CCCT Impressive production of 

Harper Lee's Classic 

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD - 

Is a holiday keeper.

Fifty four years ago Harper Lee wrote the American classic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, To Kill A Mocking Bird. The award winning Contra Costa Civic Theatre celebrates this iconic story with a captivating production of Christopher Sergel’s stage adaptation.

With a talented ensemble of excellent local actors, under the direction of David Bogdonoff, brings this story to life for both newcomers and fans. The iconic characters have passed to many readers and movie fans through the American landscape that has kept this story relevant with the issues of rape and racism in Depression Era Alabama, as well as the emotional coming of age of its young characters. If you remember them from the book or the film, you have impressions of who they are. They are a part of our psyche. CCCT’s gifted cast brings them to the El Cerrito stage and makes the story as fresh and vital as it was when first published.

Act one plants the seeds of the drama, act two delivers the critical moments an emotional epiphanies of the classic story played out in a courtroom and in the yard of Lawyer Finch’s home.  

The cast includes three young actors Etta Washburn, Sal Harkins as the Finch kids and the talented Tommy Huebner as Dill. Former CCCT Artistic Director Mark Manske is excellent as Atticus Finch.

The younger actors have to carry this production and Harkins as Jem Finch is impressive.

Molly Daniels delivers the narrative of Jean Louise Finch as engaging and interesting from the very beginning. Mike Reynolds delivers a powerful monologue as Sheriff Heck Tate. This is a gifted cast, Tim Holt Jones is well cast as Bob Ewell the racist monster. CC Sheldon transcends the preconceived notion of Mayella Ewell that is set in our minds from the classic 1962 film.

No matter how many times you read the book or watch the film, the verdict of the story’s trial is a sucker punch to the soul. Harper Lee’s masterpiece on stage is well crafted dramatic honesty.

I have to mention the impressive subtle set by the award winning Kuo-Hao Lo, and the on point costumes by the talented Lisa Danz.

The CCCT had a busy November taking three main stage awards at the 1st annual TBA’ Awards celebration at ACT - they took an award for best local play August: Osage County including Best set and Direction and Max Minton for best Actor in a play.

Mockingbird Performances are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays through Dec. 14. The matinee performances on Nov. 23 and Dec. 7 will feature a discussion with the director and cast. Tickets and details: www.ccct.org.

Join CCCT on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ContraCostaCivicTheatre/timeline

Piedmont Oakland Rep - stands out with 'What I Did Last Summer'

The setting is 1945 a high end vacation community on the shores of Lake Erie,  during the final weeks of World War II. Charlie, a typical board 14 year old, is summering with his mother and sister while his dad is in the Pacific.  The boy intended to spend the summer bumming and socializing with his friends, yet the need for spending money forces him to take a job as handyman for a bohemian art teacher, Anna Trumbull, a former member of the "upper crust" who has lost her fortune and her regard for the ideals of her upbringing. Sensing a spirit in Charlie, she tries to open his mind by teaching him painting and sculpture and exposing him to "radical" ideas about life and love. The result is a family crisis and a showdown between Anna and Charlie's conservative mother, a clash of families which raises as many questions as it answers and, in the end, stimulates a coming of age which will shape the man Charlie is destined to become.

The play, written by A.R. Gurney and directed by PORT founding producer John A McMullen is well staged an adventurous.

Cameron Dodd is an impressive young actor, playing Charlie he is convincing as the angst teenager trying to figure out what’s what, and dealing with his absent a father figure.

A favorite on stage is young Bonny, played by Rosie Fry, is a pro on stage and its good to see her back in the bay area since returning from LA. Opposite her is the talented Nathan Zabala, as young Ted. Nate is a YMTC recruit and has great future on stage.

Susannah Wood is a company regular is cast as Anna, and is enduring in the role of this pipe piper. Alison Whismore gave the best performances as Grace respectively. The daughter Elsie is played by Melanie Marshall who starts out the first act whining like a modern california teenage not a teen from 1945, but as the first act warms up she gets more convincing as a 40’s cranky teen. PORT company member Bertt Mermer plays the older Charlie.

