Greg’s Review: “A Man of No Importance” is a must-see musical at A Noise Within theater in Pasadena

Saturday night marked the first time I’ve ever seen a show at the absolutely terrific A Noise Within Theater in Pasadena. What a fabulous venue – a state-of-the-art 324-seat performance space that doesn’t have a bad seat in the house.

We took in the opening night performance of the musical A Man of No Importance based on the film of the same name with a book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens.

Directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott, it is a first-rate production on several levels starting with a talented cast led by the extraordinary Kasey Mahaffy as a conductor on a public bus and an amateur theatre director in 1960s Dublin. Mahaffy’s character of Alfie Byrne is the heart of the musical that also stars Juliana Sloan as Aflie’s sister, Lily, hunky CJ Eldred as Robbie, Aflie’s friend and co-worker, Analisa Idalia (Adele), and David Nevell (Carey/Oscar Wilde).

A live, five-piece orchestra featuring violin and reeds lends a bit of Irish flavor to the production which features some knockout musical numbers by various members of the cast.

The show is about an amateur theater group works against the odds to mount a production of Oscar Wilde’s Salome while facing the forces of bigotry and shame over a love “that dare not speak its name.” In the process of fighting for the play, Alfie is finally forced to confront his own homosexuality and reveal his true self to those around him – not a small thing ever but especially in that time and place.

This show about courage, love, friendship, redemption, the power of theater and bring true to yourself is well worth seeing. I highly recommend you get your tickets before it ends its run on June 1.

Free parking is available directly behind the theater at the Sierra Madre Villa Metro parking structure,149 N. Halstead St. (Walking directions from the Metro station here: https://www.anoisewithin.org/plan-your-visit/maps-parking/) I recommend parking at the theater then walking to one of the many restaurants nearby.

More information at anoisewithin.org