sit in your low chair and have a picnic. My favorite take-out is about a ten minute drive, another "sleeper", called X'OTIK, whose intriguing cuisine is downright addictive. Try the lemon grass shrimp with Indonesian rice, $13.95. Same price for grilled Nebraska skirt steak or fresh fish in a slightly sweet coconut-cilantro sauce. Ribs, chicken, salads, sandwiches and home made desserts. You'll love it all, guaranteed!

X'otik, 6121 Washington Blvd.. Culver City. {phone orders)310)280-3961

The Voice of the Prairie by John Olive
This is a slice of Americana, a backward glance at the birth of radio, both of which have historical value. Personally, I could live without television but I could never enjoy life without my radio. That said, I wish I would have liked this play better. The dozens of scenes shift back and forth in time, some too quickly, others at snail's pace. Three accomplished actors play multiple parts. Tom Dugan, the "Voice' of the title, possesses the prefect instrument for the role, a deep sonorous voice, a prerequisite of radio work then as now. As Poppy, his father, he sports an authentic Irish brogue. As the love interest, Frankie the Blind Girl, Ashley Bell masters the moves and intricacies of a sightless person beautifully. She is also cast as Miss Emily, the Dear Abby of her day and she squeaks and giggles her way through the character of Susie in a decibel I found hard to digest. Marshall Matthys is Leon Schwab, the entrepreneur who launches the career of story teller David Quinn (Dugan), whose homespun tales enthralled radio audiences across the country, from his humble beginnings to major network star. Matthys doubles as young Davy as well as an asthmatic minister who also courts Frances, the real name of the Blind Girl, a young woman who captures the imagination of listeners with her mysterious persona. David Potts designed the all-purpose set, Cricket S. Myers the sound and Terri Lewis the appropriate costumes. Director David Rose, a regular at the Colony, has been responsible for some marvelous shows, Billy Bishop Goes To War, The Nerd and Fuddy Meers among others, all more enjoyable than this production.

The Colony Theatre, 555 N. Third Street at Cypress, Burbank. Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m.. (Additional performances Saturday 7/2 at 3 p.m., Thursday 7/17 at 2 p.m., , 6/28 and 7/12 at 3 p.m., 7/17 and 7/24 at 8 p.m.) Dark July 4, 5, and 6. $37 -$42, student and senior discounts available. Free parking in building garage. (818)558-7000 ext. 15 or www.colonytheatre.org. -7/27

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Among the plethora of dining possibilities along San Fernando Boulevard, please zero in on GRANVILLE. They call themselves a Casual Gourmet Cafe to which I would add, with really tasty food and decent prices. The place is gigantic but so well designed, it doesn't look barn-y, with whimsical lamp shades, glassed in exhibition kitchen and an artistically lit mural on the back wall. Starters include cheese quesadilla $8/95, home made hummus $6.95, lobster lettuce cups, salad, soups pasta, pizza and gourmet burgers. In the mood for something light, we perused the Big Plate entree list, debated between ahi tuna $19.95 and roast chicken $16.95 but settled n the Taco Trio,a sun innovation, three little soft tacos piled with sliced rib eye and barbecue sauce, yummy chicken bits and the favorite, lobster bites topped with crisp slaw, only $9.95 for a real winner. They also know how to prepare fresh fish, Rainbow trout, pan seared, not a bone in sight, sprinkled with pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and sitting atop mixed, grilled veggies, $16.95. Steaks, New York and filet mignon go for $24.95 and $27.95, respectively. This establishment runs as smooth as though lubricated with virgin olive oil, has a huge staff, all cheerful and efficient, a suitable wine list and good vibes all around. They've just opened another branch at the new Glendale Americana. Wish they'd come to MY neighborhood.

Granvile, 121 N. San Fernando Boulevard, Burbank. Full bar,(818) 848-GRAN

Shel Silverstein Uncensored! by Shel Silverstein
The late Shel Silverstein (1930 - 1999), is known for his many talents, among them as a folk-style composer (The Irish Rovers' Unicorn Song, Johnny Cash's A Boy named Sue), playwright, cartoonist for Playboy Magazine, composer of film scores and author of children's books. His forte has always been humor - irreverent, slightly risque but never downright vulgar. And that's what you get here. The songs performed by the actors on stage on various instruments, are all original and mostly funny and the short skits have bite, ferocious enough to warrant a tetanus shot. Among my favorites is one about a bind musician (James MacDonald) and his talking dog (Daniel Zacapa), who is so believable a a pooch, you half expect him to wag his tail. Another unforgettable bit takes place in a laudromat with Tony Pasqualini as an owner who would never mAke Angie's List for great service. Keep an eye out for the comic skills of the hilarious Coleen Kane, especially as a ten year old birthday girl whose daddy has a few surprise gifts up his sadistic sleeve. The entire, versatile case is terrific. Sarah Brooks as a compulsive recycler-klepto, Martha Gehman, demonstrating her many talents as she is being auctioned off, in short - expect the unexpected, the quirky and the satirical coming from the fertile brain of a true renaissance man. The expert direction is by Dan Bonell, the smart black and white set by Charles Erven. There's no intermission but you won't even notice that eighty minutes have elapsed.

Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Boulevard, West Los Angeles. Wednesday - Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. Dark 7/4. Wednesday performances on 7/2 and 7/9 only. No matinee on 7/6 And 7/9. Students and seniors $5 off except Saturday nights. (310) 477-2055 or www.odysseytheatre.com - 8/10

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Ten minutes away is LA BOTTEGA MARINO, the little conjoined sister of Il Grano, one of the Westside's poshest dining rooms. We are right next door, in a cute, little Italian deli-restaurant, just the thing for a pre-theatre repast. Pasta and pizza naturally but check out the antipasto trays in the glass case. At the same time you might want to cast an eye in the direction of the adjoining display of spectacular desserts, $4.95. This visit occurred during one of L.A,'s infamous heat waves and nothing fills the bill like a selection f chilled, marinated carrots, stringbeans, rapini and spinach or mushrooms. There are several varieties of eggplant, a seafood salad of calamari and little rock shrimp, artichokes vinaigrette and more. Choice f five $9.75, four only, if you pick the seafood salad. Should you crave sterner stuff, all entrees and the daily special are around $14 to $17, a delightful anachronism these days. A true original is their spezzatino Genovese, a sort of cousin to Hungarian pork goulash. It comes with sauteed vegetable for $12.75. Unbeatable! La Bottega employs my favorite waiter, Gregory, a real professional. He is a graduate of a Belgian Hotel School, speaks several languages and also handles their catering department. Say hello!

La Bottega Marino, 11363 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Los Angeles Beer and wine. Street parking. (310) 477-7777.

Where's My Money by John Patrick Shanley
Here we are, at a time of year when people are either attending a wedding, planning one or celebrating an anniversary and the sound of music heard tends to be Here Comes the Bride... Enter this play with its harsh, or shall we say, disastrous take on the whole wedded bliss myth. Renowned playwright Shanley, who won an Oscar for his tender screenplay of Moonstruck and a Pulitzer for his provocative play Doubt, must have been in a romantic funk when he penned this one.

It opens comically enough, when two former co-workers, the kinky Celeste (Kindall Kolins) and the pragmatic Natalie (Jaimyse Haft), in a chance meeting, dish about their current love lives. But things darken considerably from then on. Natalie, unhappily married to Henry (Dayton Knoll), is haunted by the ghost of a former boyfriend to whom she owes $2,700.00 and who makes regular, threatening appearances, demanding "where's my money?" There's a misogynistic lawyer, Sydney (Corbin Timbrook) in a marriage from hell to shrewish Marcia Marie (Lisa London) with whom he engages in matrimonial warfare without end. In spite of some sharp dialogue, solid direction by Sal Landi and first rate performances by this newly formed company, I thought the story was hard to swallow. (120 minutes, no intermission).

Pan Andreas TheAtre, 5125 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles. Thursday - Saturday 8 p.m.. $15. (323)960-1052 or www.plays411.com.mymoney. Valet parking available. -6/14

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: The theatre is hidden just behind a new Colombian restaurant , La Fonda Antioqueña, (will try next time) but a fine dining experience awaits you at LARCHMONT GRILL, less than ten minutes west of the theatre. Formerly called The House, this charming, vintage two-story building reeks of hospitality - and the cooking smells good, too. The average entree price is $25, for example, perfectly seared scallops with sauteed spinach and mashed potatoes. They come with a creamy, sweet orange sauce. We asked for it on the side and I saved it to spoon up for dessert. For $24, there's seared ahi tuna, not quite as rare as I would have preferred but nicely crusted with peppercorns, perched upon baby bok choy, sliced shiitake mushrooms and sensational, wasabi-flavored mashers. It's topped with pickled ginger and seaweed salad, my current passion. Portions are ample and presentations artistic. Hot, fresh bread and complimentary caper pesto keep you culinary company while checking out the wine list. By the glass from $9, including a fruity Viognier from Santa Ynez. Service is exceptional and this elegant spot is exactly what that area needs.

Larchmont Grill, 5750 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles. (323)464-4277. Full bar. Valet parking $5.50

The Hiding Place by Jeff Whitty *
This play takes a candid and somewhat cynical look At the self-absorbed, artsy set in the Big Apple, who feed off each other for inspiration. It was written by the man who won the 2004 Tony Award for the book of the hit play Avenue Q. There's an opening monologue by Karl (the excellent Brian Schnipper) but we are unsure of exactly what he is narrating, leading to a convoluted first act, which eventually includes a play within a play. Sparks fly between a successful, married author, Leon (Jan Munroe) and a young waitress, Myra (on my night very well portrayed by the understudy, Kasey Wilson), who is also an aspiring writer. It results in a one-night-stand but develops into an epistolary romance that flourishes for a number of years. I found it very difficult to follow the scenario until the second act, when all is finally illuminated and reaches a satisfying conclusion. Perhaps it takes someone a lot smarter than I am to separate the various personages "on stage" and in reality, right from the outset. Are you up to the challenge?

