Veteran Comedic Actors Bring Greater Tuna to Life in Placerville
Imagination Theater presents the comedy satire "Greater Tuna," which opens Friday, September 11 and runs through Sunday, October 4. This perennial favorite is about Texas' third smallest town, where the Lion's Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies. The eclectic band of citizens that make up the town are portrayed by two performers, making this satire on life in rural America even more delightful as they depict all of the inhabitants of Tuna, Texas: men, women, children and animals. Tuna has enjoyed runs on Broadway and Scotland’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, an HBO special in 1984, the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., the Marines Memorial Theatre in San Francisco, and has been produced in countless professional and community theaters. By 1985, Greater Tuna was the most produced play in the United States.
At the helm of Imagination Theater’s upcoming production of Greater Tuna are co-founders Lanny Langston, director, and Peter Wolfe, producer and set designer. The daunting task of costuming the cast of characters in Greater Tuna is credited to designers and dressers Diane Palmer, Cami Roberts, Marsha Myers, and Janet Postlewait.
Two seasoned acting veterans, Richard Gaylord and Jeff Lathrop, take on more than twenty characters, each with unique personalities and costume changes – some in as little as nine seconds.
Friday evening performances are at 7:00 P.M. September 11, 18, 25 and October 2. Saturday evening performances are at 7:00 P.M. September 12 and October 3. There is one Thursday performance on September 17, also at 7:00 P.M. Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 P.M. are September 13, 19, 20, 26, 27, October 3 and 4. Ticket prices are $16 for adults, $13 for seniors and $10 for children. Group discounts are also available. Greater Tuna is recommended for teens to adults. Imagination Theater is located at 100 Placerville Drive, on the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville. Call (530) 642-0404 for more information or to make reservations.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Closer: A play not for every taste
Courtesy photo
“Closer,” by British playwright Patrick Marber, now staged by Sacramento’s Big Idea Theater, is a dark comedy. It’s all about two men and two women whose selfish needs transcend love of others, or each other. They quickly tire of lovers or mates, whom they dump for others as if they were trading in used cars. True, quite a few people are like this, but not everyone will find this play enjoyable or edifying. Still, much of it is well done and can be enjoyable if the cynicism doesn’t get you down.
For details and a review, go to http://www.villagelife.com/story.php?id=692.0
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Cats: a bravura end to the Music Circus Series
Photo by Charr Crail
T.S. Eliot ended “The Hollow Men” with these lines: “This is the way the world ends/Not with a bang but a whimper.” But with “Cats,” based on Eliot’s book for children, Music Circus ends its current season of seven shows with a resounding bang.
In contrast with the lugubrious “Hollow Men” and “The Wasteland,” Eliot created “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats,” light-hearted verses for children. Andrew Lloyd Webber, after dissolving his partnership with Tim Rice, became fascinated by the challenge of turning Eliot’s book into a musical, despite its lack of story line.
With help from Director Trevor Nunn, Webber bested the challenge, and “Cats” become a hot ticket in London in 1981 and on Broadway the following year. We can see signs of the challenge faced by Webber and Nunn in the contrast between Act I and Act II.
With direction and choreography by Richard Stafford, the cast, in stunning cat costumes by Marcy Froehlich, devotes the first act to a seemingly plotless collection of dance numbers. We witness the Jellicle Ball, where one cat will be selected for reincarnation after a trip to the Heavenside Layer. But you wouldn’t know any of that without reading the playbill.
After the introduction of the cats’ grand aging leader, Old Deuteronomy (Ken Page), with a quavering vibrato, the highlight and climax of the act is the show’s signature song, “Memory,” delivered by Grizabella (Jacqueline Piro Donovan), an aging female shunned for the profligate ways of her youth.
The second act adds drama and comedy, with numbers reminiscent of Gilbert and Sullivan, plus some exciting scenery by Michael Schweikardt. In “Gus: the Theatre Cat,” with Jellyorum (Heather Mieko) and Asparagus (Michael Brian Dunn), we get a plaintive lament over theater that’s “not what it was.” In “Growltiger’s Last Stand,” Growltiger (Dunn) and Griddlebone (Mieko) enjoy a brief romance until the ship they’re on is overcome by colorful pirates or sailors before it’s torn down on stage.
In “Macavity” we meet the powerful and violent Macavity (Nathan Madden), with his own song as he lashes about among Demeter (Lisa Karlin), Bombalurina (Merrill West) and Munkustrap (Jeffry Denman). In “Mr. Mistoffelees” we get a virtuoso dance performance by Mistoffelees (Ryan Jackson), supported by Rum Tum Tugger (Kevin Lorque).
We also get a reprise of “Memory,” by Sillabub (Shannon Lea Smith) and Grizabella. And after Grizabella is elevated into the Heavyside Layer, the finale is led by Old Deuteronomy, singing “The Ad-dressing of Cats.”
One possibly inevitable frustration that audiences may experience is the difficulty of figuring out who is playing what and sometimes even which cat is which. Other than Old Deuteronomy all the faces on stage are masked, making identification too complicated while scenes are running.
Other than this minor nuisance we come away thoroughly charmed and entertained by this well-deserved climax to a mostly dazzling season of solid musicals with Broadway-level productions.
