Kedar Adour

Lamplighters Music Theatre presents Gilbert & Sullivan’s: The Pirates of Penzance (Musical Operetta) Lyrics by William S. Gilbert and Music by Arthur Sullivan. Stage Director Jane Erwin Hammett, Music Director/Conductor Baker Peeples. Yerba Buena Center for the Performing Arts, Moscone Center, San Francisco (August 14-17) Bankhead Theatre, Livermore (August 23-24), 2014

The Pirates of Penzance by the Lamplighters is a rollicking fun evening.

 [rating:5] (5 of 5 Stars)

It is difficult to write a specific review about a Lamplighters production since the major roles are mostly double-cast and there is no advance notification of who will play what role on any given night. Last night, with a minor caveat here and there, the chosen cast created a rollicking fun evening that will have you humming the music and lyrics for days and nights.

The stated mission of Lamplighters Music Theatre is to share their “enthusiasm and love for the works of W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan through productions of their comic operas and of other works of comparable wit, literacy and musical merit.” Their productions have lavish costumes and sets, live orchestra, excellent comic acting, and gorgeous unamplified singing.  Just so you do not possibly miss the tricky lyrics they also provide super titles.

The Bay Area is fortunate that this group rotates each show through various venues. The Yerba Buena venue is their third stop and the show has nary a hitch with an enthusiastic ensemble, humorous lines, gorgeous costumes and rich voices.

Swaggering booming voiced baritone Ben Brady as the Pirate King thoroughly controls his eclectic band of (loveable?) ruffians with authority. Young handsome Robin Vann as Frederic is an impressive tenor making him attractive to the ladies including the “aging Ruth (Sonia Gariaeff) who accidentally apprenticed him into a Pirates life. You see, she confused “pilot” for “pirate.”  

 The plot gets sillier and sillier but never fear all turns out well when the Major-General Stanley’s (F. Lawrence Ewing) daughters (all 20 of them???) turn up in the Pirates lair. The most beautiful is Mabel (Elena Galvin) and love blooms. Galvin has a marvelous contralto voice that is crystal clear with a vibrato to die for.

The one caveat is that Ewing falters in the pivotal patter song “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General.” To his credit he has spot-on comic timing earning him many laughs throughout the evening. There are laughs galore from the every facet of the show. The basic choreography by ladies, pirates and Keystone Kops (I did tell you about them?) are a hoot and a holler. Recommendation: Do not miss. You still have a chance if you go to Livermore. Running time 2 hours with a 20 minute intermission.

CAST: (Cast for last night’s show are in italicized bold) SAMUEL, The pirate lieutenant, Chris Uzelac ; THE PIRATE KING Ben Brady or Charles Martin; FREDERIC, The pirate apprentice, Samuel Faustine or Robert Van; RUTH, Pirate-maid-of-all-work, Sonia Gariaeff or Deborah Rosengaus; Major-General Stanley’s daughters EDITH, Ellen Leslie or Michele Schroeder; KATE, Susanna Ketron or Talia Trozzo, ISABEL, Lindsey Rae Johnson; MABEL, Elena Galvin, Kaia Richards; MAJOR-GENERAL STANLEY, F. Lawrence Ewing; BUTLER, John Rouse; SERGEANT OF POLICE ,  Steve Goodman or Robby Stafford

CHORUS:Adeliz Araiza, George Ashworth, Amanda Renee Baines, Simon Banaag, Jeffrey Beaudoin, Kelly Brodie, Melissa Butcher, Nicholas Dahlman, Giovanni de Leon, Robert Dorsett, George Fernandez, Drew Green, Beth Guido, Andrew Gustafson, Hilary Hecht, Don Kemp, William Loney (u/s Samuel), Douglas Mandell, Daniel G. Norberg, Timothy Pickett, Rich Pryor, Alan Roberts, Corynne Scott, Bobby Singer, Pete Shoemaker, Allison Spencer, Genie Tjahjadi, Hannah Velichko, Sarah Velichko.

ARTISTIC STAFF; Production Manager: Nicolas Aliaga; Technical Director: Zach Sigman; Scenic Design: Peter Crompton; Original Costume Design: Melissa Wortman; Costume Design: Miriam Lewis; Lighting Design: Joey Postil; Make-up Design: David Kirby; Wig & Hair Design: Kerry Rider-Kuhn; Asst. Director/Props: Elizabeth Durst;Asst. Music Director: Jennifer Ashworth; Stage Managers: Jan Brown, Elisabeth Reeves; Costume Assistants: Sonia Hauser, Koledon Lambright; Costume Cutting/Construction: Melinda Hare, Koledon Lambright, Aviva Raskin; Wardrobe: Alexandra Gray; Costume Crew: Willa Anderson, Shelley Johnson, Claire Kelm, Ellen Kerrigan, Judy Macllvaine, Alan Roberts, Sally Shunsky-Hernandez, Melissa Wortman; Make-up Assistant: Joanne Kay; Supertitles Manager: Joseph Giammarco; Supertitles Operators: Judith Epstein, Nancy Benson, Sarah Vardigans; Rehearsal Accompanists: Paul McCurdy, Michael Schuler; Graphic Design: Tim Dunn, Dunn@Dunn Graphic Design, Joanne Kay; Photography: David Allen.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com.

