Judy Richter

By Judy Richter

Sports fans can be a fanatical lot. Some will go to almost any lengths to help their favorite team.

That’s what happens in “Damn Yankees,” presented by Foothill Music Theatre and Foothill Theatre Arts. Frustrated that his beloved Washington Senators baseball team always loses the pennant to the hated New York Yankees, an avid fan says he’d sell his soul to see the Senators come out on top.

The devil incarnate takes him up on the offer. He’ll transform the middle-aged, out-of-shape fan into a young slugger who’ll lead the Senators to victory. The fan agrees, disappearing from his present life and reappearing as a young man with a different name.

Thus “Damn Yankees” illustrates a well known caution: Be careful what you wish for.

That’s what the hero, Joe Boyd (Matt Tipton), learns when he becomes the young Joe Hardy (Daniel Mitchell). Joe leaves behind his wife, Meg Boyd (Mary Melnick), and finds that he misses her more than he ever would have imagined.

The Tony-winning “Damn Yankees” was a smash hit when it opened on Broadway in 1955, and most of its subsequent productions have followed suit. The FMT production is not one of them.

As directed by Tom Gough of the Foothill faculty, it lacks some of the focus and cohesion that have characterized Foothill productions directed by former artistic director Jay Manley, who founded FMT but who recently retired to freelance.

Still, with its large cast of students and community members, the show has some strong qualities. They include performances by several principals, such as Boyd as older Joe, Mitchell as younger Joe and Melnick as Meg. Mitchell acts and sings well, especially in “Goodbye Old Girl,” sweetly sung first by older Joe and then by younger Joe as the transformation takes place.

Melnick is believable as Meg expresses her frustration in “Six Months Out of Every Year,” when her husband and so many others pay more attention to baseball than their wives. She also is convincing in Meg’s steadfast belief that Joe will eventually return.

Also noteworthy is Jeff Clarke as Applegate, the smooth-talking devil who’ll do anything he can to keep younger Joe from returning to his original life. Clarke has fun with “Those Were the Good Old Days,” in which Applegate recalls some of his nefarious deeds through the ages.

Richard Lewis makes a suitably crusty Benny Van Buren, manager of the Senators. His big moment comes in “(You Gotta Have) Heart.” Caitlin Lawrence-Papp does well as Gloria Thorpe, a nosy reporter.

Jen Wheatonfox sings well as Lola, the vamp sent by Applegate to make younger Joe forget Meg.

Choreography by Katie O’Bryon lacks precision and imagination. Musical director Catherine Snider’s orchestra sounds ragged at times.

Margaret Toomey’s scenic design also lacks imagination (or a more generous budget). The costumes are by Janis Bergmann, the lighting by Edward Hunter and the sound (sometimes problematic) by Ken Kilen.

Attending a show at Foothill always is pleasant because the campus is so attractive. Seeing “Damn Yankees” also was pleasant because of the show itself, but it was a bit of a letdown after so many outstanding FMT productions in the past.

“Damn Yankees” will continue in Smithwick Theatre, FoothillCollege, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills, through Aug. 18. For tickets and information, call (650) 949-7360 or visit www.foothillmusicals.com.

Judy Richter

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The incomparable wit of Oscar Wilde takes center stage in Stanford Summer Theater’s production of his ever-popular “The Importance of Being Earnest.” Wilde delighted in skewering English society with one bon mot after another.

Most ably directed by Lynne Soffer, a veteran Bay Area actress who does double duty as dialect coach, this polished gem features Stanford theater students as four would-be lovers and four more experienced actors as their elders.

Taking place in 1895, the play features Austin Caldwell as Algernon Moncrieff, a dapper bachelor who lives in theLondonflat where the first act is set. His friend, Jack Worthing (David Raymond), is in love with Algerenon’s cousin, Gwendolen Fairfax (Ruth Marks). When inLondon, Jack calls himself Earnest, but he goes by Jack at his manor house in the country. Gwendolen wants to marry him because she’s always wanted to be with an Earnest. Of course, there is no Earnest.

Another obstacle is Gwendolen’s mother, Lady Bracknell (the imperious, formidable Courtney Walsh), who opposes the marriage because Earnest (actually Jack) apparently is an orphan.

Jack’s pert ward, Cecily Cardew (Jessica Waldman) lives in his manor house. She believes that when Jack goes toLondon, he’s trying to get his brother, Earnest, out of scrapes.

When Algernon hears about Cecily, he goes to Jack’s home pretending to be Earnest. It’s love at first sight between him and Cecily until Jack shows up in mourning for the death of Earnest. Much confusion ensues, but eventually everything works out to everyone’s satisfaction.

Besides Lady Bracknell, the older generation includes Miss Prism (Kay Kostopoulos), Cecily’s governess and tutor; and the Rev. Canon Chasyble (Marty Pistone). Don DeMico plays both Lane, Algernon’s manservant, and Merriman, Jack’s butler, with unflappable dignity despite all the goings-on.

Besides the actors’ skill, this production is notable for outstanding production values, starting with Erik Flatmo’s set design, which is especially stunning for Algernon’s flat with its elaborate Chinese motifs. Dressed like servants, a three-person student stage crew smoothly accomplishes set changes during the two intermissions.

Connie Strayer’s costume designs are elegant for all of the women and the two younger men. The hats for Lady Bracknell and Gwendolen are works of art in themselves. Lighting is by Michael Ramsaur and sound by Michael St. Clair.

“”The Importance of Being Earnest” is part of Stanford Summer Theater’s 15th season, whose theme is “He’s Funny That Way: Wilde and Beckett.” The Samuel Beckett offering is “Happy Days,” which runs Aug. 15 to 25 in Stanford’s Nitery Theater.The season also includes free film comedies and a symposium. A continuing studies course began earlier in the summer.

For information and tickets, call (650) 725-5838 or visit http://sst.stanford.edu  

Judy Richter

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By Judy Richter

It’s said that clothes make the man, but in many ways, clothes are even more important to a woman.

This becomes abundantly clear in the hilarious “Love, Loss, and What I Wore,” directed by Karen Carpenter and presented by San Jose Repertory Theatre by special arrangement with Daryl Roth.

Two sisters, Delia Ephron and the late Nora Ephron, based the show on the book by Ilene Beckerman and then added some flourishes of their own.

The format is simple: Five actresses, each in black, sit on bar chairs lined up downstage and read from scripts placed on music stands in front of them. During the course of about 100 minutes without intermission, they become various characters who have 28 stories to tell about how clothing played a role in important parts of their lives.

In this production, Dawn Wells plays Ginger, or Gingy, who serves as narrator and who describes her outfits starting with a Brownie uniform and continuing until her 4-year-old granddaughter has fun trying on Grandma’s dresses and shoes. During that span of time, Gingy loses her mother at an early age, gets married and divorced several times and suffers the loss of a child.

Wells is joined onstage by Dee Hoty, Sandra Tsing Loh, Ashley Austin Morris and Zuzanna Szadkowski, who represent different ages and body types.

Szadkowski, a gifted comedienne, provides one of the evening’s highlights with her monologue about purses. Starting with “I hate my purse,” she describes how it has become the repository for necessities as well as flotsam and jetsam like lipstick tubes without tops, spilled Tic Tacs, old receipts and more. Of course, her purse is so stuffed with stuff that she can never find what she’s looking for. But shopping for a new purse is a traumatic ordeal. By the time she had finished her monologue, every woman in the audience was roaring with laughter of recognition.

Other segments involve the women going to their closets to discover they have nothing to wear. Trying on new clothes in a dressing room is another ordeal. Morris, another gifted comedienne, talks about shoes. High heels look great, but they hurt her feet so much that she can’t think. Choosing between looking good and thinking isn’t easy, as she learns.

All five women chime in on their experiences with bras, especially their first bras, a right of passage every woman must endure. Then there’s the ritual of choosing a prom dress.

Hoty has a moving story about a woman who is diagnosed with breast cancer, undergoes reconstructive surgery and gets a strategically placed tattoo to celebrate her recovery.

Loh and Morris team up to talk about two California women choosing wedding attire, a touching segment that ends with them marrying each other.

This 2009 play has been presented throughout the country with the same format. In many cases, one team of star actresses will appear for a short run, followed by another team and so on.

The reason for its success is obvious. Through comedy and poignancy, clothing becomes a metaphor for women’s lives. Women recognize themselves and can laugh at themselves. Men in the audience can enjoy the show, too, because they’ve seen women through some of these experiences.

It’s a great way to laugh long and loud.

It will continue at San Jose Repertory Theatre, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, through July 28. For tickets and information, call (408) 367-7255 or visit www.sjrep.com.

Judy Richter

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By Judy Richter

If left uncorrected, little misunderstandings can lead to big trouble. That’s what happens in “Becky’s New Car,” presented by Dragon Productions.

In this 2008 comedy by Steven Dietz, Rebecca Foster, or Becky, (Mary Lou Torre) works as the office manager in a luxury car dealership. She and her husband, Joe (Ben Ortega), a successful roofer, have been married 28 years and have a 26-year-old son, Chris (Sam Bertken), a psychology major who still lives at home.

Becky’s life has become humdrum until late one afternoon when a wealthy widower, Walter Flood (Kevin Copps), shows up and buys nine cars to give to his employees the next day. He mistakenly assumes that she’s widowed, too, and she doesn’t correct him.

One thing leads to another, and then she’s attending a party at his posh home on an island nearSeattle, where she meets Walter’s adult daughter, Kensington, or Kenni, (Roneet Aliza Rahamim). Soon she’s spending more time there while trying to keep Joe unaware of her activities.

Thanks to a conversation with Steve (Jim Johnson), a salesman at the car dealership, Joe learns what’s happening. That knowledge and a subsequent event put their marriage and commitment to a tough test.

It’s probably no coincidence that Walter and Steve are still grieving for their late wives, though in different ways. Steve is both ridiculous and hilarious as he describes how his wife met her death on a hike with him.

The play’s other middle-aged character, Ginger (Helena G. Clarkson), a friend of Walter, is dealing with her own loss now that her substantial inheritance has evaporated, leaving her impoverished with no employable skills.

At the end, though, Walter, Steve and Ginger all find ways to forge ahead with their lives. Likewise, Joe and Becky manage to deal with the tests their marriage has undergone.

As directed by James Nelson, all of this transpires with laughs and insight. Torre is outstanding as Becky goes through a range of emotions while being onstage for most of the two-act play’s two hours. Thus she provides the glue that holds everything together. Acting by the rest of the cast is somewhat uneven, but not enough to detract from the show’s enjoyment.

Julia Sussner’s set, complemented by Will Poulin’s lighting, works well in the intimate space. The costumes are by Scarlett Kellum, the ambient sound by Lance Huntley.

With its dark and absurdist undertones, “Becky’s New Car” is a fun ride.

It continues at the Dragon Theatre, 2120 Broadway St., Redwood City, through Aug. 4. For tickets and information, call (650) 493-2006 or visit www.dragonproductions.net.

Judy Richter

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By Judy Richter

Launching its 44th season, TheatreWorks takes its audience into possibly unfamiliar territory with the world premiere of “The Loudest Man on Earth” by Catherine Rush.

On its surface, this four-person play tells of a budding, unconventional romance between Haylee, a successful writer, and Jordan, a successful director. Haylee (the excellent Julie Fitzpatrick) is hearing while Jordan is deaf, as is Adrian Blue, the actor who portrays him. Blue, who serves as sign master for the production, is the husband of the playwright, who is hearing.

While the play is not strictly a portrait of their relationship, it does reflect things that have happened to them, Rush says in the program notes.

Haylee has a rudimentary knowledge of American Sign Language when she meets Jordan for the first time and interviews him. As they begin their relationship in New York City, she becomes more adept at understanding him and interpreting for him.

That ability becomes vital when they encounter other people, all well played by Cassidy Brown and Mia Tagano in roles that require versatility and quick changes. These encounters illustrate the gap between hearing and deaf cultures.

Between each scene, Jordanaddresses the audience in monologues of ASL and Visual Vernacular, a combination of ASL and mime. Even though Blue is a highly expressive actor, it’s not always easy to understand him without knowing his language.

On the other hand, there’s another scene in which Brown and Tagano play a Czechoslovakian couple whose language is incomprehensible to Haylee. This scene illustrates the stresses and obstacles that arise when people don’t understand one another’s language.

Director Pamela Berlin keeps the action flowing smoothly, aided by the flexible set by Jason Simms. The production also is enhanced by Tanya Finkelstein’s costumes, Paul Toben’s lighting and Cliff Caruthers’ sound.

Running 95 minutes without intermission, “The Loudest Man on Earth” is TheatreWorks’ latest main stage production to emerge from its annual New Works Festival. This year’s festival features staged readings of two musicals and three plays in rotating repertory from Aug. 10 to 18 at the Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto.

That’s where “The Loudest Man on Earth” will continue through Aug. 4. For tickets and information about the play or New Works Festival, call (650) 463-1960 or visit www.theatreworks.org.

Judy Richter

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By Judy Richter

Staging “Oliver!” calls for a certain amount of ambition because of the challenges presented by Lionel Bart’s 1960 musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ novel “Oliver Twist.”

One challenge is that all the scene changes might interrupt the dramatic flow. Thanks to an adaptable set designed by Jerald Enos, Broadway By the Bay minimizes the lapses. Still, this production directed by Jeffrey Bracco can feel episodic.

Another challenge is that the show requires many children. BBB succeeds on this count because most of the youngsters are somewhat older than one might expect. Hence the opening scene, “Food, Glorious Food,” at the London workhouse gets the show off to a good start.

Oliver Twist, the orphaned title character, is played by 12-year-old Shayan Hooshmand, who does a good job, starting with his memorable opening line, “Please, sir, I want some more,” as he tries to get another helping of the gruel served by the workhouse caretaker, Mr. Bumble (Robert Sholty). He also does well in his primary song, “Where Is Love?”

Later, he joins in on the show’s most successful song, “Who Will Buy?” which starts with five street vendors in haunting counterpoint and ends in a full-fledged production number, well choreographed by Pauline Kanter.

Other musical aspects are more mixed. Part of the problem is that Jon Hayward’s sound design is too loud and tends to distort higher notes. Another is that some principals mistake volume for emotion. Understanding the Cockney accents can be a problem.

Then there’s intonation, especially in “My Name,” sung by the show’s villain, Bill Sykes (Rich Matli). Musical director Samuel Cisneros’s orchestra also has intonation issues.

Back on the plus side is Ryan Mardesich as The Artful Dodger, who finds the runaway Oliver on the streets and takes him to Fagin, who harbors children and teaches them how to pick pockets. Fagin is winningly played by Jef Valentine, who has fun with “Pick a Pocket or Two” and “Reviewing the Situation.”

Dickens wrote “Oliver Twist” as a way to expose how cruelly and thoughtlessly orphans were treated in Victorian England. The musical softens some of those edges, but the basic idea is still there.

After Oliver has the courage to ask for more gruel, Bumble sells him to an undertaker, but Oliver runs away from there after getting into a fight. That’s when The Artful Dodger finds him. Oliver has more adventures after that, and the story ends on both unhappy and happy notes — unhappy for Nancy (Amie Shapiro), Bill’s girlfriend, and happy for Oliver, who winds up with his grandfather, Mr. Brownlow (Ron Dritz).

This production of “Oliver!” represents a milestone for BBB because it’s the first in the company’s long history to use local designers, artistic director Amanda Folena told the opening night audience. Besides the set by Enos, the realistic period costumes are by Margaret Toomey, who also serves as production manager. BBB has rented sets and costumes in the past.

Despite its shortcomings, the opening night production had enough pluses that it received an enthusiastic reception from the audience. It also served as a good introduction for those who have never seen this musical or its 1968 film.

“Oliver!” will continue at the Fox Theatre, 2215 Broadway, Redwood City, through July 12. For tickets and information, call (650) 579-5565 or visit www.broadwaybythebay.org.

Judy Richter

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There’s nothing quite like young love, especially as depicted by William Shakespeare in “Romeo and Juliet.”

Focusing on that aspect of the play for California Shakespeare Theater, director Shana Cooper streamlines her production, starting with the title, condensing it to “Romeo & Juliet.”

She then reduces the cast to seven actors, all of whom, except for the two leads, play multiple characters. Some  characters are eliminated, and others are combined. Finally, she pares the text to mostly good effect, speeding the action while holding the audience rapt.

The familiar story takes place inVerona,Italy, where two families, the Capulets and the Montagues, have been feuding for generations. Street brawls are common.

Hence when young Romeo (Dan Clegg), a Montague, and not-quite-14 Juliet (Rebekah Brockman), a Capulet, fall in love at first sight, there’s not much hope for their romance. Nevertheless, they marry immediately, but because Romeo has killed one of Juliet’s relatives, he’s banished.

They have one night of bliss before Romeo must leave. When plans for them to reunite go awry, their next meeting leads to tragic death for both.

Both Clegg and Brockman embody the youthful impetuousness of their characters. Brockman is outstanding as her Juliet experiences a torrent of emotions.