Attic Theatre, 5429 Washington Boulevard, Los Angeles. Friday and SAturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $20. (323)525-0600 ext 2. Street parking. - 6/14

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: This area is a gastronomic desert, so turn south on Washington, off Freeway 10 and head towards Culver City and the first restaurant, on your right, will be BRUNELLO TRATTORIA. This friendly place is not yet afflicted with the über-hipness of the newer Culver City hot spots. Papa hosts, mama cooks. The food is homey and straight forward, the plates look as though they came out of your own kitchen, no speared herbs, dots or squiggles in sight. Tilapia, in simple lemon-butter and white wine is delectable and sits next to cubed, oven roasted potatoes and fresh spinach which is co-mingled with chopped garlic, $18.50. There are a few chicken entrees, an ossobuco and lots of pasta and pizza choices. You'll love the fresh bun made of pizza dough. Wine by the glass from $6. An altogether pleasant experience, food, price and service-wise.

Brunello Trattoria, 6001 Washington Boulevard, Culver City., one block west of La Cienega. (310)280-3856. Beer and wine. Street parking.=

More of Ingrid

Danielle Van Beest, Girard Marzilli and Gina Yates explore the nature of image and reality in Dupe.

LAGUNA BEACH BECKONS; You know it's summertime when the PAGEANT OF THE MASTERS unveils another season. These "living pictures" posed by local volunteers, artfully costumed, positioned and lit, to create life-like masterpieces, have been astounding audiences for over seventy-five years. Added special effects, live orchestra, vocals and a little dancing, keep[ the show fresh and entertaining. This year's theme "The Muses", explores the nature of artistic inspiration, the root of every masterpiece's creation. Tickets include admission to the Festival of Arts, beginning July 5th, an exhibition of paintings, sculptures, jewelry and more, selected from among Laguna Beach's talented artist colony.

Pageant of the Maters, Irvine Bowl, 650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, Nightly, beginning July 8th, at 8:30 p.m. $20 - $90. (The annual Gala Benefit party will be held on August 29th. For info, call number below). Nights can be quite cool, so dress accordingly. Binoculars, blankets and cushions are for rent on the premises but better still, B.Y.O. (800)487-3378 or pageanttickets.com. -8/31

Pre-performance Dining: For those who value convenience, Tivoli Terrace Restaurant is on the premises. (949)494-9650). Other possibilities within walking distance: 230 Forest - the name is the address, a happening place, always filled to the brim, serving contemporary California food. Pricey. (949)494-2545. Salerno, a little mama-papa Italian place favored by the locals has good food but prices have inflated like yeast dough. Then again, nothing's cheap in Laguna.

Pay Attention: ADHD in Hollywood: On the Rocks with a Twist, written & performed by Frank South
If you want to see a man baring his soul in public, this is your cup of sodium pentathol. Initially stung by the embarrassing failure of his high school talent show debut and afflicted with a severe case of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder all his life, South attempts to hide his anger and fury in a symbolic box he buries in his back yard. But it doesn't stay buried long enough and his life has had more ups and downs than the rides at Magic Mountain. He's had enormous success, both artistic and financial, as a playwright as well as for such acclaimed T V shows, Melrose Place, General Hospital, Hill Street Blues and others. But he blew it all with alcoholism, hypomania and the accursed ADHD. When something's important, he doesn't pay attention, he repeatedly confesses.

Now clean and sober, happily married and on medication that works for him, he's made a new life for himself and his family away from Hollywood, in the tranquil climes of Hawaii. The play seems like a work in perpetual progress, sorely needs trimming, as Director Mark Travis should know, having developed and directed many great One Man Shows, including Time Flies When You're Alive and A Bronx Tale, none of which ran this long, to the best of my recollection. This is a frenetic, two-hour, intermission-less rant, sporadically funny but eventually exhausting to watch.

Santa Monica Playhouse, The Other Space, 1211 - 4th Street, Santa Monica. Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 6 p.m. $25 (323) 960-7738 or www.plays411.com/PayAttention = 6/7

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: If you got any closer than T'S THAI Restaurant, you'd be on stage at the Playhouse. Look for the awning festooned with multi-color globe lanterns, just at the entrance to the alley leading to the theatre. What's not to like about Thai food? It's light, healthy, freshly prepared to order, boasts infinite varieties and doesn't cost a left lung. Start by sharing a salad. If you like it spicy, get the Yum Woon Sen $7, a medley of glass noodles in a fiery lime dressing, shredded re cabbage, lettuce, cilantro, red onions, chicken and shrimp. On the mild side, there's Thai salad with hard cooked egg and cucumbers in peanut dressing $7.95. Prig King can be had with beef, pork, chicken or tofu, has a ginger and curry scented sauce and crisp Chinese long beans $7.95. I have an on-going love affair with glass noodles and like their version (#65), with choice of meat or shrimp ($2 extra), intermingled with beansprouts, carrots, scallions etc., same price. Most entrees are $7.95 (Mongolian beef, ginger-mushroom stir-fry) or $8.95 for asparagus in oyster sauce which I like with beef but you have choices, Thai barbecued chicken and many other goodies, all very tasty. They have friendly waiters and a fine chef. No alcohol but you can BYOB. T's Thai supplies pretty, gold rimmed wine glasses and charges no corkage. An ideal one stop parking, dining and show situation. There's public parking across the street.

T's Thai, 1215 - 4th Street, Santa Monica, Open 7 days. (310)395-4196.

Is He Dead? by Mark Twain, adapted by David Ives
Who knew that Mark Twain, America's favorite tory teller, was also a frustrated playwright? This wild and crazy work written in 1898, failed to find a producer. Thanks to Stanford University professor Shelley Fisher Fishkin, who discovered it in the archives of UC Berkeley's Bancroft Library and David Ives, who streamlined the original manuscript, Mr. Twain's wit as a Victorian farceur, is alive and well.

The story has a familiar ring. An impoverished painter, Jean-François Millet (Perry Ojeda), is heavily in debt but rich in resourceful friends and students, Dutchy (Chip Bent), O'Shaughnessy (Blake Silver) and Chicago (Brian Stanton). They collaborate on a scheme that will make Millet's work more valuable. You guessed it - a dead artist's paintings sell for a lot more money. Millet fakes his death but comes to life as his twin sister Daisy, rouged, corseted, bewigged and stuffed out to make Dolly Parton look like a flat-chested boy, "She" deals with suitors and creditors, everybody hams it up shamelessly and proves that money is the root of all laughter.

The cast is uniformly fine. Handsome Ojeda looks great, even in drag. Suzanne Petrela as his confused sweetheart is charming. Jerry Hoffman is droll as her papa, Steve Marvel as the heavy milks every line and the slinky Joe Fria, in multiple roles and accents brings down the house. The tongue-in-cheek direction is by Shashin Desai. Stephen Gifford is responsible for the excellent set design. If you need extra laughs, stick around for the set change at intermission.

International City Theatre, Center Theatre, Long Beach Center for the Performing Arts, 300 E, Ocean Avenue, Long Beach. Thursday - Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m,. $32 - $42. (562) 436-4610 or www.ictlongbeach.org. - 5/24

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: A ten minute walk from the theatre will take you to CAFE SEVILLA, a cheerful Spanish bodega with great atmosphere and Spanish mood music on tapes. They serve regular entrees, four different paellas, Catalan chicken, pasta Mallorca etc., but their tapas are what makes me return again and again. Having indulged in a bit of a splurge lately (see La Cachette, Roy's, Gulfstream etc.), it was time to go for "the deal": four tapas for $25, which is economy class only in price, not in quality. It arrives on a long, boat shaped dish and looks spectacular. There was calamari, just lightly breaded, with two dips, aioli and a glorified salsa, home made in the style of a caponata with tomatoes, onions and bell peppers. Four giant shrimp in Spanish paprika broth (shrimp ajillo) plus a heap of cubed potatoes brava and two wonderful skewers of chicken, courageously garlicked, Good thing you're sharing. We thought we might have to order additional tapas like their fabulous ceviche, black paella or lamb chops madrileñas but believe me, that combo is more than enough for two. Wine by the glass from $6.50 but if you arrive before 6:30 p.m., the Happy Hour sangria is only $4. Note to the matinee crowd: They serve the best Sunday brunch buffet in the County, superb selections with Mimosas, sangria or lager beer $18.95 per person.

Cafe Sevilla, 140 Pine Avenue, Long Beach, full bar. Inquire about validated parking when making your reservations (562) 495-1111

FRANCISCO BALLET, PROGRAM 8

The San Francisco Ballet unveiled three new ballets last week, their Program Number 8, the last of the Spring season, with the orchestra under the baton of David Briskin. Under the aegis of Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson, at one time the Nordic star of the New York City Ballet, the Company has developed not only a fabulous stable of dancers but it continues to draw talented choreographers and designers from a seemingly world wide pool of recognized and much awarded artists. The San Francisco Ballet's most precious attribute is its growth, including the loyal support of its citizens.

In the opening number, FUSION by the acclaimed Choreographer-in-Residence Yuri Possokhov, this work shows a freshness inherent to this, only recently retired principal dancer, who trained at the Moscow Ballet School. Against a backdrop of a row of suspended rectangular screens, designed by Benjamin Pierce and effectively lit by James F. Ingalls, four dancers begin, in Bedouin-like outfits (Sandra Woodall, costume designer), as they whirl their billowing skirts to quasi oriental music by Rahul Dev Burman. The exotic overtones soon give way to a jazzy score by Graham Fitkin and nine more dancers, as the choreography morphs into Fosse-style hip shifting, followed by examples of pure classical ballet and back again. A true fusion of styles that works beautifully. The Company fielded its first string line-up, with the exquisite Cuban born Lorena Feijoo, whose regal stage presence and remarkable technique draws the audience's eyes like a magnet. She was ably partnered by the dynamic, athletic Hansuke Yamamoto. Another standout was Damian Smith, a tall Aussie, who, with his impressive height, moves with the grace of an eagle in flight.

