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Jun 07 2015
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Fallen Angels needs a British touch at TheatreWorks

By Kedar K. Adour

(l-r) Sarah Overman and Rebecca Dines are two wives whooping it up in TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s production of Noël Coward’s Fallen Angels playing June 3 – 28 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts.

FALLEN ANGELS: Farce/Comedy by Noël Coward. Directed by Robert Kelley. TheatreWorks, Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro Street, Mountain View, CA.

(650) 463-1960 or visit www.theatreworks.org.  June 3—June 28, 2015

Fallen Angels needs a British touch at TheatreWorks [rating:3]

When a frequent theater companion, a Noel Coward aficionado, was invited to see Fallen Angels at TheatreWorks his response was a sharp, “Americans cannot do Noel Coward.” After a bit of cajoling and pointing out that all the criteria for a ‘smashing evening’ were in place he should reconsider. Artistic director Robert Kelley was directing, casting director Leslie Martinson had corralled the best of the Bay Area and had brought back the talented Rebecca Dines from Los Angeles, scenic designer J. B. Wilson had created a fantastic set and Fumiko Bielefeldt’s 1920s costume designs were stunning. The ‘smashing evening’ did not materialize.

What went wrong? Plenty. What should have been a sophisticated drawing room farce/comedy was directed as pure farce without the obligatory four doors for entrance and exits. The actors were often ‘mugging’ their lines and frequently almost unintelligible. The pace was non-stop hectic with directorial shtick rampant gaining only forced laughter. The savior of the evening was Tory Ross playing the all-knowing maid Saunders. You may remember her as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeny Todd. Finally, the brilliant dramatic actor Aldo Billingslea was miscast, and seemed embarrassed, in his 10 minute stint as a French lothario.

Noel Coward’s play Fallen Angels was written in 1925 and starred Talluah Bankhead in the London production. It first appeared on the Broadway stage in 1927 starring Fay Bainter and Estelle Winwood and reappeared in 1957 with Nancy Walker, Margaret Phillips and Alice Pearce (she of New Faces of 1952 fame and later as Alice Gooch in Auntie Mame) as the maid Saunders. It is a play for the women with the men as occasional sounding boards.

The two main women who dominate the stage for most of the two hour evening (with intermission) are Julia Sterroll (Sarah Overman) and Jane Banbury (Rebecca Dines). Julie is married to Fred (Mark Anderson Philips) and Jane to Willy (Cassidy Brown). The setting is the Sterroll flat. The two women are inseparable friends and both of their 5 year marriages are in the doldrums. Complications appear when both the ladies receive a note announcing that Maurice Dulcos is arriving.

Maurice is Frenchman that both ladies had met and were bedded by before their marriages. What should the ladies do? The first instinct was to run away and the second was to stay and face the music. That music played both on the grand piano upstage right or on the wind up gramophone brings back fond/disturbing memories.

To help make a decision they partake of cocktails and an entire bottle of champagne. “In vino veritas.” As the alcohol takes effect there is a marvelous, hilarious drunk scene to end all drunk scenes. Along with truth (“I would give in without a murmur.”) there is belligerence (“You abused me!”) and some fantastic slapstick that is worth the price of admission. It is delightful to watch Dines  and Overman become increasingly unsteady with speech starting to slur and ending draped over the furniture. The play is written in three acts with the “drunk scene” taking up all of the second act and Maurice has not yet even arrived.

Maurice arrives, the husbands return and Coward has written some tricky double entre dialog that is acceptable to the husbands getting the ladies, so to speak, off-the-hook even though Maurice has taken the flat directly above the Sterroll’s flat.

CAST: Aldo Billingslea, Maurice Duclos; Cassidy Brown, Willy Banbury; Rebecca Dines, Jane Banbury; Sarah Overman, Julia Sterroll; Mark Anderson Phillips, Fred Sterroll; Tory Ross, Saunders.

Artistic Crew: Scenic Design J.B. Wilson; Costume Design Fumiko Bielefeldt; Lighting Design Steven B. Mannshardt; Sound Design Cliff Caruthers; Stage Manager Randall K. Lum.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatrewoldinternetmagazine.com.

Photos by Kevin Berne

Jun 06 2015
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Sandy upstages Annie in Annie (The Musical) at the Golden Gate.

By Kedar K. Adour

ANNIE: Musical. Book by Thomas Meehan, music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin. Directed Martin Charnin and choreographed by Liza Gennaro. SHN Golden Gate Theatre, 1 Taylor St., San Francisco, CA. 888-746-1799 or www.shnsf.com.

JUNE 3 – June 14, 2015 [rating: 3]

Sandy upstages Annie in Annie (The Musical) at the Golden Gate.