Kedar Adour

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CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF: Drama by Tennessee Williams. Tides Theatre Company, Tides Theatre, 533 Sutter Street 2^nd Floor, (Between Powell & Mason), San

Francisco. 415-399-1322 or www.tidestheatre.org. July 10 –August 30, 2014

The women shine in CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF at Tides Theatre.

[rating:3] (3 of 5 stars)

In Freshman English Composition at the Hamilton College (Alexander Woolcott was an alumnus) the instructor assigned an “F” to any essay beginning with “According to Webster’s dictionary. . .” However, a review of Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer Prize and Drama Critic’s Circle Award play, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF almost demands such a beginning. The word is mendacity: a noun; untruthfulness, lies.

After the play opened 60 years ago, the word became very popular, often used in a jocular vein by comedians and forever associated with Big Daddy, the South and the play.  Mendacity is a major theme and the cause of fractured relationships and internal torment throughout all 3 acts. Yes, 3 Acts, three hours with two intermissions. The third act became a source of friction between original director Elia Kazan and the author. Two act plays came into vogue later. Williams has created a play in classic format honoring the three unities of time, place and characters (action). Co-directors (?) Christian Haines & James Baldock have used the powerful, final, 1974 version with Big Daddy’s explicative, the forbidden word “queer”, and the raunchy elephant joke intact. Paradoxically, Williams used a version of the “Broadway” third act advised by Kazan.

Deteriorating relationships are a distinguishing characteristic of a Tennessee Williams play. In CAT, rather than deteriorate, the relationships become excruciatingly apparent in their vindictiveness as the mendacity of the major characters is revealed.  It is a family affair, an impending death of the patriarch, Big Daddy (a one-dimensional performance by Joe Kearns replacing the injured Christian Phillips) and an inheritance to protect.

Brick (only occasionally believable Peter Townley) Big Daddy’s youngest and favorite son at age 27 has become an alcoholic after the death of his best friend Skipper. He has his right leg in a cast and uses a wooden crutch to move about. He has married Maggie (a superb Jennifer Welch) who is spurned sexually and emotionally by Brick. She describes her situation as if she is a cat on a hot tin roof and she can’t jump off. The entire first act is basically a monolog for Maggie “the cat” and Welch’s performance is riveting.

   It is Big Daddy’s 65^th birthday and the family has descended on the plantation to celebrate the event. Big Mama (enthusiastic, impressive Carole Robinson) is overjoyed because she has been told (falsely) that Big Daddy’s medical problem is nothing more than a spastic colon. The remainder of the family are, Gooper (a very capable Brandon Mears) a lawyer and the ignored oldest son, with his fecund pregnant wife Mae (pitch perfect April Green) and their five “no neck children” (pared down to one for the minuscule stage).

Big Daddy and Big Mama have not been told that Big Daddy has cancer and is truly dying.  Gooper and Mae’s devious machinations and obsequious behavior are designed to gain control of the estate. This is in direct conflict with Maggie the Cat whose was born white trash poor and is going to fight for the inheritance for Brick and herself. She is not going to be poor again. This can be assured if she can conceive a son which is Big Daddy’s greatest wish. The conflict between Mae and Maggie is like two cats in a territorial struggle with no holds barred.

The first act is an extended 45 minutes of Maggie’s pleadings with Brick constantly drinking and not listening. Oddly, Brick’s presence and his perfunctory remarks seem as afterthoughts.

In the second act Joe Kearns’ Big Daddy explodes on the scene with his physical stature and booming voice without nuance. Where the confrontation between father and son should be engrossing as the long simmering secrets come to the surface, the scene, although violently physically staged, fails to capture the depth of the despair in Brick’s head. The revelations should be devastating ending with Big Daddies assertion that the difference between man and pigs, is that pigs cannot contemplate their mortality.

There is an acceptable denouement in Act III. Rounding out the cast, in small roles, are Randy Hurst as the Doctor Baugh, Francis Serpa as Reverend Tooker, Tassiana Willis  Sookie a servant and young Miles Berson as Buster. Williams is a master at creating women characters and this show shines with Jennifer Welch, Carole Robinson and April Green in pivotal roles.

Running time three hours with two intermissions.

Cast: Margaret, Jennifer Welch; Brick, Peter Townley; Mae, April Green; Big Mama, Carole Robinson; Big Daddy, Joe Kearns; Reverend Tooker, Francis Serpa; Cooper, Brandon Mears; Doctor Baugh, Randy Hurst; Sookie, Tassiana Willis; Buster, Miles Bernson.

PRODUCTION TEAM:

Co-Directors, Christian Haines & James Baldock: Sound Designer, Jon Bernson; Casting Director, Sally Dana; Scenic Design, Alicia Griffiths; Lighting Design, Andrea Schwartz; Production Manager, Deborah Cichocki; Stage Manager, Tassiana Willis; Costume Designer, James Baldock; Poster Design, Liz Pavlovic; Photographer, Greg LeBlanc; Fight Direction, Will Springhorn; Artistic & Technical Interns, Jeff Graham.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com.     

