Dinner With Friends, presented by La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment, continuess Tues.-Thurs., 7:30 pm; Fri., 8 pm; Sat., 2 and 8 pm; Sun., 2 and 7 pm; through June 20. Tickets: $35-$50. La Mirada Theatre, 14900 La Mirada Blvd., La Mirada; 562.944.9801, 714.994.6310 or www.lamiradatheatre.com .
Producing Artistic Director Brian Kite’s star shines brightly over the City of La Mirada, twinkling more so with current production Dinner With Friends, Donald Margulies’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play. While Kite’s boyish charm may easily win people to his side, underneath the sharp business coat and tie lives a savvy competitor and creative artist who painstakingly strives to touch lives wherever he goes.
For this “small town” of just over 50,000 residents, the entertainment culture of a “big city” thrives in a converted movie house transformed into a first-class performing arts center. In its fourth decade, La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts celebrates McCoy Rigby’s 16th Season Series concluding this month, while producing numerous other activities and events within the confines of the theatre.
The determined leadership and commitment of the La Mirada citizens, and of Kite and Executive Producers Tom McCoy and Cathy Rigby, inspires. They take pride in the theatre being occupied 86% of the time with few “dark” days. Kite says, “When the economy turned, it was rough. Unlike other theatres though, all our eggs weren’t in one basket.”
After opening night of Dinner With Friends, Kite shared his keen insight into the choice of mounting this revival, how it came together, the risks involved in the presentation of an adult drama for this particular community, and what else the future may hold for La Mirada Theatre - as well as for himself.
The Play, That’s the Thing
Melanie Lora and Kevin Weisman
“Margulies’ play is brilliant, don’t you think?” rhetorically asks Kite. “It’s the perfect reason to join us for an evening of theatre.” He references to the private moments exhibited on stage by the two couples - happily married Gabe and Karen (Kevin Weisman, Melanie Lora) and their best friends Tom and Beth (Patrick Fabian, Cate Cohen) whose 12-year marriage disintegrates before our eyes. “It’s not just about the four of them; it’s about all of us. Our families, our friends. All marriages. Universal. Nothing is what it seems. Who knows what really happens behind closed doors? Here it’s exposed and you can’t look away.”
As Margulies had to “live” in order to write Dinner With Friends, Kite believes the same held true for him as a director. “I wasn’t ready before. Now was the time to do it. I could relate to these 40-somethings; each day going to work, my everyday life with my wife and kids.” Kite re-read the material. “Margulies got it so right. I just connect to it. Not that I’m going through what Beth and Tom experience. Thank goodness. It just made me want to tell the story of these couples. To jump into their world.”
Kite gravitates toward well-told stories which specifically “speak” for the stage. “What I’m looking for is why we’re going on a communal journey together. That’s what theatre is all about; doing it together, connecting. I want audiences to lean forward because of the dramatic tension. That’s what great stories and live performances do. TV doesn’t.”
Known for avant-garde fare with Buffalo Nights Theatre Company early in his career, Kite’s choices have expanded. “I used to be drawn to stranger material. I haven’t lost my joy for that but it’s not the only thing. I’m comfortable in how an old chestnut can move a crowd - like The Glass Menagerie did at the Actors Co-op. It’s wonderful to witness contemporary audiences relating to timeless material in their everyday lives.”
The Risks Inherent With Challenging Material
When questioned about directing an adult drama with no easy answers while also pushing buttons with explicit language, Kite doesn’t blink. “McCoy and Rigby aren’t going to shy away from challenging their bread and butter (the subscribers). We’re upfront with people about the content.” Between lobby notices, program notes and McCoy’s humorous speech before each show, one would be hard pressed to state otherwise. Even so, several disgruntled patrons left during the performance. To be fair, 99% stayed riveted to their seats.
How was it determined to choose material such as Margulies’ play? “In actuality, Proof [by David Auburn] opened the door for us. Tom chose it; asked me to direct it in 2006. He wanted to push some boundaries. We received a lot of positive comments by subscribers and first-timers. One man said he’d become a subscriber for life if we’d keep doing these types of productions.”
Asked if watering down the material was considered, Kite replies, “Absolutely not. Some people will react strongly to the play; that could be for any play, movies, literature… They don’t want it in their life and I respect their decision. Being a parent, I appreciate ratings. As long as you warn people, they can choose to attend or not.” Margulies provided updates to the script in its present-day setting by Kite. The changes were mainly about technology (a car phone to a cell phone, a video to a DVD).
