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Oct 16 2013
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Money is the name of the game in ‘Warrior Class’

By Judy Richter

By Judy Richter

What does it take to be elected to Congress? To start with — money.

Money is undoubtedly the most important factor, but others stand in line, too. That’s what a promising young politician learns in Kenneth Lin’s “Warrior Class.” Presented by TheatreWorks, “Warrior Class” is a fascinating back room look at politics today.

The politician is Julius Weishan Lee (Pun Bandhu), an Asian American, New York assemblyman and decorated Marine veteran who’s viewed by some as the Republican Obama. An eloquent speech after the 9/11 attacks, in which his sister died, has thrust him into the spotlight. Now party operatives are looking into his background to make sure there are no red flags.

This vetting process is mainly undertaken by the savvy, smooth-talking Nathan Berkshire (Robert Sicular). All looks good until Nathan unearths information about unwise behavior toward a girlfriend when Julius was in college.

The ex-girlfriend, the wary Holly Eames (Delia MacDougall), contends that Julius’s behavior after their breakup caused her great mental anguish. Nathan tries to persuade her to keep quiet about the incident, but she keeps raising the stakes.

In the meantime, Nathan tries to steer Julius toward an Assembly committee that has the power to benefit one or more of the party’s major donors. Julius finally realizes that if he wants their backing, he must bow to the big money men.

In the meantime, it turns out that both Holly and Nathan have their own problems. No one looks all that great by the end of this two-act play, which runs just under two hours with intermission.

Director Leslie Martinson elicits outstanding performances from all three actors. The interchanges and conflicts between them ring true and intrigue the audience.

The action takes place in a Baltimore steak house and Julius’s home  in New York City. Erik Flatmo’s set, lit by Steven B. Mannshardt, easily accommodates the scene changes. The contemporary costumes are by Noah Marin with sound by Brendan Aanes.

The ending might leave some viewers looking for more resolution. However, it needs to be ambiguous because decisions need to be made now that all the dirt has been dished. Thus viewers are left to ponder what the characters will do after they’ve had more time to think. The main question is whether Julius will go along with the money men or stick to his principles.

One can easily imagine that many real politicians have faced, are facing or will face the same dilemma.

“Warrior Class” will continue through Nov. 3 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St., Mountain View. For tickets and information call (650) 463-1960 or visit www.theatreworks.org.

 

Oct 15 2013
Love0

5 star reviews explanation and samples

By Flora Lynn Isaacson

Sample code has been inserted below for you to use/change/experiment with.

Change (type over) whatever you want. Can also be no text.
– Change (type over) rating: 5 to:
rating: 2 (This creates 2 stars when you Update.)
– Change (type over) 5/5 stars to:
2/5 stars (This creates 2/5 stars when you Update.) You can also eliminate this part entirely.
– Click Update

Experiment. Here are variations.

Suzanne and Greg [rating:5] (5/5 stars)

Suzanne and Greg [rating:4.5] (4.5/5 stars)

Suzanne and Greg [rating:4.25] (4.25/5 stars)

Suzanne and Greg [rating:4] (4/5 stars)

Suzanne and Greg [rating:3.5] (3.5/5 stars)

Suzanne and Greg [rating:3] (3/5 stars)

Suzanne and Greg [rating:4]

Suzanne [rating:4]

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Suzanne [rating:4]

Suzanne [rating:4]

Suzanne and Greg [rating:5] (5/5 stars)

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Suzanne [rating:4] (4/5 stars)

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Suzanne and Greg [rating:5] (5/5 stars)

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?

Amy Resnick, Ben Euphrat

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.

Anne Darragh, Amy Resnick, Jamie Jones

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

Oct 15 2013
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‘Rich and Famous’ a bad dream

By Judy Richter, Uncategorized

By Judy Richter

In her notes for Dragon Theatre’s production of John Guare’s 1976 “Rich and Famous,” director Meredith Hagedorn urges the audience to remember that it’s all a dream.

That’s important to keep in mind because this play falls within the realm of theater of the absurd. Therefore, it’s sometimes difficult to discern what’s happening and why.

The premise is that for the first time, Bing Ringling (Ron Talbot) one of  “the world’s oldest living promising young playwrights,” is about to see a production of one of his plays, his 844th. Bing’s dream occurs on the night of its first preview.

