All hell breaks loose in “Finding the Burnett Heart.”

Playwright Paul Elliott’s inspiration for Finding the Burnett Heart came when his mother passed away, and he remembers how his old school, “take charge” father moved in. “He was somewhat of a dictator, from the word go…” where no family member would dare challenge or debate him … til Elliott’s precocious 8-year-old daughter was courageous enough to do so! The Burnett family finds themselves somewhat speechless when 16-year-old Tyler (Joel Johnstone) inadvertently comes out to his petulant grandfather (James Handy). This theme is so incredibly timely with this week’s unprecedented news of Obama’s support for equal rights in same-sex marriages. Gay teens have been bashed both figuratively and literally throughout history by so many cultures, and the issue been explored in numerous plays, including The Laramie Project and Angels in America. As Tyler does a lot of internal soul searching while facing the angst of adolescence, while yearning to be true to himself, shades of the lyrics of Cat’s in the Cradle by Harry Chapin and Beautiful Boy by John Lennon come to life on stage. Is there no pity or compassion for a teen just trying to fit in and find his way? He loses precious familial connections and needed support, particularly from his Bible-toting mother (Colleen Renee McGrann), who quotes Scriptures passages about the “evils of homosexuality.” In today’s bully-ridden society, where gay youth in particular are subjected to grief and torment, oft times leading to running away and even suicide; and where every nine days a gay individual is either brutalized or murdered, Paul Elliott, in his play, shares a universal message of utmost importance: Solid grounding and acceptance within the family unit/home are vital. “Without that support, your kid will be destroyed in the real world.” With more and more families living in the “sandwich generation,” where an adult cares for both children and aging parents, there’s a definite story to be told. The importance of unconditional love is key. While the grandfather states, “Don’t brag on yourself, let others do it for you,” Tyler, with the help of a psychiatrist and supportive father (Jeff L. Williams), is able to come to terms with his sexuality and ultimately find his heart.

Finding the Burnett Heart runs through?May 27 on Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. The Lillian Theatre is located at 6322 Santa Monica Blvd. For tickets, call (323) 960-7792 or visit www.plays411.net or www.burnettheart.com.

The cast of “Hollywood’s Got Talent.”

Children’s musical theater is alive and well, and indeed thriving and growing, as evidenced by Joanne Mosconi’s production of Hollywood’s Got Talent, recently showcased at the Magic Mirror Theatre in NoHo. As a vibrant, beautiful young actress/vocalist in progress introduced the show, she encouraged the enthusiastic audience of parents, supporters, and theater community to “Smile, smile, smile!” and cheer on the ensemble of wonderful, amazing talent.

Each and every performer, with monologues, solo vocals, duets, and dance, lit up the faces and brightened the day of the audience in attendance. Pieces were selected from a range of work, including Michael Jackson’s “Beat It,” to Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life,” to Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music, and the classic Les Miserables. The success of this show and the audience’s reaction is a clear indicator of each young performer’s future success in this exciting industry.

Directed and produced by Mosconi, and a tribute to honor the strong warrior Elizabeth Barnett, Hollywood’s Got Talent is “reality TV for the stage,” a cabaret style song and dance musical revue, featuring some of Hollywood’s most creative and dynamic kids, singing their hearts out, clearly revealing their passion for their craft of choice. A major component of the show was short monologues on various relevant themes to youth today, i.e. teenage crushes; bullying; and the basic longing for friendship and acceptance. What impressed me most about this production is the producer/director’s vision to ignite a passion for theater in these young people, a spark ignited to last a lifetime.

The show reveals the abundant energy and creativity emanating from a group of children and teens, brimming with talent, a bit reminiscent of the enthusiasm of the ensemble of Glee; and the young Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland’s goal of “let’s put on a show!” Hollywood’s Got Talent is quite a phenomenon, and is sure to resonate and strike a favorable chord with its audience.

Hollywood’s Got Talent played at the Magic Mirror Theater located at 4934 Lankershim Blvd. in NoHo. For other show dates, visit www.magicmirrortheater.com.

The cast of “Eventide.”

