Amelia's Going Down

A poignant and tender play that imagines Amelia Earhart fated last journey ending on a desert island with navigator Fred Noonan. It is a story uniquely told by embracing radio drama as a backdrop to the action onstage. It's not InYerFace theatre but subtle, and well-crafted performances from the likes of Lara Lihiya and Jason Britt. ... full review

The open and close of this show are pretty rough, and I don't know that they are completely needed, but even so it is a solid #SeeItLA. It is a sweet story that posits a possible outcome of Amelia Earhart's fateful last flight, as performed by a set of actors doing a live radio play. Ramona Creel's character was in charge of the sound effects for the radio show, and she did a great job with them. I like that the actors weren't glued to the microphones the whole time and were allowed to get swept up in the story. However, I would have liked them to have spent more time at the microphones to solidify the radio show aspect a bit more. There are definitely aspects of the production that could be improved, but the story is worth seeing.... full review

Very heart-felt, imaginative show. Great acting, and the writing was quite good for the scenes that are "on the air." I'm also a sucker for live foley, so that was a lot of fun, though I almost wish it was utilized more! A lovely show you shouldn't miss.... full review

I enjoyed AMELIA'S GOING DOWN. An interesting notion to explore what may have happened if Amelia and navigator, Fred Noonon, had survived the crash, but landed in a place so remote that rescue was unlikely. Set as a radio play, complete with live foley (which was a nice touch, tastefully done), Amelia and Fred each face down their own demons, particularly well done with strength and subtly by Jason Britt as Noonan confronting his battle with alcohol. The actors are not bound to the prop microphone, so the production opens up as a smart stage piece, but the production-within-a-production is never lost, keeping the period piece feel sparkling throughout. Highly recommend. ... full review

I am always a sucker for a Radio Show! Most enjoyable! ... full review

A high-concept play presented as a radio drama. As a fan of OTR (old-time-radio), I often go to sleep listening to shows like X-Minus-1 and The Shadow. I made amateur radio shows back in my college days too. I tried closing my eyes throughout the production and had that successful radio experience. I also like that the narrative visited common themes of the era and dealt with it in the terms of the era. The contextualization of the experience was really well done. The only complaint is that the various voices of the announcer could be hard to make out sometimes ... the annunciation was a bit off. Other than that, it was great.... full review

Heart-warming and inventive, I really enjoyed the play (radio show) within the play and the sound-making elements. The "characters" within the radio show were well developed but I wish the radio show "actors" depicting those "characters" had been better developed, because with this type of show-within-a-show premise that is really where the heart of the story lies. A fun show, nonetheless, and an interesting take on an iconic figure that still intrigues. ... full review

WHAT IF Aviatrix Amelia Earhart didn't die in the mid-Pacific in 1937 but lived on a desert island? OK: I'll bite! BIG mistake. This cost me 16-1/2 cents per minute, and I regret every penny. Is this the worst play ever written?---Well, it's a contender, and gets the performances it deserves. Worst Supporting Performance of the 2015 Festival: Ramona Creel, who sits onstage during someody else's dialogue scene cranking a Very Loud "cricket" noisemaker for what seems like an hour. (ARE there crickets on a deserted island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean? Nobody seems to have researched THAT, either!) ... full review