Couple of Valley premieres

Who says the SFV doesn't house some interesting productions.

OK, I realize that the L.A. premiere isn't as sexy as the West Coast or U.S. premiere, but it was kind of cool to note the West Coast Premiere of one major playwright and the L.A. premiere of another coming down the pike in the (818).

They are:

"Lady" -- WC premiere of Craig Wright's play, opening April 25 at the Road Theatre Co. in NoHo. There are actually no females in "Lady" which deals instead with three boyhood friends on a hunting trip linked together by the war i Iraq. Wright, who wrote for "Six Feet Under" and created "Diryt Sexy Money" is the author of "The Pavilion," "Orange Flower Water" and "Recent Tragic Events." www.roadtheatre.org or (866) 811-4111.

The Lonny Chapman Group Repertory Theatre, meanwhile, got its hands on the L.A. premiere of Terrence McNally's "Prelude & Liebstod" which, as I understand it, is largely a monologue star turn for a single actor (in this case Larry Eisenberg) who confronts his inner demons while conducting Wagner's "Prelude and Liebestod." There's not much written about it either on the LCGRT website, or even on the web because _ I suspect _ the play isn't often performed.

McNally can be hit and miss. For every "Master Class" and "Love! Valour! Compassion!", he can also serve up a "Perfect Ganesh." One of the worst productions of anything I've ever seen was a world premiere of McNally's "Up in Saratoga" down in San Diego. With Mary-Louise Parker, no less.

Nonetheless, our city hasn't yet seen "Prelude," neither have I and now we can. The production opens April 12. LCGRT is at (800) 700-4878 or www.lcgrt.com.