Streaming Spotlight by Cindy Summers
Ambulance – Amazon Originals

Will Sharp (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) was desperately struggling with insurance companies to get his wife a much needed cancer surgery while struggling in his own life to find a job to support his family. When Will was young he was taken in by the Sharp family and was very close with his brother Danny (Jake Gyllenhaal), though they chose very different paths growing up. Will became a Marine, while Danny grew wealthy following the family business of robbing banks. Though their relationship became strained in the past, Will turned to Danny to borrow over $200,000 to cover an experimental surgery for his wife which she needed but was not covered by insurance.

Though Danny had been involved in illegal activities in the past, WIll had thought he was on the right path but walked right into Danny’s current plan to rob a bank of $32 million which he offered Will part of if he would join them on the bank robbery. Though Danny had gotten Will involved in things in the past, he always made sure nothing happened to Will and said that he needed Will to pull off this job that he had planned way in advance and had a team assembled and waiting.

Meanwhile Paramedic Camille “Cam” Thompson (Eiza Gonzalez) was training her new partner Scott (Colin Woodell) on his first day on the job, and LAPD Officers Zach (Jackson White) and Mark (Cedric Sanders) cruised the streets small talking about Zach’s interest in a woman that worked at the federal bank. Little did any of them know that all their lives were about to intersect.

Will agreed and the team drove to the bank while Officers Zach and Mark had arrived at the bank for Zach to ask the bank teller out on a date. At the same time, a SIS Undercover Team lead by Captain Monroe (Garret Dillahunt) had actually had Danny and his team under surveillance outside the bank. They didn’t recognize Danny’s crew going in due to the fact that at the last minute they changed their getaway vehicle from a Mercedes Benz to the service truck, but they thought the truck looked suspicious and assumed the heist was still going down.

Police and SWAT teams surrounded the bank while Danny and Will with Officer Zach tried to exit from the basement. Office Zach grabbed Danny and tried to wrestle his gun away from him and Will shot him to defend Danny. Cam and Scott were just down the street eating lunch when they heard the shots and then the radio call to respond to the bank.

Cam and Scott responded to the officer shot call in the basement and loaded Zach in the ambulance and headed for the hospital. Before they got out of the basement, Danny stopped the ambulance, pulled Scott out and Will took his jacket to pose as the driver while Danny rode in the back. They were stopped exiting but Cam helped them with their cover and escaped the bank.

Followed by LAPD helicopters, the chase led them all though the streets of LA as dozens of police vehicles were completely destroyed. It seemed Danny’s only hope was to reach out to Papi (A Martinez) who worked with Danny’s dad to aid their escape, though someone else from his past, FBI Special Agent Anson Clark (Keir O’Donnell) joined the pursuit and was closing in having studied Danny’s prior 37 robberies as well as those of is bank robbing father.

Rated: R
Runtime: 2h 16m

Streaming Spotlight by Cindy Summers
Inside the Mind of a Cat – Netflix Documentary

“Inside the Mind of a Cat” solves some mysteries about cats, decodes their crazy antics and deciphers their hidden language. Experts from various fields related to cats share some interesting and incredible facts about cats including that they can over 30mph and jump up to 5-6 times their height, which would be like a human jumping over a giraffe. They also have more vertebrae than most mammals with special elastic cushions between them, making their spines incredibly flexible and helping them to be the fastest animal on land.

As one expert, Dr. Bruce Kornriech, Director Cornell Feline Health Center and “Cat Physiologist shared if one were asked to engineer the perfect land predator in terms of physical traits, behavior, and perception, it’s hard to imagine one better that the cat. The scientific name for the domestic cat is Felis catus derived from the African wildcat. Today they number approximately 400 millions Felis catus worldwide, making them one fo the ten most successful mammals to ever walk the earth. In 10,000 their genetics have changed very little, so your basically living with a wild animal in your home.

