Theatre Eddys Presents“The Eddys 2018”Theatre Eddys’ San Francisco Bay Area Top Theatre Productions, 2018This year, Theatre Eddys attended and reviewed 125 shows locally along with nine shows in Ashland, Oregon at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Of the 125 local productions that were plays, musicals, and solo performances, a top “5 E” rating was awarded to … [Read more...] about “The Eddys”: Theatre Eddys’ Top Bay Area Play, Musicals & Solo Show of 2018″
Dames at Sea
Dames at SeaGeorge Haimsohn & Robin Miller (Book & Lyrics); Jim Wise (Music)42nd Street MoonThe Cast of Dames at SeaWhile parodies sometimes aim to make fun to the point that the satire digs deep and hurts, a parody can also be a love letter where laughs are fond remembrances of the original -- beauty marks, warts, and all. Such is the case for the 1968 … [Read more...] about Dames at Sea
“Tuck Everlasting”
Tuck Everlasting Chris Miller (Music); Nathan Tysen (Lyrics); Claudia Shear & Tim Federle (Book)Based on the Novel by Natalie BabbittTheatreWorks Silicon ValleyNatalie Schroeder and Eddie GreyFor anyone who has seen even a few of the over 165 productions that Artistic Director Robert Kelley has directed in his near fifty years at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, then it soon … [Read more...] about “Tuck Everlasting”
“A Christmas Carol”
A Christmas Carol Alan Menken (Music); Lynn Ahrens (Lyrics); Mike Ockrent & Lynn Ahrens (Book)Based on the Story by Charles DickensHillbarn TheatreThe Cast of A Christmas CarolHillbarn Theatre of Foster City, a company known for its rousing, inventively produced musicals, stages the musical version of the perennially holiday favorite, A Christmas Carol. Unfortunately, … [Read more...] about “A Christmas Carol”
“The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley”
The Wickhams: Christmas at PemberleyLauren Gunderson & Margot MelconMarin Theatre CompanyNeiry Rojo & August BrowningIn late December 1815, two years have passed since four of the five sisters of the Longbourn estate traversed many complicated webs and winding routes to land husbands in Jane Austin’s much beloved Pride and Prejudice. Now as December arrives in … [Read more...] about “The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley”
“A Bronx Tale”
A Bronx TaleChazz Palminteri (Book); Alan Menken (Music); Glenn Slater (Lyrics)SHNJoey Barreiro & Frannkie LeoniBased on real life occurrences, A Bronx Tale is a coming of age musical about the life of its writer, Chazz Palminteri, ages nine to seventeen. Set in the 1960s Italian and African-American neighborhoods of New York – two neighborhoods close in distance but … [Read more...] about “A Bronx Tale”
“Mary Poppins”
Mary PoppinsRichard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman (Music & Lyrics); Julian Fellowes (Book) with Additional Songs/Lyrics by George Stiles & Anthony DreweBased on the Stories of P.L. Travers and the Film by Walt DisneySan Francisco Playhouse El BehMary and Bert have danced with animated animals in a cinematic Mary Poppins for almost fifty-five years with Julie Andrews … [Read more...] about “Mary Poppins”
“Pike Street”
Pike StreetNilaja SunBerkeley Repertory Theatre Nilaja SunIn August 2017, I saw and reviewed Nilaja Sun's solo performance of "Pike Street" at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. At that time, I contacted several Bay Area companies and suggested they consider bringing her and her compelling story to our local audiences. While I unfortunately am unable to attend … [Read more...] about “Pike Street”
“Making God Laugh”
Jeremy Ryan, Mary Lou Torre, and Keenan FlaggMaking God LaughSean GrennanCity Lights Theater CompanyAs the decades come and go over a thirty-year period in the life of one family, many changes occur in the world around them while in the house where the three grown children were raised, many more things stay the same. What better holiday gift could … [Read more...] about “Making God Laugh”
“Everything Is Illuminated”
Everything Is IlluminatedAdapted by Simon Block, Based on the Novel by Jonathan Safran FoerAurora Theatre CompanyJulian López Morillas, Adam Burch & Jeremy Kahn“No one arrives in this world from nowhere.” The driving desire to know his own origins sends a young, aspiring writer in the late 1990s to the Ukraine in search of a woman in a picture identified as Augustine … [Read more...] about “Everything Is Illuminated”
“In the Heights”
In the HeightsLin Manuel Miranda (Music); Quiara Alegria Hudes (Book)Custom Made Theatre CompanyThe Cast of In the HeightsIn 2008, a musical that opened on Broadway and went on to win four Tonys that year (including Best Musical) quickly established itself as one that would influence a new generation of stage musicals. Not only was the large cast all but one of … [Read more...] about “In the Heights”
“Crazy for You”
Crazy for YouGeorge Gershwin (Music), Ira Gershwin (Lyrics); Ken Ludwig (Book)Bay Area MusicalsThe Cast of Crazy for YouChoreography that dares you not to tap your own toes. Comedy full of corn that is impossible not to laugh out loud – and I do mean loud. A love triangle where two of the three are the same person. And the Gershwin Brothers’ songs plucked from … [Read more...] about “Crazy for You”
“Girls Kill Nazis”
Girls Kill NazisJames KoppPear TheatreJennifer Sorkin-Kopp, Heather Mae Steffen, Diane Tasca, Stephanie Crowley, and Jim JohnsonThe Nancy Wake Book Club meets every Friday night in the oldest continually operating library in Arizona, the Copper Queen Library of Bisbee, Arizona. Named after a famous, French resistance fighter of World War II, the club has just two … [Read more...] about “Girls Kill Nazis”
“Why Would I Mispronounce My Own Name?”
Why Would I Mispronounce My Own Name?Irma HerreraThe MarshIrma HerreraSo how would you say her name: Irma Herrara? If you are thinking the same as a few somewhat famous Irma’s you may know like Irma Rombauer (author, Joy of Cooking), Irma Thomas (“Soul Queen of New Orleans”), or Hurricane Irma (2017, Category 5), then you – like I -- evidently are not among the 47 million … [Read more...] about “Why Would I Mispronounce My Own Name?”
“Men on Boats”
Men on BoatsJaclyn BackhausAmerican Conservatory TheatreThe Cast of Men on BoatsEvery day as we travel through our city streets, down our highways, and across our bridges, we encounter names that we mostly have no idea who the person being honored actually was. Most of the time, we do not even wonder. But behind many of those nomenclatures are forgotten stories of … [Read more...] about “Men on Boats”