“What I Did Last Summer” would make the perfect pre holiday play and PORT is bringing professional theatre to Piedmont Ca and clearly set to make a statement in Bay Area Theatre - with a excellent company and an up an coming black box space in the heart of Piedmont quaint shopping district.

PORTs “What I Did Last Summer” runs through, Dec 13th. with shows at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 230 & 7pm on Sundays. Tickets are $22 advanced admission and $25 at the door. www.PORT4137.info

THE TBA AWARDS TAKE 1 -

SHOULD BE THE NEW HIGH LIGHT OF

THE BAY AREA THEATRE COMMUNITY

THE RED CARPET - was missing out front of the GEARY THEATRE - but the Gold and Glam was in full bloom - and Bay Theatre Fans and community came together Nov 10th for the 1st Annual TBA Awards -

68 Awards hit Bay Actors, Craft Staff, and Stage Companies on a Monday night - the only off night most actors get - And the best day to dole applause out to stage folk - The Oscars used to air their event on Monday nights til the business side forced make a Sunday night sure financial hit..

Hosted by Will Durst and Marga Gomez and held down the 3 hours event and kept it moving the best they could - With a campy SF opening featuring the cast of PEARLS OVER SHANGHAI - was the classic way to open this first TBA event,

There was a tie for best new play. Stuart Bousel s Everybody Here Says Hello! and Dan Hoyle and Tony Taccone s Game On, shared the honor. Abigail and Shaun Bengson s Hundred Days, a huge hit at Z Space, won for best new musical and San Jose Stage s revival of Threepenny Opera won the award for best production of a musical.

The legendary Beach Blanket Babylon earned 1st legacy awards. - The TBA's have yet to name their classy Award and my guess is that "take 2" will post a name or tag for the shinny plaque...

Listen in >> http://youtu.be/IlibGWcG--8

The show closed with the amazing cast of 100 Days - and hit the 2 hour 55 min mark on the spot- making the Union Gods of the Geary stage very pleased - The Party then moved to RUBY SKY for drinks and dancing - a great for the Bay theatre community --

Delicate Particle Logicz 

by Indra's Net 

complicated science 

in two acts 

at the Berkeley Osher Studio

Jennifer Blackmur's new play, premiered at the Berkeley Osher stage. Produced by Indra's Net with its founder Bruce Coughran's directing the project. 

In 1938s, Lise Meitner, a German Jewish physicist in hiding in Sweden received a letter from her collaborator, Otto Hahn in Berlin, describing an experiment involving unranuim the two had been pursuing. Otto would later receive the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for spiting the atom. Lisa was mentioned, but did not share the prize. Of course this would lead to the BOMB.

The story is placed between two women flipping in and out of clever flash backs - Otto's wife Edith and Lisa meet in an asylum that the wife has been assigned too. The two tell the story of Otto and his conflicts with the science.

The cast is very good, and if the acting wasn't so good - I for one could never follow the complex scientific dialog of the characters: Janet Keller as Edith, opera singer Teressa Byrne, Michael Kern Cassidy as Hahn, and in various roles,  Darek Burkowski and Jeff Garrett. This cast for the most part has collaborated in other Indra's Net plays about modern science. 

Mr ScottAlexander creates original music as players perform.  

Thursdays-Saturdays at 8, Sundays at 5 through November 23, Osher Studio, 2055 Center Street, near Shattuck. $20-$28. (415)6139210

www.indrasnettheater.com

CANDIDE A WONDERFUL NIGHT OF Leonard Burnstein'

DMT's Production of CANDIDE raises the bar for the Hayward Ca. Company

Douglas Morrisson Theatre, Hayward Ca. - from my past experience with this company they are not a high end Regional company. But clearly Hayward has stepped up its game in Bay Area Theatre. Their current production of CANDIDE is impressive - Nov 6 - 30 at the Hayward DMT stage.

This is the ROYAL NATIONAL THEATRE version - with a brilliant score by Leonard Burnstein brought to life at DMT by the amazing talent of David Moschler. His orchestra is in pure form to bring Burnstein, Sondheim and Voltaire the perfect night of theatre.

