Judy Richter

By Judy Richter

Margaret “Margie” Walsh, the central character in Marin Theatre Company’s production of David Lindsay-Abaire’s “Good People,” has had a tough life. She grew up in and still lives in a rough, impoverished Boston neighborhood.

The single mother of a severely disabled adult daughter, she has just been fired from her job as a dollar store cashier. Desperate for work, she turns to a former high school boyfriend who’s now a successful fertility doctor. She hopes he’ll give her a job or steer her to someone who will hire a woman who has few skills and no high school diploma but who is willing to work hard.

Thus the playwright paves the way for what becomes tense confrontations between Amy Resnick as Margie and Mark Anderson Phillips as Mike, the doctor. The conflict reaches its climax in Act 2 when Margie shows up unexpectedly at the posh home that Mike shares with his younger, black wife, Kate (ZZ Moor), and their young daughter.

Kate is eager to hear more about Mike’s youth in South Boston’s Lower End, where he lived until he left for college, thanks to scholarships and his father’s guidance. Mike isn’t eager to relive those days, especially the time he beat up a boy from a rival neighborhood.

Adroitly directed by Tracy Young, this 2011 play looks at emotionally fraught issues of class, poverty and racism, but leavens it with splashes of humor. Much of it comes from Margie’s longtime friend Jean (Jamie Jones), who’s both cynical and outspoken. More comes from Margie’s none-too-bright landlady, Dottie (Anne Darragh), who looks after Margie’s daughter. Dottie can be selfish, causing problems for Margie.

The play’s other character is Stevie (Ben Euphrat), Margie’s boss at the dollar store and a patron of the bingo games attended by Margie and her two friends.

With her characteristic blend of vulnerability and grit, Resnick has the audience rooting for Margie most of the way, but some of Margie’s actions, whether motivated by desperation or by anger, show her to be a flawed person, just like everyone else in the play.

Likewise, Phillips shows Mike to be a less than totally moral person despite his professional success. As Kate, Mike’s wife, Moor comes across as polished and sophisticated, but underlying tensions between Kate and Mike surface, and she turns antagonistic toward Margie as the latter’s visit nears its end.

The other three actors balance the play nicely and play important roles in Margie’s life, though in different ways.

Scenic designer Nina Ball allows for fluid transitions between scenes thanks to self-contained sets that slide into place. Costumes by Heidi Leigh Hanson reflect class differences. The lighting is by Gabe Maxson, while Chris Houston designed the sound and composed the music.

This play causes one to ponder what constitutes a “good” person. Most people probably consider themselves good, but they can commit less than good acts because of circumstances as well as character flaws. All these factors come into play in “Good People.”

It continues at Marin Theatre Company, 397 Miller Ave., MillValley, through Sept. 15. For tickets and information, call (415) 388-5208 or visit www.marintheatre.org.  

Judy Richter

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By Judy Richter

Family schisms and secrets are at the heart of “Other Desert Cities” a compelling modern drama by Jon Robin Baitz.

Presented by TheatreWorks in association with the Old Globe of San Diego, most of it takes place Christmas Eve 2004 at a home inPalm Springs.

Brooke Wyeth (Kate Turnbull) and her younger brother, Trip (Rod Brogan), are joining their affluent parents, Polly (Kandis Chappell) and Lyman (James Sutorius), for the holiday. Completing the family gathering is Polly’s sister, Silda Grauman (Julia Brothers), who is living with the elder Wyeths while continuing her rocky recovery from alcoholism.

Polly and Silda once co-wrote a popular movie series, while Lyman was a successful actor who became active in Republican politics. Trip produces a popular TV game show inLos Angeles.

Brooke, a writer, lives on the East Coast and hasn’t been home in six years. During that time, her marriage dissolved and she went into a deep depression.

The gathering begins amiably enough, but the differences in politics quickly become clear, with the elder Wyeths as staunch Republicans and the other three on the more liberal side.

