ZZ Moor, Amy Resnick, Mark Anderson Phillips

 

Reviewed by Suzanne and Greg Angeo

Photos by Ed Smith

Good People is Brilliantly-Crafted, Compelling Start to MTC’s New Season

As its 2013-2014 season opener, Marin Theatre Company has chosen Good People, a Broadway hit in its Bay Area premiere. The story is provocative; the vivid characters sparkle like gems in a setting of steel.  Playwright, screenwriter and lyricist David Lindsay-Abaire has won the Pulitzer Prize (Rabbit Hole), and was nominated for a Grammy and several Tony Awards (Shrek the Musical, Rabbit Hole).  Good People opened on Broadway in 2011 and garnered him yet another Tony nod.

With humor and brutal honesty, Good People suggests that the choices we make are not always our own, and that some of us are not able to make choices that put us on the path to success, or even stability. We see Margaret, a hardscrabble single mom, struggling to hold her life together as she cares for her special-needs adult daughter in Southie, a working-class Irish section of south Boston. She’s got her neighborhood pals Jean and Dottie to lean on, but no thanks to her boss Stevie, life is tough and getting tougher by the minute. Her encounter with Mike, an old high-school boyfriend, promises to be a game-changer.

Amy Resnick as Margaret – Margie to her pals – is likeable and authentic in her role, as familiar as a favorite pair of jeans. Margie’s often given to outbursts where she ends up not-really apologizing, with trademark lines like “pardon my French” and ”I’m just bustin’ balls”. Sympathetic but confusing, she’s painfully blunt and seems to take pride in looking foolish or crude. But we soon learn that she’s reluctant to take action in simple, honest ways that could make life easier for herself and her daughter. Is she truly proud of who she is, or is she so invested in her Southie identity that she is unable or unwilling to change it?

Mark Anderson Phillips is Mike, Margie’s former flame from the old neighborhood. In a masterful performance, Phillips shows us hints of zaniness, anarchy and fear lurking just below Mike’s smooth surface. Now a successful doctor, Mike fondly endures Margie’s digs about becoming “lace-curtain Irish”, a reference to his moving up in the world. Later on, Margie visits the home of Mike and his elegant young African-American wife Kate, played with compassionate sophistication by ZZ Moor. It ends up being a night of unraveling and uproar, with Mike showing his true colors and Kate challenging Margie’s life choices.

Margie’s best friends Dottie (Ann Darragh) and Jean (Jamie Jones) are so endearing, and offer such skillful comic relief that you wish you could have them over for the weekend. Between bingo games and swapping tales, these ladies are the heart of the story, which has a satisfying conclusion after the convoluted road it travels to get there.

An unforeseen event threatened one recent matinee performance: Ben Euphrat, who plays Stevie, got stuck in traffic from the Bay Bridge closure and missed the first scene, a crucial one with Resnick that establishes the entire storyline. Phillips covered the part, script in hand, and even though he performed well, Euphrat’s absence threw the beginning of the first act off-kilter.  He did finally arrive in time for his next scene and hit the ground running, fully recovering the momentum of the show and turning in a fine performance.

Direction by Tracy Young in her MTC debut is inventive yet efficient, keeping the cast in almost constant motion. Nina Ball’s clean and simple set design allows for effortless scene changes. Young makes use of the clever set platforms that roll backwards or forwards, sometimes while the actors are still performing. Sliding backdrop partitions come and go from the wings on either side. Thus the stage is transformed: from an alleyway to a doctor’s office to a bingo hall; from a subway platform to a high-class home. The gritty urban-rock score, used in between scenes by composer Chris Houston, keeps the energy level high throughout the show.

There are no heroes or villains in Good People. It takes us on a journey to a place where we can stand and peer into the age-old abyss between the classes. It raises questions that have no easy answers, but that need to be asked anyway.

When: now through September 15, 2013

8 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays

7:30 p.m. Wednesdays

2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sundays

2 p.m. Saturday, September 14

1 p.m. Thursday, September 5

Tickets: $37 to $58

Location: Marin Theatre Company

397 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley CA 94941
Phone: 415-388-5208

Website: www.marintheatre.org

 

Reviewed by Suzanne and Greg Angeo

(Photos by Eric Chazankin)

Stunningly Silly and Good For You, Too

We all know civilization needs silliness to survive. It’s essential to human life. But let’s face it – far too many people are scared to death of being silly. They need somebody else to do it for them so they can get their minimum daily requirement. The Monty Python troupe has been a premier provider of this vital nutrient for more than 40 years.  Through their landmark BBC series and films, it’s been said that they influenced comedy as much as the Beatles did music. They made sheer, unadulterated silliness the driving force behind their work. “Spamalot”, by Python veteran Eric Idle and composer John DuPrez, is their only stage musical comedy to date and one of their very best offerings, a guaranteed antidote for whatever ails us.

