CURRENTLY PLAYING MARCH 12, 2009

Backseats & Bathroom Stalls. Rob Mersola’s late-night farce throws Generation Y Manhattanites – four men, two women – into overlapping hetero and homo matches and mismatches within the sexual trenches, also allowing a few of the characters to despair over the shallowness of it all. It’s brief and fast-paced enough not to wear out its welcome. Lyric Hyperion Theatre, 2106 Hyperion Ave., Silver Lake. (323) 960-7829. plays411.com/backseats. Fri.-Sat., 10 p.m. $25-$30. Closes Sat., March 28.

The Bird and Mr. Banks. A seemingly drone-like comptroller (Sam Anderson) rescues a co-worker (Jenny Kern) from their lecherous boss (Chet Grissom). The comedy and unexpected horror-genre elements in Keith Huff’s play are dulled by a surfeit of avian imagery and other cloying stabs at excess sentiment. Mark St. Amant directs. Road Theatre, North Hollywood. (866) 811-4111. roadtheatre.org. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. $30. Closes Sat., May 2.

The Bourgeois Gentilhomme. Molière wrote this satire of the nouveaux riches as spoken interludes within a lavish royal ballet. This adaptation by director Frederique Michel and designer Charles Duncombe is on a much smaller scale but retains an elegant look. The laughs don't flow freely until the second act, perhaps because the first scenes focus on the foolish title character's (blissfully goony Jeff Atik) “studies” instead of his and his daughter's love lives. Ruthie Crossley, Troy Dunn, Deborah Knox and others deliver precisely chiseled comic performances. City Garage, Santa Monica. (310) 319-9939. citygarage.org. Fri., 8 p.m. $10-$20. Dark through March 26. Resumes March 27. Closes Fri., May 8. 

Daddy's Dyin', Who's Got the Will? Del Shores' first hit comedy - originally set among white small-town Texans - receives a mostly African American-cast revival, staged by its original producer, Theatre/Theater’s Jeff Murray. The racial transformation is working well, not only in the makeup of the audience but in the ease with which most of the lines are adaptable to African American voices within the same small town. There are two different casts. I saw this show earlier at Theatre/Theater’s Pico Boulevard venue; it had some memorable performances but could have used a tightened pace. Theatre/Theater-Hollywood.  (323) 954-9795. theatretheater.net. Sat., 8.p.m.; Sun., 3 p.m. $20-$25. Closes Sun., April 12.

Divorce! The Musical. Erin Kamler’s lively and witty musical focuses most of its arrows on attorneys and other professionals who capitalize on troubled couples. Her splitting-up protagonists, a Brentwood radiologist (Rick Segall) and a would-be actress (Lowe Taylor) are shallow and materialistic. Still, a little more background on their initial attraction might help us care about their fate as they’re buffeted by their attorneys (Gabrielle Wagner, Leslie Stevens) and their mediator (Gregory Franklin). It’s almost an evening of musical sketches instead of a full-fledged narrative, but director Rick Sparks gets maximum mileage from it. Hudson Mainstage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. (323) 960-1056. DivorceMusical.com. Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun. 2 p.m. $25-$34.99 Closes Sun., March 29.

Double Indemnity. Kathrine Bates’ new dramatization of James M. Cain’s noir novel for Theatre 40 features throaty, eye-raising performances by Ed F. Martin as the lustful insurance agent and Nancy Young as the murderous, faithless wife. But Beverly Olevin’s staging isn’t helped by the modular, almost bare set, which has to make do without the brooding cinematography of the landmark film based on the same material. For that matter, Theatre 40’s own long-running production of another Bates true-crime script, The Manor, has a similar advantage over this production because it uses the actual mansion where the real-life crime took place. The lack of visual atmospherics here leaves the more unlikely elements of the story and the ripe dialogue in plain view, with all of their flaws exposed. Theatre 40, 241 Moreno Dr., Beverly Hills High School campus. (310) 364-0535. theatre40.org. Phone or check web site for schedule. $10-$22. Closes Sun., March 15.