They call it the Golden Years … “come grow old with me, the best is yet to be….” Or is it? In Eventide, now playing at the Secret Rose Theatre, “growing older gracefully,” a theme covered in a myriad of plays, musicals, films, songs, and poems … is explored in depth. The two main characters, Lou Bronson (Martin Clark) and Audrey Bronson (Sara Shearer) face this stage in their life in all its glory: self-discovery, along with finding inner peace and balance — amidst a balancing act of overcoming dizzy spells. Shakespeare eloquently relays in a renowned soliloquy from As You Like It, a commentary on the aging process: “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women are merely players … with spectacles on nose and pouch on side, his youthful hose well saved, a world too wide … last scene of all, that ends this strange, eventful history….” As the two performers face their final curtain, the sunset of their lives, many contrasts come to life: Dreams and Reality; Darkness and Light; Death and Life; Heartbreak and Love. It’s as if they are on a desert island, castaways reflecting on their past (along with the supporting actors), Stanley, (Phil Talsky), their supportive relative; and Gloria (Deborah Thomas), their comforting caregiver. They mainly look straight ahead, at the TV, a crucial “invisible” prop, or into an imaginary mirror, reflecting on their past — what they did and didn’t do, yet never crying over spilled milk, but maintaining a positive, optimistic view on the future, with hopes of renewing wedding vows, despite various aches, pains, illnesses, and the overall foibles and perils of aging. The couple is likened to a “fragile pair of faded ceramics,” complete with a long history of personality, stories, and memories. Rather than face their impending mortality, they choose to “be strong, rather than weak,” pretend and make believe that the “good times will last forever.”

Alas, “Man plans and God laughs….” As Lou and Audrey prepare to face the final sunset, and the stage’s final curtain descends, the audience is drawn into the fragility, fleeting nature of life, and the importance of “living each day as one’s last,” a true existential philosophy. “There is only one day left, always starting over: It is given to us at dawn and taken away from us at dusk.”

? Jean-Paul Sartre

Eventide is playing at the Secret Rose Theatre located at 11246 Magnolia Blvd. in NoHo. Performances are on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. through June 3. For tickets, visit www.eventideplay.com, www.secretrose.com, or call (818) 850-3244.

From l, Barbara Piecka (Margaret Mary) and Lisa Cichetti (Robin Bird) during rehearsal for “The West Side Waltz.”

“To everything, turn turn turn, there is a season … and a time to every purpose under heaven.” As the “seasoned” leading lady, Barbara Piecka, plays Margaret Mary Elderdice (a role Katherine Hepburn played dazzlingly on Broadway), she “numbers her days,” and counts her blessings, aging gracefully. She is comforted most by the best soother of the soul, her beloved waltz music.

Coming to her rescue and offering comedic relief, constant companionship and a healthy dose of humor to her otherwise daily humdrum routine, are supporting actors/sidekicks, Andrew Piecka as the good natured NYC apt super, Serge Barrescu; Marty McCambridge, as the bon-bon eating, jovial neighbor/confidante, Cara Varnum; and Lisa Cicchetti as the wide eyed aspiring actress in search of a caregiver/live-in job. This motley crew of characters livens up Margaret’s otherwise lonely existence as a widow in her simple yet elegant upper West Side apartment.

As the seasons come and go, “all the lonely people, where do they all belong?” Ernest Thompson explores this very existential question and theme of growing old, loneliness, regrets, hopes, and dreams, in this charming, enchanting play “in 3/4 time,” following a most successful run on Broadway, and his earlier work, On Golden Pond.

The West Side Waltz was also brought to the screen, but fares much better onstage, with tunes by Johann Strauss and Korsakov, coming to life on piano and violin. The characters bring life and zest into every one of their lines, making each and every ordinary day into a “crystal” one. The play culminates with a zany party, filled with a laugh a moment. Norman Cousins insightfully suggested that “Laughter is inner jogging,” and “The control center of your life is your attitude.” Laughter truly is the best medicine, and The West Side Waltz, a la Trip to Bountiful and On Golden Pond, is a beautiful, uplifting story of friendship, loyalty, with Margaret’s piano “leading the way,” and music as the most “wonderful tonic” of all.

The West Side Waltz runs through May 6 at Lincoln Stegman Theatre located at

6020 Radford St. in North Hollywood.

Four of Yafit Josephson’s characters in “New Eyes.”

Israel is a country known for its success in everything — from developing cutting edge technology, pharmaceuticals, bio-tech medical research, to producing beautiful, talented, amazing actresses and performers, such as Natalie Portman, Mili Avital, and now Yafit Josephson.

