by John Pixley

Here’s the deal. Save the second weekend or so in February next year. And every year after that. You pretty much can’t go wrong.

That’s when Claremont High School’s Theatre Department puts on its mid-year musical production. It’s almost always even better than the year-end musical that is staged at Bridges Auditorium.

The mid-year musical practically blows the roof off of CHS’s Don F. Fruechte Theatre, so to speak.

These February productions, presumably capping the first semester, have often been more exciting, more edgy — more challenging, in a good way — for both the performers and the audience. I don’t know if this was the case with Mr. Fruechte — the remodeled theater’s namesake and CHS’s first theater director — but it was certainly the case with Krista Elhai, the school’s demanding and beloved second theater director for 27 years.

The year-end musicals have always been classic or family-oriented works, like “Oklahoma!” “Hello Dolly!” and “Shrek.” But, when it came to the mid-year productions, Ms. Elhai, for whom the theater’s house is named, had her students put on such meaty, edgy — yes, challenging — musicals as The Who’s “Tommy,” “Avenue Q,” and a flat-out stunning production of “The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” at Sycamore Elementary School. Not only did these productions challenge the students vocally and from a technical standpoint, but they also challenged the audience with mature themes, even when edited for “junior editions.” Ms. Elhai also did this with such non-musical productions as “The Laramie Project,” about the murder of Matthew Shepard, and “Metamorphosis,” which takes place in a pool of water.

Happily, this tradition has continued with Mohammed Mangrio, who took over as the high school’s third theater director about five years ago. After getting his footing in his first few years, he really broke out with last February’s production of “Next to Normal,” a rock opera, more or less, about a family with a mentally ill mother.

This year’s show, “Six” (teen edition), almost reached that production’s heights. Written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, it is essentially a 90-minute rap showdown. It is performed without an intermission and with minimal props between the six wives of Henry VIII competing to see who had the worst time in their marriage, and ultimately reclaiming their own stories and identities. It is often funny and sometimes risqué as the queens, who never actually met, compare notes on putting up with the tempestuous, jealous, demanding and, at least later in life, not-so-attractive monarch.

Mr. Mangrio had valuable help from choreographer Eddie Ramirez, dance captain Allison Viramontes, and dramaturg Moira Cleaves. As a result and with sexy costumes by Silver Lazar and hair and make-up by Michael Jones and Moxie Moore, the performers — Sophie Sabicer, Vivienne Mezones, Elisa Connolly, Allison Viramontes, Sofia Porras, and Darby Craigmyle — put on an at-times furious whirlwind of a show. Challenging, in all the good ways!

The one thing that could have been improved, as is often the case with CHS productions, was the sound. It sounded as if the lines were being delivered under water. I know sound is often the most difficult technical issue in theater, but I was frustrated that I couldn’t hear all the clever lines.

Not your neighborhood bijou

After going to the California Botanical Garden on an exceptionally warm February Saturday afternoon and seeing “Six” the following Saturday afternoon, I wanted to go out to a matinee movie the following Saturday. But the Laemmle theater in the Village had closed at the end of January. A friend recommended I try the AMC theater at Montclair Place. So I did, hoping it would be a bit better than the cinemas in Upland and La Verne and much better than the confusing megaplexes at the confusing Ontario Mills.

It was a bit better, but only a bit. It’s in a mall, upstairs no less, and, although slightly toned down, it still had enough commercialism and razzle-dazzle to be bothersome. Plus, the wheelchair seating is too close to the big screen.

The AMC theater may be down the street, but it doesn’t have the neighborhood feel that the Laemmle had with its friendly, informal staff and classic movie posters. I may return, but I can’t wait until the Regal company reopens the Claremont theater.

At least it won’t be a restaurant — another restaurant — as was once talked about, but let’s just hope it isn’t too much like a Regal Cinema.