Kedar K. Adour

FULL CAST

INTO THE WOODS: Musical by Stephen Sondheim (music and lyrics) and James Lapine (book). Directed by Susi Damilano.Music Director Dave Dobrusky.  June 24 to September 6, 2014

Enthusiasm abounds INTO THE [Surrealistic] WOODS at SF Playhouse  [Rating: 4]

 Into the Woods the musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine opened in San Diego at the Old Globe Theatre in 1986, and premiered on Broadway in 1987. It won Tony awards for Best Score and Best Actress in a Musical (Joanna Gleason) and has been staged many times in regional/community theatres throughout the United States along with London and TV productions. A Disney movie is scheduled to open during the 2014 Holiday season.

After seeing the memorable 2002 Broadway revival with Vanessa Williams as the Witch and reviewing five local productions of Into the Woods comparisons seem appropriate and inevitable. After rereading those local reviews it is concluded that the TheatreWorks production was the most technically/satisfyingly proficient, the Sixth Street mounting the most charming, the Broadway by the Bay staging most hectic, the Ray of Light creation the most energetic and this SF Playhouse the most original. Originality is what we have come to expect from the SF Playhouse and this production does not disappoint.

The massive monochromatic surrealistic forest (set by Nina Ball) with nary a green leaf in sight signaled that director Damilano would probably emphasize the darker elements of this masterpiece musical. Why then is the young Boy (Ian DeVaynes) prancing across the stage throwing his NERF ball into the audience? Ah ha!  When the Narrator (Louis Parnell) comes out to start the show with “Once upon a time. . .” and to end the show with the same line, he is telling the story to the boy. Clever? Yes, since the finale includes the plaintiff song “Children Will Listen.” That Boy with nary a line of dialog remains on stage for most of the evening and takes part manipulating some props with a unexpected twist becoming the reincarnation of the Mysterious Man as a boy.  To this reviewer he is a distraction to the fine performance of Parnell as the Narrator doubling as the Mysterious Man.

Damilano wisely limits her experiments with this classic allowing Sondheim traditionalist to enjoy the music played by a seven piece orchestra under the superb direction of pianist/music director Dave Dobrusky.  Also, the major characters of her 15 member cast (excluding the Boy) have good to great voices but sometimes do not capture the cadences of the recitative and spoken dialog.

Sondheim and Lapine‘s fantasy, a contorted view of  Grimm’s fairy-tales, includes characters taken from “Little Red Riding Hood”, “Jack and the Beanstalk”, “Rapunzel”, and “Cinderella”, as well as several others. They added their own tale of a Baker (an excellent Keith Pinto) and his wife ( El Beh) who is childless due to a curse placed on them by the neighboring Witch(Safiya Fredericks) because the Baker’s father has stolen the greens from her garden. This is the first bit of morality that abounds in the play; the sins of the father shall be passed on to the son.

If they gather four ingredients required for a potion the curse will be lifted. Into the woods they go meeting the aforementioned characters. Each possesses one ingredient: Jack (Tim Homsley) “a cow as white as milk”, Red Riding Hood (Corinne Proctor) “the cape as red as blood”, Rapunzel (Noelani Neal) “the hair as yellow as corn” and Cinderella (Monique Hafen) “a slipper as pure as gold.”

In the woods go two handsome/vain Princes (Ryan McCrary and Jeffrey Adams) from other fables that intersect through unexpected new plot twists. All have ventured “into the woods” for their own purpose to “find what they wish for.”

By the end of the energetic, humorous, intriguing 90-minute first act all have found what they wish for singing a rousing first act curtain chorus of “Ever After” and they should “live happily ever after.”

My personal choice would to head home in a happy mood after the first act curtain. It is not to be. There is the admonishment to “beware of what you wish for.” The narrator’s Act II prologue “So Happy” ends with the Baker’s house destroyed by a huge footprint.  The widow of the Giant that Jack has slain has arrived to seek revenge. Back into the woods they all go. This time the plot is indeed black surrounded by death and destruction and “happily ever after” is not to be.

The music is classic Sondheim with tricky cryptic lyrics and intricate tonality, which are handled fairly well by most of the cast. Sondheim and Lapine inject a hopeful note with the plaintive “No One Is Alone” and the finale “Children Will Listen.”

“Into The Woods” is a fascinating musical that can be appreciated on many levels starting with the selection of your favorite character. Dulcet voiced Monique Hafen is charming as Cinderella. Tim Homsley as simple minded Jack of beanstalk fame has a fine baritone voice and bounces up the down and across the se with alacrity. Pert Corinne Proctor has the right amount of insouciance for the part of Red Riding Hood. Jeffery Brian Adams and Ryan McCrary have a show stopper with their duet of “Agony.” Safiya Fredericks as the Witch in undone by a costume that appears to have been a cast-off from a second hand store and by her transformation wearing a dominatrix leather outfit. She overcomes her costumes with her dramatic singing of “Witch’s Lament” and “Last Midnight.”

To mention all 16 members of the cast would make a long review. Be assured they all perform admirably with enthusiasm, zany humor, flair and they all have fun. You will too. Running time 2 hours and 45 minutes.

