Kedar K. Adour

Foreground Left to Right: Parker Murphy as Nick and Rami Margron* as Antigone. Background: Kevin Clarke* as Kreon, David Sinaiko as The Chorus

ANTIGONICK: A translation of Sophokles’ Antigone by Anne Carson. Co-directed by Mark Jackson & Hope Mohr. Shotgun Players, Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave., Berkeley. (510) 841-6500. www.shotgunplayers.org. EXTENDED to May 3, 2015!

Antigonick ‘spellbinds’ the audience at Shotgun Players. [rating:4]

The multitalented Anne Carson (world-class poet, classicist and MacArthur “genius” fellowship winner) in 2012 wrote a new truncated translation of the Greek masterpiece “Antigone.” With her collaborator Robert Currie they published a beautiful book on hand-inked pages with impressionistic drawings by Bianca Stone. The Shotgun Players under the guidance of the ever inventive director Mark Jackson have used that book (script) to mount the present version exploding on the Ashby Stage. Jackson shares the accolades with co-director Hope Mohr who choreographed the play creating stunning dance movements that are integral to and expand the text.

The words are exiguous but as delivered by a superlative cast carries more meaning than reams of text. After a very raucous introduction by Antigone (Rami Margron) and her sister Ismene (Monique Jenkinson) outlining the basic conflict within the play the Chorus of old Theban men compressed into one portrayed by the superlative David Sinaiko begins his commentary on the action.

Antigone is engaged to marry Haimon (Kenny Toll) the son of Kreon (Kevin Clarke) the King of Thebes. Antigone and Ismene’s two brothers have slain each other fighting on opposite sides of the conflict for control of Thebes. Kreon believes that one brother is a traitor and refuses to bury him. Antigone convinces Ismene that it is familial duty to bury their brother. Thus the conflict between personal duties versus the will of the State is established leading to the inexorable death to members of both families.

Rather than explore the ethical questions ingrained in Sophocles’ play, the author allows each protagonist to express and justify their view points with non-judgmental commentary by the Chorus. It is the powerful modernistic dancing, staging and dramatic music that intensifies the 75 minute tour de force performance piece.

The title of the play is an idiosyncratic conceit by the author who has created a non-speaking part for “Nick” who remains on stage throughout the play and “measures things.” The most obvious measurement is of time . . . as in the “nick of time.” He is dressed in white, using stylistic measured movements that intermingle with actors giving questionable significance to his purpose.

All this plays out on a bare set resembling a curved highly polished wall of a skateboard arena. This may be symbolic of the characters inability to escape the confines of their intellectual and physical entrapment. 

The physicality of the direction by Jackson and Mohr is extremely demanding and all members of the cast perform admirably. However, there are times when that physicality overshadows some very significant dialog. On the Sunday matinee of this performance there was very, very appreciative applause but did not gain a standing ovation.

CAST: Kevin Clarke, Kreon; Monique Jenkinson, Ismene / Eurydike; Rami Margron, Antigone / Teiresias; Parker Murphy, Nick; David Sinaiko, Chorus; Kenny Toll, Haimon / Guard /Messenger; Megan Trout, Understudy for Ismene / Eurydike (Performing March 19 – 21) & Antigone / Teiresias ; Soren Santos, Understudy for Haimon / Guard / Messenger & Nick

PRODUCTION TEAM: Nina Ball, Set Design; Christina Bauer, Production Assistant; Stephanie Buchner, Light Design; Christine Crook, Costume Design; Theodore J.H. Hulsker, Sound Design; Mark Jackson, Co-Director; Anne Kendall, Technical Director; Hope Mohr, Co-Director; Kirsten Royston, Properties Design; Katherine Bickford, Stage Manager.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Foreground Left to Right: Parker Murphy as Nick and Rami Margron* as Antigone. Background: Kevin Clarke* as Kreon, David Sinaiko as The Chorus

(l-r) Brittany Danielle and Ryan Drummond (as Nick and Nora Charles), with Allison Rich and Nicole Frydman (front) in 42nd Street Moon’s production of Nick & Nora, playing April 1-19 at the Eureka Theatre. Photo by David Allen

Nick and Nora: Mystery Musical. Music by Charles Strouse. Lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr. Book by Arthur Laurents. Directed by Greg MacKellan. Music Direction by Dave Dobrusky. 42^nd Street Moon Theatre, Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson St., San Francisco. April 1-19, 2015. Box Office:  415/255-8207 or www.42ndstmoon.org.

Nick and Nora survives its resurrection by 42^nd Street Moon [Rating:2]

For aficionados of musical theatre from past generations there is a good reason to see 42^nd Street Moon’s resurrection of the 1991 flop Nick and Nora since they probably will not have an opportunity to see a full scale production again. This is the first and only full scale production of the musical since it opened on Broadway in 1991after 71 previews of writes and rewrites to last a total of nine days on Broadway. As is their pedigree, 42^nd Street Moon pulls out all stops with this staging giving its loyal audiences their money’s worth even though the plot is convoluted and the music non-memorable.

The story is based on the immensely popular 1930s “Thin Man” movies starring William Powell and Myrna Loy created from Dashiell Hammett’s novel. Nick (suave Ryan Drummond) and Nora (a miscast Brittany Danielle) Charles are an urban married couple with martini drinking Nick a whiz at solving murder mysteries and Nora wanting to match his abilities. Her competitive spirit is aroused and she takes on the assignment of solving the murder of a Hollywood actress Lily Connors (a marvelous Cindy Goldfield). As clues and miss-clues pile up the solution to the murder is equally unexpected as those from the movies.  Drummond commented in a pre-production interview “. . . movies. . . do not translate well to the stage.”

