ARTS & EVENTS

Ever After Take Two

Santa Monica Playhouse goes live with four-person fairytale musical

By Bridgette M. Redman

Fairytales are always a favorite for family theater because the ways their surprises can effect audiences. They’re especially useful to draw upon when live theater is still in a state of flux, with changing COVID-19 regulations and safety measures injecting uncertainty into what can safely be presented. That’s why the Santa Monica Playhouse has turned to such stories as “Snow White,” “Hansel and Gretel,” “Alice in Wonderland,” “Puss in Boots” and “The Frog Prince” for its Friday twilight shows running from now until September 24. For Graham Silbert, who has been involved in the Playhouse for 26 years, it has been a labor of love. He co-wrote it, co-directed it and performs in it. He even helped to costume it. The education department of the Playhouse is where his heart is. “I started taking workshop classes when I was 9 years old and I just never left,” Silbert said. “I grew up there and right after high school I started working in their education department, traveling internationally with them, and worked for their family theater.” Now the pandemic has forced them to refocus. They moved a lot of their content online and tried to readapt shows for the online format. “While it was a fun challenge, anyone who works in live theater will tell you that being on stage and having a live audience is where their heart is,” Silbert said. “We had to figure out what would be a good show to bring audiences back.” Many plays require large casts and are difficult to corral due to COVID-19 restrictions. So, Silbert reached out to Evelyn Rudie, the Playhouse’s co-artistic director, about creating a four-person musical where the performers played the different characters in the show. “We thought it would be fun to do this mish-mash of different fairy tales,” Silbert said. “We could adapt elements we already had and do mini-abridged versions with a loose tie between them. The audience gets a little of everything with a whole array of fairy tales all put together in 45 minutes.” It was a task Silbert was well suited for in addition to being the school’s theater field trip coordinator and having performed in more than 50 productions with the Playhouse. He also leads “All the Queen’s Men Troupe” which retells classic fairytales every summer for LA PRIDE. The result of Silbert and Rudie’s collaboration was “Ever After Take Two” featuring Tiffany Haile, Cydne Moore, Joseph Perez and Silbert. Rudie wrote the music and lyrics and Chris DeCarlo co-directs it. It is the first live musical at the Playhouse since the lockdown. It’s an interactive show designed to keep the audience engaged and the children excited about what they are seeing. Silbert says they call upon the audience to help answer questions and to cast spells that help make magical elements happen. Then there is a chase scene where Hansel and Gretel are trying to escape from the witch. They ask the audience to help them hide and the witch keeps asking where they went. “We do try to keep it interactive to keep the kids’ attention and the parents, especially after lockdown where everyone has been binge watching television,” Silbert said. “They need the ‘Hey, we’re in live theater,’ and let them know they’re working with us.” It’s been a choice that has worked well for them. On opening night, Silbert said there was a young girl in the audience, likely less than 2 years old who sat transfixed with her head between two seats. She couldn’t answer the questions, but she was staring at them the entire time. The mom told Silbert she’d never seen her daughter so enthralled. Another day, there was a 6 year old calling out the answers to everything. Silbert said it’s even more rewarding when the adults start doing the same. “If there is any time in your life you can forget your adult responsibilities, it is at the theater,” Silbert said. “It is a place to be fun, be free and be a kid again.” The family shows used to be performed as weekend matinees, but currently the majority of the company is in school, has a day job or their lives have changed since the pandemic. They found Friday evening was the most opportune moment for all of them to be together and the 6 p.m. slot was good for parents to be done with work and they can still have dinner afterward and get home at a decent hour. Each of the four actors have one main character that they play throughout the show and then five to eight other characters they play. Two of them play six of Snow White’s seven companions and everyone plays the Queen of Hearts at one point in the show. “Whenever you’re not on stage, you’re frantically changing costumes,” Silbert said. Silbert stressed that “Ever After Take Two” is not just a children’s show — it is family theater and is geared toward all ages. They’ve worked hard to make the musical attractive to young, old and in between. While there are plenty of fun antics for the youngest audiences, they pack in pop culture references and double entendre and word play for the adults. “We hope to bridge the gap between kids and tweens, and teens and adults,” Silbert said. “A teenager can watch it and not feel like they are watching a show for kids and a kid can watch it and not feel it goes over their head. We try to reach every member of the audience on some level. We want older kids to realize that theater can be fun and exciting.”

What: Ever After Take Two Who: The Santa Monica Playhouse Where: 1211 4th Street, Santa Monica When: Through Sept. 24, Fridays at 6 p.m. Tickets: $15 per adult, $12.50 kids 12 and under, 310-394-9779 ext. 2 or showclix.com/event/ ever-after-take-2 Extra: Tea parties and birthday parties can be booked with every performance. Masks are required regardless of vaccination status.