Also representing the younger generation are Nick Gabriel as Tybalt and Paris, Joseph J. Parks as Mercutio and Arwen Anderson as Benvolio. Donning glasses, Anderson also appears as Lady Capulet, Juliet’s mother.

Representing the older generation are Dan Hiatt and Domenique Lozano. Hiatt plays the kindly Friar Laurence as well as Capulet servant Peter and Lord Capulet, Juliet’s father. Lozano plays Juliet’s caring nurse and Escalus, prince of Verona.

Although Romeo’s parents, Lord and Lady Montague, are relatively minor characters in Shakespeare’s play, they don’t appear in this version. Therefore, a short but crucial scene at the end is eliminated. In that scene, Lord Capulet and Lord Montague discover Romeo and Juliet’s bodies and finally reconcile. They see how much their enmity has cost them.

Design elements enhance the production, starting with Daniel Ostling’s spare set, which is open to the scenic vista behind the stage. Christine Crook’s modern costumes require only minor changes as the actors switch characters. The sound and mood-setting music are by Paul James Prendergast. Lap Chi Chu’s lighting is impressive. On opening night, for example, lights surrounding the stage and beaming upward during the tomb scene bounced off low clouds to create a brightly glowing circle overhead.

Dave Maier deserves credit for his ingenious, scary fight choreography.

For people seeing the play for the first time, this production is crisp, easy to follow, yet full of drama. Those who have seen the play many times will find much to enjoy and even discover because of director Cooper’s insights and creativity as well as a first-rate cast.

“Romeo & Juliet” will continue in Bruns Memorial Amphitheater, 100 California Shakespeare Theater Way (off Highway 24), Orinda, through July 28. For tickets and information, call (510) 548-9666 or visit www.calshakes.org.

Judy Richter

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An already shaky marriage is shaken even more when a third person enters the scene in Neil LaBute’s searing “This Is How It Goes,” presented by Aurora Theatre Company.

The marriage is between Belinda (Carrie Paff, whose character is called Woman in the program), a white woman, and Cody Phipps (Aldo Billingslea), a black man. The third person, called Man (we never learn his real name), is a white man played by Gabriel Marin.

The three of them were in high school together 15 years ago, but Man left their small Midwestern town after graduation, served in the Army, got married and became a lawyer. He returns after losing his job and wife. By chance, he runs into Belinda at a shopping mall and winds up renting an apartment over the Phipps’ garage.

Man also serves as the narrator. Introducing the play, he cautions that his descriptions aren’t necessarily reliable. He even has Cody and Belinda enacting two versions of a scene for which he wasn’t present.

That first meeting between Man and Belinda is understandably awkward, but there’s a spark of attraction that for him began in high school. When he asks Belinda about her marriage, her vagueness signals that all is not right.

The reason becomes apparent when Cody first appears. One of the few blacks in town, he’s a successful businessman who’s proud of his status. He also has a chip on his shoulder and becomes jealous and suspicious of Man.Soon racism becomes a major issue that brings out even more negative behavior and volatility.

This 2005, one-act play runs a swift 100 minutes, thanks to ATC artistic director Tom Ross and his outstanding cast. Along the way it takes numerous twists and turns, some predicated on something as seemingly mundane — in the larger scale of things — as a rare Jackie Robinson baseball trading card.

With his imposing stage presence as Cody, Billingslea embodies the character’s ability to intimidate others, keeping the audience on edge, too. Paff’s Belinda does her best to try to placate him and cater to Man as their guest, but Cody will have none of it. Marin’s Man comes across as garrulous and not always sure of himself, but he does a great job of propelling the story and action.

Kim A. Tolman’s set for the intimate space consists mainly of a back wall covered by sheets of writing, augmented by a few pieces of furniture such as a bench. Kurt Landisman’s lighting design differentiates between Man as narrator and Man as participant. Costumes by Laura Hazlett are notable for Belinda’s attractive outfits. The sound is by Chris Houston.

This is not a play for the faint of heart. It deals directly and sometimes profanely with thorny issues, but it’s also an intelligent, provocative examination of those issues.

“This Is How It Goes” will continue at Aurora Theatre, 2081 Addison St., Berkeley, through July 28. Tickets and information are available by calling (510) 843-4822 or visiting www.auroratheatre.org.

Judy Richter

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By Judy Richter

A husband who deeply loves his wife and who believes his marriage is secure finds his belief shaken by a much younger man who also professes to love his wife.