Another sour note emerges as Brooke brings up the name of her late older brother, Henry. Like many young people in the ’70s, he rebelled against his upbringing. He fell in with a radical group that bombed a military recruiting station and inadvertently killed a janitor. Remorseful over that event, Henry apparently committed suicide.

Brooke has just completed a book — a memoir, she calls it — about her family and Henry. It has been sold to a publisher and will be printed in The New Yorker in February. After reading the manuscript, her parents beg her not to allow its publication. They say it will cause immeasurable harm to themselves and the family.

Brooke’s conflicting loyalties to her family and to her belief in her book along with her desire for independence lead to painful, intense confrontations for all.

Although the play is fraught with such emotional moments, Baitz leavens it with sharp humor, much of it coming from Trip and Silda. When Brothers exits after Silda’s first scene, for example, the audience applauds because Silda is so honest and down to earth.

Sutorius as Lyman and Brogan as Trip try to be the peacemakers as Brooke and Polly clash, but they get drawn into the fray, too.

Director Richard Seer skillfully guides the ensemble cast through shifting moods, helping to keep the audience enthralled.

The handsome set by Alexander Dodge was influenced by a 1960 Palm Springshouse called “The House of Tomorrow” as well as “The Elvis Honeymoon Hideaway.” Its modern design features a wide living room with an expansive view of bare, rugged mountains.

Lighting by Steven B. Mannshardt reflects changes in exterior light as well as shifting moods. Costumes by Charlotte Devaux help to define the characters. The sound is by Paul Peterson.

After its New Yorkpremiere in 2011, “Other Desert Cities” went on to win several honors, including finalist for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It deserves such accolades because of  its sharply drawn characters and because it’s a riveting drama that speaks not only to family issues but also to American politics and the history of recent decades.

It will continue at the Mountain ViewCenterfor the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St., Mountain View, through Sept. 15. For tickets and information, call (650) 463-1960 or visit www.theatreworks.org.

Judy Richter

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By Judy Richter

After hearing some gossip, an upper-class Englishwoman thinks her husband is having an affair in Oscar Wilde’s “Lady Windermere’s Fan.”

However, appearances aren’t always what they seem in California Shakespeare Theater’s elegant production of this witty satire on Victorian morality.

Lady Windermere (Emily Kitchens) is about to celebrate her 21st birthday and receives a lovely fan from her husband, Lord Windermere (Aldo Billingslea).

They’ve been happily married for two years and have a 6-month-old son. Her happiness is marred when an afternoon visitor, the Duchess of Berwick (Danny Scheie), tells her that Lord Windermere has been visiting a fallen woman, Mrs. Erlynne (Stacy Ross), and giving her large sums of money.

Confirming the outlays by ripping open his locked checkbook, Lady Windermere confronts her husband. He says that nothing improper has happened and asks to her invite Mrs. Erlynne to her birthday party that night.

When she refuses, he writes the invitation himself, resulting in even more unhappiness for his wife both then and at the party. Afterward the fan plays a large role in the conclusion, but secrets remain unrevealed, allowing illusions to continue.

Wilde subtitled his work “A Play About a Good Woman.” One would assume that the good woman is Lady Windermere, but she could also be Mrs. Erlynne, who does some great kindnesses for the unknowing Lady Windermere.

This polished Cal Shakes production is directed by Christopher Liam Moore from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

It features an elegant set by Annie Smart with complementary lighting by York Kennedy and sound by Will McCandless. The period costumes by Meg Neville reflect the rigidity of Victorian society with the women constrained by bustles and corsets under their beautiful dresses.

The cast is excellent, led by Kitchens as an increasingly upset Lady Windermere and Billingslea as her husband.

One telling aspect of their relationship becomes clear in the final scenes when he often refers to his wife as “my child,” as if he doesn’t see her as an equal partner in their marriage even though he loves her.

