Judy Richter

By Judy Richter

Life is bleak for the characters in “A Bright New Boise,” being given its Bay Area premiere by Aurora Theatre Company in Berkeley.

At the center of this two-act play by Samuel D. Hunter is Will (Robert Parsons), who has just been hired to work at Hobby Lobby, a big-box craft store in Boise, Idaho. The 43-year-old Will doesn’t seem fazed by earning only $7.25 an hour and working only 38 hours, not enough for benefits.

Quiet and unassuming at first, Will is vague about his background, but it’s eventually revealed that he belonged to a northern Idaho evangelical church recently tainted by scandal. Still, Will fervently believes that the Rapture is at hand and that he and other believers will ascend to Heaven while everyone else is left to suffer dire calamities.

Will has another reason to show up at Hobby Lobby. He wants to connect with his teenage son, Alex (Daniel Petzold), who works there and who was given up for adoption early in infancy.

Alex fancies himself as something of a performance artist, but he’s actually an emotional mess, a youth subject to panic attacks and threats of suicide. He doesn’t take kindly to the thought of Will as his father.

Alex’s adoptive brother, the older Leroy (Patrick Russell), also works at Hobby Lobby. He’s an openly defiant young man, sporting T-shirts with crude or obscene messages. He’s also protective of Alex and suspicious of Will.

Another misfit at Hobby Lobby is Anna (Megan Trout), a painfully withdrawn high school dropout. She hides in the store at closing time and reads in the break room because she’s not allowed to read at home.

All of them are supervised by Pauline (Gwen Loeb), the foul-mouthed but apparently competent store manager.

Richard Olmsted’s set, complemented by Stephanie Buchner’s lighting, reflects the bleakness of the characters’ lives, while Matt Stines’ sound establishes ambience. Costumes are by Maggie Whitaker.

Although this production is well done under the direction of Tom Ross, the play leaves many questions unanswered. There’s not much in the way of back stories for these characters, especially Anna.

Nevertheless, the production holds one’s attention, and the acting is top notch. Parsons is especially impressive as Will, subtly revealing the character’s intense inner conflicts as well as his hope for salvation.

“A Bright New Boise” will continue at Aurora Theatre, 2081 Addison St., Berkeley, through Dec. 8. For tickets and information, call (510) 843-4822 or visit www.auroratheatre.org.

Judy Richter

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By Judy Richter

You don’t need a lucky roll of the dice to come out a winner at Broadway By the Bay’s production of “Guys and Dolls.”

Even though this musical has been around since its Broadway premiere in 1950, it remains fresh and vibrant in the creative hands of the versatile Molly Bell, who directs and choreographs this show.

With a book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows based on short stories by Damon Runyon, “Guys and Dolls” features two contrasting love stories set in New York City in the late 1940s.

The first couple is comprised of gambler Nathan Detroit (David Mister), proprietor of the “oldest, established, permanent floating, crap game in New York,” and Miss Adelaide (Mary Kalita), the featured singer-dancer at the Hot Box night club. Even though she doesn’t approve of gambling, they’ve been engaged for 14 years.

The other couple has just met. She is Sarah Brown (Kelly Britt), an earnest missionary at the Save-A-Soul Mission. He is Sky Masterson (Jack Mosbacher), a footloose but successful gambler who will bet on almost anything.  

Needing $1,000 for a place for his crap game, Nathan bets Sky that he can’t convince Sarah to go toHavana with him. Nathan loses the bet, and of course Sky and Sarah are smitten until Sarah finds out about the bet.

Bets influence other plot elements, but all turns out well in the end. In the meantime, the audience is treated to a string of Frank Loesser’s hit songs. Some of them include the title song along with “I’ll Know,” “If I Were a Bell,” “A Bushel and a Peck,” “Luck Be a Lady” and “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.”

The opening number, “Fugue for Tinhorns,” might not be as familiar, but it’s a hit as staged by Bell and sung by three of Nathan’s gambling buddies: Nicely-Nicely Johnson (Alex Rodriguez), Benny Southstreet (Adam Cotugno) and Rusty Charlie (Ryan Mardesich).

All four lead actors are highly appealing, especially Mister as the often flustered Nathan and Mosbacher as the determined Sky. Like the two men, Britt is a good singer. Kalita is a terrific dancer, but the character’s dumb blond persona and fast-talking, heavyNew York accent are detracting factors.