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

Detectives (Charles Shaw Robinson* and Matthew Baldiga*) interrogate William (Isiah Thompson).

FROM RED TO BLACK: Drama by Rhett Rossi. Directed by Susi Damilano. SF Playhouse San Box Series, A.C.T. Costume Shop on 1119 Market Street (at Seventh Street)/Civic Center Bart, San Francisco, CA. 415-677-9596 or www.sfplayhouse.org. August 9 -30, 2014

From Red to Black reminiscent of a Law & Order TV script. [rating:3] (3 of 5 Stars)

San Francisco Bay Area has become a destination for playwrights seeking workshops and productions of their plays. In the past the Magic Theatre was the premiere venue for nurturing new writers but now five other local groups, including the SF Playhouse, have joined the fray.  SF Playhouse’s entry into that group is called “Sandbox” that began with simple staged readings in the “back room” of their previous venue. They have branched out into limited full productions and From Red to Black is their latest offering.

The title ‘red to black’ refers to an esoteric binary tree, used in computer science to organize pieces of comparable data, such as text fragments or numbers. In Rhett Rossi’s play that ‘binary tree’ becomes two Irish detectives  interrogating William (Isiah Thompson) an insecure young black man suspected (accused) of shoving a white man into the path of a subway train. The detectives are the stereotypic ‘good cop/bad cop’ each with their individual hang-ups.

The older “bad’ detective is Denny Mitchell (Charles Shaw Robinson) and the younger is “good” Jack Flanagan (Matthew Baldiga). As the play progresses there is a subtle to compelling shift in personalities but they remain stereotypic characters and both actors give powerful performances. Isiah Thompson has the best role as the accused and he brings to life the claustrophobic insecurity enshrouded in bravado demanded of the writing.

The writing is commendable and adroitly carries the plot line but relies on some extended exposition disguised as conversation between the detectives. To discuss the fourth member of the cast Lawrence Stevens (Michael Shipley) would be a spoiler since that character is the keystone of the surprise ending.

Director Susi Damilano’s tight direction is made easier by Bill English’s multi-area set allowing her to move the characters smoothly from scene to scene keeping the entire evening less than 90 minutes without an intermission. The play is being performed at the intimate A.C.T. Costume shop with limited technical support but light design by Jessica Brent backed up by Hannah Birch Carl’s sound design using the rumble of subway trains give the proper atmospheric claustrophobic effect.  Recommended as a ‘should see’ production.

Cast: Matthew Baldiga (Detective Jack Flanagan); Charles Shaw Robinson (Detective Denny Mitchell); Michael Shipley (Lawrence Stevens); Isiah Thompson (William).

Creative Team: Set Design by Bill English; Costume Design by Jeffrey Hamby; Stage Manager by Jessica Charles; Light Design by Jessica Bent; Sound Design by Hannah Birch Carl; Props Designer by Jordan Puckett; Casting Director by Lauren English; Fight Choreographer by Miguel Martinez; Dialect Coach Lynne Soffer; Dramaturg by Kevin Kittle

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com.

Detectives (Charles Shaw Robinson* and Matthew Baldiga*) interrogate William (Isiah Thompson).

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

Dracula Inquest : Drama. Written by Gary Graves. Directed by Jan Zvaifler. Central Works, At the Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant, Berkeley, CA. www.centralworks.org or 510-558-1381.  July 12–August 17, 2014  World Premiere #44

 Dracula Inquest by Central Works a thriller. [rating:4]  (4 of 5 five stars)

If you are a member of Central Works the Bay Area collective dedicated to the production of new plays, you surely must subjugate your ego to the collective ego or at least leave your ego at the door. Now, what the hell does that mean or have to do with a review of their latest world premiere Dracula Inquest?

It means a hell-of-a-lot. The collective concept has worked for them since their decision in 1997 to “write, develop, and produce world premieres.” Whereas most plays go through workshop after workshop, Central Works’ timeline for a play is four to six months. A playwright’s idea is taken to the group and before any script is written, a director is selected and they set about casting the non-existent play. They plan about 10 meetings with the playwright, director and cast contributing to the final script.  For Dracula Inquest Gary Graves is their resident playwright and is given full credit for the script.

In Dracula Inquest Graves has taken Bram Stoker’s novel, pared the characters down to four and postulates a “what if” scenario. In the novel the four are the  “good guys’ who eventually do Dracula in with a wooden stake through his heart. Wait just a while, what if those “good guys” were not what they seemed and were just after Count Dracula’s wealth? They hide behind their façade as the “Crew of Light” insisting that their heinous act was done in the name of humanity.

In the play the four “Crew of Lights” are the lawyer Jonathon Harker (Joshua Schell), his wife Mina Harker (Megan Trout), Dr. Seward (Kenny Toll) who has prescribe opiates for Minna and the leader of the group Professor Van Helsing (Joe Estalack). They are all locked up in an insane asylum.

Professor Van Helsing and his intrepid team of vampire hunters, now all inmates of the Whitby Asylum for the Criminally Insane —and under investigation regarding
the disappearance of a mysterious nobleman from Transylvania.
(l to r): Kenny Toll, Joe Estlack, Joshua Schell & Megan Trout.