Yafit multitasks, taking on 18 distinct characters, in her one woman show, New Eyes, originating in Hollywood, and now she takes it “on the road” to the Pasadena Playhouse, and then a national tour, including Arizona, Kansas, New York, and New Jersey.

In New Eyes, she portrays an Israeli soldier, casting director, plastic surgeon, yoga instructor, Jewish mother, and even a matchmaker. The Israeli playwright is overjoyed with the feedback and positive buzz on New Eyes, such a big hit in the Los Angeles theatre circuit. Her one woman show has autobiographical roots, yet the play is about something even larger than art and life itself: “To Thine Own Self be True.” Without one’s integrity, sense of self, and an added dash of the requisite “chutzpah” and rebellion, one would lose connection to one’s roots and inner purpose.

Just as TV’s industry is vibrant as it successfully exports hit shows like Homeland and In Treatment, New Eyes is a fresh new look at an Israeli actress’ journey, and has inspired theatergoers throughout Los Angeles.

In order to thrive in her chosen career, Yafit stayed true to herself and her craft, despite external pressures and influences, and in so doing, creates roles most relevant and expressive to preserve her own identity and culture. She was offered many typecast roles of “bad guy, terrorist” or “evil villain, wicked witch,” on many an occasion, yet her internal values and outward persistence, so typical of a strong willed, “hard nosed” Sabra, gave her the voice and courage to make the statement, “I am who I am.”

Just like Israel itself, one tiny nation surrounded by the Arab autocracies, yet holding its own, Yafit ventured outside of the mainstream Hollywood mold, to carve her own destiny, “my way or the highway,” a bold and noble road to take. Theodore Herzl, the founding father of modern Zionism, said, “If you will it, it is no dream.” This philosophy and “can-do” attitude is what guides Yafit Josephson in her daily life, making her the shining starlet that she is.

New Eyes plays throughout the month of April at the Pasadena Playhouse. For tickets, visit www.pasadenaplayhouse.org or call (626) 356-7529. Find out more about New Eyes at www.neweyesplay.com.

From l, Brandi Magee and Graham Outerbridge in “Marry, F***, or Kill.”

A secret ‘guilty pleasure’ of mine: indulgently eating a pint of haagen dazs Rocky Road ice cream, while watching re-run after re-run of HBO’s famed “Sex and the City.” Such is the equivalent, now onstage at the Mirror Theatre in Noho, “Marry, F***, or Kill,” written by Brad T. Gottfred and Joanne Mosconi. As the voice-over/narrator insightfully states at show’s start: there are only 3 actions you want to take with people who truly matter—”marry, f***, or kill.” The show is a ‘dramedy,’ with a meaningful message on the importance of human connection, and how timing plays such a huge role in objects of the heart, with many twists and bumps along the way.

Set at the Pink Dinosaur cafe ( a most aesthetically pleasing set), in the island of Manhattan, where no man is truly an island unto oneself, but rather in desperate search of a soulmate, the show revolves around a group of disconnected friends, yet seemingly intertwined. A lot of angst and rift (so typical of playwrights and screenwriters, such as Neil Simon and Woody Allen) is revealed, as the characters feelings come to the surface, almost like live, screaming lobsters in a pot of boiling water.

The refreshing, talented, (and beautiful to look at ) ensemble are dynamic and entertaining, as each and every one tries to find not only their sense of self, but that special, certain ‘one.’ To find that soulmate can be either fulfilling or distilling, and in more cases than not, dysfunction and conflict pervades, the source of great dramatic material. With the huge box office success of raunchy relationship drama/comedies, like Hangover and Bridesmaids, and soon to be released “Five Year Engagement,” this play will have mass appeal, as it ‘pushes the envelope.’ It’s a frank, bold, brave look at modern relationships. The juxtaposition of romantic, nostalgic love songs, such as “My Way,” and “You are the Sunshine of my Life,” set each scene, exploring the good, the bad, and the ugly of love, single life, and sexuality.

In today’s hurried world, and the temerity of fate, so many hide behind their busy lives to avoid vulnerability and commitment. Much of the show’s dialogue (like HBO’s edgy material) is deep and touching. As one audience member succinctly stated, “each character is so credible and realistic, like someone I really know.” It’s intriguing to see how each relationship will evolve, on the rocky road of love.

