Hypnotherapist Trish Ostroski.

Trish Ostroski, who has been a theatrical reviewer at The Tolucan Times this entire century, will be serving in community development for the Peace Corps the next two years in Moldava.

During her tenure in Los Angeles Trish worked in advertising and in the past few years was a hypnotherapist. Trish was active in the community and served on a number of boards. She was fortunate to be honored with a number of awards for writing, production, speaking, and community service. She also was a past president of Women in Theatre (WIT) and the creator and producer of WIT’s Red Carpet Awards.

There will be a Farewell Party Sunday, April 21, at the Fremont Centre Theatre located at 1000 Fremont in South Pasadena from 7—9:30 p.m. The community is welcome.

From l, Jade Warner and Bill Stevenson in
“The Owl and the Pussycat” at T.U. Studios.

When the lights go down for the start of the show the audience is treated to Dean Martin’s “Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime.” Would-be writer and book store clerk Felix’s (Bill Stevenson) time has come in an unexpected way and with an unusual person.

Looking out from his San Francisco loft, Felix focuses his binoculars on a prostitute plying her trade. He then complains to the landlord and Doris (Jade Warner) is evicted. Soon trouble is pounding on his door in the form of Doris, not a prostitute but more a self-described “model and actress.” She figures Felix owes her a bed for the night and won’t take no for an answer. This unusual arrangement sparks romance and laughs, and the script provides lots of them. It is a battle of body over mind in this love/hate relationship of two very different characters that just might be right for each other.

Bill Manhoff’s The Owl and the Pussycat is directed by Gloria Gifford and features energetic and physical performances by the actors who are both nearly onstage the whole time in this classic comedy that still brings in the laughs. It made for a crowd pleasing night. In between scenes I enjoyed the mostly sixties music that played which both entertained and added to the theme and fun.

The Owl and the Pussycat runs at the T.U. Studios located at 10943 Camarillo St. in North Hollywood. Free Parking. Shows are Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. through May 12. Admission is $20. For reservations call (310) 366-5505. Online ticketing at tix.com.

From l, back row: Carlos J. Echevarria (Dr. Emmett), Eugenia Care (Mrs. Paddy), Grafton Doyle (Titus), Jason Hamilton (Samuel), Alaina Whitney (Lily Belle), Nicholas Anthony Reid (Jeffrey), Mark McKeown (Hannibal), and Poonam Basu-Rushton (Fairy May). Front row: Ericka Zepeda (Miss Willie) and Kate Kennedy (Florence).

Widowed Mrs. Savage has been left ten million dollars in negotiable securities by her husband and desires to put it to good use. However, her adult stepchildren want to get their hands on it to serve their own agenda.

As a means of controlling her, they place Mrs. Savage in a “sanatorium” hoping to “bring her to her senses.” Undaunted, while there she meets a colorful group of social misfits. Each of the “misfits” is imbued with some heart and loyalty in addition to their oddity. The battle for the money ensues to a fever pitch and makes you wonder just what crazy actually is.

Special kudos to Laura Rosas (Mrs. Savage), who was a late replacement as the lead character, and, though somewhat on book, did so in such a seamless manner that she made it seem true to the character.

The Curious Savage is written by John Patrick and has many clever moments which are brought out well as directed by Julie Raelyn.

The cast is energetic and well chosen for their wacky roles. The performers include: Grafton Doyle, Ericka Zepeda, Carlos J. Echevarria, Jason Hamilton, Kate Kennedy, Mark McKeown, Poonam Basu-Rushton, Nicholas Anthony Reid, Alaina Whitney, and Eugenia Care.

The audience in attendance was quite diverse including children. This is a show that is fun and works for the whole family.

The Curious Savage runs through March 30 at The Magic Mirror Theatre located at 4934 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood. Remaining performances are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 (General Admission).

Reservations online at: curiousatmirror.brownpapertickets.com.

Ben Feuer and Marla Adams portray the modern day Louis and Daphne Padula, still in love after 50 years in Lisa Phillips Visca’s “Raise Me Up.”

This is a true story of love at first sight and a love that rises above some cultural and social obstacles of the time to ensure its fruition.

In the journey the audience is treated to a “moonstruck” couple’s forbidden love, and the hilarity and drama from their deeply passionate Italian-Greek families.

Set with a backdrop of slides of photos and words for transition, the production is spiced with wonderful thematic and period music. Starting with a simple set, the play focuses on the easy and the complex meaning of life that comes full circle.

Director Chris DeCarlo brings a strong cast to the stage who each lovingly gets in touch with their characters while embracing the tender and the funny with equal relish.

The cast includes: Marla Adams, John Del Regno, Serena Dolinsky, Ben Feuer, Mitch Lerner, Michael Marinaccio, Lenora May, Stuart Pankin, Evelyn Rudie, and Joey Shea.