The time is 1895 three years after the disappearance of the wealthy Count Dracula. Scotland Yard Detective Sly (John Flanagan) arrives at the asylum to interview the miscreants having in his possession a typed book describing all the details (much of it apparently taken verbatim for Stoker’s novel) of Count Dracula’s disappearance. The disbelieving Sly may have his convictions changed by the dramatic ending end of the show.

Central works now is ensconced at the Berkeley City Club using the miniscule 50(?) seat three sided theatre with only two rows of seats on each side. This intimacy works wonders for this production with the audience pushing back in their seats to avoid the “insane” action on stage. The play is a shocker and should be rolled out for Halloween. The quality of the actors is superb and all deliver their long speeches with veracity. If there is a weakness of the writing it is that the play is a series of monologs with minimal interaction between the characters. However when there is interaction it is dynamic and allows the actors to appropriately emote.

Detective Avery Sly of Scotland Yard (John Flanagan R)
interrogates Dr. Seward (Kenny Toll L).

John Flanagan has been cast as a detective in other plays and has not lost his touch at interrogation. Without giving a “spoiler” the last scene is problematic for him. Kenny Toll as Dr. Seward, bound in a straight-jacket for the entire play, gives a Tony Award performance. Joe Estlack brings his innate acting ability honed at Shotgun Theatre to this play in his role as the Professor. Joshua Schell and Megan Trout as the Harker’s earn their share of accolades. Running time 2 hours with an intermission.

Cast: Joe Estlack as Professor Van Helsing; John Flanagan as Detective Sly; Joshua Schell as Jonathan Harker; Kenny Toll as Dr. Seward;  Megan Trout as Mina Harker

Production Team: Tammy Berlin, costumes; Gary Graves, lights; Gregory Scharpen’ sound/operator; Debbie Shelley, properties; Vanessa Ramos , stage manager; Alandra Hileman, production assistant; Robin Low, box office. Photos by Jim Norrena.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of   www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

Ovid’s Pygmallion

PYGMALION by George Bernard Shaw. Directed by Jonathan Moscone. California Shakespeare Theater, Bruns Amphitheater, 100 California Shakespeare Theater Way, Orinda, CA 94563. (just off Highway 24 at the California Shakespeare Theater Way/Wilder Rd. exit, one mile east of the Caldecott Tunnel). 510.548.9666 or www.calshakes.org. July 30 – August 24, 2014.

CalShakes produces a winner with Pygmalion. [rating:5] (5 of 5 Stars)

Modern audiences know the plot of George Bernard Shaw’s 1914 play Pygmalion from seeing the musical comedy My Fair Lady. Shaw mostly lifted the story from Ovid who was born in 43 BC. In that story Pygmalion was a sculpture who created a beautiful statue of a woman named Galatea. The statue, whom he fell in love with, came to life when he touched the marble. In Shaw’s play the erstwhile sculpture is Henry Higgins a professor of phonetics and his creation of a “princess fit to be a consort for Kings” is a scruffy London flower girl named Eliza Doolittle. Unlike Ovid’s Pygmalion who fell hopelessly in love with his creation, Shaw insists that is not so with his Pygmalion, now named Henry Higgins. Although many directors of the play have toyed with that idea Jonathon Moscone sticks with Shaw’s premise.

There are several editions of the play Pygmalion that are in print. Shaw’s original premise of the final relationship between Eliza Doolittle and Professor Higgins is one of equality. Directorial whims have often changed that. Shaw recognized the difficultly of staging the play and the need for “exceptionally elaborate machinery.” He thus suggested scenes that could be omitted.  These facts did not dismay the always inventive director Jonathon Moscone who apparently has used the original text although truncated version staging the play in two acts rather than five. He has gathered a superb cast that received a standing ovation on opening night at the chilly open-air venue.

When entering the outdoor Bruns Amphitheater there is a colorful relatively bare stage with an unadorned semicircular stairway stage right leading to an upstairs exit and a central stage level open area. As the lights dim and are relit the opening scene is Covent Garden vegetable market and a diverse group are caught in a rainstorm. There are those elegant ones leaving the Theatre mingling with the street workers including a scruffy flower girl Eliza Doolittle (Irene Lucio). We are immediately treated to Moscone’s inventiveness when members of the crowd are simply one-dimensional life-size cutouts of men and women in elegant dress. Three of the real live patrons are the Eynsford-Hills, mother (Julie Eccles), daughter Clara (Elyse Price) and hapless Freddie (Nicholas Pelczar).

Into that scene weaves a strange man taking notes and is assumed to be a ‘copper’ but is really Henry Higgins. Through a series mishaps there is an encounter between Higgins, Eliza and Colonel Pickering (L. Peter Callander) with Higgins making a flippant remark that he could pass off the “squashed cabbage”  flower girl as a duchess merely by teaching her to speak properly thus setting the scene for the rest of the play.

