Kedar K. Adour

THE MYSTERY of IRMA VEP: Satirical Mystery-Farce  by Charles Ludlum. California Shakespeare Company (CalShakes), Bruns Amphitheater, 100 California Shakespeare Theater Way, Orinda. (510) 548-9666. www.calshakes.org.  August 12-September 6, 2015.

The Mystery of Irma Vep has the audience ‘howling’ with laughter at Cal Shakes [rating:4]

For the past 15 years Jonathan Moscone has guided the California Shakespeare Company to becoming a premiere theatrical group in the San Francisco Bay Area. Under his direction productions of Shakespeare alternated with modern plays and the classics by such greats as Shaw, Beckett including the memorable two parts The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby the 8½ hour-long adaptation of Charles Dickens’ novel by David Edgar. For his swan song as director of CalShakes he has inexplicably elected to mount The Mystery of Irma Vep: A Penny Dreadful that has made the local rounds starting in 1997.

The play is the product of the late “off-the-wall and out-of-the-closet actor, playwright, director, and producer” Charles Ludlam and his partner Everett Quinton. When first produced by Ludlam’s Ridiculous Theatrical Company in 1984 it won a Drama Desk Award and an Obie Award for Ensemble Performance. Ludlam and his partner usually played all the roles (male and female). A 2011 local incarnation was the brilliant Masquer’s production in Point Richmond that was extremely outrageous with the 20 year partners Peter Budinger and DC Scarpelli (they are married) playing all the roles that tested their endurance with quick changes of costumes  and demeanor.

The Masquer’s staging was a tight, taunt 90 minutes without intermission. Moscone and Cal Shakes have added shtick and directorial conceits to the play extending the running time to two hours and 10 minutes with an intermission. It is a big beautifully staged sprawling production with the caveat that it is more about the actor(s) and director than the hilarious script.

“That actor” is Bay Area icon Danny Scheie who performs admirably in drag and dominates the stage with his classic drag queen demeanor deservedly garnering many of the laughs that abound. One might change the ancient axiom of W. C. Fields “never share the stage with children or animals” to “never share the stage with Danny Scheie.” That being said, Liam Vincent holds his own playing opposite Scheie and director Moscone has given Vincent solo stage actions that earn deserved accolades from his first appearance as maid Jane Wisden and later with an ad lib about a recalcitrant wig.

All the pieces of what makes a production memorable are here. The play opens on a gorgeous creepy, charming English mansion interior set, complete with fireplace and French doors (set by Douglas Schmidt) with a wild storm brewing (lighting by Alex Nichols & sound by Cliff Caruthers) with maid Jane Twisden (Liam Vincent) engaging Nicodemus Underwood (Danny Scheie) the stableman in conversation. The out and out laughs begin and continue until the final tableau that received a standing ovation.

Alfred Hitchcock could not write a better script in this mystery/satire/farce genre that throws in references to every horror film imaginable with The Mummy’s Curse receiving special attention.

Oh yes, the story line. Lord Edgar Hillcrest has brought his second wife to live at Hillcrest Estate where his former wife Irma Vep and son may have been tragically murdered. As one would expect with an estate located in the moors, strange growling creatures(s) roam emitting blood curdling howls. Poor Lady Enid and the others have to put up with a ghost, a werewolf and a vampire. A mummy and an Egyptian princess make their entrance in a beautiful sarcophagus that adds a further touch of class to the proceedings. Some of the added shtick includes a scene with dueling dulcimers (think dueling banjos for the movie Deliverance) and a solo song for Vincent.

Scheie and Vincent are absolutely superb with perfect timing in their body actions, facial expressions and vocal intonations as the switch from male to female to animalistic characters. With a few exceptions (“Some men look good in drag.”) they play their roles “straight” and seem to be having as much or more fun than the audience.

(L to R) Danny Scheie as Lady Enid Hillcrest and Liam Vincent as Lord Edgar Hillcrest in California Shakespeare Theater’s The Mystery of Irma Vep, directed by Jonathan Moscone; photo by Kevin Berne.

Jonathon Moscone adds some spot-on directorial touches to embellish the non-stop action. Special honors to costume designer Katherine Roth and the unlisted off-stage dresser(s) who handle 35 different costume changes.

Never fear, the mystery of Irma Vep is solved and Lord and Lady Hillcrest probably will live happily forever as they walk hand and hand through the French doors into the miasma of machine produced fog.

Recommendation: Should see.

CAST: (In Order of Appearance):Jane Twisden, Liam Vincent; Nicodemus Underwood, Danny Scheie; Lady Enid Hillcrest, Danny Scheie; Lord Edgar Hillcrest, Liam Vincent; Alcazar, Danny Scheie; Ensemble, Liam Vincent and Danny Scheie.

ARTISTIC STAFF: Scenic Designer, Douglas Schmidt; Costume Designer, Katherine Roth; Lighting Designer, Alex Nichols; Sound Designer, Cliff Caruthers; Text/dialect Coach, Dominique Lozano; Resident Fight Director, Dave Maier; Stage Manager, Laxmi Kumaran; Assistant Director, Thomas Chapman; Assistant Lighting Designer, Hamilton Guillen; Resident Dramaturg, Philippa Kelly.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreweorldinternetmagazine.com.

(L to R) Danny Scheie as Lady Enid Hillcrest and Liam Vincent as Lord Edgar Hillcrest in California Shakespeare Theater’s The Mystery of Irma Vep, directed by Jonathan Moscone; photo by Kevin Berne.