Dr. Kristyn Vitale is an Associate Professor at Unity College and a “Cat Psychologist” who has done a tremendous amount of study around cat behaviors and the mysteries of the feline mind. She’s proven cat’s do know their names, their owners and understand the issue of non-permanence. Her research took her to Japan where in 2017 cats outnumbered dogs as pets and now 9 million cats live in Japan where top cat scientist Dr. Saho Takagi does cat research at Azabu University. Though some behavioral traits were identical, a few things were different between the cats in the US and those that lived in Japan due to the fact that the cats in Japan are primarily indoors and have limited exposure to the world outside.

A stand out group was the Savitsky Cats from Ukraine that did an amazing cat stunt show on America’s Got Talent and even made it to the finals. Jumping through hoops, scaling tightropes, rolling barrels, balancing on balls. Owners Maryna and her mother Svitlana shared that though cats have their attitudes, you can teach a cat to do anything. The main thing in their training is that they have to do what works for the cat, not what works for people, and to be very patient. The Savitsky’s don’t force their cats to do their amazing stunts, they let each cat’s potential reveal itself.

They have recently discovered archaeological remains of a cat with a human dating back to 8,000 B.C. which would indicate that humans and cats have been together for over 10,000 years. The streets of the city of Istanbul are home to more than 100,000 community cats that are perfectly suited to an urban lifestyle. The cats that live there belong to their neighborhoods, not owned by a specific person, and people provide for the infrastructure and their basic needs, though they do not belong to anyone specifically. In 2021 Istanbul introduced new laws protecting their cats with some of the most progressive legislation in the world.

Whether you are a cat lover with a cat, considering getting a cat as a pet or just curious to learn more about cats, this well-produced documentary can share all you would like to know and more about these furry feline friends.

Rated: TV-PG
Runtime: 1h 7m

Streaming Spotlight by Cindy Summers
A League of Their Own – Amazon Original Series

“A League of Their Own” highlights an actual time in history during the mid 1940’s when women played professional baseball while the men were away fighting in World War II. Scouts scoured the country for talent and looks, and tryouts were held in Chicago in 1945. The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was the brilliant idea of Morris Baker, famous at the time for his candy bar company, which sponsored the league of four teams: the South Bend Blue Sox, the Racine Belles, the Kenosha Comets, and the Rockford Peaches.

Each team had a home they shared in their team’s hometown, which was monitored by an assigned chaperone and where they were taught how the league wished them to appear in public. “Beauty lessons” were from Vivienne Hughes, who explained that their conformity was the price of freedom in a man’s world. They were required to wear makeup in public, not allowed to wear pants outside the house (or be fined) and all dates had to be accompanied by the chaperone.

The series focuses mainly on players from the Rockford Peaches, coached by a previous major league pitcher named Casey “Dove” Porter (Nick Offerman). Carson Shaw (Abbi Jacobson) played catcher and was married with her husband off at war. Greta Gill (D’Arcy Carden) played first base and was quite charming, beautiful and single. Jo DeLuca (Melanie Field) was the team’s best hitter and had been best friends with Greta since they were children. Lupe García (Roberta Colindrez) who was the team’s pitcher referred to as the “Spanish Striker”. Jess McCready (Kelly McCormack) was a very competitive Canadian player constantly fined for wearing pants in public.

Another aspect of the series focused on a young talented black pitcher named Maxine “Max” Chapman who was denied trying out due to racial issues so was trying to get a shot with the male dominated Negro League. Clance Morgan,(Gbemisola Ikumelo) was Max’s very supportive best friend and a comic book artist trying to make a profession from her hobby. Max had been trying to get on the local factory team the “Screws” but didn’t initially have a job at the factory so wasn’t allowed to play. The factory was only hiring men, so Max applied as “Max” and got a job, but unfortunately blew her shot when her nerves got the best of her at practice.

Though Carson was married, she found herself attracted to Greta’s charm and charisma. Greta seemed as though she had some experience at intimacy with women, but also was quite stunning and liked the attention men showed her on and off the field. The two had a rendezvous, which confirmed Greta’s suspicions regarding Carson’s attraction to her, but confused Carson as she had never been with anyone other than her husband. There was also the danger of getting caught in a time where gays and lesbians were considered sexual deviants and persecuted by society.