A world famous W. C. Fields’ quote is, “Never work with animals or children.” Obviously nine year old Issie Swickle playing the lead role of Annie on the opening of the National Tour in San Francisco did not have that option. Yes, Annie’s mangy mutt Sandy (played by a rescue Terrier mix named Sunny) received a thunderous ovation during the curtain call but he had to share that applause with a competent cast who were warmly received at the Golden Gate Theater for this 10th  National Tour. . . but who is counting. The role of Annie will be shared at select performances by Angelina Carballo and Adia Dant.

In the past 38 years since the Broadway opening role of Annie the lead has been shared by myriad of youngsters ranging in age from 9 to 14. Andrea McArdle became a household name after playing the Annie for years on Broadway. The musical was nominated for eleven Tony Awards and won seven, including the Best Musical, Best Score, and Best Book.  It is the ultimate “feel good” show with upbeat songs becoming an audience favorite wherever it has played and it has played the world over. For this new national tour there have been changes that are not noticeable with the exception that it is a stripped down production, as are many National tours.

The story is based on the 1927 long running comic strip “Little Orphan Annie” and has been adapted to film five times. The last three movies are based on the storyline found in the Broadway version of Annie.

It is 1935 in the midst of the Depression and our heroine Annie is living in a New York City girl’s orphanage run by the mean Miss Hannigan (marvelous Lynn Andrews) who hates children. In the first scene it is established that Annie is sort of the protective titular head of the rag-tag group of waifs with the maudlin “Maybe.” The mood is further set by “It’s the Hard Knock Life” that the children’s ensemble put their hearts into with some clever choreography by Liza Gennaro.

Annie decides she is going to look for her parents who had abandoned her on the steps of a church when she was an infant. This brings up Annie’s signature solo song “Tomorrow” before she escapes to roam the streets of New York City. During that night of freedom she meets Sandy, stumbles into a “Hooverville” encampment of the homeless, is finally caught and returned to the care of Miss Hannigan who belts the satirical “Little Girls” further cementing the character as a meanie. Did I mention (horrors) she drinks a lot of booze.

 Things pick up for our heroine when the multi-billionaire Oliver Warbucks (Gilgamesh Taggett) decides to treat one orphan to a week of luxury during the Christmas holidays. Yep, that Oliver Warbucks’ whose secretary Grace Farrell (Ashley Edler), you guessed it picks Annie to be that lucky girl.

Before we get to the end of the show we meet Daniel “Rooster” Hannigan (Garrett Deagon), Miss Hannigan’s younger brother, a convict who escaped jail so he can rob his sister. He is accompanied by his gold digging girlfriend Lily St. Regis (Lucy Werner). They hatch up a plot to get their hands on some reward money that eventually ‘does them in’.” Other major characters are President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Jeffrey B. Duncan) and his cabinet members including Interior Secretary Harold Ickes (John Cormier).

Although Annie and the waifs set the action in motion, it is the adults who take most of the honors. Lynn Andrews’ Miss Hannigan is absolutely perfect as are Garrett Deagon and Lucy Werner. Their trio of “Easy Street” is a show stopper. Gilgamesh Taggett has a powerful voice and has great timing for his many satirical lines that involve F.D. R.’s New Deal. It is uncanny how much Jeffery Duncan resembles F.D.R. and Jeffery B. Duncan’s “Tomorrow” is hysterical.

Issie Swickle’s Annie is hampered by her shrill voice but she is an ultimate trooper for the entire 2 hour and 20 minute (with Intermission) show. The music wins the evening that includes “Maybe,” “It’s the Hard Knock Life,” “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile,” “Easy Street,” “I Don’t Need Anything But You” and the eternal anthem of optimism, “Tomorrow.”

CAST: Issie Swickle, Annie; Gilgamesh Taggett, Oliver Warbucks; Lynn Andrews, Miss Hannigan; Ashley Edler, Grace; Garrett Deagon, Rooster; Lucy Werner, Lily and Allan Ray Baker as FDR.  Sunny, a 4-year-old rescue terrier mix, stars as Sandy. The Orphans are: Angelina Carballo, Adia Dant, Lilly Bea Ireland, Sydney Shuck, Lilly Mae Stewart and Isabel Wallach.

ARTISTIC TEAM: Directed Martin Charnin; choreographed by Liza Gennaro; scenic design by Beowulf Boritt; costume design by Suzy Benzinger;  lighting design by Ken Billington; and sound design by Peter Hylenski;  The lovable mutt “Sandy” trained by William Berloni; musical supervision and additional orchestrations by Keith Levenson; casting by Joy Dewing, Holly Buczek. The tour is produced by TROIKA Entertainment, LLC.

Recommendation: Worth seeing.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com.

Jun 06 2015
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The North Plan at Main Stage West, Sebastopol CA

By Greg & Suzanne Angeo

Reviewed by Suzanne and Greg Angeo

Members, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle

So Funny It Hurts

“The North Plan” at Main Stage West may just be a threat to national security. By acclaimed playwright Jason Wells, who has also acted in film and on television, it had its world premiere in Oregon at Portland Center Stage in January 2012. It’s a terrifying comedy, a lively and animated wild ride where the crassly profane collides head-on with the geeky arcane. It takes place sometime in the near future, in the aftermath of a major national emergency. The country is in turmoil, martial law has been imposed on the land, and all those black-helicopter conspiracy theorists are in full-throated frenzy.