The production premieres in the newly renovated, stateof-the-art Santa Monica Playhouse and is an interactive musical where audiences help set the fairytale world back on track as they follow the real-life adventures of characters such as Alice in Wonderland and Puss in Boots. Bottom to top: Joseph Perez, Cydne Moore and Tiffany Haile. “Ever After Take Two” is a brand-new musical twilight matinee for theater lovers of all ages. Clockwise from left: Tiffany Haile, Joseph Perez, Graham Silbert and Cydne Moore

PAID ADVERTISEMENT More Than 1 Million Seniors Have Taken Advantage of This “Retirement Secret”

With home prices soaring and interest rates at all-time lows, there’s never been a better time to consider a reverse mortgage

It’s a well-known fact that for many older Americans, the home is their single biggest asset, often accounting for more than 45% of their total net worth. And

with interest rates still near all-time lows while home values remain high, this combination creates the perfect dynamic for getting the most out of your built-up equity.

But, many aren’t taking advantage of this unprecedented period. According to new statistics from the mortgage industry, senior homeowners in the U.S. are now sitting on more than 9.23 trillion dollars*

of unused home equity.

Home Values at All Time Highs

Not only are people living longer than ever before, but there is also greater uncertainty in the economy. With home prices back up again, ignoring this “hidden wealth” may prove to be short-sighted when looking for the best long-term outcome.

All things considered, it’s not surprising that more than a million homeowners have already used a government-insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) loan

oved ones

Our new Reverse Mortgage information guides & DVD are now available featuring award-winning actor and paid AAG spokesman,

Tom Selleck.

U.S.A.’s #1 Reverse Mortgage Company

As Featured on:

ABC, CBS, CNN & Fox News

to turn their home equity into extra cash for retirement.

It’s a fact: no monthly mortgage payments are required with a government-insured HECM loan; however, the borrowers are still responsible for paying for the maintenance of their home, property taxes, homeowner’s insurance and, if required, their HOA fees.

Today, HECM loans are simply an effective way for homeowners 62 and older to get the extra cash they need to enjoy retirement.

Although today’s HECM loans have been improved to provide even greater financial protection for homeowners, there are still many misconceptions.

Available if You Still Owe on Your Home or Owe Nothing

For example, a lot of people mistakenly believe the home must be paid off in full in order to qualify for a HECM loan, which is not the case. In fact, one key advantage of a HECM is that the proceeds will first be used to pay off any existing liens on the property, which frees up cash flow, a huge blessing for seniors living on a fixed income. Unfortunately, many senior homeowners who might be better off with a HECM loan don’t even bother to get more information because of rumors they’ve heard.

In fact, a recent survey by American Advisors Group (AAG), the nation’s number one HECM lender, found that over 98% of their clients are satisfied with their loans. While these special loans are not for everyone, they can be a real lifesaver for senior homeowners — especially in times like these.

Thanks to the money received through an AAG Reverse Mortgage, seniors everywhere are enjoying their retirement and worrying less on how to pay monthly bills.

Use the Extra Cash for Almost Anything

The cash from a HECM loan can be used for almost any purpose. Other common uses include making home improvements, paying off medical bills or helping other family members. Some people simply need the extra cash for everyday expenses while others are now using it as a safety net for financial emergencies.

If you’re a homeowner age 62 or older, you owe it to yourself to learn more so that you can make the best decision for your financial future.

We’re here and ready to help.

Homeowners who are interested in learning more can request a FREE

Reverse Mortgage Information Kit and DVD by calling toll-free at

800-791-7450

*https://www.yahoo.com/now/senior-housing-wealth-exceeds-record-150300719.html

Reverse mortgage loan terms include occupying the home as your primary residence, maintaining the home, paying property taxes and homeowners insurance. Although these costs may be substantial, AAG does not establish an escrow account for these payments. However, a set-aside account can be set up for taxes and insurance, and in some cases may be required. Not all interest on a reverse mortgage is tax-deductible and to the extent that it is, such deduction is not available until the loan is partially or fully repaid. AAG charges an origination fee, mortgage insurance premium (where required by HUD), closing costs and servicing fees, rolled into the balance of the loan. AAG charges interest on the balance, which grows over time. When the last borrower or eligible non-borrowing spouse dies, sells the home, permanently moves out, or fails to comply with the loan terms, the loan becomes due and payable (and the property may become subject to foreclosure). When this happens, some or all of the equity in the property no longer belongs to the borrowers, who may

need to sell the home or otherwise repay the loan balance. V2021.06.21 HYBRID NMLS# 9392 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). American Advisors Group (AAG) is headquartered at 18200 Von Karman Ave., Suite 300, Irvine, CA 92612. Licensed in 49 states. Please go to www.aag.com/legal-information for full state license information. These materials are not from HUD or FHA and were not approved by HUD or a government agency.