The first act is highlighted by the irrepressible Scheie as the Duchess of Berwick. Flouncing about with the duchess’s socially inept daughter (Rami Margron) in tow, Scheie is absolutely hilarious.

Ross skillfully portrays the conflicting emotions of Mrs. Erlynne.

Sharp characterizations come from the rest of the cast: L. Peter Callender, James Carpenter, Dan Clegg, Nick Gabriel, Tyee Tilghman and Bruce Carlton.

All of these elements add up to an enjoyable, thought-provoking theatrical experience.

“Lady Windermere’s Fan” continues in the Bruns Memorial Amphitheater, 100 California Shakespeare Way(off Hwy. 24), Orinda, through Sept. 8. For tickets and information call (510) 548-9666 or visit www.calshakes.org.

Judy Richter

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By Judy Richter

Four superb actors, one skilled director and one genius playwright add up to an unforgettable experience as Berkeley Repertory Theatre presents Harold Pinter’s “No Man’s Land.”

Guided by director Sean Mathias, actors Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Billy Crudup and Shuler Hensley successfully navigate the ambiguities of Pinter’s 1975 play.

It opens as the impeccably tailored Hirst (Stewart) serves a drink to the rumpled Spooner (McKellen ), who has apparently been invited to Hirst’s home after running into him at a nearby pub. As Hirst becomes staggeringly drunk, his two manservants, Foster (Crudup) and Briggs (Hensley), assist him, leaving Spooner locked in the drawing room overnight.

As the two-act play progresses, one can’t be sure what’s true and what isn’t. What is clear, however, is the subtle air of menace that permeates the production, starting with the foreboding original music by sound designers Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen.

The manservants, Foster and Briggs, are especially menacing — Foster because he’s so slick and Briggs because he’s so big and stolid..

Hirst and Spooner both claim to be poets and may or may not have known each other atOxford. In one scene, Hirst has no idea who Spooner is, yet in another he goes into great detail about an affair he may have had with Spooner’s late wife. This subtle juggling for power among the various characters is a Pinter hallmark, along with the ambiguities and menace.

Bay Area audiences last saw McKellen as the title character in a memorable production of Shakespeare’s “Richard III”  inSan Francisco. Here he’s a far different man, apparently down on his luck and seemingly unsure of himself as he nervously shifts from one foot to the other and holds his coat throughout most of the play.

One would be hard-pressed to say exactly what the play is about or what actually happens, but it doesn’t matter because this production conveys the subtexts of Pinter’s writing, complete with his trademark pauses. The actors and director also mine the humor in the writing, relieving some of the tension.

The character-specific costumes are by Stephen Brimson Lewis, who also designed the spare but dignified set. The lighting is by Peter Kaczorowski.

After it completes its limited run in Berkeley, this production will move to Broadway, where it will be presented in rotating repertory with Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot,” also featuring McKellen and Stewart.

For now, Bay Area audiences can enjoy “No Man’s Land” through Aug. 31 in Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theatre, 2015 Addison St., Berkeley. For tickets and information, call (510) 647-2949 or visit www.berkeleyrep.org.

Judy Richter

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By Judy Richter

Sports fans can be a fanatical lot. Some will go to almost any lengths to help their favorite team.

That’s what happens in “Damn Yankees,” presented by Foothill Music Theatre and Foothill Theatre Arts. Frustrated that his beloved Washington Senators baseball team always loses the pennant to the hated New York Yankees, an avid fan says he’d sell his soul to see the Senators come out on top.

The devil incarnate takes him up on the offer. He’ll transform the middle-aged, out-of-shape fan into a young slugger who’ll lead the Senators to victory. The fan agrees, disappearing from his present life and reappearing as a young man with a different name.

Thus “Damn Yankees” illustrates a well known caution: Be careful what you wish for.

That’s what the hero, Joe Boyd (Matt Tipton), learns when he becomes the young Joe Hardy (Daniel Mitchell). Joe leaves behind his wife, Meg Boyd (Mary Melnick), and finds that he misses her more than he ever would have imagined.

