By Shari Barrett
After the devastating loss of their physical theater, The Pierson Playhouse, in the Palisades firestorm at the beginning of 2025 just 3 days prior to the scheduled opening of Jest a Second!, Theatre Palisades has risen from the ashes to present the hilarious sequel to Beau Jest at the Westchester Playhouse thanks to the generosity of Kentwood Players for sharing their theater space (as well as the Morgan-Wixson and the Blue Door theaters who also provided rehearsal space to their fellow community theater group in their time of need. It’s one of the things I love the most about the Los Angeles theater world who support each other in keeping live performances thriving in our beautifully artistic city.
The Theatre Palisades production is exquisitely directed by Jonathan Fahn, produced by Martha Hunter and assistant producer Lou Saliba, and features Jon Paul Burkhart, Jeff Coppage, Laura Goldstein, Jasmine Haver, Lou Saliba, and Levente Tarr (with understudies Claire Goldhush and Jennie Fahn) in the cast who, as Fahn shares, “cleverly explore themes of mistaken identity, relationships, and the ensuing mayhem when misunderstandings spiral out of control” in James Sherman’s Beau Jest sequel, Jest a Second! This time we join the comically dysfunctional Goldman family a year later when their married daughter Sarah and her now ultra-devout Jewish husband Bob are expecting their first child. And poor Sarah is wondering how she will ever get through her never-ending pregnancy without being able to eat bacon or a cheeseburger!
But that’s not her only complaint as the play opens since the baby is three weeks late and Sarah (animated Jasmine Haver) is so uncomfortable and stressed out she has Bob (Jeff Coppage) running around in circles trying to please her. But on this night the Goldman family is gathering there to celebrate Sarah’s brother Joel (Jon Paul Burkhart) dating a nice, Jewish doctor named Randy who is joining the Goldmans for dinner. But before their parents arrive, Joel confesses to Sarah that he is gay and Randy is a man. And even worse, his ex-wife has a lawyer and is suing him for full custody of their two sons. Burkhart opens his soul as Joel struggles with his emotions which overwhelm him with guilt and worry. All three actors are to be commended for their skill at sharing every human emotion realistically while being able to literally jump into farcical situations in the blink of an eye.
Hilarity ensues when Bob decides to impersonate Randy as a robust blonde femme fatale in red glasses and a sparkling evening gown – a costume from his stint as an actor in La Cage Aux Folles. Coppage gives a tour-de-force performance morphing between the two divergent characters, doing his best to help keep Joel’s secret from his parents, Miriam and Abe (perfectly portrayed by Laura Goldstein and Lou Saliba as the bickering, long-married Goldman parents). When the real Randy (stately Levente Tarr) shows up in a most unexpected way, what follows is gut-busting hijinks set among light-hearted lessons about love, family, and being true to yourself. Laughs abound with quick entrances, exits, and physical comedy finely tuned by Fahn to maintain the necessary breakneck two-act pace to honor the humor throughout Sherman’s script.
In program notes, Director Fahn shares, “my goal was to balance these zany yet universal experiences of the plot with moments of vulnerability and emotional depth amidst the comedic chaos.” And he has succeeded brilliantly thanks to his uber-talented cast.
Kudos to set and lighting designer Sherman Wayne as well as the many-member duo-theater team led by Ben Lupejkis and George Kondreck of Kentwood Players for the quick transformation of the Urinetown set into Sarah and Bob’s comfortable living room where the play’s action takes place, often set off by entrances and exits through the center stage front door. Costume design by Maria O’Connor and Martha Hunter suit each character to a tee, but Susan Stangl’s song selections seemed out of place with the story and frothy flavor of the comedy.
Jest a Second! performances run through June 21 on Thurs-Fri-Sat at 8pm, Sat-Sun at 2pm at the Westchester Playhouse, 8301 Hindry Avenue, LA 90045. Tickets are $22 general admission or $20 for seniors and students. Reserve them online at https://theatrepalisades.org/ or by calling (310) 454-1970. Tickets may also be purchased at the Westchester Playhouse box office starting a half hour prior to curtain time. The Westchester Playhouse is located at 8301 Hindry Avenue, LA 90045.
Theatre Palisades gives thanks to all First Responders for their service working so valiantly to fight the firestorms in Pacific Palisades and Altadena by offering a free ticket to any performance of Jest a Second! by calling the box office at (310) 454-1970 with your badge number and the date you would like to attend. And after such stressful and heartbreaking times, please share some laughter with us!
After a week of preview performances, the 15th Annual Hollywood Fringe Festival is officially open, running through June 29 with nearly 2,000 performances and events taking place across the Hollywood neighborhood, followed by the Fringe Awards Ceremony and Closing Night Party on June 30. With over 416 productions registered, the most in the festival’s history, this year’s Fringe marks a milestone moment for L.A.’s vibrant and growing independent arts scene.
“Hollywood Fringe is more than a festival, it’s a citywide celebration of independent art,” shares Hollywood Fringe Co-Executive Director, Lois Neville. “Whether you’re already a theater fan or just curious, this is the place to discover something that will inspire you.”
With so many options, it can be challenging to decide what shows to see at the Hollywood Fringe Festival. My best advice if you want to attend more than one show on the same day is to select one of the many venues where shows of all types are presented back-to-back to save you travel time, or consider rideshare services to avoid delays at peak hours when parking spaces close to venues may be scarce.
You can explore shows by category, tags, dates, venues, and more online at https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/shows or by daily schedule at https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/schedule or via the Hollywood Fringe Festival mobile app. Ticket prices are set by artists as part of the Fringe’s mission to empower creators to act as their own producers, with the average ticket costing $15. This year, 49 productions have chosen the “pay what you can” model, and 25 productions are choosing to present their work to audiences for free.
Festival organizers encourage audiences to visit Fringe Headquarters in suite 109 at the Hollywood and Highland complex where you can search for shows, purchase tickets at an in-person box office, and find knowledgeable Fringe team members to help answer questions and provide recommendations. You can also pick up a printed Fringe catalog there and at all sites offering productions.
