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THE WATER.S EDGE by Theresa Rebeck
Billed as "a family drama about loss, grief and revenge" says it all. Except that this is more of a non-family, the father Richard (Albie Selznick) having bailed seventeen years ago. He now returns to the rustic home in the woods, near a lake (fabulous set by Desma Murphy, with lighting by Kathi O'Donohue and sound by David B. Marling). He insensitively brings along his new, young girlfriend Lucy (Lauren Birriel). He is confronted by his pistol of a daughter Erica (Paris Perrault), who is filled with resentment over his abandonment of the mother, Helen(on my night Nicole Farmer) and her older brother, Nate (Patrick Rieger). Nate's attitude is more ambiguous, while not ready to welcome his prodigal dad with open arms, he still has feelings for him. Richard, although now a wealthy man of property, is determined to reclaim the old homestead where he spent his boyhood. All this is revealed at the beginning of the first act and to give away more of the plot, would be a disservice to the audience and to the playwright. Let's just say, Richard tries to win over his embittered wife who blames him for the tragedy that triggered his departure almost two decades ago and left a would that refuses to heal.

Capably directed by the renowned Sam Anderson, the five member cast inhabit their roles with intensity and passion. Patrick Rieger's mood swings as the often tongue-tied and slow witted son is an absolute marvel to watch. Selznick gives us a man of flawed character, who yet manages to arouse our empathy. As the discarded wife, Farmer channels a lioness protecting her cubs and domain. Perrault, a girl who barely remembers her father, is positively ferocious as the short-fused daughter and touching when she tries to resist his overtures to win her affection. Birriel has the thankless part of the girlfriend, an intruder who tries to make the best of a very awkward situation and whose expression and body language signal a person of integrity. The play is expertly written, keeping us at full attention throughout, although I found Helen's rambling monologue toward the end of Act II overly long. But Rebeck, talented writer that she is, gives us an ending that goes straight for the jugular. Bravo!

The Road Theatre, Lankershim Arts Center, 5108 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood. Friday and Saturday 6 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $25 (866) 811-4111 or www.roadtheatre.org ends 3/10

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Less than five minutes from the Lankershim Arts Center, is LITTLE TONI'S an Italian restaurant that's been a local favorite even before the first theatre in NOHO switched on its stage lights. The retro interior brings back memories of the once ubiquitous Italian mama-papa places. Dimly lit by faux Tiffany lamps, the atmosphere permeated by the sweet smell of simmering tomato sauce. Lancer's and Blue Nun are on the wine list. Remember those? House wine from $3.95 per glass, $5.50 for a Ruffino Chianti. This is one of the most popular family dineries in the Valley and for good reason. Prices are fair and everything tastes freshly home made. Even if you never had an Italian nonna of your own, it will remind you of your grandma's cooking - before she took up golf and bridge.

Entrees come with definitive, lusty minestrone or a salad of iceberg lettuce and garbanzo beans. They serve spaghetti with every imaginable ingredient, meatballs, mushrooms, Italian sausage etc., from $12.75. There's lasagna, ravioli, calzone and, of course, pizza in three sizes. I highly recommend the chicken Parmigiana, an excellent preparation toped with melted cheese $14.50 as well as the crisply fried calamari dinner, $13.25. Both include a round loaf of Italian bread, huge portion of spaghetti with meat sauce (or marinara) and mixed vegetables cooked almost to death. I suggest you mash them up, add a pat of butter, some cheese and, perhaps a sprinkle of red peppers for added zest and make yourself a nice purée. We had a terrific waitress who even went outdoors to point us in the right direction to the theatre.

Little Toni's, 4745 Lankershim Bolevard at Camarillo, North Hollywood. Limited parking in front lot. Reservations for10 or more only. Open daily for dinner from 5 pm to 2 am, Sunday from 4 pm. (818)763-3013.

PICK OF THE VINE: Season 10
At the beginning of each year, for the past decade, the eagerly awaited Pick of the Vine, a selection of short plays submitted from all over the country, has returned to the stage of the Little Fish. This Company does not spend money on frivolities like elaborate sets and scenery when a few boxes can achieve the mise en scene and the versatility of its actors and directors is priceless. If you live in the South Bay, consider it a must see and if you reside elsewhere, get out your Thomas Brothers map. Here's the line-up:

THE RENTAL by Mark Harvey Levine You can rent a tent and Rent a Dent, so why not rent a friend, or better yet, a boyfriend? This hilarious concept is explored with deft humor and a few surprises, starring Holly Baker-Kreiswirth and Bill Wolski.

3,000 REASONS by Robin Rothstein
A dating couple of squabbling baseball fans (Amanda Karr and Don Schlossman), both wild about the New York Yankees' Derek Jeeter, go at each other full throttle, leading us to wonder - can this romance be saved?

THE BIRTHDAY GIRL by Anne Marie Newsome ** At this birthday party for someone who is not present, Daryl Hogue France and Scot Renfro touchingly enact some of life's poignant moments.

AU NATUREL by Nina Mansfield
The scene is a spa where women flock to recapture their fading looks and firm their sagging bodies but, instead, meet someone to blame for it all. With Rachel Levy, Holly Baker-Kreiswirth and Amanda Karr.

BATH TIME IS FUN TIME by Arthur M. Jolly
A silly but amusing little piece, as bath toys (Charles Bates, Daryl Hogue France, Mary-Margaret Lewis and James Rice) come to life, engage in a sort of class war but find common (wet) ground.

PRESS PRAY by Seth Freeman
Anyone who's ever been annoyed by a computerized answering device - and who hasn't - will cheer loudly for this exceptionally clever example. James Rice stars .

OUT FROM UNDER WITH MARY by Chris Shaw Swanson
While waiting for a urine drug test, an erudite bag lady (Mary-Margaret Lewis ) and a high-strung woman (Rachel Levy) get to know one another.

KUNG FOOLERY by Brett Hursey Mother-in-law trouble looms with a vengeance, when a meek store clerk dons his Ninja costume and becomes a regular Bruce Lee, with LOL results. With Charles Bates, Rachel Levy and Mary-Margaret Lewis.

PRIVATE COCKTAILS by John Ruoff An outrageously over the top spoof of British aristocracy, which is saved by its socko ending. With Bill Wolski, Amanda Karr, Don Schlossman and Scot Renfro as the butler. Did he do it?

Little Fish Theatre, 777 Centre Street at 8th Street, San Pedro. Enter via the alley to the parking lot. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday February 5th at 2 and 7 p.m., Thursday February 16th at 8 p.m. $25, seniors and students $23. (310)512-6030 or www.littlefishtheatre.org. ends 2/18

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: You're in for a double treat, if you decide to dine at BARAMEE before the show. This is not you average primitive Thai hole in the wall with good food but has been transformed (from the former 6th Street Bistro) into a chic, elegant restaurant with great food. Black banquettes, tables and chairs, tasteful lighting and a collection of miniature Buddhas mounted against the terra cotta wall over the counter/bar. The best way to enjoy a terrific meal is to round up two more friends, share several entrees and have a little banquet but even two people can have a feast with any of the two or three dishes below.

An appetizer of chicken larb is the Thai version of a lettuce wrap, spicy, minced chicken to be scooped up with romaine leaves, $8. Pad woon sen is my favorite noodle dish, choice of chicken, beef, pork or tofu, intermingled with glass noodles, cabbage, scallions, carrots, cherry tomatoes etc., $10. There's a sensational Mandarin duck, crisp of skin and moist of meat, bedded on tasty spinach for $18. From the wok comes hot and spicy basil, a mélange of chicken, pork, beef or tofu in a superbly flavored chili-garlic sauce, $10. The aromatic duo, an artistic presentation of four large shrimp and scallops, mounted over jasmine rice in a puddle of ginger scented lemongrass sauce, is nothing short of divine, $17. Everything is served on lovely china, wine in beautiful stemware, from $9 per glass. For $8 you might try the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, its light fruitiness compliments this cuisine perfectly. Service is attentive and, of course, spices can be toned up or down, to suit individual palates. In warm weather, you can look forward to al fresco dining at the only This restaurant with a patio, as far as I know. Baramee (Thai for "powerful") is a welcome addition to the San Pedro dieng scene.

Baramee, 354 W. 6th Street, San Pedro. Lunch and dinner daily. Street parking. Closed Monday (310) 521-9400.

NERVE by Adam Szymkowicz

This Sixth Avenue production gives us two people who meet for their first (Internet) date in a dingy bar (set by Stephen Gifford). He, Elliot (Adam Slver) comes across as a needy shlemiel, exceedingly nervous but pleased that she, Susan (Anna Rubley) actually showed up. She's a pretty, long-legged blonde, seems self assured and Elliot, desperate for love, is immediately smitten. In the course of the evening, bolstered by a dozen bottles of beer, a truckload of past missteps rear their ugly heads and you begin to wonder whether these two lost souls will actually connect and what else they might have experienced to make them the messed-up weirdos into which they have evolved. That they should encounter one another seems poetic justice, in other words, they deserve each other.

Silver is the letter perfect loser, a fellow with a violent streak and a life laden with disappointments. He's willing to forgive anything in his quest for, at long last, romance. Rubley, coming out of a bad relationship, has a few quirks (to put it mildly) of her own and when upset or bored, which is often, breaks into a wild dance routine (choreography by Laura Harrison) which she does very well.. Director Michael Matthews keeps the eighty minute action ever lively and elicits very convincing performances from both his actors but they cannot overcome the play's flaw, two characters written so unsympathetically, you may find it difficult to wish them well.

El Centro Theatre, Chaplin Stage, 804 El Centro Avenue, Hollywood. Thursday - Saturday 8 p.m. $20 Tight street parking. www.6avenue.org end 1/28

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Less than a five minute drive from the El Centro, is a Hungarian restaurant called DUNA CZARDA, with authentic Magyar cuisine that'll bring out the gypsy in you. This is not meant pejoritatively because, for most of us, the word gypsy conjures up haunting violin sounds, lively Czarda kicks and the image of a sensuous Carmen clicking her castagnets. Alas, that sort of atmosphere is lacking here. The large room is very bright, with white wainscoting, live plants and attractive art on maroon walls. On weekends there's a talented pianist. You'll be most pleased by the food and moderate pricing. The Hungarian specialties are mostly around $13 - $15, chicken paprikas, Wiener schnitzel, Hungarian goulash and wonderful Transylvanian goulash from Dracula country and much more. For the real trenchermen there's the famous Wooden Platter, an edible edifice surrounded by cucumber and red bell pepper slices, piled high with everything that's simmered, baked or fried in that kitchen. It's meant for two but easily sates four or gets taken home via doggie bag for at least another meal, $36. You get two schnitzel, grilled chicken breast, pork chop, excellent rice - shall I go on? - golden cubed potatoes, crisply breaded liver, ditto mushrooms, red cabbage, meatballs, pork sausage and duck, the latter, unfortunately dry as the drought on the puczta, the Hungarian equivalent of the Argentinean pampas, the only misstep. To avoid filling up on the fresh, home-baked croissants, I suggest sharing a bowl of Nightowl soup, a delicious veal broth redolent of fresh dill, with carrots, potatoes, sauerkraut and green peas, a real treat for a winter night, $6.75. Go for it! Their bakery also prepares desserts, including a seven layer Dobos torte $5.99, crêpes (palacintas) $2.75 and chestnut puree with whipped cream $6.50, for which I plan to leave room next time. The wine list has some Hungarian bottlings. A glass of California Inglenook Chardonnay goes for $5.50, is actually a rosé and not very good. Service is friendly and, to the best of my knowledge, this is the only remaining Hungarian place in town.

Duna Czarda, 5820 Melrose Avenue, just west of Vine, Hollywood. Parking in adjoining lot. (323)962-6434.

TRAVELS WITH MY AUNT by Graham Greene
adapted for the stage By Giles Havergal The Colony deserves credit for presenting a show that, on one proscenium stage, takes us around the world, in an adaptation of the illustrious Graham Greene's famous novel. The effect is rather like looking at a picture book full of unusual characters, all portrayed by only four talented actors. Our narrator is wimpy Henry (Thomas James O'Leary), a shy, lonely, retired bank clerk, whose flamboyant Aunt Augusta (Mark Capri), sweeps him off his feet and makes a globe trotter out of him. The gender bending takes some getting used to, Capri plays the aunt without a stitch of feminine attire, using only his voice and mannerisms to portray the Auntie Mame-like role and he does it very well. Yet, one would have liked to have costume designer Sherry Linnett outfit him (her) with just a touch of style. Not a caricature like, say, Charlie's Aunt but perhaps a modish hat or colorful shawl here and there. Sybil Walker is a master of foreign accents, some of them sounding disconcertingly similar but she's always amusing in her many international disguises. The remarkable Larry Cedar is a hoot and makes the house roar, particularly as an oh, so demure, female. The ingenious multiple location set design by Michael C. Smith is brilliant and Director David Dean Botrell handles the difficult and often hilarious production with admirable skill. The burden of carrying this play falls on O'Leary's Henry, who has entirely too much narrating to do, making his voyage come off more like story telling rather than as a theatrical offering. A minor quibble, but still….

The Colony Theatre, 555 N. Third Street at Cypress, Burbank. Thursday - Saturday 8 p.m., Saturday 3 and 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $20 - $42. Senior and student rates available. Free parking in building garage, adjoining the theatre entrance. (818) 558-7000 ext.15 or www.colonytheatre.org. ends 12/18

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Because they have been such faithful supporters of the Colony, PASTA POMODORO deserves our continued patronage. Besides, the food is always good, prices reasonable and they're in the same location as the theatre, so you can park and stay for the evening. As for the service, more on that, later. It's pasta paradise here, whether they're called capellini, spaghettini, fettuccine or conchiglie, the pasta, in whatever shape, is freshly prepared and al dente. If you enjoy it with seafood, try the frutti de mare, spaghetti, chock-a-block with mussels, baby clams, calamari and shrimp in a delicate tomato sauce, $15.50. Meat lover? Scaloppine de maiale, exquisite, tender pork in a sage scented, lemon-white wine sauce, $15.95. Chicken preparations from $12.50, salmon $14.95 and a new item, bisteca, flat iron steak with tri-color mashers, $18.95. Focaccia bread and a savory dip arrive promptly. We had the best waitress, Patricia, friendly and most obliging, who provided speedy service (we were late due to heavier than usual traffic), and she smilingly substituted vegetables for the polenta. Mind you, not the common mix but a great combo of asparagus, corn, zucchini half moons and sautéed onions (believe me, I do this anonymously). Pomodoro has an ad on the back page of your program, offering a complimentary appetizer or dessert after the show and she even gave it to us before the performance since we try to avoid late night calories that seem to stay on the hips as a permanent souvenir. We picked the meatball appetizer, two in a gutsy tomato sauce with garlic toast, usually $6.95 a la carte. Three cheers for Patricia! They have a cute patio but it's getting chilly and the interior is quite pleasant and comfortable. It'll take you about ten minutes to wind your way back through the Burbank Town Center back to your Parking Level 4, so allow a little extra time.
Pasta Pomodoro, 201 E. Magnolia on the ground floor of the Burbank Town Center, Burbank. Full bar. (818)559-1300.

THE TRAGEDY OF THE COMMONS by Stephen Metcalfe
Dakin Adams (Brian Kerwin) is a man whose home is his castle, or rather, his life. A retired high school teacher, he spends his days blogging about the ecology and taking in the view from his hillside dwelling. Ah, the view! Unspecified, but my guess is, it's somewhere in La Jolla (the playwright is an Associate Artist at San Diego's Old Globe).
Whenever Dakin steps out on his terrace and overlooks the landscape below, it nourishes his needy soul. Anxiety sets in when his neighbor, Carl (Edward Edwards) informs him of his planned move and that he has put his house up for sale. Now there's the possibility that the lot just below his will be built up, thus obstructing the precious vantage point. He does not handle it well. He has a loving wife, Macy (Leslie Hicks), who senses his discontent and whose caring ways would comfort any man and a brilliant daughter, Ellen (Rachel Noll, alternating with Auston Highsmith), for whom he displays little affection. Instead, he communicates ad nauseum, with his son Spencer (Lane Compton) a, shall we say, shadowy figure. Their often intangible conversations dominate the already over-written play.

Act II brings on Dan Gerard (the excellent Jeffery Stubblefield), a real estate speculator who builds McMansions for a quick turn-over profit. He is arrogant, confrontational and abrasive and, by far, the most stimulating character in the entire story. Performance-wise, there are no disappointments. Kerwin packs his role with emotion and depth. The petite Hicks personifies the perfect wife - giving and forgiving. The appealing Noll wins our hearts, if not her father's. Edwards is believable as the pragmatic neighbor and Compton does his best with an almost superfluous part. Cliff Wagner designed the tasteful set and Dave Florek directs this Los Angeles premiere.

Ruskin Group Theatre, 3000 Airport Road, Santa Monica Airport. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $25, seniors $20. Free parking lot in front. (310) 397-3244 or www.ruskingrouptheatre.com ends 11/20

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Since you're at the Santa Monica Airport, you might as well dine right there, at TYPHOON, which is as close to the runways as safety allows. You can watch planes take off and land, almost as though you presided over the control tower. But, happily, you can relax on terra firma and take a gustatory trip to several exotic places. Typhoon was one of the first restaurants to venture into this type of Asian mélange, with dishes from Korea, Thailand, China, Vietnam etc. and, for the overly esoteric palate, scorpion, crickets and worms (no kidding). Your placemat/menu lists them all. Soups $12, appetizers like Indian samosas, Thai satays, Japanese gyozas $9 - $11. Mains include Thai and Chinese style shrimp $19, Mongolian beef $20 or lamb $21 and more. Their Filipino entrees are especially outstanding, pollo adobo, a disjointed chicken in a tasty brown sauce $15, is a must have , as is the grilled pork, boneless cutlets marinated Filipino style, in vinegar, garlic and oregano, same price. It comes with a dip sauce, similar to the marinade , both entrees generously portioned. Instead of rice, please, please order chap chae, a Korean specialty of transparent noodles with black mushrooms, carrots and scallions, which you will really love, $8. This is a unique setting with an attractive bar, an exhibition kitchen and an exciting view. Service is strictly first class. Wine by the glass from $8. Two minutes from the Ruskin.

Typhoon, 3221 Donald Douglas Loop South, off Airport Road, Santa Monica Airport. Full bar. Parking lot in front. (310) 390-6565

HERMETICALLY SEALED by Kathryn Graf
This extraordinary family drama features complex characters, very well delineated by the playwright, full of hidden secrets that unravel toward the end of this world premiere. It will have you involved with every fiber of your being. We have a mother, Tessie (Gigi Bermingham), not in the best of health, mentally and physically. She's a professional pastry chef who buries her grief in her work and in her love of operatic music. She hermetically seals herself from reality, so to speak (hence the title). In the opening scene, she deals with her problematic older son, Jimmy (Wolfie Trausch), while her fifteen year old Conor (Nicholas Podany) incessantly plays video games in an adjoining den. This tormented boy unleashes his pain by swearing at the screen, relishing the violence. Podany was recently seen in Colony Theatre's On Golden Pond, in a performance that was memorable but here he gives one that is unforgettable. That is not to slight the talents of Bermingham, a picture of frailty, as she goes about preparing her luscious desserts. This baker deals in real food - you'll be glad you had dinner beforehand - sweet fragrances fill the air as she toils in her beautiful kitchen, fully furnished with appliances and utensils. Set design is by Jeff McLaughlin.

The arrival of Tessie's employer, caterer Dale Jr. (Julia Prud'homme) and her weirdo husband Dale Sr. (Brendan Patrick Connor) is like a home invasion by enemy troops and pierces the bubble that mother and son have created to shield them from the outside world. This is a boisterous, odd couple, she a firebrand, obnoxious, full of loud-mouthed advice and he, with some unmentionable quirks of his own. Both of them demonstrate exceptional talent and Podony, as the rock his mother can cling to in her flood of woe, really comes into his own. Bravos to everyone connected with this play, Director Joel Polis, Producer Gary Grossman, Amy Lieberman for assembling the dream cast and, of course, Playwright Graf.

Katselas Theatre Company at the Skylight Theatre, 1816 N. Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles. Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday 7 p.m. $30, seniors $22.50. No intermission. (702) 582-8587 or www.ktctickets.com. Tight street parking. $3.50 in lot by the 711 near Cypress, $2 in Post Office lot across the street (evenings only). ends 11/20

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Just a few steps from the Skylight Theatre is FIGARO BISTROT, styled like a Parisian Brasserie, with loud, taped music and Continental atmosphere. They also have a bakery and a sidewalk café. The daily Happy Hour from 5 - 7 p.m., draws local bargain hunters like a magnet and since you have a curtain to make, should arrive by 6:30, latest. Take advantage of the low-priced drinks, Chardonnay, Kir and Kir Royale $4 - $6, and the tasty small plate selections. We had mussels baked in parsley butter, crab cakes and carpaccio, $5 each, all garnished with salad. The beef, though sliced razor thin, comme il faut, was a mite grizzly. A cone of authentic pommes frites is $3 and three or four selections to share, should certainly keep your stomach from growing during the show. We didn't even have room for any of the pretty desserts $6, that greet you from a vitrine at the entrance. Great home baked bread and butter, too. The regular menu is another story, priced from $24 for chicken, $25 boeuf Bouguignonne or paella, cous cous royale is $26 and a filet mignon $37. So, now you know why you should get there early. This is a cute, lively spot with service that's a lot friendlier than anywhere in France.

Figaro Bistrot, 1802 N. Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles. Tight street parking. $3 in lot by the 711 at Cypress. $2 in Post Office lot (evenings only) (323) 662-1587.

SHOOTING STAR by Steven Dietz
The scene in an airport gate area (authentic looking set by David Potts). During a fierce blizzard and, of course, all flights are delayed or cancelled. Two stranded passengers meet by chance. He, Reed (Kevin Symonds) is immaculately attired in business suit and tie. She, Elena (Michelle Duffy), comes on looking like a cross between a gypsy and a native of Central America, wearing layers of bright, hand-woven shmattes. These two, however, are no strangers but a couple who had a torrid, two year affair in college, twenty-five years ago. What develops is a delightful theatrical duet, rife with humor and surprises, as they reminisce about their past relationship and contemplate the future. Playwright Dietz captures their characters to perfection, with sharp, revealing dialogue. Reed now has an estranged wife and a difficult, twelve year old daughter. Elena is still a hippie at heart, albeit a disillusioned one, basically alone but a woman who has remained true to her beliefs. Director David Rose paces the action with his usual deft touch, making the intermission-less ninety minutes fly by a lot faster than the grounded aircraft. Performances are exquisite, whether in conversation with the audience or each other.

Symonds, a Colony regular, is letter-perfect, a bit uptight but simpatico - no hot shot career wise and no great shakes as a family man, either. Duffy, with her expressive face and comic delivery, is adorable, looking much too pretty and youthful to pass for middle-age. Together, their chemistry can be felt all the way to the last row of this charming theatre and no matter how far you have to drive, this is a play worth the extra miles.

Colony Theatre, 555 N. Third Street at Cypress, Burbank. Thursday and Friday 8 p.m. Saturday 3 & 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $20 - $42. Free parking in building garage adjoining the theatre. Ends 10/16

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: With the current economic situation what it is, you may want to save some bucks by heading for MEDITERRANEAN DELIGHT in the Food Court of the Burbank Town Center. Park at the theatre, walk through Macy's, turn left to enter the Mall and take the escalator up one flight. Be prepared for no atmosphere, bare tables, plastic chairs, no alcohol, no music (no loss) and reliable self-service. You order at the counter and seven minutes later, you are enjoying a main course, rice, salad and an appetizer dip (hummus, taboule, baba ganoush) with fresh pita bread, all for less than ten dollars. That's right, less than ten dollars and you're guaranteed not to leave hungry. For $8.99, there's a succulent chicken kabob and nicely seasoned lule kabob of ground beef with all the above mentioned extras. For a dollar less, you can have one chicken and one beef kabob, very tender, well marinated and grilled to your order. Same price, $7.99 for a gyro plate, vegetarian falafel plate or mahi mahi. The high ticket is $14.99 for four lamb chops. This is the healthy Mediterranean diet you've been reading about, with prices that won't raise your blood pressure, either.

Mediterranean Delight, Burbank Town Center Food Court, 201 E. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank (818) 558-5671

STRANGER THINGS conceived and directed by Ronnie Clark
In some God-forsaken, cold and windy place, a mother (Katharine Noon) and her daughter, Helga (Christel Joy Johnson), run an inn but dream o eventually settling down by a warm and sunny ocean shore. How they go about realizing their goal is the gist of this oblique tale.

The long absent son Johan (Doug Sutherland) and his partner Matt (Brian Weir), check into what is best described as a combination Roach/Bates Motel, where neither mother nor sister recognize Johan after a twenty year absence. Or do they? Eventually, the story, such as it is, begins to take shape but by that time this audience member's patience has been severely tested. Director and Co-Creator Ronnie Clark developed the play in workshop, assisted by about a half dozen others. One wonders whose idea it was to have the cast break into song, at the oddest moments? Also, someone probably suggested portraying the son as a gay man, another "decision by committee" that doesn't really advance the plot. Katharine Noon as the ill mother bravely succeeds in evoking some feelings for her stultifying life. Johnson as the frosty Helga, deserves mention for her portrayal of a woman whose heart and soul must have been subjected to premature cryonics, due to circumstances and climate. David O's superfluous piano accompaniment drifts from melodic, Schubertian themes to frequent atonal dissonances and lighting designer Chris Wojcieszyn is responsible for the two annoying, bright bulbs aimed straight at the audience during the last half hour. The excellent, stark white, mood evoking set is by Maureen Weiss, who also created the projections. No intermission.

Ghost Road Company at Atwater Village Theatre, Stage 1. 3269 Casitas Avenue, Los Angeles (activate your GPS0. Thursday to Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. (dark 9/17). $25, seniors and students $15. (310) 281-8341 or https:11ghostroad.secure.force.com/ticket. Street parking or in lot a few steps from the theatre. Ends 9/25

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Less than ten minutes from the theatre, is the terrific, little Cuban Café BARACOA, one of these priceless ethnic gems that used to proliferate in every neighborhood but are now a rare find. The room is no designer's dream, plain booths, some wall murals and whirring, overhead fans about describes the "décor". But there's an artiste in the kitchen, putting forth some flavorful meals at decent prices. The modest wine list starts you off with a glass for $6. Home baked bolillos are served right away. Fresh fish $11.95 to $14.95. picadillo (ground beef in tomato sauce) is $12.95, steaks and chops around $15. The Cuban favorite, lechon, boneless leg of pork, strangely is not on the menu here but we insiders know it's baking in that oven, so ask for it. It's tender, succulent and lean, with moros e Cristos (white rice mixed with black beans). $16.95. Always available is their jerk chicken, marinated in citrus juices and Caribbean spices, moist and delicious, with rice and beans, $13.95. Check out the nightly specials, here might be a rarity like oxtails, as on this night. Long braised and butter tender in a rich, dark sauce, it's worth the battle with the chunky bones and a tru hands-on experience $15.95. For dessert, there's tres leches cake, rich as gold (at the current rate) but only $4.95 and good to share. Most pleasant service.

Baracoa, 3175 Glendale Boulevard, Atwater Village. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Street parking (note: meters are now in effect until 8 p.m., $1 per hour.) (323) 665-9590.

THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD By Gilbert & Sullivan

Savoyards - you know who you are - rev up your engines and head for the pretty, little town of Sierra Madre and revel in a Gilbert & Sullivan Festival for the next few weeks. The opening salvo is YEOMEN OF THE GUARD and three cheers for that. If you've been forcefed a diet of HMS Pinafore, The Mikado and Pirates of Pensance, here's your chance to see and hear what else these two geniuses have concocted. I once asked Richard Sheldon, the Director of Opera a la Carte, why, on earth, they never stray from the above repertoire, he said "because none will come". Let's make a liar out of him!

Sierra Madre Playhouse has put on a rousing production with truly elaborate costumes by Richard Haynes Jr. and some outstanding voices. The spirited accompaniment is by the amazing pianist and Music Director Brian Asher Alhadeff. The story is the usual G&S convoluted tale. We have a botched execution, a sham marriage, unrequited love, mistaken identities - you know the drill, all handled with great aplomb and gusto. Our hero, Colonel Fairfax (Joseph Garate) is dimpled and dashing, vocally unsure in the beginning but he comes into his own as he warms up, in spite of a slight metallic sound. Love interest Elsie Maynard (Michelle Caravia}, belts clear, silvery vocal phrases. Katherine Trimble as Phoebe and especially Michelle Holmes who is also blessed with impeccable diction as Dame Carruthers, are gifted both vocally and histrionically. The most remarkable voice on the stage belongs to baritone Matthew Welch as the Jester Jack Point, a Jack be nimble with athletic prowess and a golden throat. He sings sublimely, mostly in the King's English but one wishes Director-Chreographer Eugene J. Hutchins would have him lose that awful Cockney speaking accent and beg him to enunciate more clearly in his famous patter song "A private Buffoon is a lighthearted Loon". Master Wilfred (Luis Marez Ordaz) is a likeable, vocally adept jailer. Another noteworthy performance is delivered by the excellent Ryan Reithmeier as Sergeant MerrilMichelle Taylor as Kate, Tara Waldschmidt as a non and in dual roles, Glenn Fernarndez, Jay Parker and Maria Elena Altany, all deserve hearty applause. The voices blend harmoniously in the many duets, trios and quartets and the music, from the pen of Sir Arthur Sullivan, is consistently delightful. So they're not the D'Oyly Carte - Gilbert & Sullivan's operettas are like sex. Even if it's not the absolute best ever, it's still pretty damn good!

Other events celebrating The Head over Heels for Gilbert & Sullivan Festival include staged readings and concerts on August 28, September 1, 6, 11, 15 and 22. $20 (A festival pass admits you to these six events. Tickets for Yeomen of the Guard are 25, performances are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. It all endsss 9/24

Sierra Madre Playhouse, 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre. Free parking in rear. (626) 355-4318 or www.sierramadreplayhouse.org

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Across the street, a short walk east, is CORFU, a cute place with friendly service, good food and affordable prices. They have two rooms, not flossy but very nice with amber lighting and eye-catching artwork. But why not sit on the sidewalk, as you would, this time of year on the Greek Island of Corfu, al fresco, beneath the shade of umbrellas. The menu is both Greek and Mediterranean-Armenian. If you must have your pasta, it goes from $11.95. You can nibble on warm pita bread and a grainy, thyme-olive oil pesto while making the big decision. The wine list is short but international, with bottles from Greece, naturally, South Africa, Italy, Argentina and California, starting at $4.95 per glass, generously poured. Opa! The Greek selections ,mostly $12.95, include moussaka, pastitsio and stuffed cabbage, the latter very tasty. Two plump rolls filled with seasoned ground beef and rice. We almost chose the Armenian combo, kufta, chicken and beef kebabs but instead, settled on the rack of lamb, three chops, very flavorful and meaty, $19.95. Both of these entrées come with a big, tossed salad of fresh greens, diced tomatoes, cucumbers and onions in a perfect vinaigrette, plus Greek style, long branch, oven-baked potatoes. The accompanying mixed veggies, contrary to Greek tradition, are firm and crisp. One stop parking, delicious dinner and a good show - it doesn't get much better than that.

Corfu, 48 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. (626) 355-5993.

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO FIRST SQUAD by Tom Burmester

This gritty play is the latest in Burmester's trilogy called War Circle, takes us to Afghanistan in 2009 and hits you like a punch in the gut. It is built around an incident that is re-enacted in the second act combat scene. It switches back and forth from the interrogation of a group of soldiers at a Command Post in Kunar Province, known as The Valley of Death, to their so-called life in the barracks. The horrors of war hang over all the scenes like a veil of mourning and the story is neither uplifting nor patriotic.. The men of First Squad, stuck in this hell hole, are the lowest common denominator of our youth. They're brutal, they brawl, yell and swear, throwing the F-bomb, like hand grenades at each other and their anxiety-laden existence. Their opinions of women, "every girl's fantasy is to be raped", would make even a moderate feminist flinch. It's a sad commentary on the state of education, that the Muslim, Mohammad (the excellent A. J. Meijer), their interpreter who hopes to go to the United States for his Master's Degree, but who may, or may not, have an agenda of his own, is the most well spoken and intriguing individual in the play. However, all the actors' performances are nothing short of brilliant. Sergeant Taylor (Jonathan Redding), a divorced father who longs for his little daughter, gets to express some human feelings in these dehumanizing surroundings. Pfc. Jackson (Eric Anderson) as a Southern bible thumper, is effectively annoying. The new man, Pfc. Gabriel (Trevor Algatt) who arrives with hundreds of bibles, determined to convert Muslims to Christianity, gives credence to the belief that most wars are caused by religious zealots. Josef Malonzo as a conscientious medic, Joe Mahon as Pfc. Wright, boisterous and filled with hate and the rest of the cast, all deserve medals for their work.

Directors Danika Sudit and the playwright himself, move the action with machine gun pace but one could do with less shouting, all at the same time, in the opening group scenes. Be sure to consult the glossary in the program for explanation of the army jargon bantered about and prepare for battle fatigue to set in around the middle of the ninety minute long first act. Finally, a shout out to sound designer Christopher Moscatiello and Tom Burmester, once again, for sets and costumes.

The Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble at The Powerhouse Theatre, 3116 = 2d Street, Santa Monica. Thursday - Saturday 8 p.m. $20 (310) 396-3680 or www.latensemble.com Street and Public Parking. Ends 8/27

Pre-Theatre Dining Suggestion: Park and walk through the alley alongside the theatre, just one block to Main Street and here's CHAYA VENICE, one o f the quartet of Chayas (the others are in Downtown L.A, Beverly Hills and San Francisco. They serve what is best described as Asian tinged Mediterranean-California cuisine, if that gives you some idea. There's a sophisticated, glamorous air about the place. An exhibition kitchen fronted by a sushi bar, beneath a graceful light fixture. an open, spacious room with art work resembling three dimensional, crumpled satin fabric adorn the walls. The bar scene is hopping and the wine list impressive, starting at $9 per glass. The menu is upscale but flavors, quality and service are first class. To start, you could share the Vietnamese spring rolls, not deep fried but natural rice paper wrapped around snow crab, shrimp and crispy greens, standing in a puddle of yummy peanut dip sauce, a tiny bit spicy but not at al l sweet, $12. Entrees go from $19 for an Angus beef burger to $35 for filet mignon with truffles. For an unusual combination but one that works, try the New York steak wrapped scallops, a whole new experience in texture, in a subtle Dijon mustard sauce with haricots verts, exotic Hijiki mushrooms and golden potato cubes, $28. Also on the recommended list is the soy-glazed black cod, fresher than a high school boy on Lovers' Lookout. It comes with a little crown of greens, asparagus tempura, baby bok choy and wonderful, brown garlic rice. An outstanding plate for $29. It'll take you five minutes to walk back to the Powerhouse.

Chaya Venice, 110 Navy Street (Main Street), Venice. Full bar. (310) 396-1179

ON GOLDEN POND by Ernest Thompson

An oldie but very goodie, describes this heartwarming play about a long married couple spending their forty-eighth summer at their beloved lake house in Maine, in the year 1979. Norman (the loveable Hal Linden) is nearing his eightieth birthday and is beginning to show his age. A little forgetful and slow of movement but irascible of tongue, nevertheless. His rock of a wife Ethel (Christina Pickles), has her hands full but she humors him affectionately and patiently and their relationship could serve as a role model for young couples about to take the plunge, before they even consider the now customary pre-nup.

They await a visit from their daughter Chelsea (Monette McGrath), whose conflicted youth has left her with a dose of cynicism and feelings of animosity toward her father. She brings along her fiancé Bill (Jonathan Stewart), an ill at ease dentist and his teenage son Billy (Nicholas Podany). The boy and the old man hit it off, that is to say, the kid teaches Norman a whole new vocabulary, which he embraces like his native language. Playwright Thompson's dialogue is rich in humor and purpose throughout and fits each character like a custom tailored suit. Performances are splendid. Jerry Kernion has an amusing bit as Charlie, the chubby mailman and Chelsea's former beau and he locks in every scene. Pickles exudes energy and strength, as the supportive wife. Stewart's dentist is letter perfect as the proverbial fish out of water - an Angeleno in the rustic wilds of Maine and young Podeny is fun to watch, the typical teenager in stance and vocal inflection. McGrath does her best with the thankless role of the estranged daughter, attempting to mend fences before it's too late. The versatile Hal Linden, of course, is a marvel. Besides having the best lines as the lynch-pin of the story, his personal charm comes through even when he plays the caustic geezer. Watch him at the curtain call, he walks on stage surefooted and ramrod straight, losing twenty years in the process. The adroit direction is by Cameron Watson, sound by Rebecca Kassin, lighting by Jared A. Sayeg and the exquisite set is designed by John Iacovelli.

