Steven Booth and Vanessa Sierra star in the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts & MB Artists, Inc. World Premiere musical “DID YOU SEE WHAT WALTER PAISLEY DID TODAY?,” book, music & lyrics by Randy Rogel, developed and directed by BT McNicholl and now playing at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts.
March 27, 2023
By Stepheny Guehrig
A struggling San Francisco artist finds inspiration in his neighbor’s cat, a pigeon and people who cross him. “Did You See What Walter Paisley Did Today?” is a macabre musical comedy that touches on the lengths a starving artist would go to earn adoration.
Steven Booth (Walter Paisey) phenomenally portrays the extremes that his character experiences throughout the musical. Booth artfully captures the intensities of one-sided love and desperation for approval and admiration.
Alongside Booth, Vanessa Sierra (Carla) gives a show-stopping performance. Vocally, Sierra is able to successfully captivate the audience. Playing a likable soon-to-be professional dancer, Sierra curates a likable character who audiences will root for.
Kingsley Leggs (Leonard) and Kathy Fitzgerald (Mrs. Swickert) gave great performances that left the audience wanting more appearances. Leggs has such a heartwarming and charming dance number that audiences will fall in love with. Fitzgerald performs “The Older the Violin,” along with its reprise and duet throughout the musical, in such an exhilarating and sassy way that she steals every scene she is in.
The set design is superb as it pulls the audience into each space, whether in the characters homes or in the local cafe. Beyond the set, the costume design is on point. The outfits suit each character specifically to show how the characters are molded and grow. As Walter Paisley moves from a struggling waiter to a successful artist, his outfits reflect his ever-changing personality.
“Did You See What Walter Paisley Did Today?” is an over-the-top eccentric show that envelopes the audience completely. Produced in-house at the La Mirada Theatre for Performing Arts, the performance is a horror comedy made for adult audiences.
Although the show has impressive actors, the storyline can be somewhat overwhelming for some audiences. With murder as a central point of the show, the story quickly turns heavy. However, it does seemingly rely on its shock value to maintain its place in the horror genre. Despite this factor, the actors’ performance and the details put into the design made this show worthwhile.
Running until April 2, performances of “Did You See What Walter Paisley Did Today?” will be on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets range from $28 to $40 and can be found at LaMiradaTheater.com.
