TOM TITUS -- Theater

* EDITOR’S NOTE: This is second in a series reviewing this year’s

local theater scene.

Local theater aficionados bade farewell to one community theater group

and welcomed another in the same location this year.

Mario Lescot’s splendid Theater District closed out its five-year run

at 2930 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, on New Year’s Eve, to be replaced the

next day with a transplanted troupe from Laguna Niguel -- the Trilogy

Playhouse.

Meanwhile, the other two community theater groups in our backyard

distinguished themselves quite nicely. Both the Costa Mesa Civic

Playhouse and the Newport Theater Arts Center -- celebrating their 35th

and 20th birthdays, respectively -- mounted some memorable milestones.

The Costa Mesa playhouse, shaken by reports of possible eviction,

turned its attention to the sounds of music and staged three consecutive

musical productions. The string will play out to five when the theater’s

last two shows of the 2000-01 season hit the boards. Newport produced a

fine array of comedies and dramas, penciling in a children’s musical

during the summer.

At Costa Mesa, the top show of the year was the musical that started

the ball rolling -- “Gypsy.” Damien Lorton, who’s directing all five of

the musicals, came up with strong performances in the key roles of a show

biz mother and daughter, and the ensemble work was impressive indeed.

“Driving Miss Daisy,” the stage version of the Oscar-winning movie,

earned runner-up honors for Costa Mesa. Jack Millis directed the tightly

constructed play about an unreconstructed Southern woman and her

compassionate black chauffeur.

In the performance department, one actress stood out with flying

colors. Andrea Goldin’s tough, single-minded Mama Rose from “Gypsy” was

an outstanding interpretation, both dramatically and vocally.

Three others definitely made their presences felt on the Costa Mesa

stage during the year. They were Teri Ciranna for “Driving Miss Daisy,”

Sophie Areno for “Coastal Disturbances,” Adriana Sanchez for both “Gypsy”

and “Bye Bye Birdie,” and Deborah Bushman for “The Sound of Music.”

At Newport, Millis’ steady directorial hands also were on the

theater’s top show of the year, Neil Simon’s farcical “Rumors.” In a year

marked by exceptionally strong productions, this riotous comedy hit all

the right notes to claim the prime position.

Second honors in an unusually sterling field go to “A View From the

Bridge,” the grim Arthur Miller revival of jealousy and revenge on the

New York docks. Michael Ross’ staging was sensitive and involving.

Among the performers, top honors go to Ed Dyer as the conflicted dock

worker in “A View From the Bridge” and Glorianne Jackson as the

emotionally subdued title character in “The Heiress.”

Several others distinguished themselves on stage during the year at

Newport, among them Dena DeCola in “A View From the Bridge,” Jack

Messenger in “The Heiress,” Michael Ross and Kerri Vickers in “Last of

the Red Hot Lovers,” Joanne Underwood in “Morning’s at Seven,” and David

Colley, Adriana Sanchez and Lorianne Hill in “Rumors.”

At the new Trilogy Playhouse, director Alicia Butler staged the entire

season and hit her stride with the black musical comedy “Little Shop of

Horrors,” the theater’s top production for the year.

Runner-up at the Bristol Street theater was the play that introduced

the Trilogy to local audiences, Ira Levin’s “Deathtrap.” While the

emphasis shifted to family theater, it was shows such as this that

indicated what the new theater is capable of producing.

Top performances were delivered at the Trilogy by James Newell in

“Deathtrap” and Amanda Loomer in “Into the Woods.” Close on their heels

were James Mulligan in “Little Shop of Horrors” and Sharon Simonian in

“The Wizard of Oz.”

On Thursday, this column will turn its attention to theater in the

collegiate ranks, followed a week from today by the announcement of the

Daily Pilot’s 27th annual man and woman of the year in local theater.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot. His reviews

appear Thursdays and Saturdays.