The Colony Theatre, 555 N. Third Street at Cypress, Burbank. Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday 3 and 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $20 - $42, group, student and senior rates available. (818) 558-7000 ext. 15 or www.colonytheatre.org. ends 8/28

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Now is the right time to grab a bite at LA BAMBA, a casual Caribbean dinery, less than five minutes from the Colony. You'll be seated on a patio, in the round, covered but with no interior dining area. As long as our warm weather pervades, you'll be perfectly comfortable and you certainly won't go broke. There's fresh, mild pico de gallo and chips to start you off. Also on the table is a jar of green salsa, pure dynamite, I warn you. Approach with caution, drop by drop, if you dare. Can you even remember paying $3.95 for a glass of wine? None of the entrees are over $13.95 ( for Panama shrimp or camarones al ajillo), tilapia is $10.95, Jamaican chicken or steak, $9.95. There are Cuban sandwiches, burritos, tacos and more. You'll love the bisteca a la Venezolana, tender cubes, very tasty via a citrus marinade, grilled and tossed with still crisp onions, $10.95. The 8th Street Plate of shredded pork with tomatoes and bell peppers is very generous but the sauce a little over-tomato'd for my palate, $9.95. You'd be better off with the La Bamba Special, same good pork but without the Caribbean-Sicilian connection, $9.50. Both plates come with black beans, delicious, yellow Caribbean rice and a little mound of pico de gallo. Table service is most attentive. This is an out of the ordinary, fun discovery, in the middle of a residential area.

La Bamba, 2600 N. Glenoaks Boulevard, corner of Lamer Street, Burbank. (818) 846-3358.

BARRIE: BACK TO BACK An Evening of Plays by J.M. Barrie

The powers that be at Pacific Resident Theatre, namely Artistic Director Marilyn Fox, have a knack for unearthing and presenting rare and unusual works. Who knew that Barrie, the author of the children's classic Peter Pan, also had a talent for writing plays that would delight grown-up audiences? But such is the case with this double bill, currently playing to full houses. As pleasurable as they are to see, they are even harder to review without giving away the elements of surprise, which makes them both so enjoyable.

The first one, ROSALIND, takes place in a genteel parlour in England, in the nineteen hundreds. A middle aged woman, Mrs. Page (Lesley Fera),in a dowdy robe and house slippers and her spinsterish boarder, Dame Quickly - so named, perhaps in a nod to Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor - (Ann Branston, double cast with Sara Zinsser), are relaxing on a rainy afternoon, making small talk. Suddenly, there's a knock on the door. Charles (Kevin Railsbeck), a young man in knickers, his umbrella dripping, seeks refuge from the bad weather, while awaiting his evening train and begs to warm himself by the fire. They kindly let him in and he's immediately attracted to the photograph on the mantle, of a glamorous, young woman, Mrs. Page's actress daughter Beatrice. And that's all I'm going to tell you. Subjects explored are: youthful infatuation, the life of an actress who's no longer twenty-nine but who must retain her young, leading lady image in order to be cast in a play and the magic of powder and paint to make a girl what she ain't….. Excellent acting by all, under the direction of Marilyn Fox.

After intermission, we are treated to THE OLD LADY SHOWS HER MEDALS. The stage is set in a rustic London basement during World War I. It's tea time for four charwomen, Mrs. Dowey (Penny Safranek), Mrs. Mickleham (Ann Branston,) the Haggerty Woman (Jennifer Lonsway) and Mrs. Twymley (Roses Pritchard). They gossip, discuss current fashion, bemoan the war but, most of all, in a game of oneupmanship, brag about their boys fighting at the front. Their rapid banter is in a heavy Cockney accent and, in the case of Pritchard's Mrs. Twymley, often unintelligible.

The show belongs to Safranek, as a woman who has gathered a pile of frayed letters sent by her son Kenneth. He's a member of the 5th Battalion Black Watch of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. When Reverent Willings (William Lithgow) descends the steps to announce that the young fellow has arrived in town, we anticipate a joyful reunion of mother and son. Joe McGovern as the Highlander in full regalia, with kilts and beret and a swagger fit for a general, has a genuine Scottish burr and cuts a dashing figure. Their meeting it totally absorbing and also very moving and gives Safranek, doting and fussing, a chance to shine in an unforgettable performance. The author injects unexpected twists into both plays which are divulged early on, but they continue to sustain our undivided attention. Rosalind is very, very good but this one is a masterpiece. Sensitively co-directed by Marilyn Fox and Dana Dewes, with outstanding set design and costumes for both productions by Nick Santiago and Audrey Eisner, respectively. Highly recommended!

Pacific Resident Theatre, 703 Venice Boulevard, four blocks west of Lincoln, Venice. Thursday -Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 3 p.m. $20 - $30 (310) 822-8392 or www.pacificresidenttheatre.com ends 8/7

Pre-Theatre Dining Suggestion: A ten minute drive from the PRT, is SAUCE ON HAMPTON, a find that restaurant critics love to share with foodies who relish a discovery. The restaurant has an open, bright look via skylights, minimal décor but is attractive in its simplicity. Tabletops have a unique, faux redwood surface, service is terrific and you'll love the prices. Chef Sassan "Sauce" Rostamian excels in sophisticated home cooking, dishes that sound quite familiar but are stirred with a talented hand and infused with imagination. He's a disciple of everything organic and sustainable and a regular customer at the Farmers Market. Entrees go from $11 for grilled chicken to $20 for sea bass. Pulled pork is $11, turkey meatloaf $13 etc. Included is your choice of two side dishes, winners all. The ahi tuna, biggest bargain I've enjoyed in years, costs $13, seared on the outside, pink as a baby's you-know-what, within. It comes with spicy aioli and the two side dishes, quinoa confetti'd with chili flakes and veggie bits as well as the fresh spinach, bright green, still crip and pleasantly garlicked, were a treat to eat. Tied for gold star honors are the firecracker shrimp, seven beauties, mind you, for $16. The spicy tapatio-butter sauce gives them just the right heat, without having to call in the hook 'n laddies. The two sides chosen, sliced mushrooms with caramelized onions, rate wild applause; the Yukon Gold potato nuggets, crispy and brown, a standing ovation. This is really wonderful food, which deserves to be accompanied by good wine. Alas, Sauce has no license and you can't BYOB either. As a consolation, of sorts, you get a complimentary cookie.

Sauce on Hampton, 259 Hampton Drive, Venice. Tight street parking. No alcohol. (310) 399-5400

SUMMER NIGHTS AT THE FORD - Lovingly known as L.A.'s oasis, this charming amphitheatre, across the 101 Freeway from the Hollywood Bowl, is now performing and continues to do so after most other outdoor venues have "folded their tent". You can still enjoy the J.A.M. Session of acoustic guitar and singing on Monday July 25th at 7 p.m.; the Dance Invitational on Saturday August 6th at 8:30 p.m.; Fiesta Argentina Saturday August 20th at 8 p.m.; a Celtic Concert on Sunday August 18th at 7 p.m. and lots and lots of other attractions in between, until Groovin' on a Sunday Afternoon on Octoberr 9th, at 3 p.m. To pre-order box dinners, sandwiches and salads, call (323) 461-3673 no later than three days before your event. For tickets and a free brochure with detailed show information, parking advice etc., call (323) 461-3673 or log on to www.fordtheatre.org. Box Office open from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

BAKERSFIELD MIST by Stephen Sachs

This is another triumph for the Fountain Theatre, written and directed by its very own Co-Artistic Director Stephen Sachs. Theatre buffs from all over the Southland are filling the house of this modest, multi-award winning venue, even Westsiders who hardly ever venture east of La Cienega know a good thing and come to see one.

We are in a tcky Bakersfield trailer park unit, cluttered with every dust-catching piece of kitsch its owner, Maude Gutman (Jenny O'Hara) could get her hands on, gleaned from junk shops and yard sales, in all probability, also the source of her lime and orange "ensemble". Great set and costumes by Jeff McLaughlin and Shon LeBlanc, respectively. Maude's a hopeless lush, smokes, drinks and swears unabashedly and is convinced that one of her three dollar purchases is actually a long lost masterpiece by Jackson Pollock, worth a fortune. To authenticate her find, she has contacted the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, which sends out an expert, the nattily dressed Lionel Percy (Nick Ullett), an unctuous and acerbic individual who regards her with utter disdain. Her background (retired bartender}, her living quarters and the undocumented state of the art work, convinces him right from the outset, that the painting must be a fake. "This won't take long", he says but we hope it will and, thankfully, it does. What develops is a battle of wits between two mismatched opponents, she a vulgar, uneducated loser but not quite as dumb as he thinks she is. And, as for him, he's the epitome of a snobbish, art museum maven, besotted by his own, perceived infallibility. In the course of their spirited exchange, fuelled by frequent shots of Jack Daniel, we get to know and love these diverse characters in this expertly written, superbly acted and directed play. A must see!

It may interest you to know that the story is inspired by actual events that took place in Orange County in 1992 and even more surprising, that O'Hara and Ullett are a married couple in real life. This world premiere work is scheduled for a series of productions across the country, as part of the National New Play Network. All I can say is Break a Leg!

Fountain Theatre, 5060 Fountain Avenue at Normandie, Los Angeles. Thursday - Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $25 - $30. Seniors over 62, $23 on Thursday and Friday; students $18 on Thursday and Friday. No intermission. Parking in adjacent lot $5. (323) 663-1525 or www.fountaintheatre.com ends 9/3

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Less than ten minutes from the Fountain, you'll find THE KITCHEN, a long time favorite of Silverlake's Bohemian clientele. Funky to the core, with a plain brick wall, well used, bare tabletops and zero atmosphere, it is Everything is home made and tastes good and won't bust your wallet in the process. Most salads come in two sizes, beginning with a small, but not too small, toss of fresh baby greens, carrots and chopped tomatoes in a balsamic vinaigrette, for $4. Their beefy meatloaf with demi glaze and garlic mashers is hearty and filling. Most entrees including this one, come with succotash, their modern version, with edamame beans, bell peppers and fresh off the cob corn, now in its seasonal glory, for $14. Same price for fried chicken. Other possibilities also sound inviting, Belgian beef stew $16, steamed mussel with pommes frites $15, sesame-crusted albacore with ponzu sauce or pork chops with potato latkes (love that combo!), $16. I can vouch for the tasty, generous flank steak with balsamic reduction, wasabi flavored mashers and that excellent succotash, $18. Service is exceedingly polished and pleasant. There are good wines from $8 per glass. If you care to BYO, corkage is a mere $10.

: This is the sort of place every neighborhood needs, where you can get a wholesome meal after a day of work and don't have to wait for a special occasion to visit. Desserts are house made also and judging by the flourless chocolate cake with strawberry coulis and real whipped cream, that chef knows what he's doing. My compliments!

The Kitchen, 4348 Fountain Avenue, corner of Sunset & Hoover, Los Angeles. Open daily for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to midnight; Friday and Saturday until 1 a.m. Saturday from 10 a.m., Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. only. Parking lot in rear. Beer and wine (323) 664-3663.

EXTENDED: NAZI HUNTER SIMON WIESENTHAL at Theatre 40 in Beverly Hills has added performances throughout August, on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. For dates and tickets call (310) 364-3606.

SEX AND EDUCATION at the Victory Theatre in Burbank has also been extended, until August 7th. (818) 841-5421. (see willcall.org for both reviews).

PAGEANT OF THE MASTERS - Summer is officially here, when this spectacle opens in Laguna Beach. The main stage attraction, tableaux vivants, are living pictures of famous art works, paintings as well as sculptures, posters etc. Narrated by Richard Doyle and accompanied by a full orchestra, these huge paintings are actually posed by volunteering local townspeople and you don't believe it, until they show you how it's done, (my favorite part).

This year's theme is "Only Make Believe" and includes children's fairy tales, Greek mythology, historical heroes, future supermen, full screen projections and more. It seemed a more frugal presentation than in the recent past; no extracurricular live singers, dancers or actors but there's an amusing dragon sequence that'll have you cheering
Flash: The traditional ending with Michelangelo's "Last Supper" has been replaced by that of Salvador Dali's in a beautiful, solemn, impressionist rendering. Do come early and stroll through the FESTIVAL OF ARTS on the grounds, a breathtaking display in every medium, paintings, sculptures, jewelry, wood, glass, photography etc., really outstanding. The entrance fee is included in your Festival ticket price. Separate admission is $7, seniors and military $4,children under 12 free. The exhibit is open daily from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Pageant of the Masters, Irvine Bowl, 650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. Nightly at 8:30 p.m., $50 - $100. Bring binoculars (a must), a warm wrap or blanket and a seat cushion. (949)494-1145 or www.pageanttickets.com both Festivals end 8/31

Pre-Event Dining Suggestion: Picturesquely located in the heart of the Art A-Fair, catty corner across the street, is TIVOLI TOO !, a truly charming garden setting, beneath umbrellas or under the latticed, greenery-shaded tables. The accent is Southwestern, with colorful table cloths and a small cactus plant in the center. There's a gurgling waterfall and gorgeous, blooming hydrangeas everywhere. Just the spot for an al fresco meal. This is a good time for salad and they have Caesar for $15.94, a chicken walnut for $15.95 and a super tostada salad. The latter comes in a crisp, flour tortilla shell that looks like a cornucopia spilling over with a rainbow of edibles: chicken or ground beef, shredded lettuce, sliced, black olives, tomato-onion salsa, sour cream, guacamole and grated cheese. At the very bottom is a buried treasure trove of yummy black beans. It's pretty enough for a photo op but even better to tackle with a fork, $15.25. If you crave sterner stuff, I recommend the Tivoli burrito, a bountiful, soft flour tortilla, jam-packed with marinated chicken or ground beef, black beans, onions, bell peppers, lettuce and tomatoes, topped with a tasty enchilada sauce a nd melted Jack cheese. This two-handsful of goodies is $15.25. In addition, they have burgers, tacos, sandwiches as well a a marinated skirt steak $15.25 or Southwestern crabcakes for $16.95. We had a darling waitress and felt pampered and welcome. She even brought wine samples for tasting. A glass of Beringer Chardonnay is $8. FYI: Tivoli Terrace on the actual grounds of the Festival of Arts, serves cocktails and an upscale, full dinner menu from $22.95 (chicken} to $29.25 (steak) (949) 494-9650.

Tivoli Too! 777Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. Open daily for lunch and dinner, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the summer. Adjoining parking lot $10 for the evening. (949) 494-6044.

THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR by William Shakespeare
A few hours spent among the lush, green surroundings of the Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga Canyon, would be worth it just for its therapeutic value, as a respite from the stress and strains of the big city. But when you can also watch a performance by this highly regarded, award-winning Company, the pleasure is doubled.

Tackling Shakespeare's play, THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR , has been done operatically by Giuseppe Verdi (in Italian) and in German by Otto Nicolai in the melodious Die Lustigen Weiber von Windsor. But here we get the original. The rotund knight, Sir John Falstaff (a superb Alan Blumenfeld), who fancies himself quite the ladies' man, in spite of his girth and dismal finances, tries to woo two married women. His intentions are less than honorable. He not only plans to bed them both but to get his hands on their wealthy husbands' money, as well.

Mistress Ford (Elizabeth Tobias) a matronly, good humored and clever woman and Mistress Page (Karen Reed), amusing with her inched face and squeaky voice, find that they have each received identical love letters from the old scoundrel and plan to teach him a lesson he won't soon forget. What ensues is a comic tale of who can outsmart whom.

The renowned Melora Marshall as the opportunistic go-between, is almost upstaged by her adorable, obedient and stage-smart, tail wagging dog. Among the two husbands, Page (Tim Halligan) and Ford (Ted Barton), the latter emerges as the star of the show. His sonorous voice and perfect diction do justice to the Bard's text in every scene and he handles the strenuous physical demands with aplomb. Gerald C. Rivers, garbed in clerical robes, lends gravitas to the part but sounds a lot like someone you'd reach at an outsource job in Mumbai. By the same token, the agile Paul Turbiak as Doctor Caius, has a French accent heavier than day old sauce Bearnaise; subtitles would be a blessing. The rest of the large, enthusiastic cast maintains the necessary high spirits and Director Ellen Geer, the daughter of Founding Father Will Geer, is an expert at staging these productions on her home grounds in a setting only Mother Nature could provide. The costume finery is credited to Sara Gray, lighting is by Zachary Moore.

Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Topanga. The Merry Wives (in repertory with A Midsummer Night's Dream and Tartuffe) will play on the following dates: Sunday 7/3 and 7/10 at 3 p.m.; Friday 7/8, 22 and 29, 8/5 and 12 at 8 p.m.; Saturday 8/20, 27, 9/3 and 9/10 at 8 p.m.; Sunday 7/17 and 24 at 7:30 p.m. $20 - $32, Bring a warm wrap and a seat cushion. On site parking $5, free for handicapped and seniors. (310) 455-3723 or www.theatricum.com ends 9/10

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: On your drive up the winding mountain road, you'll pass the CANYON BISTRO. Do stop in. It's a nice, friendly place with French/American food and excellent service. You can sit on their patio, which has umbrellas as well as heaters, ready for all weather conditions. The menu is pleasantly priced, starters from $9 for a salad to $12 for baked Brie. The top entrée ticket is $30 for a rack of lamb, chicken Jadori is $22. Shrimp Vera Cruz costs $24, a truly delicious preparation with diced yellow bell peppers, onion and cherry tomatoes, in a tasty, lightly tomato-based, sauce. Served with what they call forbidden black rice, which looks like black cous cous and is wonderful. The hanger steak for $22 comes with fries and their home made steak sauce, a good portion, very well seasoned and done to your specifications, in my case, charred rare. The meat will keep you pretty busy carving, trimming and chewing, after all, you're not buying a filet mignon. But it's so flavorful, you won't mind. For dessert, be alerted to the chocolate fondant, in a soufflé dish, the inside still warm and soft like molten lava, sheer heaven for chocoholics. With ice cream and raspberry garnish, $9 and worth it. Hint: order it in advance. Wine from $9 per glass. In keeping with the casual Canyon atmosphere, bathroom visits require a walk down the hall, so to speak. You get a key attached to a large, slotted spoon. It's all part of the rustic charm and only a five minute drive to the Theatricum.

Canyon Bistro, 120 N. Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Topanga, at Pine Tree Circle. Weekday lunch, dinner nightly. Saturday and Sunday brunch. Closed Monday. Park in front. (310) 455-7800.

SEX AND EDUCATION by Lissa Levin
Sex sells. Education - not so much. But together they're a winning combination. We're in a high school classroom (set by Gary Randall), the day of the English finals. The teacher, Miss Edwards (the indomitable Maria Gobetti), is also leaving and intends to pursue a more lucrative career in real estate. She intercepts a "love note" from basketball hero Joe Marks (Kanin Guntzelman) to his cheerleader girlfriend Hannah (Jessica McKee) in which he, in his own way, tries to convince this cutie to sleep with him. Trouble is, it's a crude effort, laden with four letter words. Furthermore, it describes the teacher in the most vulgar terms imaginable. Does it faze her? Not in the least. She doesn't even express dismay at how the tone of epistolary seduction has changed since the days of her youth. Instead, she analyses, criticizes, parses and dissects its grammatical and structural content and is primarily interested in teaching Joe how to express his desire in civilized essay form and, above all, in proper English
.
What follows are almost ninety minutes of verbal sparring, as she cajoles, insults and threatens her defiant student with ruining his chances for a college basketball scholarship, by flunking him. The arguments are constantly interrupted by the perky, high-kicking McKee and her athletic, story-appropriate cheers, which would be annoying if she weren't so adept at it. Guntzelman is letter-perfect as the dense jock just trying to get laid and graduate, not necessarily in that order and deserves an A-plus for his performance. Gobetti occasionally stumbles over the high-powered, unrelenting dialogue but manages to gloss over it, consummate actress that she is. She's a kick to watch as she gets her licks in, retort at the ready, her eyes sparking and her mind racing, her tongue sharp and her barbs hilarious. This play is written with humor and intelligence and behind the laughs are lessons to be learned. An especially good show for all the suffering English teachers out there. It's interesting to note that we are watching something of a family affair. Accomplished Director Dan Guntzelman is playwright Lissa Levin's husband and the father of our young leading man.

Victory Center Theatre, 3326 W. Victory Boulevard. North Hollywood. Street parking. (919) 841-5421 or www.thevictorytheatrecenter.org ends 7/17

Pre-performance Dining Suggestion: Less than five minutes from the Victory Theatre is LA MARIA, a little Colombian eatery, which is that rare find, these days, authentic home cooking at anachronistic prices. It's tiny, cute and cheery, with hand made bric-a-brac, paintings and the perfunctory TV. When you think of Colombia, the country, two things come to mind. Coffee (good), drugs (bad). But what about the food? Beautifully seasoned, not at all spicy, great sauces, fresh ingredients, a pleasure. Appetizers from $1.25 (beef or chicken empanadas), hearty soups from $4.99. The high ticket is $14.99 for churrasco, a grilled N.Y. steak. The least expensive is beef tongue, $9.99, with blended Colombian spices into a fabulous sauce of onions, tomatoes and bright yellow yucca. A scoop of rice, a small toss of romaine with diced carrots and two fried platanos are all on the same plate. I do hope I'm not the only person on the planet who loves a tender tongue, perfectly prepared. Also very tasty is the little pork chop in a mushroom-garlic sauce, with mashed potatoes, fresh mushrooms, crisp string beans, carrots, zucchini, bell peppers and the same salad in a balsamic vinaigrette, for $11.99. Colombian chicken dishes from $9.99 ( leg and thigh in Criollo sauce), seafood $11.99 - $13.99. Blackboard and house specials, similar prices. There's also a menu of the Cuisine of the Americas, which has a distinct Mexican accent, on which I may report on my next visit - if I can resist trying more of that delicious Colombian food. Beer from $3.50 per bottle, wine $5 a glass. Sangria and Margaritas made with agave wine, $4. Friendly service.

Victory Boulevard, North Hollywood. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Parking in rear. (818) 755-8811.

NAZI HUNTER -SIMON WIESENTHAL written and performed by Tom Dugan
After World War II, when everybody said, "somebody should track down the Nazi war criminals still at large". Simon Wiesenthal did exactly that. The efforts of one man, himself a Holocaust survivor of seventeen concentration camps, resulted in the capture and conviction of eleven hundred of these evil men who played a part in the annihilation of six million Jews. Tom Dugan, in his one man show, tells how he did it.

Here in his little office of the Jewish Documentation Center in Vienna (set and lighting by Kate Barrett, sound by Richard Allan), he addresses his audience, ostensibly a group of young, American students, on the day of his retirement. He has been called the Jewish James Bond but instead of guns, fancy, high tech gadgets and buxom babes, we see a balding senior citizen. He affects the slow shuffle of the elderly and a strong, Eastern-European accent, as he recounts how, with determination, persistence and cunning, he traveled far and wide, including to South America, to pursue villains like Josef Mengele, Franz Stangl and Karl Silberbauer, the Austrian cop who imprisoned Anne Frank and, the most notorious of them all, Adolf Eichmann, for whose capture he graciously credits the Israeli Mossad. His fascinating narrative is sprinkled with humor and famed Director Jenny Sullivan, has him in perpetual, albeit slow, motion and animated gestures, holding our interest and filling us with admiration and pride. Every temple in Southern California should alert its Sisterhood to hire a bus and come to experience Dugan's performance. What a concept for a fundraiser or just for pure enjoyment!

Theatre 40 at the Reuben Cordova Theatre, 241 Moreno Drive, on the grounds of the Beverly Hills High School, off Little Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Hills. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. $25 (310) 364-3606 or www.theatre40.org. Free parking in building garage, just steps from the theatre entrance. Ends 6/21

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: When you're in the mood for a casual pre-theatre repast, head for CUVÉE in Century City, about seven minutes from Theatre 40. They serve dinners only on week nights and since this show plays Monday and Tuesday, it all works out. A very attractive space, off the lobby of an office building, with several seating options. An espresso bar, tables and chairs and a curved bar in the center. For a windless evening (if there is such a thing in Century City), there's a nice, outdoor terrace with umbrellas and a gorgeous view of the surrounding highrises.

This is a wine bar with hundreds of bottles lining the wall as part of the décor. In a glass case are some inviting looking salads $7.95 to $12.95. They have several pasta based entrees, from $11.95 and appealing appetizers among which we decided on a fish taco and a chopped flank steak quesadilla, $12.95 each, both colorfully presented with guacamole and fresh, ripe tomato salsa. Not the gourmet feast of the week but generously portioned and easy to share. They have an exciting wine list by the glass but strangely, this being basically a wine bar, they were out of the two we ordered, including a Threfethen Chardonnay at $7 a glass. Our darling waitress apologized profusely when she saw out disappointed faces, but still…. Better luck on your visit. There's also a case housing beautiful desserts, at which we had been staring all through the meal so, of course, we caved in and decided to split a blueberry tarte. Easier said than done - we should all have such a hard bottom but it tasted divinely, nevertheless, $3.50.

Cuvée, 2000 Avenue of the Stars corner Constellation Bouleavrd, Century City. Lunch and dinner Monday through Friday until 9 p.m. No reservations required (310) 277-3303. Free parking after 5 p.m. with validation, in building garage. Enter on Constellation, park on P1, then take several escalator rides up to the Lobby Level

BAYOU & BLUES FESTIVAL ALERT: What's better than good music and good food? The answer is great, live Cajun and Zydeco music and Cajun-Creole food! Two days filled with entertainment and fun are happening at the Long Beach Lagoon Park, featuring a first class line-up. Among the bands on Saturday, June 25th, are the San Diego Cajun Playboys, the New Orleans Jazz Band (both days), Keith Frank and the Sopileau Zydeco Band (both days), among others. On the Blues Stage, Bob Malone, Barbara Morrison, DW3 and more. On Sunday, June 26th, the bands include Geno Delafose and the French Rockin' Boogie, Bonne Musique Zydeco and five-time Grammy winner Dr. John and the Lower 911. On the Blues Stage, Bernie Pearl, Seville, Guitar Shortie etc. There will be dance lessons, a crawfish eating contest and a Mardi Gras Parade with prizes for the most original costume in the adult division. Bring the family! There's a Kid's Korner with activities scheduled all day long.

Nobody goes hungry at this Festival. Food booths with fried catfish, fried chicken, crawfish etoufée, barbecued ribs and chicken, Jambalaya and gumbo and much more. Incidentally, I'm told that a good Cajun chef can look at a rice field and know exactly how much gumbo it takes to cover it. For the sweet tooth, there's funnel cake. Beignets and other finger lickin' mouth watering specialties to please. Bring a low backed chair or blankets, a hat and a warm wrap to ward off the breezes. No outside alcohol or food permitted.

Bayou & Blues Festival, Rainbow Lagoon Park, Long Beach. 710 Freeway to Long Beach, exit Shoreline Drive, pass Pine Avenue and park at Marina Green lot on South side of Shoreline and Linden Avenue. Reserved parking at Marina Green lot across from Rainbow Lagoon, $10. Event tickets $25 in advance, $30 at the gate. Seniors (60+) and students (18+) $20 in advance, $30 at the gate. Kids under 18, $10 if accompanied by an adult. VIP seating, backstage pass, one meal and two alcoholic beverages available for $65. (562) 424-0013 or www.longbeachbayouandbluesfestival.com. June 25th and 26th from 11 a.m., Saturday until 9 p.m., Sunday until 8 p.m., Laissez les bons temps roulez!

THE HOUSE OF THE RISING SON by Tom Jacobson
To give you even a vague synopsis of this fascinating play, one would have to begin with the words "Spoiler Alert! How often has this happened to you - you read the review of a play or movie and by the time you're done, you know everything the writers meant for you to experience only as the story unfolds. Even surprise endings have been given away without warning. (I now read reviews only AFTER I've seen the show). So, may I just say that this is not a play for homophobes. The language will scorch your ears and some situations are not for the easily shocked.

Beginning in Los Angeles' Museum of Natural History, Dr. Trent Varro (Paul Witten), a parasitologist, delivers a lecture observed by a handsome, young man, Felix Martin (Steve Coombs), who is addicted to ghost stories and anything para-normal. The two men are immediately attracted to one another and after a first date, a fun cemetery tour, Trent invites Felix to his family home in New Orleans, where his wealthy grandfather Bowen (Rod Menzies, double cast with Nicholas Horman) and father Garrett (Patrick John Hurley), reside. If Tennessee Williams had dared, he would have written this play. Decaying Southern mansion, check. Sordid family history, check. Provocative dialogue, of course. Playwright Jacobson however, has a wicked sense of humor and evokes gales of laughter, never Williams' forte. The four actors are remarkably accomplished and are cast in smaller, dual roles, which they perform just as expertly as their major parts. The ingenious set by Richard Hoover and inspired lighting by Jeremy Pivnick, magically transport us to various locales. Director Michael Michetti masterfully sustains the impact of this outrageous tale, one in which we end up learning a whole, new, scientific theory of why homosexuality is proliferating. Well worth a visit to this charming but not easily found, venue.

Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Avenue, Atwater Village (get directions). Thursday - Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 and 7 p.m. $25. Ample street parking on in lot a few steps from the theatre. (323)644-1929 or www.ensemblestudioteatrela.org. ends 5/28

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion:
Atwater Village's new, hip image is bolstered by CANELÉ, a chic bistro that would be right at home in the City of Lights. It has that Gallic je ne sais quoi, lots of brickwork and an enormous blackboard menu tacked against an almost floor to ceiling pillar. It caught my eye at once upon entering and caused me to overlook the sheet of paper on the front door, mentioning a pre-theatre menu. Farmer's Market salad, coq au vin and canelé for $24, served Thursday to Sunday from 5 to 7 p.m. Next time. Instead, we started with a silky chicken liver pate, spread on toasted baguette slices, with some cornichons, mustard and a little mound of flat leaf parsley tossed in vinaigrette, $9. They do a fresh, roasted branzino, a whole fish, wonderfully mild and white-fleshed but you have to be prepared to deal with the bones. A labor of love but still, a labor. It's topped with celery salad, using the leave and thin stalks which are usually discarded but put to good use here, with caperberry slices and onions, excellent, $23. No bones about their pork, tender, thickly pre-sliced, enhanced with a sweet-tart mélange of caramelized onion, olive-artichoke salsa and fava beans, an expensive delight, $20. A canelé is offered as a complimentary dessert, a crisp, little vanilla flavored pastry that resembles a wine cork, which inspired the restaurant's name, heretofore unfamiliar to me and my Larousse Gastronomique. The wine list has some unusual bottles, from $8 per glass for a Chasselas Romand Dubarel, a surprisingly pleasant wine from the country famous for clocks and chocolate - Switzerland. Service is nonchalant, typically French, you might say. But the kitchen's work is par excellence and won't disappoint. Recommended by
Atwater Village Theatre, about seven minutes away (once you know where you're going).

Canele, 3219 Glendale Boulevard near Brunswich, Atwater Village (Los Angeles). Street parking. No reservations accepted.

How about an evening of something different, show and dinner for food lovers, offered at ROYAL THAI RESTAURANT in Newport Beach. Owner/chef Sam Tila holds a cooking class every three months. He explains that Thai food has become the fastest growing cuisine in the world, now found in every major city and curious palates want to get behind its intricacies. You want to try this at home? He'll teach you how and give you recipes. As you watch the step by step preparation, you sip champagne and have a chance of meet like-minded foodies. Best of all, you get to eat everything you've watched and smelled for over an hour. Yummmm! There are always several courses, sample menu: Beef and chicken satay with peanut sauce and cucumber sauce; Som Tom country style green papaya salad with snow peas; chicken and pork-stuffed angel wings and Drunken Noodles, Patimao in Thai, rice noodles with shrimp, squid, chicken, pork and broccoli. It's all served family style, with plenty to go around and who knows, you might be the star chef at your next dinner party. The cooking classes are held at only the Newport branch (other locations San Diego and Laguna Beach, same ownership).

Royal Thai Cuisine, 4001 West Pacific Coast Highway, Newport Beach. $65, includes tax, tip, champagne and the four course dinner. Next event, Monday May 16th, at 6:30 p.m. Call for August date. Reservations (949) 645-8424.

STONES IN HIS POCKET by Sarah Marie Jones
Sure and begorra, the Irish are a quirky but lovable lot. We're in a village in Ireland, where a Hollywood crew is frantically filming and offering employment to extras at forty
Quid per day. That's a lot of moolah to them and the jobs are in great demand. On a meager but functional set that consists of a stone wall and two large trunks (design by Cliff Wagner), we meet just about every inhabitant, each of whom is played by only two actors. Bert Pigg is Charlie Conlon and David Graham, Jake Quinn. The plot's a little weak but the acting is strong, very strong. The Irish accents sound authentic yet always understandable. Three cheers for that! The taller one, Pigg, also portrays the flirtatious leading lady to perfection, as well as an assistant director, a put-upon technician, a priest, a little boy and other characters. Graham, the diminutive one, doubles as the glamorous star's reluctant love interest, the movie's director, a young boy, a TV reporter plus a deformed, little guy who is the only surviving extra of the John Wayne classic The Quiet Man, and many more. They switch personalities with admirable facility, their hats the only costume change. The title is explained in the second act, when a tragic occurrence threatens to shut down the entire film's production.

A very amusing show, worth seeing for the skilled, multi-faceted performances. The able direction is by Christian Wolf who makes sure that there's never a dull moment on the tiny stage. The music is uncredited but sets the mood and provides a charming background sound to this quaint story, which won the playwright an Olivier Award for Best Comedy.

Little Fish Theatre, 777 Centre Street, San Pedro. Mid-week Series, every Wednesday and Thursday at 8 p.m. $18 Free parking enter via the alley off Centre Street in adjoining lot, (310) 512-6030 or www.littlefishtheare.org. Ends 5/12

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: The former Copper Room has now become IRON CITY TAVERN, a jolly pub with an enthusiastic bar crowd - on my visit, wildly cheering the Lakers' game, visible on several flatscreen TVs. The new owners, Steve Patrick and his cute wife who is Polish, are super friendly folks and will try to please you in every way possible. They've added two Polish specialties to the simple menu: Kielbasa with sauerkraut as well as home made pierogi, dumplings filled with cheese and potatoes, $9.95 each. Same price for spaghetti or ravioli dishes. For $14.95, there's chicken Marsala, linguine with seafood or a very good calamari steak, dipped in egg wash and properly sautéed for just a brief time so that it actually tastes like the nowadays unaffordable abalone. Too bad that was not the fate of my blackened ahi tuna, which should be quickly seared and rare in the center. This one looked like a nice, lean piece of pork with a pale pink interior. It was quite tasty, to be honest, just not what I expected, Next time my mouth is set on rare ahi, I'll call ahead and have them take it out of the fridge an hour earlier, which can eliminate the challenge of serving a rare order cold in the middle. The quality of the fish is above reproach, the price $14.95, a steal. Both dishes had garlic sauce, garlic mashed potatoes with baked cloves and fresh, crisp slices of zucchini and carrots in a sunburst presentation, with a bouquet of broccoli florets in the center. Very impressive. A glass of house wine is $5.50. If you just want a light bite before the show, check out their burger varieties, $5.50 to %6.95 and sandwiches in three sizes, from $4.95 for a single grilled cheese to $7.95 for a triple ham & cheese, turkey or tuna. It's about a five minute drive to the Little FishTheatre.

Iron City, 589 W. 9th Street, San Pedro Full bar. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Parking in rear. (310)547-4766.

"GOODBYE, LOUIE…HELLO!" by Allan Manings
This world premiere play was penned by the late, esteemed Allan Manings, an Emmy winner for his work on Laugh In and many other well loved TV sitcoms and he proves his comic and dramatic mettle here. It is set in a tastefully furnished Manhattan apartment (design by Jeff G Rack), as two old buddies play gin rummy. They banter good naturedly and tell oldie but goodie, jokes. Louie Berns (ne Bernstein), the wonderful, mesmerizing Alan Freeman, a once famous and successful comedian, is about to retire to Arizona. He tries to persuade his friend Benjie (Steve Franken), a cute, little guy with a serious mien but a good sense of humor, to accompany him. Louie's grown children Aimee (Maria Kress) and Scott (Paul Denniston), are aghast at the idea and try to dissuade him from leaving New York.

While the first act is light hearted and a bundle of laughs, Act II reveals a period in Louie's life that he'd just as soon forget. Without taking the edge off the plot, let me just say that a journalist (Roy Vogntama) interviews Louie for a planned article about his life. He has done his homework well, perhaps too well and unearthed certain facts that took place during the infamous McCarthy era, when the Communist witch hunt devastated the lives, careers ands friendships of many, basically innocent people in the artistic and creative community.

The actors are a joy to watch. The tall, arrow-straight Freeman cuts a fine figure and displays a humorous side as well as an emotional one. Franken is the epitome of a loveable, old Jew, whom you just want to hug and maybe pour him a nice glass of Manischewitz. Kress brings warmth and believability to their father-daughter relationship. That of son Scott, played by the talented Denniston, is more complicated. An aspiring but largely unsuccessful actor, the young man senses his dad's disappointment in him and affects a cynical veneer to conceal his own hurt. A tough role, very well performed. John Gallogly's splendid direction holds our unflagging interest every moment of this involving story. One note of dissent: who eats pastrami on white bread? Please make that rye! Other than that, this show is flawless.