For now, I think I’ll stick to my ice cream!

“Marry, F***, or Kill” runs Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. until May 19th. They are completely sold out and are listed on GOLDSTAR as LA’S HOT SHOW. Because of the high demand, they have already added a later performance time this evening — at 10 p.m. both Friday and Saturday April 21 & 22.

Audience members can read updates and get information on where to get tickets at www.mirrortheater.com.

Maggie Grant.

On Saturday, April 14, at the Crown City Theatre, a little bit of cabaret, theater, music, dance, and a lot of magic will come to Los Angeles for a spring fundraiser/benefit for the Three Roses Players and One in the Cannes film production company.

Maggie Grant, Artistic Director, promises that the evening should be a “huge night of entertainment” showcasing the talents of singers, tap dancers, and also a fine wine-tasting extravaganza. The first three people to email Maggie at 3rosesp@gmail.com will get a buy-one-get-one-free admission to the fundraiser, for a savings of $23. If one cannot attend, silent bid auctions can still be posted at feedtheroses12@gmail.com.

Most recently Maggie and the Three Roses Players collaborated with Carl Reiner, deemed the “dean of comedy,” directing two staged readings of his new full-length play Shakespeare Was Wrong, and Maggie is rising to the occasion. The company is very supportive of writers and actors, screen and stage, with a goal of encouraging their growth and supporting their craft.

Maggie Grant’s goal is to promote and showcase up and coming playwrights and screenwriters, and the funds raised will help the Roses to continue thriving and blooming. One such example is a terrific writer, Garry Kruger, of an intense drama, Brotherhood, winner of the Writer Speaks Winner’s Circle, for which she directed and produced the short film. In May, she will coproduce LOVE STRUCK, a one-act festival starring Barbara Bain, Peter Van Norden, Nick Ullet, and Robert Miano. The festival is an opportunity for new talent to showcase their art, as a stepping stone to Broadway or Lincoln Center. All involved in this production company, supporting film and theater, sing its praises and the influence on their lives and careers.

Feed the Roses Spring Fund-raiser is on Saturday, April 14, at 7—11 p.m. at Crown City Theatre, St Matthews Church, located at 11031 Camarillo St. in North Hollywood 91602. For tickets and information on all the acts, visit www.3rosesp.com.

Always classic, forever cool, Jimmy Spencer continues to entertain with his CD “Forever Love.”

Jimmy Spencer, a soulful musician, shares songs of hope and affairs of the heart in his CD Forever Love. His playlist is eclectic, marrying well known standards with not so well known tunes that have fallen away, yet still resonate universally.

Jazz and Blues are the true roots of American music, from which so many artists have found inspiration. Jimmy Spencer, in his own creative, elegant style belts the beautiful lyrics made famous by Jerome Kern, “The Way You Look Tonight.” Spencer also finds inspiration from the legendary Frank Sinatra, the iconic Mr. S, whose golden voice and songs have been emulated, played, and replayed throughout generations.

Jimmy Spencer has developed quite a following, in his own right, and is somewhat of a Los Angeles fixture, singing at clubs and cabarets throughout the city, including Jax Bar & Grill in Glendale; Colombo’s in Eagle Rock; and monthly at Barone’s in Valley Glen. With clubs, such as the famed Algonquin in NYC, closing down and fading into the sunset, we are fortunate to still have a warm, intimate dinner theatre ambience at Barone’s, where, when the spirit moves, sparked by Spencer’s charisma and talent, diners spontaneously get up and “dance the night away.”

The show and setting is a step back in time, to simpler, gentler days, reminiscent of the Catskills and Vegas lounges of yesteryear, in their heyday. Spencer proclaims that his latest CD, a mix of familiar Latin salsa rhythms, big band swing, and ballad harmonies, blended with some original tunes by keyboardist Karen Hernandez, is “the kind of music that resonates with people 40 years and up.” It is a breath of fresh air to see and hear an experienced, deep, velvety rich voice of such caliber, accompanied by the talented Karen Hernandez Trio: Karen on keyboards; Lou Shoch on bass; and Jack LeCompte on drums. As a “picture paints a 1,000 words,” the song lingers on and the melody as well, as this charismatic performer sets a romantic tone and the delicious food at Barone’s is an entree to a beautiful night.

