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.