His dream has several different characters played by two actors: Lucinda Dobinson, the Woman, as the females; and Tom Gough, the Man, as the males. One of the female characters is Veronica, the producer of Bing’s play. Because she has successfully produced other plays, she wants this one to be a flop so that she can be hailed for a comeback with the next play she produces.

Gough is seen as the lead actor in Bing’s play, but he’s in drag as a hooker. Among other characters, he also portrays Bing’s boyhood friend who has since become a successful movie actor. He and Dobinson team up as Bing’s parents.

The action is interspersed by fine singing by the uncredited Jason Arias, who does double duty as the set designer (simple but effective) and, on opening night, the person dispensing programs. He’s also the company manager.

The two-act play clocks in at just under two hours, with the second act stronger than the first. Still, it’s a weird play that might work better if Gough’s performance weren’t so over the top in his various guises.

Talbot is solid as Bing, while Dobinson is at her best as Bing’s ex-girlfriend in the second act.

Playwright Guare is best known for the widely produced “The House of Blue Leaves” and “Six Degrees of Separation.” Both are stronger and more enjoyable than this one.

San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater staged a rewrite of “Rich and Famous” in 2009. It was expanded to four actors and named Bing’s play, “The Etruscan Conundrum.” Despite the rewrite and ACT’s best efforts, the play still didn’t work.

Dragon Theatre is in the heart of downtown Redwood City, which has become a bustling place with a wide array of restaurants as well as the nearby multi-screen movie theater, the Fox Theatre, the old county courthouse, and convenient, inexpensive parking.

 

Oct 13 2013
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Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo—An Original Drama About the Iraq War at SF Playhouse

By Flora Lynn Isaacson

Flora Lynn [rating:5] (5/5 stars)

Tiger (Will Marchetti) talks to God in SF Playhouse’s current production. Photo by Jessica Palopoli.

The San Francisco Playhouse has launched the first year of their second decade, now in a new venue, at 450 Post Street, with a Tony nominated and Pulitzer Prize finalist, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo by Rajiv David and directed by Bill English.

This show is about a tiger (Will Marchetti) that haunts the streets of present day Baghdad seeking the meaning of life.  As he witnesses the puzzling absurdities of war, the tiger encounters Americans and Iraqis who are searching for friendship and redemption.

This tiger lives in the Baghdad zoo. He tells the audience that most of the animals have fled to “freedom” because of the Iraq invasion, only to be shot dead by soldiers.  That night United States soldiers come to guard the zoo.  The tiger, driven by fear and hunger, bites off the hand of Tom (Gabriel Marin), a soldier.  Kev (Craig Marker), another soldier shoots the tiger, mortally wounding him.

Kev finds himself haunted by the ghost of the tiger, who wanders about Baghdad.  Due to an outburst while searching an Iraqi home, Kev is sent to the hospital.  Back in Baghdad with a prosthetic hand, Tom pays a visit to Kev.  It is revealed that the gun Kev used to shoot the tiger was taken from the palace of the late Uday Hussein. Tom wants the gun back so he can start a new life in the U.S. by selling the gold plated gun. During the exchange however, the gun falls into the hands of Uday’s former gardener, Masa (Kuros Charney), who is also working as a translator for the soldiers.  He is frequently visited by Uday’s ghost (Pomme Koch).

The rest of the show involves the living characters interacting with the dead ones as the war happens around them.  Will Marchetti gives an amazing performance as the tiger (worth the price of admission) and is ably assisted by Gabriel Marin and Craig Marker as the two Marines.

Director Bill English chose this play because “it asks the biggest question of our lives—why are we here…we are all part animal, part spirit and our success at being human is defined by how we balance our contradictory nature.” In addition, English has created a fantastic set which is augmented by the imaginative lighting design of Dan Reed.

Playwright Rajiv Joseph tells us “Bengal Tiger is more of a ghost story than a war story in which we are haunted by our struggle to define guilt and responsibility—to define ourselves in relation to the universe and to find a moral compass to guide us.”

Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo runs October 1-November 16, 2013. Performances are Tuesday-Thursday at  7 p.m., Friday-Saturday at 8 p.m. plus Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. SF Playhouse is located at 450 Post Street (2nd floor of Kensington Park Hotel b/n Powell and Mason). For tickets, call the box office at 415-677-9596 or go online at www.sfplayhouse.org.