The setting is a simple one: the jail in a small-town police station, with a cell on either side and a desk in the middle. A crazed, manic woman named Tanya (a brilliant Sharia Pierce) occupies one of the cells and is delivering a nonstop tirade to no one and everyone. We find out from her rant that she’s turned herself in for drunk driving and is mad as hell at her own little world, dropping F-bombs like hand grenades.  It’s obvious that she’s hopelessly, dangerously stupid, and this state of being, symbolic of a larger population, is like the sizzling fuse on a bomb.

In the other cell is one Carlton Berg (subtly portrayed by Sam Coughlin) who claims to be working for the State Department. He seems to know some pretty dangerous secrets about recent events and is frantically trying to be taken seriously. He’s the intellectual polar opposite to Tanya, and a heated exchange soon erupts like machine-gun fire between them. Sitting at the desk in the middle of it all is the station’s administrative officer Shonda (the charmingly funny Miranda Lawson), assigned to keep an eye on the two. She’s trapped in the verbal crossfire, in a jail cell of her own – it’s just not behind bars – and it’s a prison she’s desperate to escape. The flexible and ever-amazing John Craven plays the honest, straight-shootin’ police chief Swenson. He’s the equalizer that keeps things in perspective, the very soul of stability. Like Shonda, he finds himself caught in the middle of something much bigger than he could ever imagine. The future of Democracy could very well be in their hands.

The subversive Carlton’s presence, and his laptop full of names being held in the jail’s evidence room, draws the attention of two Men in Black from the “Department of Homeland Security”. Dale, played with comic menace by John Browning, and Bob, whose resentment at playing second fiddle to Dale is skillfully played by Jared Wright. They arrive on the scene armed with handguns, iPhones and plenty of attitude. At one point, Dale makes a call to an unknown authority, asking “Are we killing people?” Fun stuff that keeps you on the edge of your seat, and your sanity.

Main Stage West has consistently gone out on a limb, year after year, to take their delighted audiences on journeys into unknown territory. Productions of great political and social significance are staged with integrity and creativity. They are one of the very few theaters in the North Bay that produces such risk-taking forays into theatre. “The North Plan” is yet another example.

This is one tight show, with really fine performances by the entire cast, but especially Pierce as the loudly, proudly ignorant Tanya. “The North Plan” gleefully highlights the increasing polarization of our society today with skillfully-drawn, almost cartoonish characters. Director Rick Eldredge delivers ingenuity and breathless pacing, keeping the chaos under control and the black humor building to a positively insane crescendo.

When: Now through June 21, 2015

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

5:00 p.m. Sundays

Tickets $15 to $27 (Thursdays are “pay what you will” at the door only)

Where: Main Stage West

104 North Main Street

Sebastopol, CA 95472

(707) 823-0177

www.mainstagewest.com

 

Jun 05 2015
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Faith unites community in ‘This Golden State — Part One: Delano’

By Judy Richter

Playwright Luis Alfaro honors a community of hard-working people in “This Golden State, Part One: Delano,” being given its world premiere by Magic Theatre.

This Kern County agricultural community has a largely Hispanic population, many of them field workers. The people that Alfaro honors are members of a Pentecostal Church whose longtime pastor has died.

Another pastor, Elias (Sean San José), from a San Diego church has returned to his hometown after seven years to preside over the pastor’s funeral and to help the church with the inevitable changes. With him is his new wife, Esther (Sarah Nina Hayon), who has never been to Delano and has no intention of staying.

During the course of the 90-minute play (no intermission), all of the main characters undergo transformations rooted in their faith, not just religious faith but a larger sense of caring for and helping one another.

Besides Elias and Esther, those characters include Hermana Cantu (Wilma Bonet), the late pastor’s widow; Moises (Armando Rodriguez), a young man whose marriage is dissolving; and Brother Abel (Rod Gnapp), the only outsider and non-Hispanic.

The Oregon resident has been sent by the Association of Pentecostal/Apostolic Churches to help with its transition. The fear is that he might recommend merging this Delano church with some neighboring churches.

One other character, Romie (Carla Gallardo),  is seen in flashbacks with Elias before he left Delano.

The play opens with a memorial service presided over by Elias, who tells how the late pastor saved his soul and treated him like son after his parents had died. It’s a scene with Elias in his preacher mode along with shouts of  “Amen” and “Praise the Lord.” It also introduces the other main characters, seated in the audience, as they give testimony.

One recurring reference in the play is California’s drought, now in its fourth year. The people’s reaction to it is one reason why the hard-boiled Brother Abel decides the church can remain independent.