The premiere of RUSSIAN SEASONS, choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky, did not fare as well, in my book. In this ensemble piece, the dancers looked fine in their primary colors, the outfits designed by Galina Solovyeva but Leonid Desyatnikov's score, with its bird calls and distracting vocals, bravely sung by Susana Poretsky, sounded irritatingly strange and the choreography only briefly touched upohn Russian themes. Heaven knows, nobody expected kazatskis but the title leads one to believe there will be more ethnic influences throughout these "seasons". It did give the men of the Company, notably the muscular Frenchman Pierre-Francois Vilanoba, a chance to show some spectacular leaps and strike amusing poses. But even the ethereal Lorena, sublime from the tip of her ardched instep to her lovely hands, reminiscent of butterfly wings, could not elevate this overly long opus from mere mediocrity.

Saving the best for last, as most ballet companies are wont to do, the third program on the bill, DOUBLE EVIL, was the proverbial show-stopper. This is what we used to call a "tutu ballet", the girls in traditional inverted umbrella skirts, the boys in body suits. A visual rhapsody in blue (and white), Holly Hynes, costume designer. The accomplished cast, consisting of Elena Altman, Pauli Magierek, Sarah van Patten, Vanessa Zahorian, Daniel Deivison, Pascal Molat, Garen Scribner and Pierre-Francois Vilanoba, danced to the melodious music of Phillip Glass' "Concerto Fantasy for two Timpanists and Orchestra, juxtaposed with Vladimir Martinov's lively "Come In". Perfectly choreographed by Finnish born Jorma Elo, the dancers paired up, gracefully partnering to the soft sounds, their lithe bodies melding into one, alternately breaking into up tempo rhythms, gyrating with abandon, in a merry melee. The house roared. If this is double evil - gimme more!

San Francisco Ballet, War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Avenue, San Franciisco. Program 8 has only two more performances, May 6 at 7:30 p.m and May 8 at 8 p.m. $25 - $250 (415) 865-2000

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: What could be more convenient than having dinner in house at the CAFE AT THE OPERA HOUSE. An attractive space located in the basement, with a mega size bar and walls adorned with vintage photographs of the stars of opera's Golden Age, mostly now singing their arias in that Great Big Opera House in the Sky. Down here on earth, Patina Catering offers an a la Carte menu or a lovely buffet which is always fun and gives you a chance for a little exercise before the long sit.

There are some salads, a Caesar, tossed greens, tomatoes and cucumbers, an antipasto salad with Mediterranean olives, mushrooms and garbanzos, as well as chilled asparagus stalks, assorted breads and butter. The hot selections on my nights featured a rib eye roast carved to order, a pretty, sliced chicken breast topped with caramelized onions, an excellent, fresh Alaskan rock fish with sautéed spinach, mashed potatoes, cauliflower and al dente, young carrots, all very tasty. Dessert is not included but there's fresh fruit and assorted cheeses to close the stomach. Lay off the cheese until after dinner - it really does "close the stomach". $34.95 per person, plus tax and tip. Coffee is extra. Wines from $9 per glass. Full bar. Doors open two hours before curtain time, accessible via the North Carriage Entrance. Reservations essential (415) 861-8150.

Summer Alert: Don't miss the FORD AMPHITHEATERS' multi-faceted program of performances in this intimate, outdoor facility, across the way from the Hollywood Bowl. It officially begins June 1st, with a free J.A.M. Session, Zydeko Inzanity at 7 p.m. (reservations required), followed on June 6th, with the City Ballet of Los Angeles at 8:30 p.m. Other attractions include Viva Brazil, Los Angeles Jewish Symphony, Angel City Jazz Festival and many other diverse entertainments. Call for free brochure that contains all the information you could possibly need. Tickets from $39 with reduced prices for early callers and/or three or more events. (323) 461-3673 or wwwfordtheatre.org
Delicious boxed picnics are available by calling (310) 652-3797 24 hours in advance. - 10/10

Ford Amphitheater, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd.. East, Hollywood. Stacked parking $5 on site or free at Metro Universal City Station with shuttle service.

The Food Chain by Nicky Sivler
This is a light weight comedy in three acts which appear unrelated. But, not to worry, it all comes together in the end. It opens as a nervous, chain-smoking, young woman Amanada (Meg Wallace) , phones a hot line operator Bea (Barbara Keegan), (who has troubles of her own), because her husband Ford (the taciturn Mark Stuven), has deserted her and disappeared. In Act II, we meet Serge (Dustyn Gulledge), a gay model, who is trying to break up with his former lover Otto (Raymond Parker) , a grossly obese, verbose neurotic with sado-masochistic tendencies. If these characters had to shlep their problems (mostly blamed on mother) , behind them, they'd have to rent Dodger Stadium to squeeze in. Wallace plays a published poet but looks more like a waitress. However, she has excellent command of her lines, especially a lengthy monologue detailing her pent up pain and agony. Keegan is amusing as a dispenser of sage advice. Gulledge, a well built fellow with a bad wig, is soooo bored with both men and women hitting on him and struts his stuff flamboyantly all over the tiny stage. Parker, another fine figure of a man judging by his 8 by 10 glossy in the lobby, is grotesquely stuffed out to ungainly proportions, waddles, sweats, nibbles snacks, spews self hate or dishes out insults, with the speed of light and never falters. A remarkable performance. Most of these crazies feel unloved by absolutely everyone, but the audience can't help liking them just the way they are. Direction is by Steve Jarrard. Playwright Nicky Silver has received. Drama Desk nominations for his plays Pterodactyis and Raised in Captivity. He also wrote the book for the Broadway revival of The Boys from Syracuse.

The Raven Playhouse, 5233 Lankershim Blvd., North Holywood (between Magnolia and Weddington. Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 7 p.m. $20 (323) 860-6569. Tight street parking

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Because the Austro-Hungarian food at MAXIMILIAN'S is so tasty and it's around the corner, almost within walking distance from the Raven Playhouse we hit that spot once again. Chef Laszlo always send out a complimentary nosh, sliced sausage, cherry tomatoes and a little mound of Liptauer cheese spread, great with the fresh, crusty bread. If Maximilian, the Emperor of Mexico, had been able to request one, last meal before his exucution, he surely would have gone back to his roots and picked something from this menu. Be it one of the superb Schnitzel, Wiener (veal) or Maximilian style (pork), $19.95 and $17.95, respectively, the light veal gulash or the stick to the ribs Transylvania pork and sauerkraut version or the crip skinned duck (all between $16.95 and $19.95) - it's all authentic European Cookery, not easily found, these days. If you've never had Tyrolea style calf's liver and cholesterol is not part of your vocabulary this preparation, sliced and sauteed with bell peppers, tomatoes and onions and a vegetable risotto, is well worth a little sinning. And, while we're throwing caution to the wind, Viennese pastries (the Hungarians use similar recipes),are better than a souvenir - you carry them on the hips forever. But, who can resist a chestnut cake or the sieved chestnut puree and whipped cream combo, Dobos torte or strudel, $7 to $8 each. Sharing is caring and less fattening. The restaurant looks like a charming, little home, with Old World elegance and European servers. Fine wines, from $7 per glass. MAximilian's 11330 Weddington, North Hollywood. Beer and wine. Outdoor patio. Parking lot plus ample street parking. Closed Monday. (818) 760-1300.

Mammals by Amelia Bullmore
Once we endure the opening scene of two unruly brats screaming at the top of their lungs, we come to realize that the marriage between their parents Jane (Mina Badle) and Kev (James Donovan), is held together by a band-aid. He's a traveling man who wishes he could devote more time to his family - or, maybe not. She's a bored, stay-at-home mom, for whom motherhood appears to be a source of constant irritation. And no wonder. Their little girls Betty (Abigail Revasch) and Jess (Phoebe James), superbly played by adults, are excruciatingly annoying. Under the fine direction of John Pleshette, their mannerisms are dead-on. They sulk, they whine, throw tantrums, all too familiar behavior of spoiled kids (not yours,other people's, of course)

Into this domestic non-bliss, come two house guests, Phil (David Corbett), a carefree bachelor and Lorna, the statuesque Stephanie Ittleson, a bit of a vamp who throws her mane like a lion queen. They have a casual relationship and are fun to watch. The suitable set is by Tiffany Williams, costume design by Esther Rydell. Performances are all of the highest caliber and make Mammals, set in the U.K., worth seeing. The accents tend to fluctuate between middle-class English and some Cockney inflections. Some roles are double cast but with no program enlightenment or announcements. I was fortunate to sit beside someone who went to high school with one of the leads and who gave me the inside scoop. What I think this play needs, is a stronger ending. We do care about this couple and need to know, will parenthood ultimately prove to be the glue to permanently bind this union?

The Lost Theatre, 130 S. La Brea, between 1st and 2nd Streets Los Angeles. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 4 p.m. $25. (800) 595-4849 or www.tix.com. - 3/8

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Across the street, just a block north, you'll find AMALFI, a free form space resembling a rambling hacienda. It's divided into three areas, a bar, a hospitable section with fireplace and a high, slatted wood ceiling and a back room with amber globes and a center plant divider. But no matter where you sit, service is attentive and the menu typically LA-Italian. Pizza, of course, $11 - $14, small plates like beef carpaccio or Caprese salad $11 each, crab cake $13, ahi tuna tartare $14. Pasta selections from $13 for penne with eggplant, include one unfamiliar to me, strozzapreti, $15, Couldn't even find it in my Italian food dictionary. It's (home made) curly pasta. Mains start at $18 for chicken parmigiana, to $28 for Australian lamb rack. We sailed down the middle with a pork T-bone $26, an inch thick, in a puddle of slightly sweet Port wine sauce, with delightful, grilled baby Brussels sprouts and mashers. The Muscovy duck $26, sliced breast, rich as foie gras at half the price plus a meaty leg, pan roasted with pearl onions, topped with an enoki mushroom spring. Mashed potatoes, too. Portions are large, so don't eat too much of their excellent toasted French bread.I would also suggest that you order the duck's orange-ginger sauce on the side. Wine from $8 per glass. This restaurant is within easy walking distance and the beauty part is that you can conveniently valet park for $5 and retrieve your car apres-theatre.