Coach Porter ended up abruptly leaving the team, so the chaperone assigned Carson to coach the Peaches. Carson didn’t look at herself as a leader and did not want to coach, which caused a problem with Lupe as she felt she should coach the team. After losing several games, the league decided that to boost ratings they would take the best players from the Peaches and move them to the top two teams. The Peaches made some changes and made a comeback winning all the rest of their games in the season sending them to the playoffs against the Blue Sox.

“A League of Their Own” series has a great cast, costuming and sets and shares much more about social issues of the time and things off the field than the 1992 movie with the same name.

Runtime: 8 – 1hr Episodes

by Shirley Lorraine

Family Upset Looms in Uncle Vanya

Ah, Uncle Vanya. Considered one of Anton Chekhov’s great masterpieces of theater, the production now playing at the Santa Paula Theater Center is a slightly updated adaptation by Conor McPherson. Little seems changed, save for periodic references to more twentieth century concerns such as climate change, reforestation and the medical profession. And, of course, the addition of a few F-bombs, the addition of which added nothing except a disconnect with the references to turn of the previous century.

Despite this jarring reminder of our current consciousness, the play remains timeless in nature. It is, perhaps, the origin of the “play about nothing,” a format borrowed freely by Jerry Seinfeld. The location is a bit hazy. Originally set in Russia, now possibly Ukraine, the setting is anywhere of a remote nature. Every so often a hint of an unidentifiable accent was heard but was not pronounced enough to associate specifically.

The action, or more precisely, inaction, takes places in a country house maintained by relatives of a recently returned member of an extended family. Taking up a tiresome residence, the Professor settles in to write a multitude of opinion pamphlets which, it is suspected, no one actually reads. The Professor demands central attention, bringing along his much younger and quite fetching supremely bored wife who is then sought after by several of the parties involved.

The play explores unrequited love, misplaced passions, the daily dreariness felt by Uncle Vanya, the primary caretaker of the property for the last 20 years, family interactions and conflicts. Everyone seems to be in a state of ennui, merely existing from day to day. The real drama begins when the Professor announces he plans to sell the house. Emotional chaos ensues. Throughout, the characters provide a panoply of comic relief in their desperate struggle to maintain their lifestyles.

Casting by Director David Ralphe is simply brilliant. Each of the actors melt into their roles as second skin. The key character, beleaguered and underappreciated Uncle Vanya, is played by Brian Robert Harris, to near perfection. Yelena, the beautiful young bride, played by Jessi May Stevenson, provides volumes of soulful depth in a mere disdainful glance or a slight movement. Ron Feltner as the alcoholic Dr. Astrov is forceful. Nancy Solomons Barker channels Sophia of the Golden Girls in her portrayal of the aged Nana. She has many quite amusing lines. Tom Hall is marvelous in his persona of the Professor, a man oblivious to the contributions and needs of others.

Erin Hollander plays Sonja, a young girl who assists in the house maintenance and yearns for a relationship she will never have, handling the role beautifully. L.J. Noel and Allan Noel complete the cast as Vanya’s mother and Telegin, adding to the comedy immeasurably.

The play is extremely well done. Casting is outstanding. The set designed by Nick Caisse is simply stunning.
Uncle Vanya continues through September 25. Reservation (805) 525-4645, or www.santapaulatheatercenter.org.

Streaming Spotlight by Cindy Summers
Look Both Ways – Netflix Originals

In Look Both Ways, Natalie (Lili Reinhart) and Gabe (Danny Ramirez) had been the best of friends while attending college together at the University of Texas. Natalie was working toward her goal of becoming an animated film producer, while Gabe was pursuing a music career as a drummer with his band. Just before graduation, they decided to have a friendly sexual encounter, both agreeing to not make a big deal out of the situation. On the eve of her graduation, Natalie found herself feeling unwell, and though they used protection, there seemed to be the possibility that she might have gotten pregnant.