In Kite’s directorial hands, he shapes authentic, nuanced performances which resonate. When told about mesmerized patrons nodding their heads in acknowledgment with what was happening on stage intermingled with uproarious laughter, Kite beams. He reflects briefly. “Margulies has in his notes the play is a rueful comedy. His words. We knew it would touch the inner core of the audience by its issues but we had no idea how funny it would be. Between the invited audiences and previews, we saw them connect to the show while laughing throughout; it was then we realized what Margulies meant.”
Margulies’ emotionally charged material tugs at the heart, engages easily with the power of its wit and excellently walks the fine-line between truth and reality.
You Are Only as Strong as Your Team
Patrick Fabian and Cate Cohen
Beyond the deceptively simple yet deeply moving complex world of words on the page, Kite assembled an award-winning design team for the production on the expansive stage. Given the intimacy of a four-person cast, Kite chose to work around the space issues. “With set designer John Iacovelli, we pushed the play downstage as much as possible. Two portals compressed the sides of the stage. To keep the play moving we used a revolving turntable. Using the entirety of the large stage would delay things so the turntable keeps the play moving. Margulies actually suggests it and we expanded on the idea with no walls. It kept every scene front and center.”
Kite’s enthusiasm builds when talking about the lighting design by Craig Pierce. “Did you notice the lights between the scenes? We felt the lighting needed to match the inability to stop life from moving. No matter if the turntable is revolving into the next scene, those lights come with it.” There was no darkness to indicate closure either. “Exactly. That feeling is what the characters of the play are feeling. Craig was able to convey theatricality while being true to the intimacy of the material.”
Remarking on the sound design by Cricket S. Myers, Kite feels it is equally important. “Cricket worked long hours to find music not manipulative and sentimental. We wanted music to move the play forward without forcing the audience down an emotional path. Those musical selections weren’t random. We went through endless amounts of material to reach a decision. It was difficult to get right but I feel good about the end result.”
Kite speaks highly of the other design team members, noting each of them and is appreciative of their work. “They cared deeply about this play, in a special way. They worked on concepts and paid great attention to detail.”
Then and Now
Kite was 18 when he found his way into directing at the French Woods Festival in New York. When three persons were fired on a show, he was put in charge. “In the 1990s, I lived the actor’s life off-Broadway in Grandma Sylvia’s Funeral. We moved the show to Philadelphia where I directed the production.” But something was missing. “The creative energy of Los Angeles. As much as I loved New York, I knew something exciting was happening with Buffalo Nights and I wanted to be part of the action. So I moved back.”
Brian Kite
Kite returned to UCLA, earned his MFA in 2004 and was brought on the faculty to teach directing. Based on a prior conversation with Jeff Brown, then Executive Director at La Mirada Theatre, fate soon played a role. “I had jokingly told Jeff when we were both on the Board of Governors [at LA Stage Alliance] I would be ready to take over for him after graduating. He took me at my word and offered the position of Associate Director at La Mirada.” A year and a half later, Brown stepped down. Kite was hired as Producing Artistic Director. “With the job came more responsibility in artistic programming. And I welcomed it.” Critical acclaim has followed Kite where his directing credits include Proof, Driving Miss Daisy and Steel Magnolias.
Life’s incredibly busy for Kite yet he revels in the opportunities before him. “I’ll admit the career I’ve chosen, the one I’ve been on for a long time; it’s not easy. My wife is beyond supportive. We figure things out and make it happen because we want those things. It’s a great life. I want to be a great husband, a great dad, a great artist and a great teacher. All of these keep it real, keep it in perspective. And they keep me young.”
As for La Mirada Theatre, Kite boasts like a proud papa. “We have so much going on for children, teens, young audiences. There’s something new - Upright Cabaret. We also keep our eyes open for material being done locally in LA County and surrounding areas. A perfect example is a crossover project - Daddy Long Legs. We’re fostering a new musical in co-production with Rubicon Theatre Company, Cincinnati Playhouse and TheatreWorks to bring to our stage (November 2010).” As if that’s not enough, “We’re considering a new series allowing us to do more adventurous work with less risk. It may include a different seating configuration - maybe even sitting on stage.”
Kite concludes, “Our goal is to make La Mirada Theatre the focal point for the community, its cultural center. If you want to be entertained, think of us first. Think theatre. Think live performance. Think La Mirada Theatre.”
Even though the lights of Los Angeles hinder our view, the night sky can be a brilliant and breathtaking sight. While thousands of stars shine above, one stands out. If the showman Kite continues on his trajectory, his star may become the brightest of all.
Production photos and feature image of Brian Kite, Melanie Lora, Kevin Weisman, Patrick Fabian and Cate Cohen by Michael Lamont
Article by Mark Kinsey Stephenson