Amalfi, 143 N. La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles. Full bar. (3230 938-2504.

Candida by George Bernard Shaw
Whenever a sentence begins with "In the words of George Bernard Shaw...", it invariably includes witty, clever and quotable. His facility with language and social situations are present in this work but it does not have the satire of, say, Arms and the Man, the political relevance of Man and Superman nor the bite of Pygmalion. It's a tale of a Victorian marriage, written in 1898.

The beauteous, swan-like Candida (Willow Geer), is the wife of Reverend Parson (Mark Deakins), a successful, well-respected clergyman. Their relationship is comfortably solid if somewhat prosaic, when the passionate, young poet, Eugene (Johnathan McClain) falls madly in love with her. He begins to woo her ardently and attempts to sweep her off her feet, determined to make her his own. What woman would not relish so much attention? As the desirable Candida, Geer is full of feminine wiles and gets to wear gorgeous period gowns (by Sherry Linnell). Deakins is a handsome, dutiful husband but absorbed in his work. McClain, the boyish lover, all arms and legs, charmingly awkward in his rumpled clothes, is the picture of a besotted boy in the throes of adolescent love. Wonderful actors all, with perfect Shavian diction and gestures. Noteworthy performances are also delivered by Matthew Henerson as Candida's blustery father, Gabriel Diani as the comical, gangly Lexy, a colleague of the Reverend's and Kate Hollingshead as Prossy, the spinsterish, squeaky-voiced secretary whose granny glasses and old-fashioned do can't hide her good looks. She's busy, busy, busy typing and taking shorthand and how quaint is that? Production values, as always in this jewel box of a theatre, are first rate, with an impressive set designed by Michael C. Smith and able direction by Kathleen F. Conlin.

The Colony Theatre, 555 N. Third Street at Cypress, Burbank. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 and 7 p.m.. Additional performances 2/14 and 2/21 at 3 p.m., as well as 2/26 and 3/5 at 8 p.m. $37 - $42, senior and student discount available. Free parking in Burbank Town Center garage. (818) 558-7000 ext. 15 or www.colonytheatre.org. -3/5

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: New on the scene is THIRD AND OLIVE, a restaurant less than five minutes sway. You'll be knocked out by the European elegance of the place. Walls are softly draped with thick, aubergine colored fabric, music floats at a decibel conducive to conversation, lighting is romantic, service exceptional and prices are reasonable. Starters from $6 for soup to $11 for pan roasted shrimp. Pasta and risotto dishes top out at $16.50. Entrees from $16,25 for roast chicken to $29.95 for filet mignon, everything else is under $20. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, four course dinners are offered for $26. Wine by the glass is $9 and if you B.Y.O.B, corkage fee for your first bottle is also $9. Their bouillabaisse is the hottest deal in town. The broth speaks French fluently, with a splash of vermouth, a dash of spice, fresh fennel strips, grape tomatoes and red-skinned potato wedges, in the good company of shrimp, scallops, mussels and clams, a still firm piece of seabass and topped with a slice of garlic toast for $17.50. Choucroute garni Alsacienne is just the dish for chilly weather and a must-have here. Since the chef's name is Stanko Mihajlov, the sauerkraut has that magic Slavic touch, the sour perfectly tamed and seasoned,chockfull of lean pork and ham strips, sprinkled with fresh, snipped chives. (We asked them to hold the apples), $16.50. There's live music every Friday and Saturday.

Third and Olive, 250 E. Olive Avenue, Burbank. Full bar. Parking in adjoining garage. Closed Sunday. (818) 845-3900.

Pick of the Vine
Every year, this valiant little Company presents an evening of original one acts, as diverse as they are delectable, gleaned from submissions by playwrights from all over the country, This year's crop is mostly premium vintage, to be savored to the last drop, with only a couple of sour grapes.

It opens rather lamely with "The Third Best Debater at Armistead High Loses his Match" by Matt Hanf, with Kemp Lee, Kimberly Turner and Sam Carter in a love triangle. It is followed by "Untitled Number Two" by Jim Gordon, which has two opinionated art lovers colliding over their evaluation of a painting. My undisputed favorite. Bravo Rodney Rincon and Rachel Levy!

"Here to Server You" by Barbara Lindsay is an on the mark portrayal of our current paranoia over airport security, with Brad Cayer, Kemp Lee and Rideaux Baldwin.

"Buried at Sea" by Joe Musso takes us for a ride on the Staten Island ferry with two old codgers, Andy Kallok and Rodney Rincon, contemplating encroaching on the job of the Neptune Society.

"Yog Sothoth" by Lia Romero is about a young couple, Sam Carter and Corina Bower, moving into a gated community, with the versatile Rachel Levy representing the Home Owners' Association. It's a bizarre situation that has shock value but lacks the humor to carry it off.

Act II starts out with "Happy Birthday, Leonard" by Walter Thinnes, a delightful bit, perfectly rendered by lovable Mary-Margaret Lewis as a wife who aims to brighten her husband's birthday with a ray of Sunshine (Corina Bowler).

"All in the Demographics" by Jay Rehak, a spoof, is a good example of why we are all sick and tired of political campaigns, with Kemp Lee, Corina Bowler and Sam Carter as the candidate.

"Crazy Eddy" by Bob Canning, features Rideaux Baldwin in a terrific performance as a bagman giving life lessons to a young executive (Brad Cayer),in the evening's most poignant vignette.

Finally, "The Crucifixion of Moe and Ira" by Lynn-Steven Johanson, an irreverently hilarious playlet set in biblical times, is rife with gallows humor and has reprise appearances by the two fine veteran actors of Buried at Sea, Andy Kallok and Rodney Rincon, passing the time by cracking risque political jokes while tacked up on The Mount. Direction and performances are praiseworthy and the sets by Gary Paskiak and costumes credited to Jill Black demonstrate the resourcefulness of this talented troupe. They're in their seventh year of "Pick of theVine", so Cheers! Prosit! and L'Chaim!

Little Fish Theatre, 777 Centre Street, San Pedro. Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., additional performances Sunday 2/8 and Thursday 2/12 at 8 p.m. $25, seniors and students $22. Dinner/theatre packages available for the nearby Whale 'n Ale and The Copper Room. Parking lot and entrance in rear. Enter via the alleyway. (310)512-6030.

Pre-Theatre Dining Suggestion: A five minute drive from the theatre is THE COPPER ROOM, with a popular bar and a prize-winning mixologist. In the adjoining, softly amber-lit dining area, booths encircle the room and a large metal sculpture adorns the wall. Most importantly of all,their chef know his way around authentic Spanish tapas. Main dishes are offered (a la carte or in conjunction with the theatre package) but I find grazing on these appetizers pre-theatre, so much more fun. Four tapas are ample for two, plus there's that complimentary, homemade hummus dip with pita triangles,that's not to be ignored. Seared ahi tuna with a center mound of mashed potatoes spiked with wasabi, will clear the sinuses for $10. The quesadilla du jour comes in two versions. I recommend the shrimp and spinach, garnished with salsa and avocado slices,same price. Three skewers of chicken satay in a wonderful, unsweetened peanut sauce is $8 All are excellent. I found the ground meat-stuffed mushroom caps a little top heavy on the fresh herbs but that may just suit you, $8. Beer and cocktails galore and they do have wine but you have to sip it from a water glass,my solitary gripe. Service is always friendly.

The Copper Room, 569 W. 9th Street, San Pedro, Full bar, open from 4 p.m., dinner served from 5 p.m. Parking in rear. (310)832-6200.

The Manor by Kathrine Bates is baaack! Theatre 40's successful production of family conflict among the very wealthy, is set at Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills, the actual site where these dramatic events took place. Wear comfy shoes and warm clothing, as you will be following the goings on from room to room with a recess in the courtyard.

Greystone Mansion, 905 Loma Vista Drive, off Doheny Road,Beverly Hills. Performances are January 24, 25 and 31; February 1, 8, 15 and 28; March 1, 8 and 14. All shows begin at 1 p.m. Parking is free. Admission $45. (310) 694-6118.

The Busy World is Hushed by Keith Bunin
This is a serious think-piece and a chance to see the excellent Judy Jean Berns, whose stunning performance in Kimberly Akimbo at the Victory Theater in Burbank last year, will be well remembered by local theatre goers. It begins as Hannah (Berns), a white haired, Episcopal minister, interviews a young, gay man Brandt (Josh Mann), for a position as her writing assistant. Her project, to interpret the ancient Gospel according to St. Thomas, has filled her with an all-consuming passion. She's a bit intimidating in her collar and stern manner but we soon learn that she is, in essence, a lonely widow and a mother deeply worried about her prodigal son Thomas (Robert Hardin). He's a bit of a renegade, a hopeless drifter who regards his mother's pre-occupation with religion as a subliminal escape from her personal anxieties. As the rough and tumble son, Hardin stays primarily with a singular facial expression, the only emotional variance being the raising and lowering of his voice. As Brandt, Mann is earnest and vulnerable, with his own cross to bear - a terminally ill father to whom he is bound by love and respect.

Not a bundle of laughs but the play, its title taken from a prayer, raises some thought-provoking questions about parental relationships, the pain of loss,homosexuality and, at great lengths, theological subjects. Direction is by Richard Kilroy who also designed the impressive, rich-looking set of a residential library in a faculty apartment provided by the Episcopal Church in New York City.