Greg MacKellan is a master at musical direction and moves the characters in and out of multiple and often non-linear scenes gracefully with panache gaining the most humor possible from the script. Staci Arriaga’s choreography is superlative and Hector Zavala’s 1930s costumes are gems with more than a touch of humor especially for the shoes! Megan Stetson’s dresses for her role as the fireball wanna-be actress Maria Valdez would be envied by Carman Miranda. She, Davern Wright and Justin Gilman have a song and dance show stopper with “Boom, Chika Boom” that is a highlight of Act two.It is Nicole Frydman as much put upon blonde Lorraine Bixby who steals parts of the show. Accolades also go to William Giammona as Victor, Allison Rich as an egotistical actress and hilarious Brian Herndon as director Max Bernheim the initially accused murder. OK, so that’s a tip off, but be advised to beware of red herring clues.

Running time two hours and 40 minutes with an intermission.

C A S T: Ryan Drummond* (Nick Charles); Brittany Danielle* (Nora Charles); Allison F. Rich* (Tracy Gardner); William Giammona (Victor Moisa); Michael Barrett Austin* (Lt. Wolfe); Michael Kern Cassidy* (Edward J. Connors); Nicole Frydman (Lorraine Bixby); Justin Gillman (Spider Malloy; Juan); Cindy Goldfield* (Lily Connors); Brian Herndon* (Max Bernheim); Megan Stetson (Maria Valdez); Reuben Uy* (Yukido); Davern Wright (Selznick, The Other Juan).

C R E A T I V E CAST:  Greg MacKellan (Director);  Dave Dobrusky (Musical Director); Staci Arriaga (Choreographer); Kris Vecere (Stage Manager); Hector Zavala (Production Manager/Set & Costume Design); Danny Maher (Lighting Designer); Yvonne Ortiz (Design Assistant); Nick Di Scala (Musician Woodwinds).

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com.

Cast: Alan Coyne (Dexter – red cap), Kai Morrison (Major Topple d’Acropolis), Matt Gunnison (Haplus – blue cap), Jef Valentine (Hospitalides – old man), Eden Neuendorf (Convivia – ingénue), Darek Burkowski (Nautikles – bow tie, skipper outfit), Catherine Leudtke (Climax – dominatrix costume).

The Braggart Soldier or Major Blowhard  by Plautus. Adapted and directed by Evren Odcikin translated by Deena Berg. Custom Made Theatre Company, Gough Street Playhouse, 1620 Gough at Bush, San Francisco. (415) 798-CMTC (2682) or www.custommade.org.

The Braggart Soldier is a winning rollicking/ribald /romp at Custom Made [rating:4]

The more the world changes the more it remains the same is an aphorism associated with personal, impersonal and interpersonal behavior even though the world is being torn apart by war. Is that what multitalented local theatre icon Evren Odcikin is telling audiences in his staging of the 2200 year old Roman play, The Braggart Soldier,  by Titus Maccius Plautus?

Be assured there is no need to engage in intellectual banter after seeing/enjoying Custom Made’s latest mounting at the Gough Street Playhouse. The decision to bring in an Odcikin production was a brilliant move. It truly displays Odcikin at his best and in all respects. He has adapted Deena Berg’s translation, directed the play and designed the set.

The acting is appropriately and extremely broad. It is great comedia dell’ arte tomfoolery with costumes (Keiko Shimosato Carreiro) to match. The age old conflict between master and servant opens the show with Dexter (Alan Coyne) servant to Nutikles (Darek Burkowski) engaging in banter with braggart Major Toppole d’Acopolis (Kia Morrison) in order to gain his trust. It seems the Blowhard has stolen Convivia (Eden Neuendorf) lover of Nautikles and Dexter is brewing up a plot to return her to Nautikles.

Do not concern yourself with the relationships since Dexter who is on stage for most of the 95 minute play without intermission explains and introduces all the characters to the audience. When there is one character missing he inveigles a member of the audience to take the part. There are other forays into audience participation that are hilarious.

Deception is the key word in the plot with two houses separated by a backyard garden with Convivia struggling between the Blowhard’s house and the house of lecherous Hospitalides (Jef Valentine) where the lovers have secret trysts. Alas Blowhard’s servant Haplus (Matt Gunnison) has chased a monkey across the roof of Hospitalides’ house and (horrors) observed the lovers engaged passionate embraces nee sex?

 It’s a puzzlement (apologies to The King and I since the play is more like A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum) to Haplus. Dexter must now create an identical twin sister of Convivia. Here the plot thickens and the final character, a dominatrix, named Climax (Catherine Luedtke) is brought into the plot.

Enough about the plot. It is the staging; acting, costumes and directing that create a winning evening. Limber-limbed Alan Coyne contorts his body and face adding depth to his straight and double entendre lines keeping pace with Odcikin’s fluid direction. Matt Gunnison in his brief stints upon the stage as Haplus matches Coyne in physicality and almost becomes the audience favorite.

Eden Neuendorf and Darek Burkowski as the star crossed lovers somewhat underplay their roles but do gain audience approbation. Jef Valentine as Hospitalides has to overcome the hilarious cod piece attached to glorious costume. And finally, if you are into S & M, you surely should hire Climax given a scene stealing performance by Catherine Luedtke. Kai Morrison’s performance as the Blowhard is so good that you may say he deserves the beating he gets.