Theatre West, 3333 Cahuenga Blvd. West, Los Angeles (near Universal and Studio City). Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $22 - $25, seniors and veterans $17, students $5, I.D. required. Free parking in lot across the street. (323) 851-7977 or www.theatrewest.org ends 5/8

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Less than five minutes from Theatre West is THE CASTING OFFICE BAR & GRILL. You may not get a part but you'll get a good deal. An enormous pub with a vintage feel, there's such a plethora of décor (wood, leather, posters, a zillion movie s tar photographs, TVs, dart board, even a ping pong table), it would take an entire page just to describe the place. They also have a sense of humor. Under LETTUCE entertain you, they list salads from $6.25. BRAD PITTzza starts at $9. SPIELburgers from $8.25. Dinners are a bargain and include garlic toast, a tossed salad with lots of greens, garbanzos, cukes, carrots etc., with choice of half a dozen dressings or soup, on this night, a lovely tortilla soup with quesa fresca and sliced avocado. Chicken Marsala, angel hair pasta with chicken, with Alfredo or marinara sauce or Cajun style pasta, $15 each. The latter's creamy sauce is not one bit spicy but rather sweet, a huge portion with fresh mushrooms. I ordered salmon with spinach but they were out of it and offered to substitute tilapia and shrimp. Worked out fine. The fish, very fresh and mild and good, firm shrimp, rest on a heap of spinach, lightly undercooked, just the way I love it, with sautéed mushrooms and tomatoes on a base of brown rice. All this for $15.50. Even starving actors can afford to eat here. They serve cocktails, beer and mediocre wine for $7 a glass. There's a small, wind-protected patio in front.

The Casting Office Bar & Grill, 3575 Cahuenga Blvd. West, Los Angeles. Full bar. Park in building's underground garage. (323) 851-4300.

IN MOTHER WORDS conceived by Susan Rose and Joan Stein
It's Mother's Day at every performance of this delicious piece of theatre, very much in the spirit of Geffen's recent hit "Love, Loss and What I Wore", On the austere stage are chairs, music stands holding scripts and some clever background projections, as three women and one man tell of their experiences. Proof that there's no need for fancy trappings and meretricious décor when the material sparkles, and sparkle it does. Fourteen playwrights: Leslie Ayvazian, David Cale, Jessica Goldberg, Beth Henley, Lameece Issaq, Claire La Zebnik, Lisa Loomer, Michele Lowe, Marco Pennette, Liza Ramirez, Theresa Rebeck, Annie Weisman and Cheryl L. West, have banded together to create anecdotes on every phase of motherhood, delivered by Saidah Arrika Ekulona, Jane Kaczmarek, Amy Pietz and James Lecesne. From the first encounter with an annoying OB/GYN to birthing, to foreign adoption, step-mothering, mature parenting and lots more, all done with humor and/or compassion. Only a couple lack a socko ending as a wrap up.

Kaczmarek has a charming bit as a wistful Irish nanny; as a mother concerned with her autistic son, as well as a mom whose little boy is determined to dress up as Queen Esther for the Purim pageant. She sometimes lowers her voice to the intimate tones of a face to face conversation, which may frustrate the grandmas in the back rows, who don't want to miss a word but she shines in the role of a great-grandmother, her shoulders hunched, her loud rasp the exact timbre of a very old lady. Amy Pietz has the cutest way of bitching and complaining and puts her heart and soul into every line. She's as perfect playing a young mother buying her little girl the first bra, as she I, becoming a reluctant mother-in-law planning to endear herself to her son's future wife. She ends the show with a poignant, emotional scene of a mother's bonding with her newborn. Ekulona is altogether priceless and never even glances at her script. She'll have you roaring with laughter at her Kegel exercise advice to her just married daughter, amaze you as she plays a twelve year old and virtually becomes one and move you to tears as a mom thinking about her son in the service. Lecesne, the lone male on stage, has only two major vignettes and walks away with them. Simply marvelous as a gay, expectant daddy and touching as a divorced man who moves back in with his elderly mom, who is displaying symptoms of dementia. He does a fabulous job with both parts as he changes stances and vocal inflections. The above named actors perform for a limited time only, but you can bet that Director Lisa Peterson will choose from the immense talent pool in this town and find the right ones available for a short tread on the boards. One thing is certain, you will love this show if you are a mother, are close to one, have one or have ever had one. (I hope I haven't left anybody out}.

Audrey Skirball Kenis Theatre at Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Avenue, Westwood. Tuesday - Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 3 and 8 p.m., Sunday 2 and 7 p.m.$67 - $77. One and a half hours, no intermission. Parking in underground garage next door, $7. (310) 208-5454 ends 5/1

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Our old Westwood favorite GYPSY CAFÉ, has been spruced up with a new awning, paint job and two TV sets but the prices have stayed low and the food is still mighty tasty. Mediterranean style appetizers range from $5 to $7.50. This being a campus town, the have pizza from $6.95 and pasta from $11. A propos campus town, the clientele is young and noisy and share their hookahs, the pipes that is, at almost every table Between the laughter and the loud Middle-Eastern music tapes, conversation can be a challenge. If you have something important to say, don't even try. Entrée prices go from $11.95 to $13.95 (the chicken and kofta combo). We enjoyed the lamb shank, loaded with sautéed tomato and red bell pepper strip sauce, with rice, hummus and a nice tossed salad $11.95, If you like it hot, their spicy chicken is a must. Boneless pieced intermingled with tomatoes and red bell peppers (again), but it's a winning formula so why screw it up? Watch out for the hot peppers but a bite of their excellent rice will calm the palate. Also served with homemade hummus and a little salad, all for $13.95. French pastries $5, a glass of house wine $9. The pita bread is fresh and plentiful. It's a short distance from the Geffen, so you could park in the lot on the corner of Le Conte and Broxton for $5 and walk one and a half blocks to the theatre before and after.

Gypsy Café, 940 Broxton near Le Conte, Westwood. Beer and wine. Open daily. (310) 824-2119

'TIL DEATH DO US PART; LATE NIGHT CATECHISM 3 by Maripat Donovan, with Marc Silva
"Sister" Maripat Donovan rides again and she's in command all the way! If you've seen her before, she's even better now and if you haven't had the pleasure, it's time to come to the classroom and be royally entertained. She's in full nun's habit, her piercing blue eyes fixed upon her audience. You better behave because when she gives you "that look", it's enough to cower man and beast. If you've ever attended parochial school, you may remember it …..

The show is in two parts, The Sacrament of Marriage and The Last Rites. There's constant interaction, as she throws out questions to her "students" and her knowledge of the bible is astounding. Bedsides, she could easily make a living as a stand-up comic, she's that funny! She obviously hasn't spent time behind cloistered walls and is totally attuned to contemporary subjects. Nothing fazes her, she' s never at a loss for words and her quick wit is truly enviable.

In Act II, we play her version of The Compatibility Game, complete with décor, bell and horn, as two couples chosen from the audience, test their, …well, compatibility in a riotous Q & A contest. This hilarious show, directed by co-writer Marc Silva, will appeal to every religious persuasion, even the devout atheists among us. Missing it would be a venial, no, make that a mortal, sin.

Carrie Hamilton Theatre, upstairs at the Pasadena Playhouse, 39 El Molino, Pasadena. Thursday - Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 5 p.m. $28 (626) 929-1159 ends 4/3

Pre- Performance Dining Suggestion: Income tax hassle, drizzle, Sigalerts…so, how does a little Hawaiian interlude sound, right about now? Greeted by flaming tiki torches at the entrance and a warm Aloh welcome at the front desk will get you in the right mood for ROY'S and you don't even have to give a thought to whether that bathing suit still fits, this year. The restaurant is lovely, carpeted floors muffle the din, pictures of tropical flowers on the coral colored walls and soft lights exude warmth and the staff is trained to spoil you. Mos tof the Hawaiian Fusion entrees hover around the middle twenties but for $35.95, you can partake of a three course meal: appetizer, main and dessert. One of us took the prix-fixe, the other only an entrée and we shared, a maneuver that works well on theatre nights. The starter of choice, a hot sushi roll of salmon, tuna and avocado, called Sunset at Haleakala with togarashi sauce sounded like an irresistible hula tune. It looked pretty with a crispy crust and asparagus tips sticking out of each end - would have cost $11.95 a la carte. The Pacific spearfish is dense and firm as swordfish but a bit on the dry side and comes with "dynamite" butter sauce with only a gentle hint of spice/ mashed potatoes and a veggie garnish. An a la carte order of Tiger shrimp was spectacular, four large prawns, tails up, surrounding home made fettuccine in a tasty black pepper Alfredo sauce, well worth the $24.95. For dessert, sharing the macadamia nut tarte was no easy task. The crust almost needed a sledgehammer to split but when accomplished, melted in the mouth.

Owner/Chef Roy Yamaguchi, now a big time entrepreneur, is seldom in attendance but Chris Kadohiro is minding the store and, Roy, if you're basking on some tropical beach in your global empire, relax and be assured that both the business and the kitchen are in excellent hands.

Roy's 641 E. Colorado Boulevard at El Molino, Pasadena. Full bar, upscale wine list. Park at the Playhouse and walk one block to the corner of Colorado.

AFTERMATH by Elliot Shoenman
The aftermath of a husband's suicide, as depicted in this entertaining work, is not in the least bit maudlin or depressing. The late Professor Bob Goldstein's curt suicide note, displayed on the scenic projections on the stage panels, simply says "I can't take it anymore, take care of the kids and sell the car". The widow, feisty Julie (Annie Pots), is left with two grown children, a petulant boy Eric (Daniel Taylor) and a daughter, the long suffering Natalie (Meredith Bishop), a successful weather girl on a local TV station. Three years have passed, money is still scarce but tsuris (worries) persist in abundance. Julie's health and mental state remain in stress mode but the playwright gives her hilarious lines and situations which Potts handles like the seasoned trouper she is. A petite woman with a pixie haircut, she speaks volumes just rolling her eyes and fanning off her steamy menopause attacks. A new prospect is now in the picture, the devoted family friend, Chuck (Michael Mantell), a God send, rendering both legal and financial assistance, at the same time exhibiting remarkable talents as a handyman. Naturally, her kids resent him but that's not their only hangup, as we soon see. Each character takes turns in an audience directed monologue, giving their side of the story, so to speak and do justice to the well crafted, amusing dialogue. Kudos also to set designer Gary Guidinger and projection designer Adam Flemming. You'll come away learning that those who wish to end it all, succeed only in staring something even more difficult than the problem from which they wished to escape. A world premiere, astutely directed by Mark L. Taylor.

Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., West Los Angeles. Thursday -Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $25 - $30. Parking lot in front $3 (310) 477-2055 or odysseytheatre.com. ends 3/13

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: It takes about twelve to fifteen minutes from the AROMA CAFÉ to the Odyssey but the extra drive time is well worth it. This is a simple, cute, wallet friendly dinery with about eight tables and a few on the front patio, racks of deli items and, most prominently, a painting of a landscape in the former Yugoslavia, now divided but still united in Old Country cooking, right here in L.A. You'll recognize familiar dishes (stuffed grape leaves, cabbage, bell peppers etc.), mostly for $13.95. We ordered an appetizer, lukmira $5.50 - which they didn't have. We attempted to try their goulash $13.50 - they were out. To brighten our sad faces, the waitress brought a consolation prize, a sample of their creamy cheese dip called kajmak, positively fabulous, scooped up with their wonderful, fresh bread. We further consoled ourselves with a small order of cabbage salad, a Serbian style slaw in an oil and vinegar dressing, very refreshing, $5.50. A small lamb kabob, well marinated and grilled to order, bedded on a tossed salad, is only $6.50. If you're here on a wintry, chilly evening, you must get the Bozanski lanac, a Bosnian hot pot that's a happy marriage between American beef stew and Russian borscht. A deep, earthenware container holds lean braised beef chunks and is chock-a-block with cabbage, onions, carrots, string beans, you name it, in an innard warming, good-to-spoon-up-to-the-last-drop, broth, $12.95. Big enough to doggie bag for a Slavic comfort food lunch, the next day. You'll want to come back soon…

Aroma Café, 2530 Overland, near Pico Boulevard, West Los Angeles. No alcohol. BYOB no corkage. Parking lot in front. (310)836-2919.

THE BERLIN DIG by John Stuerke
Students of history, devotees of stimulating subject matter and politically hip theatre lovers, will sink their teeth into this provocative play. The title refers not to an archeological adventure but to a small group of articulate men who dig deep into their souls and their ancestral past, to unearth this little theatrical treasure.

Our protagonist, Dieter (Roy Allen), a Berliner in his sixties, welcomes a couple of his childhood friends, Peter (the eloquent Irwin Moskovitz) and Rolf (a youngish Markus Obermeier), who offer condolences on the death of Dieter's mother. A few glasses of Riesling later, their reminiscences evolve into some civilized arguments. These are erudite individuals whose conversation is enlightening in many ways, including American politics as seen through the eyes of present day German citizens. One of Dieter's friends, a restaurateur named Ali (Adam Shahinian), is a Turk, therefore all the sins of the fathers are debated, as is religion and the influx of Muslims who have emigrated to Germany in astounding numbers. To stir the pot further, Dieter examines his late mother's papers, which reveal a heretofore unknown secret of his birth. Toward the end of act one, Dieter is pleasantly surprised by a visiting cousin from Los Angeles, Robert (Brett Fleisher), a rather conservative, young Republican, so we get some insight into his opinions, as well.

This play is not for everyone. There's no romance, no sex, no unraveling plot, really. But, if you enjoy a yeasty discourse on matters that concern all of us, you're in for two absorbing hours, convincingly acted and thoughtfully directed by the playwright, himself.

El Centro Theatre, 800 El Centro, Hollywood. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $20. Tight street parking, except on Friday night, at the nearby Paramount Lot on Melrose. (800) 838-3006 or www.brownpapertickets.com/event/141320 ends 3/6

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: It's been a long time since I dined amidst the rustic chic of CAFÉ DES ARTISTES, a hideaway that's a ten minute drive from the theatre. Its Gallic charm has not diminished, the food is better than ever and prices are surprisingly digestible, as well. Most entrees are below $20! We shared a delicious eggplant caviar-feta cheese mix, as an appetizer dip with pita bread for $3.50. A fresh, oven roasted barramundi, a fish I haven't eaten since visiting Australia years ago, is only $15, beautifully presented over brothy vegetables, including leeks and artichoke hearts. Loved it. They have their own interpretation of the classic paella, made with what they call pearl pasta, actually orzo, those tiny, almond shaped little morsels, generously studded with scallops, chicken, chorizo, clams, mussels etc. and petite peas, as savory as the Spanish version, another good deal at $16. The place is romantic, with an indoor/outdoor ambience. The clientele is fifty percent French and the service one hundred percent, friendly American, I'm pleased to tell you. The wine list is not voluminous but suitable, with a glass starting at $7. You won't be disappointed here.

Café des Artistes, 1534 McCadden Place, Hollywood. Valet parking $6.50. (323)469-7300.

LOVE, SEX AND THE I.R.S.
By William Van Zandt & Jane Millmore
For a fun evening of theatre, here is a prescription to cure the post-holiday blues. Nothing very deep, light as a cloud but guaranteed for some good laughs, in line with a well made T.V. sit-com. If you're looking for a think piece, forget it.

Jon (Nathanial Dobis) and Leslie (Bret Colombo), two bachelor room mates, are in trouble with the I.R.S., because Jon has filed his income tax listing Leslie as his "wife". This little maneuver brings on an inspector, Mr. Floyd Spinner (George Cummings), the bespectacled epitome of a civil servant, which forces poor Leslie to don drag, complete with wig and make-up. To complicate matters, Jon's girlfriend Kate (Tamar Lynn Davis), has been two timing him with Leslie, who has not quite broken up with his main squeeze Connie (Carole Catanzaro). The plot is further spiced up by an uninvited visit from Jon's straight laced mother Vivian (Sally Richter and enlivened by unexpected appearances of the gruff landlord (Barry Agin).

The entire cast dives into this farce with no holds barred. Colombo starts out somewhat tentatively but soon spreads his acting wings impersonating a woman with a face not even a mother could love. The casting genius has managed to assemble three exceptionally fine looking ladies and dressed them in authentic, late seventies style. Dobis, an Owen Wilson lookalike, without the bleach job, is in his element as the harried cheater. But the most watchable character on stage, has to be George Cummings, the tax guy, whose riotous chameleon-like personality changes are at the epicenter of the constant upheavals. I dare you to take your eyes off him.

The playwrights (no bios in the program), have created a perky show, some very funny lines and screwball situations. Talented Director Christopher Chase also designed the costumes as well as the living room set. Note: Tribe Productions is donating all proceeds from ticket and concession sales to the Farrah Fawcett Foundation for an alternative cancer cure.

Dorie Theatre at The Complex, 6476 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. Friday, Saturday and Sunday 8 p.m. $20 Valet Parking $5. (661)547-1173. ends 1/30

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion:
About a ten minute drive from Theatre Row, is OSTERIA MAMMA. You won't recognize the old Fisherman's Village location,totally spruced up and it smells a lot better, too. The front room houses the bar, the adjoining cozy setting is a lot quieter. Both rooms display a large blackboard listing the nightly specials. On my visit, quail and wild boar stew. Sounded exciting, particularly in light of the limited menu offerings, only four entrees: one chicken, one fish, once steak and one veal. Looking around, on almost every table, someone nibbled pizza or contentedly slurped Mamma Cortivo's home made pasta. There are lots of salads and appetizers, from among the latter, the salmon carpaccio is a steep $14.25 but impeccably fresh, razor thin slices, brushed with a lemony dressing and dotted with cucumber bits for added texture. For the sake of this reportage, we stuck to two of the regular menu items. The fish, a thick piece of fresh halibut, baked en papillote (actually, in foil), with heirloom tomatoes, tiny potato dice, fresh herbs and Mediterranean olives, is nicely done and includes a heaping mound of baby greens salad, $24.95. A better buy, surprisingly, is the veal. Thin scaloppine slices of top quality meat, sauteed in a subtle lemon butter-white wine sauce, a true classic, only $19.95. Comes with a large portion of spinach, seasoned in that exclusive, elusive Italian style with just the right amount of garlic, olive oil and love. To start, there's a complimentary marinara sauce dip with fresh bread, which is the reason dessert was out of the question at the finish, $7 to $10. Wine from $9 per glass. In conclusion, let me just say, tastes differ - one man's meat is another man's tofu. But everybody understands good service and this Osteria excels in that department. Someone always watches the room for any customer's needs and promptly dispenses a waiter. An easy ten out of ten.

Osteria Mamma, 5732 Melrose Avenue at Lucerne, Los Angeles. Beer and wine. Valet parking $6.50. (323)284-7060.

JULIA by Vince Melocchi
If you've visited the Pacific Resident Theatre in the past, your high expectations will be rewarded once again, by this timely, touching play, a story described as "a fifty year old love, lost and regained". The first act takes place in 2004, in a small town in Pennsylvania, in a dingy coffee shop. The owner, Steve (Keith Stevenson), a burly, gruff, young man, seems to be doing more business as a bookie than he does dispensing cups of java. An elderly man, Lon Perino (Richard Fancy) arrives shortly, ostensibly to watch the demolition of a nearby building. Obviously gravely ill, he has, in fact, returned to his home town after more than five decades, to right a wrong he committed before being drafted into the Korean War. He and another customer, the lively Frank (Haskell Vaughn Anderson III), soon recognize one another and exchange memories and old photographs, including some of Steve's mother Julia, whom he insists on seeing again. In the second scene, we back-track to 1951, when Lou and Julia appear barely out of their teens. On the divided stage (clever set designed by Norman Scott), they're on the roof of the Five and Dime, where they both work. Justin Preston is the impulsive, young Lou, Marley McLean the young Julia. The second act brings us, once again, to the autumn of 2004, where Lou finally gets his wish to visit the very much changed but still attractive Julia (Roses Pritchard). All else is for you to see for yourself.
Guillermo Cienfuegos directs with an eye for detail and gives every performer a chance to shine. The acting is top notch all around, especially Fancy's portrayal of the curmudgeonly geezer, is unforgettable. Melocchi has written a really lovely play, rife with humor (supplied mostly by the irrepressible Anderson) and about the pangs of regret and guilt upon human nature. Put Julia on top of your "must see" list.

Pacific Resident Theatre, 705 Venice Boulevard, four blocks west of Lincoln), Venice. Thursday, Friday and Saturday 8 p.m,, Sunday 3 p.m. (dark between 12/23 and 1/2/11). $20 -$30 (310) 822-9392 or www.pacificresidenttheatre.com ends 1/30 3 p.m.

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Unless they open a restaurant on the theatre's premises, you can't get any closer than TLAPAZOLA GRILL, two minutes away, on the opposite side of the boulevard. Named for a village in Oaxaca, the food is described on the menu as "Southern Mexico Gourmet". In actuality, these morsels are several notches above your average LA-Mex food and the nightly specials, as described by the waiter, lean more toward Nuevo California. They sound so mouthwatering, we plan to get back there pronto, to try some. But for now, picking from the regular entrees will assure avail;ability on your visit.Carnitas $13.50, chicken mole, grilled salmon $14.95, tilapia with lime-caper sauce $15.50. I can vouch for two, their carne asada, a thin but pretty large piece of Black Angus rib eye, fork tender, with a daub of guacamole, Mexican rice, wonderful black beans (not refried) and a mound of sauteed onions, delicious! The Black Tiger shrimp were smaller than anticipated (more like tiger cubs) but absolutely fantastic, with a still crunchy texture, in a fajitas preparation with pasilla chili, onions, tomatoes, seasoned with thyme and garlic, same beans plus wonderful, green rice, $16.95 each. You can calm your freeway nerves with Margaritas from $7.95 to $11.95 or, after surviving a Sigalert condition, with a Tres Amigos sampler for $14.95. Wine by the glass from $7.50. Service is swift, the place is quite attractive, with unique art on the brick red walls of the cozy back room and it caters to a loyal, upscale clientele.Tlapazola, 636 Venice Blvd., Venice. Lunch Monday - Saturday, dinner nightly from 5 p.m. Full bar. Parking lot. (310)822-7561

AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT by Buck Busfield
As a special present that's sure to suit all ages and sizes - and requires no batteries - Little Fish Theatre gives us a cheerful Christmas Eve tale of what happens to a family during the funniest home invasion situation you'll ever see. The beautiful set designed by Phil Buono and constructed by M Richards, shows a room festively decorated for the holidays, complete with a fire place and a lighted tree surrounded by presents. Suddenly, two bumbling burglars literally stumble into this homey scene, intent on stealing whatever gifts they can cram into their sacks. And that's when the fun begins.

Jicko (Chris McNair), prides him self on being a baaaad dude and his protegee Drigget (Mark Nelson), an asthmatic simpleton, get more than they bargained for in this hornet's nest of a family in turmoil. Dad Calvin (James Rice), is a minister with lofty aspirations; his wife, Meredith (Libby West), is fed up with her annual hostess duties. They have a teen age daughter Jen (Megan Moylan) a goth chick eager to fly the coop with her Silent Sam of a boyfriend (Kevin Allesee). To tell you more of what transpires that night would surely spoil all the surprises that await. The cast, including Teresa Stirewall and Kevin Wisney, are all praiseworthy but it pays to see this show just for the performance of Mark Nelson as a child-like, lovable, slightly dense young fellow, whom you want to take home and spoil rotten on Christmas Day. Costumes are designed by Diana Mann and director Margaret Schugg keeps the fine production merrily rolling along. The program lists no bio for the playwright but Busfield's style is reminiscent of Alan Ayckbourne's (called the British Neil Simon), who has produced over a hundred plays and written over thirty. Come and treat yourself to a jolly time - you've been good this year , haven't you?

Little Fish Theatre, 777 Centre Street at 8th, San Pedro. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 3 and 7 p.m. $25, seniors and students $22. Parking lot (enter via the alley) (310)512-6030. ends 12/18

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: About a seven minute drive from the theatre is MAMA JOAN'S SOUL FOOD RESTAURANT, whose motto is "putting the soul back in soul food". This is a clean, strictly no frills, spot, lit up like a used car lot with three televisions going, one always tuned to the BET Channel Prices are reasonable, entrees run from $10.99 (fried or baked chicken, meatloaf) to $16.99 (short ribs). Many of the dishes are "smothered with their world famous gravy" and all of them come with not one, not two but three side dishes (mac'n cheese, red beans and rice, black eyed peas and much more). Southern cook like to take it long and s-l-o-w and this is a prime example. Allow lots of time for Mama Joan to get to that stove and start cookin'. But portions are huge and the corn bread muffins fresh from the oven.
Undecided between turkey wings and pork chops, we settled on oxtails instead. You're dealing with a lot of bones here but the meat is the tenderest and the world famous gravy excellent, not at all floury, $16.99. The cat fish has mama's "special seasonings", freshly grilled, this one smothered with crisply sauteed onions and green peppers, same price. Among the side dishes, the collard greens really stand out. Cooked with ham hocks and who knows what other delectables, it simply can't be duplicated at home, not in my kitchen, anyway. String beans have small potato cubes (which I mashed into the world famous gravy) and what they lack in firmness, they make up in flavor. Both the potato salad and the succotash (corn with tomatoes, onions and okra) were too sweet for our taste but a few hefty squirts of Red Rooster Hot Sauce (at table) fixed everything. Service is very nice and, if you have room, there are home made desserts from $3.

Mama Joan's Soul Food, 806 S, Gaffey Street, San Pedro. No alcohol. B.Y.O.B. (no corkage) Closed Monday (310)547-5700

THE SANTALAND DIARIES by David Sedaris
As an antidote to the Sugar Plum Fairy, you may want to spend a little over an hour with Nicholas Brandon and hear about his adventures a an elf, in Macy's Santaland. Being an unemployed writer and frustrated in his effort trying to land a part on a soap in New York (One Life to Live), it's any port in a storm, for him. There he stands in his best hang-dog look, with a five o'clock shadow and little boy voice, recounting his experiences, beginning with the job interviews, which seem as intense as applying to be an astronaut. His duties include dealing with unwieldy crowds, screaming kids, irate parents, drunken Santas and mean-spirited co-workers.

He soon dons his jolly elf costume on stage but retains his sardonic humor, some of which is deliciously politically incorrect, He is at his best imitating the voices of the many characters he encounters, sparing no one until the Christmas spirit barely hangs on by a thread. The show, while not rolling in the aisle funny, is constantly amusing and provides some welcome chuckles to ease the stress of the holiday season. Direction is by Michael Matthews.

The Blank Theatre Company at the Stella Adler Theatre, 6773 Hollywood Boulevard, Second Floor, a half block east of Highland, Hollywood. Thursday, Friday and Saturday 8 p.m.,Sunday 2 p.m. $30 Four hours validated parking in the Hollywood/Highland Complex garage (enter on Highland). (323) 661-9827 or www.theblank.com ends 12/19

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: For old times' sake, we marched into MEL'S DINER, a real Hollywood landmark, the oldest thing without a face lift in Tinseltown. It;s within easy, one block walking distance from the theatre. It hasn't changed or, God forbid, become trendy. Intact are the tableside juke boxes, the harsh lights, the loud music, the slow but obliging, waiters. Fortunately, the prices are also in the retro range. There are sandwiches, burgers and hot dogs on the laminated menu and entrees range around $10 -$12, with french roll and butter. For $10.95 there's a turkey dinner, several slices of white meat atop home style stuffing, pretty good, lumpy mashed potatoes, not as lumpy as I would have liked but at least they weren't instant; fresh but over-steamed vegetables and pale grey gravy (no comment). The all-American meat loaf dinner is only $10.25, coarsely ground beef, well seasoned with brown gravy, same sides. From the minimal wine list, you can order a glass for $5.75. This is not going to be the gourmet treat of Yuletide 2010 but think of how you're going to splurge tomorrow, with all the money you saved.

Mel's Diner, 1660 Highland Avenue near Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily from 6:30 a.m. to 3 a.m. Twenty four hour service Friday and Saturday, Sunday brunch. One hour validated parking in front for $2.50. Full bar. (323)465-2111.

NIGHTSONG FOR THE BOATMAN by Jovanka Bach
The late playwright/physician Jovanka Bach has written a number of well received plays but this one, alas, is not one, in my book. Against a river backdrop with a cityscape in the distance (set design by Jaret Sacrey, sound and lighting by Joe Morrissey), we see Harry Appleman (the hard working John DiFusco), shooting dice with a man named Murlie (Alexander Wells) and losing. Turns out later it was a game of life and death, sealing Harry's fate. He is a renowned poet who has become a womanizing, boozing college professor, burnt out creatively but not vocally, incessantly spouting what is meant to be poetic language. He is accosted by a skinny groupie (Nicole Gabriella Scipione), who becomes his live-in mistress. Ten years later,looking as though her hair hasn't seen a shampoo bottle in a decade, their relationship has soured, as well. He is hounded by Murlie and a fellow thug (Michael Byrne), to fulfill the bargain. In a twist on the Faustian legend, Harry does not want to sacrifice his own body and soul but is intent on finding a surrogate victim to be ferried across the river Styx into the hereafter, even though, by now, the audience's fervent wish is that the devil take him already.

Among the eight actors of varied talent, some of whom stand around and talk a lot, there is not one sympathetic character. Donna Louisa Guinan is Harry's estranged wife, J. Lawrence Landis plays a college administrator and squeaky-voiced Amanda Landis, Harry's teen age daughter. The story is told in several flashbacks and we are forced to endure a truly awful puppet theatre scene between daddy and his three year old tot. The most professional performance is by Geoffrey Hillback as Gordon, a perennial student with a plethora of ambition and a dearth of scruples. As for John Stark's directorial contribution, the play seems static and is further hampered by too many scene changes and awkward exits, where the actors just simply walk off stage. The "dramatic" finale is so ludicrous, it elicited nothing but snickers. If you need yet another turkey this holiday season, this might be just the thing for you.

Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., one block north of Olympic, West Los Angeles. Thursday, Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $18, senior and student rates available. Parking in front of the theatre, $3. (310)477-2055. Info:www.johnstarkproductions.com

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Less than a ten minute drive from the theatre, is JAIPUR, named after a city in Northern India, south of New Delhi. Crisp papadum, carrots and chutneys are complimentary, service standards are high and the chef is positively inspired.

Set dinners are normally on the dull side but Jaipur's multi-course combination is not only well chosen but a bargain for $25. It includes a rather plebeian salad and dessert that's not up to par but everything in between is dazzling. There's warm naan bread, two pieces each of delectable fish and chicken tikka. From the tandoor come prawns as well as a chicken leg and thigh. You get two sausage shaped sheek kababs, a vegetarian onion kulcha plus pullau (white rice and green peas), to soak up all these unique sauces. They are enhanced by an arsenal of spices, including cumin, cardamom, fenugreek, paprika, ginger, turmeric, coriander etc., etc., blended into secret masalas. It's fun to share for two plus you should order one or two additional entrees for even more variety. Rogan Josh is a very popular lamb curry $12.95 (Jaipur serves no beef). Or, if your palate craves a little spice, the excellent Jaipuri chili chicken with onions and tomatoes will do it or, perhaps chicken vindaloo, which might be more incendiary, $9.95 each, Wine from $6 per glass. I would like to go on record that I believe Jaipur is one of the best, if not the best Indian Restaurants on the Westside. So, enjoy and don't rush off to that show.........

Jaipur 10916 W Pico Blvd. near Westwood blvd. about a half block west of Westside Pavilion (pssst...we parked there), West Los Angeles. Weekday lunch buffet, dinner nightly, weekend Champagne brunch. (310)470-4994

UPTOWN DOWNTOWN conceived by Michael Bush, performed by Leslie Uggams
On her autobiographical musical journey, the irrepressible Leslie Uggams breaths life into the recently re-opened Pasadena Playhouse and she does so splendidly. Her program bio gives you advance notice of the road she travelled, from uptown Washington Heights in Harlem to the bright lights of downtown Broadway. Backed by a top notch orchestra under the direction of Don Rebick, she sings the songs that have marked her stage life from the age of nine at the Apollo Theatre, to the present day, interspersed with stories of her career, done in heartwarming and spirited style. She pays homage to many of her idols, Louie Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Mitch Miller and others. Having found success on stage, television, films and concerts, she knows how to belt out a tune, caress a tender ballad and displays her remarkable range in a particularly expressive rendition of Summertime from Porgy and Bess. Not everything worked for me. Not her staccato version of that sweet song, Hello, Young Lovers from The King and I, nor her rousing finale, Stormy Weather, in which, although theatrically effective, one could hardly discern the beautiful melody.

Time has stood still for Uggums, her vocal prowess intact, she is slender and attractive, glamorously coiffed and attired. She wears a cerise colored top with a pleated Tudor collar and shimmering black pants in the first act and a slinky, sparkly black gown after intermission. Costumes are designed by Tosca of New York. Michael Bush's direction has transformed what is basically a night club act, into a full length, audience pleasing stage show.

Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino, Pasadena. Tuesday -Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 4 and 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. Wednesday matinee at 2 p.m. only on 11/24. $39 - $69 (626)356-7529 or www.Pasadenaplayhouse.org ends 12/12

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Also enjoying a renaissance, is the restaurant space on the Playhouse premises, ELEMENTS KITCHEN, and it's never looked better. Elegantly upholstered banquettes, gorgeous amber light fixtures, an exhibition kitchen, a well dressed (and heeled) clientele, a courageous, global bill of fare with stratospheric prices. But don't stop reading, because they have wisely introduced a Pre-Theatre Prix-Fixe, three courses for $30. A good value and the prime location contributes to a relaxed repast because you are only steps from the stage, so to speak.

You are offered bread from a basket and an amuse bouche, on my night a tiny gulp of coconut-corn chowder, yum! If this is your first visit, have your server explain the vagaries of the menu. There's no separate section for appetizers, main dishes etc., but you can probably figure out that flank steak-kimchee tacos that go for $13, would be a first course. Pan roasted lamb rack with a Mediterranean salad and curry flavored hummus is $35, lobster paella $52. There's a sensational duck, done two ways, for, brace yourself....$37. The leg and thigh confit, the breast with smoky overtones, both exquisite. It's described "with German potato salad, grainy mustard sauce and sauerkraut". Instead, there were fingerling potatoes cut in halves, no discernible bacon or mustard taste and, rather than sauerkraut, a refreshing, multi-colored cabbage and carrot slaw. Bo complaints. Now to the Prix-fixe. First comes a composed salad of baby greens, tomato bits, cuke rounds and red bell pepper strips, big enough to share. A second plate was brought before we even asked. Falling off the bone tender, in a sublime sauce made with tomatoes, onions, a splash of vinegar and chorrellana, which is a mixtures of herbs and spices, including cumin. It's so tasty, mash your fingerling potatoes into it and avor every drop. (It selle on the regular menu for $22, not bad). Dessert is included, a triple threat of white, dark and milk chocolate. The mousse is white and not overly sweet, the dark forms the glaze and the milk chocolate graces a fluffy ganache, a dream of a confection. There are some interesting bottles on an upscale list but you can get a glass of dry, white, Portuguese wine for $7. This could easily become your favorite "special occasion" restaurant where you can linger over a fine dinner and don't mind paying the prices. Perfect service, too.

Elements Kitchen, 37 S. El Molino, Pasadena. Weekday lunch, dinner nightly. Full bar. Valet parking $6. Closed Monday (626)440-0044.

THE TRAIN DRIVER by Athol Fugard
Esteemed playwright Athol Fugard, an Afrikaaner who grew up in South Africa, has written extensive,mostly autobiographical material, including "Master Harold" and the boys..., My Children, My Africa, Boesman and Lena, Tsotsi etc.. He seems to have spent his entire artistic, literary life atoning for the sins of his countrymen against the (mostly) poor black population during the era of apartheid. This, his latest play, perhaps serves as his catharsis, since it deals with the guilt of a white man, a train driver who, while at the switch, accidentally killed a young, black woman and her baby. What torments him most of all, is that no one claimed the bodies and, hoping to learn her identity, he searches among unmarked gravel strewn graves in a bleak cemetery, on the squalid outskirts of Motherwell, a town near Port Elizabeth. It is the year 2001.

This is a powerful play and a very talky one, performed by two excellent actors. Adolphus Ward is wonderful as the kindly, old grave digger who tends his "sleeping children" with compassion and care. He decorates their sorry final resting places with discarded, rusty auto parts, in lieu of the non-available flowers. He protects the nameless dead from marauding dogs and his meager shack from roving hoodlums. The always brilliant Morlan Higgins is Roelf, a disheveled, tortured white man in search of redemption for a tragedy for which he erroneously believes himself responsible. He has an authentic - too authentic - South African accent which, for me, made the story difficult to follow, since the dialogue between these two strangers carries the entire action. One would wish that Stephen Sachs, who also directed Fugard's masterful "Coming Home" at the Fountain, could have had the actors tone down their pronunciation a bit, especially because the play is also rife with Xhosa and Africaans expressions. There's a glossary in the program but it would take a very fast learner to memorize them all.