Pictured left to right: John Fisher as Turing, Val Hendrickson as Knox in Breaking the Code by Hugh Whitemore; A Theatre Rhinoceros production at the Eureka Theatre. Photo by David Wilson

Breaking the Code: Bio-Drama by Hugh Whitemore. Directed by John Fisher. Theatre Rhinoceros, Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson St., San Francisco, CA 94111 www.therhino.org/buy.htm or 1-800- 838-3006 Return Engagement: Aug. 5 -29, 2015

Breaking the Code given a taut staging at the Eureka. [rating:4]

The genius of Alan Turing became common knowledge with the release of the 2014 movie The Imitation Game that garnered many awards including Academy Award nominations for best picture and best actor for Benedict Cumberbatch. It was based on the biography Alan Turing: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges that had been previously adapted for the stage as Breaking the Code by Hugh Whitmore in the 1980s with Derek Jacobi playing Turing in London, on Broadway and television.

Since its initial production the play has been revised and the staging by Theatre Rhinoceros at the intimate Eureka theatre is a compact, engrossing two hours and ten minutes including the intermission. Much of that credit is earned by director John Fisher who also plays the lead role as Alan Turing. It is a multi-scene non-linear construction that has a simplistic but derivative set allowing the movement of sparse furniture by the actors in full view of the audience to signify the scene and time shift. Occasionally this is a disadvantage since the time frames of individual scenes are not clearly defined.

 This staging is re-run of Rhino’s critically acclaimed initial 4 week run in March of this year with significant changes in actors thus challenging comparisons of each. John Fisher dominates the play as the insecure, stuttering nail-biting protagonist Alan Turing who challenged the mores of the time while making a significant contribution to ending World War II and the development of the modern day computer. It was his orientation as a homosexual and his truthfulness about his sexual dalliances that eventually were his undoing.

The play introduces the major characters that define and reflect Turing’s personality. These include his clueless mother Sara ( Celia Maurice), his public school intellectual partner and lover Christopher Morcom (Heren Patel), his female working partner and potential wife Pat Green (Gloria McDonald), his understanding co-worker/confidant Dillwyn Knox (Val Hendrickson) and a young hustler Ron Miller (Frank Wang). A detective Mike Ross (Patrick Ross) became the initial nail in Turing’s coffin.

The work that Turing was doing was highly confidential and his actions were minutely scrutinized thus his proclivity for the company of young boys was known but due to the need for his genius were tolerated during the war. After the war while working as a lecturer in what was to become computer science, a robbery at his home led to police intervention by Detective Ross and Turing being honest about his engaging in what at that time was called “gross indecency” was sentenced to either prison or submitting to chemical castration. He sought the later and in 1954 committed suicide.

Fisher’s performance as Turing is a tour de force as he shifts from adulthood to public school student, from insecurity with Pat to defiance of co-worker Dillwyn and then confusion in his love for the young hustler Ron. Patrick Ross gives a touch of empathy to his interrogation of Turing while being perplexed by Turing’s honesty in confessing to his relationship with Ron.  Val Henrickson is a true professional with beautiful underplaying of the elder Dillwyn Knox and Heren Patel’s shift from school boy to Greek rent boy is laudable. Celia Maurice and Gloria McDonald perform admirably in this male dominated milieu.

The major gut wrenching theme is the unvarnished inhumanity of anti-homosexual laws that were in effect as late as the 1960s in Great Britain that lead to an early death of a man whose work saved thousands of lives. In 2009 he posthumously received an official public apology and in 2013 a pardon from Queen Elizabeth.

CAST: Kevin Copps (John Smith); John Fisher (Alan Turing); Val Hendrixson (Dillwyn Knox); Celia Maurice (Sara Turing; Gloria McDonald (Pat Green); Heren Patel (Christopher Morcom/Nikos); Patrick Ross (Mick Ross); Frank Wang (Ron Miller).

Technical credits: Lighting & Scenic Design: Jon Wai-keung Lowe; Costumes:
Lara Rempel; Sound Design: Colin Johnson/Anthony Jue; Photos by David Wilson. Directed by John Fisher.

Recommendation: A should see. (Be advised it is open seating).

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com.

Pictured left to right: John Fisher as Turing, Val Hendrickson as Knox in Breaking the Code by Hugh Whitemore; A Theatre Rhinoceros production at the Eureka Theatre. Photo by David Wilson

MATILDA THE MUSICAL. Book by David Kelly. Music and lyrics by Tim Minchim. Based on the book by Roald Dahl. Presented  by the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Dodgers. SHN Orpheum Theatre, 1192 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102.

888-746-1799 or www.shnsf.com. July 15 – August 15, 2015.

MATILDA THE MUSICAL earns a standing ovation at the Orpheum Theatre. [rating:4]

There is much to like about Matilda the Musical, the multi-award winning play that was imported from England, was a smash hit on Broadway and now is on its second stop of the first national road show. It is based on the Roald Dahl’s children’s book of the same name. The musical book by Dennis Kelly is apparently faithful to the written book (this reviewer was not familiar with it) and the music and lyrics by Tim Minchin have been highly praised. The colourful staging, hilarious costumes and comedic acting add pizzazz to the evening. The defect is in the 2500 seat Orpheum Theatre’s sound system that is less than optimal and excessively loud burying many of the lyrics. With that caveat out of the way, the evening is filled with eclectic music that carries the storyline and a fine cast of adults to match the shenanigans of a plethora of rambunctious children.