Before the lights go out to end the play Dexter asks Haplus what he thinks is the moral to the story. With “puzzlement” on his face, Haplus responds: “Never chase a monkey across the roof!”

CAST: Dexter, Alan Coyne; Major Topple d’Acropolis,  Kai Morrison; Haplus, Matt Gunnison; Hospitalides,  Jef Valentine; Convivia, Eden Neuendorf; Nautikles, Darek Burkowski; Climax, Catherine Luedtke*

CREATIVE TEAM: Director/Scenic Design, Evren Odcikin; Stage Manager, Grisel Torres; Costume Design, Keiko Shimosato Carreiro; Lighting Design, William Campbell; Sound Design, Liz Ryder; Properties Design, Cat Howser; Scenic Painter, Nicola McCarthy; Technical Director, Stewart Lyle.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Derby Dinner Playhouse presents: SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS. March 31 – May 10, 2015; Pictured from left to right: Jordan Cyphert, Austin Stang, Jililan Prefach, Justin Ostergard, Dick Baker, Michael McClure, and Adam Raque (front)

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers: Musical. Derby Dinner Playhouse, 525 Marriot Drive, Clarksville, IN. 812-288-8281 or www.derbydinner.com.

May 31 –May 10, 2015

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers a hit at Derby Dinner Playhouse. [rating:4]

Last weekend, after arriving early in Louisville for the 2015 Humana New American Plays Festival, a glance at entertainment available in the area revealed an opening night for one of my favorite musicals. As luck would have it, the venue is the Derby Dinner Playhouse (DDP) that boasts it is in 40th year of productions, was only 10 minutes away across the Ohio River in Indiana. Be informed that this staging of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is almost as fresh/fun today, although truncated, as the great 1954 MGM film.

There are minor caveats that do not deserve mention since the totality of evening will leave you with a pleasant glow. It is an evening of fun with a tuneful, colorful, energetic, crowd pleasing production that will have you humming the songs, admiring the hoe-down dancing and scratching your head wondering how resident director Lee Buckholz has managed to keep this mostly young cast of 24 in sync. The extremely competent cast is more than helped by energetic dancing (Choreographer Heather Paige Folsom), colorful costumes (Sharon Murray Harrah) and musical director Scott Bradley’s five-piece off stage band to enhance the shenanigans.

There are shenanigans galore beginning with Edward Miskie (Adam) and Jillian Prefach (Millie) in the featured roles doing superlative job surrounded with proficient hardworking dancers. Then there is a great book and music. Score is by Johnny Mercer and Gene de Paul and book by Lawrence Kasha and David Landay. The story line is faithful to the film with some songs dropped and others added. It is based on the “Legend of the Sabine Women” and “The ‘Sobbin’ Women” by Stephen Vincent Benet.

Set in 1850 Oregon lumberjack country, Adam has come into town singing “Bless your Beautiful Hide” looking for a wife. A Townsman says, “You won’t find one here. All our gals are spoken for.” Pretty Milly, a great cook, is available, accepts his proposal (Wonderful, Wonderful Day) and goes off to the mountain house ecstatically singing “One Man.”

Boy, is she in for a surprise. Adam has six scruffy, ill-mannered brothers who also need, not necessarily want, wives. Milly takes charge and turns these ruffians into almost gentlemen. The transformation is a joy to behold. The six brothers are scattered about the stage in bedraggled costumes and come back in eye-popping dress ready to sing “Goin’ Courtin” and go off to town to meet the gals.

The Church Social leads to confrontation with the town boys and we are treated to a dance contest ending in a rip roarin’ fightin’ dance number between six town boys and the six brothers fightin’ for six beautiful gals. It’s a draw but now the brothers have all fallen in love.

Adam has the solution. Go into town and carry off the gals just like in the myth of the Sabine women. Yep, there’s a song “Sobbin’ Women” with Adam and the brothers to end the first act.

The gals are stolen in a hilarious set of vignettes and carried off. An avalanche blocks the Pass, the only entrance to the homestead. The town-folks must wait until the Spring for the rescue. Love blossoms between the six brothers and the six gals. Love between  Adam and Milly is tested. Finally Spring arrives to the tunes of “Spring Dance”, “Glad You were Born”and “Love Never Goes Away.”

With the advent of Spring the Townsfolk arrive. After a series of confrontations all works out well as the six couples, with guns at their backs, leave the woods and end in a Church Yard for a reprise of “Wonderful, Wonderful Day.” And what a finale. All 24 are on stage dancing up a storm in “Wedding Dance.” Running time under two hours with an intermission.

CAST:  Edward Miskie, Jillian Prefach, Justin Ostergard, Michael McClure, Jordan Cyphert, Austin Stang, Dick Baker, Adam Raque, Sara King, Kayla Peabody, Eliza Donahue, Cami Glauser, Madeline Perrone, Matthew Brennan, Alex Craig,  Lem Jackson, Matthew Chappell, Jordan Moody, Chris Bryant,  Paul Kerr, Kiersten Vorheis, Kevin Cram, Elizabeth Loos.

