Pick! ASR Theater ~~ “Something Rotten!”— 6th Street Ribs the Renaissance

By Cari Lynn Pace

If you are a dedicated fan of musicals and a good sport about Shakespeare, you will be cheering and laughing at Something Rotten! at 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa.

Brothers Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick worked on and off for 15 years on their idea for a spoof of Shakespeare as an egomaniacal Renaissance rock star. John O’Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick turned the idea into a book, and the musical premiered as a hit on Broadway in 2015.

Something Rotten! goes way over the top!…

6th Street brings this hilarious show to their stage with David Lear directing, Lucas Sherman conducting the orchestra, with fresh choreography by Joseph Favalora. It’s a winning team heading up a cast of 18 outrageously costumed singers and dancers.

(L to R) Garet Waterhouse, Lorenzo Alviso and Julianne Bretan in “Something Rotten!”.
Photo by Eric Chazankin.

The story setup is a pair of brothers, Nick (Nelson Brown) and Nigel (Lorenzo Alviso) Bottom, who write plays but cannot compete with the magic of the Bard’s popularity. The financial pressure is on to find an idea for a hit play, so Nick consults a daffy oracle Nostradamus (Ted Smith) for leads. Big mistake.

Nostradamus foretells that in the future, actors will sing their lines, making something called a “mu-si-cal.” He further predicts that Shakespeare’s greatest play will be Omelet. Skeptical but desperate, Nick creates song after song for a new show. Act I’s showstopper “A Musical” shows off the dancing and singing energy of the huge cast, followed by another hilarious tune dedicated to the Black Plague.

Something Rotten! goes way over the top when Will Shakespeare himself (Garet Waterhouse) appears onstage, clad in skin-tight breeches and an oversize codpiece encrusted with pearls. Screaming peasant women toss their cloths at the Bard as he writhes and sings “Will Power” backed by four gyrating hunks. Does it get any funnier?

Several side stories in Something Rotten! give the laughing audience a brief chance to recover their breath. Nick’s wife (Megan Bartlett), aware the only men are allowed to do manual jobs, assumes disguises to earn money for their poor playwright household. It’s a nod to women’s lib in the 90s—the 1590s, that is.

The Poet, Nigel Bottom, and Portia, a Puritan.
Played by Lorenzo Alviso and Julianne Bretan. Photo by Eric Chazankin.

Out in the courtyard, Nigel and a puritan pilgrim Portia (Julianne Bretan) are smitten with one another, under the nose of her stern father (John Griffin.) Someone gets “banish-ed.”

This comedic respite doesn’t last long, however. As Act II begins, the Minstrel (Jonathen Blue) welcomes us back to the Renaissance and more mayhem. A tremendous showstopper in Act II is “Make an Omelet,” with magical costume changes as the cast dances away. Kudos to Costume Designer Mae Heagerty-Matos for the splendid visual treats.

The cleverness of the show’s double-entendres is another treat. One must listen closely to catch dozens of references to Broadway musicals, including many sight gags. Something Rotten! is the type of show you’ll want to see twice.

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ASR Writer & Editor Cari Lynn Pace is a voting member of SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and writes theatre and lifestyle reviews for the Marinscope Community Newspapers throughout Marin County. Contact: pace-koch@comcast.net

 

ProductionSomething Rotten!
Book byJohn O’Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick
Music/Lyrics byKarey and Wayne Kirkpatrick
Directed byDavid Lear
Producing Company6th Street Playhouse, Studio Theatre
Production DatesThru June 25th
Production Address6th Street Playhouse
52 W. 6th Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Websitehttp://www.6thstreetplayhouse.com
Telephone (707) 523-4185
Tickets$35 to $43
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4.5/5
Performance4.5/5
Script4.5/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?YES!

 

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ “Dinner With Friends” a Stunner at SAL

By Barry Willis

Donald Margulies’ Pulitzer Prize-winning Dinner with Friends is a must-see for fans of serious theater. The four-actor drama at Sonoma Arts Live runs through June 18.

An examination of the nature and limits of friendship, trust, love, and commitment, the play opens on a dinner party with three friends—married couple Karen and Gabe (Illana Niernberger and John Browning, respectively) and Beth (Katie Kelley), who tearfully and quite unexpectedly confesses an impending divorce from her lawyer husband Tom (Jimmy Gagarin), Gabe’s best friend since college.

… proof of the extremely high quality of theater in the North Bay…

Act One is told in real time—the two couples are in their late 30s, with two kids each, who are away in another part of the house watching a movie. We hear the kids in the distance but never meet them. The four adults have a long history together, including weekends and summer vacations spent together.

Act Two opens with a flashback to post-college days, at a summer vacation home on Martha’s Vineyard, where Beth meets Tom, in a reasonably short scene that establishes the background, followed by some fast-forward scenes that take us beyond the divorce, to Beth’s new relationship with a man named David, and Tom’s new relationship with a travel agent named Nancy. Like the children, David and Nancy never appear other than by mention. The total time scale of Dinner with Friends may encompass 25 years or more, a long period in the history of four close friends.

This performance by some of the North Bay’s top talents is a tour-de-force of dramatic acting. Pacing under the astute direction of Carl Jordan couldn’t be better. Katie Kelley is especially astounding, with a vulnerability and emotional range that may shock some viewers. She hasn’t cut loose this passionately since her appearance as the reticent Laura Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie at 6th Street Playhouse, directed by Craig Miller some years ago. Niernberger’s character doesn’t have such volatile emotions, but provides a perfect anchor as the more grounded of the two friends.

Marguiles knows his characters intimately, depicting them with equal parts social charm and pretentiousness. They’re all seriously effusive foodies and oenophiles who can’t stop gushing about what they’ve cooked, eaten, and drunk—Gabe works as a food writer—and they all share a propensity for over-analyzing everything they discuss.

Marguiles has drawn his characters expertly: basically, as overly-educated specimens of the pampered class, not entirely likeable but not so self-involved as to be totally annoying. Years ago they might have been derisively called “yuppies.”Kate Leland’s costumes couldn’t be more appropriate.

Director Jordan manages to maintain a somewhat unsteady equilibrium throughout the production. It’s an exquisite balancing act. He and fellow designer Gary Gonser have worked up a most compelling set, using the high stage at Rotary Hall as the home of Karen and Gabe, and as the Martha’s Vineyard site, while below it, at floor level, is a bed that’s the scene of a confrontation between Beth and Tom whose volatility becomes an exercise in rage-induced lovemaking. This very realistic depiction happens within arms’ length of the audience in the front row.

There are some echoes of Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? in Marguiles’ script–the four characters are enormously self-involved and they drink continuously throughout the drama, although unlike in Virginia Woolf?, not to the point of incoherency or vomiting.

The second act includes two lengthy heart-to-heart conversations, one between Karen and Beth, followed immediately by a mirroring conversation between Tom and Gabe. Both of these scenes go on far longer than needed, and might work better as point/counterpoint than the way the author intended, but that’s a minor quibble.

Dinner with Friends is an important production. It’s a superbly well-crafted drama, and glorious proof of the extremely high quality of theater in the North Bay–actors, directors, and technical talents included. With this production, as with The Drowsy Chaperone, Sonoma Art Live has established itself as one of the Bay Area’s premier theater companies.

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Aisle Seat Review Executive Editor Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: barry.m.willis@gmail.com

 

ProductionDinner With Friends
Written byDonald Margulies
Directed byCarl Jordan
Producing CompanySonoma Arts Live
Production DatesJune 2-18, 2023
Production AddressRotary Stage: Andrews Hall, Sonoma Community Center
276 E. Napa Street, Sonoma
Websitewww.sonomaartslive.org
Telephone866-710-8942
Tickets$25 – $42
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?YES!

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ The Shining: Ghostly Extravaganza Enlivened Onstage

By Jeff Dunn

Most of us attend opera hoping for a transformative experience. No matter what happens, in the end, we are left only with its memories flitting in our being, like ghosts. Opera Parallèle’s production of The Shining features a dozen or so hotel-haunting ghosts that lodge in short-term memory, but I suspect the long-term ghosts in my memory of the opera will be only three: its engaging staging, its cinematic score, and wishing it had possessed more than the ghost of a good old-fashioned aria.

The most compelling reason to experience The Shining is the respective projection, lighting, and sound effects by David Murakami, Jim French and Andrew Mayer. The ESP of young Danny Torrance (Tenzin Forder) manifests as peripatetic static flashes. A projection on the entire set characterizes the Overlook Hotel as a malevolent system of throbbing internal organs. Choral eeriness emerges from various locations, etc., etc., making the audience beg for more.

Opera Parallele’s production of “The Shining” in San Francisco.

Stephen King’s story of the descent into madness of Danny’s father Jack while caretaking the Overlook in the dead of winter with his wife and son is inventively orchestrated in Paul Moravec’s music. A reduction from the original full orchestra to 21 musicians sounded more than sufficiently weighty, thanks to Nicole Paiement’s precise yet dramatic music direction. Lush outdoor music underscores their happy fall arrival, but stranger sounds emerge with the hotel’s ghosts of former murderers. Action sequences are punctuated by catchy rhythms. I’m surprised that Moravec’s descriptive mastery has not yet led to film scores.

Brian Staufenbiel’s stage direction left nothing to be desired. Jack’s transformation from daddy to baddy was superbly and humanely characterized by Robert Wesley Mason. His wife Wendy was lovingly portrayed by Kearstin Piper Brown. Kevin Deas was a vocal and acting standout as cook Dick Halloran. Among the many minor roles, David Walton’s clear and insinuating tenor as the tempting ghost Delbert was especially riveting. Daniel Cilli was a looming presence as Jack’s abusive dead father Mark, aided by shoulder pads from the versatile costume designer Alina Bokovikova.

Stephen King’s story of the descent into madness…is inventively orchestrated in Paul Moravec’s music.

Will this opera last? A superficial horror story with effects would have been supplanted by yet another in time. To Moravec’s and librettist Mark Campbell’s credit, their mining of the novel rather than the movie added some gravitas to family relationships. What I fervently wished for on first hearing, however, was more emphasis on what has been said to be what opera is all about: the singing voice, not just the acting voice.

On stage is Robert Wesley Mason (Jack Torrance), Kearstin Piper Brown (Wendy Torrance) and company members.

Only two vocal segments might be called proper arias, Wendy’s “I never stopped loving you” in Act 1, and Dick’s “These woeful days will be over” at the end of the opera. It seemed that only the music for the latter flattered the voice with the grace of potentially memorable melody. It seems so rare these days that new operas can give us stronger music to take home in our hearts. The last one I can remember is John Adams’ “Batter my heart” from Dr. Atomic.

And may it remain there, even more than a ghost!

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Jeff Dunn is ASR’s Classical Music Section Editor. A retired educator and project manager, he’s been writing music and theater reviews for Bay Area and national journals since 1995. He is a member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and the National Association of Composers, USA. His musical Castle Happy (co-author John Freed), about Marion Davies and W.R. Hearst, received a festival production at the Altarena Theater in 2017. His opera Finding Medusa, with librettist Madeline Puccioni, was completed in January 2023. Jeff has won prizes for his photography, and is also a judge for the Northern California Council of Camera Clubs.

ProductionThe Shining
Based on novel by Steven King
Directed byBrian Staufenbiel
Producing CompanyOpera Parallèle
Production DatesThru June 4th
Production AddressBlue Shield of CA Theater at YBCA
700 Howard St, SF, CA 94103
Websitewww.operaparallele.org
Telephone(415) 392-4400
Tickets$20-$180
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4.5/5
Performance4/5
Script4.5/5
Stagecraft4.5/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?YES!

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ Delicious Dialog Spices “Dinner With Friends” at Sonoma Arts Live

By Cari Lynn Pace

Dinner with Friends dishes out one couple’s surprise uncoupling and its effect on another couple, their best friends. The Pulitzer-prize-winning dialog, written by Donald Margulies, has just the right amount of pepper and salt to make this Sonoma Arts Live drama quite tasty.

Kudos to the four actors, under the capable direction of veteran Carl Jordan. They are all superb on a multi-stage set designed by Jordan and Gary Gonser for the Rotary Stage at Andrews Hall in the Sonoma Community Center.

Don’t come hungry to this performance as your stomach may growl. Foodie couple Karen and Gabe (Ilana Niernberger and John Browning, respectively) serve a luscious Italian meal learned on their recent vacation. They are entertaining their best friend Beth, (Katie Kelley) while her husband is away and the couples’ kids are busy in the TV room.

Spoiler alert: The sweet taste of dessert is still on their lips when Beth breaks the news that her husband Tom is leaving her for another woman. Karen and Gabe rally around her, with generous doses of disbelief, support and wine.

…Kudos to the actors, under the direction of veteran Carl Jordan…

When Beth leaves, Karen and Gabe examine their own relationship strengths in the light of Beth’s revelation. Their cautionary and insightful banter gives all couples food for thought. Later that night, Tom (skillfully enacted by Jimmy Gagarin) shows up to confront Beth. He’s enraged that she spilled the beans to their friends. Their physical and emotional energies are portrayed with astounding power, a testament to the acting chops of these two talents.

Act II is a flashback to when Karen and Gabe eagerly introduced Beth to Tom. Tom is unsure about a commitment to marriage, yet listens to Gabe’s input. Tom marries Beth. Is it all to be as it was in Act I? The playwright has another twist in mind.

Time shifts to the present when Karen catches up to a reserved Beth. Beth admits she has found another love to replace Tom. Karen’s advice is unwelcome, as Beth now has her own cooking to do.

Dinner with Friends is a full-course production, one that SAL Artistic Director Jamie Love hopes “Will lead to some great post-show conversations with friends coupled, uncoupled, and otherwise.”

Bon Appetit!

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ASR Writer & Editor Cari Lynn Pace is a voting member of SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and writes theatre and lifestyle reviews for the Marinscope Community Newspapers throughout Marin County. Contact: pace-koch@comcast.net

 

ProductionDinner With Friends
Written byDonald Margulies
Directed byCarl Jordan
Producing CompanySonoma Arts Live
Production DatesJune 2-18, 2023
Production AddressRotary Stage: Andrews Hall, Sonoma Community Center
276 E. Napa Street, Sonoma
Websitewww.sonomaartslive.org
Telephone866-710-8942
Tickets$25 – $42
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?YES!

PICK! ASR Film & Cinema ~~ New Film About Surrealist Salvador Dalí Depicts Artist’s Craziness, Torment, and Genius

By Woody Weingarten

Sir Ben Kingsley, as Salvador Dalí, portrays crazy rather well.

Kingsley also alternates Dalí’s comic and tormented turns rather well. In fact, the actor plays all the famed Spanish surrealist artist’s extreme aspects rather well in the new movie Dalíland. Without making a caricature of him.

Ben Kingsley, as Salvador Dali, is clearly ready for his close-up. Photo courtesy Magnolia Pictures.

Yet, arguably, a smidgeon over the top.

The film’s focus is on Dalí’s final years, when his octogenarian relationship with his older, tyrannical wife and muse, Gala, is disintegrating because, as one character contends, they no longer like being with one another since it reminds them “that they’re old.”

Gala, in fact, is constantly chasing her youth by bedding down with one of her boy toys, the latest being the actor then starring in the lead role of Broadway’s Jesus Christ Superstar.

Dalí, meanwhile, is relegated to voyeurism, which he apparently prefers anyway.

Salvatore Dali in his studio is portrayed by Ben Kingsley. Photo courtesy Magnolia Pictures.

The movie’s point of view stems from neither Dalí nor Gala, though — we see the one-of-a-kind genius through the eyes of James, a Dalí acolyte-sycophant then fighting to un-immerse himself from the artist’s destructive lifestyle filled with ostentatious fame, bizarre parties, and erotica.

Canadian director Mary Harron starts Dalíland with an astute bit of character self-assassination, a clip of Dalí’s hysterically funny appearance on the TV game show What’s My Line? in which he answers every question with a “yes” even if it’s totally inappropriate and must be corrected by emcee John Daly. When Dalí answers affirmatively about being a leading man, panelist-columnist Dorothy Kilgallen smoothly chastises him with the comment, “He’s a misleading man.”

That stands as a touch of foreshadowing to a deep dive into the artist’s darker aspects — to wit, the scene quickly shifts to a party in which Dalí focuses on Amanda Lear, a trans, and Alice Cooper, a friend.

Harron may have been a superb choice for the biopic. Her work-life began as a punk music journalist, immediately integrating oddball characters into her sphere of influence. In 1996, her first feature film, I Shot Andy Warhol, depicted a wannabe assassin as a feminist hero. She also directed The Notorious Bettie Page, about the famous nude pinup subject.

Kingsley, of course, won a best actor Oscar for his title role in 1982’s Gandhi.

In Dalíland, the artist doesn’t come off as the least bit likeable. Rather, he’s annoyingly egocentric (“I do not compare myself to God,” he pontificates. “Dalí is almost God”) and self-indulgent (he rents space at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City at $20,000 a month).

And he doesn’t blink at the knowledge that endless prints of his works are criminally being peddled at extraordinary prices as lithographs.

The main weakness of the low-budget, 1 hour, 43-minute film is the absence of the artist’s paintings (the producers clearly couldn’t afford reproduction rights). A second flaw is an overall lack of tension. And although the costumes are effective (especially Dali’s long, ornate dressing gowns and vests that look as if they’d been replicated from an 18th century operetta), and despite a hand-held camera frantically scooting here and there during frenzied party scenes, Kingsley’s man-of-many-faces performance is so melodramatic everything else fades into near-nothingness.

Still, considering the impossibility of accurately depicting a mad, alluring, repulsive womanizer in a story that’s not unlike watching a train about to derail, screenplay writer John C. Walsh, director Harron, and Kingsley do admirably well.

A pair of flashbacks, intended to lay the groundwork for the artist’s later behavior patterns, ironically feature Ezra Miller, who identifies as non-binary and who’s faced a series of disorderly conduct and assault charges and been treated for “complex mental health issues.”

Chris Briney as James, a gallery assistant, dresses Ben Kingsley as Salvador Dali in the film “Daliland.” Photo courtesy Magnolia Pictures.

But perhaps the strongest image in the Magnolia Pictures-distributed film — which is set in Spain and New York during the mid-1970s — is when Dalí talks of a mountain peak that “appears in my painting The Great Masturbator” and remembers that “this is where [Gala] asked me to kill her, you know.”

A second memorable cinematic moment shows the artist asking James to bring him “many beautiful asses,” followed by his having the girls dip their rumps into paint and press them onto paper so he can instantly convert the images into saleable “art.”

Everything in Dali’s mind, in fact, becomes art — even his dyed, waxed handlebar mustache, which is treated as if it’s a priceless sculpture.

My own favorite moment is the chunk of a flashback where Dali wildly waves his cane as if conducting a distorted symphony of life, seemingly a summation of what his essence really is.

A personal note: Because I greatly admired Dali’s imagination and groundbreaking work when I was young, I paid $1,200 for an early lithograph — despite my being unsure at the time that lithos were truly art, and despite my being only 93.7 percent certain that the “certificate of authenticity” was actually authentic. Dalíland not only brought back a vision of that transaction but of the artist’s most famous work, The Persistence of Memory, and my own memory-regret that my ex-wife ended up with the extremely valuable litho.

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ASR Senior Contributor Woody Weingarten has decades of experience writing arts and entertainment reviews and features. A member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle,  he is the  author of three books, The Roving I; Grampy and His Fairyzona Playmatesand Rollercoaster: How a Man Can Survive His Partner’s Breast Cancer. Contact: voodee@sbcglobal.net or https://woodyweingarten.com or http://www.vitalitypress.com/

TitleDaliland
Directed byMary Harron
Screenplay byJohn Walsh
Distributing CompanyMagnolia
Production DateOpens June 9th
Runtime1 hr 56 min
ShowingLandmark’s Opera Plaza Cinema, 601 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco;
Rialto Cinemas Elmwood, 2966 College Ave, Berkeley;
Century Regency, 280 Smith Ranch Road, San Rafael.
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4.5/5
Script3.5/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?YES!

 

ASR Theater ~~ Shotgun’s “Yerma” Gives Something to Hope For

By George Maguire

Shotgun Players continues its “Season of Love” with a beautiful adaptation of Frederico Garcia Lorca’s Yerma, adapted and translated by Melissa Lopez, and directed with graceful gusto and imagination by Katja Rivera.

Lorca, one of the 20th century’s great Spanish playwright/poets, penned in quick succession, three masterpieces: Yerma, Blood Wedding and The House of Bernarda Alba, before he was executed in 1936 by a Nationalist firing squad. Lorca’s socialist political leanings and his homosexuality were antithetical to Franco’s right-wing militants.

Set in the grape vineyards of California’s San Fernando Valley in the 1930s, we enter into the lives of a Mexican-American rural family struggling to work, feed themselves and indeed procreate, hoping to keep their legacy alive as they try to climb the ladder of the American dream.

The play opens with a vivid scene of copulation between Yerma and her husband Juan. Played with brutal depth and passion by Regina Morones, Yerma is childless after ten years of marriage to Juan. Soon she announces to him that she is five weeks pregnant, only to learn that once again her “body is dry,” as she tells her friends.

Regina Morones as Yerma, Caleb Cabrera as Juan. Photography by Ben Krantz.

Juan (played with swaggering intensity by Caleb Cabrera) has inherited a pig farm which he is desperate to turn into a fertile vineyard. The play itself is infused with scenes of what later became known as “magical realism” under such writers as Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Isabel Allende and playwright Jose Rivera, whose realistic views of the world are altered by scenes with magical elements of dreams, hallucinations and hauntings.

This is a play about desire and what we are willing to do to manifest what we want, and indeed what we think we need for connection.

In this eight-person cast are Yerma’s four friends, who bring Yerma to a shamaka (Linda Amayo-Hassan giving a textured mystical performance of grandeur as Incarnacion) known for creating fertility in a seemingly barren woman.

Mylo Cardona as Veronica, Aisha Aurora Rivera as Dolores, Linda Amayo-Hassan as Incarnación. Photography by Ben Krantz.

Alejandra Wahl plays Maria who seems, as she says, to pass by a man and immediately become pregnant. It is a performance of strength and simultaneous fragility both aspects beautifully bifurcated in Ms. Wahl.

Regal Aisha Aurora Rivera, and ultra-chatty gossip Mylo Cardona add nuance and strength to the circle of women. In the midst of the muddle is Victor, Yerma’s childhood friend and now a sheep owner very much in love with her. The yin and yang roller coaster of emotions Yerma lives through on a day-by-day basis come to a brutal conclusion as she makes a horrifying choice at the play’s end.

April Ballesteros (Assistant Stage Manager), Mylo Cardona as Veronica, Alejandra Wahl as Maria, Regina Morones as Yerma, Linda Amayo-Hassan as Incarnación, Linda Maria Girón as Marta. Photo by Ben Krantz.

Director Rivera and her movement/intimacy choreographer Raisa Donato bring all of this to the forefront in a stunning scene of sexual awakening by Yerma as she conjures a horned bare-chested beast (played with god-pan abandon by Samuel Prince) surrounded by scarf-draped women dancing and ululating in wild abandon.

Composer/sound designer Sebastian Gutierrez heightens the stage with an original score of arias, duets and quartets bringing emotional weight and beautifully choreographed movement to the play. When the emotion is too ripe for simple words, we sing and the heart explodes.

The designers have supplemented the work with Nina Ball’s set of dirt piles, ramps and steps, and a beautiful painting in the center illuminated in a lush pallette of ever-changing colors by Sara Miel Saavadra. Valarie Coble has costumed the play with specific lived-in looks of the 1930s farm life.

It’s a beautiful and haunting play given a superb production at Berkeley’s renowned Shotgun Players. Lorca’s gifts of poetry and farce work together to create tears and laughter, hallmarks of his legacy. One can only imagine what else he could have written had he not come to such a tragic end at age 38.

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ASR Contributing Writer George Maguire is a San Francisco based actor and director. and a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. He is a Professor Emeritus of Solano College. Contact: gmaguire1204@yahoo.com

 

ProductionYerma
Written byFrederico Garcia Lorca.

Adapted and translated by Melinda Lopez
Directed byKatja Rivera
Producing CompanyShotgun Players
Production Dates
Video On Demand
May 20-June 25, 2023

Live streaming June 1 & 8
Production Address1901 Ashby Avenue, Berkeley CA 94705
WebsiteShotgunplayers.org
Telephone(510) 841-6500
TicketsDynamic Pricing Per Show --Call the Box Office
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3.5/5
Performance3.5/5
Script4.0/5
Stagecraft3.5/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?----

ASR Theater ~~ Let The Right One In – Adolescence Can Bite

By George Maguire

Take a bullied 12 year old boy, a bizarre female (or not) new neighbor, and tense and bloody serial killings in the town and you have the ingredients for a biting new play from the National Theatre of Scotland being presented at Berkeley Repertory Theater in its American cast premier.

Based on the novel and film by John Ajvide Lindqvist, and stage adapted by Jack Thorne, this new twist on vampire lore and teen coming of age angst is a must-see.

(clockwise from left) Jon Demegillo (Micke), Michael Johnston (Jonny), and Diego Lucano (Oskar) in the West Coast premiere of the National Theatre of Scotland production of “Let the Right One In.”
Photo by Kevin Berne/Berkeley Repertory Theatre

12-year-old Oskar (an astonishingly gifted Diego Lucano) is a bullied, sad and lonely child living revenge fantasies among the towering birch trees looming over the town. A jungle gym on the site, which will morph in Act 2 into an astonishing school swimming pool, dominates the right of the imaginative set created by Christine Jones.

Entering with gymnastic flair is Eli, a new neighbor with an older guardian and an interest in connection. They meet, they play, they tease one another and Oskar falls in love. Eli, played with remarkable physical agility and other-worldly acumen by Noah Lamanna, presents a perfect blend of female/male he/she characteristics which both intrigue and excite Oskar.

Eli asks “Would you like me if I turned out not to be a girl?” Oskar freezes and thinks this through responding, ‘Yes…..I guess so.”

Noah Lamanna (Eli) and Richard Topol (Hakan) at work in “Let The Right One In.” Photo by Kevin Berne.

Add another element of suspense and possibility as we watch Diego Lucano’s brilliant work as he listens, thinks a thought through, and reacts. This is a great young actor giving a master class in honest actor reaction.

…John Tiffany directs with minute precision for details…

As we settle into our seats, we watch the small cast trundle through the falling snow and then moments before the play itself begins they exhibit a sense of danger nearby and rush off. Simple set pieces are brought on representing a bed, a candy shop, a locker room or a living room, and then a large trunk which will dominate the play as a home for our vampire heroine.

The seven-member ensemble of supporting actors populates the town as parents, police, shop owners, and of course the three bullies who taunt Oskar constantly with “Here Piggy, Piggy!” shoving him into a locker. We know his revenge will occur.

Julius Thomas III (Halmberg) and Richard Topol (Hakan) at Berkeley Rep. Photo by Kevin Berne.

Director Tiffany and his movement associate Steven Hoggett were the inspiration behind Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Blackwatch and the Tony award winning musical Once. Their combined sensitivity can work wonders as we watch Hoggett’s balletic movement enrich each scene with atmosphere behind and accenting the very terse script.

Olafur Arnalds and Arnor Dan Arnarson have composed a richly textured symphonic score enhanced by sound designer Gareth Fry and special effects designer Jeremy Chernick’s jolting, boo-creating shocks.

Act 2 turns the Rubik’s cube gym around and we are presented with the school swimming pool, one of the most shocking stage moments I can recall as the bullies bet that Oskar cannot hold his breath for three minutes in a pool clearly deeper than the actor’s height.

(l to r) Jon Demegillo, Nicole Shalhoub, Erik Hellman, and Jack DiFalco in the West Coast premiere of the National Theatre of Scotland production of “Let the Right One In” at Berk Rep. Photo by Kevin Berne/Berkeley Rep.

Vampire lore has been a fascination for centuries. Since Bram Stoker’s Dracula, we have seen True Blood, Anne Rice’s Chronicles of a Vampire, the teen Twilight series by Stephanie Meyers, Becoming Human and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, to name a few.

Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot is the hallmark of modern vampire books, combining young children with old vampire lore. As these damaged people find one another, we in the audience reflect on our own pasts, seeking revenge for wrong doings on us, anger at parental controls beyond our capability to understand, and of course trying with not much effort to hide our first hickey on the neck.

The blood and the gore of this production may not be to everyone’s taste but its relevance cannot be ignored.

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ASR Contributing Writer George Maguire is a San Francisco based actor and director. and a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. He is a Professor Emeritus of Solano College. Contact: gmaguire1204@yahoo.com

 

ProductionLet The Right One In
Written by John Ajvide Lindqvist
Directed by John Tiffany
Producing CompanyBerkeley Repertory Theatre
Production DatesMay 20-June 25, 2023
Production Address2025 Addison Street, Berkeley CA 94704
Websitewww.berkeleyrep.org
Telephone(510) 847-2949
Tickets$25-$103
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3.5/5
Performance3.5/5
Script3.5/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?----

ASR Destinations ~~ Stunning: The Beauty of Filoli, the Garden of Greenery

ASR Destinations: Focus on Our Bay Area

Visitors pay thousands of dollars to visit Northern California and the San Francisco Bay Area, drawn by our remarkable attractions and lifestyles. Do we locals ever visit? Here’s something to consider:

    • Flying has lost its appeal at these prices
    • Hotel rates have soared
    • Gasoline prices will never be the same.

Therefore, consider some special places you can reach and return home on the same day. Or Two.

This latest addition to Aisle Seat Review will spotlight many of the adventures at hand for daytime or weekend activities. When you aren’t going to the theatre, that is. Or the gallery. Or…well, you get the idea.

Thank you for your attention.

— The Editors

 

Destination: Filoli the Garden of Greenery

by Cari Lynn Pace 

 

Actually, that’s not the correct description, as Filoli always has something blooming in living colors.

This 654-acre estate encircles a private mansion built for the Bourn family in 1917. William Bourn created the name for his new Shangri-la getaway by combining the first two letters of his three core mantras:

      • Fight for a just cause.
      • Love your fellow man.
      • Live a good life.

Located in Woodside, 30 miles south of San Francisco, Filoli is now part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and open for tours daily.

It’s a double dose of impressive attractions, with gardens to tour outdoors and a 54,000-square foot Georgian-style mansion when the weather brings you inside.

The Bourn home boggles the brain to see the opulence it contained. The lifestyle and entertaining of the family who owned a gold mine was anything but casual.

Photo by Michael Price.

At the imposing entryway, a butler would direct female guests to the powder room on the right and gentlemen to the cloak room on the left. The reception room with walls of silk and soaring windows overlooking the gardens would have been a lovely place to await the host and hostess.

If you were fortunate to be invited to a party in the ballroom, you could warm yourself by the 8-foot fireplace or waltz under crystal chandeliers high above.

…The Bourn home boggles the brain to see the opulence it contained…

The kitchen, with its separate bakery and walk-in pantry room, is spacious enough for seven servants to work at once. And they did. Don’t miss the overlarge dumb waiter or the massive walk-in bank vault where silver serving pieces were locked at night.

When they serve tea at Filoli, you want to be here.

A Tiffany-designed set of flatware for 18 guests is also on display in the opulent dining room. When the 16 acres of lush gardens outside begin to beckon, choose a path and wander at will.

In mid-May the camelias were abundant as were fragrant trees of dogwood and lilac. Paths meander around reflection pools beside towering Japanese maple and sweet magnolia. The rose garden, with over 500 rosebushes, was just starting to burst with color and perfume. Summer is the best time to visit for rose lovers, with many color-laden bushes labelled and ready for their close-ups.

No matter the season, there is always something blooming or budding at Filoli. Also of note, Filoli’s natural attractions will soon be augmented by a music program. Go to www.filoio.org for dates and guest artists.

Contact: Filoli Historic House & Garden | 86 Cañada Road, Woodside, CA 94062 | (650) 364-8300   |   info@filoli.org

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ASR Writer & Editor Cari Lynn Pace is a voting member of SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and writes theatre and lifestyle reviews for the Marinscope Community Newspapers throughout Marin County. Contact: pace-koch@comcast.net

 

ASR Theater ~~ “Into the Woods”—A Natural Fit for 110th Mountain Play

By Cari Lynn Pace

Opening day for the 2023 Mountain Play Into the Woods dawned cold and overcast.

Fortunately, the fog was low-lying, and above the clouds rose the clear sunny slopes of Marin County’s Mt. Tamalpais. Well-bundled crowds dressed in layers filed onto school busses in downtown Mill Valley to shuttle them up the windy road to the mountaintop. Many hardy and fit souls drove to parking lots at Pan Toll or Bootjack and hiked up. The pilgrimage to the festive outdoor party, shining in the sun, had begun.

Cushing Memorial Amphitheatre holds 3,700 folks in its outdoor venue, with rough granite seats surrounded by abundant forest. On clear days you can see San Francisco and the East Bay from the 2579’ elevation. The ever-present challenge in attending the Mountain Play is to prepare for changes in weather. Some years it’s chilly, or rainy. Other years can bring withering heat, with water sprayers and fans going full blast to keep patrons cool.

…This musical by Stephen Sondheim, with the book by James Lapine, is a mash-up of classic fairy tales….

No matter, the crowds are always friendly and multi-generational. Blankets are spread, coolers opened, paper plates passed around. Popping corks punctuate the laughter and squeals of children. Dedicated foodies have been known to set up tables with cheese fondue and forks. The vibe is always good at the Mountain Play.

Warm-up entertainment begins at 12:30 with local singers, musicians, and food vendors. At 2 p.m., executive director Ellen Grady welcomes the crowd, the orchestra tunes up, and the crowd cheers with enthusiasm as Into the Woods begins.

This musical by Stephen Sondheim, with the book by James Lapine, is a mash-up of classic fairy tales. Characters appear from Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Red Riding Hood, and Sleeping Beauty. A wicked witch puts a curse on the baker and his wife. Prize cow Milky White enjoys a day in the sun.

Samantha Cardenas as Cinderella in “Into The Woods”

Each character is delightfully costumed by Amie Schow. Everyone goes off into the woods – represented by a wooden scaffold designed by Andrea Bechert – to seek their wishes. The plot won’t make much sense, and it won’t be a happy ending – true to the stories written by the Brothers Grimm – but it is entertaining as any fairy tale might be.

Shayla Lawler as Rapunzel.

Director/choreographer Nicole Helfer brings out amusing portrayals from all performers. Their powerhouse singing voices are superb, with not a weak link to be heard. Sondheim fans will hear many unfamiliar songs from this Tony Award-winning score. The better songs are in the long first act, which brought pleasing resolution to the fate of characters that ventured into the woods.

L to R – Christopher Sotelo (Rapunzel’s Prince) and Phillip Harris (Cinderella’s Prince). Photo credit: Ed Smith Photography

Act II begins a dark epilogue. There’s a mean giant, and killings, and infidelity. The second half drags with unhappy outcomes. There are many ballads accompanied by the 15-piece orchestra skillfully conducted by Daniel Alley, the musicians tucked into a lean-to structure onstage.

The first act of Into the Woods is a lightweight show without unhappy outcomes, recommended for all ages. In fact, the first act is often performed as a stand-alone children’s show. The second act’s mean-spirited malevolence may be a matter of concern for parents with sensitive kids.

Remaining performances of Into the Woods are May 28, June 4, 10, and 11, and 18. ASL-interpreted performances are June 10 and 11. All Mountain Play performances are 2 p.m. but it’s best to get there at least an hour before.

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ASR Writer & Editor Cari Lynn Pace is a voting member of SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and writes theatre and lifestyle reviews for the Marinscope Community Newspapers throughout Marin County. Contact: pace-koch@comcast.net

 

ProductionInto The Woods
Written byBook: James Lapine
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim
Directed byNicole Helfer
Producing CompanyThe Mountain Play Association / Ross Valley Players
Production DatesThru June 18, 2023
Production AddressCushing Memorial Amphitheatre, Mt. Tamalpais State Park, 801 Panoramic Highway, Mill Valley CA
Websitewww.MountainPlay.org
Telephone(415) 383-1100
Tickets$25-$50 & Up
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3.5/5
Performance4/5
Script2/5
Stagecraft3/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?----

ASR Theater ~~ Comedic Tale Parodies Shakespeare’s Creativity Via NTC Cast of 20

By Woody Weingarten

The Novato Theatre Company has chosen to thrust us into a time machine.

At the turn of the 21st Century, now disgraced Harvey Weinstein — who almost single-handedly was responsible for a major spurt in #metoo movement affiliations protesting sexual abuse — bullied Academy Award voters enough so the film he’d produced, Shakespeare in Love, won 12 Oscars.

Through June 11 of this year, a play that was based on the film and had opened in London’s West End in 2014 is likely to impress and amuse NTC audiences.

Shakespeare in Love is an ambitious, rib-tickling show (with a few serious soliloquies) that yanks us back to the 1590s (with plenteous references to Verona and Stratford) when women were forbidden by law to be actors. That detail, of course, doesn’t stop Viola De Lesseps (adroitly portrayed by Rachel Kaiulani Kennealy with a gamut of emotions) as she falls for a struggling young playwright, Will Shakespeare, and sidesteps the edict by dressing like a man.

In the process she becomes his muse and lover, leading him to turn an unwritten comedy, Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate’s Daughter, into a polished tragedy titled Romeo and Juliet.

Welcome to comedic Gender-Bending 101 — 2023 style, with the 20-member cast featuring not only women clad as men but men in drag as well. It would be remiss at this juncture, not incidentally, to not laud time-appropriate costuming by Jody Branham, who scoured the Bay Area to borrow the necessary garb.

Shakespeare in Love toys not only with identify but with the inner mis-workings of theatrical productions (riddled with a running gag about playwriting that “It’s a mystery”). The community players manage to perfectly ham up almost everything.

Marilyn Izdebski, a tireless retiree, has produced a show that has almost too many praiseworthy participants for a reviewer to handle, beginning with co-directors Nic Moore and Gillian Eichenberger, who jointly ensure that the two-hour presentation feels shorter than that.

Chemistry between Rachel Kaiulani Kennealy’s frisky Viola and Michael Girts’ boyish, rubbery visaged Will is a marvel to witness.

Also deserving plaudits for their farcical work are Kim Bromley, whose squeaky-voiced flightiness is ideal as Viola’s nurse confidant; Michel Benton Harris, whose macho bravado is exquisite as Christopher (Kit) Marlowe, Will’s friend and rival; Michele Sanner, who turns the first Queen Elizabeth into a haughty, pasty-faced, occasionally enlightened ruler; Tomás Fierro, who embodies Richard Burbage as a selfish, volatile, bombastic benefactor; and the definitive audience favorite, fifth-grader Alexa Heftye, wildly woofing away as Spot the Dog.

The production, unfortunately, is hampered by players not being mic’d and some unable to project sufficiently to be heard easily. Also, the music (even when soft) sometimes drowns out dialogue.

In contrast, check out the marvelous mock aristocratic dancing (and joyous stomping) choreographed by Stephen Beecroft, the copious and rapid costume changes, and a bit of swashbuckling swordplay — not to mention the out-of-context and out-of-the-box references to other plays by the Bard (highlighted by “Out, out, damned spot,” an order directed at the pooch).

Although some main characters have a real place in British history, this comedy by Lee Hall (an adaptation of Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard’s screenplay) injects a playful wink hither and a mischievous wink yon.

As a result, the NTC’s Shakespeare in Love production deserves at least four winks, er, stars.

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ASR Senior Contributor Woody Weingarten has decades of experience writing arts and entertainment reviews and features. A member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle,  he is the  author of three books, The Roving I; Grampy and His Fairyzona Playmatesand Rollercoaster: How a Man Can Survive His Partner’s Breast Cancer. Contact: voodee@sbcglobal.net or https://woodyweingarten.com or http://www.vitalitypress.com/

ProductionShakespeare in Love
Written byLee Hall
Directed byNic Moore and Gillian Eichenberger
Producing CompanyNovato Theater Company
Production DatesThrough June 11th
Production AddressNovato Theater Company
5420 Nave Drive, Novato 94949
WebsiteNovatoTheaterCompany.org
Telephone(415) 883-4498
Tickets$15 – $27
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4/5
Script3/5
Stagecraft4.5/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?YES

PICK! ASR Music ~~ Silence Graces Benjamin Britten’s “War Requiem”

By Jeff Dunn

Euripides was proved right at Davies Hall Thursday night, May 18: that silence is the best response to true wisdom. For 90 minutes, the nearly filled auditorium was as quiet as I’ve ever heard it. A clapping of one hand. And after the last chord, another 35 seconds of utter noiselessness. Shock, prayer, mourning for our human condition? Then, three long curtain calls amid a somber standing ovation. How could it be else, in the face of a magnificent performance of a 20th-century milestone in music that is utterly relevant today?

Benjamin Britten

The enormous work calls for three soloists, two choruses, two orchestras, and an organ, each of which are associated with different aspects of the causes and meanings of death and war. The mixed San Francisco Symphony chorus, soprano solo and full orchestra and proclaimed the Requiem texts of the Latin Mass, with sin as the cause of the Day of Wrath and salvation as the antidote.

…I urge readers to experience the immeasurable empathy of the War Requiem…

Baritone and tenor soloists, accompanied by a chamber orchestra and singing the poetry of Wilfred Owen, portrayed warring soldiers on opposite sides, yet on the same side with regard to ironic and often bitter critiques of war and its abnegation of pacifistic Christianity. From a distant balcony at the rear, the Ragazzi Boys Chorus, accompanied almost solely by organ, occasionally chanted the more innocently hopeful verses from the liturgy.

All of eight intertwined elements above were meshed in near-perfect combination by conductor Philippe Jordan. The originally scheduled baritone, Iain Paterson, had to withdraw due to unexplained visa issues, but his replacement, the equally experienced Brian Mulligan, added a gorgeous Wotan-like gravitas to his superior performance. Tenor Ian Bostridge filled the hall with his perfectly attuned instrument, but even more thrilling, to patrons in nearer rows, were his exquisite, masterfully varied, and often wrenching facial expressions.

I will never forget his stabbing rendition of the following Owen lines at the end of the Dies Irae movement:

Was it for this [war and death] that the clay grew tall?
O what made fatuous, fatuous sunbeams toil.
To break earth’s sleep at all?

Soprano Jennifer Holloway did a fine job in an angelically silvery dress from the chorus benches in the rear. Conceptually, her position makes sense, considering the far remove the Sixth Commandment has from the battlefields, but Britten’s wonderful music for her needs to be heard at equal volume as the other two soloists, especially in the Lacrymosa section.

In terms of Jordan’s tempo choices, all were acceptable to my taste, if slightly on the slow side. Also, I wish he had given more weight to the snare drum crescendo in the media-prescient setting of the words “The scribes on all the people shove/And bawl allegiance to the state.”

Silence is not the best response to false wisdom, so I must report Harold Schonberg’s uncompassionate NY Times review of the War Requiem at its U.S. premiere in 1963:

“It may turn out that “A War Requiem” will not, in the long run, have staying power because of a certain obviousness. The effects are a little too heart-on-sleeve, the sorrow is a little too sorrowful, the melodic content a little calculated.”

I urge readers to experience the immeasurable empathy of the War Requiem and consider, in thoughtful silence, where we are headed as a species.

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Jeff Dunn is ASR’s Classical Music Section Editor. A retired educator and project manager, he’s been writing music and theater reviews for Bay Area and national journals since 1995. He is a member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and the National Association of Composers, USA. His musical Castle Happy (co-author John Freed), about Marion Davies and W.R. Hearst, received a festival production at the Altarena Theater in 2017. His opera Finding Medusa, with librettist Madeline Puccioni, was completed in January 2023. Jeff has won prizes for his photography, and is also a judge for the Northern California Council of Camera Clubs.

