Tag: Peninsula theater

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ASR Theater ~~ Pinkalicious: Foothill’s Spectacular Production of “Legally Blonde”

By Joanne Engelhardt

Over-the-top enthusiasm of the sisters of Delta Nu sorority, coupled with terrific musical numbers. keep Foothill Music Theatre’s production of Legally Blonde zooming along at Lohman Theatre in Los Altos Hills. Although some of the college sorority sisters seem past their college years, Blonde is nevertheless a pleasant way to spend 2 ½ hours.

Directed by Milissa Carey, Legally Blonde is filled with Stacy Reed’s enthusiastic choreography, Y. Sharon Peng’s pinkalicious costumes, and a lively score played backstage by music director Michael Horsley and his pocket orchestra of six musicians.

… it’s a good idea to get tickets now for this (fun) production…

Most attendees likely remember the 2001 movie with Reese Witherspoon as the lead character, Elle Woods. Later, it was turned into a stage musical that opened on Broadway in 2007.

Carey, whose style of directing might be described as “exuberant,” found some young actors who were able to bring some nuance and likeability to characters that might otherwise present as one-dimensional. And then there were the two sweet dogs who, unfortunately, didn’t spend very much time on stage but always invoked a chorus of “Ahhhhhs….” from the audience.

Selfie! (L-2-R) – Pilar, Elle, Margot & Serena. Photo credit David Allen

Act 1 begins with the UCLA sorority sisters of Delta Nu jumping up and down with excitement as they gather to celebrate the expected engagement of their president, Elle (sweet, sincere Rachelle Schaum) to her boyfriend, Warner Huntington III (good-looking Jason Mooney).

But apparently Warner believes Elle doesn’t have enough smarts, nor does she come from the “right” background, so he dumps her. What’s a perky cheerleader to do??

That’s when she decides to get serious about her life and, like Warner, she applies to Harvard Law School to become a lawyer. Obviously, that’s a bit more difficult than just applying, but one of her Delta Nu sisters, Kate (versatile Lauren Berling), helps her study for her LSATS.

In its light-and-frothy-musical way, Elle goes to the Harvard Admissions office, backed by her cheerleading squad, does a cheerleading routine and then sings a song that gets her in because she’s “motivated by love.”

She also decides that because she’s a blonde, she isn’t taken seriously. That’s when she meets a woman who becomes a good friend: Paulette (an excellent Sarah Bylsma), who owns the local hair salon and who convinces her that changing her hair color won’t change her life. Bylsma has arguably the best voice in the cast, which she demonstrates with the song “Ireland.” She also shows her comedic side in the song “Bend and Snap.”

The Girls at work, in “Legally Blonde” at Foothill. Photo credit David Allen

All this happens in Act 1 . And there are more unexpected twists in Act 2.

After intermission, likely the best choreographed musical number, “Whipped into Shape” starts the continuation of our story with a bang. It features fitness instructor Brooke (Melissa Momboisse) and her fitness students doing a sensational number with jump ropes.

Almost overnight Elle becomes a crackerjack lawyer… saves a young woman wrongly sentenced to death for murder… and ends up with the “her” guy (Andrew Cope as Emmett) who has been right there all along.

Rachelle Schaum as Elle & Andrew Cope as Emmett. Photo by by David Allen.

Foothill’s Lohman Theatre is relatively small, so even though an additional performance has just been added on Wed., March 13 at 7:30 p.m., it’s a good idea to get tickets now for this frothy-but-fun production.

If you don’t, it’s likely you’ll be singing what the Delta Nu sorority sisters enthusiastically sing in Act 1: “Omigod You Guys!”—because you’ll be out of luck.

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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: [email protected]

 

ProductionLegally Blonde
Written byHeather Hach
Directed byMilissa Carey
Music & lyrics byLaurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin
Producing CompanyFoothill Music Theatre
Production DatesThrough March 17th
Production Address12345 El Monte Rd.
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
Websitehttps://foothill.edu/theatre
Telephone(650) 949-7360
Tickets$20 -- $40
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall3.5/5
Performance3.75/5
Script3.25/5
Stagecraft3.5/5
Aisle Seat Review Pick?No.
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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.

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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: [email protected]

 

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!
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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.

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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: [email protected]

 

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!
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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: [email protected]

 

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!
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PICK! ASR Theater ~~ Everything’s Rosy in Hillbarn Theatre’s “Gypsy”

By Joanne Engelhardt

Rose– as in Mama Rose, the ball-busting lead character of the much-performed and universally loved musical “Gypsy,” is obviously a force to be reckoned with. But when that role is played by the phenomenally talented Stephanie Prentice, whose full-throated vocals can likely be heard at least several blocks away, it’s definitely worth seeing. The role fits Prentice like a glove.

