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A CurtainUp Los Angeles Review
One Way Ticket to Hell
Made into a "B" movie three times, under its own title and (my personal favorite) Teen-Age Devil Dolls, the apparently perennially fascinating subject of a beautiful teen-age girl's descent into drug addiction, crime and prison is now a musical, receiving its world premiere at the Strasberg Center on Marilyn Monroe's birthday.
When The Cherry Orchard became the final production of The Evidence Room, life seemed to imitate art. The only moment in which this production seems to shadow Monroe's unhappy life is during its poignant first number, "Only Three Times A Day", in which the heroine Cassandra Leigh sings that she's unhappy only three times a day: morning, noon and night. This touching ballad is the only number that catches the sad sensitivity of a teen-age girl who's unhappy, rightly or wrongly, for all the usual reasons. From then on One Way" takes the satire route, reprising lines and scenes from famous movies, such as "What a dump!"quot; and Jimmy Cagney's demise in a hail of bullets. They were more tragic than funny then. They're neither now, though many audience members laughed.
The time is 1959-1961 and the characters are deliberately written as stereotypes: the sexually abusive stepfather, the mean and jealous Mom, the nerdy boyfriend who swears he's not gay (NOT!), the hot Chicano boyfriend Chico who introduces Cassandra to drugs, the trench-coated detective. Cassandra is referred to as a "Diva of Delinquency." The music by Robert Cioffi with book and lyrics by Drew Taylor is also deliberately evocative of other tunes and times. It's a solid bouncy upbeat score whose highlight is the touching poignance of the first ballad.
Intended as a cautionary tale to warn teens off drugs, the show retains the non-redemptive, one-note message hammering away beneath the bright colors and the youthful dance music.
The problem with a production whose genre is satire and its characters are stereotypical is that, since it eschews the humanity, you're left to find the interest and humor in the subject matter -- but never do. Neither funny nor sad, One Way is mostly animated and loud.
The fine cast, headed by the dynamite singing and performing of Kristen Howe as Cassandra, the sharp direction of Richard Hochberg and the colorful production values are all well worth seeing. Unfortunately the show goes only one way, and that's basically nowhere.
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ONE WAY TICKET TO HELL Book & Lyrics: Drew Taylor. Music: Robert Cioffi. Based on the film by Bamlet Laurence Price, Jr. Director: Richard Hochberg Choreography: Josh Prince Cast: Kristen Howe (Cassandra Leigh), Erin Stoddard (Cindy), Ron Nummi (Lt. David Jason), P. J. Griffit (Russell/Sven), Barbara Passolt (Mother/Warden), Joe Settineri (Johnnie), Jack Harding (Stepfather), DT Matias (Chico). Set Design: Jo WIniarski Lighting Design: Jose Lopez Costume Design: Shon LeBlanc Wigs: Diane Martinous Sound Design/Music Production: Robert H. Robertson Orchestrations/Additional Arrangements: Ed Goldschneider Musical Consultant/Vocal Arranger: AJ Robb Graphic Artist: Scott Fowler, Acting Out Design Running Time: Two hours, one intermission Running Dates: June 1-August 6, 2006 Where:. Marilyn Monroe Theatre, Lee Strasberg Creative Center, 7936 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, Reservations: 866-811-4111. Reviewed by Laura Hitchcock on June 4, 2006. |
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