ProductionBritten's "War Requiem"
Producing CompanySan Francisco Symphony
Production DatesThrough May 20th
Production AddressDavies Symphony Hall 201 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94102
Websitehttps://www.sfsymphony.org/
Telephone800-295-5354
Tickets$36-$165
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4.5/5
Performance4.5/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?YES!

PICK! ASR THEATER ~~ “Where Did We Sit on the Bus?” – An Astounding Solo Show at Marin Theatre Co.

By Sue Morgan

Where Did We Sit on the Bus? is an autobiographical one-person show written and originally performed by Brian Quijada. The outstanding production currently being performed at Marin Theatre seamlessly shifts the perspective from straight male to gay female with multi-talented Satya Chavez taking on the role of “Bee Quijada.”

The piece explores themes of identity, race, and belonging, through the lens of Quijada’s personal experiences growing up as the offspring of Central American immigrants in the United States.

…Do yourself a favor and treat yourself…

The title Where Did We Sit on the Bus? refers to the historical context of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, specifically the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955-1956. The boycott was a response to the practice of forcing African Americans to sit at the back of public buses. The title alludes to the question of where people of different backgrounds and ethnicities “fit” in society and the struggles they face in navigating issues of race and identity.

Quijada’s story is not unlike that of many first- and second-generation immigrants who arrive in the United States with little but a dream of forging a safe and prosperous life. With a passion to perform and talent to fuel the fire, young Bee, a straight A student who works hard to make her parents proud, broaches the subject of wanting to dedicate her life to the stage, only to be met with fierce resistance by both parents who encourage her to pursue a “real” career, such as becoming a lawyer or a doctor.

Regardless of their disapproval, Bee tries out and wins a part in a school production only to be saddened that her parents do not attend the performance. This pattern continues throughout her school years, as Bee continues to hone her craft, culminating in a performance for fellow college drama students that wins a standing ovation.

What brings this familiar story to life is the mind-blowing talent of Satya Chavez, who in real life had full parental support for many artistic ambitions. At an early age, Satya was given lessons in voice and piano. Chavez believes that learning the fundamentals of music theory enabled achieving high levels as a multi-instrumentalist.

During the course of Where Did We Sit, Satya skillfully incorporates various forms of artistic expression, including rap, beatboxing, and live looping–creating a vibrant and captivating theatrical experience.

While narrating the story, Satya moves about the stage, playing various musical instruments including a guitar, a guitaron (the large and bulbous guitar used by mariachi players), a wooden flute, keyboards, various percussion instruments, and vocalizations, live looped to create a sometimes gorgeous auditory backdrop that masterfully propels the narrative forward.

Couple this with Chavez’ apparently genuine sense of ease as a performer and the entire production is mesmerizing. It is this talent that makes this performance a must see. Do yourself a favor and treat yourself to the gift of witnessing the birth of a star. Where Did We Sit on the Bus? is an astounding performance.

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Contributing Writer Sue Morgan is a literature-and-theater enthusiast in Sonoma County’s Russian River region. Contact: sstrongmorgan@gmail.com

 

 

ProductionWhere Did We Sit on the Bus?
Written ByBrian Quijada with additional compositions by Satya Chavez
Directed byMatt Dickson
Producing CompanyMarin Theatre Company (MTC)
Production DatesThrough May 28th
Production AddressMarin Theatre Company
397 Miller Avenue
Mill Valley, CA
Websitewww.marintheatre.org
Telephone(415) 388-5200
Tickets$25-$65
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4/5
Script3.5/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?YES!

ASR Video ~~ ‘Air’ is Fun Film to See — Despite Its Flaws. Despite Its Absence of Basketball Superstar

By Woody Weingarten

I hate myself for enjoying Air, the longish film journey of how 21-year-old future basketball superstar Michael Jordan signed a zillion-dollar contract with Nike for his own line of basketball shoes.

Why? Well, because my delight, and that of millions of others presumably, stems from the feel-goodness, underdog-winningness, and Black fairytale-ness of the star-studded Amazon original — despite the movie I’m helping pay for is little more than a 112-minute, 100% unabashed commercial for the footwear company.

Matt Damon in “Air”. Photo, IMDB.

Watching the Matt Damon-headliner, I feel, is almost as bad as if I were 17 and constantly wearing Nike’s shoes, clothing, and accessories (all of which make sure no one can miss the name and/or Swoosh logo in deep red or ebony).

I gave up counting how many times the brand or shoe popped up in the fluffy comedy-drama, which also stars Viola Davis as Jordan’s mother, Deloris, and in secondary roles Damon’s longtime buddy Ben Affleck (who directed the movie) as Nike’s co-founder and chief exec, John Bateman as the corporation’s marketing director, and Chris Tucker as a mediating former player.

Ben Affleck in “Air”. Photo IMDB.

Rarely can I forget that Damon is Damon, but as usual he’s easy to watch — this time with protruding gut as Sonny Vaccaro, Nike’s consummate player-recruiter — because it never feels like he’s acting. In contrast, I always know Davis is acting, but her chops are normally so much fun to see, I don’t mind (here, she’s even better since she’s not doing her typical chewing up of the scenery).

In truth, all the acting’s as smooth as a baby’s bottom…

My guilty pleasure in liking Affleck’s kiss-kiss ode to Jordan, not incidentally, is based mostly on its high energy and high-polished entertainment. I also found it effortless to enjoy the soundtrack, which features tunes by Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, and Chaka Khan. And pure joy can spring from a comedy scene accentuating an eardrum-busting, obscene phone conversation.

But those looking for Jordan, or his iconic ball-handling and scoring, will walk away unhappy. He’s only in a few short clips and mentioned in headlines at the end. The actor playing him in Air is hidden from sight most of the time (you do get occasional glimpses of an ear or the back of his head).

Viewers who desire ethics lessons will likewise be disappointed. The aim here seems to be to ignore philosophy and instead pay tribute to business wheeling-and-dealing, winning, and, especially, to money-making.

Viola Davis and Julius Tennon in “Air”. Photo IMDB.

Still, Air didn’t lose one bit of my enthusiasm by veering from the truth. I didn’t mind at all, for instance, that the real Sonny never traveled to the Jordan home in North Carolina, that Jordan hadn’t been the first athlete to get a piece of the merch pie (tennis players had been there, done that), or that he ultimately signed for half a million dollars a year, not $250,000.

I also didn’t care that Air deemphasized or altogether skipped over Jordan’s many controversies and difficulties, which are, to say the least, legion.

It’s probable that I’ll never be mega-rich like Jordan, who’s already netted more than $1 billion from his Nike endorsements, or like a corporate powerhouse such as Nike, whose logo symbolizes not only the winged goddess of victory but the sound of speed, movement, power and motivation.

“So what?” I say — their film was fun to watch.!

Air is still playing in a handful of movie houses around the Bay Area but it has also start streaming on Amazon Prime.

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ASR Senior Contributor Woody Weingarten has decades of experience writing arts and entertainment reviews and features. A member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle,  he is the  author of three books, The Roving I; Grampy and His Fairyzona Playmatesand Rollercoaster: How a Man Can Survive His Partner’s Breast Cancer. Contact: voodee@sbcglobal.net or https://woodyweingarten.com or http://www.vitalitypress.com/

Other Voices…

"...these exceptional actors who, with heart and talent, ever so briefly turn a story about capitalism into a referendum on the soul of a nation..."The New York Times
"Air"...is effortlessly entertaining..."NPR
“Air”...it’s old-fashioned in the best sense: solid, confident, simple, straightforward and entirely entertaining. It’s the work of an intelligent classicist..."San Francisco Chronicle
"...Air is a light, well-paced film that makes two hours fly by. It will leave you thinking, ‘wow, I can’t believe I got so invested in a pair of shoes’..."The Film Magazine
"["Air" is]...an underdog story with the greatest basketball player of all time at its heart...."USA Today

ASR Theater ~~ “Chinglish” – A Comic Masterpiece With Depth

By George Maguire

While on a visit to China, Chinese-American dramatist David Henry Hwang saw a sign in a men’s room: “Deformed Man’s Toilet”. Wildly mistranslated from “Handicapped Restroom,” this misnomer was the inspiration for the multi-award winning writer (Gold Child, M Butterfly, FOB, the Disney cartoon Tarzan etc,) to dig deeper into the cultural phenomenon of mistranslation, both grammatically and culturally, between American and Chinese people. The phenomenon is examined with great hilarity in Chinglish at San Francisco Playhouse.

We have come a long way from the Hollywood casting of white actors as Asian stereotypes: Marlon Brando and Mickey Rooney in Tea House of the August Moon, John Wayne as Genghis Kahn, Katharine Hepburn in Dragon Seed, and many others.

…Stunningly directed by Jeffrey Lo, SF Playhouse’s wonderful production (of Chinglish) is a winner…

What sets Chinglish apart is that it not only lampoons the language divide, with merry misfiring mirth, but also reaches deeply into the geo-political realities of what such misfires can and indeed do create.

The political economic power of the current Chinese economy is a frightening reminder to America of where we now stand in the world and how far the Chinese have come. Hwang’s script has been updated since the play’s 2011 opening. to reflect both the Sino-American political landscape and modern conveniences like cellphones.

American businessman Daniel Cavanaugh (Michael Barrett Austin) has an encounter with vice minister Xi Yan (Nicole Tung) in San Francisco Playhouse’s “Chinglish,” performing May 4 – June 10. Photo Credit: Jessica Palopoli

Chinglish tells the story of David Cavanaugh (Michael Barret Austin), the owner of a family sign making firm in Cleveland. Newly arrived in China, he’s prepared to make a proposal for signage at a new cultural arts center in the town of Guiyang. He is richly seen by Chinese officials as the genius who was responsible for Enron when the topic is introduced.

Peter Timms (Matthew Bohrer) and minister Cai Guoliang (Alex Hsu) discuss Guānxi and the complications of business in San Francisco Playhouse’s “Chinglish.” Photo Credit: Jessica Palopoli

The Minister of Culture (a very funny and ultimately deeply poignant Alex Hsu) is accompanied by his associate Xi Yan (a stately and multi-faceted Nicole Tung). Ms. Yan has her own agendas playing out as a relationship develops between herself and Cavanaugh.

In one hilarious post-coital scene, Cavanaugh attempts to say “I love you,” but the tonal resonance of Mandarin Chinese translates it first as “my fifth aunt” and then “my frog needs to pee!”

Vice minister Xi Yan (Nicole Tung) makes a confession to Peter Timms (Matthew Bohrer) in SF Playhouse’s “Chinglish.” — Photo Credit: Jessica Palopoli

The ever-changing conversational mishaps presented by the worst possible, most inept Chinese translations are projected onto set designer Andrea Bechert’s imaginative sliding screens, and beautifully realized under Wen-Ling Liao’s luminous lights, and projection designer Spense Matubang’s glowing translations.

Stunningly directed by Jeffrey Lo, SF Playhouse’s wonderful production is a winner. One major translation not misinterpreted is “All persons get screwed!” Therein lies the premise of this wonderful and prescient Chinglish.

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ASR Contributing Writer George Maguire is a San Francisco based actor and director. and a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. He is a Professor Emeritus of Solano College. Contact: gmaguire1204@yahoo.com

 

ProductionChinglish
Written byDavid Henry Hwang
Directed byJeffrey Lo
Producing CompanySan Francisco Playhouse
Production DatesThru June 10th
Production AddressSF Playhouse
450 Post Street
San Francisco, CA
Websitewww.sfplayhouse.org
Telephone(415) 677-9596
Tickets$30 - $100
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3.5/5
Performance3.5/5
Script3.0/5
Stagecraft3.5/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?----

Other Voices….

"...achieves the sort of momentum that sends audiences into the ether."The New York Times
"...great frisky fun, with savory chemistry between its leads and a refreshingly grown-up undercoating of well-earned melancholy."Vulture.Com
"No shortage of laughs."Hollywood Reporter

ASR Theater ~~ RVP’s Slapstick “Native Gardens” Tackles Class, Identity, Race, & Boundaries

By Woody Weingarten

Pride & Prejudice — the Musical, the Ross Valley Players’ last show, may have set too high a bar for Native Gardens, the theater’s current offering at The Barn in Ross, to equal.

Although this comedy of errors tackles class, identity, race, the American dream, and (both metaphorically and literally) boundaries, it’s funny and thereby compelling only sporadically — except for the final 20 of the 90-minute show when the slapstick becomes consistently hilarious.

…outstanding, and in effect becoming a character, is the marvelous, flower-filled set design…

Karen Zacarías’ play is all about a garden in an upscale Washington, DC neighborhood that’s blooming with colorful, non-native flora, and a property line argument that quickly blossoms between two next-door couples: an older, white, entitled Republic pair and an upwardly mobile millennial duo of color.

Steve Price is Frank Butley, who’s been meticulously cultivating his backyard garden forever and who desperately covets the Potomac Horticultural Society’s first prize (he’s previously had to settle for honorable mentions). His physical comedy consistently draws laughs, as do his squeaks, squeals, grunts, groans, and ultra-loud outbursts.

Steve Price as Frank Butley; Eric Esquivel-Gutierrez as Pablo Del Valle; Jannely Calmell as Tania Del Valle at RVP. Photos by Robin Jackson

Also outstanding, and in effect becoming a character, is the marvelous, flower-filled set design by Malcolm Rodgers, who just happens to be married to the play’s director, Mary Ann Rodgers. In the program’s notes, she explains that Zacarías stages “our defensive urge to categorize others” while ensuring that no one in the play “comes out smelling like a rose.”

Each of the other principals squeeze whatever they can from their roles — Jannely Calmell as Tania Del Valle, a pregnant, PhD-seeking Mexican-American who tries to keep her cool but works herself into a full-fledged rage cursing in Spanish; Ellen Brooks as Virginia Butley, an elitist engineer who ties herself to a chair with a chain as a desperation protest; and Eric Esquivel-Gutierrez as Pablo Del Valle, a rising attorney born in Chile with a proverbial silver spoon, who gets caught up in monetizing the disputed strip of land at $38,000. The actors’ joint problem is that the 2016 script, which often feels like a dozen sitcoms everyone’s seen recently, is light-hearted but heavy-handed.

As for the contrived storyline, the Del Valles are pressed into fixing up their yard because Pablo has impulsively invited his entire law firm to a barbecue while the inside of the house is unusable because the Georgetown students who’d rented it had let it go to seed, so to speak. Instant crisis! Instant squabble!

Eric Esquivel-Gutierrez as Pablo Del Valle; Jannely Calmell as Tania Del Valle in “Native Gardens”

Frank — who bemoans what he’s already lost (“Oh, God, I do miss smoking…and white rice…and Cat Stevens”) — is outraged about the entire situation, particularly because it means major changes the day before the horticultural judges are slated to be there to start judging.

Much of the discussion revolves around plants native to the D.C. region and helpful to the ecosystem vs. those that aren’t “natural” but look pretty (as well as whether an oak is beneficial or a bother). Now and then, the neighbors’ fight substitutes flowers for something slightly more odious, such as whether Frank’s non-native flora are “immigrants” or “colonists.”

Meanwhile, all the protagonists are put off by the possibility of the verbal fight becoming a legal one involving the principal of “adverse possession” — more commonly known as “squatter’s rights.”

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ASR Senior Contributor Woody Weingarten has decades of experience writing arts and entertainment reviews and features. A member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle,  he is the  author of three books, The Roving I; Grampy and His Fairyzona Playmatesand Rollercoaster: How a Man Can Survive His Partner’s Breast Cancer. Contact: voodee@sbcglobal.net or https://woodyweingarten.com or http://www.vitalitypress.com/

ProductionNative Gardens
Written byKaren Zacarías
Directed byMary Ann Rodgers
Producing CompanyRoss Valley Players
Production DatesThru June 11th
Production AddressRoss Valley Players
"The Barn"
30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Greenbrae, CA 94904
Websitewww.rossvalleyplayers.com
Telephone415-456-9555 ext. 1
Tickets$15-$30
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3/5
Performance4/5
Script2/5
Stagecraft4.5.5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?----

ASR Theater ~~ 42nd Street Moon Shines with “The Scottsboro Boys”

By George Maguire

The Scottsboro Boys retells the story of nine young black men who on March 25, 1931 while on a freight train in Alabama were accused by two white women of rape and were subsequently arrested. These innocent men would serve collectively over 100 years of imprisonment with numerous retrials and continued electric chair verdicts.

The ACLU (cofounded by Helen Keller) and the American Communist Party fought valiantly for their acquittal.

The Scottsboro Boys is a minstrel musical masterpiece by 42nd Street Moon Theater Company that should be applauded for presenting this challenging and visionary musical. Receiving a rousing opening- night standing ovation, the play is beautifully cast with thirteen actors/singers – twelve of them African American, and one white interlocutor (wonderfully played by gifted Michael Patrick Gaffney) who introduces us into the minstrel show theatricality demanded by the material.

…42nd Street Moon has found a niche of excellence in their presentation…

The remarkable musical, the last full collaboration of John Kander and Fred Ebb, whose work always seemed to push the boundaries of ingenious theatricality (Chicago, Cabaret, etc.) was first presented off-Broadway in 2010, six years after Fred Ebb’s death. Each actor in the Moon production brings an indelible font of the past to the proceedings.

The minstrel show presentation enlivened by Anthony Rollins-Mullens as Mr. Tambo and Albert Hodge as Mr. Bones brings us pointedly into the world of black entertainers as they were perceived by a white audience at the time.

The Ensemble

(On a personal note, I grew up in Wilmington, Delaware and my father was a member of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic service organization. I remember vividly being introduced to minstrel shows presented with the knights in blackface as they entertained white family audiences. Frightening and painful to recall now in light of a five year old’s perspective.)

The constant back and forth jabs at slightly off-color humor that the wonderful actors bring with their rich singing voices and movement/dance infuse the evening with history and pain.

A deeply moving Marcus J. Paige as Heywood, one of the prisoners, gives one of the great performances of the evening, singing with sorrow, pathos and simplicity a beautiful ballad called “Nothin”. A great actor doing great work!

Director Brandon Jackson allows each sterling moment to shine. Choreographer Kimberly Valmore stages the work with amazing versatility and imagination. Musical director Diana Lee conducts the lovely backstage three-piece ensemble.

Jon-David Randle and Alejandro Eustaquio at 42nd St Moon.

42nd Street Moon has found a niche of excellence in their presentation. The pain, the guilt, and the cry to the future for change and understanding are paramount. See this musical and you will laugh and weep!

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ASR Contributing Writer George Maguire is a San Francisco based actor and director. and a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. He is a Professor Emeritus of Solano College. Contact: gmaguire1204@yahoo.com

 

ProductionThe Scottsboro Boys
Written by

Music/Lyrics by
David Thompson

John Kander + Fred Ebb
Directed byBrandon Jackson
Producing Company42nd Street Moon
Production DatesThru May 21st
Production AddressThe Gateway Theatre

215 Jackson Street San Francisco, CA
Website42ndstmoon.org
Telephone(415) 255-8205
Tickets$35 – $80
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3.5/5
Performance4.0/5
Script3.5/5
Stagecraft3.5/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?----

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ The Ni¿¿er Lovers Reclaims Black History. And What Blackness Is.

By Woody Weingarten

Lots of Black folks are trying to reclaim the N-word. Musician Marc Anthony Thompson intends to do much more in his first play — reclaim Black history.

He and co-director Sean San José, the Magic Theatre in San Francisco’s artistic director, use that stage to jumpstart the revolutionary notion by inverting some racial stereotypes while taking a hard look in the rear mirror at plantation slavery.

Together, in a world premiere of The Ni¿¿er Lovers (alternately dubbed “a new Ameriikkkan musical”), they in only 90 minutes cleverly strip away almost all the facades of taken-for-granted, anti-Black racism within the White population.

Their weapons? Sketch comedy, slapstick, and laugh-out-loud set pieces that allow the five Black actors to ham it up as adroitly as any vaudeville, minstrel, or silent film stars of yesteryear might have done.

Tanika Baptiste acts as emcee/narrator in “The Ni¿¿er Lovers” in The City. Photo: Jay Yamada.

They’re aided by amusing costumes that range from a ringmaster-like female emcee’s tailcoat and glitzy shorts to a loincloth for a rotund, bare-chested Neanderthal type with a bone in his nose. And by wonderful lighting effects and booming sound waves that attack you from all sides as if wild beasts are in the wings.

…sketch comedy, slapstick, and laugh-out-loud set pieces…

The storyline focuses on a real couple who flee from a Georgia plantation in 1848 to freedom in Boston, with the light-skinned Black wife masquerading as a White boy and her husband pretending to be her servant.

Along the way, the audience is treated to a variety of vocal and background melodies and, more importantly, insightful looks at hateful sexualizing of young females, apparent contradictions within the Christian church, and the mythologizing of Black male genitalia.

All are footlighted with sharp injections of humor (some of it totally cerebral, some as lowbrow as could possibly be imagined).

Familiar lines bring grins — or grimaces — when used in unfamiliar ways. Like when one Black character says with mock sincerity, “There were some fine people on both sides.” Or when another Black man proclaims with earnestness, “Some of my best friends are Jews.”

AeJay Marquis Mitchell, “White” sign dangling from his neck, is outstanding in “The Ni¿¿er Lovers” at the Magic Theatre in San Francisco. Photo: Jay Yamada.

Black wisdom occasionally is handed down unvarnished, succinctly illustrating the difference between races: “Do you think the White man thinks all day about being White?”

Violence is not overlooked, be it the rape of Black girls on the plantation or the vicious, unthinking slaying of White oppressors (though this voiced thought clearly cuts both ways: “You can’t kill them all.”)

Polemics and fire-and-brimstone speechifying are kept to a minimum while gags are injected to the max.

Gimmickry is also an ingredient — Blacks portraying Caucasians, for instance, carry “White” signs around their necks, not for actual identification but to heighten the satire.

To say the all-Black cast is outstanding is to both state the obvious and understate that reality.

Best of the best is AeJay Marquis Mitchell, who seems at many times to be channeling the masterful comic chops of the late Godfrey Cambridge. Right on his comic heels is Donald E. Lacy Jr., whose rubbery facial expressions can remind theatergoers of Woody Harrelson at the top of his game.

Donald E. Lacy Jr.’s rubbery facial expressions help make his comic points at The Magic Theatre. Photo: Jay Yamada.

The other three performers aren’t slouches, either — Rotimi Agbabiaka, Tanika Baptiste, and Aidaa Peerzada.

Thompson — who’s described by San José, co-founder of the new-performance group Campo Santo, as “the rare creative who knows no bounds artistically, stylistically, politically, and emotionally” — was quoted in a press release as saying that “the current climate of gender fluidity, fascination with antebellum times, stagnant civil rights progress, and my tendency to lean into farce made this the time for me to corral my thoughts and humor into an evening of musical/theatre/visual infotainment.”

He succeeded on all levels, of course.

Thompson, known for creating the musical collective Chocolate Genius Inc., has also said that he felt compelled “to look at the future, or at least the now. My kids live in a different world, and in a different way. What identity is, what sexuality is, and…what Blackness is.”

He does that — while asking the question “How can we still love through all this?”

(Additional content from the Magic Theatre, below.)

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ASR Senior Contributor Woody Weingarten has decades of experience writing arts and entertainment reviews and features. A member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle,  he is the  author of three books, The Roving I; Grampy and His Fairyzona Playmatesand Rollercoaster: How a Man Can Survive His Partner’s Breast Cancer. Contact: voodee@sbcglobal.net or https://woodyweingarten.com or http://www.vitalitypress.com/

From The Magic Theatre:

CONTENT WARNING
Check your (whyte) fragility at the door!

This show contains strong language (have you seen the title?) depictions of violence, rape, references to slavery, loud noises, singing, loud music, loud laughs, pregnancy, dildos, masturbation, gunshots, the use of every word you’re not supposed to say and more; all the things you see on TV everyday.

The Magic Theatre invites you to think before using the word in the title of the show, especially if you are of a whiter complexion. It’s a word that means different things to different people and can elicit feelings of trauma, anxiety, violence, and oppression, as well as camaraderie, identity and intimacy. Wait, which word are you thinking of?

By the way, no, the primarily non black staff at the Magic do not call the play by its full title.

Proof of full vaccination required for all in-person events.

ProductionThe Ni¿¿er Lovers
Written byMarc Anthony Thompson
Directed byMarc Anthony Thompson & Sean San José
Producing CompanyMagic Theatre
Production DatesThru May 21st, 2023
Production AddressMagic Theatre Ft. Mason Center, Bldg D 2 Marina Blvd. San Francisco, CA.
Websitemagictheatre.org
Telephone(415) 441-8822
Tickets$30 – $70
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4.5/5
Performance4.5/5
Script4.5/5
Stagecraft4.5/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK!YES!

PICK! ASR Theater~~ “Tuck Everlasting the Musical” — An Energetic Show Sparkles at Spreckels

By Cari Lynn Pace

 

If you had the option of living forever, would you?

Tuck Everlasting at Spreckels’ Codding Theatre brings just such a question to the stage, wrapping it in songs, dance and glorious costumes.

The story begins with Winnie Foster, an 11-year old (enchantingly enacted and sung by Molly Belle Hart) chafing at the restrictions her widowed mother (Erin Henninger) imposes. When Winnie runs away from home into the surrounding forest, she encounters Jesse Tuck, a young man of 17 (good-looking and great voiced Nico Alva.) He can live forever but she cannot, unless she drinks from the forest’s magic spring.

…a fun-filled show filled with energy…

Many interesting scenarios are raised in this production, admirably handled by the creative team of director Emily Cornelius, music director Janis Dunson Wilson, and choreographer Karen Miles.

There were “ooohs” and “aaahs” as the audience took their seats in the Codding Theatre – the stage a lush forest with twittering birds and leafy trees climbing the walls. Kudos to Eddy Hansen and Elizabeth Bazzano for designing an amazing tree that grows before our eyes. Further visual treats were the rear projection scenes, designed by Chris Schloemp, who enables the audience to climb above the forest canopy with Winne and Jesse. Schloemp also has a solid supporting role onstage as Constable Joe.

Petaluma’s Molly Belle Hart as Winnie Foster and Nico Alva as Jesse Tuck sing “Top of the World” in “Tuck Everlasting: The Musical,” at Spreckels Performing Arts Center. (Photos by Jeff Thomas/Courtesy of Spreckels Theatre Company)

Tuck Everlasting is a treat for eyes and ears, with more than a dozen dancing nymphs in flowing costumes (thanks to Donnie Frank) and an onstage orchestra led by Wilson. The scenery and over-the-top activity during the brightly colorful fair sequence is a three-ring circus indeed.

Local casting is spot-on, with favorite Tim Setzer as “The Man in the Yellow Suit,” a would-be exploiter of the eternal spring, and veteran actor Larry Williams as the laid-back Tuck patriarch Angus. What a pleasure to see and hear Kimberly Kalember as Nana and young Chase Thompson as Hugo. Mother Tuck is in superbly fine voice as played by Tika Moon, and Samuel J. Gleason as Miles Tuck brings a poignancy to the plot as he relates the story of his wife and son – no spoiler here.

Molly Belle Hart as Winnie Foster, with ensemble, in “Tuck Everlasting: The Musical,” now playing at Spreckels Performing Arts Center. (Photos by Jeff Thomas/Courtesy of Spreckels Theatre Company)

A big shout-out to young dancer Tyler Ono, whose athletic moves onstage are a delight to watch. He’s part of a shining cadre of teens who not only dance with supple grace but sing as well. Their Act I ensemble song “Partner in Crime” was a real crowd pleaser. Too bad there weren’t any more memorable songs delivered by songwriters Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen.

Tuck Everlasting is a fun-filled show filled with energy – perfect for teens and older. The philosophical thought it provokes isn’t over at the end of two hours…it’s everlasting.

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ASR Writer & Editor Cari Lynn Pace is a voting member of SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and writes theatre and lifestyle reviews for the Marinscope Community Newspapers throughout Marin County. Contact: pace-koch@comcast.net

 

ProductionTuck Everlasting
Book by

From the novel by
Claudia Shear & Tim Federie

Natalie Babbitt
Directed byEmily Cornelius
Producing CompanySpreckels Performing Arts
Production DatesThrough May 21st
Production AddressSpreckels Performing Arts Center
5409 Snyder Lane
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
Websitewww.spreckelsonline.com
Telephone(707) 588-3429
Tickets$12 - $36
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft4.5/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?YES!

ASR Theater ~~ “The Spongebob Musical” Goofy, Wacky, Colorful at Palo Alto Players

By Joanne Engelhardt

When you’ve never watched one single cartoon episode of Spongebob Squarepants, you’re at a bit of a disadvantage seeing the latest Palo Alto Players production, The Spongebob Musical.

No matter.

The set is so full of spectacular lights, sounds and moving parts, the characters are so darn silly (but likeable), the musical score amazingly diverse, and the costumes so colorfully imaginative that there’s plenty to occupy your eyes, ears and other facial appendages.

A colorfully designed set including neon lights…

Now at the Lucie Stern Theater in Palo Alto through Sunday, May 14, the show starts way before the show starts when several gigantic beach balls get tossed back and forth, over and around the audience. Then Patchy the Pirate (Dane Lentz) comes out to tell the audience that he really wants to join the fun, but no one has invited him. Patchy seems a bit superfluous, but at least he’s not around long.

PAP’s executive director, Elizabeth Santana, admits she’s a bit baffled by the 30-to-40-year-olds turning out nightly to see the show. That was certainly the case on opening night last Friday – and very few children were in the audience.

SpongeBob SquarePants (Joe Galang) greets the day with his pet snail Gary in THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL, Broadway’s award-winning bold, fresh, and hilarious deep-sea adventure that will make a splash with audiences of all ages. Photo by Scott Lasky

Yet, it’s easy to get caught up in the experience, thanks to artistic director Patrick Klein’s fast-paced direction and colorfully designed set including neon lights and imaginatively shifting sets.

A diminutive Joe Galang is Spongebob who sports a wide-eyed wonderment about everything in the world around him. His best friend Patrick Star (a jovial Rocky James Conception) stops to chat with him as he awakens and walks to the Krusty Krab restaurant, where he works. Mr. Krabs (a bigger-than-life Zachary Vaughn-Munck) wears gigantic red boxing gloves and reminds his young daughter, Pearl (a delightful Gillian Ortega) that someday she’ll own the restaurant.

Pearl Krabs (Gillian Ortega) and the other citizens of Bikini Bottom get ready to rock out at a benefit concert in hopes that the funds raised can save their town in THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL. Photo by Scott Lasky

Pearl, of course, has other ideas and when Spongebob tells Krusty that he’d like one day to be the manager, Krusty laughs him off, telling him he’s just a simple sponge.

Suddenly a violent tremor rocks the entire town. After the tremor, a news report says the gigantic volcano, Mount Humongous, will soon erupt and likely will disgorge hot lava all over the area, destroying Bikini Bottom.

Many townspeople want to leave, but SpongeBob enlists his friends Patrick and Sandy Cheeks (a sensational Solana Husband) to join him, climb up the volcano to stop it from erupting.

And that’s only Act 1!

Of course, there’s always an evil villain – here it’s Sheldon Plankton (played by Michael Jackson-lookalike Nico Jaochico) and his tiny wife Karen the Computer (Kristy Aquino). But they’ll get their comeuppance, right?

One more actor deserves mention: Andrew Cope as Squidward Q. Tenacles. It certainly can’t be easy to walk around -– and even dance –- when you have four legs!

Squidward Q. Tentacles (Andrew Cope) dreams of stardom on the stage in THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL. Photo by Scott Lasky

Music director Richard Hall and his keyboard are onstage while his 11-piece orchestra is hidden under a small opening at the center front of the stage, an opening that frequently becomes part of the set.

There’s a lot of enjoy here: Klein’s set is terrific, Stacey Reed’s choreography is fun, Edward Hunter’s lighting is spot on, Raissa Marchetti-Kozlov’s costumes, wigs and makeup are creatively outlandish . So: Even if you know nothing about SpongeBob, you’ll still find much to enjoy.

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Aisle Seat Executive Reviewer Joanne Engelhardt is a Peninsula theatre writer and critic. She is a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC). Contact: joanneengelhardt@comcast.net

 

ProductionThe SpongeBob Musical
Based on series by -

Book by -
Stephen Hillenburg

Kyle Jarrow
Directed byPatrick Klein
Producing CompanyPalo Alto Players
Production DatesThru May 14th
Production Address1305 Middlefield Road Palo Alto, CA 94301
Websitewww.paplayers.org
Telephone(650) 329-0891
Tickets$30– $57
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance3.75/5
Script3.5/5
Stagecraft4.5/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK!----

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ “The Producers” Still Enthralls at Hillbarn

By Joanne Engelhardt

The astonishing thing about The Producers is that no matter how many times you’ve seen it, its inane characters, its music and its heart still catch you by surprise. Mel Brooks, writer of the book, music, and lyrics, is a legendary master of this kind of comedy.

Running at Foster City’s Hillbarn Theatre through May 14, this version has it all except for a live orchestra. Tall, leggy dancers? Check. A quivering, mousy Leo Bloom (James M. Jones)? Check. Over-the-top histrionics by John Mannion as Roger DeBris and his minion Carmen Ghia (a lively Jesse Cortez)? Double check.

YES!! This show has it all…

That’s not even before the tall, beauteous Renee DeWeese Moran walks in and does her thing as the astoundingly efficient Ulla. Announcing her entrance with a tiny curtsy, Ulla tells Max (a somewhat subdued Edward Hightower) that she came to “audition.” Watching her sing, dance and sashay around the office, flinging a leg straight up (and ending with the splits), Max and Leo hire her on the spot.

Ulla (center, Renee DeWeese Moran), while Max (left, Edward Hightower*) and Leo (right, James M. Jones) watch on with glee. *Denotes member of Actors Equity Association Photo by Tracy Martin

And that’s only a few of the many reasons not to miss this production. Keith Pinto is flawless as Franz Liebkind, the “playwright” who writes a Nazi musical called “Springtime for Hitler” and submits it to Max and Leo.

Max wants to produce a sure-fire flop and decides that “Springtime” is the ticket. He and Leo visit the would-be Nazi at his home, and Franz insists on taking them to see his pigeons.

He prances around cooing and oohing at his prized pigeons – a scene that’s funny in itself but even funnier thanks to the fact that the pigeons are actually puppets operated by Beth A. Wells and Andrew Victoria. They actually move! And coo! This reviewer can’t recall another production of The Producers that includes pigeon puppets!

Leo ( James M. Jones) dreams of being a producer on Broadway. Photo by Mark Kitaoka

There are oodles more memorable scenes including: –Watching a trembling Leo pull out what’s left of his little blue baby blanket, covering his face with it, patting off excess sweat with it, and clutching tightly so no one can take it away from him.

–Roger DeBris all dressed up for a big party event, in a gorgeous long shimmering gown of purple and silver. He’s so sure he’ll be the belle of the party until Max walks in and says he looks just like the Chrysler Building. Mannion, as DeBris is the picture of devastation.

–Who can forget the conga line of dancing grandmas? Max’s benefactors all get together to parade across the stage with their walkers. There’s “Kiss Me, Bite Me,” “Hold Me, Touch Me,” “Kiss Me, Feel Me” – and so many more!

(Lto R) Carmen Ghia (Jesse Cortez) and Roger DeBris (John Mannion) keep it gay. Photo by Tracy Martin

Director Erica Wyman-Abrahamson does a masterful job of keeping all this madness moving along quickly. Y. Sharon Peng deserves high marks for all the gorgeous costumes she’s created – the outfits worn by Ulla are terrific, as is the Nazi one Pinto wears. And then there’s the Ziegfeld Follies -type costumes some of the ensemble wear in the “Springtime for Hitler” parade.

There’s far more to admire in the Hillbarn’s production – including Kevin Davies’ scenic design. Not to be forgotten is Christopher Childers’ clever choreography, with dancers flying off one side of the stage, then suddenly walking down the steps in the audience to return to the stage. Did we mention tap? YES!! This show has it all.

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Aisle Seat Executive Reviewer Joanne Engelhardt is a Peninsula theatre writer and critic. She is a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC). Contact: joanneengelhardt@comcast.net

 

ProductionThe Producers
Book byMel Brooks
Directed byErica Wyman-Abrahamson
Producing CompanyHillbarn Theatre
Production DatesThru May 14th
Production Address1285 E Hillsdale Blvd, Foster City, CA 94404
Websitewww.hillbarntheatre.org
Telephone(659) 349-6411
Tickets$32-$60
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4.5/5
Performance4.5/5
Script5/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?YES!

ASR Theater ~~ “Pretty Woman: The Musical”– LOL Funny

By Woody Weingarten

Tons of us have seen the 1990 movie: Julia Roberts, a hooker, charms plutocrat Richard Gere. Its feel-good offspring, Pretty Woman — The Musical, provides a fun experience, too, though not quite as charming.

The two leads (Jessie Davidson as Vivian Ward and Tony Award nominee Adam Pascal as Edward Lewis) have such terrific pipes that their singing might move you either to wild applause or tears. Or both.

…a fun experience…

And Travis Ward-Osborne as the show’s comic linchpin — playing both the cuddly manager of the Beverly-Wilshire hotel and the singing narrator — is a slapstick marvel who can move you to laughing out loud. Ditto Trent Soyster, who playfully plays his bellhop sidekick, Giulio. Both are particularly smile-inducing via exaggerated clown-like schtick. Their over-the-top tango during a dance lesson alone is worth the price of admission.

Jessie Davidson as Vivian Ward. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

Another major positive is the show’s book, penned by the late Garry Marshall, who directed the original movie version and seventeen other films, and J.F. Lawton, who’s written screenplays for every major Hollywood studio. The musical, now at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco through April 30, provides gags galore , with some lines repeated verbatim from the film.

Praiseworthy, too, is Jessica Crouch as Kit. She’s a singer with an extraordinary ability to hold a high note forever and a day.

A poignant, ultra-romantic scene that many are likely to label the musical’s best involves Verdi’s La Traviata, with our focus couple sitting in a box-seat ringed by plush curtains while decked-out devotees spin around them as operatic tones ripple all the way to the last rows.

The storyline, of course, has Vivian agreeing to stay with Edward for a week at the Beverly-Wilshire hotel in 1960s Hollywood and do whatever he wants, sexually and otherwise — for $3,000. She then evolves from a foul-mouthed, blonde-wigged sex worker into a Rodeo Drive clothing-clad, ladylike, brunette beauty. Shades of both Pygmalion, which itself was turned into a delightful musical, My Fair Lady, and Cinderella.

She also tries to dissuade him from leading a hostile takeover and firing scores of employees.

And yes, the whole thing’s a shallow dive into the unspeakable lives of most streetwalkers. Without becoming Chicago.

Choreography by the film’s Tony Award-winning director, Jerry Mitchell, never reaches the passion that could push this show beyond three-and-a-half stars, however. The audience is treated mostly to a chorus of dancers that frequently thrust their arms into the air, with whatever hoofing skills they may have kept in check.

The two-hour musical (plus intermission) features twenty-one numbers by Grammy winner Bryan Adams and Jim Valiance. Most are —forgettable.

Memorable, in contrast, is the show’s upbeat attitude — and, in fact, colorful costumes designed by Gregg Barnes.

The company of “Pretty Woman: The Musical”. Photo by Matthew Murphy for Murphymade.

Toward the end, there’s a moment where Edward gives Vivian a glitzy necklace as an accessory to a striking strapless red gown after saying, “Something is missing.” Taking nothing away from Jessie Davidson’s stellar performance as Vivian, what may be missing in Pretty Woman — The Musical is…Julia Roberts.

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ASR Senior Contributor Woody Weingarten has decades of experience writing arts and entertainment reviews and features. A member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle,  he is the  author of three books, The Roving I; Grampy and His Fairyzona Playmatesand Rollercoaster: How a Man Can Survive His Partner’s Breast Cancer. Contact: voodee@sbcglobal.net or https://woodyweingarten.com or http://www.vitalitypress.com/

ProductionPretty Woman: The Musical
Music byBryan Adams and Jim Valiance
Directed & Choreography byJerry Mitchell
Book byGarry Marshall and J.F. Lawton
Production DatesThru April 30th
Production AddressOrpheum Theater 1192 Market St. at Hyde. San Francisco.
Websitewww.broadwaysf.com
Telephone(888) 746-1799
TicketsFrom $77
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3.5/5
Performance4.5/5
Script4.5/5
Stagecraft2.5/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?-----

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ “Side by Side by Sondheim” Soars in Sonoma!

By Sue Morgan

For a few magical hours during the opening night of Sonoma Arts Live Theatre Company’s performance of Side by Side by Sondheim, the problems of the world fell away, leaving only delight. A musical revue of some of the best of Stephen Sondheim’s vast cannon of songs, with music by Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein, Mary Rodgers, Richard Rodgers, and Jule Styne, this is a production not to be missed.

This enchanting performance begins as four guests arrive for an evening of “song and festivities” at a swanky Manhattan apartment—beautifully designed by Carl Jordon. Cityscape glittering outside the window, the callers enjoy sparkling libations, including vodka stingers, while singing together, individually, and in various combinations. Two grand pianos, one on either side of the picture window, allow for a richer and fuller sound than a single piano could provide. Often played in harmony, they create a lush and complex musical texture that highlights the intricacy and sophistication of Sondheim’s compositions. As the full company begins to sing the enlivening “Comedy Tonight” and “Love is in the Air,” it is immediately apparent that this will be a very special evening.

…a production not to be missed!

The cast are, without exception, outstanding. That said, if consigned to live out my life on a desert island with only one performer for company, I would choose Danielle “Dani” Innocenti-Beem. With an artistic virtuosity so practiced that it seems effortless, Ms. Beem’s voice has a rare and indescribable quality that sets it apart from any other.

Danielle “Dani” Innocenti-Beem at work in “Side By Side By Sondheim”

Add to that her ability to convey the entire spectrum of emotion with no more than facial expressions, and we are witnessing a world-class performer. With songs ranging from the achingly gorgeous, “Send in the Clowns” to the hilariously tongue-twisting “The Boy From”—’Tall and tender, like an Apollo, he goes walking by and I have to follow, him, the boy from Tacarembo La Tumbe Del Fuego Santa Malipas Zatatecas La Junta Del Sol Y Cruz’—Beem delivers seamless performances.

Maeve Smith at work at Sonoma Arts Live.

Maeve Smith’s vocal range is a wonder to behold! From breathless whisper to full out belting voice, she is up for the task. With acting chops to match, she’s a formidable performer. In “Another Hundred People” Smith’s sense of disconnection feels palpable as she laments being surrounded by people but sharing intimacy with none. In “Getting Married Today,” Smith displays her ability to articulate perfectly while singing at break-neck pace, to wonderful comic effect.

Jonathen Blue’s beautiful tenor is both rich and wistful as he sings about the possibility of love in the stunning “Being Alive.” Blue’s deft use of tone and timing made this a standout among many such performances of the night. His solo comic tune, “Buddy’s Blues,” showcased a disarming charm as he elicited sympathy despite the dubious character he portrayed.

Jonathen Blue in “Side By Side By Sondheim”

From tenor to bass, Alexei Ryan, has a unique and compelling voice. His rendition of “I Remember”—typically sung by a woman—was simply gorgeous. His ability to sustain perfect pitch at the lowest register was astonishing! His duet with Innocenti-Beem in “You Must Meet my Wife,” was one of the funniest performances of the evening as his earnestness hilariously contrasted with Beem’s eye-rolling “give-me-a-break” disingenuousness.

Rick Love did his best as the narrator to infuse the outdated and frequently tone-deaf jokes with humor via his delivery, but it might be a mercy to simply drop the jokes. Love shined when acting as our guide, introducing and contextualizing the songs performed, providing background information on the composers and the stories behind the songs.