Jeff McLaughlin's set, David B. Marling's sound and Ken Booth's lighting design are truly noteworthy and evoke the arid landscape to perfection. May I say that, if you are familiar with the above mentioned dialects and the South African lingo, you will enjoy this performance a lot more than I did.

The Fountain Theatre, 5060 Fountain Avenue, Los Angeles. Thursday - Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. (dark November 25th). No intermission. Parking in adjoining lot $5 (323) 663-1525 or www.fountaintheatre.com ends 12/12

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: A mere five minutes from the theatre is a Russian restaurant called URENI GRAND and I can unequivocally state that this may be the best Russian food you've ever eaten unless, of course, you have your own Ruski grandma. Ureni has a unique design, several small and larger private rooms alongside the narrow patio, which can seat a romantic couple, a congenial foursome, a party of eight or a gathering of family and friends. Tables are set with white cloths and they bring each of you a bottle of Crystal Geyser at no charge. The menu has some Armenian dishes, a few Italian items and steaks (probably for the benefit of the Travelodge next door). And I haven't even mentioned the prices, which seem to have been posted before the Cold War. For example, prime rib or New York steak for $13.

But it's the Russian epicurean delicacies that will make your mouth water. To start, we ordered eggplant caviar, a dip you've had in versions by the Greeks, Iranians, Israelis, Turks etc., but the Russians do it best, minced eggplant, onions and spices that will set the mood, big enough for four, $6. The beef Stroganoff, served in a deep bowl in a heavenly sour cream sauce with mushrooms, is $12. It comes with choice of sides, among which you should pick french fries, actually shoestrings, the authentic accompaniment to this Russian classic, obviously home made and crackling crisp, thoughtfully served separately to avoid sogginess. The veggie du jour, fresh steamed asparagus spears. Besides the familiar chicken Kiev, they have a similarly shaped creation of ground chicken, beautifully seasoned and stuffed with a duxelle of mushrooms and spinach, crumbed and baked to a golden finish, with two sides and a little cup of sour cream, a feast for $8.50. The wine list is haphazard, at best, no wineries or vintages mentioned, by the glass $7, bottles mostly $35. My guess is vodka is the libation of choice, here. Put this restaurant on your "must visit" list.

Ureni Grand, 1345 Vermont Avenue near Fountain, Los Angeles. Full bar. Entertainment on weekends. Free parking in adjoining lot, just south of the restaurant. (323) 666-4686

LULU'S LAST STAND by Veronica DiPippo
This world premiere takes place around Halloween, at a lake house in Georgia. A lovely home, decked out in timely holiday decorations, artistically designed by Meghan Rogers An elderly lady Abby (Irene Roseen) sits in a rocking chair on the porch, reminiscing about her childhood and her life with husband George, who just died a week ago. She addresses him via his ashes, alternating between sentimental and scolding tones, while awaiting the arrival of her three daughters. The eldest, Bailey (Christine Joelle), is a brittle, hard-boiled lawyer with an intrusive cell phone and a history of failed marriages. The middle daughter, Charlene (Julie Lancaster), appears fairly well adjusted and is the mother of two boys. The youngest, Lena (Elizabeth J. Carlisle), is a kick in the pants, an actress with the enviable ability to utilize her life experiences, both good and bad, into her theatrical interpretations, should the opportunity arise.

Far from grieving widowhood, she hatches some interesting plans for the future. She has some bombshell revelations of the past to make to her three astonished girls, which adds spice to this sweet, little tale. Perhaps her late husband inspired the phrase "Let George Do It".
The three young women more than hold their own on stage, asserting their individuality with verve and high spirits. Valeri Ross is endearing in a small but pivotal, role. Direction is by the playwright, the perfect costumes designed by Danielle Domingue. In conclusion, it's safe to say that when the show is over, every married woman in the house will now look at her own spouse in a whole new light......

Theatre 40 at the Reuben Cordova Theatre on the Campus of Beverly Hills High School, 241 Moreno Drive, Beverly Hills. Wednesday - Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $23 - $25. Free parking in building garage. (310) 364-0535 or www.theatre40.org. ends 11/21

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: About a ten minute drive west on Santa Monica Boulevard, is CARMINE'S'. a golden oldie that's been serving cucina Italiana since before all the different Southland area codes were introduced. It's a cozy but lively spot with dim, romantic wattage and white napery on the inviting tables. There's a bar with a TV left of entrance, for those who need to check a game score before being seated.

You get a rundown of the daily specials but no prices. The regular menu sports musical themes: Opening Acts, Special Tunes, Old Classics and so on. Be prepared to drop some bucks. The maestro's minestrone goes for $6.95, salads $7.95 - $12.95, pizza $16.95 - $18.95, appetizers $11.95 - $16.95 but bruschetta is complimentary. Chicken Eduardo sounded reasonable at $20.95. A nice looking roll-up, stuffed with prosciutto and mozzarella, daubed with Madeira sauce, the breast meat very moist, the stuffing delicious. Not the usual pre-fab. Bravo, Eduardo, whoever you are! Included are penne pasta and bright green, not overcooked nor over-garlicked, fresh spinach. Veal comes in eight different versions, including veal Marsala with mushrooms. We specifically asked whether sweet or dry Marsala wine is used in the preparation and the kitchen told the waiter "dry". So, we ordered it, but - you guessed it - the sauce was sweet. It put a damper on the dining delight, especially at $28.95. Note to the chef: Sweet Marsala wine should be saved for making zabaglione. Other Old Classics from Carmine's thirty year repertoire, are shrimp Judy $26.95, linguine pescatore $28.95, chicken Dino $19.95, pasta from $16.95. Wine from $7 per glass but there's a half bottle of pleasantly crisp Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio for $22. Service is attentive.

Carmine's 10463 Santa Monica Boulevard, near Beverly Glen, West Los Angeles. Full bar. Valet parking $5. (310)441-4706.

TALES FROM HOLLYWOOD by Christopher Hampton
The play's time line, set just before, during and after World War II, examines the lives of famous writers, all émigrés from Hitler's Germany, who eked out a living in Hollywood, mostly sadly unappreciated and underpaid. The protagonist is an Austro-Hungarian, Ödön von Harvath, who, in reality, died in a freak accident in Paris, at the age of thirty-six. Here, he is resurrected to serve as the accomplished narrator (the formidable Gregory Gifford Giles)). We see him floating from studio to studio, scoring assignments doctoring and creating screenplays, way beneath his talent. The most heartbreaking stories revolve around two elderly brothers, both in superb performances. Heinrich Mann (Walter Beery) and his better known brother Thomas Mann (Kent Minaulto, who is discredited as an undeservedly acclaimed author and privately, as an annoying windbag. Heinrich is an impoverished genius, married to the ill-fated Nellie (the beauteous and brilliant Ursula Brooks), a scintillating former bar maid, whose drunk driving incidents contribute to her misfortune. We also meet the cigar chomping malcontent, Berthold Brecht, a perennially angry man, whose contempt for "the American way of life" and Southern California's in particular, seems to consume him. Terrific interpretation by Daniel Zacapa. The piece is also fascinating in that heretofore little known historical facts emerge, such as the curfew (8 p.m.) imposed upon these German citizens and their efforts to exonerate the German people from the sins of Hitler's Nazi regime.

The wonderfully versatile cast included JP Sarro, as Charles Money, a portly, ill tempered studio executive and as a Russian diplomat; Hannah Crowley as a sexy bar fly and a cook; Jeffrey Philips as writer Leon Feuchtwanger and also a wealthy movie mogul and Jennifer Sorenson as von Horvath's love interest. Besides being intelligently written, Tales of Hollywood owes its success to the adroit direction of Michael Peretzian, who stages the many scenes, from drab offices to lavish parties, seemingly uninterrupted. The appropriate sets are designed by Tom Buderwitz, with mise en scène projections by Adam Flemming. Other major contributors to this fine production are lighting designer Elizabeth Harper and sound designed Bill Froggatt. Without their craft, this might have been just another drama about real people in an almost forgotten era. Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S.Sepulveda Blvd., one block north of Olympic, , Los Angeles. A Wednesday performance on November 10 at 8p.m., Thursday - Saturday 8 p.m. (dark November 25), Sunday 2 p.m. 11/14 and 12/19 & p.m. only. $25 - $30. Seniors and students $5 off, except Saturdays. Parking in front of the theatre $3. ends 12/19

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion:: Not more than five minute drive from the theatre is the venerable JUNIOR'S DELI, a fixture in this location for decades. It has the usual deli decor, extra roomy booth, bright lighting and the familiar deli menu. A bowl of mild sauerkraut and pickles, as well as a basket with rolls and slices of really good rye bread, appear at once. The sandwich choices are plentiful, salads, soups and platters are available among the multi=page selections. On the separate daily special sheet are some good deals, namely beef liver, which has few remaining friend, except diehards like your truly. It's only $11.95 and comes with soup or salad and two sides. Their mushroom-barley soup is a killer and warms the innards on a wintry evening. The liver is tender and cooked to your specs, heaped with sauteed onions. As one of the side orders, I highly recommend the potato pancake, a crispy latke second to none. The boiled cabbage on the other hand, tastes like it's been drowned in plain water with no seasonings whatsoever. There must be some pastrami or corned beef juices around that could impart some flavor to this poor vegetable. There are about a dozen side dishes from which to pick, several salads, potato versions, beans etc, try one of those. Every entree come with kasha varnishkes, the bow tie pasta limp and the kasha dull as the proverbial dish water. I wish some Jewish grandmother would step up and give the chef her recipe for this traditional dish, which can be really tasty when properly done. We also tried their meat loaf, home style with hearty gravy, no complaints, alas with the same misbegotten kasha varnishkes. We had better luck with the two sides, fresh veggies (steamed zucchini and carrots and lots of french fries). Wine from $7.95 for a full glass of Gamla Sauvignon Blanc from Israel. They bake some yummy sounding desserts for which, unfortunately, we had no more room. Average price $6 to $8. As for the service - I hope you don't get the same uppity waitress we started out with.

Junior's Deli, 2379 Westwood Boulevard, Westwood. Full bar. Thirty minutes free validated parking, $2 additional hour, in adjoining lot. (310) 475-5771.

BELL, BOOK AND CANDLE by John Van Druten
If you have fond memories of the fifty-something film version with James Stewart and Kim Novak - cherish them. The stage play on view here is a tepid romantic fantasy that, like many confections,, looks good but tastes bland and sugary. The main problem is, I believe, that we the audience members have perhaps, become too sophisticated to sink our teeth into this dated, little trifle about a pretty witch who casts a spell to capture the heart of a young man and puts her magic powers in jeopardy, by falling in love with him herself.

The production values are right up there with the accustomed high standards of the Colony. The beautiful set designed by Stephen Gifford, of a spacious living room, is in fiftyish decor and would be considered stylish to this day. The cast if very competent. Gillian, red-headed, slender, willowy perfectly named Willow Geer, portrays wickedness and vulnerability with equal skill. As her suitor Shep, Michael A. Newcomer is handsome and ardent. Her jaunty brother Nicky (Will Bradley) and Benton Jennings as a publisher, are both very fine. The scene stealer, Aunt Queenie (audience favorite Mary Jo Catlett), is an absolute delight. The terrific costumes are by Sharon McGunigle. Richard Israel directs. The late playwright John Van Druten has impressive credits, best known among them :The Voice of the Turtle, I Remember Mama and I am a Camera; but the magic falls somewhat flat in this work.

Colony Theatre Company, 555 N. Third at Cypress, Burbank. Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $20 - $42, senior and student discounts available. Free parking in building garage adjoining the theatre. (818)558-7000 Ext. 15 or www.colonytheatre.org. ends 11/21

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Five minutes from the theatre is CAFE COLOMBIA, a modest eatery with zero ambiance but spanking clean. They introduce us to the uncommon cuisine of Colombia, a country that lies on the north-eastern tip of South America surrounded by Venezuela, Brazil and Peru. They pride themselves on their soups, which can also be had a full meals, so keep that in mind for a chilly day. The menu is rife with familiar edibles like platanos, yuca chips, pinto beans, chicharrón etc. House specialties include churrasco, a beef loin tri-tip with rice and potatoes for $14.95, with two sides. We picked all vegetables which were freshly sauteed strips of red bell pepper and zucchini, very tasty. The meat, unfortunately, was like chewing on a doormat, hell, I couldn't even cut it . I'd have taken it home if I owned a pit bull; my cat would have promptly buried it in her litter box. In a word, don't order that one. A much better choice is the chuleta empanizada, a very generous portion of thinly sliced, crisply breaded leg of pork, with two sides $9.95, very enjoyable. Both entrees include a nice salad of baby greens, carrot slivers and tomato slices with ranch dressing. There are lots of other beef, pork , fish , chicken dishes and stews. Wine from $5.50 for a glass of Chilean Chardonnay, $6 for a Malbec from Argentina.

Cafe Colombia, 222 S. Glenoaks Boulevard, one and a half blocks from Olive Avenue,Burbank. Weekday lunch, breakfast and dinner daily. Beer and wine. Free parking at Third and Angelina. (818) 558-3985.

THE THREE MUSKETEERS based on thee novel by Alerxandre Dumas, adapted by Ellen Geer
The author's famous work comes to life, l-o-n-g life, at Teatricum Botanicum. The story, familiar to readers around the globe, is a heroic tale, whose slogan "One for All and All for One", has been a sound bite through the ages. On a stage surrounded by the bucolic setting of this amphitheater, we are transported to Sixteenth Century France, when England and France were enemies, during the reign of King Louis XIII (Jeff Wiesen) This good natured monarch is under the influence of the powerful Cardinal Richelieu (a halting delivery by the imposing William Dennis Hunt), which preceded the important American edict of separation of church and state. A dashing fellow from Gascogne, d'Artagnan (the delicious Jackson McCord Thompson), full of youthful vigor and enthusiasm, arrives on the scene and eventually becomes the forth member of the fabled trio. He also promptly falls for Constance (Willow Geer}, a pretty laundress. We all know that the course of true love doth not run smoothly, so, in the interim, we witness political intrigue involving Queen Anne (Samara Frame) whose heart belongs to the English Duke of Buckingham (Aaron Hendry), the bedroom shenanigans and melodrama of the manipulative, wicked MiLady, Countess de Winter (Abby Craden) and lots of fun swordplay by Athos (Jim Le Fave), Portos (the well spoken Michael K. Alllen) and Aramis (the always brilliant Melora Marshall). I found it a bit odd, that Director Ellen Geer chose to cast a woman in the role of a Musketeer. Not that the bearded, mustachioed Marshall does not swash her buckle with the best of them and also commands the right swagger but her voice and height, rather the lack of it, are somewhat distracting.

The plot is confusingly intricate, to say the least, so just sit back, enjoy the great performances by the enormous cast (almost fifty talented actors); the splendid costumes by Val Miller; the daring swordplay, choreographed by Aaron Hendry and the unbeatable atmosphere of the magical oasis that is Topanga Canyon.
Teatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga. Remaining performances are 9/10 at 8 p.m., 9/12 at 7:30 p.m., 9/17 at 8 p.m. 9/24 at 8 p.m., 9/26 at 3 p.m. and 10/2 at 3 p.m. (Plays in repertory with Terrence McNally;\'s Master Class and Shakespeare's Hamlet and Midsummer Night's Dream). $20 to $32, students and seniors $15 to $20. Bring a sear cushion and warm wraps for the evening. (310)455-3723 or www.teatricum.com ends 10/2/10

PrePerformance Dinner Suggestion: Every Friday evening, before The Three Musketeers, you can enjoy an al fresco French buffet, in the theatre's garden, surrounded by shade trees and greenery, with live music provided by the strolling cast. Absolutely wonderful and you only park once! The food, prepared by Layne Catering of North Hollywood, is not only delicious but a real deal, $15 for the entire meal. It consists of sliced, tender tri-tip of beef with horseradish cream and a tasty red wine reduction sauce, potatoes au gratin as well as a salade Nicoise. This is the most authentic version you've encountered outside of France, containing all the right ingredients: tuna, red onions haricots verts, seedless Mediterranean olives, red skinned potatoes, capers, chopped hard cooked egg amidst shredded romaine. For dessert, there's a beautiful, fresh fruit selection of ripe pineapple, pears, strawberries and champagne grapes plus lemon-hazelnut shortbread cookies. French bread, butter and lemonade included. Tables are nicely set with cloths, centerpieces of fresh flowers and colorful fabric, candles are lit and you cab B.Y.O.B. and really dine in style in nature's realm.

Advance reservations required. $15 all inclusive. (Separate admission or combo packages available for Friday September 17th and 24th at 6:60 p.m. (310)455-3723

Note: If you,re not attending on a Friday, I can recommend two restaurants nearby:

ARBUELITA, fine Mexican food served on a rustic, elevated, creek side patio. 1373 N. Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Topanga (310)455-8788.

FROGGIE'S TOPANGA FISH MARKET, a cAsual, slightly funky, local favorite with distinctive Canyon vibes and good fish dinners. 1105 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga (310)455-1728

BECKY'S NEW CAR by Stephen Dietz
How Becky came by her new car, is at the heart of this delightful vehicle you won't want to miss. Becky (Joanna Daniels) is married to a roofer, Joe (Jon Eric Preston) and lives in Seattle with their parasite of a grown son Chris (Nick Rogers). She's employed by a car dealer and, one night while working late, an unexpected customer . wealthy Walter Flood (Brad Greenquist), drops in, ready to buy a fleet of cars for his employees. Although still mourning his deceased wife, he is immediately smitten by the startled Becky and sweeps her off her feet with his offer of a glamorous, new life of unaccustomed luxury. To elaborate further, would spoil the entertainment value of a story that is loaded with laughs, full of surprises in a La Ronde sort of way and exquisitely acted by this ideal ensemble. Daniel projects just the right nuance of bewilderment and purpose. One can hardly imagine anyone else in the part. Preston, every inch the blue collar Joe, is the trusting husband, a good man, happy in his work. Rogers does very well as the hyper Chris, ceaselessly spouting psychobabble (he is a student of psychology and you wouldn't want to land on HIS couch). Walter, the billboard tycoon personified by Greenquist, has unassuming charm and boyish enthusiasm. One can well imagine any woman being captivated by his gentlemanly demeanor. Another worthy member of the cast is Christopher Shaw as Steve, a sad sack car salesman whose mobile face and unintended humor rev up every scene. Excellent performances are also delivered by the beautiful, raven-haired Jules Willcox as Walter's daughter and by Suzanne Ford as Ginger, a nouveau pauvre socialite at the finish line of her inheritance. William Wilday's multi-purpose set and lighting work wonders to transport us to four different locations. Under the direction of Michael Rothhaar, this sprightly production purrs along like a well lubed engine, with sparkling dialogue and amusing audience involvement. Do take the drive in Becky's new car - definitely not a lemon!.

Pacific Resident Theatre, 703 Venice Boulevard, Venice. Thursday -Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 3 p.m. $20 - $25, senior and student rates available. Parking lot in rear. (310) 822-8392 or www.pacificresidenttheatre.com. - 8/15

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: No more than five minutes away is THE TASTING KITCHEN, which used to be called A.K. Restaurant. Same ownership but a new chef, Casey Lane, have made it the current fave of the local foodies but they'll squeeze you in before show time. A good looking restaurant, with a buzzing bar scene, contemporary furnishings, a communal table in the center and an olive colored tile wall that houses a slim, rectangular fireplace. The noise level here is in the upper register, I warn you. The menu is in constant flux, on my night there were three entrees, halibut $28, a 35 oz. rib eye $65 and lamb with grapes $22. We went with four small plates, ample for two and all delectable. Paté, a coarse, country style delight, comes with a puddle of grainy mustard and two slices of deli quality dill pickle, $12. Butter lettuce salad with fresh tarragon, served upright like a lovely, green rose, is sprinkled with blue cheese, $11. A tiny portion of beef carpaccio has some olive tapenade and on the perimeter of the plate, daubs of thistle honey, not, in my opinion, the ideal garnish for this savory dish and a steep $15. Finally, an order of clams in an unusual but wonderful sauce of tomatoes, fresh fennel and little chunks of crisp chorizo, with garlic toast for dipping, was well worth the $15. No room left for dessert, $8. We had a smart, helpful and amiable waitress and a glass of Chardonnay each, which cost $13. Wine prices here are way out of line, even by the bottle but, as Emile Zola once said, "a day without wine is like a day without sunshine" and one wouldn't want to be guilty of that in our part of the world.

The Tasting Kitchen, 1633 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice. Full bar. Valet parking $5. (310)392-6644.

HURRICANE SEASON 2010 (THREE SHORT PLAYS INDIVIDUALLY RATED)
Playwrights from all over the country compete for cash prizes in this annual competition. Three blocks of plays, each of which runs for two consecutive weekends, will include one finalist, selected by a jury. Non-cash prizes for playwright, production, actors and directors will be voted on by the audience. On my night, the wind blew in the following plays:

THE LAST SACRAMENT OF BELLE by Jason Britt and Kerr Seth Lordygan
This takes place in a little shop of horrors that sells dead things. What the playwrights had in mind, I imagine, was a screwball comedy with a touch of the macabre but the result is a Grand Guignol attempt that's not very scary and not very funny, either. The shopkeeper (Erin Treanor), whose gum chewing interferes with her lines, is the offspring of Bill's (Kevin McKim), who arrives with his other daughter Belle (Rebecca Lane), a grown woman dressed in a tutu who talks and bawls like a three year old. I won't tell you what happens to her, nor the fate of the hapless Buelah (the excellent Beth Ricketson) but this is a store where many enter but few emerge. Cody Kopp is the managing facilitator, Chelsea Sutton directs.

APPLEBLOSSOMTIME by Joan Eyles Johnson
Pretty Lily (Angela Landis) expects her husband's return from his four year U.S. Navy duty in the Pacific, in World War II. Meanwhile, however, the slightly demented Lily is hot and heavy in a dalliance with the volatile Angus (Scott Reynolds). Their love/hate relationship keeps being interrupted by visions of hubby' sudden appearances. John Haegele as the young sailor, is a standout in his role as a man torn between suspicion and desire. Landis' mannerisms are thoroughly distracting, as she is so busy waving her arms like a ballerina (perhaps at director Zhenya Che's request?), that her face remains virtually expressionless,most of the time. On the plus side, the play's dramatic power is impressive and keeps the audience on its toes.

THE OPENING by Bilal Dardai
This is basically an anti-war piece, a thought provoking exercise on the lust for power, world domination and a reinforcement of the theory that man is from Mars and woman from Venus. A petty bureaucrat, Web (Brad Wilcox), is deep into red tape paperwork while chatting with a good natured,middle aged librarian Julianna (the wonderful Taylor Ashbrook). They are interrupted by the earth shaking appearance of a Neanderthal-like hunk (monosyllabic Anthony Cutolo), who identifies himself as the God of War. Web interrogates him forcefully, in a heavy Texas drawl and we soon surmise that this U.S Defense Department drone has much loftier ambitions. But gentle Julianna knows exactly where HER strengths lie.... Directed with panache by Cassandra Vincent, with effective lighting by John Dicky and sound design by Sean Kozma.

Schedule: The Last Sacrament of Belle, Appleblossomtime and The Opening will play July 30 - August 1st. The Confession by Lissa Ray Richardson; The Limp by John Lane and the other finalist, Grunge is Dead by Katharine Sherman plays August 6th to 8th. All three finalists, including The Opening, Blonde Alibi by Robert Taylor and Grunge Is Dead. plays August 2th to 22nd.

The Eclectic Company Theatre, 5312 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, between Magnolia and Chandler, Valley Village. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $18, senior and student discounts available. Street parking, (818)508-3003 or www.eclecticcompanytheatre.org. -8/22

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: On the same block, just a few doors away, is the recently remodeled DACHA (pronounced Datsha), a Russian-Ukrainian garden restaurant with food that'll make you r mouth water like the Volga. In a setting at tables with burnt orange cloths and beige napkins, beneath flowering bougainvillea trees or breezeway shaded seating, terrazzo-tiled floors and a fireplace with cushioned easy chairs, a treasure trove of Russian delicacies beckon. The menu is not quite War and Peace but does have pages and pages of the usual (all manner or kebabs $12.99, chicken Kiev $14.99, beef Stroganoff $16.99, stuffed cabbage $12.99) and the unusual vareniki (Russian ravioli) from $7.50 to $14.99, stuffed pig for parties and even a foray into Romania with mamalyga.

The authentic Ukranian beef-beet-cabbage borscht, redolent with fresh dill, is good to the lat drop. We asked for two spoons and shared, $5.50. Being on an adventure, we ordered pork stew, cubes of boneless pork in a dark, heady, red wine sauce plus the unexpected appearance of prunes. A little sweet but still very good, $11.99. Even better and highly recommended is rabbit in a heavenly sour cream sauce, sprinkled with dill. Luckily this was one bunny that didn't get away, $16.99, really excellent and meaty. Entrees include choice of baked or mashed potatoes, fries or kasha (buckwheat, pick that). Plates are decorated with a pretty, carved carrot flower and a little scoop of red cabbage slaw. Service is charming. Silver buckets are supplied for your B.Y.O. wine. Weekends are very popular for banquets, so make your pre-curtain reservations early.

Dacha, 5338 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, Valley Village. Lunch and dinner, weekend brunch $35. No alcohol. B.Y.O.B. (no corkage fee). Catering service. Parking in rear. (818)509-5828

UPDATE; Del Shores' play YELLOW at the Coast Playhouse, 8325 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, has been extended through September 5th, due to sold out houses. (See review) (800)595-4849.

PROCREATION by Justin Tanner
After last year's smash success of "Voice Lessons" at the Zephyr Theatre, Justin Tanner is back in his usual milieu, that of the bottom feeding, trashy proletarians about whom he scored mega hits with Pot Mom, Coyote Woman, Party Mix and many others. The relatives in this play are just as outrageous, if not as hilarious as expected. The premise is similar to Del Shores' "Daddy's Dyin' Who's got the Will", where kinfolk come together for a funeral. This bunch assembles to celebrate the birthday of mom Ruby (the svelte Danielle Kennedy), who bring along her new cougar catch Perry (the lanky Jonathan Palmer). The party takes place in the dump of a home (realistic set by Gary Guidinger), owned by daughter Hope (Melissa Denton), her husband Bruce (Andy Marshall Daley) and their pathetic, overweight son Gavin (Kody Batchelor). The assorted relatives, including a very effeminate sounding grandpa (Tom Fitzpatrick), Patricia Scanlon, Brendan Broms and Danny Schmitz and friends, played by Mical Halpin, Cloe Taylor, Cody Chapel and Gary Holland. These are mostly unsympathetic characters, rather, coarse caricatures actually, who revel in insulting each other. It's as if the playwright incorporated every conceivable human foible and frailty, ad nauseam: alcoholism, obesity, halitosis problems, men in and out of the closet, bed wetting, kleptomania, lousy parenting - have I left anything out? Probably. Granted, there are funny moments and situations but the humor seems contrived rather than spontaneous,in spite of David Schweizer's solid direction and the adroit performances of the entire ensemble. In any case, you'll leave on a positive note, your own people, even your in-laws, will suddenly seem pretty cool, by comparison.

Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., near Olympic, West Los Angeles. Friday 9 p.m., Saturday 7 and 9:30p.m., Sunday 7 p.m. $25 - $30. One hour and twenty minutes, no intermission. (310)477-2055 or www.odysseetheatre.com - 8/15

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Two blocks west of the Odyssey is THE BLUE MARLIN, squeezed into a crowded mini-mall. The area is called Little Asia West, with dozens of restaurants serving the exotic, but now familiar, cuisine of the Orient. Blue Marlin specializes in Vietnamese food, so get started by sharing their traditional spring rolls, goi cuan. These are thin rice paper wrapped around shrimp, tender beef strips and vermicelli. Sliced for easy pick up, you dip them into peanut sauce, $5.50 an order. The menu is huge and multi cultural and the most interesting dishes are found on the last page under "entrees". Jidori chicken, really succulent meat (from the thigh, I imagine), boneless but skin on, with yummy citrus-ponzi and
demi glace sauce. It comes in a bowl over steamed vegetables, bok choy, broccoli, carrots, potatoes and cauliflower, some crisper than others, a hefty portion for $12.50.. A very pleasant surprise is their pork cutlet, described as stuffed with oba mint and mushrooms. It's served on a wooden plank, in a hot skillet and looks like a Wiener schnitzel alla Italiana. The boneless pork is top quality, lightly breaded and sliced, in a red sea of fabulous, Bolognese style, lightly tomato flavored sauce and melted cheese. Most enjoyable and a steal at $13.50. Both entrees include a big bowl of sticky rice. The place is a plain, little store front but very clean with silverware and napkins in a box on the bare table. Sake and wine from $4.50. Service is, shall we say, not exactly Swiss Hotel School caliber. For example, entrees include miso soup with tofu cubes and seaweed as well as a tossed salad of greens and shredded carrots in peanut dressing. The soup was brought on at the same time as out appetizer. We were still busy dipping our spring rolls when the waitress came with the salad AND the chicken. Very annoying but not unforgivable and I know you'll like the food and prices.

Blue Marlin, 2121 Sawtelle Blvd.., West Los Angeles. Attendant parking (for tips) in Sawtelle Centre, in front. (310)445-2522.

OPUS by Michael Hollinger
Behind the ethereal strains emanating from a chamber music quartet, lurk a clash of artistic egos, a lack of harmony and a faded romance, as depicted in this riveting play. The musicians, facing a vacancy in their ranks, struggle to keep their place in the competitive world of classical music. They have been enormously successful, won Grammy Awards and recording contracts and are destined to perform Beethoven rather than Pachelbel, at a concert for the President, leaving not a dry eye in the White House. But it's the exploration of the personalities behind the instruments and the witty, intelligent repartee that impresses us most. If you're a music lover, this is manna from heaven but even if you're not, you'll savor the human element of professional relationships whose problems are universal.

As the play begins, the Lasara Quartet is auditioning a talented, young Asian woman to fill the spot left by the departed violist, the volatile Dorian (Daniel Blinkoff), whose friction of a very personal nature with the head violinist, the imperious martinet Elliot (Christian Lebano), has caused dissonant notes among the sweet sounds. We also learn more about the problems of the cellist Carl (Gregory C.Giles) and get to know the affable Alan (Cooper Thornton). Simon Levy briskly and knowledgeably directs the production. Beside the fine acting, a good part of the success of this opus is due to the incredible sound created by these "virtuosi", a trompe l'oreille accomplished with the musical advice of Larry Sonderling, a violinist with the L.A. Phil and Roy Tanabe, a new retired forty-one year member of our orchestra and, of course, the skill of sound designed Peter Bayne. Another stroke of genius is Frederica Nascimento's set, enhanced by Ken Booth's expert lighting. One glance at the gracefully curved stage bathed in provocative shades of red and black lattice shadows, open instrument cases at the ready on the floor and soaring background melodies by a string quartet, and you just know you're in for a treat, up to the usual high standards of the Fountain Theatre.

Fountain Theatre, 5060 Fountain Avenue at Normandie, Los Angeles. Thursday - Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. (dark July 29 to August 1st) $25 - $30, seniors $23. Attendant parking in adjoining lot $5. (323)663-1525 or www.fountaintheatre.com - 8/29

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Less than a five minute drive east, at the corner of Vermont, is RAFFALLO'S, a venerable spot that looks like all Italian restaurants did, thirty-off years ago. Dark as a cave, booths with high partitions, red leather upholstery, vintage photographs, faux Tiffany lamps - you get the picture. All around the room lined up like soldiers on parade, are full wine bottles, presumably for decoration, not storage. The menu is simple and inexpensive. Pizza from $12.35 (small) to $19.85 (gigantic), leads the list. Sandwiches $4.95 to $6.20, dinners, mostly pasta preparations, $8.75 for spaghetti with meat or marinara sauce to $11.75, the high ticket, for chicken parmesan. Meatballs over angel hair pasta is your basic I remember mamma dish, a nostalgic plateful, including garlic bread, $9.35. Their homey lasagna with choice of beef (mine), chicken or spinach, is very good, draped with strands of melted cheese and lots of thick, fresh marinara sauce, a real filler-upper, $10.95. These entrees come with a nice salad of chopped greens, red cabbage, slivered carrots and a slice of tomato. Our total, with half a carafe of house wine amounted to less than $30 before tip. We had a cute, young Russian waiter who is in the country to learn English (not to spy, he assured us). Desserts, cheese or chocolate cake or tiramisu go for $3.75.

Raffallo's, 4708 Fountain Avenue at Vermont, Los Angeles. Beer and wine. Parking in minimal corner lot. (323)660-8506.

GRACE & GLORIE by Tom Ziegler
These are heady days for theatre fans living in the Greater Los Angeles area. By my standards, no less than three Three Star productions are currently running (Geffen's Love, Loss and What I wore, Theatre West's The Socialization of Ruthie Shapiro and now, this gem. The two women on the stage are poles apart socially and intellectually and would never meet under ordinary circumstances. And what a pity that would be. Grace (Beth Grant), is a ninety year old hillbilly at the end of her hard life. She resides, all alone, in a remote, ramshackle abode (great set by Stephen Gifford), in the hills of Virginia. Gloria (Melinda Page Hamilton) is a successful lawyer, a smartly turned out New Yorker in a less than ideal marriage who, for reasons not to be revealed here, has become a volunteer for a hospice organization that assists the terminally ill. She descends upon Grace's cottage, determined to tackle the task of helping the sick but feisty nonagenarian, who has a mind of her own and wants nothing to do with this intruding city slicker. The situation is wonderfully entertaining, rife with priceless tidbits of dialogue, thoroughly amusing as well as extraordinarily touching.

Beth Grant as the crusty Grace, is no stranger to local audiences. She won an L.A. Drama Critics Circle and many other awards as the unforgettable lead in Del Shore's The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife and there may well be some more on the horizon for this juicy part. Her voice and diction crackle with authenticity, her grandmotherly shuffle and facial expressions will have you laughing, crying and applauding like crazy.

Melinda Page Hamilton is also excellent. She displays her comic flair as a fish out of water in the unaccustomed, primitive kitchen. A bit of a T.O.B. (take-over broad), she's efficient but never obnoxious. And, as a woman who has borne her share of grief, she wins our hearts, as well. This is a play suitable for all ages, directed by Cameron Watson. It's funny, sad and bittersweet - just like life itself.

Colony Theatre Company, 555 N. Third Street at Cypress, Burbank. Thursday -Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m.. $20 - $40, senior and student discounts available. (Dark July 4th weekend} Free pArking in building garage in front of the theatre. (818)558-7000 ext. 15 or www.colonytheatre.org. - 7/18

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: We should all frequent POMODORO because it's a staunch supporter of the Colony. There's always a deal for theatre patrons on the last page of the program. Besides, the food is molto bene, as they say in Italian (very good), reasonable and you can't beat the convenience of dining in the same building.

Among the appetizers, the star has to be the Gamberi, shrimp in a tomato-garlic-chili sauce with just the right, provocative bite, $8.75, good for sharing. Salads start at $3.50 for a side order, pasta from $8.75 to $11.50 (for lasagna). Dinner salad with chicken are $8.75, with salmon or steak $10.50. You'll love their entrees. Chicken Marsala, made with dry not sweet, Marsala wine, sauteed mushrooms and spinach for $10.75 is outstanding. Bistecca, a thinly sliced, tender steak, comes with fresh arugula, Pecorino cheese and Tuscan beans in a light tomato sauce, is a delight, $15.95. Veggie lovers will cheer the Verduro, a mix of farm fresh produce cooked au pointe, including Brussels sprouts so crisp and flavorful, there'd be more fans of this much maligned vegetable if our mothers hadn't always boiled them to death, $8.50 Add shrimp for $3.75, chicken or farro, a grain, for $2.95 extra. Wine by the glass from $3.75. Service is fast and friendly. Now that summer is here, settle in on their patio where there are heaters to keep you comfortable in case of an unwelcome breeze. Desserts are a bargain as well, a warm chocolate souffle cake is yours for $5.50 or, if you just need a sweet bite, a mini portion of tiramisu goes for $1.95. So, live it up a little, then head for Level 4 for this heartwarming play.
Pomodoro, Burbank Town Center, 201 E. Magnolia Boulevard, street level, Burbank. (818)559-1300

SUMMER NIGHTS AT THE FORD are i full swing, in this miniature version of the Hollywood Bowl, which is across the Freeway. Performances continue until the middle of October and are as diverse as our neighborhoods. In July (2nd and 3rd) at 8:30 p.m., there's Phillipine Folk Art and Dance. Gypsy Flamenco Dancing on the 23rd and 24th. In August on the 7th, at 8 p.m., you can attend a Koffeehouse Music Production celebrating singers and songwriters. On the 15th at 7 p.m. is the Alohafest, Polynesian songs and dances, on the 12th at 7 p.m., the Irish are doing their annual Celtic Concert. Brazilian Night takes place September 26th at 7 p.m. and on the 9th at 8:30 the Keshet Chaim Dance Ensemble showcases Jerusalem Soul. There's jazz, classical and soul music - something for everyone is not just a cliche here. Picnic diners can be ordered in advance and enjoyed on the premises. Parking is stacked and a bit of a pain but there's free shuttle service operating every fifteen minutes to and from a non-stacked lot at Universal Metro Station. Get your own, detailed brochure at www.fordtheatres.org. Tickets: (323) 461-3673. Box Office hours are noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday -Saturday.