“Cats” continues through August 30 at Sacramento’s Wells Fargo Pavilion, 1419 H Street. Performances daily through Saturday, August 24, are at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. On August 25 performances will begin one hour earlier (at 7 p.m.) Tuesday through Saturday. Thursday and Saturday matinees are at 1 p.m., and Sunday evening’s show is at 6:30.
Tickets are $41 to $53, on sale at the theater, by phone at (916) 557-1999 or (800) 225-2277, or online at http://www.sacramentomusiccircus.com/. For groups of 12 or more call (916) 557-1198. Tickets are $15 off for children 4-11. Children under 4 will not be admitted. For groups of 12 or more call (916) 557-1198.
With help from Director Trevor Nunn, Webber bested the challenge, and “Cats” become a hot ticket in London in 1981 and on Broadway the following year. We can see signs of the challenge faced by Webber and Nunn in the contrast between Act I and Act II.
With direction and choreography by Richard Stafford, the cast, in stunning cat costumes by Marcy Froehlich, devotes the first act to a seemingly plotless collection of dance numbers. We witness the Jellicle Ball, where one cat will be selected for reincarnation after a trip to the Heavenside Layer. But you wouldn’t know any of that without reading the playbill.
After the introduction of the cats’ grand aging leader, Old Deuteronomy (Ken Page), with a quavering vibrato, the highlight and climax of the act is the show’s signature song, “Memory,” delivered by Grizabella (Jacqueline Piro Donovan), an aging female shunned for the profligate ways of her youth.
The second act adds drama and comedy, with numbers reminiscent of Gilbert and Sullivan, plus some exciting scenery by Michael Schweikardt. In “Gus: the Theatre Cat,” with Jellyorum (Heather Mieko) and Asparagus (Michael Brian Dunn), we get a plaintive lament over theater that’s “not what it was.” In “Growltiger’s Last Stand,” Growltiger (Dunn) and Griddlebone (Mieko) enjoy a brief romance until the ship they’re on is overcome by colorful pirates or sailors before it’s torn down on stage.
In “Macavity” we meet the powerful and violent Macavity (Nathan Madden), with his own song as he lashes about among Demeter (Lisa Karlin), Bombalurina (Merrill West) and Munkustrap (Jeffry Denman). In “Mr. Mistoffelees” we get a virtuoso dance performance by Mistoffelees (Ryan Jackson), supported by Rum Tum Tugger (Kevin Lorque).
We also get a reprise of “Memory,” by Sillabub (Shannon Lea Smith) and Grizabella. And after Grizabella is elevated into the Heavyside Layer, the finale is led by Old Deuteronomy, singing “The Ad-dressing of Cats.”
One possibly inevitable frustration that audiences may experience is the difficulty of figuring out who is playing what and sometimes even which cat is which. Other than Old Deuteronomy all the faces on stage are masked, making identification too complicated while scenes are running.
Other than this minor nuisance we come away thoroughly charmed and entertained by this well-deserved climax to a mostly dazzling season of solid musicals with Broadway-level productions.
“Cats” continues through August 30 at Sacramento’s Wells Fargo Pavilion, 1419 H Street. Performances daily through Saturday, August 24, are at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. On August 25 performances will begin one hour earlier (at 7 p.m.) Tuesday through Saturday. Thursday and Saturday matinees are at 1 p.m., and Sunday evening’s show is at 6:30.
Tickets are $41 to $53, on sale at the theater, by phone at (916) 557-1999 or (800) 225-2277, or online at http://www.sacramentomusiccircus.com/. For groups of 12 or more call (916) 557-1198. Tickets are $15 off for children 4-11. Children under 4 will not be admitted. For groups of 12 or more call (916) 557-1198.
Six Brain Dead Women Come to Life
Courtesy photo
Sacramento’s Lambda Players opens its 21st season with a reprise of “Six Women with Brain Death.” Coincidentally the production is Lambda’s last at the Studio Theatre before moving to its new location at 21st and L in Sacramento. Lambda’s choice of this show is based on personal as well as artistic and social considerations.
First of all the production is a tribute to the multi-talented Jackie Schultz, who produced, directed and performed in it for more than ten years and now suffers from a crippling neuro-muscular disorder. The musical has been around nationally and internationally since 1989 as a satirical reminder of the mind-deadening lives of many women, then and earlier, lives that stoked the feminist movement.
Schultz and Director Kitty Czarnecki call this production a “new” or “newer” version. It does have topical gags--hints of Sarah Palin, references to Paula Abdul and Seven-Eleven (the convenience store, not the catastrophe). And it seems more brutally frank than earlier versions, both in language and sexuality. But overall it sticks closely to the text and mood of the older show, going back to a time when being a housewife was almost the only career open to women.
The play starts with all six members of the all-female cast lined up behind shopping carts as they approach a supermarket counter. Their purchases include copies of The National Expirer, whose motto is “Expiring minds want to know.” On a personal note I once stood in such a line, behind a woman clutching a copy of The National Enquirer, then popular and prominently displayed at markets. I asked the woman why she was buying that newspaper. “Oh,” she said, “I don’t believe anything in it. I just read it for fun.” Focusing on celebrity scandals, the paper was the target for libel suits, mostly successful.
The second scene offers another route for female escapism. With Raylynn Sanders and Bethany Hidden, it’s titled “All My Hospitals.” It portrays a woman itching to learn the big secret in a soap opera when a news flash interrupts the program. A character from the show steps out of the picture tube to soothe her frustration. Longings for glamour appear in “High School Reunion,” “Divas in Midtown” and “Divas in Nashville” (all three with Jesse Stein and company).
The scene most relevant to today’s challenges--“Game Show,” with Dottie Harris, Raylynn and company--begins Act II. It’s followed by the play’s most memorable scene, “Severed Head.” Meg Masterson’s bodiless head, still alive and talking, is perched on a platter. She argues indefatigably with her strained caretaker (Naomi C. Rios).
In ‘Barbie and Ken” Bethany and company treat the sex lives of Barbie dolls. Religion is straight-armed in “God is an Alien,” which somehow links God and Amway.
After performing for over two years in productions of “Six Women,” Czarnecki proves herself more than qualified to direct the cast in singing and acting a multitude of roles.
Rachel Songer is musical director. Jeanne Stevenson, Raylynn, Kurt Kurtis, and Bethany designed the wide variety of colorful costumes.
The show’s book is by Cheryl Benge, Christy Brandt, Rosanna Coppedge, Valerie Fagan, Ross Freese, Mark Houston, Sandee Johnson and Peggy Pharr Wilson. Music and lyrics are by Houston.
“Six Women with Brain Death” continues through October 4 at the Studio Theatre, 1028 R Street, Sacramento. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. When purchasing matinee tickets, mention “adult only.” Tickets are $15-$17. Call (916) 444-8229 and find out more at http://www.lambdaplayers.com/.
First of all the production is a tribute to the multi-talented Jackie Schultz, who produced, directed and performed in it for more than ten years and now suffers from a crippling neuro-muscular disorder. The musical has been around nationally and internationally since 1989 as a satirical reminder of the mind-deadening lives of many women, then and earlier, lives that stoked the feminist movement.
Schultz and Director Kitty Czarnecki call this production a “new” or “newer” version. It does have topical gags--hints of Sarah Palin, references to Paula Abdul and Seven-Eleven (the convenience store, not the catastrophe). And it seems more brutally frank than earlier versions, both in language and sexuality. But overall it sticks closely to the text and mood of the older show, going back to a time when being a housewife was almost the only career open to women.
The play starts with all six members of the all-female cast lined up behind shopping carts as they approach a supermarket counter. Their purchases include copies of The National Expirer, whose motto is “Expiring minds want to know.” On a personal note I once stood in such a line, behind a woman clutching a copy of The National Enquirer, then popular and prominently displayed at markets. I asked the woman why she was buying that newspaper. “Oh,” she said, “I don’t believe anything in it. I just read it for fun.” Focusing on celebrity scandals, the paper was the target for libel suits, mostly successful.
The second scene offers another route for female escapism. With Raylynn Sanders and Bethany Hidden, it’s titled “All My Hospitals.” It portrays a woman itching to learn the big secret in a soap opera when a news flash interrupts the program. A character from the show steps out of the picture tube to soothe her frustration. Longings for glamour appear in “High School Reunion,” “Divas in Midtown” and “Divas in Nashville” (all three with Jesse Stein and company).
The scene most relevant to today’s challenges--“Game Show,” with Dottie Harris, Raylynn and company--begins Act II. It’s followed by the play’s most memorable scene, “Severed Head.” Meg Masterson’s bodiless head, still alive and talking, is perched on a platter. She argues indefatigably with her strained caretaker (Naomi C. Rios).
In ‘Barbie and Ken” Bethany and company treat the sex lives of Barbie dolls. Religion is straight-armed in “God is an Alien,” which somehow links God and Amway.
After performing for over two years in productions of “Six Women,” Czarnecki proves herself more than qualified to direct the cast in singing and acting a multitude of roles.
Rachel Songer is musical director. Jeanne Stevenson, Raylynn, Kurt Kurtis, and Bethany designed the wide variety of colorful costumes.
The show’s book is by Cheryl Benge, Christy Brandt, Rosanna Coppedge, Valerie Fagan, Ross Freese, Mark Houston, Sandee Johnson and Peggy Pharr Wilson. Music and lyrics are by Houston.
“Six Women with Brain Death” continues through October 4 at the Studio Theatre, 1028 R Street, Sacramento. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. When purchasing matinee tickets, mention “adult only.” Tickets are $15-$17. Call (916) 444-8229 and find out more at http://www.lambdaplayers.com/.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Picasso and Einstein spar in a bar
l to r: Blake Flores, Mary Bond, Marc Berman. Courtesy photo
“Picasso at the Lapin Agile,” now on the Chautauqua stage in Carmichael, captures Steve Martin’s witty fantasy about a duel of minds between two young geniuses. At a popular bar in Montmartre, Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso debate and then find common ground. The year is 1904, and the denizens of this famous watering hole try to forecast the future of the twentieth century, with intermittent thoughts about their love lives. Directed by Maggie Adair Upton, the play features a strong cast and is suitable for adults only.
For details and a review, got to http://www.villagelife.com/story.php?id=691.0.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Runaway Stage Productions announces 2010 season
Runaway Stage Productions has just announced next season's productions, to be held at Sacramento's 24th Street Theatre.
