Saturday, September 27, 2014

Theatre 40's "Affluence" Is A Rich Treat... Pasadena Playhouse Presents "Kiss Me Kate"!

 
 
 
 
 


 
Tss tss... This poor millionaire family is having a hard time making ends meet...  The pill popping addict wife (played by Rhonda Lord whose character deserves a bitch of the century award) has mired the family in scandal and the settlement will only help to deplete the family fortune.  What's to be done?  "Affluence" is a great new dark comedy at Theatre 40 in Beverly Hills featuring a solid cast and a compelling fresh & original storyline.  It is well directed by Larry Eisenberg and written by Steve Peterson who won the 2013 Julie Harris Award for playwriting.  The plot takes place during the holiday season - this family is faced with more than your average holiday anxieties!  The cool comfortable set was designed by Jeff G. Kech.  Have yourself a very scary little pre holiday season & see this play before it closes on October 20th.  For more information visit www.theatre40.org    HH

 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 

Saturday, September 20, 2014

The must see Meet & Greet has been extended!

Great News... The great "Meet & Greet" has been extended to October 19th at the The Asylum Elephant Space in Hollywood!  This hilarious must see show is directed  by the talented Stan Zimmerman & features an excellent cast: Teresa Ganzel, Carolyn Hennesy, Vicki Lewis, Daniele Gaither & Brendon Robinson. If you're looking for a good laugh "Meet & Greet"  written by Zimmerman & Christine McLaughlin is the show to see!  Four extreme opposite divas collide in a meet & greet for a network TV pilot...  they're all up for the same part...   all hell breaks out!  For more information about this fast moving 80 minute play visit www.theatreasylum-la.com  Enjoy!  HH  (photo by Billy Bennight)


Quebec's "The Lost Fingers"...  Photo by Charles Mercier

I feel fortunate to have been at the Los Angeles debut of the French Canadian gypsy jazz group "The Los Fingers" at Theatre Raymond Kabbaz on Pico last nite! What a great upbeat evening and a terrific Socal debut!  The talented Juno nominated group consists of beautiful lead singer Valerie Amyot and top notch musicians Alex Morissette, Francois Rioux & Byron "Maiden" Mikaloff.  Ms. Amyot's smooth strong vocals coupled with her charming presence (yes she wore that gold gown she's wearing in the photo above!) were a delite.  As an added treat joining them for last nite's  sold out show was Grammy winner John Jorgenson.  Songs like Black Betty, I Just Died In Your Arms Tonite, Pump Up The Jam, Billie Jean, Get Lucky, Black Velvet, Fresh & You Shook Me All Nite Long had the audience up on their feet throughout the show dancing, clapping & singing.   Theatre Raymond Kabbaz located at 10361 W. Pico is a charming venue specializing in French entertainment.  The great reception before the show was catered by Westwood's Soleil. Visit www.theatreraymondkabbaz.com for more information on their upcoming shows & events.  HH

Monday, September 15, 2014

Elephant: Forget Me Not! Opening Reception


























The beautiful "Elephant: Forget Me Not!" exhibit opened recently at the National Museum of Animals & Society and will be on view until November 30th.  The museum is located at 4302 Melrose a few blocks west of Vermont.  The family friendly opening nite reception was co-hosted by singer/actress/animal activist Kat Kramer and included young animal advocates Genesis Pallacio & Sophia Brister.  Guests enjoyed delicious vegeterian food and tasty drinks courtesy of  Brit-Tanya Bartending.  The fine exhibit is curated by Lindsay Morgan known for "I Left My Heart In Kenya".  It illustrates the majesty & beauty of the elephant by looking at the unique behavorial characteristics elephants possess, their presence, their history, and the issues that the magical species is currently facing today.  This is a must see for animal lovers.  Beautiful photography courtesy of Sarah Jane Hardt & Billy Bennight.














Saturday, September 6, 2014

Kat Kramer Rocks It In "My Duet With Mick"!