Three children (Gabby Gutierrez, Mia Sinclair Jennes and Mabel Tyler) alternate in the lead role of Matilda who “travelled all over the world while sitting in her little room in an English village” reading books.” On opening night in San Francisco it was diminutive, clear voiced Mabel Tyler who took centre-stage to play the precocious 5 year old that through thick and thin saves the day with her honesty aided by telekinetic powers.

The adults do not take a back seat to the children even though they are outnumbered by a ratio of five to one. They include home-grown Olympic athlete Bryce Ryness in almost drag playing the wicked Miss Trunchbull, headmistress of the second rate school populated by the kids she calls “maggots” who almost steals the show. The protector of the maggots is Miss Honey (Jennifer Blood) the teacher who befriends Matilda and is perfect in the part. Along with her fine singing voice displays physical agility.  Cassie Siva and Quinn Mattfeld as Mr. and Mrs Wormwood are allowed to be almost likeable villains even though they mistreat their unwanted daughter Matilda. Then there is Ora Jones as the sympathetic librarian providing books to our soon to be heroine and is fascinated by her story telling.

The staging (Ryan Emmons) and choreography (Kate Dunn) are eye-popping colourful adding non-stop dynamism. Cassia Silva and Jaquez Andre Sims perform a dynamic tango that matches Quinn Mattfeld’s opening number of the second act “Telly” advising the audience against reading in favor of watching television.  The depiction of the story being concocted by Matilda about The Escape Artist (Justin Packard) and the Acrobat (Wesley Faucher) is inserted to emphasize further that the play is a fantasy.

Tim Minchim’s music and lyrics have won multiple awards and includes the memorable “When I Grow Up”, “Quiet” and “My House.”

All in all it is stunning evening with a running time of two hours and 30 minutes with an intermission. Recommendation: Should see and bring a child along.

CAST:  Gabby Gutierrez, Mia Sinclair Jenness, and Mabel Tyler rotate as Matilda. With the adult principals featuring (alphabetically): Jennifer Blood (Miss Honey), Quinn Mattfeld (Mr. Wormwood), Bryce Ryness (Miss Trunchbull) and Cassie Silva (Mrs. Wormwood).

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com. 

The Bliss Family (l-r)David (Bruce Carlton), Judith (Courtney Walsh), Sorel (Kiki Bagger) and Simon (Austin Caldwell) in Stanford Rep’s Hay Fever.

HAY FEVER: Comedy by Noel Coward. Directed by Lynn Soffer. Stanford Repertory Theater
551 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305 @ Stanford University. 650-725-5838 or www.repertorytheater.stanford.edu.  July 16- August 9, 2015

Noel Coward’s Hay Fever is a hectic romp at Stanford Rep [rating:3]

Research on the background of the play Hay Fever by Noel Coward revealed facts that still apply. Apparently he wrote the play in three days in 1924 specifically for a leading lady of the time who thought it “amusing and not substantial for a whole evening.” Coward remembered that the initial reviews “were amiable and well-disposed although far from effusive” although the play had a respectable run in 1925. Those remarks are applicable to Stanford Repertory Theater’s present production. It was noted, as indeed it has been today, that the play had no plot and that there were few if any ‘witty’ lines’ although the action is almost non-stop. A very attractive set, marvellous fashionable 1920’s costumes and competent cast need a bit more to bring the quintessence of a Noel Coward play to life.

That quintessence is a touch of savoir faire and distinct diction to do justice to his delicious and sometimes memorable lines. To be fair to the director and cast, the production seen on opening night was the first to performed with a live audience and knowing the quality of the director and some of the actors those perceived defects will be corrected.

Experienced director Lynn Soffer has an added disadvantage with the play since the primary characters are not very likeable bohemians whose self-centered life styles would dictate over-the-top performances that are rampant.

The three acts zip along in only two hours with an intermission between Act I and II with dimming of stage lights before the dénouement of Act III. The setting is the country home (fine set with obligatory French doors to a garden and a two level staircase on stage rear) of the Bliss family. The matriarch, Judith Bliss (Courtney Walsh), is an aging actress who has desires to return to the stage. She is married to David Bliss (Bruce Carlton), a bland novelist working on his latest book. Their spoiled young children Simon (Austin Caldwell) an artist and Sorel (Kiki Bagger) who amuse themselves are acting out passages from the play Love’s Whirlwind. A bit of banter telegraph’s the surprise denouement; “Is this a game?” and “Yes, a game that must be played to the finish.”

Unbeknownst to the others Judith has invited a handsome sportsman admirer Sandy Tyrell (Andre Amarotico), Simon has invited the vampish Myra Arundel (Deb Fink) and David invited diplomat Richard Greatham (Rush Rehm), who brings along a beautiful young flapper Jackie Coryton (Kathleen Kelso). With the maid Clara (Catherine Luedtke) all the characters are in place and Act I ends.

Act II is the humdinger with the family and guests in evening dress (Costumes by Connie Strayer) engaging in a word game that apparently was popular in the 20s and 30s. It is this game that sets up the conflicts that morph into potential relationships that carry the plot hellishly forward giving each actor a chance to emote with entrance and exits out the French doors into the garden or up the stairs. Soffer keeps the action at a high pitch moving her actors about adroitly expertly mixing pathos with the humor.

All quiets down for Act III with the unnoticed departure of the guests leaving the Bliss family on their own.

