1995 YEAR IN REVIEW : T.H. McCULLOH’S FAVORITE PRODUCTIONS

In chronological order:

* “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” UC Irvine, January. A deliciously incisive production, directed by Andrea Peterson with exceptional high tension that illuminated Tennessee Williams’ original first script.

* “Falsettos,” UC Irvine, February. An energetic and insightful production of a difficult musical about a gay relationship in the AIDS era, whose youthful cast showed more vigor than the now-aging Broadway company.

* “The Memorandum,” Cal State Fullerton, April. Grad student director Duncan Mandel breathed riotous wit and outlandish slapstick into his exceptionally coherent staging of Vaclav Havel’s anti-establishment comedy masterpiece.

* “Man of La Mancha,” Gem Theatre, May. A stunning production that proved how smaller size often can bring new values and insights to standard works in the musical repertoire.

* “Night of the Iguana,” Cal State Fullerton, October. Director Gretchen Kanne took a look at Williams’ drama from an interesting new angle, and it almost made it look like a new play.

* “Romeo and Juliet,” Fullerton College, October. The inventiveness and sweeping rhythms of director Robert G. Leigh’s staging brought Shakespeare’s classic startlingly to life, and Chuck Ketter’s grand scenic design helped immeasurably.

* “Charley’s Aunt,” Vanguard Theatre at Brea’s Curtis Theatre, October. This is an easy play to overdo, but Terry Gunkel’s spirited staging was held beautifully in check, so the humor shone as brightly as it did when it opened a century ago.

* “Light Sensitive,” Theatre District, December. Director Mario Lescot’s staging of Jim Geoghan’s romantic comedy had all the humor and warmth of the playwright’s intent, plus an authentic New York feel and bright tempos that didn’t hide the heartbeat in the action.

* “A Christmas Carol,” South Coast Repertory, December. In its 16 years, SCR’s staging of Dickens’ classic has grown in stature, through darkening and deepening in both script and performance, and now is not too far from the original in its adult message. Plus, it’s always a gorgeous production to watch.

T.H. McCULLOH’S

FAVORITE

PERFORMANCES

In chronological order:

* John Gloria, for his intricate, deeply troubled Brick in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” UC Irvine.

* Riley H. Risso, as Hannah, and Todd Crabtree, as Shannon, in Cal State Fullerton’s “Night of the Iguana.” They brought new shadings to their roles: Risso with a dreamlike poetry, Crabtree with the sense of a lighted stick of dynamite ready to explode.

* Nathan Baesel, as Romeo in Fullerton College’s “Romeo and Juliet,” for the detail and depth of his depiction of the young lover’s subtle emotional maneuverings.

* Tony Masters, for a relaxed, intricate and totally hilarious performance in Vanguard Theatre’s “Charley’s Aunt,” as the befuddled Lord Babberly, who dons the clothes of Charley’s aunt to save the romantic day.

* David Rousseve, for a tense, truly authentic Hell’s Kitchen feeling, and a real New York sense of humor, as the blind ex-cabbie in “Light Sensitive” at Theatre District.