Luckily for San Francisco Peninsula theatergoers, it’s just a short trek to Foster City’s Hillbarn Theatre to witness not only Prentice but also several other fine performers.

The hackneyed story of an overbearing stage mother (Rose) whose determination to make her younger daughter June (Melissa Momboisse) a star first saw light when the esteemed talents of David Merrick, Leland Hayward and Jerome Robbins combined to turn the Arthur Laurents’ book (suggested by Gypsy Rose Lee’s memoirs) into a Broadway show. Throw in music by Jule Styne, lyrics by the great Stephen Sondheim, then contract Ethel Merman to play Mama Rose, and what do you get? A sure-fire hit, that’s what!

Prentice has that Merman kind of chutzpa: badgering, bullying and generally making a nuisance of herself to make sure her Baby June gets the attention of everybody in the audience as well as backstage. Momboisse plays June with a wide smile, a blonde, curly wig and lots of sparkly pink tulle. She has talent – she can do cartwheels and summersaults, all while twirling not one but two batons.

Momma Rose (Stephanie Prentice*), June (Melissa Momboisse), Luoise (Makena Reynolds), and Herbie ( Chris Reber*) sit in Mrs. Crachitt’s (Lisa Appleyard) office waiting for a big meeting.
* Denotes member of Actors Equity Association. Photos by Mark and Tracy Photography

When June was 10 or 12, the family troupe had a cute vaudeville act. But eventually vaudeville faded away and June grew up and developed a fetching figure, something her mother refused to accept. Vaudeville falls out of style, but Mama Rose keeps hauling her daughters around the country with her – to smaller and smaller venues – even as June can no longer pretend to be a little girl.

…A sure-fire hit that’s what!

Louise, the bookish mousy older sister, is perfectly content to let June have the spotlight. Instead, she lugs the suitcases around, acts as a gofer and buys chop suey for the three to eat morning, noon and night. “It’s cheap! And filling!” Mama Rose shouts.

Louise (Makena Reynolds) Attempts her first strip routine.
Photos by Mark and Tracy Photography

As Louise, Makena Reynolds is a tad too attractive to be considered ‘mousy,’ but she does her best to stay in the shadows – even playing the front end of a cow when Mama Rose decides to make Baby June become a sweet farmgirl with six fine farmhands and a cow to dance with her. But when Baby June and one of her backup dancers elope and move away without a forwarding address, Mama Rose decides she’ll make Louise the star of the show.

Louise can’t really sing, and her dancing is mediocre, but she tries her best because that’s what mama wants. The turning point is when the act inadvertently gets booked into a burlesque theatre. When Mama discovers what it is, she tells Louise they need to leave immediately, but the practical Louise, as well as Mama’s long-suffering boyfriend Herbie (a rather subdued Chris Reber) – tell her they have no more money and nowhere to go.

The rest, as they say, is history. Louise’s shyness becomes her “thing” – that little something different that sets her apart from other burlesque queens. Soon she’s performing her burlesque routine at bigger and bigger burlesque emporiums –and earning much more money.

Hillbarn’s opening night audience last Friday night gave the entire cast a standing ovation – mostly deserved, although the large musical orchestra lead by Rick Reynolds sometimes played as if they were at a summer family concert.

Herbie ( Chris Reber*), Rose (Stephanie. Prentice*), and Louise (Makena Reynolds) Sing “Together Wherever We Go.”
* Denotes member of Actors Equity Association. Photos by Mark and Tracy Photography

Standout songs include “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “Some People,” “Rose’s Turn,” all sung by Prentice, “Small World,” sung by Prentice and Reber, and “Wherever We Go,” sung by Prentice, Reber and Reynolds. Y. Sharon Peng’s costumes also are a highlight – from the plain “housewifey” dresses Prentice wears throughout the play to the clever outfits for the young June and Louise and their cadre of boys, who all morph almost onstage into young people in similar costumes.

Whether familiar with the legend of Gypsy Rose Lee or not, audiences will appreciate Prentice’s fine vocals, the singing and dancing of the large cast, and an opportunity to look behind the curtain to see how struggling actors survive.

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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: [email protected]

 

ProductionGypsy
Book / Lyrics / Music byArthur Laurents / Stephen Sondheim / Jules Styne
Directed byLee Ann Payne
Producing CompanyHillbarn Theatre
Production DatesThru Sept. 25th
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
Script5/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK?Yes!
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PICK! ASR Theater ~~ Palo Alto Players Delight with “School of Rock”

By Joanne Engelhardt

With a bushel of fresh-faced, multi-talented kids, Palo Alto Players has a hit on its hand with the broad comedy “School of Rock,” playing through Sept. 11 at Lucie Stern Theater.

