The Night Watcher

I had no idea what this play was suppose to be about but I had some free tickets and I was willing to make a night out of it. GREAT production! A one woman show that kept the audience captivated. The message was clear and delivered flawlessly. Charlayne Woodward is talented without a doubt. I laughed and I cried all in the same breath. Thanks Unilocal for comping some tickets because I might have missed out otherwise.

Words can’t really describe what an emotional experience this play is. You go in not really understanding the premise of the play, but after you’re just completely overwhelmed over the topic matter (at least I was). Short background: if you’re a woman, man questioning life, children and family, this is for you! Although this play was another reminder of complexities of life, Charlayne leads you through a wonderful journey. When I realized that this was just a one-​woman show, I was hoping that I wouldn’t be bored. I was just glued to her. She’s truly a gifted actress.
If you’re looking to see a quality play, see this. This play has restored my faith that reality tv is just a fad. Please support real artists!
I’d write more about this play, but it really left me speechless.
Thanks Brittany B for the tickets!

This is one of the most captivating plays I’ve ever seen. The fact that it’s a one woman act with limited use of sound, lighting, and staging illuminates how talented and engaging Charlayne Woodard is as an actress.
I’ve seen plays at Pantages, La Jolla Playhouse, and Pasadena Playhouse that I have walked out of quite enjoying but this is probably one of the first I’d like to go see again. It was well-​written and beautifully performed.
The message was clear and it’s a message that will stay with me. I’d say more but this play is better experienced than described.

It’s easy for an individual to rail against the conventions of society without realizing they’ve already set up their own preconceived notions. and if we’re lucky, we’ll always have people in our lives to challenge us, to make us rethink our patterns and habits.
a ‘one woman show’ usually elicits some sort of scoff, or possibly a guffaw from me. my past experience with these productions have been less than thrilling. actually the words that come to mind are: gratuitous, self indulgent, and over-​acting. suffice to say, i figured– meh, why not. free tickets, close to home. let’s do it.
the kirk douglas theater was recently renovated, and it reminds me a mini disney hall. it’s quaint, and it only has about 3 – 5 productions a year. walking in, i realized i had front and center seats. in most cases i would be ecstatic, but in this case– a bit awkward that i had to be so close up to the artist.
charlayne woodard burst onto the stage, and held my attention for over two hours. i don’t even know what hit me really. to own a stage like that– is something you and i will never possibly understand. the gamut of emotions that ran through this woman was incredible and frighteningly draining. such a sensitive topic of motherhood, or lack thereof– it’s a topic that many woman think about, are judged upon, and are usually ostracized for. ms. woodard does not shy away from the disgust one certain subway patron shared with her during a conversation about her lack of children. he stated that she was ‘spitting in the eye of god’. you’re taken through her whole life– family betrayal, absentee fathers, failed parenting and rising above it all. if this sounds slightly towards the soap opera drama, stop right there. it’s my fault, because i don’t do it justice. it was strange to be laughing one second and attempting to hold back tears the next. moments of candor still make me wince– when she describes how the moment of ‘motherhood’ had passed for her, it was too late. my emotions are still so raw from the experience, i need to still process them. she received a standing ovation for the beautiful work, and if you’re reading this, you should go see her. it runs till Dec. 18.
Bravo to Brittany. who would have expected free tickets to a play from Unilocal?Here’s to expanding Unilocal,and its reputation as more than a ‘foodie’, or ‘free drinks and food for the elite’ site. Kudos for supporting the theater, and giving me a taste of what a real one woman play can do to a person.

I did not read the synopsis. I only barely skimmed through the invitation. I seen culver city (close to the house), theatre (sit down), Thursday (no plans). Looks like I’m in.
Mrs. Woodard did a great job. I was quite shocked to see she would be the only actress. That made me think the show could not be good. It was a great show, and an emotional roller coaster. Laughing to crying in seconds. I grew up in a large family and had planned on living my life like Mrs. Woodard, but had a change of heart. Don’t let the synopsis make you think this will be a show like you might see on lifetime. It’s real to life, and a great experience. Thanx Unilocal for the opportunity to see a great play.
P. S. this is not the kind of theatre that has popcorn and that kinda sucks, but «Raisin in the Sun» is suppose to be showing soon and without Diddy so ill be back.