Natalie’s best friend Cara (Aisha Dee) went to the store and purchased crackers to help if it was some bad 7-11 sushi they had eaten, and also bought several home pregnancy tests. It’s at this point that Natalie’s life split into two parallel realities, one where she’s not pregnant and moves to Los Angeles with her best friend Cara to pursue a career in animation and the other where she is pregnant and after talking with Gabe decides to keep the baby and stay in her hometown and move back in with her parents.

Initially upon hearing the news that Natalie was pregnant, her parents Rick (Luke Wilson) and Tina (Andrea Savage) were upset feeling that she would be giving up her dream of an animation career and also concerned for Gabe ability to support her in any way. Natalie stressed that she was not giving up her dream, merely putting it on hold for a bit, and Gabe assured them her would do his part in supporting their child. Natalie and Gabe decided against marriage, as they just considered themselves good friend, so when the baby was born, Gabe moved into the guest bedroom in the house and helped Natalie with parenting.

Meanwhile, in Natalie’s LA life, she and Cara moved into an apartment together as Cara had already secured a job and Natalie began her search to find any work in animation. As luck would have it, the animator she idolized was looking for an assistant, which she was able to land due to some clever efforts on her part. Unfortunately, her job was clerical and it seemed that her boss had no interest in her animation skills. Natalie was patient and waited for the right moment to share her portfolio with her boss, but she was shot down saying her work was very representative of other known styles and lacked originality.

Back in Texas as their daughter Rosie grew to a preschooler, Natalie and Gabe pursued their separate lives while raising her together. Gabe got his own apartment and started dating at Natalie’s urging, and Natalie began drawing again and came up with an animated short inspired by raising her daughter. At the same time in LA, Natalie had a new love interest she worked with and was planning to move in together as she pursued creating her own animated film after basically being fired after reviewing her portfolio with her boss.

In the end it would appear that there was no wrong choice for Natalie, and although both version of her reality had their own unique challenges, ultimately she would fulfill her dream of becoming an animated film producer through the trials and tribulations that each path presented. It’s a great example of the convergence of destiny and free will, where her life was destine to have her meet specific people and accomplish specific things, both which were found true with either path she chose.

Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 1h 50m

by Shirley Lorraine

Fractured Actors Take on Space and Time

Looking for something a little different to do? You might want to experience the current Speakeasy Project: Area 22 that Fractured Actors Theater Company has devised.

This year’s annual speakeasy production is the brainchild of organizers Jeff and Shannon McNally Ham, who also wrote and directed the pieces. The evening consists of four original one-act offerings, some out-of-this-world live music by The Conspiracies, and a healthy dose of tongue-in-cheek by-play by all involved. The atmosphere is very X-Files meets Ziggy Stardust meets Ripley’s. Quite quirky and fun. I had a blast.

The company operates out of Suite J of Liminal Church of Ventura at 1956 Palma Drive in an industrial park. Their productions are tagged as #NotAChurchPlay, and they are certainly not.

Park in the back. The entertainment begins the minute you approach the door. Be prepared to be asked for credentials and verification of human existence. Just to ease your mind, all life forms are welcome. Guests are seated at tables and chairs facing the black-box stage. All seats are up close and personal. Libations and light snacks are available. The ambiance is mysterious, dark, casual and comfortable.

The Conspiracies, under the musical direction of James Dorward (who also plays drums) features Rachael Lynde on lead guitar and vocals, Chris Gwaltney on guitar and vocals, Ashley Gwaltney on keyboard and vocals and Lauren Sexton on bass guitar and vocals. Each has assumed a delightfully otherworldly persona A dynamic band with outstanding chemistry and audience appeal, they play before, between and after the acts, keeping the audience (at least me!) bobbing and moving.

The large cast manages the works well. Cast members range in age from 7 to well above 80. All are enthusiastic, willing to go along with the set-up and clearly having fun. What a terrific setting for actors of all levels, techs and audience open to trying something new and different. The company advertises “inspiring and thought-provoking theatrical experiences for a non-traditional theater audience.” The one-acts presented, for the most part, did do just that.