Coming up next at SF Playhouse will be Store Front Church by John Patrick Shanley and directed by Bill English, November 26-January 11, 2014.

Flora Lynn Isaacson

Oct 08 2013
Love0

It’s etc…etc… SUPERMAN flies high at 42nd Street Moon

By Kedar K. Adour

Kedar [rating:5] (5/5 stars)

Superman (Lucas Coleman) defeats the Grimaldi brothers in 42nd Street Moon’s production of  IT’S A BIRD…IT’S A PLANE…IT’S SUPERMAN (All photos by Patrick O’Connor)

“IT’S A BIRD…IT’S A PLANE… IT’S SUPERMAN: Musical Comedy. Music by Charles Strouse.  Lyrics by Lee Adams. Book by David Newman & Robert Benton. Directed by Dyan McBride. 42nd Street Moon, Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson St., San Francisco.

(415) 255-8207 or visit www.42ndStMoon.org. October 2 — October 20, 2013.

It’s etc…etc… SUPERMAN flies high at 42nd Street Moon

First of all don’t just call the marvelous show bouncing around the Eureka Theatre stage Superman. The title is, It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s Superman. That is as it should be; the long title defines the man of steel since it was 75 years ago that our hero was jettisoned from the planet Krypton becoming an icon of the comic book world.

The longevity of our comic book ‘defender of truth and justice’ overshadows the 1966 Broadway production that lasted for only 129 performances even though it listed such notables as Bob Haliday (Superman/Clark Kent), Jack Cassidy (Max Mencken), Patricia Marand (Lois Lane), Linda Lavin (Sydney) and Michael O’Sullivan (Dr. Abner Sedgwick).

With one exception (not to be mentioned here) the cast of 42nd Street Moon’s staging probably could match the Broadway cast! And they did not use any wires to send Superman flying off stage.  Tall, lean (if not muscular) handsome Lucas Coleman as Superman takes magnificent leaps on and off stage that are a hoot and a holler although he has a bit of trouble undressing in the telephone booth (yes, the booth is there on stage right).

Clark Kent’s phone booth. Lucas Coleman

The casting director for this terrific spoof had a stroke of genius turning scientist Dr. Abner Sedgwick, into a female and rounding up Bay Area favorite comedienne Darlene Popovic for that adversarial role adding a disheveled fright wig signifying her madness. When Dr. Sedgwick’s nefarious plan “A” to destroy Superman goes awry she simply shrugs, “It’s a long alphabet.”

Of course Lois Lane (Jen Brooks), star reporter who has been save 15 times [shall we try for 16?] by Superman, is there along with gossip columnist Max Mencken (Brent Schindele) and his secretary Sydney (Safiya Fredericks).  Jen Brooks plays the Lois Lane role straight (as it should be) but has her moments and is in fine voice with three memorable songs of “We Don’t Matter at All”, “What I Often Wanted” and “ I Am Not Finished Yet.”

Brent Schindele almost steals the show as a whirlwind of hot air and aggrandizement whenever he is on stage with “The Woman for the Man” and especially when he is the foil for Safiya Fredericks’ over-the-top belting of “Ooh, Do You Love You!”  Popovic and Schindele share the spotlight in their duet “You’ve Got What I Need” when non-Nobel Prize winning Dr. Sedgwick is planning “Revenge.”

 Yes there is a convoluted storyline that fits perfectly into the action of this satiric spoof gracing the art deco set (Alvin Shiu) with 1960’s costumes (Felicia Lilienthal) and tricky choreography (Staci Arriaga) at the Eureka Theater.  Veteran director Dyan McBride keeps the 16 member cast vivaciously moving on and off stage and has a great ensemble to aid her.

That ensemble includes Mama Grimaldi (Diahanna Davidson) and four “Amazing Grimaldis” played by Scott Maraj, Steven Sloan, Michael Doppe and Kyle Valentine mostly dressed in one piece tight fitting purple wrestling costumes and are whirlwinds of physical activity. They play double and triple roles with quick costume changes.

l-r: Lucas Coleman, Safiya Fredericks, Diahanna Davidson, Catherine Gloria, Nicole Renee Chapman, Ariel Leasure, Darlene Popovic, Brent Schindele, Trevor Marcom, and Jen Brooks

Then there are the “Mod Young Ladies of the Metropolis” Catherine Gloria, Nicole Renee Chapman and Ariel Leasure who are knockouts in varied brightly colored costumes to match the imaginative set as they sing and dance vivaciously.

