‘All My Sons’ Delivers Timeless Message for ‘90s

This year certainly got off to an impressive start with several fine productions already on the boards when two strong ones--the musical “Little Shop of Horrors” and the drama “All My Sons”--opened last weekend.

The plot of “All My Sons,” the current Conejo Players offering, revolves around an earlier incident in the lives of the play’s main characters. Joe Keller and Steve Deever were partners in a company that manufactured parts for World War II aircraft engines.

One batch proved defective, resulting in the death of several pilots, and Deever was sent to jail. Keller, who had been home ill the day the defective parts were shipped, was exonerated by the court. But not everybody believes that Keller was innocent.

As the play begins, Keller’s son, Chris, is about to express his love for Deever’s daughter, Ann. She had been engaged to Chris’ brother, Larry, who has been missing in action for some time. The brothers’ mother, for one, believes that Larry is still alive.

Arthur Miller’s play was dismissed by many as cliche-ridden and pedantic when first presented in the late ‘40s, and it ran for less than a year. But the Conejo Players’ well-acted version, directed by Lucien Jervis, is remarkably light--for Miller, at least--and as much an entertaining mystery and love story as it is a tract against callous and negligent businessmen.

The locale, as expressed by Jervis’ costume design and Dayne Jervis’ ambitious stage set, is wholesome middle American, though (probably intentionally) timeless. The story could be taking place today, with the planes having crashed during the Gulf War.

Joe Belfi plays Joe Keller, a mild-mannered and friendly man, ready to pass the family business on to his son, Chris; Susan Michael plays Joe’s patient wife, Kate. Mina Dillard-Gits and Graham Gathright, both new to the Conejo Players, are quite impressive as the young lovers; Deb Owen has a remarkable scene as a next-door neighbor, with Robert Saboka as her husband.

* “All My Sons” runs through Feb. 22 at Conejo Players Theater, 351 S. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks. All performances are at 8 p.m. Tickets are $8 on Thursdays; $10, Fridays; and $12, Saturdays. For reservations or further information, call 495-3715.

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Just down the Conejo Grade, the Camarillo Community Theater is recovering from a 1996 season that, while it had its moments, was a notch or two below previous years’ work.

Their first production of 1997, “Little Shop of Horrors,” is an ambitious staging of the musical. It features a live, five-piece band; an enthusiastic cast under the direction of--and co-starring--John Lordan; and three versions of the bloodthirsty plant, “Audrey II,” designed by Chris Palmer and soulfully voiced by Carla Jiminez.

Gary Shaffner plays Seymour, the nebbishy assistant in a Skid Row flower shop who discovers the plant and names it Audrey II after the object of his affection. But the lovely Audrey (Aspasia Alexander) is committed to Orin Scrivello (Justin McQueen), a sadistic dentist.

Audrey II’s arrival changes Seymour’s fortunes, which remain on the upswing as long as the plant receives its daily ration of . . . human blood.

Also important to the story are director and producer Lordan as Seymour’s employer and surrogate father; Sara Wilkey, Missy Doty and Colleen Shaffner as the trio of singers who act as a cross between a Greek chorus and the ‘60s girl group the Shangri-Las; Chris Carnicelli in several cameo roles; and a large chorus. Wilkey co-choreographed the dance routines with Tricia Collier.

It’s significant that Lordan, musical director and bandleader Tim King, and several more of the cast members are alumni of the Moorpark Melodrama. Here, they get to display their talents on a “real” play and do so with a blend of talent and heart that promises much for future productions in which they are involved.

“Little Shop” isn’t exactly a novelty on local stages, but this production is quite worthy. It’s not recommended for youngsters, though, and teens should leave easily offended parents at home.

* “Little Shop of Horrors” continues through March 2 at Camarillo Community Theater, 330 Skyway Drive on the Camarillo Airport grounds. Performances are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Admission to all performances is $10; $8, seniors, students and military; and $5, children under 10. For reservations or further information, call 388-5716.