The Temperamentals at The Blank Theatre Company

The cast of The Tempermentals

Recently we had the pleasure of seeing, The Blank Theatre Company’s production of The Temperamentals, a play written by Jon Marans and directed by Michael Matthews. The Temperamentals tells the true story of a relatively unknown piece of Los Angeles and gay history, the formation of the Mattachine Society, one of the very first groups created to foster a gay community. Dennis Christopher, from one of my favorite films as a kid, Breaking Away, stars as Harry Hay, the leader of the Mattachines, and just as Harry’s character gets more interesting as he finds himself, Christopher’s performance deepens as the show progresses. 

Erich Bergen as Rudi Gernreich

Providing excellent support are John Tartaglia, Tony nominee for Avenue Q, in a number of roles, as well as my personal favorite Erich Bergen, who performed for us recently at Musical Mondays) as the enigmatic and somewhat tortured Rudi Gernreich whose character best exemplifies the risks these men took. Key roles are also played by the very good Mark Shunock and Patrick Scott Lewis.
Beyond simply being a very satisfying theater experience, The Temperamentals reminds us that gay history did not begin with the Stonewall riots of 1969, but that pioneers had been fighting for gay rights for decades before that. The play’s epilogue shows how the work of the original Mattachine Society still resonates in Los Angeles life today.  Andrew Blau

The Temperamentals 
has been extended through June 5 at the 2nd Stage Theatre,
 6500 Santa Monica Blvd.

Go to http://www.theblank.com/ for more information.

You can also catch Erich Bergen performing in concert at Show at Barre Wednesday May 25th at 8:00 p.m. For more information go to:

 http://www.showatbarre.com

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