Long Beach Playhouse - Studio Theatre (Long Beach, CA)
Long Beach Playhouse presents Side Man. This touching, comic drama won the Tony Award for Best Play in 1999. Spanning over three decades, it's the story of Gene, a jazz trumpet player, and the turmoil his family suffers as a result of his passion for jazz music, seen through the eyes of his only son Clifford.
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The last date listed for Side Man was Saturday August 15, 2009 / 8:00pm. (view all dates)
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I did not enjoy this play at all. I didn't find it funny. I thought a few of the lead characters were annoying. The acting was not great. My husband and I left at intermission. My husband is a jazz artist, so I thought we'd really enjoy it but it just wasn't our style.
I will say that the venue was fabulous!
As much as I like jazz music and the devout nature of its musicians, I've never considered those that live with individuals that live and breathe their gift. This play gave an eye-opening view of those people.
Although I expected something different when I purchased the tickets, I did not regret my selection.
If you want to take a tour into the lives of the people that bring us great music no matter the sacrifice, go see this play.
This was an excellent show. I loved the theater and the play, itself, was very good. Great acting, excellent characterizations, good story.
The production was great--the cast was great and I loved the script!! This was a very realistic show and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Be warned, however--there is much FOUL language in the show!!
a great play - great cast!! GO - you will not be sorry!!
Workman like production of an OK script
The mom was a little more shreaky than sick, the dad a little to emotionally unengaged for the story to have a lot of traction.
Though billed as a play about hope and interesting characters, I found this work completely depressing. None of the characters was even mildly sympathetic. The actors muffed numerous lines. I do not understand why this won the Tony. I would not recommend it at all. I left at intermission.
It was terrible - I was thoroughly disgusted.
I did not like the play. I love jazz and was surprised that, for it to be a Tony award winning play, it was so boring and dry.
amateur acting
great venue
left at intermission
Good acting, setting, directing. Interesting story about people, their coping behaviors and denials, and how this affects those around them. The background jazz music was a definite plus! Rated it a 3.5, but don't know how to enter partial stars.
A tough play to sit through, but worth seeing. There were glimmers of humor, but this production is a true, dark look at a musician enamored with his art and what a detriment that is for his family. The actor who played Cliff was capable, and the actor playing Gene was very believable as the man who had little interest in having any role other than talented musician.
Heavy drama with some good humor. Cast wzss excellant. Lead, outstanding.
Depressing stage set....Difficult to understand dialog...totally disgusted with the presentation.
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The Long Beach Playhouse offers a comfortable, air-conditioned setting for enjoying live entertainment. The Studio Theatre features 98-seats and a proscenium stage. Enjoy refreshments and musical entertainment before curtain and during intermissions, as well as art and sculpture exhibits in the Gallery.
Side Man is the semi-autobiographical story of Gene, a jazz trumpet player, and the turmoil his family suffers as a result of his passion for jazz music, seen through the eyes of his only son Clifford. The story follows the lives of the family for over thirty years as Gene struggles to maintain his career during the decline of the big band circuit and the birth of rock-and-roll. Playwright Warren Leight, whose father was a side man, captures the New York jazz scene with insight and tenderness in this moving serio-comedy.
Seventy-five continuous years of quality live theatrical entertainment have established the Long Beach Playhouse as a landmark in the City of Long Beach. The Playhouse produces 16 shows annually with a new play or musical every three weeks on the the Mainstage or upstairs in the Studio Theatre. Long Beach's flagship professional theatre cuts across age, gender, ethnic, and cultural boundaries while being entirely self-supporting through ticket sales and membership support.
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