Ford Amphitheatre, 2580 Cahuenga Boulevard East, Hollywood.

THE SOCIALIZATION OF RUTHIE SHAPIRO by Barbara Nell Beery
Everybody who is now or has ever been the parent of a pre-teen, the sibling of one and of course, a pre-teen him or herself, will absolutely love this play. It's about that pre-real life period when one hates everything, including oneself, wants desperately to fit in, yet be an original.

Ruth Shapiro (Claire Partin), now a grown woman, takes us back to the late sixties when she was a twelve year old in junior high, in Los Angeles. She comes from a family that's Jewish "lite", that is, they don't go to temple nor celebrate Jewish holidays but they know who they are. Dad is a traveling salesman always on the road and her stay at home mom Nadine (Constance Mellors), is of a time when being a housewife was considered a full-time job. Big brother Ronnie (Nick McDow}, by sheer willpower, has become a star athlete, just so he can earns the respect and admiration of his peers. Our heroine Ruthie, is brainy but awkward, unpopular and lonely. She manages to hook up with another misfit Loretta (Heather Keller), a recent transplant from Dallas, who has a twangy Texas drawl and is extremely gangly and tall, in the hope of becoming each other's BFF.

The cast's acting is so natural and unforced, you almost forget that you;re watching people on stage. Partin, as a girl at the awkward age, is letter perfect, as she encounters her first taste of disappointment and prejudice. Teenage McDow is rebellious and resentful and considers his sister an embarrassment to his social life. Thanks to the much awarded playwright's skill, the excellent Constance Mellors is portrayed as a wise, cAring and sympathetic mom, not the stereotypical, overbearing, Jewish mother. The performance prize, however, must go to Keller, who possesses both comic and dramatic talent to spare and is adroitly cast as the ditzy Loretta. The always reliable Jeff G. Rack is responsible for the workable set, which, thanks to lighting by Yancy Dunham and sound by Matt Hoffman, glides from porch to school yard to Ruthie's bedroom without the interruption of pauses for set changes. Susan Morgenstern directs this delightful production with the utmost empathy and it should be seen by every theatre lover near or freeway far.

Theatre West, 3333 Cahuenga Boulevard West, Universal City and Studio City Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m,. (dark July 4th) $22- $25 Reduced prices for seniors, veterans, current military, KCRW mambers and students (with ID). Free parking in lot across the street. (323)851-7977 or www.theatrewest.org... -7/11

Pre-Theatre Dining Suggestion: On the same block, just a few steps south, is CALIFORNIA CANTEEN, allowing for that blissful, one-time parking situation, so treasured in the Southland. The name might imply a veggieburger/hot dog counter but it's actually a charming French bistro with a tempting menu and fair prices. Decor is whimsical and abundant, in the style of a Parisian brasserie and then some. You've got your Spanish toreador placards, garlands of garlic and dangling Chianti bottles as well as vintage French cabaret posters, indicating the type of cuisine you might find here. Over the bar hang a dozen clocks, none of them working, set for eight fifty, commemorating the time the first customer walked through the door nineteen years ago,
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Starters lean towards France:escargots $9;\.25, moules mariniere $11.50, salade Niçoise $14, quiche with salad $9.75. Italy is represented via pasta and risottos from $10.95 to $14.95. From Spain we tried the paella, really excellent and generous, rife with scallops, shrimp, calamari, thinly sliced Spanish sausage, chicken, Mussels etc., mingled with saffron flavored rice and the pre-requisite green peas, $20.75, the highest priced entree among stuffed chicken paupiettes $17.75, lamb osso buco $18.25, veal Marengo $18, baked salmon $19.50 and more. For $17.50 they do a marinated skirt steak topped with a mountain of sauteed shallots. You'll have to do some trimming but the flavor of the meat and sauce are first cabin, with a hint of fennel due, perhaps, to a splash of Pernod. Alongside is a heap of crisp, skinny french fries which you'll have to guard with your life against theft from the others at your table. Wines from $6.75 per glass. Pleasant service.
Cahuenga Blvd. West, Universal City and Studio City. Full Bar. Catering. Lunch and dinner daily, Saturday and Sunday brunch.Parking in rear. (323)876-1702

THE CLEAN HOUSE by Sarah Ruhl
The stage is set in a sleek, ultra modern living room, done in white and very pale, grey, quite appropriate to set off the colorful personalities that will inhabit it. A couple, Charles (Don Fischer) and Lane (Colette Kilroy), both physicians, have hired a live-in, Brazilian maid, the temperamental Matilde (Elizabeth Liang), affectionately called Machildi, who comes from a long line of comedians and aspires to be one herself. She tells a passel of jokes in Portuguese, a language hardly anyone in the audience understands but by her gestures, you can tell they're all X-rated. Trouble is, Lane hired her to clean the house which is something Matilde doesn't really like to do. To the rescue comes Lane's sister Vigrinia (D . J.Harner) alternating with Shawna Casey), who is an obsessive/compulsive cleaning freak, a Bryn Mawr graduate, who gets off on dusting, vacuuming and scrubbing. Perhaps you can imagine what happens next.

Meanwhile, unfortunately, Dr. Charles has fallen for one of his middle-aged patients, Ana (Denise Blasor), from Argentina, who is very ill but spunky, whom Charles considers his Beshert (soul mate). Even though he's not Jewish, he heard that in the Jewish faith, a Beshert is the only one meant to be one's life partner and about the only thing that doesn't involve Jewish guilt. These kooky people are actually very likable and the remarkable bonding these women achieve is quite believable and touching. The multiple award winning playwright Sarah Ruhl, proves that even the most serious situations can elicit laughter under the right circumstances.

Liang as the maid ever in search of the world's best joke, is delightful. D.J. Harner (on my night) is an accomplished scene stealer whose facial expressions and body language are fascinating. Furthermore, her character is the sort of friend every woman wishes she had. Don't bother springing for a fancy lunch - just gibe her the treat of letting her tidy up your place. Watching Kilroy soften from a hard-nosed professional to an angel of mercy, iilluminating. Blasor is the most sympathetic" other woman" you'll ever see in any story and the sole male, Don Fischer, gets to display his talent for farce in the second act. . The astute direction is by Stefan Kruck, sets, including a stunning balcony scene, designed by Frederica Nascimento, aided by Kathi O'Donohue's lighting. There are English titles frequently projected on stage which are amusing but unnecessary. What would really be a public service would be a translation of those dirty jokes...

The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, 2055 S.Sepulveda Blvd..,West Los Angeles, one block north of Olympic Blvd.. Thursday -Saturday 8.pm. Three Wednesday performances June 2, 9 and 16 at 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. (Sunday June 6 and 27, 7 p.m. only. $25 - $30, students and seniors $5 off, except Saturday. (310)477-2055 or www.odysseytheatre.com - 7/3

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: It's only a hop, skip and jump to HOP WOO, which is one block south. You could park at the Odyssey and walk,since the spaces At the little corner mini-mall seem to be in high demand. The entrance is about as imposing as your local take-out joint but when you see those ducks hanging up, you know they're serious here. And, when you see the dining room with its mirrored wall, eggshell cloths and green napkins, gold filigree chandelier and live fish tank, you notice many Asian faces, always a sure sign of Chinese culinary authenticity. If you've brought a few people, you could sit at one of the round tables and order up delicacies like crab i n ginger-green onion or black bean sauce (market price). The food is good but if you're watching you or sodium, ask them to go easy on the salt; we found everything very salty and the spicy dishes not spicy enough. Tender beef is black bean-chili sauce has onions and firm bell peppers $9.95. Likewise the spicy shrimp in garlic sauce, $11.95. Fresh string beans are green and crisp as just printed dollar bills, $9.95. Sesame chicken is coated in a sweet-sour glaze, more sweet than sour, same price. Portions are generous, service efficient but unsmiling. This restaurant is very popular and busy. I saw several people feasting on the lobster special $13.95 per pound and the barbecued duck half $8.95.

HOP WOO BBQ and Seafood Restaurant, 11110 Olympic Blvd. at Sepulveda Blvd. West Los Angeles. No alcohol. Tough parking in mini-mall. Open daily 11 a.m. to 10 p.m,., (310) 575-3668

BAGELS by Art Shulman

Is there sex after Social Security? In this play, if you can believe, these seniors are hornier than high school kids and, if you are of a certain age, you'll be amazed and perhaps envious of the goings one. At Jake's Brooklyn apartment (set by Chris Winfield, the bedroom, which we mercifully never see, has more fun and games than your rec room and Jake Goldberg (the droll Morry Schorr), in spite of his old grey head and considerable pot belly, is quite the ladies' man. Having just men Rachel Fine (L. B. Zimmerman) on the Internet, he is not content with just a good night kiss on their first date. She plays it coy but not to worry, she's frequently in heat - and I don't mean hot flashes. He's addicted to bagels which affect him like an aphrodisiac. Who needs Viagra when some carbs will do the trick? He is also hotly pursued by an old flame, Karen Weil (Diane Frank), who uses every ruse not known to man to get him back. But, she's the perennial second fiddle in this romantic entanglement. To further spice up the story, certain past indiscretions raise their sexy head, involving a successful photographer played by Patrick Shelton, a tall, handsome man with the sort of good looks that are generally complemented by eye candy, half his age, on his arm. Yet, he too is an admirer of mature beauty in the raw, which makes every older woman in the audience feel good and gives every man something to look forward to.

Even though the acting is uneven and the play has all the depth of a sitcom, there are chuckles and surprises that have filled the house successfully for months, prompted extensions and yet another run, opening this month. The prolific playwright (Misconceptions, The Rabbi and the Shiksa, Boxcar and Eugene etc.) also directs, with original music by Jan Alejandro.

Secret Rose Theatre, 11246 Magnolia Avenue, 1 1/2 blocks west of Lankershim, North Hollywood. Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m., $22, senior $17, students $10. Street parking. (818)782-4254 or www.secretrose.com. -6/27

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: You can park and walk a few blocks to SPUMANTE a popular Italian restaurant, formerly located in Studio City. The congenial welcome and service as well as the uncrowded table spacing in the carpeted room, make for pleasant dining, convenient to the many small theatres that dot NOHO. In the exhibition kitchen, the activity bubbles like Asti Spumante, its namesake. To start, why not split a Caesar salad (no extra charge), $7.95 and nibble on the complimentary little bruschetta, while checking out the menu of familiar favorites. There are chicken preparations, salmon, steak and lots of nightly specials, smilingly recited. I recommend the veal piccata, tender and tasty, topped with capers and sauced in lemony butter, lusty as a tarantella, accompanied by al dente carrots, broccoli florets and potatoes, for $23.95. The pork chop is only $17.95, nice and thick but cooked a lot longer than I requested, to be honest. Apple sauce and a generous heap of crisp french fries included.

Spumante, 1194 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood Full bar. Valet parking $3.50. (818)508-7716.

SARAH SARAH by Daniel Goldfarb

The West Coast Jewish Theatre has found a home for its productions, in the beautifully refurbished former Century City Playhouse, The theme explored in this play, actually two related plays, is what it means to have been an orphan in the Old World versus how customs have changed as people reach across continents to find - and give, love.

Act I is set in Toronto in 1951. A jewish matron , Sarah Grosberg (Cheryl David), banters and bickers, in heavily accented English, with her housekeeper and fellow immigrant, Vincent (Bart Braverman), who wears a shmatta befitting a cleaning lady. Don't ask me why. Her son Arthur (Patrick Raffery), a nerdy looking student, is in love with and engaged to Rochelle (Robyn Cohen) a timid, pretty young woman, who is invited to tea by his mother. To say she gives her the third degree is an understatement. In the guise of the gracious hostess, she soon emerges as a vicious battle axe of a prospective mother in law, determined to break up the relationship. To her, the most important attribute of a future wife is her background and she brags authoritatively about her own "good family". She doth protest too much, as we shall see when the secret of her origin comes to light.

The second act takes place in a hotel room in China (set design by Jeff G. Rack), forty years later. Skipping a generation, Sarah's grand daughter Jennifer (also David), a single woman whose biological clock stopped ticking quite a while ago, is in the harrowing throes of adopting a Chines infant from an orphanage. She's accompanied by her dad Arthur (Braverman), the same actor who earlier played the cleaning "woman". It's a bit confusing to tie these characters characters together but the actors skillfully bridge the gap and we begin to realize the emotional connections between this mispocha. The playwright also introduces a young couple, Maggie and Miles (Cohen and Rafferty, again), who have successfully weathered the adoption process, two gratuitous personages, really, except to demonstrate the pair's histrionic versatility. As a matter of fact, the ensemble's acting skills, directed by Howard Teichman, consistently soar above the material.

Pico Playhouse, 10508 W. Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles. Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $27 - $30, seniors $25 - $28, Students $20. Street parking. (323)821-2449 or www.wcjt.org -6/27

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: You could easily park and walk the two blocks west to THE SIX, or drive a couple of minutes to this terrific restaurant. The coffeeshop-like former Jack Sprat's Grille, has morphed into a hot, new brew pub with fantastic food that transcends the customary pub grub. There's six of this and six of that, appetizers $8 - $12, six sides, six entrees $18 - 23 and as for the six pizzas, Chef David Gussin may soon dethrone Woldgnag Puck as the King of the Inventive Pizza, $13.

Among the entrees, there's steak, short ribs, salmon, ravioli etc., and if you read the descriptions, you'll see that each dish is in excellent company, tailored to fit like a good, custom-made suit. The organic Jadori chicken, half a bird cut into thirds, freshly roasted to order (allow 30 minutes), is so juicy and delicious, it reaches a whole, new level or chickendom! It comes with crisp sugar snaps, grilled spring garlic that resembles scallions and daubs of sorrel puree on the pretty plate, $18. My halibut, crusty on the outside, moist within, had a garnish of shiitake mushroom caps, fava beans, fresh English peas and a mound of wild farro, each and every one of these cooked to the magic point and to bump up the flavors, some fragrant mushroom just, $22.

Desserts are only $6, so indulge in their chocolate pudding, home made, which you probably haven't tasted since grandma discovered the instant product. It's positively orgasmic, in its glass filled with real whipped cream, sprinkled with nuts. We were to busy oooing and ahhhing, I almost forgot to notice the decor. But there's a center-of-the-action bar serving a fine selection of beers, ale and wines, not extravagantly priced, a corner T V, unusual, cute light fixtures with a few recognizable faces thereon, a high ceiling with whirring fans and a convivial atmosphere. Discover this place for yourself and six may well become your lucky number.

The Six, 10668 W. Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles. Open daily for lunch and dinner, weekend brunch. Parking in rear. (310)837-6662

SOMETHING HAPPENED by L. Trey Wilson

Something certainly does happen, almost at the beginning of this play,which has an impact on the families of two teenage boys who are caught in, shall we say, a "compromising position". This is a moment that sends a shock wave and audible gasps of "Oh, my God" through the audience. Yet,this story does not dwell on the prurient elements of their relationship but looks into the consequences. How will parents deal with a problem that can either tear them apart or bring them closer?
A well to do couple,Deanna (Mashari Laila Bain) and Doug Piper (William Christian), break the fourth wall and address the audience in a forthright manner, unwittingly prompting us to ask ourselves how WE would handle the revelations that come to light in this excellently staged piece. It features an all Black cast, with each of the participants given the opportunity to develop their characters to the fullest. We have the Brennans, Tom (George Watson) and his glamorously attired wife Hosanna (Lisa Canning), as the Pipers' good friends. The Taylors, are the neighboring couple, a few social notches below the elegant Pipers. Christopher Guyton is the jovial but rough Bernard and his wife, the boisterous Melanie, whose loud voice could crack a few light bulbs (the hilarious Fuschia!). They are the mom and dad of the "other" boy, Raymond (Rob Nelson), who displays his versatility by being the meek, obedient son at home but assumes the personality of Rashid, a do-rag wearing, trash talking gangsta type, when he's on his own. Allan Lonis impresses with his mellifluous tones and genteel demeanor, as an old friend, Gary. The most stunning performance though, is delivered by Eric B Anthony as Donovan, a seventeen year old with the maturity of an adult, self-assured and comfortable in his own skin, yet vulnerable beneath his 'tude of resentment toward his parents. The playwright's direction is impeccable, the sharp, functional set is designed by Darcy Prevost. Credit for the absolutely perfect costumes goes to Daniel Kruger. This is a sleek, new venue and a coup for the South Bay theatre scene. Even more ambitious plans are afoot, so stay tuned.

Pacific Stages, 2041 Rosecrans Avenue #170, El Segundo in the Beach City Plaza that houses the Pacific Theatres movie complex. Walk past P.F. Chang, turn left at the courtyard and follow the signs. Thursday - Saturday 8 p.m. Saturday matinee at 3 p.m.,Sunday at 5 p.m. $34.99,students $25. (310)868-2631 or www.pacificstages.org ---5/16

Note: Do not park across the street, $12 and no validation. Drive to the structure on the same side of Nash as the theatre,just north of the movie house. Park free on the 3rd, 4th or 5th floor.

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: It's about a ten minute drive from the CHEF HANNES restaurant to Pacific Stages and I have a confession to make. There are lots of restaurants within walking distance (mostly chains) but I had heard a few years ago, that an Austrian chef opened a place on the charming Main Street in El Segundo and have been dying to try it ever since. Had my mouth set for Wiener Schnitzel, veal goulash and other Viennese delights. What did we find? Italian food, albeit very good and not overpriced. The disappointment lasted only until the first bite of fresh bread dipped into a pest-like spread, made with spinach, garlic potatoes, fresh herbs and olive oil. Quick consolation also came with osso buco braised in a light red wine sauce, the veal not exactly falling off the bone but nicely seasoned, with potatoes and a potpourri of Farmers Market fresh vegetables for $18, the most expensive item on the menu. Crisp scampi in a garlic-citrus sauce, lively as a Rossini overture with rice and veggies is a fine choice at $15.95555. The Italian version of cassoulet, here called casserole, with Italian sausage in a vegetable, rice and bean mixture, is hearty and satisfying, $14.95. Further, there are two chicken preparations $12.95 and $14.95, a grilled pork chop and a salmon dish $14.95 each and pasta from $10.95. Caveat: it's smart of inquire the price of the nightly specials which tend to be more expensive, to wit: the Chilean sea bass showed up on the bill for $24.95. Service is most accommodating, "no substitutions" not in their vocabulary. The restaurant is simple but appealing, the rooms pleasantly decorated with artwork on the butter colored walls. There's a small patio out back. Desserts include strudel $4.95 and the only other Austrian item is Gosser Bier, Austria's favorite brew, $3.50. There's a small, well chosen wine list, from $6 per glass. It's close to the airport (LAX), so if you want to avoid airline food, for which they now dare to charge, keep Chef Hannes in mind.

Chef Hannes, 411 1/2 Main Street, El Segundo. Closed Sunday. Street Parking (310)640-0164.

THE DRAWER BOY by Michael Healy

This home spun tale, primarily an example of true friendship, takes place on a Canadian farm in 1973. We see a well lived-in kitchen and a beat up barn exterior alongside the house (set by resident designer Jeff G, Rack). Angus (the amazing Daniel Leslie), a slow witted looking man, presumably in his early seventies, sits slack-jawed at a table. His friend Morgan (Robert Mackenzie), an energetic fellow of about the same vintage, cater to him patiently while laboring seemingly around the clock. It becomes clear at once, that Angus has memory problems, not the symptoms of dementia but the result of a head injury sustained in Europe during World War II. Into this milieu comes a young man, Miles (Kris Frost), a member of an acting troupe, in town to put on a play about farmers. Striving for authenticity, Miles volunteers his services to help with the chores, in exchange for live-in privileges so he can research, first hand, how farmers go about their workaday lives. He gets more than he bargained for but his curiosity is rewarded when long held secrets are revealed, primarily in the weaker second act. Many lies are told here, most of them white, none vicious.

Frost, as the earnest, young actor trying to be a useful farm hand, is extremely appealing as he shows his humanity in dealing with the child-like Angus. In the latter part, Leslie is never out of character, whether temperamental and petulant or good-humoredly trying to please. He is the Drawer Boy of the title, who might have become an architect if al;l had gone well. Mackenzie masters the gruff exterior that hides a proverbial heart of gold. Life on this farm is laborious and financially perilous but the genuine, long term friendship of these two old bachelors, who have each other and very little else, makes for a heartwarming story, suitable for all ages. Direction is by Melanie MacQueen.

Theatre 40, Reuben Cordova Theatre, 241 Moreno Drive, off Little Santa Monica on the Beverly Hills High School Campus, Beverly Hills. Wednesdy - Saturday 8 p.m. Sunday 2 p.m. $23 - $25. (310)364-0535 or www.theatre40.org.
- 4/25
Free parking in building garage, adjoining the theatre.

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: It takes two minutes (by the car clock), to drive from JOSS CUISINE to Theatre 40. This lovely shoe box of a restaurant exudes Oriental tranquility, with beautifully set tables, quality china, a shoji ceiling and soft lighting. They serve, what they call Chinese haute cuisine. The menu is quite fascinating, with several unusual entrees, I hope to try another night when we can round up a few friends. Meanwhile, variety can be enjoyed even for two, with their fantastic appetizers. No fried shrimp and egg rolls here! Artistically assembled small plates come trotting out of the kitchen: Peking duck Quor Tehr, four little bundles of joy, crisply pan fried crepes wrapped around strips of duck, cucumber, scallions and lightly plum sauced; Japanese eggplant rounds topped with chopped eggplant, seasoned with yu-shiang sauce plus rokmaine lettuce boats which you load up with exquisite minced chicken with pine nuts andChinese celery, $7.50 each of the above. We also lovoed a hot number, won tons filled with fresh Dungeness crab meat, served in a bowl with spicy Szechuan chili-garlic sauce, $9.50. Chinese desserts have never sounded tempting until the waiter mentioned a lichee nut Napoleon, a wonderful confection of crisp phyllo dough layers and cream $7.50, rich enough to share. There's a rather pricey wine list, by the glass from $10 for a California Sauvignon Blanc. Swift service, important for curtain time schedules.

Joss Cuisine, 9919 Little Santa Monica Blvd.,Beverly Hills. Wine, beer, sake. Catering service. Street parking. (310)277-3888.

THE CHARM OF MAKING by Timothy McNeil *

Fans of Tennessee Williams will revel in this swamp of Southern decadence about a Mississippi family trying to live down their past legacy of murderous and suicidal ancestors. Elvin (Thor Edgell), is a closeted, cross-dressing gay man, fascinated by Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet and tormented by his state as a forty year old virgin. His slob of a sister Morgan (Bonnie McNeil), swigs gallons of bourbon, casts magic spells and likes to walk naked through the town. She delivers her sarcasms in a well-deep, Southern drawl. His brother Samuel (Jon Boatwright), is a self-doubting Babtist minister, addicted to Pepto Bismol, with a mouseburger of a wife, Jenny (T.M. Rawlins). Elvin and Morgan have a live-in old aunt Lottie (May Quigley Goodman), given to to long reminiscences, peppered with compulsive profanities. Instead of fascinating dialogue, this bunch dwells heavily on dream recitations and death, as we wait for a ray of sunshine amidst the gloom or even a breath of comic relief.

One cannot fault the actors, who give their all in excellent performances, including Matthew Oliva as Morgan's ardent lover, Nicholas Hargous as Cameron, a shy, young man caught in a difficult situation and Alfredo J. Orrego, the diminutive Frenchman Paul, whom Morgan brings home as her gift to Elvin, presumably to deflower him. Have I left anyone out? Yes, there's the playwright himself, the rouged Timothy McNeil, as an apparition of Romeo & Juliet, who minces through several scenes quoting and paraphrasing the Bard - a superfluous role is there ever was one. Milton Justice directs, set design by Alain Villeneuve.

Stella Adler Los Angeles Theatre, 6773 Hollywood Boulevard near Highland, Second Floor. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 7 p.m. $20 (323)960-7735 or wwwPlays411.com/thecharm. Parking $2 in underground garage in back of the Hollywood-Highland Complex, off Highland Avenue, turn at Johnny Grant Way (opposite Yucca). Show them your ticket/program upon leaving and allow at least ten minutes prior to curtain time upon arrival. -4/25

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: The opening of STREET caused quite a stir among local foodies, as one of the Two Hot Tamales, SusanFeniger, went solo. Her place, only a five minute drive from the theatre, is a lively spot with a pub-like front room, chic, all black furniture and a dramatic staircase. But most of the action is out on the orange umbrella-covered patio with its cute drawings on orange or mustard colored walls; heaters and blankets (if necessary), provided. The idea is to present street food from around the world,without having to chase the wagons or shoo the flies. Fanciful cocktails and international ine, starting at $9 per glass for a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Among the edibles, we tackled six little Burmese lettuce boats, filled with crunchy peanuts, greens and lentils in a sesame-ginger dressing, $7. Same price for olive bread toast triagnles on which you pile anchovy butter, refried white bean puree and bits of roasted black kale. From the hot section, we chopsticked our way through Thai rice noodles, shaped like fettuccine, with slightly sweet pulled pork, chopped Chinese broccoli, Thai basil and a hefty dose of red hot chili, $15. Each and every one delicious and plenty for two, pre-theatre. There are goodies from India, Russia etc, in small portions but big enough to share among two consenting adults, as well as entrees from a wood-fired oven, priced in the lower to middle twenties. The mood is light, the food is fun, service is wonderful and Chef Susan makes the rounds and chats up the customers. You'll love it!

Street, 742 N. Highland, near Melrose, Los Angeles. Lunch and dinner daily. Street or valet parking. Handicapped parking in rear. Full bar. (323)203-0500.

BRIDGE by Willard Manus
On a deserted bridge, in the middle of the night, an aging, anonymous musician (Leslie A. Jones, on my visit), practices some cool jazz on his saxophone, only to be interrupted by some desperate individuals, wishing to cut short their lives by leaping into the dark waters below. It's a fascinating subject, especially for anyone who has, perhaps, been touched by the suicide of a loved one. As any psychiatrist will confirm, ninety percent of all patients have thought of, at least the opus moderandi to employ, and, as per the statistics of San Francisco's Golden Gate, jumping off a bridge is, unfortunately, very popular.

The first to disturb the musician's solitude is a strung out on meth, skin and bones addict (Josie Martineaux). The second, a bereaved Japanese (Yuki Matsusaki), traumatized by a major catastrophe. Finally, a transvestite (Donald Roman Lopez), with the most serious problems imaginable. It would be a disservice to acquaint you now, with what exactly prompted these tortured souls to want to end it all but the kindly musician, too, has a checkered past and is no stranger to suicide. His personal mission is to fight the "angel of death", as he calls it, by dissuading each from what they are about to attempt. Just when the story becomes predictable, the playwright throws us a curve. Producer David Svengalis designed the expedient set, depicting an urban bridge complete with graffiti and Kelly Galindo directs the realistic looking action. Note: Manus' inspiration was saxophonist Sunny Rollins who ceased performing in public for two years but practiced on the Williamsburg Bridge at night.

Ruby Theatre at The Complex, 6476 Santa Monica Blvd., at Wilcox, Los Angeles. Thursday - Saturday 8 p.m, Sunday 2 pm. $25 (323) 960-7740 or www.plays411.com Street parking (tight) ends 12/18

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Less than five minutes from The Complex is SEA MINOR, which calls itself a "pescetarian" restaurant. Actually, it's a Thai place but the chef also likes to cook Louisiana style so you can mix and match a few culinary ethnicities, including Japanese yakisoba and Chinese kung pao noodles for very little American currency. Plus, you may bring your own bottle at no charge for corkage. They have a current special going on, a pound of shrimp (choice of seasoning), for $7.95 but they come in the shell, a bit messy for pre-theatre dining. Instead, I recommend the fish fillet, bite size, with melt in your mouth texture, lightly dipped in seasoned flour (Cajun, Indian, garlic-pepper etc., your preference), the degree of heat at your discretion also. A huge portion, very good, $7.95. We also tried the pad woon sen #56, a stir-fry of glass noodles with shiitake mushrooms, tomatoes and crisp, artistically carved carrots and onions, simply wonderful, $7.95, with chicken $1 extra. Lots of vegetarian options also on the menu. Our check came to $18.38 for two. The room is plain but very clean, besides several television sets, the wall décor consists of musical instruments, including a drum set. The lighting, well, it's not romantic. Service is exceptionally attentive. They'll uncork your wine bottle, bring pretty stemware and you'll come away knowing that cheap eats are alive and well in this town, after all.

Sea Minor, 5784 Melrose Avenue, corner of where Rossmore becomes Vine, Los Angeles. No alcohol. BYOB. Parking in front. (323)464-2345.

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL - IRIS A Journey through the World of Cinema
Without a doubt, IRIS (pronounced the French way, Eeris), the local offering of the global Cirque du Soleil productions, is a spectacular piece of entertainment. It pays homage not only to the movies but is likely to make ballet lovers out of those who've never attended one. Choreographer Daphne Mauger demands near impossible feats of the acrobatic dancers but they deliver, flawlessly to Danny Elfman's beautiful music, throughout. The technical aspects of the show are astounding. No expense (pssst, $100,000.00) has been spared to keep audiences open-mouthed over the clever innovations and lavish sets.

As soon as the house lights dim, two men on flying trapezes suspended overhead, do fantastic aerial stunts, followed by acrobats who, like leaping lizards, perform the most difficult routines and who look like they're having as much fun as we are. One of the most stunning acts is by a group of graceful, young women whose arms resemble a serpent's nest and, as their bodies intertwine, seem to be not just double but triple jointed. Frequently the stage is filled with dozens of artists and it's hard not to miss all the amazing things that are going on. Iris is a paean to movie genres of every stripe, Western, old black and white flicks, a roof top chase sequence utilizing trampolines, a spoof of the Oscars and more. Unique projections and fanciful costumes (by Philippe Guilletel) add visual excitement. The inventive staging is ever fresh and surprising, thanks to the genius of its creator/producer Philippe Decouflé.

Iris will run at the Kodak for ten years. Tourists should put it on their "must" list along with visits to Disneyland and Universal Studios. Bar Mitzvahs, Quinceañera celebrations and other special occasions for affluent Angelenos, could keep it going for a decade. A ticket to Iris would be a generous gift to someone on whom you don't mind spending a C note, or two. My only criticism is that some of the numbers, wonderful though they are, run just a little bit too long and I know you will all agree, that the price of seats is exorbitant in the current economy. Other than that, it's…..WOW111

IRIS, CIRQUE DE SOLEIL, Kodak Theatre, Hollywood/Highland Complex, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. Wednesday - Saturday 8 p.m., Saturday 2 p.m., Sunday 1 and 6:30 p.m.. November 23, 24, 26 and December 31st, matinees at 2 p.m. No evening performances November 24, December 5, 6, 7 and 25. $43 to $253 (with special VIP amenities). Parking $10 (enter off Highland, turn on Johnny Grant Way) Validate your ticket at the automated machines before you get back into your car).

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Conveniently located on the top floor of the Hollywood/Highland Complex, is TRASTEVERE, an Italian restaurant, ideal for fine dining on the date of your Cirque visit. It's a little pricey, but this is not the time for frugality, eight? This establishment resembles European bistro, not flossy but quite attractive, with a front bar area and well laid tables in a free form room. Pasta and pizza from $15, gnocchi $17, beef cuts from $25 to $28 for a rib eye steak. The char-grilled shrimp $28, are excellent, with a pleasant, smoky flavor. They're bedded upon very good, garlicky spinach and lentils, the latter overcooked and devoid of any texture. (Our waiter promised to inform the chef). Pasta with chicken, broccoli florets and sundried tomatoes is perfectly prepared. The angel hair (not listed on the menu but available) is al dente, the creamy sauce rich but not heavy and a good buy for $18. Fresh bread and pesto are complimentary, service attentive. Wine goes from $8 per glass for a crisp, South African Sauvignon Blanc. If the weather permits, you can dine on the balcony and overlook the outdoor action below.

Trastevere, Hollywood/Highland Complex, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 423, Hollywood. Full bar. Four hours validated parking for $2 in garage. Enter via Highland, turn on Johnny Grant Way, (323) 962-1700.

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HYPER-CHONDRIAC written and performed by Brian Frazer
Frazer's rant is the sort of stand-up routine you might see at a comedy club. He's not a hypochondriac (someone who thinks he's sick when he's actually not}. His problem is he's as hyper as a kid on a sugar jag and constantly loses his temper. He cites several examples that are not surprising. I mean, who hasn't become furious when cut off by another idiot behind the wheel of an offending car? He, however, gets irritated by just about everyone. Don't sweat the small stuff, never occurs to him. It starts early in his life, when the rabbi who, after tutoring him for his Bar Mitzwah, becomes an Episcopalian minister, which he considers a personal affront. He tries assorted remedies to calm his frazzled nerves. Yoga, meditation, hydrotherapy, Kabbalah studies, Zoloft by the pound and physicians in every known field.
The amiable Frazer has impressive credentials as a writer and performer and his delivery has comic appeal. But the material is not as funny as it could be. If you met him at an airport while waiting for a plane and he regaled you with his misadventures, you'd be royally entertained. As a one man stage show however, it could use some tweaking. He has a nervous habit of scratching the right side of his midriff every few minutes (unscripted, I suspect), that proves he hasn't quite found the cure in his quest to "hurry up and calm down" Director Kiff Scholl also designed the whimsical set, giant capsules, bandages, tablets etc. and Matt Richter's projections and lighting are very effective.

Asylum Lab, 1078 Lillian Way, off Santa Monica Boulevard, near Vine, Hollywood. $20. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 7 p.m. No intermission. Street parking. (323) 960-7785 or www.plys411.com/hyperchondriac ends 11/16

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Devotees of cheap eats, who visit SABINA'S, will think they've died and gone to bargain heaven. The Mittel-European food, from countries like Rumania, Hungary and Austria is not only delicious and plentiful but will cost you about what you pay for valet service. Sabina's is not your trendy, designer created space, quite plain, with glass tops over burgundy tablecloths, non-romantic lighting and zero atmosphere but the health inspector gave it an A and you'll give it an A plus, for value. Listen to this: salads are $2, all the entrees are $5.75 and desserts $1.75. Share a salad of very fresh iceberg lettuce, some cucumbers and tomatoes in a typically European oil and vinegar dressing. Excellent. Main courses like paprika beef or chicken with dumplings, grilled chicken with mushrooms, stuffed peppers and assorted schnitzel. There's a chicken schnitzel or pork schnitzel, two slices, crisply breaded, very tasty. If you'd rather have them without the breading, order them Parisian style. You'll also like the chicken stew with fresh mushrooms, tender, boneless pieces in a goulash type sauce. Both come with mashed potatoes, They offer a heap of pickles for one dollar and you can BYOB at no extra cost. It's a five minute drive to the theatre. Is this a deal? I was going to say, you betcha but I don't want to quote Sarah Palin.

Sabina's European Cuisine, 1253 Fountain at Vine, Hollywood. BYOB Free parking in minimall lot. Enter on Vine Street. (323) 469-9522.

DAY DRINKERS by Justin Tanner
If you've followed Tanner's hefty theatrical output on local stages (Coyote Woman, Voice Lessons, Pot Mom etc.), you are, no doubt, a fan. The playwright has mastered the art of humorously portraying a certain class of people, white trash mostly, so skillfully, you'll not want to miss this, his latest hit. Day Drinkers takes place in a bar in Los Angeles (fabulous set by Co-Producer Gary Guidinger), whose habitués think nothing of starting their morning with booze and beer, rather than a cuppa joe and juice. If it's nine a.m. here , it's five o'clock SOMEwhere, as one of my old boyfriends used to say.

Bartender/proprietor Daniel (Todd Lowe) and his wife Jenny 's (Chloe Taylor) msrriage is on the rocks, the rocks being mainly in their bed, since Jenny's having a fling with brother-in-law Caleb (the hirsute Cody Chappell). Steady customer Mick (Tom Fitzpatrick), as an elderly swain, is enamored of the wise-cracking lush, Val (Danielle Kennedy) and in the process of squandering his retirement stash on her. His mercenary son Bradley (Jonathan Palmer), stops by, worried about his inheritance and, in his slimy way, tries to put a kibosh on the affair. To liven things up even further, we have two middle-aged lesbians, Sharon (Maile Flanagan) and Kate (Melissa Denton), on their way to Lodi for a family festivity, and squabbling just like a regular married couple. The whole scenario is lubricated by the constant flow of libations and peppered by Tanner's outrageously funny dialogue. The language is in the gutter but custom tailored for these folks.

