Louis & Keely! Live at the Sahara.

Theatre on the west coast is much more different than in NY. NYC has standards in LA we have too many actors. Any Tom Dick or Harriet can book a space, throw up a show and call it art. Yankee Doodle stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni and that stuck with us too. I'm not sure the relevance of the last comment but basically, you get my drift.

So to see something as amazing as Louis & Keely Live at the Sahara I'm just gushing. I'm a huge fan of these two characters. I've been listening to their music for many many years. My father was a big fan too and he was the man that turned me on to them. I'm beholden to him for this. "That Old Black Magic", "Angelina", "Just A Gigolo", "Pennies From Heaven" and so many other wonderful songs are brought to life by the stars and co-playwrights Vanessa Claire Smith and Jake Broder. Their run at The Sacred Fools Theatre in Hollywood has been held over due to the smash success. Their phenomenal performances have been noted in Backstage, Variety, LA Weekly, and the LA Times. All reports extol the talent on the stage in their acting, their music, and their boundless energy.

Jake Broder brings more intensity and love for this character that when he's done performing I'm sure he sleeps well at night. His passion for the music and piece are demonstrated in every song and spoken word. He sells this performance with the physical energy of tornado. The man did not stop for the ninety minute show. The day we saw it the a/c had broken and Mr Broder was completely drenched in the heat of the performance. His rhythms, and honest portrayal had me at the first snap of his fingers.

And Vanessa.............well, howdy doo! Her standoffish charm nails what Keely was about. The arc of their relationship is told so subtly with her body. She blossoms during the show into a full on magnet of a star. But it's when she opens her mouth to sing that the audience gets the full-on goods, she sings with the seamless beauty of Keely. All the nuance that brings us back again and again is so brilliant in Miss Smith's voice it's intoxicating.

Not to mention the seven piece band that's behind them would be criminal. These musicians are all over their game and was one of the top things in the show that I fell in love with. They were more than an orchestra, they were a living backdrop at times and even a Grecian chorus to a degree. They all had the personality plus you need for theatre like this. They brought that amazing music to life, conducted through Mr Broder's Prima and amplified by Miss Smith's Smith. They blew me away.

I'm writing all this in the hopes that it gets around town what an incredible show this was and it's something to see now. This show has all the potential to go the route of the Jersey Boys. It's been held over for another month so get down to Sacred Fools Theatre 600 N. Heliotrope, Los Angeles CA 90004 and watch history in the making. Call for reservations 310.281.8337