Director Andrew Smith is a master at drawing out natural-seeming performances from his actors. The performers mix drinks, mingle with one another and lounge comfortably around the set, which somehow has the effect of making the audience feel like guests at the party.

The cast of “Side By Side By Sondheim” at work.

Musical Direction by Ellen Patterson was spot on. The choices she made regarding who would perform each song were inspired, as was her direction of the superbly talented pianists.

The combination of Beem, Smith, Blue and Ryan and their ability to effectively convey the humor, heart and complexity of Sondheim’s music, the simple, yet ingenuous set design, and stellar musical accompaniment all work together to make this an awards-worthy production. I can’t wait to see what’s next for Sonoma Arts Live theater company!

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Contributing Writer Sue Morgan is a literature-and-theater enthusiast in Sonoma County’s Russian River region. Contact: sstrongmorgan@gmail.com

 

 

ProductionSide By Side By Sondheim
Music byStephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein, Mary Rodgers, Richard Rodgers, Jule Styne
Directed byAndrew Smith
Producing CompanySonoma Arts Live
Production DatesThursdays thru Sundays through May 7, 2023
Production AddressRotary Stage: Andrews Hall, Sonoma Community Center
276 E. Napa Street, Sonoma
Websitewww.sonomaartslive.org
Telephone866-710-8942
Tickets$25 – $42
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4.5/5
Performance4.5/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft4.5/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?YES!

ASR Theater ~~ “Pear Slices” 2023: A Mixed Bag of Offerings

By Joanne Engelhardt

The Pear Playwrights Guild is made up of about fifteen playwrights, although five more are currently listed as “on leave.” Of the fifteen active playwrights, seven wrote short plays for this year’s Pear Slices, at Mountain View’s Pear theater. (Two wrote two each, making a total of nine short plays. The plays average about 10-15 minutes each.)

With such a focused pool of playwrights to draw from, it’s not surprising that the quality of the Slices varies. Sometimes widely. Perhaps this is due to each member of a small pool of playwrights having to churn out a short play every year or two.

That said, several of the nine actors and some of the shorts are attention grabbers. Leah Halper’s Way Home is one, with fine acting by Nique Eagen as Fannie Lou Hamer and Bezachin Jifar as her husband, Pap Hamer.

Halper’s A Lift is another. This short has Lisa, nicely played by Sarah Benjamin, picking up her father, Will (a solid Arturo Dirzo) as she drives to school. The two actors have good chemistry, discussing past problems and misunderstandings — although this reviewer sometimes found Benjamin difficult to hear.

Sarah Benjamin and Arturo Dirzo in “A Lift” by Leah Halper.

But the first short, Sophie Naylor’s The Witching Hour needs a bit of work. It has great lighting and special effects, but the four witches making random comments (most of which make no sense to this reviewer) is challenging.

I also found Ross Peter Nelson’s Sweet Dreams Are Made of This  confusing – something about AI controlling and stealing dreams. Next up is Robin Booth’s Fantasy Island where a woman named “IT” seemingly crawls out of the water after being kicked out of a canoe. At times Sandy Sodos as IT is amusing as she talks to a coconut (voiced by Eagen), but this short seems to be in search of an ending.

Sandy Sodos as IT at work in this year’s “Pear Slices”.

Aileen by Barbara Anderson takes place when police detectives arrest a black man (Jifar). If nothing else, this short gets the honor of presenting the toughest acting challenges of the night to Sarah Kishler as Detective Murphy.

Nirvandraw also by Sophie Naylor features Sandy Sodos using high-tech speak, and the piece has great wall projections. Yet: the point of this play eluded this reviewer.

After intermission, the aforementioned Way Home and A Lift were presented. The Street Has I’s by Greg Lam could stand some polish, but featured good acting by Tiffany Nwogu and Jifar.

Nique Eagen and Bezachin Jifar in “Way Home” by Leah Halper.

Finally, a short that has promise (but didn’t seem to deliver same that night) is called Literary Mediation Services by Bridgette Dutta Portman which includes an actor appearing in a Moby Dick shark costume.

Behind the scenes, Carsten Koester deserves credit for good lighting and projections, and several of Pati Bristow’s costumes for Literary Mediation Services are exceptional.

(L-R): Bezachin Jifar, Tiffany Nwogu, Sandy Sodos and Nique Eagen in Literary Mediation Services by Bridgette Dutta Portman.

Rated “PG” for mild adult themes including discussion of drugs and violence, this year’s Pear Slices runs approximately two hours, with one intermission.

Like a real crop of pears, the quality of writing, acting, and directing in Pear Slices varies from year to year. Here’s hoping next years crop is exceptional.

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Aisle Seat Executive Reviewer Joanne Engelhardt is a Peninsula theatre writer and critic. She is a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC). Contact: joanneengelhardt@comcast.net

 

ProductionPear Slices 2023
Written byVarious Playwrights
Directed byCaitlin Papp & Thomas Times
Producing CompanyThe Pear Theater
Production DatesThru May 14th
Production Address1110 La Avenida, Suite A, Mountain View
Websitewww.thepear.org
Telephone(650) 254 - 1148
Tickets$35 – $38
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3/5
Performance3/5
Script2.5/5
Stagecraft3.5/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK!----

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ Lucky Penny’s Lovely “Silent Sky”

By Barry Willis

Imagine toiling away for years squinting at black-and-white photographic plates of the night sky and trying to track changes that might provide clues to the nature of the universe. That’s what pioneering mathematician/astronomer Henrietta Leavitt did at Harvard University Observatory for approximately twenty years until she was finally allowed to look through the telescope.

Her obsession with astronomy led to a major breakthrough in human understanding of the universe, lovingly depicted in Lauren Gunderson’s Silent Sky at Lucky Penny Productions through May 7.

… a lovely heart-warming production…

Taking place primarily at Harvard University Observatory in the early 1900s, the story portrays Henrietta Leavitt’s success in astronomy through sheer enthusiasm and determination, despite having hearing impairment, assorted medical issues, family strife, and at least one romantic disaster. She faced opposition by the scientific establishment of the era — men who refused to accept that a young woman hired to analyze photographic plates of the night sky could be so insightful.

While this may sound like a polemical piece with appeal only to ardent feminists or students of the history of science, it’s actually a fantastically compelling story based very much on real people and real events, with appeal to a broad audience.

Gunderson wrote Silent Sky on commission for Costa Mesa’s South Coast Repertory company. It debuted at the 2011 Pacific Playwrights Festival and has been performed often since. Lucky Penny’s production is among the best of several that this critic has seen.

Heather Buck at work.

Heather Buck brings an engaging blend of insistence and vulnerability to the character of Henrietta, only the third woman to be hired by the Harvard Observatory to do computational tasks. Even though she insisted from the beginning that her profession was “astronomer,” Leavitt labored for many years until she was permitted to look through the observatory’s telescope, after her contributions to the field had become incontrovertible.

Wearing a bulky all-acoustic hearing aid, Buck delivers Henrietta’s lines emphatically in keeping with her character’s hearing impairment. It’s a nicely consistent bit of verisimilitude, unlike Gunderson’s use of contemporary idioms, which may lend the drama immediacy for modern audiences but sound badly inauthentic to those with an ear for such things. For example, early in the play, Henrietta’s research associate Annie Cannon instructs Henrietta to “input data” into a paper log book. Later, trying to explain to her sister Margaret (Andrea Dennison-Laufer) her relationship with her supervisor Peter Shaw (Dennis O’Brien), Henrietta says “It’s complicated.” Both of these phrases, and some others scattered throughout the script, are recent and not something that anyone would have said one hundred years ago.

Williamina Fleming and Annie Cannon in “Silent Sky” as depicted by Titian Lish and LC Arisman respectively.

Henrietta’s feisty, opinionated colleagues and mentors Williamina Fleming and Annie Cannon are brought to roaring life by Titian Lish and LC Arisman, respectively. A secondary but important plot has Annie campaigning for women’s right to vote. Late in the show she shocks her colleagues not only by sporting her suffragette sash, but by actually wearing pants.

Dennison-Laufer brings an understated complexity to the role of Margaret Leavitt, Henrietta’s long-suffering and somewhat manipulative sister who’s been left to care for their ailing preacher father back in Wisconsin. Dennis O’Brien, known for outrageous antics in other shows, is fantastically subtle as Shaw, a research administrator who vacillates between disdainful distance and emotional neediness in his relationship with Henrietta. The budding but blunted love affair between the two awkward scientists is enacted with elegant sensitivity.

Dennis O’Brien as Shaw dancing with Heather Buck in “Silent Sky”.

Barry Martin’s simple evocative set creates ample impressions of the interior of the observatory, a Wisconsin farmhouse, a ship at sea and other locations, with minimal prop changes. The backdrop of the night sky is especially effective. Barbara McFadden’s costumes are period-appropriate and somewhat frumpy, as might be expected of academics toiling away a century ago.

Some information about the play describes it as being about “the first female astronomers.” It’s clearly about the first female American astronomers, but certainly not the absolute first. Curious stargazers may wish to check out the 2009 film Agora, starring Rachel Weisz as Hypatia of Alexandria, the Egyptian philosopher, mathematician and astronomer who discovered elliptical orbits 2,000 years before Johannes Kepler.

Adroitly directed by Dyan McBride, Lucky Penny’s Silent Sky is a lovely heart-warming production. Once you’ve seen it, you’ll never regard the stars the same way again.

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Aisle Seat Review Executive Editor Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: barry.m.willis@gmail.com

 

ProductionSilent Sky
Written byLauren Gunderson
Directed byDyan McBride
Producing CompanyLucky Penny Productions
Production DatesThru May 7th
Production AddressLucky Penny Community Arts Center
1758 Industrial Way
Napa, CA 94558
Websitewww.luckypennynapa.com
Telephone(707) 266-6305
Tickets$26-$36
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft3.5/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?YES!

Other Voices…

"Overall, "Silent Sky" is a fast-moving two hours of theater that anyone who loves astronomy or the history of science will enjoy."
"Physics Today" website
"...Lauren Gunderson’s touching, poignant “Silent Sky”...is deeply affecting, important and relevant for many reasons..."
Our Quad Cities
"...Although "Silent Sky" deals with matters of science and math, which may sound off-putting to some, it’s nevertheless instantly accessible..."
Sarasota Magazine
"...In Lauren Gunderson's "Silent Sky," Leavitt's story unfolds with a beauty and complexity worthy of the skies she mapped..."
Chicago Sun Times -- (they rated the play "Highly Recommended.")

PICK! ASR Music ~~ “Tosca:” Creative Turns and a Fabulous First

By Jeff Dunn

How can you make your production of Tosca memorable to experienced audience members when it’s performed worldwide more than 500 times every year? Certainly a must: Employ one or more unforgettable singers. After that, you must either (a) try for a big-bucks, blow-them-away, gargantuan scenic design (Robert Dornhelm 2015, here: https://vimeo.com/171417034 ), or, more usually, (b) come up with creative turns here and there that leave a lasting impression.

Creative turns are what Stage Director Tara Branham and her team have attempted with Opera San Jose’s Tosca. All are memorable, and many succeed. But, as Nancy Pelosi remarked three years ago, the devil, as well as the angels, are in the details.

…Joseph Marcheso’s conducting and his excellent and substantial orchestra…

Maria Natale, in a fabulous first appearance in the title role, is the unforgettable singer, along with a fine-voiced, ominous Kidon Choi (Scarpia), and Adrian Kramer (Cavaradossi), who really blossomed in Act 3 opening night.

Floria Tosca (Maria Natale) is eyed by the predatory Scarpia (Kidon Choi – left) in Opera San José’s vivid production of Puccini’s thriller “Tosca,” April 15-30 at the California Theatre. Photo Credit: David Allen

Natale fills the auditorium with her voice, never shrieking even in the highest range. It amazed me the way her voice wafted into the onstage action when she sings as part of an offstage cantata–it’s usually unintelligible in other productions. Furthermore, she’s a consummate, expressive actor–you must witness, for example, her masterly shudder as Scarpia barrages her with predatory demands.

The list of creative turns is long; Audience effectiveness may vary. On the positive side:

    • Great direction, with emotional intensity
    • Tosca’s many, enthusiastic knife stabs into Scarpia–and an earlier slap in his face.
    • A large anachronistic head-shot portrait of the girl Cavaradossi was painting—for once, you could see her blue eyes!
    • Christina Martin’s irresistibly passionate wig for Tosca. It went everywhere while staying in place.
Adrian Kramer as Cavaradossi in Opera San José’s “Tosca”. Photo Credit: David Allen

Plusses that are also minuses:

    • Lots of stage action just prior to the Te Deum in Act 1. Probably interesting to some, distracting to other audience members.
    • Cavaradossi making out with another woman in the church at the beginning of Act 1. Indicates he’s a hot-blooded Italian and justifies Tosca’s intuitive jealousy, but decreases his customary heroic stature.
    • Scarpia’s Farnese Palace chamber in Act 2 has an upstage bed in it, an understandable if uncommon furnishing among productions. This emphasizes Scarpia’s goal regarding Tosca, but when Tosca sings her famous “Vissi d’arte” aria on it, which should begin quietly, she still has to reach the audience. From my position in the third row, its beginning seemed too loud.
Kidon Choi as Scarpia in Puccini’s thriller “Tosca”. Photo Credit: David Allen

Some minor minuses:

    • Too often, it seemed characters were having intimate conversations from opposite ends of the stage. Disconcerting.
    • Congregants in the Te Deum marching in front of Scarpia, obscuring him while he’s singing his “Va, Tosca!” aria.
    • Baron Scarpia’s anachronistic horseshoe mustache, rare for the 1800 date, and more suitable for a spaghetti western. Fortunately, Elizabeth Poindexter’s terrific costume gave him appropriate class.
    • Supertitles were out of synch much of the time on opening night.

Finally, some lasting impressions that were not necessarily unusual, but simply top-notch:

    • Joseph Marcheso’s conducting and his excellent and substantial orchestra. I was especially pleased with how the horn section handled the opening to Act 3.
    • Igor Vieira taking on a deformed foot to add to the bumbling character of his well-voiced Sacristan.
    • Robert Balonek’s strong voiced and desperate Angelotti.
    • Choreography by the Napoleon of fight direction, Dave Maier.

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Jeff Dunn is ASR’s Classical Music Section Editor. A retired educator and project manager, he’s been writing music and theater reviews for Bay Area and national journals since 1995. He is a member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and the National Association of Composers, USA. His musical Castle Happy (co-author John Freed), about Marion Davies and W.R. Hearst, received a festival production at the Altarena Theater in 2017. His opera Finding Medusa, with librettist Madeline Puccioni, was completed in January 2023. Jeff has won prizes for his photography, and is also a judge for the Northern California Council of Camera Clubs.

ProductionTosca
Stage DirectionTara Branham
Producing CompanyOpera San Jose
Production DatesThru Apr 30th
Production AddressCalifornia Theater -
345 S First St, San Jose, CA 95113
Websitewww.operasj.org
Telephone(408) 437-4450
Tickets$50- $175
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4.5/5
Performance4.5/5
Stagecraft4.5/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?YES!

 

ASR Theater ~~ TheatreWorks’ “A Distinct Society” a Vague Memory of Long Ago

By Joanne Engelhardt

A wonderfully inviting library located exactly on the border between a small town in northern Vermont and a Quebecoise town is the setting for TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s production of A Distinct Society.

There’s a cozy children’s nook filled not only with children’s books but also pint-sized furniture, an abacas and a couple of stuffed animals. But the real attention-getter in Jo Winiarski’s impressive set design is the two-foot-wide bookcase full of (what else?) books that runs up one side over the top and down the other side of the proscenium in the Mountain View Center of the Performing Arts.

Yet there’s one uninviting thing about the library: the wide strip of tape that runs straight down the middle of the library. Why? Because the left half is in the United States and the right half is in Canada.

Daughter Shirin (Vaneh Assadourian) and father Peyman (James Rana) reunite in TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s World Premiere of “A Distinct Society”. Photo Credit: Kevin Berne

There are just five characters in Society, so each plays an important part in telling Kareem Fahmy’s fictionalized story of what happened at the Haskell Free Library & Opera House in 2017 when families separated by what was called the “Muslim ban” used the space to connect with each other. The ban didn’t allow citizens of seven Muslim countries to enter the U.S.

As the play opens, an Iranian father, Peyman (a serious, caring James Rana) enters the library with his passport and food he has prepared for his medical-student daughter, Shirin (Vaneh Assadourian), who lives in the U.S.

Because he arrived early, he just wants to sit in the library and wait to give Shirin food from home. But the big, burly U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer Bruce (Kenny Scott) says he can’t stay. Shirin tries to give the food to Manon, the librarian (Carrie Paff), but she’s not willing to accept it because she says no food is allowed in the library.

Enter young, tousle-haired Declan (an appealing Daniel Allitt), who practically considers the library his home because his parents are divorced and he has no friends to chum around with. Declan has found ways to sneak into the library any time of the day or night, and he sometimes sleeps there as well. He also keeps a stash of soda and snack food that he consumes when no one’s around.

Smiling mischievously, Declan says, “Technically I don’t eat meat. But I do.”

In a rather strange turn of events, Manon reveals that she’ll be performing in the upstairs opera house, playing the title character in Bizet’s Carmen. Bruce invites her to have dinner with him before the opera, and she accepts. Later they return to the library where he convinces her to dance on a library table just as Carmen does in the opera. Bruce and Manon kiss a few times when suddenly she hears a noise.

Bruce (Kenny Scott) flirts with Manon (Carrie Paff) in TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s World Premiere of “A Distinct Society,” performing April 5-30. Photo Credit: Kevin Berne

Guess who’s the unintended witness to all of this? Of course: It’s Declan who’s been spending hours in the library reading what he calls “graphic novels” (actually fantasy comic books) and chowing down on his never-ending supply of junk food.

Though the actors’ performances are nuanced and well done, it’s the play itself that lets down their abilities. One example: too many topics are mentioned in passing such as the 1995 referendum asking Quebec citizens if they want to secede from Canada to form a “distinct society.” It’s touched on so quickly that many in the audience won’t understand or, more likely won’t even remember that time.

The play runs approximately 95 minutes without an intermission.

-30-

Aisle Seat Executive Reviewer Joanne Engelhardt is a Peninsula theatre writer and critic. She is a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC). Contact: joanneengelhardt@comcast.net

 

ProductionA Distinct Society
Written by
Kareem Fahmy
Directed byGiovanna Sardelli
Producing CompanyTheatreWorks Silicon Valley in collaboration with Pioneer Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Production DatesThru Apr 30th
Production AddressMountain View Center for the Performing Arts
Websitewww.theatreworks.org
Telephone(877) 662-8978
Tickets$29- $77
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3/5
Performance4/5
Script3/5
Stagecraft4.5/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?----

Pick! ASR Theater ~~ LASC’s Exquisite “Harold and Maude”

By Joanne Engelhardt

 

Los Altos Stage Company’s executive artistic director Gary Landis came up with a winning formula for their production of Harold and Maude, which opened April 14 and runs through May 7.

Landis relates that he decided to include Harold and Maude in the 2022-23 season because it was the 50th anniversary of the beloved movie of the same name. LASC produced the same show (with the same actor playing Maude) eight years ago.

It’s easy to see why. That actor, Lillian Bogovich. personifies the “almost 80-year-old Maude” in look, sound and manner. Her own long, gray-streaked hair looks exactly how an aging hippie would style her hair, and her low, gravelly voice is precisely right for the role. That she is able to appear guileless and even childlike makes her characterization complete.

As Harold, the boyish Max Mahle is every bit Bogovich’s acting equal – though his innocent-looking face conceals a troubled youth who acts out in the most perverse, devilish ways possible. Those diabolical pranks are sometimes the works of Landis’ clever scenic projections, while other times are simply a matter of good-old-fashioned magic tricks.

Max Mahle and Lillian Bogovich. Photo credit: Christian Pizzirani

As the play begins, Harold’s haughty upper-class mother, Mrs. Chasen (a marvelous characterization by Katelyn Miller), is showing her new maid (Erika Racz) around the house, explaining to her what her household duties will be. They enter the Chasen living room and the maid looks out the large backyard window to discover a body hanging from a branch of a tree.

It’s Harold, yet Mrs. Chasen pays her son no mind. She revives the poor maid and tells her that her son has “staged his own suicide at least fifteen times.” She arranges for psychiatrist Dr. Matthews (an earnest Steve Althoff) to come to the house to chat with Harold. After a few uncomfortable minutes together, Dr. Matthews tells Mrs. Chasen that Harold will soon grow out of it, and decides to leave.

Next up is the sweet, pious priest (a perfectly cast Jonathan Covey). He first meets Harold at his parish where the young man is attending a funeral. When the priest asks Harold how he knows the deceased, Harold looks at him innocently and says he doesn’t. “I just like to attend funerals,” he says matter-of-factly.

Fifteen times he’s staged his own suicide….

Asked what he likes to do for fun, Harold says in all sincerity: “I go to funerals.” But Mrs. Chasen has other plans for her son: She finds a dating app and arranges for three young women to come to the house to meet Harold. She’s so anxious for Harold to find a young woman he likes and wants to spend time with.

That’s when Michelle Skinner gets her moment in the spotlight. She plays all three young ladies (Sylvie, Nancy and the hippie Sunshine Dore), but Harold makes a resolute effort to scare each one out of their wits. The result: All three get out of the Chasen house in short order.

Max Mahle (standing), Lillian Bogovich (upside down). Photo credit: Christian Pizzirani

To his mother’s amazement, Harold suddenly starts dressing nicer and talking about someone he met who has the same interests he does. He even met her at a funeral!

He’s talking about the sweet, kind, totally artless Maude. One of the best scenes in an already fabulous production is when Mrs. Chasen goes to Maude’s house to meet the “young girl” who has so smitten her son. The look on her face when she discovers that the older-than-she Maude is the “girl” Harold loves is simply priceless.

If you want an absolutely terrific evening of theatre, call LASC or go online to get tickets before this show is completely sold out.

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Aisle Seat Executive Reviewer Joanne Engelhardt is a Peninsula theatre writer and critic. She is a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC). Contact: joanneengelhardt@comcast.net

 

ProductionHarold and Maude
Book byColin Higgin
Directed byGary Landis
Producing CompanyLos Altos Stage Company
Production DatesThru May 7th
Production AddressBus Barn 97 Hillview Avenue, Los Altos
Websitewww.losaltosstage.org
Telephone(650) 941-055
Tickets$32 - $40
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4.75/5
Performance4.75/5
Script4.5/5
Stagecraft4.75/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?YES!

ASR Theater ~~ Poor Yella Rednecks Vietgone, Part 2 at ACT

By George Maguire

Five years ago, playwright Qui Nguyen dazzled us with the pyrotechnics of his autobiographical deep-dive into his family with Vietgone at American Conservatory Theatre’s Strand Theater.

He has returned with Part 2 – Poor Yella Rednecks which takes us deeper into the family’s upheaval from Vietnam in the 1970s to 1981 El Dorado, Arkansas, as the playwright now interviews his mother. The play fixates on the trials of cultural change, language barriers and of course the challenges and truths held-back by his parents.

…The show’s production values alone though are worth a visit…

Similar to Part 1, Nguyen peppers his play with hip-hop, rap, comic book heroes, profanity, martial arts, puppetry, cowboys, and an enormous well of humor and bold ideas. Once again Jaime Castaneda directs the vivid production with imagination and verve.

The parents Tong (gloriously played with depth and passion by Jenny Nguyen Nelson) and Quang (a deeply moving Hyunmin Rhee) are assimilating into American “cheeseburger” culture. They live with Grandma Huong (obscenity-spewing and knife-wielding Christine Jamlig) and their young son Little Man (portrayed as a wooden puppet movingly brought to life and voice by gifted Will Dao). Little Man will of course grow up to become the playwright himself.

Hyunmin Rhee (left) and Jenny Nguyen Nelson in Qui Nguyen’s “Poor Yella Rednecks,” a sequel to “Vietgone,” at American Conservatory Theater. Photo: Kevin Berne, ACT.

There is a bold attempt by the playwright to utilize language as a key to the challenges faced by assimilating immigrants. All Vietnamese speak in colloquial English and the Anglos (Jomar Tagatac’s hysterical Bobby, for example) speak in broken Vietnamese as we might hear them. It’s a clever idea that is interesting but not well defined.

Too often this play is interrupted by a “rap” song defining the inner feelings of the character. When the gambit works (as with Tong) it can support the text, but for this reviewer it too often stops the momentum. When the playwright settles into simple and moving narrative, as he does in a gorgeously acted barroom seduction scene between Ms. Jamlig and Mr. Rhee, he reveals enormous talent, and one wants to say “Trust your instincts and give us your words.”

Jenny Nguyen Nelson (left) and Christine Jamlig in “Poor Yella Rednecks.” Photo: Kevin Berne.

The show’s production values alone though are worth a visit. Tanya Orellana’s massive and eclectic set, with the apartment elevated above the stage floor, is a character in itself. Interestingly, this is the second play I have seen designed by Ms. Orellana, and the second time I have seen a set elevated in vision above the main floor. Part of her set for Fefu and Her Friends (also at ACT,) had a similar kitchen set piece. Yi Zhao’s lighting design is a wonder of neon, roving spot lights, and illuminated glory. Jessie Amoroso has done lovely and character-driven costume designs. Jake Rodriguez’s sound, Shammy Dee’s original music and Yee Eun Nam’s projections add other sterling elements to the production.

Like Vietgone 1, there are so many ideas emanating from the mind and heart of the writer. As this is the second part of a trilogy, we eagerly await Mr. Nguyen’s next step.

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ASR Contributing Writer George Maguire is a San Francisco based actor and director. and a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. He is a Professor Emeritus of Solano College. Contact: gmaguire1204@yahoo.com

 

ProductionPoor Yella Rednecks
Written byQui Nguyen
Original MusicShammy Dee
Directed byJaime Castaneda
Producing CompanyAmerican Conservatory Theater (ACT) - The Strand Theater
Production DatesThru May 7th
Production Address1127 Market Street
San Francisco, CA
Websitewww.act-sf.org
Telephone(415) 749-2228
Tickets$25 – $60
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall2.5/5
Performance2.5/5
Script3/5
Stagecraft3/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK!----

Other voices…

"Oh boy! The second installment of Qui Nguyen's autobiographical "Vietgone" trilogy is just as exciting, creative, and rewarding as the original produced by ACT five years ago."
Broadway World
"Two things lift this poignant tale far out of the ordinary. It’s based on the playwright’s actual life story—these are his parents, his grandmother, he himself as a child—and it’s an imaginative and wonderfully comical retelling of that story. "
Local News Matters
In “Vietgone,” playwright Qui Nguyen tells the story of how his parents met after escaping the Vietnam War and landing in the same resettlement camp in Arkansas. It’s a tale of traumatic displacement written and performed with unstoppable comic verve that sneakily brings the reality of the refugee experience vividly to life."
Los Angeles Times

Pick! ASR Theater ~~ Ailey Dancers Bookend New Show with 2 Perfect, Decades-Old Pieces

By Woody Weingarten

It could have been difficult to keep Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s sonnet phrases, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” from echoing in your brain while exiting Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley.

Your love would been aimed not at one human being but the entire Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, which had just bookended its new Cal Performances show with two old pieces that perfectly merged modern dance with classical movements, “Night Creature” (the opener) and “Revelations” (the closer).

…impossible to leave the hall without a smile on your face…

The former was a tour de force initially choreographed by Ailey in 1974 to a complex but marvelous big-band jazz composition by Duke Ellington. Its music ranged from the brassiest of brass to violins as sweet as Godiva chocolate, with dancers’ skills shining via high-steppin’ moves that might have been lifted from a hot Harlem nightspot and spirited twirling across the stage from here to perpetuity.

Sarah Daley-Perdomo, a substitute soloist, was flawless in all three movements of Masazumi Chaya’s restaging, coupled with Michael Jackson Jr. in two of them.

“Revelations” is, of course, Ailey’s signature work. It appears as the finale of many of the troupe’s programs and remains as striking today as when first presented in 1960.

Loud applause and shrieks of approval greeted the dancers as the curtain rose for its 10-tune, Gospel-loaded production, before the company’s first barefooted movements, revealing that much of the audience had seen the piece multiple times before. Each recognizable segment then drew additional hand clapping.

Especially outstanding were the grace inherent in “Fix Me Jesus”, a duet, and the coupled-off joy of the entire company in “Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham.”

Sandwiched between the first and last dance-concert segments were “Cry,” a masterful solo performance by Jacquelin Harris, and “For Four,” the only piece on the program not choreographed by Ailey.

“Cry,” a 1971 creation dedicated to “Black women everywhere — especially our mothers,” had originally been a birthday present to the choreographer’s mother. The three-parter includes jarring music by Alice Coltrane as well as Laura Nyro’s “Been on a Train,” which details, mournfully, the anguish of drug addiction. “Cry,” too, was restaged by Chaya.

“For Four,” named because it showcases two couples, was the weakest of all the entries — and it wasn’t weak at all. Still, its choreography by Robert Battle and staging by Elisa Clark paled compared to Ailey’s work, despite it providing pleasure through music by Wynton Marsalis and eye-catching costuming of removable tux jackets, black suspenders and white shirts.

Overall, dance enthusiasts were treated to sequences that evoked bliss and sadness, sensuality and sexuality, nonchalance and eloquence, passion and coolness, simplicity and razzle-dazzle — plus fantastic lighting effects, useful projections onto a rear screen, and a dancer’s ponytail hair extensions playfully bouncing with every twist of her head and body.

Everything, of course, came with splashes of virtuosity, which made it almost impossible to leave the hall without a smile on your face.

Earlier Zellerbach Hall performances of the troupe this month introduced two new dances, “Are You in Your Feelings?” — choreographed by Kyle Abraham to a soul, hip-hop, and rhythm ‘n’ blues mixtape, and “In a Sentimental Mood,” an intimate duet by Jamar Roberts (and revisited Twyla Tharp’s “Roy’s Joys,” Paul Taylor’s “Duet,” and a 1986 Ailey tribute to Nelson Mandela, “Survivors”).

Final 2022-23 Cal Performances events at Zellerbach Hall include George Hinchliffe’s Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain on April 26; Octavia E. Butler’s “Parable of the Sower,” a “congregational opera” May 5 and 6; and a recital by soprano Nina Stemme on May 7. Information: 510-642-9988 or https://calperformances.org

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ASR Senior Contributor Woody Weingarten has decades of experience writing arts and entertainment reviews and features. A member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle,  he is the  author of three books, The Roving I; Grampy and His Fairyzona Playmatesand Rollercoaster: How a Man Can Survive His Partner’s Breast Cancer. Contact: voodee@sbcglobal.net or https://woodyweingarten.com or http://www.vitalitypress.com/

ProductionAlvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Producing CompanyAlvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Production DatesThrough Apr 16th
Production Address101 Zellerbach Hall Spc 4800, at UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-4800
Websitehttp://www.calperformances.org/
Telephone(510) 642 9988
Tickets$42 – $116
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4.5/5
Performance4.5/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?YES!

ASR Theater ~~ “Tiger Style” Delights at Cinnabar

By Barry Willis

High-achieving siblings confront their parents and embark on an ill-fated adventure to connect with their Chinese heritage in Mike Lew’s Tiger Style. The comedy runs at Petaluma’s Cinnabar Theatre through April 23.

Bryon Guo stars as computer expert Albert Chen; Carissa Ratanaphany appears opposite him as Albert’s sister Jennifer, an oncologist who plowed through Harvard University’s undergrad program in only three years. Having been driven hard by their parents their entire lives–including relentless practice on the cello for him and the piano for her–the pair hatch a plan to air their grievances at a family dinner with mom and dad (Regielen Padua, and Thomas Nguyen, respectively). Their parents are also high achievers–the father’s an engineer and the mother, a faculty member at UCLA.

…The performers in this show are tremendous, and tremendously funny…

Albert does the work of three or four programmers at his tech job, while getting scant credit for it. Jennifer is on staff at a major hospital but her personal life is a mess. She lives with a perpetually broke slacker boyfriend named Reggie (Kyle Goldman) whose sole interest seems to be installing car stereo systems. Goldman also appears as “Rus the Bus,” Albert’s goofy office colleague who gets promoted over Albert on the basis of his assertive personality alone. He also appears late in the production as an obnoxiously overbearing US Customs agent.

The siblings plan to confront mom and dad over their oppressive childhood doesn’t go well, and is the main thrust of the comedy’s first act, in which they also realize how detached they are from their Chinese roots.

Carissa Ratanaphanyarat (left), Thomas Nguyen (center), Byron Guo (right) in “Tiger Style”.

To correct this, they decide to abandon their lives in America and journey to mainland China, where their only contact is their somewhat remote relative “Cousin Chen” (also Padua), who does her best to guide them in the strange, overcrowded country. A series of mishaps gets them arrested and thrown into an interrogation center overseen by the malevolent Gen. Tso (also Nguyen). They don’t speak a word of Chinese but somehow are seen as spies or foreign agents. All of this transpires on a simple set by Jeffrey Cook that’s little more than flat panels that slide back and forth into place, enabling rapid set changes.

Thomas Nguyen (left), Regielyn Padua (right) at Cinnabar Theater.

Will Albert and Jennifer be able to escape? Will they ever return to America? The performers in this show are tremendous, and tremendously funny. Well-directed by M. Graham Smith, Tiger Style deftly manages to compress immigrants’ history, the Asian work ethic, childhood deprivations, personal aspirations, private misgivings, and cultural misunderstandings into a quick-moving comedy of errors.

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Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: barry.m.willis@gmail.com

 

 

ProductionTiger Style
Written byMike Lew
Directed byM. Graham Smith
Producing CompanyCinnabar Theater
Production DatesThrough Apr 23rd
Production Address3333 Petaluma Blvd North
Petaluma, CA 94952
Websitewww.cinnabartheater.org
Telephone (707) 763-8920
Tickets$30 – $40
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3.5/5
Performance3.5/5
Script3.5/5
Stagecraft3/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?----

ASR Theater ~~ Funny, Poignant “English” at Berkeley Rep

By Barry Willis

A 2008 Iranian class in English as a foreign language is the setting for a comedic examination of individual and cultural identity, at Berkeley Rep’s Peet’s Theatre, through May 7.

In the West Coast premiere of Sanaz Toossi’s English, four adult students of varying ages try the patience of teacher Marjan (Sahar Bibiyan) as they attempt to reach some degree of conversational competence and hope to sort out personal problems in the process.

…a delightful, emotionally engaging production…

The youngest one, Goli (Christine Mirzayan), never states her reasons for wanting to pass the national test for competence in English, but she has a jolly time working toward it. Elham (Mehry Eslaminia) hopes to go to medical school in Australia. Omid (Amir Malaklou), the sole male in the class, proves to be far more adept than he initially appears to be, for reasons that won’t be revealed here. Roya (Sarah Nina Hayon) the oldest of the bunch, is tackling the language so she can speak with her Canadian granddaughter.

Mehry Eslaminia (Elham) and Christine Mirzayan (Goli) in the West Coast premiere of Sanaz Toossi’s “English”, performing now through May 7, 2023 at Berkeley Rep. Photo Credit: Alessandra Mello

Language barriers are among the richest tropes in comedy, and director Mina Morita mines many of them, from inept halting grammar and limited vocabularies to beginners’ blunders. Despite their teacher’s insistence that they speak only English in class, reinforced by a huge “ENGLISH ONLY” statement on the classroom’s dry-erasable board, in frustration they resort to their native Farsi, translated into perfectly articulate English. Thickly accented pidgin English conveys what they are trying to say in the new language. This bit of stagecraft may confuse some viewers.

The performance is lovely, if a bit slow in places. The cast is convincing throughout and laugh-out-loud funny at moments that segue into real angst. Like many current comedies, English transitions from hilarity to poignancy, such as in a scene late in the play when Omid and Marjan share a connection that won’t go anywhere beyond the classroom, but it’s one felt by the entire audience. Roya’s character arc is left dangling—a pity, because we would like to learn more about her. That’s also true to a certain extent about Elham.

Amir Malaklou (Omid) and Sahar Bibiyan (Marjan) in the West Coast premiere of Sanaz Toossi’s “English”. Photo Credit: Alessandra Mello

English is a delightful, emotionally engaging production that may have special appeal to those interested in linguistics and cultural identity. Those who delight in the comedic potential of mangled language may also enjoy David Ives’ short play The Universal Language (part of his All in the Timing collection) and David Sedaris’ wonderful novel Me Talk Pretty One Day.

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Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: barry.m.willis@gmail.com

 

 

ProductionEnglish
Written by
Sanaz Toossi
Directed byMina Morita
Producing CompanyBerkeley Repertory Theatre
Production DatesThrough May 7th
Production Address2025 Addison Street, Berkeley CA 94704
Websitewww.berkeleyrep.org
Telephone(510) 647-2900
Tickets$43 - $119
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3.5/5
Performance4/5
Script3.5/5
Stagecraft3/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?----

Other Voices…

"...Both contemplative and comic, it nails every opportunity for big laughs as its English-learning characters struggle with accents and idioms. But the laughter provides cover for the deeper idea that their struggle is not just linguistic..."The New York Times
"...Personalities will emerge, relationships will form, secrets will be revealed. Some of the students will succeed and others will fall by the wayside.

All of this happens but, at the same time, the play is not predictable, thanks to Toossi’s subtle writing and profound observations about the ways in which language shapes identity, experience and a sense of belonging in the world..."
Toronto Star
"...Language in “English” becomes the scapegoat for everything that’s wrong with us, the true reason for all our best qualities. If we’re rude or loud or dumb, soft or smart or charming, it might all just be the language we’re speaking, along with all its attendant norms and foibles..."San Francisco Chronicle

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ “Always… Patsy Cline” Delightful & Uplifting at 6th Street

By Sue Morgan

Currently at 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa, Always, Patsy Cline incites smiles, belly laughs, and deep appreciation of the music of the late, great Patsy Cline while telling the story of how Patsy became friends and pen pals with one of her most ardent fans. The show runs through April 30th.

In 1961, Patsy Cline played a concert at the Esquire Ballroom in Houston, Texas. Alerted to the performance by a local DJ, superfan Louise Seger was the first to arrive at the venue and struck up a conversation with the star, who was doing pre-performance reconnaissance in the hall. Louise and Patsy sparked an instant connection, and before the show, Patsy joined Louise and her friends at their table and asked Louise if during the performance she would keep an eye on the drummer to ensure he didn’t rush her. Louise did so and after the show invited Patsy to her home for a late night/early morning breakfast of bacon and eggs.

…It’s a touching story…

Louise narrates the story, performed by the hilarious Liz Jahren, thoroughly enjoying her role as comic relief. Portrayed as an outspoken, outlandish character, who through gumption fueled by her long adoration of Patsy’s music—she called her local DJ Hal Harris multiple times daily to request that he play her favorite Patsy Cline songs—manages to get Patsy an early morning in-person interview with him. Mr. Harris thinks Louise is drunk and delusional when she calls his home in the early morning hours to inform him that Patsy Cline is at her house and will be at his studio in the morning for an interview. Hal responds, “And I’ve got Marilyn Monroe in bed. Now, honey, you sleep it off and I’ll play ‘I Fall to Pieces’ for you in the morning.”

Shannon Rider as Patsy Cline at 6th Street.

Louise goes on to describe—to appreciative laughter—the expression on Hal’s face later that morning as he sees Louise arrive in the studio, arm in arm with Patsy Cline. Louise elicits more laughter as she paints a picture of Hal, who “…looked like death, wearing Bermuda shorts, a sweater that looked like it had been in the dryer a week and tennis shoes with holes cut out so his toes could breathe.”

Patsy Cline (honey-voiced and beautifully self-possessed Shannon Rider) tells her story in snippets between the 27 songs she sings throughout the performance. A self-taught singer, Patsy was unable to read music and had no idea what key she sang in. Growing up in poverty, she proudly admits that her mother sewed the cowgirl outfits she favored early in her career. Envisioning herself a star, she was the first woman singer to headline her own tour and worked tirelessly, often performing multiple shows per day, even after giving birth to her second child.

Director Jared Saken empowers Jahren and Rider to share a natural-seeming rapport and the two appear to genuinely enjoy performing together. Both women first played their respective characters 15 years earlier when 6th Street Playhouse put on its first production of Always. Jahren played Louise throughout the production and Rider filled in for a weekend—after being given one day’s notice—when the lead actress playing Cline became ill. Jahren has a wonderful sense of comic timing and Rider, who has enjoyed a successful singing career as leader of her own bands, is perfectly at home whether singing or acting.

Shannon Rider and Liz Jahren in “Always, Patsy Cline”.

Music Director Nate Riebli does a fine job with “The Bodacious Bobcats Band,” whose accompaniment never overwhelms Rider’s vocals, as well as with “The Jordanaires” whose “How Great Thou Art” lends appropriate gravity to the scene in which we learn that Patsy has been killed—at age 30!—in a plane crash. Costume Designer Pamela Johnson does a phenomenal job with Cline’s wardrobe, capturing the elegance and glamour Cline was known for using many vintage pieces to very good effect.

There is a reason this play is performed—often in multiple venues—around San Francisco and the North Bay almost every year. Always…Patsy Cline delivers music beloved by country as well as pop fans. It’s a touching story about an unlikely friendship and an affirming message about one woman’s ability, through grit, determination and hard work, to make the most of her natural talent.

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Contributing Writer Sue Morgan is a literature-and-theater enthusiast in Sonoma County’s Russian River region. Contact: sstrongmorgan@gmail.com

 

 

ProductionAlways... Patsy Cline
Written byTed Swindley
Directed byJared Sakren / Nate Riebli
Producing Company6th Street Playhouse, Studio Theatre
Production DatesThru Apr 30th
Production Address6th Street Playhouse
52 W. 6th Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Websitehttp://www.6thstreetplayhouse.com
Telephone (707) 523-4185
Tickets$35 to $43
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4/5
Script4.5/5
Stagecraft3/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?YES!

ASR Theater ~~ “The Triumph of Love” – A Many Splendored Thing at Shotgun Players

By George Maguire

Shotgun Players continues their “Season of Love” with a spirited and gloriously designed production of Pierre de Marivoux’s 1732 comedy-drama The Triumph of Love.

Marivoux was a worthy 18th Century successor to Moliere and Racine, twisting vulnerability and amour de coeur with deception, cross dressing, and hysterical commedia del arte improvisational aplomb. This production is adapted and translated by renowned Stephen Wadsworth.

Triumph of Love is a triumph…

The play brings us into the Age of Enlightenment, when discoveries of reason and intellect were heralded. Galileo’s treatise on the planets, Isaac Newton’s theories, the Declaration of Independence and the founding of America, and the French Revolution were some of the historical highlights of the time. Women were celebrated as independent thinkers and men often were parodied as buffoons in their quest to conquer the opposite sex.

Veronica Renner & Edward Im at work at SHotgun Players.

The Triumph of Love tells the story of Leonide (a stunning performance by Veronica Renner) who cross-dresses as a man called Phocion to enter the household of her enemy Hermocrates (regal David Boyll). Her initial aim is to meet her rival for the throne Agis (Edward Im), the usurped son of the king of Sparta now living under the protection of Hermacrates.

As both a man and a woman, Leonide seduces the servants and the aristocrats alike, making marriage proposals and wielding her wiles into a spider web of conniving. Only a playwright as astute as Marivoux could concoct the intricate confusions involved.

The Shotgun cast is exceptional. Ms. Renner establishes herself as a new voice in the Bay Area with each choice she makes. Logical and rich in depth, she and director Patrick Dooley find not just the humor but also an imperious streak of meanness in her revenge. Brava!