In a speech that summarizes the play’s theme,  he says to Esther that the people “are loyal to a fault. … This town is drying up … but they’ve all stayed.  A real community. Four years of drought that is going to make the Joads look like a bunch of crybabies and no one leaves. They are going to endure this hell together. That’s California — in the face of adversity they grow a garden … They band together and hold on, which is why this church doesn’t waver.”

Artistic director Loretta Greco directs with a sure hand. Although everyone in this ensemble cast does well, Hayon deserves special mention as Esther undergoes one of the more interesting transformations in the play.

The church set by Andrew Boyce includes pews in the front rows and allows for easy transition between scenes. Lighting by Solomon Weisbard helps to differentiate between present scenes and Elias’s memories. Costumes are by Alex Jaeger with sound by Jake Rodriguez.

Adding to the sense of church are two songs for the audience (congregation), with music and words provided in the program for the late pastor’s service. Christopher Winslow serves as musical director.

“This Golden State, Part One: Delano” is the first installment of a trilogy co-commissioned by the Magic and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, where Alfaro is playwright in residence.

At first the play ran nearly two hours, but Alfaro cut about 30 minutes. There might be spots for a few more cuts, especially in the opening scene and in the tamale-making scenes with Esther, Hermana and Moises.

Nevertheless, it’s an engrossing, uplifting play because of the humanity and resilience of its characters.

It will run through June 14 at Magic Theatre, Building D, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco. For tickets and information, call (415) 441-8822 or visit www.magictheatre.org.

 

Jun 01 2015
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One man beats a full house of ladies in Twelfth Night at CalShakes

By Kedar K. Adour

Catherine Castellanos as Sir Toby Belch, Domenique Lozano as Maria and Margo Hall as Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night at Cal Shakes. Photo by Kevin Berne

Twelfth Night: Comedy by William Shakespeare. Directed by Christopher Liam Moore. California Shakespeare Theater (CalShakes), Bruns Amphitheater 100 California Shakespeare Theater Way, Orinda, CA. 510-548-9666 or www.calshakes.org May 30 – June 21, 2015

One man beats a full house of ladies in Twelfth Night at CalShakes [rating:3]

There is an (un)written dictum that 2015 will be the “year of the women” in Bay Area theatre. Shotgun Theatre is performing only plays written by woman and CalShakes enters the arena with women actors playing the major male roles in Shakespeare’s perfect comedy Twelfth Night.  The casting director has imported the multitalented Ted Deasy to play the jester Feste and other male roles as needed. He is a sort ringmaster for this three ring circus of misplaced love.

But we are getting ahead of the story. After shipwrecked twins Viola and Sebastian end up in Illyria each believe the other dead. Viola disguises herself as a boy/man eventually becoming Cesario the page to Count Orsino. Orsino is in love with Olivia who rejects him even when Cesario/Viola pleads Orsino’s suit.  Viola/Cesario falls in love with the Count and Olivia falls in love with Cesario/Viola. When Sebastian shows up the plot thickens further.

A secondary plot involves Olivia’s cousin, the drunkard Sir Toby Belch who brings along the rich Sir Andrew Aguecheek into Olivia’s home to court Olivia and to fund his revels. Olivia’s puritanical steward Malvolio puts a kybosh on Toby and Andrew’s  revels. Maria, Olivia’s handmaiden has the ‘hots’ for Toby and she devises a plot to punish Malvolio.

That’s more than enough of the story. It is the staging, direction and acting that carry the evening.  Director Moore does more with less and is aided and abetted by Deasy. The stage is a simple high curved stone background (set by Nina Ball) with a large black casket on casters out of which Feste appears and the fun begins.

As you will remember the opening lines are: “If music be the food of love, play on; Give me excess of it. . .” and they do with apple I-tunes and fine singing by Deasy. Cell phones, including ‘selfie photos’ are used along with many other bits of modern shtick. The casket holds many of the props to be used and plays an integral part in Malvolio’s punishment. The pace is appropriately hectic with over the top emoting by most members of the cast who are fashionably dressed in outrageous/attractive costumes befitting an Elizabethan play.

Lisa Anne Porter switches from Viola to Sebastian with a simple rotation of the cap she/he is wearing and a change in demeanor.  It is a bit clumsy but it works. Catherine Castellanos as Sir Toby outshines Margo Hall as Sir Andrew Aguecheek and Rami Margron as Count Orsino. Stacy Ross as the much put upon Malvolio is perfect and has the audience’s attention as she/he is put through a very rough manhandling by the miscreants.

Beautiful Julie Eccles handles the ‘love scenes’ with Cesario/Viola with grace and dignity while Viola/Cesario seems embarrassed with her love scene with the Count. Dominque Lozano is a charming schemer has great comic timing not to be outmatched by the emoting of Castellanos or Hall.