Raise Me Up is Lisa Phillips Visca’s joyful and touching tribute to her parents, Louis and Daphne Padula, capturing their eternal passion and the surreal ending to their classic love story. Raise Me Up will lift your spirits and touch your soul. I know it touched mine.

Santa Monica Playhouse is located at 1211 4th St. in

Santa Monica till May 19 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 3 p.m.

Admission is $25 general admission; $22.50 students, teachers, seniors, and members of the military; $17.50 for groups of 8 or more; $15 for under 12’s. For reservations please call (310) 394-9779 ext. 1. For more information, visit santamonicaplayhouse.com.

Melanie Edward as Cinderella and Kim Harrison as the Prince.

The lead song in Act Two of Cinderella is “So Long as I Get My Cupcakes” and I can add and eat them too. The Nine O’Clock Players’ fresh view of well-known children’s stories is like having that special cupcake — iced just right and flavored to the hilt. There is nothing quite like it.

Cinderella: The True Story puts a fresh spin on an old tale. Cinderella is into social justice, or at least not into jewels and the like. Also, her feet don’t exactly fit the glass slippers. She isn’t exactly pining for the prince. This girl has some sensibility about her.

And, sensibility she needs as she deals with the mean stepmother and stepsisters and an out-of-whack Fairy Godmother who needs to meet the Tooth Fairy at midnight for a dental appointment. Where is a good dentist when you need one?

Director Randy Brenner adds some new dimensions to this charming musical with a cast led by Melanie Edward in the title role. Other performers include: Judy Claverie, Mary Ferrara, Pam Schroer, Arlen O’Hara, Judy Rozzen, Lisa Sherman, Mary Lyon, Dee Nasatir, Kim Harrison, and Lenore Schlachtman.

Carole Onofrio works overtime as the costume designer with many characters having multi outfits — each colorful and fun. As I was leaving the theatre one little girl said that she really loved the play and it was her favorite. So listen to her.

Performances remaining on March 16, 17, 23, and 24 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12. Cinderella: The True Story stages at Nine O’Clock Players Theatre for Children located at 1367 North St. Andrews Pl. in Los Angeles. For tickets, visit nineoclockplayers.com. For reservations call the box office at (323) 469-1970.

From l, Lucas Moore and Linda Mayer in “The Cover of Life.”

R.T. Robinson’s The Cover of Life is a dramatic comedy set in World War II in small town Louisiana. The men are at war. A local news story about young wives keeping the home fires burning attracts Henry Luce of Life magazine.

Luce assigns independent career woman Kate Miller (Cindy Dellinger) to cover the story of the Cliffert women who are married to three brothers. Sybil Cliffert (Leilani Fideler) is a partier who cannot bear children. Weetsie (Ariella Fiore) is highly religious, and Tood (Linda Mayer) seeks more adventure.

They also feel the presence of strong, mature women, but not without their own controversies, in Aunt Ola (Catherine Michaels) and Addie Mae McGough (Bette Smith). Tommy Cliffert (Lucas Moore) appears in memory sequences as Tood’s spouse, the youngest brother.

Kate Miller’s arrival to this quiet hamlet stirs sparks with her urban style that soon gives way to sympathy as the Louisiana women make their way in a man’s world that reflects that time period in America. Each of the young brides has a rich onstage moment in a charming script.

Director Kate Cole’s deft hand is felt as she lets the actors explore their interesting characters. Kudos to Sherry Coon’s costume design for this period piece that includes several costume changes. The show is well written, acted, and directed and a real story of women’s history staging in March, which is Women’s History Month.

The Cover of Life plays Friday and Saturday evenings till March 30 at 8 p.m. at the Sherry Theatre located at 11052 Magnolia Blvd. in North Hollywood (between Lankershim and Vineland). Tickets are $20. Student, senior, and group discounts available. For reservations call (818) 206-4000. Play produced by the Vagabond Players.

“Play On”: A ridiculously-funny comedy about a theater group trying desperately to put on a play … with an emphasis on ‘desperately.’ From l, Erica Brauer, Goreti da Silva, Sara Tomko, Anthony Marquez, David Trice, Stacy Kesten, Mary Burkin, Vanessa Forster, Joe Lorenzo, and Edisol Wayne Dotson.

Above the Curve Theatre is currently staging Rick Abbot’s Play On about an inept theater troupe’s production of a meddling playwright’s murder mystery. We see all of the behind-the-scenes and onstage drama and chaos as the show must go on. Go on it does to hilarious results.

Director Mark Swiech has his well cast group of actors going for every inventive mug and joke they can get as many play characters and then of course those characters play roles in the over-the-top murder play as well.

The show features David Trice, Stacy Kesten, Gorete da Silva, Sara Tomko, Vanessa Forster, Joe Lorenzo, Anthony Marquez, Edisol Wayne Dotson, Erica Bauer, and Mary Burkin.

