December 8, 2024 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

“Broadway Bound” Reincarnated A Odyssey Theatre:

Once in a while, someone decides to revive an old chestnut. Sometimes it’s a waste of time and sometimes it’s fun to welcome an old theatrical friend.  

In the case of the current production on stage at the Odyssey Theatre, it’s a welcome treat to visit Neil Simon’s semi-autographical “Broadway Bound,” the third play of Simon’s Eugene trilogy, with “Brighton Beach Memoirs” and “Biloxi Blues,” the first two of the three plays in which the character of Eugene is his alter ego.

Jason Alexander directs this revival and does so brilliantly, with every moment on stage fully realized.  

What probably made it most challenging and perhaps fun for Alexander is that he played Stanley in December 1986 when it opened on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre. Directed by Gene Saks, the sterling cast included Jonathan Silverman, Phyllis Newman and Linda Lavin, who won a Tony for Best Actress in a Play as well as a Drama Desk Award. The play was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 1987.

Performed on a Broadway caliber split-level set by Bruce Goodrich, enhanced by Leigh Allen’s lighting design, Martin Carillo’s sound design, and Kate Bergh’s costumes, the storyline revolves around the Jeromes, a Jewish family living in Brooklyn’s Brighton Beach.   

Eugene, perfectly brought to life by Ian Alda, and his brother Stanley, played by Noah James, who likewise does a wonderful job in climbing into his character’s skin, are budding young writers waiting for their big break. Gina Hecht plays Kate, Eugene, and Stanley’s long-suffering mother.  

In a top-notch performance, we see the many layers of Kate who, despite her rather rough exterior, lets us glimpse the tenderness and hurt that lives inside of her. Rounding out the immediate family is Kate’s father Ben, played by Allan Miller, a well-seasoned theatre veteran who mines all the nuances of his character and is a master of non-verbal reactions, and his other daughter Blanche, suitably played by Betsy Zajko.  

Ben is separated from his wife and Blanche tries to convince him to move to Florida with her mother. Ben has distain for his daughter’s lifestyle as she married a wealthy man and shows up wearing an expensive mink coat. Her lifestyle flies in the face of his socialist beliefs.  Blanche is starving for her father’s affection and he comments, “I don’t believe in affection. It’s something they give you instead of the truth.” Blanche wants to drive him somewhere to which he barks, “A socialist sitting in a Caddy with a black man driving?”

Simon’s dialogue is packed with hilarious lines as well as heart wrenching moments.  For example, Ben is a Trotskyite and tries to steer his grandsons in that direction.  After being prodded to read more, Eugene says that he’s read a book on Trotsky to which Ben grunts, “One book doesn’t cover Trotsky.” Ben is aging and resents being taken care of by his daughter. He tries to smuggle out soiled sheets in a paper bag so that she doesn’t find out that he wet the bed. Trying to get out of the house, Kate stops him because of the slippery streets. He remarks to one of the boys, “I was going out but your mother changed my mind.” In what could be described as behaving like a “typical Jewish mother,” Kate is overbearing in executing her multiple responsibilities and exhibits very little happiness.  

It should be noted that the character of Eugene serves as the narrator, breaking the fourth wall throughout the play to explain the action, and Alda moves seamlessly in and out of the action.  He complains to the audience that his family doesn’t think he’s funny.  He is also in love with a girl who is engaged to a guy going to Harvard, but he’s determined to win her over.  

Now, in the meantime, the brothers have their sites set on becoming comedy writers for radio and maybe eventually even television.  Stanley comes charging in overwhelmed with excitement and announces that he and his brother have a script-writing job at CBS.  As it turns out, it’s not a job, but just an opportunity to come up with a sketch by the morning – kind of like an audition. One of the funniest scenes is when the brothers try to come up with a sketch idea. Running back and forth between their bedrooms on the second floor of the set, ideas are tossed around with Stanley becoming more and more frustrated as Eugene can’t seem to focus. He wants to take a train into the city to visit the girl with whom he is in love.

Jack, effectively played by Michael Mantell, is Kate’s husband and it is clear that there is no love or affection between them. He has been a cutter in the garment industry for the past 33 years, and at this point in time he is very distant and says he is emotionally exhausted.  She is angry and pushes him to confess that he’s had an affair.  Heartbroken, Kate says, “How could I hate you so much after loving you all these years.”

That confrontational moment is a heartbreak, which is why Simon’s writing falls under a dramedy, as it is a combination of laughter and tears as the layers of this family dynamic are slowly pealed back. The boys find out about their father and for a good portion of the proceedings, Jack and Kate live together but do not speak to each other. They refer to each other in the third person, “Ask him if he is going be home for dinner,” or “Ask your mother if….”

Meanwhile, the boys have finally gotten one of their sketches to air on the “Chubby Waters Show,” and the family gathers around the radio to hear it for the first time.  Eugene and Stanley are very excited. Chubby makes a few remarks to which Ben reacts, “In Russia he’d be shot by now.” Finally the sketch comes on with some very funny one-liners such as, “My family doesn’t say hello to my family.” At the end of the sketch, a gloomy silence fills the living room. The boys are looking for some acknowledgment.  Ben says, “If I don’t hate it, it’s not bad.” Kate is quiet as is her husband who feels betrayed because it’s clear to him that the sketch is about their family. She is embarrassed for the neighbors who she told to listen to the broadcast. The boys insist that it’s not about them, but it’s about a generic Jewish family.  