Meta Theatre, 7801 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, (entrance on Ogden). Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 7 p.m., $25, seniors and students $20, group rates available for six or more. Tight street parking. (323) 960-5770 or www.plays411.net/busy world. = 12/14

Pre-Theatre Dining Suggestion: Two blocks east, Chef Govind Armstrong's formerly quiet and três elegant Table 8, has been transformed into the 8 OZ BURGER BAR. It's now very casual and noisy but business is positively booming. Salads and sandwiches are available but everywhere you look, people are chomping on Armstrong's well stacked, glorified hamburgers made of hormone free and humanely raised meat, according to the menu. The popular 8-ouncer is $10. You'll love the Estancia grass-fed beef burger on toasted sesame bun, layered with roasted mushrooms, heirloom tomato slice, pickles and escarole leaves, $9. A winner and filling as a three course meal. The turkey burger could have been more moist (read slightly overcooked) but is well partnered with crisp bacon strips and mustard greens, seasoned with Dijonnaise and horseradish, $8. You can order intriguing side dishes like truffled potato skins that are crunchy as a fresh bread crust, very generous in portion and in salt content but they won't raise you blood pressure at this price, $4. The wine list is short and uncomplicated, by the glass $8, the carafe $16, all bottles $32. Desserts consist of cupcakes,shakes, sundaes or a N.Y. cheesecake. Service is pleasant.

8oz Burger Bar, 7661 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles. Full bar. Valet parking $5. (323)352-0008.=

Mary's Wedding by Stephen Massicotte
This sentimental story, directed with the utmost theatricality by David Rose, is about a romance between a Canadian farm boy and an upper class young lady, recently arrived from England. It begins on the eve of her wedding. What follows is what might have been or, perhaps was, as narrated by Mary about her dreams of love. The action floats between the Canadian prairie and the battlefields of Europe during World War I (1914 - 1920), on the same abstract set, artfully designed by David Potts. Lighting (Jeremy Pivnick) and sound (Cricket S. Myers) play a major part in bringing it to life. Brett Ryback is lovable as Charlie, the eager, patriotic soldier who sets out to give the Germans hell but what I admired most on my night, was the performance of Joanna Strapp, the understudy, as Mary. A radiant, graceful, young actress who steals not only Çharlie's heart but the audience's, as well. She doubles as Lt. Gordon M. (Flowers) Flowerdew, a historical figure who led the Canadian Cavalry in the Battle of Moreuil Wood. Strapp bravely squares her shoulders and lowers her voice but one can't help wondering, would it have stretched the budget too far to engage a third person for this show?

The intermission-less play sags in the middle like a second hand couch but is redeemed by the enormously moving ending, when we are in the palm of the wistful bride's hand.

The Colony Theatre, 555 N. Third Street at Cypress, Burbank. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 and 7 p.m. Additional performances on November 8 at 3 p.m., November 13 and 20 at 8 p.m. $37 - $422 (818)558-1754 or www.colonytheatre,org) Free pArking in the Burbank Town Center Mall garage, adjoining the theatre. - 11/23

Pre-Theatre Dining Suggestion: You could actually park and walk down to CHADAKA THAI, since the restaurant is half a block from the ground floor entrance to the Burbank Town Center. The decor is stunning, banquettes along the walls and some deuce tables in the center, all candle-lit, with an attractive bar area in the rear of the intimate room. They serve small plates of fine ?hai food which is great for theatre goers, as well as a good selection of entrees like lemongrass chicken, garic prawns, Siam pork chop $13 - $19, salads, noodle dishes and curries. The descriptions are poetic and presentations appealing. The beef waterfall $9, has char-broiled, tender cubes nestled in four nappa cabbage leaves with a centerpiece of shredded carrots. Larb, minced chicken or beef, sauteed with mint leaves, red shallots and chili, seasoned with fiery roasted jasmine, is bedded inside a red cabbage cup. It was so fabulous, we polished off all the garnishes including the cabbage leaf , $8. Both dishes come in a spicy dressing, so you can chew the greenery to douse the heat or order one of their rice or noodle dishes to munch along $8. Chicken or beef sates are mild, marinated in coconut milk and daubed with peanut sauce, accompanied by a necklace of spiraled, paper thin cucumber, same price. Service could stand some honing and polishing. For example, we ordered the straw noodles but were only informed of their unavailability half way through the first two dishes. The menu states that they have been named the best restaurant in Burbank by Citysearch.com. How about that? Wines by the glass from $9.

Chadaka Thai, 310 N. San Fernando Road, Burbank. Dinner nightly, weekday lunch. Hours: weekdays 11 am to 11 p.m., weekends, noon to 11 p.m.. (818) 848-8520.

Desperate Writers by Joshua Grenrock & Catherine Schreiber
A must see for everybody connected to The Industry, anyone who's ever written a script or is thinking about writing one. That includes about everyone in this town but the rest of us will definitely get some laughs out of this, a screwball comedy in every sense of the word. Provided you stay for the second act. The opening is a wild and crazy scene that, mercifully, turns out to be only a dream but is a nightmare to watch.

Our desperate writers are a couple, David (Chris Petschler) and his English live-in girlfriend Ashley (Kate Hollingshead), who have written a swell scripts but suffer nothing but rejection followed by humiliation, in their marketing efforts. Although madly in love, marriage and a family must wait until David, as he puts it, gets "all his ducks in a row", meaning first of all, getting the scripts read, then sold, produced and depositing big bucks in the bank. How they finally round up three big shot producers , Jessica (Catherine Schreiber), Burke (Joshua Grenrock) and Leo Goldberg (Peter Van Norden), and get their attention, is an absolute howl. The bickering Schreiber and Grenrock who are the actual authors of this play, are hilarious, Van Norden has his show biz yiddishisms down pat and Judy Nazemetz is the embodiment of the always pre-occupied Hollywood agent. Amanda Troop, Vincent Giovanni, Chris Stacey and Miki Yamashita are all fun to watch in their multiple roles but I can tell you that Petschler, as the frustrated writer, reading and enacting his precious scripts, complete with sound effects,is alone worth the price of admission. Kay Cole directs , scenery and lighting are by Francois-Pierre Couture.

Edgemar Center for the Arts. Main Stage. 2437 Main Street, Santa Monica. Friday and SAturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 and 7 p.m. $25. Parking garage in building $5 flat fee after 5 p.m., public parking meters across the street, enforced 24 hours a day at $1 per hour. (310) 397-7327 or wwwtix.com. - 11/23

Pre-Theatre Dining Suggestion: Having heard the buzz about the latest raw food craze and spotting EUPHORIA LOVES RAWVOLUTION just two blocks from the Edgemar, thought we'd give it a try. This turned out to be vegan heaven, vegetarian paradise and carnivore's purgatory. The place is very basic, a euphemism for downright primitive. (I scored the only chair with a back to it). Tables are bare, the menu limited, mostly sandwiches, salads and soups but, of course, everything is cold. Chilled cucumber-watercress soup, a thin but intense broth was very enjoyable. Spicy sesame soup, quite thick and substantial, full of crunchy veggie bits, was downright delicious. $6 each. We ordered the mushroom cheeseburger. I expected a grain-rich bun with a plump patty of, perhaps ground mushrooms and shredded cheese. What came out were three pieces of what, to my uninitiated palate tasted like flavored cardboard, interspersed with marinated mushroom slices and a little side of well dressed greens. $12.75. Not exactly the fine dining experience I had envisioned but, perhaps, it might do for a soup and salad snack before the show. On a warm day. Nice people, though. We forgot our wallets and credit cards - not a cent between us. They graciously accepted our word to make good the next day. Therefore, I didn't want to run up the bill with some of those really luscious looking pies, desserts and truffle balls on display by the cash register. Check it out.

Euphoria Loves Rawvolution, 2301 Main Street, Santa Monica (310)392-9501.

Push by Kristen Lazarian
In the opening scene, two attractive, successful married couples have a light-hearted dinner conversation at Charlotte's Restaurant in Los Angeles,which is owned by a sophisticated,mature woman of the same name
(Julie Sanford). Brooke (Julie Lancaster), who owns an art gallery and her husband Owen (Grinnell Morris), a TV personality; Eleanor (Tisha Terrasini-Banker) and her husband Adam (Richard Horvitsz), who is a lawyer.

In the course of the banter, if you listen carefully, you can feel the undercurrent between the former pair and we soon find out that the handsome Owen is jealous of the German painter Ansgar (Terrence Leclaire), whose career launch in America is occupying too much of his wife's time. When Ansgar arrives on the scene, disheveled and unshaven, in tattered jeans and a hoodie and having admired this French born actor's photograph in the lobby, one can only surmise that he's been sabotaged by the costume designer (Victoria Holly). Furthermore, he affects a goofy German accent that sounds about as romantic as a slice of Muenster cheese.

When Brooke accompanies her artist on a weekend exhibition in New York, the guys hang out at Charlotte's bar, where a young woman named Amy (Meredith Bishop) flirts with and flatters our vulnerable grass widower. It would be deadly sin to disclose more of the plot, other than to say that act two reprises some earlier scenes and explore what was unseen and unsaid before. The story about trust,fidelity, temptation and yeasty stuff like that, holds our unflagging attention with smart, contemporary dialogue,keen direction by Michael Connors and remarkable acting. Asthe wise Charlotte, Sanford is always in control of her woman of the world persona, The beauteous Lancaster is a constant pleasure to watch, Morris, as the suspicious husband never resorts to bathos. The witty Terrasini-Banker owns several of her scenes outright and Horvitz makew the perfect buddy. Bishop is thoroughly likable in a pivotal role. The set design by Jeff G. Rack facilitates the transition to various locales. I found this Los Angeles premiere play emotionally involving down to the final curtain and, I think, you will, too.