Of note to me were performances by Erica Connell, Anthony Contreras, Bryan White, Benjamin Wilson and Hudson Ham.

I enjoyed perusing Sweet Jay’s Museum of Oddities, a collection of fascinating objects scattered throughout the location. A lot of work went into placement and display and are worthy of discovery. As one who has lent personal furniture and props to many a theatrical production over the years, I had to wonder – were these decidedly strange things just hanging around the Hams’ house? Did the items spark the theme or were they gathered to fit? I wonder about odd things.

There is only one more weekend to enjoy this unique theatrical experience. I highly recommend it. Performances are Friday & Saturday, August 26, 27 at 8 p.m. and Sunday the 28th at 5 p.m. Tickets are available at fracturedactors.com. Check out the website for more information.

Streaming Spotlight by Cindy Summers
Thirteen Lives – Amazon Originals

Directed by Ron Howard, Thirteen Lives shares the incredible true story of the global effort to rescue a youth Thai soccer team that became trapped in the Tham Luang Cave when monsoon season came early and submerged the cave underwater. It took nearly two weeks to find the boys in the flooded cave system, and once located it took an international team of skilled cave divers, Navy SEALS and thousands of volunteers to develop a rescue plan and get the boys out alive.

On June 23, 2018, the Wild Boars soccer team finished their afternoon practice and decided to bike to the Tham Luang Cave in Khun Nam Nang Forest Park around 3pm for a group adventure before heading home to celebrate one of the player’s birthday. It was a sunny day and the coach decided to join the 12 boys to be certain they made it back safely before dark. Unexpected rain trapped them deep in the cave and when the boys didn’t arrive by 7:30pm the parents headed down the cave to see why the boys were delayed only to find all their bike parked outside.

Navy SEALS arrive early the next morning, but their efforts were hampered by their limited expertise in cave diving and continual flooding and collapses in the cave system due to the torrential rains. On Day 5, cave diving experts John Volanthen (Colin Farrell) and Rick Stanton (Vigo Mortensen) of the Coventry England Diving team arrived and on their first dive after four hours had moved 1600 meters from the entrance. Unfortunately the heavy rains began to cause equipment failures and injuries, to the governor temporarily ceased all rescue operation.

On Day 10, the governor sent the English team back in and they got much further than the Navy SEALS had before, traveling 2500 meters from the entrance over 6.5 hours and discovered all twelve boys and the coach, hungry and cold but alive. Seeming a cause for celebration, it was actually a cause for concern as there immediately seemed no logical way to safely get the boys out due to the hours it took to dive through the underwater cave system to reach them.

On Day 11, the Navy SEALS went back to in where the boys were trapped, but used too much air so only one could return. The English team developed a rescue plan that seemed dangerous, but also the only option get the boys out alive. They decided they would have to drug the boys so they would be unconscious and not panic during the long dive and continually dose them to remain unconscious while being guided underwater. Rick Stanton suggested they contact their diving friend Harry Harris (Joel Edgerton) who was also anesthesiologist who decided to use Ketamine.

On Day 15, officials approved the plan but said no information would be shared with the parents or media. The Navy SEALS went in first to bring needed supplies for the rescue, but unfortunately Navy SEAL Saman Gunan (Sukollawat Kanarot) drowned due to an equipment malfunction. On Day 16, John Volanthen and Rick Stanton lead a team of thirteen cave diving experts and five Navy SEALS who brought four boys out safely. On Day 17, they brought out five boys and on Day 18 they brought out the remaining three boys and coach, along with the Navy SEALS.

Days after the rescue the cave became completely submerged for the next 8 months. The rescue involved more than 10,000 people from 17 countries, including more than 100 divers, 900 police officers, 2000 soldiers, 100 government agencies, as well as ten police helicopters, seven ambulances, more than 700 diving cylinders, and the pumping of more than a billion liters of water from the caves. Farmers who suffered losses were offered government compensations and the coach and three of the boys, all stateless, were granted citizenship by the Thai government.

Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 2h 29m

by Shirley Lorraine

Joseph Rocks Simi Stage

Ready for some high energy, off the charts action and exciting stage work? Then Actor’s Repertory Theatre of Simi’s production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is where you need to be.

