2007 IN THE REARVIEW

A 'Quality' premiere and revival of 'Dear'
Are among the year's stand-outs

The number of quality productions attended by Theatertimes in 2007 was higher than usual, which made the 'Rearview' recognition process both easier and more enjoyable.

These personal citations of appreciation are intended to be made each January for the just-concluded year and are based the opinion of Theatertimes' lone critic. They may salute a landmark production that is seen as historic or simply note an individual achievement, even if it came in an otherwise forgettable production.

Theatertimes Rearview Trophy

The Geffen Playhouse premiere of The Quality of Life by Jane Anderson was not only my favorite new play experience of the calendar year but also one of the favorite productions period. It also was part of a rare bit of theater world serendipity, when, the day after attending a matinee of Quality I headed to South Coast Repertory for Donald Margulies' Shipwrecked. It was Margulies who took the seats in front of me and April Hong, who'd joined me to see Melody Butui, her co-star in The Jenny Chow. After saying hello and introducing April, daughter of the legendary James Hong, and before I could get around to telling him about the great play I'd seen the previous day, he introduced his guest, Jane Anderson.

Among the other highlights of the busy year were Daniel Aukin's staging of Elmer Rice's 'The Adding Machine', a production that would be atop a best of list any year, and the dreamy Noise Within revival of 'Dear Brutus', directed by J.R. Elliott and featuring many of ANW's company. The same for Ed Begley revival of his own musical about Cesar Chavez and , Cesar & Ramon, with outstanding lead performances by Danny Bolero and Crissy Guerrero.

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PREMIERE: 'THE QUALITY OF LIFE'
by Jane Anderson | Geffen Playhouse

REVIVIAL: 'DEAR BRUTUS'
by J.M. Barrie | A Noise Within

MUSICAL: CESAR & RUBEN
Ed Begley Jr. | NOHO Variety Arts Center

DIRECTOR: DANIEL AUKIN
The Adding Machine | La Jolla Playhouse

FEMALE LEAD: MEGAN GALLAGHER
The Constant Wife | Pasadena Playhouse

MALE LEAD: HOON LI
Yellow Face | Mark Taper Forum

FEATURED FEMALE: MELODY BUTUI
Shipwrecked | South Coast Repertory / Geffen Playhouse

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FEATURED MALE: MITCHELL EDMONDS
Waiting for Godot | A Noise Within

SET DESIGN: RALPH FUNICELLO
Restoration Comedy | Old Globe Theatre

SOUND DESIGN: ANDY MILTON
Assassins | Sight Unseen Theatre Company

COSTUME DESIGN: KIM DeSHAZOK
Calling Aphrodite | International City Theatre

LIGHTING DESIGN: CHRIS COVICS
Don't Look Now | Unknown Theatre

ENSEMBLE: ANTAEUS THEATRE
Tonight at 8:30 / part I and II

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2007 REVIEWS

13 / Mark Taper Forum

A Picasso /   Geffen Playhouse

The Adding Machine /  La Jolla Playhouse

And Neither Have I Wings to Fly /   Road Theatre Company

Art / Laguna Playhouse

Assassins /  Sight Unseen Theatre

Atlanta, the musical /   Geffen Playhouse

Attempts on her Life /    Unknown Theatre

Avenue Q /  Ahmanson Playhouse

Calling Aphrodite /  International City Theatre

Can-Can /  Pasadena Playhouse

Carmen /  La Jolla Playhouse

A Catered Affair /  The Old Globe

Cesar & Ruben /  NoHo Arts Center

The Constant Wife /  Pasadena Playhouse

Cry-Baby /   La Jolla Playhouse

Cuttin' Up / Pasadena Playhouse

Dawn's Light: The Journey of Gordon Hirabayashi
/  East West Players

Dear Brutus /  A Noise Within

The Deception /  La Jolla Playhouse

Defiance /   Pasadena Playhouse

Distracted /  Mark Taper Forum

Dogeaters /  Kirk Douglas Theatre

Don't Look Now /  Unknown Theater

Durango /  East West Players

Fat Pig /  Geffen Playhouse

The Four of Us /  Old Globe Theatre

Greater Tuna /  La Mirada Theatre

Hank Williams: Lost Highway /  Laguna Playhouse

Hay Fever /  Old Globe Theatre

The Idiot Box /  Open Fist Theatre

Jamaica, Farewell / Whitefire Theatre

The Jersey Boys /  Ahmanson Theatre

Kiss Me Kate /  South Bay Civic Light Opera

A Little Night Music /  South Coast Repertory

Macbeth /  Open Fist Theatre

The Man of La Mancha /   A Noise Within

The Marvellous Wonderettes /  El Portal

The Master of the House /   Laguna Playhouse

Matter of Honor /  Pasadena Playhouse

My Wandering Boy /  South Coast Repertory

Oscar and the Pink Lady /  The Old Globe

Pacific Playwrights Festival /  South Coast Repertory

The Piano Teacher /  South Coast Repertory

Pig Farm /  South Coast Repertory

Pterodactyls /  Athena Theatre Company

The Pursuit of Happiness /   Laguna Playhouse

The Quality of Life /  Geffen Playhouse

Ray Charles Live! /  Pasadena Playhouse

Restoration Comedy /  Old Globe Theatre

Speed-the-Plow /  Geffen Playhouse

Swimming to the Moon /  arts/works Theatre

System Wonderland /  South Coast Repertory

Third /  Geffen Playhouse

Tonight at 8:30 / part one /  Antaeus Theatre Company

Tonight at 8:30 / part two /  Antaeus Theatre Company

Twelve Angry Men /  Ahmanson Theatre

The Verdi Girls /  Laguna Playhouse

Waiting for Godot /  A Noise Within

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? /  Ahmanson Theatre

The Winter's Tale /  A Noise Within

The Women of Lockerbie /  Actors’ Gang

Yellow Face /  Mark Taper Forum

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