CREATIVE STAFF: Directed/Scenic Designer, Lee Buckholz; Lighting Designer, Aaron Hutto; Sound Designer, David Nelson; Musical Director, Scott Bradley; Costume Designer, Sharon Murray Harrah; Choreography, Heather Paige Folsom; Stage Manager, Kevin Love; Properties Designer, Ron Riall.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Ensemble cast of Stupid F**cking Bird at SF Playhouse

STUPID F**KING BIRD: Drama by Aaron Posner. Sort of adapted from Chekhov’s The Seagull. Directed by Susi Damilano. San Francisco Playhouse, 490 Post Street (2^nd Floor of Kensington Park Hotel,  San Francisco. (415) 677-9596. www.sfplayhouse.org. March 17 to May 2, 2015

Stupid F**king Bird at SF Playhouse a meta-theatrical mash-up [rating:3]

A former Professor of Drama at San Francisco State College began his playwriting class by displaying three posters for an upcoming play asking the students which of the three they would go to see. After selection by each member, it was hardly a universal selection; our professor announced that the posters displayed different names for the same play.

That brings up the well-known and oft repeated question, “What’s in a name. . ?” (Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)). Although it is a Shakespearean truism/question it is appropriate as reference to San Francisco Playhouse’s marvelously stage version of Aaron Posner’s revision/adaptation/rip-off of Chekhov’s masterpiece The Seagull. Four mature friends turned down an opportunity to attend opening performance after being told the title. Their decision may have been wise choices but they did miss a well-staged, marvelously acted ‘performance piece’. The raucous opening night audience did not enhance the show and I would suggest that alcohol not be allowed in the theater.

If you attend, it most probably will be available for half-price soon; being familiar with Chekhov’s The Seagull will enhance your ‘enjoyment’ of this two hour and 20 minute (including intermission) play.

It all begins with an obtuse play within the play written and directed by a main character Con (superb Adam Magill) with the ingénue Nina (Martha Brigham ) in the lead. Posner blatantly gives her lines glorifying the beauty and freedom of the soaring sea gulls that become a metaphysical force at the beginning, middle and end of the evening. Director Susi Damilino has Nina dressed in all white costume with gull like lace wings. Author and noted director Posner probably identifies with Con who in the penultimate scene asserts that there are no new art (playwriting) forms and we should be content with making the old ones better.

There is a bit of confusion about relationships early on in the play that are made mostly clear as the evening progresses. Time and place are not identified by Posner but it is the present in a country home (estate?) near a symbolic lake. The estate is owned (or rented?) by successful actress Emma (Carrie Paff) who is there with her lover Trig (Johnny Moreno) a semi-famous author.  Con is Emma’s son and Sorn (Charles Shaw Robinson), a doctor, is her older brother.  The backgrounds for Mash (El Beh) and Dev (Joseph Estlack) are not defined but if you know The Seagull you may surmise their lineage. It is the relationships that are cogent.

Con loves Nina who eventually loves Trig. Dev loves Mash who loves Con. There are extended passages about the meaning of love and art that are shared with the audience both in monologs and directing questioning by individuals and at times with the entire cast. It is a very effective directorial device but occasionally seems indulgent.

Director Damilano is to be commended for staging that is tender to offset the dramatic dynamics of the tangled relationships. Modern songs with irreverent lyrics by Posner are played on a ukulele by Mash throughout the evening. One wonders if having the character Sorn plaintively play clarinet is written into the script or is a brilliant Damilano conceit. She uses Bill English’s fantastic set that includes a lake-side pier with a single rope swing on stage right and a traditional swing on stage left to great advantage. The piece-de-resistance is the wooden home (dacha) on center stage that revolves to become a fully functional kitchen in the second act.

The cast performs brilliantly in individual scenes and are a dynamic force as an ensemble. Despite the title, there is much to like about this production but as heard on departing the theater, “You shouldn’t f—k with Chekhov.

CAST: El Beh (Mash), Martha Brigham ( Nina ), Joseph Estlack ( Dev ), Adam Magill (Con), Johnny Moreno (Trig), Carrie Paff ( Emma), Charles Shaw Robinson ( Sorn).

CREATIVE TEAAM: Abra Berman ( Costume Designer ), Susi Damilano ( Director ), Bill English ( Set Design ), Lauren English ( Casting Director); Tatjana Genser ( Production/Stage Manager ), Mark Hueske (Lighting Design), Maggie Koch ( Production Manager ), Steve Schoenbeck ( Sound Design ), Jacquelyn Scott ( Props Artisan ), Sarah Selig(  Production Assistant ), Zach Sigman ( Technical Theatre Manager),

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

(l to r) Steven Epp (Tartuffe), Nathan Keepers (Laurent), and Sofia Jean Gomez (Elmire) perform in a provocative revival of Molière’s Tartuffe, a dark comedy about religious hypocrisy. Photo courtesy of kevinberne.com

TARTUFFE: Written by Molière. Adapted by David Ball, Directed by Dominique Serrand. Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Roda Theatre, 2015 Addison Street @ Shattuck, Berkeley, CA 94704. (510) 647-2949 or  www.berkeleyrep.org. March 13 – April 12, 2015

Moliere’s TARTUFFE a solid hit at Berkeley Rep [rating:5]

The standing ovation on opening night of Moliere’s Tartuffe was totally earned by this latest incarnation of this 17^th century comedy that was originally banned after its 1664 opening at the Palace of Versailles for the court of Louis XIV. It earned its banishment from the stage for its irreverent treatment of the Catholic Church, and the scathing commentary on pious hypocrisy in general. There have been numerous adaptations and revisions of the play in the intervening years.

