Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
'For The Record: Scorsese' Delivers Iconic Scenes And Songs From His Crime Hits
For the Record is back, this time at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts with a tribute to the crime films of director Martin Scorsese.
While past installments of the musical hybrid explored the collected works of the Coen Brothers, John Hughes, and Quentin Tarantino, Scorsese: American Crime Requiem walks us through six Scorsese films about bad guys: Casino, The Departed, Taxi Driver, Mean Streets, The Wolf of Wall Street, and of course, Goodfellas.
Opening with The Stones' "Gimme Shelter," and the iconic line, "As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster," For the Record is a fast-paced race through the most memorable scenes from each film, with interwoven narratives and ever-changing characters. In one moment, you have actor Jason Mortelliti as Wolf's Jordan Belfort pontificating about masturbating to money, but in another scene, he's telling Jason Paige's Tommy DeVito (of Goodfellas fame) to go get his shoeshine box. Actor James Byous begins as a bartender who wipes down the counter in the opening scenes taking place in casinos and nightclubs, but slowly transforms into Taxi Driver's Travis Bickle, mohawk and all. All of it is framed through a series of expertly performed musical vignettes, and there's not a bad singer in the house. Carmen Cusack, predominantly portraying Casino's Ginger, sings a plaintive "I'm Sorry" and a forlorn "Sweet Dreams," but kicks it up for a "Two To Tango" duet with John Lloyd Young, who mostly appears as Casino's Sam Rothstein. Pia Toscano portrays Karen Hill and is first introduced crooning "Il Cileo In Una Stanza" from Goodfellas.
The show is tied together via incredible performances from B. Slade and Dionne Gipson, (who portray Stacks from Goodfellas, and Diane from Mean Streets, respectively). For instance, Slade croons while other actors flail around during the infamous Quaalude scene from Wolf, and Gipson opens the second act with an upbeat rendition of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." The cast is great when performing their moody solos, but they really excel when working together on such numbers as "The House of the Rising Sun," "Comfortably Numb," and a medley of 60s girl group hits like The Rockettes' "Be My Baby."
Support for LAist comes from
Almost every song is from one of the six films depicted, although they do throw in "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man," which actually appears in Cape Fear.
Given all the switching around, the show is best tailored to those who have seen most of the films within the last decade and enjoyed them, as there is no cohesive narrative. For the Scorsese fan, it'll be more of a humorous, nostalgic show, while the unfamiliar might find it to be a whirlwind of incredible singers belting out familiar rock and pop songs when they're not delivering crass lines about drugs, sex, and murder.
Prior to the show, guests can get pasta from the Prince of Venice food truck and a negroni or a glass of red from the bar, and enjoy it in the outdoor terrace, which has been set up to resemble an Italian restaurant. Obviously, one should anticipate that the show is a little lewd at times, contains a gunshot or two, and yes there's a considerable amount of cursing. It's Scorsese, after all.
Related: 27 Songs In Search of a New Audience: 'For The Record: Baz Luhrmann' Re-Imagines Supper Club Cabaret
The Dude Abides: "For the Record: The Coen Bros." Takes a Wildly Fun Turn at Show at Barre
For the Record: Scorsese takes place at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts located at 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd. in Beverly Hills through October 16. Tickets are $25-139.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons Thursday after suddenly shutting down six months ago. -
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
-
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
Best of LAist