THE BOOK OF MORMON IS BACK - and SF loves this show -

BOOK OF MORMON RINGS OUR DOOR FOR THE THIRD TIME

Book of Mormon - this mega hit Musical has returned to San Francisco for a third visit. You will find plenty of dates to see this tour. This time around - the show is NOT sold out - SHN always has tickets the night or show and lottery seats for 30.00.

It was eighteen years ago that Matt Stone and Trey Parker began creating the concept for Book of Mormon. The show has been unstoppable since it opened on Broadway and took Tony's to task.

But does the show live up to its hype? After a third session with this tour, I can say it still gets a sold out crowd to their feet. As for my feelings - its doesn’t hold up. The tale of Mormon missionaries Elder Price (Billy Harrigan Tighe) and Jerry Lewis subtext Elder Cunningham (A.J. Holmes) who find themselves in Uganda. The classic opening “Hello” is still a standout and Tighes’ “I Believe still stops the show.

The is excellent "Hasa Diga Eebowai" about giving the Lord the finger always very funny. I would say if you have not yet seen BOM - its your time to get to the Orpheum in SF. Tickets are easy to get. And most night the lottery has plenty of seats for the folks waiting for 30.00 obstructed view seats.

'THE BOOK OF MORMON'

Book, music and lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone

April - June 28 Where: Orpheum Theatre, San Francisco

2 hours, 25 minutes

Tickets: 60.00 - 210.00, but a limited number of $29 tickets are available through a daily lottery two hours before the show. 

For details, call 888-746-1799 or go towww.shnsf.com.

IMPACT THEATRE presents a new play THE OREGON TRAIL More than a Video Game

The Classic video game 'Oregon Trail' comes to stage. Play meets videogame.

 Impact Theatre housed in La Vals Pizza black box space is the home of some of the best new plays and performances in the Bay Area. This month writer Bekah Brunstetter is workshopping her new play “The Oregon Trail” on the Impact stage. The plays official world premiere is set for Washington, D.C.'s Flying V Theatre in September. Brunstetter is a writer for both TV and theatre, her past projects include MTV’s Underemployed, and her center piece work “Be A Good Little Widow”.

The story opens in 1997, and 13-year-old Jane Goodrich played so well by Maria Giere Marquis, is an expert at The Oregon Trail video game. She has beaten the game over a 100 times. The undisputed master of her characters’ destinies, but hardly in control of her own trail. She can’t just control-alt-delete herself whenever she wants to start over. If only life were as seemingly simple as The Oregon Trail.

 Directed by the talented Ariel Craft, she keeps her cast moving as the story jumps back and forth to the Oregon Trail family and back to Jane's room.  Marquis is perfect as the teenager awkward, giggly and squirmy, she brings that hyper energy to the first scene. We also meet her crush Billy, played Ben Calabrese who brings a very funny horny teen boy who is very talented at the game.

The Oregon Trail family bounces on and off stage - also with a teenage in hand named “then Jane” played by Ariella Amaris Irula who is excellent and showing more 1848 teen angst than modern Jane could never fathom with the likes of deadly dysentery, tainted drinking water, and losing her mother.

The clever small set by Anne Kendall turns a couch into a covered wagon. Colin Trevors sound designs and music mix is impressive as the horses gear up to take the family west to Oregon. Jax Steager clean lighting design adds the high tech look of the late 90’s and brightness of the trail west. As the story goes between “now Jane” and “then Jane”. Cassies Rosenbrock is cast as both Janes modern-day sister and wagon train version named Mary Anne. Rosenbrock is perfect in the roles and shows some intense frustration with both now and then Janes. The stern father is played by local favorite Jo Nagal and brings reality to the trail. His highlight is Chanterelle Grovers costume design. He is prefect in his overalls. Janes transition to her 20’s is done well and very convincing also highlighted by Grovers costumes.

As the plays jumps 10 years ahead to 2007 we find “now Jane” at her sister's home, looking for work and avoiding a sink full of dirty dishes. Still playing the game she see’s the dark side of the trail and is handed a bout of depression as she deals with both eras. Brunstetter is brilliant as tieing this arch to the challenges of both girls. Older Billy makes a harsh sexual entrance for Jane, but one that kicks her into the reality she has dealt. Its a powerful scene and directed well by Craft.