 The acting is best described as emoting with each getting their turn on center stage. Courtney Walsh gives a touch of the theater as the flamboyant actress having to match the hectic histrionics of the Austin Caldwell and Kiki Bagger. Equity Actor Deb Fink has that touch of savoir faire needed as the vamp Myra with Rush Rehm a perfect match for her with his understated performance. Beautiful Kathleen Kelso steals the show displaying Jackie’s uncertainty and vulnerability.  Catherine Luedke gives her role as the maid a perfect touch.

On this opening night the timing and diction were deficient but this should be corrected in future performances.

Artistic Staff: Director, Lynne Soffer; Set Designer, Annie Dauber; Costume Designer, Connie Strayer; Lighting Designer, Michael Ramsaur; Sound Designer, Brigitte Wittmer; Stage Manager, Analyssa Lopez; Props Mistress, Christine Edwards; Wig Designer, Vicky Martinez; Assistant Director & Dramaturg, Patty Kim Hamilton; Assistant Lighting Designer, Keenan Molner; Assistant Stage Managers, Annabel Ostrow and Victor Spielberg Verdejo.

Cast in Order of Appearance: Sorel Bliss, Kiki Bagger; Simon Bliss, Austin Caldwell; Judith Bliss, Courtney Walsh; David Bliss, Bruce Carlton; Clara, Catherine  Luedtke; Sandy Tyrell Andre Amarotico; Myra Arundel, Deb Fink; Jackie Coryton, Kathleen Kelso; Richard Greatham, Rush Rehm.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com.

The Bliss Family (l-r)David (Bruce Carlton), Judith (Courtney Walsh), Sorel (Kiki Bagger) and Simon (Austin Caldwell)

Brian (Ross Lekites) explains the connection they share with the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory to Ben (Zachary Prince) as a vision of Sarah (Megan McGinnis) lingers in the background in TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s World Premiere of Triangle playing
July 8 – August 2 at the Lucie Stern Theatre
in Palo Alto.
Photo by Kevin Berne

TRIANGLE: Musical Drama. Music by Curtis Moore. Lyrics by Thomas Mizer. Book by Thomas Mizer, Curtis Moore, & Joshua Scher. Directed by Meredith McDonough. TheatreWorks, Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, CA. (650) 463-1960 or www.TheatreWorks.org.  July 8 – August 2, 2015

Triangle is a bittersweet musical at the Lucie Stern Theatre. [rating:3]

Triangle was the audience favorite at the TheatreWorks 2012 New Works Festival and in the intervening years has been workshopped at various venues ending with a one week full production at the Lyric Theater in Oklahoma City.  Sharon Rietkerk and Megan McGinnes who played the roles at the Lyric along with musical director James Sampliner have been retained for this ‘World premiere’ by TheatreWorks. It was a wise choice. Both actors, as well as three others play dual roles that span a century.

The title is reference to the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911 in New York City. Of the 146 lives that were lost mostly were women some as young as 13. Many had to jump through windows from the ninth floor because the profit oriented owners of the factory had locked the doors to prevent pilferage and the substandard fire escapes collapsed from the heat. Fourteen of the dead were never identified. A story circulated that a young man and woman kissed before she jumped to her death.  Who they were is a mystery that is the substructure of the storyline that shifts between 20^th to the 21^st Centuries.

The Triangle Building still stands and the fateful ninth floor is occupied by closeted Brian (Ross Lekites)  a brilliant young NYU researcher. On the 100^th year anniversary of the fire he sees an apparition of Sarah (Megan McGinnis) that he feels is real but cannot be seen by anyone else. Sarah is a Jewish immigrant you has been hired as a seamstress because of her speed at the sewing machines. She also has beauty and a perceptive mind that attracts Italian Catholic Vincenzo (Zachary Prince). Friendship turns into love and is the beginning of conflict with her old world Jewish Father Isaac (Rolf Saxon). This is the love story from the past.

The modern day love story involves closet Brian and Jewish Ben. Ben is in the Triangle building because of his desire to see the “infamous room” where the disaster took place. As Brian develops an obsession about the unknown lovers a tenuous tertiary story is postulated based on a necklace that may suggest Ben’s familial tie to Sarah. There is an attempt to tie in the disaster of 9/11 with the Triangle fire but it does not ring true.

The past love story is by far the most interesting. It allows the introduction of Sarah’s sister Chaya (Sharon Rietkerk) and their father Isaac creating a conflict necessary to prove that true love never runs true. The scene that includes heated yet humorous banter between Isaac and Ben with Chaya and Sarah as intermediaries is one of the best of the evening.  The love story in the present time between Ben and Brian lacks depth and is salvaged by their great singing voices.

The music switches from contemporary pop for the story of Ben and Brian to more traditional style for the past love story of Sarah and Vincenzo. All the actors are in great voice and brought forth some tears from the audience. Ross Lekites as Brian is superb as the only character without a double part and has a magnificent singing voice.  Zachary Prince’s quick personality change from Ben to Vincezo is smooth and believable as are Sharon Rietkerk’s switches in her double role.  Megan McGinnis does great justice to the pivotal role as Sarah without allowing her secondary role in the modern love story to denigrate her performance.

Accolades go to musical director James Sampliner on the keyboard and conductor of the six piece orchestra. Meredith McDonough’s admirable directorial skill is the star of the evening. She keeps the two storylines distinct on Daniel Zimmerman’s deceptively simple beautiful monochromatic set.

