Kedar K. Adour

NOT A GENUINE BLACK MAN: Dramatic Monolog. Written and performed by Brian Copeland.  Developed by Brian Copeland and David Ford. Directed by David Ford. Berkeley Rep, The Osher Studio, 2055 Center Street, Berkeley, CA 94704 (Located in the Arts Passage on Center Street between Shattuck and Milvia — just a block from Berkeley Rep) (510) 647-2949 or www.berkeleyrep.org.

EXTENDED THROUGH JUNE 28

NOT A GENUINE BLACK MAN a 10th anniversary success at Berkeley Rep [Rating:4] (4 of 5 stars)

You may wonder who is Brian Copeland and what does he have to say that has kept his dramatic monolog in the public eye for 10 years. Opening to rave reviews at The Marsh in San Francisco in 2004 the monolog and the performer have been equally well received throughout the United States. Last night he received a standing ovation at Berkeley Rep’s Osher Studio again demonstrating his skill as a performer but with a suggestion that over familiarity with his material has taken some sting out of his horrendous story of being a black man in a racist white environment.

The environment in question is Bay Area suburb of San Leandro that was a hotbed of racism in the 1970s when, at the age of eight, he moved with his family into an all-white neighborhood. There he his family received intimidation, racial slurs and eventually threat of eviction. Now at age 50 he is very successful radio and TV host and still lives in San Leandro that initially was 99% white but now is one of the most ethnically diverse communities in America.

He starts the evening with a few humorous anecdotes that quickly shift to startling stories of what he had to endure. The title for his monolog is attributed to a letter he received from a black listener to a radio show he was hosting. He was accused of not being “a genuine black man.” He questions of why black people say this of him. Are there distinctive traits, other than skin color, that deserve the label of being a genuine black man? The question is rhetorical and Copland moves on to tell the shocking stories of his life beginning with a father, Sylvester, who “went out for groceries and never came back.” When he did come back he was abusive to the entire family.

Copland is a master at changing his voice and using body language to depict the various people who inhabited his world. There is the thin voice of his mother who insists she was born in Rhode Island rather than Alabama. Then there are the strong declarations of his grandmother, the vicious diatribes of Sylvester, the childlike speech of his young sisters, and a plethora of characters that impinge on his life. He is masterful at becoming himself as an eight year old.

How he ever was able to rise above the hate and other tribulations that surrounded him is a story that deserves telling again and again. As a seasoned performer with an excellent director and he is able to balance much of the heartache with humorous quips to give the audience breathers between the dramatic sequences.  An unexpected shocker takes place at the end of act one when Copeland describes his bouts with depression and attempted suicide.

In act one Copeland’s change from the voices of his characters to his own mature voice seems at times to be by rote and does not fully express the monstrosity of the various incidents. In the second act that apparent lapse is not present and he reaches out with his professional demeanor to encircle the audience with his passion as they rose for a standing ovation. Running time about two hours with an intermission.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com.

Photo by Joan Marcus

Wittenberg: A Tragical-Comical-Historical in Two Acts. By David Davalos. Directed by Josh Costello.  Aurora Theatre, 2081 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 843-4822. www.auroratheatre.org. Extended through May 11, 2014.

WITTENBERG an intellectual hilarious romp at Aurora [rating:4] (4 of 5 stars)

The subtitle of David Davalos’ Wittenberg: “A Tragical-Comical-Historical in Two Acts”, is extremely descriptive of what you will see and hear in this laugh out loud, with occasional “Oh, no!” guffaws, production that is gracing the Aurora stage. Being familiar with Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Marlowe’s The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus and the teachings of Martin Luther will enhance your evening. Consider what would happen at a meeting between fictional Hamlet, semi-fictional Faustus and real life Luther and you have the outline of Davalos’ smart, intellectual comedy.

Davalos postulates that Wittenberg University in Germany is common ground where the three could have met. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet he leaves Wittenberg returning to Denmark to avenge the death of his father.  Luther was a learned theologian and lecturer at Wittenberg where he nailed 95 Theses to the church door unmasking the corrupt practices in the Catholic Church leading to the Protestant Reformation. He and his followers demonized the real, self-proclaimed astrologer, physician and magician Faustus for witchcraft due to his dismissal of theology as false teaching.

Hamlet is portrayed as an ineffectual/vacillating senior student/athlete who still has not yet declared his major. That leaves him fair game for Luther’s theology and Faustus’ hedonistic philosophy as they vie for his soul. Davalos may try to give equal shrift to Luther’s and Faustus’ beliefs but after the scene where Luther proclaims that his cleansing bowel movement, actually brought on by a laxative given him by Faustus, was the cleansing of his soul, the advantage goes to Faustus.

The word ‘advantage’ has a more plebian definition when Hamlet plays a simulated tennis match with the unseen Laertes from a rival University. Copernicus enters in the rivalry when his concept of the earth moving around the sun is considered heresy.

All is not theology and philosophy since Davalos has written hilarious scenes liberally borrowing lines from Shakespeare and Marlowe irreverently subverting their intent.  He also invents the proverbial student ale drinking house, “The Bung Hole”, with a two stein minimum and ‘all the tripe you can eat.’

Dr. Faustus’ excessive appetite for living and female sex reaches a climax (actually multiple climaxes) during his dalliances with lover Helen while Luther is pontificating from the pulpit on the marvelous faux Cathedral set (Eric  E. Sinkkonen). Elizabeth Carter does quadruple duty as all four women in the cast giving each a distinctive flair.