Playing now at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center through August 21, this staging is exciting, colorful, surprising and filled to the brim with high-quality talent.

Extracted from the Bible’s Book of Genesis, Joseph is the story of a young man heralded, banished, enslaved, heralded again and finally triumphant as he and his dreams lead Egypt to glory.

The sung-through play marked the first staged collaboration of the uber-successful team of Tim Rice (lyrics) and Andrew Lloyd Webber (music) and ranks as one of the most staged productions world-wide. Why? Because not only does it tell a story well, it is also simply a rocking fun time. The musical styles vary widely, costuming is vibrant, and the choreography is outstanding, keeping the audience enthralled throughout.

A live orchestra accompanies the operetta, although frequently the electronic instruments’ amplified volume drowned out the strings completely. The singers, while equipped with microphones, really had to push to be heard over the accompaniment. As a result, much of the actual story line was masked under the music. Take a synopsis with you to get the whole story. Or just enjoy the sheer velocity of the piece.

You’ll be swept up immediately even if you miss a few details.
My guest, a degreed musician, commented about the need for balance among the instruments. When the story line is sung, to get the full effect it is imperative that the words can be heard. By the second act our ears had acclimated to the volume some, but we found the most enjoyable moments by far to be Joseph’s solo songs when his clear voice shone, and the beautiful message could be heard in full.

In this version there are two narrators, Siena Avila and Mia Vavasseur, who complemented each other quite well. Both have strong stage presence and quality voices. Vincent Perez as Joseph is a force of nature. His portrayal is powerful, compelling and spot-on vocally. An extremely entertaining performance is given by George Chavez as the Pharaoh, who commanded the audience expertly.

The large ensemble cast carries off their multiple personas with verve. The spotlighted character moments give many individuals their opportunity to show additional talents. The bevy of beautiful wives and dancers, along with the highly capable men and the children’s chorus round out the action nicely.

Direction by Jesse Saywell is creative and tight, choreography by Becky Castells is well suited to the dancers and well executed. The eclectic mix of costuming styles is a delight. The entire crew is to be commended for their contributions to this greatly enjoyable presentation.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat continues through August 21. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. and Saturday matinees at 2 p.m. on August 13 and 20. www.svvac.org, 805-583-7900.

Streaming Spotlight by Cindy Summers
Jerry & Marge Go Large – Paramount +

Jerry Selbee (Bryan Cranston) had worked at the same cereal factory for 42 years until changes forced him into retirement, which was not a lifestyle he was comfortable with as he was a math genius and big picture problem solver. He felt his talents would go to waste until the day he stopped in his local quick stop for his regular cup of coffee and decided to check out the odds of his local lottery. Scribbling the math on a napkin, Jerry realized that to his surprise the odds were in favor of the players when the Windfall was triggered, where if no one won and the jackpot went above $2 million that it would drop down to increase the lesser winning number tickets.

Jerry tested his theory with $8,000, all the savings he and his wife Marge (Annette Bening) had, and didn’t tell her his plan but won $15,000 which he hid in a cereal box in the pantry. Jerry finally told Marge, who surprisingly was excited and supportive of his new idea. The Michigan lottery canceled their Windfall game, but Massachusetts still had Windfall and was only 10 hours away so they booked a motel in a tiny town where the spent the day printing tickets at the local market and the night separating the winning tickets that totaled over $21,000.

Marge helped Jerry realize that if he shared what he knew he could help the town and the people, especially due to the fact that the more money they bet the more they win with Windfall. Jerry decided to start a legit corporation where his friends could buy in for $500 a share and earn an equal percentage of the profits. Jerry and Marge’s winnings and the group investment totaled just over $40,000 and ended up winning $82,000.

Shortly after their first big win a Harvard student named Tyler was doing his thesis on the odds of winning POWERBALL vs MEGAMillions, and in checking smaller games for comparison discovered the same loophole Jerry discovered with Windfall. Tyler organized a student group to buy tickets but felt their winnings were too low, and they determined after hacking into the lottery there was another group. Tyler tried a couple of times to get Jerry’s group out of the game, but was never successful as while Tyler was in it to get rich, Jerry was in it to help his community.