CAST: Laura D’Andre as Theresa/Dr. Z; Ross Lekites as Brian; Megan McGinnis as Sarah/Jenni;  Zachary Prince as Ben/Vincenzo; Sharon Rietkerk as Cynthia/Chaya; and Rolf Saxon as Howard/Boss/Isaac.

ARTISTIC CAST: Directed by Meredith McDonough; Musical Director, James Sampliner; Scenic Designer, Daniel Zimmerman; Costume Designer,Cathleen Edwards; Lighting Designer, Paul Toben; Sound Designer, Brendan Aanes; Casting Director; Leslie Martinson; New York Casting Director, Alan Filderman; Stage Manager,Justin D. Schlegel ; Assistant Stage Manager,Emily Anderson Wolf.

Running time two hours and 30 minutes with on intermission. Recommendation: Should see.

Kedar K. Adour,  MD

Courtesy of www.theatrworldinternetmagazine.com.

Brian (Ross Lekites) explains the connection they share with the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory to Ben (Zachary Prince) as a vision of Sarah (Megan McGinnis) lingers in the background in TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s World Premiere of Triangle playing
July 8 – August 2 at the Lucie Stern Theatre
in Palo Alto.

Cast of COMPANY at San Francisco Playhouse, Keith Pinto, foreground, as Bobby.

COMPANY: Musical. Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Book by George Furth. Directed by Susi Damilano. Music Director: Dave Dobrusky. Choreographer: Kimberly Richards. San Francisco Playhouse, 450 Post Street, San Francisco, 2nd Floor of the Kensington Park Hotel, San Francisco, CA.  415-677-9596, or  www.sfplayhouse.org. July 7th to September 12^th

Sondheim’s Company an almost standing ovation at San Francisco Playhouse. [rating:4]

Be assured that The San Francisco Playhouse’s production of Sondheim’s problematic musical Company should (will?) have a successful run in what has become their annual summer musical to entice visitors to The City as well as pleasing the locals. It has all the trappings of success. A great book/score, sterling cast, fantastic staging/direction and a set that that uses every inch of the stage including the fly area with twin pianos on stage right and left providing all of the music.

The play is almost half a century old receiving many awards for the initial production and for the two Broadway revivals (1995 and 2006). During the intervening years it has been revised with additions and deletions. It is a series of vignettes based on George Furth’s short stories. There is no set order for the individual story lines and there is no mention in the program of director Susi Damilano’s choice for this presentation but she has certainly has put her stamp on the staging that occasionally trumps the words or music. However the evening is vibrant, entertaining and excruciating true to the exigencies of marriage.

It starts as surprise party for uncommitted bachelor Robert’s 35^th birthday arranged by his friends that include five couples, four who are married and the fifth getting married.  Although there are universal truths about marriage the emphasis is on New York City and the “me generation” reflected in the lyrics.

After the opening number “Company” by Robert (Keith Pinto) and the company, Sarah (Velina Brown)and Harry (Christopher Reber)take center stage in a very physical scene that sets the tone for the remainder of the evening. She is into karate, food and dieting. He has a drinking problem. The other couples include Joanne (Stephanie Prentice)  and Larry (Richard Frederick: she an acerbic older woman (once played by Elaine Stritch) and he a gentle pliant soul. Their introduction brings on the satiric “The Little Things You Do Together” with the company as backup.

Then there are Susan (Nicole Weber), a Southern belle is divorced from possibly gay Peter (Michael Scott Wells) who is proud of his Ivy League background. Rather naïve Jenny (Abby Sammons ) who is willing to experiment is married to compliant but controlling David (Ryan Drummond).  The soon to be married couple are Amy (Monique Hafen) a neurotic Catholic and Jewish Paul (John Paul Gonzalez ) resilient to her rounds of manic behavior.

The single women are “dumb” flight attendant April (Morgan Dayley), hip and vulgar Marta (Teresa Attridge) who loves New York City and Robert’s long-time on-off girlfriend Kathy (Michelle Drexler) who yearns for marriage and the proverbial white picket fence.

The cast is mostly superlative and handle Sondheim’s tricky words and music extremely well with a few missteps. Pinto is an excellent choice for the role of Robert. He takes control of the stage with his tenor voice enunciating Sondheim’s words perfectly. He demonstrates his dancing skills in the rousing “Side by Side” opening the second act. His solos are memorable including “Someone is Waiting”, “Marry Me a Little” and the finale “Being Alive.”

Monique Hafen returns to the Playhouse stage with a show stopper in “Getting Married Today” today and Stephanie Prentice has her turn in the spotlight with “The Ladies Who Lunch.” The words to “Another Hundred People” (got off the bus) are lost in Teresa Attridge’s rendition.

The staging (set by Bill English and Jacquelyn) and direction almost overpower the music and lyrics but it is a production of Company that should not be missed. It is a five level set with individual areas rising on stage left and right with gorgeous projections of New York City on the entire rear stage wall. Damilano has taken a page from Jon Tracy keeping most of the actors on stage in tableau form on the various levels and bringing them forward downstage for their respective actions. Running time 2 hours and 20 minutes including an intermission.

Recommendation: Must see.

CAST: Teresa Attridge, Marta; Velina Brown, Sarah; Morgan Dayley, April; Michelle Drexler,  Kathy, (Understudy – Jenny); Ryan Drummond, David; Richard Frederick,  Larry; John Paul Gonzalez, Paul (Understudy – Robert); Monique Hafen, Amy; Keith Pinto, Robert; Stephanie Prentice, Joanne; Christopher Reber, Harry; Abby Sammons, Jenny (Understudy – Joanne/Marta); Nicole Weber, Susan (Understudy – Amy); Michael Scott Wells, Peter, (Understudy – Paul).

