Whew! Is it already 2008? Do you realize that that is 8002 backwards? On the one hand, we stop and wonder where the time has gone and why has it gone so quickly? On the other hand, when we look back at months like the one we just had and it seems we can answer at least part of that conundrum. In the time span of approximately one month (or at least since the last time we rendezvoused here) we saw five different shows at five different venues – and at least half of them were more than a 50 mile drive (round trip).

 

Two of the five shows we grouped together, as one was about “the girls” and the other about “the boys.”

 

Let us explain. These two stage productions, both being presented in the Beverly Hills area are quite cute and entertaining. Both first gained notoriety in England and have made the trip across the pond to tour the States. One is “The Rat Pack – Live At The Sands” and the other is “Girls Night: The Musical.”

 

“The Rat Pack – Live At The Sands” is a recreation of a concert featuring Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Dean Martin. The show is allegedly about their performance at the old Sands Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas during the filming of the original “Ocean’s Eleven.” The show is not historically accurate, as many of the songs performed were recorded by the various artists’ years after “Ocean’s Eleven” was a distant memory. Still, it is a fun show that captures the essence of the three performers’ relationships if not the actual time period.

 

The teasing that the three do to each other appears to have been lifted verbatim from some of their shows including the bit where Dean Martin picks Sammy Davis, Jr up and announces “I would like to thank the NAACP for this award…”

 

Performing as Sammy Davis, Jr. is David Hayes. Hayes looks quite a bit like Davis and his vocal impression was often close. His dancing was OK, but did not always seem to follow the music. It seemed to be more flash than substance. Nigel Casey was Dean Martin. He looked very much like Martin, but sounded nothing like him. Stephen Triffitt as Frank Sinatra looked and sounded like Sinatra.

 

The show sports a live 15-piece orchestra and has three female backup singers/dancers who were called the Burelli singers. Before each act,a guy would come out with a thick New York accent and tell some corny mob jokes that fell flat with the audience.

 

The show itself received an enthusiastic response from the audience. It has ended, but you can still catch “Wicked” at the Pantages. Call (213) 365-3500 or go to www.broadwayLA.org for more information.

 

“Girls Night: The Musical” is being presented at the precious Coronet Theatre in Los Angeles well into this month. This little theatre does not hold many people, so consequently there are truly no bad seats. “Girls Night: The Musical” drops in on five friends as they go out for a night of karaoke and reminiscences.

 

Narrating the show is Sharon, one of the friends (but one who has been deceased for 22 years). She appears to the audience as an angel complete with wings. The others are out to celebrate the engagement of Sharon’s daughter who was a baby when her mother died.

 

As the night unfolds, the ladies sing songs from the disco era that punctuates their stories. The tale unfolds, with occasional flashbacks, portraying the group's lives with humor and pathos. The five actresses (all veterans of the American debut in Arizona) have very good voices and are true to their characters. For example, Danielle Wetzel portrays Kate, a kind of nerdy person. When Kate dances she is always stiff and never on beat.

 

There is a lot of audience interaction, especially by Jennifer Jane as Sharon, the teen angel, and the primarily female audience ate it up the night we saw it. It is a cute, if not the most original, show. All the songs in the show have been hits or were part of Broadway shows. Call the Coronet box office at (310) 657-7377 or go to www.GirlsNightTheMusical.com for more information.

 

The other three shows were a bit closer to home. In alphabetical order these were Diana Ross, "Lord of the Dance" and Rockapella.

 

Diana Ross has had a long (40 years) and storied career. From her beginnings as a member of the Supremes (of which she was not the original lead singer) to a successful solo career and success on the small and silver screen, Diana Ross has made her mark on the world. She recently shared a part of that career with the Inland Empire at San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino in Highland, California.

 

The curtains were closed on the stage (which is unusual for San Manuel) and opened to reveal her band already playing. Diana’s voice was heard coming from back stage as she started into “I’m Coming Out.” She suddenly appeared at the back of the stage in a red gown with red boa. The audience cheered wildly.