1. 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
**Sacramento Community Premiere**
January 8 - 31, 2010
Six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser. Recommended for theatregoers 14 and over.
2. Altar Boyz
**Sacramento Community Premiere**
March 3 - 28, 2010
Winner of the 2005 Outer Critics Award for BEST OFF BROADWAY MUSICAL, ALTAR BOYZ is a musical comedy about a fictitious Christian boy-band on the last night of their national "Raise the Praise" tour. The Boyz are five all-singing, all-dancing heartthrobs from Ohio: Mathew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham (who, of course, is Jewish). Recommended for theatregoers 14 and over.
Note: ALTAR BOYZ, with a Broadway cast, appeared recently in the current Music Circus series. See our July 15 review on this blog.]
3. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
**Sacramento Community Premiere**
April 30 - May 23, 2010
Scheming, double-crossing, musical fun!
Based on the popular 1988 film, DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS centers on two con men living on the French Riviera. The first is the suave and sophisticated Lawrence Jameson, who makes his lavish living by talking rich ladies out of their money. The other, a small-time crook named Freddy Benson, more humbly swindles women by waking their compassion with fabricated stories about his grandmother's failing health. After meeting on a train, they unsuccessfully attempt to work together only to find that this small French town isn't big enough for the two of them. In this Tony Award winning musical, a battle of cons ensues.
Recommended for theatregoers 12 and over.
4. Curtains
**Sacramento Premiere**
July 9 - August 1, 2010
An old-fashioned musical comedy, CURTAINS is a send-up of backstage murder mystery plots. Set in 1959 Boston, it follows the fallout when the supremely untalented star of Robbin' Hood of the Old West is murdered during her opening night curtain call. Can a police detective who moonlights as a musical theater fan save the show, solve the case, and maybe even find love before the show reopens, without getting killed himself? This Tony Award Winner is the final collaboration of John Kandar and the late Fred Ebb.
Recommended for theatregoers 12 and over.
3. Rodger's & Hammerstein's Cinderella
**Sacramento Premiere of the live stage presentation of the 1997 Television Movie**
September 3 - 26, 2010
Suitable for the whole family
Originally presented on television in 1957 and starring Julie Andrews, Rodgers & Hammerstein's CINDERELLA was the most widely viewed program in the history of the medium. Its recreation in 1965 starring Lesley Ann Warren was no less sucessful, and so was a second remake in 1997, which starred Brandy as Cinderella and Whitney Houston as her Fairy Godmother. This edition is based on the 1997 teleplay.
Recommended for theatregoers four and over.
4. The Wiz
**Reprising an audience favorite and 2003 multiple Elly Award winning production**
October 29 - November 21, 2010
"The Wiz," based on "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum, is one of Broadway's most popular contemporary musicals. This version is a multi-cultural journey that follows this well-known and beloved story of courage, brains, heart and home. "The Wiz" originally opened on Broadway in January of 1975 and ran through January 1979. It won sevenTony Awards including Best Musical, and Best Score. The movie, nominated for 4 Academy Awards, starred Diana Ross and featured Michael Jackson.
Recommended for theatregoers four and over.
All show titles are subject to change based on performance rights availability.
Coming this Fall!
Call (916) 207-1226 (916) 207-1226
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102671228466&s=1759&e=001jZfQYSNlaNgw-aLjfe91lQgQ13R-Y_7xh7klmtPmG4fT8v3A4w4fVqr-hFskRruG4kOPKI6yzoi143UFq-o68xUpHKnasoOQJWr0TVkdEB-gJ6DO_ebFrQ==
1. 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
**Sacramento Community Premiere**
January 8 - 31, 2010
Six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser. Recommended for theatregoers 14 and over.
2. Altar Boyz
**Sacramento Community Premiere**
March 3 - 28, 2010
Winner of the 2005 Outer Critics Award for BEST OFF BROADWAY MUSICAL, ALTAR BOYZ is a musical comedy about a fictitious Christian boy-band on the last night of their national "Raise the Praise" tour. The Boyz are five all-singing, all-dancing heartthrobs from Ohio: Mathew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham (who, of course, is Jewish). Recommended for theatregoers 14 and over.
Note: ALTAR BOYZ, with a Broadway cast, appeared recently in the current Music Circus series. See our July 15 review on this blog.]
3. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
**Sacramento Community Premiere**
April 30 - May 23, 2010
Scheming, double-crossing, musical fun!
Based on the popular 1988 film, DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS centers on two con men living on the French Riviera. The first is the suave and sophisticated Lawrence Jameson, who makes his lavish living by talking rich ladies out of their money. The other, a small-time crook named Freddy Benson, more humbly swindles women by waking their compassion with fabricated stories about his grandmother's failing health. After meeting on a train, they unsuccessfully attempt to work together only to find that this small French town isn't big enough for the two of them. In this Tony Award winning musical, a battle of cons ensues.
Recommended for theatregoers 12 and over.
4. Curtains
**Sacramento Premiere**
July 9 - August 1, 2010
An old-fashioned musical comedy, CURTAINS is a send-up of backstage murder mystery plots. Set in 1959 Boston, it follows the fallout when the supremely untalented star of Robbin' Hood of the Old West is murdered during her opening night curtain call. Can a police detective who moonlights as a musical theater fan save the show, solve the case, and maybe even find love before the show reopens, without getting killed himself? This Tony Award Winner is the final collaboration of John Kandar and the late Fred Ebb.