The Tony-winning “Damn Yankees” was a smash hit when it opened on Broadway in 1955, and most of its subsequent productions have followed suit. The FMT production is not one of them.

As directed by Tom Gough of the Foothill faculty, it lacks some of the focus and cohesion that have characterized Foothill productions directed by former artistic director Jay Manley, who founded FMT but who recently retired to freelance.

Still, with its large cast of students and community members, the show has some strong qualities. They include performances by several principals, such as Boyd as older Joe, Mitchell as younger Joe and Melnick as Meg. Mitchell acts and sings well, especially in “Goodbye Old Girl,” sweetly sung first by older Joe and then by younger Joe as the transformation takes place.

Melnick is believable as Meg expresses her frustration in “Six Months Out of Every Year,” when her husband and so many others pay more attention to baseball than their wives. She also is convincing in Meg’s steadfast belief that Joe will eventually return.

Also noteworthy is Jeff Clarke as Applegate, the smooth-talking devil who’ll do anything he can to keep younger Joe from returning to his original life. Clarke has fun with “Those Were the Good Old Days,” in which Applegate recalls some of his nefarious deeds through the ages.

Richard Lewis makes a suitably crusty Benny Van Buren, manager of the Senators. His big moment comes in “(You Gotta Have) Heart.” Caitlin Lawrence-Papp does well as Gloria Thorpe, a nosy reporter.

Jen Wheatonfox sings well as Lola, the vamp sent by Applegate to make younger Joe forget Meg.

Choreography by Katie O’Bryon lacks precision and imagination. Musical director Catherine Snider’s orchestra sounds ragged at times.

Margaret Toomey’s scenic design also lacks imagination (or a more generous budget). The costumes are by Janis Bergmann, the lighting by Edward Hunter and the sound (sometimes problematic) by Ken Kilen.

Attending a show at Foothill always is pleasant because the campus is so attractive. Seeing “Damn Yankees” also was pleasant because of the show itself, but it was a bit of a letdown after so many outstanding FMT productions in the past.

“Damn Yankees” will continue in Smithwick Theatre, FoothillCollege, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills, through Aug. 18. For tickets and information, call (650) 949-7360 or visit www.foothillmusicals.com.

Judy Richter

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The incomparable wit of Oscar Wilde takes center stage in Stanford Summer Theater’s production of his ever-popular “The Importance of Being Earnest.” Wilde delighted in skewering English society with one bon mot after another.

Most ably directed by Lynne Soffer, a veteran Bay Area actress who does double duty as dialect coach, this polished gem features Stanford theater students as four would-be lovers and four more experienced actors as their elders.

Taking place in 1895, the play features Austin Caldwell as Algernon Moncrieff, a dapper bachelor who lives in theLondonflat where the first act is set. His friend, Jack Worthing (David Raymond), is in love with Algerenon’s cousin, Gwendolen Fairfax (Ruth Marks). When inLondon, Jack calls himself Earnest, but he goes by Jack at his manor house in the country. Gwendolen wants to marry him because she’s always wanted to be with an Earnest. Of course, there is no Earnest.

Another obstacle is Gwendolen’s mother, Lady Bracknell (the imperious, formidable Courtney Walsh), who opposes the marriage because Earnest (actually Jack) apparently is an orphan.

Jack’s pert ward, Cecily Cardew (Jessica Waldman) lives in his manor house. She believes that when Jack goes toLondon, he’s trying to get his brother, Earnest, out of scrapes.

When Algernon hears about Cecily, he goes to Jack’s home pretending to be Earnest. It’s love at first sight between him and Cecily until Jack shows up in mourning for the death of Earnest. Much confusion ensues, but eventually everything works out to everyone’s satisfaction.

