Reviewed by Suzanne and Greg Angeo

Photo courtesy of Sonoma State University Department of Theatre Arts & Dance

A Night With the Living Dead

Strangely beautiful and eerie images fill the stage in SSU’s mesmerizing production of The Ghost Sonata at the Evert B. Person Theatre. Written in 1907 by tormented Swedish playwright August Strindberg, it was first staged in his own Intimate Theater in Stockholm the following year. It is one of the earliest examples of Expressionistic Theatre, where time, space and reality bend to the creative will of  the playwright and director.  For this reason, The Ghost Sonata is rarely seen, due to the difficulty in conveying the story’s meaning, which is enclosed in a dreamlike shroud.

The plot involves a young Student who appears to be fascinated by the people living in a fine house. An Old Man in a wheelchair that he meets outside has the key that will unlock the mystery of what goes on in the house. Its inhabitants include a screeching banshee-like woman called The Mummy who was once a young and beautiful wife; her husband The Colonel with secrets of his own, and their pretty daughter, “The Young Lady”. The action onstage is almost entirely in reaction to prior events that the audience has not seen, and so live on in the characters’ memories. They are all living in the past, focused on sordid deeds and revenge, a kind of living death that has many parallels in people we all know. There is a vampire-like Cook that drains the essence of life from those around her, servants wearing half-masks and a black-clad figure that emerges to project images of faces and fire.

The ensemble performance by the student cast is superb.  Connor Pratt as The Student has a magnetic stage presence and moves gracefully through the dreamscape. Also noteworthy is Cassandra Slagle as The Mummy, a frenzied shadow of her former self. The Old Man, played by David O’Connell, is also a well-done and compelling performance. Creative direction and staging by Judy Navas brings it all together with surreal set design (by Anthony Bish) and highly imaginative costumes (by Michelle Dokos). Elements of Japanese Noh Theatre are added for good measure

The inventive use of black light lends an otherworldly appearance to furniture and props that at times appear to float through the air. Heavy fog, thunderclaps and strobe-lightening provide an unsettled, stormy atmosphere. Music in the third scene recalls “Twin Peaks” by David Lynch, who could have been inspired by Strindberg.

The Ghost Sonata is one of the most successful efforts by SSU to present original, entertaining theatre. Like a musical sonata, the story has no beginning, middle or end. It’s a challenging piece that was delightfully well-executed. Hopefully it will be presented again with a longer run so more will be able to enjoy its free-form, Expressionistic pleasures.

When: Through November 9, 2013

7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $10 to $17

Location: Evert B. Person Theatre at Sonoma State University

1801 E. Cotati Ave.
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
Phone: 707-664-4246

Website: www.sonoma.edu/theatreanddance/productions

Coming up at SSU:

Mega Hot Lava New Play Festival

By SSU Students
Curated by Scott Horstein

November 14-16, 2013
Studio 76, Ives Hall

Original script-in-hand readings of new short plays from SSU’s playwrights of tomorrow! Who knows what this year’s festival will bring?

Reviewed by Suzanne and Greg Angeo

Photos by Eric Chazankin

Fanciful, Fun Brigadoon

Brigadoon, the latest in a series of musical offerings at the Spreckels Performing Arts Center, is a pleasant diversion from modern cares. Its irresistible score by Frederick Loewe, coupled with  enchanting lyrics and story by Alan Jay Lerner, has been a crowd-pleaser since it first opened on Broadway in 1947. The glorious 1954 film directed by Vincente Minelli, starring Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse, cemented Brigadoon’s reputation as a dazzling romantic fantasy.

The story begins one summer day in 1946. Two big-city American pals, Tommy and Jeff, are on a hunting vacation in the wilderness highlands of Scotland. They stumble across a tiny village that emerges dreamlike from the mist and seems to be from another time. Intrigued, Tommy and Jeff are drawn into the village and the festivities surrounding a wedding that day. They soon find themselves involved with the townsfolk, especially two young ladies. But there is something very odd about this village; because of a miracle performed by their pastor, each night while the villagers sleep, a century passes. The kindly folks of Brigadoon are now two  nights and 200 years into their future, with no end in sight. There will be another sunset, and another century. No villager may ever leave; otherwise Brigadoon will vanish into the mists of time, forever lost. The two men leave just before the sun goes down and return to New York City, but Tommy has fallen in love and is under Brigadoon’s spell. He longs to return, remembering the words of the village schoolmaster Mr Lundie: “If ye love someone deeply, anything is possible.”