Among the supporting actors, Rodriguez, an accomplished dancer, is outstanding as Nicely-Nicely. He helps to lead the way in Bell’s inventive choreography.

Musical director Dolores Duran-Cefalu’s orchestra got off to a shaky start on opening night but redeemed itself thereafter. She also does a fine job of shaping the ensemble singing, especially the men in “”The Oldest Established.”

Margaret Toomey’s set is simple and flexible, enabling quick scene changes, and many of her costumes, especially for the Hot Box Girls, are colorfully creative. Jon Hayward’s sound design is effective except for an opening night glitch that silenced Sarah’s microphone in her “Marry the Man Today” scene with Adelaide.

Thanks in large part to Bell and a stellar cast, this is one of BBB’s most successful outings in recent memory.

“Guys and Dolls” will continue at the Fox Theatre, 2215 Broadway St., Redwood City, through Nov. 17. For tickets and information, call (650) 579-5565 or visit www.broadwaybythebay.org.

Judy Richter

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By Judy Richter

A polite effort by two couples to deal with the aftermath of a playground fight between their 11-year-old sons quickly goes downhill in “God of Carnage,” presented by Palo Alto Players.

Running about 80 minutes without intermission, Yasmina Reza’s hilarious, cutting comedy won the 2009 Tony Award for Best Play. It’s easy to see why in PAP’s finely tuned production directed by Jeanie K. Smith. The show gets a few extra laughs because PAP sets it inPalo Alto with some local references.

As the play opens, Michael and Veronica Novak (Todd Wright and Betsy Kruse Craig) are playing hosts to Alan and Annette Raleigh (Scott Solomon and Melissa O’Keefe), whom they hadn’t known previously.

Michael deals in wholesale products for the home, and Veronica is an art historian specializing inAfrica. Alan is a lawyer, and Annette is a wealth manager.

The Novaks are concerned because the Raleighs’ son hit their son in the mouth with a stick and broke two front teeth. At the very least, the Novaks want the Raleigh boy to apologize, but his parents don’t know if he’s sorry.

Alan’s cell phone frequently interrupts the conversation, much to everyone’s growing annoyance. He’s worried about the possibility of adverse publicity about a drug made by one of his clients.

One thing leads to another with subtle digs and sarcasms becoming less subtle and more biting. Not only are the two couples arguing with each other, but each couple begins battling, dredging up long-held resentments. Things only get worse when a bottle of rum enters the picture.

Smith has directed this fine ensemble cast to react with both words and actions, even if it’s only a slight change of posture or a look of dismay. Everyone is fully involved, making the resulting mayhem credible.

Kuo-Hao Lo designed the comfortable living room set, complemented by Selina Young’s lighting and Gordon Smith’s sound. The character-specific costumes are by Shannon Maxham.

The program cover calls this play “a brilliant comedy of manners … without the manners.” Add “and with lots of laughs,” and you have an apt description.

“God of Carnage” will continue at the Lucie Stern Theater, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, through Nov. 17. For tickets and information, call (650) 329-0891 or visit www.paplayers.org.

Judy Richter

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By Judy Richter

Music is the international language, and it speaks most eloquently in “The Pianist of Willesden Lane,” presented by Berkeley Repertory Theatre.

This 90-minute, one-woman music-drama features concert pianist Mona Golabek as her mother, Lisa Jura, a young Austrian pianist who survived the horrors of World War II, thanks to her musical talent as well as her courage and grit. Jura went on to become a concert pianist and to give piano lessons to her two daughters in theUnited States.

In partnership with Lee Cohen, Golabek told her mother’s remarkable story in a book, “The Children of Willesden Lane.” In turn, it was adapted as a play by Hershey Felder, who also directs. BRT audiences will recall Felder’s recent memorable performance in his own one-man show, “George Gershwin Alone.”

The story begins inViennain 1938 when Lisa learned that her piano teacher could no longer teach the 14-year-old Jewish girl because the Nazis had forbidden such interactions. With the Nazis becoming ever more menacing against Jews, Lisa’s father secured the document necessary to send one of his three daughters to relative safety inEngland in 1940. Lisa was chosen to take part in Kindertransport, an operation that rescued thousands of children, most of them Jewish, and sent them from the Continent to foster families, hostels, group homes or farms throughout England.