Reuben Cordova Theatre,Theatre 40 on the campus of Beverly Hills High School, 241 Moreno Drive, Beverly Hills. Monday - Saturday 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p,m. $20 - $22. Free indoor parking in building garage. (310)364-0535 or www.theatre40.org. _ 11/9

Pre-Theatre Dining Suggestion: Less than five minutes' drive is the posh Peninsula Hotel with its classy BELVEDERE RESTAURANT. Having regaled you with assorted bargain dinner suggestions in the last few weeks, it seemed about time for a little extravagance and this is where it's at. Ungrammatical but to the point. The room is gorgeous. Tables are discreetly spaced. There's a rosy glow to the lighting, which flatters complexions. Service is outstanding and definitely not snobbish. The food? Not flawless and expensive by anyone's standards. We split an appetizer (no extra charge), of exquisite and generous Dungeness crab with sliced artichokes in a vodka vinaigrette, $19 and well worth it. Entrees start at $30 (for tofu!) and rise to $49 for beef tenderloin. Monkfish, which is not unlike lobster, since this species consumes only shellfish, was delicious, with a sweet corn broth and overcooked Jerusalem artichokes, also known as sunchokes. It was to have a marinated tomato garnish but someone sliced ice cold, fresh tomatoes over the top which cooled the entire dish down to lukewarm, $36. The jidori chicken roulade looked pretty, sliced thinly over mixed beans but the sauce was much too salty, $35. Good portions and presentations on lovely china but at these prices one expects perfection. The do offer an amuse bouche and migniardises at the end, compliments of the house, which was just as well since nothing on the dessert menu seemed particularly tempting. Three cheers for the wonderful bread basket assortment which, I believe, came from La Brea Bakery, the city's best. There are fine wines, per glass from $11.

The Belvedere at Peninsula Hotel of Beverly Hills, 9882 Little Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. Full bar. Validated valet parking $8. (But there are generally vacant meters in the area early in the evening, free after 6p.m.).
(310) 788-2306

Asses and Elephants by Suzanne Bressler
What could be more timely than a play set on Election Night, at an impromptu bi-partisan bash? It's 2004, not 2008 but the stakes haven't changed, as Republicans and Democrats battle it out for the Presidency. Fun idea. The story is promising,too. Jake (Brian Kelly) is immediately smitten by the charms of Ruby (Kristen Pate), a hot Latina with a twenty inch waist, a D-cup and brains to boot. To get to know her better, he invites her to watch the returns at his, as of the moment, nonexistent party, He frantically rounds up a dirty dozen or so of assorted friends,friends of friends and acquaintances, as the necessary bodies. The plot hook is that he happens to be a liberal and she,it turns out, voted for Dubya. Love at first sight with political complications. Another good premise. Both performers, as the cool Ruby and the hyper Jake, are flawlessly into their well written parts. The same cannot be said of some of the attendees. They seen under-rehearsed, with a few flubs here and there, as they rattle off their lines as if in a speed-reading class. Director Elina de Santos, recently at the helm of the well reviewed "Razorback" (at Theatre Theatre), p;resided over the Rogue Theatre Company's well versed cast and crew much more successfully there. The humor here seems forced and this crowd of twenty-somethings behaves like high schoolers who've over-spiked the prom punch bowl. There's over-the-top slob Jake (Jason Mensches) , Cass (Amber McConnell), a hippie chick straight out of the Sixties, zonked out Justin (Sean Edwards)and miscellaneous characters whose minor contributions would hardly be missed if they failed to show up. Honorable mentions go to Andrew Wei Lin as Richard, an articulate party guest who actually has some interesting things to say and to Jim Ward as Dan Rather's T V voice.

Susanne Klein's costumes are right on the mark and Erin Brewster's set design works well. The lighting,by Leigh Allen, malfunctioned a few times during the intermission-less eighty minute show. Everyone in the audience is invited to a real Election Night Party on November 4, 2008, at a location annonced at the curtain call. But first - get out and vote!

The Other Space at Santa Monica Playhouse, 1211 - 4th Street, Santa Monica. Friday and Saturday at 8 p,m, Sunday at 7 p.m. $22 (323) 960-7711. There will be a special closing performance on November 3rd at 8 p.m.
Public parking across the street. - 11/ 3

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Third Street Promenade is walking close and the STOP 'N GO Greek Restaurant has an inviting patio as well as an elongated interior in the shape of the dining car on a train ride. The walls abound with eight by ten glossies of stars, past, present and wanna be. For the non-believer, there are burgers, sandwiches and pasta selections but Greek is chic. Appetizers such as stuffed grape leaves and spanakopita (cheese and spinach in filo dough) are $5 each, taramosalata ("caviar" spread with pita bread ) $8, introduce the tastes of the Aegean. Entrees of kabobs and plates go from $13 to $28 (for lamb shanks). The traditional souvlaki, a long skewer of lamb cubes,tomatoes and bell peppers was tasty enough but you better have strong teeth. Some were tough, a few even tougher, two were tender. The bountiful platter was a hit, though. A stack of pita, a generous salad with Greek dressing and lots of fluffy rice, $19. Never tried chicken gyros before, very nice, not the usual thinly shaved, crisp texture, more solid and meaty, with excellent seasonings. Again, lavishly garnished with a tomato and onion salad, a small cup of tsatsiki (cucumbers in yoghurt), pita bread and the most wonderful tabbouleh (minced parsley and grains). We asked for hummus instead of rice, no problem, $13. Warm welcome, good service,no alcohol but you can B.Y.O.

Stop 'n Cafe, 1237 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. (310) 395-1932 B.Y.O.B. no corkage charge.

Abigail's Party by Mike Leigh
Slices 0f life among the English working class, seems to be the forte of this playwright, Oscar nominee for the fine 1997 film "Secrets and Lies" and a well-known, multi-awarded director and writer. We never do get invited to Abigail's actual party but the soirée next door at Beverly (Nikki Glick) and Lawrence's (Darren Richardson) attractive flat, designed by Charles Erven, is entertaining enough. Husband Lawrence is into fine art and classical music but Beverly will have none of it. She's the hostess with the mostest..........gin and she keeps pouring the stuff for her guests and herself with an unsteadier-by-the-minute but generous hand. They've invited a neighboring young couple , Angela (Phoebe James) and taciturn Tony (Jonathan La Paglia, who, I'm guessing,is Anthony La Paglia's real life brother), a strapping hunk of an ex-football player, as well as ill at ease Susan (Cerris Morgan-Moyer), who is the unseen, teen-age Abigail's single mother and who is somewhat distracted by the increasingly audible noisy goings-on, over at her place. She handles the role perfectly, even though her dialogue consists mostly of polite "no thank yous". Glick is truly hilarious, desperately trying to heighten the party mood, gyrating to the music albums of the era (1977)and happy to find an enthusiastic drinking buddy in the gorgeous, leggy Angela. The two women, with their shrill, accented voices, sound like a pair of loud, cackling hens but hang in there. In the second act, when they're thoroughly sloshed, they begin to slur their words and finally become completely understandable. As the booze goes in, some unpleasant truths come out but this is basically a comedy, loaded with laughs and wonderfully acted. A plea to Director Julian Holloway: please spare us the incessant puffing of those smelly herbal cigarettes. The cast, expertly pretending to be drunk could just as well make believe they're smoking. Other than that, it's a great party!

Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., West Los Angeles Wednesday 9/17 and 24, 19/11 and 8 at 8 p.m. Thursday - Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m., except on 9/28, at 7p.m. $25 - #0. Seniors and students $5 off, exception Saturdays. (310) 477-2055 or www.odysseytheatre.com. Parking in front of the theatre. - 11/27

Pre-Theatre Dining Suggestion: Virtually around the corner, less than five minutes' driving time, is the Wine Warehouse. In the same building is their restaurant, called UPSTAIRS 2 and it's a good choice for lovers of both wine and food. You could pick out a bottle at the shop and for only a $10 corkage fee, drink it with your dinner. But, I bet, you'll find something to your taste among their phenomenal list, by the glass, by the carafe or the bottle. Just for fun, we went for the evening's Sauvignon Blanc flight, three tastes for $15. A French Sancerre. a New Zealander from Vavasour Winery and an Oregonian from the Patricia Green Vineyards. They place identifying doilies at the stem of each glass so you can sniff, sip and compare. Food wise, you have two choices. You can either go with the multi-course prix fixe, a good deal at $47 per person or try a selection of small plates. Being theatre-bound, the latter is always more appealing. The chef sent out an amuse bouche and we worked our way through two delightful salads, a red, pickled paquillo pepper loaded with a mix of spinach and tabbouleh $6 and thinly sliced, lemon-marinated sunchokes over fennel strips, grape tomatoes and arugula, dressed in a white balsamic vinaigrette $7. From the hot selections, I recommend the sea bass with pickled, red onions and crisp sugar snaps $14 as well as a chipotle-spiked crab cake with creme fraichê and yummy buttermilk slaw, $12. For the complimentary accompaniment, we picked the three color cauliflower which was a salt mine but our good waiter, Hamilton, quickly whisked it away and brought a fresh order. The square room is done in muted colors, acoustics are pleasant and this is a well run establishment to which you'll want to return again and again. We certainly plan on it.

Upstairs 2, 2311 Cotner Avenue, near Olympic, West Los Angeles (310) 231-0316

Scaredycats by Cheryl Bascom
This world premiers takes place here and now, SoCal in 2008, where the concern about home burglaries etc., threatens to make scaredycats out of all of us. But don't worry, this amusing play is pure farce, so just sit back and enjoy it.