The comic book ambiance is maintained throughout with production numbers designed around individual panels of “Meanwhile” “Suddenly” “Later” and “Finally” with ‘written’ sound effects of “Pow!”, “Bam!” and “Zonk!” and others.

This show is one of the best that 42nd Street Moon has produced and it is an auspicious start to their 21st Season. Next up is the Rogers and Hart musical I Married and Angel  playing October 30 – November 17, 2013.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

 

Oct 07 2013
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A stunning but problematic Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo at San Francisco Playhouse

By Kedar K. Adour, Uncategorized

Kedar [rating:4] (4/5 stars)

Marines (Craig Marker* L, Gabriel Marin* R) guard Tiger (Will Marchetti*) in the Baghdad Zoo.

Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo: Drama by Rajiv Joseph. Directed by Bill English. San Francisco Playhouse, 450 Post St., S.F. (415) 677-9596 or www.sfplayhouse.org.

October 4 – November 16,2013

A stunning but problematic Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo at San Francisco Playhouse

Rajiv Joseph is no stranger to the Bay area where his play Animals Out of Paper was a smash hit in 2010 at the intimate 99 seat SF Playhouse and his The North Pool was equally well received at TheatreWorks in Silicon Valley in 2011. His 2011 Pulitzer Prize nominated play Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo is being mounted in the expansive new 300 seat theatre off Union Square.

This is Playhouse’s 11th season and befitting their expansion they have stretched their name to “San Francisco” Playhouse and prefer to label the 2013-2014 season as the beginning of their second decade with reassurance that they will continue to produce “gripping storytelling . . . dedicated to ‘Body and Soul’.”

Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo certainly is gripping, contemporary and thoughtful but also somewhat pretentious. The huge stage is a desert wasteland (sets by Bill English) strewn with concrete and rebar remnants of war with sand dunes projected on the rear wall.  The superb cast defuses Joseph’s pretension with sincere performances finding humor in the chaotic world that is post-war Iraq.

To make his points more universal and less personal Joseph uses anthropomorphism with the Bengal tiger being his narrator and creates ghosts returning from the recent dead to communicate with the living. He also includes a topiary garden filled with animals as a stand in for the Garden of Eden. It is a garden that has witnessed terror and Tiger assures a small disfigured child that God will not visit this place. Tiger has earlier informed us that animals are atheists.

The impact of the war in Iraq on the soldiers is a major theme as some turn into looters and others driven to insanity. There are the symbolic gold revolver and golden toilet seat ransacked from a Hussain palace playing an important symbolic role in the action and denouement. 

It also is a damnation of the war destroying Iraqi culture and subverting gentle people into abettors of the victors/invaders. One of these people is Musa (strong performance by Kuros Charney, holding his own with Marchetti, Marin and Marker) the once gentle gardener creator of the topiary animal garden and now acting as an interpreter. The horrors that he and his family have endured are ignored for the sake of survival. Set designer/director Bill English cleverly suspends the topiary animals above the stage effectively allowing the actors to roam freely among the animals.

San Francisco Playhouse’s production is the complete package with reference to the staging and acting but you too will probably leave the theatre with questions rather than answers to the complex nature of this play. Never-the-less do not miss Will Marchetti’s brilliant under-played Tiger, Craig Marker’s poignant descent into madness as Kev, Gabriel Marin’s tenacious depiction of Tom’s search for the looted gold objects and Kuros Charney’s growth from physical subservience to mental independence. Running time about 2 hours.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

 

Oct 06 2013
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CARRIE: The Musical gets new life by Ray of Light Theatre

By Kedar K. Adour

Kedar [rating:5] (5/5 stars)

CARRIE: The Musical. Book by Lawrence D. Cohen based on the novel by Stephen King. Music by Michael Gore and lyrics by Dean Pitchford. Directed by Jason Hoover. Ray of Light Theater Company, Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th St. (between Mission/Capp), San Francisco, CA 94103. www.rayoflighttheatre.com. October 4 –November 2, 2013.