(L to R) L. Peter Callender as Colonel Pickering, Irene Lucio as Eliza Doolittle, and Anthony Fusco as Professor Henry Higgins, photo by Kevin Berne

Setting the scene is a marvel of ingenuity with the ensemble adeptly moving bookcases, sofa, chairs, tables and other paraphernalia onto stage creating a stylish working bachelor flat for scene two. Pickering has moved in with Higgins and they are exchanging their knowledge. Into this bucolic setting ruled over by housekeeper Mrs. Pearce (Catherine Castellanos), intrudes Eliza offering to pay for lessons to improve her speech so that she could get a job as a shop girl. The interaction between four characters is a marvel of superb dialog that was lifted practically verbatim by Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady.  In fact those creators of the musical wisely use Shaw’s words for many of their songs that you might even sing to yourself . . . but please don’t.

Enter dustman Alfred Doolittle (James Carpenter) Eliza’s father and once again Shaw’s brilliance combined with Carpenter’s dynamic stage presence and his ability to sub serve his own personality becoming the character he is playing is worth the cost of admission. His re-entrance in the penultimate scene dressed in the wedding finery befitting his new station in life saddled with “middle-class morality” is a gem.

In fact, the entire play is a gem. Anthony Fusco is the perfect Henry Higgins and makes the pivotal role his own. Irene Lucio has a fitful start with her Cockney accent in scene one but grows beautifully into the role deserving her rousing applause when she gracefully challenges the bullying Higgins while standing on the upper level of the set. Is Moscone telling us that she has the upper hand?

Again Moscone’s ingenuity is apparent as he has elected to by-pass the tedious lesson scenes with talk-overs to indicate the passage of time allowing the ensemble to reset the stage for the sitting room of Henry’s mother (Sharon Lockwood). He is there to test Eliza’s ability to mingle with London Society. With the Eynsford-Hills in attendance Higgins passes off her remarks as “the new small talk”, and Freddy is enraptured. When she is leaving, he asks her if she is going to walk across the park, to which she replies, “Walk? Not bloody likely!” (This is the most famous line from the play.)

Although the versatile L. Peter Callender creates the caring personality of Pickering with great nuance, it is the ladies of the cast who are most memorable. Catherine Castellanos gives authority to her role as Mrs. Pearce. Beautiful Julie Eccles is elegant as Mrs. Eynsford Hill and Sharon Lockwood as Mrs. Higgins steals the scenes with her full authority being unbowed by her badgering son. Nicholas Pelcazar and Elyse Price hold their own in lesser roles and the ensemble could not be better. Three cheers for Anna Oliver for her marvelous costumes and Annie Smart for her ingenious sets.

This is a must, must see show and Moscone has pared Shaw’s verbosity down to two hours and twenty minutes including the intermission.

Featuring: Anthony Fusco* (Professor Henry Higgins); L. Peter Callender* (Colonel Pickering); Irene Lucio* (Eliza Doolittle); James Carpenter* (Alfred Doolittle); Sharon Lockwood* (Mrs. Higgins); Catherine Castellanos* (Mrs. Pearce); Nicholas Pelczar* (Freddy Eynsford Hill); Julie Eccles* (Mrs. Eynsford Hill); Elyce Price* (Clara Eynsford Hill); Ponder Goddard* (Parlormaid/Ensemble); Catherine Luedtke (Ensemble); Caitlin Evenson (Ensemble); Charles Lewis III (Ensemble); Liam Callister (Ensemble).

Creative Crew: Designed by Annie Smart (set designer), Anna Oliver (costume designer), Stephen Strawbridge (lighting designer; Jake Rodriguez (Sound designer); Laxmi Kumaran (stage manager); Lynne Soffer (dialect & text coach).

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

FOODIES! THE MUSICAL: A Revue. Written & Directed by Morris Bobrow. AWAT Productions; Shelton Theater, 533 Sutter Street, San Francisco. (800) 838-3006 or www.foodiesthernusical.com.  Open Ended Run

Foodies! The Musical played at San Francisco Towers. [rating:4] (4 of 5 stars)

This reviewer has been amiss for not attending Morris Bobrow’s most recent hit that has been playing at the intimate Shelton Theater in downtown San Francisco. Lucky for me and the residents of the elegant San Francisco Towers retirement facility the show has been brought intact with the original cast and plethora of props for a special evening of entertainment for the residents.

Morris Bobrow, who was introduced before the show began is a true auteur pianist, playwright, actor, director and last but hardly least an accomplished composer and lyricist. The ageless Bobrow burst onto the Bay Area musical scene working with Gerald Nachman and Rita Abrams for the highly successful revue New Wrinkles that won all sorts of prizes and has been played throughout the U.S.A. including a highly praised run in New York City.

When he went out on his own handling the whole shebang of writing, directing and producing he came up with a string of winners that played for years in the Bay Area and Canada. These included the revues Are We Almost There? (about travel), Shopping, Party of One (about being single), followed by Party of 2 – The Mating Musical and others. His latest opus is Foodies! a highly satirical musical revue that skewers all the foibles we have encountered with dining out and the pretentiousness of food and wine faddists.

Bobrow’s wicked sense of humor and ability to rhyme incongruous words is legion. The exceptional four member cast put their hearts into the show’s concept making us feel the character’s pain while we laugh with them. You surely will recognize the characters and their foibles and even find yourself being satirized in skits of how we act and react to food and restaurants.