 

She slowly made her way down the steps as she appeared to be unsure about her footing. She then performed a quick one hour show that touched on every stage of her career. From her period with the Supremes, there was “My World Is Empty Without You,” “Baby Baby,” “Baby Love” and “Stop In The Name Of Love.” Particularly impressive was her rendition of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”

 

From her movie career, there was “Ease On Down The Road” and “Do You Know Where You’re Going To?” From her latest album, she performed her cover of Spiral Staircase’s “More Today Than Yesterday.”

 

There were at least three wardrobe changes, each resulting in another floor length gown complete with matching boa. When she would change, she would have her band vamp on whatever song they had been performing. After reemerging from the wings she would open her arms and give a short curtsy to get the audiences approval for what she was wearing.

 

She was backed by a five piece band and two back-up singers. During “Touch Me In The Morning” she began introducing the band to the audience. She used first names only and left out the bass player and the two percussionists.

 

The rest show did not go off without a hitch, as they say-- for some reason she did not want the video screens on so that the people in the back of the room (which is flat and not graded on an angle) could only hear her. She also had a problem with the lights, making San Manuel turn off the ones behind her claiming that they were annoying the people in the first row. During “More Today Than Yesterday” she tripped and almost fell. Still and all she was in fine voice and the capacity crowd gave her many standing ovations.

 

Upcoming shows at San Manuel include Lea Salong ushering in 2008 on January 3^rd, King of the Cage on the 24^th and Earth, Wind & Fire closing out the month on January 31st. Call the San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino box office at (888) 777-7401, Ext. 2832 or go to their Web site at www.sanmanuel.com for more information.

 

Michael Flatley’s “Lord of the Dance” has been mesmerizing audiences since its inception 11 years ago. It has gone on to become the highest grossing dance show worldwide. Its success is such that it is able to keep two separate troupes performing continuously, one in Europe and the rest of the world and one in the United States. The U.S. troupe recently made a stop at the California Theatre of Performing Arts in San Bernardino, California where it played to a near-capacity audience.

 

The show opens with a woman singing off stage. A howling wind is heard as dancers start to step on to the stage. The audience then sees a spirit dressed in gold that appears to wake up the rest of the dancers on stage with her. What follows is 90 minutes of frenetic dancing that left most in the audience breathless with its energy.

 

The theme appears to be the traditional good versus evil. The leads that represent these themes are evidently rotated among principals. The night we saw the show performing as the Lord of the Dance was Damien Doherty, while the Dark Lord, who attempts to steal his title, was performed by Adam McSharry. On the female side, Tracy Smith performed as Saoirse, the good spirit (who was dressed in white) and Cherie Butler was Morrighan, her evil counterpart (who was dressed in scarlet). Katy Pomfret was the Little Spirit dressed in gold. These fine dancers were supported by an able ensemble who danced together flawlessly. It was also obvious how the leads had earned their roles.

 

When the dancers needed a break or costume change, Haley Griffiths, dressed in a green velvet dress with floor-length green hooded cape, would take the stage and perform an Irish tune or violinists Mark Hennesy and Juliette Primrose would come out to perform some reels.

 

The audience was enthralled from the moment the dancers took the stage. People were overheard to say “That was fun!” Claudine Jaronski of Highland, who was there with her grandson Morgan Ferraris of St. Mary’s Folklorico, told us: “Thought it was the best show. I was the first one to call in for tickets.” Morgan was impressed as well.

 

If you were not able to catch “Lord of the Dance” in San Bernardino or want to see it again go to www.lordofthedance.com for more information.

 

The next show that TAI will present at the California Theatre is "Steel Magnolias" on January 26^th. You can get tickets at the box office, over the telephone at (909) 885-5152, at TicketMaster or online at www.theatricalarts.com.

 

The last of the five shows was in the holiday spirit. The holiday season is a time of good cheer and celebration. Music that is unique to the season gets performed and played to help people get into the spirit of the season. One of the more unique and entertaining presentations is by the group Rockapella. As its name implies, Rockapella is a vocal group that performs popular songs acappella. At this time of year, they put together a special holiday show. This show came to the intimate and gorgeous Lewis Family Playhouse in Rancho Cucamonga, California.

