Martin Sherman

Anyone who thinks that recent years have made little difference in the way gays are treated in the theater need only talk to playwright Martin Sherman. Between the 1979 premiere of his best-known work, "Bent," and the 1990s triumph of such plays as Tony Kushner's "Angels in America," everything, he says, has "changed completely." He recalls, for instance, dutifully meeting the press in 1979, right before "Bent" opened in New York, starring Richard Gere and David Dukes.

Anyone who thinks that recent years have made little difference in the way gays are treated in the theater need only talk to playwright Martin Sherman. Between the 1979 premiere of his best-known work, "Bent," and the 1990s triumph of such plays as Tony Kushner's "Angels in America," everything, he says, has "changed completely." He recalls, for instance, dutifully meeting the press in 1979, right before "Bent" opened in New York, starring Richard Gere and David Dukes.

As Nazi persecution brutally consigns German homosexuals to subhuman status, the collision of heartbreaking poignancy with heavy-handed shock cliches makes "Bent" at Pasadena's Knightsbridge Theatre an alternately affecting and frustrating experience. Never in doubt, however, is the seriousness of purpose in Martin Sherman's historical tragedy or in Hugh Harrison's earnest staging.

As Nazi persecution brutally consigns German homosexuals to subhuman status, the collision of heartbreaking poignancy with heavy-handed shock cliches makes "Bent" at Pasadena's Knightsbridge Theatre an alternately affecting and frustrating experience. Never in doubt, however, is the seriousness of purpose in Martin Sherman's historical tragedy or in Hugh Harrison's earnest staging.

The council reversed a Planning Commission decision and unanimously approved Dr. Jerrold Martin Sherman's proposal for an outpatient surgical facility at 1508 Arizona Ave. Sherman plans to tear down three residential buildings and construct a 14,177-square-foot, three-story building for outpatient surgery.

A preview performance of Martin Sherman's drama "Bent," set in Nazi Germany from 1939 to 1942, will be held as a benefit for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation on March 2 at 7:30 p.m. at Knightsbridge Theatre in Pasadena. Tickets are $25, and include a champagne reception following the show. All proceeds will be donated to GLAAD. Reservations: (818) 440-0821 or (213) 851-3244.

Annette Bening and Alfred Molina head the cast in Anton Chekhov's classic "The Cherry Orchard," adapted by Martin Sherman and directed by Sean Mathias. Triple Academy Award nominee Bening has the role of Madame Ranyevskaya, grande dame and the matriarch of a hapless aristocratic family whose self- deceiving members are blind to the social upheaval swirling around them as their fortunes decline in pre-revolutionary Russia.

Showtime's "The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone" is the kind of classy work that might have been found regularly on PBS when it was still PBS. This is an achingly on-point adaptation of Tennessee Williams' novella with a striking performance by Helen Mirren that ranks with her best. If ever someone were perfect for a role.... The setting is post-World War II Rome.

Re "Too Much of a Good Thing Can Lead to Trouble" (March 4): For eight years, I taught self-esteem at Pierce College in a federally funded program for adults in transition, such as displaced homemakers and single parents, and I definitely disagree that you can have too much self-esteem. The traits described in your article fit the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Criteria for narcissistic personality disorder. Very often a person or a group with low self-esteem will be completely captivated by this type of individual and will reinforce the traits by over-idealization.

Dance: The Jazz Tap Ensemble celebrates its 20th anniversary at 8 p.m. on Aug. 7 in the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood. $20. (213) 461-3673. Jazz. Michael Franks, Etta James, Nancy Wilson and Ronnie Laws are some of the performers scheduled to appear at the Long Beach Jazz Festival on Aug. 7-9 at the Rainbow Lagoon, Shoreline Drive and Convention Center, Long Beach. Aug. 7, 7-10 p.m.; Aug. 8, 1 p.m.-10:30 p.m.; Aug. 9, 1 p.m.-10:30 p.m.

Last week we asked our readers to tell us what aspect of the increasingly nasty world of arts and entertainment bugged them the most. They responded. In some cases, quite nastily. You want to talk nasty? Consider what is dramatized in ghastly detail by Martin Sherman in his play "Bent." First, there is the herding of human beings into death camps. There is also: betrayal, brutality, genocide, murder, racism, sadism and suicide.