February 19, 2025
Mark Taper Forum
I was scrolling through Today Tix before Old Friends and came across reeeeeaaaallly cheap tickets for this show AND they still had front row seats available so how could we say no? It was a Wednesday night. Traffic was awful as usual, but I gave myself plenty of time. I was watching Maps for the magical moment when the traffic changes from increasing to decreasing (which I judged based on the route it was sending me to get to the Music Center). Once it told me to take La Cienega, I hopped in the car. Julie beat me there and took a nap in her car. Once I got topside and got the text, I tried calling her but since she was 6 stories underground, she had no signal. Good thing she set an alarm. We got inside with plenty of time to use the restroom before the show began. If you haven’t been to the restroom in the Mark Taper Forum, go (pun intended). It looks like the 60’s. They are downstairs and everything is circular, just like the building. there’s a lounge area with circular sofas and the sinks are all arranged in a circle in the center of the restroom. We found our seats (it wasn’t hard, they were in the front row) and had time to look through the program a bit since neither of us had any idea what to expect from this world premiere show. What we got from the program and the set was “cat” and “Native American”.
The play opens with the character River, played by Julie Bowen, taping up posters regarding a restraining order against the character Wynona, played by Tonantzin Carmelo for River’s cat Pussila (many jokes forthcoming based on the cat’s name). Other characters come and go looking at and taking down the posters as the scene is set in the courtyard of an office building on a reservation. Each of the characters has a specific foundation they are promoting all aimed at helping the Native American community. River and Wynona are at odds and the tension is compounded when they find out they are vying for the same grant. Wynona’s boyfriend returns and she ropes him into pretending to be indigenous to help undermine River’s chances of getting the grant. Hilarity ensues. There is a lot of physical comedy and plenty of jokes as the story moves along. I enjoyed it. There were a few laugh out loud moments, but it was mostly chuckles. It made for a lovely evening out. We definitely got our money’s worth (I think we paid $22/ticket) and then some! Most of the cast portraying indigenous people have indigenous roots, and being Los Angeles, they all have TV and/or film credits. The talent is definitely there. Go see this – you’ll have fun!