 

The stage was decorated simply with an inflatable Christmas tree and two inflatable snowmen (whom we later learned were named Vinnie and Louie). The show began with the group singing offstage. Then each member of the group took the stage one by one to enthusiastic responses from the audiences.

 

The group attempted to cover all bases. There was “The Dreidel Song” to cover Chanukah. There was also a song for Kwanzaa, the name of which we did not catch. The bulk of the show was concentrated on Christmas. There were the usual songs you hear such as “Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” and “Silent Night.” They also included what might be considered holiday novelty songs such as “The Chipmunk Song,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” and “You’re A Mean One Mr. Grinch.” There were some not so well known tunes, such as the Rockapella original “Peace On Earth” and “Christmas Without You.”

 

During “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas” John K. Brown did a short tap dance.

 

The group has a lot of energy, was very animated and made an immediate connection with the audience. At one point they claimed to know Santa Claus personally. They also went out into the audience and brought a young boy, Robbie, who lives in San Bernardino, on stage. They sang “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” to him. Robbie, for his part, was a little ham, as he interacted with the group. When the group started circling him, he rotated on his stool to keep up with them.

 

Another member of the group, Jeff Thacher, rarely sings, as he makes percussion noises with his mouth to keep the group on beat. At one point he and bass singer George Baldi did beat box solos.

 

For encores they performed a medley of “The Hustle”/”Rock The Boat” and the theme to “Where In The World Is Carmen San Diego” (they were the group that performed the song on the show). Rockapella received a thunderous standing ovation. Afterwards they came out and met fans and signed autographs.

 

Next up at the Lewis Family Playhouse is Kenny Loggins on January 5^th. The Theatre for Young Audiences will present "Dreams of Anne Frank" on January, 18, 19, 25, 26 and February 1^st and 2^nd. Call the box office at 477-2752 or go to their Web site at www.lewisfamilyplayhouse.com.

 

It appears that this month might be just as busy. In addition to the already named San Manuel, we are also planning to return to the Candlelight Pavilion in Claremont. Their first show of 2008 is “Five Guys Named Moe.” It begins on the 4^th and will be playing there all month. Performances will be Thursday through Sunday evenings with Saturday, Sunday and selected Thursday matinees. The price of admission includes salad, warm rolls, entrée, the show and sales tax. Appetizers, beverages, desserts and gratuities are extra. For tickets and/or more information call (909) 626-1254 or go to their Web site at www.candlelightpavilion.com.

 

If the MVN comes to visit we will probably be heading back to SeaWorld. They are doing two really nice things this month (and year). Their “Here’s to the Hero” continues to salute the military all year long. This allows any active military member and three of their guests to a day of free admission. If interested, register at www.herosalute.com. If you go there on January 19^th you can bring your old energy wasting electronics, as they are having an Electronic Recycling Event.

 

SeaWorld is located on Mission Bay in San Diego. Call 1(800) 25 SHAMU (257-4268) for more information or go to their Website at www.seaworld.com (and say hello to Shamu for us).

 

Here are a few more ideas on how to spend some of your January days and/or nights:

 

For laughs, check out the Improv in Ontario. They have their usual Tuesday and Wednesday one night only special shows. In addition they will present Mark Curry from the 3^rd through the 6^th, Jo Koy from the 10^th through the 13^th, Kevin Hart between the 17^th and 20^th and Tommy Davidson the 24^th through the 27^th. Call (909) 484-5411 or go to their Web site at www.improv.com for tickets or more information.

 

The Cerritos Center will be having a great January. Quite a number of their shows are already sold out. Here are some you can still get tickets for. "Solid Gold Rock & Roll" featuring the Ice Man Jerry Butler with the Impressions is on the 5^th. On the 19^th Yamaha Drums presents "Groove All Stars," the 20^th is Bolcom & Morris and violinist Chee-Yun will be there on the 30^th. Tickets for these Cerritos shows are available at the box office, 12700 Center Court Drive, by calling (800) 300-4345 or at www.cerritoscenter.com.