One could not ask for a more superlative cast that director Costello almost keeps in balance since the role of Faustus as played by Michael Stevenson is allowed to dominate the stage during his solo and ensemble time upon the stage. Jeremy Kahn should audition for the role of Hamlet in any forthcoming production of the Bard’s play since his depiction of the melancholy Dane rings true even though he must bound upon the stage in tennis regalia (brilliant costuming by Maggie Yule) to win his match with Laertes. Local favorite Dan Hiatt gives depth to Luther’s beliefs and has a subtle approach to comedy inherent in the script matching Stevenson scene for scene.  Running time 2 hours and 10 minutes with an intermission.

THE CAST: (in alphabetical order) Elizabeth Carter, Gretchen, Helen, Mary, Voltemand; Dan Hiatt, Luther; Jeremy Kahn, Hamlet; Michael Stevenson; Faustus; Jeffrey Lloyd Heatherly, Voice of the Judge; Daniel Petzold,, Voice of  Laertus.

DESIGNERS & CREW: Lighting designer, Jim Cave; Stage Manager , Leslie M. Radin; Properties, Laraine Gurke; Set designer , Eric Sinkkonen; Sound design, Chris Houston; Costume design: Maggi Yule

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com. 

 

Sleeping Cutie:A Fractured Fairy Tale Musical. Music by Doug Katsaros .Lyrics and book by Diane Sampson.Directed by Cindy Goldfield.Music Direction by David Aaron Brown.  Off a Cliff ProductionsSponsored by Playground @ Thick House – 1695 18th St. (Between Arkansas & Carolina Streets), San Francisco, CA 94107 Tickets: www.sleepingcutiemusicaltix.comor 415- 992-6677World Premiere – Limited Engagement –April 17 – May 11, 2014

EXTENDED THROUGH MAY 21, 2014

SLEEPING CUTIE almost ready for prime time. [Rating:3] (3 of 5 stars)

PlayGround is the Bay Area’s incubator for new playwrights and this 18^th year of supporting fledgling writers is their most ambitious. They have elected to begin with a world premiere musical commissioned and supported by the New Play Production Fund. The play began as a ten minute Monday night reading in 2012 and is now a full length two act barrel of fun receiving its world premiere at the intimate Thick House. Although it provides a fun evening there is much to be done before it is ready for the road.

It is a very clever but hardly original concept that is outlined in a sprightly opening number “What it Isn’t” by the seven member cast and three man onstage band. It is a fairy tale with “action in a modern vein”, “not big or fancy”, and “no orchestra and no pit” because the “stage is too small.” Diane Sampson’s lyrics fit the eclectic music with an occasional banal rhyme earning a chuckling groan.

The promise of the rousing opening number is lost with Marissa Joy Ganz’s rendition of “Drummer Queen” a witty patter song listing the names of notable former drummers. Those names are unintelligible and Ganz never gains the audience’s approbation in this promising musical. The rest of the enthusiastic cast almost regain the momentum and get to have a reprise of “What it Isn’t” to open the second act.

The story line “in the modern vein” is based on the machinations of Bernie Madoff, who engineered the Ponzi scheme Enron Scandal. His role is listed as Father (Jesse Caldwell) with Ganz as his estranged teenage daughter Lucy. Lucy’s caretaker Mary (Stephanie Prentis), in an underwritten part is given two ballads to sing. One of those ballads “Some Way to Get Through the Night” is shared witha charming Luke Chapman playing blind Charlie, the love interest.  Then there is the semi-mysterious Woman (excellent Gwen Loeb) who is instrumental to a “happily ever after” finale.

Filling in the gaps with multiple roles are Man 1(John Patrick Moore) and Man 2 (Buzz Halsing) who give the show a boost when they make their entrances and exits. They get to perform soft shoe dances complete with canes as well as a cacophonic “Apocalypse” rock’n role number. They bring down the first act curtain with “Lawyerese.”

A label cannot be assigned to this show since the music is a pastiche of Broadway, jazz, rock and classical music that adroitly fit the storyline and add pizazz to Sampson’s lyrics. The finale by the company of “Deus Ex Machina” is a must see production number that partially erases the ambivalent feelings generated by this uneven production. Running time under two hours including an intermission.

CAST: Jesse Caldwell* (Father); Luke Chapman (Charlie); Marissa Joy Ganz* (Lucy); Buzz Halsing* (Man 2); Gwen Loeb* (Woman); John Patrick Moore* (Man 1) and Stephanie Prentice* (Mary).

Production: David Aaron Brown, Keyboard; Lily Sevier, Drums; Vincenzo DeLaRosa, Bass; Producer, Jim Kleinmann; Stage Manager, Bethanie Baeyen; Lighting Designer, Mark Hueske; Costume/Props Designer, Cindy Goldfield; Sound Designer, Josh Senick; Dresser, Melissa Kallstrom; Production Manager, Marcus Marotto; Production Assistant, Solia Martinez Jacobs; Publicist, Lawrence Helman; Casting Consultant, Annie Stuart; Associate Producer, Peter B. Miller

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

TRIBES: Written by Nina Raine. Directed by Jonathan Moscone. Berkeley Repertory Theatre Thrust Stage, 2015 Addison Street @ Shattuck, Berkeley, CA 94704.510-647-2918 or www.berkeleyrep.org.  EXTENDED through May 18, 2014.

