A Funny, Upbeat Noir

Few plays have “made in Los Angeles” stamped all over them as much as Lisa Loomer’s “Broken Hearts,” the witty and stylish culmination of Cornerstone Theater’s residency (so far, at least) in L.A.

The play’s noir style is right at home here, of course. And “Broken Hearts,” at Los Angeles Theatre Center’s Theatre 2, is set in four specific Southland neighborhoods: Boyle Heights, Broadway and Hill (Chinatown), Beverly Hills and Baldwin Hills.

All of these are areas where Cornerstone worked with community residents--and a few of those people are in “Broken Hearts” alongside the professionals at the production’s core. The four neighborhoods also share the initials “B.H.”--hence the initials of both the title and the subtitle “a B.H. Mystery.”

Still, the play’s lachrymose title and the violent reputation of the L.A. private eye genre are somewhat misleading. “Broken Hearts” is ultimately upbeat, even inspirational. It’s a comedy--but that could mislead as well. If you think you’ve seen too many film noir spoofs, you might still like “Broken Hearts”--it’s a comedy with a heart of gold.

The Cornerstone folks, exemplified by artistic director and “Broken Hearts” director Bill Rauch, appear to believe in L.A. with a fervent passion. They take great delight in exploring and connecting its many communities, and they want everyone to come along.

Does it all sound too politically correct? True, the play’s four neighborhoods represent, at least as depicted here, different groups: Latino (Boyle Heights), Asian (Chinatown), Jewish (Beverly Hills) and African American (Baldwin Hills). At times the play is like an updated version of the prototypical World War II lifeboat. A deaf character is also on hand, and the private eye’s girlfriend is staunchly feminist. The only expected group that is largely unrepresented here is the gay and lesbian community.

Still, Loomer’s script convincingly incorporates its social and historical commentary into the texture of the narrative. And for most of the play, the tone is so lighthearted that any accusations of being strident or tendentious vanish. The mood does sober up just before the end, in time to give a little welcome weight and urgency to the central characters’ stories. This lays the groundwork for a surprisingly jubilant ending. As most theatergoers step out into the streets, they’re beaming, no matter how seedy the neighborhood may look.

Following film noir customs, the plot is labyrinthine, but Loomer ties it together with surprisingly few loose ends. The central character is private eye Joaquin Garcia (Armando Molina), who operates out of his girlfriend’s (Cristina Frias) office in Boyle Heights. His latest mission is to trace the history of a jade ring that a glamorous client (Page Leong) brings to his office. It disappeared from her family in 1929 but showed up again when it was brought to her Chinatown shop by a young man hoping to pawn it.

Garcia tracks the ring through the four communities and across the decades. Simultaneously, he’s vulnerable to thugs who are upset at his work on another case involving a local politician, and he’s mourning his brother’s recent shooting death, an apparent drive-by. Garcia is not exactly hard-boiled, by private eye standards--he has been through AA and drinks only Sprites. Molina’s sure-fire comic timing and overall affability are enormously appealing.

Most of the supporting performances are also vibrant, albeit sketchy. Certainly the stage debut of Emily Hong, a child, as a wizened waiter, should not go unmentioned. Michael Abels’ versatile score, played by a five-piece band, provides essential aural lubrication from beginning to end, and Lynn Jeffries’ set, ostensibly simple, proves more complex when combined with a series of evocative projections.

* “Broken Hearts: A B.H. Mystery,” Los Angeles Theatre Center, Theatre 2, 514 S. Spring St. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Ends Dec. 12. $8-$10, but no one turned away for lack of funds. (213) 485-1681. Running time: 2 hours.

Armando Molina: Joaquin Garcia

Page Leong: Joy Chow

Cristina Frias: Nancy

Alex Miramontes: Alex Escobar, Young Luis

Gwendoline Nicole Yeo: Chinese Bride,Toshiko, June

Kurt Kuniyoshi: Chinese Groom, Nishimoto

Nancy Yee: Mrs. Chow

Ibrahim Saba: Luis Escobar

Peter Howard: Mr. Childs, Sunglasses Man

Bruce Friedman: Ben Greenfield

Christopher Liam Moore: Don, Young Ben

Shishir Kurup: Chorus Leader

Nickole K. Ivory: Lynee Gore

Eddie Boles: Henry Davis

Dorothy James: Geenee Davis,Don’s Mother

Lynn Manning: James Grant Sr.

James Sisson: James Grant Jr.

Dayvon Wright: Jeremiah, Younger James Grant Jr.

Emily Hong: Wong

Derrick Cleveland: Young James Grant Jr./Sr.

Rosalinda Padilla: Lucia

Omar Gomez: Diego, Johnny

Mayte Grajeda: Salvadoran Woman,receptionist

Loraine Shields: Mimi

Crystal McDonald: Young Mimi

Frances Armijos: Younger Mimi

Adrian Urias: Roger

Written by Lisa Loomer. Directed by Bill Rauch. Music by Michael Abels. Set by Lynn Jeffries. Costumes by Dori Quan. Lighting by Geoff Korf. Sound by Joe Romano. Props by Ken Takemoto. Choreography by Jessica Wallenfels. Photographer-curator Dauna Whitehead. Production stage manager Ben Wagman.