CREATIVE-TEAM: Director, Susi Damilano; Music Director, Dave Dobrusky; Choreographer, Kimberly Richards; Set Design, Bill English & Jacquelyn Scott;  Casting/Artistic Associate, Lauren English;  Costume Designer, Shannon Sigman;  Production Manager, Maggie Koch;  Stage Manager, Tatjana Genser;  Lighting Designer, Michael Oesch; Projection Design, Micah Stieglitz;  Props Design, Jacquelyn Scott;  Technical Theatre Manager, Zach Sigman;  Projection Design, Micah Stieglitz.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

(r-l) Martin Grimwood, Denise Wharmby and Don Bridges in Call Me Miss Birdseye playing at the Geary A.C.T. Theater

Call Me Miss Birds Eye: A Celebration of Ethel Merman: Musical: Australia’s Acoustic Voice @ A.C.T.’s Geary Theater, 415 Geary St., San Francisco, CA. (415) 749-2228. www.act-sf.org.  July 8 – July 18, 2015 

 Call Me Miss Birds Eye: A Celebration of Ethel Merman is not ready for Broadway [rating:0]

The advertising for Call me Miss Birdseye created expectations for an evening of charming/ nostalgic theater. The show was written by the multitalented Londoner Jack Tinker and put together by Australia’s ambitious Acoustic Voice Theatre founded in 2012 and works exclusively with “bel canto” technique without the use of amplification. It would seem perfect for a celebration of Ethel Merman whose diction was perfect–every word could be understood–and in those pre-microphone days, her big voice could be heard in the last row of the last balcony. She was praised lavishly in her first stage appearance.

That first appearance was in 1930 as the second lead in George and Ira Gershwin Gershwin’s Girl Crazy which starred Ginger Rogers.  She stopped the show belting, “I Got Rhythm” and she continued gaining fame never being in a flop. She starred in five shows by Cole Porter: Anything Goes, Red, Hot, and Blue, Du Barry Was a Lady, Panama Hattie, Something for the Boys. Gypsy by Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim was Merman’s greatest show and Mamma Rose her greatest part. 

Denise Wharmby, in the role of Ethel Merman does have a pleasant clear voice that reaches the back rows but never reaches the heights of the incomparable Merman. Her renditions of the songs that Merman made memorable do create a bit of nostalgia since they have become part of the Great American Songbook.

The evening is a combination of song and narrative that she shares with male backups Martin Grimwood, Don Bridges and musical director Graham Clarke on the grand piano. For some odd reason Don Bridges, who handles most of the narration also occasionally strums on a guitar that adds not a whit to the story line.

The staging is bare-bones, sophomoric and the humor is forced. Then there is an unintelligible first skit attempting to explain the title of this show that falls flat, as do most of the skits intended to inject humor. The opening skit is reference to the fact that Merman started her working career as a stenographer with a great skill at shorthand that she used throughout her life . . . even to typing her own contracts.

The song list of about 35 songs starts with Irving Berlin’s “There No Business Like Show Business” and is unfolded in mostly chronological order starting with  “Blow, Gabriel, Blow”, “I Get a Kick Out of You”, and “You’re the Top” by Cole Porter in Anything Goes.

The running time is one hour and 40 minutes with an intermission at which time many seats were vacated.

CAST: Denise Wharmby, Martin Grimwood, Don Bridges and Graham Clarke.

CEATIVE STAFF: Jack Tinker, Writer; Rick Wallace, Director/Choreographer ; Damian Muller, Designer; Daniel West, Stage Manager; Rooster Productions, Scenic design.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of  www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com.

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: Musical Drama based on Shalem Aleichem’s stories. Book by Joseph Stein. Music by Jerry Bock. Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. Directed by Jon Tracy. Choreographed by Matthew McCoy. Musical Direction by Rachel Robinson. Berekeley Playhouse, Julia Morgan Theater, 2640 College Avenue, Berkeley, CA. (510) 845-8542 x351 or visit www.berkeleyplayhouse.org.       June 25 – August 2, 2015

Fiddler on the Roof given an unique outing by Berkeley Playhouse [Rating: 3]

It has been over 50 years since Fiddler on the Roof made its debut on Broadway running for a record of over 3000 performances. There have been four Broadway revivals and a highly successful 1971 film adaptation. Since its release for public performance it has become a popular musical being performed by High Schools, community theaters and professional groups. It has played in many venues in the Bay area with four or more National Tours making successful stops in San Francisco. The latest showing is by the ambitious Berkeley Playhouse in the comfortable 350 seat Historic Julie Morgan Theater.

This play with the major character Tevye who talks to God (not a very good listener) is populated with believable characters brought to life with an extremely competent cast (with minor caveats) under the trademark direction of Bay Area icon Jon Tracy. It is the most innovative, physical production of Fiddler seen to date by this reviewer. The masterful score is brought to life by a seven piece band with the marvelous, unseen, Christina Owens doing the honors on the violin.

The story is well known with universal appeal even though the time is pre-revolution Russia and the place is Anatevka a poor rural Jewish town steeped in “Tradition” told by Tevye (Michael RJ Campbell) and the Company in the prolog. The always inventive director Tracy has elected to have  ALL of the Company sitting on the periphery of center stage for the entire performance. More about that later.

