2 Shows Are Underway After Getting Shaky Starts

Two plays running in Ventura County have managed to prevail despite distressing histories. Michael Maynez, artistic director of the Plaza Players, has twice announced productions of Paul Rudnick’s backstage comedy, “I Hate ‘Hamlet,’ ” but problems in obtaining rights canceled both.

And Camarillo Community Theater has recently undergone an in-house upheaval: The new administration (which had been the old administration, prior to the last administration) was beset with problems mounting the musical “Annie.”

Both shows are up and running now, and if you hate (or love) Shakespeare, or can’t resist a little girl with a flaming red Harpo Marx-style wig, there are a couple of weekends left to see ‘em both.

Even though you’d have to be a pretty old geezer to be familiar with the comic strip that inspired it, “Annie” is part of the national consciousness, if only for its one hit song, the optimistic “Tomorrow.”

The Camarillo Community Theater production stars Lynsey Bartilson as the winsome moppet, pulled from a Depression-era orphanage to spend the Christmas holiday with billionaire industrialist Oliver Warbucks. He announces a reward to her birth parents, which a couple of impostors attempt to claim. That’s the plot; it’s up to the performers to enchant the audience.

The Camarillo crew does just that, thanks to Bartilson and strong supporting performances by Karen Sonnenschein as evil Miss Hannigan, head of the New York City Municipal Orphanage; John P. Lordan and Brooke Moffat as the would-be parents; Andy Brasted as President Roosevelt. Sandy Gaskell plays Warbuck’s secretary, Grace Farrell (who marries her boss in the sequel, “Annie Warbucks”).

Jeff Johnston (who stepped in as a last-minute replacement) is OK as Warbucks, but “Annie” fans may be surprised to find the character with a full head of hair. The kids in the ensemble occasionally sound like the Chipmunks on helium, but manage to cope nicely with director Kelly Johnston’s choreography.

Saturday night’s performance was a near sellout, and the audience seemed quite pleased with the performance. The group has sacrificed its usual live musical accompaniment in favor of a tape, which works well enough.

About children: The show is more than 2 1/2 hours long, and very young kids tend to get antsy.

In Paul Rudnick’s “I Hate ‘Hamlet,’ ” the spirit of veteran thespian John Barrymore comes back to haunt and inspire young and supremely unqualified TV actor Andrew Rally, who is about to headline in “Hamlet.”

In the meantime, the actor’s agent and a Hollywood director are trying to persuade Rally to come back home to his role as a rookie surgeon on “Hollywood Medical.” If that wasn’t enough, Rally’s girlfriend isn’t feeling particularly romantic.

The whole thing’s quite silly, but best when Rally (Tim Ahern) and Barrymore (Timothy Rice) are alone together. Also appearing are Virginia Streat as the agent, Hugh McManigal as the director, Donna Allen as the girlfriend, and Leslie Vitanza as the woman who leases Rally’s old apartment.

One needn’t be familiar with “Hamlet” to enjoy the play, though it’s even better if you are.

Two items of interest: The Plaza Players have moved out of their theater in the Old Livery and into the Ventura Senior Recreation Center, next to Shakey’s Pizza. The environment isn’t as lavish, but the play works very well at floor level, with the audience surrounding it on three sides. And Nichol Williamson, who played Barrymore in the original New York production (until he walked out of the show after decking the actor who played Rally), is touring the country in a one-man show in which he plays . . . John Barrymore.

DETAILS

* “Annie” continues through March 10 at the Camarillo Airport Theater, 330 Skyway Drive, Camarillo. Shows are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $10; $8 for seniors, students and military with I.D.; and $5 for children, 10 and under, with a special family package price of $25 for two adults and up to three children. For reservations or information, call 388-5716.

* “I Hate ‘Hamlet’ ” continues Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. through March 9 at the Senior Recreation Center, 420 E. Santa Clara St., Ventura. All shows are at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 general; $8, seniors and students. For reservations or information, call 653-2378.