The L.A. Symphony was pretty good, and the best performance I've ever seen of Marriage of Figaro, was done in L.A., with Suzanna done by an understudy. I still get goosebumps remembering.
I'm willing to bet theater is better in L.A. too -- what with all the aspiring actors milling about. I have pretty much given up on most theater in the Bay area. I went to see Three Sisters at the main Berkeley theater, and the only reason I didn't walk out is because it was my first live production. But the acting was kinda high-school level. I mean, the actors could not shape a phrase, could not project their voice, and, because the play is long, they decided to talk very quickly. Kid you not. $60 bucks a seat. Jesus.
Venice and Santa Monica are still cool. The Hollywood area has been gentrified a bit. I'm kinda looking forward to long weekend trips down there to see my daughter and my buddy from grad school...and to tour L.A. Gotta check out Silver Lake area.
Joanna
----- Original Message ----- From: "Dennis Claxton" <ddclaxton at earthlink.net>
The other day I was reading Mary Woronov's memoirs about her days at Warhol's Factory. She talks about the crew coming to Los Angeles and being ignored. She said their exit was like Napoleon retreating from Russia. She quotes Paul Morrissey as saying in Los Angeles the weather was too good and everyone was on drugs, so no one ever did anything.
Right, if you leave out making a gazillion movies, many of them very good. Hollywood sucks now, but it wasn't always so. And that's just the part everyone knows about. It's just silly to say that in a city as big as Los Angeles, no one is doing anything.
___________________________________ http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk