Disney’s The Little MermaidAlan Menken (Music); Howard Ashman & Glenn Slater (Lyrics); Doug Wright (Book)Palo Alto Players Kristen Hermosillo & Cheyenne Wells The Little Mermaidmay sound like the perfect outing for young girls and their parents. While that is certainly true, the opening night crowd at Palo Alto Players that included folks of … [Read more...] about “Disney’s The Little Mermaid”
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“Life of the Party”
Life of the PartyAndrew Lippa (Music & Lyrics)Conceived by Andrew Lippa & David BabaniTheatreWorks Silicon Valley Sally Ann Triplett, Teal Wicks, Damian Humbley & Andrew LippaTheatreWorks Silicon Valley welcomes home one whom Artistic Director Robert Kelley refers to as “family” as the company presents the U.S. premiere of Life of the … [Read more...] about “Life of the Party”
“The Awakening”
The AwakeningAdapted by Oren Stevens (from novel by Kate Chopin)The BreadboxThe Cast of "The Awakening"“There’s so much I cannot understand about myself ... my motives ... I have no grand plan.” But Edna Pontellier is very willing to explore new boundaries and to break a few along the way as she mostly ignores late-nineteenth-century societal rules of what is proper and … [Read more...] about “The Awakening”
“Wild Boy”
Wild BoyOliver GoldstickDragon Productions Theatre CompanyJohnathan TierneyWild Boy focuses on Oliver Goldstick's research about England’s Kings George I & II and a found, feral boy named Peter as well as on Mr. Collins’ and his wife’s parallel discoveries about their little ‘wild boy’ and themselves. With astute direction, intriguing … [Read more...] about “Wild Boy”
“Grand Concourse”
Grand ConcourseHeidi SchreckShotgun PlayersKevin Clarke, Cathleen Riddley, Megan Trout & Caleb Cabrera The soup slowly simmers as more and more cut veggies are added to the large pot in the squeaky clean, industrial kitchen. While the actual brew in this neighborhood soup kitchen never boils over, the metaphorical soup that is stirring in the kitchen run by a … [Read more...] about “Grand Concourse”
“Confederates”
ConfederatesSuzanne BradbeerTheatreWorks Silicon Valley Jessica Lynn Carroll as Maddie & Richard Prioleau as WillCould a compromising picture of a coed and a confederate flag really be just a naïve girl’s attempt to create an edgy art project, or is it just the quickly invented, convenient explanation for what was really a drunken prank, now deemed mistake? What … [Read more...] about “Confederates”
“The Real Americans”
The Real AmericansDan HoyleThe MarshDan Hoyle as a Man Met in MississippiDan Hoyle, the master of disguise, chameleon of personality, mimic of dialect, and man with the sharpest of wits and the biggest of hearts has returned after a several-year hiatus better than ever, bringing folk from all across America with him to The Marsh to tell their stories, in their own words and … [Read more...] about “The Real Americans”
“City of Angels”
City of AngelsCy Coleman (Music); David Zippel (Lyrics); Larry Gelbart (Book)San Francisco Playhouse The Cast of "City of Angels"--> The tough, hunky private eye hero who falls prey to beautiful women who fall for him ... or at least the femme fatales who make him think they fall for him as they seduce with snake-like charms, shapely hips, and breasts bursting from low … [Read more...] about “City of Angels”
“East 14th”
East 14thDon ReedThe Marsh Don Reed is currently reviving at Berkeley’s The Marsh his much-touted, critically acclaimed East 14th, a solo show that has played in past years at both at The Marsh and on New York stages and has even been heard in excerpts on NPR. The one-man writer, performer, producer, and director joyfully and playfully walks us … [Read more...] about “East 14th”
“Cabaret”
CabaretJoe Masteroff (Book); John Kander (Music); Fred Ebb (Lyrics)SHN Randy Harrison as MC with the Kit Kat Girls and BoysSince its 1966 Broadway debut and its initial eight Tonys, the inspiring hit Cabaret has continued to evolve through several major, award-winning revivals in both New York and London, becoming ever darker, starker, and rawer with each new production during … [Read more...] about “Cabaret”
“Beach Blanket Babylon”
Beach Blanket BabylonSteve Silver, CreatorJo Shuman Silver, ProducerClub FugaziShawna Ferris McNulty as Snow WhiteFirst, I must make a confession. For over thirty-five years of its forty-two-and-counting-year history, I have been a Beach Blanket Babylon fanatic – some might say groupie. I can count at least twenty-five times I have toured the world with Snow White … [Read more...] about “Beach Blanket Babylon”
“The Invisible Hand”
The Invisible HandAyad AkhtarMarin Theatre CompanyCraig Marker, Jason Kapoor & Pomme KochFor many of the Popes of centuries past, the televangelists of the late twentieth century, or the ISIS leaders in Iraq and Syria of 2016, dogmatic and self-righteous religious zealousness appears often to lead to great accumulations of wealth at the expense of others. The … [Read more...] about “The Invisible Hand”
“Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike”
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and SpikeChristopher DurangPalo Alto Players Patricia Tyler, Walter M. Mayes, Judith Miller & Jimmy MasonThe 2013 Tony winner for Best Play, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, has been produced coast-to-coast and now lands on the stage of Palo Alto Players as the final installation of the company’s 85th Anniversary, “Toniest … [Read more...] about “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike”
“The Velocity of Autumn”
The Velocity of AutumnEric CobleTheatreWorks Silicon ValleyMark Anderson Philips & Susan Greenhill TheatreWorks Silicon Valley is staging a truly uplifting and heart-warming production of Eric Coble’s The Velocity of Autumn that does not dwell on decline and death as much as on the freedom to act and to be as one feels compelled during whatever amount … [Read more...] about “The Velocity of Autumn”
“Oklahoma”
OklahomaRichard Rodgers (Music), Oscar Hammerstein II (Book & Lyrics)Broadway by the BayThe Cast of "Oklahoma"All it takes to spawn a sea of happy smiles are those first few notes of “There’s a bright golden haze on the meadow,” so wonderfully trumpeted by the handsome cowboy coming down the aisle of the theatre. By the time he jumps onto the stage of cornfields and … [Read more...] about “Oklahoma”
