‘1918’ . . . In One Era, Out Another

In Horton Foote’s huge body of work, centered around the life and times of his Texas home, there is an underlying humanity and a sense of American values that are all but faded from view. He writes what he knows, and we are always comfortable with his world.

In “1918,” at the Crossley Theatre, his spotlight is on the raging Spanish influenza epidemic that ravaged America during the final days of the First World War. The central figures are a young couple, just starting out in life, both of whom are afflicted with the sickness, but survive. Not so their infant daughter, although another baby is on the way which might, just might, replace the lost child.

A special poignancy begins the Actors Co-op production with the Joan Morris-William Bolcom album “After the Ball” playing as the audience waits outside. This moment in Foote’s saga was indeed after the ball of the Gilded Age, when new values were about to replace the old, when cherished images were metamorphosing into the Jazz Age.

Director Robin Strand knows the rhythms of both eras and highlights them in the characters of differing ages and outlooks. Horace and Elizabeth--in forceful, many-colored performances by John Newcombe and Meghan Geary--become symbols for the changes time and events brought about. They’re the solid core of a fine cast.

John McDaniel’s bubbling energy as Elizabeth’s young Brother signals the elan of the coming decade, as Richard Jones and Karen Lind, sometimes a bit unconnected as their parents, recall the staid, complacent decade past. Brenda Ballard, touching and frequently heart-wrenching as retarded Bessie, with her focus on the newborn, is a connecting line between the generations, like D.W. Griffith’s endlessly rocking cradle.

Tim Farmer’s evocative period setting, Alan Falkner’s lighting and Shon LeBlanc’s costumes, along with original music by Louis Tucker, set the mood and tone beautifully.

“1918,” Crossley Theatre, 1760 N. Gower Ave., Hollywood. Thursdays-Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2:30 p.m. Ends Nov 11. $12; (213) 964-3586. Running time: 2 hours.

‘South’ Is Rich in Good Performances

A group of upwardly mobile African-Americans have been enrolled by their companies in a marathon 90-hour confrontation session in Kenneth B. Davis’ “South of Where We Live,” at Ebony Showcase Theatre.

As in the play’s production several years ago at Theatre of Arts, it never finds its strength because it never finds a central character or incident to unify its many parts. What it does is give a clear, lucid picture of the successful African-American caught between cultures and mores.

This production, directed by Tommy Ford, has the advantage of being tight, interesting in its forward motion and rich in good performances. The most forceful performance is Carl Gilliard’s as Humphrey--fiery, feisty and filled with anger at injustice. Ford, though a bit overboard at times, is brash, quick-tempered and funny as Kenneth.

The other actors are solid as the rest of this tiger’s nest of people trying to find their way.

“South of Where We Live,” Ebony Showcase Theatre, 4720 W. Washington Blvd., Los Angeles. Fridays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 & 7 p.m. Indefinitely. $15; (213) 936-1107. Running time: 2 hours.

‘Back Bar’ Takes Its Time Getting Started

When Steven Simon’s “Back Bar,” at the Strasberg Institute, finally gets started, it has some very interesting left-field views to present on morality and duty.

It doesn’t get started, though, until the end of its long first act. Up to that point, under Che’Rae Adams’ direction, it looks like any long night in the back bar, next to the kitchen, of a restaurant-nightclub, this particular one in Greenwich Village. The employees tell us at great length about their boring jobs--while snorting coke and puffing weed--and the result is just as boring. This may partly explain the slow service in some restaurants.

Only when a punk (Michelangelo Kowalski) barges in and attacks one of the waitresses (Tamar Meskin) do things get rolling. His fatal beating at the hands of the confused, volatile manager Sal (John DiFusco) is the trigger for the thorough Act II dissection of each character’s connection with reality and responsibility.

DiFusco is properly stolid as Viet vet Sal, and playwright Simon is convincing as actor-bartender Gary, but most of the cast, OK when just being employees, screech and sweat with abandon when called upon to do something besides placing orders.

“Back Bar,” Strasberg Institute, 7936 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m. Ends Sept. 26. Admission: One can of food for the homeless and/or cash donation to the Playwrights Group. (213) 650-7777. Running time: 2 hours.

‘I’m Not Perfect’ Describes the Show

A program note states that Ed Crasnick’s monologue, “I’m Not Perfect,” at the Complex, “revolves around three generations of family, changing neighborhoods, and sitting around the kitchen with relatives.”

What you get is stand-up comic Crasnick explaining, usually with stand-up delivery, his agoraphobia, his disastrous first romance at the age of 30, and his trials as a comic. You get only a few sightings of his mother, “Momzilla, a 50-foot monster.” But those snips are too few and far between, squeezed between long shots of Crasnick’s other life, which isn’t much different from those of other comics whose Jewish sense of guilt drives them to therapy.

“I’m Not Perfect,” Complex, 6476 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. Thursdays-Sundays, 8 p.m. Ends Oct. 11. $10; (213) 466-1767. Running time: 1 hour, 30 minutes.

‘DuBois Sisters’ Warble, Wobble

Cherie Kerr’s “Ahh . . . Those Lounge Swingin’ DuBois Sisters” at the Groundling Theatre starts out with a funny idea, but defeats itself all along the line by thinking it’s funny.

The four siblings, with four different fathers--one is black--warble their wares at Reuben’s Restaurant in South Gate and are pretty bad. But each is approached by dubious types who want her to go out on her own. So far so good.

So bad is the juvenile, look-how-crazy-we-are execution, from Kerr’s script (co-written with Lauri Johnson and Gretchen Stahl) to the monotonous patter song score (Kerr and many others) to the distressing stereotypes Kerr has created and directed with knee-slapping yuks in mind.

The best and most bearable section of the show comes at the very end, when the Sisters return to Reuben’s after their misadventures to take audience suggestions and improvise pop songs as sung by famous artists. Some of the improvs are very funny and make the preceding two hours look even worse.

“Ahh ... Those Lounge Swingin’ DuBois Sisters , “ Groundling Theatre, 7307 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles. Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Ends Sept. 30. $15; (213) 934-4747. Running time: 2 hours, 10 minutes.