What a fun nite last nite...  Kat Kramer was excellent in her 1 woman showcase of "My Duet With Mick" with musical director Shelly Markham @ The Los Angeles Women's Theater Festival at The  "Ivy Substation".  The "Ivy"  is a very cool venue and home of Tim Robbin's Actor' Gang in downtown Culver City.  Last nite's program was called "Of Culture, Of Self" and was presented in 4 acts -  4 talented & diverrse ladies' perspectives on womanhood. 


"My Duet with Mick"'s Kat Kramer (second from right) with friends & colleagues...  left to right: Steven Roche, Saryan Idan ("Homeless in the Homeland"), Paul Belsito, Brynn Cannon, Harrison Held & far right Ada Luz Pla ("Tacing My Lineage - A Story of a Puerto Rican Spitfire") Photo by Bob Delgadillo
 
 
"My Duet with Mick" is a colorful original one-woman-musical-solo-show that follows Kat's journey down "Rolling Stones Road" to meet the great and all powerful "Sir Mick of Jagger".  Along the musical way Kat meets some very unique characters and has important self realizations & discoveries.  Kat showcased 30 very enjoyable minutes of her 60 minute show which she plans to tour on stage in the near future and develop into other mediums.  "I hope that "My Duet with Mick" touches a chord in all humans about reaching for a goal against all obstacles, and simply believing in dreams!"  she says.
 
The show cleverly mixes classic rock with musical theatre...  "I have to say that the concept, story and characters came to me as a "vision" and everything kind of fell in place once I decided to do a solo piece about my journey to get Sir Mich Jagger to sing a duet with me.  I recorded an album called "Gemstone - Kat Kramer Sings Mick Jagger" and when it's released the proceeds will go to music education".  Kat adds "My Godmother is Katharine Hepburn and Auntie Kate in the show is an important character and represents my alter ego.  She is also based on Auntie Em.  Rubie Tuesday is a Hippie Chick/Groupie version of Glinda The Good Witch.  Ruby is the Guardian of Gemstone City and she is the gatekeeper for the elusive Sir Mick of Jagger!" 
 
"There will be two more key characters introduced in the entire show...  I am also very influenced by early Lily Tomlin on her variety television specials as well as Bette Midler.  Shelly Goldstein wrote the brilliant parodies "Part of Their World" which I debuted last nite and "Katharine With An 'A' which is a parody of "Liza With A 'Z'".  Adds Kat "I want to play Palm Springs and eventually open in Los Angeles as well as my goal to take it to New York!" 
 
 
"Following in the footsteps of Lily Tomlin in "Appearing Nitely" & "The Search For Intelligent Life In the Universe" written for Lily by Jane Wagner, as well as Billy Crystal's "700 Sundays" and the recent "Buyer and Cellar" my show is part autobiographical/part fantasy and parodies such classics as "The Wizard of Oz", "Peter Pan" & "Alice In Wonderland."
 
 
 
Kat Kramer rehearsing at the Debbie Reynolds Studio
 
 "I would love to play the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Center in Conneticut (of which I'm the West Coast Representative) as well as the Mick Jagger Center in London!  I am on the Governing Board of the Los Angeles Theatre Festival and I am working to expand their educational outreach, plus have some great ideas for the up-coming LAWFTR in March 2015!  It is a very exciting time!"
 
"My choreographer is Kay Cole.  She staged the show and we worked on dance moves.... She was the original Maggie in "A Chorus Line" on Broadway.  "My Duet with Mick" was inspired by the hit indie film "My Date with Drew" and has been a while in the making.   I'm looking forward to a long run with it!"

Kat is joined by Will & Grace's Shelley Morrison, photo by Bob Delgadillo
 
 

Kat with Andrea Marcovicci, photo by Bob Delgadillo
 
 
 

Kat Kramer gets her "Jagger" on in "My Duet with Mick" Photo by Bob Delgadillo