Dramatic gratitude

Tom Titus

While Americans in general may be hard pressed to find something to

give thanks for today, what with the world situation and the U.S. economy

in something of a mess, theatergoers in Huntington Beach can lift a

drumstick to salute the state of their art locally.

If you’re a regular at the Huntington Beach Playhouse, you can give

thanks that the theater still will be around next year. Things got a

little dicey earlier this year when it was feared the cost of producing

at the Library Theater would be boosted to an unacceptable level.

Some concessions have been made opening night champagne receptions

will be moved to the playhouse’s rehearsal hall annex and the run of each

play will be trimmed by one weekend -- but the playhouse will present a

full season in one of the classiest community theater venues in Orange

County.

Down the road at Golden West College, patrons can be thankful for the

arrival of Tom Amen as the college’s artistic director. Amen has tickled

local funny bones with his wild and crazy staging of “Sly Fox” and

delivered a more thoughtful and moving package with his rendition of

“Dancing at Lughnasa.”

For his next number, Amen and his collegiate thespians will be sinking

their teeth into a real mouthful of a Greek tragedy. Sophocles’ “Oedipus

Rex” will be a challenging project for all concerned.

Finally, there is the Academy for the Performing Arts, which holds

forth at Huntington Beach High School. The administrators of this “Fame”

-- style program can be grateful for the overwhelming support of their

actors’ parents in various volunteer positions, which was well in

evidence at the season-opening production of “Once On This Island.”

And, judging by the excellence of director Tim Nelson’s production,

playgoers in Huntington Beach also can be truly thankful for the presence

of this ambitious and energetic program in their own backyard.

As Shakespeare once said in “Hamlet,” for this relief, much thanks.*

TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Independent.