TRIBES explores the world of silence at BerkeleyRep. [rating:5] (5/5 Stars)

Every so often audiences are treated a production that can be described as the “whole package.” BerkeleyRep has done it again with Nina Raine’s Tribes. The play is intelligent, expertly crafted with one minor exception, populated with impressive actors, directed with panache, staged with lights, sound/music befitting the subject matter and performed on a memorable set (Todd Rosenthal).  The standing ovation was well deserved.

Be advised to pay attention since the major character is a man born deaf, living with his normal hearing family Tribe. Much of the dialog is in sign language with projections often translating what is said. Billy (James Caverly) is the youngest member of the family and was born deaf. Patriarch Christopher (Paul Whitworth ) and mother Beth (Anita Carey ) have made the decision to bring up Billy without the benefit of sign language. Intelligent Billy has become an expert lip reader and has learned to talk, although with the truncated words typical of the hearing impaired.

In the opening scene with Christopher, Beth and the older children, Daniel (Dan Clegg) and Ruth (Elizabeth Morton) involved in loud, contentious bantering Billy is quietly sitting at the dinner table unaware of the turmoil.  It is a clever way author Raine demonstrates Billy’s  lack of involvement within the family. It foreshadows future conflict.

The family is living in an academic world with retired professor Christopher trying to learn Chinese and Beth unsuccessfully writing a novel. Ruth is trying to be an opera singer and earns a few dollars singing in cafés and churches. Daniel is a perpetual student working on a thesis and has problems maintaining female companionship. He also hears debilitating voices in his head that he cannot separate from reality suggesting schizophrenia.

Within the confines of the family Tribe there is a balance that appears at times to be tenuous. When Billy meets Sylvia he falls in love. She is born of deaf parents who carry a “deafness’ gene causing their children to be born deaf or become deaf at a young age. Sylvia is an expert at signing since, other than in writing, that was her means of communication with her parents. Her hearing loss is progressive. Sylvia introduces Billy to the Deaf community and for her sake he learns sign language.

Within the Deaf community there are severe schisms with strong proponents of signing versus lip reading with actual hierarchies established. When Gallaudet University of the Deaf hired a “hearing” President the student body rose up in defiance and he was replaced. The more militant group within the Deaf tribe insists that they are not “different” or “abnormal” and oppose hearing aids and especially cochlear implants.

Drama and conflict arise within the play when Billy questions his parents’ decision to bring him up “normally” without the benefit of sign language. That leads to a cataclysmic second act that will have you on the edge of your seat. When Sylvia is introduced to the family the interrelationships are even more complicated since she knows the “hearing world” that she is losing. When she goes to play the piano at the end of act one you will feel deep anguish especially since her external hearing is paradoxically replaced by noises within her head.

The cast is marvelous. Paul Withworth is a master at subjugating his personae into the characters he is playing. In Shining City at SF Playhouse he sat perfectly still for his entire time on stage and yet created a well rounded character. Underneath his vociferous demeanor in this play he still earns our belief that his intentions were noble. Anita Carey stands toe to

(l to r) Paul Whitworth (Christopher) and Anita Carey (Beth)

toe with Withworth adding luster to her talents. Nell Geisslinger makes you feel Sylvia’s fear of progressive deafness. Dan Clegg and Elizabeth Morton have been given histrionic roles and earn their share of accolades.

The greatest number of accolades go to James Caverly who is deaf, a graduate of Gallaudet University, is a member of the National Theatre of the Deaf and has played the role of Billy in Boston and Washington. His acting skills are a wonder. 

Chalk this play up as a “must see.” Running time 2 hours including a 15 minute intermission.

 CAST: Anita Carey (Beth), James Caverly (Billy), Dan Clegg (Daniel), Nell Geisslinger (Sylvia), Elizabeth Morton (Ruth), and Paul Whitworth (Christopher)

 Creative team: Todd Rosenthal (scenic designer), Meg Neville (costume designer), Christopher Akerlind (lighting designer), Jake Rodriguez (sound designer), and Joan Osato (video designer). (All photos by mellopix.com)

Kedar K. Adour, MD

 

FENCES: Drama by August Wilson. Directed by Derrick Sanders. Marin Theatre Company ( in association with Lorraine Hansberry Theatre) Marin Theatre Company (MTC), 397 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley, CA 94941. www.marintheatre.org  or| (415) 388-5208 or boxoffice@marintheatre.org

EXTENDED THROUGH MAY 11, 2014

FENCES is powerful but partially flawed at MTC.  [rating:4] (4/5 stars)

August Wilson was a giant in the theatrical world and his legacy will live on for years. His magnum opus “The Pittsburgh Cycle” often called “The Century Cycle” is a 10 play compendium; Fences and The Piano Lesson were awarded Pulitzer Prizes for Drama and Fences won Tony Awards for its 1987 and the 2010 revival on Broadway. The plays are set in each decade beginning in 1900 and ending in 1990s depicting the African-American experience in the twentieth century mostly in the Hill District of Pittsburgh.