There are many ways to take Leonard Burnstein's 1966 production.  Hal Prince's 1973 New York revival, was produced like circus extravaganza. (as the current Pippin now on tour) But this version in John Caird's take he did in 1999 for the National Theatre, that allows the songs to that Voltaireian thought debate.

The talented tenor Andres Ramirez as Candide has the perfect voice and performance. The quality of all the singers was in top form.  Angela Jarosz 
as the perfect Cunegonde, sang with tight fast vibrato and the perfect tones needed for the classic "Glitter and be Gay".  Tom Reilly as Voltaire is very amusing and elegant. Also a strong performance by Tina Marzell as the old lady and Anna Joham as Paquette. It runs three hours, but remember at heart this a comedy and it moves fast and does not disappoint.

Directed by Michael Mohammed, Music and Vocal director David Moschler made the perfect team for this excellent production - I recommend this for your holiday theatre pleasure without reservation.

The Royal National Theatre Version
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Book adapted from Voltaire
by Hugh Wheeler
In a New Version by John Caird
Lyrics by Richard Wilbur -- photos by Terry Sullivan
                         November 6th - 30th, 2014 at the Douglas Morrisson Theatre Hayward ca

http://dmtonline.org/candide.html

https://www.facebook.com/morrissontheatre

TRI VALLEY REP - SCORES WITH Q - 

R RATED HAND PUPPETS LOVE LIVERMORE

Tri Valley has staged two musicals this season that have been on a few stages here in the Bay Area - Shrek was all over the Bay this past summer and spring,and now the Puppets of Ave Q have invaded Regional stages this past fall and winter. With 
Les Miz in the shadows - that will make three productions over produced on Bay Area Stages.  But the good news - Tri Valley brings it to Livermore with a great talent and staging. 

The Puppets of Ave Q have a Tony in the can - and of course the talented Robert Lopez (Book of Mormon) brings his witty Music and Lyrics to this 2003 hit.

Sean McGrory is cast as Princeton along side Jennifer Stark as Kate Monster both have great comic timing and work well with their puppet selfs.  Its noted that from past productions I have seen of this musical - the Tri Valley Muppet cast was imported from Sierra Stages in Nevada - and they are a bit smaller. With the smaller puppets the cast have more of opportunity to shine and not be upstaged by the Muppet button faces.

Wendy Amador s power house voice behind Lucy the Slut, is a stand out along with Scott DiLorenzo, Mia Sagan, Mario Rappa and Kevin Hammond. Sam Leeper an Abby Peterson easily steal the show at times as the two Bad Idea Bears. The weak link was the casting of Christmas Eve - the single Asian character in the cast. With such a talent pool of Asian actors in the Bay Area,  I was surprised to see this character on the low end.

On that topic - Tri Valley is about to mount THE KING AND I,  and rumor is a buzz that it was hard to find an Asian talent to come out to Tri Valley.  Lets hope that is not the case for KING in 2015. 

Q is not a family show - But a great date night night out in Livermore at the Blankhead stage. The show runs through Sunday Nov 2nd 

                                    

AVENUE Q - PRESENTED BY THE TRI VALLEY REP

Through: Nov. 2 /Where: Bankhead Theater, 2400 First St., Livermore
Running time: 2 hours,
20 minutes, one intermission
Tickets: $19-$39,
925-373-6800,
www.trivalleyrep.org

BERKELEY REP - BEST STAGE 2014 SHOW

PARTY PEOPLE - West Coast Premier

Shines with Oakland Pride and History - 

at the Berk Rep.

Black Panthers, Young Lords Oakland Ca

The Berk Rep has a sure hit this fall with the brilliant production of PARTY PEOPLE 

on their smaller more intimate trust stage.  The space puts you right on stage and in the room when this company powerhouse their message. 

Created by Universes Ruiz, his sister Mildred Ruiz-Sapp and her husband, Steven Sapp with director Leiesl Tommy for the Oregon theatre festival’s ongoing American Revolutions: The United States History Cycle, it was work-shopped this summer the Rep’s Ground Floor program. The result is a tighter production on a more complicated set and a mix of dance rap and performance that will leave breathless and thinking.