"Then Jane" is also dealt a harsh hand on the trail. The cast is talented and at times the play is funny as it is dark and a trip through life's journey whether it's tied to a keyboard or trail west. Bekah Brunsletter’s new work is sure to do well as it moves on to its premiere run later this season. It runs 75 min and moves fast, I highly recommend seeing this new play still in workshop form. “The Oregon Trail” and Jane's journey is worth seeing.

'THE OREGON TRAIL'

By Bekah Brunstetter, Directed by Ariel Craft 

presented by Impact Theatre Closes June 7 -  La Val's Subterranean, 1834 Euclid Ave., Berkeley

Running time: 75 minutes, no intermission

Tickets: $10-$25; www.impacttheatre.com

UCB Student Produced BAREStage ends their season with HAIR.

"HAIR" HELPS MARK THE 50TH CELEBRATION OF THE FREE SPEECH MOVEMENT AT UCB

University of California Berkeley Barestage Productions, celebrates 50 years of Free Speech with a smart production of a 60's classic. BareStage is the oldest student-run theatre company at UCB, and has a great history of staging new and old works. The company features both Arts Majors and non. Any student can audition and their productions always prove the Berkeley campus is the home of excellent talent, from Engineers to Science majors. UCB Theatre Arts Major Senior Matt Bratko was asked to write this review. I wanted a Cal students point of view, Thank you Matt. 

By Matt Bratko. Great energy and spirit in a musical can cover over a multitude of sins, and in Barestage Production’s Hair, it unfortunately had to.

Directed by Jessica Slaght, this show was shrewdly chosen to coincide with the 50^th anniversary year of the Free Speech Movement, where Berkeley students fought for their right to political expression. The recent resurgence of controversial protests and activism also makes this show seem timely, and there are a few moments in the show when Hair feels relevant, especially when the tribe that makes up the cast of the show stages a “Be-In”, and the revolutionary fervor is placed front and center. 

Unfortunately these moments are few. Because of the liberal nature of the Berkeley campus, many of the numbers that initially struck audiences in the late sixties as incredibly controversial and radical fall on unimpressed ears. For students here singing about hashish and sodomy is just another day on campus. 

The notorious nudity sequence also felt anticlimactic. The cast slowly takes off clothes as they move upstage and the more modest ones hide behind signs and other detritus that is attached to the cyclone fencing that flanks the stage. While the director’s note explains the nudity as “asking audiences why we make a bigger fuss over the display of naked bodies on stage than the tremendous carnage in Vietnam,” the staging of the scene feels obligatory and almost ashamed. By moving the cast to the back and hiding them behind the fencing instead of presenting them front and center to show that nudity is harmless and natural, the show seems to be reluctant to commit to making that point.

The show’s vibe is very brightly colored and positive, full of innocence and energy. There are a few standout vocalists, with Dubravka Juric opening the show with an “Aquarius” that roars the house down and sets the bar high for the singers that follow her. Juric, Hussain, and Crossley are all strong singers who are sadly underutilized, especially Hussain, who had incredible power and precision in her standout moments in the ensemble.

The majority of solos go to the leading men Bennett Martin and Benjamin Schaub, who play Claude and Berger respectively. The standout lead was Madeleine Pla as Sheila, who could both act and sing and frequently did both very well at the same time.  Also notable were Olivia Uhley as the pregnant Jeanie, and Yoonji Jang, the standout dancer in the cast.

After a slow first act that felt like Cats on marijuana, both for its childish energy and the disjointed personality-based nature of its numbers, the second act picks up with the dynamic “Black Boys/White Boys” number and the action-packed hallucinations of Claude. The lighting design really worked to give shape to the changing settings/states of mind throughout that sequence. The cast was full of enthusiasm and humor, they committed to their actions and worked smoothly together. In the end, it was an enjoyable ride that felt a little too much like a fluff piece. (Bratko) 

BareTroupe Spring May 3rd Showcase

May 3 is the annual  for BareTroupe's Spring Showcase! The performance includes members of BareStage musical theatre troupe in numbers from Chicago,Les Miserables, Rodgers's + Hammerstein's Cinderella, The Full Monty, Curtains, and more! The FREE showcase is  Sunday, May 3rd at 8pm in the Choral Rehearsal Hall. This will mark their final production of 2014 -15 seasaon.

LINKS TO BARESTAGE INFO and more about their past season

https://www.facebook.com/events/1481880228725272/

http://www.barestage.org/

https://www.facebook.com/BareStageProductions?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/events/1392677767724016/

The Berkeley Playhouse - Entertaining show stopping HAIRSPRAY!

THE 60’S BOUNCE OFF THE JULIA MORGAN STAGE AS A HAIR HOPPER STEALS YOUR HEART.

Tracy Turnbald  and her quest to be part of the “nicest kids in town” brings the house down at the Berkeley Playhouses new sparkling production of HAIRSPRAY. Based on the 1988 film by my hero John Waters, book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehad, music by Marc Shairman. In 2003 the Broadway hit won eight Tonys, and went on to be a successful movie musical.

This home run cast assembled by Director Daren A.C. Carollo, is a perfect example of the quality theatre the Berkeley Playhouse is bringing to their family theatre. From the opening number “Good Morning Baltimore” Carollo direction is non stop fun. Set in 1962, at the height of the fight for racial integration, HAIRSPRAY is the story of plump Tracy Turnblad who is going to do whatever it takes to dance her way onto Baltimore's TV teen dance show.

Does the big girl with big dreams and even bigger hair - also win over Link Larkin the hottest boy on the show? Its a good chance that most reading this have seen HAIRSPRAY in one fashion or another yet a second or third time at the Corny Collins show is always fun.

Monica Turner returns to the role of Tracy and she is terrific. She is a Bay Area favorite who did the role for Cabrillo Stage Company, and now brings the sixties to the Julia Morgan stage. Turner projects the right amount energy and optimism. “I want every day to be negro day” one my favorite “Tracy” lines. Taylor Bartolucci is perfect as the villainous Velma Von Tussle, as is Chelsea Holifield as her spoiled-rotten daughter, Amber.

The talented scene stealer Andrew Humann brings the Elvis heartthrob karma as Link Larkin and his excellent “Without Love’ duet with Tracy. Glen Riggs is cast as Edna, Tracys mom, and he is divine in “Welcome To The Sixties”. Yet a highlight is the duet with Riggs and Joel Roster as Wilbur Turnblad, their chemistry is perfect in “You’re Timeless To Me”. Hanna Foster is busy and funny as Tracy’s best friend, the nerdy Penny. Scottie Woodard is delightfully smooth as TV show host Corny Collins.

Brandon Thomas brings some spark and amazing moves as Seaweed J. Stubbs, the dancer who ignites Tracy’s campaign to bring racial equality to the dance show. Brandon is a talented dancer and is a highlight. Khalia Davis is marvelous as Seaweeds sister, Little Inez with a load of talent and charm. Tielle Baker is cast as the female authority in a number of roles - her best being the hilarious gym teacher and prison guard.

Director Carollo needs to be applauded for perfect casting in the role of Motormouth Maybelle, played by Berwick Haynes in drag. His depth of highlighting the darker side of this fun is proved with the powerful number “I Know Where I have Been” is a show stopper. Haynes brought the sold out Berkeley Playhouse to a standing ovation stop.

The rich colorful "mod” set designed by Robert Broadfoot at times can upstage the talented cast, but its moving stages and back lit entrances are perfect for this romp through the sixties. Choreographer Alyssa Bond’s dance sequences gave the opening night crowd a few blisters on their hands from the get-up-and-dance after the other of excellent energy on stage.

Wigs, hair spray, and colorful sixties costumes by Liz Martin give the cast giggly camp. Tracy and Ednas coordinated first act dresses could have been a bit brighter, but later Edna shines in the satin, feather boas and loads of jewelry. The back lit set front and swinging cans of light designed by Mark Thomas, keep this show bright. Music Director Michael Patrick six man orchestra are on cue, yet I missed those “Bells” in “I can hear the bells”.

The signature Hairspray "can" designed by Props head Kristen Royston, for the closing “You Can’t Stop The Beat” fits the surprise of the classic dance number. Bond and Carollo fill their stage with some perfect energy for the close of the show.