Jamin Jollo in “The Triumph of Love”.

The clowns are played with rich detail and fun by a commedia masked Jamin Jollo, whose body always finds a new way of movement and agility, and our spirit guide Wayne Wong – always on the periphery waiting to be summoned and knowing just a bit more than anyone else on stage.

Edward Im is a sweet and gentle Agis bringing himself and us to tears as he realizes his love for first Leonide’s boy and then Leonide’s girl. The two other women (Corine – Leonide’s companion) and Leontine (Hermacrate’s sister) are beautifully delineated and defined by renowned actor/directors Susannah Martin and Mary Ann Rodgers.

Malcolm Rodgers has designed a magnificent estate garden (beautifully lit by Spense Matubang) complete with a lily pond and hanging greenery offering the cast places to hide, peek and dash. Costumer Ashley Renee has arrayed the cast in lush, character specific attire.

Patrick Dooley’s spot-on direction is a pure celebration of this ”season of love.” Triumph of Love is a triumph for the inventive and redoubtable Shotgun Players.

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ASR Contributing Writer George Maguire is a San Francisco based actor and director. and a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. He is a Professor Emeritus of Solano College. Contact: gmaguire1204@yahoo.com

 

ProductionThe Triumph of Love
Written byPierre de Marivaux, adapted and translated by Stephen Wadsworth.
Directed byPatrick Dooley
Producing CompanyShotgun Players
Production Dates
Video On Demand
Mar 25-May 7th
Production Address1901 Ashby Avenue, Berkeley CA 94705
WebsiteShotgunplayers.org
Telephone(510) 841-4500
TicketsDynamic Pricing Per Show
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3.5/5
Performance3/5
Script3.5/5
Stagecraft3.5/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?----

ASR Film ~~ “Carmen” Showcases Fears, Perils of Fleeing Immigrants

By Woody Weingarten

Myth-like choreography — including a sharp-elbow crowd sequence at a bare-knuckle boxing match — embellishes Carmen, a new movie.

Carmen is a singular, non-linear, dramatic film that exquisitely blends disparate elements: classical and flamenco dance, mournful and wistful singing, suspense and southern border violence, mother-daughter love and a couple’s intimacy while employing an undocumented workers’ underground railway of sorts, and more than a little religious symbolism.

Highlighted are striking close-ups that etch the joys and pains of life into individual faces, and far-distant camera shots that in both silhouette and color display the beauties of the natural world (including mountains, meadows, foliage, and birds on wires). Plus Ferris wheels, highways, and taut action in near-total blackness. Featured, too, are recurring images of fire and gunfire, feet and hands, all augmented by pounding music with notes of edgy, ominous violins.

Carmen is a singular, non-linear, dramatic film that exquisitely blends disparate elements…

It’s a flick delivered in English and Spanish that will be enjoyed by artsy movie house regulars but will undoubtedly be skipped by those who’d prefer to see the latest Avengers fly-athon.

The title role of Carmen is played by 32-year-old Mexican actress Melissa Barrera.

The title role is poignantly filled by 32-year-old Mexican actress Melissa Barrera, a breakout star of In the Heights who here, after her mom is shot to death, survives an illegal crossing with the help of Aiden, a Border Patrol deserter who grapples with more than a touch of disassociation or PTSD or God-knows-what — something that makes it difficult for him to relate to anybody but Carmen.

Barrera portrays the “tough but fragile” Carmen by alternately exuding fear, sadness, joy, glam and sexiness, and by dancing and singing up proverbial storms.

Aidan, an ex-Marine with stripes tattooed on his arm, is effectively played by 27-year-old Paul Mescal, an Irish actor who earned a 2023 Best Actor Oscar nomination for Aftersun, a coming-of-age tale.

Paul Mescal and Melissa Barrera star in “Carmen”.

Not incidentally, the fight-to-the-death boxing scene in which “people like to bet against a white boy,” is unique because it showcases krumpers, dancers who’ve used the form of krumping to escape gang life and non-violently show emotions while stressing energetic, sharp movements of their arms and chests.

Carmen’s goal is to reach her godmother Masilda (Rossy de Palma, who’s been in more than a couple Almodóvar films) and, thereby, sanctuary of sorts in the La Sombra Pederosa nightclub in Los Angeles.

When all’s said, it’s probably best to let loose of the 1 hour, 56-minute film’s storyline and dialogue and just lie back, relax, and enjoy the direction of French-born Benjamin Millepied, who choreographed Black Swan. Otherwise, you could be bothered by the likes of a cutaway to a dance sequence in the middle of a love-making scene — or hard-to-digest lines that indicate it’s important to know who you are, the things you’re running from often turn out to be the things you’re running toward, or “I will live inside you forever.”

“…Barrera and Mescal’s performances arouse the desperation of strangers turned lovers on the run…” — The Hollywood Reporter

Though this beautiful, sometimes poetic tragedy was very loosely inspired by Bizet’s opera about a Roma (gypsy) woman, it contains no hint of bullfights or matadors or multiple seductions. Like the opera, which in turn was based on an 1845 novella, it does spotlight power struggles involving social class, race, and gender.

Carmen will open April 28 at the Landmark’s Opera Plaza Cinema, 601 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco; at the Rialto Cinemas Elmwood, 2966 College Ave, Berkeley; and at the Century Regency, 280 Smith Ranch Road, San Rafael.

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ASR Senior Contributor Woody Weingarten has decades of experience writing arts and entertainment reviews and features. A member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle,  he is the  author of three books, The Roving I; Grampy and His Fairyzona Playmatesand Rollercoaster: How a Man Can Survive His Partner’s Breast Cancer. Contact: voodee@sbcglobal.net or https://woodyweingarten.com or http://www.vitalitypress.com/

TitleCarmen
Directed byBenjamin Millepied
Screenplay byAlexander Dinelaris Jr.
Cinematography byJörg Widmer
Distributing CompanyMagnolia
Release DateApril 28, 2023
Runtime1 hr 56 min
ShowingLandmark’s Opera Plaza Cinema, 601 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco;
Rialto Cinemas Elmwood, 2966 College Ave, Berkeley;
Century Regency, 280 Smith Ranch Road, San Rafael.
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4/5
Script4/5
Cinematography4/5
Direction4/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?YES!

 

Other Voices…

"...undeniably exhilarating to watch one of the world’s most accomplished choreographers team up with one of its most virtuosic composers for the kind of aggressively unclassifiable movie that would never exist if not for these two artists reaching beyond their disciplines to create it themselves."
Indie Wire
"...“Carmen” was the best movie this critic saw at the Toronto International Film Festival."
Sarah Manvel, Critics Notebook
"...Luck was on the side of Carmen director Benjamin Millepied. His two leads, Paul Mescal and Melissa Barrera, are both riding hot streaks at the same time. Mescal for his roles in "God’s Creatures" and "Aftersun"; Barrera for "In the Heights" and a pair of "Scream" movies. They...make for a scorching pair in Millepied’s gritty, contemporary take on Georges Bizet‘s opera..."Punch Drunk Critics

ASR Music ~~ “Prospero’s Island:” Good and Evil at Herbst Theater

By Jeff Dunn

The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart? During the life of any heart this line keeps changing place.—Alexander Solzhenitzyn.

In Prospero’s Island, an evil Nazi biologist has escaped retribution for his Dr.-Moreau-like experiments on human subjects. One day, after surviving by circumstance for 15 years on a deserted Falkland island, with his daughter along with two of his cross-species creations, the scientist executes an elaborate plan to turn himself in to authorities. Has his line dividing good and evil changed place?

Prospero’s Island offer(s) many pleasures…

Such is the nut of the new opera by librettist Claudia Stevens and composer Alan Shearer, presented in a single performance at the Herbst Theater on March 25. Its shell is Shakespeare’s The Tempest, the many parallel details of which may delight, amuse, distract, and annoy aficionados of the Bard.

Those unacquainted with the play may be confused at times, but are perhaps better off. On its own terms, the new work offers us a qualified redemption for humanity’s past evils. As we meet him on the day of his plan, the Nazi Prospero is loved by his daughter, respected by his human/starling Ariel, worshipped as Leader by modified, speaking penguins (one of whom has had fingers grafted on so it can play a violin), and reviled by Caliban, a sport that is half sea squirt.

Prospero (Andrew Dwan) and his short-wave radio/TV-remote-like device. Photos courtesy Herbst Theater.

Prospero exercises unlikely but supreme power via psychology, a short-wave radio, and a TV-remote-like device that can incapacitate from a distance. Using the remote, he downs an aircraft carrying four special agents he already knew were coming to arrest him (kudos to Jeremy Knight’s video projections here). Prospero then hopes that one of the agents will fall in love with and marry his daughter Miranda.

His plan works out to perfection, except that Miranda, learning of her father’s crimes, cannot “bestow quality of mercy” on him, saying “It is not mine to bestow.” And Ariel reminds him, “There must be truth for all to hear, … all to bear.”

In this production by InTandem and Ninth Planet, Prospero’s Island offered many pleasures. Shearer’s music diligently followed the plot twists in semi-modernist style, occasionally bursting into references to Handel, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Cole Porter, folk dance, bebop, and Elvis. While his own melodies might elude first-time listeners, Shearer’s highly varied and transparent chamber orchestration, superbly realized by Nathaniel Berman and his players, was a treasure chest of invention.

Members of the San Francisco Girls Chorus were irresistible as chirping penguins. Rubber-limbed Bradley Kynard was a delight as a grumpy Caliban in a fabulous sea-squirt costume by Joy Graham Korst.

Members of the San Francisco Girls Chorus at work at Herbst Theater. Photos courtesy Herbst Theater.

Shawnette Sulker (Ariel) and Amy Foote (Miranda) were in excellent voice. The four special agents, Sergio Gonzalez, Julia Hathaway, Angela Jarosz, and Michael Mendelsohn, all in fine form, rounded out the cast, all under the wise direction of Philip Lowery.

Andrew Dwan’s rich bass-baritone would have well served the god-like Prospero of Shakespeare. In Stevens’ and Shearer’s reimagining, however, he is having his last day as a free man, and is reverting to the nerdy nobody that he would have been without Hitler’s help—as symbolized by the dingy khakis and sweater vest he wears and his relatively static stage actions.

This concept matches Hanna Arendt’s conclusion regarding Adolf Eichmann, about the “banality” of evil. But does banality belong in opera to a towering character, Shakespeare’s Prospero, one that has impressed itself on the history of the arts for 400 years?

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Jeff Dunn is ASR’s Classical Music Section Editor. A retired educator and project manager, he’s been writing music and theater reviews for Bay Area and national journals since 1995. He is a member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and the National Association of Composers, USA. His musical Castle Happy (co-author John Freed), about Marion Davies and W.R. Hearst, received a festival production at the Altarena Theater in 2017. His opera Finding Medusa, with librettist Madeline Puccioni, was completed in January 2023. Jeff has won prizes for his photography, and is also a judge for the Northern California Council of Camera Clubs.

ProductionProspero’s Island
Composer
Librettist
Alan Shearer

Claudia Stevens
Directed byPhilip Lower
Producing CompaniesNinth Planet, InTandem
Production DatesSingle performance, March 25t
Production AddressHerbst Theater
401 Van Ness Ave
SF, CA 94102
Websitehttps://www.prosperosislandopera.com
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4.5/5
Script
Libretto
4/5
3.5/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?----

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ Theater and Politics Send-up: “Mondragola” at CentralWorks

By Susan Dunn

Gary Graves new play sends up both theater and politics where the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Niccolo Machiavelli is commonly known as the cynical and amoral philosopher of politics from his signature work, “The Prince” (Il Principe). Who would guess that Machiavelli, living the good life as Secretary in the Medici government for many years, would be exiled and forced into writing saucy comedies to eke out his living?

 taps every production’s nightmare…

Mondragola (Mandrake) takes its name from a farce Machiavelli wrote in exile, along with “The Prince”, while hoping to return to the Medicis’ good graces and the sustenance of government life. On opening, Machiavelli, handsomely played by Rudy Guerrero, describes how critical this play performance is to his future career. He hopes that the Cardinal who will be in attendance and loves comedies, will be so impressed that he will commission him to write a history of Florence, but his actors have fled with the production money, and it’s eight hours to showtime!

(l to r): Battista (Edwin Jacobs) and Zenobia (Monique Crawford) agree to perform in Niccolo Machiavelli’s silly comedy. –At TheaterWorks

In desperation, he cajoles his gangster producers, Battista and Luigi, into covering as actors, along with the revolutionary Zenobia, girlfriend to Battista. This works as the joke of “taking actors off the street” almost literally. As the drama “to pull the drama off” continues, another drama—of revolution and murder—is organized behind Machiavelli’s back. As he tries frantically to get the actors to learn their lines and rehearse, we discover the printed scripts have only each separate actor’s lines. Without cues, they must memorize without context. And since they are non-actors, they make up their own words, to the fury of the playwright.

Mondragola taps every production’s nightmare, and giving more of the story would be a spoiler. But a fine cast of individuals brings out individual personalities. Edwin Jacobs as Battista is a slick hoodlum and secret revolutionary who pulls off his many faces of bravado and bewilderment with finesse. Monique Crawford is imperious as a committed political rebel and activist, while Steve Ortiz, as Luigi, the crazed, crazy and hilarious thug/sidekick can talk his way out of anything.

Florence, 1522. Fifty years before Shakespeare: Niccolo Machiavelli, author of “The Prince” – the infamous “handbook for tyrants”- has returned to perform his silly comedy “Mondragola” for the Cardinal de’ Medici.

The four actors address all three wings of the “in the round” arena stage with great skill and breathless pace thanks to Jan Zvaifler’s direction. It all made sense and played to every part of the house. A special treat of this production is Gregory Sharpen’s sound design, which expands this trim conceit of four backstage actors to Machiavelli’s actual play going on outside.

The feast in Mondragola is historical, theatrical, political and comedic. There is also a large dose of irony at the play’s end, with each actor finding a new end or a new beginning, depending on the circumstances. Recommended for those who like a big meal served in a short space of 65 minutes.

-30-

Since arriving in California from New York in 1991, Susan Dunn has been on the executive boards of Hillbarn Theatre, Altarena Playhouse, Berkeley Playhouse, Virago Theatre and Island City Opera, where she is a development director and stage manager.

An enthusiastic advocate for new productions and local playwrights, she is a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle, and a recipient of a 2015 Alameda County Arts Leadership Award. Contact: susanmdunn@yahoo.com

ProductionMondragola
Written byGary Graves
Directed byJan Zvaifler
Producing CompanyCentral Works
Production DatesThru Apr 16th
Production AddressBerkeley City Club
2315 Durant Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704
WebsiteCentralWorks.org
Telephone(510) 558 -1381
Tickets$35 - $40
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4.5/5
Performance5/5
Script5/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?YES!

Other Voices…

"Playwright Gary Graves has taken facts about Machiavelli and added his own creative twist in a fascinating play..."East Bay Times
"...history’s most famous political strategist...finds himself a pawn in someone else’s gambit. But some tricksters don’t know about Machiavelli’s past life..."San Francisco Chronicle

ASR Theater ~~ “Dry Powder” Superbly Performed at Left Edge Theatre

by Nicole Singley

David and Goliath. Good versus evil. The haves and the have-nots. There’s an age-old battle being waged behind closed doors in patent leather-adorned offices across America, and it’s a war the working class has been losing for decades. Left Edge Theatre’s production of Dry Powder grants audiences an insider’s view of the greedy backroom deals chiseling away at the American Dream. Experience the dramedy and allure of high finance up close at The California through March 26th.

The show opens on suit-clad Rick (Mike Schaeffer), president of a private equity firm in peril, furiously flipping through his phone to the soundtrack of angry protestors crying out in the distance. It’s not a great day at the office. As luck would have it, throwing a lavish engagement party on the same day you’ve announced massive layoffs at a business you’ve bought out is not the most popular move. In fact, it’s an outright PR nightmare, threatening to scare away all the firm’s key investors. (Was the elephant too much?)

Photos by Eric Chazankin

Enter Seth (Michael Girts) to the rescue. He’s been in conversations with Jeff (Mark Bradbury), the affable CEO of a struggling family-owned luggage manufacturer willing to sell at a price Rick can’t resist, so long as the company’s values and employees are protected. What’s more, Seth asserts, is it’s the perfect opportunity to redeem the firm’s image by investing in the growth of an all-American company. They can do the right thing, he argues, and still turn a sizable profit.

But Seth’s unscrupulous colleague Jenny (Gillian Eichenberger) is not impressed. Her analysts have crunched the numbers, and a slightly higher profit can be made if they strip and liquidate the company or lay workers off and move production overseas.

Cast of “Dry Powder” at work. Photos by Eric Chazankin

She’s not concerned with betraying Jeff’s trust or earning more bad press, insisting the backlash will soon blow over. “Of course they’re protesting. That’s what unemployed people do,” she sneers. The bottom line is all that matters in this game.

…High-stakes ethical and strategic dilemmas loom large as risks are assessed and negotiations begin…

Under Jenny Hollingworth’s direction, Dry Powder is more drama than comedy, though Eichenberg’s Jenny earns a good amount of laughs with her wide-eyed indignation and ice-cold, quick-fire jabs. She’s the perfect caricature of sociopathic greed, counterbalanced effectively by Girts’s Seth, who appears to be the only member of the firm who may possess a conscience. Their near-constant sniping provides much of the entertainment, and helps redeem a rather dense script that’s heavily steeped in mind-numbing business speak.

Schaeffer’s slick, quick-tempered Rick is – pun intended – right on the money, equal parts fire and serpentine charm. His presence on stage is commanding and his energy unwavering. It’s easy to forget that he is, indeed, acting. On the other side of the coin, Bradbury’s Jeff is endearingly earnest and likable, the seeming proverbial lamb being fed to the wolves on Wall Street.

Photos by Eric Chazankin.

It’s a commendable ensemble effort from a well-balanced cast, who are each as solid in their scenes together as they are in their individual roles. Despite a few quickly-recovered stumblings over lines and minor audio level mishaps, it’s a well polished production, with effective lighting (April George) and smartly chosen wardrobe (Tracy Hinman). A small but readily visible tattoo on a cast-member’s foot felt out of keeping with the character, and might have been easily covered.

As prior patrons may know, Left Edge Theatre relocated last fall from their humble, 72-seat space at the Luther Burbank Center to a larger downtown venue. Though The California is an upgrade in manifold ways – among them more space, a full bar, and food available for purchase from trendy local restaurants – it comes at the expense of the intimacy afforded by the smaller, better insulated venue. Opening night’s performance was disturbed by booming bass from a neighboring business. Fortunately, the actors were all miked and audible, and the distraction became easier to ignore as the show went on.

Hollingworth’s decision to stage this production in the round restores some of the intimacy lost in the larger space by bringing audiences closer to the action. Unfortunately, this often comes at the expense of visibility, with uncomfortably long periods of time spent staring at some of the actors’ backs and missing out on their facial expressions. It’s still largely effective, but the staging didn’t entirely work for this reviewer.

Dry Powder is a cleverly written and scathing exposé of truths already known, but it’s a journey worth taking all the same. This is especially so at Left Edge, thanks to a production that is crisply paced, impeccably cast, and superbly acted all around.

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Nicole Singley is a Senior Contributing Writer and Editor at Aisle Seat Review and a voting member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle, Sonoma County’s Marquee Theater Journalists Association, and the American Theatre Critics Association.

 

 

 

ProductionDry Powder
Written bySarah Burgess
Directed by Jenny Hollingworth
Producing CompanyLeft Edge Theatre Co.
Production DatesThru Mar 26th
Production AddressCalifornia Theatre
528 7th St.
Santa Rosa, CA
Websitewww.leftedgetheatre.com
Telephone(707) 664-7529
Tickets$22-$40
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3.5/5
Performance4.5/5
Script3/5
Stagecraft3/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?----

ASR Theater ~~ Silly Fun: A Clue to “Clue”

By George Maguire

When I returned home from the SF Playhouse and their energetic, almost frenetic production of Clue, I immediately ransacked my closet and found (ta da!) my own Parker Brothers original version of the game.

I doubt there is anyone who has not played this fun and inventive game sometime in their life. With over 350 scenarios, it’s been translated into numerous other languages.

Among the suspects, we all had favorites—for me, usually Miss Scarlet or Professor Plum. Its popularity engendered a 1985 film starring Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Eileen Brennan and Christopher Lloyd. A Broadway musical followed in 1997, then a Broadway play in 2018, revised in 2022 with additional material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price

All six of our suspects are here: Miss Scarlet (a ravishing Courtney Walsh), Colonel Mustard (a perfectly befuddled Michael Ray Wisely), Professor Plum (a leering Michael Gene Sullivan), Mr. Green (a primly proper Greg Ayers), Mrs. White (a diabolical Rene Rogoff) and finally Mrs. Peacock (an inspired piece of casting with the versatile Stacy Ross).

Boddy Manor’s guests share their suspicions about the murders that keep happening in SF Playhouse’s “Clue,” performing March 9 – April 22. Photo Credit: Jessica Palopoli

Add a butler (Dorian Lockett), a French maid (Margherita Ventura), a Mr. Body, a tapping messenger girl, and a police captain (Will Springhorn Jr.) with more accents than all the others put together, plus his cohorts, and you have hilarity in the making.

All six suspects are being blackmailed for their secrets and have received invitations to a very private dinner party without knowing one another. The banquet begins, and as in Agatha Christie’s Mousetrap, the bodies pile up.

There’s one more big star: designer Heather Kenyon’s amazing set. This masterpiece of invention is in itself a suspect, and a hiding place that brings to us every room and hallway from the game. Suddenly we are in the numerous rooms and lounges where the action enfolds. Bravo Ms. Kenyon!

Director Susi Damilano has a blast putting this cast of characters into gyrating and tip-toeing terpsichorean romps of entrances and exits across the stage in beams and bars from Derek Duarte’s lights.

The occupants of Boddy Manor reveal a shocking twist! Photo Credit: Jessica Palopoli

The last fifteen minutes are a roundelay of imagined possibilities as the suspects argue which was the real way the story and murders progressed.

Once you have seen the play, I urge you to see the film, available on Netflix. You’ll recognize the conceit drummed exhaustingly at us. By the end a galloping “Whew!” is sparked in the audience.

Go and have a laughingly good time at the Playhouse. After ninety minutes you’re on your way home—maybe to play the game yourself!

-30-

ASR Contributing Writer George Maguire is a San Francisco based actor and director. and a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. He is a Professor Emeritus of Solano College. Contact: gmaguire1204@yahoo.com

 

ProductionClue
Written bySandy Rustin.
With additional material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price,

Based on a screenplay by Jonathan Lynn.
Directed bySusi Damilano
Producing CompanySan Francisco Playhouse
Production DatesMar 9-Apr 22, 2023
Production AddressSF Playhouse
450 Post Street
San Francisco, CA
Websitewww.sfplayhouse.org/sfph/2022-2023-season/indecent/
Telephone(415) 677-9596
Tickets$30 - $
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3.5/5
Performance3.5/5
Script3.5/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?----

Other Voices…

"... the show is absolutely fun; light and silly and full of entertaining moments."
www.broadwayworld.com/
"At S.F. Playhouse’s ‘Clue,’ everyone’s guilty — of having a good time"
San Francisco Chronicle
"...this is a drop-dead, bonafide beauty of a black comedy. It’s guaranteed to produce thrills, chills, goosebumps and uncontrollable laughter for the entire 90 minutes of its uninterrupted mayhem."
Chicago Theatre Review
"...the show is a very fun, very silly 1950s-set whodunit..."
The New York Times

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ “Pride and Prejudice, The Musical” — Songs Brighten, Enliven Classic

By Cari Lynn Pace

Fans of Jane Austen flocked to opening weekend of Pride and Prejudice, The Musical at Ross Valley Players’ Barn Theatre atop the Marin Art and Garden Center. Some may have entered skeptical that music could add to the beloved story of the Bennet family, but they departed beaming with delight. The show runs through April 16.

Award-winning composer/lyricist Rita Abrams created seventeen songs, adding shine and mirth to the tale of five eligible daughters, their suitors, and one manipulative mama. Abrams worked with Josie Brown’s book adaptation. Together they brought out subtle comedy—and fun—without altering the underlying plot of societal caste and bias.

The entire cast opens singing the sunny “Welcome to Our Neighborhood” with gusto. Harmonies with nimble lyrics abound; the songs appropriately appear between spoken dialog. The four-part “Changing World” is so poignantly melodic it makes one want to hold one’s breath.

Amy Dietz as Jane Bennet; Justin Hernandez as Charles Bingley in “Pride & Prejudice: The Musical”

Abrams took years to create the music, and it was worth the wait. Love songs, How-Dare-He! songs, frustration songs, happiness songs – it’s all here. And so very clever! When Mrs. Bennet sings “I have five daughters who are Venuses, in search of …” the audience erupts with laughter at the unspoken word.

Veteran director Phoebe Moyer worked with a large cast of nineteen actors, originally auditioned prior to the pandemic. Three years later, Moyer notes “It has been a long journey with many adjustments…we have become quite a family.”

“The entire cast moves as a well-oiled machine in this nearly three-hour production.”

The entire cast moves as a well-oiled machine in this nearly three-hour production. They sing, they dance, and many standouts shine with comedic talents, including Jill Wagoner commanding the stage as Mrs. Bennett and Geoffrey Colton as her beleaguered husband. Charles Evans also steals laughs as Mr. Collins, who unsuccessfully tries to woo a bride.

Evan Held as Mr. Darcy at RVP.

Handsome and lean Evan Held is perfectly cast as the taciturn and reserved Mr. Darcy, a magnet drawn to lovely and prideful Elizabeth Bennet (Lily Jackson, perfectly cast). Other actors superbly portray proper high-born characters, including Elenor Irene Paul as Caroline Bingley, with an extended cameo by Alexis Lane Jensen as Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

Pride and Prejudice, The Musical can be proud of the backstage production team bringing success to this ambitious show. Stage hands drew applause even in the semi-darkness with choreographed moves during set changes. Musical directors Abrams and Jack Prendergast tapped Wayne Green for orchestrations and Bruce Vieira for sound design. Rick Banghart sat on the side, watching carefully to deliver music tracks precisely when the actors began singing. He didn’t miss a cue!

Since the story’s setting is Hertfordshire, England in the early 1800’s, appropriate period garb was needed. Adriana Gutierrez ably delivered lovely dresses and costumes, assisted by Michael A. Berg who designed the complicated wigs. Their contributions transported the show back to that aristocratic decade. One odd aspect was the stage set: several ionic columns and a Greek-inspired pediment, an unusual backdrop for an English location.

More than six years in development, this new production of Pride and Prejudice, the Musical is filled with period costumes, talented actors, and excellent music. It’s a feel-good delight, and with RVP’s accessible pricing policy, an entertainment bargain.

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ASR Writer & Editor Cari Lynn Pace is a voting member of SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and writes theatre and lifestyle reviews for the Marinscope Community Newspapers throughout Marin County. Contact: pace-koch@comcast.net

 

ProductionPride & Prejudice: The Musical
Written byJane Austen adapted by Josie Brown
Directed byPhoebe Moyer
Producing CompanyRoss Valley Players
Production DatesThru April 16th
Production AddressRoss Valley Players
"The Barn"
30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Greenbrae, CA 94904
Websitewww.rossvalleyplayers.com
Telephone415-456-9555 ext. 1
Tickets$15-$35
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4.5/5
Performance4.5/5
Script4.5/5
Stagecraft4.5/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?YES!

Other Voices…

"...what could be better for a concert production than to leave its audience craving more?"
www.stagebuddy.com
"...The story is well-known and irresistible, somewhat similar to 'Downton Abbey'..."
www.theaterpizzazz.com
"Emmy award winning songwriter Rita Abrams has managed to bring her considerable powers to Austen's Pride and Prejudice in a way that brings that classic work alive, and keeps us thoroughly engaged... The songs are a triumph of inventiveness and skill."
Michael Krasny, Host of NPR's "Forum"
"...a sell-out success..."
janeausten.co.uk

ASR Theater ~~ Stilted “Perfect Arrangement” at Hillbarn Theatre

By Joanne Engelhardt

Topher Payne’s 2014 production Perfect Arrangement seems horribly out of date even though written a scant nine years ago. That’s why it’s surprising that Foster City’s Hillbarn Theatre and director Tyler Christie decided to make it part of the 2022-23 season.

Although it’s played mostly for laughs – as in I Love Lucy laughs – it’s really about a very difficult time in U.S. history.

It’s set in the 1950s at a time when Joe McCarthy was holding congressional hearings to root out communists holding government positions, and later expanded to uncover homosexuals who might also work for the government.

…D’Angelo Reyes’ scenic design is a highlight…

Two of the four lead characters (Brad Satterwhite as Bob Martingale and Leslie Waggoner as Norma Baxter) both work for a government department that will soon be assigned to go after such security risks. The irony is that Bob and his real-life partner, mild-mannered Jim Baxter (Alex Rodriguez) as well as Norma’s flighty real-life partner Millie Martindale (Amanda Farbstein) reached an interesting agreement four years earlier: The foursome live “next door” to each other so that it appears as if they are all good friends and neighbors.

Left to right: Norma (Leslie Waggoner), Millie (Amanda Farbstein), Jim (Alex Rodriguez), and Bob (Brad Satterwhite). Photo by Tracy Martin.

In reality, they go into an obviously symbolic closet full of clothes at night so that they can spend their evenings with their same-sex partners.

Much of the humor comes from people constantly showing up at Millie and Norma’s apartment when one of the men is there – and one of the women isn’t. Then it’s up to the remaining woman to explain where her husband is – or why her female friend is there instead.

(L-R) Millie (Amanda Rose Farbstein) chats on the phone while Norma (Leslie Waggoner) listens in. Photo credit: Tracy Martin.

The play starts out during a cocktail party, supposedly put on by Millie and Bob, attended by Bob’s boss, Ted Sunderson (John Mannion) and his ultra-rich, ultra-snobbish wife Kitty (Erica Wyman).

Time-out right here: Does anyone notice that Millie brings in gigantic cocktails festooned with little umbrellas, hands them out to the partygoers, and then, after taking one sip of their drinks, the Sundersons leave?

Faux paux 2: Millie collects everyone’s drinks and takes them back into her kitchen. What kind of party is this???

Christie’s direction is anything but subtle. Wyman’s wealthy Kitty seems to enjoy lording it over the other women. She invites Norma to go to the opera with her, which gives costume designer Bethany Deal an opportunity to come up with some lovely long gowns and mink stoles.

Photo: Tracy Martin.

D’Angelo Reyes’ scenic design is a highlight. The expansive stage looks exactly what you’d expect of a large living room/dining room from the 1950s complete with a stone fireplace, a wall-mounted clock and comfy couch.

Another rather weird stage direction happens at the play’s end. One at a time, all four of the main characters decide to stop hiding their true identities, even though it means leaving their loving partners. One by one they walk to the center front of the stage, stare off into space a moment, walk two steps down to audience level, look left and walk off, leaving the audience wondering exactly what that means and what happens to them after that.

FINAL NOTE: ALERT! For the remainder of the run of Perfect Arrangement, the role of Bob will be played by Alex Kirschner due to the fact that Brad Satterwhite broke his leg! and is unable to continue performing. Get better soon Brad!

-30

Aisle Seat Executive Reviewer Joanne Engelhardt is a Peninsula theatre writer and critic. She is a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC). Contact: joanneengelhardt@comcast.net

 

ProductionPerfect Arrangement
Written byTopher Payne
Directed byTyler Christie
Producing CompanyHillbarn Theatre
Production DatesThru Mar 26th
Production Address1285 E Hillsdale Blvd, Foster City, CA 94404
Websitewww.hillbarntheatre.org
Telephone(659) 349-6411
Tickets$32-$60
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3.5/5
Performance3/5
Script3.5/5
Stagecraft3/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?----

Other voices…

"[A] clever canapé of a comedy... Mr. Payne is a deft and witty writer."
The New York Times
“As hiding gets harder, pitch-perfect comedy ensues: slamming doors, strange disguises, preposterous excuses [….] Eventually, the four must decide whether face-saving domestic lies are worth it, or whether ostracism beats living in fear. In our own era of surveillance and paranoia, their mid-century problems don’t feel so far away.”
The New Yorker
"This is truly what a play should be. Thought-provoking, but with loads of laughs, this terrific show strikes the perfect balance between harsh social criticism and comedy."
Triangle Arts & Entertainment
"The best thing about Topher Payne’s fabulous "Perfect Arrangement" is its pitch-perfect capture of the 1950s comic voice, and its application to the dreadfully serious drama."
DC Theatre Scene
"Introduces audiences to a piece of theatre where tragedy and farce wrap around each other like strands of DNA. It's two distinct plays telling the same hilarious and heartbreaking story... "Perfect Arrangement" drags history out of the closet."
Memphis Flyer
"At a time when discrimination and witch hunts are increasingly becoming the norm again, Theatrical Outfit’s new Perfect Arrangement feels like a lot more than just snappy entertainment — it’s mandatory, topical viewing, as well as a glimpse back at a sad moment in history."ArtsAtl.Org

PICK! ASR THEATER ~~ Heartfelt Story: Fannie Lou Hamer Celebrated at TheatreWorks

By Joanne Engelhardt

You know you’re in for a story about the plight of Southern Black people when you take your seat in the Lucie Stern Theater in Palo Alto for Fannie: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer and see signs all over the theater walls with slogans like “Folks died so you could vote,” “We demand the right to vote,” and “Pass the Civil Rights Bill.”

Then a stubby woman strides down one of the theater’s aisles, gallops up the steps pronouncing her presence and begins a 66-minute dialogue – interrupted only a few times by a line or two from one of the men in the three-person musical orchestra – and by the glorious 1960s gospel songs she sings.

…“To hope is to vote!” — activist/civil rights hero Fannie Lou Hamer…

The magnificent Greta Oglesby immerses herself in the role of civil rights advocate Fannie Lou Hamer who was a simple 44-year-old sharecropper in Louisville, Mississippi when she took on that mantel after learning that President Lyndon B. Johnson was trying to get Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act.

One day Fannie and seventeen others went to the county courthouse to register to vote, but just about everyone else in her town had different ideas. The would-be registrants never even got in the door. Thinking back on it, Fannie declares “We were only trying to register! Imagine if we were actually trying to vote!!”

TheatreWorks artistic director Tim Bond gives Oglesby all the space she needs to exhibit the emotions – from joy to pain and agony – that created the firebrand Fannie became.

One of the most difficult scenes to watch is Fannie telling what happened to her when she was thrown into jail – first alone, but then put in with four male prisoners, both black and white. Listening as she describes being sodomized by one, then another, and another and another, can make your blood boil. Such experiences only made Fannie more resolved than ever that she and “her kind” deserved to both be equal and to have the right to vote.

When Oglesby belts out her gospel songs, she makes the audience feel they are in her church, complete with a sporadic “hallelujah” from the men who add so much, both with their voices and their fine instrumentation—music director Morgan E, Stevenson on keyboards and harmonica, Spencer Guitar on guitars, and Leonard Maddox Jr. on drums.

At one point Fannie urges the audience to join her in a rousing rendition of “This Little Light of Mine.” The audience sings first altogether, then she divides the crowd and has half sing, then the other half. By then she has everyone in her pocket, stomping their feet and singing out as if in a Southern church gospel service.

Photo Credit: Kevin Berne

Aided by Miko S. Simmons’ projections, scenic designer Andrea Bechert does a masterful job of creating a set that switches from scenes of marches and demonstrations to intimate times in Fannie’s living room. Ronnie Rafael Alcaraz’s lighting adds another dimension to many scenes as does Gregory Robinson’s sound.

Yet  this reviewer found something wanting in playwright Cheryl L. West’s scant (one hour, six minutes) script. At one point Oglesby marched off the stage and a slide came up telling the audience that Fannie Lou died of heart failure in 1977, a few months shy of her 60th birthday. Then Oglesby came out to take a bow. The ending is so abrupt – and the play itself so short! – that this reviewer assumed it was an intermission.

Clearly, this is a production with a lot of heart. What it lacks is a clear view of when it needs to stop ticking.

-30

Aisle Seat Executive Reviewer Joanne Engelhardt is a Peninsula theatre writer and critic. She is a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC). Contact: joanneengelhardt@comcast.net

 

ProductionFannie: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer
Written by
Cheryl L. West
Directed byTim Bond
Producing CompanyTheatreWorks Silicon Valley
Production DatesThru Apr 2nd, 2023
Production AddressLucie Stern Theater
1305 Middlefield Road Palo Alto, CA
Websitewww.theatreworks.org
Telephone(877) 662-8978
Tickets$30- $90
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4/5
Script3/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?YES!

Other Voices…

"Inspired by her life story and filled with her music, FANNIE is a hopeful rallying cry that honors the spirit of a true revolutionary."
Actors Theatre of Louisville
[the play is] "...welcoming to all people and highly entertaining. For those who know little about Hamer’s life, there is a willingness to inform. For those that do, there’s an impulse to celebrate the achievements of what turned out to be an extraordinary American life..."
Chicago Tribune
..."rich in memorable vignettes, just as the song-laden show abounds in energy, wit and aspiration."
Chicago On the Aisle
"...As Hamer ruminates on the problems of the 1960s — police brutality, victim blaming, gentrification, the education gap and voter suppression, among them — the unsettling parallels to life in 2020's deepen. Even before the play evokes Harriet Tubman and John Lewis, the message crystallizes: If these heroes fought for what’s right in the face of unspeakable turmoil and trauma, what’s your excuse for apathy?"
Washington Post

ASR Theater: Commentary ~~ Adding a New Touch to Our Reviews: “Other Voices”

By Kris Neely

America’s theater community is blessed to have some of the USA’s best critics and writers in the business. For example, our ASR critics have written for local, regional, and national theater publications! 

The writing, critiques, and opinions of theater pros outside of the Bay Area are what I believe constitute “Other Voices” in the theater. With that in mind, I’ve decided that from now on, ASR will add some of those voices to a table at the end of as many reviews as practicable, much like this table of “Other Voices” for the play Fannie:

"Inspired by her life story and filled with her music, FANNIE is a hopeful rallying cry that honors the spirit of a true revolutionary."
Actors Theatre of Louisville
[the play is] "...welcoming to all people and highly entertaining. For those who know little about Hamer’s life, there is a willingness to inform. For those that do, there’s an impulse to celebrate the achievements of what turned out to be an extraordinary American life..."
Chicago Tribune
..."rich in memorable vignettes, just as the song-laden show abounds in energy, wit and aspiration."
Chicago On the Aisle
"...As Hamer ruminates on the problems of the 1960s — police brutality, victim blaming, gentrification, the education gap and voter suppression, among them — the unsettling parallels to life in 2020's deepen. Even before the play evokes Harriet Tubman and John Lewis, the message crystallizes: If these heroes fought for what’s right in the face of unspeakable turmoil and trauma, what’s your excuse for apathy?"
Washington Post

I’m doing this for a few reasons:

  • First, now more than ever before, there is much competition for the mind of American entertainment-minded citizens: network television, cable television, Netflix, Disney, HBO, Apple TV, and on and on. 
  • Even movie houses are changing their pricing model to one that, in certain metro areas, might charitably be described as predatory. 
  • And then there’s the cost of theater tickets (more on that in a moment.) 

Net-net: it can be challenging to sort out what’s (quite literally) worth watching and what should be passed on.

And returning to the issue of the cost of theater tickets, this point proves itself. Eventually, theater owners will realize there are limits to what folks will pay to see a play at a “Big Theater” or the community theater down the street. (In 2023, the average price of a ticket to a Broadway show is $189!)

Therefore, I believe adding additional reference material in the form of comments/extracts from critics outside the Bay Area has value to ASR’s readers. 

Now some folks might ask if a version of, The Lion in Winter might be “different” at, say, Pittsburg Community Theater vs. the Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago, and the answer is “Yes, to be sure. Lights, props, type of stage, quality of actors, Equity vs. local actors, director’s interpretation of the play, even the quality of the audience seats — all these things and more mean two productions of the same show will be different. No question.”

But — generally speaking — the script is 99% the same. 

Does this mean that if our “Other Voices” table authors say a given play is “amazing,” you will find it similar? No, to be honest, you may well hate it. Or love it. (The theater is a worthy home for the phrase, “Your mileage may vary.”) 

But Mom and Dad can sleep better knowing that thumbs up or down, they went to see a play (and too often spending over $100 for the honor) knowing what our critics and other theater professionals think about the script. 

Now all this additional writing, opinions, criticism, and input should not significantly impact your experience watching a play. What makes me say that? 

Because I believe an informed audience is a better audience. Better at understanding a play’s plot(s), motivations, and themes. Better able to appreciate an actor’s interpretation of a role. Even better able to enjoy the technical skills at work in the theater.

Therefore I hope you’ll find value in these additional “Other Voices.” Thanks for your time and attention and for reading Aisle Seat Review.

 

Kris Neely

Kris Neely

ASR Founder & Editor-in-Chief

 

ASR Art ~~ Sargent and Spain: A Celebration at SF’s Legion of Honor

By George Maguire

San Francisco’s gorgeous Legion of Honor Museum is hosting a stunning exhibition of American painter John Singer Sargent ((1856-1925).

Sargent is recognized as the great portrait painter of his generation. His work exemplifies the lap of luxury elite of the Edwardian era. His vast portraiture work includes Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Claude Monet, actress Ellen Terry, and John D. Rockefeller.

John Singer Sargent. Photo: Wikipedia.

Sargent’s admiration for the great Spanish painters Goya, Velazquez and El Greco is evident in his ever changing early styles as he came into his own as an artist. Sargent’s oeuvre consisted of over 900 oils, some 2,000 exquisite watercolors and numerous sketches and studies and never before presented photographs, many seen here at this exhibit.

John Singer Sargent, “Majorcan Fisherman,” 1908, oil on canvas.

Although born of American parents, he spent the majority of his life in Europe. His travels took him to Venice, Corfu, the Middle East, Montana, Maine, Florida, and Spain, the concentration of this exhibition. Sargent visited Spain seven times from 1879-1912. His detailed breadth of work brings to life these excursions and his fascination with Spanish culture.

“Prepare to be flabbergasted!” — The Washington Post

Organized by the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., the rare exhibition is showcased in this sole West Coast stop.

John Singer Sargent, La Carmencita, ca. 1890

To view Sargent’s brush strokes of the grand dancer Carmencita (1890) is in itself reason enough to arrange a trip. It is as if the dresses swirl into our eyes with delicate precision. One can feel her dancing for us. His vast collection of male nudes and sailors sealed his reputation as a provocateur and simultaneously, a not-so-open homosexual.

What fascinates the viewer are the eyes of his subjects and our own imagination as they look directly at us – alluring, inviting…questioning?

This exhibition at San Francisco’s Legion of Honor Museum runs through May 14, 2023, offering a vast look at one of America’s most prodigious artists. While there, visit Gallery 7 and view the recent acquisition of the painting by Canaletto, Venice, the Grand Canal looking east with Santa Maria della Salute. This beautiful work hung in Gordon and Ann Getty’s house before the vast Getty collection was auctioned off, and was gifted to the museum by Diane “Dede” Wilsey.

Venice, the Grand Canal Looking East towards the Bacino. By Canaletto.

I was speaking recently with renowned sculptor Roger Arvid Anderson about the museums here in San Francisco. He said that we in San Francisco are fortunate to have such varieties of touring shows and exhibitions which give us access to the finest, whether it is Tut or Ansel Adams.

Or John Singer Sargent. Don’t miss it!