 

Speaking of violinists, Jennifer Frautschi will perform at Pasadena’s CalTech. Other CalTech shows are Harvey Reid on the 12^th, John McCutcheon on the 25^th and The Campbell Brothers on the 28^th. You can get your tickets for the CalTech shows by calling (888) 2CALTECH or going to their Web site at www.events.caltech.edu.

 

As you know Catalina, cruising and the Queen Mary are some of our favorite places. This month Catalina is having their Annual Breakfast Pajama Party on the 1^st and the Avalon Benefit 50 Mile Run on the 12^th. If you want to go or for more information go to www.catalina.com.

 

The Queen Mary continues to present midnight showings of the "Rocky Horror Picture Show," plus live performances of the residence cast on Saturdays. You may also want to check out the "Spy-Fi" exhibit and Tibbies for dinner and a show. For more information go to www.queenmary.com or call (562) 435-3511.

 

Other than our enjoying them so much, what else do these three things have in common? Carnival Cruises have short excursions (less than a week) that visit Catalina. To catch these ships you follow directions to the Queen Mary. They are right next to each other. How convenient is that? Add a day or two when you go on one of these cruises and check out the Queen Mary.

 

It is interesting how normally busy venues are having a slow month right now. We consider three shows or less for the month slow. Here are all of those that fit into this category. The brand new NOKIA is only having a "2008 Chinese New Year Spectacular." It will be on the 18^th, 19^th and 20^th. The Riverside Municipal Auditorium is only having entertainment on the 26^th when the Riverside Philharmonic will be there. The Fab Faux will be at the Avalon on that same day. Garth Brooks will be the only entertainer at the Staples Center this month. His five shows are all on either January 25^th or the 26^th.

 

The venues having only two shows are the Honda Center in Anaheim and the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles. The Wiltern presents B.B. King on the 4^th and Molotov on the 31^st while the Honda Center’s two shows are Chris Brown on the 5^th and the Blue Man Group on the 12^th. The Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk is having only three shows. Chris Brown will be there on the 3^rd with Tony Blair on the 14^th and Ramon Ayala on the 26^th. The Grove of Anaheim is only slightly busier with four shows scheduled for this month. The first is Valy on the 5^th followed by Soulive the 17^th, Moe on the 19^th and REO Speedwagon on the 30^th.

 

The busiest venues this month it seems would be the House of Blues both in Anaheim and on the Sunset Strip. Social Distortion will be at both several times. They will be in Anaheim on the 1^st, 2^nd and 24^th and over on Sunset on the 11^th through the 13^th. Three other acts that will be playing both stages are Reel Big Fish who will be in Anaheim on the 5^th and the next night on Sunset, Lupe Fiasco in Anaheim the 14^th and Sunset the 17^th and Pat Green will be on Sunset on the 19^th and in Anaheim the next night.

 

Some of the Anaheim-exclusive acts are B.B. King on the 3^rd, Starving for Gravity the 4^th, Voodoo Glow Skulls the 11^th, and Appetite for Destruction on the 12^th. The others are Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler from the Jam on the 25^th, The Bravery are the 30^th and Boys II Men close out the month on the 31^st.

 

The Sunset Strip's only shows include Jenni Rivera the 3^rd, Skid Row the 4^th, Led Zepagain and Which One’s Pink? on the 5^th and Xavier Rudd on the 10^th. The second half of the month will bring in Cross Canadian Ragweed the 16^th, moe., the 18^th, Gamblers Mark the 20^th, Exodus the 21^st, Heavy D the 27^th and the Nikhil Korvia Band on the 28^th. All HOB venues present Gospel Brunch on Sundays. Tickets for these shows and all House of Blues shows can be bought and more information obtained at www.hob.com.

 

That wraps up another month. Here is to a healthy 2008 for all!