Falling Upward. Ray Bradbury’s comedy, about the men who frequent a small-town Irish bar, dilly-dallies too long, until an amusing story about an inherited wine legacy finally kicks into high gear just before intermission. Then the second act is something else entirely – Mediterranean-style “fairies” invade the bar and establish a kind of amity with the regulars. Tim Byron Owen’s revival features a cast of 24, who occasionally break into Irish music, alternately mournful and rambunctious. Pat Harrington’s genial narrator keeps the disparate parts loosely connected; Mik Scriba plays the bartender who defuses tense situations with offers of free drinks. It makes an interesting St. Patrick’s Month companion to Theatre Tribe’s A Skull in Connemara, in the smaller theater next door. El Portal Theatre, mainstage, 5269 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood. (866) 811-4111. raybradburysfallingupward.com or plays411.com. Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun. 3 p.m. $30-$40. Closes Sun., April 5. 

Film. In 1964, Samuel Beckett (Phil Ward) arrives in New York to monitor the shooting of his experimental short screenplay Film by novice filmmaker Alan Schneider (Bill Robens), a stage director who helped introduce Beckett’s plays to America. At the taciturn Beckett’s suggestion, the great silent film comic Buster Keaton (Carl J. Johnson), now hard-boiled and almost 70, is the star. Playwright Patrick McGowan treats this stellar alignment with winningly whimsical surreality in Trevor Biship’s staging. The focus is split among Keaton’s memories of his own years as an experimental artist (Mandi Moss as the young Keaton), Beckett’s bumbling flirtation with a prop girl (Deana Barone), and Schneider’s exasperation over his inability to master film, in comparison to his rival Mike Nichols (Trevor H. Olsen). Schneider and Nichols become vaudeville partners in Schneider’s dream, and Nichols gets all the laughs. Theatre of NOTE, 1517 N. Cahuenga, Hollywood. (323) 856-8611. theatreofnote.com. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun. 7 p.m.; tonight, Feb. 26, 8 p.m. $18-$22. Closes Sat., March 21.   

Grand Motel. In Michael Sargent’s droll new comedy, the Tennessee Williams-like playwright Cornelius Coffin (Dennis Christopher) retreats to a clothing-optional gay motel in Palm Springs during the premiere of his latest Broadway fiasco. As in the Grand Hotel template, other guests and less welcome intruders pass through, under the fretful eye of the proprietor couple (Craig Johnson, Erik Hanson). Coffin and everyone else are drawn to the naked model (Andy Hopper, almost a Brad Pitt ringer) who’s apparently drifting into oblivion, but Coffin’s female friend (Shannon Holt) has other plans for the playwright before he enters his own coffin.  Sargent’s playful but rueful script and his excellent cast are treated to a deluxe simulation of the tacky milieu by designer Chris Covics. Unknown Theater, 1110 Seward St., Hollywood. (323) 466-7781. unknowntheater.com. Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 6 p.m. $18-$24. Closes Sat., March 28. 

Hamlet, or the Artist Formerly Known as Prince of Denmark. Can a company of non-Troubies master the distinctive Troubadour Theater blend of classic texts, clown comedy and music inspired by well-known pop stars? A CalRep troupe supervised by Troubie veteran Mike Sulprizio revives the Troubies’ 2005 text with mixed results. It’s possible to imagine some of the individual actors as Troubies, but the ensemble doesn’t yet click in a way that achieves Troubie magic. The venue is an energy-dissipating black box with the audience on three sides. The last part of the play is radically condensed (for example, no Yorick scene), no one is on stilts, the laugh meter is missing, the topical jokes feel dated, and Troubie mastermind Matt Walker isn’t in the room as either the star or as the main director (he’s on the road with Happy Days – groan). Armory, 854 E. 7^th St., Long Beach. (562) 985-5526. calrep.org. Phone or check web site for schedule. $17-$20. Closes Sat., March 14. 

Hangin' Out. Robert Schrock, whose Naked Boys Singing is a hit, apparently thought that heterosexuals might prefer a whimsical, all-nude musical revue if both men and women were on stage. Hence this new show, with three of each gender in the cast, as well as some blatant gender stereotypes cropping up in the lyrics. The 19 songs by a bevy of writers, choreographed by Ken Roht, seem almost squeaky-clean at times, with hardly a trace of sexual interaction between the bodies, especially in the first act. Don't expect a big sexual charge. Macha Theatre, West Hollywood.  (323) 960-4443. plays411.com/hangin'out. Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun. 3 p.m. $34.95. Closes Sun., March 15.