The most widely used script is the translation into English verse by Richard Wilber that was locally staged by Berkeley Rep in 1984 and the Santa Rosa 6th Street Playhouse in 2010. The present latest adaptation by David Ball was first performed by the South Coast Repertory under the direction the legendary Dominique Serrand and staring the inimitable Steven Epp. They have been artistic cohorts for 25 years beginning with the famous, now defunct, Theatre Lejune of Minneapolis that “was known for its visually rich, highly physical style of theatre, derived from clown, mime, dance and opera. The theatre’s reputation also stemmed from their reinvented classics and their productions of highly ambitious original work.” They have worked together numerous times and this latest collaboration equals or surpasses their previous outings.

“The play’s the thing” aphorism takes second place to the stylized acting and staging that incorporates comedy, farce, commedia dell’arte techniques, tableaus and broad acting on a magnificent set with minimal furniture that is adroitly moved by the cast seamlessly changing scenes without interrupting the flow of the story.

Do not be misled, Moliere’s story is as fresh and cogent today as it was in 1664 but in our permissive society no censorship would be forthcoming.  Tartuffe  is a moralistic attack on religious hypocrisy and its potential disastrous effect on those who embrace it. Originally written in five acts, the two hours and 20 minute running time (two acts with intermission) seems like much less and the opening night audience thoroughly enjoyed it.

A capsule summary: Tartuffe (Steven Epp) is the story of a man who ingratiates himself into Orgon’s (Luverne Seifert) rich family by appearing saintly. Orgon is on the verge of marrying off his daughter Marianne (Lenne Klingaman), who is in love with young handsome Valère (Christopher Carley) to Tartuffe the holier-then-thou hypocritical fake. Orgon even gives away his house and fortune to Tartuffe, disowns his son his son Damis (Brian Hostenske), disregards this level-headed  his brother-in-law Cleante (Gregory Linington), and doubts that the Tartuffe attempted to seduce his wife Elmira (Sofia Jean Gomez).  He also silences  Dorine (Suzanne Warmanen) housemaid and confidant of Marianne who attempts to intercede. Alas, knowledge comes too late, but never fear before the end of the play, royal intervention solves all the problems.

Great story but it is the acting and directing that is magnificent. Even though Steven Epp gets, and earns, top billing the other main characters are superb. The always inventive director Serrand has provided Tartuffe with two servants,  rather than one, who silently provide and move props and are used to execute hilarious tableaus. 

(l to r) Steven Epp (Tartuffe), Nathan Keepers (Laurent), and Sofia Jean Gomez (Elmire) perform in a provocative revival of Molière’s Tartuffe, a dark comedy about religious hypocrisy. Photo courtesy of kevinberne.com

Tartuffe makes his entrance late in the play and Suzanne Warmanen  as Dorine and Luverne Seifert triumphantly dominate the first act.  Sofia Jean Gomez exudes sexually excitement in her seduction scene with Tartuffe  and beautiful ingenue Lenne Klingaman milks the touching break-up scene with her true love Valere to perfection. Christopher Carley, dressed in a flower-patterned suit (costumes by Sonya Berlovitz ) brings the house down with his display of thwarted love. One cannot say enough about the superlative performing of Steven Epp. He seductively rolls on the floor, exuding sexual innuendo yet feels perfectly at home being stretched on a wooden cross.

This performance should not be missed.

CAST: Christopher Carley (Valere), Steven Epp (Tartuffe), Sofia Jean Gomez (Elmire), Brian Hostenske (Damis), Nathan Keepers (Laurent), Michael Uy Kelly (Ensemble), Lenne Klingaman (Mariane), Maria A Leigh (Ensemble), Gregory Linington (Cleante), Becca Lustgarten (Ensemble), Michael Manuel (Madame Pernelle/Officer), Todd Pivetti (Ensemble), Luverne Seifert (Orgon), and Suzanne Warmanen (Dorine).

CREATIVE TEAM: Tom Buderwitz (co-scenic designer), Sonya Berlovitz (costume designer), Marcus Dilliard (lighting designer), Michael Suenkel (stage manager)and Corinne Carrillo (sound designer).

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theathreworldinternetmagazine.com

DAME EDNA’S Glorious Goodbye: The Farewell Tour.  By Dr. Barry Humphries AO CBE. Directed by Simon Phillips. SHN Orpheum Theatre, 1192 Market St., San Francisco. 888-746-1799 or  www.shnsf.com. March 17- 22, 2015

Dame Edna needs a truncated more intimate setting. [rating: 3]

There are farewell tours that become second and third farewell tours. The inimitable, indomitable Dame Edna Everage (nee the multitalented Barry Humphries) the Melbourne Australian housewife has barged into San Francisco again with her second farewell tour. She graced the Curran stage in 2009 with Dame Edna: My First Last Tour and although she insists that this present hilarious spectacle is all unrehearsed big segments have been recycled from previous shows and that is not bad. At the curtain call her creator (and alter ego) Barry Humphries takes center stage and suggests that we cannot believe all that the mega-star Dame Edna tells us suggesting that a final, final tour is possible. But at age 81 it is time for her/him to hang up the purple wig, cat’s eye glasses and return to his native Australia and reap further honors for his intellectual and artistic life.