  • Event: John Singer Sargent at the Legion of Honor Museum
  • Address: 100 34th Street (at Clement) San Francisco, 94121.
  • Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 9:30-5:15 (Dark Monday.)
  • Tickets: Adults $15.00, Seniors (65+) $12.00, Students $6.00, Members free.
  • Website: Web@famsf.org
  • Information: (415) 750-3600
  • Extras: On-site Café open until 3:30.

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ASR Contributing Writer George Maguire is a San Francisco based actor and director. and a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. He is a Professor Emeritus of Solano College. Contact: gmaguire1204@yahoo.com

 

PICK! ASR Film & Video ~~ Documentary About Primo Writer & Editor Toiling in Tandem is Powerful

By Woody Weingarten

Robert Caro is a powerful Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer. He’s 87.

Robert Gottlieb is a powerful book editor. He’s 91.

Put ‘em together and they’ll fight with fervor over semi-colons (and, of course, much larger issues.)

Put ‘em together and they’ll work in tandem for half a century and produce Caro’s multi-book bio about Lyndon B. Johnson’s power (and desperation.)

Biographer Robert Caro (left) and editor Robert Gottlieb have become friends after squabbling over Caro’s books for 50 years. Photo by Claudia Raschke, courtesy Wild Surmise Productions, LLC, and Sony Pictures

Now the two bespectacled Bobs are featured in a new Sony Pictures documentary, Turn Every Page, directed by Gottlieb’s daughter, Lizzie. It, too, is powerful. The film starts with a close-up of the dual titans of literature poring over a manuscript; it ends with them walking down hallways in search of “real” pencils, the yellow kind with erasers at their ends.

…if you’re…interested in literature, books, writing, or editing, this doc must be on your “must see” list…

In between, Gottlieb says he knew after reading merely 15 pages of The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York, the first Caro book he edited, that the bio was “going to be a masterpiece.” He notes, too, that Caro “is now working on Volume 5 of the three-volume biography” of Johnson. Caro, who takes about seven years to research and write a book, says he doesn’t “think anything was harder” than his first LBJ volume, and recalls the original million words of the Moses bio and the 350,000-word cuts necessary for the spine to carry the book’s weight.

Both admit to long-standing difficulty with the other. Says Gottlieb, “It’s not that I was trying to tear his bleeding heart out of his chest.”

The years have softened them, though. And although they don’t hang like buddies, the documentary tells of multiple Caro and Gottlieb intersections: Both are New York City Jews. Both had troubled childhoods. Both are workaholics.

And both clearly want to get everything right (and complete.)

Both are also quirky.

Caro, who was an investigative reporter for Newsweek before he turned to writing books, takes the carbon copies from his Smith Corona electric typewriter and squeezes them into a small space over his refrigerator; Gottlieb, who was editor-in-chief of Simon & Schuster, Alfred A. Knopf, and The New Yorker, collects what he calls “love objects,” hundreds of plastic women’s pocketbooks.

Caro (left) and Gottlieb promote Caro’s first book. Photo by Martha Kaplan, courtesy Wild Surmise Productions, LLC, and Sony Pictures

Turn Every Page: The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb isn’t, however, just talking heads of the two. It features, in addition to several clips of LBJ (emphasizing civil rights and “equal opportunity”), a slightly bedraggled Colin Farrell reading from a Caro book; an interview with Bill Clinton; and lots of flashing covers of books Gottlieb edited (Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 as well as volumes by Clinton, Toni Morrison, Salman Rushdie, Nora Ephron, and John le Carré.)

Though she emphasizes the literary collaboration, Lizzie also focuses on the personal. Her father, for example, talks about his mom making him “stand outside for an hour every day” just to get some air, because he preferred staying inside buried in books; Caro opens up about walking along the street, finding every other person holding some sort of device, and feeling “out of touch” with modern life.

Caro’s series portrays LBJ’s duality — the visionary reformer and the conniving opportunist (who was elected to the U.S. Senate by fewer than 90 votes “cast a week after the election”.) Using the technique of a novelist, he humanized him. And showed how power affects the powerless.

Absent from the documentary are the pair’s working conversations; Caro insisted the sound be turned off because “it’s kind of a private thing.”

Lizzie Gottlieb and Robert Caro enjoy the outdoors together. Photo by Mott Hupfel, courtesy Wild Surmise Productions, LLC, and Sony Pictures

Lizzie says the two are “in a tortoise-like race against time to finish their life’s work.” Gottlieb says he feels bad about being old because it means you’re heading “faster and faster toward not being at all.”

Before the doc ends, Gottlieb praises his friend for being “a word painter — he paints with words.”

There are numerous take-aways from Turn Every Page, many more than Caro likes semi-colons, Gottlieb doesn’t. So, if you’re the least bit interested in literature, books, writing, or editing, this doc must be on your “must see” list.

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ASR Senior Contributor Woody Weingarten has decades of experience writing arts and entertainment reviews and features. A member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle,  he is the  author of three books, The Roving I; Grampy and His Fairyzona Playmates; and Rollercoaster: How a Man Can Survive His Partner’s Breast Cancer. Contact: voodee@sbcglobal.net or https://woodyweingarten.com or http://www.vitalitypress.com/

 

TitleTurn Every Page: The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb
Directed byLizzie Gottlieb
Producing CompanySony Pictures Classics
Release DateDec 2022
Runtime1 hr 50 min
ShowingLark Theater in Larkspur
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4.5/5
Production Vakues4.5/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?YES!

ASR Theater ~~ “A Raisin in the Sun” Still Potent Decades Later

By Mitchell Field

Lorraine Vivian Hansberry’s play A Raisin n the Sun opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on March 11, 1959, the first play by an African-American woman to be produced on Broadway. At the age of 29, she became the youngest American playwright to win the The New York Drama Critics Award for Best Play. It was nominated for four Tony awards. Five years later, Hansberry died of cancer.

Her subject was life in oppressive circumstances. The current production of Raisin at Santa Rosa’s 6th Street Playhouse reminds us that the more things change, the more they stay the same. On designer Jared Sorenson’s intentionally claustrophobic set, the living-room of a cockroach-infested 1950s Southside Chicago apartment, three generations of an African-American family deal with racism, housing-discrimination and assimilation, while awaiting a $10,000 insurance settlement from the death of the family patriarch.

…family, love and forgiveness are more important than money…

For Mama, (KT Masala) it’s money to escape crushing poverty and move to a suburban home of their own–the American Dream. For her married son Walter (Terrance Smith) a discontented chauffeur, it’s a business of his own. For her daughter, bright high-schooler Beneatha (Amara Lawson-Chavanu) it’s to finance college and medical school, while she playfully holds-off suitors including a “fully-assimilated” black man named George (Mark Anthony) and Yoruban-Nigerian immigrant Joseph (Rodney Fierce).

Amra-LawsonChavanu (Beneatha Younger,) Terrance Smith (Walter Lee Younger) and Ash’Lee P. Lackey (Ruth Younger.) Photo by Eric Chazankin.

Walter’s long-suffering wife Ruth (Ash’Lee P. Lackey) and young son Travis (Bless Johnson) do their best to keep the peace.

Mama puts some of the money down on a new house, choosing an all-white neighborhood over a black one because it is cheaper, while Karl Lindner (Jeff Cote) a white representative of their intended neighborhood, makes an offer to buy them out, despite the family’s insistence that they are proud of who they are and will try to be good neighbors.

With the proviso that he bank $3,000 for Beneatha’s education, Mama gives the rest of the money, $6,500, to Walter, to buy a stake in a liquor store with his two streetwise pals, Willy and Bobo, What could possibly go wrong?

Terrance Smith (Walter Lee Younger,) Kai Nguyen (Travis Younger #2) and KT Masala (Lena Younger “Mama”). Photo by Eric Chazankin.

The New York Times called Raisin “the play that changed American theatre forever” and in recent years, publications such as The Independent and Time Out have listed it among the best plays ever written.

The lesson learned from first-time director Leontyne Mbele-Mbong’s excellent 6th Street Playhouse production is that family, love and forgiveness are more important than money.

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Mitchell Field is a Sr. Contributing Writer for Aisle Seat Review. Based in Marin County, Mr. Field is an actor and voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC). Contact: mitchfield@aol.com

 

ProductionRaisin in the Sun
Written byLorraine Hansberr
Directed byLeontyne Mbele-Mbong
Producing Company6th Street Playhouse
Production DatesThru Mar 26th, 2023
Production Address6th Street Playhouse
52 W. 6th Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Websitehttp://www.6thstreetplayhouse.com
Telephone (707) 523-4185
Tickets$22 to $48
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3/5
Performance3/5
Script5/5
Stagecraft3/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?YES!

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ “Into the Woods” A Delightful Stroll at Foothill Theatre Arts

By Joanne Engelhardt

There’s nothing like a relatively small theater to enable audiences to appreciate the wonder, the magic and the magnificence of Stephen Sondheim’s way with words.

That’s what’s in store for anyone lucky enough to get a ticket to the current Foothill Theatre Arts production of Into the Woods, running through March 19 under the capable direction of Milissa Carey.

Several powerful voices in this version of Woods greatly add to the overall experience. Caitlin Gjerdrum, in the pivotal role of the Witch, excels in both acting and singing.

(L-R) Alicia Teeter, James Schott, and Caitlin Gjerdrum in “Into The Woods”. Photo by David Allen.

Equally strong in the vocal department is James Schott as the Baker, Alicia Teeter as the Baker’s Wife and, as the Narrator/Mysterious Man, Michael Paul Hirsch brings those characters to life in new, interesting ways.

”…the magnificence of Stephen Sondheim’s way with words.”

Into the Woods first opened on Broadway in 1987 with Sondheim providing the music and lyrics and James Lapine, the book. It won three Tony Awards that year – for best score, best book and best actress.

The story primarily involves fairy tale characters from Jack and the Bean Stock, Little Red Ridinghood, Cinderella, and Rapunzel, with several others having lesser roles.

Characters galore! Jack’s Mother, Cinderella, Witch, Baker, Cinderella’s Prince, Florinda, Lucinda, Rapunzel’s Prince, Stepmother, Mysterious Man, Little Red, and Baker’s Wife at work in Foothill’s “Into The Woods”. Photo by David Allen.

Music and lyrics, of course, are key and here’s where Sondheim shines. The song “Into the Woods” is interwoven throughout the show, but there’s also the haunting “Last Midnight,” “Children Will Listen” and “No One is Alone.”

There are many lighter musical moments as well, including “Hello, Little Girl,” sung by the Wolf to Little Red Riding Hood,” “A Very Nice Prince,” “Agony,” and “It Takes Two.”

Carey’s production team is top-notch as well. Scenic designer Yusuke Soi had his work cut out for him, trying to fit this big musical onto the Lohman Theater stage. But he came through with flying colors, making a tree-filled woods, several homes, a bakery, Grandma’s house and a special giant tree all fit.

He even made the orchestra part of the woods. By putting them at the rear center of the stage, audience members get to watch Horsley conduct a top-notch seven-person orchestra play the score.

Soi also is responsible for the remarkable design and construction of the hapless cow, Milky White. Some productions have two people wear a cow costume to play this character, but Soi’s design is remarkably fluid. Kudos, too, to Mateo Urquidez, who easily manipulated the cow character.

In many ways, the story line involving the Baker and his wife very much wanting to have a baby is just an excuse for stringing together beautiful Sondheim songs.  Just to cite two examples, read carefully and “listen” to his words, first in “Prologue Into the Woods”… 

“Into the woods without regret,
The choice is made, the task is set.
Into the woods, but not forgetting
why I’m on the journey.”

And then in the song “Children Will Listen”…

“Careful the things you say
Children will listen
Careful the things you do
Children will see and learn
Children may not obey, but children will listen”

 

Both, amazing and classically Sondheim.

Costume designer Sharon Peng’s amazing talent at work. Photo by David Allen.

Costume designer Sharon Peng did an outstanding job of creating the colorful outfits that seemed right for each storybook character as well as the ordinary people in the town. Lighting is a key part of the show as well, and Pamila Grey didn’t disappoint.

Two other production staff deserve mention: What good are song lyrics if they can’t be heard? Sound designer Andy Heller makes sure that doesn’t happen. Finally, Kayson Kordestani’s choreography works beautifully on the small stage.

To sum up: A beautifully presented production that shouldn’t be missed.

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Aisle Seat Executive Reviewer Joanne Engelhardt is a Peninsula theatre writer and critic. She is a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC). Contact: joanneengelhardt@comcast.net

 

ProductionInto The Woods
Book by / Music & Lyrics byJames Lapine / Stephen Sondheim
Directed byMilissa Carey
Producing CompanyFoothill Music Theatre
Production DatesThrough March 19th
Production AddressFoothill College
12345 El Monte Rd.
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
Websitewww.foothill.edu/theatre
Telephone(650) 949-7360
Tickets$20 - $40
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4.5/5
Performance4.5/5
Script4.5/5
Stagecraft4.5/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?YES!

PICK! ASR Music ~~ Opera to Die For: Tosca in Livermore

by Jeff Dunn

Never have I been so disappointed at Scarpia’s dying as I did during Livermore Opera’s production of Tosca in Act 2. Why? Because Aleksey Bogdanov’s portrayal of the lecherous 1800 Police Chief of Rome was so world class, I wanted to scream for a new version of the plot where he avoids the knife of Tosca (lovely-voiced Ann Toomey), and goes on in person to further evil deeds in Act 3.

(L-R) Ann Toomey and Aleskey Bogdanov in “Tosca”.

The Odesa-born Bogdanov immigrated to San Francisco in 1992, and has received many accolades since his debut with the Opera Theater of St. Louis in 2008. His Scarpia has been honed, not only in accuracy, clarity, and beauty of voice, but also in dramatic facial expression and gesture. Lesser Scarpias growl out their notes so much that many listeners don’t realize that Puccini gave the role real arias to sing. All of them were there for us to revel in, thanks to Mr. Bogdanov and Bruce Donnell’s stage direction. Facially, I must point out Bogdanov’s mastery of Scarpia-mouth, a fishy circle somehow combining both sneer and command. Hypnotic.

…an unforgettable evening reviving an operatic standard…

And there were blessings beyond the must see/hear Bogdanov. Alex Boyer’s always outstanding tenor graced the role of Tosca’s lover Cavaradossi. Bojan Knežević elicited vocal resonance, physicality and audience chuckles in his characterization of the Sacristan. Kirk Eichelberger conveyed forceful desperation as the escaped prisoner Angelotti. Lily MacDonald contributed a plaintive tinge to her offstage shepherd to open Act 3. Susan Memmott Allred’s costume designs were historically appropriate, and especially lavish for Tosca and Scarpia.

(L-R) Alex Boyer and Ann Toomey in “Tosca”.

Jean-François Revon’s set designs for the first two acts were another highlight, with video mapping and effects by Frédéric Boulay. There was an almost subterranean take on the dark arches of the Church of Sant’Andreadella Valle veering off at an odd angle in Act 1, and a surprise computer manipulation of projected curtains to shut off Tosca’s offstage cantata in Act 2. The set for Act 3 seemed a bit too Spartan, with no cell for Cavaradossi. That, coupled with a lack of action on the part of the guards, made the opening of the act seem too long.

Finally, there was conductor Alex Katsman’s careful handling of the chamber orchestra and chorus, including the excellent Cantabella Children’s Chorus. I only wish he had added a little more oomph to accents in the ominous, chaconne-like accompaniment at the end of Act 2 while Tosca ponders her future and discovers the murder weapon.

“Tosca” cast at work.

Otherwise, he and all the Livermore Opera artists put together an unforgettable evening reviving an operatic standard. Even if Scarpia had to die, Bogdanov, receiving a vociferous standing ovation at the end of his act, did get to go home early to prepare more evil juice for his Sunday matinee.

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Jeff Dunn is ASR’s Classical Music Section Editor. A retired educator and project manager, he’s been writing music and theater reviews for Bay Area and national journals since 1995. He is a member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and the National Association of Composers, USA. His musical Castle Happy (co-author John Freed), about Marion Davies and W.R. Hearst, received a festival production at the Altarena Theater in 2017. His opera Finding Medusa, with librettist Madeline Puccioni, was completed in January 2023. Jeff has won prizes for his photography, and is also a judge for the Northern California Council of Camera Clubs.

ProductionTosca
Composer
Giacomo Puccini
LibrettistGiuseppe Giacosa, Luigi Illica
DirectorBruce Donnell
Producing CompanyLivermore Opera
Production DatesMarch 4, 5, 11, 12, 2023
Production AddressThe Bankhead Theater
2400 First St, Livermore, CA 94551
Websitehttps://livermorearts.org/
Telephone(925) 373-6800
Tickets$20 - $98
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4.5/5
Performance4.5/5
ScriptN/A
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?YES!

ASR Theater ~~ SRJC’s Amusing and Disturbing “Gloria” Examines Toxic Workplace Culture

By Nicole Singley

On the Burbank Studio Theatre stage through March 12th, Santa Rosa Junior College kicks off their spring season with a show that is equal parts funny, heartbreaking, and horrific. A 2016 Pulitzer Prize finalist for Drama, Gloria is both a scathing satire of cutthroat corporate culture and a chilling meditation on the human cost of the all-American rat race. Playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins holds a magnifying glass to contemporary capitalism and unfeeling ambition with an incisive script both worrying and witty.

Braskamp and Bies. Photo by Thomas Chown Photography.

Set in the pre-Covid corporate offices of a major big-city magazine, Gloria is, at face value, a comic exploration of toxic workplace dynamics. But something darker lurks beneath the surface. It opens with office gossip about a coworker’s poorly-attended housewarming party, while wads of cash are repeatedly shoved at the office intern to facilitate arbitrary trips to the vending machine. But when another ordinary day at the office turns out to be anything but, who will get the story, and will they tell it responsibly?

Musser as Lorin. Photo by Thomas Chown Photography.

Nate Musser delivers a stand-out performance as jaded fact-checker Lorin, argyle sweater-clad and stuck in a dead-end role, on the verge of an early mid-life crisis. Earning big laughs in Act 1 and evoking great compassion in Act 2, Musser brings humor and pathos to the role, acting as empathetic ballast against the self-serving, soulless attitudes of others in the office. He is excellent and impeccably cast.

Bies and Lubin. Photo by Thomas Chown Photography.

Juliya Lubin is impressively versatile in diametrically opposed roles, acting first as the play’s title character, Gloria, a shy and socially awkward office worker, and later as Nan, a high-powered executive who struggles to remember the names and faces of her subordinates. Both are difficult roles and central to the show’s core conflicts, and Lubin moves between them convincingly and with ease.

Braskamp and Philidor. Photo by Thomas Chown Photography.

McDieun Philidor, Trevor Braskamp, and Lizzy Bies are also strong in multiple roles. Philidor and Braskamp play particularly well together in Act 1 as budding office intern (Philidor) and former intern/aspiring writer turned languishing editorial assistant (Braskamp), highlighting the tension that often exists between colleagues balancing on different rungs of the corporate ladder and climbing (or not climbing) at very different speeds.

…the cast and crew at SRJC are serving up a worthwhile production…

Nina Nguyen is tasked with some of the play’s longer monologues and much of the comic relief. Given this, it’s unfortunate that on opening night Nguyen struggled with delivery and pacing, resulting in speech that felt stilted and contrived. Emotional reactions to the other characters felt forced and unnatural, too, though opening-night nerves may have contributed. Despite these miscues, Nguyen brings great energy to a demanding role and sustains that energy throughout. She’s enjoyable to watch in the process.

Nina Nguyen. Photo by Thomas Chown Photography.

Lighting (Chris Cota) and sound (Alex Clark) are aptly designed and mostly spot-on, though some of the sound effects could perhaps be louder. This may have been a deliberate decision on Clark’s or director Leslie McCauley’s part, for reasons I can’t divulge without giving too much away. An opening night snag led to a lengthier scene change in Act 2, but transitions were otherwise well executed. A simple but skillfully constructed set and complementary props create an atmosphere that really feels like an office, and transforms easily into a coffee shop and back again.

Gloria contemplates the cost of living in a culture that asks only how we can capitalize on our tragedies instead of learn from them and ultimately, prevent them. It’s challenging and timely material that offers much food for thought, and despite a few rough edges on opening night, the cast and crew at SRJC are serving up a worthwhile production. This reviewer recommends it, though younger audiences and those in search of lighter fare are cautioned to steer clear of this one.

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Nicole Singley is a Senior Contributing Writer and Editor at Aisle Seat Review and a voting member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle, Sonoma County’s Marquee Theater Journalists Association, and the American Theatre Critics Association.

 

 

 

ProductionGloria
Written by
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Directed byLeslie McCauley
Producing CompanySRJC Theatre Arts
Production DatesThru Mar 12th, 2023
Production AddressBurbank Studio Theatre
SRJC Santa Rosa Campus
1501 Mendocino Ave
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Websitetheatrearts.santarosa.edu
Telephone(707) 527-4307
Tickets$5- $25
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3.5/5
Performance3.5/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft3.5/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?----

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ “Cambodian Rock Band” a Must-See at Berkeley Rep

By Barry Willis

Human history is an appalling parade of atrocities. Warfare is among the worst recurring nightmares, but perhaps even worse are purges within one nationality or ethnicity when large swaths of the population are swept up in an insane movement to create a new society.

That’s exactly what happened in Cambodia in the mid-to-late 1970s, when the Khmer Rouge took over the country, hell-bent on eliminating the past, to such an extent that they called the date of their takeover “Year Zero.” And as always happens when zealots gain control, they rounded up Cambodian intellectuals, academics, trained professionals, artists, and musicians with the intent of eliminating them.

Inspired by the communist takeover of Indonesia in 1965 and the Chinese cultural revolution—the “Great Leap Forward”—the zealotry of the Khmer Rouge was so extreme that anyone with knowledge of a foreign language, or even wearing eyeglasses, was suspected of being a subversive and a class enemy. Approximately 25% of Cambodian’s population perished in what was called the “Super Great Leap Forward”—a genocide perpetuated by their own countrymen.

…superb actors, dancers, and musicians—a stunning assortment of stage talents…

That’s the background of Lauren Yee’s Cambodian Rock Band at Berkeley Repertory Theatre through April 2. The interlocking core stories include a musician named Chum (Joseph Ngo) held in the notorious S-21 prison—really an extermination center where of approximately 20,000 prisoners, only seven or eight survived—and his return in 2008 to see his American daughter Neary (Geena Quintos), there working with a multi-national investigative group. There are also tangential references to ethnic animosities among Cambodians, Vietnamese, and Thai people.

The depiction of life in S-21 is lengthy and grim (set by Takeshi Kata) but book-ended by upbeat rock music, much of it derived from L.A. band Dengue Fever. The show opens in the mid 1970s with Chum’s band finishing their first album in a studio in the capital city of Phnom Penh, an effort that runs so late that they can’t escape approaching Khmer Rouge troops.

The band at work in “Cambodian Rock Band” at Berkeley Rep. Photo: Berkeley Rep.

It closes with a rousing performance in the present by the same band—Ngo on guitar, Moses Villarama on bass, Jane Lui on keyboard and backing vocals, Geena Quintos on lead vocals, and Abraham Kim on drums.

They’re all superb actors, dancers, and musicians—a stunning assortment of stage talents. Prolific actor Francis Jue is outstanding as the MC, narrator, hyper-kinetic lead performer, and as the despicable head of S-21.

Francis Jue at work at Berkeley Rep. Photo: Berkeley Rep

The net effect for an audience is that Cambodian Rock Band is a sugar-coated historical horror story—the sugar coating being the opening and closing rock performances that help viewers forget their immersion in misery. Yee’s beautifully conceived and realized message is that art and music have power to transcend savagery.

We can only hope.

There’s widespread belief that Cambodian Rock Band originated at Berkeley Rep. In fact, the show has been performed many times over the past four years. Ngo and Villarama have performed in several productions. The set at the Roda Theatre was built at Berkeley Rep and will travel when the show goes on tour. However that plays out, Cambodian Rock Band is a fantastic spectacle and one of the most compelling productions so far this year.

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Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: barry.m.willis@gmail.com

 

 

ProductionCambodian Rock Band
Written by
Lauren Yee
Directed byChay Yew
Producing CompanyBerkeley Repertory Theatre
Production DatesThrough Apr 2nd, 2023
Production Address2025 Addison Street, Berkeley CA 94704
Websitewww.berkeleyrep.org
Telephone(510) 647-2900
Tickets$49 - $123
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?YES!

ASR Theater ~~ Gordon Dahlquist’s “Tea Party” More Political Future-Scape than “Mad Hatter”

By Susan Dunn

Tea Party opens on a black box stage with political interrogation. No set distracts us from the fireworks to come. A government agent (Cassidy Brown) rips into a political prisoner, exposing her liberal, left-wing persuasions. A right-wing prisoner joins the cross-examination, and is physically brutalized and bloodied by the agent.

(L-R): Livia Gomes Demarchi and Cassidy Brown. Photo by Cheshire Isaacs

Many such scenes ensue, transitioned by music of competing voices ranging from choral to hard rock. The first scenes are from the present, then revert to the past, and finally address the future, playing out in that sequence. One is left hoping the scenes come together into a sensible tableau by the end of the play. More on that later.

Dahlquist’s play posits that the Tea Party movement–which began during the presidency of Barack Obama and effectively over time changed our politics to a zero-sum game–has created this nation’s current divisions.

From “Tea Party” Photo by Jeff Rumans.

I think there is a real misunderstanding about what the Tea Party movement is. The Tea Party movement is a sentiment that government is broken, free market principles have been abandoned, with both parties to blame,  and if we don’t do something soon, this exceptional country will be lost.

…a strong cast of featured actors…

So agrees director Erin Merritt, in her director’s notes. She exhorts us to recognize this nationwide divide and governmental failure and get involved to bridge it, or civil war will be our future.

Characters represent left-wing, right-wing, and government. All sides are shown with their problems and power struggles exposed. Cassidy Brown, first as a government agent, then as a Dutch journalist, leads us through key scenes, with a strong cast of featured actors assuming different roles. Special mention goes to Anthony Cistaro and Bob Greene who cover their parts with diverse movement and vocal projection.

(L-R) Cassidy Brown and Livia Gomes Demarchi at work in “Tea Party”. Photo by Cheshire Isaacs

Other performers sometimes suffer from static blocking and muffled delivery to an audience surrounding a thrust stage. The many violent scenes are carried out with finesse through the guidance of Dave Maier.

Although delving into the Tea Party is most timely, and delivered to a mainly liberal and politically receptive part of the country, this reviewer believes that Dahlquist’s message could use more dramatic tools to help the audience lock in and see a path to activism. I was also left with the feeling the playwright missed the boat on addressing the impact negative social media has had on our national discourse: enabling the spread of disinformation, distrust, and animosity.

And as mentioned earlier, I felt that better identification of various scenes would have also gone a long way to sustain this viewer’s interest in this otherwise engaging production. This play, and its message, deserve it.

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Since arriving in California from New York in 1991, Susan Dunn has been on the executive boards of Hillbarn Theatre, Altarena Playhouse, Berkeley Playhouse, Virago Theatre and Island City Opera, where she is a development director and stage manager.

An enthusiastic advocate for new productions and local playwrights, she is a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle, and a recipient of a 2015 Alameda County Arts Leadership Award. Contact: susanmdunn@yahoo.com

ProductionTea Party
Written by
Gordon Dahlquist
Directed byErin Merritt
Producing CompanyOne Of Our Own Theater
Production DatesThru Mar 19th, 2023
Production AddressThe Rueff at ACT’s Strand Theater, 1127 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Websitehttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/tea-party-a-world-premiere-play-tickets-528984997367
Telephone-----------------------
Tickets$20- $50
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3/5
Performance3/5
Script3/5
Stagecraft2/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?----

ASR Theater ~~ “Anything Goes” at 42nd Street Moon — Sporadically De-Lightful and De-Lovely

By George Maguire

No one dominated the Broadway scene in the 1930s and 1940s more than the prolific Cole Porter. With 24 musicals beginning with Paris in 1928, Porter’s wit, elegance and astonishing gift of music enriched both the mind and the heart. Cole Porter captivated the zeitgeist and bonhomie of the upper class like no other composer. Richard Rogers took musical theater in a whole other direction with the breakthrough of Oklahoma! in 1943.

What fascinates is that with the exceptions of Anything Goes and Kiss Me Kate no other Cole Porter musical has met the test of time despite often prestigious and memorable songs. Anything Goes opened in 1934 and decades later became one of the most beloved and revived musicals in the Broadway canon—1987 with Patti Lupone and 2011 with Sutton Foster. With original songs “I Get A Kick Out Of You,” “All Through The Night,” “Blow Gabriel Blow,” and “Friendship,” it stormed Broadway with a then record setting run of 420 performances.

…Lisa Danz’s elegant and imaginative costumes pop out with color and taste…

The ridiculously inane and goofy plot (if you can begin to follow it) takes place on a cruise ship crossing the Atlantic from NYC to England. With toe tapping sailors, mistaken identities, crooks and gangsters and ever-changing love affairs, the latest version of the musical is held together with a luscious score filled with interpolated musical numbers (“You’re The Top,” “It’s Delovely”) from the Porter canon. You just sit back and let the memorable, constantly hummable score wrap you in the greatness of an American musical.

Now to the problems and the challenges of this production. The set (by Kuo-Hao Lo) is a monochromatic white boat deck that is desperately in need of some filigree. Like a large roll of paper towels, it is just there and unfortunately feels unfinished. This is not enhanced by the weak lighting design of Sean Keenan.

Only Lisa Danz’s elegant and imaginative costumes pop out with color and taste. Kudos to Ms.Danz’s choice to give the sailors the colors of Ukraine with yellow and blue tops.

All of this is richly enhanced by Robyn Tribuzi’s stunning tap choreography of the title song. It keeps building and building until it bursts with Broadway glory and we are finally at home with Anything Goes.

(L-R) Heather Orth, Jillian A. Smith, Paul Hovannes

The 18-member cast is led by Ashley Cowl as Reno Sweeney (The Ethel Merman role), and Ms. Cowl can do it all. The score is perfectly situated in her head-belt range and she sings it with flair and gusto. In a glorious role reversal casting choice, the role of the inept con-man Moonface Martin, is played with expert comic timing and gorgeous vocals by Heather Orth as a gun toting hilarious gal in a nun’s outfit.

Is there anything Ms. Orth cannot do? Matt Skinner is the stowaway Billy Crocker in love with the already engaged Hope Harcourt (Jas Cook). Mr. Skinner’s sweet tenor and love on his shirt sleeves ardor make for a boyish leading man. His “You’re the Top” duet with Ms. Cowl’s Reno is a particular highlight.

The rest of the cast for me was either inadequate or pushed so hard, I wanted to say “Dial it back.” This is a tough show in which to find a balance, and I kept forgetting who and why some roles were even on stage under Nick Ishimaru’s direction.

The opening night audience was loud and appreciative, but there were empty seat post-intermission. Still, there is that score and delight in the music (led by music director Dave Dubrusky’s four-piece ensemble), as the song goes – takes us back to Manhattan.

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ASR Contributing Writer George Maguire is a San Francisco based actor and director. and a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. He is a Professor Emeritus of Solano College. Contact: gmaguire1204@yahoo.com

 

ProductionAnything Goes
Written by --- Revised by --- Music byGuy Bolton, P.G. Wodehouse --- Lindsay and Crouse --- Cole Porter
Directed byNick Ishimaru
Producing Company42nd Street Moon
Production DatesThru Mar 12, 2023
Production AddressThe Gateway Theatre

176 Jackson Street San Francisco, CA
Website42ndstmoon.org/anything-goes
Telephone(415) 255-8205
Tickets$35 – $80
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3/5
Performance2.5/5
Script2.5/5
Stagecraft3.5/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?----

PICK! ASR Theater ~~”Six the Musical” Sets the Orpheum on Fire!

By Sue Morgan

Kicking off Women’s History Month a few weeks early, Broadway San Francisco couldn’t have made a better choice than with the much awarded Six the Musical, at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco through March 19th.

With a supremely talented all-woman cast, Six takes the audience on an exuberantly wild ride through the trials, tribulations and jubilation of the lives of the six wives of Henry the VIII, reimagined as contemporary pop stars.

Photo: Joan Marcus. “SIX: The Musical” in The City.

Awards, including a Tony for Best Original Score (Music and Lyrics) and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical of the 2021-22 Broadway season, are only part of the story. With its celebration of feminism and up-to-the-minute Millennial and Gen Z-speak, Six appeals to young (and not-so-young) adults in the same way today’s arena megastars do. In fact, the six Queens’ personas, appearance and vocal stylings are literally borrowed from those very same megastars. Opening night, highly amped attendees cheered after every song and responded enthusiastically to the performers’ prompts.

…the energy at times ratcheted to near fever pitch…

With no pretense of historical accuracy, the premise is secondary to the energy, passion, and powerhouse vocals on display as our Queens engage in a competition to determine who will be awarded the coveted title “Leader of the Band.” The women play off one another beautifully, whether bantering, baiting or backing each other, as one by one they take center stage to make their case.

Choreography by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille is brilliant, blending technical jazz, hip-hop and house dance with a smattering of vogueish posing. In combination with the hard rock-driven intensity and volume of the excellent backing band—the “Ladies in Waiting,” the energy at times ratcheted to near fever pitch.

Photo: Joan Marcus. Gabriela Carrillo as Catherine Parr (center) in The North American “SIX The Musical” Tour

Lighting design by Tim Deiling transformed a very basic set into a phantasmagorical Queendom, while costume design by Gabriella Slade gave the Queens an edgy, almost steampunk vibe.

The Queens, without exception, gave outstanding performances. Power ballad “Heart of Stone,” gave Jane Seymour (soon-to-be megastar in her own right, Jasmine Forsberg) the opportunity to display her remarkable range, tremendous vocal power, and technical virtuosity. Anne Boleyn (Broadway performer Storm Lever) displayed perfect comic timing and garnered the lion’s share of laughs during the performance, riffing on, of all things, the fact that she’d been beheaded! “Haus of Holbein,” featured the Queens wearing demented sunglasses, and with frantic circus-like music propelling their exaggerated Berlin-esque accents, added an element of campy fun to an already enormously entertaining show.

Near the end of the performance, the energy shifted into low gear as Catherine Parr (Gabriela Carrillo in one of the most poignant and vulnerable performances of the production) suffered an existential crisis which momentarily brought the action to a halt. After rallying, Catherine pointed out that the Queens had fallen into the trap of comparing themselves in relation to their experiences as wives of Henry VIII. The previously vacuous Anne Boleyn, garnered more laughs with the revelation that doing so “…necessarily elevates a historical approach ingrained in patriarchal structures.” Then, aside to the audience, with a smug look, “I read.”

After pondering how to turn that structure on its head, the group reclaims their personal narratives and rewrites history, allowing each of them to become their own leading lady. To the delight of the audience, the production closes with an electrifying and empowering remix of the song “I Don’t Need Your Love,” followed by “Six.”

Photo: Joan Marcus. The cast of “Six: The Musical” at work.

A rousing and protracted well-deserved standing ovation was accentuated by glittering confetti raining down on the Queens, ala the “golden buzzer” award given to the very best contestants on Simon Cowell’s well-known talent show.

Random audience members—nearly all grinning and exclaiming animatedly to their friends about the performance—were polled as they filed out of the theatre. Many described the production as “Amazing!”, “Fantastic!” or “Unbelievable!” Several gushed, “OMG, it was SO good!” and “I loved it!” while another insisted it was the “Best musical I’ve ever seen!” How many had she seen? “Too many!”

Need I say more?

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Contributing Writer Sue Morgan is a literature-and-theater enthusiast in Sonoma County’s Russian River region. Contact: sstrongmorgan@gmail.com

 

 

ProductionSix: The Musical
Written ByLucy Moss/Toby Marlow
Directed byLucy Moss/Jamie Armitage
Producing CompanyBroadwaySF
Production DatesThrough Mar 19th
Production AddressThe Orpheum
1192 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Websitehttps://www.broadwaysf.com
Telephone(888) 746-1799
TicketsVariable. Up to $263.50, subject to change (rush tickets/discounts available)
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4.5/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft3/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?YES!

ASR Theater ~~ Incomplete History Lesson: “Justice: A New Musical” at MTC

By Barry Willis

Power outages caused by high winds threatened to scuttle the press opener of Justice: A New Musical at Marin Theatre Company this past Tuesday Feb. 21. MTC officials were almost ready to reschedule when the power returned after the opening scene. It was stressful for cast, crew, and audience alike but good luck prevailed.

Ably directed by Ashley Rodbro, the production is the latest from prolific playwright Lauren Gunderson, author of the wonderful Silent Sky among many other works, and MTC’s playwright-in-residence.

…Gunderson’s tale is an engaging one…

Justice tells the tale of the first three female Supreme Court justices. A musical without choreography (book by Gunderson, lyrics by Kait Kerrigan, music by Bree Lowdermilk), it begins with Sandra Day O’Connor’s ascension to the high court in 1981, followed by Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 1993 and later, Sonia Sotomayor, the court’s first Latina justice.

Stephanie Prentice nails the role of Sotomayor and narrates much of the story, primarily conveyed in operetta fashion through song. Karen Murphy embodies O’Connor’s reticent Republican/Episcopalian personality, and Lynda DiVito is perfectly cast as the diminutive intellectual powerhouse Ginsburg. All three are in fine voice with Lowdermilk’s difficult music. DiVito and Prentice are especially strong singers.

Gunderson’s tale is an engaging one, particularly in its depiction of the gracious mentorship shown by O’Connor to Ginsburg despite their political and philosophical differences. They are united in their womanhood, the bond made stronger by mutual understanding of their responsibilities as wives. Some of this is conveyed by tangential material about their private lives, including, as time moves on, their husbands’ medical issues and ultimately, their own. Supreme Court justices enjoy lifetime appointments and have no mandatory retirement age. Many have left the court only when medical conditions dictated that they do so.

(L-R) Lynda DiVito (Ruth Bader Ginsburg), Stephanie Prentice (Sonia Sotomayor), and Karen Murphy (Sandra Day O’Connor) in “Justice: A New Musical” performing now through March 12, 2023 at Marin Theatre Co. Photo credit: Kevin Berne

Lowdermilk’s music adheres strongly to current fashion in musical theater: bombastic and almost atonal. It will sound familiar to anyone who’s seen Next to Normal or Mean Girls – but there’s not a memorable melody in the show. Most of the songs are insistent forthright feminist anthems shouted at the audience, a receptive one at the press opener. Ticket-buyers expecting melodious uplift of the West Side Story or My Fair Lady variety will be hugely disappointed.

Ostensibly about the first three women on the Supreme Court, the story extends into the present with a veiled reference to an unnamed woman appointed to the court by the 45th president, and a cheerleading mention of Ketanji Brown Jackson that drew an enthusiastic response from the MTC crowd. The unnamed woman was Amy Coney Barrett, intentionally left out of the narrative because of her ultra-conservative politics. Also ignored is Elena Kagan. A story about the rise of female judicial superstars should certainly include them, regardless of how the play’s authors feel about them.

Justice: A New Musical is thus a skewed, incomplete history. If Gunderson and company had contained the narrative to O’Connor, Ginsburg, and Sotomayor—three sisters in judicial robes—that would have been acceptable, but bringing it into the present while ignoring two significant female justices is problematic.

Karen Murphy (Sandra Day O’Connor) and Lynda DiVito (Ruth Bader Ginsburg) at work in “Justice: A New Musical”. Photo credit: Kevin Berne

An outstanding feature of this show is the justices’ civility—and even mutual affection—regardless of differing philosophies and legal interpretations, and the deep friendship shared by Ginsburg and her high court opponent Antonin Scalia.

Ginsburg and Scalia were on opposite sides of almost every issue that came before the court, but they had abiding love and respect for each other despite their differences. That is a lesson for all of us.

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Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: barry.m.willis@gmail.com

 

 

ProductionJustice: A New Musical
Book -- Lyrics -- MusicLauren Gunderson -- Kait Kerrigan -- Bree Lowdermilk
Directed byAshley Rodbro
Producing CompanyMarin Theatre Company (MTC)
Production DatesThrough Mar 12th
Production AddressMarin Theatre Company
397 Miller Avenue
Mill Valley, CA
Websitewww.marintheatre.org
Telephone(415) 388-5200
Tickets$25.50– $60,50
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3/5
Performance4/5
Script3.5/5
Stagecraft3/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?----

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ Compelling “Headlands” at ACT

By Barry Willis

An unsolved murder, a family mystery, and a personal existential crisis all combine in Christopher Chen’s The Headlands at ACT’s Toni Rembe Theatre through March 5.

Phil Wong stars as Henry, a self-described “thirty-something San Francisco native who works in tech.” Wong is confident and convincing, serving as the show’s narrator and principal character.

Sam Jackson (Jess) and Phil Wong (Henry) in the West Coast premiere of Christopher Chen’s “The Headlands”. Photo credit: Kevin Berne.

He comes onstage under full house lights, with the relaxed demeanor of a standup comedian, and introduces himself and the play’s primary backstory: the unsolved murder of Henry’s father George (Johnny M. Wu) some 20 years earlier, a deeply traumatic event in Henry’s young life.

…worthy of a full thumbs-up recommendation…

Part memory play, part who-done-it, Henry’s tale moves back and forth in time, from his parents’ first meeting, to his pre-teen years when he and his dad would go hiking in the Marin Headlands, to the present, where he deals with his aging mother Leena (Keiko Shimosato Carreiro), his girlfriend Jess (Sam Jackson), and his estranged older brother Tom (Jomar Tagatac), given up for adoption before Henry was born.

Other superb cast members include Erin Mei-Ling Stuart as the younger Leena, and Bay Area theater veteran Charles Shaw Robinson in dual roles as Walter, George’s business partner, and as a San Francisco police detective. A brilliant bit of direction by ACT artistic director Pam MacKinnon and a brilliant bit of acting is George’s accent—early in the show, when he is a teenage immigrant and his future wife’s suitor, his pronunciation is thick, but later, as an adult, he’s become fully fluent and speaks a natural American dialect.

Keiko Shimosato Carreiro (Pat) and Phil Wong (Henry) in “The Headlands” performing at A.C.T. Photo credit: Kevin Berne.

The Headlands is a compelling story, made more compelling by Alexander V. Nichols’ combined set and projection designs. Nichols is the offstage superstar of this production. His elegant rotating set is a translucent lath-and-plaster construction that when illuminated with projections gives a ghostly appearance to everything from a Sunset district family home to a headlands hiking trail to San Rafael’s Canal district to the apartment shared by Henry and Jess.

Toward the tale’s conclusion, a slow, over-long scene between these two is the only dramatic road bump in an otherwise very good production. A judicious edit there, and in a couple other spots in the dialog would lift this show from “very good” to “great.” It’s worthy of a full thumbs-up recommendation, regardless.

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Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: barry.m.willis@gmail.com

 

 

ProductionThe Headlands
Written byChristopher Chen
Directed byPam Mackinnon
Producing CompanyAmerican Conservatory Theater (ACT)
Production DatesThru March 5th, 2023
Production AddressToni Rembe Theatre, 415 Geary Street, SF, CA
Websitewww.act-sf.org
Telephone(415) 749-2228
Tickets$25 – $112
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4/5
Script3.5/5
Stagecraft4.5/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK!YES!

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ “The Travelers” — A Wonder at the Magic Theatre

By Susan Dunn

Luis Alfaro exposes our strengths and weaknesses in a climate-changing world with The Travelers at the Magic Theatre in San Francisco’s Fort Mason arts complex.

Five ordinary men appear on a candle-lit stage and start to strip down. Provocative, right? But soon they are covered by cassocks of the Carthusian Order of Catholic brothers. Before we can get to know these individuals, a stranger staggers into their monastery and collapses in a mound of dirt, bleeding from a chest wound.

