THE ELEPHANT MAN
Mar. 21 – 23 and April 4 – 14, 2019
“The Elephant Man” is based on the life of John Merrick who lived in London during the latter part of the 19th Century. A horribly deformed young man who has been a freak attraction in traveling side shows, John is found abandoned and helpless and is admitted for observation to Whitechapel, a prestigious London hospital. Under the care of the famous young doctor, Fredrick Treves, Merrick is educated and introduced to London society. Through their eyes, he is changed from sensational object of pity, to an urbane and witty favorite of the aristocracy and literati. It his dream that he will become a man like any other…but unbeknownst to him, he exceeds even that.
By Bernard Pomerance
Directed by Robyn Cohen
Tickets: $40 to $55.00 through El Portal Theatre Limited Discount Tickets through: OnStage411.com/elephantman: Enter discount code 008 for 50% off or Elephants25 for $15 tickets. And for FREE tickets on Thursday, enter LETUSIN.
The Thursday Night Theatre Club's production of Bernard Pomerance's Tony Award winner for Best Play The Elephant Man is simply an exquisitely poetically, philosophically rendered poignant work all about the art of being human...
Overall, this exquisite Elephant Man is among the most moving meditations I've ever seen staged about the beauty within the beast and the human spirit. As Merrick pithily put it: “I am NOT a dog walking on his hind legs!” Here, here! This stellar production is rated “DMI” for: “Don't Miss it!” Kudos!
The Thursday Night Theater Club presentation of The Elephant Man was phenomenal. Vitorino, Craig and Walker lead a stunning performance as well as the rest of the cast. Excellent execution in props, set design, and lighting. Robyn Cohen astounds again with her fine direction. The costumes by Moe Marks gracefully set the tone for the 1880s. I will be seeing this again before the show runs out. Bravo!
With fog effects and lighting creating a layered mood and ambience and with a talented cast, including a bare-all performance by Walker, an intriguing and dynamic Craig, as well as strong supporting by Skip Pipo and Jon Sperry, Thursday Night Theater brings this classic tale to life.
This is a must-see for any fan of the era, genre, or subject.
This is a physically demanding role, and Vitorino does a very impressive job with it. Other performances are equally convincing. Cohen's clever direction makes for an atmospherically rich production, a lot of it due to Bo Tindell's excellent lighting schema. Lillian George provides a handsome gallery of props which function as sets, while the costumes by Melissa Marks, though not especially flashy, are nevertheless effective. - RECOMMENDED
Done well, it's a breathtaking play and one of the most compelling pieces of theatre created in recent years. The Thursday Night Theatre Company has taken on this gorgeous work quite fearlessly, which is absolutely the only way to do it justice...
The Thursday Night Theatre Club's presentation of “The Elephant Man” is stylish, bold, funny and profoundly moving. Each of the roles is played with intensity and brilliance. Sure, the accents slip slightly from time to time, but the passion and the agony are in every syllable.
This is a must see! The performance by Tom Vitorino who plays the Lead is outstanding. I was so impressed by his ability to transform into such a complex character. The cast as a whole was wonderful. I highly recommend going to see The Elephant Man!
Similar to David Bowie's awe-inspiring physical transformation in the title role on Broadway, the current production of Bernard Pomerance's THE ELEPHANT MAN, a classic true-life tale and heart-wrenching story that depicts the best and the worst of humanity, Review: THE ELEPHANT MAN Recalls Victorian Era Exploitation of and Fascination with Physically Deformed John Merrickpresented by Thursday Night Theatre Club at the El Portal in NoHo, features an amazing performance by Tom Vitorino in the title role.
The moment Walker first graced the stage the audience collectively perked up. And not simply because, at the time of her entrance, the show is starving for a greater female presence. The actress and character alike are poised, graceful, charismatic. We in the audience hung on her every word. Walker, in addition to being a skilled actress, is a skilled listener. Every bit of dialogue she listened to felt heavier because of how finely she was tuned in.
The sparse set and costumes are reflective of the time period, Victorian England. The set pieces looked small and swallowed up by the size of the stage the show is presented on. A smaller space would have suited the piece better, both for staging purposes and to take in the careful facial expressions of Vitorino...
When the same actors play multiple roles, the audience immediately recognizes the depth of character development and creative teamwork involved...
The show's haunting, exquisite score and music (sound engineering by Beau Bancroft) not only enhances but carries the emotional energy. It has so much potential that a chamber operetta of The Elephant Man could well be on the musical horizon.
