PODCAST: Stages of Our City: Episode 21: CA State Senator Anthony Portantino

Produced by Julia Stier

In Issue 21, California State Senator Anthony Portantino, (D) 25th District, discusses why he authored State Senate Bill 1116, the latest legislative attempt to aid small args orgs in the wake of the pandemic and AB5, and he hopes to “get it across the finish line.”

Issue 20 returns to the Ahmanson for Julia Stier’s take on “Dear Evan Hansen”; coverage of two theaters on Melrose Avenue — Amanda L. Andrei saw the SheLA Festival at the Zephyr, while Steven Leigh Morris saw “The Beautiful People” produced by Rogue Machine at the Matrix; Julia was at the opening of “Freestyle Love Supreme” at the Pasadena Playhouse, and also caught a Fringe Festival exended show “Di Lady Di” at the Broadwater (which continues at the Broadwater July 22-23).

In Issue 19, Socks Whitmore takes a deep dive into the waters of “Dear Even Hansen” (currently at the Ahmanson), and the polarized reactions to the Broadway musical as well as the feature film. They also look back on “To T or Not to T” at the Kirk Douglas.

In Part 2 of Episode 18, Joseph and Dana review “Pain in My Aspergers,” “What About Dad?” “Vincero: The Italian Opera Experience,” “Toughest Man in Chicago,” “Cassandra,” “My Names is Thileepan,” and “The Great Satan Speaks”

In Part 1 of Episode 18, Inger and Socks review “Dead Skin (A Queer Australian Play)”, “Thom Pain (Based on Nothing)” “Battle Song of Boudica,” “Your Own Crown,” “Something in the Air” and “Mr. Malcolm’s Music Factory”

Correction to Part 1: “Battle Song of Boudica” was written, directed and had a production design by Christopher William Johnson, not by Jen Albert as stated in the podcast.

In Part 2 of Episode 17, Inger, Taylor and Dana review the following shows: “Shoobop-Dubay-Had,” “The Pale Gypsies Traveling Musical Revue,” “Tree,” “Noor Inayat Khan: The Forgotten Spy,” “Teaching a Robot to Love”, “Mr Chonkers,” “Steps of Glory,” and “Abortion Weekend”

In Part 1 of Episode 17, Socks, Julia and Steven review: “asexuality, the solo musical!”, “Who’s Afraid of David Lynch?”, “Dismissed,” “Grief: A One Man ShitShow,” “Tales of the Transcestors,” “Housewife ’52,” “Sunday Night at Jane’s,” “4 Seasons Total Sh!tshow” and more

In Pat 2 of Episode 16, Dana and Julyza talk about “The Ramón Show: Spirtual Cheerleading,” “Tommy Cooper, I didn’t Let You Down Did I?,” “Signals,” “Dog,” “Hot Stuff,” “Noone Will Be Immune,” “Not That Illegal,” and “Made in America”

In Part 1 of Epiosde 16, Socks and Joseph Discuss the following Fringe shows: “A Dream at the End of Time,” The Bearer of Bad News,” “Buskers Ball,” “Love Chicken,” “The Legend of D.C. Colorado,” “Authentic Self,” “Becoming Austin Nation,” and “Flamencodanza”

In Episode 15, Socks and Amanda talk about “Man of God” (Geffen Playhouse), “Hamlet” (Antaeus) and Taper-bound “King James,” which Amanda saw at Steppenwolf in Chicago.

In Episode 14, Inger, Terry and Steven go back-and-forth on “King Lear” at the Wallis, “Tambo & Bones” at the Kirk Douglas, and “Mama, Mama, Can’t You See” (Coin & Ghost)

In Episode 13, Julyza and Dana discuss “Hadestown” at the Ahmanson, “Live at the Purple Lounge” (about female standups at the Beverly Hills Playhouse), and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” (Geffen)

In Episode 12: Julia Socks and Steven discuss “Hadestown” at the Ahmanson; “Blues for an Alabama Sky (just closed at the Taper), “A Death Defying Escape” at the Hudson; “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” at the Geffen; “Bright Half Life” at the Road; and “Three Tables (Padua Playwrights at the Zephyr)

In Episode 11, comedian, Tony Award-winning and Drama Desk Award recipient Paul Sand — now entering his 10th decade in life — has written a play (“The Pilot Who Crashed the Party”) and is directing a workshop production at the Odyssey Theatre, April 29-May 1 only! He discusses the play with Steven Leigh Morris, and how the theater and TV have changed since he appeared on The Mary Tyler Moore show in the 1970s.

In Episode 10, Katie, Joseph and Steven Leigh Morris discuss: L.A. productions of “A Heated Discussion” (Robey Theatre Company), “The Unsackable Man” (Zombie Joe’s Underground), “A Doll’s House, Part 2” (International City Theatre), AND, out of town, Lady Gaga at the Dolby Theatre/MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and “A Strange Loop” (Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Washington D.C., now on Broadway)

In Episode 9, Inger and Martin discuss Blues for an Alabama Sky (Mark Taper Forum), a workshop production of a new musical, Stalled (Pacific Resident Theatre), The Play You Want (Road Theatre Company), On the Other Hand, We’re Happy (Rogue Machine), The Concrete Jungle (Loft Ensemble) and L.A. Now and Then (Group Rep)

Note: The podcast reportage on On the Other Hand, We’re Happy at Rogue Machine claims that the show has closed. However, it’s has been extended through May 8. 

In Episode 8, Amanda and Julyza on Blues for an Alabama Sky (Mark Taper Forum)  In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play (Open Fist Theatre), On the Other Hand, We’re Happy (Rogue Machine), Hooded, or Being Black for Dummies (Echo Theater Company), Bridging the Gap (Black Creators Collaborative), and Bangin’ It (La Jolla Playhouse)

In Episode 7, Dana and V discuss  In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play (Open Fist Theatre), Can’t Pay? Don’t Pay! (The Actors’ Gang), The Path to Catherine (Write Act Rep), The Queen’s Ball: A Bridgerton Experience (Biltmore Millennium), Trayf (Geffen Playhouse), Death to Realism (Tyler Nacho)

In Episode 6, Julia and Iris discuss “Ann” (Pasadena Playhouse), “The Lehman Trilogy” (Ahmanson), “Silent Sky” (Theatre 40), “At Jenna Fischer” (Hyperion Theatre,” “On the Other Hand, We’re Happy” (Rogue Machine), plus SLM on “Can’t Pay? Don’t Pay! at Actors’ Gang.

In Episode 5, Martin and Terry discuss “Detained” “Endgame,” “The Play You Want,” “Little Parts,” “In the Next Room,” and Steven comments on “The Hall of Final Ruin.”

In Epiode 4, Socks, Joseph and Steven discuss Caligari’s Cabinet of Curiosities, Bronwell and the Brontes, A Little Night Music, Jonathan Livingston Seagull,and more . . .

In Episode 3, Ryan and Dana discuss “Abbale,” “Cages,” “What I Learned in Paris,” and more . . .

In Episode 2, Inger and Julia discuss All’s Well That Ends Well at A Noise Within, Slave Play at the Taper, and more . . .

In Episode 1, Julyza Commodore and Terry Morgan discuss Slave Play at the Mark Taper Forum; Umoja, Black Creators Collective at the Will Agee Playhouse (Inglewood); Power of Sail at the Geffen Playhouse; and How We Got On at Sacred Fools Theatre