He Asked For It

Theatre of NOTE
1517 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood
Friday-Saturday 8 p.m.,
Sunday 7 p.m.
Through June 1
Tickets: $18-22
www.theatreofnote.com

Gay-themed dramas charting thematic territory that feels truly new are rare, and those that pack a knockout dramatic punch are even harder to come by. For more than half of its running time, Erik Patterson’s gripping and intelligent new play feels like a watershed piece. This is a frank and eye-opening view of contemporary urban gay culture that’s hard-hitting without being exploitative. It’s as funny as it is tragic, eloquently reflecting the bittersweet contradictions of life. Though Patterson ultimately overreaches, opting for repetitive scenes that dilute the play’s initial tight focus, this is a vital new work deserving strong audience support.

The setting is West Hollywood today. The gay mating game in the 21st century is dominated by casual gym hookups and Internet cruising. AIDS is very much on the minds of some guys, while virtually never thought of by others. “Catching it isn’t any worse than having diabetes,” rationalizes one libidinous character. Into this high-stakes arena of emotional fragility and health concerns comes aspiring actor Ted (Joe Egender), a sweet-spirited gay man from Wyoming. Fleeing the homophobic coldness of his estranged parents, he’s eager to find meaningful human connection and career satisfaction in the big city.

The story is best enjoyed while watching its fascinating twists and turns unfold. The key thematic throughline is the way “HIV-positive” becomes a phenomeon that plays key roles in Ted’s romantic encounters, including the whirlwind attraction he enjoys with an upbeat and responsible young man, Henry (Ron Morehouse), and the unusual bond he develops with beefy bear Rigby (Christopher Neiman). Ted also gets a first-hand view of the shallowness that can be a part of Tinseltown when working with slimy talent agent Marcus (Joel Scher). Ted’s emotional anchor is his supportive teenage sister, Sophie (Rebecca Sigl), who he keeps in touch with by phone. Elements of sophisticated romantic comedy intermingle with hints of impending tragedy as the story plays out. Unfortunately, when Ted stops being the focal character shortly after intermission, the narrative begins to meander. We find ourselves wishing Patterson had maintained the play’s original impetus and tied things together more succinctly following Ted’s big dramatic moment.

Nonetheless, there’s much to celebrate here, including Neil H. Weiss’ crisp and finely nuanced direction and Egender’s charismatic and heart-wrenching portrayal. There are sterling contributions from Morehouse, Neiman, Scher, Sigl and other supporting performers. A splendid production design, with a sophisticated high-tech feel, enhances the crackling dramatic tension. It wouldn’t take much editing and refocusing to fine-tune this piece into the breakthrough work of this already accomplished playwright.
—Les Spindle

I’d Rather Be Right

Hudson Mainstage Theatre
6539 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood.
Thursday-Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 3 p.m.
Through June 1
Tickets: $30
www.plays411.com/bygeorge

Annie wasn’t the first musical to feature President Franklin D. Roosevelt as a prominent character. He’s a major player in this 1937 musical relic from four legendary figures in American theater—composer Richard Rodgers, lyricist Lorenz Hart and librettists George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. This light-as-a-feather tuner is never revived, as it deals with a very specific time in American political history when the widely popular FDR was struggling to balance the national budget following the Wall Street crash. Yet at its heart, it’s a feel-good romantic bon-bon. By George Productions, which debuted last year with a rare revival of George Gershwin’s Tip-Toes, makes good on that promise, continuing to pay loving homage to obscure but worthy warhorses of the American musical theater. In the latest offering, crisply directed and choreographed by William Mead, with terrific musical direction by Brian O’Halloran, a talented cast and accomplished design team collaborate to provide a wonderfully nostalgic time capsule to a less cynical era.

The silly plot is schematically simple: Lovestruck young couple Phil Barker (Stephen Vendette) and Peggy Jones (Christina Valo) are dying to tie the knot, but Phil insists they must wait until he gets his promotion at work, which won’t occur until the budget is balanced. While strolling through the park one day, they happen upon the breezily cheerful FDR (Joe Joyce) and tell him about their plight. The good-hearted leader takes their request very seriously, vowing to get re-elected for an unprecedented third term and balance the budget so the lovebirds can enjoy eternal bliss. Joyce is a charming and charismatic song-and-dance man, and the silky-voiced Vendette and Valo are irresistible as hero and heroine. The spry ensemble of supporting players (particularly Thomas Dolan, Tom Walz and Matt Kubicek) sparkle in the effervescent musical numbers, creating a gallery of amusing characters. This slight but tuneful confection is as tasty as a summer parfait.
–L.S.