It is a fun evening made even better when the fog and wind did not materialize during the 2 hour and 40 minute performance. Recommendation: A should see with a ‘must see’ to watch Ted Deasy. ( If they have not done so already, they should sign him up to play opposite the inimitable Danny Scheie in the upcoming Mystery of Irma Vep).

ARTISTIC STAFF: Directed by Christopher Liam Moore; Designed by Nina Ball (set designer), Meg Neville (costume designer), Burke Brown (lighting designer), and Andre J. Pluess (sound designer).

CAST; Catherine Castellanos (Sir Toby Belch, Ensemble); Ted Deasy (Feste, Ensemble); Julie Eccles (Olivia, Ensemble); Margo Hall (Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Ensemble), Domenique Lozano (Maria, Ensemble); Rami Margron (Duke Orsino, Ensemble); Lisa Anne Porter (Viola, Sebastian, Ensemble); and Stacy Ross (Malvolio, Ensemble)

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

May 31 2015
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Mostly female cast enlivens ‘Twelfth Night’ at Cal Shakes

By Judy Richter

Director Christopher Liam Moore has chosen a nearly all-female cast to portray the pranksters and mixed-up lovers in William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” at California Shakespeare Theater.

Except for Ted Deasy, who plays Feste the fool and some minor men, the rest of the eight-member cast is all women, most of them longtime favorites of Bay Area audiences.

Set in Illyria, the story goes like this:  Olivia (Julie Eccles) is mourning the recent deaths of her father and brother and wants nothing to do with men such as Duke Orsino (Rami Margron), who ardently pursues her.

About that time, Viola (Lisa Anne Porter) washes ashore after surviving a shipwreck that she believes killed her twin brother, Sebastian (also Porter). Until she can get the lay of the land, she disguises herself as a eunuch named Cesario and offers to serve the duke. She’s strongly attracted to him, but he sends his new aide off to woo Olivia for him.

Olivia finds herself attracted to Cesario. Thus the mismatching begins.

In the meantime, Olivia’s roisterous uncle, Sir Toby Belch (Catherine Castellanos), drunkenly cavorts with his cohort, the foppish Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Margo Hall), and Olivia’s maid, Maria (Domenique Lozano). They plot to make a fool of Olivia’s pompous steward, Malvolio (Stacy Ross), by making him think Olivia loves him and wants him to act and dress in a certain way.

And, unknown to  Viola, her twin, Sebastian, arrives safely from the shipwreck. Soon there are hilarious mistaken identities as one twin is taken for the other.

All turns out well with lovers properly matched, but the trickery against Malvolio goes too far, leaving him bereft.

Since men and boys played all roles in Shakespeare’s day, using a mostly female cast here works well today, especially with such accomplished performers in an ensemble cast.

Costume designer Meg Neville outfits everyone in traditional Elizabethan garb. However, there are some anachronistic props, mainly the smart phone used by Feste to cue in music (sound by Andre Pluess) and by Maria to take pictures of Malvolio when he’s ridiculously garbed.

Symbolizing the mourning that sets the initial mood, a coffin remains onstage in Nina Ball’s stark but striking set design (lit by Burke Brown). Feste rises from it at first, but later it’s used to store props like beer bottles and to imprison Malvolio.

Although all of the actors deserve praise, special mention goes to Ross as Malvolio in the comical gulling scene that ends the first act.

Moore’s direction keeps the action flowing crisply and allows for plenty of laughs. Credit goes to movement consultant Erika Chong Shuch for some brief dance scenes and to fight director Dave Maier for the fight scenes.

Taken as a whole, this 2 1/2-hour (one intermission) production is a great way to open Cal Shakes’ 2015 season with its often chilly temperatures that require warm clothing and blankets.

“Twelfth Night” will continue through June 21 at Bruns Memorial Amphitheater, 100 California Shakespeare Theater Way(off Hwy. 24), Orinda. For tickets and information, call (510) 548-9666 or visit www.calshakes.org.

 

May 31 2015
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‘The Columnist’ focuses on Joseph Alsop

By Judy Richter

Joseph Alsop was perhaps the most influential political columnist in the country for many years, but his power gradually declined.

David Auburn’s 2012 “The Columnist,”presented by Dragon Theatre in its Bay Area premiere, chronicles that decline in a fascinating glimpse at recent American history.

While he was professionally well known, Joseph, called Joe, had a secret life that’s revealed to the audience in the opening scene,  set in 1954.  Joe (Randy Hurst) has just had an afternoon tryst in a Moscow hotel room with Andrei (Casey Robbins), who was working for the KGB — unknown to Joe at the time.

Before that decline, which came more than a decade later, the aristocratic Joe moved in the nation’s most powerful political circles. For example, President John F. Kennedy went to his house after his inauguration in 1961.

Joe, whose column was widely syndicated, admired JFK and ardently supported the war in Vietnam as a way to halt the spread of communism. He was so convinced that the U.S. was winning that war that he tried to get younger reporters like David Halberstam (Drew Reitz) removed from their Vietnam posts because they were reporting otherwise.