A reporter named Maya from the Boston Globe was doing a story on the lottery, and after getting a long awaited report from the lottery office found Jerry and Tyler’s names repeatedly in the payouts. She decided visit Jerry to see what was happening, but Jerry had nothing to hide as he wasn’t cheating was up to printing tickets for eleven days to cover their investors buyins. Maya’s interview with Tyler showed their differing reasons for playing, and she felt compassion for Jerry.

Maya decided to print the article featuring Tyler and the Harvard group, basically leaving Jerry out of it, and the lottery immediately removed their machines and canceled the game so Jerry had to tell the group it was all over. Unbeknownst to Jerry and Marge the group got together and played the last Windfall, going to stores all across the state and even organizing a bus for the townspeople to buy the thousands of tickets. They brought the tickets back on a flatbed for Jerry and Marge to count, understanding how much the whole experience meant to them.

Jerry’s winnings totaled $27 million, and Jerry and Marge took their winnings and started a construction loan company for Evart, and like many of their friends and neighbors put their children and grandchildren through school. Bryan Cranston and Annette Bening are perfectly cast in their roles and to learn more about this incredible true story, here’s a link to the 60 Minutes interview from 2019 with the real Jerry and Marge Selbee: https://youtu.be/TTYnHr_-wcY

Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 1h 30m

by Shirley Lorraine

Elite Tackles Complex Issues
Humanity is inherently flawed. In judgement, in morals, and in using honesty as a compass for life. This is the basis for the drama/dark comedy Lobby Hero by Kenneth Lonergan now on stage at the Elite Playhouse in Channel Islands through August 7.

The extremely strong cast of four takes hold of their given dilemmas and attacks them with vigor and confidence. Solidly directed by Cate Caplin, the cast features Rosie Gordon, Herb Hall, Gabriel Tejeda-Benitez and Bill Walthall. All are compelling in their commitment to their characters and each one pulls the audience into their world without apology.

The action takes place in the lobby of an up-scale apartment building in Manhattan. It is the graveyard shift and Jeff (Tejeda-Benitez), a young man struggling with housing and money issues, is on duty. He is a security guard and a rather lax one at that. His supervisor, William (Hall), is a no-nonsense man with a high sense of propriety in life. The “Captain” has been a security guard for a number of years and expects his underlings to be equally diligent in their duties.

An affable neighborhood police officer, Bill (Walthall) is a frequent evening visitor to the building, supposedly to visit a friend. On this night, his rookie partner Dawn (Gordon) accompanies him and waits in the lobby with Jeff. New to the job, Dawn is at once reluctant to engage in conversation with Jeff, and yet is drawn in to learn that all may not be what it seems.

Bill has secrets. William discovers that his brother may have been party to a crime. Both find themselves in a moral quagmire and must decide where their loyalties lie as well as accept the consequences that must be faced. Dawn is disappointed in Bill, her mentor, as he reveals that he is a flawed, entitled officer nearing retirement who is within sight of the coveted “golden badge” for his service which will be lost if his indiscretions become known. Jeff’s thinking is adrift as he says both too little and too much at the wrong times.

The play is complex and substantive. The actors are all superb. Direction is tight. The audience is faced with all-too real situations that could easily skew an individual’s moral compass when push comes to shove.

The frank dialogue is peppered with expletives, and is often uncomfortable as the characters each grapple with the depth of their dilemmas. Although their situations differ, they are linked with one another through common knowledge, making decisions even more difficult to process.

The portrayals are so natural that it was easy to commiserate with each of the characters as they attempted to justify their actions. But rationale does not necessarily equal right. Each is acutely aware that how they cope with the circumstances will affect their futures and their friendships.
A well-written, well executed piece of theater.

Lobby Hero plays Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sunday matinees. (805 483-5118, www.theElite.org. Proof of vaccination required, masks recommended.