Lisa was sent to an estate outside of London, but when she was told that the piano there was only for show, not for making music, she ran away to London. There she wound up in a Willesden Lane hostel that was home to more than two dozen children. She was put to work in a factory sewing military uniforms, but she continued to play piano, enchanting her friends and the staff at the hostel. All the while, she had no idea what had happened to her parents and sisters back inVienna.

The tale goes on to relate how she survived the Blitzkrieg, including a direct hit on the hostel, managed to find another piano teacher and eventually had a chance to audition for a scholarship at London’s Royal Academy of Music. She also got a job playing for soldiers on leave in a swank hotel, where she met her future husband.

As Golabek relates her mother’s story, she intersperses it with virtuoso playing of musical greats like Beethoven, Debussy, Chopin, Bach and others. The unifying work is Grieg’s challenging Piano Concerto in A minor, with the first movement opening the performance, the second movement coming in the middle and the third movement providing the dramatic climax.

Her narrative is illustrated by photos and newsreel clips assembled by Andrew Wilder and Greg Sowizdrzal and projected onto the four gilded picture frames suspended over the set designed by Felder and Trevor Hay. Lighting by Christopher Rynne and sound by Erik Carstensen add to the drama. Golabek’s simple black dress is by Jaclyn Maduff.

Several excellent articles in the program provide relevant information about the events surrounding World War II.

Although Golabek is a musician first and an actress second, her story is so compelling and moving and her performance so brilliant that one is quickly captivated. It’s a truly unforgettable theatrical experience.

“The Pianist of Willesden Lane” will continue through Dec. 8 at Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s Thrust Stage, 2025 Addison St., Berkeley. For tickets and information, call (510) 647-2949 or visit www.berkeleyrep.org.

Judy Richter

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By Judy Richter

Checking books that have been returned overnight, an unassuming Dutch librarian found an annotated travel guide that was 113 years overdue.

Curious about who had had it all that time, he set off on a quest that took him to far off places in “Underneath the Lintel” by Glen Berger. Presented by American Conservatory Theater and directed by its artistic director, Carey Perloff, this one-man, one-act, 90-minute play features David Strathairn as the character known only as the Librarian.

As the play begins in the here and now, the somewhat rumpled Librarian (costume by Jessie Amoroso) apparently is in an old theater (versatile set by Nina Ball) giving a lecture about his discoveries. One by one he reveals the bits of evidence that led him on his trail of discovery, starting in 1986.

In the book, for example, was a 1913 receipt from a London dry cleaner. Other places from around the world cropped up. Slides and projections by Alexander V. Nichols, who also designed the lighting, help to illustrate some of his points. Sound by Jake Rodriguez also enhances the production.

Along the line, he began to suspect that his elusive subject is none other than the legendary Wandering Jew. After losing his library job because he was gone so long on his travels, he’s become rootless, similar to the Wandering Jew, albeit for a different reason.

Despite the elements of mystery in this tale, it tends to drag. Perhaps it needs cutting. Perhaps Strathairn needs to add depth to his performance or be directed to pace it differently.

The end result is a moderately interesting evening of theater.

“Underneath the Lintel” has been extended through Nov. 23 at ACT’s Geary Theater, 415 Geary St., San Francisco. For tickets and information, call (415) 749-2228 or visit www.act-sf.org..

Judy Richter

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Despite some significant obstacles, two gay men fall in love and manage to stay together for some five years before a crisis intervenes.

In Geoffrey Nauffts’ “Next Fall,” presented by San Jose Repertory Theatre, one obstacle is that the 40ish Adam (Danny Scheie) is about 20 years older than Luke (Adam Shonkwiler). A greater obstacle is that Adam is a nonbeliever while Luke is a fundamentalist Christian. The age difference results mainly in lighthearted teasing, but the religious difference is tougher.

And there’s one more problem: Luke hasn’t come out to his divorced parents. Therefore, when Luke is hit by a taxi and hospitalized, they can’t understand why Adam is so insistent on seeing Luke.

It may be that Luke’s fundamentalist, bigoted father, Butch (James Carpenter), could have an inkling that Luke is gay, but he won’t acknowledge it, not even to himself. Having been a free spirit in her younger days, Luke’s mother, Arlene (Rachel Harker), probably would be more accepting if she knew.