One of my endearing hero’s in the film and theatre community is John Waters, from the first time I discovered Divine and her Cha Cha shoes. I feel Mr Waters, who is in the Bay Area often, would be pleased with this production in Berkeley. It is a must see and Carollo and his production team deserve every “standing O” they earn for every performance. Go catch the sixties, its energizing!

H a i r s p r a y

Presented by Berkeley Playhouse

Julia Morgan Theater, 2640 College Ave., Berkeley

7 p.m. Fridays, 1 and 6 p.m. Saturdays, noon and 5 p.m. Sundays; closes May 17

Tickets: $25 to $60

Contact: (510) 845-8542, ext.351, www.berkeleyplayhouse.org

Photos by Ben Krantz

PACIFIC COAST REPERTORY brings an excellent FIDDLER to the FIREHOUSE Stage

FROM ANATEVKA WITH LOVE PCRT CELEBRATES THE 50th YEAR OF A BROADWAY CLASSIC

The Pacific Coast Repertory Theatre celebrates Tevye 50 years on stage with an excellent production of the timeless musical.  FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is written by Joseph Stein, music by Jerry Bock and book by Sheldon Harnick. Director Christina Lazo assembled a talented cast for the small PCRT Firehouse stage, and its impressive. Lazo also choreographed some high flying numbers reminiscent of Jerome Robbins original dance numbers.

Staging a full production of FIDDLER is no easy task, the story comes with a large cast and some iconic songs that are part of American Theatre. Bay area favorite Dan Kapler was perfect as Tevya, he commanded the stage and was the heart of the show. Most of the performances are well acted, but Kapler is at his best in this role. Rachel Robinson as one of Tevya’s daughters, Hodel was also a standout. Most impressive was Burton Thomas as Motel the Tailor and his memorable “Miracle of Miracles”. Mr. Burton is endearing, and vulnerable. Tzeitel, played by Melissa Reinertson also is charming on stage.

The story of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is full of well known songs and this cast for the most is on their mark. Annmarie Martin as his wife Golde is perfect in “Do you love Me”. Nick Sears as one of the Russians Fyedka and Scott Reardon as Perchik are both standouts. 

The wedding scene that closes out the first act is a busy one, it includes the bottle dance and “Sunrise, Sunset”. Lazo constructed this well, and “Tevye’s Dream” with Fruma-Sarah and the whole company. It was fun and the setting perfect using every corner of her small stage. The orchestra headed by Pat Parr is perched above the set and is on cue. Sherry Lewis plays the Fiddler and Lazo works her into many of the numbers

The small village of Anatevka is sometimes a scene stealer - Designed by Patrick Brandon, he used the color blue in the mix of the Village. In Judaism blue symbolises divinity the color the sky and sea. Brandon set includes a beautiful backdrop and textured space for the actors to work with. The lighting also has blue texture and designed spot on by Michael Oesch. Designer Margaret daSilva has fun with the costumes in the dream scene and she keeps the tradition of the costumes rich with the culture of the Jewish faith.

All the classic songs from this 50 year classic are all easy to recall and this company performed them all very well on such a small stage. “Tradition”, “To Life” and the wedding celebration all keep the spirit of larger productions. Lazo expands the cast to fill the small Firehouse Arts Center - and the villagers fill the aisles, a well staged move to bring the show into the entire space.    

Some other smaller roles I would like to mention include Steve Wilner as Lazar Wolf the butcher, Salim Razawi as the Rabbi son, Audrey Howitt as Grandma Tzeitel and Ali Lane as Yenta the Matchmaker.

For fifty years Fiddler on the Roof has earned respect as one of the greatest musicals of all time.  Songs like “Sunrise, Sunset,” “Matchmaker,” and “If I Were a Rich Man,” will always be a “Tradition” in the American musical theatre. This production at PCRT is the perfect musical to celebrate on this Pleasanton Ca stage. Congrats to the cast and production team.

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

PACIFIC COAST REPERTORY, FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER

DIRECTED BY CHRISTINA LAZO

April 17, 2015 – May 3, 2015 Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm Sundays at 2pm -  $17-$38 Season Subscription also available

(925) 931-4848 or online tickets at www.pcrtproductions.org

Running Time: 2 hours 20 minutes with Intermission.