Excellence abounds in Catherine Castellanos’s direction…

Luckily, the wound did not pierce his heart, but Alfaro’s play is all about heart and the ways we find to mend so many that are broken by circumstance.

But where are we?

We are in Grangeville, CA, a semi-abandoned town of now only 49 in the Central Valley. Drought has forced people from their occupations, many from working the fields. They either leave town or find places of succor such as the old monastery, which is still supported by the Archdiocese.

Important back-wall projections herald each change of scene, such as “Transformation,” helping us understand why the men shed their clothes and enter the seminary. They are desperate and leaving their former lives behind. The captivating set is mostly dirt floor, candles, and ceiling candelabras. The lights create a hierarchy: memorial candles set in the small dirt piles on the floor are for the commoners who worship there, and the multitude of brass candelabras overhead, to which the brothers often visually appeal, sway and flicker as the support from the Archdiocese gives hope and then peters out.

Brian River, Juan Amador, & Ogie Zulueta, at work. Photo by Jay Yamada.

In Alfaro’s inimitable style, we learn the stories and personalities of these brothers, and their new recruit, Juan, who has so dramatically joined the order with a bullet wound and street-trash vocabulary – a most unlikely student for this seminary run by Brother Brian. And Juan in turn unmasks the mystery of the man who lives in the bathtub without a cassock, brother Ogie. Each brother has a backstory of loss: of family, of nurture, of education. They profess a bond with church and God just as long as the tenuous support of the church sustains. When that door closes on them, they become again travelers to parts unknown.

And in “Seminary,” only one heart is lifted.

Kinan Valdez, Ogie Zulueta in “The Travelers.” Photo by Jay Yamada.

This play is a full meal with much to absorb and digest later. Excellence abounds in Catherine Castellanos’s direction of so many quirky characters and scenes, casting of spot-on actors and clear rendering of script. Although some disjointed elements of this play may leave viewers scratching their heads, I dare you not to marvel at its humanity and scope.

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Since arriving in California from New York in 1991, Susan Dunn has been on the executive boards of Hillbarn Theatre, Altarena Playhouse, Berkeley Playhouse, Virago Theatre and Island City Opera, where she is a development director and stage manager.

An enthusiastic advocate for new productions and local playwrights, she is a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle, and a recipient of a 2015 Alameda County Arts Leadership Award. Contact: susanmdunn@yahoo.com

ProductionThe Travelers
Written byLuis Alfaro
Directed byCatherine Castellanos
Producing CompanyMagic Theatre
Production DatesThru March 5th, 2023
Production AddressMagic Theatre Ft. Mason Center, Bldg D 2 Marina Blvd. San Francisco, CA.
Websitemagictheatre.org
Telephone(415) 441-8822
Tickets$20 – $70
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4.5/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK!YES!

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ Spreckels’ “Night Music” – Theatre at its Best

By Sue Morgan

With amusing and sometimes moving lyrics and music by Stephen Sondheim, a charming book by Hugh Wheeler and an outstanding cast of Bay Area actors, A Little Night Music at Spreckels Performing Arts Center is regional theatre is at its best. The play is a rarity in that it’s a musical stage adaptation of a film, Ingmar Bergmann’s Smiles of a Summer Night.

At the dawn of the 20th century, Fredrik Egerman (Larry Williams) a previously widowed middle-aged attorney, has married lovely virginal 18-year-old Anne, (Brenna Sammon). Anne loves to tease Egerman’s earnest 20-year-old son, Henrik, (Samuel J. Gleason) a seminary student who wrestles with a secret passion for Anne, who has, eleven months after her nuptials, still not consummated her marriage to Henrik’s father.

Sexually frustrated, Fredrik seeks relief in the arms of old flame Desiree Armfeldt, (Daniela Innocenti-Beem) a once-renowned actress, who by chance is performing in Fredrik and Anne’s Swedish town, and has carried a torch for Fredrik for years. The lovers are interrupted by Desiree’s married lover, Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm (Michael Coury Murdock) whose wife, Countess Charlotte Malcolm (Taylor Bartolucci) knows of the affair and is desperate to regain her husband’s affections. Such are the tropes of multi-layered unrequited love, catalyst for both hilarity and poignancy in this effervescent production.

…spirited, professional and upbeat performances…

With the exception of Murdock’s full-throated Count Malcolm, whose “In Praise of Women” was wonderfully rendered, the ladies of the cast outshine the men in terms of vocal talent. Molly Belle Hart was perfectly cast as young Fredrika Armfeldt, daughter of Desiree and granddaughter of Madame Armfeldt (Eileen Morris). Hart’s rendition of “The Glamorous Life” was sung with the poise and professionalism of a much older performer. Morris’s solo “Liasons” managed to be both enchanting and amusing, conveying yearning for what had been and a sense of satisfaction in a life well-lived. Brenna Sammon’s “Soon” was plaintive and lovely.

Brenna Sammon as Anne and Samuel Gleason as Henrik.

 

There were two showstoppers during the opening night performance. The first was “Send in the Clowns,” which held the audience rapt throughout, performed with perfectly understated virtuosity by the stunningly talented Daniela Innocenti-Beem, who also gave the best performance overall throughout the production. Her Desiree offered a master class in theatrical expression and nuance. The second was “The Miller’s Son,” performed with power and a sense of unbridled joy by Kaela Mariano, who played Petra, Anne’s delightfully libidinous maid.

The Quintet Brandy Noveh, Stacy Rutz , Michael Arbitter, Ariana Arbitter, Sean O’Brien.

There were some sound issues during the beginning of the play, with the orchestra overwhelming the vocals as some of the performer’s mics appeared to be working only sporadically. The performers soldiered on professionally, however, and the problems were soon rectified.

Costumes by Donnie Frank were delightful, beautifully depicting the height of elegance in the early 1900s. The set was not such a delight, changing only in terms of props and lighting. Having the same backdrop throughout, despite whether the action was inside or out, with the same paintings hanging on every character’s wall. This seemed a bit too laissez faire.

Overall, Director Sheri Lee Miller elicited spirited, professional and upbeat performances from her talented and well-chosen cast, gifting her audience with an immensely enjoyable evening of entertainment.

-30

Contributing Writer Sue Morgan is a literature-and-theater enthusiast in Sonoma County’s Russian River region. Contact: sstrongmorgan@gmail.com

 

 

ProductionA Little Night Music
Music/Lyrics by -- Book byStephen Sondheim --Hugh Wheeler
Directed bySheri Lee Miller
Producing CompanySpreckels Performing Arts
Production DatesThrough Feb 26th, 2023
Production AddressSpreckels Performing Arts Center
5409 Snyder Lane
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
Websitewww.spreckelsonline.com
Telephone(707) 588-3429
Tickets$12 - $36
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4.5/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft3/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?YES!

ASR THEATER ~~ “The Children” a Compelling Production at Left Edge

By Mitchell Field

Lucy Kirkwood’s 2016 play The Children, was Tony-nominated for Best Play of 2018. Writers for The Guardian placed it third on a list of the greatest theatrical works since 2000.

In the Left Edge Theatre production, a married couple, Hazel (Priscilla Locke) and Robin (John Craven) both retired nuclear scientists, are living in a drab cottage near the English seaside, after a disaster at the local nuclear power station where they were formerly employed.

…theater stalwarts Locke, Craven, and Cain provide absolutely superb, quite touching performances…

Despite problems with rationed electricity and water, and the threat of airborne radiation, the couple are trying, in a stiff-upper-lip British way, to live a normal existence. Robin farms so that Hazel, the mother of four adult children, may eat organic greens to maintain her healthiest life possible.

Their post-apocalyptic tranquility is interrupted when former colleague Rose (Danielle Cain) shows up at their door after almost four decades. The childless Rose has a secret but is she there with sinister intentions or merely to rekindle her prior affair with Robin?

The cast of “The Children” at work at Left Edge Theatre.

Under Sandra Ish’s insightful direction, North Bay theater stalwarts Locke, Craven, and Cain provide absolutely superb, quite touching performances, in a story in which reparation, redemption and whether having children of one’s own should make one more socially responsible. Combined, those are the point of this darkly comical play.

This reviewer enthusiastically recommends this show.

-30-

Mitchell Field is a Sr. Contributing Writer for Aisle Seat Review. Based in Marin County, Mr. Field is an actor and voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC). Contact: mitchfield@aol.com

 

ProductionThe Children
Written byLucy Kirkwood
Directed by Sandra Ish
Producing CompanyLeft Edge Theater Co.
Production DatesThru Feb 19th, 2023
Production AddressCalifornia Theatre
528 7th St.
Santa Rosa, CA
Websitewww.leftedgetheatre.com
Telephone(707) 664-7529
Tickets$22-$40
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3.5/5
Performance3.5/5
Script3.5/5
Stagecraft3.5/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?----

ASR Theater ~~ “Exodus to Eden” – A Fever Dream and Journey of Hope

By Susan Dunn

In a reverse metaphor from Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath, in Exodus to Eden, a company of wanderers travels from California, which climate change has rendered a dust-bowl, to Oklahoma, which offers the possibility of affordable housing and hope for new life.

The always-unique Oakland Theater Project goes to the mat in this sprawling three-hour new production which seeks to save us from our current gods of capitalism and power. In a promo video, Arielle Powell, who plays the lead role Miriam, shares that this new play, written and directed by Michael Socrates Moran, is about this theater company coming together to try to right our seriously-wronged community.

According to The Man: “Exodus isn’t about ‘The People.’ It’s about gods. Gods fighting over a nation’s economy.”

What is wrong? That’s not always clear in the mix of character groups, historical and theatrical allusions, fuzzy transitions between dream sequences and reality, and above all, the difficulties with everyday communications across our own community. What’s wrong is conveyed to us from harangues, from bodily reactions, from mysteries, from the weather, and from technology. These elements arrive helter-skelter. Sorting this out through the play is the audience’s challenge.

The prologue announces the end of history, the end of the Cold War, and the takeover by capitalism and power. Embodied by “The Man,” we are lectured that the world is now ruled by contracts, by transactions to individuals. The social covenant is the glue which binds our communities across all different peoples. And that covenant is now dissipated by drugs.

The Man and a prisoner at work for Oakland Theater Project.

As technology advances our lives, it also destroys our planet. In a brilliant touch, a guardian angel shadows and protects The Man with a ray gun which zaps our cares for the planet by shooting off constant TV announcements of trouble. Readily available drugs help the rest of us chill out, like soma in 1984.

For the wanderers, life is a prison boxing them in. Their journey, the search for home, for house, for safety and sustenance, is to find out how to get out of that prison. As they face enormous odds, most will not survive.

Does technology “zap” our lives? See “Exodus to Eden” and find out.

This panorama of issues is fitted out with fascinating costumes, projections, sound effects and props which help to punctuate and sort out the many themes and characters. However, the road forward through the central character of Miriam, is not easily understood. She has dodged a deal with the devil throughout the play.

What she carries forward with her new child is up to our imaginations. See this play for the scope, the passion and occasional magic of the work, and decide which world you need to live in.

-30-

Since arriving in California from New York in 1991, Susan Dunn has been on the executive boards of Hillbarn Theatre, Altarena Playhouse, Berkeley Playhouse, Virago Theatre and Island City Opera, where she is a development director and stage manager.

An enthusiastic advocate for new productions and local playwrights, she is a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle, and a recipient of a 2015 Alameda County Arts Leadership Award. Contact: susanmdunn@yahoo.com

ProductionExodus to Eden
Written byMichael Socrates Moran
Directed byMichael Socrates Moran
Producing CompanyOakland Theater Project
Production DatesThru Feb 26th, 2023
Production AddressFlax Art and Design, 1501 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland, CA 94612
Websitewww.oaklandtheaterproject.or
Telephone(510) 646-112
Tickets$10– $55
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3/5
Performance3/5
Script2/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK!----

ASR Theater ~~ Vivian Vance Comes to Life in “Sidekicked” at Sonoma Arts Live

By Barry Willis

Playing perpetual “second banana” to a superstar is a theatrical version of purgatory. In the tale of Vivian Vance, co-star of the long-running 1950s TV series I Love Lucy and its sequel, The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, it’s also a recurring personal reminder that she’s gone as far as she will ever go in the shadow of comedic legend Lucille Ball.

Vance was a comedic genius in her own right—and an early advocate for people suffering from mental problems, in an era when even acknowledging such problems was a grave social error. Libby Oberlin delivers all this and more in her solo show Sidekicked written by Kim Powers, and directed by Michael Ross at Sonoma Arts Live through February 19.

Sidekicked moves along at a surprising clip…

Last seen at SAL as opera diva Maria Callas in Master Class, Oberlin is a confident performer who brings Vance to life with gusto and a palpable dose of self-deprecation.

She relates her subject’s frequent confusion—she wrote her name and address on a slip of paper and tucked it into her handbag each morning before she went out, in case she forgot who she was or where she lived. Vance endured several disastrous marriages, and chafed at the role for which she is fondly remembered, as Lucy’s neighbor Ethyl Mertz, Lucy’s frequent co-conspirator in the absurd hijinks that propelled each episode of the original series.

Vance also endured the continual bickering between Lucille Ball and her husband, director/producer/actor/band leader Desi Arnaz, and suffered mightily being cast as the wife of a man “at least 25 years older,” Fred Mertz, played by William Frawley. Powers’ script is clearly intended for an audience familiar with all the characters—and their backstories too—as Oberlin digresses into revisiting many of the show’s often hilarious setups and backstage battles.

Sidekicked moves along at a surprising clip given the constraints put on a solo performer, and provides plenty of amusement not only for a generation that saw it all unfold the first time. It’s also a show with appeal for theater and entertainment geeks who relish digging the dirt about some of Hollywood’s famous names—first, second, and third tier alike

-30-

Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: barry.m.willis@gmail.com

 

 

ProductionSidekicked
Written byKim Powers
Directed byMichael Ross
Producing CompanySonoma Arts Live
Production DatesThru Feb. 19th, 2023
Production AddressRotary Stage: Andrews Hall, Sonoma Community Center
276 E. Napa Street, Sonoma
Websitewww.sonomaartslive.org
Telephone866-710-8942
Tickets$25 – $42
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3.5/5
Performance3.5/5
Script3/5
Stagecraft3/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?----

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ Main Stage West: Diffenderfer Creates Real Magic in “Open”

By Sue Morgan

Amateur magician Kristin’s real magic is her ability to conjure characters out of thin air, writing them into life. Jenny’s magic is her ability to walk through the world authentically and unapologetically, living her truth in every interaction. Taylor Diffenderfer, who plays both women in this one-woman production of Open, by Crystal Skillman, magically embodies both Kristen and Jenny, holding the audience rapt using only words and gestures throughout her masterful performance.

As the audience enters the theatre of Main Stage West, we see Kristen (Diffenderfer) dressed as the Magician in top hat, bowtie, vest and jacket sitting on the edge of the empty stage, eyes closed. She remains this way until everyone is seated, the housekeeping messages video has played, screen retracted, and the lights focus on her. Opening her eyes, a look of amazement crosses her face as she looks out at the audience and crows, “I’m here. I’m here. I am here. Your magician.”

Open is a magic act without magic.

Kristen explains, “We are here for Jenny. Jenny evoked me,” and “. . . every person who has ever loved, has a magician… and Jenny has me. So we imagine.” Pantomiming catching imaginary juggling balls falling one by one from above and beginning to juggle the balls, Kristen, as the magician, expounds: “Secrets are the balls we keep in the air. Ours will come crashing down this evening.” She tells us this will happen in three short acts: First Love, Commitment, and Sacrifice, and that there will also be an extra act: A Promise.

With masterful direction by Lauren Heney, Diffenderfer is astonishing as she brings to life the romance between the two women, who meet for the first time in the Occult section of a New York City bookstore when Kristen accidentally pushes a book about magic off a freestanding shelf onto the floor of the next aisle. As she peers through the opening she sees Jenny, who asks what the book is for and returns it to Kristen with her name and phone number written on a piece of paper, sticking up out of the pages.

We follow the women through their five-year partnership as they navigate the challenges of cultivating a relationship despite the fact that Kristen, fearing reprisal, is not entirely comfortable being forthright about their courtship, while Jenny insists on transparency. Eliciting the promise alluded to early in the play, Jenny beseeches Kristen: “Promise me we will always be open with who we are.” Kristen agrees, but finds it a difficult promise to keep.

Sound design by Ken Sonkin is outstanding, perfectly choreographed to enhance audience members’ experience of pantomime and sense of place. Melissa Weaver nails the lighting design, especially during the levitation sequence when Diffenderfer truly seemed to soar.

Open shines a light on the prejudices in our culture, and even within families who genuinely love, but struggle to accept in their entirety, their “unconventional” family members. It reminds us that empathy is essential, and that ignorance and the perception of “otherness” can be lethal. This is not an easy play to experience, but, like many illuminating artforms, it offers us an opportunity to look within and ignites our determination to recommit to taking actions that allow all humans to be safe to simply live their lives.

~~

Postscript: As I finished this review, the Press Democrat announced the closing of Main Stage West, due to the “rising costs and lost income caused by the coronavirus pandemic and other calamities.” I am deeply saddened by this news and want to thank the founding members, PACT (Performing Artists Coalition for Theater) and everyone who worked so diligently for over twelve years to provide such impactful and professional productions for West County theatre-goers.

You will be profoundly missed.

“Open” will be the final play at MSW, with a concert by Misner and Smith on February 15th and a “Close Up Magic Extravaganza ” by Ken Sonkin on February 22nd. Please attend and express your gratitude to this wonderful group of artists.

-30

Contributing Writer Sue Morgan is a literature-and-theater enthusiast in Sonoma County’s Russian River region. Contact: sstrongmorgan@gmail.com

 

 

ProductionOpen
Written byCrystal Stillman
Directed byLauren Heney
Producing CompanyMain Stage West
Production DatesThrough Feb 26th
Production AddressMain Stage West
104 N Main St
Sebastopol, CA 95472
Websitewww.mainstagewest.com
Telephone(707) 823-0177
Tickets$20 – $32
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance5/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK!YES!

PICK! ASR THEATRE ~~ SF Playhouse Hits the Jackpot with “Cashed Out”

By Cari Lynn Pace

Many of life’s tragedies involve addiction. Theatre stages have presented poignant stories – dramas drawn from fantasy or reality – in the hopes that audiences will be both thoughtfully entertained and well warned. Cashed Out checks both boxes, admirably.

San Francisco Playhouse first presented a dramatic “zoomlet” – a 10-minute reading of a potential new play by Claude Jackson, Jr., during the pandemic. Patrons praised the reading touching upon gambling addiction, casinos, and the Native America community. Artistic Director Bill English recognized it as a story not often heard, and commissioned the playwright to expand it into a full script.

“Artistic Director Bill English recognized it as a story not often heard…”

SF Playhouse took great pains to assemble a cadre of Native American actors to ensure the authenticity of their world premiere. It’s a risk that pays off handsomely in Cashed Out. Director Tara Moses coaxed astounding performances from these largely Actors’ Equity members. They bring a glimpse of their culture, both proud and at times humbling, to the stage.

Cashed Out opens on an adobe duplex complete with terra cotta roof tiles on a reservation in Arizona, strikingly imagined by scenic designer Tanya Orellana. It’s dusty and dry, with a branch shelter and woven baskets in various stages of completion.

Rocky (Rainbow Dickerson) is a pretty young woman full of high spirits and bright expectations. She’s about to enter a local beauty contest and ignores Levi, her eager would-be boyfriend (Chingwe Padraig Sullivan). Rocky argues about native garb with her weary mother (Lisa Ramirez.) while her aunt Nan (Sheila Tousey) sagely serves as mediator. It is soon apparent that Nan is the solid rock in this turbulent family drama.

Rocky (Rainbow Dickerson) reaches out to Levi (Chingwe Padraig Sullivan) for a lifeline in “Cashed Out” at SF Playhouse

Flashbacks and fast-forward scenes intertwine as the stage rotates to show Rocky’s challenging journey with her gambling addiction. She’s hooked on a machine’s payout in a dark casino, dismissive with her young daughter Maya (Louisa Kizer) and desperately manipulative when she cajoles Levi to provide her with a character reference. Her family recognizes she needs help, but is powerless against Rocky’s stubborn and highly volatile character. Nan observes Rocky’s turmoil and shakes her head, sadly intoning “Imagine the eagle not trusting her own wings.”

Act I closes as Rocky continues to explode in an over-the-top performance, re-visiting her mother’s words “You’re not worthy” as mother weaves priceless Pima baskets. Thankfully, Act II opens on a brighter day. Rocky intones the Gamblers Anonymous mantra “I’m powerless over gambling” and appears to have cleaned up her act.

Maya (Louisa Kizer), Buddy (Matt Kizer), Levi (Chingwe Padraig Sullivan), and Nan (Sheila Tousey) receive news about Rocky in San Francisco Playhouse’s World Premiere of “Cashed Out.”

But addictions are not easily conquered, and never completely erased from an addict’s soul. When Rocky’s long-gone father (Matt Kizer) reappears, family tensions completely erupt. It’s quiet only when Rocky is absent, leaving her family tapped out and resigned.

Cashed Out is a hard-hitting and sadly true-to-life depiction of a gambler’s behavior. Rocky’s increasingly manic fantasy is thrown against irrefutable reality. In the sudden stark ending, neither side wins.

-30

ASR Writer & Editor Cari Lynn Pace is a voting member of SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and writes theatre and lifestyle reviews for the Marinscope Community Newspapers throughout Marin County. Contact: pace-koch@comcast.net

 

ProductionCashed Out
Written byClaude Jackson, Jr.
Directed byTara Moses
Producing CompanySan Francisco Playhouse
Production DatesThru February 25th
Production AddressSF Playhouse
450 Post Street
San Francisco, CA
Websitewww.sfplayhouse.org/sfph/2022-2023-season/indecent/
Telephone(415) 677-9596
Tickets$30 - $100
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall5/5
Performance5/5
Script5/5
Stagecraft5/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?YES!

PICK! ASR THEATER ~~ Excellence! Hillbarn Theatre’s “Assassins”

By Joanne Engelhardt

Horrible topic. Terrible timing.

Yet when Hillbarn Theatre’s production of Assassins opened last weekend, it was, in a word, spellbinding. Imagine watching the incredibly talented Andre Amarotico kill President Abraham Lincoln a few days after the news of the seven farm workers shot in Half Moon Bay.

Amarotico’s acting skills are so good that the Foster City theater’s audience couldn’t help getting drawn in. The almost-sold-out opening night audience found a way to put aside recent events for two hours and lay witness to watching a fine cast of actors portray characters who kill – or shoot — several presidents and others they have grudges against.

Assassins first opened on Broadway in 2009. The incomparable Stephen Sondheim wrote the music and lyrics, and handpicked John Weidman to write the book. The show got mixed reviews and closed after 73 performances. Over the years it’s had numerous revivals both off- and on Broadway, and is now frequently performed by theatre companies around the world.

Curiously, Assassins is a musical – nearly the entire cast sings about their plans to kill, or how they killed or tried to kill. Not exactly fodder for a musical, though it works here.

There’s a nimble “balladeer” (beautifully acted by Keith Plato) who wanders in and out of the multi-tiered set, and into the audience, swinging around poles – all while singing “Everybody Has a Right to be Happy.”

That’s what makes Assassins so strangely seductive. The actors smile, sing upbeat songs – all while plotting to kill someone.

..Curiously, Assassins is a musical…

One of the best scenes is between Sara Jane Moore (a devastating, yet drop-dead funny portrayal by Hayley Lovgren) and Squeaky Fromme (equally well acted by Brigitte Losey). These two sit on the steps and discuss killing famous people while smoking weed and chomping on KFC, potato chips and sodas.

Moore is distraught because she can’t find her dog – and she can’t remember where her children are. But that doesn’t keep her from having a good ol’ time with Fromme while stuffing her mouth with fast food.

Fromme tells her that she’s a follower of Charles Manson who is the Son of God. Sara Jane looks at her as if she’s insane and asks: “Did he tell you he was the Son of God?” “Absolutely!” Squeaky answers, “….and I’ve slept with him!”

Nick Kendrick, so good as Jerry Lee Lewis in productions of Million Dollar Quartet, wears his hair long and flat in front here as he plays John Hinkley, whose obsession with Jodie Foster caused him to attempt to assassinate President Ronald Reagan.

He and Losey sing the duet “Unworthy of Your Love,” as their characters cry out for their obsessions (Foster and Manson).

"Assassins" cast at work at Hillbarn.

Nearly everyone in the cast does a fine job with their roles. Kudos to Benjamin Ball as Leon Czolgosz, an American laborer and anarchist who assassinated President William McKinley in 1901 (and was later electrocuted for his crime); and Ted Zoldan as Charles Guiteau, who assassinated President James Garfield and was later hanged. But Julio Chavez doesn’t seem quite up to playing Lee Harvey Oswald, which is unfortunate because the murder of President John Kennedy is likely the one that some audience members still vividly remember.

Director Joshua Marx deserves high marks for keeping the musical moving at a fast pace, assisted by Leslie Waggoner who not only helped with directing but was also the production’s choreographer. Scenic designer Christopher Fitzer did an amazing job with creating the versatile wooden set. It had American flags, bunting and very old, tattered flags everywhere. The multi-level set enables cast members to dart in and out and, at times, all stand in their own spaces.

A fine orchestra of six musicians, lead by music director and keyboardist Jad Bernardo made sure their music didn’t masque the voices and kept a solid tempo.

Marx says in the program that it’s his hope Assassins will help audiences think about the threads that connect all of the play’s events – and how these characters got to the point of doing what they did.

Well said.

-30

Aisle Seat Executive Reviewer Joanne Engelhardt is a Peninsula theatre writer and critic. She is a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC). Contact: joanneengelhardt@comcast.net

 

ProductionAssassins
Based on / Written byConcept by Charles Gilbert, Jr.

Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman
Directed byJoshua Marx
Producing CompanyHillbarn Theatre
Production DatesThru Feb 12th
Production Address1285 E Hillsdale Blvd, Foster City, CA 94404
Websitewww.hillbarntheatre.org
Telephone(659) 349-6411
Tickets$32-$60
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?Yes!

ASR Theater ~~ “Little Shop” Almost Hits The Mark at 6th Street

By Barry Willis

The comic musical Little Shop of Horrors is both a cult favorite for its fans and a recurring production among community theater troupes here in the Bay Area. We can count on five or six such shows each year. The latest one is running at 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa — and has been EXTENDED through Feb. 26th!

A down-on-its luck skid row flower shop needs a boost, and that’s what it gets when amateur botanist Seymour Krelborn (Noah Sternhill) breeds a carnivorous plant that thrives on human blood and tissue.

Little Shop of Horrors—Seymour and Audrey at work.

Named after his shopmate Audrey (Gillian Eichenberger), the plant grows bigger and more voracious daily, attracting a tremendous amount of media attention, and lots of paying customers into Mushnik’s Flower Shop (proprietor played by Dan Schwager).

This Little Shop of Horrors is an ambitious, amusing show…

It’s a mixed blessing for Mushnik, Audrey, and Seymour as they are soon overwhelmed with orders, including supplying all the flowers for the annual Rose Bowl parade. Audrey also wriggles out of a creepy relationship with a sadistic dentist named Orin Scrivello, played by Robert Nelson as a sort of Halloween Elvis impersonator.

Much of the story is propelled by the song-and-dance trio “the doo-wop girls” Crystal, Ronette, and Chiffon (Aja Gianola-Norris, Serena Elize, and Chiyako Delores, respectively). Gianola-Norris directed the show, and Elize handled the choreography. The show’s singers are delightful, especially Audrey in the breakout hit “Somewhere That’s Green.”

“The Trio” in “Little Shop of Horrors” at 6th St.

This Little Shop of Horrors is an ambitious, amusing show with an impressive set by Luca Catanzaro, and a great band led by Lucas Sherman, but it’s hampered by awkward timing and a surplus of dead air—issues likely to be ironed out as the production rolls toward its final date of February 26. So grab your significant other and go see this campy classic.

-30-

Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: barry.m.willis@gmail.com

 

 

ProductionLittle Shop of Horrors
Written by / Book byAlan Menken / Howard Ashman
Directed by / Music Direction byAja Gianola-Norris / Lucas Sherman
Producing Company6th Street Playhouse
Production DatesThru Feb 19th
Production Address6th Street Playhouse
52 W. 6th Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Websitehttp://www.6thstreetplayhouse.com
Telephone (707) 523-4185
Tickets$35-$43
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3/5
Performance3/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft3/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?----

ASR Theater ~~ Ross Valley Players Invite “Reservations”

By Cari Lynn Pace

Ross Alternative Works, referred to as RAW, is Ross Valley Players’ selection of an original play by a local playwright. One play is chosen by committee each season, adding a fresh infusion to the company’s four traditional – and typically familiar – productions. Reservations, written by Joe Barison, has a theme capturing what director Michael R. Cohen calls “the absurdity of artistic aspirations.”

The plot line opens with two New York City visitors arriving at the same hotel to find their reservations double-booked. The bellhop (Kara S. Poon) shows Mr. Segal (Evan Held) to a sumptuous room, complete with cool blue walls, lovely antiques, and a balcony. The luxurious set – designed by Venee Call-Ferrer – is a marvel considering the low ceiling limitations of the Ross Valley Players Barn stage.

(L) Michael-Paul Thomsett as Eddie D’Angelo, (R) Maxine Sattizahn as Louis Robinson, (C) Kara S. Poon as Melissa French.

Mr. Segal makes himself at home, and is surprised when Gail Hartman (Tina Traboulsi) is also shown to the same room, lugging her painting and easel. The hotel manager (Michael-Paul Thomsett) arrives, apologizes, and offers a discount coupon for another hotel stay, yet can offer no alternative lodging. With no available hotel rooms in the city, the two strangers size each other up and reluctantly agree to share the room, at least for one night.

“They explore their insecurities about pursuing their creative paths in life…”

Held does an excellent turn as an aspiring writer and frustrated government worker. He is a perfect foil in contrast to Traboulsi in her role as a marginally successful artist who cherishes the view from this overbooked room. These actors master their roles, although the dialog in Act I moves slowly. They explore their insecurities about pursuing their creative paths in life.

Helen Kim as Allison Burnside, Evan Held as Alan Segal at RVP.

Their serious conversations are truncated when Allison (Helen Kim) arrives to surprise her boyfriend. The action picks up in Act II when more characters crowd the room, or rather the balcony. The zaniness provides a pleasant end to this largely philosophical play.

The supporting cast is not quite as convincing as Held and Traboulsi, giving Reservations an uneven feel throughout. Still, it’s a thought-provoking exploration of the paths chosen by creative souls, and worth enjoying.

-30-

ASR Writer & Editor Cari Lynn Pace is a voting member of SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and writes theatre and lifestyle reviews for the Marinscope Community Newspapers throughout Marin County. Contact: pace-koch@comcast.net

 

ProductionReservations
Written byJoe Barison
Directed byMichael R. Cohen
Producing CompanyRoss Valley Players
Production DatesThursdays at 7:30 PM, Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00 PM, Sundays at 2 PM through February 12, 2023
Production AddressRoss Valley Players
"The Barn"
30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Greenbrae, CA 94904
Websitewww.rossvalleyplayers.com
Telephone415-456-9555
Tickets$15-$30
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3.5/5
Performance3.5/5
Script3/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?----

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ “Clyde’s” a Rambunctious, Enlightening Ride at Berkeley Rep

By Barry Willis

Four parolees do their best to thrive under an oppressive boss in Clyde’s, at Berkeley Rep through February 26.

Or at least, we believe they’re parolees—that bit of info is never made clear in Lynn Nottage’s brilliant scathing comedy. They’ve all done time behind bars, and they’re determined not to go back. They’re also determined to keep their low-wage jobs in the kitchen of a roadside diner, knowing how limited are employment opportunities for ex-cons.

Their boss knows that too.

A former convict herself, Clyde (April Nixon) lords it over her workers, making sure at every turn that they understand how tenuous their situation is. A voluptuous, wise-cracking beauty, Clyde appears at random at the kitchen’s pickup window or waltzes in unannounced to strike fear in the hearts of her underlings, in each scene sporting a wig more glamorous than the last and strutting her stuff in dazzling apparel. (Wigs by Megan Ellis, costumes by Karen Perry.)

…an incredibly uplifting and uproarious tale about hope…

Clyde is a malicious force of nature, the perfect blend of wicked witch and evil stepmother. Nixon clearly relishes her astounding role, one hugely appreciated by a full house at Berkeley Rep’s Peet’s Theatre during the Wednesday Jan. 25 press opener.

Louis Reyes McWilliams as Jason and April Nixon as Clyde in Lynn Nottage’s Tony Award-nominated play Clyde’s at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.
Photo by Kevin Berne/Berkeley Repertory Theatre

But Nixon’s not the only astounding member of this well-balanced cast. Three of them are thirty-somethings whose characters are serious about improving their lives and staying out of trouble. We don’t learn what Raphael (Wesley Guimaraes) or Letticia (Cyndii Johnson) did to land in jail, but new worker Jason confesses that he was convicted of assault after losing a union manufacturing job to “scabs.” To Letticia’s inquiry about the gang tattoos on his arms, face, and neck, he replies “I was trying to survive.”

The fourth member of Clyde’s kitchen crew is line cook Montrellous (Harold Surratt) an older gentleman with a sadhu’s demeanor. The anchor character in this quick-moving story, he’s very much the embodiment of an Old Testament prophet, bringing wisdom and enlightenment to a younger generation, the focus being his quest to create the perfect sandwich.

April Nixon as Clyde and Harold Surratt as Montrellous in Lynn Nottage’s Tony Award-nominated play Clyde’s at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.
Photo by Kevin Berne/Berkeley Repertory Theatre

The quest for the perfect sandwich, in fact, becomes both a metaphor for the kitchen workers to improve their lives and their self-esteem, and a competitive sport they undertake to impress each other and perhaps, their mean-to-the-core boss.

A subplot involves Raphael’s infatuation with Letticia, one that goes nowhere, despite his offers of flowers and chocolates and date invitations. It would be unfair to give away much of the bright (and dark) comedy in this lovely production, but a heartbreaking moment occurs when Montrellous confesses that he went to prison not for a crime he committed but for a moment of altruism. The embodiment of gravitas, Surratt is brilliant in the role.

Louis Reyes McWilliams as Jason and Cyndii Johnson as Letitia in Lynn Nottage’s Tony Award-nominated play Clyde’s at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.
Photo by Kevin Berne/Berkeley Repertory Theatre

Director Taylor Reynolds gets fabulous performances from her entire cast on designer Wilson Chin’s hyper-real set.

Lynn Nottage is on her way to becoming a national treasure. She has a wonderful ear and eye for the woes of the underclass, and a fantastic ability to mine deep emotional conflicts in her characters. In her poignant Intimate Apparel, set a century ago, a young black seamstress falls in love with a Jewish fabric merchant, an attraction he feels equally but which they both know is hopeless.

There’s deep truth in this production too, but no doom in Clyde’s. In fact, it’s an incredibly uplifting and uproarious tale about hope in the face of hopelessness. As Julie Andrews put it so succinctly in Mary Poppins — a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.

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Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: barry.m.willis@gmail.com

 

 

ProductionClyde's
Written by Lynn Nottage
Directed by Taylor Reynolds
Producing CompanyBerkeley Repertory Theatre
Production DatesThrough Feb 26th
Production Address2025 Addison Street, Berkeley CA 94704
Websitewww.berkeleyrep.org
Telephone(510) 847-2949
Tickets$30 - $135
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?YES!

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ Kaufman’s “Poetic Justice” at The Marsh San Francisco

By George Maguire

“We are worms.” — Winston Churchill
“We are glowworms.” — Robert Lowell

Gifted writer Lynne Kaufman’s structured one-act plays bring us the beauty of language in the pairing of You Must Change Your Life and Divine Madness, at the Marsh San Francisco, starring two of the Bay Area’s top actors, Charles Shaw Robinson and Julia McNeal.

Movingly directed by Lauren English, the 65-minute evening opens first with You Must Change Your Life, where we meet German poet Rainer Maria Rilke answering queries on poetry from Franz Krappus, a 19-year-old soldier in the Austro-Hungarian Army. Krappus sends Rilke a poem and asks for feedback. The resulting ten-letter correspondence forms Rilke’s postmortem masterpiece Briefe an einen Jungen Dichter (Letters to a Young Poet), compiled and published by Krappus himself. These letters were a vital part of my own Bachelor’s Degree German education.

I wish both these plays were broadened into full-length.

Rilke (beautifully portrayed by Shaw with a slight German accent) encourages Krappus to avoid reading all criticism as it “Fails to touch a work of art.” Be true to yourself and ‘Go into yourself’, to find answers and create art. Wearing her own father’s Army jacket, Ms. McNeal plays Krappus with emotions ranging from pained insecurity to the resolve of a gifted artist.

The evening is as much about the performing range of Shaw and McNeal as it is about the poets. (A side note: the letters from Krappus to Rilke were found in Krappus’ estate and published separately in 2020.)

The second play, Divine Madness, dives into the fractured and storied relationship between renowned poet Robert Lowell and writer Elizabeth Hardwick. It is a relationship of intellectual verbal bantering and rage, as Lowell tries to ingratiate himself back into the life of his ex-wife. He left the intellectual Hardwick for Lady Caroline Blackwood, heiress of the Guinness Brewery company.

Two of the Bay Area’s top actors, Charles Shaw Robinson (R) and Julia McNeal (L). Photo Credit: David Allen

Lowell described his erudite and quite beautiful wife Caroline as “a mermaid who dines upon the bones of her winded lovers.” Kaufman’s play brings out all of this in compiling the evidence, the results of the divorce, and the children involved. Lowell himself documented this relationship in his Pulitzer Prize winning book of poetry, The Dolphin.

Lowell was a manic-depressive artist who was often hospitalized with a bi-polar disorder. The sudden bursts of anger and rage are depicted in Shaw’s range of emotional insecurity as are McNeal’s strong firm grip on Hardwick’s own post-Lowell life with their daughter Harriet. What pervades through pain, frustration and anger are love, passion, and respect.

I wish both these plays were broadened into full-length. They give us a taste, an amuse bouche, and the Rilke piece, good as it is, feels tacked on to make this a longer evening that could be worthy of “Poetic Justice.”

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ASR Contributing Writer George Maguire is a San Francisco based actor and director. and a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. He is a Professor Emeritus of Solano College. Contact: gmaguire1204@yahoo.com

 

Production'You Must Change Your Life' and 'Divine Madness'
Written byLynne Kaufman
Directed byLauren English
Producing CompanyThe Marsh, San Francisco
Production DatesThrough January 29, 2023. Saturday at 8:30, Sunday at 5pm
Production Address1062 Valencia St.
SF, CA
Websitehttps:/cbpr.co/press/poeticjustice/
Telephone(415) 282-3055
Tickets$25 – $35
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance5/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?YES!

ASR Theater ~~ “Daddy Long Legs” an Enjoyable Diversion at Cinnabar

By Barry Willis

A century-old Cinderella story comes to life at Petaluma’s Cinnabar Theater through January 22.

Sixteen years after its initial development in Ventura County, John Caird and Paul Gordon’s musical version of Jean Webster’s novel Daddy Long Legs has proven to be enduringly popular, especially among community theater troupes.

Daddy Long Legs is a production with appeal for fans of musical theater and of spunky-girl romances…

Cinnabar’s production features real-life husband-and-wife team Zachary Hasbany as young philanthropist Jervis Pendleton, and Brittany Law Hasbany as Jerusha Abbott, the oldest resident of an orphanage called the John Grier Home. The early-20th-century setup is that Jerusha has attracted his interest via her amusing descriptions of life at the orphanage. He offers to support her through college on the condition that she send monthly letters describing her progress, without expecting any replies.

Jerusha doesn’t know his identity—her letters go to an unknown benefactor called “Mr. Smith,” whom she nicknames “Daddy Long Legs” from having seen a fleeting shadow. The story spans Jerusha’s years in college, and her summers, told mostly in song—both performers are accomplished actors with fine voices—with some monologues to fill in the blanks for the audience.

Daddy Long Legs – Hasbany pair at work

As she matures, Jerusha develops a stronger sense of self, and hones her literary skills. In the course of her one-way communications with Jervis, he becomes enamored with her and arranges a meeting without revealing that he is Mr. Smith/Daddy Long Legs. They go hiking together, discover that they have acquaintances in common, and generally hit it off. He wrestles with his growing infatuation while she grows more independent. There’s a moment of truth ahead, one visible miles away.

And that’s the problem with Daddy Long Legs. Playwriting gurus say that for the sake of entertainment, audiences will make one or two huge leaps of faith to stick with the story, but this one was a leap too far for this reviewer. Jerusha becomes a successful novelist and ultimately lands her Prince Charming, but it’s not at all believable that after spending so much time with him, she doesn’t know his identity.

It’s like one of those masquerade ball scenes where the guests can see almost all of the other guests’ faces and converse in their normal voices but still pretend that they are strangers.

Director Elly Lichenstein gets lovely performances from the Hasbanys, and music director Mary Chun does likewise with the score—piano by Brett Strader—even though most of the songs sound very much alike.

Daddy Long Legs is a production with appeal for fans of musical theater and of spunky-girl romances, but potential ticket buyers are encouraged to read the Wikipedia plot synopsis before coming to the theater.

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Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: barry.m.willis@gmail.com

 

 

ProductionDaddy Long Legs
Written byJean Webster - adapted by John Caird and Paul Gordon
Directed byElly Lichenstein
Producing CompanyCinnabar Theater
Production DatesThrough Jan 22nd
Production Address3333 Petaluma Blvd North
Petaluma, CA 94952
Websitewww.cinnabartheater.org
Telephone (707) 763-8920
Tickets$25 – $40
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3.5/5
Performance4/5
Script3/5
Stagecraft3/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?----

Pick! ASR Theater ~~ More Thumbs Up for “A Year with Frog and Toad”!

By Sue Morgan

Spring has come early to Sonoma County as 6th Street Playhouse shines on theatre-goers young and old with a radiant production of A Year with Frog and Toad.

Luca Catanzaro’s beautifully spare setting has just the right amount of sumptuous color to enhance the vibrant performances of Frog (Jonathen Blue); Toad (Ted Smith); Bird, Turtle, Squirrel, Mole (Katie Foster); Bird, Mouse, Squirrel, Mole (Molly Larsen-Shine); and Bird, Snail, Lizard, Mole (Emma LeFever).

The vast majority of attendees could not stop smiling!

Donnie Frank’s costuming is also pitch perfect. Frog and Toad are dressed in keeping with their literary counterparts while the delightful birds sport multi-colored hair to match their plumage and billowy skirts; even without opening their mouths, their appearance alone incites glee!

Prior to the performance, young audience members were invited to color flowers and leaves provided at tables set up in the lobby. The children carried their art into the theatre and became part of the background as they waved their creations when characters sang.

As the story begins, three birds return north in spring after wintering in the South. Foster, Larsen-Shine and LeFever all give star performances as the birds that interact and harmonize beautifully with one another. Director Anne Warren Clark’s amusing and whimsical choreography perfectly expresses their joy as music director Daniel Savio’s upbeat ragtime ensures that not a toe remains untapped throughout their opening number. The vast majority of attendees could not stop smiling!

Jonathen Blue and Ted Smith are wholly believable as amphibian besties who organically teach lessons about kindness, loyalty and sharing, among other things, as they engage in activities in keeping with the seasons. Clark’s skillful direction empowered both performers to create characters that are charming, fun and fanciful – without devolving into childishness or slapstick.