The original 2005 Broadway show was directed by Mike Nichols and received 3 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. During its initial run of 1575 performances it was seen by over two million people, a most definite sensation. Artistic Director Craig Miller and the crew at 6^th Street rightly decided that this would be the ideal show for the kickoff of their new season “Journey With Us”.

The plot is a cheeky send-up of the already cheeky “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”, a Python film from 1975, although there are jolly diversions from the original story. At its most basic, it’s a skewer-and-roast of the Arthurian legends. King Arthur, Sir Lancelot, the Lady of the Lake and the various Knights of the Round Table are on a haphazard quest for the Holy Grail. They encounter assorted mishaps along the way, snotty Frenchmen, and some characters so bizarre they defy description.

For the most part, the show is as tight as a drum with really professional bits of business, like a performer catching a hat and cane, launched from the wings, with suave assurance and not missing a beat. Sets and props are scooted on and off stage in medieval carts and baskets with nary a blink, a smooth and well-oiled machine. One small issue may be that some in the ensemble cast have not yet attained this polish. But the lead and supporting performers shine so brilliantly the reflection is shared by all.

There are some truly outstanding musical numbers, especially “He’s Not Dead Yet” and “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”. As Lady of the Lake, the always amazing Taylor Bartolucci DeGuilio really has a chance to belt ‘em out and be the diva she was born to be. She steals the show in “Find Your Grail” and “Diva’s Lament”.  Her cohort King Arthur, underplayed to droll perfection by Barry Martin, ably serves as the almost-straight man, a foil to the constant buffoonery. But wait – who’s that guy following close behind Arthur everywhere he goes, clip-clopping a pair of coconut shells? It’s his faithful stooge Patsy, played with great comic sincerity by young Eric Weiss. Trevor Hoffmann (Sir Robin) has Broadway flair in his truly fine singing and dancing. His real tour-de-force is “You Won’t Succeed on Broadway” performed with the ensemble cast. Another notable triple-threat player is Natalie Herman in two male parts: Not Dead Fred and Prince Herbert. She has a sweet, winsome quality and a remarkable voice.

Choreography is by the superb Alise Gerard, a Sonoma County native who is visiting from her new home in New York, where she went to try her luck on Broadway. The small orchestra’s horn section seems to dominate the proceedings, and with occasional off notes is a bit of a distraction. Maybe a slight adjustment in the sound would make a difference.

Miller keeps the faith: his savvy direction of “Spamalot” is mind-numbingly silly and high-spirited, irreverent enough to offend and inspire just about everyone. He has infused his cast and crew with the rare and elusive Pythonesque essence. It’s that special something that’s hard to describe, but you know it when you see it – a blend of surrealism, futility, courage, death and dismemberment. Oh, and silliness.

 

When: Now through September 22, 2013

8:00 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday

2:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Tickets: $15 to $35

Location: GK Hardt Theater at 6^th Street Playhouse

52 West 6^th Street, Santa Rosa CA
Phone: 707-523-4185

Website: www.6thstreetplayhouse.com

 

 

Reviewed by Suzanne and Greg Angeo

Photos by Eric Chazankin

 

 

 

 

 

 

Technical Wizardry, Stellar Talent Abounds in “Young Frankenstein”

You’ve got to hand it to producer, director and comedian Mel Brooks. At an age when most folks are content to rock on the porch, indulge in hobbies and visit the grand-kids  86-year-old Brooks writes musical scores and produces hit Broadway shows. Brooks is a kind of raunchy Cole Porter, mixing wit and clever rhymes with simple catchy tunes. His musical “Young Frankenstein”, based on his 1974 hit movie starring Gene Wilder, opened on Broadway in late 2007 to mixed critical reviews, but remains a favorite with audiences. The musical version closely follows the plotline of the film, paying tribute to old Hollywood horror films and the lavish musicals of the 1930s.

The current production by the Spreckels Theatre Company, at the Performing Arts Center’s Codding Theatre, is a fun-filled extravaganza with a professional polish. But what really puts this show over the top are the stunning visual effects, courtesy of Spreckels’ exclusive new Paradyne system that allows projected images and animation to become part of the action onstage. This is the first show at Spreckels to make full use of this system, and Spreckels is the only theater in the Bay Area that has it.

The plot: Old Victor Frankenstein, the mad scientist of Transylvania Heights who created the infamous Monster, has died. The townsfolk say good riddance and throw a party. Suddenly Victor’s grandson Frederick arrives from New York to settle the estate, leaving behind his deeply repressed but glamorous fiancée Elizabeth. Frederick meets Igor, the hunchbacked grandson of Grandpa Victor’s hunchbacked sidekick, also named Igor. Lovely and talented lab assistant Inga is there to lend a hand. Frau Blucher is a grim and mysterious presence at the Frankenstein castle; horses whinny in terror at every mention of her name.  Since apples never fall far from the tree, we soon have a brand-new Monster shambling around and causing mayhem. A local official, Inspector Kemp, is very suspicious of the whole affair. He stirs the villagers to action. There are over 20 zany, energetic song-and-dance numbers to fit each and every situation.