Tevye and wife Golde (Sarah Mitchell) have five daughters, three of marriageable ages who break with tradition to marry for love rather than to those “traditionally” chosen by the father.  The oldest Tzeitel (Abbey Lee) wishes to marry the poor tailor Motel (Kirk Johnson) rather than the butcher Lazar Wolf  (Berwick Haynes) a rich old widower.  Free spirited Hodel (Jade Shojee) falls in love with revolutionist Perchik (Joel Roster)  and Chava (Grace Ng) marries the Christian Fyedka (Luke Myers). Woven into this break with tradition is the concept of family being challenged by social values intertwined with social upheaval.

The songs are some of the finest written including “Matchmaker, Matchmaker”, “If I Were a Rich Man”, “To Life”, “Miracle of Miracles”  and the plaintive “Sunrise, Sunset.”

 Michael RJ Campbell earns most of accolades as the poor dairy farmer Tevye but his comic timing misses a beat. This is most noticeable in the scene about selling the cow with Lazar Wolf (Berwick Haynes). Sarah Mitchell handles the role of a typical Jewish mother with restraint and is marvelous in the “Do You Love Me?” duet with Campbell. Abbey Lee, Grace Ng and Jade Shojaee are charming as Tevye’s daughters and have a show stopper  with the “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” number.

Director Tracy who cut his teeth as a director in 2007 with the SF Playhouse production of First Person Shooter is much in demand in the Bay Area and has become known for the physicality and uniqueness of style. It is worth seeing this excellent production of Fiddler to catch up on his progression.

There is no “roof” for the Fiddler to mount but rather a wooden ramp placed on a diagonal on the rear wall created by floor to ceiling aged wooden planks with gaps between them. This gives Tracy the entire width of the stage to move his cast and to bring his characters and ensemble from the wings producing tableaus that burst into action. To indicate the passage of time, both weekdays and years are unobtrusively projected on the planks.

Added to this unique staging are the authentic costumes created by Liz Martin and spirited choreography by Matthew McCoy although there is too much stomping that becomes distracting.

 Recommendation: A should see production but a bit long at two hours and 50 minutes with intermission.

CAST: Tevye, Michael RJ Campbell; Golde, Sarah Mitchell; Tzeitel , Abbey Lee; Hodel, Jade Shojaee; Chava, Grace Ng; Lazar Wolf, Berwick Haynes; Yente, Jennie Brick; Motel, Kirk Johnson; Perchik, Joel Roster; Fyedka, Luke Myers; Avram, Tom Curtin; Constable, Johnny Debernard; Rabbi, John Hale; Sasha, Zach Hansen; Shaindel, Bonnie Lafer; Boris, Charles Peoples Iii; Mordcha, Jeanine Perasso; Nachum, Billy Raphael; Mendel, Salim Razawi; Yussel, Victoria Siegel. Ensemble: Bennie Brown, Sabrina Fiora, Andrew Humann, Jude Mcentee, Benjamin Nguyen, Abby Peterson, Lonnie Sears, Jessica Rose Slaght, Abe Soane, Shelby Stewart, Madeleine Wack,  Denise “Dee” Wagner.

CREATIVE TEAM:  Director JonTracy; Musical Direction by Rachel Robinson ; Scenic Design by Catalina Niño; Lighting Design by Drew Kaufman; Costume Design by Liz Martin; Sound Design by Taylor Gonzalez; Prop Design by Devon LaBelle.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Tevye (Michael RJ Campbell – Member Actors’ Equity) dances with his daughter Chava (Grace Ng) at “The Wedding”, in Berkeley Playhouse’s production of Fiddler on the Roof directed by Jon Tracy. Performed at the Julia Morgan Theater, June 25 – August 2, 2015. Photo by Ben Krantz Studio.

Kenny, Mary, Sharon, and Ben (l-r, Patrick Kelly Jones*, Amy Resnick*, Luisa Frasconi, Jeff Garrett*) have a wild backyard barbeque in Aurora’s Bay Area Premiere of Detroit

DETROIT: Comedy/Satire. Written by Lisa D’Amour. Directed by Josh Costello. Aurora Theatre Company, 2081 Addison St., Berkeley, CA. Box office: (510) 843-4822 or www.auroratheatre.org. June 19 – July 19, 2015

DETROIT (the play) goes out in flames at Aurora Theatre.  [rating:2]

Have you ever wondered what qualities make a play an award winner and who are the judges that make those decisions? After seeing Aurora Theatre’s production of Lisa D’Amour’s play Detroit be assured that those questions may be foremost in your mind. On opening night the audience gave appreciative applause but not the usual standing ovation from their loyal subscription base.  In fact, more than one audience member took furtive glances on their wrist watches during the 100 minute, without intermission running time.

First, the title is a metaphor for implosion of the American Dream typified by the decay of the city of Detroit that was so pertinently documented in a recent issue of National Geographic Magazine. The end of jobs and loss of income leave little hope for a return of a local productive society nor a way out personal quagmires. D’Amour spends 90 of those 100 minutes semi-demonstrating these points based on the lives of two unlikeable couples. She has tacked on a 10 minute monolog for an elderly man who bemoans the “good-old-days” reemphasizing the societal destruction.

All the action takes place in the backyards of two adjacent homes. A married couple, Mary (Amy Resnick) and Ben (Jeff Garrett) are giving a barbeque for a couple who have moved into the run-down unfurnished next door home. They are Sharon (Luisa Frasconi) and Kenny (Patrick Kelly Jones). They are impecunious and recovering drug addicts trying to rebuild their lives. Ben has lost his job as a bank clerk and they are living, barely, off of Mary’s salary as a para-legal.  Ben is attempting to build a web site that will help those in financial trouble.