The Increased Difficulty of Concentration. This seldom seen absurdist comedy by Vaclav Havel, the great Czech playwright/ex-president, is oh-so-1968. A social scientist (Scott Rognlien) balances a nagging wife, sexy mistress and tempting secretary with the intrusions of another scientist (Amy Stiller), who’s trying to use a temperamental computer to analyze personalities. Stale sexual politics aside, the second act includes some funny, dizzying images of modern theories gone mad. Stephen Simek translated and Alex Lippard directed for The Next Arena. Lounge Theatre, 6201 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. (323) 960-7788. plays411.com/increaseddifficulty. Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m. $20. Closes Sat., March 28.

Inside Private Lives. In successive solos, actors play six minor 20th century celebrities caught in crises that require direct appeals to gatherings of people supposedly in a position to help. The theater audience plays the celebrities' listeners - and we're encouraged to ask questions, offer criticism, even heckle so that an improvised exchange flows from the characters' initial remarks. The characters and actors rotate, but they normally begin with Kristin Stone, the show's creator and producer, as Christine Jorgensen. At the reviewed performance, they also included Edward VIII (Freddy Douglas), Aimee Semple McPherson (Molly Hagan), John Dillinger (Jade Carter), medium Jane Roberts (Maddisen Krown) and Billy Carter ((Bryan Safi). The show shrewdly makes connections with the present but avoids easy, overly familiar caricatures of contemporary figures. Fremont Center Theatre, South Pasadena. (866) 811-4111. InsidePrivateLives.com. Sun., 7 p.m. $20-$25. Closes Sun., April 26.

Ixnay. In Paul Kikuchi’s comedy for East West Players, an accident victim (Aaron Takahashi) enters an afterlife run by a fellow Japanese American (Gedde Watanabe) but balks at being reincarnated within the same culture, holding up the line for his fellow Asian or wannabe Asians who await their own next assignments. Despite individually strong performances, the conceit feels wobbly, especially as the author tries to balance arguments in favor of mixed marriages and pride in cultural heritage. Most of the characters sink into stereotype in Jeff Liu’s staging. Hwang Theater, 120 Judge John Aiso St., Little Tokyo. (213) 625-7000. eastwestplayers.org. Wed.-Sat, 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.  $20-$35. Closes Sun., March 15.  

The Jazz Age. In yet another speculative dramatization of the lives of Scott (Luke Macfarlane) and Zelda (Heather Prete) Fitzgerald, plus Ernest Hemingway (Jeremy Gabriel), Allan Knee concentrates on suggestions of homoeroticism between the two men and an attempt by Zelda to seduce Hemingway. Michael Matthews’ staging features fine performances and Ian Whitcomb’s original music performed live by the composer and two other musicians. But it can’t shake that been-there, prospective-miniseries feeling. Blank Theatre, 6500 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. (323) 661-9827. TheBlank.com. Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. $22-$28. Closes Sun., March 22.

Ken Roht's 99Cent Only Calendar Girl Competition. Roht's sixth annual extravaganza, again using design components from the budget stores, initially offers slightly more narrative spine than usual, in its satire of a beauty competition. Much of that spine dries up and crumbles in the second act, however, returning the emphasis entirely to the gaudy trimmings. As usual, the talented cast could hardly seem more committed. But Roht's program note, in which he somehow tries to link his efforts to the recent election, seems naive. Bootleg Theater, 2220 Beverly Blvd., L.A. (213) 389-3856. bootlegtheater.com. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. $25. Closes March 29.