CAST: Louis Parnell (Narrator/Mysterious Man), Ian DeVaynes (Boy); Safiya Fredericks (Witch); El Beh (Baker’s Wife); Keith Pinto (Baker), Tim Homsley* (Jack); Bekka Fink (Stepmom), identical twins, Lily and Michelle Drexler (Cinderella’s Stepsisters), Noelani Neal (Rapunzel), Corinne Proctor (Red), Ryan McCrary and Jeffrey Adams (Princes/Wolves) and John Paul Gonzales (Steward); Maureen McVerry (Jack’s Mother/Granny).

Creative Team: Susi Damilano (Director); Dave Dobrusky (Music Director); Kimberly Richards (Choreographer);Sound Design,Theodore J.H. Hulsker;Stage Manager, TatjanaGenser (through 8/10) & Courtney Legget(8/11- 9/6); Lighting Design, Michael Oesch;Set Design, Nina Ball; Costume Design, Abra Berman;Casting,Lauren English;Props Artisan,Jacquelyn Scott; Sound Engineer, Anton Hedman; Wig Design,Tabbitha McBride

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of  www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

Steve Silver’s BEACH BLANKET BABYLON: Musical Spoof.  Club Fugazi, 678 Beach Blanket Babylon Boulevard, San Francisco, CA. 415-421-4222, www.beachblanketbabylon.com

OPEN ENDED RUN. Running time: 90 minutes, no intermission

Happy 40^th Birthday to Beach Blanket Babylon [rating:5]

Who would have thought that an irreverent 45 minute musical spoof written and acted in by an the then unknown 30 year old Steve Silver in the back room of the Savoy-Tivoli Bar & Restaurant would become the longest running musical revue in the world? Believe it, it has and continues to play to sold audiences at the 400 seat Club Fugazi in the North Beach area of San Francisco located on Beach Blanket Babylon Boulevard. Yes, the block of Green Street on which the theater is located was officially changed in honor of what we San Franciscans claim to be “our” show.

But it is rightfully advertised as Steve Silver’s Beach Blanket Babylon and it has been exported the White House, performed before Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh, had a successful run in Las Vegas and was guest of the 1997 Covent Garden Musical Arts Festival where it played to “enthusiastic audiences and rave reviews in London.”

In those intervening 39 years the staging has remained fresh with new faces, fancier sets, larger casts, with outrageous parody, zany satire and their trade mark hats have become bigger and bigger. Three of the cast members (Renee Lubin, Tammy Nelson, Doug Magpiong) have been in the show for 20 years and more.  Their performances, often show stoppers, are as vibrant as those of the relative new comers. Each year there are auditions for possible replacement. All the shenanigans have tremendous backup by a six piece band in partial view off-stage right that become part of the pandemonium on stage.

Describing the non-stop activity as pandemonium is unfair since the acts are intricately staged with hilarious (sometimes ribald) choreography, split second timing and unbelievable speedy costume changes. The hats may be the trade mark of the show but those costumes almost steal the show. The voices are excellent and the audience cheers when Lubin and Nelson belt out their songs. All the cast members play a dozen parts and keeping them separate is impossible while wearing the massive costumes and hair-pieces/hats. As an example Renee Lubin starts out playing Glinda the Good Witch switches to a suave Michelle Obama, a Country Western Cow-Gal wearing chaps and Tina Turner in a wig two feet tall.

To celebrate their 40^th year there have been gala events at the Symphony Hall and City Hall along with multiple fluff pieces and cast/musician interviews for weeks in the daily and weekly newspapers. The adjective being used “magical, fun-filled; brilliant, sparkles, high paced, raucous, witty disorder, irreverence, zany musical spoof, pop culture, hilarious parodies of celebrities that changes with the times.”

The plot is simple. Poor Snow White is living in San Francisco and is looking for love. Before she goes out into the ‘real” world we meet Hippies [Age of Aquarius, Let the Sun Shine In, Flowers in Your Hair], The Beatles [Dr. Pepper] and Cher  [When the Moon Hits Your eye like a big Pizza] and we are whisked off to Rome.

Do not ask why we meet Oprah Winfrey [ book club hat], Hilary and Bill Clinton [The Heat is On], Senator Nancy Pelosi on a motorcycle, Barrack Obama [Rock Around the Clock and his Viagra ‘stimulant package’], Michelle Obama [Too Good to be True], Governor Jerry Brown [high speed train], Sarah Palin [Guns in her hair], etc. etc.

Held over from other shows are “Gay” Louie the XIV all in pink with a three foot wide pink hair-do, Tom Cruise [Scientology for Dummies], Conchita and her bannas, Jewish Mother and her shopping cart, Michael Jackson [Thriller], 50 Shades of Grey [Show you how to be a woman], and of course the naughty, naughty three French Poodles who dance up a raunchy storm and more and more.

Our intrepid heroine makes a magical change into Madonna and flies over the audience on wires before finally ending up back in San Francisco wearing a huge wedding cake hat [with a surprise inside] to share the stage with an updated skyline hat of san Francisco.

This is a MUST SEE show.

CAST: Jacqui Arslan; Isaiah Tyrelle Boyd; Curt Branom; Stephen Brennan; Paulino Duran; Renee Lubin; Doug Magpiong; Caitlin McGinty; Shawna Ferris McNulty; Tammy Nelson; Brendon North.