The intense well performed numbers - based from local history to New York and Chicago, the show stopping pace of the musical by the excellent cast - including Ruiz-Sapp, Amy Lizardo, C Kelly Wright, the amazing Reggie D. White, Michael Elich, Sophia Ramos and Bernard Calloway. 

Of course I could use the iconic catch phrase "Power to the People" - but I rather pitch  "Party to the People" - don't miss this production.

Docudrama. By Universes (Steven Sapp, Mildred Ruiz-Sapp, William Ruiz). Directed by Liesl Tommy. Through Nov. 16. Berkeley Rep’s Thrust Stage, 2025 Addison St., Berkeley. Two hours, 40 minutes. $29-$89, subject to change. (510) 647-2949. www.berkeleyrep.org.

YEAST NATION The Triumph of Life FINDS SALT OF LIFE AT THE RAY OF LIGHTS WEST COAST PREMIER. 

THE ROAR OF THE YEAST

The Victoria theatre hosts earth's first life forms much like the characters in Urinetown, these single-celled, singing yeasts in Ray of Lights production of Yeast Nation  deal with a drought of salt that keep them alive. Its a night of amazing vocals that seem to be at 100% the whole 2.5 hours we get to live with these new life forms.

Mark Hollman and Greg Kotis created “Urinetown” probably the biggest success of the indi fringe festival grown musical genre.  The team returns with their second new work “Yeast Nation (The Triumph of Life).”

As the Yeast rises in this simple story of survival and rebirth includes some great songs including --- “let us rise” and “life goes on”  with strong greek type chorus and many songs in the Urinetown MO - they are funny to serious that take us on a semi social romp that could be Euripides influenced.

Heather Orth as Jan-the-Unamed is one of the power house leads, blind on stage she leads her cast of Yeast through an amazing tour of so many past musicals -- boy yeast meets girl yeast, they lose each other and evolve into a multiple celled organism. The set design by Angrette McCloskey is looming and 3,000,458,000 BC primordial. It fills up the Victoria's stage with images deep under the sea of pre historic earth.

Director Jason Hoover does a great job filling the Victoria stage with a talented cast, taking on this new musical, after he asked the creators if he could add this production to his 2014 season. Hoover claimed his current season a year of new shows that SF has never seen.  Yeast Nation has yet to have its red carpet NY opening other than the Fringe fest fan fare. This West Coast Premier of the musical  could well lead the Hollmann and Kotis back to NY.

“Can it really be true, mistress, that there were no stories before this one?” asks a chorus member of the Elders blind oracle. “None worth musicalizing,” she responds.

I recommend this new musical - its in the right city for these single cells to grow and take this show on to other venues and cities - Its sure to return to Broadway very soon and its a pleasure to see it begin its journey back home - The Ray of Light is on course this season sharing these new works wth SF Bay area audiences.

Yeast Nation Cast

Teresa Attridge (Jan-the-Sly)

Joshua Beld (Chorus 1)

Melinda Campero (Ensemble)

Jesse Cortez (Chorus 6)

Danny Cozart (Jan-the-Elder)

Roy Eikleberry (Jan-the-Wretched/Ensemble)

David Glazer (Jan-the-Youngest)

Celia Jones (Chorus 4)

Mary Kalita (The New One/Ensemble)

Juliana Lustenader (Jan-the-Famished)

Courtney Merrell (Jan-the-Sweet)

Lizzie Moss (Chorus 5)

Heather Orth (Jan-the-Unnamed)

Kevin Singer (Jan-the-Second-Oldest)

Lindsay Stark (Ensemble)

Mischa Stephens (Jan-the-Wise)

Aaron Vanderbeek (Ensemble)

Vanessa Vazquez (Chorus 2)

Ted Zoldan (Chorus 3)

West Coast Premiere

tickets http://rayoflighttheatre.com/
5 Week Limited Engagement

WHEN: October 3 – November 1, 2014

WHERE: 2961 16th St. (at Mission), San Francisco, CA, 94103

DO I HEAR A WALTZ? EMILY SKINNER SAYS "YES"

42ND STREET MOON - 22ND SEASON OPENER

Emily Skinner is a welcome delight here in San Francisco - off her recent Tony nominated SIDE SHOW broadway run. She is in town to kick off #42nd street Moon Players 22nd season that opened Oct 4th at the Eureka stage in downtown SF. - Theatre icons Richard Rogers, Stephen Soundheim, and Arthur Laurents, created the 1965 love story that Katherine Hepburn made famous in the film version of Summertime.