Thank you to Brittany B for giving me an opportunity to attend this event. I was looking forward to something new, but wasn’t sure what to expect. I looked online and read the sypnosis which did not do this play justice. Charlayne Woodard was a one woman show and she rocked it. She put herself into so many characters, making each one believable.
The performance was extraordinary and extremely touching. The story was enriching on another level, something I hadn’t experienced in a while. Throughout every scene I found myself– laughing, sad, and completely engrossed in each subplot. I felt that each smaller story was just as relevant as the next and worked together to create a powerful message. I would highly recommend this play.
«A man’s life is what his thoughts make it.»
— Marcus Aurelius

An amazing must-​see!!! Charlayne Woodard is absolutely incredible in her play, «The Nightwatcher.»
Via a Unilocal Elite invitation arranged by the one and only Brittany B., I was invited as a +1 by Unilocal Elite Ming-​Jou C. to check this play out. To be honest, I had no idea what to expect. Walking towards the theatre, we passed the über-​famous Honey’s Kettle Fried Chicken, which we vowed to hit if the play sucked and we left early. Well needless to say, we never made it to Honey’s…
Parking is quite reasonable even in the nearby pay structure — 2 hours free then $ 1/​hr after that. City Hall has a good amount of free parking as well, so try that first since you’ll save a couple bucks. Street parking is also no charge after 6pm, but that might be a little more sketchy to find since this is quite the bustling downtown spot with its cluster of cool restaurants and little shops.
Upon arrival, we ran into super cool Unilocal Elites Kent D. and Tuan C. in the lobby (who drove ALL the way from Orange County!) and did some nice Unilocal catching up with them. As I looked around further, I knew this was the Unilocal spot to be, as I saw quite a few other Unilocalers checking in on their smartphones (with their white screens and telltale red Unilocal banner across the top!)
I had never been to this particular theatre before, and was pleasantly surprised by the cozy size. The staff are super polite and helpful, and the lounge and lobby areas are a great place to relax before the show. There’s definitely not a bad seat in the house, and the venue was perfect for Woodard’s non amplified solo performance.
I purposely didn’t look up the theme of the play beforehand so that I would have a fresh impression of what was going on. With that, I was immediately latched onto Woodard’s intense and amazing presence on the stage. A truly phenomenal performance going on here, and that is an understatement. A single chair was her only prop, with minimal visual support from some overhead images on the screen behind her. Some background audio was also used here and there to add drama to some of the scenes, but the focus and energy of the audience was definitely on Woodard herself.
The play itself is a series of stories about how this budding actress has been vitally involved with friends’ and relatives’ children from their youngest ages, but never having the privilege of actually having her own child. Deeply emotional scenes are retold in such detail that the audience can’t help but feel as if they are witnessing these events unfold before their eyes in real time… amazing considering all of that comes from just one person standing there with some lights shining on her. One doesn’t know what to expect from each scene — or even when it begins or might end — with each story painting a clearer picture of this woman’s genuine and sometimes heartbroken efforts to better innocent childrens’ lives.
A great experience, and from what I understand, Woodard doesn’t do this performance very often so definitely check out this VERY limited engagement if you have any possible opportunity to do so. Seeing it at the iconic Kirk Douglas Theatre will only make it 100 0000x better! And be sure to check out other plays here too, I know I will!

*** Wow, what an excellent play on childless motherhood. ***
When I read of this play starring Charlayne Woodard, I initially
thought «omg a play on motherhood, urgh, how boring is that»?
Yet this one-​woman play was most entertaining to say the least.
Thx Brittany and Unilocal for providing a few complimentary tickets.
Although tix are $ 20 thru 18Dec, Unilocal comped a few folks today.
Sweet b/​c I hadn’t realized the Kirk Douglas Theatre was so nice.
Now back to this play … how can a childless professional woman
speak about motherhood and make it entertaining, you might ask?
Well, it seems that Woodard tailors real life stories to best illustrate
thoughts of conscientious LA women who have maternal instincts.
She undoubtedly proves that no woman needs to bear a child in
order to be complete or worthy in life. Basically … «just be you».
As a role model and aunt she is a better matriarch than many.
She makes you lol a lot, and at times, she saddens you to tears.
All in all I’d say «The Night Watcher» is a personal gem for sure.
*** I will certainly return to the Kirk Douglas Theatre again. ***