Slightly paranoid about what she perceives as a crime wave in her suburb, Christine Putney (cute, perky JulianBerlin) and her cuckolded husband Peter (Dan Wingard), are hosting a Neighborhood Watch meeting at their house. It;s presided over by handsome but bumbling rookie cop Bryce (Bradley Snedeker), who's hot for her bod - and vice versa. Clearly, she supports her local police in every way. Enter the cast of characters: a swishy, gay couple Adam (Christian Malmin) and his partner Tony (Josh T. Ryan), a virulent right-winger with a vigilante bent, named Carl(Ben Brannon) and his shlumpy, very pregnant wife Trina (Heather Corwin), plus the rich folks from down the block, the Gleasons, (Derek Long) and Meeghan Holaway). who bring along their nubile au pair Justine (Laurent Waisbren), who obviously flirts more than she baby-sits. What happens next? The fun begins. The late playwright, Cheryl Bascom, has written extensively for TV's Designing Woman and if this were shown on the tube, no phony laugh track would be needed. It;s one continuous chuckle, one comical black-out scene after another, with the ideally cast actors not missing a beat, even in the often resulting pandemonium. They play off each other like a team of pros, including the young Latino "suspect" Martin Espinoza (Patrick Gomez). The razor-sharp direction is by Douglas Clayton, costumes designed by Lois Tedross, set by David Mauer.

Fremont Centre Theatre, 1000 Fremont Avenue, South Pasadena. Friday and Saturday At 8 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.,. $25, students and seniors $20. (866)8114111 or www.fremontcentretheatre.com -9/28

Pre-Theatre Dining Suggestion: Bistro K, in the theatre's building has closed. No surprise there, after the original Chef-owner Laurent Queinioux left, the food became abominable. Instead, go to a nice, neighborhood fave called MIKE 7 ANN'S, just a few minutes away. The L-shaped interior has a sort of European coffeehouse ambiance but since we are blessed with mild, beautiful weather, why not settle down in their elevated corner garden. Bread and a delicious olive tapenade arrive while you check out the menu. Entrees go from $17.95 for chicken to $25.95 for the lamb rack, artfully presented in its own juices, accompanied by little, baked cipollini onions, pureed eggplant, asparagus and tomatoes. If you're up for fresh fish, have the black cod, excellent in a sake-miso broth, with lots of edamame beans and grape tomatoes, $22.95. Wines are a little pricey but the glass of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, $10.50, was thoroughly worth it. Service leaves nothing to be desired and the dinners, without a single carbo load in sight, feel light and guilt-free and may even allow for a dessert, bread pudding, brownie, creme brulée etc., $7.50. Full bar. Street parking.

Mike & Anne's, 1040 Mission Street at Fairview, South Pasadena (626)799-7199

Educating Rita by Willy Russell
Here we have the familiar Pygmalion theme or,how to mAke a silk purse out of a sow's ear, in an updated version by the author of the film starring Michael Caine and Julie Walters. It earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay in l980.

Into a jaded professor's (Bjorn Johnson) study, a magnificent set designed by Victoria Profit, comes a brash, young woman (Rebecca Mozo). She struts in wearing a black leather jacket, black leggings, net stockings and oversized , dangling earrings - you get the punk-y picture - shouting at the top of her lungs, her fervent desire to be "educated". This is a two person play in which you hear every word spoken by one of them, the professor. Which brings me to my major complaint, Moza's accent. It sounds like part Yorkshire, part Cockney and part Scottish but is mostly incomprehensible from the left orchestra section She faces mostly the other way and the audience on the right laughed a lot more than the people on the left, myself included. So be guided by that when you buy your seats and, be prepared for an exceedingly long first act. Moza is a talented artist, having admired her most recently in the Colony's production of Trying and Johnson gives an impassioned performance as the alcoholic academician whose life is considerably enlivened as the tutor of a pretty, little working class girl, who needs to elevate her self-esteem as much as slake her thirst for worldly knowledge. If director Cameron Watson could center the action more toward the entire audience, at least most of the time, and tone down the exaggerated accent, this could be an enjoyable play.

Colony Theatre, 555 N. Third Street at Cypress, Burbank. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 & 7 p.m. Additional performances are Saturday 8/30 and 9/6, Thursday 9/11 and 9/16 at 8 p.m. $37 - $42 (818)558-7000 or www.colonytheatre.org
Free parking in building garage. - 9/21

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: If you're arriving via Interstate 5, just off the freeway, on the way to the Colony, is a BLACK ANGUS, a popular destination for carnivores. They seem to always have special bargain coupons in the newspaper, so clip before you make the trip. For a total of $33.98 for two, you get to share an appetizer. We took the potato skins, six crisp ones lined with cheese, bacon and scallions, plus choice of soup or salad for each of you. Next the main course, steak or prime rib, the latter served au just, with rice pilaf, baked, garlic mashed or french fried potatoes, horseradish cream and very tasty, buttery, mixed veggies. Two good portions, some of it destined for the doggie bag and next day's lunch. Did I mention dessert? One, too is included. There was a little "discussion" over the famous mud pie versus the apple crumble a la mode. The latter won and we shared it before waddling out. There are some nice wines starting at $17 for a bottle of Copper Ridge Merlot or Chardonnay. A good deal, all Around plus we had an outstandingly friendly and obliging waitress. Eight minutes away from the theatre.

Black Angus, 235 S. First Street, Burbank. (818)848-8880. Full bar. Parking lot.

Desert Sunrise by Misha Schulman
We are in the desert of the Israeli occupied West Bank. You can feel the tension rising up from the pit of your stomach, when an Israeli soldier named Tsahi (Oren Dayan), encounters an Arab shepherd, Ismail (Dominic Rains) beside his campfire. At first hostile, the two young men eventually exchange stories about their love lives, smoke a little hash and reluctantly experience a kind of bond. They are surprised by Ismail's Palestinian girlfriend Layla (Miriam Isa) who is seething with rage, passionately patriotic, yet who resents her inferior station as a woman in the Arab world, repressed and dominated by her mae countrymen. She carries a dark secret which will not be revealed in this review. Directed by Ellen Shipley and written by an Israeli army veteran, the timely story is, by no means, one sided. It will affect you depending who you are and where your sympathies lie. It does strengthen the idea of people to people diplomacy and the reality that most human beings long for love and peace regardless of their place of birth. Performances are strong, Dayan, who plays a jolly, fun-loving fellow, is especially likable. Rains is in turn serious and sullen but fair minded and idealistic. Isa's fiery Layla is thoroughly focused, her eyes ablaze and her voice, as she claims to possess the weapon most universally feared, Muslim loins that can produce an Army of warriors, sends a shiver through the audience. There are some belly-dance interludes and also a narrator behind a scrim who, I feel, adds very little to the proceedings. This is a play that can stand alone, conveying a mixed message of part pain and part hope - just like life itself.

The Lillian Theatre, 1076 Lillian Way, one block west of Vine, off Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. Thursday - Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 3 p.m. $25 - $30 . Street parking. (323)960-7784 or Plays411.com/desert sunrise - 8/9

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: A ten minute drive brings you to the lovely XIOMARA, a top notch, white tablecloth dining establishment, specializing in modern Latin haute cuisine. The food is not just unusual - it's unusually good. Also known as La Casa del Mojito, you might want to sip this wildly popular, rum-infused cocktail while dipping assorted breads into the black bean sauce, along with your amuse bouche. There's also a nice selection of wines, not overpriced. Do share the appetizer of duck ropa viejo with a hint of spice, that's unbeatable, $12. The nuovo Cubana style chicken is wonderful, served over risotto, not the usual mush I intensely dislike but firm, flavorful and studded with veggies, $22.50. It's accompanied by a guacamole "sandwich" made with twice fried platanos, a dead ringer for a crisp latke. The presentation of their spicy (not) lamb shank, is alone worth the price $23.50. It arrives table side in a little cast iron pot, completely sealed with what appears to be a baked, thick bread crust, is hammered open and served hot and aromatic with red and yellow marinated tomato halves, cubed carrots and pearl onions. The menu promises "malanga and mojo". Malanga is taro root, a vegetable that looks like a fat, dark-skinned carrot, here served mashed and better than potatoes. As for mojo - who couldn't use a little extra of that? A nice experience, excellent service, elegant atmosphere.

Xiomara, 6101 Melrose Avenue, corner of Seward, Hollywood. Full bar. Valet parking $3.50. (323)461-0601 :

Looped by Matthew Lombardo
A legend in her own time and beyond, may be a cliché but it rings true in reference to Tallulah Bankhead, brought to life by Valerie Harper on the stage of the Pasadena Playhouse. The title refers to "looping" which means re-recording lines which may have been blurred in the original filming of a movie. Our star arrives in a full length mink, late because of L.A. traffic, swearing like a drunken sailor on shore leave, to get the job done. Lucky for us, it takes a lot longer than planned. Her hapless "director", Danny Miller (Chad Allen). who has the demeanor of a bespectacled accountant and the sound engineer on duty (Michael Karl Orenstein), the latter perched in a booth above the stage, are faced with a session neither one will ever forget, nor will we. Harper is absolutely magnificent as the boozy Bankhead, her staggering walk, exaggerated gestures, the toss of her shoulder-length mane and her theatrical accent, are all a far cry from T V's Brooklynese Rhoda character. Here is this bawdy broad, whose multiple excesses probably led to her early demise at age sixty-six but whose recounting of same, As she does throughout the play, makes for an hilariously entertaining show. She claims that a Streetcar named Desire was written for her and, I bet, so was the song The Lady is a Tramp. And, among the laughter, there are a few life lessons to be learned. Asher foil, Allen, forced to deal with the outrageously vulgar primadonna, is at first reverentially polite, then visibly annoyed and eventually... well, you'll find out. The smart studio set is designed by Adrian W. Jones, the flawless direction is by Rob Ruggiero.

