A Different Love List

By Guest Blogger: Shanara Gabrielle
Shanara plays Justine in The Love List

If Justine had a Love List for Bill:
1. sweetly gullible
2. is a good influence on his friends
3. intelligent
4. a natural red-head
5. a lover of statistics
6. a suspenders kind of guy
7. cautious
8. excitable
9. adorably nerdy
10. realistic, based in reality

Andrea's Love List for Leon:
1. a guy's guy
2. likes coffee and cake
3. tries really hard at darts
4. looks great in hawaiian shirts
5. likes good whiskey, but will drink any whiskey
6. irreverent
7. loves steak and eggs
8. writes books that I can read in a day
9. likes his alone time
10. he recognizes his mistakes

Justine's Shoes

By Guest Blogger: Shanara Gabrielle
Shanara plays Justine in The Love List


Yes, those shoes hurt my feet a little. But for fabulous shoes, we women will sacrifice a lot.

So, ladies, here it is:

• Pair #1 – the black patten leather, 4 ½ in heels: GUESS
• Pair #2 – the t-strap teal and maroon be-jeweled wedges: STEVE MADDEN
• Pair # 3 – the lacy black mules that every woman slips on after she's slept in on Saturday: FREDERICK'S OF HOLLYWOOD
• Pair #4 – the clear floral accent jelly's (at least that what we called them in the 80's): STEVE MADDEN
• Pair #5 – the fabulous cream strappy number, that are actually the easiest to walk in!: ALDO
• Pair #6 – a reprise of #2
• Pair #7 –for the curtain call I reprise #5

...and after the show, if you see me in the lobby, you'll often catch me in my “backstage slippers”!

Review: Pitch Weekly

American Heartland finds fun in science
By Grace Suh
The Pitch
Tuesday, Sep 28 2010

Playwright Norm Foster is to theater as Danielle Steel is to literature: a happily prolific producer of reliable, mainstream entertainment who makes no pretension to art. Foster's specialty is light theatrical comedy; he has churned out dozens of slick, formulaic, punch-line-stuffed crowd pleasers. Thus the sobriquet (sometimes said as praise, sometimes as condemnation): "the Canadian Neil Simon."
Foster obviously doesn't mind the comparison. The first scene of Love List, one of his most popular comedies, begins as a fairly direct rip-off of Simon's The Odd Couple, with the flattest of mismatched stock characters (fussy, factoid-obsessed statistician Bill and his earthier, commercial-novelist best friend, Leon), a conventionally wacky conceit (Leon signs up confirmed bachelor Bill with a matchmaking service run by a Gypsy) and predictable jokes.
Like an eHarmony questionnaire for dummies, the dating service requires only that patrons list their top 10 criteria for the mate of their dreams (i.e., the Love List). The reluctant Bill fills in the list with qualities such as "ambitious" and "speaks her mind" (and protests Leon's inserted contribution: "likes kinky sex"). Premise in place, the audience is set for an evening of groaners. And yet, there must be something in that old magic after all because, scene by scene, Love List opens up, surprises and, somehow, actually works.
Much of the credit for Love List's success belongs to its three fantastic actors. Veterans Sean Grennan and Scott Cordes exhibit effortless timing and chemistry as flustered workaholic Bill (Grennan) and brash, bawdy Leon (Cordes). But it's St. Louis import Shanara Gabrielle (making her Kansas City debut) who takes the star turn, playing Justine, the embodiment of Bill's love list. A modern-day Judy Holliday, Gabrielle portrays Justine with just the right dizzy charm and effervescent obliviousness. And like slapstick heroines of old, she's comfortable using her bombshell body for comic effect. She gets an assist from director Paul Hough, who deserves credit not only for the production's polished, zippy pace but also for its costumes, which show an impressively nuanced understanding of sluttiness.
Justine's welcome arrival in the second scene sets off a chain reaction that gives the lightweight but well-constructed Love List its dramatic momentum. The play picks up steam as Bill and Leon gradually figure out the workings and consequences of the list. The list subsequently undergoes multiple revisions (as does Justine). Interesting complications result when, like Frankenstein's monster, Justine begins to have consciousness (and criteria) of her own. Gabrielle gets to show off split-second timing as her character turns, and turns again, on a dime.
For a breathless scene or two — and almost despite itself — Love List comes dangerously close to making us think. Big-boob jokes bump up against Schrödinger's cat, parallel universes and cosmic determinism (what Leon describes as "a hole in the cosmic pie crust"). Not to worry. Time wrinkles, and quick as a flash, we're back to Neil Simon territory and a neat but satisfying conclusion. Like Justine, Love List is clever enough to avoid being too smart but is just smart enough to allow your inner snob to enjoy itself.

