The Trouble With Words

I have to strongly disagree with some of the previous reviewers' criticisms. Material and productions of this caliber are few and far between, and a complete rarity in the LA theater scene. The fact that a company so young can produce a work of such maturity speaks volumes, and I for one cannot wait to see what else comes from the Coeurage crew. Mr. Nabours has to be one of the most promising composers the theater has seen in years. I could not believe the incredible range of musical styles that were covered: Nabours displays incredible strength in jazz, rock, traditional "musical theater", patter songs, and radio-friendly tunes that will appeal to everyone, theater- and non-theater people alike (for lack of better terms). The production s... full review

The Trouble With Words is an exhilarating examination of the emotions and personal politics of semantics - how what we say (and can't say) can affect ourselves and others. Deftly swinging from comedic to nostalgic to poignant, this collection of highly original and catchy songs is brilliantly performed by a young and talented cast - making the the show feel much larger than the meager space it's in. Catch it now before it bursts into larger venues it deserves.... full review

The music is glorious, the harmonies delicious, the lyrics rang true for me. I want to see the full production now. What a wonderful time! ... full review

Words and pictures and song and dance, one of those magical theatrical experiences where everything comes together! Bravo!... full review

“If I could find the words… If I could speak my heart. If I could open up… If I could sing my love…” Anyone wondering who the next Jason Robert Brown, William Finn, or Adam Guettel might be need look no further than Hollywood’s Actors Circle Theatre where Gregory Nabours’ The Trouble With Words has just opened to standing ovations. Like Brown’s Songs For A New World, Finn’s Elegies, and Guettel’s Myths And Hymns, The Trouble With Words is a “song cycle,” a collection of solos, duets, and ensemble pieces with relatively little book but a through-theme, in this case (to quote press materials) “the relationships people have with words as well as with each other.” However you want to describe The Trouble With Words’ nineteen songs, th... full review

Matters of love, sex, faith, and family are explored with utmost originality in Kate Fodor’s engrossing, deeply moving 100 Saints You Should Know, now getting an impeccable West Coast Premiere at the Elephant Theatre Company under the inspired direction of Lindsay Allbaugh. The less you know about Fodor’s much lauded play, the more you will enjoy its many unexpected twists and turns. It won’t hurt, however, to be introduced briefly to its five characters as they appear in the play’s first four scenes. Scene One: 30something Catholic priest Matthew O’Malley (Brendan Farrell) accidentally interrupts the similarly aged Theresa (Cheryl Huggins) as she is cleaning the rectory toilet—a meeting that sets the play’s tone as it sets up its next... full review

Tony Frankel, theatre critic for Stage and Cinema here. I vividly remember the first time I heard William Finn's MARCH OF THE FALSETTOS, Adam Guettel's FLOYD COLLINS, Michael John LaChiusa's THE WILD PARTY and Jason Robert Brown's PARADE. Already inured to Loesser and Sondheim, it was thrilling to hear from these brand new composer/lyricists: they were immediately recognizable as those who respected their forebearers' work yet created a wholly new style of composition for the stage. These moments of discovery are rare, but there is no denying when they occur; songsmiths such as these demand your attention with inventiveness, sophistication, accessibility and, above all, the ability to use songs as a way to express and heighten the complex... full review

It comes as no surprise that finding words, outside of “a Fringe MUST!” to describe the brilliance of The Trouble With Words is difficult at best. The song cycle by Gregory Nabours is a wholly original examination of the everyday words we use. From the connotations of the word “nice” to being tongue-tied, from double entendre to empty promises, each of Nabour’s songs tackles a different issue with words. Nabour’s original, jazzy songs are funny, heartbreaking, relatable and catchy-as-hell. The tonal change from song to song can, at times, be jarring, but if anything, that is testimony to the emotional depth and performance prowess of the actors in The Trouble With Words. It is nothing short of a mystery that every star of this show do... full review

(These thoughts are based on the 1 hour abridged version at Fringe Central and not the full length version at Actors Circle) Holy Shit, this show is great. As long as Coeurage Theatre Company continues to market this as “pay what you want” this will continue to be the best deal in town. It’s downright gorgeous. The Trouble With Words is a song cycle based around the concept of words – not finding the right words, saying the wrong words, last words, first words… If you go to see musicals for a story, this may not be the show for you, BUT if you go to hear amazingly beautiful new songs performed professionally by a solid six-piece band and sung by gifted performers YOU NEED TO SEE THIS SHOW. I’m excited to hear that Trouble will ... full review

The production of "The Trouble With Words" was absolutely phenomenal. The show features six actors, who handle the material extremely well and never upstage the true star of the show, which is the music itself. The music in this production is beautiful and touches on the questions that haunt our "social" generation. "What do I say?" "How will my words affect me?". This theatrical performance is a piece of art and hopefully will continue to touch the lives of others as much as it did for me. ... full review