Pasaden Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino, Pasadena.Tuesday - Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 4 and 8 p.m., Sunday 2 and 7 p.m. (dark 7/23. Added matinee on Wednesday 7/23 at 2 p.m.. $32 - $65 (626) 356-PLAY or www.Pasadenaplayhouse.org -8/3

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: The space adjoining the Playhouse has been a veritable graveyArd for restaurants but the lAtest one, now re-christened BAZAAR (formerly Caravan Serai), is still there, a good sign. The Çasbah decor is intact and in the summer, it;s nice to dine outdoors, eight beside the theatre's patio, and people watch. The Middle-Eastern cuisine is really tasty and prices are right. I recommend the delicious Combination Platter, a Lucullan feast of skewers of beef tenderloin, marinated chicken cubes and perfectly seasoned ground beef, interspersed with grilled green pepper strips, a mountain of saffron-topped rice, broiled tomatoes and some shredded greens, all for $24, which you are encouraged to share. To start, we ordered a Greek salad $7, big enough to sate four hungry Olympians, with romaine, red cabbage, black olives, Persian cucumbers, tomatoes, pepperoncini and sprinkled with feta cheese. Hot pita bread and nice service included. A glass of the house Chardonnay is $6. The bar is open for intermission and aprês theatre imbibers. Add tothat the convienience of one-spot parking and you have the question of the ideal dining destination aced.

Bazaar, 39 S. El Molino, Pasadena. Full bar.

Dupe by Alex Austin
The play was inspired by a vintage photograph taken by George Hoyningen-Huene, which appeared in Paris Vogue Magazine in the Twenties and caused a sensation in the fashion world. The play's muse is the mysterious model therein, a long-limbed, young woman in bathing attire, actually a native Californian named Georgia Graves.

As the story opens, an aspiring dancer, here named June Coffin (Danielle Van Beest on my night, alternating with Lonni Silverman) auditions for the Folies Bergere in Paris, and, of course, gets the job. We immediately time-travel to a café in present day Los Angeles, where an intense photographer and collector, Leonard Mist (Gerard Marzilli), thinks he spots his current idol, rock star and singer, Carol Fitch (Gina Yates) at an adjoining table. She may or may not be an impostor, but she nevertheless captivates Leonard, who now owns the priceless photo and is obsessed by the recurring vision of the lovely bathing beauty in it. The plot thickens and will keep you guessing as adoring fan and femme fatale play a cat and mouse game to gain possession of the valuable photographic objet d'art. Marzilli virtually devours the role of the agitated, high strung Leonard and plays it with a very natural sounding, nervous stammer. As June, Van Beest is a serene goddess with alabaster skin and graceful moves, while Yates, as the reluctant celebrity, is convincingly cool and calculating in her hunt for the original image--not the dupe. Direction is by Bill Garrett. The effective set design of the itinerant bachelor's apartment cluttered with photographs, steamer trunks and chest is credited to David Goldstein.

Two Roads Theatre, 4348 Tujunga Avenue, near Moorpark, Studio City. Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday 2:30 p.m. $14.50, at the door $17. Students $10. (866) 811-4111 or Theatermania.com.

Pre-performance Dining Suggestion: The theatre is located on a charming tree-lined street filled with cafes and boutiques. Across the street is VITELLO's, whose parking lot garnered brief and unwanted fame as the crime scene in the Robert Blake murder case. But now, no ghosts, only garlicky aromas fill the air. A spacious, two-story restaurant, with bordello red lighting, a giant mural of the port of Siracusa in Sicily and good, reasonably priced, Italian food. You can start by sharing some homemade caponata, a simmered mélange of tomatoes, zucchini, onions and capers, flanked by roasted red and yellow bell peppers and olives, $7.50. Since vitello is veal in Italian, it's only fitting to order some here. The saltimbocca, which means "jump into the mouth," sliced veal cradling prosciutto and mozzarella, keeps company with mushrooms and sautéed spinach, $18.95. The always reliable veal piccata, with lemon, white wine, capes and mushrooms , is $17.95. The meat is tender but a mite coarse, a sure sign that those kids have injested some grass, but since milk-fed veal involves cruelty to animals, we'll let it go. Both come with either perfectly al dente pasta topped with meat sauce or breaded zucchini which, what the veggie lacks in firmness, it makes up for in fine flavor. Desserts are $5.95, an excellent cup of coffee is $1.75. Superb service, melodious, taped music. Good Italian and California wine list. Vitello's, 4349 Tujunga Avenue, Studio City. Full bar. Valet Parking. (818) 769-0905.

School for Scandal by Richard Brinsley Sheridan Getting away from the concrete and neon of the noisy city into nature's realm, is only part of the enjoyment of attending the bucolic Theatricum Botanicum, as this company again presents a summer full of excellent, classical theater. The author, Sheridan, had a checkered career, from playwright to theater manager to parliamentarian, only to die in ill health and impoverished. But his plays are immortal and this comedy of manners, which premiered at London's Drury Lane Theatre in 1777, is filled with irreverent wit, intrigue, mistaken identities and always brilliant dialogue. Think Gilbett & Sullivan without the music .

The first act is laden with exposition and given to ample doses of delicious, malicious gossip, which was the primAry recreational activity among the outrageously bewigged, upper class parlor set. Two hundred years later, we have The National Enquirer. Act two is by far more provocative and also introduces the dashing, much aligned young Charles (Jeff Wiesen). Among the uniformly talented cast, several stand out, especially Marc Lewis as his villainous brother Joseph, who steals every scene. Haven't the bad guys always had all the charm? Nothing's changed. Tim Halligan, in his various disguises embodies each of his characters with gusto. Frank Ross as the cuckolded (or so he thinks) husband, is a joy to watch and to hear and the infallible Melora Marshall as the Widow Snake, adds just the right touch of venom the role demands. Ben Waters as a servant with a bad case of osteoporosis does his comic best with nary a word to utter. Ellen Geer directs with a sure hand, as expected. The whimsical costumes and accouterments are designed by Shon LeBlanc.

Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Topanga. In repertory with As You Like It, Macbeth, Long Day's Journey into Night and Midsummer Night's Dream, which closes the season on September 28. School for Scandal performances are Friday August 8 and 22 at 8 p.m., Saturday August 16, September 6 , 13 and 27 at 4 p.m., Saturday July 5,12 and 19 at 8 pm. and Sunday August 3, 17 and 31 at 7:30 p.m. $20 - $28, seniors and students $15 - $20, children five ttwelve $8, under five, free. Parking $5, seniors and handicapped free. Dress warmly (in layers), bring cushions and blankets. (310)455-3723 or www.theatricum.com

Pre-Theatre Dining Suggestion: We picnicked on the grounds before, which is fun but the bees were even hungrier than we. No shortage of them here. Therefore, this year, we chose ABUELITAS, five minutes' drive and the local Mexican favorite. Smart move. There's creekside dining on an elevated, rustic patio and a cozy interior for chilly nights. The Canyon crown is laid-back and casual, service most obliging and the food both generous and deliciioso. Their guacamole is fresh and chunky and we mixed in some of the salsa for extra bite, $4.95. There are all sort of combinaciones, if that turns you on, plus fajitas, chicken mole, carne asada and more. Plates are colorful, edible fiestas, garnished with a grilled, fresh pineapple wedge. Try the shrimp kabuelita, two long skewers of char-grilled shrimp interspersed with bell peppers etc., with Mexican rice and diced, crunchy veggies, $15.95. I can also recommend the empanadas del mar, three crispy turnovers filled with creamy Canadian snow crab, red snapper and shrimp, choice of black beans or veggies, the latter a dice of eggplant, zucchini, red and green bells and cArrots, really good for $12.95. A full glass of house wine is $6.

Abuelitas, 137 S. Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Topanga. Parking lot. Full bar. Reservations for six or more only but if you arrive pre-theatre, you'll get right in. (310)455-8788.

The Last Seder by Jennifer Maisel
It could well be Thanksgiving or Christmas, when the prodigal sons and daughters return to gather over a festive meal, for better or for worse. In this play, it happens to be Passover time in a Jewish household, where the pater familias (Joseph Ruskin, in a moving performance), is ravaged by Alzheimer's disease. The stage is decorated in Early Warehouse, laden with boxes and crates, as the house is about to be sold and dad placed in a nursing home. The four daughters, each carrying more emotional baggage than suitcases, cleave to their father and resent their pistol of a mother, Lily (spunky Jenny O'Hara), who spews four letter words in her quest to cope. The drama is smartly structured to allow the audience a glimpse into each of the girls; complicated lives. For good measure, the playwright has thrown in an inter-racial romance and a lesbian couple expecting a baby. Astute direction by Joseph Megel enables the play to move seamlessly into multiple scenes and Dan Weingarten's clever lighting and Adam Flemming's scenic design capture the various rooms and locations among the assorted rubble. The fine case, all members of the Ensemble Studio Theatre-LA is up to every challenge. The play really comes to life in the home stretch, when the extended family gathers around the make-shift, holiday table for the last time and several surprises take place.

Greenway Court Theatre, 544 N. Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles. Thursday - Saturday 9 p.m., Sunday 4 p.m. $24, seniors and students $20. Parking lot. (323)655-7679 ext. 100 or www.greenwayarts.org - 7/27

Pre-Theatre Dining Suggestion: About a block's walk south, is ANIMAL, the brand new brain child of TV's colorful Food Dudes. To open a restaurant that feAtures bacon on Fairfax Avenue, where one might encounter yarmulkas more often than baseball cap[s, is tantamount to planning a kosher take-out in San Marino. It takes chutzpah. But they pulled it off and we'll undoubtedly hear more about Animal when the word spreads. It's Plain Jane of a place, no art, no flowers, poor acoustics but a rather interesting clientele and a friendly, well trained, young crew. There;s fried quail, a crisp, little birdie with a thick slab of bacon, mashed grits and authentically seasoned Southern greens, $24. Same price for the flatiron steak, a bit chewy but tasty, in a scrumptious, if slightly salty, bordelaise sauce studded with young corn kernels, sliced fingerling potatoes and heavenly nuggets of fried sweetbreads. I did not have the courage to try the bacon dessert. The menu is short but changes frequently. The wine list isn't large either but not overpriced. A small carafe of the house white is yours for $17. If you're foolhardy enough to B.Y.O.B, you'll be charged a $20 fee.

Animal, 435 N. Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles. Beer and wine. Valet parking $4 (323)782-9225.