Barry Humphries is a true Renaissance man as a multifaceted intellect; actor/author/artist and has an honorary law degree from the University of Melbourne plus CBE from the Queen of the British Empire. His landscape paintings are much sought after. But we are not here to praise Mr. Humphries but to enjoy and be more than mildly appalled by the satiric bards of his creation (alter ego?) Dame Edna. Humphries insists that he, like Eddie Izzard (who will be in the Bay Area soon) is not a “cross-dresser” but an accomplished actor who has brought Dame Edna to life on the stage and in television.

Dame Edna was created in 1955 and she has parlayed her shtick into a mega personality and does not hesitate to tell her “possums” (those in the better seats) and to those in the cheap seats in the upper balcony she will give them attention “in exact proportion to what you have paid.” To her, all are her inferiors and should be prepared for her cutting remarks that often are risqué double entendres (“how long I lived with my husband’s prostate hanging over my head”).

Dame Edna’s brilliant timed improvisations are fortified by her withering glances and astonished look on her pliant face. Be warned not to sit in the front rows since much of her performance is directed to those seats and in the second act a man and a woman are brought on stage for a mock marriage. On opening night Dame Edna met her match with a diminutive matriarch who almost stole the skit.

Much of the show is actually audience participation especially with her signature finale with gladiolas thrown to the front rows and there is a semi-sing-a-long as her possums wave and clap on cue giving her the obligatory standing ovation she insists she deserves.

To buttress the show there are four dancers joining her for the musical numbers with onstage piano accompaniments by Jonathan Tessero. The show begins and ends with video clips that in themselves are worth a visit to the cavernous Orpheum Theatre.  However, Dame Edna’s sotto voice does not lend itself to amplification and some of the more delicious lines are garbled. When Dame Edna made her San Francisco debut in 1998 at the intimate Theatre on the Square, her scheduled brief stay was parlayed into a four month gig. If you plan on seeing this hysterical put down and becoming one of Dame Edna’s “possums” you will have to hurry since there are only seven local performances before it moves on eventually ending in Palm Springs the mecca for retirees who most probably will give her the standing ovation she demands and almost deserves. Running time 2 hours and 20 minutes with the intermission.

Cast: Barry Humphries  as Dame Edna; ensemble, Ralph Coppola, Brooke Pascoe, Eve Prideaux & Armando Yearwood, Jr.

Artistic Staff: Jonathan Tessero , musical director & onstage accompanist ;  set design, Brian Thomson; choreographer, Eve Prideaux; lighting design,  Aaron Spivey; musical supervisor, Andrew Ross; Songwriter (You Will Have to Do Without Me Somehow & Me Time), Wayne Barker; costume design to Dame Edna, Stephen Adnitt.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Frankie (Juan Amador) listens to Beth (Jessi Campbell) as Baylor (Robert Parsons) looks on.(Photo by Jennifer Reiley)

A Lie of the Mind: Drama. By Sam Shepard. Directed by Loretta Greco. Magic Theatre, Building D, Fort Mason Center, S.F. Two hours 50 minutes. (415) 441-8822 or www.magictheatre.org 

A Lie of the Mind is a long night’s journey at the Magic Theatre [rating:3]

Extended through March 14, 2015

Once again 24 hours separated an evening of fun and an evening of intense drama with nary a separation of two miles between the two theatres. Wednesday the national tour of the musical Newsies at the Orpheum left the audience with warm feelings as they gave the production a standing ovation. The next night an exceptionally fine staging of Magic Theatre’s local production of Sam Shepard’s A Lie of the Mind led some of the audience to leave at intermission. It was not an unexpected situation at the Magic that seems to stage plays involving dysfunctional families.

Sam Shepard who honed his art as playwright-in-residence for 10 years (1974-1984) at the Magic is known for his portrayal of dysfunctional families. In doing so he has earned honors heaped on honors with his plays and Buried Child earned the 1978 Pulitzer Prize. That play has received stunning staging by A.C.T and the Magic. The present production of Lie of the Mind has never been produced in the Bay Area and can be recommended for its historical relationship to the Shepard’s development as a writer and as an example of Lorretta Greco’s directorial skills. It has been suggested it is the final chapter of Curse of the Starving Class (1976), Buried Child (1979), True West (1980), and Fool for Love (1983) that are semi-autobiographical with the male characters dominating.  Although the action of the male characters In A Lie of the Mind are the causation of events, his female characters take center stage and are given almost equal status as the males. 

The story involves two dysfunctional families, separated by miles but tied together by marriage. Jake, his brother Frankie, sister Sally and their mother Lorraine live in a Western State. Jake’s wife Beth is from a North Dakota family that includes a mother Meg, a father Baylor and a brother Mike.  Their abstruse relationships are gradually defined though Shepard’s mastery of dialog and action creating fully rounded individuals but ends with more questions than answers.

The play begins and ends with violence and is filled with intense situations that are gut-wrenching but at times somehow garner stifled laughs from the audience. Those moments are few. What can one expect when the opening scene is a telephone call between brothers Jake and Frankie where hyper-manic Jake is confessing his near fatal beating of his wife Beth and a second hospital scene of brain-damaged Beth being consoled by her brother Mike?

Shepard is a master at developing bits of information combined with physicality to create fully rounded characters but he is not above using exposition in the guise of ordinary conversation to unravel past actions that defines personality. A specific scene that defines the true relationship between the manic Jake and his deceased drunken father is one of those lapses in the plays construction. This may be due to the fact that he gives those specific lines to Jakes young sister Sally (Elaina Garrity) and it does not carry the horrific nature of a past event that leads to a momentous decision by mother Lorraine (a marvelous Catherine Castellanos) and Sally to abandon the family home.