The gifted performers, a stable of Tanner veterans, get right into the spirit(s) of things and take us along on a fun ride. To single out anyone seems unfair but the roly-poly Flanagan, so memorable in Tanner's Voice Lessons is, once again, priceless and Kennedy, with her trim figure belying her lived-in countenance, is an absolute marvel of comic timing. Director Bart DeLorenzo's experienced hand guides all these individual stories into one satisfying brew, just as an accomplished mixologist combines quality ingredients into one potent, intoxicating cocktail. Cheers!

Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., West Los Angeles. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. Additional Wednesday performances 9/21 and 10/5 at 8 p.m. $25 - $30. Attendant parking in front $3. Note: On Friday nights, you can share a complimentary glass of wine with the cast and audience, après theatre. (3100 477-2055 or www.odysseytheatre.com ends 10/7

Pre-Theatre Dining Suggetion: Only a five minute drive from the Odyssey, is BOSSA NOVA, a Brazilian restaurant. This is not a place where they strut around like Vlad the Impaler, carrying assorted meats on a spear and slice off your monthly allotment of protein until you gag. Instead, there's a multi-page menu of pasta, pizza, sandwiches, salads, grilled entrees and Brazilian specialties. Among the latter, you may be familiar with their chicken Stroganoff in a pink sauce, a standard buffet item prior to the main event in all churrascarias but especially tasty here, in a sour cream sauce with mushrooms, plus fries, rice or platanos, for $11.99. (Also available with the traditional beef, the Russian recipe). If you love spicy Cajun food and the Cajun Platter, chicken or shrimp in a creamy brown sauce, catches your eye, DO NOT order it. The sauce is so sweet, it would be just right as an ice cream sundae topping. The chef, inexplicably, douses it with molasses, killing the spicy, savory flavor it deserves. The quality of the shrimp is impeccable, red and green bell peppers still crisp but even heavy doses of Tabasco and soy sauces didn't help. To their credit, they gave us half off the regular price of $12.99. I plan to give them another chance and to ask a few questions prior to ordering. The restaurant has a covered. sidewalk patio with borders of greenery. The interior is on the dark side, grey, rough hewn walls, black floor, black table tops, black chairs. A fine list of international beers and wine, which starts at $5.50 per glass. Service is sporadic but the menu prices uniformly affordable.

Bossa Nova, 10982West Pico Blvd., near Sepulveda, West Los Angeles. No reservations. Valet parking $3.75.(310) 441-0404.

ENNIO created and performed by Ennio Marchetto

The miracle that is Ennio, has to be seen to be believed. If that sounds clichéd, so be it. This is the sort of performance you won't see anywhere else because no one will attempt it. The man comes on stage alone but is joined by his creation of dozens of personalities in cartoonish but fabulous paper costumes (by
Sosthen Hennekem), as he lip-synchs their music. Lots of current newsmakers of the entertainment world are introduced in this program: Justin Bieber, Bono, Beyonce and, of course, Lady Gaga. It takes a genius to create a caricature of that already outlandish character - but he does it! He's kept some of the familiar favorites such as his hilarious parodies of Dolly Parton, the Three Tenors and the Mona Lisa. Considerably slimmer than in his first local appearance about ten years ago, he dances and prances for over an hour, with balletic grace, at record speed behind his constantly evolving costumes, morphing from pop singer to glamorous movie star to the Queen of England, so cleverly, he brings down the house. Hurry, hurry for you chance to catch the truly inimitable Ennio in action.

Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino, Paadena 7 p.m. $15 - $29. (626) 356-7529 or pasadenaplayhouse.org. ONLY UNTIL 8/28.

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: It's been too long since my last visit to EL PORTAL, the Mexican Restaurant across the street from the Playhouse. The breezeway is the ideal place to sit and dine, out of range of the smelly car fumes. Their Yucatan specialties are outstanding - zero in on those. Nightly specials hover around $14 and the regular menu is in that range, as well. One of their stars has always been the authentic cochinita pibil, anchiote-spiced pork in a banana leaf. It's wonderful but, even more delicious, is poc chuc, a real flavor adventure. Marinated, sliced pork, gently garlicked and very tender, with a chutney of roasted tomatoes, cilantro and onions, Spanish rice decorated with avocado slices and a bowl of black bean soup (ask for a spoon), for $12.75. Muy delicioso! Fish fans will flip over the fresh tilapia, marinated in lime juice and chipotle, gussied up with green olives, tomatoes, bell peppers, capers etc., flawlely prepared, $15. If there is better Mexican food in this town, I'd like to hear about it. Service is cheerful if a bit on the leisurely wide, the Margaritas are chilled and wine by the glass starts at $6. It'll take you three minutes to walk to the theatre.

El Portal, 695 E. Green Street in the Arcade Alley, Pasadena (626)8553. Unfortunately they only validate for one hour, so you may get stuck paying up to $9 in the adjoining lot but you can stay right there for the evening.

THE EXPERT AT THE CARD TABLE written and performed by Guy Hollingworth

The old expression "Never eat at a place called Mom's and never play cards with a man named Doc", should be amended to "don't ever play cards with a man named Guy Hollingworth. He could take you for all you're worth. The tall, handsome Englishman, resplendent in white tie and tails, possesses a pair of hands that should be insured with the Lloyds of London. His card tricks will leave you open-mouthed and gasping, muttering an overused word, applicable here - amazing!

This is no ordinary magic show, however. Behind the charming, little stage set (uncredited), is a screen where images complement the story Hollingworth tells and on which many of his prestidigitation tricks are shown as he performs them, live, large and in living color. And still you wonder, how does he do it? The plot of the p lay concerns a book of mysterious authorship, published in Chicago over a hundred years ago, which exposed many secrets behind magicians' trompe l'oeil performance skills. But even more intriguing, it follows the exploits of two boys, Samuel Andrews and his friend Milton, whose talents for legerdemain starts them out as harmless parlor entertainers but ends with con games and crimes, including the murder of a man named McCaffrey, inventor of the Chicago El, during a particularly vitriolic gambling round.

This show comes directly from the Menier Chocolate Factory in London, a venue which produces theatricals of all types, complete with a restaurant and bar for pre and après theatre dining and wining. Making his directorial debut is Neil Patrick Harris, a name and face well known in all facets of show biz.

The Broad Stage, at the Edye Second Space, 1310 11th Street, Santa Monica.
Wednesday - Sunday $35 - $60, General Seating. In repertory with Let Me Down Easy. Performance dates: Wednesday 7/20 and 27, 8/3 at 7 p.m.; Thursday 7/12, 28 and 8/4 at 7 p.m.; Friday 7/22. 29 and 8/5 at 7 p.m. also 7/22. 29 and 8/5 at 9 p.m., Saturday 7/23, 30 and 8/6 at 4 and 7 p.m.; Sunday 7/24, 31 and 8/7 at 4 and 7 p.m. (310) 434-3200 or www.thebroadstage.com Parking lot in front of the theatre. Ends 8/7

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Less than five minutes from the Broad Stage, is SANTA MONICA SEAFOOD COMPANY, the Tiffany of fresh fish and seafood. Displayed in glass cages like precious jewels, you can buy anything that swam, from here, there and everywhere around the globe, in rivers, lakes, streams and oceans. The jewelry comparison is fitting, one can spend as much as $34.95 per pound (for John Dory from the Down Under regions). Best of all, you can enjoy a dinner from the folks who deliver to the most exclusive and expensive restaurants in town, at a decent price. There are sandwiches from $10 to $14, soups and salads in two sizes from $4 to $10 and expertly prepared entrees. In the hallway, they display their Featured Chef Thomas Ryan's large photo, befitting the star that he is. Nothing is overcooked, their renowned cioppino, in a must spoon-up broth, floats mussels, clams, shrimp, calamari etc., each retaining it texture and individual flavor. The dish, which supposedly originated in Old San Francisco, its history perhaps apocryphal, has fishermen throw in some of their catch at the end of their daily run into a common pot to create what we now know as cioppino. This version does them proud, $17 and $22, crowned with a freshly toasted slice of garlic bread. Divine! The pan-seared whitefish, crisp skin on top, drizzled with lemon oil, is very fine and comes with barely cooked broccolini and red bell pepper strips. $19 and $24. A perfect example of the kitchen's capability is represented by the portabella mushroom, shrimp and scallop stuffed ravioli. Aligned in a circle, paper thin, strewn with extra shrimp, scallops and chopped crimini mushrooms and mingled with sautéed baby spinach. The creamy mushroom-flavored sauce is so generous and wonderful, I "borrowed" some for over my whitefish, $21. On the down side, they don't take reservations but at pre-curtain time you can usually score a table. Otherwise, sit at the Oyster Bar with pretty, little overhead lights and fresh flowers on the marble surface. Quality and menu prices are identical. The short but well selected wine list offers a glass from $7.

Santa Monica Seafood Company, 1000 Wilshire Boulevard corner of 10th Street, Santa Monica. Parking lot in rear.

TWIST - AN AMERICAN MUSICAL Book by Wiliam F.Brown and Tina Tippit, Music By Tena Clark and Gary Prim

This spectacular production is designed for devotees of Broadway musicals and should be headed that way. It's a twist on Oliver!, you might say, loosely based on Dickens' tale of an orphan boy who, after enduring countless hardships, finds love, at last. This version is set in New Orleans in the late Twenties during Prohibition, introduces assorted shady characters and some remarkable talent, especially the little, black, curly-haired Twist (Alaman Diadhiou), who will steal your heart. His voice rates a seven, his dancing an eight and his cute factor a ten plus, plus, plus. With his stage presence and good looks, his theatrical career should skyrocket.

The classic story is expanded, altered and stretched to its limits, incorporating the racial injustices of that era and taking us to numerous locations via a truly ingenious set, designed by Todd Rosenthal with atmospheric lighting by Howell Binkley. The music is tuneful and plentiful, the orchestra under the direction of Jim Vukovich. The voices are sometimes over-amplified, as in the tender ballads sung by Della, the leading lady with a past (Tamyra Grey of American Idol fame).

The salt and pepper cast is cherry picked for versatility. Watching them act, sing and dance, it's difficult to single out some favorites. There's Jared Grimes, a first rate hoofer, as Roosevelt King, Twist's dad. Matthew Johnson is terrific as Boston, the Fagan-like manipulator. Vocally impressive are Pat McRoberts as the wicked uncle Lucius and Cliff Bemis as the lawyer Prudhomme, who wants to adopt the little guy. Who wouldn't? Nimble-footed Pistol, Joshua Bolden) and his mischievous gang of boys are athletic and balletic wonders. Keep an eye out for the high kicking Vivian Nixon, who brings to life Josephine Baker in a coup de danse. Which brings us to the most outstanding part of this show, namely, the dancing. Director Debbie Allen's choreography is fresh and bouncy and never beyond the capabilities of these extraordinary principals and the large ensemble, as they gyrate, leap, spin, tap dance and dazzle us with their acrobatics. They always save the scene just as the plot threatens to overwhelm us with more dialogue. The gorgeous costumes are created by ESosa. A great treat for all ages. Note: The role of the titular boy is double cast and sometimes played by Coco Monroe.

Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Avenue, Pasadena. Tuesday - Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 4 & 8 p.m., Sunday 2 & 7 p.m. $39 - $100. (626) 356-7529 or www.pasadenaplayhouse.org ends 7/17

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: It's been years since my last pre-theatre visit to MAISON AKIRA, conveniently located just across the street from the Playhouse. Akira Hirose is a brilliant chef, classically trained in the Escoffier tradition, who specializes in what you might call Cuisine Japonaise - French with Asian sensibilities. Dining here has always been a "go for broke" (literally) experience. An elaborate meal, perfect for enjoying with friends, lingering over coffee and dessert, but a little too expensive for a pre-curtain time schedule. Wisely, Akira has introduced smaller portions in tapas form, so you can have lighter, less pricey versions, prepared with the same skill and presented in artistic fashion. He always sends out a complimentary amuse bouche, on this night, a refreshing ceviche. We picked an old French favorite, duck paté, with pitted Mediterranean olives, cubes of gelée and cornichons, $8. Wonderful sautéed Canadian scallops with Japanese eggplant caviar for $12 and two jumbo, white Mexican shrimp, a soft cooked egg and long stemmed shimeji mushrooms, same price. Plus a regular appetizer portion for $16, a seafood assortment of the best tuna tartare ever, sashimi and seared baby scallops, surrounding a small salad. Everything is garnished to rival a Japanese brush painting, a smear of red bell pepper coulis here, a fleck of roe, there. Just perfect as a shared repast for (2) theatre patrons. Maison Akira has that now rare, quietly elegant ambience, softly lit, luxuriously draped, soothing background melodies, attentive service. Lovely wines, starting at $9 for a glass of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

Maison Akira, 713 E. Green Street at El Molino, Pasadena. One hour free validated parking alongside. (626) 796-4538.

OLD LOVE by Norm Foster
Adding another star to their shining theatrical crown of crowd-pleasing productions, the enterprising Little Fish troupe brings us two hours of sheer delight, from the pen of Canadian playwright Norm Foster. He has a knack for creating characters in the image of ordinary folks whom we might encounter among our acquaintances. Not intensely neurotic, no pedophiles, killers, thieves or perverts. A little quirky, perhaps but that's what makes them interesting. We want to get to know them and like them and we do, in the case of Bud (Don Warburton) and Molly (Yvonne Robertson), who are the central personages of this beguiling story
.
Don is a traveling salesman when he first meets Molly at the company Christmas party. She's outspoken and disarmingly honest, with a wicked sense of humor and great legs. It's love at first sight for him but he's married to the shrewish Kitty and Molly happens to be the boss' wife, on whom he barely makes an impression. Being a man of high moral standards, he doesn't make his feelings known but carries the torch through a twenty-five year amorous obstacle course of sporadic encounters. Breaking the fourth wall, Bud and Molly tell the audience their life stories and bare their souls. These two fine actors portray multiple men and women, convincingly fleshed out, such as the gruff-voiced boss, Molly's spineless son and his insufferable wife, Bud's assorted dates and his ambitious, crafty spouse, which gives this two-header added dimension. The smart dialogue, peppered with funny lines worthy of the best Neil Simon quips will have you giggling throughout the show. When you leave, thoroughly enchanted, you realize once again, that it doesn't take high-tech scenery changes, big name stars or a lavish production to experience the pleasures of live theatre. Just a knowledgeable director like Kari Hayter, the simplest of sets (by Matt Scarpino) and a talented playwright whose words find their way into your heart, interpreted by first rate performers. You'll love Old Love!

Little Fish Theatre, 777 Centre Street at 8th, San Pedro.
Friday & Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 7/10 at 7 p.m. and Thursday 7/21 at 8 p.m.
$25, students and seniors $23. (310)512-6030 or www.littlefishtheatre.org
Entrance and parking lot in rear, via the alley. Ends 7/23

Pre-Theatre Dining Suggestion: Calling itself An Uncommon Restaurant, BEACH CITY GRILL is right on the mark. It definitely has that old Pedro spirit - eclectic, slightly funky, unique. Decorated with a beach bum's soul, there is tropical and beach-y art, hanging tchotchkes, Mardi Gras beads and a corner ficus with red chili pepper lights.
All the plants are real and thriving. The menu is a merry mix of Caribbean, Asian and Cajun cuisines, all very well prepared and fearlessly seasoned. Shrimp entrees include Indonesian, Cajun, Thai style etc., priced from $15.95 to $16.95, with the Jamaica McCajun Sampler Platter leading the way for $20.95. Pasta from $7.50 to $17.95. They have imaginative appetizer, burgers and sandwiches. You must also take a look at the white board of nightly specials, from which I recently had a Caribbean style tilapia $13.95 with two sides. These are always exciting, for example bacon-y spinach, "dirty " rice, veggie stick, garlic mushrooms and so on. For this reportage, we stuck to the regular menu, Merengue Cuban pork roast, very authentic, marinated in citrus juices which gives the tender meat the appealing tartness of fresh limes, served with coconut rice, fried plantains and (too sweet) Cuban black beans, $16.95. Less adventurous diners will love the chicken Dijon, thin, still moist slices which could easily pass for veal, in a mild creamy sauce, very light on mustard flavor, with rice pilaf, for $15.95. Home made desserts by master baker Larry Hodgson, are a must here, each and every one a gem, so don't miss out. They are Beach City's claim to fame, having garnered Hodgson a Pastry Chef of the Year Award from the Southern California Restaurant Writers Association. Another plus is that you can BYOB with no corkage charge. Service tends to be on the s-l-o-w side, so allow plenty of time to make your curtain. But it's only a five minute drive to the Little Fish and parking there is never a problem.

Beach City Grill, 376 W. 6th Street, San Pedro. Lunch Tuesday-Friday, dinner from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday. No reservations, so try to get there around 6:15 p.m.. BYOB No Corkage. Street parking. (310)833-6345

THE TRAVELING LADY by Horton Foote
The late Horton Foote paid heed to the old adage "write what you know", and many of his successful plays are about folks living in the type of small Texas town, where he was born. These heartfelt tales of human foibles and triumphs have won many awards, including a Pulitzer Prize as well as Oscars for his screenplays of To Kill a Mockingbird and Tender Mercies. His work lives on and audiences are still applauding his craftsmanship, including this sweet play

We're in Harrison, Texas in 1950, where Georgette (Tara Battani) and her little daughter Margaret Rose (Michaela Rose Haas) have come to look for husband Henry (J. Scott Shonka), who has been released from prison. He's a drunk and habitual no-goodnik, who knows how to charm the ladies ,including his current employer, the do-gooder Mrs. Tillman (Lori Berg). The entire action spans two days and takes place on the porch of Clara Breedlove's (Susan Carol Davis) house. She is a kind and hospitable woman, whose widowed brother Slim (David Atkinson) is immediately drawn to the lovely, gullible Georgette. Comis relief is provided by the neighbors, Sitter Mavis (Rebecca Hayes), constantly in search of her thoroughly addled, crotchety, old Mama (Brenda Ballard), who keeps wandering off, a victim of an illness as yet unnamed in that era.

The Traveling Lady, in its original version, was performed at this theatre in 1990 and revised to its present form by the author and Dr. Marion Castleberry, President of the Horton Foote Society. Linda Kerns sensitively directs a dream cast, each of whom, with an authentic Texas drawl, seems so natural, their parts could have been written with only them in mind, even Tim Farmer, briefly appearing as Judge Robedaux, fits right in. Ballard, as the memory-impaired Mama, clomping around the stage on her cane, is an absolute howl. Talented Tara Battani, the heartbroken wife, breaks ours. as well. I'm not usually partial to child actors but the nine year old Michaela is a wonderful, little actress, totally charmed the house and got the loudest applause. I can't wait to see her again. Talent scouts, are you listening? Set designer Mark Svastics, James Ledesma's sound, the costumes by Vicky Conrad and lighting by James L. Moody, all contribute to the success of this show. Note: Ninety minutes, no intermission).

Actor's Co-Op, Crossley Theatre, on the grounds of Hollywood Presbyterian Church, 1760 N. Gower Street, entrance on Carlos, Hollywood. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2:30 p.m.. $30, seniors $25, students $20. Free parking in lot on Carlos, opposite the Theatre, valet available. (323) 462-8460 ext. 300 or www.Actorscoop.org
Ends 6/12

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Until about three years ago, when it burned to the ground, OFF VINE was my favorite place to eat in Hollywood, before a performance. Its proprietors have generally been involved in the performing arts and one of the current owners happens to be opera singer Greg Fedderly,a name well known among Los Angeles Opera patrons. It has risen from the ashes and the classic look of a butter-yellow, Craftsman bungalow, lovingly restored. (See the picture on the back of your program). Here's the familiar front porch and charming interior, decorated like a home, with a fireplace, exuding hospitality. You'll feel as though you've been invited to dinner at a friend's house, except, of course, you do get a bill before saying good-bye. Service is outstanding and delicious bread and pesto are complimentary.

The menu is similar to the one I remember. Starters from $9 for tossed greens with roasted pecans and bleu cheese, same price for a big portion of spicy (not very), fried calamari with two dip sauces, to $14 for crab cakes. Entrees from $13 for penne pasta to $32 for a ten ounce filet mignon. Vegan dishes $18. The blackened, free-range turkey breast is as good as it always was, with homey mashers and crisp string beans, for $19. Ask for the cranberry relish on the side unless you like a sweet spread thereof, over the top. A new item, a pair of large, hollowed out baked tomatoes, stuffed with shrimp and cous cous, is wonderful. A large prawn decorates the top, daubed with mild chipotle mayo, amidst a salad of fresh baby greens intermingled with shrimp pieces and cous cous. Highly recommended, $21. Fine wines, starting at $8 for a generous glass of Mountain View Chardonnay. All I can say is, a hearty toast and welcome back, Off Vine!

Off Vine Restaurant, 6263 Leland Way, just east of Vine, one block south of Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood. Weekday lunch, dinner nightly, weekend brunch. Valet parking $7 ($5 in self park lot across the street). (323) 902-1900

THE MALCONTENT by John Marston
When the Antaeus troupe is on stage, one can be certain that the performances will be flawless. These actors are classically trained, their voices well modulated, none of the women emit high pitched or nasal sounds and nobody mumbles. A blessing! The Malcontent is a rarely performed work. It's a Jacobean tragicomedy, with the accent on the latter. The language is just short of Shakespearean but much easier to g rasp. (See your program for a glossary of some unfamiliar terms).

The play requires particular skill from the lead, the usurped Duke of Altofont (JD Cullum) because the actor has to switch from the disguise of the shabby, stringy-haired Malevole to the dulcet tones of an aristocrat, which he actually is, at the drop of a hat (and wig). Cullum delivers, brilliantly. Note: The play is double cast but I'm willing to vouch for all of them. The set by Tom Buderwitz, is reminiscent of a Seventeenth Century theatre, with sideline stage seating. There's an occasional, amusing interplay with the audience. Malevole, the titular Malcontent, is something of a court jester; he hurls insults at one and all but the venom is blunted by his wit and even the false Duke Pietro (Mark Doerr) finds him entertaining. Altofront resorts to intrigue, deception and trickery to regain his rightful Dukedom and rescue his imprisoned wife, Maria (Devon Sorvari). He manages to expose he corrupt courtiers with only one ally, his friend Celso (Christopher Guilmet). Among his enemies, the most noteworthy is the malevolent Mendosa (Ramon De Ocampo). This actor is in full command of the stage at all times. You dare not miss a roll of his eyes, an arched eyebrow, a sadistic smile nor the poisonous thoughts that roll of his tongue. Lynn Milgrim is in her element as the pandering Maquerelle, a retired courtesan, cleverly enriching herself by supplying nubile talent to the horny hordes. Alex Knox is Ferneze, a young courtier and brief bed partner of Aurelia (Laure Wernette), Pietro's wife. John Achorn plays Belioso, an old Marshall who doesn't seem to mind that his trophy wife Bianca (Marisol Ramirez), makes a cuckold out of him at every opportunity. The sumptuous period costumes are designed by A. Jeffrey Schoenberg. The lovely, Renaissance era background music is credited to sound designer Peter Bayne. However, the largest bouquet must go to Elizabeth Swain who adapted and directs this masterpiece, brings out the ultimate ability in every cast member and stages it so delightfully, this raunchy romp is a joy to behold.

The Antaeus Company at Deaf West Theatre, 5112 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood. Thursday -Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2:30 p.m. $30 - $34. (818)506-1983 or www.Antaeus.org. Free parking in the uncovered Citibank lot on the opposite side of the street. Ends 6/19

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Less than a ten minute drive from the Deaf West Theatre, and many other NoHo theatres, is RAIN FOREST CAFÉ a lived-in looking garden with waterfalls and ponds, in an al fresco setting perfect for the coming summer weather. Tall trees shade the entire patio with some covered areas, a hookah pipe section and an elevated, secluded "cave". Sounds romantic but seats nine.

The serve Brazilian-style barbecue, have an Armenian cook and offer a Middle Eastern buffet with international flavors. And you better be hungry! There's an array of salads, fabulous Russian eggplant caviar, red slaw, Greek salad, pasta salad, a so-so Iranian salade Olivier (potatoes, peas and chicken), crab salad, kidney beans and potatoes, mixed greens and more. On the daily changing hot table are two home made soups ,mixed, fried vegetables, creamed macaroni, ground beef with string beans, rice and potatoes. Everything was so tasty, we went for seconds, hot and cold. Then the waiter arrived with a giant sword, skewered with chunks of chicken, succulent pork and butter-tender filet mignon. No room for another bite, so they kindly offered to wrap it up for us - a first. Would never happen in a regular Brazilian churrascaria. The tab for this feast is $22.95, plus tax and a 16% service charge. Be aware of that. If you want to go an even more economical route, there's the regular a la carte menu, $8.95 for chicken stir-fry, $9.95 for chicken kebab, none higher than $12 for beef kebab. This includes salad, hummus, rice and hot pita bread. And, you can bring your own wine at no extra charge. A find!

Rain Forest Café, 11026 Magnolia Blvd. North Hollywood.
Lunch and dinner. No alcohol. BYOB. (818)761-4040.

RETURN FROM THE ASHES by Brad Geagley
This mystery-romance's plot keeps unfolding like leaves off a cabbage head. You may be confounded but you won't be bored. Elizabeth Wolf (Gillian Doyle), a Holocaust survivor, who reads us her diary entries throughout the play, has "returned from the ashes". She decides to change her appearance via some plastic surgery and a new hairdo. Furthermore, she has inherited a considerable sum from deceased relatives, all killed by the Nazis. The has a love-child , the twenty-something Fabienne (Kellie Matteson) and left behind a new, younger husband, Stanislaus Pilgrim (Jon Woodward Kirby), with whom she is still madly enamored but who now is hot and heavy with her estranged daughter. Believing she died in concentration camp, both plot to get their hands on Elizabeth's fortune. Are you following all this? Wait - there's more. They involve her in an outrageous scheme designed to benefit everyone financially.

The story is told in flashbacks and takes place in Paris in the Forties. We see how Elizabeth first meets the handsome émigré, Stan whose "profession" consists of playing chess for money. Kirby has plenty of charm to spread around - and he does. Theatre 40's own Artistic Director Hunt Stafford is the sympathetic doctor and father of the spoiled Fabie, a petulant gold digger with a permanent pout. Matteson portrays her so convincingly, you detest her more each time she struts on stage. Doyle does some heavy theatrical lifting in her demanding role of a woman deeply scarred by her wartime experiences but energized by her determination to outsmart the conspirators by impersonating a former actress playing yet another part. She switches personalities primarily by vocal inflection, so you better pay attention.

Don Moss opens the play as Magistrate Delsace, investigating the recent goings on and later has a story to tell as former Police Captain Simiane during the German occupation. Also doing double duty is Perry Hart, effective as a solicitous waiter and again as a sinister Nazi. This is a very long but full of surprises, world premiere, directed by the versatile Stuart Howard, based on a novel by Hubert Monteilhet. Due to the genius of Jeff G. Rack, designer of the multi-sectioned set, scenes shift seamlessly, aided in no small measure by the expert lighting and sound by Dan Reed and Bill Froggatt, respectively.

Theatre 40 at the Reuben Cordova Theatre, 241 Moreno Drive, on the campus of Bevery Hills High School. Wednesday -Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $$23 - $25. Free indoor garage parking in the same building. (310)364-0535 ends 4/24

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion:
Approximately ten minutes from Theatre 40, is the latest from the Drago Clan, the red hot PICCOLO PARADISO. It attracts an affluent Beverly Hills crowd, since this "little paradise" doesn't come cheap. But let me quickly add, quality and service are commensurate. Appetizers go from $12.95 for tortellini; salads from $11.95; pasta from $14.95. They charge $17.95 for tuna tartare to start but the topping of a delightful springtime salad made it worth it. Snippets of frisee, now at the height of its season, intermingled with tiny tomato dice, red onions and sprightly caperberries, a portion to share.

The least expensive entrée is chicken piccata, something of a misnomer. No lemon-caper sauce, the naked breast so skinny, it could wear only a training bra. Tasty accompaniments are spinach, broccoli, asparagus spears, a young carrot and mashed potatoes, $19.95. They have a number of veal preparations, including saltimbocca, that's always nice to find on the menu. It means "jump in the mouth", has a sage scented sauce and is a triple treat of flavors and textures: tender veal, prosciutto and just a daub of melted Bel Paese cheese, $27.95. Very, very good, with the same garniture mentioned previously. Fine wines, starting at $9 per glass for a perfect Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma. The atmosphere is romantic, the free form room of about twenty tables quite charming, with slatted, wood walls and rust red accents all around and behind the miniature bar. You'll no doubt, be pleased and may even bump into some of your foodie friends.

Piccolo Paradiso Ristorante, 150 S. Beverly Boulevard, between Wilshire and Charleyville, Beverly Hills. Full bar. {If you've given up looking for a meter, you can valet park for $7. But, if you come just before 6 p.m., you get two hours free parking in the garage one block south at 216 S. Beverly Drive). (310) 271-0030.

THE ESCORT by Jane Anderson
Here's a play for a sophisticated audience, curious to take a peek into the world of high priced call girls. If that includes you, be prepared to be thoroughly entertained Nudity is not a factor, flesh colored body stockings are worn, as amusingly demonstrated right at the beginning. It opens as a New York gynecologist, Rhona Bloom (Polly Draper) examines a sex worker, Charlotte (Maggie Siff). The two women form an immediate bond and the question is, can these two, from entirely different worlds, become BBFs? Well, we shall see…

Rhona is a very attractive, fortyish divorcee, long parted from her philandering husband, a balding urologist named Howard (James Eckhouse), with a thirteen year old son, Lewis (GabrielSunday0, who's into Internet porn, much to the consternation of both parents. The most fascinating character is Charlotte, the proverbial whore with not only a heart of gold but a good head on her shoulders, as well. She's rather plain looking, her make-up understated, her Barbie doll figure (surgically enhanced, of course ), flatteringly attired in Diane von Fuerstenberg-style wrap dresses and shod in expensive stilettos. Is there a woman, knee-deep in diapers, facing baskets of dirty laundry, trying to prepare meals and, perhaps, even holding down a day job, who hasn't wondered if life wouldn't be easier and more fun, earning money on her back? This one is so self-satisfied, floats in high class circles and has more cash than she knows what to do with - the world's oldest profession starts to look pretty cool. That is, until we learn via her Website, the services she is prepared to offer. Yeccch!

Playwright Jane Anderson, whose fabulous, award winning "The Quality of Life", was seen at the Geffen in 2008, has a gift for stimulating dialogue in provocative situations Her characters are multi-dimensional and articulate, resulting in first class performances from the entire cast. Siff, as she narrates her feelings to the audience in very intimate terms, is not your imagined, lowly street hooker but a young woman who has the illusion and yes, the conviction, of performing humanitarian work for all those needy men out there. And she's not gong to rely on her Social Security checks. Draper's doctor is a caring professional, a worried, single mom but also a lonely, affection starved woman. In a role reversal, the hooker "prescribes" she avail herself of stud service provided by the ubër-obliging Matthew (Sunday again, equally convincing in this part). Eckhouse, in addition to cameos as an unsavory John and an effete waiter, is terrific as the short-tempered, errant ex-husband. The conclusion of the story doesn't quite reach the hoped for climax, to use the vernacular but the show is fun to see - an advanced sex education course for adults, with a good sense of humor. The clever set is designed by Richard Hoover, costumes by Laura Bauer and the impeccable direction by Lisa Peterson.

Geffen Playhouse, Gil Cates Theatre, 10886 Le Conte Avenue, Westwood. Tuesday - Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 3 & 8 p.m. Sunday 2 & 7 p.m. $47 - $77. Parking in adjoining underground garage,$7. (310)208-5454'

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: The best things about JERRY'S DELI, has always been that it's walking close, virtually around the corner from the Geffen and you never have to wait for a table. The size of a barn with up and downstairs seating makes it a one time parking destination. The typical deli menu is fairly reasonable and portions are generous. There are sandwiches, salads, cold plates for warm weather, including a Mediterranean platter with hummus etc., for $16. Most entrees run between $17 for blackened chicken breast to $24 for chicken, in a presumably huge pot with matzo balls kreplach and more. For $18.95 there's corned beef, beef Stroganoff and a crisply breaded chicken schnitzel, almost as good as the famous Wiener schnitzel made with veal, and you get two sides. They're flexible in that department and will substitute French fries for mashers and so on. Vegetables are fresh, firm carrot slices mixed with
broccoli, zucchini, summer squash and onions. Same price for brisket au jus, a big stack of sliced, lean beef and, unless you're a professional ball player or an insatiable teenager, there'll be, there'll be enough left over for a sandwich the next day, if you care to doggie bag. Also includes two sides. I asked for garlic spinach (delicious!) and they smilingly obliged. $6 for a Lindemann Chardonnay from Down Under. Service on our night was extra friendly and the food a lot better than I remember from a previous visit, about a year ago. They've been in this Westwood location since 1978 and, I think, they're finally getting it right.

Jerry's Deli, 10925 Weybourne Avenue, Westwood. Full bar. (310)108-3354

RETURN FROM THE ASHES by Brad Geagley
This mystery-romance's plot keeps unfolding like leaves off a cabbage head. You may be confounded but you won't be bored. Elizabeth Wolf (Gillian Doyle), a Holocaust survivor, who reads us her diary entries throughout the play, has "returned from the ashes". She decides to change her appearance via some plastic surgery and a new hairdo. Furthermore, she has inherited a considerable sum from deceased relatives, all killed by the Nazis. The has a love-child , the twenty-something Fabienne (Kellie Matteson) and left behind a new, younger husband, Stanislaus Pilgrim (Jon Woodward Kirby), with whom she is still madly enamored but who now is hot and heavy with her estranged daughter. Believing she died in concentration camp, both plot to get their hands on Elizabeth's fortune. Are you following all this? Wait - there's more. They involve her in an outrageous scheme designed to benefit everyone financially.

The story is told in flashbacks and takes place in Paris in the Forties. We see how Elizabeth first meets the handsome émigré, Stan whose "profession" consists of playing chess for money. Kirby has plenty of charm to spread around - and he does. Theatre 40's own Artistic Director Hunt Stafford is the sympathetic doctor and father of the spoiled Fabie, a petulant gold digger with a permanent pout. Matteson portrays her so convincingly, you detest her more each time she struts on stage. Doyle does some heavy theatrical lifting in her demanding role of a woman deeply scarred by her wartime experiences but energized by her determination to outsmart the conspirators by impersonating a former actress playing yet another part. She switches personalities primarily by vocal inflection, so you better pay attention.

Don Moss opens the play as Magistrate Delsace, investigating the recent goings on and later has a story to tell as former Police Captain Simiane during the German occupation. Also doing double duty is Perry Hart, effective as a solicitous waiter and again as a sinister Nazi. This is a very long but full of surprises, world premiere, directed by the versatile Stuart Howard, based on a novel by Hubert Monteilhet. Due to the genius of Jeff G. Rack, designer of the multi-sectioned set, scenes shift seamlessly, aided in no small measure by the expert lighting and sound by Dan Reed and Bill Froggatt, respectively.

Theatre 40 at the Reuben Cordova Theatre, 241 Moreno Drive, on the campus of Bevery Hills High School. Wednesday -Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $$23 - $25. Free indoor garage parking in the same building. (310)364-0535 ends 4/24

Pre-Performance DiningSuggestion:
Approximately ten minutes fromTheatre 40, is the latest from theDrago Clan, the red hot PICCOLO PARADISO. It attracts an affluent Beverly Hills crowd, since this "little paradise" doesn't come cheap. But let me quickly add, quality and service are commensurate. Appetizers go from $12.95 for tortellini; salads from $11.95; pasta from $14.95. They charge $17.95 for tuna tartare to start but the topping of a delightful springtime salad made it worth it. Snippets of frisee, now at the height of its season, intermingled with tiny tomato dice, red onions and sprightly caperberries, a portion to share.

The least expensive entrée is chicken piccata, something of a misnomer. No lemon-caper sauce, the naked breast so skinny, it could wear only a training bra. Tasty accompaniments are spinach, broccoli, asparagus spears, a young carrot and mashed potatoes, $19.95. They have a number of veal preparations, including saltimbocca, that's always nice to find on the menu. It means "jump in the mouth", has a sage scented sauce and is a triple treat of flavors and textures: tender veal, prosciutto and just a daub of melted Bel Paese cheese, $27.95. Very, very good, with the same garniture mentioned previously. Fine wines, starting at $9 per glass for a perfect Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma. The atmosphere is romantic, the free form room of about twenty tables quite charming, with slatted, wood walls and rust red accents all around and behind the miniature bar. You'll no doubt, be pleased and may even bump into some of your foodie friends.

Piccolo Paradiso Ristorante, 150 S. Beverly Boulevard, between Wilshire and Charleyville, Beverly Hills. Full bar. {If you've given up looking for a meter, you can valet park for $7. But, if you come just before 6 p.m., you get two hours free parking in the garage one block south at 216 S. Beverly Drive). (310) 271-0030.