Laws of Sympathy. Oliver Mayer is on to something here, in his depiction of how a mother (Anita Dashiell) and newly grown daughter (Diarra Kilpatrick) who have survived civil war in Somalia encounter culture shock and possibly worse exploitation in their new life in Atlanta. Despite the watchful eye of their primary resettlement counselor (Ahmad Enani), his colleague (Celeste Den) entangles the women with a scandal-tainted ex-track star (Will Dixon) when other job possibilities seem hopeless. The women are drawn to smiling kidvid characters as consolation for their woes. Jon Lawrence Rivera’s staging for Playwrights’ Arena seems fairly sturdy, although the playwright had to play Enani’s role, script in hand, at the performance I saw, after Enani called in sick. Perhaps this had something to do with my feeling that the counselors were over-emphasized at the expense of the women themselves. Studio/stage, 520 N. Western Ave., L.A. (213) 627-4473. playwrightsarena.org. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun. 7 p.m. $20. Closes Sun., March 29.   

Lions. The lower-middle-class regulars at a Detroit bar meet to monitor the success of their mostly beloved gridiron team (hence the title), but they gradually disintegrate in their private lives, thanks to a dead-end economy and a variety of personal shortcomings. The focal point is the unemployed John “Spook” Waite (Matt McKenzie), who’s bedeviled by Loman-like thoughts of the roads not taken. In one explosive scene, his wife (Valerie Dillman) invades his lair and confronts him. Most of the characterizations are well-observed, under the direction of Guillermo Cienfuegos. But like many barroom plays, Vince Melocchi’s needs a vigorous trim, which could make way for clarification about how Waite finally obtains a job and how it plays out.  Pacific Resident Theatre, Venice.  (310) 822-8392 . PacificResidentTheatre.com. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 3 p.m. March 12, 8 p.m. $20-$25. Closes March 29. 

Lovelace: A Rock Opera. Linda (Katrina Lenk) of Deep Throat fame is a quivering victim, primarily of her vile husband (Jimmy Swan) but also of her enabling mother (Whitney Allen). Then she abruptly rebels and becomes a feminist martyr, acquiring an unseen husband, as well as a child who remembers her fondly enough to narrate intermittently. There's no unspoken dialogue, but the program lists 40 songs by Anna Waronker of That Dog and Charlotte Caffey of the Go-Go's's. Though some of the music is worthy and sung well, the effort to cram so much of it into 90 minutes reduces the story into something that's shallow and schematic, as in a similarly structured rock opera about Evel Knievel in 2007. Hayworth Theatre, near MacArthur Park. (323) 960-4442. plays411.com. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m. $40. Closes Sun., March 29.

Made Me Nuclear. Former Silent Movie Theatre proprietor Charlie Lustman sings about his bout with a very rare jaw cancer. Presented by the Sarcoma Alliance, the self-dubbed solo “operetta” fits the presenter's probable goal of providing a very light, cheerful take on Lustman's ordeal. This same quality drains much of the drama from the story. Lustman's an appealing singer of his soft folk/rock genre. He accompanies himself on guitar but is also backed by an elaborate electronic soundscape. His lyrics lack the complexity that might enhance this almost tension-free production. Santa Monica Playhouse, Santa Monica.  (866) 468-3399. MadeMeNuclear.com. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m. $20-$50. Closes Sat., May 30.

Makin’ Hay. Robert Goldsby adapts Molière’s George Dandin into a musical set in small-town Texas, 1957. The rancher George (David Atkinson) tries to squelch the extramarital flings of his younger wife (Rory Patterson) with a dashing suitor (Steven Hogle). Her parents (Brian Habicht, Suzanne Friedline) look down on their son-in-law but also owe him money. Servants (Johnny Chavez, Gina D’Acciaro) sometimes play key roles in the shenanigans, and other would-be rural couples offer a rather loony counterpoint. Some of the original’s components don’t blend in easily with the new milieu, but moments of shtick and the songs are gently amusing, despite somewhat erratic singing skills. The tone of the ending feels unintentionally uncertain. Linda Kerns directs for Actors Co-op. Crossley Terrace Theatre, campus of Hollywood Presbyterian Church, 1760 N. Gower, Hollywood. (323) 462-8460. ActorsCo-op.org. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m.; March 7 and 14, 2:30 p.m. $25-$34. Closes Sun., April 5.