North Bay stage veteran Tim Setzer (Frederick), recently seen on the Spreckels stage earlier this year in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum”, brings his usual effortless charm and comic flair to the title role. Allison Rae Baker (Inga) has the perfect showcase for her triple-threat talents in numbers like “Roll in the Hay”. Her beautiful singing (and yodeling) is matched only by her dancing, which includes some tap numbers. It’s not often you see yodeling and tap-dancing on the same stage.

Mary Gannon Graham (Frau Blucher) and John Shillington (Inspector Kemp, Harold the Hermit) recently received Best Actress and Best Actor awards, respectively, from the Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle for their performance in “Souvenir” at 6^th Street Playhouse’s Studio Theater. Graham is superb, giving the Frau just the right amount of prim, brooding dominance to contrast with those times when she really lets her hair down, like when she sings “He Was My Boyfriend”. Shillington’s Inspector Kemp seems to have much in common with Peter Seller’s Dr Strangelove: a clenched-jaw accent and certain problems with artificial limbs. In a second role, he lends an air of daffy poignancy to Harold the Hermit, a poor blind guy just looking for someone to be his friend. He’s a pleasure to watch whenever he takes the stage.

Denise Elia-Yen (Elizabeth), another noted Bay Area theatre veteran, has two of what may be the best numbers in the show – “Please Don’t Touch Me” and “Deep Love”. She’s roll-on-the-floor funny as the frustrated fiancée who finally finds what she’s looking for. Braedyn Youngberg (The Monster) has perhaps the trickiest role; he completely transforms himself during the show. Youngberg shows off his versatility, especially in “Puttin’ on the Ritz”, a real show-stopper.

Hollywood actor Jeffrey Weissman (Igor) has come full circle. In 1973, during his high school days in and around Los Angeles, he heard that Mel Brooks was filming “Young Frankenstein” nearby. He somehow got onto the set and met Marty Feldman, who played Igor in the film. Exactly 40 years later, Weissman is playing Igor on the Spreckels stage with a fresh, original take on the role. His facial expressions are priceless, and he’s in top form in numbers like “Together Again for the First Time”, a lively duet with Setzer.

Costume designer extraordinaire Pamela Enz researched, designed and sewed most of the costumes herself, a near-Herculean task that reaps gorgeous results.  The lighting, sound and set design by Eddy Hansen, Daniel Mitchell and Elizabeth Bazzano merge almost seamlessly with the projections to form a uniquely entertaining effect.

Weak spots don’t do much to affect the overall quality of the production. The small orchestra was off-key once in awhile. There were pitch problems with some of the ensemble cast, and the more ambitious dance numbers were uneven. Even so, choreographer Michella Snider coaxed some very good work from the cast.

Director Gene Abravaya says he and his cast and crew aren’t just co-workers; they’re in “a marriage of ideas and talent”.  He makes full use of the Codding Theatre’s big stage and fly space, the multi-story area just above the stage.  Sets, backdrops and actors levitate with the greatest of ease. With the Paradyne system, he conjures up lightening, smoke, a train waiting at a station, and scenes of village and forest. Combined with the top-notch talent, the result is nothing less than a dazzling multi-media spectacle, not to be missed.

When: Now through May 19, 2013

7:30 p.m. Thursdays

 8:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays

2:00 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays

Tickets: $22 to $26 (reserved seating)

Location: Codding Theater at Spreckels Performing Arts Center

5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park CA
Phone: 707-588-3400

Website: www.spreckelsonline.com

Reviewed by Suzanne and Greg Angeo

Current “Fringe” Offers the Ridiculous and the Sublime 

The Fringe of Marin Festival is celebrating its 31^st season, the first without its spirited founder and artistic director Annette Lust, who passed away in February at age 88. She often referred to the Fringe – with great affection – as her “peanut stand”. It was, and is, so much more than that.

The Fringe was founded by Dr Lust nearly 20 years ago to give local writers, actors and directors the chance to try out their original work in an informal setting.  Produced by the Dominican University Community Players and performed by actors of all ages, races and ethnicities, nothing is off-limits:  comedy, drama, slapstick, cerebral musings, political rants. The one-act plays are presented in a converted lecture hall with a rudimentary stage and very simple props. Many plays are clearly works in progress, only partly successful, but you can see the germination of something truly wonderful in many of the offerings. In 2004, the Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle gave the Dominican Players a special award for excellence in staging the Fringe of Marin during the ten years of Festivals it had presented by that time.

Although Dr Lust was small in size, she left some very big shoes to fill. Her formidable legacy has been handed down to two very courageous colleagues who are determined to carry the baton – to Mount Olympus, if necessary. Dominican University alumnus Gina Pandiani is the dynamic new Managing Director. She is passionate about the Fringe’s mission of presenting diverse and cutting-edge work. Pamela Rand, a talented graduate of Ecole Jacques Lecoq, the acclaimed school of theatre movement and mime in Paris, is the new Production Manager. She shares her gift of physical comedy in one of this season’s productions.