CARRIE: The Musical gets new life by Ray of Light Theatre

There were ambivalent feelings expressed amongst some theatre critics about the new version of Carrie: The Musical at last night’s opening of Shocktoberfest where blood (and guts) littered the stage. They were expecting to see more blood flowing at tonight’s opening and all were anxious to see the reincarnation of the 1988 production labeled the worst musical ever and “New York Times critic Frank Rich likened to the Hindenburg disaster.” Surprise, surprise, the revamped, stripped down rewrite of Carrie was received with appreciative applause and a standing ovation.

Standing ovations are de rigor at Ray of Light (ROL) openings. They have a very dedicated loyal following since ROL consistently produce award winning shows with non-equity casts. For Carrie: The Musical they have rounded up a top-notch group with excellent singing voices and stage presence, a simplified staging relying on projections and lighting and a great director utilizing congruent choreography (Amanda Folena). The rather spectacular ending will have you jumping out of your seat.

This production can be considered a Chamber Musical consisting of part musical comedy and part opera. The story is based on the Stephen King novel that became a 1976 cult movie that was directed by Brian DePalma. For the record, a newer version will be hitting the screen this month.

Carrie (Cristina Ann Oeschger) is a shy introverted 17-year old High School student who does not fit in with any group and has a religious fanatic mother Margaret (Heather Orth) who has not taught her anything about becoming “a woman.” Carrie becomes terrified when she has her first menstrual period while taking a shower at school. Her ignorance is ridiculed and she shunned from the “in” group. When she discovers she has telekinetic powers (after all this sort of character is what made Stephen King famous), the final humiliating prank at the Senior Prom leads to catastrophic consequences.

The storyline is written in flash backs with the characters being interviewed by off-stage voices about “the incident.”  There is an attempt to add universality to the plot with the opening number of “In” where the student ensemble bemoan the fact that getting accepted into cliques is a major hurdle of growing up. Christine Ann Oeschger, who is a High School Junior, captures the audience with her first number “Carrie.” Heather Orth gives a magnificent performance with the operatic arias of “Eve Was Weak” and “Evening Prayers.” Her duets with Oeschger are mesmerizing and spine chilling.

Carrie’s nemesis Chris Hargensen (Riley Krull) gives added meaning to the word “bitch” often dominating the ensemble numbers with her presence. Among the “good guys” are students Tommy (Nitkita Burshteyn ), his girlfriend Sue (Courtney Merrell) and gym teacher Miss Gardner (Jessica Coker). Burshteyn’s full but soft tenor voice and disarming stage presence is a perfect match for the beautiful Merrell who radiates genuine compassion with her lines and soprano voice. Jessica Coker’s duet with Oeschger “Unsuspecting Hearts” is a gem.

Forget about most of the harsh criticism leveled at previous productions of this play and get your ticket for Ray of Light’s staging that captured the opening night audience and ended with memorable ‘bang’. Running time about 2 hours with an intermission.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Oct 06 2013
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Mauritius by Theresa Rebeck at Main Stage West, Sebastopol CA

By Greg & Suzanne Angeo

Reviewed by Suzanne and Greg Angeo

Photos courtesy of Main Stage West

Beware the Stampsters

Ilana Niernberger, John Craven

The latest presentation at Main Stage West, Mauritius is a uniquely intriguing caper chock-full of emotional tension and surprising plot twists, skillfully crafted into a roller-coaster ride worthy of Alfred Hitchcock. It’s a glimpse into the little-known world of high-stakes stamp collecting, where a single rare stamp can be worth killing for.

The story begins with estranged half-sisters Jackie (Ilana Niernberger) and Mary (Nancy Prebilich) who have just lost their mother but gained a large photo album. It’s filled with postage stamps that Mary’s late grandfather spent a lifetime collecting. One stamp in particular may be incredibly rare, the rarest of them all, and the fascinating story of its origins spins a tantalizing web. They suspect they may have a treasure, but whose is it? It’s plain to see their relationship was strained to begin with, but the tension rises to unbearable heights over such a fabulous prize. 