According to an old theater saying, to make a musical believable, you sing when you can no longer speak, and you dance when you can no longer walk. This allows for the illusion of logic in an illogical situation. It offers a seamless emotional and physical transition for both performer and audience. It’s tough to pull off, to say the least. In their undertaking of Brigadoon, the Spreckels Theatre Company makes an ambitious effort, and for the most part, succeeds.

Following a traditional musical formula, Brigadoon revolves around three romances. We have the lead couple, Tommy and Fiona, played by Tyler Costin and Lauren Siler. The comic partners are Jeff and Meg, played by William Thompson and Heather Buck. The betrothed couple at the foundation of the story is Charlie and Jean, played by Sean O’Brien and Abbey Lee.

When watching someone perform, there’s a little thrill of goosebumps when you see exceptional talent, and that thrill happens whenever O’Brien takes the stage. His powerful,  lyric Irish tenor voice is easily the best of the show, especially in the numbers “I’ll Go Home With Bonnie Jean” and “Come to Me, Bend to Me”. Lee plays his beloved Jean, and she delivers a strong, sympathetic performance with a fine voice. While Costin’s Tommy doesn’t seem quite the type to be roaming the highlands in search of big game, he’s got winsome appeal in the role, and a pleasant singing voice. Thompson as his sidekick Jeff provides the right amount of comic relief and bewilderment at Meg’s advances. Played by Buck, the boisterous Meg is a treat to watch, with her strong voice, clumsy eagerness and sincere infatuation with Jeff.  Siler as Fiona is lovely and confident in her role, but her singing is pitchy in spots, although she was good in her duets with Costin.

Supporting cast performances are also uneven. Dwayne Stincelli is appropriately wise and wonderful in the small role  of Mr Lundie. Connor Figurate plays the jealous Harry Beaton with physical grace, especially in his execution of the Sword Dance, but his performance lacks the necessary anger and menace. The same can be said of a number of other performances; technically good but lacking a certain inner fire, or sense of urgency.

The 20-piece orchestra, directed by Cynthia Heath, does very well with the challenging score, despite occasional off notes. Choreographer Michella Snyder did a good job with the complex numbers, but some of the dances lacked uniformity and maybe just need more rehearsal time. There were some really excellent clan dances that seemed true to the period and people. Also lending an authentic feel to the show are the colorful plaid tartans, brought all the way from Scotland by costume designer Pamela Enz.  Another wardrobe triumph by Enz is the gorgeous 18^th-Century wedding dress worn by bonnie Jean. Overall the costumes are quite wonderfully done.

Director Gene Abravaya makes good use of the theater’s Paradyne system, created by Spreckels to allow up to ten computer-controlled projectors to incorporate still and moving images into the action onstage. For Brigadoon, six of the projectors are used, mostly to provide a natural-looking backdrop for  village, forest and city. This gives a bright, dimensional look to the stage. However, it would have been a more dramatic effect if a critical scene near the end of the show could have shown the dwindling light of the setting sun. For some reason the light did not appear to change much during this scene. A more original use of Paradyne is seen in projected musical  film sequences representing flashback memories, but they were out of sync. Whether this was by accident or design is open for interpretation. Regardless, the effect is interesting and unlike anything you’ll see on any North Bay stage. The fog machine is often busy pumping out Scottish mist, sometimes a bit thickly, but it’s a fun effect and well-applied.

Brigadoon is an exhilarating show, nicely staged and choreographed. It’s perhaps not as cohesive as other recent musicals at Spreckels, and perhaps the Paradyne system could have been put to better use, but the show is well worth seeing.

When: Now through October 27, 2013

7:30 p.m. Thursday October 24

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

Photos courtesy of Main Stage West

Beware the Stampsters

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.  