The Spring 2013 Festival features 14 one-act plays evenly divided between two 90-minute programs.  All manner of subjects are explored: from the demise of the U.S. Postal Service to the siege of Leningrad during WWII; from a madcap send-up of Sid Caesar’s 1950s TV show to an adaptation of a Chekhov classic. There’s song and dance, dumpster diving and a magic act, too – something to please just about everyone. This season’s efforts may not be quite as edgy or daring as those of earlier days, but there are the usual standouts. “Not Death, But Love”, written by Roberta Palumbo, is a solo piece delivered by Molly McCarthy as Elizabeth Barrett Browning. McCarthy displays amazing imagination through her vivid yet controlled expressions. “The Wreck”, another solo, is a cleverly creative adaptation of the poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and is performed by Deanna Anderson, who is also the writer. Anderson weaves memories of her own childhood into her performance, making for a unique and moving piece. “Here’s Your Life” is a cavalcade of craziness. This homage to Sid Caesar has eight performers displaying perfectly-honed comic timing, led by Pamela Rand as the hapless but agile lead character, Susannah P. Metcalf. Rand is also the play’s co-writer, with Stacy Lapin. Some alarming acrobatics will have you on the edge of your seat.

The primary appeal of the Fringe is that you never quite know what to expect. The programs present a mixed bag of quality ranging from the groan-inducing to polished professionalism. The Fringe of Marin was and remains a worthy undertaking, but it faces an uncertain future. Its current home at Meadowlands Hall, which was built in 1888 as the DeYoung family’s summer estate, must be closed soon so it may finally receive a much-needed renovation. The Fringe will relocate to the much larger space at Angelico Concert Hall, and it remains to be seen if it can find the necessary storage space for important props and equipment. The Fringe of Marin has a storied history in Bay Area theatre, and deserves to carry on with the tradition of giving budding theatre professionals a laboratory in which to conduct their novel, and entertaining, experiments.

When: Now through May 5, 2013

7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays

2 p.m. Sundays

Tickets: $5 to $15

Location: Meadowlands Assembly Hall, Dominican University

50 Acacia Avenue, San Rafael CA
Phone: 415-673-3131

Website: www.fringeofmarin.com

Reviewed by Suzanne and Greg Angeo

Photos by Eric Chazankin

Good Casting Makes for Powerful, Engrossing “Price”

 

Legendary American playwright Arthur Miller tells stories of everyday life and expectations, with the American Dream as his backdrop. Deceptively simple dialogue is used to build his characters’ pasts, and colloquial language contains profound reflections on life and its meaning.  “The Price”, one of Miller’s lesser-known plays, has an autobiographical basis. It deals with the loss of a family fortune in the crash of 1929 that leads to dysfunction, misunderstandings and estrangement. Miller’s own father lost his business in the Great Depression, and he based the lead character in the play on a childhood friend.

First performed in 1968, “The Price” is a contemporary play rich with the Miller hallmarks of intense emotional interplay and subverted feelings. The title refers not only to the price of a family’s heirlooms, but also to the price of family harmony – a price that seems too high for them to pay. Vik (Sam Hood) is a dedicated cop who for years has denied himself true happiness and fulfillment while caring for his destitute father. Meanwhile, his brother Walter (John Shillington) has become a successful doctor, leaving his family behind in pursuit of his all-consuming career. After their father’s death, Vik’s world begins to crumble as he tries to connect with his long-estranged brother so they can deal with what remains of the family’s estate. Vik’s strong and devoted wife Esther (Madeleine Ashe) tries to give emotional support, even as masquerades begin to fall with the arrival of the feisty estate appraiser, Mr Solomon (Charles Siebert).

The wisdom of this Solomon is laced with wit. A noted Broadway, TV and film veteran, Siebert effectively makes Solomon the story’s catalyst and center of gravity, bringing his considerable experience to this, his first outing on the Cinnabar stage. Siebert presents Solomon as a multi-dimensional but reassuring and steady presence: richly endearing, comedic and dramatic.

Shillington as the success-driven Walter lends a deeply moving humanity to what could have been a cold, unsympathetic character. Through excellent use of his voice and gestures, Shillington expresses Walter’s deep longing to reach out to his brother.

Ashe as Esther allows us to see those inner wheels turning in her head. Through her reactions and interplay with the brothers’ characters – where at times Esther almost seems to be serving as referee – she fully expresses the confusion, frustration and love that permeate the performance.

Hood’s interpretation of Viktor reaches near- Shakespearean heights, although towards the end of the play he seems to lose some of the internal reflection behind his reactions. Even so, his ability to build from a simple fellow to finally reveal a very complex individual is extraordinary. In the end, Vik learns that his self-created identity as a victim is based on ignorance of the truth. Yet he clings to this identity, even after he learns it’s a false one.