After a compulsory opening number “High Hi” that we get from drinking Red Bull, the cast remain on a high with “OMG” (Oh, my god) with the cell phone mania of calling each other to rave about the new places that are opening up. Next up to be skewered are the wine snobs with “ Taking The Waters”with  the host having a fully stocked water cellar giving a water tasting party in Fremont. (Black mountain and its “brash icongruity).Water never to be taken on the rocks.

There are 20 skits ending with “A Thank You” for staying awake. To mention just a few highlights, be assured there are many.  “Organ-ick” with the emphasis on “ick”y never to eat tongue and chitlins etc.  “Doctor’s Orders”: How often on your yearly check-up has your doctor advised healthy eating and you dreamed of eating everything from French fries to pizza? For those who order sensibly, you will never order salad again after you listen to what the cast adds to their “Salad.”  Only Bobrow would come up with the  “Salad for a main course leads to remorse… but you can add cheese, ham etc.

“Switches” starts out with “My name is…” and “What’s yours?” followed by the waiter’s life history before there is a switch to busboy and then the pasta chef with David Goodwin  doing a superb Danny Kaye skit describing every possible pasta name.

Gary Danko’s and the French Laundry, where it is almost impossible to make a reservation , take their lumps in the hysterical “The Blue Tulip” that starts out with a couple meeting the ‘reservation counselor’ before a down payment of $7000 is made for a September 2017 reservation.

“Cook Like Me” skewers Julie Child and every TV Chef and you will never watch one of those shows again especially the ones that puts a pinch of this and that making a concoction Monsanto would be proud of.

A brief summary of other vignettes without picking a favorite:

-“Breath Threat”: The mania for having good breath and the need for Altoids and having “breathless affair.”

-“Bad Timing”:  Whether to go out to dinner before or after the theatre.

-“Meals on Wheels”:  Food truck fad.

-“Bargain Bites”:  The coupon disaster from Groupon.

– “Food of the Moment”: Ultimate dining; “We don’t actually serve food!”

-“ Food Talk”:  Food phraseology. The waiter has mastered the 5 must of what to say. 1. I’m your waiter. 2. Is everything OK? 3. How are we doing? 3. May we take that or are you still working on it. 5. To Go! Learning the culinary cornucopia will be good enough to get a job at IHop

There are many more. Advise: It is a great show of 90 minutes without intermission that is highly recommended.

Featuring:  L-R (Front) Deborah Russo &  Rana Kangas-Kent, (Back) Kim Larsen & David Goodwin.

Accompaniment by Angela Dwyer.

Artistic Staff: Jim Mc Cunn, Stage Manager &Lights; John Ramirez, Set Design.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com.

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

SOUTH PACIFIC: Musical byRichard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Directed by Milissa Carey. Foothill Music Theatre, Smithwick Theatre, Foothill College, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022. (650) 949-7360 or www.foothillmusicals.com.July 24 –August 10, 2014

South Pacific scores a hit at Foothill College [rating:5] (5 of 5 Stars) (All photos by David Allen)

Foothill College keeps its reputation as a top notch venue for summer musicals with South Pacific under the direction of Milissa Carey who replaced the legendary Jay Manley in 2012. Last year’s production of Damn Yankees hit a three bagger just missing a home run but this year’s production rounds all the bases.  There are top-notch singers, an energetic ensemble in all shapes and sizes who sing and dance up a storm with humor and pathos.

Luther Billis (Steve Boisvert) and Sea Bees

Since the original 1949 Broadway production that won all the major awards being handed out, the show has made the rounds of community theatres and touring companies and was adapted into a slick over-produced 1958 motion picture. The 2008 revival at the Vivian Beaumont Theater received wide acclaim and showed up in San Francisco with a 25 piece orchestra with an expected first class professional production. 

Thanksgiving Follies with Billis and Forebush

With all its spit and polish of that show, the Foothill staging is more satisfying with sets (Kuo-Hao Lo) that seem appropriate and what we would expect on a Pacific Island. It is hardly a simplistic staging but they cleverly use the actors as stage hands to effortlessly move the props as a musical interlude plays between scenes without a wasted minute.

This Pulitzer Prize-winning 1949 musical based on James Michener’s Pulitzer Prize winning book “Tales of the South Pacific” tells the story of four star-crossed lovers caught up in the war in the Pacific and emotionally torn due to ingrained racial prejudice. Woven into the romantic story line are the shenanigans of full-bodied native Bloody Mary (Jacqueline DeMuro) and a group of Sea Bees led by Luther Billis (Steve Boisvert). Madison Genovese playing Nurse Ensign Nellie Forbush is a perky “Cockeyed Optimist” with a charming soprano voice that is not quite a perfect match for the magnificent operatic baritone voice of Daniel Cameron as plantation owner Emile de Becque. Their rendition of “Two Soliloquies” within the first scene sets the hesitant tone of their initial relationship that melts away when Cameron sings “Some Enchanted Evening.”