Besides Lady Bracknell, the older generation includes Miss Prism (Kay Kostopoulos), Cecily’s governess and tutor; and the Rev. Canon Chasyble (Marty Pistone). Don DeMico plays both Lane, Algernon’s manservant, and Merriman, Jack’s butler, with unflappable dignity despite all the goings-on.

Besides the actors’ skill, this production is notable for outstanding production values, starting with Erik Flatmo’s set design, which is especially stunning for Algernon’s flat with its elaborate Chinese motifs. Dressed like servants, a three-person student stage crew smoothly accomplishes set changes during the two intermissions.

Connie Strayer’s costume designs are elegant for all of the women and the two younger men. The hats for Lady Bracknell and Gwendolen are works of art in themselves. Lighting is by Michael Ramsaur and sound by Michael St. Clair.

“”The Importance of Being Earnest” is part of Stanford Summer Theater’s 15th season, whose theme is “He’s Funny That Way: Wilde and Beckett.” The Samuel Beckett offering is “Happy Days,” which runs Aug. 15 to 25 in Stanford’s Nitery Theater.The season also includes free film comedies and a symposium. A continuing studies course began earlier in the summer.

For information and tickets, call (650) 725-5838 or visit http://sst.stanford.edu  

Judy Richter

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By Judy Richter

It’s said that clothes make the man, but in many ways, clothes are even more important to a woman.

This becomes abundantly clear in the hilarious “Love, Loss, and What I Wore,” directed by Karen Carpenter and presented by San Jose Repertory Theatre by special arrangement with Daryl Roth.

Two sisters, Delia Ephron and the late Nora Ephron, based the show on the book by Ilene Beckerman and then added some flourishes of their own.

The format is simple: Five actresses, each in black, sit on bar chairs lined up downstage and read from scripts placed on music stands in front of them. During the course of about 100 minutes without intermission, they become various characters who have 28 stories to tell about how clothing played a role in important parts of their lives.

In this production, Dawn Wells plays Ginger, or Gingy, who serves as narrator and who describes her outfits starting with a Brownie uniform and continuing until her 4-year-old granddaughter has fun trying on Grandma’s dresses and shoes. During that span of time, Gingy loses her mother at an early age, gets married and divorced several times and suffers the loss of a child.

Wells is joined onstage by Dee Hoty, Sandra Tsing Loh, Ashley Austin Morris and Zuzanna Szadkowski, who represent different ages and body types.

Szadkowski, a gifted comedienne, provides one of the evening’s highlights with her monologue about purses. Starting with “I hate my purse,” she describes how it has become the repository for necessities as well as flotsam and jetsam like lipstick tubes without tops, spilled Tic Tacs, old receipts and more. Of course, her purse is so stuffed with stuff that she can never find what she’s looking for. But shopping for a new purse is a traumatic ordeal. By the time she had finished her monologue, every woman in the audience was roaring with laughter of recognition.

Other segments involve the women going to their closets to discover they have nothing to wear. Trying on new clothes in a dressing room is another ordeal. Morris, another gifted comedienne, talks about shoes. High heels look great, but they hurt her feet so much that she can’t think. Choosing between looking good and thinking isn’t easy, as she learns.

All five women chime in on their experiences with bras, especially their first bras, a right of passage every woman must endure. Then there’s the ritual of choosing a prom dress.

Hoty has a moving story about a woman who is diagnosed with breast cancer, undergoes reconstructive surgery and gets a strategically placed tattoo to celebrate her recovery.

Loh and Morris team up to talk about two California women choosing wedding attire, a touching segment that ends with them marrying each other.

This 2009 play has been presented throughout the country with the same format. In many cases, one team of star actresses will appear for a short run, followed by another team and so on.

The reason for its success is obvious. Through comedy and poignancy, clothing becomes a metaphor for women’s lives. Women recognize themselves and can laugh at themselves. Men in the audience can enjoy the show, too, because they’ve seen women through some of these experiences.