That’s the premise of “A Minister’s Wife,” a 2011 musical based on “Candida,” a relatively early play by George Bernard Shaw.

In this West Coast premiere presented by San Jose Repertory Theatre, the husband is the 30-something Rev. James Morell (Christopher Vettel), who has become renowned for his eloquent lectures about Christian socialism.

His wife is Candida (Sharon Rietkerk), who returns home with 18-year-old poet Eugene Marchbanks (Tim Homsley) after being gone for a while. Initially quite shy, the idealistic Eugenes oon declares his love for Candida and challenges the practical James to ask her to choose between them.

Like many other Shaw heroines, Candida can be regarded as an early feminist, a woman who has a strong sense of herself and easily asserts herself. She also has a deep understanding of James and their marriage.

Set in an English parsonage in 1894, the show includes two other characters, the Rev. Alexander “Lexy” Mill (Jarrod Zimmerman), a young curate who’s James’s assistant; and Miss Proserpine “Prossy” Garnett (Liz Baltes), James’s efficient secretary. This musical version of the play omits a sixth character, Candida’s father.

Conceived and directed by Michael Halberstam, the show has melodic music by Joshua Schmidt, sometimes repetitious lyrics by Jan Levy Tranen and a strong book by Austin Pendleton.

In general, it follows the play closely and incorporates some of Shaw’s dialogue, yet manages to consolidate everything into 95 minutes with no intermission.

The band also is consolidated with musical director Dolores Duran-Cefalu conducting a violin, cello and bass clarinet from the piano. The musicians sit upstage in Collette Pollard’s elaborate drawing room set (lit by David Lee Cuthbert). 

Everyone in the cast sings and acts well. However, Homsley’s foppishEugeneslumps, cowers or glares throughout most of the show, in sharp contrast to James’s forceful bearing. This difference alone could determine Candida’s decision.

Overall, though, it’s a pleasant, enjoyable production.

“A Minister’s Wife” continues at San Jose Repertory Theatre, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, through July 14. For tickets and information, call (408) 367-7255 or visit www.sjrep.com.

Judy Richter

forallevents.com/reviews/

A husband who deeply loves his wife and who believes his marriage is secure finds his belief shaken by a much younger man who also professes to love his wife. That’s the premise of  “A Minister’s Wife,” a 2011 musical based on “Candida,” a relatively early play by George Bernard Shaw.

In this West Coast premiere presented by San Jose Repertory Theatre, the husband is the 30-something Rev. James Morell (Christopher Vettel), who has become renowned for his eloquent lectures about Christian socialism.

His wife is Candida (Sharon Rietkerk), who returns home with 18-year-old poet Eugene Marchbanks (Tim Homsley) after being gone for a while. Initially quite shy, the idealistic Eugenesoon declares his love for Candida and challenges the practical James to ask her to choose between them.

Like many other Shaw heroines, Candida can be regarded as an early feminist, a woman who has a strong sense of herself and easily asserts herself. She also has a deep understanding of James and their marriage.

Set in an English parsonage in 1894, the show includes two other characters, the Rev. Alexander “Lexy” Mill (Jarrod Zimmerman), a young curate who’s James’s assistant; and Miss Proserpine “Prossy” Garnett (Liz Baltes), James’s efficient secretary. This musical version of the play omits a sixth character, Candida’s father.

Conceived and directed by Michael Halberstam, the show has melodic music by Joshua Schmidt, sometimes repetitious lyrics by Jan Levy Tranen and a strong book by Austin Pendleton. In general, it follows the play closely and incorporates some of Shaw’s dialogue, yet manages to consolidate everything into 95 minutes with no intermission.

The band also is consolidated with musical director Dolores Duran-Cefalu conducting a violin, cello and bass clarinet from the piano. The musicians sit upstage in Collette Pollard’s elaborate drawing room set (lit by David Lee Cuthbert). Costumes are by Brandin Barón with sound by Steve Schoenbeck.

Everyone in the cast sings and acts well. However, Homsley’s foppish Eugenes lumps, cowers or glares throughout the show, in sharp contrast to James’s forceful bearing. This difference alone could determine Candida’s decision.

Overall, though, it’s a pleasant, enjoyable production.

“A Minister’s Wife” continues at San Jose Repertory Theatre, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, through July 14. For tickets and information, call (408) 367-7255 or visit www.sjrep.com.

Judy Richter

forallevents.com/reviews/