Blue and Smith also have singing chops equal to their considerable facility for acting. The mail carrier snail – the living embodiment of “snail mail” – is flawlessly enacted by LeFever, whose artfully drawn-out journeys across the stage were an unexpected highlight among many in this abbreviated production (55 minutes with a 10-minute break).

Bring children, bring your friends, bring anyone who loves theatre and can use a bit of sunshine to see this heartwarming and exceptional presentation of A Year with Frog and Toad.

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Contributing Writer Sue Morgan is a literature-and-theater enthusiast in Sonoma County’s Russian River region. Contact: sstrongmorgan@gmail.com

 

 

ProductionA Year with Frog and Toad
Book and Lyrics byWillie Reale
Directed byAnne Warren Clark
Producing Company6th Street Playhouse
Production DatesWeekends at 10 AM, 1 PM, and 4 PM through January 29th
Production Address6th Street Playhouse
52 W. 6th Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Websitehttp://www.6thstreetplayhouse.com
Telephone (707) 523-4185
Tickets$15 to $25
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4.5/5
Performance5/5
Script4.5/5
Stagecraft4.5/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?YES!

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ “A Year with Frog and Toad”, Charming, Simple Storybook Musical

By Cari Lynn Pace

Laughter and ragtime music open this colorful production in the small Monroe Stage at 6th Street Playhouse. Oversize storybooks line the stage with flowerpots and garlands brightening the aisles. Small children sit or bounce in their chairs – many with dress-up skirts or cowboy boots. This is one performance where watching the audience is as much fun as watching the actors’ antics onstage.

Three members of the cast (Katie Foster, Molly Larsen-Shine, and Emma LeFever) variously play feathered birds and other small critters. Kudos to Donnie Frank who designed the costumes of these woodland creatures. The gals sing a sweet harmony, dance the Charleston, and tap to keep the attention of squirming little ones – not an easy task.

L-to-R, Emma LeFever, Molly Larse Shine, and Katie Foster. Photos Credit: Eric Chazankin.

Frog (Jonathen Blue) and Toad (Ted Smith) pop up to build their friendship as the seasons change. These two are delightful with their dancing moves and duets. The simple story line underscores taking care of each other, and the kids seem to get it.

It’s a short show, just about one hour, and the songs flow quickly throughout the plot. The one exception is the snail, whose slow-motion entrances and exits are met with constant giggles.

During intermission, kids were welcome to work off their pent-up energy by dancing and twirling on the colorful painted floor. “Look at me, Daddy!” was the joyful cry heard over the music.

“…a great way to introduce youngsters to live theatre.”

A Year with Frog and Toad is a great way to introduce youngsters to live theatre. It’s interactive, with a pre-show art project hosted by the Children’s Museum of Sonoma County. Creating wands and pictures adds to the overall excitement of being at a show, particularly when some of the pictures are tacked up to the stage props and recognized by the little artists.

L-to-R, Ted Smith and Jonathen Blue. Photos Credit: Eric Chazankin.

The popularity of this musical based on the stories of Arnold Lobel has sold out many shows, leading 6th Street to extend the run to January 29th. Ticket prices are $15-$25 with children under 2 free.

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ASR Writer & Editor Cari Lynn Pace is a voting member of SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and writes theatre and lifestyle reviews for the Marinscope Community Newspapers throughout Marin County. Contact: pace-koch@comcast.net

 

ProductionA Year with Frog and Toad
Book and Lyrics byWillie Reale
Directed byAnne Warren Clark
Producing Company6th Street Playhouse
Production DatesWeekends at 10 AM, 1 PM, and 4 PM through January 29th
Production Address6th Street Playhouse
52 W. 6th Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Websitehttp://www.6thstreetplayhouse.com
Telephone (707) 523-4185
Tickets$15 to $25
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3.5/5
Performance3.5/5
Script3/5
Stagecraft3.5/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?YES!

 

PICK! Aisle Seat Review ~~ Stunning Performances Elevate “Beetlejuice The Musical”

By Sue Morgan

If the measure of theatrical success is audience appreciation, Beetlejuice The Musical – at Golden Gate Theatre, San Francisco, through December 31st – is a runaway hit.

Eddie Perfect, who wrote the music and lyrics for the show, clues us in from the get-go that this is not your parents’ Beetlejuice. The play opens on the funeral for Emily Deetz, who has left behind her husband and 16ish-year-old daughter Lydia, (flawlessly played by Nevada Riley, understudy for Isabella Esler) who plaintively sings, “You’re invisible when you’re sad.”

Justin Collette as Beetlejuice and cast at work in ‘Beetlejuice’.

Before Riley’s final note has dissipated, Beetlejuice himself, an exquisitely unsavory Justin Collette, jumps in to bark, “Holy crap! A ballad already? And such a bold departure from the original source material!” before launching into his bravura opening number “The Whole ‘Being Dead’ Thing,” which left the audience roaring with applause. He also warns us that, as with Tim Burton’s original late ‘80s film starring Michael Keaton, much of the humor is based around Beetlejuice, a lecherously loathsome character, and his vile, wholly inappropriate attention to basically anyone who comes within groping distance.

…a night of madcap fun…

Collette makes it clear that this is not a politically correct production as he jeers, “I know you’re woke–but you can take a joke…?” Apparently, most of the audience at the opening night performance were able to do just that.

In addition to Lydia and Beetlejuice, the story line follows newly deceased young couple Barbara and Adam (astutely cast Britney Coleman and Will Burton, respectively) as they try to terrorize Lydia, her father Charles (appropriately simpering Jesse Sharp), and Lydia’s “life coach,” Delia (the excellently flaky gold-digging Kate Marilley), who have moved into the home where Barbara and Adam intend to spend eternity. Unable to frighten them into leaving the home, Barbara seeks help from self-proclaimed “bio-exorcist” Beetlejuice.

Isabella Eisler and Justin Collette, with Britney Coleman and Will Burton in ‘Beetlejuice’ (photo: Adina Hsu)

Where Burton’s original Lydia was an angsty and morbidly inquisitive teen, authors Scott Brown and Anthony King have reimagined her as maudlin and depressed. Riley is a talented actor and exceptional singer who performs both song and dialog with passion, flair and bravado that often transcend the often-insipid material she has to work with. Brown and King appear to be attempting to evoke genuine compassion and empathy from the audience, a misstep for a story never intended to be anything other than a quirky, campy romp.

Collette is a believably reprehensible Beetlejuice and manages to repel us even after we learn the backstory about his loveless childhood. Again, this reviewer felt that the attempts to add poignancy to the production fell flat. Collette’s performance, however, is fantastic and his manic antics, as well as the stunning visuals – Beetlejuice multiplied exponentially; the perfectly recreated sandworm; multiple ensemble numbers; stunning costuming – combine to provide a night of madcap fun.

For those looking for a night of off-beat (and off-base) humor and a fantastic cast of outstanding performers, Beetlejuice The Musical will not disappoint.

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Contributing Writer Sue Morgan is a literature-and-theater enthusiast in Sonoma County’s Russian River region. Contact: sstrongmorgan@gmail.com

 

 

ProductionBeetlejuice: The Musical
Written byScott Brown & Anthony King
Directed by
Musical direction by
Alex Timbers
Producing CompanyBroadwaySF
Production DatesThru December 31, 2022
Production AddressGolden Gate Theatre
1 Taylor St. San Francisco, CA
WebsiteBroadwaysf.com
Telephone888-746-1799
Tickets$40 - $264
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3.5/5
Performance5/5
Script3/5
Stagecraft3.5/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?YES!

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ Musical “As You Like It” at SF Playhouse

By Mitchell Field

As You Like It, the Musical at SF Playhouse is delightful. Originally presented by The Public Theater, The New York Times named it among “The Best Theater of 2017.”

The performances are terrific, all the actors clearly having a great time onstage, totally invested in giving their absolute best to drive the show along and to entertain. This modern adaptation of a Shakespearean classic is well-directed by Bill English, who on opening night graciously thanked members of the press for attending.

The show is just plain fun!

Entrances and exits are head-spinningly perfect, the rollicking energy spectacular. The spare sets by English and Heather Kenyon are great, the lighting superb, (David Robertson), the choreography marvelous (Nicole Helfer), the costuming charming (Kathleen Qiu), and the live band terrific (Dave Dobrusky + 4). The show is just plain fun! They even threw in a Kanye West joke.

Oliver (front left: Ryan Torres) is summoned into court by Duke Frederick (Will Springhorn Jr. – center back), viewed by (l to r: Renee Rogoff, Jillian A. Smith, Johann Santiago Santos) in SF Playhouse’s musical version of “As You Like It”. Photo Credit: Jessica Palopoli

The production has many elements of an English pantomime, a Christmas-season tradition in the UK. This reviewer would have enjoyed seeing even more of this. Slapstick components include topical humor, call-and-response lines with the audience, a “drag” character (in addition to Rosalind, the Bard’s original), and some lame “badda-bing” jokes such as:

  • “Did you know that I own a pencil used by William Shakespeare? He chewed on it a lot though, so I can’t tell if it’s 2B or not 2B.”
  • “Did you know that Shakespeare was able to write with either his left or right hand equally well? Yes, he was iambidextrous.”

“Over-the-top” is a perfect description of this show. My guest loved it and so did the entire audience. The 17 players received a well-deserved standing-O at the end.

Orlando (Nikita Burshteyn) invades the forest community of Arden (l to r: Ezra Reaves, Emily Dwyer, Jillian A. Smith) in the forest of Arden in San Francisco Playhouse’s musical version of “As You Like It,” performing now through January 14, 2023. Photo Credit: Jessica Palopoli

Even though the songs in this show are written by Shaina Taub, currently working with Sir Elton John on a musical adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada, I didn’t leave the auditorium singing or even humming the songs, My Fair Lady it ain’t, but how many musical shows are? Even so, as a fun, entertaining theater experience, it was “as I like it.”

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Mitchell Field is a Sr. Contributing Writer for Aisle Seat Review. Based in Marin County, Mr. Field is an actor and voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC). Contact: mitchfield@aol.com

 

ProductionAs You Like It, the Musical
Written byWilliam Shakespeare - adapted by Shaina Taub and Laurie Woolery Music and Lyrics by Shaina Taub
Directed by
Musical direction by
Bill English
Dave Dobrusky
Producing CompanySan Francisco Playhouse
Production DatesThru Jan 14th, 2023
Production AddressSF Playhouse
450 Post Street
San Francisco, CA
Websitewww.sfplayhouse.org/sfph/2022-2023-season/indecent/
Telephone(415) 677-9596
Tickets$15 - $100
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft3/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?YES!

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ Sumptuous “A Christmas Carol” Returns to ACT

By Barry Willis

A fabulous San Francisco tradition has returned after a three-year absence.

Perhaps the greatest redemption story in the English language, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is back at the American Conservatory Theatre, and what a welcome it’s receiving. The show runs through December 24 at the Toni Rembe Theatre on Geary Street (formerly the Geary Theatre).

The sumptuous, big-scale production stars James Carpenter as the dour miser Ebenezer Scrooge.

James Carpenter (Scrooge).

Without question one of the Bay Area’s top acting talents, Carpenter is at his peak in his signature role, one he shares with Anthony Fusco in alternating performances. Fusco is also a supremely talented actor who should bring an unusual interpretation to one of the most hated, most amusing, and ultimately most loved characters in the theatrical repertoire.

Directed by Peter J. Kuo, riffing somewhat on Carey Perloff’s original concept, this Christmas Carol is a joy to behold, with a huge cast of 40 performers including many children, but also many veteran actors (most in multiple roles) such as Sharon Lockwood, Jomar Tagatac, Howard Swain, and Brian Herndon. Lockwood absolutely shines as Mrs. Dilbert, Scrooge’s bitter housekeeper, and also as the lighthearted Mrs. Fezziwig, wife of Scrooge’s first employer.

…A theatrical and spiritual uplift unlike any other…

Dan Hiatt is fantastic as the ghost of Scrooge’s business partner Jacob Marley, who appears early in the tale to warn Scrooge that it’s not too late to change his evil ways.

Dan Hiatt (Ghost of Jacob Marley) in A.C.T.’s celebrated production of the Charles Dickens’ classic tale.

Burdened with the accumulated heavy karma of his earthly misdeeds, he rattles his fetters and intones “I wear the chain I forged in life. I made it link by link and yard by yard . . . ” — one of the most potent warnings ever issued by a character on stage, and one that establishes the high-stakes drama to come.

The production sails along with astounding effects. The Ghost of Christmas Past (the glamorous B Noel Thomas) appears to Scrooge floating above him on a celestial swing (scenic designer John Arnone). Scrooge’s office is up a flight of stairs that he climbs repeatedly to lord it over his underpaid and oppressed clerk Bob Cratchit (Jomar Tagatac). Emily Newsome brings a charming sensitivity to the role of Belle, Scrooge’s first love, cast aside by his single-minded pursuit of money.

The cast of A.C.T.’s celebrated production of the Charles Dickens classic, “A Christmas Carol”, playing at the Toni Rembe Theater (formerly the Geary Theater) in The City.

This Christmas Carol revives much of the tremendous theatricality that has long been part of ACT’s annual holiday offering. The stagecraft is spectacular and the music and dancing totally delightful. Composer Karl Lundeberg and choreographer Val Caniparoli deserve accolades for their contributions, as do lighting designer Nancy Schertler and sound designer Jake Rodriguez. The show is a brilliant team effort by a huge array of inspired experts.

A theatrical and spiritual uplift unlike any other, ACT’s A Christmas Carol is a wonderful holiday tradition suitable for all ages.

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Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: barry.m.willis@gmail.com

 

 

ProductionA Christmas Carol
Written byCharles Dickens - adapted by Carey Perloff and Paul Wals
Directed by
Choreographed by
Peter J. Kuo
Val Caniparoli
Producing CompanyAmerican Conservatory Theater (ACT)
Production DatesThrough Dec 24th
Production AddressToni Rembe Theatre, 415 Geary Street, SF, CA
Websitewww.act-sf.org
Telephone(415) 749-2228
Tickets$15 – $140
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4.5/5
Performance4.5/5
Script5/5
Stagecraft4.5/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?YES!

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ “Remember This – The Lesson of Jan Karski” at Berkeley Rep

By George Maguire

As I sat watching this remarkable production at Berkeley Rep’s Peets Theatre, I was filled with my own vivid memories of living in Germany for my junior year in college, and a trip I took to Dachau.

This was in 1966, only 20 years after the end of the war, and the camp was still structured as it had been when the Allies liberated it. I was 19 and have rarely spoken of my reactions to being in the Konzentrationslagers, sitting one of the remaining bed frames where hundreds were kept in the bitter cold awaiting their impending death, and then peering into the still remaining ovens where thousands were incinerated.

Dachau is a suburban town of Munich with a single railway leading to disembarkation center for the prisoners. The idea that no one knew was impossible to grasp. If I could smell the scents of the city in the cold alpine air, how could the citizens NOT smell the death of humanity? They did and they chose to ignore it, pushing it aside in an “It has nothing to do with me!” or “We just did not know!” firm attitude.

…Emmy Award winner and Academy Award nominee David Strathairn portrays the Polish World War II hero and Holocaust witness Jan Karski…

For 35 years, Polish Catholic Jan Karski was silent. He was a courier sent by the Polish government in exile to view what was happening to the millions of Jews who were disappearing from the ghettos. The great Elie Weisel invited Karski (a professor at Georgetown University) to speak at a conference on the liberation of the camps, and Karski finally opened up, retelling in harrowing detail what he witnessed.

The recounting, put together by writer/professor Derek Goldman and his then student Clark Young began as a class project and then with the divine casting of Goldman’s friend and Oscar nominee David Strathairn, the play took root. With a gorgeous and very specific lighting design by Zach Lane and subtle music of Roc Lee, we enter the world of the play in our minds and hearts.

David Strathairn at work at Berkeley Rep. Photo: Manaf Azzam

As Strathairn morphs in performance into the numerous voices of those Karski encountered, including FDR, Britain’s Anthony Eden, Winston Churchill, and various Dutch, Polish, German, and French people with whom he spoke and, of course Karski himself, we are both astounded by 73-year-old Strathairn’s versatility, physicality and ease, but also left in tears by what he conveys.

With the current rise of nationalism, antisemitism, and racial injustice in the world today and of course in the USA, The Lesson of Jan Karski arrives at the most opportune time. It is time not just to reflect, but more importantly to speak out. For 35 long years, Jan Karski did not, and then in a torrent of pain revealed his anguish.

David Strathairn as Jan Karski. Photo: Rich Hein

The play and David Strathairn’s vivid portrayal give us a doorway to our souls of necessity allowing us not just to view what we see, but to activate with words and deeds our own battle for truth.

-30-

ASR Contributing Writer George Maguire is a San Francisco based actor and director. and a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. He is a Professor Emeritus of Solano College. Contact: gmaguire1204@yahoo.com

 

ProductionRemember This: The Lessons of Jan Karski
Written by Derek Goldman
Directed by Clark Young
Producing CompanyBerkeley Repertory Theatre
Production DatesThrough Dec 18th
Production Address2025 Addison Street, Berkeley CA 94704
Websitewww.berkeleyrep.org
Telephone(510) 847-2949
Tickets$31 - $98
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall5/5
Performance5/5
Script5/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?YES!

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ A Devilishly Good Elf Makes Hillbarn’s “Elf, the Musical” a Don’t Miss Production!

By Joanne Engelhardt

When you have as versatile an actor as Dave J. Abrams playing Buddy the Elf, it’s impossible to go wrong. Director Randy Ohara can justifiably be pleased with his new hit Elf, the Musical, running through Dec. 18 at the Foster City theater.

This young man – locally educated at UC Berkeley – is the real deal. He jumps high, he squeals like a kid, he dances around gracefully and he literally commands the stage whenever he’s on it – which is almost all the time.

”….he’s on the ‘naughty’ list!!”

As director O’Hara says in his director’s notes: “My hope is that you share some laughs and live in the moment with your loved ones, creating holiday memories.” Once he found his Buddy, choosing the rest of his 23-member cast likely came together easily. Several standouts include Jessica Coker as Emily Hobbs, the dynamo mom to impressive young MIchael Hobbs (Josh Parecki). Both Coker and Parecki possess strong voices that are used to good advantage in this fun show.

Walter Hobbs (Brandon Savage) leads the office in a chorus of “Christmas Always Gets in the Way”. Photo Appears Courtesy of Actors Equity Association — Photos by Mark and Tracy Photography

Nadiyah Hollis’ clear vocals are another fine addition to “Elf.” As Macy’s top boss, she’s both commanding and demanding! Russ Bohard’s Santa displays just the right amount of “ho-ho-ho-ness” without becoming cloyingly sweet. But he would have seemed a tad more Santa-like if he looked as if he more enjoyed being around children.

As for Brandon Savage, playing the all-work-and-no-play Macy’s manager Walter Hobbs, he is truly on Santa’s “naughty” list when he tells his employees they’ll have to work late on Christmas Eve – maybe even on Christmas! – because they’re behind in their work. He’s even all-business at home but Buddy teaches him some solid lessons on lovingly taking care of both his business and his family.

Deb (Lindsay Schulz) shows Buddy (Dave J. Abrams*) how to make snow using the shredder. Photo Appears Courtesy of Actors Equity Association — Photos by Mark and Tracy Photography

The sense of child-like wonder Abrams brings to his role is mesmerizing. When his father (Savage) tells him to go get a cup of cocoa and sit quietly in a chair, Buddy squeals with childish delight: “You know what’s even yummier? Hot chocolate with a chocolate bar on top!”

A number of supporting roles deserve mention as well: Lindsay Schulz as Deb is always smiling, dancing, singing – it made this reviewer hope she becomes Buddy’s girlfriend! But that role belongs to Allison J. Parker as Jovie. At first, Parker seems aloof and not at all interested in the persistent Buddy who instantly falls for her and tells her he wants to make all her dreams come true.

But Parker grows on you, and once she relaxes and smiles more, she seems a perfect foil for the mercurial elf. Her powerful vocals are also first-rate.

Meanwhile, high up to one side of the Hillbarn theatre sits musical director Joe Murphy playing drums and conducting a fine-sounding orchestra of about eight musicians.

Jeanne Batacan-Harper does a good job of choreographing her dancers in the somewhat small stage space at Hillbarn. Pam Lampkin and her costumers made cute little elf slippers for all of Santa’s elves – and created their outfits, including a colorful one for Buddy.

Buddy (Dave J. Abrams*) and New York’s out of work Santa’s declare that nobody cares about Santa Claus. Photo Appears Courtesy of Actors Equity Association — Photos by Mark and Tracy Photography

Although the set design is fairly minimal, it works well for quick scene changes with most furniture sliding in and out as the background moves from Santaland, to Macy’s to the Hobbs home, to Central Park in New York.

So, pack up the whole family – kids especially, but aunts, grandparents, friends – and spend a few hours enjoying the wonderfulness of Hillbarn’s Elf, the Musical.

-30-

Aisle Seat Executive Reviewer Joanne Engelhardt is a Peninsula theatre writer and critic. She is a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC). Contact: joanneengelhardt@comcast.net

 

ProductionElf, the Musical
Songs by

Book by
Tony Award nominees Matthew Sklar & Chad Beguelin.

Tony Award winners, Thomas Meehan & Bob Martin
Directed by
Choreography by
Randy Ohara
Jeanne Batacan-Harper
Producing CompanyHillbarn Theatre
Production DatesThru Dec 18th
Production Address1285 E Hillsdale Blvd, Foster City, CA 94404
Websitewww.hillbarntheatre.org
Telephone(659) 349-6411
Tickets$32-$60
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall5/5
Performance5/5
Script5/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?Yes!

ASR Theater ~~ “Ham for the Holidays” Sizzles at Main Stage West

By Sue Morgan

In small-town depression-era Georgia, due to a wholly unexpected blizzard, Orson Welles is unable to fulfill a much-heralded Christmas holiday performance at local radio station WHAM.

The package containing the script Welles was supposed to perform is inadvertently confused with another, containing fruitcake. Station owner Cab Hoxton (Dodds Delzell) was counting on Welles’ special holiday performance to save his flailing station and insists that the show must go on. Such is the premise of Ham for the Holidays, a seasonal farce by Shad Willingham at Main Stage West in Sebastopol.

Ham for the Holidays is lighthearted, funny holiday theatre.

Local radio personality Dexter Armstrong (Garet Waterhouse) volunteers a script he has written and intended to pass to Welles, hoping that Welles would recognize his genius and help take his career to the next level. Under duress, Cab agrees to use the script, dubiously titled “Attack of the Space Robots from Outer Space,” but insists it be modified to fit the wintry Christmas season.

Needing all hands on deck to stage the play and perform the roles of the 20 characters in the script, Hoxton enlists Violet Bicks (Maureen O’Neil), a method-acting stage veteran; Timmy Wilkens (Zane Walters), young assistant to an absent sound effects technician and all-around station gofer; Uncle Dick (John Craven), Hoxton’s narcoleptic brother and former Shakespearean thespian; and Honey Hoxton (Dale Leonheart), Hoxton’s negligibly talented and supremely clumsy daughter. Mayhem ensues.

Wilkens accidentally breaks the handle off the boiler, causing the station to get hotter and hotter, leading everyone to gradually disrobe as the evening progresses. Uncle Dick falls asleep when he’s supposed to be on air; Violet insists on changing costumes for every character, even when she is playing multiple characters speaking to one another; Honey doesn’t seem to grasp the concept of “On Air,” but is thrilled to assist Wilkens with sound effects, at one point inserting a monkey sound into a barnyard scene; and everyone does their best to insert words into the script that make it seem as if the action is happening in a cool winter environment, even though it is set on a blazing hot summer day.

The set design with engineering booth, drop mic, desk, wall covered in sound effect props, door to hallway, door to office, etc., is well-done, but the limitations of the small stage take a toll. As multiple characters are performing separate – and often intentionally disparate – actions simultaneously, the desired sense of chaos is achieved, but the overall effect was chaotic and disjointed, making it difficult to home in on any particular scene.

While the individual players do well, eliciting many laughs, both because of the dialogue and their own talent at comedic acting – the Ham jingles alone were worth the price of admission – overall, the ensemble sometimes felt clumsy and out of sync. This may be resolved with further performances.

Despite the shortcomings, Ham for the Holidays is lighthearted, funny holiday theatre.

-30-

Contributing Writer Sue Morgan is a literature-and-theater enthusiast in Sonoma County’s Russian River region. Contact: sstrongmorgan@gmail.com

 

 

ProductionHam for the Holidays
Written byShad Willingham
Directed byEmily Cornelius
Producing CompanyMain Stage West
Production DatesThrough Dec 30th
Production AddressMain Stage West
104 N Main St
Sebastopol, CA 95472
Websitewww.mainstagewest.com
Telephone(707) 823-0177
Tickets$20 – $32
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3/5
Performance3/5
Script3.5/5
Stagecraft3.5/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK!----

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ Sonoma Arts Live Showcases America’s Country Star

By Sue Morgan and Cari Lynn Pace

Director Michael Ross’ self-proclaimed “love letter to the theater community,” Always…Patsy Cline is based on the true story of Patsy Cline’s relationship with Louise Seger, a fan who became Patsy’s friend and with whom Patsy maintained a close correspondence until Cline’s untimely passing, at age 30, in a plane crash. The show runs at Sonoma Arts Live through December 18.

ASR contributors Sue Morgan and Cari Lynn Pace comment below:

CLP: SAL captures the spirit and voice of Patsy Cline by casting Danielle DeBow as the young American star of country music. DeBow has the stunning looks and the honeyed earthy voice that vaulted Cline to the top of the charts in the late 50s and early 60s. DeBow even captures the famous sad catch in Cline’s voice, so wonderfully evocaive in her hits “Crazy,” “I Fall to Pieces,” and “Walkin’ After Midnight.”

Danielle DeBow as Patsy Cline.

SM: Reprising their roles in SAL’s second production of the play, both Danielle DeBow (Patsy) and Karen Pinomaki (Louise) create the magic necessary to bring the audience back to mid-century America when Cline’s astonishingly numerous hits were pervasive on radio and TV, not merely for country music fans but for many others across the nation. You’ll find most of those hits faithful to the originals and beautifully performed by DeBow in this production.

… It’s an enjoyable – and laughable – tribute…

CLP: Who knows how far Cline might have gone had she not tragically died in that airplane crash before she was even 30 years old?

SM: DeBow is not only a world-class singer but also drop-dead gorgeous. Michael Ross has an impeccable eye for costuming and uses her beauty to great advantage. DeBow first appears as Patsy onstage at the Grand Ole Opry, wearing an accurate recreation of Cline’s iconic red-fringed cowgirl dress. Ross then adorns DeBow in an array of period-perfect and stunning confections which enhance and contribute to the overall appeal of the production.

CLP: The thin plot is based on the true story of Louise, Cline’s enthusiastic fan, and the friendship that developed between them. It‘s an amusing and heartfelt retelling, narrated by Pinomaki and based on letters the two women shared over several years. Pinomaki is an outrageous force of energy on stage, delightfully down-to-earth as she cavorts around the entire theater. She’s the perfect fearless foil against the cool smooth presence of DeBow.

SM: Pinomaki’s high-octane performance is both energizing and engaging, frequently eliciting appreciative laughter. Use of a thrust stage (the audience on three sides) works well to create a sense of intimacy as we observe Louise puttering in her kitchen, calling her local radio DJ to request her favorite Cline songs, or narrating and enacting the story of how she came to befriend her musical idol.

DeBow’s magnificent voice and stage presence, as well as the warmth and easy authenticity in her interactions with superfan Louise make her a wholly believable Patsy.

CLP: The six-piece band onstage is pure country, complete with pedal steel guitar and fiddle. At some moments the piano overwhelmed the vocals. Those unfamiliar with the songs may not grasp some of the poignant stories told in the lyrics. This reviewer, who has excellent hearing and sat in the second row, just went with the flow of the music.

Many of DeBow’s vocals are backed up by the harmony quartet of Sean O’Brien, Jonathen Blue, Steve Cairns, and Alexi Ryan, as the Jordanaires. They lend an authenticity to Cline’s original songs that is country-fine fun.

SM: The Jordanaires do a fine job as backup singers for Patsy, including a somber lament after her passing. The band was tight and on point and drummer Elizabeth Robertson collaborated well with Louise during a staged bit on tempo.

SM: Despite the tragedy of Cline’s early demise, Always… Patsy Cline does not devolve into melodrama, but maintains its focus on the friendship of two women of vastly different circumstances, brought together serendipitously and steadfastly connected through mutual affection and appreciation.

Danielle DeBow (Patsy) and Karen Pinomaki (Louise) create the magic at Sonoma Arts Live.

CLP: It’s no mere jukebox musical. It’s an enjoyable – and laughable – tribute from an energetic housewife to a budding superstar. Two down-home gals who once bonded and became friends … always.

SM: This production will make believers of those unfamiliar with Ms. Cline’s music and will renew the enthusiasm of long-term fans through its outstanding combination of theatricality, virtuoso musical performances, gorgeous costuming and heart-warming true-life subject matter. An exhilarating, riveting, joyful piece of musical theatre!

-30-

Contributing Writer Sue Morgan is a literature-and-theater enthusiast in Sonoma County’s Russian River region. Contact: sstrongmorgan@gmail.com

 

 

ASR Writer & Editor Cari Lynn Pace is a voting member of SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and writes theatre and lifestyle reviews for the Marinscope Community Newspapers throughout Marin County. Contact: pace-koch@comcast.net

 

ProductionAlways, Patsy Cline
Written byTed Swindley
Directed byMichael Ross
Producing CompanySonoma Arts Live
Production DatesThursdays thru Sundays until Dec. 18, 2022
Production AddressRotary Stage: Andrews Hall, Sonoma Community Center
276 E. Napa Street, Sonoma
Websitewww.sonomaartslive.org
Telephone866-710-8942
Tickets$25 – $42
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4.5/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft3.5/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?YES!

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ Scrooge in Love A Musical Treat at 6th Street

By Cari Lynn Pace

Anyone reluctant to revisit old Ebenezer Scrooge and his ghosts should prepare to be delighted by this musical follow-up to Dickens’s original story. Santa Rosa’s 6th Street Playhouse once again shines with this perfectly polished performance of stunning characters – yes, including the ghosts, following Scrooge a year after Tiny Tim intoned “God bless us, every one.”

Director Jared Sakren was the ideal choice to lead this full-blown musical, having previously directed and played Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. He notes “I’m delighted to bring Scrooge in Love to 6th Street with its festive, heartwarming, and magical story.”

…The songs are delightful, and move the plot along quickly, just in time for more ghosts…

The curtain opens with an annoyed Scrooge (superbly characterized by Jeff Cote’) awakened by his former partner – now hairy ghost – Marley (Peter Downey). Kudos to sound designer Ben Roots for the spooky echo when Downey speaks, in contrast to Cote’s dialog. Scrooge thought his visitation by ghosts was over and points out his forward progress, singing “In Just One Year.” Alas, ghosts have other plans.

The Ghost of Christmas Past (beautiful Alanna Weatherby) floats in to convince Scrooge of her mission. Her hilarious song “I Love Love” may not be hummable for mere mortals, but this soaring soprano nails the highest notes to earn the audience’s spontaneous applause.

Transported to a long past Christmas celebration, Scrooge is urged to have a little party fun when his buddy Dick (Skyler King) leads the company in singing “A Regular Day.” Choreographer Joseph Favarola must have worked tirelessly with this large ensemble of adults and children to produce one of several joyous dance scenes.

Scrooge sees himself as a timid young man, well cast in Noah Sternhill. It’s love at first sight for young Scrooge and lovely Belle (superbly acted by Erin Rose Solorio.) Belle is eager, but shy Scrooge is painfully unsure of himself and lets the relationship slip from his grasp.

Cote’ is a formidable actor and comedic talent, and carries Scrooge in Love with energy and perfect characterizations. Singing is not his strong suit, yet his down-to-earth voice harmonizes well when he does a duet with Sternhill singing “The Things You Should Have Done.” Ginger Beavers directs the show’s live music written by Larry Grossman with lyrics by Kellen Blair. The songs are delightful, and move the plot along quickly, just in time for more ghosts.

The big Ghost of Christmas Present (Ezra Hernandez) arrives with an even bigger baritone voice. When he gets into the party action, Scrooge begins to get the picture. A cadre of kids and the cast sing “Do It Now” but Scrooge is unsure.

Finally, the silent and scary Ghost of Christmas Future (King doubles up for this role) shows a dismal ending. Scrooge sings “Sad I’m Dead” to great laughter. This reviewer found the many funny lines peppering this show added to the wit and enjoyment of the total production.

Scrooge at last is spurred to action. Scrooge, Marley, and the Three Ghosts sing “You Can’t Put a Price on Love” that brought the house down. A huge shout-out goes to the behind-the-scenes work of costume designer Mae Heagerty-Matos, and wig/hair/makeup designer Rosanne Johnson. The pair’s wizardry transforms actors into outrageous ghosts and classic Dickens characters.

So in summary, grab the family and go see Scrooge In Love — it’s a winter wonderland winner!

-30-

ASR Writer & Editor Cari Lynn Pace is a voting member of SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and writes theatre and lifestyle reviews for the Marinscope Community Newspapers throughout Marin County. Contact: pace-koch@comcast.net

 

ProductionScrooge in Love
Written byDuane Poole
Directed byJared Sakren
Producing Company6th Street Playhouse, Studio Theatre
Production DatesThrough Dec 18th. (Some dates have both afternoon and evening shows)
Production Address6th Street Playhouse
52 W. 6th Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Websitehttp://www.6thstreetplayhouse.com
Telephone (707) 523-4185
Tickets$19 (under 18) to $48
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall5/5
Performance5/5
Script5/5
Stagecraft5/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?YES!

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ On Track: Marin Theatre Company’s “Two Trains Running”

By George Maguire

Recognized as one of the greatest voices in American theater, Pittsburgh native August Wilson set out with the task of chronicling a century of the African American experience with ten plays reflecting each decade of the 20th century.

Two Trains Running is his 1960s play, bringing to life the assassination of Martin Luther King, inner city re-development and subsequent brewing discontent.

Set in Home Style, a restaurant in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s Hill District, we meet owner Memphis (Lamont Thompson – an actor of endless vocal variety and passion), as he prepares for the inevitable selling of his property to the city, which will tear it down eliminating both history and the convivial meeting place for the few remaining patrons.

Sam Jackson (Risa) and Lamont Thompson (Memphis
) at work at Marin Theatre Company. Photo: Kevin
Berne

Memphis has property in Jackson, Mississippi and he is eager to take one of the daily two trains running from Pittsburgh to Jackson to set claim with the papers he owns on his entitled land.

I love this play…

This play always resonates home for me, as I am from Pittsburgh and can recall when a vast swath of the Hill District was torn down to build the huge City Arena where I would begin my own career as a professional actor. The inhabitants were simply given notice and moved. Eminent domain! No choice! Literally hundreds of families and the history of a vital and thriving section of Pittsburgh ended in the 1960s.

What makes Two Trains Running so remarkable is that as we are introduced to seven characters whose threatened lives bring the play to life, there is no bombast as their idiosyncratic personalities express pain, humor and a searching for some continuity. We meet Wolf, a dynamic and always plotting numbers-runner played to slithering perfection by Kenny Scott. There is Holloway (a remarkable Michael Asberry), the moral compass of the café, always there, always at the down front table ready for a coffee and a chess game and a tete-a-tete conversation with Memphis.

Michael J. Asberry (Holloway) in Marin Theatre Company’s production of August Wilson’s “Two Trains Running” — Photo: Kevin Berne

The stage is then energized by Eddie Ewell as Sterling. Fresh out of the state pen, he is glib and suave. Mr. Ewell fills the room with effortless radiance with a smile and guile that can melt the heart of Risa the waitress (Sam Jackson) whose life, it seems, is to refill the always emptying coffee cups and dish out the cornbread and chicken, which seem to be the only foodstuffs served at the Home Style. Risa has a secret which has protected her from any assault. Jackson hides the daily grind and the pain with a quiet resolve.

Eddie Ewell (Sterling) in MTC’s production of “Two Trains Running”. Photo: Kevin Berne.

Home Style is across the street from West’s Funeral Home. Khary L. Moye’s West, wearing his black suit and black gloves at all times, proudly announces his many Cadillacs, the dream cars of the black experience, are always in tip-top shape readying for the next death. Lastly and most movingly there is Hambone, whose two reiterated lines “I wants my ham. He gonna give me my ham!” brings us to tears in Michael Wayne Rice’s simple rendering of this sad complicated man.

Wilson’s play is filled with lengthy but distinctive monologues as Memphis and Holloway especially bring us Wilson’s prescient, proud profundities with shooting arrow precision. “No wonder Justice is wearing a blindfold” . . . “We are all a part of everything that came before.” The play is directed with infinite care and precision by Dawn Monique Williams. Even the scene changes under sound designer Gregory Robinson’s haunting work bringing the shifting passage of time are a part of Ms. Williams’ clarity.

I love this play and its bold attempt not to be bold, but just be! It is never boring. All we have to do is listen. Listen to the beating hearts of the black men and women impatiently and patiently knowing that change is coming.

Sometimes it’s the quiet ones who scream the loudest in our hearts,

-30-

ASR Contributing Writer George Maguire is San Francisco based actor-director and is Professor Emeritus of Solano College Theatre. He is a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: gmaguire1204@yahoo.com

 

ProductionTwo Trains Running
Written byAugust Wilson
Directed byDawn Monique Williams
Producing CompanyMarin Theatre Company (MTC)
Production DatesThrough Dec. 18th
Production AddressMarin Theatre Company
397 Miller Avenue
Mill Valley, CA
Websitewww.marintheatre.org
Telephone(415) 388-5200
Tickets$25.50 – $60.50
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall5/5
Performance5/5
Script5/5
Stagecraft5/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?YES!

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ Scrooge in Love: A Musical Treat at 6th Street

By Cari Lynn Pace

Anyone reluctant to revisit old Ebenezer Scrooge and his ghosts should prepare to be delighted by this musical follow-up to Dickens’s original story. Santa Rosa’s 6th Street Playhouse once again shines with this perfectly polished performance of stunning characters – yes, including the ghosts, following Scrooge a year after Tiny Tim intoned “God bless us, every one.”

Director Jared Sakren was the ideal choice to lead this full-blown musical, having previously directed and played Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. He notes “I’m delighted to bring Scrooge in Love to 6th Street with its festive, heartwarming, and magical story.”

…outrageous ghosts and classic Dickens characters…

The curtain opens with an annoyed Scrooge (superbly characterized by Jeff Cote’) awakened by his former partner – now hairy ghost – Marley (Peter Downey). Kudos to sound designer Ben Roots for the spooky echo when Downey speaks, in contrast to Cote’s dialog. Scrooge thought his visitation by ghosts was over and points out his forward progress, singing “In Just One Year.” Alas, ghosts have other plans.

The Ghost of Christmas Past (beautiful Alanna Weatherby) floats in to convince Scrooge of her mission. Her hilarious song “I Love Love” may not be hummable for mere mortals, but this soaring soprano nails the highest notes to earn the audience’s spontaneous applause.

Transported to a long past Christmas celebration, Scrooge is urged to have a little party fun when his buddy Dick (Skyler King) leads the company in singing “A Regular Day.” Choreographer Joseph Favarola must have worked tirelessly with this large ensemble of adults and children to produce one of several joyous dance scenes.

Scrooge sees himself as a timid young man, well cast in Noah Sternhill. It’s love at first sight for young Scrooge and lovely Belle (superbly acted by Erin Rose Solorio.) Belle is eager, but shy Scrooge is painfully unsure of himself and lets the relationship slip from his grasp.

Cote’ is a formidable actor and comedic talent, and carries Scrooge in Love with energy and perfect characterizations. Singing is not his strong suit, yet his down-to-earth voice harmonizes well when he does a duet with Sternhill singing “The Things You Should Have Done.” Ginger Beavers directs the show’s live music written by Larry Grossman with lyrics by Kellen Blair. The songs are delightful, and move the plot along quickly, just in time for more ghosts.

Scrooge In Love: the cast at work at 6th St.

The big Ghost of Christmas Present (Ezra Hernandez) arrives with an even bigger baritone voice. When he gets into the party action, Scrooge begins to get the picture. A cadre of kids and the cast sing “Do It Now” but Scrooge is unsure.

Finally, the silent and scary Ghost of Christmas Future (King doubles up for this role) shows a dismal ending. Scrooge sings “Sad I’m Dead” to great laughter. This reviewer found the many funny lines peppering this show added to the wit and enjoyment of the total production.

Scrooge at last is spurred to action. Scrooge, Marley, and the Three Ghosts sing “You Can’t Put a Price on Love” that brought the house down. A huge shout-out goes to the behind-the-scenes work of costume designer Mae Heagerty-Matos, and wig/hair/makeup designer Rosanne Johnson. The pair’s wizardry transforms actors into outrageous ghosts and classic Dickens characters.

-30-

ASR Writer & Editor Cari Lynn Pace is a voting member of SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and writes theatre and lifestyle reviews for the Marinscope Community Newspapers throughout Marin County. Contact: pace-koch@comcast.net

 

ProductionScrooge in Love
Written byDuane Poole
Directed byJared Sakren
Producing Company6th Street Playhouse
Production DatesThrough Dec 18th. (Some dates have both afternoon and evening shows)
Production Address6th Street Playhouse
52 W. 6th Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Websitehttp://www.6thstreetplayhouse.com
Telephone (707) 523-4185
Tickets$19 (under 18) to $48
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4.5/5
Performance4.5/5
Script4.5/5
Stagecraft4.5/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?YES!

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ Compelling, Controversial “Wuthering Heights” at Berkeley Rep

By George Maguire and Barry Willis

Writer/director Emma Rice has deconstructed one of the most beloved English novels of the 19th century and has remade it into a pop-rock extravaganza, delighting some critics and outraging others. Her Wuthering Heights runs at Berkeley Repertory Theatre through January 1, 2023.

Traditionalists expecting a stage production of the dark 1939 film starring Merle Oberon and Laurence Olivier are likely to be disappointed. This frenetic, high-energy show is geared to a younger generation with a different aesthetic, but it can work equally well for those not necessarily tethered to the past. Innumerable classic stories have been reinvented for the sake of stage and screen entertainment. There’s certainly no reason why Wuthering Heights shouldn’t suffer the same fate, just as Hamlet can be reinterpreted as a modern business drama, or Romeo and Juliet reconfigured as a rock opera.

…The movement work in this show is inspiring. So is (the) mining of humor…

Controversy swirled at Berkeley Rep’s November 22 press opener. Some critics raved to their colleagues about Rice’s stunning production while others dismissed it as an abomination. ASR’s George Maguire and Barry Willis comment here:

BW: This is an amazing, dynamic production with multi-threat performers who can act, dance, do gymnastics, and in some cases, play instruments. Especially impressive are Jordan Laviniere, who plays the leader of the Yorkshire Moors, and Leah Brotherhead as Catherine. She’s also a great rock singer. TJ Holmes, who plays Dr. Kenneth, performs on cello and accordion when he’s not stage center. He’s a delightful comic actor, one of a cast of eleven, most of whom tackle multiple roles. Theatrical talent is everywhere in this show but the multi-casting can cause confusion among viewers because most of the characters are cousins with similar names.

GM: Yeah, Barry! It is a fairly faithful adaptation of Emily Bronte’s novel, and if you can stop conflating the story with her sister Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, you’re a winner. The story itself is weighted down with so many generations of relationships, and births and deaths, with eleven actors playing all the roles. It’s often highly confusing.

Leah Brotherhead as Catherine and Liam Tamne as Heathcliff in the West Coast premiere of Wise Children’s “Wuthering Heights” at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Photo by Kevin Berne.