After JFK’s assassination in 1963, Joe continued to support the war and its leaders like President Lyndon B. Johnson and Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. However, Joe failed to recognize the social upheaval wrought by the war as protestors and hippies took to the streets.

Although these events serve as backdrops to the play, the focus is more personal, stressing Joe’s family life. He was close to his younger brother, Stewart (Gary Mosher), with whom he co-wrote his column from 1945 to 1958.

He was married to Susan Mary Jay (Mary Price Moore) for several years. Even though she knew he was gay, they were good friends, so she agreed to the marriage. He also was fond of her teenage daughter, Abigail (Camille Brown).

Running about two hours with one intermission, the play ends in Washington in 1968 when Joe and Andrei happen to meet again while watching a demonstration on the Washington Mall.

Director Brandon Jackson paces the episodic action well.  Scene changes are punctuated by songs of the time in the sound design by Michael St. Clair.

It’s generally well acted, especially by Moore as Susan,  Mosher as Stewart and Brown as Abigail. Hurst as Joe holds the stage well and conveys his growing egotism and social unawareness well, but he frequently muffed his lines on opening night.

Set designer/technical director Rory Strahan-Mauk has created a utilitarian set with lighting by Jeff  Swan. Katherine Halcrow’s costumes, especially for Abigail, reflect the changing times.

It’s an interesting play offering insights to and bringing up memories of turbulent times as seen through one man’s experiences.

“The Columnist” will continue through June 21 at Dragon Productions Theatre, 2120 Broadway St., Redwood City. For tickets and information, call (650) 493-2006 or visit www.dragonproductions.net.

 

May 31 2015
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ACT waltzes gracefully through ‘A Little Night Music’

By Judy Richter

The genius of composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim is on display in American Conservatory Theater’s production of  “A Little Night Music.”

Based on an Ingmar Bergman film, “Smiles of a Summer Night,” this 1973 Tony Award-winning musical is set during a Swedish summer at the turn of the 20th century.

During this time when the sun rarely sets,  love is arranged and rearranged among lovers young and older.

Sondheim wrote virtually the entire musical in 3/4 time, but the best known song is “Send in the Clowns,” which has been sung by the likes of Judy Collins, Barbra Streisand and others.

In the context of the show, however, it takes on deep poignancy as one of the older lovers, Desiree Armfeldt (Karen Ziemba), an actress, sings it to her former lover, Fredrik Egerman (Patrick Cassidy), to express their dilemma:  She’s ready to settle down after years of touring and of taking on various lovers, while he’s married.

And even though his 18-year-old wife, Anne (Laurie Veldheer), is still a virgin after 11 months of marriage, he’s reluctant to leave this woman who’s young enough to be his daughter. In fact, she’s close in age to his son, Henrik (Justin Scott Brown), a gloomy seminary student who’s worried about sin and who’s secretly in love with her.

Another of the older lovers is Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm (Paolo Montalban), a handsome but egotistical and pea-brained dragoon who has been involved with Desiree despite being married to Charlotte (Emily Skinner).

Everything comes together one weekend when everyone gathers at the country home of Desiree’s mother, Madame Armfeldt (Dana Ivey), who’s known her share of lovers. They’re joined by Desiree’s teenage daughter, Fredrika (Brigid O’Brien); the Egermans’ maid,  Petra (Marissa McGowan); and Frid (Michael McIntire), Madame Armfeldt’s servant.

There’s lots of foolish behavior, but various triangles are resolved to everyone’s satisfaction.

Director Mark Lamos weaves everything together thanks to a fine cast, especially among the older characters. Ziemba as the bemused Desiree and Skinner as the wronged Charlotte have impeccable timing as they react to the goings-on, and both sing well.

Except for Veldheer’s piercing upper notes as Anne, all of the principals sing well.

The show has five other named characters who serve more as a Greek chorus. They aren’t seen by the other characters, but they introduce scenes and, in Lamos’s staging, move set pieces on Riccardo Hernandez’s set. Traditionally the three women and two men are older, but Lamos has chosen to make them younger and far more sensual, as indicated by their behavior and the underclothing they wear in the opening scene. It’s not an entirely effective approach. Moreover, they don’t blend well vocally.

The elegant period costumes for the main characters are by Candice Donnelly. Lighting by Robert Wierzel captures the almost perpetual twilight of that time in Sweden.

Orchestrations and musical direction are by Wayne Barker, while the sound is by Kevin Kennedy. Choreography, mostly waltzes, is by Val Caniparoli.

Taken as a whole, this ACT production is first rate, thanks in large part to Sondheim’s intricate music and lyrics and some outstanding performances, especially by Ziemba and Skinner.

“A Little Night Music” will continue through June 24 at ACT’s Geary Theater, 415 Geary St., San Francisco. For tickets and information, call (415) 749-2228 or visit www.act-sf.org.

