Falconry

Another new season announcement, this from Burbank's Falcon Theatre.

They've got Carol Burnett in a Charles Grodin play, a one man show about Abraham Lincoln starring Granville van Deusen, a metaphysical farce called "Leap," one TBA and a holiday show from the Troubadour Theater Co.

And the verdict is...well, undecided, of course.

It will be cool to see Burnett back on the boards (the last I remember her doing anything the Southland was the Stephen Sondheim revue "Putting it Together" a-way back in 1990.), and a new play by Charles Grodin -- who is writing more than he's acting, these days, could be interesting. "What's Been Bothering You Lately," with Burnett as a harried life coach, plays Oct. 17-Nov. 18.

Van Deusen's a Falcon regular ("The Memoirs of Abraham Lincoln" plays Jan. 30 to March 2.) So are the Troubies who have currently got two summer shows about to go up at the Falcon even as we speak. "A Charlie James Brown Christmas" (playing Nov. 28-Jan. 13) is as close to can't miss entertainment as it's possible to program.

I worry about the Falcon from time to time. Some of what they do is so good, edgy, relevant, enticing recognizable names to work basically for gas money. Then they turn around and stick a lot of low comedy schlock on the bill. When I took them to task for last season's stinker "Balancing Act" with Yeardley Smith, I got a very classy letter from Garry Marshall himself. The company's "The Value of Names" with Jack Klugman went some measure toward restoring faith.

So it goes.

The season kicks off with "Leap" Sept. 5-Oct. 7. For more info., call (818) 955-8101 or visit www.FalconTheatre.com.