Originally, Conceived, Written, Performed & Directed by Steve Silver plus Costume, Scenic Prop & Hat Design by Steve Silver

Production Crew: Director Kenny Mazlow; Writers Kenny Maxlow & Jo Schyman Silver; Choreographer Kenny Mazlo; Assistant Director & Choreographer Mark Reina; Musical Director & Conductor Musical Arrangements Bill Keck; Production Manager Rick Markovich; Stage Manager John Francis Camajani;  Sound Designer Tom Schueneman; Costume Shop Manager Monique Motil; Additional Costume Design Jayne Serba; Prop & Hat Construction Matthew James; Wig Master Timothy Santry; Lighting Designer Michael Anderburg; Finale Hats Created and Executed By Alan Greenspan.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

L-R: Donald Currie as Auden, Tamar Cohn as Kay, Michael DeMartini as Neil, Justin Lucas as Stuart, and John Fisher as Britten in The Habit of Art by Alan Bennett, directed by John Fisher. Photo by Kent Taylor.

The Habit of Art: Comedy by Alan Bennett. Directed by John Fisher. Theatre Rhinoceros, being performed at Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson St. (btwn. Front & Battery Sts.), SF, CA, 94111. Tickets available at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/723956 or 1-800-838-3006

The Habit of Art returns by popular demand.  July 31 –August 23, 2014  

Before every performance Theatre Rhinoceros prides themselves on their longevity as a unique gay theater company being in existence for 36 years. Unfortunately, after losing their home base on 16^th Street in the Mission District they have been nomadic moving between various venues. For their latest venture bringing back by popular demand, The Habit of Art, they have landed in the comfortable Eureka Theatre giving credence to Alan Bennett’s play that is a paean to theatre as well as to W.H. Auden and Benjamin Britten.

 If you are not familiar with the writing of Auden and the music of Britten be advised to brush up on their biographies before seeing this problematic play. They were among the most revered artists of their generation and their reputations have extended beyond their graves. However, since their deaths information about their sexual orientation has been revealed by their biographers and is included in Bennett’s play.

To give verisimilitude to the personalities of Auden (Donald Currie) and Britten (John Fisher), his major characters in this intricately woven play, Bennett uses the device of a play within a play. The actors break the fourth wall to comment on their interpretation of the parts they are playing.

The setting is a theatrical rehearsal hall where the actors are having a run through of a play called Caliban’s Day that takes place in Auden’s rooms at Oxford in 1973. The play is about a fictitious meeting between Auden and Britten who had not been in contact for 25 years. Britten is writing an opera of Thomas Mann’s “Death in Venice” and is there to ask Auden’s advice on how to portray the potential pedophilic relationship within the book. Auden erroneously assumes Britten is there to ask him to write the libretto. Bennett slyly inserts comments about Britten’s association with Peter Pear and Auden’s partner Chester.

Before that engrossing scene takes place late in act one, we are treated to the semi-chaotic run through directed by Kay, the stage manager (Tamar Cohn) whose love of the theatre is palpable with her protective nature of her aging leading man who seems unprepared with his lines. Within the play within the play there are the conflicts between the author and actors and a hilarious scene where biographer Humphrey Carpenter (Craig Souza) arrives to interview Auden and is mistaken for the rent boy Stuart (Justin Lucas) hired by Auden. 

Bennett’s dialog between Auden and Britten are handled brilliantly by Currie and Fisher. Justin Lucas does a creditable job as the sensitive rent boy.

Within the play within the play, there is a conflict between the cast and the playwright as to the play’s ending. Currie gives a beautiful delivery of one of Auden’s poems that is suggested as the ending but Bennett has elected to give the love of the theatre the final shrift. Running time 2 hours and 20 minutes with intermission.

Cast: Tamar Cohn (Kay), Donald Currie (Auden), Michael DeMartini (Neil), John Fisher (Britten), Justin Lucas (Stuart), Seth Siegel (Charlie), Craig Souza (Donald/Carpenter 7/31-8/9), Ryan Tasker * (Donald/Carpenter 8/13-8/23),  Kathryn Wood (George).  

Creative team: Directed by the Glickman and Critics’ Circle Award winning John Fisher; Stage Manager: Valerie Tu; Scenic Design: Gilbert Johnson; Costume Design: Scarlett Kellum; Lighting Design: Jon Wai-keung Lowe; Accent Coach: Alicia Bales;

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

l-r, Teach (James Carpenter*), Bobby (Rafael Jordan*), and Donny (Paul Vincent O’Connor*) discuss a mutual acquaintance in American Buffalo

AMERICAN BUFFALO: Drama by David Mamet. Directed by Barbara Damashek.  Aurora Theatre, 2081 Addison Street, Berkeley, CA. (510) 843-4822 or visit www.auroratheatre.org. June 19 –July 13, 2014.

A powerful American Buffalo at Aurora Theatre is not for the lady in Dubuque. [rating:5]

Extended through July 20 (added performances: Tuesday, July 15, 7pm; Wednesday, July 16, 8pm; Thursday, July 17, 8pm; Friday, July 18, 8pm; Saturday, July 19, 8pm; Sunday, July 20, 2pm and 7pm).  

