Morna Martell

A PERFECT GANESH – West Los Angeles

The pilgrimage tradition is turned on its head when two middle-aged American women throw themselves into a rousing tour of India, each with a secret dream of what the land of intoxicating opposites will do for the suffering she hides within. Margaret has just discovered a lump in her breast but hasn’t told her friend. Katharine seeks a respite from the haunting of her son, who she rejected and maybe contributed to the gay-bashing in which he died. Faced with these women’s despair, can Ganesh, the Hindu god with an elephant’s head, intervene and bring relief to the pain within each of the women’s hearts?

Written by Terrence McNally, the always challenging 5-time TONY Award winner, who sadly died of complications from COVID 19 in Florida in 2020. As his NY Times obituary stated, “With some three dozen plays to his credit, as well as the books for 10 musicals, the librettos for four operas and a handful of screenplays for film and television, Mr. McNally was a remarkably prolific and consistent dramatist.” Perhaps his most memorable for me are “Love! Valour! Compassion!” “Kiss of The Spider Woman” “Ragtime” and my personal favorite “Master Class.” His work always centered on the difficulties of and urgent need for human connection between disparate people.

The cast of this all-new production includes Mueen Jahan, Kathleen Gray, Mary Allwright, Cameron Gregg, Judd Yort, Sean Delaney, Pavia Sidhu, Svetlana Tulasi and Delio Eswar. Directed by David W. Callander and produced by Campus Cabaret. At The Pico, 10508 W. Pico Blvd (formerly the Pico Playhouse.). Adult themes so no one under 12 admitted. Covid protocols observed: Masks are required and be prepared to show vaccination card or digital record and photo I.D. RESERVATIONS: http://onstage411.com/ganesh.

GOOD PEOPLE – Beverly Hills

This comedy-drama that debuted on Broadway in 2011, rubs against some hot-button issues, among them income inequality and racial politics. Margie is a white woman from the working-class neighborhood of South Boston. She’s a single mom caring for a grown, severely autistic daughter. Mike, her former high school beau, has gotten out of South Boston, become an M.D., and moved to the tony suburb of Chestnut Hill with his beautiful Black wife and their daughter. Now Margie has recently been fired from her job and is facing eviction. Some friends at the local church Bingo game suggest that she look up her old fling and ask him for a job. When Margie arrives at his doorstep, what will she ask and what will he do?

The script is by David Lindsay-Abaire, who won the Pulitzer Prize in 2007 for his play “Rabbit Hole.” Ann Hearn Tobolowsky directs, and the cast includes Alison Blanchard, Scott Facher, Michael Kerr, Suzan Soloman, Mariko Van Kampen and Charlotte Williams. Opens Saturday, November 27 at Theatre 40, in the Reuben Cordova Theatre, 241 S. Moreno Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Free parking. Covid protocols observed. Reservations: (310) 364-0535 or Tickets: www.theatre40.org

GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS – Los Angeles

Storybook Theatre presents this musical version of this classic story where Goldilocks learns that Bears can be people, too. There is audience participation as the children help Goldilocks in a comical forest adventure with the Three Bears. Bring the grandkids!

Book by Scott Martin. Lyrics by Rob Meurer and Martin. Music by Richard Berent. Directed by Barbara Mallory Schwartz and Lloyd J. Schwartz. At Theatre West, 3333 Cahuenga Blvd. West, LA. Parking across the street ($5). Opens Nov. 20. Saturdays at 1 p.m. Reservations: (818) 761-2203 and Ticketing: www.theatrewest.org