The action shifts between the present in the hospital and the past, starting with the night that Luke and Adam met and continuing at various times in their relationship. One constant in their lives is Holly, a straight friend who owns the candle shop where they have worked. As portrayed by Lindsey Gates, Holly is funny, supportive and straightforward, a kind of rock for them.

The play’s sixth character is Brandon (Ryan Tasker), Luke’s Christian friend who’s even less accepting of his own homosexuality.

Director Kirsten Brandt guides the talented cast with a sensitive hand, allowing the humor to come through and stressing poignancy rather than pathos. Playing Adam, Scheie, a veteran Bay Area actor who often plays over-the-top characters, shows deeper emotions here while allowing some of his comedic skills to come through.

Shonkwiler’s Luke is a fun guy most of the time, but as a believer in heaven and hell, he’s worried about Adam’s fate. He’s also worried about coming out to his father. When Butch says he’s coming toNew York from his Florida home, Luke tries to “de-gay” the apartment he shares with Adam and asks Adam to leave for a few hours. This leads to one of the play’s best scenes when Luke goes out on an errand and Butch arrives early, leading to an uncomfortable first meeting between him and Adam. Carpenter, another veteran Bay Area actor, plays well off Scheie in this scene and others.

More fine acting comes from Harker as Arlene, especially when she tells Adam about how she tried to reach out to a young Luke after being absent from most of his life.

Scenic designer Annie Smart’s set easily adapts to shifting scenes, as do Cathleen Edwards’ costumes. Lighting by Dawn Chiang and sound by Steve Schoenbeck enhance this Bay Area premiere of the Tony-nominated play.

“Next Fall” will continue at San Jose Repertory Theatre, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, through Nov. 10. For tickets and information, call (408) 367-7255 or visit www.sanjoserep.com.

Judy Richter

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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.

Judy Richter

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Judy [rating:3] (3/5 stars)

By Judy Richer

William Shakespeare’s “The Winter’s Tale” is a story of miraculous reunion and redemption after a long period of atonement.

People who aren’t familiar with the play would scarcely discern that theme in California Shakespeare Theater’s production, called “A Winter’s Tale.” Director Patricia McGregor conceives the play as presented by a traveling troupe with a small group of players.

Therefore, everyone plays multiple roles. That’s not unusual in contemporary Shakespearean productions, but it presents a serious problem here.

L. Peter Callender is first seen as Leontes, king ofSicily. He later is seen as a Bohemian shepherd who, in the play’s climax, travels to Sicilyto reveal crucial information.

However, since he can’t be two characters at once, this production cuts this scene, instead glossing over it with a hasty, almost incomprehensible narrative. Hence, the power and emotion of the final scenes are diluted.

In another misstep, an audience member is asked to play Time, who opens the second act and explains what has happened during the 16 years between the opening scenes in Sicilyand the following scenes in Bohemia. This narrative would be better delivered by an actor.

The director also has Autolycus, the roguish cutpurse played by Christopher Michael Rivera, grabbing too often at his crotch a la Michael Jackson.

The story focuses on Leontes and his pregnant wife, Hermione (Omozé Idehenre), who have been hosting the king’s longtime friend, Polixenes (Aldo Billingslea), king of Bohemia. Eager to return home, Polixenes spurns Leontes’ invitation to stay longer, but acquiesces when Hermione asks him.

Their conversation ignites an insane jealousy in Leontes, who accuses his wife of adultery, has her arrested and rejects their young son. After she gives birth to a daughter, he orders a courtier to abandon the baby in some forlorn place. When he is told that both his wife and son have died, he suddenly relents and begins a long period of regret and mourning.

In the meantime, the shepherd finds the baby and raises her as his daughter, Perdita (Tristan Cunningham). When she turns 16, she’s being wooed by Florizel (Tyee Tilghman), son of Polixenes.

When Polixenes learns of their courtship, he cruelly orders his son to give her up or be disowned. As was the case with Leontes 16 years earlier, Polixenes’ reaction is too extreme.

However, thanks to the shepherd, who knows that Perdita is a princess, she has a joyful meeting with her father, and Florizel is reconciled with his father.