It was 1977 when, David Mamet’s America Buffalo hit Broadway starting him on his journey becoming one of America’s leading playwrights. It was selected by and published in Burns and Mantle’s “Best American Plays; Eighth Edition 1964-1982.” The play reached San Francisco at the beginning of the 21st century. Two memorable productions graced the 400 block of Geary Street. Both were great successes although diametrically opposites in the choice of venue.

The 2001 staging directed by Louie Parnell at the intimate Poor Boy’s theater on the North side of the street had an extended run receiving very favorable reviews. American Conservatory Theatre’s professional staging with Bay Area icon Marco Barricella in one of the lead roles and directed by Richard E. T. White was equally well received although it played on a proscenium arch stage in the huge Geary Theater.

In the latest trip to the Bay area American Buffalo returns to the compact 150 seat thrust stage venue of the Aurora Theatre with the audience only a few arms lengths away from the actors. This allows the audience to be part of the action and you may wish to be seated away from the front rows that are continuations of the grungy extraordinary fantastic set (Eric Sinkkonen).

Mamet is known for his depiction of the seedier/notorious elements in our society and uses the language of the streets to give verisimilitude to his plays. So it is with American Buffalo that takes place in a Chicago re-sale/junk shop.  Two denizens of the neighborhood are planning a robbery that involves a valuable American Buffalo nickel that has probably been sold at less than its actual worth. Donny (Paul Vincent O’Connor) the owner of the shop is the “brains” behind and instigator of the plot.  His gofer Bobby (Rafael Jordan), a recovering not-too-bright druggie will take part in the heist. Plans drastically change when Teach (James Carpenter) enters with a display of vitriol that foreshadows what is to come.

When Teach wheedles the details of the plan he senses there is money to be had and maliciously begins to bad mouth Bobby’s ability and intelligence for the job. Teach becomes persuasive spouting aphorisms such as “action talks—bullshit walks” and emphasizing “business versus friendship.” Gradually with more diabolical intent Teach cons Donny into dumping Bobby and allowing Teach to share in the plan.

The best laid plans, although they are hardly the best laid plans, begin to unravel. Teach verbally back-stabs all those around him thus elevating himself to a lead position. The action takes place over 24 hour and in that brief time span Mamet with his terse dialog that often under-cuts each speaker creates fully rounded characters. As the hour nears for the actual event Teach becomes dictatorial, paranoid and unhinged leading to the cataclysmic ending. There is humor within the play that probably is unintended but does help to define character.

Jim Carpenter is absolutely stunning in the role and is the best of those seen by this reviewer. He displays the insecurity of Teach’s bravado that gradually detonates into irrational behavior dominating the stage with his actions even when he begins sniveling when physically challenged by Donny. Teach becomes a caged animal as Carpenter circles the stage with a cane or a shovel that he uses to destructive effect.

l-r, Donny (Paul Vincent O’Connor*) and Teach (James Carpenter*) confront one another about their plans for a heist

Paul Vincent O’Connor’s stature allows him to stand tall opposite Carpenters histrionics and radiates protective compassion for his friend Bobby while capturing the turmoil of Donny’s vacillation of “wanting that nickel back.”  Rafael Jordan, who is studying in A.C.T.’s Master of Arts program, gives a splendid performance as Bobby.

Director Barbara Damashek keeps all the elements in balance and fight director Dave Maier earns accolades for his control of the fight scenes.

 Running time under two hours including the intermission.

Cast: James Carpenter as Teach; Paul Vincent O’Connor as Donny; Rafael Jordan as Bobby.

DESIGNERS & CREW: Costumes, Cassandra Carpenter; Lighting Design, Kurt Landisman; Stage Manager, Angela Nostrand; Properties, Kirsten Royston; Set Designer,  Eric Sinkkonen; Sound Designer, Matt Stines; Fight Director, Dave Maier.

Kedar Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Photos by David Allen

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

Kirsten Wyatt (Elly Mae),  John Bolton (Frank Schultz), Bill Irwin (Captain Andy), Heidi Stober (Magnolia Hawks), Michael Todd Simpson (Gaylord Ravenal),

SHOW BOAT: Musical. Music by Jerome Kern, book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II; based on the novel “Show Boat” by Edna Ferber, performed by San Francisco Opera
@ War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. 415-864-3330 or www.sfopera.com  Through July 2, 2014. (Co-production with Lyric Opera of Chicago, Washington National Opera, and Houston Grand Opera)

A glorious spectacular Show Boat at the SF Opera House  [rating:5]

San Francisco Opera’s summer season opens with a glorious production of Show Boat the musical that first took Broadway, and the country, by storm when it opened in 1927 ushering a new era for musical comedy. Since that time there have been a number of revisions of the original score and lyrics and SF Opera under Francesca Zambello’s accomplished direction have elected to stay as close to the original score although they have accepted some additions and changes. The 70 member cast includes two choruses, one black, one white allowing Michele Lynch to display her choreographic skills.  They dance up a storm and sing with equal vivacity. All this happens on dazzling sets (Peter J. Davison) with the cast dressed in period costumes (Paul Tazewell) in all the rainbow colors with red being most dominant.