In “The Price”, director Sheri Lee Miller had only a single set to work with, and a claustrophobic one at that, since the entire play takes place in a cluttered attic caught in a 1929 time warp. She brings all those powerful, hidden emotions sweeping to the surface like a whirlwind, clearing away all the dust and clutter in that family attic. According to Miller, this attic “serves as a metaphor for the relationship of the two brothers, and in fact, for their lives in general.” She gives the play a particularly strong closing, ironic and moving, but leaves it open-ended, suggesting the promise of hope and understanding. The audience had a powerful response to the excellent chemistry and performance of the cast – a standing ovation.

 

When: Now through April 7, 2013

8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays

2 p.m. Sunday April 7

Tickets: $15 to $25

Location: Cinnabar Theater

3333 Petaluma Blvd North, Petaluma CA
Phone: 707-763-8920

Website: www.cinnabartheater.org

 

Reviewed by Suzanne and Greg Angeo

Photos by Eric Chazankin

Hilarious and Entertaining “Forum” Sets New Standard for Local Theatre

The New Spreckels Theatre Company, housed in the 550-seat Codding Theater at the Spreckels Performing Arts Center, is funded by public/private partnerships to maintain excellence in programming. In addition to a full-size proscenium stage and orchestra pit, these folks have, at their disposal, state-of-the art sound and lighting systems, a 45-foot wide cyclorama and the new Paradyne projection system which allows for still images and animation to be incorporated into the action onstage. They put this impressive setting to good use in the dazzling comic spectacle “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum”.

 “Forum” is a candy-colored musical comedy pleasure trip to ancient Rome, filled with catchy songs, lovable characters, delightful vaudeville shtick and madcap antics that are superbly done on every level. With music and lyrics by the acclaimed Stephen Sondheim, the show won several Tony Awards for its initial Broadway run in the early 1960s. Spreckels invites us to indulge in this generous and tasty dessert in a world that too often seems overloaded with organic sprouts and tofu. Their production of “Forum” is sure to satisfy even the deepest cravings of the funny bone.

Director Gene Abravaya, with over forty years of television and theatre experience, is also Spreckels Theatre Company’s new Artistic and Managing Director. He’s tapped into a motherlode of talent for “Forum”, with not one weak performance in the bunch. The dancers are flawless, led by Choreographer Michella Snider who also plays Gymnasia, one of a troupe of merry courtesans. Everything from somersaults to fan-kicks are executed with energetic precision. The musical numbers are a joy to watch, and hear. The voices of the lead actors as well as the chorus give “Forum” a Broadway quality not often seen in North Bay musical productions. The casting is perfect, and just a few of the many excellent performances include Tim Setzer as the show’s endearingly silly lead character, Psuedolus the slave; Alan Kafton as his hapless sidekick Hysterium; Larry Williams as Lycus, a trader of female flesh; and Matthew Proschold as the pompously aggressive warrior captain Miles Gloriosus. The sweet young lovers, Hero and Philia, form the romantic heart of the story and are played with great charm by Matthew Lindberg and Dene Harvey.

Abravaya has plans to lead the way in Sonoma County theatre, with major shows like “Young Frankenstein”, “Peter Pan” and “Brigadoon” coming up for the 2013 season. He told us his goal is to offer touring Broadway shows a place to land, and within three years he hopes to establish Spreckels as the premier first-run theatrical venue in the county. If the quality delivered in “Forum” is any indication of things to come, he seems well-prepared to give other local theater companies a run for their money.

When: Now through February 17, 2013

7:30 p.m. Thursdays

 8:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays

2:00 p.m. Sundays

Tickets: $20 to $26 (reserved seating)

Location: Codding Theater at Spreckels Performing Arts Center

5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park CA
Phone: 707-588-3400

Website: www.spreckelsonline.com

Reviewed by Suzanne and Greg Angeo

Photo by Kevin Berne

 

Send in the Clowns

As a college student in his native Ireland, poet, novelist and playwright Samuel Beckett was inspired by Charles Chaplin and Buster Keaton. This is delightfully apparent in his seminal work “Waiting for Godot” being presented at Marin Theatre Company.  What is less apparent is a storyline or plot. This, as it turns out, was the playwright’s intent. “Godot” was so controversial during its first outing in Paris in 1953 that brawls erupted among theatergoers who had differing opinions on exactly what Beckett was trying to say. Originally written in French (Beckett’s favored language), its title “En Attendant Godot” translates literally to “While Waiting for Godot”, which is a much better description of what happens – or does not happen – onstage.

The curtain rises on Vladimir (called Didi) and Estragon (called Gogo), two clownish everymen calling up the friendly ghosts of Laurel and Hardy in their appearance and demeanor. They could be brothers, lovers or friends; it makes no difference. Both guys wear shabby ill-fitting suits and bowler hats, the uniform of silent screen comics. They linger near a barren tree by the side of a deserted road, and it’s obvious they’ve been there quite awhile, maybe for days. Who is Godot, and why do Didi and Gogo wait for him? This almost seems to be beside the point, and there are no real specifics in the dialogue. This overall vagueness, so intelligently designed by the playwright, has allowed audiences worldwide the freedom to make of it what they will, in much the same way the early silent comedies transcended language and culture. You can discover profound existential meaning, or let this comedy-of-the-absurd wash over you for pure enjoyment. It meets you where you are, whoever you are.