It’s a great way to laugh long and loud.

It will continue at San Jose Repertory Theatre, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, through July 28. For tickets and information, call (408) 367-7255 or visit www.sjrep.com.

Judy Richter

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By Judy Richter

If left uncorrected, little misunderstandings can lead to big trouble. That’s what happens in “Becky’s New Car,” presented by Dragon Productions.

In this 2008 comedy by Steven Dietz, Rebecca Foster, or Becky, (Mary Lou Torre) works as the office manager in a luxury car dealership. She and her husband, Joe (Ben Ortega), a successful roofer, have been married 28 years and have a 26-year-old son, Chris (Sam Bertken), a psychology major who still lives at home.

Becky’s life has become humdrum until late one afternoon when a wealthy widower, Walter Flood (Kevin Copps), shows up and buys nine cars to give to his employees the next day. He mistakenly assumes that she’s widowed, too, and she doesn’t correct him.

One thing leads to another, and then she’s attending a party at his posh home on an island nearSeattle, where she meets Walter’s adult daughter, Kensington, or Kenni, (Roneet Aliza Rahamim). Soon she’s spending more time there while trying to keep Joe unaware of her activities.

Thanks to a conversation with Steve (Jim Johnson), a salesman at the car dealership, Joe learns what’s happening. That knowledge and a subsequent event put their marriage and commitment to a tough test.

It’s probably no coincidence that Walter and Steve are still grieving for their late wives, though in different ways. Steve is both ridiculous and hilarious as he describes how his wife met her death on a hike with him.

The play’s other middle-aged character, Ginger (Helena G. Clarkson), a friend of Walter, is dealing with her own loss now that her substantial inheritance has evaporated, leaving her impoverished with no employable skills.

At the end, though, Walter, Steve and Ginger all find ways to forge ahead with their lives. Likewise, Joe and Becky manage to deal with the tests their marriage has undergone.

As directed by James Nelson, all of this transpires with laughs and insight. Torre is outstanding as Becky goes through a range of emotions while being onstage for most of the two-act play’s two hours. Thus she provides the glue that holds everything together. Acting by the rest of the cast is somewhat uneven, but not enough to detract from the show’s enjoyment.

Julia Sussner’s set, complemented by Will Poulin’s lighting, works well in the intimate space. The costumes are by Scarlett Kellum, the ambient sound by Lance Huntley.

With its dark and absurdist undertones, “Becky’s New Car” is a fun ride.

It continues at the Dragon Theatre, 2120 Broadway St., Redwood City, through Aug. 4. For tickets and information, call (650) 493-2006 or visit www.dragonproductions.net.

Judy Richter

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By Judy Richter

Launching its 44th season, TheatreWorks takes its audience into possibly unfamiliar territory with the world premiere of “The Loudest Man on Earth” by Catherine Rush.

On its surface, this four-person play tells of a budding, unconventional romance between Haylee, a successful writer, and Jordan, a successful director. Haylee (the excellent Julie Fitzpatrick) is hearing while Jordan is deaf, as is Adrian Blue, the actor who portrays him. Blue, who serves as sign master for the production, is the husband of the playwright, who is hearing.

While the play is not strictly a portrait of their relationship, it does reflect things that have happened to them, Rush says in the program notes.

Haylee has a rudimentary knowledge of American Sign Language when she meets Jordan for the first time and interviews him. As they begin their relationship in New York City, she becomes more adept at understanding him and interpreting for him.

That ability becomes vital when they encounter other people, all well played by Cassidy Brown and Mia Tagano in roles that require versatility and quick changes. These encounters illustrate the gap between hearing and deaf cultures.

Between each scene, Jordanaddresses the audience in monologues of ASL and Visual Vernacular, a combination of ASL and mime. Even though Blue is a highly expressive actor, it’s not always easy to understand him without knowing his language.