The raves about the production values are well earned. The cast is a combination of Broadway types and opera performers.There have been some complaints that Show Boat is not deserving of the San Francisco Opera stage. They are totally wrong. The mixture is complimentary in all aspects from the Broadway performers to opera singers.

The Broadway types playing major roles includes first and foremost Bill Irwin (Captain Andy) and alphabetically, James Asher  (Pete/Emcee), Kevin Blackton (Sheriff/Maitre d’), John Bolton (Frank Schultz), Harriet Harris (Parthy Hawks), Sharon McNight (Mrs. O’Brien) and Kirsten Wyatt (Elly Mae). From the Opera world there is Heidi Stober (Magnolia Hawks), Patricia Racette (Juilie LaVerne), Michael Todd Simpson (Gaylord Ravenal), Angela Renee Simpson (Queenie), Morris Robison (Joe).

The Opera contingent earn most of the accolades beginning with Morris Robison’s strong basso voice ‘toting that bale on the Mississippi’ with his powerful rendition of “Ol’ Man River” that he reprises in Act II. Heidi Stober’s lyric soprano voice perfectly nuances the lovely “Make Believe”, “You Are Love” and “Why Do I Love You?” that is a perfect match for the expressive baritone of Michael Todd Simpson in their duets. She has a ball with “After the Ball is Over” sung in swing time during the New Year’s Eve Trocodaro scene.

Patricia Racette grabs your heart with her rendition of “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man” in Act I and has many of the audience in tears with the emotional “Bill.”  Angela Renee Simpson radiates warmth and comedic ability with “Queeie’s Bally-Hoo”  and great dramatic depth with “Mis’ry’s Comin’ Aroun’.”

Limber limbed Bill Irwin is a joy to watch with his perfect timing of his humorous lines and unbelievably great in the scene where he is a one man dynamo playing all the parts in the unfinished melodrama that was interrupted by a show boat audience member. His performance in the Captain Andy role has touch of Joe E. Brown who played the role in the 1951 movie. Harriet Harris’ as his disapproving wife Parthy is an ideal foil for his shenanigans. Kirsten Wyatt and John Bolton have the right touch of humor an rancor to add to their terrific dancing with backup from the ensemble chorus. (Elly Mae).

The evening is an unqualified success with one caveat that the second act, that takes place over a 10 year span, seems a bit contrived. If that is a fault, the SF Opera’s total production makes it a moot complaint. Running time 2 hours and 45 minutes with a 25 minute intermission.

Major Cast: Patrick Cummings, Steve Baker; Bill Irwin, Cap’n Andy Hawks; Morris Robinson, Joe; Harriet Harris, Parthy Ann Hawks; Kirsten Wyatt, Ellie Mae Chipley; John Bolton, Frank Schultz; Patricia Racette, Julie La Verne; Heidi Stober, Magnolia Hawks; Michael Todd Simpson,  Gaylord Ravenal; Kevin Biackton, Sheriff Vallon; Carmen Steele, Young Kim; Sharon McNight, Mrs. O’Brien

Production Staff: Conductor John DeMain; Director Francesca Zambello; Choreographer Michele Lynch; Set Designer Peter J. Davison; Costume Designer Paul Tazewell; Lighting Designer Mark McCullough; Chorus Director Ian Robertson; Associate Director E. Loren Meeker; Sound Designer Tod Nixon; Dance Master Lawrence Pech; Fight Director Dave Maier; Assistant Conductor Joseph Marcheso; Stage Manager Darin Burnett; Costume Supervisor Jai Alltizer; Wig and Makeup Designer Gerd Mairandres.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

Jenny June Fail (Liz Sklar) trains to swim across Lake Michigan in her home with the help of Mortimer Mortimer (Brian Herndon) in the West Coast premiere of Philip Dawkins’ Failure: A Love Story at Marin Theatre Company in Mill Valley, eight shows weekly through June 29.

Failure: A Love Story: Play with music. By Philip Dawkins. Directed by Jasson Minadakis.Marin Theatre Company, 397 Miller Ave., Mill Valley.(415) 388-5208 orwww.marintheatre.org.  June 5 – June 29, 2014.

Failure: A Love Story beautifully staged at Marin Theatre  [Rating:3]

Consider it good advice to avoid seeing a play on the day after opening night since those in positions to know state that there is usually an emotional letdown by the cast. Having to miss opening night, a choice was made to attend the second day after the opening of Failure: A Love Story by the Marin Theatre Company. It was a wise decision since the 5 member cast played their hearts out on the intimate stage. However the audience response was deadly silent with only a single person responding to scenes that should elicit at least a polite laugh.

The play is written by Philip Dawkins, an up and coming Chicago playwright who has another play, The Homosexuals that opened  at the New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC). Dawkins seems to be fascinated with the concept of time since the play at NCTC goes backward in time starting in 2010 and ending in 2000. In Failure etc we learn early that the Fail sisters, Nelly (Kathryn Zdan), Jenny June (Liz Sklar) and Gertude (Megan Pearl Smith) are going to die. It is 1928 when the fatalities will happen and the story moves back to the turn of the 20^th Century.

Before the sisters’ story begins there is a lengthy vaudevillian type sequence where the two males in the cast tell a ridiculous tale of the sisters’ parents ending up in the Chicago River when their new DeSoto car took a wrong turn. The girls inherit the Fail Clock Repair Company and live in the upstairs apartment.