Recommended for theatregoers 12 and over.
3. Rodger's & Hammerstein's Cinderella
**Sacramento Premiere of the live stage presentation of the 1997 Television Movie**
September 3 - 26, 2010
Suitable for the whole family
Originally presented on television in 1957 and starring Julie Andrews, Rodgers & Hammerstein's CINDERELLA was the most widely viewed program in the history of the medium. Its recreation in 1965 starring Lesley Ann Warren was no less sucessful, and so was a second remake in 1997, which starred Brandy as Cinderella and Whitney Houston as her Fairy Godmother. This edition is based on the 1997 teleplay.
Recommended for theatregoers four and over.
4. The Wiz
**Reprising an audience favorite and 2003 multiple Elly Award winning production**
October 29 - November 21, 2010
"The Wiz," based on "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum, is one of Broadway's most popular contemporary musicals. This version is a multi-cultural journey that follows this well-known and beloved story of courage, brains, heart and home. "The Wiz" originally opened on Broadway in January of 1975 and ran through January 1979. It won sevenTony Awards including Best Musical, and Best Score. The movie, nominated for 4 Academy Awards, starred Diana Ross and featured Michael Jackson.
Recommended for theatregoers four and over.
All show titles are subject to change based on performance rights availability.
Coming this Fall!
Call (916) 207-1226 (916) 207-1226
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102671228466&s=1759&e=001jZfQYSNlaNgw-aLjfe91lQgQ13R-Y_7xh7klmtPmG4fT8v3A4w4fVqr-hFskRruG4kOPKI6yzoi143UFq-o68xUpHKnasoOQJWr0TVkdEB-gJ6DO_ebFrQ==
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Closer opens in Sacramento
Just in from Big Idea Theatre:
"For Immediate Release: (Sacramento, CA). Big Idea Theatre is pleased to announce the opening of Patrick Marber's Closer on Friday, August 14, 2009. BIT is proud to present this hard-hitting show to Sacramento audiences! This enthralling production is directed by Katie Chapman and features the outstanding talents of Jessica Berkey, Michael Claudio, Beth Edwards, and Brian Harrower. Performances of Closer are at 8:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, August 14 through September 12, 2009. Sunday matinees are at 2:30 p.m. (no matinees on opening and closing weekend). General admission tickets are $15. SARTA/League/Seniors $12. All second weekend tickets are $10 (August 21, 22, 23 only). For a mature audience."
From Music Circus: Impossible Dream is reality
At the Wells Fargo Pavilion, Music Circus brings us Dale Wasserman’s “Man of La Mancha,” a flight of fancy that blends Cervantes’ “Don Quixote” with the psychotic fantasy of its hero. With music by Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion it tells the story of a character who is both Miguel de Cervantes and Don Quixote. Both identities, though, may be the mad delusion of a dying townsman named Alonso Quijana. (All three are played by Walter Charles).
Detailing the story would be a disservice, like publishing the name of the murderer in a whodunit. The central theme is best expressed in the lyrics to the show’s most haunting song, “The Impossible Dream”: “to fight the unbeatable foe” and “right the unrightable wrong.” It embraces an idealism that declares, “Facts are the enemy of truth.” Yet the show does have its champion of practicality in Dr. Carrasco (Todd Alan Johnson).
The action, taking place during the sixteenth century, begins in a prison vault where a collection of suspects await trial by the Spanish Inquisition. To build his case Cervantes recruits his fellow suspects to play roles in his novel “Don Quixote,” where he plays himself and Don Quixote at the same time. (I hope it’s fair to reveal that the historic Cervantes was never interrogated by the Inquisition, though he did some prison time for cooking the books while a tax collector.)
The playacting in prison takes us through some familiar territory in the novel, such as the tilting at windmills (which we don’t see on stage) and, more importantly, especially Cervantes/Quixote/Quiana’s relationship with a spirited trollop named Aldonsa (Valerie Perri), whom he insists on calling Dulcinea, an idealized maiden in his chivalric vision. And of course he’s accompanied by his practical companion Sancho Panza (Kevin Ligon).
Along with the entertaining adventures we get some enchanting music, including many exquisite voices, including those of Charles and Perri. Besides “The Impossible Dream” we enjoy a feast of moving songs, among them “Man of La Mancha,” “Dulcinea,” “I’m Only Thinking of Him,” “I Really Like Him,” “Little Bird,” and “Knight of the Woeful Countenance.”
Directed by Guy Stroman, the show also includes contributions from Costume Designer Leon Wiebers, Musical Director Dennis Castellono (with 13-piece orchestra), Scenic Designer Michael Schweikardt, and Choreographer Bob Richard.
Photos by Charr Crail.
“Man of La Mancha” continues through August 16 at Sacramento’s Wells Fargo Pavilion, 1419 H Street. Performances continue daily through Saturday at 8 p.m. and end Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $41 to $53, on sale at the theater, by phone at (916) 557-1999 or (800) 225-2277, or online at http://www.sacramentomusiccircus.com/, where you can also find information about the season. For groups of 12 or more call (916) 557-1198.