Jessi Campbell gives a Tony Award winning type of performance as the brain damaged Beth and you will find yourself trying to help her find the words buried in the prison of her mind. Sean San Jose gives a histrionic patina to his performance as Jake just as Shepard has suggested in his stage directions. (Shepard directed the original production). You can feel the mental and physical pain tinged with loyalty of Jake’s younger brother Frankie in Juan Amador’s performance. James Wagner’s transition as Beth’s concerned and protective brother Mike to an unbalanced deer hunter seems artificial even if Shepard had intended the dichotomy. Robert Parsons and Julia McNeal as the parents of Beth and Mike do a superbly believable job of displaying the attributes written into their characters.

This three act play as suggested by the author has complicated scene changes and may be one reason it has not had many productions. Director Greco has wisely simplified the staging and the scenes flow smoothly even when the action is hectic. Original music written and performed by Nicholas Aives and Jason Cirimele is used as bridges between scenes, underscores monologs and opens and closes each act.  Running time 2 hours and 50 minutes with one intermission.

CAST: Juan Amador (Frankie); Jessi Campbell  (Beth); Catherine Castellanos (Lorraine);  Julia McNeal (Meg); Robert Parsons (Baylor); Sean San Jose (Jake); James Wagner (Mike); Elaina Garrity (Sally).

CREATIVE TEAM: Director, Loretta Greco; Set Design, Robert Brill; Costume Design, Alex Jaeger; Lighting Design, Burke Brown; Sound Design, Sara Huddleston; Stage Manager, Karen Szpaller;  Dramaturg, Jane Ann Crum; Vocal Coach, Deborah Sussel; Fight Director, Dave Maier; Director of Production, Sara Huddleston; Technical Director, Dave Gardner; Props Design, Jacquelyn Scott; Local Casting,Dori Jacob and Ryan Guzzo Purcell; Original Music Composed and Played by Nicholas Aives and Jason Cirimele

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com  

Dan DeLuca (Jack Kelly) (center) and the original North American Tour company of NEWSIES. ©Disney.
PHOTO BY: DEEN VAN MEER

NEWSIES: Musical. Book by Harvey Fierstein. Music by Alan Menken. Lyrics by Jack Feldman. Directed by Jeff Calhoun.  Disney Theatrical Productions, SHN Orpheum Theatre, 1192 Market St., San Francisco. 888-746-1799 or  www.shnsf.com. February 18 – March 15, 2015

NEWSIES rocks the Orpheum in San Francisco [rating:5]

If you are looking for a musical evening of fun, dancing, singing with a feel-good ending and a smidgen of social consciousness get thee hence to the Orpheum Theatre to see the sparkling, energetic Newsies.  Actually, it would be more than a smidgen of social consciousness since the plot of Newsies revolves around the New York City Newspaper delivery boys’ strike of 1899.

During the 1890s newspaper delivery was mainly accomplished by young boys (girls?) who paid 50 cents for 20 or so newspapers and then hawked them on the streets. In 1899, the city newspaper magnets, led by Joseph Pulitzer owner of “The New York World” bumped the price up to 60 cents (a 20% increase!) and no refund for unsold papers. The “Newsies” as they were called organized a rag-tag ‘union’ and went on strike, paralyzing the city. Those are, or as close to, the “bare-facts” in the musical.

The 1992 Disney movie “Newsies” was a commercial and critical flop even though Christian Bales played the lead of Jack Kelley the titular leader of the group. That movie now has cult status. The movie-turned-musical had its premier run at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey. By that time Alan Menken (music), Jack Feldman (lyrics) and Harvey Fierstein (book) were aboard and when it opened on Broadway in 2012 it won two Tony Awards and ran for two years. The road show of Newsies that opened last night at the Orpheum is Broadway quality all the way.

The show opens with the youthful, attractive, energetic ensemble performing dances on the stage apron and on three revolving metal frameworks with spectacular projected visuals of scenes from old New York. It wisely ends with a curtain call of the same caliber receiving a standing ovation.

Jack Kelley (a marvelous Dan DeLuca) is a 17-year-old runaway from a hell-hole called the “ Refuge” and thus is wanted by the police. He gets help from no-last-name Katherine (gorgeous dulcet voiced Stephanie Styles) a budding reporter to expose the inequities of the time in general and of the Newies in particular. They unite all the boroughs including the reticent Brooklyn boys. Now we have a classic pot-boiler story of boy-meets-girl from the upper class uniting to resolve worker injustice.

Pot-boiler be damned. The acrobatic staging by Jeff Calhoun keeps the action nonstop on Tobin Ost’s constantly moving set with Sven Orel’s projection adding a touch of class to the fine acting, singing and dancing of the cast.

The key roles of the youngsters include Zachary Sayle as the optimistic and limping Crutchie who adds a touch of pathos to the evening. Jacob Kemp as Davey, the intellect advising much need moderation does a great job morphing from a reluctant by-stander to able leader.  Audience favorite was nine-year-old Anthony Rosenthal (alternating with Vincent Crocilla) as Davey’s younger brother steals a few scenes. Picking out separate great performances by the fantastic ensemble is impossible as they propel themselves into all forms of athletic dancing/ballet movements.

 The adults hold their own and with full-bodied Angela Grovey as chanteuse Medda bringing the house down with “That’s Rich” in act one. Steve Blanchard handles the unenviable role of Joseph Pulitzer with authority and will have you wanting to give him a melodramatic boo!