Before the parents leave this world, they discover a male baby in the bulrushes (?) by side of that fateful river. The baby is adopted by the Fails and named John (Patrick Kelly Jones). He just happens to have a small snake clenched in his tiny hands. That little snake eventually grows up becoming a huge friendly Boa Constrictor called Moses.   

Dawkins encourages theatres that produce the play to be creative and one production used 30 or so actors. Marin Theatre Company decided to use five live actors using props (Seren Heldy) for the animals that become integrated into the plot. They took on composer and musician Chris Houston to put the play to music and he has added his own composition along with flapper songs of the 1920s such as “In the Good Old Summertime” and “Let Me Call You Sweetheart”.  The cast plays a number of instruments including, piano, bass fiddle, violin, ukulele, trombone and drums. I forgot to mention the marvelous Nina Ball set is adorned with clocks of all types and some of them even talk thus proving Dawkins is obsessed with time.

Although we learn early and often that the Fail sisters are going to die by “drowning, consumption, disappearance and blunt objects to the head” it is not a sad tale. They all love their brother John who speaks to animals but has a problem relating to real people and all the girls have a chance to love and be loved although being a bit late each time it happens.

For the love interest we meet Mortimer Mortimer (Brian Herdon) who is brought home by the youngest Nellie. When she meets her demise being hit on the head by a toppling statue Mortimer Mortimer moves in with the family and becomes fast friends with John.

The hyper-active Jenny June takes on Mortimer as her swimming trainer even though he can not swim. Jenny is training to be the first woman to swim across Lake Michigan.  It is pointed out that she will be the first since no man has ever undertaken the challenge. Alas, just before reaching the far shore she disappears and is never found.

Next up, through a series of improbable happenstance Gertrude professes love for Mortimer even though she is on her last breath with consumption.

The entire play is acted as high camp with many visual jokes added to inane dialog. All the actors perform brilliantly and adeptly change into the inanimate objects and handle the props for the various animals that include, a dog, the boa and two love birds that are worked into the love angle of the play.

(l to r)Nelly (The youngest), Jenny June (The Midlest) and Gertrude (The eldest)

Director Minadakis keeps the pace at full tilt and adds flourishes that are admirable. The entire production is beautifully mounted but considering Heri Bergson’s relative time the one hour and 45 minute running time without intermission seemed longer on the Thursday night this reviewer attended.

Production Staff:  Directed by Jasson Minadakis; Composer Music Director & Sound Designer Chris Houston; Choreographer Kathryn Zdan; Scenic Designer Nina Ball; Lighting Designer York Kennedy; Costume Designer Jacqueline Firkins; Stage Manager Elisa Guthertz; Properties Artisan Seren Heldy; Dramaturg Margot Melcon; Assistant Dramaturg Julianna Reese.

Cast: Brian Herndon as Mortimer Mortimer, Patrick Kelly Jones as John Fail, Liz Sklaras Jenny June Fail, Megan Pearl Smith as Gertrude Fail and Kathryn Zdan as Nelly Fail.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com.

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

                                             Ensemble Cast of The Orphan of Zhao at A.C.T. Photo by Kevin Berne

The Orphan of Zhao: Chinese Drama adapted by James Fenton. Directed by Carey Perloff. American Conservatory Theatre (A.C.T.), A.C.T.’s Geary Theater, 415 Geary Street, San Francisco, CA 94108. 415.749.2228 or www.act-sf.org.  A co-production with La Jolla Playhouse. June 4-29, 2014

THE ORPHAN OF ZHAO is a stunning production by A.C.T     [rating:5]

There are multiple ways for theatre to create a memorable evening. Amongst others there may be superb writing, brilliant acting, thoughtful intellectual stimulation, remarkable staging and inventive direction. All of these qualities are displayed in The Orphan of Zhao that received a standing ovation on opening night. This is quite a feat considering the original play is almost 900 years old. It has had hundreds of productions in China with a 2010 film version titled Sacrifice.

The script used by A.C.T. is James Fenton’s adaptation written for the Royal Shakespeare Company. He uses the device of having the characters break the fourth wall addressing the audience about what is happening and their internal emotions. Since the storyline is convoluted and the character names have Chinese pronunciations that differ from the English spelling these interludes of explanation provide clarity. The action is fortified by original music by Bryon Au Young of Stuck Elevator fame. That music is provided on stage by the ensemble with cello, violin, drum, cymbals, bamboo sticks, clay flutes and even water basins. There is also a ballad singer.  It adds an eerie patina to the storyline.

A celebration is being held for the newly finished Crimson Cloud Tower. From that Tower, the drunken Emperor (Paolo Montalban) and his wicked advisor Tu’an Gu (Stan Egi) are indiscriminately shooting arrows into the crowd gathered in the Peach Garden below killing many of them. Zhao Dun (Nick Gabriel) the Emperor’s son-in-law and General Wei Jiang (Orville Mendoza) chastise the Emperor and lose favor with the Court. Wei Jiang and elderly counselor Gongsun Chujiu (Sab Shimono) cannot tolerate such behavior and voluntarily leave the Court going to remote areas. Zhao Dun remains with his pregnant wife the Princess (Maria-France Arcilla).