Kate has two special theatrically magical moments. One is her intimate conversation with her unseen mother, which is quite revealing as she tries to hold back the truth about her marriage, which is slowly splintering. The other, both a compelling and charming moment, is when she drops her austere façade and tells Eugene about the time she danced with George Raft. Her mesmerizing recall of that life-changing incident, coupled with the graceful slow dance she does with Eugene, is truly one of the most beautiful scenes in the play.

This is not a totally happy ever after story, as some issues can’t be resolved between Jack and Kate. There is a tender scene between Jack and Ben with Jack trying to justify his decision. Miller’s heartfelt Ben is like the unofficial court jester who tries to soften the world around him with his sardonic humor and underneath it all, his warm heart.

Eventually, Eugene and Stanley get their big break and are hired by CBS to write for the “Phil Silvers Show,” at which point they decide to move into the city. Kate reminds them, as only a Jewish mother could, “If I don’t get grandchildren, what did I need children for?”  And that, my friends, sums up the cockeyed world of the Jerome family.

Odyssey Theatre

2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90025

Run: Fridays & Saturdays 8 pm  

    Sundays 2 pm  

    Wednesdays Aug. 20 & Sept. 10 – 8 pm

    Thursdays Aug. 14, Sept. 4 & 
    Sept. 18 – 8 pm

Closing:  Sunday, Sept. 21, 2014

Reservations:  310.477.2055, Ext. 2

Tickets: $30

odysseytheatre.com

in News
<>Related Posts

GMCLA Begins 46th Season with Candy-Themed Wonderland

December 6, 2024

December 6, 2024

SugarPlum Fairies Slated for Mid-December By Susan Payne Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles is bringing candy-coated goodness to its...

Pacific Park’s Famous Pacific Wheel Just Got a Fun (and Educational) New Upgrade

December 6, 2024

December 6, 2024

Riding the Ferris wheel at Pacific Park just got even more enjoyable. Now, along with the incredible views of the...

Winston House, a Signature Music Venue and Restaurant of Venice Beach, to Close After Three Years

December 6, 2024

December 6, 2024

Through the Years, a Multitude of Influential Artists Have Collaborated With the Venue Including Billie Eilish and Chappell Roan By...

Film Review: Gladiator II

December 5, 2024

December 5, 2024

FILM/ REVIEWGLADIATOR IIRated PG013148 MinutesReleased November 22nd  Gladiator II is a beautifully made classic epic. Legendary director Ridley Scott did...

Santa Monica Launches Microgrants for Cannabis Equity Discussions

December 5, 2024

December 5, 2024

The Microgrants Can Be Used to Cover Expenses Such as Childcare, Food, Interpretation Services, or Hiring a Notetaker Santa Monica...

Santa Monica’s 31st Annual Candy Cane Drive Brings Santa to Neighborhood Parks

December 5, 2024

December 5, 2024

Police Officers and Firefighters Lead Santa Claus on a Festive Tour Across the City  Santa Claus will soon spread holiday...

(Video) Safely Home Again Finds Care For Those Returning From Hospitals or Rehabilitation

December 5, 2024

December 5, 2024

Go To SafelyHomeAgain.com For More Information Go To https://t.co/R5DlsvlgkZ For More Information pic.twitter.com/2zGu1o7eZE — Santa Monica Mirror (@SMMirror) December 5,...

Chef Caroline Schiff Brings Exclusive Playful Pop-Up to Santa Monica

December 5, 2024

December 5, 2024

James Beard Finalist Offers a Preview of Her Upcoming Diner Concept Chef and James Beard finalist Caroline Schiff is bringing...

Five Santa Monica Restaurants Make LA Times’ 101 Best Restaurants in LA

December 4, 2024

December 4, 2024

The List Showcases the City’s Culinary Diversity and Excellence Five standout Santa Monica eateries have earned spots on the Los...

Feedback Sought for Santa Monica’s Height Limits for Fences, Walls, and Hedges in Multifamily Zones

December 4, 2024

December 4, 2024

A Draft of the Proposed Ordinance, Along With a Summary of Community Feedback, Will Be Presented to the Planning Commission...

Celebrate the Holidays in Style at Regent Santa Monica Beach At Chef Michael Mina’s Orla

December 4, 2024

December 4, 2024

Enjoy Brunch With Santa and a Mediterranean-inspired Christmas Dinner at Orla Celebrate the 2024 holiday season at the Regent Santa...

Raw Farm Sales Suspended, All Products Recalled, LA Public Health Issues Warning

December 4, 2024

December 4, 2024

Multiple Detections of Bird Flu at Facility Cause Statewide Recall of All Products The Los Angeles County Department of Public...

(Video) Check Out The Freshly-Revamped Santa Monica Hotel

December 4, 2024

December 4, 2024

More Info at SantaMonicaHotel.com More Info at https://t.co/3FBWFb9C5X pic.twitter.com/7ZgWiZh9dK — Santa Monica Mirror (@SMMirror) December 4, 2024

Watermark Communities Create Colorful, Enriched Lives

December 4, 2024

December 4, 2024

Every day, an assisted living facility in Beverly Hills, tucked into a charming neighborhood, celebrates the power of the human...

Linus Bike to Shutter Venice Storefront After 18 Years

December 4, 2024

December 4, 2024

Founded in 2007 in Venice by Adam McDermott and Chad Kushner, Linus Has Blossomed Into an International Brand By Zach...