BW: I’m no Bronte expert, but it looks to me like Emma Rice has adhered to the original plot, but uses story elements and characters to create something entirely new. I’m generally approving of prequels, sequels, and reinterpretations of classic stories — with the exception of Daniel Fish’s Oklahoma!, a real horror show.

Rice’s Wuthering Heights isn’t really the Bronte classic. I attended with my friend Marcia Tanner, an art curator with a degree in English Literature from UC Berkeley. She quipped: “It’s misleading to title this show Wuthering Heights . . . it should be Something Based on Wuthering Heights.” That’s a fair assessment.

GM: My biggest challenge was not hearing the play (technically, a musical), but frankly, it was not understanding what the cast was saying and singing.

BW: That was a problem for many in the audience, I believe. Thick Yorkshire accents were tough enough to understand during dialog, and impossible to decipher during the show’s many songs. I loved the music but couldn’t tell you what any of the songs are about. Marcia astutely observed, “They need superscripts.” The only words that appear on the large backdrop are a few lines from the novel.

GM: Etta Murfitt’s choreography is wonderful and eclectic, ranging from almost hoe-down, to Irish jig, to nonspecific elegance. A lovely and diverse musical score by Ian Ross keeps the play moving. The casting of eleven very accomplished members of the Wise Children’s troupe was a joy, as was watching them effortlessly morph into the manifold characters in the novel. Heathcliff (Liam Tamne, of multi-national background) is particularly inspired casting, making the orphan Heathcliff the dark, brooding, and very sexy creature he was — unlike anyone else in the Yorkshire moors.

BW: I was knocked out by the performers and the quick-moving stagecraft, especially the rolling doors-and-windows pieces that transformed into beds and other devices. The books-on-sticks-as-fluttering-birds bit is brilliant low-cost theatricality. So are the chalkboards that serve as erasable tombstones.

GM: The movement work in this show is inspiring. So is Rice’s mining of humor — she finds comedic potential in many of Bronte’s situations, something that to my knowledge has never been done. But this Wuthering Heights is no spoof — it’s an inspired reinterpretation.

BW: Was the love affair between Heathcliff and his adoptive sister Catherine considered scandalous when the novel was published? It might be seen as close to incest today even though the two were not biologically related. Save Dr. Kenneth and the narrator Mr. Lockwood, almost all the other characters in the production are cousins, nothing unusual in an isolated community.

Jordan Laviniere as the Leader of the Yorkshire Moors; Eleanor Sutton, Katy Ellis, Tama Phethean, Stephanie Elstob, and Ricardo Castro as The Moors in the West Coast premiere of Wise Children’s “Wuthering Heights” now showing at Berkeley Rep. Photo by Kevin Berne.

GM: A community that’s cold, damp, and dark! Rice and set designer Vicki Mortimer went over the top portraying that.

BW: I had no expectations about this show, and was delighted — especially by the incredibly dynamic first act.

My only prior exposure was reading the novel in ninth grade — required reading — and having watched the movie at some point not long after that on late-night TV. The subject matter wasn’t something that resonated for me and wasn’t anything I cared to revisit.

I have difficulty relating to the social structure and morality of the time, which makes playwrights like Ibsen, Strindberg, Chekov, and their contemporaries something of a slog for me. I never liked G. B. Shaw until I saw Major Barbara, but I hope to live a thousand years without enduring another Mrs. Warren’s Profession.

But I understand the appeal of Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters, especially for women. In their time, the only path to a better life was through choosing the right marriage partner. Mothers often bled to death after childbirth. Infant and childhood mortality were rampant, from conditions easily treated today. This whole pathetic milieu is background for Wuthering Heights, but Emma Rice makes it entertaining and enjoyable..

GM: In all, this Wuthering Heights is a truly nifty addition to the repertoire of Wise Children, a new theatre company founded by Ms. Rice, whose group brought The Wild Bride to life at Berkeley Rep a few years ago. Imaginative, enthralling and chillingly-thrillingly theater.

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ASR Contributing Writer George Maguire is a San Francisco-based actor-director and is Professor Emeritus of Solano College Theatre. He is a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: gmaguire1204@yahoo.com

 

ASR NorCal Executive Editor Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: barry.m.willis@gmail.com

 

ProductionWuthering Heights
Written by Emily Bronte
Adapted by Emma Rice
Directed by Emma Rice
Choreographed by Etta Murfitt
Saheem Ali (Conceiver/Director)
Producing CompanyWise Children / Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Production DatesThrough January 1, 2023
Production Address2025 Addison Street, Berkeley CA 94704
Websitewww.berkeleyrep.org
Telephone(510) 847-2949
Tickets$24 - $119
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance5/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?YES!

PICK! AST Theater ~~“Amélie the Musical” a Charmer at Masquers Playhouse

By Barry Willis

Happenstance, a lost notebook, a garden gnome, and Zeno’s Paradox all converge as a quirky Parisian girl finds love in Amélie the Musical, at Masquers Playhouse in Pt. Richmond through December 10.

Written by Craig Lucas, with music by Daniel Messé, and lyrics by Messé and Nathan Tysen, the production helmed by Enrico Banson is based on the popular 2001 film. Structured more as an operetta than a traditional musical, Amélie features almost no spoken dialog.

Everything—32 songs in all—is beautifully sung by a surprisingly large cast for a small theater. Most of the performers also play instruments and handle multiple roles with aplomb. This show may be the only one where a violist (Hayley Kennen) plays and sings at the same time.

…This production sails joyously all the way to theatrical satisfaction.

Solona Husband shines in the lead role. Cute as she can be, Husband innocently seduces audience and cast mates alike with her confident acting and superb vocal abilities, nearly matched by Sleiman Alamadieh as guitar-playing Nino, the boy Amélie hopes to meet. A musical theater performer since childhood, Husband has enormous talent with plenty of potential for further development. Should she stick with it—that’s her stated goal—she’s destined for stardom. She’s that good.

Solona Husband at work.

Her performance alone recommends this production, one that exceeds expectations at every turn. The supporting cast is tremendous, especially Anand Joseph as the Blind Beggar, who entertains the pre-show audience with his accordion, and double bassist Douglass Mandell, who tackles two roles in addition to playing throughout the show. North Bay theater veteran Nelson Brown, also one of this show’s guitarists, and fresh from Marin Musical Theatre Company’s production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, does a fine job in dual roles, including a convincing turn as Amélie’s stiff, socially awkward father.

Set design by John Hull is delightful, including Le Café des Deux Moulins (Two Windmills Café), a photo booth, and a sex shop where Nino works. Aaron Tan’s music direction is unassailably great, as is Katherine Cooper’s choreography.

“Amélie the Musical”, cast at work, Masquers Playhouse in Pt. Richmond

How does Zeno’s Paradox fit in? The Greek philosopher’s most famous conundrum involves an examination of the concept of “half,” as in the question “If you cut the distance to your goal by half at each step, how many steps will it take to get there?” The answer: An infinite number, because each half-step leaves some distance remaining.

The theme recurs throughout the show—half measures, half asleep, halfway there, but its philosophical implications should have little bearing on Amélie’s audience. This production sails joyously all the way to theatrical satisfaction. Amélie the Musical is a totally charming and terrific diversion.

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ASR NorCal Executive Editor Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: barry.m.willis@gmail.com

 

ProductionAmélie the Musical
Written byBook by Craig Lucas, Music by Daniel Messé
Directed & Choreographed byEnrico Banson
Producing CompanyMasquers Playhouse
Production DatesThrough December 10th, 2022
Production Address105 Park Place
Pt. Richmond, CA
Websitemasquers.org
Telephone(510) 232.4031
Tickets$27-$30
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft3/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?Yes!

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ Chart Topper: “Ain’t Too Proud” at the Golden Gate

By Barry Willis

The Temptations were one of Motown’s most successful and enduring vocal groups, one that in many ways shaped and defined American pop music in the 1960s and ’70s. Four years after it debuted at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations has come roaring back to San Francisco after becoming a major attraction on Broadway.

The national touring production has reportedly sold out the capacious Golden Gate Theatre for its entire run into early December–and deservedly so. It’s a dazzling spectacle covering the entire arc of the Temps’ storied career, from their origins as a street-corner doo-wop act in the late 1950s to long-term superstardom.

…the #1 R&B group of all time”…

Beautifully structured by playwright Dominique Morisseau (Detroit ’67 and Skeleton Crew) and narrated by Marcus Paul James as the group’s founder Otis Williams, the story encompasses not only the group’s enviable success, but many of the personal tragedies incurred along the way: Williams’ estrangement from his wife Josephine (Najah Hetsberger) and their son; the dismissal from the lineup of Paul Williams (James T. Lane) due to his alcoholism; and the unreliability of top talents such as Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin (Jalen Harris and Elijah Ahmad Lewis, respectively), both of whom had great solo careers despite their personal issues. Ruffin was dismissed from the group due to drug problems — he died of an overdose — and the erratic Kendricks succumbed to lung cancer.

PHOTO CREDIT: EMILIO MADRID
National Touring Company of AIN’T TOO PROUD

These tragedies provide real-world counterbalance to the upbeat feel of the whole show, as do projections that put many Temptations hit songs into historical context, including the 1967 riots in Detroit and the assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King in Memphis the following year. All of that is valuable information, especially for younger members of the audience who weren’t here at the time, but it’s the music that sustains this amazing production, performed by a stellar cast backed by an equally stellar band behind the stage’s backdrop.

The nearly three-hour show sails along thanks to expert flawless stagecraft, amazing dance (Sergio Trujillo, choreographer) and absolutely stunning vocal performances. Songs include all the Temps’s greatest hits — “My Girl,” “Cloud Nine,” “Get Ready,” “Since I Lost My Baby,” “War,” “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted,” “Shout,” and many many others too numerous to list here.

The Temptations were listed by Billboard magazine as “The #1 R&B Group of All Time.” For those who weren’t around during their peak, Ain’t Too Proud is a vastly entertaining immersion in cultural history. For those who were, it’s an equally valuable reminder of how much Motown contributed to our lives. It’s a night in the theater that no one will forget.

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Aisle Seat Review NorCal Executive Editor Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: barry.m.willis@gmail.com

 

ProductionAin't Too Proud
Written byDominique Morissea
Directed & Choreographed byDirected by Des McAnuff; Choreographed by Sergio Trujillo
Producing CompanyBroadwaySF
Production DatesThru Dec 4th, 2022
Production Address1192 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Websitehttps://www.broadwaysf.com/
Telephone(888) 746-1799
Tickets$56 - $256
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall5/5
Performance5/5
Script5/5
Stagecraft5/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?Yes!

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ “Gypsy” an Oldie but Still a Goodie!

By Mitchell Field

Marin County’s venerated 110 year-old Mountain Play, which bills itself as a “Great Outdoor Theatre Adventure” is currently producing the 63-year-old Broadway smash musical Gypsy indoors. Neither is showing its age.

Nor is the venue, The Barn Theater at the Marin Art and Garden Center. Normally the home of the 92-year-old Ross Valley Players, the theater has undergone a recent face-lift, including brand new seats and a remodeled concession area.

With book by Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne and lyrics by the then 30-year-old Stephen Sondheim, 1959’s Gypsy is a much-beloved American musical about a fame-obsessed stage-mother during the waning days of vaudeville, with her itinerant troupe of ‘kids’– including her own two daughters, one of whom grows up to become the world-famous burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee, on whose memoir the show is loosely based.

Director/choreographer Zoe Swenson-Graham’s well-cast group of thirteen exuberant performers, including two Equity actors, play thirty-seven different roles in this three-hour extravaganza, on choreographer/scenic artist Zachary Isen’s clever yet spare set, with musical-direction by Jon Gallo.

…Is Gypsy a superb black comedy or an American tragedy? Decide for yourself at this smashing production.

Even those who are not musical-theater aficionados will probably be familiar with the show’s hits: “Some People,” “‘Together, (Wherever We Go),” the classic strip-tease number “Let Me Entertain You” and Broadway belter favorite “Everything’s Coming Up Roses.”

“Gypsy” guys: L to R – Anthony Maglio as Yonkers, Alex Alvarez as Tulsa, Lucas Michael Chandler as L.A., and Michaela Marymor as Broadway Boy. Photos: Robin Jackson

This over-the-top musical, which American essayist Frank Rich described as, ” . . . nothing if not Broadway’s own brassy, unlikely answer to King Lear . . .” demands that performers give their all to pull it off successfully. Swenson-Graham’s troupe does just that, led by Dyan McBride as the ultimate likeable-but-nightmarish stage mother.

Jill Jacobs as Gypsy Rose Lee. Photos: Robin Jackson

McBride’s Mama Rose drives ahead constantly, no matter the difficulties, financial setbacks, slap-downs, fleabag accommodations and poverty. She’s ready, able and willing to digest even canned dog food to achieve her ambition of propelling her daughter June to stardom. It’s hard not to despise the ego-driven Rose, whom theater critic Clive Barnes described as “one of the few truly complex characters in the American musical’ and yet not admire her at the same time for her grit and spirit, as she harangues and uses her own children and everyone else around her, including her long-suffering boyfriend/manager Herbie, played charmingly by Bay Area stage veteran DC Scarpelli.

Her awkward, yearning-to-be-loved daughter Louise’s ultimate transformation into the glamorous, sexy Gypsy Rose Lee is quite extraordinary. The talented Jill Jacobs absolutely kills it. While the primary plot is Mama Rose’s struggle to keep her act afloat in a changing market, the secondary plot is a wonderful ugly duckling story.

Alexandra Fry as ‘Baby June’ in “Gypsy” at The Barn.

Alexandra Fry and Julia Ludwig, as daughter June at different ages, also shine. Swenson-Graham’s supporting cast is terrific. In the show’s most hilarious burlesque scene, showgirls Michaela Marymor and Libby Oberlin and the outstanding Tanika Baptiste, as stripper Tessie Tura, dance and prance in Adriana Gutierrez’s fabulously ridiculous outfits, one of which even lights up! Kudos to Marymor who cutely ad-libbed when one piece failed to fire up on opening night.

The lighting of a stage show is critical to its ambiance and drama. Ellen Brooks and Frank Sarubbi handle the Barn’s lighting design with aplomb. Bruce Vieira’s sound design follows suit.

There’s no live orchestra for this production, unlike regular Mountain Play performances, but the recorded tracks directed by Sean Paxton work well, although sometimes the music seemed to overwhelm the vocals. Perhaps the volume might be lowered for the music or the lead performers should be miked.

Is Gypsy a superb black comedy or an American tragedy? Decide for yourself at this smashing production.

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Mitchell Field is a Sr. Contributing Writer for Aisle Seat Review. Based in Marin County, Mr. Field is an actor and voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC). Contact: mitchfield@aol.com

 

ProductionGypsy
Written byBook: Arthur Laurents.
Music: Jule Styne
Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim
Directed byZoe Swenson-Graham
Producing CompanyThe Mountain Play Association / Ross Valley Players
Production DatesThrough Dec 18, 2022
Production AddressThe Barn Theater @ Marin Art & Garden Center 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. Ross, CA.
Websiterossvalleyplayers.com
Telephone(415) 456-9555
Tickets$40
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft3.5/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?Yes!

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ PAP’s Production Has Lilting Voices — And A Few Strange Choices

By Joanne Engelhardt

An enchanting Belle, a handsome, muscular Gaston and snappy choreography. What could go wrong?

A few things, actually, although the large opening night audience at the Palo Alto Players’ production of Beauty and the Beast probably didn’t notice. In fact, after the big Act 1 production number “Belle” — featuring the entire ensemble clicking metal drink cups — the audience whistled, applauded and stomped their feet so long, you’d have thought it was the finale!

Sam Mills is close to perfection as Belle, who is shunned by the townspeople for being a little strange (she loves to read books!). Her plain blue pinafore makes her look a bit like Judy Garland in….you know: THAT movie.

Sam Mills as Belle in Palo Alto Players’ production of Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the enchanting Broadway musical based on the animated film. Photo by Scott Lasky.

But she’s got gumption galore, and she does her best to take care of her somewhat eccentric father (Michael Johnson) who loves to fiddle with all things electronic. He’s especially proud of the automobile-type contraption he’s invented which has a habit of breaking down every few feet or so.

In addition to Belle, director Patrick Klein made several fine casting choices here: Frankie Mulcahy as Gaston is one. Mulcahy has played Gaston before, and he’s likely only grown better in the role. Such biceps! Such conceit! Such a devilish grin as he boasts to one and all that he — and only the magnificent he — will sweep Belle off her feet and she’ll melt like honey in his arms. Ha! Belle has absolutely no interest in the self-absorbed Gaston, and the more she resists, the more he’s sure she’s all his.

It’s difficult to go wrong when you’re watching a musical that has an enchanting musical score by Alan Menken, with lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice.

… Such biceps! Such conceit!

Lucky for Mulcahy that he has someone as versatile and pliable as John Ramirez-Ortiz who, as Lefou, gets batted around and mightily bruised whenever Gaston needs something to punch.

The hard-working cast of 24 brings choreographer Stacy Reed’s sprightly dance numbers to life, helping recreate the magic of the Broadway musical. Yet there are a few strange choices which, to this reviewer make it slightly less than it could be.

Sam Mills as Belle and Frankie Mulcahy as Gaston. Photo by Scott Lasky.

Michael Reed is strong as the Beast. His large structure, gnarled face, ugly horns (thanks to Shilbourne Thill and the Children’s Musical Theatre of San Jose, from whom all the costumes were borrowed), and thoroughly obnoxious disposition make him a Beast to cower before and obey.

But underlying that blustery front is a lonely man who has never known love. Reed’s vocals are clear and filled with longing. So, though he snarls and barks commands to his household servants (who are gradually turning into inanimate objects), he becomes subservient to Belle when she becomes the first person to defy him.

It’s simply delicious to watch him suddenly become a tongue-tied male in love with the dainty Belle.

“…I’m not going to dinner!”

Yet at play’s end, as the Beast finally explodes in a mighty whirl of smoke and lightning, why did director Klein decide to remove Reed from the scene and put in a different actor? It felt wrong because actor Justin Kerekes, as the Prince, looks nothing like Reed.

(To this reviewer, it actually looked as if Kerekes was embarrassed to be standing on stage in Reed’s place.) There’s no logical reason for this switch. Other productions have easily removed the Beast’s facial makeup and hair during the 10 – 15 seconds when he isn’t visible.

Several other supporting characters deserve mention, most especially Arjun Sheth as Lumiere, who was once the Beast’s servant but is now gradually turning into a chandelier. Sheth is so subtle that at one point he goes from a standing position to slithering across the stage like a snake!

Juliet Green is a charming, sweet Mrs. Potts, who, instead of serving tea, is gradually turning into a teapot, and Ben Chau-Chiu is a deservedly disgruntled Cogsworth.

But PAP choose not to have a live orchestra in the pit, so musical conductor Daniel Hughes is there, all alone, giving the actors musical direction.

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Aisle Seat Executive Reviewer Joanne Engelhardt is a Peninsula theatre writer and critic. She is a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC). Contact: joanneengelhardt@comcast.net

 

ProductionBeauty and the Beast
Based onWalt Disney’s animated film
Directed byPatrick Klein
Producing CompanyPalo Alto Players
Production DatesThru Nov 20th, 2022
Production Address1305 Middlefield Road Palo Alto, CA 94301
Websitewww.paplayers.org
Telephone(650) 329-0891
Tickets$10 – $60
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4/5
Script5/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK!YES!

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ Classic Comedy: “The One Act Play That Goes Wrong”

By Mitchell Field

In an era when so many live entertainment venues have closed down, how encouraging it is that a new one has opened: The California Theatre of Santa Rosa, California.

Before the end of 2022, the cabaret-style venue will host blues music, comedy nights, cabaret, a solo show, soul music and a “Mardi-Gras Style” New Year’s Eve party on Dec. 31. Unlike many other Bay Area theaters, The California offers beer, wine, cocktails and a menu of snacks, plus pizza and salads.

The California is also the new home of Left Edge Theatre, featuring through November 20, the hilarious farce, The One Act Play That Goes Wrong. It’s a condensed version of the comedy-collective Mischiefs’ world-famous The Play That Goes Wrong that originally premiered at the Old Red Lion Theatre in London in 2012 and went on to win the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy.

… the terrific eight-person cast all manage to find the foolishness in every turn…

This production is a classic 1920s murder mystery, involving the totally inept and accident-prone Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, attempting to stage a production of The Murder at Haversham Manor. A police inspector has been sent to a country manor to investigate a mysterious death. It might be murder and everyone is a suspect in this Monty Python-style riot.

With falling props, missed cues, forgotten lines, hilariously mispronounced dialog, slapstick antics and a secret romance, the whole sidesplitting debacle ends with a total collapse of the set. Giving away the ending is of no consequence in this case because everyone (except of course the play’s characters) can clearly see what’s coming . . . and it does.

The secret to success for this type of show is in the actors not playing it for laughs but being absolutely serious and in the moment, no matter what happens, allowing the audience to split their sides with laughter. That’s exactly what they did on opening night. Well directed by North Bay theater veteran, actor/director David L. Yen, the terrific eight-person cast all manage to find the foolishness in every turn.

A big welcome to The California! This theatergoer hopes that it finds its audiences and that it thrives in the Bay Area.

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Mitchell Field is a Sr. Contributing Writer for Aisle Seat Review. Based in Marin County, Mr. Field is an actor and voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC). Contact: mitchfield@aol.com

 

ProductionThe One Act Play That Goes Wrong
Written byHenry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields
Directed
Musical Direction
David L. Yen
Producing CompanyLeft Edge Theater Co.
Production DatesThru Nov 20th, 2022
Production AddressCalifornia Theatre
528 7th St.
Santa Rosa, CA
Websitewww.leftedgetheatre.com
Telephone(707) 664-7529
Tickets$22-$35
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?Yes!

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ “After I’m Dead:” a Daughter’s Moving Tribute

By Barry Willis

North Bay residents don’t often appreciate how unusual is the fact that Marin and Sonoma counties have so much open space so close to one of the world’s major cities.

Marin County has approximately 10% of the population as envisioned by real estate developers in the late 1950s and early ‘60s, who seriously imagined flattening the hills and crisscrossing the county with freeways feeding numberless housing tracts. They saw Marin as the potential Orange County of the north.

That avaricious program was stopped in its tracks by environmental activists like Ellen Straus, co-founder of the Marin Agricultural Land Trust.(MALT). The Amsterdam native came to the US in her teens, escaping the Holocaust. She married German-Jewish immigrant Bill Straus, and joined him on his dairy farm in Marshall, a small West Marin community near Tomales Bay.

…one of the best celebrations of life imaginable…

Through November 27, her daughter Vivien Straus gives a wonderfully poignant and at times laugh-out-loud funny tribute to her mom in a solo show called After I’m Dead, You’ll Have to Feed Everyone: The Rollicking Tale of Ellen Straus, Dairy Godmother.

Vivien Straus.

Ellen Straus passed away some 20 years ago but her legacy lives on. Part history, part reminiscence, part catharsis, part standup comedy, and all heart, After I’m Dead is a concise (slightly over one hour) tale of life on the very ranch where the show takes place. Vivien explores her relationship with her mother and family, and takes us through a grueling but heartwarming end-of-life ordeal. That may not sound like a recipe for a fulfilling theatrical experience, but Vivien has achieved sufficient distance to mine all the pathos and abundant humor, supplied with love that only a daughter can convey. It’s one of the best celebrations of life imaginable.

A career writer/actor/performer, Vivien conceived and polished this show with expert guidance from longtime North Bay actor/director/artistic director Elly Lichenstein, recipient of a lifetime achievement award from the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle, and the director of After I’m Dead. Straus’s timing and delivery are spot-on. She’s a confident performer delivering a deeply personal story, one that’s beyond effective.

Vivien Straus, daughter of Ellen Straus of Straus Family Creamery fame, stands among grazing dairy cows at her family ranch home in Marshall, Ca.

The venue is the beautifully restored old barn on the Straus Home Ranch, with room for—a guesstimate here—maybe 150 visitors. Early arrivals can enjoy a picnic from a food truck parked nearby and may enjoy tossing scraps to some of the lovely free-ranging chickens wandering from table to table.

It’s chilly this time of year—visitors should bring ample clothing and leave in plenty of time to get out to Marshall. There are no freeways in that direction, thanks mostly to unsung heroes like Ellen Straus, West Marin is served almost entirely by two-lane roads. It’s a sweet drive and destination. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

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ASR NorCal Executive Editor Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: barry.m.willis@gmail.com

 

ProductionAfter I’m Gone, You’ll Have to Feed Everyone
Written byVivien Straus
Directed byElly Lichenstein
Producing CompanyStraus Home Ranch
Production DatesThrough November 27th
Production AddressStraus Home Ranch, 22888 Highway 1, Marshall
Websitehttps://www.vivienstraus.com/
Telephone------------------
Tickets$45
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft3/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?Yes!

ASR Theater ~~ “Red Shades” A Rockin’ World Premier

By George Maguire

 

It takes years to get a new musical up and ready to be seen.

The rockabilly sound-and-light fest Red Shades is no exception. A cast of mostly trans, binary, and renowned queer artists of the Bay Area take us on a phantasmagorical journey in wild comic book style with a heart as big as Golden Gate Park. Started at the El Rio with follow-up work at PianoFight, Starlight and other workshop homes, Red Shades finally opened as a completed musical at the Z Space Steindler Theater.

…For a seemingly simple story of a boy/girl arriving in SF, this one has more twists and turns than Lombard Street…

Three years before the Stonewall riots in NYC, the Gene Compton Cafeteria trans, drag queens and queers riots in San Francisco’s Tenderloin began it all only to be lost in gay “herstory.” It has been re-discovered by playwright Adrienne Price, forging a union with composers Matt Fukui Grandy and Jeanine Adkisson creating this world premier.

Pictured (L to R): Chris Steele, May Ramos, Romelo Urbi. Photo by Jay Yamada

Red Shades tells the story of Ida Diamond, who as a boy in rural Nevada, dons a dress and is accosted by his father. The music and lyrics (which in a genuine and glorious surprise for a rock musical, are at least 80% crystal clear), take us on Ida’s journey. Dad sends him/her off to a hospital. The songs “Daddy Eggshells” and the wonderful “For Your Protection” are sung with panache and total drag-nurse commitment by the estimable Chris Steele.

Adam KuveNiemann gets to flex a host of scumbag sensibilities (and a terrific voice) as the abusive father, the sadistic doctor, and the sheriff. Ida finally escapes and arrives in San Francisco, finding a room with three of the wildest trans superheroes one can imagine (“Welcome to Flip House”). Chris Steele (Genevieve), Ezra Reeves (Tommy) and B Noel Thomas (Sherry) embody these three with amazing style and powerful vocals.

Pictured (L to R): Ezra Reaves, Chris Steele, Carmen Castillo, B Noel Thomas.
Photo by Jay Yamada

It takes Act Two to finally give us what the title is about—a hopefully fixable part in the development of this musical. When the hostility and threats of beatings arise, you put on the red shades and presto – you become a superpower and kickass with superhero strength. The shades bring rage into focus, and we can survive another day. Ida gets the glasses, and gets her life together despite the desperate attempts of her father and the Sheriff to arrest her. The shades win on all accounts. For a seemingly simple story of a boy/girl arriving in SF, this one has more twists and turns than Lombard Street.

 

Pictured, Foreground (L to R): Julio Chavez, Ezra Reaves. Photo by Jay Yamada

Sarah Phykitt has designed the terrific set and video projection work, Lyre Alston does spot on costume designing, and special mention must go to sound mixers Michael Creason and Daniel Hall who (except when the singer feels she has to screech and scream) give us the lyrics and thus the story. Bravo to co-directors Rotimi Agbabiaka and Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe for guiding Red Shades to the stage and to stage manager Marie Shell for wrangling this complicated, multi-cued production. She alone deserves a pair of red shades.

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ASR Contributing Writer George Maguire is a San Francisco base actor-director and is Professor Emeritus of Solano College Theatre. He is a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: gmaguire1204@yahoo.com

 

ProductionThe Red Shades
Directed byRotimi Agbabiaka and Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe
Additional DirectionMusic Directors: Matt Fukui Grandy, Sid Quinsaat.

Choreographer: Stacey Printz.

Intimacy/Fight Choreographer: Carla Pantoja.
Production DatesThru Nov 5th
Production AddressZ Space Steindler Theater SF, CA
WebsiteBoxoffice@zspace.org
Telephone(415) 626-0453
Tickets$0-$50 (Sliding scale)
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3/5
Performance4/5
Script3.5/5
Stagecraft5/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?----

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ Lucky Penny Stages Gruesome Favorite in “Sweeney Todd”

By Cari Lynn Pace

Stephen Sondheim wrote this dark and diabolical opera of an obsessed barber’s revenge gone amuck. It won multiple Tony awards including best musical, despite having only a few memorable songs such as “Pretty Women” and “(Nothing’s Going to Harm You) Not While I’m Around.”

Director/choreographer Staci Arriaga teamed up with costume designer Barbara McFadden to handle the dark tale with a minimal set but a talented cast. They make admirable use of the intimate 99-seat theatre with solo musicians set here and there, both onstage and off.

Sondheim’s dark tale takes center state at Lucky Penny.

Throughout the performance, actors appear from the back, sides and front, all the while singing in cockney patois. Makeup designer Brette Bartolucci worked overtime to fashion the faces of actors who sweep through the fog reciting the malevolent background story.

Lucky Penny Productions considers itself lucky indeed to mount this show after a forced two-year break due to Covid.

It’s decaying and corrupt 19th century London. Haughty politicians and desperate vagrants line the streets. A brooding sailor looms over the crowd, calling himself Sweeney Todd (Ian Elliott). His friend and shipmate Anthony (Ethan Thomas) does his best to include Todd in the activities, but Todd has other ideas in mind. He’s escaped a prison colony, sent there to pave the way for the seduction of Todd’s innocent wife. He is informed that she took poison rather than succumb.

Todd is a talented barber who captures the admiration of the street scene by challenging the local barber and swaggering mountebank Aldolfo (Jeremy Kreamer) to a shave-off.  The young assistant Tobias (charmingly done by Tuolumne Bunter) adroitly aligns himself with Todd when Todd wins the match.

Todd is swept into the entreating clutches of Mrs. Lovett (a brash role well handled by Taylor Bartolucci),  the widow pie-maker. She sets him up with a shop above her pie store, giving him the set of knives he once owned. Todd’s rival barber visits and makes the mistake of challenging Todd. Big mistake. He becomes a body for disposal. Since meat is in short supply, crafty Mrs. Lovett spots the opportunity to grind some fresh for her pies. Mrs. Lovett earns customers while Todd bides his time for revenge on the lecherous Judge (David Murphy) and his cohort Beedle Bramford (splendidly done by Sean O’Brien.)

Heaping more darkness on the bleak plot, Todd finds that his baby Johanna (Kirstin Pieschke) is now grown and a ward of the very judge who lusted after Todd’s wife. The libidinous judge is now focused on pursuing the daughter. Todd isn’t happy. He bides his time in fury waiting for the judge to come for a shave.

Sweeny Todd cast at work. Photo by Lucky Penny.
Sweeny Todd cast at work. Photo by Lucky Penny.

If it isn’t obvious, note that Sweeney Todd; The Demon Barber of Fleet Street has social elements which make it inappropriate for children. A young boy about age 12 who sat next to me laughed at some of the body dumping, as did many in the audience. The only gasps came when Todd had his own wife in the chair. No spoilers here, but this show doesn’t have a happy ending.

The show possesses sufficient twists and turns in the plot to keep the audience engaged. Sondheim’s songs and rapid-fire lyrics are a real challenge; a few audience members commented that they couldn’t follow all of the story. It’s classic Sondheim, with what some describe as “too many words.”

The show is well-cast and meticulously timed with many entrances and exits. It is a perfectly macabre show for the season.

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ASR Writer & Editor Cari Lynn Pace is a member of SFBATCC and writes theatre and lifestyle reviews for the Marinscope Community Newspapers throughout Marin County. 

 

 

ProductionSweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Written byStephen Sondheim
Directed byStaci Arriaga
Producing CompanyLucky Penny Productions
Production DatesThru Nov 6th
Production AddressLucky Penny Community Arts Center
1758 Industrial Way
Napa, CA 94558
Websitewww.luckypennynapa.com
Telephone(707) 266-6305
Tickets$32-$43
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft3/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?YES!

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ Thrilling “Jagged Little Pill” Triumphs in SF

By Sue Morgan

Like Alanis Morissette’s raw 1995 alt-rock/grunge album, which sold over 33 million copies, Jagged Little Pill can resonate long after the performance is over. The production shines unrelenting light on the often hidden or denied reality of human life. A week later, Morisette’s songs and images from the performance continue to play in my mind.

Diablo Cody (winner of the 2008 Academy Award for Best Screenplay for Juno) won the 2021 Tony award for Best Book of a Musical for Jagged Little Pill. Cody could have safely chosen to simply showcase Morissette’s music and lyrics in a standard jukebox musical, but instead elevated them with brilliant subtlety by creating a story using the dramatic archetype of the outwardly perfect family’s inward unraveling. She set the action in provincial whitebread Connecticut reinforcing the universality of the experience, rather than perpetuating the stereotype that life’s baser experiences occur only in impoverished places.

(L to R) Heidi Blickenstaff, Allison Sheppard and Jena VanElslander in the North American Tour of JAGGED LITTLE PILL. Photo by Matthew Murphy.

The story line focuses on the Healy family, a privileged group comprised of mom, Mary Jane, “MJ,” (Heidi Blickenstaff) a perfectionista, universally envied for her seemingly charmed life; dad, Steve (Chris Hoch), a corporate attorney who works 60 hours per week; son, Nick (Dillon Klena), who succeeds at every endeavor and has just been accepted to Harvard; and adopted daughter, Frankie (Lauren Chanel), who feels unseen within her family and is in a romantic relationship with her best friend, Jo (Jade McLeod).

…The women of JLP have the most powerful roles…

Some have criticized the playwright for piling too many “hot button” topics into one show. Cody pulls off the magic trick of invoking addiction, sexuality, alienation, rape (and the culture of disbelieving/blaming/shaming the victim), perfectionism, workaholism, and betrayal—issues that are all too commonplace—all while eliciting empathy, compassion, and ultimately, a sense of redemption, rather than judgment, ennui or despair.

Set pieces – living room, kitchen, classroom, hospital room, etc. – glide on and off stage, while a few elements are assisted by actors, but the pieces de resistance are the gorgeous screen projections that instantly, and to excellent effect, turn each setting into its intended location or accentuate a mood or aesthetic.

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s astonishing choreography melds seamlessly with Tom Kitt’s musical arrangements which, together, nearly capture the intensity of Morissette’s album. The feral, seemingly unselfconscious, yet clearly precise, hip-hop movements recalled the cathartic vitality of early moshpit melees.

Two of the most astonishing numbers were expressionistic compositions performed by Jena VanElslander who mirrored both Mary Jane’s and Bella’s sexual assualts. VanElslander’s portrayal of the intoxicated victims of “date rape” was stunning in its technical virtuosity but also in its ability to make us viscerally feel the confusion, fear, disbelief and despair of the characters. I literally stopped breathing during the performances.

The women of JLP have the most powerful roles. Heidi Blickenstaff was perfection as Mary Jane, looking every bit the preppy soccer mom, even as she sidled into back alleys to await her drug dealer, whom she tried, unsuccessfully, to engage in small talk. Blickenstaff’s gorgeous and powerful voice was able to capture Morisette’s intensity, if not entirely her rawness. Her head-to-head battle with Lauren Chanel’s Frankie during “All I Really Want” was a fiercely poignant way to highlight the mutual sense of alienation felt by this mother and daughter.

Allison Sheppard and the North American Touring Company of JAGGED LITTLE PILL. Photo by Matthew Murphy.

Allison Sheppard as Bella was riveting in her performance of “Predator,” and did an outstanding job portraying Bella’s initial sense of self-loathing, gradually transforming into righteous indignation. The night’s show-stopper was “You Oughta Know,” performed by Jade McLeod, as Jo, who had half the audience on their feet as she belted out Morissette’s anthem to romantic betrayal. Both McLeod and Chanel more than held their own with the dancers in the troupe.

Jagged Little Pill may be the beginning of a trend in which jukebox musicals deal capably with grittier aspects of life. I salute Alanis Morissette and Glen Ballard, Diablo Cody, Diane Paulus, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Tom Kitt and the rest of the creative team for making it beautiful, powerful and moving, while also making it real. Given the opportunity, I would gladly see it again.

Performance is 2 1/2 hours with one 15 minute intermission. Masks are not required, but strongly recommended.

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Contributing Writer Sue Morgan is a literature-and-theater enthusiast in Sonoma County’s Russian River region. Contact: sstrongmorgan@gmail.com

 

 

ProductionJagged Little Pill
Written byDiablo Cody
Directed byDiane Paulus
Producing CompanyGolden Gate Theatre
Production DatesThrough November 6th
Production AddressGolden Gate Theatre
1 Taylor Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Websitewww.broadwaysf.com
Telephone(888) 746-1799
Tickets$66 – $157
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall5/5
Performance5/5
Script5/5
Stagecraft5/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?YES!

PICK! ASR Theater ~~ Cinnabar Theater’s Outrageous “Misery”

By Barry Willis

A delightfully unexpected update to Stephen King’s novel—and the 1990 movie of the same name, starring Kathy Bates and James Caan—Cinnabar’s production mines the humor that’s long lain fallow in William Goldman’s adaptation.

As Annie Wilkes, North Bay theater veteran Mary Gannon Graham proves she’s lost nothing in the four-plus years she’s been away from the stage. Her last appearance was in Cinderella at Spreckels Performing Arts Center, and she brings plenty of pent-up energy to the part of an obsessed literary fan who rescues her favorite novelist from an auto accident that’s broken both his legs and done some serious damage to one shoulder.

… “Misery” is perfectly creepy, and abundantly appropriate for the Halloween season…

Edward McCloud has the difficult role of the mostly-bedridden Paul Sheldon, who regains consciousness in a bedroom in Annie’s isolated farm house. He’s thankful to be alive but soon learns that his rescuer has an agenda for him that he probably can’t fulfill. The author of many “Misery” books depicting the life of a fictional 19th-century heroine named Misery Chastain, Sheldon’s reached the end of the series, and carries the manuscript for the final installment with him.

Mary Gannon Graham as Annie Wilkes. Photography by Victoria Von Thal

It’s a discovery of enormous excitement for Annie, and also a cause of enormous dismay when she reads ahead and discovers that Misery will meet her ultimate end. This cannot do—she’s the self-proclaimed #1 fan of both the author and his most famous character—and to thwart it, she embarks on a program of limited physical rehabilitation and enforced rewriting for Paul, who’s cut off from all communication with the outside world.

It’s mid-winter, the surrounding countryside is buried in snow, and no one knows where he is. The good-natured local sheriff (Kellie Donnelly) comes around a couple of times, asking Annie some basic questions, and goes away believing that she knows nothing. McCloud effectively conveys Sheldon’s pain and anxiety. It’s actually excruciating to see him fall out of bed and try his best to find an escape.

Paul Sheldon (Edward McCloud) recovers in bed. Photo by Victoria Von Thal

Graham rides an emotional roller-coaster as the obsessed Annie, overjoyed to have rescued her favorite author, and honored to be caring for him, but interpreting the literary rescue of Misery as a mandate from heaven. She’ll do whatever it takes to get Paul to do her bidding. Her obsessions run in multiple directions, as do her emotional reactions and haphazard-but-somehow-logical manipulations of Paul. Her scenes are comedic riots.

Director Tim Kniffin has found new treasures in this timeless tale, and gets the absolute most from his three-actor cast. Set designer Brian Watson’s farmhouse works perfectly as the hidden locale where truly horrific and hilarious shenanigans take place, enhanced by Wayne Hovey’s moody lighting.

Misery is perfectly creepy, and abundantly appropriate for the Halloween season.

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ASR NorCal Executive Editor Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: barry.m.willis@gmail.com

 

ProductionMisery
Written byStephen King, adapted by William Goldman
Directed byTim Kniffin
Producing CompanyCinnabar Theater
Production DatesThrough Oct 30th
Production Address3333 Petaluma Blvd North
Petaluma, CA 94952
Websitewww.cinnabartheater.org
Telephone (707) 763-8920
Tickets$25 – $40
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4/5
Script4/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?YES!

ASR Theater ~~ “Dunsinane”: Unusual Undertaking for Marin Theatre Company

By Barry Willis

Theatergoers with an appetite for the unusual have until October 16 to see David Grieg’s Dunsinane at Marin Theatre Company.

A sequel to Shakespeare’s Macbeth that extends the original story without further illumination, MTC’s nearly three-hour production takes the bold approach of combining top-tier Equity actors with high school drama students from Mill Valley’s nearby Tamalpais High School. The student actors mostly appear as English and Scottish soldiers identifiable by red (English) or blue (Scottish) emblems on their vests—interchangeable as scenes demand, and perfectly in keeping with the old adage that wars are fought by the young, poor, and disenfranchised for the benefit of the old, rich, and powerful.

Aldo Billingslea in MTC’s “Dunsinane.” Photo by Kevin Berne.

None of Grieg’s poor young soldiers seem to have any idea what they are fighting for, nor why they are hiking around in some of the most inhospitable country imaginable. On the other hand, their respective leaders—Siward (Aldo Billingslea), an easy-going, rational English general, and Scottish queen Gruach (Lisa Anne Porter)—have some solid motivations. Gruach, known in the original as the avaricious Lady Macbeth, has a son by her deceased husband that she would like to see installed on the Scottish throne. Siward would like to put an end to the pointless bloodshed and initiate a lasting peace, even if doing so requires more bloodshed. That’s how the human animal behaves.

…inexplicability can…be quite entertaining…

It’s a good dramatic setup, and MTC’s superb cast goes at it with enthusiasm and plenty of wooden poles that serve as spears, swords, and knives. The modern-language script owes much to Shakespeare’s orgies of ruling-class bloodletting—King Lear and Hamlet, but especially, of course, to Macbeth.

The reasons for the struggle for the Scottish throne aren’t clear, but neither are most of reasons for most of the real wars that have plagued humankind since the beginning of time. They’re all about slaughtering infidels for the glory of an imagined deity, defeating this monarch and installing another one, pushing a border this way or that, or claiming some resource at the cost of thousands of lives to benefit an unborn generation, or in the case of Dunsinane, control of a castle. It’s inexplicable.

Aldo Billingslea (left) and Lisa Anne Porter in Marin Theatre Company’s “Dunsinane.” Phone by Kevin Berne.

But inexplicability can also be quite entertaining. In that, MTC’s Dunsinane succeeds well if not wildly. Billingslea and Porter are excellent, as are theater veteran Michael Ray Wisely as Macduff, and Tam High student Jack Hochschild as The Boy Soldier, who delivers a quite moving closing monolog as snow falls around him and the lights slowly fade (lights and projections by Mike Post).

The show benefits from a single austere set by director Jasson Minidakis and Jeff Klein, and gorgeous music by Chris Houston and Penina Goddessmen. Shakespeare enthusiasts may be especially intrigued by Dunisnane, a rare Shakespearean follow-up that’s not a spoof.

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ASR NorCal Executive Editor Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: barry.m.willis@gmail.com

 

ProductionDunsinane
Written byDavid Greig
Directed byJasson Minadakis and Rob Lufty
Producing CompanyMarin Theatre Company (MTC)
Production DatesThrough Oct. 16th
Production AddressMarin Theatre Company
397 Miller Avenue
Mill Valley, CA
Websitewww.marintheatre.org
Telephone(415) 388-5200
Tickets$25 – $65
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3/5
Performance4/5
Script3/5
Stagecraft3/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?----