THEATER NOTES : Ahmanson Snares New Simon Play

A new Neil Simon comedy is the biggest news on the Ahmanson Theatre renewal brochures recently mailed to subscribers. The premiere of Simon’s “Proposals” is slated for the summer of 1997. The brochure is hazy regarding what the play is all about. It’s described as “a romantic comedy about love and lovers--young and old.” Whatever, promises the brochure, it’s “guaranteed to make you laugh, cry and leave the theater glad you were here!”

Prospective director Joe Mantello added that the play is set in a Pocono Mountains summer home in the ‘50s and, at least at this point, takes place entirely outdoors.

“Proposals” will be the sixth Simon premiere at the Ahmanson, but the last of those five premieres, “Biloxi Blues,” occurred in 1984. Since then, Simon has introduced his plays elsewhere.

Asked about this turn of events, Simon’s longtime producer Emanuel Azenberg pointed to the fact that the Ahmanson wasn’t available during the long run of “The Phantom of the Opera,” the theater’s recent reconfiguration, or the run last year of “Miss Saigon.” The theater’s reconfiguration has made it more inviting for spoken drama, he added: “We always had a problem with that second balcony [which can now be reduced in size or completely blocked off]. It’s in Beverly Hills.”

Azenberg also pointed out that Simon lives in Los Angeles, and the two-month length of the Ahmanson run will give him ample time to tinker with his script.

“Good, affirmative conversations” have taken place regarding the possibility of Mantello (“Three Hotels” at the Mark Taper Forum last season, “Love! Valour! Compassion!” on Broadway) directing, though no deal has been signed, Azenberg said. Mantello confirmed his interest in the play (“I truly love it”) and said he anticipates no obstacles that would prevent him from directing it.

The other Ahmanson shows scheduled so far are the previously announced “Show Boat,” which will play from November into April (but subscribers see it November-January), and a revival of “The Heiress,” slated for April 26-June 15. The current plan is for director Gerald Gutierrez and star Cherry Jones to repeat their Tony-winning efforts from the recent Broadway production of “The Heiress,” said CTG managing director Charles Dillingham. The season’s first play, a September-October entry, hasn’t been announced.

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“SEVEN” SALUTED: August Wilson’s “Seven Guitars,” seen at the Ahmanson Theatre earlier this year, hit Broadway on March 28, with Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson as a co-producer, and drew generally positive reviews.

“Here’s a play whose epic proportions and abundant spirit remind us of what the American theater once was (before amplified glitz became dominant), and still is when the muses can be heard through the din,” wrote Vincent Canby of the New York Times. He called it the highlight of the season.

“Though the evening feels a bit long at three hours [the play is shorter than at the Ahmanson], we’re happy to spend them here,” wrote Linda Winer of Newsday.

Clive Barnes of the New York Post dissented, saying that “the play’s motivation and structure remains shaky--it’s like a session number with great riffs but a less than interesting melody.” A couple of other critics faulted the plot--the Wall Street Journal’s Donald Lyons found “an unnecessary ton of sluggish melodrama”--but most applauded the characters, their stories, Lloyd Richards’ staging and the performances.

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BYE BYE BURBAGE: A West L.A. building that housed a 99-seat theater, long known as the Burbage, has been converted into a screen factory.

Zeitgeist Theatre Company, which had renovated the former Burbage Theatre on Sawtelle Boulevard and presented seven shows there in 1995, has moved out, and a neighboring tenant has taken over the space for industrial purposes.

John Benjamin Martin, Zeitgeist artistic director, said that staying on Sawtelle would have required “too much of a fight for too high a rent.” He said the landlord wanted to raise the rent higher than the lease would allow. Property manager Laurie Collins denied the charge.

At any rate, the Zeitgeist seats and other equipment are now in storage, as the company looks for a permanent space. In the meantime, Zeitgeist is presenting “Carried Away” at the smaller Wooden-O Theatre, not far from the company’s former home base.