Bloody Mary sings Bali Ha’i to Luther and the Sea Bees

“My Girl Back Home” Nellie & Cable

Sergey Khalikulov’s’entrance as Lt. Joseph Cable is recognized as a “sexy b—–d” by Bloody Mary who selects him to be the husband of her teenage daughter Liat (Amanda Nguyen). Not only is he sexy and tall he has a superb tenor voice to sing “Younger than Springtime”, “This Nearly Was Mine”, and heart tugging “You’ve Got to be Carefully Taught” that expresses the internal and external racism of that era.

The show is loaded with classic Rogers and Hammerstein gems: “Bloody Mary”, “There is Nothing Like a Dame”, Bali Ha’i”, “I’m Gonna Wash that Man Right out of my Hair”, “A Wonderful Guy”, “Happy Talk”, “Younger than Springtime”, “This Nearly Was Mine”, and heart tugging “You’ve Got to be Carefully Taught.” Khalikulov creates a lump in your throat with his viscerally plaintive singing of the final song mentioned.

De Becque’s  mixed-race children Ngana and Jerome are played on alternate nights by youngsters Anika Amrikas-Armstrong and Deepti Kumar  and Mathew Mammen and Akshay Thakur repectively. There was no mention on opening night of who played the role, never-the-less they were a joy to watch and hear with their duet of “Dites-Moi.”

This musical has been said to be a play with music and director Carey has added emphasis to that concept with adroit staging allowing the major characters to slowly tread the small runway surrounding the orchestra to sing their highlight songs in concert style. With a minor complaint that the 11 piece/14 instrument (including a Harp) orchestra could be a bit more upbeat the evening is a complete success.

As an added note, my seat companion, a veteran Navy pilot who flew Torpedo Bombers during the time frame of the play, wished to commend those responsible for finding actors who resembled the Sea Bees he knew during his tour of duty. He even sought out the production supervisor (Bruce Mcleod) to congratulate him on the smooth transition of the scenes and the director saying this was the most satisfying production of South Pacific that he has seen.

Running time 2 hours and 30 minutes with an intermission.

CAST: Madison Genovese as Nellie Forbush; Daniel Cameron as Emile de Becque; Stephen Boisvert Luther Billis; Sergey Khalikulov Lt. Joseph Cable; Jackie DeMuro as Bloody Mary. Others: Vic Prosak, Doug Brees, Amanda Nguyen, Joey Montes, Anika Amrikas-Armstrong, Mathew Mamman, Will Bowmer, Chris Cruz, Paul Joseph Estioko, Remi Ferguson, Patrick Hagen, Steven Ho, David Kirk, Andrew Kracht, Vaughn Mayer, Jerris Ramirez, Kevin Reid, Erik Scilley, Jeff Taylor, Max Walters, Jake Weissman-Sharer, Mike Weiland, Carolyn Bacon, Megan Coomans, Nique Eagen, Cassandra Grilley, Dana Johnson, Elizabeth Lawrence, Ellen Presley, Minna Rogers, Kazmeira Tarshis, Marlena Westley, and Chernee’ Young.

Creative Team Crew: Director, Milissa Carey; Musical Direction by Mark Hanson; Choreography by Michael Ryken; Lighting Designer, Michael Ramsaur; Scenic Designer, Kuo-Hao Lo; Costume Designer, Robert Horek; Production Supervisor, Bruce McLeod; Sound Designer, Andrew Heller; Prop Design, Ruthe Stein.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of  www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

Hick: A Love Story. The Romance of Lorena Hickok and Eleanor Roosevelt. Written by Terry Baum and Pat Bond, Directed by Carolyn Myers. The Crackpot Crones & Theatre Rhinoceros, Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson St. (at Battery St.), SF 94111. ALL PERFORMANCES ARE FREE! Tickets can be reserved via e mail at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/602947.  July 10-27, 2014

A disconcerting Hick: A Love Story at Eureka Theatre [rating:2] (2 of 5 Stars)

For a monologist to capture an audience requires great acting skills with the ability to convey emotion(s) and characterization through voice tonality and body language. On opening night Terry Baum did not consistently display those qualities. This performance was further hampered by lack of continuity between poorly timed  exits and entrances needed for presentation of multiple scenes interspersed with blackouts.

Before the monolog begins the House manager steps onto the stage to inform the audience that the selections from Eleanor Roosevelt’s love letters to Lorena Hickok are “verbatim quotations.”  What’s the point? The audience had to wait until the second act to hear those words but they could view some of them written on the walls of the attractive three area set (Vola Ruben).  The love letters from Eleanor Roosevelt, an internationally admired wife of a United States President, to her lesbian paramour might have been shocking and interesting in the 1930s and 40s. But in 2014 they are staler than day old news.

The question that arises “For what purpose?” The answer to that question is made clear in the final scene when Terry Baum as Lorena Hickok (Hick) tells us that her motivation was to tell the world that great women could be lesbians. Really? So, that is why she did not burn those intimate letters that were released to the FDR Library 10 years after Hick’s death. Some letters are better read than said. Paula Barish wisely makes no attempt to mimic the distinctive aristocratic voice of Eleanor Roosevelt in her off-stage voice over reading bits of those letters.