Jackie is determined to learn more about the stamps. Her quest leads her to the stamp shop of the aloof and nerdy Phil (Eric Thompson). She also meets long-time collector Dennis (Peter Downey) who shows an unusual interest in both Jackie and her stamps. The men soon arrange a clandestine meeting to introduce Jackie to their associate, the crafty and ruthless Sterling (John Craven). He proves to be a man with lots of money but few scruples.  

John Craven, Peter Downey, Eric Thompson

Award-winning playwright Theresa Rebeck’s work is widely produced throughout the United States and abroad. Her impressive resume also includes writing and producing for a number of popular television shows like NYPD Blue and Law and Order. Mauritius was originally produced in New York City at the Biltmore Theatre in 2007 and won a number of awards. Rebeck’s background in mystery and crime drama is evident in Mauritius’ tightly-written, punchy storyline.

The dialogue crackles with lightning-bolt exchanges between the characters. Niernberger delivers a fine-tuned, edgy performance as the frustrated and demoralized Jackie. For her, the precious stamps represent freedom from her repressed life after years of caring for her dying mother with no help from her absent half-sister. Prebilich presents Mary as a somewhat snooty, irritating person with a sense of entitlement and superiority. Thompson and Downey give superb performances, but it’s the charismatic John Craven that looms large as the sinister Sterling.

Subtle touches by director Elizabeth Craven makes the show fun to watch. There are allusions to activities happening offstage between the scenes, with sly surprises in store. The show does drag a bit in spots, especially in the first act when the character relationships are being established, and we begin to learn just how much these folks’ lives could change because of a tiny piece of paper. The scene changes also seem to slow the play down, instead of allowing the action to flow smoothly. But there’s enough energy and spellbinding suspense, propelled by the fine cast, to make this a highly watchable and unforgettable show. You’ll never look at stamps quite the same way again.

When: Now through October 13, 2013

8:00 p.m Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays

5:00 p.m. Sundays

8:00 p.m. Thursday shows “Pay What You Will”

Tickets $15 to $25

 

Main Stage West

104 North Main Street

Sebastopol, CA 95472

(707) 823-0177

www.mainstagewest.com

Oct 05 2013
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Shocktoberfest 14 at Thrillpeddlers’ Hypnodrome a bloody/scary/humorously good show

By Kedar K. Adour, Uncategorized

 

Shocktoberfest 14: Jack the Ripper- An Evening of Horror, Madness, Spanking and Song. Thrillpeddlers at the Hypnodrome, 575 10th St.(Bryant & Division Streets) San Francisco 94103.Tickets are available at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/445136or for info call 415/ 377- 4202

Shocktoberfest 14 at Thrillpeddlers’ Hypnodrome  a bloody/scary/humorously good show

It’s that time of year when San Francisco’s unique and bizarre Grand Guignol Theatre slaps together a raucous, rowdy, raunchy, chilling, and gross or pick your own adjective evening of Shocktoberfest. Thrillpeddlers (www.thrillpeddlers.com) have been performing their unique brand of horror and fetish theatre in San Francisco since 1991 and Shocktoberfest has been in their repertoire since 1999 and if you do the math this is number 14 hence the title. This time around they are “honoring” the 125th anniversary of Jack the Ripper’s life.

Just in case you don’t remember . . . sorry, you don’t know about Jack the Ripper here is a brief synopsis of what that nefarious person did in 1888 London. In the seedy Whitechapel area of East London, he stalked, cut the throats and mutilated the abdominal organs of prostitutes (female not male). Because of his surgical and anatomical knowledge it was postulated he was a surgeon. He was never caught.

In 1934 a play Jack the Ripper by André de Lorde & Pierre Chaine was performed for Le Theatre du Grand Guignol in Paris. At the Hypnodrome this is the version that brings to life (and death) of what might have happened to Jack. Naughty Jack leaves a note pinned to his 5th victim telling the police that his next crime will occur in eight days in Whitechapel. Inspector Smithson (the elegant Norman McLeod) and devious Chief Inspector Richards (Jack Crow with a terrible English accent) bring in Dr. Nichols (the professional Jack Flaw) a ‘specialist’ in criminal profiling. The Bobbies con an incarcerated prostitute (beautiful Bruna Palmeiro) into being bait for Jack. Bad idea, especially since Richards is a devious sort. Why is it a bad idea?: Because Edith ends up dead with her bloody intestines actually spilling out on the stage. Never fear, justice prevails and Jack actually ends up hanging around.