Fences is set in the 50s and briefly extends into the 60s for its dramatic dénouement. Carl Lumbly and Margo Hall play the major characters Troy Maxson and wife Rose with varying degrees of intensity and conviction. They are ably supported by Eddie Ray Jackson (Cory), Steven Anthony Jones (Jim Bono), Adrian Roberts (Gabriel), Tyee Tilghman (Lyons) and Jade Sweeney (12 year old Raynell alternating with Makaelah Bashir) who provide expressive sounding boards for Troy’s diatribes and justifications for his actions.

Marin Theatre’s production, in conjunction with the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, as directed by Derrick Sanders is by far the darkest version to play the boards in the Bay Area. J.B Wilson’s powerful stunning set adds timbre to the action.  Lumbly’s gives a mostly one-dimensional depiction of the bitter Troy now a garbage worker who was baseball star in the Negro leagues denied a position in the all-white major leagues. Troy dominates his family, especially the youngest son Cory whose athletic abilities have the potential to outshine Troy’s feats. Rose is the faithful wife who attempts to intercede between the two.

The construction of the play relies on long external/internal monologs to define character by vocalizing previous experiences. Such construction requires superb acting and directing to prevent the evening from becoming long and tedious. Marin Theatre’s production is a qualified success with sections of brilliance interspersed with questionable directorial conceits. Margo Hall, a Bay Area favorite, can pull any audience into the play and does so for most of the evening. Inexplicably in the confrontational scene when Rose learns about Troy’s unfaithfulness, director Sanders allows her to wildly flail her arms about rather than reflect the strong deeply hurt matriarch of the family and lover to Troy.

The fence referred to by the play’s title is finished in the final act.  Rose wants the fence built to keep what belongs to her inside and what belongs outside, outside.  It is not immediately known why Troy wants to build it, but Wilson gives him a dramatic monologue in the second act conceptualizing it as an allegory—to keep the Grim Reaper away.

Steven Anthony Jones as Troy’s best friend Jim Bono nails the line, “Some people build fences to keep people out and other people build fences to keep people in. Rose wants to hold on to you all.” Considering the standing ovation on this second night of the show, you may have to break down the fences to see it.

Production Staff: Directed by Derrick Sanders; Scenic designer J. B. Wilson; Lighting designer Kurt Landisman, Costume designer Christine Crook;  Composer Chris Houston; Sound designer Will McCandles; Stage Manager Jessica Aguilar; Properties Artisan Seren Helday; Casting director Meg Pearson; Dramaturg Margot Melcon; Assistant director Edgar Gonzalez.

FEATURING: Margo Hall;  Eddie Ray Jackson;  Steven Anthony Jones; Carl Lumbly; Adrian Roberts; Tyee Tilghman with Makaelah Bashir and Jade Sweeney and Michael J. Asberry (understudy).

Kedar K. Adour, MD

COURTESY OF WWW.THEATREWORLDINTERNETMAGAZINE.COM.

 

GAME ON: Comedy by Dan Hoyle and Tony Taccone. Directed by Rick Lombardo. San Jose Repertory Theatre, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose. (408) 367-7255. www.sjrep.com.

Through April 19, 2014

GAME ON hits a three bagger [rating:3] (3 of 5 stars)

Dan Hoyle and Tony Taccone are sort of strange bedfellows when it comes to playwriting. That statement is not intended to denigrate their individual theatrical accomplishments. Taccone is multi-award winning artistic director for Berkeley Rep and Hoyle is an award winning solo performer. Individually they have had their other plays produced garnering good to fair reviews. The story behind how these two got together to write a comedy/farce that combines fantasy baseball, global warming, venture capitalism, high cost of medical care and entomophagy would make fascinating reading.

To spare you the chore of having to look up the pronunciation and meaning of ‘entomophagy’: en·to·moph·a·gy is the practice of eating insects and the word first appeared in the English lexicon in 1975. It will now be recognized in MS Word spell checker. The practice, according to the press notes, is common in most cultures especially in Asia. The insects are an excellent source of protein.

Two men with diametrically opposite personalities are peddling a proposition to a venture capitalist to back the formation of a company fostering entomophagy. With global warming and the scarcity of water upsetting the natural order of the world there will be a need to have alternate sustainable source of protein to replace the reliance on beef. The concept is brainchild of divorced charismatic taxi driver Vinnie (Marco Barricelli) and his cohort pushing the deal is a slick numbers-cruncher Alvin (Craig Marker). The bond between the men is their addiction to fantasy-baseball.      

The local angle for this world premiere is the proximity of Silicon Valley and the intense rivalry between SF Giants and LA Dodgers baseball clubs. The action takes place in an elegant spare room (set by John Iacovelli) of a mansion in Los Altos where a party is underway that includes a billionaire financier. Vinnie has brought along spring rolls filled with insect delicacies. While they are waiting for Alvin to make the pitch (get the baseball reference?) the two erstwhile entrepreneurs indulge in bickering about making trades for players on their fantasy baseball teams. Television projections of a baseball game intermittently are flashed on the back wall.

Barricelli and Marker are two of the most sought after actors in the Bay Area. They do not disappoint with Barricelli giving life to an ebullient Vinnie and Marker’s Alvin keeping him in check with his sincerity.  They are a joy to watch since the roles are antithesis of previous dramatic outings demonstrating their talents in comedy/ farce.