Detailing the story would be a disservice, like publishing the name of the murderer in a whodunit. The central theme is best expressed in the lyrics to the show’s most haunting song, “The Impossible Dream”: “to fight the unbeatable foe” and “right the unrightable wrong.” It embraces an idealism that declares, “Facts are the enemy of truth.” Yet the show does have its champion of practicality in Dr. Carrasco (Todd Alan Johnson).
The action, taking place during the sixteenth century, begins in a prison vault where a collection of suspects await trial by the Spanish Inquisition. To build his case Cervantes recruits his fellow suspects to play roles in his novel “Don Quixote,” where he plays himself and Don Quixote at the same time. (I hope it’s fair to reveal that the historic Cervantes was never interrogated by the Inquisition, though he did some prison time for cooking the books while a tax collector.)
The playacting in prison takes us through some familiar territory in the novel, such as the tilting at windmills (which we don’t see on stage) and, more importantly, especially Cervantes/Quixote/Quiana’s relationship with a spirited trollop named Aldonsa (Valerie Perri), whom he insists on calling Dulcinea, an idealized maiden in his chivalric vision. And of course he’s accompanied by his practical companion Sancho Panza (Kevin Ligon).
Along with the entertaining adventures we get some enchanting music, including many exquisite voices, including those of Charles and Perri. Besides “The Impossible Dream” we enjoy a feast of moving songs, among them “Man of La Mancha,” “Dulcinea,” “I’m Only Thinking of Him,” “I Really Like Him,” “Little Bird,” and “Knight of the Woeful Countenance.”
Directed by Guy Stroman, the show also includes contributions from Costume Designer Leon Wiebers, Musical Director Dennis Castellono (with 13-piece orchestra), Scenic Designer Michael Schweikardt, and Choreographer Bob Richard.
Photos by Charr Crail.“Man of La Mancha” continues through August 16 at Sacramento’s Wells Fargo Pavilion, 1419 H Street. Performances continue daily through Saturday at 8 p.m. and end Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $41 to $53, on sale at the theater, by phone at (916) 557-1999 or (800) 225-2277, or online at http://www.sacramentomusiccircus.com/, where you can also find information about the season. For groups of 12 or more call (916) 557-1198.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
A Funny Thing Happened Around the World
Courtesy photo
Main Street Theatre Works of Amador County offers us a new take on Jules Verne’s popular 1873 novel “Eighty Days around the World.” Performed in Jackson’s bucolic Kennedy Mine Amphitheatre, the play substitutes high farce for high adventure. A cast of five performs about 30 roles that require acrobatics with the acting, so that surprise follows surprise.
The story line, though, follows the original yarn accurately. An imperturbable Phineas Fog (Ron Adams) makes a huge bet that he can circumnavigate the world in a mere 80 days. But his hair-raising adventures are too funny to take seriously.
For details and a review, go to http://www.villagelife.com/story.php?id=692.0.
The story line, though, follows the original yarn accurately. An imperturbable Phineas Fog (Ron Adams) makes a huge bet that he can circumnavigate the world in a mere 80 days. But his hair-raising adventures are too funny to take seriously.
For details and a review, go to http://www.villagelife.com/story.php?id=692.0.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Stage Nine Theatre opens “The Surprising Story of the Three Little Pigs”
l to r: Erin Blackburn, Samantha Watkins, Hayley Fitzpatrick, Tony Nguyen. Photographer: Allen Schmeltz
From Stage Nine Theatre in Folsom:
Stage Nine Theatre opens “The Surprising Story of the Three Little Pigs” on Saturday August 15 :
Synopsis: Three classic fairy tales (The Three Little Pigs, The Three Billy Goats Gruff and Goldilocks and the Three Bears) begin in their usual "once upon a time" fashion; however, this time things change on the way to "happily ever after" as the pigs wonder what life would be like if the wolf were not always at their door, the billy goats gruff decide they can't face another trip-trap over the troll's bridge, and Papa Bear has had enough of the meddlesome little Goldilocks! Assisted by “The Voice” (struggling to narrate the changing stories) and three Stagehands (desperately trying to juggle sets to keep the stories straight), the three trios join forces to rewrite their stories, ridding themselves of their respective villains by exchanging them. Written by award winning playwright, Linda Daugherty, this play premiered at the Dallas Children's Theater.
“The Surprising Story of the Three Little Pigs”
by Linda Daugherty, directed by Kris Hunt
Dates: August 15 – September 13
Times: Saturdays & Sundays at 1:00 p.m.
Tickets: $15 general, $13 seniors & SARTA, $12 children (group and school rates available)
Reservations & Information: Call (916) 353-1001
Location: Stage Nine Theatre, 717 Sutter Street, Historic Folsom 95630
Suitable for the entire family!
http://www.stageninefolsom.com/
For further information or questions contact Allen Schmeltz, aschmeltz@earthlink.net or (916) 802-2249
Stage Nine Theatre opens “The Surprising Story of the Three Little Pigs” on Saturday August 15 :
Synopsis: Three classic fairy tales (The Three Little Pigs, The Three Billy Goats Gruff and Goldilocks and the Three Bears) begin in their usual "once upon a time" fashion; however, this time things change on the way to "happily ever after" as the pigs wonder what life would be like if the wolf were not always at their door, the billy goats gruff decide they can't face another trip-trap over the troll's bridge, and Papa Bear has had enough of the meddlesome little Goldilocks! Assisted by “The Voice” (struggling to narrate the changing stories) and three Stagehands (desperately trying to juggle sets to keep the stories straight), the three trios join forces to rewrite their stories, ridding themselves of their respective villains by exchanging them. Written by award winning playwright, Linda Daugherty, this play premiered at the Dallas Children's Theater.