Before Thrillpeddlers act out the piece-de-résistance discussed above they reach back into history and pull out the 1888 A Visit to Mrs. Birch and the Young Ladies of the Academy and perform the “brief” opening scene that acts out ‘Birchen Discipline’,  the art of discipline spanking. Horrors!! Three nasty young ladies where (Michelle Louise, Zelda Koznofski and  Bruna Palmeiro) pull down the briefs (they were called knickers in those days) and each take turns whipping  Sally’s (Julia McArthur) bare bottom. Hopefully the black and blue marks on Macarthur’s bottom are stage makeup and not real bruises.

Bruna Palmeiro, Michelle Louise, Julia McArthur, and Zelda Koznofski in “A Visit to Mrs. Birch and the
Young Ladies of the Academy

After intermission we are treated to Salome an original musical satire by Scrumbly Koldewyn an original and surviving Cockette. The always inventive and satirically inclined Scrumbly is at his best with the take-off on Oscar Wilde’s classic. The scene is Mrs. Taylor’s bawdy house where the drunken boys (wearing excessive cod-pieces) are entertained with dance and song by Salome (Noah Haydon is beautiful in drag) while King Herod (John Flaw) drools. Blood flows again from the severed head of John the Baptist . . . and my gosh and horrors, Salome kisses his lips!

The final set piece gets the full treatment in the world premiere of The Wrong Ripper; or Headline Noose; or, Pageant for the Handsome Accused. Rob Keefe inspired by the double murder of Blanche Lamont and Minnie Williams, which took place in 1895 at San Francisco’s Emanuel Baptist Church.  The similarity to the Jack the Ripper case produced a media circus and the SF Chronicle and Examiner vied for circulation superiority. It has a great cast including John Flaw and the three chorines, drag queen Noah Haydon, Tina Sogliuzzo and Bruna Palmeiro. Yes, of course there is blood but telling where and how would spoil the denouement.

John Flaw and TJ Buswell in “The Wrong Ripper

And as usual the evening ends with and their signature “Lights-Out Spook-Show Finale.” As the audience filed out of the theatre you could see heads shaking and questions being asked, “What the hell was that all about” and “what can they do next year?” The entire cast puts out a great deal of effort, and although there are uneven performances, the whole package is laudable from the choreography (Noah Hayden), costumes designers, directors and back stage crew. (Running time 2 hours and 30 minutes making it difficult to sustain interest for the entire evening).

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com.

 All photos by www.davidallenstudio.com

 

Oct 02 2013
Love0

Farah Goes Bang

By Mill Valley Film Festival
[rating=8]

road trip buddy comedy, sex farce, chick flick
US, 2013, English, 90 minutes, color

description
Farah Mahtab, a woman in her 20s, tries to lose her virginity while campaigning across America for presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004. Farah and her friends K.J. and Roopa follow the campaign trail across historic Route 66 on their way to Ohio, the central battleground state of 2004, seizing control of this charged moment in their lives and the life of their country. Roopa aspires to a job in politics, K.J. brawls her way through a personal motivation to end the war in Iraq, and Farah struggles to locate not just her desirability, but her desire. Though they’re advised to focus on “purple” states where Kerry stands a chance of winning, they naively campaign in states like Texas. We know how the election turns out–but will Farah meet her personal goal for their American odyssey?

farahgoesbang_tkt.jpg

contributors
cast Nikohl Boosheri, Kandis Erickson, Kiran Deol, Michael Steger, Samrat Chakrabarti, Lyman Ward
director Meera Menon
producers Laura Goode, Danielle Firoozi, Erica Fishman, Liz Singh
screenwriters Meera Menon, Laura Goode
cinematographer Paul Gleason
editors Meera Menon, Kate Hickey

summary review
Funny, interesting, filled with a number of interesting themes and ideas. Very well produced with good production values. Quite remarkable for a first film.

ratings
script/story [rating=8]
acting [rating=9]
cinematography [rating=8]
technical quality [rating=8]
afterglow [rating=8]
[rating=0]
Overall [rating=8]

 

trailer

see imDB info here

Farah Goes Bang