Tu’an Gu considers  Zhao Dun a threat to his future rise to the throne and orders a henchman to kill Zhao. When this act is not carried out, Tu’an Gu’s trained Demon Mastiff  (Brian Rivera) to sniffs out Zhao as a traitor. Knowing of his imminent death and the massacre of his entire, Zhao implores his wife to hide the boy child when he is born.

All the local doctors have been executed and a simple country doctor named Cheng Ying (BD Wong) arrives to deliver the baby. The Princess extracts a promise from Cheng to always protect the child . . . the orphan of Zhao, the only living member of his clan. Cheng is able to secret the baby out of the Court but Tu’an Gu knows of Cheng’s trickery and threatens to have every male baby in the country killed if he does not return the Orphan of Zhao.

Cheng’s loyalty and his promise to the Princess force him into a terrible decision to give up his own son as the Orphan of Zhao who is disemboweled.  Tu’an Gu arranges to adopt Cheng’s baby and to bring him up in the Court as his adopted son unbeknownst that he is the Orphan of Zhao.   

In Act II it is 18 years later and Cheng Bo (Daisuke Tsuji) has been taught the art of herbal medicine from Cheng Ying and the art of War from Tu’an Gu. He is a true Renaissance man. He is appalled during his travels through the country where he witnesses the strong oppressing  the weak. When he learns his true identity is ready to make changes. All eventually gets resolved with the loyal being rewarded and evil being punished and bodies strew the stage.

All this is very philosophical  but it the fantastic staging, directing and acting that will blow you away.  The stylistic acting by the entire cast never misses a beat and the entrance of Cheng Bo is eye-boggling as he scampers over the frame work without missing a line. BD Wong in this homecoming is a total success but he must share accolades with every member of the cast. Special mention of Brian Riveras as the Demon Mastiff, Julyana Soelistyo as Cheng’s wife, Marie-France Arcilla as the Princess, Orville Mendoza as General Wei Jiang, Sab Shimono as the elderly Gongsun Chujiu and Nick Gabriel as Zhao Dun.

Ostling’s set of three level, three sided ‘bamboo platforms’ and huge silk screens that drop from the rafters, some with painted scenes, other stark white that become mountains and a scroll on which to write the history of the action is marvelous. Add to this the intricate fight scenes with bamboo sticks and the glorious music, especially Jessica Ivry on the cello and the evening is complete. This is a must see production.

Running time two hours and 25 minutes with an intermission.

Featuring: Marie France Arcilla; Stan Egi; Philip Estrera; Nick Gabriel; Cindy Im; Orville Mendoza; Brian Rivera; Sab Shimono; Julyana Soelistyo; Paolo Montalban; and BD Wong.

Creative team: scenic designer Daniel Ostling; costume designer Linda Cho; lighting designer Lap Chi Chu; sound designer Jake Rodriguez; original music Byron Au Yong and movement by Stephen Buescher.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatrewoerldinternetmagazine.com

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

HERSHEY FELDER AS LEONARD BERNSTEIN IN MAESTRO: Music and lyrics by Leonard Bernstein and others. Book by Hershey Felder. With Hershey Felder as Leonard Bernstein. Directed by Joel Zwick. Berkeley Repertory Theatre: Thrust, 2025 Addison Street @ Shattuck, Berkeley, CA 94704   June 6 – June 22, 2014 (EXTENDED! June 5–July 3, 2014) [rating:3]

The multitalented (pianist, actor, playwright, composer, producer, and director) Hershey Felder triumphantly returns to Berkeley Rep’s trust stage becoming the multitalented Leonard Bernstein. In the past Felder has limited his portrayals to composers including his smash hit last year as George Gershwin in George Gershwin Alone. In that performance he tacked on a 30 minute sing-a-long curtain call when the uproarious applause kept him on the stage. This time there was no curtain call but it was not from lack of appreciation from a rapt audience.

In the past he has taken on the personae of  Fryderyk Chopin, Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Liszt. All were great composers while Bernstein was an unsuccessful classical composer and is known for his orchestral directing skills. He considered himself a failure. If one might conjecture about Felder’s motivations to create this show it may be he wished to display his own directorial skills. He certainly does that when he, through Bernstein, gives us a thorough lesson in the art of directing an orchestra that he learned studying under such great conductors including Dimitri Mitropoulos, Fritz Reiner, Serge Koussevitzky, Artur Rodzinski and composer Aaron Copland. Bernstein became the youngest conductor to have led and become the first American-born music director of the  New York Philharmonic.

Much of the evening is devoted to Bernstein’s relationship with his Jewish immigrant father who was materialistic and adamant that one cannot make a living as a musician. This allows Felder to adopt a Yiddish accent that adds humor. The accent is used throughout the evening as Felder chronologically grows from young Bernstein to a disappointed adulthood. There is only brief mention of his faithful wife and children with a “throw-away-line”  late the show about his fling with a young boy that lasted only 1 ½ years saying as he departed the stage his greatest regret was the hurt he caused those near and dear to him.  With a curtain line such as that there could be no encore.