As Gogo and Didi pass the time, there’s much blathering on about nothing, and everything. There are farts, smelly feet, pratfalls and funny poses. There are discussions of halitosis, heaven and hell, suicide and mandrakes, memory loss and bladder problems. There are philosophical questions, songs and jokes. Mark Anderson Phillips infuses his Gogo with simple sweetness, the more earthbound of the pair. The assertive Didi is played with clumsy determination by Mark Bedard. Both actors are at the top of their game, cavorting on the razor’s edge between overt sentimentality and over-the-top silliness, where a tumble in either direction could spoil the effect. Like skilled trapeze artists, they keep their balance.

The peace is shattered suddenly, with a shout, when fearsome megalomaniac Pozzo (James Carpenter) bursts upon the scene. He is pulled along on a long, thick rope by a grim, wheezing, cadaverous-looking fellow called Lucky (Ben Johnson). This bizarre and unexpected event certainly rocks Gogo and Didi’s world, causing them much trepidation, then speculation. Carpenter lends Pozzo an air of controlled frenzy and a pathological need for attention. Johnson delivers an enormous performance as the mostly silent, dejected Lucky. His one turn to speak is like watching a great tree come to life. What at first seems to be a master-slave relationship between Pozzo and Lucky takes a strange and ironic turn between their first appearance and when they show up again near the end of the second act.

Just when we are beginning to doubt the existence of someone named Godot, a young boy who works for him (Lucas Meyers) arrives to deliver a message from his master to Gogo and Didi. It seems their wait will continue.

Instead of finding a need to fill every moment with some bit of business, director Jasson Minadakis (in his seventh season as MTC Artistic Director) carefully preserves the stillness between the lines with graceful timing and crisp, choreographic blocking of the characters’ movements. By focusing equally on the pair’s buffoonery and seemingly hopeless plight, and treating both comic and tragic elements of the play with an even hand, he reinforces the playwright’s intent in allowing the audience to identify with the characters as part of the universal human condition of interdependence.  While playing Estragon in the original 1955 London production, actor Peter Woodthrope asked Beckett what the play was really about. Beckett replied “It’s all symbiosis, Peter; it’s symbiosis,” The secret, revealed.

Beckett’s play tells us we’re all waiting, and chained to habits. It illustrates how we can be rooted to the spot by lack of imagination or fear of change, but we need each other, and there is hope if we face life together, whatever comes. This play carries deep pleasure straight to the heart, which explains why it has endured for almost 60 years, through all times and all cultures of the world.

When: now through February 17, 2012

8 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays

7:30 p.m. Wednesdays

2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sundays

2 p.m. Saturday, February 16

Tickets: $36 to $57

Location: Marin Theatre Company

397 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley CA 94941
Phone: 415-388-5208

Website: www.marintheatre.org

 Reviewed by Suzanne and Greg Angeo

Photos by Eric Chazankin

 A Real Blast – From the Past

A diverse bunch of lively neighborhood kids gets together to celebrate love and life in 1950s America, to a soundtrack of smoking-hot rock’n’roll, soul, and rhythm and blues. Every song tells a story, and every singer has a story to tell. The musical revue “Smoky Joe’s Café” at 6^th Street Playhouse is a cavalcade of 39 classic songs by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, songwriters that together changed American culture and history with their groundbreaking music.  Accompanied by a groovin’ seven-piece band led by music director Mateo Dillaway, 6^th Street presents one rowdy crowd-pleaser of a show. Timeless pop hits like “Young Blood”, “Searchin’”, “Poison Ivy”, “There Goes My Baby” and “Stand by Me” inspire foot-stomping and dancing in the aisles.

Conceived by musical theatre veterans Stephen Helper, Jack Viertel and Otis Sallid, “Smokey Joe’s Café” had its premiere at the Ahmanson Theater in Los Angeles in 1994. It went on to become the longest-running musical revue in Broadway history, nominated for seven Tonys in 1995. The show’s pretext is to tell the stories of these kids from the neighborhood, but using song instead of dialogue. There’s no plot, no story to speak of, just a string of sparkling tunes that pop up, one by one, to be interpreted by the performers, each with their own distinct character to play. This lack of structure and storyline allows a production the opportunity to explore and challenge their talent, and to craft their very own “Smokey Joe’s Café”.

At 6^th Street, the cast and crew grabbed this opportunity with both hands and ran with it, creating a fun, entertaining show. The performers consist of five men and four women, each with their own magnetic stage presence, set in motion by the great choreography and stage direction of Alise Gerard, who provides for dramatic arcs and comedic escapades within several numbers. The performers’ remarkable emotional range, phrasing and interpretation of the lyrics are guided by vocal director Janis Dunson Wilson.