Review: Johnson County Sun

Strong performances make “Love List” memorable
by Russ Simmons
Johnson County Sun
September 29th, 2010


As Stephen Sondheim aptly put it, "You gotta have a gimmick if you want to get ahead."
Playwright Norm Foster came up with a pretty clever gimmick for his situation comedy "The Love List," now playing at the American Heartland Theatre.
In a twist reminiscent of John Hughes’ 1985 film "Weird Science," a couple of guys accidentally concoct the "perfect woman" only to discover that perfection isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Upon arriving home after his 50th birthday dinner, a nerdy statistician named Bill (Sean Grennan) is given an unusual present by his pal Leon (Scott Cordes).
The gift is a form to fill out for a dating service run by a strange gypsy woman. Bill is to list, in order of importance, 10 traits to define the perfect woman. Reluctantly, Bill fills out the form and shortly thereafter,voila! A gorgeous, smart and successful woman named Justine (Shanara Gabrielle) appears at Bill’s door.
Carrying on as if they’d been involved in a lengthy affair, Justine makes herself at home. At first, Bill thinks that someone is putting him on. Soon, however, he learns that he can affect Justine’s behavior any time he erases an item from the list and inserts a new trait.
This Frankenstein-meets-Henry Higgins experiment starts going terribly wrong as Bill discovers that getting what you wish for can be dangerous. While there are some funny moments in Foster’s script, his ideas are generally better than their execution.
Grennan makes Bill an awkward everyman, a decent soul caught up in existential dilemma. Cordes provides the right note as Leon, an unapologetic chauvinist who isn’t nearly as cynical as he claims to be. Gabrielle is a real find, displaying great timing and intelligence as the woman of Bill’s dreams. Her ability to quickly shift gears as Bill manipulates his list is an impressive demonstration of sharp acting skills.
Paul Hough’s direction is rock solid. He’s proven able to improve upon the material he’s been given. Thanks to strong performances and slick execution, another otherwise forgettable play is made memorable.
"The Love List" runs through Oct. 24 at the American Heartland Theatre, 2450 Grand Ave., Kansas City, Mo. For tickets, visit www.ahtkc.com or call (816) 842-9999.

Review: Great Comedy at American Heartland Theatre

By Robert MacLean
Johnson’s County Gazette

So, you wanted to sit back and have a good laugh or two. The Love List at American Heartland Theatre at Crown Center is just what you need. You’ll get far more than a laugh or two. Your side may hurt afterward from laughing.

Only three actors bring to life a cleaver, rather simple idea. One man gets his friend to complete a list of ten qualities he’d like to find in a woman. Before he can turn in the list to a so-called dating service, Shanara Gabrielle, playing Justine, shows up with all those qualities. The med catch on slowly and can’t believe that is happening. Some incredible comedic situations begin to occur as the two men struggle with some of the deeper meanings of life (sort of). Sean Grennan and Scott Cordes bring these fellows to life. You’ll enjoy the comedic abilities of these two. Gabrielle, however, runs away with the show as a beautiful woman who changes each time the men erase and replace an item on the list. For an actress, that’s got to be fun.

Heartland is easy to get to. You park free in the parking garage and walk just steps to the theatre. They don’t give us heavy, avant-garde drama, just the light-hearted productions we need these days. And they do it so vey well.

The Love List runs through October 24. Tickets: 816-842-9999

THE Question...

By Guest Blogger: Shanara Gabrielle
Shanara plays Justine in The Love List

Usually, THE question that the audience asks about any particular show has something to do with “how did you memorize all those lines”? Now, I actually love that question from audience members because I think I gets at the heart of what we do as actors - at the “how” of becoming a character that says those words in those situations.