Then the real miracle occurs. Paulina (Margo Hall), a lady in waiting, brings out a lifelike statue of Hermione, who comes to life before everyone. This production omits some lines that reveal what happened to her during the 16 years.

Although most of the principals do well, Callender is outstanding as his Leontes descends into irrational jealousy. On the other hand, Idehenre sometimes speaks so fast that her Hermione is difficult to understand. Similar problems occur sporadically with other characters.

Cal Shakes has been trying to reach out to more diverse audiences, as evidenced by this production, but in this case with this director, the Bard is not well served.

This production will continue through Oct. 20 at the 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.

Judy Richter

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

By Judy Richter

“Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” alludes to some of Anton Chekhov’s best-known plays, but Christopher Durang gives them his own contemporary spin. In the process, this winner of the 2013 Tony Award for Best Play evokes rounds of laughter.

The first three people in the title are siblings whose literary parents named them after Chekhovian characters. Vanya (Anthony Fusco) and Sonia (Sharon Lockwood), who was adopted, live in the family’s handsome house in Bucks County,Pa. Both in their 50s, Vanya is gay but celibate, while Sonia has never married. They live quiet, going-nowhere lives and often bicker. However, they enjoy looking at ther pond and grove of cherry trees (Sonia calls it an orchard).

Their housekeeper, Cassandra (Heather Alicia Simms), issues prophecies and later shows herself to be well versed in voodoo.

The routine is disrupted by the arrival of their younger sister, Masha (Lorri Holt), a movie actress, who doesn’t reveal her age but who’s probably in her 50s, too. With her is her 29-year-old boyfriend, Spike (Mark Junek) who’s more sexy than smart.

Masha has been invited to their neighbors’ costume party and plans to go as Snow White from the Walt Disney movie. Spike is to be her Prince Charming, and she has brought costumes for Vanya and Sonia to be two of the dwarves. Sonia refuses, saying she’ll go as the evil queen before she turned ugly. Therefore, Masha enlists the neighbors’ niece, Nina (Caroline Kaplan), an aspiring actress who has stopped by to meet her.

Act 2 takes place the next morning, when everyone is nursing a hangover. Vanya and Sonia are upset that Masha, who pays the household expenses, wants to sell the house. This is where Cassandra and her voodoo help out.

In the meantime, Vanya and Nina decide to enact a play that he has written that supposedly is the play written by Konstantin in Chekhov’s “The Seagull.” In a scene that goes on too long, it turns out to be an awful play about the end of humanity when only molecules survive.

Spike, puzzled by it all, texts on his smart phone, eliciting a (too long) diatribe from Vanya, who talks about the good old days of rotary phones, licked postage stamps, Howdy Doody and other icons of the ’50s and ’60s, before the age of electronics and multi-tasking. However, Spike’s transgression leads to a major discovery and important insights for Masha.

In a welcome return to the Bay Area, director Richard E.T. White makes excellent use of three veteran Bay Area actors — Fusco, Lockwood and Holt — along with three relative newcomers. Except for his Act 2 outburst, Fusco’s Vanya is low-key. Much of the humor in his performance comes from just the slightest change in expression. Lockwood’s Sonia tends to complain a lot, but she has great fun wearing her sequined evil queen gown and imitating Maggie Smith.

Holt’s Masha is a self-centered, egotistical woman who has been married and divorced five times, and she can’t understand why she’s had no luck with romance.

Simms earns several bursts of applause as her Cassandra launches into a near-frenzy of predictions along with allusions to the mythological origin of her name. Junek’s athletic Spike takes pride in his sexiness, sweeping Masha into passionate embraces and twice stripping down to his briefs. Kaplan is appropriately wide-eyed and sweet as young Nina.

The action takes place in the comfortable sun room of a handsome stone house typical of Southeastern Pennsylvania (set by Kent Dorsey, complemented by Alexander V. Nichols’  lighting). Highlighted by the hilarious Snow White outfits, the costumes are by Debra Beaver Bauer. Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen created the sound and original music.

The play runs about two hours and 45 minutes with one intermission, but, except for a few scenes, it speeds by with plenty of chances for laughter. You don’t have to be familiar with Chekhov’s plays to enjoy it, but if you are, the fun is all the greater.

“Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” will continue in Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s Roda Theatre through Oct. 25. For tickets and information, call (510) 647-2949 or visit www.berkeleyrep.org.

Judy Richter

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