Fabulous production! Very emotional portrayal of John Merrick which had me emotionally tied to the devastating plight of this character. The entire cast was riveting, and the costumes parallel a true Broadway production. Bravo to the actors on such an authentic portrayal of this production.
This was a wonderful take on the story of The Elephant Man. The cast, across the board, was fantastic! My only gripe with the production was the set/props. For me, in theatre, even the smallest of details can make or break. Seeing a carpet dolly being used to move a cabinet around was a sad sight. A little black spray paint and it could have disappeared. With the said, no this not a massive budget performance. It is definitely minimal. Which makes the audiences have to rely on the performers to convey the story as opposed to the atmosphere and sets helping to put you in that world.
Blown away by this Elephant Man Production. everything from the Production Design/Costuming to the acting are stellar. sublime performances by Alice Walker , Tom Vitorino and John Ralston Craig.... funny , touching , sorrowful....... a must see for fans of the play or movie
I have been a fan of the ELEPHANT MAN MOVIE since I was a child. As of FRIDAY 03/22/2019, I am officially a fan of the ELEPHANT MAN PLAY. More over I am a fan of the cast, Tom Vitorino's rendition redefined what I thought or knew about John Merrick. The ELEPHANT MAN lives again at EL PORTAL THEATRE.
This is show is amazing. The acting, sets, and costumes are all outstanding. And it's so wonderful to see Broadway level theater productions in Los Angeles.
This is a great story line great pros bringing it to stage,my lady friend and i really enjoyed it the company of cast was spot on had tears running down faces with laughter too a must to see the gentleman playing elephant man brought it life Tom V with the company of cast members made us feel like we where really back there in those yrs they brought love hate and GOD to the stage a must see for every human yes where going back
Moving and transformative experience! The story of John Merrick is heartbreakingly powerful and brought to life by the amazing cast. This is what a night out at the theatre is meant to be. Skillful actors, authentic set design and costuming make you feel like you are there. I'll be back to see this again! Amazing!
What a stunning performance to see! Not only was there an incredibly talented cast who brought the characters to vivid life, but the set pieces, lighting, wardrobe, music, transitions and venue all lended themselves to make the show one to remember. Tom Vitorino tugged at my heartstrings with his portrayal of John Merrick. His body work was just fantastic and I was completely immersed in the character's struggle without the need for prosthetics. Alice Walker played a delightfully funny yet graceful Ms. Kendall. I could go on about the whole cast! I'll most definitely be attending more shows before closing.
This production of The Elephant Man is beyond fantastic.
The costumes, sets and lighting provided the perfect backdrop for the wonderful performances by the talented cast.
I plan to return to see this again & I highly recommend checking out this production before it ends its run on April 14.
The Thursday Night Theatre Club's production of Bernard Pomerance's Tony Award winner for Best Play The Elephant Man is simply an exquisitely poetically, philosophically rendered poignant work all about the art of being human...
Overall, this exquisite Elephant Man is among the most moving meditations I've ever seen staged about the beauty within the beast and the human spirit. As Merrick pithily put it: “I am NOT a dog walking on his hind legs!” Here, here! This stellar production is rated “DMI” for: “Don't Miss it!” Kudos!
With fog effects and lighting creating a layered mood and ambience and with a talented cast, including a bare-all performance by Walker, an intriguing and dynamic Craig, as well as strong supporting by Skip Pipo and Jon Sperry, Thursday Night Theater brings this classic tale to life.
This is a must-see for any fan of the era, genre, or subject.
This is a physically demanding role, and Vitorino does a very impressive job with it. Other performances are equally convincing. Cohen's clever direction makes for an atmospherically rich production, a lot of it due to Bo Tindell's excellent lighting schema. Lillian George provides a handsome gallery of props which function as sets, while the costumes by Melissa Marks, though not especially flashy, are nevertheless effective. - RECOMMENDED
Done well, it's a breathtaking play and one of the most compelling pieces of theatre created in recent years. The Thursday Night Theatre Company has taken on this gorgeous work quite fearlessly, which is absolutely the only way to do it justice...
The Thursday Night Theatre Club's presentation of “The Elephant Man” is stylish, bold, funny and profoundly moving. Each of the roles is played with intensity and brilliance. Sure, the accents slip slightly from time to time, but the passion and the agony are in every syllable.