“The Surprising Story of the Three Little Pigs”
by Linda Daugherty, directed by Kris Hunt
Dates: August 15 – September 13
Times: Saturdays & Sundays at 1:00 p.m.
Tickets: $15 general, $13 seniors & SARTA, $12 children (group and school rates available)
Reservations & Information: Call (916) 353-1001
Location: Stage Nine Theatre, 717 Sutter Street, Historic Folsom 95630
Suitable for the entire family!
http://www.stageninefolsom.com/
For further information or questions contact Allen Schmeltz, aschmeltz@earthlink.net or (916) 802-2249
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Seven Brides: American Musical Par Excellence
Pictures by Charr Crail
Anyone doubting that the American musical comedy is a living art form need only see the current Music Circus production of “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.” It will prove without question that our native genre is a rival to the best of Italian opera. Acting, song and dance are performed with the utmost precision, yet with so much heart that they’re irresistible. Opening night was such an exhilarating event that the entire audience rose at the end to offer a standing ovation.
The story’s American source is Stephen Vincent Benet’s 1928 short story “The Sobbin’ Women,” an Americanized version of the ancient Roman legend of the Sabine Women. Romulus, founder of Rome, wanted nubile maidens so his followers could procreate, thus populating the nation.
The Romans, unable to deal with the Sabines, abducted a sizable collection of females, who, when they learned the civilized laws of Rome, were happy to be captured. The event is most famously depicted in a 17th century painting by Peter Paul Rubens. Benet’s story inspired the 1945 film “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” which in turn led to the Broadway musical.
Set mainly on a mid-nineteenth century Oregon farm, the story recounts the travails of seven isolated brothers, deprived of female companionship, especially good cooking and clean clothes. Adam (Joseph Mahowald), the eldest, decides that wives would solve the brothers’ problems, with him as first in line. At a crude restaurant in town he spots a beautiful but overworked Millie (Jacquelyn Piro Donovan), who finds his abrupt proposal startling but irresistible.
After he marries her and brings her home, she’s quickly disillusioned with him and his six oafish brothers, who treat her like a work horse. She copes through passive resistance, mainly forcing him to sleep alone. Adam learns his lesson and becomes even more enamored of her. The next step for Millie is to teach etiquette to the young men so they can go courting in town.
In town the newly housebroken brothers dance with the local girls but meet resistance from their town rivals. To resolve matters Adam hits on a scheme to kidnap the girls, which the brothers accomplish one night and head back to the farm.
The second act brings the obstacles of approaching winter and, at Millie’s insistence, segregating the girls to protect their virtue, because the boys neglected to kidnap the town preacher. Adam outraged by Millie’s aggressive takeover, leaves the farm, to spend the winter in a wilderness cabin. Eventually, of course, everything is worked out to general satisfaction, especially when Adam becomes the proud father of a baby girl.
Despite the frank absurdity of the plot—why, for instance, would a half-dozen girls welcome being kidnapped?—the music and the singing, especially in duets by Mahowald and Donovan, captures powerful emotions. And the complex acrobatic dances, choreographed by Pepper Clyde, who returns to recapitulate the breathtaking routines she created for all previous productions of this show at Music Circus.
The venerable Leland Ball came out of retirement especially to direct the show, apparently inspiring inexhaustible and joyous energy in the cast, so as to justify the cliché that there was never a dull moment. Even the theater-in-the-round Wells Fargo stage contributed to the exquisite lightness of the atmosphere, as elements of a set descended and rose silently out of the ceiling.
“Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” continues through August 9 at Sacramento’s Wells Fargo Pavilion, 1419 H Street. Performances continue daily through Saturday at 8 p.m. and end Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $41 to $53, on sale at the theater, by phone at (916) 557-1999 or (800) 225-2277, or online at http://www.sacramentomusiccircus.com/, where you can also find information about the season. For groups of 12 or more call (916) 557-1198.
The story’s American source is Stephen Vincent Benet’s 1928 short story “The Sobbin’ Women,” an Americanized version of the ancient Roman legend of the Sabine Women. Romulus, founder of Rome, wanted nubile maidens so his followers could procreate, thus populating the nation.
The Romans, unable to deal with the Sabines, abducted a sizable collection of females, who, when they learned the civilized laws of Rome, were happy to be captured. The event is most famously depicted in a 17th century painting by Peter Paul Rubens. Benet’s story inspired the 1945 film “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” which in turn led to the Broadway musical.
Set mainly on a mid-nineteenth century Oregon farm, the story recounts the travails of seven isolated brothers, deprived of female companionship, especially good cooking and clean clothes. Adam (Joseph Mahowald), the eldest, decides that wives would solve the brothers’ problems, with him as first in line. At a crude restaurant in town he spots a beautiful but overworked Millie (Jacquelyn Piro Donovan), who finds his abrupt proposal startling but irresistible.