OMG I LOVE THAT SHOW! a fun night for show tunes FORBIDDEN BROADWAY will make you smile.

VERY FUNNY TAKE ON BROADWAY CLASSICS IS TERRIFIC AND FORBIDDEN

Jill Gould as Carol Channing

OMG I love that Show! is a fact with their new rendition of the Fringe hit FORBIDDEN BROADWAY. Tony winners and some flops take a riff, as our favorite show tunes get a great re take in the hands of writer Gerard Alessandrini. “This show is a love letter to that wonderful American art form of musical theatre” says co-directors Ryan Cowles and Derek Travis Collard. The two also add their own very clever shtick and take on some classic bits from Broadway.

Gemma Bulos as Annie

I would guess that some Broadway icons would be insulted if their show was left out of this skewered fun. Cowles assembled a talented group of locals who all have a string of their own hits to be part of this funny clever show. Gemma Bulos, a charm as Eponine snaps a selfie of herself in the extended “Le Miz” bit as she sings “on my phone”. Michael Doppe with his classic voice works the crowd as one of the Monkeys from "Wicked". Jill Gould is the best Mary Poppins as this romp takes down a Disney classic. The brilliant Derek Travis Collard appeared in the cast the night I saw this, he was the pretentious narrator from “Into the Woods”

Broadway hero Producer Cameron Mackintosh is taken to task, both with his Le Miz and Phantom get very clever take offs. Cowles makes the famous turntable set of the original Le Miz an important part of the funny as his actors struggle to stay on the set. The lighting design very simple but well done by Eric Johnson is the key to visual fun in “One Day More”. The FORBIDDEN set is just one piece, lighted curtain for the team to enter in their many costumes and become the color of the show. Cowles wearing many hats for this production brings some easy to recognize flash to his actors look on stage. I found myself giggling as the sight of some of the costumes, knowing their shtick to follow.

This version is all very current, with a viscous take of NBC’s 'Sound of Music". With the miss cast country Carrie Underwood version of Maria Von Trapp,  played so well by Jill Gould. This satirical two hours has no boundaries and hardy any shame, and its perfect.

Diva Idina Menzel is not left out of the fun, “Adele Dazeem” makes her mark played perfect by Kathryn Hart, as she powerhouses “Let it Blow” from Frozen. Later Dazeem returns with her monkey and broom to fly into “Wicked”.

Some classics are easy to make us smile, like Michael Doppe as Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof”, “A Chorus Line”, “Dolly” and “Music Man”. So ironic, on a stage a few feet from this black box show, is a huge CCMT production of Music Man taking place above the cast of FORBIDDEN BROADWAY. Did those “River city” vibes work their way upstairs.

Kathryn Fox Hart as Liza Minnelli

Of course not all made it to the Walnut Creek black box fun, "Book of Mormon" was missing and Pippin didn't make the cut. But not really missed as “The Lion King” riff was classic ridiculous and a hilarious mention of the heavy headed costumes that crossed to some “Cats” looking on from yet another Mackintosh parody. RENT also makes the song list and Gemma Bulos as the homeless lady steals the parody of “Season of Love”.

The six member cast is a charm of talent, not one of them misses a beat. Cowles keeps his cast moving with some cute song and dance gigs. I need to mention Kathy Hart return to many of the parodies, her best as Liza Minnelli . Matt Smart is the one man orchestra and music director, and at times it was great to just see him play and mix his Broadway tunes

I did have my FORBIDDEN favorites, Chita Rivera and Rita Moreno battle for the right to “Westside Story - America”. Along with Ethel Merman battle with The Phantom vs using a microphone to project featuring Jill Gould and very funny Chris Olson.  FORBIDDEN BROADWAY 2015 is a high octane flashmob of amusing high end camp, and not a drag queen in the group.

The cast self y

Forbidden Broadway: Greatest Hits

The Roast of Broadway

April 17 to May -3rd, 2015

OH MY GOD I LOVE THAT SHOW

Tickets 35.00 -  925-943-7469.

AT THE LESHER CENTER FOR THE ARTS

www.omgilovethatshow.com

Tickets 35.00 -  925-943-7469.

AT THE LESHER CENTER FOR THE ARTS

www.omgilovethatshow.com

Photo Credit: Tom Deans-Flegel