Zac Schuman, with his soaring, pitch-perfect tenor, most notable in “There Goes My Baby”, and Mitch Thomas’ deep, melodic voice that booms like low thunder in numbers like “Keep on Rollin”, are standouts in a group of truly outstanding singers that include Marc Assad, Dell Parker and Peter Warden.  Their thrilling 5-part harmony – thanks in large part to the balancing effect of Thomas’ reverberating bass — induces goosebumps and shrieks from the audience.  The hyperkinetic Warden practically steals every number he’s in, which is most of them. At times he seems to be channeling Stan Laurel, other times Pee-Wee Herman, but in any case he’s clearly an audience favorite with his engaging vocals and rubbery reflexes.

As a total performance package, Emily Somple delivers star quality with a sultry assurance and throaty voice showcased in numbers like “Falling” and “Trouble”.  Each of the other ladies is a formidable talent as well: Amy Webber, Kelsey Meille Byrne and Olivia Chavez offer unique personalities and vocal qualities, individually and as a group. This gives a nice texture to the overall production. Highlights of the show include Webber’s powerful yet wistful “Pearl’s a Singer”, and Byrne’s steamy “Some Cats Know”.  The rousing ensemble closing number to Act One, “Saved”, is led by Chavez.

Director and choreographer Alise Gerard brings a lively, fresh spirit to the proceedings, coming less than a year after her sensational debut as choreographer for 6^th Street’s smash hit “The Marvelous Wonderettes”,  followed by “Great American Trailer Park Musical” and “It’s a Wonderful Life”. Unfortunately, this will be her last show for 6^th Street, at least for awhile – she’s taking her talented self to new digs in New York City. Santa Rosa’s loss is Broadway’s gain.

Even though it seems to run out of gas near the end, only to come roaring back for the finale, this infectious show makes true believers of all within eye-and-earshot, with cheers and whoops of appreciation throughout. After all is said and done – even with good lighting, sound and costumes – it’s the performers that make “Smokey Joe’s Café” an exhilarating, spirit-lifting experience.

 When: Now through February 10, 2013

8:00 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays

2:00 p.m. Sundays

2:00 p.m. Saturday, February 9

Tickets: $15 to $35 (reserved seating)

Location: GK Hardt Theater at 6^th Street Playhouse

52 West 6^th Street, Santa Rosa CA

Phone: 707-523-4185

Website: www.6thstreetplayhouse.com

Reviewed by Suzanne and Greg Angeo

Photo by Eric Chazankin

 

Sure and It’s a Grand Time You’ll Have

Storytelling is an honored tradition in Ireland dating back to ancient times. A bit of the Ould Sod is on merry display at Cinnabar, and it’s so infectious and transformative that it just might make you Irish – or at least make you wish you were.

“A Couple of Blaguards” unfolds in a series of zesty anecdotes set to music, laced with sharp wit and occasional naughty bits. It’s based on writings by Frank McCourt that later on inspired him to write his vivid autobiography “Angela’s Ashes”, about growing up in Ireland amid wretched poverty. He co-wrote “Blaguards” with his brother Malachy McCourt, an author in his own right.

Born in Brooklyn at the dawn of the Great Depression, as toddlers Frank and Malachy moved with the rest of the McCourt family to Ireland, land of their parents’ birth. They suffered terrible hardships there, but while growing up never lost their courage, or their sense of humor. The brothers eventually moved back to America, Frank becoming a respected high school teacher, and Malachy, a popular Broadway actor and saloonkeeper. In the 1980s they teamed up to write “Blaguards”, originally performed with the brothers playing themselves. It was so popular that professional theatre companies began staging it. It has been performed to rousing applause all over the world ever since, for over 20 years. Frank went on to craft his phenomenal 1996 best-seller “Angela’s Ashes” based in part on this material. Two years later, Malachy wrote a memoir of his own, “A Monk Swimming”.

The set by David Lear takes the form of a rustic, cozy pub complete with dartboard and a most inviting fireplace. The effect is enhanced by the cabaret-style seating for the audience used by Cinnabar this time of year. The local Irish-Celtic folk ensemble Youkali is on hand, joined by Cinnabar Music Director Jim Peterson, supplying the evening with lively, whimsical Irish tunes that weave in and out between the vignettes.

Director Sheri Lee Miller’s choice of a pub setting is fitting, yet ironic; a pub represents the prime source of the McCourt family’s misery. Frank and Malachy’s alcoholic father spent most of his paltry income in pubs with little to spare to feed, clothe or shelter his family. In Miller’s skillful hands, the pub becomes a focal point of release, an ideal setting for witty narratives and darkly humorous recollections.

Miller’s staging is an ingenious collaboration with her talented actors, Steven Abbott (Frank) and Tim Kniffin (Malachy), who tell their tales with song and spoken word. Besides the two main roles, the script requires Abbott and Kniffin to perform a dizzying multitude of characters from the brothers’ past. There’s a grandmother in there, along with various priestly tormentors, gossipy young ladies and dodgy childhood companions, all quickly assumed with the nimble flick of a scarf, facial expression or attitude. It’s a triumph of imagination and magic: taking what exists only in the minds of the actors, and bringing it onto the stage.  Each actor in turn is a pure delight. Kniffin takes the stage with assurance, exuding a boyish yet devilish charm as Malachy, playing the role with an arch goofiness.  Abbott has Frank nailed: brashness mixed with sensitivity, a scholarly yet vulgar fellow whose ambition leads him to accomplishment and acceptance.

