Theatre Review – Hollywood Positive

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“Hollywood Positive” Is Positively Hilarious!”

Here’s a new fresh concept, take all the clichés that exist in the realm of the Hollywood acting world and then exaggerate, exemplify and embellish on all them and you have an often witty script written by Alara Ceri who plays the wannabe starlet lead, Ally.

Ally is a girl who has the dream of moving away from her loving parent’s protection (imprisonment) and moving to L.A. and becoming a Hollywood star. Alara is obviously having fun while poking some very funny jabs that are sarcastically portrayed but in ways that are very close to reality, making it that much funnier to industry types. This is the basic story of a starry eyed actor wanting (and pursuing) the dream that she THINKS Hollywood is.

My absolute favorite performance is the beautiful, arrogant, narcissistic roommate of Ally Karen, played brilliantly by Anna Rose Moore. Anna was giving it her all and was extremely sharp and hysterical to watch. Her attitude riddled dialogue and smart-ass style of putting down everything that isn’t her or about her was pure comedy to watch.

Now throw in a date with an L.A. sex addict named Dan and you have one of the most hysterical neurotic performances done wonderfully well by Vincent Van Hinte. Watching Vincent and his desires with Ally was nonstop spontaneity of humor and fun that you won’t be able not to laugh, trust me.

I had so much fun watching CJ Brady play the character “CJ” because his “coolness” and suave “dudeness” was just great fun to watch. CJ is the only L.A. surfer dude who encourages Ally for what she is and his performance will make you smile and really laugh out loud!

Another really good performance came from David Lengel playing one of two casting directors who really gave his performance of a nice paranoia-ridden man Who with his very 70s hair and look makes it that much funnier. Eric Fiel plays the casting partner who David works with, who also does a lot of freaking out and eventually lets his inner Broadway actor out of the closet – way too much, but you’ll be laughing again.

Fernando Flores gives a quite sleazy performance as yet another industry contact/club owner named Conrad for Ally to further her career and Fernando seems to take great pride in his physical needs for her to move on and upward. (So to speak.) Fernando’s sharp delivery makes for hysterical reactions between them. Charlie Abernathy plays BJJ, watching him will keep your funny bone running even more especially on how he feels toward Ally!

Now the over protective father is played by Peter McGynn and the concerned and more encouraging mother is played by Candice Martin. Both Peter and Candice give the utmost in convincing us, the audience, that they are the parents who, on the one hand don’t want to let their daughter go and yet on the other hand, know that they have to!

The play was directed by Ray Ramos who also plays a fairly sleazy agent/manager type who spends a lot of his time chasing Ally around the desk for some booty (and of course the big Hollywood deal)! Directed in wide style of a small set and yet in a somewhat choppy style with very short and many scene changes, “Hollywood Positive” works because of a few of its broad characters and innate industry humor that runs throughout the piece. Playing at The Raven Playhouse in North Hollywood, “Hollywood Positive” is a fun piece of Hollywood told in a very satirical way! Check them out at http://HollywoodPositive.com.

Pic 001 Alara Ceri, Candic Martin, Peter McGynn (Inset Top) A Ceri Vincent Van Hinte (Inset Btm) – CJ Brady