'Annie' in Good Hands at Sunset Playhouse

It's always nice to see a talented local actor listed as the director of an upcoming show. When the actor in question has the sparkling stage charm of Ray Jivoff, the reaction is that much greater. Jivoff—the man recognizable as Harpo Marx in multiple Skylight Opera Theatre productions and who gave one of last season's best performances in Skylight's Adding Machine—is set to direct a production of Annie with the Sunset Playhouse in Elm Grove.

Sunset Playhouse, one of the premier community theaters in the area, has had the opportunity to craft this large ensemble show from the ground up. Annie is, of course, one of the classic American musicals of the last 35 years. It's all too easy to be critical of a show with the schmaltzy sentiment of “Tomorrow,” but the Sunset's production is in very good hands with Jivoff. He has already shown a talent for directing, and he should have little difficulty overcoming any inherent cheesiness.

Sunset Playhouse's production of Annie runs Dec. 1-31. For ticket reservations, call 262-782-4430.

Theater Happenings

• Carte Blanche Studios continues its entertaining run of bedroom farces with Boeing Boeing, Marc Camoletti's comedy about a Parisian architect who juggles three flight attendant fiancées. Jimmy Dragolovich's production of the world's most performed French play runs Dec. 2-18. For ticket reservations, call 262-716-4689.

• A simple kiss between two people is complicated by bigotry in the provocative contemporary drama Stop/Kiss. UW-Milwaukee's Labworks series presents Diana Son's acclaimed exploration of love and hatred Dec. 2-11 at Kenilworth Studio 508. For ticket reservations, call 414-229-4308.