“Blaguards” denies its harsh and bitter origins: A sweet spirit permeates the show, teamed with a ribald gaiety that’s irresistible. Memories take on a warm and hazy glow, like that of the fireplace, softening the years of grinding poverty and desperation. One can only conclude that while the McCourt boys have not forgotten, they have certainly forgiven, finding joy and strength in what remains.

 

When: Now through January 27, 2013

8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays – January 12, 18, 19 & 26

2 p.m. Sundays – January 13, 20 & 27

Tickets: $25 to $35

Location: Cinnabar Theater

3333 Petaluma Blvd North, Petaluma CA
Phone: 707-763-8920

Website: www.cinnabartheater.org

Reviewed by Suzanne and Greg Angeo

Photo by Eric Chazankin

Ambitious, Enjoyable Stage Adaptation of Capra Classic

 

Frank Capra’s tender tribute to the value of a single human being, and to life itself, is being presented in a fresh new way at 6^th Street Playhouse’s GK Hardt Theater. The world premiere of the newest original musical version of “It’s a Wonderful Life” makes for plenty of comfort and joy, with only a few bumps along the way.

Capra’s iconic fantasy film was based on an obscure short story “The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale” by American author and historian Philip Van Doren Stern. Stern could not find a publisher for his story, so he had 200 copies printed up as pamphlets, and put them inside the Christmas cards that he sent to his friends and family in December 1943. Somehow, one of these pamphlets fell into the hands of an RKO producer. Stern’s permission was obtained for film rights, an adaptation was written and kicked around, and in 1945 the motion picture rights were finally sold to Frank Capra. He was quick to see the emotional power and potential of the story, and the following year, through his production company Liberty Films, he lovingly crafted it into what many consider to be his most beloved film. In the late 1940s there were a couple of radio presentations, with Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed reprising their roles. Within the past 20 years or so there have been a few other musical stage adaptations and even some live radio plays staged around the country. And, yes…Stern’s little story finally did get published!

Veteran Bay Area actor, teacher and playwright Larry Williams adapted the screenplay for his own original stage production, enlisting the considerable talents of 6^th Street Music Director Janis Dunson Wilson to create the musical score. Wilson also collaborated with Williams and Marcy Telles to create the lyrics. In an imaginative bit of storycraft, Williams rewrote the gender of some of the characters, and altered their circumstances somewhat. The lovable Clarence, Angel Second Class, morphs into the scampish girl-Angel Clara. She basically functions as the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future combined, showing George Bailey flashback scenes of his dream-filled childhood and youth, and finally, what the world would be like if he had never been born. Uncle Billy becomes an aunt, and some peripheral characters do a gender-bend as well, to mixed effect.

There are some notable musical numbers with strong vocal performances: Natalie Herman as Clara sings “Welcome to Bedford Falls” and a sweet serenade “Do You Want the Moon?” is sung by Mark Bradbury (George) and Heather Buck (Mary). Near the end of the second act, the bluesy ensemble piece “Pottersville” features a scorching torch-song solo by April Krautner, in her role as the seductive Violet. She, quite simply, brings down the house. “Ask Somebody to Dance” is performed by the lively ensemble cast, choreographed by Alise Gerard (“The Marvelous Wonderettes”). Other outstanding performers are Anthony Guzman (Bert), and Williams himself as the evil Mr Potter, the juiciest part in the show. He was so convincing in his role that, at curtain call, when he first appeared to take his bows, he received loud hisses and boos, and then laughter and applause.

Direction by Sylvia Jones and 6^th Street Artistic Director Craig Miller serves the story well enough.  The set is very simple, with fixed stations spotlighted to represent various locations around town, and scene changes are effectively achieved mainly by moving spotlights and furniture around. Sound trouble in the form of crackling mikes plagued the show throughout, and there were a number of ensemble cast members who had more than their share of pitch problems.

But the message hits home. Yes, it’s a wonderful life – each and every life – no matter how poor, humble or small we may think we are. This story seeks to show how everyone’s life has power and significance, how each of us touches another in unimagined ways. Sometimes in the telling, in its various and sundry versions, the story can be dark and frightening. But in its newest incarnation at 6^th Street, “It’s a Wonderful Life” is a bright and pleasant way to usher in the holidays for adults and children of all ages.

When: Now through December 23, 2012

8:00 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays

2:00 p.m. Sundays

2:00 p.m. Saturdays December 15^th and December 22

Tickets: $15 to $32 (reserved seating)

Location: GK Hardt Theater at 6^th Street Playhouse

52 West 6^th Street, Santa Rosa CA
Phone: 707-523-4185

Website: www.6thstreetplayhouse.com