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

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

Photos by Eric Chazankin

 

Misery Loves Company

“Happy” by acclaimed English playwright Robert Caisley is one of the most provocative, powerful and disturbing new plays ever presented at 6^th Street Playhouse. Caisley is now based at the University of Idaho teaching theatre, film and dramatic writing. One of his earlier plays, “Front”, received the 1996 Kennedy Center/Fourth Freedom Forum Award for playwriting. Both “Front” and “Happy” have been picked up for publication by the Samuel French Company. Now, in a series of openings called a “rolling world premiere”, four American theaters – the Montana Rep in Missoula, the New Theatre in Miami Florida, 6^th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa, and New Jersey Rep in Long Branch – are each in turn presenting unique productions of this original play over the 2012-2013 season. These premieres are in collaboration with the National New Play Network, which allows the playwright time to refine his work after seeing it produced with different directors and casts.

The tale unfolds in the city loft of offbeat Spanish artist Eduardo, which is lavishly decorated with modern sculpture pieces and paintings. He has invited his longtime friends Alfred and wife Melinda over for a simple dinner and conversation, and to meet his newest lady love, the young and beautiful Eva. Alfred arrives early, with Melinda still on her way and Eduardo nowhere in sight. Only Eva is at home, and it’s not long before we realize this will not be your typical evening of casual chit-chat. Eva launches immediately into a series of pathological cat-and-mouse mind games, slinking about the stage in a bath towel and gulping tumblers full of gin. She zeroes in with laser-like precision on what she perceives as Alfred’s “fake” sense of contentment with his life. Eva’s apparent mission is to strip away the veneer and make people see “reality”, on her terms. The others soon arrive, but not after some serious damage has been done. Everyone gets a major attitude adjustment after an evening with Eva. She’s a good cook who likes serving up a little sadism with the shish kebab. The story has a compelling build and dramatic flow, but also has an oddly comic tone. The many laugh-inducing moments are a setup for the tragedies to come, and come they do.

Rose Roberts delivers a fearless, tour-de-force performance as the seductive, brutal Eva. From the very beginning, Roberts overwhelms the stage with mesmerizing authority. She reveals Eva’s deep, gut-level pain showing through her own veneer – cruel sarcasm – which she wields like a dagger to cut others down to size. We know this girl will soon end up either in the psycho ward, or in the morgue, and we can’t take our eyes off of her.

Edward McCloud as Alfred has a challenging task. He is forced to turn from blissful unawareness to face the unhappiness of his life head-on, like a car crash that he must survive. We see ourselves in him, which seems to be the intent of the playwright, and the actor has fulfilled this promise. Alfred’s slightly ditzy but lovable wife Melinda is played by Liz Jahren, who brings a delightful sort of new-age earth-mother quality to her character.  Jahren, who works with special-needs students, is able to find an authentic connection with Melinda’s love for their disabled daughter. Eduardo provides comic relief as portrayed by Brian Glenn Bryson, with lots of charm and appeal. Eduardo is an expressive man, with big emotions and big appetites. He serves as the bridge between the cruelty of Eva and the near-delusional optimism of Alfred and Melinda. There is also a vague suggestion that he may have engineered the whole evening, but it’s not clear, and may be one of several elements that needs refinement. “Happy” is a work in progress, and in some respects, it shows.

Lennie Dean is known to 6^th Street audiences for her brilliant work on last season’s original production “Tennessee Menagerie” which was, like “Happy”, performed at 6^th Street’s black box Studio Theater. It features an open thrust stage, which allows the audience a view from three sides. Dean makes us forget how small this stage is. As with “Menagerie”, she employs every corner of the space. She effectively makes use of the combined visual impact of the set and sculpture pieces, and the actors’ movements. The set design by Jesse Dreikosen includes original artwork by internationally recognized sculptor Boback Emad and other artists. Many of the set pieces are for sale, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit 6^th Street. Splendid lighting design by April George and costumes by Liz Smith provide the perfect environmental touches.

We all know someone like Eva, or Eduardo, or Alfred and Melinda. Whether anyone is happy or not, who can say? Some believe that happiness is freedom from all desire. Some, like Eva, believe you can’t be happy unless you drag everyone around you down to your level. As it turns out, happiness, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. “Happy” will certainly make you think about it, long after you walk out of the theater.

When: Now through April 21, 2013

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

2:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Tickets: $10 to $25

Location: Studio 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

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