The play starts out as a routine comedy, dabbles in socio-economic themes and personal medical/monetary problems before it ends in all out farce in its 90 minute (no intermission).  Marker’s Alvin has to dissolve into a histrionic panic attack before the dénouement. The intrepid duo is ably supported by Mike Ryan (Bob), Nisi Sturgis (Beth) and Cassidy Brown (Glen) with Brown taking control of the stage in a hysterical if implausible defender of world ecology.

Yes, Vinnie and Alvin do not get their windfall but the ever inventive Vinnie comes up with a scheme that involves ‘over and under’ betting on when individual devastations of global warming will occur. The trip from San Francisco to San Jose was well worth the drive and this reviewer learned about fantasy baseball, venture capitalism, ‘over and under’ betting and finally en•to•moph•a•gy.

CAST: Vinnie, Marco BarriceI1i; Alvin, Craig Marker; Bob, Mike Ryan; Glen, Cassidy Brown; Beth Nisi Sturgis.

Artistic Collaborators: Scenic Designer John lacovelli; Costume Designer Denitsa Bliznakova; Lighting Designer David Lee Cuthbert; Sound Designer Rick Lombardo; Original Music Haddon Kime; Casting Director Kirsten Brandt; Drarnaturg Karen Altree Piemme; Stage Manager Laxmi Kumaran, Assistant Stage Manager Deirdre Rose Holland.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of  www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

 

 

 

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Painting the Clouds with Sunshine: Musical Comedy. World Premiere by Greg MacKellan and Mark D. Kaufmann. 42^nd Street Moon, the Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94111. (415) 255-8207 or go to www.42ndstmoon.org. Ends April 20, 2014

Painting the Clouds with Sunshine a world premiere “Depression Era” musical by 42^nd Street Moon [rating:5]

42^nd Street Moon, famous for resurrecting ‘lost’ musicals for the past 21 years, has mounted a world premiere musical. It is a first for this theatre icon of the Bay Area and they earn accolades for their efforts. It is an evening of song, dance and frivolous fun that brushes away the clouds and adds a star to the firmament.

The show had its genesis with “Sing Before Breakfast: Songs from the Great Talking Picture Musicals”, a CD” by artistic director Greg MacKellen who collaborated with Mark Kaufmann to produce this book musical using lesser known songs of the Great Depression Era. It is a tribute to San Francisco’s deceased Bob Grimes whose collection of sheet music dates back to the 1930’s. Yes, you will recognize some of the songs but they are not the old standards that graced the stage in the well known musicals.

The collaborators have set the time as 1935 and the place Hollywood. If it was not advertised as a world premiere, which it is, it could have been passed off as another ‘lost musical’ brought back to life. The staging, costumes, humor, dancing and the storyline are perfect in keeping with the musical genre of the 1920s through 1940s.

For this show it is 1935, the middle of the Great Depression when the musicals were meant to cheer up the populace who flocked to the theatres to see upbeat fare. It all takes place in and around Hollywood the mecca for striving young starry-eyed dreamers attempting to gain fame and fortune in the movies. One of those young dreamers (she sings and dances) is Alice (Kari Yancy) working in the proverbial Hollywood Boulevard eatery with older, wiser, loveable Willa (Cami Thompson).  Enter ‘no money in his pockets’ handsome George (Galen Murphy-Hoffman) to flip over Alice. Willa has her paramour Gil (John-Elliot Kirk) and both couples have problems getting together adding the needed touch of “true love never runs true” truism.

Add a loveable shady news-stand operator Jake ( Justin Gilman, he doubles as a barman) and quick-with-the-quips smart-mouth Joyce (Nicole Frydman) for the needed humor. For a bit of spice throw in sexy Iris (Allison F. Rich) and a utility actor with multiple roles (Ryan Drummond) and the cast is complete.

The entire cast (with a minor exception) is great in their lead roles and excellent when needed for the ensemble. Staci Arriaga has wisely kept the dancing simple and lively and 42^nd Street musical director Dave Dobrusky receives his well-earned applause while on the stage for the entire show (two hours and 20 minute including the intermission). Felicia Lilienthal’s 1930s costumes are a drag queens dream.

All the songs are upbeat. Some you will recognize: “Painting the Clouds With Sunshine”, “Did You Ever See A Dream Walking?”, “You Oughta Be In Pictures”,  “Jeepers, Creepers”,  “Sing You Sinners”,  “Sweeping The Clouds Away.”  A few you will not recognize but are cleverly perfect to carry the story forward and add a smile to your  face: “Breakfast Table Love”, “Livin’ In The Sunlight, Lovin’ In The Moonlight”, “You Hit the Spot”, “Dusty Shoes”, “Gather Lip Rouge While You May”, “Are You Making Any Money?”, “I’m Feathering a Nest”, “There’s A Riot In Havana” and more.

All in all, a charming world premiere with top-notch singers/actors, beautiful girls, handsome men, pleasant dancing, gorgeous costumes, colorful set and Dave Dobrusky. Three cheers and five stars go to Greg MacKellan and Mark D. Kaufmann.

CAST: (Russell James & Rocco) Ryan Drummond; (Iris Langston) Allison F. Rich; (Jake& Barman) Justin Gillman; (George Fenton) Galen Murphy-Hoffman, (Alice Collins) Kari Yancy; (Willa Brennan) Cami Thompson; (Gil) John-Elliott Kirk; (Joyce Aubrey)   Nicole Frydman.