 

May 31 2015
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The 18th Annual Dionysian Festival: San Francisco

By Jo Tomalin
 above: Mary Sano (ctr) Koko de la Isla (r) and Ricardo Diaz – Flamenco Guitar (l) Photo by Natalia Vyalykhy

Celebrating the 138th Anniversary
of Isadora Duncan’s Birth

Mary Sano Duncan Dancers – Photo by Natalia Vyalykhy

Review by Jo Tomalin

Saturday, May 30 at 8:00 p.m. & Sunday, May 31 at 5:00 p.m at The Mary Sano Studio of Duncan Dancing, South of Market, San Francisco.

Mary Sano and her Duncan Dancers presented a feast of historic and fusion dances for the 18thAnnual Dionysian Festival to celebrate Isadora Duncan’s birthday. Duncan was born in San Francisco at the end of May – and a small SF street is now named after her – Isadora Duncan Lane – as a fond memory of her legacy as the creator of modern dance.

Over the years several of Duncan’s disciples recreated Duncan’s works which helped preserve Isadora’s free spirited dance form, inspired by Greek , folk dance, art and natural movement. Isadora’s dances are rarely performed these days, but San Francisco is lucky to have Mary Sano who trained with later generation Duncan dancers and is passionate about keeping this style alive and developing new works based on Duncan movement through her Studio.

The two hour program started with eleven very short dances of Traditional Duncan Choreography (circa 1900-1912).  Danced in small groups by seven Duncan Dancers (Monique Goldwater, Tomoko Ide, Yukiko Nakazato, Elaine Santos and Isabel Dow, Sophia Fuller, Kanchan Armstrong) with Mary Sano, the dances were so spring like and airy, beautifully accompanied on the piano by Benjamin Akeala Below playing Schubert, Chopin, Satie, Grieg, Brahms and Gluck. Barefoot, and wearing silk Isadora Duncan tunics in pastels of lime, pink, lavender, lemon and apricot, the flowing natural movement of the dancers was refreshing.

Two original modern Duncan-based style works accompanied by live piano followed.

Belew’s lively Neo Classical Piano suite comprised a small group of dancers dressed dramatically in black, red, blue and green tunics, some with masks – performing sculptural, lyrical, sensuous and dramatic movement, including Amour, an amazingly transporting solo dance. Fascinating and unpredictable, too. Belew’s last two piano solos aptly called Memories and Feelings from the Past were warm and induced reflection on one’s own memories.

Next, Pianist Tony Chapman played his Contemporary Piano piece in three sections. After a short strident and melodic piano solo, the next two sections were danced by seven Duncan Dancers, including Sano in pensive, languid dances with brief emotive solos, ending with dynamic sustained movement.

The second act completely changed gear. Classical Guitarist Adriana Ratsch-Rivera played Prelude by Villa-Lobos then Chôros No.1, also by Villa-Lobos and danced with precision and lyricism by the majestic Flamenco dancer Koko de la Isla in a long white layered flamenco dress.

Sano’s Collaboration Project, Aeon, dedicated to Isadora Duncan for her 138th birthday (a work in progress) completed the evening. Chants, bamboo flute, hollow earthy sounds, as Koko de la Isla appears in a beautiful long red Japanese inspired skirt and fragile white coat. The vocal chanting, Santour and Tombak (middle eastern instruments), and Flamenco Guitar sounds swell as Sano enters in a long lacy mossy green middle eastern dress with rhinestones and headdress. Both dancers move slowly, Sano with interesting eclectic movements of flamenco wrists turning and middle eastern movement motifs with the Duncan influence of freedom – then Sano merged with De la Isla’s flamenco which became an international fusion of genres. Mary Sano performed several dances in the program, she is truly an extraordinary dancer, statuesque, graceful, muscular, and emotive.

This was a fascinating opportunity to see Isadora Duncan Dances and new ways to approach Duncan movement with other genres. The more than sold out audience was enraptured at the dance and live music, later appreciating the wine – being set up onstage – as all participants joined in with a spontaneous Flamenco Jam. If you missed it, look out for the 19th Dionysian Festival next year!

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Jo Tomalin, Ph.D. reviews Dance, Theatre & Physical Theatre Performances
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May 30 2015
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Sondheim’s A Little Night Music a terrific show at A.C.T.

By Kedar K. Adour

(L-R): Mrs. Anderssen (Annemaria Rajala), Mr. Erlanson (Andres Ramirez), Mrs. Nordstrom (Christine Capsuto), Mr. Lindquist (Brandon Dahlquist), and Mrs. Segstrom (Caitlan Taylor) in Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s A Little Night Music performing at A.C.T.’s Geary Theater May 20-June 14. Photo by Kevin Berne.