Mammals. A London housewife is going bonkers tending her two young daughters (played by adults) while her husband travels for his job. When he returns home, he announces he’s in love with a colleague – the perfect moment for a couple of childless friends to stop by. John Pleshette’s U.S. premiere of Amanda Bullmore’s play is a funny, dead-eyed glance at the bending and breaking of two couples. Half of the roles are double cast, but the group I saw was exactly right, including the women playing rambunctious kids. Lost Studio, La Brea district. (800) 595-4849. tix.com. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 4 p.m. $25. Closes Sun., April 5.

The Manor. From a 2007 review: The audience follows the action to several spaces within the palatial Greystone Mansion, watching a story based on a real murder that took place on the site in 1929, when it was owned by a family involved in the Teapot Dome scandal. The cast hits all the high notes in Kathrine Bates' sobering soap opera, produced by Theatre 40. Greystone Manor, Beverly Hills.  (310) 694-6118. Theatre40.org. Phone or see web site for schedule. $45. Closes Fri., June 19.

Pippin. Roger O. Hirson’s meta-theatrical parable, about a prince whose ambitions outpace his abilities, receives an exuberant makeover from Center Theatre Group and Deaf West Theatre, which imports its usual synthesis of signing and singing. ASL’s use of hands blends well with the efforts of Leading Player (Ty Taylor) and cohorts to beckon Pippin (Michael Arden singing, Tyrone Giordano signing) into going for the gold. Tobin Ost’s scenery is, literally, magical. Composer Stephen Schwartz adds the new “Back Home Again” but deletes the extraordinary “Extraordinary.” With Jeff Calhoun directing and no intermission, the show sags briefly but recoups for its compelling finale. Mark Taper Forum, downtown L.A.  (213) 628-2772. ctg.org. Tues.-Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2:30 and 8 p.m.; Sun., 1 and 6:30 p.m. $20-$62. Closes Sun., March 15.

Point Break Live! It's back - the New Rock Theater takeoff on the 1991 Hollywood thriller. I haven't seen it in this venue, but when I saw it downtown, it added a tsunami of comedy to the original story, about an FBI agent (who's cast nightly from the audience and gets to read cue cards) investigating a gang of bank-robbing L.A. surfers. Wicked caricatures and bare-bones action sequences abound. Dragonfly, 6510 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood.  (866) 811-4111. Myspace.com/pointbreaklive or theatermania.com. Fri., 8:30 p.m. Sat., 8 p.m. $20. Closes Sat., May 30.

A Skull in Connemara. In Martin McDonagh’s early play, Mick (Morlan Higgins) clears old bones – including those of his departed wife – out of a rural Irish cemetery to make room for the new. Stuart Rogers’ staging is well acted but feels muted and looks literally too dark in act one. Theatre Tribe, North Hollywood.  (800) 838-3006. theatretribe.com. Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m. $20. Closes Sat., March 28.

Taking Steps. Alan Ayckbourn’s farce mixes up two conventional middle-class Brits (Andy Hoff, Marty Ryan) and their more free-spirited mates (Melanie Lora, Kate Rylie), with a couple of amusing participants in a real estate deal (Jonathan Runyon, Bernard White). Directors Ron Sossi and Allan Miller get most of the laughs. Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda, West L.A. (310) 477-2055. odysseytheatre.com. Phone or see website for times. $20-$30. Closes Sun., April 5.

Tartuffe. Josh Chambers’ iconoclastic staging of Molière’s great 1664 comedy employs Tim Cummings as the bourgeois householder Orgon and Antonio Anagaran as his sanctimonious and hypocritical guest, but Anagaran’s entire head is masked and Cummings speaks both characters’ lines, while Tartuffe remains mum. The production is supposedly set in the present-day San Fernando Valley, but there’s hardly a hint of this anywhere except in the program. Equally elusive are minutely choreographed movements of arms, hands, napkins and underpants. And why does Orgon voice a minor character near the end? You might entertain yourself by speculating about Chambers’ reasons, but his vision is so clouded and so unfunny that this should not be anyone’s first experience of the play. Boston Court, 70 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena. (626) 683-6883. bostoncourt.orgt. Thur.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. $5-$32. Closes Sun., March 22.

