At the website for Valley Musical Theatre, www.valleymusicaltheatre.org, you'll find a blurb written by yours truly when I reviewed a production of "They're Playing Our Song." I wrote:

"With none-too-ambitious programming and players like Lewis in the fold, VMT - which scored a hit with "Beehive" - appears to be firing on all cylinders."

I wrote those words nearly a year ago. Much has indeed changed.

"They're Playing our Song" concluded the company's inaugural season at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood. It was also the last full production staged by VMT. Single night benefits ("Fractured Broadway," "Broadway Unplugged" have followed.)

VMT appears to be having financial difficulties -- no crime in that -- and it's not certain when they'll actually be up and staging things again. The company's website lists a splashy sounding benefit for next Monday, the 28th, featuring performers from "The Color Purple" and their friends. "A Purple Cabaret," scheduled for the Coronet, sounded like quite an evening.

Except it's apparently not happening either. I phoned up VMT honcho Ronn Goswick yesterday to get some details and, yes, to ask when we might see another non-benefit VMT event at the El Portal. I did not receive a return phone call, but the management from the El Portal kindly forwarded me an e-mail from Goswick to the "Purple" crew:

Dear Friend,

It is with deep sorrow and regret that I have to send this email to all of you.

I think you all know that we were doing this benefit for Valley Musical Theatre to help take care of getting us out of the red. It is an extremely difficult task to undertake and I want to THANK YOU all for being there to help me in trying to make this happen.

Unfortunately over the past couple of days I have been forced into a corner and having to make some extremely tough decisions and that is why I am sending this email to all of you.

I am going to have to cancel the performance of A PURPLE CABARET on January 28. I have gotten information that would have made it impossible to do the show and not have it be a negative influence on each and every one of you as well as the audience and the theatre.

I am so sorry that we couldn't continue and put this show on for the public. You have already all given me so much and I will be forever indebted to each of you.

THANKS for you time, your talent and most of all your friendships - old and new.

I love you all.

RONN GOSWICK

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OK, no "Purple Cabaret." Tant pis, and all that, and the "Purple" cast members actually get to rest their voices on their day off from performing at the Ahmanson.

I'd be curious to know how deeply in the red VMT actually is, and what "information" could cause a benefit cabaret -- a BENEFIT CABARET -- to be a "negative influence" on the performers and audience members alike.

There was a time when I was convinced that that the El Portal-- the largest in the Valley -- was cursed, and destined never to have a regular subscription selling home company. I had hoped that VMT had succeeded where others have failed, but clearly not.

I also have to hand it to the El Portal administrators. Even without a regular company, their limited engagements -- be they Danny Kaye or Joe Bologna or dance -- seem to get rears in the seats. And that's what its all about.

And VMT? Well, so much for cylinders.