A Little Night Music: Musical by Stephen Sondheim & Hugh Wheeler. Directed by Mark Lamos. American Conservatory Theater (ACT), 415 Geary St., San Francisco, CA. (415) 749-2228 or www.act-sf.org. May 20–June 14, 2015. (Extended to June 21, 2015)

Sondheim’s A Little Night Music a terrific show at A.C.T. [rating:5]

We in the Bay Area are fortunate to have three major theatrical companies within the immediate Bay Area. Each of those groups has closed their 2014-2015 seasons with five star productions as different from the other as night and day. Berkeley Rep was first up a week ago with an English imported farce One Man, Two Guvnors, (based on Carlo Goldini’s A Servant of Two Masters). One night ago Center Rep mounted the rewrite of the 1936 Musical Anything Goes and last night A.C.T. produced Sondheim’s A Little Night Music (Based on the Ingmar Bergman movie Smiles of a Summer Night). All three received well deserved standing ovations.

Actually, Sondheim’s Night Music is a musical comedy but it is much more than that. It is a modern musical classic with distinctive music elevating the waltz to new heights. The creative team has interwoven divergent themes of young, middle aged (foolish) and old love into a memorable whole with ingenious direction and staging with uplifting acting worthy of Sondheim and Wheeler’s music and words.

The setting is Sweden and the time is the turn of the century. The pivotal character is Desiree Armfeldt (a superb Karen Ziemba) is a glamorous actress who is constantly on tour. Her aging mother, living in the country, Madame Armfeldt (Dana Ivey) has taken over the care of Fredrika ( Brigid O’Brien) Desiree’s 14 year old daughter.

Successful Lawyer Fredrik Egerman (Patrick Cassidy), a former lover of Desiree, has remarried virginal 18 year old Anne (Laurie Veldheer) but they have not consummated the marriage even after being married eleven years. Henrik (Justin Scott Brown), Fredrik’s living at home young son, a year older than Anne, is a confused divinity student secretly in love with Anne. Anne has a saucy maid Petra (Marissa McGowen).

Fredrik has an unexpected liaison with Desiree rekindling old love but she has taken a new lover the gauche Count Carl-Magnus (Paolo Montalban) who is married to unhappy Charlotte (Emily Skinner).  With all the major characters in place it is time to spend “A Weekend in the Country.” What a weekends it is to be but you have to wait until Act 2 where all is somewhat resolved.

Integral to the staging are five (two males and three females) ancillary characters that flawlessly move about the stage acting as a Greek chorus while seamlessly moving the minimal props. Their opening number is a gem as they sexily cavort on the stage floor and join in with the cast for the opening “Night Waltz.”

Ricardo Hernadez’s inventive attractive minimal set allows director Mark Lamos to move his characters in an effortless waltz throughout the evening. Although it is Sondheim’s music that captures the evening Lamos adds many elegant touches to the evening including costuming (Candice Donnelly) for the chorus that create harlequins and memories of Edward Degas’s paintings.

First and foremost are the music and lyrics including the haunting “Send in the Clowns” that is memorably sung by Karen Ziemba. In the first act alone we are treated to “The Glamorous Life”, “Remember?”, “You Must Meet My Wife”, “Liaisons”, “In Praise of Women”, “Every Day a Little Death” and “Weekend in the Country.”

The accolades continue throughout the evening with a true show stopper of “The Miller’s Son” sung to perfection by Marissa McGowan.  Ziemba is the best Desiree this reviewer has seen. Dana Ivey gives an excellent performance as  Madame Armfeldt.  Emily Skinner and Laurie Veldheer have a powerful turn on the stage with “Every Day a Little Death.”

The show runs 2 hours and 30 minutes with an intermission. Reccommendation: Amust see show.

CAST:  Patrick Cassidy as Fredrick  Egerman ; Emily Skinner as Charlotte Malcolm; Karen Ziemba as Desiree Armfeldt; Dana Ivey as Madame Armfeldt; Paolo Montalban as Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm; Justin Scott Brown as Henrick Egerman; Marissa McGowan as Petra; Laurie Veldheer as Anne Edgerman; Christine Capsuto as Mrs. Nordstrom; Brandon Dahlquist as Mr. Lindquist; Michael McIntire as Frid; Brigid O’Brien as Fredrika Armfeldt; Annemaria Rajala as Mrs. Anderssen; Andres Ramirez as Mr. Erlanson; Caitlan Taylor as Mrs. Segstrom.

CREATIVE TEAM: Directed by Riccardo Hernandez (set design); Robert Wiertzel (lighting design); Candice Donnelly (costume design); Kevin Kennedy (sound design); Val Caniparoli (choreography); Wayne Barker (music direction).

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

(L-R): Mrs. Anderssen (Annemaria Rajala), Mr. Erlanson (Andres Ramirez), Mrs. Nordstrom (Christine Capsuto), Mr. Lindquist (Brandon Dahlquist), and Mrs. Segstrom (Caitlan Taylor) in Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s A Little Night Music performing at A.C.T.’s Geary Theater May 20-June 14. Photo by Kevin Berne.