You will not be leaving the theater humming any of the songs but they all are appropriate for a feel-good musical and may even want you desiring to join Jack on a trip to “Santa Fe.”

Running time 2 hours and 20 minutes with intermission. Highly recommended.

CAST STARRING: Dan Deluca (Jack Kelly); Steve Blanchard (Joseph Pulitzer); Stephanie Styles, (Katherine); Angela Grovey, (Medda Larkin); Jacob Kemp (Davey); Zachary Sayle, (Crutchie); Vincent Crocilla & Anthony Rosenthal (Les).

ENSEMBLE: Mark Aldrich, Josh Assor,evan Aijtio,bill Bateman,joshua Burrage,  Kevin Carolan,demarius Copes, Benjamin Cook, Julian Deguzman, Nico Dejesus,  Sky Flaherty, Michael Gorman, Jon Hacker,jeff Heimbrock, Stephen Hernandez,meredith Inglesby,molly Jobe, James Judy, Eric Jon Mahlum Michael Ryan,jordan Samuels, Jack Sippel, Melissa Steadman Hart, Andrew Wilson, Chaz Wolcott

ARTISTIC STAFF: Director, Jeff Calhoun; Music, Alan Menken; Lyrics, Jack Feldman; Book, Harvey Fierstein; based on the Disney film written by Bob Tzudiker and Noni White; Set designer, Tobin Ost; Costume designer, Jess Goldstein; Lighting designer: Jeff Croiter; Sound designer,  Ken Travis; Projection designer,  Sven Ortel (Adaptation by Daniel Brodie);

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Didi Marcantel (Susi Damilano) looks on as Mrs. Jessalyn Price (Cathleen Riddley) and her son Leo (Carl Lumbly) argue.

TREE: Drama by Julie Hébert.  Directed by Jon Tracy.  San Francisco Playhouse, 490 Post Street (2^nd Floor of Kensington Park Hotel,  San Francisco. (415) 677-9596. www.sfplayhouse.org.  January 20 – March 7, 2015

 TREE is a “should see” at SF Playhouse [rating:4]

In the past 4 days two plays have opened in San Francisco just a few blocks apart in which letters written in the past are integral to plot, shrouded in mystery, and define character. The first was A.C.T’s staging of Tom Stoppard’s Indian Ink and the other is Julie Hebert’s Tree unfolding on the San Francisco Playhouse stage. Both deal with inter-racial love but there the similarity ends.

Tree had its world premiere in 2009 at the Ensemble Studio Theatre-Los Angeles and since has played in only in two other major venues (Chicago and Atlanta) in 2011even though it is a prize winning play (Pen Award) and requires only four characters. However those characters represent three generations and the author suggests a two level set that may be too much of a challenge for most small theatres. That challenge is well met by the San Francisco Playhouse that is noted for producing problematic plays.

The opening scene introduces a black man, Leo Price (Carl Lumbly) caring for Jessalyn Price (Cathleen Riddley) his aging mother who has dementia living in a past world of her confused mind. Into this setting arrives Didi (Susi Damilano) a white woman with packet of love letters written by Jessalyn to Didi’s recently deceased white father.  Those letters indicate that Leo and Didi had the same father and are half-brother and sister. Didi desires to be part of Leo’s family but he is resistant.  Didi’s persistence is intrusive and Leo’s rejection becomes volatile allowing author Hebert to inject an “in vino veritas” scene with the stimulus being beer rather than wine.

As the stand-off between Leo and Didi continues there are intriguing scenes where Mrs. Price has poetic flights of fancy intermingled with child-like rants that eventually make sense. On one of her trips down the staircase from the upstairs bedroom out to the porch she semi-bonds with Didi creating a thought provoking situation that softens Leo reticence.

That reticence is further eroded when Leo’s college age daughter JJ (Tristan Cunningham) hesitantly accepts Didi as her aunt and helps search for the “other side of the story” represented by letters written by Didi’s father to Jessalyn. The readings of those letters define a beautiful love that persisted years after inter-racial animosity caused a physical separation.

Cathleen Riddley delivers a tour-de-force performance as Jessalyn giving substance and credibility to her shifts from reality to confused mental recollections.  Carl Lumbly’s understated acting is a joy to observe and his one burst of physicality is a classic Jon Tracy directorial conceit. Susi Damilano gives substance and veracity to the character of Didi and demonstrates great comic timing in the few scenes that add a bit of humor to the evening filled with tension.

This play does not demonstrate Jon Tracy’s directorial skill that may be the fault of the script. It is performed without intermission lasting (on opening night) about 2 hours even though there is a natural break in the action. He is not aided by Nina Ball’s fantastic multi-area set surrounded by boxes giving a surrealistic patina to what might benefit from a more realistic setting.

The last paragraph is not a criticism but an observation. The total production is best described    as a “should see” evening.

CAST: Carl Lumbly as Leo Price;  Cathleen Riddley as Mrs. Jessalyn Price;  Susi Damilano as Didi Marcantel; Tristan Cunningham as  JJ Price.

CREATIVE CAST: Nina Ball (Set design); Michael Oesch/Kurt Landisman (Light design); Theodore J.H. Hulsker (Sound design) and Abra Berman (Costume design).

Kedar K. Adour, MD.

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Didi Marcantel (Susi Damilano) looks on as Mrs. Jessalyn Price (Cathleen Riddley) and her son Leo (Carl Lumbly) argue.