A Bona Fide HOME RUN!

Thomas James O'Leary (Mason Marzac)

Tom Costello (Kippy Sunderstrom)

Ary Katz (Darren Lemming)

Garrett Matheson (Shane Mungitt)

On Halloween night, instead of trickin' around the neighborhood, I treated myself to one heck of an enjoyable evening of live theater!  I went to see TAKE ME OUT.  And, boy, oh boy, am I glad I did.  TAKE ME OUT, Richard Greenberg’s 2002 Broadway hit, explores with wit and compassion what might happen if a player on a major league baseball team were to announce that he is gay.  The production was truly first-rate!  The performances were off the chain!!!  ALL of them!!!  However, there were several performers I MUST mention specifically!  Thomas James O'Leary as Mason Marzac.  WOW!  WOW!  WOW!  Every word from his mouth and every movement of his body told a story!!!  His performance made you laugh and think and maybe even cry if you also lived a life like his.  Mr. O'Leary was simply sensational. - I was also impressed by Tom Costello as Kippy Sunderstrom.  As the narrator, of sorts, Mr. Costello kept us informed and oftentimes enlightened all at the same time. - Ary Katz, who portrayed the play's central character, Darren Lemming, grew on me.  At first, I thought his performance was...well...stiff.  However, as the play progressed, I realized his character needed to come into himself before he could ever behave like a real regular person.  After he came out as gay, he also came out of his I'm-hiding-behind-sarcasm saftey zone.  In the end, I thought he was terrific.  And he was most assuredly cast perfectly.  I mean, the man LOOKS like a S-T-A-R!  And SOUNDS like a S-T-A-R!  I'd love to see him do Shakespeare. - Garrett Matheson also moved me with his I-know-this-white-dude-can't-be-acting turn as the bigoted, former orphan, Shane Mungitt.  EVERYTHING about his performance was hauntingly poetic.  Lastly, new to Los Angeles and the L.A. theater world, athlete turned model turned actor, Duke Dlouhy, entertained me immensely with his rock solid performance as the big ol' corn-fed, dim-witted, but dang loveable, Jason Chenier.  Truth be told, I always love this kind of character:  not the sharpest tool in the toolbox, but as genuine and as harmless as a precious newborn.  In A SOLDIER'S PLAY, I loved the very similar role of, Pvt. C. J. Memphis (which, interestingly, Ary Katz has performed before).  - TAKE ME OUT runs at The Celebration Theatre in West Hollywood through mid-December.  You can order tickets HERE! --- And oh, I just GOTTA say this:  I know the ONLY place the word, perfection, exists is in a dictionary.  HOWEVER--let it be known--the word can also justifiably be stamped across Duke Dlouhy's physique!!!  I mean, DAYUUUUM, if I were he, I'd NEVER put clothes on!  ABSOLUTELY NEVER!!!

Duke Dlouhy (Jason Chenier)

TOLDJA!!!!