Sure, there are tons of hackneyed caricatures in “Rock,” the kind that Julian Fellows creates here. In fact, almost all the production’s adults are caricatures, the better to contrast with their earnest, brook-no-prisoners reactions to the show’s fifteen kids.

…A special shoutout to the four youngsters who played their own instruments in solo numbers….

What’s even more amazing about these pint-sized stars is that the four youngsters who ultimately become members of the kids’ band are actually playing their instruments live. They do so despite the fact that a number of adult musicians are also playing in the orchestra pit during the show.

Photo by Kate Hart Photography Pictured: Dewey Finn (Jomar Martinez) and the kids of Horace Green rock out to “You’re in the Band” in Palo Alto Players’ SCHOOL OF ROCK!

Yet one adult actor – the crazy-good Jomar Martinez, playing out-of-work musician/faux substitute teacher Dewey Finn – stands out simply because Dewey is a kid at heart whose two loves are playing music and sleeping. Dewey is living in the bedroom of an apartment owned by his old bandmate, Ned Schneebly (the bland but affable Zack Goller) and his fiancée Patty Di Marco. Amanda Le Nguyen plays Patty with waaaay too much veracity—her Patty is so demanding that it’s hard to imagine she and the affable Ned would ever have connected.

It’s obvious director Doug Santana put a lot of love into this production—his own daughter Maddie plays one of the precocious kids! While he let the kids shine as much as they are comfortable, it might have made the show a little more reasonable if not every adult except Dewey was unpleasant or bland.

As Rosalie Mullins, the headmistress of the posh Horace Green School, Amy Kohmescher comes close to playing another caricature. But she loosens up when she agrees to have a cup of coffee with the ersatz substitute teacher. Turns out the coffee date is in a bar and with each sip of beer, Rosalie loses her inhibitions and becomes more fun. She and the disheveled Dewey even share a quick kiss as they part.

But the kids are really the heart and soul of “School of Rock.” From reading their biographies, most are middle school or high school students, although at least two are fifth graders. Nearly all have had drama experience either at their schools or with local theatre productions.

Photo by Scott Lasky Pictured (L to R): Hailey Matta as Summer, Adeline Anderson as Katie, Jomar Martinez as Dewey Finn, Rafael ‘Rafi’ Frans as Zack, and Alex Pease as Freddy in Palo Alto Players’ SCHOOL OF ROCK, the electrifying Broadway musical based on the hit movie.

A special shoutout to the four youngsters who played their own instruments in solo numbers: Adeline Anderson who, as Katie, played bass; Alex Pease playing drums as Freddy; CJ Fernando as Lawrence with his socko piano playing; and the blow-it-out guitar playing of Rafael “Rafi’ Frans as Zack.

Choreographer Joey Dippel smartly allows youngsters with previous dancing experience to lead the musical numbers, yet gives every one of the kids a chance to at least “doo wop,” dance, and sway to the beat.

Andrew Lloyd Webber composed “Rock’s” musical score, and Glen Slater provided lyrics. It has several memorable numbers, most notably: “You’re in the Band,” “Where Did the Rock Go?,” “School of Rock” and “Stick It to the Man.”

Photo by Scott Lasky. The teachers of Horace Green sing the “Faculty Quadrille” in Palo Alto Players’ SCHOOL OF ROCK!

Costume designer Noreen Styliadis really hit the mark here with cute maroon-white-and black plaid school uniforms worn by almost all the kids. She pulls off a coup when she dresses Martinez in – well, you’ll just have to see “Rock” to find out.

All in all, definitely worth the 2 ½ hours (with one 15-minute intermission) for young and old alike to revel in the clever joyfulness of “School of Rock.”

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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: [email protected]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ProductionSchool of Rock
Book by / Lyrics By / New Music ByJulian Fellowes / Glenn Slater / Andrew Lloyd Webber
Directed byDoug Santana
Producing CompanyPalo Alto Players
Production DatesThrough October 11, 2022
Production AddressLucie Stern Theater 1305 Middlefield Road Palo Alto, CA 94301
Websitewww.paplayers.org
Telephone(650) 329-0891
Tickets$30 – $60
Reviewer ScoreMax in each category is 5/5
Overall4/5
Performance4/5
Script5/5
Stagecraft4/5
Aisle Seat Review PICK!YES!