LOCKED AND LOADED by Todd Susman
Two middle-aged men, Irwin Schimmel (Paul Linke) and Dickie Rice (Andrew Parks), in evening attire, check into the Presidential Suite of a luxury hotel. And what festive occasion might this be? Before long, it turns out they are both terminally ill and are planning to spend their last night in high style. Well supplied with liquid refreshments, next on the agenda is to order up a couple of hookers. First to arrive is Catorce (Terasa Sciortino), a genuflecting but gung ho Senorita, whose authentic "Spanglish" is the source of a million laughs. Next, bursting on the scene like a bulldozer comes flirty Princess Lay-Ya (Torina Pouncy, double cast with Sandra Thigpen), a spunky, foul-mouthed Black gal who immediately takes charge, much to the amazement of these Johns. The play takes an unexpected turn, developing into a mock trial, causing each of the men to delve into their consciences, revealing sins of the past and confronting childhood traumas. Things do get a little crazy but it's never dull on this stage.

The brilliant Paul Linke as a Jewish sit-com writer, tosses about amusing Yiddishisms but we can feel his pain behind every quip. The handsome Parks is the consummate wealthy family scion with a "better than thou" attitude. A snobbish Yalie, he haughtily disses the trash-talking Lay-Ya's Aunt Jemima lingo, as he calls it but the winner of their verbal sparring match is pre-ordained. Veteran actor and playwright Susman's multi-layered, outrageous plot is lightened by clever repartee, expertly directed by Santa Monica Playhouse's own Chris DeCarlo and perfectly rendered by the game, inimitable cast. Set and lighting design is by James Cooper. A West Coast premiere.

Santa Monica Playhouse, The Other Space, 1211 - 4th Street near Wilshire, Santa Monica. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m. Sunday 3 p.m. $21 - $26, Student, senior, teacher, military and group discounts available. (310)394-9779 ext. 1. Park in Public Garage #1, across the street. First two hours free. Since the play lasts 85 minutes without an intermission, you'll end up paying only $4, including time for dinner. Ends 4/16

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Business is booming at HILLSTONE, so do not arrive without a reservation, especially when curtain time is a consideration. It's just a two block stroll down Wilshire, toward the beach. The layout of the restaurant resembles a large coffee shop with its divided booths in a big, square space but it's handsomely done with dark wood in abundance and very tasteful light fixtures. There's a busy, busy bar, generally over-crowded with waiting customers. Upstairs are eight tables and a sushi bar plus a lot of vacant space into which they could easily add more seating.

The menu lists salads, burgers, sushi items and entrees, priced to keepout the riff raff. However, the food is really good and you'll be served by the most accommodating, pleasant crew of young ladies you could possibly imagine. The home made shoestring potatoes are a bit hit and you can share an order for $5 while your dinner is being prepared. I did not see a single slice of bread and butter anywhere. We paid $28 for a slab of pork ribs, albeit a generous portion, meaty and finger lickin' good. Hot towels follow. Included are those famous fries and a creamy slaw of green cabbage with lots of parsley. Yummy! Their seared ahi is of sashimi quality, sliced and prettily presented, draped with roasted shiitake mushroom and enhanced with miso. Comes with that delicious slaw for $26, not too bad for value received. The wine list is steep, short but interesting, with glasses from $9. Now, don't forget to make reservations.

Hillstone, 202 Wilshire Blvd., corner of 2nd Street, Santa Monica. Full bar. Valet parking $7 (310) 576-7558

DANGEROUS BEAUTY, based on a book by Margaret F. Rosenthal, lyrics by Amanda McBroon, music by Michele Brourman

Lavish is the word that best describes the current production as the Playhouse. An effective set of Old Venice, designed by Tom Buderwitz, marvelous costumes by Soyon An and a terrific performance by Jenny Powers, are the high points. Powers is a major multi-talent, she sings, dances, acts and even fences. She plays Veronica Franco, a Venetian courtesan, published poet and singer who actually lived in the Fifteenth Century and championed the cause of women, earning the respect of her contemporaries of all ranks. Courtesans, to put it politely, are beautiful women who, realizing that they are sitting on a fortune, sell their favors to the highest bidder. They also seem to lead lives that are a lot more fun than the respectable, repressed wives of that period.

Veronica is first seen as a starry-eyed, innocent, young girl who falls in love with handsome Marco (James Snyder), only to be dumped for an arranged marriage with wealthy, aristocratic Giulia (Morgan Weed), a misstep Marco regrets for the rest of his life. Vocally all the leads are in fine fettle. But when the women, cleverly doubling as sinners and saints, belt out the ensemble numbers, they sound shrill and over-miked. Brourman's music is, for the most part, your usual pop stuff. That is, except in a rousing march sung by the men going off to seafaring war and a truly exquisite prayer scene, performed as a trio by Powers, Weed and Megan McGinnis, Marco's unhappy sister, Beatrice. Definitely two of the best melodic moments in the show, for me. Punk-y Bryce Ryness has a juicy part as the sinister, sarcastic poet Maffio. Notable performances are also rendered by the two fathers, Veronica's Domenico (Michael Rupert) and Marco's Pietro, a Senator (John Anthony). Leila Robins, Veronica's scheming mother, herself a retired courtesan now reduced to acting as a pimp, emerges as a tragic figure in spite of her unsympathetic role and has a splendid voice.

The story is almost operatic in scope and one wishes that composers like Donizetti or Bellini would have used it as a libretto and turned it into en enduring masterpiece. I mean, we have ill-fated love, war, pestilence, religious inquisition and political intrigue, all crammed into the overwrought plot until it almost bursts at the seams. The choreography by Benoit-Swanpouffer consists of courtly dances spiced up with erotica, as are McBroom's occasionally raunchy lyrics. Book and verse are credited to Jeannine Dominy, direction is by Sheryl Kaller. The orchestra is conducted by Fred Lassen.

Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molno Avenue, Pasadena. Tuesday through Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 2 and 8 p.m., Sunday 2 and 7 p.m. $49 - $69. Rush tickets one hour prior to show time $15 at the Box Office. (626)921-1161 or www.PasadenaPlayhouse.com ends 3/13

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Tucked int The Arcade across from the theatre, is a tiny restaurant called BUA NO (Lotus Flower in Thai), not much bigger than your hall closet but charming. It's prettily decorated in warm colors, featuring what they call country style cooking using old family recipes. Those of us who are into Thai food probably won't notice anything very different. Dishes are really colorful, tasty and inexpensive which is all the criteria we need, agreed? All your favorites are on the menu: appetizers from $4.95, soups and salads from$5.95, curries from $6.95, mains from $7.95. Gulf of Siam, #43, the star among the seafood entrees, is an outstanding preparation of shrimp, scallops, mussels, fish and calamari, studded with carrot wheels, bell peppers and other veggie in a heavenly sauce and topped with fresh basil, for $13.95, which includes a bowl of brown or jasmine rice. Prik King #58, the famous Thai specialty which, according to my late colleague, writer, actor and director, Stanley Ralph Ross, must have been named for his agent, gives you the choice of chicken, beef, tofu or pork (we picked the latter), thin, tender slices and bright green long beans in a tongue searing sauce made with red chili paste. Of course, the spice quotient can always be tailored to your particular palate. But to put out the fire, nothing is finer that Pad Woon Sen #40, a mild stir-fry of glass noodles with chicken, shrimp, celery and fresh tomato wedges, $7.95 each. Bua Na is so small, the waitress keeps disappearing into what one assumes is the kitchen next door but she is very obliging and you won't feel abandoned for long. Further bonuses are the BYOB policy and the parking (see below).
Bua Na Thai Cuisine, 696 E. Colorado Blvd., in the Arcade. No alcohol. BYOB no corkage. Validated parking in the Arcade Lane lot opposite the theatre (enter on Green Street). Open Monday - Friday 11 a.m. tp10p.m., Saturday noon to 10 p.m. Closed Sunday. (626)795-3793.

TUCUMCARI By Riley Steiner
This sweet little story is set against a South Western background in a New Mexico town, called Tucumcari, along Route 66, before it became legendary. It begins in 1926, when a just married couple find themselves the owners of a seedy roadside motel. The husband, Lyle (Logan Fahey), is a hard-working, down to earth fellow. His bride, Lillian (Ciara Parrack), a rancher’s daughter loves the land but is a bit of a dreamer, anxious to escape small town life. When a handsome drifter, Cade (Robert W. Evans) wanders in, a man who’s been around, picking up odd jobs all over the country, the audience can almost feel the chemistry between him and the pretty, young wife. He decides to stay on to help Lyle build the beautiful porch Lillian wants more than anything, at the moment.

The attractive cast is more than up to the task at hand and the set by the talented Jeff G. Rack, as well as the sound effects by Bill Froggart, are quite remarkable. But the most enjoyable addition to the staging is a trio of musicians who play and sing Western and American root songs in such perfect harmony, you’ll feel tempted to hum right along.

Theatre 40, the Reuben Cordova Theatre, 241 Moreno Drive Beverly Hills, on the campus of Beverly Hills High School, off Little Santa Monica, adjacent to Century City. Wednesday – Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m.$23-$25. Free parking in building garage. (310) 364-0535 or www.Theatre40.org ends 2/27

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: If you’re looking for a real recession buster in the dining division, try SORABOL, in the Westfield Century City food court. We were actually headed for Lawry’s Carvery, only to find out that it is now closed. However, this Korean spot has very tasty food and what really cheered us up, was that dinner for two came to $20.08. Most of the entrees are $9.15, the popular bul kogi (thinly sliced, marinated beef), bul kalbi (short ribs), spicy chicken or pork in red chili pepper sauce, tofu for vegetarians sweet-sour lemon chicken and salmon for the timid. Two sides are included. I suggest chap chae for sure, which are glass noodles, usually mixed with beef, mushrooms, scallions etc., here quite plain but still very good. You can get the very healthy and usually very expensive, seaweed salad, broccoli, cabbage slaw, kim chi, (spicy, pickled nappa cabbage). In this Korean national dish, like in all the others, the heat is toned down a little, for local tolerance. All these and more are on display at the counter. This, of course, is not the grand dining experience you may have had in mind, since you’re sitting in a huge hall with few amenities. But the crowd looks respectable and the place is sparkling clean. My only real criticism is that the food was only lukewarm. If you’re choosing salad as a side, ask them to put it on a separate plate or your entrée will really be cold.

Sorabol, Westfield Century City Food Court (next to the AMC Movie Complex) 1025 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles. Three hours free parking in mall garage. Hint:Allow at least ten minutes to find a spot on weekends. No alcohol. (310)277-3772

FIVE UNEASY PIECES, written and performed by Todd Waring
What we have here is a showcase for writer/actor Todd Waring. Performed almost like an audition, to demonstrate his command of impersonating an assortment of characters, he displays an adroit talent for different accents and voices. Leave the kids at home for this one and don't even think about bringing your Aunt Clara, whose delicate ears may burn and drop off.

AUNT RUTH. Waring hobbles on as an elderly Black woman from the deep South. Dispensing facts-of-life advice to her great-grand daughter. He has the stance, mannerisms, inflections and drawl down to perfection, along with the toothless mouthings associated with extreme old age.

MY MATE ROGER. Here he affects a heavy Aussie accent, so authentic, it's not always understandable, as an art teacher of dubious character.

CYRIL. A veddy British gent, his only props a cocktail shaker and Martini glass, he has the unenviable task of entertaining a small child, whose parents apparently, have not been forewarned.

BONEY. Impersonating a young, Black thug spouting vulgarities in ghetto jargon, this piece succeeds in shock value, if that is the intention, but fails to entertain.

START PRAYIN'. A realistic portrayal of soldiers in combat, has Waring as a tough, mean sergeant trying to fire up the troops before battle.

Bonus: MR. FRENCH. As an ersatz Jaques Brel, singing in faux French, our star shows off his guitar strumming and vocal prowess in typical narcissistic fashion and finally walks off, besotted by applause (sound and lighting by Lucinda KWH Jahn).

A fine bass player, Lyman Medeiros (alternating with Steve Pandis), adds some dimension to this solo show, directed by Don McManus. Five Uneasy Pieces is a world premiere whose material is not quite in league with the skill of the performer. If that sounds like a left-handed compliment, so be it.

Santa Monica Playhouse, Main Stage. 1211 4th Street near Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 7:30 p.m., $20, seniors and students $15 (use promo code 007) Two hours free parking in municipal structure across the street. (323)960-5521 or www.Plays411.com/five. Ends 2/27

PRE-PERFORMANCE DINING SUGGESTION; The red hot FRAICHE restaurant is just around the corner. Turn west on Wilshire, a two minute walk. Jason Travi, who made his mark in Culver City with a restaurant of the same name, no longer owns this one but Chef Sal Gomez now proudly wears the toque and stirs with a magic ladle. Elegantly designed in a burnt orange and ivory color scheme, high ceilinged, illuminated by flickering candles on wall sconces and on polished wood tables, with very comfortable leather banquettes, the feeling is one of warmth and luxury. Your best bet, for pre-theatre nourishment, is to share some appetizers and, perhaps, a soup. On my night, an excellent celery root soup with croutons, $10 but large enough to ask for two spoons. If you're not already a beet lover, wait until you taste their roasted baby beet salad, with toasted hazelnuts, creme fraiche, on a plate strewn with not baby, but infant size mache leaves, $13. Beef tartare here is coarsely chopped to order, served on a pretty, square plate with toat slices, baby greens salad and topped with a pheaant egg yolk, lovely, $16. Same price for the tuna tartare, exquisitely creamy and mild tasting, similar presentation and garnish that also includes an arugula salad. The above four are ample for two, plus there's a complimentary olive tapenade and fresh rolls. Service by our French waiter was perfection all around and made for a delightful prelude to the evening. From the pricey wine list, you can order a glass of white Italian wine from the well respected Mastroberardino Vineyards for $8.

Fraiche, 312 Wilshire Bolevard, near 4th Street, Santa Monica. Full bar. Valet $7. (Note: You may valet park your car here, dine and pick it up après-theatre, if you wish. (310) 451-7482

99 IMPOSSIBLE THINGS by Chelsea Sutton
This play's structure strikes a familiar note for theatre buffs. The setting is a gathering spot, often a venerable bar, where a group of characters meet to exchange amusing, often revelatory tales about their past lives. But that's where the resemblance ends. In this case, we are in the Magic Bean Coffee Shop, owned by blonde Ellen (Tiffany Cole) who, with her sister Lydia (Ashley Bloiros), runs the cozy establishment (set design by Bryan Forrest). A delusional, homeless woman, Alice (Barbara Scolaro), a pathetic creature who fancies herself a magician, practices her card tricks. A wannabe inventor, Harold (Jason Britt),is always in the throes of creating one of his ninety-nine inventions and is enamored of the sickly Ellen. He's stalked by a sea monkey (Lillian Easton) or so he thinks, while Ellen is guarded by a sassy angel (R,J. Farrington) whom only she can see, as well. Further, we have Ellen's brother Casey (Mason Hallberg), who has an imaginary friend, Paul (Geoff James). Honest to God, this sounds like a Wagnerian libretto! Most of these people appear slightly goofy and rather than interact with one another, are given to monologues, mostly talking to themselves. An enigmatic young woman named Jaye (Jessica Lightfoot), comes on the scene and stirs things up a bit but she, too, is an oddball. (Obviously not a regular smoker, she is force by the script, to pollute the intimate space with stinky herbal cigarette smoke).

The cast, in varying degrees of competency, tries hard. Britt is interesting to watch with his spastic, nutty professor attitude. Scolaro gives a creditable portrayal of the tiresome hag. Boiros, a willowy, young woman with great hair, has an irritating, nasal little voice, James has excellent diction and knows how to play a loser. Farrington, as the angel, is mostly mute but is arresting when she does have something to say. All poor Easton as the sea monkey (whatever that is), has to do, is look graceful and she does. Hallberg would be better served by a more sympathetic costume designer (Virginia VanDenberg). At least, lose that hat! Lightfoot gives us a spirited interpretation of a woman who is presumed to be a psychiatrist but could probably use a few sessions on the couch, herself.
It's difficult to empathize with these loonies, in a setting ripe for humor but devoid of same. If the playwright/director's intention was to offer a whimsical story of human frailties, she didn't quite succeed. On the plus side, a percentage of the ticket proceeds are donated to City of Hope for research purposes.

The Eclectic Company Theatre, 5312 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, between Chandler and Magnolia, Valley Village. Friday & Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 7 p.m. $18, street parking. (818) 508-3003 or www.EcelcticCompanyTheatre.com ends 2/13

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Last summer, the discovery of DACHA (pron. Datsha), just a few steps north of the theatre, proved so serependitious, we decided to give it another shot and explore the multi-page Russian-Ukrainian menu further. Besides, the one stop parking convenience is always so relaxing and prices are right. This is, basically, a covered patio with tables nicely set with cloth napery, a tiled wall with three flatscreens showing Russian T.V. and a small lounge area with cushy seating and a fireplace in the front.

You can trust the Russians when it comes to ballet and borscht and their authentic Ukrainian beef-beet-cabbage soup will warm your innards and your heart, $5.50. They'll bring you two spoons, if you like. I also recommend the eggplant caviar appetizer. It's not on the menu but a famous Russian specialty. Just ask for pucklajanah (my phonetic spelling) but they'll know and bring on a huge portion of chopped, smokey eggplant, fresh onions and tomatoes, generous enough to share, for $6.50. If you're a doggie bagger, it tastes just as good the following day as a spread or heated, as a vegetable. You'll love it, guaranteed. They excel in all the Russian standards like Stroganoff and chicken Kiev, as well as rarer delicacies such as rabbit in a divine sour cream sauce, $16.99. The mixed kebab plate is fabulous, expertly grilled and seasoned for $14.99. Comes with a garnish of sauerkraut and choice of mashed, french fried or baked potato or kasha (buckwheat grain), take the latter. Pork stew with prunes is tasty but on the sweetish side, $11.99. Stuffed cabbage here is not the usual tomato flavored version but prepared in a delicate broth, fragrant with fresh dill and simply superb, $10.99, with a cup of sour cream. Weekends are popular for banquets so make your pre-performance reservation early. An extra bonus: you can bring your own bottle, no corkage.

Dacha, 5338 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, Valley Village, lunch and dinner, weekend brunch. No alcohol, BYOB No corkage charge. Parking in rear. (818) 509-5828.

PICK OF THE VINE, Season 9
Each year, Little Fish Theatre brings its acclaimed Pick of the Vine, an Evening of Short Plays, to eagerly awaiting audiences. Culled from hundreds of submissions by playwrights all over the country, only the best are chosen and performed. This year's crop is, once again, of superior vintage, the varietals include a healthy spritz of comedy, traces of tragedy and are in insightful exploration of human relationships. Here is a brief summary of what you can expect:

STICK by Christopher Lockheardt, directed by Gina Stickley with Rachel Levy and Bill Wolski. Getting stuck in a revolving door, two strangers "meet cute" and make the most of a tight situation.

REST ASSURED by George M. Johnson, directed by Bill Wolski with Mary-Margaret Lewis, Joe Lupo and Scot Renfro. A good reason to affix a sign to your front door, that reads : "No Solicitors".

THE TRUE STORY OF HOW WE MET by Daniel Heath, directed byJim Rice with Holly Baker-Kreiswirth and Bill Wolski. A chatty Bay Area girl with a vivid imagination, who also happens to be a habitual liar, confounds her boyfriend in one social situation after another.

SLIPPING INTO ANARCHY by Jeffrey Wolf, directed by Jim Rice with Daryl Hogue France and Scot Renfro. The murderous verbal excnange between an older married couple is not what it seems.

VERONICA'S TEST OF WORTHINESS by Eddie Zipperer, directed by Margaret Schugt with Olev Aleksander, Scott G. Hartman, Rachel Levy, Scot Renfro and Bill Wolski. Talk about meeting the Fockers! Here's what a man is forced to invent, just trying to get rid of his tick of a girlfriend.

TRACE EVIDENCE by Jeff Stewart, directed by Don Schlossman with Olev Aleksander, Holly Baker-Kreiswirth, Joe Lupo and Bill Wolski, A murder suspect is interrogated by a probing detective, in this story with a sci-fi twist.

I THOUGHT I LIKED GIRLS by Nicole Pandolfo, directed by Margaret Schugt with Daryl Hogue France, Rachel Levy and Scot Renfro. A young woman "comes out" to her eccentric, New Age parents, with unexpected results.

BROAD DAYLIGHT by Alex Goldberg, directed by Don Schlossman with Scott G. Hartman and Mary-Margaret Lewis. A truly moving vignette of a desperate son dealing with his nagging, slowly becoming demented, mother.

SCRIPTED by Mark Harvey Levine, directed by Margaret Schugt with Olev Aleksander and Holly Baker-Kreiswirth. A couple awakens to discover what reads like a Day-Timer, whose pages have been completely filled in .....in advance.

Unlike in previous seasons, the Company, instead of featuring a large cast, uses many of the same actors in diverse parts in this edition, a true test of their versatility, as well as giving several directors the opportunity to work on more than one play. Sets appear and vanish unobtrusively and while not elaborate, convey each scenic location perfectly, as designed by Alexandra Dunn. Don't miss your chance to savor the pleasures of this year's harvest. A toast: Happy 10th Anniversary to Pick of the Vine and to many more!!

Little Fish Theatre, 777 Centre Street, between 7th and 8th, San Pedro. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 7 p.n., Thursday, February 17, at 8 p.m. $25, senior and students $22. Dinner/Theatre package available (See Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion(. Free parking in back, enter via alley. (310)51-6030. ends 2/19

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: The shop around the corner, you might say, is THE WHALE & ALE, a jolly British pub, just a two minute walk. They offer a dinner-theatre package in conjunction with Little Fish, that's hard to beat for convenience and value. Fifty bucks gets you a ticket to the show and a full meal that includes soup of their justly famous baby greens salad with sliced mushrooms, feta cheese and crumbled walnuts, choice of at least a half dozen entrees (chicken, salmon, shepherd's pie, turkey etc.), plus dessert. The food is way beyond the usual pub grub, for example, their Anne Boleyn prime rib cut is quite a generous piece of meat, sliced to your order of doneness, with choice of a side dish. The mixed vegetables are really fresh and crisp, even the zucchini and their horseradish sauce is lap-up good. Atop the beef sits a hollowed out Yorkshire pudding filled with tasty jus. For those who wish to sup lightly and more economically, the a la carte big Black Tiger shrimp are only $12.75, battered in the English fish 'n chip tradition, without a trace of grease and still firm and crunchy within. An a la carte cup of clam chowder, on the other hand, is a hefty $5.25 but the chowder is luscious, clams outnumbering potatoes, for a change and the texture thick as London fog, yet light and smooth on the palate. Ale, naturally,is king here, beer a close second and fine wines are available from $6.25 per glass.

The Whale & Ale, 327 W. 7th Street, near Centre, San Pedro. Live music Friday and Saturday, jazz on First Friday San Pedro Artwalk nights, with never a cover charge. You can first park in the theatre lot then walk to dinner, if you so choose. (310) 832-0363.

ISLAND OF BRILLIANCE by Dawn O'Leary
This play, a West Coast premiere, directed by Wynn Marlow, takes a great deal of patience. If that is one of your virtues, you can expect to survive the first act by admiring the acting skills and the inventive, multi-purpose staging (set, sound and lighting by William Wilday). Evie Brighton (Jill Renner), a wide-eyed, young woman with luminous skin and a cute, little overbite, is seen driving her car while composing poems. She is headed for an interview, hoping for admission to Princeton University. Or does she? Giving inane answers and giggling at the wrong time makes us wonder about this girl. Furthermore, she seems obsessed by her older sister Emily (Ava Bogle), a bird-loving idiot savant with a phenomenal memory. Life is difficult for the girls' mother, Martha (the admirable Nancy Lineham- Charles). an educated woman who takes great pride in the "islands of brilliance" displayed by her disabled daughter's poetic prowess. She finds a sympathetic ear in Evie's English teacher, the gentle Mr. Worthy (Bill Lithgow). Up to this point, the story lacks cohesiveness, with bland, mostly humorless dialogue and an overload of poetry.

But the second act is worth the wait, as Evie's home situation becomes clearer, her mannerisms less annoying and her dramatic skills are allowed to blossom. Ave Bogle's performance as the problematic sibling is consistently letter perfect. Her blank stare and twitching hands are never out of character and amazing to watch. Handsome Kevin Railsback as young Russell who's sweet on Evie is, perhaps, the most charming personage on stage. Norm Skaggs plays Evie's dad, who spends all his time in the basement, building railroad models and Maryjane handles the various Ivy League College interview and one on a local TV station, like a pro. The play has merit but the first act needs work.

Pacific Resident Theatre, 707 Venice Blvd., four blocks west of Lincoln, Venice. Thursday, Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 3 p.m. $20 - $25. Parking lot in rear. (310)822-8392 or www.PacificResidentTheatre.com end 1/23, 3 p.m.

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: I vowed to hurry back to TLAPAZOLA GRILL a soon as possible (see review of Julia) and the opportunity presented itself a week later, for another Pacific Resident Theatre production, just minutes away. This is a terrific restaurant where you can bring friends who don't even like Mexican food. Besides the been-there-done-that offerings like enchiladas, tostadas and carnitas, many of their entrees are fine tuned to the Nuevo Latino style. This time we ventured into the nightly specials which are a few dollars more, be warned and/or ask. The braised lamb quoted by the waiter at $17, showed up on the bill at $18.95 but it was superb. The meat tender, boneless, the sauce dark and seductive, to be sopped up by their famous green rice, will make lamb lovers out of lamb haters. It comes with black beans (not refried) and minced, mild onion. In the fresh fish division, mahi mahi seemed a little pricey at $20 but the elegant presentation and innovative preparation, more than made up for it. The perfectly moist fish has a crust of ground pumpkin seeds, sits on fresh green beans and sliced, wild mushrooms, flanked by two sauces, yellow molé and lime-caper. Outstanding! By the way, an old Mexican doctor once told me that a daily handful of pepitas (pumpkin seeds), will prevent prostate cancer. We shared their pastel de leché (a difficult choice over the chocolate semi-freddo), excellent, similar to dolce de leche but, perhaps, even better, $6.95. Margaritas from $7.95, wine from $7.50 per glass. Their tequila selection is staggering, even before you've sipped any. By the time we left for the theatre, the joint was jumping. This is my current favorite Mexican restaurant and my sombrero is off to Chef Samuele Cruz.*Tlapazola, 636 Venice Boulevard, Venice. Full bar. Parking lot. Open daily. (310) 822-7561

THE AUTUMN GARDEN by Lillian Hellman
The Antaeus Company is a class act, L.A.'s Masterpiece Theatre, if you will and this production reinforces its status among genuine theatre lovers. The handsome set, designed by Tom Buderwitz, is the Tuckerman family home converted into a guest house. There are old photographs, a vintage radio, chaise longues, an old fashioned telephone, authentic in every detail. It is the annual gathering place for long time friends, situated on the Gulf of Mexico near New Orleans, in 1949. A not so innocent time - no drugs but plenty of booze.

As each character appears and the heavy friction among these Southern folks develops, we get to know each of them intimately, their foibles and attributes skillfully fleshed out by the legendary playwright (The Little Foxes, Watch on the Rhine, Toys in the Attic etc.) The fragile Constance Tuckerman (Lily Knight), a spinster fearful of facing a lonely, old age, is nervously awaiting the arrival of her old beau Nick , a portrait painter who turns out to have become a boorish drunk, unafraid to impose his non-existent charm on every female within reach. A fabulous performance by mustachioed Stephen Caffrey. He is accompanied by his patient wife Nina (the excellent Jane Kaczmarek), whose face is like a mirror, alternating between bemusement and annoyance by his antics. Constance's cousin Sophie (the pale, gamin Zoe Perry), who was given asylum from war torn France in her early teens, seems more like an unpaid maid in her apron, with mop and broom at the ready, another impressive portrayal. She is engaged to wimpy Frederick (Joe Delafield) and their tepid romantic relationship is subtly clarified in the course of the story. His dominating, interfering mother Carrie (Eve Gordon), holds the purse strings which are actually controlled by sarcastic grandma Mary Ellis (Ann GeeByrd), very amusing as an acid tongued, old lady who doesn't mince words. Also assembled are Edward (Ned) Crossman (Stoney Westmoreland), an old friend of Constance's, a sympathetic character who drowns his meaningless life in alcohol, as does the General, Ben Griggs (James Sutorius). The only thing dry about him is his sense of humor. But, who can blame him, stuck in a miserable marriage to Rose, a fading but still pretty Southern belle (the flirty, flirty Faye Grant). Reba Waters as the "colored maid", only has a few lines but she delivers them perfectly.

This ensemble, under the admirable direction of Larry Biederman, is pitch perfect. There's not a wasted gesture or expression. And so believable are they, one cannot imagine anyone else in their roles, which is ironic because the show is double-cast and the one you're going to see will surely be equally accomplished. Just prepare yourself for a long sit, the show lasts three hours (one intermission). A cup of strong coffee might be advisable, too.

The Antaeus Company at Deaf West Theatre, 5112 Lankershim Boulevard, one block south of Magnolia, North Hollywood. Thursday - Saturday 8 p.m. (dark 11/25). Sunday 2:30 and 7:30. $30 - $34. Free parking in Citibank lot on Otsega Street. (818) 506-1983 or www .anaeus .org ends 12/19

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Conveniently located between Universal Studios and the theatre, is FIRENZE OSTERIA (the former Brasserie Barzac, same owner), a lovely multi room and bar setting. Everything is bathed in Florentine gold (a few of those coins wouldn't hurt since you may blow the entire dining out budget for the week). The lighting makes us all look good, emanating from the glowing chandeliers to the candles in each table, bedecked with pale gold cloths and sparkling glassware, a rich, warm look. The food is expensive but the quality warrants it. We only ordered two entrees. They charge $30.95 for veal Milanese style, very fine, with a light, crisp breading that would give a Wiener schnitzel a run for its money. It has a topping of salad, arugula and sauteed cherry tomatoes. No starch either with their flank steak, from the "light menu", tender, marinated slices topped by a salad, a more elaborate version in balsamic vinaigrette, with arugula, goat cheese, olives, cherry tomatoes and cubes of avocado. First class, $24.95. To begin, they provide a complimentary caponata dip, of which we made short shrift. It was graciously replaced. Service is wonderful, mostly by men in black, except for our darling waitress who packed the veal bone in a doggie box and threw in extra bread and more of that delicious caponata. A nice surprise. There are fine wines, from $7 per glass for a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. In about seven minutes you will be at your destination.

Firenze Osteria, 4312 Lankershim Boulevard, Toluca Lake. Full bar. Valet parking. (818)760-7081

LOVE AND OTHER ALLERGIES
By Michelle Kholos Brooks
It's always fun to see a selection of five short play because, chances are, you'll like one or two, or maybe, even three of them. So, it's a rare andjoyous experience when you love 'em all, as is the case here. The gifted playwright, who happens to be the daughter-in-law of funnyman Mel Brooks, know how to pen clever, provocative dialogue and presents five unique, completely different, situations in a most entertaining way. She is aided by fsmart directors and a fine cast, in each of her pieces. Without giving too much away, what follows is a short synopsis of these little gems, each of which deserves to be filed under "life's most memorable quickies".

CAB - Aviva Garbi plays a philosophical taxi driver, who picks up a fare in New York City. She's a volatile, stressed out business woman (Lisa Glass) and, during their short ride, they learn quite a bit about each other's lives. Directed by Steve Oreste.

BARS - Set in a jail's visitation area, an inmate (Kurt A. Boesen, double cast with Steve Oreste), is visited by ahot looking but insecure Puerto Rican babe, Rosie (Leila Arias),who has turned to a prison website in search of a boyfriend whose whereabouts she can pin down 24/7. Directed by Robert Stephen Ryan.

ALLERGY SHOT - We're in a doctor's waiting room where a nurse (Collins Reiter), has just administered an allergy shot to a beautiful, young actres (Cassandra Sanchez-Navarro). The latter is accosted by a ranting old woman (Eve Sigall), who is determined to give her unsolicited and unwelcome, career advice. Directed by Avner Garbi.

ALLERGIC TO WALNUTS - Tea time for a slightly past middle age pair (Robert Stephen Ryan and Rosemary Stevens), obviously inexperienced in the wordly ways of love, a they try to analyze their feelings for each other with all the precision of a textbook manual. Directed by Steve Oreste.

The simple, serviceable sets are designed by Robert Stephen Ryan and changes never intrude on the continuity or enjoyment of the evening. There is no intermission and they leave us wanting more. Bravos all around!

The Lounge Theatre, 6201 Santa Monica Boulevard, a half block east of Vine at El Centro, Hollywood. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 7 p.m. (dark 10/31). $20. Street parking. (323)960-5772 or plays411.com/allergies. Additional information www.VoxHumanaProductions.org. ends 11/21

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Peruvian cuisine is not an acquired taste. You love it right away. EL DORADO shows you why. The flavors are exciting. Most of the food is ot spicy but if that's your passion, add some aji, the green, creamy sauce that's in a squeeze bottle on the table. And, everything is reasonably priced. They have the famous chicken a la brasa, a fire-roasted half bird for $8.10 with french fries or potatoes. We enjoyed their arroz con pollo papa a la Huancaina, which included their wonderful potato in delicious Huancaina cheese sauce, which I usually order as an appetizer. It's also available separately for $6. Peruvians are known for their ways with potatoes and most dishes, even though they come with rice, also have spuds. Under a heap of "green rice" studded with veggies and egg bits, that tastes and looks a lot like paella rice, is a quarter skinless chicken and a side of pickled, red onion, all really good, $10. My favorite Peruvian treat is picante de mariscos (that one is spicy), a sauté of mixed seafood (mussels, shrimp, calamari, octopus) with a mound of white rice ad, of course, potatoes, for $14. Both entrees include home made chicken soup.

The little restaurant is spotless, lit up like a butcher shop , with comfy, lime colored booths. Very casual so don't bother dressing up, you certainly won't run into any of your fancy-shmancy friends here but you'll be glad you came. Only about five minutes from the theatre.

El Dorado, 730 N. Vine near Melrose, Los Angeles . No alcohol. Open daily until 8:30 p.m. Park in the corner mini-mall lot in front. (323)962-5065.

Update: This is the last weekend for "Love, Loss and What I Wore" at the Geffen and "Becky's New Car at the Pacific ResidentTheatre. "Yellow" at the Coat Playhouse in West Hollywood has been extended until December 16th. (see reviews for details)

THE WEB by Michael John Garcés *Most mystery thrillers draw you in with a fast paced, if convoluted,
plot that eventually unravels and all becomes clear at the end. No
such luck here.

The play opens as a young man, Chris Quinones (Ian Forester) curses
at his computer, when he discovers another individual wit his name
and eerily similar family history. It seems like a classic case of
mistaken (or stolen) identity.
Soon he is pursued by thugs who beat, choke, kick and shoot first -
and ask questions later. Intermittently, he is interrogated by one
John Arrowsmith (Stan Kelly) of the I.A.C.A., N.Y.P.D., C.I.A.,
F.B.I., take your pick. It appears that the other Chris (or
Cristobal), is involved with big, bad money, drug smuggling, a
mysterious bag and assorted intrigues. Our Chris, of course, is the
scapegoat. He has a non-romance with tall, dark haired Catalina
(Amanda Zarr), who is also his nurse when he winds up in a hospital
bed in Paraguay. Note to Director Alyson Roux: only one actor
pronounces the name of that country correctly.

The rest of the cast including Tony Sancho as Chris' friend David;
Betsy Reisz as his hapless girlfriend; Edgar Landa as Carl, an agent
and Justin M. Huen (Warner) also try their best but the whole mishmash
is just too enigmatic, to put it kindly. The only thing perfectly
clear is the time and day projected on a small corner screen on
stage. After the show, a man behind me confessed,"I'm even more
confused than poor Chris.....". Shake, buddy!

Art Works Theatre, 6569 Santa Monica Boulevard, near Seward Street,
Hollywood. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 5 p.m. $20, seniors and
students $17. Parking lot just west of the theatre. (323)795-2215 or
www.needtheatre.org
ends 10/17

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion:Much happier news emanates from the
dining front, specifically from VINOTEQUE, approximately ten minutes
away. As long as the Indian Summer weather prevails, sit on the tiled
courtyard patio (heaters provided, just in case), at blue mosaic
tables, surrounded by greenery. Planter boxes house fresh herbs
(lemongrass, basil, thyme etc.), vegetable bushes (squash and young
fruit trees (fig). A pleasant spot for a relaxing repast. Wines are
available by the glass, bottle or flight. The latter is the most fun
as you sample three generous pourings. We swirled and sipped a
Spanish Verdejo, a Riesling from Texas and a Moroccan Chardonnay, for
$16. The serve full dinners, salads and charcuterie plates but
specialize in tapas, all of which were thoroughly delectable. A top
quality, sliced Angus skirt steak, about the size of the palm of your
hand, comes with chimichurri, an Argentinean pesto mix of garlic and
fresh herbs, plus french fries. A plate of assorted mushrooms,
including enoki, king oyster, shiitake and one hitherto unknown to me,
bunachimanji, as well as Black Tiger prawns in a mild but marvelous,
Moroccan style harissa sauce. We asked for a spoon and didn't miss a
drop. These are $14 each. Afresh Alaskan albacore, topped with
golden caviar and bedded upon eggplant and sauteed onions, goes for
$15. You may have been here during one of this restaurant's previous
incarnations (the last one featured hookahs) but this is the best one
yet, with outstanding service and a savvy chef.