After he marries her and brings her home, she’s quickly disillusioned with him and his six oafish brothers, who treat her like a work horse. She copes through passive resistance, mainly forcing him to sleep alone. Adam learns his lesson and becomes even more enamored of her. The next step for Millie is to teach etiquette to the young men so they can go courting in town.
In town the newly housebroken brothers dance with the local girls but meet resistance from their town rivals. To resolve matters Adam hits on a scheme to kidnap the girls, which the brothers accomplish one night and head back to the farm.
The second act brings the obstacles of approaching winter and, at Millie’s insistence, segregating the girls to protect their virtue, because the boys neglected to kidnap the town preacher. Adam outraged by Millie’s aggressive takeover, leaves the farm, to spend the winter in a wilderness cabin. Eventually, of course, everything is worked out to general satisfaction, especially when Adam becomes the proud father of a baby girl.
Despite the frank absurdity of the plot—why, for instance, would a half-dozen girls welcome being kidnapped?—the music and the singing, especially in duets by Mahowald and Donovan, captures powerful emotions. And the complex acrobatic dances, choreographed by Pepper Clyde, who returns to recapitulate the breathtaking routines she created for all previous productions of this show at Music Circus.
The venerable Leland Ball came out of retirement especially to direct the show, apparently inspiring inexhaustible and joyous energy in the cast, so as to justify the cliché that there was never a dull moment. Even the theater-in-the-round Wells Fargo stage contributed to the exquisite lightness of the atmosphere, as elements of a set descended and rose silently out of the ceiling.
“Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” continues through August 9 at Sacramento’s Wells Fargo Pavilion, 1419 H Street. Performances continue daily through Saturday at 8 p.m. and end Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $41 to $53, on sale at the theater, by phone at (916) 557-1999 or (800) 225-2277, or online at http://www.sacramentomusiccircus.com/, where you can also find information about the season. For groups of 12 or more call (916) 557-1198.
Celebration of the Red Hats
“Hats, The Musical,” now onstage at Stage Nine in Folsom, celebrates the liberation of America’s older women in general and the joys of the Red Hat Society in particular. It reassures us through many delightful numbers that you can have fun at any age. For a review and details go to
http://villagelife.com/story.php?id=692.0
http://villagelife.com/story.php?id=692.0
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
At B Street: Reconciliation Italian Style
David Pierini, Nanci Zoppi. Erin Island Photo.
Bronx-born John Patrick Shanley is probably best known for his play, and later movie, “Doubt,” which endorsed the radical idea that uncertainty could be a virtue. In his 1986 comedy “Italian American Reconciliation,” now on the B Street main stage, he explores another human experience: love.
The play opens with an infectious monolog by David Pierini, already in character as Aldo Scalicki, the role he assumes in the play. He moves among the audience, shaking hands and “evicting” a young woman from the auditorium.
The play proper is set in New York City’s Little Italy and focuses on the ramifications of love. A passionate and volatile Huey Maximillian Bonfigliano (John Lamb) decides suddenly to leave Teresa (Nanci Zoppi), the woman he lives with, and reunite with his former wife, Janice (Lee Fitzpatrick). His expressed motive is to regain his “manhood,” a term he leaves undefined. When we first meet Teresa, she’s on the verge of leaving Huey, but when she learns of his plan to regain Janice, she decides to fight for him.
The first sign of love comes from Aldo, Huey’s boyhood friend, who “loves” Huey, but in a manly way, and offers to be Huey’s go-between in his new quest. In their first encounter, in Huey’s modest home, Huey throws around and tears up almost everything in sight, especially the poetry he’s composed, as he expresses his powerful emotions.
In the second act we meet Janice, with unruly and flaming red hair, as she makes plain her distaste for the gentle Aldo. Even when he recalls their childhood together, she’s unappeased. She expresses herself with a gun. During her marriage to Huey she shot his dog and almost shot him. Now it’s Aldo’s turn to dodge a bullet.
The voice of reason in all this is the big-hearted Aunt May (Barbara Gruen), who floats the idea that you don’t find love; when you’re capable of love it will come to you.
Under Jerry Montoya’s tight direction, a polished cast keeps the action fast-paced and economical, drawing laughs from the audience almost constantly, with Aldo’s occasional forays among the audience as he teases while narrating events. In fact he almost steals the show. For his part, Lamb entertains us with a pipsqueak lover, the antithesis of the supposed lady killer.
As Teresa and Janice (Zoppi and Fitzpatrick) give us strong-minded women who mix passion with practicality, while Gruen’s Aunt May maintains a delicate dignity through all the silliness.
Borrowed from Capital Stage, Jonathan Rhys Williams provides the twin sets, Huey’s home interior and the exterior of Janice’s apartment, back-to-back on a rotating stage, thus making for quick scene changes. A current intern in stage management, Tracy Prybyla created definitive yet unobtrusive costumes.
“Italian American Reconciliation” runs through September 20 at 2727 B Street, Sacramento, behind the Stanford Park Baseball Field. Performances are Tuesday and Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 5 and 9 p.m., with matinees Wednesday and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $18-$30. Call (916) 443-5300. See also www.bstreettheatre.org.
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