There are laughs a-plenty and a bunch of kooky characters played to the hilt. This is a rare play that actually keeps the lights up throughout so that one gets the feeling they are sitting in on a rehearsal of a meshing of varied and dueling personalities and characters that happens in many stage productions, plus all the mishaps with props, blocking, sound cues, blown lines, and more.

Above the Curve Theatre is dedicated to empowering female artists as well as to help men and women refine their talents and help the community.

Play On runs through March 24 at the Actors Workout Studio in North Hollywood at 4735 Lankershim Blvd. Tickets are $15 at the door and $10 reserved online at abovethecurve.com. Shows are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m.

From l, Shawn Parsons, Rebecca Sigl, and Lisa Clifton star in “the baby dance.”

Mark McClain Wilson’s superb sound design gets the audience in the mood and feel of a rundown area of hot and humid Louisiana for writer Jane Anderson’s play the baby dance. That is not all that is hot as the acting sizzles throughout, especially Rebecca Sigl as the continually pregnant, sweet, and simple Wanda and Lisa Clifton as classy, educated, want-to-be mother Rachel. They exchange viewpoints on life and motherhood as they go at each other, both tough and gently, as the life of a baby and the child’s future holds in the balance.

A Los Angeles couple has a successful life, however, the couple can’t have children and place an ad seeking to adopt. They agree to adopt the unborn child of a poor Louisiana couple who have four other children and are barely getting by. Both couples’ choices provide an insightful, poignant drama that challenges the audience’s views on poverty, adoption, differences between classes, and culture. Anderson’s script breaks down stereotypes and may even be more relevant today than in the nineties when it was first produced as most people now know several people who have taken extra steps to parenthood.

Directed by David Johann Kim, the cast is rounded out with strong male performances by David Fraioli, Jeremy Lowe, and Shawn Parsons.

the baby dance stages on Fridays & Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. till April 14 at The Lounge Theatre 2 located at 6201 Santa Monica Blvd. (corner of Santa Monica and El Centro). Tickets are $20 available in advance on-line at thebabydance. eventbrite.com. Tickets are $25 at the door.

Daniel Christopher as Nick and Hannah Drake as Molly/Rachel in “Dark Play or Stories for Boys.”

Written by Carlos Murillo Dark Plays or Stories for Boys takes an intriguing look at lies and how they play a part on the internet. Main character Nick is fascinated with his high school theatrical teacher who states that “Dark Play is a kind of game where certain players know the rules and other players don’t.” Nick wants to be in the group that knows the game.

The story starts in Nick’s dorm when his new girlfriend asks about his body scars. His response takes the audience to a chat room where his teen self becomes allured with delusional possibilities.

Nick spots naïve teen Adam’s post and soon Nick becomes Rachel. Adam falls in love with the fictional Rachel as Nick goes to great lengths to keep Adam on the bait for a non-existent girl.

Daniel Christopher as Nick is near-perfect in the self-important and yet vulnerable character who also serves primarily as narrator. A versatile cast including Hannah Drake, Amelia Jane Murphy, Kevin Murphy, and Josh Saleh as Adam all easily slide into different roles or variations on their character.

Director Tommy Statler makes the most of the performers’ skills on a simple set for a piece that is dialog driven with little in props or staging yet featuring assured but simple blocking.

Dark Play or Stories for Boys is produced by the Young Actors Ensemble and is currently staging at the Whitmore-Lindley Theatre in North Hollywood located at 11006 Magnolia Blvd. through March 3 Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. Admission is $15, seniors/students $10, and Sunday is pay-what-you can.

For tickets, visit brownpapertickets.com/event/316822 or call (205) 873-1103. For more information visit facebook.com/ YoungActorsEnsemble?ref=ts&fref=ts.

In Eudoxus Julianne Homokay pens a unique portrayal of a young man who lives in a dismal basement in the San Fernando Valley and spends his time drinking Red Bull, playing with technology, and obsessively following traffic reports from around the country on the radio.

Directed by Kevin Vavasseur the production features the well-cast Anthony Cosmano as weird Travis who uses Latin as a second language as he moves through life tuning in to his passionate addiction to tech, traffic, and offbeat relations with his family.

The play stages in under an hour but requires a lot of energy by Cosmano to weave the unusual story that takes place on 11/11/11. There are many local references and landmark mentions to give it an L.A. feel, and who doesn’t love traffic in L.A.? Yet, there is a spice of other major cities as well via the verbal input of numerous traffic reports played by a number of varied voiceover insertions in the script.

The script was inventive and Cosmano was convincing as the lone character Travis who interacts with technology, but never with real people in person.

North By South is fairly new on the L.A. scene. According to playwright Julianne Homokay unusual scripts of this type — even produced for one night — is one of the possible goals as this group begins to make its mark. The show staged for one night on Saturday at the Whitefire in Sherman Oaks. Visit whitefiretheatre.com for more information.