Lorena Hickok’s (Hick) life is the stuff of a Horatio Alger novel. Born in poverty in 1893 Wisconsin she became a top-notch reporter for the Associated Press and the only woman in what was then an all-male press corps travelling with FDR and Eleanor on their pre-election stumping. Hick was the nation’s best-known woman journalist in 1932 when the story begins. Her renowned and feisty personality is fairly well defined in the opening scenes with telephone conversations with her New York bosses and the quirk that landed her an interview with Eleanor. It was love at first sight and the description of their “honeymoon” in Nova Scotia was charming.

After the election Hick was invited to stay at the White House and had a small sleeping room next to Eleanor’s bedroom and, with a sly wink, she did not always stay in her room. When they were apart there were frequent telephone calls and love letters from Eleanor. True love never runs smooth. Hick’s volatile personality caused a rift with Eleanor chastising and banishing Hick from public appearances with her. Late in the show in a telephone they profess love for each other. It is the most moving scene in the play.

Terry Baum as Hick

The first act is tightly written and takes place between 1932 and 1933. The second act takes a huge jump in time to 1968 when Eleanor has died and Hicks is vacillating about what to do with the 2300 plus letters from Eleanor she has kept.  The motivation for releasing them described above will divide the audience but is consistent with the philosophy of The Crackpot Crones who produced the show.

As noted, ALL PERFORMANCES ARE FREE. But beware: You get what you pay for. Running time less than 2 hours with an intermission.

Cast: Terry Baum as Lorena Hickcock (Hick) and Paul Barish as the voice of Eleanor Roosevelt

Production: Director Carolyn Myers; Set Design/Props Vola Ruben; Lighting Design Stephanie Anne Johnson; Sound Design Audrey Howard; Costumer Val Von; Stage Manager Pam Higley; Videographer Meja Tyehimba.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

(Left: Poster for an 1879 production on Broadway, featuring Stuart Robson and William Crane)

The Comedy of Errors: Farce by William Shakespeare. Directed by Aaron Posner. California Shakespeare Theater (CalShakes), Bruns Amphitheater, 100 California Shakespeare Theater Way, Orinda.(510) 548-9666 or www.calshakes.org.    Through July 20, 2014.

Riotous COMEDY OF ERRORS at CalShakes [rating:5]

Many actors are known by their distinctive voices and so it is with Danny Scheie whose gay/fey demeanor and the ability to change octaves within a single word is instantly recognized even with your eyes closed. But do not close your eyes for a minute when you attend The Comedy of Errors at CalShakes. When it is his turn to tread the boards he usually becomes the center of attention but in this truncated/adaptation version of Shakespeare’s shortest play he is matched line for line and shtick for shtick (there is a plethora of shtick) by the international famous Adrian Danzig from the Chicago 500 Clown group. Scheie has met his match.

Danzig and Scheie are supported by a great cast who necessarily play double or triple roles since inventive director Aaron Posner, noted for the physicality of his directing has pared the number of players to seven.  It is a convoluted story that begs the use of slap-stick, stop action mugging and broad acting. It has been adapted for opera, stage, screen and musical theatre with the most notable being The Boys from Syracuse with music by Richard Rogers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart.

The major characters are two sets of twins with identical names Antipholus ( Danzig) of

(l-r) Danny Scheie & Adrian Danzig

Ephesus {A of E} and Antipholus (Danzig) of Syracuse {A of S} and Dromio (Scheie) of Ephesus {D of E} and Dromio (Scheie) of Syracuse {D of S}. Neither of the twins is aware that they have a twin brother. Each Dromio is the servant of each Antipholus. The action takes place in Ephesus and a prolog by Egeon ( Ron Campbell ) who is the father and step-father of the twins tells the tragic tale to the Duke of Ephesus (Liam Vincent) of how he happens to have two sets of twins and how a ship wreck separated them all. Posner has inserted a hilarious scene of the birth of the twins less than five minutes into the play that sets the tone for the entire evening.

Other major characters needed to add to the buffoonery about to unfold are Adriana (Nemuna Ceesay) wife of A of E, her unmarried sister Luciana (Tristan Cunningham), a Courtesan (Patty Duke) and an Abbess (Duke again) for the deus ex machina role leading to a happy ending.

Before that happy ending the cast is intricately running around the stage in chase scenes with Scheie and Danzig effortlessly switching between their roles with a simple twist of the body along with a twist of the hat allowing the audience to keep track of who is whom.  Adriana is confused about who shared her bed, the goldsmith (Campbell) wants his money, the Courtesan wants her ring back and on and on. The superb cast responds with vitality and humor in this 110 minute performance including an intermission.

Part of the fun of the evening is identifying which actor is playing which character. Not that it matters since they individually step forward at the curtain call.

Cast of Characters: Antipholus (Adrian Danzig); Dromio (Danny Scheie); Egeon/ensemble ( Ron Campbell ); Luciana/ensemble (Tristan Cunningham); Adriana (Nemuna Ceesay); Duke/Ensemble (Liam Vincent); Courtesan/Abbess/Ensemble (Patty Duke)

Production Staff: Nina Ball (set Designer); Beaver Bauer (Costumes); Andre Pluess (Sound); David Cuthbert (Lighting);  David Maier (Fight Director); Karen Szpaller (Stage Manager); Leah Gardner (Assistant Director).

Kedar K. Adour

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/