On the other hand, there’s another scene in which Brown and Tagano play a Czechoslovakian couple whose language is incomprehensible to Haylee. This scene illustrates the stresses and obstacles that arise when people don’t understand one another’s language.

Director Pamela Berlin keeps the action flowing smoothly, aided by the flexible set by Jason Simms. The production also is enhanced by Tanya Finkelstein’s costumes, Paul Toben’s lighting and Cliff Caruthers’ sound.

Running 95 minutes without intermission, “The Loudest Man on Earth” is TheatreWorks’ latest main stage production to emerge from its annual New Works Festival. This year’s festival features staged readings of two musicals and three plays in rotating repertory from Aug. 10 to 18 at the Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto.

That’s where “The Loudest Man on Earth” will continue through Aug. 4. For tickets and information about the play or New Works Festival, call (650) 463-1960 or visit www.theatreworks.org.

Judy Richter

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By Judy Richter

Staging “Oliver!” calls for a certain amount of ambition because of the challenges presented by Lionel Bart’s 1960 musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ novel “Oliver Twist.”

One challenge is that all the scene changes might interrupt the dramatic flow. Thanks to an adaptable set designed by Jerald Enos, Broadway By the Bay minimizes the lapses. Still, this production directed by Jeffrey Bracco can feel episodic.

Another challenge is that the show requires many children. BBB succeeds on this count because most of the youngsters are somewhat older than one might expect. Hence the opening scene, “Food, Glorious Food,” at the London workhouse gets the show off to a good start.

Oliver Twist, the orphaned title character, is played by 12-year-old Shayan Hooshmand, who does a good job, starting with his memorable opening line, “Please, sir, I want some more,” as he tries to get another helping of the gruel served by the workhouse caretaker, Mr. Bumble (Robert Sholty). He also does well in his primary song, “Where Is Love?”

Later, he joins in on the show’s most successful song, “Who Will Buy?” which starts with five street vendors in haunting counterpoint and ends in a full-fledged production number, well choreographed by Pauline Kanter.

Other musical aspects are more mixed. Part of the problem is that Jon Hayward’s sound design is too loud and tends to distort higher notes. Another is that some principals mistake volume for emotion. Understanding the Cockney accents can be a problem.

Then there’s intonation, especially in “My Name,” sung by the show’s villain, Bill Sykes (Rich Matli). Musical director Samuel Cisneros’s orchestra also has intonation issues.

Back on the plus side is Ryan Mardesich as The Artful Dodger, who finds the runaway Oliver on the streets and takes him to Fagin, who harbors children and teaches them how to pick pockets. Fagin is winningly played by Jef Valentine, who has fun with “Pick a Pocket or Two” and “Reviewing the Situation.”

Dickens wrote “Oliver Twist” as a way to expose how cruelly and thoughtlessly orphans were treated in Victorian England. The musical softens some of those edges, but the basic idea is still there.

After Oliver has the courage to ask for more gruel, Bumble sells him to an undertaker, but Oliver runs away from there after getting into a fight. That’s when The Artful Dodger finds him. Oliver has more adventures after that, and the story ends on both unhappy and happy notes — unhappy for Nancy (Amie Shapiro), Bill’s girlfriend, and happy for Oliver, who winds up with his grandfather, Mr. Brownlow (Ron Dritz).

This production of “Oliver!” represents a milestone for BBB because it’s the first in the company’s long history to use local designers, artistic director Amanda Folena told the opening night audience. Besides the set by Enos, the realistic period costumes are by Margaret Toomey, who also serves as production manager. BBB has rented sets and costumes in the past.

Despite its shortcomings, the opening night production had enough pluses that it received an enthusiastic reception from the audience. It also served as a good introduction for those who have never seen this musical or its 1968 film.

“Oliver!” will continue at the Fox Theatre, 2215 Broadway, Redwood City, through July 12. For tickets and information, call (650) 579-5565 or visit www.broadwaybythebay.org.

Judy Richter

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