ARTISTIC STAFF: Directed by Mark D. Kaufmann; Music Director: Dave Dobrusky

Choreographer: Stag Arriaga; Stage Manager: Maria Difabbio; Production Manager: Hector Zavala; Set Design: Hector Zavala; Costume Design: Felicia Lilienthal

Lighting Design: Danny Maher; Props: Amy Crumpacker.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Every Five Minutes: Drama by Linda McLean and directed by Loretta Greco. Magic Theatre, Fort Mason Center, 2 Marina Blvd., Building D, 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94123.  415.441.8822 or  www.magictheatre.org. March 26- April 20, 2014

EVERY FIVE MINUTES features Rod Gnapp at his best [rating:2] (2/5)

Linda McLean’s latest play Every Five Minutes is being given its world premiere by the Magic Theatre known for its strong commitment to new, innovative and avant-garde theatre. Two years ago they mounted a brilliant production of McLean’s stunning, sharp edged Any Given Day. That play was part of Magic’s annual Virgin Play Series where scripts are in various stages of development are read and critiqued. Author McClean, who is highly respected in her native Scotland and throughout the UK, was experimenting with form. She continues that experimentation with Every Five Minutes but she misses the mark and seems pretentious.

This time the experimentation is depiction of a mind thrown into turmoil after 17 years of incarceration and torture. It is the mind of her major character Mo being given a superlative performance by local icon Rod Gnapp. His unique ability to create believable characters with tortured and often convoluted minds is legendary.  His notable most recent time upon the stage were Buried Child at the Magic and Storefront Church at SF Playhouse. He is at his best again and single-handedly gives credibility to McLean’s and Magic Theatre’s attempt to give credence to the play.

Non-linear plays tax the audience’s ability to make sense of time frame shifts and eventually understand what is happening. To aid the audience in this endeavor the author and director Greco use projections with simple “This Time”, or “This Time, Before” or “This Time and Another Time”, or “This Time but earlier” and later “From the Beginning.” Interspersed with these and other projections are a cacophony of sound and light that jar the senses.

Those blaring sound and lights supposedly are reflections of Mo’s troubled mind. It all begins simply enough when Mo is returned to his home after his hellish incarceration. We learn the convoluted facts in bits and pieces. McLean invents two clowns Bozo (Patrick Alparone) and Harpo (Jomar Tagatac) as figments of  Mo’s mental deterioration. They verbally and physically abuse and assuage Mo brutalized mind.

We eventually learn the time frame of the play and Mo’s relationship to his past by the fact that early on there is the birth of baby Molly to Rachael (Carrie Paff) and Ben (Sean San Jose). When Molly enters late in the play (Shawna Michelle James) she is 17 years old and Mo’s faulty recollection becomes a major crisis.

Patrick Alparone and Jomar Tagatac carry the physical burden of the play with professional style being both insidious with a modicum of humor.  The charming Maggie Mason gives a solid performance as a Census Taker and other ensemble roles. Carrie Paff and Sean San Jose are underutilized in their parts adding little to McLean’s experimentation with decent into madness.

Running time a long, long 90 minutes.

CAST: Rod Gnapp, Mo; Mia Tagano, Sara; Sean San José, Ben; Carrie Paff, Rachel; Patrick Alparone, Bozo; JomarTagatac, Harpo;  Maggie Mason, Census Taker;  Shawna Michelle James, Molly.

CREATIVE TEAM: Set and light design by Eric Southern, costume design by Alex Jaeger, sound design by Sara Huddleston, and innovative video and projection design by  Hana Kim

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Harpo (Jomar Tagatac), and Bozo (Patrick Alparone) prepare to bring Mo (Rod Gnapp) home in EVERY FIVE MINUTES at Magic Theatre through April 20. By Linda McLean, directed by Loretta Greco. Photo: Jennifer Reiley

 

Harpo (Jomar Tagatac) and Bozo (Patrick Alparone) ) in EVERY FIVE MINUTES at Magic Theatre through April 20. By Linda McLean, directed by Loretta Greco. Photo: Jennifer Reiley

 

SLEUTH: Mystery by Anthony Shaffer. Directed by Mark Anderson Phillips. Center REPertory Company, 1601 Civic Drive in downtown Walnut Creek.: Lesher Center for the Arts, Civic Drive at Locust, Walnut Creek.925-943-7469 orwww.centerrep.org

March 28 -April 26, 2014

SLEUTH another winner at CenterRep in Walnut Creek [rating:4] (4/5 stars)

Be advised that the cast members after their well deserved thunderous applause at the curtain call pleaded with the audience not to give away the totally surprise ending but do tell your friends about how much you enjoyed the show. OK, fair enough especially since all is not what appears to be, including the program.

What we do know, and all that you will learn from this reviewer, is that it all begins when an egotistical, successful, both professionally and financially, mystery writer Andrew Wyke (Kit Wilder) inviting his wife’s lover Milo Tindle (Thomas Gorrebeeck) to his country home in Wiltshire, England. His home is a palatial mansion (Michael Locher’s stunning five stars set is worth the price of admission) furnished with paraphernalia reflecting his obsession with playing games.  Kit Wilder gives a magnificent portrayal of Wyke’s supercilious, devious, arrogant, privileged yet personable nature necessary to make the plot line plausible.

Enter handsome, charming, sexy Milo, the son of an Italian immigrant, with only public school education and not very financially secure. Andrew on the surface does not seem to mind his wife’s dalliance since he has a mistress but there is a hint of jealousy about Milo’s good looks and virility.