Not much happens until late in the play when all hell breaks loose emphasizing the old adage “in vino veritas.” Before the author gets to that point her methods of character development mainly involve monologs. Those monologs are disguised as conversational dialog usually when one of the characters is under the influence of alcohol or drugs or is having a psychiatric break. Since this a satirical comedy there is a modicum of humor but there are long lapses between laughs. Symbolism abounds but is hardly intellectual or remarkably cogent.

The ending is a stunner (not to be revealed here) and accolades are deserved by the artistic staff of set designer Mikiko Uesugi, sound Designer Cliff Caruthers and light designer Kurt Landisman even though the scene changes are a bit cumbersome.  Much of the fault of this production can be attributed to the heavy-handed approach of director Josh Costello and the physicality of the staging that could benefit with a lighter touch.

The actors give it their all with Amy Resnick giving her usual professional performance ably supported by Luisa Frasconi and Patrick Kelly Jones. Jeff Garret gives a confusing performance as Ben but it may be director Costello’s interpretation of the part.

CAST: Luisa Frasconi as Sharon; Jeff Garrett as Ben; Patrick Kelly Jones as  Kenny & Frank; Amy Resnick as Mary.

ARTISTIC STAFF: Director, Josh Costello; Wesley Apfel, Stage Manager; Daniel Banato, Props Artisan; Cliff Caruthers, Sound Designer; Christine Crook, Costume Designer; Kurt Landisman, Light Designer; Mikiko Uesugi, Set Designer; Lias D’Amour, Playwright

RUNTIME: 1 hour and 40 minutes with no intermission. Recommendation: Pass on the content but a should see for the staging.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazie.com.

Kenny, Mary, Sharon, and Ben (l-r, Patrick Kelly Jones*, Amy Resnick*, Luisa Frasconi, Jeff Garrett*) have a wild backyard barbeque in Aurora’s Bay Area Premiere of Detroit

Ensemble of Love and Information at A.C.T. Strand Theatre

LOVE AND INFORMATION: A Theatrical Event by Caryl Churchill. Directed by Casey Stang. A.C.T.’s  Strand Theater, 1127 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103. 415-749-2228 or www.actasf.org.

June13–August 9, 2015

LOVE AND INFORMATION inaugurates A.C.T.’s  Strand Theater with a winner. [rating:5]

It is befitting that the initial production to grace the stage of A.C.T.’s  Strand Theater is a truly a new form of theatrical writing. The ‘play’ is Caryl Churchill’s latest opus Love and Information that has, of course, a beginning and an end but does not follow any of the Aristotelian or modern guidelines of playwriting. There are the 47 scenes unrelated to one and other with an occasional unidentified character silently walking in and out of a scene(s). Nor is a single character identified. 

In fact the PR material states that each scene has a title but does not necessarily describe the content. Churchill allows the director to stage each scene in any order desired and with the freedom to remove a scene.  How then should a theater critic review the “play?”   In the words of my editor, “Be a reviewer and not a critic.”

 Director Casey Stang who has impressive curriculum vitae is an admirer of Churchill’s work having directed Cloud Nine at the Guthrie Theatre and other venues. Stang has elected to engage 12 actors of various ethnic backgrounds to play all 100 plus roles using projections on the huge screen dominating rear stage. The number of each scene is flashed on that screen and sparse furniture is deftly moved on and off stage as necessary without interrupting the flow of the action. There is also a myriad of slick costume changes.

Churchill explores love in many manifestations from the young to the old with forays into male/female homosexual as well as heterosexual relationships. There are no judgmental implications in matters of love or information. Churchill’s writing just succinctly chronicles the events.

Information takes the forefront in the opening scene where two women are having a conversation with one having a secret that she does not wish to share. From this simple interpersonal sharing of information there are forays in television, cell phones, Facebook and Twitter and the loss of privacy with modern technology. A devastating scene is a brief interchange between two detectives, one white, one black who are interrogating a prisoner.

After seeing this theatrical event you are forced to make your own decisions of what is right and what is wrong. Churchill does not tip her hand and expertly demonstrates “this is how it is.”  Selecting individual scenes for discussion becomes a very personal choice. A brief request by one actor to another, “Look at me!” conveys more information than reams of dialog.

There is a great deal of humor, both satirical and unexpected, allowing the evening to be well balanced. When one actor insists he has had a conversation with God he receives a question, “Does he have a regional accent?” The seriousness of having pain is defused with an analysis of the word meaning: “If pain has meaning what is the meaning of meaning?”

Virtual reality, classified information, climate change, the significance of a red rose, control over the TV remote, the lack of ability to say “I’m sorry” and the loss of social intercourse can be found. All are there but be assured there is much, much more. It all ends with a ‘selfie’ of the cast making the performance a not to be missed evening.

CAST: Joel Bernard, Anthony Fusco, Cindy Goldfield, Dan Hiatt, Joe Holt, Rafael Jordan, Sharon Lockwood, Leo Marks, Stefanée Martin, Dominique Salerno, Mia Tagano and Shona Tucker.

CREATIVE TEAM: Robert Brill (set design); Lap Chi Chu (lighting design);Jessie Amoroso (costume design); Andrew Mayer (sound design); Micah J. Stieglitz (projection designer).

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com.