Similar to David Bowie's awe-inspiring physical transformation in the title role on Broadway, the current production of Bernard Pomerance's THE ELEPHANT MAN, a classic true-life tale and heart-wrenching story that depicts the best and the worst of humanity, Review: THE ELEPHANT MAN Recalls Victorian Era Exploitation of and Fascination with Physically Deformed John Merrickpresented by Thursday Night Theatre Club at the El Portal in NoHo, features an amazing performance by Tom Vitorino in the title role.
The moment Walker first graced the stage the audience collectively perked up. And not simply because, at the time of her entrance, the show is starving for a greater female presence. The actress and character alike are poised, graceful, charismatic. We in the audience hung on her every word. Walker, in addition to being a skilled actress, is a skilled listener. Every bit of dialogue she listened to felt heavier because of how finely she was tuned in.
The sparse set and costumes are reflective of the time period, Victorian England. The set pieces looked small and swallowed up by the size of the stage the show is presented on. A smaller space would have suited the piece better, both for staging purposes and to take in the careful facial expressions of Vitorino...
When the same actors play multiple roles, the audience immediately recognizes the depth of character development and creative teamwork involved...
The show's haunting, exquisite score and music (sound engineering by Beau Bancroft) not only enhances but carries the emotional energy. It has so much potential that a chamber operetta of The Elephant Man could well be on the musical horizon.
The Thursday Night Theater Club presentation of The Elephant Man was phenomenal. Vitorino, Craig and Walker lead a stunning performance as well as the rest of the cast. Excellent execution in props, set design, and lighting. Robyn Cohen astounds again with her fine direction. The costumes by Moe Marks gracefully set the tone for the 1880s. I will be seeing this again before the show runs out. Bravo!
This is a must see! The performance by Tom Vitorino who plays the Lead is outstanding. I was so impressed by his ability to transform into such a complex character. The cast as a whole was wonderful. I highly recommend going to see The Elephant Man!
Fabulous production! Very emotional portrayal of John Merrick which had me emotionally tied to the devastating plight of this character. The entire cast was riveting, and the costumes parallel a true Broadway production. Bravo to the actors on such an authentic portrayal of this production.
This was a wonderful take on the story of The Elephant Man. The cast, across the board, was fantastic! My only gripe with the production was the set/props. For me, in theatre, even the smallest of details can make or break. Seeing a carpet dolly being used to move a cabinet around was a sad sight. A little black spray paint and it could have disappeared. With the said, no this not a massive budget performance. It is definitely minimal. Which makes the audiences have to rely on the performers to convey the story as opposed to the atmosphere and sets helping to put you in that world.
Blown away by this Elephant Man Production. everything from the Production Design/Costuming to the acting are stellar. sublime performances by Alice Walker , Tom Vitorino and John Ralston Craig.... funny , touching , sorrowful....... a must see for fans of the play or movie
I have been a fan of the ELEPHANT MAN MOVIE since I was a child. As of FRIDAY 03/22/2019, I am officially a fan of the ELEPHANT MAN PLAY. More over I am a fan of the cast, Tom Vitorino's rendition redefined what I thought or knew about John Merrick. The ELEPHANT MAN lives again at EL PORTAL THEATRE.
This is show is amazing. The acting, sets, and costumes are all outstanding. And it's so wonderful to see Broadway level theater productions in Los Angeles.
This is a great story line great pros bringing it to stage,my lady friend and i really enjoyed it the company of cast was spot on had tears running down faces with laughter too a must to see the gentleman playing elephant man brought it life Tom V with the company of cast members made us feel like we where really back there in those yrs they brought love hate and GOD to the stage a must see for every human yes where going back
Moving and transformative experience! The story of John Merrick is heartbreakingly powerful and brought to life by the amazing cast. This is what a night out at the theatre is meant to be. Skillful actors, authentic set design and costuming make you feel like you are there. I'll be back to see this again! Amazing!
What a stunning performance to see! Not only was there an incredibly talented cast who brought the characters to vivid life, but the set pieces, lighting, wardrobe, music, transitions and venue all lended themselves to make the show one to remember. Tom Vitorino tugged at my heartstrings with his portrayal of John Merrick. His body work was just fantastic and I was completely immersed in the character's struggle without the need for prosthetics. Alice Walker played a delightfully funny yet graceful Ms. Kendall. I could go on about the whole cast! I'll most definitely be attending more shows before closing.
This production of The Elephant Man is beyond fantastic.
The costumes, sets and lighting provided the perfect backdrop for the wonderful performances by the talented cast.
I plan to return to see this again & I highly recommend checking out this production before it ends its run on April 14.