Since Milo will need money to keep his paramour in the manner she is accustom to living with Andrew, maybe Milo would not be adverse to play a game that would supply Milo with money but require a theft of her jewels. OK. Milo is ‘game” and allows Andrew to set up the game that will appear like a robbery by a man dressed as a clown. (Don’t ask!) The interaction between Milo and Andrew gets weirder and weirder and director Mark Anderson Phillips moves his characters around as if playing a chess game. One might conjecture that the upsetting of the chess board earlier in the act may be symbolic of what is to happen. The first act curtain is a stunning killer with the set in total disarray.

When the curtain rises (actually the lights come up, there is no curtain) the set is again immaculate and all the toys are back in place. The peaceful ambiance is upset when inspector Doppler arrives announcing that Milo Tindle has disappeared and there is information that the last place he visited was Andrew’s mansion. Surprise after clue after clue is discovered and the previous unflappable Andrew is at his wits end.

As the second act continues, there is twist and turns along with the surprises that will leave you befuddled but Anthony Shaffer’s brilliant writing wraps up the evening with all the loose ends tied up.

Running time 1 hour 45 minutes with an intermission.

SLEUTH: By Anthony Shaffer. Directed by Mark Anderson Phillips. 

Cast: Philip Farrar, Inspector Doppler; Harold K. Newman, Detective Sargeant Tarrant; Roger Purnell, Police Constable Higgs; Thomas Gorrebeeck, Milo Tindle; Kit Wilder, Andrew Wyke.

Production staff: Scenic Designer, Michael Locher; Lighting Designer, Kurt Landisman; Costume Designer, Maggie Whitaker; Sound Designer, Theodore Hulsker; Stage Manager, Kathleen J. Parsons; Props Master, Shaun Carroll; Wigs, Judy Disbrow; Fight Director, Kit Wilder.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

38^TH HUMANA NEW AMERICAN PLAY FESTIVAL: February 26 –April 6, 2014

Actors Theatre of Louisville, 316 West Main Street, Louisville, KY 40202. 502-584-1205, or www.actorstheatre.org.

Reams of accolades could be written about the plethora of fine acting, directing and production values at the Humana New American Play Festival but for these capsule reviews the emphasis is on “the plays the thing.” In reference to the running times please note that none of the plays have an intermission.

It is very appropriate that the sentence above should be used as the header for all the Humana New American Play Festivals. The venue at Actors Theatre of Louisville is composed of three superb performing areas outfitted with all the conceivable technical paraphernalia one can imagine. There is the commodious proscenium arch Pamela Brown Auditorium, the theatre-in-the-round Bingham and the intimate “black-box” Victor Jory thrust stage.  One might wonder about the process used select the space for each play. With one notable exception the venue selection was appropriate.

That one exception is the staging of brownsville song (b-side for tray) (no capitals used in the title) by Kimber Lee and directed by Meredith McDonough of TheatreWorks fame for overseeing their New Works Festivals in Palo Alto. She is now the associate artistic director to Les Waters formerly of Berkeley Rep who is in his second season as artistic director at Actors Theatre.

brownsville song is a small personal confidential play wrapped in socially injustice. Brownsville in Brooklyn is predominately a Black neighborhood with a myriad of social ills and perilous dangers. Living in this milieu is Kimber Lee’s protagonist Tray an intelligent, athletic high schooler, his grandmother Lena and young sister Devine whom he looks after as a surrogate father.

The play is non-linear moving back in forth in time but in doing so does not clearly delineate the relationships and needs a re-write. It begins with Lena’s dynamic monolog trying to give meaning to Tray’s death in a drive-by shooting.

Tray is offered help in preparing an application for a college scholarship by a woman, Merrell, who has been in an alcoholic rehabilitation center. As mentioned in the previous paragraph it is difficult to ascertain that Merrell is Devine’s mother and Tray’s step-mother.

The pathos of the play loses impact being performed on the entire massive stage area. Huge panels move back and forth and up and down with every change of scene. Never-the-less, when the author clarifies the relationships of the characters this play will “have legs” moving on to other venues.

brownsville song (b-side for tray): Drama by Kimber Lee and directed by Meredith McDonough. THE CAST: Lena, Cherene Snow; Devine, Sally Diallo; Tray, John Clarence Stewart; Merrell, Jackie Chung; & Junior/Brooklyn College Student, Joshua Boone.

Performing the SITI Company’s Steel Hammer in the Victor Jory Theatre was a stroke of genius befitting the style of Anne Bogart who combines dance, drama and music into her signature performance pieces. She has commissioned playwrights Kia Corthron, Will Power, Carl Hancock Rux and Regina Taylor to dramatize the story of John Henry who in the 1800s died working on the railroad and was made famous in song.

Interwoven with the dance and drama are music and lyrics of Julie Wolfe performed and recorded by Bang on a Can All-Stars and Trio Medieval. The six member cast headed by Eric Berryman playing John Henry give riveting performances with Berryman portraying the four versions John Henry to perfection. In the stage directions he must run a mile in the two hours upon the stage tiring himself as well as the audience. After one hour the accolade of “riveting” is replaced by “tedious. Judicious editing is needed before it would be ready for a road tour. Running time 2 hours.