The evening starts and ends with Felder using the words from West Side Story in the song “Somewhere” with a time and place for everything. Felder frames the evening with the lyrics from that song. As with his other productions there is a single set with props that are pertinent to the character he is creating. For this show there is an ancient TV camera reflecting the fact that Bernstein’s fame was made even more grand through the “Omibus” TV series. Many of the projected clips are taken from that program.

The black and white projections become an integral part of the 90 minute show as he effortlessly moves from his piano playing to dialog. The music selections include the “Somewhere”  mentioned above, “Carried Away” from On the Town;  his “Piano Sonata”; Aaron Copeland’s “Piano Sonata” Variation 1 and 9; “A Little Bit of Love” from Wonderful Town; “I Hate Music”; “Lamentations” from Jeremiah; “Greetings” from Arias and Barcafolles; Glitter and be Gay from Candide and“Maria” from West Side Story.

Felder’s first-person narrative as Bernstein and his smooth transitions to those individuals that have shaped his life creates a provocative but not compelling theatre piece. As mentioned in the PR data it certainly is “an illuminating look at the amazing life of American composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein.”

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/

The cast of The Homosexuals at NCTC: (l-r) Robert Rushin, Gabriel Ross, Alyssa Stone, Scott Cox, Daniel Redmond, Matt Weimer, Keith Marshall. Photos by Lois Tema

THE HOMOSEXUALS: COMEDY.  By Phillip Dawkins. Directed by Arturo Catricala. New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA. 415-864-8972 or www.nctcsf.org     May 16 – June 28, 2016

The Homosexuals a reverse Candide type journey at NCTC [rating:3]

New Conservatory Theatre Center’s (NCTC) production of Phillip Dawkins’ The Homosexuals brought to mind three previous plays that may have had more than a superficial influence on the plays structure and purpose. One of those plays is the 1934 Merrily We Roll Along by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart and the musical of the same name with book by George Furth and lyrics and music by Stephen Sondheim. The structure of that played moves backward in time as does The Homosexuals that begins in 2010 ending the year 2000.

The other play is David Hare’s 1998 The Blue Room that was based on the French translation of La Ronde written by Arthur Schnitzler (1862–1931). Schnitzler’s play examines sexual mores and class ideology through a series of encounters between different pairs of players. Hare’s play is written in 10 scenes each with two characters with A meeting B and B meeting C etc. with A ending up in the final scene.

Phillip Dawkins has replaced the generalized “class ideology” with what may called the “homosexual ideology and mores.” He uses only six scenes, one each to introduce six gay characters and one straight female needed for completeness of the social class he is depicting.

It all begins in 2010 in New York City where semi-straight-laced Evan (Robert Rushin) is breaking up with his older lover, a flamboyant theater aficionado Peter (Matt Weimer). Evan refuses to accept the label of ‘homosexual” preferring instead to be known as “gay.” The verbal duel is quite bitchy and continues in scenes to come. The discussion of what defines “friends” outside of the sexual relationship begins here and is introduced in every scene.

In the next scene it is 2008 and Evan who is living with Peter has met British Mark (Daniel Redmond) who is Black, is in a sham marriage to obtain citizenship and is HIV positive but still engages in sex. . . only safe sex. That sexual relationship between protagonist Evan and British Mark is not to be since both are “top” men but they remain “friends.”

In Scene three it is 2006 and we meet the nerdy, insecure  Michael (Gabriel Ross) who has problems getting laid, is in love with Evan but they only are platonic friends.  This scene is not very well written, acted nor directed being a dreary uninteresting monolog by Ross ending act one on an ambiguous note. The comments at intermission were not complimentary.

Act two, with three top-notch scenes makes up for the doldrums of the first act curtain. It 2004 and we meet the most interesting female Tam(Alyssa Stone) who has given up a dull job teaching college students to take a position in an inner city High School. She is engaged to British Mark of scene two. Alyssa Stone gives a great performance as the proverbially fag-hag but in doing so shows a great deal of empathy and humor.

In 2002 Evan is working in an uptight job where being homosexual is not fully accepted and he has conformed to the heterosexual code of silence. In this terrific scene we meet macho Mark (Keith Marshall) who is living with up-and-coming theatre director Peter. Mark, a college professor of Art, is totally out of the closet and has won awards for his stance on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) issues.  His verbal confrontation with young Evan (“Heterosexuals hate you!”) leads to physical altercation after which Evan storms out.

In the final scene (the year 2000) many of the loose ends depicted earlier are pulled together with a very satisfying ending with the entire cast on stage. Throughout the play there is the mention of Collin (Scott Cox) being a friend/lover of the protagonist Evan whose life we having seeing in reverse order.  A 21 year old Evan has been picked up by Michael and brought along to a party given by the so far unseen, but oft mentioned, Collin. It is the beginning of Evan’s reverse Candide type journey.

With the one exception, the cast is excellent and convey specificity in their characterizations while at the same time projecting the generalities of the homosexual community during the 10 year span of the play from 2000 to 2010. Running time 2 hours and 30 minutes with a 15 minute intermission.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com

Robert Rushin, Gabriel Ross, Alyssa Stone, Scott Cox, Daniel Redmond, Matt Weimer, Keith Marshall. Photos by Lois Tema

Kedar Adour

forallevents.com/reviews/