But for this show, THE LOVE LIST, it's another question that has become THE question:
What's it like to play a character that has so many different personalities?

Well I tried to get Toni Colette to write for the AHT blog on what it's like to play her character on “The United States of Tara”, but since she hasn't yet responded, I guess you'll have to hear from me. Well, the answer is simple. It's just like acting in anything else, except more fun! Our task as actors is always to come on stage totally present and exist in the current situation. Justine, my character in THE LOVE LIST, is an expert at that. She comes in to a situation, sees what is there, and responds to that and that alone. She recognizes that she's now tidy and tidy is what she does, she understands that she now loves Leon now and she just adores him, she suddenly likes singing and boy does she! It is actually easier than many other characters in some ways because instead of trying do discover the infinite elements of a character's personality, Justine only has 10 at a time and no more. Now, granted, trying to be any guy's perfect woman is tiring – but at least the list is only 10 qualities, not 100!

...and what's the 2nd most asked question --- “where did you get all those fabulous shoes?” ...next blog has the insight on that one!

What's an actress to do in KC?

By Guest Blogger: Shanara Gabrielle
Shanara plays Justine in The Love List

What's an actress to do in KC?

Well, apparently LOTS! So, last Monday was my first “real” day off since arriving in Kansas City --- you know, during rehearsals and previews, Mondays are usually the day where you work on your lines and process all the notes the director has given. After a successful opening week, I was ready for a real day off. After taking the morning for “life business” and the afternoon for some “catching the last rays of summer” at the lovely Crown Center Westin Pool... it came to happy hour.

Now, not knowing KC, I turned to The Pitch as a guide for my Monday entertainment. So, I ended up at The Majestic, an old 19th century brothel-turned-steakhouse in downtown. What a treat! Not only are their drinks well priced for happy hour, the food on the happy hour menu is delicious! Salmon sliders, risotto balls, and fried green beans - all get an A+ rating from me. But the real treat is the ambiance- a gorgeous dark wood bar, a very informative owner/bartender, and perfectly-cast old-school Kansas City women drinking martinis at 4:30pm. Bram, the house piano player is an extraordinary talent with the kind of freedom, relaxation and ease that all of us artists long for – and he offers the finishing touch on this classy-hole-in-the-wall steakhouse. And by the way, while I was there I learned that this beautiful historic building began as a brothel, then became a speakeasy during the prohibition, and then during the 60's and 70's was mattress store as a facade for a prostitution ring (you know, you could try out the mattress before you took it home – kinda like Bill wants to try-out Justine before he commits). Then became a steakhouse that was apparently a Kansas City staple for many years, and finally was bought about a year ago by the current owner – as a steakhouse with a pretty traditional menu that tries to push the envelope a bit (salmon sliders, not just steak) and stays committed to the local musicians and fosters the old KC Jazz scene. So, my only critique of The Majestic: it needs a face lift, the street presence almost dissuaded me from going in …. lucky for me, it didn't!

Now, my next stop couldn't get farther from The Majestic. If The Majestic is martinis, The Brick is PBR; if The Majestic is risotto, The Brick is hot dogs; if The Majestic is classy ragtime-jazz, The Brick is roots music. Speaking of which, Monday night is Roots music night at The Brick. That means that it is kind of a make-it-up, bring your kids, fake-it-till-you-make-it sort of Jam session. As one of the participants said “it's better than the 500 channels of BS on TV”. True. Well put, sir. But really, the sweet potato fries here were great and the adorable, sorta alternative, totally chill bartender we had was perfect.

And the best thing came later in the night. Karaoke. Oh yes, this girl loves some karaoke. I know, it's trashy, it's stupid, it's often embarrassing, but come on it's FUN! (Justine, my character in THE LOVE LIST, would definitely be a Karaoke fan!) So after presenting my personal versions of “9 to 5” (this was a karaoke favorite before it was put in the show!), “Fever”, and “Let's Hear It for the Boy”, it was time to call it a night. And what a great night it was!

Thank you Kansas City for showing this first-timer a great time.

The Love List - Advanced Photo

Sean Grennan, Scott Cordes and Shanara Gabrielle star in The Love List at AHT.