Vinoteque, 7469 Melrose Avenue, at Gardner, Los Angeles. Open until
midnight. Closed Monday. Street parking. (310)860-6060.

THE DIXIE SWIM CLUB by Jesse Jones, Nicholas Hope & Janice Wooten This is a fun gab fest involving five former members of a college swim team, whose long friendship is revved up every summer, when they re-unite for a long weekend at a beach cottage in North Carolina. Unencumbered by husbands and children, these Southern gals know how to dish it up and dish it out. Their bond weathers barbs and brutal honesty and the three playwrights, whose credits (not even mentioned in the program), know how to explore the female psyche with humor and sagacity.' The former waterbabies are: Sheree (Diana Mann), a born organizer and macrobiotic health food junkie, who supplies the unappreciated snacks for the marathon cocktail hours. Lexi, (Yvonne Robertson), the glamorous femme fatale, a flamboyant dresser (costumes by Claire Townsend), who has gone through more divorces than Liz Taylor and is still on the prowl to hook the next live one. Career woman Dinah (Geraldine D. Fuentes), a successful lawyer, is never far from her favorite accessory, a Martini shaker. The accident-prone Vernadette (the comical Madeleine Drake), has been saddled with a slug of a husband and several worthless kids. The final arrival, Jeri Neal (the buxom Susan Gordon), a nun, who has spent the last few decades in a convent but is ready to embrace more worldly pleasures. The play covers over forty years in the lives of these irrepressible women who, with the help of changing hairdos and wigs (by Michael Aldapa) and, or course,their acting skills, slowly age before our eyes. There were a few flubs on opening night but the astute direction by Rodney Rincon keeps the breezy dialogue flowing and the action moving, through laughter and tears. The simple, serviceable set is designed by Phil Buono, sound effects by Georgina Kester. Little Fish Theatre, 777 Centre Street at 8th, San Pedro. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 9/12 at 7 p.m. and Thursday 9/16 at 8 p.m. $25, seniors and students $22. Parking lot in rear, enter via the alley. Wear light clothing, the theatre is not air conditioned. (310)512-6030 or www.littlefishtheatre.org = 9/18

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Five minutes from the Little Fish is THINK CAFE. San Pedro boasts a Think Prime Steak House (not visited yet) and a Think Bistro (inconsistent) but you'll never have a bad meal here. Decor isn't much to write home about, so I won't . other than to say it's a large, airy room and pleasant enough. Service is helpful and attuned to curtain time. Plus, the prices won't give you indigestion. Starters from $6.95 to $ll.75 (for an ahi tower), the steepest entrees are lamb rack and a rib eye steak for $22.95. Pasta from $11.95 to $14.95. For only $13.95, you can score a Cajun meatloaf, perhaps rivaling that of your mom's. The coarse textured beef has just the proper kick and is topped with a light, fresh tomato sauce. It's in the fine company of mashed potatoes and broccoli florets cooked to the magic moment. One so rarely finds sand dabs on a menu, a mild, moist fish that you might like even better than sole or white fish. They dip it in egg wash, pan sauté and drape it over a tasty melange of chopped, mixed vegetables, almost the entire green grocery section, even bamboo shoots. Quite delicious, $15.95. Mind you, the above entrees include choice of a tossed salad in a balsamic vinaigrette or soup, on my night, a luscious cauliflower soup. As good as my mother made? Yes. The wine list is short but smartly chosen, glasses start at $5. No hard stuff, but they concoct drinks made with Soju, a Korean liquor. On the bottom of the menu is a saying by one Bishop de Seville:"I have been given great health at a great age because, every day, I have consumed a bottle of wine except when I have not felt well. Then I have consumed two bottles". Let's all drink to that! Think Cafe, 312 W 5th STreet, San Pedro (310)519-3662.

FREE MAN OF COLOR by Charles Smith
The Colony has done it again. Given us a proud tale of courage and humanity, woven from a true tory about a forgotten figure of history. John Newton Templeton (Kareem Ferguson), the first freed slave to graduate from an American university, is a brilliant young man, well spoken and handsome, whose strong character is tested by the temptation of future personal glory. Flawlessly directed by award-winning Dan Bonnell, the story takes us back to Ohio, forty years before the Emancipation Proclamation, into the home of Reverend Wilson (Frank Ashmore) and his wife Jane (Kathleen Mary Carthy), where John is boarded while attending the University of Ohio. Wilson, a devout Christian, is an ambitious man with political savvy and Ashmore injects just the right note of pride without prejudice, into his relationship with young John. As his wife, a sad and bitter woman who has experienced a parent's worst nightmare, Carthy is equally impressive in her multi-faceted part. But the show belongs to Ferguson, whether addressing the audience to divulge his innermost thoughts or interfacing with his hosts in his forthright and always honest manner. This is a scholar who quotes Latin with ease, stuns us with his knowledge of the Greek classics and does justice to the beautiful language penned by Charles Smith, whose play won the Jefferson Award for Outstanding New Work, in Chicago. It builds to a climax that brings the audience to its feet and deservedly so. Free Man of Color is a must see for every history scholar, theatre buff, in fact, for every human being longing for an uplifting and stimulating theatrical experience. For the excellent costume, scenic and lighting designs, credits go to A. Jeffrey Schoenberg, David Potts and Chris Wojcieszyn, respectively. Colony Theatre, 555 North Third Street at Cypress, Burbank. Thursday and Friday 8 p.m., SAturday 3 and 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m,. $20 to $42, senior and student rates available. Parking in building garage, adjoining the theatre. (818)558-7000 ext. 15 or www.colonytheatre.org -9/12

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Less than five minutes from the Colony is OCTOPUS, a Japanese fusion restaurant, which means that in addition to sushi, tempura and sashimi, they also have real food that someone actually cooked. It's a beautiful space, light and inviting, with white leather padded booths, a wall constructed of intricately woven, blonde wood and a large tree branch overhead, painted white, on which they've hung some red Christmas balls. Gofigure... The menu says not a word that entrees come with rice, miso soup and a little salad of iceberg lettuce, cucumber wheels and a tomato slice, in a peanutty dressing. Therefore, we ordered an appetizer to share, seaweed salad, one of the few things that is exceedingly healthy and also tastes divine. A nice portion, only $4.95. They do a beef hibachi, a dead ringer for the old favorite, sukiyaki, brought on a hot, cast iron skillet, heaped with beansprouts, cabbage and onions, a nostalgic treat, $12.95 and very generous. As for the miso-marinated shrimp and scallop combo,it looked spectacular but I don't think I'd order it again. The platter has little towers of cold potato salad, topped with an over-cooked scallop, a slice of raw cucumber and a perfectly delicious shrimp steeple. A good presentation, garnished with asparagus and zucchini but the hot-cold layered pairings didn't quite work for me, $16.95. Service is satisfactory but it would have been nice to have been informed that the duck breast, on which my mouth was set, is no longer on the menu before I ordered it. Wine by the glass from $4.95, sake from $3.50. Sushi selections from $3.95 to $11.95 (for Chef's special rolls). Octopus, 227 E. Palm Avenue, Burbank. (818)556-6622

UPDATE; The wonderful BECKY'S NEW CAR at the Pacific Resident Theatre in Venice, has added the followng performances: August 19 - 22; September 9 - 12 and 16 - 19. Don't miss it. (310)822-8392 or www.pacificresidenttheatre.com

YELLOW by Del Shores
Del Shores' latest opus is the sort of experience that can make an avid theatre fan out of a casual playgoer. It has everything: love, humor, heartbreak, fury, forgiveness and a cast of characters for whom you feel an immediate affinity. Contrary to Shores' usual theme of Southern white trash in hilarious situations (Sordid Lives, Daddy's Dying Who's Got the Will, The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife etc.), this absorbing drama involves a Mississippi family in seemingly ideal circumstances and shows that an unexpected illness can tear it asunder, virtually over night.

The dad, Bobby Westmoreland, (on my night, the excellent understudy Robert Lewis Stevenson), is a successful high school coach who dotes on his football star son Dayne (Luke McClure). Mom Kate (Kristen McCullough), a therapist, is well educated and a devoted wife and mother. They bravely put up with their daughter Gracie (Evie Louise Thompson), a bratty, rebellious teenager, determined to become a Broadway star. She has a razor sharp tongue and an almost unbearable attitude, brought on by sibling rivalry with her super jock of a brother. Stephenson plays Bobby as a father knows best type, until tragedy strikes like a bolt of lightning which brings out his impassioned, spellbinding performance. McCullough is impeccable as a woman wracked by guilt. The spunky, mouthy Thompson displays a dynamite stage presence in each of her bitchy outbursts. Her friend and fellow aspiring actor Kendall (the adorable Matthew Scott Montgomery), excels as a gentle, sweet-tempered, gay young man, who is taken into the family to escape his ranting, über-Christian mother (Susan Leslie). Leslie, spewing fire and brimstone, is so realistic, you want to get out of your seat and stuff a sock in her mouth. Luke McClure is perfectly cast as the golden boy around whom most of the story revolves and is an integral part of this immensely talented ensemble, directed by the author. Robert Steinberg's set design and Cathi O'Donohue's lighting add to the appeal of this remarkably well written play, which I loved - and so will you.

The Coast Playhouse, 8325 Santa Monica Boulevard, three blocks east of La Cienega, West Hollywood. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 and 7 p.m. $34.99 (800) 595-4849 or www.yellowbydelshores.com - 7/25

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Less than a five minute walk west, is HUGO'S, which aspires to be a health food restaurant. But the menu is so kaleidoscopic, you can indulge in whatever regimen you currently favor. For starters, deciding among ginseng chicken soup $4.75, mac & cheese (significant for the play you are about to see) $8.10 or calamari in spicy marinara sauce $7.85, you may want to opt for their Asian spring rolls, Vietnamese style rice paper stuffed with assorted veggies, very fresh tasting, with a nice sesame-chili dip sauce, intense but not spicy, great for sharing, $7.60.

There's an international flavor to the sandwich/burger section starting at $12.60 for avocado-hummus wrap, $12.85 for a Cuban sandwich or the Hugo burger of ground beef or turkey. Pasta, $12.65 to $15.65. They serve mung beans, tofu, lentils and organic this 'n that. We kept it simple by ordering from the entree section where the choices are no less intriguing. You have your Indian inspired tikka masala veggie patties, your grilled tenderloin with Argentinean chimichurri, Hugo's shepherd's pie and from South of the Border, tres tacos with chicken, steak, organic tofu or sauteed vegetables, $12.65 to $15.50. My Moroccan stew with chicken breast cubes, described as being in a slightly spicy, exotically flavored Moroccan sauce, was a bland affair but helped considerably by the addition of the mound of quinoa with a topping of harissa. This looks like a daub of harmless ketchup but is usually so incendiary, smoke can blow out of your ears. This version is much, much more tame but it served to give a kick to the broth, chock-a-block with soft veggies and too many potatoes, $12.65, with chicken or tofu $3 extra.

Much more appealing is the Asian stir-fry, broccolini, snow peas, mushrooms, tomatoes etc., nicely seasoned with chili-sesame sauce, enhanced with chicken breast cubes or marinated tofu and your choice of rice,quinoa or, what they call kelp noodles. I suggest the latter, which are our old friends known as glass or silver noodles, which are not only very tasty but come to find out, low in carbs, fat and gluten free - so much the better, $13.95. Hugo's is a large hall of a place, with windows looking out at the frantic traffic. They attempt to improve the ambience with little votive candles on every table but nobody comes here for the hot, romantic dinner. Dress code is non existent, the guys at the next table wore tank tops and one of them never did take off his straw hat. Service is fine and a glass of organic wine starts at $6.50.

Hugo's 8401 Santa Monica Boulevard at King's Road, West Hollywood. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking in rear. (323)654-3993.

LAGUNA's MIDSUMMER MAGIC - If you've never attended the PAGEANT OF THE MASTERS in Laguna Beach, put this event on top of your "to do" list. And, if you've enjoyed it before, you'll certainly want to see it again, especially this year, when the theme is "Eat, Drink and Be Merry" - right up our alley. In addition to the amazing tableaux vivants - living pictures posed by local volunteers to create masterpiece paintings, vintage posters, sculptures and other objets d'art on stage, each is accompanied by appropriate music from a live orchestra and every summer they add something new and different. There's a little sing-along and a spectacular food parade honoring the cuisine of New Orleans. The show opens with a giant, scrolling mural of a festive table loaded with exquisite edibles and you'll be happy you stopped for dinner before the show (see below)

Pageant of the Masters, Irvine Bowl, 650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. Nightly at 8:30 p.m. From $15 to $65 (on weeknights, slightly higher on weekends). Note: Held outdoors, dress warmly, bring a seat cushion, binoculars and blankets (available for rent on the grounds). Pageant admission includes the Festival of Arts, a first class exhibit of original art from every genre, on the premises all summer.
A special fundraising gala will be held on August 28 which includes wine, hors d'oeuvres and music, from $50 to $100. For $350, you get dinner and the best seats in the house for the show. Tickets and information (800)487-3378 or www.pageanttickets.com. - 8/31

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: It's an easy walk from the festival grounds to LUMBERYARD. The former, charming Cedar Creek Inn is now a huge, monochromatic tavern with lost of dark wood and lots and lots of customers. On my Tuesday evening it was packed to the rafters. The all-American menu includes chicken pot pie and meatloaf $16, steaks $22 (skirt) to $32 (filet mignon), pasta from $15, fish $22 (King salmon) to $29 (Alaskan halibut. But if you want a deal, and we always do, don't we. get there on a week night before 6:30 p.m., grab a seat in the bar area and order up some of their "Bites", $6 each. We shared four and couldn't even finish them, that's how generously portioned they are. And nicely presented, too. Crispy calamari, ever so lightly crumbed, comes with two dip sauces. Mixing them together is even better. Caesar salad with freshly shaved parmesan is really big. The dip trio consists of three different hummus creations with crudites and toast slices. Hot wings, skin on, unfortunately, have just enough spice to make you take another sip of whatever you're quaffing. Wine by the glass starts at $8. Other Bites are sweet potato or regular fries, spinach-artichoke dip, barbecued, pulled pork sliders, fried zucchini or a house salad. Terrific service, great vibes.

Lumberyard, 384 Forest Avenue, Laguna Beach. Lunch and dinner daily. Sunday brunch. Full bar. Two hours validated parking in rear. Note: For $10 you can park and sty until after the performance). (949)715-3900.

HOYA HO, WAGNERITES! All of you wo spent your hard earned bucks on the Three Ring - make that - Four Ring Circus at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, should have been at Los Angeles Lyric Opera's (LOLA) production of Wagner's first opera DIE FEEN (The Fairies), at the Pasadena Playhouse last week, where there were none of Achim Freyer's misbegotten, ugly masks nor any other of his atrocities. And they didn't spend thirty million dollars.

This plucky Company known for their motto "Uncommon Opera", under the leadership of Laura Sage, enlisted young, but according to their program bios, experienced, singers and put on a nice, little show. directed by Aleta Braxton. In the lead as Ada, the fairy in love with a mortal, Margaurite Mathis-Clark has all the makings of an indefatigable, full-throated Wagnerian soprano, built to last. There was also some impressive singing by Venezuelan baritone Bernardo Bermudez, as the dashing Morald and by Amber Erwin and Leslie Dennis as two fairy attendants. The charming Harriet Frazer and lively Jay Stephenson were delightful and sounded especially lovely in their Drolla/Gernod duet. Rick Zeeb as Harald was vocally uneven but had good diction. In fact, most of the singers were of the Joan Sutherland school of text pronunciation, that is to say, they might as well have sung in Mongolian. Except for Canadian Connie Dykstra-Smith as Lora, whose German approached perfection. She possesses a beautiful, well modulated voice, displayed elegant phrasing and good acting skills. A real talent! Tenor Josh Shaw as the hero Arindal, is an attractive, young man and a convincing actor. However, he has a tremolo that rates a 9 on the Richter Scale. If he can overcome the wobble, he will have a fine operatic future.

Robert Sage, lovingly conducted the orchestra, small by Wagnerian standards but quite suitable at this venue. The chorus sounded remarkably good, throughout. The melodies in Die Feen are absolutely beautiful and you will recognize some familiar strains of future operas. Wagner wrote this work when he was only twenty, long before he decided to demand that his singers out-bellow his gorgeous orchestrations.

In the past, LOLA has staged seldom heard masterpieces like Cendrillon by Pauline Viardot, Abu Hassan by Weber and Manon Lescaut by Auber, all of which I saw and liked. If this is the type of opera that appeals to you, keep an eye and ear out for their future plans and you can be sure they're not going to play it safe by mounting another Butterfly or hiring megalomaniacal directors.

You can reach LOLA at (877) LOLA-OPERA

SKYLIGHT by David Hare
Here we have the story of a relationship, a complicated one in every respect. She's an idealist; he's a smug, financially successful restaurateur. They once had a torrid, six year affair while he was a married man. Now that his wife has died, he hopes to rekindle the old flame. To continue the synopsis would take the edge off this talky play, which deals with two strong,opinionated people, their conscience, their view of class distinctions and the life style they have chosen.

Kyra (Erin Shaver), lives in a modest, chilly flat in North London (set design by Joel Daavid), the poorer section of that city, teaches underprivileged children and has found fulfillment in her profession and spartan existence. Tom (Stuart W. Howard), is comfortable in middle age, accustomed to luxury, selfish to the core but desperately yearns for the passion he once shared with this much younger woman. He is also somewhat estranged from his teenage son Edward (Benjamin Scott Perry), a sweet kid whose appearance in the first and last scene adds a much needed ray of sunshine. Director Ken Meseroll keeps the actors in almost constant motion which is essential to balance the abundant, rapid-fire dialogue. They never resort to "bleeding heart" and "capitalist pig" name calling but have grown poles apart. Performances are impressive, on opening night not a single line was flubbed and the highly charged emotional level artfully sustained. Sir David Hare won a Tony for this play. He also wrote the screenplay for the Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated film The Reader in 2008, for which Kate Winslett took home the Oscar.

Fremont Centre Theatre, 1000 Fremont Avenue, at El Centro, South Pasadena. Thursday - Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 3 p.m. $25, students and seniors $20. Ample parking on the street and in adjoining lot. Note: The theatre is almost as cold as the flat - so bring a wrap. (866 811-4111 or www.fremontcentretheatre.com - 6/20

Pre-performance Dining Suggestion: No more than a seven to ten minute drive, just north of the 110 Freeway, is CARMINE'S, an old fashioned dinner house in the style that's become an endangered species with a dark interior, Formica topped tables, live, luscious hanging plants that seem to thrive on the aroma of marinara sauce and excellent values via retro pricing. Garlic-cheese topped focaccia bread is quickly brought, cocktails are available and a glass of wine goes for $5 and up. Service is based on teamwork, the entire staff pitches in to fulfill your every wish.

Most entree prices are kept below $20 and that includes soup or salad! There's lentil soup or minestrone or a nicely put together tossed salad of greens, tomatoes, black olives, mushrooms and grated cheese. You can score a veal scaloppine of good quality for $16.95 and you've probably paid close to double that, elsewhere. It has a perfect, creamy, white wine sauce with dozens of button mushrooms and a side of pasta with a blanket of sauce, red as Sicilian blood. Chicken Carmine are little slices of white breast meat, a little on the dry side but delicious when mixed with the red bell pepper strips and the lemon-garlic sauce. It comes with pasta and very fresh broccoli and cauliflower, $16. They've been in the same spot for many years and don't lack i loyal customers.

Carmine's 424 Fair Oaks Avenue, South Pasadena. Full bar. Parking lot. Open daily for lunch and dinner. (626)799-2255.

LOVE, LOSS AND WHAT I WORE by
Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron

If you're a woman and you are reading this, postpone whatever you plan to do next and get yourself a ticket to this most entertaining show. On stage are five chairs occupied by five formidable actresses who are splendid, individually and as an ensemble. Notice I use the word actress instead of the p.c. "actor". What's wrong with being an actress or a waitress, for that matter? And what are they going to use for mistress? But, I digress....

The women describe various personal experiences, some of them serious,most of them hilarious, with which we can readily identify, having lived through similar ups and downs. Men who are not too macho, who admit that they have enjoyed some of that talented Nora Ephron's semi-chick flicks (When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got Mail etc.) will like it, too. Here she collaborates with her sister Delia, also a successful writer. But nothing beats this show for a girls' night out.

Carol Kane starts out by reminiscing about her wardrobe with the help of fashion drawings. She uses her smallest voice in a monotone but shines when she imitates others and comes up with spot-on accents. Caroline Aaron, whom I have admired since seeing her solo show "Call Waiting", is her usual expert comic self, as she ruminates on her purses - the $$$$ model versus the $26.95 one etc. etc. Rita Wilson in thigh high boots, looks gorgeous, in spite of slightly mismatched hair extensions and is particularly moving as she recounts a mastectomy story. Vivacious Tracee Ellis Ross displays a fiery Latin temperament and is truly sensational. Natasha Lyonne has a dry sense of humor and a knock-out delivery that brings down the house, Each one has her moment in the limelight and I'm tempted to quote some of the priceless lines but I want you to experience them first hand. Subjects under discussion are mother/daughter relationships, dressing room terror, bra ordeals, bridal fittings, the blessing and beauty of black (they're all wearing it} and, of course, shoes (they're all in heels}. The gist of the play is that, going through your closet can be like looking at a photo album filled with memories. Don't miss this wonderful production, directed by Jenny Sullivan. And, don't sip too much wine or coffee beforehand and you won't even notice that it runs one hour and forty minutes, without an intermission.

Geffen Playhouse, Audrey Skirball Kenis Theatre, 10886 Le Conte Avenue, Westwood. Tuesday - Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 3 and 8 p.m., Sunday 2 and 7 p.m. $69 - $74. Parking in adjoining garage $7. (310) 208-5454 or www.geffenplayhouse.com Note: A cast change takes effect June 8th. - 7/4

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: If you can't make it to the Wine Country anytime soon, check into the attractive NAPA VALLEY GRILLE and pretend you're there. If you need visual aid, sit in the room with a huge mural of a vineyard, with fresh grapes being picked. There's a lovely wine list, glasses from $7. Focaccia bread and a hummus dip are complimentary but if you need more than a nibble before imbibing, try their flatbread, similar to a rectangular pizza, with zucchini and summer squash, eggplant, melted Buretta cheese and spicy tomato puree, large enough for splitting, $11.75. Entree possibilities range from $14 for a burger to $55 for a mammoth, thirty-two ounce rib eye. We settled on the Dover sole, a succulent, mild fish with a crisp top and frisée sprigs, plus salmon bacon bits, which give a nice, smokey flavor, a dill scented creme fraiche sauce and toasted Israeli cous cous round out the beautiful presentation, $24.75. Diver sea scallops come in two portions $14.50 and $29, plump as little pillows, lightly seared, accompanied by maitake mushrooms, pancetta bits and potatoes, with puddles of fava bean cream, yum! If you've saved room for dessert, pastry chef Manuel Ortega offers cookies $8 and assorted creations such as blueberry crême brulée, lemon panna cotta and more, $7.25 to $8.75. Cheese plates available. Napa Valley Grille has multiple locations. I tried their San Diego branch last year and was not disappointed. Service is first class and they validate parking.

Napa Valley Grille, 1100 Glendon Avenue at Lindbrook Avenue, Westwood. Full bar. Two hours validated parking in adjoining Westwood Center Garage (enter on Glendon) $4. (310)824-3323

TURKEY DAY by Jeff Folschinsky

The sun is shining, the birds are singing. It's a beautiful Thanksgiving morning in Buffy (Laura Lee Bahr) and Bruce's (toothy Fuz Edwards) modest home, as they get ready to have the family over for the traditional turkey dinner. And that's about the only tranquil moment, Love Muffin and Pookie Bear, as they call each other, will have all day. It erupts into chaos, encompassing blackmail, an illicit romance, sibling rivalry, fisticuffs (with kitchen knives), a disappearing corpse and questions of paternity and much more. First to arrive are the ratched-mouthed mom (Darcey Shean) and dad (Bill Wiff), not the genteel, loving couple that normally represents the older generation. They are followed by Buffy's sister Beatrice (Erin Treanor), who looks like a tough biker chick in torn jeans and her social faux pas committing hubby Ernie (Mark Bate). Their young son Oscar (Tyler Stevens alternating with Justin Tinucci), wants to be called Edgar, after his idol Edgar Allan Poe and whose sole conversation consists of the poet/writer's classic language, which his mother refers to as "speaking in tongues". Contributing to the botched festivities is the voice of Mark T. Burford, as the unseen neighbor Bobby Ray, occasionally hollering opinions and advice from next door.

As directed by Taylor Ashbrook, there's never a dull moment on this stage, as the perennially distraught hostess gets a respite from one minor catastrophe, another is on its way. You'll get laughs out of the pandemonium, primarily because it's not happening at YOUR house. Thanksgiving is months away but wait - there's the Memorial Day get-together, followed by the 4th of July Family Picnic, so en garde!

The Eclectic Company Theatre, 5312 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, between Chandler and Magnolia, Valley Village. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 7 p.m. (no intermission). $15 Street parking. (919) 508-3003 or wwweclecticcompanytheatre.com -5/16

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Across the street, a block west is TANG CAFE, well hidden in a corner strip mall. A neat, tiny spot with spring green walls, decorated with little objets d'arts, a shoji screen and real live plants. They specialize in Asian food, which means they cook mostly Chinese but offer a few Thai dishes. We went for Mainland China all the way and enjoyed a small order of pork in black bean sauce, quite generous for $7.50. Also available with different meats, tofu etc. Another hit was the spicy, sliced lamb with bamboo shoot strips, onions and green peppers in a torrid chili sauce, $11.99. You can have a milder preparation with ginger, same price. Their string beans in garlic sauce $9.99, are stir-fried to the perfect point of crispness and can also be done in a spicier version, with red chili paste. The only disappointing dish, hot braised shrimp, at least a dozen good textured crustaceans, speckled with green peas and carrot bits, were drowned in a sweetish, bright red, ketchup-y tomato sauce that looked more Neapolitan Provincial than Cantonese or Szechuanese. You may like them as is, but we took them home, gave them a good rinse and marinated them for several hours in bottled oyster sauce, not a total loss for $11.25. The menu is quite extensive, small and large portions of soup from $3.99 to #11.99, salads $6.99 to $7.50, curries $7.75 to $8.75, noodles $7.95 to $9.75, rice dishes $7.25 to $8.95 and house specialties from lemon chicken $10.25 to fried shrimp with honey glazed walnuts $14.25, tops. Service is prompt and pleasing ad you certainly can't beat it in the one sport parking department.

TANG CAFE 5219 1/2 Laurel Canyon Blvd.., behind B of A, Valley Village. BYOB (no corkage) Open daily. (818)769-7669.

THE PSYCHIC by Sam Bobrick

A fun-filled show, lighter than Springtime, by the author of the classic hit "Norman, Is That You?" An impoverished writer, Adam Webster (Jeffrey Cannata), lives in a bleak basement (set designed by Jeff McLaughlin). In an effort to raise rent money, he hangs out a home made sign "Psychic Readings $25". He lacks not only psychic skills but story ideas, as well. Luckily, the sign does attract a few customers, all of whom offer decorating ideas before they even seek his advice. There's Laura (Dana Green), unhappily married to Roy (Cyrus Alexander); his on-the-side squeeze Rita (Bridget Flanery). who's also got a hot romance going with an unsavory guy named Johnny Bubbles (Richard Horvitz). This droll cast of characters, most of whom seem bent on knocking each other off, inspire Adam to write an "art imitates life" murder mystery novel, with the whodunnit question to be solved by Detective Coslow (Phil Proctor).
Alexander, as the philandering husband with more vices than virtues, all give spot-on performances. As the buxom, dimpled blonde Rita, Flanery channels Judy Holliday to a T. Horvitz typifies the B-movie gangster in bearing and lingo and Proctor is amusing as the smart New York cop. The sharp direction of this world premiere is by Susan Morgenstern, costumes by Joanie Coyote and, yes, there's a reason Laura never changes her outfit.....This is a chockfull of chuckles comedy. The second act sags a little in the middle - who doesn't - but is ultimately rescued by a socko, surprise ending.

FalconTheatre, 4252 Riverside Drive, Burbank. WEdnesday - Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 4 p.m. (dark April 4 but there are performances at 4 and 8 p.m. on April 3) $32.50 - $40. Parking lot. (818)955-8101. -4/18

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: The little stretch of Riverside Drive, just a few blocks from the Falcon, seems really quiet these days, except for the bustling DON CUCO, whose decorative frontage and fliower laden patio look inviting. The interior is bathed in bordello red light, has romantic booths decorated with Spanish tile, a deliciously kitschy cactus chandelier, good Mexican food and is only a two minute drive from the theatre. Besides Margaritas and beer, there's a short wine list, including a Kendall-JacksonChardonnay for $7.50 a glass.

You can have your burritos, enchiladas, combinaciones etc., shrimp entrees are $14.95, carne asada is the most expensive for $15.50. Grilled chicken breast, marinated in tequila, lime and garlic is quite delightful and can even be livened up with spoonsful of their spicy salsa, $14.75 with rice and beans. Those who are not enamored of standard Mexican dishes should try their orange roughy baked in foil with savory herbs and a fragrance better than Chanel #5 for the culinary attuned. Comes with rice and fresh vegetables, firm carrots and overcooked zucchini, $14.95. Both plates are garnished with an avocado slice and include choice of salad , mostly crisp iceberg lettuce or their mighty tasty albondigas soup. Our waiter's command of English was on a par with my Spanish (virtually non-existent), plus a he had a few senior moments but it all worked out in the end.

Don Cuco, 3911 Riverside Drive, Toluca Lake (818)842-1123

THE BALLAD OF EMMETT TILL

In 1955, Emmett Till, a young, black boy of fourteen, was beaten to death in Mississippi for committing the "crime" of whistling at a white woman. If this weren't a historical fact, I would not give it away at the beginning of a review - but it won't lessen the shock of the ending. Because it happened a long, long time ago and, most importantly, fueled the Civil Rights Movement and the welcome change that has taken place in the political and racial attitudes of America, it is bearable, even for African-Americans to watch this story, so masterfully enacted in this production.

Emmett (the fabulous Lorenz Arnell), lives in Chicago, brimming with life, cocky, self-assured, strutting his stuff and geared for adventure, as he visits his relatives in the South for a working vacation. A remarkable performance. A bevy of friends , family and neighbors, all convincingly played by only four other actors,who amaze with their versatility. Karen Malina White, as the pretty and courageous mother, transforms herself into a little boy with equal ease. Adenrele Ojo is Emmett's grandma as well as a demure, young churchgoing girlfriend. Bernard K. Addison portrays the bearded Uncle Mo and several other characters. Rico E. Anderson, with just a pair of glasses, becomes a shy, young man; with a flashlight and a baton, a (white) Southern sheriff. The costume designer is Naila Aladdin-Sanders but the cast uses body language, facial expressions and vocal inflections as easily as a chameleon changes color. Speaking of vocal inflections, some of the heavy jargon, especially the humorous lines, were for me, difficult to understand as was some of the overlapping dialogue. Furthermore, because this is an all black cast, the role of the white shop girl, whose complaint provided the catalyst for this tragedy, is also taken by Karen Malina White, who, I wish, had donned a blonde wig to lessen some confusion. Otherwise, the direction by the award-winning Shirley Jo Finney, is flawless. The Ballad, told in almost operatic style, with snatches of music, dance moves and a chorus of voices, dramatically very effective and moving. The simple set is designed by Scott Siedman, lighting by Kathi O'Donohue and the expert contribution of sound designed David B. Marling.

This West Coast premiere was a pet project of the lat Ben Bradley, the soul and face of the Fountain for so many years, who was brutally murdered just a few months ago. One would like to think that he's looking down upon it and smiling.

The Fountain Theatre, 5060 Fountain Avenue near Normandie, Los Angeles. Thursday - Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $25 - $28 Students $18, seniors $23 on Thursday and Sunday only. No intermission. Parking in adjacent lot $5. (323)663-1525. -4/3

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: It's easier to slurp your noodles than to remember WAT DONG MOON LEK, a casual store front, five minutes' drive drive from the Fountain. Named after a district in Bangkok, the Silverlake locals refer to it simply as the Thai noodle joint. Don't be put off by the "B" in the window. The place looks spotless and very cute, with blonde wood tables and chair and an artistically rendered menu, drawn on a blackboard wall, interspersed with celebrity faces. Ever wondered how YOUR kitchen would rate? I have...
Since they're famous for their noodles and we're crazy about silver (also called glass) noodles, the larb (#39, is a great beginning. A salad that tingles with spice, is bedecked with ground pork (or meat of your choice, sliced, red onion etc. If the lime dressing has trickled beneath the lettuce doily, spoon it over, $6.99. The popular pad Thai (#27) with a garnish of beans sprouts also has glass noodles plus chopped egg, peanuts and choice of chicken, beef, tofu or pork, it $7.99 and slightly sweet. Sprinkle some Thai fish sauce (at table), which is not fishy and belongs to the misnomer club, together with sweetbreads (not sweet) and eggplant (no eggs). It is a condiment like soy sauce to Chinese food and Tabasco for Mexican dishes. But it isn't spicy. They have all the usual Thai selections including an assortment of curries. We picked the mild green curry with sliced chicken and a mound of white rice (#42), for $7.99. All very tasty and affordable, plus you can BYOB (no corkage charge). Charming service.

Wat Dong Moon Lek, 4356 Fountain Avenue, near Sunset Boulevard., Los Angeles. No alcohol. Park in Centre Plaza Lot, in front. (323)666-5993.

FORGIVENESS by David Schulner

"The form of love is forgiveness" - Reinhold Niebur.

So says a line in your program. But it's not all that easy, as you will see, in this potent play. A young couple, Jill (Emily Bergl) and her fiance Ben (Peter Smith), are on their way to meet her folks, always a challenging undertaking but, in this story, there are despicable family secrets that come to light, which are especially hard to swallow. The questions that this play poses are: can you see it in your heart to pardon someone who has deeply hurt the person you love? Can those who have committedunpardonable acts ever redeem themselves?

Jill's father Sam (Morlan Higgins), is now married to his second wife Penny (Lee Garlington). They have a daughter, Jillian, a typical, fast-talking teenager (Kendall Toole). In addition to carrying heavy baggage, they are both recovering alcoholics and born again Christians, whose new found faith in Jesus, has allowed them to absolve themselves of past sins. Daughter Jill supports their belief but Ben, who is Jewish, finds their self-cleansed state difficult to accept. The cast is brilliant. Higgins, an award-winning actor, well known to local audiences, in a demanding and ambiguous part, is excellent. Garrington shines as the acerbic, yet wise, stepmother and the young lovers exude charm and talent, as they wrestle with ghost of the past while embarking on a future together. The skeletons in the closet rattle loudly throughout this intermission-less play and will affect you in the most profound way, involving your own level of tolerance and a fair amount of soul searching. Matt Shakman directs this expertly written world premiere with skill and care. The three tiered set is designed by Kurt Boetcher. Highly recommended.

Black Dahlia Theatre, 5453 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles. Thursday -Saturday 8 p.m,. $25. Street parking (800)838-3006. - 3/28

Pre-Performance Dining Suggestion: Park your car and walk a block west, to CHIC, a serendipitous find, conveniently close, quite charming and reminiscent of a Parisian brasserie. There are French movie posters and an entire blackboard wall with wine listings from around the globe. They have bottles from Italy, Australia, Argentina, France etc., but not a single white wine from California, sacre bleu! You'll also notice that their reds stored behind the counter, are standing upright, not resting comfortably on their side, as is customary. But why quibble, when the food is so tasty and prices are in the comfort zone? There's New York steak, lamb osso buco, home made ravioli, chicken and pork, between $14 and $18. I can vouch for the black cod, fresh as a breeze, in a light saffron broth, chockfull of grilled artichoke hearts, baby squash, butternut puree and fingerling potato halves, $18. The beef Bourguignonne is exceptionally tender and generous, if a little fattier than I would have preferred, in a hearty, heady, red wine sauce with fresh string beans and a timbale of garlic mashers with that wonderful, lumpy, home made texture, $14. They don't serve bread, which is a good thing, because it leaves room for dessert. The people sitting next to us raved about the rosemary-olive oil cake but we played it safer with a fabulous almond meringue praline cake $5, and worth every calorie. Excellent coffee, $2.25. Wine from $7 per(water) glass - no stemware, here. Leisurely but pleasant service and the perfect prelude to a memorable evening.

Chic, 5545 W. Pico
Blvd., Los Angeles Covered sidewalk terrace. Beer and wine. (323)525-0234.