Spencer’s rendition of Etta James’ “At Last” was one of the surprises in store for the evening. Listeners of either the live show, or in the comfort of one’s home with a CD, will experience the magic of Jimmy Spencer, music with a kind of finesse like no other.

Providence High Senior Miranda DeMarco as Janet surrounded by company in “The Drowsy Chaperone.”

It’s springtime in Los Angeles, the season when high schools throughout the city blossom and rising stars bloom, in their performing arts productions. Burbank’s Providence High for the Arts — quite comparable to NYC’s “famed” LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts — presents a spectacular, dazzling “theatre in the round” production of The Drowsy Chaperone. The students are involved in each and every aspect of the show, from set design, costumes to acting, and choreography. The two narrators (Wo-Man in Chair), Giselle Bonilla and Suzie Soghoyan introduce the show as “a good story, much like the music of Gershwin and Cole Porter, to take us away for awhile.”

Indeed, The Drowsy Chaperone does just that, as the audience is transported to a simpler time, a world of music and color, the roaring 1920s, filled with champagne wishes, caviar dreams, and “jazzy overtures as musical appetizers.”

With the dazzling, delightful tap dance sequence from The Artist still fresh in our minds and hearts, the musical number “Cold Feet” is sure to delight, with sophisticated steps (tap and jitterbug) ala 42nd Street. It’s a courageous feat to bring a Tony award winning Broadway musical to a high school stage; this ensemble does an amazing job, as the hardworking cast members enthusiastically re-create the production.

The dance number called “Show-Off” features a charming showgirl who claims she doesn’t need attention, yet she does everything to hold the spotlight (hula hoop, play the recorder) and is a sheer amusement.

Providence High, in association with Discovery Onstage, is a gem of a program, hidden in the wooded hills of Burbank. The show does justice to the original. It’s a lighthearted, uplifting homage to classic American musical theater, with Busby Berkeley style song and dance, glitzy costumes, and vaudeville shtick. Smiles and laughter were abundant in the audience.

The Drowsy Chaperone runs March 22, 23, and 24 at 7 p.m. For tickets, visit providencehigharts.org.

He (Jim Blanchette) and She (Lydia Dorsey) move towards the inevitable conclusion of their dynamic relationship in “The Grass Was Never Greener.”

Like a Russian nesting doll or unpeeled onion, The Grass Was Never Greener is a multi-layered script, with plot lines abundant with dark humor and dramatic twists and turns throughout. An unlikely bond develops between the two main characters, “He” and “She,” played by Jim Blanchette and Lydia Dorsey, as their lives unravel before their very eyes. The opening lyrics, introducing the first scene, are quite foreboding: “Being sheltered in your arms, but I get along without you very well.”

Home is where the heart is, so they say, yet “wherever you go, there you are,” insecurities, baggage and all. Such is the case with this off-beat, “odd couple,” determined and desperate to feed off of each other, in deception, abuse, and cruelty, as their co-dependence and dysfunction escalate. The tension onstage is so thick — it permeates throughout the theatre, almost leaving one “needing to hold on for balance.”

Write Act Repertory seems to have a knack at presenting quirky, eccentric material that is becoming increasingly realistic and true to life.

“He” is a lonely, sensitive, agoraphobic, retreating into his own comfort zone, albeit, if only through cyberspace chatrooms; “she” is the relentless bully, seemingly powerful on the surface, yet profoundly weak within. “We” wait, almost with bated breath and hopefulness to see if the underdog can prevail, just like in the comic books he is so fond of. The two form an awkward courtship, while the main character yearns to turn his sad-sack life around.

Following the “greats” of dramatic theater, Albee (Zoo Story) and Beckett (Waiting for Godot), playwright Jim Blanchette’s The Grass Was Never Greener contains heart-wrenching moments and masterful dialogue.

The wonderfully expressive cast of two brings their characters to life in this bittersweet riff. With an O’Henry existential twist, they finish the show the way they started it: together yet ultimately alone.

The Grass Was Never Greener runs through March 2 on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays at 8 p.m. The Write Act Repertory Theatre is located at 6128 Yucca St. in Hollywood. For tickets, call (323) 469-3113 or visit www.brownpapertickets.com.