As talented as Skinner is - its very difficult to bring this lack of a musical back to a stage - Yes the 3 icons of Broadway have their names attached - but it wasn't their high point in their careers. This was one of Rodgers first works after the passing of Oscar Hammerstein. Director Greg MacKellan's “Waltz” falls flat. With a competent cast of local players including Tyler McKenna, Taylor Bartolucci, David Naughton, Nikita Burshteyn and the young Jonah Broscow.

Sondheim once described this musical as perfectly respectable but labels it a “why?” musical – why, if the creators were not passionate about the adaptation, does the musical need to exist?  One of the highlights of the score is “Moon in My Window" along with ”Someone Woke Up”

Actor Andrea Martin, is in SF for Pippin dropped by to see this production - Which could start rumors that this old lug go be a broadway bound comeback - A perfect roll for Martin would be older character Edith Mc IlHenny.  And I feel certain with some work and a great cast this could once again have a broadway life. But this local SF production is moderately the best we have for this theatre season.  Its worth a night out to see the talent of Emily Skinner - with the perfect ticket price in the perfect nook off the city's MacArthur park a few feet from SF's historic Barbary coast.

 Do I Hear a Waltz? Music by Richard Rodgers. Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Book by Arthur Laurents. Directed by Greg MacKellan. Continues through Oct. 19. 42nd Street Moon, Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson St., San Francisco. Two hours, 20 minutes. $25-$75. (415) 255-8207. www.42ndstmoon.org.

CCCT ADDAMS FAMILY

Contra Costa Civic Theatre production of The Addams Family-A New Musical Comedy opens their 2014 - 15 season. This was not a huge hit on Broadway - but Regional theatres will pack houses with this one. Fans of the TV show and comic strip will recall this story line is based on the pilot of the ABC show. Tosca Maltzman cast as Wednesday Addams steals the show - along with her cast headed by Mark J. Enea - 

The company proves their talent with the opening number, “When You’re an Addams,”  Wednesday, played by Tosca, is bringing a boy home and wants her family to be on their best behavior. Its a familiar tale but one that will make you smile 

Midway through her first number, “Pulled,” Maltzman  show-stopping voice brings the show to the speed it stays through the first and second act - 

Also featuring: Ashley Adams, Trisha Ayllon, Tom Curtin, Molly Daniels, Mark Enea, Isabella Khoury, Greg Lynch, Sam Machado, Melody Perera, Daniel Quezada, Lewis Rawlinson, Jonah Rotenberg, Allison Meneley, Ron Pickett, CC Sheldon, and Sandi Weldon.

tickets at http://www.ccct.org/ - through 10/19 pix by http://mellopix.com/

OMG I LOVE THAT SHOW - BRINGS DOGFIGHT HOME

DOGFIGHT 

 This new musical stays true to the screenplay that featured Lili Taylor and River Phoenix - with a hint of Newsies and Stephen Sondheim - Dogfight is lovable 

with out the machismo and heavy “Semper fi, do or die,” -

This also has the high energy of a very tight male cast - at their best. The "DOGFIGHT is an old hopefully outdated tradition of young Marines of holding a party hosting the most homely females they can find. The winner walks away with hand of cash. The love story that comes out of the party is touching and the songs are catchy and up beat - This show will make you smile in the end and I do hope that this company has full houses for their run at the DEAN LESHER black box stage

 Directed by Jasen Jeffrey and features a very talented local company and tight male ensemble choreography by Nicole Helfer.  The venue is located in Walnut Creek and tickets are at  http://www.omgilovethatshow.com/

FOLLOW OMG FACEBOOK AND LOOK FOR GREAT 2 FOR 1 TICKET DEALS

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