The Threepenny Opera. Jules Aaron’s staging for International City Theatre is the best rendition of this Kurt Weill/Bertolt Brecht classic that I’ve seen in the Southland. Aaron never forgets the show’s goal of satirizing capitalism by demonstrating how its precepts are adopted by thieves, murderer and whores. He chose Michael Feingold’s scabrous translation instead of Marc Blitzstein’s gentler, more familiar version. And he places the musical numbers front and center because these astringent songs are intended to explode directly in the audience’s collective face. The actors have big voices and supremely authoritative deliveries. Jeff Griggs is a dynamo as the charming and creepy criminal boss Macheath. As his bride, Shannon Warne segues smoothly from naivete to the self-confidence necessary to strip down to her underwear in order to sing “Pirate Jenny” at her own wedding. Tom Shelton and Eileen T’Kaye are commandingly snappy as her parents. Zarah Mahler sizzles as Jenny Diver, Macheath’s prostitute lover, but Rachel Genevieve is her wily match as Lucy Brown. The occasionally gender-flipping chorus adds to the wonderfully entertaining rogues’ gallery. Center Theatre, Long Beach Performing Arts Center, 300 E. Ocean Blvd. (562) 436-4610. ictlongbeach.org. Thur.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. $30-$45. Closes March 22.

Time Stands Still. A news photographer (Anna Gunn) and freelance reporter (David Harbour), together for years, return to New York for recuperation and consider whether to settle into domesticity. They’re influenced in part by the examples of their photo editor friend (Robin Thomas) and his new, younger girlfriend (Alicia Silverstone), whose questions bring the issue of journalists as uninvolved spectators into sharp relief. Donald Margulies’ play is involving, but some of the second-act plot manipulations feel transparent and weakly motivated. Daniel Sullivan directs. Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Ave., Westwood. (310) 208-5454. GeffenPlayhouse.com. Tues.–Thur., 7:30 p.m.; Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat. 4 and 8:30 p.m.; Sun. 2 and 7 p.m. $15-$79. Closes Sun., March 15. 

The Trial of the Catonsville Nine. Daniel Berrigan’s 1971 docudrama, about his and eight fellow Catholic activists’ trial for burning draft records during the Vietnam War, is famous in L.A. for Gordon Davidson’s premiere at the Taper, which was rumored to have been monitored by the FBI. Yet Jon Kellam’s revival is rather staid, especially in contrast to that other recently revived Vietnam protest docudrama The Chicago Conspiracy Trial. Andrew E. Wheeler achieves the requisite passion as the author. In a bit of cross-gender casting, Adele Robbins plays the judge, who was entirely too polite and reasonable to generate much dramatic fire. Actors’ Gang, 9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City. (310) 838-4264. theactorsgang.com. Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. Closes Sat., March 28.

Twilight of the Golds. The Gold family fractures over a decision by Suzanne (Gretchen Koerner) to abort her pregnancy when advanced genetic testing indicates her boy will be gay. Her gay brother (Eli Kranski) interprets this as the ultimate insult. In T L  Kolman’s revival for the Production Company, Jonathan Tolins’ 1993 play is a riveting portrait of well-meaning people agonizing over old prejudices and new technologies, with a layer of half-serious, half-whimsical comparisons of the Golds’ plight to that of the gods in Wagner’s Ring cycle.  Chandler Studio, 12443 Chandler Blvd., Valley Village. (800) 838-3006. theprodco.com. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 3 p.m. $22. Closes Sat., March 14.

Violet Sharp. William Cameron’s script depicts the agonies that beset a maid (Meredith Bishop) for Charles Lindbergh’s in-laws, in the aftermath of the notorious Lindbergh baby kidnapping quality. An aggressive detective (David Hunt Stafford) considers her a prime suspect. The scenes feel like simulated re-enactments, with a docudramatic quality. As in many such stories, it isn’t easy to know how much is verified docu and how much is fabricated drama. Still, it’s an engaging demonstration of how seemingly innocent and anonymous bystanders can be drawn into the swath of a widely publicized news story. Theatre 40, 241 Moreno Dr., Beverly Hills High School campus. (310) 364-0535. theatre40.org. Check web site for schedule. $10-$22. Closes Thurs., March 12.