Steel Hammer: Performance Piece directed by Anne Bogart with music and lyrics by Julia Wolfe and original text by Kia Corthron, Will Power, Carl Hancock Rux and Regina Taylor with recorded music performed by Bang on a Can All-Stars and Trio Mediaeval performed and created by SITI Company.

STEEL HAMMER WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY SITI ;THE CAST (in alphabetical order): Akiko Aizawa; Eric Berryman; Patrice Johnson ChevannesGian-Murray Gianino; Barney O’Hanlon; Stephen Duff Webber.

Lucas Hnath’s play The Christians would be appropriate selection for the SF Playhouse as a follow-up on their January staging of Storefront Church by John Patrick Shanley.  (SF Playhouse Artistic Director Bill English was in attendance). This capsule review has a personal flair since my youngest brother is a Pentecostal minister! Be assured that Fundamentalists look with askance at messing with the Bible. Author Hnath writes with authority since he was reared in such a milieu and in his youth gave sermons to the congregation.

Hnath is very even-handed in dealing with his subject matter and leaves the ultimate decision to believe or not to believe up to the audience. The Pastor of a financial secure mega-congregation Fundamentalist church has had a revelation that the accepted Biblical concept of Hell being a place of fire and brimstone where the un-baptized (non-believers) are condemned to eternal damnation is not true.

The first to challenge the Pastor is a black associate pastor Joshua who had been ‘saved’ from a life of non-belief and through rigorous diligent prayer has been elevated to his present position gaining the trust and reverence of the congregation. He is asked to leave Pastor’s church and in doing so takes a significant portion of the congregation with him.

By adding only three other characters to the mix, Hnath clearly defines the financial workings and ingrained beliefs of the church. There is the Elder who outlines the devastation to the financial basis, a young Congregant who sincerely question’s the Pastor’s motivation and the Pastor’s Wife who has faithfully believed in the goodness of her husband but now has severe reservations.

Director Lee Waters simply and elegantly stages the play with four ecclesiastical chairs down stage center and a church choir behind to add verisimilitude to the surroundings. The main characters all use hand held microphones even when talking to one another giving an aura of didactism yet the superb actors give depth to their lines and their questions will become your questions. All this takes place in 80 minutes and is ready to go on the road.

The Christians: Drama by Lucas Hnath an directed by Les WatersTHE CAST: Pastor, Andrew Garman; Associate Pastor, Larry Powell; Elder, Richard Hensel; Congregant, Emily Donahoe; Wife, Linda Powell.

 Partners by Dorothy Fortenberry is a modern day pot-boiler in the mode of a TV soap-opera. It takes place in early 2012 one year after same-sex marriage (Marriage Equality Act) act was passed in New York State. The author may wish to revise the play after reading “Same-Sex Marriage — A Prescription for Better Health” by G. Gonzales in N Engl J Med 2014;370:1373-1376.

The play is really two stories that could individually be interesting but as written intertwining the frailties of a straight marriage and advantages/disadvantages of gay marriage leaves each  subject superficially explored and at times banal.

Clare, an aspiring chef and husband Paul a well paid law firm technological worker had written there own marriage vows without the traditional “love, honor and obey” clause. Gay, underemployed (no health insurance) Ezra is Clare’s potential business partner planning to enter the booming food truck business. Brady, his boyfriend, is an under paid teacher/bread-winner thus making daily living problematic.

Clare gets a bundle of money from a medical class action lawsuit. Think of the axiom about money not solving problems. Clare and Paul have a falling out. She also does not tell Ezra that she has the money to finally get the food truck up and running. Inexplicably she donates most of the money to groups supporting legalization of same-sex marriage. Don’t ask why. There are spurts of cogent dialog with most of the humor being garnered by Ezra’s gay demeanor. Conclusion: Partners is not ready for prime time. Running time 105 minutes.

Partners: Comedy/Drama by Dorothy Fortenberry and directed by Lila Neugebauer

THE CAST: Clare, an aspiring chef, Annie Purcell; Paul, her husband, David Ross; Ezra, Clare’s best friend and business partner, Kassey Mahaffy; Brady, Ezra’s boyfriend, Leroy McClain.

Last but hardly least the Humana Festival has brought back Jordan Harrison for the fifth time with The Grown-Up. He is no stranger to San Francisco where his plays Maple and Vine, Finn in the Underworld and Act a Lady were performed at A.C.T, BerkeleyRep and the New Conservatory Theatre Center respectively.

In The Grown-Up Harrison spins a magical semi-autobiographical tale as seen through the eyes of 10 year old Kai who has been told by his grandfather that the glass door knob on the linen closet once was the eye of a pirate ship’s maidenhead. Placing that glass door knob on any door will lead you into magical worlds. You guessed it,  Kai takes the glass door knob, places it on various doors and he has a journey through his future life ending with his burial.

The journey as written by Harrison is carried forth by a cast of six playing multiple roles in a 70 minute romp that includes charming vignettes as Kai races through life emphasizing Alfred North Whitehead’s concept of relative time. There surely will be some rewrites before this play makes a successful run through professional and community theaters in the years to come.

The Grown-Up: Comedy by Jordan Harrison and directed by Ken Rus Schmoll

THE CAST: Kai, Matthew Stadelmann; Brooke Bloom;  Paul Niebanck; Tiffany Villarin; Chris Murray; David Ryan Smith.

 

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatrworldinternetmagazine.com